Nine Sermons

THE PREFACE.

THE following SERMONS, I think I may say were given me by the Lord Jesus Christ; and according to my present Light are agreeable to the Form of sound Words delivered to as in the lively Oracles of God. They 〈◊〉 the Sum and Substance, I will not 〈◊〉 Word for Word of what was delivered 〈◊〉 from the Pulpit▪ for, as I had Occasion in America, Scotland, and England, to 〈◊〉 upon the same Subject • . I was 〈◊〉 , according to the Freedom and • istance given me from above, to 〈◊〉 , or make Excursions, agreeable 〈◊〉 the People's Circumstances amongst whom I was preaching the Kingdom of God. I had no Leisure or Freedom to commit any of them to Writing, but during my last Voyage from America to England; nor do I expect to find Leisure to write down anymore fresh Discourses, till it shall please God that I embark again. May the Spirit of God, who delights out of the Mouths of Babes and Sucklings to perfect Praise, bless them to every Reader, and put into their Hearts to pray for 〈◊〉 poor, unworthy Servant in Jesus 〈◊〉 .

THE CONTENTS.

• SERMON I. The Lord our Righteousness.
  Jeremiah xxiii. 6. The Lord our Righteousness. Page 1.
• SERMON II. The Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent.
  Gen. iii. 15 and I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy Seed and her Seed; it shall bruise thy Head, and thou shall bruise his Heel. 〈…〉 .
• SERMON III. Persecution every Christian's Lot.
  2 Timothy iii. 12, Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution. Page 58.
• SERMON IV. Abraham' s offering up his Son Isaac.
  Gen. xxii 12. And he said, lay not thin • Hand upon the Lad, neither do thou any Thing unto him; for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not with held thy Son, thine only Son from me. Page 81
• SERMON V. Saul's Conversion.
  Acts ix. 22. But Saul increased the more in Strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ. Page 103.
• SERMON VI. Christ, the Believer's Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption.
  1 Cor. i. 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us, Wisdom▪ Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption. Page 130.
• SERMON VII. The Pharisee and Publican.
  Luke xviii. 14. I tell you this Man went down to his House justified rather than 〈◊〉 other. For everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that 〈…〉 self shall be exalted. Page 154
• SERMON VIII. The Holy Spirit convincing the World of Sin, of Righteousness, and Judgment.
  John xvi. 8. And when he is come, he will convince the World of Sin, and of Righteousness, and of Judgment. Page 174.
• SERMON IX. The Conversion of Zacchaeus.
  Luke xix. 9, 10. And Jesus said unto him, This Day is Salvation come to this House, forasmuch as he also is the Son of Abraham. For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost. Page 198.

Just Publish'd, And to be Sold by S. Kneeland and T. Green

SOME Thoughts concerning the present Revival of Religion in NEW-ENGLAND, and the Way in which it ought to be acknowlegded and promoted, humbly offered to the Public, in a TREATISE on that Subject.

In Five PARTS;
• PART I. Showing that the Work that has of late been going on in this Land, is a glorious Work of GOD.
• PART II. Showing the Obligations that all are under, to acknowledge, rejoice 〈◊〉 and promote this Work, and the great Danger of the contrary.
• PART III. Showing in many Instances, wherein the Subjects, or zealous Promoters, of this Work have been injuriously blame • .
• PART IV. Showing what Things are to be corrected or avoided, in promoting this Work, or in our Behaviour under it.
• PART V. Showing positively what ought to be done to promote this Work.

By JONATHAN EDWARDS, A. M. Pastor of the Church of CHRIST at 〈◊〉 .

SERMON. I.

The Lord our Righteousness.

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

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

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

This is it which is meant, when we are told Abraham believed on the Lord, and it was counted to him for Righteousness. In short, this is it of which both the Law and all the Prophets have spoken, especially Jeremiah in the Words of the Text—The Lord our Righteousness. —

• I propose through Divine Grace
• I. To consider who we are to understand by the Word Lord.
• II. How the Lord is Man's Righteousness.
• III. I will consider some chief Objections that are generally urged against this Doctrine.
• IV. I shall show some very ill Consequences▪ that flow naturally from denying this 〈◊〉 .
• V. Shall conclude with an 〈◊◊〉 , all to come to Christ by Faith, that they may be enabled to say with the Prophet in the Text, The Lord our Righteousness.

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

〈◊〉 if any Arians or 〈◊〉 are drawn by 〈◊〉 to hear what the 〈◊〉 has to say, let them be ashamed of • enying the Divinity of that Lord that has bought poor Sinners by his 〈◊〉 Blood.—For the Person mentioned in the Text under the Character of the Lord, is Jesus Christ.—

—By the righteous Branch, all agree that we are to understand Jesus Christ.— He it is that is called the Lord in our Text. If so, if there were no other Text in the Bible to prove the Divinity of Christ, that is sufficient. For if the Word Lord may properly belong to Jesus Christ, He 〈◊〉 be God. For as you have it in the Margins of your Bibles, the Word Lord is in the Original Jehovah, which is the Essential Title of God himself. Come then, ye Arians, kiss the Son of God, low down before him, and honor him, even as you honor the Father. Learn of the Angels those Morning Stars, and worship him as 〈◊〉 God.—For otherwise you are as much Idolaters, as those that worship the Virgin Mary. And as fo • you▪ Socinians, who say Christ was a •• er Man, and yet profess that he was 〈◊〉 Savior, according to your own Principles you are accursed. For, if Christ be a 〈◊〉 Man, then he is only an Arm of Flesh. —And it is written, Cursed 〈◊〉 ; he that trusteth on an Arm of Flesh.

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

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

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

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

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

And first, they say, because they would appear Friends to Morality,

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

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

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

But Satan, (and no wonder that his Servants imitate him) often transforms himself in an Angel of Light. And therefore (such perverse' Things, 〈◊〉 ill Infidelity and Arminianism, make Men speak) in order to dress their Objections in the best Colours. Some urge,

and consequently the Doctrine of an imputed Righteousness falls wholly the Ground.

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

Indeed our Lord does recommend Morality and good Works ( 〈◊〉 all faithful Ministers will do) and clears the moral • awe from many corrupt 〈◊〉 put upon it by the l • tter-learned Pharisee • . 〈◊〉 But then, before He comes to 〈◊〉 , it's remarkable, He talks of inward Piety, such as Poverty of Spirit, Meekness, 〈◊〉 Mourning▪ Purity of Heart —especially hung •• ing and 〈◊〉 after Righteousness; and 〈◊〉 recommends good Works, as an Evidence of our having his Righteousness imputed to us, and these Graces and Divine Tempers wrought in our Hearts.—

—And then he goes on to show, how exceeding broad the moral Law is. So that our Lord, instead of disannulling of an imputed Righteousness in his Sermon upon the Mount, not only confirms it, but also answers the foregoing Objection urged against it, by 〈◊〉 good Works a Proof and Evidence of its being imputed to our Souls.—He therefore that h • s Ears to hear, let him hear what the Prophet say in the Words of the Text—"The Lord o • Righteousness."

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

We may state it thus:—

—This is the Objection in its full Strength▪ and little Strength in all its Fulness▪ —For, was I to prove the Necessity of an imputed Righteousness, I scarce know how I could bring a better Instance to make it good.

Let us take a more intimate View of this young Man, and our Lord's Behaviour towards him. Mark x. 17. the Evangelist tells us,

—Then Jesus, to 〈◊〉 whither or not he believed him to be what 〈◊〉 really was, truly properly God, said unto him, —And that he might directly answer his Question; says he, Thou knowest the Commandments: Do not commit Adultery, Do not bear false Witness, Defraud not, Honor thy Father and thy 〈◊〉 This, I say, was a direct Answer to his Question; namely, that eternal Life was not to be attained by his Doings. —For our Lord, by referring him to the Commandments, did not, (as the Objecte • s insinuate ) in the least hint, that his Morality would recommend him to the Favor and Mercy of God.—But he intended thereby to make the Law his Schoolmaster to bring him to himself; that the young Man, seeing how he had broken everyone of these Commandments, might thereby be convinced of the Insufficiency of his own, and consequently the absolute Necessity of looking out for a better Righteousness, whereon he might depend for eternal Life.

This was what our Lord designed.—The young Man being Self-righteous, and willing to justify himself, said, All these have I observed from my Youth. But had he known himself, he would have confessed, All these have I broke 〈◊〉 Youth. —For supposing he had not actually committed Adultery, Had he never lusted 〈◊〉 a Woman in his Heart? What? if he had 〈◊〉 really killed another; Had he never been 〈◊〉 without a Cause, or spoken unadvisedly with his Lips? If so, by breaking one of the least Commandments in the least Degree, he became liable to the Curse of God: For

—And therefore, as I observed before, our Lord was so far from speaking against, that he treated the young Man in that Manner, on purpose to convince him of the Necessity of an imputed Righteousness.

But perhaps they will reply, it is said,

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

But there is a fourth and grand Objection yet behind, and that is taken from the 25th Chapter of St. Matthew,

This I confess is the most plausible Objection that is brought against the Doctrine insisted on from the Text. And in order that we may answer it in as clear and brief a Manner as may be, we confess, with the Article of the Church of England,

Take these Considerations along with us, and they will help us much to answer the Objection now before us.—For thus St. Matthew.—

—And that the People did not depend on th • se good Actions for their Justification, in the Sight of God, is evident. — Language and Questions quite improper for Persons relying on their own Righteousness for Acceptance and Acquittance in the Sight of God.

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

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

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

This is the next Thing that was propose • 〈◊〉

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

But farther. —I observed at the Beginning of this Discourse, that we are all Arminians and Papists by Nature;—for, as one observes, Arminianism is the back way to Popery. And here I venture further to affirm,

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

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

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

I remember a Story of a certain Prelate, who, after many Arguments in vain, urged to convince the Earl of Rochester of the invisible Realities of another World, took his Leave of his Lordship with some such Words as these: —

I apply this to those that oppose the Doctrine now insisted on. If there be no such Thing as the Doctrine of an imputed Righteousness, those that hold it, and bring forth Fruit unto Holiness, are safe. But if there be such a Thing, (as there certainly is ) what will become of you that deny it? It is no difficult Matter to determine.— Your Portion must be in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone for ever and ever, since you will rely upon your Works, by your Works you shall be judged. —They shall be weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary. —They will be found wanting. —By your Works therefore shall you be condemned; and you, being out of Christ, shall find God to your poor, wretched▪ Souls, a consuming Fire.—

The great STODDARD of Northampton in New-England, has therefore well intitled a Book which he wrote (and which I would take this Opportunity to recommend )

〈◊〉 For why should I lean upon a broken Reed, 〈◊〉 I can have the Rock of Age • to stand 〈◊◊〉 never can be moved?

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

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

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

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

Alas, my Heart alm •• t bleeds! What a Multitude of precious Souls are now before me! How shortly must all be ushered into Eternity! —And yet, O cutting Thought! was God now to require all your Souls, how few comparatively speaking, could really say, the Lord our Righteousness.

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

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

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

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

SERMON II.

The Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"And he said unto the Woman." —Here is an Instance of his Subtilty—He says unto the Woman, the weaker Vessel, and when she was alone from her Husband, and therefore was more liable to be overcome—

These Words are certainly spoken in Answer to something which the Devil either saw or heard—In all Probability, the Woman was now near the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. (For we shall find her, by and by, plucking an Apple from it) perhaps she might be looking at, and wondering what there was in that Tree more than the others, that she and her Husband should be forbidden to taste of it— Satan seeing this, and coveting to draw her into a Parley with him, (for if the Devil can persuade us not to resist, but to commune with him, he hath gained a great Point) he says, —The first Thing he does, is to persuade her, if possible, to entertain hard Thoughts of God—This is his general Way of dealing with God's Children— It was impossible for him to ask a more insnaring Question, in order to gain his End: For Eve, was here seemingly obliged to answer, and vindicate God's Goodness. And, therefore,—

Ver. 2. The Woman said unto the Serpent,

The former Part of the Answer was good,

—Here she begins to warp, and Sin begins to conceive in her Heart.—Already she has contracted some of the Serpent's Poison, by talking with him, which she ought not to have done at all. For she might easily suppose, that it could be no good Being, that could put such a Question unto her, and insinuate such dishonorable Thoughts of. God—She should therefore have fled from him, and not stood to have parley'd with him at all—Immediately the ill Effects of it appear,—she begins to soften the Divine Threatning,— God had said, the Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die; or, dying thou shalt die. —But Eve says, ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it lest ye die.—We may be assured we are fallen into, and begin to fall by Temptation, when we begin to think God will not be as good as his Word, in respect to the Execution of his Threatenings denounced against Sin.— Satan knew this, and therefore artfully

in an insinuating Manner, —Alas! how many does Satan lead Captive at his Will, by flattering them, that they shall not surely die • ;—that Hell-Torments will not be eternal,—that God is all Mercy;—that he therefore will not punish a few Years Sin with an Eternity of Misery.—But Eve found God as good as his Word, and so will all they that go on in Sin, under a false Hope that they shall not surely die.

We may also understand the Words spoken, positively, and this is agreeable to what follows,—You shall not surely die,—

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

What Child of God can expect to escape 〈◊〉 ▪ when God himself was thus slandered even in Paradise? Surely the Understanding of Eve must have been, in some Measure, blinded, or she would not have suffered the Tempter to speak such perverse Things.—In what odious Colours is God here represented!

(equal with God.) So that the grand Temptation, was, that they should be hereafter under no Controul, equal, if not superior to God, that made them, knowing Good and Evil.— Eve could not tell what Satan meant by this; but, to be sure, she understood it of some great Privilege which they were to enjoy.—And thus Satan now points out a Way, which seems right to Sinners, but does not tell them the End of that Way is Death.

To give Strength and Force to this Temptation, in all Probability, Satan, or the Serpent, at this Time, plucked an Apple from the Tree, and eat it before Eve, —by which Eve might be induced to think, that the Sagacity and Power of Speech, which the Serpent had above the other Beasts, must be owing, in a great Measure, to his eating that Fruit; and, therefore, if he received so much Improvement, she might also expect a like Benefit from it. All this, I think, is clear;—for, otherwise, I do not see with what Propriety it could be said,

How could she know it was good for Food, 〈◊〉 less she had seen the Serpent feed upon it?

Satan now begins to get Ground a pace, Lust had conceived in her Heart; shortly will bring forth Sin,—Sin being conceived brings forth Death.— Ver. 6.

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

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

And what are the Consequences of their Disobedience?—Are their Eyes opened?—Yes, their Eyes are opened—But, alas! it is only to see their own Nakedness. For, we are told ( Ver. 7.)

—Naked of God, naked of every Thing that was holy and good—and destitute of the Divine Image, which they before enjoyed—They might •• ghtly, now be termed Ichab • d; for the Glory of the Lord departed from them—Oh! how • ow did these Sons of the Morning then fall▪ out o • God into themselves; from being Partakers 〈◊〉 the Divine Nature, into the Nature of the Devil and the Beast—Well, therefore, might they know that they were naked, not only in Body but in Soul.—

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

For ( Ver. 8.)

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

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

Ver. 9.

"The Lord God called unto Adam"▪ (for otherwise Adam would never have called unto the Lord God) and said,

—Christians, remember the Lord keeps an Account when you fail coming to Worship—Whenever therefore, you are tempted to with-hold your Attendance, each of you fancy you heard the Lord God calling unto you, and saying, —It may be understand in another & better Sense— —What a Condition is thy poor Soul in?—This is the first Thing the Lord asks, and convinces a Sinner of, when he prevents, and calls him effectually by his Grace— 〈◊〉 also calls him by Name: For unless God speaks to us in particular, and we know where we are, how poor, how miserable, how blind, how naked, we shall never value the Redemption wrought out for us by the Death and Obedience of the dear Lord Jesus— Adam▪ where art thou?

Ver. 1 • .

—See what Cowards Sin makes us—If we knew no Sin, we should know no Fear —

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

Ver. 12.

Never was Nature more lively 〈◊〉 . See what Pride Adam contracted by the Fall How unwilling he is to lay the Bl • me 〈◊〉 on, or take Shame to himself.—This Answer▪ full •• Insolence towards God, Enmity against 〈◊〉 Wife, and Disingenuity in respect to himself. For herein he tacitly reflects upon God— 〈◊〉 Woman that THOU gavest to be with me • A • much as to say, if THOU hadst not given me THAT WOMAN, I had not eaten the forbidden Fruit. —Thus when Men sin, they • ay the 〈◊〉 upon their Passions; then blame and reflect upon God for giving them those Passion.—Their Language is—

—But, as God, notwithstanding, punished Adam for hearkening to the Voice of his Wi • e, so he will punish th • se who hearken to 〈◊〉 Dictate • of their corrupt In ••• • ations—For God compels no Man to sin. Adam might have withstood the Solicitations o • his Wife, if he would. And so, if we look up to God we should find Grace to help in the Time of Need—The Devil and our own Hearts tempt, but they cannot force us to consent, without the Concurrence of our own Wills. So that our Damnation is of ourselves, as it will evidently appear at the great Day, notwithstanding all Men's present impudent Replies against God—As Adam speaks insolently in respect to God, so he speaks with Enmity against his Wife—The Woman, or this Woman, she gave me —He lays all the Fault upon her, and speaks of her with much Contempt—He does not say, my Wife, my dear Wife, but this Woman. —For Sin disunites the most united Hearts. It is the Bane of holy Fellowship—Those who have been Companions in Sin here, if they die without Repentance, will both hate &condemn one another hereafter—All damned Souls are Accusers of their Brethren—Thus it is, in some Degree, on this Side the Grave— —What a disingenuous Speech was here!—He makes use▪ of no less than fifteen Words to excuse himself, and but one or two (in the Original) to confess his Fault, if it may be called a Confession at all— —With what Reluctance do these last Words come out? How soon are they uttered? "And I did 〈◊〉 ." But thus it is with an unhumbled, unregenerate Heart.—It will be laying the Fault upon the dearest Friend in the World, nay, upon God himself, rather than take Shame to itself—This Pride we are all subject to by the Fall, and, till our Hearts are broken, and made contrite by the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, we shall be always charging God foolishly.— Against THEE, and THEE only, have I sinned, that thou mightest be justified in thy Saying, and clear when thou art judged, is the Language of none but those, who, like David, are willing to confess their Faults, and are truly sorry for their Sins.—This was not the Case of Adam —His Heart was not broken; and therefore he lays the Fault of his Disobedience upon his Wife and God, and not upon himself— —

Ver. 13.

—God would here awaken her to a Sense of her Crime and Danger, and therefore, as it were, thunders in her Ears. For the Law must be preached to self-righteous Sinners.—We must take Care of healing before we see Sinners wounded, le • t we should say, Peace, Peace; where there's▪ no Peace —Secure Sinners must hear the Thunderings of Mount Sinai, before 〈◊〉 bring them to Mount Si • n. —They who never preach up the Law, it's to be feared, are unskillful in delivering the glad Tidings of the Gospel. Every Minister should be a Boane • ges, a Son of Thunder, as well as a Barnabas, a Son of Consolation. There was an Earthquake and a Whirlwind, before the small still Voice came to Elijah. —We must first show People they are condemned, and then show them how they must be saved. But how and when to preach the Law, and when to apply the Promises of the Gospel, Wisdom is profitable to direct— —

She does not make use of so many Words to excuse herself, as her Husband; but her Heart is as unhumbled as his—What is this, says God, that thou hast done? God here charges her with doing it.—She dares not deny the Fact, or say, I have not done it▪ but she takes all the Blame off herself, and lay • it upon the Serpent— —This would have been the Language of her Heart, had she now been a true Penitent. But both were now • like proud—Therefore neither will lay 〈◊◊〉 upon 〈◊〉 —

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

Ver. 14. And the Lord God said unto the

i. e. he should be in Subjection, and his Power should always be limited and restrained— His Enemies shall lick the Dust, says the Psalmist 〈◊〉 (Ver. 15.) —

Before I proceed to the Explanation of this Verse, I cannot but take Notice of one great Mistake, which the Author of the Whole Duty of Man is guilty of, in making this Verse contain a Covenant between God and Adam, as though' God personally treated with Adam, as before the Fall. For, talking of the second Covenant, in his Preface concerning caring for the Soul, says he,

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

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

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

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

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

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

〈◊〉 Satan should be yet suffered to bruise 〈◊〉 further, and his Servants should thrust 〈…〉 Prison▪ I doubt not, but • ven that 〈◊〉 •• tend to the more effectual Bruising of his 〈◊〉 ▪ I remember a Saying of the then Lord Chancellor to the pious Bradford. or Words to this Effect. The Promise of the Text is my daily Support. I will put Enmity between thy Seed and her Seed; it shall bruise thy Head, and thou shalt bruise his Heel. —

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SERMON III.

Persecution every Christian' • LOT.

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

The Words, without considering them they stand with relation to the Context, 〈◊〉 a necessary and important Truth, viz. that Persecution is the common Lot of every godly M •• —This is a hard Saying, How few can 〈…〉 —I trust God, in the following Discourse, w • enable me to make it good, by showing

• I. What it is to live godly in CHRIST 〈◊〉 ▪
• II. The different Kinds of Persecution 〈◊〉 which they, who live godly, are exposed.—
• III. Why it is, that godly Men must expect to suffer Persecution?

Lastly, We shall apply the whole.

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

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

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

The Word PERSECUTION is derived from a Greek Word signifying to pursue, and generally implies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

For how can it be otherwise in the very Nature of Things?—Ever since the Fall there has been an irreconcilable Enmity put between the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent. Wicked Men hate God, and therefore cannot but hate those who are like him. They hate to be reformed, and therefore must hate and persecute those, who, by a contrary Behaviour, testify of them, that their Deeds are Evil—Besides, Pride of Heart leads Men to persecute the Servants of Jesus Christ. —If they commend them, they are afraid of being asked,—Why do not you follow them?"—And therefore because they dare not imitate, though' they may sometimes be even forced to approve their Way, yet Pride and Envy make them turn Persecutors.—Hence it is, that as it was formerly, so it is now, and so will it be to the End of Time— He that is born after the FLESH, the natural Man, does and will persecute him that is born after the SPIRIT, the regenerate Man▪ Because Christians are not of the World, but Christ hath chosen them out of the World, therefore the World •• ll hate them— 〈◊〉 ••• ected against this Doctrine,

I answer, and consequently Christians, falsely so called, will persecute as well as others.—I observed therefore, in the Beginning of this Discourse, that St. Paul mentions those that had a Form of Religion, as persons of whom Timothy had Need be chiefly aware—For, as our Lord and his Apostles were mostly persecuted by their Countrymen the Jews, so we must expect the like Usage from the Formalists of our own Nation, the Pharisees, who seem to be religious.—For the most horrid and barbarous Persecutions have been carried on by those who have called themselves Christians 〈◊〉 witness the Days of Queen Mary, and the Fines, Banishments, and Imprisonments of the Children of God in the last Century, and the bitter, irreconcilable Hatred that appear in Thousands who call themselves Christians, even in the present Days wherein we live.

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

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

Not that I affirm,

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

Here then I would make a Pause, and, by Way of Application, exhort all Persons first to stand awhile and examine themselves.— • or, by what has be •• said, you may gather one Mark, whereby you may judge, whether you are Christians or not?—Were you ever persecuted for Righteousness Sake? If not, you never yet lived godly in Christ our Lord—Whatever you may say to the contrary, the inspired Apostle, in the Words of the Text (the Truth of which, I think, I have sufficiently proved) positively asserts, that all that will godly in HIM, must suffer Persecution—Not that all that are persecuted are real Christians—For many sometimes suffer, and are persecuted, on other Accounts than for Righteousness Sake—The great Question therefore is,

—You may boast (as perhaps you may think) of your great Prudence and Sagacity (and indeed these are excellent Things) and glory because you have not run such Lengths, and made yourselves so singular, and liable to such Contempt, as some others have.—But alas! This is not a Mark of your being of a Christian, but of a Laodi • ean Spirit, neither hot nor cold, and fit only to be spewed out of the Mouth of God—That which you call Prudence, is only Cowardice, dreadful Hypocrisy, Pride of Heart, which makes you dread Contempt, and afraid to give up your Reputation for God—You are ashamed of Christ and his Gospel, and in all Probability, was he to appear a second Time upon Earth, in Words, as well as Works, you would deny him—Awake therefore, all ye that live only formally in Christ Jesus, and no longer seek that Honor which cometh of Man.—I do not desire you to court, but I entreat you to live godly, and fear not Contempt for the Sake of Jesus Christ —Beg of God to give you his Holy Spirit, that you may see through and discover the latent Hypocrisy of your Hearts, and no longer deceive your own Souls.—Remember, you cannot reconcile two irreconcilable Difference▪ God & Mammon, the Friendship of this World, with the Favor of God.—Know you not who hath told you, that the Friendship of this World is Enmity with God? —If therefore you are in Friendship with the World, notwithstanding all your specious Pretences to Piety, you are at Enmity with God.—You are only Heart Hypocrites, and, What is the Hope of the Hypocrite▪ when God shall take away his Soul? —Let 〈◊〉 Words of the Text found an Alarm in your Ears—Oh! let them sink deep into your Hearts Yea, and all that will live godly in CHRIST JESUS shall suffer PERSECUTION.

Secondly, From the Words of the Text I would take Occasion to speak to those,

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

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

—Thus it was with almost all that suffered in former Times: For Jesus, notwithstanding he withdrew his own Divinity from himself, yet has always lifted up the Light of his Countenance upon the Souls of suffering Saints.— Fear not therefore these that can kill the Body, and after that have no more that they can do; but fear him only, who is able to destroy both Body and Soul in Hell. Dare, dare, to 〈◊〉 godly in CHRIST JESUS, though' you suffer all Manner of PERSECUTION.

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

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

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

And now, to whom shall I address myself next?—To those,

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

SERMON IV.

Abraham's offering up his Son Isaac.

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

The sacred Penman begins the Narrative thus. Ver. 1.

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

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

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

But what does God say to Abraham? Ver. 2.

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

Well might the Apostle, speaking of 〈◊〉 Man of God, say, that against Hope he believed in Hope, and being strong in Faith, gave Glory to God —For, had he not been blessed with Faith, which Man never before had, he must have refused to comply with this severe Command—For how many Arguments might Nature suggest • o prove, that such a Command could never come from God? or to excuse himself from obeying it.

Thus, I say, Abraham might have argued, and that too seemingly with great Reason, against complying with the divine Command. But as before by Faith he considered not the Deadness of Sarah' s Womb, when she was past Age, but believed on him, who said, so now being convinced that the same God spoke to and commanded him to offer up that Son, and knowing that God was able to raise him from the Dead, without Delay he obeys the heavenly Call.

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

But to return to the Patriarch Abraham —We observed before what plausible Objections he might have made—But he answered not a single Word—No—without replying against his Maker—We are told, Ver. 3. that

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

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

—Let us go and do likewise.

Ver. 4.

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

Ver. 6.

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

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

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

Ver. 〈◊〉 . At length they came to the Five of 〈◊〉 God had told Abraham—

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

And now, Ver. 10. the fatal Blow is going to be given.

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

But sing, O Heavens; and rejoice, O Earth! Man's Extremity is God's Opportunity—For behold, just as the Knife, in all Probability, was near his Throat.— Ver. 11.

—

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

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

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

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

I see your Hearts affected, I see your Eyes weep—(And indeed, who can refrain weeping at the Relation of such a Story?)—But, behold! I show you a Mystery, hid under the Sacrifice of▪ Abraham' s only Son, which, unless your Hearts are hardened, must cause you to weep Tears of Love, and that plentifully too—I would willingly hope you even prevent me here, and are ready to say,

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

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

—But if you are only talking Co •• nters, and have only a Faith of the Head, and never felt the Power of it in your Hearts, however you may bolster yourselves up, and say, unless you get a Faith of the Heart, a 〈◊〉 working 〈…〉 , you shall never sit with Abraham, Isaac, 〈◊〉 , or Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of 〈◊◊〉

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

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

SERMON V.

Saul's Conversion.

IT is an undoubted Truth, however it may seem a Parado • to natural Men, that

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

Christians, and Christian Church • must then expect Enemies—Our chief Concern should be to learn how to behave towards them in a Christian Manner—For, unless we take good 〈◊〉 to ourselves, we shall embitter our 〈◊〉 and act 〈◊◊〉 the Followers of the Lord, 〈…〉 was reviled, 〈◊〉 not again, whe •• . 〈◊〉 suffered, threatened 〈◊〉 , and as a Lamb before 〈…〉 is 〈◊〉 so opened 〈…〉 —But what Motive shall we make use of to bring 〈◊〉 to this blessed Lamb-like Temper? Next to the immediate Operations of the Holy Spirit upon our Hearts, I know of no Consideration more conducive to teach 〈◊〉 Long suffering towards out most bitter Persecutors, th • n 〈…〉

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

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

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

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

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

But

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But who can tell what Joy these Disciples felt when Saul came amongst them! I suppose holy Ananias introduced him—Methinks I see the once presecuting Zealot, when they came to salute him with a holy Kiss, throwing himself upon each of their Necks, weep •• g over them with Floods of Tears, and saying,

〈◊〉 Th • s I say we may suppose Saul addressed himself to his n • w Fellow-Disciples, and I doubt not but they were as ready to forgive and forget as Ananias was, and saluted him with the 〈◊〉 learin • ▪ Title of Brother Saul —Lovely was this Meeting, so lovely, that it seemed Saul continued certain Days with them, to communicate Experiences, and to learn the Way of God more per • ectly, to pray for a Blessing on his 〈◊〉 Ministry, and to praise Christ Jesus for what he had done for their Souls— Saul perhaps had • at certain Years at the Feet of Gam • li • l, but undoubtedly learnt more there certain Days, than 〈◊〉 had learnt before in all his Life—It pleases 〈◊〉 to think how th •• great Scholar is transformed 〈◊〉 the renewing of his Mind, what a mighty Change was here▪—That so great a Man as Saul was, both as to his Station in Life, and internal Qualifications, and such a bitter Enemy 〈◊〉 the Christians; for him I say, to go and be 〈◊〉 Days with the People of THIS mad WAY, and to sit quietly, and be taught of unle •• ned and •• literate Men, as many of these Disciples we may be sure were▪ What a substantial Proof was this of the Reality of his Conversion?

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

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

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

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

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

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

And therefore (that I may draw towards a Conclusion) let the Ministers and Disciples of Christ, learn from Saul, not to fear Men or their Revilings, but, like him, increase in Strength, the more wicked Men endeavor to weaken their Hands.—We cannot be Christians without being opposed—No—Disciples in general must suffer—Ministers in particular must suffer great Things—But let not this move any of us from our Stedfastness in the Gospel—He that stood by and strengthened Saul, will also stand by and strengthen us. He is a God, mighty to save all that put their Trust in him—If we look up with an Eye of Faith, we, as well as the first Martyr St. Stephen, may see Jesus standing at the right Hand of God, ready to assist and protect us—Tho' the Lord's Seat is in Heaven, yet he has Respect to his Saints in an especial Manner when suffering here on Earth—Then the Spirit of Christ and of Glory rests upon, their Souls. And, if I may speak my own Experience,

However little they may design it, my Enemies are my greatest Friends—What I most fear is a Calm; but the Enmity which is in the Hearts of natural Men against Christ, will not suffer them to be quiet long—No. As I hope the Work of God will increase, so the Rage of Men and Devils will increase also—Let us put on therefore the whole Armor of God—Oh! let us not fear the Face of Men—Let us fear him only, who can destroy both Body and Soul in Hell—I say unto you, let us fear him alone—You see how soon God can stop the Fury of his Enemies—You have just now heard of a proud, powerful Zealot stopped in his full Career struck down to the Earth with a Light from Heaven, converted by the Almighty Power of efficacious Grace, and thereupon zealously promoting, nay resolutely suffering for the Faith which once with Threatenings & Slaughters he endeavor'd to destroy—Let this teach us to pity and pray for our Lord's most inveterate Enemies—Who knows, but in Answer thereunto, our Lord may give them Repentance unto Life? Most think, that Christ had Respect to Stephen' s Prayer, when he converted Saul —Perhaps for this Reason God suffers his Adversaries to go on, that his Goodness and Power may shine more bright in their Conversion—But let no • the Persecutors of Christ take Encouragement from this to continue in their Opposition—Remember, though' Saul was converted, yet the High Priest and 〈◊〉 Companions were left dead in Trespasses and Sins. And if this should be your Case, you will of all Men be most miserable—For Persecutors have the lowest Place in Hell. 〈◊〉 Saul was struck to the Earth by a Light from Heaven, how will you be able to stand before Jesus Christ, when he comes in terrible Majesty to take Vengeance on all those who have persecuted his Gospel?—Then the Question, Why persecutest thou me? will cut you through and through—The secret Enmity of your Heart shall then be detected before Men and Angels, and you shall be doomed to dwell in the Blackness of Darkness for evermore—Kiss the Son therefore, lest he be angry—For even you may yet find Mercy, if you believe on the Son of God—Tho' you persecute him, yet he will be your Jesus—I cannot despair of any of you, when I find a Saul among the Disciples at Damascus —What though' your Sins are as Scarlet, the Blood of Christ shall wash them as white as Snow—Having much to be forgiven, despair not, only beelieve, and like Saul, of whom I have now been speaking, love much—He counted himself the chiefest Sinner of all, and therefore labored more abundantly than all. Who is there among you fearing the Lord? Whose Hearts hath the Lord now opened to hearken to the Voice of his poor unworthy Servant?—Surely the Lord will not let me preach in vain—Who is the happy Soul that is this Day to be washed in the Blood of the Lamb? Will no poor Sinner take Encouragement from Saul to come to Jesus Christ? You are all thronging ••• nd about, but which of you will touch the Lord Jesus▪ What a Comfort will it be to Saul, and and to your own Souls, when you meet him in Heaven, to tell him, that he • ing of his, was a Means, under God, of your Conversion. Doubtless, it was written for the Encouragement of all poor returning Sinners—He himself tells us so, for in me, says he, God shown all Long-suffering, that I might be an Example 〈◊〉 them that should hereafter believe —Was Saul here himself he would tell you so—Indeed he would; but being dead, by this Account of his Conversion, he yet speaketh—Oh, that God may speak by it to your Hearts! Oh, that the Arrows of God might this Day stick fast in your Souls, and you were made to cry out— Who art thou Lord? Are there any such among you? Methinks I feel something of what this Saul fell • when he said, 〈◊〉 veil in Birth again for you, till Christ be formed again in your Hearts —O come, come away to Jesus, on whom Saul believed, and then I care not if the High Priests issue out never so many Writs of Indictments, or injuriously drag me to a Prison.—The Thoughts of being instrumental in saving you, will make me sing Praises even at Midnight—And I know you will be my Joy and Crown of rejoicing, when I am delivered from this earthly Prison, and meet you in the Kingdom of God hereafter.

Now to God, &c.

SERMON VI.

CHRIST, the Believer's Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

But to return—

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

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

But what is the Redemption of the Body, in Comparison of the Redemption of the better Part, our Souls?—I must therefore say to you Believers, as the Angel said to John —Come up higher; and let us take as clear a View as we can at such a Distance, of the Redemption Christ has purchased for, and will shortly put you in actual Possession of—Already you are justified, already you are sanctified, & thereby freed from the Guilt and Dominion of Sin—But, as I observed before, the Being and In-dwelling of Sin yet remains in you—God sees it proper to leave some Amalekites in the Land, to keep his Israel in Action—The most perfect Christian, I am persuaded, must agree according to one of our Articles,

So that Believers cannot Things for God with that Perfection they desire—This grieves their righteous Souls Day by Day—And with the holy Apostle makes them to cry out, I thank God, our Lord Jesus Christ, but not completely before the Day of our Dissolution. Then will the very Being of Sin be destroyed, and an eternal Stop put to 〈◊〉 , indwelling Corruption. And is not this a great Redemption I am sure Believers esteem it so—For there is nothing grieves the Heart of a 〈◊〉 of God so much, as the Remains of indwelling Sin—Again, Believers are often in He •• iness through manifold Temptations—God 〈◊〉 that it is needful and good for them so to be. And though' they may be highly favored, and wr • pt up in Communion with God, even to the third Heavens, yet a Messenger of Satan is often sent to buffet them, l • st they should be puffed up with the Abundance of Revelations—But • e not weary, Be not faint in your Minds—The Time of your complete Redemption draw • th nigh—In Heaven the wicked One shall cease from troubling you, and your weary Souls shall enjoy an everlasting Rest—His fiery Darts cannot reach those blissful Reg •• us—Satan will never come anymore to appear with, disturb, or accuse the Sons of God, when once the Lord Jesus Christ shuts the Door—Your righteous Souls are now grieved, Day by Day, at the ungodly Conversation of the Wicked—Ta • es now grow up among the Wheat—Wolves come in Sheeps Cloathing—But the Redemption spoken of in the Text will free your Souls from all Anxiety on these Accounts—Hereafter you shall enjoy a perfect Communion of Saints—Nothing that is unholy or unsanctified shall enter into the Holy of Holies, which is prepared for you above—This, and all Manner of Evil whatsoever, you shall be delivered from when your Redemption is hereafter made complete in Heaven—Not only so, but you shall enter into the full Enjoyment of all Good—It's true▪ all Saints will not have the same Degree of Happiness, but all will be as happy as their Hearts can hold—Believers, you shall judge Evil, and familiarly converse with good Ang •• s—You shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the Spirits of just Men made perfect—And to sum up all your Happiness, in one Word, you shall see God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost—And by seeing 〈◊〉 , be more and more like him, and pass from Glory to Glory, even to all Eternity.

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

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

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

Glory be to God in the Highest.

SERMON VII.

The Pharisee and Publican.

THO' there be some who dare wholly deny the Lord Jesus, and disbelieve the Revelation he has been pleased to give us, and thereby bring upon themselves swift Destruction, yet I would charitably hope there are but few, if any such among you, to whom I am now to preach the Kingdom of God —Was I do ask you,

I suppose you would answer, only for the Sake of 〈◊〉 Lord Jesus Christ—But was I to come more home to your Consciences, I fear most would make the Lord Jesus but in part their Savior, and go about, as it were, to establish a Righteousness of their own—I believe this is not a thinking 〈◊〉 to the Rules of Christian Charity—For we are all self-righteous by Nature—It is as natural for us to turn back to a Covenant of Works, as for the Sparks to fly upwards—We have had so many legal, and so few Free-grace Preachers for these many Years, that most Professors now seem to be settled upon their Lees, 〈◊〉 rather deserve the Title o • Pharisees than Christians.

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

Ver. 10.

—The Pharisees were the strictest Sect among the Jews — 〈◊〉 was of the strictest Sect of the Pharisees, say▪ St. Paul —They prayed often, not only so▪ but they made long Prayers, and that they might appear extraordinary devout, they would 〈◊〉 the Corners of the Street, where two 〈…〉 that People going or coming, both Way, 〈◊〉 see them—They made broad, as our Lord 〈◊〉 forms us, the Borders of their 〈◊〉 , i. e. they had Pieces of Parchment sown to their 〈◊〉 Robes (which we are told they 〈◊〉 ) on 〈◊〉 some Parts of the Scripture were written, 〈◊〉 People might from thence infer, that they were Lovers of the Law of God. They were very punctual and 〈◊〉 in outward Purifications, 〈◊〉 that they washed at their going out and coming in —They held the Washing of Pots, 〈◊〉 Vessels, and Tables, and many other such like Things they did—They were very zealous for the Tradition of the Fathers, and for the Observation of the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church, notwithstanding they frequently made void the Law of God by their Traditions—And they were so exceeding exact in the outward Observation of the Sabbath, that they condemned our Lord for a little Clay with his Spittle, and called him a Sinner, and said, he was not of God, because he had given Sight to a Man born blind, on the Sabbath Day—For these Reasons they were had in high Veneration among the People, who were sadly misled by these blind Guides—They had therefore the uppermost Places in the Synagogues, and Greetings in the 〈◊〉 Places (which they loved dearly) and were called of Men, Rabbi, Rabbi —In short, they had such a Reputaton for Piety, that it became a Proverb 〈◊〉 the Jews, that if there were but two Men 〈◊〉 the one of them m • st be a Pharisee.

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

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

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

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

Our Lord first takes Notice of his Posture The Pharisee stood, &c. He is not to be condemned for that—For standing, as well as kneel— 〈◊〉 , is a proper Posture 〈◊〉 Prayer. When you 〈◊〉 praying, 〈…〉 —Tho' sometimes our Lord kneeled, 〈…〉 on his Face upon the Ground—His Apostles also kneeled, as we 〈◊〉 in the Acts —Which has made me wonder 〈◊〉 some, 〈…〉 so 〈◊〉 to standin • in Family, as well as public Prayer, that they will not kneel, notwithstanding 〈◊〉 kneel that are around them. I fear there 〈◊〉 something of the Pharisee in this Conduct—Kneeling and standing are indifferent, if the Knee of the Soul be bent, and the Heart upright towards God. We should study not to be particular in indifferent Things, lest we offend weak Mind▪—What th • Pharisee is remarked for, is his standing by himself —For the Words may be rendered, he stood by himself upon some eminent Place, at the upper Part of the Temple, near the Holy of Holies, that the Congregation might see what a devout Man he was—Or it may be understood as we read it—He prayed by himself, or of himself, out of his own Heart—He did not pray by Form—It was an Extempore Prayer—For there are many Pharisees that pray and preach too Extempore —I do not see why these may not be acquired, as well as other Arts and Sciences—A Man, with a good Elocution, ready Turn of Thought▪ and good Memory, may repeat his own or other Men's Sermons, and by the Help of a Wilkins or Hea •• , may pray seemingly excellently well, and yet not have the least Grain of true Grace in his Heart—And I speak this not to cry down Extempore Prayer, or to discourage those dear Souls 〈…〉 pray by the Spirit—I only would 〈◊〉 give a Word of Repro • f to th • se 〈…〉 Prayer, that 〈…〉 that use Forms, 〈…〉 only as others 〈…〉 wrong—Not 〈◊〉 one that prays Extempore is a spiritual, nor 〈◊〉 one that prays with a Form, a formal M • n—Let us not judge one 〈◊〉 —Let not him that use a Form, judge him that prays Extempore, on that Acc •• nt▪ and let not him that prays Extempore, despise him that uses a F • rm The Pharisee stood and prayed th • s by him 〈◊〉 Which may signify also praying inwardly in 〈◊〉 Heart—For there i • a Way (and that an excellent One too) of praying when we cannot speak—Thus H ••• ah prayed when she spoke not out aloud, only her Lips m • ved—Thus God says to Moses, Why cried then, when it is plain, he did not speak a Word. This is what the Apostle means by the Spirit making Inter •• ssion for Believers, with Groani •• s which cannot 〈…〉 . For there are Times when the Soul is too big to speak—When God fill it as it were and 〈◊〉 shadows it with his Presence, so that it can only fall down, worship, adore, and lie in the Dust before the Lord—Again, there is a Time when the Soul is benumbed, barren, and dry, and the Believer has not a Word to say to his dear heavenly Father▪ and then the Heart only can speak. And I mention this for the Encouragement of weak Christians, who think they never are accepted, but when they have a Flow of Words, and fancy they do not please God at the Bottom, for no other Reason, but because they do not please themselves—Such would do well to consider, that God knows the Language of the Heart and the Mind of the Spirit, and that we make Use of Words, not to inform God, but to affect ourselves—Whenever therefore any of you find yourselves in such a Frame, be not discouraged—Offer yourselves up in Silence before God, as Clay in the Hands of the Potter, for him • o write and stamp his own divine Image upon your Souls—But I believe the Pharisee knew nothing of this Way of Prayer—He was self-righteous, a Stranger to the divine Life, and therefore eithe • of the form. Explanations may be best put upon these Words—

—Here is some Appearance of Devotion, but it is only in Appearance—To thank God that we are not Ex •• rtieners, Unjust, Adulterers, and as wicked in our Practices as other Men are, is certainly me •• right, and our bounden Duty. For whatever Degrees of Goodness there may be in us, more than in others, it is owing to God's restraining, preventing, and assisting Grace—We are all equally conceived and born in Sin—All equally fallen short of the Glory of God, and 〈◊〉 to all the Curses and Maledictions of the Law, 〈◊〉 that he that glorieth, must glory only in the Lord—For none of us have anything which we did not receive; and whatever we have received, we did not in the least merit it, or could we lay the least Claim to it on any Account whatever—We are wholly indebted to Free Grace for all—Had the Pharisee thought thus▪ when he said, "God I thank thee that I am not as other Men are," it would have been an excellent Introduction to his Prayer—But he was a Free-willer, as well as self-righteous (for he that is one, must be the other) and thought by his own Power and Strength, he had kept himself from these Vices—And yet I do not 〈◊〉 what Reason he had to trust in himself that he was righteous, merely because he was not an Extortioner, Unjust, Adulterer —For all this while he might be, as he certainly was, (as is also every self-righteous Person) as proud as the Devil—But he not only boasts, but lies before God (as all Self-justicaries will be found Liars here or hereafter.) He thanks God that he was not Unjust —But is it not an Act of the highest Injustice to rob God of his Prerogative? Is it not an Act of Injustice to judge our Neighbor? And yet of both these Crimes this self-righteous Vaunter is guilty— Even as this Publican —He seems to speak with the utmost Disdain— This Publican, perhaps he pointed at the poor Man, that others might treat him with the like Contempt—Thou proud, confident Boaster▪ What hadst thou to do with that poor Publican? Supposing other Publicans were Unjust, and Extortioners, did it therefore follow that he must be so? Or if he had been such a Sinner, How knowest thou but he has repented of those Sins • 〈◊〉 coming up to the Temple to pray, 〈◊〉 one 〈◊〉 Sign of a Reformation at least—Thou art therefore inexcusable, O Pharisee, who thus judgest the Publican —For thou that judgest him to be unjust▪ art in the very Act of judging, unjust thyself —Thy Sacrifice 〈◊〉 only the Sacrifice of a Fool.

We have seen the • what the Pharisee's negative Goodness comes to; I think nothing at all—Let us see how far his positive Goodness extends—For if we are truly religious, we shall not only eschew Evil, but also do Good—

The Pharisee is not here condemned for h •• Fasting, for Fasting is a Christian Duty— When you fast, says our Lord, thereby taking it for granted that his Disciples would fast—And when the bridegroom shall be taken away, th • n shall they fast in those Days. In fasting often, says the Apostle, and all that would not be Cast • ways, will take Care, as their Privilege, without legal Constraint, to keep their Bodies under, and bring them into Subjection: The Pharisee is only condemned for making a Righteousness of his Fasting, and thinking that God would ac •• pt him, or that he was any better than his Neighbors merely on Account of his Fasting. This i • what he is blamed for. The Pharisee 〈◊〉 not to be commended for fasting twice in 〈◊〉 Week—I wish Christians would imitate him 〈◊〉 in this. But to depend on Fasting in the 〈…〉 Justification in the Sight of God, was really abominable.

He might as well have said, I pay Tythes —But Self-righteous People (whatever they may say to the contrary) think they give something to God— I give Tythes of all that I possess —I make Conscience of giving Tythes, not only of all that the Law requires, but of my Mint, Annice, and Cumin, of all Things whatsoever that I possess—This was well. To pay Tythes when required by the Laws of the Land, is certainly our Duty—But to boast of such Things, or of Fasting, is Pharisaical & Devilish. And now then let us sum up all the Righteousness of this boasting Pharisee, and see what little Reason he had to trust in himself that he was righteou • , or to despise others. He is not Unjust, (but we have only his ba • e Word for that, I think I have proved to the contrary.) He i • no Adulterer, no Extortioner, he fasts twice in the Week, and gives Tythes of all that he possesses. —And all this he might do, and a great deal more, and yet be a Child of the Devil. For here is no Mention made of his loving the Lord his God with all his Heart, which was the first and great Commandment of the Law. —Here's not a single Syllable of inward Religion—And he was not a true Jew, who was only one outwardly. And 'tis only an outside Piety at the best—Inwardly he is full of Pride, Self-Justification, Free-will, and great Uncharitableness.

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

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

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

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

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

Let Pharisees take Heed that they do not pervert this Text—For when it is said, this Man went down to his House justified rather than the other —Our Lord does not mean that both were justified, and that the Publican had rather more Justification than the Pharisee —But it implies, either that the Publican was actually justified, 〈◊〉 the Pharisee was not; or, that the Publican 〈◊〉 in a better Way for Justification, or in a better Frame to receive it, than the Pharisee —According to our Lord's Saying—

—That the Pharisee was not justified is certain—For God resisteth the Proud, and that the Publican was at this Time actually justified (and perhaps went home with a Sense of it in his Heart) we have great Reason to infer from the latter Part of the Text—

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

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

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

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

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

SERMON VIII.

The Holy Spirit convincing the World of Sin, Righteousness, and Judgment.

THESE Words contain Part of a gracious Promise which the blessed Jesus was pleased to make to his weeping and sorrowful Disciples—The Time was now drawing near, in which the Son of Man was first to • e lifted upon the Cross, and afterward to Heaven▪ Kind▪ Oh wondrous kind! had this merciful High Priest been to his Disciples during the Time of his tabernacling amongst them—He • ad Compassion on their Infirmities, answered for • hem when assaulted by their Enemies, & set them • ight when out of the Way, either in Principle 〈◊〉 Practice—He neither called or used them as 〈…〉 them 〈…〉 Happened the 〈…〉 understand 〈…〉 the hidden 〈◊〉 of the Kingdom 〈◊〉 God, when he 〈◊◊〉 others in Parabl • ▪ Nay he became the 〈…〉 all, and 〈◊〉 condescended to wash their Feet—The Thoughts of parting with so dear and loving a Ma ••• r as this, especially for a long 〈◊〉 ▪ must needs affect them much—When 〈…〉 he intended to be a • sent from them only for a Night, we are told, he was 〈◊〉 to ••• train them to leave him—No wonder then, 〈◊〉 when he now informed them, he must entirely go away, and that the Pharisees in his Absence should put them out of them 〈…〉 & ex •• mmu •• cate 〈◊〉 yea, that the Time should come, that whose 〈◊〉 ki •• ed them, should think 〈◊〉 did God Set 〈◊〉 (A Prophecy 〈◊〉 would 〈◊〉 in an 〈◊◊〉 Manner designed 〈◊〉 the suffering Ministers of this Generation) No wonder, I say, considering all this▪ that we are told, Ver. 6. That Sorrow had filled 〈◊〉 Hearts 〈◊〉 Because I have • hed 〈◊〉 these Times unto 〈…〉 and, Sorrow 〈◊〉 • ath filled your Hear •• 〈…〉 Heart were so full of Concern, that they were 〈…〉 —In order therefore to reconcile them 〈…〉 Dispensation, our dear & compa ••• nate Redeemer shows them the Necessity he lay under to leave them—

As though' he had said—Think not, my dear Disciples, that I leave you out of Anger—No, it's for your Sakes, for your Profit, that I go away 〈◊〉 For if I go not away, i • I die not upon the 〈◊〉 for your Sins, and rise again for your Justification, & ascend into Heaven to make Intercess ••• and plead my Merits before my Father's Throne, the Comforter, the Holy Ghost, will not, cannot come unto you. But if I depart, I will send him unto you—And that they might know wha • he was to do,

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

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

•• ay generally—For as God 〈◊〉 a 〈…〉 sacred Spirit • loweth not only on 〈◊〉 , but when & how it listeth▪ Therefore, 〈◊〉 it •• om me to • e fine 〈◊〉 Almighty to 〈◊〉 Way of acting, or say, 〈…〉 •• gree o • Conviction—No▪ there is a holy •• riety in God's Methods of calling home his 〈◊〉 —But this we may affirm assuredly,

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

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

And First, It convinces of Sin—And generally of some enormous Sin, the worst perhaps the convicted Person ever was guilty of—Thus when our Lord was conversing with the Woman of Samaria, he convinced her first of her Adultery,

—With this there went such a powerful Conviction of all her other actual Sins, that soon after she left her Water-pot, and went her Way into the City, and • aith to the Men, Come, and see a Man that told me all Things that ever I did: Is not this the Christ? Thus our Lord also dealt with the Persecutor Saul —He convinced him first of the horrid Sin of Persecution— Saul, Saul, Why persecutest thou N •• ? Such a Sense of all his other Sins, in all Probability, at the same Time revived in his Mind, that immediately he died; that is▪ died to all his false Confidences, and was thrown into such an Agony of Soul, that he continued three Days, and neither did eat or drink.—This is • ne Method the Spirit of God generally takes in •• aling with Sinners—He first convinces them 〈◊〉 some heinous actual Sin, and at the same time • rings all their other Sins into Remembrance, and as it were sets them in Battle Array before them: When he is come, he will reprove the World 〈◊〉 Sin.

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

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

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

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

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

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

And was this Degree of Conviction ever wrought in any of your Souls? Did the Comforter ever come into your Hearts, so as to make you sick of your Duties, as well as your Sins? Were you ever, with the Great Apostle of the Gentiles, made to abhor your own Righteousness, which is by the Law, and acknowledge that you deserve to be damned, though' you should give all your Goods to feed the Poor? Were you made to feel that your very Repentance needed to be repented of, and that every Thing in yourselves is but D • ng and Dross?—And that all the Arguments you can retch for Mercy must be out of the Heart, and pure unmerited Love o • God? Were you ever made to lie at the Fee • of sovereign Grace, and to say,

—What say you? Was this eve • , or is this now, the habitual Language of your Hearts? You have been frequently at the Temple. But did you ever approach it in th • Temple • of the poor Publican; and after you have done all, acknowledge that you have done nothing—And upon a feeling experimental Sense of your own Unworthiness▪ and Sinfulness, every way smite upon your Breasts, and say, God be 〈◊〉 , to us Sinners▪ If you never were thus 〈◊〉 , the Comforter never yet effectually 〈◊〉 into your Souls—You are out of Christ, and if God should require your Souls in that Condition, he would be no better to you than a con •• ming Fire.

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

But 〈◊〉 , the Christian World, and 〈…〉 that hear me this Day, want 〈…〉 Ghost 〈◊〉 convince you of Unbelief? 〈…〉 any Infidels here? Yes, (Oh! that 〈◊〉 not too great Reason to think so) I fear m • st are such—Not indeed such Infidels as pro • e •• edly deny the Lord that bought us (though' 〈◊〉 fear too many even of such Monsters are in every Country;) but I mean such Unbelievers that have no more Faith in Christ than the Devils themselves—Perhaps you may think you believe, 〈…〉 you repeat the Creed, or subscribe to a Confession of Faith—Because you go to Church 〈◊〉 Meeting, receive the Sacrament, and are taken 〈◊〉 full Communion—These are blessed Privileges, but all this may be done, without our 〈◊〉 true Believers—And I know not how to detect your false hypocritical Faith better, than 〈◊〉 putting to you this Question—Suppose I was to ask you, "How long have you •• lieved?"—Would not most of you say,

—Then this is a certain Sign that you have no true Faith at all—No, not so much as a Grain of M • stard Seed—For if you believe now, (unless you were sanctified in your Infancy) you must know that there was a Time, in which you did not believe on the Lord Jesus Christ—And the Holy Ghost, if ever you received it, convinced you of this—Eternal Truth has declared, when he is come, • e will convince the World of Sin, because they believe not on me.

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

This is a Thing little thought of by most that call themselves Believers—They dream they are Christians, because they live in a Christian Country—If they were born Turks, they would believe on Mahomet —For what is that which Men commonly call Faith, but an outward Consent to the established Religion? But do not you thus deceive your own selves—For true Faith is quite another Thing—Ask yourselves therefore, whether or not the Holy Ghost ever powerfully convinced you of the Sin of Unbelief? You are perhaps so devout (as you may imagine) as to get a Catalogue of Sins, which you look over, and confess in a formal Manner, as often as you go to the Holy Sacrament—But amongst all your Sins, did you ever once confess and bewail that damning Sin of Unbelief? —Were you ever made to cry out,

If you never were thus distressed—At least, if you never saw and felt, that you had no Faith, it is a certain Sign that the Holy Ghost the Comforter, never came into, and worked, savingly upon your Souls.

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

Thus it is that the Holy Ghost convinces the Soul of Sin—And if so, holy wretchedly 〈◊〉 — they mistaken, that blind the Light of the Spirit with the Light of Conscience, as all such do, who say,

—If such Doctrine be true, the Promise in the Text was needless—Our Lord's Apostles had already that Light—The World hereafter to be convinced had that Light—And if that was sufficient to bring them to Christ, why was it expedient that Christ should go away to Heaven, to send down the Holy Ghost to do this for them—Alas! all have not this Spirit—It is the special Gift of God, and without this special Gift, we can never come to Christ.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

By the Word Judgment, I understand that well-grounded Peace, that settled Judgment, which the Soul forms of itself, when it is enabled by the Spirit of God, to lay hold on Christ's Righteousness, which I believe it always does, when convinced in the Manner before-mentioned—

that is, the Soul, being enabled to lay hold on Christ's perfect Righteousness 〈◊〉 a lively Faith, 〈◊◊〉 Conviction wrought in it by the Holy Spirit, that the 〈…〉 this World is now judged —The S •• l, being now justified by Faith, it has Peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, and can triumphantly say,

Thus, 〈◊〉 , may we suppose the Soul to triumph, in which the Promise of the Text is happily fulfilled—And though' at the Beginning of this 〈…〉 said m • st had never experienced anything of this, and that therefore this Preaching must be Foolishness to most, yet I doubt not but there are some few happy Souls, who, thro' Grace, have been enabled to follow me Step by Step—And notwithstanding the Holy Ghost might at directly work in the same Order a • I have • escribed, and perhaps they cannot exactly say 〈◊〉 Time when, yet they have a well-grounded confidence that the Work is done, and that they we really been convinced of Sin, Righteousness and Judgment, in some Way, or at some Time 〈◊〉 another.

And now, what shall I say to you? O thank God, thank the Lord Jesus, thank the ever- • lessed Trinity, for this unspeakable Gift—For you would never have been thus highly favored, 〈◊〉 not he, who first spoke Darkness into Light, •• ved you with an everlasting Love, and enlightened you by his Holy Spirit, and that too, not▪

Account of any good Thing foreseen in you, but for his own Name's Sake.

Be humble therefore, O Believers, be humble—Look to the Rock from whence you have been •• ewn—Extol Free Grace —Admire Electing Love, which alone has made you to differ from the rest of your Brethren—Has God brought you into Light? Walk as become •• h Children of Light—Provoke not the Holy Spirit to depart from you—For though' he hath sealed you to the Day of Redemption, and you know that the Prince of this World is judged; yet if you backslide, grow lukewarm, or forget your first Love, the 〈◊〉 will visit your Offences with the Rod of Affliction, and your Sin with spiritual Scourges—Be not therefore high-minded, but fear—Rejoice, but let it be with Trembling—As the Elect of God, put on not only Humbleness of Mind, but Bowels of Compassion, and pray, Oh pray, for your unconverted Brethren!—Help me, help me now, O Children of God, and hold up •• y Hands, as Aaron and Hur once held up the Hands of Moses —Pray, whilst I am Preaching, that the Lord may enable me to say,

—Cry mightily to God, and with the Cords of a holy Violence, pull down Blessings on your Neighbors Heads—Christ yet lives and reigns in Heaven—The Residue of the Spirit is yet in his Hand, and a plentiful Effusion of it is promised in the latter Days of the Church—And Oh that the Holy Ghost, the blessed Comforter, would now come down, and convince those that are Christless amongst you, of Sin, of Righteousness, & of Judgment! Oh that you were once made willing to be convinced!—But perhaps you had rather be filled with Wine, than with the Spirit, and are daily chasing that Holy Guest from your Souls—What shall I say for you to God? What shall I say from God to you?—Why? that God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself—Therefore I beseech you, as in Christ's Stead, be ye reconciled to God—Do not go away contradicting and blaspheming—I know Satan would have you be gone—Many of you may be uneasy, and are ready to cry • ut▪ What a Weariness is this! But I will not let you go—I have wrestled with God for my Hearers in private, and I must wrestle with you 〈◊〉 public—Tho' of myself I can do no 〈◊〉 , and you can no more by your own Powe • 〈◊〉 to, and believe on Christ, than Lazaru • 〈◊〉 come forth from the Grave, yet who 〈◊〉 but God may beget some of you again 〈…〉 Hope by this Foolishness of Preaching, 〈◊〉 that you may be some of that World, which th • Comforter is to convince of Sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgment? —Poor, Christless 〈◊◊〉 do you know what a Condition you are 〈◊〉 Why you are lying in the wicked One, the 〈◊〉 —He is in you—He rules in you, he walks 〈…〉 in you, unless you dwell in Christ, 〈◊〉 the Comforter is come into your Hearts— 〈…〉 contentedly lie in that wicked 〈◊〉 the Devil? What Wages will he give 〈◊〉 Eternal Death—Oh that you would 〈◊〉 to Christ!—The Free Gift of God thro 〈◊〉 is eternal Life—He will accept of you even 〈◊〉 ▪ if you will believe in him—The Comforter • ay yet come into your Hearts, even yours—All that are now his living Temples, were once •• ing in the wicked One, as well as you—This blessed Gift, this Holy Ghost, the blessed Jesus received even for the Rebellious—Oh that he would show me that he has received it for some of you!—I see many of you affected—But are your Passions only a little wrought upon, or are your Souls really touched with a lively Sense of the Heinousness of your Sins, your Want of Faith, or the Preciousness of the Righteousness of Jesus Christ? If so, I hope the Lord has been gracious, & the Comforter is coming into your Hearts. O do not stifle these Convictions!—Do not go away, and strait way forget what Manner of Doctrine you have heard, and thereby show, that these are only common Workings of a few transient Convictions, floating upon the Surface of your Hearts—Beg of God that you may be sincere (for he alone can make you so) and that you may indeed desire that the Promise of the Text may be fulfilled in your Souls—Who knows but the Lord may be gracious? Remember you have no Plea but sovereign Mercy—But for your Encouragement also, remember it is the World, such as you are, to whom the Comforter is to come, and whom he is to convince—Wait therefore at Wisdom's Gates—The bare Probability of having a Door of Mercy opened, is enough to keep you 〈◊〉 —Christ Jesus came into the World to • a • e Sinner, the Chief of them—You know not but he came to save you—Do not go and quarrel with God's Decrees, and say, if I am a Reprobate, I shall be damned; if I am elected, I shall be saved, and therefore I will do nothing—What have you to do with God's Decrees? Secret Things belong to him—It is your Business to add all Diligence to make your Calling and Election s • re—I • there are but few that find the Way that leads to Life, do you strive to be some of them—You know not but you may be in the Number of those few, and that your striving may be the Means which God intends to bless, to give you an Entrance in—If you do not act thus, you are unsincere—And if you do, who knows but you may find Mercy? For though, after you have done all that you can, God may justly cut you off, yet never was a single Person damned that did all that he could—Tho' therefore your Hands are withered, stretch them out—Tho' you are impotent, •• ck and lame, come lie at the Pool—Who knows, but by and by the Lord Jesus may have Compassion on you, and send the Comforter to convince you of Sin, Righteousness, and of Judgment? He is a God full of Compassion and Long-suffering, otherwise you and I had been long since lifting up our Eyes in Torments—But still he is patient with us—Yet, O Christless Sinners, you are alive, and who knows but God intends to bring you to Repentance? Could my Prayers or Tears effect it, you should have Vollies of the one, and Floods of the other—My Heart is now touched with a Sense of your Condition—May our merciful High Priest now send down the Comforter, and make you sensible of it also!—Oh the Love of Christ! 〈◊〉 constrains me yet to beseech you to come to him—Oh what do you reject, if you reject Christ, the Lord of Glory! —Oh, Sinners, give the dear Redeemer a Lodging in your Souls—Do not be Bethlehemites —Sons and Daughters give Christ your Hearts, your whole Hearts—Indeed he is worthy—He made you, and not you yourselves—You are not your own—Oh give Christ then your Bodies and Souls, which are his!—Is it not enough to melt you down, to think that the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth Eternity, should 〈◊〉 condescend to invite you by his Minister? How soon can he frown you to Hell? And how know you, but he may 〈◊〉 Instant, if you do not hear his Voice?—Did any yet harden their Hearts against Christ, and prosper? Come then, do not send me sorrowful away! Do not let me have Reason to cry out, —Do not let me go weeping into my Closet, and say, —Would you be willing that I should give such an Account of you, or make such a Prayer before God? And yet I must not only do so here, but appear in Judgment against you hereafter, unless you will come to Christ—Once more therefore I entreat you to come—What Objections have you to make?—Behold 〈◊〉 stand here in the Name of God, to answer all that you can offer—But I know no one can come, unless the Father draw him—I will therefore address me to my God, and intercede with him to send the Comforter into your Hearts.

Amen, Amen, Amen.

SERMON IX.

The Conversion of ZACCHEUS.

SAlvation everywhere through the whole Scripture, is said to be the Free Gift of God thro' Jesus Christ our Lord. Not only Free, because God is a sovereign Agent, and therefore may withhold it from, or confer it on whom he pleaseth; but Free, because there is nothing to be found in Man, that can 〈◊〉 Way induce God to be merciful unto him. The Righteousness o • Jesus Christ is the sole Cause of our finding Favor in God's Sight—Thus Righteousness apprehended by Faith (which is also the Gift of God) makes it our own—And this Faith, if true, will work by Love.

These are Parts of those Glad Tidings which are published in the Gospel, and of the Certainty of them, next to the express Word of God, the Experience of all such as have been saved, is the best, and, as I take it, the most undoubted Proof—That God might teach us every Way, he has been pleased to leave upon Record many Instances of the Power of his Grace exerted in the Salvation of several particular Persons, that we, hearing how he dealt with them, might from thence infer the Manner we must expect to be dealt with ourselves, and learn in what Way we must look for Salvation, if we truly desire to be made Partakers of the heavenly Inheritance with the Saints in Light.

The Conversion of the Person referred to in the Text, I think will be of no small Service to us in this Matter, if rightly improved—I would hope most of you know who the Person is, to whom the Lord Jesus speaks—It is the Publican Zacchaeus, to whose House the blessed Jesus said Salvation came, and whom he pronounces a Son of Abraham.

It is my Design (God helping) to make some Remarks upon his Conversion recorded at large in the Verses foregoing, and th • n to infor • the latter Part of the Text, as an Encouragement to poor, undone Sinners to come to Jesus Christ— 〈◊〉 the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lo • t.

St. Luke introduces the Account of this Man's Conversion thus— Ver. 1.

—The Holy Jesus made it his Business to go about doing Good—As the Sun in the Firmament is continually spreading his benign, quickening, and cheering Influences over the natural, so the Son of Righteousness arose with healing under his Wings, and was daily and hourly diffusing his gracious Influences over the moral World—The Chapter foregoing, acquaints us of a notable Miracle wrought by the Holy Jesus on a poor blind Bartimaeus —And in this a greater presents itself to our Consideration—The Evangelist would have us take particular Notice of it—For he introduces it with the Word Behold —

Well might the Evangelist usher in the Relation of this Man • Conversion with the Word • ehold! For, according to human Judgment, how many unsurmountable Obstacles lay in the Way of it! Surely no one will say there was any Fitness in Zacchaeus for Salvation—For we are told that he was a Publican, and therefore in all Probability a notorious Sinner—The Publicans were Gatherers of the Roman Taxes—They were infamous for their abominable Extortion—Their v • ry Name therefore became so very odious, that we find the Pharisees often reproached our Lord, as very wicked, because he was a Friend unto, and sat down to Meat with them— Zacchaeus then being a Publican, was no doubt a Sinner, and being Chief among the Publicans, consequently was Chief among Sinners—Nay, 〈◊〉 was rich. And one inspired Apostle has told us, that not many mighty, not many noble, are called—Another • aith, God has chosen the Poor of this World, rich in Faith —And he that was the Maker and the Redeemer of the Apostles assures us, that it is • asier for a Camel, or Cable-Rope, to go through the Eye of a Needle, than for a rich Man to enter into the Kingdom of God —Let not therefore the Rich glory in the Multitude of their Riches.

But rich as he was, we are told, Ver. 3. 〈◊〉 "he sought to see Jesus" —And that was a Wonder indeed!—The common People heard our Lord gladly, and the Poor received the Gospel—The Multitude, the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Mob, the People that knew not the Law, as the proud High-Priests called them, used to follow him on Foot cut into the Country, and sometimes stayed with him three Days together to hear him preach—But did the Rich believe or attend on him? No—Our Lord preached up the Doctrine of 〈…〉 —He preached too searching for them, 〈◊〉 therefore they counted him their Enemy, ••• ecuted and spoke all Manner of Evil against 〈◊〉 falsely. Let not the Ministers of Christ 〈◊〉 , if they meet with the like Treatment 〈◊〉 the rich Men of this wicked and adulterous Generation—I should think it no Scandal ( 〈◊〉 it true) to hear it affirmed, that none but the poor attended my Ministry—Their Souls are as precious to our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Souls of the greatest Men—They were the Poor that attended him in the Days of his Flesh—These are they whom he hath chosen to be rich in Faith, and to be the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven—Were the rich in this World's Goods generally to speak well of me, woe • be unto me—I should think it a dreadful Sign that I was only a Wolf in Sheep's Cloathing, that I spoke Peace, Peace, when there was no Peace, and prophesied smoother Things than the Gospel would allow of. Hear ye this, O ye Rich—Let who will dare to do it, God forbid that I should despise the Poor. In doing so, I should reproach my Maker—No, the Poor are dear to my Soul—I rejoice to see them fly to the Doctrine of Christ, like the Doves to your Windows. I only pray that the Poor, who attend, may be evangelized, and turned into the Spirit of the Gospel—If so, Blessed are ye—For yours is the Kingdom of Heaven.

But we must return to Zacchaeus—

That is good News—I could heartily wish I could say, it was out of a good Principle—But without speaking con ••• ry to that Charity, which hopes and believeth all Things for the best, we may say, that the same Principle drew him after Christ, which now draws Multitudes (to speak plainly, it may be Multitudes of you) to hear a particular Preacher, • hat is, Curiosity. For we are told, that he came not to hear his Doctrine, but to view his Person, 〈◊〉 use the Words of the Evangelist, to see 〈…〉 —Our Lord's Fame was now 〈…〉 • hrough all Jerusalem, and all the Country 〈◊〉 about—Some said he was a 〈◊〉 M • n— 〈◊〉 , nay but he deceiveth th • People—And 〈…〉 Curiosity drew out this rich Publican 〈◊〉 to see who this Person was of whom he 〈◊〉 heard such various Accounts—But it seems 〈◊◊〉 not conveniently get a Sight of him for 〈◊〉 Pr • ss, and because he was little of Stature. 〈◊〉 how many are kept from seeing Christ in Glory by reason of the Press—I mean, how many 〈◊〉 ashamed of being singularly Good, and there •• re •• llow a Multitude to do Evil, because they 〈◊〉 a Press or Throng of polite Acquaintance. And for Fear of being set at naught by those with whom they used to • it at Meat, they deny the Lord of Glory, and are ashamed to confess, 〈◊〉 before Men—This ba • e, this servile Fear of M • n, is the Bane of true Christianity—It brings a dreadful Snare upon the Soul, and is the Ruin of ten Thousands—For I am fully persuaded, Number, are rationally convicted of Gospel Tr • t • ▪ but not being able to brook Contempt, they will not prosecute their Conviction, no • reduce them into Practice—Happy those, who in this Respect, at least like Zacchaeus, are resolved to overc • me all Impediments that • e in their Way to a Sight of Christ—For finding he could not see Christ because of the Press, and the Littleness of his natural Stature, he did not smi • e upon his Breast, and depart, saying, —No, finding he could not see Christ, if he continued in the midst of, he ( Ver. 4.) Ran before, the Multitude, and climbed up into a Sycamore-Tree to see him: For he was to pass that Way.

There's no seeing Christ in Glory, unless we run before the Multitude, and are willing to be in the Number of those despised few, who take the Kingdom of God by Violence—That broad Way, in which so many go, can never be that strait and narrow Way which leads to Life—Our Lord's Flock was, and always will be, comparatively a little One—And unless we dare to run before the Multitude in a holy Singularity, and can rejoice in being accounted Fools for Christ's Sake, we shall never see Jesus with Comfort, when he appears in Glory—From mentioning the Sycamore-Tree, and considering the Difficulty with which Zacchaeus must climb it, we may further learn, that those who would see Christ, must undergo other Difficulties and Hardships besides Contempt. Zacchaeus, without doubt, went through both—Did not many, think you, laugh at him as he ran along, and in the Language of Michal, Saul' s Daughter, cry out, How glorious did the rich Zacchaeus look to Day, when forgetting the Greatness of his Station, he ran before a pitiful, giddy Mob, and climbed up a Sycamore-Tree, to see an Enthusiastic Preacher!—But Zacchaeus cares not for all that—His Curiosity was strong—If he could but see who Jesus was, he did not value what Scoffers said of him—And thus much more will it be with all those who have an effectual Desire to see Jesus in Heaven—They will go on from Strength to Strength, break through every Difficulty lying in their Way, and care not what Men or Devils say of, or do unto them— May the Lord make us all thus minded for his dear Son's Sake!

At length, after taking much Pains, and going (as we may well suppose) thro' much Contempt, Zacchaeus has climbed the Tree; and there he sits, as he thinks, hid in the Leaves of it, and watching when he should see Jesus pass by— "For he was to pass by that Way."

But sing, O Heavens, and rejoice, O Earth! Praise, magnify, and adore sovereign, electing, free, preventing Love, Jesus the everlasting God, the Prince of Peace, who saw Nathanael under the Fig-Tree, and Zacchaeus from Eternity, now sees him in the Sycamore-Tree, and calls him in Time.

Ver. 5.

—Amazing Love! Well might St. Luke usher in the Account with the Word Behold! It is worthy our highest Admiration. When Zacchaeus thought of no such Thing, nay, thought that Christ Jesus did not know him, Behold Christ does, what we never hear he did before or after, I mean, invite himself to the House of Zacchaeus —Saying, Zacchaeus, make haste add come down; for this 〈◊〉 I must abide at thy House —Not pray let 〈◊◊〉 , but I must abide this Day at thy House. He also calls him by Name, as though' he was well acquainted with him—And indeed well he might. For his Name was written in the Book of Life. He was one of those whom the Father had given him from all Eternity. Therefore he must abide at his House that Day— For whom he did predestinate, them he also called.

Here then, as through a Glass, we may see the Doctrine of free Grace evidently exemplified before us—Here was no Fitness in Zacchaeus —He was a Publican, chief among the Publicans, not only so, but rich, and came hither to see Christ only out of Curiosity. But sovereign Grace triumphs over all—And if we do God Justice, and are effectually wrought upon, we must acknowledge there was no more Fitness in us, than in Zacchaeus —And had not Christ prevented us by his Call, we had remained dead in Trespasses and Sins, and alienated from the divine Life, even as others.

With what different Emotions of Heart may we suppose Zacchaeus received this Invitation? Think you not that he was surprised to hear Jesus Christ call him by Name, and not only so, but invite himself to his House? Surely thinks Zacchaeus, I dream. It cannot be—How should • e know me? I never saw him before—Besides, I shall undergo much Contempt, if I receive him under my Roof—Thus, I say, we may suppose Zacchaeus thought within himself. But what saith the Scripture? I will make a willing People in the Day of my Power —With this outward Call, there went an efficacious Power from God, which sweetly over-ruled his natural Will; and therefore, Ver. 6. "He made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully" —Not only into his House, but also into his Heart.

Thus it is the great God brings home his Children. He calls them by Name, by his Word or Providence—He speaks to them by his Spirit—Hereby they are enabled to open their Hearts, and are made willing to receive the King of Glory in—For Zacchaeus' s sake let us not entirely condemn People that come under the Word, out of no better Principle than Curiosity. Who knows but God may call them? It is good to be where the Lord is passing by— May all that are now present, out of this Principle, hear the Voice of the Son of God speaking to their Souls, and so hear that they may live! Not that Men ought therefore to take Encouragement to come out of Curiosity—For perhaps a thousand more, at other Times, came to see Christ out of Curiosity, as well as well as Zacchaeus, which were not effectually called by hi • Grace—I only mention this for the Encouragement of my own Soul, and the Consolation of God's Children, who are too apt to be angry with those who do not attend on the Word out of Love to God—But let them alone—Brethren pray for them—How do you know but Jesus Christ may speak to their Hearts? A few Word from Christ, applied 〈…〉 — Zacchaeus, 〈…〉 — And 〈…〉 and came down, 〈…〉 .

I have observed, in Holy Scripture, how particularly it 〈◊〉 remarked, that Persons rejoiced upon believing in Christ—Thus the converted 〈◊〉 went on 〈◊〉 Way rejoicing —Thus the 〈◊〉 rejoiced with his whole House—Thus Zacchaeus received Christ joyfully —And well may those rejoice that receive Jesus Christ. For with him they receive Righteousness, Sanctification, and eternal Redemption—Many have brought up an ill Report upon our good Land, 〈◊◊〉 • ain persuade People that Religion will make them melancholy mad—So far from it, that Joy is one Ingredient of the Kingdom of God in the Heart of a Believer— The Kingdom 〈◊〉 God is Righteousness, Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghost —To rejoice in the Lord, is a Gospel Duty. Rejoice in the Lord always, and 〈◊〉 I say rejoice —And who can be so joyful, as th • se who know that their Pardon is sealed before they go hence, and are no more seen? The godly may, but I cannot see how any ungodly Man can rejoice—They cannot be truly cheerful. What if wicked Men may sometimes have 〈…〉 amongst them? It is only the Laughter 〈…〉 —In the midst of it, 〈…〉 At the best, it is but like the Crackling of Thorns under a Pot—It makes a Blaze, but soon goes out—But as for the Godly, it is not to with them—Their Joy is solid and lasting— As it is a Joy that a Stranger intermedd • th not with; so it is a Joy that 〈◊〉 Man taketh from them—It is a Joy in God, a 〈◊〉 unspeakable and full of Glory.

It should seem that Zacchaeus was under 〈◊〉 Distress but a 〈…〉 Perhaps 〈◊〉 G • thery, in his Book intitled, The 〈…〉 thing a saving Inter 〈…〉 not above a Quart •• 〈◊◊〉 Hour—I add perhaps not so long—For, 〈◊〉 one observes, sometimes the Lord Jesus 〈◊〉 to deliver speedily—God 〈◊〉 a sovereign A 〈◊〉 , and works upon 〈◊〉 Children in their 〈◊◊〉 Calling, according to the Counsel of 〈◊◊〉 Will—It is with the 〈◊〉 is natural Birth A •• Women have not the 〈◊〉 Pangs—A Christians have not the 〈◊〉 Degree of Conviction. But all agree 〈…〉 that they 〈◊〉 have Jesus Christ formed in the 〈…〉 that have not so many 〈…〉 with the greater 〈◊〉 herea •• e • 〈…〉 But 〈…〉 We 〈…〉 We know not what Zacchaeus 〈…〉 I know 〈◊〉 • ow believed in Christ, and was justified 〈◊〉 a • quitted, and looked upon as righted 〈◊〉 God's Sight, though' • Publican, chief among the Publicans, not many Moments before. And thus it is with all that, like Zacchaeus, receive Jesus Christ by Faith into their Hearts. The very Moment they find 〈◊〉 in him, they are freely justified from all Things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses—For by Grace are we saved, thro' Faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the Gift of God.

Say not any of you within yourselves, this is a licentious, Antinomian Doctrine—For the Faith, if true, will work by Love, and be productive of the Fruits of Holiness—See an Insta ••• in this Convert Zacchaeus —No sooner had he received Jesus Christ by Faith into his Heart, but he evidences it by his Works—For, Ver. 8. we w • are told,

Having believed on Jesus in his Heart, he now makes Confession of him with his Mouth to Salvation— Zacchaeus stood forth —He was not ashamed, but stood forth before his Brother Publicans —For true Faith casts out all servile, sinful Fear of Man— "And said, Behold, Lord" —It is remarkable how readily People in Scripture have owned the Divinity of Christ immediately upon their Conversion—Thus the Woman at Jacob' s Well— "Is not this the Christ?" Thus the Man born blind— "Lord I believe, and worshipped him." Thus Zacchaeus, "Behold, Lord." An incontestable Proof this to me, that those who deny our Lord's Divinity, never effectually felt his Power—If they had, they would not speak so lightly of him—They would scorn to deny his eternal Power and Godhead—

—Oh noble Fruits of a true living Faith in the Lord Jesus!—Every Word calls for our Notice—Not some small, not the tenth Part, but the half—Of what? My Goods —Things that were valuable My Goods—His own not another's —I give, not I will give when I die, when I can keep them no longer; but I give now, even now. Zacchaeus would be his own Executor. For whilst we have Time we should do good —But to whom would he give half of his Goods? Not to the Rich, not to those who were already clothed in Purple and fine Linnen, of whom he might be recompensed again; but to the Poor, the Maimed, the Halt, the Blind, from which he could expect no Recompence till the Resurrection of the Dead— I give to the Poor —But knowing that he must be just, before he could be charitable, and conscious to himself, that in his public Administrations he had wronged many Persons, he adds, —Hear ye this, all ye that make no Conscience of cheating the King of his Taxes, or of buying or rolling Run Goods—If ever God gives you true Faith, you will never rest, till, like Zacchaeus, you have made Restitution to the utmost of your Power—I suppose before his Conversion, he thought it no Harm • to cheat thus, no more than you may do now, and pleased himself frequently to be sure, that he got so rich by doing so—But now he is grieved for it at his Heart—He confesses his Injustice before Men, and promises to make ample Restitution—Go ye cheating Publicans, learn of Zacchaeus —Go away and do likewise. If you do not make Restitution here, the Lord Jesus shall make you confess it before Men and Angels, and condemn you for it when he comes in the Glory of his Father to Judgment hereafter.

After all this, with good Reason might our Lord say unto him—

—Not so much by a natural, as by a spiritual Birth. He was made Partaker of like precious Faith with Abraham —Like Abraham he believed on the Lord, and it was accounted to him for Righteousness—His Faith, like Abraham' s, worked by Love, and I doubt not, but he has been long since sitting in Abraham' s Harbor.

And now are you not ashamed of yourselves, who speak against the Doctrines of Grace, especially that Doctrine of being justified by Faith alone, as though' it leaded to Licentiousness? What can be more unjust than such a Charge? Is not the Instance of Zacchaeus a sufficient Proof to the contrary? Have I strained it to serve my own Turn? God forbid—To the best of my Knowledge I have spoken the Truth in Sincerity and the Truth as it is in Jesus—I do affirm that we are saved by Grace, and that we are justified by Faith alone —But I do also affirm, that Faith must be evidenced by Good Works, where there 〈◊〉 an Opportunity of performing them.

What therefore has been said of Zacchaeus, may serve as a Rule, whereby all may judge whether they have Faith or not—You say you have Faith—But how do you prove it? Did you ever hear the Lord Jesus call you by Name? Were you ever made to obey that Call? Did you ever, like Zacchaeus, receive Jesus Christ joyfully into your Hearts? Are you influenced by the Faith you say you have, to stand up and contess the Lord Jesus before Men? Were you ever made willing to own, and humble yourselves for your past Offences? Does your Faith work by Love, so that you conscientiously lay up, according as God as prospered you, for the Support of the Poor? Do you give Alms of all Things that you possess? And have you made due Restitution to those you have wronged? If so, happy are ye—Salvation is come to your Souls—You are Sons, you are Daughters of, you shall shortly be everlastingly blessed with, faithful Abraham. But if you are not thus minded, do not deceive your own Souls—Tho' you may talk of Justification by Faith like Angels, it will do you no Good—It will only increase your Damnation—You hold the Truth, but it is in Unrighteousness. Your Faith, being without Works, is dead—You have the Devil, not Abraham, for your Father—Unless you get a Faith of the Heart, a Faith working by Love, with Devils and damned Spirits shall you dwell for evermore.

But it is Time now to enforce the latter Part of the Text— "For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" —These Words are spoken by our Savior in Answer to some self-righteous Pharisees, who, instead of rejoicing with the Angels in Heaven at the Conversion of such a Sinner, murmured, saying, that he was gone to be a Guest with a Man that was a Sinner —To vindicate his Conduct, he tells them, that this was an Act agreeable to the Design of his Coming— For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost —He might have said the Son of God —But Oh the wonderful Condescension of our Redeemer! He delights to style himself the Son of Man —He came, says he, not only to save, but to seek and to save that which was lost —He came to Jericho to seek and save Zacchaeus. For otherwise Zacchaeus would never have been saved by him—But from whence came he? Even from Heaven, his Dwelling-Place, to this lower Earth, this Vale of Tears, to seek and save that which was lost —All that feel themselves lost, and are willing, like Zacchaeus, to receive him into their Hearts—To save them—With how great a Salvation! Even from the Guilt, and also Power of their Sins—To make them Heirs of God, and Joint-Heirs with himself, and Partakers of that Glory, which he enjoyed with the Father before the World began—Thus will the Son of Man save that which is lost—He was made the Son of Man on purpose that he might save them—He had no other End but this in leaving his Father's Throne, in obeying the moral Law, and hanging upon the Cross—All that was done and suffered only to satisfy, and procure a Righteousness for poor, lost, undone Sinners, and that too without Respect of Persons— "That which was lost" —All of every Nation and Language, that feel, bewail, and are truly desirous of being delivered from their lost State, the Son of Man came down to seek and to save—For he is a God mighty, not only so, but willing to save to the uttermost all those that come to God thro' him—He will in no wise cast them out—For he is th • same to Day, as he was Yesterday. He comes now to Sinners, as well as formerly, and I hope hath sent me out this Day to seek, and under him, to bring home some of you, the lost Sheep of the House of Israel —What say you? Shall I go home rejoicing? Saying, that many like Sheep have went astray, but they have now believed on Jesus Christ, and so returned home to the great Shepherd and Bishop of their Souls. If the Lord would be pleased thus to prosper me in my Work, I care not how many Legalists and self-righteous Pharisees murmur against me, for offering Salvation to the worst of Sinners—For I know the Son of Man came to seek and 〈◊〉 save them, and the Lord Jesus will now be a Guest to the worst Publican, the vilest Sinner that is amongst you, if he does but believe on him—Make haste then, O Sinners, make haste, and come by Faith to Christ—Then, this Day, even this Hour, nay, this Moment, if you believe • Jesus Christ shall come, and make his eternal Abode in your Hearts—Which of you is ma • e willing to receive the King of Glory? Which of you obeys the Call, a • Zacchaeus did? Alas! why do you stand still? How know you wh • +there Jesus Christ may ever call you again? Come then, poor guilty Sinners—Come away, poor lost, undone Publicans —Make haste, I say, and come away to Jesus Christ—The Lord condescends to invite himself to come under the filth▪ Roofs of the Houses of your Souls—Do not be afraid of entertaining him—He will fill you with all Peace and Joy in Believing—Do not be ashamed to run before the Multitude, and to have all Manner of Evil spoke against you falsely for his sake—One Sight of Christ will make amends for all— Zacchaeus was laughed at, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution? But what of that? Zacchaeus 〈◊〉 now crowned in Glory, as you also shall shortly be, if you believe on, and are reproached for Christ's sake. Do not therefore put me off with frivolous Excuses—There's no Excuse can be given for your not coming to Christ—You are lost, undone, without him; and if he is not glorified in your Salvation, he will be glorified in your Destruction—If he does not come, and make his Abode in your Hearts, you must take up an eternal Abode with the Devil and his Angels—Oh that the Lord would be pleased to pass by some of you at this Time! Oh that he may call you by his Spirit; and make you a willing People in this Day of his Power! For I know my Calling will not do, unless He, by his efficacious not, Grace, compel you to come in—Oh that you once felt what it is to receive Jesus Christ into your Hearts! You would soon, like Zacchaeus, give him every Thing—You do not love Christ, because you do not know him—You do not come to him, because you do not feel your Want of him—You are whole, and not broken-hearted—You are not sick, at least not sensible of your Sickness, and therefore no wonder you do not apply to Jesus Christ, that Great, that Almighty Physician—You do not feel yourselves lost, and therefore do not seek to be found in Christ—Oh that God would wound you with the Sword of his Spirit! Oh that he would cause his Arrows of Conviction to 〈◊◊〉 in your Heart, 〈◊〉 Oh that he would dart a R • v of divine Light into your Souls▪ For if you do not feel yourselves 〈…〉 Christ you are of all Men most miserable—Your Souls are dea • , you are not only an Image 〈◊〉 , but in some Degree Hell itself—You carry Hell about with you, and you know 〈◊〉 no—Oh that I could see some of you sensible of 〈◊〉 and hear you cry out,

—W •• this your Case, How 〈◊〉 would the Lord stretch forth by Almighty Hand, and say, Be of good Cheer, 〈◊〉 I, be not afraid—What a wonderful Ca ••• 〈…〉 your troubled Souls! Your 〈…〉 would 〈◊〉 be with the Father and the Son—Your Life would be hid with Christ in God—Some of you I hope have experienced this, and can say, I was lost, but I am found; I was dead, but am alive again—The Son of Man came and sought me in the Day of his Power, and saved my sinful Soul—And do you repent that you came to Christ? Has he not been a good Master? Is not his Presence sweet to your Souls? Has he not been faithful to his Promise? And have you not found that even in doing and suffering for him there is an exceeding present great Reward? I am persuaded you will answer, Yes—Oh then, ye Saints, recommend and talk of the Love of Christ to others, and tell them, Oh tell them, what great Things the Lord has done for you!—This may encourage others to come unto him—And who knows, but the Lord may make you Fishers of Men? The Story of Zacchaeus was left on Record for this Purpose—No truly convicted Soul, after such an Instance of divine Grace has been laid before him, need despair of Mercy—What if you are Publicans? Was not Zacchaeus a Publican? What if you are chief among the Publicans? Was not Zacchaeus so likewise? What if you are rich? Was not Zacchaeus rich also? And yet Almighty Grace made him more than Conqueror over all these Hindrances—All Things are possible to Jesus Christ; Nothing is too hard for Him—He is the Lord Almighty—Our Mountains of Sins must all fall before this great Zerubbabel —On him God the Father has laid the Iniquities of all that shall believe on him, and in his own Body he bare them on the Tree—There, there by Faith, O Mou • ners in Zion, may you see your Savior hanging with Arms stretched out, and hear him, as it were, thus speaking to your Souls— on him now—For though' he is dead, he 〈◊〉 speak • eth all this in the Scripture, nay, in 〈◊〉 says all this in the Words of the Text— The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that 〈◊〉 was lost —Do not therefore any longer 〈◊〉 the Lord of Glory—Bring those Rebels, your Sins, which will not have him to reign over them—Bring them out to him—Tho' you cannot 〈◊〉 them yourselves, yet he will slay them for you—The Power of his Death and Resurrection is 〈◊〉 great now as formerly—Make haste therefore, ma • e haste, O ye Publicans and Sinners, and give the dear Lord Jesus your Hearts, your whole Hearts—If you refuse to hearken to 〈◊〉 Call of the Lord, remember your Damnation will be 〈◊〉 I am free from the Blood 〈◊〉 you all—You 〈…〉 acquit my Master and me at the terrible Day 〈◊〉 Judgment—Oh that you may know the Thing that 〈◊〉 to your everlasting Peace, be 〈◊〉 they are eternally hid from your Eves! Let 〈◊〉 that have the Lord Jesus Christ in 〈◊〉 say Amen.