A Good Man Making a Good End

THat Holy, and Worthy Minister of the Gospel, whose Funeral is this Day to be attended, having Long Laboured for the Conversion of men unto God, at length grew very Praesagious that his Labors in the Evangelical Ministry, drew near unto an End. While he was yet in Health, and not got beyond the Fifty Fourth Year of his Age, he did, with such a Praesage upon his mind, (having first written on this wise in his Diary, Oh! that Christ's Death might fit me for my own! ) begin to Study a Sermon, on this very Text, Into thine Hand I Commit my Spirit. But his Great Master, who favored him with such a Praesage, never gave him an opportunity to Finish and Utter, what he had begun to Study. His Life had all this while, been a Practical Commentary upon his Doctrine; and now, behold! His Death must Expound and Apply the Doctrine, which he would have Preached unto us. He must show us, how to do that Important woe • k of Committing a Departing Spirit into the Hands of God, no otherwise than by the Actual doing of that work himself. While therefore he Lay a Dying, he asked one of his dearest Relations, Dost thou know what I am doing! She said, No; He then added, I am Rendring, I am Rendring! meaning, I suppose, his own Spirit unto the Lord. But while he was doing of that work, and with Humble Resignation Committing his own Spirit into the Hands of God, he desired of me, that I would Preach upon the Text, about which he had been under such Intentions. Wherefore [If at least I may be thought worthy of such a Character!] You are now to consider me, shall I say, as Executing the Will of the Dead? or, as Representing a Man of God, whom God hath taken. The Truths, which we shall now Inculcate, will be such, as you are all along to think, These are the Things which a Saint now in Glory would have to be Inculcated. And when we have briefly set those Truths before you, we will describe a little that Excellent Saint, as from whom you have them Recommended: We will describe him chiefly, with Strokes fetched from his own Diaries, out of which, in the little Time I have had since his Death, I have collected a few Remarkables.

Our Psalmist, the Illustrious David, now, as we may judge, drew near unto his End: and we may say of the Psalm here composed by him, These are among the last words of David, th •… man who was Raised up on High. The Sighs of the Psalmist here collected, seem to have been occasioned, by the Sufferings, which he underwent, when his own Subjects, took up Arms against him. Nevertheless, as our Psalter is all over, The Book of the Messiah, so this particular Hymn in it, is contrived Elegantly to point out, the Sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ unto us. In the Text now before us, the Psalmist apprehending himself in danger of Death, does the Great work of a Dying man: Which is, To Commit a Surviving Spirit, into the Hand of God. But in doing this, he Entertains a special Consideration of God, for his Encouragement in doing it: This is, Thou hast Redeemed me, O Lord God • f Truth. It is the Messiah, that hath Redeemed us; It is the Messiah, whose Name, is The Truth; David upon a view of the Messiah, said, This is the man, who is the Lord God. Wherefore, In Committing our Spirits unto God, our Lord Christ is to be distinctly considered; and He was, no doubt, by David considered. The Power of God, is called, His Hand; The Wisdom of God, is called, His Hand: But above all, The Christ of God, who is, The Power of God, and the Wisdom of God, He is the Hand of God; By Him 'tis, that the God of Heaven doth, what He doth in the World: And He is, for that cause also Styled, The Arm of the Lord. It is therefore to the Power and Wisdom, and Goodness of God, in Christ, that our Expiring Spirits are to be committed.

There was indeed a wonderful Time, when our Lord Jesus Christ Himself made a wonderful Use of this very Text. We read in Luke 23.46. When Jesus had cried with a loud voice, He said, Father, into thy Hands I commend my Spirit; and having said thus, He gave up the Ghost. Syrs, God uttered His voice, at this • ate, and the Earth Trembled at it! And well it might, for never did there such an amazing thing occur upon the Earth before. Now, our Lord having said, Into thy Hands I commend my Spirit, stopped at those words; for He was Himself the Redeemer, the Lord God of Truth. But as for us, we are to consider God, as in our Lord Jesus Christ, when we Commit our Spirits into His Hands. As Luther could say, Nolo Deum Absolutum, I Tremble to have to do, with an Absolute God; that is to say, a God without a Christ: So, we may all Tremble to Think of Committing our Spirits, into the Hands of God, any otherwise than as He is, in Christ Reconciling the World unto Himself. We are truly told, in Heb. 10.31. It is a Fearful Thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God. Our Spirits are by Sin become obnoxious to the Fearful Wrath of God; and, woe to us, if our Spirits fall into His Hands, not having His Wrath Appeased! Syrs, We Commit Briars and Thorns, and wretched Stubble to Infinite Flames, if we Commit our Spirits into the Hands of God, no •… in a Christ, become our Friend. We deliver up our Spirits, unto a Devouring Fire, and unto Everlasting Burnings, if we approach the Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God Almighty any otherwise than thro' the Immanuel, our Mediator. We are to Commit our Souls unto our Faithful Creator: But it He be not our Merciful Redeemer too, then, He that made us will not have mercy on us. When Hezekiah was, as he thought, a Dying, he Turn'd his Face to the Wall: I suppose it was, to that side of the Upper Chamber, the Praying Chamber, where he Lay, that had God's Window in it, the Window that opened itself towards the Ark in the Temple. When we Commit our Spirits into the Hand of God, we are to Turn our Face towards that Ark of God, our Lord Jesus Christ. We have this matter well directed by the words of the Dying Martyr Stephen; in Acts 7 59. He said, Lord Jesus, Recive my Spirit.

And now, there is a weighty CASE, that lies before us;

After what manner should we commit our Spirits unto our Lord Jesus Christ, that so the Eternal Safety and Welfare of our Spirits, may be effectually provided for?

If our Faithful BAILY were now Alive, I •… o not know any one CASE, that he would •… ore Livelily have discoursed among you: •… t I know, that he would have Discoursed o • This, with a Soul full of Inexpressible Agon •• s. He was a Man, who had, from a Child, been full of Solicitous Cares about his own Soul; and from hence in part it was, that when he became a Preacher of the Gospel, he Preach'd nothing so much, as the Cares that all men should have, about the Conversion of their Souls, unto God, and the Sincerity of their Souls before Him. There were many Great Points of our Christian Faith, which he still treated with Shorter Touches, because his Thoughts were continually Swallow'd up, with the Vast Concern of not being Deceived, about the Marks of a Regenerate and a Sanctifyed Soul, and Hopes of being found in Christ at a Dying Hour. Those two words, A SOUL, and ETERNITY, were Great Words unto him; and his very Soul was greatly, and always under the Awe of them. Hence, The very Spirit of his Preaching, lay in the points, of Turning from Sin to God in Christ, and the Trial or our doing so, and the Peril of our not doing it. Wherefore, as far as all • s, one of my sinful coldness in those dreadful points, c • n do i • , I will set before you in a few minutes, what I apprehend, my Dead Friend would have to be spoken, upon these points, in relation to the CASE, that is now to be considered.

I. Let every mortal man be very sensible •… that he hath an Immortal Spirit in him, and priz •… that Spirit exceedingly. How shall we Comm •… a Spirit into the Hands of the Lord Jesus Chris • , if this thing be not Realiz • d unto us, That we have a Spirit, which will be horribly miserable to all Eternity, if the Lord Jesus Christ look not after it!

Could that mouth, which is this Day to be Laid in the Dust, once more be opened among us, I know what voice would issue from it: with a very zealous vivacitie, I know this voice would be uttered, Man, Thou hast a Soul, a Soul within thee; a Soul that is to Exist throughout Eternal Ages; Oh! prize that Soul of thine, at the greatest rate imaginable. I say then; We must be sensible, That we have Spirits which are Distinct from our Bodies, and which will out-live them: Spirits, which are Incorporeal Substances, Endued with Rational Faculties; and though' Inclined unto our Human Bodies, yet surviving after them. An Infidel Pope of Rome, once Lying on his Death-bed, had such a Speech as this; I shall now quickly be certified and satisfied, whether I have an Immortal Soul or no! Woful man, if he were not until Then certified and satisfied! God forbid, That there should be so much as one Epicurean Swine among us, dreaming, That man is nothing but a mere Lump of matter put into Motion. Shall a man dare to Think, that he has not a Rational Soul in him, which is of a very different Nature •… rom his Body? Truly, his very Thinking is e •… ough to confute his monstrous Unreasonableness: Meer Body cannot Think; and I pray, of what •… igure is a Rational Atom? The Oracles of God, h • ve therefore assured us, That the Fathers of our Bodies, are not the Fathers of Spirits; No; these have another Father! And, That the Spirits of men, may go from their Bodies; and be caught up to the Third Heaven too! Well; But when our Bodies Crumble & Tumble before the Strokes of Death, are not our Spirits overwhelmed in the Ruines of our Bodies, like Sampson, when the Philistean Temple fell upon him? No; They are Sparks of Immortality, that shall never be Extinguished; they must Live, and Move, and Think, until the very Heavens be no more. Among other Evidences, That our Spirits are Immortal, there is no Contemptible one, in the Presages, which the Spirits of such good men, as he which is anon to be Interr'd, have had, of their Speedy passage in a World of Spirits. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave His own Blood for the Purchase of our Souls, and can Tell, Sure! what it is that He ha's purchased; He ha's Expres • lie told us, in Math. 10.28. They which Kill the Body, are not able to Kill the Soul. Our Blessed Apostle Paul, a mighty Student and Worker for Souls, was not fed with Fancies, when he took it for granted, in Phil. 1.21. That when he should be dissolved, He should be with Christ immediately. Do, Try, Thou Fool hardy Creature, to persuade thyself, That thou hast not a •… Immortal Soul: Thou canst not, for thy Sou •… render thyself altogether, and evermore persuaded of it: with very dreadful Suspicions, of its Immortality, will thy own Conscience, a certain Faculty of thy Soul, terrify thee, when God awakens it. I have known, a Sturdy Disputer against the Immortality of the Soul, go out of the World, with this Lamentable Out cry, Oh! my Soul, my Soul; what shall I do for my poor Soul! Syrs, Let this Principle Stand like the very Pillars of Heaven with everyone of us, That we have Immortal Souls to be provided for But f a man have an Immortal Soul within him, what will be the Natural Consequence of it? The consequence is plainly this; That since the Soul is Immortal, it should be very precious. It was infinitely Reasonable, for the Soul to be called, as it was, in Psal. 22.20. My Soul, my Darling! Oh! There should be nothing so Dear to a man, as that Soul of his, that shall Endure, when all other Things are Changed: For, O my Soul, of thy years there shall be no End. The Interests of our • p • rits are to be much greater Things unto us, t • an the Interests of our Bodies. What will become of our Souls, That, That is a thing, that should Ly much nearer to our Hearts, than what will become of our Lives, our Names, our Estates. We should set an high value on our Spirits, and often meditate on the Text, which was ones given to a Great man, for his daily meditation, in Mat. 16.26 What is a man profit •… d, if he gain the whole World, and Lose his own Soul.

II. Let every man in this World that hath an Immortal Spirit, be above all Things Thoughtful for the welfare of that Spirit in another World. When we Commit a Spirit into the Hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, it is, that so it may Escape that Wretchedness, and Attain that Blessedness, in another Woe • ld, whereof our Lord hath in His Word advised us. When that Embassador of Christ, who is lately gone back unto Him, was Resident among us, there was no one Thing, that he more Vigorously Insisted on, than This; Oh! there is nothing so dreadful, as that Hell, which every wicked Soul shall be turned into: There is nothing so joyful as that Heaven which is prepared for every Godly Soul: And there is nothing of so much concernment for you, as to flee from that Wrath to Come, and lay hold on that Life Eternal. I say accordingly; There are astonishing Dangers, whereto our Souls are Exposed by our Sins. Our Spirits are in Danger of being forever Banished from the Communion of the Lord Jesus Christ, into a State of Easeless, and Endless Horror; Our Spirits are in Danger to be Plung'd into doleful Torments, among the Devils that have been our Tempters: Ou •… Spirits are in Danger to be Siez'd by the Justic •… of that God against whom we have Sinn'd, an •… laid under Everlasting Impressions of His Indignation. There are Spirits in Prison; there is Danger lest the Vengeance of God, Chain up our Spirits in that fiery Prison. (It was but a little before he went unto Heaven, that our Bailey in Twenty Six Discourses on Rev. 6.8. Opened the Treasures of that Wrath among us.) And we should now be so Thoughtful of nothing upon Earth, as how to get our Spirits Delivered from this Formidable Hell. The Fittest Language for us, would be like that, in Psal. 116.3, 4 The pains of Hell are getting Hold on me; O Lord, I beseech thee, to Deliver my Soul. B • t then, There is a Great Salvation, which our Lord Jesus Christ ha's wrought for us; and that Salvation is, The Salvation of the Soul. Our Spirits may be Released, from the Bonds, which the Sentence of Death, by the Law of God passed upon them, ha's laid them under. Our Lord Jesus Christ, Satisfying of the Law, by His Death in our Stead, hath procured this Release for the Spirits of His Chosen. There are the Spirits of Just men made Perfect; and there is perfect Light, and perfect Love, and perfect Joy, among those Glorifyed Spirits. Our Spirits may be advanced into the Society of Angels; and be with our Lord Jesus Christ, in Heaven, the Spectators, and partakers of His Heavenly Glory. Now, we should be more Thoughtful to make sure of such a Heaven or our Spirits, than to Ensure anything on Earth. We should wish for nothing so much as That, in 1 Sam. 25.29. A Soul bound up in the Bundle of Life. There are Souls, which our Lord Jesus Christ, ha's Bundled, like so many Slips, to be Transplanted into the Sweet Garden of Heaven; Say now, O man, with all possible Ardour of Soul, Oh! may my Soul be one of them!

When our Father Jacob, was a Dying, he seems, upon the Occasion of mentioning a Serpent, immediately to call to mind the mischiefs which had been done by the old Serpent, unto our Spirits: whereupon he cried out, Gen. 49.18. I have waited for thy Salvation, [for thy JESUS!] O Lord. That our Spirits may not be destroyed in our Dying, This, This, is the Thing that we should be concerned for; That they may be Saved by a Jesus, from the mischiefs, which the old Serpent ha's brought upon them.

III. When we Commit our Spirits into the Hand of our Lord Jesus Christ, we must Believe in Him, as fully able, to Save our Spirits unto the uttermost. It is by Faith acted unto the uttermost, that we are to Commit our Spirits, into the Hands of our Lord Jesus Christ: Now the Acts of this Faith are admirably expressed, in 2 Tim. 1.12. I know whom I have Believed▪ and I am persuaded, That He is Able to keep tha •… which I have committed unto Him. We woul •… have our Spirits preserved from the Direful Anger of God, which threatens to Swallow them up: Say now, Lord Jesus, I am persuaded, Thou art able to preserve me. We would have our Spirits Enriched with the Knowledge, and Image, and Favor of God, in His Kingdom: Say now, Lord Jesus, I am persuaded, Thou art Able to Enrich me. We are therefore to place our Faith, on the Sacrifice which our Lord Jesus Christ hath offered unto God, on the behalf of His people. We read, in Job 33.22. When a Soul draws near unto the Grave, If there be a Messenger with him, an Interpreter, then He says, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a Ransom. Some of the Ancients take that, Angelus Interpres, to be, Christ the Mediator. Syrs, When your Souls are drawing near unto the Grave, 'tis high Time to Believe on that Ransom, which, One among a Thousand, has paid unto God for us. We must Believe, That the Sacrifice of the Soul of the Messiah, when He was Cut off, but not for Himself, is a valuable Sacrifice, a sufficient Sacrifice, and a Sacrifice which the wondrous Grace of God invites us to Depend upon; and with a firm Dependence on that Sacrifice, we must plead, O Let my Soul be delivered from going down to the Pit, since God has found such a Ransom for me! But while we Rely on our Lord Jesus Christ, as He has been Sacrificed for us here be •… ow, we must also Rely upon Him, as He is •… ow above, in the Holy of Holies, Interceeding •… or us. And that our Faith in committing our Spirits unto our Lord Jesus Christ, may be a Truly Christian Faith; We must Believe Him to be no less than, The Lord God of Truth; to be God as well as Man; to be God and Man in one person. That man, is a very Foolish man, who will Trust his own Soul, with any one Less than the God, who made our Soul, and who alone can Save it. Our Belief must pronounce our Lord Jesus Christ, the same that His Bible has pronounced Him; The True God, the Great God, and God over all; One who is, Every where, and who Knows every Thing. This Article of our Faith, which the modern Jews deny, is indeed so Incontestable, that I could presently overwhelm, with an Army of Testimonies, from the Rabbies among the Ancient Jews, confessing, That the Messiah must be very Jehovah Him self. I beseech you, Let no man dare to Dy, in any Doubt, whether the Lord Jesus Christ, unto whom he commits his own Soul, be not more than a mere man. Believing Him to be God, Let us believe, that His Blood is price enough to obtain for us, the Everlasting Happiness of our Spirits; what can our Spirits want that the Blood of God cannot obtain? Let us Believe, that His Holy Spirit, can fit our Spirits for, and fill our Spirits with, Eternal Glories; the Spirit of Christ, is the Spirit of God: What cannot He do for us? Let us Believe, that He has Legions, and Myriads, and Millions of Blessed Spirits, to be our Convoy, and Safeguard from those Evil Spirits, which are waiting to arrest our Spirits at our Dissolution: He is God, among the Thousands of His Angels, in His Holy Place: They'l fly like swift Flashes of Lightning to succor us, when ever He shall command them so to do. What shall we say? When Jacob sell Asleep, with his Head Lying upon a Stone, he had a Vision of Angels concerned for him. Truly, our Lord Jesus Christ is, The Stone of Israel. If you donit fall Asleep, till you have Laid your Heads, and Hopes on that Stone, you shall then see Armies of Angels about you, to secure you.

IV. When we Commit our Spirits into the Hand of our Lord Jesus Christ, we must Submit unto all His Gracious Operations upon our Spirits. We Commit our Spirits into the Hand of our Lord Jesus Christ, we say: Well, He then demands of us, as in Mark 10.51 What wilt thou, that I should do unto thee? And, I pray, mark it; If there be any Article of Grace, always wrought by the Lord Jesus Christ, for the Spirits of His Elect, which you do not Con •… ent unto, He will not Receive your Spirits; No, He will Destroy them dreadfully. Some Commit •… heir Spirits into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, they say; but they are not willing that the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ should, ever Do for them, all that must be done, in all that are brought Home unto God. Perhaps they would have their Spirits rescued from the Hands of the Devils hereafter; but they donit heartily Commit their Spirits into the Hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, for to have all the Lusts that make their Spirits like Devils, here Embittered, and Eradicated. They would have Easy Spirits, it may be, but Oh! they are Loth to have Holy Spirits. This Halving of it, Thou Hypocrite, This Halving of a Christ, will Hang the Milstones of Damnation, about the Neck of thy Soul forever. The Lord Jesus Christ, puts this Question unto us, Poor Sinner, what shall I do for thy Spirit? No man can aright Commit a Spirit into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, until he have seriously pondered on that Question. Ponder it, Syrs, in the Fear of God! But then Let our Answer to it, be according to that, in 2 Thes 1.11. That He would fulfil all the good pleasure of His Goodness in you, and the work of Faith with power. In Committing your Spirits into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, Oh! Let your Hearts, being made willing in the Day of His power, Declare themselves willing, to have Him Do for you, all that He is willing to Do. 'It is the proposal of the Lord Jesus Christ, Shall my Obedience to my Father, furnish thee with that Atonement, and that Righteousness, whereby thy Spirit shall stand without Fault before the Throne of God? Reply, Lord, I Commit my Spirit into thy Hand, for Thee to Justify it. The proposal of the Lord Jesus Christ unto us is, All the Maladies of thy Spirit, shall I heal them all? Reply, Lord, I Commit my Spirit into thy Hand, as into the Hand of the Lord my Healer; O Let that Hand of thine, Open this Blind Mind, and Subdue this Base Will, & Rectify all these Depraved Affections; and on all Acc • unts Renew a Right Spirit within me. Man, Commit thy Spirit into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, with such a Disposition; and then rest Assured, That Spirit shall never be Lost.

V. If you would successfully Commit your Spirits into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, when you Dy, you are to Do it for your Spirits before you Dy. Indeed, what should all our Life be, but a preparation for Death? And all of our Life truly is little enough. So thought our Devout Bailey. It was the Counsel which he often gave to his Friends, Let not one day pass you, without an earnest prayer, that you may have a CHRIST, for to stand by you in a Dying Hour. And his own practice, was according to that Counsel, as is well known to them that Lived with him •… his Family. Syrs, you are not sure, that when the Decretory Hour of Death overtakes you, you shall have one minute of an Hour allowed you, to Commit your Spirits into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ. Is not a Sudden Death a Frequent Sight? There are very many so suddenly Snatched away, by the Whirlwind of the Vengeance of the Almighty, that they have not opportunity, so much as to say, Lord have mercy upon me! And, Let me tell you, That a Sudden Death is most likely to be the portion of those who most presumptuously put off to a Death bed, the work of Committing their Spirits, into the Hand, that can alone befriend them. I have Read, That of old, according to the Laws of Persia, a Malefactor had Liberty, for an Hour before his Execution, to ask what he would, & what he asked was granted him. One that was under Sentence of Death, being Admitted unto the use of this Liberty, desired neither one Thing, nor another, but only, That he might see the Kings Face; which being allowed him, he so plied the King, in that Hour, that he obtained his pardon: Whereupon the Persians altered their Custom, and covered the Face of the Malefactor, that he might never see the King anymore. I will not now Enquire, how far this passage, will Illustrate the Sto • y of Haman; but I will observe, That the Face of God, is the Name of the Messiah; and in this observation, I have given you a Golden Key, to come at New Treasures in s • ores of Scriptures. And I will apply it, with saying; You have it may be an Hour, and no more, allowed you, to address the Face of God in the Lord J • sus Christ. In this Hour, you may obtain His Favor and Mercy, and Pardon. Donit slip this Hour, Lest it be Too Late Or, peradventure, (and alas 'tis but a peradventure! ) you should upon a Death bed, have space enough, to Commit your Spirits into the Hands of the Lord, are you sure, that you shall then have the Grace to do it? It is a solemn caution, that is given us, in Phil. 2.12, 13. Work out your own Salvati • n wi h Fear and Trembling; For it is God that works in you, both to Will, and to Do, of His own Good pleasure. Even so, Fear, and Tremble, to Delay Committing your Spirits into the Hand of the Lord, so much as one Day Longer; You donit know, that God will please to Work in you, for the doing of it, when your last Moments are upon you. I have read it, as the observation of some very Experienced Ministers, that they never handled in their Ministry, any Subjects more successfully, than those which led them to discourse against procrastination in the concerns of their Souls. Our Bailey was much in making of this Experiment. Many a man inserts that clause in his Last Will, I bequeath my Soul unto God that gave it. But, in the Name of God; Art thou certain that He will Accept of it? The Law says, Legato renunciari potest, and, Legatum accipere nemo nolens cogitur; One may Refuse a Legacy, there's no compelling one to Accept it. It is true, our Compassionate Lord, will ever Accept a poor Soul, whenever 'tis with a true Faith, brought unto Him. Yea, but it may be, He will not Accept of thy Soul, inasmuch as thou hast no True Faith to bring it withal; Faith, which is not of ourselves, 'tis the Gift of God! Wherefore, O man, if thou hast any Regard unto thy Never Dying Soul, Go thy ways presently, and earnestly Commit it unto the Lord before a Dying Hour. As the Apostle said, This I say, Brethren, the Time is short: Even so, This I say, My Friend; Thy Time it may be shorter than thou art well aware of. What shall I say? I say, Boast not thyself of To morrow. I say, This Night thy Soul may be Required.

And, if thy Faithless Heart, have the Assistences of the Divine Grace withheld from it, when the Damp Sweats of Death are upon thee, there is yet another Objection, with which the God of Heaven will Thunder-strike thy Attempts to Commit thy Spirit into His Hand. That is This: That Spirit of thine, is it thy own to Dispose of? Hast thou not already otherwise disposed of it? It is a Rule in Law, Nemo potest Legare, quod suum jam non est: No man can by will, Demise, Devise, Dispose of that, of which he had made Sale before. It is said of a very ungodly man, in 1 King. 21.25. He sold himself, to work Wickedness, in the sight of the Lord Ungo • lie Sinner; The Devil ha's often bargain'd with thee, about thy Soul; he hath said, By Deliberate Sinning against Heaven, do thou make over thy Soul to me, and thou shalt have the short pleasures of Sin for it. God knows how often, thou hast thus Bargain'd away thy Soul to the Devil; and since thou hast not in all thy Life Revok'd that Bargain, then though thou do at thy Death cry unto Him, Lord, Receive this poor Soul of mine! how justly may He say, No, Not I! Thou hast Sold that Soul to another; And Let him keep it forever! There will also be this further to be said; What power hast thou to Dispose of thy Spirit? Hast thou anything at all, at thy own Disposal? It is a Rule in Law, Servus non potest Condere Testamentum; A Slave cannot make a Will: He ha's nothing of his own to Dispose of. It is said, in Joh. 8.34. Whosoever practiseth Sin, is the Slave of Sin. It may be, thou hast all this while, been a very Slave; Thy Lust is thy Lord; A Lust of Uncleanness, of Drunkenness, of Worldiness, it hath utterly Enslaved thee. And, What? Not got out of that Slavery, before thy Dim Eyes, and Cold Lips, and Faltering Tongue, and Failing Breath, hath put over thy Soul into the Hand of the Lord! How justly may He say, Slave, Thou art not Able to do for thy wretched Soul, what thou dost now pretend unto. The Lord Jesus Christ, will not cast off thy Soul, with such Objections, if thou Seek the Lord while He may be found, and call upon Him while He is near. I earnestly Testify unto you, The Vilest & the Oldest Sinner among you all, may Come, and be Welcome, unto the Lord Jesus Christ, if you will come Now, while it is the Acceptable Time, Now, while it is the Day of Salvation. Though thou art never so Bad, yet come and Heartily complain to Him of all thy Badness, and He will do Good unto thy Soul! I am sure my BAILY, would have said nothing more Heartily than this among you; you heard him often say it, Come in to the Mercy of my Lord, for yet there is Room! But it is to be feared, That if thou stay, till the Last Assaults of Death are made upon thee, the Door of Mercy will be shut, and so, when thy Shrieks are, Lord, Lord, Open to me! all the Answers will be Rebukes and Fiery Thunders.

VI. Often Committing our Spirits into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ while we Live, Let us Endeavor after such Characters upon our Spirits, as may Assure us, that He will Receive us, when we Dy.

Indeed when we first Commit our Spirits into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are to bring them, with no other Characters but those of Sin, and Hell, upon them. If we then Commit our Spirits into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, under the Encouragement of any Laudable Qualifications and Recommendations, in them, Ah! Lord, Thou wilt Abhor us, and cast us off! In our first Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, He Enquires of us, What Spirit is that, which thou dost now Commit into my Hand? Our Answer must be, Lord, It is a Guilty Spirit, a Filthy Spirit, a Spirit as full of Sin and Hell, as ever it can hold, and a Spirit horribly under the Curse of God. Sirs, If you Answer any otherwise than So, the Redeemer of Spirits, will not Receive your Spirits. But when we Commit our Spirits into the Hand of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the last Actions of our Life, it is to be supposed, That we only Repeat, what we have done before, and that our Lord Jesus Christ, has already Received our Spirits, on our doing of it. Oh! It is a dreadful Thing, for a Dyi • g man, to think, The Lord never yet Received this poor Soul of mine; for I never till now Committed it unto the Lord! When such Persons Commit their Spirits into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, under the Dimness of the Anguish of Death, tis, as one says, As if one should bequeath unto an Honorable Person, some greasy Dish clout, or some dirty Shooe clout. It is of unutterable Concernment, for every man, to get the Symptoms of a Received Soul upon him, Now before his last Surrender of a Distressed Soul: and for a man to be able to say, at the last, Lord, I Commit a poor Sinful Spirit now into thy Hand; but it is a Spirit upon which thy Blood ha's been Sprinkled, & it is a Spirit which thy Spirit ha's long since taken possession of. Now, to render this Unquestionable, we are to Examine ourselves; Whether our Spirits have been Renewed by the Holy Spirit of God? and be Restless in our own Spirits till we are sure of such a Renovation. The Apostle once concluded, That when our Spirits depart from hence, the Lord Jesus Christ, will Receive them, into an House not made with Hands, Eternal in the Heavens: And upon what was it, that he Raised this Conclusion? He says, in 2 Cor. 5.5. For He that wrought us, for this selfsame Thing is God The Greek word, used there, is the same that the LXX use for the Curious works about the Tabernacle. When Bezaleel had neatly wrought a Board, for to be set up in the Silver Sockets of the Tabernacle, he would not throw it away among the Rubbish. Man! If thou hast a Well wrought Soul within thee, God will Receive it, and Advance, and Improve it, in His House forever. A Work of Grace produced by the Spirit of God, upon the Spirits of men, is a sure Token, of His purpose to bestow a State of Glory upon them, at their Departure from their Bodies. The primitive Martyrs were hidden, in 1 Pet. 4.19. To Commit the keeping of their Souls unto God, as unto a Faithful Creator. But it is probable, the New Creation Experienced by Renewed Souls, is especially therein refer'd unto. Has the Spirit of God, made a New Creature of thy Spirit? This will be a Demonstration, that the Lord Jesus Christ, ha's already Received thy Spirit, and that, when thou dost again Commit thy Spirit unto Him, He will Receive it. When we do, in our last Actions, Commit a Spirit, into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ, what is it for? It is that He may put an upper Garment of Glory upon that Spirit. But He will demand, Where is the under Garment of Grace upon it? If thou art without that Garment, He will doom thy Spirit unto outer Darkness, that is to say, (for Outer Darkness was the Name of the Pris • n among the Jews, ) He will make a Perpet •• l Impris • nment, the portion of thy Soul. Wherefore, let us Enquire diligen • lie, into the Signs of a Newborn Soul upon us, before we come to Dy. Woe to us, if we are not Born Twice, before we Dye Once! Why should we incur this Desolation upon our Souls, That when at last, we go to Commit them into the Hand of the Lord, He shall Reject them, and say, No, I know them not; They are none of mine; They are the Workers of Iniquity! The more certainly to prevent this Desolation, Let this one Comprehensive Duty of the New Creature, be often Renewed with you. Receive the Lord Jesus Christ into thy Soul, when He does Command it of thee, and the Lord Jesus Christ will Receive thy Soul into Heaven, when thou dost at last Commit it unto Him. As Jotham said, in Judge. 9.7. Hearken to me, that God may Hearken to you: Even This do I now say to you; and I carry it on to This Issue: Do you Hearken to the Lord Jesus Christ, when He bids you to Receive Him, and when you Pray Him to Receive you. He will then Hearken to you. The Lord Jesus Christ, is often knocking at the Door of thy Soul: There would He Enter, with all His Gracious Influences: Open to the Lord, by Resigning up thy Soul to the Sweet Influences of His Grace: Reply, O come in, thou blessed of the Lord, why standest thou without? So, when thy Last Sands are a running, thou mayst joyfully think, My Lord Jesus Christ will now Receive me, more heartily, than ever I Received Him: If I have had an Heart, alas, a vile Heart! for Him. I am sure He has an Heaven for me! Lord, I now Commit into thy Hand, a Spirit into which thou hast been Received, when thy wondrous Grace demanded it for an Habitation: And thou wilt now Receive this unworthy Spirit of mine into a better Habitation. Think thus, and, Rejoice, with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory!

VII. When we come to Commit our Spirits into the Hand of our Lord Jesus Christ, at and for, our Last Resignation, Let us do it very Humbly, but very Willingly, but very Chearfully.

How Humbly ought we to Commit our Spirits into the Hand of the Lord Jesus Christ! With how much Loathing and Judging of ourselves, and with what Shameful Reflections, on all our past Behaviours. We are bitterly to Acknowledge the Disorders, and Corruptions, of our own Spirits, when we Commit them unto the Lord, and Acknowledge the numberless Errors, whereinto our Spirits have betrayed us. When we Lift up our Soul unto the Lord, Let it be in Terms like those, in Ezra 9.6. O my God, I am Ashamed, and blush to Lift up my Face to thee, my God! And therefore, whatever Blessings we expect for our Souls, Let us with all possible Self-Abhorrence found our Expectations on the pure Mercy of God, in our Lord Jesus Christ. Most sweetly did our Dying Hooker, express the frame of Spirit, wherewith a Spirit, is to be Committed into the Hand of the Lord: When one that stood weeping by his Bed side, said unto him, Syr. You are going to Receive the Reward of all your Labors, he replied, Brother, I am going to Receive Mercy! What shall I say? The Frame of Spirit, necessary in this Glorious Transaction, I cannot better paint out unto you, than by reciting the words, which I remember I once had, from an Eminent old Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, at my taking Leave of him: said he,

Syrs, This is the Frame, wherewith we are to do, what we do. But then, How Willingly, How Chearfully! God forbid, That we should Commit our Spirits into His Hand, as only Drag'd, and Forced unto it by Unavoidable Death. Our Dying Lord said, Father, Into thy Hands I commend my Spirit. When God calls for our Spirit, we are to think, 'It is my Father that calls for me; and shall not I go to my father? It was a good Speech even of an Heathen, Bene Mori est Libenter Mori, one Thing in Well Dying, is to Dy willingly. 'It is a dismal Thing, for the Spirit of a man to be Torn from him, and be pulled away with Roaring Reluctances, with Horrid Convulsions. Where would be the sense of it, if a Dying man should say, Lord, Into thy Hand I commit my Spirit, but if I could have my choice, my Spirit should never come there! When we perceive that Call from our Lord Jesus Christ, Go up and Dy! Let us Freely Surrender our Spirits, unto our Great Lord, and, Go up and Dy: He is the Lord of our Lives. Freely, did I say? Yea, and Gladly too. When we have aright Committed our Spirits into the Hand of the Lord, then take up that conclusion, in Psal. 49.15. God will Receive, my Soul. And then, Let us wonderfully comfort ourselves, in the Thoughts of that Spiritual World which we are going into. Think, I shall quickly Rest from Sin, and all Temptations, and all Afflictions, and all the cursed Effects of Sin, and all Annoyances of Ill Spirits forever. I shall quickly be Lodg'd among the pure Spirits, that see God, and serve Him Day and Night in His Temple, and God shall wipe away all Tears from my Eyes. Yea, I shall quickly be with my Lord Jesus Christ, which is by far the best of all. Oh! Rejoice in the Hope of this Glory of God! And let not your Joy be Interrupted, by any Fear, of what may become of your Friends, when you shall be Dead and Gone. The Lord that calls you to Commit your Spirits into His Hand, calls you at the same time, to Commit your Widows, your Orphans, and all your Friends, into that Omnipotent Hand: He says, Leave them all with me, and I will take the care of them all! It was noted of the English Martyrs, which Dy'd at the Stake, in the Bloody Marian Persecution; That none of them went more joyfully to the Stake, than those that had the largest and the dearest Families then to commit unto the Lord: And afterwards those large Families, we • e wondrously provided for. The Excellent Mr. Heron, a Minister, that had a Family of many small Children in it, when he lay a Dying, his poor Wife said with Tears, Alas, what will become of all these Children? He presently, and pleasantly Replied; Never Fear, He that feeds the young Ravens, would not starve the young Herons! And it came to pass accordingly.

Syrs, Thus are you to Commit your Spirits in to the Hands of the Lord Jesus Christ.

My Reverend BAILY did so; and it is as from Him, that I do this Day, bespeak your doing like him; yea, Not from Him only, but from the Lord Jesus Christ, the God, whose he was, and whom he Served. If you would more particularly be told, after what manner, he did Commit his own Spirit into the Hands of the Lord, I can faithfully Recite you his own Account of the Transaction. He gives it, thus;

'It is from one who thus did it, that you are now called upon to Do Likewise.

When you see the Coffin of this Man of God, anon carried along the Streets, imagine it a mournful Pulpit, from whence, Being Dead he yet speaks, thus unto you; Whatever you do, Commit your perishing Souls into the Hands of the Lord Jesus Christ, as you have been Advised.

That these Admonitions may have the more of Emphasis, a short Account of this Worthy man must now be given you.

He was Born, on Febr. 24. 1643. near Blackbourn in Lancashire; of a very pious Mother, who even before he was Born, often, as Hannah her Samuel, Dedicated him unto the Service of the Lord.

Of this his Birth day, in the Return of every Year, he still took much Notice in his Diaries: and made his humble and useful Reflections thereupon.

Once particularly, I find him thus Entertaining it.

When this Day, last arrived unto him, he thus wrote upon it.

From a Child he did know the Holy Scriptures, yea, From a Child he was wise unto Salvation. In his very Childhood, he discovered the Fear of God, upon his young Heart; and Prayer to God was one of his Early Exercises.

There was one very Remarkable Effect of it. His Father, was a man of a very Licentious Conversation; a Gamester, a Dancer, a very Lewd Company-keeper. The Mother of this Elect Vessel, one day took him, while he was yet a Child, and calling the Family together, made him to Pray with them. His Father coming to understand, at what a rate, the Child had prayed with his Family, it smote the Soul of him, with a great Conviction, and proved the Beginning of his Conversion unto God. God left not off working on his Heart, until he proved one of the most Eminent Christians in all that Neighbourhood. So he Lived; so he Dyed; A man of more than ordinary Piety. And it was his manner sometimes to Retire unto those very places, of his former Lewdnesses, where, having this his Little Son in his Company, he would pour out Floods of Tears, in Repenting Prayers before the Lord.

This Hopeful Youth, having been Educated in Grammar-Learning, under a worthy Schoolmaster, one Mr. Sager, and in further Learning, under the Famous Dr. Harrison, at Length, about the Age of Twenty Two, he Entred on the Public Employment of Preaching the Gospel. In so doing, he was not one of those, of whom even the Great Papist Bellarmine complains, Qui non valde Solliciti esse solent, an ea qua par est preparatione accedant, cum Finis eorum magis sit cibus Corporis, quam Animae. He began, at Chester; but afterwards went over to Ireland, where his Labors were so frequent, and fervent, that they gave those wounds unto his Health, which could never be Recovered. About Fourteen years of his Time, in Ireland, he spent at Limrick, and saw so many Seals of his Ministry, in that Country, that he seemed rather to Fish with a Net, than with an Hook, for the Kingdom of God. I am not willing to Relate, How Grievously, and yet, how Patiently he Suffered Long and Hard Imprisonments, from those men, concerning whom a Consormable Divine of the Church of England, very truly says, That they were Atheists, with the Inventions of Ceremonies habited like Christians, for the Service of the Devil, to Corrupt and Destroy True Christianity: I should Relate but little of this, because that Spirit of Persecution, has been Repented by an Happy Act of Parliament.

And yet, for the Admonition of Our Inexcusable Young Men, The Sin of the Young men is very Great before the Lord, above that of those, who have been brought up, as many very Godly Christians have in those ways of the Church of England, for a Sucession from which, this Country was first planted:] Who notwithstanding their Descent from Fathers and Grandfathers, that were great Sufferers, for their Non Conformity to an Uninstituted Worship of Christ, and notwithstanding their Education in the Knowledge of what is Required, and what is Forbidden, in the Second Commandment, and notwithstanding their being urged by no Temptation, of Persecution, or being Tempted by anything, but the Vanit •… of their own minds, do yet so Rebel against th •… Light, as to Turn Apostates from the First Principles of New England; it may be seasonable to Repeat so much of the History of this Worthy man, as a little further to Illustrate this Article.

He no sooner began to Preach the Gospel o •… the Lord Jesus Christ, but his Fidelity to that Gospel, was Tryed, by an Hard Imprisonment, which he underwent because his Conscience could not Conform to Human Inventions, in the Sacred Service of Heaven. Yea, while he was yet a Young man, he often Travel'd far by Night in the Winter, as well as in the Summer, that so he might enjoy the Ordinances purely Administred, in the Meetings of the Faithful; and was laid up sometimes in Lancashire Gaol for being found at those Meetings. When he was at Limrick, the Attendance which a Person of Great Quality, and his Lady, (who were nearly related unto the Duke of Ormond, the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, ) upon his Ministry, provoked the Bishop, to Complain unto the Lord Lieutenant. This Gentleman then proffered unto Mr. Bailey, that if he would conform, he would procure his being made Chaplain to the Duke, and having a Deanery immediately, and a Bishopric upon the first Vacancy: But he Refused the profer. Albeit, another Eminent Non conformist Minister, not far from Limrick, a Godly, and an Able man, and one who had appeared much against Conformity at the first pressing thereof, did afterwards Accept of the aforesaid Chaplain ship, & by Degrees Conformed, and Arrived unto several places of preferment: pretending, That he did it for the sake of Opportunities to Preach the Gospel. But it was Remarkable! God so Disabled him, with Distempers after this, that he was very Seldom, if ever Able to Preach at all. Mr. Bailey went on, in the Exercise of his Ministry, not pursuing any Factious Designs, but merely the Conversion, of men to Christ, and Faith, and Holiness, which the Devil counts the worst of all Designs. And now, although he were so Harmless and Blamless, in his whole Conversation, that he was always much Beloved wherever he came, yet another long Imprisonment was inflicted on him, while the Papists in the Neighbourhood, had all manner of Liberty and Countenance. When he was before the Judges, he told them, If I had been drinking and gaming and carousing at a Tavern with my Company, my Lord's, I presume that would not have procured my being thus treated as an offender. Must Praying to God, and Preaching of Christ, with a Company of Christians, that are as Peaceable, and Inoffensive; and Serviceable to His Majesty and the Government as any of His Subjects, must this be greater Crime? The Recorder answered; We will have you to know, it is a greater Crime. While he was Imprisoned, his Church being divided into Seven Parts, visited him one part a Day, so that Preaching to them, and Praying with them, every Day, he once in a Week Served them all. But this, in a Little while gave such Offence, that a Violent Obstruction was given thereunto; and though his Flock, particularly, His dear Young men, (as he called them) did Pray without Ceasing, and not without Fasting, for his Release; and Humble Applications were also made unto the Judges, at the Assizes for it; yet no Rele • se could be granted him, without his giving Security, to Depart the Land, within a little Time then limited unto him. It was not long, before, a Wrath unto the uttermost came upon the City, which had thus persecuted this Faithful Minister of God; and that Person particularly, who had been the chief Instrument of his Persecution, was (as we have been told) within a while, upon other Accounts, himself run into Prison, where he Cryed out with horror, of the Wrongs done by him to Mr. Bailey, and then running Distracted, he died Miserably. But, New-England, a Country Originally a Retreat for Persecuted Non conformists hereupon afforded unto our. Bailey an Opportunity, of Labouring near Fourteen Years more, in the Work, which he Loved above all Things in the World; the Work, of Turning the Souls of men, from Darkness to Light, and from Satan t •… God: wherein, for some Time his Younger an •… Godly, and Sweet Natured Brother, who came over with him, was his Comfortable Companion and Assistent; until he got the Start of him i •… his departure to the Glories of the Better World They were indeed, Fratrum dulce par; a Davi •… and a Jonathan. Death, which for a while parted them, ha's now again brought them together This Mr. Thomas Bailey died, January 21. 1689 As this his Brother and Colleague notes in his Diary; He died well, which is a great Word; so sweetly, as I never saw the like before! But as for •… his Elder Brother, he was a man of Great Holiness, and of so Tender a Conscience, that if he had been at any Time Innocently Cheerful, in •… he Company of his Friends, it cost him after wards abundance of sad Reflection, through Fear, lest e're he had been aware, he might have Grieved the Holy Spirit of Christ. A Savoury Book of his, about, The Chief End of Man, pub •… ished among us, ha's fully described unto us, •… hat Savour of Spirit, which was in his daily walk mentained.

The Desire of this H • lie man, was, (as him •… elf Expressed it,) to Get up unto Three Things: To Patience under the Calamities of Life; To Impatience under the Infirmities of Life; •… nd, To earnest Longings for the Next Life.

And his Desire at another Time, he thus Ex •… ressed. Ob! that I might not be of the Number •… f them, that Live without Love, Speak without Feeling, and Act without Life! Oh! that God would make me His Humble and Upright and Faith •… ul Servant!

From this Holy Temper it was, that when •… ome kind presents were made unto him, he •… rote in his Diary thereupon; I have my wages •… uickly; But Oh! that God may not put me off, with a Reward here! Oh! that God may be my Reward!

We will more particularly Note, a few Notables, wherein the Holiness, which Irradiated him, will be described unto us.

We might begin, with Observing, That the Holy Word of God was very dear to him, as indeed it is to every Holy man. Hence, I find this passage in his Diary. Jan. 11.

What is Holiness, but a Dedication to the Lord Jesus Christ? This Holy man was often breathing in himself, and pressing on others, that Great point, of Dedicating everything to the Service of the Lord. Thus, in his Diary there frequently occur, such Strains as these.

But it was particularly Expressed; when one of his Children was to be Baptized. He thus wrote upon it.

Hence, when he parted with the greatest Enjoyment he had in this World, he thus wrote upon it, in his Diary;

From this Holiness, proceeded that Watchfulness, which Discovered a singular Fear of God, in his whole Conversation. I find him Entring in his Diary, such passages as these.

At one Time.

At another Time.

At another Time.

At another Time.

And as Holy men, use to be full of Hearty Prayers, and Wishes, for the Good of other men, thus this Holy man, has filled many places in his Diaries, with his Prayers for the Welfare of those, with whom he was concerned; from whence we may gather how full his Heart was of Blessings for his Neighbors.

Once particularly I find him thus Writing.

Moreover, It was not only among the Great Signs, but also among the Great Means, of his Holiness, that he was very solicitous, as well in his Preparation for the Table of the Lord, as in his Observation, of what Communion he Enjoyed with the Lord Jesus Christ, at His Table.

His Diary abounds with passages of this Importance; the Expressions of a Careful Soul.

The Last Time of his being at the Lord's-Table, he wrote the Ensuing Passages.

Let me add; Sometimes, as he was Able, he would set a part Half a-day, for Extraordinary Prayers: He still did so, when there were any Extraordinary Cares upon him. Thus he Records in his Diaries.

At one Time.

At another Time.

And that Praises, as well as Prayers might not be forgotten with him, I find him once particularly in his Diary, thus Expressing himself.

What is a CHRISTIAN?

Two Preliminaries are to be Considered.

First; Many a man is not Really a Christian, that yet is Visibly so. As the Scripture says, in Rom. 2.28. He is not a Jew, that is one outwardly: Thus we may say, He is not a Christian, that is no more than outwardly so. It is true, A man's being Visibly a Christian, is that which Entitles him to the External Privileges of Christianity, in the Churches of God; Non Judicat Ecclesia de Occultis. But a man must be Really a Christian, if he would not perish among Infidels at the last.

Secondly; A man that is Really a Christian, may have many Unchristian Disorders in his Heart & Walk. Alas, my Friends, All is not Christianity, that is done by every Real Christian! He was a Real and a First-rate Christian, who said, in Rom. 7.22, 23. I Delight in the Law of God after the Inward man, but I see another Law in my Members. Thus it may be said of a Good man; He Delights in every Good Thing, so far as he is a Christian man: but you may see such a man do many Things, that are far from Christian.

Prepared with these Two Consideration, Let us now pass on to Consider, What a Christian is? What are the points of Real Christianity, which every Christian, as far as he is a Christian, does come up unto.

Give your Attention, Sirs; Your Condition for Eternity, is going to be determined.

I A CHRISTIAN, is one, who Adores the Lord JESUS CHRIST, as very GOD, and who Accepts that Lord, as His own GOD. The man, who does not Look upon our Lord Jesus Christ, as more than a man, is no Christian. The Old Arians were but Pseudo Christians. A Christian sees that our Lord Jesus Christ is a man, but he sees this man to be personally United unto the Second Person in God. This is mentioned as the First, and Grand, Article of Christianity, which is the Mystery of Godliness, in 1 Tim. 3.16. That our Lord Jesus Christ is no other than God manifest in the Flesh. A man may be a notable Preacher of Christ, and write whole Books, about, The Knowledge of Christ, and yet not be a Christian. Mighty Numbers of those Heretics, which are called Socinians, do at this day cover the face of Christendom, as the Frogs did Egypt of old: They hold, that our Lord Jesus Christ, is God, not by Nature, but only by Office; and not from Eternity, but only since His Resurrection. The Mohammedans are as Good Christians, as these miserable Heretics; for the Mohammedans grant our Blessed Jesus, to be a Glorious Prophet of God. Yea, there are better Christians than these, among the Mohammedans; for there is a Potent Sect lately risen among the Mohammedans, called, The Good Followers of the Messiah, who hold that our Christ is God, and the Redeemer of the World. No, A Christian, is one, who counts himself Robb'd, of all his Hope, and all his Joy, and all his Life, if the God-Head of his Lord Jesus Christ, should be questioned. A Christian expects from his Lord, such a Righteousness as will Entitle him to Life, and such a Sacrifice as to Expiate all his Guilt, and such a Spirit, as will Sanctify him throughout, and at last Raise him out of the Dust, unto Heavenly and Eternal Glory. Now the Foundation of all this Expectation in the Christian, is, My Christ is God as well as Man! When the Apostolical Writings have called our Lord Jesus Christ, The True God, and, The Great God, and God over all; the Christian is one that Heartily Subscribes unto it. The Christian thinks of the Lord Jesus Christ, That this His Lord, Is everywhere, and, Knows everything, and, That His Lord is, The Lord God Omnipotent, and, That all Things were made by Him, and, That He Upholds all Things.

There were Christians in the Days of the Old Testament; All the Faithful People of the God of Abraham, were Christians, though' that Name were not yet Formally put upon them. Now those old Christians, did Worship the Messiah as God: Joshua did so. Jacob was one of those old Christians; and he said of the Messiah, This is the God that fed me all my Life Long. Job was another of them; and he said, In my Flesh, I shall see God: From whence, even a Jewish Rabbi, who was no Christian, infers, The Word of God will take Flesh in a Woman on Earth. David was a Christian; and he said of the Anointed One, our Christ, in Psal. 45.7. Thy Throne, O God, is forever and ever. Isaiah was a Christian; and he said, of the Christ, who is the Child born, the Son given unto us, in Isa. 9.6. His Name shall be, God, The Mighty.

Unless our Lord Jesus Christ, be unto a man, God as well as Man, and the very God, whose Name alone is JEHOVAH, That man cannot be a Christian. The Christian accounts our Lord Jesus Christ, The God, which is, and which was, and which is to come; that is to say, The Eternal JEHOVAH. The Christians of the Old-Testament, were of this Apprehension; and therefore, in multitudes of passages, concerning the Works of the Messiah, all over the Old Testament, the Name of JEHOVAH is Ascribed unto Him. [Thus in Zech. 12.10. Thus in Zeph. 3.9. Thus, in Jer. 33.16.] The Jews themselves are so sensible of This, that though' they Deny our Jesus to be the Messiah, yet several of their own Rabbi's, do confess, That when the Messiah comes, he shall be called, The Eternal JEHOVAH; and, that the Messiah, is intended when 'tis said, Jehovah shall build up Jerusalem. There was a man, whom the Jews did Stab with a Sword. But the Old Christians among the Jews, looked upon that man, to be Assum'd by the Wisdom of God, into one person with Himself; Hence, they reckoned, the Messiah, to be the Wisdom of God; and as in Zech. 13.7. that Stab'd man, they saw, was a Fellow, an Aequal, unto Jehovah, the Lord of Hosts.

But when the Christian sees the Demonstration of this Mystery, That his Lord Jesus Christ, is very God, and by an ineffable Generation from all Eternity, The Son of God, he does there on, and there fore, make choice of this Lord, for his own God. The Language of the Christian, is that which Thomas used when he saw our Christ, after His Resurrection from the Dead, in Joh. 20.28. My Lord, and my God! That famous Roman Pagan Governor, Pliny, gave this Description of the Christians, in his Time, That they Sang Hymns unto one CHRIST, as unto a GOD. Sirs, If we are Christians, We offer up our Praises and our Prayers, unto our CHRIST, as our God; and as unto God, we devote ourselves unto Him. It was usual with the ancient Idolaters, to Brand themselves, in token of their Devotion to the Idols, whose Brands they wore, with such Characters, as are forbidden in Leviticus. With a Golden, or an Iron Stamp, they sometimes Branded themselves, with the Mark of their Idol; as a Thunderbolt was the Mark of Jupiter, an Helmet of Mars, an Ivy of Bacchus. They sometimes Branded themselves, with the Name of their Idol at large; as Jupiter, or, Mercurius, and the like. And they sometimes Branded themselves, with the Number of his Name; that is, with other Letters privately agreed by the Fraternity, which together would amount unto the same Number, with the Known Letters of his Name. I will not Report what some zealous Christians in the Primitive Times, did in opposition to this Idolatry. But this I will say; Every Christian does brand himself, with a certain Stamp, in token, That CHRIST is the God, whom he devotes himself unto; Now, the Name of, A CHRISTIAN, is that Stamp: As long as he wears the Name of, A CHRISTIAN, he thinks, CHRIST is my God; I am to Trust Him, Fear Him, Love Him, as my God forever.

There is no Christian, who does not Receive the Doctrine of the Trinity, as an Article of his Creed. Now, a Jew lately Turn'd Christian, received it with this peculiar Emphasis. It is said, [for so he Read it, and we may Read it so,] in Deut. 6.4. Hear O Israel, The Lord, our God, the Lord, are One. Behold, says he, Here are Three; and yet it is added, These Three are but one. But it is the Second Person, that here more Eminently chooses to be called, Our God, because He would more especially be Ours by Taking Our Flesh and Blood upon Himself; and it is in Him, that God becomes Ours. Truly, A Christian beholds the Lord Jesus God, as that Person of God, wherein God becomes eminently Ours, and he cries out, Oh! my God, my God, forevermore!

II. A CHRISTIAN, is one well satisfied in JESUS of Nazareth, as the Messiah promised of God, unto the World.

The world was through all Ages Entertained with Promises, of a Messiah, to Redeem us from the Curses, which the Wrath of God for Sin hath brought upon us, and from the Mischiefs done to us, by that Old Serpent, the Devil, in our Hearkening unto him. These Promises are everywhere Scattered up and down, in the Scriptures of the Old Testament even from the Third of Genesis, to the Fourth of Malachi. Now, tis Essential unto a CHRISTIAN, to entertain the Blessed JESUS of Nazareth, as the Messiah Exhibited in all of these Very Great and Precious Promises. And there are espicially Two Things, that Convince a Christian of it.

First, A Christian is Convinced, That in our JESUS, all the ancient Oracles about the Messiah, have their full Accomplishment. You will easily bring a Christian, to join in a Consort with the Song of Mary, in Luk. 1.55. In Him, God ha's Helped us, as He Spake to our Fathers. A Christian will soon be Convinced, That there did no Considerable Thing befall our JESUS, but what the Ancient Oracles did foretell concerning the Messiah. And, a Christian will soon be Convinced, That whatever the Ancient Oracles did foretell concerning the Messiah, can be evidently found in our JESUS. Yea, any Rational man might be presently Convinced of This! There are especially Two Things in our Illustrious JESUS, at which the miserable Jews, are Scandalized: His Birth, and His Death. But in both of these, the Christian sees an Astonishing Accomplishment, of the Prophecies, in the Ancient Oracles of God. The Messiah was to be Born, before the Tribe of Judah, should be utterly Stript of Lawgivers; and while the Second Temple was yet standing; and within Four-hundred and Ninety Years, after the Proclamation of Cyrus for the Rebuilding of Jerusalem. Now says the Christian, So was my Blessed Jesus! The Messiah was to be Born, at Bethlehem; and, Born of a Virgin; and, Born of Obscure Parentage. Now says the Christian, So was my Blessed Jesus! The Messiah was to Ride upon an Ass Colt, when He came to Work out our Salvation. Says the Christian, My Jesus did so! The Messiah was to be Despised and Rejected of His own Country-men. If the Messiah be not yet come, then whenever He does come, the Jews are to deal with Him, just as they did with our Jesus. Upon this the Christian says, No, my Jesus was He! The Messiah, after His being a Public Preacher Three years and an half, was to be made a Sacrifice for the Sins of men, & thereupon the City and the Temple were to fa • l under horrible Desolations. Was it not so with my Jesus? Will the Christian say. The Messiah was to be Betray'd by one of His own Disciples; He was to be Try'd and Judge'd, as a Malefactor; He was to have His Hands, and His Feet Pierced, that is, to be Crucifyed: Vinegar was to be offered unto Him in His Agonies; He was to be Rob'd of His Garments; He was to Suffer with the worst of Criminals; He was to be Buryed in the Tomb of a Rich man; like Jonah. He was to Rise again, and the Gentiles were thereupon to come unto Repentance. All this was predicte •… of the Messiuh; Well then, says the Christian My Jesus is the Messiah, for in Him is all of this gloriously come to pass!

Again; A Christian is convinced, That th •… Miracles wrought by our JESUS, could b •… wrought by none but the True Messiah. It i •… said of our JESUS, The Son of David, in Rom. 1 •… 4. He was Declared to be the Son of God with power. The Miracles of our Lord Jesus Christ, ar •… called, Powers; and they may well be called so inasmuch as they are Expressive of Supernatura •… Powers over the Creation of God. Now, wh • a Christian sees the Miracles done by our Blessed JESUS, he is convinced of our Lord's Divinity, and convinced of our Lord's Messiah-ship, immediately; and he cries out, Oh! This my JESUS, is the Son of God! The Christian is very sure, That our JESUS, wrought such Miracles, as are in the Gospel Related of Him: Stupendous Miracles wherein, The Blind Received their Sight, the Lame Walked, the Lepers were Cleansed, the Deaf heard, the Devils that were the Instruments of Inflicting such Calamities were cast out, and the Dead Raised up. The Witnesses of those Miracles are Incontestable. The Obstinate and Enchanted Jews themselves do in their Talmuds own those Miracles. But then the Christian is very sure, That God would never have permitted such Miracles to be wrought by our JESUS, if He had not been the Messiah. Indeed, a False Prophet may have a Sign, accompanying of Him. Yet, such is the Compassion of the Good God unto the World, that something or other always •… dhaeres to the Miracles of a Ly, whereby the Delusion may be detected. Whereas the Miracles of our JESUS were such, that the more men Examine them, the more proofs will appear, of their being the Seals of the Great God, unto the Truth of all that He Declared. Our JESUS came, the Christian sees him coming, a man of Universal Holiness, and full of Endeavors to promote all that is Holy and Just and Good. He Asserted Himself to be rhe Messiah; and for the Evidence of this Assertion, He not only did lesser Wonders, but also Raised the Dead, who had been divers Days putrifying in their Graves; and this in His own Name too: Yea, He Rais'd Himself also from the Dead, after He had been Stab'd thro' the Heart, and Hung Six Hours on a Cross, and Lay in a Sepulcher for Three Days together. If any man should maliciously say, That all this was nothing but an Imposture of the Devil; God Almighty would never Pardon that man, throughout Eternal Ages! The Christian, upon the sight hereof, says like that Officer, who saw something of it, Certainly this was the Son of God. What says the Christian? O my JESUS, There are no works, like thy works; Thou art the Messiah that was to come.

III. A CHRISTIAN, is one who Acknowledges the matchless JESUS, to be the Priest, the Prophet, and the King, Appointed by God, for the Everlasting Acknowledgments of all His People. The Name of MESSIAH, which is given to our Lord Redeemer, it may be Seven Times in the Old Testament, is the same with CHRIST, which is in the New Testament given perhaps, above Two Hundred and Fourscore Times unto Him. The Name signifies, The Anointed. Now there were Three Offices of much Influence, in the Old Church of God; that of a Priest, that of a Prophet, and that of a King; and it was usual for them, who sustained these Offices, to be Anointed thereunto. These Offices, and the Anointings wherewith persons were set apart for these Offices, were ordered by the God of Heaven to be Typical of our Sacred JESUS. His being, The Anointed, is His being both Commissioned and Qualified, for all the Offices of our Lord-Redeemer. And now, what is a CHRISTIAN, but a Believer on a CHRIST? One who Believes in the Blessed JESUS, as Gloriously Executing all the Offices of a Mediator.

Particularly; First, unto a Christian, our Blessed Jesus, is a Priest forever. 'It is said, in Heb. 3.1. Consider the High Priest of our Profession, Christ Jesus: Christ Jesus is the High Priest of the Christian Profession; A Christian makes Profession of being Reconciled unto God, by no High Priest, but Jesus Christ. A Christian is one who sees himself utterly unable to make that Reparation unto God for the wrongs done by our Sins unto Him, which His Just Law requires. He therefore flies unto the Lord Jesus Christ, as the only High Priest, that can Repair those wrongs, and make Atonement for him. What is a Priest? We have the Definition of one, in Heb. 5.1. He is one ordained for men, in Things pertaining to God, that he may offer both Gifts and Sacrifices for Sins. Now says the Christian, I know no such Priest, but my Blessed Jesus! The Christian apprehends the Lord Jesus Christ, as a Priest Sacrificing for him. He Assents to that in Heb. 9.26. He hath appeared to put away Sin, by the Sacrifice of Himself. He sees the Lord Jesus Christ, yielding both Active and Passive Obedience unto God, on the behalf of His Elect: He sees this Obedience of the Lord Jesus Christ, as his Ransom from Eternal Miseries. All the Relief, that a Christian has against the Fears of the Wrath of God is This; Christ hath Loved us, and given Himself for us, an Offering and a Sacrifice to God, of a sweet smelling Savour. Ask a Christian, How do you think to find Acceptance with God? He'l tell you, If he be a Christian, he will tell you, 'It is thro' the Merits of the Obedience of my Lord Jesus Christ alone. The Christian also apprehends the Lord Jesus Christ as a Priest Interceeding for him. He assents to, That, in Heb. 7.25. He is able to Save to the uttermost, seeing He ever Lives to make Intercession. He sees the Lord Jesus Christ, as a Legal Surety, and as a Public Person, gone into the Holy of Holies for us; He sees the Lord Jesus Christ, with our Names on His Breast, there powerfully pleading for our purchased Salvation. A Christian has nothing to support him under all his Daily Corruptions, and his Daily Temptations, but this, My Jesus is my Advocate! The Soul of the Christian even Lives upon this Cordial, My Christ Lives in Heaven, to make Intercession for Transgressors.

Again, The Blessed Jesus is the Prophet of the Christian; the Shepherd and Bishop of his Soul; the Faithful Witness of God unto him; and his perpetual Counselor. A Christian sees his Blessed Jesus, and saith with that Multitude, in Mat. 21.11. This is Jesus the Prophet. The Christian is one who apprehends the Lord Jesus Christ, as, A Teacher come from God; and, a Teacher, whose Acquaintance with the Counsels of God, infinitely exceeds all that any mortal man can pretend unto: Jesus, a Prophet, (says he) Mighty in Deed, and in Word before God! Hence, the Christian Embraces what the Lord Jesus Christ has Revealed, as being the True and the Whole Will of God; He will Credit nothing, with a Sacred Belief, and Perform nothing, as a Sacred Worship, except what comes from the Lord Jesus Christ: In every Difficulty, he will go to the Lord Jesu • Christ for Direction: and he carries a Dark Soul to the Lord Jesus Christ, with this petition, Lord, that I may Receive my Sight! The Scholars of an Aristole are called, Aristoteleans. Thus a Christian, what is he but a Scholar of Christ?

Once more; The Blessed Jesus is the King of the Christian: the Lord of Life, the Lord of Peace, the Lord of Glory, yea, the Lord of All. A Christian sees his Blessed Jesus, and says with that Sincere Soul, in Joh. 1.49. Thou art the Son of God, thou art the King of Israel. The Christian apprehends the Lord Jesus Christ, as the Master of the World, the Lord of Hosts, and of Angels, the Man on the Throne managing all the Wheels of Providence: And as the Ruler of the Church; the Spouse and Head, and Lord of it, and the Law -giver of the Conscience. Hence the Christian seeks unto the Lord Jesus Christ, for to have his own Heart Subdued unto the Will of God, and for Defense from all Interior Adversaries, and Conquest over all. Thus, he Recieves Christ the Lord! The Subjects of an Herod were called Herodians. Thus, a Christian is but a Subject of Christ.

IV. A CHRISTIAN is one, who Considers the Profound Humiliation of the Lord Jesus Ch • ist, as no matter of Prejudice; no, but as a mat • er of unspeakable Praise and Joy. The foul-mou • h'd Julian, having Renounced Christianity, would Scoff at our Blessed JESUS, calling Him, The Staked God. But Christianity teaches us, to be infinitely Satisfyed with the Thoughts of what that Man, who is God as well as Man, Suffered on a Stake. The Pagans, would laugh at the Christians of old, saying, Tu adoras Crucifixum; What? You are one of the Fools, that Adore Him that was Crucified. The Christian Thinks, I have still the more cause to Adore Him for That! The Jews do still taunt at the Christians, with such a Flout as that; What? you Adore Talui, i. e. an Hanged man. The Christian Thinks, I had been a Damned man, if He had not been So! A Christian is, One that is not Asham'd of a Christ on a Cross. And indeed, Why should he? The posture of old Jacob's Hands in Blessing his Children, might intimate unto them, That through a Cross all the Blessing of Heaven is derived unto us. What we translate, in Isa. 52.13. My Servant shall deal prudently, (which the Chaldee Paraphrase Expressly applies to the Messiah, ) may have the Messiahs laying Himself on a Cross, intimated in the Hebrew Original. A Christian is not Scandalized at it, That his Lord who is the Everlasting Father, was once an Infant laid in a Manger, where Beasts had their Fodder; but he thinks, This was, that I, with my Infants, who have made ourselves worse than Beasts, may come to be Lodg'd and Fed among the Angels of God. A Christian is not Scandalized at it, That his Lord, who is the High Possessor of Heaven and Earth, had not an House where to lay His Head; but he thinks, This was, that I, to whom Hell, the Place of Dragons belonged, may have an House Eternal in the Heavens. He is not Scandalized at it, That his Lord, who is the Creator of all things, did Submit unto the poor Mechanic Employment of a Carpenters; but he thinks, This was, that I, who have made Wickedness my Employment, may be made a King and a Priest unto my God. He is not Scandalized at it, That his Lord, who Sitts on the Throne of Eternity, should Wear a Crown of Thorns; but he thinks, This is, that I may obtain a Crown of Life. He is not Scandalized at it, That his Lord, who is the Judge of the World, should be Condemned at the Bar of sinful men; but he thinks, This is, that I, a vile Sinner, may be Acquitted at the Bar of the Holy God. He is not Scandalized at it, That his Lord, whose Hands Wield the Scepter of the Omnipotent, should have his Hands nailed unto a Tree of Death; but he thinks. This is to make Atonement for my meddling with the Forbidden Tree, and that I may come to Eat of the Tree of Life. The Pains of Hell, he sees getting hold on his Lord, who is the Joy of the whole Heaven: He is not Scandalized at it, but thinks, This is, that I may arrive to pleasures at God's Right Hand for evermore! The Christian is wonderfully pleased, with Reflections, Like those which occur, in the Writings of the Ancients;

V. A CHRISTIAN is one who values a Baptism, into the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ; Obtains it, if have not Enjoy'd it; Improves it, if he has obtained it. Christians are the Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, all the Disciples of that Lord, in all Nations, are to be owned such, by being Baptized into the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. There is no Christian, but what would Gladly be Baptized into the Name of CHRIST, and he would thereby openly take upon himself the Name of a Christian: It is said, in Mark 16.16. He that Believeth, and is Baptized, shall be Saved. He that is a Believer, will as soon as he can, Express it, by his being a Baptized one. But a Christian having been once Baptized, he doth not altogether Forget the Baptismal Obligations laid upon him, to be the Lord's. It is said in Gal. 3.26. As many of you, as have been Baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. A Baptized Christian ha's put on the Livery of Christ; and wearing the Name of CHRISTIAN, he is to Remember himself, the Servant of that most Holy Lord. Thousands of Churches, at this Day in the Eastern parts of Europe, when a Person is Baptized in them, there is this Expression used, Such an one, A Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ, is Baptized. Sirs, when y • u were Baptized, you were Declared the Servants of the Lord Christ; and though' you were Baptized, yet you are no Right Christians, if you decline the Service of that Heavenly Lord. When some of the Roman Emperors, became Christian, they Subscribed themselves, The Vassals of the Lord Jesus Christ. Ay, That, That it is to be a CHRISTIAN. A Christian, and a Baptized Vassal of Jesus Christ, are of the same Importance. He is one that falls down at the Feet of the Lord Jesus Christ, and affectionately says, Ah! Lord, other Lord's besides thee have had Dominion over me, but now I will make mention of thy Name alone. The Christian is one that will not Humour the Flesh, one that will not Follow the World, one that will not Gratify the Devil. JESUS, JESUS, That is the Name of His only Lord. He heartily says, Lord, I am thy Servant; Thy Vows are upon me, to be so! Yea, come to a Christian, and satisfy him, about any Thing, This Thing will be a Service to the Lord Jesus Christ; you need not any other Argument for to persuade him unto the Thing. Oh! may I Serve my Christ! of this the Christian says, It is all my Salvation, and all my Desire!

VI. A CHRISTIAN is one, who Endeavors to Imitate the Example of the Lord Jesus Christ, in those Things, wherein He ha's required our Imitation of Him. Indeed, there are Mediatorial performances and preheminencies of our Lord Jesus Christ, wherein He is Inimitable. But such was the Ordinary Conversation of our Lord Jesus Christ upon Earth, as that He could say, in Joh. 13.15. I have given you an Exemple, that ye should do as I have done. The Exemple of our Lord Jesus Christ, is in this Book of His mightily Inculcated on every Christian; yea, our Lord says unto us, in Luk. 14.27. Whosoever doth not come after me, cannot be my Disciple; which is to say, He cannot be a Christian! The Images of the Lord JESUS CHRIST on the Wall, are not Agreeable unto a well instructed Christian. But instead of that, the Christian would fain have an Image of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the Dispositions of his own Heart & Life. The Christian lays up his chief Happiness, in being made like unto the Lord Jesus Christ; and he daily aspires to be changed into that Image, from Glory to Glory. What is a Christian? Briefly; He is a Christ like man; and one, who, as He that hath called him is Holy, so, would be Holy in all manner of Conversation. There have been Persons in the world called, Ciceronians; & their Fancy ha's been, that whatever Phrase or Word, they could not find in the Works of Cicero, they would hardly make use of it. Thus, if men dislike every Thing, that is contrary to what might in the Walk of Christ be met withal, Why, These are your Christians. What says the Apostle, in 1 Joh. 2.6. He that saith, he abideth in Christ, (or, is a Christian,) ought himself also to Walk, so as He Walked. Alas, It is not a Recitation of a Creed, but an Imitation of a Christ, that will make a Christian. Among the Jews, the Reckabites, would plant no Vineyards, and build no Houses, because they would be like old Reckab, their Grand father, from whom they were called so. Thus if we would be Christians, we must live like our Savior Christ, from whom we are called so. Among the Papists, the Benedictines, the Franciscans, the Dominicans, and the other Irreligious Orders, ty themselves to Imitate the Lives of these men, from whom they have their Names. In vain have we the Name of Christians from our Lord Jesus Christ, if our Lives be not conformed unto His. When Duties are before us, a Christian is to think, How was th s D • ty done by Christ? When Trials are upon us, a Christian is to think, How was this Trial born by Christ? And then conform accordingly. Christians, we must Walk in Love, as Christ also hath Loved us; we must Learn of Christ in being Meek & Lowly; we must have that mind in us, which was in Christ Jesus, who Humbled Himself; we must run with Patience the Race set before us, Looking unto Jesus; else there is a Crime in our Name. When Alexander the Great, saw a Soldier, whose Name was Alexander, prove a very Coward, he said, Aut fortiter pugna, aut Nomen de pone: either Fight like Alexander, or beenit called Alexander! Truly, if Christians donit conform themselves, to the Holy, Prayerful, Watchful, and Fruitful Exemple of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord bestows this Rebuke from Heaven upon them, Either Live as I showed you how to Live, or else donit presume to take the Name of Christians any longer!

VII. A CHRISTIAN is one that is willing to suffer any Cross, that the Lord, who Dy'd upon the Cross, may please to lay upon him. It hath been truly said, Omnis Christianus est Crucianus; Every Christian is a Cross-bearer. Syrs, To deal plainly; You cannot be Christians upon easier Terms than those in Mat. 16.24. Then said Jesus to His Disciples, [Mark it, you cannot be Disciples, except this Hard Saying be complied withal.] If any man will come after me, Let him deny himself, and take up his Cross. Except we can Deny ourselves, we shall Deny our Christ; and then, what Christians are we! A Christian is one, who does not propound unto himself a Freedom from Afflictions in this Life; but with a profound submission he Leaves unto the Lord Jesus Christ, the ordering of all those Afflictions, with which there may be Need for him to be kept in Heaviness. Our Lord Jesus Christ hath Reserved a most Exceeding and Eternal Weight of Glory for us, in another World. Now, 'tis inseparable from a Christian, to submit unto those Afflictions, by which our Lord Jesus Christ will in this World, prepare us for that Glory. 'It is a solemn & an awful word, but it is the word of our Lord Jesus Christ; That if there be any one thing, that we are not willing to forego, at the Call of Christ, and for the Sake of Christ, we are not thorough Christians to this Hour. He that has the Heart of a Christian, has in some Degree the Heart of a Martyr too! Whatever Comfort of Life our Lord Jesus Christ shall call us to part withal, yea, though' it be Life it, self, the Christian will say, Well, if my Lord Jesus, Christ will have me to part with This, I have done with it, Let it go! We are told, in Heb. 2.10. The Captain of our Salvation, was made perfect through Sufferings. The Christian is one Listed under that Captain; and he says, I will follow my Captain! Our Lord Jesus Christ might complain, That He had not where to Lay his Head. Then says the Christian, Shall not I be willing to be poor, if my Lord Jesus Christ will have me to be so? Our Lord Jesus Christ, might complain, That Reproach had broken His Heart. Then says the Christian, Shall not I be willing to be under Disgrace, if my Lord Jesus Christ, will have me so to be? Our Lord Jesus Christ, was forsaken by all His Friends; They all Forsook Him. Then says the Christian, if my Lord Jesus Christ will take away my Friends and Relations, I will not withhold them from the Lord!

VIII. A CHRISTIAN, is one studious to preserve the Honor of the Name of CHRIST, with which he is himself Honoured in the Name of CHRISTIAN. It is the unalterable Statute of Heaven, in 2 Tim. 2.19. Let everyone that Nameth the Name of Christ, [i. e. that is a Christian] Depart from Iniquity. All Iniquity is a Dishonor to the Name of Christ; If they that are called after the Name of Christ, indulge themselves in any Iniquity, in any base and ill Thing, the World is ready to say, as they did upon the Scandalous Lives of some Christians long ago, Christiani sancte vixissent si Christus sancta docuisset; If Christ were an Holy Lord, His Christians would be an Holy People. But our Holy Lord Jesus Christ, who came to Redeem us from all Iniquity, exceedingly Resents it, if any Christians give Him cause to say, as in Ezek. 36.20. They profaned my Holy Name, and it was said, These are the people of the Lord. Now, every genuine Christian, is wonderfully Afraid of doing any Thing, that may Reflect any Reproach upon the Name of his dear Lord Jesus Christ: Oh! thinks he, My dear Lord has Dy'd for me, and I had rather Dy than Dishonor Him. The Apostle has well put a difference between these Two, in 1 Pet. 4.15, 16. Let none of you suffer as an Evil Doer, yet if any man suffer as a Christian, Let him glorify God. An Evil Doer, and a Christian, are directly contrary, one unto another. A Christian and a Swearer, a Christian and a Drunkard, a Christian and a Railer, a Christian and a Debauch, a Christian and a Cheater, a Christian and a Lyar, a Christian and a Covetous Muckworm; What shall I say? A Christian, and yet a Servant of Antichrist, an Idolater, and a Persecutor! Oh! they are most notorious Inconsistencies. A Christian is in vain called so, if he be not a better Husband, a better Father, a better Master, and a better Neighbor, and the better Correlate of those, than other people, for being so. Truly, Sirs If we Christians, are Wicked, or Worldly Wretches, we shall open the mouths of men, against our Lord Jesus Christ; and as in Jam. 2.7. They'l Blaspheme that worthy Name, by which ye are called. As Averroes, the Arabian Philosopher; he was much taken with the Christians, till he saw a vile Thing very common among them; Ah, Now, says he, Let my Soul go among the Philosophers! Alas, Christians, we shall horribly wrong the Souls of dur Neighbors, if we allow ourselves to do anything, but what becomes Chri • tians, or if we do not Adorn the Doctrine of God our Savior. I tell you, we forfeit the Name of Christians, if we Live Unholily; a Profane Christian, a Dishonest Christian, or a Discourteous Christian; 'It is a Contradiction. The Pagans of old, called the Christians by the Name of, Chrestians; they mistook the Name, and it was now taken to signify, Good, Kind, Useful, and Sweet Natured People. Why, if we would be Christians, we must be Chrestians; we must not be harsh, & fierce and unserviceable, & ill conditioned; we must be all made of Benignity towards all the World, and count ourselves Enriched with any opportunity to Express Goodness, and Kindnesses towards all the Children of men. When the Heathen Emperor Severus, did see Two Christians most shamefully Quarrelling with one another, he gave order, Let those two Wretches never be called Christians anymore; Their Master Christ never taught them to do as they do. Even so, if any of you, Christians, do not lead Godly, Sober & Righteous Lives, the Lord Jesus Christ Himself utters & Thunders that Order from Heaven about you, Let not those People be called Christians, any longer; It is a Dishonor to me, that they should be called so. In the Primitive Times, if a Christian were asked, Have you kept the Lord's day strictly? he would Reply, I am a Christian, and I dare do no other. Thus, if it be asked concerning any of us; Do's that man Pray without ceasing, and bring up his Family in the Fear of God, & deal justly, & fairly, & kindly with all the World? Oh! Let it be Replyed; Yes, He is a Christian; & he dare do no other; he fears, he shall dishonor his Christ, if he do?

Christians, This tis to be a Christian; Thus the Name of our CHRIST is to Endure forever; Thus men are to Bless themselves in Him: and I hope, you are everyone of you, more than Almost Perswaded, for to be such a Christian. God make everyone of us, Altogether so.