DOCTRINE. Our LORD JESUS CHRIST, in the Work of Redemption, gloriously appears above all Evil.

IN handling this Doctrine, I propose to shew,

I. How Evil of all Kinds has prevailed, and highly exalted itself in the World.

II. THAT tho' Evil has so greatly prevailed, and how high soever it has exalted itself, Christ appears gloriously above it, in the Work of Redemption.

I. EVIL of all Kinds has risen to an exceeding height in the World, and highly exalted itself against God and Christ, and the Church.

This will appear by the following Particulars.

1. SATAN has highly exalted himself, and greatly prevailed. Satan is one who is vastly superior, in his n [...]tural Capacity and Abilities, to Mankind. He was originally one of the highest Rank of Creatures, b [...]ing [Page 4] a mighty Angel. He proudly exalted himself in Re­bellion against God in Heaven. For we are told that Pride was the Condemnation of the Devil.^* He be­came proud of his own superior Dignity and mighty Abilities, and the Glory which his Creator had put up­on him; and probably thought it too much to submit to the Son of God, and attempted to exalt his Throne above the Throne of Christ. And he prevailed to draw away vast Multitudes, many Thousands and Millions of the heavenly Hosts, into an open Rebellion against God.

AND after he was cast down from Heaven, he proudly exalted himself in this World, and prevailed to do great Things here. By his subtil Temptations he p [...]ocur'd the fall of our first Parents, and so brought about the Ruin of the wh [...]le Race of Mankind. He procured their Ruin in Body and Soul, and the Death of both; and that they should be exposed to all Manner of Calamity in this World, and to eternal Ruin here­after. He so far prevailed, that he drew Men off from the Service of their Maker, and set up himself to be the God of this World; and in a little Time drew the World into that almost universal Corruption, which brought on the Flood of Waters, by which it was de­stroyed. And after that, he again in a little Time drew all Nations, except the Posterity of Jacob, off from the Worship of the true God, and darkened all the World with the darkness of Heathenism; and held them un­der this Darkness for a great many Ages: he himself being worshiped as God almost all over the World: the Nations of the Earth offered Sacrifices to him; and Multitudes offered up their Children in Sacrifice to him. And during that Time, he often so far prevailed against the People of God, that he had almost swallowed them up The Church was often brought to the very Brink of Ruin.

[Page 5]AND when Christ himself appeared in the World, how did he exalt himself against him! and prevailed so far, as to influence Men to hate and despise him all the Days of his Life. And at last perswaded one of his own Disciples to betray him; and brought it to pass, that he was delivere [...] into the Hands of Men, to be mocked, buffeted and spit upon, and treated with the greatest ignominy that unrestrained Malice could de­vise: and at last procured that he should be put to the most cruel, ignominious kind of Death that was in use in the World. And since that, he has greatly exalted himself against the Gospel and Kingdom of Christ: has procured that the Church, for the most Part, has been the Subject of great Persecution; has often bro [...]t it to the brink of utter Destruction: Has accomplish­ed great Works in setting up those great Kingdoms of Antichrist and Mahomet; and darkened great Part of the World, that was once enlightened with the Gospel of Christ with worse than heathen Darkness. And has infected the christian World with Multitudes of Heresies and false Ways of Worship, and greatly pro­moted Atheism and Infidelity. Thus highly has the Devil exalted himself against God and Christ, and the Elect; and so far has he prevailed.

2. GUILT is another Evil which has come to a great height in the World. All Guilt is an Evil of a dread­ful Nature: the least Degree of it is enough utterly to undo any Creature. It is a Thing that reaches un­to Heaven, and cries to God, and brings down his Wrath. The guilt of any one Sin is so terrible an Evil, that it prevails to bind over the guilty Person to suffer everlasting Burnings: and so is an Evil that is in some Respect infinite, in that it obliges to that Pu­nishment which has no end; and so is infinitely terrible. But this kind of Evil has risen to a most amazing height in this World; where not only some Persons are guilty, but all in all Nations and Ages are naturally [Page 6] guilty Wretches. And they who live to act any time in the World, are not only guilty of one Sin, but of Thousands, and thousands of Thousands. What mul­tiplied, and what aggravated Sins are some Men guilty of! What Guilt lies on some particular Persons! how much more on some particular populous Ci­ties! How much more still on this wicked World! How much does the Guilt of the World transcend all Account; all Expression; all Powers of Numbers or Measures! And above all▪ how vast is the Guilt of the World, in all Ages of it, from the beginning of the World to the end of it! To what a Pitch has Guilt risen in the World; The World being, as it were, on every Side, loaded with it, as with Mountains heaped on Mountains above the Clouds and Stars of Heaven.

AND Guilt, when it was imputed to Christ, greatly prevailed against him; tho' in himself innocent, and the eternal Son of God; even so as to hold him Pri­soner of Justice for a while; and to open the Flood­gates of God's Wrath upon him, and bring all his Waves and Billows over him.

3. CORRUPTION and Wickedness of Heart, is another Thing that has risen to an exceeding height in the World. Sin has so far prevailed in the World, that it has become universal: All Mankind that are meer Men, are become sinful and corrupt Creatures. Let us attend to St. Paul's Description of the World. ^† Jews and Gentiles are all under Sin. As it is writ­ten. There is none Righteous, no not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the Way, they are together become unprofitable, there is none that doth Good, no not one. And not only is every one cor­rupt; but they are all over corrupt, in every Power, Faculty & Principle; every Part is depraved. Which is here represented by the several Parts of the Body being corrupt, as the Throat, the Tongue, the Lips, [Page 7] the Mouth, the Feet. "Their Throat is an open Sepulchre, with their Tongues they have used Deceit, the Poison of Asps is under their Lips: whose Mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: their Feet are swift to shed Blood." And not only is every Part corrupt but exceeding corrupt; being possessed with dreadful Prin­ciples of Corruption, horribly evil Dispositions and Principles of Sin, that may be represented by the Poi­son of Asps; which makes Men like filthy Beasts, like Vipers and Devils: Principles of all Uncleanness, Pride, Deceit, Injustice, Enmity, Malice, Blasphemy, Murder, Here their Throats are compared to an open Sepul­chre, and their Mouth said to be "full of cursing and bitterness▪" and Destruction and Misery are said to be in their Ways.

AND there are not only those Principles of Sin that are very bad, but every Kind; there is no Sort of Wickedness, but there is a Seed of it in Men. —And these Seeds and Principles have not only a Being in Men's Hearts, but are there in great Strength: they have the absolute Possession and Dominion over Men, so that they are sold under Sin. Yea, wicked Principles, and those only, are in the Heart. The Imagination of the Thoughts of their Heart is evil and only evil. There are bad Principles only, and no good ones. "There is no fear of God before their Eyes." Thus the Hearts of all Men are "deceitful and desperately wicked." ^‖

AND if we look not only at the natural Corruption of the Heart, but the contracted Habits of Sin, that Men are commonly under the Power of, by wicked Education and Customs, how full shall we find the World of Wickedness, in this Respect! How have Men by bad Customs in Sinning, broken down all Restraints upon natural Corruption, and as it were abandon'd themselves to Wickedness! So far has Corruption and Wicked­ness [Page 8] prevailed in the World, and so high has it risen, that it is become a great & universal Deluge, that over­tops all Things, and prevails with that Strength, that it is like the raging Waves of the tempestuous Ocean; which are ready to bear down all before them.

4 MANY of the Devil's Instruments have greatly prevail'd, and have been exalted to an exceeding height in the World. It has been so in almost all Ages of the World. Many of the Devil's Instruments have prosper'd and prevail'd 'till they have got to the Head of great Kingdoms and Empires, with vast Riches and mighty Power.

THOSE four great heathen Monarchies that rose in the World before Christ, ^† are spoken of in Scripture as Kingdoms set up in opposition to the Kingdom of Christ. So they are represented in the Interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's Dream, wherein he saw a great Image; the Head of Gold, his Breast and his Arms of Silver, his Belly and his Thighs of Brass, his Legs of Iron, &c. ^* These Monarchies were exceeding powerful. The two last ruled over the bigger Part of the then known World. And the last especially, viz. the Roman Empire, was exceeding mighty: so that it is said to be divers from all Kingdoms; and that it should devour the whole Earth, and tread it down, and break it in Pieces. ^‡ And is represented by the fourth Beast, which was dreadful and terrible; and strong exceedingly; and had great iron Teeth, that devoured and break in Pieces, and stamped the residue with his Feet. These four Kingdoms all persecuted the Church of God in their Turns▪ and especially the last, viz. the Roman One of the Governors of this Monarchy put Christ to Death And afterwards one Emperor after another, made dreadful Havock of the Church; destroying Thousands & Millions; making a Business ^‖ [Page 9] of it with the Force of all the Empire, to torment and destroy the Christians; endeavouring if possible, to root out the Christian Name from under Heaven.

AND in these latter Ages, how have those two great Instruments of the Devil, viz Antichrist and Mahomet, prevail [...]d, and to what a Pitch of Advancement have they ar [...]ived; ruling over vast Empires, with mighty Wealth, Pride and Power: so that the Earth has been, as it were, subdued by them. Antichrist has set up him­self as the Vicar of Christ; and has for many Ages usurped the Power of God. "sitting in the Temple of God, and shewing himself that he is God; and exalt­ing himself above all that is called God, or that is wor­shipped." And how dreadfully has he ravaged the Church of God, being drunk with the Blood of the Saints, and the Martyrs of Jesus! And has often, as it were deluged the World in Christian Blood shed with t [...]e utmost cruelty that human Wit and Malice could invent.

AND at this Day, many other Instruments of the Devil, many Hereticks, Atheists and other Infidels, are exerting themselves against Christ and his Church, with great Pride and Contempt.

5. AFFLICTION and Misery have also prevailed and risen to an unspeakable Height in the World. The spiritual Misery which the Elect are naturally in is great. They are miserable Captives of Sin and Satan, and under Obligations to suffer eternal Burnings. This Misery all Mankind are naturally in. And spiritual Troubles & Sorrows have often risen to a g [...]eat Height in the Elect. The Troubles of a wounded Spirit and guilty Conscience, have been felt with int [...]lerable and insupportable Weight. "A wounded Spirit who can bear? ^† And the Darkness that has risen to God's People after Conversion, through the Temptations & Buffetings of the Devil, and the Hidings of God's Face, and Mani­festations [Page 10] of his Anger, have been very terrible. And temporal Afflictions have often risen exceeding high. The Church of God has, for the most Part all along, been a Seat of great Affliction and Tribulation. The Trouble and Distress the Church has undergone, under those cruel Persecutions that have often been and have been long continued, are such as we cannot have a full Conception of, who have always enjoyed such Liberty and Peace.

BUT the height to which the Evil of Affliction has risen, no where appears so much, as in the Afflictions that Christ suffered. The evil of Affliction & Sorrow exalted itself so high, as to seize the Son of God him­self, and to handle him after such a Manner, as to cause him to be all in a bloody Sweat, and made his Soul ex­ceeding sorrowful even unto Death; and caused him to cry out, "My God, my God, why hast thou for­saken me?" Affliction never prevailed to such a De­gree in this World, as in Christ, whose Soul was▪ as it were, overwhelmed in an Ocean, and consumed as in a Furnace of it.

6. DEATH is an Evil which has greatly prevailed, and made dreadful Havock in this World. How does it waste and devour Mankind one Age after another; sparing none, high or low, rich or poor, good or bad! Wild Beasts have destroyed many; many cruel Princes have taken away the Lives of Thousands, and laid waste whole Countries: but Death devours all; none are suffered to escape. And the Bodies of the Saints as well as others, fall a Prey to this great Devourer. Yea so high did this Enemy rise, that he took hold on Christ himself, and swallowed him among the rest. He be­came the Prey of this great, insatiable Monster. By his Means, was his bodily Frame destroyed, and laid dead in the dark and silent Grave. And Death still goes on destroying Thousands every Day. And there­fore [Page 11] the Grave is one of those Things which, Agur says, never has enough ^*

SO have Evils of every Kind prevailed; and to such a Degree have they exalted themselves in the World.

I come now,

II. To shew, how our Lord Jesus Christ, in the Work of Redemption, gloriously appears above all these Evils.

IT was not the Will of the infinitly wise and holy Governor of the World, that Things should remain in this Confusion; thus under the Reign of Evil, which had prevailed and exalted it self to such an Height. But he had a Design of subduing it; and delivering an elect Part of the World from it, and exalting them to the Possession of the greatest Good, and to reign in the highest Glory, out of a State of Subjection to all these Evils. And he pitch'd upon his Son as the Person most fit for this great Undertaking, that was infinitely too great for any meer Creature: and he has under­taken it in the Work of o [...]r Redemption. And tho' these Evils are so many and so great, and have prevailed to such a Degree, and have risen to such an exceeding height, and have been, as it were, all combined toge­ther; yet wherein they have exalted themselves, Christ in the Work of Redemption, appears above them. He hath gloriously prevailed against them all, and brings them under his Feet; and rides forth, in the Chariots of Salvation, over their Heads; or leading them in tri­umph at his chariot Wheels. He appears in this Work infinitely higher and mightier than they, and sufficient to carry his People above them, and utterly to destroy them all.

CHRIST gloriously appears above all these Evils — In his procuring Redemption, by what he did and suf­fered, when he was in his State of Humiliation — In [Page 12] his rising from the Dead, and Ascention into Heaven— In the work of his Spirit in the Souls of the Elect in this World—In glorifying the Souls of Saints in Heaven— In his Providence that he exerci [...]es towards the World, as Head of the Church In the Consummation of the Work of Redemption, at the End of the World.

1. CHRIST appears gloriously above all Evil in what he did to procure Redemption for us in his State of Hu­miliation, by the Righteousness he wrought out, and the Atonement he made for Sin then; and especially in his Sufferings. The Evils which have been spoken of, never seemed so to prevail against him as in these Suffer­ings: But in them, the Foundation was laid for their overthrow. In them he appeared above Satan. Tho' Satan never exalted himself so high, as he did in pro­curing these Sufferings of Christ; yet then Christ laid the Foundation for the utter over-throw of his King­dom. He slew Satan, as it were, with his own Wea­pon: The spiritual David cut off this Goliath's Head with his own Sword; and he triumphed over him in his Cross. "Having spoiled Principalities & Powers, he made a Shew of them openly triumphing over them in it."^* i. e. in his Cross, mention'd [...]n the preceeding Words. Then the Wisdom of Christ appear glori­ously above the subtilty of Satan. Satan, that old Serpent, used a great deal of Subtilty to procure Christ's Death; and doubtless, when he had accomplished it, thought he had obtain'd a compleat Victory; being then ignorant of the Contrivance of our Redemption. But so did the Wisdom of Christ order Things, that Satan's Subtilty and Malice, should be made the very Means of undermining the Foundations of his King­dom: and so he wisely led him into the Pit that he had digged.

IN this also Christ appeared gloriously above the Guilt of Men. For he offered that Sacrifice, that was [Page 13] sufficient to do away all the Guilt of the whole World. Tho' the Guilt of Man was like the great Mountains, whose Heads are lifted up to the Heavens; yet his dying Love, and his Merits in this, appeared as a mighty Deluge that over-flowed the highest Mountains; or like a boundless Ocean that swallows them up: or like an immense Fountain of Light, that with the fulness and redundance of its Brightness, swallows up Men's greatest Sins, as little Mo [...]es are swallowed up and hid­den in the Disk of the Sun.

IN this Christ appeared above all the Corruption of Man, in that hereby he purchased Holiness for the chief of Sinners.

AND Christ in undergoing such extreme Affliction, got the Victory over all Misery; and laid a Founda­tion for its being utterly abolished, with Respect to his Elect. In dying he became the Plagues and De­struction of Death. When Death slew him, it, as it were, slew it self: For Christ through Death, destroy­ed him that had the Power of Death, even the Devil.^* By this he laid the Foundation of the glorious Resur­rection of all his People to an immortal Life.

2. CHRIST appears gloriously exalted above all Evil, in his Resurrection and Ascention into Heaven. When Christ arose from the Dead, then it appeared that he was above Death, in that Death, tho' it had taken him Captive, could not hold him.

THEN he appeared above the Devil. Then this Leviathan that had swallowed him, was forced to vo­mit him up again; and the Philistines that had taken captive the Ark, were forced to return it; Dagon be­ing fallen before it, with his Head and Hands broken off, and only the Stumps left.

THEN he appear [...]d above our Guilt: For he was justified in his Resurrection. ^†

[Page 14]IN his Resurrection he appear'd above all Affliction. For tho' he had been sub [...]ect to much Affliction, and overwhelmed in it; he then emerged out of it, as ha­ving gotten the Victory over it, never to conflict with any more Sorrow.

WHEN he ascended up into Heaven, he rose far above the Reach of the Devil and all his Instruments, who had before had him in their Hands. And now has he sat down at the Right hand of God, as being made Head over all Things to the Church in order to a compleat and perfect Victory over Sin. Satan, Death and all his Enemies. It was then said to him, "Sit thou on my Right hand, until I make thine E­nemies thy Footst [...]ol." ^*

HE entered into a State of Glory, wherein he is exalted far above all these Evils, as the Fore runner of his People; and to make Intercession for them till they also are brought to be with him, in like Manner exalted above all Evil.

3. CHRIST appears gloriously above all Evil, in his Work in the Hearts of the Elect, in their Conversion and Sanctification. This is what the Application of Redemption, so far as it is applied in this World, con­sists in; which is done by the Holy Ghost as the Spirit of Christ. In this Work of Christ in the Hearts of his Elect, he appears glorious above Satan. For the strong Man armed is overcome, and all his Armour wherein he trusted, is taken from him, and his Spoil divided. In this Work, the Lamb is by the spiritual David, taken out of the Mouth of the Lion and Bear: the poor Cap­tive is delivered from his mighty and cruel Enemies.

IN this Christ appears gloriously above the Corrup­tion and Wickedness of the Heart; above its natural Darkness in dispelling it, and letting in Light; and a­bove its Enmity and Opposition, by prevailing over it, drawing it powerfully and irresistably to himself, and [Page 15] turning an Heart of Stone into an Heart of Flesh: above the obstinacy and perverseness of the Will, by making them willing in the Day of his Power. In this he appears above all their Lusts For all Sin is mortifyed in this Work, and the Soul is delivered from the Power and Dominion of it.

IN this Work the Grace of Christ does gloriously triumph over Mens Guilt. He comes over the Moun­tains of their Sins and visits them with his Salvation.

A [...] God is wont often in this Work, either in the beginning of it in Conversion, or progress of it, to give his People those spiritual Comforts, in which he glori­ously appears to be above all Affliction and Sorrow: and often gives them to triumph over the Devil, and his powerful and cruel Instruments. Many Saints, by Influences of Christ [...]s Spirit on their Hearts, have re­joyced and triumphed, when suffering the greatest Tor­ments and Cruelties of their Persecutors And in this Work Christ sometimes gloriously appears above Death, in carrying his People far above the fears of it, and making them to say to it, "O Death, where is thy Sting? O Grave, where is thy Victory?"

4. CHRIST gloriously appears above all these fore­mentioned Evils, in his glorifying the Souls of departed Saints in Heaven. In this he gives a glorious Victory over Death. Death by it proves to be turned from an Enemy into a Servant; and their Death, by the glori­ous Change that passes in the State of their Souls, is become a Resurrection, rather than a Death. Now Christ exalts the Soul to a State of Glory, wherein it is perfectly delivered from Satan, and all his Tempta­tions, and all his Instruments; and from all remains of Sin and Corruption; and from all Affliction: "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither shall the Sun light on them, nor any Heat— and God shall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes." ^†

[Page 16]5. CHRIST appears gloriously above these Evils, in what he doth in his Providence in the World, as Head and Redeemer of his Church. He appears gloriously above Satan and all his Instruments in upholding his Church even from it's first Establishment hitherto, thro' all the powerful Attempts that have been made against it by Earth and Hell: hereby fulfilling his Promise, that the Gates of Hell should never prevail against it.^‖

CHRIST gloriously triumphed over these hi [...] Ene­ [...]s, in that remarkable Success that there was of his [...]spel, soon after his Ascention, when many Thou­sands in Jerusalem, and all Parts of the World, were so soon turned from Darkness unto Light, and from the Power of Satan unto God: and in causing his Word to go on and prosper, and his Church to increase and prevail against all the Opposition of the heathen World, when they united all their Power to put a Stop to it, and root it out. So that, in spite of all that the Philo­sophers and wise Men and Emperors and Princes could do, the Gospel in a little Time, overthrew Satan's old heathenish Kingdom in the whole Roman Empire, which was then the main Part of the World. And so brought about the greatest and most glorious Revolution that ever was in the World: when instead of one single Nation, that were God [...]s People, as it formerly had been, now the greater Part of the Nations of the known World were become God's People, instead of being the professed People of the Devil, as they used to be.

AND Christ's exaltation above all Evil in his Govern­ment of the World in his Providence, as the Redeemer of his People, has since gloriously appeared in reviving his Church by the Reformation from Popery, after it had for many Ages lain in a great Measure hid, and dwelt in a Wilderness, under antichristian Persecu­tion.

[Page 17]AND he will yet far more gloriously triumph over Satan and all his Instruments, in all the mighty King­doms that have been set up in Opposition to the King­dom of Christ, at the Time of the fall of Antichrist, and the beginning of those glorious Times so much spoken of in Scripture Prophecy. Then shall the Stone that has been cut out without Hands, smite all these Kingdoms, and break them to Pieces; and they shall become like the Chaff of the Summer threshing Floors, and the Wind shall carry them away, that no Place shall be found for them: and the Stone which smote them shall become a great Mountain, and fill the whole Earth. ^† Then shall the God of Heaven set up a Kingdom, which shall never be destroyed; and it shall break in Pieces, and consume all these Kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. ^‖ And then the Kingdoms of this World shall become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign for ever and ever.^* However great and mighty Empires have been set up, one after another in the World, in opposition to the King­dom of Christ, during the Succession of so many Ages; yet then Christ's Kingdom shall be the last and the universal Kingdom, which he shall have given him, as th [...] Heir of the World. Whatever great Works Satan has wrought; the final Issue and Event of all, in the winding up of Things in the last Ages of the World, shall be the glo­rious Kingdom of Christ through the World; a King­dom of Righteousness and Holiness, of Love & Peace, established every where. Agreable to the ancient Pre­diction. I saw in the Night Visions, and behold, one like the Son of Man, came with the Clouds of Hea­ven, and came to the Ancient of Days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him Do­minion and Glory, and a Kingdom, that all People, Nations and Languages should serve him; his Do­minion is an everlasting Dominion, which shall not pass [Page 18] away, and his Kingdom that which shall not be de­stroyed. And the Kingdom and Dominion, and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven, shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all Dominions shall serve and obey him. ^‖

THEN shall Christ appear gloriously exalted indeed above all Evil: And then shall all the Saints in Earth and Heaven gloriously triumph in him, and sing, Hal­lelujah, Salvation, and Glory, and Honour, & Power unto the Lord our God: for true & righteous are his Judgments; for he hath judged the great Whore, which did corrupt the Earth with her Fornication, and hath avenged the Blood of his Servants at her Hand. Hallelujah: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. ^†

6. CHRIST will appear gloriously above all Evil in the Consummation of the Redemption of his elect Church at the End of the World. Then will be compleated the whole Work of Redemption with Respect to all that Christ died for, both in it's Impetration & Application; and not till then. And then will Christ's Exaltation above all Evil be most perfectly and fully manifest. Then shall the Conquest and Triumph be compleated with respect to all of them. Then shall all the Devils, and all their Instruments be brought before Christ, to be judged and condemned. And then shall be compleat­ed their Destruction in their consummate and everlast­ing Misery; when they shall be all cast into the Lake of Fire, no more to range and usurp Dominion in the World; or have liberty to make Opposition against God and Christ: they shall for ever be shut up, thence­forward only to suffer. Then shall Death be totally destroyed. All the Saints shall be delivered everlast­ingly from i [...]. Even their Bodies shall be taken from being any longer the Subjects of the Power of Death, by a glorious Resurrection.

[Page 19]THEN shall all Guilt, and all Sin and Corruption, and all Affliction, all Sighs and Tears, be utterly and eternally abolished, concerning every one of the Elect; they being all brought to one compleat Body, to the [...]r consummate and immutable Glory. And all this as the Fruit of Christ's Blood, and as an Accomplishment of his Redemption.

THEN all that Evil, which has so prevailed, and so exalted itself, and usurped & raged, and reigned, shall be perfectly and for ever thrust down and destroyed, with respect to all the Elect: and all will be exalted to a State wherein they will be for ever immensely above all these things. And there shall be no more Death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more Pain: for the former Things are passed away. ^†

DOCTRINE. IT is our Duty, not only to avoid those Things that are themselves sinful; but also, as far as may be, those Things that lead and expose to Sin.

THUS did Joseph: He not only refused actually to commit Uncleanness with his Mistress, who enticed him; but refused to be there, where he should be in the Way of Temptation, ℣. 10. He refused to lie by [Page 28] her, or be with her. And in the Text we are told, He fled, and got him out; would by no Means be in her Company. Tho' it was no Sin, in it self, for Joseph to be in the House where his Mistress was; but under these Circumstances it would expose him to Sin. Joseph was sensible he had naturally a corrupt Heart, that tended to betray him to Sin; and therefore he would by no Means be in the Way of Temptation; but with haste he fled, he run from the dangerous Place. In as much as he was expos'd to Sin in that House where he was, he fled out of it with as much haste as if the House had been all of a light Fire; or full of Enemies, who stood ready with drawn Swords, to stab him to the very Heart. When she took him by the Garment, he left his Garment in her Hands: he had rather lose his Garment, than stay a Moment there, where he was in such Danger of losing his CHASTITY.

I say in the Doctrine, that Persons should avoid things that expose to Sin, as far as may be, because the Case may be so, that Persons may be called to ex­pose themselves to Temptation; and when it is so, they may hope for divine Strength and Protection under Temptation.

THE Case may be so, that it may be a Man's in­dispensable Duty to undertake an Office, or Piece of Work, that is attended with a great deal of Tempta­tion. Thus, altho' ordinarily a Man ought not to run into that Temptation, of being exposed to Persecution for the true Religion; lest the Temptation should be too hard for him; but should avoid it, as much as may be; (Therefore CHRIST thus directs his Disciples, Mat. x. 23. When ye be persecuted in one City, flee to another.) Yet, the Case may be so, that a Man may be called not to flee from Persecution; but to run the venture of such a trial, trusting in GOD to uphold him under it. Ministers and Magistrates may be obliged to continue with their People in such Cir­cumstances; [Page 29] as Nehemiah says, Neh. vi. 11.—Should such a Man as I flee? So the Apostles.—

Yea they may be called to go into the midst of it; to those Places, where they can't reasonably expect but to meet with such Temptations. So sometimes the Apostles did. Paul went up to Jerusalem, when he knew before hand, that there, Bonds and Afflictions awaited him, Acts xx. 23.

SO in some other Cases, the Necessity of Affairs may call upon Men to engage in some Business that is peculiarly attended with Temptations. But when it is so, Men are indeed in this Way, least expos'd to Sin; for they are always safest in the Way of Duty. Prov. x. 9. He that walketh uprightly, walketh surely. And the' there be many Things by which they may have extraordinary Temptations, in the Affairs they have undertaken, yet if they have a clear Call to it, it is no Presumption to hope for divine Support and Pre­servation in it.

BUT for Persons needlesly to expose themselves to Temptation, and to do those Things that tend to Sin, is unwarrantable; and contrary to that excellent Ex­ample, we have set before us in the Text. And that we ought to avoid not only those Things that are in themselves sinful, but also those Things that lead and expose to Sin, is manifest by the following Arguments.

I. IT is a Thing very evident and manifest, that we ought to use our utmost Endeavours to avoid Sin: which is inconsistent with needlesly doing those Things, that expose and lead to Sin. That we ought to do our utmost to avoid Sin is manifest, that being the greatest Evil: And the greater any Evil is, the greater Care, and the more earnest Endeavours does it require to avoid it. This is plain, and what we by our practice shew that we are all sensible of the truth of. Those Things that appear to us very great and dreadful Evils, do we use proportionably great Care to avoid. [Page 30] And therefore the greatest Evil of all, requires the greatest and utmost Care to avoid it.

SIN is an infinite Evil, because committed against an infinitely great and excellent BEING, and so a Vio­lation of infinite Obligation: Therefore however great our Care be to avoid Sin, it cannot be more than proportionable to the Evil we would avoid. Our care and endeavour cannot be infinite, as the Evil of Sin is infinite; but yet it ought to be to the utmost of our Power; we ought to use every Method that tends to tho avoiding of Sin. This is manifest to Reason.

AND not only so, but this is positively required of us in the Word of GOD. Josh. xxii. 5. Take dili­gent heed to do the Commandment and the Law, which Moses the Servant of the LORD charged you, to love the Lord your GOD, and to walk in all his Ways, and to keep his Commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your Soul. Deut. iv. 15, 16. Take ye therefore g [...]od heed unto your selves, lest ye corrupt your selves. Chap. xii. 30. Take heed to thy self, that thou be not snared, &c. Luk. xi. 36. Take heed and beware of Covetousness. 1 Cor. x. 12. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. Deut. iv. 9. Take heed to thy self, keep thy Soul diligently. These and many other Texts of Scripture, plainly require of us, the utmost possible Diligence and Caution to avoid Sin.

BUT how can he be said to use the utmost possible diligence and caution to avoid Sin, that voluntarily does those Things, that naturally expose and lead to Sin? How can he be said with the utmost possible Caution to avoid an Enemy, that voluntarily lays himself in his way? How can he be said to use the utmost possible Caution to preserve the Life of his Child, that suffers it to go on the Edge of Precipices or Pits; or to play on the Borders of a deep Gulph; or to wan­der in a Wood, that is haunted by Beasts of Prey?

[Page 31]II. IT is evident that we ought to avoid those Things that expose and lead to Sin; because a due Sense of the Evil of Sin, and a just hatred of it, will necessarily have this Effect upon us, to cause us so to do.

IF we were duly sensible of the Evil and dreadful Nature of Sin, we should have an exceeding dread of it upon our Spirits. We should hate it worse than Death, and should fear it worse than the Devil him­self: and dread it even as we dread Damnation. But those Things that Men have an exceeding dread of upon their Spirits, they naturally and necessarily keep at a great distance from; and avoid those Things that they apprehend expose to them. As a Child that has been greatly terrifyed by the sight of any wild Beast; will by no Means be perswaded to go any where, where it apprehends that it shall be exposed to it, or fall in it's Way.

SIN in it's own Nature is infinitely hateful, so in it's natural tendency, it is infinitely dreadful. It is the tendency of all Sin, eternally to undo the Soul. Every Sin naturally carries Hell in it! Therefore, all Sin ought to be treated by us, as we would treat a Thing that is infinitely terrible. If it be not so that any one Sin, yea the least Sin, don't necessarily bring eternal Ruin with it; it is owing to nothing but the free Grace and Mercy of GOD to us, and not to the Nature and Tendency of Sin it self. But certainly, we ought not to take the less care to avoid Sin, or all that tends to it, for the freeness and greatness of God's Mercy to us, through which, there is hope of Pardon; for that would be a most ungrateful and vile abuse of Mercy indeed. If it were so, that it were made known to us, that if we ever voluntarily committed any particular Act of Sin we should be damned without any Remedy or Escape, should we not exceedingly dread the commission of such Sins? Should we not be very watchful and [Page 32] careful to stand at the greatest Distance from that Sin: and from every thing that might expose us to it; and that has any tendency to stir up our Lusts, or to be­tray us to such an Act of Sin? Let us then consi­der, that if it be not so, that the next voluntary Act of known Sin, shall not necessarily and unavoidably issue in certain Damnation; yet it will certainly de­serve it: We shall thereby really deserve to be cast off, without any Remedy or Hope: and it can only be owing to free Grace, that it will not certainly and re­medilesly be followed with such a Punishment. And shall we be guilty of such a vile Abuse of GOD's Mercy to us, as to take Encouragement from it, the more boldly to expose our selves to Sin?

III. IT is evident that we ought not only to avoid Sin but Things that expose and lead to Sin; because th [...]s is the Way we act in Things that pertain to our temporal Interest.

MEN do not only avoid those Things that are them­selves the hurt and ruin of their temporal Interest, but also the Things that tend or expose to it. Because they love their temporal Lives, they will not only actu­ally avoid killing themselves, but they are very care­ful to avoid those Things that bring their Lives into Danger; tho' they do not certainly know but they may escape. They are careful not to pass Ri­vers and deep Waters on rotten Ice, tho' they do not certainly know that they shall fall thro' and drown: So they will not only avoid those Things that would be in themselves the ruin of their Estates; such as the setting their own Houses on Fire, and burning them up with their Substance; their taking their Money, and throwing it into the Sea, &c. but they carefully avoid those Things by which their Estates are exposed. They are watchful, and have their Eyes about them; are careful who they deal with: they are watchful, [Page 33] that they be not over reached in their Bargains; that they do not lay themselves open to Knaves and frau­dulent Persons.

IF a Man be sick of a dangerous Distemper, he is careful to avoid every thing that tends to increase the Disorder; not only what he knows to be mortal in his Situation, but other Things that he fears the Con­sequence of, or that may be prejudicial to him. Men are in this Way wont to take care of their temporal Interest, as what they have a great Regard for. And therefore if we are not as careful to avoid Sin, as we are to avoid Injury in our temporal Interest, it will shew a regardless Disposition with Respect to Sin and Duty; or that we do not much care tho' we do sin against GOD. God's Glory is surely a Thing of as much Importance and Concern as our temporal Interest. Certainly we should be as careful not to be exposed to sin against the MAJESTY of Heaven and Earth, as Men are wont to be of a few Pounds; yea, the latter are but meer Trifles, compared with the former.

IV. WE are wont to do thus by our dear earthly Friends.

WE not only are careful of those Things wherein the Destruction of their Lives, or their Hurt and Ca­lamity in any Respect do directly consist; but are care­ful to avoid those Things that do but remotely tend to it. We are careful to prevent and cut off all Occasi­ons of their Loss or Damage, in any Respect; and are watchful against that, which tends in any wise, to de­prive them of their Comfort or good Name; and the Reason is, because they are very dear to us. In this Manner, Men are wont to be careful of the good of their own Children, and dread the Approaches of any Mischief that they apprehend they are, or may be ex­posed to. And we should take it hard if our Friends did not do thus by us.

[Page 34]AND surely we ought to treat GOD as a dear FRIEND: We ought to act towards Him, as those that have a sincere Love and unfeigned Regard to Him; and so ought to watch and be careful against all Occasions of that which is contrary to his Honor & Glory. If we have not a Temper and Desire so to do, it will shew that whatever our Pretences are, we are not God's sincere Friends, and have no true love to Him.

IF we should be offended at any that have pro­fess'd Friendship to us, if they treated us in this man­ner and were no more careful of our Interest; surely GOD may justly be offended, that we are no more careful of his Glory.

V. WE would have GOD in his Providence to­wards us, not order those Things that tend to our hurt, or expose our Interest: therefore certainly we ought to avoid those Things that lead to sin against him.

WE desire and love to have God's Providence such toward us, as that our Welfare may be well secured. No Man loves to live in exposed, uncertain and dan­gerous Circumstances. While he is so, he lives un­comfortably, in that he lives in continual fear. We desire that GOD would so order Things concerning us, that we may be safe from fear of Evil: and that no Evil may come nigh our Dwelling; and that be­cause we dread Calamity. So we do not love the Appearance and Approaches of it; and love to have it at a great Distance from us. We desire to have GOD to be to us as a Wall of Fire round about us, to defend us; and that he would surround us, as the Mountains do the Vallies, to guard us from every Danger, or Enemy; that so no Evil may come nigh us.

NOW this plainly shews, that we ought in our Beha­viour towards GOD, to keep at a great Distance from [Page 35] Sin, and from all that exposes to it; as we desire GOD in his Providence to us, should keep Calamity and Misery at a great Distance from us, and not order those Things that expose our Welfare.

VI. Seeing we a [...]e to pray we may not be led into Temptation; certainly we ought not to run our selves into it.

THIS is one Request that Christ directs us to make to GOD in that Form of Prayer, which he taught his Disciples — Lead us not into Temptation. And how inconsistent shall we be with our selves, if we pray to GOD, not to order it so in his Providence, that we should be led into Temptations; and yet at the same Time, we are not careful to avoid Temptation; but bring our selves into it, by doing those Things that lead and expose to Sin. What Self-Contradiction is there in it, for a Man to pray to GOD that he may be kept from that, which he takes no care to avoid? By praying that we may be kept from Temptation, we profess to GOD, that being in Temptation, is a Thing that is to be avoided; but by running into it, shew that we chuse the contrary, viz. not to avoid it.

VII. The Apostle directs us to avoid those Things that are in themselves lawful, but tend to lead others into Sin; surely then we should avoid what tends to lead our selves into Sin.

THE Apostle directs to this, 1 Cor. viii. 9.— Take heed lest—this Liberty of your's become a stumbling-block to them that are weak. Rom. xiv. 13. —That no Man put a stumbling Block, or an Occasion to fall in his Brother's Way. Ver. 15. But if thy Brother be grieved with thy Meat, now walkest thou not cha­ritably. Destroy not him with thy Meat.—Ver. 20.21. For Meat destroy not the Work of GOD. All Things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that Man [Page 36] who eateth with Offence. It is good neither to eat Flesh, nor to drink Wine, nor any Thing whereby thy Brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

NOW if this Rule of the Apostle be agreeable to the Word of CHRIST, as we must suppose, or expunge what he says out of the Canon of the Scripture; then a like Rule obliges more strongly in those Things that tend to lead our selves into Sin.

VIII. THERE are many Precepts of Scripture, that do directly and positively imply, that we ought to avoid those Things that tend to Sin.

THIS very Thing is commanded by CHRIST, Mat. xxvi. 41. where he directs us to watch lest we enter into Temptation. But certainly running our selves into Temptation, is the reverse of watching against it.

Again, We are commanded to abstain from all Appearance of Evil; i. e. do by Sin, as a Man does by a Thing he hates the Sight or Appearance of; and therefore will avoid any Thing that favors of it, or looks like it; and will not come near it, or in Sight of it.

Again, CHRIST commanded to seperate from us, those Things that are stumbling Blocks, or Occasions of Sin, however dear they are to us. Matth. v. 29. If thy right Eye offend thee, pluck it out and cast it from thee. Ver. 30. And if thy right Hand offend thee, cut it off— By the right Hand offending us, is not meant it's paining us; but the Word in the ori­ginal, signifies, being a stumbling Block; if thy right Hand prove a stumbling Block, or occasion to fall; i. e. an Occasion to Sin. Those Things are called Offences or stumbling Blocks in the New Testament, that are the Occasions of falling into Sin. We ought to avoid running up against stumbling Blocks; i. e. we should avoid those Things that expose us to fall into Sin.

[Page 37]Yea CHRIST tells us, we must avoid them, how­ever dear they are to us, tho' as dear as our right Hand or right Eye. If there be any Practice that we have been accustomed to, that naturally tends and ex­poses us to Sin, we must have done with it; tho' we love it never so well; and are never so loth to part with it; tho' it be as contrary to our Notion, as to cut off our right Hand, or pluck out our own right Eye; and that upon pain of Damnation, for it is in­timated that if we do not, we must go with two Hands and two Eyes into Hell-Fire.

AND again: GOD took great Care to forbid the Children of Israel those Things that tended to lead them into Sin. For this Reason, he forbid them mar­rying strange Wives, (Deut. vii. 3, 4.) neither shalt thou make Marriages with them,— for they will turn away thy Son from following me, that they may serve other Gods. For this Reason they were commanded to destroy all those Things, that the Nations of Canaan had used in their Idolatry; and if any were enticed over to Idolatry, they were to be destroyed without Mercy; tho' ever so near and dear Friends. They were not only to be parted with, but stoned with Stones; yea they themselves were to fall upon them, and put them to Death, tho' Son or Daughter, or their Bosom Friend. (Deut. xiii. 6. &c.) If thy Brother—or thy Son, or thy Daughter, or the Wife of thy Bosom, or thy Friend, which is as thine own Soul, entice thee se­cretly, saying, let us go and serve other Gods — thou shalt not consent unto him — neither shall thine Eye pity him, neither shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou conceal him. But thou shalt surely kill him; thine Hand shall be first upon him to put him to Death.

Again, THE wise Man warns us to avoid those Things that tend and expose us to Sin; especially the Sin of Uncleanness. Prov. vi. 27. Can a Man take Fire in his Bosom, and his Clothes not be burnt? Can [Page 38] one go upon hot Coals, and his Feet not be burnt?— So—whosoever touches her, shall not be innocent. This is the Truth held forth; avoid those Customs and Practices, that naturally tend to stir up Lust. And there are many Examples in Scripture, which have the force of Precept; and recorded, as not only wor­thy, but demand our Imitation. The Conduct of Jo­seph in the Text is one; and that recorded of KING DAVID, is another. Psal. xxxix. 1, 2. I said I will take heed to my Ways, that I sin not with my Tongue: I will keep my Mouth with a Bridle, while the Wicked is before me. I was dumb with Silence, I held my Peace, even from good—even from good— that is, he was so watchful over his Words, and kept at such a great Distance from speaking what might in any Way tend to Sin; that he avoided, in certain Circumstances, speaking what was in it self lawful; lest he should be betrayed into that which was sinful.

IX. A prudent Sense of our own weakness, and ex­posedness to yield to Temptation, obliges us to avoid that which leads or exposes to Sin.

WHOEVER knows himself and is sensible how weak he is; and his constant exposedness to run into Sin; how full of Corruption his Heart is, which like Fuel, is exposed to catch Fire, and bring Destruction upon him; how much he has in him to incline him to Sin; and how unable he is to stand of himself; who is sen­sible of this, and has any Regard of his Duty, but will be very watchful against every thing that may lead and expose to Sin? On this Account Christ directed us, (Mat. xxvi. 41.) to watch and pray lest we enter into Temptation. The Reason there is added, The Flesh is weak! He that in Confidence of his own Strength, boldly runs the venture of sinning by going into Temp­tation, manifests great Presumption, and a sottish In­sensibility [Page 39] of his own Weakness. He that trusteth in his own Heart is a Fool, Prov. xxviii. 26.

THE wisest and strongest, and some of the most holy Men in the World, have been overthrown by such Means. So was David: So was Solomon.— His Wives turned away his Heart. If such Persons, so eminent for Holiness, were this Way led into Sin, surely it should be a warning to us. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall.

DOCTRINE. IT is our Duty, not only to avoid those Things that are themselves sinful; but also, as far in us lies, those Things that lead and expose to Sin.

THE Doctrine has been explained and proved in the foregoing Discourse. I now proceed to the

DOCTRINE. THERE is an extreme and brutish Blindness in Things of Religion, which naturally possesses the Hearts of Mankind.

This Doctrine is not to be understood as any Re­flection on the Capacity of the human Nature; for God hath made Man with a noble and excellent Ca­pacity. The Blindness I speak of, is not a merely negative Ignorance; such as is in Trees and Stones, that know nothing. And no wonder; for they have no Faculties of Understanding and Perception, whereby they should be capable of any Knowledge. And such as is in inferior Animals, who tho' they have sensitive Perception, yet are not capable of any intellectual Views. There is no fault to be found with Man's na­tural Faculties. God has given Men those Faculties that are very noble and excellent; well capable of true Wisdom and divine Knowledge.

Nor is the blindness I speak of meerly negative, in the manner in which the Ignorance of a new-born In­fant is so. Tho' this dont arise from want of Facul­ties; yet it arises from want of necessary Opportunity to exert these Faculties.

The blindness that is in the Heart of Man, which is spoken of in the Text and Doctrine; is neither for want of Faculties, nor opportunity to know; but from some positive Cause. There is a positive Principle in the Heart, of a blinding & besotting Nature, that hinders such Exercises of his Faculties about the things of Re­ligion, as God has made them well capable of, and gives him abundant Opportunity for. There is a Principle which may be called, a positive Principle of Ignorance and Blindness; a Proneness or Inclination in the Heart of Man to such sottishness in these great things.

[Page 62]In order to make it appear, that such an extream brutish blindness, with respect to the things of Reli­gion, does naturally possess the Hearts of Men, I shall,

• 1. Shew how this is manifest in those things that appear in Men's open Profession.
• 2. I shall shew, how it is manifest in those Things that are found by inward Experience, and are visible in Men's Practice.

I. I would shew, how it is manifest that there is a sottish and brutish Blindness in the Hearts of Men in the things of Religion, by those things which appear in Mens open Profession.

1. It appears in the grossness of that Ignorance and those Delusions, which have appeared among Mankind. Man has Faculties given him whereby he is well capa­ble of arguing the being of the Creator, from the Creatures: For the invisible things of God are very plainly and clearly to be seen by the things that are made: and the Perfections of the Divine Being, his eternal Power and God-head, are very manifest in the Works of his Hands. And yet grosly absurd Notions concerning the God-head have prevailed in the World. Instead of acknowledging and worshiping the true GOD, they have fallen off to the worship of Idols. In stead of acknowledging the one only true GOD, they have made a Multitude of Deities. Instead of worshiping a GOD, who is an Almighty, infinite, alwise and holy Spirit, they have worshiped the Hosts of Heaven, the Sun, Moon and Stars; and the Works of their own Hands, Images of Gold & Silver, Brass and Iron, Wood and Stone; Things without Life; Gods that can neither hear nor see, nor walk, nor speak, nor do, nor know [...] any thing. Some in the shape of Men, others in the shape of Oxen and Calves: some in the shape of Serpents, others of Fishes, &c.

THE sottishness of Men in thus worshiping the lifeless Images which they themselves have made, is [Page 63] elegantly represented by the Prophet Isaiah. The Smith with the Tongs both worketh in the Coals, and fashioneth it with Hammers, and worketh it with the Strength of his Arms. Yea he is hungry, and his Strength faileth; he drinketh no Water and is faint. The Carpenter stretcheth out his Rule: he marketh it out with a Line: he fitteth it with Planes, and he marketh it out with the Compass, and maketh it after the Figure of a Man, according to the beauty of a Man, that it may remain in the House. He hew­eth him down Cedars, and taketh the Cypress and the Oak, which he strentheneth for himself among the Trees of the Forest: he planteth an Ash, and the Rain doth nourish it. Then shall it be for a Man to burn; for he will take thereof and warm himself; yea, he kindleth it, and baketh Bread; yea, he mak­eth a god, and worshipeth it: he maketh it a graven Image, and falleth down thereto. He burneth part thereof in the Fire: with Part thereof he eateth Flesh: he rosteth rost and is satisfied: yea, he warm­eth himself, and saith, Aha, I am warm, I have seen the Fire. And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven Image: he falleth down unto it, and worshipeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deli­ver me, for thou art my god. They have not known, nor understood: for he hath shut their Eyes, that they cannot see; and their Hearts, that they cannot un­derstand. And none considereth in his Heart, neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say, I have burned part of it in th [...] Fire, yea, also I have baked Bread upon th [...] Coals thereof: I have rosted Flesh, and eaten it, and shall I make the residue thereof an Abomination? shall I fall down to the Stock of a Tree? ^†

[Page 64]Many of the Images which the Heathen worshiped were made in the most monstrous and terrible Shapes they could devise; and the more hideous and fright­ful they appeared, the better they supposed they would serve their turn for gods. Some of their Ima­ges were made so as to be the most unclean Represen­tations; Images of Men openly exposing their Naked­ness. These unclean Images they judged appear'd in a godlike manner, and worthy to be worshiped.

Many, instead of worshiping a holy and good God, and infinitely perfect Being, ascribed many Vices to many of the Gods which they worshiped. One god they reckoned notorious for Drunkenness; others no­torious for Uncleanness: to others, they ascribed Ly­ing and Stealing; to others Cruelty; and yet looked upon them worthy to be worshiped as Gods.

Many worshiped Devils, who appeared to them; which they themselves reckoned to be evil Spirits: but yet built Temples to them, and offered Sacrifices to them, because they were afraid of them.

Many worshiped Beasts and Birds and Fishes; and the most hateful and loathsom Animals were most wor­shiped, as particularly Serpents were more commonly worshiped, then any other Beast. Many worshiped Rivers and Trees▪ and Mountains. They worshiped many Diseases. There is scarce any thing that Men have not made gods of.

And so far has that Principle of Blindness with res­pect to the things of Religion prevailed, that it has in a great Measure extinguished all Light in the Minds of many, even in Matters of Morality and Civility, and things that have but a distant Relation to Religion. So that many whole Nations have professedly approved of many things directly contrary to the Light of Na­ture; and the most horrid Vices and Immoralities have been esteemed harmless, yea accounted Virtues among them: such as Revenge, Cruelty and Incest. Many [Page 65] Nations have openly allowed the Practice of Sodomy. And with some it has been accounted commendable to marry their nearest Relations. Many have even wor­shiped their gods in their Temples with Acts of Drun­kenness and Whoredom, and the most abominable Lewdness. And the more filthy they were in their Uncleanness; they thought their gods the more plea­sed and delighted with it.

Many Nations have been so under the Influence of this blindness of Mind which we are now speaking of▪ that they have been void of all Civility, and have been reduced to a State very little above the Beasts in their common Customs, and ordinary way of living; and in a great many Things far below the Beasts: being, if I may so speak, much more beastly than the Beasts themselves.

Now this has not been, because these Men and Na­tions, with whom this has been the Case, have not had the same Faculties that we have. That we be not as ignorant as they, is not because we have better natural Understandings, or that our Minds are by Nature more clear, and Eyes more discerning; or that our Hearts be not naturally so inclined to Sottishness & Delusion as their's. But only because God has not left us so much to our selves, as he has them. He has given us more Instruction to help us against our Delusions. GOD has so ordered it in his Providence, that we should have his good Word to instruct us; and has caused that we should grow up from our Infancy in christian Instruction.

2. The extreme blindness and sottishness in things of Religion, which is naturally in the Hearts of Men, appears not only in embracing and professing those Errors that are very great, but also those that are so unnatural. They have not only embraced Errors which are very contrary to Truth, but very contrary to Humanity: not only against the Light of Nature, but against the more innocent Inclinations of Nature. [Page 66] Such has been, and is the blindness of many Nations in the World, that they embrace those Errors which do not only exclude all true Vertue, all holy Dispositions; but those that have swallowed up the more harmless Inclinations of human Nature. Their blindness has led them to many things that are most unnatural, and what the very Nature of Man by its more innocent tendency, seems to shrink at exceedingly.

Thus they have embraced many gross Delusions, that are as contrary as possible to natural Affection. Such as offering up their own Children in Sacrifice to their Idol; which has been a common thing in the heathen World. And the Parents have not only offered them up to Death; but they have brought them, and offer'd them up to the most cruel and tormenting Deaths: as to be burnt alive: to be scalded to Death in burn­ing Brass: which was the Way of offering up Children to Moloch. The Image of the Idol being made of Brass, in a horrid shape, was heat red hot; and the poor Child was laid naked in this burning Brass, and so burnt to Death. And the Parents themselves brought the Child to this offering▪ however sweet and pleasant a Child it might be. And thus the innocent Child was tormented till it died, without any regard to it's piteous Cries. And it has been the manner of some Nations, to offer in Sacrifice the fairest and likeliest, and best beloved Child that they had. And thus many Thou­sands of poor Babes have been offer'd up. So strong has been the tendency of the Hearts of Men to Delu­sion, that it has thus overcome those strong natural Affections which Men have to the Fruit of their own Bodies.

And many of the Delusions which Men have em­braced, have been against Nature also, as they have been against Men's natural Love of their own Ease, and aversion to Pain. Many have worshiped their I­dols, and do so to this Day, with such Rites as are most [Page 67] painful and tormenting: cutting and gashing, and mang­ling, their own Flesh. Thus they sottishly worship­ed Baal of old. "And they cried aloud, and cut them­selves after their manner with Knives and Lancets, till the Blood gushed out upon them."^† And it is still the Custom in some Nations grievously to torment them­selves▪ to kindle a Fire to scorch their own Bodies in a most miserable manner: and to put themselves to various and long continued Torments to please their Idols. And it is the manner in some Nations for ma­ny, on some Occasions, to kill themselves: yea, to put themselves to cruel Deaths, to cast themselves into great Fires, and there burn themselves to Death. How strong must be the Delusions of Men's Minds, and how strong the tendency of the Heart of Man to Delusion, to carry them such a Length, and so to overcome such strong Inclinations of human Nature!

3. The extreme blindness of the Mind of Man will appear further, if we consider how general gross Igno­rance and Delusion has been. It has for the most part prevailed through the greater Part of the World For most of the time from Noah's Flood to the coming of Christ, all Nations, except the Children of Israel, were overspread with gross heathenish Darkness; being given up to the most vain and ridiculous Notions, and all manner of Superstitious, barbarous, absurd and unna­tural Practices. And for the bigger Part of the time since that, the much greater Part of the Nations of the World, have been covered with gross Darkness.

It is so at this Day. Many Nations are under po­pish Darkness, and are in such gross Delusions that they worship the Virgin Mary, and a great Multitude of dead Men, whom their Church has canonized for Saints: some real Saints, and others abominably wicked Men. So they worship the Bread in the Sacrament, and ac­count [Page 68] it not only the real Body of Christ, but real Christ in Body and Soul, and Divinity. They carry a Wafer, a small piece of Bread in Procession, and fall down before it and adore it, and account it Christ him­self, both in his divine and human Nature: and yet believe that the Body of Christ is in Heaven, and in ten thousand different Places on Earth at the same time. They think they can do Works of Supererogation: that is, more good Works than they are obliged to do, whereby they bring God into Debt to them. They whip themselves, and put themselves to other ridicu­lous Penances and Sufferings, whereby they think they appease the Anger of GOD for their Sins. And they pay Money to the Priests, to buy the Pardon of their Sins: yea, they buy Indulgencies for future Crimes, or Pardon for Sins before they commit them. They think they defend themselves from evil Spirits, by sprinkling holy Water. They pay Money to buy the Souls of their departed Friends out of Purgatory: They worship the Relicks of dead Saints; such as pieces of their Bones, their Teeth, their Hair, pieces of their Garments, and the like. And innumerable other such foolish Delusions they are under.

A great Part of the Nations of the World are Ma­hometans: many of the Articles of whose Belief are too childish and ridiculous to be publickly mentioned in a solemn Assembly.

But the bigger Part of the Inhabitants of the World are to this Day gross, barbarous Heathens, who have not the Knowledge of the true GOD, but worship Idols and Devils, with all manner of absurd & foolish Rites and Ceremonies; and are destitute of even com­mon Civility: Multitudes of Nations being like Beasts in human Shape.

Now this barbarous Ignorance and gross Delusion, being of such great extent and continuance; of such extent thro' so many Ages, even the bigger part of the [Page 69] Time from Noah's Flood to this Day, shews the Cause is general, and the defect is in the corrupt Nature of Mankind; and the natural blindness of Man's Mind, and proneness of his Heart to Delusion.

4. The sottish blindness and folly of the Heart of Men appears in their being so prone to fall into such gross Delusions, soon after they have been favoured with clear Light. Were not the Minds of Men exceeding dark, they never would entertain such absurd Notions at all; for they are as contrary as possible to Reason: Much less would they fall into them, after they had once been instructed in the Truth. For were it not for very strange sottishness indeed, they would, when they come to be informed of the Truth, and had Op­portunity to compare it with those gross Errors, so plainly see the difference; they would see such a Reasonable­ness in the Truth, and such Absurdity in those Errors, that they would never be in danger of being deluded by them any more. But yet so it is; Mankind, after they have been fully instructed, and have lived in clear Light, have time after time, presently lost the Know­ledge of the Truth, and have exchanged it for the most barbarous and brutish Notions.

So it was soon after the Flood, whereby the wicked World, those that were visibly so, were destroyed: and none were left but those who profess'd the true Religion: And they had such an eminently holy Man as Noah to instruct them. And tho' the true GOD had so wonderfully and astonishingly manifested him­self in that great Work of Vengeance against his Ene­mies, his destroying the old World: yet the Posterity of Noah, great part of them, presently lost the Know­ledge of the true GOD, and fell away to Idolatry; and that even while Noah was living. And the An­cestors of Abraham were tainted with that Idolatry: and even Terah his own Father. "And Joshua said [Page 70] unto all the People, "Thus saith the Lord God of Is­rael. Your Fathers dwelt on the other side of the Flood in old Time, even Terah the Father of Abraham, and the Father of Nachor: and they served other gods. And I took your Father Abraham from the other Side of the Flood &c."^* It seems as tho' Abra­ham was called away from his Father's House, and from his own Country for this Reason, that the Coun­try was over-run with Idolatry.

And even many of the Posterity of Abraham and Isaac, Abraham's Posterity by Hagar and Keturah, and that part of Isaac's Posterity which were of Esau, tho' the true Religion was so thoroughly taught and practised in the Houses of those holy Patriarchs, and God had from time to time so wonderfully and mira­culously manifested himself to them, yet soon cast off the true GOD, and fell away to Idolatry. For not very long after we read of the Posterity of Jacob as being the only People of God, that he had in all the Earth.

And so the People of that Part of the Land of Canaan, that were under that holy King Melchizedeck, soon totally cast off the worship of the one only true GOD, which he taught and maintained. For before Joshua brought in the Children of Israel, the Inhabi­tants of that Land were wholly given to Idolatry. So the People of the Land of Uz, who were under the Government of so great and holy a Man as Job, soon lost the Knowledge of the true GOD, and all those reli­gious Truths which were then known among them, and sunk into gross Idolatry.

So the Posterity of Jacob themselves, tho' God had manifested himself so to them, and had wrought such Wonders for them in Jacob's and Joseph's time; yet presently fell to worshiping the gods of Egypt. This [Page 71] appears from the Words of Joshua, "Put away the gods which your Fathers served on the other Side of the Flood, and in Egypt."^† And how soon did they fall to worshiping a golden Calf in the Wilderness, in the midst of the wonderful and miraculous Manifesta­tions of the one only true GOD! And notwith­standing Idolatry was so strictly forbidden, and the Folly and Wickedness of it so clearly manifested in the Law of Moses and in God's Providence; and it was so much guarded against every way in the Revelation given them, and the whole of God's Conduct towards them; yet how soon did they fall into Idolatry after they were brought into the Land of Canaan! And when God raised up eminent Men, Judges to instruct and govern them, and reclaim them from their idola­trous Practices, from time to time; and they professed to be convinced of their Delusion and Folly, and to repent; yet they would soon fall away again into the most sottish Idolatry. And this they did soon after such great Light as they enjoyed in Samuel's, David's and Solomon's time. And so they did from time to time down to the Babylonish Captivity.

And in the Apostles times, when such great things were done to rouse the Attention of Mankind, and such great Light was spread over many Nations, Multitudes, after they had been instructed in the Christian Religion by the Apostles and others, fell away into the grossest Heresies, and embraced the most corrupt and absurd Notions.

After the roman Empire had been converted from Heathenism to Christianity, and the Light of the Gos­pel had driven out the sottish Ignorance, and gross Ab­surdities of pagan Idolatry, in which they had conti­nued so long; they soon begun to fall away again from the Truth into Antichristian Superstition and Idolatry, in which are Opinions and Practices no less absurd than [Page 72] those of the Heathen. And a great Part of the christi­an World fell away to Mahometism.

And since the Reformation, wherein GOD won­derfully restored Gospel Light in a great Part of the christian World, which was not but about two hundred Years ago, many are fallen away again, some to Pope­ry, and some to gross Heresies, and some to atheistical Principles: so that the reformed Church is greatly diminished.

And our Nation in particular, which has been a Nation favoured with Light, since the Reformation, above most, if not any in the World; how soon has it in great Part fallen away! A great Part of it to Atheism and Deism, to gross Infidelity; and others to Arminianism, and to the Socinian and Arian Heresies, to believe that Christ is a created dependent God; and to hold other foolish Absurdities! And many have of late openly disputed and denied the moral Evil of some of the greatest and most heinous Vices.

These Things shew how desperately prone Man­kind are to Blindness and Delusion, how addicted they are to Darkness.

GOD now and then, by his Instructions, lifts some Nations out of such gross Darkness: but then, how do they sink down into it again, as soon as his Hand is withdrawn! like an heavy Stone, which tho' it may be forced upwards by Strength of Hand; yet, if it be let go, sinks down again: and will continue to sink lower and lower with a swift progress, if no stop be put to it, if there be nothing without to restrain it: There is a strong bent that Way. That is the tendency of the Mind of Man since the Fall, notwithstanding his noble Powers and Faculties, to sink down into a kind of Brutality, to loose and extinguish all useful Light, and to gather darkness: and to sink lower and lower into darkness.

[Page 73]5. The extreme and brutish blindness that possesses the Hearts of Men naturally, appears in their being so confident in gross Errors and Delusions. Some things that have been already said, shew how confident and assured they are: as particularly, their running such great ventures upon it, as offering up their Children; and cutting and mangling themselves. Multitudes live and die in the most foolish and absurd Notions and Principles, and never seem to make any Doubt of their being in the right.

The Mahometans seem to make no Doubt but that when they die they shall go to such a Paradise as Mahomet has promised them: where they shall live in all manner of sensual Pleasures: and shall spend their time in gratifying the Lusts of the Flesh.

Mahomet promised them that all that die in War for the defence of the Mahometan Religion, shall go to this Paradise: and they make no Doubt of it; and therefore many of them, as it were, willingly rush on upon the Point of the Sword.

The Papists many of them make no Doubt of the Truth of those foolish Notions of a Purgatory, and the Power of the Priests to deliver [...]hem out of it, and give them eternal Life. And therefore won't spare vast Sums of Money to purchase Deliverance for them­selves, from those imaginary Torments. And how confident are many Hereticks in the grossest Heresies: many Quakers in their Quakerism: and how bold are many Deists in their Infidelity!

DOCTRINE. THERE is an extreme and brutish Blindness in Things of Religion, which naturally possesses the Hearts of Mankind.

I Have undertaken to shew, how manifest this is in those things that appear in Men's open Profession. In order to this, I have already considered [...] Particulars.

I now proceed to observe,

6. The desperateness of that blindness which is in the Heart of Man appears in that no Nation or Peo­ple in the World, ever have had any Remedy or De­liverance from such gross Ignorance and Delusion, from themselves.

[Page 75]There is no Instance can be mentioned of any Peo­ple whatsoever, who have once fallen into heathenish Darkness, or any other gross Supe [...]stitions and ridicu­lous Opinions in Religion, that ever had any Remedy by any Wisdom of their own: or that have of them­selves bethought themselves, and grown wiser by the improvement of their own Faculties, and by instruct­ing one another: or that ever had any Remedy at all, by the teaching of any wise Men, who did not pro­fessedly act, not as of themselves, but as moved and di­rected of God; and did not declare, that they had their Instructions in the first Place from him.

Thus in the heathen World: Before Christ's time the whole World excepting the Jews, lay in their Darkness for a great many Hundred Years, even time out of Mind, beyond all Time that they had any certain History of among them. And there was no remedy, nor appearance of any Remedy: but so they continued Ages after Ages, rather waxing worse and worse, sinking deeper and deeper. Among all the many Nations that were in the World, no one ever be-thought themselves, and emerged out of their bru­tish Darkness. There were some Nations in that time that emerged out of Slavery to other Nations, and cast off the Yoke of their Enemies, and grew great and conquered great Part of the World: but never conquered the blindness of their own Hearts.

There were some Nations that excelled in other Knowledge: The Greeks and Romans did so. They excelled in Policy, and in the fo [...]m of their civil Go­vernment. They had wise politic Rulers: They had excellent civil Laws for regulating their civil State: many of which have been look'd upon, and imitated as a Pattern by many christian Nations since. They excelled many other Nations in Arts and Government and Civility, almost as much as Men do Beasts.

Yet they never could deliver themselves from their [Page 76] heathenism. Tho' they were so wise in other things, yet in Matters of Religion they were very absurd and brutish. For even the Greeks and Romans in their most flourishing State, worshiped innumerable gods: and some to whom they ascribed great Vices: and some they worshiped with most obscene and horrid Rites. To some they offer'd human Sacrifices. The Romans had a Temple dedicated to the Furies, which they worshiped as a God. And they had a Multitude of childish Notions and Fables about their gods.

And tho' there were raised up some wise Men and Philosophers among the Greeks and Romans, who bor­rowed some things concerning the true GOD from the Jews; yet their Instructions never were effectual to deliver any one People, or even one City or Town, from their barbarous Heathenism, or so much as to get any one Society or Company of Men to unite in the pub­lick Worship of the true GOD. And these Philosophers themselves had many grosly absurd Opinions mingled with those scraps of Truth, which they had gathered up.

And the Jews, when they fell away to Idolatry, as they often did, never recovered of themselves. Never any Remedy appeared, unless God raised up, and ex­traordinarily moved some Person to reprove and in­struct them.

And in this Age of Knowledge, an Age wherein Learning is carried to such a great height, even many learned Men seem really to be carried away with the gross Errors and Fooleries of the popish Religion.

Europe is a Part [...]f the World the most famed for Civility, and for Arts and Sciences of any: and these things have been carried to a much greater height in this Age, than in many others: yet many learned Men in Europe at this Day, who do greatly excell in human Arts and Literature, are still under popish darkness A deceived Heart has turned them aside: nor do they seem to have any Power to deliver their [Page 77] Souls: nor does it come into their Minds, that there is a Lie in their right Hands.

Many Men in France and other Countries, who are indeed Men of vast Learning and Knowledge, and great Abilities, yet seem really to think that the Church of Rome is the only true Church of Christ; and are zealous to uphold and propagate it. And tho' now within this hundred Years, human Learning has been very much promoted, and risen to a greater height than ever in the World: and has greatly increased not only in our Nation, but in France and Italy, and other popish Countries: yet there seems to be no such effect of it, as any considerable turning from popish Delusi­ons; but the Church of Rome has rather increased of late, than otherwise.

And in England, a Land wherein Learning flourishes as much as in any in the World, and which is perhaps the most favoured with Light of any; there are many Men of vast Learning, and great & strong Reason, who have embraced, and do at this Day, embrace the gross Er­rors of the Arians & Deists. Our Nation, in all its Light and Learning, is full of Infidels, and those that are further from Christianity, than the very Mahometans themselves. Of so little avail is human Strength, and human Reason and Learning, as a Remedy against the extreme blindness of the Mind of Man. The blind­ness of the Mind of Man, or an Inclination to Delu­sion in Things of Religion is so strong, that it will overcome the greatest Learning, and the strongest na­tural Reason, and as it were, swallow up these Things.

Men, if let alone, will not help one another: nor will they help themselves. The Disease always proves without Remedy, unless God delivers. This was ob­served of old: And none considereth in his Heart, neither is there Knowledge nor Understanding to say, I have burnt Part of it in the Fire, yea also I have baked Bread upon the Coals thereof: I have [...]osted Flesh and eaten of it, and shall I make the residue [Page 78] thereof an Abomination? Shall I fall down to the Stock of a Tree? He feedeth of Ashes: a deceived Heart hath turned him aside, that he cannot deliver his Soul, nor say, Is there not a Lie in my right Hand? ^*

If God lets Men alone, no Light arises: but the Darkness grows thicker and thicker. How is it now at this Day among all the Nations where the Light of the Gospel has not come? Many of whose Ancestors, without doubt, have been in the mid-night Darkness of Heathenism for above three thousand Years: and not one People have delivered themselves, who have not had the Light of the Gospel. And this is not ow­ing to their want of as good natural Abilities as we have: nor is it because they have an Inclination more to neglect their natural Abilities, or make a worse Improvement of them than we.

7. The extreme blindness of Man's Heart in Mat­ters of Religion appears by Men's falling into gross Delusions, or continuing in them, at the same time that they have been under great Means of Instruction from GOD.

We have many Instances of this. Rachel in Ja­cob's Family—The Israelites in the Wilderness. They had great Means of Instruction, yet set up the golden Calf &c. And after Joshua's time — they persisted in their Del [...]sions and Folly from time to time, even under the Reproofs of the Prophets—even in such horrid Delusions, so contrary to natural Affection, as offering their Children in Sacrifice to Moloch, burn­ing them alive, in a most cruel manner.

In Christ's and the Apostles times the Jews had great Means of Instruction, and most of the Nations of the World were put under great Advantages to come to the Knowledge of the Truth: Yet—

[Page 79]The Papists in the time of the Reformation, and since —

The Deists and Arians in our Day —

8. The exceeding blindness of Men in things of Religion appears in the endless Disputes and Contro­versies, that there have been, and are, among Men, about those things which concern Religion.

Of old the wise Men and Philsophers among the Heathen, were, as it were, infinitely divided among themselves. Varro, who was one of them, reckons up several hundred Opinions that they had about that one Point, Wherein Man's happiness consisted. And they were continually in Disputes one with another. But the Effects of their Disputes was not any greater U­nion or any better Agreement in their Opinions. They were as much divided after they had disputed many Ages, as they were at first: yea much more.

So there have long been Disputes in the christian World about Opinions and Principles in Religion. There is a vast variety of Sects and Opinions; and Disputes have been carried on, Age after Age, with great warmth, and thousands of Volumes have been written one against another. And all these Disputes have not terminated the Differences that have been, but they subsist still as much as ever: yea, they increase and multiply more and more. In stead of ending Controversies by disputing, they do but increase them: one Dispute only lays a Foundation for ano­ther. And thus the World goes on jangling and con­tending, daily writing and printing; being, as it were, de­luged with controversial Books: and all to no Purpose.

The increase of human Learning don't bring these Controvesies to an Issue, but does really increase and multiply them; as is evident in this learned Age, and in our Nation, where Learning has lately been carried to a very great height. There probably never [Page 80] was a Time in our Nation wherein there was such a vast variety of Opinions in Matters of Religion, as at this Day. Every now and then, a new Scheme of things is broached, and various and contrary O [...]inions are mixed and jumbled, divided and subdivided: And every new Writer is willing to have the credit of some new Notion.

And after this Manner does this miserable World go on in endless Confusion; like a great Multitude of fool-hardy Persons, who go on in the dark, stumbling and justling one against another, without perceiving any Remedy for their own, or affording any for their Neighbour's Calamity.

Thus I have shewn how the extreme blindness that possesses the Hearts of Men is manifest in what ap­pears in their Profession.

I come now,

II. To shew, how this is manifest in those Things that are found by inward Experience, and are visible in Men's Practices under the Light of the Gospel.

1. This appears in their being so prone to be de­ceived so many Ways, or being liable to such a multi­plicity of Deceits. There are Thousands of Delusions in things which concern the Affairs of Religion, that Men commonly are led away with, who yet live under the Light of the Gospel.

They are many ways deceived about GOD. They think him to be an exceeding diverse kind of Being from what he is. They think him to be altogether such an one as themselves.^† They are deceived about his Holiness, they don't realize it, that he is such a holy Being as he indeed is: or that he hates Sin with such an hatred as he declares he does. They are not convinced of his Truth, or that he certainly will fulfil his Threat­nings or his Promises.—They are not convinced of his Justice in punishing Sin, as he does.—

[Page 81]They have very wrong Notions of Christ. They are not co [...]ced of his Ability to save them, or of the Suffici [...]y of his Sacrifice and Righteousness; nor of his wil [...]ness to receive them.

They commonly are subject to a great many Errors about their Duty. They are ready to bring their Principles to agree with their Practices, in stead of bringing their Practices to their Principles, as they ought to do. They will put innumerable false Glosses on the Rules of God's Word, to bend them to a compli­ance with their Lusts: And so they "put darkness for light, and light for darkness; bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter."

They are subject to Deceits and Delusions about the Things of this World. They imagine that there is Happiness and Satisfaction to be found in the Pro­fits and Pleasures and Honors, which are to be had here. They believe all the deluding Flatteries and Promises of a vain World. And they will hold that Deceit and grand Delusion, That these Things are the highest Good; and will act accordingly; will choose these things for their Portion. And they will hold and practise upon that Error, That these things are o [...] long Continuance, and are to be depended upon.

They are greatly deceived about the things of ano­ther World. They undervalue that heaven [...]y Glory that is promised to the Saints; and are not much ter­rified with what they hear of the Damnation of Hell: they can't realize it, that the Torments of it are so dreadful as they hear: and are very ready to imagine that they are not eternal, but will some time or other have an end.

They are deceived about the State of good Men. They think they are not happy, but live a melancholy Life. And they are deceived about the Wicked. They envy the State of many of them, as accounting [Page 82] them well off. "They call the proud happy, ^* and bless the covetous, whom God abhors." ^† And they strive a great deal more after such Enjoy­ments as they have, than after such as [...]e the Por­tion of the godly.

They are subject to a thousand Deceits and Delusi­ons about themselves. They think themselves wise, when they are Fools. They are deceived about their own Hearts: they think them much better than they be. They think they see many good things in themselves, when indeed there is nothing good there. They appear lovely in their own Eyes, when they are nothing but Lumps of Filthiness, and their Hearts are like the inside of a Grave, full of dead Mens Bones and rotten Flesh, and crawling Worms, and all unclean­ness. Or rather, the inward Vault of Hell, that is an Habitation of Devils and every foul Spirit. Those things in their Hearts are highly esteemed by them, which are an Abomination in the Sight of God.

Men are very prone to be deceived about their own State: to think themselves something, when they are nothing; and to suppose themselves "rich and increased in Goods, and to have need of nothing; when they are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and BLIND, and naked" They are greatly deceived about the Principles they act from. They think they are sincere in that in which there is no Sincerity. They think they do those things from love to God, which they do only from love to themselves. They call meer speculative or natu­ral Knowledge, spiritual Knowledge: and put Conscience for Grace; and a servile, for a child-like fear: and com­mon Affections, that are only from natural Principles, and have no abiding effect, for high Discoveries, and eminent actings of Grace. Yea, 'tis common with Men to call their vicious Dispositions by the Name of some Vertue. They call their Anger and Malice, [Page 83] zeal for the righteous Cause, or zeal for the publick Good. They call their Covetousness, frugality.

They are vastly deceived about their own Righte­ousness. They think their Affections and Peforman­ces lovely to God, which indeed are to him as a men­struous Cloth. They think their Tears and Refor­mations and Prayers, sufficient to make Atonement for their Sins; when indeed if all the Angels in Heaven should offer themselves in Sacrifice to God, it would not be sufficient to atone for one of their Sins. They think their Prayers and Works, and religious Doings, a sufficient Price to purchase God's Favour and eter­nal Glory; when they, as they perform them, do no­thing but merit Hell.

They are greatly deceived about their Strength. They think they are able to mend their own Hearts, and work some good Principles in themselves; when they can do no more towards it, than a dead Corpse does towards raising it self to Life. They vainly flatter themselves, they are able to come to Christ—

They are greatly deceived about the stability of their own Hearts. They foolishly think their own Inten­tions & Resolutions of what good they will do hereaf­ter, to be depended on; when indeed there is no depen­dance at all to be had on them. They are greatly deceived about their Opportunities. They think that the long Continuance of their Opportunity is to be depend [...]d on, and that, to Morrow is to be boasted of; when indeed there is the utmost uncertainty of it. They flatter themselves that they shall have a better Opportunity to seek Salvation hereafter, than they have now; when there is no probability of it, but a very great improbability.

They are greatly deceived about their own Actions and Practices. Their own Faults are strangely hid from their Eyes. They live in many Ways that are [...]ery unbecoming Christians, but yet seem not to be at [Page 84] all sensible of it. Those evil Ways of theirs, which are very plain to others, are hid from them. Yea, those very things, which they themselves account great Faults in others, yet they will justify themselves in. Those things for which they will be very angry with others, yet they at the same time do themselves, and often times in a much higher Degree, and never once think of it. While they are zealous to pull the Mote out of their Brother's Eye, they know not that a Beam is in their own Eye.

Those Sins that they commit, which they are sensi­ble are Sins, yet they are wofully deceived about. They call great Sins, little ones; and in their own Imaginations, find out many Excuses, which make the Guilt very small; while the many heinous Aggravati­ons are hid from their Eyes.

They are greatly deceived about themselves, when they compare themselves with others. They esteem themselves better than their Neighbours, who are in­deed much better than themselves. They are greatly deceived about themselves, when they compare them­selves with GOD. They are very insensible of the difference there is between God and them, and act in many things as if they thought themselves his Equals; yea, as if they thought themselves above him. Thus manifold are the Deceits and Delusions that Men fall into.

2. The desperate Blindness that is natural to Men, appears in their being so ignorant and blind in things that are so clear and plain. Thus if we consider how great GOD is, and how dreadful Sin against him must be▪ and how much Sin we are guilty of, and of what Importance it is that his infinite Majesty should be vin­dicated; how plain is it, that Man's Righteousness is insufficient! And yet how greatly will Men confide in it! How will they ascribe more to it, than can be ascri­bed to the Righteousness of any, or all of the sinless [Page 85] and glorious Angels of Heaven. So, what can be more plain in it self, than that eternal Things are of infinitely greater Importance than temporal things? And yet, how hard is it thoroughly to convince Men of it! How plain is it, that eternal Misery in Hell is infinite­ly to be dreaded? And yet how few appear to be thoroughly convinced of this! How plain is it, that Life is uncertain: and yet how much otherwise do most Men think! How plain is it, that it is the highest Prudence in Matters of infinite Concern to improve the first Opportunity, without trusting to another: but yet how few are convinced of this? How reaso­nable is it, considering that God is a wise and just Being, to suppose that there shall be a future State of Re­wards and Punishments, wherein every Man shall re­ceive according to his Works? And yet, how does this seem like a Dream to most Men.

What can be in it self more plain and manifest, and easily to be known by us, if it were not for a strange Blindness, th [...]n We to our selves, who are always with our selves, never absent from our selves; always in our own View, as it were, before our own Eyes? Who have Opportunity to look into our own Hearts, and see all that passes there. And yet what is there that Men are more ignorant of, than they are of them­selves? There are many vitious Practices, the un­lawfulness of which is very plain; the Sins are gross, and contrary not only to the Word of God, but to the Light of Nature: and yet Men will often times plead there is no harm in such Sins: such as many Acts of gross Uncleanness: and many Acts of Fraud, Injustice and Deceitfulness; and many others that might be mentioned.

There is no one thing whatsoever more plain and manifest, and more demonstrable, than the Being of a GOD. It is manifest in our selves, in our own Bodies and Souls, and in every thing about us where-ever we [Page 86] turn our Eye, whether to Heaven, or to the Earth, the Air or the Seas. And yet how prone is the Heart of Man to call the Being of God into question? So inclined is the Heart of Man to Blindness and Delusion, that it is prone to Atheism itself.

3. The greatness of the blindness of the Heart of Man appeas in that so little a thing will deceive him, and confound his Judgment of things. A little self-interest; or only the Bait of some short Gratification of a sensual Appetite; or a little stiring of Passion, will blind Mens Eyes, and make them argue and judge most strangely and perversely, and draw up the most absurd Conclusions; such, as if they were indifferent, they would see to be most unreasonable. The Devil finds easy Work with Men, to deceive them a thousand Ways: which is an Argument of the great weakness and blindness of our Minds. As a little Child, that is weak in Understanding, is very easily deceived.

4. The wofulness of the blindness tha [...] possesses the Hearts of Men naturally, appears in their being all naturally totally ignorant of that in God, which they had most need to know; viz. the glory and excellency of his Nature. Tho' our Faculties which we have a­bove the Beasts were chiefly given us, that we might know this; and tho' it be that without the knowlege of which, all other Knowledge will signify nothing to us; and our Faculties are as capable of it, as of any other Knowledge whatsoever; and that which is as plainly and abundantly manifested as any thing whatsoever in­numerable Ways, both in the Word and Works of God: yet all Men naturally are totally ignorant of this; as ignorant, as one born blind is of Colours. Natural Men of the greatest Abilities and Learning, are as ig­norant of it, as the weakest and the most unlearned; yea, as ignorant as the very Stocks and Stones; for they see, and can see nothing at all of it.

[Page 87]5. It appears, in that they are so blind in those same Things in religious Matters, which they are sufficiently sensible of in other Matters. In temporal things they are very sensible that it is a point of Prudence to improve the first Opportunity in things of great Importance. But in Matters of Religion, which are of infinitely the greatest Importance, they have not this discerning. In temporal Matters they are sensible it is a great folly long to delay and put off, when Life is in danger, and all depends upon that. But in the Concerns of their Souls, they are insensible of this Truth. So in the Concerns of this World they are sensible it is Prudence to improve times of special Advantage — to em­brace a good offer when made them—They are sen­sible that things of long Continuance are of greater Importance, than those of short Duration— Yet in religious Concerns, none of these Things are sensibly discerned. In temporal things they are sufficiently sen­sible, that 'tis a point of Prudence to lay up for here­after, in Summer to lay up for Winter—to lay up for their Families, after they are dead: but Men do not generally discern the Prudence, in making a proper Provision for a future State —In Matters of Impor­tance in this World, they are sensible of the wisdom of taking thorough care to be on sure Grounds. But in their Soul's Concerns, they see nothing of this— Our Saviour observed this to be the Case with the Jews when he was upon Earth. "Ye Hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the Skie, and of the Earth: but how is it that ye do not discern this time?"^†

6. The desperate blindness that naturally possesses the Hearts of Men under the Gospel, appears in their remaining so stupidly insensible and deceived, under so great Means of Instruction and Conviction. If they were brought up under heatheanish Darkness, it would [Page 88] not be so full a Demonstration of it; but thus they re­main, tho' under the clearest Light, under the glorious Light of the Gospel, where they enjoy God's own In­structions in his Word, in a great fulness & plainness, and have the Evidence and Truth of things set before them from time to time in the plainest manner. They have the Arguments of God's Being & Perfection—of ano­ther World—Are told how eternal things are of grea­ter Importance than temporal—Of what Impor­tence it is to escape eternal Misery. How much it is worth while to take Pains for heavenly Glory— How vain their own Righteousness is—But yet—

And they have not only great Means of Instruction in God's Word, but also in Providence. They have the Evidences of the shortness and uncertainty of Life. "He seeth that wise Men die, likewise the fool and the brutish Person perish, and leave their Wealth to o­thers." Yet "their inward thought is, that their Houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling Places to all Generations: They call their Lands after their own Names. Nevertheless Man being in Honor, abideth not: He is like the Beasts that perish. This their way is their folly: yet their Posterity approve their sayings." They find the World is vain & unsatisfactory. —They find the great instability and treachery of their own Hearts; and how their own good Intentions and Resolutions are not to be depended on— They often find by Experience, their Attempts to make them better fail—But yet—

Such abundant Evidence is there, both in what ap­pears in the open Profession of Men; and also by what is found in their inward Experience, and is evident in their Practice, of the extreme and brutish Ignorance and blindness, which naturally possesses their Hearts.

DOCTRINE. THERE is an extreme and brutish Blindness in Things of Religion, which naturally possesses the Hearts of Men.

HAVING shewn how the Truth of the Doct­rine is evident, both by what appears in Mens open profession, and by those Things which are found by inward Experience, and are manifest by what is visible in Mens practice; I pro­ceed to the

DOCTRINE. Natural men are God's Enemies.

GOD, tho' the creator of all things, yet has some enemies in the world.

Men in general will own, that they are or have been sinners. There are few, if any at all, whose consci­ences are so blinded as not to be sensible they have been guilty of sin. And most sinners will own that they have bad hearts. They will own that they don't love God so much as they should do; and that they ben't so thankful as they ought to be for mercies; and that in many Things they fail. And yet few of them are sensible that they are God's enemies. They don't see how they can be truly so called: they are not sensible that they wish God any hurt, or endeavour to do him any.

But we see that the scripture speaks of them as ene­mies to God. So in our text, and elsewhere. "And you that were sometime alienated, and enemies in your minds by wicked works." ^§ "The carnal mind is en­mity against God."^‡

And that all natural, or unregenerate men are indeed so, is what I shall endeavour now particularly to shew. Which I propose to do in the following method.

• 1. I shall shew, in what respects they are enemies to God.
• 2. To how great a degree they are enemies.
• [Page 108] [...]. Why they are enemies.
• 4. I shall answer some objections.

I. I am to shew, in what respects they are enemies to God.

1. THEIR enmity appears in their judgments; in the judgment and esteem they have of God. They have a very mean esteem of God. Men are ready to entertain a good esteem of those with whom they are [...]nds: They are apt to think highly of their quali­ties, to give them their due praises; and if there be de­fects, to cover them But those to whom they are e­nemies, they are disposed to have mean thoughts of; they are apt to entertain a dishonourable opinion of them: they will be ready to look contemptibly upon any thing that is praise-worthy in them.

SO is it with natural men towards God. They en­tertain very low and contemptible thoughts of God. Whatever honour and respect they may pretend and make a shew of towards God, if their practice be exa­mined, it will shew, that they do certainly look upon him to be a being, that is but little to be regarded. They think him one that is worthy of very little honor and respect, not worthy to be much taken notice of. The language of their hearts is, "Who is the Lord, that I should obey his voice?"^* "What is the Almigh­ty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him?"^† They count him wor­thy neither to be loved nor feared. They dare not behave with that slight and disregard towards one of their fellow creatures, but a little raised above them in power and authority, as they dare, and do towards God. They value one of their equals much more than God, and are ten times more afraid of offending such an one, than of displeasing the God that made them. They cast such exceeding contempt on God, [Page 109] as to prefer every vile lust before him. And every worldly enjoyment is set higher in their esteem, than God. A morsel of meat, or a few pence of worldly gain, is preferred before him. God is set last and low­est in the esteem of natural men.

2. THEY are enemies in the natural relish of their souls. They have an inbred distaste and disrelish of God's perfections. God is not such a sort of being as they would have. Tho' they are ignorant of God; yet from what they hear of him, and from what is manifest by the light of nature of God, they don't like him. By his being endowed with such attributes as he is, they have an aversion to him. They hear God is an infinitely holy, pure and righteous Being, and they don't like him upon this account; they have no relish of such kind of qualifications: they take no delight in contemplating them. It would be a mere task, a bon­dage to a natural man, to be obliged to set himself to contemplate these attributes of God. They see no manner of beauty or loveliness, nor taste any sweetness in them. And upon the account of their distaste of these perfections, they dislike all the other of his attributes. They have greater aversion to him because he is omni­scient and knows all things; because his omniscience is an holy omniscience. They are not pleased that he is omnipotent, and can do whatever he pleases; because it is a holy omnipotence. They are enemies even to his mercy, because it is a holy mercy. They do not like his immutability, because by this he never will be otherwise than he is, an infinitely holy God.

'Tis from this disrelish that natural men have of the attributes of God, that they don't love to have much to do with God. The natural tendency of the heart of man is to fly from God, and keep at a distance from him; and to get as far off as possible from God. A natural man is averse to communion with God, and is naturally disinclined to those exercises of religion, where­in [Page 110] he has immediately to do with God. It is said of wicked men, "God is not in all his thoughts."^§ 'Tis evident that the mind of man is naturally averse to thinking about God: And hence if any thoughts of God be suggested to the mind, they soon go away; such thoughts be not apt to rest in the minds of natural men. If any thing is said to them of God, they are apt to forget it: 'tis like seed that falls upon the hard path, it don't at all enter in, and the fowls of the air soon catch it away: or like seed that falls upon a rock. Other things will stick; but divine things, do, as it were, rebound: and if they are cast into the mind, they meet with that there which soon thrusts them out again: they meet with no suitable entertainment, but are soon chased away.

Hence also it is that natural men are so difficultly perswaded to be constant in the duty of secret prayer. They would not be so averse to spending a quarter of an hour, night and morning, in some bodily labour; but 'tis because they are averse to a work, wherein they have so immediately to do with God; and they naturally love to keep at a distance from God.

3. THEIR wills are contrary to his will. God's will and their's, are exceeding cross the one to the o­ther. God wills those things that they hate, and are most averse to; and they will those things that God hates. Hence they oppose God in their wills: they set up their wills against the will of God. There is a dreadful, violent and obstinate opposition of the will of natural men to the will of God.

They are very opposite to the commands of God. 'Tis from the enmity of the will, that "the carnal mind is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be"^* Hence natural men are enemies to God's government. They are not loyal subjects, but enemies [Page 111] to God, considered as lord of the world. They are en­tire enemies to God's authority.

4. THEY are enemies to God in their affections. There is in every natural man a seed of malice against God: yea, there is such a seed of this, rooted in the heart of man naturally. And it does often dreadfully break forth and appear. Tho' it may in a great mea­sure lie hid in secure times, when God lets men alone, and they meet with no great disturbance of body or mind; yet, if God does but touch men a little in their consciences, by manifesting to them a little of his wrath for their sins, this oft times brings out the principle of malice against God, which is exercised in dreadful heart-risings, inward wranglings and quarrellings, and blas­phemous thoughts: wherein the heart is like a viper, hissing, and spitting poison at God. There is abund­ance of such a principle in the heart. And however free from it the heart may seem to be, when let alone and secure, yet a very little thing will set it in a rage. Temptations will shew what is in the heart. The al­teration of a man's circumstances will often discover the heart: a change of circumstance will bring that out which was hid before. Pharaoh had no more natural enmity against God than other men; and if other natu­ral men had been in Pharaoh's circumstances, the same corruptions would put forth themselves in as dreadful a manner. The Scribes & Pharasees had naturally no more of a principle of malice in their hearts against Christ, than other men; and other natural men would, in their case, and having as little restraint, exercise as much malice against Christ as they did. When wicked men come to be cast into hell, then their malice against God will appear. Then will it appear what dreadful malice they have in their hearts. Then their hearts will appear as full of malice, as hell is full of fire. But when wicked men come to be in hell, there will be no [Page 112] new corruptions put into their heart; but only old ones will then break forth without restraint. That is all the difference between a wicked man on earth, and a wicked man in hell, that in hell there will be more to stir up the exercise of corruption, and less to restrain it than on earth: but there will be no new corruption put in. A wicked man will have no principle of cor­ruption in hell, but what he carried to hell with him. There are now the seeds of all the malice that will be exercised then. The malice of damned spirits is but a branch of the root, that is in the hearts of natural men now. A natural man has a heart▪ like the heart of a devil; but only as corruption is more under restraint in man than in devils.

5 THEY are enemies in their practice."They walk contrary to him."^* Their enmity against God don't lie still, but they are exceeding active in it. They are engaged in a war against God. Indeed they can't hurt God, he is so much above them; but yet they do what they can. They oppose themselves to his honor and glory▪ they oppose themselves to the interest of his kingdom in the world: they oppose themselves to the will and command of God; and oppose him in his go­vernment. They oppose God in his works, and in his declared designs; while God is doing one work, [...]ey are doing the contrary, and as much as in them lies, counterworking. God seeks one thing, and they seek directly the contrary. They list under Satan's banner, and are his willing soldiers in his opposing the kingdom of God. I proceed now,

II. TO say something with respect to the degree of this enmity: tending in some measure to shew, how great enemies natural men are to God.

1. THEY have no love to God; their enmity is mere enmity without any mixture of love. A natural [Page 113] man is wholly destitute of any principle of love to God, and never had the least exercise of this love. Some na­tural men have better natural tempers than others; and some are better educated than others; and some live a great deal more soberly than others: but one has no more love to God than another; for none have the least spark of that. The heart of a natural man is as desti­tute of love to God, as a dead, stiff, cold corpse is of vital heat. "I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you."^†

2. EVERY faculty and principle of action is wholly under the dominion of enmity against God. The na­ture of man is wholly infected with this enmity against God. He is tainted with it throughout, in all his fa­culties and principles. And not only so, but every faculty is entirely and perfectly subdued under it, and enslaved to it. This enmity against God, has the ab­solute possession of the man. The apostle Paul, speak­ing of what he was naturally, says, "I am carnal, sold under sin. ^‖

The understanding is under the reigning power of this enmity against God, so that it is entirely darkned and blinded with regard to the glory and excellency of God. The will is wholly under the reigning power of it. All the affections are governed by enmity against God: there is not one affection, nor one desire, that a natural man has, or that he is ever stired up to act from, but that contains in it enmity against God. A natural man is as full of enmity against God, as any viper, or any venemous beast, is full of poison.

3. THE power of the enmity of natural men against God, is so great, that 'tis insupp [...]able by any finite power. It has too great and strong a possession of the heart, to be overcome by any created power. Natural [Page 114] men can't overcome their own enmity, let them strive never so much with their own hearts. Indeed, a natural man never sincerely strives to root out his enmity a­gainst God; his endeavours are hypocritical: he delights in his enmity, and chooses it. Neither can others do it, tho' they sincerely, and to their utmost endeavour to overcome this enmity. If godly friends and neigh­bours labour to perswade them to cast away their enmi­ty, and become friends to God, they can't perswade them to it. Tho' ministers use never so many argu­ments and entreaties, and set forth the loveliness of God, and tell them of the goodness of God to them, and hold forth to them God's own gracious invitations, and intreat them never so earnestly to cast off their op­position and enmity, and to be reconciled, and become friends; yet they can't overcome it: still they will be as bad enemies to God, as ever they were. The tongue of men or of angels can't perswade them to re­linquish their opposition to God. Miracles will not do it. How many miracles did the children of Israel see in the wilderness! yet their enmity against God remain­ed; as appeared by their often murmuring. And how often did Christ use miracles to this end without effect, but the Jews yet obstinately stood out. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not."^‖ And how great did the enmity of these people appear to be after all; how spiteful and venemous were their hearts towards Christ, as appears by their cruel treatment of him, in his last sufferings!

4. THEY are mortal enemies to God; i. e. They have that enmity in their hearts, that strikes at the life of God. A man may be no friend to another, and may [Page 115] have an ill spirit towards him; and yet not be his mor­tal enemy: his enmity will be satisfied and gluted with something short of the death of the person. But it is not so with natural men, with respect to God: they are mortal enemies. Indeed, natural men can't kill God. They have no hope of it, and so make no attempts: It has ever been looked upon so much above their power, that, it may be, it is not thought of. But that is no argument that this is not the tendency of the principle.

Natural men are enemies to the dominion of God; and their nature shews their good will to pull him down out of heaven, and dethrone him if they could! Yea, they are enemies to the Being of God, and would be glad if there was no God. And therefore it necessarily follows, that they would kill him, and cause that there should be none, if they could.

"The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God."^† This saying in his heart, There is no God, imples in it, not only an aptness to question the Being of God; but it implies, that he inclines it should be so. His heart says, i. e. his inclination says. The words in the ori­ginal are thus, "The fool hath said in his heart, No God." The words, there is, are not in the original, but were put in by the translators. Now if we read the words so, "The fool hath said in his heart, No God," they will perhaps shew the Psalmist's meaning more fully, than as they are now translated. "The fool hath said in his heart, No God." That is, "I would have none, I don't desire any, I wish there was none; that would suit my inclination best." That is the language of the inclinations of a natural man; no God. Let there be no God for me, let me have no God: Let the world be emptied of a God, he stands in my way." And hence he is an Atheist in his heart, he is ready to think there is none; and that also is ready to be the language of his heart, "There is no God."

[Page 116]The viper's poison is deadly poison; and when he bites, he seeks the precious life. And men are in this respect a generation of vipers. Their poison, which is enmity against God, seeks the life of God. O genera­tion of vipers."^† "The wicked are estranged from the womb—Their poison is like the poison of a serpent."^‖ "For their vine is the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah: their grapes are the grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter. Their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. ^*

The divine nature being immortal, and infinitely out of our reach, there is no other trial possible, whether the enmity that is naturally in the heart against God, be mortal or no, but only for God to take on him the hu­man nature, and become man; so as to come within man's reach, that they should be capable of killing him. There can be no other experiment but this. And this trial there has been. And what has been the event? Why, when once God became man, and came down to dwell here, among such vipers as fallen men, they hated him, and persecuted him; and never left 'till they had imbrued their hands in his blood. There was a mul­titude of them that appeared combined in this design. Nothing would do, but he must be put to death. All cry out, "Crucify him, crucify him. Away with him." They had rather Barrabbas, who greatly deserved death, should live, than he should not die. Nothing would re­strain them from it; even all his preaching and all his miracles: but they would kill him. And it was not the ordinary kind of execution that would satisfy them: but it must be the most cruel, and most ignominious they possibly could invent. And they in the time of it, add­ed to it, and aggravated it as much as ever they could, by mocking him, and spiting on him, and scourging him. This shews what the nature and tendency of man's en­mity against God is; here it appeared in its true co­lours.

[Page 117]5. NATURAL men are greater enemies to God, than they are to any other being whatsoever. Natural men may be very great enemies to their fellow creatures; but not so great as they are to God. There is no other being that so much stands in sinners way, in those things that they chiefly set their hearts upon, as God. Men are wont to hate their enemies in proportion to two things, viz. their opposition to what they look upon to be their interest, — and their power and ability. One that is looked upon a great and powerful enemy, will be more hated, than one that is weak and impotent. But none of their enemies is so powerful as God.

Man's enmity to other enemies may be got over: time may wear it out, and they may be reconciled, and be friends. But natural men, without a mighty work of God to change their hearts, will never get over their enmity against God. They are greater enemies to God, than they be to the devil. Yea, they treat the devil as their friend and master, and join in with him against God. "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do: he was a murderer from the beginning.^*.

DOCTRINE. Natural Men are God's Enemies.

In speaking to this Doctrine, it was proposed,

• 1. TO shew in what respects they are enemies to God.
• 2. TO how great a degree they are enemies.
• 3. WHY they are enemies.
• 4. TO answer some objections.

The two first things proposed, have been attended to in the foregoing discourse. I now proceed,

III. TO shew why, or on what account they are ene­mies to God.

The general Reason is, That God is opposite to them in the worship of their idols.

The apostacy of man does summarily consist in de­parting from the true God, to idols, forsaking his crea­tor, and setting up other things in his room.

When God at first created man, he was united to his creator; the God that made him was his God. The true God was the object of his highest respect, and had the possession of his heart. Love to God was the prin­ciple in his heart, that ruled over all other principles; [Page 119] and every thing in the soul, was wholly in subjection to it. But when man fell, he departed from the true God, and the union that was between his heart and his crea­tor was broken: he wholly lost the principle of love he had to God. And henceforward man clave to other gods. He gave that respect to the creature, which is due to the creator. When God ceased to be the object of his supream love and respect, other things of course became the objects of it.

Man will necessarily have something that he respects as his God. If man don't give his highest respect to the God that made him, there will be something else that has the possession of it. Men will either worship the true God, or some idol: it is impossible it should be otherwise; something will have the heart of man. And that which a man gives his heart to, may be called his God: and therefore when man by the fall extin­guished all love to the true God, he set up the crea­ture in his room

And so man came to be at enmity against the true God. For having lost his esteem and love of the true God, and set up other gods in his room, and in opposi­tion to him; and God still demanding their worship, and opposing them in their worship of those false gods; and man continuing still to worship idols, enmity ne­cessarily follows.

That which a man chuses for his God, he sets his heart mainly upon. And nothing will so soon excite enmity, as opposition in that which is dearest. A man will be the greatest enemy to him who opposes him in what he chooses for his God: he will look on none as standing so much in his way, as he that would deprive him of his God. "Ye have taken away my gods; and what have I more?"^† A man, in this respect, can't serve two masters, that stand in competition to his ser­vice. And not only, if he serves one, he cannot serve [Page 120] the other; but if he cleaves to one, he will necessarily hate the other. "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye can­not serve God and mammon."^† And this is the very reason that men hate God. In this case it is, as when two kings set up in one kingdom, in opposition one to the other; and they both challenge the same throne, and are competitors for the same crown: they that are loyal, hearty subjects to the one, will necessarily be ene­mies to the other. It always happens so, nor indeed can it be otherwise.

As that which is a man's God, is the object of his highest love; so that God which chiefly opposes him in it, must be the object of his greatest hatred.

The gods which a natural man worships, instead of the God that made him, are himself and the world. He has withdrawn his esteem and honor from God, and proud­ly exalts himself. As satan did: he was not willing to be in such subjection; and therefore rebelled, and set up himself for God. So a natural man, in the proud and high thoughts he has of himself, sets up himself upon God's throne. And he gives his heart to the world, worldly riches, and worldly pleasures, and world­ly honors: they have the possession of that regard which is due to God. The apostle sums up all the idolatry of wicked men in their love of the world. "Love not the World, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the father, but is of the world."^* And the apostle James observes, that a man must necessarily be the ene­my of the true God, if he be a friend of the world. "Know ye not that the friendship of the world is en­mity [Page 121] with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God. ^†

All the sin that men commit, is what they do in the service of their idols: there is no one act of sin, but what is an act of service to some false God. And there­fore wherein soever God opposes sin in them, he is op­posite to their worship of their idols: on which account they are enemies to God.

God opposes them in their service of their idols, in the following respects.

1. HE manifests his utter abhorrence of their wor­ship of their idols. Their idols are what they love a­bove all things: they would by no means part with them. This wickedness is sweet unto them.^† If you take them away, what have they more? If they loose their idols, they loose their all. To rend away their idols from them, would be more grievous to them, than to rend body and soul asunder: it is like rending their heart in twain. They love their idolatry; but God don't approve of it, but exceedingly hates it: he hates it implacably, and will by no means be reconciled to it; and therefore they hate him. God declares an infinite hatred of every act of sin which they do; or every act that they do in the service of their false gods. He ap­p [...]oves of it in no part, but hates it all. He declares himself to be an holy God, and a jealous God; a God that is very jealous of his own honor; and that greatly abhors the giving that honor to another.

2. HE utterly forbids their cleaving to those idols, and all the service that they do to them. He not only shews that he dislikes it, but he utterly forbids it; and demands that they should worship him, and serve him only, and give their hearts wholly to him; without tole­rating any competitor. He allows them to serve their idols in no degree; but requires them to cast them away ^* [Page 122] utterly, and pay no more worship to them, at any time. He requires a final parting with their idols. Not only that they should refrain from them for a while, but cast them away forever; and never gratify their idolatrous respect to them any more. This is so exceeding con­trary to them, and what they are so averse to and so obstinate in their refusal of, that they are enemies to God for it. They can't endure God's commands, be­cause they forbid all that which their hearts are so en­gaged in. And as they hate God's commands, so they hate Him whose commands they are.

3. HE threatens them with everlasting damnation for their service of their idols. He threatens them for their past idolatry. He threatens them with his eternal wrath, for their having departed from him, and their having chosen to themselves other gods. He threa­tens them for that disposition they have in their hearts to cleave to other gods: He threatens the lest degrees of that respect which they have in their hearts to their idols. He manifests that he will not tolerate any re­gard to them, but has fixed eternal death, as the wages of every degree of it. And he won't release them from their guilt; he holds them to their obligations; he won't acquit them at all: And he will accept of no atone­ment that they can make. He will not forgive them, whatever they do in religion; whatever pains they take; whatever tears they shed. He will accept of no mo­ney or price that they have to offer.

And he threatens every future act of their idolatry. He not only forbids them ever to be guilty of the least act, but forbids them on pain of eternal damnation. So strictly does God prohibit them from the service of their idols, that are so dear to them, that are their all, and which they would on no account part with. He threatens them with everlasting wrath for all exercises of inordinate love of worldly profit: for all manifesta­tions of inordinate regard to worldly pleasures, or world­ly [Page 123] honors. He threatens them with everlasting tor­ments for their self exaltation. He requires them to deny themselves, and renounce themselves, and to abase themselves at his feet, on pain of bearing his wrath to all eternity.

The strictness of God's law is a principle cause of man's enmity against God. If God were a God that did not so much hate sin: if he were one who would allow them in the gratification of their lusts, in some degree; and his threatnings were not so awful against all indulgence of their lust: if his threatnings were not so absolute; if his displeasure could be appeased by a few tears, and little reformation, or the like; they would not be so great enemies, nor hate him so much as they do now. But God shews himself to be an im­placable enemy to their idols, to every degree of their service of them; and has threaten'd everlasting wrath, infinite calamity for all that they do in the service of their lusts; and holds them bound under his wrath therefor. And this makes them irreconcilable enemies to him.

For this reason, the Scribes and Pharisees were such bitter enemies to Christ; because he shewed himself to be such an enemy to their pride, and conceit of their own wisdom, and their self-righteousness, and inordinate affectation of their own honor, which was their God. Natural men are enemies to God, because he is so op­posite to them, in that in which they place their all. If you go to take away that which is very dear to a man, nothing will provoke him more. God is infinitely op­posite to that in which natural men place all their de­light, and all their happiness, viz. their gods. He is an enemy to that which natural men value as their greatest honor and highest dignity; and which they trust wholly to, that which is all their dependence, viz. their own righteousness.

[Page 124]Hence natural men are greater enemies to God, than they are to any other being. Some of their fellow-creatures may stand very much in their way, with regard to some things they set their hearts upon; but God op­poses them with respect to all their idols, and those gods which are their all. And then God's opposition to their idols, which are above all things dear to them, is infi­nitely great. None of our fellow-creatures ever oppo­ses us in any of our interests so much as God opposes wicked men in their idolatry: For God has an infinite opposition against it. His infinite opposition is mani­fested by his threatning an infinite punishment, viz. his dreadful wrath to all eternity, misery without end. Hence we need not wonder that natural men are ene­mies to God.

Having thus shewn, in some measure, why natural men are God's enemies; I proceed to the last thing propos'd.

IV. TO consider and make answer to some objecti­ons, that some may be ready to make against this.

Natural men don't generally conceive themselves to be so bad: they han't this notion of themselves, that they are enemies to God. And therefore when they hear such doctrine as this taught them, they stand rea­dy to make objections.

Obj. I. SOME natural men may be ready to say, "I don't know that I feel any such enmity in my heart against God, as is spoken of. I am not sensible that I am such a dreadful enemy, so as to hate God, and to have a mortal enmity against him: and to have a dis­position, if I could, to kill him. I feel no such thing in myself, and why should I think that I have such a thing in me? If I have such enmity, why don't I feel it? If I am a mortal enemy, why should not I know it better than any body else? How can others [Page 125] see what is in my heart, better than I myself? If I hate one of my fellow creatures, and have a spirit against him, I can feel it inwardly working." To such an objection I would

Ans. I. If you do but observe yourself, and search your own heart, unless you are strangely blinded, you may be sensible of those things, wherein enmity does fundamentally consist. As particularly, you may be sensible that you have at least had a low & contemptible esteem of God; and that you in your esteem set the trifles and vanities of this world, far above him; so as to esteem the enjoyment of these things far before the enjoyment of God, and to value these things better than his love. And you may be sensible that you despise the authority of God, and value his commands and his honor but very little. Or if by some means you have blinded yourself now, so as to think you do regard them now, doubtless you can look back and see that you have not regarded them. You may be sensible that you have had a disrelish and aversion towards God; an op­posit on to thinking of God, or to have any thing to do with him; so that it would have been a very uncom­fortable task to have been confined to it for any time; and that when the vanities of the world, at the same time, have been very pleasing to you; and you have been all swallowed up in them, while you have been averse to the things of religion.

If you look into your heart, it is there plain to be seen, that there is an enmity in your will, that your will is contrary to God's will; for you have been opposing the will of God all your life long. These things are plain in natural men; 'tis nothing but some great delu­sion that can hide them from you. And these things are the foundation of all enmity: if these things be in you, all the rest that we have spoken of will follow of course.

[Page 126]2. ONE reason why you han't more sensibly felt the exercises of malice against God, is that your enmity is now exercised partly in your unbelief of God's being; and this prevents its appearing in other ways, that other­wise it would. Man has naturally a principle of atheism in him; an indisposition to realize God's being, and a disposition to doubt of it. The being of God don't or­dinarily seem real to natural men. All the discoveries that there are of God's being, in his works, won't o­vercome the principle of atheism, that is in the heart. And tho' they seem in some measure to be rationally convinced, yet it don't appear real; the conviction is faint, there is no strong conviction impressed on the mind, that there is a God: and often times they are ready to think that there is none. Now this will prevent the exercise of this enmity, that otherwise would be felt; particularly, it may be an occasion of there not being those sensible exercises of hatred, that otherwise there would be.

It may in some measure be illustrated by this: If you had a rooted malice against another man, a princi­ple that had been long established there; if you should hear that he was dead, and so should conceive that he had no being, the sensible workings of your malice would not be felt, as when you realized it that he was alive, or that there was such a person: and that altho' there be the same thing in the foundation, which would appear, if you should afterwards hear the news contra­dicted, and perceive that your enemy was still alive; you would feel the same workings of hatred that you did be­fore. And when you thought he was dead, you might feel the exercise of your enmity, in being glad of it. And thus your not realizing it, that God has a being, may prevent those sensible workings of hatred, that other­wise you would have. If wicked men in this world were sensible of the reality of God's being, as the wick­ed are in another, they would feel more of that hatred, [Page 127] that men in another world do. The exercise of corrup­tion in one way, may, and often does prevent its work­ing in other ways. As covetousness may prevent the exercise of pride, so atheism may prevent malice; and yet it may be no argument of there being any the less of a principle of enmity in the heart; for 'tis the same enmity, working in another way. The same enmity that in this world works by atheism, will in another world, where there will be no room for atheism, work by malice and blasphemy. The same mortal enmity that, if you saw there was a God, might make you to wish him dead, and to desire, if it were possible, to kill him, may now dispose and incline to think there is none. Men are very often apt to think things are so as they would have them to be. The same principle disposes you to think God has no life, which, if you knew he had, would dispose you, if it were possible to take it away.

3. IF you think that there is a God, yet you don't realize it, that he is such a God as he is. You don't realize it, that he is so holy a God as he is: You don't realize it, that he has such an hatred of sin as indeed he has. You don't realize it, that he is so just a God as he is, that will by no means clear the guilty. But that in the Psalms is applicable to you: "These things hast thou done, and I kept silence: thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self. ^* So that if you think there is a God, you don't think there is such a God as there is. And your atheism appears in this, as well as in thinking there is no God. For that God that you think there is, is not that God that indeed is; but another, one of your own feigning, the fruit of your own vain, deluded imagination. So that your objection ari­ses from this, th [...] you don't find such a sensible hatred against that God which you have formed, to suit your self; a God that you like better than the true God. [Page 128] But this is no argument that you han't bitter enmity against the true God; for it was your enmity against the true God, and your not liking him, that has put you upon forming up another in your imagination, that you like better. It is your enmity against those attributes of God's holiness and justice, and the like, that has put you upon conceiting another, who is not so holy as he is, and don't hate sin so much, and won't be so strictly just in punishing it; and whose wrath against sin is not so terrible.

But if you was sensible of the vanity of your own conceits, and that God was not such an one as you have imagined; but that he is, as he is indeed, an infinitely holy, just, sin hating & sin revenging God, who will not tolerate nor endure the worship of idols, you would be much more liable to feel the sensible exercises of enmity against him, than you are now. And this experience confirms. For we see that when men come to be under convictions, and to be made sensible that God is not as they have heretofore imagined; but that he is such a jealous, sin hating God, and whose wrath against sin is so dreadful, they are much more apt to have sensible exercises of en­mity against God, than before.

4. YOUR having always been taught that God is in­finitely above you, and out of your reach, has prevented your enmity's being exercised in those ways, that other­wise it would have been. You have always from your infancy been taught, that God is so high, that you can't hurt him; that notion has grown up with you. And hence you be not sensible, that you have any dis­position to hurt him; because it has been conceiv­ed so impossible, that it has not come into your mind. And hence your enmity has not been exercised in re­vengeful thoughts; because revenge has never found any room here; it has never found any handle to take hold of; there has been no conception of any such thing, and hence it has lain still. A serpent won't [Page 129] bite, or spit poison at that which it sees at a great distance; which if it saw near, would do it immedi­ately. Opportunity shews what men be often times, whether friends or enemies. Opportunity to do, puts men in mind of doing; wakens up such principles as lay dormant before. Opportunity stirs up desire to do, where there was before a disposition, that without op­portunity would have lain still. If a man has had an old grudge against another, and has a fair opportunity to be revenged, this will revive his malice, and waken up a desire of revenge.

If a great and sovereign prince injures a poor man, and tho' what he does is looked upon very cruel, that won't ordinarily stir up that passionate revenge, as if he sustain'd no bigger an injury from one of his equals, because he is so much above him, and out of his reach. Many a man that has appeared calm and meek when he has had no power in his hands, and has not appeared, either to himself or others, to have any disposition to these and those cruel acts; that yet afterwards when he came to have opportunity by unexpected advancement, or otherwise, has appeared like a ravenous wolf, or de­vouring lion. So it was with Hazael. "And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Be­cause I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child. And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing! And Elisha answered, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria."^† Hazael was then a servant; he had no power in his hands to do as he pleased; and so that cruel dis­position that was in him had lain hid, and he did not himself imagine that it was there: Bu [...] afterwards, when he became king of Syria, and was absolute, and [Page 130] had none to controul him; then it broke out and ap­peared, and he did as the prophet had foretold. He committed those very acts of cruelty, that he thought it was not in his heart to do. And it was want of op­portunity that was the thing that made the difference. It was all in his heart before: he was such a dog then as to do this thing, but only had not had opportunity. And therefore when he seems surprized that the prophet should say so of him, all the reason the prophet gives is, "The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria."

And some natural men are such dogs as to do things, if they had opportunity, which they don't imagine it is in their hearts to do. You object against your having a mortal hatred against God; that you never felt any desire to kill him. But one reason has been, that it has always been conceived so impossible by you, and you have been so sensible how much desires would be in vain, that it has kept down such a desire. But if the life of God were within your reach, and you knew it, it would not be safe one hour. Who knows what thoughts would presently arise in your heart by such an opportunity, and what disposition would be raised up in your heart! Who would trust your heart, that there would not presently be such thoughts as these, tho' they are enough to make one tremble to mention them? "Now I have opportunity to set myself at liberty — that I need not be'kept in continual slavery by the strict law of God.—Then I may take my liberty to walk in that way I like best, and need not be continually in such slavish fear of God's displeasure. And God has not done well by me, in many instances. He has done most unjustly by me, in holding me bound to destruction for unbelief, and other things which I can't help— He has shewn mercy to others, and refused it to me. I have now an opportunity to deliver my self, and there can be no danger of my being hurt for it: God will not be [Page 131] alive to revenge it. And then there will be no God for us to be terrified about, and so keep us in slavery."

Who would trust your heart, that such thoughts would not arise? And others, much more horrid? too dread­ful to be mention'd! and therefore I forbear. Those natural men are foolishly insensible of what is in their own hearts, who think there would be no danger of any such workings of heart, if they knew they had oppor­tunity.

5. YOU little consider, how much your having no more of the sensible exercises of hatred to God, is ow­ing to a being restrained by fear. You have always been taught what a dreadful thing it is to hate God. And you have been taught what a dreadful Being GOD is, and how terrrible God's displeasure is; that God sees the heart and knows all the thoughts; and that you are in his hands, and he can make you as miserable as he pleases, and as soon as he pleases. And these things have re­strained you: and the fear that has risen from these things, has kept you from appearing what you be; it has kept down your enmity, and made that serpent afraid to shew it's head, as otherwise it would do. If a man were wholly under the power of an enemy, tho' he were never so much of an enemy to him, he would be afraid to exercise his hatred in outward acts, unless it was with great disguise. And if it be supposed that such an enemy, in whose power he was, could see his heart, and know all his thoughts; and apprehended that he would put him to a terrible death, if he saw the workings of malice there, how greatly would this re­strain! He would be afraid so much as to believe him­self, that he hated his enemy: But there would be all manner of smothering, disguise and hypocrisy, and feign­ing even of thoughts and affections.

Thus your enmity has been kept under restraint; and thus it has been from your infancy. You have grown [Page 132] up in it, so that it is become an habitual restraint. You dare not so much as think you hate God. If you do exercise hatred, you have a disguise for it, whereby you endeavour even to hide it from your own conscience; and so have all along deceived your self. And your deceit is very old and habitual: And hence you are so difficultly convinced. But this has been only restraint: it has been no mortification. But there has been an enmity against God in its full strength. It has been only restrained, like an enemy that durst not rise up and shew himself.

DOCTRINE. Natural Men are God's Enemies.

HAVING shewn,—in what respects they are ene­mies, —to how great a degree they are enemies— and why they are so; I proceeded to answer some Objections.

The objection now under consideration is, that many natural men may make from their not being sensible that they are God's enemies, whence they conclude, that they have no enmity against God. ^†

This objection has been answered in five particulars. I now proceed to

Ans. 6. One reason why you have not felt more sensible hatred to God may be because you have not had much trial of what is in your heart. It may be God has hitherto in a great measure let you alone. The enmity that is in men's hearts against God, is like a serpent, which if it be let alone lies still; but if any body disturbs it, will soon hiss, and be enraged, and shew its serpentine spiteful nature.

[Page 134]Notwithstanding the good opinion you have of your self, yet a little trial would shew you to be a viper, and your heart would be set all on a rage against God. One thing that restrains you now is your hope. You hope to receive many things from God. Your own interest is concerned; you hope to make great gains of God. So that both hope and fear operate together, to restrain your enmity from such sensible exercises, as otherwise would be. But if once hope was gone, you would soon shew what you was: you would soon feel your enmity against God in a rage.

7. IF you pretend that you do not feel enmity against God, and yet act as an enemy, you may certainly con­clude that it is not because you are no enemy; but because you do not know your own heart. Actions are the best interpreter of the disposition: They shew better than any thing else, what the heart is. It must be because you do not observe your own beha­viour, that you question whether you are an enemy to God.

What other account can you give of your own car­riage, but only your being God's enemy? What other account can be given of your so opposing God in your ways; walking so exceeding contrary to him, contrary to his counsels, contrary to his commands, and contrary to his glory? What other account can be given of your casting so much contempt upon God; your sett­ing him so low; your acting so much against his autho­rity, and against his kingdom and interest in the world? What other account can be given of your so setting your will in opposition to God's will, and that so obstinately, for so long a time, against so many warnings as you have had? What other account can be given of your joining so much with satan, in the opposition he is making to the kingdom of God in the wor [...]d? And that you will join with him against God, tho' it be so much against your own interest, and tho' you expose your self by it to everlasting misery?

[Page 135]Such like behaviour in one man towards another, would be look'd on as sufficient evidence of a man's being an enemy to another. If he should be seen to behave thus from time to time, and that it was his con­stant manner, none would want any better evidence that he was an enemy to his neighbour. If you your self had a servant that carried it towards you, as you do towards God, you would not think there was need of any greater evidence of his being your enemy. If your servant should manifest so much contempt of you; should disregard your commands as much as you do the commands of God; and should go so directly contrary, should in so many ways act the very reverse of your commands; and should seem so set himself in ways that were contrary to your will so obstinately and incorri­gibly, without any amendment from your repeated calls and warnings and threatnings; and should act so cross to you day and night, as you do to God; when you sought one thing, he would seek the contrary; when you did any work, he would, as much as in him lay, undo and destroy your work; and should continually drive at such ends, as tended to overthrow the ends you aimed at: when you sought to bring to pass any design, he would endeavour to overthrow your design; and should set himself as much against your interest, as you do your self against God's honor. And you should moreover see him from time to time with others that were your declared mortal enemies; and making them his counsellors, so much as you do the devils, God's declared mortal enemies: and hearkening to their counsels, as much as you do to satan's temptations: Should you not think you had sufficient evidence that he was your enemy indeed?

Therefore consider seriously your own ways, and weigh your own behaviour. "How canst thou s [...]y, I [Page 136] am not polluted—? see thy way in the valley, know what thou hast done." ^*

Obj. II. NATURAL men may be ready to object, the respect they shew to God from time to time. This mak [...]s many to think that they are far from being such enemies to God. They carry it respectfully towards God: they pray to him in secret, and do it in as hum­ble a manner as they are able. They attend on public worship, & take a great deal of pains to do it in a decent manner. It seems to them that they shew God a great deal of respect: they use many very respectful terms in their prayer: they give him all the honor they can: they are respectful in their manner of speaking, and in their voice, and their gestures, and the like.

But to this, I

Answer, That all this is done in meer hypocrisy. All this seeming respect is feigned there is no sincerity in it: there is external respect, but no respect in the heart: there is a shew, and nothing else. You only cover your enmity with a painted vail. You put on the disguise of a friend, but in your heart you are a mortal enemy for all that. There is external honor, but inward contempt: There is a shew of friendship and regard, but inward hatred. You do but deceive yourself with your shew of respect; and endeavour to deceive God: not con­sidering that God looks not on the outward appearance, but that he looks on the heart.

Here consider particularly,

1. THAT much of that seeming respect which natu­ral men shew to God, is owing to their education. They have been taught from their infancy that they ought to shew great respect to God. They have been taught to use respectful language, when speaking about God, and to behave with solemnity, when attending on those exercises of religion, wherein they have to do with God. They from their childhood have seen that [Page 137] this is the manner of others, when they pray to God, to use reverential expressions, and a reverential behaviour before him. And their shew of respect, which they make to God, is owing in a great measure to this.

Those who are brought up in places where they have commonly from their infancy, heard men take the name of God in vain, and swear and curse, and blaspheme; they learn to do the same; and it becomes habitual to them so to do. And it is the same way, & no other, that you have learned to behave respectfully towards God; not that you have any more respect to God than they: but they have been brought up one way, and you ano­ther. In some parts of the world, men are brought up in the worship of idols of silver, and gold, and wood, and stone, made in the shape of men and beasts. "They say of them, Let the men that sacrifice, kiss the calf."^* In some parts of the world, they are brought up to wor­ship serpents, and are taught from their infancy to car­ry it with great respect to them. And in some places, they are brought up in worshiping the devil, who ap­pears to them in a bodily shape; and to behave with a shew of great reverence and honor towards him. And what respect you shew to God has no better foundati­on; it comes the same way, and is worth no more.

2. THAT shew of respect which you make is forced. You come to God, and make a great shew of respect to him, and use very respectful terms, with a respectful, reverential tone and manner of speaking; and your countenance is grave and solemn; and you put on an humble aspect; and you kneel, and use humble, res­pectful postures, out of fear. You are afraid that God will execute his wrath upon you; and so you feign a great deal of respect, that he may not be angry with you. "Through the greatness of thy power shall thine ene­mies submit themselves unto thee."^† In the original it is, "shall thine enemies lie to thee." It is render'd therefore [Page 138] in the margin, "shall yield feigned obedience to thee." Al that you do in religion is forc'd and feign'd. Thro' the greatness of God's power, you yield feigned obedi­ence. You are in God's power, and he is able to de­stroy you; and so you feign a great deal of respect to him, that he might not destroy you. As one might do towards an enemy that had taken him captive, though he at the same time would gladly make his escape, if he could, by taking away the life of him who had taken him captive.

3. IT is not real respect that moves you to behave so towards God: you do it because you hope you shall get by it. 'Tis respect to yourself, and not respect to God, that moves you. You hope to move God to be­stow the rewards of his children, by it. You are like the Jews who followed Christ, and called him Rabbi, and would make him a king. Not that they honored him so much in their hearts, as to think him worthy of the honor of a king; or that they had the respect of sincere subjects; but they did it for the sake of the loaves. "Jesus perceived that they would come and make him a king. And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, how camest thou hither? Jesus answered and said un­to them, Verily, verily I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled." ^†

These things don't argue but that you are implacable enemies to God notwithstanding. If you examine your prayers and other duties, your own consciences will tell you, that the seeming respect which you have shewn to God in them, has been only in hypocrisy. That often­times you have set forth in your prayers, that God was a great God, and a glorious God, and an infinitely holy God, as if you greatly honor'd him on the account of these attributes; and you, at the same time, had no [Page 139] sense in your heart of the greatness and gloriousness of God, or of any excellency in his holiness. And so your own consciences will tell you, that you have often pretended to be thankful; you have told God, that you thank'd him that you was alive, and thank'd him for these and those mercies, when you have not found the least jot of thankfulness in your heart. And so you have told God of your own unworthiness, and set forth what a vile creature you was; when you have had no humble sense of your own unworthiness.

And if these forementioned restraints were thrown off, you would soon throw off all your shew of respect. Take away fear, and take away a regard to your own interest, and there would soon be an end to all those ap­pearances of love, honor, and reverence, which now you make. All these things are not at all inconsistent with the most implacable enmity.

The devil himself made a shew of respect to Christ, when he was afraid that he was going to torment him; and when he hoped to perswade Christ to spare him lon­ger. "When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not." ^*

Obj. III. SOME may perhaps object against this doctrine of their being God's enemies, the religious af­fections they have sometimes experienced. They may be ready to say, That when they have come before God in prayer, they have not only used respectful terms and gestures, but they have prayed with affection; their prayers have been attended with tears, which they are ready to think shewed something in the heart.

Ans. THESE affections have risen from other cau­ses, and not from any true respect to God.

As pa [...]ticularly,

[Page 140]1. THEY have risen from self-love, and not love to God. If you have wept before God, from the con­sideration of your own pitiful case; that has been be­cause you loved your self, and not because you had any respect to God. And if your tears have been from sorrow for your sins; you have mourned for your sins, because you have sinned against your self, and not be­cause you have sinned against God. "When ye fasted and mourned, did ye at all fast unto me, even unto ME?" ^‖

2. PRIDE, and a good thought of themselves, very commonly has a great hand in the affections of natural men. They have a good opinion of what they are doing when they are praying; and the reflection on that affects them: they are affected with their own goodness. Men's self-righteousness often occasions tears. An high opinion of themselves before God, and an imagination of their being persons of great account with him, has affected them, in their transactions with God.

There is commonly abundance of pride in the midst of tears; and pride is in a great measure the scource of them. And then they are so far from being an argu­ment that you be not an enemy to God, that on the contrary, they are an argument, that you be. In your very tears, you are, in a vain conceit of yourself, ex­alting your self against God.

3. THE affections of natural men do often arise from wrong conceits that they have of God. They con­ceive of God after the manner they do of men, as tho' he were a being liable to be wrought upon in his affecti­ons. They conceive of him as one whose heart could be drawn, whose affections can be overcome, by what he sees in them. They conceive of him as being taken with them, and their performances; and this works on their affections; and thus one tear draws another, and [Page 141] their affections increase by reflection. And oftentimes they conceive of God as one that loves them, and is a friend to them: and such a mistake may work much on their affections. But such affections that arise towards God, as they conceit him to be, is no argument that they have not the same implacable hatred towards God, considered as he really is. There is no concluding that men are not enemies, because they are affected and shed tears in their prayers, and the like. Saul was very much affected when David expostulated with him a­bout pursuing after him, and seeking to kill him. David's words wrought exceedingly upon Saul's af­fections. "And it came to pass when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? and Saul lift up his voice and wept."^* He was so affected that he wept aloud, and called David his Son, tho' he was but just before seeking his life. But this affection of Saul's was no argument that he did not still continue in his enmity against David. He was David's mortal enemy before, and sought his life; and so he did afterwards. It was but a pang: his enmity was not mortified or done away. The next news we hear of Saul is, that he was pursu­ing David, and seeking his life again.

DOCTRINE. Natural Men are God's Enemies.

IN speaking to this doctrine, it has been shewn, in wh [...]t respects they are God's enemies,—to what de­gree they are enemies,—and why they are so. And some objections have been answered. —And we have proceeded to the improvement of the doctrine, in one inference. I now proceed to

INF. II. HENCE we may learn the reason why na­tural men will not come to Christ: For they do not come because they will not come. "Ye will not come to me, that ye might have life." ^* When we say that natural men be not willing to come to Christ, it is not meant that they are not willing to be delivered from hell; for without do [...]bt, no natural man is willing to go to hell. 'Nor is it meant, that they are not willing that Christ should keep them from going to hell. With­out doubt, natural men that are under awakenings, do often greatly desire this. But if they do desire it, this don [...]t argue that they are willing to come to Christ▪ for [Page 151] notwithstanding their desire to be delivered from hell, yet their heart don [...]t close with Christ, but are averse to him. They see nothing in Christ wherefore they should desire him; no beauty or comeliness to draw or incline their hearts to him. And they are not willing to take Christ as he is; they would feign divide Christ. There are some things in him that they like, and others that they greatly dislike; but consider him as he is, and as he is offered to them in the gospel, and they will not have him. They are not willing to accept of Christ as he is offered; for in doing so, they must of necessity part with all their sins; they must sell the world, and part with their own righteousness But they are not willing to do that; they had rather, for the present, run the venture of going to hel [...] than do that.

When men are truly willing to come to Christ, they are freely willing. It is not what they are forced and drove to by threatnings; but they are willing to come, and choose to come without being driven. But natu­ral men have no such free willingness; but on the con­trary have an aversion. And the ground of it is that which we have heard, viz. That they are enemies to God. Their having such a reigning enmity against God, makes them obstinately refuse to come to Christ. If a man is an enemy to God, he will necessarily be an ene­my to Christ too; for Christ is the Son of God; he is infinitely near to God, yea he is God. He has the nature of God, as well as the nature of man. He is a saviour appointed of God. God anointed him, and sent him into the world. And in doing what he did in the work of redemption, he wrought the works of God He al­ways did those things that pleased God; and all that he does as a saviour, is to the glory of God. And one great thing that he aimed at in his redemption, was to deliver them from their idols which they had chosen, and bring them to God. The c [...]se being so, and sinners being enemies to God, they will necessarily be opposite to [Page 152] coming to Christ; for Christ is of God, and as a savi­our seeks to bring them to God only: But natural men are not of God, but are averse to him.

INF. III. FROM this doctrine we may learn, how dreadful the condition of natural men is. Their state is a state of enmity with God. If we consider what God is, and what men are, it will be easy for us to conclude that such men as are God's enemies, must be miserable. Consider, ye that are enemies to God, how great a God he is that you are enemies to. He is the eternal God; the God that fills heaven and earth, and whom the hea­ven of heavens cannot contain. He is the God that made you; the God in whose hand your breath is, and whose are all your ways; the God in whom you live and move, and have your being; the God who has your soul and body in his hands every moment.

You would look on yourself as in very unhappy cir­cumstances, if your neighbours were all your enemies, and none of your fellow creatures were your friends. If every body was set against you, and all despised and hated you, you would be ready to think, you had bet­ter be out of the world than in it. But if it be such a calamity to have enmity maintained between you and your fellow creatures, what is it, when you and the al­mighty God are enemies one to another? What avails either the friendship or enmity of you neighbours, poor little worms of the dust, that are about you, in compa­rison of the friendship or enmity of the great God of heaven and earth? Consider,

1. IF you continue in your enmity a little longer, there will be a mutual enmity between God and you to all eternity. God will appear to be your dreadful & irre­concilable enemy. And you know not how soon it will come to this. If you should die an enemy to God, there will be no such thing as any reconciliation after death. God will then appear in hatred of you. As [Page 153] you are a meer enemy to God, so God will then ap­pear a meer enemy to you; he will appear in perfect hatred, without any love, and without any pity, and without any mercy at all. As you hate God, he will hate you. And that will be verified of you: "My soul loath­ed them, and their soul abhored me."^† And then God will be your enemy forever. If you be not reconciled so as to become his friend in this life, God never will become your friend after death. If you continue an enemy to God 'till death, God will continue an enemy to you to all eternity. There will nothing avail to re­concile God to you hereafter. You will find that you can't move the heart of God by any of your cries. You will have no mediator offered you; there will be no days man betwixt you. So that it becomes you to consider what it will be to have God your enemy to all eternity, without any possibility of being reconciled.

Consider, what will it be to have this enmity to be mutual, or maintain'd for ever on both sides? For as God will for ever continue an enemy to you, so you will for ever continue an enemy to God. If you con­tinue God's enemy until death, you will always be his enemy. And after death your enmity will have no re­straint, but it will break out and rage without controul. When you come to be a fire-brand of hell, you will be a fire-brand in two respects, viz. As you will be all on fire full of the fire of God's wrath: and also as you will be all on a blaze with spite & malice toward God. You will be as full of the fire of malice, as you will with the fire of divine vengeance, & both will make you full of tor­ment. Then you will appear as you be, a viper indeed. You are now a viper; but under great disguise; a wolf in sheep's cloathing: But then your mask will be pulled off; you shall loose your garments, and walk naked.^* Then will you as a serpent spit poison at God, and vent your rage and malice in fearful blasphemies. Out of [Page 154] that mouth, out of which, when you open it, will pro­ceed flames, will also proceed dreadful blasphemies against God. That same tongue, to cool which you will wish for a drop of water, will be eternally employed in cursing and blaspheming God and Christ. And that not from any new corruption being put into your heart; but only from God's withdrawing his hand from re­straining your old corruption. And what a miserable way will this be of spending your eternity!

(2) Consider, What will be the consequence of a mutual enmity between God and you, if it be continued. Now you find your self left alone; you find no very terrible event: but there will be great changes. Tho' hitherto you have met with no very great changes, yet they will come. After a little while, dying time will come; and then what will be the consequence of this enmity? God, whose enemy you be; has the frame of your body in his hands. Y [...]ur times are in his hand; and he it is that appoints your bounds. And when he sends death to arrest you, and change your countenance, and dissolve your frame, and take you away from all your earthly friends, and from all that is dear and plea­sant to you in the world; what will be the issue then of God and you being enemies one to another? Will not you then stand in need of God's help? Would not he be the best friend in such a case, worth more than ten thousand earthly friends? If God be your enemy, then who will you betake your self to for a friend? When you launch forth into the boundless gulf of eternity, then you will need some friend to take care of you, but if God be your enemy, where will you betake your self? Your soul must go naked into another world, in eternal sepe­ration f [...]om all worldly things: and you won't be able to dispose of your self; your soul will not be in its own power to defend, or dispose of it self. Will you not then need to have God for a friend, into whose [Page 155] hands you may commend your spirit? And how dread­ful will it be, to have God your enemy then!

The time is coming when the frame of this world shall be dissolved Christ shall descend in the clouds of heaven, in the glory of his Father; and you, with all the rest of mankind, must stand before the judgment seat of God. Then what will be the consequence of this mutual enmity betw [...]en God and you! If God be your enemy, who will stand your friend? Who else will be able to help you, & what will you do? And what will be the event of God's being your enemy then? Now, it may be, it does not appear to be very terrible to you to have God for your enemy; but when such changes as these are brought to pass, it will greatly alter the appearance of things. Then God's favour will ap­pear to you of infinite worth. They, and they only will then appear happy, who have the love of God: and then you will know that God's enemies are mise­rable.

But under this head, consider more particularly several things,

(1.) WHAT God can do to his enemies. Or rather, what can he not do? How miserable can he who is al­mighty make his enemies, & those that he is an enemy to? Consider, you that are enemies to God, whether or no you shall be able to make your part good with him. "Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? ^† Have you such a conceit of your own strength, as that you think to try it out with God? Do you intend to run the risque of an encounter with him? Do you imagine that your hand [...] can be strong, or your heart endure? Do you think you shall be well able to de­fend yourself? Or will you be able to escape out of his hand? Or do you think to harden your own heart, and fortify yourself with courage, and set yourself to bear? And do you think that you shall be able to [Page 156] uphold your spirits, when God acts as an enemy towards you? If so, then gird up your loins, and prepare to meet God, and see what the event will be. Therefore thus will I do unto thee,—and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God.—" ^* Is it not in vain to set the briars and thorns in battle against God? Is it not like setting dry briars and thorns in battle array against devouring flames; which tho' they seem to be armed with natural weapons, yet the fire will pass through them, and burn them together? ^§

And if you endeavour to support yourself under God's wrath, can't God lay so much upon you as to sink and crush you? Can [...]t he lay you under such misery, as to cause your spirit quite to fail; so that you shall find no strength to resist him, or to uphold yourself? Why should a little worm think of supporting himself against an omnipotent adversary? Has not he that made you, and gave you your strength and your cou­rage, got your strength and courage in his hands? Is it an hard thing for him to overcome it? Consider God has made your soul; and he that made it. knows how to punish it, to what degree he will. He can fill it with misery; he can bring what degree of sorrow, and anguish, and horror he will. And he that made your body, can bring what torments he will upon it. He has made every vein and sinew: and has every one in his hands, and he can fill every one as full of tor­ments as he will. God who made you, has given you a capacity to bear torment; and he has that capacity in his hands; and he can enlarge it, and make you capa­ble of more misery, as much more as he will. If God hates any one, and sets himself against him as his ene­my, what cannot he do with him? How dreadful must it be to fall into the hands of such an enemy! Surely, [Page 157] "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." ^‖

2. IF God be your meer enemy, you may rationally conclude that he will act as such in his dealings with you. We have already observed that you are a mere enemy to God; that is, have enmity without any love or true respect. So, if you continue to be so, God will appear to be your meer enemy; and will be so forever, with­out being reconciled. But if it be so, he will doubtless act as such. If he eternally hates you, he will act in his dealings with you, as one that hates you with meer hatred, without any love or pity. The proper tenden­cy and aim of hatred is the misery of the object hated; misery, and nothing else. So that you may expect God will make you miserable, and that you will not be spa­red; for sparing is not the effect of hatred, but of pity and mercy; which is a quite different thing from en­mity.

NOW God does not act as your meer enemy: If he corrects you, it is in measure. He now exercises abun­dance of mercy to you. He threatens you now; but it is in a way of warning, and so in a merciful way. He now calls and invites, and strives with you, and waits to be gracious to you. But hereafter there will be an end to all these things: In another world God will cease to shew you mercy.

3. IF you will continue God's enemy, you may ra­tionally conclude that God will deal with you so as to make it appear how dreadful it is to have God for an enemy. It is very dreadful to have a mighty prince for an enemy. "The wrath of a king, is as the roar­ing of a lion." ^§ But if the wrath of man, a fellow-worm, be so terrible, what is the wrath of God! And God will doubtless shew it to be immensely more dread­ful. If you will be an enemy, God will make you know that it is not a light thing to be an enemy to [Page 158] God, and have him for an enemy to you. God will doubtless glorify himself as an enemy, in his dealings with those to whom he is an enemy. That is, he will act so as to glorify those attributes which he exercises as an enemy; which are his majesty, his power and justice. God will deal so with you as to glorify these attributes in your destruction. His great majesty, his awful justice, and mighty power, shall be shewed up­on you. "What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much long suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction?"^‡

(4.) Consider, What God has said he will do to his enemies. He has declared that they shall not escape; but that he will surely punish them. "Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies, thy right hand shall find out all those that hate thee." ^† And repayeth them that hate him to their face, to destroy them: he will not be slack to him that hateth him, he will repay him to his face."^* "The Lord shall wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such an one as goeth on still in his trespasses. ^§

Yea, God hath sworn that he will be avenged on them; and that in a most awful and dreadful manner. "For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment; I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and I will reward them that hate me. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood (and my sword shall devour flesh) and that with the blood of the slain— from the beginning of revenges on the enemy."^‖ The terribleness of that destruction that God will bring on his enemies, is here variously set forth. As particu­larly: In God's "wheting his glittering sword, as one that prepares himself to do some great execution. "His hands take hold on judgment," to signify that he will [Page 159] surely reward them as they deserve. "He will render vengeance to his enemies, and reward them that hate him." i. e. He will render their full reward; he won't fail or come short. As in the forementioned place it was said, he would not be slack in this matter. "I will make mine arrows drunk with blood.' This signifies the greatness of the destruction. It shall not be a little of their blood that shall satisfy; but his arrows shall be glutted with their blood "And his sword shall de­vour flesh." That is, it shall make dreadful waste of it. Hereby is very livelily set forth the terrible manner in which God will one day rise up and execute ven­geance on his enemies.

Again, the totalness and perfection of their destruction is represented in the following words: "The wicked shall perish, the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs, they shall consume: into smoke shall they consume away. ^* The fat of lambs, when it is burnt in the fire, burns all up; there is not so much as a cin­der left; it all consumes into smoke. This is made use of here to represent the perfect destruction of God's enemies in his wrath. So God hath promised Christ; that he would make his enemies his footstool.^‡ i. e. He would pour the greatest contempt upon them, and as it were tread them under foot.

Consider, that all these things will be executed on you, if you continue God's enemies.

INF. IV. If it be so, that natural men are God's enemies, hence we may learn how justly God may re­fuse to shew you mercy. For is God obliged to shew mercy to his enemies? Is God bound to set his love on them that have no love to him; but hate him with perfect hatred? Is God bound to come and dwell with them that have an aversion to him, and choose to keep at a distance from him, and fly from him as one that is [Page 160] hateful to them? If you earnestly desire the salvation of your soul, is God bound to comply with your desires, when you do always resist and oppose his will? Is God bound to be perswaded and overcome by your prayers, when you are obstinate in your opposition to him, and refuse to yield obedience to him? Is God bound to put honor upon you, and to advance you to such dignity as to be a child of the King of Kings, and the heir of the kingdom of glory, while you at the same time have God in the greatest contempt, & set him too low to have the lowest place in your heart? Is God bound to spare your life, and deliver you from eternal death, when you are a mortal enemy to God, and would, if you could, destroy the Being of God? Is God oblig'd to set his great and transcendant love on you, so as to give you benefits purchased by the blood of his own Son, when your heart is all the while full of that enmity that strikes at the life of God?

This doctrine affords a strong argument for the abso­lute sovereignty of God, with respect to the salvation of sinners. If God is pleased to shew mercy to his haters, it is certainly fit that he should do it in a sove­reign way, without acting as any way obliged. God will shew mercy to his mortal enemies; but then he will not be bound, he will have his liberty to choose the objects of his mercy; to shew mercy to what enemy he pleases, and punish and destroy which of his haters he pleases. And certainly this is a fit and reasonable thing. It is fit that God should distribute saving bles­sings in this way, and in no other, viz. in a sovereign and arbitrary way. And that ever any body thought of or devised any other way for God to shew mercy, than to have mercy on whom he would have mercy, must arise from ignorance of their own hearts, whereby they were insensible what enemies they naturally are to God.

[Page 161]But consider here the following things,

1. How causelesly you are enemies to God. You have no manner of reason for it, either from what God is, or from what he has done. You have no reason for this from what he is. For he is an infinitely lovely and glorious Being; the fountain of all excellency: All that is amiable and lovely in the universe, is origi­nally and eminently in him. Nothing can possibly be conceived of that could be lovely in God, that is not in him, & that in the greatest possible degree, even infinitely.

And you have no reason for this, from what God has done. For he has been a good & bountiful God to you. He has exercised abundance of kindness to you; has carried you from the womb, preserved your life, taken care of you, and provided for you, all your life long. He has exercised great patience and long suffering to­wards you. If it had not been for the kindness of God to you, what would have become of you? What would have become of your body? And what, before this time would have become of your soul? And you are now, every day, and hour, maintained by the good­ness and bounty of God. Every new breath you draw, is a new gift of God to you. How causelesly then are you such dreadful enemies to God? And how justly, might God, for it, eternally deprive you of all mercy, seeing you do thus requite God for his mercy and kind­ness to you?

2. Consider, how you would resent it, if others were such enemies to you, as you are to God. If they had their hearts so full of enmity to you; if they treated you with such contempt, and opposed you, as you do God; and injured you so much as you do God, how would you resent it? Do you not find that you are apt greatly to resent it, when any oppose you, and shew an ill spirit towards you? And tho' you ex­cuse your own enmity against God from your corrupt nature that you brought into the world with you, which [Page 162] you could not help; yet you do not excuse others for being enemies to you f [...]om their corrupt nature that they brought into the world, which they could not help; but are ready bitterly to resent it notwithstanding.

Consider therefore, if you, a poor, unworthy, unlovely creature, do so resent it, when you be not loved, but hated, how may God justly resent it when you are enemies to him, an infinitely glorious Being; and a Being from whom you have received so much kindness?

3. How unreasonable is it for you to imagine that you can oblige God to have respect to you by any thing that you can do, continuing still to be his enemy. If you think you have prayed and read, and done consi­derable for God; yet who cares for the seeming kind­ness of an enemy?

What value would you your self set upon it, if a man should seem to carry it respectfully to you, with a fair face, talking smooth, and making a shew of friendship; when you knew at the same time, that he was inwardly your mortal enemy? Would you look upon yourself obliged for such respect and kindness? Would you not rather abhor it? Would you count such respect to be valued, as Joab's towards Amasa, who took him by the beard, and kissed him, and said, Art thou in health my brother? and smote him at the same time und [...] the fifth rib, and killed him?

What if you do pray to God? Is God obliged to hear the prayers of an enemy? What if you have taken a great deal of pains, is God obliged to give heaven for the prayers of an enemy? God may justly abhor your prayers, and all that you do in religion, as the flattery of a mortal enemy. No wonder God does not accept any thing from the hands of an enemy.

INF. V. HENCE we may learn how wonderful is the love that is manifested in giving Christ to die for us. For this love is love to enemies. That is taken notice of in the text, "While we were ENEMIES, we [Page 163] were reconciled to God by the death of his Son." How wonderful was the love of God the Father in giving such a gift, to such, who not only were such as could not be profitable to him, and such as could merit nothing from him, and poor little worms of the dust; but were his enemies, and enemies, to so great a degree! They had that enmity that aimed at his life; yet so did he love them, that he gave his own Son to lay down his own life, to save their lives. Tho' they had that enmity that sought to pull God down out of his throne; yet God so loved them, that he sent down Christ from heaven, from his throne there, to be in the form of a servant; and in stead of a throne of glory, gave him to be nailed to the cross, and to be laid in the grave, that so we might be brought to a throne of glory.

How wonderful was the love of Christ, in thus ex­ercising dying love towards his enemies! That he should so love those that hated him, with hatred that sought to take away his life; so as voluntarily to lay down his life, that they might have life through him. "Herein is love; not that we loved him, but that he loved us, and laid down his life for us.

INF. VI. IF we are all naturally God's enemies, hence we may learn what a spirit it becomes us to be of towards our enemies. Tho' we are enemies to God, yet we hope that God has loved us; and we hope that Christ has died for us; and we hope that God has for­given or will forgive us; and will do us good, and be­stow infinite mercies and blessings upon us, so as to make us happy for ever. All this mercy, we hope has been, or will be exercised towards us, while enemies.

Certainly then, it won't become us to be bitter in our spirits against those that are enemies to us, and have in­jured and ill treated us; and tho' they have yet an ill spirit towards us. Seeing we depend so much on God's forgiving us, tho' enemies, we should be of a spirit of [Page 164] forgiveness towards our enemies. And therefore our Saviour inserted it in that prayer, which he dictated as a general directory to all; "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," to enforce the duty upon us, and to shew us how reasonable it is. And we ought to love them even while enemies; for so we hope God hath done to us. We should be the children of our father, who is kind to the unthankful and evil. ^†

If we refuse thus to do, and are of another spirit, we may justly expect that God will deny us his mercy, as he has threatned! "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. ^‡ The same we have in the parable of the man, who owed his lord ten thousand talents. ^‖

DOCTRINE. The wisdom appearing in the way of salvation by JESUS CHRIST, is far above the wisdom of the Angels.

This is evidently taught in this text; for here it is mentioned as one end of God in revealing the contri­vance for our salvation, that the angels thereby might see and know how great and manifold the wisdom of God is; to hold forth the wonderfulness of divine wis­dom to the angel's view and admiration. But why is it so, if this wisdom be not higher than their own wisdom? It never would have been mentioned as one end of re­vealing the contrivance of redemption, that the angels might see how manifold God [...]s wisdom is; if all the wisdom to be seen in it was no greater than their own. It is mentioned as such a wisdom as they had never seen before, not in God, much less in themselves. That now might be known how manifold the wisdom of God is; now, four thousand years since the creation. In all that time the angels had always beheld the face of God; and had been studying God's works of creation for four thousand years together; yet they never till that day, had seen any thing like that: never knew how manifold God's wisdom is, as now they knew it by [...]he church. Here I would shew,

I. That there is great wisdom manifested in contri­ving the way of salvation by Christ.

II. That this wisdom is above the wisdom of the angels.

1. I would shew, that there is great wisdom mani­fested in contriving the way of salvation.

And to shew this, I would consider two things, viz. 1. The wonderfulness of the things done, by which redemption is procured. 2. The wonderfulness of the good that is attained thereby.

[Page 170] First, I would consider the wonderfulness of the things done by which redemption is procured. Such is the choice of the person chosen to be our redeemer,— the substituting of him in our room;—his incarnation— his life—his death —and exaltation. And in the

1st place. We will consider the choice of the person to be our redeemer. When God designed the redemp­tion of mankind, his great wisdom appears in that he pitched upon his own, and only begotten Son, to be the person to perform the work. He was a redeemer of God's own choosing, and therefore he is called in scrip­ture. God's elect, (Isai. 42 1.) The wisdom of choo­sing this person to be the redeemer, appears in his being every way a fit person; and in his being the only fit person; and in that, it shews a divine wisdom, to know that he was a fit and suitable person.

He was every way a fit person for this undertaking. It was necessary, that the person that is the redeemer, should be a divine person. None but a divine person was sufficient for this great work. The work is infi­nitely unequal to any creature. It was requisi [...]e, that the redeemer of sinners, should be himself infinitely holy. None could take away the infinite evil of sin, but only one that was infinitely far from & contrary to sin himself. Christ is a fit person upon this account.

It was requisite, that the person, in order to be suffi­cient for this undertaking, should be one of infinite dig­nity and worthiness, that he might be capable of merit­ing infinite blessings. The Son of God is a fit person on this account.

It was necessary, that he should be a person of infinite power and wisdom; for this work is so difficult, that it requires such an one. Christ is a fit person also upon this account.

It was requisite, that he should be a person infinitely dear to God the father, in order to the giving an infinite value to his transactions in the father's esteem, and that [Page 171] the father's love to him might balance the offence and provocation by our sins. Christ is a fit person upon this account. Therefore called the beloved, (Eph. 1.6.) He hath made us accepted in the beloved.

It was requisite, that the person should be one that could act in this as of his own absolute right: one that, in himself, is not a servant or subject; because, if he is one that cannot act of his own right, he cannot merit any thing. He that is a servant, and that can do no more than he is bound to do, cannot merit. And then he that has nothing that is absolutely his own, cannot pay any price to redeem another. Upon this account Christ is a fit person; and none but a divine person can be fit.

And he must be a person also of infinite mercy and love; for no other person but such an one would under­take a work so difficult, for a creature so unworthy as man. Upon this account also Christ is a fit person.

It was requisite that he should be a person of un­changeable perefct truth & faithfulness; otherwise he would not be fit to be depended on by us in so great an affair. Christ is also a fit person upon this account.

The wisdom of God in chusing his eternal Son, ap­pears, not only in that he is a fit person; but in that he was the only fit person of all persons that are either created or uncreated. No created per­son, neither man, nor angel, was fit for this under­taking; for we have just now shewn, that he must be a person of infinite holiness—dignity— power —wisdom; infinitely dear to God—of infinite love and mercy; and one that may act of his own absolute right. But no creature, how excellent soever, has any one of these qualifications.

There are three increated Persons, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost; and Christ alone of these was a sui­table person for a Redeemer. It was not meet, that the Redeeme [...] should be God the Father; because he, in the divine oeconomy of the persons of the trinity, was [Page 172] the person that holds the rights of the Godhead, and so was the person offended, whose justice required satis­faction; —and was to be appeased by a mediator.

It was not meet it should be the Holy Ghost, for in being mediator between the Father and the saints, he is in some sense so between the Father and the Spirit. The saints, in all their spiritual transactions with God, act by the Spirit: or rather, it is the Spirit of God, that acts in them: they are the temples of the holy Ghost. The holy Spirit dwelling in them, is their principle of action, in all their transactings with God.

But in these their spiritual transactings with God, they act by a Mediator. These spiritual and holy exercises cannot be acceptable, or avail any thing with God, as from a fallen creature, but by a mediator. Therefore Christ, in being mediator between the Father and the saints, may be said to be mediator between the Father and the holy Spirit, that acts in the saints. And there­fore it was meet, that the mediator should not be either the Father or the Spirit, but a middle person between them both.

It is the Spirit in the saints, that seeks the blessing of God, by faith and prayer; and, as the apostle says, with groanings that cannot be uttered, (Rom. 8.26.) Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought; but the spirit it self maketh intercession for us, with groan­ings that cannot be uttered. The spirit in the saints seeks divine blessings of God, by and thro' a mediator: and therefore that mediator must not be the spirit, but another person.

It shews a divine wisdom, to know that he was a fit person. No other but one of divine wisdom could have known it. None but one of infinite wisdom could have thought of him to be a redeemer of sinners. For he, as he is God, is one of the persons offended by sin; whom sin is enmity against; whom man by his sin [Page 173] had rebelled against, and cast contempt upon. Who but God infinitely wise could ever have thought of him to be a redeemer of sinners! Him they had sinned against, were enemies to, and deserved infinitely ill of! Who would ever have thought of him as one that should set his heart upon man, and exercise infinite love and pity to him, — and infinite wisdom and power and merit in redeeming him! We proceed

2. To consider the substituting this person in our room. After the choosing the person to be our redee­mer, the next step of divine wisdom, is, in contriving the way how he should perform this work. If God had declared who the person was, that his wisdom had pitched upon, to do this work, and had gone no further, there is no creature could have thought which way this person could have performed the work. If God had told them, that his own Son must be the Redeemer; and that he alone was a fit person for the work: and that he was a person every way fit & sufficient for it,— but had proposed to them to have contriv'd a way how this fit and sufficient person should do the work, — Here we may well suppose that all created understand­ings would have been utterly at a loss.

The first thing necessary to be done, is that this Son of God should become our representative and surety; and so be substituted in the sinner's room. But who of created intelligences would have tho't of any such thing as the eternal and infinitely beloved Son of God his being substituted in the room of sinners! His stand­ing in stead of a sinner, a rebel, an object of the wrath of God! And should in the sinner's stead place himself in the woful circumstances, that he has brought himself into, by sin! Who would have thought of a person, that was the eternal God, a person of infinite glory, his undertaking to stand before God, as representing sinful worms, that had made themselves by sin infinitely provoking and abominable!

[Page 174]For, if the Son of God be substituted in the sinner's room, then his sin must be charged upon him: He will thereby take the guilt of the sinner upon himself; and all that was due to the sinner for his sin, becomes now due to him; and he must be subject to the same law that man was, both as to the commands, and threatnings: but who would have thought of any such thing concern­ing the Son of God! Who would have thought, that it was fit to be, or could be! But we proceed,

3. To consider the incarnation of Jesus Christ. The next step of divine wisdom in contriving how Christ should perform the work of redeeming sinners, was in determining his incarnation. If God had reveal'd his counsels thus far to created understandings, not only that his own Son was the person he had pitched upon, for this work, but also that he had substituted him in the sinner's room; and appointed him to represent the sinner, and to become his surety; and so to take the sinner's [...]ligations and guilt on himself:—and had re­veal'd no more, but had left the rest to them to find ou [...] [...] is no way probable, that even then they could ever [...]ave thought of a way, whereby this person might actually h [...]ve performed the work of redemption. For if the Son of God be substituted in the sinner's stead, then the Son of God takes the sinner's obligations on himself: as for instance; he must take the obligation the sinner is under to perform perfect obedience to the divine law. But it is not probable, that any creature could have conceiv'd how that could be possible. How should a person that is the eternal JEHOVAH, become a servant, be under law, and perform obedience to the law of man!

And again, if the Son of God be substituted in the sinner's stead, then he comes under the sinner's obliga­tion to suffer the punishment, which man's sin had de­served. And who could have thought that to have been possible! For how should a divine person, who is essen­tially, [Page 175] unchangeably, and infinitely happy, suffer pain and torment! And how should he that is the object of God's infinitely dear love, suffer the wrath of his father!

It is not to be suppos'd, that created wisdom ever would have found out a way how to have got over these difficulties. But divine wisdom hath found out a way, viz. by the incarnation of the Son of God. That the word should be made flesh, that he might be both God and man, in one person: what created understanding could have thought or conceived of such a thing as that! or could have conceiv'd that such a thing was possible!

And if God had reveal'd to them, that it was possible, and that it should be, but left them to find out how it should be; — how may we well suppose that they would all have been puzzled and confounded, to con­ceive of a way for so uniting a man to the eternal Son of God, that they should be one person: that one that is truly a man in all respects, as truly and properly a man as any man, should indeed and in truth, be the very same Son of God, that is God, and was with God from all eternity. This is a great mystery to us. Hereby, a person that is infinite, omnipotent and un­changeable, is become a finite, a feeble man: a man subject to our sinless infirmities, passions and calamities! The great God, the sovereign of heaven and earth, is become a worm of the dust. (Psal. 22.6) "I am a worm, and no man." He that is eternal and self ex­istent, is born of a woman as the rest of us are! He that is the great original spirit is clothed with flesh & blood like one of us! He that is independent & self-sufficient and all-sufficient, that supplies all creatures out of his boun­tiful hand; —he now is come to stand in need of food and cloathing to keep him alive: He becomes poor, "has not where to lay his head;"— stands in need of the charity of men; and is maintain'd by it! It is far above us, to conceive how it is done. It is a great wonder and mystery to us: but it was no mystery to divine wisdom.

[Page 176]4. The next thing to be considered, is the life of Christ in this world. The wisdom of God appears in the circumstances of his life—and in the work and bu­siness of his life. Particularly,

1. The circumstances of his life. If God had re­veal'd that his own Son, should be incarnate, and should live in this world, in the human nature; and it had been left to men to determine what circumstances of life would have been most suitable for the Son of God to appear in here,—human wisdom would have determin'd, that he should appear in the world in a most magni­ficent manner; with very extraordinary outward en­signs of honor, authority and power far above any of the kings of the earth: that here he should reign in great visible pomp and splendor over all nations.—And thus it was that men's wisdom did determine, before Christ came. The wise, great men among the jews, scribes and pharisees, who are called "princes of this world;" did expect that the messiah would thus appear. But the wisdom of God chose quite otherwise: It chose that when the Son of God was incarnate and be­came man, he should begin his life in a stable; that he should for many years dwell obscurely in a family of low degree in the world; and afterwards should be in low outward circumstances: that he should be poor, and not have where to lay his head; —that he should be maintained by the charity of some of his disciples;— That he should "grow up as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground," (Isa. 53.2.) "That he should not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to he heard in the streets," (Isai. 42.2.) That he should come to Zion in a lowly manner, "riding on an ass, and a colt the fole of an ass."—"That he should be despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief."

And now the divine determination in this matter is made known, we may safely conclude that it is far the [Page 177] most suitable: and that it would not have been at all suitable for God, when he was manifest in flesh to ap­pear with earthly pomp, wealth and grandeur, as tho' he affected such things as these. No! these things are infinitely too mean, and despicable. For the Son of God to shew as if he affected or esteemed them.

Men, if they had had this way proposed to them of the eternal Son of God, appearing on earth, viz. in such mean, low circumstances, would have been ready to condemn it, as foolish and very unsuitable for the Son of God. "But the foolishness of God is wiser than men," (1 Cor. 1.25.) "And God hath brought to nought the wisdom of this world, and the princes of this world," (1 Cor. 2.6.)

CHRIST, by thus appearing in mean and low out­ward circumstances in the world, has poured contempt upon all worldly wealth and glory; and has taught us to despise it. It is becoming of christians to be above these things and to despise them. And if it becomes mean men to despise them, how much more did it be­come the Son of God! And then Christ hereby hath taught us to be lowly in heart. We see hereby how lowly that Person was, that was infinitely high & great. How lowly then should we be, who are indeed so low & vile.

Again,

2. The wisdom of God appears in the work and business of the life of Christ. That he should perfectly obey the law of God, under such great temptations: That he should have conflicted with and overcome, for us, in a way of obedience, the powers of earth & hell: That he should be subject to, not only the moral law, but the ceremonial also, that heavy yoke of bondage.

CHRIST went thro' the time of his public ministry, in delivering to us divine instructions and doctrines. The wisdom of God appears in giving us such an one to be our prophet and teacher, who is a divine person: [Page 178] who is himself the very wisdom and word of God: And was from all eternity in the bosom of the Father:— that he should find such an one to teach us: His word will tend to be of greater authority and weight than if delivered by the mouth of an ordinary prophet. And then it is wisely ordered that the same should be our teacher, that is our redeemer: that his relations and offices, as redeemer, might the more sweeten and endear his instructions to us. We are ready to give heed to things that are said by one that is dear to us. Our love to their persons make us to delight in their discourse. It is therefore wisely ordered, that he that has done so much to endear himself to us, should be appointed our great prophet to deliver to us divine doctrines.

5. The next thing to be considered is the death of Christ. The only begotten Son of God his dying, is a means of salvation for poor sinners, that no other but divine wisdom would have pitched upon. And when it was revealed, was doubtless greatly to the surprize of all the hosts of heaven. This is what they admired with great admiration when they saw it; and never will cease to wonder at. And how astonishing is it, that a person that is blessed for ever, and is infinitely and essen­tially happy, should endure the greatest sufferings that ever was endured on earth! That a person that is the supreme lord and judge of the world, should be ar­raign'd, and should stand at the judgment seat of mortal worms, and then be condemned. That a person that is the living God, and the fountain of life, should be put to death. That a person that created the world, and gives life to all his creatures, should be put to death by his own creatures. That a person that is one of infinite majesty and glory, and so the object of the love▪ praises and adorations of angels, should be mocked and spit upon by the vilest of men. That a person that is infinitely good, and that is love it self, [Page 179] should suffer the greatest cruelty. That a person that is infinitely beloved of the father, should be put to in­expressible anguish under his own father's wrath. That he that is king of heaven, hath heaven for his throne, and the earth for his footstool, should be buried in the prison of the grave.

How wonderful a thing is this! and who would ever have thought of any such thing coming to pass. But yet this is the way that God's wisdom hath pitched upon, as the way of sinners salvation: and this not un­suitable, or any dishonour to Christ.

6. The last thing done to procure salvation for sin­ners, that we shall here consider, is Christ's exaltation. Divine wisdom saw it needful or most expedient, that the same person that was incarnate, and that died upon the cross, should sit on his own right hand, on his own throne as supreme Governor of the world; and should have particularly the absolute disposal of all things re­lating to man's salvation, and should be the judge of the world. This was needful, because it was re­quisite that the same person that purchas'd salvation, should have the bestowing of it; for it is not fit, that God should at all transact with the fallen creature in a way of mercy, but by a mediator. And this is exceed­ingly for the strengthning of the faith & comfort of the saints, that he that hath indured so much to purchase salvation for them, has all things in heaven, & in earth delivered unto him; that he might bestow eternal life to them that he purchased it for. And that the same person that loved them so greatly, as to shed his pre­cious blood for them, was to be their judge, whose sen­tence there could be no reversing.

But this was another thing full of wonders, that he that was man as well as God; he that was a servant, and [Page 180] died like a malefactor; that this person not exclusive of the human nature, should be exalted to be made the sovereign lord of heaven and earth, angels and men; the absolute disposer of eternal life and death; the su­preme judge of all created intelligent beings, for eternity: and should have committed to him, all the governing power of God the Father; and that, not only as God; but as God-man, not exclusive of the human nature.

As it is wonderful, that a person that is divine should be humbled, so as to become a servant, and to suffer as a malefactor: so it is in like manner wonderful, the other way, tha [...] he that is God-man, not exclusive of the man hood, should be exalted to the power & honor of the great God of heaven and earth. But such won­ders as these has infinite wisdom contrived, and accom­plished in order to our salvation.

DOCTRINE. This life ought so to be spent by us, as to be only a journey towards heaven.

[Page 255]Here I would observe.

DOCTRINE. This life ought to be spent by us, so as to be only a journey towards heaven.

HAving shewn how this is to be done, and given the reasons of it, in the preceeding discourse, I now proceed to the