Sermons Volume 4

an instruction from his own experience, he begins the Psalm, Blessed is he whose iniquity is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man, unto whom the Lord imputeth not sin. Then he concludeth, rejoice ye upright. A Man that is condemned for some Criminal Offence, and ready to be executed, oh what joy hath he when he hath received his pardon! So we should rejoice in God, who are as it were brought back again from the Gibbet, and have received our Atonement. So also in the gift of the Holy Spirit, to sanctify and heal our Natures; if the Angels, who are but the Spectators and Lookers on, rejoice in the Conversion of a Sinner should not the Parties interested, Luke 15.10. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. So in the hopes of Glory, Luke 10.20. Rejoice, because your names are written in Heaven. Rom. 5.2. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

4. We rejoice in God, when we delight to do his Will, and are fitted for his Use and Service. To be set, and kept in the way to Heaven is a greater Comfort to us than if we had all the World bestowed upon us, Psalm 119.14. I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. David had experience of both as a puissant King, and as God's Servant. So 2 Cor. 1.12. For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world. In Carnal Rejoicing Men seek to conceal and hide the grounds of their Joy, as being ashamed of them; the Worldling in his Bags, the Voluptuous in the Instruments of his Pleasure; the Glutton will not point to his Dishes, nor the Drunkard to his Pots, and say, This is my Rejoicing; but a Christian dareth own his Joy, this is my rejoicing, that God hath taught me his ways, and enabled me to walk in them.

5. We also rejoice in God, when we rejoice in the Blessings of his Providence, as they come from God, and lead to God. Joel 2.23. Be glad then, ye children of Zion! and rejoice in the Lord your God; for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month. So God's care in protecting us, Psalm 5.11. But let all those that put their trust in thee, rejoice, let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: Let them also that love thy Name, be joyful in thee. These common Favors and Benefits manifest God's respect to us, and should be as a step to the Lord's People, to lead them up to rejoice in God. This was God's quarrel with his People, Deut. 28.47, 48. Because thou servest not the Lord thy God with joyfulness and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies, which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger and thirst, and nakedness, and in want of all things; and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he hath destroyed thee. Whatever we have, we should look upon it as a token of God's Love to us, and so rejoice in them, not as satisfied with these worldly things, but as they direct us to God. Carnal Men rejoice in the Creature, but in a carnal, and sensual manner; their joy neither ariseth from God, nor endeth in God; they neither look to God as their Author, nor make him their end; and it is a naughty Heart, that can rejoice in anything without God, and apart from God.

II. How this must be constant and perpetual, Rejoice evermore.

1. In all Estates and Conditions, this joy must not be infringed, God's Children have, or may have cause of rejoicing in God, whatever their outward Condition be, and therefore they should make Conscience of it, whether their Affairs be adverse, or prosperous.

1. A State of Worldly Sorrow and Affliction is reconcilable, and agreeable enough, or consistent with our rejoicing in the Lord. The Scriptures abound in the proof of this, 2 Cor. 6.10. As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing : 1 Pet. 1.6. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations : 2 Cor. 7.4. I am filled with comfort, and am exceeding joyful in all our tribulations. So David, Psalm 94.19. In the multitude of my thoughts within me, thy comforts delight my soul. Paul and Silas sung in the Dungeon at Midnight, Acts 16.25. At midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sa • g praises unto God. Tribulation disturbeth not the Harmony of a wellcomposed mind; the reason is, because there is more matter of delight in God, than can be taken from him in the Creature, John 16.22. Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. Whatever falleth out, God's All-sufficiency, and Heavens Happiness are everlasting grounds of rejoicing. (1.) God's All-sufficiency, Hab. 3.18. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Your Right and Interest in God is not made void by the blasting of the Creature. So (2.) Hopes of Glory remain unshaken. Matth 5.12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven. Though the World be bent against us with all manner of spite and hatred, yet there is more cause of Joy than Sorrow. There cannot be more evil in our Sufferings, than there is good in God, and happiness in Heaven.

2. A State of Sorrow and Affliction is not only consistent with this Holy rejoicing, but doth much promote it. Partly as Afflictions conduce to refine, and purge the Soul from the Dregs of Sense, and make it capable of the Comforts of the Spirit; Jude 19. Sensual, having not the spirit. Till our taste be clarified from the foeculency and dregs of Sense, we cannot relish Spiritual Comforts, nor know their worth and value. Whilest we flow in Worldly Comforts, the Carnal gust and taste is too strong upon us, and so we have mean thoughts of God's Consolations. They do best relish with the afflicted, as Cordials are for the fainting, not for those whose Stomacks are full of phlegm and filth. Partly as they occasion greater Experiences of God, 2 Cor. 12.10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then am I strong. So Rom. 5.3, 4, 5. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope: And hope maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts, by the Holy Ghost, which is given unto us. Partly as they are sanctified, and increase Grace; and an increase of Grace will bring with it an increase of Comfort. Heb. 12.11. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous; Nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness, unto them which are exercised thereby. Now from all these Considerations though Afflictions may a little damp it, yet they do not extinguish it.

2. We must rejoice evermore, because it is not a Duty to be done now and then, or which doth only belong to some eminent Christians, that are assured of God's Love; but from our first acquaintance with Christ, till the last period of our Lives, it is of use to us, and some act of Joy our first entrance into Christianity.

1. Some act of joy our first entrance into Christianity is begun with,

1. Before our Interest is well settled and cleared. There are general grounds of rejoicing, which oblige all; as that there is a good God, and poor drooping Spirits should apply themselves to him who hath Comforts for his Mourners, Isa. 57.15. For thus saith the high and lofty one, that inhabiteth eternity, whose Name is Holy; I dwell in the High and Holy place; with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. That there is a merciful and able Savior, a Gospel, or New Covenant, that bringeth glad tidings to Sinners, Luke 2.10, 11. Fear not, for behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. The World being fallen under God's Wrath, and deserved Condemnation, it is matter of joy, that God hath found a Ransom, and that he offereth Pardon and Life to those who will seek it, and accept it upon his Blessed Termes. It is matter of joy before we have interest in these things. A possible conditional Reconciliation with God, that dreadful Controversy taken up, Heaven and Earth kissing each other, that Life and Immortality is brought to Light, and such a Blessedness discovered as satiateth the Mind of Man, without which Man would have been but as Leviathan in a little Pool. In short, the Gospel showing a sure way of Reconciliation with God, and the Everlasting Fruition of him in Glory, the very offers of it stir up a joy in us. And wherever the Gospel cometh, it hath at his first coming upon these accounts been entertained with joy. As when Philip preached the Gospel in Samaria, Acts 8.8. There was great joy in that city ; not only joy, but great joy. So it is said of the Goaler, that new Convert, Acts 16.34. That he rejoiced, believing in God with all his house ; he was but even recovered out of the Suburbs of Hell, ready to kill himself just before, verse 27. so that a Man would think he should easier fetch Water out of a Flint, or a spark of Fire out of the bottom of the Sea, than to find joy so soon in such an heart, yet he rejoiced, though he was still in danger of his Life, for treating those as Guests, whom he should have kept as Prisoners. So 2 Cor. 8.2. We read of the abundance of their joy, and deep poverty, because they were acquainted with the Gospel. So Zacchaeus received Christ joyfully, because Salvation was come to his House, Luke 19.6. He made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And the Man that found the true Treasure, for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, Matth. 13.44. He parted with all. His Satisfactions, Comforts, and Contentments. This is so sure a Truth, that where-ever the Gospel, or Christ is received in any degree, and proportion, though not to a converting degree, there is some joy. In Converts I have showed you, and you may cast in that Text by way of over-plus, Acts 2.41. Then they that gladly received the word were baptized, and the same day there were added to the church about three thousand souls : It is a degree not amounting to Conversion. Luke 8.13. The stony ground received the word with joy. Herod had some kind of joy in hearing John the Baptist, Mark 6.20. He did many things, and heard him gladly. And his other Hearers rejoiced in his light for a season, John 5.35. These had a joy, but not in such a predominant degree, as to be able to control their Affections to other things, and so this joy could not maintain itself, or keep itself alive. Therefore it is said, That we are his house, if we hold fast the confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end, Heb. 3.6. The first offers of Pardon and Life by Christ do stir up this joy in us, as the Gospel showeth us a way how to come out of the greatest Miseries, and get an interest in the greatest Happiness. The possible hope of Relief and Deliverance cannot but affect us, if we be serious.

2. As to our Progress in the Duties and hopes of the Gospel, it is still carried on with joy. Therefore Believers are described by it as their vital act, Phil. 3.3. We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. What is the constant work of a Christian, but a rejoicing in Christ Jesus, or a than • full sense of our Redeemers Mercy? And therefore the whole Life of a Christian is represented by keeping a Feast, 1 Cor. 5.7, 8. Christ our passover is sacrificed for us, therefore let us keep the feast. Seven days the Jews kept their feast of unleavened Bread, which figureth the whole time of our pilgrimage, till we enter into the Everlasting Sabbath. Every day is a Holy-day, and a Feast-day with a Christian, now Christ his Passover is sacrificed for him; partly through a sense of God's Love; partly through the Testimony of a good Conscience; and partly through the hopes of Glory. He is always rejoicing in God, if he be in a right frame, and liveth up to his Gospel-Privileges. Let me chiefly instance in two Duties, of Prayer, and Praise, or Thanksgiving, which take up a great part of our Commerce with God: And especially because they are connected with the Duty we are upon, for we must rejoice evermore, praying without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. The Duties that follow serve to act and cherish this joy.

(1.) Rejoice evermore, so as to pray without ceasing. They that delight in God will be often with him, and can come cheerfully, and unbosom themselves to him, as a Man would to his Friend: They are not dragged into his presence, as into the presence of a Judge, but they come freely to him as Children to their Father. They that love God as their portion and happiness, will much converse with him; they are out of their Element, but when they are praying to God, or speaking of God, or thinking of God, therefore they are still with him But this is denied of the Hypocrite, Job 27.10. Will he delight himself in the almighty? Will he always call upon God? They may sometimes cry to him, not because they love him and his service, but because they love their own ease, and to be free from trouble; their straits may force a little Service from them. Well then, without delight we cannot keep a continual course of Communion with God in Prayer.

(2.) For Praise or giving of Thanks, in everything give thanks, that is, both the fruit of our delight in God, and a means to quicken it: One that delights in God, will have cause enough to give thanks, whether the Creature come or go, whatever is taken from him, his joy is not taken from him. He can bless God for his Mercies in Christ, when retrenched and cut short in the World; though he hath lost some Comforts, yet others are yet remaining. Shall one Cross embitter all our Comforts? As one string broken puts the whole Instrument out of Tune. They can bless God for taking as well as giving, Job, 1.21. The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, blessed be the name of the • ord. If the Lord gave all, why may he not take away a part? A thankful heart can praise God for God himself, for choicer Mercies yet continued, for some outward Mercies remaining. If God gave all, and take but a part, have we any cause to complain?

3. Still I prove this joy must be continued throughout the whole course of the Spiritual Life, because the beginning, progress, and ending is carried on by it; the joy of God is our support in our declining time, the staff of our Age, for then Christians grow more dead to the World and worldly things, and are less moved by them, whether they keep or loose, have, or want them; and then they are nearer to Eternity, and have more of that rejoicing in hope spoken of, Rom. 2.12. This joy is a beginning of the joys in Heaven; here we have a Sip, there a full Draught. Our Delight in God now is of the same Nature with that which the Saints and Angels have in Heaven. There is indeed a vast difference in the degrees, here a little joy entereth into us, but there we enter into our masters joy, Math. 25.23. But though they differ in degree, yet the Object and Affection is the same: It is the same God, and the same Glory which delighteth us; only now they are seen by Faith, then they shall be Objects of direct sight and fruition, we shall see him face to face. In short, rejoicing in God is a beginning of the Employment we shall then have in Heaven. Therefore when we expect in a few days to be swallowed up of this Joy, shall we be no more affected with it now? We that shall so shortly be so full of joy, shall we be empty now? Shall not we rejoice, who have now a Title to Heaven, and shall in a little time be in the full and perpetual possession of it.

III. The many Reasons, which show we should have a greater inclination to this Blessed Work, than usually we have, and be oftener in it.

1. Because God hath done so much to raise it in us. All the Persons of the God-head concur and contribute their Influence, in that way of operation which is proper to each, to give us grounds of joy.

1. The Father giveth himself to us, and his favor as our felicity and portion. God's Love is the bosom and bottom cause of all our Happiness, which sets all other causes at work; and when we have the sure effects of it, can anything so bitter befall us, that will not be sweetened by the Love of God? Or so evil, that this shall not be ground of Comfort to us: Psalm. 4.6, 7. There are many that say, who will show us any good? Lord! lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart,, more than in the time, that their corn and their wine increased. Carnal Men must have something good to sense; but Godly Men take their full delight in God. This doth them good to the Heart, it is not like a little Dew that wets the Surface, but like a soaking Showre that goeth to the Root. And [ more, ] enough to draw us off from the World, enough to swallow up all our infelicities, yea, to encounter the Thoughts of Death, Hell, and Judgment to come.

2. The Son is also matter of rejoicing to us, as our Redeemer, and Savior. You are to consider what the Lord Jesus hath done to deliver you from Sin, and the bitter Curse of the Law, and the Fears of Death, and the Flames of Hell. The Eternal Son of God came to heal our wounds, Isa. 53.5. By his stripes we are healed. To make our peace with the Father by the Blood of his Cross, Col. 1.20. To vanquish our Spiritual Enemies, and triumph over them, Col. 2.14, 15. to be the ransom of our Souls, 1 Tim. 2.6. The Captain of our Salvation▪ Heb. 2.10. the Head of his Church, Eph. 1.22. The Treasury and Store • ou • e of all our Comforts, John 1.16. and in short, he hath recovered us to God, and hath given us an Interest in the Comforts of his Gospel, and the Promises thereof, which are in him Yea, and in him Amen; and is not this matter of joy and rich comfort? The whole Covenant breed strong consolation in the hearts of God's People, Heb. 6.18. And David saith, Psalm 119.111. Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart : It doth our hearts good, when we take these things for our Happiness. Abraham rejoiced in the fore-thought or fore-sight of Christ's day, John 8.56. Your Father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad. And should not we rejoice, that live under the clearest dispensation of it? The benefits of our Redemption by Christ should be so esteemed, that no Affliction should be grievous. The Kingdom of Christ is everywhere represented as a Kingdom of Joy and Comfort. Rom. 14.17. The kingdom of heaven is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the holy Ghost. And if we be real Members of it, we should see more cause of rejoicing in Christ Jesus.

3. The Holy Ghost concurreth in his way of Operation, as a Sanctifier, Guide, and Comforter. As a Sanctifier he layeth the foundation for Comfort, for it is the spirit of Delusion that comforts us in our sins, that by imaginary Comforts he may keep you from those that are real, solid, and everlasting: But the true Spirit is a Sanctifier, and therefore a Comforter; he first poureth in the Oil of Grace, and then the Oil of gladness: Comfort and Joy follow Holiness, as Heat doth the Fire. And then as a Guide, either in his restraining Notions, as he mortifieth Sin, or in his inviting motions, as he exciteth and quickeneth to Holiness: These are helps to our Comfort; cannot a Man live merrily without Sin? And do you think a Life of Holiness irreconcilable with a life of rejoicing, no such matter, it is the ready way to joy, especially to joy Spiritual.

But chiefly as a Comforter, he is purposely given us, to keep in this Holy Fire, and maintain a constant delight in God in our Souls. And therefore it is called Joy in the Holy Ghost, where God himself taketh upon him the Office of a Comforter, surely there will be comfort. Life will quicken, light will illuminate, and the comforting Spirit will comfort in that season and degree God seeth fit, and we are capable to receive. Now he comforteth partly as sealing, partly as giving earnest, 2 Cor. 1.22. Who hath also sealed us, and given us the earnest of the spirit in our hearts. As sealing us, by stamping the impress and image of God upon us, which is the mark of his Children, the sure Evidence of his Love, and the Pledge of our Happiness. And as giving us the earnest of a Blessed Estate to come; that Life is begun, which there shall be perfected. Now consider all this, when God himself will be our Portion, our Savior, our Comforter, should not all this cause us to rejoice in God, whatever our Condition be in the World?

2. All the Graces tend to this: Faith, Hope, and Love.

1. Faith, That is a dependence upon God for something future that lieth out of sight. Now these invisible and future Objects are so great and glorious, that they support and comfort the heart, how afflicted soever our present Condition be, 1 Pet. 1.8. In whom believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory, Rom. 15.13. Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost. In both these places Faith implieth a firm belief of, and dependence upon Christ as an All-sufficient Savior, by whom alone God will give us Eternal Life. This Faith will breed a perpetual rejoicing in the Soul, if it be firm, strong, and operative.

2. Hope breedeth this Joy also, Rom. 12.12. Rejoicing in hope, and Rom. 5.2. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Though we be pressed with Miseries for the present, yet there is a better Estate to come, the excellency and certainty of which causeth us to rejoice, and giveth us a foretaste of it. Joy is chiefly for Enjoyment, but there is a partial Enjoyment by hope, which is not only a desirous expectation, but delightful for taste, or praeoccupation of the thing hoped for.

3. Love to God also causeth us to rejoice in him: For it showeth itself in a complacency, and well-pleasedness of Mind in God as our chief good. Psalm 16.5, 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup, thou maintainest my lot: The lines are fallen to me in pleasant places. Certainly they do not love God, that do not value and esteem him as better than all worldly things. Other things without him cannot give any solid contentment to the Soul, but he without other things is enough; he is all in all to the heart that loveth him. Therefore if we be rooted and grounded in love to God, he will be the delight of our Souls, and our exceeding Joy, whatever we loose in the World. Thus you see, Faith, Hope, and Love have a great influence upon this joy.

3. All the Ordinances and Duties of Religion were appointed to breed, and feed, and act, and increase this joy in us. Reading, Hearing, Praying, Meditating, the Lord's Supper; all these Duties were appointed to quicken the Soul to delight in God; and they must all be used to this end. Reading, wherefore were the Scriptures written, but to beget in us a comfortable sense of the Love of God in Christ, 1 John 1.4. These things write we unto you, that your joy may be full. The word doth beget, and keep up our delight in God by those discoveries which it maketh of his goodness to us, in Doctrines, Counsels, and Promises; that every time we look into God's blessed Book, we might have a fresh delight acted, and stirred in us. So for hearing, its main end is to increase our joy, therefore was the Ministry appointed. Not for that we have dominion over your faith but as helpers of your joy, 2 Cor. 1.24. That is the main end of our Ministry, because the Gospel-Dispensation is a Dispensation of Grace. We must press repentance, but it is to cure you of your vain rejoicings in order to more solid comfort; to put you out of your Fools Paradise, that you may prize and esteem your Savior, and set more by him, than by all the Pleasures, Honors, and Riches of the World. Holy Mourning is in order to Comfort, the vain Delight and carnal rejoicing is checked and deadened, that we may raise in you the true Joy. We are helpers of your joy in God's way, and truly that is the only way; we need not over-Gospel the Gospel, as Honey needs not to be sweetened with other things. So Prayer, we put promises in suit, that we may have new experiences of the Love and Bounty of God. John 16.24. Ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. In Prayer you come to solace yourselves with God, and to unbosom yourselves to him as your best Friend. Meditation on God's Excellencies and Benefits, it is still to maintain this delight in God. Psalm 104.34. My meditation of him shall be sweet, I will delight in the Lord. The Lord's Supper was appointed for the Elevation of our joy to the height; it is our Spiritual Feast and Resection, that we may go on our way with joy, as the Eunuch when baptized, he went on his way rejoicing, Acts 8.39. Here the whole Gospel is applied and sealed to us, and Bread and Wine doth not so much cheer the Body, as the Body and Blood of Christ doth the Soul. You come not only to remember your privileges by Christ, but it is your solemn investiture, here you take possession of Christ, and all his benefits.

The Second SERMON On I. Thessalonians v.16.

VSE. TO press you to this Spiritual Rejoicing. God never hath our Hearts, till he hath our delight. To enforce this Exhortation, I must (First) Take off prejudices, (Secondly,) Perswade by Arguments, (Thirdly,) Direct you in the exercise of this great Duty.

First, To take off Prejudices and Objections, which may lie in the Hearts of Men against this Duty.

1. Prejudice. How can this rejoicing evermore stand with that sense which we should have of Afflictions coming from God? Is it not a stupid thing to be merry, when God is angry? Must we rejoice in troubles, notwithstanding the breaches God hath made upon us? I Answer,

1. Carnal Rejoicing is a very provoking thing, because it is an affront to God's Providence. It is a defiance of the dispensation we are under, when we are not affected with our own, or our Brethren's Misery, or our Fathers anger. Isa. 22.12, 13, 14. In that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and to girding with sack-cloth. And behold joy and gladness, slaying oxen, and killing sheep, eating flesh, and drinking wine; let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we shall die. It was revealed in mine ears by the Lord of hosts, surely, this iniquity shall not be purged from you till you die. So James 4.9. Be afflicted and mourn, and weep, let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness. And chap. 5.1. Go to now, ye rich men! Weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. and verse 5. Ye have lived in pleasure upon earth, and been wanton, ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter. Now compare this with chap. 1.2. My brethren! count it all joy, when ye fall into divers temptations. Never any were reproved for rejoicing in God in Calamities, but for Carnality, and for Re • oycing in sensual satisfactions. If you say the answer cometh not home, you may rejoice in unjust dealings and persecutions of Men, or in Trials; but in corrective dispensations from the immediate Hand of God how shall we rejoice? I reply, we are directed to this rejoicing in God in those Calamities which come from God's immediate Hand. Habak. 3.17, 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines, the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat, the flocks shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no heard in the stalls. Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Surely Famine and Desolation come from God, and come as a punishment; yet I will rejoice in the Lord. This Spiritual rejoy • ing is not an irreverence, but an honor to God; when we are satisfied in him, though all Creature Comforts, and Means of subsistence are blasted; and we show that we have Comfort enough in God, that is out of the reach of trouble, and this can support us when all things beneath God fail, Job 5.22. At destruction and famine shalt thou laugh. Stupidity and Carnal Mirth are very unseasonable, but to live above the Creature, and without the Creature, is an high point of Faith and love to God; and to rejoice in him, when all outward Causes of rejoicing cease, is so far from being a Sin, that it is an eminent Duty. Our better part and happiness is out of the reach of trouble, though it be never so grievous.

2. We must distinguish between the sense of Affliction, and support under it. For we must neither sleight it, nor faint under it, Heb. 12.5. My Son despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him. These are the two extremes. The sense of our Condition is necessary, that we may not sleight the Affliction; and the support, that we may not faint under it. Both may, and must stand together; for in all worldly cases we must weep as if we wept not, 1 Cor. 7.30. And again sorrow not as those without hope, 1 Thess. 4.13. and so be without all comfort. In short, the sense is necessary for improvement, the support to make trouble easy.

1. If we have not a Sense, we cannot make a right use of our Sufferings and Afflictions, but our Hearts will be more hardened in Sin. God is their Author, Repentance is their end, and their cause is Sin: Lam. 3.39. Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? And therefore though we be not to droop and languish under our Afflictions, yet we must consider the righteous Providence of God; and the smart of his displeasure must awaken us to Repentance, otherwise the Affliction is frustrated, and you leave the thorn in your foot, which caused your first pain and soarness. If you do not repent of your Sins, and no cure is wrought, if you still let out your hearts freely to the World, and the prosperities and delights thereof, this is the high way to security, and carelessness of Soul Concernments.

2. You must not faint, and despair, as if all joy and comfort in God were lost. For,

1. We are not utterly undone, as long as we have God for our Portion, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him. Though the Creature be blasted, he is alive still, and should be the joy and delight of our Souls; for then we are tried, whether he be so, or no.

2. God is a Loving Father when he corrects. Our chastisements are effects not only of his Justice, but Mercy; it is a Rod in the Hand of our Father, wherewith we are scourged, John 18.11. The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? And so it is an Act of Love and kindness to us.

3. Our Father hath Mercy enough to turn it to our benefit. Heb. 12.10. They verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure, but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his Holiness. And shall we mourn for that, which is for our benefit? If we rejoice in God and Holyness, it will not be so. If God will stir us up to more Humility, contempt of the World, confidence in himself, and to place our delights in him alone, shall we be dejected and displeased, as if some great wrong had been done us?

4. If this Affliction fits us for Everlasting Happiness, there is cause of joy still left. 2 Cor. 4.17. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding, and eternal weight of glory. One that must have Eternal Glory, and Eternal Glory promoted by such a means, should not grudge at a little suffering and affliction, which is the common burden of the Sons of Adam.

2. Prejudice. Christ hath pronounced those Blessed that mourn for Sin. Matth. 5.4. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted ; how then can we rejoice evermore?

Answer. 1. Mourning for Sin is necessary to cure our vain Rejoicing, or delight in carnal vanities; and at our entrance into Christianity, this is a Duty highly incumbent upon us because of Sin, and the Curse which we naturally lie under. Certainly while we are out of Christ we have nothing to comfort us, nothing to answer to the terrors of the Law, or to reply against the Accusations of Conscience, and the fears of approaching Misery and Judgment; and what should we do, if we be sensible of it, but bemoan ourselves, and seek after God with weeping and supplications? God's first work in Conversion is to put Men out of their fools Paradise, who are satisfied with the Creature without himself. Therefore Humiliation, and a broken-hearted sense of Misery is required, to deaden the relish and taste of Sin, and that Men may more prize and esteem the healing Grace of Christ, and set more by it than all the Pleasures, and Riches, and Honors of the World. Can a Man see himself lost, and in danger of Condemnation, and not be grieved? But all this while joy is in the making, and we are providing Everlasting Comfort for ourselves; for God is ready to ease us, as soon as our need requireth, and our care will permit, Isa. 57, 15, 16, 17. For this saith the high and lofty one, that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. For I will not contend forever, neither will I be always wroth, for the spirit shall fail before me, and the souls which I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness I was wroth, and smote him, I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. And he saith afterwards, verse 18. I have seen his ways, and will heal him. I will lead him also, and restore comfort to him, and to his mourners. The Lord is ready to come in with sweet and Heavenly Cordials, when the Physic worketh but a little kindly, Ier. 31.18, 19, 20. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, thou hast chastized me, and I was chastized, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; turn thou me, and I shall be turned, for thou art the Lord my God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented, and after that I was instructed, I smote upon the thigh; I was ashamed, yea even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still, therefore my bowels are troubled for him, I will surely have mercy on him, saith the Lord. Well then, this sorrow may be well allowed, because it prevents greater sorrow, namely, the pains of Hell. It is better mourn for a while, than forever; better to have healing grief, than tormenting grief; to mourn now, while mourning will do us good, then to howl at last, when all sorrow will be fruitless, and only a part of our punishment, not of our cure. And besides, this sorrow maketh for comfort, Matth. 5.4. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. When the shower is fallen, the Sun cleareth up, and shineth in his full strength and Beauty. The vain rejoicing being deadened, we have grounds of Everlasting Joy, by considering the means God hath appointed for our deliverance from Sin, and Death, and the flames of Hell.

2. Mourning for Sin, and Joy in the Lord may stand well together. For Grace and Grace are not contrary, but Grace and Sin. Those who most mourn for Sin, do most rejoice in the Lord; and those who most rejoice in the Lord, do most mourn for Sin. As that Christian Niobe wept much, because she loved much; and she loved much, because much was forgiven her, Luke 7.47. As many times the Sun shineth, when the rain falleth; so there is a mixture of Spiritual Rejoicing, and Holy Mourning; a deep Sense of God's Love, and yet a Mourning because of the Relicks of Corruption. Well then, Carnal Rejoicing is opposite to Holy Mourning, but not Joy in the Lord, therefore these two must be mixed. Sorrow is a Servant to Faith, and Love, and Joy in the Holy Ghost; and Joy and Thankfulness for the Mercy of God in Christ is an help to Godly sorrow: the one serves to mortify Sin, the other to strengthen Grace. None are so displeased with themselves for offending so good a God, as those that have tasted how good and gracious the Lord is. But more thoroughly to reconcile this Holy mixture to your thoughts, take these considerations.

1. Godly Sorrow is better than all the pleasures of Sin, 2 Cor. 7.10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation, not to be repented of. Many have repented of their vain pleasures, or of their Carnal Mirth, but never any repented of their Godly Sorrow. Many have cursed the day of their Birth, but never any cursed the day of their New Birth. Whoever had any loathsome remembrance of those hours which they spent in reconciling themselves to God, though it were done with grief and bitterness of Spirit. Oh the remembrance of that happy time is ever sweet and grateful to them!

2. That mourning for Sin containeth in itself the matter of Joy is evident, because a poor Christian is glad when his Heart can melt for Sin. A day of serious and sound Humiliation is more to him than all carnal pleasures whatsoever; he would not exchange the Comfort that he findeth in his Penitent Tears, for all the Mirth in the World: He findeth this helpeth to mortify Sin, which would mar his rejoicing in God; it helpeth him to value Christ, and taste the sweetness of his Love; they are more glad of that measure of Grace received, than if they were Masters and Rulers of the World. To be affected with the dishonor done to God, is included in their Love and esteem of him, and floweth from their delight in him.

3. Though they groan under the Relicks of Sin, yet they are glad they are but Relicks: That they are in any measure gotten out of their former Estate, is a comfort, though that they are gotten no further be a grief to them. The mourning Christian would not change Estates with the best and greatest of Ungodly Men; which showeth there is some solid complacency and delight in their present Condition, though not that full Joy, which they shall have in Heaven, when Sin shall no more. Joy is not perfect, till Holiness be perfect, yet there is joy still, though be not perfect joy. Here there is Gaudium ineffabile cum suspiriis inenarrabilibus, a joy mixed with sorrow, groans unutterable, and joys unspeakable and glorious.

Secondly, Having removed the prejudices, Let me now persuade you to rejoice evermore by the two Arguments of necessity, and Utility.

1. The necessity of it.

(1.) That you may own God as your God, delighting in God is a Duty of the first Commandment, Thou shalt have no other God's before me: that is, rejoice in no other, but in me only, as thy full and All-sufficient Portion and Happiness: And therefore it is a part, not of Instituted, but of Natural Worship; such Worship which we are to give God, though he had never given direction about it; which immediately resulteth from the owning and choosing of God for our God. For if God be not loved and delighted in more than anything, or all things else, he is not our God. Now then is there not a necessity, if you would worship God as God, that you should rejoice evermore, and delight in him as sufficient to your Happiness, whether the World cometh or goeth, whether your Creature Comforts and Relations continue with you, or be taken from you? God still must be the Hearts delight, and your exceeding joy. Psalm 37.4. Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

2. The necessity appeareth by this, how can you be thankful, and prize, and value those Blessings which you have from God by Christ, unless you rejoice evermore, whatever your Condition be in the World? Surely Christ when received, must be received with all love and thankfulness, else you do not know the worth and value of his Grace; and this esteem is never so much shewn in words, as in deeds; when you can delight in him more than all things else, Psalm 4.7. Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased. Delight in him so as to loose all for him. Phil. 3.8. For whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. Heb. 10.34. And took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves, that ye have in heaven a better, and an enduring substance : And you can esteem a naked Christ ground enough of Comfort, though you be stripped of all things. The Heart is not sound with Christ, till we be so taken up with the Love and Praise of our Redeemer, that we have scarce leisure to observe, whether we be rich or poor, or to regard the honors and dishonors of the World.

3. How can you profess to follow the Conduct of that Holy Spirit, who hath undertaken to be your Comforter, unless your solid Delight and Comfort be in God and Heaven? I know the Spirit is not so necessarily a Comforter, as he is a Sanctifier; but I speak of that disposition of Soul, which belongeth both to his sanctifying, as well as his comforting Operation; and is necessary to Grace, and that is to place your Happiness not in this World, but in God, and Heaven; and so to place it there, as that this may be a support to you in poverty, and disgrace, and pain, that nothing may be able to overcome your joy, John 16.22. Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you. Surely this is a necessary work of the sanctifying Spirit, to teach you to fix your Comforts there, where they may be out of the reach of the World, that you may have Everlasting grounds of delight, what ever Man can do unto you.

2. The Utility of it, both with respect to our Spiritual benefit and profit, and our acceptance with God.

1. With respect to the temper and frame of our own hearts, or our Spiritual benefit. There are two parts of Regeneration, Mortification, and Vivification; and this rejoicing evermore promoteth both of them.

1. As to Mortification. It is most profitable to wean us from Carnal Vanities. The Love of sensitive Delights is the Root of Sin, some carnal lure there is, which enticeth, and draweth us away from God, James 1.14. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. This carnal savor is our undoing, pleasure being born and bred with us, and deeply ingrained in our Natures, is hardly removed. Yet if it should be cherished, it would wholly fasten our Souls to Earthly things, to Riches, Pleasures, and Honors. Now that we may not be deceived, and inveigled with the delights of the flesh, we should think of another joy, which may be continual and perpetual; that so this higher joy may drive out the carnal joy, as a greater Nail driveth out the lesser. Man cannot be without some joy, nor can delight lie idle in the Soul; it must be occupied and taken up, either with the delights of the flesh, and the toys and trifles of the World, or acted upon God and Heavenly things. The brutish part of Mankind employ their oblectation about trifles, and love-pleasures more than God; but the renewed part make God their exceeding joy, and savor the things of the Spirit. Rom. 8.5. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit. These latter employ their oblectation aright, and being acquainted with better things, the carnal gust dieth away in them by degrees. As Men left off the use of Acorns, when they found out the use of Wheat, or Bread-Corn; or as dainty Fare maketh us despise courser Viands. When our delight findeth a better Object, it is a great check to those dreggy contentments, and petty satisfactions, which obtrude themselves upon our Senses at every turn; the taste of them is marred, they become sapless to a Christian, who hath higher and chaster delights. Every Life hath its taste, and every Mans Joy is in Worldly Vanities, or in God, and other things as they have respect to God. He that is acquainted with God, and hidden Manna, cannot relish the Garlic, and Onions, and Flesh-pots of Egypt. We will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine, Cant. 1.4. So that you see it is a great help to Mortification, to rejoice evermore in God. Delight puts out Delight, as the Sun doth the Fire.

2. As to Vivification. It quickeneth us to the life of Holyness, the joy of the Lord is your strength, Nehem. 8.10. There is a Natural dullness and deadness in Holy Duties, which we find in ourselves, which is only cured by delight in God, which is as Oil to the Wheels. Every thing goeth on easily, and smoothly which is carried on with joy and delight; that maketh us yield to Duties, which otherwise would be tedious and irksome to us. Shechem yielded to be circumcised for the delight which he had in Dinah, Gen. 34.19. So the Apostle saith, But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I may finish my course with joy, Acts 20.24. Whatever is done without delight, is ingrate and harsh; the mortifying of a lust is like the cutting off an Arm with a rusty Saw; the performing of a Duty like the bringing of a Bear to the Stake; Delight sweetens things, and puts a Life into them. Obedience is done readily, when it is done out of a thankful and delightful sense of our Redeemers Love, Psalm 40.8. I delight to do thy will, O my God! yea, thy law is in my heart. So 1 John 5.3. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous. Well then, this joy is very profitable, both as to Mortification, and Vivification, it is a joy that maketh us better: Carnal Joy maketh us worse, it filleth the minds with vanity and folly, and bringeth a slavery upon the Heart, Titus 2.3. Serving divers lusts and pleasures ; but this delight doth not corrupt you, but perfect you.

2. With respect to God's acceptance. This rejoicing evermore is more honorable to God, and more pleasing to God.

1. It is more honorable to God, to rejoice in him evermore, as a cheerful Servant is a credit to his Master. We show forth the goodness of God by the Joy of our Faith, and continual delight in God, how ever it be with us in the World. God standeth upon his credit that he doth not weary his people, Micah 6.3. O my people! what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me. He is not a rigorous and an hard Master, but every way good and kind. The Thessalonians that received the word in much affliction, with joy of the holy ghost, were ensamples of all that believed in Macedonia and Achaia, and from them sounded out the word of God to others, 1 Thess. 1.6, 7, 8. These propagate their profession, and recommend it to others. Surely God is a good Master, he hath made joy both our work, and our wages; our way, and our end. What is our great end and hope, but to enter into our masters joy ? And what is our constant business and work but to rejoice evermore ? Why then should we dishonor God by our unchearfulness, and justify the prejudices of the World, who draw an ill picture of Religion in their minds, as if it always looked sour, and with a tormenting and discontented look?

2. It is most pleasing to God, the Life that he is best pleased withal. God that loveth a cheerful giver, loveth a cheerful sufferer, a cheerful practicer of Godliness. Men love a thing done cheerfully, because it betokeneth Love in the Party that doth it. Surely this rejoicing evermore is very pleasing to God, because he doth so often call for it. Psalm 37.4. Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desire of thy heart. Phil. 4.4. Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice, Psalm 68.3. Let the righteous be glad, let them rejoice before God, yea, let them exceedingly rejoice, and in many other places. Surely that which God calleth for so often, and so earnestly, should be more cared for by a Christian. Be sure of this, that a cheerful Spirit is more pleasing to God, than a troubled, discontented Spirit. When Isaac longed for savoury Meat, such as his Soul delighted in, a profane Esau taketh his bow to get it for him: When God hath told us how much this is pleasing to him, should we not make more Conscience of it?

Thirdly, I must direct you how to perform this great and necessary Duty.

1. Be prepared for it. The Precept belongeth to the renewed and reconciled, Psalm 31.1. Rejoice in the Lord ye righteous! for praise is comely for the upright. Delight is not forced by Arguments, but drawn forth by Inclination; therefore till we have a Nature and Heart suited to it, we shall never perform it. Canticum novum, & vetus homo male concordant ; the New Song, and the Old Man do not well agree. Well then, be prepared. It is easy to rejoice after a Natural and Worldly manner, but not easy to rejoice in the Lord. We are never prepared, till our State be altered, Heart altered, and Life altered.

1. Our State must be altered. For naturally we are Children of Wrath, condemned by the Sentence of the Law, and under the Curse; and doth it become condemned Men to rejoice, and go to their execution dancing? No, you must take hold of another Covenant, the hope that is set before you, and then you provide matter of joy, yea, of strong consolation, Heb. 6.18. By taking Sanctuary at the Lord's Grace, the Heirs of Promise have strong Consolation. When the Eunuch was solemnly admitted into God's Covenant by Baptism, He went on his way rejoicing, Acts 8.39. By Repentance towards God, and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, we enter into the New Covenant, and that is a State of Peace, Life, and Joy. In the New Covenant God offers himself to be your Reconciled Father. Christ your Savior, and the Holy Ghost your Sanctifier; are you willing to consent to this? And then, Why should not you rejoice in the Lord? For you have enough in God.

2. Our Heart must be altered. For every Mans relish and complacency is according to the Temper and Constitution of his Soul, Rom. 8.5. They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, but they that are after the spirit the things of the spirit. Know his complacency, what it is that a Man is pleased with most, and you know the Man. An old corrupted Heart and Mind cannot delight itself in God, 1 Cor. 2.14. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned : But those that have a Divine Nature put into them, cannot satisfy themselves in the World, 2 Pet. 1.4. Ye may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. They can easily spare the pleasures of the flesh, and leave these husks for Swine to feed on. A change of Heart inferreth a change of Delights and Pleasures; for the New Heart is nothing else but New Desires and Delights; when you have a New Understanding, and a New Heart, then you will discern and relish Spiritual things.

3. The Life must be altered. For Holy walking and fruitfulness in Obedience raiseth the greatest Joy. John 15.10, 11. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Fathers commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full, Acts 9.31. Walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the holy Ghost. The Godly Life is the only sweet Life, 2 Cor. 1.12. For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we had our conversation in the world. If you will but learn what it is to live in the Love of God, and the belief and hope of Life Eternal, and in Universal Obedience to the Laws of Christ, you will soon see what it is to live in a State of Joy and Comfort. If you fall into great and wounding Sins, no wonder if your rejoicing in God be disturbed. Surely a tender Heart cannot make light of Sin, but it will cost them broken Bones, and broken Hearts.

2. Act it continually. Partly for that the grounds of rejoicing are Everlasting, an Eternal God, an Unchangeable Covenant, Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever; a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, an Infinite and Eternal weight of Glory. Now these things should ever be thought of by us, that we may keep up our delight in the Lord. Partly because we need it continually, to enliven our Duties, to sweeten our Crosses, and to wean us from our Carnal Vanities; for otherwise our Duties will go off heavily, our Crosses will swallow us up with too much sorrow, or our Hearts will be apt to be ensnared by sensual delights, unless we remember that we are continually to rejoice in God and Heavenly things. Partly because this delight cannot be maintained in the Soul, unless it be continually exercised; by constant acting it we keep it, and increase it, till at length it cometh to be predominant in the Soul, and able to control our Affection to other things. It is said of John Baptists Hearers, That they were willing to rejoice in his light for a season, John 5.35. And of the stony ground, Luke 8.13. That they received the word with joy, and believed for a while, but in time of temptation fall away. Herod heard John the Baptist gladly for a while, Mark 6.20. God's offering Eternal Happiness in Christ may affect us for the present, but this rejoicing faileth, being over-mastered by the Appetites and Desires of the Flesh. Therefore to root it, and increase it, that it may be firm to the end, it must be continually acted and exercised.

3. Take heed you do not forfeit it, or damp it by any great and wounding Sin. As David speaketh, Psalm. 51.8. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken, may rejoice. Sin cloudeth the Face of God, wasteth our Comfort and Joy, Psalm 32.3, 4. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me; my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. Eph. 4.30. And grieve not the holy spirit, whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption. When the Comforter is offended, he showeth his dislike, and withdraweth when we grossly omit any known Duty, or commit any soul Sin, he will show himself displeased with it, and withdraw his Gracious and Comfortable Presence. Isa. 57.17. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him; I hid me, and was wroth. On such occasions he is wroth, and smiteth; he is wroth, and hideth himself, and then our Comfort and Delight in God ceaseth. Therefore we should deal more dutifully with the Spirit, neither grieving him by the omission, or intermission of necessary Duties; nor by the commission of any hardening Sin, by some error of the concupicible or pursuing faculty, or the irascible or eschewing faculty; by Sins of the Tongue, which most easily bewray corruption, or by words which discover the temper of the Heart. I observe that grieving the spirit, Ephes. 4.30. is put in the middle between a dissuasive from corrupt Communication, verse 29. Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying. When Men endeavor to make themselves glad by carnal Discourse, which argueth an Heart set for carnal delights, and is contrary to rejoicing in the Lord, Eph. 5.4. Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks ; and on the other side, verse 31. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking be put away from you ; by discontent, impetuous Rage, passionate Commotions, contumelious Speeches, Envy, Revenge, we hinder our joy in the Lord. Now all this must be carefully avoided, least we contract deadness and numbness of Conscience.

4. If by Sin you have wounded your Conscience, and brought smart and mourning upon yourselves, abide not in that Estate, but humble yourselves; renewing your Repentance, and Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, sueing out your Pardon, and getting your Wounds healed. Beg of God to restore the joy of his Salvation, that your broken Hearts may be revived, and your broken Bones restored and set in joint again, Psalm 51.8. Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice, and verse 12. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation. Never rest till you come again to delight in God, with an hearty resolution not to break with God anymore, Psalm 51.6. Behold thou desirest truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom, Psalm 85.8. I will hear what God the Lord will speak, for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his Saints, but let them not turn again to folly. God is ready to receive lapsed Penitents, that are sensible of their errors, and are willing to return to their Duty, Psalm 32.5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid; I said I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin, Isa. 57.17, 18. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him, I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him, I will lead him also, and restore comfort to him, and to his mourners, Your case is sad and grievous, but not desperate and hopeless; you may have comfort upon God's terms, mourning for Sin, that Sin may be made bitter to you, and you may not hazard your peace for trifles another time; and putting your business into the hands of your Redeemer, the Advocate must make your peace for you, 1 John 2.1. If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

A SERMON On I. Thessalonians, v.17.

IN the words we have

• 1. A Duty, Pray:
• 2. The continuance of the Duty, always, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from both observe, Doctrine, That constant and frequent Prayer to God is a Duty required of Christians.

In handling this Doctrine I shall show,

• 1. What Prayer is.
• 2. How it is to be carried on without ceasing.
• 3. The Reasons of the Doctrine.

I. What Prayer is: And here I shall speak, (1.) Of the Nature of Prayer: (2.) Of the several kinds of it.

1. First, For the Nature of Prayer. Prayer is the offering up of our desires to God, in the Name of Christ, for such things as are agreeable to his will.

1. It is an offering up of our Desires. Desires are the Soul and Life of Prayer, Words are but the Body, now as the Body without the Soul is dead, so are Prayers, unless they are animated with our Desires, Psalm 10.17. Lord! thou hast heard the desire of the humble. God heareth not Words, but Desires.

2. These Desires are offered unto God, or brought before the Lord in this solemn way: Zeph. 3.10. My suppliants, even the daughters of my dispersed shall bring mine offering: That is, shall reverendly express their Desires to God. An Offering was either a Sacrifice, and Prayer is a Spiritual Sacrifice, 1 Pet. 2.5. Ye are an holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. As a Man did then present himself and his offering before the Lord, so do we present ourselves, and our desires, and pour out our Hearts before him: Or an Offering might be the Mincah, or Meat-Offering, which was baked, or fried in a Pan, and then presented to the Lord, Psalm 45▪1. My heart inditeth a good matter, not raw indigested Services must be performed to God, such as are the eructations of the flesh; or Incense was offered to the Lord. Let my Prayer be set before thee as incense, Psalm 141.2. And we read of Vials full of odors, which are the Prayers of the saints, Revel. 5.8. Incense was a mixture of sweet spices, which being set on fire, the fume thereof ascended into Heaven; so do our holy and ardent desires ascend unto God.

3. They are desires presented in the name of Christ, in whom alone we are acceptable to God, John 16.23. Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.

4. They are desires of things agreeable to the will of God, 1 John 5.14. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he heareth us. All our Desires must be regulated by his revealed Will, and subordinated to his secret Will, so far as God seeth it fit for his Glory, and our Good; for upon other terms he is not bound to us.

Secondly, The kinds of Prayer, so there are sundry distinctions.

(1.) There is Mental Prayer, Exod. 14.15. Wherefore criest thou unto me? Moses cried unto the Lord, and yet no words are mentioned: And Vocal Prayer, Psal. 5.3. My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O Lord! in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up. When Prayers are put into Language, or formalized into some outward expression. Again,

(2.) There is sudden and ejaculatory Prayer, as Nehem. 2.4. The king said unto me, for what dost thou make request? so I prayed unto the God of heaven. That is some sudden dart of Prayer, such as, Prosper I pray thy servant, lifting up his Heart in a sudden desire to God, to direct, or give success to his Petition. And solemn Prayer, and of greater length. Rom. 15.30. That ye strive together with me in your prayers to God for me, which words imply a Prayer full of earnest pleadings.

(3.) There are Public, or Church-Prayers; 1 Tim. 2.1, 2. I exhort therefore that first of all supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings, and for all that are in authority. Where he giveth directions how the Prayers of their Public Assemblies should be ordered. And Private or Family Prayer, Acts 10.2. Cornelius is said to be a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, and gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always ; that is a Man that worshipped God with his Family, as good Men use to do. And it is said, 1 Chron. 16.43. That David after Public Services returned to bless his house, that is, to pray for his Family, as he had done for the people before. And Secret and Closet Prayer, concerning which Christ giveth Direction, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, Matth. 6.6. Again,

(4.) There is Ordinary and Extraordinary Prayer. Ordinary Prayer is performed upon Ordinary Causes, such as Daily Necessities, Psalm 55.17. Evening, and morning, and noon, will I pray, and cry aloud, and he shall hear my voice. Extraordinary Prayer is upon special weighty occasions, which requireth more than ordinary continuance of time and affection, Joel 1.14. Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord. Now all these kinds of Prayer are to be made conscience of, and none to be neglected; and in none of these cases must we cease to pray, when God requireth it at our hands.

II. What it is to pray without ceasing. This needeth to be explained, because some strain it too far, others straighten it too much; and we must state the matter, so as to avoid the extremes on both sides.

1. One Extream is that of the Ancient Euchites, and because they seem to be befriended by the Letter of the Text, we must clear the Matter a little. Their senseless error was, as if the act of Prayer were never to be discontinued, and therefore they omitted all other Duties, and would only pray.

2. The other extreme is of those, who keep not up a constant frequent return of this Duty. We must obviate both.

1. For those that would never intermit this Exercise.

1. We must show them their error by explaining the Word. A thing is said to be done continually, and without ceasing, which is done at the constant times and seasons, as often as they return. As David told Amasa, 2 Sam. 19.13. Thou shalt be captain of the host before me continually ; That is, as often as the Army was led forth. So 2 Sam. 9.12. Mephibosheth did eat bread at the kings table continually : That is, at the constant stated times of eating. So Rom. 9.2. I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. That is, as often as he thought of them. So also is the word [ without ceasing ] used, 1 Thess. 2.13. For this cause we thank God without ceasing, That is, as often as he was with God. So 2 Tim. 1.3. Without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers, night and day ; That is, Evening and Morning, as often as he went to God.

2. The Matter may bear a good sense if you interpret the Apostles direction either.

1. Of the Habit of Prayer, or the praying temper; that frame of Spirit, or Affection, which is fit for Prayer, must never be lost, Psalm 104.9. But I give myself unto prayer. In the Original there is no more but I prayer, as if he were wholly made up of Prayer and Supplication; this was the work he was given to, or most intent upon.

2. It may be interpreted of a Vital Prayer. All Duties may be resolved into Prayer and Praise; Now as the Life of a Christian is a Life of Love and Praise, a kind of Confession or Hymn to God; so in other respects it is a Prayer, Semper orat, qui semper been agit ; he that liveth in a constant Obedience to God and dependence upon him, doth in effect always pray to him. Now thus doth a Christian, both as to Life Natural, and Spiritual, Psalm. 25.5. On thee do I wait all the day. Every Minute we depend upon him for the direction and support of his Holy Spirit. So Prov. 23.27. Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. He liveth in an awful regard, loath to displease God because all cometh from him. Now this is virtually a Prayer; because he still elevateth his thoughts and desires towards him, and looketh for all from God.

3. This Praying without ceasing may be interpreted of our continuance in the Duty, till we obtain the ends of Prayer; and that some competent time is to be spent in it. Prayer is the lifting up of the Heart, or the offering of our desires to God in some affectionate manner; in extraordinary occasions the time may be longer; as Christ spent whole Nights in Prayer, Luke 6.12. He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. On ordinary occasions the time may be shorter, but the general Direction is, continue in Prayer. Rom. 12.12. Continue instant in prayer. A short good Morrow is too slight a Complement for the Great God; such interparleance with him is necessary, as may warm the heart, and serve the ends of Prayer.

4. Praying without ceasing may express our perseverance in Prayer without fainting, Luke 18.1. He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint, when we will not let God alone until he bless us. We must not yield to despondency, though we be not heard presently, but let us pray the more earnestly, though the Prayer seemeth to be checked and contradicted by God's Providence, as the Woman of Canaan gets ground by discouragements, Matth. 15.22. to the 28. We must reiterate our Petitions for one and the same thing, till it be granted. As Paul prayed thrice, 2 Cor. 12.8. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. A seeming repulse and denial maketh us the more vehement; for the Language of God's rebukes is, not to pray no more, but pray on still: It is yielding to a temptation to desist.

5. This praying without ceasing is to be interpreted of the universality, and the frequency of the return of the occasions and opportunities of Prayer; and we may be said to do that without ceasing, which we do very often. So that though the Act of Prayer be intermitted, the course of Prayer should not be interrupted; for we are to pray at all times, in all conditions, and in all businesses and Affairs.

1. At all times, never omitting the Seasons of Prayer, stated or occasional. There are stated times of Prayer, something must be done every day. Thus our Lord directeth us to pray, Matth. 6.11. Give us 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , this day our daily bread. Though it be mentioned but in one Petition, yet it referreth to all the rest: We need daily Bread, daily Pardon, daily Strength against Temptations. Yea there seemeth to be a double standing occasion every day in the Morning for direction, in the Evening for protection; as God appointed a Morning and Evening Sacrifice, Numb. 28.4. The one lamb shalt thou offer in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even. If any be contentious, let me tell you, it is an ill spirit that doth dispute away Duties, rather than practice them. So there are occasional times, when God by his Providence inviteth us to it, as by some special Affliction, Psalm 51.15. Call upon me in the day of trouble ; or some business in hand, wherein we are to ask his leave, counsel, and blessing, Ezra 8.21. Then I proclaimed a fast there at the river Ahava, that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of him a right way for us and our little ones.

2. In all Estates and Conditions, afflicted, and prosperous. In an adverse or afflicted Estate, James 5.13. Is any among you afflicted, let him pray : That gives vent to our sorrow, and turneth it into a Spiritual Channel. In a prosperous Estate we are to pray that we may not forget God. Carnal Men never come to him, but when they have extreme need of him. Ier. 2.27. But in the time of their trouble they will say, arise, and save us. That our Hearts may not be corrupted, but our portion sanctified to us, for everything is sanctified by the word of God, and prayer, 1 Tim. 4.5. Thus God must hear from us, sick and sound, in pain, and well at ease; whether we are abased, or abound.

3. In every business, Civil or Sacred. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths, Prov. 3.6. In business secular, Abraham's Servant beggeth success in his Errand, Gen. 24.12. O Lord God of my master Abraham! I pray thee, send me good speed this day. In Matters Sacred, 2 Thess. 3.5. The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God. So that a serious sensible Christian seldom wanteth an Errand to the Throne of Grace, and if we be not Strangers to ourselves, we cannot be Strangers to God.

2. To the other extreme we now come, when Men are rare and unfrequent with God, upon the pretence that they are not bound to pray always, and the time of Duty is not exactly stated in the New Testament. To these we oppose other Considerations.

1. Though there be not an express rule particularly set down, how often we should be with God; yet Duties are required in the strictest and most comprehensive terms, and God's expressions about them are very large. For here God saith, pray without ceasing, and Eph. 6.18▪ Praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance. So Col. 4.2. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving. So Psalm 62.8. Trust in the Lord at all times, ye people! pour out your hearts before him. So Luke 21.36. Watch ye therefore, and pray always. So that here is no gap opened to loose and vain Spirits, to countenance them in their neglect of God. The Scriptures rather speak over than under: Nature is apt to encroach upon Grace, as the Sea upon the Banks, and sloth and strangeness to God will soon creep upon us; therefore the crooked stick is bent the other way, rather pray always, than be always in the World, and always in pleasures, at least take the due occasions. Though these expressions be not to be understood, as if we should do nothing else but pray; yet they imply frequency in this Duty, at all times when opportunity calleth for it.

2. The Examples of the Saints should move us. David prayed three times a day, at Morning, Noon, and Night, Psalm 55.17. Evening, and morning, and noon will I pray, and cry aloud. So did Daniel, and would not omit it in times of persecution, Daniel, 6.10. Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house, and his windows being open in his chamber towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did afore time. Now, though every ones Necessities, Abilities, or Condition of Life will not permit him to do so much; yet in the general, we must conclude from thence, that we must be constant in our daily Worship, and attendance upon God.

3. The ceasing of the daily Sacrifice was accounted to be a great part of the Misery occasioned by the abomination of desolation, Dan. 9.27, And in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice, and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations, he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

4. Now God trusts Love, and would not particularly define the times of our Duty, and immediate Converse with him, surely we should be more open hearted, and liberal to him. God expecteth much from a willing people, Psalm 110.3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. Our attendance upon God should be rather more than less, since it is left to our choice.

5 God himself was angry with his People, and complaineth of their neglect of him, Ier. 2.32. My people have forgotten me days without number. Time out of mind, as we say in an English Phrase, have I not heard from them. Now these considerations show this expression should not be too much straightened.

III. The Reasons why constant and frequent Prayer is our Duty?

1. With respect to God, that we may acknowledge his Being, and Sovereignty over us, and all Events that concern us, and ours.

(1.) We acknowledge his Being in Prayer, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, Heb. 11.6. Men of all Religions call upon that which they think to be God. As in the storm, the Pagan Mariners cried every man unto his God, Jonah 1.5. Men take their God to be their sure Refuge in all their troubles, distractions, and fears. Now the People of God know him by experience, to be the only true God that heareth Prayer, therefore they own him as such, Psalm 65.2. Oh thou that hearest prayer! unto thee shall all flesh come. Now this owning of God must not be done in a few, rare, and disused Prayers, but in a constancy of Prayer, that we may often call to mind his Being and Attributes. It is a sin not only to deny God, but to forget him. Psalm 9.17. The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God. We are apt to forget God, who is an Invisible Being, though we have all things from him, and he be necessary to us continually. Therefore we must often remember him, and present ourselves before him, and inure ourselves to a Reverence of his Majesty. God complaineth, Ier. 2.32. My people have forgotten me days without number.

2. We acknowledge his Supreme Providence by taking all out of his hands; and so are kept more humble, and in a constant dependence. We do not enjoy our Mercies by Chance, or by good Fortune, but by the Gift of his Providence, that we may not be forgetful of this, God will have us pray often, yea thus solemnly take our daily Bread out of his hands, Matth. 6.11. Give us this day our daily bread. The Bread you eat is not your own, but God's; you intrench upon his Prerogative, when you use it without asking his leave.

2. With respect to the Nature of Prayer. It is the converse of a loving Soul with God, the nearest familiarity with a Soul dwelling in flesh can have with him. Now Acts of Friendship and Communion must not be rare and unfrequent, but constant and often, therefore called an acquainting ourselves with God, Job 22.21. Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace. Acquaintance implieth frequent Commerce and Intercourse, Men that often visit one another, and meet together are acquainted. Prayer is a giving God a visit, Isa. 26.16. Lord! in trouble have they visited thee. The keeping up of this Acquaintance is necessary, both to our present Comfort, and future Acceptance.

1. For our present Comfort, it giveth you boldness to come to God in all your necessities and straits, if you daily wait upon him. Frequency of Converse begets familiarity, and familiarity begets confidence. When God and you grow strange, you cannot come with that freedom to ask his help, as those that familiarly converse with him do, Eph. 3.12. In whom we have boldness, and access with confidence, by the faith of him. A Child is not afraid to go to his Father, nor a Man unto his Friend, to pour out his complaint into his bosom; nor a Servant of daily attendance to open his Suit to his Master, they know his name, Psalm 9.10. and are acquainted with him.

2. For our future acceptance, Luke 21.36. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man, viz. at his coming. They that are constant in Prayer make up their Accounts with God daily, and so may with the better confidence attend his coming. When you have been frequently with him, frequently entertained by him, and accepted with him, had your Prayers heard, and Desires granted, it is a great encouragement in the hour of Death, when you are to leave the World, and come immediately before him. On the other side, for Men to appear before a God whom they never knew, nor heartily loved, and with whom they were never acquainted as to any intimate Communion and Converse, this is a sad case. Alas! at the best, it is to an unknown Friend, but indeed it is to a certain Enemy; they never had experience of his kindness which they would own, nor interest in his Love, and now are forced into his Presence against their Will. Alas, how soon will the time come, when Men would fain set about Prayer, but it is too late; they have then neither Treasure nor skill to pray; and the Prayers they then make, are not the Fruits of Faith and Love, but of Despair and Horrour; they cry Lord! Lord! but Christ saith, I know you not, ye are workers of iniquity. But on the other side, they are fitted for Everlasting Communion with God, who are acquainted with him already; and when they come to be translated, they do but change Place, not Company. Heaven is an access to God, and the Throne of Grace is the Porch of Heaven. We begin the Heavenly Life here by these frequent converses with God, and our access to him now.

3. With respect to the New Nature, or the Temper and Disposition of the Saints. Prayer is the cry of the New Creature, a work natural and kindly to the Saints, Zech. 12.10. I will pour upon the house of David, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications. A Spirit of Grace will soon break out into supplications, and vent itself that way, Acts 9.11. Behold he prayeth. Zeph. 3.9. I will turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, and serve him with one consent. In the Margin it is a pure lip. God's true Children are carried to him by a kind of Natural Motion, as light Bodies move upward; they are a sort of Men that are seeking after God. Psalm 24.6. This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob! Selah! Therefore we should quite check and cross the bent and inclination of the New Nature, unless we be much in Prayer, and often with God.

4. With respect to the necessities of the Saints. Our wants are continual, as well in Spiritual, as in Temporal things. That we need daily Bread is evident to Sense, and that we need daily Pardon, and daily Strength against Temptations, should be as evident to Faith. The Soul hath its necessities as well as the Body; yea, they are greater, and of a more dangerous Nature. Sometimes we lack Wisdom, and who shall give it us but God? James 1.5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him, Sometimes we lack Strength, and that is to be sought in Prayer, Eph. 3.10. That he would grant you according to the riches of his glory to be strengthened with all might, by his spirit in the inner man. Sometimes we lack life and quickening, and to whom should we go but to the live-making Spirit, to him who quickeneth all things? In short, the Throne of Grace was set up for a time of need, and therefore when our necessities drive us to it, we should not hang off. Heb. 4.16. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. We always need to be delivered from evil, we always need to be established in good; sometimes we need a Blessing on what we have, that our Comforts may be sanctified to us; sometimes a Blessing on what we do, that we may begin it, and end it in God. All our Relations increase our necessities, so do all our enjoyments; new Mercies occasion new Necessities: And in the variety of our Afflictions we have still somewhat to do with God. The receipt of one Mercy discovereth the need of another.

5. With respect to the utility and profit of it. It is endless to instance in all things I shall confine the Discourse to Spiritual profit, and there

1. The Three Radical Graces, Faith, Hope, and Love, are acted and increased in Prayer, Jude 20, 21. But ye beloved, building up yourselves in your most holy faith, praying in the holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God; looking for the mercies of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life : Mark there, praying in the Holy Ghost is to be referred in common to them all, to building up yourselves in your most Holy Faith, to keeping yourselves in the Love of God, to looking for the Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto Eternal Life. Surely frequent Prayer keepeth every Grace active, and more ready, than if it were seldom used.

(1.) For Faith in this Duty, the Mysteries of our most Holy Faith are reduced to practice, even that great Mistery of the Trinity, and their distinct personal Operations, we find the benefit of it in Prayer Eph. 2.18. For through him we both have an access, by one spirit unto the Father. To the Father as an All-sufficient Fountain of Grace, Gen. 17.1. I am the Almighty God. By Christ, who hath purchased leave, welcome and audience, Heb. 10.19. By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. And by the Spirit, who hath given us an Heart to come, inspiring us with Holy Motions, enlivening our Affections, Rom. 8.26. Likewise the spirit also helpeth our infirmities. That we may open our Hearts to God. If Prayer be Prayer indeed, not a few cold heartless words, then is Faith solemnly acted.

2. Love is acted and increased in this Duty, while we desire of God all things in order to God, and show forth our hearty groans after everything, that will bring us nearer to himself; praying first for God's Love, then the Grace of the Redeemer, and all other subordinate blessings and helps, as they relate thereunto. Yea, this very opening our hearts to God is a solace to us, and the fruit and act of our Delight in him. The groans of the Spirit are the immediate issues of Love, and come from an heart strongly bent to God, and Heavenly things. As Faith directeth us to God as the first Cause, so Love to the chief end, the Glory of God, and regulateth all our choices and desires by it. The Fruit of Prayer increaseth Love, Psalm 116.1, 2. I love the Lord, because he hath heard my voice, and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

3. Hope is acted and increased by it. Because in Prayer this Grace is predominant, the certain and earnest expectation of the promised Glory. Our thoughts of Heaven at other times are cold and heartless, here we enter into the Holiest; we beg Heaven, and all things in order to Heaven, because we expect it from the Mercy of God in Jesus Christ. There is desirous expectation in hopes, and Prayer is but the expression of our Desires; and a certain expectation in hope, so in Prayer we plead Promises, and show the grounds of our trust, why we look and wait for it, that God will preserve us, and bear our Expences to Heaven.

2. The three Duties pressed in this place are much promoted by frequent Prayer. Rejoice evermore, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks.

1. Rejoice evermore. We cherish our rejoicing, or Peace, and tranquility of mind in all Conditions, by frequent praying. This vent and utterance easeth us of our burden; if anything troubleth us, we go to God, wh • • s able and willing to help us, Job 16.20. My friends scorn me, but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. It is our Comfort that there is a Throne of Grace, before which to bring our complaint, So Phil. 4.6, 7. Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. Be careful for nothing, is parallel to rejoice evermore ; what help have we to pray, let your requests be made known unto God, and the Effects of Prayer is the peace of God. When the Air is imprisoned in the Bowels and Caverns of the Earth, there are shakings, and terrible Convulsions, till it gets a vent; so is the Soul tossed and turmoiled with many tormenting thoughts, till we open our hearts to God. Hannah, when she had prayed, went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad, 1 Sam. 1.18. Now should we not be frequent in this Duty, which will keep up our Delight in God, and our tranquility of mind in all Conditions on the Confidence of his All-sufficiency?

2. Pray without ceasing, The Duty is promoted by the Duty; pray without ceasing, and you will pray without ceasing: The way to be fervent is to be frequent. A Key that is seldom turned rusts in the Lock; Wells are the sweeter for the draining; We lose the habit of Prayer, and fitness for Prayer, when we are seldom with God, and there is such an intermission between Duties: The more we walk, the fitter we shall be to walk; and the more we pray, the fitter we shall be to pray. They find so much sweetness in it, that experiment it by practice, that they cannot be without it. It is the Strangers to Prayer that need to be persuaded. When we intermit this necessary work, we loose our fitness. He that hath often prayed, will pray Psalm 116.2. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

3. For the last Duty, in everything give thanks. They that pray often, see all things come from God, and they return all to God again; they take it out of his hands, and use it for his Glory. Usually what we win by Prayer, we ware with Thanksgiving. Others do not, and cannot observe Providence as much as they do, that pray often, and upon all occasions they look to God. Besides Prayer sweeteneth the Mercy. For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me my petition, which I asked of him. Therefore have I lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth, he shall • be lent to the Lord, 1 Sam. 1.27, 28.

3. It is useful to preserve in us a Sense of our Duty to God, as it obligeth us to be more cautious and watchful. Who should be so careful of their Conversations, as they that come often into God's presence? They had need to be careful on a double account.

1. That they may be in a readiness always to pray, Eph. 6.18. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance, 1 Pet. 4.7. Be sober, and watch unto prayer. If we would be often with God in Prayer, we must watch against anything that would hinder our Communion and intercourse with God, that we may look God in the face with Comfort. As those that are always to appear in the presence of earthly Princes, must be more decently clad than other Men. How shall we pray at Night, when we have been offending God all the Day.

2. The very praying often inferreth an Obligation of greater strictness, that we may be such out of Duty, as we profess to be in Duty. 1 Pet. 1.17. And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear, 2 Tim. 2.19. Let everyone that nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity. What, confess Sin, and yet commit it? What, pray so zealously, and live so vainly! Confute and contradict your Prayers by your Lives! Ask Grace so earnestly of God, and cast it away so carelessly in your Conversations! Leave off one, or the other, for Hypocrisy is a double provoking thing, more than open profaneness.

VSE 1. Is to reprove those that never call upon God, or very rarely, either in their Families or Closets, or both. This cometh to pass,

1. Sometimes through a defect of their Faith they do not believe God's Being and Providence, and the Promises of his Holy Covenant, as made with us. They do not believe his Being, Psalm 14.1. The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God. And verse 4. They call not upon the Lord. The practical Atheist doth not pray, Job 15.4. Thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God. As the awe and reverence of God abateth in them, they cast off Prayer, especially in secret. God's Children may be straightened in Prayer, but they do not restrain Prayer. Conscience is clamorous, Prayer would fain break out, but they smother these checks and sentiments of Religion, till they wholly quit a course of praying. Sometimes they deny Providence, Psalm 73.11. They say, how doth God know? and is there any knowledge in the most high? And verse 13. I have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my hands in innocence, Mal. 3.14. Ye have said, 'tis in vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? Or else they do not soundly believe the Covenant of God as made with them in Christ, Rom. 10.14. How shall they call upon him, in whom they have not believed? We cannot address ourselves to God in Christ, if we are not rooted in the Faith of the Gospel.

2. Sometimes through a defect of their Love to God. They have no delight in him, and therefore call not upon his Name, Job 27.10. Will he delight himself in the Almighty? Will he always call upon God? They may sometimes cry to him to be free from trouble, but they do not always call upon him, nor keep up a constant use of Prayer. They are weary of God, Isa. 43.22. Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob! Thou hast been weary of me, O Israel! They that left their first love, left their first works, Rev. 2.3, 4. Or else they are glutted with Worldly Happiness, and so God is neglected: Ier. 2.31. We are Lord's, we will come no more unto thee. They are well and at ease, or else they are besotted with carnal pleasures, that they have no heart to come to God, Luke 21.34. Take heed to yourselves, least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life. The Heart is withdrawn from God, and stolen away by carnal vanities.

3. From a defect in their Hope, they despair either of assistance, or acceptance.

1. Of Assistance. Having such a wandering, lean, and barren Understanding, and dead Affections, they think they shall be never able to pray. And though God hath promised a Spirit of Grace and Supplication, and is ready to give it to those that do not give way to these evils, but strive against them, and the Holy Ghost, is appointed to teach them to pray, yet they give way to this dullness and deadness, out of an indulgence to the ease of the flesh, and slothfulness, and despair of God's help. Isa. 64.7. And there is none that calleth upon thy name, that stirreth up himself to take hold of thee. There is the lazy despair as well as the raging despair; when Men will not stir up themselves, and overcome the seeming difficulties, which at first a course of Prayer meeteth with.

2. Of Acceptance. They have lost their peace by some grievous wounding Sin, and then have not the heart to go to God. As David kept silence, and hung off, Psalm 32.3. till he recovered his peace. So others have offended God, and represent him to themselves as an angry Judge, rather than a gracious Father, and so run away from him as guilty Adam did to the bushes, Gen. 3.8. rather than come to him. In part this may be in God's Children, when they have grieved the Spirit; but mostly it is in the wicked, who go on impenitently in some grievous and heinous sin, and so can have no heart to go on in a course of lively Prayer. The Presence of God is terrible to a Sinner, because of the Conscience of their own sinful Courses; they expect nothing but Wrath and Vengeance from God, and they will not take God's way to reconcile themselves, and make their peace with him, but only put off the thoughts of that they cannot put away, and neglect God rather than seek to appease him.

VSE II. It informeth us of a necessary Truth; if we must pray evermore, then there must be an endeavor to keep up our hearts still in a praying temper, or in a disposition to go to God upon all occasions; that when God offereth these occasions, there may not want a suitable frame of heart. The Disposition and Temper of Heart fit for Prayer must never be lost, Satan is a great Enemy to this Commerce with God, and our Hearts soon grow unfit for it. It is a difficult thing to keep up this praying frame, yet this must be a Christians constant work and care. The whole Spiritual Life is but a watching unto Prayer. Now this praying frame lieth in three things.

1. A broken-hearted sense of our Spiritual wants. We have a quick and tender feeling of Bodily wants, for these are evident to Natural Sense, and we love the Body more than the Soul, and are tender of our Bodily Interests; but we should be alike affected with Soul necessities, or else there will be no life in our Prayers. God filleth the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent empty away, Luke 1.53. The poor in Spirit do most mourn before the Lord, and hunger and thirst after Righteousness, Matth. 5.3, 4, 5, 6. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. Now that which hindereth this brokenness of Heart is carnal pleasures, which bring on a brawn and senseless deadness upon the Soul. Therefore the Apostle saith, 1 Pet. 4.7. Be sober, and watch unto Prayer. Now Sobriety is a sparing use of Sensual and Worldly Delights, or a Moderation in all Earthly Things. This you must labor after, if you would keep up your correspondency with God by Prayer in a lively manner.

2. A strong and earnest bent of Heart towards God and Heaven, and so towards Spiritual and Heavenly things, Isa. 26.9. With my soul have I desired thee in the night, yea with my spirit within me will I seek thee early. The Soul that is set to seek the Lord, is most fit for this Duty. But unless the Heart be thus set towards God and Heavenly things, Prayer will be as a customary talk, we shall ask for fashions sake, pray from our Memories rather than our Conscience, and from our Conscience rather than Heart and Affections, or from Affections actually excited and stirred, rather than from an Heart renewed, or that habitual bent and tendency towards God, which is at the bottom of Prayer. The Heart sensibly stirred in our Duty may do well for the time, but it is soon lost, and controlled, and mastered by contrary affections. That which doth habitually dispose and incline you to pray always, is the fixed bent of Heart towards God and Heaven. There are three Agents in Prayer, as in every Holy Duty, the Human Spirit, the New Nature, and the Spirit of God. The Human Spirit, or my Natural Faculties, that by my understanding I may work upon my Will and Affections, and rouse up myself; for the Holy Ghost doth not work upon a Man, as upon a block. Then the New Nature, which inclineth us to God as our chief good, and last end; for the Holy Ghost doth not blow as to a dead Coal. Then the Divine Spirit, which exciteth those Graces in us, which incline us to God; as Faith, or a belief of his Being. Providence and Covenant, Love and Desire of the full fruition of him in the Heavenly Glory; and hope of the means and end, of the means by which we attain the end, and the end that we shall thus enjoy by the means. These are the three Agents in Prayer, and every Holy work; I must do something as a Reasonable Creature, something as a New Creature, and the Spirit influenceth all. The second we are now speaking of, the New Nature or Inclination to God; which inclination is not barely Natural, as the inclination of Creatures without Life, as in fire, or light bodies to ascend, or in a stone or heavy bodies to descend; but voluntary, as in a rational Agent, and therefore it is not so indeclinably set, that it needeth not to be strengthened, excited, and increased in us, and this I now press you to, if you would keep up your praying frame.

3. There is a liberty, or confidence which ariseth from our peace and friendship with God, 1 John 3.21. If our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 towards God. When we walk unevenly, we grow shy of God, our Mouths are shut, our Prayers choked in the utterance. Therefore we should take heed we do not interrupt our peace. 1 Pet. 3.7. Dwelling as heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers be not hindered. Our access to God in Prayer cannot be carried on so cheerfully, unless we walk orderly and peaceably in our Relations. A Christian is very careful that he may not interrupt his Communion with God, but must avoid heinous wounding Sins. And because, do what we can do, daily infirmities will break out, he often renews his Covenant with God, that his Heart may be settled.

VSE III. To exhort us to pray without ceasing. Consider,

1. The Throne of Grace, which God hath erected in the midst of his People, standeth always upon. God doth not keep Termes and days of Audience. The High Priest was not to be too familiar with God to come to him, but once in a year. But we may come every day. Heb. 4.16. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Let us then be often with God.

2. God's Compassions and Mercies never fail. There is an inexhausted Treasure and Stock of Grace, James 1.5. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. Compare this with Prov. 25.17. Withdraw thy foot from thy neighbors house, lest he be weary of thee, and so hate thee. You may come too seldom, but you can never come too often to God.

3. We owe this respect to God, that we must not go about his Service by fits, but constantly. As the Queen of Sheba pronounced of Solomon's Servants, 1 Kings 10.8. Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, that stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom ; much more may it be said of the Servants of God, Prov. 8.34. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. It is a blessed thing to be much with God.

4. We never want occasions of praying, either for ourselves, or for the Church of God. Therefore we ought always to live in the sense of our own emptiness, and in the Faith of God's fullness, and willingness to supply our wants; always sensible of our need to pray, and always confident of God's readiness to answer and pray accordingly.

5. Love will not suffer us to keep long out of God's Company. They that delight in one another must have their frequent meetings, and frequent interviews. An instance of this we have in Jonathan and David, 1 Sam. 18.1. The soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David and Jonathan loved him as his own soul, and therefore he could not be long without his Friend David. If we have a love to God, we cannot keep long out of God's Company, but will be with him, pouring out our hearts to him. Consider these things, that you may quicken yourselves to this Duty of praying without ceasing.

A SERMON On MARK ii.17.

THE words are Christ's Apology for eating with Publicans and Sinners. They thought no Jew was to eat, or drink, or converse with Publicans, whom they looked upon as the vilest sort of Men. Publicans are often joined with Sinners in the Jewish scorn; thereby is intended Sinners of the Gentiles, Gal. 2.15. Publicans and Heathens, Matth. 18.17. Because by reason of their calling they conversed often with Gentiles. Their calling was counted sordid; hiring or farming the Tributes. It is an Hebrew Proverb, Take not a Wife out of a Family in which is a Publican, because they are all Thieves. They were wicked Sinners in common repute. Now for Christ to be entertained in the House of a Publican, and to converse so familiarly with Publicans, this the Pharisaical strictness and rigorous institution could not endure. The Cavil was brought to his Disciples and Followers: They muttered and whispered about them words that tended to disprove this familiar Converse, as not becoming the Person which Christ took upon himself. The old Hypocrites deal not directly with the Master himself, but the young Converts. Christ when he heard it vindicates his practice, (1.) By representing the agreeableness of this Converse to his Office: Represented in a Proverb, The whole have no need of the physician, but the sick. Two things are herein represented,

1. That Sin is a soar sickness: A Disease not of the Body, but the Soul. A Mortal Disease it will at length prove, unless it be in time cured; and the Disease is the more grievous, because we are so insensible of it.

2. That Christ alone is the true Physician of Souls. He knoweth our Malady and our Remedy, and is ready, and offereth his help to cure, if we will but submit to his prescriptions. Now both make up his Argument; Where doth the Physicians work lie but among the Sick.

2. From the end of his Commission: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Where observe.

• 1. The Persons with whom he hath to do, not the righteous, but sinners.
• 2. The way that he taketh; he calleth.
• 3. The end or means of cure on their parts; Repentance.

I. The Persons concerned; Negatively, not the righteous. A Man may be Righteous really, or putatively. Really there are none such before the Tribunal of God of the Sons of Adam. Either Men must disclaim their Stock, or own their guilt. Putatively there are many such: They have a conceit that they are Righteous. The Pharisees trusted in themselves that they were righ • eous, Luke 18.9. Now Men puffed up with a Spiritual Pride, and a vain Opinion of their own Goodness and Righteousness, are altogether unfit to yield Obedience to Christ's Call, whereby he calleth them out of their Sins. They are so good and holy already, they need no Repentance. The Heart-whole need not the Physician: He hath no work to do among them: They have no need of his skil, they do not value him, they care not for him.

2. Positively and Affirmatively; but the Sinners : Those that are really so, and so in their own Opinion and Estimation: These Christ calleth for: These have work for him to do.

II. The way which he taketh for their cure; he calleth: As a Teacher from Heaven he thus acquainteth them with the way of their Recovery. Christ hath a double Relation for the discharge of which he came into the World, as an High Priest, and Apostle, Heb. 3.1. Both agree in this that they concern our Recovery, or the remedying of our lapsed Estate; and that for the discharge of both these Offices he came into the World. Both are the highest Officer in both Churches, Luke 19.10. The Son of man is come to seek and save that which was lost, 1 Tim. 1.15. This is a true and faithful saying, That Jesus Christ came to save sinners, of whom I am chief. But they differ, That the work of the one Office lieth with God, the other with Man: The one respects the reconciling God to us so as an High Priest he made our Peace with God by the Merit of his Sacrifice, Col. 1.20. By the blood of his cross making peace. The other concerneth the reconciling us to God, by the change of our hearts. This he manageth by a Call and Invitation; partly by himself in Person, as a Teacher from Heaven discovering the way how we may get again into the favor of God, and be restored to his Service: Partly by his Ministers, whom he employeth in his stead. 2 Cor. 5.18, 19, 20. And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given unto us the ministry of reconciliation. To wit, That God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their tr • spasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead be reconciled to God. The Function and Office, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , of calling Men to Repentance belonged to his Apostolical Office, as a Messenger sent from the bosom of God to acquaint us with his heart, how he standeth affected to our recovery. This latter is here spoken of: This he doth by calling.

III. The work, or means of Cure which he prescribeth is Repentance. Our Misery lay in Sin, and we begin our happiness by Repentance. Christ did not come to give liberty to any to live in Sin: This is to turn the Grace of God into lasciviousness. Jude 4. As he came to die for Sinners, and to save Sinners, so he came to call Sinners to Repentance: The one as a Priest, the other as King, the last as a Prophet.

Doctrine, That the special business for which Christ was sent into the world as the great Teacher of the Church, was to remedy the collapsed state of sinners by calling them to repentance.

I shall prove three things.

• 1. That we are all Sinners in a lapsed Estate.
• 2. That he recovereth us out of this lapsed Estate by calling us.
• 3. The way or means is by Repentance.

I. That his work lieth with Sinners, when he interposed as a Mediator between God and Men. This I shall discover in three Considerations.

1. That Man is now in a lapsed or fallen Estate from his Primitive Integrity, and none are Righteous till Christ calleth them. That Men are fallen from their Primitive Integrity, and become Sinners, is a Truth evidenced by Scripture and Experience. Scripture, Rom. 3.23. We have all sinned, and are come short of the glory of God. That is, his Glorious Image, 1 Cor. 11.8. He is the image and glory of God, as the woman is the glory of the man. 2 Cor. 3.18. But we all with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord. That for the term Glory, so Eccles. 7.29. God made man upright, but he sought out many inventions. Man as he came out of God's hands was an holy and happy Creature, created with a disposition which did enable and incline him to love, please and obey God: But Adam had his Inventions, and his Posterity theirs: They would not be at God's finding but their own, and so plunged themselves in all manner of Sin and misery. Thus the Son that shone in the dawning of our Creation was soon eclipsed. But experience showeth us, this as well as Scripture. There is a greater proneness in us to evil more than to good, and a manifest disproportion in our faculties to things Carnal and Spiritual, and this is both Universal, and very early, which is a plain Evidence of the degeneration of Mankind. And from thence results as all disorders in Conversation, so Misery and Death.

Certainly if we did often and seriously consider what a sinful Womb we came from, how deformed and ugly in the sight of God we came from it, how we began our Life with crying and weeping, and are all our days obnoxious to Wrath and Condemnation, and what ever hath been our portion in the World, yet shortly we must die, and sink into the Pit Eternally, it would more awaken us. In the general, this is enough to our purpose, That Man is in a lapsed Estate, under the guilt of Sin and desert of punishment.

2. That out of this Misery Man is unable to deliver and recover himself: Not able to reconcile or propitiate God to himself, or himself to God; Not able to redeem himself, or give a sufficient Ransom or recompense to God's provoked Justice, Psalm 49.8. For the redemption of the soul is precious and ceaseth forever. There is but one way of coming to this, which is by the Death of the Messiah. Not able to change his own heart, Job 14.4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. All that we do savoreth of our unclean Original. We cannot cure and remedy this evil; otherwise Christ needed not to have died for us. If Man had been by other means cured, the Heavenly Physician needed not come to save them. 'It is denied to all the living.

3. Those who are sensible of this are nextly called not Sinners as Sinners, but sensible Sinners. Those that know themselves to be so: Sensible Sinners who are willing to return to their Obedience to God; expecting their help and discharge from God's Grace in Christ. It is opposed to such as are Righteous in their own Eyes: Such as do in some measure feel their Sins, are humbled for them, desirous to be freed from them; lost Sinners, broken-hearted, and grieved, and wounded for their transgressions: These are respected in Christ's Commission, Isa. 61.1, 2. The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek, he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening the prison doors to them that are bound, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. Here is Christ's calling to his Ministry, and the exercise of his prophetical Office described; Sent to preach the spiritual deliverance from sin and Satan. But to whom? To such as are humbled, and thoroughly touched with a lively sense of their Sin, for which purpose God maketh use of legal sorrow to awaken Sinners, and prepare them before Conversion.

II. That Christ recovereth us out of this lapsed Estate by Calling. There is a twofold Calling of Christ by which he calleth Men, 1. Outward. 2. Inward.

1. Outwardly, By the Ministry of the Word, by which he inviteth Men to come out of their Sins, offering Grace and Salvation in the outward means. Thus John preached Repentance, Mat. 3.20. Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand. When the Kingdom of Grace was about to be set up by the Gospel, the great Duty called for was Repentance: For the Gospel findeth Men involved in an evil way, like mad Men out of their Wits, and they must return to their Wits again if they would be capable of it. Now they must change their course if they will receive benefit by it. Thus John preached, and Jesus Christ came with the same form of proclamation, Mark 1.15. The kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the gospel. The great business to which he called was to be willing to own the benefit offered by Christ, and to return to the Duty which they owed to their Creator. So his Apostles when sent abroad by him, spake to Men in the same note, Acts 2.38. Repent and be baptized everyone of you for the remission of sins. And Acts 3.19. Repent, that your sins may be blotted out. They offered Pardon and Life upon these terms.

2. Inwardly; By the effectual working of the Blessed Spirit, inclining and moving their hearts to obey that outward Calling in forsaking their Sins, and turning to the Lord by true Repentance. We have need of a Savior to help us to Repentance, as well as to help us to pardon. And God hath exalted him to such an end, Acts 3.26. God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you in turning away everyone of you from his iniquities, Acts 5.31. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and Savior to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. He by the Gospel giveth leave to repent. Acts 11.18. And when they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, That then God also to the Gentiles granted repentance to life: Which is a great Mercy. The Law doth not say, I will not the Death of a Sinner, but that he turn and live; but the Lord saith, do and live, sin and die. This favor was not vouchsafed to Angels. Heb. 2.16. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , He took not hold of Angels. That he giveth us space to repent, as well as leave; that by his Providence he may do, and doth to many that perish, Revel. 2.21. I gave her space to repent, and she repented not. God is not quick and severe upon every Miscarriage. He might have cut us off betimes; as we crush Serpents in the Egg, and destroy venomous Creatures when they are young. But this is not all; he giveth Grace to repent, yea, Repentance its self, whereby Mans Heart is changed: This is by his Spirit, 2 Tim. 2.25. If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. The Evangelical Call carries its own blessing with it.

III. The Means of Application, or the Duty on Mans part is Repentance: For to that he calleth them here.

Here let me show you these four things.

• 1. What Repentance is.
• 2. The kinds of it.
• 3. That this is the way of our Recovery.
• 4. The suitableness of this qualification to the Grace of the New Covenant.

I. What Repentance is. It is turning of the whole heart from Sin and Satan, to serve God in newness of Life. Or a turning from Sin, because God hath forbidden it; to that which is good, because God hath commanded it. There are in it, as in every action two terms, a quo, and ad quem. We turn from something, and we turn to something. (1.) The terminus a quo ; we turn from something: From Sin, Acts 8.22. Repent of thy wickedness, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from thy wickedness. and from dead works, Heb. 6.1. from Satan, Satan is sometimes made the term, because the Sinner falleth to his share, Acts 26.18. To turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.

2. The terminus ad quem is, to God, Acts 20.21. To the truth, 2 Tim. 2.25. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , repentance to the acknowledgment of the truth. To holiness and newness of Life, Rom. 6.4. To life, Acts 11.18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life. 2. The kinds of it: There is a general Repentance which consists in the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, Col. 2.11. When a Man renounceth all sin, and devoteth himself to God. And there is a particular repentance for any provoking Sin, Acts 8.22. Repent and pray, that if it be possible the thought of thy heart may be forgiven thee.

Again, There is a Repentance at our first Conversion, which is our passing from Death to Life; or our entrance by the strait gate, Matth. 7.14. And there is a Repentance afterwards, which belongeth to our walking in the narrow way: For after Conversion we need it still, and not in our Natural Estate only. 'It is not only necessary for a Sinner yet unregenerate, yet unreconciled to God, without which he cannot expect any peace with God, or benefit by the New Covenant; but also for a Believer till his full and final Recovery. This Repentance after Conversion is either occasional or constant.

1. Occasional: After any offense given, or breach between us and God. Repentance is necessary to obtain pardon of Sins after Justification, as well as before it. God saith to the Church of Ephesus, Rev. 2.5. Repent, and do thy first works. So verse 19. Whom I love I rebuke and chasten; be zealous therefore, and repent. Where Repentance is put for a necessary means of removing God's rebuke and quarrel from them whom he loveth. The promise is made to Believers, 1 John 1.9. If we confess and forsake our sins, he is just and faithful to forgive us our sins. When he wrote to Believers, he put himself in the Roll; If we confess. Experience of the Saints confirmeth the same, Psalm 32.5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee. God was angry with Job's Friends till they humbled themselves, Job 42.8. Solomon beggeth pardon for the people of God on these terms, 1 Kings 8.47, 48. Yet if they shall bethink themselves, in the Land whither they were carried captives, and repent, and make supplication unto thee in the land of them that carried them captives, saying We have sinned and done perversely; we have committed wickedness, and so return unto thee with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies which led them away captive, and pray unto thee towards their land which thou gavest their fathers; the city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name. The Lord assenteth to the Articles, 2 Chron. 7.13, 14. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain. If my people shall humble themselves, and pray, and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, &c. God's Children may fall into miscarriages whereby they may displease God, though their persons be justified.

2. Constant; when we first begin with God, we bind ourselves to forsake all known sin, and to live to God. In grown Persons this is confirmed by Baptism. Our Obligation continueth with our lives. And therefore we must spend our whole time in Repentance. And our necessity inferreth it, as well as our Obligation. Original Corruption remaineth with the Regenerate, and we frequently feel the Rebellions of the Flesh. Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from this body of death. So long as a Man is a Sinner, he is called to Repentance, and must use this means till his full Recovery. Besides too, 'tis necessary with respect to our growth. We must grow daily in humiliation and self-abhorrence, and reform the errors of our ways more and more, and therefore we must look upon Christ still calling us to Repentance; that walking in a constant mortifying of Sin he may still lead us to Salvation. And by these calls he more and more killeth and weakeneth Corruption in us. Therefore as they said, because of the difficulties of the outward Reformation, Ezra 10.13. This is not a work of one day or two, so inward Repentance is not the work of one, but all our days.

3. That this is the way of our recovery, in order to the enjoyment of the Privileges of the New Covenant. God and Christ agreed that Salvation should be dispensed upon these terms; and the whole frame of the Gospel is to invite Sinners to repentance God sent him to heal the broken-hearted, Matth. 11.28. He interposed as Mediator to make way for this. This appeareth by the Doctrine of the Covenant. He hath made a Covenant wherein he hath offered Pardon and Life to the Penitent Believer, Luke 24.47. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations ; with Mark 16.6. He that believeth, and is baptized shall be saved. Repentance putteth us within the reach of the promise, which speaketh pardon to none but those which repent. Some dispute whether it be an equal condition with Faith: 'It is as necessary; but Faith hath its special use for some respects: As Repentance is a return to the Love and Obedience of our God, so Faith is a thankful acceptance of the benefit of our Redeemer, Acts 20.21. Repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. The closing Act is Faith or Acceptance of Christ; yet the Person must be penitent: As in Marriage, the hearing of the proposal, believing what is heard, the liking the Party, living in Conjugal Society are terms; but the solemn taking one another is the Nuptial Knot; so here, consent to take Christ, is the closing act of Faith, and then there must be a living in Obedience afterward.

2. The Sacraments or Seals of the Covenant bind to it. Baptism implieth it, Matth. 3.11. I baptize you with water unto repentance ; that is, to seal up the Covenant of Repentance, whereby the Party baptized is obliged to his Duty, and hath the promise of God to supply us with Grace to repent. The Lord's Supper also binds to it. The main benefit there offered is Remission of Sins, Matth. 26.28. which cannot be had without Repentance. We are bound in Baptism, but Men forget that they were purged from their old sins. Therefore earnest resolutions against Sin need often to be renewed least we become cold and remiss in them. Therefore a special Repentance is required before we come to the Lord's Table.

4. The suitableness of the Qualification.

1. It is much for the Honor of God. Christ hath purchased the Effects of his Grace to be communicated to us in a way becoming his Wisdom, as well as his Justice. Now it would not be for the Glory of God, nor preserve his Law and Government, if we should be pardoned without submissive Confession of past Sins, or a Resolution of future Obedience. Common reason will tell us that our case is not compassionable without it. Who will pity those in Misery that are unwilling to come out of it? Repentance is called a giving Glory to God, Mal. 2.2. I will curse your blessings, because ye will not lay it to heart, and give glory to my name. Joshua 7.14. My Son give glory to the God of Israel, and make confession to him. Revel. 16.9. They repented not to give glory to God. Repentance repaireth God in point of Honor; giveth him the Glory of the justness of his Laws and Providence. The self-condemning Sinner subscribeth to all this; therefore it is suitable to the Wisdom of God that a penitent Sinner should have pardon, rather than an impenitent, or one that continueth securely in his Sins, and despiseth both the curse of the Law, and the Grace of the Gospel.

2. The Duty of the Creature is secured, when he is so firmly bound unto future Obedience. Therefore surely a converting Repentance is the fittest Condition; such as may induce an hatred of Sin repented of, and a love to God and Holiness. Now our first hearty consent for the future to live in the Love, Obedience and Service of our Creator, with a detestation of our former ways, is most conducible to this end; besides the obligation of the Vow its self, or Bond of the Holy Oath into which they are entered, and the Circumstances accompanying it, because this Vow and • romise is made partly in our anguish, when we feel the smart of Sin, then for the Soul to resign its self to God, Acts 9.6. Lord what wilt thou have me to do? And partly when we are in the deepest and freshest sense of his pardoning Mercy; when we see at how dear a rate he is content to save us, and upon what free terms to pardon all our wrongs; surely they that are brought back from the Grave, and fetched up from the Gates of Hell, and from under a Sentence of Condemnation, will be engaged more to love God, Psalm 130.4. But there is forgiveness with thee that thou shouldest be feared. The Woman loved much who had much forgiven her, Luke 7.47.

3. It is most for the Comfort of the Creature, that a stated certain course of Remedy should be appointed for our Peace, which may leave the greatest Evidence upon our Consciences. Now what is likely to do so much as this first and apparent change, whereby we utterly renounce, and bitterly bewail our former folly, and solemnly give up ourselves to God by Christ. Things are evident to the feeling, which are serious, advised, difficult, have a notable delight accompanying them; all which concur here. This is the most important Action of our Lives; the settling of our Pardon and Eternal Interest, a sense of Sin if deep and thorough, will ever stick with us. The Heart is heartily brought to this, to submit to God's appointed course, Rom. 10.3. For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about • o establish their righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. And 'tis rewarded with some notable tastes of God's Love; for he reviveth the hearts of his contrite ones, Isa. 57.15. and restoreth comfort to his mourners, verse 17.

VSE Let us obey Christ, and continually carry out the work of Repentance with more seriousness. Sin is not hated enough, nor God loved enough, and therefore we have so small a taste of the Comforts of Christianity. Groans unutterable make way for Joyes that are unspeakable.

Motives.

1. The unquestionable necessity of the Duty should move us, Christ's Authority is absolute. He telleth us, I came to call sinners to repentance. If he saith so, Contradiction must be silent, Haesitation satisfied, all Cavils laid aside, and we must address ourselves to his work, and never cease till we are past Repentance, and that is only when we have no more sin in us, which will never be till we die.

2. The profit should move. It is a Duty of great use, By Repentance we are put into a capacity to serve and please God: For New Creatures are set in joint again, who were disordered by the fall, Eph. 2.10. And Titus 3.5.2 Tim. 2.2. and by it we are put into a capacity to enjoy God: Acts 26.18. To open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God.

3. Nothing can be excepted against this course. (1.) The plea of Unworthiness hath no place. It is not the applying a Privilege, but the performance of a Duty we invite you to, If we did directly call you to accept a Pardon, you might question our Doctrine: Perhaps you may think you are unworthy to be pardoned, but God is worthy to be obeyed. Christ calleth you to Repentance. (2.) You cannot object the greatness of your Sins. Did Christ come from Heaven only to cure a cut finger, and not a deadly wound? He calleth Sinners, and Sinners without exception; Sinners of all sorts and sizes. This thought often cometh into our mind, That Christ is a Savior, but not of those who are fallen into such heinous, and enormous offenses as we have done; as if any Disease were beyond the skill of the Spiritual Physician; as if he could cure a Cold, or a slight Ague, but not the Leprosy and the Plague. All Sinners are called.

3. The plea of weakness doth not lie against the Duty neither: For he that calleth the things that are not as though they were, Rom. 4.17. Lazarus come forth, John 11.47. Why doth he speak to a dead Man? So to the Man with the withered hand, Stretch forth thy hand, Matth. 12.13. Do not say, Lord: This I cannot do: No, go forth in the strength of Christ's Call. He calleth not only by the Ministry of the Word, but the inward operation of his Spirit.

Now for Means.

1. Examine thine own Heart to find out thy particular sins, Psalm 119.59. I thought on my ways, and turned my feet into thy testimonies. Lam. 3.40. Search and try your ways, and turn to the Lord. Repentance usually beginneth with serious Soul searching; otherwise we spend our indignation upon a Notion. Particulars are most affecting, Sin is the common Pack-Horse to bear every Mans burden; but Sin must be particularly confessed, forsaken, and mortified, that it may be pardoned.

2. Labor to work thy Heart to Godly sorrow for them, Lam. 3.20. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled within me. We should humble ourselves greatly, Job 42.6. I repent and abhor myself in dust and ashes, Matth. 11.21. Repented in dust and ashes. This is spoken according to their National Customs. Men most abased are most serious. But our Repentance generally is not deep and serious enough, so as will become offenses and dishonors done to God by such weak Creatures as we are, and so deeply engaged to him. There is not that self-loathing, nor such a measure of Godly sorrow as may either make Christ sweet, or Sin bitter to us. If it affect the Heart so as Sin becometh hateful, and there is a price and value put upon God's Grace in Christ, then it is right. Oh therefore bemoan yourselves to God as Ephraim did, Ier. 31.18.

3. Lay them open before God in humble Confession, 1 John 1.9. If we confe • s sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. Ier. 3.13. Only acknowledge thine iniquities, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God. And set apart some special time to do it.

4. Crave and sue earnestly for the pardon of them in Christ's Name, and for Christ's sake, Eph. 4.32. As God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you ; 1 John 2.12, I write unto you little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his names sake. All benefits must be asked in his Name, much more this which is the great fruit of his Redemption. God himself has taught us to pray for Pardon, and to say, Take away all iniquity, Hos. 14.4. And take the Sacramental Pledges out of God's hand for this end.

5. There must be an unfeigned Purpose and Endeavor to forsake them. Prov. 28.13. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper, but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy, Ezek. 3.11. As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live: Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die? O house of Israel! Hosea 14.8. Ephraim shall say, What have I to do anymore with Idols? Isa. 30.22. Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold; thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth, thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence.

A SERMON On PSALM viii.2.

THE scope of this Psalm is to glorify God for the singular Dignity he hath put upon Man above all his works: The expressions literally and apparently refer to God's works of Creation and Providence about him; but in a Divine and more Spiritual sense the Mysteries of Redemption are intended, and secretly couched under them; as appeareth by the frequent quotations of this Psalm in the New Testament.

There is a double Honor put upon Mankind:

1. That God hath ordained Man, that feeble and weak Creature, to subdue and conquer his Enemies.

2. That God hath made him Lord of all his other Creatures: Both which concern not only Man in general, but especially Jesus Christ. God made Man, and therefore both are applied to him: The first, when the Children welcome him with the acclamations proper to the Messiah, Matth▪ 21.15, 16. When the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the Temple H • sanna to the son of David, they were sore displeased and said unto him, hearest thou what these say? and Jesus saith unto them, yea; have ye never read, out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? The other in many places; especially Heb. 2.6, 7, 8. But one in a certain place testified, saying, what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the Son of man that thou visitest him? Thou hast made him little lower than the angels, thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands. Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet: For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. So that Man is both his Champion and his Deputy. He is his Deputy, verse 6. Thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands, thou hast put all things under his feet. His Champion in the Text, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, &c.

In explaining these words, I shall inquire,

• 1. Who are these Babes and Sucklings?
• 2. Who is the Enemy and Avenger?
• 3. What is the Miracle and Wonder that raised the Prophets admiraration, and moved him to praise God for this?

I. Who are these Babes and Sucklings.

1. Man in general, who springeth from so weak and poor a beginning, as that of Babes and Sucklings, yet is at length advanced to such power as to grapple with, and over • ome the Enemy, and the Avenger.

2. David in particular, who being but a ruddy youth, God used him as an Instrument to discomfit Goliath of Gath.

3. More especially our Lord Jesus Christ, who assuming our Nature and all the sinless infirmities of it, and submitting to the weakness of an Infant, and after dying, is gone in the same Nature to reign in Heaven, till he hath brought all his Enemies under his feet: Psalm 110.1. And 1 Cor. 15.27. For he hath put all things under his feet, but when he saith he hath put all things under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. Then was our Human Nature exalted above all other Creatures, when the Son of God was made of a Woman, carried in the Womb as long a time as other Infants are, Luke 2.6. Sucked as a Babe, and afterwards died, and was received unto Glory.

4. The Apostles, who to outward appearance were despicable, in a manner Children and Sucklings in comparison of the great ones of the World; poor despised Creatures, yet principal Instruments of God's Service and Glory. Therefore 'tis notbale, that when Christ glorifieth his Father for the wise and free Dispensation of his Saving Grace, Matth. 11.25. He saith, I thank thee O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid those things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. So called from the meanness of their Condition, Compare the parallel places, Luke 10.21. And you shall see it was spoken when the Disciples were sent abroad, and had power given them over unclean Spirits. In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. This he acknowledged to be an Act of Infinite Condescension in God.

5. Those Children that cried Hosanna to Christ, make up part of the sense, Matth. 2 • .16. for Christ defendeth their practice by this Scripture, when he was condemned by the wisest and greatest, and proudest Men in the World, such as were the Scribes and Pharisees at that time he was praised and welcomed as the Messiah, or Son of David, by the Children.

6. Not only the Apostles, but all those that fight under Christ's Banner, and are listed into his Confederacy, may be called Babes and Sucklings: First, Because of their Condition. Secondly, Their Disposition.

1. Because of their Condition: God is pleased often to make choice of the meanest and lowest, 1 Cor. 1.27, 28. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And the base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are. That is, God in the Government of the World is pleased to subdue the Enemies of his Kingdom by weak and despised Instruments.

2. Because of their disposition: They are most humble spirited. We are told Matth. 18.3. Except ye be converted and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of God: As if he had said, you strive for preeminence and worldly greatness in my Kingdom, I tell you my Kingdom is a Kingdom of Babes, and containeth none but the humble, and such as are little in their own Eyes, and are contented to be small and despised in the Eyes of others, and so do not seek after great Matters in the World. A young Child knoweth not what striving or state meaneth, and therefore by an Emblem and visible Representation of a Child set in the midst of them, Christ would take them off from the expectation of a Carnal Kingdom.

II. Who is the Enemy and the Avenger? In the Letter Goliath, in the Mistery the Devil and his Agents and Instruments. He is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Enemy of God and Man, Matth. 13.39. The enemy that soweth them is the Devil ; and with him all the Seed of the Serpent, Gen. 3.15. These are Wicked Men, John 8.44. For ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do, 1 John 4.4. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world. The War is carried on between two Heads and two Seeds.

III. What is the Miracle and Wonder that raised the Heart of the Psalmist to praise God. It lieth in three things.

• 1. That God hath ordained strength.
• 2. That this lieth in their Mouth.
• 3. That this strength is sufficient to still the Enemy and the Avenger.

1. That there is strength in such weak Creatures. Christ himself, to outward appearance, was a mean and despicable Person; scorned, scourged, crucified, yet made perfect through sufferings, and crowned with Glory and Honor; Heb. 2.9, 10. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many Sons to glory, to make the captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings. And he hath strength enough to remove the impediments of our Salvation, and doth powerfully conquer and subdue all his, and our Enemies. Christians are in themselves weak Creatures, but there is strength ordained for them to do and suffer all things that belong to their Duty, or may befall them in the way of their Duty: As Phil. 4.13. I can do all things through Christ that strengtheneth me, and when I am weak, then am I strong, 1 Cor. 12.10. And this strength is said to be ordained, or founded, because it standeth upon a good foundation, the Everlasting Merit of the Son of God, who came out from God's Bosom to reduce and call us to the Dignity of his Servants. The Angels those glorious Creatures, when they fell by Pride were never restored, but are become the Enemies of God and Mankind. They usurped the Honor due to God, and plunged Man into their Apostasy, but God hath ordained strength to recover Man out of this thralldom, and vindicate his own Glory, that Mankind might not be wholly lost to him, Col. 2.15. having spoiled principaliti • s and powers, that is, spoiled them of their prey, on his Cross. And afterwards by the power of his Grace rescueth Man, Col. 1.13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.

2. That this strength cometh out of the Mouth; that is, 'tis not by the power of the long Sword, or by visible force and might, but by the breath of his mouth; that is to say,

1. By the word preached: Therefore 'tis said, That he shall consume Anti-Christ by the breath of his Mouth, 2 Thess. 2.8. And Revel. 19.15. Out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, wherewith he should smite the nations. And Isa. 11.4. He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth ; that is, subdue and vanquish opposition by his wonderful word, therefore the word is called the rod of his strength, Psalm 110.2.

2. By confessing his Name, Rom. 10.9, 10. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved: For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation. And this is one means of Conviction, especially when this Confession is accompanied with self-denial, Rev. 12.11. They overcame by the blood of the lamb, and the word of their testimony; not loving their lives to the death. This bold Confession is the fruit both of the Word preached, and the Spirit of Faith given to them. 2 Cor. 4.13. And also of Christ's actual assistance, Luke 21.15. I will give you a mouth and wisdom which your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay. Now that by such means the Kingdom of Sin, Satan and Antichrist should be ruined in the World, this is and should be matter of Admiration and Praise.

3. The effect, To still the enemy and the avenger ; either by bridling their rage, Psalm 76.10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee, and the remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain : Or silencing their Contradiction, Acts 6.10. They were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit by which he spake, Acts 8.13. Simon wondered, beholding the signs and miracles that were done : Or changing their Hearts; as Paul's, Acts 9.6. And making him to be Instrumental in changing others; Acts 26.18. And determining Interests, that the Church hath liberty and opportunity to worship God, Acts 9.31. Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edifyed walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comforts of the holy Ghost. Nay the Kingdom of Satan and his Adherents plainly and apparently goeth to wrack. The Devil that proud and rebellious Enemy of God and goodness is by this means subdued and brought down: First, Cast out of a great part of his Kingdom in Men's Hearts, none but obdurate Sinners being left to him, John 12.31, 32. Now is the judgment of this world, now is the prince of this world cast out. And I if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. That is, the Kingdom of Satan shall be destroyed, and a great part of the World brought to believe in me. And at last he shall be utterly confounded and destroyed, 1 Cor. 15. from 24, to 27, verse, He hath put all things under his feet : All Enemies, not one excepted, but shall be subdued to Christ.

Doctrine, That victory over Satan in our Nature is matter of great praise and thankfulness to God. That the same Nature that was lately foiled, should yet be victorious.

1. I take this for granted, that Satan is the Enemy and Avenger; for the Text speaks of an Enemy, and an Enemy out of choice; for so the Devil is said to be, Matth. 13.39. The enemy that soweth them is the devil. He is an Enemy to God and Man. To God, as he affected and usurped Divine Honor, and for his Pride was cast out of Heaven into the Torments of Hell: Falling by Pride is therefore called the Condemnation of the Devil, 1 Tim. 3.6. So James 3.15. Sensual, earthly, devilish. The glorious Condition in which he was created, tempted him to aspire higher than he was; and all Ambition is devilish wisdom, called so from his Sin. Also he is an Enemy to Mankind, because by his temptation came our Fall and Misery, and therefore he is said to be a Murderer from the beginning. A malicious, proud, and bloody Murderer of Soul and Body, and still he seeketh our destruction, 1 Pet. 5.8. The Devil like a roaring lyon goeth about, seeking whom he may devour. In the Text he is not only called the Enemy and the Avenger, but thine Enemies : The word [ thine ] showeth that he is an Enemy to God, and all goodness, and all good Men who belong to God. And the plural expression, [ enemies ] noteth either the multitude of Evil Spirits who are with Satan, and are set to ruin Mankind; or those their Confederate Party in the World, who are also many, and usually great, and powerful. For the conflict is not only between the Chiefs, but also the Instruments on either side; between Satan on the one side, the Head and Father of the Wicked; and Christ on the other, the Captain of our Salvation, Heb. 2.10. Or between the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent, Gen. 3.15. I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed, and it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. The Seeds are concerned in this enmity as well as the Chiefs.

2. The Nature of this Enmity, 'tis double; as on Satan's part, both of Nature and Design, so on Christ's part, both of Nature and Office.

1. There is a perfect enmity between the Nature of Christ, and the Nature of the Devil: The Nature of Satan is sinful, Murtherous and destructive, for tis said he was a Lyar and Murderer from the beginning, as before. So 1 John 3.8. He that committeth sin is from the devil, and the devil sinneth from the beginning, verse 12. Cain was of that wicked one who slew his brother. 'It is the Devils work to do all the hurt and mischief that he can to the Bodies and Souls of Men. But the Nature of Christ is quite contrary: 'It is his work to do good, and only good: Acts 10.38. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost, and with power, who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him. Christ did nothing by way of Malice and Revenge, he used not the power that he had to make Men Blind, or Lame, or to kill any; no not his worst Enemies: But he went up and down doing good; giving Sight to the Blind, Limbs to the Lame, Health to the Sick, Life to the Dead; he rebuked his Disciples when they called for fire from Heaven to consume those that despised them, telling them, they knew not what Spirit they were of! Luke 9.55, 56. No, all his Miracles were Acts of Relief and Succor, not pompous and destructive; bating only the blasting of the unfruitful Fig-tree, which was an emblematical warning to the Jews ; and his permitting the Devil to enter into the Herd of Swine, which was a necessary demonstration of the Devils Malice, and destructive Cruelty, who if he could not afflict Men, would destroy Swine.

2. An Enmity of design: For Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil, 1 John 3.8. as the Devil seeketh to oppose the Kingdom of Christ, Christ was set up to dissolve that Sin and Misery which Satan had brought upon the World; and the Devil sought to keep it up and hinder our Salvation: The Devil is the disturber of the Creation, and Christ the repairer of it; and therefore Salvation and Destruction are perfectly opposite.

Now such an Enmity as there is between Christ and Satan, such there is also between the Confederates on either side.

1. An Enmity or contrariety of Nature: The Seed of the Serpent inherit his venomous qualities: For as they are an Estate opposite to God, so they are to the People of God. All People of a false Religion, whether Infidels, or Idolaters, or Heretics are of bloody and desperate Principles, Partly by the influence of their great Guide and Leader; partly, because their false Religion efferateth their Minds, and stirreth them up into a blind, bitter Zeal: These go in the way of Cain, Jude 11. On the other side Christ conveyeth his Holy, Meek, and Lamb-like Nature to his sincere Worshippers and Followers. Their Righteous Souls are vexed indeed with the impure Conversations of the Wicked, but so as to stir them up, not to passion, but compassion: They are grieved to see People go by droves to Hell, and would • ain rescue them out of the Snares of the Devil, but aim not at their destruction, Jude 22, 23. And of some have compassion, making a difference; And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted with the flesh.

2. There is an enmity of design: Seeking to pull down what Satan would set up; all that Sin, Idolatry, Error and Superstition, whereby the World is corrupted, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down of strong holds, and casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. That is, to bring down all the disputings and reasonings, and prejudices, which are raised up against the power of the Gospel, and hinder the acknowledgment and practice of the Truth; Satan's end is to draw Men into Sin and Damnation, and to dishonor God: Theirs, to glorify God in the World, and save their own Souls, and the Souls of all about them.

3. This Enmity of Satan and his Instruments is carried on both against Christ and his People with much rage and fury, I will put enmity between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel, Gen. 3.15. There is something common to both; for the word bruised is used mutually both of the Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent. In this War, as usually in all other, there are Wounds given on both sides: The Devil bruiseth Christ, and Christ bruiseth Satan: Only Christ's heel is bruised, but the Devils Head is crushed; that is, he is finally destroyed.

1. Certain it is that Christ himself was bruised in the enterprize of redeeming poor Captive Souls, which showeth how much we should value our Salvation, since it cost so dear: The Lord Jesus thought not his whole Humiliation from first to last, too much, nor any price too dear for overthrowing the Devils Kingdom, and rescuing us into the liberty of God's Children. But how was he bruised by the Serpent? Certain it is on the one side, that Christ's sufferings were the effects of Mans Sin, and a demonstration of God's Holiness, and governing Justice. Therefore it is said, Isa. 53.10, 11. It pleased the father to bruise him. Unless it had pleased the Lord to bruise him, Satan could never have bruised him. But on the other side they were also the effects of the Malice, and rage of the Devil and his Instruments: In his whole Life he was tempted by Satan, often vexed with his Instruments. Therefore he saith, ye are of your father the devil ; but the closing stroke was at his Death; Satan then doing the worst he could against him. When Judas contrived the Plot, 'tis said the Devil entered into him, Luke 22.3. When the High Priests Servants came to take him, verse 53. He telleth them, This is your hour, and the power of darkness. They did prevail at last to cause his shameful Death; this was all they could do, this was the time the Devil and they were permitted to work their wills upon him.

2. No Christians are exempted from Trials of their sincerity: God will have all Obedience to be tried and honored by opposition, and sometimes by grievous and sharp opposition, Rev. 2.10. The Devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried. Thus Job was permitted to be vexed by Satan for his Trial, Job 1.12. And Paul had his Messenger of Satan to try him, to see what shift he could make with sufficient, internal Grace, against outward and vexatious evils, 2 Cor. 12.7, 8. Now it is better to undergo the fiery Trial, than the fiery Torment: Tryed we are then, but not destroyed: Yea, sometimes hurried to Death, and yet we overcome, Revel. 12.11. Christ doth prevail upon opposition, and by opposition. When Satan's Instruments were killing Christians, they were pulling down Satan's Throne, and advancing Christ's, and when they were butchered and slaughtered, yet they multiplied.

4. The Means and Manner of Victory is to be considered.

1. Christ overcometh this Enmity by taking our Nature. He might have destroyed him by his Divine Power, but the Conquerer is the Seed of the Woman, or the Son of God incarnate. He conquered in the same Nature, that was so lately foiled, and thereby Satan's main design is crossed and counter-worked, which was double: Partly to make Man jealous of God, as if he were envious of our Happiness, and by this false representation to alienate our hearts, and make a breach between us and him: Gen. 3.5. God knoweth that in the day ye eat thereof, ye shall be as God's, knowing good and evil. This way would he weaken the esteem of God in our Hearts; but hereby we have a fuller manifestation of his love to make him the more amiable to us, Rom. 5.8. But God commended his love to us, that when we were sinners, Christ died for us. And John 3.16. God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. And 1 John 4.9, 10. In this was manifested the love of God towards us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him: Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins. We would be as God, and Christ would be as Man. Partly to depress the Nature of Man, which in Innocency stood so near to God, that was the end of his malicious suggestion. But now 'tis advanced, and set up far above the Angelical Nature, and admitted to dwell with God in a Personal Union, Heb. 2.16. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. The Nature of Man being only assumed by Christ, the Angels are not concerned in it immediately, Man had the benefit and honor put upon him, especially in his glorified Estate, Eph. 1.20, 21.

2. By his Passion, or Death on the Cross, Heb. 2.14. For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, is, the Devil. Christ would not only take our Nature, but also suffer in it; so to frustrate and make void the Devils design, which was to keep Men forever under the power of Death, wherein he had involved him: He had brought Sin upon us, and by Sin, Death, and in this Condition, as the Executioner of God's Curse, he would still have held us, but that Christ came to put us into a Condition of Holiness and Happiness, and so make us capable of Eternal Life. The Devil did not conquer Christ by Death, but Christ did conquer the Devil. When the Roman Soldiers were parting and spoiling his Garments, he was spoiling Principalities and Powers.

3. By his Resurrection and Ascension. After he had been a Sacrifice for Sin, by his Resurrection he overcame Death, Hell, and Sin, and soon after he ascended into Heaven, that he might triumph over the Devil, and lead Captivity Captive, Eph. 4.8. His Enemies were foiled upon the Cross, but his Triumph over them was at his Ascension, whereby he hath assured the World of his Conquest, that he hath carried the day, and gained an absolute and complete Victory; for our Lord in Heaven is out of the reach of Enemies, as having done his work; we are only left behind to scatter the Relicks of the Battle.

4. By his sitting at the Right Hand of God he doth two things. 1. He poureth out the Spirit, endowing his Messengers with all Gifts and Graces, ordinary and extraordinary, to preach the Gospel to the Heathen World, whereby the Old Religion by which the Devils Kingdom was supported went to wrack everywhere; his Oracles were silenced, his Superstitions suppressed: No more the same Temples, the same Rites, the same God's; all fell before God as worshipped in Christ, John 16.11. The spirit shall convince the world of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. 'It is true in some parts of the World Satan yet reigneth, where Christ hath not pursued him with his Gospel, or withdrawn his Gospel for the ingratitude of Men; but where it cometh, it prevaileth mightily, and the World cannot resist its convincing power.

2. By his Secret and Invisible Providence he defendeth his People, and stilleth the Enemy and Avenger: Christ as God incarnate, having the grant of a Kingdom, is every way furnished with power to maintain it, by Means proper to the mediatory Dispensation; by his Word, Spirit, and Providence; this last we are upon: All Judgment is put into his hands, John 5.22. Though there be many vicissitudes and changes in the outward Condition of the Church, yet by invisible ways God doth notably defeat Satan and his Instruments. And though there be ebbings and flowings of the two Kingdoms, yet we have much experience that Christ is upon the Throne, by his protecting, strengthening and assisting his faithful People, and prospering their just endeavors for the advancing of his Kingdom. Sometimes he destroyeth Enemies, Isa. 27.4. Who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle, I would go through them, and burn them together. Sometimes he infatuateth their Counsels, Job 5.12, 13. He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprize. He taketh the wise in his own craftiness, and the counsel of the froward is carried head-long. Sometimes he hideth his People in the secret of his Presence, Psalm 31.20. Sometimes he blasts all their prosperity by an invisible Curse, Job 20.26. A fire not blown shall consume them : Or else he divides them, as you may read in 2 Chron. 20. Chapter.

5. The Degree of the success: How far is the Enemy and Avenger stilled?

I Answer,

1. Non ration essentiae: not to take away his Life and Being: No, there is a Devil still, and shall be when the whole work of Christ's Redemption is finished, for it is said of that time, Revel. 20.10. That the Devil was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet shall be tormented day and night forever and forever: So Matth. 25.41. Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels. Then Eternal Judgment is executed on the Head of the wicked State, Sentence was past before, and the Devil feareth it, Matth. 8.29. Art thou come to torment us before the time? He was condemned before; but then the Sentence is fully executed upon him, he is finally punished, and shall forever remain among the damned.

2. Non ration malitiae, not in regard of Malice and Enmity, for the Enmity ever continueth between the two Seeds, and Satan will ever be doing, though it • e to his loss, 1 John 3.8. He sinneth from the beginning ; and therefore he is not so destroyed, as if he desired not the ruin and destruction of Men. He is as malicious as ever: He is always at the old trade of destroying Souls, and watcheth all advantages to that end and purpose, 2 Pet. 5.8. The Devil like a roaring lyon goeth about, seeking whom he may devour.

3. Then affirmatively, it remaineth, that it is Ration potentiae, in regard of Power, but how far is his power destroyed? For still he governeth the wicked, and possesseth a great part of the World: The Devils are called Eph. 6.12. Rulers of the darkness of this world. The God's of the Heathen, Idolatrous, Superstitious World, and still he molesteth the Godly, whether considered singly and apart, or in their Communities and Societies: Singly he may sometimes trouble them, and soarly shake them, as wheat is tossed to and from when it is winnowed in a Sieve, Luke 22.31. or in their Communities, and Societies. The Devil by his Instruments may soarly distress them, Psalm 129.1, 2. Many a time have they afflicted me from my youth upward ; that is, from the beginning of their being a People unto God, or else corrupts them, 1 Cor. 11.3. I fear, least by any means Satan should corrupt you, and therefore we must see how far his power is destroyed.

I Answer,

1. It may be considered, either 1. With respect to Christ, the Author of our Deliverance: Or,

2. With respect to Men, who are the Subjects of this Deliverance, or the Persons delivered.

1. With respect to Christ our Deliverer.

1. There is enough done by way of Merit to break the Power of Satan, or that whole Kingdom of Darkness, which is united under one Head, called the Devil. The Price and Ransom is fully paid for Captive Souls, and there needeth no more to be done by way of Merit and Satisfaction to dissolve that woeful work which Satan hath introduced into the World: Col. 2.15. He hath spoiled principalities and powers triumphing over them on his cross, 1 John 3.8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil. Both these places show there is enough done for the benefit of particular Believers, and for the success of the Gospel over false Religions. He hath devested evil Spirits of their Power, thrown them out of their Temples, silenced their Oracles; he hath made it publicly discernible by the su • cess of the Christian Religion in the World; he hath purchased the power of recovering Souls out of their Apostasy at a dear rate, 1 Pet. 1.18. We are not redeemed with corruptible things, such as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of the Son of God. Well then, the value of the Blood of Christ is sufficient.

2. Christ is upon the Throne, and we are under his protection: Therefore the Devil cannot totally prevail over those that have an Interest in him, either as to single Believers, John 10.28. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of my hand. Or to their Communities and Societies: Matth. 16.18. Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it : The Gates of Hell signify their Power and Policy, there was their Armory; and there they sat in Counsel. Christ expecteth their most fierce and furious assaults; but all should be to no purpose; but as the dashing of the waves against a Rock, which ends in foam, and the shame of the Oppressors and Assailants: So that besides his Merit on the Cross, there is his Power in Heaven, where he is to rule in the midst of his Adversaries, Psalm 110.1. Sit at my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool. There he is exalted in that Human Nature which he had assumed to the highest pitch of Glory, Majesty, and Authority.

3. Though there be not a total destruction of the Kingdom of Satan, yet it remaineth in an absolute subjection to the Throne of the Mediator: The Kingdom of Sin and Satan are so far destroyed, as not to hinder God's great Design, the Demonstration of Mercy to the Elect, and to be subservient to the Demonstration of his Justice towards others, who either contemn or neglect the Remedy offered; that the Elect may obtain, though the rest be hardened, 2 Thess▪ 9, and 13. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs, and lying wonders, &c. But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you brethren, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit, and belief of the truth.

4. Christ will in time destroy all opposite Reigns and Kingdoms, some sooner, other latter; but there will be an Universal and Absolute subjection to Christ at the day of Judgment, when Infernal Spirits shall bow the knee to him, Isa. 45.23. compared with Phil. 2.10. He hath given him a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shou • d bow : And Rom. 14.10, 11. The Mistery of Iniquity will then be finished, and come to nothing; and the Saints shall judge the Evil Angels, 1 Cor. 6.3. that is, when they are crowned, they shall pass Sentence against the Evil Spirits. But in the mean time you will say, we are assaulted. Therefore.

2. With respect to Men who are to be delivered, so Satan's Power may be considered with respect to single Persons, or his Interest in the corrupt World.

1. As to single and individual Persons: So Satan's Power over them is by reason of Sin, which was introduced into the World by his Subtilty and Malice. Now these may be considered with respect to Conversion, and Confirmation.

1. Conversion: When the Reign of Sin is broken they are rescued out of Satan's hands, Col. 1.13. Who hath delivered us from the power of Satan, and translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son : And Acts 26.18. To turn us from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, Luke 11.21. When a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted : 'It is the fruit of his Victorious Grace: As long as Sin reigneth, Satan is in peaceable possession: For when he had lost his Seat in Heaven, he affected to set up a Throne in the Hearts of Men, and to Lord it over them as his Slaves: But now the reign of Sin is broken, when he puts an Enmity into your Hearts against it. Sin dieth, when the Love to it dieth: All that are converted to God, are possessed with an Enmity to Satan and his ways, such as they had not before when they remained in the degenerate State. They have a New Heart, and a New Spirit, not the Spirit of the World, but the Spirit of God. The Natural Spirit, that Spirit that dwelleth in us, is the Spirit of the World. The Spirit that inclineth us to worldly and sensual satisfactions; but the Spirit maketh them look after the things promised by Christ, and required by Christ, 1 Cor. 2.12. For we have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God. The Natural Spirit was a Spirit that lusteth to envy, James 4.5. And so the Satanical Spirit. But this is a Spirit of Love to God and Man, that maketh us to seek his Glory, and the good of others: 'Till this Spirit be planted in us, we have not changed Masters.

2. As to Confirmation and Perseverance Christ will not loose the prey that he hath recovered out of the hands of Satan. Indeed while anything of Sin remaineth, there is somewhat of Satan left, which he worketh upon: There is a remnant of his Seed in the best: The Godly are yet in the way, but not at the end of the Journey. Therefore Satan hath leave to assault them while they are here, but Christ will perfect the Conquest which he hath begun, and the very being of Sin shall at length be taken away: At Death Sin is totally disanulled. Jude 24. And to present you faultless before the presence of his glory, Eph. 5.27. That he may present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and without blemish : When the Vail of the Flesh is rent once, there is a ceasing from Sin. The Physician of Souls will then perfect the Cure, and finish the Work. The question then, is how far Satan's power is destroyed as to the Converted? I Answer, Negatively, not so far as to exclude our Duties or Trials, but affirmatively, the Victory is secured by Promise to the striving Christian.

1. Negatively, Not to exclude our Duty: There is still room left for Prayer, Watchfulness, Sobriety, Serious Resistance, that we may use the means appointed for our safety.

1. There is required of us Sobriety; or an Holy Moderation of the Comforts and Delights of the present Life: The Devil, the Fles • , and the World; join in Conspiracy against us. By the baits of the World, Satan enticeth our Flesh to a neglect of God and Heavenly things, therefore we must be sober, 1 Pet. 5.8. use the World as not abusing it; 1 Cor. 7.31. that our Hearts be not depressed and disabled from looking after our great End and Happiness.

2. Vigilance and Watchfulness is necessary, that we may stand upon our Guard, avoiding Snares, fore-casting Hazards, least we fall as a ready prey into the Mouth of the Tempter, 1 Cor. 16.13. Watch ye, stand ye fast in the faith, quit you like men and be strong. The first point of a Christian Soldier is to watch, Conscience must stand Porter at the Door of the Soul, examining what goeth in, and what cometh out: The Devil watcheth all advantages against us to espy where we are weakest. Men that have no great tenderness of Conscience, fear not much the loss of their Souls, and are most easily wrought upon by Satan, Eph. 4.27. Neither give place to the devil : If you but set open the door to Satan, the Capital Enemy of Mans salvation, he will re-enter his old Possession, and seek to exercise his old Tyranny, therefore watch.

3. A steadfast resistance: Whom resist steadfast in the faith : When we are yielding, Satan gets ground, but he is discouraged by steadfast resistance. This must be in the Faith, or by a close adherence to God's Word, 1 John 2.14. I have written to you, young men because you are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one. Adhering to the Privileges of the Gospel as our Happiness, and persevering in the Duties as our work, or resolving by a constant continuance in well-doing to wait for Christ's Mercy.

4. We are also to pray earnestly: Psalm 119.133. Order my steps in thy word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me. We had need to pray earnestly, because sin will put strongly for the Throne again; therefore beg Direction.

5. All is bound upon the Conscience by continual mindfulness of our Baptismal-Vow and Covenant, which must be often called to remembrance, Rom. 6.11. Likewise also reckon yourselves dead unto sin, and alive unto God. Rom. 8.12. We are debtors not to the flesh to live after the flesh. If Christ had so destroyed the Devil as to exclude our Endeavors, and our Duty, the whole Gospel would be in vain, and the Promises and Precepts of it to no purpose, and all that furniture of Grace which he hath provided for us lost and useless. Surely the Enemy and Avenger is not so stilled, but that we need to be sober and watchful, and steadfast in the Faith, and much in Prayer, and ever mindful of our Covenant, and vowed Death to sin: A Man that is baptized, he hath a Debt and Bond upon him. Secondly, Christ hath not so stilled the Enemy and the Avenger to exempt us from Trials of our sincerity. God will have all Obedience to be tried, and honored by opposition, and sometimes sharp and grievous opposition: Rev. 2.10. The Devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried. Job was permitted to Satan for his Trial, Job 1.12. Paul had his Messenger of Satan for his Trial, to see what shift he could make with sufficient Internal Grace under Outward and Vexatious Evils, 2 Cor. 12.7, 8, 9, 10. Now it is better to undergo the fiery Trial, than the fiery Torment: Tryed we are, but not destroyed, exercised with Temptation, but not over-whelmed.

2. Affirmatively. (1.) 'It is so far broken and destroyed, that we have necessary assistance provided for us. 2 Cor. 12.9. My grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Perfect: That is, manifested to be perfect. When the World is of Satan's side, God is of our side: 2 Tim. 4.17. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me, 1 Cor. 10.13. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation make a way to escape. (2.) The final Victory is secured by Promise to the striving Christian, Rom. 16.20. The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.

2. As to his Interest in the Corrupt World, the Kingdom of Satan is more and more subdued: For Christ must divide the spoil with the strong, Isa. 53.12. Christ prevails upon Opposition, and against Opposition, and by Opposition. For,

1. Christ having a grant of a Kingdom over the Nations, is every way furnished with Power to obtain it, by Means proper to the Mediatory Dispensation. His Kingdom is to be a Spiritual Kingdom, therefore his Means are suited, his Spirit, his Word, his Providence.

(1.) His sweet but powerful Spirit convincing Men of the Truth of his Religion. And what can stand before the All-conquering force of it, John 16.8, 9, 10, 11. And when he is come, he shall reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. Of sin because they believe not on me: Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more: Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. He shall demonstrate to the World that Christ was the Messiah, and therefore they are guilty of great sins, who will not believe on him, that he was a Righteous and Innocent Person, and no Seducer: Because he rose from the dead, and went to the Father. That he was an exalted Prince above Satan, or whatever was looked upon as Divine Powers, because he converted most parts of the Habitable World. and brought home Sinners from their Idolatries to Repentance, and change of Life.

(2.) His Word; which is called the Rod of his strength, Psalm 110.2. and the power of God to salvation, Rom. 1.16. These Weapons are not Carnal, but Mighty through God. The World cannot resist its convincing Power, 2 Cor. 10.4. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God, to the pulling down strong holds. Those that feel it not, fear it, John 3.20. Everyone that doth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, least his deeds should be reproved.

(3.) His Providence. All Judgment is put into his hands, John 5.22. All Events that fall out in the World they are not left to an uncertain contingency, but under the Government of a Supreme Providence, which is in Christ's hands.

2. In the External Management of the Mediatorial Kingdom, there are many vicissitudes and changes of the outward Condition of the Church. The Harmony of Providence requireth it, for the punishment of the Unthankful, for the Trial of the Sincere, for the Reward of the Faithful, and Destruction of the Ungodly. Sometimes God doth notably defeat Satan, and his Instruments, and the Devils Kingdom visibly goeth to wrack; as at the first promulgation of the Gospel, though the whole World lay in wickedness, and Satan everywhere had his Temples wherein he was worshipped, his Oracles resorted to with great Reverence, he ate the Fat of their Sacrifices, drank the Wine of their Drink-Offerings, yea, often the Blood of their Sons and Daughters was offered to him, yet all his strong holds were demolished; the Idols, whom their Fathers prayed to in their Adversity and Distresses, and blest in their Prosperity, are in a sudden set naught.

3. Why this is great matter of praise and thankful acknowledgment?

1. Because this is the great instance of the favor God hath put upon Man; his dignifying of them above other Creatures; that he would not wholly desert us in our fallen Estate, when the Devil had overthrown us by sin; that the Son of God must come from Heaven to deliver us from the Bondage Satan had led us into. In our Redemption, Titus 3.4. After that the kindness and love of God our Savior towards man appeared. Surely this is a great Mistery, 1 Tim. 3.16. Christ made Man, died for Men, rose again, carried our Nature into Heaven, reigneth there over all his Enemies as God incarnate, what will raise your hearts in thanksgiving, if these things do not? They are plain points, they need no descants more than a Diamond doth painting.

2. The many benefits that result to us thereby.

1. A Capacity to serve and please God; the most considerable part of the Creation had been else out of joint. God was robbed of the Use and Service of Mankind, Luke 1.74, 75. That he would grant unto us that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. We were in our Natural Estate governed and ruled by Satan, Eph. 2.3, 4. easily taken Captive by him, working upon the desires of our flesh; 2 Tim. 2.26. we had no remorse for it, nor desire to change our Condition: Luke 11, 21, 22. All was in a sinful quiet and peace, as when Wind and Tide go together; but now this carnal security is disturbed, we are recovered and changed, and made meet to serve and please God.

2. A right to the Privileges of the New Covenant, which are Pardon and Life, Acts 26.18. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified : And Col. 1.12, 13, 14. Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.

3. The Honor that redoundeth to God thereby. By weak and despised Means God brings about the Ends of his Glory; the Party delivered was fallen Man, who gave up at first Assault, the Deliverer is Christ, found in fashion as another Man, 1 Cor. 1.25. The weakness of God is stronger than men. That which in Mans Opinion hath least Wisdom, Strength, and Virtue in it, that doth all. By Man and Man crucified.

VSE. If it be so great a Mercy, see that you be partakers of it, see that Satan's Power be destroyed, as to your Souls, Christ doth not only enter upon the World by Conquest, but hath much to do with every individual Person before he can settle his Kingdom in their hearts. There is a Combat between Christ and Satan for the rescue of every Sinner, and we are not easily brought to change Masters. 'It is long e're we awaken, 2 Tim. 2.26. That they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil. And after we are awakened e're we consent to part with our beloved Lusts. Now yield to him, suffer him to save you: You look to the outward Interest of Christ in the World, and you do well, but 'tis easier to bring Men to own the True Religion, than to bring them under the power of it. The Victory we are concerned in, is the taming our own flesh, and overcoming the Corruptions, and Carnal Inclinations, or to set up Christ's Government in the Heart, where once Satan ruled. The Kingdom of Christ within us is most comfortable to us, Luke 17.20, 21. If once you are Christ's, you will most really be for his Interest in the World, and there is an Enmity put into you, Gen. 3.15. I will put enmity between the two seeds.

2. If it be so great a Mercy, then do not loose it, but use the Means appointed for your safety.

1. By Baptism you are engaged; for you are listed under Christ's Banner, we take an Oath to be true to the Captain of our Salvation, Rom. 6.13. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

2. In the Lord's Supper we come to quicken our Zeal, and renew our Holy Resolutions to adhere and cleave to Christ, renouncing Satan, that we may steadfastly persevere in the Duties of our Heavenly Calling. There our Baptismal Vow is ratified. We are apt to forget it.

3. The Armor is Faith, Hope, and Love. 1 Thess. 5.8. Putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and for an helmet the hope of salvation. Faith owns Christ to be what he is, and so breedeth a constant adherance to him. Love casteth out fear of persecution, and maketh us delight in him; and Hope waiteth for the Eternal Reward.

4. The manner of using this Armor, it must be with Sobriety and Watchfulness, 1 Pet, 5.8 Be sober, be vigilant.

(1.) Sobriety or Moderation as to the good things of the present World, least we be enticed to a neglect of God, and Heavenly things.

(2.) Vigilancy, noteth tenderness of 〈◊〉 Conscience, Conscience standeth Porter at the Door, examining what goeth in, and what cometh out: Men that have no great tenderness of Conscience fear not much the loss of their Souls, and are most easily wrought on by Satan.

A Sermon on Joshua vi.26.

THese words relate to the History of Jericho 's destruction. In which, the place and the manner of its being destroyed, are notable.

1. The Place Jericho was, (1.) A strong and well-fenced City; one of those which frighted the Spies, who were sent to view the Land. To appearance it seemed impregnable. (2.) 'twas a Frontier, a Key to let in all, or stop all that entered into the Land of Canaan, on that side. (3.) A wicked Place and People above others; deliciousness of the, Situation contributing to the Luxury of the Inhabitants.

2. The manner of its destruction. It was by the marching of Israel about the City seven days, and the Priests going before them, blowing with Rams horns; a Type of God's blessing on the labors of his Ministers, in stirring up his People against the Kingdom of sin, Satan, and Antichrist. But Faith must use such means as God hath appointed, though to appearance they be never so despicable. Against Midian Gideon useth the Stratagem of lamps in pitchers, which the Apostle calleth treasure in earthen vessels, 2 Cor. 4.7. So here, by the blast of the Rams-horns, the walls of this seemingly Impregnable City fell flat to the ground, 2 Cor. 10.4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God in the pulling down of strong-holds.

The Text giveth an account of what Joshua did and said on this occasion. What he did, in the beginning of the verse. He adjured the People at that time. that is, exacted this oath or solemn consent from them, To submit themselves and their posterity to the imprecation or curse denounced by him in the name of the Lord. What he said, in the curse itself, Cursed be the Man, before the Lord, that raiseth up and buildeth this City Jericho

So that in the words you have a terrible Denunciation, (1.) Generally propounded (2▪) particularly exemplified.

1. Generally expressed. Cursed be the Man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this City Jericho. Where (1.) The Crime, That riseth up and buildeth this City Jericho. That is, That shall presume and take the boldness to build the walls of this City. (2.) The punishment, Cursed be he before the Lord : That is, the Lord seeing, ratifying, and appointing this doom and sentence. For it is not a Passionate imprecation▪ but a prophetical prediction; coming, not from any private motion, but the inspiration of God: And therefore it is called the word of the Lord spoken by Joshua, 1 King. 16.34.

But why is such a curse interminated against those that shall build this City?

I answer, though we are not to render a reason of God's counsels; yet this seemeth to be the cause, It was the first City of all Canaan, that was destroyed, and that miraculously: And God would have the ruins remain as a monument to posterity, of his Power, justice, and goodness of his Power; for whilst this spectacle, the rubbish of the ruined walls, remained; it encouraged their Faith, and upbraided their unthankfulness to God who had wrought so wonderfully for them: Of his justice on the Canaanites : And his grace and goodness towards his People.

2. It is particularly explained. He shall lay the foundation thereof in his first Son, and in his youngest Son he shall set up the gates hereof. That is, he shall be punished for his presumption in this act, by the death of his two Sons; the first in the beginning of the work, the second in the finishing thereof; the setting up of the Gates being the last thing. Others, probably, understand, He shall be punished with the loss of all his Children, from the Eldest to the youngest. So that the curse is, his posterity shall be rooted out.

Now for a long time none had the boldness to attempt this work upon which so fearful a curse was imposed; till at length some hundreds of years afterwards, in Ahab's time, one Hiel the Bethelite audaciously sets upon it: And accordingly this curse was verified in him, to the utter overthrow of his family, 1 King. 16.34. In his days did Hiel the Bethelite build Jericho, He laid the foundation thereof in Abiram his first-born, and set up the gates thereof in his youngest Son Segub; according to the Word of the Lord, which he spake by Joshua the Son of Nun. Strange! that seeing his first Son drop away, he desisted not from that design; But such is the precipice of bad projects and engagements; once step in, and seldom stop in the way of wickedness.

This History teacheth us two Lessons.

1. That it is dangerous to slight God's threatenings. The curse denounced many hundred years before, took place. The force and virtue of the prediction was not worn out and antiquated, though the attempt was long after it was first pronounced.

2. How dangerous it is, to build again, what God hath, or would have to be ruined and destroyed. This latter Lesson I shall insist upon, and observe,

Doct. That to seek to erect what God hath, and would have destroyed, involveth us in a fearful curse.

In following which point, I shall show,

1. What God hath, and would destroy. 2. The Reasons. 3. The Use.

1. What it is that God hath, and will destroy. The question is large, but I will restrain it to the matter I intend. And because the accommodation of Scripture to particular cases needeth to proceed upon good evidence; that right may be done; I shall state it in these propositions.

1. Certain it is, That the Kingdom which God will erect and establish, is the Kingdom of the Mediator: And the Kingdom which God will destroy, is the Kingdom of the Devil. I put it in this copulate axiom or double proposition; because the one immediately dependeth upon the other; and the one cannot be done without the other. The Kingdom of Christ as Mediator, cannot be set up unless the Kingdom of the Devil be destroyed.

Now that this is the purpose of God, to erect the one, and destroy the other, is evident by Scripture, Psal 110.1. The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Christ upon the throne hath Enemies, but in due time they shall be his footstool: He shall gain upon opposition, and against opposition, and by opposition. They shall be so far from overturning his Throne, that they shall be a step to it, as the footstool is to the Throne. And, 1 John 3.8. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ? To unravel all that Satan hath been a weaving, for the captivating and deceiving of the World. Christ having a grant of a Kingdom over the Nations, his design is to conquer them, and subdue them to himself, and to recover them to himself. This was the meanning of, Gen. 3.15. I will put enmity between thee and the Woman, and between thy seed and her seed, it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

2. To know these two Kingdoms, we must consider the quality of either.

1. The Gospel Kingdom is a Kingdom of Light, Life, and Love.

Of light, Because the drift of it is to give Men a true knowledge of God. Act. 26.18. To open their eyes, and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God. The Devils Kingdom is the Kingdom of darkness. The Devils are said to be Rulers of the darkness of this world, Ephes. 6.12. And those that are called from one Kingdom to another, are called from darkness to light, Col. 1.13. Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.

It is a Kingdom of Life. As men that were before dead in sins, may be made alive unto God, Joh. 10.10. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. For Heathens, and all men in their natural estate, are alienated from the life of God, Ephes. 4.18. But by Faith in Christ we live in God, and to God, Gal. 2.20. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me, and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by the Faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me, Gal. 5.6. In Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but Faith which worketh by love. As it worketh by love, we are inclined to God; and do his will, and seek his Glory, and our happiness in the everlasting fruition of him.

And of Love. It is a Kingdom of Love, as it possesseth us with a fervent Charity to God and men, 1 Joh. 4.8. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love, Act. 24.16. Herein do I exercise myself to have always a Conscience void of offense toward God, and toward men.

Now opposite to Light, is Ignorance and Error; To life, a Religion that consists of shows and dead ceremonies; To love, uncharitableness, malice, and hatred of the power of Godliness and Persecution. And where-ever these eminently prevail, there is an opposite Kingdom set up to the Kingdom of Christ. Which may be done by two sorts of persons, or People.

1. Those that continue in the old apostasy and defection from God. As eminently was done by the Gentiles and Idolatrous Heathen World. Who live in ignorance of the true God, and are dead in trespasses and sins. And where envy, pride, malice and ambition reigneth; instead of that Spirit of love and goodness, which the Gospel would produce.

2. It may be done by a second falling away, which is foretold, 2 Thes. 2.3. For that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first. Now this falling off from Christ's Kingdom is there, where, in opposition to Light, Error is taught, and Ignorance is counted the Mother of Devotion, and People are restrained from the means of knowledge, as if it were a dangerous thing; As if the height of Christian Faith and Devotion did consist in a blind obedience, and a believing what men could impose upon them by their bare authority: And instead of life, men place their whole religion in some superstitious rites, and ceremonies, and trifling acts of devotion, or exterior mortifications: And instead of love to God and Souls; all things are sacrificed to private ambition; and consciences are forced by the highest penalties and persecutions, to submit to their corruptions of the Christian Faith and Worship. Where this obtaineth, there is a manifest perversion of the interests of Christ's Kingdom.

Both these Apostacies, The general Apostasy from God, and the special Apostasy from Christ; may be upheld by the Authority, Power and Interest of several Nations: And though the name of God, and of Christ be retained in either for a cloak; yet clearly we may see they are revolted from the Kingdom of God and of Christ.

2. The Devil's Kingdom. Surely he hath a great hand in all the corruptions of mankind, especially in Antichrist's Kingdom. As the Apostle telleth us, his coming shall be by, or after the working of Satan, 2 Thes. 2.9. He is the Raiser and Support of that estate; as will appear by what is ascribed to the Devil in the Scriptures.

1 Ignorance, and Error, and Seduction. For it is said, John 8.44. That he abode not in the Truth, because there is no Truth in him; when he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar, and the Father of lies. And therefore in that Society of professed Christians, where ignorance not only reigneth; but is countenanced, and means of grace suppressed, and most errors and corruptions in doctrine have been introduced; there Satan hath great influence, 2 Cor. 4.4. In whom the god of this World hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the Image of God, should shine unto them.

2. Idolatry. This was his first and great endeavor for perverting the world, to bring men to worship another God, or the true God by an Idol. The Devil is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a delighter in Idols. Sinecius he was the contriver of the Idols of the Gentiles; therefore they are said to Sacrifice their Sons and Daughters unto Devils, Psal. 106.37. And Deut. 32.17. They sacrificed unto Devils, and not unto God. They meant it to God, but the Lord saith it was to Devils. Aaron saith, To Jehovah, so saith Jeroboam. Now where the Devil can get such a Party in the Church, as shall not only set up, but be mad upon Image worship; who do more visibly promote his interest than they?

3. That which is ascribed to Satan, is bloody cruelty, or seeking the destruction of Christ's most faithful Servants. For he is called a Murderer from the beginning John 8.44. And Cain is said to be of that wicked one, and slew his Brother: And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his Brothers righteous, John 3.12. Enmity to the power of Godliness came from Satan; and where ever it is encouraged and notoriously practiced, they are a party and confederacy of men governed and influenced by Satan.

Now where shall we find this Character, but in Antichrist's confederacy? Rev. 13.15. He caused that as many as would not worship the Image of the beast should be killed. And again, Rev. 17.5.6. The woman whose name was Mystery, was drunken with the blood of the Saints and the blood of the Martyrs of Jesus. And it hath been eminently fulfilled in the blood-shed of Germany, France, England, and other Nations; and all this to extinguish the Light, and suppress the truth of Christ. O how many seeming Christians hath Satan employed in these works of cruelty! When once he had seduced the Church to errors, and corrupted the Doctrine and Worship of Christ; he presently maketh the erroneous Party Instruments of as cruel and bloody persecutions, as were ever commenced by Infidels and Mohammedans. Witness their Murders upon so many thousands of the Waldenses and Albigenses, whom they not only spoiled, but slaughtered with all manner of hellish cruelty. Some of their own Bishops complained, they could not find Lime and Stone enough to build prisons for them, nor defray the charges of their food. The World was even amazed at their unheard of cruelties; smoking and burning thousands of Men, Women, and Children, some in Caves, others at the Stakes; and many other ways butchering them; proclaiming Croisades against them, and preaching the merit of Paradise to such bloody Butchers as had a mind to root them out; Driving also multitudes to perish in Snowy Mountains. What desolations they wrought in Bohemia, what horrible Massacres in France, What fires they kindled in England ; What cruelties they executed in Ireland, and Piedmont ; If we should be silent, Histories will speak, and tell all Generations to come, how little this Faction of Christians have of the Lamb-like Spirit of Christ Jesus, and how insatiable their thirst is for the blood of upright, righteous men. And then consider where the Sathanical Spirit ruleth, and whether we have cause to be enamored of Blood, and Fire, and Inquisitions.

4. That which is ascribed to Satan, is, that he is the God of this World. 2 Cor. 4.4. And again the Prince of this world, John 12.31. John. 16.11. He playeth the God and Prince here; and sensual and worldly Souls are easily seduced by him. The riches, honors, and wealth of this world, are the great Instruments of his Kingdom; And the men of this World, whose portion is in this life, are his proper Subjects. As Christ is head of the Saints; So is Satan of the wicked, ungodly, ambitious world. St. Austin distinguisheth of two Cities, of Jerusalem the City of God, and Babylon which is the Incorporation which belongeth to Satan. And therefore when you find any party of Christians, who are of the World, speak of the world, and the World heareth them, 1 Joh. 4.5. They that are to try the Spirits, may soon see what to choose, and what to forsake. Certainly the case is not doubtful, where the head of that State, without any warrant from Christ, and with the apparent detriment and loss of Christianity, exalteth himself above all that is called God, and affecteth an ambitious tyranny and domineering over the Christian world, both Princes, Pastors, and People: And to uphold this Tyranny, careth not what havoc he maketh of the Churches of Christ; and where the whole frame of their Religion is calculated for secular honor, worldly Pomp and greatness.

3. That it is God's purpose, to set up one Kingdom, and demolish the other; not only in the hearts of particular men, but in Kingdoms and Nations, and Public Societies. Jesus Christ was appointed to be not only King of Saints, Rev. 15.3. but King of Nations, Jer. 10.7. And therefore not only erect to himself a Throne and a government in the hearts of his People, but to have his Religion owned, and countenanced, and supported by Nations, and Kingdoms, and public Societies of men. When Christ was promised to Abraham it was said, Gen. 18.18. All the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed in him ; not only Persons, but Nations. So Isa. 55.5. Nations that knew not thee shall run to thee, Isa. 60.12. The Nations and Kingdoms that would not serve thee shall perish, Rev. 11.15. The Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ. When Christ sent abroad the Apostles, he said, Matth. 28.19. Go teach all Nations. They were not only to gain upon single persons, but bring Nations to a public owning of Christ. There is a personal acknowledgement of Christ, when we receive him into our hearts, John 1.12. To as many as received him, to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God. An Ecclesiastical acknowledgement of Christ, when the Church as a Society is in visible covenant with him, Ezek. 16.8. I sware unto thee, and entered into covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine. A National acknowledgement of Christ; when his Religion is countenanced, and supported by nations, and befriended with the Laws and constitutions of Civil Government. This is a great advantage; Christ prayed for it, John, 17.21, 23. That they may all be one, as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: That the world may believe that thou hast sent me. I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the World may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved me. By believing there is meant common conviction. He had promised it before, John 16.8. When he is come he will reprove the World of Sin, of Righteousness, and of Judgment. It is a great advantage, when the Potentates of the Earth set open the doors to Christ, and are careful of his interest in the world.

4. When true Religion is thus received; such an advantage should not be lost, or carelessly looked after. Partly because it is with much ado that Christ gets up in the World; not only by the labors of his Servants, but by their deep sufferings. As the Chief Captain said to Paul, With a great sum obtained I this freedom, Act. 22.28. So this Liberty was not only purchased by the Blood of Christ, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. But with the expense of many o • his Servants lives; who counted not their interest dear to them, to bring the World to this pass, and to recover the truths and interests of Christ's Kingdom out of the common Apostasy. Partly, because it is unreasonable that should be lost in an instant, that hath been so long a-gaining; and wantonly thrown away, which with so many years care hath been brought to this effect; so that the work of Christ is set back in the world. After the second Apostasy, God doth by degrees bring down the Kingdom of Satan, and recover the Kingdom of the Mediator, Rev. 11.13. The tenth part of the City fell, and the remnant were affrighted and gave glory to the God of Heaven, Psalm 59.11. Slay them not, lest my People forget: scatter them in thy Power, and bring them down: To put Christ to do again what hath been done already, is such a presuming on his providence, as will cost dear.

Partly also, because the present Age is a kind of Trustee for the next. We are God's Witnesses to the present Age, Isa. 43.10. Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord. And we are God's Trustees for future Generations; and should take care we do not intail prejudices upon them, and leave them to grapple with insuperable difficulties, to find out their way to heaven, Rom. 3.2. The Oracles of God were committed to the Jews. So 2 Tim. 2.2. The things which thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Now we must see that we be faithful in our trust. And we are bound to this zeal, if we remember our Ancestors, or remember our Posterity.

Partly also, because God severely threateneth them that play the wantons with Religion, because they were not bitten with the inconveniencies, un • er which former Generations smarted. And therefore, as Samuel dealt with the Israelites, when they would cast off the Theocracy, or God's Government, under which they had been well and safely Governed, that they might be like the Nations round about them; Samuel telleth them by God's appointment The manner of the King, that shall reign over them, 1 Sam. 8.11, 12, 13. He shall take your Sons, and appoint them for himself, for his Chariots, and to be his horsemen, and some shall run before his Chariots; and he will take your Daughters to be his Confectionaries and to be Cooks and Bakers, &c. So if such a wanton humor should possess us, that we must have the Religion of the Nations round about us; consider whom you receive Spiritually to reign over you; One that will Lord it over your Consciences, obtrude upon you his damnable errors, and Pestilent Superstitions, and bold Usurpations on the Authority of Christ: Or else burn you with temporal fire; or excommunicate you and cast out your Name, as one that is to be condemned to that which is Eternal. And then you will see the difference between the blessed Yoak of Christ, and the Iron Yoak of Antichrist.

II. Reasons.

1. It is ingratitude to build again what God hath destroyed, as if his mercies were not worth the having. God prefaces the Law, Exod. 20.2. I am the Lord thy God, that brought thee out of the Land of Egypt, out of the House of Bondage. Now God took it heinously, when ever and anon they were making to themselves a Captain to return again to Egypt ; as if he had done them wrong to knock off their Shackles and to free them from the Brick kilns, when their cry, because of the anguish of their Souls, came up to Heaven. So in the new Testiment, Gal. 5.1. Stand fast in the Liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the Yoak of bondage. The servility of legal observances was so great, and so unprofitable; that they could not be thankful enough for their liberty. And therefore it should be dearer to us, than to part with it for trifles; or to take on the Yoak again, when God hath freed us from it.

2. It is an affront to the God of Heaven, or a contempt of his power; An entering into the List with the Almighty God, as if we could keep up what he hath a mind to destroy. It is not a simple sin to stand out against Christ, and not to open the gates to him, is a great evil. If his anger be but kindled a little; what can we do, the greatest, the wisest, the most powerful amongst us? Psal. 2.12. Kiss the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. But it is an aggravated sin to turn him out after he is entered; Alas, how horrible a contempt is that of Christ? It is a vile scorn put upon the Majesty of God. Better never have owned him, than to be cold, indifferent, and negligent in his Interest, If the business had been to introduce a Religion, it had been another matter; but this is to preserve what is already introduced.

3. It is unbelief. Such persons regard not the threatenings of God, Lam. 1.9. She remembered not her last end, therefore she came down wonderfully, Deut. 32.29. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end. Mischief and ruin attendeth these attempts, Hosea 13.1. When Ephraim offended in Baal, he died. But People little mind these things.

4. How heinously God taketh this. See how he declareth the cause, Ier. 2.9.10, 11, 12, 13. I will plead with you, saith the Lord; and with your Children's Children will I plead. For, pass over the Isles of Chittim, and see, and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and s • e if there be such a thing. Hath a Nation changed their God's, which yet are no God's? But my People have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Be astonished, Oh ye Heavens! at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very Desolate, saith the Lord. For my People have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters; and hewed them out Cisterns, broken Cisterns that can hold no water. God will make you know, and your Children's Children know, that it is the basest thing in the World, that he should lose ground in your days and that People should set loose in matters of Religion, not care much which end goeth forward, when he hath done such great things for them. But what is God's plea? Let them produce any People in any part of the world then commonly known, that had dealt with their Idols, as they had done with him the true and living God. Then verse. 12. Be astonished, O ye Heavens! God would have the Son look pale on such a wickedness, and the spheres to hurl out their Stars, and all the Creatures to stand Amazed at such a Folly, such Transcendent and Matchless Impiety. Elsewhere, God complaineth, Isa. 43.22. Thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; thou hast been weary of me, O Israel. To be weary of God, is as great a charge as can be brought against a People: Then it is just with God to take away Religion, that the want may make us more sensible of the worth of it.

5. It bringeth a Scandal and ill report on God in the World. Therefore he standeth upon his vindication, Micah 6.3, 4, 5. O my People! what have I done unto thee? And wherein have I wearied thee? Testifie against me. For I brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of Servants, and I sent before thee Moses Aaron, and Miriam. Oh my People! remember now what Balak King of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the Son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal, that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord. That strangers receive him not, is not so bad; but that a People acquainted with him should cast him out after trial; God calleth upon the Mountains and strong foundations of the Earth, who keep still their obediential Subjection to their Creator, to witness against the ingratitude and stupidness of his People: What injury have we found in God? verse. 2. Hear O ye mountains the Lord's controversy, and ye strong foundations of the Earth, for the Lord hath a controversy with his People, and he will plead with Israel.

1. Use. We must neither build the walls of Jericho again; nor, as much as in us lieth, suffer others to build them. Everyone in his place is to hinder the work. If Religion were uncertain, it were another matter. But did Christ come to establish the works of the Devil? If Joshua saith, cursed be he before the Lord, that riseth up, and buildeth this City Jericho: If Paul said, Gal. 1.8. If an Angel from Heaven Preach any other Gospel unto you, than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed : If others bestir themselves and by clancular and base artifices go to build these Walls again; We should be the more Zealous for God. Micah 4.5. For all People shall walk in the Name of his God, and we will walk in the Name of our God. But what must we do?

1. Let us not only profess the true Religion, but come under the Power of it. The heart is best established by Grace. The bias of men's corrupt hearts, doth easily prevail against the light of their minds. Few are corrupted in opinion, but that are first false at heart. The regenerate have advantages above other men, 1 John 2.20. Ye have an unction from the holy one, and know all things. Most rotten opinions in the World are against the gust and sense of the new Nature. But on the other side, Men soon lose their zeal for truth, that are addicted to a worldly sensual life. Therefore see that Christ's Kingdom be set up in our hearts, Luk. 17.21. The Kingdom of God is within you. And that there we build not again the things we have destroyed, Gal. 2.18. After we have devoted ourselves to God, we must not fall off from him; till Christ's Kingdom be set up in our hearts, we shall never sincerely care for his interests in the world. For all carnal men▪ seek their own things: Men may bustle for a while for the Interest of their several Factions and Opinions; but have not a true pure zeal for Christ's Kingdom.

2. Let us pray. That will do much. Christ hath taught us to pray for the coming of his Kingdom, Matth. 6.10. Thy Kingdom come: David, in his penitential Psalm, could not forget the welfare of the Church, when so deeply concerned as to his own particular, for the recovering of his own peace, Psal. 51.18. Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion, build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Walls of Zion, not of Jericho or Babylon. It is God's interest, spread it before him.

3. Be thankful to God for these deliverances, Prayer gets blessings, but thankfulness keepeth them. For God is careful to preserve them to such, who count it a benefit, and are mindful of it. We have manifold cause to bless God.

1. For former deliverance out of the House of Bondage, so early.

2. That he hath so often defeated the attempts of those, who would bring us back thither.

3. For the good we have many years enjoyed under the Reformed Religion; which God hath blessed to the converting, strengthening, and comforting many a precious Soul.

4. For continuing still the liberty of the Gospel, and means of Grace, under a Protestant King.

5. For the quiet we now enjoy, when other parts of Christendom are are in a combustion, we are untouched, and enjoy safety. We are querulous, and apt to complain; but all things reckoned, we have much more cause to give thanks.

4. Let such deliverances as this, inkindle our Love and Zeal to that Religion, which God hath owned, and defended. Partly because when men are persuaded of the Truth, such Providences as these are so many attestations to it, Psal, 41.11. By this I know that thou favourest me, because mine enemy doth not triumph over me. Partly because, God will spew those out of his mouth, that are neither hot nor cold. Partly because, Zeal discourageth the Factours and Abettours of the Kingdom of darkness. The Fear of the People restrained the Pharisees.

5. Prize the means of Grace, and encourage them. Jericho 's Walls fell by the blast of the Rams-horns: This Kingdom falleth by the Preaching of the Gospel, 2 Thes. 2.8. Whom the Lord will consume with the Spirit of his mouth. Whoever hinders that promotes the Devils Kingdom; 2 Cor. 4.4. In whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the Image of God, should shine unto them Owls fly in the dark. This Kingdom is maintained by Darkness, Blindness, and Ignorance of the Truth.

6. Let us not give encouragement by our Divisions to our adversaries. The more we labor for Unity, the more we Establish Religion, Rom. 16.17. Mark them which cause Divisions and Offences contrary to the Doctrine which ye have Learned and avoid them. When Passengers in a boat fall a quarreling, and pushing one another, they endanger the sinking of the boat: When Christ's Army is scattered Antichrist will prevail. Keep up the common Christianity; it may be peaceful endeavors signify nothing in a factious and divided • time, yet we must Unite everyone in the things that are right and owned by God, Jam. 3.17. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaecable ; Provided we touch no unclean thing: Here we must separate, 2 Cor. 6.17. Come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.

7 Recommend Religion by an holy Life Partly because gross sins, under the Profession of a Reformed Religion, provoke God to remove our Candlestick from us: Partly, because, with all understanding Beholders, the Fruits of Love, Peace, and Holiness, will justify your Religion, Matth. 11.19. Wisdom is justified of her Children.

8. Practice the Virtues contrary to the Vices of the opposite Kingdom. Theirs is a Bloody Religion, ours a Me • k one: Be zealous to reduce them from their errors. Let there be a hatred of Popery, and a Pity to Papists, a hatred of Abomination, but not a hatred of Enmity, Prov. 29.27. An unjust man is an abomination to the just, and he that is upright in the way is abomination to the Wicked.

A Sermon Preached November 5. 1676.

THese words are a part of God's Plea against Israel for their ingratitude in departing from their obedience to him. Their backsliding had raised an Evil report upon God, as if he were harsh and severe, and had not dealt well with them: Therefore God justifieth his Providence; what injury had he done to them, wherein had he wearied them? What had they to lay to his charge, verse 3. Oh my People! what have I done to thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? Testifie against me. The matter concerneth us, for the General Sin of this Nation is, that we are grown weary of God; but we have as little reason as they had; injuries he had done none to them, but on the contrary vouchsafed many rare and singular favors. He instanceth first in his redeeming them from Egypt, where they were dealt with as Slaves and Bond-men, verse. 4. For I brought thee up out of the Land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the House of Servants. Surely a deliverance from Spiritual or Temporal Bondage should be an Eternal bond upon us to be for God: The Second instance is his Conduct of them in the Wilderness under Moses and Aaron, verse. 4. And I sent before thee, Moses, Aaron and Miriam. When God giveth a People such Governors both in Church and State, who do not only adhere to true Religion, but countenance it in others, yea set their whole heart to propagate it, it is a great mercy not to be forgotten, The Third Instance is that in the Text, his bringing them into Canaan, notwithstanding the designs to root them out by the way; O my People, remember now what Balak, King of Moab consulted, &c.

In which words.

1. Observe the matter, what is recomended to their remembrance, in two things.

• First The Plot betwixt Balak and Balaam.
• Secondly The many good things that fell out between Shittim and Gilgal.

2. The End why it is recommended to their remembrance; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord.

First For the Matter.

First. The plot between Balak and Balaam.

1. What Balak consulted, how to ruin Israel, and bereave them of God's favor and protection. Therefore he sent for Balaam to curse them, hoping that by this Wizards Inchantments and Predictions, the matter would be easy.

2. What Balaam Answered: (1.) Somewhat by way of Prophesy; (2.) Somewhat by way of Counsel. (1.) By way of Prophesy, he found that to curse