Tropes and Figures

Inferences.

IF Sin be a Thief, a bloody and treacherous Thief and Robber; what Folly are these Men and Women guilty of, who are so ready and willing, at every turn, to entertain it as a Guest in their Houses? nay, and shall lie in the chiefest Room of their Hearts?

2. It shows the Folly of these Men also, who hide their Sin, and desire nothing more than to have their beloved Lusts spared; Who would hide, and plead for a cursed Murderer, or suffer a bloody and venomous Serpent to lie in their Bosomes?

3. It shows the Folly of such that play and make a sport at Sin, Fools make a mock at Sin.

4. Take heed you are not beguiled and robbed by it.

5. When you are hard put to it, call for help, Cry out, Thieves, Thieves! Pray for the help of the Spirit.

6. Be sure watch against it; you are ready to have a watchful Eye over a Thief, nay over one who is bu • suspected so to be.

7. Keep the Door shut against Sin. And

Lastly, Be not so foolish as to believe Sin and Satan's Promises.

Inferences.

THis shows what the Nature of Sin is, together with the woeful and miserable Condition of Man thereby. How few know, or are sensible, how far they are in Debt, and what fearful Danger they are in hereby every moment!

II. It may raise our Hearts to admire the Grace and Goodness of God, in sending Christ to satisfy for our Sins.

III. Let us also from hence be stirred up to cry for Pardon and Forgiveness of our Sins: Forgive us our Debts.

Quest. What is it we desire of God in this Petition?

Answ. 1. We pray, that God would not require or exact Payment and Satisfaction for our Sins of us; for if he should pass by Millions of Sins, and set down but one hundred, nay, come so low as to charge but ten, nay, forgive us all save only one, that one would sink us down to the lowest Hell. Should God require us to make satisfaction but for one evil Thought, we should be utterly undone.

2. We pray, (saith Mr. Burgess ) that God would lay our Sins upon Christ, or accept of Satisfaction in and through him; for seeing (saith he) God hath declared his Will, that Man shall die for Sin; if we should pray, that he would absolutely forgive our Sins, it would be to pray that he might be unjust. Therefore in this Prayer thus we may argue, O Lord, we call not upon thee to repeal any Threatning, to nullify thy Word, to become unjust; but thy Wisdom hath so found out a way, that we may be pardoned, and thou satisfied, &c.

3. We pray, that through Christ's Atonement, or the Propitiation of his Blood, our daily Sins and Infirmities may be forgiven us, and we kept in a State of Justification; for if our former Sins should be forgiven, and not our present and future, our Case would be desperate; for Sin, like Sampson 's Hair, though cut, it will grow again. And as we sin daily, so we ought to pray for Pardon, through Christ's Mediation; for Sin is not actually forgiven, before committed, nor before we have the true Sense and Sorrow of it upon our Hearts. Where God gives Remission, he gives a broken Heart, Acts 5.31.

4. We pray, that God would account or impute Christ's Righteousness unto us for Pardon.

5. We pray for the sense and feeling of the Grace and Blessing of Pardon in our own Sou • s; for it is one thing to be pardoned, and another thing to know, or have the feeling sense of it ourselves. We are in this Case (saith an eminent Person) like some Heir or Prince, that hath many temporal Dignities, but by reason of his infancy doth not understand it. We pray principally, 1. For the real Exhibition of Pardon; and, 2. For the Declaration and Manifestation of it in our Consciences. Some say, That God, from all Eternity, hath pardoned Sins past, present, and to come; and that when we believe or repent, our Sins are pardoned declaratively only to our Consciences; but now, I say, We pray not only for Assurance and Manifestation of Pardon, but for Pardon itself. The Reasons are:

(1.) We might by the same Rule interpret all the other Petitions, in regard of Declaration only, and not of Exhibition. When we pray for Sanctification and Glorification, in that Petition, Thy Kingdom come, it might be as well said, that we are sanctified and glorified from all Eternity; and therefore when we are saved and glorified in Heaven, this is but to our sense and feeling. And thus Men make the Decrees of God to be from Eternity, with the Execution of them in Time. How ridiculous would it be to expound that Petition, Give us this day our daily Bread, thus! viz. Not that God should give us our daily Bread, but make us to see and feel that he hath given it to us.

(2.) A second is from the Nature of Forgiveness itself: When Sin is pardoned, it is said to be blotted out; now can any think, that blotting out is only in a Man's own Conscience and Feeling? It is more immediately out of God's Book, (it being a Metaphor taken from blotting or crossing Debts out of a Book of Accounts, &c. ) and not only the Guilt that lies upon our Hearts; therefore these are very separable the one from the other. A Man may feel no Weight or Burthen of Sin upon him, and yet it stand in red Characters in God's Book: and on the contrary, a Sin may be blotted out there, yet be very heavy and terrible in a Man's feeling and apprehension. So Sin pardoned is said to be covered or hid, not in respect of us, as if it were taken from our Sight, but from God's Sight; and he is said to cast our Sins behind his Back.

(3.) This Explication, as the whole Sence of the Petition, would overthrow all other Scriptures, which make no Pardon of Sin to be, but where the Subject hath such Qualifications as this in the Text, viz. forgiving others, &c.

(4.) This which these Men say, would make no difference between Sins repented of, and Sins not repented. Where do we read, that God doth (like the Pope) antedate his Pardon, before the Sin be committed, or repented of? Burgess.

6. We pray, That as God doth forgive Sin, so also he would release the Punishment, and take away all the Wrath that doth belong to it. It is but a Mockery which Papists make about Pardon, as if indeed God did pardon the Sin, but not the Punishment; that that abides still, and we must work out a Release from that by our own selves. It is true, God, though he doth pardon Sin, yet he may grievously afflict; but these are only fatherly Chastisements, and not judicial Punishments. But in this Prayer we desire, as the Sin is removed, so also whatsoever Troubles, Afflictions, or Chastisements do remain, that they likewise may be taken away; that as the Gulf of Hell is removed, so every Cloud also may be dispelled.

7. We pray not only for Pardon, but also for the gracious Concomitants and Effects of it, which are Peace with God, and Joy in the Holy-Ghost, &c. Rom. 1.5.

From the Whole we may infer,

I. That Man is a guilty Sinner, (nay, that Believers are not without Sin, as they are in themselves) Man, as considered in his fallen State, is accused and charged by the Law, and must plead, and he cannot plead, Not guilty, being under the Impeachment of his own Conscience, Ille noscens se damnat quo peccat die. This might have been the Plea of Adam before his Fall, but none else. 1 Kings 8.46. There is no Man that sinneth not. Eccles. 7.20. 1 John 1.8. Our Plea then must be, Guilty; and in this Case we must plead Mercy for the sake of Mercy, or Mercy for the sake of Christ, or upon the account of the Satisfaction he hath made.

II. There is ro pleading Mercy for the sake of Mercy, for (as one well observes) that were not to plead, but to beg; nor were it at all to be justified, but merely pardoned; it were to be dealt with alone upon the Score of Grace, and not at all upon the Score of Righteousness, whereas Justification is an Act of Justice rather than Mercy: though it is true, in the Salvation of Sinners both Grace and Justice (as hath been shown) meet together; we are both pardoned and justified. God is (saith one) as merciful as we can desire, and yet as righteous as himself can desire; there is the freest Grace, and the fullest Justice. As God pardons Sin, he displays his Mercy; as he justifies us from Sin, he manifests his Righteousness.

Pardon is free to us, but it cost Christ dear; there is a Mystery in the Remission of Sin; it is not forgiven without Atonement, Satisfaction, and Reconciliation made for it by J • sus Christ. Which appears,

1. In that those who are pardoned, are said to be justified through him. Acts 13.39.

2. Because Christ is said to bear our Sins, or the Punishment of them. 1 Pet. 2.24. Isa. 53.4, 5, 6. He died in our stead, for that is the meaning of his bearing our Sin, as might be largely shown from the Old Testament, where we read of Persons that God said should bear their own Sins.

3. Because the Scr • pture saith, Without shedding of Blood there is no Remission. Heb. 9.22. And that it is through that one Offering of Jesus Christ, that we are both pardoned and accepted. Redemption, and Forgiveness of Sin, is through his Blood. Rom. 3.25.

4. Because Christ is said to reconcile us, and pacify the Wrath of God for our Sins. 2 Cor. 5.19, 20. Rom. 5.

5. Because we are said to be bought with a Price: Christ gave himself a Ransom for many. 1 Cor. 6.20. 1 Pet. 1.18. Mat. 20.28.

6. Because he is said to be made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness, &c. called, The Lord, our Righteousness. Our Justification consisteth in the Non-imputation of Sin, and the Imputation of his Righteousness, that so Salvation might be wholly of Grace, and all Boasting excluded.

Inferences.

WHat insensible Creatures are unconverted Sinners!

2. Moreover, what a sore and grievous thing it is to have this Burden laid upon the Soul!

3. It may stir up such who feel this Weight, to cast it off, by Repentance and Faith: remember Christ hath born it for thee, that thou mightest go free. The Lord hath laid on him the Iniquities of us all.

4. It shows us what a wonderful Mercy it is to be freed from this Burden. Saints are delivered from the Power and Dominion, Guilt and Condemnation of it, through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Parallels.

DEath is like a venomous Serpent, that hath a cruel and tormenting Sting, and this Sting is Sin.

II. The Sting of some Serpents, in the Flesh, is very painful, it makes such to cry out exceedingly: So such who feel themselves stung with Sin, cry out, like as those did in Acts 2.36. The pain and torment of a wounded Conscience is intolerable, as many can experience, and the History of Francis Spira abundantly shows.

III. The Venom or Sting of some Serpents is mortal, it killeth the Body: so Sin, that Venom of Death and the Devil, killeth both Body and Soul.

IV. If a Serpent biteth or stingeth any one part, the Venom and Contagion spreadeth over all the Body, and destroyeth the whole Man: so the Sting and Poison of Sin, which entered by one Man's Offence, hath infected and killed all the Lump of Mankind: moreover, he that harboreth but one Sin in his Bosom, it will destroy his whole Soul, if this Sting be but in his Tongue, 'tis like the Poison of Asps, his Life must go for it, without speedy help.

V. No Salve or Medicine could heal the Bodies of those who were stung with those fiery Serpents in the Wilderness, till they looked up to the Brazen Serpent, no Physician on Earth could cure them: so no work of Man can cure the biting of Death and the Devil, or Sting of Sin, but the Venom thereof rageth and reigneth tormenting the Conscience, until the Soul looks up by a true and lively Faith to Jesus Christ.

VI. As the Sting of a Serpent must be pulled out, before the Person stung can be cured; so Sin must be lifted, pulled, or worked out of the Heart and Life of a Sinner, by the Spirit, before he can be either healed or saved.

VII. As some Serpents cannot hurt when they have lost their Sting; so Death cannot hurt a Soul, whose Sin is taken away by Jesus Christ.

Parallels.

WOunds are either new, which we commonly call green Wounds, or else old Wounds: Now Sinners have an old Wound upon them, which is like a stinking Ulcer, which they received above five thousand years ago: in the Garden of Eden, when Adam was wounded by his Sin, in eating of the forbidden Fruit, all his Posterity were wounded in him; also every Sinner hath many fresh Wounds upon him.

II. Some Wounds are venomous, as the biting or cruel sting of some poisonous Serpent, &c. Sin is a venomous Wound, it is the sting of a Serpent, the old Serpent. [See Sting. ]

III. Some Persons have been full of Wounds, wounded from the Crown of the Head to the Soles of the Feet, they are (as it were) nothing but Wounds: so Sinners are full of Wounds, every Sin is like a Wound, or makes a Wound in the Soul; so many Sins a Man is guilty of, so many Wounds he hath in his inward Man. Every Faculty of their Soul is wounded: (1.) Their Judgment is corrupt. (2.) Their Understanding darkened, full of Vanity, Blindness, Incredulity, Enmity and Unteachableness. (3.) The Will, that noble Faculty, is wounded, and fearfully depraved; the Mind of a Man being corrupt, the Will must needs be corrupt: As to a Man that hath his Pallate possessed with a vicious Humour, everything seems bitter according to the Humour; so the Understanding reckoning the ways of God both Enmity and Folly, the Will acts accordingly. The Will of wicked Men acts cross and contrary to God and his Holy Will in all things, they resist and fight against him, and are not subject to his Law, neither indeed can be; there is much Pride, Inconstancy, Stubbornness and Disobedience in the Will, Our Tongues are our own, and who is Lord over us? (4.) Their Affections are wounded, and very filthy, Men naturally love the Creature, more than God, nay they love their Lusts, horrid Sins and Uncleanness, above the Majesty of Heaven. The Apostle, giving a Character of some Men, saith, they are Lovers of Pleasures more than Lovers of God. (5.) The Memory is wounded, being forgetful of that which is good, and like a leaking Vessel: Men are ready to remember, what God bids them forget, but forget that which he commands them to remember, they are too apt to think upon Injuries; nay, may be one Injury will be thought on more than many Kindnesses and Years of good Service: they are subject enough to remember Trifles and vain Stories, whenas a profitable Sermon, or wholesome Counsel, is forgot, &c. (6.) The Conscience of a Sinner is wounded with Sin, though not for it, or in a deep and real Sense of the evil of it. Unto them that are defiled and unbelieving, is nothing pure, but their Minds and Consciences are corrupt; the Conscience, which should like Job 's last Messenger, bring us Word that all the rest of the Faculties are dead, i. e. wounded, and corrupted; alas! is maimed, dumb, or misguided, or grievously distempered; that when it should accuse, it excuseth; it should act the part of a faithful Register, to set all our Sins down exactly, but it falsifies in this, and, as saith Dr. Preston, when it should set down Hundreds, it sets down Fifties, when it should restrain from Evil, it is almost asleep, and lets the Sinner alone: whom it should condemn, for want of Light it acquits: And as a Man is wounded in every Faculty of his Soul or rational part, so likewise he is in his sensitive part; his Eyes are full of Adultery, his Lips are unclean, his Throat is like an open Sepulcher, the Poison of Asps is under his Tongue, his Ears are deaf and dull of hearing that which is good.

IV. As some Wounds a Man receives are very deep and reach to the Heart: so Sin makes a deep Wound; Man is not only wounded in every part, but very deeply wounded: This is thy Wickedness, because it is bitter, because it reacheth to thine Heart. Their Heart deviseth Wickedness, &c. Every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart is only evil continually: Hence saith God, Wash thine Heart from Wickedness, &c.

V. Some Wounds are corrupt, filthy, and very loathsome; the Wounds Sin makes in the Soul, are very filthy and abominable, From the sole of the Foot, even to the Head, there is no soundness in it, but Wounds and Bruises, and putrifying Sores: they have not been bound up, neither molified with Ointment; My Wounds stink and are corrupt.

VI. Some Wounds smart and are very painful, causing the Patient to cry out in great anguish: Sin makes such a Wound in the Soul, that it causeth such who have their Spiritual Feeling to cry out; the pain is so great, that a Christian cannot, without Divine Help, bear up under the smart and torture of it; I have roared (saith the Psalmist) by reason of the disquietness of my Heart; Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee.

VII. Some Sores or Wounds are infectious, like Plague-Sores, or the Leprosy, they infect the Cloaths and Garments of the wounded and diseased Person, and not only so, but the very House where he dwells, and the People also that come near him, or converse with him: Sin is of an infectious Nature, no Plague more catching and infectious, than the Sore or Plague of Sin, it defiles all a Man's best Actions, and makes all our Righteousness like filthy Rags. If ye daily converse with, or are frequently in the Company of some wicked Men, 'tis a thousand to one if you are not the worse for it; Who can touch Pitch, and not be defiled therewith? We are commanded to keep ourselves unspotted from the World; 'tis a hard matter to keep clear of these Spots and Pollutions wicked Men are defiled with. Sin is of such an infectious Nature that it hath corrup •• d the Earth, The Earth is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof, &c. Nay some conceive, the Sin of Man hath darkened, in some respect, the glorious Heavens, with the Sun, Moon and Stars, that they shine not so splendidly as they did at the first.

VIII. Some Wounds are of a festering and spreading Nature, whilst the Patient is under Cure, they grow worse and worse: The Wounds or Sins of some Men (though they are under Cure, i. e. sit under a powerful and Soul-searching Ministry) fester, as it were; they, instead of growing better, grow worse and worse, like as the Apostle speaks of Deceivers.

IX. Some Sores, Wounds and Scabs, bring Shame upon such who have them: Sin is such a Sore, and so hateful a Scab, that it causes Shame, and Confusion of Face. Sin is the shame of any People, and yet how do some glory in it? They glory in their Shame! Sin is the soul Disease; the Hurt, nay all the Hurt, Sorrow, and Shame Sinners meet with, came in originally by Sin, by yielding to the Devil, and by adulterating from God: no running Sore, no Scab, no breaking out in the Flesh, like Sin in the Heart and Life of a Sinner.

X. Some Wounds are Mortal: Sin makes a mortal Wound; The Soul that Sins shall die; and, unless ye believe that I am he, ye shall die in your Sins. If ye live after the Flesh, ye shall die, &c. I do not say there is no Help, nor Cure for these Spiritual Sores and Wounds; yet I must say they are incurable, as to Man, no Man can find by all his Skill and Art any healing Medicine. And upon this account the Lord said of Judah and Israel, their Wound was incurable, they had brought themselves into such a Condition, that none could help them, nor bring them out; O Israel, thy destruction is of thyself, but in me is thy help. Indeed some Men are so desperately and dangerously wounded, that there is little hope of them, they have all the signs of Ruin and Eternal Death upon them imaginable.

Quest. It may be you will say, When may the state of a Person be said to be desperate, and almost (if not altogether) past hope, or wounded even unto Death?

Answ. 1. If a Man sins, and is sorely wounded, and yet continues in his Sinful Course, the Sting is not pulled, as it were, out of his Flesh, I mean out of his Heart, nor is he willing it should; there is little hopes at present of this Man. Can a Wound be healed and yet the venomous Sting stick fast in him? A continual course or custom in Sin, though they be small Sins comparatively, may prove deadly.

2. When • in is in the Affection 'tis dangerous You know when the Heart is wounded and corrupt, there is no hopes of Life: if in times of Infection you can keep it from the Heart, you are well enough. Physicians, though they have Medicines to keep Infection from the Heart, yet they have no Medicine to cure the Heart, if once the Distemper gets into it. When a Man closes in with his Sin, likes it, loves it, and makes Provision to fulfil the Lusts of it, 'tis a dangerous sign.

3. When the Wound spreads and increaseth, or a Person grows more vain, carnal, and filthy, 'tis a sad sign. Some Men have been for a time cautions, and somewhat tender, their Consciences have restrained them from yielding unto Sin, but afterwards they came to grow more hard and bold, and have adventured on this and the other Evil, and so by degrees from little Sins make no Conscience of greater, till they are notorious in Wickedness, and this after common Illuminations; this is a sign they are near Hell.

4. When a Person is sorely and grievously wounded, and yet is unsensible, does not cry out, nor feel any pain, 'tis a sad sign. Come to some wounded Persons, and ask them how they do; they will answer you, Very well, I ail nothing, then Relations begin to weep: so some Sinners, through a custom of Sin, grow insensible, they are past feeling, they are not only without pain themselves, but laugh at such who complain of their Sores upon the Head, and mourn for their Sin; of this Man you may write in Red Letters, Lord have Mercy upon him.

5. When a Man is dangerously wounded, and nothing that is given him will go down, neither Food nor Physic; or if he doth take it, yet it will not stay with him, 'tis a very bad sign: so when a Sinner refuseth all good Counsel that is given him, and instead of vomiting up, by true Repentance, his Sin, he vomiteth up the Physic and Food of his Soul that should do him good, and despises all Reproof, hardening himself against it, he is near to Destruction.

6. And Lastly, When a Man is wounded, and that Balsam, Means or Medicine, that seldom fails to work a Cure in others, yet will do him no good, but contrary-wise, whilst in Cure, and under the best Means, he grows worse and worse, there is little hopes of him: so when a Sinner under a powerful and Soul-saving Ministry, and divers sore Afflictions, is not at all reformed, but grows worse and worse, his Condition is bad; it may be that Sermon that works no change at all in him, hath tended, through the Mercy of God, to the Conversion of several Souls who were as sorely wounded as he. If a Physician gives the best Medicine he has, and lays on a most Sovereign Plaister, and yet the Patient saith, Sir, that which you prescribed hath done me no good; I wonder, saith he, it seldom fails me, I fear your Condition, I must give up, I have done what I can for you, the Lord pity your Soul, you are no Man for this World; 'tis an Argument that Wound or Sickness will be unto Death, when the best Preaching, the best Means that can be made use of, will not work upon a Man's Heart; he is under Losses and Affliction, and divers melting Providences, but nothing will do.

Inferences.

IS Sin a Wound? or doth it wound the Soul, wound the State, Nation, and Church of God? We may then infer from hence the Folly of Men and Women who love and hug their Sin. Wilt thou, O Sinner, hug a Serpent in thy Bosom, that strives to sting thee to Death? what Fools are wicked Men?

2. Let us learn from hence to bewail the Condition of our sinful Relations, let the Husband mourn over his unbelieving Wife, and the Wife mourn over the unbelieving Husband; Fathers grieve for their unconverted and wounded Children, and Children grieve for their wounded and unconverted Parents, &c. What are they that thou lovest so dearly, and who lie in thy Bosom mortally wounded, and wilt thou not be troubled for them? what not one Sigh nor Tear come from thee for them? be astonished, O Heavens! what a hard Heart hast thou?

3. Seek out for help, you that are unconverted, delay not; and let such who are healed, do what they can to get help and Cure for their Friends: if a Husband, a Wife, a Father, a Child or Brother be dangerously sick, or wounded externally, how ready are you to inquire for some skillful Physician, or Surgeon! and what speed will you make! and will you not be as tender and as careful of their Souls?

4. Take heed you do not draw others into Sin. What not only wound thy own Soul, but be cruel also to the Souls of others! wilt thou murder thyself, and murder thy Friend too?

5. What blind Wretches are they that make a mock at Sin? [See Fools.]

6. Let it be also matter of caution to all, to take heed they rest not satisfied with slight healing, They have healed the hurt of the Daughter of my People slightly, &c. This may be done many ways.

(1.) Some rest satisfied, and lick themselves whole with the thoughts of federal Holiness, think they are in Covenant with God, through the Faith of their Parents; thus the Jews, We are Abraham 's Seed, we have Abraham to our Father; my Parents were Godly; and so they might, and yet thou a Child of the Devil, and be damned for all that.

(2.) Some fly to their Godly Education: but that will never heal their Wounds; 'tis not what a Godly Family thou wast brought up in, and what good Instruction thou hadst, but what thou art, and what a change there is in thee, what Faith and Fear of God is there wrought in thy Soul?

(3.) Others apply the Mercy of God, when they begin to feel Conscience to terrify them, and their Wounds appear, but never consider his Justice: remember God is graci • us and merciful, &c. but will in no wise clear the Guilty.

(4.) Others trust to a partial Reformation of Life, they are other Men to what they were once. Soul, 'tis not Reformation, or leaving all manner of gross scandalous Sins, but a change of Heart and Regeneration thou must seek after.

(5.) Some apply the Promises of God to Sinners, before their Wounds were ever lanced, or their Sores laid open, and the Corruption let out: this is but skinning over the Sore, and to leave it to fester and rancle inwardly; the proud Flesh must with some corroding Plaister be taken down, thou wantest through Humiliation for Sin.

(6.) Many satisfy themselves, because they are not such great Sinners as some are. Remember, I tell ye, nay, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

(7.) Some fly to their Duties, they sin and are wounded, and they think Prayer will make them whole.

(8.) Some boast of their Knowledge and Experiences, &c. they can discourse and talk well, nay, and will tell you, they are Members of the Church too: and this may be, and yet they die of their Wounds, and go to Hell. O take heed you are not slightly healed.

Quest. Well, but it may be you will say, What should we do to be thoroughly healed?

Answ. There is but one Physician can heal these Wounds; none but the Lord Christ only has the healing Medicine; his Blood is the Balsam, which thou must apply by Faith. And if thou wouldest have a perfect Cure, thou must be put to pain; He that would be healed, must suffer his Wounds to be lanced, and searched to the bottom.

2. Take the Physician's Counsel, and carefully follow his Directions; come to him presently, whilst it is today, or thou art a dead Man.

3. If it be so, that he says, thy right Hand must be cut off, bear the Pain; or thy right Eye must be pulled out, submit to him. Whatsoever is dear to thee, that hinders the Cure, thou must deny thyself of.

4. A Purge thou must take, or thy Wounds cannot be healed; the evil Humors, or the Filth and Corruption that is in thy Heart, must by the Spirit of Grace be purged out.

5. Thou must become a new Creature: Except a Man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.

Parallels.

THe Leprosy proceedeth from poisoned and corrupted Humors in the Body: So Sin is nothing else but the poisonous and corrupt Humors of the Soul.

II. The Plague of the Leprosy spreads over every part of the Body: So Sin hath spread itself over the whole Lump of Mankind, and over every Faculty of the Soul.

III. No Disease is more stinking and hateful to Men than the Leprosy: So nothing is more abominable and detestable in the sight of God, and sincere Christians, than Sin.

IV. No Disease is more contagious and infectious than the Leprosy; the Plague of the Pestilence (saith a Divine) is not so infectious as the Plague of the Leprosy; it infecteth Houses, Walls, Vessels, Garments, &c. So nothing is so infectious as Sin. [See Sin a Wound. ]

V. The Plague of the Leprosy separated the infected Person from the Fellowship of all Men, whatever they were, if incurable, altho Kings; they were utterly and forever excl • ded the Host, as Uzziah, neither were they admitted to come into the Temple, to join in holy Things: So Sin unrepented of, separateth from God and Christ, and from the Fellowship of the Saints; it shuts Souls out of the Church, nay, out of Heaven itself.

VI. No Disease is more painful and mortal, or more incurable; therefore they were enjoined to put on mournful Apparel and Garments; it was so rarely and seldom cured, that most carried it to their Graves: So Sin is very painful and tormenting, as we before have shown.

VII. The Symptoms of the Leprosy agree with the Symptoms and Effects of Sin.

1. There is a D • bility and Weakness of all Parts in them that have this Disease, because the Spirits are exhausted: So Sin makes feeble, weakens, and debilitates the Powers of the Soul Hence Jacob, when he blessed Reuben, cries out, As weak and unstable as Water, because of his Sin. Saints have weak Hands, and feeble Knees oft times hereby.

2. There is in a Leper a Tumor and Swelling in the Flesh: So Sin swells a Man up in Pride, Vain-glory, and Self-conceitedness.

3. There is in them, saith my Author, a burning Thirst, through the adust and burnt Blood by Melancholy, whereof it ariseth: So Sin causeth an Inflammation and Burning of Anger, of Lust, and vehement Thirst after the World, Preferment, Pleasures, Riches, &c. [See Poison. ]

4. There is in them filthy, putrid Matter, breaking forth in a most loathsome manner: So such as are greatly infected with the Plague of Sin, cast forth nothing but horrid Pollution. Hence wicked Men are likened to the troubled Sea, that casts forth mi • y Dirt.

5. They have a hoarse and weak Voice: So Sinners cannot pray, or if they do, they cannot be heard. God hears not Sinners.

6. They have a stinking Breath and Mouth, and therefore they must cover their Lips, lest by their Breath they should infect others: So Sinners have a filthy Breath: Their Mouths are full of unclean and adulterous Speeches, belching forth nothing but vile and abominable Oaths, Cursings, and slanderous Accusations against the Godly, and sometimes also against one another; but these seldom cover their Lips.

Inferences.

WHat an horrid Disease, and Plague of Plagues, is Sin! Every Man hath a running Plague-Sore upon him. Who is it that is not a Leper from the Womb? We were all born with this Plague; we brought it into the World with us. Every Man, as he is in himself, may cry out, Unclean, unclean. Sin hath spread itself over us like a Leprosy.

II. Wicked Men are miserable, whoever they are, if not cured of this Plague. Sin renders a Man more hateful to God, than an ugly Toad is to us.

III. It may caution Saints to shun the Company of a vile Sinner, and dread Sin, and fly from it, as from the Plague. Nothing that Sinners touch, but they defile, infect, and taint it, (till they are cleansed) whether earthly or heavenly Things; all Creature-Comforts and Actions are unclean to them hereby: The very Plowing of the Wicked is Sin, yea, the Sacraments, Prayers, or Alms, all is polluted, so long as they are unconverted. Unto them that are defiled, nothing is pure, &c.

IV. A wicked Man can converse with no Man, but, as a Leper, he infects him by his ill Example; he endangers the Lives and Souls of Men.

V. It may teach the Saints to bless God, and admire his Grace, who hath delivered them from the Contagion of Sin. But art thou made whole? sin no more.

VI. None but the High Priest pronounced a Person clean from the Leprosy: so none but Christ can discern our Uncleanness, and pronounce us clean, and wholly free from the Plague of Sin.

Parallels.

POyson inflames, heats, and (as it were) sets the Body on fire: So Sin inflames, heats, and sets (as it were) a Man's Spirit on fire. What a Heat doth the Devil put some Men in, by stirring up their Wrath, Rage, and Malice against their Neighbors!

II. Poison causeth a great and extreme Thirst. Gross or dreggish Liquor will not quench the fiery Thirst of Poison; it drinks (saith one) nothing but pure Spirits: So Sin stirs up an insatiable Desire or Thirst after Revenge, as also after the Pleasures, Profits, and Honors of this World, which nothing can allay, but the Water of Life, which Jesus Christ gives; John 4.14.

III. Poison gets quickly (saith one) to the Spirit, 'tis subtle and spiritful, and in a very little time will corrupt the whole Mass of Blood, &c. So Sin in a little time corrupted the whole Lump of Mankind. Adam had no sooner sinned against God, but the spiritual Poison and Venom thereof struck to his Heart, corrupting every Faculty of his Soul, and not only so, but also the Souls of all his Posterity. [See Wounds.]

IV. 'It is noted by Plutarch, that when an Asp stings a Man, it doth first tickle him, and makes him laugh, till the Poison by little and little gets to the Heart, and then it pains and torments him, more than ever it delighted him before: So doth Sin, it may please a little at first: Though Wickedness be sweet in his Mouth, though he hide it under his Tongue, though he spare it, and forsake it not, but keepeth it still within his Mouth: Yet his Meat in his Bowels is turned, it is the Gall of Asps within him. Forbidden Profits and Pleasures are very delightful to carnal Men, and many love to be meddling with these poisoning Morsels of Sin. Many eat that on Earth, which they digest in Hell. Men must not think to dine and dance with the Devil, and then to sup with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in God's Kingdom.

V. Poison in a Toad or Serpent, suits and agrees well with their Nature; but Poison in a Man's Stomach makes fearful Work, it being of a contrary Nature: So Sin in a wicked Man, one that hath no spark of true Grace in him▪ seems to be suitable, and agree well with him, his whole Nature being so grievously corrupted, and changed into the evil Nature thereof, he having used himself so long in sinful Ways, that Sin, ( viz. open Profaneness, Superstition, and Error) is habitual, and become natural to him, as Poison to a Toad. Naturalists say, That if a Man take a little quantity of Poison at a time, and so accustom himself to it, it will at length become so natural to him, that he may take it as Food: Even so wicked Men, by a continual Course and evil Custom in Sin, drink it down as pleasant Liquor, (like as the Fish drinks Water.) But now Sin to a true Christian, is like much Poison in a Man's Stomach: 'tis contrary to that new Nature, and divine Principle, which is wrought in him by the Spirit of God; he cannot bear nor endure it, he hates every false Way: That which I hate, that do I.

VI. Poison is deadly in its own Nature, and of a killing and destroying Quality, if not timely vomited up, by taking some fit and proper Antidote, &c. So Sin, (whether fleshly or spiritual, viz. sensual Debauchery, or Heresy) will kill and destroy all where-ever it is, both Body and Soul, eternally, except by true Repentance it be vomited up. Tho Men take it down as sweet Wine, and are not presently sensible of any harm; yet at last it will bite like a Serpent, and sting like an Adder.

VII. Oil will expel Poison, and it is often given to Persons who have taken it, to cause them to vomit it up: So the Oil of Gladness, viz. the Spirit of God, is the best Antidote in the World, to expel and work out the Poison of Sin in the Soul. [ See Oil of Gladness, in the First Volume, Book 2.]

Inferences.

WHat do Sinners mean? will they poison themselves? are they void of Understanding, to take down the Poison of Dragons? Will they willfully murder themselves? What Blindness and Folly is in their Hearts!

II. O how should this stir up the Godly to pity wicked Men, and to strive, as much as lieth in their Power, to prevent their sinning, and endeavor to turn away their Wrath!

III. It may also caution Believers to take heed of Sin, and of the Venom of an evil Tongue, as also of the Poison of Heresy and Error.

IV. Let Sinners also learn from hence timely to look out for Help. O get a fit Antidote to save you from this Poison!

Parallels.

THE Causes of Natural Sickness are divers, sometimes it arises from some inward, and sometimes from some outward Cause; to know from whence the Distemper grew or did arise is very necessary, whether it be Chronical or Acute, i. e. that which hath seized on the Patient on a sudden, by Heats, Cold, or from the Corruption of the Blood, by an infectious Air, &c. which an able Physician is diligent to pry and search into. Now as touching the Sickness of the Soul, 'tis evident the Original Cause thereof, was by eating of the forbidden Fruit, which surfeited the whole Lump of Mankind; or (if you please) it was occasioned by Poison, by the Poison of the old Serpent. Deadly Poison makes a Man very sick, and corrupts the whole Mass of Blood: And as 'tis needful to find out (if possible) the Cause of Sickness, so 'tis as necessary to find out the Cause of Spiritual Sickness; the Cause being discovered, the Cure is easy. If a Man doth not see what his state is, as considered in the first Adam, nor the evil and damning Nature of Sin in general, nor the particular Plague of his own Heart, he is in no hopeful way of help and healing.

II. Some Sicknesses or Diseases are Epidemical: Sin is a Sickness or Disease so universal, and a Contagion so catching, that none have escaped, nor are totally free from it.

III. Some are so sick that they have no place free: Sin is a Disease that afflicts every part, the whole Head is sick, and the whole Heart faint.

IV. The Distemper which we call the Sickness, or Pestilence, is very mortal, and sweeps away thousands: Sin is such a Sickness, no Pestilence like it; Sin is the Plague of Plagues. That which is most opposite to God, is the greatest Evil; but Sin is most opposite and contrary to God, and therefore the greatest Evil. That which separates Man from, and deprives him of the greatest Good, must needs be the greatest Evil, or the Plague of Plagues; but Sin doth this, therefore the greatest Evil. That which is the greatest Judgment to be left unto, is the worst of Evils; but 'tis the greatest Judgment in the World, to be left or given up to the Lusts of our own Hearts: Ergo, &c. When God designs to bring his severest Wrath upon a People, or a particular Soul, when he resolves to afflict them to the uttermost, he doth not say, I will bring Plague, or Sickness, or Famine upon them, but, I will deliver them up to their Sins. Israel would have none of me, &c. and what then? So I gave them up to their own Hearts Lusts, &c. Thus he gave up the Gentiles to vile Affections. That Sickness, Plague, or Pestilence, that destroys most, that kills Millions, which is so infectious, that none amongst Thousands, nay, Millions of Thousands, can escape, is the Plague of Plagues; but such a Sickness is Sin. More shall be damned, than shall be saved; nay, but few comparatively enter in at the strait Gate, and so find Life. Now all that are damned, are damned or destroyed by Sin, and therefore it is the worst of Evils. That which kills or destroys Body and Soul too, is the Plague of Plagues; but Sin destroys Body and Soul too: Ergo, Sin is the Plague of Plagues.

V. Many of those who have the Disease we call the Sickness, have Spots upon them, which are of two sorts, one of which are called the Tokens; and when they appear, they look upon themselves as dead Men: So Sin, this spiritual Plague and Sickness of the Soul, marks some Men out for eternal Death: Their Spot (saith the Lord) is not the Spot of my Children; that is, their Sin is not a Sin of Infirmity, such as appear upon the Children of God. Any Spot is bad, but some are worse, very bad, they are deadly Spots, they have the Tokens of Death and Wrath upon them.

1. The Sin or Spot of a godly Man is rather a Scar or Wound that is healed, or almost healed: But Sin in some of the Ungodly, is like a rotten, putrifying Sore in the Flesh.

2. The Spots of the Godly are not so contagious or infectious as the Sins or Spots of the Wicked. The Sins of the Ungodly make their very Persons and Prayers loathed and hateful in God's sight; now God, though he hates the Sins of his own Children, yet he loves their Persons.

3. Sin in a Saint is his Sorrow, 'tis that which he hates, it wounds and grieves his Soul, he is sick of his Sin; but the Wicked love their Sin. Sin is in a godly Man's Conversation, and that is his Trouble; but Sin is in a wicked Man's Affection, which renders it to be a deadly Spot.

4. Sin reigns and predominates in the Hearts of the Wicked: But Sin, though it may sometimes tyrannize in a Saint, yet he obeys it not, he is not the Subject or Servant of Sin: The one yields and subjects to Sin; the other opposes and resists it, every Faculty of his Soul is set against it; and not only so, but against every Sin.

VI. Sickness brings ofttimes utter Weakness upon the Body: So Sin brings Weakness upon the Soul: I am feeble, &c. It makes a Christian very faint. [ See Leprosy.]

VII. Some Sickness is very grievous to be born: So Sin is grievous to a true Christian, who is made sensible of it.

VIII. A Man that finds himself very sick, and like to die, will soon look out for Help, or send to a Physician: So the Soul that is sin-sick, will seek for Help, viz. hasten to Jesus Christ, for none else can cure the Sickness of the Soul.

Inferences.

ARt thou sick, and ready to die, and insensible of any Illness? doth nothing ail thee? This is sad.

II. Art thou sick, and greatly afflicted? is thy Soul weary of its Groanings? Haste to the Physician, go to Christ.

1. The more sick, the more need of Physic; the greater Sinner thou art, the more need of a Savior thou hast.

2. The longer thou delayest, the more hard and difficult will thy Cure be, besides the Danger thou runnest, Death may be at thy Door.

3. Consider, you must have a Cure, and be freed from this Sickness, this Stone in the Heart, this Unbelief, or whatever else the Disease be, or else be damned.

4. Christ came from Heaven on purpose to be thy Physician: He came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance.

5. Soul, let me tell thee, as it was once said to blind Bartimaeus, Be of good cheer, Christ calls thee. Come to me all ye that are weary, &c.

6. Thou mayest have Physic and Cure very cheap: Tho thou hast no Money, Christ will do all freely, if thou wilt cast thyself upon him.

7. Christ is able to cure all Diseases. Tho thou art never so sick, he is able to make thee whole: He is able to save to the uttermost all that come to God by him.

8. Christ is willing as well as able. See Mat. 8.2. Mark 1.41.

9. Christ can do the Work, when all other Means fail, ( Mark 5.26.) when Purposes fail, good Desires fail, Prayers fail, and good Works, and Moral Righteousness fails, &c.

10. Christ is such a Physician, that rather than thou shouldest go without Cure, he hath shed his own Blood, to make thee whole, and free thee from thy Sickness.

11. If Christ undertakes the Cure, he will never leave thee, till he hath perfectly restored thee to Health again. But remember, there is no Cure, but by his precious Blood: He died, that we might live.

Parallels.

A Vomit is a very loathsome Thing, but a Dog's Vomit is most detestable: So Sin is a very loathsome Thing, but Apostasy is the worst of Sins; no Sin is more abominable in God's sight than that.

II. A Vomit is cast up sometimes by reason of the Sickness of the Stomach: So a Christian being very sick of his Sin, casts it up, or vomits it out by Repentance.

III. Some Men finding themselves oppressed by means of some Obstructions, or by reason of the Foulness of their Stomachs, take something to make them vomit, to free themselves of that which otherwise may endanger their Health, if not their Lives: So a Christian, being sensible of internal Obstructions, and Pollutions of his inward Man, takes a fit Antidote of Christ's preparing, by which means he vomits up the Filth and Pollution of his Heart and Life, and thereby attains a healthy Soul, and flourishes in Godliness.

IV. Some Men on a sudden are made to vomit, by eating something that offends, or agrees not with their Stomachs: So many Sinners, by hearing of a Soul-searching Sermon, and by the Rebukes and continual Gnawings of their own Consciences, vomit up some of the Sins of their Lives; but in a little time they grow more sick of Religion than ever they were of their Sins, and so, with the Dog, they lick up their old Vomit again, i. e. turn to their former Ways of Sin and Error.

V. What is more hateful, or causeth greater Shame, than to see a Man wallow in his own filthy Vomit? So 'tis hateful to see a wicked and an ungodly Apostate, who hath turned his Back upon Christ and his Ways, wallowing in all his former Sins, and brutish Lusts.

Inference. Let this teach us to hate Sin and Apostasy.

Parallels.

SOme things are so unclean and filthy, that they defile everything they touch: Sin is such an Uncleanness who can touch it, meddle with it, and not be defiled by it? 'tis an infectious Uncleanness: as Good is so much the better, by how much the more it is diffusive, so Sin is so much the worse, by how much it is the more infectious and diffusive. Sin is diffusive two ways. 1. By Propagation from Adam to all his Posterity. 2. By way of Imitation.

II. Some things are full of Uncleanness, they abound in Filth and Pollution; such a Defilement and Uncleanness is Sin, it is not in one Part only, but in and upon the whole Man, it goes quite through; there is not the least part free from Head to Heel, They are all gone out of the way and become vile, vile all over. There is a double universality of this Uncleanness. 1. It defiles all Men. 2. All of Man, not one Man in the World but is unclean by Sin, and not one part in Man but is unclean; view him in his Understanding, Will, Judgment, Memory, Affection, Conscience, Eyes, Hands, Tongue, Feet, all parts of the Body, and Powers of the Soul are unclean.

III. Some Uncleanness is active, prevailing and powerful, it increaseth and grows worse and worse, and defiles, and pollutes more and more; such an Uncleanness is Sin. Man is unclean as he comes into the World, but this Uncleanness grows and prevails more and more upon him, by actual Sin he becomes worse and worse, and is more defiled every day; it strives to captivate and bring the Souls of all Men under the defiling Power and Pollution of it.

IV. Some Uncleanness is so loathsome, that it causes such things to stink as come near it; Sin makes the Sinner stink, his Person stink, his Life stink, and his Services and Prayers, and all his best Actions to stink in the Nostrils of God. The Sacrifices of the Wicked are an Abomination to the Lord.

V. Some Uncleannesses are inward, hidden, obscure, appear not to the external Eyes. Sin is not a Spot in the Garment, or visible Pollution in the Face, or rottenness in the Flesh, though that's bad, and sometimes the effects of this Uncleanness, but it is rottenness in the Heart; all a Man's Intrals are as it were corrupted. Man, as you heard, and every part of Man is defi • ed, and yet externally this uncleanness doth not appear, the Sinner seems as beautiful and comely to the outward Eyes as other Men, this Uncleanness is internal: As Saints internally are glorious and beautiful, so Sinners internally are foul, filthy, and deformed, their Heart, Liver, and Conscience, is defiled.

Disparity.

WHat Pollution and Filth is so fixed and abiding, that all the Nitre and Fuller's Soap in the World cannot wash it off, nor the hottest Fire purify, purge it out, or consume it? But such an Uncleanness and Pollution is Sin, that all the Water in the mighty Ocean cannot wash it out; nay, could a Man bathe himself in b • inish Tears of godly Contrition, it will not cleanse, or take away the Filth of his Transgression. Tho thou wash thee with Nitre, and take unto thee much Soap; yet thy Iniquity is mark • d before me, saith the Lord. All the Fire of Hell cannot burn it out; Hell-Fire shall never (as saith Mr. Caryl ) consume this Filth; those who are not purged in this Life, shall never be purged in the next. The Wicked shall ever be in punitive Flames, but shall not find (as Papists dream) any purgative Flames; the Fire and Brimstone of Hell shall never fetch this Uncleanness out of the Damned.

II. What Uncleanness, and abominable Filth and Pollution is ensnaring? Men and Women are shy of, and ready at all turns to fly from, and avoid any external, horrible Uncleanness: But Sin is a bewitching and ensnaring Uncleanness. All the bodily Beauty in the World did never entice so many, as the Deformity and foul Face of Sin hath. Beauty and Comeliness are the Attractives, the Loadstone of Love; Christ was not loved by many, because he did not appear beautiful, he veiled his glorious Beauty: Lust is loved, though it be altogether unbeautiful. Christ is the Mirror of Beauty; though some see no Comeliness in him, he is fairer than the Children of Men: But there is no Form or Comeliness in Sin, nothing indeed why it should be desired; yet how is it admired and esteemed by all Sorts of Men! They dote upon it, and run mad with love to it, ('tis so bewitching) as the choicest Beauty in the World.

III. Wh • t Filth, Uncleanness, or Pollution, is of such a murthering, killing, and destroying Nature, as Sin? It is true, some horrid Pollution is of a corrupting, poisonous, and destroying Quality, but not like Sin: This Venom, this Uncleanness, is worse than any, more mortal than any; it kills both Body and Soul too; it destroys eternally. O there is no finding out the cursed Nature of it; there is nothing can save from the killing Power of it, nor cleanse from its Pollution, but Christ's Blood.

Inferences.

O What a woeful Condition is Man in by Nature, how unclean in God's sight! Well might Eliphaz say, How abominable and filthy is Man, who drinketh in Iniquity like Water! The Word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 notes that which is most abhorring to the Nature of Man; that which is not only so nauseous that the Stomach cannot digest it, but so base, that the Mind is burdened to think upon it; yea, the Word imports that which is rejected by all the Senses, that which the Eye cannot endure to look upon, that which the Ear cannot endure to hear of, that which is a Stink in the Nostrils, and which the Hand will not touch, such a a thing is Man in God's Sight, by reason of Sin. Filthy, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the Word is derived from a Root that signifies, corrupt, rotten, putrefied, the Scum of a Pot, the Rust of Metals, the Dung or Excrement of Man and Beasts. There are no Words (saith Caryl ) filthy enough to express the Filthiness of Man. The Word is found, saith he, but three times in Scripture, in this Construction, and in all of them 'tis applied to show the abominable Wickedness of Man: The first is this, Job 15.16. Psal. 14 3. Psal. 53.3. as if this were a Word picked out on purpose, as a Glass, to show Man his Face and natural Complexion in, &c.

II. O what is Man, that God should be mindful of him! What Beauty is there in him, that the Almighty should set his Heart upon him!

III. What little reason have wicked Men to be proud? And how sadly are they mistaken, who think to adorn themselves with Sin? How do Sinners pride themselves in their filthy Garments, and Cloak of Unrighteousness? He is no Gallant now a days, unless he can swear and curse, and cry, Damn-him, and, Sink-him. Lord, what an Age is this! They show their Sin, as Sodom, and hide it not; they glory in their Shame.

IV. Let us learn from hence to be fully sensible of our Birth-Pollution, I mean, Original Sin, that which we brought into the World with us: Can he be clean that is born of a Woman? Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. Can the Stream be clean, when the Fountain is so unclean? All that are born by natural Generation, are unclean. Adam 's particular Act or Breach of the Law of God was ours, we being in him; he stood as the common Root of all his Posterity; 'tis also by the Almighty imputed to us: The natural Pravity or Corruption which issueth from thence, passeth from Generation to Generation.

V. We may infer from hence, that every Man and Woman hath need of washing; say not therefore with Peter, Thou shalt never wash my Feet, when every part is defiled, &c.

VI. Go, polluted Soul, go to the Fountain, 'It is the Blood of Jesus Christ, that cleanseth us from all Sin.

VII. Bless God, there is a Fountain to wash in, a Fountain opened for Sin and Uncleanness. [See Fountain in the First Volume. ]

VIII. You that are clean, praise the Almighty: Ye were as filthy as others: Such were some of you, &c. Saints may be said to be clean four manner of Ways: (1.) Clean meritoriously, by the Blood of the Lord Jesus. (2.) Efficaciously, by the Spirit uniting them to Christ, and sanctifying their Hearts. (3.) Clean instrumentally, by the Word: Now are you clean, through the Word which I have spoken unto you. (4.) Clean impulsively, and attractively by Faith: — Purifying their Hearts by Faith.

Parallels.

GRay Hairs are a Sign that a Man's best Days, his youthful Days, are gone: So some Sins and Judgments upon a People, are a Sign that their best Days are past away, that their Youth and Glory is departing.

II. Gray Hairs are a Sign of old Age: So some Sins and Judgments upon a People, show forth that they are old in Wickedness.

III. Gray Hairs come ofttimes by great Grief. Scaliger tells us of a young Man, who through the extreme Trouble of his Spirit, was turned gray in one Night: So the Judgments and Miseries of a People, because of their Sins, make them gray-headed, and thereby look old and withered, &c.

IV. When gray Hairs come upon a Man, they bring oftentimes with them feeble Knees, and Stiffness of the Limbs: So Sin makes feeble; the Heat of Zeal, and Vigour of Spirit is thereby abated.

V. Gray Hairs are Symptoms and Fore-runners of Death and Mortality: So some Sins and Miseries upon a People, are the clear Symptoms of spiritual Death, or Night of Darkness.

VI. Some Men have gray Hairs here and there, and they know not of them: So a Soul, Nation, or Church, may have sad Symptoms of Ruin upon them, and they be ignorant of them: He knows it not.

Quest. What were those gray Hairs that were upon Ephraim?

Answ. 1. One was, Strangers had devoured his Strength: Their Support and chief Stay, that which should uphold, comfort, and succor them, was gone. — Wicked Men were let in upon them, and such who sought to spoil them of their Rights, Liberties, and Estates; or spiritually, Sin prevail • d, strange Lusts had devoured their Strength. Ephraim was fallen in love with other Lovers, his Affection was set upon Strangers. Saints should keep their Hearts close to Christ, or else the Love of the World will soon steal away their Strength▪ and make them decay in Godliness. The Whoredom of Ephraim was doubtless one of those gray Hairs he had upon him.

2. The Pride of Ephraim was another gray Hair: The Pride of Israel doth testify to his Face; and therefore shall Israel and Ephraim fall in their Iniquity.

3. Their Goodness was as the M • rning-Cloud, and as the early Dew, it passed away: Which might be another of his gray Hairs. By their Goodness, doubtless is meant their Goodness and Kindness to God, and one towards another. They were false-hearted, inconstant, and fickle, like a Morning-Cloud; their Words were empty Sounds, like Clouds withou • Water; they dealt treacherously with God, and deceitfully with their Brethren.

4. They were like a silly Dove without a Heart; they let their dearest Enjoiments go, like as a silly Dove parts with her Young, and did not, like the Hen, strive to preserve them: This might be another of his gray Hairs. A Dove is easily caught with a Net; so was Ephraim easily ensnared by his Enemies. A Dove will keep her Nest, though you take it away, and thereby take her captive: O how unwilling are some Men to part with their Lusts! They will not leave their Sins, or Company, though it prove their Ruin: They are like the silly Dove.

5. The great Things of God's Law were accounted strange Things to Ephraim; though God himself wrote them, yet he liked them not, but rather derided at them that owned, and subjected to them. This was another gray Hair.

6. Ephraim was as a Cake not turned, he was not through for God; he stood halting between two Opinions, did not know what Religion to be of: Or he was so perverse, that though he lay under heavy Judgments, and was ready to be burned on the Coals; yet he sought not to prevent the Danger, and escape the Fire; he cried not to God in his Affliction. And this was another of his gray Hairs.

7. Ephraim was as an empty Vine; he brought forth Fruit to himself: God received but little from Ephraim; all his Labor and Doing was for himself, to enrich himself, and lay up for himself; he cared not for the Interest of God. An empty Vine: He had Juice and Sap enough to bring forth Fruit to himself, but was barren towards God. They cannot spare Time, nor have they leisure to wait upon his Service: They cannot spare Money to further the Interest of Godliness, though they can give two, three, four, or five hundred, nay, a thousand Pounds, to such a Son, or such a Daughter, and maintain them bravely, when some of Christ's Ministers want Bread: They love (alas!) their Sons and Daughters more than Christ: They are empty Vines, they bring forth Fruit to themselves. O what a base Spirit and Principle are some Professors of! They are like Ephraim. And this was another of his gray Hairs.

8. He was broken in Judgment, he fed on the Wind, and followed after the East Wind: He pursued after Vanity, and the empty Things of this World. And that was another of his gray Hairs. Many more I might mention, they were indeed thick upon him, he was become very gray in Wickedness.

Inference.

LEt us take heed we have not gray Hairs upon us, and know it not. Is not England, and the Church of God in England, grown here of late gray-headed? O what Signs and Symptoms of Ruin are there upon us! I will leave you to find them out. Where is that Love and Zeal that was once? Is not the World got into the very Hearts of Professors? Do they not follow after the Wind, and pursue the East Wind? Are they not like an empty Vine? Doth not everyone mind his own carnal Interest? Have not Strangers devoured our Strength? Are we not become like a silly Dove without an Heart? Is not Whoredom and Superstition amongst us? Doth not our Pride testify against us? And is not our Goodness like the Morning-Cloud? Where is that Love and Bowels which should be in us towards one another? Are not some of the Things, yea, the great Things of God's Law, accounted by us as strange Things? Search further, and more gray Hairs will appear. Are we not divided and broken in Judgment? Can a Nation divided against itself, long stand? — Are there not many faithful Ministers snatched away in a short time? Is not this the Fore-runner of some dismal Calamity? Have not we had many fearful Signs in the Heavens? And are not the Evening-Wolves come out of their Holes? Besides all this, let every Soul search and see what gray Hairs he hath upon himself.

The Devil called the God of this World.

THE Devil here is called a God; not that he is a God, either by Nature, or hath this name conferred upon him by the Almighty, in respect of his Office, but rather he is called so in respect of wicked Men, who serve and obey him as their God, and in whom he rules and works effectually, as in his own People and Subjects.

Properly there is but one God: though there are many who are called God's, yet they are not God's by Nature; I am God and none else. Unto us there is but one God: one eternal, immense, infinite, and incomprehensible Majesty. And this God is either considered Essentially, God is a Spirit, Joh. 4.24. or else Personally, viz. the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; There are three that bear Witness in Heaven, &c. and these three are one.

Improperly, (1.) Idols are called God's; (2.) The Ark, 1 Sam. 4.7. (3.) Magistrates, I have made the a God to Pharaoh. Thou shalt not revile the God's; the Chaldee saith [Rab] that is, a Master; the Hebrew Elohim (God) as Mr. Ainsworth observeth upon the place, is attributed to Judges and Magistrates, I said ye are God's, these are God's by Office. (4.) Satan, as in this Text, who would be looked upon and worshipped as a God, he is properly an Angel, once an Angel of Light; God created him; and before he fell, he was a good Angel, as other Angels are who kept their first Estate; he is called a God; but there is one Word that confines his Power and Sovereignty, and greatly degrades him, limits him, and spoils his Divinity, makes him but a poor petty God, he is but the God of this World, both for extension and duration; he bears no rule above, nor shall he bear any sway in the World to come: If the God of this World, 'tis by Usurpation; he is like an audacious Traitor who rebels and strives against his Lawful Sovereign, For the Earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof; Christ is Heir of both Worlds; though he admits Satan to God it here for a while, he is a false God, an Enemy to God, and no God.

The Devil a Prince.

THE Devil is in these Scriptures called a Prince, Prince of Darkness, Prince of the Power of the Air, King of the bottomless Pit, &c.

The Devil a Hunter.

By the Hunter in these places, I see no ground to doubt, but that the Holy Ghost principally intends the Devil, who is the great Hunter and Destroyer of Men's Souls, out of whose Hand, i. e. Power, Wisdom advises her Son to deliver himself.

The Devil a Fowler.

AS Satan is likened to a Hunter, so he is likewise unto a Fowler, they are both Metaphors of a like Import.

The Devil a Lion.

CHrist is compared to a Lion, saith the learned Glassius, because Noble, Heroic, and Unconquerable. 2. Wicked Men and Tyrants are so called, because Fierce, Outragious and Cruel. And 3. The Devil is called a Lion, because Roaring, Rapacious and devouring, &c.

Some of the common Epithets of a Lion, as we have under another Head noted, are these, viz. Bold, Stony-hearted, Preying, Ravening, Stubborn, Cruel, Bloody, Terrible, Swelling, &c. Which sets forth his Natural Evil, and worst Properties, upon which account the Devil, as all the Learned observe, is compared to him.

The Devil a Dragon.

AS the Devil is compared to a Lion, so likewise to a Dragon. Some are ready to question whether there be any such Creature, or no; but it is without any just ground, since the holy Scripture speaks of them in so many places: Besides, we have approved Histories and Historians, which treat of them, as Aelianus, Aristotle, Pliny, Mantuan, Gesner, Ovid, &c.

The Devil a Serpent.

SErpents are venomous Beasts, that creep upon the Ground, or go as it were upon their Bellies, w • ich, as it appears from Gen. 3.14. was laid upon them at first as a just Judgment of God: Upon thy Belly shalt thou go; meaning, saith Ainsworth, in great Pain, &c. This Creature the Devil made use of to deceive Eve; the Devil spake in, or by the Serpent, i. e. opened the Serpent's Mouth; for we are not to conclude that Serpent was the Devil, because the Text saith positively, it was a Beast of the Field, who (as some conceive) is said to be more subtle than any other Beast, by means of Satan's Influences; yet all agree, that naturally the Serpent, or some Serpents are very crafty and subtle. Aristotle and Galen define a Serpent to be, Animal sanguineum, pedibus orbatum, & oviparum; that is, A bloody Beast, without feet, laying Eggs.

There are divers sorts of Serpents; we read of the Adder, Asp, Dart, Dragon, Cockatrice, &c. Some affirm that the Cockatrice or Basilisk hath Wings, from Isa. 14.29. Out of the Serpent's Root shall come a Cockatrice, and his Fruit shall be a flying Serpent. The Basilisk is esteemed the King of Serpents, partly for the great Strength of his Poison, and partly for his stately Pace, and magnanimous Mind; for he goes upright with his Head, near half a Yard in length.

Parallels.

A Day is a certain Time; so many Hours, &c. A natural Day is twenty four Hours, an artificial Day contains twelve Hours: So God allows a Man a certain and prefixed Time to repent. Jerusalem had a Day: O that thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy Day, the Things that belong unto thy Peace.

II. The Day is set in opposition to the Night, and it signifies the Time of Light: So the Time of God's Patience, whilst the Gospel is preached to Men, and God waits upon them, and strives with them, to bring them over to the Knowledge of the Truth, is the Time of Light; and when God takes away the Means of Grace, and the Gospel, from a Kingdom, Nation, or particular Soul, that is a Time of Darkness, and then it may be said, the Day is gone, and Night is come upon them.

III. 'It is Day when the Sun rises, and Night when the Sun sets: So 'tis the Sinner's Day, whilst the Gospel-Sun shines, and the Means of Grace are continued to them; but Night then, when the Ministration of the Gospel is taken away, and no more Means of Grace afforded to them.

IV. The Day is Man's working Time; Laborers in the Field, when the Day is ended, go home, they can work no longer: So whilst God affords the Gospel, and Means of Grace, Sinners should, like faithful Laborers, work hard, work out their own Salvation, labor for the Meat that perisheth not: for when that is gone, no Man can work; then the Things of their Peace will be hid from their Eyes, like as it fell out with Jerusalem.

V. The Day brings great Light with it, which makes great Discoveries of Persons and Things; whilst the Night lasts, Men cannot see what is near them, neither the Good they may receive, nor the Evil they should refuse, and escape from; but the Day discovers all, and makes everything manifest: So the Gospel-Day brings Light, and the Light thereof discovers the Evil that is in the Hearts, Works, and Lives of Men; by this Light they see their Sins, and the Danger they are in thereby, and also the Way to be delivered from them. Christ is the Way which the Day-Light makes manifest. In the Night of Popery, Men lost the blessed Path to Peace, and Way of Life, and ran to the Merits of their own Ways, and to Popish Pardons, and what not? but the Day of the Gospel in England hath discovered their Mistake, and shown them the plain Way to Heaven, &c.

VI. The Day is comfortable, 'tis a pleasant thing for the Eyes to see the Sun: So are the Means of Grace, and the Day of Gospel-Light. O how sweet and pleasant a thing it is to see this Day, wherein the Word of God is powerfully and plainly preached amongst us!

VII. The Day sometimes is over-cast, and the Light darkened: So the Gospel-Day is sometimes, as a Judgment upon a People or particular Soul, darkened, and Clouds seem to cover the glorious Heavens, even as at this Time. O what thick and black Clouds seem to arise!

VIII. Some Days prove stormy, and high Winds arise: So sometimes the Day of Gospel-Grace proves stormy, and high Winds of Persecution arise upon a People; nay, not only Winds of Persecution, but also strange Whirl-winds of Delusions abound in it, which make it very perilous.

IX. A Day hath its Morning, its Noon, and its Evening: So hath the Day of Gospel-Grace in a Nation, and to a particular Soul, who improves it not. God threatened his People of old, That the Sun should go down over the Prophets, and the Day should he dark over them.

X. The Day suits not with some Men, they are for the Night; they are said to rebel against the Light, they hate the Light, the Night is for them; such are the Thief and Adulterer: The Whorish Woman waits for the Twilight, even for the black and dark Night. So many Sinners love not the Day of Gospel-Light, they are for the Night of Ignorance and Error. They had rather have Popery come, or any Thing come, than to have the Gospel, or the powerful Preaching thereof; it suits best with their carnal Hearts, they love that Religion that indulges them in their brutish Lusts.

XI. There are many ways to know when the Day draws towards an end, and Night approaches: As, (1.) When the Heat of the Sun abates. (2.) When the Shadows grow long, or are stretched forth. (3.) When the Harvest-Men begin to go home apace. (4.) When the Evening-Wolves begin to lurk out of their Holes. Now when these Signs are upon a People in a spiritual sense, their State is bad, they may fear Night approaches upon them. (1.) When the Gospel in its powerful Preaching, abates in its Heat, and blessed Influences upon Men's Hearts, so that but a few are warmed, and effectually wrought upon by it. (2.) When Religion is more in Shew than in Substance; when the Shadow is long, and the Substance little; Men being more zealous for the Form, than concerned for the Power of it. (3.) When many powerful or painful Ministers and Laborers are called home. (4.) When the Romish Wolves, who have lain long in their Holes, and dark Caverns, or lurking Places, begin to come boldly abroad, and impudently show themselves, 'tis a Sign of Evening-Tide, and that the Day is near expiring. Is not this thy State, O England?

Parallels.

THe Summer is the chief Time of the Year, that Season which generally all Men prize, long for, and rejoice in: So the Time of Gospel-Grace, and Gospel-Light, is the chiefest and choicest Season in the World. The Time of the Gospel, the Dispensation of the Gospel, was the Time which the Prophets, and many good and righteous Men of old longed for, and which all sincere godly Persons do prize, and rejoice in.

II. Summer is the Season that ripens the Fruits of the Earth; were it not for the Heat and Influence of Summer, what would become of the Husbandman's Labor? So the Means of Grace, or Ministration of the Gospel, ripens the good Seed which is sown in the godly Man's Heart, nay, it maketh all fit and ready for the Harvest, and for cutting down. It ripens the godly Man for Heaven, and the ungodly Man for Hell: The Word is either a Savour of Life unto Life, or else the Savour of Death unto Death; it either softens or hardens. It hath the same Effects upon Men's Hearts, that the Sun hath in the hottest Time of Summer, upon that which it sends forth its Influence upon.

III. The Summer is the poor Man's working Time, 'tis the Season in which he is to provide himself for Winter with such things he wants. The Day of Gospel-Grace is the Saints Summer, 'tis the Time in which he works hard, gathers in, and lays up for his immortal Soul: He learns of the Ant, who provides her Meat in Summer, &c.

IV. In Summer everything looks green; the Herbs, Grass, Plants, Trees, and all the Fruits of the Earth, are in their Beauty, and greatest Glory: So in the Day of Gospel-Grace, whilst God affords Means of much Light and Knowledge, when Seasons, Sabbaths, Sermons, and Ordinances, in a plentiful manner do abound amongst us, how do the Saints flourish, their Graces flourish! O what Beauty and Greenness is there upon all sincere Christians!

V. He that is slothful and idle in Summer, as he brings Shame upon himself, ('tis a Sign of Folly, &c. ) so he suffers, wants Bread, and is exposed to great Straits in Winter. He that gathereth in Summer, is a wise Son; but he that sleepeth in Harvest, is a Son that causeth Shame. So he that is idle and negligent in the Time of Gospel-Grace, or improves not the Means God affords, for the Good of his Soul, as 'tis a Reproach and Shame to him, so he exposeth himself to Ruin thereby. What will he do when Death and Judgment comes? Then he will want, and suffer Hunger, &c.

Parallels.

HArvest is the Time to work and do business in, and it behooveth Men to labor hard then: So whilst there is an open Door for the Gospel, or God is pleased to continue the Means of Grace, Christ's Ministers ought to labor hard.

II. Harvest greatly tends to the relief of the Poor; they in Harvest-time gather in, and lay up against a Time of Want and Scarcity: So do the Saints, whilst the Day of Grace lasts, provide and lay up for their Souls.

III. Sometimes there is bad Weather in Harvest, which doth hinder and discourage the painful and laborious Husbandman: So Storms arise, and very bad Weather (as it were) often attends Christ's faithful Laborers, which greatly hinders them in their Ministry.

IV. The Harvest is sometimes great, and the Laborers but few, so that the Work lies very heavy upon some Men: So in a spiritual sense, the Harvest is great, i. e. many People are willing to hear God's Word, but there are but few painful Preachers, and by this means the Work lies heavy upon them; and when it is thus, we are enjoined to pray to the Lord of the Harvest, to send more Laborers into his Harvest.

V. The Harvest sometimes proves thin, and comes into a little Room; or it may seem much in Bulk, and yet but a little Grain: So 'tis sometimes in the spiritual Harvest, there are many Multitudes hear the Word, attend upon the Means, they flock into the Assemblies; but alas! but few are converted; the Corn is little: A small Room will hold them, were they severed from the Straw and Chaff of the fruitless and unprofitable Multitude.

VI. When the Harvest is like to be catching, or the Husbandman sees Clouds begin to gather, and grow black, or they hear it thunder mightily, they work very hard, and hurry in the Corn, not knowing when they may have fair Weather again: So Christ's Servants, when they perceive a dismal Day approaching upon them, labor hard, and bring in what Souls they can into his Barn.

VII. The Harvest sometimes is very long, and sometimes but short: So God lengthens or shortens the Day of Grace, as he pleases. The old World had an hundred and twenty Years; others but a short Season. O that thou hadst known in this thy Day the Things that belong to thy Peace! but now they are hid from thine Eyes. Christ seems to be quick with them. And so it fared with those, Acts 13.46.

VIII. In Harvest the Husbandman will not neglect a fit Opportunity of gathering in his Hay and Corn, upon presumption of much fair Weather to come: So a wise Christian will not lose the present Season for his Soul, upon hopes of much Time to come, but rather says, Now is the Time, &c.

Parallels.

A Trade or Calling properly is that Art, Craft, or Occupation, whereunto one hath been trained, or wherein he exerciseth and employeth himself, whatever it be, whether Handicraft, or Merchandizing, &c. Now Godliness is the Occupation of every true Christian, 'tis that which he hath been trained up in, 'tis that which he exerciseth and daily employeth himself about. Herein do I exercise myself, &c. Rather exercise thyself unto Godliness, &c.

II. A Man, when he first sets up a Trade, hath, or ought to have, a Stock suitable to what it doth require, in order to the well-managing of it, or otherwise he is not like to do good of it; for the Want of a convenient Stock hath ruined and utterly undone many new Beginners: So every Christian ought to see, when he first begins to profess Godliness, what Stock he hath, I mean, what Grace, what Faith, what Love to God, and to his Neighbor, what Experiences of a thorough Change; for without a Stock of the Truth of Grace, and Work of Regeneration, no Man can follow the Trade of Godliness, to make any saving Earnings of it.

III. A Man that sets up a Trade, ought to know the Nature, Worth, and Value of those Goods and Commodities his Calling leads him to trade or deal in, or else he may be quickly cheated, and run out of all, by buying counterfeit Goods, or bad Ware: So every Christian must know what Goods he is to trade spiritually in, as also the Nature and Excellency of them. Now the heavenly Commodities are these, Faith, Love, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Meekness, Temperance, Pardon of Sin, Communion with God, Joy in the Holy-Ghost, &c. Now he ought to know all these Things, the true from the counterfeit. And next unto the Graces of the Spirit, and the other excellent and rare Things he deals in, there are the Ordinances of the Gospel, the Nature and Usefulness of which he ought also to understand, and not to be deceived about them, lest he take the Traditions of Men for Christ's Institutions.

IV. A Man who sets up a Trade, ought also to know who he is to deal or trade with: So ought every Christian; and that is God, through the Mediator Jesus Christ; for without him there is no trading to Heaven. 'It is by him we believe in God, by him we come to the Father. Christ is a Saint's only Correspondent; he receives all our Prayers and Duties, and makes Returns of Mercies.

V. A Man who begins a Trade, ought to be well instructed, and to know every particular Art and Mystery in it: Some Trades or Professions are hard to learn, they are full of Mystery, and very intricate; and if they understand them not, or are not Crafts-masters therein they will never live comfortably of them, as Experience commonly showeth: So every Christian ought to learn the Mystery of Godliness; this heavenly Calling is not easily learned; there is no Trade that is more mysterious than the Trade or Art of Godliness, as we shall fully evince, and make appear,

• 1. By plain Texts of Scripture.
• 2. By Arguments and Demonstrations drawn there-from.

As to the First, see these Scriptures: 1 Cor. 2.7. But we speak the Wisdom of God in a Mystery, even the hidden Wisdom, &c. Compared with Rom. 16.25. Eph. 1.9. & 3.3, 4. Col. 1.26. 1 Tim. 3.16. Without Controversy great is the Mystery of Godliness, God manifest in the Flesh, &c. Godliness is twofold, 1. The Doctrinal Part. 2. The Practical Part.

A Mystery is a Thing hidden, hard to find out, that which few understand, which lies not open to the Sight and Apprehension of Men. Many Arts used amongst Men are full of Mystery. If a Man go into a Chymist's Shop, possibly he may see there several Extractions of Minerals, but he may not know how he extracted those Spirits, nor doth he understand the Nature and Operation of them, that is a Mystery. There are divers other curious Arts and Devices very hard to learn, they are so mysterious; but all come short of these heavenly Mysteries. The Mysteries of Godliness are exceeding great.

1. These Things are hidden Things from the Eyes of Men. See Mat. 11.25. The Gospel is read daily, every Man hath the History of it in his House; but alas! very few understand it; 'tis a Mystery; 'tis not known, but by such only who feel its Power, and blessed Effects and Operations of it upon their Hearts.

2. The Gospel, and great Things of Christianity and Godliness, are the rare Contrivance of God's eternal Wisdom, and therefore full of Mystery. If any Man thinks he knows anything, he knoweth nothing as he ought to know. These things are not easily found out.

3. The History of the Gospel, and Principles of Christianity and Godliness, could not be known without Revelation; had not God afforded us the written Word, what should we, or could we have known of these Mysteries? What do the Heathen know of them, that have not the Holy Scripture? Doth the Light within discover the Incarnation, Birth, Life, Death, Resurrection, Ascension, and Intercession of Jesus Christ? Doth that teach the Mystery of Faith and Regeneration? 'It is true, some have affirmed, that they should have known all Things the Gospel reveals, if they had never had the written Word: But how false that is, appears to all; and they themselves have been silenced, by putting one Question to them, which is this: 'It is said in John 20. Many other Signs did Jesus, in the presence of his Disciples, which are not written, &c. Now let them show us what those other Signs were: But alas! they can tell us nothing but what the Scripture relates; neither had we or they known them, but by the Record thereof.

That which we have the History of, and yet cannot understand, or make our own, unless the Spirit of God opens and explains it to us, is a great Mystery: But we cannot understand the Mystery of Religion and Godliness, without the Spirit's Teaching and Explanation: Ergo, &c. As the History must be revealed by the written Word, so the Mystery must be revealed by the Spirit: For what Man knoweth the Things of a Man, save the Spirit of a Man, which is in him; even so the Things of God knoweth no Man, but the Spirit of God.

4. That which needs or requires several Gradations and Mediums, to open and explain it from time to time, is a great Mystery: But the Gospel, or Mystery of Godliness, requires such several Gradations and Mediums, to open it unto the Children of Men. (1.) God under the Law revealed these Things by divers Sacrifices, Washings, and other Rites, whilst Persons remained in their Non-age. (2.) It requires the Use of divers earthly Similitudes, to open and explain it to the Understanding of Men. God is compared to a Father, to an Husbandman, to a Judge, to a Creditor, to a Portion, to an Housholder, &c. Christ, to a Lamb, to Light, to an Husband, to a Vine, to a Shepherd, &c. The Spirit is compared to the Wind, to Oil, to Water: and Grace, to Seed, to Gold tried in the Fire, &c. The Mysteries of Religion and Godliness are so hard to understand in their own Nature, that God condescends to open them to us by earthly Things: In this God shows what Children we are, and how difficult 'tis for us to understand these Things. And though they are thus explained, yet how little is it that we are able to understand of them! Now that which the Children of Men are not able fully to take in, or comprehend, though God makes use of the best Mediums he in his Wisdom sees good to make use of, is a great Mystery: But the Children of Men are able to take in but little of the Mysteries of the Gospel, notwithstanding these gracious Mediums God is pleased to make use of: Ergo, &c.

5. That which the Children of Men are not able to take in or receive the knowledge of at once, but when God fees necessary to discover by degrees, by little and little, notwithstanding all those proper and fit Mediums he condescends to make use of, is a great Mystery: But the Mysteries of the Gospel, and Godliness, God sees the Children of Men, notwithstanding all those Mediums he is pleased to make use of, cannot take in or receive at once, but that there is need for him to open and discover them by degrees, by little and little: Ergo, 'tis very mysterious, so vast a Depth, so great a Light, so strange a Mystery is this Mystery, that God reveals it now a little, and then a little. Adam had the first Discovery of it: The Seed of the Woman shall break the Serpent's Head. Abraham had more of it made known to him; Moses had a greater Revelation of it than the Prophets: And then, John the Baptist, who saw more than all that went before him, and upon that account was called the greatest Prophet that ever arose amongst them that were born of Women; and yet he saw but a little of this great Mystery, comparatively to what those saw who were in the Kingdom of Heaven, viz. the Gospel-Church, after the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

6. That which all the wise Men of the World, merely by all their natural Wisdom, Arts, and Sciences, could never find out, nor arrive at the true knowledge of, is a great Mystery: But all the wise Men of the World, merely by all their Arts and Sciences, and human Learning, could never arrive to the true knowledge of Christ, and real Godliness: Ergo, the Principles of true Godliness, and the Mysteries thereof, are out of the reach of mere human Reason; though not against or contrary to Reason, yet they lie above Reason: Reason must stoop to Faith in these things. The Gospel is called Wisdom, as opposite to the Wisdom of Men; and the Apostle saith positively, That it was Wisdom in such a Mystery, that none of the Princes of this World knew. Nay, the Spirit, says one, jeers all the Learned of the World in this very thing, because of their gross Ignorance. Where is the Scribe? where is the Wise? where is the Disputer of this World? Hath not God made foolish the Wisdom of this World? Hence the Preaching of the Gospel was accounted by the learned Greeks but Foolishness. Natural Men may understand natural Religion; but true Godliness consists in the Light of Divine Truth, and in the Life of Grace, God manifesting himself in the Light of Truth, and working the Life of supernatural Grace by his Spirit in the Heart. True Godliness doth not consist in the Knowledge of the Letter of the Gospel. A natural Man may have the historical or notional Knowledge of the Gospel and Christianity, he may arrive to the most exact understanding of things, as far as Letters and Words can express them; that is, he may know the true sense and meaning of things in the Gospel, according to what either the History, or Tenor of such Words will import, and know the Grammatical Sence of Words, better than many true Christians: But this is not the spiritual and true Knowledge of Religion and Godliness; for that consists in the saving and experimental Knowledge of God, and Jesus Christ. The Mystery of the Gospel, and Power of Godliness, is the Discovery of God's Glory in itself, and the working of it gloriously in the Soul; it lies not in the bare Expression, or Knowledge of Words, nor in the external Form of Profession of these Words; but it lies in the Divine Glory of God, which is wrapped up in these Words, and the gracious Conformity, Disposition, and Affections of the Soul to these things. 'It is an easy matter to confess Jesus Christ to be the Son of God, and to read the Scriptures, to pray, &c. but to see the Mystery of that Glory which is in this, that Christ is God's Son, and to have the powerful Influences of it upon the Heart, whereby the Soul is brought into the Image or Likeness of Christ's Death and Resurrection; this is a Mystery.

7. That which the most wise and knowing in the same Art or Mystery, can reach or understand but part of, must needs be a great Mystery: As suppose a School-master, nay, the ablest in the World, who professes to know and teach such or such an Art or Mystery, is forced to confess, he sees and knows but little of it, or sees but in part, 'tis so hard and difficult to find out; all would conclude, that Art or Science was a Mystery indeed: But so it is here; for the holy Apostles, who had as great a knowledge of these Mysteries as any ever had in the World, nay, we may modestly conclude, a greater, yet they declare, they knew but in part, and saw but in part, they saw comparatively but a little way into these Mysteries, For we know but in part. — Now we see through a Glass darkly. — Now I know in part. — Ergo, These are great Mysteries.

8. That which the holy Angels desire to pry into, nay, look into with the greatest Earnestness and Desire imaginable, and are contented, the better to understand, to learn of the Church; and yet, when all is done, do admire, and stand as it were astonished at, is a great Mystery: But the Angels do pry into these Mysteries with the greatest earnestness, and are contented to learn of the Church, that they may the better or more fully understand them, and after all, stand and wonder, to behold the Depth of this Grace, of this Love, and the Strangeness of this Mystery. Ergo, the Gospel, or Doctrine of Godliness, is a great Mystery. Now to make this Argument good, pray consider these Texts of Scripture: 1 Pet. 1.12. Which things the Angels desire to look into. The word [desire] signifies the utmost coveting or longing after a thing which a Man cannot be without: Desire to look into: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , this Word signifies bowing down to pry heedfully and narrowly into a Thing. 1. The Angels are greatly taken with this Mystery, with this Grace and Love in Jesus Christ, manifested to fallen Man; they look and pry into it, according as it was typified of them, by the placing of the Cherubims looking down towards the Mercy-Seat. 2. That they are content to learn of the Church, see Eph. 3.10. To the intent, that now unto the Principalities, and Powers in heavenly Places, might be known, by the Church, the manifold Wisdom of God. 3. That they after all stand as it were amazed, and wonder at these Depths, see 1 Tim. 3.16. — Seen of Angels, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , it is not meant of a bare Sight, but a Sight which astonishes the Understanding, and takes up the Heart: He was seen with admiration and wonderment: Thus Dr. Sibbs.

9, That which the glorified Saints shall admire, when they arrive to a perfect Knowledge, must needs be a great Mystery: But the glorified Saints shall admire at the Mystery of this Grace and Love, in the Day of Christ, nay, it will be the matter of their wonder to all Eternity. See 2 Cor. 1.10. Therefore the Doctrine of Godliness is a great Mystery.

10. This will be further manifest, by considering wherein the greatness of this Mystery doth consist.

First; Now the Mystery of Godliness principally consists in the Person of Christ, God manifest in the Flesh. Paul determined to know nothing so much as Christ, and him crucified. When we know Christ better, we shall understand this Mystery better: Christ is the Mystery wrapped up in all the Gospel, he is the Scope of all the Scripture, the Pearl hid in the Field; every Line is drawn to him, as the proper Center; all the Types and Shadows pointed to him, and all the Promises run in him. Jesus Christ is really and truly God, and yet very Man, God and Man in one Person, and is not this a Mystery? (1.) Is it not a Wonder, that a Woman should compass a Man? (2.) That he that made the World, should be born of a Woman! (3.) That the Ancient of Days should become a Child of a Day old! (4.) That Blessedness itself should be brought under a Curse for Sinners! Christ was made a Curse for us, as it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a Tree. (5.) That he that was the Heir of all things, Heir of both Worlds, should be laid in a Manger! (6.) That he who was God over all, should have nowhere to lay his Head! (7.) That he should become poor, who was so rich, and by his Poverty make others rich! is not this a Mystery? (8.) He by dying destroyed Death; and unless he had died, we could not live; and by Death he brought us to Life! (9.) And is it not a Mystery, that a Person should be capable to die, and yet by his own Power raise himself up again from the Dead? (10.) Is not this a Mystery, that the Physician should die to cure his Patient, nay, and unless he die, the Sin-sick Soul could not live; and that his Blood should be the Balsam? Is it not a great Mystery, that the offended Savior should suffer, to free the offending Sinner?

11. Is it not a Mystery, that the Nature of Man should be so joined to the Divine Nature of God, that both should make but one Christ? and that our Nature should be exalted above the Nature of the Angels, that Man should sit at God's right hand, that Man should be very God, and God very Man, in one Person? O how great is • he Mystery of Godliness!

12. Is it not a Mystery, that Christ suffered according to the Decree and determined Counsel of God, and yet the Jews did wickedly in putting him to Death?

Secondly; The Mystery of Christianity appears to be great, 1. in God's casting off the Jews, who followed after Righteousness, and in calling the Gentiles, who followed not after Righteousness! That God should not be found of them that sought him, and be found of them that sought him not! (2.) That God should choose poor and contemptible Ones into his Service, and reject the Wise, the Noble, and the Learned! and that by weak Things he overcame the Mighty, and by Folly confounded the Wisdom of this World!

Thirdly; There is a great Mystery in Election, in Justification, in Sanctification, in Renovation, &c. Nay, what Branch or Part of the Doctrine of Godliness is not full of Mystery?

Fourthly; There is a Mystery in every Grace:

1. In Faith: As, (1.) That a Sinner should believe, i. e. go out of himself, and be carried above himself, to believe Things impossible to Man's Sense, and above his Reason, that he should seek for Justification by the Righteousness and Obedience of another! for a Man (as one would think) to have a great deal of Holiness, and good Works, and yet to throw it, as it were, all away, and be dead to it in point of Trust and Dependence! is not this a Mystery? (2.) To believe, when everything is opposite to it: To work for Life, and to oppose some Sin, a natural Man is ready to do; but to believe in Christ for Life and Holiness, to rely upon his Doings, his Works and Merits, this the Heart of Map is averse to; nay, and Satan opposeth it, the World mocks at it, and accounts it Foolishness. (3.) That a Man should believe, and not see, nay, believe, as Abraham did, in hope against hope.

2. There is a Mystery in Love, that a Man should love him with an endeared Affection, with a superlative Love, whom the World can see no beauty in; nay, thus to love him, whom their natural Eyes never beheld, nay, love him, who is able to make great, and save from all Misery, and yet suffers his People, and best beloved Ones, to lie amongst the Pots, and to be hated and persecuted in the World, and, to appearance, to be of all Men the most miserable! A Saint knows the Reason of these Things, but 'tis a Mystery to others. The Love of Christ turns the Affections another way, it drives, as it were, Jordan back, it makes the Waters ascend, and run up hill. Is it not a Mystery, to see a Saint, who hath a Hundred, nay, it may be, Five Hundred a Year, a gracious Wife, many sweet and lovely Children, enjoying much Health, and living in all Prosperity; yet if he hath lost the Light of God's Countenance, or Christ be withdrawn from him, he is cast down, and greatly distressed and afflicted in his Spirit, and crying out, Ah! what is all that I possess, since I want the Love of Christ, the Presence of Christ? what's an Estate, and no Christ? Wife and Children, and no sight of Christ? Christ (saith he) is all to me, and all is nothing without him. This is a Mystery to carnal Hearts, they wonder at it: Nay, to see a Man, that hath all the Comforts of the World, expose himself to cruel Mockings, Loss of Goods, to Imprisonment, and Death itself for Christ's sake, is a strange thing to worldly Men, they think the Man is mad, 'tis a Mystery to them, &c.

Fourthly; The Effects and Operations of Grace and Godliness are a Mystery.

(1.) That God should make Men wise, by teaching them to become Fools.

(2.) That the way to become rich, very rich, eternally rich, is to become poor: This is a Mystery, yet this Mystery is taught us in the Person of Christ. David was a King, and very rich, yet cries out, I am poor; he was poor in Spirit. This poor Man cried, There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath nothing; there is that maketh himself poor, and yet hath great Riches.

(3.) That the way to have all, is to lose all; and that a Man gains most, when he loses most: Is not this a Mystery?

(4.) That Men must die to live, or that the way to live is to die; nay, that God kills by making Souls alive, and yet by that killing and death, brings them to life: And is not this a Mystery? Sin must die, and we must die to Sin: Sin revived, and I died; yet by that Death he revived, and lived. A Man must die to Self, or he can never live himself.

(5.) God makes Men blind by giving Sight, and turns that Darkness into Light; and is not this a Mystery?

(6.) The way to Honor and Exaltation, is to be abased, and suffer ourselves to be trod upon; this is opened also in the Person and Life of Christ. To enjoy God's Favor, is first to bear his seeming Frowns. And many such like Mysteries there are in Godliness.

Fifthly; There is a Mystery in Ordinances, which those who follow this Trade should understand, a Mystery in Baptism, a Mystery in the Lord's Supper. But these things I cannot enlarge upon for want of Room.

Use 1. Let all take heed they do not slight or reproach these Mysteries.

2. Let them not think to understand them in their own fleshly Wisdom.

3. Let them labor to get the Power and Operation of them upon their Hearts, and then they will esteem them, and say, there is a Truth in what we affirm and teach.

VI. He that would drive a Trade to gain by it, or thrive upon it, must follow it closely, he must make it his chief Business, nothing will be done in it to purpose without diligence. So every Christian, who would gain by the Trade of Godliness, must keep close to it, he must follow it day and night, and manage it wisely, throughout all his other Affairs. Godliness must be followed without intermission, it must be every day's Work; the Head, Heart, Hands, Feet, Time, Strength, Discourse Contrivance, must be taken up about it. No Man can thrive in Godliness, if his Heart be not in it. When thy Hand is in the World, thy Heart should be in Heaven.

VII. He that drives a Trade with discretion, must take heed he runs not too far in debt, and that • e keeps his Books carefully, or else he may soon run out of all: So must a Christian take heed he run not far in debt. Debts will be contracted: In many things we offend all: But be sure to see these Debts paid, left the Creditor come on a sudden upon thee. If any Man sin, we have an Advocate, &c. Renew Repentance every day, and labor after fresh Acts of Faith; keep thy Accounts even with God, observe the Mercies thou receivest from him, and be sensible of thy Faults and Miscarriages.

VIII. There is no Man that follows a great Trade, but ought to see he hath a Stock sufficient to trust; he that cannot trust, in some Callings, shall have but a poor Trade: So every Christian must be careful to get a good Stock of Faith and Experience; for if a Saint cannot trust God, he will never make any Earnings of Godliness. It is true, it behooves a Trader to take heed whom he trusteth; so it behooveth a Christian; he must not trust his own Heart, nor in his own Righteousness, nor put too much confidence in Princes. We can never trust Men too little, nor God too much.

IX. A Man that would follow a Trade to Advantage, must be much at home, and keep his Shop, and, as the Proverb is, his Shop will keep him; but he that is more abroad than at home, will soon come to Beggary: So a Saint must be much at home, and keep his own Heart well. Some Professors are more abroad, spying Faults in other Men, than they are in taking notice of their own.

X. A Man that drives a Trade, ought to take heed he go not behind-hand, and instead of getting, lose by his Trading: So ought a Saint to take heed he go not backwards instead of going forwards, and lose instead of gaining. Thou hast lost thy first Love. — Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent.

XI. Some Men trade upon other Men's Stocks, as Factors, Stewards, &c. And such Traders are Christians, they trade upon Christ's Stock, they regulate their Affairs by Christ's Advice, they drive on Christ's Interest. All that Saints have is their Master's Money, and it behooveth them so to lay it out, that it may bring in the most Increase. Remember, all your Graces, Gifts, and Temporal Goods too, are the Lord's.

XII. Some Trades require great Layings out; and if a Man is sparing in his Layings out, he must expect his Comings in will be accordingly: S • the Trade of Godliness requires great Layings out. A Christian, who will not lay out his Strength, Time, and Parts, and what he hath, for God, will never grow rich in Faith and Godliness.

XIII. Quick Returns are the Life of a Trade, and animate a Man in his Calling and Business exceedingly: So quick Returns do enliven and greatly encourage a Christian, when he finds God answers his Prayers, as the Promise runs, Whilst they speak, I will answer, & • .

XIV. Some Men grow very rich by a Trade: So some Christians grow very rich in Faith and Experience, by Godliness. [ See City of God, pag. 82, 83.]