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T H E
WORKS
O F T H E REVEREND
GEORGE VhITEFIELD, M. A.
Late of Pembroke-College, Oxford, And Chaplain to the Rt. Hon. the Countcfs of Huntingdon.
CONTAINING
All his SERMONS and TRACTS
Which have been already publifhed : WITH
A Select COLLECTION of LETTERS,
Written to his moH: intimate Friends, and Perfons of Diftinftion, in England., Scotland^ Ireland, a.r\d America, from the Year 1734, to 1770, including ztiQ whole Period of his Minilby.
ALSO
Some other Pieces on Important Stj ejects, never before printed ; prepared by Liimfelf for the Prcfs.
To which is prefix^^d.
An ACCOUNT of his LIFE,
Compiled from his Original Papers and Letters.
VOL. V.
LONDON:
Printed for Edward and Charles Dilly, in the Poultry; ai]d Mefirs. King aid and Creech, at Edinburgh.
MDCCLXXII.
Ill
CONTENTS*.
S
ERMON T. The Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent.
Gen. iii. 5. Jnd I vAJl put enmity between thee and the woman ^ and between thy feed and her feed j /*/ JIjuU bruife thy head^ and thou fnalt bruife his heel, — — Page 3
SERM. ir. Walkino; with God.
Gem. v. 24. And Enoch walked whh God, and he was nct^ for God took him, — ' — — p. 21
SERM. III. Abraham's offering up his Son Ifaac.
G^"^. xxii. 12. And he fa'id^ Lay vot thine hand upon the lad^ neither do thou any thing unto him ; for now I know that thou feareji God^ feeing thou hajl not withheld thy fon^ thine only f on from me, — « — — P- 3^
SE HM. IV. The great Duty of Family-Religion.
Joshua xxIv. 15. As for mc and my hoife, we will ferve the Lord. — — — P- 52
SERM. V. ChriO: the bed Hufband : or, an earneft Invita- tion to Young Women to come and fee Chrift. Preached to a Society of Young Women, in Fetter-Lane.
Psalm xlv. 10, 11. Hearken^ O daughter, and confider, and incline thine ear : forget aljo thine own people^ and thy father's houfe : fo Jhall the King greatly defire thy beauty ; for he is thy Lord, and worfnp thou him. — — P* ^5
SERM. VI. Britain's Mercies, and Britain's Duty. Preached at Philadelphia, on Sunday, Auguft 24-5 1746. and occa- fioned by the Suppreffion of the late unnatural Rebellion.
Psalm cv. 45. That they might ohferve his Jiatutes and keep his laws, — — — P- 79
* The Seamons marked with a *, are now fi ft publifhed from the Autboi's cwn Manufcripts.
Vol. V. a SERM,
[ iv J
SERM. VII. Thankfulnefs for Mercies received, a neceflary Duty. A Farewel Sf:rmon, preached on board the Whita- ker, at Anchor near Savannah, in Georgia, Sunday, May 17,
1738.
Psalm cvii. 30, 31. Then arc they glad^ bccaufe they arc at rejl^ and fo he bringeth them unto the haven ivhere they would be. O that men luould therefore praife the Lord for his gcodnefs^ and declare the wonders that he doeth for the children of men ! — — — — p. 94*
S E R M. VIII. The Neceffity and Benefits of Religious So-
ciety. jvi^/ac^vv Of<otcb^\o '^•oOA^c^
EcCLEs. iv. 9, 10, II, 12. Turn are better than oncy bccaufe they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall ^ the one will lift up his fellow : but zuoe be to him that is alone when he falleth ; for he hath not another to help him up, Again^ if two lie together^ then they have heat ; but how can one be warm alone ? And if one prevail again ft him^ two fjall with/land him ; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. p. 107
$ERM. IX. The Folly and Danger of not being righteous enough.
EcCLEs. vii. 16. Be not righteous over-much^ neither make thy f elf over -wife : why JhouUjl thou dejlroy thyfelf? P* 123
$ERM. X. A Prefervative againft unfettled Notions, and want of Principles, in regard to Righteoufnefs and Chrif- tian Pcrfe6lion. Being a more particular Anfwer to Dodor Trapp's four Sermons upon the fame Text.
EccLEs. vii. 16. Be not righteous over-much., neither make thy- feif over-wife : why Jhouldji thou dejlroy thyfelf? p. 143
3ERM. XL The Benefits of an early Piety. Preached at Bow Church, London, before the Religious Societies.
EccLEs. xii. I. Reincmber now thy Creator in the clays of thy youth.
SERM. XII. Chrift the Believer's Hufband.
Isaiah liv. 5. For thy Maker is thy hufband. V'^1^
* SERM. XIII. The Potter and the Clay*
Jer, xviii. I — 6. The word ivhich came to feremiah from the Lord., faying., Arife and go down to the potter s houfe^ and there I will caufe thee to hear my words. Then I went dozun to the potter's houfe, and behold^ he wrought a work on the wheels.
And
[ V ]
jJnd the vejfel that he made of cloy was marred in the hands of the potter^ fo he made it again another vejfel, as feemed good to the potter to make it. Then the tvord of the Lord came to me^ fa\ing, O houfe of IfraeU cannot I do zuith you as this potter P faith the Lord. Behold^ as the cjay is in the potter'' s hand.^ fo are ye in mine handy 0 houfe of Ifrael. — P- ^97
SERM. XIV. The Lord our Righteoufners. Jer. xxiii. 6. The Lord our righteoufnefs, p. 2l6
-){e SERM. XV. The R^ighteoufnefs of Chriftan everlafting Righteournefs.
Dan. ix. 24. Jnd to bring in everlafiing righteoufnefs. p. 235
SERM. XVI. The Obfervation of the Birth of Chrlft, the Duty of all Chriilians j or the true Way of keeping Chriftmas.
Matthew i. 21. And Jhe Jhall bring forth a fon, and thou fialt call his name Jefus : for he fiiall fave his people from their fins. — — — — P" 251
% SERM. XVII. The Temptation of Chrifl.
Matt. iv. i — 11. Then vjas Jefus led up of the fpirit into the luildernefs^ to he tempted of the devil, i^c. p. 262
SERM. XVIII. The Heinous Sin of profane Curfing and Swearing.
Matt. v. 34. But I fay unto you, Swear not at all, p. 276
SERM. XIX. Chrift the Support of the Tempted. Matt. vi. 13. Lead us not ijito temptation, p. 287
SERM. XX. Worldly Bufinefs no Plea for the Negled of Religion. Matt. viii. 22. Let the dead bury their dead, p. 299
SERM. XXI. Chrift the only Reft for the Weary and Heavy Laden.
Matt. xi. 28. Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rejl. — — P* 3^8
SERM. XXII. The Folly and Danger of parting with Chrift for the Pleafures and Profits of Life.
Matt. viii. 23, to the End. Jnd when he ivas entered into a Jhip,his difciples foUoived hiwy ipc — P- 3^9
SERM.
[ vi ]
* SERM. XXIII, Marks of a True ComTrfion. Matt, xviii. 3. Verily^ I fay ur.to you^ except ye be convertedy and become as little ckildren, ye fnall riot enter iJito the k'lngnoni of heaven, — — — ■ P« 3^^
SERM. XXIV. What think ye of Chrift ?
Matt. xxii. 42. JVhat think ye of Chrijl ? — p. 353
SERM. XXV. The wife and foolifti Virgins.
Matt. xxv. 13. Watch therefore^ fi^ y^ know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of man comcth. P* 373
SERM. XXVI. The Eternity of Hell-Torments. Matt. xxv. 46. Thefe Jhall go aivay into everlajiing punijhment^
P- 392 SERM. XXVII. Blind Bartimeus.
Mark x. 52. And fefus faid unto him^ Go thy way ; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his ftght^ and followed Jefus in the way. — — P« 404
SERM. XXVIII. Diredtions how to hear Sermons. Luke viii. 18. Take heedy therefore^ how ye hear, p. 418
SERM. XXIX. The Extent and Reafonablenefs of Self- Denial.
Luke ix. 23. And he /aid unto them all^ If any man will come after me^ let him deny himfelf — — p. 4 28
^ SERM. XXX. Chrift's Transfiguration.
Luke ix. 28 — 36. And it came to pafs about an eight days after theje fayings^ he took Peter and fohn and fames^ and went up into a mountain to pray^ i^c. — p. 440
SERM. XXXI. The Care of the Soul urged as the one thing needful.
Luke x. 42. But one thing is needful, — p. 456
S E R M O N
[ 3 ]
SERMON I.
The Seed of the Woman, and the Seed of the Serpent.
Genesis hi. 15.
And I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman^ and between thy Seed and her Seed j it JJiall bruife thy Head^ and thoujlialt bruife his Heel,
ON reading to you thefe words, I may addrefs you in the language of the holy angels to the fhepherds, that were watching their flocks by night; "Behold, I bring you glad tidings of great joy.'' For this is the firft promife that was made of a Saviour to the apoftate race of Adam. We generally look for Christ only in the New Teftament ; but chriftianity, in one fenfe, is very near as old as the creation. It is wonderful to obferve how gradually God revealed his Son to mankind. He began with the pro- mife in the text, and this the eledl lived upon, till the time o^ Abraham. To him, God made further difcoverles of his eternal council concerning man's redemption. Afterwards, at fundry times, and in divers manners, God fpoke to the fathers by the prophets, till at length the Lord Jesus himfelf was manifeftcd in flefli, and came and tabernacled amongft us.
A 2 This
[ 4 ]
This fird promifc muft ccrcainly be but dark to our flrft parents, in comparifon oi that great light which we enjoy : An J yet, dark as it was, wc may affure Gurfelves ihey built upon it their hopes of eveilaftiii^ falvution, and by that faith were faved.
How they came to (land in need of this proniifc, and what is the extei.t ar.d meaning of it, I intend, God w'.Iling, to make the fubjciSt-marier of your prefent meditation.
The fall of man is writ'cn in too legible characters not to be under flood : Thofe that d. ny it, by their denying, prove it. The very heathens confeficd, and bewailed it : They could fee the ilreams of corruption riinning through the whole race of mankind, but could not trace them to the fountain-head. Before God gave a revelation of his Son, man v/as a riddle to hinifelf. And Mofcs unfolds more, in this one chapter (out of which the text is taken) than all mankind could have been capable of finding out of them- felves, though they had ftudicd to all eternity.
In the preceding chapter he had given us a full account, how God fpoke the woild into being; and efpecially how he formed man of the duft of the earth, and breathed into him the breath of life, fo that he became a living foul. A council of the Trinity was called concerning the formation of this lovely creature. The refult of that council was, " Let us make m.an in our image, after our likenefs. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him.*' Mcfis remarkably repeats thefe words, that we might take paiticular notice of our divine Original. Never was fo much cx.^refTed in fo few words : None but a man infpired could have done fo. But it is remarkable, that though Mofcs mentions our being made in the imag- of God, yet he men- tions it but twice, and that in a tranficnt manner; as though he would have faid, " man was made in honour, God made " him upright, ' in the image of Gop, male and female *' created he them.' But man fo fbon fell, and became like " the be«iiis that ptrifn, nay, like the devil himfeif, that it is " fcarcc worth mentioning."
Flow foon man fell af.er he was created, is not told us; and therefore, to fix any time, is to be wife above what is written. And, I think, they who fuppofe that man fell the
fame
C 5 3
fame day In which he v/as made, hnve rto fufncicnt ground for their opinion. The many things which are croucled to- gether in the former chapter, fuch as the formation of AcL'un's wife, his giving names to the heads, and his being put into the garden which God had planted, I think require a longer fpace of time than a day to be tranfa6led in. However, all a2;ree in this, '' man i^ood not long." How long, or how (hort a while, I will not take upon me to determine. It more concerns us to enquire, how he came to fall from his ftedfaft- nefs, and what was the rife and progrefs of the temptation which prevailed over him. The account given us in this chapter concerning it, is very full ; and it may do us much fervice, under God, to make fome remarks upon it.
" Now the ferpent (fays the facred hiftorian) was more fubtile than any beaft of the field which the Lord God had made ; and he faid unto the woman, Yea, hath God faid, ye Oiall not eat of every tree of the garden ?"
Though this v/as a real ferpent, yet he that fpoke was no other than the devil ; from hence, perhaps, called the old ferpent, becaufe he took pofleflion of the ferpent v/hen he came to beguile our firft parents. The devil envied the hap- pinefs of man, who was made, as fome think, to fupply the place of the fallen angels. God made man upright, and with full power to ftand if he would : He was j^ft, therefore, in fuffcring him to be tempted. If he fell, he had no one to blame except himfelf. But hov/ m.uft fatan effect his fall .? He cannot do it by his power, he attempts it therefore by policy : he takes pofieflion of a ferpent, which was more fubtile than all the beafls of the field, v/hich the Lord God had made ; fo that men who are full of fubtilry, but have no piety, are only machines for the devil to work upon, juft as he pleafes.
" And he faid unto the wom.an." Here is an inflance of his fubtilty. He fays unto the woman, the weaker vefTcI, and when fne was alone from her hufband, and therefore was more liable to be overcome; " Yea, hath God faid, ye fhall not cat of every tree of the garden ?" Thcfc words a;e cer- tainly fpoken in anfwer to fomething which the devil either faw or heard. In all probability, the woman was now near the tree of knovv'ledge of good and evil ; (for we fliall find
A 3 iier,
[ 6 3
her, by and by, plucking an apple from it) perhaps (he might be looking at, and wondering what there was in that tree more than the others, that flie and her hufband (hould be forbidden to tafte of it. Satan feeing this, and coveting to draw her into a parley with him, (for if the devil can per- fuade us not to refift, but to commune with him, he hath gained a great point) he fays, *' Yea, hath God faid, ye fhall not eat of every tree in the garden ?" The firft thing he does is to perfuade her, if pofTible, to entertain hard thoughts of God; this is his general way of dealing with God's children: *' Yea, hath God faid, ye fhall not eat of every tree of the ** garden ? What ! hath Gcd planted a garden, and placed *' you in the midft of it, only to teaze and perplex you ? hath *' he planted a garden, and yet forbid you making ufe of any *' of the fruits of it at aU ?" It was impoffible for him to afk a more infnaring queftion, in order to gain his end : For Eve was here feemingly obliged to anfwer, and vindicate CjOd's goodncfs. And therefore, —
Verfe 2, 3. The woman faid unto the ferpent, " We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden : But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midft of the garden, God hath faid, ye (liall not eat of it, neither (hail ye touch it, left ye die."
The former part of the anfwer was good, " We may eat *' of the fruit of the trees of the garden, God has not forbid *' us eating of every tree of the garden. No ; we may eat *' of the fruit of the trees in the garden (and, it (hould feem, " even of the tree of life, which was as a facrament to man *' in a ftate of innocence) there is only one tree in the midft ** of the garden, of which God hath faid, ye fliall not cat of *' it, neither fhall ye touch it, left ye die." Here (he begins to warp, and fin begins to conceive in her heart. Already ftie has contradled fome of the ferpent's poifon, by talking with him, v/hich flic ought not to have done at all. For flie might eafily fuppofe, that it could be no good being, that could put fuch a queftion unto her, and infmuate fuch dif- honournble thoughts of God. She fliould therefore have fled from hirn, and not ftood to have parleyed with him at all. Immediately the ill efFedts of it appear, (he begins to foftcn the divine threatning. God had faid, *' the day thou eateft thereof, iron flmlt [urel^ da \,'^ «r, dyin^ thou (halt die. But
Eve 3
C 7 J
Eve fays, " Ye fhall not eat of it, neither fhall ye touch It, hj} ye die.'' We may be aflured we are fallen Into, and becrin to fall by temptation, when we begin to think God will not be as good as his word, in refped to the execution of his threatnings denounced againfl; fin. Satan knew this, and therefore artfully
" Said unto the woman, (ver. 4.) Ye {hall not furely die,'* in an infinuating manner, *' Ye fhall not furely die. Surely, *' God will not be fo cruel as to damn you only for eating *' an apple, it cannot be.'* Alas ! how many does Satan lead captive at his will, by flattering them, that they (hall not furely die; that hell-torments will not be eternal ; that GoD is all mercy ; that he therefore will not puni{h a few years fin with an eternity of mifery ? But Eve found God as good as his word j and fo will all they who go on in fin, under a falfe hope that they fhall not furely die.
We may alfo underftand the words fpokcn pcfitively, and this is agreeable to what follows ; You fhall" not furely die; *' It is all a delufion, a mere bugbear, to keep you in a fervils " fubjeaion."
For (ver. 5.) " God doth know^ that in the day ye cat thereof, then fhall your eyes be opened, and ye fhall be as gods, knowing good and evil."
What child of GoD can expe£l to efcape flander,- whe^ God himfelf was thus flandered even in paradife ? Surely the underftanding of Eve muft have been, in fome meafure, blinded, or fhe would not have fuffered the tempter to fpeak fuch perverfe things. In what odious colours is God here reprefented ! '' God doth know, that in the day ye eat thcrc- " of, ye fiiail be as gods,'* (equal with Gos.) So that the grand temptation was, that they fliould be hereafter under no controul, equal, if not fuperior, to God that made them, knowing good and evil. Eve could not tell what Satan meant by this 5 but, to be fure, fhe underftood it of fome great privilege which they were to enjoy. And thus Satan now points out a way which feems right to finners, but does not tell them the end of that way is death.
To give lUength and force to this temptation, in all pro- bability, Satan, or the ferpent, at this time plucked an apple frqm the tree, and ate it before Eve \ by which Eve might
A 4 be
[ 8 J
be Induced to think, that the fagacity and power of fpcech, U'hich the fcrpent had above the other beads, mud be owing, in a great meafarc, xo his eating that fruit; and, therefore, if he received fo much improvement, {he might alfo expert a like benefit from it. All this, I think, is clear; for, other- wife, I do not fee with what propriety it could be faid, *' When the woman faw that it was good for food." How could {lie know it was good for food, unlefs {lie had feen the ferpent feed upon it?
Satan now begins to get ground apace. Luft had conceived in Ev'e^s heart; {hortly it will bring forth fin. Sin being con- ceived, brings forth death. Verfe 6. *' And when the woman faw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleafant lo the eyes, and a tree to be defired to make one wife, {he took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave alfo unto her hufband, and he did eat."
Our fer.fcs arc the landing ports of our fpiiitual enemies. How needful is that ie(olution of holy Jobj " I have made a covcinant with mine cycb !*' When Eve began to gaze on the forbidden fruit with her eyes, fhe foon began to long after it with her heart. When llie faw that it was good for food, and pleafant to the eyes, (here was the lull oi the flefn, and lull of the eye) but, above all, a tree to be defired to make one wife, vviier than God Vv'ould have her be, nay, as wife as God himfc:ir; (he took of the fruit thereof, and gave alfo unto her huHiind with her, and he did eat. As foon as ever fhe finned he! Tel f, (he turned tempter to her hufoand. It is dreadful, when thofe, who fnouM be help- meets for each ether in the great work of their falvation, are only promoters of each othci's damnation : but thus it is. If we ourfelves are good, we {hA\ excite others to goodnefs; if we do evil, we fhall ei:tiee others to do evil alfo. There is a clofe con- reclion between doing and teachitig. Hov/ needful then is it for us all to take heed that Vv^e do not fin any way ourfelves, Icil: we fhould become fadlors for thic devil, ovA infnare, per- haps, o'.r neareft and deareft relatives? " (he gave alfo unto her hufbjnd v.'ith h^r, and he did eat."
Alas I v.'hat a c; n-iication of crimes was there in this one fingle a6\ of fin ! iicic ?;, an utter di(belief of God's threat- ning; the utmoft ingracicudc to their Maker, who had fo
lately
[ 9 ]
htcly planted this garden, and placed them in It, with fuch a glorious and comprehcnfive charter. And, the utmoft neg- le6l of their pofterity, who they knew were to (land or h\l with them. Here was the utmoft pride of heart : they wanted to be equal with God. Here's the utmoft contempt put upon his threatning and his law : the devil is credited and obeyed before him, and all this only to fatisfy their fenfual appetite. Never was a crime of fuch a complicated nature committed by any here below: Nothing but the devil's apoftafy and re- bellion could equal it.
And what are the confequences of their difobedience ? Are their eyes opened ? Yes, their eyes are opened ; but, alas ! it is only to fee their own nakednefs. For we are told (ver. 7.) *' That the eyes of them both were opened, and they knev/ that they were naked." Naked of God, naked of every thing that was holy and good, and deftitute of the divine image, which they before enjoyed. They might rightly now be termed Ichabod; for the glory of the Lord departed from them. O how low did thefe fons of the morning then fall 1 out of God, into themfelves ; from being partakers of the divine nature, into the nature of the devil and the beaft. Well, therefore, might they know that they were naked, not only in body, but in foul.
And how do they behave now they are naked ? Do they flee to God for pardon ? Do they feek to God for a robe to cover their nakednefs ? No, they were now dead to God, and became earthly, fenfual, devilifti : therefore, inftead of applying to God for mercy, " they fewed or platted fig- leaves together, and made themfelves aprons," or things to gird about them. This is a lively reprefentation of all natural men : we fee that we are naked : we, in fome meafure, confefs it; but, inftead of looking up to God for fuccour, we patch up a rlghteoufncfs of our own (as our firft-parents platted fig-leaves together) hoping to cover our nakednefs by that. But our righteoufnefs will not ftand the fcverity of God's judgment : it will do us no more fervice than the fly- leaves did JJ.-im and Eve, that is, none at all.
For (ver. 8.) '* They heard the voice of the Lord Cjod
walking in the trees of the garden, in the cool of the day;
and Adam and his wife (notvvithilanJing their fi^-lcaves)
5 hid
[ .0 ]
hid thcmfclvcs from the prefence of the Lord God, among the trees of the garden."
They heard the voice of the Lord God, or the Word of the Lord God, even the Lord Jesus Christ, who is *' the word that was with God, and the word that was God." They heard him walking in the trees of the garden, in the cool of the day. A feafon, perhaps, when Adam and ^ve ufed to go, in an efpecial manner, and offer up an even- ing-facrifice of praife and thankfgiving. The cool of the day. Perhaps the fin was committed early in the morning, or at noon; but God would not come upon them immediately, he ilaid till the cool of the day. And if we would effedually reprove others, we fhould not do it when they are warmed with palTion, but wait till the cool of the day.
But what an alteration is here ! Inftead of rejoicing at the voice of their beloved, inflead of meeting him with open arms and inlarged hearts, as before, they now hide themfelves in the trees of the garden. Alas, what a foolifli attempt was this ? Surely they muft be naked, otherwi fc how could they think of hiding themfelves from God ? Whither could they flee from his prefence ? But, by their fall, they had contradled an enmity againft God : they now hated, and were afraid to converfe with God their Maker. And is not this our cafe by nature? AfTuredly it is. We labour to cover our naked- nefs with the fig-leaves of our own righteoufnefs : We hide ourfelves from God as long as we can, and will not come, and never fhould come, did not the Father prevent, draw, and fweetly conflrain us by bis grace, as he here prevented Adam,
Verfe 9. " And the T-crd God called unto Jdam^ and faid unto him, Adam^ where art thou :"
" The Lord God called unto Adam^^ (for othcrwife Adam would never have called unto the IvORD God) and faid, '* Adamy where art thou ? How is it that thou conleft " not to pay thy devotions as ufual ?" Chriftians, reniCmber the Lord keeps an account when you fail coming to worfiiip. Whenever therefore you are tempted to withhold your at- tendance, let each of you fancy you heard the Lord God calling unto you, and faying, " O man, O woman, where art thou ? It may be undeiilood in another and belter fenfe ;
'^ Adaniy
[ '1 ]
** Adam^ where art thou ?" What a condition is thy poor foul in? This is the iirfl thing the Lord aflcs and convinces a finner of; when he prevents and calls him efTcdlually by his grace ; he alfo calls him by name ; for unlefs God fpeaks to us in particular, and we know where we are, how poor, how miferable, how blind, how naked, we {hall never value the redemption wrought out for us by the death and obedience of the dear Lord Jesus. " Adam^ where art thou ?'*
Verfe lO. " And he faid, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid." See what cowards fin makes us, IF we knew no fin, we fhould know no fear. " Becaufe I was naked, and I hid myfelf." Ver. ii. "And he faid, who told thee that thou waft naked ? Haft thou eaten of the tree, whereof I (thy Maker and Law-giver) commanded thee, that thou (houldft not eat ?"
God knew very well that Adam was naked, and that he had eaten of the forbidden fruit. But God would know it from Adam's own mouth. Thus God knows all our necef- fities before we afk, but yet infifts upon our a(king for his grace, and confefling our fins. For, by fuch ads, we acknow- ledge our dependence upon God, take lliame to gurfelves, and thereby give glory to his great name.
Verfe 12. '' And the man faid, the woman which thou gaveft to be with me, fhe gave me of the tree, and I did eat."
Never was nature more lively delineated. See what pride Adam contraded by the fall ! How unv/illing he is to lay the blame upon, or take fhame to himfelf. This anfwer is full of infolence towards God, enmity againfl: his wife, and difin- genuity in refpetSl to himfelf. For herein he tacitly reflecf^s upon God. " The woman that thou gaveft to be with me." As much as to fay, if ihou hadft not given me that womavy I had not eaten the forbidden fruit. Thii-, when men fin, they lay the fault upon their pafTions ; then blame and reflect upon God for giving them thofe pafTions. Their language is, *' the appetites that thou gaveft us, they deceived us ; anj " therefore we finned againft thee." Bur, as God, notwith- ftanding, puniftied Adam for hearkning to the voice of his wife, fo he will punifh thof^" who hearken to the di.T-ates of their corrupt inclination: : For God compels no mnn to fin.
Ad.im
[ n 1
Adam might have withftood the folicitatlons of his wife, \iht would. And fo, iF we Ipok. up to God, we (hould find grace to help in the time of need. The devil and our own hearts tempt, but they cannot force us to confent, without the con- currence of our own wills. So that our damnation is of our- felves, as it will evidently appear at the great day, notwith- ftanding all mens prefent impudent replies againft God. As Adam fpeaks infolently in refpc<St to God, fo he fpeaks with enmity againft his wife; the woman, or this woman, flie gave me. He lays all the fault upon her, and fpeaks of her with much contempt. He does not fay, my wife, my dear wife; but, this woman. Sin difunites the moft united hearts: it is the bane of holy fellowfiiip. Thofe who have been companions in fin here, if they die without repentance, will both hate and condemn one another hereafter. All damned fouls are accufers of their brethren. Thus it is, in fome degree, on this fide the grave. " The woman whom thou gaveft to be with me, fhe gave me of the tree, and I did eat." What a difingenurus fptech was here ! He makes ufe of no lefs than fifteen words to excufe himfelf, and but one or two (in the original) to confefs his fault, if it may be called a confefiion at all. " The vv^oman which thou gaveft to be with me, fhe gave me of the tree ;" here are fifteen words ; ** and I did eat." With what relu61ance do thefe laft words come out? How foon are they uttered? " And I did cat." But thus it is with an unhumbled, unregenerate heart : It will be laying the fault upon the dcarcft friend in the world, nay, upon God himfelf, rather than take (hame to itfelf. This pride we are all fuhjc6l to by the fall ; and, till our hearts are broken, and made contrite by the fplrit of our Lord Jesus Christ, we ftiall be always charging God fooliflily. " Againft thee, and thee only, have I finned, that thou mighteft be juftified in thy faying, ar^d clear when thou art judged," is the language of none but thofe, who, like Dav'idy are willing to confefs their faults, and are truly forry for their fins. This was not the cafe of Adam : his heart was not broken; and therefore he bys the fault of his difobedience upon his wife and God, and not upon himfelf; " The wo- man which thou gaveft to be with me, flie gave me of the tree, and I did eat."
Vcrfe
[ 13 ]
Verfc 13. *' And the Lord God fald, What is this that ihou haft done?" What a wonderlLrl concern does God ex- prefs in this expoftulation ! " What a deluge of mifery haft " thou brought upon thyfelf, thy hufband, and thy pofterity? *' What is this that thou haft done ? Difobeyed thy God, " obeyed the devil, and ruined thy hufband, for whom I " made thee to be an help-meet ! What is this that thou haft " done ?" God would here awaken her to a fenfe of her crime and danger, and therefore, as it were, thunders in her ears : for the law muft be preached to felf-righteous finners. We muft take care of healing before v*/e fee Tinners wounded, left we ftiould fay, Peace, peace, where there is no peace. Secure fmners muft hear the thunderings of mount S'mai^ be- fore we bring them to mount Sion. They who never preach up the law, it is to be feared, are unfkilful in delivering the glad tidings of the gofpel. Every minifter fhould be a Boa- nerges^ a fon of thunder, as well as a Barnabas^ a fon of con- folation. There was an earthquake and a whirlwind, before the fmall ftill voice came to Elijah : We muft firft fliew peo- ple they are condemned, and then fhew them how they muft be faved. But how and when to preach the law, and when to apply the promifcs of the gofpel, wifdom is profitable to direct. " And the Lord God faid unto the woman, What is this that thou haft done ?"
" And the woman faid. The ferpent beguiled me, and I did eat." She does not make ufe of fo many words to excufe iierfelf, as her hufband; but her heart is as unhumbled as his. What is this, fays God, that thou haft done? God here charges her with doing it. She dares not deny the fa6^, or lay, 1 have not done itj but (he takes all the blame oft" herfelf, and lays it upon the ferpent; " The ferpent beguiled me, and J did eat." She does not fay, " Lord, I was to " biame for talking with the ferpent; Lord, 1 did wron'>-, *' in not haftening to my hufband, when he put the flrft quef- " tion to me ; Lord, i plead guilty, I only am to blame, O " let not my poor hufband fufter for my wickednefs !" 'I'his would have been the language of her heart, had (he now been a true penitent. But both were now alike proud ; therefore neither will lay the blame upon themfelves : *' The ferpent beguiled me, and I did eat. The woman which thou gaveft to be with me, (lie gave me of the tree, and I did eat."
I have
[ u 3
I have been the more particular in remarking this part of their behaviour, becaufe it tends Co much to the magnifying of Free-grace, and plainly fhews us, that falvation cometh only from the Lord. Let us take a fliort view of the mifera- ble circumftances oui firfl parents were now in : They were legally and fpiritually dead, children of wrath, and heirs of hell. They had eaten the fruit, of which God had com- manded them, that they (hould not eat j and when arraigned before God, notwithftanding their crime was fo complicated, they could not be brought to confefs it. What reafon can be given, why fentence of death (hould not be pronounced againft the prifoners at the bar r All muft own they are wor- thy to die. Nay, how can God, confiftently with his juftice, poiHbly forgive them? He had threatened, that the day wherein they eat of the forbidden fruit, they fliould " furely die;" and, if he did not execute this threatening, the devil might then ilander the Almighty indeed. And yet mercy cries, fpare thefe fmners, fpare the work of thine own hands. Behold, then, wifdom contrives a fcheme how God may be juft, and yet be merciful ; be faithful to his threatening, punifh the offence, and at the fame time fpare the offender. An amazing fcene of divine love here opens to our view, which had been from all eternity hid in the heart of God ! Notwithftanding Adam and Eve were thus unhumbled, and did not fo much as put up one lingle petition for pardon, God immediately pafles fen- tence upon the ferpent, and reveals to them a Saviour.
Verfe 14. " And the Lord God faid unto the ferpent, becaufe thou haft done this, thou art accurfed above all cattle, and above every beaft of the field ; upon thy belly fhalt thou go, and duft ftialt thou eat all the days of thy life;" /. e. he ftiould be in fubjection, and his power fhould always be limited and rtftrained. " His enemies fhall lick the very duft," fays the Pfalmift. (Ver. 15.) " And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy feed and her feed : it fhall bruife thy head, and thcu ftialt bruife his heel."
Before I proceed to the explanation of this verfe, I cannot but take notice of one great miftake which the author of the JVhole Duty of Alan is guilty of, in making this verfe contain a covenant between GoD and Adam^ as though God now perfonally treated v/ith Adam^ as before the fall. For, talking
of
C '5 ]
of the fecond covenant in his preface, concerning caring for the foul, fays he, " This fecond covenant was made with *' Adavi^ and us in him, prefently after the fall, and is briefly *' contained in thefe words, Gen. iii. 15. where God declares, " ' The feed of the woman (hall break the ferpcnt's head ;* '*■ and this was made up, as the firft was, of fome mercies to *' be afforded by God, and fome duties to be performed by " us." This is exceeding falfe divinity : for thefe words ar6 not fpoken to Adam \ they are directed only to the ferpenC. Adam and Eve flood by as criminals, and God could not treat with them, becaufe they had broken his covenant. And it is fo far from being a covenant wherein " fome mercies are t6 " be afforded by God, and {oxti^ duties to be performed by us," that here is not a word looking that way ; it js only a declaration of a free gift of falvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. God the Father and God the Son had entered into a covenant concerning the falvation of the ele£l from all eternity, wherein God the Father promifed. That, if the Son would offer his foul a facrifice for fin, he (hould fee his feed. Now^this is an open revelation of this fecret covenant, and therefore God fpeaks in the moft pofitive terms, " It fliall bruife thy head, and thou (halt bruife his heel." The firft Adam^ God had treated with before; he proved falfc : God therefore, to fecure the fecond covenant from being broken, puts it into the hands of the fecond Adam^ the Lord from heaven. Adorn., after the fall, flood no longer as our rcprefen- tativc; he and Eve were only private perfons, as we are, and were only to lay hold on the declaration of mercy contained in this promife by faith, (as they really did) and by that they were faved. I do not fay but we are to believe and obey, if we are everlaftingly faved. Faith and obedience are condi- tions, if we only mean that they in order go before our falva- tion ; but I deny that thefe are propofed by God to Adam, of that God treats with him in this promife, as he did before the fall under the covenant of works. P'or how could that be, when Adam and Eve were now pri("oners at the bar, without ftrength to perform any conditions at all ? The truth is this : God, a§ a reward of Christ's fufferings, promiled to give the elect faith and repentance, in order to bring them to eter- nal life ; and both thri^j and every thing clfe ncccITary for
their
[ i6 ]
their everiafting happincis, are infallibly fecured to them in this promile ; as Mr. Bc/ion, an excellent" 6V(7/j divine, clearly flijws in a book entitled, " A view of the covenant of *' grace."
This is by no means an unneccfTary diRiniStion ; it is a mat- ter of great importance : for want of knowing this, people have been fo long mifled. They have been taught that they muil DO To and fo, as though they were iiiider a covenant of works, and then for doing this, they Ihould be faved. Whereas, on the contrary, people ftiould be taught. That the Lord Jesus was tnc fecond Adam^ with whom the Father entered into covenant for fidlen man; That they can now do nothing of or for themfelves, and fhouid therefore conie to God, befeeching him to give them faith, by which they iLall be enabl'^d to lay hold on the righteoufnefs of Christ ; and that faith tliey will then fliew forth by their works, out of love and gratitude to the ever-blefied Jesus, their moft glo- rious Redeemer, for what he has done for their fouls. This is a confiftcnt fcriptural fcheme : without holding this, we muil: run into one of thofc two bad extremes ; I mean, Anti- mmiamjm on the one haijd, or Anniniani[m on the other : from both which may the good Lord deliver us !
But to proceed : By the feed of the woman, we are here to underftand the Lord Jesus Christ, who, though very God of very Gcd, was, for us men and our falvation, to have a a body prepared for him by the Holy Ghoft, and to be born of a woman who never knew man, and by his obedience and death make an atonement for man's tranfgreffioii, and bring in an everlafting righicoufnefd, work in them a new nature, and thereby bruife the ferpent's head, u e. deifroy his power and dominion over them. By the ferpent's feed, we are to un- derftand the devil and all his children, who are permitted by God to tem.pt anduft his children. But, blelled be God, he czm reach no further than our heel.
It is not to be doubted but Adam and Eve underftood this promife in this fcnfe ; for it is plain, in the latter part of the chapter, faciiikes were inftituteJ. From whence (liould thofe fkins come, but from beafts flain for facrifice, of which God made them coats ? We find Abel^ as well as CaiUy offering facrifice in the next chapter : and the Apoftle tells us, he did
it
in]
k by faith j no doubt in this promife. And Evcy when Caht was born, faid, " I have gotten a man from the Lord ;'* oi^ (as Mr. Henry obfervcs, it may be rendered) '' I have gotten a man, — the Lord, — the prcmifed Mcflial)." Some further fuppofe^that Evs was thefirft believer; and therefore they tran- flate it thus, ** The feed, (not of the, but) of this woman ." which magnifies the grace of God fo much the more^ that (he, who was firft in the tranfgreflion, fliould be the firft partaker of redemption. Jdam behcved alio, and was faved : for unto j^dam and his wife did the Lord God make coats of fkins, and cloathed them : which was a remarkable type of their be- ing clothed with the righteoufncfs of our Lord Jesu3 Christ.
This promife was literally fulfilled in the perfon of our Lord Jesus Christ. Satan bruifed his heel, when he tempted him for forty days together in the wildcrnefs : he bruifed his heel, when he raifed up flrong perfecution againft hinri during the time of his public miniftry : he in an efpeciarman- ner bruifed his heel, when our Lord complained, that his foul was exceeding forrowful, even unto death, and he fweat great drops of blood falling upon the ground, in the garden : He bruifed his heel, when he put it into the heart of Judai to betray him : and he bruifed hiai yet mod of all, when his e-miflaries nailed him to an accurfed tree, and our Lord cried out, "My God, my God, why haft thou forfaken me?*' Yet, in all this, the blefTed Jesus, the feed of the woman, bruifed Satan's accurfed head : for, in that he was tempted, he was able to fuccour thofc that are tempted. By his ftripes we are healed. The chaftifcment of our peace v/as upon him. By dyings he deftroyed him that had the power of death, that is, the devil. He thereby fpoiled principalities and powers, and made a (hew of them openly, triumphing over them upon the crofs.
This promife has been fulfilled in the ele6l of God, confi- dered collecSlively, as well before, as fince the coming of our Lord in the flefh : for they may be called, the feed of the woman. Marvel not, that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus, muft fufFer perfecution. In this promife, there is an eternal enmity put between the feed of the woman, and the feed of the ferpent ; fo that thofe that are born after the flefb, cannot but perfecute thofe that are born after the fpirit. This
Vol. V. B enmity
4^
[ i8 ]
Ity fhevved itfclf, foon after this promlfe was revealed. In Cains bruifing the heel of Jbei : it continued in the church through all ages before Christ came in the flefh, as the hiltory of the Bible, and the xith chapter of the Hebrews, plainly fhevv. It raged exceedingly after our Lord's afcen- fion J witnefs the Jjls of the Apojlles^ and the Hiftory of the Primitive Chriftians. It nou' rages, and ^\\\ continue to rage and (hew itfelf, in a greater or lefs degree, to the end of time. But let not this difmay us ; for in all this, the feed of the wo- niaii is more thnn conqueror, and bruifcs the ferpent's head. Thus the Ifraeliies^ the more they vi'ere opprefTed, the more they increafed. Thus it. was with the Apoftles ; thus it was with their immediate followers. So that Teriuilia?t compares the church in his time to a mowed field ; the more frequently it is cut, the more it grows. The blood of the martyrs was always the feed of the church. And I have often fat down with wonder and delight, and admired how God has made the very fchemes which his enemies contrived, in order to hinder, become the moft efFeciual means to propagate his gofpel. The devil has had fo little fuccefs in perfecution, that if I did not know that he and his children, according to this verfe, could not but perfecute, I fliould think he v/ould count it his ftrenglh to fit f!:ill. What did he get by perfe- cuthig the martyrs in Queen Afary's time ? Was not the grace of God exceedingly glorified in their fupport ? What did he get by perfecuting the good old Puritans ? Did it not .^rove the peopling of Neiv-Engla7id? Or, to come nearer our ov/n times, what has he got by putting us out of the (y- nagogues ? Hath not the word of God, fmce that, mightily prevailed ? My dear hearers, you mufl excufe me for enlarg- ing on this head ; God fills my foul, generally, when I come to this topic. 1 can fay with Luther^ *' If it were not for per- *' fecution, I fnould not underftand the fcripture." If Satan fhould be yet fuftered tr- bruife my heel further, and his fcr- vants fhould thrufl me into prifon, I doubt not, but even that would only tend to the more cfFe£lual bruifing of his head. I remember a faying of the then Lord Chancellor to the pious Bradford : " Thou haft done more hurt, faid he, by thy ex- *' hortations in private in prifon, than thou didft in preaching *' before thou waft put in," or words to this eite£t. The pro- mife of the text is my daily fupport ; " I will put enmity be- tween
[ 19 3
tween thy feed and her feed j it (hall brulfe thy head, and thou (halt brulle his heel."
Further: this promife is alTo fulfilled, not only in the church in general, but in every individual believer in particu- lar. In every believer there are two feeds, the feed of ihe wo- man, and the feed cf the fcrpent ; the flt{h lufting againll: the fpirit, and the fpirit againft the flefli. It is with the believer, when quickened with grace in his heart, as it was with Re- bekahy when (lie had conceived Efaii and Jacob in her womb ; {he felt a ftruggling, and began to be uneafy ; '' If it be fo, fays fhe, why am I thus ?*' Thus grace and nature ftruggle (if I may io fpeak) in the womb of a believer's heart : but, as it was there faid, " The elder fiiall ferve the younger ;" fo it is here, — grace in the end fh;All get the better of nature j the it^^ of the woman fliall bruife the ferpent's head. Maiiy of you that have believed in Christ, perhaps may find feme par- ticular corruption yet ftrong, fo {Irong, that you are fometimes ready to cry out with Davldy " I Hiall fall one day by the hand of SauL'* But, fear not, the promife in the text infures the perfeverance and viclory of believers over fin, Satan, death, and hell. What if indwelling corruption does yet remain, and the feed of the ferpent bruife your heel, in vexing and di- fturbing your righteous fouls ? Fear not, though faint, yet pur- fue : you (hall yet bruife the ferpent's head. Christ hath died for you ; and yet a little while, and he will fend death to deflroy the very being of fin in you. Which brings me
To fliew the moft extenfive manner in which the promife of the text {hall be fulfilled, viz. at the final judgment, when the Lord Jesus fhall prefent the elecl to his Father, without fpot or wrinkle, or any fuch thing, glorified both in body and foul.
Then {hall the feed of the woman give the lad and fatal blov/, in bruifing the ferpent's head. Satan, the accufer of the brethren, and all his accurfed feed, fliall then be cuft out, and never fuffered to difturb the feed of the woman any more. Then (hall the righteous (hine as the fun in the kingdom of their Father, and fit with Christ on thrones in majcity on hiLih.
Let us, therefore, not be weary of well-doing ; for we fhaH reap an eternal harveft of comfort, if we faint not. Dare, dare, my dear brethren in CfiRisT, to follow the Captain of your falvation, who was made perfed through fufFerings. Th#
B 2 feed
[ 20 3
feed of the woman (hall bruife the ferpent's head. Fear not men. Be not too much call: down at the deceitfulneis of your hearts. Fear not devils ; you fhall get the victory even over them. The Lord Jesus has engaged to make you more than conquerors over all. Plead with your Saviour, plead : plead the promife in the text. Wreftle, wreftle with God in prayer. It it has been given you to believe, fear not if it fhould alfo be given you to fufFer. Be not any wife terrified by your adverfaries ; the king of the church has them all in a chain : be kind to them, pray for them ; but fear them not. The Lord will yet bring back his ark, though at prefent driven into the wildernefs ; and Satan like lightening fhall fall from heaven.
Are there any enemies of God here ? The promife of the text encourages me to bid you deiiance : the feed of the wo- man, the ever-bleffed Jesus, fhall bruife the ferpent's head. What fignifies all your malice ? You are only raging waves of the fea, foaming out your own fhame. For you, without repentance, is referved the blacknefs of darknefs for ever. The Lord Jesus fits in heaven, ruling over all, and caufing all things to work for his chlldrens good : he laughs you to fcorn : he hath you in the utmoil: derifion, and therefore fo will L Who are you that perfecute the children of the ever- bleffed God ? Though a poor {tripling, the Lord Jesu^^, the feed of the woman, will enable me to bruife your heads.
My brethren in Christ, I think I do not fpeak thus in my own ftrcngth, but in the firength of my F.edeemer. I know in whom 1 have believed j I am perfuaded he will keep that fafe, which I have committed unto him. He is faithful who hath promifcd, that the feed of the woman (hall bruife the fer* pent's head. May we all experience a daily completion of this promife, both in the church and in our hearts, till we come to the church of the firft-born, the fpirits of juft men made perfedt, in the prefence and adual fruition of the great God our heavenly Father !
To whom, with the Son, ar^J the Holy Ghoft, be afcribed all honour, power, might, majefty, and dominion, now and for evermore. Jmen,
SERMON
[ ai ]
SERMON ir.
Walking with GOD.
Genesis v. 24.
And Enoch walked with God, and he was not^ for God took him.
VARIOUS are the pleas and arguments, which men of corrupt minds frequently urge againfi: yielding obedi- ence to the juft and holy commands of God. But, perhaps, one of the mod common objedions that they make is this,- that our Lord's commands are not pradicable, becaufe con- trary to flsfli and blood ; and confequently, that he is " an hard mafter, reaping where he has not fown, and gathering where he has not flrewed." Thefe we £nd were the fenti- ments entertained by that wicked and flothful fervant men- tioned in the xxvth of St. Matthew ; and are undoubtedly the fame with many which are maintained in the prefent wicked and adulterous generation. The Holy Ghofl forefeeing this, bath taken care to infpire holy men of old, to record the ex- r.mples of many holy men and women ; who, even under the Old Tcftament difpenfation, were enabled chearfuliy to take Christ's yoke upon them, and counted his fervicc peife^ft freedom. The large catalogue of faints, confeflbrs, and mar- tyrs, drawn up in the xith chapter to the Hcbreivsy abun- dantly evidences the truth of this obfcrvation. What a great cloud of witnefles have we there prefented to our view ? All eminent for their faith, but fome Ihining with a greater degree of luftre than do ethers. The proto-martyr jlbe'^ leads the van. And next to him, we find Emch mentioned, not only becaufe he was next in order of time, but alfo on account of his exalted picry. He is fpoken of in the words of the text in a very extraordinary manner. We have hers
B 3 a n^or;
[ 22 ]
a fhort but very full and glorious account, both of his beha- viour in this world, and the triumphant manticr of his enter- ing into the next. The former is contained in thcfe words, " And EKcch walked vvi:h God." Thz latter In thefe, " and '* he was not : for God tot-k him." Me was not ; i. e. Pie was not found, he was not taken away in the common manner, he did not fee deaih ; for Heb, xi. 5. God had traiiflated him. Who ihis Enoch was, docs not appear fo plainly. To me, he Teems to h:ive been a perfon of public character. I fuppofe, like Nc:;by a preacher of righteoufnefs. And, if we may credit the ApoiWt yucle, he was a flaming preacher. For he quotes one of his prf)phccies, wherein he faith, " Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thoufand of his faints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them, of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard fpecches, which ungodly fmners have fpoken againft him." But whether a public or private perfon, he has a noble tefti- mony given him in the lively oracLs. The author of the epiftle to the Hebrews faith, that before his tranflation he had this teftimony, '' that he pleafed God;" and his being tran- ilated, was a proof of it beyond all doubt. And 1 would ob- ferve, that it was wonderful vi^ifdom in God to tranflate Enoch and Elijah under the Old Teftament difpenfation, that here- after when it Oiould be afierted, that the Lord Jesus was carried into heaven, it might not feem a thing altogether in- credible to the Jezvs \ fince they themfelvcs confefTed, that two cf their own prophets had been tranHatcd federal hun- dred years before. But it is not my dcfign to detain you any longer, by enlarging, or making ohfervations on Enoch'^ Ihort^ but comprehenfive character. The thing I have in view, being to give a difcourfe, as the Lord (hall enable, upon a weighty and a very important fubjefl ; I mean, ivalking ivitb God. " And Enoch walked with God." If fo much as this can be truly faid of ycu and me after cur deceafe, we fhall not have any reafon to complain, that we have lived in vain.
In handling my intended fubjef}, I fhall,
Fiyji^ Endeavour to fiiew, what is implied in thefe words, iva/kcd iviih QoD. '
Sccor.dh\
C 23 ]
Secondly^ I fhall prefcribe fome means, upon the due ob- fervance of which, beliL^vcrs may keep up and maintain their walk with God. And,
Thirdly^ Offer fome motives to ftir us up, if we never walked with God before, to come and walk with God now. The whole (hall be clofed with a v/ord or two of ap- plication.
Firji^ I am to fhcw what is implied in thefe words, " walked with God ;" or in other words, what we are to underftand by ivalking with God.
And Firji, Jyalki7ig with God, implies, that the prevail- ing power of the enmity of a perfon's heart, be taken away by the blefled Spirit of God. Perhaps it may feem a hard faying to fome, but our own experience daily proves, what the fcripture in many places afTert, that the carnal mind, the mind of the unconverted, natural man, nay, the mind of the regenerate, fo far as any part of him remains unrenevv'ed, is enmity, not only an enemy, but " enmity itfelf againft God ; " fo that it is not fubje6l to the law of God, neither indeed '' can it be." Indeed one may well wonder that any creature, efpecially that lovely creature man, made after his Maker's own image, fhould ever have any enmity, much lefs a pre- vailing enmity againft that very God in whom he lives, and moves, and hath his being. But alas I fo it is. Our firft parents contracted it v/hcn they fell from God by eating the forbidden fruit, and the bitter and malignant contagion of it, hath defcendeJ to, and quite overfpread their whole pofterity. This enmity difcovered itfelf, in Adam\ endeavouring to hide himftlf in the trees of the garden. When he heard the voice of the Lord God, inflead of running with an open heart, faying. Here am 1 ; alas ! he nov/ wanted no communion with God ; and ftill more difcovered his lately contracted enmity, by the excufe he made to the Moft High. " The woman, *' or this woman, thou gaveO: to be with me, fhe gave me of " the tree, and 1 did eat." By faying thus, he in effe£i: lays all the fault upon God ; as though he had faid, if thou hadft not given me this woman, I had not fmned againft thee, fo thou mayft thank thyfelf for my tranfgreffion. In the fame manner this enmity works in the hearts oi Adaiii^ children. I^hey now and again find fomething rifing againft Go», and
B 4 ' faying
[ 24 ]
f:^ylng even unto God, what docd thou? *' It fcorns any *^ meaner competitor (fays the learned Do(5lor Owen in his '' excellent treatife on indwelling fin) than God himfelf.'* Its command is like that of the Jjjyriam in refpect to Jbab, Shoot only at the Ki"g« And it flrilces agaii.ft every thing that has the appearance of real piety, as the Jj/fians fhot at yeholapkat in Ahub's cloathes. But the oppofition ceafes when it finds that it is only an appearance, as the Ajjjyrians left off {hooting at yehofaphat^ when they perceived it was not Jhab they were fliooting at. This enmity difcovcred itfelf in ac- curkd Cain-y he hated and flew his brother ^f/;^/, becaufe ^heHoved^ and was peculiarly favoured by his God. And this fame enmity rules and prevails in every man that is na- turally engendered of the offspring o\' Adam. Hence that averfenefs lo prayer and holy duties, which we find in chil- dren, and very often in grown peifons, who have notwith- ftanding been bleiTed with a religious education. And alj that open fin and wickedner?, which like a deluge has over- flowed the vvorld, are only fo many flreams running from this Jj^^^d^^Jj contagious fountain 5 I mean the enmity of man's defperately wicked and dcceiiful heart. He that can- not fet ]iis feal to this, kiiows nothing yet, in a faving man- ner, of the holy fcriptures, or of the power of God. And all that do know this, will readily acknowledge, that before a perfon can be faid to walk with God, the prevailing power of this heart-enmity muii be dcflroyed. For pcrfons do not life to walk and keep company together, who entertain an irreconcilable enmity ajid hatred againft one another. Ob- ferve me, I fay, the prevailing power of this enmity muft be taken away. For the inbeing of it will never be totally re- moved, till we bow down our heads and give up the ghoft. The apoftle Ptf«/, no doubt, fpeaks of himfclf, and that top not when he was a pharifce, but a real chriilian ; when he complains, " that when he would do good, evil was pre- fent with him ;" not having dominion over him, but op- pofing and refilling his good intentions and aiftions, '' fo that *' he could not do the things which he would," in that per- fecSlion which the new man defired. Tnis is what he calls fin dwelling in him. '* And this is that 'I>p3r'n/>cr/. ^a^v.ou which, *' (to ufe the words of the ninth article of our church J i ^^ fomc
t 25 ]
*'. rome do expound the wiTdom, fome fcnfuaVity, fomc th:; '* affectation, fomc the defirc of the flefli, which doth remain, *' yea, in them that are regenerated.'* But as for its prevail- ing power, it is dcllroyed in every foul thiU is truly born of God, and gradually more and more weakened as the be- liever grows in grace, and the fpirit of God gains a greater and greater afcendancy in the heart.
But Secondly, Walking with God not only implies, that the prevailing power of the enmity of a man's heart be taken away, but alfo that aperfon is actually reconciled to God the Father, in and through the all-fufficient righteoufncfs and atonement of his dear Son. *' Can two walk together, (fays *' Solcmon), unlefs they are agreed ?" Jr.sus is our peace, as well as our peace-maker. When we are juiiified by faith jn Christ, then, but not till then, we have peace with God ; and cojUequcntly cannot be faid till then, to walk with him. Walking with a perfon, being a fign and token that we are friends to that perfon, or at leaff, though we have been at variance, yet that now we are reconciled and become friends again. This is the great errand that gofpcl minifters aie fent out upon. To us is committed the miniitry of reconciliation : As ambalTadors for God, we are to befccch fmners, in Christ's (lead, to be reconciled unto God 3 and when they comply with the gracious invitation, and are actually by faith brought into a ftate of reconciliation with God, then, and not till then, may they be faid (0 much as to begin to walk with God.
Further, Thirdly, Walking with God implies, a fettled, ^biding communion and fellowfhip with God, or what in fcripture is called, " The Holy Ghoft dwelling in us." This is what our Lord promifed when he told his difciplcs, that " the Holy Spirit fliould be in, and with them j" not to be like a wayfaring-man, to (lay only for a night, but to refide and make his abode in their hearts. 7'his I am apt to be- lieve is what the Apoftle John would have us underftand, when he talks of a perfon abiding in him, in Christ, '* and f' walking as he himfclf alfo walked." And this is what is particularly meant in the words of our text. *' And Enoch " walked with God." i. e. He kept up and maintained a j]cly, fettled, habitual, though undoubtedly not altogether
unintcnupted
[ 26 ]
uninterrupted communion and fellowfliip with God, in and through Christ Jesus. So that to Turn up what has been laid on this part of ihe firfl general head, walk'Dig with God confifts efpecially in the fixed habitual bent of the will for God, in an habitual depcndancc upon his power and promife, in an habitual voluntary dedicaiion of our all to his glory, in an habitual eying of his precept in all we do, and in an habitual complacence in his pleafure in all we fufFer.
Fourthly^ IValk'ir.g zuith GoD implies, our making progrefs or advances in the divine life. fValkitig^ in the very firfl idea of the v.'orc, feems to fuppofe a progrefTive motion. A per- fon that vvalk-s, though he move fiawly, yet he goes forwards and does not continue in one place. And fo it is with thofe that walk with God. They go on, as the pfalmift fays, from ftrengrh to flrength ;" or, in the language of the Apoftle Pauly '' they pafs from glory to glory, even by the Spirit of the Lord." Indeed in one fenfe, the divine life admits of neither incrcafe nor dccreafe. When a foul is born of God, to all intents and purpofes he is a child of God, 2nd^ though he fliould live to the age of M^thufclah^ yet he vould then be only a child of God, afccr all. But in ano- ther fenfe, the divine life admi.s of decays and additions. Hence it is, that we find the people of God charged with backllidings, and lofing their firft love. And hence it is, that we hear of babes, young men and fathers in Christ ; and upon this account it is that the Apoftle exhorts Timothy^ *' to let his progrefs be made known to all men." And what is here requiicu q^ Timothy in particular; by St. Peter^ is en- joined all chridians in general, " But grow in grace, (fays he) iind in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.'* For the new creature increafes in fpiritual fta- ture ; and though a perfon can but be a new creature, yet there are fomc that are more conformed to the divine image than others, and will, after death, be admitted to a greater degree of blelTednefs. For want of obferving this diftind^ion, even fome gracious fouls that have better hearts than heads, (as well as men of corrupt minds, reprobates concerning the faith) have unawares run into downright Antinoni-ian princi- ples, denying all grov^ih of grace in a believer, or any marks of grace to ae laid down in the fcriptiues of truih. From
fuch
t 27 ]
fuch principle?, and more efpecialiy from practices naturally confequcnt on fuch principles, may the Lord of all Lord's deliver us 1
From what then ha^s been faid, we may now know what i^ implied in the words, " walked with God," viz. Our having the prevailing enmity of our hearts taken away by the power of the Spirit of God ; our being atSlually reconciled and united to him by faith in Jesus Christ ; our having and keeping up a fettled communion and feljowfhip with hirn ; and our making a daily progrefs in this fellowship, fo as to be conformed to the divine image more and more.
How this is done, or, in other words, by what means be- lievers keep up and maintain their walk with God, comes to be confidered under our fccond general head.
And, FirJ}^ Believers keep up and maintain their walk with God, by reading of his holy w^ord. " Search the fcriptures," fays our blcfled Lord, " for thefe are they that teftify of me." And the royal pfalmift tells us, " that God's word was a light unto his feet, and a lanthorn unto his paths ;" and he makes it one property of a good man, " that his de- light is in the law of the Lord, and that he exercifes him- lelf therein day and night." " Give thyfelf to reading," [hys Paul io Timothy) \ "And this book of the law, (fays God to Jofpua) fha'l not go out of thy mouth." For what- foever was written in afore time, was written for our learn- ing. And the word of GoD is profitable for reproof, correc- tion, and inflrudion in rightcoufnefs, and every way fufH- cient to make every true child of God thoroughly fur- niihed to every good work. If we once get above our Bibles, and ceafe making the written word of God our fole rule, both as to faith and pradice, we (hall foon lie open to all manner of delufion, and be in great danger of making Ihipwreck of faith and a good confcience. Our blefied Lord, though he had the Spirit of God without mcafure, yet always was governed by, and i ought the devil with, " It is written.** This the Apoflle calls the '• Sword of the Spirit." We may fay of It as David faid of Goliah's fword, " None like this." The fcriptures are called the lively oracles oF God : not only becaufe they are generally made ufe of to beget in us a new life, but aUb to keep up and increafe it i:i the foul. The Apoftle Peiefy in his 2d epiftle, prefers it even to feeing
CijIRIST
C 2S ]
Christ transfi^urcJ upon the mount. For after he had faid, chap. i. i8. " That the voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with Him in the holy mount;'* he adds, ^' We have alfo a more fure word oF prophecy ; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light fliining in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day-fbr arife in your hearts :" i. e. Till we (hake off thefe bodies, and fee Jesus face to face. Till then, we muft fee and converfe with him through the glafs of his word. We muft make his teftimonies our counfellors, and daily, with Mary', fit at Jesus feet, by faith hearing his word. We (liall then by happy experience find, that they are fpirit and life, meat iniJeed, and drink indeed to our fouls.
Secondly^ Believers kerp up and maintain their walk with God by fecret prayer. The fpirit of grace is always accom- panied with the fpirit of fupplication. It is the very breath of the new-creature, tliC fan of the divine life, whereby tliQ fpark of holy fire kindled in the foul by God, is not only kept in, but raifed into a flame. A neg]e(Si: of fecret prayer has been frequently an inlet to many (piritual difeafes, and has been attended with fatal confequences. Origin obferved, *■• That the day he offered incenfe to an idol, he wejit out of *' his clofet without making ufe of fecret prayer.'* It is one of the moft noble parts of the believer's fi:)iritual armour. " Praying always, fays the Apoftle, with all manner of fup- plication." " Watch and prny, fiiys our Lord, that ye enter not into temptation." And he fpake a parable, that his difciples fhould pray, and net faint. Not tha: our Lord would have us always upon our knees, or in our clofets, to the negledl of our other relative duties. But he means, that our fouls Hiould be kept in a prating- frame, (o that we might be able to fay, as a good man in Scotla:id once faid to his friends on his death-bed, " Could thefe curtains, or could " thefe walls fpeak, they would tell you what ivvect com- " muuion I have had with my God here." O prayer, prayer ! It brings and keeps God and man together. It raifes man up to God, and brings God down to m.an. If you would therefore, O believers, keep up your walk with God J pray, pray without ceafing. Be much in fecret, fet prayer. And when you are about the common bufinefs oflife.^
[ 29 ]
h6 much in ejaculatory prayer, and fend, from time to time, Ihort letters poft to heaven upon the wings of faith. They will reach the very heart of God, and return to you a'^aiu loaded with fpiritual blefTings*
Thirdly^ Holy and frequent meditation is another bleficd means of keeping up a believer's walk with God. " Prayer, *' reading, temptation, and meditation," fays Luther, " make *' a minider.'* And they alfo make, and perfedt a chriftian. Meditation to the foul, is the fame as digeftion to the body. Holy David found it fo, and therefore he v/as frequently em- ployed in meditation, even in the night feafon. We read alfo of Ifaacs going out into the fields to meditate in the evening ; or, as it is in the margin, to pray. For medita- tion is a kind of filent prayer, whereby the foul is frequently, as it were, carried out of itfelf to God, and in a degree made like unto thofe blclled Spirits, who by a kind of immediate intuition always behold the face of our heavenly Father. None but thofe happy fouls that have been accuftomed to, this divine employ, can tell what a blefled promoter of the divine life, meditation is. '' "VVhilft I was mufing, fays Da-^ vid, the fire kindled." And whilft the believer is mufin^ on the works and word of God ; efpecially that work of works, that wonder of wonders, that myftcry of godlinefi-', *' God manifefl in the flefli," the Lamb of God flain for the fms of the world : he frequently feels the -fire of divine love kindle, fo that he is obliged to fpeak with his tongue, and tell of the loving-kindnefs of the Lord to his foul. Be fre- quent therefore in meditation, all ye that defire to keep up and maintain a clofe and uniform walk with the mofl-high God.
Fourthly, Believers keep up their walk with God, by watching and noting his providential dealings with them. If we believe the fcriptures, we muft believe what our Lord hath declared therein, " That the very hairs of his difciples heads are all numbered j and that a fparrow does not fall to the ground, (cither to pick up a grain of corn, or when fnot by a fowler) without the knowledge of our heavenly Father." Every crofs has a call in it, and every particular difpenfation of divine providence, has fome particular end to anfwcr in thofe to whom it is fent. If it bs of an afflictive
nature.
t 30 ]
nature, God does thereby fay, " My fon, keep thyfelf from idols:" if profperou?, he does it as it were by a fmall, ftiil voice, fay, " My fon, give mc thy heart.'* If believers, there- fore, would keep up their walk with God, they muft from time to time hear what the Lord has to fay concerning them in the voice of his providence. Thus Vv^e find Abrahams fer- vant, when he went to fetch a wife for his mafter Ifaac^ eyed and watched the providence of God, and by that means found cut the perfon that was defigncd for his maftcr's wife. " For " a little hint from Providence," fays pious Bilhop Hall^ " is *' enough for faith to feed upon." And as I believe it will be one part of our happinefs in heaven, to take a view of, and look back upon, the various links of the golden chain which drew us there ; fo thofe that enjoy moft of heaven below, I believe, will be moft minute in remarking God's various deal- ings v^^ith them, in refpe£t to his providential difpenfations here on earth.
Fifthly^ In order to walk clofely with God, his children muft not only watch the motions of God's providence without them, but the motions alfo of his blefled Spirit in their hearts. '' As many as are the fons of God, are led by the Spirit of God," and give up thcmfelves to be guided by the Holy Ghoft, as a little child gives its hand to be led by a nurfe or parent. It is no doubt in this fenfe, that we are to be con- verted, and become like little children. And though it is the quinteffence of enthufiafm, to pretend to be guided by the Spirit without the written word ; yet it is every chriftian's bounden duty to be guided by the Spirit in conjunction with the written word of God. Watch, therefore, I pray you, O believers, the motions of God's blefled Spirit in your fouls, and always try the fuggeftions or imprelrions that you may at any time feel, by the unerring rule of God's moft holy word : and if they are not found to be agreeable to that, rejedt them as diabolical and delufive. By obferviiig this caution, you will fteer a middle courfe between the two dnngcrous extremes many of this generation are in danger of running into; I mean, enthufiafm^ on the one hand, and deifmy and downright infidelity^ on the other.
Sixthly^ They that would maintain a holy walk wnth God, muft walk with him in ordinances as well as providences, &c.
It
[ 31 ]
It is, therefore, recorded of 'Zachary and Eli%ahelh^ that *' They walked in all God's ordinances as well as command- ments, blamelefs." And all rightly informed chriftians, will Jook upon ordinances, not as beggarly elements, but as To many conduit- pipes, whereby the infinitely condefcending Je.~ hovab conveys his grace to their fouls. They will look upon them as childrens breavL and as their higheft privileges, Confequently they will be glad when they hear others fay, ^' Come, let us go up to the houfe of the Lord." I'hey will delight to vifit the place where God's honour dwelieth, and be very eager to embrace all opportunities to fhew forth the LoiiD Christ's death till he come.
Seventhly and i^iftly^ If you would walk with God, you will aflbciate and keep company with thofe that do walk with him, *' My delight, fays holy David^ is in them that do vxcel" in virtue. They were in his fight, the excellent ones of the earth. And the primitive chriftians, no coubr, kept up their vigour and firft love, by continuing in fenowfi"iip one with another. The Apoftle Paul knew this full well, and therefore exhorts the chriftians to fee to it, that they aid not forfake the afTembling of themfelves together. For how can one be warm alone ? And has not the wifeft of men told us, that, " as Iron fliarpeneth iron, fo doth the countenance of a man his friend ?" If we look, therefore, into church hiftory, or make a juft obfeivation of our own times, I believe we (hall find, that as the power of God prevails, chriftian focieties, and fel- low^ftiip meetings prevail proportionably. And as one decays, the other has infenfibly decayed and dvv'indled away at the fame time. So neceffary is it for thofe that would walk with God, and keep up the life of religion, to meet together as they have opportunity, in order to provoke one another to love and good works.
Proceed we now to the Third general thing propofed, To ofi-'er fome motives to excite all to come and walk with God.
And Fi^Jl, Walking with God, is a very honourable thing. This generally is a prevailing motive to perfons of all rank.'-, toftir them up to any important undertaking. O that it may have its due weight and influence with you, in refpedt to the matter now before us ! 1 fuppofe you would all think it a verv c high
[ 32 ] hlf»h honour to be admitted into an earthly prince's privy- council, to be trufted with his fecrets and to have his ear at all times, and at all fearons. It feems Hainan thought it lb, when he boaltcd, Eflh. v. ii, that befidcs his being '' ad- vanced above the princes and fervants of the king ; yta^ moreover, F.fihcr the Q^ieen did let no man come in with the King unto the banquet that ihe had prepared, butmyfelf; and to-morrow am I invited unto her alio with the King.*' And when afterwards a qucftion was put to this laine Haman^ chap. vi. 6. " What fliall be done unto the nsan whom the Kin^ deliohteth to honour?" he anfwered, ver. 8. " Let the royal apparel be brought which the king ufed to wear, and the horie that the king rideth upon, and the crown royal which is fet upon his head ; and let this apparel and horfe be delivered to the hand of one of the king's mod noble princes, that they may array the man withal v.'hom the King delights to honour, a4id bring him on horfebnck through the itreet of the city, and proclaim before him. Thus fliali it be done to the man whom the King delighteth to honour." This was all then, it fcems, that an ambitious Haman could afk, and the moft valuable thing that he thought A])ajuerus^ the greateft monarch upon earth, could give. But alas, Vv'hat is this ho^ nour in comparifon of that which the meaneft of thofe enjoy^ that walk with God ! Think ye it a fmall thing, Sirs, to have the fecret of the Lord of Lords with you, and to he called the friends of God ? and fuch honour have all God's ^ faints. '' The fecret of the Lord is with them that fear him :" and *' Henceforth, fays the blefled Jesus, call I you, jio longer fervants, but friends ; for the fervant knoweth not the will of his mafter." Whatever you may think of it, holy David was fo fenfible of the honour attending a v/alk witli God, that he declares, •'■ He had rather be a door-keeper \ti his houfe, than to dwell even in the tents of ungodlinefs." O that all were like-minded with him !
But, Secondly, As it is an honourable, fo it is a pleafirrg thino^ to walk with God. The wifeft of men has told us, that " Wifdcm's ways are ways of pleafantnefs, and all her paths peace." And I remember pious Mr. Henry ^ when he was juft about to expire,- faid to a friend, *' You have heard ** many mens dying Words, and thefe are mine ; A life fpent
. " *^in
t 33 ]
** in coinmunlon with God, is the plea/anteft life in thd *' world." I am fire I can fst to my f^jal that this is true. Indeed, I have been lifted under [esus's banner only for a fevV years ; but I have enjoyed inore folid pleafure in one modient's communion with my God, than 1 {}iouId or could have en- joyed in the v/ays of fin, thotigh I had continued to have went on in them for thoufands of years. And may J not ap- peal to all you that fear and walk with Got), for the truth of this .? Has not one day in the Lord's courts, been to you better than a thoufand ? In keeping God's Gommandments, have you not found a prefent and very great reward ? Has hot his word been fweeter to you than the honey, or the honey-comb ^ O what have you f^lt, when, yaccb-Vikey you have been \vreftling with your God ^ Has not Jesus often met you when meditating in the fields, and been tnade known to you over a;nd over again in breaking of bread.? Has riot the Holy Ghoft frequently fhed the divine Jove abroad in your hearts abundantly, and filled you witii joy unfpeakable, even joy that is full of glory ? I khovV you will anfvver all thefe queftions in the affirmative, arid freely ac- knowledge the yoke of ChrioT to be eafy, and his burden light ; or (to ufe the words of one of our coIle6ts) " That *' his fervice is perfe6^ freedorri." And what need we then any further motive to excite us to walk with Gob ?
But methiriks 1 hear fome aimong you fay, '^ How cati *' thefe things be ? For, if walking with GoD", as you fay, is " fuch an honourable and pleafant thing, whence is it, that the *' name of the people of this v/ay is caft out as evil, and every' *' where fpoken againft .? How comes it to pafs that they arc '' frequently aiHidied, tempted, deftitute, and tormented? 1$ *' this the honour, this the pleafure that you fpeak of?" I anfwer. Yes. Stop a while; be not over-hafty. Judge not according to appearance, bat judge righteous judgment, and all will te well. It is true, we acknovv'ledge the " people of '^ this way," as you, aind Pat^i before you, when a perfecutor^' called them, have their names caft out as evil, and are a fcc^ ivery where fpoken againft. But by whom ? Even by the Enemies of the moft high God. And do you thirtk it a dif- grace to be fpoken evil of by them ? BlefTed be God, we have not fo learnt Christ. Our royal Mafter has pro-
VoL. V. C npunced
42
[ 34 3
nounced thofe " blefled, who are perfecuted, and have all manncrK)f evil fpoken agalnft them falfly.'* He has con^manded them " to rejoice and be exceeding glad." For it is the pri- lege of their difciplefhip, and that their reward will be great in heaven. He himfelf was thus treated. And can there be a greater honour put upon a creature, than to be con- formed to the ever-blefled Son of God ? And further, it is equally true, that the people of this way are frequently ciHicSled, tempted, deftitute, and tormented. But what of all this ? Does this deftroy the pleafure of walking with God ? No, in no wife ; for thofe that walk with God, are enabled, through Christ ftrengthening them, to joy even in tribula- tion, and to rejoice when they fall into divers temptations. And 1 believe I may appeal to the experience of all true and clofe walkers with God, Whether or not their fufFering times, have not frequently been their fweeteft times, and that they enjoyed mod of God, when moft caft out] and defpifed by men ? This we find was the cafe of Christ's primitive fer- vants, when threatened by the Jewifi fanhedrim, and com- manded to preach no more in the name of Jesus; they re- joiced, that they were accounted worthy to fufFer fhame for the fake of Jesus. Paul and Silas fang praifes even in a dungeon ; and the face of Stephen^ that glorious proto-martyr of the chriftian church, (hone like the face of an angel. And Jesus is the fame now, as he was then, and takes care fo to fweeten fufferings and afflidions with his love, that his difci- ciples find, by happy experience, that as afflictions abound, confolations do much more abound. And therefore thefe ob- jedions, inftcad of deftroying, do only more enforce the mo- tives before urged to excite you to walk with God.
Bat fuppofing the obje6lions were juft, and walkers with
God Vv^ere as defpicable and unhappy as you would reprefent
•ihem to be; yet I have a third motive to offer, which, if
weighed in the balance of the fan£i:uary, will over-weigh all
.obje<Slions, viz. That there is a heaven at the end of this walk.
For, to ufe the words of pious Biiliop Bevericlgc^ " Though
.** the way be narrow, yet it is not long ; and though the gate
*' be ftraight, yet it opens into everlafting life." Enoch found
it fo. He walked with God on earth, and God took him to
fii down with him for ever in the kingdom of heaven. Not
that we are to expe£l to be taken away as he was : no ; I fup-
3 pofcd
f ^5 3
^ofe wefliall all Jle the common death of all men. But after death, the fpiiits of thofe who have walked with God, faall return to God that gave them ; and at the morning of the refurre(3:ion, foul and body fhall be for ever with the Lord. Their bodies (hall he fafhioned like unto Christ's glorious body, and their fouls filled with all the fulnefs of God. They fhall fit on thrones ; they fiiall judge angels. They fhall be enabled to fuftain an exceeding and eternal weight of glory, even that glory which Jesus Christ enjoyed with the Father before the world began. 0 gloriam quantam ei qualem^ fays the learned and pious Arnclt^ juft before he bowed down his head, and gave up the ghoft. The very thought of it is enough to make us " wiOi to leap our feventy years,'"' as good Dr. IVciits exprefles himfclf, and to make us break out into the earneft language of the royal Pfalmift, '^ .Vly foul is athirft for GoD, yea for the living God. When ihall I come to appear in the immediaie prefence of my GoD ?" I won- der not that a fenfe oi this, when under a more than ordinary irradiation and influx of divine life and love, caufes fome per- fons even to faint away, and for a time lofe the power of their fehfes. A lefs fight than this, even a fight of SoloniGn's glory, made iS/?j^^'s queen aftonifhed j and a ftill lefier fight than that, even a fight of Jofeph''^ waggons, made holy Jaccb to faint, and for a while, as it were, die away. Daniel^ when admitted to a diftant view of this excellent glory, fell down at the feet of the angel as one dead. And if a diftant view of |his glory be To excellent, what muft the actual pofiTefTion of icibe ? If the firft fruits are fo glorious, how infinitely muft the harveft exceed i:a glory ?
And now what fhall I, or indeed what can I well fay more, to excite you, even you that are yet flrangers to Christ, to come and walk with God ? If you love honour, pleafure, and a crown of glory, come, feek it where alone it can be found. Come, put ye on the Lord Jesus. Come, hafte ye away and walk with God, and make no longer provifioii for the fiefh, to fulfil the luft thereof. Stop, ftop, O finner ! turn ye, turn ye, O ye unconverted men ! for the end of that way you are now walking in, however right it miy fecm in your blinded eyes, will be death, even eternal defiruc- tion both of body and foul. Make no long tarrying, I fay : at your peii!. I charop yon, ftep not one ilep further on in
C 2 " your
[ 36 ]
your prelent walk. For how knoweft thou, O man, but the next Hep thou takeft may be into hell ? Death may feize thee, judgment find thee, and then the great gulph will be iixed between thee and endlefs glory, for ever and ever. O think of thefe things, all ye that are unwillinc: to come and walk with God. Lay them to heart. Shew yourfelves men, and in the ftrength of Jesus fay, Farewel luft of the flefh, 1 will no more walk with thee I Farewel luft of the eye, and pride of life ! Farewel carnal acquaintance, and enemies of the crofs, I will no more walk and be intimate with you [ Welcome Jesus, welcome thy word, welcome thy ordinance?, welcome thy Spirit, welcome thy people, I will henceforth walk with you. O that there may be in you fuch a mind ! God will fet his almighty flat to it, and feal it with the broad feal of heaven, even the fignet of his Holy ISpirit. Yes, he will, though you have been walking with, and following after, the devices and defires of your def- perately wicked hearts, ever fmce you have been born. '* I the high and lofty one," fays the great Jehovah, " that in- habiteth eternity, will dwell with the humble and contrite heart, even with the man that trembleth at my word.'* The blood, even the precious blood of Jesus Christ, if you come to the Father in and through him, fiiall cleanfe you from aU fin.
But the text leads mc to fpeak to you that are faints, as well as to you that are open or unconverted finners. I need not tell you that walking with God is not only honourable, but pleafant and profitable alfo : for ye know it by happy experience, and will find it more and more fo every day. Only give me leave to ftir up your pure minds by way of re- membrance, and to bcfecch you by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus, to take heed to yourfelves, and walk clofer with your God, than you have in days paft : for the nearer you walk with God, the more you will enjoy of Him vvhofe prefence is life, and be the better prepared for being placed at his right-hand, where are pleafures for evermore. O do not follow Jesus afar off! O be not fo formal, fo dead and ftupid in your attendance on holy ordinances ! Do not fo Ihamefully forfake the afiembling yourfelves together, or be fo niggardly, and fo indifferent about the things of God. Re- member
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member what Jr.sus fays of the church of Laodicpa^ *' Becaufe thou art neither hot nor cold, I will fpew thee out of my mouth." Think of the love of Jesus, and let that love con- ftrain you to keep near unto hiro ; and though yOu die for him, do not deny him, do not keep at a diftance from him ia any wife.
One word to my brethren in the miniftry that are here pre- fent, and I have done. You fee, my brethren, my heart is full ; I could almoft fay it is too big to fpeak, and yet too big^ to be filent, without dropping a word to you. For does not the text fpeak in a particular manner 'to thofe who have the honour of being ftiled the ambafladors of Christ, and ftewards of the myfteries of God f I obferved at the begin- ning of this difcourfe, that Enoch in all probability was a pub- lic perfon, and a flaming preacher. Though he be dead, does he not yet fpeak to us, to quicken our zeal, and make us more active in the fervice of our glorious and ever-blefled Matter I How did E7ioch preach ? How did Enoch walk with God, though he lived in a wicked and adulterous generation ? Let us then follow him, as he followed Jesus Christ, and ere long, where he is, there (hall we be alfo. He is now entered into his reft : yet a little while, and we (hall enter into ours, and that too much fooner than he did. He fojourned here below three hundred years ; but blefled be God, the days of man are now fhortened, and in a few days our work will be over. The Judge is before the door : he that cometh will come, and will not tarry : his reward is with him. And we fhall all (if we are zealous for the Lord of Hofts) ere long {hine as the flars in the firmament, in the kingdom of our heavenly Father, for ever and ever. To Him, the blefTed Jesus, and eternal Spirit, be all honour and glory, now, and to all eternity. Ameny and Amen^
C 3 S E R.
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SERMON IIL
Abrahams offering up his Son Ifaac.
Genesis xxii. 12.
And he faid^ Lay not thine Hand upon the Lad^ neither do thou any thing unto him ; for now I know that thou fcarefi God^ feeing thou haft not withheld thy Son^ thine only Son from me,
THE great Apoftle Pi::ul, in one of his cplftlcs, informs us, that " whatfoever was written aforetime was writ- ten for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the holy fcripture mioht have hope." And as without faith it is impoffible to pleafe God, or be accepted in Jesus, the Son of his love ; we may be affured, that whatever inftances of a more than common faith are recorded in the book of God, they were more immediately defigricd by the holy Spirit for our learning and imitation, upon whom the ends of the world are come. For this reafon, the author of the epiftle to the Hebreivs^ in the xith chapter, mentions fuch a noble catalofiuc of Old Teftament faints and martyrs, " who fub- dued kingdoms, wrought rightcoufnefs, flopped the mouths of Jions, isc. and are gone before us to inherit the promifes." A fufficient confutation, I think, of their error, who lightly efteem the Old Teftament faints, and would not have them mentioned to chriftians, as pcrfons whofe faith and patience we are called upon more immediately to follow. If this was true, the apoftle would never have produced fuch a cloud of witncilcs out of the Old Teftament, to excite the chriftians of the firft, and confequently purefl: age of the church, to continue ftcdfaft and unmioveablc in the profeftion of their faith. Amidft this catalogue of faints, methinks the patriarch Abraham fhines the brightcO', and differs frcm the others, as
ons
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one ftar differeth from another ftar in glory j for he fhonc with fuch diftinguiflied luftrc, that he was called the " friend of God," the " father of the f^iithful ;'* and thofe who bclicv e on Christ, are faid to be " fons and daughters of, and to *' be blefled with, faithful Abraham.'" Many trials of his faith did God fend this great and good man, after he had com- manded him to get out from his country, and from his kindred, unto a land which he fhould fhew him j but the laft was the moll fevere of all, I mean, that of ofi-ering up his only fon. This, by the divine aiTiftancc, I propofe to make the fubjecl of your prefent meditation, and, by way of con- clufion, to draw fome practical inferences, as God fhall enable me, from this inftru6tive ftory.
The facred penman begins the narrative thus; verfe i. " And it came to pafs, after thefe things, God did tempt Abraham." After thefe things, that is, after he had under- went many fevere trials before, after he was old, full of days, and might flatter himfelf perhaps that the troubles and toils of life were now finifhed ; " after thefe things, God did tempt Abraham" Chriftians, you know not what trials you may meet with before you die : notwithftanding you may have fufFered, and been tried much already, yet, it may be, a greater meafurc is fllll behind, which you are to nil up. " Be not high-minded, but fear." Our laft trials, in all probabi- lity, will be the greateft : and we can never fay our warfare is accomplifhed, or our trials finiflied, till we bow down our heads, and give up the gho{|-. " And it came to pafs, after thefe things, that God did tempt Abraham"
" God did tempt Abraham" But can the fcripture con- iradicSt itfelf ? Does not the apoftle James tell us, " that (jOD tempts no man;" and God does tempt no man to evil, or on purpofe to draw him into fm ; for, when a man is thus tempted, he is drawn away of his own heart's luft, and en- ticed. But in another fenfe, God may be faid to tempt, I mean, to try his fervants ; and in this fenfe we arc to under- fland that paflage of Matiheiu^ where we are told, that, " Jesus was led up by the Spirit (the good Spirit) into the vvildernefs, to be tempted of the devil." And our Lord, in that excellent form of prayer which he has been pleafed to give us, dQCS not require us to pray that we may not abfo- C 4 lutelv
t 40 ] iutely be led into temptation, but delivered from the evil ot it ; whente we may plainly infer, that God fees it fit fome- tinies to lead us into temptation, that is, to bring us into fuch circumftances as will try our fjith and other chriftian graces. In this fenfe we arc to underftand the expreffion before us; '* Got) did tempt or try /Ibrohan:,^'
How God was pl^afed to reveal his will at this time to his faithful fervanr, whether by the Shech'inab^ or divine appear- ance, or by a fmall ftill voice, as he ipolcc to Elijah^ or by a whifper, like that of the Spirit to Philips when he commanded him to go join himfelf to the eunuch's chariot, we are not told, nor is it material to enquire. It is enough that we are in- formed, God faid unto him, Abrabanr, and that Abraham knew it was the voice of God : for he faid, " Behold, here I am.** O what a holy familiarity (if 1 may fo fpeak) is there between God and thofe holy fouls that are united to him by faith in Christ Jesus ! God fays, Abraham \ zud Abraham faid (it fliould feem without the Icaft furpnze) Behold, here I am. Being reconciled to God by the death and obedience of Christ, which lie rejoiced in, and faw by faith afar ofF; he did not, like guilty ylda?n^ feek the trees of the garden to hide himfelf from, but takes pleaiure in converfing with God, and talketh with him, as a man talketh with his friend, O that CHRiST-lefs finners knew what it is to have fellowfhip with the Father and the Son ! They would envy the happinefs of faints, and count it all joy to be termed enthufialts and fools for Christ's fake.
But what does God fay to Abraham? Verfe 2. ** Take now thy fon, thine only fon Ijfaac^ whom thou loveft, and get thee into the land of Moriah^ and offer him there for a burnt- offering upon one of the mountains which I fhall tell thee of.?*
Every word deferves our particular obfervation. Whatever he >Yas to do, he mufl do it now, immediately, without con- ferring with ilefh and blood. But what muft he do ? " Take now thy fon.'- Had GoD faid, take now a firftling, or choiceft lamb or beal of thy fJock, and offer it up for a burnt-offer- ing, it would not have appeared fo ghaftly : but for God to /iiy, " take now thy fon, and offer him up for a burnt- offer- jjig,-' one would have imagined, was enough to fl^gger the
ftrongell
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f^rongeft faith. But this is not all : it muft not only be a fon, but *' thine only Ton IfaaCy whom thou loveft." If jt muft: be a fon, and not a beaft, that muft be offered, why will not I/hma£l doy the fon of the bond-woman ? No, it muft be his only fon, the heir of all, his Ifaac^ by interpretation laughter, the fon of his old age, in whom his foul delio^hted ** whom thou lovcfl," fays God, in whofe life his own was wrapped up : and this fon, this only fon, this Ifiac, the fon of his love, muft be taken now, even now, without delav and be offered up by his own father, for a burnt ofterin^^ upon one ef the mountains of the which God would tell him.
Well might the apoftle, fpeaking of this man of God, fay, that " againft hope he believed in hope, and, being ftroncr in faith, gave glory to GoD :" For, had he not l^en bleffed with faith which man never before had, he muft have refufed to comply with this fevere command. For how many aro-u- ments might nature fuggeft, to prove that fuch a command could never come from God, or to excufe himfclf from obev- ing it ? *' What ! (might the good man have faid) butcher ^' my own child ! it is contrary to the very law of nature: *' much more to butcher my dear fon Ifaac, in whofe feed ** God himfelf has affured me of a numerous pofterity. But •^' fuppofmg I could give up my own affedions, and be will- *' ing to part with him, though I love him fo dearly, yet, if *' I murder him, what will become of God's promife? Be- ." fides, I am now like a city built upon a hill ; I flijne as a *' light in the world, in the midft of a crooked and perverfe *' generation: How then fhall I caufe God's name to be blaf- " phemed, how (hall I become a by- word among the heathen, ** if they hear that I have committed a crime Vv'hich they ab- ^' hor ! But, above all, what will Sarah my wife fay ? How ^' can I ever return to her again, after I have imbrued my " hands in my dear child's blood? O that Gon would pardon ^' me in this thing, or take my life in tht; place of my fon's!" Thus, I fay, Abraham might have argued, and that too fecm- ingly with great reafon, againft complying with the divine command. But as before by faith he confidered not the dead- iiefs of Sarah's womb, when (he was paft age, but believed on him^ who faid, *' Sarah thy wift (hall bear thee a fon indeed;'* i fo
t A^ ]
fo now, being convinced that the fame God fpoke to and commanJed him to ofl'cr up that fon, and knowing that God was able to raife him from the dead, without delay he obeys the heavenly call.
O that unbelievers would learn of faithful Abraham^ and believe whatever is revealed from God, though they cannot fully comprehend it! Abraham knew God commanded him to offer up his fon, and therefore believed, notwithiVanding carnal reafoninor might fuggeft many objections. We have fufficient teilimony, that GoD has fpoken to us by his fon j why (hould ve not alfo believe, though many things in the New Tefta- n^.ent are above our rcafcn ? For, where reafon ends, faith beoins. And, however iniidels may ftile themfelves reai'mers, of all men they are the moft unreafonable: For, is it not con- trary to all re ijbn, to meafure an infinite by a finite under- ilanding, or think to find out the myfleries of godlinefs to perfection ?
But to return to the patriarch Jbrahsrn : We obferved be- fore what plaufible objections he might have made ; but he anfwered not a fingle word : no, without replying againft his Maker, we are told, verfe 3. that " Abraham rofe up early in the morning, and faddled his afs, and took two of his young men with him, and Ff^ac his fon, and clave the wood for the burnt-oficring, and rofe up and went unto the place of which God had told him."
From this verfe we may gather, that God fpoke to Abraham in a dream, or vifion of the night : For it is faid, he rofe up early. Perhaps it v/as near the fourth watch of the night, juft 'before break of day, when God faid. Take now thy fon; and Abraham rifes up early to do fo ; as I doubt not but he ufed to rife early to offer up his morning- facrificc of praife and thank fgiving. It is often remarked of people in the Old Teftamcnt, that they rofe early in the morning; and particu- larly of our Lord in the New, that he rofe a great while be- fore day to pray. The morning befriends devotion ; and, if people cannot ufe {o much felf- denial as to rife early to pray, 1 know not how they will be ^ible to die at a {take (if called to it) for Jesus Christ.
I'he humility as well as the piety of the patriarch is obferv- able : he faddKd his own afs (great men Ihuuld be humble ;)
and
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and to (hew his fincerity, though he took two of his young men with him, and Ifaac his Ton, yet he keeps his defii^n as a fccret from them all : nay, he docs not fo much as tclJ Sarah his wife : for he knew not but (he might be a fnare unto him in this affair ; and, as Rchehah afterwards, on another occa- fion, advifed ^acoh to flee, fo Sarah alio might perfuade Jfaac to hide him.felf ; or the young men, had they known of it, might have forced him away, as in after-ages the foldicrs ref- cucd "Jonathan out of the hands of Saul. ^Mi Abraham fought no fuch evafion, and therefore, like an Ifraeliu indeed, in whom there was no guile, he himfelf rcfolutely " clave the wood for the burnt-offering, rofe up and went unto the place of which God had told him." In the fecond verfc God commanded him to offer up his fon upon one of the mountains which he would tell him of. He commanded him to offer his fon up, but would not then directly tell him the place where : this was to keep him dependent and watching unto prayer: for there is nothing like being kept waiting upon GoD; and, if we do, affuredly GoD will reveal himfelf unto us yet further in his own time. Let us pra6tife what we know, follow pro- vidence fo far as we can fee already ; and what we know not, what we fee not as yet, let us only be found in the way of duty, and the Lord will reveal even that unto us. Abraham knew not dire<5tly where he was to offer up his fon j but he rifes up and fets forward, and behold now God fliews him : f' And he went to the place of which God had told him." Let us go and do likewife.
Verfe 4. *' Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and faw the place afar off.'*
So that the place, of which God had told him, was no lefs than three days journey diftant from the place where God firft appeared to him, and commanded him to take his fon. Was not this to try his faith, and to let him fee that what he did, was not mcerly from a fudden pang of devotion, but a matter of choice and deliberation ? But who can tell what the aged patriarch felt during thefe three days ? Strong as he was in faith, I am perfuaded his bowels often yearned over his dear fon Ijaac. Methinks I fee the good old man walking with his dear child in his hand, and now and then looking upon him, loving him, and then turning i'fide to weep. And per- haps,
[ 44 ]
haps, fometlmes he flays a little behind to pour out his heart before God, for he had no mortal to tell his cafe to. Then, methinks, I fee him join his fon and fervants again, and talk- ing to them of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, as they walked by the way. At length, ** on the third day, he lifts up his eyes, and faw the place afar off." And, to fhew that he was yet fincerely refolved to do whatfoever the Lord required of him, he even now will not difcover his defign to his fervants, but " i'aid, verfe 5. to his young men," (as we iliould fay to our worldly thoughts, when about to tread the courts of the Lord's houfe) " Abide you here with the afs ; and I and the lad will go up yonder and worfliip, and come again to you." This was a fufficient reafon for their flaying behind; and, it being their mafter's cuftom to go frequently to worfhip, they could have no fufpicion of what he was going about. And by Jbraham's faying, that he and the lad would come again, I am apt to think he believed God would raife him from the dead, if fo be he permitted him to offer his child up for a burnt-offering. However that be, he is yet refolved to obey God to the uttermoft ; and therefore,
Verfe 6. " Abraham took the wood of the burnt-offering, and laid it ups^n Jfaac his fon ; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and they went both of them together." Little did Ifaoc think that he was to be offered on that very wood which he was carrying upon his fhoulders ; and there- fore Ijaac innocently, and with a holy freedom (for good men ihould not keep their children at too great a diilance) " fpake unto Abraham his father, and faid, My father; and he (with equal affection and holy condefccnfion) faid, Here am I, my fon." And to fliew how careful Ahrahaiv had been (as all chriftian parents ought to be) to inftrudl his Ifaac how to facrifice to God, like a youth trained up in the way wherein he fliould go ; Jjaac faid, '* Behold the fire and the wood ; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering ?" How beautiful is early piety ! how amiable, to hear young people afk quefti- ons about facrificing to God in an acceptable way ! Ifaac knew very well that a lamb was wanting, and that a lamb was neceffary for a proper facrifice : " Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering r" Young men and maidens, learn of him.
Hitherto,
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Hitherto, it is plain, Ifaac knew nothing of his father's de- {yyn : but I believe, by what his father faid in anfwer to his quertion, that now was the time Abraham revealed it unto him.
Ver. 8. " And Abraham faid, My fon, God will provide himfelf a Lamb for a burnt-ofFering." Some think, that Abraham by faith faw the Lord Jesus afar off, and here fpakc prophetically of that Lamb of God already flain in decree, and hereafter to be a61:ual]y offered up for fmners* This was a lamb of God's providing indeed (we dared not have thought of it) to fatisfy his ownjuftice, and to render him juft in juftifying the ungodly. What is all our fire and wood, the belt preparation and performances we can make or prefent, unlefs God had provided himfelf this Lamb for a burnt-offering ? He could not away with them. The words will well bear this interpretation. But, whatever Abraham might intend, I cannot but think he here made an application, and acquainted his fon, of God's dealing with his foul ; and at length, with tears in his eyes, and the ut- nioft affeciion in his heart, cried out, " Thou art to be the lamb, my Son ;" God has commanded me to provide thee for a burnt-offering, and to offer thee upon the mountain which we are now afcending. And, as it appears from a fubfequent verfe, Ijaac^ convinced that it was the divine will, made no refinance at all : For it is faid, " They went both of them together ," and again, when we are told, that Abraham bound Ifaac^ we do not hear of his complaining, or endeavouring to efcape, which he might have done, be- ing (as fome think) near thirty years of age, and, it is plain, capable of carrying wood enough for a burnt-offering. But he was partaker of the like precious faith with his aged father, and therefore is as willing to be offered, as Abraham is to of- fer him : And " fo they went both of them together."
Ver. 9. At length '* they came to the place of which God had told Abraham. He built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Ijaac his fon, and laid him on the altar upon the wood.'*
And here let us paufe a while, and by faith take a view of the place, where the father has laid him. I doubt not but the blefl'ed angels hovered round the altar, and fang, *' Glory be to God in the higheft," for giving fuch faith to man.'
Come,
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Comp, all ye tender-hearted parents, who know what It Is to look over a dying child : fancy that you faw the altar ereded before you, and the wood laid in order, and the belove Ifaac bound upon it : fancy that you faw the aged pa- rent (landing by weeping. (For, why may we not fuppofe that Jhraha?n wept, fmce Jesus himfclf wept at the grave of Lazarus ?) O what pious, endearing exprefiions pafled now alternately between the father and the fon ! Jofephus re- cords a pathetic fpeech made by each, whether genuine I jcnow not : but methinks I fee the tears trickle down the Patriarch Abrahain\ checks ; and out of the abundance of the heart, he cries. Adieu, adieu, my fon ; the Lord gave thee to me, and the Lord calls thct away ; bleiled be the name of the Lord : adieu, my Ifaac^ my only fon, whom I love as my ovvn foul ; adieu, adieu. I fee IJaac at the fame time meekly refigning himfelf into his heavenly Father's hands, and praying to the mofl High to ftrengthen his earthly parent to ftrike the {troke. Bat why do I attempt to defcribe what either fon or father felt ? It is i^mpofiible : we may in- deed form fome faint idea of, but (hall never fully compre- hend it, till we come and fit down with them in the kingdom of heaven, and hear them tell the pleafing ftory over again. Haften, O Lord, that blefled time 1 O let thy kingdom jcome !
And now, the fatal blow is o-oins: to be Q;ivcn. "And Ahraham ftretched forth his hand, and took the knife to flay his fon.*' But do you not think he intended to turn away his head, when he gave the blow ? Nay, why may we not fuppofe he fometimes drew his hand in, after it was flretched out, willing to take another lait farewell of his beloved Ijaac^ 3nd defirous to defer it a little, though refolved at laft to ftrike home ? Be that as it v/ill, his arm is now ftretched out, the knife is in his hand, and he is about to put it to iiis dear fon's throat.
But fing, O heavens I and rejoice, O earth ! Man*s ex- tremity is God's ^opportunity : for behold, jufl as the knife, in all probability, was near his throat, ver. ii. " the angel of the Lord, (or rather the Lord of angels, Jesus Christ, the angel of the everlafting covenant) called unto Jiim, (probably in a very audible manner) from heaven, and faid, Abraha?n^ Abraham, (The vvoid is doubled,
to
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to engage his attention ; and perhaps tlie fudJennefs of the call made him draw back his hand, juft as he was o-oin"- to ftrike his fon.) And Abraham laid, Here am I.*'
" And he faid, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, nei:hcr do thou any thing unto him : for now know I that thou feareft God, feeing thou haft not withheld thy fon, thine only fon from me."
Here then it was that Abraham received his fon Ifaac from the dead in a figure. He was in efteft offered upon the altar, and God looked upon him as offered and given unto him. Now it was that Abrahamh faith, being tried, was found more precious than gold purified kszn times in the ^-z. Now as a reward of grace, though not of debt, for this fio-nal a(5l of obedience, by an oath, God gives and confirms the promife, *' that in his feed all the nations of the earth fhould be blefled," ver. 17, 18. With what comfort may we fuppofe the good old man and his fon went down from the mount, and returned unto the young men ! With what joy may we imagine he went home, and related all that had paflcd to Sarah ! And above ail, with what triumph is he now exult- ing in the paradife of God, and adoring rich, free, diAin- guifliing, clcvSling, everlafting love, which alone made him to difPcr from the reft of mankind, and rendered him worthy of that title which he will have fo long as the fun aiid the moon endure, " The Father of the 'faithful !"
But let us now draw our eyes from the creature, and do whTii Abraham^ if he was prefenr, would dircv^l to ; I mean, fix them on the Creator, God blefled for evermore.
I fee your hearts affeded, I fee vour eyes weep. (And in- deed, who can refrain weeping at the relation of fuch a ftory ?) But, behold, I fliew you a myftery, hid under the facrifice o^ Abraham's only fon, which, unlefs your hearts are hardned, muft caufe you to weep tears of love, and that plentifully too. I would willingly hope you even prevent me here, and are leady to fay, *' It is the love of GoD, in giving Jesus «' Christ to die for our fni^." Yes ; that is it. And yet perhaps you find your hearts, at the mentioning of this, not fo much af}e(5^ed. Let this convince you, that we are all fallen creatures, and that we do not love God or Christ as we ought to do ; for, if you 2i^mixQ Abraham offering up
his
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his IfaGc^ how much more ought you to extol, magnify and adore the love of God, who (o loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son Christ Jesus our Lord, *' that whofo- cver believeth on Him (hould not perifli, but have evcrlaff- ing life ?" May we not well cry out, Now know we, O Lord, that thou haft loved us, fince thou haft not withheld thy Son, thine only Son from us ? Abraham was God's creature (and God was Abrahams friend) and therefore un- der the highcft obligation to furrendcr up his Ijaac. But O ftupendlous love ! whilft we were his enemies, God fent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, tha^ he might become a curfe for us. O the freenefs, as well as the infinity, of the love of God our Father ! It is unfearch- able: I am loft in contemplating it; it is paft finding out. Think, O believers, think of the love of God, in giving Jesus Christ to be a propitiation for our fins. And when you hear how Abraham built an altar, and laid the wood in order, and bound Jfaac his fon, and laid him. on the altar upon the wood; think how your heavenly Father bound Jesus Christ his only Son, and offered him upon the altar of hiis juftice, and laid upon him the iniquities of us a'l. V/heti you read of Abraham's ftretching forth his hand to flay his Son, Think, O think, how God a£tually fuffered his Soil to be flain, that we might live for evermore. Do you read of 7/^^^ carrying the wood upon his (houlders, upon which he was to be oftered ? Let this lead you to mount Calvary (this very mount of Moriah where Ifaac was offered, as fome think) and take a view of the antitype Jesus Christ, the Son of God, bearing and ready to fink under the weight of that crofs, on which he was to hang for us. Do you admire Ifaac fo freely confenting to die, though a creature, and there- fore obliged to go when God called? O do not forget to admire infinitely more the dear Lord JesUs, that promifed feed, who willingly faid, *^ Lo, I come," though under no obligation fo to do, <' to do thy will," to obey and die for men, " O God !" Did you weep juft now, when I bid you fancy you faw the altar, and the wood laid in order, and Jfaac laid bound on the altar ? Look by faith, behold the bk-fted Jf.su:^, our all-glorious Emmanuel^ not bound, but j>ailcd on an accurffd tree : fee how he hangs crowned with
t 49 ] .
tfibrr.s, and had in derifion of all that arc round about hiriri: fee how the thorns pierce him, and how the blood in purple ftreams trickle down his ^ac^ed temples ! Kirk how th? Goii of nature groans ! See how he bows his head, and at length humanity gives up the ghoft ! Jjaac is favcd, biit JesUs, the Q/OD o^ Ij a ac, dies: A ram is offered up \\\ Ij one's room, but Jesus has no fubftitute ; Jesus mult bleed, Jesus muft die ; God the Father provided this Lamb for hirafelf from all eternity. He mud be offered in tirtie, or man muft be damned for evermore. And now, where are your tears ? Shall I fay, refrain your voice from weeping ? No i rather let me exhort you to look to him whom you have pierced, and mourn, as a woman mourneth for her firil-borrt : for we have been the betrayers, we have been the rhurderers of this Lord of glory ; and fhall we net bewail thofe fins, v/hich brought the blefled Je;sUs to the accurfed tree ? Having fo much done, fo much fuffered for us, fo much forgiven, fhall we not love rtiuch t O ! let us love Him with all our hearts, and mifids^ and ftrength^ and glorify him in our fouls and bodies, for they are his. Which leads me to a fecond inference I ftiall draw from the foregoing difcourfe.
From hence we may learn the nature of true, juftifying faith. Whoever underftands and preaches the truth, as it is in Jesus, muft acknowledge, that falvatlon is GcD*s free gift, and that we are faved, not by any or all the works of righteoufnefs which we have done or can do : no ; We cari neither wholly nor in part juftify ourfelves in the fight of God. The Lord Jesus Christ is our righteoufnefs ; and if we are accepted with God, it muft be only in and through the perfonal righteoufnefs, the a6live and paffive obedience^ of Jesus Christ his beloved Son. This righteotjfnefs muft be imputed, or counted over to us, and applied by faith to our hearts, or elfe we can in no wife be juftified ift God'^ fight ; and that very moment a finner is enabled to lay hold ort Christ's righteoufnefs by faith, he is freely juftified front all his fins, and fhall never enter into condemnation^ not- withftanding he was a fire-brand of hell before. Thus it was? that Abraham was juftified before he did any good vvork : he was enabled to believe on the Lord Christ ; it was ac- «ountedi to him for righteoufnefs ; that is, Christ's rightc-
VoL. V. I> oufneC?
43
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oufnefs was made over to him, and (o accounted his. This, this is gofpcl ; this is the only way of finding acceptance with God : good works have nothing to do with our juftiiication in his fight. We arejuftified by faith alone, as faith the article of our church •, agreeable to which the apoftle Paul fays, " By grace ye are iaved, through faith ; and that not of yourfelves ; it is the gift of God." Notwithftanding, o-ood works have their proper place: theyjuftify our faith, thouf^h not our perfons ; they follow it, and evidence our juftiftcation in the fight of men. Hence it is that the apoftle James ^(ks, was not y^/'r^^^w juftified by works? (alluding jio doubt to the ftcry on which we have been difcourfing) that is, did he not prove he was in a juftified ftate, becaufe his faith was productive of good works ? This declarative juftifi- cation in the fight of men, is what is direClly to be under- ftood in the words of the text j " Nov/ know I, fays God, that thou feareil me, fmce thou haft not withheld thy Son, thine only Son from me." Not but that God knew it be- fore J but this is fpoken in condefcenfion to our weak capa- cities, and plainly fhews, that his offering up his fon was accepted with God, as an evidence of the fincerity of his faith, and for this, was left on record to future ages. Hence then you may learn, whether you are bleffed with, and are fons and daughters of, faithful Abraham, You fay you believe ; you talk of free gr^ce and free juftification : you do well ; the devils alfo believe and tremble. But has the faith, which you pretend to, influenced your hearts, renewed your fouls, and, Wkt Abraham s^ worked by love? Are your affccSlions, like his, fet on things above ? Are you heavenly-minded, and like him, dcryou confefs yourfelves ftrangers and pilgrims on the earth ? In fhort, has your faith enabled you to overcome the world, and ftrengthned you to give up your Ifnacs^ your laughter, your mofl beloved lufts, friends, pUafures, and profits for God ? If fo, take the comfort of it ; for juftly may you fay, *' We know affuredly, that we do fear and love *' God, or rather are loved of him." But if you are only talking believers, have only a faith of the head, and never felt the power of it in your hearts, however you may bolfter yourfelves up, and fay, " We have Abraham for our father, *' or Christ is our Saviour j" uniefs you get a faith of the
heart,
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heart, a faith working by love, you fiiall never fit with Abraham^ Ifaac^ Jacobs or Jesus Christ, in the kingdom of heaven.
But I muft draw one more inference, and with that I fliill conclude.
Learn, O faints ! from what has been faid, to fit loofe to all your worldly comforts ; and (land ready prepared to part with every thing, when God fliall require it at your hand. Some of you perhaps may have friends, who are to you as your own fouls ; and others may have children, in whofe lives your own lives are bound up : all 1 believe have their Jfaacs, their particular delights of fome kind or other. La- bour, tor Christ's fake, labour, ye fons and daughters of Abraham^ to refign them daily in afreclion to God, that, when he (hall require you really to facrifice them, you may not confer with fiefh and blood, any more than the bleficd patri:uch now before us. And as for you that have been in any meakire tried like unto him, let his example encourage and comfort you. Remember, Abraham your father was tried fo before you : think, O think of the happinefs he now enjoys, and how he is incefiantly thanking God for tempt- ing and trying him u'hen here below. Look up often by the eye of faith, and {cq him fitting with his dearly beloved Jfaac in the world of fpirits. Remember, it will be but a little while, and you fhall fit with them alfo, and tell one another what God has done for your fouls. There I hope to fit with you, and hear this ftory of his offering up his Son from his own mouth, and to praif: the Lamb that fitteth upon the throne, for what he hath done for all our fouls, fpr ever and ever:.
D 2 SERMON
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SERMON IV,
The great Duty of Family-Religion.
Joshua xxiv. 15. As fcr 'me and my Hcufe^ ivs ijiill ferve the Lord,
THESE words contain the holy rcfolution of pious Jofljua^ who having in a molt: moving, afFe6lionate difcourfe recounted to the Ijraelites what great things Gon had done for them, in the verfe immediately preceding the text, comes to draw a proper inference from what he had been delivering ; and acquaints them, in the moft prefTing terms, that fmce God had been fo exceeding gracious unto them, they could do no lefs, than out o\' gratitude for fuch, uncommon favours and mercies, dedicate both themftlvcs and families to his fervice. *' Now therefore, feat the Lord, and ferve him in fmcerity and truth, and put away the GoDs which your fathers ferved on the other fide of the flood." And by the fame engaging motive docs the prophet Samuel afterwards enforce their obedience to the commandments of God, I Sam, xii. 24. " Only fear the Lord, and ferve him in truth, with all your heart ; for coniider how great things he hath done for you." But then, that they might not excufe themfelves (as too many might be apt to do) by his giving them a bad example, or think he was laying heavy burdens upon them, whillt he himfelf touched them not with one of his fingers, he tells them in the text, that whatever regard they might pay to the dodrine he had been preaching, yet he (as all miniflers ought to do) was refolved to live up to and pracSlife it himfelf: *' Chufe you therefore, whom you will ferve, whether tne Gods which your fathers forved, or the Gods of the Jmorites, in whofe land ye dwell : but as for me and my houfe, we will ferve the Lord."
A rcfo-
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A refolutlon tlii?, worthy o( JoJ/jua., and no lefs becoming, no lefs ncccflliry for every true fon o'ljofoua^ that is intrufted with the care and government of a family in our day : and, if it was ever feafonable for miniders to preach up, or people to put in \iv2.Ci\Q^ fnrnily-religiQn, it was never more fo than in the prefent age ; ilnce it is greatly to be feared, that out of thofe many houftiQlds that call themfelves chriftians, there are but kw that ferve God in their refpeflive families as they ought.
It is true indeed, vifit our churches, and you may perhaps fee fomething of they^rw of godlinefi fiill fubfifting amongft us ; but even that is fcarccly to be met with in private houfes. So that were the blefTcd angels to come, as in the patriarchal ae;e, and obfcrve our fpiritual oeconomy at home, would they not be tempted to fay as Abraham to Ahimllcch^ " Surely, the fear of God is not in this place ?" Gen. xx. 1 1.
How fuch a general neglect of family-religion firft began to overfpread the chriftian world, is difficult to determine. As for the primitive chrifliians, I am pofitive it was not fo with them : No, they had not fo learned Christ, as falfely to imagine religion was to be confined foltly to their aflem- blies for public worfhip ; but, on the contrary, behaved wiih fuch piety and exemplary holinefs in their private families, that St. PW often flyles their houfe a church : " Salute fuch a one, fays he, and the church which is in his houfe." And, I believe, we muft for ever defpair of feeing a primitive fpi- rit of piety revived in the woijd, till we are fo happy as to fee a revival of primitive family religion ; and perfons unanl- moufly refolving with good old Jojlma, in the words of the text, " As for me and my houfe, we will ferve the Lord."
From which words, I fhall beg leave to infift on thefe three things.
I. /^iV/?, That it is the duty of every governor of a family to take care, that not only he himfelf, but alfo that thofe committed to his charge, ^^ ferve the Lord."
IL Secondly., I (hall endeavour to (hew after what manner a governor and his houfhold ought to ferve the Lord. And,
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III. Thirdly^ I (hall ofFcr fomc motives, in order to excite all governors, with tlvjir refpeclive houflioltls, to ferve the Lord in the manner tliat (hall be recommended.
And FirJ}^ I am to fhevv that it is the duty of every gover- nor of a family to take care, that not only he himfclf, but alio that thofe commitied to his charge, fhould icrve the Lord,
And this will appear, if we confidcr that every governor of a family ought to look upon himfelf as obliged to act in three capacities : as a prophet, to inOrudl ; as a prieft, to pray for and with ; as a king, to govern, direft, and provide for them. It is true indeed, the Litter of thefe, their kingly office, they are not fo frequently deficient in, (nay in this they are generally too folicitous ;) but as for the two former, their prieftly and prophetic office, like Gallio^ they care for no fuch things. But however indifferent fome governors may be about it, they may be aflured, that God will require a due difcharge of thefe offices as their hands. For if, as the apoftle argues, " He that does not provide for his own houfe," in temporal things, " has denied the faith, and is worfe than an infidel ;" to what greater degree of apoftafy muft he have arrived, who takes no thought to provide for the fpiritual v/elfare of his family !
But farther, perfons are generally very liberal of their in- vectives againfi: the clergy, and think they juftly blame the conduct of that miniiler who does not take heed to and watch over the flock, of which the Holy Ghoft has made him over- feer : but may not every governor of a family, be in a lower degree liable to the fame cenfure, who takes no thought for thofe fouls that are committed to his charge ? For every houfe is as it were a little parifli, every governor (as was be- fore obferved) a prieft, every family a flock : and if any of them perifli through the governor's neglect, their blood will God require at their hands.
Was a minifter to difregard teaching his people publicly, and from houfe to houfe, and to excufe himfelf by faying, that he had enough to do to work out his own falvation with fear and trembling, without concerning himfelf with that of others j would you not be apt to think fuch a minifter, to
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be like the unjuft judge, " One that neither feared God, nor regarded man?*' And yet, odious as fuch a chara(5ler would be, it is no worfe than that governor of a family de- ferves, who thinks himfelf obliged only to fave his own foul, without paying any regard to the fouls of his houfhold. f^or (as was above hinted) every houfe is as it were a parifh, and every mafter is concerned to fecure, as much as in him lies, the fpiritual profperity of every one under his roof, as any mi- nifter whatever is obliged to look to the fpiritual welfare of every individual perfon under his charge.
What precedents men who negle^l their duty in this parti- cular, can plead for fuch omillion, I cannot tell. Doubtlcfs not the example of holy "Joh^ who was fo far from imagining that he had no concern, as governor of a family, with any one*s foul but his own, that the fcripture acquaints us, " When the days of his childrens feafting were gone about, that Job fent and fanclified them, and offered burnt-offerings, according to the number of them all ; for Job faid. It may be that my fons have fmned and curfed God in their hearts : thus did 'Job continually." Nor can they plead the pra6tice of good old Jojhua^ whom, in the text, we find as much concerned for his houfhold's welfare, as his own. Nor laftly, that of Cornelius^ who feared God, not only himfelf, but with all his houfe : and were chriftians but of the fame fpirit of yob^ Jojhua^ and the Gentile centurion, they would adl as Joby "Jojhua^ and Cornelius did.
But alas 1 if this be the cafe, and all governors of families ought not only to ferve the Lord themfelves, but likewife to fee that their refpedlive houfhoL's do fo too j what will then become of thofe who not only ntgk-6l ferving God thcmfelve?, but alfo make it tlieir bufmefs to ridicule and feoff at any of their houfe that do ? Who are not content with " not en- tering into the kingdom of heaven themfelves ; but thofe alfo that are willing to enter in, they hinder." Surely fuch men are fa£tors for the devil indeed. Surely their damnation flumber- eth not: for although God, in his good providence, may fuffer fuch ftumbling-blocks to be put in his childrens way, and fuffer their greateft enemies to be thofe of their own houfholds, for a trial of their fmcerity, and improvement of their faith j yet we cannot but pronounce a woe againft thofe
D 4 maljers
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fOnfters by, whom fuch oflenccs come. For If thofe that onl)^ ^ake cars of their own fouls, can fcarcely be faved, where will fuch monflious profanp and wicked governors appear?
But hoping there arc but fevy of this unhappy flamp, pro- peed we now to the
Second thing propqfcd ; To fhew after what manner a go- vernor and his houfholu ought to ferve the Lord.
I. And the fiiR thing I fhall mention, is, readhig the word (fGcD. This is a duty incumbent oil every private perfon. ^* Search the fcriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal ]ife," is a precept giv^n by our blefild LoRp indifferently to all : but much more fo, ought pvcry governor of a family to think it in a peculiar manner fpoken to himfelf, becaufe (as bath been already proved) he ought to look upon himfelf as a prophet, and therefore, agreeably to fuch a character, bound to inftr;j£t thofe under his charge in the knowledge of the \vord of God.
This we fin^ \v?,s the order God gave to his peculiar peo- ple ^^^7; for thus fpeaks his reprefentative Mofes^ Dent, vi, 6, '/. '' Thefe words," that is, the fcripture words, " which I command thee this day, fhall he in thy heart, and thou ihali tfacii them diligently ynto thy children," that is, as it is generally explained, feivants, as well as children, " and ilialt talk of them vvhen thou fitteil in thy houfc." P>om whence we may infer, that the only reafon, why h many negle61: to read the words of fcripture diligently to their children is, be- paufe the words of fcripture are not in their hearts : for if they were, put of the abundance of the heart their mouth would (peak.
Behdes, fervants as well as children, arc, for the generality, yery ignorant, and mere novices in the laws of God : and how fliall they know, unlefs fome one teach them I And what more proper to teach them by, than the lively oracles of God, !' which are able to make them vvifp unto falvation ?" And yvho more proper to inflrucl: them by thefe lively oracles, than parents aid rnafters, wno (as hath been more than once ob- ierved) arc as much concerned to feed them witl) fpifitual, a,s \VUh biodily bread, day by day.
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feut if thefe thirtgs be (o, what a miferahle condition at^e thofe unhappy governors in, who are lb far from ft^cdin,^ thofe committed to their care with the fincere milk of the word, to the intent they may grow thereby, that they neither fcarch the fcriptures themfelves, nor are careful to explain them to others ? Such families mull: be in a happy v/ay indeed to do their Mafter's will, who take fuch prodigious pains to know it ! Would not one imagiae that they had turned converts to the Church of R:me ; that they thought ignorance to be the mother of devotion ; and that thofe were to be condemned as heretics who read their Bibles ? And yet how few families are there amongft us, who do not act after this unfeemly jnanner ! But (hall I praife them in this ? I praife them not: Brethren, this thing ought not fo to be.
2. Pafs we on now to the fecond means whereby every go- vernor and his houHiold ought to ferve the Lord, family^ prayer.
This is a duty, though as much neg]c61ed, yet as abfolutely neceflary as the former. Reading is a good preparative for prayer, as prayer is an excellent means to render reading ef- fectual. And the reafon why every governor of a family (hould join both thefe exercifes together, is plain, becaufe a governor of a family cannot perform his prieftly office (which vve before ©bferved he is in fome degree invefted with) with- out performing this duty of family prayer.
We find it therefore remarked, when mention is made of Cain and JbeVs offering facrifices, that they brought them. But to whom did they bring them ? Why, in all probability, to their father Adam^ who, as prieft of the family, was to offer faerifice in their names. And fo ought every fpiritual fon of the fecond Adam^ who is entrufted with the care of an houf^ hold, to offer up the fpiritual facrifices of fupplications and thankfgivings, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ, in the prefence and name of all who wait upon, or eat meat at Ivs table.
Thus we read ourblelTed Lord behaved, when he tabernacled amongft us : for it is faid often, that he prayed with his twelve difciples, which was then his little family. And he jiimfelf has promifed a particular blcffmg to jo'nt fupplications : \S Whcrefuevcr two or three are gathered together in my
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name, there am I in the midft of them." And again, " If two or three are agreed touching any thing they Ihall afk, it fliall be given them." Add to this, that we are commanded by the Apoftle to ^^ pray always, with all manner of fuppli- cation," which doubtlefs includes family prayer. And holy JoJJma^ when he fet up the good rcfolution in the text, that he and his houfhold would ferve the Lord, certainly refolved to pray with his family, which is one of the befl teftimonics they could give of their ferving him.
Befides, there are no families but what have fome com- mon bleffings, of which they have been all partakers, to give thanks for ; fome common crofTes and afili6tions, which they are to pray againft ; fome common fms, which they are all to lam.ent and bewail : but how this can be done, without joining together in one common acSt of humiliation, fupplica- tion, and thankfgiving, is difficult to devife.
From all which confiderations put together, it is evident, that family prayer is a great and necellary duty ; and confe- quently, thofe governors that negledt it, are certainly without excufe. And it is much to be feared, if they live without fa- mily prayer, they live without God in the world.
And yet, fuch an hateful characler as this is, it is to be feared, that was God to fend out an angel to deilroy us, as he did once to deftroy the Egyptian firft-born, and withal give him a commifiion, as then, to fpafe no houfes but where they faw the blood of the lintel, fprinkled on the door-pofi, fo now, to let no families efcape, but thofe that called upon him in morning and evening prayer; few would remain unhurt by his avenging fword. Shall I term fuch families chriftians or hea- thens ? Doubtlefs they deferve not the name of chriftians; and heathens will rife up in judgment againft fuch profane families of this generation : for they had always their houfliold gods, whom they worfliipped, and whofe afliftance they frequently in- voked. And a pretty pafs thofe families furely are arrived at, who muft be fent to fchool to pagans. But will not the Lord be avenged on fuch profane houfholds as thefe ? Will he not pour out his fury upon thofs that call not upon his name ?
3. But it is time for me to haften to the third and laft means I fliall recommend, whereby every governor ought with his houfhold to ferve the Lord, catechizing and injlmf}-
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irjg their children and fervants, and bringing them up in the nurture and admonition ot the Lord.
That this, as well as the two lormcr, is a duty incumbent on every governor of an houfe, appears from that famous en- comium or commendation God gives o^ Jhraham : *' 1 know that he will command his children and his houfhold after him, to keep the way of the Lord, to do juftice and judgment." And indeed fcaice any thing is more frequt-ntly prcfTed upon us in holy writ, than this duty of catechifing. Thus, fays God in a paflage before cited, " Thou ihalt teach thefc words diligently unto thy children.'* And parents are com- manded in the New Tcftament, to "• breed up tneir children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord." The holy Pfalmift acquaints us, that one great end vi-hy God did fuch great v/onders for his people, was, '* to the intent that when they grew up, they {hould (hew their children, or fervants, the fame." And in Dcut. vi. at the 20th and following verfes, God ftri£lly commands his people to inftrucl their children in the true nature of the ceremonial worfhip, when they {hould enquire about it, as he fuppofed tney would do, in time to come. And if fervants and children were to be inflruded in the nature of Jewijh rites, much more ought they now to be initiated and grounded in the docStrines and firft prin- ciples of the gofpel of Christ : not only, becaufe it is a revelation, which has brought life and immortality to a fuller and clearer light, but alfo, becaufe many feducers are gone abroad into the world, who do their urmoft endeavour to de- ftroy not only the fupcr(lru6ture, but likewife to fap the very foundation of our moft holy religion.
Would then the prefent generation have their pofterity be true lovers and honourers of God s mafters and parents muft take Solof?ions good advice, and train up and catechife their refpedlive houfholds in the way wherein they (hould go.
I am aware but of one objection, that can, with any (hew of reafon, be urged againft what has been advanced ; which is, that fuch a procedure as this will take up too much time, and hinder families too long from their worldly bufmefs. But it is much to be queftioned, whether perfons that ftart fuch ?n objedion, are not of the fame hypocritical fpirit as the traitor Judasy who had indignation againit devout Mary^
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for being Co profufe of her ointment, in anointing our bleffed Lord, and afkcd why it might not be fold for two hundred pence, and given to the poor. For has God given us fo much time to woric for ourfelves, and (hall wc not allow fome fmall pittance of it, morning and evening, to be devoted to his more immediate worfhip and fcrvice ? Have not people read, that it is GuD who gives men power to get wealth, and therefore that the heft way to profper in the world, is to fe- cure his favour ? And has not our blefled Lord himfeif pro- mifcd, that if we feek firfl the kingdom of God and his riohteoufncfs, all outward neccflaries fhall be added unto us ?
Abraham^ no doubt, was a man of as great biifinefs as fuch objectors may be j but yet he would find time to command his houfhold to ferve the Lord. Nay, David was a king, and confequently had a great deal of buiinefs upon his hands; yet notwithftanding, he profefies that he would walk in his boufe with a perfect heart. And, to inftance but one more, holy yojhua was a perfon certainly engaged very much in temporal affairs y and yet he folemnly declares before all ijraely that as for him and his houfliold, they would ferve the Lord, And did perfons but redeem their time, 7i'=> Abraham^ Davidy or Jojhua did, they u'ould no longer eromplain, that family duties kept them too long from the bufinefs of the world.
III. But my Third and Laft general head, under which I was to offer feme motives, in order to excite all governors, with their refpei^ive houfholds, to ferve the Lord in the man- ner before recommended, I hope, will ferve inflead of athou- fand arguments, to prove the weaknefs and folly of any fuch obje£\ion.
I. And the fiift motive I fhall mention is the duty of ^rj//- iude^ which you that are governors of families owe to God. Your lot, every one muft confefs, is cait in a fair ground : providence hath given you a goodly heritage, above many of your fellow-creatures ; and therefore, out of a principle of gratitude, you ought to endeavour, as much as in you lies, to make every perfon of your refpedlive houiholds to call upon him as long as they live : not to mention, that the authority, with which GoD has inverted you as parents and governors of families, is a talent committed to your truftj and which you
C 6i ]
are bound to Improve to your Mailer's honour. In other things we find governors and parents can exercife lordfhip over their children and fervants readily, and frequently enough can fay to one, Go, and he goeth ; and to another. Come, and he cometh ; to a third, Do this, and he doeth it. And (hall this power be (o often employed in your own af- fair?, and never exerted in the things of God r Be aftonifhed, O heavens, at this I
Thus did not faithful Abraham ; no, God fays, that he knew Abraham would command his fervants and children after him. Thus did not Jojhua : no, he was refolved not only to walk with God himfelf, but to improve his authority in making all about him do fo too : '^ As for me and my houf- hold, we will ferve the Lord." Let us go and do likewife.
2. But Secondly^ If gratitude to God will not, methinks love and pity to your children fliould move you, with your rerpe<Siive families, to ferve the Lord.
Moft people exprefs a great fondnefs for their children : nay fo great, that very often their own lives are wrapped up in thofe of their offspring. " Can a woman forget her fucking child, that (he fhould not have compaffion on the fon of her womb r" fays God by his Prophet Ifaiah. He fpeaks of it as a monftrous thing, and fcarce credible ; but the words im- mediately following, affirm it to be poffible, " Yea, they may forget :" and experience alfo afTures us they may. Father and mother may both forfake their children : for what greater de- gree of forgetfulnefs can they exprefs towards them, than to negle<?t the improvement of their better part, and not bring them up in the knowledge and fear of God ?
It is true indeed, parents feldom forget to provide for their childrens bodies, (though, it is to be feared, fome men are (o far funk beneath the hearts that perifh, as to negle(Sl even that) but then how often do they forget, or rather, when do they remember, to fecure the falvation of their immortal fouls ? But is this their way of exprefiing their fondnefs for the fruit of their bodies ? Is this the beft teftimony they can give of their afteclion to the darlino; of their hearts ? Then was Da- lilah fond of Sawfon, when fhe delivered him up into the hands of the Philijnnes : then were thofe rufHans well attested to Daniel^ when they threw him into a den of lions.
I 3. But
[ 62 ]
3- But Thirdly, If neither gratitude to GcD, nor love and pity to your children, will prevail on you ; yet let a principle of common horipjly znd jujl Ice move you to fet up the holy refo- lution in the text.
This is a principle which all men would be thought to aifl upon. But certainly, if any may be truly cenfured for their jnjuftice, none can be more liable to fuch cenfure, than thofe who think themfelves injured if their I'crvants withdraw them- Iclves from their bodily work, and yet they in return take no care of their incflimable fouls. For is it juft that fcrvants Ihould Ipend their time and ftrength in their mafter's fervice, and mafters not at the faftie time give them what is juft and equal for their fervice ?
It is true, fome men may think they have done enough when they give unto their fervants food and raiment, and fay, *' Did not I bargain with thee for fo much a year?'* But if they give them no other reward than this, what do they lefs for their very beads ? But are not fervants better than they ? Doubtlefs they are : and however mafters may put ofF their convidions for the prefent, they will find a time will come, when they fiiall know they ought to have given them fome fpiritual as well as temporal wages ; and the cry of thofe that have mowed down their fields, will enter into the ears of the the Lord of Sabaoth.
4. But Fourthly, If neither gratitude to GoD, pity to chil- dren, nor a principle of common juftice to fervants, are fuffi- cient to balance all objedions ; yet let that darling, that pse- vailing motive of felf-intereji turn the fcale, and engage you -with your refpe6live hou(holds to ferve the Lord.
This weighs greatly with you in other matters : be then perfuaded to let it have a due and full influence on you irj this : and if it has, if you have but faith as a grain of muf- tard-feed, how can you avoid believing, that promoting fa- mily-religion, will be the beft means to promote your own temporal, as well as eternal welfare? For " Godlinefs has the promifeof the life that now is, as well as that which is to come."
Befides, you all, doubtlefs, wifh for honefl fervants, and pious children : and to have them prove otherwife, would beas great a grief to you, as it was to El'ijka to have a treacherous
[ 63 ]
Gchaz'i^ or David to be troubled with a rebellious Ahfalovu But how can ic be expected they Ihould learn their duty, ex- cept thofe fet over them, take care to teach it to them ? Is it not as reafonable to expert you fhould reap where you had not Town, or gather where you had not ftrawed ?
Did chriftianity, indeed, give any countenance to children and fervants to difregard their parents and mafters according to the ficfli, or reprefcnt their duty to them, as inconfiftent with their entire obedience to their father and mafter who is in heaven, there might then be Tome pretence to negle6t in- ftrucling them in the principles of fuch a religion. But fince the precepts of this pure and undefilcd religion, are all of them holy, juft, and good j and the more they are tauMu their duty to God, the better they will perform their duties to you ; methinks, to negled the improveijient of their fouls, out of a dread of fpending too much time in religious duties, is ailing quite contrary to your own intereft as well as duty.
5. Fifthly and Lajily^ If neither gratitude to God, love to yoj^r children, common juftice to your fervants, nor even that moft prevailing motive felf-intereft, will excite ; yet let a confideration of the terrors of the Lord perfuade you to put in practice the pious refolution in the text. Remember, the time-will come, and that perhaps very fhortly, when we muft all appear before the judgment-feat of Christ ; where we muft give a folemn and ftridl account how we have had our converfation, in our refpectlve families in this world. How will you endure to fee your children and fervants (who ought to be your joy and crown of rejoicing in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ) coming out as fo many fwift witnefles againil you ; cuifmg the father that begor them, the womb that bare them, the paps which they have fucked, and the day they ever entered into your houfes ? Think you not, the damnation which men mufi: endure for their own fms, will be fufficient, that they peed load themfelves with the ad- ditional guilt of being acceiTiiry to the damnation of others alfo ? O confider this, all ye that forget to ferve the Lord with your refpedlive houfholds, " left he pluck you away, and there be none to deliver you !"
But God forbid, brethren, that any fuch evil fhould befal
you : no, rather will I hope, that you have been in fome
5 . meafurc
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pieafure convinced by what has been faid of the great impor^ tance oi family-reugion ; and therefore are ready t'.> cry out in the U'ords imnicd.ately following the text, " God forbid that we (liould forlake the Lord ;" and again, ver. 21, " Nay, but we will (with our feveral houlholds) krvt the Lord."
And that there may be always fuch a heart in you^ let me exhort all governors of families, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, often to refledt on the ineftimable worth . of their own fouls, and the infinite ranfom, even the precious blood of Jesus Christ, which has been paid down for thenu Remember, I befeech you to remember, that you are fallen creatures ; that you are by nature loft and eftranged frorii God i and that you can never be reffored 10 your primitive happinels, till by being botn again of the Holy Ghoil, you arrive at your primitive {late of purity, have the miage of God reftamped upon your fouls, and are thereby made meet to be partakers of the inheritance with the famts in light. Do, I fay, but ferioufly and frequently refle6t on, and a6t as perions that believe fuch important truths, and you will no more ne- ple6t your family's fpiritual welfare than your own. No, the love of God, which will then be fhed abroad in your iiearts, will conftrain you to do your utmoil to preferve them : and the deep fenfc of God's free grace in Christ Jesus, (which vou will then have) in calling you, will excite you to do \'our utmoft to fave others, efpecially thofe of your own houf- hold. And though, after all your pious endeavours, fome may continue unreformtd ; yet you will have this comfortable refiecfion to make, that you did what you could to make your families religious : and therefore may reft afTured of fitting down in the kingdom of heaven, with Abraham^ JoJIma^ and Cornelius^ and all the godly houfnolders, who in their feveraj oenerations fhone forth as fo many lights in their rcfpedtive houlholds upon earth. Jmen^
SERMON
SERMON V.
Christ the beft Hufband : Or an earneft In-i vitation to Young Women to come and fe^ Christ.
Preached to a Society of Young Women, in
FelieT'Lcne,
P S A L M Xlv. lO, II.
Hearken, O Bazigh^er^ and coifider, 'and incline thine Ear : Forget alfo thine (rxn People, and thy Fathefs Houfe : So Jhall the King greatly defire thy Beatity | for he is thy Lord, and ijvorjhip thou him.
THIS pfalm Is calltd the fong of loves, the mofr pure and fpiritual, the m^ ft dear and delightful loves ; namely^ thole which are between Christ the beloved, and his church, which is his fpoufe; wherein is id foitli, firft, the Lord Jesus Christ in regard of his miijefi'y, power, and divinity, his truth, meeknefs and equity : Arfd then the fpoufe is fet forth, in regard of her ornaments, companions, attendants and pof- terlty; and both in regard of their comelinefs and beauty; After the defcription of Christ, an invitation to his efpou- fals, is given the children of men, called by the name of daughter; and therefore, particularly applicable linto you, my dear fifters, as being the daughters of men, yet not io as cxr tluding the fons of riien.
I fijall now, therefore, confider the words, ^s fpoken to yoU in particular, and containing this dodlrine ;
That the Lord Jesus Christ doth invite the daughter$ bf men to be his fpoufe; and is exceeding defirous of their l^eauty ; who, forgetting their people and father's houfe, doi
Vol. V. E hearken^
43
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hearken, confider and incline to his invitation, and join tbem- {elves to him in this relation.
I {hall ftiew,
I. How Christ doth efpoufe himfelf unto the children, but, more efpecially, unto the daughters of men.
The Lord Jesus Christ, doth efpoufe himfelf unto the children of men, in this world) but the public folemnization of the marriage, is refcrved until the laft day ; when his fpoufe ihall be brought forth to him, in white robes, and a raiment of perfc£l righteoufnefs, more rich and curious, my dear fiflers, than any of your needle-work ; and the marriage feall will be kept in his Father's houfe. In heaven, where they fnall be received into the neareft and clofeft embraces of his love* The marriage knot is tied here, in which are included four things :
F/;y?, Mutual Choice,
Secondly^ Mutual AEr£tion.
nirdly^ Mutual Union.
Fourthly^ Mutual Obligation.
jp/r/?. My dear fillers, there is a mutual choice^ which is not only in Christ, as Mediator, but alfo by Christ as the eternal Son of God, yea, God himfelf j notwithftanding all that the polite Avians and Soc'inians fay to the contrary. The Lord Jesus Christ, my dear fifteis, doth chufe you merely by his free grace ; it is freely of his own mercy, that he brings you into the marriage covenant : You, who have fo grievoufly offended him, yet, the Lord Jesus Christ hath chofen you; you did not, you would not have chofen him ; but when once, my dear fitters, he hath chofen you, then, and not till then, you make choice of him for your Lord and Hufband.
The Lord Jesus Christ when he firft comes to you, finds you full of fm and pollution ; you are deformed, defiled, cnflaved, poor, mifcrable and wretched, very defpicable and loathfome, by reafon of fm ; and he maketh choice of you, not becaiife of your holinefs, nor of your beauty, nor of your being qualified tor them; no, the Lord Jesus Christ puts thofe qualifications upon you, as may make you meet for his rnjhrace : and vou are drawn to make choice of this Lord Jesvjs Christ becaufe he firft chofe you.
2 Secondly^
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SfCjridly, In this efpoufal of your's, my dear fiftcr?, there is a mutual uffctTion ; this dorh accompany the choice. Your heartg are drawn out after Christ ; your fouls pant and Jong for him ; you cannot be at reft until you are engaged to this Jesus : You are ready to cry out continually, none but Christ, none but Christ : this is the language of your hearts, if you are truly fenfible of your need of him. The more acquaintance you have of this Lord Jesus, the more pleafed you are with your choice, and the more your affec- tions are drawn towards him. And where can you place your affe(5lions better than upon that Jesus who fh^d his blood for your fakes ? Surely he deferves both your loves and afTedions: Go on, go on, my dear fillers, that your affedions may grow (Ironger and ftronger.
Thirdly^ There is not oi.ly mutual choice, and mntual af- fection, hwiWV^w'xit mutual Union : And here doth the mar- riage lie chiefly, in this union j Christ and fouls are con- traded, and the knot is tied fo faft, that neither men on earthy how great foever they be, nor devils in hell, though they Ihould combine all their wrath and rage together, ftill they cannot diffolve, they cannot untie it^ nOj my dear fifters, it is indiffolvable, for the union is, by the fpirit, on Christ's part, and by faith on your's : By the fpirit, Christ doih lay hold on you j and by faith, you do lay hold on him ; and thus the match is made j Christ becomes your*s, his perfon^ portion, and ail his benehts are your's j and you become Christ's, your perfons, your hearts, and all that you hav^ is refigned up unto him \ and O that they may be fo more and more.
Fourthly^ There is a mutual OhVigc.tion between Ct^RisT and his fpoufe. Chi^ist obliges himfelf to love you herci he will nor, indeed he never will leave you, he will protect you frcm the malice of the Pharijees of this generation, he will provide for you in all difficulties j he will live with you here, and at kift he will take you to himfelf, to live with htm for ever. And you are engaged to him to be loving, loyal, faithful, obedient ; and you are to flick clofe to him as long as ymi live j and then you will find yourfelves to be married to the beft advantage, both for foul and body, for lime and fgr eterr.ity.
E 7r II. Chri- T
* f 68 1
11. Christ doth Invite all of you to be his fpoufe;
And it is on this account that he fends forth his miniflerS to preach. It is this, that makes me thus come among you; that you would accept of this invitation, to which, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I do call and intreat you to take him, on his ov/n terms. He calls all of you, my fiijers, whether elder or younger, whether married or unmar- ried, of higher degree, or of the mcanell quality, the pooreft fervants, yea, the rabble of this world, as the world calls you, who are willing to be efpoufed unto the Lord Jesus Chr-Ist. I fay, the poor are as welcome to be Christ's fpoufe as thofe that are rich. He regardeth not the rich more than the poor: he chofe a mean virgin, efpoufed to a carpenter, to be his mother} and he chufeth and calleth all fuch to be his fpoufe; then be not difcouraged at your being defpifed in the world ; for if you are but loved by Christ, and efpoufed to him, it will be an over-fuiHciency for all the trouble that you have met with here.
IIL Thofe who would be efpoufed unto Christ, muft
hearken, confider, and incline to his invitation, and forget even their father's houfe.
Such as .would be efpoufed unto Christ muil hearken. " Hearken, O daughter." Many amongft you, my fillers, {lop their ears againft the calls of the gofpel ; they {hut their cars like the deaf adder, which will not hearken unto the voice of the charmer, though he charm never fo wifely. Yoti will not hearken unto the invitations of Christ; you can hearken unto the vanities of the world, and be delighted with the efpoufals of the world, but never think, or are delighted with the efpoufals of Christ.
It was by the ear, that the temptation of fm was received by the firft man, when he departed from God ; and by the ear, the invitation to be Christ's fpoufe muft be received, before the heart will be opened to receive Jesus Christ in this conjugal relation.
If you would, my dear fifcers, be efpoufed to Christ, you muft confider Christ's invitation. It is not a ilight or bartf hearing of Christ's invitation, which will be of any fervicc
to
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to you, or make up the match between Christ and your fouls; no, you muft receive Christ in the heart; you muft confider the thing itfelf, the advantages Of it, the difference between Christ's invitations and the deviPs temptations, or any of the world's proflers.
Thofe who would be efpoufcd to Christ, mud be inclined to accept of Christ's invitation. *' Hearken, O daughter, cOnfider and incline thine ear." This is to incline vour hearts: You mud: con fen t with you v/ills ; there muft be a compliance to the motion of Christ, and you muft: have de- fires after Christ, and then your hearts v/ill fay, ' Lord, let us be thy fpoufe, and be thou our beloved.'
You muft likewife forget your father's houfe. *< Hearken, O daughter, and confider, and forget thy father's houfe." You are not here to caft off all affections unto natural rela- tions ; but you muft forget all relations, fo as to be ready to forego all their favour, when it ftandeth in competition with that of the Lord Jesus Christ ; and do not let your carnal friends and relations hinder you from clofing with, and efpouf- ing the Lord Jesus. I earneftly befeech you to fufFer the lofs of any thing, rather than to lofe his favours ; you muft indeed forget your ov/n people, that is, you muft forget all your evil cuftoms which you have learned in your father's houfe, and forfake all your vain converfation, your reading of plays, novels, or romances; and you muft keep from learning to fmg the fongs of the drunkard; for Christ, if you are his fpoufe, hath redeemed you.
Such of you, my dear iifters, as are efpoufed to the Lord Jesus Christ are very beautiful. I do not mean in refpect of your bodies ; you may have lefs of external comelinefs than others, in refpe6l of your bodies, but as to your fouls you will exceed in beauty, not fo much in the eyes of man, as in the eyes of God 5 fuch have the moft beautiful image of God ftamped upon them ; none in the vi^orld, befide them, have the Icaft fpark of fpiritual beauty. Such as are not married to Christ, are unregcnerated, they are not born again, nor brought from fin unto God, which muft be done before you be efpoufed to Christ.
And the Lord Jesus Christ defu*eth to fee this beauty in his fpoufe, for he cries out, " O my dove, thou art in the
E 3 clefts
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clefts of the rock, In the fecret places of the flairs, let me fee thy countenance, let me hear thy voice, for fvvcct is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely.'* Fie calleth his fpoufe his love, being the dear obje6c of his love ; and he admircth her lovelinefs; he repeats it twice in one verfe, " Behold thou art fair, my love, behold thou art fair." Thus you fee he dc- fcribcs their beauty. And then, my fifters, v/e have a v;on- derful exprelTion of Christ to his fpoufe, '' Thou haft ra- vifhed my heart, my fifler, my fpoufe, thou haft ravifhed my heart w^ith one of thine eyes, with one chain of thy neck.'* Thus you fee how pleafed the Lord Jesus Christ is with his fpoufe; and will not you, therefore, be efpoufed unto the Lord Jesus ? I offer Jesus Christ to all of you ; if yoa have been never fo notorious for fin, if you have bfeen as great a harlot as ]\dary Magdalen was, when once you arc efpoufed to Christ, you (hall be forgiven. Therefore be notdifcou- raged, at whatever fxights and contempts the world may pafs upon you, but come and join youifelves to the Lord Jesus Christ, and all your fins ihall be wafned away in his blood; and when once you are efpoufed to JesuS, you are disjoined from fin, you are born again. You ate now, as it were, efpoufed unto fin ; fiiv is your hufband, amJ you are too fond of it, but when once you are married fo Christ, when you are born again, then you may be faid to die unto fin ; but till then, fin liveih in your afft<Stion3 ; therefore, my fif- ters, give fin its death-w^ound in your hearts j you have been called by the word time after time, and it has had no effect iipon you J but when you are efpoufed unto the Lord Jesus Christ, then you will be brought to him by his Spirit : You will then lay hold on him by faith, his Spirit will draw you unto himfelfj he will make you to be willing in the day of his power J he will give you fi-.ith in him. Faith is the hand of the foul which layeth hold on Christ ; therefore, do not reft contented till you have this grace of faith wrought in you with power; do not be contented till you have received the Lord Jesus Christ.
Embrace Christ in the arms of your deareft love; then you love the Lord Jesus Christ with fmcerity, when you love and eftcem him before fai her, mother, or all the delights and pleafures of thb lifci ^^"^ ^^ you do delight in aiiv thing
that
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that this world can produce, more than in the Lord Jfses Christ, you have no true love to him.
If you are efpoufed to Christ, you have acquaintance and converfe with him ; you will endeavour to promote his in- tercft, and advance his name in the world ; when others are going to the polite and fafliionablc diverfions of lire, you will be labouring to bring honour to the Lord Jesus Christ; you will commend your beloved above all other beloveds, and endeavour to bring others into love to him. Can you, my dear fitters, who are now aflembled to worfliip God, (hew fuch evidence of your efpoufals unto the Lord Jesus Christ? O ! how joyful, how comfortable an eftate is this ! Surely this is a marriage worth fceking after; this is the only defirable marriage, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the only lover that is worth feeking after.
Now, my dear fiU.TS, I (hall fpeak a few words to thofe of yon who have not yet efpoufed yourfelves to the Lord Je^us, It is a great fin, and furely you highly affront the Lord that bought you. It is likewife your folly to refufe and negledl the gracious proffers of being the fpoufe of Christ; hereby you forfeit all that love which he would beftow upon you ; hereby you chufe rags before robes, drols before gold, pebbles before jewels, guilt before a pardon, wounds before healing, defile- ment before cleanfing, deformity before comelinefs, trouble before peace, flavery before liberty, the fervice of the devil before the fervice of Christ. Hereby you chufe diflionour before a crown, death before life, hell before heaven, eternal milery and torment before everlafting joy and glory. And need there a farther evidence of your folly and madncfs, in rcfufing and ncgleding Cpirist to be your fpoufe.
My dear fifters, I (hould exceed the limits of your time, fliould I particularize all the advantages which you would ob- tain by being efpoufed to the Lord Jesus. This is your wifdom ; they are foolifli virgins Vv'ho refufe ; but you are the wife virgins who have accepted of the Lord Jesus- Christ, and have difpofcd of yourfelves to him ; you have made the wifeft choice; and however the blind world may deem yoa fools, and defpife you as being methodically mad, yet you are wife in the efleem of God, and will, one day, appear (o in the efteem of them that now defpife you. It is your glory
E 4 that
C 72 1
that you are efpoufed unto the Lord Jesus ; and therefore glory in your erpoufal ; glory not in yourfelves, but in the Lord who hath thus freely and gracioufly bellowed thefe favours upon vou. It is your fafcty to be efpoufed unto the Lord Jesus Christ, he will protect and defend you even from fin and fat:in, and eternal ruin ; and therefore thus far y6u are fafc; he hath a regard for you in times of danger from men, and thefe times of darg!=r fccni to be hafiening ; it is now arifmg as a black cloud no bigger than a man's hand, and by and by it will overfpread the heavens, and when it is full it will buril i but if you are efpoufed to Christ, you are fafc.
New, my dear fifters, I fliall conclude \ylth an earnefl ex- hortation to high and low, rich and poor, one with another, to be efpoufed unto Christ.
Let me fpeak unto you, young women, who are not yet efpoufed unto Christ, in an efpecial manner. It may be to fatisfy your curiofity, has brought many of you here; though, perhaps, this may be the time when you fhall be brought home to embrace the Lord Jesus, and be efpoufed to him. And P, that I may perfuade you, by his Spirit, to efpoufe your- fylves unto the Lord of life.
And if you are but brought to clofe with the Lord Jjesus C'HtiisT, I fhall attain my end, and then both you and I Ihall rejoice that I preached this fermon to you.
Come virgins, will you give me leave to be a fuitor unto you, not in my own name, but in the name of the Lord ? O i that I may prevail with you for your afFedlions, and per- fuade you tagive them unto Christ ! May I be inftrumental of bringing your fouls to Christ ! May I be inflrumental to join you and Christ together this day !
Be not coy, as fome of you poinbiy are in other loves : modefty and the virgin blufii may very well become you, when propofals of another kind are made unto you; but here coynefs is foliy, and backwardnefs to accept of this motion, is (hame: you have ten thoufand times more reafon to biudi at the refufal pf Christ for your beloved, than at the acceptance ; when pthcrwife the devil and fin would ravijh your virgin affections. Never had you a better motion made to you ; never was fuch a match proitercd to you as this, of being matched and efpouf*- p] unto the Lord Jesus Chjust.
Con*
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Confider who the Lord Jesus is, wIioitj you sre invited to efpoufe yourfelvcs unto ; he is the beft hufuand ; there is none comparable to Jesus Christ.
Do you dcfirc one that is great ? He is of the highcfl djo-- nity, he is the glory of heaven, the darling of eternity, ad- mired by angelii, dreaded by devils, and adored by faints. For you to be efpoufcd to fo great a king, what honour will you have by this efpoufal ?
Do you defire one that is rich ? None is comparable to Christ, the fulnefs of the earth belongs to him. If you be eipoufcd to Christ, you fliall fiiare in his unfearchable riches; you (hdll receive of his fulncfs, even grace for grace here, and you fliall hereafter be admitted to glory, and fiiall live with this Jesus to all eternity.
Do you dtfire one that is wife ? There is none comparable to Christ for wifdom. His knowledge is infinite, and his wifdom is correfpondejit thereto. And if you are efpoufed to Christ, he will guide and counfel you, and make you wife unto falvaiion.
Do you defire one that is potent, who may defend you againlt your enemies, and all the infults and reproaches of the Pharifees of this generation ? There is none that can equal Christ in power; for the Lord Jesus Christ hath all power.
Do you defire one that is good ? There is none like unto Christ in this regard ; others may have fome goodnefs, but it is imperfeci:-, Christ's goodnefs is compleat and perfect, he is full of goodnefs, and in him dwelleth no evil.
Do you defire one that is beautiful ? His eyes are mod fpaikling, his looks and glances of love are ravidiing, his (miles are moft delightful and refredilng unto the foul : Christ is the moft lovely perfon of all others in the world.
Do you defire one that can love you ? None can love you like Christ: His love, my dear fifters, is incomprehcnfible; his love paiTeth all other loves : The love of the Lord Jesus is firft, without beginning; his love is free without any mo- tive ; his love is great without any meafure ; his love is con- Jlant without any change, and his Jove is evcrlafting.
It was the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, my dear fiftcr?, which brought him dou'p Irorn heaven > and which
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veiled his divinity in a human foul and body ; for he is God over .1! bleflcd for ever : It wzs love that made him fubjecl to hunger, thirft and forrow ; he was humbled, even unto death for you ; for you who are efpoufed to him, he under- went the painful, (hameful and ignominious death of the crofs : and can you, my fifters, hear this, and not be con- cerned to think that the bleffed Jesus underwent all this for fuch fmful creatures as you and I arc ? And when out of love he hr.d finifhed the redemption on earth, as to what was needful for fatisfadion ; it was his love that carried him back to heaven, where he was before, that he might make appli- cation of what he had purchafed, that there he might make in- terccflion for thofe whom he had redeemed, and prepare a place for them, even glorious manfions with himfelf, in the houfe not made with hands, which is eternal in the heavens. It is out of love that he fendeth fuch tokens to his people from heaven to earth, which he conveyeth through his ordinances, by his Spirit unto them.. Surely then none is fo deferving as the Lord Jesus Christ for you to efpoufe yourfelves unto : if you be efpoufed unto Ci-iRiST he is your's, all that he is, all that he hath ; you iliall have his heart, and Ihare in the choicefl expreffions of his dearcft love.
The Lord Jesus Christ, my dear fifters, doth befeech you to be his fpoufe. We minifters have a commiffion from the Lord Jesus Christ to invite you, in his name, unto this very thing ; and Christ's invitations are real ; general ; frequent ; earneft ; free.
Christ's invitations of you, to be his fpoufe, are real; and as the thing is real, fo you, my dear fifters, are really invited unto it. The Lord doth not mock and diflemble with you, as fome pretending lov«rs, who diflemble love unto virgins, until they have gained their afte(Slions, and then falfely and bafely relinquifli them, never /eally intending either to efpoufe, or marry them : but the Lord doth really intend the thing, in his invitations of you ; he never caft ofF any whofe confent and afFe<Slions he had gained. Again,
Christ's invitations of you, my dear fifters, are general. All of ycu are invited, none of you are excluded ; all forts of Tinners are invited ; the moft vile and abominable finners, the moft notorious tranfgrellors are invited to be Christ's
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fpoufe, and fliall be as welcome as any unto the embraces of his love.
Christ's invitations of you t^xz frequent : Jesus Christ calls on you frequently ; he hath vi^aited on you time after time, one year after another ; and he doth now invite you, by me this day, to come unto Him. Do not flight this in- vitation, but receive it with joy and thankfulnefs. Come, I befeech you, to this Jesus, who thus invites you to be his fpoufe. Again,
Christ's invitations to be his fpoufe are earnefi\ he doili call upon you, and not only call, but call carneflly too ; yea, he ufeth many arguments with you : he will prefs you to come unto him ; he is loth to take any denial from you : he knocks, and knocks hard at the door of your hearts for entertainment ; and furely you will not deny the Lord of life and glory who died for you, and gave himfelf for you : O my dear fifters, let this be the evening of your efpoufals to the Lord Jesus Christ.
He invites you freely to be his fpoufe, for all his invitations are free j he doth not expert a portion with you, as worldly lovers do ; He wants nothing of you : nay, you muft have nothing, if you be efpoufed unto the Lord Jesus Christ. If you be poor, miferable, blind, naked, Jesus ChrisT will fupply all thefe dcfe61;s of his own free mercy ; he will fill and fupply you with all things out of his treafury ; he will make you meet for himfelf 3 he will prepare you to live with him for ever.
Confider, if you be once efpoufed unto Christ, if once joined in this relation, you fliall never be feparated from him ; neither men nor devils fliall be able to feparate you : none, none, fliall disjoin you ; and when death doth break all other bonds, it fliall not break the conjugal bond between you and Christ, but bring you unto the moft full and everlafting poflefTion of your beloved.
And what do you now fay, young women ? fliall I have a grant for my mailer, or be fent away with a repulfe and rc- fufal \ no, I cannot carry fiich a mcilage to my mafler \ I hope better thin^^s of you, my fifters, and things which ac- company falvation : mcthinks by this time ye fhould begin to have a mind unto Jesus Chrkt 3 you look as if you did
defire 5
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4c{ire ; you hearken as if you would confent. What do you fay ? Shall the match be made up this e\'enin2 between Christ and your fouls ? O that 1 may be inftrumcntal in joining your hands, or rather your hearts together: O that I may be inftrumental to tie that^ knot, which never can be unloofed.
Some marry in hafle, and repent at leifure ; but if you were once efpoufed unto Jesus Christ, you would never re- pent ; nothing would grieve you, but that you were not joined to him foonerj and you would not be disjoined again for all the world.
Shall this be the day of your efpoufals ? Some of you have i!ay d a long time; and will you defer any longer? If you will not now, perhaps ycu may never have another oppor- tunity ; this may be the laft time of afking ; and therefore it is dangerous to refufe: fome of you are very young, too young for other efpoufals ; but none of you, my dear fiders, are too young to be efpoufed unto the Lord Jesus Christ : in other efpoufals, you muft have the confent of your parents ; but in this you are at your own difpofal ; you may give, and ought to match yourfelves to Christ, whether parents do confent or not.
But if any of you {hould afk, what ycu mufl do that you may be efpoufed unto Christ ? You muft be fenfible of your need of being efpoufed to him ; and untill you are fenfible of your need of the Lord Jesus Christ, you can- not be efpoufed to him : You muft have defires after this Jesus, and (cck unto him for an intercft in him ; you muft cry nightly unto him to ef^Doufe you to himfelf : put oft' the fikhinefs of ftn and all its defilements ; and then, my fifters, put on the white raiment, and clean garments, which Christ hath provided for you, the robes of his righteoufncfs ; in thefe garments you ftiali be beautiful ; and in thefe gar- ments you fhall be accepted : y«u muft have the wedding garment on ; you muft put oft" all your own good work?, for thev will be but a means to keep you from Christ ; no, you muft come as not having your own rlghteoufnefs, which >s of the law, but you muft have the rightcoufnefs of Christ. Therefore, come unto the Lord Jesus Christ, and he will give it to ycu ; he will not fend you away without it. J Receive
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Receive him upon his own terms, and he is yours for ever : O devote yourfelves to him, foul and body, and all, to be his for ever ; and Christ will be your*s, and^ then hap- py, happy you, that ever you were born ! But if any of you die before this cfpoufal unto the Lord Jesus Christ, then woe, woe, unto you, that ever you had a being in life ; but: if you go to Christ you (hall be efpoufcd unto the Lord Jesus : though your fins have been never fo great, yea, the blood of Christ will cleanfe you from them ; the marriage covenant between Christ and your fouls will diflblve all your fins ; you will then be weary of your old ways, for all things will become nev/ in your fouls.
Now, my dear Sifters, 1 fliall conclude by juft fpeaking a word or two to thofe of you, who are already efpoufed unto the Lord Jesus Christ.
0 admire, admire the rich and free grace, which hath brought you to this relation : Is not this an inftance of the greateft of love, that you fhould be the fpoufe of the Lord Jesus Christ ? You that had no beauty, you that had no comelinefs, that was full of fin, that' He fliould embrace fuch as you and I are ; that we fhould be taken into the embrace of this Lord Jesus. O infinite condefcending kindnefs ! O amazing love ! Reverence, reverence, I befcech you, this Lord Jesus Christ.
He is your Lord, and you muft reverence him, love and be faithful unto him, be fubje(Sl: to him, and careful to pleafe him in every thing ; endeavour to keep up a daily commu- nion with him ; look, long and prepare for Christ's fecond appearance, when the nuptials between you ihall be folem- nized, and you live with him in manfions of everlafting joys, where you (hall love and live with this king of glory for ever and ever.
1 know not how to conclude; methinks I could fpeak to you till midnight, if it would brin'g you unto the Lord Jesus Christ, and make you be efpoufed to him, for in- deed, that will be the cfpoufal which v/ill turn to the greateft advantage, as you will find by experience, if you will but make the trial ; and chat you may do fo, my prayers and my conftant endeavours fliall be ufed»
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I will, my dear fifters, fpencl and be fpcnt for you, and by the affiftance of God, will perfevere in this that I have begun 5 and as many of you may have opportunity fome evening in the week, without breaking in on the bufmefs of life ; I (hall therefore, my fifters, either be here, or where you fhall be publicly acquainted with : 1 will not mind being reproached or defpircd : the men of this world may ufc what language they pleafe ; they may fay I am a Methodift. In- deed, my fifters, I am refolved, by the grace of God, to ufe all methods I can, to pluck you from Satan, that you may be as brands plucked from the burning fire : this fliall be my method, which I hope will be the means of efFeclually faving your precious and immortal fouls.
And if I am the inftrument of this, I (hall rejoice, yea, and I will rejoice in fpight of what men, or devils, can fay or do to the contrary: and may the Lord Jesus Christ direct, and affift me at all times, to a6t what will be moft for his glory, and the welfare of your fouls : and may you all fay a hearty Amen thereto.
*' Now the Lord Jesus Christ, who is God over all> *' bleiTed for ever, affift and watch over you, keep you " from all evil and fm here, and prefcnt you before bis *' Father faultkfs at the great day of account ! To this '* Lord Jesus Christ, the Father, and the bleffed '' Spirit, three pcrfons and but one eternal and invifible *' God, be afcribed all honour, power, glory, might, *' majefty and dominion, now, henceforth, and for ever *' more. Amen, Amen.'*
«' The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of " God, and the fellowfhip of the Holy Ghoft be with " you all, to comfort under, and deliver you from tri- *' bulation ; to preferve you to your refpective places of *' abode ; and when there, to keep you in his fear, that *' you may live to his glc)ry ; that to live may be '* Christ's, and to die be your eternal gain j fo that *' you may live with him through eternal ages, and frng *' Hallelujahs to hnn for eve-r. Amen."
SERMON
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SERMON VI.
Britain s Mercies, and Britams Duty.
Preached at Philadelphia^ on Sunday^ Auguft 24, 174^. and occafioned by the Suppreflion of the late un- natural Rebellion.
P s A L M cv. 45.
'That they might ohferve his Statutes and hsep his Laws,
MEN, brethren, and fathers, and all ye to whom I am about to preach the kingdom of God, I fuppofe you need not be informed, that being indirpenii'Dly obliged to be ablent on your late thank-Tgiving-day, I could not ftiew my obe- dience to the governor's proclamation, as my own inclination \&^ me, or as might juftly be expei^ed from, and demanded of me. But as theoccafion of that day's thankfgiving is yet, and I truft ever will be, freOi in our memory, I cannot think tha: a difcourfe on that fubjecl cafi even now be altogether unfea- fonable. I take it for granted, farther, that you need nor be informed, that among the various motives which are gene- rally urged to enforce obedience to the divine commands, that of love is the moft powerful and cogent. The terrors at the law m.ay affright and awe, but love diiTolves and melts the heart. " The love of Christ," fays the great apoftie of the G entile] y *' conftraineth us." Nay, love is To abfolute'y neceflary for thofe that name the name of Christ, that with* out it, their obedience cannot truly be ftiled evangelical, or be acceptable in the fjght of God. " Although, (fays the apoftie) I beftow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burnt, and h^ve not charity," (i. e. unlefs unfeigned love to God, and to mankind for his
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great name's lake, be the principle of fuch acflions, howfo- ever it may benelit others) it prolitcth fne nothing." This is the Gondant language of the lively oracles of God. Andy from them it is equally plain, that nothing has a greater ten- dency to beget ana excite fuch an obediential love in usj than a ferious and frequent confideration of the manifold mer- cies we receive time after 'time from the hands of our heavenly Father. The royal pfalmift, who had the honour of being lliled, " the man after God's own heart," had an abundant experience of ibis. Hence it is, that whilft he is mufing on the divine goodncfs, the fire of divine love kindles in his foul ; and, out of the abundance of his heart, his mouth fpeakcth fuch grateful and cxtatic language as this. *' What fhall I render unto the Lord for all his mercies ? Blefs the Lord, O my foul, and all that is within me, blefs his holy name." And why ? " who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy difeafes, who redeemeth thy life from deftrudlion, who crowneth thee v/ith loving kindn(?fs and ten- der mercies." And when the fame holy man of God had a mind to ftir up the people of the ^exvs to fet about a na- tional reformation, as the moft weighty and prevailiiig argu- ment he could make ufe of for that purpofe, he lays beforfc them, as it were, in a draught, many national mercies, and diftinguifhing deliverances, which have been conferred upon and wrought out for them, by the moft high God. The pfalm to which the v^ords of our text belong, is a pregnant proof of this ; it being a kind of epitome or compendium ef the whole 'Jewifo hiftory : at lead it contains an enumeration of many fignal and extraordinary blefHngs the Ifraelites had received from God, and alfo the improvement they were in duty bound to make of them, " Obferve his flatutes and keep his laws."
To run through all the particulars of the pfalm, or- draw a parallel (which might with great eafc and juftice be done) between God's dealings with us and the Ifraelites of old : To enumerate all the national mercies beftowed upon, and remarkable deliverances wrought out for the kingdoms of Great- Br Itahi and Ireland^ from the infant fiate of jyHliam the Norman to their prefent manhood, and more than Augujlon maiuiity, under the aufpicious reign of our rightful Sovereign
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King George the fecond ; hov.'foever pleafing and proiirabla it might be at any other time, would, at thisjunilure, prove, if not an irkToiiie, yet an unreafonable undertaking.
Theoccafion of the late folemnity, I mean the fuppreflion of a moft horrid and unnatural rebellion, will afford more than fufficient matter for a difcourle of this nature, and fur- riifh us with abundant motives to love and obey that glorious 'Jehovah^ who giveth falvation unto kings, and delivers his people from the hurtful fword.
Need I make an apology, before this auditory, if, in order to fee the greatnefs of our late deliverance, I fhoulu remind you of the many unfpeakable bleffings which we have for a courfc of years enjoyed, during the reign of his prefent Ma- jcfty, and the gentle, mild adminiflration under which we iive? Without juftly incurring the cenfure of giving flatter- ing titles, I believe all who have eyes to fee, and ears to hear, and are but a little acquainted with our public affairs, mud acknowledge, that we have one of the beft of Kings. It is now above nineteen years fmce he began to reign over us. And yet, was he feated on a royal throne, and were all his fubjecSls placed before him, was he to addrefs them as Sa?nucl once addrefled the IfraeliteSy '• Behold here I am, old and grey-headed, witneCs againfl me before the Lord, whofe cjc have I taken ? Or whofe afs have I taken ? Or whom have I defrauded ? Whom have I oppreffed ?" They muft, if they would do him juftice, make the fame anfwer as was given to Samuel, " Thou haft not defrauded us, nor opprefled us." What Teriullus, by way of flattery, faid to Felix, may with the ftrideft juftice be applied to our fovereign, " By thee we enjoy great quietnefs, and very worthy deeds have been done unto our nation by thy providence." He has been indeed Pater Patrla, a father to our country, and though old and grey-headed, has jeoparded his precious life for us in the high places of the field. Nor has he lefs deferved the great and glorious title, which the Lord promifes, that kings ihould fuftain in the latter days, I mean, " a nurflng father of the church." For not only the Church of England, as by law eftablifhed, but all denominations of chriftians wliatfo- ever, have enjoyed their religious as well as civil liberties. As there has been no authorized oppreflion in the ftate, fo there
Vol. V. F ii^s
43
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has been no publicly allovveci periccution in the church. We breathe indeed in free air ? as free (if not freer) both as to tem- porals and fpirituals, as any nation under heaven. Nor is the profpccl likely to terminate in his majefty's death, which 1 pray God to defer. Our princelles are difpofed of to pro- teftant powers. And we have great reafon to be afTured, that the prefent heir apparent, and his confort, are like minded with their royal father. And I cannot help thinking, that it is a peculiar blelTing vouchfafed us by the King of kings, that his prefent Majefty has been continued fo long among us. For now, his immediate fucccllbr (though his prefent fitua- tion obli^^es him. as it were, to lie dormant) has great and glo- rious opportunities, which we have reafon to think he daily improves, of obfcrving and weighing the national affairs, con- fiderino- the various fteps and turns of government, and con- fequently of laying in a large fund of experience, to make him a wife and great prince, if ever God fliould call him to fway the Britijh fceptre. Happy art thou, O England! Happy art thou, O America^ who on every fide art thus highly favoured !
But, alas ! how foon would this happy fcene have fhlfted, 2nd a melancholy gloomy profpedl have fucceeded in its room, had the rebels gained their point, and a poplfh abjured pre- tender been forced upon the Britijlo throne ! For, fuppofmg his birth not to be fpurious, (as we have great reafon to think
' it really was) what could we expe£l from one, defcended from a father, who, when Duke of Tork^ put all Scotland into confufion ; and afterwards, when crowned King o( E?2gla^dj for his arbritrary and tyrannical government, both in church and flate, was judly obliged to abdicate the throne, by the afTertors of Britij?) liberty ? Or, fuppofmg the horrid plot, firft hatched in hell, and afterwards nurfed at Ro7?iey had taken place ; fuppofmg, i fay, the old Pretender fhould have ob- tained the triple crown, and have transferred his pretended title (a- it is reported he has done) to his eldeft fon, what was all this for, but that, by being advanced to the popedom, he might rule both fon and fubje(Sls with lefs eontpoul, and by their united intereft, keep rhe three kingdoms oUEn^land^ Scot"-
' Idfid, m-)6 Ireland^ in greater vaflall age to the M otRoprjc P^ Ever fince this uhfiatural rebellion broke(>ttt^" I have looked- " • ' wpon
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lipon the young f retcnJer as the phaeton of the prefent a^e. He is ambitioufly and prefumptuoufly aiming to (eat himfelf in the throne of our rightful fovereign King George^ which he is no more capable of keeping, than Phaeton was to guide the chariot of the fun -, and had he fucceeded in his attempt, like him, would only have fet the world on fire. It is true, to do himjufticej he has deferved well of the Church o^ Rofne^ and, in all probability, will hereafter be canonized amongft the noble order of their fidlitious faints. But, with what an iron rod we might expert to have been bruifed, had his troops been vitflorious, may eafily be gathered from thofe cruel orders faid to be found in the pockets of fome of his ofEcers, " Give no quarters to the Elector's troops.*' Add to this, that there was great reafon to fufpect, that, upon th^ firft nev;s of the fuccefs of the rebels, a general maffacre was intended. So that if the Lord had not been on our fide. Great Britain^ not to fay America^ would, in a few weeks or months, have been an Aceldama^ a field of blood.
Befides, was a Pop'ijh Pretender to rule over us, inftead df being reprefented by a free parliament, and governed by laws made by their confcnt, as we now are ; v/e (hould fhortly have had only the ihadow of one, and it may be, no parliament at all. This is the native produ£i of a Popijh government, and what the unhappy family, from which this young adventurer pretejids he defcended, has always aimed at. Arbitrary principles he has fucked in with his mother's milk, and if he had been fo honed, inftead of that immature motto upon his ftandard. Tandem triumpham^ only to have put, ^tet pro ratione Voluntcs^ he had given us a (hort, but true por- trait of the nature of his intended, but bleiTcd be God, now defeated reign. And why fhould I mention, that the fink- ing of the national debt, or rending away the funded property of the people, and the difTolution of the prefent happy union between the two kingdoms, would have been the immediate confequences of his fuccefs, as he himfelf declares in his fecond manifefto, dated from Holy-rood Houfe ? Thefe are evils, and great ones too ; but then rhey are only evils of a temporary nature. They chiefly concern the body, and mult necefiarily terminate in the grave.
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But, alas ! what an inundation of fpiritual mifchief?, would foon have overflowed the Church, and what unfpeakable danger (hould we and our pofterity have been reduced to in rerpe<5t to our better parts, our precious and immortal fouls ? How foon would whole fwarms of monks, dominicans and friars, like fo many locufts, have overfpread and plagued the nation ; with what winged fpeed would foreign titular bifliops have ported over, in order to take pofl'eiTion of their lefpciStive fees ? How quickly would our univerfities have been filled with youths who have been fent abroad by their Pop}/}) parents, in order to drink in all the fuperftitions of the church of Ro?ne ? What a fpeedy period would have been put to focieties of all kinds, for promoting chriilian know- ledge, and propagating the gofpel in foreign parts ? How foon would our pulpits have every where been filled with thefe old antichriflian dodlrines, free-will, meriting by works, tran- fubftantiation, purgatory, works of fupererogation, paflive- obedicnce, non- refinance, and all the other abominations of the whore of Babylon ? How foon would our protcftant charity fchools In England^ Scotland and Ireland^ have been pulled down, our Bibles forcibly taken from us, and igno- rance every where fet up as the mother of devotion ? How foon (hould we have been deprived of that invaluable bleiling, liberty of confcience, and been obliged to commence (what they falfely call) catholicks, or fubnilt to all the tortures which a bigoted zea), guided by the mofl: cruel principles, could pofiibly invent ? How foon would that mother of har- lots have made herfelf once more drunk with the blood of the faints ? And the whole tribe even of free-thinkers them- felves, been brought to this dilemma, either to die martyrs for, (although I never yet heard of one that did fo) or, con- trary to all their moit avowed principles, renounce their great Diana^ unalTifled, unenbghtened reafon ? But I mufl have done, left while I am fpeaking againft antichrifl, I fhould unawares fall myfelf, and lead my hearers into an antichriflian fpiiit. True and undefiled religion will regulate our zeal, and teach us to treat even the man of fin with no harfher lan- guage than that which the angel gave to his grand employer Satan, " The Lord rebuke thee."
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Glory be to God*s great name ! the Lord has rebuked liim ; and that too at a time when we had little reafon to expe<5l fuch a blcffing at God's hands. My dear hearers, neither ihe prefent frame ot my heart, nor the occafion of your late folcmn meeting, lead me to Live you a detail of our public vices. Though, alas ! they are fo many, fo notorious, and withal of fuch a crimfon-dye, that a gofpel minifter would not be altogether inexcufable, was he, even on fuch a joyful occafion, to lift up his voice like a trumpet, to (hew the Britifti nation their tranfgreffion, and the people o^ Jrner'ua their fin. However, though I would not caft a difmal fliadc upon the pleafmg picture the caufc of our late rejoicings fet before us ; yet thus much may, and ought to be faid, that as God has not dealt fo bountifully with any people as with us, fo no nation under heaven has dealt more ungratefully with Him. We have been like Capernaum^ lifted up to heaven in privileges, and for the abufe of them, like her, have defcrved to be thruft down into hell. How well foever it may be with us, in refpe6t to our civil and ecclefiaftical conftitution, yet in regard to our morals, Ifaiah's defcription of the y^^t;//?? polity is too applicable, "The whole head is fick, the whole heart is faint ; from the crown of the head to the fole of our feet, we are full of v/ounds and bruifes, and putrifying fores." We have, Jtjhurun-Wke^ waxed fat and kicked. We have played the harlot againft God, both in regard to principles and pra6i:ices. " Our gold is become dim, and our fine gold changed." We have crucified the Son of God afrefli, and put him to an open fhame. Nay, Christ has been wounded in the houfe of his friends. And every thing long ago feemed to threaten an immediate ftorm. But, O the long-fufFering and goodnefs of God to us-ward ! When all things feemed ripe for deftru6lion, and matters were come to fuch a crifis, that God's praying people began to think, that though Noah^ Daniel and Jab, were living, they would only deliver their own fouls ; yet then in the midft of judgment the Mofl High remembered mercy, and when a popifh enemy was breaking in upon us like a flood, the Lord himfelf gracioufly lifted up a flandard.
This to me does not feem to be one of the mofl unfavoura- ble circumftances which have attended this mighty deliver-
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ance ; nor do I think you will look upon if as a circumftance altogether unworthy your obfervation. Had this cockatrice indeed been cruflied in the egg, and the young Pretender driven back upon his firft arrival, it would undoubtedly have been a great blcfling. But not (o great as that for which you lately afiembled to give God thanks : for then his Majefty would not have had fo good an opportunity of knowing his enemies, or trying his friends. The Briiijh fubjecSts would in a manner have lofl the faireft occafion that ever offered to cxprefs their loyalty and gratitude to the rightful fovereign. Frcme would not have been fo greatly humbled ; nor fuch an efFe6lual ftop have been put, as we trufl there now is, to any fuch further Popifi plot, to rob us of all that is near and dear to us. " Out of the eater therefore hath con;c forth meat, and out of the flrong hath come forth fweetnefs." The Pretender's eldeft fon is fufFered not only to land in the North-lVeft Highlands in Scotland^ but in