THE WORKS OF JOHN BUNYAN

WITH AN

INTRODUCTION TO EACH TREATISE, NOTES, AND A

SKETCH OF HIS LIFE, TIMES, AND CONTEMPORARIES. 

VOLUME FIRST. 

EXPERIMENTAL, DOCTRINAL, AND PRACTICAL. 

EDITED BY

GEORGE OFFOR, ESQ. 

MEMOIR OF JOHN BUNYAN

THE FIRST PERIOD. 

THIS GREAT MAN DESCENDED FROM IGNOBLE PARENTS--BORN IN POVERTY--HISEDUCATION AND EVIL HABITS--FOLLOWS HIS FATHER'S BUSINESS AS ABRAZIER--ENLISTS FOR A SOLDIER--RETURNS FROM THE WARS AND OBTAINSAN AMIABLE, RELIGIOUS WIFE--HER DOWER. 

'We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency ofthe power may be of God, and not of us. '--2 Cor 4:7

'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways myways, saith the Lord. '--Isaiah 55:8. 

'Though ye have lien among the pots, yet shall ye be as thewings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellowgold. '--Psalm 68:13. 

When the Philistine giant, Goliath, mocked the host of Israel, and challenged any of their stern warriors to single combat, whathuman being could have imagined that the gigantic heathen would besuccessfully met in the mortal struggle by a youth 'ruddy and ofa fair countenance?' who unarmed, except with a sling and a stone, gave the carcases of the hosts of the Philistines to the fouls ofthe air, and to the wild beasts of the earth. '

Who, upon seeing an infant born in a stable, and laid in a manger, or beholding him when a youth working with his father as a carpenter, could have conceived that he was the manifestation of the Deityin human form, before whom every knee should bow, and every tongueconfess Him to be THE ETERNAL?

Father Michael, a Franciscan friar, on a journey to Ancona, having lost his way, sought direction from a wretched lad keepinghogs--deserted, forlorn, his back smarting with severe stripes, and his eyes suffused with tears. The poor ragged boy not only wentcheerfully with him to point out his road, but besought the monkto take him into his convent, volunteering to fulfill the mostdegrading services, in the hope of procuring a little learning, and escaping from 'those filthy hogs. ' How incredulously would thefriar have listened to anyone who could have suggested that thisdesolate, tattered, dirty boy, might and would fill a greater thanan imperial throne! Yet, eventually that swine-herd was clothedin purple and fine linen, and, under the title of Pope Sixtus V. , became one of those mighty magicians who are described in RogersItaly, as

 'Setting their feet upon the necks of kings, And through the worlds subduing, chaining down The free, immortal spirit--theirs a wondrous spell. ' [1]

A woman that was 'a loose and ungodly wretch' hearing a tinker ladmost awfully cursing and swearing, protested to him that 'he sworeand cursed at that most fearful rate that it made her tremble tohear him, ' 'that he was the ungodliest fellow for swearing thatever she heard in all her life, ' and 'that he was able to spoilall the youth in a whole town, if they came in his company. ' Thisblow at the young reprobate made that indelible impression which allthe sermons yet he had heard had failed to make. Satan, by one ofhis own slaves, wounded a conscience which had resisted all theovertures of mercy. The youth pondered her words in his heart;they were good seed strangely sown, and their working formed oneof those mysterious steps which led the foul-mouthed blasphemerto bitter repentance; who, when he had received mercy and pardon, felt impelled to bless and magnify the Divine grace with shining, burning thoughts and words. The poor profligate, swearing tinkerbecame transformed into the most ardent preacher of the love ofChrist--the well-trained author of The Jerusalem Sinner Saved, orGood News to the Vilest of Men. 

How often have the Saints of God been made a most unexpected blessingto others. The good seed of Divine truth has been many times sownby those who did not go out to sow, but who were profitably engagedin cultivating their own graces, enjoying the communion of Saints, and advancing their own personal happiness! Think of a few poor, but pious happy women, sitting in the sun one beautiful summer'sday, before one of their cottages, probably each one with herpillow on her lap, dexterously twisting the bobbins to make lace, the profits of which helped to maintain their children. Whilethey are communing on the things of God, a traveling tinker drawsnear, and, over-hearing their talk, takes up a position wherehe might listen to their converse while he pursued his avocation. Their words distil into his soul; they speak the language of Canaan;they talk of holy enjoyments, the result of being born again, acknowledging their miserable state by nature, and how freely andundeservedly God had visited their hearts with pardoning mercy, and supported them while suffering the assaults and suggestionsof Satan; how they had been borne up in every dark, cloudy, stormyday; and how they contemned, slighted, and abhorred their ownrighteousness as filthy and insufficient to do them any good. Thelearned discourses our tinker had heard at church had casuallypassed over his mind like evanescent clouds, and left little or nolasting impression. But these poor women, 'methought they spake asactually did make them speak; they speak with such pleasant as ofScripture language, and with such appearance of grace in all theysaid, that they were to me as if they had found a new world, asif they were people that dwelt alone, and were not to be reckonedamong their neighbors' (Num 23:9). 

O! how little did they imagine that their pious converse was tobe the means employed by the Holy Spirit in the conversion of thatpoor tinker, and that, by their agency, he was to be transformedinto one of the brightest luminaries of heaven; who, when he hadentered into rest would leave his works to follow him as spiritualthunder to pierce the hearts of the impenitent, and as heavenlyconsolation to bind up the broken-hearted; liberating the prisonersof Giant Despair, and directing the pilgrims to the Celestial City. Thus were blessings in rich abundance showered down upon the churchby the instrumentality, in the first instance, of a woman that wasa sinner, but most eminently by the Christian converse of a fewpoor but pious women. 

This poverty-stricken, ragged tinker was the son of a workingmechanic at Elstow, near Bedford. So obscure was his origin thateven the Christian name of his father is yet unknown:[2] he wasborn in 1628, a year memorable as that in which the Bill of Rightswas passed. Then began the struggle against arbitrary power, whichwas overthrown in 1688, the year of Bunyan's death, by the accessionof William III. Of Bunyan's parents, his infancy, and childhood, little is recorded. All that we know is from his own account, andthat principally contained in his doctrine of the Law and Grace, and in his extraordinary development of his spiritual life, underthe title of Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. His birth wouldhave shed a luster on the wealthiest mansion, and have impartedadditional grandeur to any lordly palace. Had royal or noblegossips, and a splendid entertainment attended his christening, it might have been pointed to with pride; but so obscure was hisbirth, that it has not been discovered that he was christened atall; while the fact of his new birth by the Holy Ghost is knownover the whole world to the vast extent that his writings havebeen circulated. He entered this world in a labourer's cottage ofthe humblest class, at the village of Elstow, about a mile fromBedford. [3] His pedigree is thus narrated by himself:--'My descentwas of a low and inconsiderable generation, my father's house beingof that rank that is meanest and most despised of all the familiesin the land. '[4] Bunyan alludes to this very pointedly in the prefaceto A Few Sighs from Hell:--'I am thine, if thou be not ashamed toown me, because of my low and contemptible descent in the world. '[5]His poor and abject parentage was so notorious, that his pastor, John Burton, apologized for it in his recommendation to The GospelTruths Opened:--'Be not offended because Christ holds forth theglorious treasure of the gospel to thee in a poor earthen vessel, by one who hath neither the greatness nor the wisdom of this worldto commend him to thee. '[6] And in his most admirable treatise, onThe Fear of God, Bunyan observes--'The poor Christian hath somethingto answer them that reproach him for his ignoble pedigree, andshortness of the glory of the wisdom of this world. True may thatman say I am taken out of the dunghill. I was born in a base andlow estate; but I fear God. This is the highest and most noble; hehath the honour, the life, and glory that is lasting. '[7] In hiscontroversy with the Strict Baptists, he chides them for revilinghis ignoble pedigree:--'You closely disdain my person because ofmy low descent among men, stigmatizing me as a person of THAT rankthat need not be heeded or attended unto. '[8] He inquired of hisfather--'Whether we were of the Israelites or no? for, finding inthe Scripture that they were once the peculiar people of God, thoughtI, if I were one of this race, my soul must needs be happy. '[9]This somewhat justifies the conclusion that his father was a Gipsytinker, that occupation being then followed by the Gipsy tribe. In the life of Bunyan appended to the forged third part of thePilgrim's Progress, his father is described as 'an honest poorlabouring man, who, like Adam unparadised, had all the world beforehim to get his bread in; and was very careful and industrious tomaintain his family. '[10]

Happily for Bunyan, he was born in a neighbourhood in which it wasa disgrace to any parents not to have their children educated. Withgratitude he records, that 'it pleased God to put it into theirhearts to put me to school to learn both to read and to write. ' Inthe neighbourhood of his birthplace, a noble charity diffused theblessings of lettered knowledge. [11] To this charity Bunyan wasfor a short period indebted for the rudiments of education; but, alas, evil associates made awful havoc of those slight unshapenliterary impressions which had been made upon a mind boisterousand impatient of discipline. He says--'To my shame, I confess Idid soon lose that little I learned, and that almost utterly. '[12]This fact will recur to the reader's recollection when he perusesIsrael's Hope Encouraged, in which, speaking of the all-importantdoctrine of justification, he says--'It is with many that beginwith this doctrine as it is with boys that go to the Latin school;they learn till they have learned the grounds of their grammar, and then go home and forget all. '[13]

As soon as his strength enabled him, he devoted his whole soul andbody to licentiousness--'As for my own natural life, for the timethat I was without God in the world, it was indeed according tothe course of this world, and the spirit that now worketh in thechildren of disobedience. It was my delight to be taken captive bythe devil at his will: being filled with all unrighteousness; thatfrom a child I had but few equals, both for cursing, swearing, lying, and blaspheming the holy name of God. '[14]

It has been supposed, that in delineating the early career ofBadman, 'Bunyan drew the picture of his own boyhood. '[15] But thedifference is broadly given. Badman is the child of pious parents, who gave him a 'good education' in every sense, both moral andsecular;[16] the very reverse of Bunyan's training. His associateswould enable him to draw the awful character and conduct of Badman, as a terrible example to deter others from the downward road tomisery and perdition. 

Bunyan's parents do not appear to have checked, or attempted tocounteract, his unbridled career of wickedness. He gives no hintof the kind; but when he notices his wife's father, he adds that he'was counted godly'; and in his beautiful nonsectarian catechism, there is a very touching conclusion to his instructions to childrenon their behaviour to their parents:--'The Lord, if it be his will, convert our poor parents, that they, with us, may be the childrenof God. '[17] These fervent expressions may refer to his own parents;and, connecting them with other evidence, it appears that he wasnot blessed with pious example. Upon one occasion, when severelyreproved for swearing, he says--'I wished, with all my heart, thatI might be a little child again, that my father might learn me tospeak without this wicked way of swearing. '[18] In his numerousconfessions, he never expresses pain at having, by his viciousconduct, occasioned grief to his father or mother. From thisit may be inferred, that neither his father's example nor precepthad checked this wretched propensity to swearing, and that he owednothing to his parents for moral training; but, on the contrary, they had connived at, and encouraged him in, a course of life whichmade him a curse to the neighbourhood in which he lived. 

In the midst of all this violent depravity, the Holy Spirit beganthe work of regeneration in his soul--a long, a solemn, yea, anawful work--which was to fit this poor debauched youth for purityof conduct--for communion with heaven--for wondrous usefulness asa minister of the gospel--for patient endurance of sufferings forrighteousness' sake--for the writing of works which promise to bea blessing to the Church in all ages--for his support during hispassage through the black river which has no bridge--to shine allbright and glorious, as a star in the firmament of heaven. 'Wondersof grace to God belong. '

During the period of his open profligacy, his conscience was illat ease; at times the clanking of Satan's slavish chains in whichhe was hurrying to destruction, distracted him. The stern realityof a future state clouded and embittered many of those momentsemployed in gratifying his baser passions. The face of the eventfultimes in which he lived was rapidly changing; the trammels wereloosened, which, with atrocious penalties, had fettered all freeinquiry into religious truth. Puritanism began to walk upright; andas the restraints imposed upon Divine truths were taken off, in thesame proportion restraints were imposed upon impiety, profaneness, and debauchery. A ringleader in all wickedness would not longcontinue without reproof, either personally, or as seen in the holyconduct of others. Bunyan very properly attributed to a graciousGod, those checks of conscience which he so strongly felt even whilehe was apparently dead in trespasses and sins. 'The Lord, even inmy childhood, did scare and affright me with fearful dreams, and didterrify me with dreadful visions. '[19] 'I often wished that therehad been no hell, or that I had been a devil to torment others. 'A common childish but demoniac idea. His mind was as 'the troubledsea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. ''A while after, these terrible dreams did leave me; and with moregreediness, according to the strength of nature, I did let loosethe reins of my lusts, and delighted in all transgression againstthe law of God. ' 'I was the very ringleader of all the youth thatkept me company, into ALL MANNER of vice and ungodliness. '[20]

Dr. Southey and others have attempted to whiten this blackamore, butthe veil that they throw over him is so transparent that it cannotdeceive those who are in the least degree spiritually enlightened. He alleges that Bunyan, in his mad career of vice and folly, 'wasnever so given over to a reprobate mind, '[21] as to be whollyfree from compunctions of conscience. This is the case with everydepraved character; but he goes further, when he asserts that'Bunyan's heart never was hardened. '[22] This is directly opposedto his description of himself:--'I found within me a great desireto take my fill of sin, still studying what sin was yet to becommitted; and I made as much haste as I could to fill my bellywith its delicates, lest I should die before I had my desire. ' Hethus solemnly adds, 'In these things, I protest before God, I lienot, neither do I feign this sort of speech; these were really, strongly, and with all my heart, my desires; the good Lord, whosemercy is unsearchable, forgive me my transgressions. ' The wholeof his career, from childhood to manhood, was, 'According to thecourse of this world, according to the prince of the power of theair, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience'(Eph 2:2). 

These reminiscences are alluded to in the prologue of the HolyWar:--

 'When Mansoul trampled upon things Divine, And wallowed in filth as doth a swine, Then I was there, and did rejoice to see Diabolus and Mansoul so agree. '

The Laureate had read this, and yet considers it the language ofa heart that 'never was hardened. ' He says that 'the wickednessof the tinker has been greatly overcharged, and it is taking thelanguage of self-accusation too literally to pronounce of JohnBunyan, that he was at any time depraved. The worst of what he wasin his worst days is to be expressed in a single word, the fullmeaning of which no circumlocution can convey; and which, thoughit may hardly be deemed presentable in serious composition, I shalluse, as Bunyan himself (no mealy-mouthed writer) would have usedit, had it in his days borne the same acceptation in which it is nowuniversally understood;--in that word then, he had been a blackguard. 

 The very head and front of his offending Hath this extent--no more. '[23]

The meaning of the epithet is admirably explained; but what couldDr. Southey imagine possible to render such a character more vilein the sight of God, or a greater pest to society? Is there anyvicious propensity, the gratification of which is not included inthat character? Bunyan's estimate of his immorality and profanenessprior to his conversion, was not made by comparing himself withthe infinitely Holy One, but he measured his conduct by that ofhis more moral neighbours. In his Jerusalem Sinner Saved, he pleadswith great sinners, the outwardly and violently profane and vicious, that if HE had received mercy, and had become regenerated, theysurely ought not to despair, but to seek earnestly for the samegrace. He thus describes himself:--'I speak by experience; I wasone of those great sin-breeders; I infected all the youth of thetown where I was born; the neighbours counted me so, my practiceproved me so: wherefore, Christ Jesus took me first; and, takingme first, the contagion was much allayed all the town over. WhenGod made me sigh, they would hearken, and inquiringly say, What'sthe matter with John? When I went out to seek the bread of life, some of them would follow, and the rest be put into a muse at home. Some of them, perceiving that God had mercy upon me, came crying tohim for mercy too. '[24] Can any one, in the face of such language, doubt that he was most eminently 'a brand snatched from the fire';a pitchy burning brand, known and seen as such by all who witnessedhis conduct? He pointedly exemplified the character set forth byJames, 'the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity, set on fire ofhell' (James 3:6). This was as publicly known before his conversion, as the effects of the wondrous change were openly seen in hisChristian career afterwards. He who, when convinced of sin, strainedhis eyes to see the distant shining light over the wicket-gate, after he had gazed upon

 --'The wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, '

became a luminous beacon, to attract the vilest characters to seeknewness of life; and if there be hope for them, no one ought todespair. Far be it from us to cloud this light, or to tarnish soconspicuous an example. Like a Magdalene or a thief on the cross, his case may be exhibited to encourage hope in every returningprodigal. During this period of his childhood, while striving toharden his heart against God, many were the glimmerings of lightwhich from time to time directed his unwilling eyes to a dreadeternity. In the still hours of the night 'in a dream God opened'his ears[25]--the dreadful vision was that 'devils and wickedspirits laboured to draw me away with them. ' These thoughts musthave left a deep and alarming impression upon his mind; for headds, 'of which I could never be rid. '[26]

The author of his life, published in 1692, who was one of hispersonal friends, gives the following account of Bunyan's profligacy, and his checks of conscience:--'He himself hath often, since hisconversion, confessed with horror, that when he was but a child orstripling, he had but few equals for lying, swearing, and blasphemingGod's holy name--living without God in the world; the thoughts ofwhich, when he, by the light of Divine grace, came to understand hisdangerous condition, drew many showers of tears from his sorrowfuleyes, and sighs from his groaning heart. The first thing thatsensibly touched him in this his unregenerate state, were fearfuldreams, and visions of the night, which often made him cry out inhis sleep, and alarm the house, as if somebody was about to murderhim, and being waked, he would start, and stare about him withsuch a wildness, as if some real apparition had yet remained;and generally those dreams were about evil spirits, in monstrousshapes and forms, that presented themselves to him in threateningpostures, as if they would have taken him away, or torn him inpieces. At some times they seemed to belch flame, at other timesa continuous smoke, with horrible noises and roaring. Once hedreamed he saw the face of the heavens, as it were, all on fire;the firmament crackling and shivering with the noise of mightythunders, and an archangel flew in the midst of heaven, sounding atrumpet, and a glorious throne was seated in the east, whereon satone in brightness, like the morning star, upon which he, thinkingit was the end of the world, fell upon his knees, and, with upliftedhands towards heaven, cried, O Lord God, have mercy upon me! Whatshall I do, the day of judgment is come, and I am not prepared! Whenimmediately he heard a voice behind him, exceeding loud, saying, Repent. At another time he dreamed that he was in a pleasantplace, jovial and rioting, banqueting and feasting his senses, whena mighty earthquake suddenly rent the earth, and made a wide gap, out of which came bloody flames, and the figures of men tossedup in globes of fire, and falling down again with horrible cries, shrieks, and execrations, whilst some devils that were mingledwith them, laughed aloud at their torments; and whilst he stoodtrembling at this sight, he thought the earth sunk under him, anda circle of flame enclosed him; but when he fancied he was just atthe point to perish, one in white shining raiment descended, andplucked him out of that dreadful place; whilst the devils criedafter him, to leave him with them, to take the just punishment hissins had deserved, yet he escaped the danger, and leaped for joywhen he awoke and found it was a dream. '

Such dreams as these fitted him in after life to be the gloriousdreamer of the Pilgrim's Progress, in which a dream is told whichdoubtless embodies some of those which terrified him in the nightvisions of his youth. 

In the interpreter's house he is 'led into a chamber where therewas one rising out of bed, and as he put on his raiment he shookand trembled. Then said Christian, Why doth this man thus tremble?The Interpreter then bid him tell to Christian the reason of hisso doing. So he began and said, This night, as I was in my sleepI dreamed, and behold the heavens grew exceeding black; also itthundered and lightened in most fearful wise, that it put me intoan agony. So I looked up in my dream, and saw the clouds rack atan unusual rate, upon which I heard a great sound of a trumpet, and saw also a man sit upon a cloud, attended with the thousands ofheaven--they were all in flaming fire; also the heavens were in aburning flame. I heard then a voice saying, "Arise, ye dead, andcome to judgment;" and with that the rocks rent, the graves opened, and the dead that were therein came forth. Some of them were exceedingglad, and looked upward; and some sought to hide themselves underthe mountains. Then I saw the man that sat upon the cloud open thebook, and bid the world draw near. Yet there was, by reason of afierce flame which issued out and came from before him, a convenientdistance betwixt him and them, as betwixt the judge and prisonersat the bar. I heard it also proclaimed, "Gather together the tares, the chaff, and stubble, and cast them into the burning lake"; andwith that the bottomless pit opened just whereabout I stood, outof the mouth of which there came, in an abundant manner, smoke andcoals of fire, with hideous noises. It was also said, "Gather mywheat into the garner"; and with that I saw many catched up andcarried away into the clouds, but I was left behind. I also soughtto hide myself, but I could not, for the man that sat upon thecloud still kept his eye upon me; my sins also came into my mind, and my conscience did accuse me on every side. Upon that I awakedfrom my sleep. '

No laboured composition could have produced such a dream as this. It flows in such dream-like order as would lead us to infer, thatthe author who narrates it had, when a boy, heard the twenty-fifthchapter of Matthew read at church, and the solemn impressionfollowing him at night assisted in producing a dream which stands, and perhaps will ever stand, unrivalled. 

Awful as must have been these impressions upon his imagination, theywere soon thrown off, and the mad youth rushed on in his desperatecareer of vice and folly. Is he then left to fill up the measureof his iniquities? No, the Lord has a great work for him to do. HIS hand is not shortened that he cannot save. Bunyan has to beprepared for his work; and if terrors will not stop him, manifestedmercies in judgments are to be tried. 

'God did not utterly leave me, but followed me still, not now withconvictions, but judgments; yet such as were mixed with mercy. Foronce I fell into a creek of the sea, and hardly escaped drowning. Another time I fell out of a boat into Bedford river, but mercyyet preserved me alive. Besides, another time, being in the fieldwith one of my companions, it chanced that an adder passed overthe highway, so I, having a stick in my hand, struck her over theback; and having stunned her, I forced open her mouth with my stick, and plucked her sting out with my fingers; by which act, had notGod been merciful unto me, I might by my desperateness have broughtmyself to my end. 

'This also have I taken notice of, with thanksgiving. When I was asoldier, I, with others, were drawn out to go to such a place tobesiege it; but when I was just ready to go, one of the companydesired to go in my room, to which, when I had consented, he tookmy place; and coming to the siege, as he stood sentinel, he wasshot into the head with a musket bullet, and died. '[27]

In addition to these mercies recorded by his own pen, one of hisfriends asserts that he acknowledged his deep obligations to Divinemercy for being saved when he fell into an exceeding deep pit, ashe was traveling in the dark; for having been preserved in sickness;and also for providential goodness that such a sinner was sustainedwith food and raiment, even to his own admiration. 

Bunyan adds, 'Here were judgments and mercy, but neither of themdid awaken my soul to righteousness'; wherefore I sinned still, and grew more and more rebellious against God, and careless of mineown salvation. '[28]

That such a scape-grace should enter the army can occasion no surprise. His robust, hardy frame, used to exposure in all weathers--hisdaring courage, as displayed in his perilous dealing with theadder, bordering upon fool-hardiness--his mental depravity andimmoral habits, fitted him for all the military glory of rapine anddesolation. In his Grace Abounding he expressly states that thistook place before his marriage, while his earliest biographer placesthis event some years after his marriage, and even argues uponit, as a reason why he became a soldier, that 'when the unnaturalcivil war came on, finding little or nothing to do to supporthimself and small family, he, as many thousands did, betook himselfto arms. '[29] The same account states that, 'in June, 1645, beingat the siege of Leicester, he was called out to be one who was tomake a violent attack upon the town, vigorously defended by theKing's forces against the Parliamentarians, but appearing to theofficer who was to command them to be somewhat awkward in handlinghis arms, another voluntarily, and as it were thrust himself intohis place, who, having the same post that was designed Mr. Bunyan, met his fate by a carbine-shot from the wall; but this little ornothing startled our too secure sinner at that time; for being nowin an army where wickedness abounded, he was the more hardened. '

Thus we find Bunyan engaged in military affairs. There can be nodoubt but that he was a soldier prior to his marriage, and that hewas present at the siege of Leicester; but it is somewhat strange(if true) that he should have preferred the Parliamentary to theRoyal army. Although this is a question that cannot be positivelydecided without further evidence than has yet been discovered, there are strong reasons for thinking that so loyal a man joinedthe Royal army, and not that of the Republicans. 

The army into which Bunyan entered is described as being 'wherewickedness abounded, ' but, according to Hume, in this year theRepublican troops were generally pious men. 

Bunyan's loyalty was so remarkable as to appear to be natural tohim; for even after he had so severely suffered from the abuse ofkingly power, in interfering with the Divine prerogative of appointingmodes of worship, he, who feared the face of no man--who neverwrote a line to curry favour with any man or class of men--thusexpresses his loyal feelings--'I do confess myself one of theold-fashioned professors, that covet to fear God, and honour theking. I also am for blessing of them that curse me, for doing goodto them that hate me, and for praying for them that despitefullyuse me and persecute me; and have had more peace in the practice ofthese things than all the world are aware of. ' 'Pray for the longlife of the king. ' 'Pray that God would discover all plots andconspiracies against his person and government. '[30] 'Will you rebelagainst the king? is a word that shakes the world. '[31] 'Pray forall that are in authority; reproach not the governor, he is set overthee; all his ways are God's, either for thy help or the trial ofthy graces--this is duty, will render thee lovely to thy friends, terrible to thine enemies, serviceable as a Christian. '[32]'Let kings have that fear, honour, reverence, worship that is dueto their place, their office and dignity. ' 'I speak it to show myloyalty to the king, and my love to my fellow-subjects. '[33] Withsuch proofs of his peaceful submission to government in all thingsthat touched not the prerogatives of God; it would have been marvelousindeed if he had taken up arms against his king. His infatuateddelight in swearing, and roisterous habits, were ill suited to thereligious restraints of the Parliamentarians, while they would renderhim a high prize to Rupert's dragoons. Add to this, the remarkablefact, that Leicester was besieged and stormed with terrible slaughterby the king, but not by the army of the Parliament. The taking ofLeicester by the king in person was attended with great cruelties. The abbey was burnt by the cavaliers. Rupert's black flag washoisted on the gate which had been treacherously given up. EveryScotchman found in the town was murdered. The mace and town sealswere carried off as plunder; and, if the account given by Thoresbyin his History of Leicester is correct, the scene of carnage wasquite enough to sicken Bunyan of a military life. He knew the modein which plunder taken from the bodies of the slain was divided bythe conquerors:--

 'Or as the soldiers give unto Each man the share and lot, Which they by dint of sword have won, From their most daring foe; While he lies by as still as stone, Not knowing what they do. '[34]

'The king's forces having made their batteries, stormed Leicester;those within made stout resistance, but some of them betrayedone of the gates; the women of the town laboured in making up thebreaches, and in great danger. The king's forces having enteredthe town, had a hot encounter in the market-place; and many of themwere slain by shot out of the windows, that they gave no quarter, but hanged some of the committee, and cut others to pieces. Someletters say that the kennels ran down with blood; Colonel Gray thegovernor, and Captain Hacker, were wounded and taken prisoners, and very many of the garrison were put to the sword, and the townmiserably plundered. The king's forces killed divers who prayedquarter, and put divers women to the sword, [35] and other womenand children they turned naked into the streets, and many theyravished. They hanged Mr. Reynor and Mr. Sawyer in cold blood; andat Wighton they smothered Mrs. Barlowes, a minister's wife, andher children. '[36]

Lord Clarendon admits the rapine and plunder, and that the kingregretted that some of his friends suffered with the rest. [37]Humphrey Brown deposed that he was present when the garrison, havingsurrendered upon a promise of quarter, he saw the king's soldiersstrip and wound the prisoners, and heard the king say--'cut themmore, for they are mine enemies. ' A national collection was madefor the sufferers, by an ordinance bearing date the 28th October, 1645, which states that--'Whereas it is very well known what miseriesbefell the inhabitants of the town and county of Leicester, whenthe king's army took Leicester, by plundering the said inhabitants, not only of their wares in their shops, but also all their householdgoods, and their apparel from their backs, both of men, women, and children, not sparing, in that kind, infants in their cradles;and, by violent courses and tortures, compelled them to discoverwhatsoever they had concealed or hid, and after all they imprisonedtheir persons, to the undoing of the tradesmen, and the ruin ofmany of the country. '

Can we wonder that 'the king was abused as a barbarian and amurderer, for having put numbers to death in cold blood after thegarrison had surrendered; and for hanging the Parliament's committee, and some Scots found in that town?' The cruelties practiced in theking's presence were signally punished. He lost 709 men on thatoccasion, and it infused new vigour into the Parliament's army. Thebattle of Naseby was fought a few days after; the numbers of thecontending forces were nearly equal; the royal troops were veterans, commanded by experienced officers; but the God of armies avengedthe innocent blood shed in Leicester, and the royal army was cut topieces; carriages, cannon, the king's cabinet, full of treasonablecorrespondence, were taken, and from that day he made feeble fight, and soon lost his crown and his life. The conquerors marched toLeicester, which surrendered by capitulation. Heath, in his Chronicle, asserts that 'no life was lost at the retaking of Leicester. ' Manyof Bunyan's sayings and proverbs are strongly tinged with the spiritof Rupert's dragoons--'as we say, blood up to the ears. '[38] 'Whatcan be the meaning of this (trumpeters), they neither sound bootand saddle, nor horse and away, nor a charge?'[39] In his allegorieswhen he alludes to fighting, it is with the sword and not with themusket;[40] 'rub up man, put on thy harness. '[41] 'The father'ssword in the hand of the sucking child is not able to conquer afoe. '[42]

Considering his singular loyalty, which, during the FrenchRevolution, was exhibited as a pattern to Dissenters by an eminentBaptist minister; [43] considering also his profligate characterand military sayings, it is very probable that Bunyan was in theking's army in 1645, being about seventeen years of age. It was afinishing school to the hardened sinner, which enabled him, in hisaccount of the Holy War, so well to describe every filthy lane anddirty street in the town of Mansoul. 

Whether Bunyan left the army when Charles was routed at the battleof Naseby, or was discharged, is not known. He returned to hisnative town full of military ideas, which he used to advantage inhis Holy War. He was not reformed, but hardened in sin, and, althoughat times alarmed with convictions of the danger of his soul, yet inthe end, the flesh pleading powerfully, it prevailed; and he madea resolution to indulge himself in such carnal delights and pleasuresas he was accustomed to, or that fell in his way. 'His neglectinghis business, and following gaming and sports, to put melancholythoughts out of his mind, which he could not always do, had renderedhim very poor and despicable. '[44]

In this forlorn and miserable state, he was induced, by the persuasionof friends, under the invisible guidance of God, to enter into themarriage state. Such a youth, then only twenty years of age, wouldnaturally be expected to marry some young woman as hardened ashimself, but he made a very different choice. His earliest biographersays, with singular simplicity, 'his poverty, and irregular courseof life, made it very difficult for him to get a wife suitable tohis inclination; and because none that were rich would yield tohis allurements, he found himself constrained to marry one withoutany fortune, though very virtuous, loving, and conformably obedientand obliging, being born of good, honest, godly parents, who hadinstructed her, as well as they were able, in the ways of truthand saving knowledge. '[45] The idea of his seeking a rich wife issufficiently droll; he must have been naturally a persuasive lover, to have gained so good a helpmate. They were not troubled withsending cards, cake, or gloves, nor with the ceremony of receivingthe visits of their friends in state; for he says, that 'This womanand I came together as poor as poor might be, not having so muchhousehold stuff as a dish or spoon betwixt us both. '[46] His wifehad two books, The Plain Man's Pathway to Heaven, and The Practiceof Piety; but what was of more importance than wealth or householdstuff, she had that seed sown in her heart which no thief couldsteal. [47] She enticed and persuaded him to read those books. Todo this he by application 'again recovered his reading, which hehad almost lost. ' His wife became an unspeakable blessing to him. She presents a pattern to any woman, who, having neglected theapostolic injunction not to be unequally yoked, finds herself underthe dominion of a swearing dare devil. It affords a lovely proofof the insinuating benign favour of female influence. This was themore surprising, as he says, 'the thoughts of religion were verygrievous to me, ' and when 'books that concerned Christian pietywere read in my hearing, it was as it were a prison to me. ' In spiteof all obstacles, his rugged heart was softened by her tendernessand obedience, he 'keeping on the old course, '[48] she upon everyproper season teaching him how her father's piety secured his ownand his family's happiness. Here was no upbraiding, no snubbing, no curtain lectures; all was affectionate, amiable mildness. Atfirst, he became occasionally alarmed for his soul's salvation;then with the thought of having sinned away the day of grace, heplunged again into sin with greediness; anon a faint hope of mercywould fill him with fear and trembling. But this leads us to thewondrous narrative of his new birth. 

THE SECOND PERIOD. 

THE INTERNAL CONFLICT, OR BUNYAN'S CONVICTIONS AND CONVERSION. 

All nature is progressive; if an infant was suddenly to arrive atmanhood, how idiotic and dangerous he would be! A long training isessential to fit the human being for the important duties of life;and just so is it in the new birth to spiritual existence--first ababe, then the young man; at length the full stature, and at lastthe experienced Christian. 

The narrative of Bunyan's progress in his conversion is, withoutexception, the most astonishing of any that has been published. Itis well calculated to excite the profoundest investigation of theChristian philosopher. Whence came those sudden suggestions, thosegloomy fears, those heavenly rays of joy? Much learning certainlydid not make him mad. The Christian dares not attribute his intensefeelings to a distempered brain. Whence came the invisible powerthat struck Paul from his horse? Who was it that scared Job withdreams, and terrified him with visions? What messenger of Satanbuffeted Paul? Who put 'a new song' into the mouth of David? Wehave no space in this short memoir to attempt the drawing a linebetween convictions of sin and the terrors of a distempered brain. Bunyan's opinions upon this subject are deeply interesting, andare fully developed in his Holy War. The capabilities of the soulto entertain vast armies of thoughts, strong and feeble, representedas men, women, and children, are so great as almost to perplex thestrongest understanding. All these multitudes of warriors are theinnumerable thoughts--the strife--in ONE soul. Upon such a subjectan interesting volume might be written. But we must fix our attentionupon the poor tinker who was the subject of this wondrous war. 

The tender and wise efforts of Mrs. Bunyan to reclaim her husband, wereattended by the Divine blessing, and soon led to many resolutions, on his part, to curb his sinful propensities and to promote an outwardreformation; his first effort was regularly to attend Divine worship. 

He says, 'I fell in very eagerly with the religion of the times, towit, to go to church twice a-day, and that too with the foremost;and there should very devoutly both say and sing as others did, yet retaining my wicked life; but withal, I was so overrun with aspirit of superstition, that I adored, and that with great devotion, even all things, both the high-place, priest, clerk, vestment, service, and what else belonging to the Church; counting all thingsholy that were therein contained, and especially, the priest andclerk most happy, and without doubt greatly blessed, because theywere the servants, as I then thought, [49] of God, and were principalin the holy temple, to do his work therein. This conceit grew sostrong in little time upon my spirit, that had I but seen a priest, though never so sordid and debauched in his life, [50] I should findmy spirit fall under him, reverence him, and knit unto him; yea, I thought, for the love I did bear unto them, supposing they werethe ministers of God, I could have lain down at their feet, andhave been trampled upon by them; their name, their garb, and workdid so intoxicate and bewitch me. '

All this took place at the time when The Book of Common Prayer, having been said to occasion 'manifold inconveniency, ' was, by anAct of Parliament, 'abolished, '[51] and by a subsequent Act[52]prohibited, under severe penalties, from being publicly used. The 'manifold inconveniences' to which the Act refers, arose fromdifferences of opinion as to the propriety of the form which hadbeen enforced, heightened by the enormous cruelties practiced uponmultitudes who refused to use it. Opposition to the English Liturgyas more combined in Scotland, by a covenant entered into, June 20, 1580, by the king, lords, nobles, and people, against Popery; andupon Archbishop Laud's attempt, in 1637, to impose the service-bookupon our northern neighbours, tumults and bloodshed ensued; until, in 1643, a new and very solemn league and covenant was entered into, which, in 1645, extended its influence to England, being subscribedby thousands of our best citizens, with many of the nobility--'whereinwe all subscribe, and each with his own hands lifted up to theMost High God, doe swear'; that being the mode of taking an oath, instead of kissing the cover of a book, as is now practiced. To thecruel and intemperate measures of Laud, and the zeal of Charles, for priestly domination over conscience, may be justly attributedthe wars which desolated the country, while the solemn league andcovenant brought an overwhelming force to aid the Parliament inredressing the grievances of the kingdom. During the Commonwealththere was substituted, in place of the Common Prayer, A directoryfor the Publique Worship of God, and the uniformity which wasenjoined in it was like that of the Presbyterians and Dissentersof the present day. The people having assembled, and been exhortedto reverence and humility, joined the preacher in prayer. He thenread portions of Scripture, with or without an exposition, as hejudged it necessary, but not so as to render the service tedious. After singing a psalm, the minister prayed, leading the peopleto mourn under a sense of sin, and to hunger and thirst after thegrace of God, in Jesus Christ; an outline or abstract is given ofthe subject of public prayer, and similar instructions are given asto the sermon or paraphrase. Immediately after the sermon, prayerwas again offered up, and after the outline that is given of thisdevotional exercise, it is noted, 'And because the prayer whichChrist taught his disciples, is not only a pattern of prayer, butitself a most comprehensive prayer, we recommend it also to beused in the prayers of the Church. ' This being ended, a psalm wassung, and the minister dismissed the congregation with a solemnblessing. [53] Some of the clergy continued the use of prayers, contained in the liturgy, reciting, instead of reading them--acourse that was not objected to. This was the form of service whichstruck Bunyan with such awe and reverence, leaving a very solemnimpression upon his mind, which the old form of common prayer hadnever produced. 

Bunyan was fond of athletic sports, bell-ringing, and dancing; andin these he had indulged, so far as his worldly calling allowed. Charles I, whether to promote Popery--to divert his subjects frompolitical grievances--or to punish the Puritans, had endeavouredto drown their serious thoughts in a vortex of dissipation, by re-publishing the Book of Sports, to be used on Sundays. That'after Divine service our good people be not disturbed, letted, ordiscouraged from dancing, either men or women; archery, leaping, vaulting, or any other such harmless recreations; May games, Whitsun-ales, Morris dances, May poles, and other sports. ' But thiswas not all, for every 'Puritan and Precisian was to be constrainedto conformity with these sports, or to leave their country. ' Thesame severe penalty was enforced upon every clergyman who refused toread from his pulpit the Book of Sports, and to persuade the peoplethus to desecrate the Lord's-day. 'Many hundred godly ministerswere suspended from their ministry, sequestered, driven from theirlivings, excommunicated, prosecuted in the high commission court, and forced to leave the kingdom for not publishing this declaration. '[54]A little gleam of heavenly light falls upon those dark and gloomytimes, from the melancholy fact that nearly eight hundred conscientiousclergymen were thus wickedly persecuted. This was one of the worksof Laud, who out-bonnered Bonner himself in his dreadful careerof cruelty, while making havoc of the church of Christ. Eventransportation for refusing obedience to such diabolical laws wasnot the greatest penalty; in some cases it was followed by the deathof the offender. The punishments inflicted for nonconformity wereaccompanied by the most refined and barbarous cruelties. Still manyof the learned bowed their necks to this yoke with abject servility:thus, Robert Powell, speaking of the Book of Sports, says, 'Needlessis it to argue or dispute for that which authority hath commanded, and most insufferable insolence to speak or write against it. '[55]These Sunday sports, published by Charles I, in 1633, had doubtlessaided in fostering Bunyan's bad conduct in his youthful days. In 1644, when The Book of Common Prayer was abolished, an Act waspassed for the better observance of the Lord's-day; all personswere prohibited on that day to use any wrestlings, shooting, bowing, ringing of bells for pastime, masques, wakes, church-ales, dancing, game, sports or pastime whatever; and that 'the Book of Sportsshall be seized, and publicly burnt. ' During the civil war thisAct does not appear to have been strictly enforced; for, four yearsafter it was passed, we find Bunyan and his dissolute companionsworshipping the priest, clerk, and vestments on the Sunday morning, and assembling for their Sabbath-breaking sports in the afternoon. It was upon one of these occasions that a most extraordinaryimpression was fixed upon the spirit of Bunyan. A remarkable scenetook place, worthy the pencil of the most eminent artist. Thisevent cannot be better described than in his own words:--

'One day, amongst all the sermons our parson made, his subjectwas, to treat of the Sabbath-day, and of the evil of breaking that, either with labour, sports, or otherwise; now I was, notwithstandingmy religion, one that took much delight in all manner of vice, andespecially that was the day that I did solace myself therewith;wherefore I fell in my conscience under his sermons, thinking andbelieving that he made that sermon on purpose to show me my evildoing. And at that time I felt what guilt was, though never before, that I can remember; but then I was, for the present, greatlyloaden therewith, and so went home, when the sermon was ended, witha great burthen upon my spirit. 

'This, for that instant, did benumb the sinews of my best delights, and did imbitter my former pleasures to me; but behold it lastednot for before I had well dined, the trouble began to go off mymind, and my heart returned to its old course. But O! how glad wasI, that this trouble was gone from me, and that the fire was putout, that I might sin again without control! Wherefore, when I hadsatisfied nature with my food, I shook the sermon out of my mind, and to my old custom of sports and gaming I returned with greatdelight. 

'But the same day, as I was in the midst of a game at cat, andhaving struck it one blow from the hole, just as I was about tostrike it the second time, a voice did suddenly dart from heaveninto my soul, which said, "Wilt thou leave thy sins and go toheaven, or have thy sins and go to hell?" At this I was put to anexceeding maze; wherefore leaving my cat upon the ground, I lookedup to heaven, and was as if I had, with the eyes of my understanding, seen the Lord Jesus looking down upon me, as being very hotlydispleased with me, and as if he did severely threaten me with somegrievous punishment for these and other my ungodly practices. 

'I had no sooner thus conceived in my mind, but, suddenly, thisconclusion was fastened on my spirit, for the former hint did setmy sins again before my face, that I had been a great and grievoussinner, and that it was now too late for me to look after heaven;for Christ would not forgive me, nor pardon my transgressions. ThenI fell to musing upon this also; and while I was thinking on it, and fearing lest it should be so, I felt my heart sink in despair, concluding it was too late; and therefore I resolved in my mind Iwould go on in sin: for, thought I, if the case be thus, my stateis surely miserable; miserable if I leave my sins, and but miserableif I follow them; I can but be damned, and if I must be so, I hadas good be damned for many sins, as be damned for few. 

'Thus I stood in the midst of my play, before all that then werepresent: but yet I told them nothing. But I say, I having made thisconclusion, I returned desperately to my sport again; and I wellremember, that presently this kind of despair did so possess mysoul, that I was persuaded I could never attain to other comfortthan what I should get in sin; for heaven was gone already; so thaton that I must not think. '[56]

How difficult is it, when immorality has been encouraged by royalauthority, to turn the tide or to stem the torrent. For at leastfour years, an Act of Parliament had prohibited these Sundaysports. Still the supinelness of the justices, and the connivanceof the clergy, allowed the rabble youth to congregate on the Greenat Elstow, summoned by the church bells to celebrate their sportsand pastimes, as they had been in the habit of doing on the Lord'sday. [57]

This solemn warning, received in the midst of his sport, was oneof a series of convictions, by which he hardened sinner was tobe fitted to receive the messages of mercy and love. In the midstof his companions and of the spectators, Bunyan was struck with asense of guilt. How rapid were his thoughts--'Wilt thou leave thysins and go to heaven, or have thy sins and go to hell?' With theeye of his understanding he saw the Lord Jesus as 'hotly displeased. 'The tempter suggests it is 'too, too late' to seek for pardon, and with a desperate resolution which must have cost his heart theseverest pangs, he continued his game. Still the impression remainedindelibly fixed upon his mind. 

The next blow which fell upon his hardened spirit was still moredeeply felt, because it was given by one from whom he could theleast have expected it. He was standing at a neighbour's shop-window, 'belching out oaths like the madman that Solomon speaks of, whoscatters abroad firebrands, arrows, and death'[58] 'after his wontedmanner. ' He exemplified the character drawn by the Psalmist. 'Ashe clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment: so letit come into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones. 'Here was a disease that set all human skill at defiance, but thegreat, the Almighty Physician, cured it with strange physic. Hadany professor reproved him, it might have been passed by as a matterof course; but it was so ordered that a woman who was notoriously'a very loose and ungodly wretch, ' protested that she trembled tohear him swear and curse at that most fearful rate; that he wasthe ungodliest fellow she had ever heard, and that he was able tospoil all the youth in a whole town. [59] Public reproof from thelips of such a woman was an arrow that pierced his inmost soul;it effected a reformation marvelous to all his companions, andbordering upon the miraculous. The walls of a fortified city wereonce thrown down by a shout and the tiny blast of rams'-horns (Josh6:20); and in this instance, the foundations of Heart Castle, fortified by Satan, are shaken by the voice of one of his ownemissaries. Mortified and convicted, the foul-mouthed blasphemerswore no more; an outward reformation in words and conduct tookplace, but without inward spiritual life. Thus was he making vowsto God and breaking them, repenting and promising to do better nexttime; so, to use his own homely phrase, he was 'feeding God withchapters, and prayers, and promises, and vows, and a great manymore such dainty dishes, and thinks that he serveth God as well asany man in England can, while he has only got into a cleaner wayto hell than the rest of his neighbours are in. '[60]

Such a conversion, as he himself calls it, was 'from prodigiousprofaneness to something like moral life. '[61] 'Now I was, as theysaid, become godly, and their words pleased me well, though as yetI was nothing but a poor painted hypocrite. ' These are hard words, but, in the most important sense, they were true. He was pointedout as a miracle of mercy--the great convert--a wonder to the world. He could now suffer opprobrium and cavils--play with errors--entanglehimself and drink in flattery. No one can suppose that this outwardreform was put on hypocritically, as a disguise to attain somesinister object; it was real, but it arose from a desire to shinebefore his neighbours, from shame and from the fear of futurepunishment, and not from that love to God which leads the Christianto the fear of offending him. It did not arise from a changeof heart; the secret springs of action remained polluted; it wasoutside show, and therefore he called himself a painted hypocrite. He became less a despiser of religion, but more awfully a destroyerof his own soul. 

A new source of uneasiness now presented itself in his practiceof bell-ringing, an occupation requiring severe labour, usuallyperformed on the Lord's-day; and, judging from the general characterof bell-ringers, it has a most injurious effect, both with regardto morals and religion. A circumstance had recently taken placewhich was doubtless interpreted as an instance of Divine judgmentupon Sabbath-breaking. Clark, in his Looking-Glass for Saintsand Sinners, 1657, published the narrative:--'Not long since, inBedfordshire, a match at football being appointed on the Sabbath, in the afternoon whilst two were in the belfry, tolling of a bellto call the company together, there was suddenly heard a clapof thunder, and a flash of lightning was seen by some that sat inthe church-porch coming through a dark lane, and flashing in theirfaces, which must terrified them, and, passing through the porchinto the belfry, it tripped up his heels that was tolling the bell, and struck him stark dead; and the other that was with him was sosorely blasted therewith, that shortly after he died also. '[62] Thuswe find that the church bells ministered to the Book of Sports, tocall the company to Sabbath-breaking. The bell-ringers might comewithin the same class as those upon whom the tower at Siloam fell, still it was a most solemn warning, and accounts for the timidityof so resolute a man as Bunyan. Although he thought it did not becomehis newly-assumed religious character, yet his old propensity drewhim to the church tower. At first he ventured in, but took care tostand under a main beam, lest the bell should fall and crush him;afterwards he would stand in the door; then he feared the steeple mightfall; and the terrors of an untimely death, and his newly-acquiredgarb of religion, eventually deterred him from this modeof Sabbath-breaking. His next sacrifice made at the shrine ofself-righteousness was dancing: this took him one whole year toaccomplish, and then he bade farewell to these sports for the restof his life. [63] We are not to conclude from the example of a manwho in after-life proved so great and excellent a character, that, under all circumstances, bell-ringing and dancing are immoral. In those days, such sports and pastimes usually took place on theLord's-day; and however the Church of England might then sanctionit, and proclaim by royal authority, in all her churches, thelawfulness of sports on that sacred day, yet it is now universallyadmitted that it was commanding a desecration of the Sabbath, andletting loose a flood of vice and profaneness. In themselves, ondays proper for recreation, such sports may be innocent; but if theyengender an unholy thought, or occupy time needed for self-examinationand devotion, they ought to be avoided as sinful hindrances to aspiritual life. 

Bunyan was now dressed in the garb of a religious professor, and hadbecome a brisk talker in the matters of religion, when, by Divinemercy, he was stripped of all his good opinion of himself; his wantof holiness, and his unchanged heart, were revealed to his surpriseand wonder, by means simple and efficacious, but which no humanforethought could have devised. Being engaged in his trade atBedford, he overheard the conversation of some poor pious women, and it humbled and alarmed him. 'I heard, but I understood not; forthey were far above, out of my reach. Their talk was about a newbirth, the work of God on their hearts, also how they were convincedof their miserable state by nature; how God had visited their soulswith his love in the Lord Jesus, and with what words and promisesthey had been refreshed, comforted, and supported against thetemptations of the devil. Moreover, they reasoned of the suggestionsand temptations of Satan in particular; and told to each other bywhich they had been afflicted, and how they were borne up under hisassaults. Hey also discoursed of their own wretchedness of heart, of their unbelief; and did contemn, slight, and abhor their ownrighteousness, as filthy and insufficient to do them any good. Andmethought they spake as if joy did make them speak; they spake withsuch pleasantness of Scripture language, and with such appearanceof grace in all they said, that they were to me as if they had founda new world; as if they were people that dwelt alone, and were notto be reckoned among their neighbours (Num 23:9). 

'At this I felt my own heart began to shake, as mistrusting mycondition to be nought; for I saw that in all my thoughts aboutreligion and salvation, the new birth did never enter into mymind; neither knew I the comfort of the Word and promise, nor thedeceitfulness and treachery of my own wicked heart. As for secretthoughts, I took no notice of them; neither did I understand whatSatan's temptations were, nor how they were to be withstood, andresisted. 

'Thus, therefore, when I heard and considered what they said, Ileft them, and went about my employment again, but their talk anddiscourse went with me; also my heart would tarry with them, forI was greatly affected with their words, both because by them Iwas convinced that I wanted the true tokens of a truly godly man, and also because by them I was convinced of the happy and blessedcondition of him that was such a one. '[64]

The brisk talker of 'talkative, ' was confounded--he heard piousgodly women mourning over their worthlessness instead of vauntingof their attainments. They exhibited, doubtless to his great surprise, that self-distrust and humility are the beginnings of wisdom. 

These humble disciples could have had no conception that the HolySpirit was blessing their Christian communion to the mind of thetinker, standing near them, pursuing his occupation. The recollectionof the converse of these poor women led to solemn heart-searchingand the most painful anxiety; again and again he sought theircompany, and his convictions became more deep, his solicitude moreintense. This was the commencement of an internal struggle, themost remarkable of any upon record, excepting that of the psalmistDavid. 

It was the work of the Holy Spirit in regenerating and preparingan ignorant and rebellious man for extraordinary submission tothe sacred Scriptures, and for most extensive usefulness. To thosewho never experienced in any degree such feelings, they appear toindicate religious insanity. It was so marvelous and so mysterious, as to be mistaken by a poet laureate, who profanely calls it abeing 'shaken continually by the hot and cold fits of a spiritualague': 'reveries': or one of the 'frequent and contagious disordersof the human mind, '[65] instead of considering it as wholesome butbitter medicine for the soul, administered by the heavenly Physician. At times he felt, like David, 'a sword in his bones, ' 'tears hismeat. ' God's waves and billows overwhelmed him (Psa 43). Then cameglimmerings of hope--precious promises saving him from despair--followedby the shadow of death overspreading his soul, and involving himin midnight darkness. He could complain in the bitterness of hisanguish, 'Thy fierce wrath goeth over me. ' Bound in affliction andiron, his 'soul was melted because of trouble. ' 'Now Satan assaultsthe soul with darkness, fears, frightful thoughts of apparitions;now they sweat, pant, and struggle for life. The angels now come(Psa 107) down to behold the sight, and rejoice to see a bit ofdust and ashes to overcome principalities, and powers, and might, and dominion. '[66] His mind was fixed on eternity, and out of theabundance of his heart he spoke to one of his former companions;his language was that of reproof--'Harry, why do you swear and cursethus? what will become of you if you die in this condition?'[67]His sermon, probably the first he had preached, was like throwingpearls before swine--'He answered in a great chafe, what would thedevil do for company, if it were not for such as I am. '[68]

By this time he had recovered the art of reading, and its use alittle perplexed him, for he became much puzzled with the opinionsof the Ranters, as set forth in their books. It is extremelydifficult to delineate their sentiments; they were despised by allthe sects which had been connected with the government, because, with the Quakers and Baptists, they denied any magisterial or stateauthority over conscience, and refused maintenance to ministers;but from the testimony of Bunyan, and that of the early Quakers, they appear to have been practical Antinomians, or at least verynearly allied to the new sect called Mormonites. Ross, who copiedfrom Pagitt, describes them with much bitterness--'The Ranters areunclean beasts--their maxim is that there is nothing sin but whata man thinks to be so--they reject the Bible--they are the merriestof all devils--they deny all obedience to magistrates. '[69]

This temptation must have been severe. The Ranters were like theblack man with the white robe, named Flatterer, who led the pilgrimsinto a net, [70] under the pretence of showing them the way to thecelestial city; or like Adam the first, who offered Faithful histhree daughters to wife[71]--the lust of the flesh, the lust ofthe eyes, and the pride of life--if he would dwell with him in thetown of Deceit. 'These temptations, ' he says, 'were suitable to myflesh, '[72] I being but a young man, and my nature in its prime;and, with his characteristic humility, he adds, 'God, who had, asI hope, designed me for better things, kept me in the fear of hisname, and did not suffer me to accept such cursed principles. ' Prayeropened the door of escape; it led him to the fountain of truth. 'I began to look into the Bible with new eyes. Prayer preserved mefrom Ranting errors. The Bible was precious to me in those days. '[73]His study of the Holy Oracles now became a daily habit, and thatwith intense earnestness and prayer. In the mist of the multitudeof sects with which he was on all sides surrounded, he felt theneed of a standard for the opinions which were each of them eagerlyfollowed by votaries, who proclaimed them to be THE TRUTH, theway, and the life. He was like a man, feeling that if he erredin the way, it would be attended with misery, and, but for Divineinterference, with unutterable ruin--possessed of a correct map, but surrounded with those who, by flattery, or threats, or deceit, and armed with all human eloquence, strove to mislead him. With anenemy within to urge him to accept their wily guidance, that theymight lead him to perdition--inspired by Divine grace, like Christianin his Pilgrim, he 'put his fingers in his ears, and ran on, cryingLife, life, eternal life. ' He felt utter dependence upon Divineguidance, leading him to most earnest prayer, and an implicit obedienceto Holy Writ, which followed him all through the remainder of hispilgrimage. 'The Bible' he calls 'the scaffold, or stage, thatGod has builded for hope to play his part upon in this world. '[74]Hence the Word was precious in his eyes; and with so immensea loss, or so magnificent a gain, the throne of grace was all hishope, that he might be guided by that counsel that cannot err, andthat should eventually insure his reception to eternal glory. 

While in this inquiring state, he experienced much doubt anduncertainty arising from the apparent confidence of many professors. In his own esteem he appeared to be thoroughly humbled; and whenhe lighted on that passage--'To one is given by the spirit the wordof wisdom, to another, knowledge, and to another, faith' (1 Cor12:8, 9), his solemn inquiry was, how it happened that he possessedso little of any of these gifts of wisdom, knowledge, or faith--moreespecially of faith, that being essential to the pleasing of God. He had read (Matt 21:21), 'If ye have faith and doubt not, ye shallsay unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast intothe sea; it shall be done'; and (Luke 17:6), 'If ye had faith as agrain of mustard seed, ye might say to this sycamore tree, Be thouplucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea, and it shallobey you'; and (1 Cor 13:2), 'Though I have all faith, so that Icould remove mountains. ' The poor tinker, considering these passagesin their literal import, imagined they were meant as tests to trywhether the believer possessed faith or not. He was a stranger tothe rules of Hebrew rhetoric; nor did he consider that they wereaddressed to the apostles, who had the power to work miracles. Hehad no idea that the removing a mountain, or planting a sycamoretree in the sea, were figures of speech conveying to us the factthat, aided by faith, mountainous difficulties might and would beovercome. Anxious for some ocular demonstration that he had faith, he almost determined to attempt to work a miracle--not to convertor confirm the faith of others, but to satisfy his own mind as tohis possessing faith. He had no such magnificent idea as the removalof a mountain, for there were none in his neighbourhood, nor toplant a tree in the sea, for Bedfordshire is an inland county; butit was of the humblest kind--that some puddles on the road betweenElstow and Bedford should change places with the dry ground. Whenhe had thought of praying for ability, his natural good sense ledhim to abandon the experiment. [75] This he calls 'being in my plungeabout faith, tossed betwixt the devil and my own ignorance. '[76] Allthis shows the intensity of his feelings and his earnest inquiries. 

It may occasion surprise to some, that a young man of suchextraordinary powers of mind, should have indulged the thought ofworking a miracle to settle or confirm his doubts; but we must takeinto account, that when a boy he had no opportunity of acquiringscriptural knowledge; no Sunday schools, no Bible class excitedhis inquiries as to the meaning of the sacred language. The Biblehad been to him a sealed book until, in a state of mental agony, he cried, What must I do to be saved? The plain text was all hisguide; and it would not have been surprising, had he been calledto bottle a cask of new wine, if he had refused to use old winebottles; or had he cast a loaf into the neighbouring river Ouse, expecting to find it after many days. The astonishing fact is, thatone so unlettered should, by intense thought, by earnest prayer, and by comparing one passage with another, arrive eventually at soclear a view both of the external and internal meaning of the wholeBible. The results of his researches were more deeply impressedupon his mind by the mistakes which he had made; and his intensestudy, both of the Old and New Testaments, furnished him with aninexhaustible store of things new and old--those vivid images andburning thoughts, those bright and striking illustrations of Divinetruth, which so shine and sparkle in all his works. What can bemore clear than his illustration of saving faith which worketh bylove, when in after-life he wrote the Pilgrim's Progress. Hopefulwas in a similar state of inquiry whether he had faith. 'Then I said, But, Lord, what is believing?' And then I saw from that saying, Hethat cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth in meshall never thirst, that believing and coming was all one, and thathe that came, that is, ran out in his heart and affections aftersalvation by Christ, he indeed believed in Christ (John 6:25). [77]

In addition to his want of scriptural education, it must be rememberedthat, when he thought of miraculous power being an evidence of faith, his mind was in a most excited state--doubts spread over him likea huge masses of thick black clouds, hiding the Sun of Righteousnessfrom his sight. Not only is he to be pardoned for his error, butadmired for the humility which prompted him to record so singulara trial, and his escape from 'this delusion of the tempter. ' While'thus he was tossed betwixt the devil and his own ignorance, '[78]the happiness of the poor women whose conversation he had heard atBedford, was brought to his recollection by a remarkable reverieor day dream:--

'About this time, the state and happiness of these poor people atBedford was thus, in a dream or vision, represented to me. I sawas if they were set on the sunny side of some high mountain, thererefreshing themselves with the pleasant beams of the sun, whileI was shivering and shrinking in the cold, afflicted with frost, snow, and dark clouds. Methought also, betwixt me and them, I sawa wall that did compass about this mountain; now through this wallmy soul did greatly desire to pass, concluding that if I could, Iwould go even into the very midst of them, and there also comfortmyself with the heat of their sun. 

'About this wall I thought myself to go again and again, stillprying, as I went, to see if I could find some way or passage, bywhich I might enter therein; but none could I find for some time. At the last I saw, as it were, a narrow gap, like a little doorwayin the wall, through which I attempted to pass; but the passagebeing very strait and narrow, I made many efforts to get in, butall in vain, even until I was well nigh quite beat out, by strivingto get in; at last, with great striving, methought I at first didget in my head, and after that, by a sidling striving, my shoulders, and my whole body; then I was exceeding glad, and went and sat downin the midst of them, and so was comforted with the light and heatof their sun. 

'Now this mountain, and wall, was thus made out to me: The mountainsignified the church of the living God; the sun that shone thereon, the comfortable shining of his merciful face on them that weretherein; the wall I thought was the Word, that did make separationbetween the Christians and the world; and the gap which was inthis wall, I thought, was Jesus Christ, who is the way to God theFather (John 14:6; Matt 7:14). But forasmuch as the passage waswonderful narrow, even so narrow that I could not, but with greatdifficulty, enter in thereat, it showed me, that none could enterinto life, but those that were in downright earnest, and unlessalso they left this wicked world behind them; for here was onlyroom for body and soul, but not for body and soul and sin. [79]

'This resemblance abode upon my spirit many days; all which timeI saw myself in a forlorn and sad condition, but yet was provokedto a vehement hunger and desire to be one of that number that didsit in the sunshine. Now also I should pray wherever I was; whetherat home or abroad, in house or field, and should also often, withlifting up of heart, sing that of the fifty-first Psalm, "O Lord, consider my distress. "'[80]

In this striking reverie we discover the budding forth of that greatgenius which produced most beautiful flowers and delicious fruit, when it became fully developed in his allegories. 

While this trial clouded his spirits, he was called to enduretemptations which are common to most, if not all, inquiring souls, and which frequently produce much anxiety. He plunged into theuniversity problems of predestination, before he had completed hislower grammar-school exercises on faith and repentance. Am I one ofthe elect? or has the day of grace been suffered to pass by neverto return? 'Although he was in a flame to find the way to heavenand glory, ' these questions afflicted and disquieted him, so thatthe very strength of his body was taken away by the force andpower thereof. 'Lord, thought I, what if I should not be elected!It may be you are not, said the tempter; it may be so, indeedthought I. Why then, said Satan, you had as good leave off, andstrive no farther; for if indeed you should not be elected andchosen of God, there is no talk of your being saved; "for it isneither of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of Godthat showeth mercy. "

'By these things I was driven to my wit's end, not knowing what tosay, or how to answer these temptations. Indeed, I little thoughtthat Satan had thus assaulted me, but that rather it was my ownprudence thus to start the question: for that the elect only obtainedeternal life; that I without scruple did heartily close withal;but that myself was one of them, there lay all the question. '[81]

Thus was he for many weeks oppressed and cast down, and nearto 'giving up the ghost of all his hopes of ever attaining life, 'when a sentence fell with weight upon his spirit--'Look at thegenerations of old and see; did ever any trust in the Lord and wasconfounded' (Ecclesiasticus 2:10). This encouraged him to a diligentsearch from Genesis to Revelation, which lasted for above a year, and although he could not find that sentence, yet he was amplyrewarded for this diligent examination of the Holy Oracles, andthus he obtained 'yet more experience of the love and kindness ofGod. ' At length he found it in the Apocrypha, and, although not thelanguage of inspiration, yet as it contained the sum and substanceof the promises, he took the comfort of it, and it shone before hisface for years. The fear that the day of grace had passed pressedheavily upon him; he was humbled, and bemoaned the time that hehad wasted. Now he was confronted with that 'grim-faced one, theCaptain Past-hope, with his terrible standard, ' carried by EnsignDespair, red colours, with a hot iron and a hard heart, andexhibited at Eye-gate. [82] At length these words broke in upon hismind, 'compel them to come in, that my house may be filled--and yetthere is room. ' This Scripture powerfully affected him with hope, that there was room in the bosom and in the house of Jesus for hisafflicted soul. 

His next temptation was to return to the world. This was thatterrible battle with Apollyon, depicted in the Pilgrim's Progress, and it is also described at some length in the Jerusalem SinnerSaved. Among many very graphic and varied pictures of his ownexperience, he introduces the following dialogue with the tempter, probably alluding to the trials he was now passing through. Satanis loath to part with a great sinner. 'This day is usually attendedwith much evil towards them that are asking the way to Zion, withtheir faces thitherward. Now the devil has lost a sinner; there isa captive has broke prison, and one run away from his master. Nowhell seems to be awakened from sleep, the devils are come out. Theyroar, and roaring they seek to recover their runaway. Now tempthim, threaten him, flatter him, stigmatize him, throw dust intohis eyes, poison him with error, spoil him while he is upon thepotter's wheel, anything to keep him from coming to Christ. '[83]'What, my true servant, ' quoth he, 'my old servant, wilt thou forsakeme now? Having so often sold thyself to me to work wickedness, wilt thou forsake me now? Thou horrible wretch, dost not know, that thou hast sinned thyself beyond the reach of grace, and dostthou think to find mercy now? Art not thou a murderer, a thief, aharlot, a witch, a sinner of the greatest size, and dost thou lookfor mercy now? Dost thou think that Christ will foul his fingerswith thee? It is enough to make angels blush, saith Satan, to seeso vile a one knock at heaven-gates for mercy, and wilt thou beso abominably bold to do it?' Thus Satan dealt with me, says thegreat sinner, when at first I came to Jesus Christ. And what didyou reply? saith the tempted. Why, I granted the whole charge tobe true, says the other. And what, did you despair, or how? No, saith he, I said, I am Magdalene, I am Zaccheus, I am the thief, I am the harlot, I am the publican, I am the prodigal, and one ofChrist's murderers; yea, worse than any of these; and yet God wasso far off from rejecting of me, as I found afterwards, that therewas music and dancing in his house for me, and for joy that I wascome home unto him. O blessed be God for grace (says the other), for then I hope there is favour for me. Yea, as I told you, sucha one is a continual spectacle in the church, for every one by tobehold God's grace and wonder by. [84] These are the 'things theangels desire to look into' (1 Peter 1:12), or as Bunyan quaintlysays, this is the music which causes 'them that dwell in the higherorbs to open their windows, put out their heads, and look down tosee the cause of that glory' (Lev 15:7, 10). [85]

As he became less agitated with fear, and drew consolation morefrequently from the promises, with a timid hope of salvation, hebegan to exhibit singular powers of conception in spiritualizingtemporal things. His first essay was to find the hidden meaningin the division of God's creatures into clean and unclean. Chewingthe cud, and parting the hoof, he conceived to be emblematical ofour feeding upon the Word of God, and parting, if we would be saved, with the ways of ungodly men. [86] It is not sufficient to chew thecud like the hare--nor to part the hoof like the wine--we must doboth; that is, possess the word of faith, and that be evidencedby parting with our outward pollutions. This spiritual meaning ofpart of the Mosaic dispensation is admirably introduced into thePilgrim's Progress, when Christian and Faithful analyse the characterof Talkative. [87] This is the germ of that singular talent whichflourished in after-life, of exhibiting a spiritual meaning drawnfrom every part of the Mosaic dispensation, and which leads one ofour most admired writers[88] to suggest, that if Bunyan had livedand written during the early days of Christianity, he would havebeen the greatest of the fathers. 

Although he had received that portion of comfort which enabled himto indulge in religious speculations, still his mind was unsettled, and full of fears. He now became alarmed lest he had not beeneffectually called to inherit the kingdom of heaven. [89] He feltstill more humbled at the weakness of human nature, and at thepoverty of wealth. Could this call have been gotten for money, and'could I have given it; had I a whole world, it had all gone tenthousand times over for this. ' In this he was sincere, and so hewas when he said, I would not lose one promise, or have it struckout of the Bible, if in return I could have as much gold as wouldreach from London to York, piled up to the heavens. In proportionto his soul's salvation, honour was a worthless phantom, and goldbut glittering dust. His earnest desire was to hear his Saviour'svoice calling him to his service. Like many young disciples, heregretted not having been born when Christ was manifest in the flesh. 'Would I had been Peter or John!' their privations, sufferings, martyrdom, was nothing in comparison to their being with, and hearingthe voice of the Son of God calling them to his service. Strange, but general delusion! as if Christ were not the same yesterday, today, and for ever. Groaning for a sense of pardon, he was comfortedby Joel--'I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed, for the Lord dwelleth in Zion' (Joel 3:21), and he was led to seekadvice and assistance from a neighbouring minister, and from piouspersons. 

The poor women in Bedford, whose conversation had been blessed tohis thorough awakening, were sought for, and to them he unfolded hissorrows. They were members of a Baptist church, under the pastoralcare of John Gifford, a godly, painstaking, and most intelligentminister, whose history is very remarkable. In early life he hadbeen, like Bunyan, a thoroughly depraved character; like him hadentered the army, and had been promoted to the rank of a majorin the royal forces. Having made an abortive attempt to raise arebellion in his native county of Kent, [90] he and eleven others weremade prisoners, tried by martial law, and condemned to the gallows. On the night previous to the day appointed for his execution, hissister found access to the prison. The guards were asleep, and hiscompanions drowned in intoxication. She embraced the favourablemoment, and set him at liberty. He lay concealed in a ditch forthree days, till the heat of the search was over, and in disguiseescaped to London, and thence to Bedford, where, aided by somegreat people who favoured the royal cause, he commenced businessas a doctor. Here his evil habits followed him, notwithstanding hismerciful deliverance. Swearing, drunkenness, gambling, and otherimmoral practices, rendered him a curse to others, especially tothe Puritans, whom he bitterly persecuted. One night he lost fifteenpounds at play, and, becoming outrageous, he cast angry reproachesupon God. In this state he took up a book by R. Bolton--he read, and his conscience was terror-stricken. Distress, under convictionof sin, followed him. He searched his Bible, and found pardonand acceptance. He now sought acquaintance with those whom beforehe had persecuted, but, like Paul, when in similar circumstances, 'they were all afraid of him. ' His sincerity soon became apparent;and, uniting with eleven others, they formed a church. These menhad thrown off the fetters of education, and were, unbiased by anysectarian feeling, being guided solely by their prayerful researchesinto divine truth as revealed in the Bible. Their whole objectwas to enjoy Christian communion--to extend the reign of grace--tolive to the honour of Christ--and they formed a new, and at that timeunheard-of, community. Water-baptism was to be left to individualconviction; they were to love each other equally, whether theyadvocated baptism in infancy, or in riper years. The only thingessential to church-fellowship, in Mr. Gifford's opinion, was--'UNIONWITH CHRIST; this is the foundation of all saints' communion, andnot any judgment about externals. ' To the honour of the Baptists, these peaceable principles appear to have commenced with two orthree of their ministers, and for the last two centuries they havebeen, like heavenly leaven, extending their delightful influenceover all bodies of Christians. 

Such was the man to whom Bunyan was introduced for religiousadvice and consolation; and he assisted in forming those enlargedand nonsectarian principles which made his ministry blessed, and willrender his Works equally acceptable to all evangelical Christiansin every age of the church. Introduced to such a minister, andattending social meetings for prayer and Christian converse, he feltstill more painfully his own ignorance, and the inward wretchednessof his own heart. 'His corruptions put themselves forth, andhis desires for heaven seemed to fail. ' In fact, while he comparedhimself with his former self, he was a religious giant; in comparisonwith these pious, long-standing Christians, he dwindled into apigmy; and in the presence of Christ he became, in his own view, less than nothing, and vanity. He thus describes his feelings:--'Ibegan to sink--my heart laid me low as hell. I was driven as witha tempest--my heart would be unclean--the Canaanites would dwellin the land. '[91] He was like the child which the father broughtto Christ, who, while he was coming to Him, was thrown down by thedevil, and so rent and torn that he lay and wallowed, foaming. Hisheart felt so hard, that with many a bitter sigh he cried, 'GoodLord! break it open. Lord, break these gates of brass, and cut thesebars of iron asunder' (Psa 107:16). Little did he then think thathis bitterness of spirit was a direct answer to such prayers. Breaking the heart was attended with anguish in proportion as ithad been hardened. During this time he was tender and sensitiveas to the least sin; 'now I durst not take a pin or a stick, myconscience would smart at every touch. ' 'O, how gingerly did I thengo in all I said or did!'[92] 'Still sin would as naturally bubbleout of my heart as water would bubble out of a fountain. ' He feltsurprised when he saw professors much troubled at their losses, evenat the death of the dearest relative. His whole concern was for hissalvation. He imagined that he could bear these small afflictionswith patience; but 'a wounded spirit who can bear?'

In the midst of all these miseries, and at times regretting that hehad been endowed with an immortal spirit, liable to eternal ruin, he was jealous of receiving comfort, lest it might be based uponany false foundation. Still as his only hope he was constant inhis attendance upon the means of grace, and 'when comforting timewas come, ' he heard one preach upon two words of a verse, whichconveyed strong consolation to his weary spirit; the words were, 'mylove' (Song 4:1). From these words the minister drew the followingconclusions:--1. That the church, and so every saved soul, is Christ'slove, even when loveless; 2. Christ's love is without a cause; 3. They are Christ's love when hated of the world; 4. Christ's lovewhen under temptation and under desertion; 5. Christ's love fromfirst to last. [93] Now was his heart filled with comfort and hope. 'I could believe that my sins should be forgiven me'; and, in astate of rapture, he thought that his trials were over, and thatthe savour of it would go with him through life. Alas! his enjoymentwas but for a season--the preparation of his soul for futureusefulness was not yet finished. In a short time the words of ourLord to Peter came powerfully into his mind--'Satan hath desiredto have you'; and so strong was the impression they made, that hethought some man addressed them to him; he even turned his head tosee who it was that thus spoke to him. This was the forerunner ofa cloud and a storm that was coming upon him. It was the gatheringup of Satan's mighty strength, to have, if possible, overwhelmedhim. His narrative of this internal tempest in his soul--this lastgreat struggle with the powers of darkness--is very striking. 

'About the space of a month after, a very great storm came downupon me, which handled me twenty times worse than all I had metwith before; it came stealing upon me, now by one piece, then byanother. First, all my comfort was taken from me; then darknessseized upon me; after which, whole floods of blasphemies, bothagainst God, Christ, and the Scriptures, were poured upon my spirit, to my great confusion and astonishment. These blasphemous thoughtswere such as also stirred up questions in me against the verybeing of God, and of his only beloved Son. As, whether there werein truth a God or Christ, or no? And whether the Holy Scriptureswere not rather a fable, and cunning story, than the holy and pureWord of God. 

'These suggestions, with many others, which at this time I may not, dare not utter, neither by word nor pen, did make such a seizure uponmy spirit, and did so overweigh my heart, both with their number, continuance, and fiery force, that I felt as if there were nothingelse but these from morning to night within me, and as though indeedthere could be room for nothing else; and also concluded, that Godhad, in very wrath to my soul, given me up unto them, to be carriedaway with them as with a mighty whirlwind. 

'Only by the distaste that they gave unto my spirit, I felt therewas something in me that refused to embrace them. '[94]

Here are the facts which are allegorized in the history ofChristian, passing through the Valley of Humiliation, and fightingwith the Prince of the power of the air. 'Then Apollyon, espying hisopportunity, began to gather up close to Christian, and wrestlingwith him, gave him a dreadful fall; and with that Christian'ssword flew out of his hand. ' This was the effect of his doubts ofthe inspiration of the Scriptures--the sword of the Spirit. 'I amsure of thee now, said Apollyon; and with that he had almost pressedhim to death, so that Christian began to despair of life; but asGod would have it, while Apollyon was fetching of his last blow, Christian nimbly stretched out his hand for his sword, and caughtit, saying, "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy, when I fall Ishall arise" (Matt 7:8), and with that gave him a deadly thrust, which made him give back as one that had received his mortal wound. Christian perceiving that, made at him again, saying, "Nay, in allthese things we are more than conquerors through him that lovedus"; and with that Apollyon spread forth his dragon wings, and spedhim away. '[95] What an awful moment, when he fell unarmed beforehis ferocious enemy! 'Faith now has but little time to speak tothe conscience--it is now struggling for life--it is now fightingwith angels--with infernals--all it can do now is to cry, groan, sweat, fear, fight, and gasp for life. '[96] How desperate theconflict--the mouth of hell yawning to swallow him--man cannot aidthe poor warrior, all his help is in God. Is it not a wonder to seea poor creature, who in himself is weaker than the moth, to standagainst and overcome all devils--all the world--all his lusts andcorruptions; or, if he fall, is it not a wonder to see him, whendevils and guilt are upon him, to rise again, stand upon his legs, walk with God again, and persevere in faith and holiness?[97]

This severe conflict lasted for about a year. He describes hisfeelings at times as resembling the frightful pangs of one brokenon the wheel. The sources of his misery were fears that he had sinnedagainst the Holy Ghost; and that through his hardness of heart andimpatience in prayer--he should not persevere to the end. Duringall this time, occasional visits of mercy kept him from despair;and at some intervals filled him with transports of joy. At onetime so delightfully was his burden removed that he could not tellhow to contain himself. 'I thought I could have spoken of his loveand of his mercy to me, even to the very crows that sat upon theploughed lands before me, had they been capable to have understoodme. '[98] Thus his feelings were controlled by reason, very differentto the poor madman who, in olden time, is represented as preachingto the fish. With Bunyan it was a hallowed joy--a gush of holygladness, in which he wished all creation to participate. His heartwas baptized in hope. 'I know that my Redeemer liveth'; and withholy Job, he wished to perpetuate his joy by a memorial not inrock, but in a book of resemblance. 'I would I had a pen and inkhere to write it down. ' This is the first desire that he expressedto proclaim or publish to others the great Saviour he had found:but he was not yet prepared; he must pass through deeper depths, and possess a living knowledge of Divine truth, burnt into his soulby satanic fires. 

Very soon after this, he was harassed with fear lest he should partwith Christ. The tempter, as he did with Christian in the Valley ofthe Shadow of Death, suggested blasphemies to him, which he thoughthad proceeded from his own mind. 'Satan troubled him with hisstinking breath. How many strange, hideous, and amazing blasphemieshave some that are coming to Christ had injected upon their spiritsagainst him. '[99] 'The devil is indeed very busy at work duringthe darkness of a soul. He throws in his fiery darts to amazement, when we are encompassed with the terrors of a dismal night; he isbold and undaunted in his assaults, and injects with a quick andsudden malice a thousand monstrous and abominable thoughts of God, which seem to be the motions of our own minds, and terribly grieveand trouble us. '[100]

What makes those arrows more penetrating and distressing is, thatSatan, with subtle art, tips them with sentences of Scripture. 'Noplace for repentance'; 'rejected'; 'hath never forgiveness, ' andother passages which, by the malignant ingenuity of the fiend, areformed by his skill as the cutting and barbed points of his shafts. At one time Bunyan concluded that he was possessed of the devil;then he was tempted to speak and sin against the Holy Ghost. Hethought himself alone in such a tempest, and that no one had everfelt such misery as he did. When in prayer, his mind was distractedwith the thought that Satan was pulling his clothes; he was eventempted to fall down and worship him. Then he would cry after God, in awful fear that eventually Satan would overcome him. During allthis time he was struggling against the tempter; and, at length, the dayspring visited him in these words, 'I am persuaded thatnothing shall separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. 'Again he was cast down with a recollection of his former blasphemies. What reason can I have to hope for an inheritance in eternal life?The questions was answered with that portion of Scripture, 'If Godbe for us, who can be against us?' These were visits which, likePeter's sheet, of a sudden were caught up to heaven again. [101]At length the Sun of Righteousness arose, and shone upon him withhealing influence. 'He hath made peace through the blood of hiscross, ' came with power to his mind, followed by the consoling wordsof the apostle, 'Forasmuch, then, as the children are partakers offlesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death wereall their lifetime subject to bondage' (Heb 2:14, 15). This was thekey that opened every lock in Doubting Castle. The prisoner escapedto breathe the air of hope, and joy, and peace. 'This, ' said he, 'was a good day to me, I hope I shall not forget it. ' 'I thoughtthat the glory of those words was then so weighty on me, that Iwas, both once and twice, ready to swoon as I sat, not with griefand trouble, but with solid joy and peace. '

His mind was now in a fit state to seek for church fellowship, as afurther means of advance in his knowledge of Divine love. To effectthis object, he was naturally led to the Baptist church at Bedford, to which those pious women belonged whose Christian communion hadbeen blessed to him. I sat under the ministry of holy Mr. Gifford, whose doctrine, by God's grace, was much for my stability. [102]Although his soul was led from truth to truth, his trials were notover--he passed through many severe exercises before he was receivedinto communion with the church. [103]

At length he determined to become identified with a body ofprofessed Christians, who were treated with great scorn by othersects because they denied infant baptism, and he became engaged inthe religious controversies which were fashionable in those days. We have noticed his encounter with the Ranters, and he soon hadto give battle to persons called Quakers. Before the Society ofFriends was formed, and their rules of discipline were published, many Ranters and others, some of whom were bad characters and heldthe wildest opinions, passed under the name of Quakers. Some ofthese denied that the Bible was the Word of God; and asserted thatthe death of Christ was not a full atonement for sin--that thereis no future resurrection, and other gross errors. The Quakers, who were afterwards united to form the Society of Friends, from thefirst denied all those errors. Their earliest apologist, Barclay, in his theses on the Scriptures, says, 'They are the doctrines ofChrist, held forth in precious declarations, spoken and writtenby the movings of God's Spirit. ' Whoever it was that asserted theheresies, to Bunyan the investigation of them, in the light of Divinetruth, was attended with great advantages. It was through 'thisnarrow search of the Scriptures that he was not only enlightened, but greatly confirmed and comforted in the truth. '[104]

He longed to compare his experience with that of some old and eminentconvert, and 'God did cast into his hand' Luther On the Galatians, 'so old that it was ready to fall piece from piece, if I did butturn it over. '[105] The commentary of this enlightened man wasa counterpart to his own feelings. 'I found, ' says Bunyan, 'mycondition, in his experience so largely and profoundly handled, as if his book had been written out of my own heart. I prefer thebook before all others as most fit for a wounded conscience. ' Thiswas the 'voice of a man' that Christian 'heard as going before himin the Valley of the Shadow of Death, ' and was glad that some whofeared God were in this valley as well as himself, who could say, 'I will fear no evil for thou art with me. '[106] In many thingsLuther and Bunyan were men of similar temperament. Like Emmanuel'scaptains, in the Holy War, they were 'very stout rough-hewn men;men that were fit to break the ice, and to make their way by dintof sword. '[107] They were animated by the same principles, andfought with the same weapons; and although Luther resided in a castleprotected by princes, was furnished with profound scholastic learning, and became a terror to Popery; yet the voice of the unletteredtinker, issuing from a dreary prison, bids fair to be far moreextensively heard and blessed than that of this most illustriousreformer. [108]

Bunyan's happiness was now very great; his soul, with all itsaffections, clave unto Christ: but lest spiritual pride shouldexalt him beyond measure, and lest he should be scared to renouncehis Saviour, by the threat of transportation and death, his heartwas again wounded, and quickly after this his 'love was tried topurpose. '

The tempter came in upon him with a most grievous and dreadfultemptation; it was to part with Christ, to exchange him for thethings of this life; he was perpetually tormented with the words'sell Christ. ' At length, he thought that his spirit gave wayto the temptation, and a dreadful and profound state of despairoverpowered him for the dreary space of more than two years. [109]This is the most extraordinary part of this wonderful narrative, thathe, without apparent cause, should thus be tempted, and feel thebitterness of a supposed parting with Christ. There was, doubtless, a cause for every pang; his heavenly Father afflicted him forhis profit. We shall soon have to follow him through fiery trials. Before the justices, allured by their arguments, and particularly bythe sophistry of their clerk, Mr. Cobb, and then dragged from abeloved wife and from children to whom he was most fondly attached--allthese fiery trials might be avoided, if he would but 'sell Christ. 'A cold damp dungeon was to incarcerate his body for twelve tediousyears of the prime of his life, unless he would 'sell Christ. ' Hisministering brother and friend, John Child, a Bedford man, who hadjoined in recommending Bunyan's Vindication of Gospel Truths, [110]fell under this temptation, and fearing temporal ruin and imprisonmentfor life, conformed, and then fell into the most awful state ofdespair, suffering such agonies of conscience, that, to get rid ofpresent trouble, he hurried himself into eternity. Probably Bunyanalludes to this awful instance of fell despair in his Publicanand Pharisee: 'Sin, when appearing in its monstrous shape and hue, frighteth all mortals out of their wits, away from God; and if hestops them not, also out of the world. '[111] To arm Bunyan againstbeing overcome by a fear of the lions in the way to the houseBeautiful--against giving way, under persecution--he was visitedwith terrors lest he should sell or part with Christ. During thesesad years he was not wholly sunk in despair, but had at times someglimmerings of mercy. In comparing his supposed sin with that ofJudas, he was constrained to find a difference between a deliberateintention to sell Christ and a sudden temptation. [112] Throughall these searchings of heart and inquiries at the Word, he becamefixed in the doctrine of the final perseverance of God's saints. 'Owhat love, what care, what kindness and mercy did I now see mixingitself with the most severe and dreadful of all God's ways to hispeople; he never let them fall into sin unpardonable. ' 'But thesethoughts added grief and horror to me; I thought that all thingswrought for my eternal overthrow. ' So ready is the tender heart towrite bitter things against itself, and as ready is the tempter towhisper despairing thoughts. In the midst of this distress he 'sawa glory in walking with God, ' although a dismal cloud envelopedhim. 

This misery was aggravated by reading the fearful estate of FrancisSpira, who had been persuaded to return to a profession of Popery, and died in a state of awful despair. [113] 'This book' was to histroubled spirit like salt rubbed into a fresh wound. 

Bunyan now felt his body and mind shaking and tottering under thesense of the dreadful judgment of God; and he thought his sin--ofa momentary and unwilling consent to give up Christ--was a greatersin than all the sins of David, Solomon, Manasseh, and even thanall the sins that had been committed by all God's redeemed ones. Was there ever a man in the world so capable of describing themiseries of Doubting Castle, or of the Slough of Despond, as poorJohn Bunyan?

He would have run from God in utter desperation; 'but, blessedbe his grace, that Scripture, in these flying sins, would call, as running after me, "I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thytransgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me, for I haveredeemed thee"' (Isa 44:22). Still he was haunted by that scripture, 'You know how that afterwards, when he would have inherited theblessing, he found no place of repentance, though he sought itcarefully with tears. ' Thus was he tossed and buffeted, involved incloudy darkness, with now and then a faint gleam of hope to savehim from despair. 'In all these, ' he says, 'I was but as thosethat justle against the rocks; more broken, scattered, and rent. Oh! the unthought of imaginations, frights, fears, and terrors, thatare effected by a thorough application of guilt. '[114] 'MethoughtI saw as if the sun that shineth in the heavens did grudge to givelight, and as if the very stones in the street, and tiles upon thehouses, did bend themselves against me. '[115] Here we find him inthat doleful valley, where Christian was surrounded by enemies that'cared not for his sword, ' he put it up, and places his dependenceupon the more penetrating weapon, 'All Prayer. ' Depending uponthis last resource, he prayed, even when in this great darknessand distress. To whom could he go? his case was beyond the powerof men or angels. His refuge, from a fear of having committed theunpardonable sin, was that he had never refused to be justified bythe blood of Christ, but ardently wished it; this, in the midst ofthe storm, caused a temporary clam. At length, he was led to lookprayerfully upon those scriptures that had tormented him, and toexamine their scope and tendency, and then he 'found their visagechanged, for they looked not so grimly on him as before he thoughtthey did. '[116] Still, after such a tempest, the sea did not atonce become a calm. Like one that had been scared with fire, everyvoice was fire, fire; every little touch hurt his tender conscience. [117]

All this instructive history is pictured by a few words in thePilgrim's Progress. At the Interpreter's house the pilgrim is shown'a fire burning against a wall, and one standing by it, alwayscasting much water upon it, to quench it; yet did the fire burnhigher and hotter. '[118] As Esau beat him down, Christ raised himagain. The threatening and the promise were like glittering swordsclashing together, but the promise must prevail. 

His entire relief at last was sudden, while meditating in the fieldupon the words, 'Thy righteousness is in heaven. ' Hence he drew theconclusion, that his righteousness was in Christ, at God's righthand, ever before him, secure from all the powers of sin andSatan. Now his chains fell off; he was loosed from his afflictionand irons; his temptation fled away. His present supply of gracehe compared to the cracked groats and fourpence half-pennies, [119]which rich men carry in their pockets, while their treasure is safein their trunks at home, as his was in the store-house of heaven. 

This dreary night of awful conflict lasted more than two years; butwhen the day-spring from on high visited him, the promises spangledin his eyes, and he broke out into a song, 'Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of hispower. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to hisexcellent greatness. '[120]

Bunyan's opinion as to the cause of this bitter suffering, was hiswant of watchfulness, his not coming boldly to the throne of grace, and that he had tempted God. The advantages he considered thathe had gained by it were, that it confirmed his knowledge of theexistence of God, so that he lost all his temptations to unbelief, blasphemy, and hardness of heart, Doubts as to the truth of theWord, and certainty of the world to come, were gone for ever. 

He found no difficulty as to the keys of the kingdom of heaven. 'Now I saw the apostles to be the elders of the city of refuge, those that they were to receive in, were received to life, butthose that they were to shut out, were to be slain by the avengerof blood. ' Those were to enter who, with Peter, confessed to Jesus, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God' (Matt 16:16). This is simply an authority to proclaim salvation or condemnationto those who receive or reject the Saviour. It is upon his shoulderthe key of the house is laid (Isa 22:22). Christ only has the key, no MAN openeth or shutteth (Rev 1:18, 3:7). All that man can do, as to binding or loosening, is to warn the hardened and to invitethe contrite. 

By these trials, the promises, became more clear and invaluablethan ever. He never saw those heights and depths in grace, andlove, and mercy, as he saw them after this severe trial--'greatsins drew out great grace'; and the more terrible and fierce guiltwas, the more high and mighty did the mercy of God in Christ appear. These are Bunyan's own reflections; but may we not add to them, thatwhile he was in God's school of trial, every groan, every bitterpang of anguish, and every gleam of hope, were intended to fit himfor his future work as a preacher and writer? Weighed in the balancesof the sanctuary, there was not a jot too little, or an iota toomuch. Every important subject which embarrasses the convert, wasmost minutely investigated, especially faith, the sin against theHoly Ghost, the divinity of Christ, and such essential truths. Hewell knew every dirty lane, and nook, and corner of Mansoul, inwhich the Diabolonians found shelter, and well he knew the frightfulsound of Diabolus' drum. [121] Well did his pastor, John Burton, say of him, 'He hath through grace taken these three heavenlydegrees, to wit, union with Christ, the anointing of the Spirit, and experience of the temptations of Satan, which do more fita man for that mighty work of preaching the gospel, than all theuniversity learning and degrees that can be had. '[122]

Preserved in Christ Jesus, and called--selected from his associatesin sin, he was taken into this school, and underwent the strictestreligious education. It was here alone that his rare talent couldbe cultivated, to enable him, in two immortal allegories, to narratethe internal discipline he underwent. It was here he attainedthat habitual access to the throne of grace, and that insight intothe inspired volume, which filled his writings with those solemnrealities of the world to come; while it enabled him to revealthe mysteries of communion with the Father of spirits, as he sowondrously does in his treatise on prayer. To use the language ofMilton--'These are works that could not be composed by the invocationof Dame Memory and her Siren daughters, but by devout prayer to thateternal Spirit, who can enrich with all utterance and knowledge, and send out his seraphim, with the hallowed fire of his altar, to touch and purify the lips of whom he pleases, without referenceto station, birth, or education. ' The tent-maker and tinker, thefisherman and publican, and even a friar or monk, [123] became thehonoured instruments of his choice. 

Throughout all Bunyan's writings, he never murmurs at his wantof education, although it is often a source of humble apology. Hehonoured the learned godly as Christians, but preferred the Biblebefore the library of the two universities. [124] He saw, what everypious man must see and lament, that there is much idolatry in humanlearning, and that it was frequently applied to confuse and impedethe gospel. Thus he addresses the reader of his treatise on The Lawand Grace--'If thou find this book empty of fantastical expressions, and without light, vain, whimsical, scholar-like terms, it is becauseI never went to school, to Aristotle or Plato, but was brought upat my father's house, in a very mean condition, among a company ofpoor countrymen. But if thou do find a parcel of plain, yet sound, true, and home sayings, attribute that to the Lord Jesus his giftsand abilities, which he hath bestowed upon such a poor creature asI am and have been. '[125] His maxim was--'Words easy to be understooddo often hit the mark, when high and learned ones do only piercethe air. He also that speaks to the weakest may make the learnedunderstand him; when he that striveth to be high, is not onlyof the most part understood but of a sort, but also many times isneither understood by them nor by himself!'[126] This is one ofBunyan's maxims, well worthy the consideration of the most profoundlylearned writers, and also of the most eloquent preachers and publicspeakers. 

Bunyan was one of those pioneers who are far in advance of the agein which they live, and the narrative of his birth and educationadds to the innumerable contradictions which the history of manopposes to the system of Mr. Owen and the Socialists, and to everyscheme for making the offspring of the poor follow in leading-stringsthe course of their parents, or for rendering them blindly submissiveto the dictates of the rich, the learned, or the influential. Itincontestably proves the gospel doctrine of individuality, and, that native talent will rise superior to all impediments. Ourforefathers struggled for the right of private judgment in mattersof faith and worship--their descendants will insist upon it, as essential to salvation, personally to examine every doctrinerelative to the sacred objects of religion, limited only by HolyWrit. This must be done with rigorous impartiality, throwing asideall the prejudices of education, and be followed by prompt obedienceto Divine truth, at any risk of offending parents, or laws, orresisting institutions, or ceremonies which he discovers to be ofhuman invention. All this, as we have seen in Bunyan, was attendedwith great mental sufferings, with painstaking labour, with asimple reliance upon the Word of God, and with earnest prayer. Ifman impiously dares to submit his conscience to his fellow-man, or to any body of men called a church, what perplexity must heexperience ere he can make up his mind which to choose! Instead ofrelying upon the ONE standard which God has given him in his Word;should he build his hope upon a human system he could be certain onlythat man is fallible and subject to err. How striking an instancehave we, in our day, of the result of education, when the mind doesnot implicitly follow the guidance of the revealed Word of God. Two brothers, named Newman, educated at the same school, trained inthe same university, brought up under the same religious system--allhuman arts exhausted to mould their minds into strict uniformity, yet gradually receding from the same point in opposite directions, but in equally downward roads; one to embrace the most puerilelegends of the middle ages, the other to open infidelity. Not sowith those who follow the teachings of the Word of God, by which, and not by any church, they are to be individually judged at the greatday: no pontiff, no priest, no minister, can intervene or mediatefor them at the bar of God. There it will be said, 'I know you, byyour prayers for Divine guidance and your submission to my revealedwill'; or, 'I know you not, ' for you preferred the guidance offrail, fallible men, to me, and to my Word--a solemn consideration, which, as it proved a source of solid happiness and extensiveusefulness to Bunyan in his pilgrimage, so it insured to him, asit will to all who follow his course, a solid foundation on whichto stand at the great and terrible day, and thus enable them tolive as well as die in the sure and certain hope of a triumphantentry into the celestial city. 

THE THIRD PERIOD. 

BUNYAN IS BAPTIZED, AND ENTERS INTO COMMUNION WITH A CHRISTIANCHURCH AT BEDFORD--IS SET APART TO FILL THE DEACON'S OFFICE, ANDSENT OUT AS AN ITINERANT PREACHER IN THE NEIGHBOURING VILLAGES. 

Man is naturally led to seek the society of his fellow-men. His personal progress, and the great interests of civilization, depend upon the nature of his friendly intercourse and his properassociations. So is it with the Christian, but in a much higherdegree. Not only does he require companions with whom he can enjoyChristian communion--of sufferings and of pleasures--in seasons ofdepressing trials, and in holy elevations--but with whom he may alsoform plans to spread the genial influence of Christianity, whichhas blessed and so boundlessly enriched his own soul. Christianfellowship and communion has received the broad seal of heaven. 'The Lord hearkened, ' when they that feared him spake often to oneanother, 'and a book of remembrance was written before him for themthat feared the Lord' (Mal 3:16). 

Bunyan possessed a soul with faculties capable of the highestenjoyment of the communion of saints in church order. His ideas ofmutual forbearance--that 'in lowliness of mind should each esteemothers better than themselves'--he enforces with very peculiarpower, and, at the same time, with delicate sensibility. After thepilgrims had been washed by Innocence in the Interpreter's bath, he sealed them, which 'greatly added to their beauty, ' and thenarrayed them in white raiment of fine linen; and 'when the womenwere thus adorned, they seemed to be a terror one to the other, forthat they could not see that glory each one on herself which theycould see in each other. Now, therefore, they began to esteemeach other better than themselves. '[127] 'The Interpreter led theminto his garden, where was great variety of flowers. Then said he, Behold, the flowers are diverse in stature, in quality and colour, and smell and virtue, and some are better than some; also, where thegardener hath set them, there they stand, and quarrel not with oneanother. '[128] 'When Christians stand every one in their places, and do their relative work, then they are like the flowers in thegarden that grow where the gardener hath planted them, and bothhonour the gardener and the garden in which they are planted. '[129]In the same treatise on Christian Behaviour, similar sentimentsare expressed in language extremely striking and beautiful. 'Thedoctrine of the gospel is like the dew and the small rain thatdistilleth upon the tender grass, wherewith it doth flourish andis kept green (Deut 32:2). Christians are like the several flowersin a garden that have upon each of them the dew of heaven, which, being shaken with the wind, they let fall their dew at each other'sroots, whereby they are jointly nourished, and become nourishersof one another. For Christians to commune savourly of God's mattersone with another, it is as if they opened to each other's nostrilsboxes of perfume. '[130] Similar peaceful, heavenly principles, flowthrough Bunyan's Discourse of the Building, &c. , of the House ofGod and its inmates;[131] and blessed would it be if in all ourchurches every believer was baptized into such motives of forbearanceand brotherly love. These sentiments do honour to the head and heartof the prince of allegorists, and should be presented in lettersof gold to every candidate for church fellowship. A young manentertaining such opinions as these, however rude his former conduct, being born again to spiritual enjoyments, would become a treasureto the Christian society with which he might be connected. 

In ordinary cases, the minister or people who have been useful toa young convert, lead him in his first choice of Christian associates;but here we have no ordinary man. Bunyan, in all things pertainingto religion, followed no human authority, but submitted himself tothe guidance of the inspired volume. Possessing a humble hope ofsalvation, he would read with deep interest that 'the Lord addedto the church such as should be saved. ' The question which has somuch puzzled the learned, as to a church or the church, would besolved without difficulty by one who was as learned in the Scripturesas he was ignorant of the subtle distinctions and niceties of theschools. He found that there was one church at Jerusalem (Acts8:1), another at Corinth (1 Cor 1:2), seven in Asia (Rev 1:4), and others distributed over the world; that 'the visible church ofChrist is a (or every) congregation of faithful men. '[132] He wellknew that uniformity is a fool's paradise; that though man wasmade in the image of God; it derogates not from the beauty of thatimage that no two men are alike. The stars show forth God's handywork, yet 'one star different from another star in glory' (1 Cor15:41). Uniformity is opposed to every law of nature, for no twoleaves upon a majestic tree are alike. Who but an idiot or a maniacwould attempt to reduce the mental powers of all men to uniformity?Every church may have its own order of public worship while theScriptures form the standard of truth and morals. Where differencesof opinion occur, as they most certainly will, as to the observanceof days or abstinence from meats--whether to stand, or sit, orkneel, in prayer--whether to stand while listening to some pagesof the inspired volume, and to sit while others are publiclyread--whether to call Jude a saint, and refuse the title to Isaiah--arequestions which should bring into active exercise all the graces ofChristian charity; and, in obedience to the apostolic injunction, they must agree to differ. 'Let every man be fully persuaded inhis own mind' (Rom 14:5). Human arts have been exhausted to preventthat mental exercise or self-persuasion which is essential to aChristian profession. The great object of Satan has ever been tofoster indifference, that deadly lethargy, by leading man to anysource of information rather than prayerful researches into theBible. Bunyan's severe discipline in Christ's school would leadhim to form a judgment for himself; he was surrounded by a hostof sects, and, with such a Bible-loving man, it is an interestinginquiry what party he would join. 

He lived in times of extraordinary excitement. England was in atransition state. A long chain of events brought on a crisis whichinvolved the kingdom in tribulation. It was the struggle betweenthe unbridled despotism of Epsicopacy, and the sturdy liberty ofPuritanism. For although the immediate cause of the civil wars wasgross misgovernment--arbitrary taxation without the interventionof Parliament, monopolies and patents, to the ruin of trade; infact, every abuse of the royal power--still, without the additionalspur of religious persecution, the spirit of the people would neverhave proved invincible and overpowering. The efforts of ArchbishopLaud, aided by the queen and her popish confessor, Panzani, tosubjugate Britain to the galling yoke of Rome, signally failed, involving in the ruin the life of the king and his archbishop, andall the desolating calamities of intestine wars, strangely called'civil. ' In this strife many of the clergy and most of the bishopstook a very active part, aiding and abetting the king's party in theirwar against the parliament--and they thus brought upon themselvesgreat pains and penalties. The people became suddenly releasedfrom mental bondage; and if the man who had been born blind, whenhe first received the blessing of sight, 'saw men as trees walking, 'we cannot be surprised that religious speculations were indulged in, some of which proved to be crude and wild, requiring much vigorouspersuasive pruning before they produced good fruit. Bunyan wassurrounded by all these parties; for although the rights of consciencewere not recognized--the Papists and Episcopalians, the Baptistsand Unitarians, with the Jews, being proscribed--yet the hand ofpersecution was comparatively light. Had Bunyan chosen to associatewith the Episcopalians, he would not have passed through thosesevere sufferings on which are founded his lasting honours. ThePresbyterians and Independents received the patronage of the stateunder the Commonwealth, and the great mass of the clergy conformed tothe directory, many of them reciting the prayers they had formerlyread; while a considerable number, whose conscience could notsubmit to the system then enforced by law, did, to their honour, resign their livings, and suffer the privations and odium of beingDissenters. Among these were necessarily included the bishops. [133]

Of all sects that of the Baptists had been the most bitterlywritten against and persecuted. Even their first cousins, theQuakers, attacked them in language that would, in our peaceful days, be considered outrageous. 'The Baptists used to meet in garrets, cheese-lofts, coal-holes, and such like mice walks, '--'thesestumultuous, blood-thirsty, covenant-breaking, government-destroyingAnabaptists. '[134] The offence that called forth these epithetswas, that in addressing Charles II on his restoration, they statedthat "they were no abettors of the Quakers. " Had royal authoritypossessed the slightest influence over Bunyan's religious opinions, the question as to his joining the Baptists would have been settledwithout investigation. Among other infatuations of Charles I, hadbeen his hatred of any sect that professed the right and duty ofman to think for himself in choosing his way to heaven. In 1639he published his 'Declaration concerning the tumults in Scotland, 'when violence was resorted to against the introduction of the CommonPrayer in which he denounced voluntary obedience because it was notof constraint, and called it 'damnable'; he calls the principlesof the Anabaptists, in not submitting their consciences to humanlaws, 'furious frenzies, ' and 'madness'; all Protestants are 'todetest and persecute them'; 'these Anabaptists raged most in theirmadness'; 'the scandal of their frenzies'; 'we are amazed at, andaggrieved at their horrible impudence'; 'we do abhor and detestthem all as rebellious and treasonable. '[135] This whole volumeis amusingly assuming. The king claims his subjects as personalchattels, with whose bodies and minds he had a right to do as hepleased. Bunyan owed no spiritual submission to man, 'whose breathis in his nostrils'; and risking all hazards, he became one of thedenounced and despised sect of Baptists. To use the language of hispilgrim, he passed the lions, braving all the dangers of an openprofession of faith in Christ, and entered the house called Beautiful, which 'was built by the Lord of the hill, on purpose to entertainsuch pilgrims in. '[136] He first gains permission of the watchman, or minister, and then of the inmates, or church members. Thisinteresting event is said to have taken place about the year1653. [137] Mr. Doe, in The Struggler, thus refers to it, Bunyan'took all advantages to ripen his understanding in religion, andso he lit on the dissenting congregation of Christians at Bedford, and was, upon confession of faith, baptized about the year 1653, '[138]when he was in the twenty-fifth year of his age. No minutes of theproceedings of this church, prior to the death of Mr. Gifford in1656, [139] are extant, or they would identify the exact period whenBunyan's baptism and admission to the church took place. The spotwhere he was baptized is a creek by the river Ouse, at the endof Duck Mill Lane. It is a natural baptistery, a proper width anddepth of water constantly fresh; pleasantly situated; shelteredfrom the public highway near the High Street. The Lord's Supper wascelebrated in a large room in which the disciples met, the worshipconsecrating the place. [140]

Religious feelings and conduct have at all times a tendency topromote the comfort, and elevate the character of the poor. Howoften have we seen them thus blessed; the ragged family comfortablyclothed, the hungry fed, and the inmates of a dirty miserable cottageor hovel become a pattern of cleanly happiness. One of Bunyan'sbiographers, who was an eye-witness, bears this testimony. 'By thistime his family was increased, and as that increased God increasedhis stores, so that he lived now in great credit among his neighbours. 'He soon became a respectable member of civil as well as religioussociety; for, by the time that he joined the church, his Christiancharacter was so fully established, that, notwithstanding the meannessof his origin and employment, he was considered worthy of unitingin a memorial to the Lord Protector. It was to recommend twogentlemen to form part of the council, after Cromwell had dissolvedthe Long Parliament. It is a curious document, very little known, and illustrative of the peculiar style of these eventful times. 

Letter from the people of Bedfordshire to the Lord Generall Cromwell, and the Councell of the army. 

May 13th, 1653. 

May it please your Lordship, and the rest of the council of thearmy. We (we trust) servants of Jesus Christ, inhabitants in thecounty of Bedford, haveing fresh upon our hearts the sadde oppressionswe have (a long while) groan'd under from the late parlayment, andnow eyeing and owning (through grace) the good hand of God in thisgreat turne of providence, being persuaded that it is from the Lordthat you should be instrument in his hand at such a time as this, for the electing of such persons whoe may goe in and out before hispeople in righteousnesse, and governe these nations in judgment, we having sought the Lord for yow, and hopeing that God will stilldoe greate things by yow, understanding that it is in your heartethrough the Lord's assistance, to establish an authority consistingof men able, loveing truth, feareing God, and hateing covetouseness;and we having had some experience of men with us, we have judgedit our duty to God, to yow, and to the rest of his people, humblyto present two men, viz. , Nathaniell Taylor, and John Croke, nowJustices of Peace in our County, whom we judge in the Lord qualifiedto manage a trust in the ensuing government. All which we humblyreferre to your serious considerations, and subscribe our namesthis 13th day of May, 1653--

John Eston, Clement Berridge, Isaac Freeman, John Grewe, JohnBunyan, William Dell, John Gifford, William Baker, junr. , WilliamWheelar, Ja. Rush, Anth. Harrington, John Gibbs, Tho. Varrse, Richard Spensley, John Donne, Michael Cooke, Edward Covinson, Tho. Gibbs, John Ramsay, John Hogge, Edward White, Robert English, JohnJeffard, John Browne, John Edridge, John Ivory, John White, GeorgeGee, Daniell Groome, Charles Peirse, Ambrose Gregory, Luke Parratt, Thomas Cooke, William Page, Thomas Knott, Thomas Honnor. These tothe Lord Generall Cromwell, and the rest of the councell of thearmy, present. [141]

Bunyan's daughter Elizabeth was born at Elstow, April 14, 1654, anda singular proof of his having changed his principles on baptismappears in the church register. His daughter Mary was baptizedin 1650, but his Elizabeth in 1654 is registered as born, but nomention is made of baptism. 

The poor harassed pilgrim having been admitted into communion witha Christian church, enjoyed fully, for a short season, his newprivileges. He thus expresses his feelings:--'After I had propoundedto the church that my desire was to walk in the order and ordinancesof Christ with them, and was also admitted by them: while I thoughtof that blessed ordinance of Christ, which was his last supperwith his disciples before his death, that scriptures, "this do inremembrance of me, " was made a very precious word unto me; for byit the Lord came down upon my conscience with the discovery of hisdeath for my sins: and as I then felt, did as if he plunged me inthe virtue of the same. '[142]

In this language we have an expression which furnishes a goodsample of his energetic feelings. He had been immersed in water athis baptism, and doubtless believed it to be a figure of his deathto sin and resurrection to holiness; and when he sat at the Lord'stable he felt that he was baptized into the virtue of his Lord'sdeath; he is plunged into it, and feels the holy influence coveringhis soul with all its powers. 

His pastor, John Gifford, was a remarkably pious and sensible man, exactly fitted to assist in maturing the mind of his young member. Bunyan had, for a considerable time, sat under his ministry, andhad cultivated acquaintance with the members of his church; and soprayerfully had he made up his mind as to this important choice ofa church, with which he might enter into fellowship, that, althoughtempted by the most alluring prospects of greater usefulness, popularity, and emolument, he continued his church fellowship withthese poor people through persecution and distress, imprisonmentand the threats of transportation, or an ignominious death, untilhe crossed the river 'which has no bridge, ' and ascended to thecelestial city, a period of nearly forty years. Of the labours ofhis first pastor, John Gifford, but little is known, except thathe founded the church of Christ at Bedford, probably the first, inmodern times, which allowed to every individual freedom of judgmentas to water baptism; receiving all those who decidedly appearedto have put on Christ, and had been received by him; but avoiding, with godly jealousy, any mixture of the world with the church. Mr. Gifford's race was short, consistent, and successful. Bunyan callshim by an appellation, very probably common in his neighbourhoodand among his flock, 'holy Mr. Gifford';[143] a title infinitelysuperior to all the honours of nobility, or of royalty. He wasa miracle of mercy and grace, for a very few years before he hadborne the character of an impure and licentious man--an open enemyto the saints of God. His pastoral letter, left upon record in thechurch-book, written when drawing near the end of his pilgrimage, is most admirable; it contains an allusion to his successors, Burtonor Bunyan, and must have had a tendency in forming their views ofa gospel church. Even Mr. Southey praises this puritanic epistleas exemplifying 'a wise and tolerant and truly Christian spirit':and as it has not been published in any life of Bunyan, I ventureto introduce it without abridgement:--

To the Church over which God made me an overseer when I was in theworld. 

I beseech you, brethren beloved, let these following words (wrotein my love to you, and care over you, when our heavenly Fatherwas removing me to the kingdom of his dear Son), be read in yourchurch-gatherings together. I shall not now, dearly beloved, writeunto you about that which is the first, and without which all otherthings are as nothing in the sight of God, viz. , the keeping themystery of the faith in a pure conscience; I shall not, I say, writeof these things, though the greatest, having spent my labours amongyou, to root you and build you up in Christ through the grace youhave received; and to press you to all manner of holiness in yourconversations, that you may be found of the Lord, without spot, and blameless, at His coming. But the things I shall speak to youof, are about your CHURCH AFFAIRS, which I fear have been littleconsidered by most of you; which things, if not mended aright, and submitted unto, according to the will of God, will by degreesbring you under divisions, distractions, and at last, to confusionof that gospel order and fellowship which now, through grace, youenjoy. Therefore, my brethren, in the first place, I would nothave any of you ignorant of this, that every one of you are as muchbound now to walk with the church in all love; and in the ordinancesof Jesus Christ our Lord, as when I was present among you: neitherhave any of you liberty to join yourselves to any other society, because your pastor is removed from you; for you were not joinedto the ministry, but to Christ, and the church; and this is and wasthe will of God in Christ to all the churches of the saints, readActs 2:42; and compare it with Acts 1:14, 15. And I charge youbefore the Lord, as you will answer it at the coming of our LordJesus, that none of you be found guilty herein. 

Secondly. Be constant in your church assemblies. Let all the workwhich concerns the church be done faithfully among you; as admissionof members, exercising of gifts, election of officers, as needrequires, and all other things as if named, which the Scripturesbeing searched, will lead you into, through the Spirit; which things, if you do, the Lord will be with you, and you will convince othersthat Christ is your head, and your dependency is not upon man; butif you do the work of the Lord negligently, if you mind your ownthings and not the things of Christ, if you grow of indifferentspirits, whether you mind the work of the Lord in his churchor no, I fear the Lord by degrees will suffer the comfort of yourcommunion to be dried up, and the candlestick which is yet standingto be broken in pieces; which God forbid. 

Now, concerning your admission of members, I shall leave you to theLord for counsel, who hath hitherto been with you; only thus muchI think expedient to stir up your remembrance in; that after youare satisfied in the work of grace in the party you are to joinwith, the said party do solemnly declare (before some of the churchat least), That Union with Christ is the foundation of all saints'communion; and not any ordinances of Christ, or any judgmentor opinion about externals; and the said party ought to declare, whether a brother or sister, that through grace they will walk inlove with the church, though there should happen any difference injudgment about other things. Concerning separation from the churchabout baptism, laying on of hands, anointing with oil, psalms, orany externals, I charge every one of you respectively, as you willgive an account for it to our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judgeboth quick and dead at his coming, that none of you be found guiltyof this great evil; which, while some have committed, and thatthrough a zeal for God, yet not according to knowledge, they haveerred from the law of the love of Christ, and have made a rent fromthe true church, which is but one. I exhort you, brethren, in yourcomings together, Let all things be done decently, and in order, according to the Scriptures. Let all things be done among youwithout strife and envy, without self-seeking and vain-glory. Beclothed with humility, and submit to one another in love. Let thegifts of the church be exercised according to order. Let no gift beconcealed which is for edification; yet let those gifts be chieflyexercised which are most for the perfecting of the saints. Letyour discourses be to build up one another in your most holy faith, and to provoke one another to love and good works: if this be notwell-minded, much time may be spent and the church reap little orno advantage. Let there be strong meat for the strong, and milkfor babes. In your assemblies avoid all disputes which gender tostrife, as questions about externals, and all doubtful disputations. If any come among you who will be contentious in these things, let it be declared that you have no such order, nor any of thechurches of God. If any come among you with any doctrine contraryto the doctrine of Christ, you must not treat with such an one aswith a brother, or enter into dispute of the things of faith withreasonings (for this is contrary to the Scriptures); but let suchof the brethren who are the fullest of the Spirit, and the word ofChrist, oppose such an one steadfastly face to face, and lay openhis folly to the church, from the Scriptures. If a brother throughweakness speak anything contrary to any known truth of God (thoughnot intended by him), some other brother of the church mustin love clear up the truth, lest many of the church be laid undertemptation. Let no respect of persons be in your comings-together;when you are met as a church there's neither rich nor poor, bondnor free in Christ Jesus. 'Tis not a good practice to be offeringplaces or seats when those who are rich come in; especially it isa great evil to take notice of such in time of prayer, or the word;then are bowings and civil observances at such times not of God. Private wrongs are not presently to be brought unto the church. Ifany of the brethren are troubled about externals, let some of thechurch (let it not be a church business) pray for and with suchparties. 

None ought to withdraw from the church if any brother should walkdisorderly, but he that walketh disorderly must bear his own burden, according to the Scriptures. If any brother should walk disorderly, he cannot be shut out from any ordinance before church censure. Study among yourselves what is the nature of fellowship, as theword, [144] prayer, and breaking of bread; which, whilst few, Ijudge, seriously consider, there is much falling short of duty inthe churches of Christ. You that are most eminent in profession, set a pattern to all the rest of the church. Let your faith, love, and zeal, be very eminent; if any of you cast a dim light, you willdo much hurt in the church. Let there be kept up among you solemndays of prayer and thanksgiving; and let some time be set apart, toseek God for your seeds, which thing hath hitherto been omitted. Letyour deacons have a constant stock by them, to supply the necessityof those who are in want. Truly, brethren, there is utterly a faultamong you that are rich, especially in this thing, 'tis not thatlittle which comes from you on the first day of the week that willexcuse you. I beseech you, be not found guilty of this sin anylonger. He that sows sparingly will reap sparingly. Be not backwardin your gatherings-together; let none of you willingly stay tillpart of the meeting be come, [145] especially such who should beexamples to the flock. One or two things are omitted about yourcomings-together, which I shall here add. I beseech you, forbearsitting in prayer, except parties be any way disabled; 'tis not aposture which suits with the majesty of such an ordinance. Would youserve your prince so? In prayer, let all self-affected expressionsbe avoided, and all vain repetitions. God hath not gifted, I judge, every brother to be a mouth to the church. Let such as have mostof the demonstration of the Spirit and of power, shut up all yourcomings-together, that ye may go away with your hearts comfortedand quickened. 

Come together in time, and leave off orderly; for God is a God oforder among his saints. Let none of you give offence to his brethrenin indifferent things, but be subject to one another in love. Bevery careful what gifts you approve of by consent for public service. 

Spend much time before the Lord, about choosing a pastor, for thoughI suppose he is before you, [146] whom the Lord hath appointed, yetit will be no disadvantage to you, I hope, if you walk a year ortwo as you are before election; and then, if you be all agreed, lethim be set apart, according to the Scriptures. Salute the brethrenwho walk not in fellowship with you, with the same love and nameof brother or sister as those who do. 

Let the promises made to be accomplished in the latter days, beoften urged before the Lord in your comings-together; and forgetnot your brethren in bonds. Love him much for the work's sake, wholabours over you in the word and doctrine. Let no man despise hisyouth. [147] Muzzle not the mouth of the ox that treads out thecorn to you. Search the Scriptures; let some of them be read toyou about this thing. If your teacher at any time be laid aside, you ought to meet together as a church, and build up one another. If the members at such a time will go to a public ministry, itmust first be approved of by the church. Farewell; exhort, counsel, support, reprove one another in love. 

Finally, brethren, be all of one mind, walk in love one to another, even as Christ Jesus hath loved you, and given himself for you. Search the Scriptures for a supply of those things wherein I amwanting. Now the God of peace, who raised up our Lord Jesus Christfrom the dead, multiply his peace upon you, and preserve you tohis everlasting kingdom by Jesus Christ. Stand fast: the Lord isat hand. 

That this was written by me, I have set my name to it, in thepresence of two of the brethren of the church. 

John Gifford. [148]

Bunyan was now settled under the happiest circumstances, and doubtlesslooked forward to much religious enjoyment. A pious wife--peacein his soul--a most excellent pastor, and in full communion witha Christian church. Alas! his enjoyments were soon interrupted;again a tempest was to agitate his mind, that he might be more deeplyhumbled and prepared to become a Barnabas or son of consolation tothe spiritually distressed. 

It is a remarkable fact, that upon the baptism of our Lord, afterthat sublime declaration of Jehovah--'this is my beloved Son, ''Jesus was led into the wilderness, to be tempted of the devil. ' Asit was with their leader, so it frequently happens to his followers. After having partaken, for the first time, of the holy enjoymentsof the Lord's table--tending to exalt and elevate them, they areoften abased and humbled in their own esteem, by the assaults ofSatan and his temptations, aided by an evil heart of unbelief. ThusChristian having been cherished in the house called Beautiful, andarmed for the conflict, descended into the Valley of Humiliation, encountered Apollyon in deadly combat, and walked through the Valleyof the Shadow of Death. 'For three quarters of a year, fierce andsaid temptations did beset me to blasphemy, that I could never haverest nor ease. But at last the Lord came in upon my soul with thatsame scripture, by which my soul was visited before; and after that, I have been usually very well and comfortable in the partaking ofthat blessed ordinance; and have, I trust, therein discerned theLord's body, as broken for my sins, and that his precious blood hathbeen shed for my transgressions. '[149] This is what Bunyan calls, 'the soul killing to itself its sins, its righteousness, wisdom, resolutions, and the things which it trusted in by nature'; andthen receiving 'a most glorious, perfect, and never-fading life. 'The life of Christ in all its purity and perfections imputed tome--'Sometimes I bless the Lord my soul hath had this life not onlyimputed to me, but the very glory of it upon my soul--the Son ofGod himself in his own person, now at the right hand of his Fatherrepresenting me complete before the mercy-seat in his ownself. ''There was my righteousness just before the eyes of Divine glory. '[150]

About this period his robust hardy frame gave way under the attackof disease, and we have to witness his feelings when the king ofterrors appeared to be beginning his deadly work. Whether the fierytrials, the mental tempest through which he had passed, were toosevere for his bodily frame, is not recorded. His narrative is, that, 'Upon a time I was somewhat inclining to a consumption, wherewith, about the spring I was suddenly and violently seized, with muchweakness in my outward man; insomuch that I thought I could notlive. '[151] This is slightly varied in his account of this illnessin his Law and Grace. He there says, 'having contracted guilt uponmy soul, and having some distemper of body upon me, I supposedthat death might now so seize upon, as to take me away from amongmen. [152] These serious considerations led to a solemn investigationof his hopes. His having been baptized, his union to a church, thegood opinion of his fellow-men, are not in the slightest degreerelied upon as evidences of the new birth, or of a death to sinand resurrection to holiness. ' 'Now began I afresh to give myselfup to a serious examination after my state and condition for thefuture, and of my evidences for that blessed world to come: forit hath, I bless the name of God, been my usual course, as always, so especially in the day of affliction, to endeavour to keep myinterest in the life to come, clear before my eye. 

'But I had no sooner began to recall to mind my former experienceof the goodness of God to my soul, but there came flocking into mymind an innumerable company of my sins and transgressions: amongstwhich these were at this time most to my affliction, namely, my deadness, dullness, and coldness in holy duties; my wanderingsof heart, my wearisomeness in all good things, my want of love toGod, his ways and people, with this at the end of all, "Are thesethe fruits of Christianity? Are these the tokens of a blessed man?"

'At the apprehension of these things my sickness was doubled uponme, for now was I sick in my inward man, my soul was clogged withguilt; now also was my former experience of God's goodness to mequite taken out of my mind, and hid as if it had never been, nor seen. Now was my soul greatly pinched between these two considerations, "Live I must not, die I dare not. " Now I sunk and fell in my spirit, and was giving up all for lost; but as I was walking up and downin my house, as a man in a most woeful state, that word of God tookhold of my heart, Ye are "justified freely by his grace, throughthe redemption that is in Jesus Christ" (Rom 3:24). But O! what aturn it made upon me!

'Now was I as one awakened out of some troublesome sleep and dream;and listening to this heavenly sentence, I was as if I had heardit thus expounded to me:--"Sinner, thou thinkest, that because ofthy sins and infirmities, I cannot save thy soul; but behold my Sonis by me, and upon him I look, and not on thee, and will deal withthee according as I am pleased with him. " At this I was greatlylightened in my mind, and made to understand, that God couldjustify a sinner at any time; it was but his looking upon Christ, and imputing of his benefits to us, and the work was forthwithdone. '[153]

'Now was I got on high, I saw myself within the arms of grace andmercy; and though I was before afraid to think of a dying hour, yetnow I cried, Let me die. Now death was lovely and beautiful in mysight, for I saw that we shall never live indeed, till we be goneto the other world. I saw more in those words, "Heirs of God" (Rom8:17), than ever I shall be able to express. "Heirs of God, " Godhimself is the portion of his saints. '[154]

As his mental agitation subsided into this delicious calm, his bodilyhealth was restored; to use his own figure, Captain Consumption, with all his men of death, were[155] routed, and his strong bodilyhealth trimphed over disease; or, to use the more proper languageof an eminent Puritan, 'When overwhelmed with the deepest sorrows, and that for many doleful months, he who is Lord of nature healedmy body, and he who is the Father of mercies and God of all gracehas proclaimed liberty to the captive, and given rest to my wearysoul. '[156] Here we have a key to the most eventful picture inthe Pilgrim's Progress--The Valley of the Shadow of Death--whichis placed in the midst of the journey. When in the prime of life, death looked at him and withdrew for a season. It was the shadowof death that came over his spirit. 

The church at Bedford having increased, Bunyan was chosen to fillthe honourable office of a deacon. No man could have been betterfitted for that office than Bunyan was. He was honesty itself, hadsuffered severe privations, so as to feel for those who were pinchedwith want; he had great powers of discrimination, to distinguishbetween the poverty of idleness, and that distress which arises fromcircumstances over which human foresight has no control, so as torelieve with propriety the pressure of want, without encouragingthe degrading and debasing habit of depending upon alms, insteadof labouring to provide the necessaries of life. He had no fineclothes to be spoiled by trudging down the filthiest lanes, andentering the meanest hovels to relieve suffering humanity. Thepoor--and that is the great class to whom the gospel is preached, and by whom it is received--would hail him as a brother. Gifted inprayer, full of sound and wholesome counsel drawn from holy writ, he must have been a peculiar blessing to the distressed, and to allthe members who stood in need of advice and assistance. Such werethe men intended by the apostles, 'men of honest report, fullof the Holy Ghost and wisdom' (Acts 6:3), whom the church were toselect, to relieve the apostles from the duties of ministration tothe wants of the afflicted members, in the discharge of which theyhad given offence. 

While thus actively employed, he was again visited with a severeillness, and again was subject to a most searching and solemninvestigation as to his fitness to appear before the judgment-seatof God. 'All that time the tempter did beset me strongly, labouringto hide from me my former experience of God's goodness; settingbefore me the terrors of death, and the judgment of God, insomuchthat at this time, through my fear of miscarrying for ever, shouldI now die, I was as one dead before death came; I thought thatthere was no way but to hell I must. '[157]

'A wounded spirit who can bear. ' Well might the apostle say, 'Ifin this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men mostmiserable' (1 Cor 15:19). Bunyan had enjoyed holy emotions full ofglory, and now the devil was threatening him, not only with the lossof heaven, but the terrors of hell. The Puritan, Rogers, describesreligious melancholy as 'the worst of all distempers, and those sinkingand guilty fears which it brings along with it are inexpressiblydreadful; what anguish, what desolation! I dare not look to heaven;there I see the greatness of God, who is against me. I dare notlook into his Word; for there I see all his threats, as so manybarbed arrows to strike me to the heart. I dare not look into thegrave; because thence I am like to have a doleful resurrection; inthis doleful night the soul hath no evidence at all of its formergrace. '[158] Bunyan's experience reminds us of the impressivelanguage of Job--a book full of powerful imagery and magnificentideas, in which Bunyan delighted, calling it 'that blessedbook. '[159] Job goes on, from step to step, describing his mentalwretchedness, until he rises to a climax, God 'runneth upon me likea giant' (16:7-22). 'Thou huntest me as a fierce lion' (10:16). 'The arrows of the Almighty are within me; they drink up my spirit:the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me' (6:4). Poor Bunyan, in the depth of his distress, cried unto God, and washeard and relieved from these soul troubles. He recollected thejoyful ascent of Lazarus from the extreme of human misery to theheight of celestial enjoyments. His spirit was sweetly revived, andhe was enabled, with delight, to hope yet in God, when that wordfell with great weight upon his mind, 'O death, where is thy sting?O grave, where is thy victory?' 'At this he became both well inbody and mind at once; his sickness did presently vanish, and heagain walked comfortably in his work for God. '[160] The words, 'bygrace are ye saved, ' followed him through the rest of his pilgrimage. His consolation was, that 'a little true grace will go a great way;yea, and do more wonders than we are aware of. If we have but graceenough to keep us groaning after God, it is not all the world thatcan destroy us. '[161] He had now become deeply instructed in theschool of Christ, and was richly furnished with the weapons ofspiritual warfare; 'a scribe instructed into the kingdom of heaven, like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth outof his treasure things new and old' (Matt 13:12). Or, as 'the manof God, perfected, thoroughly furnished unto all good works' (2Tim 3:17). It was powerfully impressed upon his mind that all hisinward conflicts were to be made use of in preparing him to instructothers. All the events of his Saviour's life passed before his mindas if he had stood by as a witness to his birth--his walking withhis disciples; his wondrous parables and stupendous miracles; hismental and bodily sufferings; his sacrifice, burial, ascension, intercession, and final judgment; all passed in vivid review beforethe eye of his mind; and then, he says, 'as I was musing with myselfwhat these things should mean, methought I heard such a word in myheart as this, I have set thee down on purpose, for I have somethingmore than ordinary for thee to do'; which made me the more tomarvel, saying, 'What, my Lord, such a poor wretch as I?'[162] Suchwas his inward call to the ministry; and it being attended withthe three requisites usually insisted on among Dissenters--ability, inclination, and opportunity--he was sent out as an itinerantpreacher in the surrounding villages in 1655, and laid the foundationof many churches, which now flourish to the praise of the glory ofDivine grace. In some of these villages the gospel had never beforebeen preached; they were strongholds of Satan. These were fit placesfor the full display of his intrepid energy. 

After thus preaching and much suffering, for fifteen years, he wasappointed to the pastoral office, or eldership. [163] Can a man enterupon the work of the ministry from a better school than this? Deeplyversed in scriptural knowledge; thoroughly humbled by the assaultsof sin and Satan; aware of his devices; with a keen perception ofthe value of the soul; its greatness; and, if lost, the causes andthe unspeakable extent of its loss. Solemnly devout and fluent inprayer; ready in conversation upon heavenly things; speaking thetruth without fear of consequences, yet avoiding unnecessary offence;first speaking in the church-meeting, and then more extensively inbarns, or woods, or dells, to avoid the informers. [164] Such washis training; and the result was, that, when permitted to proclaimthe gospel publicly, thousands hung upon his words with intensefeeling; numerous converts were by his means added to the church;the proud became broken-hearted, and the lowly were raised, andblessings abounded; the drunkards were made sober; thieves andcovetous were reclaimed; the blasphemers were made to sing thepraises of God; the desert bid fair to blossom and bring forthfruit as a garden. But, alas! his early labours were contrary toacts of parliament; the spirit of intolerance and persecution soontroubled, and eventually consigned him to a prison. 

Before we bid a final farewell to Bunyan's extraordinary mentalstruggles with unbelief, it may be well to indulge in a few soberreflections. Are the narratives of these mighty tempests in hisspirit plain matters of fact? No one can read the works of Bunyanand doubt for a moment his truthfulness. His language is that ofthe heart, fervent but not exaggerated, strong but a plain tale ofreal feelings. He says, and he believed it, 'My sins have appearedso big to me, that I thought one of my sins have been as big asall the sins of all the men in the nation; ay and of other nationstoo, reader; these things be not fancies, for I have smarted forthis experience. It is true that Satan has the art of making theuttermost of every sin; he can blow it up, make it swell, make everyhair of its head as big as a cedar;[165] but yet the least streamof the heart blood of Jesus hath vanished all away and hath madeit to fly, to the astonishment of such a poor sinner, and hathdelivered me up into sweet and heavenly peace and joy in the HolyGhost. '[166] Some have supposed the narrative to be exaggerated, while others have attributed the disturbed state of his mind todisease; my humble belief is that the whole is a plain unvarnishedaccount of facts; that those facts occurred while he was in fullpossession of all the faculties of his mind. To ascribe such powersto the invisible world by which we are constantly surrounded, doesnot agree with the doctrines of modern philosophers. Those holyor unholy suggestions suddenly injected, would by the world be setdown as the hallucinations of a distempered imagination. Carnalrelations attributed Christian's alarm to 'some frenzy distempergot into his head, ' and Southey, following their example, ascribesBunyan's hallowed feelings to his want of 'sober judgment, ' 'hisbrutality and extreme ignorance, ' a 'stage of burning enthusiasm, 'and to 'an age in which hypocrisy was regnant, and fanaticism rampantthroughout the land. '[167] What a display of reigning hypocrisyand rampant fanaticism was it to see the game at cat openly playedby men on Sunday, the church bells calling them to their sport!!!Had Southey been poet-laureate to Charles II, he might with equaltruth have concealed the sensuality, open profaneness, and debaucheryof that profligate monarch and his court of concubines, and havepraised him as 'the Lord's anointed. ' Bunyan was an eye-witness ofthe state of the times in which he lived, and he associated withnumbers of the poor in Bedfordshire and the adjoining counties. Sotruthful a man's testimony is of great value, and he proves thatno miraculous reformation of manners had taken place; no regnanthypocrisy nor rampant fanaticism. In 1655, that being the brightestperiod of the Commonwealth, he thus 'sighs' over the state of hiscountry:--'There are but a few places in the Bible but there arethreatenings against one sinner or another; against drunkards, swearers, liars, proud persons, strumpets, whoremongers, covetous, railers, extortioners, thieves, lazy persons. In a word, all mannerof sins are reproved, and there is a sore punishment to be executedon the committers of them; and all this made mention of in theScriptures. But for all this, how thick, and by heaps, do thesewretches walk up and down our streets? Do but go into the ale-houses, and you shall see almost every room besprinkled with them, sofoaming out their own shame that it is enough to make the heart ofa saint to tremble. '[168] This was a true character of the greatmasses of the labouring and trading portions of the commonwealth. Let us hear his testimony also as to the most sacred profession, the clergy, in 1654:--

'A reason why delusions do so easily take place in the hearts ofthe ignorant, is, because those that pretend to be their teachers, do behave themselves so basely among them. And indeed I may sayof these, as our Lord said of the Pharisees in another case, theblood of the ignorant shall be laid to their charge. They thatpretend they are sent of the Lord, and come, saying, Thus saiththe Lord; we are the servants of the Lord, our commission is fromthe Lord by succession; I say, these pretending themselves to be thepreachers of truth, but are not, do, by their loose conversation, render the doctrine of God, and his Son Jesus Christ, by whom thesaints are saved, contemptible, and do give the adversary mightyencouragement, to cry out against the truths of our Lord JesusChrist, because of their wicked waling. For the most part of them, they are the men that at this day do so harden their hearers intheir sins by giving them such ill examples, that none goeth beyondthem for impiety. As, for example, would a parishioner learn tobe proud, he or she need look no farther than to the priest, hiswife, and family; for there is a notable pattern before them. Wouldthe people learn to be wanton? they may also see a pattern amongtheir teachers. Would they learn to be drunkards? they may also havethat from some of their ministers; for indeed they are ministersin this, to minister ill example to their congregations. Again, would the people learn to be covetous? they need but look totheir minister, and they shall have a lively, or rather a deadlyresemblance set before them, in both riding and running after greatbenefices, and parsonages by night and by day. Nay, they amongthemselves will scramble for the same. I have seen, that so soonas a man hath but departed from his benefice as he calls it, eitherby death or out of covetousness of a bigger, we have had one priestfrom this town, and another from that, so run, for these tithe-cocksand handfuls of barley, as if it were their proper trade, and calling, to hunt after the same. O wonderful impiety and ungodliness! areyou not ashamed of your doings? Read Romans 1 towards the end. Asit was with them, so, it is to be feared, it is with many of you, who knowing the judgments of God, that they who do such things areworthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure also inthem that do them. And now you that pretend to be the teachers ofthe people in verity and truth, though we know that some of youare not, is it a small thing with you to set them such an exampleas this? Were ever the Pharisees so profane; to whom Christ said, Ye vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Doth not theground groan under you? surely, it will favour you no more than itfavoured your fore-runners. Certainly the wrath of God lies heavyat your doors, it is but a very little while, and your recompenseshall be upon your own head. And as for you that are indeed ofGod among them, though not of them, separate yourselves. Why shouldthe righteous partake of the same plagues with the wicked? O yechildren of the harlot! I cannot well tell how to have done withyou, your stain is so odious, and you are so senseless, as appearsby your practices. '[169]

The testimony of George Fox as to England's fashions in 1654, isvery pointed and extremely droll:--Men and women are carried awaywith fooleries and vanities; gold and silver upon their backs, [170]store of ribbands hanging about the waist, knees, and feet--red orwhite, black or yellow; women with their gold; their spots on theirfaces, noses, cheeks, foreheads; rings on their fingers, cuffsdouble, like a butcher's white sleeves; ribbands about their hands, and three or four gold laces about their clothes; men dressed likefiddlers' boys or stage players; see them playing at bowls, orat tables, or at shovel-board, or each one decking his horse withbunches of ribbands on his head, as the rider hath on his own. These are gentlemen, and brave fellows, that say pleasures arelawful, and in their sports they should like wild asses. This isthe generation carried away with pride, arrogancy, lust, gluttony, and uncleanness; who eat and drink and rise up to play, their eyesfull of adultery, and their bodies of the devil's adorning. [171]Such quotations from the writings of men of undoubted veracity, andwho lived during that period, might be multiplied to fill a volume. 

Is this the regnant hypocrisy and rampant fanaticism which prevailedin England, and which Southey supposes to have influenced Bunyanand deranged his sober judgment? It is true that the Protectorand his council discountenanced vice and folly, and that there wasmore piety and virtue in the kingdom at that time than it had everbefore witnessed. But it would have been the greatest of miracles, had the people been suddenly moralized, after having been baptizedin brutality for ages. Not a century had elapsed since the autosda fe had blazed throughout the country, burning the most pious, moral, and enlightened of her citizens. A century of misery to theprofessors of religions had passed, in which the persecutions ofPapists and Puritans, hanging, transporting, murdering by frightfulimprisonments all those who dared to dissent from the church ofEngland. All this must have produced a debasing effect upon publicmorals. Even among professors Bunyan discovered pride, covetousness, impiety and uncleanness. [172]

Bunyan's religious impressions did not, as Southey states, arisefrom his ignorance, brutal manners, low station, nor from thefanaticism of the age in which he lived. Did the similar feeling ofJob or David spring from these polluted fountains? He is a strangerto Christ's school that confounds its discipline with mentaldrunkenness, or with the other depraved sources alluded to bySouthey. The luxurious imagination which ruled over him, must becurbed and brought into subjection to Christ. He must be weanedfrom a reliance upon sudden impulses to rely upon Divine truth. The discovery of errors by scriptural investigation was puttingon armour of proof. Self-confidence was gradually swallowed upby dependence upon the word--the result of the severest spiritualtraining. Those painful exercises produced a life of holiness andusefulness. Can the thistle produce grapes, or the noxious weedscorn? Never! His experience came from heaven, in mercy to hissoul, and to make him a blessing to millions of his race. By thishe was made truly wise, civilized, enlightened, and elevated. Every painful feeling was measured by Divine rule--weighed in thesanctuary balance--not one iota too much or too little to formhis noble character. He has been compared with Lord Byron, one ofour most impassioned thinkers and writers; but the noble poet'sheart-griefs were on the wrong side. Judging of his own feelingsby those painted on his heroes--they fight for freedom only togratify lust, pride, and ambition, while the future appeared indark, dreary uncertainty. But Bunyan strives to be released fromthe slavery of sin and Satan, that he might enjoy the liberty ofbeing a servant of Christ, whose service is perfect freedom, with aglorious vista of eternity occasionally breaking in upon his soul. 

Well may it be said of him:--Simple, enchanting man! what does notthe world owe to thee and to the great Being who could produce suchas thee? Teacher alike of the infant and of the aged; who canstdirect the first thought and remove the last doubt of man; propertyalike of the peasant and the prince; welcomed by the ignorant andhonoured by the wise; thou hast translated Christianity into a newlanguage, and that a universal one! Thou art the prose poet of alltime!

THE FOURTH PERIOD. 

BUNYAN ENTERS INTO CONTROVERSY--BECOMES AN AUTHOR--OFFENDS APERSECUTING MAGISTRACY, AND IS PROCEEDED AGAINST AT THE SESSIONSUNDER AN ACT OF THE COMMONWEALTH--IS ACCUSED OF REPORTING A STRANGECHARGE OF WITCHCRAFT--PUBLICLY DISPUTES WITH THE QUAKERS. 

In proportion as a man becomes a public character, especially ifeminent for talent and usefulness in the church, so will his enemiesincrease. The envy of some and the malice of others will inventslanders, or, what is worse, put an evil construction upon themost innocent conduct, in the hope of throwing a shade over thatbrightness which reveals their own defects. In this they are aidedby all the craft, and cunning, and power of Satan, the archenemy ofman. The purity of gospel truth carries with it the blessed fruitsof the highest order of civilization; the atmosphere in which itlives is 'good will to man. ' Salvation is a free gift, direct fromGod to the penitent sinner. It cannot be obtained by human aid, nor for all the gold in the universe. It cannot possibly be tradedin, bought, or sold, but is bestowed without money or price. Hencethe opposition of Antichrist. The cry or groan of the contriteenters heaven and brings down blessings, while the most elegant andelaborately-composed prayer, not springing from the heart, is reador recited in vain. Human monarchs must be approached by petitionsdrawn up in form, and which may be accepted, although the perfectionof insincerity and hypocrisy. The King of kings accepts no forms;he knows the heart, and requires the approach of those who worshiphim to be in sincerity and in truth; the heart may plead withoutwords, God accepteth the groans and sighs of those that fear him. These were the notions that Bunyan had drawn from the Holy Oracles, and his conversation soon made him a favourite with the Puritans, while it excited feelings of great hostility among the neighbouringclergy and magistrates. 

Bunyan's conversion from being a pest to the neighbourhood tobecoming a pious man, might have been pardoned had he conformed tothe Directory; but for him to appear as a Dissenter and a publicteacher, without going through the usual course of education andordination, was an unpardonable offence. The opinions of man gavehim no concern; all his anxiety was to have the approbation ofhis God, and then to walk accordingly, braving all the dangers, the obloquy, and contempt that might arise from his conscientiousdischarge of duties, for the performance of which he knew that healone must give a solemn account at the great day. 

He entered upon the serious work of the ministry with fear andtrembling, with much heart-searching, earnest prayer, and the adviceof the church to which he was united, not with any pledge to abideby their decision contrary to his own conviction, but to aid himin his determination. His own account of these important inquiriesis very striking:--'After I had been about five or six years awakened, and helped myself to see both the want and worth of Jesus Christour Lord, and also enabled to venture my soul upon him, some ofthe most able among the saints with us, for judgment and holinessof life, as they conceived, did perceive that God had counted meworthy to understand something of his will in His holy and blessedWord, and had given me utterance, in some measure, to express whatI saw to others for edification; therefore they desired me, and thatwith much earnestness, that I would be willing at some times totake in hand, in one of the meetings, to speak a word of exhortationunto them. The which, though at the first it did much dash andabash my spirit, yet being still by them desired and entreated, Iconsented to their request, and did twice, at two several assembliesin private, though with much weakness and infirmity, discover mygift amongst them; at which they did solemnly protest, as in thesight of the great God, they were both affected and comforted, andgave thanks to the Father of mercies for the grace bestowed on me. 

'After this, sometimes, when some of them did go into the countryto teach, they would also that I should go with them; where, thoughas yet I did not, nor durst not, make use of my gift in an openway, yet more privately, as I came amongst the good people in thoseplaces, I did sometimes speak a word of admonition unto them also, the which they, as the other, received with rejoicing at the mercyof God to me-ward, professing their souls were edified thereby. 

'Wherefore at last, being still desired by the church, after somesolemn prayer to the Lord, with fasting, I was more particularlycalled forth, and appointed to a more ordinary and public preachingof the word, not only to and amongst them that believed, but alsoto offer the gospel to those who had not yet received the faiththereof. '[173]

The ministry of Bunyan's pastor, whom he affectionately calledholy Mr. Gifford, must have been wonderfully blessed. In 1650 onlytwelve pious men and women were formed into a Christian church, and, although subject to fierce persecution, they had so increasedthat in 1672 ten members had been solemnly set apart for the workof the ministry, and they became a blessing to the country roundBedford. The benighted state of the villages was a cause of earnestprayer that men might be sent out, apt to teach, and willing tosacrifice liberty, and even life, to promote the peaceful reign ofthe Redeemer. The names of the men who were thus set apart were--JohnBunyan, Samuel Fenn, Joseph Whiteman, John Fenn, Oliver Scott, LukeAshwood, Thomas Cooper, Edward Dent, Edward Isaac, and NehemiahCoxe. [174] Four of these were permitted to fulfil their coursewithout notoriety; the others were severely persecuted, fined andimprisoned, but not forsaken. 

Encouraged by the opinion of the church which had been so prayerfullyformed, that it was his duty to proclaim the glad tidings ofsalvation, Bunyan entered upon his important work, and was soonencouraged by a hope that his labours were useful to his fellow-men. 'About this time, ' he narrates, 'I did evidently find in my minda secret pricking forward thereto, though, I bless God, not fordesire of vain glory, for at that time I was most sorely afflictedwith the fiery darts of the devil concerning my eternal state. Butyet I could not be content unless I was found in the exercise ofmy gift; unto which also I was greatly animated, not only by thecontinual desires of the godly, but also by that saying of Paul tothe Corinthians, "I beseech you, brethren [ye know the householdof Stephanas, that it is the first-fruits of Achaia, and that theyhave addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints], that yesubmit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpeth withus, and laboureth" (1 Cor 16:15, 16). 

'By this text I was made to see that the Holy Ghost never intendedthat men, who have gifts and abilities, should bury them in theearth, but rather did command and stir up such to the exercise oftheir gift, and also did commend those that were apt and ready soto do. 

'Wherefore, though of myself, of all the saints the most unworthy, yet I, but with great fear and trembling at the sight of my ownweakness, did set upon the work, and did according to my gift, andthe proportion of my faith, preach that blessed gospel that Godhad showed me in the holy Word of truth; which, when the countryunderstood, they came in to hear the Word by hundreds, and that fromall parts. And I thank God he gave unto me some measure of bowelsand pity for their souls, which did put me forward to labour withgreat diligence and earnestness, to find out such a word as might, if God would bless it, lay hold of and awaken the conscience, inwhich also the good Lord had respect to the desire of his servant;for I had not preached long before some began to be touched, andbe greatly afflicted in their minds at the apprehension of thegreatness of their sin, and of their need of Jesus Christ. 

'But I at first could not believe that God should speak by me tothe heart of any man, still counting myself unworthy; yet thosewho were thus touched would love me, and have a particular respectfor me; and though I did put it from me that they should be awakenedby me, still they would confess it, and affirm it before the saintsof God. They would also bless God for me, unworthy wretch that Iam! and count me God's instrument that showed to them the way ofsalvation. 

'Wherefore, seeing them in both their words and deeds to be soconstant, and also in their hearts so earnestly pressing after theknowledge of Jesus Christ, rejoicing that ever God did send me wherethey were; then I began to conclude that it might be so, that Godhad owned in his work such a foolish one as I; and then came thatword of God to my heart with much sweet refreshment, "The blessingof him that was ready to perish came upon me, and I caused thewidow's heart to sing for joy" (Job 29:13). 

'At this therefore I rejoiced; yea, the tears of those whom Goddid awaken by my preaching would be both solace and encouragementto me. I thought on those sayings, "Who is he that maketh me glad, but the same that is made sorry by me" (2 Cor 2:2). And again, "Though I be not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am unto you:for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord" (1 Cor 9:2). These things, therefore, were as an another argument unto me, thatGod had called me to, and stood by me in this work. 

'In my preaching of the Word I took special notice of this onething, namely, that the Lord did lead me to begin where his Wordbegins with sinners; that is, to condemn all flesh, and to openand allege, that the curse of God by the law doth belong to, andlay hold on all men as they come into the world, because of sin. Now this part of my work I fulfilled with great feeling, for theterrors of the law, and guilt for my transgressions, lay heavy onmy own conscience. I preached what I felt, what I smartingly didfeel, even that under which my poor soul did groan and tremble toastonishment. Indeed, I have been as one sent to them from thedead; I went myself in chains to preach to them in chains; andcarried that fire in my own conscience that I persuaded them tobeware of. [175] I can truly say, that when I have been to preach, I have gone full of guilt and terror even to the pulpit-door, andthere it hath been taken off, and I have been at liberty in mymind until I have done my work, and then, immediately, even beforeI could get down the pulpit stairs, I have been as bad as I wasbefore: yet God carried me on with a strong hand, for neither guiltnor hell could take me off my work. Thus I went on for the spaceof two years, crying out against men's sins, and their fearfulstate because of them. '[176]

A man so much in earnest soon became a most acceptable and popularpreacher. He studied his sermons carefully, and wrote such memorandumsand notes as might refresh his memory before going into the pulpit, although his intensity of feeling, his ready utterance, and naturaleloquence which charmed his hearers, and his extensive usefulnessas a preacher, render it quite improbable that he restricted himselfto notes while publicly engaged in sacred services. They must haveaided him when he did not enjoy liberty of utterance. 'At timeswhen I have begun to speak the Word with much liberty, I have beenpresently so straitened in speech that I scarcely knew what I wasabout, or as if my head had been in a bag. '[177] They were valuable, also, as a proof that all he said had its exclusive reference tothe world to come, without the mixture of politics, which mighthave given offence to the Government. Thus, when he was apprehendedfor neglecting to attend the church service and for preaching thegospel, in his conversation with Mr. Cobb, the magistrate's clerk, he said 'that, to cut off all occasions of suspicion from any, as touching the harmlessness of my doctrine, in private I wouldwillingly take the pains to give any one the notes of all mysermons, for I do sincerely desire to live quietly in my country, and to submit to the present authority. '[178] In such troublesometimes these would afford abundant proof that he was desirous ofsubmitting to all the political institutions of his country, whilehe dared not conform to human laws affecting his faith or his modeof worshipping God, for which he alone was to stand answerable atthe great day. 

The employment of his time in earning a maintenance for his family, and his constant engagements to preach, interfered with the properfulfillment of his duties as a deacon of the church. His resignationof this important office is thus recorded in the minutes of thechurch--'At a meeting held on the 27th of the 6th month, 1657, thedeacon's office was transferred from John Bunyan to John Pernie, because he could no longer discharge its duties aright, in consequenceof his being so much employed in preaching. '

We cannot wonder that his time was incessantly employed. His wasno ordinary case. He had to recover and improve upon the littleeducation he had received, and lost again by dissipated habits. Hemust have made every effort, by his diligent study of the Bible, to gain that spiritual knowledge which alone could enable himto proclaim the unsearchable riches of Christ, and that profoundinternal converse with the throne of God which appears in all hiswritings. In addition to all this, he was engaged in continualcontroversy with a variety of sects, which, in his sober judgment, opposed the simplicity of the gospel. Among these the Ranters, orSweet Singers, were very conspicuous. It is difficult to discoverwhat were their opinions, but they appear to have been nearlylike the Dutch Adamites; they were severely persecuted, by publicauthority, under the Commonwealth, for blasphemy. George Foxfound some of them in prison at Coventry in 1649, and held a shortdisputation with them. They claimed each one to be GOD, foundingtheir notion on such passages as 1 Corinthians 14:25, 'God is inyou of a truth. ' Fox quaintly asked them whether it would rain thenext day; and upon their answering that they could not tell, 'Thensaid I unto them, God can tell. '[179] Strange as it may appear, the Ranters had many followers, while numerous pious people weretroubled by their impudence and perversion of Scripture, but moreespecially by their being a persecuted people. Taking advantage ofthe inquiries that were excited by these strange doctrines, Bunyandetermined to become an author, that he might set forth moreextensively than he could do by preaching, the truths of the gospelin their native purity, simplicity, and beauty, as an antidote tofanaticism. The learned and eloquent looked with contempt upon thefollies of the Ranters, Familists, and some loose Quakers, 'andonly deigned to abuse them with raillery, while the poor unletteredtinker wrote against them. ' To indite a work would be to him apleasant recreation, but writing a book must have been extremelydifficult, and have required extraordinary patience. This will bebetter seen by a specimen of his handwriting, now in the BedfordLibrary, found in Fox's Book of Martyrs, the three volumes of whichbeguiled many of his tedious hours when in prison. 

To write a volume, containing about twenty-five thousand words, must have been a serious task to such a scribe. 

It is interesting to trace his improvement in calligraphy whilerecovering his lost education, and advancing in proficiency in anart so essential to his constantly extending usefulness. The nextis a more useful running hand, however defective in orthographyand grammar; it is from the first page of a copy of Bishop Andrews'sermons[180]--

The inscription in a copy of his Holy City, 1665, in Dr. Williams'or the Dissenter's Library, Red Cross Street, is in a still moreuseful hand, as good as that of most authors of that day--

The autograph in Powell's Concordance, in the library of the BaptistAcademy, Bristol, is in a fair hand--

His autograph is in possession of the Society of Antiquaries. Thedocument to which it is subscribed is written in a remarkably neathand, addressed to the Lord Protector. The signatures appear to bewritten as if in the writer's best style. [181]

Signature to the deed of gift[182]--

In addition to the motives which have been noticed as inducinghim to become an author, it appears, that in the course of hisitinerating labours, he was much grieved with the general depravitywhich had overspread all classes of society. Evil communicationshad corrupted the great mass, and occasioned an aversion to hearthe gospel, which plunged the people into carnal security. Whenroused by his preaching they too often found refuge in despair, orin vain attempts to impose upon God their unholy self-righteousness, endeavouring 'to earn heaven with their fingers' ends';[183]anything rather than submit to receive salvation as the free giftof God, and thus be led to consecrate all their powers to his gloryand the comfort of society. A few who appeared to have thought onthis solemn subject, without any change of conduct, are called byBunyan 'light notionists, with here and there a legalist, '[184] orthose who relied upon a creed without the fruits of righteousness, and some of these imbibed notions of the strangest kind--that thelight within was all-sufficient, without any written revelation ofthe will of God--that the account of Christ's personal appearanceon earth was a myth, to represent his residence in the persons ofbelievers, in whom he suffers, is crucified, buried, and raisedagain to spiritual life--that such persons might do whatever theirinclinations led them to, without incurring guilt or sin; in short, many sinned that grace might abound!! Some of them professed tobe the Almighty God manifest in the flesh. All this took place inwhat was called a Christian country, upon which millions of treasurehad been spent to teach religion by systems, which had persecutedthe honest, pious professors of vital Christianity to bonds, imprisonment, and death. This had naturally involved the kingdomin impiety and gross immorality. The discovery of the awful stateof his country, while he was engaged in preaching in the villagesround Bedford induced him, in the humble hope of doing good, tobecome an author, and with trembling anxiety he issued to the worldthe first production of his pen, in 1656, under the title of SomeGospel Truths Opened According to the Scriptures; and, as we shallpresently find, it met with a rough reception, plunging him intocontroversy, which in those days was conducted with bitter acrimony. 

Before it was published, he sought the approbation and protectionof Mr. John Burton, who had been united with Mr. Gifford in thepastoral charge of the church to which Bunyan belonged. The testimonythat he gives is very interesting:--

'Here thou hast things certain and necessary to be believed, whichthou canst not too much study. Therefore pray that thou mayestreceive it, so it is according to the Scriptures, in faith andlove, not as the word of man but as the word of God, and be notoffended, because Christ holds forth the glorious treasure of thegospel to thee in a poor earthen vessel, by one who hath neitherthe greatness nor the wisdom of this world to commend him to thee;for as the Scriptures saith, Christ, who was low and contemptiblein the world himself, ordinarily chooseth such for himself and forthe doing of his work. "Not many wise men after the flesh, not manymighty, not many noble are called: but God hath chosen the foolishthings of the world. " This man [Bunyan] is not chosen out of anearthly, but out of the heavenly university, the church of Christ, furnished with the Spirit, gifts, and graces of Christ--out ofwhich, to the end of the world, the word of the Lord and all truegospel ministers must proceed. And, though this man hath not thelearning or wisdom of man; yet, through grace, he hath received theteaching of God, and the learning of the Spirit of Christ. He hathtaken these three heavenly degrees--union with Christ, the anointingof the Spirit, and experience of the temptations of Satan--whichdo more fit a man for the mighty work of preaching the gospel, thanall the university learning and degrees that can be had. I havehad experience with many other saints of this man's [Bunyan's]soundness in the faith, his godly conversation, and his ability topreach the gospel, not by human art, but by the Spirit of Christ, and that with much success in the conversion of sinners. I thoughtit my duty to bear witness with my brother to these glorious truthsof the Lord Jesus Christ. '[185]

Bunyan was twenty-eight years of age when he published this work, and as he attacked the follies of his times, and what he deemed tobe heresies, were exposed to Scripture light and condemned withoutmercy, it very naturally involved him in controversy. This broughtforth the remarkable resources of his mind, which was stored withthe Scriptures--his fearlessness--ready wit and keen retort, muchsanctified by an earnest desire for the salvation of his opponents. An extraordinary man, younger than himself, full of energy andenthusiasm, entered the lists with him; and in Edward Burrough, very properly called a son of thunder and of consolation, Bunyanfound an able disputant. He was talented, pious, and fearless in hisMaster's work, and became eminently useful in laying the foundationof the Society of Friends. Soon after this he was numbered with thenoble army of martyrs at the age of twenty-eight, being sacrificedin Newgate, at the shrine of religious intolerance. 

At this time the Quakers were not united as a body, and consequentlythere was no test of character nor rules of discipline for thosewho assumed that name. They were very dissimilar men to their quietand unobtrusive descendants. The markets, fairs, and every publicconcourse were attended by them, denouncing false weights andmeasures, drunkenness and villany, with the curses of the Almighty, calling upon the people, frequently with furious and fearful energyand powerful eloquence, to repent, and cry unto God, that his mercymight be extended to the salvation of their immortal souls. Theirzeal led them to many breaches of good manners. They would enterchurches, and after the service, when the quiet folks were thinkingof gratifying their bodies with a substantial dinner, they werearrested by the violent declamation of a man or woman, frequentlydenouncing the priest as being the blind leading the blind. This naturally led to a scene of riot and confusion, in which theQuakers were in many cases handled with great barbarity. Among thesedisturbers were mingled persons of bad character. The violence ofsectarian feeling in the churches thus disturbed, made no discriminationbetween bad and good; they were equally subjected to the roughesttreatment. Bunyan attacked those who denied that Christ had appearedin the world as Emmanuel, God with us 'in fashion as a man, ' thatby the infinite merits of his life and death imputed to believers, they might be made holy. His attack was also directed against thosewho refused obedience to the written Word, or who relied upon inwardlight in contradistinction and preference to the Bible. The titleto Burrough's answer is a strange contrast to the violence of hislanguage--The Gospel of Peace Contended for in the Spirit of Meeknessand Love. In this spirit of meekness he calls his opponents 'craftyfowlers preying upon the innocent'; and lovingly exclaims, 'Howlong shall the righteous be a prey to your teeth, ye subtle foxes;your dens are in darkness, and your mischief is hatched upon yourbeds of secret whoredoms. ' The unhallowed spirit of the age mistookabuse for argument, and harsh epithets for faithful dealing. [186]

Bunyan replied in A Vindication of Gospel Truths, to the greatsatisfaction of all his friends; and although Burrough answeredthis tract also, Bunyan very wisely allowed his railing opponent tohave the last word, and applied his great powers to more importantlabours than caviling with one who in reality did not differ withhim. The Quaker had been seriously misled by supposing that theBaptist was a hireling preacher; and we must be pleased that he wasso falsely charged, because it elicited a crushing reply. Burrough, in reply to an imputation made by Bunyan, that the Quakers werethe false prophets alluded to in Scripture, observed that 'in thosedays there was not a Quaker heard of. ' 'Friend, ' replied Bunyan, 'thou hast rightly said, there was not a Quaker heard of indeed, though there were many Christians heard of then. Again, to defendthyself thou throwest the dirt in my face, saying, If we shoulddiligently trace thee, we should find thee in the steps of thefalse prophets, through fancied words, through covetousness, makingmerchandise of souls, loving the wages of unrighteousness. ' Towhich Bunyan replied; 'Friend, dost thou speak this as from thyown knowledge, or did any other tell thee so? However, that spiritthat led thee out this way, is a lying spirit; for though I be poor, and of no repute in the world as to outward things, yet throughgrace I have learned, by the example of the apostle, to preach thetruth, and also to work with my hands, both for mine own living, and for those that are with me, when I have opportunity. And Itrust that the Lord Jesus, who hath helped me to reject the wagesof unrighteousness hitherto, will also help me still, so that Ishall distribute that which God hath given me freely, and not forfilthy lucre sake. '[187] Thus had he learned of the apostle to'make the gospel of Christ without charge' (1 Cor 9:18); and uponthis subject they strangely agreed. The same agreement existedbetween them upon the necessity of inward light from the HolySpirit; without which they both considered the Bible to be a deadletter. The peculiar principle which separates the Quaker fromevery other Christian community, has nothing to do with the lightwithin. Upon that subject all evangelical sects are agreed. Thesubstantial difference is whether our Lord intended the work ofthe ministry to be exclusively a work of benevolence, charity, andlove, binding all who are capable of using the talent intrustedto them, to do it without worldly reward. Surely every man may besatisfied in his own mind upon such a subject, without quarrellingwith, or anathematizing each other. Bunyan and Burrough agreed, without knowing it, in the sentiments of their illustrious andlearned cotemporary, John Milton, as to the ministry being withoutcharge; and had they, when offended, followed their Master's rule, 'If thy brother trespass against thee, go and tell him his faultbetween thee and him along' (Matt 18:15), had they met, and ontheir knees before the throne of grace, sought from heaven wisdomand charity in defending Divine truth, we can easily imagine thatthe approbation of God would have been manifested, by sending themon their important work in peaceful unity. They had been immersedin the same deep and solemn regeneration, and their ardent objectwas the same--to spread the influence of the kingdom of Christ. 

When Christians of various denominations meet in prayer, how it meltsdown their sectarian bitterness. In this controversy, mention ismade of a total abstinence movement in the time of the commonwealth, a germ which has put forth its mighty efforts in our more peacefuland happy times. A cloud now hovered over Bunyan, and threatenedhim with troubles of a very different kind to those of religiouscontroversy. It will startle many of our readers to hear that, under the government of Cromwell, Bunyan was persecuted for hisreligious opinions and practices. Mr. Jukes, in his interestingHistory of Bunyan's Church, thus refers to it: 'Soon after he hadresigned the office of deacon in 1657, the hand of persecution wasraised against him; for at a meeting of the church, held on the25th day of the twelfth month, in the same year (Feb. 1658), itwas agreed that the 3d day of the next month be set apart to seekGod in the behalf of our brother Wheeler, who hath been long ill inbody, whereby his ministry hath been hindered; and also about thechurch affairs, and the affairs of the nation; and for our brotherWhitbread, who has long been ill; and also for counsel what to dowith respect to the indictment of brother Bunyan at the assizes, for preaching at Eaton. '[188]

Although persecution for religious opinions assumed a milder formunder the Commonwealth, the great principles of religious freedomand equality were neither known nor practiced. The savage barbaritiesperpetrated upon Prynne, Bastwick, Burton, Leighton, and others, by Charles I and his archbishop, Laud, were calculated to open theeyes of the nation to the wickedness and inutility of sanguinaryor even any laws to govern the conscience, or interfere with Divineworship. Alas! even those who suffered and survived became, intheir turn, persecutors. The great object of persecution was thebook of Common Prayer, the use of which was rigorously prohibited. The clergy were placed in an extremely awkward predicament. Nosooner was the Act of Parliament passed ordering the Directory tobe used and the Prayer-book to be laid aside, than the king, by hisroyal proclamation, issued from Oxford, November 13, 1645, orderedthe Directory to be set aside, and the Common Prayer to be usedin all the churches and chapels. Both these orders were under verysevere penalties. 

The Act against atheistical opinions, which passed August 9, 1650, illustrates the extraordinary state of the times. The preamble statesthat, 'Divers men and women have lately discovered themselves tobe most monstrous in their opinions, and loose in all wicked andabominable practices. ' It then enacts that--'Any one, not being mad, who pretends to be God Almighty, or who declares that unrighteousness, uncleanness, swearing, drunkenness, and the like filthiness andbrutishness, or denying the existence of God, or who shall professthat murder, adultery, incest, fornication, uncleanness, filthy orlascivious speaking, are not wicked, sinful, impious, abominable, and detestable, shall be imprisoned, and, for a second offence, betransported. '[189]

One of the Acts that affected Bunyan was passed April 26, 1645, cap. 52--'None may preach but ordained ministers, except such as, intending the ministry, shall, for trial of their gifts, be allowedby such as be appointed by both houses of Parliament. ' This wasamended by 'an ordinance appointing commissioners for approbationof public preachers, ' March, 1653. In this Dr. Owen, Goodwin, Caryl, and many others are named, who were to judge of the candidate'sfitness to preach. [190] The Act which more seriously touched Bunyanwas that of May 2, 1648, which enacts that any person saying, 'that man is bound to believe no more than by his reason he cancomprehend, or that the baptizing of infants is unlawful, or suchbaptism is void, and that such persons ought to be baptized again, and, in pursuance thereof, shall baptize any person formerly baptized, shall be imprisoned until he gives security that he will not publishor maintain the said error any more. '[191] It was these intolerantproceedings that led Milton to publish a poem On the New Forcersof Conscience, beginning with these lines--

 'Dare ye, for this, adjure the civil sword, To force our consciences that Christ set free. '

This last-mentioned ungracious and uncalled-for Act against theBaptists, led some violent spirits to print a paper, entitled, 'The Second Part of England's new Chains Discovered, ' this was readin many Baptist meeting-houses, and the congregations called uponto subscribe it: fortunately, they were peaceably disposed, anddenounced it to the House of Commons in a petition, dated April 2, 1649. Mr. Kiffin and the others were called in, when the Speakerreturned them this answer--'The House doth take notice of the goodaffection to the Parliament and public you have expressed, bothin this petition and otherways. They have received satisfactionthereby, concerning your disclaiming that pamphlet, which gave suchjust offence to the Parliament, and also concerning your dispositionto live peaceably, and in submission to the civil magistracy; yourexpressions whereof they account very Christian and seasonable. That for yourselves and other Christians, walking answerable tosuch professions as in this petition you make, they do assure youof liberty and protection, so far as God shall enable them, in allthings consistent with godliness, honesty, and civil peace. '[192]Whether it was in consequence of this good understanding havingremained between the Baptists and the Parliament, or from someapplication to the Protector, or from some unknown cause, thepersecution was stayed;[193] for the indictment does not appear tohave been tried, and Bunyan is found to have been present, and tohave taken a part in the affairs of the church, until the 25th dayof the 2d Month, 1660 (April), when 'it was ordered, according toour agreement, that our brother, John Bunyan, do prepare to speaka word at the next church meeting and that our brother Whitemanfail not to speak to him of it. '[194]

This invitation was very probably intended to introduce him to thecongregation, with a view to his becoming an assistant pastor, butbefore it took place, he again appeared before the public as anauthor. The second production of his pen is a solemn and most searchingwork, founded upon the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, underthe title of A Few Sighs from Hell, or the Groans of a DamnedSoul; by that poor and contemptible Servant of Jesus Christ, JohnBunyan, 1658. His humility led him to seek the patronage of hispastor; and Mr. Gifford, under the initials of J. G. , wrote apreface of thirty-eight pages, but he dying before it reached thesecond edition, that preface was discontinued, and the title somewhataltered. The only copy of this first edition yet discovered is inthe royal library at the British Museum. It appears to have belongedto Charles II, who, with more wit than decorum, has bound it up, as a supplement, to an extremely licentious book, as if it wasintended to say, 'Her house is the way to hell, going down to thechamber of death'; or that a licentious life endeth in 'sighs fromhell. '

Mr. Gifford, in this preface, after strongly recommending the work, speaks of the author in the most respectful and affectionate terms, showing that his zeal, and energy, and great usefulness had excitedthe envy of many who ought to have encouraged him as one taughtby the Spirit, and used in his hand to do souls good--'divers havefelt the power of the Word delivered by him; and I doubt not butthat many more may, if the Lord continues him in his work'; and hegives this as a reason 'why the archers have shot so sorely at him';and then scripturally proves that no objection should be made tohis valuable services from his want of human learning. As the wholeof this interesting preface is accurately reprinted with the book, the reader is referred to it without further extracts. [195] TheEditor's introduction to these Sighs was written under very solemnfeelings, produced by reading this searching treatise. The richman is intended to personify those who, neglecting salvation, diein their sins, while Lazarus personates all those who humbly receivesalvation as the gift of God; who, however they may suffer in thisworld, retain their integrity to death. In this parable, a voiceis heard from the place of torment--the cry is a 'drop of water, 'the slightest relief to unutterable woes; and that a messenger maybe sent to warn his relatives, lest they should be plunged into thesame torment. The impassable gulf defies the vain request, whilethe despised Christian reposes in everlasting and indescribableenjoyment. This little volume was very popular; nine editions wereprinted and sold in the author's lifetime, besides pirated copies. Bunyan's feelings and mode of preaching are well described in theGrace Abounding, [196] and will be felt by every attentive readerof his Sighs from Hell:--'When I have been preaching, I thank God, my heart hath often, with great earnestness, cried to God thathe would make the Word effectual to the salvation of the soul. Wherefore I did labour so to speak the Word, as that thereby, ifit were possible, the sin and person guilty might be particularizedby it. '

'And when I have done the exercise, it hath gone to my heart, to think the Word should now fall as rain on stony places; stillwishing from my heart, O! that they who have heard me speak thisday, did but see as I do, what sin, death, hell, and the curseof God is; and also what the grace, and love, and mercy of Godis, through Christ, to men in such a case as they are who are yetestranged from him. 

'For I have been in my preaching, especially when I have beenengaged in the doctrine of life by Christ, without works, as if anangel of God had stood by at my back to encourage me. '

Such feelings are not limited to Bunyan, but are most anxiouslyfelt by all our pious ministers. How fervently ought their hearersto unite in approaches to the mercy-seat, that the Divine blessingmay make the Word fruitful. 

In those days it was not an uncommon thing for the hearers, at theclose of the sermon, to put questions to the preacher, sometimesto elicit truth, or to express a cordial union of sentiments, orto contradict what the minister had said. Upon one occasion, Mr. Bunyan, after his sermon, had a singular dispute with a scholar. It is narrated by Mr. C. Doe, who was a personal friend and greatadmirer of our author, and who probably heard it from his own mouth, and will be found in the Struggler, inserted vol. Iii. , p. 767. 

It is the common taunt of the scorner, and sometimes a stone ofstumbling to the inquirer, that, while the Christian believes inthe intensity of the Saviour's sufferings, and that God was madeflesh that he might offer himself as an atonement to redeem mankind, yet few are saved, in comparison with those who are lost--broad isthe way that leadeth to destruction, and many walk therein, whilefew attempt the narrow way to life; that four sorts of hearersare described by the Saviour, only one receiving the truth; as ifthe doleful realms of darkness and misery would be more thicklypeopled than those of light and happiness, and Satan prove strongerthan Christ. Such cavilers forget that the far greater portion ofmankind die in infancy, purified by the Saviour's sufferings, andenter heaven in the perfection of manhood. As Mr. Toplady justlyobserves, what a vista does this open to the believer through thedreary gloom of the infidel! They forget, also, that all those whogain the narrow path, once helped to throng the road to destruction;and that the hearers, whose hardened deceitful hearts rejected thegospel under one sermon, may, by mercy, have them opened to receiveit under another. And who dares to limit the Almighty? The powerthat prepared the spirit of the thief, when upon the cross, even inhis last moments, for the pure enjoyments of heaven, still exists. Is the arm of the Lord shortened that he cannot save? The myriads ofheaven will be found countless as are the sands upon the sea-shore, and the harmony of their worship shall swell like the voice ofmany waters and mighty thunderings, saying, 'Alleluja, for the LordGod omnipotent reigneth. ' What! Satan stronger than the AlmightyRedeemer? Perish the thought. Still how common is the question, which one of the disciples put to his master, 'Lord, are there fewthat be saved?' How striking the answer! 'Strive to enter in at thestrait gate' (Luke 13:23). Encumber not thy mind with such needlessinquiries, but look to thine own salvation. 

Another very singular anecdote is related, which proves that theuse of the churches was not then limited to any one sect. 'Beingto preach in a church in a country village (before the restorationof king Charles) in Cambridgeshire, and the people being gatheredtogether in the church-yard, a Cambridge scholar, and none of thesoberest of 'em neither, enquired what the meaning of that concourseof people was, it being upon the week day, and being told, That oneBunyan, a tinker, was to preach there, he gave a boy twopence tohold his horse, saying, He was resolved to hear the tinker prate;and so went into the church to hear him. But God met with him thereby his ministry, so that he came out much changed, and would, byhis good will, hear none but the tinker for a long time after, hehimself becoming a very eminent preacher in that county afterwards. This story I know to be true, having many a time discoursed withthe man, and, therefore, I could not but set it down as a singularinstance of the power of God that accompanied his ministry. '[197]

Bunyan's veneration for the Scriptures, as the only source andstandard of religious knowledge, led him into frequent controversies. In common with the Christian world, he wholly depended upon theenlightening influence of the Holy Spirit to impress the Divinetruths of revelation upon the mind, and also to illustrate, open, and apply the sacred writings to the heart of man. Unable to readthe Bible in the original languages in which it was written, hewisely made use of every aid that might enable him to study itscontents with the greatest advantage. It was his habit to examinethe two translations then in common use. The present authorizedversion, first published in 1611, is that to which he usuallyrefers; comparing it with the favourite Puritan version made by therefugees at Geneva, and first printed in 1560. He sometimes quotesthe Genevan, and so familiar were the two translations, that inseveral instances he mixes them in referring from memory to passagesof holy writ. 

Upon one of his journeys, being upon the road near Cambridge, hewas overtaken by a scholar, who concluded that he was an itinerantpreacher, whether from having heard him, or observing his seriousdeportment, or his Bible reading, does not appear, although thelatter was probably the reason. But the student determined to havea brush with him, and said, 'How dare you preach from the Bible, seeing you have not the original, being not a scholar?' Then saidMr. Bunyan, 'Have you the original?' 'Yes, said the scholar. ' 'Nay, but, ' said Mr. Bunyan, 'have you the very self-same original copiesthat were written by the penmen of the Scriptures, prophets andapostles?' 'No, ' said the scholar, 'but we have the true copies ofthese originals. ' 'How do you know that?' said Mr. Bunyan. 'How?'said the scholar. 'Why, we believe what we have is a true copyof the original. ' 'Then, ' said Mr. Bunyan, 'so do I believe ourEnglish Bible is a true copy of the original. ' Then away rid thescholar. [198] As neither persecution nor railing, nor temptations, nor the assaults of Satan, produced any effect upon Bunyan to preventhis preaching, but rather excited his zeal and energy, means ofa more deadly nature were resorted to, to injure or prevent hisusefulness. As Mr. Gifford said, 'The archers shot sorely at him'by the most infamous and unfounded slanders, which he thus narrates:--

'When Satan perceived that his thus tempting and assaulting of mewould not answer his design, to wit, to overthrow my ministry, andmake it ineffectual, as to the ends thereof: then he tried anotherway, which was to stir up the minds of the ignorant and maliciousto load me with slanders and reproaches. Now, therefore, I may say, that what the devil could devise, and his instruments invent, waswhirled up and down the country against me, thinking, as I said, that by that means they should make my ministry to be abandoned. It began, therefore, to be rumoured up and down among the people, that I was a witch, a Jesuit, a highwayman, and the like. To allwhich, I shall only say, God knows that I am innocent. But as formine accusers, let them provide themselves to meet me before thetribunal of the Son of God, there to answer for all these things, with all the rest of their iniquities, unless God shall give themrepentance for them, for the which I pray with all my heart. 

'But that which was reported with the boldest confidence, was, thatI had my misses, yea, two wives at once, and the like. Now theseslanders, with the others, I glory in, because but slanders, foolish, or knavish lies, and falsehoods cast upon me by the devil and hisseed; and should I not be dealt with thus wickedly by the world, I should want one sign of a saint, and a child of God. "Blessedare ye (said the Lord Jesus) when men shall revile you and persecuteyou, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for mysake; rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward inheaven, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. "

'These things therefore, upon mine own account, trouble me not. No, though they were twenty times more than they are, I have a goodconscience; and whereas they speak evil of me, they shall be ashamedthat falsely accuse my good conversation in Christ. Therefore Ibind these lies and slanders to me as an ornament, it belongs tomy Christian profession to be vilified, slandered, reproached, andreviled. I rejoice in reproaches for Christ's sake. My foes havemissed their mark in this their shooting at me. I am not the man. If all the fornicators and adulterers in England were hanged bythe neck till they be dead, John Bunyan, the object of their envy, would be still alive and well. I know not whether there be sucha thing as a woman breathing under the copes of the whole heaven, but by their apparel, their children, or by common fame, except mywife. 

'And in this I admire the wisdom of God, that he made me shy ofwomen from my first conversion until now. When I have seen good mensalute those women that they have visited, I have made my objectionagainst it; and when they have answered, that it was but a piece ofcivility, I have told them, it is not a comely sight. Some indeedhave urged the holy kiss; but then I have asked why they made baulks, why they did salute the most handsome, and let the ill-favouredgo. Not that I have been thus kept, because of any goodness in me, more than any other, but God has been merciful to me, and has keptme, to whom I pray that he will keep me still, not only from this, but every evil way and work, and preserve me to his heavenly kingdom. Amen. '[199]

Notwithstanding all Mr. Bunyan's care to avoid the slightestappearance of evil, yet being over-persuaded to an act of humanityand civility to one of his female members, he was most unjustlycalumniated. The circumstances which gave rise to this slanderare narrated in James's Abstract of God's dealings with Mrs. AgnesBeaumont, of which an abridged account will be found in a note tothe Grace Abounding. [200] It exhibits in a remarkable manner howeasily such reports are raised against the holiest men. 

Another still more extraordinary and unnatural charge was madeagainst Bunyan. He lived at a period when witchcraft, witches, and wizards were in the height of fashion. Any poor woman who hadoutlived or had become a burden to her natural protectors, andwhose temper was soured by infirmities, especially if her languagewas vulgar and her appearance repulsive, ran the risk of beingdefamed as a witch. If in her neighbourhood a murrain seized thecattle, or a disease entered a family which baffled the littleknowledge of the country practitioners--such as epilepsy, St. Vitus'dance, or St. Anthony's fire--it was ascribed to witchcraft, andvengeance was wreaked upon any reputed witch. In many parts ofEngland she was tried by a kind of Lynch law, in a very summarymanner. Her hands and feet being bound together, she was throwninto deep water; if she sank, and was drowned, she was declaredinnocent; if she swam, it was a proof of guilt, and a little formof law condemned her to the stake or halter. In Scotland, they weretreated with greater barbarity; they were awfully tortured--thumb-screws, the boots to crush their knees, pricking them with needles or awlsnight and day, to prevent a moment's rest, were persevered in--untila confession was extorted, to be followed by a frightful death. Theignorance that prevailed may account for the faith of the vulgarin witchcraft; but that learned divines, and even the enlightenedJudge Hale, should fall into the delusion, is most surprising. The charge against Bunyan was, that he had circulated some paperlibeling a most respectable widow, a Quakeress, as a witch. Thispaper cannot now be discovered; but the story is so perfectlyridiculous as to render it quite improbable that Bunyan had anyknowledge of it. The account is contained in a rare pamphlet offour leaves, preserved in the very curious library of the Societyof Friends at Devonshire House, Bishopsgate. It is entitled, 'Alying wonder discovered, and the strange and terrible news fromCambridge proved false; which false news is published in a libel, concerning a wicked slander cast upon a Quaker; but the authorof the said libel was ashamed to subscribe his name to it. Also, this contains an answer to John Bunion's paper, touching the saidimagined witchcraft, which he hath given forth to your wonderment, as he saith; but it is also proved a lie and a slander by manycredible witnesses hereafter mentioned. '[201] It narrates thatMargaret Pryor, of Long Stanton, indicted, on the 28th July, 1659, the widow Morlin, a Quaker lady, for having, on the 29th November, 1657, took her out of bed from her husband in the night, put abridle in her mouth, and transformed her into a bay mare, and witha Quaker, William Allen, rode upon her to Maddenly House, a distanceof four miles; that they made her fast to the latch of the door, while she saw them partake of a feast of mutton, rabbits, and lamb[lamb in November!!]; that they shone like angels, and talked ofdoctrine, and that she knew some of the guests; that her feet werea little sore, but not her hands, nor was she dirty. In examiningher, the judge elicited that she made no mention of the story fora year and three-quarters, and that her deposition then was thatsome evil spirit changed her into a bay-horse; that her hands andfeet were lamentably bruised, and changed as black as a coal; thatshe had her chemise on, which was all bloody, from her sides beingrent and torn with the spurs. All this was unknown to her husband;nor had she accounted for her chemise so strangely fitting a horseor mare. It was proved that the complainant had received money forbringing the charge, and pretended to have burnt some of her hairwith elder-bark, as a counter-charm to prevent it happening again. The judge summed up with observing that it was a mere dream orphantasy, and that the complainant was the sorceress, by practicingincantations in burning her hair and bark. The jury found a verdictof--not guilty; and thus two innocent persons were saved by anenlightened judge from an ignominious death. It is almost incrediblethat, even after the trial, priests and magistrates who had promotedthe prosecution professed to believe that the charge was true. Thissingular narrative, in defence of the poor persecuted Quakeress, is signed James Blackley, an alderman, George Whitehead, and threeothers. No one can believe that John Bunyan gave credit to sucha tale, or mentioned it to the injury of the parties accused. Hisreply was, that these slanders were devised by the devil and hisinstruments--'God knows that I am innocent. ' The probability is, that the pamphlet called Strange News from Cambridge had been sentto him, and that he gave it to some Quaker to answer. 

Considering the almost universal belief in witchcraft in thosedays--that Baxter, Cotton Mather, Clarke, and many of our mosteminent divines, believed in it--and that Bunyan received theScriptures in our authorized translation with the deepest reverence, it becomes an interesting inquiry how far he believed in witchcraft, possessions, incantations, and charms. He was persuaded that Satancould appear to mankind in the shape of animals, and in the humanform. Had any one doubted the possibility of these appearances, hewould at that time have been called an atheist and an unbeliever inthe existence of God and of separate spirits. Thus he argues, that'If sin can make one who was sometimes a glorious angel in heavennow so to abuse himself as to become, to appearance, as a filthyfrog, a toad, a rat, a cat, a fly, a mouse, or a dog, to serve itsends upon a poor mortal, that it might gull them of everlastinglife, no marvel if the soul is so beguiled as to sell itself fromGod and all good for so poor a nothing as a momentary pleasure. '[202]When speaking of the impropriety of excluding a pious person fromthe Lord's table, because of a difference of opinion as to waterbaptism, he says, 'Do you more to the openly profane--yea, to allwizards and witches in the land?'[203] In quoting Isaiah 13, he, taught by the Puritan version, puts the key in the margin--'Wildbeasts of the desert shall be there and their houses shall be fullof doleful creatures. And owls shall dwell there, and satyrs [thatis, the hobgoblins, or devils] shall dance there. '[204] He gave nocredence to the appearance of departed spirits, except in the hourof death; and then, while between time and eternity, he thoughtthat in some rare cases spiritual sight was given to see objectsotherwise invisible. [205]

He fully believed in the power of Satan to suggest evil thoughtsto the pious Christian, and to terrify and punish the wicked, evenin this life; but never hints, through all his works, at any powerof Satan to communicate to man any ability to injure his fellows. What a contrast is there between the Pilgrim of Loretto, withits witch and devil story, mentioned in the introduction to thePilgrim's Progress, and Bunyan's great allegorical work! Conjurorsand fortune-tellers, or witches and wizards, were vagabonds deservingfor their fraudulent pretensions, [206] punishment by a few months'imprisonment to hard labour, but not a frightful death. In all thesethings this great man was vastly in advance of his age. He hadstudied nature from personal observation and the book of revelation. In proportion as the laws of nature are understood, the craftypretensions of conjurors and witches become exposed to contempt. Bunyan never believed that the great and unchangeable principleswhich the Creator has ordained to govern nature could be disturbedby the freaks of poor old crazy women, for purposes trifling andinsignificant. No, such a man could never have circulated a reportthat a woman was turned into a bay mare, and her chemise into ahorse-cloth and saddle! Unbridled sectarian feeling perverted someremark of his, probably made with the kindest intention, into amost incredible slander. 

Among the many singularities of that very interesting period, onewas the number of religious tournaments or disputations that wereheld all over the country. The details of one of these, betweenFisher, a Jesuit, and Archbishop Laud, occupy a folio volume. Inthese wordy duels the Baptists and Quakers bore a prominent part. To write a history of them would occupy more space than our narrowlimits will allow. Bunyan entered into one of these controversieswith the Quakers at Bedford Market-cross, [207] and probably heldothers in the church, those buildings being at times available underthe Protectorate for such purposes. Bunyan was met by the son ofthunder, Edward Burrough, who was also assisted by Anne Blackly, aremarkably pious woman and an able disputant. Bunyan pressed themwith the Scriptures, and dealt such severe blows that Mrs. Blackly, in the public assembly, bid him throw away the Scriptures. To whichhe answered, 'No, for then the devil would be too hard for me. 'The great controversy was as to Christ within his saints. Bunyanproved, by the holy oracles, that Christ had ascended, and wasat the right hand of God; to which Mrs. Blackly answered, that hepreached up an idol, and used conjuraton and witchcraft. To thecharge of spiritual conjuration and witchcraft he made no reply, it being unworthy his notice; but called upon her to repent of herwickedness in calling Christ an idol. With regard to his presencein his saints, he reminded her, that if any man have not the Spiritof Christ, he is none of his. [208] As a matter of course, bothparties claimed the victory; and although the hearers were puzzled, doubtless much good was effected. 

These were comparatively happy days for God's fearers--much valuableseed was sown, and the light of divine truth penetrated into manya benighted town and village. At length dark and portentous cloudsrolled over the horizon. The Protector had entered into rest; hisson was wholly incapable of taking the helm of public affairs. The exiled king, Charles II, declared his determination to publishan amnesty for all political offences; and from Breda issued hisproclamation for liberty of conscience, and the kingdom was cajoledand sold. The king was scarcely seated on his throne, and armedwith power, when he threw off the mask. Men who had faithfullyperformed very painful duties under the authority of Acts ofParliament were put to death, others imprisoned and transported, and uniformity in religion was re-enacted under ferocious penalties. Bunyan was to endure a cruel imprisonment, with all the fears of anignominious death. 'Now, ' he says, 'as Satan laboured by reproachesand slanders, to make me vile among my countrymen, that if possiblemy preaching might be made of none effect, so there was added heretoa long and tedious imprisonment, that thereby I might be frightedfrom my service for Christ, and the world terrified and made afraidto hear me preach, of which I shall in the next place give you abrief account. '[209]

THE FIFTH PERIOD. 

BUNYAN SUFFERS PERSECUTION, AND A LONG AND DANGEROUS IMPRISONMENT, FOR REFUSING TO ATTEND THE COMMON PRAYER SERVICE, AND FOR PREACHING. 

 --'O happie he who doth possesse Christ for his fellow prisoner, who doth gladde With heavenly sunbeams, goales that are most sad. '

(Written by William Prynne, on his Prison wall, in the Tower. )

The men who arraign their fellows before any standard of orthodoxy, or claim the right of dictating forms of belief or modes of worshipunder pains or penalties, are guilty of assuming the prerogativeof the Most High, and of claiming, for their frail opinions, infallibility. Such are guilty of high treason against the Majestyof heaven--and all their machinations have a direct tendency todestroy human happiness--the wealth of the nation, and that universalgood-will among men which the gospel is intended to establish. Suchmen present to us the various features of antichrist, the dreadenemy of mankind. 

The duty of every intelligent creature is to watch the operationsof nature, that he may be led to just perceptions of the greatnessof the Creator, and the goodness of his immutable laws. Soon hefinds his perceptions dim, and is conscious of evil propensities, which baffle all his efforts at sinless perfection. He finds nothingin nature to solve the solemn inquiry how sin is to be pardoned, and evil thoughts and habits to be rooted out. The convinced sinnerthen feels the necessity of a direct revelation from God; and inthe Bible alone he finds that astounding declaration, which leavesall human philosophy at an immeasurable distance--'Ye must beborn again. ' God only can effect the wondrous change--man, priest, prophet, or magi, can do him no good--his terror-stricken consciencedrives him to his Creator, and faith in the Redeemer causesconsolation to abound. 

In every kingdom of the world, the Christian inquirer is met by theopposition of antichrist, in some form or other, attempts willbe made to limit his free-born spirit to human inventions andmediations in seeking Divine mercy. He feels that he is bound, byall his hopes of happiness, here and hereafter, to obey God ratherthan man, in everything pertaining to spiritual religion. In hissimple obedience to the Word of God, he braves all dangers, sureof the Divine blessing and support while encountering obloquy, contempt, allurements, and persecution, in its varied pollutedforms and appalling cruelties. 

After the decease of Oliver Cromwell, it soon became apparent thatthe exiled king would be restored. In the prospect of that event, Charles II promised a free pardon to all his subjects, exceptingonly such persons as should be excepted by parliament; and 'wedo declare a liberty to tender consciences, and that no man shallbe disquieted or called in question for differences of opinion inmatters of religion, which do not disturb the peace of the kingdom. 'Who could imagine, that, in the face of this solemn declaration, acts, the most oppressive and tyrannical, would be passed--compellingpretended uniformity in belief and real uniformity in the mode ofpublic worship--driving the most pious and useful clergymen fromtheir pulpits and livings--preventing them from becoming tutorsor schoolmasters--and not suffering them to live within five milesof a city or town. Ruinous penalties were inflicted, not only onevery minister, but upon every hearer, who met to worship God inprivate houses or in the fields and woods. Christians, convincedof the wickedness of such laws, strove, by every possible means, to evade the penalties, with a stern determination to worship Godin the way that their conscience led them. They met their belovedministers in private places, and at the most unseasonable hours. It is said that Bunyan, to avoid discovery, went from a friend'shouse disguised as a carter; with his white frock, wide-awake cap, and his whip in his hand, to attend a private meeting in a shelteredfield or barn. To prevent these meetings, severe and almostarbitrary penalties were enforced, a considerable part of whichwent to the informers--men of debauched habits and profligateprinciples. With all their vigilance, these prohibited meetingscould not be prevented. In some cases, the persecuted disciples ofa persecuted Lord took houses adjoining each other, and, by openinginternal communications, assembled together. In some cases, thebarn or room in which they met, had a door behind the pulpit, bywhich the preacher could escape. A curious letter, preserved inthe archives at Devonshire House, states, that when a Christianassembly was held near Devonshire Square, while the minister was inhis sermon, the officers and trained bands entered the meeting-house. The preacher immediately ceased preaching, and gave out the linesof a hymn, which the congregation joined in singing, and the officerswaited till the devotional exercise was ended. The preacher, takingadvantage of their hesitation, made his escape by a door at theback of the pulpit; 'thus, ' says the quaint Quaker, 'he chokedthe informers off with his hymn. ' In the Life of Badman are someillustrative anecdotes relating to informers and their violent ends, with an interesting cut of a religious meeting in the fields. Oneinformer is in a neighbouring tree, to identify the meeters; whilein the distance, another is running for the officers, with thisverse under the print:--

 'Informer, art thou in the tree? Take heed, lest there thou hanged be: Look likewise to thy foot-hold well; Lest, if thou slip, thou fall to hell. '

In many cases the justices considered a field preacher to beequally guilty with a regicide. [210] One of the informers, named W. S. , was very diligent in this business; 'he would watch a-nights, climb trees, and range the woods a-days, if possible to find outthe meeters, for then they were forced to meet in the fields. ' Atlength he was stricken by the hand of God, and died a most wretchedobject. [211] The cruelties that were inflicted upon Dissentersare scarcely credible. Penn, the Quaker, gives this narrative offacts:--The widow's mite hath not escaped their hands; they havemade her cow the forfeit of her conscience, not leaving her a bedto lie on, nor a blanket to cover her; and what is yet more barbarous, and helps to make up this tragedy, the poor helpless orphan's milk, boiling over the fire, was flung away, and the skillet made partof their prize; that, had not nature in neighbours been strongerthan cruelty in informers and officers, to open her bowels fortheir relief, they must have utterly perished. [212] One of theseinfamous, hard-hearted wretches in Bedford, was stricken, soonafter, with death; and such had been his notorious brutality, thathis widow could not obtain a hearse, but was obliged to carry hisbody to the grave in a cart. 

It is gratifying to leave these horrors--these stains uponour national history--for a moment, to record an event which tookplace about fifty years back. The Rev. S. Hillyard, the pastor ofBunyan's church, thus writes:--'When our meeting-house was latelyrepaired, we were allowed, by the Lord Lieutenant and the justices, to carry on our public worship, for a quarter of a year in thetown-hall, where, if it had been standing in Mr. Bunyan's time, he must have been tried and committed to jail for preaching. ' Howdifferent our position from that of our pilgrim forefathers. 

The justices, if the law had allowed them, would, from the first, have prevented Bunyan's preaching. When they had the power, he possessed nothing to excite the cupidity of an informer: this, with the caution of his friends, saved him, for some months, frombeing apprehended; they met privately in barns, milk-houses, andstables, or in any convenient place in which they were not likelyto be disturbed. In addition to these services, every opportunity wasembraced to visit his friends--praying with them, and administeringconsolation, arming them with a steady resolve to be patientin suffering, and to trust in God for their safety and reward. Atlength an information was laid, and he was caught in the very actof worshipping God with some pious neighbours. Bunyan's account ofthis event is deeply interesting; but the want of sufficient spaceprevents my giving more than an abstract of it, referring the readerto his Grace Abounding for fuller details. 

On November 12, 1660, as the winter was setting in, having beeninvited to preach at Samsell, in Bedfordshire, he prepared a sermonupon these words--'Dost thou believe in the Son of God?' (John9:35); from which he intended 'to show the absolute need of faithin Jesus Christ, and that it was also a thing of the highest concernfor men to inquire into, and to ask their own hearts whether theyhad faith or no. '[213] He had then been a preacher of the gloriousgospel of Christ for five or six years, without any interruption;for, although indicted, he had continued his useful career, andthrough grace had received great encouragement and eminent proofsof the Divine blessing. 

Francis Wingate, a neighbouring justice of the peace, having heardof the intended meeting, issued his warrant to bring the preacherbefore him. The intention of the magistrate was whispered about, and came to Bunyan's ears before the meeting was held, probably togive him an opportunity of escape. His friends, becoming alarmedfor his safety, advised him to forego the opportunity. It was atrying moment for him; he had a beloved wife to whom he had not beenlong married, and four dear children, one of them blind, dependingupon his daily labour for food. If he escaped, he might continuehis stolen opportunities of doing good to the souls of men. Hehesitated but for a few minutes for private prayer; he had hithertoshown himself hearty and courageous in preaching, and it was hisbusiness to encourage the timid flock. 'Therefore, thought I, if Ishould now run and make an escape, it will be of a very ill savourin the country; what will my weak and newly converted brethrenthink of it? If I should run, now there was a warrant out for me, I might, by so doing, make them afraid to stand when great wordsonly should be spoken to them. ' He retired into a close, privately, to seek Divine direction, and came back resolved to abide the willof God. It was the first attempt, near Bedford, to apprehend apreacher of the gospel, and he thus argued with himself--'If God, of his mercy, should choose me to go upon the forlorn hope, that is, to be the first that should be opposed for the gospel, if I shouldfly it might be a discouragement to the whole body that should followafter. And I thought that the world thereby would take occasionat my cowardliness, to have blasphemed the gospel. '[214] Theseconsiderations brought him to the noble resolution of fulfilling hisduty, under all its difficulties and dangers. In these reasoningsthe same honourable decision of mind animated him which impelledDaniel, and the three Hebrew youths, to violate the wicked laws ofthe nation in which they lived, because these laws were opposed tothe will of God. He and they, as well as the apostles, judged forthemselves, and opposed statutes or ancient customs which, in theiropinion, were contrary to the Divine law by which they were to bejudged at the solemn and great day. Nor did they, in the prospectof the most dread personal sufferings, hesitate to follow theconvictions of their minds. Some laws are more honoured in the breachthan in the observance of them. The law of Pharaoh to destroy themale children of the Israelites, in ancient times, and the presentPopish laws of Tuscany, that the Bible shall not be read, are lawsso contrary to common sense, and the most sacred duties of man, that 'God dealt well' with those who broke them in Egypt, as he hasever dealt with those who have thus honoured him. The millions ofprayers that were offered up for a blessing upon the confessors, Madiai, have been answered. Had they perished in the prisons ofTuscany, they would have joined the noble army of martyrs beforethe throne of God, to witness his judgments upon that persecutingchurch which has shed so much holy blood. 

When Bunyan was advised to escape by dismissing the meeting, whichconsisted of about forty persons, he replied, 'No, by no means; Iwill not stir, neither will I have the meeting dismissed. Come, beof good cheer, let us not be daunted; our cause is good, we neednot be ashamed of it; to preach God's Word is so good a work, thatwe shall be well rewarded if we suffer for that. '[215] All thistook place about an hour before the officers arrived. The servicewas commenced with prayer at the time appointed, the preacher andhearers had their Bibles in their hands to read the text, when theconstable and his attendants came in, and, exhibiting the warrant, ordered him to lave the pulpit and come down; but he mildly toldhim that he was about his Master's business, and must rather obeyhis Lord's voice than that of man. Then a constable was orderedto fetch him down, who, coming up and taking hold of his coat, wasabout to remove him, when Mr. Bunyan fixed his eyes steadfastlyupon him; having his Bible open in his hand, the man let go, lookedpale, and retired; upon which he said to the congregation, 'Seehow this man trembles at the Word of God. ' Truly did one of hisfriends say, 'he had a sharp, quick eye. ' But being commanded inthe king's name, he went with the officer, accompanied by some ofhis friends, to the magistrate's residence. Before they left, theconstable allowed him to speak a few words to the people of counseland encouragement. He declared that it was a mercy when called tosuffer upon so good an account; that it was of grace that they hadbeen kept from crimes, which might have caused their apprehensionas thieves and murderers, or for some wickedness; but by theblessing of God it was not so, but, as Christians, they were calledto suffer for well-doing; and that we had better be persecuted thanthe persecutors. The constable took him to the justice's house, butas he was from home, to save the expense and trouble of charginga watch to secure his prisoner, he allowed him to go home, one ofhis friends undertaking to be answerable for his appearance thenext day. On the following morning they went to the constable andthen to the justice. The celebrated Quaker, John Roberts, managedan affair of that kind better. There was plenty of time to haveheld and dismissed the meeting before the constable arrived, andthen he might have done as Roberts did--made the best of his wayto the magistrate's house, and demanded, 'Dost thou want me, oldman?' and when asked whether or not he went to church, his readyreply was, 'Yes, sometimes I go to the church, and sometimes thechurch comes to me. '[216]

When Bunyan and the constable came before Justice Wingate, he inquiredwhat the meeters did, and what they had with them; suspecting thatthey met armed, or for treasonable practices: but when the constabletold him that they were unarmed, and merely assembled to preach andhear the Word, he could not well tell what to say. Justice Wingatewas not the only magistrate who had felt difficulties as to theconstruction of the persecuting acts of 35 Eliz. And 15 Chas. II. Had he taken an opinion, as one of the justices at that time did, it might have saved him from the infamy and guilt of punishing aninnocent man. The case was this:--'Two persons of insolent behaviour, calling themselves informers, demanded, on their evidence of havingbeen present, without summons or hearing in presence of the accused, that a fine of £100 should be levied; they were at the meeting andheard no Common Prayer service. ' The opinion was that there mustbe evidence showing the intent, and that the meeting was heldunder colour and pretence of any exercise of religion to concoctsedition. [217] Mr. Wingate asked Bunyan why he did not follow hiscalling and go to church? to which he replied, that all his intentionwas to instruct and counsel people to forsake their sins, and thathe did, without confusion, both follow his calling and preach theWord. At this the angry justice ordered his commitment to jail, refusing bail, unless he would promise to give up preaching. Whilehis mittimus was preparing, he had a short controversy with anold enemy of the truth, Dr. Lindale, and also with a persecutingjustice, Mr. Foster, who, soon after, sorely vexed the peopleof God at Bedford. They tried their utmost endeavours to persuadehim to promise not to preach; a word from him might have saved hisliberty; but it was a word which would have sacrificed his religiousconvictions, and these were dearer to him than life itself. Thiswas a trying moment, but he had been forewarned of his danger bythe extraordinary temptation to sell Christ narrated in his GraceAbounding. His feelings, while they were conducting him to theprison, were so cheering as to enable him to forget his sorrows;he thus describes them--'Verily, as I was going forth of the doorsI had much ado to forbear saying to them, that I carried the peaceof God along with me; and, blessed be the Lord, I went away toprison with God's comfort in my poor soul. '[218]

Tradition points out the place in which this eminently pious manwas confined, as an ancient prison, built with the bridge over theriver Ouse, supported on one of the piers near the middle of theriver. [219] As the bridge was only four yards and a half wide, the prison must have been very small. Howard, the philanthropist, visited the Bedford prison, that which was dignified as the countyjail about 1788, and thus describes it:--'The men and women felonsassociate together; their night-rooms are two dungeons. Only onecourt for debtors and felons; and no apartment for the jailer. '[220]Imagination can hardly realize the miseries of fifty or sixty piousmen and women, taken from a place of public worship and incarceratedin such dens or dungeons with felons, as was the case while Bunyanwas a prisoner. Twelve feet square was about the extent of thewalls; for it occupies but one pier between the center arches ofthe bridge. How properly does the poor pilgrim call it a certainDEN! What an abode for men and women who had been made by God kingsand priests--the heirs of heaven! The eyes of Howard, a Dissenter, penetrated these dens, these hidden things of darkness, these abodesof cruelty. He revealed what lay and clerical magistrates ought tohave published centuries before, that they were not fit places inwhich to imprison any, even the worst of criminals. He denouncedthem, humanity shuddered at the discovery, and they were razed totheir foundations. In this den God permitted his honoured servant, John Bunyan, to be incarcerated for more than twelve years of theprime of his life. A man, whose holy zeal for the salvation ofsinners, whose disinterested labours, whose sufferings for Christprove his apostolical descent much better than those who claimdescent from popes, and Wolsey or Bonner--those fiends in humanshape. 

Bedford bridge was pulled down in the year 1811, when the presenthandsome bridge was built. One of the workmen employed upon theruins found, among the rubbish, where the prison had stood, a ringmade of fine gold, bearing an inscription which affords strongpresumptive evidence that it belonged to our great allegorist. Dr. Abbot, a neighbouring clergyman, who had daily watched the laboursof the workmen, luckily saw it, and saved it from destruction. Heconstantly wore it, until, drawing near the end of his pilgrimage, in 1817, he took it off his own finger and placed it upon that ofhis friend Dr. Bower, then curate of Elstow, [221] and at presentthe dean of Manchester, charging him to keep it for his sake. Thisring must have been a present from some person of property, as atoken of great respect for Bunyan's pious character, and probablyfrom an indignant sense of his unjust and cruel imprisonment. Bythe kind permission of the dean, we are enabled to give a correctrepresentation of this curious relic. [222][223]

Bunyan was thirty-two years of age when taken to prison. He hadsuffered the loss of his pious wife, whose conversation and portionhad been so blessed to him. It is not improbable that her peacefuldeparture is pictured in Christiana's crossing the river which hasno bridge. She left him with four young children, one of whom verynaturally and most strongly excited his paternal feelings, fromthe circumstance of her having been afflicted with blindness. Hehad married a second time, a woman of exemplary piety and retiringmodesty; but whose spirit, when roused to seek the release of herbeloved husband, enabled her to stand unabashed, and full of energyand presence of mind, before judges in their courts, and lords intheir mansions. When her partner was sent to jail, she was in thatpeculiar state that called for all his sympathy and his tenderestcare. The shock was too severe for her delicate situation; she becamedangerously ill, and, although her life was spared, all hopes hadfled of her maternal feelings being called into exercise. Thus didone calamity follow another; still he preserved his integrity. [224]

Bunyan was treated with all the kindness which many of his jailersdared to show him. In his times, imprisonment and fetters weregenerally companions. Thus he says--'When a felon is going to betried, his fetters are still making a noise on his heels. '[225] Sothe prisoners in the Holy War are represented as being 'brought inchains to the bar' for trial. 'The prisoners were handled by thejailer so severely, and loaded so with irons, that they died in theprison. '[226] In many cases, prisoners for conscience' sake weretreated with such brutality, before the form of trial, as to causetheir death. By Divine mercy, Bunyan was saved from these dreadfulpunishments, which have ceased as civilization has progressed, andnow cloud the narratives of a darker age. 

After having lain in prison about seven weeks, the session washeld at Bedford, for the county; and Bunyan was placed at the bar, indicted for devilishly and perniciously abstaining from coming tochurch to hear Divine service, and as a common upholder of severalunlawful meetings and conventicles, to the great disturbance anddistraction of the good subjects of this kingdom, contrary to thelaws of our sovereign lord the king. In this indictment Bunyanis not described as 'of Elstow' but 'of Bedford. ' Probably he hadremoved to Bedford soon after he joined Gifford's church. The benchwas numerous, and presided over by Justice Keelin. [227] If this wasSergeant Kelynge who, the following year, was made Lord Chief-Justice, he was a most arbitrary tyrant, equaled or excelled only by JudgeJeffreys. It was before him that some persons were indicted forattending a conventicle; but it being only proved that they hadassembled on the Lord's-day with Bibles in their hands withoutprayer-books, and there being no proof that their meeting was onlyunder colour or pretence of religion, the jury acquitted them. Uponthis he fined each of the jury-men one hundred marks, and imprisonedthem till the fines were paid. Again, on a trial for murder, theprisoner being under suspicion of Dissent, was one whom the judgehad a great desire to hang, he fined and imprisoned all the jurybecause, contrary to his direction, they brought in a verdictof manslaughter! Well was it said, that he was more fit to chargethe Roundheads under Prince Rupert than to charge a jury. Aftera short career, he fell into utter contempt. [228] He entered intoa long argument with the poor tinker, about using the liturgy ofthe Church of England, first warning him of his danger if he spakelightly of it. Bunyan argued that prayer was purely spiritual, theoffering of the heart, and not the reading of a form. The justicedeclared--'We know the Common Prayer-book hath been ever since theapostles' time, and is lawful to be used in the church!!' It issurprising that such a dialogue was ever entered upon; either Kelingwas desirous of triumphing over the celebrated tinker, or hiscountenance and personal appearance commanded respect. For somecause he was treated with great liberality for those times; theextent of it may be seen by one justice asking him, 'Is your GodBeelzebub?' and another declaring that he was possessed with thedevil! 'All which, ' says Bunyan, 'I passed over, the Lord forgivethem!' When, however, the justice was worsted in argument, andacknowledged that he was not well versed in Scripture, he demandedthe prisoner's plea, saying, 'Then you confess the indictment?''Now, ' says Bunyan, 'and not till now, I saw I was indicted; andsaid--"This I confess, we have had many meetings together, both topray to God, and to exhort one another; and that we had the sweetcomforting presence of the Lord among us for our encouragement(blessed be his name!); therefore I confess myself guilty, andno otherwise. "' This was recorded as a plea of guilty, and Kelingresumed his natural ferocity. 'Then, ' said he, 'hear your judgment. You must be had back again to prison, and there lie for three monthsfollowing; and then, if you do not submit to go to church to hearDivine service, and leave your preaching, you must be banished therealm; and after that, if you shall be found in this realm withoutspecial license from the king, you must stretch by the neck forit. I tell you plainly'; 'and so he bid my jailer have me away. 'The hero answered--'I am at a point with you: if I were out ofprison to-day, I would preach the gospel again to-morrow, by thehelp of God. '[229]

The statutes, by virtue of which this awful sentence was pronounced, together with the legal form of recantation used by those who wereterrified into conformity, are set forth in a note to the GraceAbounding. [230] Bunyan was, if not the first, one of the firstDissenters who were proceeded against after the restoration ofCharles II; and his trial, if such it may be called, was followedby a wholesale persecution. The king, as head of the Churchof England, wreaked his vengeance upon all classes of Dissenters, excepting Roman Catholics and Jews. 

The reign of Charles II was most disgraceful and disastrous to thenation, even the king being a pensioner upon the French court. TheDutch swept the seas, and threatened to burn London; a dreadfulplague depopulated the metropolis--the principal part of which was, in the following year, with its cathedral, churches, and publicbuildings, destroyed by fire; plots and conspiracies alarmed thepeople; tyranny was triumphant; even the bodies of the illustriousdead were exhumed, and treated with worse than savage ferocity;while a fierce persecution raged throughout the kingdom, whichfilled the jails with Dissenters. 

In Scotland, the persecution raged with still more deadly violence. Military, in addition to civil despotism, strove to enforce theuse of the Book of Common Prayer. The heroic achievements and awfulsuffering of Scottish Christians saved their descendants from thisyoke of bondage. [231]

A short account of the extent of the sufferings of our pious ancestorsis given in the Introduction to the Pilgrim's Progress[232]--anarrative which would appear incredible did it not rest uponunimpeachable authority. It would be difficult to believe therecords of the brutal treatment which the sufferers underwent hadthey not been handed down to us in the State Trials, and in publicregisters, over which the persecuted had no control. Two instanceswill show the extreme peril in which the most learned and piousmen held their lives. John James, the pastor of a Baptist church inWhitechapel, was charged, upon the evidence of a perjured drunkenvagabond named Tipler, a pipe-maker's journeyman, who was not presentin the meeting, but swore that he heard him utter treasonable words. Notwithstanding the evidence of some most respectable witnesses, who were present during the whole service, and distinctly provedthat no such words were used, Mr. James was convicted, and sentencedto be hung. His distracted wife saw the king, presented a petition, and implored mercy, when the unfeeling monarch replied, 'O! Mr. James; he is a sweet gentleman. ' Again, on the following morning, she fell at his feet, beseeching his royal clemency, when he spurnedher from him, saying, 'John James, that rogue, he shall be hanged;yea, he shall be hanged. ' And, in the presence of his weepingfriends, he ascended from the gibbet to the mansions of the blessed. His real crime was, that he continued to preach after having beenwarned not to do so by John Robinson, lieutenant of the Tower, properly called, by Mr. Crosby, [233] a devouring wolf, upon whosehead the blood of this and other innocent Dissenters will be found. Another Dissenting minister, learned, pious, loyal, and peaceful, was, during Bunyan's time, marked for destruction. Thomas Rosewellwas tried before the monster Jeffreys. He was charged, upon theevidence of two infamous informers, with having doubted the powerof the king to cure the kings' evil, and with saying that theyshould overcome their enemies with rams' horns, broken platters, anda stone in a sling. A number of most respectable witnesses deposedto their having been present; that no such words were uttered, andthat Mr. Rosewell was eminent for loyalty and devoted attachment tothe Government. Alas! he was a Dissenting teacher of high standing, of extensive acquirements, and of great earnestness in seekingthe salvation of sinners; and, under the direction of that brutaljudge, the venal jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to behung. This frightful sentence would have been executed but from asingular interposition of Providence. Sir John Talbot was presentduring the trial, and a stranger to Mr. Rosewell; but he was sostruck with the proceedings, that he hastened to the king, relatedthe facts, and added, 'that he had seen the life of a subject, who appeared to be a gentleman and a scholar, in danger, upon suchevidence as he would not hang his dog on. ' And added, 'Sire, if yousuffer this man to die, we are none of us safe in our own houses. 'At this moment Jeffreys came in, gloating over his prey, exultingin the innocent blood he was about to shed, when, to his utterconfusion, the king said, 'Mr. Rosewell shall not die'; and hispardon was issued under the great seal. [234] Every Englishman shouldread the state trials of that period, recording the sufferings ofRichard Baxter, William Penn, Sir H. Vane, and many others of ourmost pious forefathers; and they must feel that it was a miracle ofmercy that saved the life of Bunyan, and gave him leisure to writenot only his popular allegories, but the most valuable treatisesin the English language upon subjects of the deepest importance. 

When he entered the prison, his first and prayerful object was tolevy a tax upon his affliction--to endeavour to draw honey fromthe carcass of the lion. His care was to render his imprisonmentsubservient to the great design of showing forth the glory of Godby patient submission to His will. Before his commitment, he hada strong presentiment of his sufferings; his earnest prayer, formany months, was that he might, with composure, encounter all histrials, even to an ignominious death. This led him to the solemnconsideration of reckoning himself, his wife, children, health, enjoyments, all as dying, and in perfect uncertainty, and to liveupon God, his invisible but ever-present Father. 

Like an experienced military commander, he wisely advises everyChristian to have a reserve for Christ in case of dire emergency. 'We ought to have a reserve for Christ, to help us at a dead lift. When profession and confession will not do; when loss of goods anda prison will not do; when loss of country and of friends will notdo; when nothing else will do, then willingly to lay down our livesfor his name. '[235] In the midst of all these dread uncertainties, his soul was raised to heavenly contemplations of the futurehappiness of the saints of God. 

It is deeply impressive to view a man, with gigantic intellect, involved in the net which was laid to trammel his free spirit, disregarding his own wisdom; seeking guidance from heaven in earnestprayer, and in searching the sacred Scriptures; disentanglinghimself, and calmly waiting the will of his heavenly Father. Stillhe severely felt the infirmities of nature. Parting with his wifeand children, he described as 'the pulling the flesh from the bones. I saw I was as a man who was pulling down his house upon the headof his wife and children; yet, thought I, I must do it. '[236] Hisfeelings were peculiarly excited to his poor blind Mary. [237] 'O!the thoughts of the hardships my poor blind one might go under, wouldbreak my heart in pieces. ' It is one of the governing principlesof human nature, that the most delicate or afflicted child excitesour tenderest feelings. 'I have seen men, ' says Bunyan, 'take mostcare of, and best provide for those of their children that havebeen most infirm and helpless; and our Advocate "shall gather hislambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom. "'[238] Whilein this state of distress, the promise came to his relief--'Leavethy fatherless children, I will preserve them alive; and let thywidows trust in me. ' He had heard of the miseries of those banishedChristians who had been sold into slavery, and perished with coldand calamities, lying in ditches like poor, forlorn, desolate sheep. 

At the end of three months he became anxious to know what theenemies of the cross intended to do with him. His sentence wastransportation and death, unless he conformed. To give up or shrinkfrom his profession of Christ, by embracing the national forms andsubmitting his conscience to human laws, he dared not. He resolvedto persevere even at the sacrifice of his life. To add to his distress, doubts and fears clouded his prospects of futurity; 'Satan, ' saidhe, 'laid hard at me to beat me out of heart. ' At length he cameto the determination to venture his eternal state with Christ, whether he had present comfort or not. His state of mind he thusdescribes--'If God doth not come in (to comfort me) I will leapoff the ladder, even blindfold, into eternity, sink or swim, comeheaven, come hell. Lord Jesus, if thou wilt catch me, do; I willventure all for thy name. ' From this time he felt a good hope andgreat consolation. 

The clerk of the peace, Mr. Cobb, was sent by the justices to persuadehim to conform, and had a very long and interesting conferencewith him in the prison. This shows that the magistrates were wellconvinced that he was a leader in nonconformity, who, if broughtover, would afford them a signal triumph. In fact, he was called, by a beneficed clergyman, 'the most notorious schismatic in allthe county of Bedford. '[239] It is perhaps to the arguments of Cobbthat he refers in his Advice to Sufferers. 'The wife of the bosomlies at him, saying, O do not cast thyself away; if thou takestthis course, what shall I do? Thou hast said thou lovest me; nowmake it manifest by granting this my small request--Do not stillremain in thine integrity. Next to this come the children, whichare like to come to poverty, to beggary, to be undone, for want ofwherewithal to feed, and clothe, and provide for them for time tocome. Now also come kindred, and relations, and acquaintance; somechide, some cry, some argue, some threaten, some promise, someflatter, and some do all to befool him for so unadvised an act asto cast away himself, and to bring his wife and children to beggaryfor such a thing as religion. These are sore temptations. '[240]It was during this period of his imprisonment that the mad attemptwas made, by Venner and his rabble, to overturn the government. This was pressed upon Bunyan as a reason why he should not holdmeetings for religious exercises, but rely upon his more privateopportunities of exhorting his neighbours. In reply to this, Mr. Cobb is reminded of Bunyan's well-known loyalty, which wouldbecome useful in proportion to his public teaching. It was apleasing interview, which, while it did not for a moment shake hisdetermination, led him to thank Mr. Cobb for his civil and meekdiscourse, and to ejaculate a heartfelt prayer--'O that we mightmeet in heaven. '[241] The whole of it is reprinted at the end ofthe Grace Abounding, and it shows that God gave him favour even withhis persecutors. It Is not surprising that such a prisoner shouldhave won the good opinion of his jailer, so that he was permittedthe consolation of seeing his relatives and friends, who ministeredto his comforts. 

When the time arrived for the execution of the bitterest part ofhis sentence, God, in his providence, interposed to save the life ofhis servant. He had familiarized his mind with all the circumstancesof a premature and appalling death; the gibbet, the ladder, thehalter, had lost much of their terrors; he had even studied thesermon he would then have preached to the concourse of spectators. At this critical time the king's coronation took place, on April23, 1661. To garnish this grand ceremony, the king had ordered therelease of numerous prisoners of certain classes, and within thatdescription of offences was that for which Bunyan was confined. The proclamation allowed twelve months' time to sue out the pardonunder the great seal, but without this expensive process thousandsof vagabonds and thieves were set at liberty, while, alas, anoffence against the church was not to be pardoned upon such easyterms. Bunyan and his friends were too simple, honest, and virtuous, to understand why such a distinction should be made. The assizesbeing held in August, he determined to seek his liberty by a petitionto the judges. The court sat at the Swan Inn, and as every incidentin the life of this extraordinary man excites our interest, weare gratified to have it in our power to exhibit the state of thiscelebrated inn at that time. 

Having written his petition, and made some fair copies of it, hismodest, timid wife determined to present them to the judges. Herheroic achievements--for such they deserve to be called--on behalfof her husband, are admirably narrated by Bunyan, the whole ofwhich is reprinted in our first volume, [243] and deserves a mostattentive perusal. Want of space prevents us repeating it here, oreven making extracts from it. She had previously traveled to Londonwith a petition to the House of Lords, and entrusted it to LordBarkwood, who conferred with some of the peers upon it, and informedher that they could not interfere, the king having committed therelease of the prisoners to the judges. When they came the circuitand the assizes were held at Bedford; Bunyan in vain besought thelocal authorities that he might have liberty to appear in personand plead for his release. This reasonable request was denied, and, as a last resource, he committed his cause to an affectionatewife. Several times she appeared before the judges; love to herhusband, a stern sense of duty, a conviction of the gross injusticepracticed upon one to whom she was most tenderly attached, overcameher delicate, modest, retiring habits, and forced her upon thisstrange duty. Well did she support the character of an advocate. This delicate, courageous, high-minded woman appeared before JudgeHale, who was much affected with her earnest pleading for one sodear to her, and whose life was so valuable to his children. Itwas the triumph of love, duty, and piety, over bashful timidity. Her energetic appeals were in vain. She returned to the prison witha heavy heart, to inform her husband that, while felons, malefactors, and men guilty of misdemeanours were, without any recantation orpromise of amendment, to be let loose upon society to grace thecoronation, the poor prisoners for conscience' sake were to undergotheir unjust and savage sentences. Or, in plain words, that refusingto go to church to hear the Common Prayer was an unpardonablecrime, not to be punished in any milder mode than recantation, ortransportation, or the halter. With what bitter feelings must shehave returned to the prison, believing that it would be the tombof her beloved husband! How natural for the distressed, insultedwife to have written harsh things against the judge! She could nothave conceived that, under the stately robes of Hale, there wasa heart affected by Divine love. And when the nobleman afterwardsmet the despised tinker and his wife, on terms of perfect equality, clothed in more glorious robes in the mansions of the blessed, howinconceivable their surprise! It must have been equally so withthe learned judge, when, in the pure atmosphere of heaven, he foundthat the illiterate tinker, harassed by poverty and imprisonment, produced books, the admiration of the world. As Dr. Cheever eloquentlywrites--'How little could he dream, that from that narrow cell inBedford jail a glory would shine out, illustrating the grace ofGod, and doing more good to man, than all the prelates and judgesof the kingdom would accomplish. '[244]

Bunyan was thus left in a dreary and hopeless state of imprisonment, in which he continued for somewhat more than twelve years, and itbecomes an interesting inquiry how he spent his time and managed toemploy his great talent in his Master's service. The first objectof his solicitude would be to provide for his family, according to1 Timothy 5:8. How to supply his house with bare necessaries tomeet the expenses of a wife and four children, must have filled himwith anxiety. The illness, death, and burial of his first belovedwife, had swept away any little reserve which otherwise might haveaccumulated, so that, soon after his imprisonment commenced, beforehe could resume any kind of labour, his wife thus pleaded with thejudge for his liberty, 'My lord, I have four small children thatcannot help themselves, of which one is blind, and have nothingto live upon but the charity of good people. ' How inscrutable arethe ways of Providence; the rich reveling in luxury while usingtheir wealth to corrupt mankind, while this eminent saint, with hisfamily, were dependent upon charity! As soon as he could get histools in order he set to work; and we have the following testimonyto his industry by a fellow-prisoner, Mr. Wilson, the Baptistminister, and of Charles Doe, who visited him in prison:--'Nor didhe, while he was in prison, spend his time in a supine and carelessmanner, nor eat the bread of idleness; for there have I beenwitness that his own hands have ministered to his and his family'snecessities, making many hundred gross of long tagged laces, tofill up the vacancies of his time, which he had learned to do forthat purpose, since he had been in prison. There, also, I surveyedhis library, the least, but yet the best that e'er I saw--the Bibleand the Book of Martyrs. [245] And during his imprisonment (since Ihave spoken of his library), he writ several excellent and usefultreatises, particularly The Holy City, Christian Behaviour, The Resurrection of the Dead, and Grace Abounding to the Chief ofSinners. '[246] Besides these valuable treatises, Charles Doe statesthat, of his own knowledge, in prison Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim'sProgress, the first part, and that he had this from his own mouth. [247]In addition to the demonstration of this important fact containedin the introduction to The Pilgrim's Progress, there ought tohave been added, Bunyan's statement made in introducing his secondpart:--'Now, having taken up my lodgings in a wood about a mileoff the place': no longer in 'a den, ' but sheltered, in a wood, ina state of comparative, but not of perfect liberty, about a miledistant from the den in which he wrote his first part. Whether thismay refer to his former cottage at Elstow, of which there is greatdoubt, or to the house he occupied in Bedford after his release, they were equally about a mile from the jail. He certainly meansthat the two parts were not written in the same place, nor isthere a shadow of a doubt as to the fact that in prison the greatallegory was conceived and written. Well might Mr. Doe say, 'Whathath the devil or his agents got by putting our great gospel ministerin prison?' They prevented his preaching to a few poor pilgrims inthe villages round Bedford, and it was the means of spreading hisfame, and the knowledge of the gospel, by his writings, throughoutthe world. Thus does the wrath of man praise God. In addition to theworks above enumerated, he also published some extremely valuabletracts, several editions of a work which ought to be read by allyoung Christians--A Treatise on the Covenants of the Law and ofGrace; several editions of Sighs from Hell; A Map of Salvation andDamnation; The Four Last Things, a poem; Mount Ebal and Gerizim, or, Redemption from the Curse, a poem; Prison Meditations, a poem:the four last are single sheets, probably sold by his children orfriends to assist him in obtaining his livelihood: Justificationby Faith in Jesus Christ, 4to; Confession of His Faith and Reasonof His Practice. The most remarkable treatise which he publishedwhile in confinement, is on prayer, from the words of the apostle, 'I will pray with the spirit and with the understanding also. ' Hisattention had been fixed on this subject when his free-born spiritwas roused by the threat of Justice Keeling, 'Take heed of speakingirreverently of the Book of Common Prayer, for if you do you willbring great damage upon yourself. '

Bunyan had formed his ideas of prayer from heartfelt experience;it is the cry of the burthened, sinking sinner, 'Lord save us, weperish'; or adoration rising from the heart to the throne of grace, filled with hopes of pardon and immortality. In his estimation, anyform of human invention was an interference with the very natureof prayer, and with the work of the Holy Spirit, who alone caninspire our souls with acceptable prayer. 

In expressing his views upon this all-important subject, Bunyan wassimply guided by a sense of duty. Fear of the consequences, or ofoffending his enemies, never entered his mind. He felt that theywere in the hands of his heavenly Father, and that all their malicemust be over-ruled for good. Notwithstanding his solemn warningnot to speak irreverently of the book, his refusal to use which hadsubjected him to severe privations and the fear of a halter, thisChristian hero was not daunted, but gives his opinion of it withall that freedom and liberty which he considered essential to excitein his fellow-men inquiries as to its origin and imposition. 

It is not my province to enter into the controversy whether inpublic worship a form of prayer ought to be used. Let every onebe persuaded in his own mind; but to pass a law denouncing thosethat refuse to use a prescribed form as worthy of imprisonment, transportation, or death, is an attack upon the first principlesof Christianity. To punish those who spoke irreverently of it, wasalmost an acknowledgment that it would not bear investigation. Tospeak of the book as in his serious judgment it deserved, was notthat mark of sectarianism which Romaine exhibited when he calledthe beautiful hymns of Dr. Watts, which are used so much in publicworship among Dissenters, 'Watts' jingle, ' and 'Watts' whims!'[248]No answer appears to have been published to Bunyan's extremelyinteresting volume until twelve years after the author's death, when a reply appeared under the title of Liturgies Vindicated by theDissenters, or the Lawfulness of Forms of Prayer proved against JohnBunyan and the Dissenters. 1700. This is a very rare and curiousvolume. The author, as usual in such controversies, deals wholesalein invective, and displays all the ability of a sophist. 

The Christian world is indebted to Dr. Cheever for a beautifulpicture of Bunyan's devotional exercise in his cell. 'It is evening;he finishes his work, to be taken home by his dear blind child. He reads a portion of Scripture, and, clasping her small hands inhis, kneels on the cold stone floor, and pours out his soul to God;then, with a parting kiss, dismisses her to her mother. The rudelamp glimmers on the table; with his Bible, pen, and paper, he writesas though joy did make him write. His face is lighted as from theradiant jasper walls of the celestial city. He clasps his hands, looks upward, and blesses God for his goodness. The last you seeof him--is alone, kneeling on the prison floor; he is alone withGod. '

Charles Doe, who manifested most laudable anxiety to hand down theworks of Bunyan to posterity, bears honourable testimony to hisconduct while in prison. 'It was by making him a visit in prisonthat I first saw him, and became acquainted with him; and I mustprofess I could not but look upon him to be a man of an excellentspirit, zealous for his master's honour, and cheerfully committingall his own concernments unto God's disposal. When I was there, there were about sixty Dissenters besides himself there, taken buta little before at a religious meeting at Kaistoe, in the countyof Bedford; besides two eminent Dissenting ministers, Mr. Wheelerand Mr. Dun (both very well known in Bedfordshire, though long sincewith God[249]), by which means the prison was very much crowded;yet, in the midst of all that hurry which so many new-comersoccasioned, I have heard Mr. Bunyan both preach and pray with thatmighty spirit of faith and plerophory of divine assistance thathas made me stand and wonder. '[250] Here they could sing, withoutfear of being overheard; no informers prowling round. The world wasshut out; and, in communion with heaven, they could forget theirsorrows, and have a rich foretaste of the inconceivable glory ofthe celestial city. It was under such circumstances that Bunyanpreached one of his most remarkable sermons, afterwards publishedunder the title of The Holy City or the New Jerusalem, 1665. 'Upon a certain first-day, being together with my brethren inour prison-chamber, they expected that, according to our custom, something should be spoken out of the Word for our mutual edification. I felt myself, it being my turn to speak, so empty, spiritless, andbarren, that I thought I should not have been able to speak amongthem so much as five words of truth with life and evidence. Atlast I cast mine eye upon this prophecy, when, after consideringawhile, methought I perceived something of that jasper in whose lightyou find this holy city descended; wherefore, having got some dimglimmering thereof, and finding a desire to see farther thereinto, I with a few groans did carry my meditations to the Lord Jesus fora blessing, which he did forthwith grant, and helping me to setbefore my brethren, we did all eat, and were well refreshed; andbehold, also, that while I was in the distributing of it, it soincreased in my hand, that of the fragments that we left, after wehad well dined, I gathered up this basketful. Wherefore, settingmyself to a more narrow search, through frequent prayer, what firstwith doing and then with undoing, and after that with doing again, I thus did finish it. '[251] To this singular event the religiouspublic are indebted for one of Bunyan's ablest treatises, fullof the striking sparkles of his extraordinary imagination. It wasa subject peculiarly adapted to display his powers--the advent ofNew Jerusalem, her impregnable walls and gates of precious stones, golden streets, water of life, temple, and the redeemed from allnations flocking into it. [252]

In these times of severe persecution, two of the church members, S. Fenn and J. Whiteman, were ordained joint pastors. Fenn hasjust been delivered out of prison; yet they ventured to brave thestorm, and in this year, although the lions prowled before theporch, a number were added to the church. Thus was their littleJerusalem built 'even in troublous times. '

Bunyan's popularity and fame for wisdom and knowledge had spreadall round the country, and it naturally brought him visitors, withtheir doubts, and fears, and cases of conscience. Among these asingular instance is recorded in the Life of Badman. 'When I wasin prison, ' says the narrator, 'there came a woman to me that wasunder a great deal of trouble. So I asked her, she being a strangerto me, what she had to say to me? She said she was afraid she shouldbe damned. I asked her the cause of those fears. She told me thatshe had, some time since, lived with a shopkeeper at Wellingborough, and had robbed his box in the shop several times of money, and pray, says she, tell me what I shall do? I told her I would have her goto her master, and make him satisfaction. She said she was afraidlest he should hang her. I told her that I would intercede for herlife, and would make use of other friends to do the like; but shetold me she durst not venture that. Well, said I, shall I sendto your master, while you abide out of sight, and make your peacewith him before he sees you? and with that I asked her master'sname. But all she said in answer to this was, pray let it alonetill I come to you again. So away she went, and neither told meher master's name nor her own; and I never saw here again. '[253]He adds, 'I could tell you of another, that came to me with a likerelation concerning herself, and the robbing of her mistress. '

To his cruel imprisonment the world is indebted for the mostsurprising narrative of a new birth that has ever appeared. It wasthere that he was led to write the Grace Abounding to the Chiefof Sinners. He displays in the preface his deep interest in thespiritual welfare of those who had been born under his ministry. He rejoices in their happiness, even while he was 'sticking betweenthe teeth of the lions in the wilderness. I now again, as beforefrom the top of shenir and Hermon, so now from the lions' dens, from "the mountains of the leopards, " do look yet after you all, greatly longing to see your safe arrival into the desired haven. '[254]How natural it was that, while narrating his own experience, heshould be led to write a guide to pilgrims through time to eternity, and that it should be dated from 'the den!'

 'And thus it was: I writing of the way And race of saints, in this our gospel-day, Fell suddenly into an allegory About their journey, and the way to glory. '[255]

Any one possessing powers of imagination, to whom the adventuresof Christian are familiar, would, on reading the Grace Abounding, be continually struck with the likeness there drawn of the pilgrim--themore he contemplates the two pictures of Christian experience, somuch the more striking is their similarity. The one is a narrativeof facts, the other contains the same facts allegorized. Thus, byan irresistible impulse from heaven upon the mind of a prisoner forChrist, did a light shine forth from the dungeon on Bedford bridgewhich has largely contributed to enlighten the habitable globe. ThePilgrim has been translated into most of the languages and dialectsof the world. The Caffrarian and Hottentot, the enlightened Greekand Hindoo, the remnant of the Hebrew race, the savage Malay andthe voluptuous Chinese--all have the wondrous narrative in theirown languages. Bunyan was imprisoned by bigots and tyrants, toprevent his being heard or known; and his voice, in consequence, reaches to the ends of the earth. Let every wretched persecutorcontemplate this instance of God's over-ruling power. You will surelyplunge the avenging sword into your own vitals if, by persecution, you vainly endeavour to wound the saints of the living God. Youmay make hypocrites throw off their disguise. The real Christian maybe discouraged, but he perseveres. He feels the truth of Bunyan'squaint saying, 'the persecutors are but the devil's scarecrows, the old one himself lies quat'; while the eye of God is upon him tosave the children of Zion. [256] His otherwise dreary imprisonmentwas lightened, and the time beguiled by these delightful writings. Hisfellow-prisoners were benefited by hearing him read his pilgrim'sadventures. But this has been so fully displayed in the introductionto the Pilgrim that any further notice is unnecessary. [257]

While busily occupied with his Grace Abounding and Pilgrim's Progress, he wrote a poetical epistle in answer to the kind inquiries of hisnumerous friends and visitors. After thanking them for counsel andadvice, he describes his feelings in prison. His feet stood on MountZion; his body within locks and bars, while his mind was free tostudy Christ, and elevated higher than the stars. Their fetterscould not tame his spirit, nor prevent his communion with God. Themore his enemies raged, the more peace he experienced. In prisonhe received the visits of saints, of angels, and the Spirit of God. 'I have been able to laugh at destruction, and to fear neither thehorse nor his rider. I have had sweet sights of the forgivenessof my sins in this place, and of my being with Jesus in anotherworld. '[258] If his ears were to be pierced in the pillory, it wouldbe only 'to hang a jewel there. ' The source of his happy feelingsis well expressed in one of the stanzas:--

 'The truth and I were both here cast Together, and we do Lie arm in arm, and so hold fast Each other; this is true. '[259]

Yes, honest John Bunyan, the world at large now gives you creditfor the truth of that saying. 

How strange must it seem to the luxurious worldling, with his bedof down and splendid hangings, but aching heart, to hear of theexquisite happiness of the prisoner for Christ on his straw pallet!'When God makes the bed, ' as Bunyan says, 'he must needs be easythat is cast thereon; a blessed pillow hath that man for his head, though to all beholders it is hard as a stone. '[260] In the wholecourse of his troubles, he enjoyed the sympathy of his family andfriends. His food was brought daily, and such was the venerationin which his memory was embalmed, that the very jug in which hisbroth was taken to the prison has been preserved to this day. [261]

In the midst of all his sufferings he murmurs not nor for a momentgives way to revenge; he leaves the persecutor in the hands of God. Stand off, Christian; pity the poor wretch that brings down uponhimself the vengeance of God. Your pitiful arm must no strikehim--no, stand by, 'that God may have his full blow at him in histime. Wherefore he saith avenge not yourself--"Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord. " Give place, leave such an one to be handled byme. '[262]

'There are several degrees of suffering for righteousness--thescourge of the tongue, the ruin of an estate, the loss of liberty, a gaol, a gibbet, a stake, a dagger. Now answerable to these are thecomforts of the Holy Ghost, prepared like to like, part proportionedto part, only the consolations are said to abound. '[263] The mindof Bunyan was imbued with these sentiments; baptized into them, and consequently elevated far above the fear of what man could dounto him. Yes, he knew the power of God. 'He can make those thingsthat in themselves are most fearful and terrible to behold, themost delightful and most desirable things. He can make a gaol morebeautiful than a palace, restraint more sweet by far than liberty, and the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures ofEgypt. '[264]

The Bible, that heavenly storehouse, was opened to him: 'Inever had, in all my life, so great an inlet into the Word of Godas now. '[265] 'I have had sweet sights of forgiveness and of theheavenly Jerusalem. I have seen here that which, while in thisworld, I shall never be able to express. '

About a year before he was set at liberty he received a very popularwork, written by Edward Fowler, a Bedfordshire clergyman, who wassoon after elevated to the see of Gloucester. It was entitled TheDesign of Christianity, and professed to prove that the object ofthe Saviour was merely to place man in a similar position to thatof Adam before the fall. It is an extremely learned production, full of Greek and Latin quotations; but, in Bunyan's estimation, itaimed a deadly blow at the foundations of Christianity. To restoreman to Adam's innocency, and then to leave him to cope with Satanicsubtlety, was to cut off all hopes of salvation. It was broughtto him in February 1672, and in the very short period of forty-twodays, Fowler's theory was most completely demolished by Bunyan'sDefence of the Doctrine of Justification, 4to, dated from prison, the 27th of the 12th Month, 1671 (27th March, 1672). This wasanswered by a small 4to volume, entitled Dirt Wiped Off. Bunyan hadused some harsh epithets; but the clergyman, or his curate, beatthe tinker in abusive language. He had been by this time promotedto the rectory of Cripplegate. For an account of this controversy, the reader is referred to the introduction to Bunyan's workon Justification, and to that to the Pilgrim's Progress. [266] Theimpression it made upon the public mind is well expressed in a ruderhyme, made by an anonymous author, in his Assembly of ModerateDivines:

 'There's a moderate Doctour at Cripplegate dwells, Whom Smythes his curate in trimming excells; But Bunyan a tinker hath tickled his gills. '

The last work that he wrote in prison was the confession of hisfaith, and reason of his practice as to mixed communion, not withthe world, but with saints of other denominations. As this plunged himinto a fearful controversy with his Dissenting brethren (Baptists, Independents, and Presbyterians), a notice of it will more properly beintroduced in our account of that conflict. He had been incarceratednearly twelve years, and had determined to suffer to the end. Herehe found time 'to weigh, and pause, and pause again, the groundsand foundations of those principles for which he suffered, ' andhe was a Nonconformist still. 'I cannot, I dare not now revolt ordeny my principles, on pain of eternal damnation, '[267] are hisimpressive words. 'Faith and holiness are my professed principles, with an endeavour to be at peace with all men. Let they themselves bejudges, if aught they find in my writing or preaching doth renderme worthy of almost twelve years' imprisonment, or one that deservethto be hanged or banished for ever, according to their tremendoussentence. If nothing will do unless I make of my conscience acontinual butchery and slaughter-shop, unless putting out my owneyes, I commit me to the blind to lead me, I have determined, theAlmighty God being my help and shield, yet to suffer, if frail lifemight continue so long, even until the moss shall grow over mineeye-brows, rather than to violate my faith and principles. '[268]The allusion to moss growing on his eye-brows most probably referredto the damp state of his den or dungeon. 

The continuation to the Grace Abounding, written by a friend, andpublished four years after his decease, divides his imprisonment intothree periods; but as Bunyan makes it one continued imprisonment, there can be no doubt but that it was a long, dreary confinement;during which the testimony of his friend, Samuel Wilson, is, thatit was 'an uncomfortable and close prison, and sometimes undercruel and oppressive jailers. ' The division into three parts mostprobably alludes to the severity or liberality of his jailers. Hehad at times, while a prisoner, an extraordinary degree of liberty;like Joseph in Egypt, some of his jailers committed all to hishands. There can be little doubt but that he went from the prisonto preach in the villages or woods, and at one time went to Londonto visit his admiring[269] friends; but this coming to the ears ofthe justices, the humane jailer had well nigh lost his place, andfor some time he was not permitted to look out at the door. Whenthis had worn off, he had again opportunities of visiting hischurch and preaching by stealth. It is said that many of the Baptistcongregations in Bedfordshire owe their origin to his midnightpreaching. 

Upon one occasion, having been permitted to go out and visithis family, with whom he intended to spend the night, long beforemorning he felt so uneasy that at a very late hour he went backto the prison. Information was given to a neighbouring clericalmagistrate that there was strong suspicion of Bunyan having brokeprison. At midnight, he sent a messenger to the jail, that hemight be a witness against the merciful keeper. On his arrival, he demanded, 'Are all the prisoners safe?' the answer was, 'Yes. ''Is John Bunyan safe?' 'Yes. ' 'Let me see him. ' He was calledup and confronted with the astonished witness, and all passed offwell. His kind-hearted jailer said to him, 'You may go out whenyou will, for you know much better when to return than I can tellyou. '[270]

During these twelve terrible years, and particularly towards theend of his imprisonment, the members and elders of his church atBedford suffered most severely, a very abridged account of whichis given in the introduction to the Pilgrim's Progress. [271] Theset time for his liberation was now drawing near, but the singularmeans by which it was accomplished must be reserved for our nextchapter. 

PERIOD SIXTH. 

BUNYAN IS DELIVERED FROM PRISON--CONTROVERSY WITH THE CHRISTIANCHURCH ON THE SUBJECT OF THE LORD'S SUPPER--PUBLISHES THE PILGRIM'SPROGRESS, AND MANY BOOKS, AND BECOMES EXTREMELY POPULAR--HIS DECEASEAND CHARACTER. 

As Charles II felt himself securely seated on his throne, his designto establish an absolute monarchy became more and more apparent. The adulation of his professed friends, and the noisy popularitywith which he was greeted, appear to have fostered his crafty designsto rid himself of parliamentary government. His whole conduct wasthat of a Papist, who keeps no faith with Protestants; or of astatesman, whose religion, honour, and truthfulness, were whollysubservient to expediency. To further his object, he formed a councilof five noblemen, two of whom were Roman Catholics, and the otherthree either careless as to religion or professed infidels. Thefirst letter of their names formed the word CABAL. Aided by thesehe sought to extinguish liberty, and extirpate the Protestantfaith. [272] To furnish himself with the means of indulging hisunbridled passions, he, like a buccaneer, seized the Dutch merchantmenreturning from India and Smyrna, without any declaration of war, and laid his hands upon all the money borrowed of his merchantswhich had been deposited in the exchequer. He then united himselfwith France to destroy Holland, the stronghold of liberty. To gratifythe Roman Catholics, and conciliate the Dissenters, he issued adeclaration in favour of liberty of conscience, the seal to whichhe afterwards broke with his own hands, [273] but he could notprevent a considerable degree of religious liberty arising fromsuch vacillating conduct. 

Bunyan, who had secured the confidence and esteem of his jailer, now found his prison more like a lodging-house, and enjoyed greatprivileges. He frequently, if not regularly, attended the churchmeetings, and preached with some degree of publicity. The church atBedford was at this time in want of a pastor, and their eyes werenaturally fixed upon Bunyan to succeed to that important office. There were two weighty considerations that required Divine guidancein coming to a conclusion. One was, whether it might injuriouslyaffect the prisoner's comforts, and the other was, the proprietyof making choice of a Christian brother to be their ministeringelder, while incarcerated in a jail. Feeling these difficulties, the church held several meetings on the subject, the minutes ofwhich are very interesting. The first was held at Hawnes, on the24th of the eighth month (October) 1671, when 'the improvement ofthe gifts of the church, and their disposal in an orderly way, wereproposed to consideration, that God might be sought for directiontherein; and a time further to consider and debate thereof, wasappointed this day seven-night, at evening, at Bedford, where theprincipal brethren were desired for that purpose to come together, at brother John Fenn's; and a church-meeting was appointed to bethere that day week. The church was also minded to seek God aboutthe choice of brother, Bunyan to the office of elder, that theirway in that respect may be cleared up to them. ' At a meeting heldat Bedford, on the last day of the ninth month (November), therewas appointed another meeting 'to pray and consult about concludingthe affair before propounded, concerning gifts of the brethrento be improved, and the choice of brother Bunyan to office, atGamlingay, on the 14th day, and at Hawnes, the 20th, and at Bedfod, the 21st of the same instant, which it was desired might be ageneral meeting. ' After all this jealous care, and these ferventapplications to the throne of grace for divine guidance, theresult was most gratifying. 'At a full assembly of the church atBedford, the 21st of the tenth month, [274] after much seeking Godby prayer and sober conference formally had, the congregation didat this meeting, with joynt consent, signified by solemn liftingup of their hands, call forth and appoint our brother John Bunyanto the pastoral office or eldership. And he accepting thereof, gave himself up to serve Christ and his Church, in that charge, andreceived of the elders the right hand of fellowship, after havingpreached fifteen years. ' The choice thus solemnly made, was ratifiedby the abundant blessings of heavenly union and great prosperity--nostranger or novice, but one whose preaching and writings hadproved most acceptable to them for a series of years--on that hadbeen owned and blessed of his God, and whom the church delightedto honour. 

At the same church meeting, 'The congregation having had longexperience of the faithfulness of brother John Fenn in his carefor the poor, did after the same manner solemnly choose him to thehonourable office of a deacon, and committed their poor and purseto him, and he accepted thereof, and gave himself up to the Lordand them in that service. ' The church did also determine to keepthe 26th inst. As a day of fasting and prayer, both here, andat Hawnes, and at Gamlingay, solemnly to commend to the grace ofGod brother Bunyan and brother Fenn, and to entreat his graciousassistance and presence with them in their respective works, whereunto he hath called them. 

The most extraordinary circumstance that took place at this timewas, that while Bunyan was a prisoner in a wretched dungeon forpreaching the glad tidings of salvation, or, in the mysteriouslegal jargon of the period, 'holding conventicles, ' he receivedhis Majesty's license to preach, and thus to hold conventicles--itwas one of the first that was granted. His Majesty continued tokeep him a prisoner for preaching more than six months after hehad licensed him to preach!! At the same time that the permissionto preach was granted to Bunyan, the house of Josiah Roughed, Bedford, was licensed by his Majesty's command, for the use of suchas do not conform to the Church of England. In this John Bunyan wasauthorized to teach, or in any other licensed place. [275] Thesewere among the first licenses that were granted. The presenthighly-respected pastor of the church considers that this licensedoes not refer to Roughed's private dwelling, but rather to 'anedifice or a barn, purchased of Robert Crompton, Esq. , with a pieceof ground adjoining it, ' in the parishes of St. Paul and Cuthbert, for £50, in 1672, by Roughed, Bunyan, Fenn, and others, and whichwas released by Fenn to Bunyan and others, November 10, 1681, twodays before Fenn's death. This building having been properly fittedup by voluntary contribution, became permanently occupied by thechurch as its place of meeting, until the old chapel was erectedin 1707. From this we may conclude that Bunyan was engaged in hisworldly occupation as a brazier, in the year that he obtained hisrelease from prison, and to 1681. 

How utterly contemptible does any Government become when they tamperwith spiritual worship. At one period they punished Dissenters withimprisonment, transportation, and, to use Judge Keeling's elegantexpression in his sentence on Bunyan, 'to stretch by the neck forit'; and anon, the very same Government, under the same king, givesthem license to dissent! Human laws affecting religion can neverbe the standard of morality; to read the Bible is considered to besin in Tuscany, and righteousness in Britain. The release of thisgreat and pious man from his tedious imprisonment, has been hithertoinvolved in a cloud of mystery, which it will be our happinessto disperse, while we record that event in a clear, indisputablenarrative of facts. His earlier biographer, Mr. Doe, not havingaccess to archives which the lapse of time has now rendered available, attributed his release to the influence of Bishop Barlow, by theinterference of Dr. Owen. It is narrated in the life of Dr. Owen, published in 1721:--'The doctor had some friends also among thebishops, Dr. Barlow, formerly his tutor, then bishop of Lincoln, who yet upon a special occasion failed him, when he might haveexpected the service of his professed friendship. The case was this, Mr. John Bunyan had been confined to a jail twelve years, upon anexcommunication for Nonconformity. Now there was a law, that ifany two persons will go to the bishop of the diocese, and offera cautionary bond, that the prisoner shall conform in half a year, the bishop may release him upon that bond; whereupon a friendof this poor man desired Dr. Owen to give him his letter to thebishop in his behalf, which he readily granted. It was soon afterthe discovery of the Popish plot, when this letter was carried tothe bishop, who having read it, desired "a little time to considerof it, and if I can do it, you may be assured of my readiness. "He was waited upon again in about a fortnight, and his answer was, "I would desire you to move the Lord Chancellor in the case, and, upon his order, I will do it. " To which it was replied, "this methodwould be chargeable, and the man was poor, not able to expend somuch money; and, being satisfied he could do it legally, it was hopedhis Lordship would remember his promise, there being no straininga point in the case. But he would do it upon no other terms, whichat last was done, and the poor man released. " And for this we aretold that "Mr. Bunyan returned him his unfeigned thanks, and oftenremembered him in his prayers, as, next to God, his deliverer. "' Thewhole of this story, so far as it relates to Bunyan, is not onlyimprobable, but utterly impossible. Bunyan was never excommunicated, andhe was certainly released from prison two or three years previousto Dr. Barlow becoming a bishop. The critical times to whichhe alludes, refer doubtless to the Popish plot, which took placein 1678, Bunyan having been released in 1672. The probability is, that Dr. Owen did about 1678 apply to the bishop of Lincoln for therelease of some poor prisoner under sentence of excommunication, it being his province to release such prisoners upon their makingpeace with the Church. If this person was a friend of Bunyan's, his prayers for the bishop, and acknowledgments for this act ofkindness, are readily accounted for. That Barlow had nothing todo with Bunyan's release is now perfectly clear; because all, eventhe minutest particulars relative to it, have been discovered. Thisis a very romantic history, and necessarily leads us back to thebattle of Worcester. At this battle, the republicans were numerous, well disciplined, and led by experienced officers; the royal armywas completely routed, and its leaders, who survived the battle, were subject to the severest privations. Charles found refugeat Boscobel House, and, disguised as a woodcutter, was hid in anoak. His adventures and hair-breadth escapes fill a volume:--theparliament offered one thousand pounds reward for his apprehension. At length, after wandering in various disguises forty days, hearrived at Brighton, then a small fishing town, and here his friendssucceeded in hiring a fishing boat to take him to France. Numeroushistories of this extraordinary escape were published, but no twoof them agree, excepting that, to please the king, all the creditwas given to Roman Catholics. Of these narratives, that by Dr. Lingard has the strangest blunder. When they left Shoreham, 'Theship stood with easy sail towards the Isle of Wight, as if she wereon her way to Deal, to which port she was bound'[276]--Deal beingexactly in the contrary direction! Carte has the best account. Thevessel was bound for Poole, coal-laden; they left Shoreham at sevena. M. Under easy sail; and at five, being off the Isle of Wight, withthe wind north, she stood over to France, and returned to Poole, no one discovering that they had been out of their course. A letterrecently discovered among the archives of the Society of Friendsat Devonshire House solves every difficulty. It is written by EllisHookes to the wife of George Fox, dated January, 1670--

'Yesterday there was a friend (a quaker) wth the king, one thatis John Groves mate, he was the may yt. Was mate to the master ofthe fisher-boat yt carried the king away when he went from Worcesterfight, and only this friend and the master knew of it in the ship, and the friend carried him (the king) ashoare on his shoulders. The king knew him again, and was very friendly to him, and toldhim he remembered him and of severall tings yt was done in ye shipatt the same time. The friend told him the reason why he did notcome all this while was yt he was satisfied in yt he had peace andsatisfaction in himself yt he did what he did to releiue a man indistresse and now he desired nothing of him (the king) but that hewould sett friends at libertie who were great sufferers or to thatpurpose and told the king he had a paper of 110 that were premuniredyt had lain in prison about 6 years and none can release ym but him. Soe the king took the paper and said there was many of ym and ytthey would be in again in a monthes time and yt the country gentlemencomplained to him yt they were so troubled wth the quakers. So hesaid he would release him six. But ye friend thinkes to goe to himagain, for he had not fully cleared himselfe. '

This letter is endorsed by Fox himself, 'E Hookes to M F of passagesconsering Richard Carver, that cared the King of his backe. '

E. Hooke's next letter, addressed to George Fox, thus continuesthe narrative--

'February, 1669-70. 

'Dear G. F. As for the friend that was with the King, his love isto thee. He has been with the King lately, and Thomas Moore was withhim, and the King was very loving to them. He had a fair and freeopportunity to open his mind to the King, and the King has promisedto do for him, but willed him to wait a month or two longer. I restthy faithful friend to serve thee, 'E. H. '[277]

The captain of the fisher-boat was Nicholas Tattersall, whosegrave, covered with a slab of black marble, is still to be seen inBrighton church-yard, with a long poetical inscription, now scarcelylegible. On the Restoration, he applied for his reward, and wasmade a commander in the royal navy, with an annuity to him and hisheirs for ever of £100. The family have recently become extinct. His fisher-boat was moored for a considerable time in the Thames, opposite Whitehall. Years had rolled on, but the Quaker matewho had so materially assisted the flying prince--by keeping thesecret--arranging the escape with the crew, and when, in fear ofdanger from a privateer, rowing the prince ashore, and in shoalwater carrying him on his shoulders to the land, near the villageof Fecamp, in Normandy, yet he had not been with the king to claimany reward. This escape took place in 1651, and nearly twenty yearshad elapsed, ten of which were after the Restoration; so that in allprobability the king, who with all his faults was not ungrateful, was agreeably surprised with his appearance at the palace. Whateveralteration the rough life of a sailor had made on his appearance, the king at once recognized him. All the progress he had made asto worldly prosperity was from being mate of a fisher-boat, underTattersall, to becoming mate of a West Indiaman, under CaptainGrove. His Majesty, who had passed his time more with courtiersthan with Quakers, was doubtless astonished that a poor man, havingsuch a claim on his bounty, should have been so many years withoutseeking his recompense. On asking the reason, the Quaker noblyanswered to this effect, That the performance of his duty in savingthe life of the hunted prince, was only a moral obligation, for thedischarge of which God had amply repaid him by peace and satisfactionin his mind and conscience. And now, Sire, I ask nothing for myself, but that your Majesty would do the same to my friends that I didfor you--set the poor pious sufferers at liberty, that they maybless you, and that you may have that peace and satisfaction whichalways follows good and benevolent actions. The king attemptedfeebly to argue, that they would soon offend again, and that theywere much complained of by the country gentlemen. How readily thesailor might have said to his sailor king, Alter the ship's articles, let all the crew fare alike as to their free choice in religion, and there will be no grumbling in your noble ship; every subjectwill do his duty. The king offered to release any six, and we mayimagine the sailor's blunt answer, What, six poor Quakers for aking's ransom!! His Majesty was so pleased as to invite him to comeagain, when he introduced another member of the Society of Friends, Thomas Moore. At this period an amazing number of Friends, men andwomen, were in the jails throughout the kingdom, torn from theirfamilies, and suffering most severe privations, under which greatnumbers had perished. The application for the release of thesurvivors, thus happily commenced, was followed up with zeal andenergy, and crowned with great success. This narrative solves allthose difficulties which rendered that remarkable event extremelymysterious. The question naturally arises why so debauched anddissolute a king should prefer such tight-laced Christians to bethe peculiar objects of his mercy. The reason is perfectly obvious, he owed his life to one of their members, who, however poor as tothis world, possessed those riches of piety which prevented histaking any personal reward for an act of duty. Shade of the noblesailor, thy name, Richard Carver, is worthy of all honour! And themore so, because thy gallant bearing has been studiously concealedin all the histories of these important transactions. Had he beena mischief-making Jesuit, like Father Huddleston, his noble deedwould have been trumpeted forth for the admiration of the world inall ages. His name was left to perish in oblivion, because he wasof a despised sect. It is an honour to Christianity that a labouringman preferred the duty of saving the life of a human being, andthat of an enemy, to gaining so easily heaps of glittering gold. And when all the resources of royalty were ready munificently toreward him, he, like Moses, preferred the rescue of his sufferingfriends to personal honours or emoluments--even to all the richesof England!

The efforts of Carver and Moore were followed by most earnestappeals for mercy by George Whitehead, who with Moore appeared beforethe king in council several times, until at length the royal wordsanctioned this act of mercy. The Quakers were then appealed to bysufferers of other denominations, and advised them to obtain thepermission of the king in council, that their names might be insertedin the deed; rendering them all the assistance that was in theirpower. Great difficulties were encountered in passing the cumbrousdeed through the various offices, and then in pleading it in allparts of the country. The number of Quakers thus released fromimprisonment was 471, being about the same number as those who hadperished in the jails. The rest of the prisoners liberated by thisdeed were Baptists and Independents, and among the former was JOHNBUNYAN. 

A very circumstantial narrative of these proceedings, copies of theminutes of the privy council, and other documents, will be foundin the introduction to The Pilgrim's Progress. [278] One of theseofficial papers affords an interesting subject of study to anoccasional conformist. It is the return of the sheriff of Bedfordshire, stating that ALL the sufferings of Bunyan--his privation of liberty, sacrifice of wife, children, and temporal comforts, with the fearof an ignominious death--were for refusing to attend his parishchurch and hear the Common Prayer service. 

When it is considered that Bunyan was very severe in his remarksupon the Quakers, the event reflects no ordinary degree of honourupon the Society of Friends, at whose sole charge, and entirelyby their own exertions, this great deed of benevolence was begun, carried on, and completed. It is difficult to ascertain the exactduration of this sad imprisonment, because we cannot discover anyrecord of the day of his release. His imprisonment commenced November13, 1660, and his pardon under the great seal is dated September13, 1672. As the pardon included nearly 500 sufferers, it occupiedsome time to obtain official duplicates to be exhibited at theassizes and sessions for the various counties. A letter from E. Hooksto Mrs. Fox intimates that none were released on the 1st November1672. Another letter shows that the Bedfordshire prisoners weredischarged before January 10, 1673;[279] confirming Bunyan's ownaccount, published by him in the Grace Abounding, 1680, that hisimprisonment lasted complete twelve years. [280]

During the latter period of his imprisonment, probably from thetime of his receiving the royal license to preach, May 15, 1672, he enjoyed extraordinary liberty--visiting those who had been kindto his family, and preaching in the surrounding counties. An entryin the records of the city of Leicester proves that he was there, and claimed the liberty of preaching--'John Bunyan's license bearsdate the 15th of May 1672, to teach as a Congregational person, being of that persuasion, in the house of Josias Roughed, Bedford, or in any other place, room, or house, licensed by his Majestie'smemorand. The said Bunyan shewed his license to Mr. Mayor, Mr. Overinge, Mr. Freeman, and Mr. Browne, being then present, the 6thday of October, 1672, that being about two months before his finalrelease from jail. '[281]

His first object, upon recovering his liberty, appears to havebeen the proper arrangement of his worldly business, that he mightprovide for the wants of his family, a matter of little difficultywith their frugal habits. He, at the same time, entered with allhis soul into his beloved work of preaching and writing, to setforth the glories of Immanuel. The testimony of one who was his'true friend and long acquaintance, ' is, that one of the firstfruits of his liberation was to visit those who had assisted himand comforted his family during his incarceration, encouraging thosewho were in fear of a prison, and collecting means of assistanceto those who still remained prisoners; traveling even to remotecounties to effect these merciful objects. [282]

While the premises occupied by Mr. Roughed were being converted intoa capacious meeting-house, the pastor was indefatigable in visitingthe sick, and preaching from house to house, settling churches inthe villages, reconciling differences, and extending the sacredinfluences of the gospel, so that in a very short time he attainedthe appellation of Bishop Bunyan--a title much better merited byhim than by the downy prelates who sent him to jail for preachingthat which they ought to have preached. 

He formed branch churches at Gamlingay, Hawnes, Cotton-end, andKempston, in connection with that at Bedford. When he opened thenew meeting-house, it was so thronged that many were constrainedto stay without, though it was very spacious, every one strivingto partake of his instructions. Here he lived, in much peace andquiet of mind, contenting himself with that little God had bestowedupon him, and sequestering himself from all secular employments tofollow that of his call to the ministry. [283] The word 'sequestering'would lead us to conclude, that his business was continued by hisfamily, under his care, but so as to allow him much time for hisChristian duties, and his benevolent pursuits. His peaceful coursewas interrupted by a severe controversy with the Christian world uponthe subject of communion at the Lord's Table, which had commencedwhile he was in prison. He would admit none but those who, by agodly conversation, brought forth fruits meet for repentance, nordared he to refuse any who were admitted to spiritual communionwith the Redeemer. Every sect which celebrated the Lord's Supper, fenced the table round with ritual observances, except the Baptistchurch at Bedford, which stood preeminent for non-sectarianism. Asingular proof of this is, that the catechism called Instructionof the Ignorant, written and published by Bunyan, is admirablyadapted for the use, not only of his own church, but of Christiansof all denominations. 

His spirit was greatly refreshed by finding that his precept andexample had been blessed to his son Thomas. On the 6th of the 11thmonth, 1673, he passed the lions, and was welcomed into the housecalled Beautiful, uniting in full communion with his father'schurch. There doubtless was, as Mercy expresses it, 'music in thehouse, music in the heart, and music also in heaven, for joy thathe was here. '[284] He afterwards became a village preacher. 

Bunyan was by no means a latitudinarian. No one felt greaterdecision than he did for the truths of our holy faith. When hisLord's design in Christianity was, as he thought, perverted by abeneficed clergyman, then he sent forth from his prison an answeras from a son of thunder, even at the risk of his life. His lovefor the pure doctrines of the gospel was as decided as his aversionto sectarian titles. 'As for those factious titles of Anabaptists, Independents, Presbyterians, or the like, I conclude that theycame neither from Jerusalem, nor from Antioch, but rather from helland Babylon, for they naturally tend to divisions. '[285] The onlytitle that he loved was that of Christian. 'It is strange to seehow men are wedded to their own opinions, beyond what the law ofgrace and love will admit. Here is a Presbyter--here an Independentand a Baptist, so joined each man to his own opinions, that theycannot have that communion one with another as by the testament ofthe Lord Jesus they are commanded and enjoined. '[286] The meaningwhich he attached to the word 'sectarian' is very striking--Phariseesare sectarians, they who in Divine worship turn aside from therule of the written Word, and in their manner do it to be seen ofmen--these are sectaries. [287] Bunyan was most decided as to theimportance of baptism and the Lord's Supper. 'Do you think thatlove letters are not desired between lovers? Why these, God'sordinances, they are his love letters, and his love tokens, too. No marvel, then, if the righteous do so desire them. "More to bedesired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter alsothan honey, and the honey-comb. " Christ made himself known to hisdisciples in breaking of bread; who would not, then, that loves toknow him, be present at such an ordinance? Ofttimes the Holy Ghost, in the comfortable influence of it, has accompanied the baptized inthe very act of administering of it. ' His views of the fellowshipof the saints were equally explicit--'Church fellowship, rightlymanaged, is the glory of all the world. No place, no community, nofellowship, is adorned and bespangled with those beauties, as isa church rightly knit together to their Head, and lovingly servingone another. '[288] Such he admitted to the table of their commonLord; but, in his esteem, to communicate with the profane was allone with sacrificing to the devil. 

All this liberality was accompanied by very strict notions of churchfellowship, not allowing private judgment in the withdrawing ofany member, if the church withheld its approbation. Mary Tilneyhad been cruelly robbed by the persecuting Justice Porter, for notattending the parish church. He carted away all her goods, beds, and bedding, even to the hangings of her rooms. She was a mostbenevolent widow, and was more troubled with the crying and sighingof her poor neighbours, than with the loss of her goods. Harassedby persecution at Bedford, she removed to London, and requested herdismission to a church of which her son-in-law was pastor, whichwas refused. As the letter announcing this to her is a good exampleof Bunyan's epistolary correspondence, it is carefully extractedfrom the church book. 

'Our dearly-beloved sister Tilney. 

'Grace, mercy, and peace be with you, by Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

'I received your letter, and have presented it to the sight of thebrethren, who, after due consideration of your motion, have jointlyconcluded to give you this answer. This for yourself (honouredsister), you are of high esteem with the church of God in thisplace, both because his grace hath been bestowed richly upon you, and because of your faithful fellowship with us; for you have beenrightly a daughter of Abraham while here, not being afraid with anyamazement. Your holy and quiet behaviour, also, while with patienceand meekness, and in the gentleness of Christ, you suffered yourselfto be robbed for his sake, hath the more united our affectionsto you in the bowels of Jesus Christ. Yea, it hath begotten youreverence, also, in the hearts of them who were beholders of yourmeekness and innocency while you suffered; and a stinging conviction, as we are persuaded, in the consciences of those who made spoilfor themselves; all which will redound to the praise of God ourFather, and to your comfort and everlasting consolation by Christ, in the day he shall come to take vengeance for his people, and tobe glorified in them that believe. Wherefore we cannot (our honouredsister) but care for your welfare, and increase of all good in thefaith and kingdom of Christ, whose servant you are, and whose nameis written in your forehead; and do therefore pray God and ourFather, that he would direct your way, and open a door in his templefor you, that you may eat his fat and be refreshed, and that youmay drink the pure blood of the grape. And be you assured that, withall readiness, we will help and forward you what we can therein, for we are not ashamed to own you before all the churches of Christ. 

'But, our dearly beloved, you know that, for our safety and yourprofit, it is behoofful that we commit you to such, to be fed andgoverned in the Word and doctrines as, we are sufficiently persuaded, shall be able to deliver you up with joy at the coming of our LordJesus Christ with all his saints: otherwise we (that we say notyou) shall receive blushing and shame before him and you; yea, andyou also, our honoured sister, may justly charge us with want oflove, and a due respect for your eternal condition, if, for wantof care and circumspection herein, we should commit you to anyfrom whom you should receive damage, or by whom you should not besuccoured and fed with the sincere milk of the incorruptible Wordof God, which is able to save your soul. Wherefore we may not, neither dare give our consent that you feed and fold with suchwhose principles and practices, in matters of faith and worship, we, as yet, are strangers to, and have not received commendationsconcerning, either from works of theirs or epistles from others. Yourself, indeed, hath declared that you are satisfied therein;but, elect sister, seeing the act of delivering you up is an actof ours and not yours, it is convenient, yea, very expedient, thatwe, as to so weighty a matter, be well persuaded before. Whereforewe beseech you, that, for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, yougive us leave to inform ourselves yet better before we grant yourrequest; and that you also forbear to sit down at the table withany without the consent of your brethren. You were, while withus, obedient, and we trust you will not be unruly now. And for themore quick expedition of this matter, we will propound before youour further thoughts. 1. Either we shall consent to your sitting downwith brother Cockain, brother Griffith, brother Palmer, or other, who, of long continuance in the city, have showed forth their faith, their worship, and good conversation with the Word; 2. Or if youcan get a commendatory epistle from brother Owen, brother Cockain, brother Palmer, or brother Griffith, concerning the faith andprinciples of the person and people you mention, with desire to beguided and governed by, you shall see our readiness, in the fear ofGod, to commit you to the doctrine and care of that congregation. Choose you whether of these you will consent unto, and let us hearof your resolution. And we beseech you, for love's sake, you show, with meekness, your fear and reverence of Christ's institution; yourlove to the congregation, and regard to your future good. Finally, we commit you to the Lord and the Word of his grace, who is ableto build you up, and to give you an inheritance among them that aresanctified. To God, the only wise, be glory and power everlasting. Amen. --Your affectionate brethren, to serve you in the faith andfellowship of the gospel. 

'Sent from Bedford, the 19th of the Fourth Month, 1671. 

As a farther illustration of Bunyan's sentiments on this subject, we give the following letter to the church at Braintree:--

'The 7th of the Twelfth Month, 1676 (Feb. 1677). 

'The church of Christ in and about Bedford, to the church of Christin and about Braintree, sendeth greeting, 'Holy and beloved--We, fellow-heirs with you of the grace of life, having considered your request concerning our honoured and belovedbrother, Samuel Hensman: that he shall be given up to you foryour mutual edification, and his furtherance and joy of faith; andconsidering also, in the capacity he now standeth by reason ofhis habitation amongst you, his edification is to be from you, notfrom us--he being, by God's providence (by which he disposeth theworld), placed at such a distance from us. And considering, also, the great end of Christ our Lord, in ordaining the communion ofsaints, is his glory in their edification, and that all things areto be done by his command to the edification of the body in general, and of every member in particular, and that this we oft (ought?)to design in our receiving him, and giving up to other churches, and not to please ourselves: do as before God and the elect angels, grant and give up to you our elect brother, to be received by youin the Lord, and to be nourished, in the church at Braintree, withyou as one that is dear to the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ;and this we the willinger do, because, as we are informed concerningyou, beloved, you are not rigid in your principles, but are forcommunion with saints as saints, and have been taught by the Wordto receive the brotherhood, because they are beloved, and receivedof the Father and the Son, to whose grace we commend you, withthe brother of late a member with us, but now one of you. Grace bewith you all. Written by the appointment of the church here, andsubscribed, in her name, by your brethren, as followeth:--

 John Bunyan

 Sam. Fenn. Oliver Stot. John Fenn. Thomas Cooper. Luke Astwood. John Croker. 

The late Mr. Kilpin of Bedford considered the whole of this letterto be entered in the minutes in Bunyan's hand-writing. 

There is also in the church book the copy of a letter, in 1674, addressed to the 'church sometime walking with our brother Jesse, 'refusing to dismiss to them Martha Cumberland, unless they werecertified that they continued in the practice of mixed communion. In these sentiments Bunyan lived and died. His church remainsthe same to the present day. In the new, commodious, and handsomemeeting-house, opened in 1850, there is a baptistery, frequentlyused. The present minister, the amiable and talented John Jukes, baptizes infants, and receives the assistance of a neighbouringBaptist minister to baptize adults. 

Not only had Bunyan clear, well-defined, and most decided views ofthe ordinances of the gospel, but also of all its doctrines. Hisknowledge upon those solemn subjects was drawn exclusively from thesacred pages; nor dared he swerve in the slightest degree from thepath of duty; still he belonged to no sect, but that of Christian, and the same freedom which had guided him in forming his principles, he cheerfully allowed to others. Hitherto, water baptism had beenconsidered a pre-requisite to the Lord's table by all parties. The Episcopalians, Presbyterians, and Independents, had denouncedthe Baptists as guilty of a most serious heresy, or blasphemy, indenying the right of infants to baptism; not only did they excludethe Baptists from communion with their churches, but they persecutedthem with extreme rigour. When the Independents made laws for thegovernment of their colony in America, in 1644, one of the enactmentswas, 'That if any person shall either openly condemn, or oppose thebaptizing of infants, or seduce others, or leave the congregationduring the administration of the rite, they shall be sentenced tobanishment. ' The same year a poor man was tied up and whipped, forrefusing to have his child baptized. 'The Rev. J. Clarke, and Mr. O. Holmes, of Rhode Island, for visiting a sick Baptist brother inMassachusetts, instead of being admitted to the Lord's table, theywere arrested, fined, imprisoned, and whipped. ' At this very time, the Baptists formed their colony at Rhode Island, and the charterconcludes with these words, 'All men may walk as their consciencespersuade them, every one in the name of his God. ' This is probablythe only spot in the world where persecution was never known. TheBaptists considered that immersion in water was the marriage ritebetween the believer and Saviour; that to sit at the Lord's tablewithout it was spiritual adultery, to be abhorred and avoided, andtherefore refused to admit any person to the Lord's table who hadnot been baptized in water upon a personal profession of faithin the Saviour. This was the state of parties when Bunyan, at thecommencement of his pastorate, entered into the controversy. He hadbeen promised a commendation to his book by the great, the grave, 'the sober' Dr. Owen, but he withdrew his sanction. 'And perhaps itwas more for the glory of God, that truth should go naked into theworld, ' said Bunyan, 'than as seconded by so weighty an armour-beareras he. '[289] Bunyan denied that water could form a wedding garment, or that water baptism was a pre-requisite for the Lord's table, orthat being immersed in water was putting on our Lord's livery, bywhich disciples may be known. 'Away, fond man, do you forget thetext, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if yehave love one to another. "'[290] And attempt was made to embroilBunyan in a public disputation in London upon this subject, whichhe very wisely avoided. [291] This controversy will be found in oursecond volume, and is deeply interesting, making allowance for theesprit de corps manifested on all sides. A verse in the emblems isvery pertinent upon the violence of this dispute:--

 'Our gospel has had here a summer's day, But in its sunshine we, like fools, did play; Or else fall out, and with each other wrangle, And did, instead of work, not much but jangle. '[292]

After a lapse of nearly two centuries, Bunyan's peaceable principleshave greatly prevailed; so that now few churches refuse communionon account of the mode, in which water baptism has been administered. The Baptists are no longer deemed heretics as they formerly were. Dr. Watts aided this kindly feeling--'A church baptized in infancy, or in adult age, may allow communion to those that are of the contrarypractice in baptism. '[293] Robert Robinson praises Bunyan's work, and advocates his sentiments upon the most liberal principles. One of his remarks is very striking:--'Happy community! that canproduce a dispute of one hundred and fifty years unstained withthe blood, and unsullied with the fines, the imprisonments, and thecivil inconveniences of the disputants. As to a few coarse names, rough compliments, foreign suppositions, and acrimonious exclamations, they are only the harmless squeakings of men in a passion, caughtand pinched in a sort of logical trap. '[294] To this time, Bunyanwas only known as an extraordinarily talented and eloquent man, whose retentive memory was most richly stored with the sacredScriptures. All his sermons and writings were drawn from his ownmental resources, aided, while in prison, only by the Bible, theConcordance, and Fox's Book of Martyrs. Very emphatically he says, 'I am for drinking water out of my own cistern. ' 'I find sucha spirit of idolatry in the learning of this world, that had I itat command I durst not use it, but only use the light of the Wordand Spirit of God. ' 'I will not take of it from a thread even toa shoe latchet. '[295] It must not be understood that he read noother works but his Bible and Book of Martyrs, but that he only usedthose in composing his various treatises while in confinement. Hecertainly had and read The Plain Man's Pathway, Practice of Piety, Luther on the Galatians, Clarke's Looking-glass for Saints andSinners, Dodd on the Commandments, Andrews' Sermons, Fowler's Designof Christianity, D'Anvers and Paul on Baptism, and doubtless allthe books which were within his reach, calculated to increase hisstore of knowledge. 

About this time he published a small quarto tract, in which hescripturally treats the doctrine of eternal election and reprobation. This rare book, published for sixpence, we were glad to purchase ata cost of one guinea and a half, because a modern author rejectedits authenticity! It is included in every early list of Bunyan'sworks, and especially in that published by himself, in 1688, toguard his friends from deception; for he had become so popular anauthor that several forgeries had been published under his initials. These few pages on election contain a scriptural treatise upona very solemn subject, written by one whose mind was so imbuedby the fear of God, as to have cast out the fear of man; which sogenerally embarrasses writers upon this subject. It was translatedinto Welsh, and is worthy an attentive perusal, especially by thosewho cannot see the difference between God's foreknowledge and hisforeordination. 

A new era was now dawning upon him, which, during the last ten yearsof his life, added tenfold to his popularity. For many years hisbeautifully simple, but splendid allegory, The Pilgrim's Progress, lay slumbering in his drawer. [296] Numerous had been his consultationswith his pious associates and friends, and various had been theiropinions, whether it was serious enough to be published. All of themhad a solemn sense of the impropriety of anything like trifling asto the way of escape from destruction, and the road to the celestialcity. It appears strange to us, who have witnessed the very solemnimpressions, in all cases, made by reading that book, that therecould have been a doubt of the propriety of treating in a colloquialmanner, and even under the fashion of a dream, those most importanttruths. Some said, 'John, print it'; others said, 'not so. ' Somesaid, 'it might do good'; others said, 'no. ' The result of allthose consultations was his determination, 'I print it will, ' andit has raised an imperishable monument to his memory. Up to thistime, all Bunyan's popularity arose from his earlier works, andhis sermons. Leaving out of the question those most extraordinarybooks, The Pilgrim's Progress and Holy War, his other writings oughtto have handed down his name, with honour and popularity, to thelatest posterity. While the logical and ponderous works of Baxterand Owen are well calculated to furnish instruction to those whoare determined to obtain knowledge, the works of Bunyan create thatvery determination, and furnish that very knowledge, so blendedwith amusement, as to fix it in the memory. Let one illustrationsuffice. It is our duty to love our enemies, but it is a hard lesson;we must learn it from the conduct of the Divine Creator--'Thereis a man hates God, blasphemes his name, despises his being; yea, says there is no God. And yet the God that he carrieth it thustowards doth give me his breakfast, dinner, and supper; clothes himwell, and, when night comes, has him to bed, gives him good rest, blesses his field, his corn, his cattle, his children, and raiseshim to high estate; yea, and this our God doth not only onceor twice, but until these transgressors become old; his patienceis thus extended years after years, that we might learn of him todo well. '[297] All the works of Bunyan abound with such strikinglessons, as to render them extremely valuable, especially toSunday-school teachers and ministers, to enliven their addresses andsermons. But, in The Pilgrim's Progress, the world has acknowledgedone train of beauties; picture after picture, most beautifullyfinished, exhibiting the road from destruction to the celestialcity; our only difficulty in such a display being to decide as towhich is the most interesting and striking piece of scenery. [298]The editor's introduction to that extraordinary book is intendedto prove that it was written while the author was imprisonedfor refusing to submit his conscience to human laws, and that itis a perpetual monument to the folly of persecution; the peculiarqualifications of the author are displayed in its having beena spontaneous effusion of his own mind, unaided by any previouswriter; an analysis is given of all prior pilgrimages, in which, more especially in The Pilgrims, The Pylgremage of the Soule, Grande Amoure, and in The Pilgrim of Loretto, the reader will finda faithful picture of some of the singularities of Popery drawn byitself; an account of the editions, forgeries, errors in printing, versions and translations of this wonderful book; the opinions ofthe learned and pious of its merits, principal scenes, and a synopsis. It has been the source of very numerous courses of lectures byministers of all denominations; and has been turned into a handsomevolume of hymns, adapted for public worship, by the late Mr. Purday, a friend of John Wesley's, and a laborious preacher for more thanhalf a century. 

Great efforts have been made by the most popular artists to enliven thescenes of the pilgrimage; but no colour glows like the enchantingwords of Bunyan. No figures are so true to nature, and so life-like. Those eminent engravers, Sturt and Strut, Stothard and Martin, with the prize efforts excited by the Art Union of England, andthe curious outlines by Mrs. M'Kenzie, the daughter of a Britishadmiral, have endeavoured to exhaust the scenes in this inexhaustiblework of beautiful scenery. The most elegant and correct edition isthe large-paper, sumptuous volume by Mr. Bogue, admirably illustratedwith new designs, engraved on wood in superior style--a volumeworthy the drawing-room of queens and emperors. The designs, also, of the late David Scott, recently published at Edinburgh, are new, and peculiarly striking. His entrance to the Valley of the Shadowof Death is mysteriously impressive, a fit accompaniment to Bunyan'sdescription, which is not excelled by any thing in Dante, Spencer, or Milton. In both parts of The Pilgrim's Progress this scene isfull of terrific sublimity. But we must be excused, if we most warmlyrecommend our own offspring--the present edition--as combiningaccuracy, elegance, and cheapness, with the addition of verynumerous notes, which, we trust, will prove highly illustrativeand entertaining. 

The carping criticisms of Mr. Dunlop, in his History of Fiction, and of an author in the Penny Encyclopedia, are scarcely worthnotice. The complaint is, want of benevolence in the hero of thetale. How singular it is, and what a testimony to its excellence, that an intelligent writer upon fictions should have been sooverpowered with this spiritual narrative, as to confound it withtemporal things. Christian leaves his wife and children, insteadof staying with them, to be involved in destruction--all thisrelates to inward spiritual feelings, and to these only. Visitedby compunctions of heart, Christian strives to inspire his wifeand children with the same, but in vain; he attends solitarily tohis spiritual state, taunted by his family, while, as to temporalthings, he becomes a better husband and father than ever hewas--but this is not prominent, because it is entirely foreign tothe author's object, which is to display the inward emotions ofthe new birth, the spiritual journey alone, apart from all temporalaffairs. Multitudes read it as if it was really a dream, the oldsleeping portrait confirming the idea. In the story, Christian mostmysteriously embodies all classes of men, from the prince to thepeasant--the wealthiest noble, or merchant, to the humbles mechanicor labourer--and it illustrates the most solemn, certain truth, that, with respect to the salvation of the soul, the poorest creaturein existence is upon perfect equality with the lordly prelate, ormagnificent emperor, with this word ringing in their ears, 'the POORhave the gospel preached to them. ' The Grace Abounding, or Life ofBunyan, is a key to all the mysteries of The Pilgrim's Progress, and Holy War. 

Bunyan's singular powers are those of description, not of invention. He had lived in the city of destruction--he had heard the distantthreatening of the awful storm that was shortly to swallow it upin unutterable ruin--he had felt the load of sin, and rejoiced whenit was rolled away before a crucified Saviour--he knew every stepof the way, and before he had himself passed the black river, hehad watched prayerfully over those who were passing, and when thegate of the city was opened to let them enter, he had strained hiseyes to see their glory. 

The purifying influence of The Pilgrim's Progress may be traced inthe writings of many imaginative authors. How does it in severalparts beautify the admirable tale of Uncle Tom, and his Cabin. Inthat inimitable scene, the death of the lovely Eva, the distressednegro, watching with intense anxiety the progress of death, says, 'When that blessed child goes into the kingdom, they'll open thedoor so wide, we'll all get a look in at the glory. ' Whence camethis strange idea--not limited to the poor negro, but felt bythousands who have watched over departing saints? It comes fromthe entrance of Christian and Hopeful into the celestial city--'Ilooked in after them, and, behold, the city shone like the sun; thestreets, also, were paved with gold, and in them they walked withcrowns on their heads, palms in their hands, and golden harpsto sing praises, which, when I had seen, I wished myself amongthem. '[299] How often has Bunyan's wit sparkled in sermons, andeven in speeches delivered in the senate. Recently, in a speech onthe collation ministry, the following reference was introduced:--'Mr. Facing-both-ways, of honest John Bunyan, is not a creature mankindcan regard with any complacency; nor will they likely suffer anyone to act with one party, and reserve his principles for another. 'It has also been strangely quoted in novel writing--thus in Bell'sVillette--visiting a God-mother in a pleasant retreat, is said 'toresemble the sojourn of Christian and Hopeful, beside the pleasantstream, with green trees on each bank, and meadows beautified withlilies all the year round. ' It is marvelous that a picture ofnature should have been so beautifully and strikingly describedby an unlettered artisan, as to be used in embellishing an elegantnovel, written nearly two centuries after his decease. [300]

The Pilgrim was followed by a searching treatise on The Fear of God. The value of this book led to its republication by the Tract Society, and 4000 copies have been circulated. It is a neat and acceptablevolume, but why altered? and a psalm omitted. [301] Bunyan says, 'Your great ranting, swaggering, roysters'; this is modernized into'Your ranting boasters. '[302] Then followed, the Come and Welcometo Jesus Christ. This was frequently reprinted, and hundreds ofthousands have been circulated to benefit the world. His popularityincreased with his years; efforts were made, but in vain, to stealhim from his beloved charge at Bedford. 'He hath refused a moreplentiful income to keep his station, ' is the language of hissurviving friend, Charles Doe. It is not surprising that he wasthus tempted to leave his poor country church, for we are told bythe same biographer, that 'When Mr. Bunyan preached in London, ifthere were but one day's notice given, there would be more peoplecome together to hear him preach, than the meeting-house could hold. I have seen to hear him preach, by my computation, about 1200 ata morning lecture, by seven o'clock, on a working day, in the darkwinter time. I also computed about 3000 that came to hear him oneLord's-day, at London, at a town's end meeting-house, so that halfwere fain to go back again for want of room, and then himself wasfain at a back door to be pulled almost over people to get up stairsto his pulpit. ' This took place in a large meeting-house, erectedin Zoar Street, either on the site or near the Globe Theatre, Southwark. [303] On this spot, the prince of dramatists amused andcorrupted crowded houses; while in the immediate vicinity werethe stews and bear garden, frequented by libertines of the lowestcaste. One Sunday, in 1582, many were killed or miserably woundedwhile attending the brutal sport of bear-baiting. Here, in the heartof Satan's empire, the prince of allegorists attracted multitudes, to be enlightened by his natural eloquence, and to be benefitedby the fruits of his prolific and vivid imagination, at all timescurbed and directed by the holy oracles. It was a spacious building, covering about 2000 feet of ground (50 by 40), with three galleries, quite capable of holding the number computed by Mr. Doe. We have, from correct drawings, furnished our subscribers with the planand elevation of this ancient meeting-house. Having preached withpeculiar warmth and enlargement, one of his friends took him bythe hand, and could not help observing what a sweet sermon he haddelivered; 'Ay, ' said he, 'you need not remind me of that, for thedevil told me of it before I was out of the pulpit!'[304] Amongsthis hearers were to be found the learned and the illiterate. Itwas well known that Dr. John Owen, when he had the opportunity, embraced it with pleasure, and sat at the feet of the unlearned, but eloquent tinker. Charles II, hearing of it, asked the learnedD. D. , 'How a man of his great erudition could sit to hear a tinkerpreach?' to which the doctor replied, 'May it please your Majesty, if I could possess the tinker's abilities, I would gladly give inexchange all my learning. '

He now pictured the downward road of the sinner to the realms ofdeath and darkness in the Life of Badman. This was published in1680, and is written in a language which fraudulent tradesmen atthat period could not misunderstand; using terms now obsolete orvulgar. It is full of anecdotes, which reveal the state of the times, as superlatively immoral, and profane. He incidentally notices thata labourer received eightpence or tenpence per day. [305] At thattime, bread and all the necessaries of life, excepting meat, weredearer than they are at present. In fact, our days are much happierfor the poor than any preceding ones in British history. Bunyan'snotions of conscientious dealing, will make all traders who readthem--blush. [306]

November 12, 1681, Bunyan's friend and fellow-labourer Samuel Fenn, was removed from this world, and in the following year persecutionraged severely. The church was, for a season, driven from themeeting-house, and obliged to assemble in the fields. The Word ofthe Lord was precious in those days. 

In 1682, while surrounded by persecution, he prepared and publishedhis most profound and beautiful allegory, The Holy War, made byShaddai upon Diabolus, for the Regaining of the Metropolis of theWorld; or, The Losing and Taking again the Town of Mansoul. [307]The frontispiece is the most accurate likeness of Bunyan that isextant; it is engraved by White, from a drawing, also by him, nowpreserved in the print department of the British Museum. From thisdrawing, carefully compared with the print, we have furnished theexpressive likeness which forms the frontispiece to this volume. It has also a correct whole-length portrait, with emblematicaldevices. This exceedingly beautiful and most finished allegory hasnever been so popular as The Pilgrim's Progress, for reasons whichare shown in the introduction to The Holy War. [308] The wholenarrative of this wondrous war appears to flow as naturally asdid that of the pilgrimage from the highly imaginative mind of theauthor. Man, in his innocence, attracts the notice and hatred ofApollyon. Nothing could be accomplished by force--all bysubtlety and deceit. He holds a council of war--selects hisofficers--approaches--parleys, and gains admittance--then fortifiesthe town against its king--Immanuel determines to recover it--vastarmies, under appropriate leaders, surround the town, and attackevery gate. The ear is garrisoned by Captain Prejudice and his deafmen. But he who rides forth conquering and to conquer is victorious. All the pomp, and parade, and horrors of a siege are as accuratelytold, as if by one who had been at the sacking of many towns. Theauthor had learnt much in a little time, at the siege of Leicester. All the sad elements of war appear, and make us shudder--massesof armed men with their slings and battering-rams--clarions andshouts--wounded and slain, all appear as in a panorama. The mindbecomes entranced, and when sober reflection regains her command, we naturally inquire, Can all this have taken place in my heart?Then the armies of Diabolus, with his thousands of Election Doubters, and as many Vocation Doubters, and his troops of Blood-men--thousandsslain, and yet thousands start into existence. And all this in oneman! How numberless are our thoughts--how crafty the approaches ofthe enemy--how hopeless and helpless is the sinner, unless Immanuelundertakes his recovery. The Holy War is a most surprising narrativeof the fall and of the recovery of man's soul, as accurate asit is most deeply interesting. It is one of the most perfect ofallegories. [309] There is as vast a superiority in Bunyan's HolyWar over that by Chrysostom, as there is in the sun over a rush-light. 

In 1684, he completed his Pilgrim's Progress, with the Journey ofa Female Christian, her Children, and the Lovely Mercy; and now, ashis invaluable and active life drew towards its close, his labourswere redoubled. In his younger days, there appeared to have beenno presentiment on his part that the longest term of human lifewould with him be shortened, but rather an expectation of livingto old age, judging from an expression in his Grace Abounding. When he enjoyed a good hope, and bright anticipation of heavenlyfelicity, 'I should often long and desire that the last days werecome. O! thought I, that I were fourscore years old now, that Imight die quickly and be gone to rest. '[310] At that time he didnot anticipate twelve years' imprisonment in a wretched jail, northe consequent effects it must have upon his robust frame, wellcalculated to stand all weathers, but easily sapped and underminedby a damp dungeon. Symptoms of decay, after having enjoyed hisliberty for about a year, led him to close his Affectionate Adviceto his Beloved Flock, on their Christian Behaviour; with thesewords, 'Thus have I written to you, before I die, to provoke youto faith and holiness, and to love one another, when I am deceased, and shall be in paradise, as through grace I comfortably believe;yet it is not there, but here, I must do you good. '[311] Itis remarkable that Bunyan escaped all the dangers of the tryingreign of James II, who, at times, was a persecutor, and at timesendeavoured, in vain, by blandishments, to win the Nonconformists. His minions had their eyes upon our pilgrim, but were foiled in everyattempt to apprehend him; all that he suffered was the occasionalspoiling of his goods. [312] Neither violence nor allurements inducedhim to deviate from his line of duty. No fear of man appeared toagitate his breast--he richly enjoyed that 'perfect love, ' which'casteth out fear' (1 John 4:18). James did all that an unprincipledman could do to cajole the Dissenters, that by their aid he mightpull down the walls of Protestantism, and give full sway to thePapacy. He attempted, among many others, to bribe John Bunyan. Heknew not how well he was read in the Book of Martyrs; how well hewas aware that 'the instruments of cruelty are in their habitations, 'and that the only advantage he could have received, would have beenthe same that Polypheme, the monstrous giant of Sicily, allowed toUlysses, that he would eat his men first, and do him the favour ofbeing eaten last. Mr. Doe states that 'Regulators were sent into allcities and towns corporate to new-model the magistracy, by turningout some, and putting in others. Against this Bunyan expressed hiszeal with great anxiety, as foreseeing the bad consequences thatwould attend it, and laboured with his congregation to preventtheir being imposed on in this kind. And when a great man in thosedays, coming to Bedford upon some such errand, sent for him, as itis supposed, to give him a place of public trust, he would by nomeans come at him, but sent his excuse. '[313] He knew that in hisflesh he possessed what he calls 'Adam's legacy, a conduit pipe, through which the devil conveys his poisoned spawn and venom, '[314]and he wisely avoided this subtle temptation. He detested the'painted Satan, or devil in fine clothes. '[315] It was one of thesehypocritical pretences to correct evil, while really meaning toincrease it, and which Bunyan calls, 'the devil correcting vice. 'He was watchful, lest 'his inward man should catch cold, '[316] andevery attempt to entangle him failed. 

This godly jealousy led him to sacrifice worldly interests to anextent not justifiable, if all the facts appear. When told that avery worthy citizen of London would take his son Joseph apprenticewithout fee, and advance his interests, he refused, saying, 'Goddid not send me to advance my family, but to preach the gospel. '

At this time he again manifested his lion heart, by writing andpreparing for the press a fearless treatise on Antichrist, andhis Ruin. In this he shows, that human interference with Divineworship, by penal laws or constraint, is 'Antichrist'--that whichpretends to regulate thought, and thus to reduce the kingdomof Christ to a level with the governments of this world. In thistreatise, he clearly exhibits the meaning of that passage, soconstantly quoted by the advocates of tyranny and persecution (Ezra7:26), and shows that the laws interfered not with Divine worship, but that they upheld to the fullest extent the principle of voluntaryobedience (v 13); so that any man putting constraint upon anotherin religious affairs, would be guilty of breaking the law, andsubject him to extreme punishment. This was one of the last treatiseswhich Bunyan prepared for the press, as if in his dying moments hewould aim a deadly thrust at Apollyon. Reader, it is worthy yourmost careful perusal, as showing the certain downfall of Antichrist, and the means by which it must be accomplished. 

Feeling the extreme uncertainty of life, and that he might be robbedof all his worldly goods, under a pretence of fines and penalties, he, on the 23d of December, 1685, executed a deed of gift, vestingwhat little he possessed in his wife. It is a singular instrument, especially as having been sealed with a silver twopenny piece. Theoriginal is in the church book, at Bedford:--

'To all people to whom this present writing shall com, J. Bunyan ofthe parish of St. Cuthbirt's, in the towne of Bedford, in the countyof Bedford, Brazier send greeting. Know ye, that I the said JohnBunyan as well for, and in consideration of the natural affectionand loue which I have, and bear vnto my welbeloued wife, ElizabethBunyan, as also for divers other good causes and considerations, meat this present especially moneing, have given and granted, and bythese presents, do give, grant, and conferm vnto the said ElizabethBunyan, my said wife, all and singuler my goods, chattels, debts, ready mony, plate, rings, household stuffe, aparrel, vtensills, brass, peuter, beding, and all other my substance, whatsoever moueableand immoueable, of what kinde, nature, quality, or condition soeverthe same are or be, and in what place or places soever the same be, shall or may be found as well in mine own custodies, possession, asin the possession, hands, power, and custody of any other person, or persons whatsoever. To have and to hold all and singuler thesaid goods, chattels, debts, and all other, the aforesaid premisesvnto the said Elizabeth, my wife, her executors, administerators, and assigns to her and their proper vses and behoofs, freely andquietly without any matter of challinge, claime, or demand of methe said John Bunyan, or of any other person, or persons, whatsoeverfor me in my name, by my means cavs or procurement, and without anymony or other thing, therefore to be yeeilded, paid or done vntome the said John Bunyan, my executors, administrators or assigns. And I, the said John Bunyan, all and singular, the aforesaid goods, chattels, and premises to the said Elizabeth my wife, her executors, administrators, and assignes to the vse aforesaid, against allpeople do warrant and forever defend by these presents. And further, know ye, that I the said John Bunyan have put the said Elizabeth, my wife, in peacable and quiet possession of all and singuler theaforesaid premises, by the delivrye vnto her at the ensealing hereofone coyned peece of silver, commonly called two pence, fixed onthe seal of these presents. [317]

'In wittnes wherof, I the said John Bunyan have herevnto set myhand and seall this 23d day of December, in the first year of thereigne of our soueraigne lord, King James the Second of England, &c. , in the year of our lord and saviour, Jesus Christ, 1685. 

John Bunyan

Sealed and delivered in the presence of vs, whos names are herevnder written:--

 John Bardolph. Willm Hawkes. Nicholas Malin. Lewes Norman. 

It appears from this deed that Bunyan continued in business as abrazier, and it is very probable that he carried it on until hisdecease. This deed secured to his wife what little he possessed, without the trouble or expense of applying to the ecclesiasticalcourts for probate of a will. 

Among other opinions which then divided the Christian world, wasa very important one relative to the law of the ten commandments, whether it was given to the world at large, or limited to theJews as a peculiar nation until the coming of Messiah, and whetherour Lord altered or annulled the whole or any part of that law. This question involves the observance of the seventh-day Sabbath. An awful curse is denounced upon those who do not continue in ALLthings which are written in the book of the law to do them (Gal3:10; Deut 27:26). When an innovation upon the almost universalpractice of infant baptism had become an object of inquiry only tobe answered from the New Testament, it is not surprising that theserious question, why God's Sabbath-day had been altered, shouldalso be agitated with deep feeling. Generally, those who advocatedthe restoration of the Jewish Sabbath were decidedly of opinionthat believers only were fit subjects for baptism, and that thescriptural mode of administering it was by immersion; hence theywere called Seventh-day Baptists--Sabbatarians, or Sabbath-keepers. 

Bunyan entered with very proper and temperate zeal into thiscontroversy. Popular feeling had no influence over him; nor couldhe submit to the opinions of the ancient fathers. His storehouseof knowledge was limited to the revealed will of God, and therehe found ample material to guide his opinion. His work upon thissubject is called, Questions about the Nature and Perpetuity ofthe Seventh-day Sabbath; and proof that the First Day of the Weekis the Christian Sabbath. It is one of the smallest of his volumes, but so weighty in argument as never to have been answered. 

We now arrive at the last year of his eventful and busy life, during which he published six important volumes, and left twelveothers in manuscript, prepared for publication. A list of these willbe found in The Struggler;[318] they are upon the most importantsubjects, which are very admirably treated. We notice among these, The Jerusalem Sinner Saved, or Good News for the Vilest of Men. It is a specimen of preaching calculated to excite the deepestinterest, and afford the strongest consolation to a soul oppressedwith the sense of sin. Great sinner! thou art called to mercy byname. Arise! shoulder thy way into court through any crowd, --'say, Stand away, devil; stand away all discouragements; my Saviour callsme to receive mercy. ' In this treatise, Bunyan has repeated frommemory what he had read in some book when in prison, four and twentyyears before. It is a curious legend, which he doubtless believedto be true, and it displays his most retentive memory. [319] Hispoetry, like his prose, was not written to gain a name, but to makea deep impression. One of his professed admirers made a strangemistake when he called them doggerel rhymes. [320] His Caution toWatch Against Sin is full of solemn and impressive thoughts, thevery reverse of doggerel or burlesque. His poem on the house ofGod is worthy of a most careful perusal; and thousands have beendelighted and improved with his emblems. One rhyme in the Pilgrimcan never be forgotten--

 'He that is down need fear no fall; He that is low no pride; He that is humble ever shall Have God to be his guide, ' &c. 

The careful perusal of every one of his treatises, has excited inmy mind a much livelier interest than any other religious workswhich, in a long life, have come under my notice. In fact, theworks of Bunyan to a country minister may be compared to a vaststorehouse, most amply replenished with all those solemn subjectswhich call for his prayerful investigation; well arranged, ready ofaccess, striking in their simplicity, full of vivid ideas conveyedin language that a novice may understand. They are all so admirablycomposed that pious persons, whether in houses of convocation orof parliament, or the inmates of a workhouse, may equally listento them with increasing delight and instruction. No man ever morerichly enjoyed the magnificent language of Job. He called it 'thatblessed book. '[321] The deep interest that he took in its scenerymay be traced through all his writings. His spirit, with its mightypowers, grasped the wondrous truths so splendidly pourtrayed inthat most ancient book. The inspired writings, which so eminentlygive wisdom to the simple, expanded his mind, while his mentalpowers were strengthened and invigorated by his so deeply drinkinginto the spirit of the inspired volume. 

The time was drawing near when, in the midst of his usefulness, andwith little warning, he was to be summoned to his eternal rest. Hehad been seriously attacked with that dangerous pestilence which, in former years, ravaged this country, called the sweating sickness, a malady as mysterious and fatal as the cholera has been in latertimes. The disease was attended by great prostration of strength;but, under the careful management of his affectionate wife, hishealth became sufficiently restored to enable him to undertake awork of mercy; from the fulfillment of which, as a blessed closeto his incessant earthly labour, he was to ascend to his Father andhis God to be crowned with immortality. A father had been seriouslyoffended with his son, and had threatened to disinherit him. Toprevent the double mischief of a father dying in anger with hischild, and the evil consequence to the child of his being cut offfrom his patrimony, Bunyan again ventured, in his weak state, onhis accustomed work, to win the blessings of the peace-maker. Hemade a journey on horseback to Reading, it being the only mode oftravelling at that time, and he was rewarded with success. Returninghome by way of London to impart the gratifying intelligence, he wasovertaken by excessive rains, and, in an exhausted state, he founda kindly refuge in the house of his Christian friend Mr. Strudwick, and was there seized with a fatal fever. His much-loved wife, whohad so powerfully pleaded for his liberty with the judges, and towhom he had been united thirty years, was at a great distance fromhim. Bedford was then two days' journey from London. Probably atfirst, his friends had hopes of his speedy recovery; but when thestroke came, all his feelings, and those of his friends, appear tohave been absorbed, by the anticipated blessings of immortality, to such an extent, that no record is left as to whether his wife, or any of his children, saw him cross the river of death. There isabundant testimony of his faith and patience, and that the presenceof God was eminently with him. 

He bore his trying sufferings with all the patience and fortitudethat might be expected from such a man. His resignation was mostexemplary; his only expressions were 'a desire to depart, to bedissolved, to be with Christ. ' His sufferings were short, beinglimited to ten days. He enjoyed a holy frame of mind, desiring hisfriends to pray with him, and uniting fervently with them in theexercise. His last words, while struggling with death, were, 'Weepnot for me, but for yourselves. I go to the Father of our Lord JesusChrist, who will, no doubt, through the mediation of his blessedSon, receive me, though a sinner; where I hope we ere long shallmeet, to sing the new song, and remain everlastingly happy, worldwithout end. Amen. ' He felt the ground solid under his feet in passingthe black river which has no bridge, and followed his pilgrim intothe celestial city in August, 1688, in the sixtieth year of his age. There is some uncertainty as to the day of his decease: CharlesDoe, in the Struggler, 1692, has August 31, and this has been copiedin all his portraits. In the life appended to the Grace Abounding, 1692, his death-day is stated as August 12; and in the memoirappended to the third part of the Pilgrim, also in 1692, the dateis August 17. The circumstances of his peaceful decease are wellcompared by Dr. Cheever to the experience of Mr. Standfast, when hewas called to pass the river: the great calm--the firm footing--theaddress to by-standers--until his countenance changed, his strongman bowed under him, and his last words were, 'Take me, for I cometo thee. ' Then the joy among the angels while they welcomed thehero of such spiritual fights, and conducted his wandering soul tothe New Jerusalem, which he had so beautifully described as 'theholy city'; and then his wonder and amazement to find how infinitelyshort his description came to the blissful reality. 

The deep affliction that his church was plunged into led to severalspecial meetings. Wednesday, the 4th of September, 'was kept inprayer and humiliation for this heavy stroke upon us--the death ofdear brother Bunyan; it was appointed also, that Wednesday next bekept in prayer and humiliation on the same account. At the meetingheld on the 11th, it was appointed that all the brethren meettogether on the 18th of this month, September, to humble themselvesfor this heavy hand of God upon us, and also to pray unto the Lordfor counsel and direction what to do, in order to seek out for afit person to make choice of for an elder. On the 18th, when thewhole congregation met to humble themselves before God, by fastingand prayer, for his heavy and severe stroke upon us in taking awayour honoured brother Bunyan by death, it was agreed by the wholecongregation that care be taken to seek out for one suitably qualifiedto be chosen an elder among us, and that care was committed by thewhole to the brethren at Bedford. ' Thus did the church manifestthat they had improved in wisdom under his ministry by flying, intheir extreme distress, to the only source of consolation. 

The saddest feelings of sorrow extended to every place where hehad been known. His friend, the Rev. G. Cockayn, of London, says, 'it pleased the Lord to remove him, to the great loss and inexpressiblegrief of many precious souls. ' Numerous elegies, acrostics, andpoems were published on the occasion of his decease, lamenting theloss thus sustained by his country--by the church at large, andparticularly by the church and congregation at Bedford. One ofthese, 'written by a dear friend of his, ' is a fair sample of thewhole:--

A SHORT ELEGY IN MEMORY OF MR. JOHN BUNYAN, WRITTEN BY A DEAR FRIENDOF HIS. 

 The pilgrim traveling the world's vast stage, At last does end his weary pilgrimage: He now in pleasant valleys does sit down, And, for his toil, receives a glorious crown. The storms are past, the terrors vanish all, Which in his way did so affrighting fall; He grieves nor sighs no more, his race is run Successfully, that was so well begun. You'll say he's dead: O no, he cannot die, He's only changed to immortality-- Weep not for him, who has no cause of tears; Hush, then, your sighs, and calm your needless fears. If anything in love to him is meant, Tread his last steps, and of your sins repent: If knowledge of things here at all remains Beyond the grave, to please him for his pains And suffering in this world; live, then, upright, And that will be to him a grateful sight. Run such a race as you again may meet, And find your conversation far more sweet; When purged from dross, you shall, unmix'd, possess The purest essence of eternal bliss

 'He in the pulpit preached truth first, and then He in his practice preached it o'er again. '

His remains were interred in Bunhill Fields, in the vault of hisfriend Mr. Strudwick, at whose house he died. His tomb[322] has beenvisited by thousands of pilgrims, blessing God for his goodness inraising up such a man, so signally fitted to be a blessing to thetimes in which he lived. All the accounts of his decease, publishedat the time, agree as to his place of burial. The words of Mr. Doe, who probably attended the funeral, are, 'he was buried in the newburying-place, near the artillery ground, where he sleeps to themorning of the resurrection. '[323] His Life and Actions, 1692, records that 'his funeral was performed with much decency, and hewas buried in the new burying-ground by Moorfields. ' The Strugglercalls it 'Finsbury burying-ground, where many London Dissentingministers are laid. '[324] Bunhill Fields burying-ground forDissenters was first opened in 1666. The inscription upon the tombto his memory was engraven many years after his funeral. It is notcontained in the list of inscriptions published in 1717. His widowsurvived him four years. He had six children by his first wife, three of whom survived him--Thomas, Joseph, and Sarah. His sonThomas joined his church in 1673, and was a preacher in 1692. Heappears to have been usefully employed in visiting absent membersuntil December 1718. My kind friend, the Rev. J. P. Lockwood, rector of South Hackney, recently discovered entries in the registerof Kimbolton, in Huntingdonshire, probably of the descendants ofthis son, Thomas. November 26, 1698, John Bonion and Mary Rogers, married: she was buried, September 7, 1706; and he again marriedAnne, and buried her in 1712, leaving a son and two daughters. Hisdeath is not recorded. One of the descendants, Hannah Bunyan, diedin 1770, aged seventy-six years, and lies in the burial-ground bythe meeting-house at Bedford. John Bunyan's son, Joseph, settled atNottingham, and marrying a wealthy woman, conformed to the Church. A lineal descendant of his was living, in 1847, at Islington, nearLondon, aged eighty-four, Mrs. Senegar, a fine hearty old lady, anda Strict Baptist. She said to me, 'Sir, excuse the vanity of an oldwoman, but I will show you how I sometimes spend a very pleasanthalf-hour. ' She took down a portrait on canvas of her greatforefather, and propped it up on the table with a writing-desk, witha looking-glass by its side. 'There, Sir, I look at the portrait, and then at myself, and can trace every feature; we resemble eachother like two pins. ' 'Excepting the imperial and moustachios, ' Ireplied; to which she readily assented. It was the fact that therewas a striking family likeness between the picture and her reflectionin the looking-glass. Another descendant, from the same branchof the family, is now living at Lincoln. He was born in 1775, andpossessed a quarto Bible, published by Barker and Bill in 1641, givenby John Bunyan to his son Joseph. This was preserved in his familyuntil the present year, when it came into the editor's possession, with the following relics, which were, and I trust will yet bepreserved with the greatest care:--An iron pencase, made by Bunyanthe brazier, with some stumps of old pens, with which it is saidhe wrote some of his sermons and books; the buckles worn by him, and his two pocket-knives, one of them made before springs wereinvented, and which is kept open by turning a ferrule; his apple-scoop, curiously carved, and a seal; his pocket-box of scales and weightsfor money, being stamped with the figures on each side of the coinsof James and Charles I. [325] These were given by Robert Bunyan, in 1839, then sixty-four years of age, to a younger branch of thefamily, Mr. Charles Robinson, of Wilford, near Nottingham (hissister's son), for safe custody. He died in 1852; while his ageduncle remains in good health, subject to the infirmities of hisseventy-eighth year. On many of the blank spaces in the Bible arethe registers of births and deaths in the family, evidently writtenat the time. Those relics are deposited in a carved oak box. Theywere sold with the late Mr. Robinson's effects, January, 1853, andsecured for me by my excellent friend James Dix, Esq. , of Bristol, who met with them immediately after the sale, on one of his journeysat Nottingham. They are not worshipped as relics, nor have theyperformed miracles, but as curiosities of a past age they are worthyof high consideration. Everything that was used by him, and thatsurvives the ravages of time, possesses a peculiar charm; even thechair in which he at is preserved in the vestry of the new chapel, and is shown to those who make the pilgrimage to the shrine ofBunyan. [326]

In the same vestry is also a curious inlaid cabinet, small, andhighly finished. It descended from Bunyan to a lady who lived toan advanced age--Madam Bithray; from her to the Rev. Mr. Voley; andof his widow it was purchased to ornament the vestry of Bunyan'smeeting-house. 

The personal appearance and character of our pilgrim's guide, drawn by his friend Charles Doe, will be found at the end ofhis Grace Abounding; to which is appended his Dying Sayings--'ofsin--afflictions--repentance and coming to Christ--of prayer--ofthe Lord's day, sermons, and week days: "Make the Lord's day themarket for thy soul"--of the love of the world--of suffering--ofdeath and judgment--of the joys of heaven--and the torments ofhell. '

How inscrutable are the ways of God! Had Bunyan lived a month longer, he would have witnessed the glorious Revolution--the escape ofa great nation. The staff and hope of Protestant Europe was savedfrom a subtle--a Jesuitical attempt--to introduce Popery andarbitrary government. The time of his death, as a release from theincumbrance of a material body, was fixed by infinite wisdom andlove at that juncture, and it ought not to be a cause of regret. His interest in the welfare of the church ceased not with his mortallife. How swiftly would his glorified spirit fly to see the landingof William, and hover with joy over the flight of the besottedJames! He was now in a situation to prove the truth of that saying, 'the angels desire to look into' the truth and spread of the gladtidings. How he would prove the reality of his opinion, expressedin The Holy War, of the interest taken by the inhabitants ofheaven in the prosperity of the church on earth. When Mansoul wasconquered, the spirits that witnessed the victory 'shouted withthat greatness of voice, and sung with such melodious notes, thatthey caused them that dwell in the highest orbs to open theirwindows, and put out their heads and look down to see the cause ofthat glory' (Luke 15:7-10). [327] So may we imagine that the happy, happy, glorified spirit of Bunyan would look down rejoicing, when, a few years after he had yielded up his pastoral cares, the seedwhich he had been instrumental in sowing produced its fruit insuch numbers, that the old meeting-house was pulled down, and inits place a large and respectable one was erected. And again, onthe 20th February, 1850, with what joy would he look down upon theopening of a still larger, more commodious, and handsome meeting-house, bearing his name, and capable of holding 1150 worshippers. One ofBunyan's pungent, alarming sayings to the careless was, 'Once die, we cannot come back and die better. '[328] If anything could tempthim, in his angelic body, to re-visit this earth, it would be toaddress the multitude at the new Bunyan Chapel with his old sermonon The Jerusalem Sinner Saved, or Good News to the Vilest of Men. But we have Moses and the prophets--Christ and his apostles; ifwe shut our ears to them, neither should we listen to a messengerfrom the New Jerusalem. 

When it is recollected that Bunyan received the most imperfectrudiments of education in a charity school when very young, whichwere 'almost entirely' obliterated by bad habits--that he was ahard-working man through life, maintaining himself, a wife, and fourchildren, by his severe labour as a brazier--and yet, by personalefforts, he educated himself and wrote sixty-two valuable religioustreatises, numbering among them his inimitable allegories, ThePilgrim's Progress and Holy War, made a Concordance to the Bible, and conducted important controversies. Preaching, while at liberty, almost innumerable sermons on the Lord's-days and week-days, earlyin the morning and late at night. Visiting his flock with pastoralcare--founding churches in the villages, and even in towns andcities far distant from his dwelling--constantly giving advice topromote peace and good will, and rendering benevolent aid by longjourneys! His whole life presents to us a picture of most astonishing, energetic perseverance. Every moment of time must have been employedas if he valued it as a precious trust, which, if once lost, couldnever be regained. Who of us can compare our life with his lastthirty years, and not blush with shame!

The finest trait in Bunyan's Christian character was his deep, heartfelt humility. This is the more extraordinary from his wantof secular education, and his unrivalled talent. The more we learn, the greater is the field for research that opens before us, insomuchthat the wisest philosophers have most seriously felt the littleprogress they have made. He acknowledged to Mr. Cockayn, who consideredhim the most eminent man, and a star of the first magnitude in thefirmament of the churches, [329] that spiritual pride was his easilybesetting sin, and that he needed the thorn in the flesh, lest heshould be exalted above measure. A sense of this weakness probablyled him to peculiar watchfulness against it. His self-abasement wasneither tinctured with affectation, nor with the pride of humility. His humble-mindedness appeared to arise form his intimate communionwith Heaven. In daily communion with God, he received a dailylesson of deeper and deeper humility. 'I am the high and lofty One, I inhabit eternity! verily this consideration is enough to make abroken-hearted man creep into a mouse-hole, to hide himself from suchmajesty! There is room in this man's heart for God to dwell. '[330]'I find it one of the hardest things that I can put my soul upon, even to come to God, when warmly sensible that I am a sinner, fora share in grace and mercy. I cannot but with a thousand tears say, "God be merciful to me a sinner" (Ezra 9:15). '[331]

The Revs. Messrs. Chandler and Wilson, bear the following testimonyas eye-witnesses to his character:--'His fancy and invention werevery pregnant and fertile. His wit was sharp and quick--his memorytenacious, it being customary with him to commit his sermonsto writing after he had preached them, ' a proof of extraordinaryindustry. 'His understanding was large and comprehensive--his judgmentsound and deep in the fundamentals of the gospel. His experienceof Satan's temptations in the power and policy of them, and ofChrist's presence in, and by his Word and Spirit to succour andcomfort him, was more than ordinary; the grace of God was magnifiedin him and by him, and a rich anointing of the Spirit was upon him;and yet this great saint was always in his own eyes the chiefestof sinners, and the least of saints. He was not only well furnishedwith the helps and endowments of nature, beyond ordinary, but eminentin the graces and gifts of the Spirit, and fruits of holiness. Hewas from first to last established in, and ready to maintain, thatGod-like principle of having communion with saints as such, withoutany respect to difference in things disputable among the godly. Hiscarriage was condescending, affable, and meek to all, yet bold andcourageous for Christ. He was much struck at, in the lat times ofpersecution; being far from any sinful compliance to save himself, he did cheerfully bear the cross. ' Such was the character givenof him by these two eminent divines, in 1693, while his memory, inits fullest fragrance, was cherished by all the churches. 

This humility peculiarly fitted him to instruct the young, of whomhe was very fond--

 'Nor do I blush, although I think some may Call me a baby, 'cause I with them play; I do 't to show them how each fingle fangle On which they doating are, their souls entangle; And, since at gravity they make a tush, My very beard I cast behind a bush. '[332]

He had friends among the rich as well as the poor. Of this hissolid gold ring and handsome cabinet are proofs. From a letterin the Ellis correspondence, we learn that Bunyan had so securedthe affections of the Lord Mayor of London, as to be called hischaplain. [333]

Among his religious friends and associates he must have been apleasing, entertaining, lively companion. However solemn, nay awful, had been his experience when walking through the Valley of theShadow of Death, yet when emerging from the darkness and enjoyingthe sunshine of Divine favour, he loved social intercourse andcommunion of saints. It is one of the slanders heaped upon Christianityto call it a gloomy, melancholy theme: though 'it is better to goto the house of mourning than to the house of feasting, ' yet thewisely pious man will endeavour, even at an elegant entertainmentor a Lord Mayor's dinner, to drop useful hints. Whenever Bunyandescribes a social party, especially a feast, he always introducesa wholesome dish; and it is singular, in the abundance of publications, that we have not been favoured with John Bunyan's Nuts to Crackat Religious Entertainments, or a Collection of his Pious Riddles. Thus, at the splendid royal feast given to Emmanuel, when he enteredMansoul in triumph, 'he entertained the town with some curiousriddles, of secrets drawn up by his father's secretary, by theskill and wisdom of Shaddai, the like to which there are not in anykingdom. ' 'Emmanuel also expounded unto them some of those riddleshimself, but O how were they lightened! They saw what they neversaw, they could not have thought that such rarities could have beencouched in such few and ordinary words. The lamb, the sacrifice, the rock, the door, the way. '[334] 'The second Adam was before thefirst, and the second covenant was before the first. '[335] 'WasAdam bad before he eat the forbidden fruit?'[336] 'How can a mansay his prayers without a word being read or uttered?'[337] 'Howdo men speak with their feet?' Answer, Proverbs 6:13. [338] 'Why wasthe brazen laver made of the women's looking-glasses?'[339] 'Howcan we comprehend that which cannot be comprehended, or know thatwhich passeth knowledge?'[340] 'Who was the founder of the stateor priestly domination over religion?'[341] What is meant by thedrum of Diabolus and other riddles mentioned in The Holy War?[342]The poetical riddles in The Pilgrim's Progress are very striking--

 'A man there was, though some did count him mad, The more he cast away, the more he had. '

 How can 'evil make the soul from evil turn. '[343]

 Can 'sin be driven out of the world by suffering?'[344]

 'Though it may seem to some a riddle, We use to light our candles at the middle. '[345]

 'What men die two deaths at once?'[346]

 'Are men ever in heaven and on earth at the same time?'[347]

 'Can a beggar be worth ten thousand a-year and not know it?'[348]

He even introduced a dance upon the destruction of Despair, Mr. Ready-to-halt, with his partner Miss Much-afraid, while Christianaand Mercy furnished the music. 'True, he could not dance withoutone crutch in his hand; but I promise you he footed it well. Alsothe girl was to be commended, for she answered the music handsomely. 'Is this the gloomy fanaticism of a Puritan divine? It is true, that promiscuous dancing, or any other amusement tending to evil, he had given up and discountenanced, but all his writings tend toprove that the Christian only can rationally and piously enjoy theworld that now is, while living in the delightful hope of bliss inthat which is to come. 

Bunyan's personal appearance and character was drawn by his friendMr. Doe. 'He appeared in countenance stern and rough, but was mildand affable; loving to reconcile differences and make friendships. He made it his study, above all other things, not to give occasionof offence. In his family he kept a very strict discipline inprayer and exhortations. He had a sharp, quick eye, and an excellentdiscerning of persons; of good judgment and quick wit. Tallin stature, strong-boned; somewhat of a ruddy face with sparklingeyes; his hair reddish, but sprinkled with gray; nose well set;mouth moderately large; forehead something high, and his habitalways plain and modest. '

My determination in writing this memoir has been to follow thescriptural example, by fairly recording every defect discoverablein Bunyan's character; but what were considered by some to beblemishes, after his conversion, appear, in my estimation, to bebeauties. His moral and religious character was irreproachable, and his doctrinal views most scriptural; all agree in this, thathe was a bright and shining light; unrivalled for his allegories, and for the vast amount of his usefulness. His friend, Mr. Wilson, says, 'Though his enemies and persecutors, in his lifetime, didwhat they could to vilify and reproach him, yet, being gone, hethat before had the testimony of their consciences, hath now theiractual commendation and applause. '[349] To this we may add, thathe was without sectarianism, a most decided Bible Christian. Thisreveals the secret of his striking phraseology. It was in the sacredpages of Divine truth that he learned grammar and rhetoric. Style, and all his knowledge of the powers of language--all were derivedfrom the only source of his religious wisdom and learning. He lived, and thought, and wrote under the influence of the holy oracles, translated by the Puritans in 1560, compared with the version of1611. This gives a charm to all his works, and suits them to everyhuman capacity. 

Reader, the object of biography is to excite emulation. Why shouldnot others arise as extensively to bless the world as Bunyan did?The storehouses of heaven from which he was replenished with holytreasures, are inexhaustible. As he said, 'God has bags of mercy yetunsealed. ' We have the same holy oracles, and the same mercy-seat. The time is past for merely challenging the right to personaljudgment of religious truths. In Britain the lions are securelychained, and the cruel giants disabled. The awful crime of imprisoningand torturing man for conscience' sake, exists only in kingdomswhere darkness reigns--

 ''Mongst horrid shapes, and shrieks, and sights unholy. '

We stand upon higher ground than our forefathers; we take our moresolemn stand upon the imperative duty of personal investigation--thatno one can claim the name of Christian, unless he has laid asideall national, or family, or educational prejudices, and drawn fromthe holy oracles alone all his scheme of salvation and rules ofconduct. All the secret of Bunyan's vast usefulness, the foundationof all his honour, is, that the fear of God swallowed up the fear ofman; that he was baptized into the truths of revelation, and livedto exemplify them. He was a bright and shining light in a benightedworld; and of him it may be most emphatically said, 'Blessed are thedead which die in the Lord, that they may rest from their labours;and their works do follow them. '

GEORGE OFFOR. 

FOOTNOTES:

1. For a most interesting account of the rise of Sixtus V, see thenew volume of the Lounger's Common-place Book, 1807, p. 152. 

2. The Rev. J. H. A. Rudd, the Vicar of Elstow, has most kindlyfurnished me with an extract from the registers of all the entriesrelative to Bunyan's family. The register commences in 1641, and hasbeen searched to 1750. It confirms the Rev. J. Juke's impression, that soon after Bunyan joined Gifford's church he left Elstow tolive in Bedford. 

Thomas Bonion, buried, Dec. 9, 1641. Margaret Bonion, wife, buried, June 20, 1644. Margaret Bonion, b. , July 24, 1644. Charles, theson of Thos. Bunion, bapt. , May 22, 1645. Charles Bunion, bur. , May 30, 1645. Mary, the daught. Of Joh. Bonion, bapt. , July 20, 1650 Elizabeth, the daughter of John Bonyon, was born 14th day ofApril, 1654. 

Thomas Bonion of the town of Bedford, and Elizabeth _______ ofthe parish of Elstow, were married, May 10, 1656. (The Christianname of the husband, and the surname of the wife, are very muchobliterated. )

Ann Bonyonn, Widdo, was buried, 12th day of April, 1659. Thos. Bunyan, buried, Feby. 7th, 1675. Ann Bunyon, Widdo, buried inWoolen, September 25, 1680. 

The marriage here recorded, May 10, 1656, could not be that of JohnBunyan to his second wife Elizabeth; for she declared to Judge Halein August, 1661, that she had 'not been married to him yet fulltwo years. '--Vol. I. 61. 

3. This cottage has long ceased to exist, and has been replaced byanother of the poorest description. But from an old print we havegiven in the Plate, p. 1, vol. I. , a representation of the original, with the shed at side often mentioned as 'The forge'; thus leadingus to believe, that to the 'tinker's' humble calling might be unitedthat of the 'smith, ' a more manly and honourable trade. 

4. Grace Abounding, No. 2. 

5. Vol. Iii. , p. 674. 

6. Vol. Ii. , p. 140. 

7. Vol. I. , p. 490. 

8. Vol. Ii. , p. 617. 

9. Grace Abounding, No. 18. 

10. Extracted from the first edition in the British Museum. It wasmuch altered in the subsequent impressions. 

11. In 1566, Sir Thomas Harper, Lord Mayor of London, gave £180for thirteen acres and a rood of meadow land in Holborn. This wassettled, in trust, to promote the education of the poor in andround Bedford. In 1668, it produced a yearly revenue of £99--aconsiderable sum in that day, but not in any proportion to thepresent rental, which amounts to upwards of £12, 000 a-year. 

12. Grace Abounding, No. 3. 

13. Vol. I. , p. 618. 

14. Grace Abounding, No. 4. 

15. Philip's Life of Bunyan, p. 4. 

16. Vol. Iii. , p. 597. 

17. Vol. Ii. , p. 564. 

18. Grace Abounding, No. 27. 

19. Grace Abounding, No. 5. 

20. Ibid. , No. 8. 

21. Life, p. Vii. 

22. Ibid. P. Viii. 

23. Life, pp. Xli. , xlii. 

24. Vol. I. , p. 79. 

25. Job 33:15. 

26. Grace Abounding, No. 5, vol. I. , p. 6. 

27. Life appended to the first and second editions of the forgedthird part of Pilgrim's Progress. 

28. Grace Abounding, Nos. 12-14, vol. I. , p. 7. How do thesehair-breadth escapes illustrate the unerring providence of God, and the short-sightedness of even pious Christians. It is easy toimagine the exclamations of a reflecting character when hearingof the marvelous escapes of this wicked youth. 'Dark providences!the good and benevolent are snatched away; but such a plague as thishas his life preserved to pester us still. Short-sighted mortal, "shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"' No life in theBritish empire was so precious in the sight and gracious purposesof God, as that of the poor depraved lad; which was thus preservedby the special care of Divine providence. 

29. Life appended to part third of Pilgrim's Progress, 1692. Thisis omitted from the third edition (1700), and all the subsequentones. 

30. Vol. Ii. , p. 74. 

31. Vol. I. , p. 732. 

32. Vol. Ii. , p. 738. 

33. Vol. Ii. , p. 709; ii. , p. 45; ii. , 601. 

34. Vol. Iii. , p. 727; v. 7, 8. 

35. The women were remarkably active in defending the town. 

36. Thoresby's Leicester, 4to, p. 128. 

37. Hist. Of Rebellion, edition 1712, vol. Ii. , p. 652. 

38. Vol. I. , p. 661. 

39. Vol. Iii. , p. 357. 

40. Vol. Iii. , p. 113, 358. 

41. Vol. I. , p. 726. 

42. Vol. I. , p. 694. 

43. The Political Sentiments of John Bunyan, re-published by JohnMartin, 1798. 

44. Life of Bunyan, 1692, p. 12. 

45. Ibid. , 1692, p. 13. 

46. Vol. I. , p. 7. 

47. The Pathway to Heaven is the work of that pious puritan Dent, and is full of those striking illustrations which were admirablyadapted to prepare Bunyan for writing his allegories. A copy withthe name Ma Bunyann, written on the title page, has long been inthe editor's library. We give a facsimile of the writing, as ithas been supposed that of Bunyan. This is very doubtful; it appearsmore like a woman's hand; but, if it is the name of Mrs. Bunyan, then it indicates that his daughter Mary, baptized 20th July, 1650, was called after her. 

48. Life of Bunyan, 1691, p. 13. 

49. This is a solemn consideration; many profess to serve God whilethey are bond-slaves to sin; and many are servants in his familywho are not sons, nor heirs, of heaven. Blessed are those who areboth servants and sons. 

50. Vol. I. , p. 7, 8. 

51. Jan. 3, 1644-5. 

52. Aug. 23, 1645. 

53. 4to Edit. , 1644. 

54. Neale, 1822, vol. Ii. , p. 220. 

55. Life of Alfred, comparing him to Charles I. Preface. 8vo. 1634. 

56. Vol. I. , p. 8, 9. 

57. The game of cat, tipcat, or "sly, " so called by Wilson, in hislife of Bunyan [Wilson's Edition of Works, vol. I. , fol. 1736], isan ancient game well known in many parts of the kingdom. A numberof holes are made in the ground, at equal distances, in a circulardirection; a player is stationed at each hole; the opposite partystand around; one of them throws the cat to the batsman nearest tohim; every time the cat is struck, the batsmen run from one holeto the next, and score as many as they change positions; but if thecat is thrown between them before reaching the hole, the batsmanis out [Strutt's Sports and Pastimes, 8vo. , p. 110]. Such was thechildish game played by men on the Lord's-day. 

58. Life by C. Doe, 1698. 

59. Vol. I. , p. 9. 

60. Saved by Grace, vol. I. , p. 351. 

61. Vol. I. , p. 9; No. 32. 

62. Folio edition, pp. 595-6. 

63. In the Engraving, p. 1, vol. I. , is a view of part of thevillage green, Elstow, with the ancient building now used as aschool-house, as seen from the church-yard. This building is olderthan the time of Bunyan, and was the scene of village meetings atthe period in which he lived, and doubtless associated with hisdancing and thoughtless amusements, as the green itself was the sceneof the game of cat. A view looking towards the church is given inVignette to vol. I. Of the Works. 

64. Vol. I. , p. 10. 

65. Southey's Life, pp. Xxv. , xxxii. 

66. Vol. I. , p. 80. 

67. Vol. I. , p. 11. 

68. Vol. Iii. , p. 607. 

69. Heresiography. 4tp. 1654. P. 143. 

70. Vol. Iii. , p. 151. 

71. Vol. Iii. , p. 118. 

72. Vol. I. , p. 11. 

73. Vol. I. , p. 11. 

74. Vol. I. , p. 591. 

75. The Rev. H. J. Rose, in his Biographical Dictionary, distortsthis singular affair into, 'he laid claim to a faith of suchmagnitude as to work miracles!'

76. Vol. I. , p. 12. 

77. Vol. Iii. , pp. 155, 156. 

78. Vol. I. , p. 12. 

79. It is as easy for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, as for a man to pass through this door with the world on his back. 

80. Vol. I. , p. 13. 

81. Vol. I. , p. 13. 

82. Holy War, vol. Iii. , p. 342, 346. 

83. Bunyan on the Throne of Grace, vol. I. , p. 677. 

84. Vol. I. , p. 80. 

85. Holy War, vol. Iii. , p. 297. 

86. Vol. I. , p. 14. 

87. Vol. Iii. , p. 123. 

88. Addison. 

89. Vol. I. , p. 14. 

90. April 1645. About 300 discontented persons got together inKent, and took Sir Percival Hart's house; Colonel Blunt attackedand dispersed them with horse and foot, regained the house, andmade the chief of them prisoners. Whitelock, folio 137. 

91. Vol. I. , p. 15. 

92. Vol. I. , p. 15; No. 82. 

93. Vol. I. , p. 16. 

94. Vol. I. , p. 17, 18. 

95. Vol. Iii. , p. 113. 

96. Bunyan's Saints' Privilege and Profit, vol. I. , p. 661. 

97. Bunyan's Saved by Grace, vol. I. , p. 340. 

98. Vol. I. , p. 17. 

99. Bunyan's Christ a Complete Saviour, vol. I. , p. 210. 

100. Rogers on Trouble of Mind. Preface. Thus temptations are suitedto the state of the inquiring soul; the learned man who studiesPlato, Aristotle, and Aquinas, is filled with doubts arising from'philosophy and vain deceit, profane and vain babblings'; theunlettered mechanic is tried not by logic, but by infernal artillery;the threatenings of God's Word are made to obscure the promises. It is a struggle which, to one possessing a vivid imagination, isattended with almost intolerable agonies--unbelief seals up thedoor of mercy. 

Bunyan agreed with his learned contemporary, Milton, in the invisibleagency of good and bad spirits. 

'Millions of spiritual creatures walk the earth Unseen, both whenwe wake and when we sleep!'

The malignant demons watch their opportunity to harass the pilgrimwith evil thoughts, injected when least expected. 

101. Vol. I. , p. 19. 

102. Vol. I. , p. 20. 

103. The anxiety of this pious teacher was to press upon hishearers to take special heed, not to receive any truth upon trustfrom any man, but to pray over it and search 'the Holy Word. 'This, Mr. Southey designates, 'doctrine of a most perilous kind. 'How happy would it be for society if every religious teacherpressed this perilous doctrine upon their hearers, that it mightbring forth the same fruit universally, as it did specially inBunyan. Compare Grace Abounding, No. 117, and Southey's Life, p. 27, 28. 

104. Vol. I. , p. 21. 

105. Vol. I. , p. 22. 

106. Vol. Iii. , p. 115. 

107. Vol. Iii. , p. 270. 

108. Luther fell into the same mistake as to the Baptists, thatBunyan did as to the Quakers. Both were keenly alive to the honourof Christianity, and were equally misled by the loose conductof some unworthy professors. Luther charges the Baptists as being'devils possessed with worse devils' [Preface to Galatians]. 'It isall one whether he be called a Frank, a Turk, a Jew, or an Anabaptist'[Com. Gal. Iv. 8, 9]. 'Possessed with the devil, seditious, andbloody men' [Gal. V. 19]. Even a few days before his death, he wroteto his wife, 'Dearest Kate, we reached Halle at eight o'clock, butcould not get on to Eisleben, for there met us a great Anabaptist, with waves and lumps of ice, which threatened us with a secondbaptism. ' Bunyan, in the same spirit, calls the Quakers 'a companyof loose ranters, light notionists, shaking in their principles!' [Vol. Ii. , p. 133, 9, 21]. Denying the Scriptures and the resurrection[Com. Gal. Iv. 29]. These two great men went through the samefurnace of the regeneration; and Bunyan, notwithstanding Luther'sprejudices against the Baptists, most affectionately recommendedhis Comment on the Galatians, as an invaluable work for binding upthe broken-hearted. 

109. Vol. I. , p. 23. 

110. Vol. Ii. , p. 181. 

111. Vol. Ii. , p. 260. 

112. Vol. I. , p. 25; No. 158. 

113. See note in vol. I. , p. 26. 

114. Vol. I. , p. 29. 

115. Vol. I. , p. 30

116. The study of those scriptures, in order that the solemn questionmight be safely resolved, 'Can such a fallen sinner rise again?'was like the investigation of the title to an estate upon which awhole livelihood depended. Every apparent flaw must be criticallyexamined. Tremblingly alive to the importance of a right decision, his prayers were most earnest; and at length, to his unspeakabledelight, the word of the law and wrath gave place to that of lifeand grace. 

117. Vol. I. , p. 35. 

118. Vol. Iii. , p. 100. 

119. Irish sixpences, which passed for fourpence-halfpenny. See thenote on vol. I. , p. 36. Since writing that note I have discoveredanother proof of the contempt with which that coin wastreated:--'Christian, the wife of Robert Green, of Brexham, Somersetshire, in 1663, is said to have made a covenant with thedevil; he pricked the fourth finger of her right hand, between themiddle and upper joints, and took two drops of her blood on hisfinger, giving her a fourpence-halfpenny. Then he spake in privatewith Catharine her sister, and vanished, leaving a smell of brimstonebehind!'--Turner's Remarkable Providences, folio, 1667, p. 28. 

120. Vol. I. , p. 36. 

121. Holy War. 

122. Vol. Ii. , p. 141. 

123. Luther and Tyndale. 

124. Vol. Iii. , p. 398. 

125. Vol. I. , p. 495. 

126. Vol. Iii. , p. 398. 

127. Vol. Iii. , p. 190. 

128. Vol. Iii. , p. 186. 

129. Bunyan on Christian Behaviour, vol. Ii. , p. 550. 

130. Vol. Ii. , p. 570. 

131. Vol. Ii. , p. 585. 

132. The Nineteenth Article. 

133. The sufferings of the Episcopalians were severe; they drankthe bitter cup which they had shortly before administered to thePuritans. Under suspicion of disloyalty to the Commonwealth, theywere most unjustly compelled to swallow the Covenant as a religioustest, or leave preaching and teaching. Their miseries were notto be compared with those of the Puritans. Laud was beheaded fortreason, but none were put to death for nonconformity. It was anage when religious liberty was almost unknown. These sufferingswere repaid by an awful retaliation and revenge, when Royalty andEpiscopacy were restored. 

134. Penn's Christian Quaker. 

135. Folio, p. 417. 

136. Vol. Iii. , p. 107. 

137. Vol. Iii. , p. 765. The author of Bunyan's Life, published in1690, dates his baptism 'about the year 1653. '

138. Life from his Cradle to his Grave, 1700. 

139. September 21. 

140. In the same year, and about the same period, Oliver Cromwellwas made Lord Protector. Upon this coincidence, Mr. Carlisle usesthe following remarkable language:--'Two common men thus elevated, putting their hats upon their heads, might exclaim, "God enable meto be king of what lies under this! For eternities lie under it, and infinities, and heaven also and hell! and it is as big as theuniverse, this kingdom; and I am to conquer it, or be for everconquered by it. Now, WHILE IT IS CALLED TO-DAY!'"

141. In possession of the Society of Antiquities. 

142. Vol. I. , p. 39. 

143. Vol. I. , p. 20. 

144. Reading and Preaching. 

145. Not to wait for one another, each one to come in good time. 

146. Alluding to Bunyan, or his co-pastor, Burton, or to both ofthem. 

147. Bunyan was about twenty-seven years of age. 

148. This letter was copied into the church records at the time:the original cannot be found. It was published with Ryland's FuneralSermon on Symonds, 1788, and in Jukes' very interesting account ofBunyan's church, in 1849. The signature is copied from an originalin the Milton State Papers, library of the Antiquarian Society. 

149. Vol. I. , p. 39. 

150. Vol. I. , p. 545. 

151. Grace Abounding, No. 255, vol. I. , p. 39. 

152. Vol. I. , p. 545. 

153. Grace Abounding, No 255-259, vol. I. , p. 39. 

154. Vol. I. , p. 40. 

155. Vol. Iii. , p. 655. 

156. Rogers on Trouble of Mind. 

157. Grace Abounding, No. 260. 

158. 1st edition, p. 355. 

159. Vol. Ii. , p. 425. 

160. Vol. I. , p. 40. 

161. Vol. I. , p. 769. 

162. Vol. I. , p. 549. 

163. Church Book, 1671. 

164. This secrecy became needful after the Restoration, as noticedmore fully afterwards, p. Lix. During those years of persecution, a frequent place of resort was a dell in Wain-wood, about threemiles from Hitchin. Of this locality the following notice will beacceptable:--On the 19th of May, 1853, a splendidly hot day, mypilgrimage to the shrines of Bunyan was continued at Hitchin and itsvicinity, in company with S. B. Geard, Esq. Here it was my honourto shake hands with honest Edward Foster, whose grandfather oftenentertained and sheltered John Bunyan. So singular a case I hadnever met with, that three lives should connect, in a direct line, evidence of transactions which occurred at a distance of 190 years. His grandfather was born in 1642, and for many years was a friendand companion of the illustrious dreamer. In 1706, when he wassixty-four years of age, his youngest son was born, and in 1777, when that son was seventy-one years of age, his youngest son wasborn, and in 1853 he has the perfect use of limbs and faculties, and properly executes the important office of assistant overseerto his extensive parish. With such direct testimony, we visitedthe very romantic dell, where, in the still hours of midnight, thesaints of God were wont to meet and unite in Divine worship. Itis a most romantic dell, in Wain-wood, which crowns a hill aboutthree miles from Hitchin. We had some difficulty in making ourway through the underwood--crushing the beautiful hyacinths andprimroses which covered the ground in the richest profusion, andnear the top of the hill came suddenly upon this singular dell--anatural little eminence formed the pulpit, while the dell wouldhold under its shade at least a thousand people--and now I mustgive you the countryman's eloquent description of the meetings ofhis ancestors. "Here, under the canopy of heaven, with the rigourof winter's nipping frost, while the clouds, obscuring the moon, have discharged their flaky treasures, they often assembled whilethe highly-gifted and heavenly-minded Bunyan has broken to them thebread of life. The word of the Lord was precious in those days. Andhere over his devoted head, while uncovered in prayer, the piousmatrons warded off the driving hail and snow, by holding a shawlover him by its four corners. In this devoted dell these plainunpolished husbandmen, like the ancient Waldenses, in the valleysof Piedmont, proved themselves firm defenders of the faith in itsprimitive purity, and of Divine worship in its primitive style. "

Their horses on which they rode, from various parts, were shelteredin neighbouring friendly farms, while they, to avoid suspicion, ascended the hill by scarcely visible footpaths. Could fine weatherbe insured, it would form a lovely spot for a meeting to celebratethe third jubilee of religious toleration--there listen to a Bunyanof our age, and devise measures for religious equality. Then wemight close the service by solemnly objuring every system whichgave power to tyrannise over the rights of conscience. Here, asin other places where Bunyan founded churches, the cause of Christhath spread. At Hitchin, in 1681, about thirty-five Christiansunited in the following covenant:--

'We who, through the mercy of God, and our Lord Jesus Christ, haveobtained grace to give ourselves to the Lord, and one to anotherby the will of God, to have communion with one another, as saintsin one gospel fellowship:--Do, before God our Father, and ourLord Jesus Christ, and the holy angels, agree and promise to walktogether in this one gospel communion and fellowship as a church ofJesus Christ, in love to the Lord and one to another, and endeavourto yield sincere and hearty obedience to the laws, ordinances, andappointments of our Lord and Lawgiver in his church. And also doagree and promise, the Lord assisting, to follow after the thingswhich make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another, that so living and walking in love and peace, the God of love andpeace may be with us. Amen. '

This was probably drawn by Bunyan, and so simple and comprehensivehas it proved, that the church has flourished, and lately a spaciousand handsome place of worship has been erected, to accommodatea thousand worshippers, at a cost of £3000, all paid for, witha surplus fund in hand for contingencies, of £500. In addition, there are also large and commodious chapels for the Independents, Wesleyans, and Quakers. 

165. Christ a Complete Saviour, vol. I. , p. 210. 

166. Law and Grace, vol. I. , pp. 549, 550. 

167. Life of Bunyan, p. Xiv. 

168. Sighs, vol. Iii. , p. 712. 

169. Gospel Truths, vol. Ii. , p. 178. 

170. Like the Beef-eaters, or yeomen of the guard at the presentday. 

171. Journal, folio, 1694, p. 144. Is it surprising that the Quakers, at such a time, assumed their peculiar neatness of dress?

172. Vol. Ii. , p. 178, 566. 

173. Grace Abounding, vol. I. , p. 41. 

174. Nehemiah Coxe is said to have been a descendant from Dr. Richard Coxe, preceptor to Edward VI, and Dean of Oxford. He fledfrom persecution under Mary, was a troubler of his brother refugeesby his turbulent temper, and his attachment to superstitiousceremonies. On his return, he was made Bishop of Ely, and becamea bitter persecutor. Benjamin Coxe, A. M. , probably a son ofthe furious bishop, was as ardently fond of rites and ceremonies. He was cited to appear before Laud for denying the jure divino ofbishops, and the poor bishop said, "God did so bless me that I gavehim satisfaction. " Mr. Coxe soon after came out as a Baptist, andhaving preached at Bedford, he settled in Coventry. Here he disputedwith Mr. Baxter and the Presbyterians; and the Independents hadhim imprisoned for defending adult baptism (Crosby, History ofBaptists, i. 354), a very short mode of settling the controversy. Probably Nehemiah Coxe was his son, settled at Bedford as ashoemaker. He was a learned man, and, when tried at Bedford assizesfor preaching the gospel, he was indicted in the usual Norman-French, or Latin; and pleaded first in Greek, which the prosecutors notunderstanding, he pleaded in Hebrew, arguing, that as his indictmentwas in a foreign tongue, he was entitled to plead in any of thelearned languages. The counsel being ignorant of those languages, and the judge glad to get rid of a vexatious indictment, dismissedhim, saying to the counselors, 'Well, this cordwainer hath woundyou all up, gentlemen. ' This anecdote is handed down in a funeralsermon by T. Sutcliff, on the death of Symonds, one of the pastorsof the church at Bedford. 

Another of this little band that was set apart with Bunyan, becameso useful a preacher as to have been honoured with a record in theannals of persecution in the reign of Charles II. John Fenn wason Lord's-day, May 15, 1670, committed to prison for preaching inhis own house; and on Tuesday, all his goods and stock in tradewere seized and carted away, leaving his family in the most desolatecondition. 

In the following week, Edward Isaac, a blacksmith, another of thislittle band, having been fined, had all his stock in trade, andeven the anvil upon which he worked, seized and carted away. 

Such were the severe trials which these excellent citizens were, with their families, called to pass through, by the tyranny of thechurch; but they were light, indeed, in comparison with those thatawaited the amiable and pious Bunyan. 

175. If Christians recollected with what anxiety their teachersprepared and delivered their sermons, how constant and prayerfulwould be their attendance on the means of grace. 

176. Grace Abounding, vol. I. , p. 42. The taunts and revilings ofa poet laureate upon Bunyan's preaching and sufferings need onlya passing notice. No words could be more vile and slanderous thanthose of Mr. Southey. He says, 'Peace might be on his lips, andzeal for the salvation of others in his heart, but he was certainly, at that time, no preacher of good will, nor of Christian charity. 'How can we judge of a preacher's good will, but by 'peace on hislips?' and what is the criterion of Christian charity, except itbe 'zeal for the salvation of others in his heart?'

177. Grace Abounding, No. 293, vol. I. , p. 44. 

178. Vol. I. , p. 59. Eben. Chandler thus describes Bunyan: 'Hiswit was sharp and quick, his memory tenacious; it being customarywith him to commit his sermons to writing after he had preachedthem. '--Chandler and Wilson's Preface to Bunyan's Works, folio, 1692. All these autographs have unaccountably disappeared. 

179. Noticed in the life annexed to Pilgrim, Part III. 

180. In the editor's library, folio, 1635. Orthography was littlecared for in those days. On the beautiful portrait of Andrews, isthe autograph of Annie Brokett hir Blook!

181. This document is copied on page xxvi. 

182. See page lxxii. 

183. Vol. Ii. , p. 132. 

184. Vol. Ii. , p. 133. 

185. Vol. Ii. , pp. 140, 141. 

186. The American authors of a recent life of Burrough, (William andThomas Evans, Philadelphia, republished by Gilpin, London, 1851), have given an unfair account of his controversy with Bunyan, drawnfrom Burrough's works in the shape of a supposed dialogue. Sucha disputation can only be understood by reading both sides of thequestion. We unite with them in admiring the character of thatyoung but noble martyr. They are, however, wrong in their conclusionthat 'the meekness and gentleness of Christ softened and adornedhis whole character. ' He was one of those that are called in theHoly War, 'rough hewn men fit to break the ice. ' Vol. Iii. P. 270

187. Vol. Ii. , p. 201. 

188. P. 16. 

189. It is difficult to describe the state of those times. JamesNaylor rode into Bristol, a multitude accompanying him, strewingtheir scarfs, handkerchiefs, and garments on the ground for hishorse to tread on, and singing, Hosanna in the highest; holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Israel. He was addressed as the everlastingson of righteousness, and prince of peace. His brain was bewilderedwith adulation. Women kissed his feet, and called him Jesus the Sonof God. To stop the tumult, he was apprehended, and had he beensimply subjected to the discipline of a mad-house, like Mr. Brothersof a later period, his blood would soon have recovered from itsagitation. Instead of this, a grand parade was made by trying himbefore a Committee of the House of Commons, and, upon a report ofthe whole house, he was convicted of 'horrid blasphemy, ' and itwas by the small majority of fourteen that his life was spared. His cruel sentence was whipping, pillory, his tongue bored throughwith a red hot iron, a large letter B burnt into his forehead, andto be imprisoned during the pleasure of Parliament. By his followershe was considered a martyr; but the infatuation soon subsided. Afterhis release, he was mercifully restored to his senses, and becamea useful Quaker. 

190. These commissioners were called 'triers, ' and, being highCalvinists, were nick-named Dr. Absolute, chairman, Mr. Fatality, Mr. Fri-babe, Mr. Dam-man, Mr. Narrow-grace, Mr. Indefectible, Mr. Dubious, and others. They turned out of their livings thoseclergymen who were proved to be immoral in their conduct, and otherswho did not come up to the orthodox standard. Of these, Mr. Walker, in his account of the sufferings of the clergy, gives a long list. 

191. This Act or ordinance of Parliament involved some of ourexcellent ancestors in trouble. Hansard Knollys, Wm. Kiffin, Mr. Lamb, and many others, were imprisoned for short periods; EdwardBarbour for eleven months. To avoid the informers, adult baptism wasperformed at midnight; for this Henry Denne suffered imprisonment. That gracious and valuable minister, Vavasor Powel also suffered ashort imprisonment during the Protectorate; his life was afterwardssacrificed by a tedious imprisonment in the following reign. He wastaken, with his flock, at a midnight meeting; and for safe custodythey were locked up in the parish church, and there he preachedwithout molestation. When conveyed to the justice's house, whilewaiting his worship's leisure, he again preached. When thismagistrate arrived, he was violently enraged that his house shouldhave been turned into a conventicle. He would have committed themat once to prison, but two of his daughters were so affected withthe sermon, that, at their intercession, after severe threatenings, the preacher and his friends were set at liberty. 

192. From the original, in the editor's possession. 

193. Cotton Mather says that these laws were never carried toextremity, and were soon laid entirely by. Hist. Of America. 

194. Jukes' History of Bunyan's Church, p. 16. 

195. Works, vol. Iii. , p. 667; especially pp. 672, 673. 

196. No. 280-317, vol. I. , p. 42-46. 

197. Life and Death of Mr. J. Bunyan, 1700, p. 27. 

198. Vol. Iii. , p. 767. 

199. Grace Abounding, vol. I. , p. 46. 

200. See Note, vol. I. , p. 45. 

201. 4tp. London, 1659. A MS copy is in the editor's possession. 

202. Vol. I. , p. 683. 

203. Vol. Iii. , p. 445. 

204. Vol. Iii. , p. 48. 

205. Vol. Ii. , p. 635. 

206. Vol. Iii. , p. 680. 

207. See postscript to The True Faith of the Gospel of Peace, British Museum. 

208. Vol. Ii. , p. 201. 

209. Vol. I. , p. 46. 

210. Macaulay's History of England, vol. I. 

211. Life of Badman. 

212. Penn's England's Interest, 4to, 1676, p. 2. 

213. Vol. Ii. , p. 593. 

214. Vol. I. , p. 51. 

215. Vol. I. , p. 51. 

216. This very interesting Memoir was published by the Society ofFriends, 1825. 

217. Case and Opinion, under the head 'Conventicles, ' BritishMuseum. There is also a rare Tract, to prove that the PersecutingActs expired Oct. 24th, 1670. 

218. Vol. I. , p. 54. How unspeakable the mercy, that the persecutorcannot plunge his implements of torture into the spirit, nor preventits intercourse with heaven!

A very deeply interesting narrative of all the particulars of thisexamination and form of trial, was recorded by the sufferer. Seevol. I. , p. 50. 

219. There were three prisons in Bedford--the county jail, the bridewell, and the tower jail. No decisive evidence has beendiscovered as to which prison Bunyan was committed. Two views ofthe bridge and prison are given in the plate at p. 63, vol. I. 

220. Howard's Account of Lazarettos, &c. 4to, 1789, p. 150. 

221. Elstow is a perpetual curacy or vicarage, worth at that timeonly £35 per annum! forming one of the discreditable anomalies ofthe church, in the division of its immense revenues. 

222. He has favoured us with the following description of it:--'Thering is of fine gold, very like in colour to that which has beenbrought into this country from California. The head is, I think, engraven, but the letters have not that sharpness about them whichindicates the engraving tool; and the I. B. Are undoubted indentsmade after the ring was finished. ' It is not the usual emblem of amourning gift, for that would have the cross-bones under the skull;it was more probably given as a special mark of esteem. Three thingsare certain--1st, That it so valuable a gift excited the poor man'spride, its loss must have been a serious annoyance to one whosefamily was dependent upon his daily labour. 2d, His preachingtalent must have been highly appreciated, before he was known as theauthor of the Pilgrim's Progress, to have brought him so valuablea token of respect. But the most pleasing and remarkable reflection, is the surprising progress of good-will among men of variousdenominations, that a ring, worn by a despised and persecutedNonconformist of a former age, is now highly prized and worn, fromrespect to his memory, by a dignified clergyman of the Establishedchurch. 

223. This was not his only ring; he left, inter alia, all his ringsto his wife. See. P. Lxxii. 

224. After he had lain in jail five or six days, an applicationwas made to a liberal justice at Elstow, named Crumpton, to releasehim on bail; but he declined, fearing to give offence. He, however, so felt for this persecuted servant of Christ, as to sell him anedifice and barn, which, upon his release, was converted into alarge meeting-house. 

225. Vol. Ii. , p. 107. 

226. Vol. Iii. , p. 341, 366. 

227. From his autograph, in the editor's possession, he spelt hisname John Keling. 

228. Lord Campbell's lives of the Chief Justices. 

229. Vol. I. , p. 57. This forcibly reminds us of Greatheart's replyto Giant Maul--'I am a servant of the God of heaven; my businessis to persuade sinners to repentance; if to prevent this be thyquarrel, let us fall to it as soon as thou wilt, ' vol. Iii. , p. 210. Southey attempts to vindicate the justices in condemning Bunyan, and grossly mis-states the facts; deeming him to be unreasonableand intolerant; that preaching was incompatible with his calling, and that he ought not to have sacrificed his liberty in such acause! The poet-laureate makes these assertions, knowing the vastbenefits which sprung from the determined piety and honesty ofthe persecuted preacher. Would not By-ends, Facing-both-ways, andSave-all, have jumped to the same conclusion?

230. Vol. I. , p. 56. 

231. Every Christian should read the appalling account of thesesufferings, recently published under the title of Ladies of theCovenant. 

232. Vol. Iii. , p. 17. 

233. History of Baptists, vol. Ii. , p. 172. Robinson was a nephewof Archbishop Laud, and appeared to inherit his evil spirit. 

234. Wilson's History of Dissenting Churches, and the Trial ofRosewell. 

235. Vol. I. , p. 198; and Grace Abounding, No. 326. 

236. Vol. I. , p. 48. 

237. Baptized at Elstow, July 20, 1650. 

238. Vol. I. , p. 168. 

239. Vol. Ii. , p. 279. 

240. Vol. Ii. , p. 733. 

241. Vol. I. , p. 60. 

242. The cut, copied from an old drawing of the house taken beforeits entire demotion, at the end of last century, exhibits its quaintcharacteristics. The bridge foot is to the spectator's right; thechurch tower behind is that of St. Mary's, also seen in our viewof the jail, which would, of course, be seen from the bow-windowsof the old inn, in which the Judges met. 

243. Vol. I. , p. 60. 

244. Lectures on the Pilgrim's Progress. 

245. This valuable set of books came into the possession of my oldfriend Mr. Wontner, of the Minories, London; it descended at hisdecease, to his widow, who resided on Camberwell Green, and fromher to a daughter, married to Mr. Parnel, an orange merchant inBotolph Lane. He was tempted to sell it to Mr. Bohn, the bookseller, from whom it was bought for the Bedford library. 

246. Charles Doe in Heavenly Footman, 2d edition, 1700. 

247. Introduction to the Pilgrim, vol. Iii. , p. 6, 7. 

248. Psalmody Edit. , 1775, p. 137. George Whitefield, in recommendingthe works of Bunyan, says, 'Ministers never write or preach so wellas when under the cross; the Spirit of Christ and of glory shallrest upon them' [Preface to Bunyan's Works, 1767]. Admiring thecourage and honesty of Bunyan, when alluding to the Prayer-Book, we earnestly unite in his petition--'The Lord in mercy turn thehearts of his people, to seek more after the Spirit of prayer, and, in the strength of that, to pour out their souls before the Lord. '

249. This was published in 1698. 

250. Heavenly Footman, 2d edition, 1700, p. 126. 

251. Vol. Iii. , p. 397, 398. 

252. This deeply interesting book is dedicated to four sorts ofreaders--the godly, the learned, the captious, and to the motherof harlots. To her he says, 'I have nothing here to please yourwanton eye, or voluptuous palate; no paint for thy wrinkled face, nor crutch to support thy tottering kingdom. ' It is a very amusingpreface. 

253. Vol. Iii. , p. 610. 

254. Vol. I. , p. 4. 

255. Author's Apology for the Pilgrim. 

256. Vol. I. , p. 602. 

257. Vol. Iii. , p. 7. 

258. Grace Abounding, No. 322. 

259. Vol. I. , p. 65. 

260. Vol. I. , p. 741. 

261. This jug is in possession of Mrs. Hillyard, widow of the lateMr. Hillyard, who was minister of the chapel for fifty years, anddied in 1839. One tradition says the jug was used as noted in thetext; another that his broth was brought to 'chapel' in it, forhis Sunday dinner, in the vestry. 

262. Vol. Ii. , p. 737-739. 

263. 2 Cor 1:5; vol. Ii. , p. 735. 

264. Vol. Ii. , p. 700. 

265. Vol. I. , p. 47. 

266. Vol. I. , p. 278; and vol. Iii. , p. 13. 

267. Vol. Ii. , p. 593. 

268. Vol. Ii. , p. 594. --Heroic man! British Christians are mostdeeply indebted to thee, and thy fellow-sufferers, for the highprivileges they now enjoy. May thy name be had in everlastingremembrance. 

269. Vol. I. , p. 62. 

270. It has been doubted whether he was justified in thus makingexcursions from the prison. This may be answered by the question--WasPeter justified in leaving the prison, and going to the prayer-meetingat Mary's house? Acts 12:7-19. 

271. Vol. Iii. , p. 19. 

272. Rapin. 

273. For an accurate copy of this declaration, see vol. Iii. , p. 21. 

274. The ecclesiastical year commenced in March. The tenth monthmeans December. 

275. For a copy of these licenses, see vol. Iii. , p. 24. 

276. 4to, vol. Vii. , p. 75. 

277. I am greatly indebted to J. P. Brown, Esq. , James Street, Islington, for directing my attention to these letters. 

278. Vol. Iii. , pp. 21-29. 

279. Vol. Iii. , p. 27. 

280. Vol. I. , p. 47; No. 319. 

281. Jukes' History of Bunyan's Church, p. 24. 

282. Continuation of Life to Grace Abounding. 

283. It is generally believed at Bedford, that, after Bunyan wasimprisoned, his family removed from Elstow to Bedford, in orderthat they might have more frequent access to him; and that, on hisrelease, he made his abode there. His humble dwelling was much likethat of his father at Elstow, most unassuming; just such a cottageas a poor wounded sinner would feel at home in when visiting hispastor for advice. The late Rev. J. Geard, of Hitchin, in his Diary, says--'July 17, 1774. I preached, for the first time, at Bedford, to the successors of good Mr. Bunyan's congregation, and the nextday called at the house where he used to live, and went into theroom that tradition reported was his study. This house, though ithad been the habitation of so truly great a man, was now let forabout 40s. Per annum. ' Allowing for the difference in the value ofmoney, Bunyan would have now paid 16s. A-year rent for his humbleabode. It will be always matter of regret, that it was not purchasedand preserved by the members of the 'Old Meeting, ' when it wasoffered them before its destruction; we procured, however, a drawingof it, which is here engraved. The cottage was in the parish ofSt. Cuthbert, in the street opposite the meeting-house, and hereBunyan lived, while he was pastor, from 1681 to 1688. 

284. Pilgrim, vol. Iii. , p. 198. 

285. Vol. Ii. , p. 649. 

286. Vol. Ii. , p. 538. 

287. Vol. Ii. , p. 219. 

288. Vol. I. , p. 757. 

289. Vol. Ii. , 649. 

290. Vol. Ii. , p. 638. 

291. Vol. Ii. , p. 641. 

292. Vol. Iii. , p. 758. 

293. Christian Church, 8vo, 1747, p. 280. 

294. The General Doctrine of Toleration, applied to Free Communion, p. 8. George Whitefield most warmly approved the communion of allGod's saints with each other. This, I must own, more particularlyendears Mr. Bunyan to my heart. He was of a catholic spirit. Thewant of water (adult baptism), with this man of God, was no bar tooutward Christian communion. And I am persuaded that if, like him, we were more deeply and experimentally baptized into the benign andgracious influences of the blessed Spirit, we should be less baptizedinto the waters of strife about circumstantials and non-essentials. For being thereby rooted and grounded in the love of God, we shouldnecessarily be constrained to think and let think, bear with andforbear one another in love, and without saying, I am of Paul, Apollos, or Cephas; have but one grand, laudable, disinterestedstrife, namely, who should live, preach, and exalt the ever-loving, altogether-lovely Jesus most. 

295. Vol. Iii. , p. 398. 

296. He hesitated as to the propriety of publishing it, probablyfrom the influence of the weighty opinion of Martin Luther. 'Thepeople are greatly delighted with allegories and similitudes, andtherefore Christ oftentimes useth them; for they are, as it were, certain pictures which set forth things as if they were paintedbefore our eyes. Paul was a marvelous cunning workman in handlingallegories, but Origen and Jerome turn plain Scriptures intounfit and foolish allegories. Therefore, to use allegories, it isoftentimes a very dangerous thing' [Com. On Gal. Iv. 21]. Suchinstructions, from one he so much venerated, curbed his exuberantimagination, and made him doubly watchful, lest allegorizing uponsubjects of such vast importance might 'darken counsel by wordswithout knowledge. '

297. Vol. Iii. , p. 739. 

298. Even Dean Swift, in his popular Letter to a Young Divine, says, 'I have been better entertained, and more informed by a fewpages in the Pilgrim's Progress, than by a long discourse uponthe will and the intellect, and simple and complex ideas. ' Nothingshort of extraordinary merit could have called for such a eulogyfrom so severe a critic. 

299. Vol. Iii. , p. 166. 

300. Within the Editor's memory, polished writers hesitated toname our incomparable allegorist, on account of his humble nameand education. Thus Cowper sang--

'I name thee not, lest so despised a name Should move a sneer atthy deserved fame. '

Now nearly all men find it difficult to do that name sufficienthonour. One of the most splendid steam-ships in America is calledafter his name. A magnificent ship, for the China trade, was builtat Aberdeen by Walter Hood & Co. , which so swiftly traversed theocean as to have made the voyage from Canton to London in ninety-ninedays, without any aid from steam. This beautiful and grand specimenof the perfection of naval architecture is named The John Bunyan. Roman Catholics have printed large editions of the Pilgrim, withslight omissions, for circulation among the young under the care ofthe nuns. Our English fanatics have committed a crime that wouldmake a papist blush. A Rev. E. Neale has clumsily altered thePilgrim's Progress, that Bunyan might appear to teach the thingswhich Bunyan's righteous heaven-born soul abhorred. It is a pieceof matchless self-conceit to think of mending that which has beenadmired by the wisest of the human race in all nations, and whichhas obtained an unbounded popularity. Such an attempt to alter itis an acknowledgment that all the boasted power of Oxford, Exeter, and Rome, are unable to invent a tale to supersede the matchlessbeauties of the work of our spiritually-minded, heavenly-assistedbrazier. If Mr. Neale should, at any time, alter a deed and thepunishment for that felony is transportation for life. A similarforgery was committed in a recent London edition of Dr. Cheever'sHill Difficulty. The Tractarians, doubtless, commit these scandalousoutrages upon the Fathers, and all other writers, and deserve thecontempt of every honest, upright mind. 

301. Vol. I. , p. 473. 

302. Vol. I. , p. 480. 

303. Two views of this meeting-house, an exterior and interior, afterits conversion into a workshop, are given in the Plate facing pagei. Of this Memoir. In the interior, part of the beams and pillarsthat supported the gallery still remain. 

304. Toplady's Works, vol. Iv. , p. 463. 

305. Vol. Iii. , p. 637. 

306. One of his anecdotes is remarkable, as exhibiting the stateof medical knowledge in his neighbourhood. A poor wretch, who hadtaught his son to blaspheme, was affected with a nervous twistingof the muscles of his chest. This was supposed to arise froma Satanic possession. One Freeman, a more than ordinary doctor, attempted the cure. They bound the patient to a form, with his headhanging down over the end; set a pan of coals under his mouth, andput something therein that made a great smoke, to fetch out thedevil. There they kept the man till he was almost smothered, butno devil came out of him [Vol. Iii. , p. 605]. The death-bed sceneof the broken-hearted Mrs. Badman, is delicately and beautifullydrawn. 

307. Sutcliff's History of Bunyan's Church. 

308. Vol. Iii. , p. 245. 

309. A beautiful satire is contained in the account of thetraitors--tradition, human wisdom, and man's invention. This pictureis drawn by an inimitable artist. Nor have we seen anything moreadmirably adapted to the present state of our Tractarian times. Vol. Iii. 277. 

310. Vol. I. , p. 22, No. 128. 

311. Vol. Ii. , p. 574. 

312. Life, 1692. 

313. Grace Abounding (continued), vol. I. , p. 63, and Life, 1692. 

314. Vol. I. , p. 505. 

315. Vol. I. , p. 719. 

316. Vol. I. , p. 753. 

317. Some of the wax remains, but the coin is lost. 

318. Vol. Iii. , p. 763. 

319. Vol. I. , p. 81. 

320. Mr. Philip, Critique on Bunyan, p. Vi. And xvi. 

321. Vol. Ii. , p. 425. 

322. Vol. Iii. , p. 766. 

323. Grace Abounding, 1692. 

324. No. 25, E. ; 26, W. ; 26, N. ; 27, S. 

325. As matters of curious interest to all lovers of Bunyan, weinsert, in the accompanying page, engravings of these relics, fromdrawings by Mr. Edward Offor. 

326. The chair is engraved above, and it will be seen that it hassuffered some little dilapidation since the last published engravingof it. The legs have been cut down to suit the height of one ofhis successors in the ministry!! With regard to the pulpit, an oldresident in Bedford says--The celebrated John Howard presented anew pulpit in the room of the old one, which was cut up. Of partof the wood a table was made, which now belongs to Mrs. Hillyerd. 

327. Vol. Iii. , p. 297. 

328. Vol. I. , p. 714. 

329. Vol. I. , p. 686. 

330. Vol. I. , pp. 690, 691. 

331. Vol. Ii. , p. 261. 

332. Vol. Iii. , p. 748. 

333. It is noticed, in a letter to the Secretary for Ireland, dated September 6, 1688--'On teusday last died the Lord Mayor SirJ. Shorter. A few days before died Bunnian his lordship's teacheror chaplain a man said to be gifted that way though once a cobler'[Ellis's Cor. , vol. Ii. , p. 161]. We can excuse the sarcasm of aRoman Catholic, and with equal good nature, and more truth, remark, that the great and eminent pope, Sixtus V. , was once a swineherd--nota bad school in which to study how to keep up a despotic sway overthe Papacy. 

334. Vol. Iii. , p. 308. 

335. Law and Grace, marg. , vol. I. , p. 524. 

336. Vol. Ii. , p. 651. 

337. Vol. I. , pp. 634, 635. 

338. Vol. Ii. , p. 653. 

339. Vol. I. , p. 647. 

340. Vol. Ii. , p. 15. 

341. Vol. Ii. , p. 497. 

342. Vol. Iii. , p. 251. 

343. Emblem xiv. , vol. Iii. , p. 751. 

344. Christ is made known by the sufferings of his saints, vol. Ii. , p. 701, and note. 

345. Vol. Iii. , p. 751, and note. 

346. Vol. Iii. , p. 595. 

347. Vol. Ii. , p. 22. 

348. Vol. Ii. , p. 257. 

349. Works, folio, 1693. 

***

GRACE ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS:

A BRIEF AND FAITHFUL RELATION OF THE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD INCHRIST TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHN BUNYAN;

WHEREIN IS PARTICULARLY SHOWED THE MANNER OF HIS CONVERSION, HISSIGHT AND TROUBLE FOR SIN, HIS DREADFUL TEMPTATIONS, ALSO HOW HEDESPAIRED OF GOD'S MERCY, AND HOW THE LORD AT LENGTH THROUGH CHRISTDID DELIVER HIM FROM ALL THE GUILT AND TERROR THAT LAY UPON HIM. 

Whereunto is added a brief relation of his call to the work ofthe ministry, of his temptations therein, as also what he hath metwith in prison. All which was written by his own hand there, andnow published for the support of the weak and tempted people ofGod. 

"Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what hehath done for my soul. "--Psalm 66:16. 

London: Printed by George Larkin, 1666. 

This title page was afterwards altered, and instead of what followsthe first line, he inserted, Or a brief and faithful relation of the exceeding mercy of God inChrist to his poor servant, John Bunyan; namely, in his taking ofhim out of the dunghill, and converting of him to the faith of hisblessed Son, Jesus Christ. Here is also particularly showed, whatsight of, and what trouble he had for sin; and also what varioustemptations he hath met with, and how God hath carried him throughthem. 

Corrected and much enlarged now by the Author, for the benefit ofthe tempted and dejected Christian. 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

The great utility of remarkable accounts of the ways of God inbringing his sheep into the fold, must be admitted by all. The Bibleabounds with these manifestations of Divine grace from the gentlevoice that called Samuel, even unto the thunder which penetratedthe soul of one, who followed the church with continued malignity, calling unto him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?"--a voiceso terrible, and accompanied by such a flood of light, as to strikethe persecutor to the earth, and for a season to deprive him ofsight. 

The 'Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners' is doubly interesting, as it unfolds to us not only the return of a notorious prodigal, but a wondrous system of education, by which a chosen man was fittedfor a wondrous work; heavenly and spiritual learning, which couldnot have been obtained in all the schools and universities in theworld. It enabled a poor, vile, unlettered rebel--a blasphemoustravelling tinker, to become a most eminent preacher; one whosenative powers, sanctified by harrowing but hallowing feelings, attracted the deep attention of the most learned and pious of hiscontemporaries, while it carried conviction to the most impious andprofane. Even beyond all this, his spiritual acquirements fittedhim, without scholastic learning, to become the most popular, themost attractive, the most useful of English authors. His worksincrease remarkably in popularity. As time rolls on, they are stillread with deeper and deeper interest, while his bodily presenceand labours mingle in the records of the events of bygone ages. 

Bunyan's account of his singular trials and temptations may haveexcited alarm in the minds of some young Christians lest they shouldbe in an unconverted state, because they have not been called topass through a similar mode of training. Pray recollect, my dearyoung Christian, that all are not called to such important publiclabours as Bunyan, or Whitfield, or Wesley. All the members ofthe Christian family are trained to fit them for their respectivepositions in the church of Christ. It is a pleasant and profitableexercise to look back to the day of our espousals, and trace theoperations of Divine grace in digging us from the hole of the pit;but the important question with us all should be, not so much HOWwe became enlightened, but NOW do we love Christ? Now do we regretour want of greater conformity to his image? If we can honestlyanswer these questions in the affirmative, we are believers, andcan claim our part in that precious promise, "Whosoever livethand believeth in me shall never die. " Spiritual life is ours, andeternal life is essentially connected with it, and must be our portion, without an inquiry into the means by which we were called, whetherby the thunders and lighting of Sinai, as Paul was smitten, or bythe "still small voice" (Acts 9:3, 4; 1 Kings 19:12; Job 4:16, 17). 

The value of such a narrative to a terror-stricken prodigal isvividly shown by Bunyan, in his 'Jerusalem Sinner Saved, ' in oneof those colloquial pieces of composition in which he eminentlyshone. 'Satan is loath to part with a great sinner. "What, my trueservant, " quoth he, "my old servant, wilt thou forsake me now?Having so often sold thyself to me to work wickedness, wilt thouforsake me now? Thou horrible wretch, dost not know, that thou hastsinned thyself beyond the reach of grace, and dost think to findmercy now? Art not thou a murderer, a thief, a harlot, a witch, a sinner of the greatest size, and dost thou look for mercy now?Dost thou think that Christ will foul his fingers with thee? Itis enough to make angels blush, saith Satan, to see so vile a oneknock at heaven-gates for mercy, and wilt thou be so abominablybold to do it?" Thus Satan dealt with me, says the great sinner, when at first I came to Jesus Christ. And what did you reply? Saiththe tempted. Why, I granted the whole charge to be true, says theother. And what, did you despair, or how? No, saith he, I said, Iam Magdalene, I am Zacheus, I am the thief, I am the harlot, I amthe publican, I am the prodigal, and one of Christ's murderers; yea, worse than any of these; and yet God was so far off from rejectingof me, as I found afterwards, that there was music and dancingin his house for me, and for joy that I was come home unto him. Oblessed be God for grace, says the other, for then I hope there isfavour for me. '

The 'Grace Abounding' is a part of Bunyan's prison meditations, and strongly reminds us of the conversation between Christian andHopeful on the enchanted ground. 

'Christian. Now then, to prevent drowsiness in this place, let usfall into good discourse. 

'Hopeful. With all my heart. 

'Christian. Where shall we begin?

'Hopeful. Where God began with us. '

To prevent drowsiness, to beguile the time, he looks back to hispast experience, and the prison became his Patmos--the gate ofheaven--a Bethel, in which his time was occupied in writing forthe benefit of his fellow-Christians. He looks back upon all thewondrous way through which the Lord had led him from the City ofDestruction to Mount Zion. While writing his own spiritual pilgrimage, his great work broke upon his imagination. 

 'And thus it was: I writing of the way, And race of saints, in this our gospel day, Fell suddenly into an allegory About their journey, and the way to glory. '

'As you read the "Grace Abounding, " you are ready to say at everystep, here is the future author of the "Pilgrim's Progress. " Itis as if you stood beside some great sculptor, and watched everymovement of his chisel, having seen his design; so that at everyblow some new trait of beauty in the future statue comes clearlyinto view. '[1]

A great difference of opinion has been expressed by learned men asto whether Bunyan's account of himself is to be understood literally, as it respects his bad conduct before his conversion, or whetherhe views himself through a glass, by which his evil habits aremagnified. No one can doubt his perfect honesty. He plainly narrateshis bad, as well as his redeeming qualities; nor does his narrativeappear to be exaggerated. He was the son of a travelling tinker, probably a gipsy, 'the meanest and most despised rank in the land';when, alarmed at his sins, recollection that the Israelites wereonce the chosen people of God, he asked his father, whether he wasof that race; as if he thought that his family were of some peculiarpeople, and it was easy for such a lad to blend the Egyptians withthe Israelitish race. When he was defamed, his slanderers calledhim a witch, or fortune teller, a Jesuit, a highwayman, or the like. Brought up to his father's trade, with his evil habits unchecked, hebecame a very depraved lad; and when he states his sad character, it is with a solemn pledge that his account is strictly true. Probably, with a view to the full gratification of his sinful propensities, he entered the army, and served among the profligate soldiers ofCharles I at the siege of Leicester. [2]

During this time, he was ill at ease; he felt convinced of sin, or righteousness, and of judgment, without a hope of mercy. Hencehis misery and internal conflicts, perhaps the most remarkableof any upon record. His own Giant Despair seized him with an irongrasp. He felt himself surrounded by invisible beings, and in theimmediate presence of a holy God. By day, he was bewildered withtormenting visions, and by night alarming dreams presented themselvesto him upon his bed. The fictitious appeared to his terrifiedimagination realities. His excited spirit became familiar withshapeless forms and fearful powers. The sorrows of death, and thepains of hell, got hold upon him. His internal conflict was trulyhorrible, as one who thought himself under the power of demons;they whispered in his ears--pulled his clothes; he madly fought, striking at imaginary shades with his hands, and stamping withhis feet at the destroyer. Thoughts of the unpardonable sin besethim, his powerful bodily frame became convulsed with agony, as ifhis breast bone would split, and he burst asunder like Judas. Hepossessed a most prolific mind, affording constant nourishment tothis excited state of his feelings. He thought that he should bebereft of his wits; than a voice rushed in at the window like thenoise of wind, very pleasant, and produced a great calm in hissoul. His intervals of ease, however, were short; the recollectionof his sins, and a fear that he had sold his Saviour, haunted hisaffrighted spirit. His soul became so tormented, as to suggest tohis ideas the suffering of a malefactor broken upon the wheel. Theclimax of these terrors is narrated at paragraph No. 187. 'Thus wasI always sinking, whatever I did think or do. So one day I walkedto a neighbouring town, and sat down upon a settle in the street, and fell into a very deep pause about the most fearful state mysin had brought me to; and, after long musing, I lifted up my head, but methought I saw as if the sun that shineth in the heavens didgrudge to give light; and as if the very stones in the street, andtiles upon the houses, did bend themselves against me; methoughtthat they all combined together, to banish me out of the world; Iwas abhorred of them, and unfit to dwell among them, or be a partakerof their benefits, because I had sinned against the Saviour. ' Inthis deep abyss of misery, THAT love which has heights and depthspassing knowledge, laid under him the everlasting arms, and raisedhim from the horrible pit in miry clay, when no human powers couldhave reached his case. Dr. Cheever eloquently remarks, that 'it wasthrough this valley of the shadow of death, overhung by darkness, peopled with devils, resounding with blasphemy and lamentations;and passing amidst quagmires and pitfalls, close by the very mouthof hell, that Bunyan journeyed to that bright and fruitful landof Beulah, in which he sojourned during the latter days of hispilgrimage. ' The only trace which his cruel sufferings and temptationsseen to have left behind them, was an affectionate compassion forthose who were still in the state in which he had once been. 

Young Christians, you must not imagine that all these terrors areabsolute prerequisites to faith in the Saviour. God, as a sovereign, calls his children to himself by various ways. Bunyan's was a veryextraordinary case, partly from his early habits--his excitablemind, at a period so calculated to fan a spark of such feelingsinto a flame. His extraordinary inventive faculties, softened downand hallowed by this fearful experience, became fitted for mostextensive usefulness. 

To eulogize this narrative, would be like 'gilding refined gold';but I cannot help remarking, among a multitude of deeply interestingpassages, his observations upon that honest open avowal of Christianprinciples, which brought down severe persecution upon him. Theyexcite our tenderest sympathy; his being dragged from his home andwife and children, he says, 'hath oft been to me, as the pullingmy flesh from my bones; my poor blind child, what sorrow art thoulike to have for thy portion in this world! thou must be beaten, must beg, suffer hunger, cold, nakedness, and a thousand calamities, though I cannot now endure the wind should blow upon thee. O, I sawI was as a man who was pulling down his house upon the head of hiswife and children; yet, recollecting myself, thought I, I mustventure you all with God. ' How awful must be the state of thewretched persecutor, who occasions such sufferings to the childrenof the most high God!

In this edition, the greatest care has been taken to preserve theexact words of the author, as he first published them; where healtered or added to the text in subsequent editions, it is markedwith an inverted comma, or inserted in the notes. Obsolete words andcustoms are explained; the numbering of his sections is continued, in addition to which, it is divided into chapters for family reading, upon the plan of the late Rev. J. Ivimey; double inverted commasdenote quotations of Scripture. 

The reader is strongly pressed to keep in his recollectionthe peculiar use made of the word should, by the author in thisnarrative. It is from the Saxon scealan, to be obliged. Thus, inthe Saxon gospels (Matt 27:15), "the governor should release untothe people a prisoner"; in our version it is, "was wont to release, "meaning that custom compelled him so to do. In Bunyan's phraseology, the word should is used in the same sense, that is, to show that, under peculiar circumstances, his feelings or position involuntarilyproduced a certain result. Thus, in No. 6, Troubled with the thoughtsof judgment and condemnation I should tremble; and in No. 15, Thefather of his wife having left her two books, in these I shouldsometimes read; probably the only books he then had. It is remarkable, that although the Saxon language had not been spoken in Bedfordshirefor many centuries, still many valuable words remained in use. 

The order in which this thrilling narrative of Bunyan's religiousfeelings and experience is now for the first time published, is, I. Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners--his call to the ministry, and his imprisonment for refusing to attend the Church of Englandservice. II. His Relation of the Circumstances attending hisincarceration in Bedford Jail. III. The continuation of his Lifeto his decease, written by one of his friends, and always printedwith Grace Abounding. IV. His Dying Thoughts. V. His PrisonMeditations--verses which were probably sold on a broadside or sheetof paper by his children, to procure necessaries for his family. 

The length of the notes may need some apology; the only one theeditor can make is his veneration for John Bunyan, and his earnestdesire to render this inestimable book more deeply interesting, byexplaining manners, customs, and words not now in use; the note onNo. 232, occupied the time of one whole day. 

The errors, omissions, and additions, which existed to a mostextraordinary extent through the book, have been corrected, and thetext restored to its primitive beauty; among many hundred of theseerrors, one may suffice as a specimen; it is in Bunyan's preface, 'God did not play in convincing of me, the devil did not play intempting of me, ' this is altered in many editions to 'God did notplay in tempting of me. '

Most earnestly do I hope that this republication, now for the firsttime, for nearly two hundred years, given in its native excellenceand purity, may be attended with the Divine blessing, to the comfortof many despairing Jerusalem sinners; to the building up of thechurch of Christ on earth; to the extension of pure, heart-felt, genuine Christianity; and to the confusion of the persecutors. Theyintended, by shutting the pious pilgrim up in a dungeon, to preventhis voice from being heard to the comfort of his poor neighbours, and by which violence, his persecutors have caused his voice toburst the prison doors and walls, and to be heard over the wholeworld. His 'Pilgrim's Progress, ' which was written in prison, hasbeen, and now is, a guide to Christian pilgrims of all nations, kindreds, tribes, and people, teaching them not to rest contentin any national religion, but personally to search the Scriptures, with earnest supplications to the God of mercy and truth, that theymay be guided to Christ, as the Alpha and Omega of their salvation. 

GEORGE OFFOR. 

A PREFACE, OR BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE PUBLISHING OF THIS WORK, WRITTENBY THE AUTHOR THEREOF, AND DEDICATED TO THOSE WHOM GOD HATH COUNTEDHIM WORTHY TO BEGET TO FAITH, BY HIS MINISTRY IN THE WORD. 

Children, grace be with you, Amen. I being taken from you in presence, and so tied up, that I cannot perform that duty that from God dothlie upon me to youward, for your further edifying and buildingup in faith and holiness, &c. , yet that you may see my soul hathfatherly care and desire after your spiritual and everlastingwelfare; I now once again, as before, from the top of Shenir andHermon, so 'now' from the lions' dens, from the mountains of theleopards (Song 4:8), do look yet after you all, greatly longing tosee your safe arrival into the desired haven. [3]

I thank God upon every remembrance of you; and rejoice, even whileI stick between the teeth of the lions in the wilderness, at thegrace, and mercy, and knowledge of Christ our saviour, which Godhath bestowed upon you, with abundance of faith and love. Yourhungerings and thirstings also after further acquaintance with theFather, in his Son; your tenderness of heart, your trembling atsin, your sober and holy deportment also, before both God and men, is great refreshment to me; "For ye are my glory and joy" (1 Thess2:20). 

I have sent you here enclosed, a drop of that honey, that I havetaken out of the carcase of a lion (Judg 14:5-9). I have eatenthereof myself also, and am much refreshed thereby. (Temptations, when we meet them at first, are as the lion that roared upon Samson;but if we overcome them, the next time we see them, we shall finda nest of honey within them. ) The Philistines understand me not. Itis 'something of' a relation of the work of God upon my own soul, even from the very first, till now; wherein you may perceivemy castings down, and raisings up; for he woundeth, and his handsmake whole. It is written in the Scripture (Isa 38:19), "The fatherto the children shall make known the truth of God. " Yea, it wasfor this reason I lay so long at Sinai (Deut 4:10, 11), to see thefire, and the cloud, and the darkness, that I might fear the Lordall the days of my life upon earth, and tell of his wondrous worksto my children (Psa 78:3-5). 

Moses (Num 33:1, 2) writ of the journeyings of the children ofIsrael, from Egypt to the land of Canaan; and commanded also, thatthey did remember their forty years' travel in the wilderness. "Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led theethese forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to provethee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keephis commandments, or no" (Deut 8:2). Wherefore this I have endeavouredto do; and not only so, but to publish it also; that, if God will, others may be put in remembrance of what he hath done for theirsouls, by reading his work upon me. 

It is profitable for Christians to be often calling to mind thevery beginnings of grace with their souls. "It is a night to bemuch observed unto the Lord for bringing them out from the landof Egypt: this is that night of the Lord to be observed of all thechildren of Israel in their generations" (Exo 12:42). "O my God, "saith David (Psa 42:6), "my soul is cast down within me; thereforewill I remember thee from the land of Jordan, and of the Hermonites, from the hill Mizar. " He remembered also the lion and the bear, when he went to fight with the giant of Gath (1 Sam 17:36, 37). 

It was Paul's accustomed manner (Acts 22), and that when tried forhis life (Acts 24), even to open, before his judges, the manner ofhis conversion: he would think of that day, and that hour, in thewhich he first did meet with grace;[4] for he found it supportunto him. When God had brought the children of Israel through theRed Sea, far into the wilderness, yet they must turn quite aboutthither again, to remember the drowning of their enemies there(Num 14:25). For though they sang his praise before, yet "they soonforgat his works" (Psa 106:11-13). 

In this discourse of mine you may see much; much, I say, of thegrace of God towards me. I thank God I can count it much, for itwas above my sins and Satan's temptations too. I can remember myfears, and doubts, and sad months with comfort; they are as the headof Goliah in my hand. There was nothing to David like Goliah'ssword, even that sword that should have been sheathed in his bowels;for the very sight and remembrance of that did preach forth God'sdeliverance to him. Oh, the remembrance of my great sins, of mygreat temptations, and of my great fears of perishing for ever!They bring afresh into my mind the remembrance of my great help, my great support from heaven, and that the great grace that Godextended to such a wretch as I. 

My dear children, call to mind the former days, "and the years ofancient times: remember also your songs in the night; and communewith your own heart" (Psa 73:5-12). Yea, look diligently, and leaveno corner therein unsearched, for there is treasure hid, even thetreasure of your first and second experience of the grace of Godtoward you. Remember, I say, the word that first laid hold uponyou; remember your terrors of conscience, and fear of death andhell; remember also your tears and prayers to God; yea, how yousighed under every hedge for mercy. Have you never a hill Mizar toremember? Have you forgot the close, the milk house, the stable, the barn, and the like, where God did visit your soul?[5] Rememberalso the Word--the Word, I say, upon which the Lord hath causedyou to hope. If you have sinned against light; if you are temptedto blaspheme; if you are down in despair; if you think God fightsagainst you; or if heaven is hid from your eyes, remember it wasthus with your father, but out of them all the Lord delivered me. 

I could have enlarged much in this my discourse, of my temptationsand troubles for sin; as also of the merciful kindness and workingof God with my soul. I could also have stepped into a style muchhigher than this in which I have here discoursed, and could haveadorned all things more than here I have seemed to do, but I darenot. God did not play in convincing of me, the devil did not playin tempting of me, neither did I play when I sunk as into a bottomlesspit, when the pangs of hell caught hold upon me; wherefore I maynot play in my relating of them, but be plain and simple, and laydown the thing as it was. He that liketh it, let him receive it;and he that does not, let him produce a better. Farewell. 

My dear children, the milk and honey is beyond this wilderness. Godbe merciful to you, and grant 'that' you be not slothful to go into possess the land. 

JOHN BUNYAN. 

GRACE ABOUNDING TO THE CHIEF OF SINNERS; OR, A BRIEF RELATION OFTHE EXCEEDING MERCY OF GOD IN CHRIST, TO HIS POOR SERVANT, JOHNBUNYAN. 

[BUNYAN'S ACCOUNT OF HIMSELF PREVIOUS TO HIS CONVERSION. ]

1. In this my relation of the merciful working of God upon my soul, it will not be amiss, if, in the first place, I do, in a few words, give you a hint of my pedigree, and manner of bringing up; thatthereby the goodness and bounty of God towards me, may be the moreadvanced and magnified before the sons of men. 

2. For my descent then, it was, as is well known by many, of alow and inconsiderable generation; my father's house being of thatrank that is meanest and most despised of all the families in theland. [6] Wherefore I have not here, as others, to boast of nobleblood, or of a high-born state, according to the flesh; though, all things considered, I magnify the heavenly Majesty, for that bythis door he brought me into this world, to partake of the graceand life that is in Christ by the gospel. 

3. But yet, notwithstanding the meanness and inconsiderablenessof my parents, it pleased God to put it into their hearts to putme to school, to learn both to read and write; the which I alsoattained, according to the rate of other poor men's children;[7]though, to my shame I confess, I did soon lose that little I learned, and that even almost utterly, and that long before the Lord didwork his gracious work of conversion upon my soul. 

4. As for my own natural life, for the time that I was without Godin the world, it was indeed according to the course of this world, and "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience"(Eph 2:2, 3). It was my delight to be "taken captive by the devilat his will" (2 Tim 2:26). Being filled with all unrighteousness:the which did also so strongly work and put forth itself, both in myheart and life, and that from a child, that I had but few equals, especially considering my years, which were tender, being few, bothfor cursing, swearing, lying, and blaspheming the holy name of God. 

5. Yea, so settled and rooted was I in these things, that theybecame as a second nature to me; the which, as I also have withsoberness considered since, did so offend the Lord, that evenin my childhood he did scare and affright me with fearful dreams, and did terrify me with dreadful visions; for often, after I hadspent this and the other day in sin, I have in my bed been greatlyafflicted, while asleep, with the apprehensions of devils andwicked spirits, who still, as I then thought, laboured to draw meaway with them, of which I could never be rid. 

6. Also I should, at these years, be greatly afflicted and troubledwith the thoughts of the day of judgment, and that both night andday, and should tremble at the thoughts of the fearful tormentsof hell fire; still fearing that it would be my lot to be found atlast amongst those devils and hellish fiends, who are there bounddown with the chains and bonds of eternal darkness, "unto thejudgment of the great day. "

7. These things, I say, when I was but a child, 'but nine or tenyears old, ' did so distress my soul, that when in the midst of mymany sports and childish vanities, amidst my vain companions, Iwas often much cast down and afflicted in my mind therewith, yetcould I not let go my sins. Yea, I was 'also then' so overcomewith despair of life and heaven, that I should often wish eitherthat there had been no hell, or that I had been a devil--supposingthey were only tormentors; that if it must needs be that I wentthither, I might be rather a tormentor, than 'be' tormented myself. 

8. A while after, these terrible dreams did leave me, which also Isoon forgot; for my pleasures did quickly cut off the remembranceof them, as if they had never been: wherefore, with more greediness, according to the strength of nature, I did still let loose thereins to my lusts, and delighted in all transgression against thelaw of God: so that, until I came to the state of marriage, I wasthe very ringleader of all the youth that kept me company, intoall manner of vice and ungodliness. [8]

9. Yea, such prevalency had the lusts and fruits of the flesh inthis poor soul of mine, that had not a miracle of precious graceprevented, I had not only perished by the stroke of eternal justice, but had also laid myself open, even to the stroke of those laws, which bring some to disgrace and open shame before the face of theworld. 

10. In these days, the thoughts of religion were very grievous tome; I could neither endure it myself, nor that any other should;so that, when I have seen some read in those books that concernedChristian piety, it would be as it were a prison to me. Then Isaid unto God, "Depart from me, for I desire not the knowledge ofthy ways" (Job 21:14). I was now void of all good consideration, heaven and hell were both out of sight and mind; and as for savingand damning, they were least in my thoughts. [9] O Lord, thou knowestmy life, and my ways were not hid from thee. 

11. Yet this I well remember, that though I could myself sin with thegreatest delight and ease, and also take pleasure in the vilenessof my companions; yet, even then, if I have at any time seen wickedthings, by those who professed goodness, it would make my spirittremble. As once, above all the rest, when I was in my height ofvanity, yet hearing one to swear that was reckoned for a religiousman, it had so great a stroke upon my spirit, that it made my heartto ache. 

12. 'But God did not utterly leave me, but followed me still, notnow with convictions, but judgments; yet such as were mixed withmercy. For once I fell into a creek of the sea, and hardly escapeddrowning. Another time I fell out of a boat into Bedford river, but mercy yet preserved me alive. Besides, another time, being inthe field with one of my companions, it chanced that an adder passedover the highway; so I, having a stick in my hand, struck her overthe back; and having stunned her, I forced open her mouth with mystick, and plucked her sting out with my fingers; by which act, hadnot God been merciful unto me, I might, by my desperateness, havebrought myself to mine end. '

13. 'This also have I taken notice of with thanksgiving; when Iwas a soldier, I, with others, were drawn out to go to such a placeto besiege it; but when I was just ready to go, one of the companydesired to go in my room; to which, when I had consented, he tookmy place; and coming to the siege, as he stood sentinel, he wasshot into the head with a musket bullet, and died. '[10]

14. 'Here, as I said, were judgments and mercy, but neither of themdid awaken my soul to righteousness; wherefore I sinned still, andgrew more and more rebellious against God, and careless of mineown salvation. '

15. Presently after this, I changed my condition into a marriedstate, and my mercy was to light upon a wife whose father wascounted godly. [11] This woman and I, though we came together as pooras poor might be, not having so much household stuff as a dish orspoon betwixt us both, yet this she had for her part, The PlainMan's Pathway to Heaven, and The Practice of Piety, which her fatherhad left her when he died. In these two books I should sometimesread with her, wherein I also found some things that were somewhatpleasing to me; but all this while I met with no conviction. Shealso would be often telling of me, what a godly man her father was, and how he would reprove and correct vice, both in his house, andamongst his neighbours; what a strict and holy life he lived inhis day, both in word and deed. 

16. Wherefore these books with this relation, though they did notreach my heart, to awaken it about my sad and sinful state, yetthey did beget within me some desires to religion: so that, becauseI knew no better, I fell in very eagerly with the religion of thetimes; to wit, to go to church twice a day, and that too with theforemost; and there should very devoutly, both say and sing as othersdid, yet retaining my wicked life; but withal, I was so overrunwith a spirit of superstition, that I adored, and that with greatdevotion, even all things, both the high place, priest, clerk, vestment, service, and what else belonging to the church; countingall things holy that were therein contained, and especially thepriest and clerk most happy, and without doubt, greatly blessed, because they were the servants, as I then thought, of God, and wereprincipal in the holy temple, to do his work therein. 

17. This conceit grew so strong in little time upon my spirit, thathad I but seen a priest, though never so sordid and debauched inhis life, I should find my spirit fall under him, reverence him, and knit unto him; yea, I thought for the love I did bear untothem, supposing they were the ministers of God, I could have laindown at their feet, and have been trampled upon by them; theirname, their garb, and work, did so intoxicate and bewitch me. 

18. After I had been thus for some considerable time, anotherthought came into my mind; and that was, whether we were of theIsraelites, or no? For finding in the Scriptures that they wereonce the peculiar people of God, thought I, if I were one of thisrace, my soul must needs be happy. [12] Now again, I found withinme a great longing to be resolved about this question, but couldnot tell how I should. At last I asked my father of it; who toldme--No, we were not. Wherefore then I fell in my spirit as to thehopes of that, and so remained. 

19. But all this while, I was not sensible of the danger and evilof sin; I was kept from considering that sin would damn me, whatreligion soever I followed, unless I was found in Christ. Nay, Inever thought of him, nor whether there was one, or no. Thus man, while blind, doth wander, but wearieth himself with vanity, for heknoweth not the way to the city of God (Eccl 10:15). 

20. But one day, amongst all the sermons our parson made, his subjectwas, to treat of the Sabbath-day, and of the evil of breaking that, either with labour, sports, or otherwise. Now I was, notwithstandingmy religion, one that took much delight in all manner of vice, andespecially that was the day that I did solace myself therewith, [13]wherefore I fell in my conscience under his sermon, thinking andbelieving that he made that sermon on purpose to show me my evildoing; and at that time I felt what guilt was, though never before, that I can remember; but then I was, for the present, greatlyloaden therewith, and so went home when the sermon was ended, witha great burden upon my spirit. 

21. This, for that instant, did 'benumb'[14] the sinews of my 'best'delights, and did imbitter my former pleasures to me; but behold, it lasted not, for before I had well dined, the trouble began to gooff my mind, and my heart returned to its old course: but oh! Howglad was I, that this trouble was gone from me, and that the firewas put out, 'that I might sin again without control!' Wherefore, when I had satisfied nature with my food, I shook the sermon outof my mind, and to my old custom of sports and gaming I returnedwith great delight. 

22. But the same day, as I was in the midst of a game at cat, [15]and having struck it one blow from the hole, just as I was aboutto strike it the second time, a voice did suddenly dart from heaveninto my soul, which said, Wilt thou leave thy sins and go to heaven, or have thy sins and go to hell? At this I was put to an exceedingmaze; wherefore, leaving my cat upon the ground, I looked up toheaven, and was, as if I had, with the eyes of my understanding, seen the Lord Jesus looking down upon me, as being very hotlydispleased with me, and as if he did severely threaten me with somegrievous punishment for these and other my ungodly practices. 

23. I had no sooner thus conceived in my mind, but suddenly thisconclusion was fastened on my spirit, for the former hint did setmy sins again before my face, that I had been a great and grievoussinner, and that it was now too too late for me to look after heaven;for Christ would not forgive me, nor pardon my transgressions. ThenI fell to musing upon this also; and while I was thinking on it, and fearing lest it should be so, I felt my heart sink in despair, concluding it was too late; and therefore I resolved in my mind Iwould go on in sin: for, thought I, if the case be thus, my stateis surely miserable; miserable if I leave my sins, and but miserableif I follow them; I can but be damned, and if I must be so, I hadas good be damned for many sins, as to be damned for few. 

24. Thus I stood in the midst of my play, before all that then werepresent; but yet I told them nothing: but I say, I having made thisconclusion, I returned 'desperately' to my sport again; and I wellremember, that presently this kind of despair did so possess mysoul, that I was persuaded, I could never attain to other comfortthan what I should get in sin; for heaven was gone already, sothat on that I must not think; wherefore I found within me a greatdesire to take my fill of sin, still studying what sin was yet tobe committed, that I might taste the sweetness of it; and I madeas much haste as I could to fill my belly with its delicates, lestI should die before I had my desire; for that I feared greatly. Inthese things, I protest before God, I lie not, neither do I feignthis sort of speech; these were really, strongly, and with allmy heart, my desires; the good Lord, whose mercy is unsearchable, forgive me my transgressions. 

25. And I am very confident, that this temptation of the devil ismore usual amongst poor creatures than many are aware of, even tooverrun their spirits with a scurvy and seared frame of heart, andbenumbing of conscience; which frame, he stilly and slyly suppliethwith such despair, that though not much guilt attendeth the soul, yet they continually have a secret conclusion within them, thatthere is no hopes for them; for they have loved sins, "thereforeafter them they will go" (Jer 2:25, 18:12). 

26. Now therefore I went on in sin with great greediness of mind, still grudging that I could not be so satisfied with it as I would. This did continue with me about a month, or more; but one day, asI was standing at a neighbour's shop-window, and there cursing andswearing, and playing the madman, after my wonted manner, theresat within, the woman of the house, and heard me, who, though shewas a very loose and ungodly wretch, yet protested that I swore andcursed at that most fearful rate, that she was made to tremble tohear me; and told me further, That I was the ungodliest fellow forswearing that ever she heard in all her life; and that I, by thusdoing, was able to spoil all the youth in a whole town, if theycame but in my company. 

27. At this reproof I was silenced, and put to secret shame, andthat too, as I thought, before the God of heaven; wherefore, whileI stood there, and hanging down my head, I wished with all my heartthat I might be a little child again, that my father might learnme to speak without this wicked way of swearing;[16] for, thoughtI, I am so accustomed to it, that it is in vain for me to think ofa reformation, for I thought it could never be. 

28. But how it came to pass, I know not; I did from this timeforward so leave my swearing, that it was a great wonder to myselfto observe it; and whereas before, I knew not how to speak unlessI put an oath before, and another behind, to make my words haveauthority; now, I could, 'without it, ' speak better, and with morepleasantness, than ever I could before. All this while I knew notJesus Christ, neither did I leave my sports and plays. 

29. But quickly after this, I fell in company with one poorman that made profession of religion; who, as I then thought, didtalk pleasantly of the Scriptures, and of the matters of religion;wherefore, falling into some love and liking to what he said, Ibetook me to my Bible, and began to take great pleasure in reading, but especially with the historical part thereof; for, as for Paul'sepistles, and Scriptures of that nature, I could not away withthem, being as yet but ignorant, either of the corruptions of mynature, or of the want and worth of Jesus Christ to save me. 

30. Wherefore I fell to some outward reformation, both in mywords and life, and did set the commandments before me for my wayto heaven; which commandments I also did strive to keep, and, asI thought, did keep them pretty well sometimes, and then I shouldhave comfort; yet now and then should break one, and so afflict myconscience; but then I should repent, and say I was sorry for it, and promise God to do better next time, and there get help again, 'for then I thought I pleased God as well as any man in England. '

31. Thus I continued about a year; all which time our neighboursdid take me to be a very godly man, a new and religious man, anddid marvel much to see such a great and famous alteration in mylife and manners; and, indeed, so it was, though yet I knew notChrist, nor grace, nor faith, nor hope; and, truly, as I have wellseen since, had then died, my state had been most fearful; well, this, I say, continued about a twelvemonth or more. 

32. 'But, I say, my neighbours were amazed at this my great conversion, from prodigious profaneness, to something like a moral life; and, truly, so they well might; for this my conversion was as great, asfor Tom of Bedlam to become a sober man. [17] Now, therefore, theybegan to praise, to commend, and to speak well of me, both to myface, and behind my back. Now, I was, as they said, become godly;now, I was become a right honest man. But, oh! When I understoodthat these were their words and opinions of men, it pleased memighty well. For though, as yet, I was nothing but a poor paintedhypocrite, yet I loved to be talked of as one that was truly godly. I was proud of my godliness, and, indeed, I did all I did, eitherto be seen of, or to be well spoken of, by man. And thus I continuedfor about a twelvemonth or more. '

33. 'Now, you must know, that before this I had taken much delightin ringing, but my conscience beginning to be tender, I thoughtsuch practice was but vain, and therefore forced myself to leave it, yet my mind hankered; wherefore I should go to the steeple house, and look on it, though I durst not ring. But I thought this didnot become religion neither, yet I forced myself, and would lookon still; but quickly after, I began to think, How, if one of thebells should fall? Then I chose to stand under a main beam, thatlay overthwart the steeple, from side to side, thinking there Imight stand sure, but then I should think again, should the bellfall with a swing, it might first hit the wall, and then reboundingupon me, might kill me for all this beam. This made me stand in thesteeple door; and now, thought I, I am safe enough; for, if a bellshould then fall, I can slip out behind these thick walls, and sobe preserved notwithstanding. '

34. 'So, after this, I would yet go to see them ring, but would notgo further than the steeple door; but then it came into my head, How, if the steeple itself should fall? And this thought, it mayfall for ought I know, when I stood and looked on, did continuallyso shake my mind, that I durst not stand at the steeple door anylonger, but was forced to flee, for fear the steeple should fallupon my head. '

35. 'Another thing was my dancing; I was a full year before Icould quite leave that; but all this while, when I thought I keptthis or that commandment, or did, by word or deed, anything thatI thought was good, I had great peace in my conscience; and shouldthink with myself, God cannot choose but be now pleased with me;yea, to relate it in mine own way, I thought no man in Englandcould please God better than I. '

36. 'But poor wretch as I was, I was all this while ignorant ofJesus Christ, and going about to establish my own righteousness;and had perished therein, had not God, in mercy, showed me more ofmy state of nature. '

[HIS CONVERSION AND PAINFUL EXERCISES OF MIND, PREVIOUS TO HISJOINING THE CHURCH AT BEDFORD. ]

37. But upon a day, the good providence of God did cast me toBedford, to work on my calling; and in one of the streets of thattown, I came where there were three or four poor women sitting ata door in the sun, and talking about the things of God; and beingnow willing to hear them discourse, I drew near to hear what theysaid, for I was now a brisk talker also myself in the matters ofreligion, but now I may say, I heard, but I understood not; forthey were far above, out of my reach; for their talk was abouta new birth, the work of God on their hearts, also how they wereconvinced of their miserable state by nature; they talked how Godhad visited their souls with his love in the Lord Jesus, and withwhat words and promises they had been refreshed, comforted, andsupported against the temptations of the devil. Moreover, theyreasoned of the suggestions and temptations of Satan in particular;and told to each other by which they had been afflicted, and howthey were borne up under his assaults. They also discoursed of theirown wretchedness of heart, of their unbelief; and did contemn, slight, and abhor their own righteousness, as filthy and insufficient todo them any good. 

38. And methought they spake as if joy did make them speak; theyspake with such pleasantness of Scripture language, and with suchappearance of grace in all they said, that they were to me, as ifthey had found a new world, [18] as if they were people that dweltalone, and were not to be reckoned among their neighbours (Num23:9). 

39. At this I felt my own heart began to shake, as mistrusting mycondition to be nought; for I saw that in all my thoughts aboutreligion and salvation, the new birth did never enter into mymind, neither knew I the comfort of the Word and promise, nor thedeceitfulness and treachery of my own wicked heart. As for secretthoughts, I took no notice of them; neither did I understand whatSatan's temptations were, nor how they were to be withstood andresisted, &c. 

40. Thus, therefore, when I had heard and considered what theysaid, I left them, and went about my employment again, but theirtalk and discourse went with me; also my heart would tarry withthem, for I was greatly affected with their words, both becauseby them I was convinced that I wanted the true tokens of a trulygodly man, and also because by them I was convinced of the happyand blessed condition of him that was such a one. [19]

41. Therefore I should often make it my business to be going againand again into the company of these poor people, for I could notstay away; and the more I went amongst them, the more did question mycondition; and as I still do remember, presently I found two thingswithin me, at which I did sometimes marvel, especially consideringwhat a blind, ignorant, sordid, and ungodly wretch but just beforeI was; the one was a very great softness and tenderness of heart, which caused me to fall under the conviction of what by Scripturethey asserted; and the other was a great bending in my mind to acontinual meditating on it, and on all other good things which atany time I heard or read of. 

42. 'By these things' my mind was now so turned, that it lay likea horse leech at the vein, still crying out, Give, give (Prov30:15); yea, it was so fixed on eternity, and on the things aboutthe kingdom of heaven, that is, so far as I knew, though as yet, God knows, I knew but little; that neither pleasures, nor profits, nor persuasions, nor threats, could loosen it, or make it let gohis hold; and though I may speak it with shame, yet it is in verydeed a certain truth, it would then have been as difficult forme to have taken my mind from heaven to earth, as I have found itoften since to get it again from earth to heaven. '

43. 'One thing I may not omit: There was a young man in our town, to whom my heart before was knit more than to any other, but hebeing a most wicked creature for cursing, and swearing, and whoring, I now shook him off, and forsook his company; but about a quarterof a year after I had left him, I met him in a certain lane, and asked him how he did; he, after his old swearing and mad way, answered, He was well. But, Harry, said I, why do you swear andcurse thus? What will become of you, if you die in this condition?He answered me in a great chafe, What would the devil do for company, if it were not for such as I am?'

44. 'About this time I met with some Ranters' books, that were putforth by some of our countrymen, which books were also highly inesteem by several old professors; some of these I read, but was notable to make a judgment about them; wherefore as I read in them, and thought upon them, feeling myself unable to judge, I shouldbetake myself to hearty prayer in this manner: O Lord, I am a fool, and not able to know the truth from error: Lord, leave me not tomy own blindness, either to approve of, or condemn this doctrine;if it be of God, let me not despise it; if it be of the devil, letme not embrace it. Lord, I lay my soul, in this matter, only atthy foot; let me not be deceived, I humbly beseech thee. I hadone religious intimate companion all this while, and that was thepoor man that I spoke of before; but about this time he also turneda most devilish Ranter, [20] and gave himself up to all manner offilthiness, especially uncleanness: he would also deny that therewas a God, angel, or spirit; and would laugh at all exhortationsto sobriety. When I laboured to rebuke his wickedness, he wouldlaugh the more, and pretend that he had gone through all religions, and could never light on the right till now. He told me also, thatin a little time I should see all professors turn to the ways ofthe Ranters. Wherefore, abominating those cursed principles, I lefthis company forthwith, and became to him as great a stranger, asI had been before a familiar. '

45. 'Neither was this man only a temptation to me; but my callinglying in the country, I happened to light into several people'scompany, who, though strict in religion formerly, yet were alsoswept away by these Ranters. These would also talk with me of theirways, and condemn me as legal and dark; pretending that they onlyhad attained to perfection that could do what they would, andnot sin. Oh! These temptations were suitable to my flesh, I beingbut a young man, and my nature in its prime; but God, who had, asI hope, designed me for better things, kept me in the fear of hisname, and did not suffer me to accept of such cursed principles. And blessed be God, who put it into my heart to cry to him to bekept and directed, still distrusting mine own wisdom; for I havesince seen even the effect of that prayer, in his preserving me notonly from ranting errors, but from those also that have sprung upsince. The Bible was precious to me in those days. '

46. And now, methought, I began to look into the Bible with neweyes, and read as I never did before; and especially the epistlesof the apostle Paul were sweet and pleasant to me; and, indeed, Iwas then never out of the Bible, either by reading or meditation;still crying out to God, that I might know the truth, and way toheaven and glory. 

47. And as I went on and read, I lighted on that passage, 'To oneis given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word ofknowledge by the same Spirit; and to another faith, ' &c. (1 Cor12:8, 9). And though, as I have since seen, that by this Scripturethe Holy Ghost intends, in special, things extraordinary, yeton me it did then fasten with conviction, that I did want thingsordinary, even that understanding and wisdom that other Christianshad. On this word I mused, and could not tell what to do, 'especiallythis word faith put me to it, for I could not help it, but sometimesmust question, whether I had any faith or no'; for I feared thatit shut me out of all the blessings that other good people had givethem of God;[21] but I was loath to conclude I had no faith in mysoul; for if I do so, thought I, then I shall count myself a verycast-away indeed. 

48. No, said I with myself, though I am convinced that I aman ignorant sot, and that I want those blessed gifts of knowledgeand understanding that other good people have; yet, at a venture, I will conclude I am not altogether faithless, though I know notwhat faith is. For it was showed me, and that too, as I have sinceseen, by Satan, that those who conclude themselves in a faithlessstate, have neither rest nor quiet in their souls; and I was loathto fall quite into despair. 

49. Wherefore, by this suggestion, I was for a while made afraidto see my want of faith; but God would not suffer me thus to undoand destroy my soul, but did continually, against this my blind andsad conclusion, create still within me such suppositions, 'insomuch'that I might in this deceive myself, that I could not rest content, until I did now come to some certain knowledge, whether I had faithor no; this always running in my mind, But how if you want faithindeed? But how can you tell you have faith? 'and, besides, I sawfor certain, if I had not, I was sure to perish for ever. '

50. So that though I endeavoured at the first, to look over thebusiness of faith, yet in a little time, I better considering thematter, was willing to put myself upon the trial, whether I hadfaith or no. But, alas, poor wretch, so ignorant and brutish wasI, that I knew to this day no more how to do it, than I know howto begin and accomplish that rare and curious piece of art, whichI never yet saw not considered. 

51. Wherefore, while I was thus considering, and being put to myplunge about it, for you must know, that as yet I had in this matterbroken my mind to no man, only did hear and consider, the temptercame in with his delusion, That there was no way for me to know Ihad faith, but by trying to work some miracle; urging those Scripturesthat seem to look that way, for the enforcing and strengtheninghis temptation. Nay, one day as I was betwixt Elstow and Bedford, the temptation was hot upon me, to try if I had faith, by doing ofsome miracle: which miracle at that time was this, I must say tothe puddles that were in the horse pads, Be dry; and to the dryplaces, Be you the puddles. And truly, one time I was agoing tosay so indeed; but just as I was about to speak, this thought cameinto my mind, But go under yonder hedge and pray first, that Godwould make you able. But when I had concluded to pray, this camehot upon me, That if I prayed, and came again and tried to do it, and yet did nothing notwithstanding, then be sure I had no faith, but was a cast-away and lost. Nay, thought I, if it be so, I willnever try yet, but will stay a little longer. 

52. So I continued at a great loss; for I thought, if they onlyhad faith, which could do so wonderful things, then I concluded, that, for the present, I neither had it, nor yet, for time to come, were ever like to have it. Thus I was tossed betwixt the devil andmy own ignorance, and so perplexed, especially at some times, thatI could not tell what to do. 

53. About this time, the state and happiness of these poor peopleat Bedford was thus, in a dream or vision, represented to me. Isaw, as if they were set on the sunny side of some high mountain, there refreshing themselves with the pleasant beams of the sun, while I was shivering and shrinking in the cold, afflicted withfrost, snow, and dark clouds. Methought, also, betwixt me and them, I saw a wall that did compass about this mountain; now, throughthis wall my soul did greatly desire to pass; concluding, that ifI could, I would go even into the very midst of them, and therealso comfort myself with the heat of their sun. 

54. About this wall I thought myself, to go again and again, stillprying as I went, to see if I could find some way or passage, bywhich I might enter therein; but none could I find for some time. At the last, I saw, as it were, a narrow gap, like a little doorwayin the wall, through which I attempted to pass; but the passagebeing very strait and narrow, I made many efforts to get in, butall in vain, even until I was well nigh quite beat out, by strivingto get in; at last, with great striving, methought I at first didget in my head, and after that, by a sidling striving, my shoulders, and my whole body; then was I exceeding glad, and went and sat downin the midst of them, and so was comforted with the light and heatof their sun. 

55. Now, this mountain and wall, &c. , was thus made out to me--themountain signified the church of the living God; the sun that shonethereon, the comfortable shining of his merciful face on them thatwere therein; the wall, I thought, was the Word, that did makeseparation between the Christians and the world; and the gap whichwas in this wall, I thought, was Jesus Christ, who is the way toGod the Father (John 14:6; Matt 7:14). But forasmuch as the passagewas wonderful narrow, even so narrow, that I could not, but withgreat difficulty, enter in thereat, it showed me that none couldenter into life, but those that were in downright earnest, [22] andunless also they left this wicked world behind them; for here wasonly room for body and soul, but not for body and soul, and sin. [23]

56. This resemblance abode upon my spirit many days; all which time, I saw myself in a forlorn and sad condition, but yet was provokedto a vehement hunger and desire to be one of that number that didsit in the sunshine. Now also I should pray wherever I was, whetherat home or abroad, in house or field, and should also often, withlifting up of heart, sing that of the 51st Psalm, O Lord, considermy distress; for as yet I knew not where I was. 

57. Neither as yet could I attain to any comfortable persuasionthat I had faith in Christ; but instead of having satisfaction, here I began to find my soul to be assaulted with fresh doubtsabout my future happiness; especially with such as these, WhetherI was elected? But how, if the day of grace should now be past andgone?

58. By these two temptations I was very much afflicted and disquieted;sometimes by one, and sometimes by the other of them. And first, to speak of that about my questioning my election, I found at thistime, that though I was in a flame to find the way to heaven andglory, and though nothing could beat me off from this, yet thisquestion did so offend and discourage me, that I was, especiallyat some times, as if the very strength of my body also had beentaken away by the force and power thereof. This scripture did alsoseem to me to trample upon all my desires, "It is not of him thatwilleth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy"(Rom 9:16). 

59. With this scripture I could not tell what to do; for I evidentlysaw, that unless the great God, of his infinite grace and bounty, had voluntarily chosen me to be a vessel of mercy, though I shoulddesire, and long and labour until my heart did break, no goodcould come of it. Therefore, this would still stick with me, Howcan you tell that you are elected? And what if you should not? Howthen?

60. O Lord, thought I, what if I should not, indeed? It may be youare not, said the tempter; it may be so, indeed, thought I. Why, then, said Satan, you had as good leave off, and strive no further;for if, indeed, you should not be elected and chosen of God, thereis no talk of your being saved; "For it is neither of him thatwilleth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. "

61. By these things I was driven to my wits' end, not knowingwhat to say, or how to answer these temptations. Indeed, I littlethought that Satan had thus assaulted me, but that rather it wasmy own prudence, thus to start the question; for, that the electonly attained eternal life, that I, without scruple, did heartilyclose withal; but that myself was one of them, there lay all thequestion. 

62. Thus, therefore, for several days, I was greatly assaulted andperplexed, and was often, when I have been walking, ready to sinkwhere I went, with faintness in my mind; but one day, after I hadbeen so many weeks oppressed and cast down therewith, as I wasnow quite giving up the ghost of all my hopes of ever attaininglife, that sentence fell with weight upon my spirit, "Look at thegenerations of old and see; did ever any trust in the Lord, andwas confounded?"

63. At which I was greatly lightened and encouraged in my soul;for thus, at that very instant, it was expounded to me, Begin atthe beginning of Genesis, and read to the end of the Revelation, and see if you can find that there was ever any that trusted inthe Lord, and was confounded. So, coming home, I presently went tomy Bible to see if I could find that saying, not doubting but tofind it presently; for it was so fresh, and with such strength andcomfort on my spirit, that I was as if it talked with me. 

64. Well, I looked, but I found it not; only it abode upon me;then I did ask first this good man, and then another, if they knewwhere it was, but they knew no such place. At this I wondered, that such a sentence should so suddenly, and with such comfort andstrength, seize and abide upon my heart, and yet that none couldfind it, for I doubted not but it was in holy Scripture. 

65. Thus I continued above a year, and could not find the place;but at last, casting my eye into the Apocrypha books, I found itin Ecclesiasticus 2:10. This, at the first, did somewhat daunt me;but because, by this time, I had got more experience of the loveand kindness of God, it troubled me the less; especially whenI considered, that though it was not in those texts that we callholy and canonical, yet forasmuch as this sentence was the sumand substance of many of the promises, it was my duty to take thecomfort of it; and I bless God for that word, for it was of God tome: that word doth still, at times, shine before my face. 

66. After this, that other doubt did come with strength upon me, But how if the day of grace should be past and gone? How if youhave over-stood the time of mercy? Now, I remember that one day, asI was walking into the country, I was much in the thoughts of this, But how if the day of grace be past? And to aggravate my trouble, the tempter presented to my mind those good people of Bedford, andsuggested thus unto me, That these being converted already, theywere all that God would save in those parts; and that I came toolate, for these had got the blessing before I came. 

67. Now was I in great distress, thinking in very deed that thismight well be so; wherefore I went up and down bemoaning my sadcondition, counting myself far worse than a thousand fools, forstanding off thus long, and spending so many years in sin as I haddone; still crying out, Oh, that I had turned sooner; Oh, that Ihad turned seven years ago! It made me also angry with myself, tothink that I should have no more wit, but to trifle away my timetill my soul and heaven were lost. 

68. But when I had been long vexed with this fear, and was scarceable to take one step more, just about the same place where I receivedmy other encouragement, these words broke in upon my mind, "Compelthem to come in, that my house may be filled"; "and yet there isroom" (Luke 14:22, 23). These words, but especially them, "And yetthere is room" were sweet words to me; for, truly, I thought thatby them I saw there was place enough in heaven for me; and, moreover, that when the Lord Jesus did speak these words, he then did thinkof me; and that he knowing that the time would come that I shouldbe afflicted with fear that there was no place left for me in hisbosom, did before speak this word, and leave it upon record, thatI might find help thereby against this vile temptations. 'This, Ithen verily believed. '

69. In the light and encouragement of this word, I went a prettywhile; and the comfort was the more, when I thought that the LordJesus should think on me so long ago, and that he should speak themwords on purpose for my sake; for I did then think, verily, thathe did on purpose speak them, to encourage me withal. 

70. 'But I was not without my temptations to go back again;temptations, I say, both from Satan, mine own heart, and carnalacquaintance; but I thank God these were outweighed by that soundsense of death and of the day of judgment, which abode, as it were, continually in my view; I should often also think on Nebuchadnezzar, of whom it is said, He had given him all the kingdoms of the earth(Dan 5:19). Yet, thought I, if this great man had all his portionin this world, one hour in hell fire would make him forget all. Which consideration was a great help to me. '

71. 'I was almost made, about this time, to see something concerningthe beasts that Moses counted clean and unclean. I thought thosebeasts were types of men; the clean, types of them that were thepeople of God; but the unclean, types of such as were the childrenof the wicked one. Now, I read that the clean beasts chewed thecud; that is, thought I, they show us we must feed upon the Word ofGod. They also parted the hoof; I thought that signified we mustpart, if we would be saved, with the ways of ungodly men. And also, in further reading about them I found, that though we did chew thecud as the hare, yet if we walked with claws like a dog, or if wedid part the hoof like the swine, yet if we did not chew the cud asthe sheep, we were still, for all that, but unclean; for I thoughtthe here to be a type of those that talk of the Word, yet walkin the ways of sin; and that the swine was like him that partethwith his outward pollutions, but still wanteth the Word of faith, without which there could be no way of salvation, let a man be neverso devout (Deut 14). ' After this I found, by reading the Word, thatthose that must be glorified with Christ in another world must becalled by him here; called to the partaking of a share in his Wordand righteousness, and to the comforts and first fruits of hisspirit, and to a peculiar interest in all those heavenly thingswhich do indeed fore fit the soul for that rest and house of glorywhich is in heaven above. 

72. Here, again, I was at a very great stand, not knowing what todo, fearing I was not called; for, thought I, if I be not called, what then can do me good? 'None but those who are effectuallycalled, inherit the kingdom of heaven. ' But oh! how I now lovedthose words that spake of a Christian's calling! as when the Lordsaid to one, "Follow me, " and to another, "Come after me. " And oh!thought I, that he would say so to me too, how gladly would I runafter him!

73. I cannot now express with what longings and breakings in my soulI cried to Christ to call me. Thus I continued for a time, all ona flame to be converted to Jesus Christ; and did also see at thatday, such glory in a converted state, that I could not be contentedwithout a share therein. Gold! could it have been gotten for gold, what could I have given for it! had I had a whole world it had allgone ten thousand times over for this, that my soul might have beenin a converted state. 

74. How lovely now was every one in my eyes that I thought to beconverted men and women! they shone, they walked like a people thatcarried the broad seal of heaven about them. Oh! I saw the lot wasfallen to them in pleasant places, and they had a goodly heritage(Psa 16:6). But that which made me sick was that of Christ, inMark, He went up into a mountain and called to him whom he would, and they came unto him (Mark 3:13). 

75. This scripture made me faint and fear, yet it kindled fire inmy soul. That which made me fear was this, lest Christ should haveno liking to me, for he called "whom he would. " But oh! the glorythat I saw in that condition did still so engage my heart thatI could seldom read of any that Christ did call but I presentlywished, Would I had been in their clothes; would I had been bornPeter; would I had been born John; or would I had been by and hadheard him when he called them, how would I have cried, O Lord, callme also. But oh! I feared he would not call me. 

76. And truly the Lord let me go thus many months together andshowed me nothing; either that I was already, or should be calledhereafter. But at last, after much time spent, and many groans toGod, that I might be made partaker of the holy and heavenly calling, that Word came in upon me--"I will cleanse their blood that I havenot cleansed, for the Lord dwelleth in Zion" (Joel 3:21). Thesewords I thought were sent to encourage me to wait still upon God, and signified unto me, that if I were not already, yet time mightcome I might be in truth converted unto Christ. [24]

77. About this time I began to break my mind to those poor peoplein Bedford, and to tell them my condition, which, when they hadheard, they told Mr. Gifford of me, who himself also took occasionto talk with me, and was willing to be 'well' persuaded of me, thoughI think but from little grounds: but he invited me to his house, where I should hear him confer with others, about the dealings ofGod with the soul; from all which I still received more conviction, and from that time began to see something of the vanity and inwardwretchedness of my wicked heart, for as yet I knew no great mattertherein; but now it began to be discovered unto me, and alsoto work at that rate for wickedness as it never did before. Now Ievidently found that lusts and corruptions would strongly put forththemselves within me, in wicked thoughts and desires, which I didnot regard before; my desires also for heaven and life began tofail. I found also, that whereas before my soul was full of longingafter God, now my heart began to hanker after every foolish vanity;yea, my heart would not be moved to mind that that was good;it began to be careless, both of my soul and heaven; it would nowcontinually hang back, both to, and in every duty; and was as aclog on the leg of a bird to hinder her from flying. 

78. Nay, thought I, now I grow worse and worse; now am I furtherfrom conversion than ever I was before. Wherefore I began to sinkgreatly in my soul, and began to entertain such discouragement inmy heart as laid me low as hell. If now I should have burned ata stake, I could not believe that Christ had love for me; alas, Icould neither hear him, nor see him, nor feel him, nor savour anyof his things; I was driven as with a tempest, my heart would beunclean, the Canaanites would dwell in the land. 

79. Sometimes I would tell my condition to the people of God, which, when they heard, they would pity me, and would tell me ofthe promises; but they had as good have told me that I must reachthe sun with my finger as have bidden me receive or rely upon thepromise; and as soon as I should have done it, all my sense andfeeling was against me; and I saw I had a heart that would sin, and 'that' lay under a law that would condemn. 

80. These things have often made me think of that child which thefather brought to Christ, who, while he was yet a coming to him, was thrown down by the devil, and also so rent and torn by him thathe lay and wallowed, foaming (Luke 9:42; Mark 9:20). 

81. Further, in these days I should find my heart to shut itselfup against the Lord, and against his holy Word. I have found myunbelief to set, as it were, the shoulder to the door to keep himout, and that too even then, when I have with many a bitter sighcried, Good Lord, break it open; Lord, break these gates of brass, and cut these bars of iron asunder (Psa 107:16). Yet that wordwould sometimes create in my heart a peaceable pause, "I girdedthee, though thou hast not known me" (Isa 45:5). 

82. But all this while as to the act of sinning, I never was moretender than now; I durst not take a pin or a stick, though but sobig as a straw, for my conscience now was sore, and would smart atevery touch; I could not now tell how to speak my words, for fearI should misplace them. Oh, how gingerly[25] did I then go in allI did or said! I found myself as on a miry bog that shook if Idid but stir; and 'was' there left both of God and Christ, and theSpirit, and all good things. 

83. 'But, I observe, though I was such a great sinner beforeconversion, yet God never much charged the guilt of the sins ofmy ignorance upon me; only he showed me I was lost if I had notChrist, because I had been a sinner; I saw that I wanted a perfectrighteousness to present me without fault before God, and thisrighteousness was nowhere to be found, but in the person of JesusChrist. '

84. 'But my original and inward pollution, that, that was my plagueand my affliction; that, I say, at a dreadful rate, always puttingforth itself within me; that I had the guilt of, to amazement;by reason of that, I was more loathsome in my own eyes than was atoad; and I thought I was so in God's eyes too; sin and corruption, I said, would as naturally bubble out of my heart, as water wouldbubble out of a fountain. I thought now that every one had abetter heart than I had; I could have changed heart with any body;I thought none but the devil himself could equalize me for inwardwickedness and pollution of mind. I fell, therefore, at the sightof my own vileness, deeply into despair; for I concluded that thiscondition that I was in could not stand with a state of grace. Sure, thought I, I am forsaken of God; sure I am given up to the devil, and to a reprobate mind; and thus I continued a long while, evenfor some years together. '

85. 'While I was thus afflicted with the fears of my own damnation, there were two things would make me wonder; the one was, when Isaw old people hunting after the things of this life, as if theyshould live here always; the other was, when I found professorsmuch distressed and cast down, when they met with outward losses;as of husband, wife, child, &c. Lord, thought I, what ado is hereabout such little things as these! What seeking after carnal thingsby some, and what grief in others for the loss of them! if they somuch labour after, and spend so many tears for the things of thispresent life, how am I to be bemoaned, pitied, and prayed for!My soul is dying, my soul is damning. Were my soul but in a goodcondition, and were I but sure of it, ah! how rich should I esteemmyself, though blessed but with bread and water; I should count thosebut small afflictions, and should bear them as little burdens. "Awounded spirit who can bear?"'

86. And though I was thus troubled, and tossed, and afflicted, with the sight and sense and terror of my own wickedness, yet Iwas afraid to let this sight and sense go quite off my mind; forI found, that unless guilt of conscience was taken off the rightway, that is, by the blood of Christ, a man grew rather worse forthe loss of his trouble of mind, than better. Wherefore, if myguilt lay hard upon me, then I should cry that the blood of Christmight take it off; and if it was going off without it (for the senseof sin would be sometimes as if it would die, and go quite away), then I would also strive to fetch it upon my heart again, bybringing the punishment for sin in hell fire upon my spirits; andshould cry, Lord, let it not go off my heart, but the right way, but by the blood of Christ, and by the application of thy mercy, through him, to my soul; for that Scripture lay much upon me, "without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb 9:22). And thatwhich made me the more afraid of this was, because I had seen some, who, though when they were under wounds of conscience, then theywould cry and pray; but they seeking rather present ease from theirtrouble, than pardon for their sin, cared not how they lost theirguilt, so they got it out of their mind; and, therefore, havinggot it off the wrong way, it was not sanctified unto them; but theygrew harder and blinder, and more wicked after their trouble. Thismade me afraid, and made me cry to God 'the more, ' that it mightnot be so with me. 

87. And now was I sorry that God had made me a man, for I fearedI was a reprobate; I counted man as unconverted, the most dolefulof all the creatures. Thus being afflicted and tossed about mysad condition, I counted myself alone, and above the most of menunblessed. 

88. 'Yea, I thought it impossible that ever I should attain to somuch goodness of heart, as to thank God that he had made me a man. Man indeed is the most noble by creation, of all creatures in thevisible world; but by sin he had made himself the most ignoble. The beasts, birds, fishes, &c. , I blessed their condition, for theyhad not a sinful nature, they were not obnoxious to the wrath ofGod; they were not to go to hell fire after death; I could thereforehave rejoiced, had my condition been as any of theirs. '

89. In this condition I went a great while; but when comfortingtime was come, I heard one preach a sermon upon those words in theSong (4:1), "Behold thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair. "But at that time he made these two words, "My love, " his chief andsubject matter; from which, after he had a little opened the text, he observed these several conclusions: 1. That the church, andso every saved soul, is Christ's love, when loveless. 2. Christ'slove without a cause. 3. Christ's love when hated of the world. 4. Christ's love when under temptation, and under desertion. 5. Christ's love from first to last. 

90. But I got nothing by what he said at present, only when he cameto the application of the fourth particular, this was the word hesaid; If it be so, that the saved soul is Christ's love when undertemptation and desertion; then poor tempted soul, when thou artassaulted and afflicted with temptation, and the hidings of God'sface, yet think on these two words, "My love, " still. 

91. So as I was a going home, these words came again into mythoughts; and I well remember, as they came in, I said thus in myheart, What shall I get by thinking on these two words? This thoughthad no sooner passed through my heart, but the words began thus tokindle in my spirit, "Thou art my love, thou art my love, " twentytimes together; and still as they ran thus in my mind, they waxedstronger and warmer, and began to make me look up; but being asyet between hope and fear, I still replied in my heart, But is ittrue, but is it true? At which, that sentence fell in upon me, He"wist not that it was true which was done by the angel" (Acts 12:9). 

92. Then I began to give place to the word, which, with power, didover and over make this joyful sound within my soul, thou art mylove, thou art my love; and nothing shall separate thee from mylove; and with that (Rom 8:39) came into my mind: Now was my heartfilled full of comfort and hope, and now I could believe that mysins should be forgiven me; 'yea, I was now so taken with the loveand mercy of God, that I remember I could not tell how to containtill I got home; I thought I could have spoken of his love, and ofhis mercy to me, even to the very crows that sat upon the ploughedlands before me, had they been capable to have understood me';wherefore I said in my soul, with much gladness, well, I wouldI had a pen and ink here, I would write this down before I go anyfurther, for surely I will not forget this forty years hence; but, alas! within less than forty days, I began to question all again;'which made me begin to question all still. '

93. Yet still at times, I was helped to believe that it was a truemanifestation of grace unto my soul, though I had lost much of thelife and savour of it. Now about a week or fortnight after this, Iwas much followed by this scripture, "Simon, Simon, behold, Satanhath desired to have you" (Luke 22:31). And sometimes it would soundso loud within me, yea, and as it were call so strongly after me, that once above all the rest, I turned my head over my shoulder, thinking verily that some man had, behind me, called to me; being ata great distance, 'methought he called so loud; it came, as I havethought since, to have stirred me up to prayer, and to watchfulness;it came to acquaint me that a cloud and a storm was coming downupon me, but I understood it not. '[26]

94. 'Also, as I remember, that time that it called to me so loud, was the last time that it sounded in mine ear; but methinks I hearstill with what a loud voice these words, Simon, Simon, soundedin mine ears. I thought verily, as I have told you, that somebodyhad called after me, that was half a mile behind me; and althoughthat was not my name, yet it made me suddenly look behind me, believing that he that called so loud meant me. '

95. But so foolish was I, and ignorant, that I knew not the reasonof this sound; which, as I did both see and feel soon after, wassent from heaven as an alarm, to awaken me to provide for what wascoming; only it would make me muse and wonder in my mind, to thinkwhat should be the reason that this scripture, and that at thisrate, so often and so loud, should still be sounding and rattlingin mine ears; but, as I said before, I soon after perceived theend of God therein. 

96. For about the space of a month after, a very great storm camedown upon me, which handled me twenty times worse than all I hadmet with before; it came stealing upon me, now by one piece, thenby another; first, all my comfort was taken from me, then darknessseized upon me, after which, whole floods of blasphemies, bothagainst God, Christ, and the Scriptures, were poured upon my spirit, to my great confusion and astonishment. These blasphemous thoughtswere such as also stirred up questions in me, against the verybeing of God, and of his only beloved Son; as, whether there were, in truth, a God, or Christ, or no? and whether the holy Scriptureswere not rather a fable, and cunning story, than the holy and pureWord of God?

97. The tempter would also much assault me with this, how canyou tell but that the Turks had as good Scriptures to prove theirMahomet the Saviour, as we have to prove our Jesus is? And, could Ithink, that so many ten thousands, in so many countries and kingdoms, should be without the knowledge of the right way to heaven; ifthere were indeed a heaven, and that we only, who live in a cornerof the earth, should alone be blessed therewith? Every one doththink his own religion rightest, both Jews and Moors, and Pagans!and how if all our faith, and Christ, and Scriptures, should bebut a think-so too?

98. Sometimes I have endeavoured to argue against these suggestions, and to set some of the sentences of blessed Paul against them;but, alas! I quickly felt, when I thus did, such arguings as thesewould return again upon me, Though we made so great a matter of Paul, and of his words, yet how could I tell, but that in very deed, hebeing a subtle and cunning man, might give himself up to deceivewith strong delusions; and also take both that pains and travel, to undo and destroy his fellows. 

99. These suggestions, with many other which at this time I maynot, nor dare not utter, neither by word nor pen, did make such aseizure upon my spirit, and did so overweigh my heart, both withtheir number, continuance, and fiery force, that I felt as if therewere nothing else but these from morning to night within me; andas though, indeed, there could be room for nothing else; and alsoconcluded, that God had, in very wrath to my soul, given me up untothem, to be carried away with them, as with a mighty whirlwind. 

100. Only by the distaste that they gave unto my spirit, I feltthere was something in me, that refused to embrace them. But thisconsideration I then only had, when God gave me leave to swallowmy spittle, otherwise the noise, and strength, and force of thesetemptations, would drown and overflow; and as it were, bury allsuch thoughts or the remembrance of any such thing. While I wasin this temptation, I should often find my mind suddenly put uponit, to curse and swear, or to speak some grievous thing againstGod, or Christ his Son, and of the Scriptures. [27]

101. Now I thought, surely I am possessed of the devil; at othertimes again, I thought I should be bereft of my wits; for insteadof lauding and magnifying God the Lord with others, if I havebut heard him spoken of, presently some most horrible blasphemousthought or other, would bolt out of my heart against him; so thatwhether I did think that God was, or again did think there wereno such thing; no love, nor peace, nor gracious disposition couldI feel within me. 

102. These things did sink me into very deep despair; forI concluded, that such things could not possibly be found amongstthem that loved God. I often, when these temptations have beenwith force upon me, did compare myself in the case of such a child, whom some gipsy hath by force took up under her apron, [28] and iscarrying from friend and country; kick sometimes I did, and alsoscream and cry; but yet I was as bound in the wings of the temptation, and the wind would carry me away. I thought also of Saul, and ofthe evil spirit that did possess him; and did greatly fear that mycondition was the same with that of his (1 Sam 16:14). 

103. In these days, when I have heard others talk of what was thesin against the Holy Ghost, then would the tempter so provoke meto desire to sin that sin, that I was as if I could not, must not, neither should be quiet until I had committed that; now, no sinwould serve but that; if it were to be committed by speaking ofsuch a word, then I have been as if my mouth would have spoken thatword, whether I would or no; and in so strong a measure was thistemptation upon me, that often I have been ready to clap my handunder my chin, to hold my mouth from opening; and to that end alsoI have had thoughts at other times, to leap with my head downward, into some muck hill hole or other, to keep my mouth from speaking. 

104. Now I blessed the condition of the dog and toad, and countedthe estate of everything that God had made far better than thisdreadful state of mine, and such as my companions was; yea, gladlywould I have been in the condition of dog or horse, for I knewthey had no soul to perish under the everlasting weights of hellfor sin, as mine was like to do. Nay, and though I saw this, feltthis, and was broken to pieces with it, yet that which added tomy sorrow was, that I could not find that with all my soul I diddesire deliverance. That scripture did also tear and rend my soul, in the midst of these distractions, "The wicked are like the troubledsea when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. Thereis no peace, saith my God, to the wicked" (Isa 57:20, 21). 

105. 'And now my heart was, at times, exceeding hard; if I wouldhave given a thousand pounds for a tear, I could not shed one;no, nor sometimes scarce desire to shed one. I was much dejectedto think that this should be my lot. I saw some could mourn andlament their sin; and others, again, could rejoice, and bless Godfor Christ; and others, again, could quietly talk of, and withgladness remember, the Word of God; while I only was in the stormor tempest. This much sunk me; I thought my condition was alone. I should, therefore, much bewail my hard hap; but get out of, orget rid of, these things, I could not. '

106. While this temptation lasted, which was about a year, I couldattend upon none of the ordinances of God but with sore and greataffliction. Yea, then was I most distressed with blasphemies; ifI have been hearing the Word, then uncleanness, blasphemies, anddespair would hold me as captive there; if I have been reading, then, sometimes, I had sudden thoughts to question all I read;sometimes, again, my mind would be so strangely snatched away, and possessed with other things, that I have neither known, norregarded, nor remembered so much as the sentence that but now Ihave read. 

107. In prayer, also, I have been greatly troubled at this time;sometimes I have thought I should see the devil, nay, thoughtI have felt him, behind me, pull my clothes; he would be, also, continually at me in the time of prayer to have done; break off, make haste, you have prayed enough, and stay no longer, stilldrawing my mind away. Sometimes, also, he would cast in suchwicked thoughts as these: that I must pray to him, or for him. Ihave thought sometimes of that--Fall down, or, "if thou wilt falldown and worship me" (Matt 4:9). 

108. Also, when, because I have had wandering thoughts in the timeof this duty, I have laboured to compose my mind and fix it uponGod, then, with great force, hath the tempter laboured to distractme, and confound me, and to turn away my mind, by presenting to myheart and fancy the form of a bush, a bull, a besom, or the like, as if I should pray to those; to these he would, also, at sometimes especially, so hold my mind that I was as if I could thinkof nothing else, or pray to nothing else but to these, or such asthey. 

109. Yet, at times I should have some strong and heart-affectingapprehensions of God, and the reality of the truth of his gospel;but, oh! how would my heart, at such times, put forth itself withinexpressible groanings. My whole soul was then in every word; Ishould cry with pangs after God that he would be merciful unto me;but then I should be daunted again with such conceits as these; Ishould think that God did mock at these, my prayers, saying, andthat in the audience of the holy angels, This poor simple wretchdoth hanker after me as if I had nothing to do with my mercybut to bestow it on such as he. Alas, poor fool![29] how art thoudeceived! It is not for such as thee to have a favour with theHighest. 

110. Then hath the tempter come upon me, also, with suchdiscouragements as these--You are very hot for mercy, but I willcool you; this frame shall not last always; many have been as hotas you for a spirit, but I have quenched their zeal. And with this, such and such who were fallen off would be set before mine eyes. Then I should be afraid that I should do so too; but, thought I, Iam glad this comes into my mind. Well, I will watch, and take whatheed I can. Though you do, said Satan, I shall be too hard for you;I will cool you insensibly, by degrees, by little and little. Whatcare I, saith he, though I be seven years in chilling your heartif I can do it at last? Continual rocking will lull a crying childasleep. I will ply it close, but I will have my end accomplished. Though you be burning hot at present, yet, if I can pull you fromthis fire, I shall have you cold before it be long. 

111. These things brought me into great straits; for as I at presentcould not find myself fit for present death, so I thought to livelong would make me yet more unfit; for time would make me forgetall, and wear even the remembrance of the evil of sin, the worthof heaven, and the need I had of the blood of Christ to wash me, both out of mind and thought; but I thank Christ Jesus these thingsdid not at present make me slack my crying, but rather did put memore upon it, like her who met with the adulterer (Deut 22:27); inwhich days that was a good word to me after I had suffered thesethings a while: "I am persuaded that neither-height, nor depth, nor life, " &c. , "shall--separate us from the love of God, which isin Christ Jesus" (Rom 8:38). And now I hoped long life should notdestroy me, nor make me miss of heaven. 

112. Yet I had some supports in this temptation, though they werethen all questioned by me; that in the third of Jeremiah, at thefirst, was something to me, and so was the consideration of thefifth verse of that chapter; that though we have spoken and doneas evil things as we could, yet we should cry unto God, "My Father, thou art the guide of my youth"; and should return unto him. 

113. I had, also, once a sweet glance from that in 2 Corinthians5:21: "For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin;that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. " I remember, also, that one day as I was sitting in a neighbour's house, andthere very sad at the consideration of my many blasphemies, and asI was saying in my mind, What ground have I to think that I, whohave been so vile and abominable, should ever inherit eternal life?that word came suddenly upon me, "What shall we then say to thesethings? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom 8:31). That, also, was an help unto me, "Because I live, ye shall live also"(John 14:19). But these were but hints, touches, and short visits, though very sweet when present; only they lasted not; but, like toPeter's sheet, of a sudden were caught up from me to heaven again(Acts 10:16). 

114. But afterwards the Lord did more fully and graciously discoverhimself unto me; and, indeed, did quite, not only deliver me fromthe guilt that, by these things, was laid upon my conscience, butalso from the very filth thereof; for the temptation was removed, and I was put into my right mind again, as other Christians were. 

115. I remember that one day, as I was traveling into the countryand musing on the wickedness and blasphemy of my heart, andconsidering of the enmity that was in me to God, that scripturecame in my mind, He hath "made peace through the blood of his cross"(Col 1:20). By which I was made to see, both again, and again, andagain, that day, that God and my soul were friends by this blood;yea, I saw that the justice of God and my sinful soul could embraceand kiss each other through this blood. This was a good day to me;I hope I shall not forget it. 

116. At another time, as I sat by the fire in my house, and musingon my wretchedness, the Lord made that also a precious word untome, "Forasmuch, then, as the children are partakers of flesh andblood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that throughdeath he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them who, through fear of death, were alltheir lifetime subject to bondage" (Heb 2:14, 15). I thought thatthe glory of these words was then so weighty on me that I was, both once and twice, ready to swoon as I sat; yet not with griefand trouble, but with solid joy and peace. 

[BUNYAN ATTENDS THE MINISTRY OF MR. GIFFORD, AND BECOMES INTENSELYEARNEST TO UNDERSTAND THE DOCTRINES OF THE GOSPEL. ]

117. At this time, also, I sat under the ministry of holy Mr. Gifford, whose doctrine, by God's grace, was much for my stability. [30] Thisman made it much his business to deliver the people of God fromall those false and unsound rests that, by nature, we are proneto take and make to our souls. He pressed us to take special heedthat we took not up any truth upon trust--as from this, or that, or any other man or men--but to cry mightily to God that he wouldconvince us of the reality thereof, and set us down therein, byhis own Spirit, in the holy Word; for, said he, if you do otherwisewhen temptations come, if strongly, you, not having received themwith evidence from heaven, will find you want that help and strengthnow to resist as once you thought you had. 

118. This was as seasonable to my soul as the former and latterrain in their season; for I had found, and that by sad experience, the truth of these his words; for I had felt [what] no man can say, especially when tempted by the devil, that Jesus Christ is Lordbut by the Holy Ghost. Wherefore I found my soul, through grace, very apt to drink in this doctrine, and to incline to pray to Godthat, in nothing that pertained to God's glory and my own eternalhappiness, he would suffer me to be without the confirmationthereof from heaven; for now I saw clearly there was an exceedingdifferent betwixt the notions of flesh and blood, and the revelationsof God in heaven; also, a great difference between that faith thatis feigned, and according to man's wisdom, and of that which comesby a man's being born thereto of God (Matt 16:15-17; 1 John 5:1). 

119. But, oh! now, how was my soul led from truth to truth by God!even from the birth and cradle of the Son of God to his ascensionand second coming from heaven to judge the world. 

120. Truly, I then found, upon this account, the great God was verygood unto me; for, to my remembrance, there was not anything thatI then cried unto God to make known and reveal unto me but he waspleased to do it for me; I mean not one part of the gospel of theLord Jesus, but I was orderly led into it. Methought I saw withgreat evidence, from the relation of the four evangelists, thewonderful work of God, in giving Jesus Christ to save us, fromhis conception and birth even to his second coming to judgment, Methought I was as if I had seen him born, as if I had seen him growup, as if I had seen him walk through this world, from the cradleto his cross; to which, also, when he came, I saw how gently hegave himself to be hanged and nailed on it for my sins and wickeddoings. Also, as I was musing on this, his progress, that droppedon my spirit, He was ordained for the slaughter (1 Peter 1:19, 20). 

121. When I have considered also the truth of his resurrection, andhave remembered that word, "Touch me not, Mary, " &c. , I have seenas if he leaped at the grave's mouth for joy that he was risenagain, and had got the conquest over our dreadful foes (John 20:17). I have also, in the spirit, seen him a man on the right hand ofGod the Father for me, and have seen the manner of his coming fromheaven to judge the world with glory, and have been confirmed inthese things by these scriptures following, Acts 1:9, 10, 7:56, 10:42; Hebrews 7:24, 8:3; Revelation 1:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:17, 18. 

122. Once I was much troubled to know whether the Lord Jesus wasboth man as well as God, and God as well as man; and truly, in thosedays, let men say what they would, unless I had it with evidencefrom heaven, all was as nothing to me, I counted not myself set downin any truth of God. Well, I was much troubled about this point, and could not tell how to be resolved; at last, that in the fifthof the Revelation came into my mind, "And I beheld, and lo, in themidst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst ofthe elders, stood a Lamb. " In the midst of the throne, 'thoughtI, ' there is his Godhead; in the midst of the elders, there is hismanhood; but oh! methought this did glister! it was a goodly touch, and gave me sweet satisfaction. That other scripture also did helpme much in this, "To us a child is born, unto us a son is given;and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shallbe called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlastingFather, the Prince of Peace, " &c. (Isa 9:6). 

123. Also, besides these teachings of God in his Word, the Lordmade use of two things to confirm me in these things; the one wasthe errors of the Quakers, and the other was the guilt of sin; foras the Quakers did oppose his truth, so God did the more confirmme in it, by leading me into the scriptures that did wonderfullymaintain it. [31]

124. 'The errors that this people then maintained were, 1. That theholy Scriptures were not the Word of God. 2. That every man in theworld had the spirit of Christ, grace, faith, &c. 3. That ChristJesus, as crucified, and dying 1600 years ago, did not satisfydivine justice for the sins of the people. 4. That Christ's fleshand blood was within the saints. 5. That the bodies of the goodand bad that are buried in the churchyard shall not arise again. 6. That the resurrection is past with good men already. 7. That thatman Jesus, that was crucified between two thieves on Mount Calvary, in the land of Canaan, by Jerusalem, was not ascended up above thestarry heavens. 8. That he should not, even the same Jesus thatdied by the hands of the Jews, come again at the last day, and asman judge all nations, &c. '

125. 'Many more vile and abominable things were in those daysfomented by them, by which I was driven to a more narrow search ofthe Scriptures, and was, through their light and testimony, notonly enlightened, but greatly confirmed and comforted in the truth';and, as I said, the guilt of sin did help me much, for still as thatwould come upon me, the blood of Christ did take it off again, andagain, and again, and that too, sweetly, according to the Scriptures. O friends! cry to God to reveal Jesus Christ unto you; there isnone teacheth like him. 

126. It would be too long for me here to stay, to tell you inparticular how God did set me down in all the things of Christ, and how he did, that he might so do, lead me into his words; yea, and also how he did open them unto me, make them shine before me, and cause them to dwell with me, talk with me, and comfort me overand over, both of his own being, and the being of his Son, andSpirit, and Word, and gospel. 

127. Only this, as I said before I will say unto you again, thatin general he was pleased to take this course with me; first, tosuffer me to be afflicted with temptation concerning them, and thenreveal them to me: as sometimes I should lie under great guilt forsin, even crushed to the ground therewith, and then the Lord wouldshow me the death of Christ; yea, and so sprinkle my consciencewith his blood, that I should find, and that before I was aware, that in that conscience where but just now did reign and rage thelaw, even there would rest and abide the peace and love of Godthrough Christ. 

128. Now had I an evidence, 'as I thought, of my salvation' fromheaven, with many golden seals thereon, all hanging in my sight;now could I remember this manifestation and the other discoveryof grace, with comfort; and should often long and desire that thelast day were come, that I might for ever be inflamed with thesight, and joy, and communion with him whose head was crowned withthorns, whose face was spit on, and body broken, and soul madean offering for my sins: for whereas, before, I lay continuallytrembling at the mouth of hell, now methought I was got so fartherefrom that I could not, when I looked back, scarce discernit; and, oh! thought I, that I were fourscore years old now, thatI might die quickly, that my soul might be gone to rest. [32]

129. 'But before I had got thus far out of these my temptations, I did greatly long to see some ancient godly man's experience, whohad writ some hundreds of years before I was born; for those whohad writ in our days, I thought, but I desire them now to pardonme, that they had writ only that which others felt, or else had, through the strength of their wits and parts, studied to answer suchobjections as they perceived others were perplexed with, withoutgoing down themselves into the deep. Well, after many such longingsin my mind, the God in whose hands are all our days and ways, didcast into my hand, one day, a book of Martin Luther; it was hiscomment on the Galatians--it also was so old that it was ready tofall piece from piece if I did but turn it over. Now I was pleasedmuch that such an old book had fallen into my hands; the which, when I had but a little way perused, I found my condition, in hisexperience, so largely and profoundly handled, as if his book hadbeen written out of my heart. This made me marvel; for thus thoughtI, This man could not know anything of the state of Christians now, but must needs write and speak the experience of former days. '

130. 'Besides, he doth most gravely, also, in that book, debateof the rise of these temptations, namely, blasphemy, desperation, and the like; showing that the law of Moses as well as the devil, death, and hell hath a very great hand therein, the which, at first, was very strange to me; but considering and watching, I found itso indeed. But of particulars here I intend nothing; only this, methinks, I must let fall before all men, I do prefer this book ofMartin Luther upon the Galatians, excepting the Holy Bible, beforeall the books that ever I have seen, as most fit for a woundedconscience. '

131. 'And now I found, as I thought, that I loved Christ dearly;oh! methought my soul cleaved unto him, my affections cleavedunto him. I felt love to him as hot as fire; and now, as Job said, I thought I should die in my nest; but I did quickly find that mygreat love was but little, and that I, who had, as I thought, suchburning love to Jesus Christ, could let him go again for a verytrifle; God can tell how to abase us, and can hide pride from man. Quickly after this my love was tried to purpose. '

132. For after the Lord had, in this manner, thus graciouslydelivered me from this great and sore temptation, and had set medown so sweetly in the faith of his holy gospel, and had given mesuch strong consolation and blessed evidence from heaven touchingmy interest in his love through Christ; the tempter came upon meagain, and that with a more grievous and dreadful temptation thanbefore. 

133. And that was, To sell and part with this most blessed Christ, to exchange him for the things of this life, for anything. Thetemptation lay upon me for the space of a year, and did follow meso continually that I was not rid of it one day in a month, no, not sometimes one hour in many days together, unless 'when' I wasasleep. 

134. And though, in my judgment, I was persuaded that those whowere once effectually in Christ, as I hoped, through his grace, I had seen myself, could never lose him for ever--for "the landshall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine, " saith God (Lev25:23)[33]--yet it was a continual vexation to me to think that Ishould have so much as one such thought within me against a Christ, a Jesus, that had done for me as he had done; 'and yet then I hadalmost none others, but such blasphemous ones. '

135. But it was neither my dislike of the thought, nor yet anydesire and endeavour to resist it that in the least did shake orabate the continuation, or force and strength thereof; for it didalways, in almost whatever I thought, intermix itself therewith insuch sort that I could neither eat my food, stoop for a pin, chopa stick, or cast mine eye to look on this or that, but still thetemptation would come, Sell Christ for this, or sell Christ forthat; 'sell him, sell him. '

136. Sometimes it would run in my thoughts, not so little as ahundred times together, Sell him, sell him, sell him; against whichI may say, for whole hours together, I have been forced to stand ascontinually leaning and forcing my spirit against it, least haply, before I were aware, some wicked thought might arise in my heartthat might consent thereto; and sometimes also the tempter wouldmake me believe I had consented to it, then should I be as torturedupon a rack for whole days together. 

137. This temptation did put me to such scares, lest I should andsome times, I say, consent thereto, and be overcome therewith, thatby the very force of my mind, in labouring to gainsay and resistthis wickedness, my very body also would be put into action ormotion by way of pushing or thrusting 'with my hands or elbows, 'still answering as fast as the destroyer said, Sell him; I willnot, I will not, I will not, I will not; no, not for thousands, thousands, thousands of worlds. Thus reckoning lest I should inthe midst of these assaults, set too low a value of him, even untilI scarce well knew where I was, or how to be composed began. 

138. 'At these seasons he would not let me eat my food at quiet;but, forsooth, when I was set at table at my meat, I must go henceto pray; I must leave my food now, and just now, so counterfeitholy also would this devil be. When I was thus tempted, I shouldsay in myself, Now I am at my meat, let me make an end. No, saidhe, you must do it now, or you will displease God, and despisedChrist. Wherefore I was much afflicted with these things; and becauseof the sinfulness of my nature, imagining that these things wereimpulses from God, I should deny to do it, as if I denied God; andthen should I be as guilty, because I did not obey a temptation ofthe devil, as if I had broken the law of God indeed. '

139. But to be brief, one morning, as I did lie in my bed, I was, as at other times, most fiercely assaulted with this temptation, to sell and part with Christ; the wicked suggestion still runningin my mind, sell him, sell him, sell him, sell him, 'sell him, ' asfast as a man could speak; against which also, in my mind, as andother times, I answered, No, no, not for thousands, thousands, thousands, at least twenty times together. But at last, after muchstriving, even until I was almost out of breath, I felt this thoughtpass through my heart, Let him go, if he will! and I thought also, that I felt my heart 'freely' consent thereto. 'Oh, the diligenceof Satan! [34] Oh, the desperateness of man's heart!'

140. Now was the battle won, and down fell I, as a bird that isshot from the top of a tree, into great guilt, and fearful despair. Thus getting out of my bed, I went moping into the field; but Godknows, with as heavy a heart as mortal man, I think, could bear;where, for the space of two hours, I was like a man bereft of life, and as now past all recovery, and bound over to eternal punishment. 

141. And withal, that scripture did seize upon my soul, "Or profaneperson, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat, sold his birthright;for ye know, how that afterward, when he would have inherited theblessing, he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, sohe sought it carefully with tears" (Heb 12:16, 17). 

142. 'Now was I as one bound, I felt myself shut out unto thejudgment to come; nothing now for two years together would abidewith me, but damnation, and an expectation of damnation; I say, nothing now would abide with me but this, save some few momentsfor relief, as in the sequel you will see. '

143. These words were to my soul like fetters of brass to my legs, in the continual sound of which I went for several months together. But about ten or eleven o'clock one day, as I was walking under ahedge, full of sorrow in guilt, God knows, and bemoaning myself forthis hard hap, that such a thought should arise within me; suddenlythis sentence bolted in upon me, The blood of Christ remits allguilt. At this I made a stand in my spirit; with that, this wordtook hold upon me, begin, "The blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). 

144. Now I began to conceive peace in my soul, in methought I sawas if the tempter did leer[35] and steal away from me, as beingashamed of what he had done. At the same time also I had my sin, and the blood of Christ thus represented to me, that my sin, whencompared to the blood of Christ, was no more to it, then this littleclot or stone before me, is to this vast and wide field that hereI see. This gave me good encouragement for the space of two orthree hours; in which time also, methought I saw, by faith, theSon of God, as suffering for my sins; but because it tarried not, I therefore sunk in my spirit, under exceeding guilt again. 

145. 'But chiefly by the afore-mentioned scripture, concerningEsau's selling of his birthright; for that scripture would lie allday long, all the week long, yea, all the year long in my mind, and hold me down, so that I could by no means lift up myself; forwhen I would strive to turn me to this scripture, or that, forrelief, still that sentence would be sounding in me, "For ye know, how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing-hefound no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully withtears. "'

146. Sometimes also, [36] I should have a touch from that in Luke22:32, "I have prayed for the, that thy faith fail not"; but itwould not abide upon me; neither could I indeed, when I consideredmy state, find ground to conceive in the least, that there shouldbe the root of that grace within me, having sinned as I had done. Now was I tore and rent in heavy case, for many days together. 

147. Then began I with sad and careful heart, to consider of thenature and largeness of my sin, and to search in the Word of God, if I could in any place espy a word of promise, or any encouragingsentence by which I might take relief. Wherefore I began to considerthat third of Mark, All manner of sins and blasphemies shall beforgiven unto the sons of men, wherewith soever they shall blaspheme. Which place, methought, at a blush, did contain a large and gloriouspromise, for the pardon of high offences; but considering the placemore fully, I thought it was rather to be understood as relatingmore chiefly to those who had, while in a natural estate, committedsuch things as there are mentioned; but not to me, who had notonly received light and mercy, but that had, both after, and alsocontrary to that, so slighted Christ as I had done. 

148. I feared therefore that this wicked sin of mine, might be thatsin unpardonable, of which he there thus speaketh. "But he theyshall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, butis in danger of eternal damnation" (Mark 3:29). And I did the rathergive credit to this, because of that sentence in the Hebrews common"For ye know, how that afterward, when he would have inherited theblessing, he was rejected; for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears. " 'And this stuck alwayswith me. '

149. 'And now was I both the burden and a terror to myself, nordid I ever so know, as now, what it was to be weary of my life, and yet afraid to die. Oh, how gladly now would I have been anybodybut myself! Anything but a man! and in any condition but mine own!for there was nothing did pass more frequently over my mind, thanthat it was impossible for me to be forgiven my transgression, andto be saved from wrath to come. '

150. And now began I to labour to call again time that was past;wishing a thousand times twice told, that the day was yet to come, when I should be tempted to such a sin! concluding with greatindignation, both against my heart, and all assaults, how I wouldrather have been torn in pieces, than found a consenter thereto. But, alas! these thoughts, and wishings, and resolvings, were nowtoo late to help me; the thought had passed my heart, God hath letme go, and I am fallen. Oh! thought I, "that it was with me as inmonths past, as in the days when God preserved me!" [Job 29:2]

151. Then again, being loath and unwilling to perish, I began tocompare my sin with others, to see if I could find that any of thosethat were saved had done as I had done. So I considered David'sadultery and murder, and found them most heinous crimes; and thosetoo committed after light and grace received; but yet but considering, I perceived that his transgressions were only such as were againstthe law of Moses; from which the Lord Christ could, with the consentof his Word, deliver him: but mine was against the gospel; yea, against the Mediator thereof; 'I had sold my Saviour. '

152. Now again should I be as if racked upon the wheel, [37] whenI considered, that, besides the guilt that possessed me, I shouldbe so void of grace, so bewitched. What, thought I, must it be nosin but this? Must it needs be the great transgression? (Psa 19:13)Must that wicked one touch my soul? (1 John 5:18) Oh, what stingsdid I find in all these sentences!

153. 'What, thought I, is there but one sin that is unpardonable?But one sin that layeth the soul without the reach of God's mercy;and must I be guilty of that? Must it needs be that? Is therebut one sin among so many millions of sins, for which there is noforgiveness; and must I commit this? Oh, unhappy sin! Oh, unhappyman! These things would so break and confound my spirit, thatI could not tell what to do; I thought, at times, they would havebroke my wits; and still, to aggravate my misery, that would run inmy mind, "Ye know how that afterward, when he would have inheritedthe blessing, he was rejected. " Oh! none knows the terrors of thosedays but myself. '

154. After this I came to consider of Peter's sin, which he committedin denying his master; and indeed, this came nighest to mine, ofany that I could find; for he had denied his Saviour, as I, and thatafter light and mercy received; yea, and that too, after warninggiven him. I also considered, that he did both once and twice; andthat, after time to consider betwixt. But though I put all thesecircumstances together, that, if possible, I might find help, yetI considered again, that his was but a denial of his master, butmine was a selling of my Saviour. Wherefore I thought with myself, that I came nearer to Judas, than either to David or Peter. 

155. Here again my torment would flame out and afflicte me; yea, itwould grind me, as it were, to powder, to discern the preservationof God towards others, while I fell into the snare; for in my thusconsidering of other men's sins, and comparing of them with myown, I could evidently see how God preserved them, notwithstandingtheir wickedness, and would not let them, as he had let me, tobecome a son of perdition. 

156. But oh, how did my soul, at this time, prize the preservationthat God did set about his people! Ah, how safely did I see themwalk, whom God had hedge in! They were within his care, protection, and special providence; though they were full as bad as I by nature;yet because he loved them, he would not suffer them to fall withoutthe range of mercy; but as for me, I was gone, I had done it; hewould not preserve me, nor keep me; but suffered me, because I wasa reprobate, to fall as I had done. Now, did those blessed places, that spake of God's keeping his people, shine like the sun beforeme, though not to comfort me, but to show me the blessed state andheritage of those whom the Lord had blessed. 

157. 'Now I saw, that as God had his hand in all providences anddispensations that overtook his elect, so he had his hand in allthe temptations that they had to sin against him, not to animatethem unto wickedness, but to choose their temptations and troublesfor them; and also to leave them, for a time, to such sins only asmight not destroy, but humble them; as might not put them beyond, but lay them in the way off the renewing of his mercy. But oh, what love, what care, what kindness and mercy did I now see, mixingitself with the most severe and dreadful of all God's ways to hispeople! He would let David, Hezekiah, Solomon, Peter, and othersfall, but he would not let them fall into sin unpardonable, norinto hell for sin. Oh! thought I, these be the men that God hathloved; these be the men that God, though he chastiseth them, keepsthem in safety by him, and them whom he makes to abide under theshadow of the Almighty. But all these thoughts added sorrow, grief, and horror to me, as whatever I now thought on, it was killing tome. If I thought how God kept his own, that was killing to me. IfI thought of how I was falling myself, that was killing to me. Asall things wrought together for the best, and to do good to themthat were the called, according to his purpose; so I thought thatall things wrought for my damage, and for my eternal overthrow. '

158. Then, again, I began to compare my sin with the sin of Judas, that, if possible, I might find that mine differed from that which, in truth, is unpardonable. And, oh! thought I, if it 'should differfrom it, ' though but the breadth of an hair, what a happy conditionis my soul in! And, by considering, I found that Judas did hisintentionally, but mine was against my 'prayer and' strivings;besides, his was committed with much deliberation, but mine in afearful hurry, on a sudden; 'all this while' I was tossed to andfro, like the locusts, and driven from trouble to sorrow; hearingalways the sound of Esau's fall in mine ears, and of the dreadfulconsequences thereof. 

159. Yet this consideration about Judas, his sin was, for awhile, some little relief unto me; for I saw I had not, as to thecircumstances, transgressed so foully as he. But this was quicklygone again, for, I thought with myself, there might be more waysthan one to commit the unpardonable sin; 'also I thought' thatthere might be degrees of that, as well as of other transgressions;wherefore, for ought I yet could perceive, this iniquity of minemight be such, as might never be passed by. 

160. 'I was often now ashamed, that I should be like such an uglyman as Judas; I thought, also, how loathsome I should be untoall the saints at the day of judgment; insomuch, that now I couldscarce see a good man, that I believed had a good conscience, butI should feel my heart tremble at him, while I was in his presence. Oh! now I saw a glory in walking with God, and what a mercy it wasto have a good conscience before him. '

161. 'I was much about this time tempted to content myself, byreceiving some false opinion; as that there should be no such thingas a day of judgment, that we should not rise again, and that sinwas no such grievous thing; the tempter suggesting thus, For ifthese things should indeed be true, yet to believe otherwise, wouldyield you ease for the present. If you must perish, never tormentyourself so much before hand; drive the thoughts of damning out ofyour mind, by possessing your mind with some such conclusions thatAtheists and Ranters do use to help themselves withal. '

162. 'But, oh! when such thoughts have led through my heart, how, as it were, within a step, hath death and judgment been in my view!Methought the judge stood at the door, I was as if it was comealready; so that such things could have no entertainment. But, methinks, I see by this, that Satan will use any means to keepthe soul from Christ; he loveth not an awakened frame of spirit;security, blindness, darkness, and error is the very kingdom andhabitation of the wicked one. '

163. 'I found it hard work now to pray to God, because despair wasswallowing me up; I thought I was, as with a tempest, driven awayfrom God, for always when I cried to God for mercy, this wouldcome in, It is too late, I am lost, God hath let me fall; not to mycorrection, but condemnation; my sin is unpardonable; and I know, concerning Esau, how that, after he had sold his birthright, he would have received the blessing, but was rejected. About thistime, I did light on that dreadful story of that miserable mortal, Francis Spira;[38] a book that was to my troubled spirit as salt, when rubbed into a fresh wound; every sentence in that book, everygroan of that man, with all the rest of his actions in his dolours, as his tears, his prayers, his gnashing of teeth, his wringing ofhands, his twining and twisting, languishing and pining away underthat mighty hand of God that was upon him, was as knives and daggersin my soul; especially that sentence of his was frightful to me, Man knows the beginning of sin, but who bounds the issues thereof?Then would the former sentence, as the conclusion of all, falllike a hot thunderbolt again upon my conscience; "for you know howthat afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he wasrejected; for he found no place of repentance, though he sought itcarefully with tears. "'

164. Then was I struck into a very great trembling, insomuch thatat sometimes I could, for whole days together, feel my very body, aswell as my mind, to shake and totter under the sense of the dreadfuljudgment of God, that should fall on those that have sinned thatmost fearful and unpardonable sin. I felt also such a cloggingand heat at my stomach, by reason of this my terror, that I was, especially at some times, as if my breast bone would have splitin sunder; then I thought of that concerning Judas, who, by hisfalling headlong, burst asunder, and all his bowels gushed out(Acts 1:18). 

165. I feared also that this was the mark that the Lord did set onCain, even continual fear and trembling, under the heavy load ofguilt that he had charged on him for the blood of his brother Abel. Thus did I wind, and twine, and shrink, under the burden that wasupon me; which burden also did so oppress me, that I could neitherstand, nor go, nor lie, either at rest or quiet. 

166. Yet that saying would sometimes come to my mind, He hathreceived gifts for the rebellious (Psa 68:18). "The rebellious, "thought I; why, surely they are such as once were under subjectionto their prince, even those who, after they have sworn subjectionto his government, have taken up arms against him; 'and this, thoughtI, is my very condition; once I loved him, feared him, served him;but now I am a rebel; I have sold him, I have said, Let him go ifhe will; but yet he has gifts for rebels, and then why not for me?'

167. This sometimes I thought on, and should labour to takehold thereof, that some, though small, refreshment might have beenconceived by me; but in this also I missed of my desire, I was drivenwith force beyond it, 'I was' like a man that is going to the placeof execution, even by that place where he would fain creep in andhide himself, but may not. 

168. Again, after I had thus considered the sins of the saints inparticular, and found mine went beyond them, then I began to thinkthus with myself: Set the case I should put all theirs together, andmine alone against them, might I not then find some encouragement?For if mine, though bigger than any one, yet should but be equalto all, then there is hopes; for that blood that hath virtue enough'in it' to wash away all theirs, hath also virtue enough in it todo away mine, though this one be full as big, if no bigger, thanall theirs. Here, again, I should consider the sin of David, ofSolomon, of Manasseh, of Peter, and the rest of the great offenders;and should also labour, what I might with fairness, to aggravateand heighten their sins by several circumstances: but, alas! Itwas all in vain. [39]

169. 'I should think with myself that David shed blood to cover hisadultery, and that by the sword of the children of Ammon; a workthat could not be done but by continuance and deliberate contrivance, which was a great aggravation to his sin. But then this would turnupon me: Ah! but these were but sins against the law, from whichthere was a Jesus sent to save them; but yours is a sin againstthe Saviour, and who shall save you from that?'

170. 'Then I thought on Solomon, and how he sinned in loving strangewomen, in falling away to their idols, in building them temples, indoing this after light, in his old age, after great mercy received;but the same conclusion that cut me off in the former consideration, cut me off as to this; namely, that all those were but sins againstthe law, for which God had provided a remedy; but I had sold mySaviour, and there now remained no more sacrifice for sin. '

171. 'I would then add to those men's sins, the sins of Manasseh, how that he built altars for idols in the house of the Lord; healso observed times, used enchantment, had to do with wizards, wasa wizard, had his familiar spirits, burned his children in the firein sacrifice to devils, and made the streets of Jerusalem run downwith the blood of innocents. These, thought I, are great sins, sins of a bloody colour; yea, it would turn again upon me: They arenone of them of the nature of yours; you have parted with Jesus, you have sold your Saviour. '

172. This one consideration would always kill my heart, My sin waspoint blank against my Saviour; and that too, at that height, thatI had in my heart said of him, Let him go if he will. Oh! methought, this sin was bigger than the sins of a country, of a kingdom, orof the whole world, no one pardonable, nor all of them together, was able to equal mine; mine outwent them every one. 

173. Now I should find my mind to flee from God, as from the faceof a dreadful judge; yet this was my torment, I could not escape hishand: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the livingGod" (Heb 10:31). But blessed be his grace, that scripture, in theseflying sins, [40] would call as running after me, "I have blottedout, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions; and, as a cloud, thysins: return unto me, for I have redeemed thee" (Isa 44:22). This, I say, would come in upon my mind, when I was fleeing from the faceof God; for I did flee from his face, that is, my mind and spiritfled before him; by reason of his highness, I could not endure;then would the text cry, "Return unto me"; it would cry aloud witha very great voice, "Return unto me, for I have redeemed thee. "Indeed, this would make me make a little stop, and, as it were, look over my shoulder behind me, to see if I could discern that theGod of grace did follow me with a pardon in his hand, but I couldno sooner do that, but all would be clouded and darkened again bythat sentence, "For you know how that afterwards, when he wouldhave inherited the blessing, he found no place of repentance, thoughhe sought it carefully with tears. " Wherefore I could not return, but fled, though at sometimes it cried, "Return, return, " as ifit did holloa after me. But I feared to close in therewith, lestit should not come from God; for that other, as I said, was stillsounding in my conscience, "For you know how that afterwards, whenhe would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected, " &c. 

174. 'Once as I was walking to and fro in a good man's shop, bemoaning of myself in my sad and doleful state, afflicting myselfwith self-abhorrence for this wicked and ungodly thought; lamenting, also, this hard hap of mine, for that I should commit so great asin, greatly fearing I should not be pardoned; praying, also, inmy heart, that if this sin of mine did differ from that againstthe Holy Ghost, the Lord would show it me. And being now ready tosink with fear, suddenly there was, as if there had rushed in atthe window, the noise of wind upon me, but very pleasant, and asif I heard a voice speaking, Didst ever refuse to be justified bythe blood of Christ? And, withal my whole life and profession pastwas, in a moment, opened to me, wherein I was made to see thatdesignedly I had not; so my heart answered groaningly, No. Thenfell, with power, that word of God upon me, "See that ye refuse nothim that speaketh" (Heb 12:25). This made a strange seizure uponmy spirit; it brought light with it, and commanded a silence in myheart of all those tumultuous thoughts that before did use, likemasterless hell-hounds, to roar and bellow, and make a hideousnoise within me. It showed me, also, that Jesus Christ had yet aword of grace and mercy for me, that he had not, as I had feared, quite forsaken and cast off my soul; yea, this was a kind of achide for my proneness to desperation; a kind of a threatening meif I did not, notwithstanding my sins and the heinousness of them, venture my salvation upon the Son of God. But as to my determiningabout this strange dispensation, what it was I knew not; or fromwhence it came I know not. I have not yet, in twenty years' time, been able to make a judgment of it; I thought then what here Ishall be loath to speak. But verily, that sudden rushing wind wasas if an angel had come upon me; but both it and the salvation Iwill leave until the day of judgment; only this I say, it commandeda great calm in my soul, it persuaded me there might be hope; itshowed me, as I thought, what the sin unpardonable was, and thatmy soul had yet the blessed privilege to flee to Jesus Christ formercy. But, I say, concerning this dispensation, I know not whatyet to say unto it; which was, also, in truth, the cause that, atfirst, I did not speak of it in the book; I do now, also, leave itto be thought on by men of sound judgment. I lay not the stress ofmy salvation thereupon, but upon the Lord Jesus, in the promise;yet, seeing I am here unfolding of my secret things, I thought itmight not be altogether inexpedient to let this also show itself, though I cannot now relate the matter as there I did experienceit. This lasted, in the savour of it, for about three or four days, and the I began to mistrust and to despair again. '[41]

175. 'Wherefore, still my life hung in doubt before me, not knowingwhich way I should tip; only this I found my soul desire, even tocast itself at the foot of grace, by prayer and supplication. But, oh! it was hard for me now to bear the face to pray to this Christfor mercy, against whom I had thus most vilely sinned; it was hardwork, I say, to offer to look him in the face against whom I hadso vilely sinned; and, indeed, I have found it as difficult to cometo God by prayer, after backsliding from him, as to do any otherthing. Oh, the shame that did now attend me! especially when I thoughtI am now a-going to pray to him for mercy that I had so lightlyesteemed but a while before! I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because this villany had been committed by me; but I saw there wasbut one way with me, I must go to him and humble myself unto him, and beg that he, of his wonderful mercy, would show pity to me, and have mercy upon my wretched sinful soul. '

176. 'Which, when the tempter perceived, he strongly suggested tome, That I ought not to pray to God; for prayer was not for any inmy case, neither could it do me good, because I had rejected theMediator, by whom all prayer came with acceptance to God the Father, and without whom no prayer could come into his presence. Wherefore, now to pray is but to add sin to sin; yea, now to pray, seeing Godhas cast you off, is the next way to anger and offend him more thanyou ever did before. '

177. 'For God, saith he, hath been weary of you for these severalyears already, because you are none of his; your bawlings in hisears hath been no pleasant voice to him; and, therefore, he let yousin this sin, that you might be quite cut off; and will you praystill? This the devil urged, and set forth that, in Numbers, whenMoses said to the children of Israel, That because they would notgo up to posses the land when God would have them, therefore, forever after, God did bar them out from thence, though they prayedthey might, with tears (Num 14:36, 37), &c. '

178. 'As it is said in another place (Exo 21:14), the man that sinspresumptuously shall be taken from God's altar, that he may die;even as Joab was by King Solomon, when he thought to find shelterthere (1 Kings 2:28), &c. These places did pinch me very sore; yet, my case being desperate, I thought with myself I can but die; andif it must be so, it shall once be said, that such an one diedat the foot of Christ in prayer. [42] This I did, but with greatdifficulty, God doth know; and that because, together with this, still that saying about Esau would be set at my heart, even like aflaming sword, to keep the way of the tree of life, lest I shouldtaste thereof and live. Oh! who knows how hard a thing I found itto come to God in prayer. '

179. 'I did also desire the prayers of the people of God forme, but I feared that God would give them no heart to do it; yea, I trembled in my soul to think that some or other of them wouldshortly tell me, that God had said those words to them that he oncedid say to the prophet concerning the children of Israel, "Praynot thou for this people, " for I have rejected them (Jer 11:14). So, pray not for him, for I have rejected him. Yea, I thought thathe had whispered this to some of them already, only they durst nottell me so, neither durst I ask them of it, for fear, if it shouldbe so, it would make me quite besides myself. Man knows the beginningof sin, said Spira, but who bounds the issues thereof?'

180. About this time I took an opportunity to break my mind toan ancient Christian, and told him all my case; I told him, also, that I was afraid that I had sinned the sin against the Holy Ghost;and he told me he thought so too. Here, therefore, I had but coldcomfort; but, talking a little more with him, I found him, thougha good man, a stranger to much combat with the devil. Wherefore, I went to God again, as well as I could, for mercy still. 

181. Now, also, did the tempter begin to mock me in my misery, saying, that, seeing I had thus parted with the Lord Jesus, andprovoked him to displeasure, who would have stood between my souland the flame of devouring fire, there was now but one way, andthat was, to pray that God the Father would be the Mediator betwixthis Son and me, that we might be reconciled again, and that I mighthave that blessed benefit in him that his blessed saints enjoyed. 

182. Then did that scripture seize upon my soul, He is of one mind, and who can turn him? Oh! I saw it was as easy to persuade him tomake a new world, a new covenant, or new Bible, besides that wehave already, as to pray for such a thing. This was to persuade himthat what he had done already was mere folly, and persuade with himto alter, yea, to disannul, the whole way of salvation; and thenwould that saying rend my soul asunder, "Neither is there salvationin any other: for there is none other name under heaven, givenamong men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). 

183. 'Now, the most free, and full, and gracious words of thegospel were the greatest torment to me; yea, nothing so afflictedme as the thoughts of Jesus Christ, the remembrance of a Saviour;because I had cast him off, brought forth the villany of my sin, and my loss by it to mind; nothing did twinge my conscience likethis. Every time that I thought of the Lord Jesus, of his grace, love, goodness, kindness, gentleness, meekness, death, blood, promises and blessed exhortations, comforts and consolations, itwent to my soul like a sword; for still, unto these my considerationsof the Lord Jesus, these thoughts would make place for themselvesin my heart; aye, this is the Jesus, the loving Saviour, the Sonof God, whom thou hast parted with, whom you slighted, despised, and abused. This is the only Saviour, the only Redeemer, the onlyone that could so love sinners as to wash them from their sins inhis own most precious blood; but you have no part nor lot in thisJesus, you have put him from you, you have said in your heart, Lethim go if he will. Now, therefore, you are severed from him; youhave severed yourself from him. Behold, then, his goodness, butyourself to be no partaker of it. Oh, thought I, what have I lost!What have I parted with! What have I disinherited my poor soul of!Oh! it is sad to be destroyed by the grace and mercy of God; tohave the Lamb, the Saviour, turn lion and destroyer (Rev 6). [43] Ialso trembled, as I have said, at the sight of the saints of God, especially at those that greatly loved him, and that made it theirbusiness to walk continually with him in this world; for they did, both in their words, their carriages, and all their expressions oftenderness and fear to sin against their precious Saviour, condemn, lay guilt upon, and also add continual affliction and shame untomy soul. The dread of them was upon me, and I trembled at God'sSamuels (1 Sam 16:4). '

184. Now, also, the tempter began afresh to mock my soul anotherway, saying that Christ, indeed, did pity my case, and was sorryfor my loss; but forasmuch as I had sinned and transgressed, asI had done, he could by no means help me, nor save me from what Ifeared; for my sin was not of the nature of theirs for whom he bledand died, neither was it counted with those that were laid to hischarge when he hanged on the tree. Therefore, unless he should comedown from heaven and die anew for this sin, though, indeed, he didgreatly pity me, yet I could have no benefit of him. These thingsmay seem ridiculous to others, even as ridiculous as they were inthemselves, but to me they were most tormenting cogitations; everyof them augmented my misery, that Jesus Christ should have so muchlove as to pity me when he could not help me; nor did I think thatthe reason why he could not help me was because his merits wereweak, or his grace and salvation spent on them already, but becausehis faithfulness to his threatening would not let him extend hismercy to me. Besides, I thought, as I have already hinted, that mysin was not within the bounds of that pardon that was wrapped upin a promise; and if not, then I knew assuredly, that it was moreeasy for heaven and earth to pass away than for me to have eternallife. So that the ground of all these fears of mine did arise froma steadfast belief that I had of the stability of the holy Word ofGod, and also, from my being misinformed of the nature of my sin. 

185. But, oh! how this would add to my affliction, to conceit thatI should be guilty of such a sin for which he did not die. Thesethoughts would so confound me, and imprison me, and tie me up fromfaith, that I knew not what to do; but, oh! thought I, that hewould come down again! Oh! that the work of man's redemption wasyet to be done by Christ! How would I pray him and entreat him tocount and reckon this sin amongst the rest for which he died! Butthis scripture would strike me down as dead, "Christ being raisedfrom the death dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him"(Rom 6:9). [44]

186. Thus, by the strange and unusual assaults of the tempter, wasmy soul, like a broken vessel, driven as with the winds, and tossedsometimes headlong into despair, sometimes upon the covenant ofworks, and sometimes to wish that the new covenant, and the conditionsthereof, might, so far forth as I thought myself concerned, be turnedanother way and changed. But in all these I was but as those thatjustle against the rocks; more broken, scattered, and rent. Oh, the unthought of imaginations, frights, fears, and terrors that areaffected by a thorough application of guilt, yielded to desperation!This is the man that hath "his dwelling among the tombs" with thedead; that is, always crying out and "cutting himself with stones"(Mark 5:2-5). But I say, all in vain; desperation will not comforthim, the old covenant will not save him; nay, heaven and earthshall pass away before one jot or tittle of the Word and law ofgrace shall fall or be removed. This I saw, this I felt, and underthis I groaned; yet this advantage I got thereby, namely, a fartherconfirmation of the certainty of the way of salvation, and thatthe Scriptures were the Word of God! Oh! I cannot now express whatthen I saw and felt of the steadiness of Jesus Christ, the rock ofman's salvation; what was done could not be undone, added to, noraltered. I saw, indeed, that sin might drive the soul beyond Christ, even the sin which is unpardonable; but woe to him that was sodriven, for the Word would shut him out. 

187. Thus was I always sinking, whatever I did think or do. So oneday I walked to a neighbouring town, and sat down upon a settle inthe street, and fell into a very deep pause about the most fearfulstate my sin had brought me to; and, after long musing, I liftedup my head, but methought I saw as if the sun that shineth in theheavens did grudge to give light, and as if the very stones in thestreet, and tiles upon the houses, did bend themselves against me;methought that they all combined together to banish me out of theworld; I was abhorred of them, and unfit to dwell among them, orbe partaker of their benefits, because I had sinned against theSaviour. O how happy, now, was every creature over [what] I was; forthey stood fast and kept their station, but I was gone and lost. 

188. Then breaking out in the bitterness of my soul, I said 'tomyself, ' with a grievous sigh, How can God comfort such a wretch asI? I had no sooner said it but this returned upon me, as an echodoth answer a voice, This sin is not unto death. At which I wasas if I had been raised out of a grave, and cried out again, Lord, how couldest thou find out such a word as this? for I was filledwith admiration at the fitness, and, also, at the unexpectednessof the sentence, 'the fitness of the Word, the rightness of thetiming of it, the power, and sweetness, and light, and glory thatcame with it, also, was marvelous to me to find. I was now, for thetime, out of doubt as to that about which I so much was in doubtbefore; my fears before were, that my sin was not pardonable, andso that I had no right to pray, to repent, &c. , or that if I did, it would be of no advantage or profit to me. But now, thought I, if this sin is not unto death, then it is pardonable; therefore, from this I have encouragement to come to God, by Christ, for mercy, to consider the promise of forgiveness as that which stands withopen arms to receive me, as well as others. This, therefore, wasa great easement to my mind; to wit, that my sin was pardonable, that it was not the sin unto death (1 John 5:16, 17). None but thosethat know what my trouble, by their own experience, was, can tellwhat relief came to my soul by this consideration; it was a releaseto me from my former bonds, and a shelter from my former storm. Iseemed now to stand upon the same ground with other sinners, andto have as good right to the Word and prayer as any of them. '[45]

189. Now, 'I say, ' I was in hopes that my sin was not unpardonable, but that there might be hopes for me to obtain forgiveness. But, oh, how Satan did now lay about him for to bring me down again!But he could by no means do it, neither this day nor the most partof the next, for this sentence stood like a mill post at my back;yet, towards the evening of the next day, I felt this word beginto leave me and to withdraw its supportation from me, and so Ireturned to my old fears again, but with a great deal of grudgingand peevishness, for I feared the sorrow of despair; 'nor could myfaith now longer retain this word. '

190. But the next day, at evening, being under many fears, I wentto seek the Lord; and as I prayed, I cried, 'and my soul cried'to him in these words, with strong cries:--O Lord, I beseech thee, show me that thou hast loved me with everlasting love (Jer 31:3). I had no sooner said it but, with sweetness, this returned upon me, as an echo or sounding again, "I have loved thee with an everlastinglove. " Now I went to bed at quiet; also, when I awaked the nextmorning, it was fresh upon my soul--'and I believed it. '

191. But yet the tempter left me not; for it could not be so littleas an hundred times that he that day did labour to break my peace. Oh! the combats and conflicts that I did then meet with as I stroveto hold by this word; that of Esau would fly in my face like tolightning. I should be sometimes up and down twenty times in anhour, yet God did bear me up and keep my heart upon this word, fromwhich I had also, for several days together, very much sweetnessand comfortable hopes of pardon; for thus it was made out to me, I loved thee whilst thou wast committing this sin, I loved theebefore, I love thee still, and I will love thee for ever. 

192. Yet I saw my sin most barbarous, and a filthy crime, and couldnot but conclude, and that with great shame and astonishment, thatI had horribly abused the holy Son of God; wherefore I felt my soulgreatly to love and pity him, and my bowels to yearn towards him;for I saw he was still my Friend, and did reward me good for evil;yea, the love and affection that then did burn within to my Lordand Saviour Jesus Christ did work, at this time, such a strongand hot desire of revengement upon myself for the abuse I had doneunto him, that, to speak as then I thought, had I had a thousandgallons of blood within my veins, I could freely 'then' have spiltit all at the command and feet of this my Lord and Saviour. 

193. And as I was thus in musing and in my studies, 'considering'how to love the Lord and to express my love to him, that sayingcame in upon me, "If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thoumayest be feared" (Psa 130:3, 4). These were good words to me, [46]especially the latter part thereof; to wit, that there is forgivenesswith the Lord, that he might be feared; that is, as then I understoodit, that he might be loved and had in reverence; for it was thusmade out to me, that the great God did set so high an esteem uponthe love of his poor creatures, that rather than he would go withouttheir love he would pardon their transgressions. 

194. And now was that word fulfilled on me, and I was also refreshedby it, Then shall they be ashamed and confounded, "and never opentheir mouth any more because of their shame, when I am pacifiedtoward them for all that they have done, saith the Lord God" (Eze16:63). Thus was my soul at this time, and, as I then did think, for ever, set at liberty from being again afflicted with my formerguilt and amazement. 

195. But before many weeks were over I began to despond again, fearing lest, notwithstanding all that I had enjoyed, that yet Imight be deceived and destroyed at the last; for this considerationcame strong into my mind, that whatever comfort and peace I thoughtI might have from the Word of the promise of life, yet unless therecould be found in my refreshment a concurrence and agreement in theScriptures, let me think what I will thereof, and hold it never sofast, I should find no such thing at the end; "for the Scripturecannot be broken" (John 10:35). 

196. Now began my heart again to ache and fear I might meet withdisappointment at the last; wherefore I began, with all seriousness, to examine my former comfort, and to consider whether one thathad sinned as I have done, might with confidence trust upon thefaithfulness of God, laid down in those words by which I had beencomforted and on which I had leaned myself. But now were broughtthose sayings to my mind, "For it is impossible for those who wereonce enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and weremade partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word ofGod, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance" (Heb 6:4-6). "For if we sinwillfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearfullooking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devourthe adversaries" (Heb 10:26, 27). Even "as Esau, who, for one morselof meat sold his birthright; for ye know how that afterward, whenhe would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected; for he foundno place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears"(Heb 12:16, 17). 

197. Now was the word of the gospel forced from my soul, so that nopromise or encouragement was to be found in the Bible for me; andnow would that saying work upon my spirit to afflict me, "Rejoicenot, O Israel, for joy as other people" (Hosea 9:1). For I sawindeed there was cause of rejoicing for those that held to Jesus;but as for me, I had cut myself off by my transgressions, and leftmyself neither foot-hold, nor hand-hold, amongst all the stays andprops in the precious word of life. 

198. And truly I did now feel myself to sink into a gulf, as anhouse whose foundation is destroyed; I did liken myself, in thiscondition, unto the case of a child that was fallen into a mill-pit, who, though it could make some shift to scrabble and spraul in thewater, yet because it could find neither hold for hand nor foot, therefore at last it must die in that condition. So soon as thisfresh assault had fastened on my soul, that scripture came into myheart, "This is for many days" (Dan 10:14). And indeed I found itwas so; for I could not be delivered, nor brought to peace again, until well nigh two years and an half were completely finished. Whereforethese words, though in themselves they tended to discouragement, yet to me, who feared this condition would be eternal, they wereat sometimes as an help and refreshment to me. 

199. For, thought I, many days are not, not for ever, many dayswill have an end, therefore seeing I was to be afflicted, not afew, but many days, yet I was glad it was but for many days. Thus, I say, I could recall myself sometimes, and give myself a help, foras soon as ever the words came 'into my mind' at first, I knew mytrouble would be long; yet this would be but sometimes, for I couldnot always think on this, nor ever be helped 'by it, ' though I did. 

200. Now, while these Scriptures lay before me, and laid sin'anew' at my door, that saying in the 18th of Luke, with others, did encourage me to prayer. Then the tempter again laid at me verysore, suggesting, That neither the mercy of God, nor yet the bloodof Christ, did at all concern me, nor could they help me for mysin; 'therefore it was in vain to pray. ' Yet, thought I, I willpray. But, said the tempter, your sin is unpardonable. 'Well, saidI, I will pray. It is to no boot, said he. ' Yet, said I, I will pray. So I went to prayer to God; and while I was at prayer, I utteredwords to this effect, Lord, Satan tells me that neither thy mercy, nor Christ's blood, is sufficient to save my soul; Lord, shall Ihonour thee most, by believing thou wilt and canst? or 'him, ' bybelieving thou neither wilt nor canst? Lord, I would fain honourthee, by believing thou wilt and canst. 

201. And as I was thus before the Lord, that scripture fastened onmy heart, "O [wo]man, great is thy faith" (Matt 15:28), even as ifone had clapped me on the back, as I was on my knees before God. Yet I was not able to believe this, 'that this was a prayer offaith, ' till almost six months after; for I could not think that Ihad faith, or that there should be a word for me to act faith on;therefore I should still be as sticking in the jaws of desperation, and went mourning up and down 'in a sad condition, ' crying, Is hismercy clean gone? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? And I thoughtsometimes, even when I was groaning in these expressions, they didseem to make a question whether it was or no; yet I greatly fearedit was. 

202. 'There was nothing now that I longed for more than to be putout of doubt, as to this thing in question; and, as I was vehementlydesiring to know if there was indeed hopes for me, these words camerolling into my mind, "Will the Lord cast off for ever? And willhe be a favourable no more? Is his mercy clean gone for ever? Dothhis promise fail for evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gracious?Hath he in anger shut up his tender mercies?" (Psa 77:7-9). Andall the while they run in my mind, methought I had this still asthe answer, It is a question whether he had or no; it may be he hathnot. Yea, the interrogatory seemed to me to carry in it a sureaffirmation that indeed he had not, nor would so cast off, butwould be favourable; that his promise doth not fail, and that hehad not forgotten to be gracious, nor would in anger shut up histender mercy. Something, also, there was upon my heart at the sametime, which I now cannot call to mind; which, with this text, didsweeten my heart, and made me conclude that his mercy might not bequite gone, nor clean gone for ever. '[47]

203. At another time, I remember I was again much under the question, Whether the blood of Christ was sufficient to save my soul? In whichdoubt I continued from morning till about seven or eight at night;and at last, when I was, as it were, quite worn out with fear, lest it should not lay hold on me, these words did sound suddenlywithin my heart, He is able. But methought this word ABLE wasspoke so loud unto me; it showed such a great word, 'it seemed tobe writ in great letters, ' and gave such a justle to my fear anddoubt, I mean for the time it tarried with me, which was about aday, as I never had from that all my life, either before or afterthat (Heb 7:25). 

204. But one morning, when I was again at prayer, and tremblingunder the fear of this, that no word of God could help me, thatpiece of a sentence darted in upon me, "My grace is sufficient. " Atthis methought I felt some stay, as if there might be hopes. But, oh how good a thing it is for God to send his Word! For abouta fortnight before I was looking on this very place, and then Ithought it could not come near my soul with comfort, 'therefore'I threw down my book in a pet. 'Then I thought it was not largeenough for me; no, not large enough'; but now, it was as if it hadarms of grace so wide that it could not only enclose me, but manymore besides. 

205. By these words I was sustained, yet not without exceedingconflicts, for the space of seven or eight weeks; for my peacewould be in and out, sometimes twenty times a day; comfort now, and trouble presently; peace now, and before I could go a furlongas full of fear and guilt as ever heart could hold; and this wasnot only now and then, but my whole seven weeks' experience; forthis about the sufficiency of grace, and that of Esau's partingwith his birthright, would be like a pair of scales within my mind, sometimes one end would be uppermost, and sometimes again the other;according to which would be my peace or trouble. 

206. Therefore I still did pray to God, that he would come in withthis Scripture more fully on my heart; to wit, that he would helpme to apply the whole sentence, 'for as yet I could not: that hegave, I gathered; but further I could not go, ' for as yet it onlyhelped me to hope 'there might be mercy for me, ' "My grace issufficient"; and though it came no farther, it answered my formerquestion; to wit, that there was hope; yet, because "for thee" wasleft out, I was not contented, but prayed to God for that also. Wherefore, one day as I was in a meeting of God's people, full ofsadness and terror, for my fears again were strong upon me; and asI was now thinking my soul was never the better, but my case mostsad and fearful, these words did, with great power, suddenly breakin upon me, "My grace is sufficient for thee, my grace is sufficientfor thee, my grace is sufficient for thee, " three times together;and, oh! methought that every word as a mighty word unto me; asmy, and grace, and sufficient, and for thee; they were then, andsometimes are still, far bigger than others be. 

207. At which time my understanding was so enlightened, that I wasas though I had seen the Lord Jesus look down from heaven throughthe tiles upon me, and direct these words unto me. This sent memourning home, it broke my heart, and filled me full of joy, andlaid me low as the dust; only it stayed not long with me, I meanin this glory and refreshing comfort, yet it continued with me forseveral weeks, and did encourage me to hope. But so soon as thatpowerful operation of it was taken off my heart, that other aboutEsau returned upon me as before; so my soul did hang as in a pairof scales again, sometimes up and sometimes down, now in peace, and anon again in terror. 

208. Thus I went on for many weeks, sometimes comforted, and sometimestormented; and, especially at some times, my torment would be verysore, for all those scriptures forenamed in the Hebrews, wouldbe set before me, as the only sentences that would keep me out ofheaven. Then, again, I should begin to repent that ever that thoughtwent through me, I should also think thus with myself, Why, howmany scriptures are there against me? There are but three or four:and cannot God miss them, and save me for all them? Sometimes, again, I should think, Oh! if it were not for these three or fourwords, now how might I be comforted? And I could hardly forbear, at some times, but to wish them out of the book. 

209. Then methought I should see as if both Peter, and Paul, andJohn, and all the writers, did look with scorn upon me, and hold mein derision; and as if they said unto me, All our words are truth, one of as much force as another. It is not we that have cut youoff, but you have cast away yourself; there is none of our sentencesthat you must take hold upon but these, and such as these: "It isimpossible; there remains no more sacrifice for sin" (Heb 6). And"it had been better for them not to have known" the will of God, "than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandmentdelivered unto them" (2 Peter 2:21). "For the Scriptures cannotbe broken. "[48]

210. 'These, as the elders of the city of refuge, I saw were to bethe judges both of my case and me, while I stood, with the avengerof blood at my heels, trembling at their gate for deliverance, alsowith a thousand fears and mistrusts, I doubted that they would shutme out for ever (Josh 20:3, 4). '

211. Thus was I confounded, not knowing what to do, nor how to besatisfied in this question, Whether the scriptures could agree inthe salvation of my soul? I quaked at the apostles, I knew theirwords were true, and that they must stand for ever. 

212. And I remember one day, as I was in diverse frames of spirit, and considering that these frames were still according to the natureof the several scriptures that came in upon my mind; if this ofgrace, then was I quiet; but if that of Esau, then tormented; Lord, thought I, if both these scriptures would meet in my heart at once, I wonder which of them would get the better of me. So methought Ihad a longing mind that they might come both together upon me; yea, I desired of God they might. 

213. Well, about two or three days after, so they did indeed; theybolted both upon me at a time, and did work and struggle strangelyin me for a while; at last, that about Esau's birthright began towax weak, and withdraw, and vanish; and this about the sufficiencyof grace prevailed with peace and joy. And as I was in a muse aboutthis thing, that scripture came home upon me, "Mercy rejoicethagainst judgment" (James 2:13). 

214. This was a wonderment to me; yet truly I am apt to think itwas of God; for the word of the law and wrath must give place tothe word of life and grace; because, though the word of condemnationbe glorious, yet the word of life and salvation doth far exceed inglory (2 Cor 3:8-12; Mark 9:5-7). Also, that Moses and Elias mustboth vanish, and leave Christ and his saints alone. 

215. This scripture did also most sweetly visit my soul, "And himthat cometh to me I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). Oh, the comfort that I have had from this world, "in no wise"! as whoshould say, by no means, for no thing, whatever he hath done. ButSatan would greatly labour to pull this promise from me, tellingof me that Christ did not mean me, and such as I, but sinners ofa lower rank, that had not done as I had done. But I should answerhim again, Satan, here is in this word no such exception; but "himthat comes, " HIM, any him; "him that cometh to me I will in no wisecast out. " And this I well remember still, that of all the sleightsthat Satan used to take this scripture from me, yet he never didso much as put this question, But do you come aright? And I havethought the reason was, because he thought I knew full well whatcoming aright was; for I saw that to come aright was to come as Iwas, a vile and ungodly sinner, and to cast myself at the feet ofmercy, condemning myself for sin. If ever Satan and I did strivefor any word 'of God in all my life, it was for this good word ofChrist; he at one end and I at the other. Oh, what work did we make!'It was for this in John, 'I say, that we did so tug and strive';he pulled and I pulled; but, God be praised, 'I got the better ofhim, ' I got some sweetness from it. 

216. But, notwithstanding all these helps and blessed words ofgrace, yet that of Esau's selling of his birthright would still attimes distress my conscience; for though I had been most sweetlycomforted, and that but just before, yet when that came into 'my'mind, it would make me fear again, I could not be quite rid thereof, it would every day be with me: wherefore now I went another wayto work, even to consider the nature of this blasphemous thought;I mean, if I should take the words at the largest, and give themtheir own natural force and scope, even every word therein. So whenI had thus considered, I found, that if they were fairly taken, they would amount to this, that I had freely left the Lord JesusChrist to his choice, whether he would be my Saviour or no; for thewicked words were these, Let him go if he will. Then that scripturegave me hope, "I will never leave thee nor forsake thee" (Heb 13:5). O Lord, said I, but I have left thee. Then it answered again, "ButI will not leave thee. " For this I thank God also. 

217. Yet I was grievously afraid he should, and found it exceedinghard to trust him, seeing I had so offended him. I could have beenexceeding glad that this thought had never befallen, for then Ithought I could, with more ease and freedom abundance, have leanedupon his grace. I see it was with me, as it was with Joseph'sbrethren; the guilt of their own wickedness did often fill them withfears that their brother would at last despise them (Gen 50:15-17). 

218. But above all the scriptures that I yet did meet with, thatin the twentieth of Joshua was the greatest comfort to me, whichspeaks of the slayer that was to flee for refuge. And if the avengerof blood pursue the slayer, then, saith Moses, they that are theelders of the city of refuge shall not deliver him into his hand, because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him notaforetime. Oh, blessed be God for this word; I was convinced thatI was the slayer; and that the avenger of blood pursued me, that Ifelt with great terror; only now it remained that I inquire whetherI have right to enter the city of refuge. [49] So I found that hemust not, who lay in wait to shed blood: 'it was not the willfulmurderer, ' but he who unwittingly did it, he who did unawaresshed blood; 'not of spite, or grudge, or malice, he that shedit unwittingly, ' even he who did not hate his neighbour before. Wherefore, 219. I thought verily I was the man that must enter, because Ihad smitten my neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not aforetime. I hated him not aforetime; no, I prayed unto him, was tender ofsinning against him; yea, and against this wicked temptation I hadstrove for a twelvemonth before; yea, and also when it did passthrough my heart, it did it in spite of my teeth: wherefore Ithought I had right to enter this city, and the elders, which arethe apostles, were not to deliver me up. This, therefore, was greatcomfort to me; and did give me much ground of hope. 

220. Yet being very critical, for my smart had made me that I knewnot what ground was sure enough to bear me, I had one questionthat my soul did much desire to be resolved about; and that was, Whether it be possible for any soul that hath indeed sinned theunpardonable sin, yet after that to receive though but the leasttrue spiritual comfort from God through Christ? The which, afterI had much considered, I found the answer was, No, they could not;and that for these reasons:--

221. First, Because those that have sinned that sin, they are debarreda share in the blood of Christ, and being shut out of that, theymust needs be void of the least ground of hope, and so of spiritualcomfort; for to such "there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins"(Heb 10:26). Secondly, Because they are denied a share in thepromise of life; they shall never be forgiven, "neither in thisworld, neither in that which is to come" (Matt 12:32). Thirdly, The Son of God excludes them also from a share in his blessedintercession, being for ever ashamed to own them both before hisholy Father, and the blessed angels in heaven (Mark 8:38). 

222. When I had, with much deliberation, considered of this matter, and could not but conclude that the Lord had comforted me, and thattoo after this my wicked sin; then, methought, I durst venture tocome nigh unto those most fearful and terrible scriptures, withwhich all this while I had been so greatly affrighted, and on which, indeed, before I durst scarce cast mine eye, yea, had much ado anhundred times to forbear wishing of them out of the Bible; for Ithought they would destroy me; but now, I say, I began to take somemeasure of encouragement to come close to them, to read them, andconsider them, and to weigh their scope and tendency. 

223. The which, when I began to do, I found their visage changed;for they looked not so grimly on me as before I thought they did. And, first, I came to the sixth of the Hebrews, yet trembling forfear it should strike me; which when I had considered, I found thatthe falling there intended was a falling quite away; that is, asI conceived, a falling from, and an absolute denial of the gospelof remission of sins by Christ; for from them the apostle beginshis argument (vv 1-3). Secondly, I found that this falling awaymust be openly, even in the view of the world, even so as "to putChrist to an open shame. " Thirdly, I found that those he thereintended were for ever shut up of God, both in blindness, hardness, and impenitency: it is impossible they should be renewed again untorepentance. By all these particulars, I found, to God's everlastingpraise, my sin was not the sin in this place intended. 

'First, I confessed I was fallen, but not fallen away, that is, from the profession of faith in Jesus unto eternal life. Secondly, I confessed that I had put Jesus Christ to shame by my sin, butnot to open shame; I did not deny him before men, nor condemn himas a fruitless one before the world. Thirdly, Nor did I find thatGod had shut me up, or denied me to come, though I found it hardwork indeed to come to him by sorrow and repentance. Blessed beGod for unsearchable grace. '

224. Then I considered that in the tenth of the Hebrews, and foundthat the willful sin there mentioned is not every willful sin, but that which doth throw off Christ, and then his commandmentstoo. Secondly, That must also be done openly, before two or threewitnesses, to answer that of the law (v 28). Thirdly, This sin cannotbe committed, but with great despite done to the Spirit of grace;despising both the dissuasions from that sin, and the persuasionsto the contrary. But the Lord knows, though this my sin was devilish, yet it did not amount to these. 

225. And as touching that in the twelfth of the Hebrews, aboutEsau's selling his birthright, though this was that which killed me, and stood like a spear against me; yet now I did consider, First, That his was not a hasty thought against the continual labour ofhis mind, but a thought consented to and put in practice likewise, and that too after some deliberation (Gen 25). Secondly, It was apublic and open action, even before his brother, if not before manymore; this made his sin of a far more heinous nature than otherwiseit would have been. Thirdly, He continued to slight his birthright:"He did eat and drink, and went his way; thus Esau despisedhis birthright" (v 34). Yea, twenty years after, he was found todespise it still. "And Esau said, I have enough, my brother; keepthat thou hast unto thyself" (Gen 33:9). 

226. Now as touching this, that Esau sought a place of repentance;thus I thought, first, This was not for the birthright, but for theblessing; this is clear from the apostle, and is distinguished byEsau himself; "he took away my birthright [that is, formerly]; and, behold, now he hath taken away my blessing" (Gen 27:36). Secondly, Now, this being thus considered, I came again to the apostle, tosee what might be the mind of God, in a New Testament style andsense, concerning Esau's sin; and so far as I could conceive, thiswas the mind of God, That the birthright signified regeneration, and the blessing the eternal inheritance; for so the apostle seemsto hint, "Lest there be any profane person, as Esau, who for onemorsel of meat sold his birthright"; as if he should say, Lest therebe any person amongst you, that shall cast off all those blessedbeginnings of God that at present are upon him, in order to a newbirth, lest they become as Esau, even be rejected afterwards, whenthey would inherit the blessing. 

227. For many there are who, in the day of grace and mercy, despisethose things which are indeed the birthright to heaven, who yet, when the deciding day appears, will cry as loud as Esau, "Lord, Lord, open to us"; but then, as Isaac would not repent, no more willGod the Father, but will say, I have blessed these, yea, and theyshall be blessed; but as for you, depart from me, all ye workersof iniquity (Gen 27:33; Luke 13:25-27). 

228. When I had thus considered these scriptures, and found thatthus to understand them was not against, but according to otherscriptures; this still added further to my encouragement andcomfort, and also gave a great blow to that objection, to wit, thatthe scripture could not agree in the salvation of my soul. And nowremained only the hinder part of the tempest, for the thunder wasgone beyond me, only some drops did still remain, that now and thenwould fall upon me; but because my former frights and anguish werevery sore and deep, therefore it did oft befall me still, as itbefalleth those that have been scared with fire, I thought everyvoice was Fire, fire; every little touch would hurt my tenderconscience. [50]

229. But one day, as I was passing in the field, and that too withsome dashes on my conscience, fearing lest yet all was not right, suddenly this sentence fell upon my soul, Thy righteousness isin heaven; and methought withal, I saw, with the eyes of my soul, Jesus Christ at God's right hand; there, I say, as my righteousness;so that wherever I was, or whatever I was adoing, God could notsay of me, He wants my righteousness, for that was just before him. I also saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart thatmade my righteousness better, nor yet my bad frame that made myrighteousness worse; for my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever (Heb 13:8). 

230. Now did my chains fall off my legs indeed, I was loosed frommy affliction and irons, my temptations also fled away; so that, from that time, those dreadful scriptures of God left off to troubleme; now went I also home rejoicing, for the grace and love of God. So when I came home, I looked to see if I could find that sentence, Thy righteousness is in heaven; but could not find such a saying, wherefore my heart began to sink again, only that was brought to myremembrance, he "of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption"; by this word I saw the othersentence true (1 Cor 1:30). 

231. For by this scripture, I saw that the man Christ Jesus, ashe is distinct from us, as touching his bodily presence, so he isour righteousness and sanctification before God. Here, therefore, I lived for some time, very sweetly at peace with God throughChrist; Oh methought, Christ! Christ! there was nothing but Christthat was before my eyes, I was not now only for looking upon thisand the other benefits of Christ apart, as of his blood, burial, orresurrection, but considered him as a whole Christ! As he in whomall these, and all other his virtues, relations, offices, andoperations met together, and that 'as he sat' on the right hand ofGod in heaven. 

232. It was glorious to me to see his exaltation, and the worthand prevalency of all his benefits, and that because of this: nowI could look from myself to him, and should reckon that all thosegraces of God that now were green in me, were yet but like thosecracked groats and fourpence-halfpennies[51] that rich men carryin their purses, when their gold is in their trunks at home! Oh, Isaw my gold was in my trunk at home! In Christ, my Lord and Saviour!Now Christ was all; all my wisdom, all my righteousness, all mysanctification, and all my redemption. 

233. Further, the Lord did also lead me into the mystery of unionwith the Son of God, that I was joined to him, that I was fleshof his flesh, and bone of his bone, and now was that a sweet wordto me in Ephesians 5:30. By this also was my faith in him, as myrighteousness, the more confirmed to me; for if he and I were one, then his righteousness was mine, his merits mine, his victory alsomine. Now could I see myself in heaven and earth at once; in heavenby my Christ, by my head, by my righteousness and life, though onearth by my body or person. 

234. Now I saw Christ Jesus was looked on of God, and should alsobe looked upon by us, as that common or public person, [52] inwhom all the whole body of his elect are always to be consideredand reckoned; that we fulfilled the law by him, died by him, rosefrom the dead by him, got the victory over sin, death, the devil, and hell, by him; when he died, we died; and so of his resurrection. "Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall theyarise, " saith he (Isa 26:19). And again, "After two days will herevive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall livein his sight" (Hosea 6:2); which is now fulfilled by the sittingdown of the Son of man on the right hand of the Majesty in theheavens, according to that to the Ephesians, he "hath raised usup together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in ChristJesus" (Eph 2:6). 

235. Ah, these blessed considerations and scriptures, with manyother of a like nature, were in those days made to spangle in mineeyes, 'so that I have cause to say, ' "Praise ye the Lord. PraiseGod in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellentgreatness" (Psa 150:1, 2). 

236. Having thus, in few words, given you a taste of the sorrow andaffliction that my soul went under, by the guilt and terror thatthis my wicked thought did lay me under! and having given you alsoa touch of my deliverance therefrom, and of the sweet and blessedcomfort that I met with afterwards, which comfort dwelt about atwelve-month with my heart, to my unspeakable admiration; I willnow, God willing, before I proceed any further, give you in a wordor two, what, as I conceive, was the cause of this temptation; andalso after that, what advantage, at the last, it became unto mysoul. 

237. For the causes, I conceived they were principally two: of whichtwo also I was deeply convinced all the time this trouble lay uponme. The first was, for that I did not, when I was delivered fromthe temptation that went before, still pray to God to keep me fromtemptations that were to come; for though, as I can say in truth, my soul was much in prayer before this trial seized me, yet then Iprayed only, or at the most, principally for the removal of presenttroubles, and for fresh discoveries of 'his' love in Christ! whichI saw afterwards was not enough to do; I also should have prayedthat the great God would keep me from the evil that was to come. 

238. Of this I was made deeply sensible by the prayer of holyDavid, who, when he was under present mercy, yet prayed that Godwould hold him back from sin and temptation to come; "Then, " saithhe, "shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the GREATtransgression" (Psa 19:13). By this very word was I galled andcondemned, quite through this long temptation. 

239. That also was another word that did much condemn me for myfolly, in the neglect of this duty (Heb 4:16), "Let us thereforecome boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. " This I had not done, andtherefore was suffered thus to sin and fall, according to what iswritten, "Pray that ye enter not into temptation. " And truly thisvery thing is to this day of such weight and awe upon me, thatI dare not, when I come before the Lord, go off my knees, untilI entreat him for help and mercy against the temptations that areto come; and I do beseech thee, reader, that thou learn to bewareof my negligence, by the affliction that for this thing I did fordays, and months, and years, with sorrow undergo. 

240. Another cause of this temptation was, that I had tempted God;and on this manner did I do it. Upon a time my wife was great withchild, and before her full time was come, her pangs, as of a womanin travail, were fierce and strong upon her, even as if she wouldhave immediately fallen in labour, and been delivered of an untimelybirth. Now, at this very time it was, that I had been so stronglytempted to question the being of God; wherefore, as my wife laycrying by me, I said, but with all secrecy imaginable, even thinkingin my heart, Lord, if thou wilt now remove this sad afflictionfrom my wife, and cause that she be troubled no more therewith thisnight, and now were her pangs just upon her, then I shall know thatthou canst discern the most secret thoughts of the heart. 

241. I had no sooner said it in my heart, but her pangs were takenfrom her, and she was cast into a deep sleep, and so she continuedtill morning; at this I greatly marveled, not knowing what tothink; but after I had been awake a good while, and heard her cryno more, I fell to sleeping also. So when I waked in the morning, it came upon me again, even what I had said in my heart thelast night, and how the Lord had showed me that he knew my secretthoughts, which was a great astonishment unto me for several weeksafter. 

242. Well, about a year and a half afterwards, that wicked sinfulthought, of which I have spoken before, went through my wickedheart, even this thought, Let Christ go if he will; so when I wasfallen under guilt for this, the remembrance of my other thought, and of the effect thereof, would also come upon me with this retort, which also carried rebuke along with it, Now you may see that Goddoth know the most secret thoughts of the heart. [53]

243. And with this, that of the passages that were betwixt theLord and his servant Gideon fell upon my spirit; how because thatGideon tempted God with his fleece, both wet and dry, when he shouldhave believed and ventured upon his word, therefore the Lord didafterwards so try him, as to send him against an innumerable companyof enemies; and that too, as to outward appearance, without anystrength or help (Judg 6, 7). Thus he served me, and that justly, for I should have believed his word, and not have put an IF uponthe all-seeingness of God. 

244. And now to show you something of the advantages that I alsogained by this temptation; and first, By this I was made continuallyto possess in my soul a very wonderful sense both of the beingand glory of God, and of his beloved Son; in the temptation 'thatwent' before, my soul was perplexed with 'unbelief, blasphemy, hardness of heart, questions about the being of God, Christ, thetruth of the Word, and certainty of the world to come; I say, thenI was greatly assaulted and tormented with' atheism; but now thecase was otherwise, now was God and Christ continually before myface, though not in a way of comfort, but in a way of exceedingdread and terror. The glory of the holiness of God did at thistime break me to pieces; and the bowels and compassion of Christdid break me as on the wheel;[54] for I could not consider him butas a lost and rejected Christ, the remembrance of which was as thecontinual breaking of my bones. 

245. The Scriptures now also were wonderful things unto me; I sawthat the truth and verity of them were the keys of the kingdom ofheaven; those 'that' the Scriptures favour they must inherit bliss, but those 'that' they oppose and condemn must perish evermore. Ohthis word, "For the Scripture cannot be broken": would rend thecaul of my heart; and so would that other, "Whose soever sins yeremit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained. " Now I saw the apostles to be the elders of thecity of refuge (Josh 20:4), those 'that' they were to receive in, were received to life; but those that they shut out were to beslain by the avenger of blood. [55]

246. Oh! one sentence of the Scripture did more afflict and terrifymy mind, I mean those sentences that stood against me, as sometimesI thought they every one did, more I say, than an army of fortythousand men that might have come against me. Woe be to him againstwhom the Scriptures bend themselves. 

247. By this temptation I was made 'to' see more into the natureof the promises than ever I was before; for I lying now tremblingunder the mighty hand of God, continually torn and rent by thethunderings of his justice; this made me, with careful heart andwatchful eye, with great seriousness, to turn over every leaf, and with much diligence, mixed with trembling, to consider everysentence, together with its natural force and latitude. 

248. By this temptation, also, I was greatly beaten off my formerfoolish practice, of putting by the word of promise when it cameinto my mind; for now, though I could not suck that comfort andsweetness from the promise as I had done at other times, yea, liketo a man a-sinking, I should catch at all I saw; formerly I thoughtI might not meddle with the promise unless I felt its comfort, butnow it was no time thus to do, the avenger of blood too hardly didpursue me. 

249. Now therefore I was glad to catch at that word, which yet Ifeared I had no ground or right to own; and even to leap into thebosom of that promise, that yet I feared did shut its heart againstme. Now also I should labour to take the Word as God had laid itdown, without restraining the natural force of one syllable thereof. O what did I now see in that blessed sixth of John, "And him thatcometh to me, I will in no wise cast out" (v 37). Now I began toconsider with myself, that God had a bigger mouth to speak withthan I had heart to conceive with. I thought also with myself thathe spake not his words in haste, or in unadvised heat, but withinfinite wisdom and judgment, and in very truth and faithfulness(2 Sam 3:18). 

250. I should in these days, often in my greatest agonies, evenflounce towards the promise, as the horses do towards sound groundthat yet stick in the mire, concluding, though as one almost bereftof his wits through fear, on this I will rest and stay, and leavethe fulfilling of it to the God of heaven that made it. Oh! many apull hath my heart had with Satan for that blessed sixth of John. I did not now, as at other times, look principally for comfort, though, O how welcome would it have been unto me! But now a word, a word to lean a weary soul upon, that I might not sink for ever!'it was that I hunted for. '

251. Yea, often when I have been making to the promise, I haveseen as if the Lord would refuse my soul for ever. I was often asif I had run upon the pikes, and as if the Lord had thrust at meto keep me from him as with a flaming sword. Then I should thinkof Esther, who went to petition the king contrary to the law (Esth4:16). I thought also of Benhadad's servants, who went with ropesupon their heads to their enemies for mercy (1 Kings 20:31). Thewoman of Canaan also, that would not be daunted, though called dogby Christ (Matt 15:20-28). And the man that went to borrow breadat midnight (Luke 11:5-8), were great encouragements unto me. 

251. I never saw those heights and depths in grace, and love, andmercy, as I saw after this temptation. Great sins do draw out greatgrace; and where guilt is most terrible and fierce there the mercyof God in Christ, when showed to the soul, appears most high andmighty. When Job had passed through his captivity, he had "twiceas much as he had before" (Job 42:10). Blessed be God for JesusChrist our Lord. Many other things I might here make observationof, but I would be brief, and therefore shall at this time omitthem, and do pray God that my harms may make others fear to offend, lest they also be made to bear the iron yoke as I 'did. '

'I had two or three times, at or about my deliverance from thistemptation, such strange apprehensions of the grace of God, thatI could hardly bear up under it, it was so out of measure amazing, when I thought it could reach me, that I do think, if that senseof it had abode long upon me, it would have made me incapable forbusiness. '

[ENTERS INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AT BEDFORD, INWHICH HE AFTERWARDS BECAME A MINISTERING ELDER. ]

253. Now I shall go forward to give you a relation of other of theLord's dealings with me, of his dealings with me at sundry otherseasons, and of the temptations I then did meet withal. I shall beginwith what I met with when I first did join in fellowship with thepeople of God in Bedford. [56] After I had propounded to the churchthat my desire was to walk in the order and ordinances of Christwith them, and was also admitted by them; while I thought of thatblessed ordinance of Christ, which was his last supper with hisdisciples before his death, that Scripture, "This do in remembranceof me" (Luke 22:19), was made a very precious word unto me; forby it the Lord did come down upon my conscience with the discoveryof his death for my sins; and as I then felt, did as if he plungedme in the virtue of the same. But, behold, I had not been longa partaker at that ordinance, but such fierce and sad temptationsdid attend me at all times therein, both to blaspheme the ordinance, and to wish some deadly thing to those that then did eat thereof;that, lest I should at any time be guilty of consenting to thesewicked and fearful thoughts, I was forced to bend myself all thewhile to pray to God to keep me from such blasphemies; and alsoto cry to God to bless the bread and cup to them as it went frommouth to mouth. The reason of this temptation I have thought sincewas, because I did not, with that reverence 'as became me, ' atfirst approach to partake thereof. 

254. Thus I continued for three quarters of a year, and could neverhave rest nor ease; but at last the Lord came in upon my soul withthat same scripture by which my soul was visited before; and afterthat I have been usually very well and comfortable in the partakingof that blessed ordinance, and have, I trust, therein discernedthe Lord's body as broken for my sins, and that his precious bloodhath been shed for my transgressions. 

255. Upon a time I was somewhat inclining to a consumption, wherewith, about the spring, I was suddenly and violently seizedwith much weakness in my outward man, insomuch that I thought Icould not live. Now began I afresh to give myself up to a seriousexamination after my state and condition for the future, and ofmy evidences for that blessed world to come; for it hath, I blessthe name of God, been my usual course, as always, so especiallyin the day of affliction, to endeavour to keep my interest in thelife to come clear before my eye. 

256. But I had no sooner began to recall to mind my former experienceof the goodness of God to my soul, but there came flocking into mymind, an innumerable company of my sins and transgressions, amongstwhich these were at this time most to my affliction, namely, mydeadness, dullness, and coldness in holy duties; my wanderings ofheart, 'of' my wearisomeness in all good things, my want of love toGod, his ways, and people, with this at the end of all, Are thesethe fruits of Christianity? are these the tokens of a blessed man?

257. At the apprehension of these things my sickness was doubledupon me, for now was I sick in my inward man, my soul was cloggedwith guilt; now also was my former experience of God's goodnessto me quite taken out of my mind, and hid as if it had neverbeen, nor seen. Now was my soul greatly pinched between these twoconsiderations, Live I must not, Die I dare not; now I sunk andfell in my spirit, and was giving up all for lost; but as I waswalking up and down in the house, as a man in a most woeful state, that word of God took hold of my heart, Ye are "justified freelyby his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom3:24). 'But oh what a turn it made upon me!'

258. Now was I as one awakened out of some troublesome sleep anddream, and listening to this heavenly sentence, I was as if I hadheard it thus expounded to me: Sinner, thou thinkest that becauseof thy sins and infirmities I cannot save thy soul, but behold mySon is by me, and upon him I look, and not on thee, and will dealwith thee according as I am pleased with him. At this I was greatlylightened in my mind, and made to understand that God could justifya sinner at any time; it was but 'his' looking upon Christ, andimputing of his benefits to us, and the work was forthwith done. 

259. And as I was thus in a muse that scripture also came with greatpower upon my spirit, Not by works of righteousness which we havedone, but according to his mercy he saved us, &c. (Titus 3:5; 2 Tim1:9). Now was I got on high; I saw myself within the arms of graceand mercy; and though I was before afraid to think of a dying hour, yet now I cried, Let me die. Now death was lovely and beautifulin my sight; for I saw we shall never live indeed till we be goneto the other world. Oh, methought this life is but a slumber incomparison of that above; at this time also I saw more in thosewords, "Heirs of God" (Rom 8:17), than ever I shall be able toexpress while I live in this world. "Heirs of God!" God himself isthe portion of the saints. This I saw and wondered at, but cannottell you what I saw. [57]

260. 'Again, as I was at another time very ill and weak, all thattime also the tempter did beset me strongly, for I find he is muchfor assaulting the soul when it begins to approach towards thegrave, then is his opportunity, labouring to hide from me my formerexperience of God's goodness; also setting before me the terrors ofdeath and the judgment of God, insomuch that at this time, throughmy fear of miscarrying for ever, should I now die, I was as onedead before death came, and was as if I had felt myself alreadydescending into the pit; methought, I said, there was no way, butto hell I must; but behold, just as I was in the midst of thosefears, these words of the angels carrying Lazarus into Abraham'sbosom darted in upon me, as who should say, So it shall be withthee when thou dost leave this world. This did sweetly revive myspirit, and help me to hope in God; which, when I had with comfortmused on a while, that word fell with great weight upon my mind, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1Cor 15:55). At this I became both well in body and mind at once, for my sickness did presently vanish, and I walked comfortably inmy work for God again. '

261. At another time, though just before I was pretty well andsavoury in my spirit, yet suddenly there fell upon me a great cloudof darkness, which did so hide from me the things of God and Christ, that I was as if I had never seen or known them in my life; I wasalso so overrun in my soul, with a senseless, heartless frame ofspirit, that I could not feel my soul to move or stir after graceand life by Christ; I was as if my loins were broken, or as if myhands and feet had been tied or bound with chains. At this timealso I felt some weakness to seize 'upon' my outward man, whichmade still the other affliction the more heavy and uncomfortable'to me. '

262. After I had been in this condition some three or four days, as I was sitting by the fire, I suddenly felt this word to soundin my heart, I must go to Jesus; at this my former darkness andatheism fled away, and the blessed things of heaven were set withinmy view. While I was on this sudden thus overtaken with surprise, Wife, said I, is there ever such a scripture, I must go to Jesus?she said she could not tell, therefore I sat musing still to seeif I could remember such a place; I had not sat above two or threeminutes but that came bolting in upon me, "And to an innumerablecompany of angels, " and withal, Hebrews the twelfth, about themount Sion was set before mine eyes (vv 22-24). 

263. Then with joy I told my wife, O now I know, I know! But thatnight was a good night to me, I never had but few better; I longedfor the company of some of God's people that I might have impartedunto them what God had showed me. Christ was a precious Christ tomy soul that night; I could scarce lie in my bed for joy, and peace, and triumph, through Christ; this great glory did not continue uponme until morning, yet that twelfth of the author to the Hebrews(Heb 12:22, 23) was a blessed scripture to me for many days togetherafter this. 

264. The words are these, "Ye are come unto mount Sion, and untothe city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to aninnumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and churchof the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the judgeof all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesusthe mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. " Through this blessedsentence the Lord led me over and over, first to this word, andthen to that, and showed me wonderful glory in every one of them. These words also have oft since this time been great refreshmentto my spirit. Blessed be God for having mercy on me. 

[A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR'S CALL TO THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY. ]

265. And now I am speaking my experience, I will in this placethrust in a word or two concerning my preaching the Word, and ofGod's dealing with me in that particular also. For after I had beenabout five or six years awakened, and helped 'myself' to see boththe want and worth of Jesus Christ our Lord, and 'also' enabled toventure my soul upon him, some of the most able among the saintswith us, I say the most able for judgment and holiness of life, as they conceived, did perceive that God had counted me worthy tounderstand something of his will in his holy and blessed Word, andhad given me utterance, in some measure, to express what I saw toothers for edification; 'therefore' they desired me, and that withmuch earnestness, that I would be willing, at sometimes, to take inhand, in one of the meetings, to speak a word of exhortation untothem. [58]

266. The which, though at the first it did much dash and abash myspirit, yet being still by them desired and intreated, I consentedto their request, and did twice at two several assemblies, but inprivate, though with much weakness and infirmity, discover my giftamongst them; at which they not only seemed to be, but did solemnlyprotest, as in the sight of the great God, they were both affectedand comforted, and gave thanks to the Father of mercies for thegrace bestowed on me. 

267. After this, sometimes when some of them did go into the countryto teach, they would also that I should go with them; where, thoughas yet I did not, nor durst not, make use of my gift in an openway, yet more privately still as I came amongst the good people inthose places, I did sometimes speak a word of admonition unto themalso; the which, they as the other received, with rejoicing, at themercy of God to me-ward, professing their souls were edified thereby. 

268. Wherefore, to be brief, at last, being still desired by thechurch, after some solemn prayer to the Lord, with fasting, I wasmore particularly called forth, and appointed to a more ordinaryand public preaching the word, not only to, and amongst them thatbelieved, but also to offer the gospel to those who had not yetreceived the faith thereof; about which time I did evidently findin my mind a secret pricking forward thereto; though I bless God, not for desire of vain glory, for at that time I was most sorelyafflicted with the fiery darts of the devil concerning my eternalstate. 

269. But yet could not be content, unless I was found in theexercise of my gift, unto which also I was greatly animated, notonly by the continual desires of the godly, but also by that sayingof Paul to the Corinthians, "I beseech you, brethren (ye know thehousehold of Stephanus, that it is the first fruits of Achaian, andthat they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints)that ye submit yourselves unto such, and to every one that helpethwith us, and laboureth" (1 Cor 16:15, 16). 

270. By this text I was made to see that the Holy Ghost neverintended that men who have gifts and abilities should bury them inthe earth, but rather did command and stir up such to the exerciseof their gift, and also did commend those that were apt and readyso to do, "They have addicted themselves to the ministry of thesaints. " This scripture, in these days, did continually run in mymind, to encourage me and strengthen me in this my work for God;I have also been encouraged from several other scriptures andexamples of the godly, both specified in the Word and other ancienthistories (Acts 8:4, 18:24, 25; 1 Peter 4:10; Rom 12:6; Foxe's Actsand Monuments). 

271. Wherefore, though of myself, of all the saints the mostunworthy, yet I, but with great fear and trembling at the sightof my own weakness, did set upon the work, and did according to mygift, and the proportion of my faith, preach that blessed gospelthat God had showed me in the holy Word of truth; which, when thecountry understood, they came in to hear the Word by hundreds, andthat from all parts, though upon sundry and divers accounts. 

272. And I thank God he gave unto me some measure of bowels andpity for their souls, which also did put me forward to labour withgreat diligence and earnestness, to find out such a word as might, if God would bless it, lay hold of, and awaken the conscience, inwhich also the good Lord had respect to the desire of his servant;for I had not preached long before some began to be touched by theWord, and to be greatly afflicted in their minds at the apprehensionof the greatness of their sin, and of their need of Jesus Christ. 

273. But I at first could not believe that God should speak by meto the heart of any man, still counting myself unworthy; yet thosewho thus were touched would love me and have a peculiar respect forme; and though I did put it from me, that they should be awakenedby me, still they would confess it and affirm it before the saintsof God; they would also bless God for me, unworthy wretch that Iam! and count me God's instrument that showed to them the way ofsalvation. 

274. Wherefore, seeing them in both their words and deeds to beso constant, and also in their hearts so earnestly pressing afterthe knowledge of Jesus Christ, rejoicing that ever God did sendme where they were; then I began to conclude it might be so, thatGod had owned in his work such a foolish one as I, and then camethat word of God to my heart with much sweet refreshment, "Theblessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; and I causedthe widow's heart to sing for joy" (Job 29:13). 

275. At this therefore I rejoiced, yea, the tears of those whom Goddid awaken by my preaching would be both solace and encouragementto me; for I thought on those sayings, "Who is he that makethme glad but the same which is made sorry by me?" (2 Cor 2;2); andagain, Though "I be not an apostle to others, yet, doubtless, Iam to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord" (1Cor 9:2). These things, therefore, were as another argument untome that God had called me to, and stood by me in this work. 

276. In my preaching of the Word, I took special notice of this onething, namely, that the Lord did lead me to being where his Wordbegins with sinners; that is, to condemn all flesh, and to openand allege that the curse of God, by the law, doth belong to, andlay hold on all men as they come into the world, because of sin. Now this part of my work I fulfilled with great sense;[59] forthe terrors of the law, and guilt for my transgressions, lay heavyon my conscience. I preached what I felt, what I smartingly didfeel, even that under which my pour soul did groan and tremble toastonishment. 

277. Indeed I have been as one sent to them from the dead; I wentmyself in chains to preach to them in chains; and carried thatfire in my own conscience that I persuaded them to beware of. I cantruly say, and that without dissembling, that when I have been topreach, I have gone full of guilt and terror even to the pulpitdoor, and there it hath been taken off, and I have been at libertyin my mind until I have done my work, and then immediately, evenbefore I could get down the pulpit stairs, I have been as bad as Iwas before; yet God carried me on, but surely with a strong hand, for neither guilt or hell could take me off my work. 

278. Thus I went for the space of two years, crying out againstmen's sins, and their fearful state because of them. After whichthe Lord came in upon my own soul with some staid peace and comfortthrough Christ; for he did give me many sweet discoveries of hisblessed grace through him. Wherefore now I altered in my preaching, for still I preached what I saw and felt; now therefore I did muchlabour to hold forth Jesus Christ in all his offices, relations, and benefits unto the world; and did strive also to discover, tocondemn, and remove those false supports and props on which theworld doth both lean, and by them fall and perish. On these thingsalso I staid as long as on the other. 

279. After this, God led me into something of the mystery of unionwith Christ; wherefore that I discovered and showed to them also. And when I had traveled through these three chief points of theWord of God, about the space of five years or more, I was caughtin my present practice and cast into prison, where I have lain[60]above as long again, to confirm the truth by way of suffering, asI was before in testifying of it according to the Scriptures in away of preaching. 

280. When I have been preaching, I thank God, my heart hath oftenall the time of this and the other exercise, with great earnestness, cried to God that he would make the Word effectual to the salvationof the soul; still being grieved lest the enemy should take theWord away from the conscience, and so it should become unfruitful. Wherefore I did labour so to speak the Word, as that thereby, if itwere possible, the sins and person guilty might be particularizedby it. 

281. Also, when I have done the exercise, it hath gone to my heartto think the Word should now fall as rain on stony places, stillwishing from my heart, O that they who have heard me speak thisday did but see as I do what sin, death, hell, and the curse ofGod is; and also what the grace, and love, and mercy of God is, through Christ, to men in such a case as they are, who are yetestranged from him. And, indeed, I did often say in my heart beforethe Lord, That if to be hanged up presently before their eyes wouldbe a means to awaken them, and confirm them in the truth, I gladlyshould be contented. 

282. For I have been in my preaching, especially when I have beenengaged in the doctrine of life by Christ, without works, as if anangel of God had stood by at my back to encourage me. Oh, it hathbeen with such power and heavenly evidence upon my own soul, whileI have been labouring to unfold it, to demonstrate it, and to fastenit upon the consciences of others, that I could not be contentedwith saying, I believe, and am sure; methought I was more than sure, if it be lawful so to express myself, that those things which thenI asserted were true. 

283. When I went first to preach the Word abroad, the doctorsand priests of the country did open wide against me. [61] But Iwas persuaded of this, not to render railing for railing, but tosee how many of their carnal professors I could convince of theirmiserable state by the law, and of the want and worth of Christ;for, thought I, This shall answer for me in time to come, when theyshall be for my hire before their faces (Gen 30:33). 

284. I never cared to meddle with things that were controverted, and in dispute amongst the saints, especially things of the lowestnature; yet it pleased me much to contend with great earnestnessfor the word of faith and the remission of sins by the death andsufferings of Jesus; but I say, as to other things, I should letthem alone, because I saw they engendered strife, and because thatthey neither, in doing nor in leaving undone, did commend us toGod to be his. Besides, I saw my work before me did run in anotherchannel, even to carry an awakening word; to that therefore did Istick and adhere. [62]

285. I never endeavoured to, nor durst make use of other men's lines(Rom 15:18)[63], though I condemn not all that do, for I verilythought, and found by experience, that what was taught me by theWord and Spirit of Christ, could be spoken, maintained, and stoodto by the soundest and best established conscience; and though Iwill not now speak all that I know in this matter, yet my experiencehath more interest in that text of Scripture than many amongst menare aware (Gal 1:11, 12). 

286. If any of those who were awakened by my ministry did afterthat fall back, as sometimes too many did, I can truly say theirloss hath been more to me than if one of my own children, begottenof my body, had been going to its grave; I think, verily, I mayspeak it without an offence to the Lord, nothing hath gone so nearme as that, unless it was the fear of the loss of the salvationof my own soul. I have counted as if I had goodly buildings andlordships in those places where my children were born; my hearthath been so wrapped up in the glory of this excellent work, thatI counted myself more blessed and honoured of God by this than ifhe had made me the emperor of the Christian world, or the lord ofall the glory of 'the' earth without it! O these words, "He whichconverteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soulfrom death" (James 5:20). '"The fruit of the righteous is a tree oflife; and he that winneth souls is wise" (Prov 11:30). "They thatbe wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and theythat turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever"(Dan 12:3). "For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at hiscoming? For ye are our glory and joy" (1 Thess 2:19, 20). These, Isay, with many others of a like nature, have been great refreshmentsto me. '

287. I have observed, that where I have had a work to do for God, I have had first, as it were, the going of God upon my spirit todesire I might preach there. I have also observed that such andsuch souls in particular have been strongly set upon my heart, and I stirred up to wish for their salvation; and that these verysouls have, after this, been given in as the fruits of my ministry. I have also observed, that a word cast in by the by hath done moreexecution in a sermon than all that was spoken besides; sometimesalso when I have thought I did no good, then I did the most ofall; and at other times when I thought I should catch them I havefished for nothing. 

288. 'I have also observed, that where there hath been a work todo upon sinners, there the devil hath begun to roar in the hearts, and by the mouths of his servants. Yea, oftentimes when the wickedworld hath raged most, there hath been souls awaked by the Word. I could instance particulars, but I forbear. '

289. My great desire in my fulfilling my ministry was to get intothe darkest places of the country, even amongst those people thatwere furthest off of profession; yet not because I could not endurethe light, for I feared not to show my gospel to any, but becauseI found my spirit leaned most after awakening and converting work, and the Word that I carried did lead itself most that way 'also';"yea, so have I strived to preach the gospel, not where Christwas named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation" (Rom15:20). 

290. In my preaching I have really been in pain, and have, as itwere, travailed to bring forth children to God; neither could Ibe satisfied unless some fruits did appear in my work. If I werefruitless it mattered not who commended me; but if I were fruitful, I cared not who did condemn. I have thought of that, "He thatwinneth souls is wise" (Prov 11:30); and again, "Lo, children arean heritage of the Lord; and the fruit of the womb is his reward. Asarrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath filled his quiver full of them; theyshall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in thegate" (Psa 127:3-5). 

291. 'It pleased me nothing to see people drink in opinions ifthey seemed ignorant of Jesus Christ, and the worth of their ownsalvation, sound conviction for sin, especially for unbelief, andan heart set on fire to be saved by Christ, with strong breathingafter a truly sanctified soul; that it was that delighted me; thosewere the souls I counted blessed. '

292. But in this work, as in all other, I had my temptationsattending me, and that of diverse kinds, as sometimes I should beassaulted with great discouragement therein, fearing that I shouldnot be able to speak the word at all to edification; nay, that Ishould not be able to speak sense unto the people; at which timesI should have such a strange faintness and strengthlessness seizeupon my body that my legs have scarce been able to carry me to theplace of exercise. 

293. Sometimes, again, when I have been preaching, I have beenviolently assaulted with thoughts of blasphemy, and strongly temptedto speak the words with my mouth before the congregation. I havealso at some times, even when I have begun to speak the Word withmuch clearness, evidence, and liberty of speech, yet been beforethe ending of that opportunity so blinded, and so estranged fromthe things I have been speaking, and have also been so straitenedin my speech, as to utterance before the people, that I have beenas if I had not known or remembered what I have been about, or asif my head had been in a bag all the time of the exercise. 

294. Again, when as sometimes I have been about to preach uponsome smart and scorching[64] portion of the Word, I have found thetempter suggest, What, will you preach this? this condemns yourself;of this your own soul is guilty; wherefore preach not of it at all;or if you do, yet so mince it as to make way for your own escape;lest instead of awakening others, you lay that guilt upon your ownsoul, as you will never get from under. 

295. 'But, I thank the Lord, I have been kept from consentingto these so horrid suggestions, and have rather, as Samson, bowedmyself with all my might, to condemn sin and transgression whereverI found it, yea, though therein also I did bring guilt upon my ownconscience! "Let me die, " thought I, "with the Philistines" (Judg16:29, 30), rather than deal corruptly with the blessed Word ofGod, "Thou that teachest another, teachest not thou thyself?" Itis far better that thou do judge thyself, even by preaching plainlyto others, than that thou, to save thyself, imprison the truth inunrighteousness; blessed be God for his help also in this. '

296. I have also, while found in this blessed work of Christ, beenoften tempted to pride and liftings up of heart; and though I darenot say I have not been infected with this, yet truly the Lord, ofhis precious mercy, hath so carried it towards me, that, for themost part, I have had but small joy to give way to such a thing;for it hath been my every day's portion to be let into the evil ofmy own heart, and still made to see such a multitude of corruptionsand infirmities therein, that it hath caused hanging down of thehead under all my gifts and attainments; I have felt this thorn inthe flesh, the very mercy of God to me (2 Cor 12:7-9). 

297. I have had also, together with this, some notable place orother of the Word presented before me, which word hath containedin it some sharp and piercing sentence concerning the perishing ofthe soul, notwithstanding gifts and parts; as, for instance, thathath been of great use unto me, "Though I speak with the tonguesof men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as soundingbrass, and a tinkling cymbal" (1 Cor 13:1, 2). 

298. A tinkling cymbal is an instrument of music, with which askillful player can make such melodious and heart-inflaming music, that all who hear him play can scarcely hold from dancing; and yetbehold the cymbal hath not life, neither comes the music from it, but because of the art of him that plays therewith; so then theinstrument at last may come to nought and perish, though, in timespast, such music hath been made upon it. 

299. Just thus I saw it was and will be with them who have gifts, but want saving grace, they are in the hand of Christ, as thecymbal in the hand of David; and as David could, with the cymbal, make that mirth in the service of God, as to elevate the hearts ofthe worshippers, so Christ can use these gifted men, as with themto affect the souls of his people in his church; yet when he hathdone all, hang them by as lifeless, though sounding cymbals. [65]

300. This consideration, therefore, together with some others, were, for the most part, as a maul on the head of pride, and desire ofvain glory; what, thought I, shall I be proud because I am a soundingbrass? Is it so much to be a fiddle? Hath not the least creaturethat hath life, more of God in it than these? Besides, I knewit was love should never die, but these must cease and vanish; soI concluded, a little grace, a little love, a little of the truefear of God, is better than all these gifts; yea, and I am fullyconvinced of it, that it is possible for a soul that can scarcegive a man an answer, but with great confusion as to method, I sayit is possible for them to have a thousand times more grace, andso to be more in the love and favour of the Lord than some who, by virtue of the gift of knowledge, can deliver themselves likeangels. [66]

301. 'Thus, therefore, I came to perceive, that though giftsin themselves were good to the thing for which they are designed, to wit, the edification of others; yet empty and without power tosave the soul of him that hath them, if they be alone; neither arethey, as so, any sign of a man's state to be happy, being only adispensation of God to some, of whose improvement, or non-improvement, they must, when a little love more is over, give an account to himthat is ready to judge the quick and the dead. '

302. 'This showed me too, that gifts being alone, were dangerous, not in themselves, but because of those evils that attend them thathave them, to wit, pride, desire of vain glory, self-conceit, &c. , all which were easily blown up at the applause and commendation ofevery unadvised Christian, to the endangering of a poor creatureto fall into the condemnation of the devil. '

303. 'I saw therefore that he that hath gifts had need be let intoa sight of the nature of them, to wit, that they come short ofmaking of him to be in a truly saved condition, lest he rest inthem, and so fall short of the grace of God. '

304. 'He hath also cause to walk humbly with God, and be little inhis own eyes, and to remember withal, that his gifts are not hisown, but the church's; and that by them he is made a servant tothe church; and he must give at last an account of his stewardshipunto the Lord Jesus; and to give a good account, will be a blessedthing. '

305. 'Let all men therefore prize a little with the fear of theLord; gifts indeed are desirable, but yet great grace and smallgifts are better than great gifts and no grace. It doth not say, the Lord gives gifts and glory, but the Lord gives grace and glory;and blessed is such an one, to whom the Lord gives grace, truegrace, for that is a certain forerunner of glory. '

306. 'But when Satan perceived that his thus tempting and assaulting ofme would not answer his design, to wit, to overthrown my ministry, and make it ineffectual, as to the ends thereof; then he triedanother way, which was to stir up the minds of the ignorant andmalicious, to load me with slanders and reproaches; now thereforeI may say, That what the devil could devise, and his instrumentsinvent, was whirled up and down the country against me, thinking, as I said, that by that means they should make my ministry to beabandoned. '

307. 'It began therefore to be rumoured up and down among thepeople, that I was a witch, a Jesuit, a highwayman, and the like. '

308. 'To all which, I shall only say, God knows that I am innocent. But as for mine accusers, let them provide themselves to meetme before the tribunal of the Son of God, there to answer for allthese things, with all the rest of their iniquities, unless Godshall give them repentance for them, for the which I pray with allmy heart. '

309. 'But that which was reported with the boldest confidence, was, that I had my misses, my whores, my bastards, yea, two wivesat once, and the like. Now these slanders, with the other, I gloryin, because but slanders, foolish, or knavish lies, and falsehoodscast upon me by the devil and his seed; and should I not be dealtwith thus wickedly by the world, I should want one sign of a saint, and a child of God. "Blessed are ye [said the Lord Jesus] when menshall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner ofevil against you falsely for my sake; rejoice, and be exceedingglad, for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted theythe prophets which were before you" (Matt 4:11). '

310. 'These things, therefore, upon mine own account, trouble menot; no, though they were twenty times more than they are. I havea good conscience, and whereas they speak evil of me, as an evildoer, they shall be ashamed that falsely accuse my good conversationin Christ. [67]'

311. 'So then, what shall I say to those that have thus bespatteredme? shall I threaten them? Shall I chide them? Shall I flatterthem? Shall I intreat them to hold their tongues? No, not I, wereit not for that these things make them ripe for damnation, thatare the authors and abettors, I would say unto them, Report it, because it will increase my glory. '

312. 'Therefore I bind these lies and slanders to me as an ornament, it belongs to my Christian profession to be vilified, slandered, reproached and reviled; and since all this is nothing else, as myGod and my conscience do bear me witness; I rejoice in reproachesfor Christ's sake. '

313. 'I also calling all those fools, or knaves, that have thusmade it anything of their business, to affirm any of the thingsafore-named of me, namely, that I have been naught with other women, or the like. When they have used to the utmost of their endeavours, and made the fullest inquiry that they can, to prove against metruly, that there is any woman in heaven, or earth, or hell, thatcan say, I have at any time, in any place, by day or night, so muchas attempted to be naught with them; and speak I thus, to beg mineenemies into a good esteem of me; no, not I: I will in this begrelief of no man; believe or disbelieve me in this, all is a caseto me. [68]'

314. 'My foes have missed their mark in this their shooting at me. I am not the man. I wish that they themselves be guiltless. If allthe fornicators and adulterers in England were hanged by the necktill they be dead, JOHN BUNYAN, the object of their envy, would bestill alive and well. I know not whether there be such a thing asa woman breathing under the copes of the whole heaven, but by theirapparel, their children, or by common fame, except my wife. '

315. 'And in this I admire the wisdom of God, that he made me shyof women from my first conversion until now. Those know, and can alsobear me witness, with whom I have been most intimately concerned, that it is a rare thing to see me carry it pleasant towards awoman; the common salutation of a woman I abhor, it is odious tome in whomsoever I see it. Their company alone, I cannot away with. I seldom so much as touch a woman's hand, for I think these thingsare not so becoming me. When I have seen good men salute thosewomen that they have visited, or that have visited them, I have attimes made my objection against it, and when they have answered, that it was but a piece of civility, I have told them, it is nota comely sight; some indeed have urged the holy kiss; but then Ihave asked why they made baulks, [69] why they did salute the mosthandsome, and let the ill-favoured go; thus, how laudable soeversuch things have been in the eyes of others, they have been unseemlyin my sight. '

316. 'And now for a wind up in this matter, I calling not onlymen, but angels, to prove me guilty of having carnally to do withany woman save my wife, nor am I afraid to do it a second time, knowing that I cannot offend the Lord in such a case, to call Godfor a record upon my soul, that in these things I am innocent. Not that I have been thus kept, because of any goodness in me morethan any other, but God has been merciful to me, and has kept me;to whom I pray that he will keep me still, not only from this, but from every evil way and work, and preserve me to his heavenlykingdom. Amen. '

317. 'Now as Satan laboured by reproaches and slanders, to make mevile among my countrymen, that if possible, my preaching might bemade of none effect, so there was added hereto a long and tediousimprisonment, that thereby I might be frighted from my service forChrist, and the world terrified, and made afraid to hear me preach, of which I shall in the next place give you a brief account. '

[A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THE AUTHOR'S IMPRISONMENT]

318. Having made profession of the glorious gospel of Christ a longtime, and preached the same about five years, I was apprehended ata meeting of good people in the country, among whom, had they letme alone, I should have preached that day, but they took me awayfrom amongst them, and had me before a justice; who, after I hadoffered security for my appearing at the next sessions, yet committedme, because my sureties would not consent to be bound that I shouldpreach no more to the people. 

319. At the sessions after, I was indicted for an upholder andmaintainer of unlawful assemblies and conventicles, and for notconforming to the national worship of the Church of England; andafter some conference there with the justices, 'they taking myplain dealing with them for a confession, as they termed it, ofthe indictment, ' did sentence me to perpetual banishment, becauseI refused to conform. So being again delivered up to the jailer'shands, I was had home to prison again, and there have lain now[70]'complete twelve years, ' waiting to see what God would suffer thesemen to do with me. 

320. In which condition I have continued with much content, throughgrace, but have met with many turnings and goings upon my heart, both from the Lord, Satan, and my own corruptions; by all which, glory be to Jesus Christ, I have also received among many things, much conviction, instruction, and understanding, of which at largeI shall not here discourse; only give you in a hint or two, a wordthat may stir up the godly to bless God, and to pray for me; andalso to take encouragement, should the case be their own, not tofear what man can do unto them. 

321. I never had in all my life so great an inlet into the Wordof God as now; those Scriptures that I saw nothing in before, aremade in this place and state to shine upon me; Jesus Christ alsowas never more real and apparent than now; here I have seen himand felt him indeed: O that word, We have not preached unto youcunningly devised fables (2 Peter 1:16); and that, God raised Christfrom the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope mightbe in God (1 Peter 1:2), were blessed words unto me in this myimprisoned condition. 

322. These three or four scriptures also have been great refreshmentin this condition to me (John 14:1-4, 16:33; Col 3:3, 4; Heb 12:22-24). So that sometimes when I have been in the savour of them, I havebeen able to laugh at destruction, and to fear neither the horse norhis rider (Job 39:18). I have had sweet sights of the forgivenessof my sins in this place, and of my being with Jesus in anotherworld: O, "the mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the innumerablecompany of angels, and God the judge of all, and the spiritsof just men made perfect, and to Jesus" (Heb 12:22-24), have beensweet unto me in this place: I have seen THAT here, that I ampersuaded I shall never, while in this world, be able to express;I have seen a truth in that scripture, "Whom having not seen, yelove; in whom, though now ye se him not, yet believing, ye rejoicewith joy unspeakable and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8). [71]

323. I never knew what it was for God to stand by me at all turns, and at every offer of Satan 'to afflict me, ' &c. , as I have foundhim since I came in hither; for look how fears have presentedthemselves, so have supports and encouragements, yea, when I havestarted, even as it were at nothing else but my shadow, yet God, as being very tender of me, hath not suffered me to be molested, but would with one scripture and another strengthen me against all;insomuch that I have often said, Were it lawful, I could pray forgreater trouble, for the greater comfort's sake (Eccl 7:14; 2 Cor1:5). 

324. Before I came to prison, I saw what was a-coming, and hadespecially two considerations warm upon my heart; the first was howto be able to endure, should my imprisonment be long and tedious;the second was how to be able to encounter death, should that be heremy portion; for the first of these, that scripture (Col 1:11) wasgreat information to me, namely, to pray to God to be "strengthenedwith all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patienceand long-suffering with joyfulness. " I could seldom go to prayerbefore I was imprisoned, but not for so little as a year together, this sentence, or sweet petition, would, as it were, thrust itselfinto my mind, and persuade me, that if ever I would go throughlong-suffering, I must have all patience, especially if I wouldendure it joyfully. 

325. As to the second consideration, that saying (2 Cor 1:9), wasof great use to me, But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth thedead. By this scripture I was made to see, that if ever I wouldsuffer rightly, I must first pass a sentence of death upon everythingthat can properly be called a thing of this life, even to reckonmyself, my wife, my children, my health, my enjoyments, and all, as dead to me, and myself as dead to them. "He that loveth fatheror mother, son or daughter, more than me, is not worthy of me"(Matt 10:37). 

326. The second was, to live upon God that is invisible; as Paulsaid in another place, the way not to faint, is to "look not atthe things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen:for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things whichare not seen are eternal" (2 Cor 4:18). And thus I reasoned withmyself; if I provide only for a prison, then the whip comes atunawares; and so does also the pillory; again, if I provide onlyfor these, then I am not fit for banishment; further, if I concludethat banishment is the worst, then if death come I am surprised. So that I see the best way to go through sufferings is to trust inGod through Christ, as touching the world to come; and as touchingthis world, to count "the grave my house, to make my bed in darkness, and to say to corruption, Thou art my father, and to the worm, Thouart my mother and my sister. " That is, to familiarize these thingsto me. [72]

327. But notwithstanding these helps, I found myself a man, and compassed with infirmities; the parting with my wife and poorchildren hath oft been to me in this place as the pulling theflesh from my bones, and that not only because I am somewhat tootoo fond of those great mercies, but also because I should haveoften brought to my mind the many hardships, miseries and wantsthat my poor family was like to meet with, should I be taken fromthem, especially my poor blind child, who lay nearer my heart thanall I had besides; O the thoughts of the hardship I thought myblind one might go under, would break my heart to pieces. 

328. Poor child, thought I, what sorrow art thou like to have forthy portion in this world? Thou must be beaten, must beg, sufferhunger, cold, nakedness, and a thousand calamities, though I cannotnow endure the wind should blow upon thee. But yet recalling myself, thought I, I must venture you all with God, though it goeth to thequick to leave you. O, I saw in this condition I was as a man whowas pulling down his house upon the head of his wife and children;yet thought I, I must do it, I must do it. And now I thought onthose two milch kine that were to carry the ark of God into anothercountry, and to leave their calves behind them (1 Sam 6:10-12). 

329. But that which helped me in this temptation was diversconsiderations, of which three in special here I will name; thefirst was the consideration of those two scriptures, "Leave thyfatherless children, I will preserve them alive, and let thy widowstrust in me. " And again, "The Lord said, Verily it shall be wellwith thy remnant; verily I will cause the enemy to entreat theewell in the time of evil, " &c. (Jer 49:11, 15:11). 

330. I had also this consideration, that if I should now ventureall for God, I engaged God to take care of my concernments; butif I forsook him and his ways, for fear of any trouble that shouldcome to me or mine, then I should not only falsify my profession, but should count also that my concernments were not so sure, if left at God's feet, while I stood to and for his name, as theywould be, if they were under my own tuition, [73] though with thedenial of the way of God. This was a smarting consideration, andwas as spurs unto my flesh. That scripture also greatly helped itto fasten the more upon me, where Christ prays against Judas, thatGod would disappoint him in all his selfish thoughts, which movedhim to sell his master: pray read it soberly (Psa 109:6-20). 

331. I had also another consideration, and that was, the dread ofthe torments of hell, which I was sure they must partake of, thatfor fear of the cross, do shrink from their profession of Christ, his words, and laws, before the sons of men; I thought also of theglory that he had prepared for those that, in faith, and love, andpatience, stood to his ways before them. These things, I say, havehelped me, when the thoughts of the misery that both myself andmine, might for the sake of my profession be exposed to, hath lainpinching on my mine. 

332. When I have indeed conceited that I might be banished formy profession, then I have thought of that scripture, "They werestoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with thesword; they wandered about in sheep skins and goat skins; beingdestitute, afflicted, tormented, of whom the world was not worthy"(Heb 11:37), for all they thought they were too bad to dwell andabide amongst them. I have also thought of that saying, "The HolyGhost witnesseth in every city, that bonds and afflictions abideme. " I have verily thought that my soul and it[74] have sometimesreasoned about the sore and sad estate of a banished and exiledcondition, how they are exposed to hunger, to cold, to perils, tonakedness, to enemies, and a thousand calamities; and at last, itmay be, to die in a ditch, like a poor forlorn and desolate sheep. But I thank God, hitherto I have not been moved by these mostdelicate reasonings, but have rather, by them, more approved myheart to God. 

333. I will tell you a pretty business; I was once above all therest in a very sad and low condition for many weeks; at which timealso I being but a young prisoner, and not acquainted with thelaws, had this lay much upon my spirit, That my imprisonment mightend at the gallows for aught that I could tell. Now, therefore, Satan laid hard at me to beat me out of heart, by suggesting thusunto me, But how if when you come indeed to die, you should be inthis condition; that is, as not to savour the things of God, norto have any evidence upon your soul for a better state hereafter?For indeed at that time all the things of God were hid from mysoul. 

334. Wherefore, when I at first began to think of this, it was a greattrouble to me; for I thought with myself, that in the condition Inow was in, I was not fit to die, neither indeed did think I could, if I should be called to it: besides, I thought with myself, if Ishould make a scrabbling[75] shift to clamber up the ladder, yetI should either with quaking, or other symptoms of faintings, giveoccasion to the enemy to reproach the way of God and his people, fortheir timorousness. This therefore lay with great trouble upon me, for methought I was ashamed to die with a pale face, and totteringknees, for such a cause as this. 

335. Wherefore, I prayed to God that he would comfort me, and giveme strength to do and suffer what he should call me to; yet nocomfort appeared, but all continued hid: I was also at this timeso really possessed with the thought of death, that oft I was as ifI was on the ladder with a rope about my neck; only this was someencouragement to me, I thought I might now have an opportunityto speak my last words to a multitude, which I thought would cometo see me die; and, thought I, if it must be so, if God will butconvert one soul by my very last words, I shall not count my lifethrown away, nor lost. 

336. But yet all the things of God were kept out of my sight, andstill the tempter followed me with, But whither must you go when youdie? What will become of you? Where will you be found in anotherworld? What evidence have you for heaven and glory, and an inheritanceamong them that are sanctified? Thus was I tossed for many weeks, and knew not what to do; at last this consideration fell withweight upon me, That it was for the Word and way of God, that I wasin this condition, wherefore I was engaged not to flinch a hair'sbreadth from it. 

337. I thought also, that God might choose, whether he would giveme comfort now or at the hour of death, but I might not thereforechoose whether I would hold my profession or no: I was bound, buthe was free: yea, it was my duty to stand to his word, whether hewould ever look upon me or no, or save me at the last: wherefore, thought I, the point being thus, I am for going on, and venturingmy eternal state with Christ, whether I have comfort here or no;if God doth not come in, thought I, I will leap off the ladder evenblindfold into eternity, sink or swim, come heaven, come hell, LordJesus, if thou wilt catch me, do; 'if not, ' I will venture for thyname. 

338. I was no sooner fixed upon this resolution, but that word droppedupon me, "Doth Job serve God for nought?" As if the accuser hadsaid, Lord, Job is no upright man, he serves thee for by-respects:hast thou not made a hedge about him, &c. "But put forth thinehand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee tothy face. " How now, thought I, is this the sign of an upright soul, to desire to serve God, when all is taken from him? Is he a godlyman, that will serve God for nothing rather than give out? blessedbe God, then, I hope I have an upright heart, for I am resolved, God giving me strength, never to deny my profession, though I havenothing at all for my pains; and as I was thus considering, thatscripture was set before me (Psa 44:12-26). [76]

339. Now was my heart full of comfort, for I hoped it was sincere:I would not have been without this trial for much; I am comfortedevery time I think of it, and I hope I shall bless God for everfor the teaching I have had by it. Many more of the dealings ofGod towards me I might relate, but these, "Out of the spoils wonin battles have I dedicated to maintain the house of the LORD" (1Chron 26:27). 

THE CONCLUSION. 

1. Of all the temptations that ever I met with in my life, toquestion the being 'of God, ' and truth of his gospel, is the worst, and the worst to be borne; when this temptation comes, it takesaway my girdle from me, and removeth the foundation from under me:O, I have often thought of that word, "have your loins girt aboutwith truth"; and of that, "When the foundations are destroyed, whatcan the righteous do?"

2. 'Sometimes, when, after sin committed, I have looked for sorechastisement from the hand of God, the very next that I have hadfrom him hath been the discovery of his grace. Sometimes, when Ihave been comforted, I have called myself a fool for my so sinkingunder trouble. And then, again, when I have been cast down, I thought I was not wise, to give such way to comfort. With suchstrength and weight have both these been upon me. '

3. I have wondered much at this one thing, that though God dothvisit my soul with never so blessed a discovery of himself, yet Ihave found again, that such hours have attended me afterwards, thatI have been in my spirits so filled with darkness, that I could notso much as once conceive what that God and that comfort was withwhich I have been refreshed. 

4. I have sometimes seen more in a line of the Bible than I couldwell tell how to stand under, and yet at another time the wholeBible hath been to me as dry as a stick; or rather, my heart hathbeen so dead and dry unto it, that I could not conceive the leastdrachm of refreshment, though I have looked it 'all' over. 

5. Of all tears, they are the best that are made by the blood ofChrist; and of all joy, that is the sweetest that is mixed withmourning over Christ. Oh! it is a goodly thing to be on our knees, with Christ in our arms, before God. I hope I know something ofthese things. 

6. I find to this day seven abominations in my heart: 1. Incliningsto unbelief. 2. Suddenly to forget the love and mercy that Christmanifesteth. 3. A leaning to the works of the law. 4. Wanderingsand coldness in prayer. 5. To forget to watch for that I pray for. 6. Apt to murmur because I have no more, and yet ready to abusewhat I have. 7. I can do none of those things which God commandsme, but my corruptions will thrust in themselves, "when I would dogood, evil is present with me. "

7. These things I continually see and feel, and am afflicted andoppressed with; yet the wisdom of God doth order them for my good. 1. They make me abhor myself. 2. They keep me from trusting myheart. 3. They convince me of the insufficiency of all inherentrighteousness. 4. They show me the necessity of flying to Jesus. 5. They press me to pray unto God. 6. They show me the need I haveto watch and be sober. 7. And provoke me to look to God, throughChrist, to help me, and carry me through this world. Amen. 

FOOTNOTES:

1. Dr. Cheever. 

2. Leicester was only besieged by the royal army, who took it, andcruelly treated the inhabitants; upon the republicans appearingbefore it, the city surrendered at once without a siege. --Ed. 

3. This should be the prayer and effort of every Christian for hisbrethren and sisters in Christ, and more especially of those whoare called to the public ministry. --Ed. 

4. The people of God look back on the day of their espousals withholy joy and thanksgiving to the God of their mercies; and theydelight in telling his goodness to others. "Come and hear, all yethat fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul"(Psa 66:16). --Mason. 

5. How unspeakable the mercy that our omnipresent God will hearthe prayer of the heart under all circumstances, at all times, inall places. Had he limited it to certain forms, in certain buildings, read by certain men, what fearful merchandise of souls they wouldhave made. --Ed. 

6. Bunyan says very little about his parents in his treatise on'Christian Behaviour'; he concludes his observations on the dutiesof a pious son to ungodly parents with this remarkable prayer, 'TheLord, if it be his will, convert OUR poor parents, that they, withus, may be the children of God. ' Although this does not demonstratethat his own parents were ungodly, yet his silence as to their pietyupon all occasions when speaking of them, and the fervent feelingexpressed in this short prayer, inclines me to conclude that theywere not pious persons in his judgment. --Ed. 

7. Mr. Bunyan alludes to the poverty of his education in severalof his works. Thus, in his Scriptural poems--

 'I am no poet, nor a poet's son But a mechanic, guided by no rule But what I gained in a grammar school, In my minority. '

And in the preface to 'The Law and Grace': 'Reader, if thou do findthis book empty of fantastical expressions, and without light, vain, whimsical, scholar-like terms; thou must understand, it is becauseI never went to school to Aristotle or Plato, but was brought upat my father's house, in a very mean condition, among a company ofpoor countrymen. '--Ed. 

8. 'I have been vile myself, but have obtained mercy; and I wouldhave my companions in sin partake of mercy too. '--Preface toJerusalem Sinner Saved. --Ed. 

9. Every careless sinner, or wicked professor, carries upon hisforehead the name of Infidel and Atheist, a practical unbeliever inthe Bible, in the day of judgment, and in the existence of a holyGod. --Ed. 

10. Bunyan served in the wars between Charles I and his country, but it is not known on which side. Judging from his 'delight in alltransgressions against the law of God, ' as he describes his conductto have been at that time, he must have served on the king's side, as one of his drunken cavaliers. Probably this event took placewhen Leicester was besieged by the king's troops. --Ed. 

11. The notice of his wife's father being a godly man, and notmentioning anything of the kind with regard to his own parents, strengthens my conclusion that they were not professors of religion. This very copy of the Pathway to Heaven here noticed, with the nameof Bunyan on the title, is in the Editor's possession. --Ed. 

12. Asking his father this question, looks a little as if the familyhad been connected with the gipsy tribe. --Ed. 

13. 'The king (James, 1618) put forth an order to permit everybody, as he had before given leave in the county of Lancaster, who shouldgo to evening prayer on the Lord's day, to divertise themselveswith lawful exercises, with leaping, dancing, playing at bowls, shooting with bows and arrows, as likewise to rear May poles, andto use May games and Morris dancing; but those who refused comingto prayers were forbidden to use these sports. '--(Camden's Annals). The head of the Church of England had wondrous power thus to dispensewith God's laws. --Ed. 

14. 'Did cut the sinews, ' first edition; properly altered by Bunyanafterwards to 'did benumb. '

15. Tip cat, or cat, is an ancient English game, thus describedin Strutt's Sports and Pastimes:--The game of cat is played witha cudgel. Its denomination is derived from a piece of wood, aboutsix inches long and two thick, diminished from the middle to forma double cone. When the cat is placed on the ground, the playerstrikes it smartly--it matters not at which end--and it will risewith a rotatory motion high enough for him to strike it; if hemisses, another player takes his place; if he hits, he calls fora number to be scored to his game; if that number is more than asmany lengths of his cudgel, he is out; if not, they are scored, and he plays again. --Ed. 

16. This wish looks as if Bunyan's father had not checked him forthis wicked propensity; if so, he could not have pretended to pietyor religion. --Ed. 

17. 'Tom of Bedlam'; a byword for an inveterate drunkard, alludingto an old interesting song describing the feelings of a poor maniacwhose frenzy had been induced by intoxication, and who escaped fromBedlam. 

 'Poore naked Tom is very drye A little drinke for charitye!'

It ends with this verse--

 'The man in the moone drinkes claret, Eates powder'd beef, turnip, and carret, But a cup of old Malaga sacke Will fire the bushe at his backe. '

Probably the tale is connected with the drummer's tune, 'Drunk orsober, go to bed Tom. '--Ed. 

18. When the Lord, in his blessed work upon the soul, illuminatedthe mind, he opens to it a new world; he leads the blind by a waythat they know not, crooked things become straight, rough placesplain, and he never forsakes his charge. --Mason. 

19. 'Their talk went with me; my heart would tarry with them';nothing is so powerfully attractive as a community of feelingunder the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Bunyan's wish to be 'triedand searched, ' reminds me of one who, when alarmed for his soul'ssafety, earnestly prayed that he might be made increasingly wretched, until he had found safety in Jesus, and knew him, whom to know isjoy unspeakable in this life, and felicity in the eternal world. --Ed. 

20. That bitter fanatic, Ross, calls the ranters 'a sort of beasts, 'who practiced sin that grace might abound. Many under that name wereopenly profligate; they denied the sacraments, but were disownedby the Quakers. It seems, from Bunyan, that they were infatuatedwith some idea that the grossest sins of the flesh did not injurethe sanctity of the spirit!--Ed. 

21. Faith comes by venturing wholly on Christ, as he is freelyoffered in the Word--mercy to the miserable--salvation to the lostand self-condemned. If we honour God's veracity by giving creditto his Word, he will honour that faith by giving us joy and peacein believing. --Mason. 

22. 'In downright earnest'; as one who is in imminent danger ofdrowning, or in a house on fire, eager to escape. Reader, have youever felt thus 'in downright earnest' for salvation? Blessed arethey that hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they SHALL befilled. --Ed. 

23. This is an interesting view of church fellowship; and theadmission of a convert to Christian communion. See also Christianaat the Interpreter's House, and the preface to Bunyan's 'ChristianBehaviour. '--Ed. 

24. The Christian who is found waiting upon God, is the thrivingone; the best way to be assured of our election is to examine ourstate with the touchstone of truth, the Scriptures. The elect of Godknow Christ savingly, esteem him precious, and obey him cheerfullyfrom love and gratitude. --Mason. 

25. 'Gingerly'; cautiously. 

'Has it a corn? or do's it walk on conscience, It treads so gingerly. 'Love's Cure, Act ii. , Scene 1. --Ed. 

26. Manifestations of love and grace are not to be rested in, ormade a saviour of; they are given to strengthen and prepare us forfuture trials. --Mason. 

27. Here we have Christian in the valley of the shadow of death. 'Onething I would not let slip, I took notice that now poor Christianwas so confounded, that he did not know his own voice; and thus Iperceived it, just when he was come over against the mouth of theburning pit, one of the wicked ones got behind him, and stept upsoftly to him, and whisperingly suggested many grievous blasphemiesto him, which he verily thought had proceeded from his ownmind. '--Pilgrim's Progress. --Ed. 

28. 'Under her apron, ' was altered in subsequent editions to 'inher arms. '--Ed. 

29. 'Poor fool'; altered, in later editions, to 'poor soul. '--Ed. 

30. John Gifford, Bunyan's pastor, was a Kentish man, and had beena major in the King's army, a roistering cavalier. For some crimes, he, with eleven others, was condemned to be hung, but made hisescape to London, and thence to Bedford, where, being unknown, hepracticed physic. Addicted to swearing, drinking, and gambling, he, in distress at a serious loss, vowed repentance; he becamegreatly distressed under conviction of sin; at length his mind wasenlightened, the Holy Spirit led him to forgiveness by the atonementof Christ, and his heart was filled with a hitherto unknown sourceof blessedness. This he imparted to others, and at length, in 1650, formed a church, with which the soul-harassed pilgrim Bunyan castin his lot as a member in 1653. There appears to have been a strongmutual affection between him and his pastor. In 1658, Mr. Giffordpublished a preface to Bunyan's 'Few Sighs from Hell, ' in whichhe speaks of him with the warmest affection, as one 'that I verilybelieve God hath counted faithful, and put him into the ministry--onethat hath acquaintance with God, and taught by his Spirit, and hathbeen used to do souls good. Divers have felt the power of the worddelivered by him, and I doubt not but that many more may, if Godcontinue him in his work. ' Judging from Gifford's preface, he musthave been an excellent teacher to train Bunyan for his importantlabours as a Christian minister. He uses the same fervid strikinglanguage. Thus, on the value of the soul: 'Consider what anill bargain thou will make to sell thy precious soul for a shortcontinuance in sin and pleasure. If that man drives an ill trade, who to gain the whole world should lose his own soul, then certainlythou art far worse that sells thy soul for a very trifle. Oh, 'tispity that so precious a thing should be parted withal to be made aprey for the devouring lion, for that which is worse than nothing. If they were branded for desperate wretches that caused theirchildren to pass through the fire to Moloch, surely thou much morethat gives thy soul to devouring flames. What meanest thou, O man!to truck+ with the devil?'--See Sighs, 1st Edition, and Brooks'Puritans. --Ed. 

+ 'To truck'; to barter or exchange. 

31. That persons called Quakers held these heresies, there can beno doubt; but they were never held by that respectable and usefulbody of Christians, the Society of Friends, is equally clear. Barclay, in his Theses, 1675, says of the Scriptures:--'They arethe doctrine of Christ, held forth in precious declarations, spokenand written by the movings of God's Spirit. ' He goes on to say, that the same Spirit can alone guide man into these sacred truths. In all important doctrines, the difference between the Quakersand evangelical professors is in terms and not in things. Theirdistinguishing difference relates to the work of the ministry. --Ed. 

32. How natural is it for man to build up vain hopes of long life!Bunyan's vigorous constitution, had he enjoyed the free air ofliberty, might have prolonged his pilgrimage to extreme old age. But his long imprisonment shortened his valuable life: it almostamounted to legal murder. --Ed. 

33. Bunyan, in his treatise on 'Jesus Christ the Advocate, ' admirablyshows the analogy between the year of jubilee and the Christian'sreversion to his inheritance, although deprived for a time of thecomfort of it during his pilgrimage, by reason of sin. --Ed. 

34. He is a restless, powerful, and malicious enemy; ever strivingto drive the sinner to desperation. Let the tempted look to Jesusthe serpent-bruiser to shield him, so that the fiery darts of thewicked one may be quenched. --Mason. 

35. Printed 'did hear' in first edition. --Ed. 

36. Altered to 'indeed' in later editions. --Ed. 

37. 'Racked or broken upon the wheel, ' was a horrid mode of torturinga criminal to death, formerly used in France. The sufferer wasstretched and made fast upon a large wheel, when the executioner, with a heavy iron bar, proceeded to break every bone in his body;beginning with the toes and fingers, and proceeding to crush thosebones that the least affected life, and ending by crushing theskull into the brains. How piercing must have been the convictionsof sin upon Bunyan's soul, to have led him to such a simile!--Ed. 

38. 'A Relation of the Fearful Estate of Francis Spira. '

 'Here see a soul that's all despair; a man All hell; a spirit all wounds. Reader, would'st see what may you never feel, Despair, racks, torments, whips of burning steel? Behold this man, this furnace, in whose heart, Sin hath created hell. '

From the address to the reader, in a copy of this awful narrativein possession of the Editor. Spira was filled with remorse anddespair for having been induced, by improper motives, to become apapist. --Ed. 

39. No Christian minister ever dwelt more richly on the 'Saint'sKnowledge of Christ's Love' than Bunyan. See vol. Ii. P. 1. It wasthe result of this soul-harrowing experience. He there shows itsheights exceeding the highest heavens, depths below the deepest hell, lengths and breadths beyond comprehension. That treatise ought tobe read and cherished by every trembling believer. --Ed. 

40. Alter, in later editions, to 'flying fits. '--Ed. 

41. Internal conflicts, dreams, or visions ought not to be the sourceof peace or of bitterness to the soul. If they drive us to Christ, we may hope that they are from heaven for our relief; but if theirtendency is to despair, by undervaluing the blood of atonement, orto lasciviousness, they are from Satan. Our real dependence mustbe upon 'a more sure word of prophecy': if we are well-grounded inthe promises, it will save us from many harassing doubts and fearswhich arise from a reliance upon our feelings. --Ed. 

42. That a poor penitent should perish at the feet of Jesus is anutter impossibility. God, when manifest in the flesh, decreed, that'Whosoever cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out. ' 'I willgive him rest. ' His Word must stand fast for ever. --Ed. 

43. How soul-rending a thought! but it can only be the case withthose who continue to their death despising the Saviour. Thosewho love him are kept by almighty power, everlasting love, andirresistible grace. --Ed. 

44. Happy would it be for tempted souls, in their distress, tolook simply to the declarations and promises of God in the Word;we there find salvation completed by Christ. Our duty is to lookin faith and prayer to the Spirit of God for the application andcomfort of it. --Mason. 

45. However humbling, this is a truth not to be disputed. The wisestphilosopher and most illiterate peasant are upon a level, fallenfrom God. None will be excluded who come to Christ, whose graciousinvitation is general, 'Whosoever will, let him take the water oflife freely' (Rev 22:17). --Mason. 

46. This is the proper source of comfort--the records of infallibletruth. There is found mercy for the miserable, redemption for thecaptive, salvation for the lost, heaven for the hell-deservingsinner. --Mason. 

47. Though we may wait long for mercy, yet the hand of faith neverknocked in vain at the door of heaven. Mercy is as surely ours asif we had it, if it be given us in faith and patience to wait forit. --Mason. 

48. To sin against light and knowledge, received in and by thegospel, is a very heinous aggravation of sin. The condition ofpersons simply ignorant is not so sad by far, as theirs who havebeen enlightened and yet afterwards apostatized. Let the formalistand lukewarm professors read this and tremble. --Mason. 

49. The Holy Spirit is the candle of the Lord, by whose light theawakened conscience is brought to see something of the mysteryof iniquity lurking in the heart. He first convinces of sin, righteousness, and judgment; and then points to Jesus as the onlysecurity: 'Behold the Lamb of God. '--Mason. 

50. This is very beautifully expressed; nothing can be more descriptiveof a poor pilgrim who has been toiling through the valley of theshadow of death, and upon whose soul the day-spring from on highhas arisen. --Ed. 

51. 'Cracked groats and fourpence-halfpennies. ' The humility of ourauthor is here most unobtrusively apparent. He had some treasure inhis 'earthen vessel'; but, in comparison with his store in Christ, it was like a few cracked groats by the side of massive pure gold. What he meant by 'fourpence-halfpennies' somewhat puzzled me, therenever having been any piece of English money coined of that value. I found that a proclamation was issued shortly before Mr. Bunyan'stime (April 8, 1603), to save the people from being deceived withthe silver harp money of Ireland, purporting to be twelve andsixpenny pieces. It fixed the value of the Irish twelvepence to beninepence English; so that the Irish sixpence was to pass currentfor fourpence-halfpenny in England. That accomplished antiquary, Mr. Hawkins, the curator of the coins in the British Museum, shewedme this Irish silver money; and agreed with me in believing thatBunyan alludes to these Irish sixpences, placing them in companywith cracked groats, depreciated in value. Mr. Hawkins was notaware that they had been in common circulation in England. --Ed. 

52. 'Common or public, ' belonging equally to many. Christ is thefederal or covenant head of his church, each member claiming anequal or common right to all his merits as a Saviour, Mediator, and Advocate. --Ed. 

53. This retort, or rebuke, is inserted twice in the first edition, probably a typographical error. --Ed. 

54. See note on No. 152. The feelings of Bunyan must have beenexceedingly pungent. --Ed. 

55. This is a view of the power given to the apostles to forgiveor retain sins worthy of our serious consideration. That mysteriouspower, under the pretence of possessing which merchandise ismade of souls, if it was not limited to the apostles personally, was intended to be used by all those whom God sends to preach thegospel; an authority to proclaim salvation or condemnation to thosewho receive or reject the Saviour. Bunyan considers it a similarpower to that given to the governors of the city of refuge; toadmit the terror-stricken soul that 'shall declare his cause'--orconfess his guilt--into the city, there to abide the judgment uponhim, as in Christ the Refuge. This is very different to turningGod out of his judgment-seat; as is the case when a poor worm saysto his fellow-worm, 'I absolve thee from all thy sins. ' See thevisitation of the sick, in the Book of Common Prayer. --Ed. 

56. The mode of admitting members into the church, among theBaptists, appears to have been the same in Bunyan's days as it isnow practiced. It is, first to be introduced to the minister, whoendeavours to ascertain whether there is an earnest desire to fleefrom the wrath to come, sincere repentance, and faith in the LordJesus Christ. If so, he mentions it to the church; and visitors areappointed, to encourage the young convert, and to scrutinize intomoral character. If they are satisfied, he is invited to attend aprivate church meeting; and if the members have a good hope thathe is a decided believer in Jesus, they receive him into theirfellowship; and if he requests it, he is publicly baptized inwater, and communicates with the church at the Lord's table. Thisappears to have been the mode in which Bunyan was admitted intothe church at Bedford. Most of the Baptist churches now agree withBunyan, that the baptism of the Holy Ghost, or inward spiritualregeneration, is, alone, the essential pre-requisite to the Lord'stable; and they leave members to their own conclusions as to thevalidity of their having been sprinkled in infancy, or the necessityof immersion in water upon a profession of faith. --Ed. 

57. Many will be surprised that Bunyan, who was so ready a writer, should be unable to tell what he saw and felt when in these holyenjoyments; but all who have had similar feelings will unite withhim in saying, they are inexpressible, great, and full of glory. --Ed. 

58. This is a very correct view of the excellent mode in whichdissenting ministers are generally called to their important work. First, their gifts in prayer and conversation upon Divine things, and aptness in illustrating and confirming what they advance fromthe Scriptures, is noticed; and, secondly, they are encouraged topray with and address the poor children in a Sunday school. If theymanifest an aptness to teach, they are, thirdly, invited to givean exhortation to the church privately; and then, fourthly, theyare encouraged to pray and preach among the poor in country villagesand in work-houses. The God who gave the wish and the talent, soonopens a way to still more public usefulness. In most cases, theyenter upon a course of study, to fit them for their momentous labours;but many of our most valuable ministers have, like Bunyan, reliedentirely upon their prayerful investigation of the Scriptures. Hiscollege was a dungeon, his library the Bible; and he came forthwith gigantic power to grapple with the prince of darkness. No humanlearning could have so fitted him for this terrible and mysteriouswarfare. --Ed. 

59. 'With great sense, ' means with great feeling, arising from hisown acute experience. --Ed. 

60. In the first edition Bunyan says, 'I have lain as long, ' (fiveyears). This was in 1666. --Ed. 

61. When God sends forth a zealous ambassador to publish the gladtidings of salvation to perishing sinners, he will be sure to meetwith the fiercest opposition from proud pharisaical professors:so it was from the beginning, and will be to the end of time; butthe Lord will work, and none shall hinder. Experimental preachingwill always be offensive to the carnal and profane. --Mason. 

62. It is impossible to identify the sect to which Bunyan belonged byreading his works. He rises above all sectarian bias in his earnestefforts to win souls to Christ, and to keep them in a heavenlyframe of mine. --Ed. 

63. 'Other men's lines, ' other men's compositions. Bunyan wenthimself to the fountain head of Divine truth, and was not taughtby the wisdom of his fellow-men in the things that pertained tosalvation. He spoke as he felt; and, while he copied no sentence fromothers, no man that ever wrote has been so copied from by others. Application was once made to the Editor, to publish an admirablesermon which had been taken in short hand from the lips of a D. D. ;when, to the surprise of the applicant, he was shown the wholesermon in Bunyan's Heavenly Footman. --Ed. 

64. Altered, in later editions, to 'searching. '--Ed. 

65. Gifts are no evidence of God's favour; they are like the goldwhich adorned the temple, but grace, the saving grace of the Spirit, is like the altar which sanctifies the gold. --Mason.. 

66. In this paragraph is displayed that modest genuine humilitywhich shone so conspicuously in Bunyan. He possessed that popularnatural eloquence, by which he could deliver himself like an angel;but when pride began to rise, he knocked it on the head with thatsevere maul, 'Is it so much to be a fiddle' that Satan once soplayed upon?--Ed. 

67. One circumstance from which these vile slanders were raised, is narrated in the thrilling narrative of God's gracious dealingswith Mrs. Agnes Beaumont. She was waiting in hopes of attendinga meeting, when 'at last, quite unexpectedly, came Mr. Bunyan. Thesight of him caused a mixture of joy and grief. I was glad to seehim, but afraid he would not be willing to take me up behind him, and how to ask him I knew not. At length my brother did; but Mr. Bunyan answered, with some degree of roughness, "No, I will not carryher. " These words were cutting indeed, and made me weep bitterly. My brother, perceiving my trouble, said, "Sir, if you do not carryher, you will break her heart"; but he made the same reply, adding, "Your father would be grievously angry if I should. " "I will venturethat, " said I. And thus, with much entreaty, he was prevailed on;and O how glad was I to think I was going. Soon after we set out, my father came to my brother's, and asked his men whom his daughterrode behind? They said, Mr. Bunyan. Upon hearing this, his angerwas greatly inflamed; he ran down the close, thinking to overtakeme, and pull me off the horse, but we were gone out of his reach. 

'I had not ridden far, before my heart began to be lifted up withpride at the thoughts of riding behind this servant of the Lord;and was pleased if any looked after us, as we rode along. Indeed, I thought myself very happy that day: first, that it pleased Godto make way for my going; and then, that I should have the honourto ride behind Mr. Bunyan, who would sometimes be speaking to meabout the things of God. My pride soon had a fall; for, in enteringGam'gay, we were met by one Mr. Lane, a clergyman who lived atBedford, and knew us both, and spoke to us, but looked very hardat us as we rode along; and soon after raised a vile scandal uponus, though, blessed be God, it was false. '

No Christian should be without that deeply interesting volume ofChristian experience, James' Abstract of the Gracious Dealings ofGod with several Eminent Christians. The persecutions that Mrs. Beaumont went through were like a dreadful tempest, yet was shejoyfully delivered out of them all. --Ed. 

68. 'All is a case, ' all the same. A case--that which falls, comes, or happens; an event. See Blackie's Imperial Dictionary. --Ed. 

69. 'Baulks, ' missing, omitting, leaving untouched. 'This waslooked for at your hand, and this was baulked; the double gill ofthis opportunity you let time wash off, and you are now sailed intothe north of my lady's opinion; where you will hang like an icicleon a Dutchman's beard. '--Twelfth Night, Act iii. Scene 2; andImperial Dictionary. --Ed. 

70. 'Above five year and a quarter' are the words in the firstedition, 1666. His imprisonment commenced November 1660; the orderfor his release bears date September 13, 1672, but it was somemonths before he was discharged. --Ed. 

71. Angel visits may be expected when Antichrist persecutes theChristian to bonds and imprisonment. An angel released Peter fromprison; angels revealed to John, when exiled to Patmos, the wondersof his book of Revelation. The Lord of angels, the angel of thecovenant, communes with Bunyan in his dungeon, and converts it intoa Bethel to his soul; and this, for refusing obedience to the lawsof his country, because those laws violated God's prerogative, andimpiously dared to assume authority which belongs exclusively tothe Almighty. They remain to this day a disgrace to our statutes, but are never enforced. --Ed. 

72. Bunyan did well to prepare for the worst. He must have beenfamiliar with the horrid cruelties practiced upon Dr. Leighton bythat fiend in human shape, Archbishop Laud. The pious and learneddoctor was caught in Bedfordshire; and the story of his unparalleledsufferings strengthened the Roundheads to deeds of valour, in putting an end to such diabolical cruelties. The spirit of thecharges against him were his saying that no king may make lawsin the house of God; and that the bishops were ravens and magpiesthat prey upon the state. His sufferings are narrated in Brooke'sPuritans, vol. Ii. P. 478. --Ed. 

73. 'Tuition' was altered to 'care' in later editions. --Ed. 

74. I. E. , My profession--the soul, shrinking from pain, moving himone way, and his profession another. --Ed. 

75. 'To scrabble, ' to go on all fours--'to move along on the hands andknees, by clawing with the hands. '--Blackie's Imperial Dictionary. --Ed. 

76. This is the language of a heaven-born soul, which sees suchbeauty and excellency in Christ, that it would not part with him fora thousand worlds; if there were no heaven hereafter, his delightin the ways of God renders his service preferable to all the wealth, grandeur, and vain pleasures of the ungodly. --Mason. 

***

A RELATON OF THE IMPRISONMENT OF MR. JOHN BUNYAN, MINISTER OF THEGOSPEL AT BEDFORD, IN NOVEMBER 1660. HIS EXAMINATION BEFORE THEJUSTICES; HIS CONFERENCE WITH THE CLERK OF THE PEACE; WHAT PASSEDBETWEEN THE JUDGES AND HIS WIFE WHEN SHE PRESENTED A PETITION FORHIS DELIVERANCE, ETC. 

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF, AND NEVER BEFORE PUBLISHED. 

"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake:for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shallrevile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evilagainst you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad:for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they theprophets which were before you. " Matthew 5:10-12

London: Printed for James Buckland, at the Buck, in PaternosterRow, MDCCLXV. 

The relation of my imprisonment in the month of November 1660. 

When, by the good hand of my God, I had for five or six yearstogether, without any interruption, freely preached the blessedgospel of our Lord Jesus Christ; and had also, through his blessedgrace, some encouragement by his blessing thereupon; the devil, that old enemy of man's salvation, took his opportunity to inflamethe hearts of his vassals against me, insomuch that at the lastI was laid out for by the warrant of a justice, and was taken andcommitted to prison. The relation thereof is as followeth:

Upon the 12th of this instant November 1660, I was desired bysome of the friends in the country to come to teach at Samsell, by Harlington, in Bedfordshire. To whom I made a promise, if theLord permitted, to be with them on the time aforesaid. The justicehearing thereof, whose name is Mr. Francis Wingate, forthwith issuedout his warrant to take me, and bring me before him, and in themeantime to keep a very strong watch about the house where themeeting should be kept, as if we that were to meet together in thatplace did intend to do some fearful business, to the destructionof the country; when, alas, the constable, when he came in, foundus only with our Bibles in our hands, ready to speak and hear theWord of God; for we were just about to begin our exercise. Nay, wehad begun in prayer for the blessing of God upon our opportunity, intending to have preached the Word of the Lord unto them therepresent;[1] but the constable coming in prevented us; so that Iwas taken and forced to depart the room. But had I been minded tohave played the coward, I could have escaped, and kept out of hishands. For when I was come to my friend's house, there was whisperingthat that day I should be taken, for there was a warrant out totake me; which when my friend heard, he being somewhat timorous, questioned whether we had best have our meeting or not; and whetherit might not be better for me to depart, lest they should take meand have me before the justice, and after that send me to prison, for he knew better than I what spirit they were of, living by them;to whom I said, No, by no means, I will not stir, neither will Ihave the meeting dismissed for this. Come, be of good cheer, letus not be daunted; our cause is good, we need not be ashamed ofit; to preach God's Word is so good a work, that we shall be wellrewarded, if we suffer for that; or to this purpose; but as for myfriend, I think he was more afraid of [for] me, than of himself. After this I walked into the close, where, I somewhat seriouslyconsidering the matter, this came into my mind, That I had showedmyself hearty and courageous in my preaching, and had, blessed begrace, made it my business to encourage others; therefore, thoughtI, if I should now run, and make an escape, it will be of a veryill savour in the country. For what will my weak and newly convertedbrethren think of it, but that I was not so strong indeed as I wasin word? Also I feared that if I should run, now there was a warrantout for me, I might by so doing make them afraid to stand, whengreat words only should be spoken to them. Besides, I thought, that seeing God of his mercy should choose me to go upon the forlornhope in this country; that is, to be the first, that should beopposed, for the gospel; if I should fly, it might be a discouragementto the whole body that might follow after. And further, I thoughtthe world thereby would take occasion at my cowardliness, to haveblasphemed the gospel, and to have had some ground to suspect worseof me and my profession than I deserved. These things with othersconsidered by me, I came in again to the house, with a full resolutionto keep the meeting, and not to go away, though I could have beengone about an hour before the officer apprehended me; but I wouldnot; for I was resolved to see the utmost of what they could sayor do unto me. For blessed be the Lord, I knew of no evil that Ihad said or done. And so, as aforesaid, I began the meeting. Butbeing prevented by the constable's coming in with his warrant totake me, I could not proceed. But before I went away, I spake somefew words of counsel and encouragement to the people, declaring tothem, that they saw we were prevented of our opportunity to speakand hear the Word of God, and were like to suffer for the same:desiring them that they should not be discouraged, for it was a mercyto suffer upon so good account. For we might have been apprehendedas thieves or murderers, or for other wickedness; but blessed beGod it was not so, but we suffer as Christians for well doing: andwe had better be the persecuted than the persecutors, &c. But theconstable and the justice's man waiting on us, would not be atquiet till they had me away, and that we departed the house. Butbecause the justice was not at home that day, there was a friendof mine engaged for me to bring me to the constable on the morrowmorning. Otherwise the constable must have charged a watch withme, or have secured me some other ways, my crime was so great. Soon the next morning we went to the constable, and so the justice. [2]He asked the constable what we did, where we were met together, and what we had with us? I trow, he meant whether we had armouror not; but when the constable told him, that there were only meta few of us together to preach and hear the Word, and no sign ofanything else, he could not well tell what to say: yet because hehad sent for me, he did adventure to put out a few proposals tome, which were to this effect, namely, What I did there? and whyI did not content myself with following my calling? for it wasagainst the law, that such as I should be admitted to do as I did. 

John Bunyan. To which I answered, that the intent of my comingthither, and to other places, was to instruct, and counsel peopleto forsake their sins, and close in with Christ, lest they did miserablyperish; and that I could do both these without confusion, to wit, follow my calling, and preach the Word also. At which words, hewas in a chafe, [3] as it appeared; for he said that he would breakthe neck of our meetings. 

Bun. I said, it may be so. Then he wished me to get sureties to bebound for me, or else he would send me to the jail. 

My sureties being ready, I called them in, and when the bond formy appearance was made, he told them, that they were bound to keepme from preaching; and that if I did preach, their bonds wouldbe forfeited. To which I answered, that then I should break them;for I should not leave speaking the Word of God: even to counsel, comfort, exhort, and teach the people among whom I came; and Ithought this to be a work that had no hurt in it: but was ratherworthy of commendation than blame. 

Wingate. Whereat he told me, that if they would not be so bound, my mittimus must be made, and I sent to the jail, there to lie tothe quarter-sessions. 

Now while my mittimus was making, the justice was withdrawn; andin comes an old enemy to the truth, Dr. Lindale, who, when he wascome in, fell to taunting at me with many reviling terms. 

Bun. To whom I answered, that I did not come thither to talk withhim, but with the justice. Whereat he supposed that I had nothingto say for myself, and triumphed as if he had got the victory;charging and condemning me for meddling with that for which I couldshow no warrant; and asked me, if I had taken the oaths? and if Ihad not, it was pity but that I should be sent to prison, &c. 

I told him, that if I was minded, I could answer to any sober questionthat he should put to me. He then urged me again, how I could proveit lawful for me to preach, with a great deal of confidence of thevictory. 

But at last, because he should see that I could answer him if Ilisted, I cited to him that verse in Peter, which saith, "As everyman hath received the gift, even so let him minister the same, "&c. 

Lind. Aye, saith he, to whom is that spoken?

Bun. To whom, said I, why, to every man that hath received a giftfrom God. Mark, saith the apostle, "As every man that hath receiveda gift from God, " &c. And again, "You may all prophesy one by one. "Whereat the man was a little stopt, and went a softlier pace: butnot being willing to lose the day, he began again, and said:

Lind. Indeed I do remember that I have read of one Alexander acoppersmith, who did much oppose and disturb the apostles;--aiming, it is like, at me, because I was a tinker. 

Bun. To which I answered, that I also had read of very many priestsand Pharisees that had their hands in the blood of our Lord JesusChrist. 

Lind. Aye, saith he, and you are one of those scribes and Pharisees:for you, with a pretence, make long prayers to devour widows'houses. 

Bun. I answered, that if he had got no more by preaching and prayingthan I had done, he would not be so rich as he now was. But thatscripture coming into my mind, "Answer not a fool according to hisfolly, " I was as sparing of my speech as I could, without prejudiceto truth. 

Now by this time my mittimus was made, and I committed to theconstable to be sent to the jail in Bedford, &c. 

But as I was going, two of my brethren met with me by the way, anddesired the constable to stay, supposing that they should prevailwith the justice, through the favour of a pretended friend, to letme go at liberty. So we did stay, while they went to the justice;and after much discourse with him, it came to this; that if I wouldcome to him again, and say some certain words to him, I should bereleased. Which when they told me, I said if the words were suchthat might be said with a good conscience, I should, or, else, I should not. So through their importunity I went back again, butnot believing that I should be delivered: for I feared their spiritwas too full of opposition to the truth to let me go, unless I shouldin something or other dishonour my God, and wound my conscience. Wherefore, as I went, I lifted up my heart to God for light andstrength to be kept, that I might not do anything that might eitherdishonour him, or wrong my own soul, or be a grief or discouragementto any that was inclining after the Lord Jseus Christ. 

Well, when I came to the justice again, there was Mr. Foster ofBedford, who coming out of another room, and seeing of me by thelight of the candle, for it was dark night when I came thither, hesaid unto me, Who is there? John Bunyan? with such seeming affection, as if he would have leaped in my neck and kissed[4] me, which mademe somewhat wonder, that such a man as he, with whom I had so littleacquaintance, and, besides, that had ever been a close opposer ofthe ways of God, should carry himself so full of love to me; but, afterwards, when I saw what he did, it caused me to remember thosesayings, "Their tongues are smoother than oil, but their words aredrawn swords. " And again, "Beware of men, " &c. When I had answeredhim, that blessed be God I was well, he said, What is the occasionof your being here? or to that purpose. To whom I answered, thatI was at a meeting of people a little way off, intending to speaka word of exhortation to them; but the justice hearing thereof, saidI, was pleased to send his warrant to fetch me before him, &c. 

Foster. So, said he, I understand; but well, if you will promiseto call the people no more together, you shall have your libertyto go home; for my brother is very loath to send you to prison, ifyou will be but ruled. 

Bun. Sir, said I, pray what do you mean by calling the peopletogether? My business is not anything among them, when they arecome together, but to exhort them to look after the salvation oftheir souls, that they may be saved, &c. 

Fost. Saith he, We must not enter into explication or dispute now;but if you will say you will call the people no more together, youmay have your liberty; if not, you must be sent away to prison. 

Bun. Sir, said I, I shall not force or compel any man to hearme; but yet, if I come into any place where there is a people mettogether, I should, according to the best of my skill and wisdom, exhort and counsel them to seek out after the Lord Jesus Christ, for the salvation of their souls. 

Fost. He said, that was none of my work; I must follow my calling;and if I would but leave off preaching, and follow my calling, Ishould have the justice's favour, and be acquitted presently. 

Bun. To whom I said, that I could follow my calling and that too, namely, preaching the Word; and I did look upon it as my duty todo them both, as I had an opportunity. 

Fost. He said, to have any such meetings was against the law; and, therefore, he would have me leave off, and say I would call thepeople no more together. 

Bun. To whom I said, that I durst not make any further promise; formy conscience would not suffer me to do it. And again, I did lookupon it as my duty to do as much good as I could, not only in mytrade, but also in communicating to all people, wheresoever I came, the best knowledge I had in the Word. 

Fost. He told me that I was the nearest the Papists of any, andthat he would convince me of immediately. 

Bun. I asked him wherein?

Fost. He said, in that we understood the Scriptures literally. 

Bun. I told him that those that were to be understood literally, we understood them so; but for those that were to be understoodotherwise, we endeavoured so to understand them. 

Fost. He said, which of the Scriptures do you understand literally?

Bun. I said this, "he that believeth shall be saved. " This was tobe understood just as it is spoken; that whosoever believeth inChrist shall, according to the plain and simple words of the text, be saved. 

Fost. He said that I was ignorant, and did not understand theScriptures; for how, said he, can you understand them when you knownot the original Greek? &c. 

Bun. To whom I said, that if that was his opinion, that none couldunderstand the Scriptures but those that had the original Greek, &c. , then but a very few of the poorest sort should be saved; thisis harsh; yet the Scripture saith, "That God hides these thingsfrom the wise and prudent, " that is, from the learned of the world, "and reveals them to babes and sucklings. "

Fost. He said there were none that heard me but a company of foolishpeople. 

Bun. I told him that there were the wise as well as the foolishthat do hear me; and again, those that are most commonly countedfoolish by the world are the wisest before God; also, that God hadrejected the wise, and mighty, and noble, and chosen the foolishand the base. 

Fost. He told me that I made people neglect their calling; andthat God had commanded people to work six days, and serve him onthe seventh. 

Bun. I told him that it was the duty of people, both rich and poor, to look out for their souls on those days as well as for theirbodies; and that God would have his people "exhort one anotherdaily, while it is called to-day. "

Fost. He said again that there was none but a company of poor, simple, ignorant people that came to hear me. 

Bun. I told him that the foolish and ignorant had most need ofteaching and information; and, therefore, it would be profitablefor me to go on in that work. 

Fost. Well, said he, to conclude, but will you promise that youwill not call the people together any more? and then you may bereleased and go home. 

Bun. I told him that I durst say no more than I had said; for Idurst not leave off that work which God had called me to. 

So he withdrew from me, and then came several of the justice'sservants to me, and told me that I stood so much upon a nicety. Their master, they said, was willing to let me go; and if I wouldbut say I would call the people no more together, I might have myliberty, &c. 

Bun. I told them there were more ways than one in which a manmight be said to call the people together. As, for instance, if aman get upon the market place, and there read a book, or the like, though he do not say to the people, Sirs, come hither and hear;yet if they come to him because he reads, he, by his very reading, may be said to call them together; because they would not have beenthere to hear if he had not been there to read. And seeing thismight be termed a calling the people together, I durst not say Iwould not call them together; for then, by the same argument, mypreaching might be said to call them together. 

Wing. And Fost. Then came the justice and Mr. Foster to me again;we had a little more discourse about preaching, but because themethod of it is out of my mind, I pass it; and when they saw thatI was at a point, and would not be moved nor persuaded, Mr. Foster, the man that did at the first express so much love tome, told the justice that then he must send me away to prison. Andthat he would do well, also, if he would present all those thatwere the cause of my coming among them to meetings. Thus we parted. 

And, verily, as I was going forth of the doors, I had much ado toforbear saying to them that I carried the peace of God along withme; but I held my peace, and, blessed be the Lord, went away toprison, with God's comfort in my poor soul. 

After I had lain in the jail five or six days, the brethren soughtmeans, again, to get me out by bondsmen; for so ran my mittimus, that I should lie there till I could find sureties. They went toa justice at Elstow, one Mr. Crumpton, to desire him to take bondfor my appearing at the quarter-sessions. At the first he toldthem he would; but afterwards he made a demur at the business, anddesired first to see my mittimus, which run to this purpose: ThatI went about to several conventicles in this county, to the greatdisparagement of the government of the church of England, &c. Whenhe had seen it, he said that there might be something more againstme than was expressed in my mittimus; and that he was but a youngman, and, therefore, he durst not do it. This my jailer told me;whereat I was not at all daunted, but rather glad, and saw evidentlythat the Lord had heard me; for before I went down to the justice, I begged of God that if I might do more good by being at libertythan in prison, that then I might be set at liberty; but if not, his will be done; for I was not altogether without hopes but thatmy imprisonment might be an awakening to the saints in the country, therefore I could not tell well which to choose; only I, in thatmanner, did commit the thing to God. And verily, at my return, Idid meet my God sweetly in the prison again, comforting of me andsatisfying of me that it was his will and mind that I should bethere. [5]

When I came back again to prison, as I was musing at the slenderanswer of the justice, this word dropt in upon my heart with somelife, "For he knew that for envy they had delivered him. "

Thus have I, in short, declared the manner and occasion of my beingin prison; where I lie waiting the good will of God, to do with meas he pleaseth; knowing that not one hair of my head can fall tothe ground without the will of my Father which is in heaven. Letthe rage and malice of men be never so great, they can do no more, nor go no further, than God permits them; but when they have donetheir worst, "We know that all things work together for good tothem that love God" (Rom 8:28). Farewell. 

Here is the sum of my Examination before Justice Keelin, JusticeChester, Justice Blundale, Justice Beecher, and Justice Snagg, &c. 

After I had lain in prison above seven weeks, the quarter-sessionswas to be kept in Bedford, for the county thereof, unto which I wasto be brought; and when my jailer had set me before those justices, there was a bill of indictment preferred against me. The extentthereof was as followeth: 'That John Bunyan, of the town ofBedford, labourer, being a person of such and such conditions, hehath, since such a time, devilishly and perniciously abstained fromcoming to church to hear Divine service, and is a common upholderof several unlawful meetings and conventicles, to the greatdisturbance and distraction of the good subjects of this kingdom, contrary to the laws of our sovereign lord the King, ' &c. 

The Clerk. When this was read, the clerk of the sessions said untome, What say you to this?

Bun. I said, that as to the first part of it, I was a commonfrequenter of the church of God. And was also, by grace, a memberwith the people over whom Christ is the Head. 

Keelin. But, saith Justice Keelin, who was the judge in that court?Do you come to church, you know what I mean; to the parish church, to hear Divine service?

Bun. I answered, No, I did not. 

Keel. He asked me why?

Bun. I said, Because I did not find it commanded in the Word ofGod. 

Keel. He said, We were commanded to pray. 

Bun. I said, But not by the Common Prayer Book. 

Keel. He said, How then?

Bun. I said, With the Spirit. As the apostle saith, "I will praywith the Spirit, and--with the understanding" (1 Cor 14:15). 

Keel. He said, We might pray with the Spirit, and with theunderstanding, and with the Common Prayer Book also. 

Bun. I said that the prayers in the Common Prayer Book were such aswere made by other men, and not by the motions of the Holy Ghost, within our hearts; and as I said, the apostle saith, he will praywith the Spirit, and with the understanding; not with the Spiritand the Common Prayer Book. 

Another Justice. What do you count prayer? Do you think it is tosay a few words over before or among a people?

Bun. I said, No, not so; for men might have many elegant, orexcellent words, and yet not pray at all; but when a man prayeth, he doth, through a sense of those things which he wants, which senseis begotten by the Spirit, pour out his heart before God throughChrist; though his words be not so many and so excellent as othersare. 

Justices. They said, That was true. 

Bun. I said, This might be done without the Common Prayer Book. 

Another. One of them said (I think it was Justice Blundale, orJustice Snagg), How should we know that you do not write out yourprayers first, and then read them afterwards to the people? Thishe spake in a laughing way. 

Bun. I said, It is not our use, to take a pen and paper, and writea few words thereon, and then go and read it over to a company ofpeople. 

But how should we know it, said he?

Bun. Sir, it is none of our custom, said I. 

Keel. But, said Justice Keelin, it is lawful to use Common Prayer, and such like forms: for Christ taught his disciples to pray, asJohn also taught his disciples. And further, said he, cannot oneman teach another to pray? "Faith comes by hearing"; and one manmay convince another of sin, and therefore prayers made by men, and read over, are good to teach, and help men to pray. 

While he was speaking these words, God brought that word into mymind, in the eighth of the Romans, at the 26th verse. I say, Godbrought it, for I thought not on it before: but as he was speaking, it came so fresh into my mind, and was set so evidently before me, as if the scripture had said, Take me, take me; so when he had donespeaking, Bun. I said, Sir, the Scripture saith, that it is the Spirit thathelpeth our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for aswe ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us, with[sighs and] groanings which cannot be uttered. Mark, said I, itdoth not say the Common Prayer Book teacheth us how to pray, butthe Spirit. And it is "the Spirit that helpeth our infirmities, "saith the apostle; he doth not say it is the Common Prayer Book. 

And as to the Lord's prayer, although it be an easy thing to say, "Our Father, " &c. , with the mouth; yet there are very few thatcan, in the Spirit, say the two first words in that prayer; thatis, that can call God their Father, as knowing what it is to beborn again, and a having experience, that they are begotten of theSpirit of God; which if they do not, all is but babbling, &c. [6]

Keel. Justice Keelin said, that that was a truth. 

Bun. And I say further, as to your saying that one man may convinceanother of sin, and that faith comes by hearing, and that one manmay tell another how he should pray, &c. , I say men may tell eachother of their sins, but it is the Spirit that must convince them. 

And though it be said that "faith comes by hearing, " yet it is theSpirit that worketh faith in the heart through hearing, or elsethey are not profited by hearing (Heb 4:12). 

And that though one man may tell another how he should pray; yet, as I said before, he cannot pray, nor make his condition known toGod, except the Spirit help. It is not the Common Prayer Book thatcan do this. It is the Spirit that showeth us our sins, and theSpirit that showeth us a Saviour (John 16:16); and the Spirit thatstirreth up in our hearts desires to come to God, for such thingsas we stand in need of (Matt 11:27), even sighing out our soulsunto him for them with "groans which cannot be uttered. " With otherwords to the same purpose. At this they were set. 

Keel. But, says Justice Keelin, what have you against the CommonPrayer Book?

Bun. I said, Sir, if you will hear me, I shall lay down my reasonsagainst it. 

Keel. He said, I should have liberty; but first, said he, let megive you one caution; take heed of speaking irreverently of theCommon Prayer Book; for if you do so, you will bring great damageupon yourself. 

Bun. So I proceeded, and said, My first reason was, because it wasnot commanded in the Word of God, and therefore I could not useit. 

Another. One of them said, Where do you find it commanded in theScripture, that you should go to Elstow, or Bedford, and yet it islawful to go to either of them, is it not?

Bun. I said, To go to Elstow, or Bedford, was a civil thing, andnot material, though not commanded, and yet God's Word allowed meto go about my calling, and therefore if it lay there, then to gothither, &c. But to pray, was a great part of the Divine worshipof God, and therefore it ought to be done according to the rule ofGod's Word. 

Another. One of them said, He will do harm; let him speak no further. 

Keel. Justice Keelin said, No, no, never fear him, we are betterestablished than so; he can do no harm; we know the Common PrayerBook hath been ever since the apostles' time, and is lawful for itto be used in the church. 

Bun. I said, Show me the place in the epistles where the CommonPrayer Book is written, or one text of Scripture that commands meto read it, and I will use it. But yet, notwithstanding, said I, they that have a mind to use it, they have their liberty;[7] thatis, I would not keep them from it; but for our parts, we can prayto God without it. Blessed be his name. 

With that, one of them said, Who is your God? Beelzebub? Moreover, they often said that I was possessed with the spirit of delusion, and of the devil. All which sayings I passed over; the Lordforgive them! And further, I said, blessed be the Lord for it, weare encouraged to meet together, and to pray, and exhort one another;for we have had the comfortable presence of God among us. For everblessed be his holy name!

Keel. Justice Keelin called this pedlar's French, saying, that Imust leave off my canting. The Lord open his eyes!

Bun. I said, that we ought to "exhort one another daily, while itis called to-day, " &c. (Heb 3:13). 

Keel. Justice Keelin said, that I ought not to preach; and askedme where I had my authority? with other such like words. 

Bun. I said, that I would prove that it was lawful for me, and suchas I am, to preach the Word of God. 

Keel. He said unto me, By what scripture?

I said, By that in the first epistle of Peter, chapter 4, the 10thverse, and Acts 18 with other scriptures, which he would not sufferme to mention. But said, Hold; not so many, which is the first?

Bun. I said, this: "As every man hath received the gift, even sominister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifoldgrace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles ofGod, " &c. 

Keel. He said, Let me a little open that scripture to you: 'As everyman hath received the gift'; that is, said he, as every one hathreceived a trade, so let him follow it. If any man have received agift of tinkering, as thou hast done, let him follow his tinkering. And so other men their trades; and the divine his calling, &c. 

Bun. Nay, Sir, said I, but it is most clear, that the apostle speakshere of preaching the Word; if you do but compare both the versestogether, the next verse explains this gift what it is, saying, 'Ifany man speak let him speak as the oracles of God. ' So that it isplain, that the Holy Ghost doth not so much in this place exhortto civil callings, as to the exercising of those gifts that we havereceived from God. I would have gone on, but he would not give meleave. 

Keel. He said, We might do it in our families, but not otherwise. 

Bun. I said, If it was lawful to do good to some, it was lawful todo good to more. If it was a good duty to exhort our families, itis good to exhort others; but if they held it a sin to meet togetherto seek the face of God, and exhort one another to follow Christ, I should sin still; for so we should do. 

Keel. He said he was not so well versed in Scripture as to dispute, or words to that purpose. And said, moreover, that they couldnot wait upon me any longer; but said to me, Then you confess theindictment, do you not? Now, and not till now, I saw I was indicted. 

Bun. I said, This I confess, we have had many meetings together, both to pray to God, and to exhort one another, and that we had thesweet comforting presence of the Lord among us for our encouragement;blessed be his name therefore. I confessed myself guilty no otherwise. 

Keel. Then, said he, hear your judgment. You must be had back againto prison, and there lie for three months following; and at threemonths' end, if you do not submit to go to church to hear Divineservice, and leave your preaching, you must be banished the realm:and if, after such a day as shall be appointed you to be gone, youshall be found in this realm, &c. , or be found to come over againwithout special license from the king, &c. , [8] you must stretch bythe neck for it, I tell you plainly; and so bid my jailer have meaway. 

Bun. I told him, as to this matter, I was at a point with him;for if I was out of prison to-day I would preach the gospel againto-morrow, by the help of God. 

Another. To which one made me some answer; but my jailer pullingme away to be gone, I could not tell what he said. 

Thus I departed from them; and I can truly say, I bless the LordJesus Christ for it, that my heart was sweetly refreshed in thetime of my examination; and also afterwards, at my returning tothe prison. So that I found Christ's words more than bare trifles, where he saith, "I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all youradversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist" (Luke 21:15). And that his peace no man can take from us. 

Thus have I given you the substance of my examination. The Lordmake these profitable to all that shall read or hear them. Farewell. 

The Substance of some Discourse had between the Clerk of the Peaceand myself, when he came to admonish me, according to the tenor ofthat Law by which I was in Prison. 

When I had lain in prison other twelve weeks, and now not knowingwhat they intended to do with me, upon the 3rd of April 1661, comes Mr. Cobb unto me, as he told me, being sent by the justicesto admonish me; and demanded of me submittance to the Church ofEngland, &c. The extent of our discourse was as followeth:--

Cobb. When he was come into the house he sent for me out of mychamber; who, when I was come unto him, he said, Neighbour Bunyan, how do you do?

Bun. I thank you, Sir, said I, very well, blessed be the Lord. 

Cobb. Saith he, I come to tell you that it is desired you would submityourself to the laws of the land, or else at the next sessions itwill go worse with you, even to be sent away out of the nation, orelse worse than that. 

Bun. I said that I did desire to demean myself in the world, bothas becometh a man and a Christian. 

Cobb. But, saith he, you must submit to the laws of the land, andleave off those meetings which you was wont to have; for the statutelaw is directly against it; and I am sent to you by the justicesto tell you that they do intend to prosecute the law against youif you submit not. 

Bun. I said, Sir, I conceive that that law by which I am in prisonat this time doth not reach or condemn either me or the meetingswhich I do frequent; that law was made against those that, beingdesigned to do evil in their meetings, making the exercise of religiontheir pretence, to cover their wickedness. It doth not forbid theprivate meetings of those that plainly and simply make it their onlyend to worship the Lord, and to exhort one another to edification. My end in meeting with others is simply to do as much good as Ican, by exhortation and counsel, according to that small measureof light which God hath given me, and not to disturb the peace ofthe nation. 

Cobb. Every one will say the same, said he; you see the lateinsurrection at London, under what glorious pretences they went;and yet, indeed, they intended no less than the ruin of the kingdomand commonwealth. [9]

Bun. That practice of theirs I abhor, said I; yet it doth not followthat, because they did so, therefore all others will do so. I lookupon it as my duty to behave myself under the King's government, both as becomes a man and a Christian, and if an occasion wereoffered me, I should willingly manifest my loyalty to my Prince, both by word and deed. 

Cobb. Well, said he, I do not profess myself to be a man that candispute; but this I say, truly, neighbour Bunyan, I would have youconsider this matter seriously, and submit yourself; you may haveyour liberty to exhort your neighbour in private discourse, so beyou do not call together an assembly of people; and, truly, youmay do much good to the church of Christ, if you would go this way;and this you may do, and the law not abridge you of it. It is yourprivate meetings that the law is against. 

Bun. Sir, said I, if I may do good to one by my discourse, why mayI not do good to two? and if to two, why not to four, and so toeight? &c. 

Cobb. Ay, saith he, and to a hundred, I warrant you. 

Bun. Yes, Sir, said I, I think I should not be forbid to do as muchgood as I can. 

Cobb. But, saith he, you may but pretend to do good, and indeed, notwithstanding, do harm, by seducing the people; you are, therefore, denied your meeting so many together, lest you should do harm. 

Bun. And yet, said I, you say the law tolerates me to discoursewith my neighbour; surely there is no law tolerates me to seduce anyone; therefore, if I may, by the law, discourse with one, surelyit is to do him good; and if I, by discoursing, may do good to one, surely, by the same law, I may do good to many. 

Cobb. The law, saith he, doth expressly forbid your private meetings;therefore they are not to be tolerated. 

Bun. I told him that I would not entertain so much uncharitableness ofthat Parliament in the 35th of Elizabeth, or of the Queen herself, as to think they did, by that law, intend the oppressing of any ofGod's ordinances, or the interrupting any in the way of God; butmen may, in the wresting of it, turn it against the way of God;but take the law in itself, and it only fighteth against those thatdrive at mischief in their hearts and meetings, making religiononly their cloak, colour, or pretence; for so are the words of thestatute: 'If any meetings, under colour or pretence of religion, '&c. [10]

Cobb. Very good; therefore the king, seeing that pretences areusually in and among people, as to make religion their pretenceonly, therefore he, and the law before him, doth forbid such privatemeetings, and tolerates only public; you may meet in public. 

Bun. Sir, said I, let me answer you in a similitude: Set the casethat, at such a wood corner, there did usually come forth thieves, to do mischief; must there therefore a law be made that every onethat cometh out there shall be killed? May there not come out truemen as well as thieves out from thence? Just thus it is in thiscase; I do think there may be many that may design the destructionof the commonwealth; but it does not follow therefore that allprivate meetings are unlawful; those that transgress, let thembe punished. And if at any time I myself should do any act in myconversation as doth not become a man and Christian, let me bearthe punishment. And as for your saying I may meet in public, ifI may be suffered, I would gladly do it. Let me have but meetingenough in public, and I shall care the less to have them in private. I do not meet in private because I am afraid to have meetings inpublic. I bless the Lord that my heart is at that point, that if anyman can lay anything to my charge, either in doctrine or practice, in this particular, that can be proved error or heresy, I am willingto disown it, even in the very market place; but if it be truth, then to stand to it to the last drop of my blood. And, Sir, said I, you ought to commend me for so doing. To err and to be a heretic aretwo things; I am no heretic, because I will not stand refractorilyto defend any one thing that is contrary to the Word. Prove anythingwhich I hold to be an error, and I will recant it. 

Cobb. But, Goodman Bunyan, said he, methinks you need not stand sostrictly upon this one thing, as to have meetings of such publicassemblies. Cannot you submit, and, notwithstanding, do as muchgood as you can, in a neighbourly way, without having such meetings?

Bun. Truly, Sir, said I, I do not desire to commend myself, but tothink meanly of myself; yet when I do most despise myself, takingnotice of that small measure of light which God hath given me, also that the people of the Lord, by their own saying, are edifiedthereby. Besides, when I see that the Lord, through grace, hath insome measure blessed my labour, I dare not but exercise that giftwhich God hath given me for the good of the people. And I saidfurther, that I would willingly speak in public, if I might. 

Cobb. He said, that I might come to the public assemblies and hear. What though you do not preach? you may hear. Do not think yourselfso well enlightened, and that you have received a gift so far aboveothers, but that you may hear other men preach. Or to that purpose. 

Bun. I told him, I was as willing to be taught as to give instruction, and looked upon it as my duty to do both; for, saith I, a man thatis a teacher, he himself may learn also from another that teacheth, as the apostle saith: "Ye may all prophesy, one by one, that allmay learn" (1 Cor 14:31). That is, every man that hath received agift from God, he may dispense it, that others may be comforted;and when he hath done, he may hear and learn, and be comfortedhimself of others. 

Cobb. But, said he, what if you should forbear awhile, and sitstill, till you see further how things will go?

Bun. Sir, said I, Wicliffe saith, that he which leaveth off preachingand hearing of the Word of God for fear of excommunication ofmen, he is already excommunicated of God, and shall in the day ofjudgment be counted a traitor to Christ. [11]

Cobb. Ay, saith he, they that do not hear shall be so countedindeed; do you, therefore, hear. 

Bun. But, Sir, said I, he saith, he that shall leave off eitherpreaching or hearing, &c. That is, if he hath received a gift foredification, it is his sin, if he doth not lay it out in a way ofexhortation and counsel, according to the proportion of his gift;as well as to spend his time altogether in hearing others preach. 

Cobb. But, said he, how shall we know that you have received agift?

Bun. Said I, Let any man hear and search, and prove the doctrineby the Bible. 

Cobb. But will you be willing, said he, that two indifferent personsshall determine the case, and will you stand by their judgment?

Bun. I said, Are they infallible?

Cobb. He said, No. 

Bun. Then, said I, it is possible my judgment may be as good astheirs. But yet I will pass by either, and in this matter be judgedby the Scriptures; I am sure that is infallible, and cannot err. 

Cobb. But, said he, who shall be judge between you, for you takethe Scriptures one way, and they another?

Bun. I said, The Scripture should, and that by comparing onescripture with another; for that will open itself, if it be rightlycompared. As, for instance, if under the different apprehensions ofthe word Mediator, you would know the truth of it, the Scripturesopen it, and tell us that he that is a mediator must take up thebusiness between two, and "a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one, " and "there is one mediator between God and men, [even] the man Christ Jesus" (Gal 3:20; 1 Tim 2:5). So likewisethe Scripture calleth Christ a complete, or perfect, or able highpriest. That is opened in that he is called man, and also God. His blood also is discovered to be effectually efficacious by thesame things. So the Scripture, as touching the matter of meetingtogether, &c. , doth likewise sufficiently open itself and discoverits meaning. 

Cobb. But are you willing, said he, to stand to the judgment ofthe church?

Bun. Yes, Sir, said I, to the approbation of the church of God;the church's judgment is best expressed in Scripture. We had muchother discourse which I cannot well remember, about the laws ofthe nation, and submission to government; to which I did tell him, that I did look upon myself as bound in conscience to walk accordingto all righteous laws, and that whether there was a king or no;and if I did anything that was contrary, I did hold it my duty tobear patiently the penalty of the law, that was provided againstsuch offenders; with many more words to the like effect. And said, moreover, that to cut off all occasions of suspicion from any, as touching the harmlessness of my doctrine in private, I wouldwillingly take the pains to give any one the notes of all mysermons; for I do sincerely desire to live quietly in my country, and to submit to the present authority. 

Cobb. Well, neighbour Bunyan, said he, but indeed I would wishyou seriously to consider of these things, between this and thequarter-sessions, and to submit yourself. You may do much good ifyou continue still in the land; but alas, what benefit will it beto your friends, or what good can you do to them, if you should besent away beyond the seas into Spain, or Constantinople, or someother remote part of the world? Pray be ruled. 

Jailer. Indeed, Sir, I hope he will be ruled. 

Bun. I shall desire, said I, in all godliness and honesty to behavemyself in the nation, whilst I am in it. And if I must be so dealtwithal, as you say, I hope God will help me to bear what they shalllay upon me. I know no evil that I have done in this matter, to beso used. I speak as in the presence of God. 

Cobb. You know, saith he, that the Scripture saith, "the powersthat be are ordained of God. "

Bun. I said, yes, and that I was to submit to the king as supreme, also to the governors, as to them that are sent by him. 

Cobb. Well then, said he, the King then commands you, that you shouldnot have any private meetings; because it is against his law, andhe is ordained of God, therefore you should not have any. 

Bun. I told him that Paul did own the powers that were in his day, as to be of God; and yet he was often in prison under them for allthat. And also, though Jesus Christ told Pilate, that he had nopower against him, but of God, yet he died under the same Pilate;and yet, said I, I hope you will not say that either Paul, orChrist, were such as did deny magistracy, and so sinned againstGod in slighting the ordinance. Sir, said I, the law hath providedtwo ways of obeying: The one to do that which I, in my conscience, do believe that I am bound to do, actively; and where I cannot obeyactively, there I am willing to lie down, and to suffer what theyshall do unto me. At this he sat still, and said no more; which, when he had done, I did thank him for his civil and meek discoursingwith me; and so we parted. 

O that we might meet in heaven!

Farewell. J. B. 

Here followeth a discourse between my Wife and the Judges, withothers, touching my Deliverance at the Assizes following; the whichI took from her own Mouth. 

After that I had received this sentence of banishing, or hanging, from them, and after the former admonition, touching the determinationof the justices, if I did not recant; just when the time drew nigh, in which I should have abjured, or have done worse, as Mr. Cobbtold me, came the time in which the King was to be crowned. [12]Now, at the coronation of kings, there is usually a releasement ofdivers prisoners, by virtue of his coronation; in which privilegealso I should have had my share; but that they took me for a convictedperson, and therefore, unless I sued out a pardon, as they calledit, I could have no benefit thereby; notwithstanding, yet, forasmuchas the coronation proclamation did give liberty, from the day the kingwas crowned to that day twelvemonth, to sue them out; therefore, though they would not let me out of prison, as they let out thousands, yet they could not meddle with me, as touching the execution oftheir sentence; because of the liberty offered for the suing outof pardons. Whereupon I continued in prison till the next assizes, which are called Midsummer assizes, being then kept in August 1661. 

Now, at that assizes, because I would not leave any possible meansunattempted that might be lawful, I did, by my wife, present apetition to the judges three times, that I might be heard, and thatthey would impartially take my case into consideration. 

The first time my wife went, she presented it to Judge Hale, whovery mildly received it at her hand, telling her that he woulddo her and me the best good he could; but he feared, he said, hecould do none. The next day, again, lest they should, through themultitude of business, forget me, we did throw another petitioninto the coach to Judge Twisdon; who, when he had seen it, snapther up, and angrily told her that I was a convicted person, andcould not be released, unless I would promise to preach no more, &c. 

Well, after this, she yet again presented another to Judge Hale, as he sat on the bench, who, as it seemed, was willing to give heraudience. Only Justice Chester being present, stept up and said, that I was convicted in the court and that I was a hot-spiritedfellow, or words to that purpose, whereat he waived it, and didnot meddle therewith. But yet, my wife being encouraged by the highsheriff, did venture once more into their presence, as the poorwidow did to the unjust judge, to try what she could do with themfor my liberty, before they went forth of the town. The place whereshe went to them was to the Swan Chamber, where the two judges, andmany justices and gentry of the country, were in company together. She then, coming into the chamber with abashed face, and a tremblingheart, began her errand to them in this manner:--

Woman. My Lord (directing herself to Judge Hale), I make bold tocome once again to your Lordship, to know what may be done with myhusband. 

Judge Hale. To whom he said, Woman, I told thee before, I could dothee no good; because they have taken that for a conviction whichthy husband spoke at the sessions; and unless there be somethingdone to undo that, I can do thee no good. 

Wom. My Lord, said she, he is kept unlawfully in prison; they clappedhim up before there was any proclamation against the meetings; theindictment also is false. Besides, they never asked him whether hewas guilty or no; neither did he confess the indictment. 

One of the Justices. Then one of the justices that stood by, whomshe knew not, said, My Lord, he was lawfully convicted. 

Wom. It is false, said she; for when they said to him, Do you confessthe indictment? he said only this, that he had been at severalmeetings, both where there was preaching the Word, and prayer, andthat they had God's presence among them. 

Judge Twisdon. Whereat Judge Twisdon answered very angrily, saying, 'What! you think we can do what we list; your husband is a breakerof the peace, and is convicted by the law, ' &c. Whereupon JudgeHale called for the Statute Book. 

Wom. But, said she, my Lord, he was not lawfully convicted. 

Chester. Then Justice Chester said, 'My Lord, he was lawfullyconvicted. '

Wom. It is false, said she; it was but a word of discourse thatthey took for a conviction, as you heard before. 

Chest. 'But it is recorded, woman, it is recorded, ' said JusticeChester; as if it must be of necessity true, because it was recorded. With which words he often endeavoured to stop her mouth, havingno other argument to convince her, but 'it is recorded, it isrecorded. '[13]

Wom. My Lord, said she, I was a while since at London, to see ifI could get my husband's liberty; and there I spoke with my LordBarkwood, one of the House of Lords, to whom I delivered a petition, who took it of me and presented it to some of the rest of the Houseof Lords, for my husband's releasement: who, when they had seenit, they said that they could not release him, but had committedhis releasement to the judges, at the next assizes. This he toldme; and now I come to you to see if anything may be done in thisbusiness, and you give neither releasement nor relief. To whichthey gave her no answer, but made as if they heard her not. [14]

Chest. Only Justice Chester was often up with this, 'He is convicted, 'and 'It is recorded. '

Wom. If it be, it is false, said she. 

Chest. My Lord, said Justice Chester, he is a pestilent fellow, there is not such a fellow in the country again. 

Twis. What, will your husband leave preaching? If he will do so, then send for him. 

Wom. My Lord, said she, he dares not leave preaching, as long ashe can speak. 

Twis. See here, what should we talk any more about such a fellow?Must he do what he lists? He is a breaker of the peace. 

Wom. She told him again, that he desired to live peaceably, andto follow his calling, that his family might be maintained; and, moreover, said, My Lord, I have four small children that cannothelp themselves, of which one is blind, and have nothing to liveupon, but the charity of good people. 

Hale. Hast thou four children? said Judge Hale; thou art but ayoung woman to have four children. 

Wom. My Lord, said she, I am but mother-in-law to them, having notbeen married to him yet full two years. Indeed, I was with child whenmy husband was first apprehended; but being young, and unaccustomedto such things, said she, I being smayed[15] at the news, fell intolabour, and so continued for eight days, and then was delivered, but my child died. [16]

Hale. Whereat, he looking very soberly on the matter, said, 'Alas, poor woman!'

Twis. But Judge Twisdon told her, that she made poverty her cloak;and said, moreover, that he understood I was maintained better byrunning up and down a preaching, than by following my calling. 

Hale. What is his calling? said Judge Hale. 

Answer. Then some of the company that stood by said, 'A tinker, myLord. '

Wom. Yes, said she, and because he is a tinker, and a poor man, therefore he is despised, and cannot have justice. 

Hale. Then Judge Hale answered, very mildly, saying, 'I tell thee, woman, seeing it is so, that they have taken what thy husband spakefor a conviction; thou must either apply thyself to the King, orsue out his pardon, or get a writ of error. '

Chest. But when Justice Chester heard him give her this counsel; andespecially, as she supposed, because he spoke of a writ of error, he chafed, [17] and seemed to be very much offended; saying, 'MyLord, he will preach and do what he lists. '

Wom. He preacheth nothing but the Word of God, said she. 

Twis. He preach the Word of God! said Twisdon; and withal she thoughthe would have struck her; he runneth up and down, and doth harm. 

Wom. No, my Lord, said she, it is not so; God hath owned him, anddone much good by him. 

Twis. God! said he; his doctrine is the doctrine of the devil. 

Wom. My Lord, said she, when the righteous Judge shall appear, itwill be known that his doctrine is not the doctrine of the devil. 

Twis. My Lord, said he, to Judge Hale, do not mind her, but sendher away. 

Hale. Then said Judge Hale, 'I am sorry, woman, that I can do theeno good; thou must do one of those three things aforesaid; namely, either to apply thyself to the King, or sue out his pardon, or geta writ of error; but a writ of error will be cheapest. '

Wom. At which Chester again seemed to be in a chafe, and put offhis hat, and as she thought, scratched his head for anger: but whenI saw, said she, that there was no prevailing to have my husbandsent for, though I often desired them that they would send for him, that he might speak for himself, telling them, that he could givethem better satisfaction than I could in what they demanded ofhim, with several other things, which now I forget; only this Iremember, that though I was somewhat timorous at my first entranceinto the chamber, yet before I went out, I could not but break forthinto tears, not so much because they were so hard-hearted againstme and my husband, but to think what a sad account such poorcreatures will have to give at the coming of the Lord, when theyshall there answer for al things whatsoever they have done in thebody, whether it be good or whether it be bad. [18]

So, when I departed from them, the Book of Statute was brought, but what they said of it I know nothing at all, neither did I hearany more from them. 

Some Carriages of the Adversaries of God's Truth with me at thenext Assizes, which was on the 19th of the First Month, 1662. 

I shall pass by what befell between these two assizes, how I had, by my jailer, some liberty granted me, more than at the first, andhow I followed my wonted course of preaching, taking all occasionsthat were put into my hand to visit the people of God; exhortingthem to be steadfast in the faith of Jesus Christ, and to take heedthat they touched not the Common Prayer, &c. , but to mind the Wordof God, which giveth direction to Christians in every point, beingable to make the man of God perfect in all things through faith inJesus Christ, and thoroughly to furnish him unto all good works (2Tim 3:17). [19] Also, how I, having, I say, somewhat more liberty, did go to see Christians at London; which my enemies hearing of, were so angry, that they had almost cast my jailer out of his place, threatening to indict him, and to do what they could against him. They charged me also, that I went thither to plot and raise division, and make insurrection, which, God knows, was a slander; whereuponmy liberty was more straitened than it was before: so that I mustnot look out of the door. Well, when the next sessions came, whichwas about the 10th of the eleventh month, I did expect to havebeen very roundly dealt withal; but they passed me by, and wouldnot call me, so that I rested till the assizes, which was the 19thof the first month following; and when they came, because I had adesire to come before the judge, I desired my jailer to put my nameinto the calendar among the felons, and made friends of the judgeand high sheriff, who promised that I should be called; so that Ithought what I had done might have been effectual for the obtaining ofmy desire; but all was in vain: for when the assizes came, thoughmy name was in the calendar, and also though both the judge andsheriff had promised that I should appear before them, yet thejustices and the clerk of the peace did so work it about, that I, notwithstanding, was deferred, and might not appear; and although, I say, I do not know of all their carriages towards me, yet thisI know, that the clerk of the peace did discover himself to be oneof my greatest opposers: for, first, he came to my jailer, and toldhim that I must not go down before the judge, and therefore mustnot be put into the calendar; to whom my jailer said, that my namewas in already. He bid him put me out again; my jailer told him thathe could not, for he had given the judge a calendar with my namein it, and also the sheriff another. At which he was very muchdispleased, and desired to see that calendar that was yet in myjailer's hand; who, when he had given it him, he looked on it, andsaid it was a false calendar; he also took the calendar and blottedout my accusation, as my jailer had writ it. Which accusation Icannot tell what it was, because it was so blotted out; and he himselfput in words to this purpose: 'That John Bunyan was committed toprison, being lawfully convicted for upholding of unlawful meetingsand conventicles, ' &c. But yet, for all this, fearing that what hehad done, unless he added thereto, it would not do; he first runto the clerk of the assizes, then to the justices, and afterwards, because he would not leave any means unattempted to hinder me, he comes again to my jailer, and tells him, that if I did go downbefore the judge, and was released, he would make him pay my fees, which, he said, was due to him; and further told him, that he wouldcomplain of him at the next quarter sessions for making of falsecalendars; though my jailer himself, as I afterwards learned, hadput in my accusation worse than in itself it was by far. And thuswas I hindered and prevented, at that time also, from appearingbefore the judge, and left in prison. Farewell. 

John Bunyan. 

***

A CONTINUATION OF MR. BUNYAN'S LIFE, BEGINNING WHERE HE LEFT OFF, AND CONCLUDING WITH THE TIME AND MANNER OF HIS DEATH AND BURIAL, TOGETHER WITH HIS TRUE CHARACTER. 

Reader, the painful and industrious author of this book has alreadygiven you a faithful and very moving relation of the beginning andmiddle of the days of his pilgrimage on earth; and since there yetremains somewhat worthy of notice and regard, which occurred in thelast scene of his life; the which, for want of time, or fear thatsome over-censorious people should impute it to him, as an earnestcoveting of praise from men, he has not left behind him in writing. Wherefore, as a true friend and long acquaintance of Mr. Bunyan's, that his good end may be known as well as his evil beginning, Ihave taken upon me, from my knowledge, and the best account givenby other of his friends, to piece this to the thread, too soonbroke off, and so lengthen it out to his entering upon eternity. 

He has told you at large of his birth and education; the evilhabits and corruptions of his youth; the temptations he struggledand conflicted so frequently with; the mercies, comforts, anddeliverances he found; how he came to take upon him the preachingof the gospel; the slanders, reproaches, and imprisonments thatattended him; and the progress he notwithstanding made, by theassistance of God's grace, no doubt to the saving of many souls. Therefore take these things as he himself has methodically laid themdown in the words of verity; and so I pass on as to what remains. 

After his being freed from his twelve years' imprisonment and upwards, for nonconformity, wherein he had time to furnish the world withsundry good books, &c. ; and, by his patience, to move Dr. Barlow, the then Bishop of Lincoln, [20] and other churchmen, to pity hishard and unreasonable sufferings, so far as to stand very muchhis friends in procuring his enlargement, or there perhaps he haddied by the noisesomeness and ill usage of the place; being now, I say, again at liberty, and having, through mercy, shaken off hisbodily fetters, for those upon his soul were broken before, by theabounding grace that filled his heart, he went to visit those thathad been a comfort to him in his tribulation, with a Christian-likeacknowledgment of their kindness and enlargement of charity; givingencouragement by his example if it happened to be their hard hapsto fall into affliction or trouble, then to suffer patiently forthe sake of a good conscience, and for the love of God in JesusChrist towards their souls; and, by many cordial persuasions, supported some whose spirits began to sink low through the fearof danger that threatened their worldly concernment, so that thepeople found a wonderful consolation in his discourse and admonitions. 

As often as opportunity would admit, he gathered them together inconvenient places, though the law was then in force against meetings, and fed them with the sincere milk of the Word, that they might growup in grace thereby. To such as were anywhere taken and imprisonedupon these accounts, he made it another part of his business toextend his charity, and gather relief for such of them as wanted. 

He took great care to visit the sick, and strengthen them againstthe suggestions of the tempter, which at such times are veryprevalent; so that they had cause for ever to bless God, who hadput into his heart, at such a time, to rescue them from the powerof the roaring lion, who sought to devour them; nor did he spare anypains or labour in travel, though to the remote counties, where heknew, or imagined, any people might stand in need of his assistance, insomuch that some of these visitations that he made, which wastwo or three every year, some, though in jeering manner, no doubt, gave him the epithet of Bishop Bunyan, whilst others envied himfor his so earnestly labouring in Christ's vineyard, yet the seed ofthe Word he, all this while, sowed in the hearts of his congregation, watered with the grace of God, brought forth in abundance, inbringing in disciples to the church of Christ. 

Another part of his time he spent in reconciling differences, by which he hindered many mischiefs, and saved some families fromruin; and, in such fallings out, he was uneasy, till he found ameans to labour a reconciliation, and become a peace maker, on whoma blessing is promised in Holy Writ: and, indeed, in doing thisgood office, he may be said to sum up his days, it being the lastundertaking of his life, as will appear in the close of this paper. 

When, in the late reign, liberty of conscience was unexpectedlygiven and indulged to Dissenters of all persuasions, [21] hispiercing with penetrated the veil, and found that it was not for theDissenters' sake they were so suddenly freed from the prosecutionsthat had long lain heavy upon them, and set, in a manner, onan equal foot with the Church of England, which the Papists wereundermining, and about to subvert. He foresaw all the advantagesthat could have redounded to the Dissenters, would have been nomore than what Poliphemus, the monstrous giant of Sicily, wouldhave allowed Ulysses, viz. , That he would eat his men first, anddo him the favour of being eaten last. For, although Mr. Bunyan, following the examples of others, did lay hold of this liberty, asan acceptable thing in itself, knowing that God is the only lordof conscience, and that it is good at all times to do according tothe dictates of a good conscience, and that the preaching the gladtidings of the gospel is beautiful in the preacher; yet, in allthis, he moved with caution and a holy fear, earnestly prayingfor averting the impendent judgments, which he saw, like a blacktempest hanging over our heads, for our sins, and ready to breakupon us, and that the Ninevites' remedy was now highly necessary. Hereupon, he gathered his congregation at Bedford, where he mostlylived, and had lived, and had spent the greatest part of his life;and there being no convenient place to be had, for the entertainment ofso great a confluence of people as followed him, upon the accountof his teaching, he consulted with them, for the building of ameeting house; to which they made their voluntary contributions, with all cheerfulness and alacrity; and the first time he appearedthere to edify, the place was so thronged, that many were constrainedto stay without, though the house was very spacious, every onestriving to partake of his instructions, that were of his persuasion;and show their good will towards him, by being present at the openingof the place; and here he lived in much peace and quiet of mind, contenting himself with that little God had bestowed upon him, andsequestering himself from all secular employments, to follow thatof his call to the ministry; for, as God said to Moses, he thatmade the lips and heart, can give eloquence and wisdom, withoutextraordinary acquirements in a university. 

During these things, there were regulators sent into all citiesand towns corporate, to new-model the government in the magistracy, &c. , by turning out some, and putting in others. Against this, Mr. Bunyan expressed his zeal with some weariness, as foreseeingthe bad consequence that would attend it, and laboured with hiscongregation to prevent their being imposed on in this kind; andwhen a great man in those days, coming to Bedford upon some sucherrand, sent for him, as it is supposed, to give him a place ofpublic trust, he would by no means come at him, but sent his excuse. 

When he was at leisure from writing and teaching, he oftencame up to London, and there went among the congregations of thenonconformists, and used his talent to the great good liking of thehearers; and even some, to whom he had been misrepresented, uponthe account of his education, were convinced of his worth andknowledge in sacred things, as perceiving him to be a man of soundjudgment, delivering himself plainly and powerfully; insomuch thatmany who came as mere spectators, for novelty's sake, rather thanto be edified and improved, went away well satisfied with what theyheard, and wondered, as the Jews did at the apostles, viz. , whencethis man should have these things; perhaps not considering thatGod more immediately assists those that make it their businessindustriously and cheerfully to labour in his vineyard. 

Thus he spent his latter years, in imitation of his great Lord andMaster, the ever-blessed Jesus; he went about doing good, so thatthe most prying critic, or even malice herself, is defied to find, even upon the narrowest search or observation, any sully or stainupon his reputation with which he may be justly charged; and thiswe note as a challenge to those that have had the least regard forhim, or them of his persuasion, and have, one way or other, appearedin the front of those that oppressed him, and for the turning whosehearts, in obedience to the commission and commandment given himof God, he frequently prayed, and sometimes sought a blessing forthem, even with tears, the effects of which they may, peradventure, though undeservedly, have found in their persons, friends, relations, or estates; for God will hear the prayers of the faithful, andanswer them, even for those that vex them, as it happened in thecase of Job's praying for the three persons that had been grievousin their reproach against him, even in the day of his sorrow. 

But yet let me come a little nearer to particulars and periods oftime for the better refreshing the memories of those that knew hislabour and suffering, and for the satisfaction of all that shallread this book. 

After he was sensibly convicted of the wicked state of his life, and converted, he was baptized into the congregation and admitted amember thereof, viz. , in the year 1655, and became speedily a veryzealous professor; but, upon the return of King Charles to thecrown, in 1660, he was, on the 12th of November, taken, as he wasedifying some good people that were got together to hear the Word, and confined in Bedford jail for the space of six years, till theAct of Indulgence to Dissenters being allowed, he obtained hisfreedom by the intercession of some in trust and power that tookpity of his sufferings; but within six years afterwards [from hisfirst imprisonment] he was again taken up, viz. , in the year 1666, and was then confined for six years more, when even the jailer tooksuch pity of his rigorous sufferings that he did as the Egyptianjailer did to Joseph, put all the care and trust into his hands. When he was taken this last time, he was preaching on these words, viz. , "Dost thou believe on the Son of God?" and this imprisonmentcontinued six years; and when this was over, another shortaffliction, which was an imprisonment of half a year, fell to hisshare. During these confinements he wrote these following books, viz. : Of Prayer by the Spirit, The Holy City, Resurrection, GraceAbounding, Pilgrim's Progress, the first part. 

[Defence of Justification by Jesus Christ. ]

In the last year of his twelve years' imprisonment, the pastor ofthe congregation at Bedford died, and he was chosen to that careof souls on the 12th of December 1671. And in this his charge, he often had disputes with scholars, that came to oppose him, assupposing him an ignorant person, and though he argued plainly andby Scripture without phrases and logical expressions; yet he nonplussedone who came to oppose him in his congregation, by demandingwhether or no we had the true copies of the original Scriptures;and another, when he was preaching, accused him of uncharitableness, for saying, It was very hard for most to be saved; saying, by that, he went about to exclude most of his congregation; but he confutedhim and put him to silence with the parable of the stony groundand other texts out of the 13th of Matthew, in our Saviour's sermonout of a ship, all his method being to keep close to the Scriptures;and what he found not warranted there, himself would not warrantnor determine, unless in such cases as were plain, wherein no doubtsor scruples did arise. 

But not to make any further mention of this kind, it is well knownthat this person managed all his affairs with such exactness asif he had made it his study, above all other things, not to giveoccasion of offence, but rather suffer many inconvencies to avoid;being never heard to reproach or revile any, what injury soeverhe received, but rather to rebuke those that did; and as it was inhis conversation, so it is manifested on those books he has causedto be published to the world; where, like the archangel disputingwith Satan about the body of Moses, as we find it in the epistleof Jude, he brings no railing accusation, but leaves the rebukers, those that persecuted him, to the Lord. 

In his family he kept up a very strict discipline in prayer andexhortations; being in this like Joshua, as that good man expressesit, viz. , Whatsoever others did, as for me and my house, we willserve the Lord; and, indeed, a blessing waited on his labours andendeavours, so that his wife, as the Psalmist says, was like apleasant vine upon the walls of his house, and his children likeolive branches round his table; for so shall it be with the manthat fears the Lord; and though by reason of the many losses hesustained by imprisonment and spoil, of his chargeable sickness, &c. , his earthly treasures swelled not to excess, he always hadsufficient to live decently and creditably, and with that he hadthe greatest of all treasures, which is content; for, as the wiseman says, that is a continual feast. 

But where content dwells, even a poor cottage is a kingly palace;and this happiness he had all his life long, not so much mindingthis world as knowing he was here as a pilgrim and stranger, and hadno tarrying city, but looking for one not made with hands, eternalin the highest heavens; but at length, worn out with sufferings, age, and often teaching, the day of his dissolution drew near, and death, that unlocks the prison of the soul, to enlarge it fora more glorious mansion, put a stop to his acting his part on thestage of mortality; heaven, like earthly princes when it threatenswar, being always so kind as to call home its ambassadors beforeit be denounced; and even the last act or undertaking of his wasa labour of love and charity; for it so falling out, that a younggentleman, a neighbour of Mr. Bunyan, happening into the displeasureof his father, and being much troubled in mind upon that account, as also for that he had heard his father purposed to disinherithim, or otherwise deprive him of what he had to leave, he pitchedupon Mr. Bunyan as a fit man to make way for his submission, andprepare his father's mind to receive him; and he, as willing todo any good office as it could be requested, as readily undertookit; and so, riding to Reading, in Berkshire, he then there usedsuch pressing arguments and reasons against anger and passion, asalso for love and reconciliation, that the father was mollified, and his bowels yearned towards his returning son. 

But Mr. Bunyan, after he had disposed all things to the bestfor accommodation, returning to London, and being overtaken withexcessive rains, coming to his lodging extreme wet, fell sick ofa violent fever, which he bore with much constancy and patience;and expressed himself as if he desired nothing more than tobe dissolved, and to be with Christ, in that case esteeming deathas gain, and life only a tedious delaying of felicity expected;and finding his vital strength decay, having settled his mind andaffairs, as well as the shortness of his time and the violence ofhis disease would admit, with a constant and Christian patience, he resigned his soul into the hands of his most merciful Redeemer, following his pilgrim from the City of Destruction to the NewJerusalem; his better part having been all along there, in holycontemplation, pantings, and breathings after the hidden manna, andwater of life; as by many holy and humble consolations expressedin his letters to several persons, in prison and out of prison, too many to be here inserted at present. [22] He died at the houseof one Mr. Straddocks, a grocer, at the Star on Snowhill, in theparish of St. Sepulchre, London, on the 12th of August 1688, andin the sixtieth year of his age, after ten days' sickness; and wasburied in the new burying place near the Artillery Ground; where hesleeps to the morning of the resurrection, in hopes of a gloriousrising to an incorruptible immortality of joy and happiness; whereno more trouble and sorrow shall afflict him, but all tears bewiped away; when the just shall be incorrupted, as members of Christtheir head, and reign with him as kings and priests for ever. [23]

A BRIEF CHARACTER OF MR. JOHN BUNYAN. 

He appeared in countenance to be of a stern and rough temper; butin his conversation mild and affable, not given to loquacity ormuch discourse in company, unless some urgent occasion requiredit; observing never to boast of himself, or his parts, but ratherseem low in his own eyes, and submit himself to the judgment ofothers; abhorring lying and swearing, being just in all that layin his power to his word, not seeming to revenge injuries, lovingto reconcile differences, and make friendship with all; he hada sharp quick eye, accomplished with an excellent discerning ofpersons, being of good judgment and quick wit. As for his person, he was tall of stature, strong-boned, though not corpulent, somewhatof a ruddy face, with sparkling eyes, wearing his hair on his upperlip, after the old British fashion; his hair reddish, but in hislatter days, time had sprinkled it with grey; his nose well-set, but not declining or bending, and his mouth moderate large; hisforehead something high, and his habit always plain and modest. Andthus have we impartially described the internal and external partsof a person, whose death hath been much regretted; a person who hadtried the smiles and frowns of time; not puffed up in prosperity, nor shaken in adversity, always holding the golden mean. 

 In him at once did three great worthies shine, Historian, poet, and a choice divine; Then let him rest in undisturbed dust, Until the resurrection of the just. 

POSTSCRIPT. 

In this his pilgrimage, God blessed him with four children, oneof which, names Mary, was blind, and died some years before; hisother children are Thomas, Joseph, and Sarah; and his wife Elizabeth, having lived to see him overcome his labour and sorrow, and passfrom this life to receive the reward of his works, long survivedhim not, but in 1692 she died; to follow her faithful pilgrim fromthis world to the other, whither he was gone before her; while hisworks, which consist of sixty books, remain for the edifying ofthe reader, and the praise of the author. Vale. 

***

MR. JOHN BUNYAN'S DYING SAYINGS. 

OF SIN. 

Sin is the great block and bar to our happiness, the procurer ofall miseries to man, both here and hereafter: take away sin andnothing can hurt us: for death, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, is the wages of it. 

Sin, and man for sin, is the object of the wrath of God. How dreadful, therefore, must his case be who continues in sin! For who can bearor grapple with the wrath of God?

No sin against God can be little, because it is against the greatGod of heaven and earth; but if the sinner can find out a littleGod, it may be easy to find out little sins. 

Sin turns all God's grace into wantonness; it is the dare of hisjustice, the rape of his mercy, the jeer of his patience, the slightof his power, and the contempt of his love. [24]

Take heed of giving thyself liberty of committing one sin, for thatwill lead thee to another; till, by an ill custom, it become natural. 

To begin a sin, is to lay a foundation for a continuance; thiscontinuance is the mother of custom, and impudence at last theissue. 

The death of Christ giveth us the best discovery of ourselves, inwhat condition we were, in that nothing could help us but that;and the most clear discovery of the dreadful nature of our sins. For if sin be so dreadful a thing as to wring the heart of the Sonof God, how shall a poor wretched sinner be able to bear it?

OF AFFLICTION. 

Nothing can render affliction so insupportable as the load of sin:would you, therefore, be fitted for afflictions, be sure to get theburden of your sins laid aside, and then what afflictions soeveryou may meet with will be very easy to you. 

If thou canst hear and bear the rod of affliction which God shalllay upon thee, remember this lesson--thou art beaten that thoumayest be better. 

The Lord useth his flail of tribulation to separate the chaff fromthe wheat. 

The school of the cross is the school of light; it discovers theworld's vanity, baseness, and wickedness, and lets us see more ofGod's mind. Out of dark affliction comes a spiritual light. 

In times of affliction we commonly meet with the sweetest experiencesof the love of God. 

Did we heartily renounce the pleasures of this world, we shouldbe very little troubled for our afflictions; that which renders anafflicted state so insupportable to many is because they are toomuch addicted to the pleasures of this life, and so cannot endurethat which makes a separation between them. 

OF REPENTANCE AND COMING TO CHRIST. 

The end of affliction is the discovery of sin, and of that to bringus to a Saviour. Let us therefore, with the prodigal, return untohim, and we shall find ease and rest. 

A repenting penitent, though formerly as bad as the worst of men, may, by grace, become as good as the best. 

To be truly sensible of sin is to sorrow for displeasing of God;to be afflicted that he is displeased by us more than that he isdispleased with us. 

Your intentions to repentance, and the neglect of that soul-savingduty, will rise up in judgment against you. 

Repentance carries with it a Divine rhetoric, and persuades Christto forgive multitudes of sins committed against him. 

Say not with thyself, To-morrow I will repent; for it is thy dutyto do it daily. 

The gospel of grace and salvation is above all doctrines the mostdangerous, if it be received in word only by graceless men; if itbe not attended with a sensible need of a Saviour, and bring themto him. For such men as have only the notion of it, are of all menmost miserable; for by reason of their knowing more than heathens, this shall only be their final portion, that they shall have greaterstripes. 

OF PRAYER. 

Before you enter into prayer, ask thy soul these questions--1. Towhat end, O my soul, art thou retired into this place? Art thou notcome to discourse the Lord in prayer? Is he present; will he hearthee? Is he merciful; will he help thee? Is thy business slight;is it not concerning the welfare of thy soul? What words wilt thouuse to move him to compassion?

To make thy preparation complete, consider that thou art but dustand ashes, and he the great God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that clothes himself with light as with a garment; that thou arta vile sinner, he a holy God; that thou art but a poor crawlingworm, he the omnipotent Creator. 

In all your prayers forget not to thank the Lord for his mercies. 

When thou prayest, rather let thy hearts be without words, thanthy words without a heart. 

Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man tocease from prayer. 

The spirit of prayer is more precious than treasures of gold andsilver. 

Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan. 

OF THE LORD'S DAY, SERMONS, AND WEEK DAYS. 

Have a special care to sanctify the Lord's day; for as thou keepestit, so it will be with thee all the week long. 

Make the Lord's day the market for thy soul; let the whole day bespent in prayer, repetitions, or meditations; lay aside the affairsof the other part of the week; let thy sermon thou hast heard beconverted into prayer: Shall God allow thee six days, and wilt notthou afford him one?

In the church, be careful to serve God; for thou art in his eyes, and not in man's. 

Thou mayest hear sermons often, and do well in practicing what thouhearest; but thou must not expect to be told thee in a pulpit allthat thou oughtest to do, but be studious in searching the Scriptures, and reading good books; what thou hearest may be forgotten, butwhat thou readest may better be retained. 

Forsake not the public worship of God, lest God forsake thee, notonly in public, but in private. 

In the week days, when thou risest in the morning, consider, 1. Thou must die. 2. Thou mayest die that minute. 3. What will becomeof thy soul. Pray often. At night consider, 1. What sins thouhast committed. 2. How often thou hast prayed. 3. What hath thymind been bent upon. 4. What hath been thy dealing. 5. What thyconversation. 6. If thou callest to mind the errors of the day, sleep not without a confession to God, and a hope of pardon. Thusevery morning and evening make up thy accounts with Almighty God, and thy reckoning will be the less at last. 

OF THE LOVE OF THE WORLD. 

Nothing more hinders a soul from coming to Christ, than a vain loveof the world; and till a soul is freed from it, it can never havea true love for God. 

What are the honours and riches of this world, when compared tothe glories of a crown of life?

Love not the world; for it [the love of the world] is a moth in aChristian's life. 

To despise the world is the way to enjoy heaven; and blessed arethey who delight to converse with God by prayer. 

What folly can be greater than to labour for the meat that perisheth, and neglect the food of eternal life?

God or the world must be neglected at parting time, for then isthe time of trial. 

To seek yourself in this world is to be lost; and to be humble isto be exalted. 

The epicure that delighteth in the dainties of this world, littlethinketh that those very creatures will one day witness againsthim. 

OF SUFFERING. 

It is not every suffering that makes a martyr, but sufferingfor the Word of God after a right manner; that is, not only forrighteousness, but for righteousness' sake; not only for truth, but out of love to truth; not only for God's Word, but accordingto it: to wit, in that holy, humble, meek manner, as the Word ofGod requireth. 

It is a rare thing to suffer aright, and to have my spirit insuffering bent only against God's enemy, sin; sin in doctrine, sinin worship, sin in life, and sin in conversation. 

The devil, nor men of the world, can kill thy righteousness, orlove to it but by thy own hand; or separate that and thee asunderwithout thy own act. Nor will he that doth indeed suffer for thesake of it, or out of love he bears thereto, be tempted to exchangeit, for the good will of all the world. 

I have often thought that the best of Christians are found in theworst of times. And I have thought again that one reason why we areno better, is because God purges us no more. Noah and Lot, who soholy as they in the time of their afflictions? And yet who so idleas they in the time of their prosperity?

OF DEATH AND JUDGMENT. 

As the devil labours by all means to keep out other things thatare good, so to keep out of the heart as much as in him lies, the thoughts of passing from this life into another world; for heknows if he can but keep them from the serious thoughts of death, he shall the more easily keep them in their sins. 

Nothing will make us more earnest in working out the work of oursalvation, than a frequent meditation of mortality; nothing hathgreater influence for the taking off our hearts from vanities, andfor the begetting in us desires after holiness. 

O sinner, what a condition wilt thou fall into when thou departestthis world; if thou depart unconverted, thou hadst better havebeen smothered the first hour thou wast born; thou hadst betterhave been plucked one limb from another; thou hadst better havebeen made a dog, a toad, a serpent, than to die unconverted, andthis thou wilt find true if thou repent not. 

A man would be counted a fool to slight a judge, before whom he isto have a trial of his whole estate. [25] The trial we have beforeGod is of otherguise importance, [26] it concerns our eternalhappiness or misery; and yet dare we affront him?

The only way for us to escape that terrible judgment, is to beoften passing a sentence of condemnation upon ourselves here. Whenthe sound of the trumpet shall be heard, which shall summon the deadto appear before the tribunal of God, the righteous shall hastenout of their graves with joy to meet their Redeemer in the clouds;others shall call to the hills and mountains to fall upon them, tocover them from the sight of their Judge; let us therefore in timebe posing[27] ourselves which of the two we shall be. 

OF THE JOYS OF HEAVEN. 

There is no good in this life but what is mingled with some evil;honours perplex, riches disquiet, and pleasures ruin health. Butin heaven we shall find blessings in their purity, without anyingredient to embitter, with everything to sweeten them. 

O! who is able to conceive the inexpressible, inconceivable joysthat are there? None but they who have tasted of them. Lord, helpus to put such a value upon them here, that in order to prepareourselves for them, we may be willing to forego the loss of allthose deluding pleasures here. 

How will the heavens echo of joy, when the Bride, the Lamb's wife, shall come to dwell with her husband for ever?

Christ is the desire of nations, the joy of angels, the delight ofthe Father; what solace then must that soul be filled with, thathath the possession of him to all eternity?

O! what acclamations of joy will there be, when all the childrenof God shall meet together, without fear of being disturbed by theantichristian and Cainish brood!

Is there not a time coming when the godly may ask the wicked whatprofit they have in their pleasure? what comfort in their greatness?and what fruits in all their labour?

If you would be better satisfied what the beatifical vision means, my request is that you would live holily, and go and see. 

OF THE TORMENTS OF HELL. 

Heaven and salvation is not surely more promised to the godly thanhell and damnation is threatened to, and shall be executed on, thewicked. 

When once a man is damned, he may bid adieu to all pleasures. 

Oh! who knows the power of God's wrath? none but damned ones. 

Sinners' company are the devil and his angels, tormented ineverlasting fire with a curse. 

Hell would be a kind of paradise if it were not worse than theworst of this world. 

As different as grief is from joy, as torment from rest, as terrorfrom peace; so different is the state of sinners from that of saintsin the world to come. 

[Licensed, September 10, 1688. ]

FOOTNOTES:

1. The text from which he intended to preach was 'Dost thou believeon the Son of God?' (John 9:35). From this he intended to showthe absolute need of faith in Jesus Christ; and that it was alsoa thing of the highest concern for men to inquire into, and to asktheir own hearts, whether they had it or no. See Preface to hisConfession of Faith. --Ed. 

2. Justice Wingate. 

3. 'Chafe. ' See 2 Sam 17:8. --Ed. 

4. A right Judas. --Ed. 

5. 'How little could Bunyan dream, that from the narrow cell in whichhe was incarcerated, and cut off apparently from all usefulness, a glory would shine out, illustrating the government and graceof God, and doing more good to man, than all the prelates of thekingdom put together had accomplished. '--Dr. Cheever. 

6. It is easy to say a prayer, but difficult truly to pray. It isnot length, not eloquence, that makes prayer. Though there be nomore than 'My Father!' if the heart rise with it, that is prayer. 'Prayer is an offering up of our DESIRES unto God. '--Ed. 

7. It is not the spirit of a Christian to persecute any for theirreligion, but to pity them; and if they will turn, to instructthem. --Ed. 

8. The statute under which Bunyan suffered is the 35th Eliz. , cap. 1, re-enacted with all its rigour in the 16th Charles II, cap. 4, 1662; 'That if any person, above sixteen years of age, shall forbearcoming to church for one month, or persuade any other person toabstain from hearing Divine service, or receiving the communionaccording to law, or come to any unlawful assembly, conventicle, or meeting--every such person shall be imprisoned, without bail, until he conform, and do in some church make this open submissionfollowing:--I do humbly confess and acknowledge that I have grievouslyoffended God in contemning his Majesty's godly and lawful governmentand authority, by absenting myself from church, and from hearingDivine service, contrary to the godly laws and statutes of this realm. And in using and frequenting disordered and unlawful conventiclesand assemblies, under pretence and colour of exercise of religion;and I am heartily sorry for the same. And I do promise and protest, that from henceforth I will, from time to time, obey and performhis Majesty's laws and statutes, in repairing to the church andDivine services, and do my uttermost endeavour to maintain and defendthe same. And for the third offence he shall be sent to the jailor house of correction, there to remain until the next sessions orassizes, and then to be indicted; and being thereupon found guilty, the court shall enter judgment of transportation against suchoffenders, to some of the foreign plantations (Virginia and NewEngland only excepted), there to remain seven years; and warrantsshall issue to sequester the profits of their lands, and to distrainand sell their goods to defray the charges of their transportation;and for want of such charges being paid, the sheriff may contractwith any master of a ship, or merchant, to transport them; and thensuch prisoner shall be a servant to the transporter or his assigns;that is, whoever he will sell him or her to, for five years. Andif any under such judgment of transportation shall escape, or beingtransported, return into any part of England, shall SUFFER DEATHas felons, without benefit of clergy. ' Notwithstanding this edict, mark well his words on the next leaf, 'Exhorting the people of Godto take heed, and touch not the Common Prayer. ' Englishmen, blush!This is now the law of the land we live in. Roman Catholics aloneare legally exempted from its cruel operations, by an Act passedin 1844. The overruling hand of God alone saved the pious and holyBunyan from having been legally murdered. --Ed. 

9. The contemptible and mad insurrection to which Mr. Cobb refers, was the pretext for fearful sufferings to the Dissenters throughoutthe kingdom. It is thus narrated by Bishop Burnet, 1660:--'The kinghad not been many days at Whitehall, when one Venner, a violentfifth-monarchy man, who thought it was not enough to believe thatChrist was to reign on earth, and to put the saints in possessionof the kingdom, but added to this that the saints were to take thekingdom themselves. He gathered some of the most furious of theparty to a meeting in Coleman Street. There they concerted theday and the manner of their rising, to set Christ on his throne, as they called it. But withal they meant to manage the governmentin his name, and were so formal that they had prepared standardsand colours, with their devices on them, and furnished themselveswith very good arms. But when the day came, there was but a smallappearance, not exceeding twenty. However, they resolved to ventureout into the streets, and cry out, No king but Christ. Some of themseemed persuaded that Christ would come down and head them. Theyscoured the streets before them, and made a great progress. Somewere afraid, and all were amazed at this piece of extravagance. They killed a great many, but were at last mastered by numbers;and were all either killed or taken and executed. --(Burnet's OwnTimes, 1660, vol. I. P. 160). --Ed. 

10. The third section of 16th Charles II, cap. 4, also enacts, 'That any person above sixteen years old, present at any meetingunder pretence of exercise of religion, in other manner than isallowed by the liturgy or practice of the Church of England, wherethere shall be present five persons or more above those of thehousehold, upon proof thereof made, either by confession of theparty, or oath of witness, or notorious evidence of the fact; theoffence shall be recorded under the hands of two justices, or thechief magistrate of the place, which shall be a perfect conviction. '--Ed. 

11. As Wicliffe wrote in Latin, and his words were of great rarity, it may excite inquiry how poor Bunyan was conversant with is opinions. This is easily solved. Foxe gives a translation of Wicliffe'sdoctrines in his Martyrology, the favourite book of Bunyan. --Ed. 

12. April 23, 1661. 

13. See page 56, and note there. 

14. It is very probable that his persecutors knew the heroic spiritof this young woman, and were afraid to proceed to extremities, lest their blood-guiltiness should be known throughout the kingdom, and public execration be excited against them. Such a martyr'sblood would indelibly and most foully have stained both them andtheir families to the latest generation. --Ed. 

15. 'Smayed, ' an obsolete contraction of 'dismayed. '--Ed. 

16. Bunyan is silent upon the death of his first wife and marriageto the second; in fact he forgets his own domestic affairs in hisdesire to record the Lord's gracious dealings with his soul. It isnot his autobiography, but his religious feelings and experience, that he records. --Ed. 

17. 'Chafed, ' excited, inflamed, angry. --Ed. 

18. This is a beautiful specimen of real Christian feeling; nothingvindictive, although such cruel wrongs had been perpetrated againsther beloved husband. --Ed. 

19. Nothing daunted by the cruel Statute which was then in force, Bunyan acted exactly as Peter and John did under similar circumstances, "We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard" (Acts4:20). If I suffer death for it, I am bound to speak the warningwords of truth, "Touch not the unclean thing. "--Ed. 

20. Application was made to Bishop Barlow, through Dr. Owen, touse his powerful influence in obtaining liberty for this Christiancaptive; but he absolutely refused to interfere. See Prefaceto Owen's Sermons, 1721. Bunyan, upon his petition, heard by theking in council, was included in the pardon to the imprisoned andcruelly-treated Quakers. Whitehead, the Quaker, was the honouredinstrument in releasing him. --Introduction to Pilgrim's Progress, Hanserd Knollys Edition. --Ed. 

21. See an authentic copy of this Royal Declaration, and observationsupon it, in the Introduction to the Pilgrim's Progress, publishedby the Hanserd Knollys Society, 1847. --Ed. 

22. All these letters, and nearly all his autographs, have disappeared. Of his numerous manuscripts, books, and letters, not a line is nowknown to exist. If discovered, they would be invaluable. --Ed. 

23. Strongly does the departure of Bunyan, on his ascent to thecelestial city, remind us of Rev 14:13, 'And I heard a voice fromheaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die inthe Lord, from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they mayrest from their labours; and their works do follow them. ' What anexchange! From incessant anxious labour; from sighing and sorrow;from corruption and temptation; to commence an endless life ofholiness and purity, rest and peace. To be with and like his Lord!His works have followed, and will follow him, till time shall beno more. --Ed. 

24. Among these truly remarkable sayings, so characteristic ofour great author, this of the fearful nature of sin is peculiarlystriking; it is worthy of being imprinted on every Christian'sheart, to keep alive a daily sense of the exceeding sinfulness ofsin. --Ed. 

25. Judges in those days were often biased by personal feelings, and in some cases even by bribes. --Ed. 

26. 'Otherguise importance'; another manner of importance. --Ed. 

27. 'Posing, ' questioning closely, putting to a stand. --ImperialDictionary. --Ed. 

***

PRISON MEDITATIONS DIRECTED TO THE HEART OF SUFFERING SAINTS ANDREIGNING SINNERS

By John Bunyan, in Prison, 1665

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR

These verses, like those called "A Caution to watch against Sin, "were first printed on a half sheet, and passed through severaleditions. The Editor possesses a copy published by the author, ashort time before his decease; it is in an exceedingly rare littlevolume, including his poems of "One thing needful" and his "Ebaland Gerizzim"; with "a catlogue of all his other books. " London:printed for Nath, Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, 1688. Onthe reverse of the title is a singular advertisement; "This authorhaving published many books, which have gone off very well, thereare certain ballad sellers about Newgate, and on London Bridge, who have put the two first letters of this author's name, and hiseffigies, to their rhymes and ridiculous books, suggesting to theworld as if they were his. Now know that this author publisheth hisname at large to all his books, and what you shall see otherwisehe disowns. "

Bunyan was imprisoned for teaching the gospel in its purity to thepoor, and for refusing conformity to national creeds and ceremonies. This was as absurd as it would be, to imprison such of the inhabitantsof a country who refused to swear that all mankind were of onestandard in height; sending those who had consciences to prison, until they pretended that they had grown taller or shorter, andwere willing to take the oath. Mental decision must be formed onevidence. God can enlighten the mind to see that he alone can guideus to spiritual worship--that his will must be personally consulted, and unreservedly obeyed. Such a man feels that his soul's salvationdepends upon obedience to God, and not to man. If human laws sendhim to jail for refusing to disobey God, he will write upon theprison wall as William Prynne did upon that in the Tower, "The Lordheareth the poor, and despiseth not HIS prisoners. "

 'Christ's presence hath my prison turn'd into A blessed heaven; what then will it do In heaven hereafter, when it now creates Heav'n in a dungeon; goals to courts translates?'

 'He is not bound whom Christ makes free; he, Though shut close prisoner, chained, remains still free: A godly man's at large in every place, Still cheerful, well content, in blessed case, Unconquered; he a sacred heaven still bears About within his breast. '... 

These were the feelings of all Christ's prisoners. Indomitable wasthe heroic spirit of Bunyan. He tells his persecutors their follyand their sin, even while suffering under their lash; and aftermore than twelve years' incarceration, his free spirit is unsubdued. Again for sixteen years he enjoyed the sweets of liberty, and thenre-published at all risks his proofs of the wickedness of persecutionfor conscience' sake. There was no craft, nor guile, nor hypocrisyabout his character, but a fearless devotion to the will of hisGod; and he became one of the most honoured of his saints. 

GEO. OFFOR. 

PRISON MEDIATIONS

 1. Friend, I salute thee in the Lord, And wish thou may'st abound In faith, and have a good regard To keep on holy ground. 

 2. Thou dost encourage me to hold My head above the flood, Thy counsel better is than gold, In need thereof I stood. 

 3. Good counsel's good at any time, The wise will it receive, Though fools count he commits a crime Who doth good counsel give. 

 4. I take it kindly at thy hand Thou didst unto me write, My feet upon Mount Zion stand, In that take thou delight. 

 5. I am, indeed, in prison now In body, but my mind Is free to study Christ, and how Unto me he is kind. 

 6. For though men keep my outward man Within their locks and bars, Yet by the faith of Christ I can Mount higher than the stars. 

 7. Their fetters cannot spirits tame, Nor tie up God from me; My faith and hope they cannot lame, Above them I shall be. 

 8. I here am very much refreshed To think when I was out, I preached life, and peace, and rest To sinners round about. 

 9. My business then was souls to save, By preaching grace and faith; Of which the comfort now I have, And have it shall till death. 

 10. They were no fables that I taught, Devised by cunning men, But God's own Word, by which were caught Some sinners now and then. 

 11. Whose souls by it were made to see The evil of their sin; And need of Christ to make them free From death which they were in. 

 12. And now those very hearts that then Were foes unto the Lord, Embrace his Christ and truth, like men Conquered by his word. 

 13. I hear them sigh and groan, and cry For grace, to God above; They loathe their sin, and to it die, 'Tis holiness they love. 

 14. This was the work I was about When hands on me they laid, 'Twas this from which they pluck'd me out, And vilely to me said, 15. You heretic, deceiver, come, To prison you must go; You preach abroad, and keep not home, You are the church's foe. 

 16. But having peace within my soul, And truth on every side, I could with comfort them control, And at their charge deride. 

 17. Wherefore to prison they me sent, Where to this day I lie, And can with very much content For my profession die. 

 18. The prison very sweet to me Hath been since I came here, And so would also hanging be, If God would there appear. 

 19. Here dwells good conscience, also peace Here be my garments white; Here, though in bonds, I have release From guilt, which else would bite. 

 20. When they do talk of banishment, Of death, or such-like things; Then to me God sends heart's content, That like a fountain springs. 

 21. Alas! they little think what peace They help me to, for by Their rage my comforts do increase; Bless God therefore do I. 

 22. If they do give me gall to drink, Then God doth sweetn'ning cast So much thereto, that they can't think How bravely it doth taste. 

 23. For, as the devil sets before Me heaviness and grief, So God sets Christ and grace much more, Whereby I take relief. 

 24. Though they say then that we are fools Because we here do lie, I answer, goals are Christ his schools, In them we learn to die. 

 25. 'Tis not the baseness of this state Doth hide us from God's face, He frequently, both soon and late, Doth visit us with grace. 

 26. Here come the angels, here come saints, Here comes the Spirit of God, To comfort us in our restraints Under the wicked's rod. 

 27. God sometimes visits prisons more Than lordly palaces, He often knocketh at our door, When he their houses miss. 

 28. The truth and life of heavenly things Lift up our hearts on high, And carry us on eagles' wings, Beyond carnality. 

 29. It take away those clogs that hold The hearts of other men, And makes us lively, strong and bold Thus to oppose their sin. 

 30. By which means God doth frustrate That which our foes expect; Namely, our turning th' Apostate, Like those of Judas' sect. 

 31. Here comes to our rememberance The troubles good men had Of old, and for our furtherance, Their joys when they were sad. 

 32. To them that here for evil lie The place is comfortless, But not to me, because that I Lie here for righteousness. 

 33. The truth and I were both here cast Together, and we do Lie arm in arm, and so hold fast Each other; this is true. 

 34. This goal to us is as a hill, From whence we plainly see Beyond this world, and take our fill Of things that lasting be. 

 35. From hence we see the emptiness Of all this world contains; And here we feel the blessedness That for us yet remains. 

 36. Here we can see how all men play Their parts, as on a stage, How good men suffer for God's way, And bad men at them rage. 

 37. Here we can see who holds that ground Which they in Scripture find; Here we see also who turns round Like weathercocks with wind. 

 38. We can also from hence behold How seeming friends appear But hypocrites, as we are told In Scripture every where. 

 39. When we did walk at liberty, We were deceiv'd by them, Who we from hence do clearly see Are vile deceitful men. 

 40. These politicians that profest For base and worldly ends, Do now appear to us at best But Machiavellian friends. 

 41. Though men do say, we do disgrace Ourselves by lying here Among the rogues, yet Christ our face From all such filth will clear. 

 42. We know there's neither flout nor frown That we now for him bear, But will add to our heavenly crown, When he comes in the air. 

 43. When he our righteousness forth brings Bright shining as the day, And wipeth off those sland'rous things That scorners on us lay. 

 44. We sell our earthly happiness For heavenly house and home; We leave this world because 'tis less, And worse than that to come. 

 45. We change our drossy dust for gold, From death to life we fly: We let go shadows, and take hold Of immortality. 

 46. We trade for that which lasting is, And nothing for it give, But that which is already his By whom we breath and live. 

 47. That liberty we lose for him, Sickness might take away: Our goods might also for our sin By fire or thieves decay. 

 48. Again, we see what glory 'tis Freely to bear our cross For him, who for us took up his, When he our servant was. 

 49. I am most free that men should see A hole cut thro' mine ear; If others will ascertain me, They'll hang a jewel there. 

 50. Just thus it is we suffer here For him a little pain, Who, when he doth again appear, Will with him let us reign. 

 51. If all must either die for sin A death that's natural; Or else for Christ, 'tis beset with him Who for the last doth fall. 

 52. Who now dare say we throw away Our goods or liberty, When God's most holy Word doth say We gain thus much thereby?

 53. Hark yet again, you carnal men, And hear what I shall say In your own dialect, and then I'll you no longer stay. 

 54. You talk sometimes of valour much, And count such bravely mann'd, That will not stick to have a touch With any in the land. 

 55. If these be worth commending then, That vainly show their might, How dare you blame those holy men That in God's quarrel fight?

 56. Though you dare crack a coward's crown, Or quarrel for a pin, You dare not on the wicked frown, Nor speak against their sin. 

 57. For all your spirits are so stout, For matters that are vain; Yet sin besets you round about, You are in Satan's chain. 

 58. You dare not for the truth engage, You quake at prisonment; You dare not make the tree your stage For Christ, that King, potent. 

 59. Know then, true valour there doth dwell Where men engage for God, Against the devil, death, and hell, And bear the wicked's rod. 

 60. These be the men that God doth count Of high and noble mind; These be the men that do surmount What you in nature find. 

 61. First they do conquer their own hearts, All worldly fears, and then Also the devil's fiery darts, And persecuting men. 

 62. They conquer when they thus do fall, They kill when they do die: They overcome then most of all, And get the victory. 

 63. The worldling understands not this, 'Tis clear out of his sight; Therefore he counts this world his bliss, And doth our glory slight. 

 64. The lubber knows not how to spring The nimble footman's stage; Neither can owls or jackdaws sing If they were in the cage. 

 65. The swine doth not the pearls regard, But them doth slight for grains, Though the wise merchant labours hard For them with greatest pains. 

 66. Consdier man what I have said, And judge of things aright; When all men's cards are fully played, Whose will abide the light?

 67. Will those, who have us hither cast? Or they who do us scorn? Or those who do our houses waste? Or us, who this have borne?

 68. And let us count those things the best That best will prove at last; And count such men the only blest, That do such things hold fast. 

 69. And what though they us dear do cost, Yet let us buy them so; We shall not count our labour lost When we see others' woe. 

 70. And let saints be no longer blam'd By carnal policy; But let the wicked be asham'd Of their malignity. 

***

THE JERUSALEM SINNER SAVED;

OR, GOOD NEWS FOR THE VILEST OF MEN;

BEING A HELP FOR DESPAIRING SOULS, SHOWING THAT JESUS CHRIST WOULDHAVE MERCY IN THE FIRST PLACE OFFERED TO THE BIGGEST SINNERS. 

THE THIRD EDITION, IN WHICH IS ADDED, AN ANSWER TO THOSE GRAND OBJECTIONS THAT LIEIN THE WAY OF THE THEM THAT WOULD BELIEVE: FOR THE COMFORT OF THEMTHAT FEAR THEY HAVE SINNED AGAINST THE HOLY GHOST. 

BY JOHN BUNYAN, OF BEDFORD. 

London: Printed for Elizabeth Smith, at the Hand and Bible, onLondon Bridge, 1691. 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

THAT Bunyan, who considered himself one of the most notorious ofJerusalem sinners, should write with the deepest earnestness uponthis subject, is not surprising. He had preached upon it with verypeculiar pleasure, and, doubtless, from many texts; and, as hesays, 'through God's grace, with great success. ' It is not probablethat, with his characteristic intensity of feeling, and holy fervourin preaching, he ever delivered the same sermon twice; but thiswas a subject so in unison with his own feelings and experience, that he must have dilated upon it with even unusual interest andearnestness. The marrow of all these exercises he concentratedin this treatise; and when his judgment was, by severe internalconflicts, fully matured--upon the eve of the close of his earthlypilgrimage, in the last year of his life, 1688--he published itin a pocket volume of eight sheets. It was soon translated intoseveral languages, and became so popular as to pass through teneditions in English by 1728. Like other favourite books, it wasornamented with some very inferior wood-cuts. 

The object of the author is fully explained in the title to hisbook. It is to display the riches of Divine grace and mercy to thegreatest sinners--even to those whose conduct entitled them to becalled 'Satan's colonels, and captains, the leaders of his people;and to such as most stoutly make head against the Son of God. ' Itis to those who feel themselves to be such, and who make a properestimate of their own characters, as in the sight of God, that thegracious proclamations of the gospel are peculiarly directed. Theyto whom much is forgiven, love much; and the same native energieswhich had been misdirected to promote evil, when sanctified anddivinely guided, become a great blessing to the church, and tosociety at large. 

Bunyan does not stoop to any attempt to reconcile the humblingdoctrines of grace to the self-righteous pride of those who, considering themselves but little sinners, would feel contaminatedby the company of those who had been such great sinners, althoughthey were pardoned and sanctified by God. His great effort wasdirected to relieve the distress and despair of those who weresuffering under deep convictions; still, his whole treatise showsthat the doctrine of salvation by grace, of free gift, is noencouragement to sin that grace may abound, as some have blasphemouslyasserted. It is degrading to the pride of those who have not drunkso deeply of sin, to be placed upon a level with great sinners. But the disease is the same--in breaking one commandment, the wholelaw is violated; and, however in some the moral leprosy does notmake such fearful ravages as in others, the slightest taint conveysmoral, spiritual, and eternal death. ALL, whether young or old, great or small, must be saved by grace, or fall into perdition. The difference between the taint of sin, and its awfully developedleprosy, is given. Who so ready to fly to the physician as thosewho feel their case to be desperate? and, when cured, they mustlove the Saviour most. 

Comparatively little sins before conviction, when seen in the glassof God's law, and in his holy presence, become great ones. Thosewho feel themselves to be great sinners, are peculiarly invited tothe arms of the Saviour, who saves to the uttermost ALL that comeunto him; and it is thus that peculiar consolation is poured in, and the broken heart is bound up. We are then called by name, asBunyan forcibly describes it, as men called by name before a court. 'Who first cry out, "Here, Sir"; and then shoulder and crowd, andsay, "Pray give way, I am called into the court. " This is thy case, wherefore say, "Stand away, devil, Christ calls me; stand away, unbelief, Christ calls me; stand away, all ye my discouragingapprehensions, for my Saviour calls me to him to receive of hismercy. "' 'Wherefore, since Christ says come, let the angels makea lane, and let all men give place, that the Jerusalem sinner maycome to Jesus Christ for mercy. ' How characteristic is this of thepeculiarly striking style of Bunyan! How solemn his warnings! 'Theinvitations of the gospel will be, to those who refuse them, thehottest coals in hell. ' His reasonings against despair are equallyforcible: ''Tis a sin to begin to despair before one sets his footover the threshold of hell gate. What! despair of bread in a landthat is full of corn! despair of mercy, when our God is full ofmercy! when he goes about by his ministers, beseeching of sinnersto be reconciled unto him! Thou scrupulous fool, where canst thoufind that God was ever false to his promise, or that he ever deceivedthe soul that ventured itself upon him?' This whole treatise aboundswith strong consolation to those who are beset with fears, andwho, because of these, are ready to give way to despair; it oughtto be put into the hands of all such, let them belong to what partythey may; for, like our author's other books, nothing of a sectariannature can be traced in it, except we so call the distinguishingtruths of evangelical religion. There are some very interestingreferences to Bunyan's experience and life, and one rather singularidea, in which I heartily concur; it is, that the glorified saintswill become part of the heavenly hierarchy of angels, and take theplaces of those who fell from that exalted state (Rev 22:8, 9). 

To those whose souls are invaded by despair, or who fear that theyhave committed the sin against the Holy Ghost--to all who pant tohave their faith strengthened, and hopes brightened, this littlework is most earnestly and affectionately commended. 

GEORGE OFFOR. 

TO THE READER. 

COURTEOUS READER, ONE reason which moved me to write and print this little book was, because, though there are many excellent heart-affecting discoursesin the world that tend to convert the sinner, yet I had a desireto try this simple method of mine; wherefore I make bold thus toinvite and encourage the worst to come to Christ for life. 

I have been vile myself, but have obtained mercy; and I would havemy companions in sin partake of mercy too: and, therefore, I havewrit this little book. 

The nation doth swarm with vile ones now, as ever it did since itwas a nation. My little book, in some places, can scarce go fromhouse to house, but it will find a suitable subject to spend itselfupon. Now, since Christ Jesus is willing to save the vilest, whyshould they not, by name, be somewhat acquainted with it, and bidcome to him under that name?

A great sinner, when converted, seems a booty to Jesus Christ; hegets by saving such an one; why then should both Jesus lose hisglory and the sinner lose his soul at once, and that for want ofan invitation?

I have found, through God's grace, good success in preaching uponthis subject, and perhaps, so I may by my writing upon it too. 1 Ihave, as you see, let down this net for a draught. The Lord catchsome great fishes by it, for the magnifying of his truth. Thereare some most vile in all men's eyes, and some are so in their owneyes too; but some have their paintings, to shroud their vilenessunder; yet they are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whomwe have to do; and for all these, God hath sent a Saviour, Jesus;and to all these the door is opened. 

Wherefore, prithee, profane man, give this little book the reading. Come; pardon, and a part in heaven and glory, cannot be hurtful tothee. Let not thy lusts and folly drive thee beyond the door ofmercy, since it is not locked nor bolted up against thee. Manassehwas a bad man, and Magdalene a bad woman, to say nothing of the thiefupon the cross, or of the murderers of Christ; yet they obtainedmercy; Christ willingly received them. 

And dost thou think that those, once so bad, now they are inheaven, repent them there because they left their sins for Christwhen they were in the world? I cannot believe, but that thouthinkest they have verily got the best on't. Why, sinner, do thoulikewise. Christ, at heaven gates, says to thee, Come hither; andthe devil, at the gates of hell, does call thee to come to him. Sinner, what sayest thou? Whither wilt thou go? Don't go into thefire; there thou wilt be burned! Don't let Jesus lose his longing, since it is for thy salvation, but come to him and live. 

One word more, and so I have done. Sinner, here thou dost hear oflove; prithee, do not provoke it, by turning it into wantonness. He that dies for slighting love, sinks deepest into hell, and willthere be tormented by the remembrance of that evil, more than bythe deepest cogitation of all his other sins. Take heed, therefore;do not make love thy tormentor, sinner. Farewell. 

GOOD NEWS FOR THE VILEST OF MEN;

OR, A HELP FOR DESPAIRING SOULS. 

'BEGINNING AT JERUSALEM. '--LUKE 24:47. 

THE whole verse runs thus: 'And that repentance and remission ofsins should be preached in his name among all nations, 'beginningat Jerusalem. ' The words were spoken by Christ, after he rose fromthe dead, and they are here rehearsed after an historical manner, but do contain in them a formal commission, with a special clausetherein. The commission is, as you see, for the preaching ofthe gospel, and is very distinctly inserted in the holy record byMatthew and Mark. 'Go-teach all nations, ' &c. (Matt 28:19) 'Go yeinto all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature' (Mark16:15). Only this clause is in special mentioned by Luke, who saith, that as Christ would have the doctrine of repentance and remissionof sins preached in his name among all nations, so he would havethe people of Jerusalem to have the first proffer thereof. Preachit, saith Christ, in all nations, but begin at Jerusalem. 

The apostles, then, though they had a commission so large as to givethem warrant to go and preach the gospel in all the world, yet bythis clause they were limited as to the beginning of their ministry;they were to begin this work at Jerusalem. "Beginning at Jerusalem. "

Before I proceed to an observation upon the words, I must, but briefly, touch upon two things: namely, FIRST, Show you what Jerusalem nowwas. SECOND, Show you what it was to preach the gospel to them. 

FIRST, Jerusalem is to be considered either, First, With respectto the descent of her people; or, Second, With respect to herpreference and exaltation; or, Third, With respect to her presentstate, as to her decays. 

First, As to her descent, she was from Abraham, [by] the sons ofJacob, a people that God singled out from the rest of the nations, to set his love upon them. 

Secondly, As to her preference or exaltation, she was the placeof God's worship, and that which had in and with her the specialtokens and signs of God's favour and presence, above any other peoplein the world. Hence, the tribes went up to Jerusalem to worship;there was God's house, God's high-priest, God's sacrifices accepted, and God's eye, and God's heart perpetually (Psa 76:1, 2, 122; 1Kings 9:3). But, Thirdly, We are to consider Jerusalem also in her decays; for, asshe is so considered, she is the proper object of our text, as willbe further showed by and by. 

Jerusalem, as I told you, was the place and seat of God's worship, but now decayed, degenerated, and apostatized. 2 The Word, the ruleof worship, was rejected of them, and in its place they had putand set up their own traditions: they had rejected, also, the mostweighty ordinances, and put in the room thereof their own littlethings (Matt 15; Mark 7). Jerusalem was therefore now greatlybackslidden, and become the place where the truth and true religionwere much defaced. 

It was also now become the very sink of sin and seat of hypocrisy, and gulf where true religion was drowned. Here also now reignedpresumption, and groundless confidence in God, which is the baneof souls. Amongst its rulers, doctors, and leaders, envy, malice, and blasphemy vented itself against the power of godliness, in allplaces where it was espied; as also against the promoters of it;yea, their Lord and Maker could not escape them. 

In a word, Jerusalem was now become the shambles, the very slaughter-shopfor saints. This was the place wherein the prophets, Christ, and his people, were most horribly persecuted and murdered. Yea, so hardened at this time was this Jerusalem in her sins, that shefeared not to commit the biggest, and to bind herself, by wish, under the guilt and damning evil of it; saying, when she had murderedthe Son of God, 'His blood be on us, and on our children. ' Andthough Jesus Christ did, both by doctrine, miracles, and holinessof life, seek to put a stop to their villanies, yet they shuttheir eyes, stopped their ears, and rested not, till, as was hintedbefore, they had driven him out of the world. Yea, that they might, if possible, have extinguished his name, and exploded his doctrineout of the world, they, against all argument, and in despite ofheaven, its mighty hand, and undeniable proof of his resurrection, did hire soldiers to invent a lie, saying, his disciples stole himaway from the grave; on purpose that men might not count him theSaviour of the world, nor trust in him for the remission of sins. 

They were, saith Paul, contrary to all men: for they did not onlyshut up the door of life against themselves, but forbade that itshould be opened to any else. 'Forbidding us, ' saith he, 'to speakto the Gentiles, that they might be saved, to fill up their sinsalway' (1 Thess 2:14-16; Matt 23:35; 15:7-9; Mark 7:6-8; Matt 3:7-9;John 8:33, 41; Matt 27:18; Mark 3:30; Matt 23:37; Luke 13:33, 34;Matt 27:25; 20:11-16). 

This is the city, and these are the people; this is their character, and these are their sins: nor can there be produced their parallelin all this world. Nay, what world, what people, what nation, for sin and transgression, could or can be compared to Jerusalem?especially if you join to the matter of fact the light they sinnedagainst, and the patience which they abused. Infinite was thewickedness upon this account which they committed. 

After all their abusings of wise men, and prophets, God sent untothem John Baptist, to reduce them, and then his Son, to redeemthem; but they would be neither reduced nor redeemed, but persecutedboth to the death. Nor did they, as I said, stop here; the holyapostles they afterwards persecuted also to death, even so many asthey could; the rest they drove from them unto the utmost corners. 

SECOND, I come not to show you what it was to preach the gospelto them. It was, saith Luke, to preach to them 'repentance andremission of sins' in Christ's name; or, as Mark has it, to bid them'repent and believe the gospel' (Mark 1:15). Not that repentance isa cause of remission, but a sign of our hearty reception thereof. Repentance is therefore here put to intimate, that no pretendedfaith of the gospel is good that is not accompanied with it; andthis he doth on purpose, because he would not have them deceivethemselves: for with what faith can he expect remission of sinsin the name of Christ, that is not heartily sorry for them? Or howshall a man be able to give to others a satisfactory account of hisunfeigned subjection to the gospel, that yet abides in his impenitency?

Wherefore repentance is here joined with faith, in the wayof receiving the gospel. Faith is that without which it cannot bereceived at all; and repentance that without which it cannot bereceived unfeignedly. When, therefore, Christ says, he would havea repentance and remission of sins preached in his name among allnations, it is as much as to say, I will that all men everywherebe sorry for their sins, and accept of mercy at God's hand throughme, lest they fall under his wrath in the judgment; for, asI have said, without repentance, what pretence soever men have offaith, they cannot escape the wrath to come. Wherefore Paul said, God commands 'all men everywhere to repent, ' (in order to theirsalvation): 'because he hath appointed a day, in the which he shalljudge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained'(Acts 17:31). 

And now, to come to this clause, 'Beginning at Jerusalem'; thatis, that Christ would have Jerusalem have the first offer of thegospel. 1. This cannot be so commanded because they had now anymore right, of themselves, thereto, than had any of the nations ofthe world; for their sins had divested them of all self-deservings. 2. Nor yet because they stood upon the advance-ground with theworst of the sinners of the nations; nay, rather, the sinners ofthe nations had the advance-ground of them: for Jerusalem was, longbefore she had added this iniquity to her sin, worse than the verynations that God cast out before the children of Israel (2 Chron33). 3. It must, therefore, follow, that this cause, 'Beginningat Jerusalem, ' was put into this commission of mere grace andcompassion, even from the overflowings of the bowels of mercy; forindeed they were the worst, and so in the most deplorable conditionof any people under the heavens. 3

Whatever, therefore, their relation was to Abraham, Isaac, orJacob--however they formerly had been the people among whom God hadplaced his name and worship, they were now degenerated from God, more than the nations were from their idols, and were become guiltyof the highest sins which the people of the world were capable ofcommitting. Nay, none can be capable of committing of such pardonablesins as they committed against their God, when they slew his Son, and persecuted his name and Word. 

[DOCTRINE. ]

From these words, therefore, thus explained, we gain thisobservation:--That Jesus Christ. Would have mercy offered, in thefirst place, to the biggest sinners

That these Jerusalem sinners were the biggest sinners that ever werein the world, I think none will deny, that believes that Christ wasthe best man that ever was in the world, and also was their LordGod. And that they were to have the first offer of his grace, thetext is as clear as the sun; for it saith, 'Beginning at Jerusalem. ''Preach, ' saith he, 'repentance and remission of sins' to theJerusalem sinners: to the Jerusalem sinners in the first place. One would a-thought, since the Jerusalem sinners were the worstand greatest sinners, Christ's greatest enemies, and those thatnot only despised his person, doctrine, and miracles, but that, alittle before, had had their hands up to the elbows in his heart'sblood, that he should rather have said, Go into all the world, andpreach repentance and remission of sins among all nations; and, after that, offer the same to Jerusalem; yea, it had been infinitegrace if he had said so. But what grace is this, or what name shallwe give it, when he commands that this repentance and remissionof sins, which is designed to be preached in all nations, shouldfirst be offered to Jerusalem; in the first place to the worst ofsinners!

Nor was this the first time that the grace, which was in the heartof Christ, thus showed itself to the world. For while he was yetalive, even while he was yet in Jerusalem, and perceived, evenamong these Jerusalem sinners, which was the most vile among them, he still, in his preaching, did signify that he had a desire thatthe worst of these worst should, in the first place, come unto him. The which he showeth, where he saith to the better sort of them, 'The publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God beforeyou' (Matt 21:31). Also when he compared Jerusalem with the sinnersof the nations, then he commands that the Jerusalem sinners shouldhave the gospel at present confined to them. 'Go not, ' saith he, 'into the way of the Gentiles, and into any of the cities of theSamaritans enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of thehouse of Israel' (Matt 10:5, 6; 23:37). But go rather to them, forthey were in the most fearful plight. These, therefore, must havethe cream of the gospel, namely, the first offer thereof, in hislifetime; yea, when he departed out of the world, he left this aspart of his last will with his preachers, that they also shouldoffer it first to Jerusalem. He had a mind, a careful mind, as itseems, to privilege the worst of sinners with the fist offer ofmercy, and to take from among them a people, to be the first fruitsunto God and to the Lamb. 

The 15th of Luke also is famous for this, where the Lord Jesustakes more care, as appears there by three parables, for the lostsheep, lost groat, and the prodigal son, than for the other sheep, the other pence, or for the son that said he had never transgressed;yea, he shows that there is joy in heaven, among the angels of God, at the repentance of one sinner, more than over ninety and ninejust persons which need no repentance. After this manner, therefore, the mind of Christ was set on the salvation of the biggest sinnersin his lifetime. But join to this, this clause, which he carefullyput into the apostles' commission to preach, when he departed henceto the Father, and then you shall see that his heart was vehementlyset upon it; for these were part of his last words with them, Preachmy gospel to all nations, but that you begin at Jerusalem. 

Nor did the apostles overlook this clause when their Lord was goneinto heaven; they went first to them of Jerusalem, and preachedChrist's gospel to them; they abode also there for a season andtime, and preached it to nobody else, for they had regard to thecommandment of their Lord. And it is to be observed, namely, thatthe first sermon which they preached after the ascension of Christ, it was preached to the very worst of these Jerusalem sinners, evento those that were the murderers of Jesus Christ (Acts 2:23), forthese are part of the sermon: 'Ye took him, and by wicked handshave crucified and slain him. ' Yea, the next sermon, and the next, and also the next to that, was preached to the self-same murderers, to the end they might be saved (Acts 3:14-16; 4:10, 11; 5:30; 7:52). 

But we will return to the first sermon that was preached to theseJerusalem sinners, by which will be manifest more than great grace, if it be duly considered. For after that Peter, and the rest ofthe apostles, had, in their exhortation, persuaded these wretchesto believe that they had killed the Prince of life; and after theyhad duly fallen under the guilt of their murder, saying, 'Men andbrethren, what shall we do?' he replies, by an universal tender tothem all in general, considering them as Christ's killers, that ifthey were sorry for what they had done, and would be baptized forthe remission of their sins in his name, they should receive thegift of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:37, 38). 

This he said to them all, though he knew that they were suchsinners. Yea, he said it without the least stick or stop, or pauseof spirit, as to whether he had best to say so or no. Nay, so faroff was Peter from making an objection against one of them, that, by a particular clause in his exhortation, he endeavours, that notone of them may escape the salvation offered. 'Repent, ' saith he, 'and be baptized every one of you. ' I shut out never an one of you;for I am commanded by my Lord to deal with you, as it were, one byone, by the word of his salvation. But why speaks he so particularly?Oh! there were reasons for it. The people with whom the apostleswere now to deal, as they were murderers of our Lord, and to becharged in the general with his blood, so they had their variousand particular acts of villany in the guilt thereof, now lyingupon their consciences. And the guilt of these, their various andparticular acts of wickedness, could not, perhaps, be reached to aremoval thereof but by this particular application. Repent, everyone of you; be baptized, every one of you, in his name, for theremission of sins, and you shall, every one of you, receive thegift of the Holy Ghost. 

Objector. 'But I was one of them that plotted to take away hislife. May I be saved by him?'

Peter. Every one of you. 

Objector. 'But I was one of them that bare false witness againsthim. Is there grace for me?'

Peter. For every one of you. 

Objector. 'But I was one of them that cried out, Crucify him, crucify him; and desired that Barabbas, the murderer, might live, rather than him. What will become of me, think you?'

Peter. I am to preach repentance and remission of sins to everyone of you, says Peter. 

Objector. 'But I was one of them that did spit in his face when hestood before his accusers. I also was one that mocked him, when inanguish he hanged bleeding on the tree. Is there room for me?'

Peter. For every one of you, says Peter. 

Objector. 'But I was one of them that, in his extremity, said, Givehim gall and vinegar to drink. Why may not I expect the same whenanguish and guilt is upon me?'

Peter. Repent of these your wickednesses, and here is remission ofsins for every one of you. 

Objector. 'But I railed on him, I reviled him, I hated him, Irejoiced to see him mocked at by others. Can there be hope for me?'

Peter. There is, for every one of you. 'Repent, and be baptizedevery one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission ofsins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. ' Oh! whata blessed 'Every one of you, ' is here! How willing was Peter, andthe Lord Jesus, by his ministry, to catch these murderers with theword of the gospel, that they might be made monuments of the graceof God! How unwilling, I say, was he, that any of these shouldescape the hand of mercy! Yea, what an amazing wonder is it tothink, that above all the world, and above everybody in it, theseshould have the first offer of mercy! 'Beginning at Jerusalem. '

But was there not something of moment in this clause of the commission?Did not Peter, think you, see a great deal in it, that he shouldthus begin with these men, and thus offer, so particularly, thisgrace to each particular man of them?

But, as I told you, this is not all; these Jerusalem sinners musthave this offer again and again; every one of them must be offeredit over and over. Christ would not take their first rejection fora denial, nor their second repulse for a denial; but he will havegrace offered once, and twice, and thrice, to these Jerusalemsinners. Is not this amazing grace? Christ will not be put off. These are the sinners that are sinners indeed. They are sinners ofthe biggest sort; consequently, such as Christ can, if they convertand be saved, best serve his ends and designs upon. Of which moreanon. 

But what a pitch of grace is this! Christ is minded to amaze theworld, and to show that he acteth not like the children of men. Thisis that which he said of old, 'I will not execute the fiercenessof my wrath, I will not return to destroy Ephraim; for I am Godand not man' (Hosea 11:9). 5 This is not the manner of men; men areshorter winded; men are soon moved to take vengeance, and to rightthemselves in a way of wrath and indignation. But God is full ofgrace, full of patience, ready to forgive, and one that delightsin mercy. All this is seen in our text. The biggest sinners mustfirst be offered mercy; they must, I say, have the cream of thegospel offered unto them. 

But we will a little proceed. In the third chapter we find, thatthey who escaped converting by the first sermon, are called uponagain to accept of grace and forgiveness, for their murder committedupon the Son of God. You have killed, yea, 'ye denied the Holy Oneand the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; andkilled the Prince of life. ' Mark, he falls again upon the very menthat actually were, as you have it in the chapters following, hisvery betrayers and murderers (Acts 3:14, 15), as being loath thatthey should escape the mercy of forgiveness: and exhorts them againto repent, that their sins might 'be blotted out'(verse 19, 20). 

Again, in the fourth chapter, he charges them afresh with thismurder (verse 10), but withal tells them salvation is in no other. Then, like a heavenly decoy, he puts himself also among them, todraw them the better under the net of the gospel; saying, 'Thereis none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we mustbe saved' (verse 12). 

In the fifth chapter, you find them railing at him, because hecontinued preaching among them salvation in the name of Jesus. Buthe tells them, that that very Jesus whom they had slain and hangedon a tree, him God had raised up, and exalted 'to be a Prince anda Saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins'(verse 29-31). Still insinuating, that though they had killed him, and to this day rejected him, yet his business was to bestow uponthem repentance and forgiveness of sins. 

'Tis true, after they began to kill again, and when nothingbut killing would serve their turn, then they that were scatteredabroad went everywhere preaching the word. Yet even some of themso hankered after the conversion of the Jews, that they preachedthe gospel only to them. Also the apostles still made their abodeat Jerusalem, in hopes that they might let down their net foranother draught of these Jerusalem sinners. Neither did Paul andBarnabas, who were the ministers of God to the Gentiles, but offerthe gospel, in the first place, to those of them that, for theirwickedness, were scattered, like vagabonds, among the nations; yea, and when they rendered rebellion and blasphemy for their serviceand love, they replied it was necessary that the word of God shouldfirst have been spoken to them (Acts 1:8; 13:46, 47). 

Nor was this their preaching unsuccessful among these people: butthe Lord Jesus so wrought with the word thus spoken, that thousandsof them came flocking to him for mercy. Three thousand of themclosed with him at the first; and, afterwards, two thousand more;for now they were in number about five thousand; whereas, beforesermons were preached to these murderers, the number of the discipleswas not above 'a hundred and twenty' (Acts 1:15; 2:41; 4:4). 

Also among these people that thus flocked to him for mercy, therewas a 'great company of the priests' (Acts 6:7). Now, the priestswere they that were the greatest of these biggest sinners; theywere the ringleaders, they were the inventors and ringleaders in themischief. It was they that set the people against the Lord Jesus, and that were the cause why the uproar increased, until Pilate hadgiven sentence upon him. 'The chief priests and elders, ' says thetext, 'persuaded (the people) the multitude, that they should askBarabbas, and destroy Jesus' (Matt 27:20). And yet, behold thepriests, yea, a great company of the priests, became obedient tothe faith. 6

Oh, the greatness of the grace of Christ, that he should be thus inlove with the souls of Jerusalem sinners! that he should be thusdelighted with the salvation of the Jerusalem sinners! that heshould not only will that his gospel should be offered them, butthat it should be offered unto them first, and before other sinnerswere admitted to a hearing of it. 'Begin at Jerusalem. '

Was this doctrine well believed, where would there be a place fora doubt, or a fear of the damnation of the soul, if the sinner bepenitent, how bad a life soever he has lived, how many soever innumber are his sins? But this grace is hid from the eyes of men;the devil hides it from them; for he knows it is alluring, he knowsit has an attracting virtue in it; for this is it that, above allarguments, can draw the soul to God. I cannot help it, but must letdrop another word. The first church, the Jerusalem church, fromwhence the gospel was to be sent into all the world, was a churchmade up of Jerusalem sinners. These great sinners were here themost shining monuments of the exceeding grace of God. 

Thus, you see, I have proved the doctrine; and that not only byshowing you that this was the practice of the Lord Jesus Christin his lifetime, but his last will when he went up to God; saying, Begin to preach at Jerusalem. Yea, it is yet further manifested, in that when his ministers first began to preach there, he joinedhis power to the word, to the converting of thousands of hisbetrayers and murderers, and also many of the ringleading priests, to the faith. 

I shall now proceed, and shall show you, FIRST, The reasons of thepoint. SECOND, And then make some application of the whole. 

[THE REASONS OF THE POINT. ]

The observation, you know, is this: Jesus Christ would have mercyoffered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, to the Jerusalemsinners: 'Preach repentance, and remission of sins, in my name, among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. '

The reasons of the point are:--

First, Because the biggest sinners have most need thereof. 

He that has most need, reason says, should be helped first. Imean, when a helping hand is offered, and now it is; for the gospelof the grace of God is sent to help the world (Act 16:9). But thebiggest sinner has most need. Therefore, in reason, when mercyis sent down from heaven to men, the worst of men should have thefirst offer of it. 'Begin at Jerusalem. ' This is the reason whichthe Lord Christ himself renders, why, in his lifetime, he left thebest, and turned him to the worst; why he sat so loose from therighteous, and stuck so close to the wicked. 'The whole, ' saithhe, 'have no need of the physician, but the sick. I came not tocall the righteous, but the sinners to repentance' (Mark 2:15-17). 7

Above, you read that the scribes and Pharisees said to his disciples, 'How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners?'Alas! they did not know the reason; but the Lord renders them one, and such an one as is both natural and cogent, saying, These haveneed, most need. Their great necessity requires that I should bemost friendly, and show my grace first to them. 

Not that the other were sinless, and so had no need of a Saviour;but the publicans and their companions were the biggest sinners;they were, as to view, worse than the scribes; and, therefore, inreason, should be helped first, because they had most need of aSaviour. 

Men that are at the point to die, have more need of the physicianthan they that are but now and then troubled with a heart-faintingqualm. The publicans and sinners were, as it were, in the mouthof death; death was swallowing of them down:8 and, therefore, theLord Jesus receives them first; offers them mercy first. 'The wholehave no need of the physician, but the sick. I came not to callthe righteous, but the sinners to repentance. ' The sick, as I said, is the biggest sinner, whether he sees his disease or not. He isstained from head to foot, from heart to life and conversation. This man, in every man's judgment, has the most need of mercy. There is nothing attends him from bed to board, and from board tobed again, but the visible characters, and obvious symptoms, ofeternal damnation. This, therefore, is the man that has need, mostneed; and, therefore, in reason, should be helped in the firstplace. Thus it was with the people concerned in the text; they werethe worst of sinners, Jerusalem sinners, sinners of the biggestsize; and, therefore, such as had the greatest need; wherefore theymust have mercy offered to them, before it be offered to anywhereelse in the world. 'Begin at Jerusalem, ' offer mercy first to aJerusalem sinner. This man has most need, he is furthest from God, nearest to hell, and so one that has most need. This man's sinsare in number the most, in cry the loudest, in weight the heaviest, and, consequently, will sink him soonest; wherefore he has mostneed of mercy. This man is shut up in Satan's hand, fastest boundin the cords of his sins: one that justice is whetting his swordto cut off; and, therefore, has most need, not only of mercy, butthat it should be extended to him in the first place. 

But a little further to show you the true nature of this reason, to wit, That Jesus Christ would have mercy offered, in the firstplace, to the biggest sinners. 

First, Mercy ariseth from the bowels and compassion, from pity, andfrom a feeling of the condition of those in misery. 'In his love, and in his pity, he redeemed them. ' And again, 'The Lord is pitiful, very pitiful, and of tender mercy' (Isa 63:9; James 5:11). 

Now, where pity and compassion is, there is yearning of bowels;and where there is that, there is a readiness to help. And, I sayagain, the more deplorable and dreadful the condition is, the moredirectly doth bowels and compassion turn themselves to such, andoffer help and deliverance. All this flows from our first scriptureproof, I came to call them that have need; to call them first, while the rest look on and murmur. 

'How shall I give thee up, Ephraim?' Ephraim was a revolter fromGod, a man that had given himself up to devilism; a company of men, the ten tribes that worshipped devils, while Judah kept with hisGod. But 'how shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliverthee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I setthee as Zeboim? [and yet thou art worse than they, nor has Samariacommitted half thy sins (Eze 16:46-51)] Mine heart is turned withinme, my repentings are kindled together' (Hosea 11:8). 

But where do you find that ever the Lord did thus rowl9 in hisbowels for and after any self-righteous man? No, no; they are thepublicans and harlots, idolaters and Jerusalem sinners, for whomhis bowels thus yearn and tumble about within him: for, alas! poorworms, they have most need of mercy. 

Had not the good Samaritan more compassion for that man that fellamong thieves (though that fall was occasioned by his going fromthe place where they worshipped God, to Jericho, the cursed city), than we read he had for any other besides? His wine was for him, his oil was for him, his beast for him; his penny, his care, andhis swaddling bands for him; for, alas! wretch, he had most need(Luke 10:30-35). 

Zaccheus the publican, the chief of the publicans, one that hadmade himself the richer by wronging of others; the Lord at thattime singled him out from all the rest of his brother publicans, andthat in the face of many Pharisees, and proclaimed in the audienceof them all, that that day salvation was come to his house (Luke19:1-8). 

The woman, also, that had been bound down by Satan for eighteenyears together, his compassions putting him upon it, he loosedher, though those that stood by snarled at him for so doing (Luke13:11-13). 

And why the woman of Sarepta, and why Naaman the Syrian, ratherthan widows and lepers of Israel, but because their conditions weremore deplorable; for that they were most forlorn, and furthest fromhelp (Luke 4:25, 27). 

But I say, why all these, thus named? Why have we not a catalogueof some holy men that were so in their own eyes, and in the judgmentof the world? Alas! if, at any time, any of them are mentioned, how seemingly coldly doth the record of scripture present them tous? Nicodemus, a night professor, and Simon the Pharisee, with hisfifty pence, and their great ignorance of the methods of grace, wehave now and then touched upon. 

Mercy seems to be out of its proper channel when it dealswith self-righteous men; but then it runs with a full stream whenit extends itself to the biggest sinners. As God's mercy is notregulated by man's goodness, nor obtained by man's worthiness, sonot much set out by saving of any such. But more of this anon. 

And here let me ask my reader a question: Suppose that, as thou artwalking by some pond side, thou shouldst espy in it four or fivechildren, all in danger of drowning, and one in more danger thanall the rest; judge which has most need to be helped out first? Iknow thou wilt say, he that is nearest drowning. Why, this is thecase; the bigger sinner, the nearer drowning; therefore, the biggersinner, the more need of mercy; yea, of help, by mercy, in the firstplace. And to this our text agrees, when it saith, 'Beginning atJerusalem. ' Let the Jerusalem sinner, says Christ, have the firstoffer, the first invitation, the first tender of my grace and mercy;for he is the biggest sinner, and so has most need thereof. 

Second, Christ Jesus would have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, because when they, any of them, receiveit, it redounds most to the fame of his name. 

Christ Jesus, as you may perceive, has put himself under the termof a physician, a doctor for curing of diseases; and you know thatapplause and fame are things that physicians much desire. Thatis it that helps them to patients; and that, also, that will helptheir patients to commit themselves to their skill, for cure, withthe more confidence and repose of spirit. And the best way for adoctor or physician to get himself a name, is, in the first place, to take in hand, and cure, some such as all others have given upfor lost and dead. Physicians get neither name nor fame by prickingof wheals, 10 or picking out thistles, or by laying of plastersto the scratch of a pin; every old woman can do this. But if theywould have a name and a fame, if they will have it quickly, theymust, as I said, do some great and desperate cures. Let them fetchone to life that was dead; let them recover one to his wits thatwas mad; let them make one that was born blind to see; or let themgive ripe wits to a fool: these are notable cures, and he that cando thus, and if he doth thus first, he shall have the name and famehe desires; he may lie a-bed till noon. 

Why, Christ Jesus forgiveth sins for a name, and so begets forhimself a good report in the hearts of the children of men. And, therefore, in reason he must be willing, as, also, he did command, that his mercy should be offered first to the biggest sinners. Iwill forgive their sins, iniquities, and transgressions, says he, 'And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour, beforeall the nations of the earth' (Jer 33:8, 9). 

And hence it is, that, at his first appearing, he took upon him todo such mighty works; he got a fame thereby, he got a name thereby(Matt 4:23, 24). 

When Christ had cast the legion of devils out of the man of whomyou read (Mark 5), he bid him go home to his friends, and tellit. 'Go home, ' saith he, 'to thy friends, and tell them how greatthings God hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee'(Mark 5:19). Christ Jesus seeks a name, and desireth a fame in theworld; and, therefore, or the better to obtain that, he commandsthat mercy should first be proffered to the biggest sinners;because, by the saving of one of them, he makes all men marvel. As it is said of the man last mentioned, whom Christ cured towardsthe beginning of his ministry. 'And he departed, ' says the text, 'and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had donefor him; and all men did marvel' (Mark 5:20). 

When John told Christ, that they saw one casting out devils inhis name, and they forbade him, because he followed not with them, what is the answer of Christ? 'Forbid him not; for there is no manwhich shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evilof me' (Mark 9:39). No; they will rather cause his praise to beheard, and his name to be magnified, and so put glory on the headof Christ. 

But we will follow, a little, our metaphor. Christ, as I said, hasput himself under the term of a physician; consequently, he desireththat his fame, as to the salvation of sinners, may spread abroad, that the world may see what he can do. And to this end, has notonly commanded that the biggest sinners should have the first offerof his mercy, but has, as physicians do, 11 put out his bills, andpublished his doings, that things may be read and talked of. Yea, he has, moreover, in these, his blessed bills, the holy scripturesI mean, inserted the very names of persons, the places of theirabode, and the great cures that, by the means of his salvation, hehas wrought upon them to this very end. Here is, Item, such an one, by my grace and redeeming blood, was made a monument of everlastinglife; and such an one, by my perfect obedience, became an heir ofglory. And then he produceth their names. Item, I saved Lot fromthe guilt and damnation that he had procured for himself by hisincest. Item, I saved David from the vengeance that belonged tohim for committing of adultery and murder. Here is, also, Solomon, Manasseh, Peter, Magdalene, and many others, made mention of in thisbook. Yea, here are their names, their sins, and their salvationsrecorded together, that you may read and know what a Saviour heis, and do him honour in the world. For why are these things thusrecorded, but to show to sinners what he can do, to the praise andglory of his grace? And it is observable, as I said before, wehave but very little of the salvation of little sinners mentionedin God's book, because that would not have answered the design, towit, to bring glory and fame to the name of the Son of God. 

What should be the reason, think you, why Christ should so easilytake a denial of the great ones that were the grandeur of the world, and struggle so hard for hedge-creepers12 and highwaymen, as thatparable seems to import he doth, but to show forth the riches ofthe glory of his grace, to his praise? (Luke 14). This, I say, isone reason, to be sure. They that had their grounds, their yoke ofoxen, and their marriage joys, were invited to come; but they madethe excuse, and that served the turn. But when he comes to deal withthe worst, he saith to his servants, Go ye out and bring them inhither. 'Go out quickly-and bring in hither the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind. ' And they did so. And he said again, 'Goout into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, thatmy house may be filled' (Luke 14:18, 19, 23). These poor, lame, maimed, blind, hedge-creepers, and highwaymen, must come in, mustbe forced in. These, if saved, will make his merit shine. 

When Christ was crucified, and hanged up between the earth andheavens, there were two thieves crucified with him; and, behold, he lays hold of one of them, and will have him away with him toglory. Was not this a strange act, and a display of unthought-ofgrace? Were there none but thieves there, or were the rest of thatcompany out of his reach? Could he not, think you, have stoopedfrom the cross to the ground, and have laid hold on some honesterman, if he would? Yes, doubtless. Oh! but then he would not havedisplayed his grace, nor so have pursued his own designs, namely, to get to himself a praise and a name; but now he has done it topurpose. For who that shall read this story, but must confess, thatthe Son of God is full of grace; for a proof of the riches thereof, he left behind him, when, upon the cross, he took the thief awaywith him to glory. Nor can this one act of his be buried; it willbe talked of, to the end of the world, to his praise. 'Men shallspeak of the might of thy terrible acts; and I will declare thygreatness. They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy greatgoodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness-They shall speak ofthe glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known tothe sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of hiskingdom' (Psa 145:6-12). 

When the Word of God came among the conjurors and those soothsayers, that you read of (Acts 19), and had prevailed with some of themto accept of the grace of Christ, the Holy Ghost records it with aboast, for that it would redound to his praise, saying, 'Many ofthem also which used curious arts brought their books together, and burned them before all men; and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So mightily grew theWord of God, and prevailed' (Acts 19:19, 20). It wrenched out of theclutches of Satan some of those of whom he thought himself mostsure. 'So mightily grew the Word of God. ' It grew mightily, itencroached upon the kingdom of the devil. It pursued him, and tookthe prey; it forced him to let go his hold! It brought away captive, as prisoners taken by force of arms, some of the most valiant ofhis army. It fetched back from, as it were, the confines of hell, some of those that were his most trusty, and that, with hell, hadbeen at an agreement. It made them come and confess their deeds, and burn their books before all men. 'So mightily grew the Word ofGod, and prevailed. ' Thus, therefore, you see why Christ will haveoffered mercy, in the first place, to the biggest sinners; theyhave most need thereof; and this is the most ready way to extolhis name 'that rideth upon the heavens' to our help. But, Third, Christ Jesus would have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, because, by their forgiveness and salvation, others, hearing of it, will be encouraged the more to come to himfor life. 

For the physician, by curing the most desperate at the first, dothnot only get himself a name, but begets encouragement in the mindsof other diseased folk to come to him for help. Hence you read ofour Lord, that after, through his tender mercy, he had cured many ofgreat diseases, his fame was spread abroad: 'They brought unto himall sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which werelunatic, and those that had the palsy, and he healed them. Andthere followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, andDecapolis, and Jerusalem, and Judea, and from beyond Jordan' (Matt4:24, 25). See here, he first, by working, gets himself a fame, aname, and renown; and now men take encouragement, and bring, fromall quarters, their diseased to him, being helped, by what theyhad heard, to believe that their diseased should be healed. 

Now, as he did with those outward cures, so he does in the proffersof his grace and mercy; he proffers that, in the first place, tothe biggest sinners, that others may take heart to come to him tobe saved. I will give you a scripture or two. I mean to show youthat Christ, by commanding that his mercy should, in the firstplace, be offered to the biggest of sinners, has a design therebyto encourage and provoke others to come also to him for mercy. 'God, 'said Paul, 'who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith heloved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us togetherwith Christ (by grace ye are saved); and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. ' Butwhy did he do all this? 'That in the ages to come he might show theexceeding riches of his grace in his kindness towards us throughChrist Jesus' (Eph 2:4-7). See, here is a design; God lets out hismercy to Ephesus of design, even to show to the ages to come theexceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness to them throughChrist Jesus. And why, to show, by these, the exceeding riches ofhis grace to the ages to come, through Christ Jesus? But to allurethem, and their children also to come to him, and to partake thesame grace through Christ Jesus?13

But what was Paul, and the Ephesian sinners? (of Paul we will speakanon. ) These Ephesian sinners, they were men dead in sins; menthat walked according to the dictates and motions of the devil;worshippers of Diana, that effeminate goddess; men far off from God, aliens and strangers to all good things; such as were far off fromthat, as I said, and, consequently, in a most deplorable condition. As the Jerusalem sinners were of the highest sort among the Jews, so these Ephesian sinners were of the highest sort among the Gentiles(Eph 2:1-3, 11, 12; Acts 19:35). Wherefore, as by the Jerusalemsinners, in saving them first, he had a design to provoke othersto come to him for mercy, so the same design is here set on footagain, in his calling and converting the Ephesian sinners, 'That inthe ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace, 'says he, 'in his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus. ' Thereis yet one hint behind. It is said that God saved these 'for hisgreat love'; that is, as I think, for the setting forth, for thecommendation of his love, for the advance of his love, in the heartsand minds of them that should come after. As who should say, Godhas had mercy upon, and been gracious to you, that he might showto others, for their encouragement, that they have ground to cometo him to be saved. When God saves one great sinner, it is toencourage another great sinner to come to him for mercy. 

He saved the thief, to encourage thieves to come to him for mercy;he saved Magdalene, to encourage other Magdalenes to come to himfor mercy; he saved Saul, to encourage Sauls to come to him formercy; and this Paul himself doth say, 'For this cause, ' saith he, 'I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forthall long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafterbelieve on him to life everlasting' (1 Tim 1:16). How plain are thewords! Christ, in saving of me, has given to the world a patternof his grace, that they might see, and believe, and come, and besaved; that they that are to be born hereafter might believe onJesus Christ to life everlasting. 

But what was Paul? Why, he tells you himself; I am, says he, thechief of sinners. I was, says he, a blasphemer, a persecutor, aninjurious person; but I obtained mercy (1 Tim 1:13, 14). Ay, thatis well for you, Paul; but what advantage have we thereby? Oh, verymuch, saith he; for, 'for this cause I obtained mercy, that in mefirst Jesus Christ might show forth all long-suffering, for a patternto them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting'(verse 16). Thus, therefore, you see that this third reason is ofstrength; namely, that Jesus Christ would have mercy offered, in thefirst place, to the biggest sinners, because, by their forgivenessand salvation, others, hearing of it, will be encouraged the moreto come to him for mercy. It may well, therefore, be said to God, Thou delightest in mercy, and mercy pleases thee (Micah 7:18). 

But who believes that this was God's design in showing mercy ofold--namely, that we that come after might take courage to come tohim for mercy; or that Jesus Christ would have mercy offered, inthe first place, to the biggest sinners, to stir up others to cometo him for life? This is not the manner of men, O God! But Davidsaw this betimes; therefore he makes this one argument with God, that he would blot out his transgressions, that he would forgivehis adultery, his murders, and horrible hypocrisy. Do it, O Lord, saith he, do it, and 'then will I teach transgressors thy ways, andsinners shall be converted unto thee' (Psa 2:7-13). He knew thatthe conversion of sinners would be a work highly pleasing to God, as being that which he had designed before he made mountain orhill: wherefore he comes, and he saith, Save me, O Lord; if thouwilt but save me, I will fall in with thy design; I will help tobring what sinners to thee I can. And, Lord, I am willing to bemade a preacher myself, for that I have been a horrible sinner;wherefore, if thou shalt forgive my great transgressions, I shallbe a fit man to tell of thy wondrous grace to others. Yea, Lord, Idare promise, that if thou wilt have mercy upon me, it shall tendto the glory of thy grace, and also to the increase of thy kingdom;for I will tell it, and sinners will hear on't. And there is nothingso suiteth with the hearing sinner as mercy; and to be informed thatGod is willing to bestow it upon him. 'I will teach transgressorsthy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. '

Nor will Christ Jesus miss of his design in proffering of mercy, in the first place, to the biggest sinners. You know what work theLord, by laying hold of the woman of Samaria, made among the peoplethere. They knew that she was a town sinner, an adulteress; yea, one that, after the most audacious manner, lived in uncleannesswith a man that was not her husband. But when she, from a turn uponher heart, went into the city, and said to her neighbours, 'Come, 'Oh, how they came! how they flocked out of the city to Jesus Christ!'Then they went out of the city, and came to him. ' 'And many ofthe Samaritans of that city (people, perhaps, as bad as herself)believed on him for the saying of the woman, which testified, Hetold me all that ever I did' (John 4:39). That word, 'He told meall that ever I did, ' was a great argument with them; for by thatthey gathered, that though he knew her to be vile, yet he did notdespise her, nor refuse to show how willing he was to communicatehis grace unto her; and this fetched over, first her, then them. 

This woman, as I said, was a Samaritan sinner, a sinner of theworst complexion; for the Jews abhorred to have ought to do withthem (verse 9), wherefore none more fit than she to be made one ofthe decoys of heaven, to bring others of these Samaritan wild-fowlsunder the net of the grace of Christ; and she did the workto purpose. Many, and many more of the Samaritans believed on him(verse 40-42). The heart of man, though set on sin, will, whenit comes once to a persuasion that God is willing to have mercyupon us, incline to come to Jesus Christ for life. Witness thoseturn-aways from God that you also read of in Jeremiah; for afterthey had heard, three or four times over, that God had mercy forbacksliders, they broke out, and said, 'Behold, we come unto thee;for thou art the Lord our God. ' (Jer 3:22); or, as those in Hoseadid, 'For in thee the fatherless findeth mercy' (Hosea 14:1-3). 

Mercy, and the revelation thereof, is the only antidote againstsin. 'Tis of a thawing nature; 'twill loose the heart that isfrozen up in sin; yea, 'twill make the unwilling willing to come toJesus Christ for life. Wherefore, do you think, was it that JesusChrist told the adulterous woman, and that before so many sinners, that he had not condemned her, but to allure her, with them therepresent, to hope to find favour at his hands? As he also saith, inanother place, 'I came not to judge, but to save the world. ' Formight they not thence most rationally conclude, that if Jesus Christhad rather save than damn an harlot, there was encouragement forthem [although great sinners] to come to him for mercy. 

I heard once a story from a soldier, who, with his company, had laidsiege against a fort, that so long as the besieged were persuadedtheir foes would show them no favour, they fought like madmen; butwhen they saw one of their fellows taken, and received to favour, they all came tumbling down from their fortress, and deliveredthemselves into their enemies' hands. I am persuaded, did menbelieve that there is that grace and willingness in the heart ofChrist to save sinners, as the Word imports there is, they wouldcome tumbling into his arms: but Satan has blinded their mindsthat they cannot see this thing. Howbeit, the Lord Jesus has, asI said, that others might take heart and come to him, given out acommandment, that mercy should, in the first place, be offered tothe biggest sinners. 'Begin, ' saith he, 'at Jerusalem'; and thusI end the third reason. 

Fourth, Jesus Christ would have mercy offered, in the first place, to biggest sinners, because that is the way, if they receive it, most to weaken the kingdom of Satan, and to keep it lowest in everyage of the world. 

The biggest sinners, they are Satan's colonels and captains, the leaders of his people, and they that most stoutly make headagainst the Son of God. Wherefore, let these first be conquered, and his kingdom will be weak. When Ishbosheth had lost his Abner, the kingdom was made weak, nor did he sit but tottering then uponhis throne. So, when Satan loseth his strong men, them that aremighty to work iniquity, and dexterous to manage others in the same, then is his kingdom weak (2 Sam 3). Therefore, I say, Christ, anddoth offer mercy, in the first place, to such, the more to weakenhis kingdom. Christ Jesus was glad to see Satan fall like lightningfrom heaven; that is, suddenly, or head-long; and it was, surely, by casting of him out of strong possession, and by recovering ofsome notorious sinners out of his clutches (Luke 10:17-19). 

Samson, when he would pull down the Philistines' temple, tookhold of the two main pillars of it, and, breaking them, down camethe house. Christ came to destroy the works of the devil, and todestroy by converting grace, as well as by redeeming blood. Now, sin swarms, and lieth by legions, and whole armies, in the soulsof the biggest sinners, as in garrisons;14 wherefore, the way, themost direct way, to destroy it, is first to deal with such sinnersby the word of his gospel, and by the merits of his passion. 

For example, though I shall give you but a homely one; supposea family to be very lousy, and one or two of the family to be inchief the breeders, the way, the quickest way, to clean that family, or at least to weaken the so swarming of those vermin, is, in thefirst place, to sweeten the skin, head, and clothes of the chiefbreeders; and then, though all the family should be apt to breedthem, the number of them, and so the greatness of that plague there, will be the more impaired. Why, there are some people that are inchief the devil's sin-breeders in the towns and places where theylive. The place, town, or family where they live, must needs behorribly lousy, and, as it were, eaten up with vermin. Now, letthe Lord Jesus, in the first place, cleanse these great breeders, and there will be given a nip to those swarms of sins that used tobe committed in such places throughout the town, house, or family, where such sin-breeding persons used to be. 

I speak by experience. I was one of these lousy ones, one of thesegreat sin-breeders; I infected all the youth of the town whereI was born, with all manner of youthful vanities. The neighbourscounted me so; my practice proved me so: wherefore Christ Jesustook me first; and taking me first, the contagion was much allayedall the town over. When God made me sigh, they would hearken, andinquiringly say, What's the matter with John? They also gave theirvarious opinions of me; but, as I said, sin cooled, and failed, as to his full career. When I went out to seek the bread of life, some of them would follow, and the rest be put into a muse 15 athome. Yea, almost the town, at first, at times would go out to hearat the place where I found good; yea, young and old for a whilehad some reformation on them; also some of them, perceiving thatGod had mercy upon me, came crying to him for mercy too. 

But what need I give you an instance of poor I; I will cometo Manasseh the king. So long as he was a ringleading sinner, thegreat idolater, and chief for devilism, the whole land flowed withwickedness; for he made them to sin (2 Chron 33), and do worsethan the heathen that dwelt round about them, or that was cast outfrom before them: but when God converted him, the whole land wasreformed. Down went the groves, the idols, and altars of Baal, andup went true religion in much of the power and purity of it. Youwill say, The king reformed by power. I answer, doubtless, and byexample too; for people observe their leaders; as their fathers did, so did they (2 Kings 17:41). This, therefore, is another reason whyJesus would have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggestsinners, because that is the best way, if they receive it, most toweaken the kingdom of Satan, and to keep it poor and low. 

And do you not think now, that if God would but take hold of thehearts of some of the most notorious in your town, in your family, or country, that this thing would be verified before your faces?It would, it would, to the joy of you that are godly, to the makingof hell to sigh, to the great suppressing of sin, the glory ofChrist, and the joy of the angels of God. 16 And ministers, should, therefore, that this work might go on, take advantages to persuadewith the biggest sinners to come into Christ, according to my text, and their commission, 'Beginning at Jerusalem. '

Fifth, Jesus Christ would have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, because such, when converted, are usuallythe best helps in the church against temptations, and fittest forthe support of the feeble-minded there. 

Hence, usually, you have some such in the first plantation ofchurches, or quickly upon it. Churches would do but sorrily, ifChrist Jesus did not put such converts among them; they are themonuments and mirrors of mercy. The very sight of such a sinner inGod's house, yea, the very thought of him, where the sight of himcannot be had, is ofttimes greatly for the help of the faith ofthe feeble. 

When the churches, saith Paul, that were in Judea, heard thisconcerning me, that he which persecuted them in time past, nowpreached the faith which once he destroyed, 'they glorified God inme' (Gal 1:20-24). 'Glorified God. ' How is that? Why, they praisedhim, and took courage to believe the more in the mercy of God; forthat he had had mercy on such a great sinner as he. They glorifiedGod 'in me'; they wondered that grace should be so rich, as to takehold of such a wretch as I was; and for my sake believed in Christthe more. 

There are two things that great sinners are acquainted with, whenthey come to divulge them to the saints, that are a great reliefto their faith. 1. The contests that they usually have with thedevil at their parting with him. 2. Their knowledge of his secretsin his workings. 

1. For first, The biggest sinners17 have usually great contestswith the devil at their partings; and this is an help to saints: forordinary saints find afterwards what the vile ones find at first, but when, at the opening of hearts, the one finds himself to be asthe other--the one is a comfort to the other. The lesser sort ofsinners find but little of this, till after they have been some timein profession; but the vile man meets with his at the beginning. Wherefore he, when the other is down, is ready to tell that he hasmet with the same before; for, I say, he has had it before. Satanis loath to part with a great sinner. 'What, my true servant, ' quothhe, 'my old servant, wilt thou forsake me now? Having so oftensold thyself to me to work wickedness, wilt thou forsake me now?Thou horrible wretch, dost not know, that thou has sinned thyselfbeyond the reach of grace, and dost thou think to find mercy now?Art not thou a murderer, a thief, a harlot, a witch, a sinnerof the greatest size, and dost thou look for mercy now? Dost thouthink that Christ will foul his fingers with thee? It is enoughto make angels blush, saith Satan, to see so vile an one knockat heaven-gates for mercy, and wilt thou be so abominably bold todo it?' 18 Thus Satan dealt with me, says the great sinner, whenat first I came to Jesus Christ. And what did you reply? saiththe tempted. Why, I granted the while charge to be true, says theother. And what, did you despair, or how? No, saith he, I said, Iam Magdalene, I am Zaccheus, I am the thief, I am the harlot, I amthe publican, I am the prodigal, and one of Christ's murderers; yea, worse than any of these; and yet God was so far off from rejectingof me, as I found afterwards, that there was music and dancingin his house for me, and for joy that I was come home unto him. Oblessed be God for grace (says the other), for then, I hope, thereis favour for me. Yea, as I told you, such an one is a continualspectacle in the church, for every one by to behold God's graceand wonder by. 

2. And as for the secrets of Satan, such as are suggestions toquestion the being of God, the truth of his Word, and to be annoyedwith devilish blasphemies; none more acquainted with these thanthe biggest sinners at their conversion; wherefore thus also theyare prepared to be helps in the church to relieve and comfort theother. 

I might also here tell you of the contests and battles that suchare engaged in, wherein they find the buffetings of Satan, aboveany other of the saints. At which time Satan assaults the soulwith darkness, fears, frightful thoughts of apparitions; now theysweat, pant, cry out, and struggle for life. The angels now comedown to behold the sight, and rejoice to see a bit of dust and ashesto overcome principalities and powers, and might, and dominions. But, as I said, when these come a little to be settled, they areprepared for helps for others, and are great comforts unto them. Their great sins give encouragement to the devil to assault them;and by these temptations Christ takes advantage to make them themore helpful to the churches. 

The biggest sinner, when he is converted, and comes into the church, says to them all, by his very coming in, Behold me, all you thatare men and women of a low and timorous spirit, you whose heartsare narrow, for that you never had the advantage to know, becauseyour sins are few, the largeness of the grace of God. Behold, Isay, in me, the exceeding riches of his grace! I am a pattern setforth before your faces, on whom you may look and take heart. This, I say, the great sinner can say, to the exceeding comfort of allthe rest. Wherefore, as I have hinted before, when God intends tostock a place with saints, and to make that place excellently toflourish with the riches of his grace, he usually begins with theconversion of some of the most notorious thereabouts, and laysthem, as an example, to allure others, and to build up when theyare converted. It was Paul that must go to the Gentiles, becausePaul was the most outrageous of all the apostles, in the time ofhis unregeneracy. Yea, Peter must be he, that after his horriblefall, was thought fittest, when recovered again, to comfort andstrengthen his brethren (See Luke 22:31, 32). 

Some must be pillars in God's house; and if they be pillars ofcedar, they must stand while they are stout and sturdy sticks inthe forest, before they are cut down, and planted or placed there. No man, when he buildeth his house, makes the principal partsthereof of weak or feeble timber; for how could such bear up therest? but of great and able wood. Christ Jesus also goeth thisway to work; he makes of the biggest sinners bearers and supportersto the rest. This, then, may serve for another reason, why JesusChrist gives out in commandment, that mercy should, in the firstplace, be offered to the biggest sinners, because such, when converted, are usually the best helps in the church against temptations, andfittest for the support of the feeble-minded there. 

Sixth, Another reason why Jesus Christ would have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, is, because they, whenconverted, are apt to love him most. 

This agrees both with scripture and reason. Scripture says so. To whom much is forgiven, the same loveth much. 'To whom littleis forgiven, the same loveth little' (Luke 7:47). Reason says so:for as it would be the unreasonablest thing in the world to renderhatred for love, and contempt for forgiveness; so it would be asridiculous to think, that the reception of a little kindness shouldlay the same obligations upon the heart to love as the receptionof a great deal. I would not disparage the love of Christ; I knowthe least drachm of it, when it reaches to forgiveness, is greatabove all the world; but comparatively, there are greater extensionsof the love of Christ to one than to another. He that has most sin, if. Forgiven, is partaker of the greatest love, of the greatestforgiveness. 

I know also, that there are some, that from this very doctrinesay, 'Let us do evil that good may come'; and that turn the graceof our God into lasciviousness. But I speak not of these; thesewill neither be ruled by grace nor reason. Grace would teach them, if they knew it, to deny ungodly courses; and so would reason too, if it could truly sense the love of God (Titus 2:11, 12; Rom 12:1). 

Doth it look like what hath any coherence with reason or mercy, for a man to abuse his friend? Because Christ died for me, shall Itherefore spit in his face? The bread and water that was given byElisha to his enemies, that came into the land of Israel to takehim, had so much influence upon their minds, though heathens, thatthey returned to their homes without hurting him; yea, it kept themfrom coming again in a hostile manner into the coasts of Israel (2Kings 6:19-23). 

But to forbear to illustrate, till anon. One reason why Christ Jesusshows mercy to sinners, is, that he might obtain their love, thathe may remove their base affections from base objects to himself. Now, if he loves to be loved a little, he loves to be loved much;but there is not any that are capable of loving much, save those thathave much forgiven them. Hence it is said of Paul, that he labouredmore than them all; to wit, with a labour of love, because he hadbeen by sin more vile against Christ than they all (1 Cor 15). He it was that 'persecuted the church of God, and wasted it' (Gal1:13). He of them all was the only raving bedlam against the saints. 'And being exceeding mad, ' says he, 'against them, I persecutedthem even unto strange cities' (Acts 26:11). This raving bedlam, that once was so, is he that now says, I laboured more than themall, more for Christ than them all. But Paul, what moved thee thusto do? The love of Christ, says he. It was not I, but the graceof God that was with me. As who should say, O grace! It was suchgrace to save me! It was such marvellous grace for God to look downfrom heaven upon me, and that secured me from the wrath to come, that I am captivated with the sense of the riches of it. HenceI act, hence I labour; for how can I otherwise do, since God notonly separated me from my sins and companions, but separated allthe powers of my soul and body to his service? I am, therefore, prompted on by this exceeding love to labour as I have done;yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Oh! I shall never forgethis love, nor the circumstances under which I was, when his lovelaid hold upon me. I was going to Damascus with letters from thehigh-priest, to make havoc of God's people there, as I had madehavoc of them in other places. These bloody letters were not imposedupon me. I went to the high-priest and desired them of him, andyet he saved me! (Acts 9:1, 2). I was one of the men, of the chiefmen, that had a hand in the blood of his martyr Stephen; yet hehad mercy upon me! When I was at Damascus, I stunk19 so horriblylike a blood-sucker, that I became a terror to all thereabout. Yea, Ananias, good man, made intercession to my Lord against me;yet he would have mercy upon me, yea, joined mercy to mercy, untilhe had made me a monument of grace. He made a saint of me, andpersuaded me that my transgressions were forgiven me. 

When I began to preach, those that heard me were amazed, and said, 'Is not this he that destroyed them that called on this name inJerusalem, and came hither for that intent, that he might bringthem bound to the high-priest?' Hell doth know that I was a sinner;heaven doth know that I was a sinner; the world also knows that Iwas a sinner, a sinner of the greatest size; but I obtained mercy(Acts 9:20, 21). Shall not this lay obligation upon me? Is not loveof the greatest force to oblige? Is it not strong as death, cruelas the grave, and hotter than the coals of juniper? Hath it nota most vehement flame? Can the waters quench it? can the floodsdrown it? I a m under the force of it, and this is my continualcry, What shall I render to the Lord for all the benefits which hehas bestowed upon me?

Aye, Paul! this is something; thou speakest like a man, like a manaffected, and carried away with the love and grace of God. Now, this sense, and this affection, and this labour, giveth to Christthe love that he looks for. But he might have converted twentylittle sinners, and yet not found, for grace bestowed, so much lovein them all. I wonder how far a man might go among the convertedsinners of the smaller size, before he could find one that so muchas looked anything this way ward. Where is he that is thus underpangs of love for the grace bestowed upon him by Jesus Christ?Excepting only some few, you may walk to the world's end, and findnone. But, as I said, some there are, and so there have been inevery age of the church, great sinners, that have had much forgiventhem; and they love much upon this account. Jesus Christ, therefore, knows what he doth, when he lays hold on the hearts of sinners ofthe biggest size. He knows that such an one will love more thanmany that have not sinned half their sins. 

I will tell you a story that I have read of Martha and Mary; thename of the book I have forgot; I mean of the book in which I foundthe relation; but the thing was thus:--

Martha, saith my author, was a very holy woman, much like Lazarus, her brother; but Mary was a loose and wanton creature; Martha didseldom miss good sermons and lectures, when she could come at themin Jerusalem; but Mary would frequent the house of sports, and thecompany of the vilest of men for lust. And though Martha had oftendesired that her sister would go with her to hear her preachers, yea, had often entreated her with tears to do it, yet could shenever prevail; for still Mary would make her excuse, or reject herwith disdain, for her zeal and preciseness in religion. 

After Martha had waited long, tried many ways to bring her sisterto good, and all proved ineffectual, at last she comes upon herthus: 'Sister, ' quoth she, 'I pray thee go with me to the templetoday, to hear one preach a sermon. ' 'What kind of preacher is he?'said she. Martha replied, 'It is one Jesus of Nazareth; he is thehandsomest man that ever you saw with your eyes. Oh! he shines inbeauty, and is a most excellent preacher. '

Now, what does Mary, after a little pause, but goes up into herchamber, and, with her pins and her clouts, 20 decks up herself asfine as her fingers could make her. This done, away she goes, notwith her sister Martha, but as much unobserved as she could, tothe sermon, or rather to see the preacher. 

The hour and preacher being come, and she having observed whereaboutthe preacher would stand, goes and sets herself so in the temple, that she might be sure to have the full view of this excellentperson. So he comes in, and she looks, and the first glimpse of hisperson pleased her. Well, Jesus addresseth himself to his sermon, and she looks earnestly on him. 

Now, at that time, saith my author, Jesus preached about the lostsheep, the lost groat, and the prodigal child. And when he came toshow what care the shepherd took for one lost sheep, and how thewoman swept to find her piece which was lost, and what joy therewas at their finding, she began to be taken by the ears, and forgotwhat she came about, musing what the preacher would make of it. But when he came to the application, and showed, that by the lostsheep, was meant a great sinner; by the shepherd's care, was meantGod's love for great sinners; and that by the joy of the neighbours, was showed what joy there was among the angels in heaven over onegreat sinner that repenteth; she began to be taken by the heart. Andas he spake these last words, she thought he pitched his innocenteyes just upon her, and looked as if he spake what was now said toher: wherefore her heart began to tremble, being shaken with affectionand fear; then her eyes ran down with tears apace; wherefore she wasforced to hide her face with her handkerchief, and so sat sobbingand crying all the rest of the sermon. 

Sermon being done, up she gets, and away she goes, and withalinquired where this Jesus the preacher dined that day? and one toldher, At the house of Simon the Pharisee. So away goes she, first toher chamber, and there strips herself of her wanton attire; thenfalls upon her knees to ask God forgiveness for all her wicked life. This done, in a modest dress she goes to Simon's house, where shefinds Jesus sat at dinner. So she gets behind him, and weeps, anddrops her tears upon his feet like rain, and washes them, and wipesthem with the hair of her head. She also kissed his feet with herlips, and anointed them with ointment. When Simon the Phariseeperceived what the woman did, and being ignorant of what it was tobe forgiven much (for he never was forgiven more than fifty pence), he began to think within himself, that he had been mistaken aboutJesus Christ, because he suffered such a sinner as this woman was, to touch him. Surely, quoth he, this man, if he were a prophet, would not let this woman come near him, for she is a town-sinner;so ignorant are all self-righteous men of the way of Christ withsinners. But, lest Mary should be discouraged with some clownishcarriage of this Pharisee, and so desert her good beginnings, andher new steps which she now had begun to take towards eternal life, Jesus began thus with Simon: 'Simon, ' saith he, 'I have somewhatto say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. There was, ' saidJesus, 'a certain creditor which had two debtors; the one owed fivehundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing topay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which ofthem will love him most? Simon answered, and said, I suppose thathe, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightlyjudged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thouthis woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no waterfor my feet; but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wipedthem with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss; but thiswoman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint, but this woman hath anointedmy feet with ointment. Wherefore, I say unto her, Her sins, whichare many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but to whom little isforgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sinsare forgiven'(Luke 7:36-48). 

Thus you have the story. If I come short in any circumstance, Ibeg pardon of those that can correct me. It is three or four andtwenty years since I saw the book; yet I have, as far as my memorywill admit, given you the relation of the matter. However, Luke, as you see, doth here present you with the substance of the whole. 21

Alas! Christ Jesus has but little thanks for the saving of littlesinners. 'To whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. ' Hegets not water for his feet, by his saving of such sinners. Thereare abundance of dry-eyed Christians in the world, and abundance ofdry-eyed duties too; duties that never were wetted with the tearsof contrition and repentance, nor ever sweetened with the greatsinner's box of ointment. And the reason is, such sinners have notgreat sins to be saved from; or, if they have, they look upon themin the diminishing glass of the holy law of God. 22 But, I ratherbelieve, that the professors of our days want a due sense of whatthey are; for, verily, for the generality of them, both beforeand since conversion, they have been sinners of a lusty size. Butif their eyes be holden, if convictions are not shown, if theirknowledge of their sins is but like to the eye-sight in twilight;the heart cannot be affected with that grace that has laid hold onthe man; and so Christ Jesus sows much, and has little coming in. Wherefore his way is ofttimes to step out of the way, to Jericho, to Samaria, to the country of the Gadarenes, to the coasts of Tyreand Sidon, and also to Mount Calvary, that he may lay hold of suchkind of sinners as will love him to his liking (Luke 19:1-11; John4:3-11; Mark 5:1-20; Matt 15:21-29; Luke 23:33-43). 

But thus much for the sixth reason, why Christ Jesus would havemercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, to wit, because such sinners, when converted, are apt to love him most. The Jerusalem sinners were they that outstripped, when they wereconverted, in some things, all the churches of the Gentiles. They'were of one heart, and of one soul: neither said any of them thataught of the things which he possessed was his own. ' 'Neither wasthere any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessorsof lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the thingsthat were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet, ' &c. (Acts 4:32, 35). Now, show me such another pattern, if you can. Butwhy did these do thus? Oh! they were Jerusalem sinners. These werethe men that, but a little before, had killed the Prince of life;and those to whom he did, that notwithstanding, send the first offerof grace and mercy. And the sense of this took them up betwixt theearth and the heaven, and carried them on in such ways and methodsas could never be trodden by any since. They talk of the church ofRome, and set her, in her primitive state, as a pattern and motherof churches; when the truth is, they were the Jerusalem sinners, when converts, that out-did all the churches that ever were. 

Seventh, Christ Jesus would have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, because grace, when it is received by such, finds matter to kindle upon more freely than it finds in othersinners. 

Great sinners are like the dry wood, or like great candles, whichburn best and shine with biggest light. I lay not this down, asI did those reasons before, to show, that when great sinners areconverted, they will be encouragement to others, though that is true;but to show, that Christ has a delight to see grace, the grace wereceive, to shine. We love to see things that bear a good gloss;yea, we choose to buy such kind of matter to work upon, as will, if wrought up to what we intend, cast that lustre that we desire. Candles that burn not bright, we like not; wood that is green willrather smother, and sputter, and smoke, and crack, and flounce, than cast a brave light and a pleasant heat; wherefore great folkscare not much, not so much, for such kind of things, as for themthat will better answer their ends. 

Hence Christ desires the biggest sinner; in him there is matter towork by, to wit, a great deal of sin; for as by the tallow of thecandle, the first takes occasion to burn the brighter; so, by thesin of the soul, grace takes occasion to shine the clearer. Littlecandles shine but little, for there wanteth matter for the fire towork upon; but in the great sinner, here is more matter for graceto work by. Faith shines, when it worketh towards Christ, throughthe sides of many and great transgressions, and so does love, forthat much is forgiven. And what matter can be found in the soulfor humility to work by so well, as by a sight that I have been andam an abominable sinner? And the same is to be said of patience, meekness, gentleness, self-denial, or of any other grace. Gracetakes occasion, by the vileness of the man, to shine the more; evenas by the ruggedness of a very strong distemper or disease, thevirtue of the medicine is best made manifest. 'Where sin abounded, grace did much more abound' (Rom 5:20). A black string makesthe neck look whiter; great sins make grace burn clear. Some say, when grace and a good nature meet together, they do make shiningChristians; but I say, when grace and a great sinner meet, and whengrace shall subdue that great sinner to itself, and shall operateafter its kind in the soul of that great sinner, then we havea shining Christian; witness all those of whom mention was madebefore. 

Abraham was among the idolaters when in the land of Assyria, andserved idols, with his kindred, on the other side of the flood (Josh24:2; Gen 11:31). But who, when called, was there in the world, inwhom grace shone so bright as in him? The Thessalonians were idolatersbefore the Word of God came to them; but when they had receivedit, they became examples to all that did believe in Macedonia andAchaia (1 Thess 1:6-10). 

God the Father, and Jesus Christ his Son, are for having thingsseen; for having the Word of life held forth. They light not acandle that it might be put under a bushel, or under a bed, but ona candlestick, that all that come in may see the light (Matt 5:15;Mark 4:21; Luke 8:16; 11:33). And, I say, as I said before, in whomis it, light, like so to shine, as in the souls of great sinners?

When the Jewish Pharisees dallied with the gospel, Christ threatenedto take it from them, and to give it to the barbarous heathens andidolaters. Why so? For they, saith he, will bring forth the fruitsthereof in their season. 23 'Therefore say I unto you, The kingdomof God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringingforth the fruits thereof' (Matt 21:43). 

I have often marvelled at our youth, and said in my heart, Whatshould be the reason that they should be so generally at this daydebauched as they are? For they are now profane to amazement; andsometimes I have thought one thing, and sometimes another; that is, why God should suffer it so to be? At last I have thought of this:How if the God, whose ways are past finding out, should suffer itso to be now, that he might make of some of them the more glorioussaints hereafter. I know sin is of the devil, but it cannot workin the world without permission: and if it happens to be as I havethought, it will not be the first time that God the Lord hath caughtSatan in his own design. For my part, I believe that the time isat hand, that we shall see better saints in the world than has beenseen in it this many a day. And this vileness, that at present doesso much swallow up our youth, is one cause of my thinking so; forout of them, for from among them, when God sets to his hand, asof old, you shall see what penitent ones, what trembling ones, andwhat admirers of grace, will be found to profess the gospel to theglory of God by Christ. 

Alas! we are a company of worn-out Christians; our moon is in thewane; we are much more black than white, more dark than light; weshine but a little; grace in the most of us is decayed. But I say, when they of these debauched ones that are to be saved shall bebrought in--when these that look more like devils than men shallbe converted to Christ (and I believe several of them will), thenwill Christ be exalted, grace adored, the Word prized, Zion's pathbetter trodden, and men in the pursuit of their own salvation, tothe amazement of them that are left behind. 

Just before Christ came into the flesh, the world was degeneratedas it is now: the generality of the men in Jerusalem were becomeeither high and famous for hypocrisy, or filthy, base in theirlives. The devil also was broke loose in hideous manner, and hadtaken possession of many: yea, I believe, that there was nevergeneration before nor since, that could produce so many possessedwith devils, deformed, lame, blind, and infected with monstrousdiseases, as that generation could. But what was the reason thereof, I mean the reason from God? Why, one--and we may sum up more inthat answer that Christ gave to his disciples concerning him thatwas born blind--was, that 'the works of God should be made manifest'in them, and 'that the Son of God might be glorified thereby' (John9:2, 3; 11:4). 

Now, if these devils and diseases, as they possessed men then, were to make way and work for an approaching to Christ in person, and for the declaring of his power, why may we not think that now, even now also, he is ready to come, by his Spirit in the gospel, to heal many of the debaucheries of our age? I cannot believe thatgrace will take them all, for there are but few that are saved;but yet it will take some, even some of the worst of men, and makeblessed ones of them. But, O how these ringleaders in vice willthen shine in virtue! They will be the very pillars in churches, they will be as an ensign in the land. 'The Lord their God shallsave them in that day as the flock of his people: for they shallbe as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon hisland' (Zech 9:16). But who are these? Even idolatrous Ephraim, andbacksliding Judah (verse 13). 

I know there is ground to fear, that the iniquity of this generationwill be pursued with heavy judgments; but that will not hinderthat we have supposed. God took him a glorious church out of bloodyJerusalem, yea, out of the chief of the sinners there, and leftthe rest to be taken and spoiled, and sold, thirty for a penny, inthe nations where they were captives. The gospel working gloriouslyin a place, to the seizing upon many of the ringleading sinnersthereof, promiseth no security to the rest, but rather threateneththem with the heaviest and smartest judgments; as in the instancenow given, we have a full demonstration; but in defending, the Lordwill defend his people; and in saving, he will save his inheritance. 

Nor does this speak any great comfort to a decayed and backslidingsort of Christian; for the next time God rides post with his gospel, he will leave such Christians behind him. But, I say, Christ isresolved to set up his light in the world; yea, he is delightedto see his graces shine; and therefore he commands that his gospelshould, to that end, be offered, in the first place, to the biggestsinners; for by great sins it shineth most; therefore he saith, 'Begin at Jerusalem. '

Eighth, and lastly, Christ Jesus will have mercy to be offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, for that by that meansthe impenitent that are left behind will be, at the judgment, themore left withoutexcuse. 

God's Word has two edges; it can cut back-stroke and fore-stroke. If it doth thee no good, it will do thee hurt; it is 'the savourof life unto life' to those that receive it, but of 'death untodeath' to them that refuse it (2 Cor 2:15, 16). But this is not all;the tender of grace to the biggest sinners, in the first place, willnot only leave the rest, or those that refuse it, in a deplorablecondition, but will also stop their mouths, and cut off all pretenceto excuse at that day. 'If I had not come and spoken unto them, 'saith Christ, ' saith Christ, 'they had not had sin; but now they haveno cloke for their sin'--for their sin of persevering in impenitence(John 15:22). But what did he speak to them? Why, even that whichI have told you; to wit, That he has in special a delight in savingthe biggest sinners. He spake this in the way of his doctrine; hespake this in the way of his practice, even to the pouring out ofhis last breath before them (Luke 23:34). 

Now, since this is so, what can the condemned at the judgment sayfor themselves, why sentence of death should not be passed uponthem? I say, what excuse can they make for themselves, when theyshall be asked why they did not in the day of salvation come toChrist to be saved? Will they have ground to say to the Lord, Thouwast only for saving of little sinners; and, therefore, becausethey were great ones, they durst not come unto him; or that thouhadst not compassion for the biggest sinners, therefore I died indespair? Will these be excuses for them, as the case now standethwith them? Is there not everywhere in God's Book a flat contradictionto this, in multitudes of promises, of invitations, of examples, and the like? Alas! alas! there will then be there millions ofsouls to confute this plea; ready, I say, to stand up, and say, 'O! deceived world, heaven swarms with such as were, when theywere in the world, to the full as bad as you!' Now, this will killall plea or excuse, why they should not perish in their sins; yea, the text says they shall see them there. 'There shall be weeping-whenye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of heaven, and you yourselves thrust out. And theyshall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God'(Luke 13:28, 29). Out of which company, it is easy to pick such assometimes were as bad people as any [that] now breathe on the faceof [the] earth. What think you of the first man, by whose sins thereare millions now in hell? And so I may say, What think you of tenthousand more besides?

But if the Word will not stifle and gag them up--I speak nowfor amplification's sake--the view of those who are saved shall. There comes an incestuous person to the bar, and pleads, That thebigness of his sins was a bar to his receiving the promise. But willnot his mouth be stopped as to that, when Lot, and the incestuousCorinthians, shall be set before him (Gen 19:33-37; 1 Cor 5:1, 2). 

There comes a thief, and says, Lord, my sin of thefts, I thought, was such as could not be pardoned by thee! But when he shall seethe thief that was saved on the cross stand by, as clothed withbeauteous glory, what further can he be able to object? Yea, theLord will produce ten thousand of his saints at his coming, whoshall after this manner 'execute judgment upon all, and so convinceall that are ungodly among them--of all their hard speeches whichungodly sinners have spoken against him' (Jude 15). And these arehard speeches against him, to say that he was not able or willingto save men, because of the greatness of their sins, or to say thatthey were discouraged by his Word from repentance, because of theheinousness of their offences. These things, I say, shall then beconfuted. He comes with ten thousand of his saints to confute them, and to stop their mouths from making objections against their owneternal damnation. 

Here is Adam, the destroyer of the world; here is Lot, that laywith both his daughters; here is Abraham, that was sometime anidolater; and Jacob, that was a supplanter; and Reuben, that lay withhis father's concubine; and Judah, that lay with his daughter-in-law;and Levi and Simeon, that wickedly slew the Shechemites; and Aaron, that made an idol to be worshipped, and that proclaimed a religiousfeast unto it. Here is also Rahab the harlot, and Bathsheba, thatbare a bastard to David. Here is Solomon, that great backslider;and Manasseh, that man of blood and a witch. Time would fail totell you of the woman of Canaan's daughter, of Mary Magdalene, ofMatthew the publican, and of Gideon and Samson, and many thousandsmore. 

Alas! alas! I say, what will these sinners do, that have, throughtheir unbelief, eclipsed the glorious largeness of the mercy ofGod, and gave way to despair of salvation, because of the bignessof their sins? For all these, though now glorious saints in light, were sometimes sinners of the biggest size, who had sins that wereof a notorious hue; yet now, I say, they are in their shining andheavenly robes before the throne of God and of the Lamb, blessingfor ever and ever that Son of God for their salvation, who died forthem upon the tree; admiring that ever it should come into theirhearts once to think of coming to God by Christ; but above all, blessing God for granting of them light to see those encouragementsin his Testament; without which, without doubt, they had beendaunted, and sunk down under guilt of sin and despair, as theirfellow-sinners have done. But now they also are witnesses for God, and for his grace, against an unbelieving world; for, as I said, they shall come to convince the world of their speeches, their hardand unbelieving words, that they have spoken concerning the mercyof God, and the merits of the passion of his blessed Son, JesusChrist. 

But will it not, think you, strangely put to silence all suchthoughts, and words, and reasons of the ungodly before the barof God? Doubtless it will; yea, and will send them away from hispresence also, with the greatest guilt that possibly can fastenupon the consciences of men. 

For what will sting like this?--'I have, through mine own foolish, narrow, unworthy, undervaluing thoughts, of the love and abilityof Christ to save me, brought myself to everlasting ruin. It istrue, I was a horrible sinner; not one in a hundred did live sovile a life as I. But this should not have kept me from closingwith Jesus Christ. I see now that there are abundance in glorythat once were as bad as I have been; but they were saved by faith, and I am damned by unbelief. Wretch that I am! why did not I giveglory to the redeeming blood of Jesus? Why did I not humbly castmy soul at his blessed footstool for mercy? Why did I judge ofhis ability to save me by the voice of my shallow reason, and thevoice of a guilty conscience? Why betook not I myself to the holyWord of God? Why did I not read and pray that I might understand, since now I perceive that God said then, He giveth liberally tothem that pray, and upbraideth not' (James 1:5). 

It is rational to think, that by such cogitations as these, theunbelieving world will be torn in pieces before the judgment ofChrist; especially those that have lived where they did or mighthave heard the gospel of the grace of God. Oh! that saying, 'Itshall be more tolerable for Sodom at the judgment than for them, 'will be better understood (Luke 10:8-12). This reason, therefore, standeth fast; namely, that Christ, by offering mercy, in thefirst place, to the biggest sinners now, will stop all the mouthsof the impenitent at the day of judgment, and cut off all excuse thatshall be attempted to be made, from the thoughts of the greatnessof their sins, why they came not to him. 

I have often thought of the day of judgment, and how God willdeal with sinners at that day; and I believe it will be managedwith that sweetness, with that equitableness, with that excellentrighteousness, as to every sin, and circumstance and aggravationthereof, that men that are damned, shall, before the judgment is over, receive such conviction of the righteous judgment of God upon them, and of their deserts of hell-fire, that they shall in themselvesconclude, that there is all the reason in the world that they shouldbe shut out of heaven, and go to hell-fire: 'These shall go awayinto everlasting punishment' (Matt 25:46). 24

Only this will tear [them, ] that they have missed of mercy andglory, and obtained everlasting damnation, through their unbelief;but it will tear but themselves, but their own souls; they willgnash upon themselves, for that mercy was offered to the chief ofthem in the first place, and yet they were damned for rejecting ofit; they were damned for forsaking what they had a propriety in;for forsaking their own mercy. 

And thus much for the reasons. Second, I will conclude with a wordof application. 

THE APPLICATION. 

First, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Then this shows us how to make a rightjudgment of the heart of Christ to men. Indeed, we have advantageto guess at the goodness of his heart by many things; as by histaking our nature upon him, his dying for us, his sending his Wordand ministers to us, and all that we might be saved. But this ofbeginning to offer mercy to Jerusalem, is that which heightens allthe rest; for this doth not only confirm to us, that love was theuse of his dying for us, but it shows us yet more the depth of thatlove. He might have died for us, and yet have extended the benefitof his death to a few, as one might call them, of the best-conditionedsinners, to those who, though they were weak, and so could not butsin, yet made not a trade of sinning; to those that sinned notlavishingly. There are in the world, as one may call them, themoderate sinners; the sinners that mix righteousness with theirpollutions; the sinners that, though they be sinners, do whaton their part lies--some that are blind would think so--that theymight be saved. I say, it had been love, great love, if he had diedfor none but such, and sent his love to such; but that he shouldsend out conditions of peace to the biggest of sinners; yea, thatthey should be offered to them first of all; (for so he means whenhe says, 'Begin at Jerusalem';) this is wonderful! this shows hisheart to purpose, as also the heart of God his Father, who senthim to do thus. 

There is nothing more incident to men that are awake in their souls, than to have wrong thoughts of God--thoughts that are narrow, andthat pinch and pen up his mercy to scanty and beggarly conclusions, and rigid legal conditions; supposing that it is rude, and anintrenching upon his majesty to come ourselves, or to invite others, until we have scraped and washed, and rubbed off as much of ourdirt from us as we think is convenient, to make us somewhat orderlyand handsome in his sight. 25 Such never knew what these words meant, 'Begin at Jerusalem. ' Yea, such in their hearts have compared theFather and his Son to niggardly rich men, whose money comes fromthem like drops of blood. True, say such, God has mercy, but heis loath to part with it; you must please him well, if you get anyfrom him; he is not so free as many suppose, nor is he so willingto save as some pretended gospellers imagine. But I ask such, ifthe Father and Son be not unspeakably free to show mercy, why wasthis clause put into our commission to preach the gospel? Yea, whydid he say, 'Begin at Jerusalem': for when men, through the weaknessof their wits, have attempted to show other reasons why they wouldhave the first proffer of mercy; yet I can prove, by many undeniablereasons, that they of Jerusalem, to whom the apostles made the firstoffer, according as they were commanded, were the biggest sinnersthat ever did breathe upon the face of God's earth (set theunpardonable sin aside); upon which [fact] my doctrine stands likea rock, that Jesus the Son of God would have mercy, in the firstplace, offered to the biggest sinners. And if this doth not show theheart of the Father and the Son to be infinitely free in bestowingforgiveness of sins, I confess myself mistaken. 

Neither is there, set this aside, another argument like it, toshow us the willingness of Christ to save sinners; for, as was saidbefore, all the rest of the signs of Christ's mercifulness mighthave been limited to sinners that are so and so qualified; but whenhe says, 'Begin at Jerusalem, ' the line is stretched out to theutmost; no man can imagine beyond it; and it is folly here to pinchand spare, to narrow, and seek to bring it within scanty bounds;for he plainly saith, 'Begin at Jerusalem, ' the biggest sinner isthe biggest sinner; the biggest is the Jerusalem sinner. 

It is true, he saith, that repentance and remission of sins mustgo together, but yet remission is sent to the chief, the Jerusalemsinner; nor doth repentance lessen at all the Jerusalem sinner'scrimes; it diminisheth none of his sins, nor causes that thereshould be so much as half an one the fewer; it only puts a stop tothe Jerusalem sinner's course, and makes him willing to be savedfreely by grace; and for time to come to be governed by that blessedword that has brought the tidings of good things to him. Besides, no man shows himself willing to be saved that repenteth not of hisdeeds; for he that goes on still in his trespasses, declares thathe is resolved to pursue his own damnation further. 

Learn then to judge of the largeness of God's heart, and ofthe heart of his Son Jesus Christ, by the Word; judge not thereofby feeling, nor by the reports of thy conscience; conscience isofttimes here befooled, and made to go quite beside the Word. Itwas judging without the Word that made David say, I am cast offfrom God's eyes, and 'shall perish one day by the hand of Saul' (Psa31:22; 1 Sam 27:1). The Word had told him another thing; namely, that he should be king in his stead. Our text says also, that JesusChrist bids preachers, in their preaching repentance and remissionof sins, begin first at Jerusalem; thereby declaring most trulythe infinite largeness of the merciful heart of God and his Son, to the sinful children of men. Judge thou, I say, therefore, ofthe goodness of the heart of God and his Son, by this text, and byothers of the same import; so shalt thou not dishonour the graceof God, nor needlessly fright thyself, nor give away thy faith, nor gratify the devil, nor lose the benefit of God's Word. I speaknow to weak believers. 

Second, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners, to the Jerusalem sinners? Then, by thisalso, you must learn to judge of the sufficiency of the merits ofChrist; not that the merits of Christ can be comprehended, for thatthey are beyond the conceptions of the whole world, being called'the unsearchable riches of Christ'; but yet they may be apprehendedto a considerable degree. Now, the way to apprehend them most, is, to consider what offers, after his resurrection, he makes of hisgrace to sinners; for to be sure he will not offer beyond the virtueof his merits; because, as grace is the cause of his merits, so hismerits are the basis and bounds upon and by which his grace standsgood, and is let out to sinners. Doth he then command that hismercy should be offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners?It declares, that there is a sufficiency in his blood to save thebiggest sinners. 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from allsin. ' And again, 'Be it known unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this man [this man's merits] is preached unto youthe forgiveness of sins; and by him all that believe are justifiedfrom all things, from which ye could not be justified by the lawof Moses' (Acts 13:38). 

Observe, then, thy rule to make judgment of the sufficiency ofthe blessed merits of thy Saviour. If he had not been able to havereconciled the biggest sinners to his Father by his blood, he wouldnot have sent to them, have sent to them in the first place, thedoctrine of remission of sins; for remission of sins is throughfaith in his blood. We are justified freely by the grace of God, through the redemption that is in the blood of Christ. Upon thesquare, as I may call it, of the worthiness of the blood of Christ, grace acts, and offers forgiveness of sin to men (Eph 1:7; 2:13, 14;Col 1:20-22). Hence, therefore, we must gather, that the bloodof Christ is of infinite value, for that he offereth mercy to thebiggest of sinners. Nay, further, since he offereth mercy, in thefirst place, to the biggest sinners, considering also, that thisfirst act of his is that which the world will take notice of, andexpect it should be continued unto the end. Also it is a disparagementto a man that seeks his own glory in what he undertakes, to do thatfor a spurt, which he cannot continue and hold out in. This is ourLord's own argument, He began to build, saith he, but was not ableto finish (Luke 14:30). 

Shouldst thou hear a man say, I am resolved to be kind to thepoor, and should begin with giving handfuls of guineas, you wouldconclude, that either he is wonderful rich, or must straiten hishand, or will soon be at the bottom of his riches. Why, this isthe case: Christ, at his resurrection, gave it out that he wouldbe good to the world; and first sends to the biggest sinners, withan intent to have mercy on them. Now, the biggest sinners cannotbe saved but by abundance of grace; it is not a little that willsave great sinners (Rom 5:17). And I say again, since the Lord Jesusmounts thus high at the first, and sends to the Jerusalem sinners, that they may come first to partake of his mercy, it follows, thateither he has unsearchable riches of grace and worth in himself, or else he must straiten his hand, or his grace and merits willbe spent before the world is at an end. But let it be believed, as surely as spoken, he is still as full as ever. He is not a jotthe poorer for all the forgiveness tha the has given away to greatsinners. Also he is still as free as at first; for he never yetcalled back this word, Begin at the Jerusalem sinners. And, asI said, since his grace is extended according to the worth of hismerits. I conclude, that there is the same virtue in his meritsto save now, as there was at the very beginning, Oh! the riches ofthe grace of Christ! Oh! the riches of the blood of Christ!

Third, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered in the first place tothe biggest sinners? Then here is encouragement for you that think, for wicked hearts and lives, you have not your fellows in the world, yet to come to him. 

There is a people that therefore fear lest they should be rejectedof Jesus Christ, because of the greatness of their sins; when, asyou see here, such are sent to, sent to by Jesus Christ, to cometo him for mercy: 'Begin at Jerusalem. ' Never did one thing answeranother more fitly in this world, than this text fitteth such akind of sinners. As face answereth face in a glass, so this textanswereth the necessities of such sinners. What can a man say more, but that he stands in the rank of the biggest sinners? let himstretch himself whither he can, and think of himself to the utmost, he can but conclude himself to be one of the biggest sinners. Andwhat then? Why, the text meets him in the very face, and saith, Christ offereth mercy to the biggest sinners, to the very Jerusalemsinners. What more can be objected? Nay, he doth not only offer tosuch his mercy, but to them it is commanded to be offered in thefirst place: 'Begin at Jerusalem. ' 'Preach repentance and remissionof sins among all nations: beginning at Jerusalem. ' Is not hereencouragement for those that think, for wicked hearts and lives, they have not their fellows in the world?

Objection. But I have a heart as hard as a rock. 

Answer. Well, but this doth but prove thee a biggest sinner. 

Objection. But my heart continually frets against the Lord. 

Answer. Well, this doth but prove thee a biggest sinner. 

Objection. But I have been desperate in sinful courses. 

Answer. Well, stand thou with the number of the biggest sinners. 

Objection. But my gray head is found in the way of wickedness. 

Answer. Well, thou art in the rank of the biggest sinners. 

Objection. But I have not only a base heart, but I have lived adebauched life. 

Answer. Stand thou also among those that are called the biggestsinners. And what then? Why, the text swoops you all; you cannotobject yourselves beyond the text. It has a particular message tothe biggest sinners. I say, it swoops you all. 26

Objection. But I am a reprobate. 

Answer. Now thou talkest like a fool, and meddlest with what thouunderstandest not: no sin, but the sin of final impenitence, canprove a man a reprobate; and I am sure thou hast not arrived asyet unto that; therefore thou understandest not what thou sayest, and makest groundless conclusions against thyself. Say thou arta sinner, and I will hold with thee; say thou art a great sinner, and I will say so too; yea, say thou art one of the biggest sinners, and spare not; for the text yet is beyond thee, is yet betwixt helland thee; 'Begin at Jerusalem' has yet a smile upon thee; and thoutalkest as if thou wast a reprobate, and that the greatness ofthy sins do prove thee so to be, when yet they of Jerusalem werenot such, whose sins, I dare say, were such, both for bigness andheinousness, as thou art not capable of committing beyond them;unless now, after thou hast received conviction that the LordJesus is the only Saviour of the world, thou shouldst wickedly anddespitefully turn thyself from him, and conclude he is not to betrusted to for life, and so crucify him for a cheat afresh. This, I must confess, will bring a man under the black rod, and set himin danger of eternal damnation (Heb 6:7, 8; 10:8, 9). This is tramplingunder foot the Son of God, and counting his blood an unholy thing. This did they of Jerusalem; but they did it ignorantly in unbelief, and so were yet capable of mercy; but to do this against professedlight, and to stand to it, puts a man beyond the text indeed (Acts3:14-17; 1 Tim 1:13). 

But I say, what is this to him that would fain be saved by Christ?His sins did, as to greatness, never yet reach to the nature ofthe sins that the sinners intended by the text had made themselvesguilty of. He that would be saved by Christ, has an honourableesteem of him; but they of Jerusalem preferred a murderer beforehim; and as for him, they cried, Away, away with him, it is not fitthat he should live. Perhaps thou wilt object, That thyself hast athousand times preferred a stinking lust before him: I answer, Beit so; it is but what is common to men to do; nor doth the LordJesus make such a foolish life a bar to thee, to forbid thy comingto him, or a bond to his grace, that it might be kept from thee;but admits of thy repentance, and offereth himself unto thee freely, as thou standest among the Jerusalem sinners. 

Take therefore encouragement, man; mercy is, by the text, heldforth to the biggest sinners; yea, put thyself into the number ofthe worst, by reckoning that thou mayest be one of the first, andmayest not be put off till the biggest sinners are served; forthe biggest sinners are first invited; consequently, if they come, they are like to be the first that shall be served. It was so withJerusalem; Jerusalem sinners were they that were first invited, and those of them that came first--and there came three thousandof them the first day they were invited; how many came afterwardsnone can tell--they were first served. 

Put in thy name, man, among the biggest, lest thou art made to waittill they are served. You have some men that think themselves verycunning, because they put up their names in their prayers amongthem that feign it, saying, God, I thank thee I am not so bad asthe worst. But believe it, if they be saved at all, they shall besaved in the last place. The first in their own eyes shall be servedlast; and the last or worst shall be first. The text insinuatesit, 'Begin at Jerusalem'; and reason backs it, for they have mostneed. Behold ye, therefore, how God's ways are above ours; we arefor serving the worst last, God is for serving the worst first. Theman at the pool, that to my thinking was longest in his disease, and most helpless as to his cure, was first healed; yea, he onlywas healed; for we read that Christ healed him, but we read not thenthat he healed one more there! (John 5:1-10). Wherefore, if thouwouldst soonest be served, put in thy name among the very worstof sinners. Say, when thou art upon thy knees, Lord, here is aJerusalem sinner! a sinner of the biggest size! one whose burdenis of the greatest bulk and heaviest weight! one that cannot standlong without sinking into hell, without thy supporting hand! 'Benot thou far from me, O Lord! O my strength, haste thee to helpme!' (Psa 22:19). 

I say, put in thy name with Magdalene, with Manasseh, that thoumayest fare as the Magdalene and the Manasseh sinners do. The manin the gospel made the desperate condition of his child an argumentwith Christ to haste his cure: 'Sire, come down, ' saith he, 'eremy child die' (John 4:49), and Christ regarded his haste, saying, 'Go thy way; thy son liveth' (verse 50). Haste requires haste. Davidwas for speed; 'Deliver me speedily'; 'Hear me speedily'; 'Answerme speedily' (Psa 31:2; 69:17; 102:2). But why speedily? I am in'the net'; 'I am in trouble'; 'My days are consumed like smoke'(Psa 31:4; 69:17; 102:3). Deep calleth unto deep, necessity callsfor help; great necessity for present help. Wherefore, I say, beruled by me in this matter; feign not thyself another man, if thouhast been a filthy sinner, but go in thy colours to Jesus Christ, and put thyself among the most vile, and let him alone to 'put theeamong the children' (Jer 3:19). Confess all that thou knowest ofthyself; I know thou wilt find it hard work to do thus: especiallyif thy mind be legal; but do it, lest thou stay and be deferredwith the little sinners, until the great ones have had their alms. What do you think David intended when he said, his wounds stunk andwere corrupted, but to hasten God to have mercy upon him, and notto defer his cure? 'Lord, ' says he, 'I am troubled; I am boweddown greatly; I go mourning all the day long. ' 'I am feeble and sorebroken: I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart'(Psa 38:3-8). David knew what he did by all this; he knew that hismaking the worst of his case, was the way to speedy help, and thata feigning and dissembling the matter with God, was the next wayto a demur as to his forgiveness. 

I have one thing more to offer for thy encouragement, who deemestthyself one of the biggest sinners; and that is, thou art as itwere called by thy name, in the first place, to come in for mercy. Thou man of Jerusalem, hearken to thy call; men do so in courtsof judicature, and presently cry out, 'Here, Sire'; and then theyshoulder and crowd, and say, 'Pray give way, I am called into thecourt. ' Why, this is thy case, thou great, thou Jerusalem sinner;be of good cheer, he calleth thee (Mark 10:46-49). Why sittest thoustill? arise: why standest thou still? come, man, thy call shouldgive thee authority to come. 'Begin at Jerusalem, ' is thy call andauthority to come; wherefore up and shoulder it, man; say, 'Standaway, devil, Christ calls me; stand away unbelief, Christ calls me;stand away, all ye my discouraging apprehensions, for my Saviourcalls me to him to receive of his mercy. ' Men will do thus, as Isaid, in courts below; and why shouldst not thou approach thus tothe court above? The Jerusalem sinner is first in thought, firstin commission, first in the record of names; and therefore shouldgive attendance, with the expectation that he is first to receivemercy of God. 

Is not this an encouragement to the biggest sinners to make theirapplication to Christ for mercy? 'Come unto me, all ye that labourand are heavy laden, ' doth also confirm this thing; that is, thatthe biggest sinner, and he that has the biggest burden, is he whois first invited. Christ pointeth over the heads of thousands, ashe sits on the throne of grace, directly to such a man; and says, 'Bring in hither the maimed, the halt, and the blind; let theJerusalem sinner that stands there behind come to me. ' Wherefore, since Christ says, 'Come, ' to thee, let the angels make a lane, and let all men give place, that the Jerusalem sinner may come toJesus Christ for mercy. 

Fourth, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Then come, thou profane wretch, and let mea little enter into an argument with thee. Why wilt thou not cometo Jesus Christ, since thou art a Jerusalem sinner? How canst thoufind in thy heart to set thyself against grace, against such graceas offereth mercy to thee? What spirit possesseth thee, and holdsthee back from a sincere closure with thy Saviour? Behold, Godgroaningly complains of thee, saying, 'But Israel would none ofme. ' 'When I called, none did answer' (Psa 81:11; Isa 66:4). 

Shall God enter this complaint against thee? Why dost thou puthim off? Why dost thou stop thine ear? Canst thou defend thyself?When thou art called to an account for thy neglects of so greatsalvation, what canst thou answer? or dost thou think that thoushalt escape the judgment? (Heb 2:3). No more such Christs! Therewill be no more such Christs, sinner! Oh, put not the day, the dayof grace, away from thee! if it be once gone, it will never comeagain, sinner. 

But what is it that has got thy heart, and that keeps it from thySaviour? 'Who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who amongthe sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord?' (Psa 89:6). Hast thou, thinkest thou, found anything so good as Jesus Christ?Is there any among thy sins, thy companions, and foolish delights, that, like Christ, can help thee in the day of thy distress? Behold, the greatness of thy sins cannot hinder; let not the stubbornnessof thy heart hinder thee, sinner. 

Objection. I am ashamed. 

Answer. Oh! don't be ashamed to be saved, sinner. 

Objection. But my old companions will mock me. 

Answer. Oh! don't be mocked out of eternal life, sinner. 

Thy stubbornness affects, afflicts the heart of thy Saviour. Carestthou not for this? Of old, 'he beheld the city, and wept over it. 'Canst thou hear this, and not be concerned? (Luke 19:41, 42). ShallChrist weep to see thy soul going on to destruction, and willthough sport thyself in that way? Yea, shall Christ, that can beeternally happy without thee, be more afflicted at the thoughtsof the loss of thy soul, than thyself, who art certainly eternallymiserable if thou neglectest to come to him. Those things thatkeep thee and thy Saviour, on thy part, asunder, are but bubbles;the least prick of an affliction will let out, as to thee, whatnow thou thinkest is worth the venture of heaven to enjoy. 

Hast thou not reason? Canst thou not so much as once soberly thinkof thy dying hour, or of whither thy sinful life will drive theethen? Hast thou no conscience? or having one, is it rocked so fastasleep by sin, or made so weary with an unsuccessful calling uponthee, that it is laid down, and cares for thee no more? Poor man!thy state is to be lamented. Hast no judgment? Art not able toconclude, that to be saved is better than to burn in hell? and thateternal life with God's favour, is better than a temporal life inGod's displeasure? Hast no affection but what is brutish? what, none at all? No affection for the God that made thee? What! nonefor his loving Son that has showed his love, and died for thee?Is not heaven worth thy affection? O poor man! which is strongest, thinkest thou, God or thee? If thou art not able to overcome him, thou art a fool for standing out against him (Matt 5:25, 26). 'Itis a fearful thing to fall into the hand of the living God' (Heb10:29-31). He will gripe hard; his fist is stronger than a lion'spaw; take heed of him, he will be angry if you despise his Son;and will you stand guilty in your trespasses, when he offereth youhis grace and favour? (Exo 34:6, 7). 

Now we come to the text, 'Beginning at Jerusalem. ' This text, thoughit be now one of the brightest stars that shineth in the Bible, because there is in it, as full, if not the fullest offer of gracethat can be imagined, to the sons of men; yet, to them that shallperish from under this word, even this text will be to such one ofthe hottest coals in hell. This text, therefore, will save thee orsink thee: there is no shifting of it; if it saves thee, it willset thee high; if it sinks thee, it will set thee low. 

But, I say, why so unconcerned? Hast no soul? or dost think thoumayest lose thy soul, and save thyself? Is it not pity, had itotherwise been the will of God, that ever thou wast made a man, for that thou settest so little by thy soul? Sinner, take theinvitation; thou art called upon to come to Christ: nor art thoucalled upon but by order from the Son of God, though thou shouldsthappen to come of the biggest sinners; for he has bid us offermercy, as to all the world in general, so, in the first place, tothe sinners of Jerusalem, or to the biggest sinners. 

Fifth, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Then, this shows how unreasonable a thingit is for men to despair of mercy; for those that presume, I shallsay something to them afterward. 

I now speak to them that despair. There are four sorts of despair. There is the despair of devils; there is the despair of souls inhell; there is the despair that is grounded upon men's deficiency;and there is the despair that they are perplexed with that arewilling to be saved, but are too strongly borne down with the burdenof their sins. 

The despair of devils, the damned's despair, and that despair thata man has of attaining of life because of his own deficiency, areall reasonable. Why should not devils and damned souls despair?yea, why should not man despair of getting to heaven by his ownabilities? I, therefore, am concerned only with the fourth sortof despair, to wit, with the despair of those that would be saved, but are too strongly borne down with the burden of their sins. Isay, therefore, to thee that art thus, And why despair? Thy despair, if it was reasonable, should flow from thee, because found in theland that is beyond the grave; or because thou certainly knowestthat Christ will not, or cannot save thee. 

But, for the first, thou art yet in the land of the living; and, for the second, thou hast ground to believe the quite contrary;Christ is able to save to the uttermost them that come to Godby him; and if he were not willing, he would not have commandedthat mercy, in the first place, should be offered to the biggestsinners. Besides, he hath said, 'And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely'; thatis, with all my heart. What ground now is here for despair? If thousayest, The number and burden of my sins; I answer, Nay; that israther a ground for faith; because such an one, above all others, is invited by Christ to come unto him, yea, promised rest andforgiveness if they come (Matt 11:28). What ground then to despair?Verily, none at all. Thy despair, then, is a thing unreasonable, and without footing in the Word. 

But I have no experience of God's love; God hath given me nocomfort, or ground of hope, though I have waited upon him for itmany a day. Thou hast e xperience of God's love, for that he hasopened thine eyes to see thy sins: and for that he has given theedesires to be saved by Jesus Christ. For by thy sense of sin thouart made to see thy poverty of spirit, and that has laid under theea sure ground to hope that heaven shall be thine hereafter. 

Also thy desires to be saved by Christ, has put thee under anotherpromise, so there is two to hold thee up in hope, though thy presentburden be never so heavy (Matt 5:3, 6). As for what thou sayest asto God's silence to thee, perhaps he has spoken to thee once or twicealready, but thou hast not perceived it (Job 33:14, 15). However, thou hast Christ crucified set forth before thine eyes in the Bible, and an invitation to come unto him, though thou be a Jerusalem sinner, though thou be a biggest sinner; and so no ground to despair. Whatif God will be silent to thee, is that ground of despair? Not atall, so long as there is a promise in the Bible, that God will inno wise cast away the coming sinner, and so long as he invites theJerusalem sinner to come unto him (John 6:37). 

Build not, therefore, despair upon these things; they are nosufficient foundation for it, such plenty of promises being in theBible, and such a discovery of his mercy to great sinners of old;especially since we have withal a clause in the commission givento ministers to preach, that they should begin with the Jerusalemsinners in their offering of mercy to the world. Besides, God says, 'They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, theyshall mount up with wings like eagles'; but, perhaps, it may be longfirst. I waited long, saith David, and did seek the Lord; and, atlength, his cry was heard: wherefore he bids his soul wait on God, and says, For it is good so to do before thy saints (Psa 40:1;62:5; 52:9). 

And what if thou waitest upon God all thy days? Is it below thee?And what if God will cross his book, and blot out the handwritingthat is against thee, and not let thee know it as yet? Is it fitto say unto God, Thou art hard-hearted? Despair not; thou hast noground to despair, so long as thou livest in this world. 'Tis asin to begin to despair before one sets his foot over the thresholdof hell-gates. For them that are there, let them despair and sparenot; but as for thee, thou hast no ground to do it. What! despairof bread in a land that is full of corn! despair of mercy whenour God is full of mercy! despair of mercy, when God goes about, by his ministers, beseeching of sinners to be reconciled unto him!(2 Cor 5:18-20). Thou scrupulous fool, where canst thou find thatGod was ever false to his promise, or that he ever deceived thesoul that ventured itself upon him? He often calls upon sinnersto trust him, though they walk in darkness, and have no light (Isa50:10). They have his promise and oath for their salvation, thatflee for refuge to the hope set before them (Heb 6:17, 18). 

Despair! when we have a God of mercy, and a redeeming Christ alive!For shame, forbear; let them despair that dwell where there is noGod, and that are confined to those chambers of death which can bereached by no redemption. A living man despair when he is chid formurmuring and complaining! (Lam 3:39). Oh! so long as we are wherepromises swarm, where mercy is proclaimed, where grace reigns, and where Jerusalem sinners are privileged with the first offerof mercy, it is a base thing to despair. Despair undervaluesthe promise, undervalues the invitation, undervalues the profferof grace. Despair undervalues the ability of God the Father, andthe redeeming blood of Christ his Son. Oh unreasonable despair!Despair makes man God's judge; it is a controller of the promise, acontradictor of Christ in his large offers of mercy: and one thatundertakes to make unbelief the great manager of our reason andjudgment, in determining about what God can and will do for sinners. Despair! It is the devil's fellow, the devil's master; yea, thechains with which he is captivated and held under darkness forever: and to give way thereto in a land, in a state and time thatflows with milk and honey, is an uncomely thing. 

I would say to my soul, 'O my soul! this is not the place of despair;this is not the time to despair in; as long as mine eyes can finda promise in the Bible, as long as there is the least mention ofgrace, as long as there is a moment left me of breath or life inthis world, so long will I wait or look for mercy, so long will Ifight against unbelief and despair. ' This is the way to honour Godand Christ; this is the way to set the crown on the promise; thisis the way to welcome the invitation and inviter; and this is theway to thrust thyself under the shelter and protection of the wordof grace. Never despair so long as our text is alive, for that dothsound it out--that mercy by Christ is offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinner. 

Despair is an unprofitable thing; it will make a man weary of waitingupon God (2 Kings 6:33). It will make a man forsake God, and seekhis heaven in the good things of this world (Gen 4:13-18). It willmake a man his own tormentor, and flounce and fling like 'a wildbull in a net' (Isa 51:20). Despair! it drives a man to the studyof his own ruin, and brings him at last to be his own executioner(2 Sam 17:23; Matt 27:3-5). 

Besides, I am persuaded also, that despair is the cause that thereare so many that would fain be Atheists in the world. For, because, they have entertained a conceit that God will never be merciful tothem, therefore they labour to persuade themselves that there isno God at all, as if their misbelief would kill God, or cause himto cease to be. A poor shift for an immortal soul, for a soulwho liketh not to retain God in its knowledge! If this be the bestthat despair can do, let it go, man, and betake thyself to faith, to prayer, to wait for God, and to hope, in despite of ten thousanddoubts. And for thy encouragement, take yet, as an addition to whathas already been said, the following Scripture: 'The Lord takethpleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy'(Psa 147:11). Whence note, They fear not God, that hope not in hismercy; also, God is angry with them that hope not in his mercy;for he only taketh pleasure in them that hope. 'He that believeth, 'or 'hath received his testimony, hath set to his seal that God istrue' (John 3:33). But he that receiveth it not, 'hath made hima liar, ' and that is a very unworthy thing (1 John 5:10, 11). 'Letthe wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him;and to our God, for he will abundantly' multiply 'pardon' (Isa55:7). Perhaps thou art weary of thy ways, but art not weary ofthy thoughts; of thy unbelieving and despairing thoughts; now, Godalso would have thee cast away these thoughts, as such which hedeserveth not at thy hands; for 'he will have mercy upon thee, andhe will abundantly pardon. '

'O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets havespoken!' (Luke 24:25). Mark you, here, slowness to believe isa piece of folly. Ay! but sayest thou, I do believe some, and Ibelieve what can make against me. Ay, but sinner, Christ Jesus herecalls thee fool for not believing all. Believe all, and despair ifthou canst! He that believes all, believes that text that saith, Christ would have mercy preached first to the Jerusalem sinners. He that believeth all, believeth all the promises and consolationsof the Word; and the promises and consolations of the Word weighheavier than do all the curses and threatenings of the law; andmercy rejoiceth against judgment. Wherefore believe all, and mercywill, to thy conscience, weigh judgment down, and so minister comfortto thy soul. The Lord take the yoke from off thy jaws, since he hasset meat before thee (Hosea 11:4). And help thee to remember thathe is pleased, in the first place, to offer mercy to the biggestsinners. 

Sixth, Since Jesus Christ would have mercy offered, in the firstplace, to the biggest sinners, let souls see that they lay righthold thereof, lest they, notwithstanding, indeed, come short thereof. Faith only knows how to deal with mercy; wherefore, put not inthe place thereof presumption. I have observed, that, as there areherbs and flowers in our gardens, so there are their counterfeitsin the field; only they are distinguished from the other by thename of wild ones. Why, there is faith, and wild faith; and wildfaith is this presumption. I call it wild faith, because God neverplaced it in his garden--his church; 'tis only to be found in thefield--the world. I also call it wild faith, because it only growsup and is nourished where other wild notions abound. Wherefore, take heed of this, and all may be well; for this presumptuousnessis a very heinous thing in the eyes of God. 'The soul, ' saith he, 'that doeth ought presumptuously, whether he be born in the land, or a stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord; and that soul shallbe cut off from among his people' (Num 15:30). 

The thoughts of this made David tremble, and pray that God wouldhold him back from presumptuous sins, and not suffer them to havedominion over him (Psa 19:13). Now, this presumption, then, putsitself in the place of faith, when it tampereth with the promisefor life, while the soul is a stranger to repentance. Wherefore, you have in the text, to prevent doing thus, both repentance andremission of sins to be offered to Jerusalem; not remission withoutrepentance, for all that repent not shall perish, let them presumeon grace and the promise while they will (Luke 13:1-3). 

Presumption, then, is that which severeth faith and repentance;concluding that the soul shall be saved by grace, though the manwas never made sorry for his sins, nor the love of the heart turnedtherefrom. This is to be self-willed, as Peter has it; and thisis a despising the Word of the Lord, for that has put repentanceand faith together (Mark 1:15). And 'because he hath despised theWord of the Lord, and hath broken his commandment, that soul shallutterly be cut off: his iniquity shall be upon him' (Num 15:31). Let such, therefore, look to it who yet are, and abide, in theirsins; for such, if they hope, as they are, to be saved, presumeupon the grace of God. 27 Wherefore, presumption and not hearkeningto God's Word are put together (Deu 17:12). 

Again, THEN men presume, when they are resolved to abide in theirsins, and yet expect to be saved by God's grace through Christ. This is as much as to say, God liketh of sin as well as I do, andcareth not how men live, if so be they lean upon his Son. Of thissort are they 'that build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem withiniquity'; that 'judge for reward, and--teach for hire, and--divinefor money, and lean upon the Lord' (Micah 3:10, 11). This is doingthings, with an high hand, against the Lord our God, and a takinghim, as it were, at the catch. 28 This is, as we say among men, toseek to put a trick upon God; as if he had not sufficiently fortifiedhis proposals of grace, by his holy Word, against all such kind offools as these. But look to it! Such will be found at the day ofGod, not among that great company of Jerusalem sinners that shallbe saved by grace, but among those that have been the great abusersof the grace of God in the world. Those that say, Let us sin thatgrace may abound, and let us do evil that good may come, theirdamnation is just. And if so, they are a great way off of thatsalvation that is, by Jesus Christ, presented to the Jerusalemsinners. 

I have, therefore, these things to propound to that Jerusalem sinnerthat would know, if he may be so bold [as] to venture himself uponthis grace. 1. Dost thou see thy sins? 2. Art thou weary of them?3. Wouldst thou, with all thy heart, be saved by Jesus Christ? Idare say no less; I dare say no more. But if it be truly thus withthee, how great soever thy sins have been, how bad soever thoufeelest thy heart, how far soever thou art from thinking that Godhas mercy for thee, thou art the man, the Jerusalem sinner, that theWord of God has conquered, and to whom it offereth free remissionof sins, by the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. 

When the jailor cried out, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' theanswer was, 'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt besaved. ' He that sees his sins aright, is brought to his wit's endby them; and he that is so, is willing to part from them, and tobe saved by the grace of God. If this be thy case, fear not, giveno way to despair; thou presumest not, if thou believest to lifeeverlasting in Jesus Christ; yea, Christ is prepared for such asthou art. Therefore, take good courage, and believe. The design ofSatan is, to tell the presumptuous that their presuming on mercy isgood; but to persuade the believer, that his believing is impudent, bold dealing with God. I never heard a presumptuous man, in my life, say that he was afraid that he presumed; but I have heard many anhonest humble soul say, that they have been afraid that their faithhas been presumption. Why should Satan molest those whose ways heknows will bring them to him? And who can think that he should bequiet, when men take the right course to escape his hellish snares?This, therefore, is the reason why the truly humbled is opposed, while the presumptuous goes on by wind and tide. The truly humble, Satan hates; but he laughs to see the foolery of the other. 

Does thy hand and heart tremble? Upon thee the promise smiles. 'To this man will I look, ' says God, 'even to him that is poor andof a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word' (Isa 66:2). What, therefore, I have said of presumption, concerns not the humble inspirit at all. I therefore am for gathering up the stones, and fortaking the stumbling-blocks out of the way of God's people; andforewarning of them, that they lay the stumbling-block of theiriniquity before their faces; and [of those] that are for presumingupon God's mercy; and let them look to themselves (Eze 14:6-8). 

Also, our text stands firm as ever it did, and our observation isstill of force, that Jesus Christ would have mercy offered, in thefirst place, to the biggest sinners. So them, let none despair, let none presume; let none despair that are sorry for their sins, and would be saved by Jesus Christ; let none presume that abidein the liking of their sins, though they seem to know the exceedinggrace of Christ; for though the door stands wide open for the receptionof the penitent, yet it is fast29 enough barred and bolted againstthe presumptuous sinner. Be not deceived, God is not mocked;whatsoever a man sows, that he shall reap. It cannot be that Godshould be wheedled out of his mercy, or prevailed upon by lips ofdissimulation; he knows them that trust on him, and that sincerelycome to him, by Christ, for mercy (Nahum 1:7). 

It is, then, not the abundance of sins committed, but the notcoming heartily to God, by Christ, for mercy, that shuts men outof doors. And though their not coming heartily may be said to bebut a sin, yet it is such a sin as causeth that all thy other sinsabide upon thee unforgiven. God complains of this. 'They have notcried unto me with their heart--they return, but not to the mostHigh. ' They turned 'feignedly' (Jer 3:10; Hosea 7:14, 16). Thus doing, his soul hates [them]; but the penitent, humble, broken-heartedsinner, be his transgressions red as scarlet, red like crimson, innumber as the sand; though his transgressions cry to heaven againsthim for vengeance, and seem there to cry louder than do his prayers, or tears, or groans for mercy; yet he is safe. To this man God willlook (Isa 1:18; 66:2). 

Seventh, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Then here is ground for those that, as topractice, have not been such, to come to him for mercy. 

Although there is no sin little of itself, because it is acontradiction of the nature and majesty of God, yet we must admitof divers numbers, and, also, of aggravations. Two sins are not somany as three; nor are three that are done in ignorance so big asone that is done against light, against knowledge and conscience. Also, there is the child in sin, and a man in sin that has hishairs gray and his skin wrinkled for very age. And we must put adifference betwixt these sinners also; for can it be that a childof seven, or ten, or sixteen years old, should be such a sinner--asinner so vile in the eyes of the law as he is who has walkedaccording to the course of this world, forty, fifty, sixty, or seventyyears? Now, the youth, this stripling, though he is a sinner, isbut a little sinner, when compared with such. Now, I say, if therebe room for the first sort, for those of the biggest size, certainlythere is room for the lesser size. If there be a door wide enoughfor a giant to go in at, there is certainly room for a dwarf. IfChrist Jesus has grace enough to save great sinners, he has surelygrace enough to save little ones. If he can forgive five hundredpence, for certain he can forgive fifty (Luke 7:41, 42). 

But you said before, that the little sinners must stand by untilthe great ones have received their grace, and that is discouraging!I answer, there are two sorts of little sinners--such as are so, andsuch as feign themselves so. There are those that feign themselvesso, that I intended there, and not those that are, indeed, comparativelyso. Such as feign themselves so, may wait long enough before theyobtain forgiveness. 

But again, a sinner may be comparatively a little sinner, and sensibly a great one. There are, then, two sorts of greatnessin sin--greatness by reason of number; greatness by reason ofthoroughness of conviction of the horrible nature of sin. In thislast sense, he that has but one sin, if such an one could be found, may, in his own eyes, find himself the biggest sinner in the world. Let this man or this child, therefore, put himself among the greatsinners, and plead with God as great sinners do, and expect to besaved with the great sinners, and as soon and as heartily as they. Yea, a little sinner, that, comparatively, is truly so, if heshall graciously give way to conviction, and shall, in God's light, diligently weigh the horrible nature of his own sin, may yet soonerobtain forgiveness for them at the hands of the heavenly Father, than he that has ten times his sins, and so cause to cry ten timesharder to God for mercy. 

For the grievousness of the cry is a great thing with God; for ifhe will hear the widow, if she cries at all, how much more if shecries most grievously? (Exo 22:22, 23). It is not the number, butthe true sense of the abominable nature of sin, that makes the cryfor pardon lamentable. 30 He, as I said, that has many sins, maynot cry so loud in the ears of God as he that has far fewer; he, in our present sense, that is in his own eyes the biggest sinner, is he that soonest findeth mercy. The offer, then, is to thebiggest sinner; to the biggest sinner first, and the mercy is firstobtained by him that first confesseth himself to be such an one. 

There are men that strive at the throne of grace for mercy, bypleading the greatness of their necessity. Now their plea, as tothe prevalency of it, lieth not in their counting up of the number, but in the sense of the greatness of their sins, and in the vehemencyof their cry for pardon. And it is observable, that though thebirthright was Reuben's, and, for his foolishness, given to thesons of Joseph, yet Judah prevailed above his brethren, and of himcame the Messiah (1 Chron 5:1, 2). There is a heavenly subtilty tobe managed in this matter. 'Thy brother came with subtilty, andhath taken away thy blessing. ' The blessing belonged to Esau, butJacob by his diligence made it his own (Gen 27:35). The offer is tothe biggest sinner, to the biggest sinner first; but if he forbearto cry, the sinner that is a sinner less by far than he, both asto number and the nature of transgression, may get the blessingfirst, if he shall have grace to bestir himself well; for the loudestcry is heard furthest, and the most lamentable pierces soonest. 

I therefore urge this head, not because I would have little sinnersgo and tell God that they are little sinners, thereby to think toobtain his mercy; for, verily, so they are never like to have it;for such words declare, that such an one hath no true sense at allof the nature of his sins. Sin, as I said, in the nature of it, ishorrible, though it be but one single sin as to act; yea, thoughit be but a sinful thought; and so worthily calls for the damnationof the soul. The comparison, then, of little and great sinners, isto go for good sense among men. But to plead the fewness of thysins, or the comparative harmlessness of their quantity beforeGod, argueth no sound knowledge of the nature of thy sin, and sono true sense of the nature or need of mercy. 

Little sinner! when therefore thou goest to God, though thouknowest in thy conscience that thou, as to acts, art no thief, nomurderer, no whore, no liar, no false swearer, or the like, and inreason must needs understand that thus thou art not so profanelyvile as others; yet when thou goest to God for mercy, know no man'ssins but thine own, make mention of no man's sins but thine own. Also labour not to lessen thy own, but magnify and greaten them byall just circumstances, and be as if there was never a sinner inthe world but thyself. Also cry out, as if thou wast but the onlyundone man; and that is the way to obtain God's mercy. 

It is one of the comeliest sights in the world to see a littlesinner commenting upon the greatness of his sins, multiplying andmultiplying them to himself, till he makes them in his own eyesbigger and higher than he seeth any other man's sins to be in theworld; and as base a thing it is to see a man do otherwise, and asbasely will come on it (Luke 18:10-14). As, therefore, I said tothe great sinner before, let him take heed lest he presume; I saynow to the little sinner, let him take heed that he do not dissemble;for there is as great an aptness in the little sinner to dissemble, as there is in the great one. 'He that hideth his sins shall notprosper, '31 be he a sinner little or great (Prov 28:13). 

Eighth, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Then this shows the true cause why Satanmakes such head as he doth against him. 

The Father and the Holy Spirit are well spoken of by all deludersand deceived persons; Christ only is the rock of offence. 'Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling-stone and rock of offence' (Rom 9:33). Not that Satan careth for the Father or the Spirit more than hecareth for the Son; but he can let men alone with their notionsof the Father and the Spirit, for he knows they shall never enjoythe Father or the Spirit, if indeed they receive not the meritsof the Son. 'He that hath the Son, hath life; he that hath not theSon of God hath not life, ' however they may boast themselves of theFather and the Spirit (1 John 5:12). Again, 'Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He thatabideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and theSon' (2 John 9). Christ, and Christ only, is he that can make uscapable to enjoy God with life and joy to all eternity. Hence hecalls himself the way to the Father, the true and living way (John14:6). For we cannot come to the Father but by him (Heb 10:19, 20). Satan knows this, therefore he hates him. Deluded persons areignorant of this, and therefore, they are so led up and down bySatan by the nose as they are. 

There are many things by which Satan has taken occasion to greatenhis rage against Jesus Christ. As, first, His love to man, andthen, the many expressions of that love. He hath taken man's natureupon him; he hath in that nature fulfilled the law to bring inrighteousness for man; and hath spilt his blood for the reconcilingof man to God; he hath broke the neck of death, put away sin, destroyed the works of the devil, and got into his own hands thekeys of death; and all these are heinous things to Satan. He cannotabide Christ for this. Besides, He hath eternal life in himself, and that to bestow upon us; and we in all likelihood are to possessthe very places from which the Satans by transgression fell, if notplaces more glorious. Wherefore he must needs be angry. And is itnot a vexatious thing to him, that we should be admitted to thethrone of grace by Christ, while he stands bound over in chainsof darkness, to answer for his rebellions against God and his Son, at the terrible day of judgment. Yea, we poor dust and ashes mustbecome his judges, and triumph over him for ever: and all this long32of Jesus Christ; for he is the meritorious cause of all this. 

Now though Satan seeks to be revenged for this, yet he knows it isin vain to attack the person of Christ; He [Christ] has overcomehim; therefore he [Satan] tampers with a company of silly men; thathe may vilify him by them. And they, bold fools as they are, willnot spare to spit in his face. They will rail at his person, anddeny the very being of it; they will rail at his blood, and denythe merit and worth of it. They will deny the very end why heaccomplished the law, and by jiggs, and tricks, and quirks, whichhe helpeth them to, they set up fond names and images in his place, and give the glory of a Saviour to them. Thus Satan worketh underthe name of Christ; and his ministers under the name of the ministersof righteousness. 

And by his wiles and stratagems he undoes a world of men; but thereis a seed, and they shall serve him, and it shall be counted to theLord for a generation. These shall see their sins, and that Christis the way to happiness. These shall venture themselves, both bodyand soul, upon his worthiness. All this Satan knows, and thereforehis rage is kindled the more. Wherefore, according to his abilityand allowance, he assaulteth, tempteth, abuseth, and stirs upwhat he can to be hurtful to these poor people, that he may, whilehis time shall last, make it as hard and difficult for them togo to eternal glory as he can. Ofttimes he abuses them with wrongapprehensions of God, and with wrong apprehensions of Christ. Healso casts them into the mire, to the reproach of religion, theshame of their brethren, the derision of the world, and dishonourof God. He holds our hands while the world buffets us; he putsbear-skins upon us, and then sets the dogs at us. He bedaubeth uswith his own foam, and then tempts us to believe that that bedaubingcomes from ourselves. 33

Oh! the rage and the roaring of this lion, and the hatred that hemanifests against the Lord Jesus, and against them that are purchasedwith his blood! But yet, in the midst of all this, the Lord Jesussends forth his herald to proclaim in the nations his love to theworld, and to invite them to come in to him for life. Yea, hisinvitation is so large, that it offereth his mercy in the firstplace to the biggest sinners of every age, which augments thedevil's rage the more. Wherefore, as I said before, fret he, fumehe, the Lord Jesus will 'divide the spoil' with this great one; yea, he shall divide the spoil with the strong, 'because he hath pouredout his soul unto death, and he was numbered with the transgressors;and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for thetransgressors' (Isa 53:12). 

Ninth, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Let the tempted harp upon this string fortheir help and consolation. 

The tempted, wherever he dwells, always thinks himself the biggestsinner, one most unworthy of eternal life. This is Satan's masterargument; thou art a horrible sinner, a hypocrite, one that hasa profane heart, and one that is an utter stranger to a work ofgrace. I say this is his maul, his club, 34 his masterpiece; hedoth with this as some do with their most enchanting songs, singsthem everywhere. I believe there are but few saints in the worldthat have not had this temptation sounding in their ears. Butwere they but aware, Satan by all this does but drive them to thegap out at which they should go, and so escape his roaring. Saithhe, thou art a great sinner, a horrible sinner, a profane-heartedwretch, one that cannot be matched for a vile one in the country. And all this while Christ says to his ministers, offer mercy, inthe first place, to the biggest sinners. So that this temptationdrives thee directly into the arms of Jesus Christ. 

Were therefore the tempted but aware, he might say, 'Ay, Satan, soI am, I am a sinner of the biggest size, and therefore have mostneed of Jesus Christ; yea, because I am such a wretch, thereforeJesus Christ calls me; yea, he calls me first; the first profferof the gospel is to be made to the Jerusalem sinner; I am he, wherefore stand back, Satan; make a lane, my right is first to cometo Jesus Christ. ' This now would be like for like. This would foilthe devil; this would make him say, I must not deal with this manthus; for then I put a sword into his hand to cut off my head. 

And this is the meaning of Peter, when he saith, 'Resist himsteadfast in the faith' (1 Peter 5:9). And of Paul, when he saith, 'Take the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench allthe fiery darts of the wicked' (Eph 6:16). Wherefore is it said, Begin at Jerusalem, if the Jerusalem sinner is not to have thebenefit of it? And if I am to have the benefit of it, let me callit to mind when Satan haunts me with continual remembrance of mysins, of my Jerusalem sins. Satan and my conscience say I am thebiggest sinner:--Christ offereth mercy, in the first place, to thebiggest sinners! Nor is the manner of the offer other but such assuiteth with my mind. I am sorry for my sin; yea, sorry at my heartthat ever sinful thought did enter, or find the least entertainmentin my wicked mind: and might I obtain my wish, I would nevermore that my heart should be a place for ought but the grace, andspirit, and faith of the Lord Jesus. I speak not this to lessenmy wickedness; I would not for all the world but be placed by mineown conscience in the very front of the biggest sinners, that Imight be one of the first that are beckoned, by the gracious handof Jesus the Saviour, to come to him for mercy. 

Well, sinner, thou now speakest like a Christian; but say thus, in a strong spirit, in the hour of temptation, and then thou wilt, to thy commendation and comfort, quit thyself well. This improvingof Christ, in dark hours, is the life, though the hardest part ofour Christianity. We should neither stop at darkness nor at theraging of our lusts, but go on in a way of venturing, and castingthe whole of our affairs for the next world at the foot of JesusChrist. This is the way to make the darkness light, and also toallay the raging of corruption. 

The first time the Passover was eaten was in the night; and whenIsrael took courage to go forward, though the sea stood in theirway like a devouring gulf, and the host of the Egyptians followthem at the heels; yet the sea gives place, and their enemies wereas still as a stone till they were gone over (Exo 12:8; 14:13, 14, 21, 22;15:16). 

There is nothing like faith to help at a pinch; faith dissolvesdoubts as the sun drives away the mists. And that you may not beput out, know your time, as I said, of believing is always. Thereare times when some graces may be out of use, but there is no timewherein faith can be said to be so. Wherefore, faith must be alwaysin exercise. Faith is the eye, is the mouth, is the hand, and oneof these is of use all day long. Faith is to see, to receive, towork, or to eat; and a Christian should be seeing, or receiving, or working, or feeding all day long. Let it rain, let it blow, letit thunder, let it lighten, a Christian must still believe. At 'whattime, ' said the good man, 'I am afraid, I will trust in thee' (Psa56:2, 3). 

Nor can we have a better encouragement to do this than is, by thetext, set before us; even an open heart for a Jerusalem sinner. And if for a Jerusalem sinner to come, then for such an one whencome. If for such an one to be saved, then for such an one that issaved. If for such an one to be pardoned his great transgressions, then for such an one who is pardoned these to come daily to JesusChrist too, to be cleansed and set free from his common infirmities, and from the iniquities of his holy things. Therefore, let thepoor sinner that would be saved labour for skill to make the bestimprovement of the grace of Christ to help him against the temptationsof the devil and his sins. 

Tenth, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the first place, to the biggest sinners? Let those men consider this that have, ormay, in a day of trial, spoken or done what their profession orconscience told them they should not, and that have the guilt andburden thereof upon their consciences. 

Whether a thing be wrong or right, guilt may pursue him that dothcontrary to his conscience. But suppose a man should deny his God, or his Christ, or relinquish a good profession, and be under thereal guilt thereof, shall he, therefore, conclude he is gone forever? Let him come again with Peter's tears, and no doubt but heshall obtain Peter's forgiveness; for the text includes the biggestsinners. And it is observable, that before this clause was putinto this commission, Peter was pardoned his horrible revolt fromhis Master. He that revolteth in the day of trial, if he is notshot quite dead upon the place, but is sensible of his wound, andcalls out for a chirurgeon, shall find his Lord at hand to pourwine and oil into his wounds, that he may again be healed, and toencourage him to think that there may be mercy for him; besideswhat we find recorded of Peter, you read in the Acts, some were, through the violence of their trials, compelled to blaspheme, andyet are called saints (Acts 26:9-11). 

Hence you have a promise or two that speak concerning such kind ofmen, to encourage us to think that, at least, some of them shallcome back to the Lord their God. 'Shall they fall, ' saith he, 'andnot arise? Shall he turn away, and not return?' (Jer 8:4). 'and inthat day will I assemble her that halteth, and I will gather herthat is driven out, and her that I have afflicted. And I will makeher that halted a remnant, and her that was cast far off a strongnation; and the Lord shall reign over them in Mount Zion--for ever. 'What we are to understand by her that halteth, is best expressedby the prophet Elijah (Micah 4:6, 7; Zeph 3:19; 1 Kings 18:21). 

I will conclude, then, that for them that have halted, or may halt, the Lord has mercy in the bank, 35 and is willing to accept them ifthey return to him again. Perhaps they may never be after that ofany great esteem in the house of God, but if the Lord will admitthem to favour and forgiveness--O exceeding and undeserved mercy!(See Ezekiel 44:10-14). Thou, then, that mayest be the man, rememberthis, that there is mercy also for thee. Return, therefore, toGod, and to his Son, who hath yet in store for thee, and who willdo thee good. 

But, perhaps, thou wilt say, He doth not save all revolters, and, therefore, perhaps not me. Answer. Art thou returning to God?If thou art returning, thou art the man; 'Return, ye backslidingchildren, and I will heal your backslidings' (Jer 3:22). 

Some, as I said, that revolt, are shot dead upon the place; and forthem, who can help them? But for them that cry out of their woundsit is a sign that they are yet alive, and, if they use the meansin time, doubtless they may be healed. 

Christ Jesus has bags of mercy that were never yet broken up orunsealed. Hence it is said, he has goodness laid up; things reservedin heaven for his. And if he breaks up one of these bags, who cantell what he can do? Hence his love is said to be such as passethknowledge, and that his riches are unsearchable. He has, nobodyknows what; for nobody knows who! He has by him, in store, forsuch as seem, in the view of all men, to be gone beyond recovery. For this, the text is plain. What man or angel could have thoughtthat the Jerusalem sinners had been yet on this side of animpossibility of enjoying life and mercy? Hadst thou seen theiractions, and what horrible things they did to the Son of God; yea, how stoutly they backed what they did with resolves and endeavoursto persevere, when they had killed his person, against his name anddoctrine; and that there was not found among them all that while, as we read of, the least remorse or regret for these their doings;couldest though have imagined that mercy would ever have took holdof them, at least so soon! Nay, that they should, of all the world, be counted those only meet to have it offered to them in the veryfirst place! For so my text commands, saying, Preach repentanceand remission of sins among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 

I tell you the thing is a wonder, and must for ever stand for awonder among the sons of men. It stands, also, for an everlastinginvitation and allurement to the biggest sinners to come to Christfor mercy. Now since, in the opinion of all men, the revolter issuch an one; if he has, as I said before, any life in him, let himtake encouragement to come again, that he may live by Christ. 

Eleventh, Would Jesus Christ have mercy offered, in the firstplace, to the biggest sinners? Then let God's ministers tell themso. There is an incidence36 in us, I know not how it doth come about, when we are converted, to contemn them that are left behind. Poorfools as we are, we forget that we ourselves were so (Titus 3:2, 3). 

But would it not become us better, since we have tasted that theLord is gracious, to carry it towards them so, that we may givethem convincing ground to believe that we have found that mercywhich also sets open the door for them to come and partake withus. Ministers, I say, should do thus, both by their doctrine, andin all other respects. Austerity doth not become us, neither indoctrine nor in conversation. 37 We ourselves live by grace; letus give as we receive, and labour to persuade our fellow-sinners, which God has left behind us, to follow after, that they maypartake with us of grace. We are saved by grace; let us live likethem that are gracious. Let all our things, to the world, be donein charity towards them; pity them, pray for them, be familiarwith them, for their good. Let us lay aside our foolish, worldly, carnal grandeur; let us not walk the streets, and have suchbehaviours as signify we are scarce for touching of the poor onesthat are left behind; no, not with a pair of tongs. It becomes notministers thus to do. 

[A gentle reproof. ]

Remember your Lord, he was familiar with publicans and sinners toa proverb: 'Behold a man gluttonous, and a wine-bibber, a friendof publicans and sinners' (Matt 11:19). The first part, concerninghis gluttonous eating and drinking, to be sure, was an horribleslander; but for the other, nothing was ever spoke truer of him bythe world. Now, why should we lay hands cross on this text; thatis, choose good victuals, and love the sweet wine better than thesalvation of the poor publican? Why not familiar with sinners, provided we hate their spots and blemishes, and seek that they maybe healed of them? Why not fellowly with our carnal neighbours? Ifwe do take occasion to do so, that we may drop, and be yet distillingsome good doctrine upon their souls? Why not go to the poor man'shouse, and give him a penny, and a Scripture to think upon? Whynot send for the poor to fetch away, at least, the fragments ofthy table, that the bowels of thy fellow-sinner may be refreshedas well as thine?

Ministers should be exemplary; but I am an inferior man, and musttake heed of too much meddling. But might I, I would meddle withthem, with their wives, and with their children too. I mean notthis of all, but of them that deserve it, though I may not namethem. But, I say, let ministers follow the steps of their blessedLord, who, by word and deed, showed his love to the salvationof the world, in such a carriage as declared him to prefer theirsalvation before his own private concern. For we are commanded tofollow his steps, 'who did no sin, neither was guile found in hismouth. '

And as I have said concerning ministers, so I say to all thebrethren, Carry it so, that all the world may see, that indeed youare the sons of love. Love your Saviour; yea, show one to anotherthat you love him, not only by a seeming love of affection, butwith the love of duty. Practical love is best. 38 Many love Christwith nothing but the lick of the tongue. Alas! Christ Jesus theLord must not be put off thus; 'He that hath my commandments, andkeepeth them, ' saith he, 'he it is that loveth me' (John 14:21). Practical love, which stands in self-denial, in charity to myneighbour, and a patient enduring of affliction for his name; thisis counted love. Right love to Christ is that which carries in ita provoking argument to others of the brethren (Heb 10:24). Should aman ask me how he should know that he loveth the children of God?the best answer I could give him, would be in the words of the apostleJohn; 'By this, ' saith he, 'we know that we love the children ofGod, when we love God, and keep his commandments' (1 John 5:2). Love to God and Christ is then shown, when we are tender of hisname; and then we show ourselves tender of his name, when we areafraid to break any, the least of his commandments. And when weare here, then do we show our love to our brother also. 

[The Conclusion. ]

Now, we have obligation sufficient thus to do, for that our Lordloved us, and gave himself for us, to deliver us from death, thatwe might live through him. The world, when they hear the doctrinethat I have asserted and handled in this little book; to wit, thatJesus Christ would have mercy offered, in the first place, to thebiggest sinners, will be apt, because themselves are unbelievers, to think that this is a doctrine that leads to looseness, andthat gives liberty to the flesh; but if you that believe love yourbrethren and your neighbours truly, and as you should, you willput to silence the ignorance of such foolish men, and stop theirmouths from speaking evil of you. And, I say, let the love ofChrist constrain us to this. Who deserveth our heart, our mouth, our life, our goods, so much as Jesus Christ, who has bought us tohimself by his blood, to this very end, that we should be a peculiarpeople, zealous of good works?

There is nothing more seemly in the world than to see a Christianwalk as becomes the gospel; nor anything more unbecoming a reasonablecreature, than to hear a man say, 'I believe in Christ, ' and yetsee in his life debauchery and profaneness. Might I, such men shouldbe counted the basest of men; such men should be counted by allunworthy of the name of a Christian, and should be shunned by everygood man, as such who are the very plague of profession. For so itis written, we should carry it towards them. Whoso have a form ofgodliness, and deny the power thereof, from such we must turn away. 

It has ofttimes come into my mind to ask, By what means it is thatthe gospel profession should be so tainted39 with loose and carnalgospellers? and I could never arrive to better satisfaction inthe matter than this--such men are made professors by the devil, and so by him put among the rest of the godly. A certain man hada fruitless fig tree planted in his vineyard; but by whom was itplanted there? even by him that sowed the tares, his own children, among the wheat (Luke 13:6; Matt 13:37-40). And that was the devil. But why doth the devil do thus? Not of love to them, but to makeof them offences and stumbling-blocks to others. For he knows thata loose professor in the church does more mischief to religion thanten can do to it that are in the world. Was it not, think you, thedevil that stirred up the damsel that you read of in Acts 16 to cryout, 'These men are the servants of the most high God, which showunto us the way of salvation?' Yes it was, as is evident, for Paulwas grieved to hear it. But why did the devil stir up her to cryso, but because that was the way to blemish the gospel, and tomake the world think that it came from the same hand as did hersoothsaying and witchery? (verse 16-18). 'Holiness, O Lord, becomesthy house for ever. ' Let, therefore, whoever they be that professthe name of Christ, take heed that they scandal not that professionwhich they make of him, since he has so graciously offered us, aswe are sinners of the biggest size, in the first place, his graceto save us. 

[Answers to Objections. ]

Having thus far spoken of the riches of the grace of Christ, andof the freeness of his heart to embrace the Jerusalem sinners, itmay not be amiss to give you yet, as a caution, an intimation ofone thing, namely, that this grace and freeness of his heart, islimited to time and day; the which, whoso overstandeth, shall perishnotwithstanding. For, as a king, who, of grace, sendeth out to hisrebellious people an offer of pardon, if they accept thereof bysuch a day, yet beheadeth or hangeth those that come not in formercy until the day or time be past; so Christ Jesus has set thesinner a day, a day of salvation, an acceptable time; but he whostandeth out, or goeth on in rebellion beyond that time, is liketo come off with the loss of his soul (2 Cor 6:2; Heb 3:13-19;4:7; Luke 19:41, 42). Since, therefore, things are thus, it may beconvenient here to touch a little upon these particulars. 

First, That this day, or time thus limited, when it is consideredwith reference to this or that man, is ofttimes undiscerned bythe person concerned therein, and always is kept secret as to theshutting up thereof. 

And this, in the wisdom of God is thus, to the end no man, whencalled upon, should put off turning to God to another time. Now, and TODAY, is that and only that which is revealed in holy Writ(Psa 50:22; Eccl 12:1; Heb 3:13, 15). And this shows us the desperatehazards which those men run, who, when invitation or convictionattends them, put off turning to God to be saved till another, and, as they think, a more fit season and time. For many, by so doing, defer this to do till the day of God's patience and long-sufferingis ended; and then, for their prayers and cries after mercy, theyreceive nothing but mocks, and are laughed at by the God of heaven(Prov 1:20-30; Isa 65:12-16; 66:4; Zech 7:11-13). 

Secondly, Another thing to be considered is this, namely, That theday of God's grace with some men begins sooner, and also sooner ends, than it doth with others. Those at the first hour of the day, hadtheir call sooner than they who were called upon to turn to Godat the sixth hour of the day; yea, and they who were hired at thethird hour, had their call sooner than they who were called at theeleventh (Matt 20:1-6). 

1. The day of God's patience began with Ishmael, and also endedbefore he was twenty years old. At thirteen years of age he wascircumcised; the next year after, Isaac was born; and then Ishmaelwas fourteen years old. Now, that day that Isaac was weaned, thatday was Ishmael rejected; and suppose that Isaac was three yearsold before he was weaned, that was but the seventeenth year ofIshmael; wherefore the day of God's grace was ended with him betimes(Gen 17:25; 21:2-11; Gal 4:30). 

2. Cain's day ended with him betimes; for, after God had rejectedhim, he lived to beget many children, and build a city, and to domany other things. But, alas! all that while he was a fugitive anda vagabond. Nor carried he anything with him after the day of hisrejection was come, but this doleful language in his conscience. 'From God's face shall I be hid' (Gen 4:10-15). 

3. Esau, through his extravagancies, would needs go sell hisbirthright, not fearing, as other confident fools, but that yetthe blessing would still be his. After which, he lived many years;but all of them under the wrath of God, as was, when time came, madeto appear to his destruction; for, 'when he would have inheritedthe blessing, he was rejected, for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears' (Heb 12:16, 17). 

Many instances might be given as to such tokens of the displeasureof God against such as fool away, as the wise man has it, the prizewhich is put into their hand (Prov 17:16). 

Let these things, therefore, be a further caution to those that situnder the glorious sound of the gospel, and hear of the riches ofthe grace of God in Christ to poor sinners. To slight grace, todespise mercy, and to stop the ear when God speaks, when he speakssuch great things, so much to our profit, is a great provocation. He offereth, he calls, he woos, he invites, he prays, he beseechesus in this day of his grace to be reconciled to him; yea, and hasprovided for us the means of reconciliation himself. Now, thisdespised must needs be provoking; and it is a fearful thing to fallinto the hands of the living God. 

Objection. But some man may say unto me, 'Fain I would be saved, fain I would be saved by Christ; but I fear this day of grace ispast, and that I shall perish, notwithstanding the exceeding richesof the grace of God. '

Answer. To this doubt I would answer several things. 1. With respectto this day. 2. With respect to thy desires. 3. With respect tothy fears. 

1. With respect to this day; that is, whether it be ended with aman or no. 

(1. ) Art thou jogged, and shaken, and molested at the hearing ofthe Word? Is thy conscience awakened and convinced then, that thouart at present in a perishing state, and that thou hast need to cryto God for mercy? This is a hopeful sign that this day of grace isnot past with thee. For, usually, they that are past grace, arealso, in their conscience, 'past feeling, ' b eing 'seared witha hot iron' (Eph 4:18, 19; 1 Tim 4:1, 2). Consequently, those pastgrace must be such as are denied the awakening fruits of the Wordpreached. The dead that hear, says Christ, shall live; at leastwise, 40 Christ has not quite done with them; the day of God'spatience is not at an end with them (John 5:25). 

(2. ) Is there, in thy more retired condition, arguings, strugglings, and strivings with thy spirit to persuade thee of the vanity of whatvain things thou lovest, and to win thee in thy soul to a choiceof Christ Jesus and his heavenly things? Take heed and rebel not, for the day of God's grace and patience will not be past with theetill he saith, his 'Spirit shall strive no more' with thee; forthen the woe comes, when he shall depart from them; and when hesays to the means of grace, Let them alone (Hosea 4:17; 9:12). 

(3. ) Art thou visited in the night seasons with dreams about thy state, and that thou art in danger of being lost? Hast thou heart-shakenapprehensions when deep sleep is upon thee, of hell, death, andjudgment to come? These are signs that God has not wholly left thee, or cast thee behind his back for ever. 'For God speaketh once, yeatwice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of thenight, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon thebed; then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, that he may withdraw man from his purpose, ' his sinful purposes, 'and hide pride from man' (Job 33:14-17). All this while God hasnot left the sinner, nor is come to the end of his patience towardshim, but stands, at least, with the door of grace ajar in his hand, as being loath, as yet, to bolt it against him. 

(4. ) Art thou followed with affliction, and dost thou hear God'sangry voice in thy afflictions? Doth he send with the afflictionan interpreter, to show thee thy vileness; and why, or wherefore, that hand of God is upon thee, and upon what thou hast; to wit, that it is for thy sinning against him, and that thou mightest beturned to him? If so, thy summer is not quite ended; thy harvestis not yet quite over and gone. Take heed, stand out no longer, lest he cause darkness, and lest thy feet stumble upon the darkmountains; and lest, while you look for light, he turn it into theshadow of death, and make it gross darkness (Jer 8:20; 13:15-17). 

(5. ) Art thou crossed, disappointed, and waylaid, and overthrown inall thy foolish ways and doings? This is a sign God has not quiteleft thee, but that he still waits upon thee to turn thee. Consider, I say, has he made a hedge and a wall to stop thee? Has he crossedthee in all thou puttest thy hand unto? Take it as a call to turnto him; for, by his thus doing, he shows he has a mind to give theea better portion. For usually, when God gives up men, and resolvesto let them alone in the broad way, he gives them rope, and letsthem have their desires in all hurtful things (Hosea 2:6-15; Psa73:3-13; Rom 11:9). Therefore take heed to this also, that thoustrive not against this hand of God; but betake thyself to a seriousinquiry into the causes of this hand of God upon thee, and inclineto think, it is because the Lord would have thee look to that, whichis better than what thou wouldst satisfy thyself withal. When Godhad a mind to make the prodigal go home to his father, he sent afamine upon him, and denied him a bellyful of the husks which theswine did eat. And observe it, now he was in a strait, he betookhim to consideration of the good that there was in his father'shouse; yea, he resolved to go home to his father, and his fatherdealt well with him; he received him with music and dancing, becausehe had received him safe and sound (Luke 15:14-32). 

(6. ) Hast thou any enticing touches of the Word of God upon thymind? Doth, as it were, some holy word of God give a glance uponthee, cast a smile upon thee, let fall, though it be but one dropof its savour upon thy spirit; yea, though it stays but one momentwith thee? O then the day of grace is not past! The gate of heavenis not shut! nor God's heart and bowels withdrawn from thee asyet. Take heed, therefore, and beware that thou make much of theheavenly gift, and of that good word of God of the which he has madethee taste. Beware, I say, and take heed; there may be a fallingaway for all this; but, I say, as yet God has not left thee, asyet he has not cast thee off (Heb 6:1-9). 

2. With respect to thy desires, what are they? Wouldst thou besaved? Wouldst thou be saved with a thorough salvation? Wouldstthou be saved from guilt and filth too? Wouldst thou be the servantof thy Saviour? Art thou indeed weary of the service of thy oldmaster the devil, sin, and the world? And have these desires putthy soul to the flight? Hast thou, through desires, betaken thyselfto thy heels? Dost fly to him that is a Saviour from the wrath tocome, for life? If these be thy desires, and if they be unfeigned, fear not! Thou are one of those runaways which God has commandedour Lord to receive, and not to send thee back to the devil thymaster again, but to give thee a place in his house, even the placewhich liketh thee best. 'Thou shalt not deliver unto his master, 'says he, 'the servant which is escaped from his master unto thee. He shall dwell with thee, even among you, in that place which heshall choose in one of thy gates, where it liketh him best: thoushalt not oppress him' (Deu 23:15, 16). 

This is a command to the church, consequently to the Head of thechurch; for all commands from God come to her through her Head. Whence I conclude, that as Israel of old was to receive the runawayservant who escaped from a heathen master to them, and should notdare to send him back to his master again; so Christ's church now, and consequently Christ himself, may not, will not, refuse thatsoul that has made his escape from sin, Satan, the world, and hell, unto him, but will certainly let him dwell in his house, among hissaints, in that place which he shall choose, even where it likethhim best. For he says, in another place, 'And him that comethto me, I will in no wise cast out. ' In no wise, let his crimes bewhat they will, either for nature, multitude, or the attendanceof aggravating circumstances. Wherefore, if thy desires be firm, sound, and unfeigned to become the saved of Christ, and his servant, fear not, he will not, he will in no wise put thee away, or turnthee over to thy old master again. 

3. As to thy fears, whatever they are, let that be supposed whichis supposed before, and they are groundless, and so of no weight. 

Objection. But I am afraid I am not [of the] elect, or chosen tosalvation, though you called me fool a little before for so fearing. 

Answer. Though election is, in order, before calling, as to God, yetthe knowledge of calling must go before the belief of my election, as to myself. Wherefore, souls that doubt of the truth of theireffectual calling, do but plunge themselves into a deeper labyrinthof confusion that concern themselves with their election; I mean, while they labour to know it before they prove their calling. 'Makeyour calling, and so your election sure' (2 Peter 1:4-10). 

Wherefore, at present, lay the thoughts of thy election by, andask thyself these questions: Do I see my lost condition? Do I seesalvation is nowhere but in Christ? Would I share in this salvationby faith in him? And would I, as was said before, be thoroughlysaved, to wit, from the filth as from the guilt? Do I love Christ, his Father, his saints, his words, and ways? This is the way toprove we are elect. Wherefore, sinner, when Satan, or thine ownheart, seeks to puzzle thee with election, say thou, I cannot attendto talk of this point now, but stay till I know that I am calledof God to the fellowship of his Son, and then I will show you thatI am elect, and that my name is written in the book of life. 

If poor distressed souls would observe this order, they mightsave themselves the trouble of an unprofitable labour under theseunseasonable and soul-sinking doubts. 41

Let us, therefore, upon the sight of our wretchedness, fly andventurously leap into the arms of Christ, which are now as open toreceive us into his bosom as they were when nailed to the cross. This is coming to Christ for life aright; this is right running awayfrom thy [old] master to him, as was said before. And for this wehave multitudes of Scriptures to support, encourage, and comfortus in our so doing. 

But now, let him that doth thus be sure to look for it, for Satanwill be with him tomorrow, to see if he can get him again to hisold service; and if he cannot do that, then will he enter intodispute with him, to wit, about whether he be elect to life, andcalled indeed to partake of this Christ, to whom he is fled forsuccour, or whether he comes to him of his own presumptuous mind. Therefore we are bid, as to come, so to arm ourselves with thatarmour which God has provided; that we may resist, quench, standagainst, and withstand all the fiery darts of the devil (Eph6:11-18). If, therefore, thou findest Satan in this order to marchagainst thee, remember that thou hadst this item about it; andbetake thyself to faith and good courage, and be sober, and hopeto the end. 

Objection. But how if I should have sinned the sin unpardonable, or that called the sin against the Holy Ghost?

Answer. If thou hast, thou art lost for ever; but yet before itis concluded by thee that thou hast so sinned, know that they thatwould be saved by Jesus Christ, through faith in his blood, cannotbe counted for such. 

1. Because of the promise, for that must not be frustrate: andthat says, 'And him that cometh to Christ, he will in no wise castout. ' And again, 'Whoso will, let him take of the water of lifefreely' (John 6:37; Rev 21:6; 22:17). 

But, I say, how can these Scriptures be fulfilled, if he that wouldindeed be saved, as before said, has sinned the sin unpardonable?The Scripture must not be made void, nor their truth be cast to theground. Here is a promise, and here is a sinner; a promise thatsays he shall not be cast out that comes; and the sinner comes, wherefore he must be received: consequently, he that comes to Christfor life, has not, cannot have sinned that sin for which there isno forgiveness. And this might suffice for an answer to any comingsoul, that fears, though he comes, that he has sinned the sinagainst the Holy Ghost. 

2. But, again, he that has sinned the sin against the Holy Ghostcannot come, has no heart to come, can by no means be made willingto come to Jesus Christ for life; for that he has received such anopinion of him, and of his things, as deters and holds him back. 

(1. ) He counteth this blessed person, this Son of God, a magician, a conjuror, a witch, or one that did, when he was in the world, what he did, by the power and spirit of the devil (Matt 9:34;12:24, 25, &c. ; Mark 3:22-30). Now he that has this opinion of thisJesus, cannot be willing to cast himself at his feet for life, orto come to him as the only way to God and to salvation. And hence itis said again, that such an one puts him to open shame, and treadethhim under foot; that is, by contemning, reproaching, vilifying, and despising of him, as if he were the vilest one, or the greatestcheat in the world; and has, therefore, as to his esteem of him, called him accursed, crucified him to himself, or counted him onehanged, as one of the worst of malefactors (Heb 6:6; 10:29; 1 Cor12:3). 

(2. ) His blood, which is the meritorious cause of man's redemption, even the blood of the everlasting covenant, he counteth 'an unholything, ' or that which has no more virtue in it to save a soul fromsin than has the blood of a dog (Heb 10:29). 42 For when the apostlesays, 'he counts it an unholy thing, ' he means, he makes it of lessvalue than that of a sheep or cow, which were clean according tothe law; and, therefore, must mean, that his blood was of no moreworth to him, in his account, than was the blood of a dog, an ass, or a swine, which always was, as to sacrifices, rejected by the Godof heaven, as unholy or unclean. Now he who has no better esteemof Jesus Christ, and of his death and blood, will not be persuadedto come to him for life, or to trust in him for salvation. 

(3. ) But further, all this must be done against manifest tokens toprove the contrary, or after the shining of gospel light upon thesoul, or some considerable profession of him as the Messiah, orthat he was the Saviour of the world. 

(a. ) It must be done against manifest tokens to prove the contrary;and thus the reprobate Jews committed it when they saw the works ofGod, which put forth themselves in him, and called them the worksof the devil and Beelzebub. 

(b. ) It must be done against some shining light of the gospel uponthem. And thus it was with Judas, and with those who, after theywere enlightened, and had tasted, and had felt something of thepowers of the world to come, fell away from the faith of him, andput him to open shame and disgrace (Heb 6:5, 6). 

(c. ) It must also be done after, and in opposition to one's own openprofession of him. For if, after they have escaped the pollutionof the world, through the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour JesusChrist, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latterend is worse with them than the beginning; for it had been betterfor them not to have know the way of righteousness, than after theyhave known it, to turn from the holy commandment, which is the wordof faith delivered unto them. 

(d. ) All this must be done openly, before witnesses, in the face, sight, and view of the world, by word and act. This is the sinthat is unpardonable; and he that hath thus done, can never, itis impossible he ever should, be renewed again to repentance, andthat for a double reason; first, such an one doth say, he willnot; and [second] of him God says, he shall not have the benefitof salvation by him. 

Objection. But if this be the sin unpardonable, why is it calledthe sin against the Holy Ghost, and not rather the sin against theSon of God?

Answer. It is called 'the sin against the Holy Ghost, ' because suchcount the works he did, which were done by the Spirit of God, theworks of the spirit of the devil. Also because all such as so rejectChrist Jesus the Lord, they do it in despite of that testimonywhich the Holy Ghost has given of him in the holy Scriptures; forthe Scriptures are the breathings of the Holy Ghost, as in allother things, so in that testimony they bear of the person, of theworks, sufferings, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ. 

Sinner, this is the sin against the Holy Ghost. What sayest thou?Hast thou committed it? Nay, I know thou hast not, if thou wouldstbe saved by Christ. Yea, it is impossible that thou shouldst havedone it, if indeed thou wouldst be saved by him. No man can desireto be saved by him, who he yet judgeth to be an impostor, a magician, a witch. No man can hope for redemption by that blood which he yetcounteth an unholy thing. Nor will God ever suffer such an one torepent, who has, after light and profession of him, thus horribly, and devil-like, contemned and trampled upon him. 

True, words, and wars, and blasphemies, against this Son of man, are pardonable; but then they must be done 'ignorantly, and inunbelief. ' Also, all blasphemous thoughts are likewise such as maybe passed by, if the soul afflicted with them, indeed is sorry forthem (1 Tim 1:13-15; Mark 3:28). 

All but this, sinner, all but this! If God had said, he will forgiveone sin, it had been undeserved grace; but when he says he willpardon all but one, this is grace to the height. Nor is that oneunpardonable otherwise, but because the Saviour that should savethem is rejected and put away. Jacob's ladder; Christ is Jacob'sladder that reacheth up to heaven; and he that refuseth to go bythis ladder thither, will scarce by other means get up so high. There is none other name given under heaven, among men, wherebywe must be saved. There is none other sacrifice for sin than this;he also, and he only, is the Mediator that reconcileth men to God. And, sinner, if thou wouldst be saved by him, his benefits arethine; yea, though thou art a great and Jerusalem transgressor. 43

FOOTNOTES:

1 Having preached many times, and from various texts, upon thissubject, the whole substance of many sermons is here published. --Ed. 

2 The Jews, and their sacred city, are standing monuments of God'sdreadful vengeance against unbelief in rejecting the Lord Christ, in whom alone is salvation. The Lord give us grace to prize and improvegospel privileges, lest we also be cut off, through unbelief. --Mason. 

3 The higher a people rise under the means, the lower will betheir fall if they slight them. O highly-favoured England! Tyreand Sidon, Sodom and Gomorrah, will have a milder hell than thycarnal, hypocritical, Christless children. --Mason. 

4 All the objections are on the sinner's side, through unbelief. Christ answers them all in one word, 'Whosoever will, let him comeand take of the water of life freely'; and, 'Whosoever cometh, Iwill in no wise cast out. ' Lord, put forth thy power, and give thewill. --Mason. 

5 In this quotation, Bunyan has followed the reading in the Genevanor Puritan version. --Ed. 

6 An arrow, dipped in the blood of Jesus, will subdue the mostobdurate heart it reaches, even those bitter enemies to Christ, the priests. --Mason. 

7 This quotation is from the Genevan or Puritan version--Ed. 

8 'Death was swallowing of them down. ' How very striking and fullof truth is this expression! For, in proportion as the sinnerviolates the Divine law, so he rushes into the jaws of death anddestruction. Obedience to the Divine law preserves health, bestowshappiness, and prolongs life. --Ed. 

9 'Rowl in his bowels'; intense affection: see Philemon 12. --Ed. 

10 'Wheals'; pimples, or small swellings filled with matter. --Ed. 

11 'As physicians do' can now hardly be understood. In Bunyan'sdays, all physicians put forth their bills of 'wonderful cures. '--Ed. 

12 'Hedge-creepers'; footpads. --Ed. 

13 O sinner, beseech the Lord to enable you to welcome the gracethat is welcoming you; then you shall find it, in the Lord's time, that you shall be made as kindly welcome as ever a sinner was thatis now a glorified saint. --Mason. 

14 This idea is most ingeniously and admirably displayed in Bunyan'sbeautiful allegory, 'The Holy War. '--Ed. 

15 'A muse'; deep thought. Vulgo` vocatum, 'a brown study. ' Bunyanused this word in the same sense in the first edition of 'ThePilgrim's Progress, ' at the Interpreter's house: 'Now was Christiansomewhat in a muse. ' It was afterwards altered, but not improved, by substituting the words, 'in a maze. '--Ed. 

16 Among all the wondrous sights that angels witness, one givesthem peculiar joy--it is the poor penitent prodigal returning toGod, Luke 15:10. --Ed. 

17 This was printed in the first edition, 'the biggest sin. '--Ed. 

18 How strongly does this dialogue bring to our recollection thatbetween Christian and Apollyon in the 'The Pilgrim's Progress?'--Ed. 

19 'I stunck, ' in the original edition, probably meant, 'I stuck';but all the later editions have, 'I stunk. '--Ed. 

20 'Clouts'; patches, Joshua 9:5

21 I cannot discover in what book Bunyan read this legend; it isnot in the "Golden Legend, " or any of my monkish authors. It was agenerally received opinion, among the ancients, that Mary Magdalenewas sister to Lazarus; but the means of her conversion is not known. The story here related is possible, and even probable; but it hasno foundation in the inspired writings, nor in ancient authors. --Ed. 

22 Thus Zaccheus said: 'Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I giveto the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man, by falseaccusation, I restore fourfold. ' The law of God requires us, dim-sighted as we are, to see our sins in their real magnitude, but the perversity of man turns the telescope to diminish them. --Ed. 

23 'The friends thereof in their reason' were the words used inthe first three editions by Bunyan. After his decease, they werealtered, in 1697, in a second third edition, and this correctionhas been continued in every subsequent impression. --Ed. 

24 Bunyan has some striking observations upon this word Go, in hiswork on the day of judgment. Those who refused the invitation to'come' and receive life, when in the world, now irresistibly obeythe awful mandate, 'Go, ' and rush into eternal woe. --Ed. 

25 How pointed and faithful are these words? How natural itis for a poor sinner to compare himself with his fellow-worm, andsay, 'Lord, I thank thee that I am not as this publican, ' or asthat murderer--instead of viewing himself in the gospel glass, inthe presence of infinite holiness, and feeling that in his fleshthere is no good thing, but putrefying sores, that he is vile andhell-deserving, and must fall into the arms of Divine mercy, crying, Lord, save, or I perish. --Ed. 

26 'Swoop'; to seize as a hawk does his prey. --Ed. 

27 The convinced sinner is not content with the cry, 'Deliver mefrom the wrath to come, ' but, feeling sin to be his greatest enemy, he earnestly cries for deliverance from its dominion in this world(Psa 143). --Ed. 

28 'At the catch. ' See the dialogue between Faithful and Talkativein 'The Pilgrim's Progress. '--Ed. 

29 Printed, 'far, ' in the first and second editions; altered to'fast, ' in third and subsequent editions. --Ed. 

30 The blind men, who implored the mercy of Jesus, would not bechecked even by the multitude, but cried so much the more. Whena true sense of misery urges, neither men nor devils can stop thecry for mercy, till Jesus has compassion and heals their spiritualmaladies. --Mason. 

31 Quoted from the Puritan or Genevan version of the Bible; ourtranslation has, 'He that covereth. '--Ed. 

32 'Long of Jesus Christ'; a provincial expression, meaning 'allthis belongs to us by Jesus Christ. '--Ed. 

33 How admirable an illustration is this of the Slough of Despond, into which Christian and Pliable fell in 'The Pilgrim's Progress. '--Ed. 

34 This illustrates Bunyan's meaning of the Giant of Sophistry, named Maul, whose head was cut off by Great-heart, in the SecondPart of 'The Pilgrim's Progress. '--Ed. 

35 The treasures of this bank are inexhaustible and unsearchable. Oh for faith, that we may draw largely upon its infinite riches!--Ed. 

36 'Incidence'; the direction with which one body strikes another;now obsolete. --Ed. 

37 A sour, crabbed Christian, is a contradiction in terms. Theprecept is, 'Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgivingone another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you'(Eph 4:31). --Mason

38 The true branches in Christ, the heavenly vine, are made fruitfulin love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. By these it will appear that Christ isformed within us. Mere 'lick of the tongue' love, without these, is an unsubstantial shadow. --Ed. 

39 'Be so taunted'; in editions previous to 1697. --Ed. 

40 'At least wise'; to say the least. --Ed. 

41 This is the proper test for a perplexed soul, when troubledabout his election. If I love Christ, and am desirous to obey him, it is because he first loved me; and this is the surest proof ofelection. Hear the voice of God, 'Whosoever believeth in me shallnot perish, but have eternal life'; and so Paul, 'As many as wereordained to eternal life believed' (Acts 13:48). --Ed. 

42 How very forcible is this appeal to those who profess to believethe inspiration of the Bible, but yet reject the atonement ofChrist. It is to make the typical sacrifice of the clean beasts, under the law, of greater value than that of the great antitype--theSon of God. --Ed. 

43 The reason why those who are guilty of the blasphemy against theHoly Ghost are never forgiven, is not for want of any sufficiencyin the blood of Christ, or in the pardoning mercy of God, butbecause they never repent of that sin, and never seek to God formercy through Christ, but continue obstinate till death. --Mason. 

***

THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL, AND

UNSPEAKABLENESS 0F THE LOSS THEREOF;

WITH THE CAUSES OF THE LOSING IT. 

FIRST PREACHED AT PINNER'S HALL and now ENLARGED AND PUBLISHED FORGOOD. 

By JOHN BUNYAN, London: Printed for Benjamin Alsop, at the Angel and Bible in thePoultry, 1682

Faithfully reprinted from the Author's First Edition. 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

Our curiosity is naturally excited to discover what a poor, unletteredmechanic, whose book-learning had been limited to the contents ofone volume, could by possibility know upon a subject so abstruse, so profound, and so highly metaphysical, as that of the Soul--itsgreatness--and the inconceivableness of its loss. Heathen philosophers, at the head of whose formidable array stand Plato and Aristotle, had exhausted their wit, and had not made the world a whit the wiserby all their lucubrations. The fathers plunged into the subject, and increased the confusion; we are confounded with their subtledistinctions, definitions, and inquiries; such as that attributedto St. Aquinas, How many disembodied spirits could dance upon thepoint of a fine needle without jostling each other? Learned divineshad puzzled themselves and their hearers with suppositions andabstract principles. What, then, could a travelling brasier, ortinker, have discovered to excite the attention of the Christianworld, and to become a teacher to philosophers, fathers, and learneddivines? Bunyan found no access to the polluted streams of a vainphilosophy; he went at once to the fountain-head; and, in the purelight of Revelation, displays the human soul--infinitely great invalue, although in a fallen state. He portrays it as drawn by theunerring hand of its Maker. He sets forth, by the glass of God'sWord, the inconceivableness of its value, while progressing throughtime; and, aided by the same wondrous glass, he penetrates theeternal world, unveils the joys of heaven and the torments of hell--sofar as they are revealed by the Holy Ghost, and are conceivable tohuman powers. While he thus leads us to some kind of estimate ofits worth, he, from the same source--the only source from whencesuch knowledge can be derived, makes known the causes of the lossof the soul, and leads his trembling readers to the only name underheaven given among men, whereby they can be saved. In attemptingto conceive the greatness and value of the soul, the importance ofthe body is too often overlooked. The body, it is true, is of theearth; the soul is the breath of God. The body is the habitation;the soul is the inhabitant. The body returns to the dust; while thesoul enters into the intermediate state, waiting to be re-unitedto the body after its new creation, when death shall be swallowedup of life. In these views, the soul appears to be vastly superiorto the body. But let it never be forgotten, that, as in this life, so it will be in the everlasting state; the body and soul are sointimately connected as to become one being, capable of exquisitehappiness, or existing in the pangs of everlasting death. He whofelt and wrote as Bunyan does in this solemn treatise, and whosetongue was as the pen of a ready writer, must have been wiseand successful in winning souls to Christ. He felt their infinitevalue, he knew their strong and their weak points, their riches andpoverty. He was intimate with every street and lane in the townof Man-soul, and how and where the subtle Diabolians shifted aboutto hide themselves in the walls, and holes, and corners. He soundsthe alarm, and plants his engines against 'the eye as the window, and the ear as the door, for the soul to look out at, and toreceive in by. ' He detects the wicked in speaking with his feet, and teaching with his fingers. His illustration of the punishmentof a sinner, as set forth by the sufferings of the Saviour, ispeculiarly striking. The attempt to describe the torments of thosewho suffer under the awful curse, 'Go ye wicked, ' is awfully andintensely vivid. 

Bunyan most earnestly exhorts the distressed sinner to go direct tothe great Shepherd and Bishop of souls, and not to place confidencein those who pretend to be his ministers; but 'who are falseshepherds, in so many ugly guises, and under so many false andscandalous dresses;' 'take heed of that shepherd that careth notfor his own soul, that walketh in ways, and doth such things, ashave a direct tendency to damn his own soul; come not near him. He that feeds his own soul with ashes, will scarce feed thee withthe bread of life. ' Choose Christ to be thy chief Shepherd, sitat his feet, and learn of him and he will direct thee to such asshall feed thy soul with knowledge and understanding. 

Reader, let me no longer keep thee upon the threshold but enter uponthis important treatise with earnest prayer; and may the blessedSpirit enable us to live under a sense of the greatness of the soul, the unspeakableness of the loss thereof, the causes of losing it, and the only way in which its salvation can he found. 

GEORGE OFFOR. Hackney, April 1850

THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL, AND UNSPEAKABLENESS OF THE LOSS THEREOF

'OR WHAT SHALL A MAN GIVE IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL?'--MARK 8:37. 

I HAVE chosen at this time to handle these words among you, andthat for several reasons:--

l. Because the soul, and the salvation of it, are such great, suchwonderful great things; nothing is a matter of that concern as is, and should be, the soul of each one of you. House and land, tradesand honours, places and preferments, what are they to salvation?to the salvation of the soul?

2. Because I perceive that this so great a thing, and about whichpersons should be so much concerned, is neglected to amazement, andthat by the most of men; yea, who is there of the many thousandsthat sit daily under the sound of the gospel that are concerned, heartily concerned, about the salvation of their souls?--that is, concerned, I say, as the nature of the thing requireth. If evera lamentation was fit to be taken up in this age about, for, orconcerning anything, it is about, for, and concerning the horridneglect that everywhere puts forth itself with reference to salvation. Where is one man in a thousand--yea, where is there two of tenthousand that do show by their conversation, public and private, that the soul, their own souls, are considered by them, and thatthey are taking that care for the salvation of them as becomesthem--to wit, as the weight of the work, and the nature of salvationrequireth?

3. I have therefore pitched upon this text at this time; to see, if peradventure the discourse which God shall help me to make uponit, will awaken you, rouse you off your beds of ease, security, andpleasure, and fetch you down upon your knees before Him, to beg ofHim grace to be concerned about the salvation of your souls. Andthen, in the last place, I have taken upon me to do this, thatI may deliver, if not you, yet myself, and that I may be clear ofyour blood, and stand quit, as to you, before God, when you shall, for neglect, be damned, and wail to consider that you have lostyour souls. 'When I say, ' saith God, 'unto the wicked, Thou shaltsurely die; and thou, ' the prophet or preacher, 'givest him notwarning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, tosave his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; buthis blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not front his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, heshall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul' (Eze3:18, 19). 

'Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?'

In my handling of these words, I shall first speak to the occasionof them, and then to the words themselves. 

The occasion of the words was, for that the people that now wereauditors to the Lord Jesus, and that followed him, did it withoutthat consideration as becomes so great a work--that is, the generalityof them that followed Him were not for considering first withthemselves, what it was to profess Christ, and what that professionmight cost them. 

'And when he had called the people unto him, ' the great multitudethat went with him (Luke14:25) 'with his disciples also, he saidunto them, 'Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me (Mark 8:34). Let him first sitdown and count up the cost, and the charge he is like to be at, ifhe follows me. For following of me is not like following of someother masters. The wind sits always on my face, and the foaming rageof the sea of this world, and the proud and lofty waves thereof, do continually beat upon the sides of the bark of the ship thatmyself, my cause, and my followers are in; he therefore that willnot run hazards, and that is afraid to venture a drowning, let himnot set foot into this vessel. So whosever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, he cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first and counteththe cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it (Luke 14:27-29). 

True, to reason, this kind of language tends to cast water uponweak and beginning desires, but to faith, it makes the things setbefore us, and the greatness, and the glory of them, more apparentlyexcellent and desirable. Reason will say, Then who will professChrist that hath such coarse entertainment at the beginning? butfaith will say, Then surely the things that are at the end of aChristian's race in this world must needs be unspeakably glorious;since whoever hath had but the knowledge and due consideration ofthem, have not stuck to run hazards, hazards of every kind, thatthey might embrace and enjoy them. Yea, saith faith, it must needsbe so, since the Son himself, that best knew what they were, even, 'for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despisingthe shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God'(Heb 12:2). 

But, I say, there is not in every man this knowledge of things andso by consequence not such consideration as can make the cross andself-denial acceptable to them for the sake of Christ, and of thethings that are where He now sitteth at the right hand of God (Col3:2-4). Therefore our Lord Jesus doth even at the beginning giveto His followers this instruction. And lest any of them should takedistaste at His saying, He presenteth them with the considerationof three things together--namely, the cross, the loss of life, andthe soul; and then reasoneth with them from the same, saying, Hereis the cross, the life, and the soul. 

1. The cross, and that you must take up, if you will follow Me. 

2. The life, and that you may save for a time, if you cast Me off. 

3. And the soul, which will everlastingly perish if you come notto Me, and abide not with Me. 

Now consider what is best to be done. Will you take up the cross, come after Me, and so preserve your souls from perishing? or willyou shun the cross to save your lives, and so run the danger ofeternal damnation? Or, as you have it in John, will you love yourlife till you lose it? or will you hate your life, and save it? 'Hethat loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life inthis world shall keep it unto life eternal' (John 12:25). As whoshould say, He that loveth a temporal life, he that so loveth it, as to shun the profession of Christ to save it, shall lose it upona worse account, than if he had lost it for Christ and the gospel;but he that will set light by it, for the love that he hath toChrist, shall keep it unto life eternal. 

Christ having thus discoursed with His followers about their denyingof themselves, their taking up their cross and following of Him, doth, in the next place, put the question to them, and so leavethit upon them for ever, saying, 'For what shall it profit a man, ifhe shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?' (Mark 8:36). As who should say, I have bid you take heed that you do not lightly, and without due consideration, enter into a profession of Me andof My gospel; for he that without due consideration shall begin toprofess Christ, will also without it forsake Him, turn from Him, andcast Him behind his back; and since I have even at the beginning, laid the consideration of the cross before you, it is because youshould not be surprised and overtaken by it unawares, and becauseyou should know that to draw back from Me after you have laid yourhand to My plough, will make you unfit for the kingdom of heaven(Luke 9:62). 

Now, since this is so, there is no less lies at stake than salvation, and salvation is worth all the world, yea, worth ten thousandworlds, if there should be so many. And since this is so also, itwill be your wisdom to begin to profess the gospel with expectationof the cross and tribulation, for to that are my gospellers1 inthis world appointed (James 1:12; 1 Thess 3:3). And if you beginthus, and hold it, the kingdom and crown shall be yours; for as Godcounteth it a righteous thing to recompense tribulation to themthat trouble you, so to you who are troubled and endure it, for 'wecount them happy, ' says James, 'that endure, ' (James 5:11), restwith saints, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven withHis mighty angels in flaming fire, to take vengeance on them thatknow not God, and that obey not the gospel, etc. (2 Thess 1:7, 8). And if no less lies at stake than salvation, then is a man's souland his all at the stake; and if it be so, what will it profita man if, by forsaking of Me, he should get the whole world? 'Forwhat shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, andlose his own soul?'

Having thus laid the soul in one balance, and the world in theother, and affirmed that the soul out-bids the whole world, and isincomparably for value and worth beyond it; in the next place, hedescends to a second question, which is that I have chosen at thistime for my text, saying, 'Or what shall a man give in exchangefor his soul?'

In these words, we have first a supposition, and such an one asstandeth upon a double bottom. The supposition is this--That thesoul is capable of being lost; or thus--'Tis possible for a man tolose his soul. The double bottom that this supposition is groundedupon is, first, a man's ignorance of the worth of his soul, and ofthe danger that it is in; and the second is, for that men commonlydo set a higher price upon present ease and enjoyments than theydo upon eternal salvation. The last of these doth naturally followupon the first; for if men be ignorant of the value and worthof their souls, as by Christ in the verse before is implied, whatshould hinder but that men should set a higher esteem upon thatwith which their carnal desires are taken, than upon that aboutwhich they are not concerned, and of which they know not the worth. 

But again, as this by the text is clearly supposed, so to here isalso something implied; namely, that it is impossible to possesssome men with the worth of their souls until they are utterly andeverlastingly lost. 'What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?'That is, men when their souls are lost, and shut down under thehatches in the pits and hells in endless perdition and destruction, then they will see the worth of their souls, then they will considerwhat they have lost, and truly not till then. This is plain, notonly to sense, but by the natural scope of the words, 'What shalla man give in exchange for his soul?' Or what would not those thatare now for sin, made to see themselves lost, by the light of hellfire--for some will never be convinced that they are lost till, withrich Dives, they see it in the light of hell flames (Luke 16:22, 23). I say, what would not such, if they had it, give in exchangefor their immortal souls, or to recover them again from that placeand torment?2

I shall observe two truths in the words. 

The first is, That the loss of the soul is the highest, the greatestloss--a loss that can never be repaired or made up. 'What shall aman give in exchange for his soul?'--that is, to recover or redeemhis lost soul to liberty?

The second truth is this, That how unconcerned and careless soeversome now be, about the loss or salvation of their souls, yet the dayis coming; but it will then be too late, when men will be willing, had they never so much, to give it all in exchange for their souls. For so the question implies--'What will a man give in exchange forhis soul?' What would he not give? What would he not part with atthat day, the day in which he will see himself damned, if he hadit, in exchange for his soul?

The first observation, or truth, drawn from the words is cleared bythe text, 'What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?'--thatis, there is not anything, nor all the things under heaven, werethey all in one man's hand, and all at his disposal, that wouldgo in exchange for the soul, that would be of value to fetch backone lost soul, or that would certainly recover it from the confinesof hell. 'The redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceasethfor ever' (Psa 49:8). And what saith the words before the text butthe same--'For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain thewhole world, and lose his own soul?' What shall profit a man thathas lost his soul? Nothing at all, though he hath by that loss gainedthe whole world; for all the world is not worth a sou1, not wortha soul in the eye of God and judgment of the law. And it is fromthis consideration that good Elihu cautioneth Job to take heed, 'Because there is wrath, ' saith he, 'beware lest He take thee awaywith His stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. Will Heesteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength'(Job 36:18, 19). Riches and power, what is there more in the world?for money answereth all things--that is, all but soul concerns. It can neither be a price for souls while here, nor can that, withall the forces of strength, recover one out of hell fire. 

DOCTRINE FIRST. 

So then, the first truth drawn from the words stands firm--namely, That the loss of the soul is the highest, the greatest loss; a lossthat can never be repaired or made up. 

In my discourse upon this subject, I shall observe this method:--

FIRST, I shall show you what the soul is. 

SECOND, I shall show you the greatness of it. 

THIRD, I shall show you what it is to lose the soul. 

FOURTH, I shall show you the cause for which men lose their souls;and by this time the greatness of the loss will be manifest. 

[WHAT THE SOUL IS. ]

FIRST, I shall show you what the soul is, both as to the variousnames it goes under, as also, by describing of it by its powersand properties, though in all I shall be but brief, for I intendno long discourse. 3

[Names of the Soul. ]

1. The soul is often called the heart of man, or that, in and bywhich things to either good or evil, have their rise; thus desiresare of the heart or soul; yea, before desires, the first conceptionof good or evil is in the soul, the heart. The heart understands, wills, affects, reasons, judges, but these are the faculties ofthe soul; wherefore, heart and soul are often taken for one andthe same. 'My son, give me thine heart' (Prov 23:26). 'Out of theheart proceed evil thoughts, ' etc. (Matt 15:19; 1 Peter 3:15; Psa26:2). 

2. The soul of man is often called the spirit of a man; because itnot only giveth being, but life to all things and actions in anddone by him. Hence soul and spirit are put together, as to thesame notion. 'With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early' (Isa 26:9). Whenhe saith, 'Yea, with my spirit--will I seek thee, ' he explainethnot only with what kind of desires he desired God, but with whatprincipal matter his desires were brought forth. It was with mysoul, saith he; to wit, with my spirit within me. So that of Mary, 'My soul, ' saith she, 'doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hathrejoiced in God my Saviour' (Luke 1:46, 47). Not that soul andspirit are, in this place, to be taken for two superior powers inman; but the same great soul is here put under two names, or terms, to show that it was the principal part in Mary; to wit, her soul, that magnified God, even that part that could spirit and put lifeinto her whole self to do it. Indeed, sometimes spirit is not takenso largely, but is confined to some one power or faculty of the soul, as 'the spirit of my understanding, ' (Job 20:3) 'and be renewed inthe spirit of your mind. ' And sometime by spirit we are to understandother things; but many times by spirit we must understand the soul, and also by soul the spirit. 

3. Therefore, by soul we understand the spiritual, the best, andmost noble part of man, as distinct from the body, even that bywhich we understand, imagine, reason, and discourse. And, indeed, as I shall further show you presently, the body is but a poor, empty vessel, without this great thing called the soul. 'The bodywithout the spirit, ' or soul, 'is dead' (James 2:26). Or nothingbut (her soul departed from her, for she died). It is, therefore, the chief and most noble part of man. 

4. The soul is often called the life of man, not a life of thesame stamp and nature of the brute; for the life of man--that is, of the rational creature--is, that, as he is such, wherein consistethand abideth the understanding and conscience etc. Wherefore, then, a man dieth, or the body ceaseth to act, or live in the exerciseof the thoughts, which formerly used to be in him, when the souldeparteth, as I hinted even now--her soul departed from her, for shedied; and, as another good man saith, 'in that very day his thoughtsperish, ' etc. (Psa 146:4). The first text is more emphatical; Hersoul was in departing (for she died). There is the soul of a beast, a bird, etc. , but the soul of a man is another thing; it is hisunderstanding, and reason, and conscience, etc. And this soul, when it departs, he dies. Nor is this life, when gone out of thebody, annihilate, as is the life of a beast; no, this, in itself, is immortal, and has yet a place and being when gone out of thebody it dwelt in; yea, as quick, as lively is it in its senses, ifnot far more abundant, than when it was in the body; but I call itthe life, because so long as that remains in the body, the body isnot dead. And in this sense it is to be taken where he saith 'Hethat loseth his life for my sake shall find it' unto life eternal;and this is the soul that is intended in the text, and not thebreath, as in some other places is meant. And this is evident, because the man has a being, a sensible being, after he has lostthe soul. I mean not by the man a man in this world, nor yet inthe body, or in the grave; but by man we must understand, eitherthe soul in hell, or body and soul there, after the judgment isover. And for this the text, also, is plain, for therein we arepresented with a man sensible of the damage that he has sustainedby losing of his soul. 'What shall a man give in exchange for hissoul?' But, 5. The whole man goeth under this denomination; man, consisting ofbody and soul, is yet called by that part of himself that is mostchief and principal. 'Let every soul, ' that is, let every man, 'besubject unto the higher powers' (Rom 13:1). 'Then sent Joseph, andcalled his father Jacob to him, and all his kindred, three-scoreand fifteen souls (Acts 7:14). By both these, and several otherplaces, the whole man is meant, and is also so to be taken in thetext; for whereas here he saith, 'What shall it profit a man, ifhe shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?' It is saidelsewhere, 'For what is a man advantaged if he gain the wholeworld, and lose himself?' (Luke 9:25) and so, consequently, or, 'What shall a man give in exchange (for himself) for his soul?'His soul when he dies, and body and soul in and after judgment. 

6. The soul is called the good man's darling. 'Deliver, ' Lord, saith David, 'my soul from the sword; my darling from the power ofthe dog' (Psa 22:20). So, again, in another place, he saith, 'Lord, how long wilt thou look on? rescue my soul from their destructions, mydarling from the [power of the] lions' (Psa 35:17). My darling--thissentence must not be applied universally, but only to those inwhose eyes their souls, and the redemption thereof, is precious. My darling--most men do, by their actions, say of their soul, 'mydrudge, my slave; nay, thou slave to the devil and sin; for whatsin, what lust, what sensual and beastly lust is there in the worldthat some do not cause their souls to bow before and yield unto?But David, here, as you see, calls it his darling, or his choiceand most excellent thing; for, indeed, the soul is a choice thingin itself, and should, were all wise, be every man's darling, orchief treasure. And that it might be so with us, therefore, ourLord Jesus hath thus expressed the worth of the soul, saying, 'Whatshall a man give in exchange for his soul?' But if this is true, one may see already what misery he is like to sustain that has, orshall lose his soul; he has lost his heart, his spirit, his bestpart, his life, his darling, himself, his whole self, and so, inevery sense, his all. And now, 'what shall a man, ' what would aman, but what can a man that has lost his soul, himself, and hisall, 'give in exchange for his soul?' Yea, what shall the man thathas sustained this loss do to recover all again, since this man, orthe man put under this question, must needs be a man that is gonefrom hence, a man that is cast in the judgment, and one that isgone down the throat of hell?

But to pass this, and to proceed. 

[Powers and Properties of the Soul. ]

I come next to describe the soul unto you by such things as itis set out by in the Holy Scriptures, and they are, in general, three--First, The powers of the soul. Second, The senses, thespiritual senses of the soul. Third, The passions of the soul. 

Of the powers of the soul. 

First, We will discourse of the powers, I may call them the membersof the soul; for, as the members of the body, being many, do allgo to the making up of the body, so these do go to the completingof the soul. 

1. There is the understanding, which may be termed the head; becausein that is placed the eye of the soul; and this is that which, orby which the soul, discerning things that are presented to it, andthat either by God or Satan; this is that by which a man conceivethand apprehendeth things so deep and great that cannot, by mouth, or tongue, or pen, be expressed. 

2. There is, also, belonging to the soul, the conscience, inwhich I may say, is placed the Seat of Judgment; for, as by theunderstanding things are let into the soul, so by the consciencethe evil or good of such things are tried; especially when in the

3. Third place, there is the judgment, which is another part ofthis noble creature, has passed, by the light of the understanding, his verdict upon what is let into the soul. 4

4. There is, also, the fancy or imagination, another part of thisgreat thing, the sou1: and a most curious thing this fancy is; itis that which presenteth to the man the idea, form, or figure ofthat, or any of those things, wherewith a man is either frightedor taken, pleased or displeased. And, 5. The mind, another part of the soul, is that unto which thisfancy presenteth its things to be considered of; because withoutthe mind nothing is entertained in the soul. 

6. There is the memory too, another part of the soul; and thatmay be called the register of the soul; for it is the memory thatreceiveth and keepeth in remembrance what has passed, or has beendone by the man, or attempted to be done unto him; and in this partof the soul, or from it, will be fed 'the worm that dieth not, ' whenmen are cast into hell; also, from this memory will flow that peaceat the day of judgment that saints shall have in their service forChrist in the world. 

7. There are the affections too, which are, as I may call them, the hands and arms of the soul; for they are they that take holdof, receive, and embrace what is liked by the soul, and it is a hardthing to make the soul of a man cast from it what its affectionscleave to and have embraced. Hence the affections are called for, when the apostle bids men 'seek the things above; set your affectionsupon them, ' saith he (Col 3), or, as you have it in another place, 'Lay hold' of them; for the affections are as hands to the soul, and they by which it fasteneth upon things. 

8. There is the will, which may be called the foot of the soul, because by that the soul, yea, the whole man, is carried hitherand thither, or else held back and kept from moving. 5

These are the golden things of the soul, though, in carnal men, they are every one of them made use of in the service of sin andSatan. For the unbelieving are throughout impure, as is manifest, because their 'mind and conscience (two of the masterpieces of thesoul) is defiled' (Titus 1:15). For if the most potent parts of thesoul are engaged in their service, what, think you, do the moreinferior do? But, I say, so it is the more is the pity; nor canany help it. 'This work ceaseth for ever, ' unless the great God, who is over all, and that can save souls, shall himself take uponhim to sanctify the soul, and to recover it, and persuade it tofall in love with another master. 

But, I say, what is man without this soul, or wherein lieth thispre-eminence over a beast? (Eccl 3:19-21). Nowhere that I know of;for both, as to man's body, go to one place, only the spirit orsoul of a man goes upward--to wit, to God that gave it, to be byHim disposed of with respect to things to come, as they have been, and have done in this life, But, Of the senses of the soul. 

Second, I come, in the next place, to describe the soul by itssenses, its spiritual senses, for so I call them; for as the bodyhath senses pertaining to it, and as it can see, hear, smell, feel, and taste, so can the soul; I call, therefore, these the sensesof the soul, in opposition to the senses of the body, and becausethe soul is the seat of all spiritual sense, where supernaturalthings are known and enjoyed; not that the soul of a natural man isspiritual in the apostle's sense, for so none are, but those thatare born from above (1 Cor 3:1-3) nor they so always neither. Butto go forward. 

Of sight. 

1. Can the body see? hath it eyes? so hath the soul. 'The eyes ofyour understanding being enlightened' (Eph 1:18). As, then, thebody can see beasts, trees, men, and all visible things, so thesoul can see God, Christ, angels, heaven, devils, hell, and otherthings that are invisible; nor is this property only peculiar tothe souls that are illuminate by the Holy Ghost, for the most carnalsoul in the world shall have a time to see these things, but notto its comfort, but not to its joy, but to its endless woe andmisery, it dying in that condition. Wherefore, sinner, say notthou, 'I shall not see Him; for judgment is before Him, ' and Hewill make thee see Him (Job 35:14). 

Of hearing. 

2. Can the body hear? hath it ears? so hath the soul (Job 4:12, 13). It is the soul, not the body, that hears the language of thingsinvisible. It is the soul that hears God when He speaks in and byHis Word and Spirit; and it is the soul that hears the devil whenhe speaks by his illusions and temptations. True, there is such anunion between the soul and the body, that ofttimes, if not always, that which is heard by the ears of the body doth influence thesoul, and that which is heard by the soul doth also influence thebody; but yet as to the organ of hearing, the body hath one ofits own, distinct from that of the soul, and the soul can hear andregard even then, when the body doth not nor cannot; as in time ofsleep, deep sleep and trances, when the body lieth by as a thingthat is useless. 'For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man, (as tohis body) perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; thenhe openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, ' etc. (Job 33:14-16). This must be meant of the ears of the soul, notof the body; for that at this time is said to be in deep sleep;moreover this hearing, it is a hearing of dreams, and the visionsof the night. Jeremiah also tells us that he had the rare andblessed visions of God in his sleep (Jer 21:26). And so doth Danieltoo, by the which they were greatly comforted and refreshed; butthat could not be, was not the soul also capable of hearing. 'Iheard the voice of His words, ' said Daniel, 'and when I heard thevoice of His words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and myface toward the ground' (Dan 10:8, 9). 

Of tasting. 

3. As the soul can see and hear, so it can taste and relish, evenas really as doth the palate belonging to the body. 6 But then thethings so tasted must be that which is suited to the temper andpalate of the soul. The soul's taste lieth not in, nor is exercisedabout meats, the meats that are for the belly. Yet the soul of asaint can taste and relish God's Word (Heb 6:5), and doth ofttimesfind it sweeter than honey (Psa 19:10) nourishing as milk (1 Peter2:2), and strengthening like to strong meat (Heb 5:12-14). The soulalso of sinners, and of those that are unsanctified, can taste andrelish, though not the things now mentioned, yet things that agreewith their fleshly minds, and with their polluted, and defiled, andvile affections. They can relish and taste that which delighteththem; yea, they can find soul-delight in an alehouse, a whorehouse, a playhouse. Ay, they find pleasure in the vilest things, in thethings most offensive to God, and that are most destructive tothemselves. This is evident to sense, and is proved by the dailypractice of sinners. Nor is the Word barren as to this: They 'feedon ashes' (Isa 44:20). They 'spend their money for that which isnot bread' (Isa 55:2). Yea, they eat and suck sweetness out of sin. 'They eat up the sin of My people' as they eat bread (Hosea 4:8). 

Of smelling. 

4. As the soul can see, hear, and taste, so it can smell, andbrings refreshment to itself that way. Hence the church saith, 'Myfingers dropped with sweet-smelling myrrh;' and again, she saithof her beloved, that 'his lips dropped sweet-smelling-myrrh' (Song5:5, 13). But how came the church to understand this, but becauseher soul did smell that in it that was to be smelled in it, evenin his word and gracious visits? The poor world, indeed, cannotsmell, or savour anything of the good and fragrant scent and sweetthat is in Christ; but to them that believe, 'Thy name is as ointmentpoured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee' (Song 1:3). 

Of feeling. 

5. As the soul can see, taste, hear, and smell, so it hath thesense of feeling, as quick and as sensible as the body. He knowsnothing that knows not this; he whose soul is 'past feeling, ' hashis 'conscience seared with a hot iron' (Eph 4:18, 19; 1 Tim 4:2). Nothing so sensible as the soul, nor feeleth so quickly the loveand mercy, or the anger and wrath of God. Ask the awakened man, orthe man that is under the convictions of the law, if he doth notfeel? and he will quickly tell you that he faints and dies away byreason of God's hand, and His wrath that lieth upon him. Read thefirst eight verses of the 38th Psalm; if thou knowest nothing ofwhat I have told thee by experience; and there thou shalt hear thecomplaints of one whose soul lay at present under the burden ofguilt, and that cried out that without help from heaven he couldby no means bear the same. They also that know what the peace ofGod means, and what an eternal weight there is in glory know wellthat the soul has the sense of feeling, as well as the senses ofseeing, hearing, tasting, and smelling. But thus much for the sensesof the soul. 

Of the passions of the soul. 

Third, I come, in the next place, to describe the soul by thepassions of the soul. The passions of the soul, I reckon, are these, and such like--to wit, love, hatred, joy, fear, grief, anger, etc. And these passions of the soul are not therefore good, nor thereforeevil, because they are the passions of the soul, but are made soby two things--to wit, principle and object. The principle I countthat from whence they flow, and the object that upon which theyare pitched. To explain myself. 

Of love. 

1. For that of love. This is a strong passion; the Holy Ghost saith'it is strong as death, and cruel as the grave' (Song 8:6, 7). Andit is then good, when it flows from faith, and pitcheth itselfupon God in Christ as the object, and when it extendeth itself toall that is good, whether it be the good Word, the good work ofgrace, or the good men that have it, and also to their good lives. But all soul-love floweth not from this principle, neither haththese for its object. How many are there that make the object oftheir love the most vile of men, the most base of things, becauseit flows from vile affections, and from the lusts of the flesh?God and Christ, good laws and good men, and their holy lives, theycannot abide, because their love wanteth a principle that shouldsanctify it in its first motion, and that should steer it to agoodly object. But that is the first. 

Of hatred. 

2. There is hatred, which I count another passion of the soul; andthis, as the other, is good or evil, as the principle from whenceit flows and the object of it are. 'Ye that love the Lord, hateevil' (Psa 97:10). Then, therefore, is this passion good, when itsingleth out from the many thousand of things that are in the worldthat one filthy thing called sin; and when it setteth itself, thesoul, and the whole man, against it, and engageth all the powersof the soul to seek and invent its ruin. 7 But, alas, where shallthis hatred be found? What man is there whose soul is filled withthis passion, thus sanctified by the love of God, and that makessin, which is God's enemy, the only object of its indignation? Howmany be there, I say, whose hatred is turned another way, becauseof the malignity of their minds. 

They hate knowledge (Prov 1:22). They hate God (Deu 7:10; Job21:14). They hate the righteous (2 Chron 29:2; Psa 34:21; Prov29:10). They hate God's ways (Mal 3:14; Prov 8:12). And all is, because the grace of filial fear is not the root and principlefrom whence their hatred flows. 'For the fear of the Lord is tohate evil:' wherefore, where this grace is wanting for a root inthe soul, there it must of necessity swerve in the letting out ofthis passion; because the soul, where grace in wanting, is not atliberty to act simply, but is biased by the power of sin; that, while grace is absent, is present in the soul. And hence it is thatthis passion, which, when acted well, is a virtue, is so abused, and made to exercise its force against that for which God neverordained it, nor gave it license to act. 

Of joy. 

3. Another passion of the soul is joy; and when the soul rejoicethvirtuously, it rejoiceth not in iniquity, 'but rejoiceth in thetruth' (1 Cor 13:6). This joy is a very strong passion, and willcarry a man through a world of difficulties; it is a passion thatbeareth up, that supporteth and strengtheneth a man, let the objectof his joy be what it will. It is this that maketh the soul fat ingoodness, if it have its object accordingly; and that which makesthe soul bold in wickedness, if it indeed doth rejoice in iniquity. 

Of fear. 

4. Another passion of the soul is fear, natural fear; for so youmust understand me of all the passions of the soul, as they areconsidered simply and in their own nature. And, as it is with theother passions, so it is with this; it is made good or evil in itsacts, as its principle and objects are; when this passion of thesoul is good, then it springs from sense of the greatness, andgoodness and majesty of God; also God himself is the object of thisfear'--I will forewarn you, ' says Christ, 'whom ye shall fear. Fearhim that can destroy both body and soul in hell; yea, I say untoyou, Fear him' (Matt 5:28; Luke 7:5). But in all men this passionis not regulated and governed by these principles and objects, but is abused and turned, through the policy of Satan, quite intoanother channel. It is made to fear men (Num 14:9), to fear idols(2 Kings 17:7, 38), to fear devils and witches, yea, it is made tofear all the foolish, ridiculous, and apish fables that every oldwoman or atheistical fortune teller has the face to drop beforethe soul. But fear is another passion of the soul. 

Of grief. 

5. Another passion of the soul is grief, and it, as those afore-named, acteth even according as it is governed. When holiness is lovelyand beautiful to the soul, and when the name of Christ is moreprecious than life, then will the soul sit down and be afflicted, because men keep not God's law. 'I beheld the transgressors, andwas grieved; because they kept not Thy word' (Psa 119:158). SoChrist; He looked round about with anger, 'being grieved for thehardness of their hearts' (Mark 3:5). But it is rarely seen thatthis passion of the soul is thus exercised. Almost everybody hasother things for the spending of the heat of this passion upon. Menare grieved that they thrive no more in the world; grieved thatthey have no more carnal, sensual, and worldly honour; grievedthat they are suffered no more to range in the lusts and vanitiesof this life; but all this is because the soul is unaquainted withGod, sees no beauty in holiness, but is sensual, and wrapt up inclouds and thick darkness. 

Of anger. 

6. And lastly, There is anger, which is another passion of thesoul; and that, as the rest, is extended by the soul, according tothe nature of the principle by which it is acted, and from whenceit flows. And, in a word, to speak nothing of the fierceness andpower of this passion, it is then cursed when it breaketh out beyondthe bounds that God hath set it, the which to be sure it doth, whenit shall by its fierceness or irregular motion, run the soul intosin. 'Be ye angry, and sin not' (Eph 4:26), is the limitationwherewith God hath bounded this passion; and whatever is more thanthis, is a giving place to the devil. And one reason, among others, why the Lord doth so strictly set this bound, and these limits toanger, is, for that it is so furious a passion, and for that it willso quickly swell up the soul with sin, as they say a toad swellswith its poison. Yea, it will in a moment so transport the spiritof a man, that he shall quickly forget himself, his God, his friend, and all good rule. But my business is not now to make a commentupon the passions of the soul, only to show you that there aresuch, and also which they are. 

And now, from this description of the soul, what follows butto put you in mind what a noble, powerful, lively, sensible thingthe soul is, that by the text is supposed may be lost, through theheedlessness, or carelessness, or slavish fear of him whose soulit is; and also to stir you up to that care of, and labour after, the salvation of your soul, as becomes the weight of the matter. If the soul were a trivial thing, or if a man, though he lost it, might yet himself be happy, it were another matter; but the lossof the soul is no small loss, nor can that man that has lost hissoul, had he all the world, yea, the whole kingdom of heaven, inhis own power be but in a most fearful and miserable condition. But of these things more in their place. 

[THE GREATNESS OF THE SOUL. ]

SECOND, Having thus given you a description of the soul, what itis, I shall, in the next place, show you the greatness of it. 

[Of the greatness of the soul, when compared with the body. ]

First, And the first thing that I shall take occasion to make thismanifest by, will be by showing you the disproportion that is betwixtthat and the body; and I shall do it in these following particulars:--

The body a house for the soul. 

1. The body is called the house of the soul, a house for the soulto dwell in. Now everybody knows that the house is much inferiorto him that, by God's ordinance, is appointed to dwell therein;that it is called the house of the soul, you find in Paul to theCorinthians: 'For we know, ' saith he, 'that if our earthly house ofthis tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a housenot made with hands, eternal in the heavens' (2 Cor 5:1). We havethen, a house for our soul in this world, and this house is thebody, for the apostle can mean nothing else; therefore he calls itan earthly house. 'If our earthly house'--our house. But who dothhe personate if he says, This is a house for the soul; for the bodyis part of him that says, Our house?

In this manner of language, he personates his soul with the soulsof the rest that are saved; and thus to do, is common with theapostles, as will be easily discerned by them that give attendanceto reading. Our earthly houses; or, as Job saith, 'houses of clay, 'for our bodies are bodies of clay:

'Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodiesof clay' (Job 4:19; 13:12). Indeed, he after maketh mention of ahouse in heaven, but that is not it about which he now speaks; nowhe speaks of this earthly house which we have (we, our souls) todwell in, while on this side glory, where the other house stands, as ready prepared for us when we shall flit from this to that; orin case this should sooner or later be dissolved. But that is thefirst; the body is compared to the house, but the soul to him thatinhabiteth the house; therefore, as the man is more noble than thehouse he dwells in, so is the soul more noble than the body. Andyet, alas! with grief be it spoken, how common is it for men tospend all their care, all their time, all their strength, all theirwit and parts for the body and its honour and preferment, even asif the soul were some poor, pitiful, sorry, inconsiderable, andunder thing, not worth the thinking of, or not worth the caringfor. But, The body clothing for the soul. 

2. The body is called the clothing and the soul that whichis clothed therewith. Now, everybody knows that 'the body is morethan raiment, ' even carnal sense will teach us this. But read thatpregnant place: 'For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, beingburdened (that is, with mortal flesh); not for that we should beunclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed upof life' (2 Cor 5:4). Thus the greatness of the soul appears inthe preference that it hath to the body--the body is its raiment. We see that, above all creatures, man, because he is the most nobleamong all visible ones, has, for the adorning of his body, thatmore abundant comeliness. 'Tis the body of man, not of beast, thatis clothed with the richest ornaments. But now what a thing is thesoul, that the body itself must be its clothing! No suit of apparelis by God thought good enough for the soul, but that which is madeby God himself, and that is that curious thing, the body. But oh!how little is this considered--namely, the greatness of the soul. 'Tis the body, the clothes, the suit of apparel, that our foolishfancies are taken with, not at all considering the richness andexcellency of that great and more noble part, the soul, for whichthe body is made a mantle to wrap it up in, a garment to clotheit withal. If a man gets a rent in his clothes, it is little incomparison of a rent in his flesh; yea, he comforts himself whenhe looks on that rent, saying, Thanks be to God, it is not a rentin my flesh. But ah! on the contrary, how many are there in theworld that are more troubled for that they have a rent, a wound, ora disease in the body, than for that they have for the souls thatwill be lost and cast away. A little rent in the body dejectethand casteth such down, but they are not at all concerned, thoughtheir soul is now, and will yet further be, torn in pieces, 'Nowconsider this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver' (Psa 50:22). But this is the secondthing whereby, or by which, the greatness of the soul appears--towit, in that the body, that excellent piece of God's workmanship, is but a garment, or clothing for the soul. 

The body a vessel for the soul. 

3. The body is called a vessel, or a case, for the soul to be putand kept in. 'That every one of you should know how to possesshis vessel in sanctifcation and honour' (1 Thess 4:4). The apostlehere doth exhort the people to abstain from fornication, which, in another place, he saith, '... Is a sin against the body' (1 Cor6:18). And here again he saith, 'This is the will of God, that yeshould abstain from fornication:' that the body be not defiled, 'that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel insanctification and honour. ' His vessel, his earthen vessel, as hecalls it in another place--for 'we have this treasure in earthenvessels. ' Thus, then, the body is called a vessel; yea, every man'sbody is his vessel. But what has God prepared this vessel for, andwhat has He put into it? Why, many things this body is to be a vesselfor, but at present God has put into it that curious thing, thesoul. Cabinets, that are very rich and costly things of themselves, are not made nor designed to be vessels to be stuffed or filled withtrumpery, and things of no value; no, these are prepared for ringsand jewels, for pearls, for rubies, and things that are choice. Andif so, what shall we then think of the soul for which is prepared, and that of God, the most rich and excellent vessel in the world?Surely it must be a thing of worth, yea, of more worth than is thewhole world besides. But alas! who believes this talk? Do not eventhe most of men so set their minds upon, and so admire, the gloryof this case or vessel, that they forget once with seriousness tothink, and, therefore, must of necessity be a great way off, ofthose suitable esteems that becomes them to have of their souls. But oh, since this vessel, this cabinet, this body, is so curiouslymade, and that to receive and contain, what thing is that for whichGod has made this vessel, and what is that soul that He hath putinto it? Wherefore thus, in the third place, is the greatness ofthe soul made manifest, even by the excellency of the vessel, thebody, that God has made to put it in. 

The body a tabernacle of the soul. 

4. The body is called a tabernacle for the soul. 'Knowing that shortlyI must put off this my tabernacle' (2 Pet 1:14), that is, my body, 'by death' (John 21:18, 19). 'For we know that if our earthly houseof this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, ' etc. (2 Cor 5:1). In both these places, by 'tabernacle, ' can be meantnothing but the body; wherefore both the apostles, in these sentencesdo personate their souls, and speak as if the soul was THE ALL ofa man; yea, they plainly tell us, that the body is but the house, clothes, vessel, and tabernacle for the soul. But what a famousthing therefore is the soul!

The tabernacle of old was a place erected for worship, butthe worshippers were more excellent than the place; so our bodyis a tabernacle for the soul to worship God in, but must needs beaccounted much inferior to the soul, forasmuch as the worshippersare always of more honour than the place they worship in; as he thatdwelleth in the tabernacle hath more honour than the tabernacle. 8'I serve, ' says Paul, God and Christ Jesus 'with my spirit (or soul)in the gospel' (Rom 1:9), but not with his spirit out of, but in, this tabernacle. The tabernacle had instruments of worship for theworshippers; so has the body for the soul, and we are bid to 'yieldour members as instruments of righteousness to God' (Rom 6:13). Thehands, feet, ears, eyes, and tongue, which last is our glory whenused right, are all of them instruments of this tabernacle, and tobe made use of by the soul, the inhabiter of this tabernacle, forthe soul's performance of the service of God. I thus discourse, to show you the greatness of the soul. And, in mine opinion, thereis something, if not very much, in what I say. For all men admirethe body, both for its manner of building, and the curious way ofits being compacted together. Yes, the further men, wise men, dopry into the wonderful work of God that is put forth in framing thebody, the more still they are made to admire; and yet, as I said, this body is but a house, a mantle, a vessel, a tabernacle forthe soul. What, then, is the soul itself?9 But thus much for thefirst particular. 

[Other things that show the greatness of the soul. ]

Second, We will now come to other things that show us the greatnessof the soul. And, The soul is called God's breath. 

1. It is called God's breath of life. 'And the Lord God formedman, ' that is, the body, 'of the dust of the ground, and breathedinto his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a livingsoul' (Gen 2:7). Do but compare these two together, the body andthe soul; the body is made of dust, the soul is the breath of God. Now, if God hath made this body so famous, as indeed He has, andyet it is made but of the dust of the ground, and we all do knowwhat inferior matter it is, what is the soul, since the body is notonly its house and garment, but since itself is made of the breathof God? But, further, it is not only said that the soul is of thebreath of the Lord, but that the Lord breathed into him the breathof life--to wit, a living spirit, for so the next words infer--and'man became a living soul. ' Man, that is, the more excellent partof him, which, for that which is principal, is called man, thatbearing the denomination of the whole; or man, the spirit andnatural power, by which, as a reasonable creature, the whole ofhim is acted, 'became a living soul. ' But I stand not here upondefinition, but upon demonstration. The body, that noble part ofman, had its original from the dust; for so says the Word, 'Dustthou art (as to thy body), and unto dust shalt thou return' (Gen3:19). But as to thy more noble part, thou art from the breath ofGod, God putting forth in that a mighty work of creating power, andman 'was made a living soul' (1 Cor 15:45). Mark my reason. Thereis as great a disparity betwixt the body and the soul, as is betweenthe dust of the ground and that, here called, the breath of lifeof the Lord. And note further, that, as the dust of the ground didnot lose, but gained glory by being formed into the body of a man, so this breath of the Lord lost nothing neither by being made aliving soul. O man! dost thou know what thou art?

The soul God's image. 

2. As the soul is said to be of the breath of God, so it is saidto be made after God's own image, even after the similitude of God. 'And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness. --SoGod created man in His own image, in the image of God createdHe him' (Gen 1:26, 27). Mark, in His own image, in the image ofGod created He him; or, as James hath it, it is 'made after thesimilitude of God, ' (James 3:9); like Him, having in it that whichbeareth semblance with Him. I do not read of anything in heaven, or earth, or under the earth, that is said to be made after thismanner, or that is at all so termed, save only the Son of God Himself. The angels are noble creatures, and for present employ are made alittle higher than man himself, (Heb 2); but that any of them aresaid to be made 'after God's image, ' after His own image, evenafter the similitude of God, that I find not. This character theHoly Ghost, in the Scriptures of truth, giveth only of man, ofthe soul of man; for it must not be thought that the body is hereintended in whole or in part. For though it be said that Christwas made after the similitude of sinful flesh (Phil 2), yet it isnot said that sinful flesh is made after the similitude of God;but I will not dispute; I only bring these things to show how greata thing, how noble a thing the soul is; in that, at its creation, God thought it worthy to be made, not like the earth, or the heavens, or the angels, seraphims, or archangels, but like Himself, His ownself, saying, 'Let Us make man in Our own likeness. So He made manin His own image. ' This, I say, is a character above all angels;for, as the apostle said, 'To which of the angels said He at anytime, 'Thou art my Son?' So, of which of them hath He at any time said, This is, or shall be, made in or after Mine image, Mine own image?O what a thing is the soul of man, that above all the creatures inheaven or earth, being made in the image and similitude of God. 10

The soul God's desire. 

3. Another thing by which the greatness of the soul is made manifestis this, it is that--and that only, and to say this is more thanto say, it is that above all the creatures--that the great Goddesires communion with. He 'hath set apart him that is godly forhimself, ' (Psa 4:3); that is, for communion with his soul; thereforethe spouse saith concerning him, 'His desire is toward me, ' (Song7:10); and, therefore, he saith again, 'I will dwell in them, and walk in them' (2 Cor 6:16). To 'dwell in, ' and 'walk in, ' areterms that intimate communion and fellowship; as John saith, 'Ourfellowship, truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with hisSon Jesus Christ' (1 John 1:3). That is, our soul-fellowship; forit must not be understood of the body, though I believe that thebody is much influenced when the soul has communion with God; butit is the soul, and that only, that at present is capable of havingand maintaining of this blessed communion. But, I say, what a thingis this, that God, the great God, should choose to have fellowshipand communion with the soul above all. We read, indeed, of thegreatness of the angels, and how near also they are unto God; butyet there are not such terms that bespeak such familiar acts betweenGod and angels, as to demonstrate that they have such communionwith God as has, or as the souls of His people may have. Where hasHe called them His love, His dove, His fair one? and where, when Hespeaketh of them, doth He express a communion that they have withHim by the similitude of conjugal love? I speak of what is revealed;the secret things belong to the Lord our God. Now by all this ismanifest the greatness of the soul. Men of greatness and honour, if they have respect to their own glory, will not choose for theirfamiliars the base and rascally crew of this world; but will singleout for their fellows, fellowship, and communion, those that aremost like themselves. True, the King has not an equal, yet He isfor being familiar only with the nobles of the land: so God, withHim none can compare; yet since the soul is by Him singled outfor His walking mate and companion, it is a sign it is the highestborn, and that upon which the blessed Majesty looks, as upon thatwhich is most meet to be singled out for communion with Himself. 

Should we see a man familiar with the King, we would, even ofourselves, conclude he is one of the nobles of the land; but thisis not the lot of every soul--some have fellowship with devils, yetnot because they have a more base original than those that lie inGod's bosom, but they, through sin, are degenerate, and have chosento be great with His enemy--but all these things show the greatnessof the soul. 

The soul a vessel for grace. 

4. The soul of men are such as God counts worthy to be the vesselsto hold His grace, the graces of the Spirit, in. The graces of theSpirit--what like them, or where here are they to be found, savein the souls of men only? 'Of His fulness have all we received, and grace for grace' (John 1:16). Received, into what? into 'thehidden part, ' as David calls it (Psa 51:6). Hence the king's daughteris said to be 'all glorious within, ' (Psa 45:15); because adornedand beautified with the graces of the Spirit. For that which Davidcalls the hidden part is the inmost part of the soul; and it is, therefore, called the hidden part, because the soul is invisible, nor can any one living infallibly know what is in the soul but GodHimself. But, I say, the soul is the vessel into which this goldenoil is poured, and that which holds, and is accounted worthy toexercise and improve the same. Therefore the soul is it which issaid to love God--'Saw ye him whom my soul loveth?' (Song 3:3);and, therefore, the soul is that which exerciseth the spirit ofprayer--'With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, withmy spirit within me will I seek thee early' (Isa 26:9). With thesoul also men are said to believe and into the soul God is said toput His fear. This is the vessel into which the virgins got oil, and out of which their lamps were supplied by the same. But whata thing, what a great thing therefore is the soul, that that aboveall things that God hath created should be the chosen vessel to putHis grace in. The body is the vessel for the soul, and the soul isthe vessel for the grace of God. But, 5. The greatness of the soul is manifest by the greatness of theprice that Christ paid for it, to make it an heir of glory; andthat was His precious blood (1 Cor 6:20; 1 Peter 1:18, 19). We douse to esteem of things according to the price that is given forthem, especially when we are convinced that the purchase has notbeen made by the estimation of a fool. Now the soul is purchasedby a price that the Son, the wisdom of God, thought fit to payfor the redemption thereof--what a thing, then, is the soul? Judgeof the soul by the price that is paid for it, and you must needsconfess, unless you count the blood that hath bought it an unholything, that it cannot but be of great worth and value. Suppose aprince, or some great man, should, on a sudden, descend from histhrone, or chair of state, to take up, that he might put in hisbosom, something that he had espied lying trampled under the feetof those that stand by; would you think that he would do this foran old horse shoe, 11 or for so trivial a thing as a pin or a point?12 Nay, would you not even of yourselves conclude that that thingfor which the prince, so great a man, should make such a stoop, must needs be a thing of very great worth? Why, this is the caseof Christ and the soul. Christ is the prince, His throne was inheaven, and, as He sat there, He espied the souls of sinners trampledunder the foot of the law and death for sin. Now, what doth He, but comes down from His throne, stoops down to the earth, and there, since He could not have the trodden-down souls without price, Helays down His life and blood for them (2 Cor 8:9). But would Hehave done this for inconsiderable things? No, nor for the soulsof sinners neither, had He not valued them higher than he valuedheaven and earth besides. 13 This, therefore, is another thing bywhich the greatness of the soul is known. 

The soul immortal. 

6. The soul is immortal, it will have a sensible being for ever, none can kill the soul (Luke 12:4; Matt 10:28). If all the angelsin heaven, and all the men on earth, should lay all their strengthtogether, they cannot kill or annihilate one soul. No, I willspeak without fear, if it may be said, God cannot do what He willnot do; then He cannot annihilate the soul: but, notwithstandingall His wrath, and the vengeance that He will inflict on sinfulsouls, they yet shall abide with sensible beings, yet to endure, yet to bear punishment. If anything could kill the soul, it wouldbe death; but death cannot do it, neither first nor second; thefirst cannot, for when Dives was slain, as to his body by death, his soul was found alive in hell--'He lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment' (Luke 16:23). The second death cannot do it, because it is said their worm never dies, but is always torturingthem with his gnawing (Mark 9:44). But that could not be, if time, or lying in hell fire for ever, could annihilate the soul. Now, thisalso shows the greatness of the soul, that it is that which has anendless life, and that will, therefore, have a being endlessly. Owhat a thing is the soul!

The soul, then, is immortal, though not eternal. That is eternal thathas neither beginning nor end, and, therefore, eternal is properlyapplicable to none but God; hence He is called the 'eternal God'(Deu 33:27). Immortal is that which, though it hath a beginning, yet hath no end, it cannot die, nor cease to be; and this is thestate of the soul. It cannot cease to have a being when it is oncecreated; I mean, a living, sensible being. For I mean by living, onlysuch a being as distinguishes it from annihilation or incapablenessof sense and feeling. Hence, as the rich man is after death saidto 'lift up his eyes in hell, ' so the beggar is said, when he died, to be 'carried by the angels, into Abraham's bosom' (Luke 16:22, 23). And both these sayings must have respect to the souls of these men;for, as for their bodies, we know at present it is otherwise withthem. The grave is their house, and so must be till the trumpetshall sound, and the heavens pass away like a scroll. Now, I say, the immortality of the soul shows the greatness of it, as theeternity of God shows the greatness of God. It cannot be said ofany angel but that he is immortal, and so it is, and ought to besaid of the soul. This, therefore, shows the greatness of the soul, in that it is as to abiding so like unto him. 

'Tis the soul that acts the body. 

7. But a word or two more, and so to conclude this head. Thesoul!--why, it is the soul that acteth the body in all these things, good or bad, that seem good and reasonable, or amazingly wicked. True, the acts and motions of the soul are only seen and heard in, and by the members and motions of the body, but the body is but apoor instrument, soul is the great agitator and actor. 'The bodywithout the spirit is dead' (James 2:26). All those famous arts, and works, and inventions of works, that are done by men underheaven, they are all the intentions of the soul, and the body, asacting and labouring therein, doth it but as a tool that the soulmaketh use of to bring his invention into maturity (Eccl 7:29). How many things have men found out to the amazing of one another, to the wonderment of one another, to the begetting of endlesscommendations of one another in the world, while, in the meantime, the soul, which indeed is the true inventor of all, is overlooked, not regarded, but dragged up and down by every lust, and prostrate, and made a slave to every silly and beastly thing. O the amazingdarkness that hath covered the face of the hearts of the childrenof men, that they cannot deliver their soul, nor say, 'Is there nota lie in my right hand?' (Isa 44:20), though they are so cunningin all other matters. Take man in matters that are abroad, and farfrom home, and he is the mirror of all the world; but take him athome, and put him upon things that are near him, I mean, that haverespect to the things that concern his soul, and then you willfind him the greatest fool that ever God made. But this must notbe applied to the soul simply as it is God's creature, but to thesoul sinful, as it has willingly apostatized from God, and so suffereditself to be darkened, and that with such thick and stupifyingdarkness, that it is bound up and cannot--it hath a napkin of sinbound so close before its eyes that it is not able--of itself--tolook to, and after those things which should be its chiefest concern, and without which it will be most miserable for ever. 

The soul capable of having to do with invisibles. 

8. Further, as the soul is thus curious about arts and sciences, and about every excellent thing of this life, so it is capable ofhaving to do with invisibles, with angels, good or bad, yea, withthe highest and Supreme Being, even with the holy God of heaven. Itold you before that God sought the soul of man to have it for Hiscompanion; and now I tell you that the soul is capable of communionwith Him, when the darkness that sin hath spread over its face isremoved. The soul is an intelligent power, it can be made to knowand understand depths, and heights, and lengths, and breadths, in those high, sublime, and spiritual mysteries that only God canreveal and teach; yea, it is capable of diving unutterably into them. And herein is God, the God of glory, much delighted and pleased--towit, that He hath made Himself a creature that is capable ofhearing, of knowing, and of understanding of His mind, when openedand revealed to it. I think I may say, without offence to Godor man, that one reason why God made the world was, that He mightmanifest Himself, not only by, but to the works which He made; but, I speak with reverence, how could that be, if He did not also makesome of His creatures capable of apprehending of Him in those mosthigh mysteries and methods in which He purposed to reveal Himself?But then, what are those creatures which He hath made (unto whomwhen these things are shown) that are able to take them in andunderstand them, and so to improve them to God's glory, as He hathordained and purposed they should, but souls? for none else in thevisible world are capable of doing this but they. And hence it isthat to them, and them only, He beginneth to reveal Himself in thisworld. And hence it is that they, and they only, are gathered upto Him where He is, for they are they that are called 'the spiritsof just men made perfect, ' (Heb 12:23); the spirit of a beast goethdownward to the earth, it is the spirit of a man that goes upwardsto God that gave it (Eccl 3:21;12:7). For that, and that only, is capable of beholding and understanding the glorious visions ofheaven; as Christ said, 'Father, I will that they also, whom thouhast given Me, be with Me where I am; that they may behold My glory, which thou hast given Me; for thou lovedst Me before the foundationof the world' (John 17:24). And thus the greatness of the soul ismanifest. True, the body is also gathered up into glory, but notsimply for its own sake, or because that is capable of itself toknow and understand the glories of its Maker; but that has beena companion with the soul in this world, has also been its house, its mantle, its cabinet and tabernacle here; it has also been it bywhich the soul hath acted, in which it hath wrought, and by whichits excellent appearances have been manifested; and it shall alsothere be its co-partner and sharer in its glory. Wherefore, as thebody here did partake of soul excellencies, and was also conformedto its spiritual and regenerate principles; so it shall be hereaftera partaker of that glory with which the soul shall be filled, and also be made suitable by that glory to become a partaker andco-partner with it of the eternal excellencies which heaven willput upon it. In this world it is a gracious soul (I speak now ofthe regenerate), and in that world it shall be a glorious one. Inthis world the body was conformable to the soul as it was gracious, and in that world it shall be conformable to it as it is glorious;conformable, I say, by partaking of that glory that then the soulshall partake of; yea, it shall also have an additional glory toadorn, and make it yet the more capable of being serviceable toit, and with it in its great acts before God in eternal glory. Oh, what great things are the souls of the sons of men!

The soul capable of diving into the depths and mysteries of hell. 

9. But again, as the soul is thus capable of enjoying God in glory, and of prying into these mysteries that are in him, so it is capable, with great profundity, to dive into the mysterious depths of hell. Hell is a place and state utterly unknown to any in this visibleworld, excepting the souls of men; nor shall any for ever be capableof understanding the miseries thereof, save souls and fallen angels. Now, I think, as the joys of heaven stand not only in speculation, or in beholding of glory, but in a sensible enjoyment and unspeakablepleasure which those glories will yield to the soul (Psa 16:11), so the torments of hell will not stand in the present lashes andstrokes which by the flames of eternal fire God will scourge theungodly with; but the torments of hell stand much, if not in thegreatest part of them, in those deep thoughts and apprehensions, which souls in the next world will have of the nature and occasionsof sin; of God, and of separation from Him; of the eternity of thosemiseries, and of the utter impossibility of their help, ease, ordeliverance for ever. O! damned souls will have thoughts that willclash with glory, clash with justice, clash with law, clash withitself, clash with hell, and with the everlastingness of misery;but the point, the edge, and the poison of all these thoughts willstill be galling, and dropping, and spewing out their stings intothe sore, grieved, wounded, and fretted place, which is the conscience, though not the conscience only; for I may say of the souls in hell, that they all over are but one wound, one sore! Miseries as wellas mercies sharpen and make quick the apprehensions of the soul. Behold Spira in his book, 14 Cain in his guilt, and Saul with thewitch of Endor, and you shall see men ripened, men enlarged andgreatened in their fancies, imaginations, and apprehensions thoughnot about God, and heaven, and glory, yet about their loss, theirmisery, and their woe, and their hells (Isa 33:14; Psa 1:4; Rev14:10; Mark 9:44, 46). 

The ability of the soul to bear. 

10. Nor doth their ability to bear, if it be proper to say theybear those dolors which there for ever they shall endure, a littledemonstrate their greatness. Everlasting burning, devouring fire, perpetual pains, gnawing worms, utter darkness, and the irefulsouls, face, and strokes of Divine and infinite justice will not, cannot, make this soul extinct, as I said before. I think it is notso proper to say the soul that is damned for sin doth bear thesethings, as to say it doth ever sink under them: and, therefore, their place of torment is called the bottomless pit, because theyare ever sinking, and shall never come there where they will findany stay. Yet they live under wrath, but yet only so as to besensible of it, as to smart and be in perpetual anguish, by reasonof the intolerableness of their burden. But doth not their thusliving, abiding, and retaining a being(or what you will call it), demonstrate the greatness and might of the soul? Alas! heaven andearth are short of this greatness, for these, though under lessjudgment by far, do fade and wax old like a moth-eaten garment, and, in their time, will vanish away to nothing (Heb 1). 

Also, we see how quickly the body, when the soul is under a fearof the rebukes of justice, how soon, I say, it wastes, mouldersaway, and crumbleth into the grave; but the soul is yet strong, andabides sensible to be dealt withal for sin by everlasting burnings. 

The might of the soul further shown. 

11. The soul, by God's ordinance, while this world lasts, has atime appointed it to forsake and leave the body to be turned againto the dust as it was, and this separation is made by death, (Heb9:27); therefore the body must cease for a time to have sense, orlife, or motion; and a little thing brings it now into this state;but in the next world, the wicked shall partake of none of this;for the body and the soul being at the resurrection rejoined, thisdeath, that once did rend them asunder, is for ever overcome andextinct; so that these two which lived in sin must for ever beyoked together in hell. Now, there the soul being joined to thebody, and death, which before did separate them, being utterly takenaway, the soul retains not only its own being, but also continueththe body to be, and to suffer sensibly the pains of hell, withoutthose decays that it used to sustain. 

And the reason why this death shall then be taken away is, becausejustice in its bestowing its rewards for transgressions may not beinterrupted, but that body and soul, as they lived and acted in sintogether, might be destroyed for sin in hell together (Matt 10:28Luke 12:5). Destroyed, I say, but with such a destruction, which, though it is everlasting, will not put a period to their sensiblesuffering the vengeance of eternal fire (2 Thess 1:8, 9). 

This death, therefore, though that also be the wages of sin, wouldnow, were it suffered to continue, be a hinderance to the makingknown of the wrath of God, and also of the created power and mightof the soul. (1. ) It would hinder the making known of the wrathof God, for it would take the body out of the way, and make itincapable of sensible suffering for sin, and so removing one ofthe objects of vengeance the power of God's wrath would be so farundiscovered. (2. ) It would also hinder the manifestation of thepower and might of the soul, which is discovered much by its abidingto retain its own being while the wrath of God is grappling withit, and more by its continuing to the body a sensible being withitself. 

Death, therefore, must now be removed, that the soul may be madethe object of wrath without molestation or interruption. That thesoul, did I say? yea, that soul and body both might be so. Deathwould now be a favour, though once the fruit of sin, and also thewages thereof, might it now be suffered to continue, because itwould ease the soul of some of its burden: for a tormented bodycannot but be a burden to a spirit, and so the wise man insinuateswhen he says, 'The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity;' thatis, bear up under it, but yet so as that it feels it a burden. Wesee that, because of the sympathy that is between body and soul, how one is burdened if the other be grieved. A sick body is aburden to the soul, and a wounded spirit is a burden to the body;'a wounded spirit who can bear?' (Prov 18:14). But death must notremove this burden, but the soul must have the body for a burden, and the body must have the soul for a burden, and both must havethe wrath of God for a burden. Oh, therefore, here will be burdenupon burden, and all upon the soul, for the soul will be the chiefseat of this burden! But thus much to show you the greatness ofthe soul. 

[OF THE LOSS OF THE SOUL. ]

THIRD, I shall now come to the third thing which was propounded tobe spoken to; and that is, to show you what we are to understandby losing of the soul, or what the loss of the soul is--'What shalla man give in exchange for his soul?'

[He that loseth his soul loseth himself. ]

First, The loss of the soul is a loss, in the nature of it, peculiarto itself. There is no such loss, as to the nature of loss, as isthe loss of the soul; for that he that hath lost his soul has losthimself. In all other losses, it is possible for a man to savehimself, but he that loseth his soul, loseth himself--'For what isa man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself?'(Luke 9:25). Wherefore, the loss of the soul is a loss that cannotbe paralleled. He that loseth himself, loseth his all, his lastingall; for himself is his all--his all in the most comprehensivesense. What mattereth it what a man gets, if by the getting thereofhe loseth himself? Suppose a man goeth to the Indies for gold, andhe loadeth his ship therewith; but at his return, that sea thatcarried him thither swallows him up--now, what has he got? But thisis but a lean similitude with reference to the matter in hand--towit, to set forth the loss of the soul. Suppose a man that has beenat the Indies for gold should, at his return, himself be taken bythem of Algiers, and there made a slave of, and there be hunger-bit, and beaten till his bones are broken, 15 what has he got? whatis he advantaged by his rich adventure? Perhaps, you will say, hehas got gold enough to obtain his ransom. Indeed this may be; andtherefore no similitude can be found that can fully amplify thematter, 'for what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?' 'Tisa loss that standeth by itself, there is not another like it, orunto which it may be compared. 'Tis only like itself--'tis singular, 'tis the chief of all losses--the highest, the greatest loss. 'Forwhat shall a man give in exchange for his soul?' A man may losehis wife, his children, his estate, his liberty, and his life, andhave all made up again, and have all restored with advantage, andmay, therefore, notwithstanding all these losses, be far enough offfrom losing of himself. (Luke 14:26; Mark 8:35). For he may losehis life, and save it; yea, sometimes the only way to save that, is to lose it; but when a man has lost himself, his soul, then allis gone to all intents and purposes. There is no word says, 'hethat loses his soul shall save it;' but contrariwise, the textsupposeth that a man has lost his soul, and then demands if any cananswer it--'What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?' All, then, that he gains that loseth his soul is only this, he has gaineda loss, he has purchased the loss of losses, he has nothing lefthim now but his loss, but the loss of himself, of his whole self. He that loseth his life for Christ, shall save it; but he thatloseth himself for sin, and for the world, shall lose himselfto perfection of loss; he has lost himself, and there is the fullpoint. 

There are several things fall under this first head, upon which Iwould touch a little. 

He that has lost himself will never be more at his own dispose. 

(1. ) He that has lost his soul has lost himself. Now, he that losthimself is no more at his own dispose. While a man enjoys himself, he is at his own dispose. A single man, a free man, a rich man, a poor man, any man that enjoys himself, is at his own dispose. Ispeak after the manner of men. But he that has lost himself is notat his own dispose. He is, as I may say, now out of his own hands:he has lost himself, his soul-self, his own self, his whole self, by sin, and wrath and hell hath found him; he is, therefore, now nomore at his own dispose, but at the dispose of justice, of wrath, and hell; he is committed to prison, to hell prison, there toabide, not at pleasure, not as long and as little time as he will, but the term appointed by his judge: nor may he there choose hisown affliction, neither for manner, measure, or continuance. Itis God that will spread the fire and brimstone under him, it is Godthat will pile up wrath upon him, and it is God himself that willblow the fire. And 'the breathof the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it' (Isa 30:33). And thus it is manifest that he thathas lost himself, his soul, is no more at his own dispose, but atthe dispose of them that find him. 

He that hath lost himself, is not at liberty to dispose of what hehath. 

(2. ) Again, as he that has lost himself is not at his own dispose, so neither is he at liberty to dispose of what he has; for theman that has lost himself has something yet of his own. The textimplies that his soul is his when lost, yea, when that and his all, himself is lost; but as he cannot dispose of himself, so he cannotdispose of what he hath. Let me take leave to make out my meaning. If he that is lost, that has lost himself, has not, notwithstanding, something that in some sense may be called his own, then he thatis lost is nothing. The man that is in hell has yet the powers, thesenses, and passions of his soul; for not he nor his soul must bethought to be stripped of these; for then he would be lower thanthe brute; but yet all these, since he is there, are by God improvedagainst himself; or, if you will, the point of this man's sword isturned against his own heart, and made to pierce his own liver. 

The soul by being in hell loseth nothing of its aptness to think, its quickness to pierce, to pry, and to understand; nay, hellhas ripened it in all these things; but, I say, the soul with itsimprovements as to these, or anything else, is not in the hand ofhim that hath lost himself to manage for his own advantage, but inthe hand, and in the power, and to be disposed as is thought meetby him into whose revenging hand by sin he has delivered himself--towit, in the hand of God. So, then, God now has the victory, anddisposeth of all the powers, senses, and passions of the soul forthe chastising of him that has lost himself. Now the understandingis only employed and improved in and about the apprehending of suchthings as will be like daggers at the heart--to wit, about justice, sin, hell, and eternity, to grieve and break the spirit of thedamned; yea, to break, to wound, and to tear the soul in pieces. The depths of sin which the man has loved, the good nature of Godwhom the man has hated, the blessings of eternity which the soulhas despised, shall now be understood by him more than ever, but yetso only, as to increase grief and sorrow, by improving of the goodand of the evil of the things understood, to the greater woundingof the spirit; wherefore now, every touch that the understandingshall give to the memory will be as a touch of a red-hot iron, orlike a draught of scalding lead poured down the throat. The memoryalso letteth those things down upon the conscience with no lessterror and perplexity. And now the fancy or imagination doth startand stare like a man by fears bereft of wits, and doth exerciseitself, or rather is exercised by the hand of revenging justice, so about the breadth and depth of present and future punishments, as to lay the soul as on a burning rack. Now also the judgment, aswith a mighty maul, driveth down the soul in the sense and pangsof everlasting misery into that pit that has no bottom; yea, itturneth again, and, as with a hammer, it riveteth every fearfulthought and apprehension of the soul so fast that it can never beloosed again for ever and ever. Alas! now the conscience can sleep, be dull, be misled, or batter, no longer; no, it must now cry out;understanding will make it, memory will make it, fancy or imaginationwill make it. Now, I say, it will cry out of sin, of justice, andof the terribleness of the punishment that hath swallowed him upthat has lost himself. Here will be no forgetfulness; yet nothingshall be thought on but that which will wound and kill; here willbe no time, cause, or means for diversion; all will stick and gnawlike a viper. Now the memory will go out to where sin was heretoforecommitted, it will also go out to the word that did forbid it. Theunderstanding also, and the judgment too, will now consider of thepretended necessity that the man had to break the commandments ofGod, and of the seasonableness of the cautions and of the convictionswhich were given him to forbear, by all which more load will be laidupon him that has lost himself; for here all the powers, senses, and passions of the soul must be made self-burners, self-tormentors, self-executioners, by the just judgment of God; also all that thewill shall do in this place shall be but to wish for ease, but thewish shall only be such as shall only seem to lift up, for the cablerope of despair shall with violence pull him down again. The willindeed will wish for ease, and so will the mind, etc. , but all thesewishers will by wishing arrive to no more advantage but to makedespair which is the most twinging stripe of hell, to cut yet deepeerinto the whole soul of him that has lost himself; wherefore, afterall that can be wished for, they return again to their burning chair, where they sit and bewail their misery. Thus will all the powers, senses, and passions of the soul of him that has lost himself beout of his own power to dispose for his advantage, and will be onlyin the hand and under the management of the revenging justice ofGod. And herein will that state of the damned be worse than it isnow with the fallen angels; for though the fallen angels are nowcast down to hell, in chains, and sure in themselves at last topartake of eternal judgment, yet at present they are not so boundup as the damned sinner shall be; for notwithstanding their chains, and their being the prisoners of the horrible hells, yet they havea kind of liberty granted them, and that liberty will last till thetime appointed, to tempt, to plot, to contrive, and invent theirmischiefs, against the Son of God and His (Job 1:7; 2:2). And thoughSatan knows that this at last will work for his future condemnation, yet at present he finds it some diversion to his trembling mind, and obtains, through his so busily employing of himself against thegospel and its professors, something to sport and refresh himselfwithal; yea, and doth procure to himself some small crumbs of minutesof forgetfulness of his own present misery and of the judgment thatis yet to pass upon him; but this privilege will then be denied tohim that has lost himself; there will be no cause nor matter fordiversion; there it will; as in the old world, rain day and nightfire and brimstone from the Lord out of heaven upon them (Rev14:10, 11). Misery is fixed; the worm will be always sucking at andgnawing of, their soul; also, as I have said afore, all the powers, senses, and passions of the soul will throw their darts inwards, yea, of God will be made to do it, to the utter, unspeakable, andendless torment of him that has lost himself. Again, They cannot sit down by the loss. 

(3. ) All therefore that he that has lost himself can do is, tosit down by the loss. Do I say, he can do this?--oh! if that couldbe, it would be to such, a mercy; I must therefore here correctmyself--That they cannot do; for to sit down by the loss impliesa patient enduring; but there will be no such grace as patience inhell with him that has lost himself; here, will also want a bottomfor patience--to wit, the providence of God; for a providence of God, though never so dismal, is a bottom for patience to the afflicted;but men go not to hell by providence, but by sin. Now sin beingthe cause, other effects are wrought; for they that go to hell, and that there miserably perish, shall never say it was God by Hisprovidence that brought them hither, and so shall not have that onwhich to lean and stay themselves. 

They shall justify God, and lay the fault upon themselves concludingthat it was sin with which their souls did voluntarily work--yea, which their souls did suck in as sweet milk--that is the cause ofthis their torment. Now this will work after another manner, andwill produce quite another thing than patience, or a patient enduringof their torment; for their seeing that they are not only lost, buthave lost themselves, and that against the ordinary means that ofGod was provided to prevent that loss; yea, when they shall seewhat a base thing sin is, how that it is the very worst of things, and that which also makes all things bad, and that for the sakeof that they have lost themselves, this will make them fret, and, gnash, and gnaw with anger themselves; this will set all the passionsof the soul, save love, for that I think will be stark dead, allin a rage, all in a self-tormenting fire. You know there is nothingthat will sooner put a man into and manage his rage against himselfthan will a full conviction in his conscience that by his own onlyfolly, and that against caution, and counsel, and reason to thecontrary, he hath brought himself into extreme distress and misery. But how much more will it make this fire burn when he shall see allthis is come upon him for a toy, for a bauble, for a thing that isworse than nothing!

Why, this is the case with him that has lost himself; and thereforehe cannot sit down by the loss, cannot be at quiet under the senseof his loss. For sharply and wonderful piercingly, considering theloss of himself, and the cause thereof, which is sin, he falls toa tearing of himself in pieces with thoughts as hot as the coals ofjuniper, and to a gnashing upon himself for this; also the Divinewisdom and justice of God helpeth on this self-tormentor in hisself-tormenting work, by holding the justice of the law againstwhich he has offended, and the unreasonableness of such offence, continually before his face. For if, to an enlightened man whois in the door of hope, the sight of all past evil practices willwork in him 'vexation of spirit, ' to see what fools we were, (Eccl1:14); how can it but be to them that go to hell a vexation onlyto understand the report, the report that God did give them of sin, of His grace, of hell, and of everlasting damnation, and yet thatthey should be such fools to go thither? (Isa 28:19). But to pursuethis head no further, I will come now to the next thing. 

[The loss of the soul a double loss. ]

Secondly, As the loss of the soul is, in the nature of the loss, aloss peculiar to itself, so the loss of the soul is a double loss;it is, I say, a loss that is double, lost both by man and God; manhas lost it, and by that loss has lost himself; God has lost it, and by that loss it is cast away. And to make this a little plainerunto you, I suppose it will be readily granted that men do losetheir souls. But now how doth God lose it? The soul is God's aswell as man's--man's because it is of themselves; God's because itis His creature; God has made us this soul, and hence it is thatall souls are His (Jer 38:16; Eze 18:4). 

Now the loss of the soul doth not only stand in the sin of man, butin the justice of God. Hence He says, 'What is a man advantaged, ifhe gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away' (Luke9:25). Now this last clause, 'or be cast away, ' is not spokento show what he that has lost his soul has done, though a man mayalso be said to cast away himself; but to show what God will do tothose that have lost themselves, what God will add to that loss. God will not cast away a righteous man, but God will cast away thewicked, such a wicked one as by the text is under our consideration(Job 8:20; Matt 13:50). This, then, is that which God will add, andso make the sad state of them that lose themselves double. The manfor sin has lost himself, and God by justice will cast him away;according to that of Abigail to David, 'The soul of my lord, ' saidshe, 'shall be bound in the bundle of life with the Lord thy God;and the souls of thine enemies, them shall He sling out, as out ofthe middle of a sling' (1 Sam 25:29). So that here is God's hand aswell as man's; man's by sin, and God's by justice. God shall castthem away; wherefore in the text above mentioned he doth not say, or cast away himself, as meaning the act of the man whose soul islost; but, 'or be cast away' (Luke 9:25). Supposing a second personjoining with the man himself in the making up of the greatness ofthe loss of the soul--to wit, God himself, who will verily castaway that man who has lost himself. God shall cast them away--thatis, exclude them His favour or protection, and deliver them up tothe due reward of their deed! He shall shut them out of His heaven, and deliver them up to their hell; He shall deny them a share inhis glory, and shall leave them to their own shame; He shall denythem a portion in His peace, and shall deliver them up to the tormentsof the devil, and of their own guilty consciences; He shall castthem out of His affection, pity, and compassion, and shall leavethem to the flames that they by sin have kindled, and to the worm, or biting cockatrice, that they themselves have hatched, nursed, andnourished in their bosoms. And this will make their loss double, and so a loss that is loss to the uttermost, a loss above everyloss. A man may cast away himself and not be cast away of God; aman may be cast away by others, and not be cast away of God; yea, what way soever a man be cast away, if he be not cast away for sin, he is safe, he is yet found, and in a sure hand. But for a man soto lose himself as by that loss to provoke God to cast him awaytoo, this is fearful. 

The casting away, then, mentioned in Luke, is a casting away bythe hand of God, by the revenging hand of God; and it supposeth twothings--1. God's abhorrence of such a soul. 2. God's just repayingof it for its wickedness by way of retaliation. 

1. It supposeth God's abhorrence of the soul. That which weabhor, that we cast from us, and put out of our favour and respectwith disdain, and a loathing thereof. So when God teacheth Israelto loathe and abhor their idols, He bids them 'to cast away theirvery covering as a stinking and menstruous cloth, and to say untoit, 'Get you hence' (Isa 30:22), 'He shall gather the good intovessels, and cast the bad away' (Matt 13:48; 25:41). Cast them outof My presence. Well, but whither must they go? The answer is, Intohell, into utter darkness, into the fire that is prepared for thedevil and his angels. Wherefore, to be cast away, to be cast awayof God, it showeth unto us God's abhorrence of such souls, and howvile and loathsome such are in His divine eyes. And the similitudeof Abigail's sling, mentioned before, doth yet further show us thegreatness of this abhorrence--'The souls of thine enemies, ' saidshe, 'God shall sling out as out of the middle of a sling. ' Whena man casts a stone away with a sling, then he casteth it furthestfrom him, for with a sling he can cast a stone further than byhis hand. 'And he, ' saith the text, 'shall cast them away as witha sling. ' But that is not all, neither: for it is not only saidthat He shall sling away their souls, but that He shall sling themaway as 'out of the middle of a sling. ' When a stone is placed, tobe cast away, in the middle of a sling, then doth the slinger castit furthest of all. Now God is the slinger, abhorrence is Hissling, the lost soul is the stone, and it is placed in the verymiddle of the sling, and is from thence cast away. And, therefore, it is said again, that 'such shall go into utter, outer darkness'--thatis, furthest off of all. This therefore shows us how God abhorsthat man that for sin has lost himself. And well he may; for suchan one has not only polluted and defiled himself with sin; and thatis the most offensive thing to God under heaven; but he has abusedthe handiwork of God. The soul, as I said before, is the workmanship of God, yea, the top-piece that He hath made in all the visibleworld; also He made it for to be delighted with it, and to admitit into communion with Himself. Now for man thus to abuse God; fora man to take his soul, which is God's, and prostrate it to sin, to the world, to the devil, and every beastly lust, flat againstthe command of God, and notwithstanding the soul was also His; thisis horrible, and calls aloud upon that God whose soul this is toabhor, and to show, by all means possible, His abhorrence of suchan one. 

2. As this casting of them away supposeth God's abhorrence of them, so it supposeth God's just repaying of them for their wickednessby way of retaliation. 

God all the time of the exercise of His long-suffering and forbearancetowards them, did call upon them, wait upon them, send after themby His messengers, to turn them from their evil ways; but theydespised at, they mocked, the messengers of the Lord. Also theyshut their eyes, and would not see; they stopped their ears, andwould not understand; and did harden themselves against the beseechingof their God. Yea, all that day long He did stretch out His handtowards them, but they chose to be a rebellious and gainsayingpeople; yea, they said unto God, 'Depart from us;' and 'what isthe Almighty' that we should pray unto him? (Hosea 6:2; Rev 16:21;Job 21:14, 15; Mal 3:14). 

And of all these things God takes notice, writes them down, and sealsthem up for the time to come, and will bring them out and spreadthem before them, saying, I have called, and you have refused; Ihave stretched out Mine hand, and no man regarded; I have exercisedpatience, and gentleness, and long-suffering towards you, and inall that time you despised Me, and cast Me behind your back; andnow the time, and the exercise of My patience, when I waited uponyou, and suffered your manners, and did bear your contempts andscorns, is at an end; wherefore I will now arise, and come forthto the judgment that I have appointed. 

But, Lord, saith the sinner, we turn now. 

But now; saith God, turning is out of season; the day of My patienceis ended. 

But, Lord, says the sinner, behold our cries. 

But you did not, says God, behold nor regard My cries. 

But, Lord, saith the sinner, let our beseeching find place in Thycompassions. 

But, saith God, I also beseeched, and I was not heard. 

But Lord, says the sinner, our sins lie hard upon us. 

But I offered you pardon when time was, says God, and then you didutterly reject it. 

But, Lord, says the sinner, let us therefore have it now. 

But now the door is shut, saith God. 

And what then? Why, then, by way of retaliation, God will servethem as they have served Him; and so the wind-up of the whole willbe this--they shall have like for like. Time was when they wouldhave none of Him, and now will God have none of them. Time was whenthey cast God behind their back, and now He will cast away theirsoul. Time was when they would not heed His calls, and now He willnot heed their cries. Time was when they abhorred Him, and nowHis soul also abhorreth them (Zech 11:8). This is now by way ofretaliation--like for like, scorn for scorn, repulse for repulse, contempt for contempt; according to that which is written, 'Thereforeit is come to pass, that as He cried, and they would not hear; sothey cried, and I would not hear, saith the Lord' (Zech 7:13). Andthus I have also showed you that the loss of the soul is double--lostby man, lost by God. 

But oh! who thinks of this? who, I say, that now makes lightof God, of His Word, His servants, and ways, once dreams of suchretaliation, though God to warn them hath even, in the day of Hispatience, threatened to do it in the day of His wrath, saying, 'Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out Myhand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all My counsel, and would none of My reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity;I will mock when your fear cometh; when your fear cometh asdesolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distressand anguish cometh upon you. Then shall they call upon Me, but Iwill not answer; they shall seek Me early, but they shall not findMe' (Prov 1:24-28). I will do unto them as they have done unto Me;and what unrighteousness is in all this? But, [The loss of the soul most fearful. ]

Thirdly, As the loss of the soul is a loss peculiar to itself, anda loss double, so, in the third place, it is a loss most fearful, because it is a loss attended with the most heavy curse of God. This is manifest both in the giving of the rule of life, and alsoin, and at the time of execution for, the breach of that rule. Itis manifest at the giving of the rule--'Cursed be he that confirmethnot all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shallsay, Amen' (Deu 27:26; Gal 3:10). It is also manifest that itshall be so at the time of execution--'Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels' (Matt25:41). What this curse is, none do know so well as God that givethit, and as the fallen angels, and the spirits of damned men thatare now shut up in the prison of hell, and bear it. But certainlyit is the chief and highest of all kind of curses. To be cursedin the basket and in the store, in the womb and in the barn, in mycattle and in my body, are but flea-bitings to this, though theyare also insupportable in themselves; only in general it may bedescribed thus. But to touch upon this curse, it lieth in deprivationof all good, and in a being swallowed up of all the most fearfulmiseries that a holy, and just, and eternal God can righteouslyinflict, or lay upon the soul of a sinful man. Now let Reason herecome in and exercise itself in the most exquisite manner; yea, lethim now count up all, and all manner of curses and torments that areasonable and an immortal soul is, or can be made capable of, andable to suffer under, and when he has done, he shall come infinitelyshort of this great anathema, this master curse which God hasreserved amongst His treasuries, and intends to bring out in thatday of battle and war, which He purposeth to make upon damned soulsin that day. 16 And this God will do, partly as a retaliation, asthe former, and partly by way of revenge. 1. By way of retaliation:'As he loved cursing, so let it come unto him: as he delightednot in blessing, so let it be far from him. ' Again, 'As he clothedhimself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come intohis bowels like water, and like oil into his bones; let it be untohim as a garment which covereth him, and for a girdle wherewith heis girded continually' (Psa 109:17-19). 'Let this, ' saith Christ, 17 'be the reward of mine adversaries from the Lord' (vs. 20 etc). 2. As this curse comes by way of retaliation, so it cometh by wayof revenge. God will right the wrongs that sinners have done Him, will repay vengeance for the despite and reproach wherewith theyhave affronted Him, and will revenge the quarrel of His covenant. And the beginning of revenges are terrible, (Deu 31:41, 42); what, then, will the whole execution be, when He shall come in flamingfire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey notthe gospel of Jesus Christ? And, therefore, this curse is executedin wrath, in jealousy, in anger, in fury; yea, the heavens and theearth shall be burned up with the fire of that jealousy in which thegreat God will come, when He cometh to curse the souls of sinners, and when He cometh to defy the ungodly, (2 Thess 1: 7-9). 

It is little thought of, but the manner of the coming of God tojudge the world declares what the souls of impenitent sinners mustlook for then. It is common among men, when we see the form ofa man's countenance changed, when we see fire sparkle out of hiseyes, when we read rage and fury in every cast of his face, evenbefore he says aught, or doth aught either, to conclude that somefearful thing is now to be done (Dan 3:19, 23). Why, it is said ofChrist when He cometh to judgment, that the heavens and the earthfly away, as not being able to endure His looks, (Rev 20:11, 12);that His angels are clad in flaming fire, and that the elements meltwith fervent heat; and all this is, that the perdition of ungodlymen might be completed, 'from the presence of the Lord, in theheat of His anger, from the glory of His power' (2 Pet 3:7; 2 Thess1:8, 9). Therefore, God will now be revenged, and so ease Himselfof His enemies, when He shall cause curses like millstones to fallas thick as hail on 'the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth onstill in his trespasses' (Psa 68:2l). But, [The loss of the soul a loss everlasting. ]

Fourthly, As the loss of the soul is a loss peculiar to itself, aloss double, and a loss most fearful, so it is a loss everlasting. The soul that is lost is never to be found again, never to berecovered again, never to be redeemed again, its banishment fromGod is everlasting; the fire in which it burns, and by which it mustbe tormented, is a fire that is ever, everlasting fire, everlastingburnings; the adder, the snake, the stinging worm, dieth not, noris the fire quenched; and this is a fearful thing. A man may endureto touch the fire with a short touch, and away; but to dwell witheverlasting burnings, that is fearful. Oh, then, what is dwellingwith them, and in them, for ever and ever! We use to say, lightburdens far carried are heavy; what, then, will it be to bearthat burden, that guilt, that the law and the justice and wrath ofGod will lay upon the lost soul for ever? Now tell the stars, nowtell the drops of the sea, and now tell the blades of grass thatare spread upon the face of all the earth, if thou canst: and yetsooner mayest thou do this than count the thousands of millions ofthousands of years that a damned soul shall lie in hell. Supposeevery star that is now in the firmament was to burn, by himself, one by one, a thousand years apiece, would it not be a long whilebefore the last of them was burned out? and yet sooner might thatbe done than the damned soul be at the end of punishment. 

There are three things couched under this last head that will fillup the punishment of a sinner. 1. The first is, that it is everlasting. 2. The second is, that, therefore, it will be impossible for thesouls in hell ever to say, Now we are got half way through oursorrows. 3. The third is, and yet every moment they shall endureeternal punishment. 

1. The first I have touched upon already, and, therefore, shall notenlarge; only I would ask the wanton or unthinking sinner, whethertwenty, or thirty, or forty years of the deceitful pleasures of sinis so rich a prize, as that a man may well venture the ruin, thateverlasting burnings will make upon his soul for the obtainingof them, and living a few moments in them. Sinner, consider thisbefore I go any further, or before thou readest one line more. Ifthou hast a soul, it concerns thee; if there be a hell, it concernsthee; and if there be a God that can and will punish the soul forsin everlastingly in hell, it concerns thee; because, 2. In the second place, it will be impossible for the damned soulever to say, I am now got half way through my sorrows. That whichhas no end, has no middle. Sinner, make a round circle, or ring, upon the ground, of what bigness thou wilt; this done, go thy wayupon that circle, or ring, until thou comest to the end thereof;but that, sayest thou, I can never do; because it has no end. Ianswer, but thou mayest as soon do that as wade half way throughthe lake of fire that is prepared for impenitent souls. Sinner, what wilt thou take to make a mountain of sand that will reach ashigh as the sun is at noon? I know that thou wilt not be engagedin such a work; because it is impossible thou shouldst ever performit. But I dare say the task is greater when the sinner has letout himself to sin for a servant; because the wages is everlastingburnings. I know thou mayest perform thy service; but the wages, the judgment, the punishment is so endless, that thou, when thouhast been in it more millions of years than can be numbered, artnot, nor never yet shalt be, able to say, I am half way throughit. And yet, 3. That soul shall partake every moment of that punishment thatis eternal. 'Even as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities about themin like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and goingafter strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering thevengeance of eternal fire' (Jude 7). 

(1. ) They shall endure eternal punishment in the nature of punishment. There is no punishment here wherewith one man can chastise anotherthat can deserve a greater title than that of transient, ortemporary punishment; but the punishment there is eternal, even inevery stripe that is given, and in every moment that it grapplethwith the soul; even every twinge, every gripe, and every strokethat justice inflicteth, leaveth anguish that, of their conditionaccording as will best stand with in the nature of punishment, iseternal behind it. It is eternal, because it is from God, and lastsfor ever and ever. The justice that inflicts it has not a beginning, and it is this justice in the operations of it that is alwaysdealing with the soul. 

(2. ) All the workings of the soul under this punishment are suchas cause it, in its sufferings, to endure that which is eternal. Itcan have no thought of the end of punishment, but it is presentlyrecalled by the decreed gulf that bindeth them under perpetualpunishment. The great fixed gulf, they know, will keep them in theirpresent place, and not suffer them to go to heaven (Luke 16:26). And now there is no other place but heaven or hell to be in; forthen the earth, and the works that are therein, will be burned up. Read the text, 'But the day of the Lord will come as a thief inthe night; in which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat; the earth alsoand all the works that are therein, shall be burned up' (2 Peter3:10). If, then, there will be no third place, it standeth in theirminds, as well as in God's decree, that their punishments shall beeternal; so, then, sorrows, anguish, tribulation, grief, woe, andpain, will, in every moment of its abiding upon the soul, not onlyflow from thoughts of what has been, and what is, but also fromwhat will be, and that for ever and ever. Thus every thought thatis truly grounded in the cause and nature of their state will roll, toss, and tumble them up and down in the cogitations and fearfulapprehensions of the lastingness of their damnation. For, I say, their minds, their memories, their understandings, and consciences, will all, and always, be swallowed up with 'for ever;' yea, theythemselves will, by the means of these things, be their own tormentorsfor ever. 

(3. ) There will not be spaces, as days, months, years, and the like, as now; though we make bold so to speak, the better to present ourthoughts to each other's capacities; for then there shall be timeno longer; also, day and night shall then be come to an end. 'Hehath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and nightcome to an end' (Job 26:10). Until the end of light with darkness. Now when time, and day, and night, are come to an end, then therecomes in eternity, as there was before the day, and night, or time, was created; and when this is come, punishment nor glory must noneof them be measured by days, or months, or years, but by eternityitself. Nor shall those concerned either in misery or glory reckonof their now new state, as they need to reckon of things in thisworld; but they shall be suited in their capacities, in theirunderstandings and apprehensions, to judge and count of theircondition according as will best stand with their state in eternity. 18

Could we but come to an understanding of things done in heavenand hell, as we understand how things are done in this world, weshould be strangely amazed to see how the change of places and ofconditions has made a change in the understandings of men, and inthe manner of their enjoyment of things. But this we must let alonetill the next world, and until our launching into it; and then, whether we be of the right or left hand ones, we shall well knowthe state and condition of both kingdoms. In the meantime, letus addict ourselves to the belief of the Scriptures of truth, fortherein is revealed the way to that of eternal life, and how toescape the damnation of the soul (Matt 25:33). But thus much forthe loss of the soul, unto which let me add, for a conclusion, these verses following:--

 These cry alas! But all in vain; They stick fast in the mire; They would be rid of present pain, Yet set themselves on fire. 

 Darkness is their perplexity, Yet do they hate the light; They always see their misery, Yet are themselves, all night. 

 They are all dead, yet live they do, Yet neither live nor die; They die to weal, and live to woe--19 This is their misery. 

 Now will confusion so possess, These monuments of ire, And so confound them with distress, And trouble their desire, That what to think, or what to do, Or where to lay their head, They know not: 'tis the damned's woe, To live, and yet be dead. 

 These castaways would fain have life, But know they never shall; They would forget their dreadful plight. But that sticks fast'st of all. 

 God, Christ, and heav'n, they know are best, Yet dare not on them think; They know the saints enjoy their rest, While they their tears do drink. 

[OF THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF THE SOUL. ]

FOURTH, And now I am come to the fourth thing--that is, to showyou the cause of the loss of the soul. That men have souls, thatsouls are great things, that souls may be lost, this I have showedyou already; wherefore I now proceed to show you the cause of thisloss. The cause is laid down in the 18th chapter of Ezekiel, inthese words--'Behold, all souls, ' says God, 'are Mine; as the soulof the father, so also the soul of the son is Mine: the soul thatsinneth, it shall die' (5:4). 

[Sin the cause of the loss of his soul. ]

First, It is sin, then, or sinning against God, that is the causeof dying, or damning in hell fire, for that must be meant by dying;otherwise, to die, according to our ordinary acceptation of thenotion, the soul is not capable of, it being indeed immortal, ashath been afore asserted. So, then, the soul that sinneth--that is, and persevering in the same--that soul shall die, be cast away, ordamned; yea, to ascertain us of the undoubted truth of this, theHoly Ghost doth repeat it again, and that in this very chapter, saying, 'The soul that sinneth, it shall die' (5:20). Now, the soulmay divers ways be said to sin against God; as, 1. In its receiving of sin into its bosom, and in its retaining andentertaining of it there. Sin must first be received before it canact in, or be acted by, the soul. Our first parents first receivedit in the suggestion or motion, and then acted it. Now it is nothere to be disputed when sin was received by the soul, so muchas whether ever the soul received sin; for if the soul has indeedreceived sin into itself, then it has sinned, and by doing so, has made itself an object of the wrath of God, and a fire brand ofhell. I say, I will not here dispute when sin was received by thesoul, but it is apparent enough that it received it betimes, becausein old time every child that was brought unto the Lord was to beredeemed, and that at a month old, (Exo 13:13; 34:20; Num 18:15, 16); which, to be sure, was very early, and implied that then, even then, the soul in God's judgment stood before Him as defiledand polluted with sin. But although I said I will not dispute atwhat time the soul may be said to receive sin, yet it is evidentthat it was precedent to the redemption made mention of just before, and so before the person redeemed had attained the age of a month. And that God might, in the language of Moses, give us to see causeof the necessity of this redemption, he first distinguisheth, andsaith, 'The firstling of a cow, or the firstling of a sheep, or thefirstling of a goat, ' did not need this redemption, for they wereclean, or holy. But the firstborn of men, who was taken in lieuof the rest of the children, and the 'firstling of unclean beasts, thou shalt surely redeem, ' saith He. But why was the firstborn ofmen coupled with unclean beasts, but because they are both unclean?The beast was unclean by God's ordination, but the other was uncleanby sin. Now, then, it will be demanded, how a soul, before it wasa month old, could receive sin to the making of itself unclean?I answer, There are two ways of receiving, one active, the otherpassive; this last is the way by which the soul at first receivethsin, and by so receiving, becometh culpable, because polluted anddefiled by it. And this passive way of receiving is often mentionedin Scripture. Thus the pans received the ashes, (Exo 27:3); thusthe molten sea received three thousand baths, (2 Chron 4:5); thusthe ground receiveth the seed, (Matt 13:20-23); and this receivingis like that of the wool which receiveth the dye, either black, white, or red; and as the fire that receiveth the water till itbe all quenched therewith: or as the water receiveth such stinkingand poisonous matter into it, as for the sake of it, it is pouredout and spilt upon the ground. But whence should the soul thusreceive sin? I answer, from the body, while it is in the mother'sbelly; the body comes from polluted man, and therefore is polluted(Psa 51: 5). 'Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?' (Job14:4). The soul comes from God's hand, and therefore as so is pureand clean: but being put into this body, it is tainted, polluted, and defiled with the taint, stench, and filth of sin; nor can thisstench and filth be by man purged out, when once from the body gotinto the soul; sooner may the blackamoor change his skin, or theleopard his spots, than the soul, were it willing, might purgeitself of this pollution. 'Though thou wash thee with nitre, andtake thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before Me, saiththe Lord God' (Jer 2:22). 

2. But as I said, the soul has not only received sin, but retainsit, holds it, and shows no kind of resistance. It is enough thatthe soul is polluted and defiled, for that is sufficient to provokeGod to cast it away; for which of you would take a cloth annoyedwith stinking, ulcerous sores, to wipe your mouth withal, or tothrust it into your bosoms? and the soul is polluted with far worsepollution than any such can be. But this is not all; it retainssin as the wool retains the dye, or as the infected water receivesthe stench or poisonous scent; I say, it retains it willingly;for all the power of the soul is not only captivated by a seizureof sin upon the soul, but it willingly, heartily, unanimously, universally falleth in with the natural filth and pollution thatis in sin, to the estranging of itself from God, and an obtainingof an intimacy and compliance with the devil. 

Now this being the state and condition of the soul from the belly, 20yea, from before it sees the light of this world, what can beconcluded but that God is offended with it? For how can it otherwisebe, since there is holiness and justice in God? Hence those thatare born of a woman, whose original is by carnal conception withman, are said to be as serpents so soon as born. 'The wicked (andall at first are so) go astray as soon as they be born, speakingslies. Their poison is like the poison of a serpent: they are likethe deaf adder, that stoppeth her ear' (Psa 58:3, 4). They go astrayfrom the belly; but that they would not do, if aught of the powersof their soul were unpolluted. 'But their poison is like the poisonof a serpent. ' Their poison--what is that? Their pollution, theiroriginal pollution, that is as the poison of a serpent--to wit, not only deadly, for so poison is, but also hereditary. It comesfrom the old one, from the sire and dam; yea, it is also nowbecome connatural to and with them, and is of the same date withthe child as born into the world. The serpent has not her poison, in the original of it, either from imitation or from other infectivethings abroad, though it may by such things be helped forward andincreased; but she brings it with her in her bowels, in her nature, and it is to her as suitable to her present condition as it isthat which is most sweet and wholesome to other of the creatures. So, then, every soul comes into the world as poisoned with sin; nay, as such which have poison connatural to them; for it has not onlyreceived sin as the wool has received the dye, but it retaineth it. The infection is got so deep, it has taken the black so effectually, that the tint, the very fire of hell, can never purge the soultherefrom. 

And that the soul has received this infection thus early, and thatit retains it so surely, is not only signified by children cominginto the world besmeared in their mother's blood, and by thefirstborn's being redeemed at a month old, but also by the firstinclinations and actions of children when they are so come intothe world (Exo 26). Who sees not that lying, pride, disobedience toparents, and hypocrisy, do put forth themselves in children beforethey know that they do either well or ill in so doing, or beforethey are capable to learn either of these arts by imitation, orseeing understandingly the same things done first by others? Hethat sees not that they do it naturally from a principle, from aninherent principle, is either blinded, and has retained his darknessby the same sin as they, or has suffered himself to be swayed bya delusion from him who at first infused this spawn of sin intoman's nature. 

Nor doth the averseness of children to morality a little demonstratewhat has been said; for as it would make a serpent sick, should onegive it a strong antidote against his poison, so then are children, and never more than then, disturbed in their minds, when a stricthand and a stiff rein by moral discipline is maintained over andupon them. True, sometimes restraining grace corrects them, butthat is not of themselves; but more oft hypocrisy is the great andfirst moving wheel to all their seeming compliances with admonitions, which indulgent parents are apt to overlook, yea, and sometimes, through unadvisedness, to count for the principles of grace. I speaknow of that which comes before conversion. But as I said before, Iwould not now dispute, only I have thought good thus to urge thesethings to make my assertion manifest, and to show what is the causeof the damnation of the soul. 

3. Again; as the soul receives sin, and retains it, so it alsodoth entertain it--that is, countenance, smile upon, and like itscomplexion and nature well. A man may detain--that is, hold fast--athing which yet he doth not regard; but when he entertains, thenhe countenances, likes, and delights in the company. Sin, then, is first received by the soul, as has been afore explained, and bythat reception is polluted and defiled. This makes it hateful inthe eyes of justice: it is now polluted. Then, secondly, this sinis not only received, but retained--that is, it sticks so fast, abides so fixedly in the soul, that it cannot be gotten out; thisis the cause of the continuation of abhorrence; for if God abhorsbecause there is a being of sin there, it must needs be that heshould continue to abhor, since sin continues to have a being there. But then, in the third place, sin is not only received, detained, but entertained by the now defiled and polluted soul; whereforethis must needs be a cause of the continuance of anger, and thatwith aggravation. When I say, entertained, I do not mean as menentertain their enemies, with small and great shot, 21 but as theyentertain those whom they like, and those that are got into theiraffections. 22 And therefore the wrath of God must certainly belet out upon the soul, to the everlasting damnation of it. 

Now that the soul doth thus entertain sin, is manifest by theseseveral particulars--

(1. ) It hath admitted it with complacence and delight into everychamber of the soul; I mean, it has been delightfully admitted toan entertainment by all the powers or faculties of the soul. Thesoul hath chosen it rather than God: it also, at God's command, refuseth to let it go; yea, it chooseth that doctrine, and lovethit best, since it must have a doctrine, that has most of sin andbaseness in it (Isa 65:12; 66:3). They 'say to the seers, See not;and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak untous smooth things, prophesy deceits' (Isa 30:10). These are signsthat the soul with liking hath entertained sin; and if there be atany time, as indeed there is, a warrant issued out from the mouthof God to apprehend, to condemn, and mortify sin, why then, (2. ) These shifts the souls of sinners do presently make for thesaving of sin from those things that by the Word men are commandedto do unto it--

(a) They will, if possible, hide it, and not suffer it to bediscovered. 'He that hideth his sins23 shall not prosper' (Prov28:13). And again, they hide it, and refuse to let it go (Job20:12, 13). This is an evident sign that the soul has a favour forsin, and that with liking it, entertains it. 

(b) As it will hide it, so it will excuse it, and plead that thisand that piece of wickedness is no such evil thing; men need notbe so nice, and make such a pother24 about it, calling those thatcry out so hotly against it, men more nice than wise. Hence theprophets of old used to be called madmen, and the world would replyagainst their doctrine, Wherein have we been so wearisome to God, and what have we spoken so much against Him? (Mal 1:6, 7; 3:8, 13). 

(c) As the soul will do this, so to save sin, it will cover it withnames of virtue, either moral or civil; and of this God greatlycomplains, yea, breaks into anger for this, saying, 'Woe to themthat call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; and put bitter for sweet, and sweet forbitter' (Isa 5:20)!

(d) If convictions and discovery of sin be so strong and so plain, that the soul cannot deny but that it is sin, and that God isoffended therewith; then it will give flattering promises to Godthat it will indeed put it away; but yet it will prefix a time thatshall be long first, if it also then at all performs it, saying, Yet a little sleep, yet a little slumber, yet a little folding ofsin in mine arms, till I am older, till I am richer, till I havehad more of the sweetness and the delights of sin. Thus, 'theirsoul delighteth in their abominations' (Isa 66:3). 

(e) If God yet pursues, and will see whether this promise of puttingsin out of doors shall be fulfilled by the soul, why then, it willbe partial in God's law; it will put away some, and keep some; putaway the grossest, and keep the finest; put away those that canbest be spared, and keep the most profitable for a help at a pinch(Mal 2:9). 

(f) Yes, if all sin must be abandoned, or the soul shall have norest, why then, the soul and sin will part (with such a partingas it is), even as Phaltiel parted with David's wife, with an illwill and a sorrowful mind; or as Orpha left her mother, with a kiss(2 Sam 3:16; Ruth 1:14). 

(g) And if at any time they can, or shall, meet with each otheragain, and nobody never the wiser, O, what courting will be betwixtsin and the soul? And this is called doing of things in the dark(Eze 8:12). 

By all these, and many more things that might be instanced, it ismanifest that sin has a friendly entertainment by the soul, andthat therefore the soul is guilty of damnation; for what do allthese things argue, but that God, His Word, His ways, and graces, are out of favour with the soul, and that sin and Satan are itsonly pleasant companions? But, [How sin, by the help of the soul, destroys it. ]

Secondly, That I may yet show you what a great thing sin is withthe soul that is to be damned, I will show how sin, by the help ofthe soul, is managed, from the motion of sin, even till it comesto the very act; for sin cannot come to an act without the help ofthe soul. The body doth little here, as I shall further show youanon. 

There is then a motion of sin presented to the soul (and whetherpresented by sin itself or the devil, we will not at this timedispute); motions of sin, and motions to sin there are, and alwaysthe end of the motions of sin are to prevail with the soul to helpthat motion into an act. But, I say, there is a motion to sin movedto the soul; or, as James calls it, a conception. Now behold howthe soul deals with this motion in order to the finishing of sin, that death might follow (Rom 7:5). 

1. This motion is taken notice of by the soul, but is not resistednor striven against, only the soul lifts up its eyes upon it, andsees that there is present a motion to sin, a motion of sin presentedto the soul, that the soul might midwife it from the conceptioninto the world. 

2. Well, notice being taken that a motion to sin is present, whatfollows but that the fancy or imagination of the soul taketh it hometo it, and doth not only look upon it and behold it more narrowly, but begins to trick and trim up the sin to the pleasing of itselfand of all the powers of the soul. That this is true, is evident, because God findeth fault with the imagination as with that whichlendeth to sin the first hand, and that giveth to it the firstlift towards its being helped forward to act. 'And God saw thatthe wickedness of man was great in the earth' (Gen 6:5, 12, 13). Thatis, many abominable actions were done; for all flesh had corruptedGod's way upon the earth. But how came this to be so? Why, every imagination of the thoughts, or of the motions that were inthe heart to sin, was evil, only evil, and that continuously. Theimagination of the thoughts was evil--that is, such as tended notto deaden or stifle, but such as tended to animate and forwardthe motions or thoughts of sin into action. Every imagination ofthe thoughts--that which is here called a thought, by Paul to theRomans, called a motion. Now the imagination should, and would, had it been on God's side, so have conceived of this motion of andto sins, all to have presented it in all its features so ugly, soill favoured, and so unreasonable a thing to the soul, that thesoul should forthwith have let down the sluice, and pulled up thedrawbridge, put a stop, with greatest defiance, to the motion nowunder consideration; but the imagination being defiled, it presently, at the very first view or noise of the motion of sin, so actedas to forward the bringing the said motion or thought into act. So, then, the thought of sin, or motion thereto, is first of allentertained by the imagination and fancy of the soul, and thenceconveyed to the rest of the powers of the soul to be condemned, ifthe imagination be good; but to be helped forward to the act, ifthe imagination be evil. And thus the evil imagination helpeth themotion of and to sin towards the act, even by dressing of it upin that guise and habit that may best delude the understanding, judgment, and conscience; and that is done after this manner: supposea motion of sin to commit fornication, to swear, to steal, to actcovetously, or the like, be propounded to the fancy and imagination;the imagination, if evil, presently dresseth up this motion inthat garb that best suiteth with the nature of the sin. As, if itbe the lust of uncleanness, then is the motion to sin drest up inall the imaginable pleasurableness of that sin; if to covetousness, then is the sin drest up in the profits and honours that attend thatsin; and so of theft and the like; but if the motion be to swear, hector, or the like, then is that motion drest up with valour andmanliness; and so you may count of the rest of sinful motions; andthus being trimmed up like a Bartholomew baby, 25 it is presentedto all the rest of the powers of the soul, where with joint consentit is admired and embraced, to the firing and inflaming all thepowers of the soul. 

And hence it is that men are said to inflame themselves with theiridols under every green tree. 'And to be as fed horses, neighingafter their neighbour's wife' (Jer 5:8). For the imagination is sucha forcible power, that if it putteth forth itself to dress up andpresent a thing to the soul, whether that thing be evil or good, the rest of the faculties cannot withstand it. Therefore, when Davidprayed for the children of Israel, he said, 'I have seen with joythy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee;'that is, for preparations to build the temple. 'O Lord God, ' saithhe, 'keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of theheart of Thy people, and prepare their heart unto Thee' (1 Chron29:17, 18). He knew that as the imagination was prepared, so wouldthe soul be moved, whether by evil or good; therefore as to this, he prays that their imagination might be engaged always withapprehensions of the beauteousness of the temple, that they mightalways, as now, offer willingly for its building. 

But, as I said, when the imagination hath thus set forth sin to therest of the faculties of the soul, they are presently entangled, and fall into a flame of love thereto; this being done, it followsthat a purpose to pursue this motion, till it be brought unto act, is the next thing that is resolved on. Thus Esau, after he hadconceived of that profit that would accrue to him by murderingof his brother, fell the next way into a resolve to spill Jacob'sblood. And Rebecca sent for Jacob, and said unto him, 'Behold, thybrother Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposing tokill thee' (Gen 27:42). See also (Jer 49:30). Nor is this purposeto do an evil without its fruit, for he comforted himself in his evilpurpose: 'Esau, as touching thee, doth comfort himself, purposingto kill thee. '

The purpose, therefore, being concluded, in the next place theinvention is diligently set to work to find out what means, methods, and ways, will be thought best to bring this purpose into practice, and this motion to sin into action. Esau invented the death of hisbrother when his father was to be carried to his grave (Gen 27:41). David purposed to make Uriah father his bastard child by making ofhim drunk (2 Sam 11:13). Amnon purposed to ravish Tamar, and themeans that he invented to do it were by feigning himself sick. Absalom purposed to kill Amnon, and invented to do it at a feast(2 Sam13:32). Judas purposed to sell Christ, and invented to betrayhim in the absence of the people (Luke 22:3-6). The Jews purposedto kill Paul, and invented to entreat the judge of a blandation26 tosend for him, that they might murder him as he went (Acts 23:12-15). 

Thus you see how sin is, in the motion of it, handed through thesoul--first, it comes into the fancy or imagination, by which itis so presented to the soul, as to inflame it with desire to bringit into act; so from this desire the soul proceedeth to a purposeof enjoying, and from a purpose of enjoying to inventing how, orby what means, it had best to attempt the accomplishing of it. 

But, further, when the soul has thus far, by its wickedness, pursuedthe motion of sin to bring it into action, then to the last thing;to wit, to endeavours, to take the opportunity, which, by theinvention, is judged most convenient; so to endeavours it goes, till it has finished sin, and finished, in finishing of that, itsown fearful damnation. 'Then when lust hath conceived, it bringethforth sin; and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death'(James 1:15). 

And who knows, but God and the soul, how many lets, hindrances, convictions, fears, frights, misgivings, and thoughts of thejudgment of God, all this while are passing and repassing, turningand returning, over the face of the soul? how many times the soulis made to start, look back, and tremble, while it is pursuing thepleasure, profit, applause, or preferment that sin, when finished, promiseth to yield unto the soul? for God is such a lover of thesoul, that He seldom lets it go on in sin, but He cries to it, byHis Word and providences, 'Oh! do not this abominable thing thatI hate!' (Jer 44: 4); especially at first, until it shall havehardened itself, and so provoked Him to give it up in sin-revengingjudgment to its own ways and doings, which is the terriblestjudgment under heaven; and this brings me to the third thing, thewhich I now will speak to. 

3. As the soul receives, detains, entertains, and wilily worketh tobring sin from the motion into act, so it abhorreth to be controlledand taken off of this work--'My soul loathed them, ' says God, 'andtheir soul also abhorred Me' (Zech 6:8). My soul loathed them, because they were so bad; and their souls abhorred Me, because I amso good. Sin, then, is the cause of the loss of the soul; becauseit hath set the soul, or, rather, because the soul of love to sinhath set itself against God. 'Woe unto their soul, for they haverewarded evil unto themselves'(Isa 3:9). 

[Through sin the soul sets itself against God. ]

Third, That you may the better perceive that the soul, through sin, has set itself against God, I will propose, and speak briefly to, these two things:--

I. The law. II. The gospel. 

I. For the law. God has given it for a rule of life, either aswritten in their natures, or as inserted in the Holy Scriptures; Isay, for a rule of life to all the children of men. But what havemen done, or how have they carried it to this law of their Creator;let us see, and that from the mouth of God himself. 

1. 'They have not hearkened unto My words' (Jer 6:19). 

2. 'They have forsaken My law' (Jer 9:13). 

3. They 'have forsaken Me, and have not kept My law' (Jer 16:11). 

4. They have not 'walked in My law, nor in My statutes' (Jer 44:4). 

5. 'Her priests have violated My law' (Eze 22:26). 

6. And, saith God, 'I have written to him the great things of Mylaw, but they were counted as a strange thing. ' (Hos 8:12). 

Now, whence should all this disobedience arise? Not from theunreasonableness of the commandment, but from the opposition thatis lodged in us against God, and the enmity that it entertainsagainst goodness. Hence the apostle speaks of the emnity, and says, that men are enemies in their minds, their souls, as is manifest bywicked works (Col 1:21). This, if men went no further, must needsbe highly provoking to a just and holy God: yea, so highly offensiveis it, that, to show the heat of His anger, He saith, 'Indignationand wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man thatdoeth evil, ' and this evil with a witness, 'of the Jew first, andalso of the Gentile, ' that doth evil (Rom 2:8, 9). That breakeththe law; for that evil He is crying out against now. But, II. To speak of the gospel, and of the carriage of sinful soulstowards God under that dispensation. 

The gospel is a revelation of a sovereign remedy, provided by God, through Christ, for the health and salvation of those that havemade themselves objects of wrath by the breach of the law of works;this is manifest by all the Scripture. But how doth the soul carryit towards God, when He offereth to deal with it under and by thisdispensation of grace? Why, just as it carried it under the lawof works: they oppose, they contradict, they blaspheme, and forbidthat this gospel be mentioned (Acts 13:45; 27:6). What higher affrontor contempt can be offered to God, and what greater disdain can beshown against the gospel? (2 Tim 2:25; 1 Thess 2:14-16). Yet allthis the poor soul, to its own wrong, offereth against the way ofits own salvation; as it is said in the Word of truth, 'He thatsinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate Melove death' (Prov 8:36). 

But, further, the soul despiseth not the gospel in that revelationof it only, but the great and chief bringer thereof, with themanner, also, of His bringing of it. The Bringer, the great Bringerof the gospel, is the good Lord Jesus Christ himself; He 'came andpreached peace to them that the law proclaimed war against; becameand preached peace to them that were afar off, and to them that werenigh' (Eph 2:17). And it is worth your observation to take noticehow He came, and that was, and still is, as He is set forth in theword of the gospel; to wit, first, as making peace Himself to Godfor us in and by the blood of His cross; and then, as bearing (asset out by the gospel) the very characters of His sufferings beforeour faces in every tender of the gospel of His grace unto us. Andto touch a little upon the dress in which, by the gospel, Christpresenteth unto us while He offereth unto sinful souls His peace, by the tenders thereof. 

1. He is set forth as born for us, to save our souls (Isa 9:6; Luke2:9-12). 

2. He is set forth before us as bearing of our sins for us, andsuffering God's wrath for us (1 Cor 15:3; Gal 3:13). 

3. He is set forth before us as fulfilling the law for us, and asbringing of everlasting righteousness to us for our covering (Rom5:4; Dan 9:24). 

Again, as to the manner of His working out the salvation of sinnersfor them, that they might have peace and joy, and heaven and glory, for ever. 

(1. ) He is set forth as sweating of blood while He was in His agony, wrestling with the thoughts of death, which He was to suffer forour sins, that He might save the soul (Luke 22:44). 

(2. ) He is set forth as crying, weeping, and mourning under thelashes of justice that He put Himself under, and was willing tobear for our sins (Heb 5:7). 

(3. ) He is set forth as betrayed, apprehended, condemned, spit on, scourged, buffeted, mocked, crowned with thorns, crucified, piercedwith nails and a spear, to save the soul from being betrayed by thedevil and sin; to save it from being apprehended by justice, andcondemned by the law; to save it from being spit on, in a way ofcontempt, by holiness; to save it from being scourged with guilt ofsins, as with scorpions; to save it from being continually buffetedby its own conscience; to save it from being mocked at by God; tosave it from being crowned with ignominy and shame for ever; tosave it from dying the second death; to save it from wounds andgrief for ever. 

Dost thou understand me, sinful soul? He wrestled with justice, thatthou mightest have rest; He wept and mourned, that thou mightestlaugh and rejoice; He was betrayed, that thou mightest go free;was apprehended, that thou mightest escape; He was condemned, thatthou mightest be justified; and was killed, that thou mightestlive; He wore a crown of thorns, that thou mightest wear a crownof glory; and was nailed to the cross, with His arms wide open, to show with what freeness all His merits shall be bestowed on thecoming soul; and how heartily He will receive it into His bosom?

Further, all this He did of mere good will, and offereth the benefitthereof unto thee freely; yea, He cometh unto thee, in the wordof the gospel, with the blood running down from His head upon Hisface, with His tears abiding upon His cheeks, with the holes as freshin His hands and His feet, and as with the blood still bubblingout of His side, to pray thee to accept of the benefit, and tobe reconciled to God thereby (2 Cor 5). But what saith the sinfulsoul to this? I do not ask what he saith with his lips, for he willassuredly flatter God with his mouth; but what doth his actionsand carriages declare as to his acceptance of this incomparablebenefit? For 'a wicked man speaketh with his feet, and teachethwith his fingers' (Prov 6:12, 13). With his feet--that is, by theway he goeth: and with his fingers--that is, by his acts and doings. So, then, what saith he by his goings, by his sets and doings, untothis incomparable benefit, thus brought unto him from the Father, by His only Son, Jesus Christ? What saith he? Why, he saith thathe doth not at all regard this Christ, nor value the grace thustendered unto him in the gospel. 

1. He saith, that he regardeth not this Christ, that he seeth nothingin Him why he should admit Him to be entertained in his affections. Therefore the prophet, speaking in the person of sinners, says, 'He(Christ) hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him;' and then adds, toshow what he meaneth by his thus speaking, saying, 'he is despisedand rejected of men' (Isa 53:2, 3). All this is spoken with referenceto His person, and it was eminently fulfilled upon Him in the daysof His flesh, when He was hated, maligned, and persecuted to deathby sinners; and is still fulfilled in the souls of sinners, inthat they cannot abide to think of Him with thoughts that have atendency in them to separate them and their lusts asunder, and tothe making of them to embrace Him for their darling, and the takingup of their cross to follow Him. All this sinners speak out withloud voices, in that they stop their ears and shut their eyes asto Him, but open them wide and hearken diligently to anything thatpleaseth the flesh, and that is a nursery to sin. But, 2. As they despise, and reject, and do not regard His person, so they do not value the grace that He tendereth unto them by thegospel; this is plain by that indifferency of spirit that alwaysattends them when, at any time, they hear thereof, or when it ispresented unto them. 

I may safely say, that the most of men who are concerned in a trade, will be more vigilant in dealing with a twelvepenny customer thanthey will be with Christ when He comes to make unto them, by thegospel, a tender of the incomparable grace of God. Hence they arecalled fools, because a price is put into their hands to get wisdom, and they have no heart unto it (Prov 18:16). And hence, again, itis that that bitter complaint is made, 'But My people would nothearken to my voice; and Israel would none of Me' (Psa 81:11). Now, these things being found, as practised by the souls of sinners, mustneeds, after a wonderful manner, provoke; wherefore, no marvel thatthe heavens are bid to be astonished at this, and that damnationshall seize upon the soul for this (Jer 2). 

And indeed, the soul that doth thus by practice, though withhis mouth--as who doth not? he shall show much love, he doth, interpretatively, say these things:--

(1. ) That he loveth sin better than grace, and darkness betterthan light, even as our Lord Jesus Christ hath showed, 'And thisis the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and menloved darkness more than light (as is manifest), because theirdeeds were evil' (John 3:19). 

(2. ) They do, also, by their thus rejecting of Christ and grace, say, that for what the law can do to them, they value it not; theyregard not its thundering threatenings, nor will they shrink whenthey come to endure the execution thereof; wherefore God, to deterthem from such bold and desperate ways, that do, interpretatively, fully declare that they make such desperate conclusions, insinuatesthat the burden of the curse thereof is intolerable, saying, 'Canthine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days thatI shall deal with thee? I, the Lord, have spoken it, and will doit' (Eze 22:14). 

(3. ) Yea, by their thus doing, they do as good as say that theywill run the hazard of a sentence of death at the day of judgment, and that they will, in the meantime, join issue, and stand a trialat that day with the great and terrible God. What else means theirnot hearkening to Him, their despising of His Son, and the rejectingof His grace; yea I say again, what else means their slighting ofthe curse of the law, and their choosing to abide in their sinstill the day of death and judgment? And thus I have showed you thecauses of the loss of the soul; and, assuredly, these things areno fables. 

Objection. But some may object, and say, But you denounce all againstthe soul; the soul, as if the body were in no fault at all; or, asif there were no punishment assigned for the body. 

Answer 1. The soul must be the part punished, because the soul isthat which sins. 'Every sin that a man doeth is without the body, 'fornication or adultery excepted (1 Cor 6:18). 'Is without thebody; that is, as to the wilily inventing, contriving, and findingout ways to bring the motions of sin into action. For, alas! Whatcan the body do as to these? It is in a manner wholly passive; yea, altogether as to the lusting and purposing to do the wickedness, excepting the sin before excepted; ay, and not excepting that, asto the rise of that sin; for even that, with all the rest, arisethand proceedeth out of the heart--the soul; 'For from within, out ofthe heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil thingscome from within, and defile the man' (Mark 7:21-23). That is, theoutward man. But a difference must always be put betwixt defilingand being defiled, that which defileth being the worst; not butthat the body shall have its share of judgment, for body and soulmust be destroyed in hell (Luke 12:4, 5; Matt 10:28). The body asthe instrument, the soul as the actor; but oh! the soul, the soul, the soul is the sinner; and, therefore, the soul, as the principal, must be punished. 

And that God's indignation burneth most against the soul appears inthat death hath seized upon every soul already; for the Scripturesaith, that every natural or unconverted man is dead (Eph 2:1-3). Dead! How? Is his body dead? No, verily; his body liveth, but hissoul is dead (1 Tim 5:6). Dead! But with what death? Dead to God, and to all things gospelly good, by reason of that benumbing, stupifying, and senselessness, that, by God's just judgment forand by sin, hath swallowed up the soul. Yea, if you observe, youshall see that the soul goeth first, or before, in punishment, notonly by what has been said already, in that the soul is first madea partaker of death, but in that God first deals with the soul byconvictions, yea, and terrors, perhaps, while the body is well;or, in that He giveth up the soul to judicial hardness and furtherblindness, while He leaveth the body to do His office in the world;yea, and also when the day of death and dissolution is come, thebody is spared, while the soul is tormented in unutterable tormentin hell. And so, I say, it shall be spared, and the clods of thevalley shall be sweet unto it, while the soul mourneth in hell forsin. It is true, at the day of judgment, because that is the lastand final judgment of God on men, then the body and soul shallbe re-united, or joined together again, and shall then, together, partake of that recompence for their wickedness which is meet. WhenI say, the body is spared and the soul tormented, I mean not thatthe body is not then, at death, made to partake of the wages of sin, 'for the wages of sin is death' (Rom 3:23). But I mean, the bodypartakes then but of temporal death, which, as to sense and feeling, is sometimes over presently, and then resteth in the grave, whilethe soul is tormenting in hell. Yea, and why is death suffered toslay the body? I dare say, not chiefly for that the indignationof God most burneth against the body; but the body being the housefor the soul in this world, God even pulls down this body, thatthe soul may be stript naked, and being stript, may be carried toprison, to the place where damned souls are, there to suffer inthe beginning of suffering, that punishment that will be endless. 

Answer 2. Therefore, the soul must be the part most sorelypunished, because justice must be distributed with equity. God isa God of knowledge and judgment; by Him actions are weighed; actionsin order to judgment (1 Sam 2). Now, by weighing of actions, sinceHe finds the soul to have the deepest hand in sin; and He says thatHe hath so, of equity the soul is to bear the burden of punishment. 'Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right' in His famousdistributing of judgment? (Gen 18:25). 'He will not lay uponman more than right, that he should enter into judgment with God'(Job 34:23). The soul, since deepest in sin, shall also be deepestin punishment. 'Shall one man sin, ' said Moses, 'and wilt Thou bewroth with all the congregation?' (Num 1:22). He pleads here forequity in God's distributing of judgment; yea, and so exact is Godin the distribution thereof, that He will not punish heathens soas He will punish Jews; wherefore He saith, 'Of the Jew first, ' orchiefly, 'and also of the Gentile' (Rom 2:9). Yea, in hell He hasprepared several degrees of punishment for the several sorts ordegrees of offenders; And some 'shall receive greater damnation'(Luke 22:47). And will it not be unmeet for us to think, since Godis so elect in all His doings, that He will, without His weightsand measures, give to soul and body, as I may say, carelessly, notseverally, their punishments, according to the desert and merit ofeach?

Answer 3. The punishment of the soul in hell must needs, to besure, as to degree, differ from the punishment of the body there. When I say, differ, I mean, must needs be greater, whether the bodybe punished with the same fire with the soul, or fire of anothernature. If it be punished with the same fire, yet not in the sameway; for the fire of guilt, with the apprehensions of indignationand wrath, are most properly felt and apprehended by the soul, andby the body by virtue of its union with the soul; and so felt bythe body, if not only, yet, I think, mostly, by way of sympathywith the soul; and the cause, we say, is worse than the disease;and if the wrath of God, and the apprehensions of it, as dischargingitself for sin, and the breach of the law, be that with which thesoul is punished, as sure it is: then the body is punished by theeffects, or by those influences that the soul, in its torments, has upon the body, by virtue of that great oneness and union thatis between them. 

But if there be a punishment prepared for the body distinct in kindfrom that which is prepared for the soul, yet it must be a punishmentinferior to that which is prepared for the soul; not that the souland body shall be severed, but being made of things distinct, theirpunishments will be by that which is most suitable to each. I say, it must be inferior, because nothing can be so hot, so tormenting, so intolerably insupportable, as the quickest apprehensions of, and the immediate sinking under, that guilt and indignation thatis proportional to the offence. Should all the wood, and brimstone, and combustible matter on earth be gathered together for thetormenting of one body, yet that cannot yield that torment to thatwhich the sense of guilt and burning-hot application of the indignationof God will do to the soul; yea, suppose the fire wherewith the bodyis tormented in hell should be seven times hotter than any of ourfire; yea, suppose it, again, to be seven times hotter than that whichis seven times hotter than ours, yet it must, suppose it to be butcreated fire, be infinitely short, as to tormenting operations, ofthe unspeakable wrath of God, when in the heat thereof He appliethit to, and doth punish the soul for sin in hell therewith. So, then, whether the body be tormented with the same fire wherewiththe soul is tormented, or whether the fire be of another kind, yetit is not possible that it should bear the same punishment as todegree, because, or for the causes I have showed. Nor, indeed, isit meet it should, because the body has not sinned so, so grievouslyas the soul has done; and God proportioneth the punishment suitableto the offence. 

Answer 4. With the soul by itself are the most quick and suitableapprehensions of God and His wrath; wherefore, that must needs bemade partaker of the sorest punishment in hell; it is the soul thatnow is the most subtle at discerning, and it is the soul that willbe so; then conscience, memory, and understanding, and mind; thesewill be the seat of torment, since the understanding will let wrathimmediately upon these, from what it apprehends of that wrath;conscience will let the wrath of God immediately upon these, fromwhat it fearfully feels of that wrath; the memory will then, as avessel, receive and retain up to the brim of this wrath, even asit receiveth by the understanding and conscience, the cause of thiswrath, and considers the durableness of it; so, then, the soul isthe seat and the receiver of wrath, even as it was the receiver andseat of sin; here, then, is sin and wrath upon the soul, the soulin the body, and so soul and body tormented in hell fire. 

Answer 5. The soul will be most tormented, because strongest; thebiggest burden must lie upon the strongest part, especially since, also, it is made capable of it by its sin. The soul must bear itsown punishment, and a great part of the body's too, forasmuch as, so far as apprehension goes, the soul will be quicker at the workthan the body. True, the body, by the help of the soul, will seetoo, but the soul will see yet abundantly further. And good reasonthat the soul should bear part of the punishment of the body, becauseit was through its allurements that the body yielded to help thesoul to sin. The devil presented sin, the soul took it by the body, and now devil, and soul, and body, and all must be lost, cast away;that is, damned in hell for sin; but the soul must be the burdenbearer. 

Objection. But you say, Doth not this give encouragement to sinnersto give way to the body to be in all its members loose, and vain, and wicked, as instruments to sin?

Answer. No; forasmuch as the body shall also have his share inpunishment. For though I have said the soul shall have more punishmentthan the body, yet I have not said, that the body shall at all beeased by that; no, the body will have its due. And for the bettermaking out of my answer further, consider of these followingparticulars:--

(1. ) The body will be the vessel to hold the tormented soul in; thiswill be something; therefore man, damned man, is called a vesselof wrath, a vessel, and that in both body and soul (Rom 9:22). Thesoul receiveth wrath unto itself, and the body holdeth that soulthat has thus received, and is tormented with, the wrath of God. Now the body being a vessel to hold this soul that is thus possessedwith the wrath of God, must needs itself be afflicted and tormentedwith that torment, because of its union with the body; thereforethe Holy Ghost saith, 'His flesh upon him shall have pain, and hissoul within him shall mourn' (Job 14:22). Both shall have theirtorment and misery, for that both joined hand in hand in sin, thesoul to bring it to the birth, and the body to midwife it intothe world; therefore it saith again, with reference to the body, 'Let the curse come into his bowels like water, and like oil intohis bones. ' Let it be unto him as the garment which covereth him, and for a girdle, etc. (Psa 109:17-19). The body, then, will betormented as well as the soul, by being a vessel to hold that soulthat is now possessed and distressed with the unspeakable wrath andindignation of the Almighty God, and this will be a great deal, ifyou consider, (2. ) That the body, as a body, will, by reason of its union with thesoul, be as sensible, and so as capable in its kind, to receivecorrection and torment as ever, nay, I think more; for if thequickness of the soul giveth quickness of sense to the body, as insome case, at least, I am apt to think it doth, then forasmuch asthe soul will now be most quick, most sharp in apprehension, so thebody, by reason of union and sympathy with the soul, will be mostquick and most sharp as to sense. Indeed, if the body should notreceive and retain sense, yea, all its senses, by reason of itsbeing a vessel to hold the soul, the torment of the soul couldnot as torment, be ministered to the body, no more than the firetormented the king of Babylon's furnace (Dan 3). Or than the kingof Moab's lime kiln was afflicted because the king of Edom's boneswere burnt therein. But now the body has received again its senses, now therefore it must, yea, it cannot choose but must feel thatwrath of God that is let out, yea, poured out like floods of waterinto the soul. 27 Remember also, that besides what the body receivethfrom the soul by reason of its union and sympathy therewith, thereis a punishment, and instruments of punishment, though I willnot pretend to tell you exactly what it is, prepared for the bodyfor its joining with the soul in sin, therewith to be punished; apunishment, I say, that shall fall immediately upon the body, andthat such an one as will most fitly suit with the nature of thebody, as wrath and guilt do most fitly suit the nature of the soul. 

(3. ) Add to these, the durable condition that the body in this stateis now in with the soul. Time was when the soul died, and the bodylived, and the soul was tormented while the body slept and restedin the dust; but now these things are past; for at the day ofjudgment, as I said, these two shall be re-united, and that whichonce did separate them, be destroyed; then of necessity they mustabide together, and, as together, abide the punishment preparedfor them; and this will greaten the torment of the body. 

Death was once the wages of sin, and a grievous curse; but might thedamned meet with it in hell, they would count it a mercy, becauseit would separate soul and body, and not only so, but take away allsense from the body, and make it incapable of suffering torment;yea, I will add, and by that means give the soul some ease; forwithout doubt, as the torments of the soul extend themselves to thebody, so the torments of the body extend themselves to the soul;nor can it be otherwise, because of union and sympathy. But death, natural death, shall be destroyed, and there shall be no more naturaldeath, no, not in hell (1 Cor 15:26). And now it shall happen tomen, as it hath done in less and inferior judgments. They shallseek death, and desire to die, and death shall not be found bythem (Job 3:21; Rev 9:6). Thus therefore they must abide together;death that used to separate them asunder is now slain--1. Becauseit was an enemy in keeping Christ's body in the grave; and, 2. Because a friend to carnal men in that, though it was a punishmentin itself, yet while it lasted and had dominion over the body ofthe wicked, it hindered them of that great and just judgment whichfor sin was due unto them; and this is the third discovery of themanner and way of punishing of the body. But, (4. ) There will then be such things to be seen and heard, whichthe eye and the ear--to say no more than has been said of the senseof feeling--will see and hear, that will greatly aggravate thepunishment of the body in hell; for though the eye is the window, and the ear a door for the soul to look out at, and also to receivein by, yet whatever goeth in at the ear or the eye leaves influenceupon the body, whether it be that which the soul delighteth in, orthat which the soul abhorreth; for as the eye affecteth the heart, or soul (Lam 3:51) so the eye and ear, by hearing and beholding, doth ofttimes afflict the body. 'When I heard, my bellytrembled--rottenness entered into my bones. ' (Hab 3:16). 

Now, I say, as the body after its resurrection, to damnation, toeverlasting shame and contempt (Dan 12:2; John 5:29) will receiveall its senses again, so it will have matter to exercise them upon, not only to the letting into the soul those aggravations which theyby hearing, feeling, and seeing are capable to let in thither, but, I say, they will have matter and things to exercise themselves uponfor the helping forward of the torment of the body. Under temporaljudgments of old, the body as well as the soul had no ease, day ornight, and that not only by reason of what was felt, but by reasonof what was heard and seen. 'In the morning thou shalt say, WouldGod it were even! And at even thou shalt say, Would God it weremorning!' (Deu 28:67). 1. 'For the fear of thine heart, wherewiththou shalt fear;' 2. 'And for the sight of thine eyes, which thoushalt see. ' Nay, He tells them a little before, that they should bemad for the sight of their eyes which they should see (verse 34). 

See! why, what shall they see? Why, themselves in hell, withothers like them; and this will be a torment to their body. Thereis bodily torment, as I said, ministered to the body by the sensesof the body. What think you? If a man saw himself in prison, inirons, upon the ladder, with the rope about his neck, would notthis be distress to the body, as well as to the mind? To the body, doubtless. Witness the heavy looks, the shaking legs, tremblingknees, pale face, and beating and aching heart; 28 how much more, then, when men shall see themselves in the most dreadful place; itis a fearful place, doubtless, to all to behold themselves in thatshall come thither (Luke 16:28). 

Again; they shall see others there, and shall by them see themselves. There is an art by which a man may make his neighbour look soghastly, that he shall fright himself by looking on him, especiallywhen he thinks of himself, that he is of the same show also. It issaid concerning men at the downfall of Babylon, that they shall beamazed one at another, for 'their faces shall be as flames' (Isa13:8). And what if one should say, that even as it is with a houseset on fire within, where the flame ascends out at the chimneys, out at the windows, and the smoke out at every chink and crevicethat it can find, so it will be with the damned in hell. That soulwill breathe hell fire and smoke, and coals will seem to hang uponits burning lips; yea, the face, eyes, and ears will seem all tobe chimneys and vents for the flame and smoke of the burning whichGod by His breath hath kindled therein, and upon them, which willbe beheld one in another, to the great torment and distress of eachother. 

What shall I say? Here will be seen devils, and here will be heardhowlings and mournings; here will the soul see itself at an infinitedistance from God; yea, the body will see it too. In a word, whoknows the power of God's wrath, the weight of sin, the tormentsof hell, and the length of eternity? If none, then none can tell, when they have said what they can, the intolerableness of thetorments that will swallow up the soul, the lost soul, when it iscast away by God, and from Him, into outer darkness for sin. Butthis much for the cause of the loss of the soul. 

DOCTRINE SECOND, I now come to the second doctrine that I gathered from thewords--namely, that how unconcerned and careless soever some nowbe about the loss or salvation of their souls, the day is coming, but it will then be too late, when men will be willing, had theynever so much, to give it all in exchange for their souls. Thereare four things in the words that do prove this doctrine. 

1. There is an intimation of life and sense in the man that haslost, and that after he has lost, his soul in hell--'Or what shalla man give in exchange for his soul?' These words are by no meansapplicable to the man that has no life or sense; for he that isdead according to our common acceptation of death, that is, deprivedof life and sense, would not give twopence to change his state;therefore the words do intimate that the man is yet alive andsensible. Now were a man alive and sensible, though he was in noneother place than the grave, there to be confined, while others areat liberty, what would he give in exchange for his place, and tobe rid of that for a better! but how much more to be delivered fromhell, the present place and state of his soul!

2. There is in the text an intimation of a sense of torment 'Orwhat shall a man give in exchange for his soul?' I am tormented inthis flame. Torment, then, the soul is sensible of, and that thereis a place of ease and peace. And from the sense and feeling oftorment, he would give, yea, what would he not give, in exchangefor his soul?

3. There is in the text an intimation of the intolerableness ofthe torment, because that it supposeth that the man whose soul isswallowed up therewith would give all, were his all never so great, in exchange for his soul. 

4. There is yet in the text an intimation that the soul is sensibleof the lastingness of the punishment, or else the question ratherargues a man unwary than considerate in his offering, as is supposedby Christ, so largely, his all in exchange for his soul. 

But we will, in this manner, proceed no further, but take it forgranted that the doctrine is good; wherefore I shall next inquireafter what is contained in this truth. And, FIRST, That God has undertaken, and will accomplish, the breakingof the spirits of all the world, either by His grace and mercy tosalvation, or by His justice and severity to damnation. The damnedsoul under consideration is certainly supposed, as by the doctrine, so by the text, to be utterly careless, and without regard ofsalvation, so long as the acceptable time did last, and as the whiteflag, that signifies terms of peace, did hang out; and, therefore, it is said to be lost; but, behold, now it is careful, but now itis solicitous, but now, 'what shall a man give in exchange for hissoul?' He of whom you read in the gospel, that could tend to donothing in the days of the gospel but to find out how to be clothedin purple and fine linen, and to fare sumptuously every day, wasby God brought so down, and laid so low at last, that he couldcrouch, and cringe, and beg for one small drop of water to coolhis tongue--a thing, that but a little before he would have thoughtscorn to have done, when he also thought scorn to stoop to the graceand mercy of the gospel (Luke 16:19, 24). But God was resolved tobreak his spirit, and the pride of his heart, and to humble hislofty looks, if not by His mercy, yet by His justice; if not byHis grace, yet by hell fire. 

This he also threatens to bring upon the fool in the Proverbs--'Theyshall call, they shall seek, they shall cry' (Prov 1:22-32). Whoshall do so? The answer is, They that sometimes scorned either toseek, or call, or cry; they that stopped their ears, that pulledaway their shoulders, and that refused to seek, or call, or cry toGod for mercy (Zech 7:11-13). 

Sinner, careless sinner, didst thou take notice of this first inferencethat I have drawn from my second doctrine? If thou didst, yet readit again: it is this, 'God has undertaken, and will accomplish, thebreaking of the spirits of all the world, either by His grace andmercy unto salvation, or by His justice and severity to damnation. 'The reason for this is this: God is resolved to have the mastery, He is resolved to have the victory. 'Who would set the briersand thorns against Me in battle? I would go through them, I wouldburn them together' (Isa 27:4). I will march against them. God ismerciful, and is come forth into the world by His Son, tenderingof grace unto sinners by the gospel, and would willingly make aconquest over them for their good by His mercy. Now He being comeout, sinners like briars and thorns do set themselves against Him, and will have none of His mercy. Well, but what says God? SaithHe, Then I will march on, I will go through them, and burn themtogether. I am resolved to have the mastery one way or another; ifthey will not bend to Me, and accept of My mercy in the gospel, Iwill bend them and break them by My justice in hell fire. They saythey will not bend; I say they shall; now they 'shall know whosewords shall stand, Mine or theirs. ' (Jer 44:25-28). Wherefore theapostle, when he saw that some of the Corinthians began to be unruly, and to do those things that did begin to hazard them, saith, 'Dowe provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than He?' (1 Cor5:22). As who should say, My brethren, are you aware what you do?do you not understand that God is resolved to have the masteryone way or another? and are you stronger than He? if not, tremblebefore Him, or He will certainly have you under His feet--'I willtread them in Mine anger, and trample them in My fury' (Isa 63:3). Thus He speaks of them that set themselves against Him; thereforebeware. Now the reason of this resolution of God, it flows from adetermination in Him to make all His sayings good, and to verifythem on the consciences of sinners. And since the incredulousworld will not believe now, and fly from wrath, they shall shortlybelieve and cry under it; since they will not now credit the Word, before they see, unto salvation, they shall be made to credit itby sense and feeling unto damnation. 

SECOND, The second inference that I draw from my second doctrineis this: 'That it is, and will be the lot of some to bow and breakbefore God, too late, or when it is too late. ' God is resolved, asI said. To have the mastery, and that not only in a way of dominionand lordship in general, for that He has now, but He is resolvedto master, that is, to break the spirit of the world, to make allmen cringe and crouch unto Him, even those that now say, 'There isno God, ' (Psa 14:1); or if there be, yet, 'What is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?' (Job 21:15; Mal 3:14). 

This is little thought of by those that now harden their heartsin wickedness, and that turn their spirit against God; but thisthey shall think of, this they must think of, this God will makethem think of in that day, at which day they also now do mock andderide, that the Scripture might be fulfilled upon them (2 Peter3:3, 4). And, I say, they shall think then of those things, and breakat heart, and melt under the hand, and power, and majesty of theAlmighty; for, 'As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow toMe; and every tongue shall confess to God' (Isa 45:23; Rom 14:11). And again, 'The nations shall see, and be confounded at all theirmight; they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shallbe deaf. They shall lick the dust like a serpent, they shall moveout of their holes like worms, ' or creeping things, 'of the earth;they shall be afraid of the Lord our God, and shall fear becauseof Thee' (Micah 7:16, 17). 

For then they, will they nill they, shall have to do with God, though not with Him as merciful, or as one that may be intreated;yet with Him all just, and as devouring fire (Heb 7:29). Yea, theyshall see that face, and hear that voice, from whom and from whichthe heavens and the earth will fly away, and find no place of stay. And by this appearance, and by such words of His mouth as He thenwill speak to them, they shall begin to tremble, and call for therocks to fall upon them and cover them; for if these things willhappen at the execution of inferior judgments, what will be done, what effects will the last, most dreadful, and eternal judgment, have upon men's souls?

Hence you find, that at the very first appearance of Jesus Christ, the whole world begins to mourn and lament--'Every eye shall seeHim, and they also which pierced Him: and all kindreds of the earthshall wail because of Him' (Rev 1:7). And, therefore, you alsofind them to stand at the door and knock, saying, 'Lord, Lord, openunto us' (Luke 14:25; Matt 25:11). Moreover, you find them alsodesiring, yea, also so humble in their desires as to be contentwith the least degree of mercy--one drop, one drop upon the tip ofone's finger. What stooping, what condescension, what humility ishere! All, and every one of those passages declare, that the handof God is upon them, and that the Almighty has got the mastery ofthem, has conquered them, broke the pride of their power, and laidthem low, and made them cringe and crouch unto him, bending theknee, and craving of kindness. Thus, then, will God bow, and bend, and break them; yea, make them bow, and bend, and break before Him. And hence also it is they will weep, and mourn, and gnash theirteeth, and cry, and repent that ever they have been so foolish, so wicked, so traitorous to their souls, such enemies of their owneternal happiness, as to stand out in the day of their visitationin a way of rebellion against the Lord. 

But here is their hard hap, their dismal lot and portion, that allthese things must be when it is too late. It is, and will be, thelot and hap of these to bow, bend, and break too late (Matt 25). You read they come weeping and mourning, and with tears; they knockand they cry for mercy; but what did tears avail? Why, nothing;for the door was shut. He answered and said, 'I know not whence youare. ' But they repeat and renew their suit, saying, 'We have eatenand drunk in Thy presence, and Thou hast taught in our streets. 'What now? Why, He returns upon them His first answer the secondtime, saying, 'I know not whence ye are; depart from Me, all yeworkers of iniquity;' then He concludes, 'There shall be weeping andgnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselvesthrust out' (Luke 13:26, 28). They come weeping, and go weepingaway. They come to Him weeping, for they saw that He had conqueredthem; but they departed weeping, for they saw that He would damnthem; yet, as we read in another place, they were very loath togo from Him, by their reasoning and expostulating with Him--'Lord, when saw we Thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto Thee?' But allwould not do; here is no place for change of mind--'These shallgo away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into lifeeternal' (Matt 25:44-46). And now what would a man give in exchangefor his soul? So that, as I said before, all is too late; theymourn too late, they repent too late, they pray too late, and seekto make an exchange for their soul too late. 'Or what shall a mangive in exchange for his soul?'

Two or three things there may yet be gathered from these words; Imean, as to the desires of them that have lost their souls, to makefor them an exchange; 'What shall a man give in exchange?'--whatshall, what would, yea, what would not a man, if he had it, givein exchange for his soul?

First, What would not a man--I mean, a man that is in the conditionthat is by the text supposed some men are and will be in--give inexchange to have another man's virtue instead of their own vices?'Let me die the death of the righteous;' let my soul be in thestate of the soul of the righteous--that is, in reference to hisvirtues, when I die, 'and let my last end be like his' (Num 23:10). It is a sport now to some to taunt, and squib, and deride at othermen's virtues; but the day is coming when their minds will bechanged, and when they shall be made to count those that have donethose righteous actions and duties which they have scoffed at, theonly blessed men; yea, they shall wish their soul in the blessedpossession of those graces and virtues, that those whom they hatedwere accompanied with, and would, if they had it, give a whole worldfor this change; but it will not now do, it is now too late. Whatthen shall a man give in exchange for his soul? And this is morethan intimated in that 25th of Matthew, named before: for youfind by that text how loath they were, or will be, to be countedfor unrighteous people--'Lord, ' say they, 'when did we see theean hungred, or athirst, naked, or sick, and did not minister untothee?' Now they are not willing to be of the number of the wicked, though hereto-fore the ways of the righteous were an abominationto them. But, alas! they are before a just God, a just Judge, aJudge that will give every one according to their ways; therefore, 'Woe unto (the soul of) the wicked now, it shall be ill with him, for the reward of his hands shall be given him' (Isa 3:11). Thus, therefore, he is locked up as to this; he cannot now change his vicefor virtues, nor put himself nor his soul in the stead of the soulof the saved; so that it still, and will, for ever abide a questionunresolved, ' Or, what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?'I do not doubt but that a man's state may be such in this world, that if he had it he would give thousands of gold to be as innocentand guiltless in the judgment of the law of the land as is thestate of such or such, heartily wishing that himself was not thathe, that he is; how much more then will men wish thus when theystand ready to receive the last, their eternal judgment. 'But whatshall a man give in exchange for his soul?'

Second, As they would, for the salvation of their souls, be gladto change away their vices for the virtues, their sins for the gooddeeds of others; so what would they not give to change places now, or to remove from where now they are, into paradise, into Abraham'sbosom! But neither shall this be admitted; the righteous must havetheir inheritance to themselves--' Neither, ' said Abraham, 'canthey pass to us, that would come from thence, ' (Luke 16:26); neithercan they dwell in heaven that would come from hell. 

They then that have lost, or shall lose their souls are bound totheir place, as well as to their sins. When Judas went to hell, he went to his home, 'to his own place' (Acts 1:25). And when therighteous go hence, they also go home to their house, to their ownplace; for the kingdom of heaven is prepared for them (Matt 25:34). Between heaven and hell 'there is a great gulf fixed' (Luke 26:26). That is a strange passage: 'There is a great gulf fixed. ' Whatthis gulf is, and how impassable, they that shall lose their soulswill know to their woe; because it is fixed there where it is, onpurpose to keep them in their tormenting place, so that they thatwould pass from hell to heaven cannot. But, I say, 'Would they notchange places? would they not have a more comfortable house andhome for their souls?' Yes, verily, the text supposes it, and the16th of Luke affirms it; yea, and could they purchase for theirsouls a habitation among the righteous, would they not? Yes, theywould give all the world to such a change. What shall, what shallnot, a man, if he had it, if it would answer his design, give inexchange for his soul?

Third, As the damned would change their own vices for virtues, andthe place where they are for that into which they shall not come, so what would they give for a change of condition? Yea, if anabsolute change may not be obtained, yet what would they give forthe least degree of mitigation of that torment, which now theyknow will without any intermission be, and that for ever and ever. 'Tribulation and anguish, indignation and wrath' (Rom 2:8, 9), thegnawing worm, and everlasting destruction from the presence of theLord, and from the glory of His power, cannot be borne but withgreat horror and grief (2 Thess 1:7-10). No marvel, then, if thesepoor creatures would, for ease for their souls, be glad to changetheir conditions. Change!--with whom? with an angel, with a saint;ay, with a dog or a toad; 29 for they mourn not, they weep not, nor do they bear indignation of wrath; they are as if they had notbeen; only the sinful soul abides in its sins, in the place designedfor lost souls, and in the condition that wrath and indignation forsin and transgression hath decreed them to abide for ever. And thisbrings me to the conclusion, which is, 'that seeing the ungodlydo seek good things too late, ' therefore, notwithstanding theirseeking, they must still abide in their place, their sins, andtheir torment--'For what can a man give in exchange for his soul?'Therefore, God saith, that they there must still abide and dwell, no exchange can be made. 'This shall ye have of Mine hand, yeshall lie down in sorrow;' they shall lie down in it, they shallmake their bed there, there they shall lie (Isa 50:11; Eze 32:25-27). And this is the bitter pill that they must swallow down at thelast; for, after all their tears, their sorrows, their mournings, their repentings, their wishings and woundings, and all theirinventings, and desires to change their state for a better, theymust 'lie down in sorrow. ' The poor condemned man that is upon theladder or scaffold has, if one knew them, many a long wish and longdesire that he might come down again alive, or that his conditionwas as one of the spectators that are not condemned and broughtthither to be executed as he. How carefully also doth he look withhis failing eyes, to see if some comes not from the king with apardon for him, all the while endeavouring to fumble away as wellas he can, and to prolong the minute of his execution! But at last, when he has looked, when he has wished, when he has desired, anddone whatever he can, the blow with the axe, or turn with the ladder, is his lot, so he goes off the scaffold, so he goes from among men;and thus it will be with those that we have under consideration;when all comes to all, and they have said, and wished, and donewhat they can, the judgment must not be reversed--they must 'liedown in sorrow. '

They must, or shall lie down! Of old, when a man was to be chastisedfor his fault, he was to lie down to receive his stripes; so here, saith the Lord, they shall lie down--'And it shall be, if the wickedman be worthy to be beaten, that the judge shall cause him to liedown, and to be beaten before his face' (Deu 25:2). And this lyingdown was to be his lot after he had pleaded for himself what becould--and the judge shall cause him to be beaten before his face, while he is present to behold the execution of judgment; and thusit shall be at the end of the world; the wicked shall lie down, andshall be beaten with many stripes in the presence of Christ, 'andin the presence of the holy angels' (2 Thess 1; Rev 14:10). Forthere will be His presence, not only at the trial as Judge, but tosee execution done, nay, to do it Himself by the pouring out, likea river, His wrath as burning brimstone upon the soul of the lostand cast away sinner. 

He shall lie down! These words imply that, at last, the damned soulshall submit; for to lie down is an act that signifies submission, especially to lie down to be beaten. 'The wicked shall be silentin darkness' (1 Sam 2:9). When the malefactor has said and wishedall that be can, yet at last he submits, is silent, and, as itwere, helps to put his head into the halter, or doth lay down hisneck upon the block; so here it is said of the damned--They shalllie down in sorrow. There is also a place that saith, 'These shallgo away into everlasting punishment' (Matt 25:46). To go, to goto punishment, is also an act of submission. Now, submission topunishment doth, or should, flow from full conviction of the meritof punishment; and I think it is so to be understood here--For'every mouth shall be stopped, and all the world (of soul losers)become guilty before God' (Rom 3:4, 19; Luke 13:25-28; Matt 25:46). Every mouth shall be stopped, not at the beginning of the judgment, for then they plead, and pray, and also object against the Judge;but at the end, after that by a judicial proceeding He shallhave justified against them His sayings, and have overcome theseHis judges, then they shall submit, and also lie down in s orrow;yea, they shall go away to their punishment as those who know theydeserve it; yea, they shall go away with silence. 

How they shall behave themselves in hell, I will not here dispute;whether in a way of rage and blasphemy, and in rending and tearingof the name and just actions of God towards them, or whether byway of submission there; I say, though this is none of this task, yet a word or two, if you please. 

Doubtless they will not be mute there; they will cry and wail, andgnash their teeth, and, perhaps, too, sometimes at God; but I do notthink but that the justice that they have deserved, and the equaladministration of it upon them, will, for the most part, prevailwith them to rend and tear themselves, to acquit and justify God, and to add fuel to their fire, by concluding themselves in all thefault, and that they have sufficiently merited this just damnation;for it would seem strange to me that just judgment among men shallterminate in this issue, if God should not justify himself in theconscience of all the damned. But as here on earth, so He will letthem know that go to hell that He hath not done without a cause, a sufficient cause, all that He hath done in damning of them (Eze14:23). 

[USE AND APPLICATION. ]

I come now to make some use and application of the whole. And, USE FIRST--If the soul be so excellent a thing as we have made itappear to be, and if the loss thereof be so great a loss, then hereyou may see who they are that are those extravagant ones; I mean, those that are such in the highest degree. Solomon tells us of'a great waster, ' and saith also, that he that is slothful in hisbusiness is brother to such an one (Prov 18:9). Who Solomon had hiseye upon, or who it was that he counted so great a waster, I cannottell; but I will challenge all the world to show me one, that forwasting and destroying, may be compared to him that for the lustsand pleasures of this life will hazard the loss of his soul. Manymen will be so profuse, and will spend at that prodigal rate, thatthey will bring a thousand pound a year to five hundred, and fivehundred to fifty, and some also will bring that fifty to less thanninepence; 30 but what is this to him that shall never leave losinguntil he has lost his soul? I have heard of some who would throwaway a farm, a good estate, upon the trundling of one single bowl;31but what is this to the casting away of the soul? Nothing can forbadness be compared to sin; it is the vile thing, it cannot havea worse name than its own; it is worse than the vilest men, thanthe vilest of beasts; yea, sin is worse than the devil himself, forit is sin, and sin only, that hath made the devils devils; and yetfor this, for this vile, this abominable thing, some men, yea, mostmen, will venture the loss of their soul; yea, they will mortgage, pawn, and set their souls to sale for it (Jer 44:4). Is not thisa great waster? doth not this man deserve to be ranked among theextravagant ones? What think you of him who, when he tempted thewench to uncleanness, said to her, If thou wilt venture thy body, I'll venture my soul? Was not here like to be a fine bargain, thinkyou? or was not this man like to be a gainer by so doing? This ishe that prizes sin at a higher rate than he doth his immortal soul;yea, this is he that esteems a quarter of an hour's pleasure morethan he fears everlasting d amnation. What shall I say? This manis minded to give more to be damned, than God requires he shouldgive to be saved; is not this an extravagant one? 'Be astonished, O ye heavens! at this, and be horribly afraid!' (Jer 2:9-12). Yea, let all the angels stand amazed at the unaccountable prodigalityof such an one. 

Objection 1. But some may say, I cannot believe that God will beso severe as to cast away into hell fire an immortal soul for alittle sin. 

Answer. I know thou canst not believe it, for if thou couldst, thouwouldst sooner eat fire than run this hazard; and hence all theythat go down to the lake of fire are called the unbelievers; andthe Lord shall cut thee, that makest this objection, asunder, andshall appoint thee thy portion with such, except thou believe thegospel, and repent (Luke 12:46). 

Objection 2. But surely, though God should be so angry at thebeginning, it cannot in time but grieve Him to see and hear soulsroaring in hell, and that for a little sin. 

Answer. Whatsoever God doeth, it abideth for ever (Eccl 3:14). Hedoth nothing in a passion, or in an angry fit; He proceedeth withsinners by the most perfect rules of justice; wherefore it would beinjustice, to deliver them whom the law condemneth, yea, He wouldfalsify His word, if after a time He should deliver them fromhell, concerning whom He hath solemnly testified, that they shallbe there for ever. 

Objection 3. O but, as He is just, so He is merciful; and mercy ispitiful, and very compassionate to the afflicted. 

Answer. O, but mercy abused becomes most fearful in tormenting. Did you never read that the Lamb turned lion, and that the worldwill tremble at the wrath of the Lamb, and be afflicted more atthe thoughts of that, than at the thoughts of anything that shallhappen to them in the day when God shall call them to an accountfor their sins? (Rev 6:16, 17). The time of mercy will be thenpast, for now is that acceptable time, behold now is the day ofsalvation; the gate of mercy will then be shut, and must not beopened again; for now is that gate open, now it is open for a doorof hope (2 Cor 6:2; Matt 25:10; Luke 13:25). 

The time of showing pity and compassion will then be at an end; forthat as to acting towards sinners will last but till the glass ofthe world is run, and when that day is past, mark what God saithshall follow, 'I will laugh at your calamity; I will mock whenyour fear cometh; when your fear cometh as desolation, and yourdestruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish comethupon you' (Prov 1:26, 27). Mark you how many pinching expressionsthe Lord Jesus Christ doth threaten the refusing sinner with; thesinner with, that refuseth Him now--I will laugh at him, I willmock at him. But when, Lord, wilt thou laugh at, and mock at, theimpenitent? The answer is, 'I will laugh at their calamities, andmock when their fear cometh; when their fear cometh as desolation, and their destruction like a whirlwind; when distress and anguishcometh upon them. '

Objection 4. But if God Almighty be at this point, and there beno moving of Him to mercy at that day, yet we can but lie in helltill we are burnt out, as the log doth at the back of the fire. 

Answer. Poor besotted sinner, is this thy last shift? wilt thoucomfort thyself with this? Are thy sins so dear, so sweet, sodesireable, so profitable to thee, that thou wilt venture a burningin hell fire for them till thou art burnt out? Is there nothingelse to be done but to make a covenant with death, and to maintainthy agreement with hell? (Isa 28:15). Is it not better to say nowunto God, Do not condemn me? and to say now, Lord, be mercifulto me, a sinner? Would not tears, and prayers, and cries, in thisacceptable time, to God for mercy, yield thee more benefit in thenext world than to lie and burn out in hell will do?

But to come more close to thee. Have not I told thee already thatthere is no such thing as a ceasing to be? that the damned shallnever be burned out in hell? there shall be no more such death, or cause of dissolution for ever. This one thing, well considered, breaks not only the neck of that wild conceit on which thy foolishobjection is built, but will break thy stubborn heart in pieces. For then it follows, that unless thou canst conquer God, or withease endure to conflict with His sin-revenging wrath, thou wilt bemade to mourn while under His everlasting wrath and indignation;and to know that there is not such a thing as a burning out in hellfire. 

Objection 5. But, if this must be my case, I shall have more fellows;I shall not go to hell, nor yet burn there, alone. 

Answer. What, again; is there no breaking of the league that isbetwixt sin and thy soul? What, resolved to be a self-murderer, a soul murderer? what, resolved to murder thine own soul? But isthere any comfort in being hanged with company? in sinking into thebottom of the sea with company? or in going to hell, in burning inhell, and in enduring the everlasting pains of hell, with company?O besotted wretch! But I tell thee, the more company, the moresorrow; the more fuel, the more fire. Hence the damned man thatwe read of in Luke desired that his brethren might be so warnedand prevailed with as to be kept out of that place of torment (Luke16:27, 28). But to hasten; I come now to the second use. 

USE SECOND. --Is it so? Is the soul such an excellent thing, andthe loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then here you may see whoare the greatest fools in the world--to wit, those who, to get theworld and its preferments, will neglect God till they lose theirsouls. The rich man in the gospel was one of these great fools, forthat he was more concerned about what he should do with his goods, than how his soul should be saved (Luke 7:16-21). Some are forventuring their souls for pleasures, and some are for venturingtheir souls for profits; they that venture their souls for pleasureshave but little excuse for their doings; but they that venturetheir soul for profit seem to have much. 'And they all with oneconsent began to make excuse;'--excuse for what? why, for theneglect of the salvation of their souls. But what was the causeof their making this excuse? Why, their profits came tumbling in. 'I have bought a piece of ground;' 'I have bought five yoke ofoxen;' and 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come'(Luke 14:15-20). 

Thus also it was with the fool first mentioned; his ground didbring forth plentifully, wherefore he must of necessity forget hissoul, and, as he thought, all the reason of the world he should. Wherefore, he falls to crying out, What shall I do? Now, had onesaid, Mind the good of thy soul, man; the answer would have beenready, But where shall I bestow my goods. If it had been replied, Stay till harvest; he returns again, But I have no room whereto bestow my goods. Now, tell him of praying, and he answers, hemust go to building. Tell him, he should frequent sermons, and hereplies, he must mind his workmen. 'He cannot deliver his soul, nor say, Is there not a lie in my right hand?' (Isa 44:20). 

And see if, in the end, he did not become a fool; for though heaccomplished the building of his barns, and put in there all hisfruits and his goods, yet even till now his soul was empty, andvoid of all that was good; nor did he, in singing of that requiemwhich he sung to his soul at last, saying, 'Soul, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry, ' show himself ever the wiser; for, inall his labours he had rejected to get that food that indeed ismeat and drink for the soul. Nay, in singing this song he did butprovoke God to hasten to send to fetch his soul to hell; for sobegins the conclusion of the parable--'Thou fool, this night thysoul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those things bewhich thou hast provided?' So that, I say, it is the greatest follyin the world for a man, upon any pretence what ever, to neglect tomake good the salvation of his soul. 

There are six signs of a fool, and they do all meet in that sameman that concerns not himself, and that to good purpose, for thesalvation of his soul. 1. A fool has not an heart, when the priceis in his hand, to get wisdom. (Prov 17:16). 2. 'It is a sport toa fool to do mischief. ' and to set light by the commission of sin(Prov 10:23). 3. 'Fools despise wisdom;' 'fools hate knowledge'(Prov 1:7, 22). 4. 'A fool, ' after restraint, 'returneth to hisfolly' (Prov 26:11). 5. 'The way of a fool is right in his owneyes' (Prov 7:15). 6. The fool goes merrily 'to the correction ofthe stocks' (Prov 7:22). 

I might add many more, but these six shall suffice at this time, by which it appears that the fool has no heart for the heavenlyprize, yet he has to sport himself in sin; and when he despiseswisdom, the way is yet right before him; yea, if he be for sometime restrained from vice, he greedily turneth again thereto, andwill, when he has finished his course of folly and sin in this world, go as heedlessly, as carelessly, as unconcernedly, and quietly, down the steps to hell, as the ox goeth to the slaughter-house, This is a soul fool, a fool of the biggest size; and so is everyone also that layeth up treasure for himself on earth, 'and is notrich towards God' (Luke 7:21). 

Objection 1. But would you not have us mind our worldly concerns?

Answer. Mind them, but mind them in their place; mind thy soul firstand most; the soul is more than the body, and eternal life betterthan temporal; first seek the kingdom of God, and prosper in thyhealth and thy estate as thy soul prospers (Matt 6:33; 3 John 2). But as it is rare to see this command obeyed, for the kingdom of Godshall be thought of last, so if John's wish was to light upon, orhappen to some people, they would neither have health nor wealth inthis world. To prosper and be in health, as their soul prospers--what, to thrive and mend in outwards no faster? then we should have themhave consumptive bodies and low estates; for are not the souls ofmost as unthrifty, for grace and spiritual health, as is the treewithout fruit that is pulled up by the roots?

Objection 2. But would you have us sit still and do nothing?

Answer. And must you needs be upon the extremes? must you mindthis world to the damning of your souls? or will you not mind yourcallings at all? Is there not a middle way? may you not, must younot, get your bread in a way of honest industry; that is, caringmost for the next world, and so using of this as not abusing thesame? (1 Cor 7: 20-31). And then a man doth so, and never butthen, when he sets this world and the next in their proper places, in his thoughts, in his esteem, and judgment, and dealeth withboth accordingly (2 Cor 4:18). And is there not all the reason inthe world for this? are not the things that are eternal best? Willtemporal things make thy soul to live? or art thou none of thosethat should look after the salvation of their soul? (Deu 8:3; Matt5:4; Heb10:39). 

Objection 3. But the most of men do that which you forbid, and whymay not we?

Answer. God says, 'Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil'(Exo 23:2). It is not what men do, but what God commands; it is notwhat doth present itself unto us, but what is best, that we shouldchoose (Matt 6:23; Luke 10:41, 42). Now, 'He that refuseth instruction, despiseth his own soul;' and 'He that keepeth the commandment, keepeth his own soul' (Prov 15:32; 19:16). Make not, therefore, these foolish objections. But what saith the Word? how readest thou?That tells thee, that the pleasures of sin are but for a season;that the things that are seen are but temporal; that he is a foolthat is rich in this world, and is not so towards God; 'and whatshall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and losehis own soul?'

Objection 4. But may one not be equally engaged for both?

Answer. A divided heart is a naughty one (Heb 10:2). 'You cannotserve God and mammon' (Matt 6:24; Luke 16:13). 'If any man lovethe world, the love of the Father is not in him, ' (1 John 2:15);and yet this objection bespeaks that thy heart is divided, that thouart a Mammonist, or that thou lovest the world. But will richesprofit in the day of wrath? (Prov 11:4). Yea, are they not hurtfulin the day of grace? do they not tend to surfeit the heart, and toalienate a man and his mind from the things that are better? (Luke21:34). Why, then, wilt thou set thy heart upon that which is not?yea, then what will become of them that are so far off of mindingof their souls, that they, for whole months, and years together, scarce consider whether they have souls to save?

USE THIRD. --But, thirdly, is it so? Is the soul such an excellentthing, and is the loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then this shouldteach people to be very careful to whom they commit the teachingand guidance of their souls. 

This is a business of the greatest concern; men will be carefulto whom they commit their children, who they make the executors oftheir will, in whose hand they trust the writing and evidences oftheir lands; but how much more careful should we be, and yet the mostare the least of all careful, unto whom they commit the teaching andguidance of their souls. There are several sorts of soul shepherdsin the world: 1. There are idol shepherds (Zech 6:5). 2. There arefoolish shepherds (Zech 11:15). 3. There are shepherds that feedthemselves, and not their flock (Eze 34:2) 4. There are hard-heartedand pitiless shepherds (Zech 9: 3). 5. There are shepherds that, instead of healing, smite, push, and wound the diseased (Eze 34:4, 21). 6. There are shepherds that 'cause their flocks to go astray' (Jer50:6). 7. And there are shepherds that feed their flock; these arethe shepherds to whom thou shouldst commit thy soul for teachingand for guidance. 

Question. You may ask, How should I know those shepherds?

Answer. First, surrender up thy soul unto God, by Christ, and chooseChrist to be the chief Shepherd of thy soul; and He will directthee to His shepherds, and He will, of His mercy, set such shepherdsover thee 'as shall feed thee with knowledge and understanding' (1Peter 2:25; 4:19; John 10:4, 5; Song 1:7, 8; Jer 3:15; 23:4). Beforethou hast surrendered up thy soul to Christ, that He may be thychief Shepherd, thou canst not find out, nor choose to put thysoul under the teaching and guidance of His under shepherds, forthou canst not love them; besides, they are so set forth by falseshepherds, in so many ugly guises, and under so many false andscandalous dresses, that, should I direct thee to them while thouart a stranger to Christ, thou wilt count them deceivers, devourers, and wolves in sheeps' clothing, rather than the shepherds thatbelong to the great and chief Shepherd, who is, also, the Bishopof the soul. 

Yet this I will say unto thee, take heed of that shepherd thatcareth not for his own soul, that walketh in ways, and doth suchthings, as have a direct tendency to damn his own soul; I say, take heed of such an one, come not near him, let him have nothingto do with thy soul; for if he be not faithful to that which be hisown soul, be sure he will not be faithful to that which is anotherman's. He that feeds his own soul with ashes, will scarce feed thinewith the bread of life; wherefore, take heed of such an one; andmany such there are in the world (Isa 44:20). 'By their fruits youshall know them;' they are for flattering of the worst, and frowningupon the best; they are for promising of life to the profane, andfor slaying the souls that God would have live; they are also menthat hunt souls that fear God, but for sewing pillows under thosearm holes which God would have to lean upon that which wouldafflict them. These be them 'that, with lies, do make the heart ofthe righteous sad, whom I have not made sad;' saith God; and thathave 'strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he shall not returnfrom his wicked way, by promising of him life' (Eze 13:18-22). 

And as thou shouldest, for thy soul's sake, choose for thyself goodsoul shepherds, so also, for the same reason, you should choosefor yourself a good wife, a good husband, a good master, a goodservant; for in all these things the soul is concerned. Abrahamwould not suffer Isaac to take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, (Gen 24:3); nor would David suffer a wicked servant to come intohis house, or to tarry in his sight (Psa 101:7). Bad company is, also, very destructive to the soul, and so is evil communication;wherefore, be diligent to shun all these things, that thou mayestpersevere in that way, the end of which will be the saving of thysoul (Prov 13:20; 1 Cor 15:33). 

And since, under this head, I am fallen upon cautions, let me addthese to those which I have presented to thee already:

Caution 1. Take heed, take heed of learning to do evil of any thatare good. 'Tis possible for a good man to do things that are bad;but let not his bad action embolden thee to run upon sin. Seestthou a good man that stumbleth at a stone, or that slippeth intothe dirt--let that warn thee to take heed; let his stumble makethee wary, let his fall make thee look well to thy goings; 'everfollow that which is good' (1 Thess 5:15). Thy soul is at stake. 

Caution 2. Take heed of the good things of bad men, for in themthere lies a snare also; their 'good words and fair speeches' tendto deceive (Rom 16:17, 18). Learn to be good, by the Word of Godand by the holy lives of them that be good; envy not the wicked, 'nor desire to be with them;' 'choose none of his ways' (Prov 3:31;24:1). Thy soul lies at stake. 

Caution 3. Take heed of playing the hypocrite in religion. What ofGod and His Word thou knowest, profess it honestly, conform to itheartily, serve Him faithfully; for what is the hypocrite betteredby all his profession, 'when God taketh away his soul?' (Job 27:8). 

Caution 4. Take heed of delays to turn to God, and of choosing Hisways for the delight of thy heart, 'for the Lord's eye is upon themthat fear Him, to deliver their souls' (Psa 33:18, 19). 

Caution 5. Boast not thyself of thy flocks and thy herds, of thy goldand thy silver, of thy sons and of thy daughters. What is a housefull of treasures, and all the delights of this world, if thou beempty of grace, 'if thy soul be not filled with good?' (Eccl 6:3). But, USE FOURTH. --Is it so? Is the soul such an excellent thing, and isthe loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then, I pray thee, let meinquire a little of thee, what provision thou hast made for thysoul? There be many that, through their eagerness after the thingsof this life, do bereave their soul of good, even of that good thewhich if they had it would be a good to them for ever (Eccl 4:8). But I ask not concerning this; it is not what provision thou hastmade for this life, but what for the life, and the world to come. 'Lord, gather not my soul with sinners, ' saith David, (Psa 26:9);not with men of this world: Lord, not with them that have theirportion in this life, whose belly Thou fillest with Thy hid treasures. Thus you see how Solomon laments some, and how his father prays tobe delivered from their lot who have their portion in this life, and that have not made provision for their soul. Well, then, letme inquire of thee about this matter. What provision hast thou madefor thy soul? And, 1. What hast thou thought of thy soul? What ponderous thoughts hastthou had of the greatness and of the immortality of thy soul? Thismust be the first inquiry: for he that hath not had his thoughtstruly exercised, ponderously exercised, about the greatness and theimmortality of his soul, will not be careful, after an effectualmanner, to make provision for his soul, for the life and worldto come. The soul is a man's all, whether he knows it or no, as Ihave already showed you. Now a man will be concerned about whathe thinks is his all. We read of the poor servant that 'settethhis heart upon' his wages (Deu 24:14, 15). But it is because it ishis all, his treasure, and that wherein his worldly worth lieth. Why, thy soul is thy all; it is strange if thou dost not think so!and more strange if thou dost think so, and yet hast light, seldom, and trivial thoughts about it. These two seem to be inconsistent, therefore let thy conscience speak; either thou hast very greatand weighty thoughts about the excellent greatness of thy soul, orelse thou dost not count that thy soul is so great a thing as itis, else thou dost not count it thy all. 

2. What judgment hast thou made of the present state of thy soul?I speak now to the unconverted. Thy soul is under sin, under thecurse, and an object of wrath; this is that sentence that by theWord is passed upon it--'Woe unto their soul, ' saith God, 'forthey have rewarded evil unto themselves. ' (Isa 3:9). This is thesentence of God. Well, but what judgment hast thou passed upon itwhile thou livest in thy debaucheries? Is it not that which thyfellows have passed on theirs before thee, saying, 'I shall havepeace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to adddrunkenness to thirst' (Deu 29:19). If so, know thy judgment isgross, thy soul is miserable, and turn, or in little time thineeyes will behold all this. 

3. What care hast thou had of securing of thy soul, and that itmight be delivered from the danger that by sin it is brought into?if a man has a horse, a cow, or a swine that is sick, or in dangerby reason of this or that casualty, he will take care for his beast, that it may not perish; he will pull it out of the ditch on theSabbath day. But, oh! that is the day on which many men do put theirsoul into the ditch of sin; that is the day that they set apart topursue wickedness in. 32 But, I say, what care hast thou taken toget thy soul out of this ditch?--a ditch out of which thou canst neverget it without the aid of an omnipotent arm. In things pertainingto this life, when a man feels his own strength fail, he willimplore the help and aid of another; and no man can, by any means, deliver by his own arm his soul from the power of hell, which thoualso wilt confess, if thou beest not a very brute; but what hastthou done with God for help? hast thou cried? hast thou criedout? yea, dost thou still cry out, and that day and night beforehim--'Deliver my soul' (Psa 17:13) 'Save my soul, preserve my soul'(Psa 25:20) 'Heal my soul, ' (Psa 42:4), and, 'I pour out my soulunto thee?' (Psa 62:5). Yea, canst thou say, My soul, my soul waitethupon God, my soul thirsteth for Him, my soul followeth hard afterhim? (Psa 63:1, 8). I say, dost thou this, or dost thou hunt thineown soul to destroy it? The soul, with some, is the game, theirlusts are the dogs, and they themselves are the huntsmen, andnever do they more halloo, and lure, and laugh, and sing, than whenthey have delivered up their soul, their darling, to these dogs--athing that David trembled to think of, when he cried, 'Dogs havecompassed me. Deliver my darling, ' my soul, 'from the power of thedog' (Psa 22:16, 20). Thus, I say, he cried, and yet these dogs werebut wicked men. But, oh! how much is a sin, a lust, worst than aman to do us hurt; yea, worse than is a dog, (or) a lion, to hurta lamb!

4. What are the signs and tokens that thou bearest about thee, concerning how it will go with thy soul at last? There are signsand tokens of a good, and signs and tokens of a bad end that thesouls of sinners will have; there are signs of the salvation of thesoul, (Heb 6:9); evident tokens of salvation; and there are signsof the damnation of the soul, evident signs of damnation (Phil1:27, 28; Job 21:29, 30; 1 Sam 3:9). Now, which of these hast thou?I cannot stand here to show thee which are which; but thy soul andits salvation lieth before thee, and thou hast the book [the HolyBible] of signs about these matters by thee; thou hast also men ofGod to go to, and their assemblies to frequent. Look to thyself;heaven and hell are hard by, and one of them will swallow thee up;heaven, into unspeakable and endless glory, or hell, into unspeakableand endless torment. Yet, 5. What are the pleasures and delights of thy soul now? Are theythings Divine, or things natural? Are they things heavenly, orthings earthly? Are they things holy, or things unholy? For lookwhat think thou delightest in now, to those things the great Goddoth count thee a servant, and for and of those thou shalt receivethy wages at the day of judgment--'His servants ye are to whom yeobey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness'(Rom 16:16). 

Wicked men talk of heaven, and say they hope and desire to goto heaven, even while they continue wicked men; but, I say, whatwould they do there? If all that desire to go to heaven should comethither, verily they would make a hell of heaven; for, I say, whatwould they do there? why, just as they do here, scatter theirfilthiness quite over the face of heaven, and make it as vileas the pit that the devils dwell in. 33 Take holiness away out ofheaven, and what is heaven? I had rather be in hell, were therenone but holy ones there, than be in heaven itself with the childrenof iniquity. If heaven should be filled with wicked men, God wouldquickly drive them out, or forsake the place for their sakes. Itis true, they have been sinners, and none but sinners, that go toheaven; but they are washed--' Such were some of you; but ye arewashed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the nameof the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God' (1 Cor 6:11). Whenthe maidens were gathered together for the great king Ahasuerus, before they were brought to him into his royal presence, they were tobe had to the house of the women, there to be purifed with thingsfor purification, and that for twelve months together--to wit, six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with sweet odours, and other things, and so came every maiden to the king (Esth2:3, 9, 12, 13). God also hath appointed that those that come intoHis royal presence should first go to the house of the women, thechurch, 34 and there receive of the eunuchs things for purification, things to make us 'meet to be partakers of the inheritance of thesaints in light' (Col 1:12). None can go from a state of natureto glory but by a state of grace, the Lord gives grace and glory;hence he that goeth to heaven is said to be wrought for it, fitted, prepared for it (1 Cor 5:5; Rom 19:23). 

USE FIFTH, Again, fifthly, Is it so? is the soul such an excellentthing, and is the loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then thisdoctrine commends those for the wise ones, that above all businessconcern themselves with the salvation of their souls; those thatmake all other matters but things by the by, and the salvation oftheir souls the one thing needful. But, but few comparatively willbe concerned with this use; for where is he that doth this? Solomonspeaks of one man of a thousand (Eccl 7:28). However, some therebe, and blessed be God for some; but they are they that are wise, yea, wise in the wisdom of God. 

1. Because they reject what God hath rejected and that is sin. 2. Because they esteem but little of that which, by the Word, iscounted but of little esteem, and that is the world. 3. Becausethey choose for a portion that which God commendeth unto us forthat which is the most excellent thing--viz. , Himself, His Christ, His heaven, His Word, His grace, and holiness; these are the greatand most excellent things, and the things that He has chosen thatis truly wise for his soul (and all other wise men are fools inGod's account, and in the judgment of His Word), and if it be so, glory and bliss must needs be their portion, though others shallmiss thereof--'The wise shall inherit glory, but shame shall bethe promotion of fools' (Prov 3:35). 

Let me, then, encourage those that are of this mind to be strong, and hold on their way. Soul, thou hast pitched right; I will say ofthy choice as David said of Goliath's sword, 'There is none likethat; give it me. ' 'Hold that fast which thou hast, that no mantake thy crown' (Rev 3:11). Oh! I admire this wisdom; this is by thedirection of the Lawgiver; this is by the teaching of the blessedSpirit of God: not the wisdom which this world teacheth, nor thewisdom which the world doth choose, which comes to nought (1 Cor2: 6). Surely thou hast seen something of the world to come, andof the glory of it, through faith; surely God has made thee seeemptiness in that wherein others find a fulness, and vanity inthat which by others is counted for a darling. Blessed are thineeyes, for they see; and thine ears, for they hear. 

But who told thee that thy soul was such an excellent thing asby thy practice thou declarest thou believest it to be? What! setmore by thy soul than by all the world? What! cast a world behindthy back for the welfare of a soul? Is not this to play the fool, in the account of sinners, while angels wonder at and rejoice forthy wisdom? What a thing is this, that thy soul and its welfareshould be more in thy esteem than all those glories wherewith theeyes of the world are dazzled! Surely thou hast looked upon thesun, and that makes gold look like a clod of clay in thine eyesight. 

But who put the thoughts of the excellencies of the things that areeternal--I say, who put the thoughts of the excellency of thosethings into thy mind in this wanton age?--in an age wherein thethoughts of eternal life, and the salvation of the soul, are withand to many like the Morocco ambassador and his men, men of strangefaces, in strange habit, with strange gestures and behaviour, monsters to behold. But where hadst thou that heart that givesentertainment to these thoughts, these heavenly thoughts? Thesethoughts are like the French Protestants, banished thence wherethey willingly would have harbour. 35 How came they to thy house, to thy heart, and to find entertainment in thy sou1? The Lord keepthem in every imagination of the thoughts of thy heart for ever, and incline thine heart to seek Him more and more. 

And since the whole world have slighted and despised, and countedfoolish the thoughts and cogitations wherewith thy soul is exercised, what strong and mighty supporter is it upon and with which thoubearest up thy spirit, and takest encouragement in this thy forlorn, unoccupied, and singular way? for so, I daresay, it is with themost; but certainly it is something above thyself, and that is moremighty to uphold thee than is the power, rage, and malice of allthe world to cast thee down, or else thou couldst not bear up, nowwind and weather, now the stream and the force thereof are againstthee. 

Objection 1. 'I know my soul is an excellent thing, and that theworld to come and its glories, even in the smallest glimpse thereof, do swallow up all the world that is here; my heart also doth greatlydesire to be exercised about the thoughts of eternity, and I countmyself never better than when my poor heart is filled with them;as for the rage and fury of this world, it swayeth very little withme, for my heart is come to a point; but yet, for all that, I meetwith many discouragements, and such things that indeed do weakenmy strength in the way. '

But, brave soul, pray tell me what the things are that discouragethee, and that weaken thy strength in the way?

Why, the amazing greatness of this my enterprise, that is onething. I am now pursuing things of the highest, the greatest, themost enriching nature, even eternal things; and the thoughts ofthe greatness of them drowned me; for when the heat of my spirit inthe pursuit after them is a little returned and abated, methinks Ihear myself talking thus to myself: Fond fool! canst thou imaginethat such a gnat, a flea, a pismire as thou art, can take andpossess the heavens, and mantle thyself up in the eternal glories?If thou makest first a trial of the successfulness of thy endeavoursupon things far lower, more base, but much more easy to obtain, ascrowns, kingdoms, earldoms, dukedoms, gold, silver, or the like, how vain are these attempts of thine; and yet thou thinkest topossess thy soul of heaven! Away, away! by the height thereof thoumayest well conclude it is far above out of thy reach; and by thebreadth thereof it is too large for thee to grasp; and by the natureof the excellent glory thereof, too good for thee to possess. Theseare the thoughts that sometimes discourage me, and that weaken mystrength in the way. 

Answer. The greatness of thy undertaking does but show the noblenessof thy soul, in that it cannot, will not, be content with such lowand dry as the baseborn spirits that are of the world can and docontent themselves withal. And as to the greatness of the thingsthou aimest at, though they be, err they are indeed, things thathave not their like, yet they are not too big for God to give, andHe has promised to give them to the soul that seeketh Him; yea, Hehath prepared the kingdom, given the kingdom, and laid up in thekingdom of heaven, the things that thy soul longeth for, pressethafter, and cannot be content without (Luke 7:32; Matt 25:14; Col1:5; 1 Peter 1:4). As for thy making a trial of the successfulnessof thy endeavours upon things more interim and base, that is buta trick of the old deceiver. God has refused to give His childrenthe great, the brave, and glorious things of this world, a fewonly excepted, because He has prepared some better thing for them(1 Cor 1:27; Heb 11:36-40). Wherefore faint not, but let thy handbe strong, for thy work shall be rewarded (Gal 6:9). And since thysoul is at work for soul-things, for divine and eternal things, God will give them to thee; thou art not of the number of them thatdraw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the savingof the soul; thou shalt receive the end of thy faith, the salvationof thy soul (Heb 10:39; 1 Peter 1:8, 9). 

Objection 2. But all my discouragement doth not lie in this. I seeso much of the sinful vileness of my nature, and feel how readyit is to thrust itself forth at all occasions to the defiling ofmy whole man, and more. Now this added to the former, adds to mydiscouragement greatly. 

Answer. This should be cause of humiliation and of self-abasement, but not of discouragement; for the best of saints have theirweaknesses, these their weaknesses. The ladies as well as she thatgrinds at the mill, know what doth attend that sex; and the giantsin grace as well as the weak and shrubs, are sensible of the samethings, which thou layest in against thy exercising of hope, or asmatter of thy discouragement. Poor David says (Psa 77:2) 'My soulrefused to be comforted, ' upon this very account, and Paul criesout under sense of this, 'O wretched man that I am!' and comes asit were to the borders of doubt, saying, 'Who shall deliver me?'(Rom 7:24). Only he was quick at remembering that Christ was hisrighteousness and price of redemption, and there he relieved himself. 

Again; this should drive us to faith in Christ; for therefore arethe corruptions by Divine permission still left in us; they are notleft in us to drive us to unbelief, but to faith--that is, to lookto the perfect righteousness of Christ for life. And for furtherhelp, consider, that therefore Christ liveth in heaven, makingintercession, that thou mightest be saved by His life, not by thine, and by His intercessions, not by thy perfections (Rom 5: 6-9; Col1:20). Let not therefore thy weaknesses be thy discouragements;only let them put thee upon the duties required of thee by thegospel--to wit, faith, hope, repentance, humility, watchfulness, diligence, etc. (1 Peter 1:13; 5:5; 2 Cor 7:11; Mark 13:37; 2 Peter1:10). 

Objection 3. But I find, together with these things, weakness andfaintness as to my graces; my faith my hope, my love, and desiresto these and all other Christian duties are weak; I am like the manin the dream, that would have run, but could not; that would havefought, but could not; and that would have fled, but could not. 

Answer 1. Weak graces are graces, weak graces may grow stronger;but if the iron be blunt, put to the more strength (Eccl 10:10). 2. Christ seems to be most tender of the weak: 'He shall gather thelambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and shall gentlylead those that are with young. ' (Isa 40:11). And again, 'I willseek that which was lost, and bring again that which was drivenaway, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthenthat which was sick' (Eze 34:16). Only here will thy wisdombe manifested--to wit, that thou grow in grace, and that thou uselawfully and diligently the means to do it (2 Peter 3:18; Phil2:10, 11; 1 Thess 3:11-13). 

USE SIXTH, I come, in the next place, to a use of terror, and soI shall conclude. Is it so? is the soul such an excellent thing, and is the loss thereof so unspeakably great? Then this showeththe sad state of those that lose their souls. We use to count thosein a deplorable condition, that by one only stroke, are stript oftheir whole estate; the fire swept away all that he had; or all thathe had was in such a ship, and that ship sunk into the bottom ofthe sea; this is sad news, this is heavy tidings, this is bewailedof all, especially if such were great in the world, and were broughtby their loss from a high to a low, to a very low condition; butalas! what is this to the loss about which we have been speakingall this while? The loss of an estate may be repaired, or if not, a man may find friends in his present deplorable condition to hissupport, though not recovery; but far will this be from him thatshall lose his soul. Ah! he has lost his soul, and can never berecovered again, unless hell fire can comfort him; unless he cansolace himself in the fiery indignation of God; terrors will beupon him, anguish and sorrow will swallow him up, because of presentmisery; slighted and set at nought by God and His angels, he willalso be in this miserable state, and this will add to sorrow, sorrow, and to his vexation of spirit, howling. 

To present you with emblems of tormented spirits, or to drawbefore your eyes the picture of hell, are things too light for soponderous a subject as this; nor can any man frame or invent words, be they never so deep and profound, sufficient to the life to setout the torments of hell. 

All those expressions of fire, brimstone, the lake of fire, a fieryfurnace, the bottomless pit, and a hundred more to boot, are alltoo short to let forth the miseries of those that shall be damnedsouls. 'Who knoweth the power or God's anger?' (Psa 90:11). Noneat all; and unless the power of that can be known, it must abideas unspeakable as the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. 

We hear it thunder, we see it lighten; yea, eclipses, comets, andblazing stars are all subject to smite us with terror; the thoughtof a ghost, of the appearing of a dead wife, a dead husband, or thelike, how terrible are these things! 36 But alas, what are these?mere flea bitings, nay, not so bad, when compared with the tormentsof hell. Guilt and despair, what are they? Who understands them untoperfection? The ireful looks of an infinite Majesty, what mortalin the land of the living can tell us to the full, how dismal andbreaking to the soul of a man it is, when it comes as from 'thepower of His anger, ' and arises from the utmost indignation? Besides, who knows of all the ways by which the Almighty will inflict Hisjust revenges upon the souls of damned sinners? When Paul was caughtup to the third heaven, he heard words that were unspeakable; andhe that goes down to hell shall hear groans that are unutterable. Hear, did I say? they shall feel them, they shall feel them burstfrom their wounded spirit as thunderclaps do from the clouds. Once Idreamed that I saw two (whom I knew) in hell, and methought I sawa continual dropping from heaven, as of great drops of fire lightingupon them, to their sore distress. Oh! words are wanting, thoughtsare wanting, imagination and fancy are poor things here; hell isanother kind of place and state than any alive can think; and sinceI am upon this subject, I will here treat a little of hell as theScriptures will give me leave, and the rather because I am upon ause of terror, and because hell is the place of torment (Luke 16). 

1. Hell is said to be beneath, as heaven is said to be above;because as above signifieth the utmost joy, triumph, and felicity, so beneath is a term most fit to describe the place of hell by, because of the utmost opposition that is between these two; hellbeing the place of the utmost sorrow, despair, and misery; thereare the underlings ever trampled under the feet of God; they arebeneath, below, under (Prov 15:24)!

2. Hell is said to be darkness, and heaven is said to be light;light, to show the pleasureableness and the desireableness of heaven;and darkness, to show the dolesome and wearisomeness of hell; andhow weary, oh! how weary and wearisomely, as I may say, will damnedsouls turn themselves from side to side, from place to place, inhell, while swallowed up in the thickest darkness, and griped withthe burning thoughts of the endlessness of that most unutterablemisery (Matt 22:13)!

3. Men are said to go up to heaven, but they are said to go downto hell; up, because of exaltation, and because they must aboundin beauty and glory that go to heaven; down, because of those saddejections, that great deformity and vile contempt that sin hathbrought them to that go to hell (Eze 32:18). 

4. Heaven is called a hill or mount, (Heb 12); hell is called a pit, or hole, (Rev 9:2); heaven, a mount, the mount Zion, (Rev 14); toshow how God has, and will exalt them that loved Him in the world;hell, a pit or hole, to show how all the ungodly shall be buriedin the yawning paunch and belly of hell, as in a hollow cave. 

5. Heaven! It is said of heaven, the height of heaven, (Job 22:12). And of hell, the bottomless pit, (Rev 9:2; 20:3). The heightof heaven, to show that the exaltation of them that do ascend upthither is both perfect and unsearchable; and hell, the bottomlesspit, to show that the downfall of them that descend in thitherwill never be at an end--down, down, down they go, and nothing butdown, down still!

6. Heaven! It is called the paradise of God, (Rev 2:7); but hell, the burning lake (Rev 20:15). A paradise, to show how quiet, harmless, sweet, and beautiful heaven shall be to them that possess it, asthe garden was at the beginning of the creation; hell, the burninglake, to allude to Sodom, that since its destruction is turned intoa stinking lake, and to show that as their distress was unutterable, and to the highest amazement, full of confusion and horror, whenthat tempestuous storm of fire and brimstone was rained from theLord out of heaven upon them, so, to the utmost degree, shall itbe with the souls that are lost and cast into hell. 

7. It is said that there are dwelling houses, or places in thekingdom of heaven (John 14: 1-3; Zech 3:7; Isa 57:1, 2). And alsothat there are the cells or the chambers of death in hell (Prov7:27). There are mansions or dwelling places in heaven, to showthat every one of them that go thither might have his reward, according to his work; and that there is hell, and the lowest hell(Deu 32:22; Psa 86:13). And the chambers of death in hell to showthere are places and states in hell too, for sinners to be imprisonedin, according to their faults; hence it is said of some, Theseshall receive greater damnation, (Luke 20:47); and of others, Thatit shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the judgmentthan for them, etc. (Luke 10:12, 14). 

The lowest hell. How many hells there are above that, or moretolerable tormenting places than the most exquisite torments there, God, and they that are there, know best; but degrees without doubtthere are; and the term 'lowest' shows the utmost and most exquisitedistress; so the chambers of death, the second death in hell, forso I think the words should be understood--'Her house is the way tohell, going down to the chambers of death' (Prov 7:27). These arethe chambers that the chambers in the temple, or that the dwellingplaces in the house in heaven, are opposed to: and this oppositionshows, that as there will be degrees of glory in heaven, so therewill of torments in hell; and there is all reason for it, sincethe punishment must be inflicted by God, the infinitely just. Whyshould a poor, silly, ignorant man, though damned, be punishedwith the same degree of torment that he that has lived a thousandtimes worse shall be punished with? It cannot be; justice will notadmit it; guilt, and the quality of the transgression, will notadmit it; yea, the tormenting fire of hell itself will not admitit; for if hell fire can kindle upon nothing but sin, and the sinnerfor the sake of it, and if sin be as oil to that fire, as the HolyGhost seems to intimate, saying, 'Let it come into his bowels likewater, and like oil into his bones' (Psa 109:18). Then as thequantity of the oil is, so will the fire burn, and so will theflaming flame ascend, and the smoke of their torment, for ever andever. Suppose a piece of timber a little bedaubed with oil, andanother that has been soaking in it many a year, which of these two, think you, would burn fiercest? and from whence would the flamingflame ascend highest, and make the most roaring noise? Supposetwo vessels filled with oil, one containing the quantity of a pint, the other containing the quantity of a hogshead, and suppose thatin one place they were both set on fire, yet so that they mightnot intermix flames; nay, though they did, yet all would concludethat the most amazing roaring flame would be upon the biggestvessel, and would be the effect of the greatest quantity of oil;so it will be with the wicked in hell. The lowest hell is for thebiggest sinners, and theirs will be the greater damnation, and themore intolerable torment, though he that has least of this oil ofsin in his bones, and of the kindlings of hell fire upon him, willfind he has hell enough, and will be weary enough thereof, forstill he must struggle with flames that are everlasting; for sinis such a thing, that it can never be burned out of the soul andbody of a damned sinner. 

But again; having treated thus of hell, we will now speak a wordor two of sin, for that is it upon which hell fire seizes, and soon the soul by that. Sin! it is the sting of hell--the sting ofdeath is sin (1 Cor 15:56). By 'death' in this place we must notunderstand that which is natural, but that which is in hell, thesecond death, even everlasting damnation; for natural death thesaints die, yea, and also many sinners, without the least touch ofa sting from that; but here is a death that has a sting to hurt, to twinge, and wound the sinner with, even then when it has theutmost mastery of him. And this is the death that the saved aredelivered from; not that which is natural, for that is the endof them as of others (1 Cor 15:55; Eccl 2:15, 16). But the seconddeath, the death in hell, for that is the portion of the damned, andit is from that that the saints have a promise of deliverance--'Hethat overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death' (Rev 2:11). And again, 'Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the firstresurrection; on such the second death hath no power' (Rev 20:6). It is this death, then, that hath the chambers to hold each damnedsoul in: and sin is the twining, winding, biting, poisoning stingof this death, or of these chambers of hell, for sinners to bestricken, stung, and pierced with. 'The sting of death is sin. ' Sin, the general of it, 37 is the sting of hell, for there would be nosuch thing as torment even there, were it not that sin is therewith sinners; for, as I have hinted already, the fire of hell, theindignation and wrath of God, can fasten and kindle upon nothingbut for or because of sin; sin, then, as sin, is the sting and thehell of hells, of the lowest and upmost hells. Sin, I say, in thenature of it, simply as it is concluded both by God and the damnedto be a breach of His holy law, so it is the sting of the seconddeath, which is the worm of hell. But then, as sin is such a stingin itself, so it is heightened, sharpened, and made more keen andsharp by those circumstances that as concomitants attend it inevery act: for there is not a sin at any time committed by man, but there is some circumstance or other attends it, that makes it, when charged home by God's law, bigger and sharper, and more venomand poisonous to the soul than if it could be committed withoutthem; and this is the sting of the hornet, the great sting. I sinnedwithout a cause to please a base lust, to gratify the devil; hereis the sting! Again, I preferred sin before holiness, death beforelife, hell before heaven, the devil before God, and damnation beforea Saviour; here is the sting! Again, I preferred moments beforeeverlastings, temporals before eternals, to be racked and alwaysslaying before the life that is blessed and endless; here is thesting! Also, this I did against light, against convictions, againstconscience, against persuasion of friends, ministers, and the godlylives which I beheld in others; here is the sting! Also, this Idid against warnings, forewarnings, yea, though I saw others fallbefore my face by the mighty hand of God for committing of thesame; here is the sting!

Sinners, would I could persuade you to hear me out! A man cannotcommit a sin, but, by the commission of it, he doth, by somecircumstance or other, sharpen the sting of hell, and that to piercehimself through and through, and through, with many sorrows (1 Tim6:10) Also, the sting of hell to some will be, that the damnationof others stand upon their score, for that by imitating of them, bybeing deluded by them, persuaded by them, drawn in by them, theyperish in hell for ever; and hence it is that these principalsinners must die all these deaths in themselves, that those damnedones that they have drawn into hell are also to bear in their ownsouls for ever. And this God threatened to the prince of Tyrus, that capital sinner, because by his pride, power, practice, andpolicy, he cast down others into the pit; therefore saith God tohim, 'They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die thedeaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas. ' And again;'Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand ofstrangers; for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God' (Eze 28:8, 10). Ah! this will be the sting of them, of those that are principal, chief and, as I may call them, the captain and ringleading sinners. Vipers will come out of other men's fire and flames, and settleupon, seize upon, and for ever abide upon their consciences; andthis will be the sting of hell, the great sting of hell to them. 

I will yet add to all this; how will the fairness of some for heaven, even the thoughts of that, sting them when they come to hell! Itwill not be so much their fall into the pit, as from whence theyfell into it, that will be to them the buzzing noise and sharpenedsting of the great and terrible hornet. 'How art thou fallen fromheaven, O Lucifer!' there is the sting (Isa 14:12). Thou that artexalted up to heaven shalt be thrust down to hell, though thou hastmade 'thy nest among the stars, ' from thence I will fetch thee down;there is a sting (Matt 11:23; Oba 4). To be pulled, for and throughlove to some vain lust, from the everlasting gates of glory, andcaused to be swallowed up for it in the belly of hell, and madeto lodge for ever in the darksome chambers of death, there is thepiercing sting!

But again, as there is the sting of hell, so there is the strengthof that sting; for a sting though never so sharp, or venom, yet ifit wanteth strength to force it to the designed execution, it dothbut little hurt. But this sting has strength to cause it to pierceinto the soul; 'the sting of death is sin: and the strength of sinis the law' (1 Cor 15:56). Here then is the strength of the stingsof hell; it is the law in the perfect penalty of it; 'for withoutthe law, sin is dead' (Rom 7:8). Yea, again he saith, 'where no lawis, there is no transgression' (Rom 4:15). The law then followeth, in the executive part of it, the soul into hell, and therestrengtheneth sin, that sting of hell, to pierce by its unutterablecharging of it on the conscience, the soul for ever and ever; norcan the soul justly murmur or repine at God or at His law, for thatthen the sharply apprehensive soul will well discern the justness, righteousness, reasonableness, and goodness of the law, and thatnothing is done by the law unto it, but that which is just andequal. 38

This, therefore, will put great strength and force into sin to stingthe soul, and to strike it with the lashes of a scorpion. Add yetto these the abiding life of God, the Judge and God of this law, will never die. When princes die, the law may be altered by thewhich at present transgressors are bound in chains; but oh! hereis also that which will make this sting so sharp and keen, the Godthat executes it will never die. 'It is a fearful thing to fallinto the hands of the living God' (Heb 10:30, 31). 

FOOTNOTES:

1 'Gospellers, ' a term of reproach given to our reformers underHenry VIII; changed to 'Puritan' under Elizabeth and the Stuarts;and to 'Methodist, ' or 'Evangelical' in more recent times. All theseterms were adopted by the reformers as an honorable distinctionfrom the openly profane. --Ed. 

2 Having the most solemn warnings mercifully given to us by God, whose word is truth itself, how strange it is, nay, how insane, to neglect the Saviour. Our author, in his 'Grace Abounding to theChief of Sinners, ' gives a solemn account of his own distractedfeelings, when he, by Divine warnings, contemplated the probableloss of his never-dying soul; and, believing in the truth of God'srevealed will, he felt, with inexpressible horror, his dangerousstate. He describes his mental anguish, by comparing it with theacute bodily sufferings of a criminal broken on the wheel. Can wewonder that he was in 'downright earnest' in seeking salvation. Oh!reader, may we be thus impelled to fly from the wrath to come. --Ed. 

3 Many have been the attempts to define the qualities, nature, andresidence of the soul. The sinful body is the sepulchre in whichit is entombed, until Christ giveth it life. The only safe guide, in such inquiries, is to follow Bunyan, and ascertain 'what saiththe Lord' upon a subject so momentous and so difficult for mortaleyes to penetrate. --Ed. 

4 The poor soul, under the irresistible constraints of conscience, bears witness against itself; sits in judgment upon, and condemnsitself; and goeth, without a jailor, to conduct it, into the dreadprison, where it becomes its own tormentor. 'A wounded spirit (orconscience) who can bear?'--Ed. 

5 My Lord Will-be-will was a very eminent captain in the town ofMansoul, during the Holy War: wherefore Diabolus had a kindnessfor him, and coveted to have him for one of his great ones, to actand do in matters of the highest concern. Bunyan represents himas having been wounded in the leg, during the seige. 'Some of theprince's army certainly saw him limp, as he afterwards walked onthe wall. '--Ed. 

6 To the unregenerate, unsanctified soul, the language of the Saviourin John 6:48-58, must appear, as it did to the Jews, perfectlyinexplicable--' He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. ' Blessed mystery! to be one with Christ, in obedience to His will, and in partaking of His inheritance. To beenabled to say, 'For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. '--Ed. 

7 Nothing short of a Divine influence can direct the passions of thesoul to a proper use of their energies. 'Godly sorrow workethrepentance--carefulness--indignation--fear--a vehementdesire--zeal--revenge, ' (2 Cor 7:11). Reader, has thy spirit beenthus excited against sin?--Ed. 

8 This is perfectly true, but is only felt by those who are taughtof the Holy Spirit rightly to appreciate Divine worship. How manypay undue respect to buildings in which public prayer is offeredup? It is the worship that consecrates the place and solemnizes themind. Very remarkably was this the case with Jacob while wanderingin the open wilderness. He put stones for his pillow, and in a dreamsaw the angels visiting the earth, and said, THIS is the house ofGod, and the gate of heaven. --Ed. 

9 If the body, which is to return to dust, 'is fearfully andwonderfully made, ' past our finding out in its exquisite formation, how much more so must be that immortal soul which we can onlycontemplate by its own powers, and study in the Bible. It never dies, although it may be dead in sin, in time; and be ever dying--everin the agonies of death, in eternity. Solemn consideration! May ouradorning be 'the hidden man of the heart, which is not corruptible;a meek and quiet spirit; that which is in the sight of God of greatprice' (1 Peter 3:4). --Ed. 

10 One of the first revelations to our race was, that 'God breathedinto his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul. 'And this great and important fact has, by tradition, extended overthe whole of the human family. --Ed. 

11 'An old horse shoe' must be mentioned, to throw utter contemptupon a custom, then very prevalent, and even now practised, ofnailing an old horse shoe over the door of the house, to preventa witch from entering. When will these absurd heathenish customscease in Christian England?--Ed. 

12 'A point, ' the tag at the end of a lace. --Ed. 

13 Nothing can more fully display the transcendant worth andexcellency of the soul, than these two considerations:--first, Thatby the operation of the Eternal Spirit, it is made a habitation forGod Himself, and susceptible of communion and converse with God, nay, of being even filled with all the fulness of God; and, second, The infinite price that was paid for its redemption from sin andwoe--the precious blood of the Son of God. --Mason. 

14 'A Relation of the Fearful Estate of Frances Spira. ' He hadbeen a Protestant, but, for some unworthy motives, became a Papist, and was visited with the most awful compunctions of conscience. Apoetical introduction thus describes the guilty wretch:--

 'Reader, wou'dst see what, may you never feel, Despair, racks, torments, whips of burning steel? Behold this man, this furnace, in whose heart, Sin hath created hell. Oh! In each part What flames appear; His thoughts all stings; words swords; Brimstone his breath; His eyes flames; wishes curses; life a death; A thousand deaths live in him, he not dead; A breathing corpse, in living scalding lead. '

It is an awful account, and has added to it a narrative of thewretched end of John Child, a Bedford man, one of Bunyan's friends, who, to avoid prosecution, conformed; was visited with blackdespair, and hung himself. A copy of this curious little book isin the editor's possession. --Ed. 

15 Nothing more properly excited horror throughout Christendom, thanthe conduct of the Algerines in making slaves of their captives;because their victims had white skins, and were called Christians. Hundreds of thousands of pounds sterling were paid to redeemthe Christian captives, and thus the pirates were strengthened tocontinue their ferocious deeds. Many contributed to those fundsthe very money which they derived from the negro slave trade; who, while they professed to execrate white man slavery, perpetratedthe same barbarities upon their brethren of a different colourand caste. How strangely does sin pervert the understandings ofmen, who arrogate to themselves the highest grade of humanity andcivilization!--Ed. 

16 These awful denunciations are so many proofs of the immutabliltyof the justice and of the Word of God. --Ed. 

17 'Saith Christ;' Peter in Acts i. 20, applies this Psalm to Christ, when the Jews cried, 'His blood be upon us and upon our children;'then did they put on the envenomed garment which has tormented themever since. It is girded about their loins; the curse has penetratedlike water, and entered the very bones like oil. How awful willbe the state of those who crucify Him afresh, and again put Him toopen shame!--Horsley. 

18 How awfully inconceivable is that eternal death that never dieth;that final end that never endeth--an immortal death--a soul-murderinglife--ever dying, but never dead; were the mountains and rocks tofall upon and and crush them, still eternity would intervene betweenthem and death. Oh that grace may be given to ransom our souls fromthe doom we have deserved!--Ed. 

19 'Weal;' wealth, happiness, prosperity; 'wherefore taking comfortand boldness, partly of your grace and benevolent inclination towardthe universal weal of your subjects, partly inflamed with zeal, Ihave now enterprized to describe, in our vulgar tongue, the formof a just public weal. ' Sir T. Elyot, Dedication of the Governorto Henry VIII. --Ed. 

20 'From the belly, ': from its birth. 

21 Bunyan having been engaged in the civil war, accounts for hisusing this military idea. --Ed. 

22 God hates not the sinner, but the sin; the glorious provisionmade for salvation, proves His good will to sinful souls. Thiswill be 'the worm that dieth not, ' to sinners to reflect, that, in rejecting the inviting promises of God, they have sealed theirown condemnation. --Mason. 

23 'Hideth his sins, ' is quoted from the Genevan, or Puritanversion. --Ed. 

24 'Pother;' to be, or cause to be, as one involved in dust, in acloud; to perplex, to puzzle, to confound. --Ed. 

25 This is an allusion to a custom, nearly obsolete, originating inthe feast of tabernacles, of sacrificing to Vacina at the harvesthome. The Papists substituted St. Bartholomew for the heathengoddess. Upon his day, the harvest being completed, an image ofstraw was carried about, called the corn, or Bartholomew, baby; andmasters, mistresses, men, and maidens danced and rioted together;thus, under the guise of harmless joy, much evil was perpetrated. --Ed. 

26 'A blandation, ' an obsolete word, which means wheedling, flatteringspeech, soft words. --Ed. 

27 Knowing the certainty that this wrath to the uttermost will bepoured out, our blessed Lord exhorts all to 'fear God, who is ableto destroy both body and soul in hell. ' In that doleful pit, thesoul, re-united with the body, will suffer under the outpouringsof Divine wrath. --Mason. 

28 Bunyan probably here refers to his own experience when he was inprison, and was threatened by the judge to be hung for not going toparish church. 'I thought with myself, if I should make a scrabblingshift to clamber up the ladder, yet I should, either with quakingor other symptoms of faintings, give occasion to the enemy toreproach the way of God. I was ashamed to die with a pale face andtottering knees in such a cause as this. '--Grace Abounding, No. 334. --Ed. 

29 This wish has been felt while in a desponding state, under theterrors of the law, and a fearful looking for of fiery indignation. Thus Bunyan says, 'I blessed the condition of the dog and toad, and counted the estate of everything that God had made far betterthan this dreadful state of mine. ' Grace Abounding, No. 104. --Ed. 

30 Alluding to the old proverb of bringing a noble to ninepence, and ninepence to nothing. --Ed. 

31 At the popular game of nine pins--Ed. 

32 In our comparatively happy days, we have little if any conceptionof the manner in which our forefathers desecrated the Sabbath. When Popery clouded the country, mass was attended on the Lord'sday morning early; it was a recital of certain unknown words, after which parties of pleasure, so called, spent the day in placesattractive for the frivolity or wantonness of their entertainments--indancing, and carousing; the evening being devoted to the theatresor ball rooms. This was afterwards encouraged by our English 'headsof the church, ' in a book of lawful sports to be used on Sundays. Even in our time a flood of iniquity continues to flow on thosesacred days, which human laws cannot prevent. As the influence ofthe gospel spreads, the day will become sanctified and this willever prove a correct standard of its progress. --Ed. 

33 How solemn, nay, awful is the thought that heaven's gates mustbe shut against all impurity. None who live and die in the love ofsin can enter heaven, lest they should defile it--'And there shallin no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither workethabomination, or a lie' (Rev 21: 27). --Ed. 

34 In 'The Pilgrim's Progress, ' in the house called Beautiful, allthe inmates, except the porter, are females. --Ed. 

35 The edict of Nantes was issued April 1598; but in violation ofit, Rochelle was taken from the Protestants in 1628. From that timehorrid barbarities were practised upon them. In 1676, the elector ofBrandenburg appealed to the French king on behalf of his Protestantsubjects, of whom multitudes fled for refuge to England andGermany. In 1685, the edict of Nantes was revoked, and a frightfulpersecution ensued. --Ed. 

36 Great allowance must be made for the times in which Bunyan lived. Baxter, and all the great divines, Sir M. Hale, and the judges, believed in witches, ghosts, and other chimeras; in fact, any oneprofessing unbelief in these wild fancies, would have been countedamong infidels and atheists. --Ed. 

37 Sin 'in the general of it, ' or sin wherever it may be found. 

38 The law is a transcript of the mind of God, it is holy, just, and good--so that he that offendeth in one point is guilty of all. The law convicts and shows the sinner that God is all eye to see, and all fire to consume, every unclean thing. Thus the law givessin its strength, and death its warrant, to arrest and execute thesinner. --Mason. 

***

THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST AS AN ADVOCATE, CLEARLY EXPLAINED, AND LARGELY IMPROVED, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL BELIEVERS. 

1 John 2:1--"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with theFather, Jesus Christ the righteous. "

By JOHN BUNYAN, Author of "The Pilgrim's Progress. "

London: Printed for Dorman Newman, at the King's Arms, in thePoultry, 1689. 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

This is one of the most interesting of Bunyan's treatises, to editwhich required the Bible at my right hand, and a law dictionaryon my left. It was very frequently republished; but in an editionby John Marshall, 1725, it became most seriously mutilated, manypassages were omitted, and numerous errors were made. In thisstate, it was copied into Mr. Whitefield's edition of his works, and it has been since republished with all those errors. It is nowrestored to its original state; and we hope that it will prove amost acceptable addition to our theological literature. AlthoughBunyan was shut up for more than twelve years a prisoner for thetruth, and his time was so fully occupied in preaching, writing, and labouring to provide for the pressing wants of his family;still he managed to get acquainted, in a very remarkable manner, with all those law terms which are connected with the duties ofa counsel, or advocate. He uses the words replevin, supersedeas, term, demur, nonsuit, reference, title, in forma pauperis, king'sbench, common pleas, as properly and familiarly as if he had beenbrought up to the bar. How extraordinary must have been his mentalpowers, and how retentive his memory! I examined this work withapprehension, lest he had misapplied those hard words; but mysurprise was great, to find that he had used every one of them withas much propriety as a Lord Chief-Justice could have done. 

We are indebted for this treatise to Bunyan's having heard a sermonwhich excited his attention to a common, a dangerous, and a fatalheresy, more frequently preached to crowned heads, mitred prelates, members of parliament, and convocations, than it is to the poor, to whom the gospel is preached. In this sermon, the preacher saidto his hearers, "see that your cause be good, else Christ will notundertake it. " p. 159. Bunyan heard, as all Christians ought tohear, with careful jealousy, and at once detected the error. Heexposes the fallacy, and uses his scriptural knowledge to confuteit, by showing that Christ pleads for the wicked, the lost; for thosewho feel themselves so involved in a bad cause, that no advocatebut Christ can bring them through. He manifests great anxiety thatevery inquirer should clearly ascertain definite truths and not becontented with general notions. See p. 189-199, and 201. This isvery important advice, and by following which, we shall be savedfrom many painful doubts and fears. Our need of an advocate is provedby the fact, that Christ has undertaken the office. Some rely ontheir tears and sighs, as advocates for them with God; others onimperfect good works-from all these the soul must be shaken, untilit finds that there is no prevailing Advocate but the Saviour;and that he alone, with his mystical body, the church, is entitledto the inheritance. Then sincere repentance, sighs, and tears, evidence our faith in him, and our godly sorrow for having occasionedhim such inconceivable sufferings; tears of joy that we have sucha Saviour and an Advocate, equally omnipotent to plead for, as tosave us. The inheritance being Christ's, the members of his bodycannot be cheated of it, or alienate it. P. 187. Bunyan, with hisfertile imagination, and profound scriptural knowledge, spiritualizesthe day of jubilee as a type of the safety of the inheritance ofthe saints. By our folly and sin we may lose sight for a time ofour title deeds; but the inheritance is safe. 

The whole work is a rich treat to those who love experimental divinity, and are safe in Christ as Noah was in the ark; but, Oh! how woefulmust those be, who are without an interest in the Saviour; andthat have none to plead their cause. "They are left to be groundto powder between the justice of God and the sins which they havecommitted. It is sad to consider their plight. This is the manthat is pursued by the law, and by sin, and by death, and has noneto plead his cause. Terrors take hold on him as waters; a stonehurleth him out of his place" (Job 27). P. 200. Reader, this isa soul-searching subject-may it lead us to a solemn trial of ourstate, and to the happy conclusion, that the Saviour is our Advocate, and that our eternal inheritance is safe in heaven. 

HACKNEY. MAY 1850. 

GEORGE OFFOR. 

THE EPISTLE TO THE READER. 

COURTEOUS READER, Of all the excellent offices which God the Father has conferredupon Jesus Christ our Lord, this of his being an Advocate with himfor us is not the least, though, to the shame of saints it may bespoken, the blessed benefits thereof have not with that diligenceand fervent desire been inquired after as they ought. 

Christ, as sacrifice, priest, and king, with the glories in, andthat flow from, him as such, has, God be thanked, in this our day, been much discovered by our seers, and as much rejoiced in by thosewho have believed their words; but as he is an Advocate with theFather, an Advocate for us, I fear the excellency of that doth stilltoo much lie hid; though I am verily of opinion that the peopleof God in this age have as much need of the knowledge thereof, ifnot more need, than had their brethren that are gone before them. 

These words, "if not more need, " perhaps may seem to some to besomewhat out of joint; but let the godly wise consider the decaysthat are among us as to the power of godliness, and what abundanceof foul miscarriages the generality of professors now stand guiltyof, as also how diligent their great enemy is to accuse them atthe bar of God for them, and I think they will conclude, that, inso saying, I indeed have said some truth. Wherefore, when I thoughton this, and had somewhat considered also the transcendent excellencyof the advocateship of this our Lord; and again, that but littleof the glory thereof has by writing been, in our day, communicatedto the church, I adventured to write what I have seen thereof, anddo, by what doth follow, present it unto her for good. 

I count not myself sufficient for this, or for any other truthas it is in Jesus; but yet, I say, I have told you somewhat ofit, according to the proportion of faith. And I believe that somewill thank God for what I here have said about it; but it will bechiefly those, whose right and title to the kingdom of heaven andglory, doth seem to themselves to be called in question by theirenemy, at the bar of the Judge of all. 

These, I say, will read, and be glad to hear, that they have anAdvocate at court that will stand up to plead for them, and thatwill yet secure to them a right to the heavenly kingdom. Wherefore, it is more particularly for those that at present, or that hereafter, may be in this dreadful plight, that this my book is now madepublic; because it is, as I have showed, for such that Jesus Christis Advocate with the Father. 

Of the many and singular advantages, therefore, that such have bythis their Advocate in his advocating for them, this book givessome account; as, where he pleads, how he pleads, what he pleads, when he pleads, with whom he pleads, for whom he pleads, and howthe enemy is put to shame and silence before their God and all theholy angels. 

Here is also showed to those herein concerned, how they indeed mayknow that Jesus is their Advocate; yea, and how their matters gobefore their God, the Judge; and particularly that they shall wellcome off at last, yea, though their cause, as it is theirs, issuch, in justification of which, themselves do not dare to showtheir heads. 

Nor have I left the dejected souls without directions how to entertainthis Advocate to plead their cause; yea, I have also shown that hewill be with ease prevailed with, to stand up to plead for such, as one would think, the very heavens would blush to hear them namedby him. Their comfort also is, that he never lost a cause, nor asoul, for whom he undertook to be an Advocate with God. 

But, reader, I will no longer detain thee from the perusal of thediscourse. Read and think; read, and compare what thou readest withthe Word of God. If thou findest any benefit by that thou readest, give the Father, and his Son the glory; and also pray for me. Ifthou findest me short in this, or to exceed in that, impute allsuch things to my weakness, of which I am always full. Farewell. I am thine to serve thee what I may, JOHN BUNYAN. 

THE CONTENTS OF THIS TREATISE

The apostle's Divine policy, to beget a due regard to his Divinedoctrine of eternal life. -The apostle's explication of thisexpression, viz. , The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from allsin. -The apostle's exhortation to separation from sin, as a goodeffect of a good cause, viz. , Forgiveness-The apostle's addition, to prevent misunderstanding, viz. , We have an advocate with theFather

This brings to the text, in which are two great truths contained:I. A supposition, viz. , That men in Christ may sin. II. An expression, by way of consolation, in case of sin, viz. , We have an Advocatewith the Father

Two things for inquiry in these truths: First. An inquiry into whatour apostle means by sin; in which is considered, A difference inthe person and in the sin. And, Second, An inquiry into what itis for Christ to be an Advocate, viz. , To plead for another in acourt of judicature

Seven things supposed in the office of an advocate: 1. That God, asjudge, is on the throne of judgment. 2. That saints are concernedat that bar. 3. That Christians have an accuser. 4. That sinningsaints dare not appear at this bar to plead their own cause. 5. That Christians are apt to forget their Advocate, and remembertheir Judge. 6. To remember our Advocate is the way to support faithand hope. -7. That if our advocate plead our cause (though that benever so black) he is able to bring us off

The apostle's triumph in Christ on this account. -An exhortation tothe difficult task of believing. -Christ's advocateship declares usto be sorry creatures

THE METHOD OBSERVED IN THE DISCOURSE. 

FIRST, TO SPEAK OF THIS ADVOCATE'S OFFICE

First, By touching on the nature of this office

Second, By treating of the order or place of this office

Third, The occasion of this office, viz. , some great sin. -Christ, as Advocate, pleads a bad cause. -A good cause will plead foritself. -A bad man may have a good cause, and a good man may havea bad cause. -Christ, the righteous, pleading a bad cause, is amystery. -The best saints are most sensible of their sins. -A pestilentpassage of a preacher

SECOND, TO SHOW HOW CHRIST DOES MANAGE HIS OFFICE

First, How he manages his office of Advocate with the Father. -1. ALONE, not by any proxy or deputy. -2. Christ pleads at God's bar; thecause cannot be removed into another court. -If removed from heaven, we have no advocate on earth. -3. In pleading, Christ observesthese rules: (1. ) He granteth what is charged on us. -(2. ) He pleadshis own goodness for us. -He payeth all our debts down. -All mouthsstopped, who would not have the sinner delivered. -(3. ) Christ requiresa verdict in order to our deliverance. -The sinner is delivered, God contented, Satan confounded, and Christ applauded

Second, How Christ manages his office of an Advocate against theadversary by argument. -1. He pleads the pleasure of his Father inhis merits. -Satan rebuked for finding fault therewith. -2. He pleadsGod's interest in his people. -Haman's mishap in being engaged againstthe king's queen. -N. B. It seems a weak plea, because of man'sunworthiness; but it is a strong plea, because of God's worthiness. -Theelect are bound to God by a sevenfold cord. -The weight of the pleaweighed

Third, Christ pleads his own interest in them. -A parallel betweencattle in a pound and Christ's own sheep. -Six weighty reasons inthis plea. -1. They are Christ's own. -2. They cost him dear. -3. He hath made them near to himself. -(a. ) They are his spouse, hislove, his dove; they are members of his body. -(b. ) A man cannotspare a hand, a foot, a finger. -Nor can Christ spare any member. -4. Christ pleads his right in heaven to give it to whom he will. -Christwill; Satan will not; Christ's will stands. -5. Christ pleadsSatan's enmity against the godly. -Satan is the cause of the crimeshe accuses us of. -A simile of a weak-witted child. -6. Christ canplead those sins of saints for them for which Satan would have themdamned. -Eight considerations to clear that. -Seven more considerationsto the same end. -Men care most for children that are infirm. -Afather offended hath been appeased by a brother turning advocate

THIRD HEAD. -TO SHOW WHO HAVE CHRIST FOR AN ADVOCATE; WHEREIN ARETHREE THINGS CONTAINED

First, This office of advocate differs from that of a priest. -1. They differ in name. -2. They differ in nature. -3. They differ asto their extent. -4. They differ as to the persons with whom theyhave to do. -5. They differ as to the matter about which they areemployed. -6. Christ, as Priest, precedes; Christ, as Advocate, succeeds

Second, How far this office of an advocate is extended; in fiveparticulars

Third, Who have Christ for their Advocate. -1. In general, alladopted children. -Object. The text saith, "If any man sin. "-Answ. "Any man, " is not any of the world; but any of the children of God. -Adifference in children; some bigger than some. -Christ an Advocatefor strong men. -2. In particular, to show if Christ be our Advocate-(1. )If one have entertained Christ to plead a cause. -Quest. How shallI know that?-Answ. By being sensible of an action commenced againstthee in the high court of justice. -(2. ) If one have revealed acause to Christ. -An example of one revealing his cause to Christ, in a closet. -In order to this, one must know Christ, (a. ) To be afriend. -(b. ) To be faithful. -(3. ) If one have committed a cause toChrist. -In order to this, one must be convinced, (a. ) Of Christ'sability to defend him. -(b. ) Of Christ's courage to plead a cause. -(c. )Of Christ's will for this work. -(d. ) Of Christ's tenderness in caseof his client's dullness. -(e. ) Of Christ's unweariedness-(4. ) Ifone wait till things come to a legal issue. -Quest. What is it thusto wait?-Answ. (a. ) To be of good courage; look for deliverance. -(b. )To keep his way in waiting. -(c. ) To observe his directions. -(d. ) Tohearken to further directions which may come from the advocate. -(e. )To come to no ill conclusion in waiting, viz. , that the cause islost; because one hears not from court. -(f. ) To wait waking, notsleeping. -Ordinances and ministers compared to a post house andcarriers of letters. -The client's comfortable conclusion about hisadvocate and cause. -But yet doubting and desponding. -The author'sreply to, and compliance with, the client's conclusion; and hiscounsel in the case

FOURTH HEAD-TO SHOW THE CLIENT'S PRIVILEGES, BY THE BENEFIT OF THISOFFICE OF ADVOCATE

First Privilege. -The Advocate pleads a price paid. -Of a richbrother and his poor brethren. -Of the ill-conditioned man, theirenemy. -Further cleared by three considerations

Second Privilege. -The client's Advocate pleads for himself also;both concerned in one bottom. -1. He pleads the price of his ownblood. -2. He pleads it for his own. -A simile of a lame horse. -Ofmen going to law for a thing of little worth. -Object. I am butone. -Answ. Christ cannot lose one

Third Privilege. -The plea of Satan is groundless. -Satan must becast over the bar. -A simile of a widow owing a sum of money. -Of anold law nulled1 by a new law. -Satan pleads by the old law; Christby the new

Fourth Privilege. -Is consequential; the client's accuser must needsbe overthrown. -The client's solemn appeal to the Almighty. -In casethe accused have no advocate, Satan prevails

Fifth Privilege. -The Advocate hath pity for his client, andindignation against the accuser. -Men choose an advocate who hatha quarrel against their adversary

Sixth Privilege. -The judge counts the accuser his enemy. -To procurethe judge's son to plead, is desirable

Seventh Privilege. -The client's Advocate hath good courage; hewill set his face like a flint. -He pleads before the God, and allthe host, of heaven. -He is the old friend of publicans and sinners. -Hepleads a cause bad enough to make angels blush. -Love will do, andbear, and suffer much

Eighth Privilege. -The Advocate is always ready in court. -He appearsNOW in the presence of God

Ninth Privilege. -The Advocate will not be blinded with bribes

Tenth Privilege. -The Advocate is judge in the client's cause. -Joseph'sexaltation was Israel's advantage. -God's care of his people'swelfare

Eleventh Privilege. -The Advocate hath all that is requisite for anadvocate to have

FIFTH. -LAST HEAD. -TO SHOW THE NECESSITY OF CHRIST FOR OUR ADVOCATE

First. -To vindicate the justice of God against the cavils of thedevil. -Satan charges God with unjust words and actions. -God ispleased with his design to save sinners

Second. -There is law to be objected against us. -Christ appeals tothe law itself. -Christ is not ashamed to own the way of salvation

Third. -Many things give our accuser advantage. -1. Many thingsrelating to the promises. -2. Many things relating to our lives. -3. The threats annexed to the gospel

Fourth. -To plead about our afflictions for sins. -A simile of a manindicted at the assizes, and his malicious adversary. -An allusionto Abishai and Shimei, who cursed David

Fifth. -To plead the efficacy of our old titles to our inheritance, if questionable because of new sins-Saints do not sell theirinheritance by sin

Sixth. -Our evidences are oft out of our hand, and we recover themby our Advocate

SIXTH. -OBJECTIONS REMOVED

First Object. -What need all these offices or nice distinctions. -Answ. The wisdom of God is not to be charged with folly. -God's people arebaffled with the devil for want of a distinct knowledge of Christin all his offices

Second Object. -My cause being bad, Christ will desert me. -Answ. Sin is deadly destruction to faith. -A five-fold order observed inthe exercise of faith

Third Object. -But who shall pay the Advocate his fee?-Answ. Thereis law, and lawyers too, without money. -Christ pleads for thepoor. -David's strange gift to God

Fourth Object. -If Christ be my Advocate once, he will always betroubled with me. -Answ. He is an Advocate to the utmost

SEVENTH. -USE AND APPLICATION

Use First. -To consider the dignity God hath put upon Christ, byoffices, places of trust, and titles of honour, in general

Use Second. -To consider this office of an Advocate in particular;by which consideration these advantages come:-1. To see one is notforsaken for sin. -2. To take courage to contend with the devil. -3. It affords relief for discouraged faith. -4. It helps to put offthe visor Satan puts on Christ. -A simile of a visor on the faceof a father. -Study this peculiar treasure of an advocate. -(1. )With reference to its peculiarity. -(2. ) Study the nature of thisoffice. -(3. ) Study its efficacy and prevalency. -(4. ) Study Christ'sfaithfulness in his office. -(5. ) Study the need of a share therein

Use Third. -To wonder at Christ's condescension, in being an Advocatefor the base and unworthy. -Christ acts in open court, 1. With aholy and just God. -2. Before all the heavenly host. -3. The clientis unconcerned for whom the Advocate is engaged. -4. The majesty ofthe man that is an Advocate

Use Fourth. -Improve this doctrine to strengthen grace. 1. Tostrengthen faith. -2. To encourage to prayer. -3. To keep humble. -4. To encourage to perseverance. -Object. I cannot pray; my mouth isstopped. -Answ. Satan cannot silence Christ. -5. Improve this doctrine, to drive difficulties down

Use Fifth. -If Christ pleads for us before God, we should plead forhim before men. -Nine considerations to that end. -The last reservefor a dead lift

Use Sixth. -To be wary of sin against God. -Christianity teachesingenuity. 2 Christ is our Advocate, on free cost. -A comely conclusionof a brute. -Three considerations added

Use Seventh. -The strong are to tell the weak of an Advocate toplead their cause. -A word in season is good

Use Eighth. -All is nothing to them that have none to plead theircause. -An instance of God's terrible judgment. -Object. There isgrace, the promise, the blood of Christ; cannot these save, exceptChrist be Advocate?-Answ. These, and Advocate, and all, littleenough. -Christ no Advocate for such as have no sense of, andshame for sin. -Object. Is not Christ an Advocate for his electuncalled?-Answ. He died, and prayeth, for all his elect, as Priest;as Advocate, pleads for the called only

THE WORK OF JESUS CHRIST AS AN ADVOCATE. 

"AND IF ANY MAN SIN, WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE WITH THE FATHER, JESUSCHRIST THE RIGHTEOUS. "---I JOHN 2:1. 

THAT the apostle might obtain due regard from those to whomhe wrote, touching the things about which he wrote, he tells themthat he received not his message to them at second or third hand, but was himself an eye and ear witness thereof-That which was fromthe beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with oureyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, ofthe word of life, (for the life was manifested, and we have seenit, and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life, which waswith the Father, and was manifested unto us;) that which we haveseen and heard, declare we unto you. 3

Having thus told them of his ground for what he said, he proceedsto tell them also the matter contained in his errand-to wit, thathe brought them news of eternal life, as freely offered in the wordof the gospel to them; or rather, that that gospel which they hadreceived would certainly usher them in at the gates of the kingdomof heaven, were their reception of it sincere and in truth--for, saith he, then "the blood of Jesus Christ the Son of God cleansethyou from all sin. "

Having thus far told them what was his errand, he sets uponan explication of what he had said, especially touching our beingcleansed from all sin--"Not, " saith he, "from a being of sin; forshould we say so, we should deceive ourselves, " and should provethat we have no truth of God in us, but by cleansing, I meana being delivered from all sin, so as that none at all shall havethe dominion over you, to bring you down to hell; for that, forthe sake of the blood of Christ, all trespasses are forgiven you. 

This done, he exhorts them to shun or fly sin, and not to consentto the motions, workings, enticings, or allurements thereof, saying, "I write unto you that ye sin not. " Let not forgiveness have sobad an effect upon you as to cause you to be remiss in Christianduties, or as to tempt you to give, way to evil. Shall we sin becausewe are forgiven? or shall we not much matter what manner of liveswe live, because we are set free from the law of sin and death? Godforbid. Let grace teach us another lesson, and lay other obligationsupon our spirits. "My little children, " saith he, "these thingswrite I unto you, that ye sin not. " What things? Why, tidings ofpardon and salvation, and of that nearness to God, to which youare brought by the precious blood of Christ. Now, lest also by thislast exhortation he should yet be misunderstood, he adds, "And ifany man sin, we have an Advocate with the rather, Jesus Christ therighteous. " I say, he addeth this to prevent desponding in thoseweak and sensible Christians that are so quick of feeling andof discerning the corruptions of their natures; for these cry outcontinually that there is nothing that they do but it is attendedwith sinful weaknesses. 

Wherefore, in the words we are presented with two great truths--l. With a supposition, that men in Christ, while in this world, maysin--, "If any man sin;" any man; none are excluded; for all, orany one of the all of them that Christ hath redeemed and forgiven, are incident to sin. By "may" I mean, not a toleration, but apossibility; "For there is not a man, not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not" (Eccl 7:20; 1 Kings 8:46). II. The other thing with which we are presented is, an Advocate--, "Ifany man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ therighteous. "

Now there lieth in these two truths two things to be inquiredinto, as-First, What the apostle should here mean by sin. Second, And also, what he here doth mean by an advocate-"If any man sin, we have an Advocate. " There is ground to inquire after the firstof these, because, though here he saith, they that sin have anadvocate, yet in the very next chapter he saith, "Such are of thedevil, have not seen God, neither know him, nor are of him. " Thereis ground also to inquire after the second, because an advocate issupposed in the text to be of use to them that sin--, "If any mansin, we have an Advocate. "

First, For the first of these--to wit, what the apostle should heremean by sin--, "If any man sin. "

I answer, since there is a difference in the persons, there must bea difference in the sin. That there is a difference in the personsis showed before; one is called a child of God, the other is saidto be of the wicked one. Their sins differ also, in their degree atleast; for no child of God sins to that degree as to make himselfincapable of forgiveness; "for he that is begotten of God keepethhimself, and that wicked one toucheth him not" (I John 5:18). Hence, the apostle says, "There is a sin unto death" (v. 16). Seealso Matthew 12:32. Which is the sin from which he that is born ofGod is kept. The sins therefore are thus distinguished: The sins ofthe people of God are said to be sins that men commit, the othersare counted those which are the sins of devils. 

1. The sins of God's people are said to be sins which men commit, and for which they have an Advocate, though they who sin after theexample of the wicked one have none. "When a man or woman, " saithMoses, "shall commit any sin that men commit--they shall confesstheir sin--and an atonement shall be made for him" (Num 5:5-7). Mark, it is when they commit a sin which men commit; or, as Hoseahas it, when they transgress the commandment like Adam (Hosea 6:7). Now, these are the sins under consideration by the apostle, and todeliver us from which, "we have an Advocate with the Father. "

2. But for the sins mentioned in the third chapter, since thepersons sinning go here under another character, they also must beof another stamp-to wit, a making head against the person, merits, and grace of Jesus Christ. These are the sins of devils in theworld, and for these there is no remission. These, they also thatare of the wicked one commit, and therefore sin after the similitudeof Satan, and so fall into the condemnation of the devil. 

Second, But what is it for Jesus to be an Advocate for these? "Ifany man sin, we have an Advocate. "

An advocate is one who pleadeth for another at any bar, or beforeany court of judicature; but of this more in its place. So, then, we have in the text a Christian, as supposed, committing sin, anda declaration of an Advocate prepared to plead for him-"If any mansin, we have an Advocate with the Father. "

And this leads me first to inquire into what, by these words theapostle must, of necessity, presuppose? For making use here of thesimilitude or office of an advocate, thereby to show the preservationof the sinning Christian, he must, 1. Suppose that God, as judge, is now upon the throne of hisjudgment; for an advocate is to plead at a bar, before a court ofjudicature. Thus it is among men; and forasmuch as our Lord Jesusis said to be an "Advocate with the Father, " it is clear that thereis a throne of judgment also. This the prophet Micaiah affirms, saying, "I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host ofheaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left" (I Kings22:19). Sitting upon a throne for judgment; for from the Lord, asthen sitting upon that throne, proceeded that sentence against kingAhab, that he should go and fall at Ramoth-gilead; and he did go, and did fall there, as the award or fruit of that judgment. Thatis the first. 

2. The text also supposeth that the saints as well as sinners areconcerned at that bar; for the apostle saith plainly that there"we have an Advocate. " And the saints are concerned at that bar;because they transgress as well as others, and because the lawis against the sin of saints as well as against the sins of othermen. If the saints were not capable of committing of sin, what needwould they have of an advocate (I Chron 21:3-6. I Sam 12:13, 14)?4Yea, though they did sin, yet if they were by Christ so set freefrom the law as that it could by no means take cognizance of theirsins, what need would they have of an advocate? None at all. Ifthere be twenty places where there are assizes kept in this land, yet if I have offended no law, what need have I of an advocate?Especially if the judge be just, and knows me altogether, as theGod of heaven does? But here is Judge that is just; and here is anAdvocate also, an Advocate for the children, an Advocate to plead;for an advocate as such is not of use but before a bar to plead;therefore, here is an offence, and so a law broken by the saintsas well as others. That is the second thing. 

3. As the text supposes that there is a judge, and crimes of saints, so it supposeth that there is an accuser, one that will carefullygather up the faults of good men, and that will plead them at thisbar against them. Hence we read of "the accuser of our brethren, that accused them before our God day and night" (Rev 12:10-12). For Satan doth not only tempt the godly man to sin, but, havingprevailed with him, and made him guilty, he packs away to the court, to God the judge of all; and there addresses himself to accusethat man, and to lay to his charge the heinousness of his offence, pleading against him the law that he has broken, the light againstwhich he did it, and the like. But now, for the relief and supportof such poor people, the apostle, by the text, presents them with anadvocate; that is, with one to plead for them, while Satan pleadsagainst them; with one that pleads for pardon, while Satan, byaccusing, seeks to pull judgment and vengeance upon our heads. "Ifany man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ therighteous. " That is the third thing. 

4. As the apostle supposeth a judge, crimes, and an accuser, sohe also supposeth that those herein concerned-to wit, the sinningchildren-neither can nor dare attempt to appear at this barthemselves to plead their own cause before this Judge and againstthis accuser; for if they could or durst do this, what need theyhave an advocate? for an advocate is of use to them whose causethemselves neither can nor dare appear to plead. Thus Job prayedfor an advocate to plead his cause with God (Job 16:21); and Davidcries out, "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, " O God, "for in thy sight shall no man living be justified" (Psa 143:2). Wherefore, it is evident that saints neither can nor dare adventureto plead their cause. Alas! the Judge is the almighty and eternalGod; the law broken is the holy and perfect rule of God, in itselfa consuming fire. The sin is so odious, and a thing so abominable, that it is enough to make all the angels blush to hear it but somuch as once mentioned in so holy a place as that is where thisgreat God doth sit to judge. This sin now hangs about the neck ofhim that hath committed it; yea, it covereth him as doth a mantle. The adversary is bold, cunning, and audacious, and can word athousand of us into an utter silence in less than half a quarterof an hour. What, then, should the sinner, if he could come there, do at this bar to plead? Nothing; nothing for his own advantage. But now comes in his mercy-he has an Advocate to plead his cause-"Ifany man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ therighteous. " That is the fourth thing. But again, 5. The apostle also supposeth by the text there is an aptnessin Christians when they have sinned, to forget that they "have anAdvocate with the Father"; wherefore this is written to put themin remembrance-"If any may sin, [let him remember] we have anAdvocate. " We can think of all other things well enough-namely, that God is a just judge, that the law is perfectly holy, that mysin is a horrible and an abominable thing, and that I am certainlythereof accused before God by Satan. 

These things, I say, we readily think of, and forget them not. Ourconscience puts us in mind of these, our guilt puts us in mind ofthese, the devil puts us in mind of these, and our reason and sensehold the knowledge and remembrance of these close to us. All thatwe forget is, that we have an Advocate, "an Advocate with theFather"-that is, one that is appointed to take in hand in opencourt, before all the angels of heaven, my cause, and to plead itby such law and arguments as will certainly fetch me off, thoughI am clothed with filthy garments; but this, I say, we are aptto forget, as Job when he said, "O that one might plead for a manwith God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbour!" (Job 16:21). Suchan one Job had, but he had almost at this time forgot it; as heseems to intimate also where he wisheth for a daysman that mightlay his hand upon them both (Job 9:33). But our mercy is, we haveone to plead our cause, "an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christthe righteous, " who will not suffer our soul to be spilt and spoiledbefore the throne, but will surely plead our cause. 

6. Another thing that the apostle would have us learn from the wordsis this, that to remember and to believe that Jesus Christ is anAdvocate for us when we have sinned, is the next way to supportand strengthen our faith and hope. Faith and hope are very apt tofaint when our sins in their guilt do return upon us; nor is thereany more proper way to relieve our souls than to understand thatthe Son of God is our Advocate in heaven. True, Christ died for oursins as a sacrifice, and as a priest he sprinkleth with his bloodthe mercyseat; ay, but here is one that has sinned after professionof faith, that has sinned grievously, so grievously that his sinsare come up before God; yea, are at his bar pleaded against himby the accuser of the brethren, by the enemy of the godly. Whatshall he do now? Why, let him believe in Christ. Believe, that istrue; but how now must he conceive in his mind of Christ for theencouraging of him so to do? Why, let him call to mind that JesusChrist is an Advocate with the Father, and as such he meeteth theaccuser at the bar of God, pleads for this man that has sinnedagainst this accuser, and prevaileth for ever against him. Herenow, though Satan be turned lawyer, though he accuseth, yea, thoughhis charge against us is true, (for suppose that we have sinned, )"yet our Advocate is with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. "Thus is faith encouraged, thus is hope strengthened, thus is thespirit of the sinking Christian revived, and made to wait for a gooddeliverance from a bad cause and a cunning adversary; especiallyif you consider, 7. That the apostle doth also further suppose by the text thatJesus Christ, as Advocate, if he will but plead our cause, letthat be never so black, is able to bring us off, even before God'sjudgment-seat, to our joy, and the confounding of our adversary;for when he saith, "We have an Advocate, " he speaks nothing if hemeans not thus. But he doth mean thus, he must mean thus, becausehe seeketh here to comfort and support the fallen. "Has any mansinned? We have an Advocate. " But what of that, if yet he be unableto fetch us off when charged for sin at the bar, and before theface of a righteous judge?

But he is able to do this. The apostle says so, in that he supposesa man has sinned, as any man among the godly ever did; for we mayunderstand it; and if he giveth us not leave to understand it so, he saith nothing to the purpose neither, for it will be objectedby some-But can he fetch me off, though I have done as David, as Solomon, as Peter, or the like? It must be answered, Yes. Theopenness of the terms ANY MAN, the indefiniteness of the word SIN, doth naturally allow us to take him in the largest sense; besides, he brings in this saying as the chief, most apt, and fittest torelieve one crushed down to death and hell by the guilt of sin anda wounded conscience. 

Further, methinks by these words the apostle seems to triumph inhis Christ, saying, My brethren, I would have you study to be holy;but if your adversary the devil should get the advantage of you, and besmear you with the filth of sin, you have yet, besides allthat you have heard already, "an Advocate with the Father, JesusChrist the righteous, " who is as to his person, in interest withGod, his wisdom and worth, able to bring you off, to the comfortingof your souls. 

Let me, therefore, for a conclusion as to this, give you anexhortation to believe, to hope, and expect, that though you havesinned, (for now I speak to the fallen saint) that Jesus Christwill make a good end with the-"Trust, " I say, "in him, and he shallbring it to pass. " I know I put thee upon a hard and difficult taskfor believing and expecting good, when my guilty conscience dothnothing but clog, burden, and terrify me with the justice of God, the greatness of thy sins, and the burning torments is hard andsweating work. But it must be; the text calls for it, thy casecalls for it, and thou must do it, if thou wouldst glorify Christ;and this is the way to hasten the issue of thy cause in hand, forbelieving daunts the devil, pleaseth Christ, and will help theebeforehand to sing that song of the church, saying, "O Lord, thouhast pleaded the causes of my soul; thou hast redeemed my life"(Lam 3:58). Yea, believe, and hear thy pleading Lord say to thee, "Thus saith thy Lord the Lord, and thy God that pleadeth the causeof his people, Behold, I have taken out of thine hand the cupof trembling, even the dregs of the cup of my fury; thou shalt nomore drink it again" (Isa 51:22). I am not here discoursing of thesweetness of Christ's nature, but of the excellency of his offices, and of his office of advocateship in particular, which, as a lawyerfor his client, he is to execute in the presence of God for us. Love may be where there is no office, and so where no power is todo us good; but now, when love and office shall meet, they willsurely both combine in Christ to do the fallen Christian good. Butof his love we have treated elsewhere; we will here discourse ofthe office of this loving one. And for thy further information, letme tell thee that God thy Father counteth that thou wilt be, whencompared with his law, but a poor one all thy days; yea, the apostletells thee so, in that he saith there is an Advocate provided forthee. When a father provides crutches for his child, he doth asgood as say, I count that my child will be yet infirm; and whenGod shall provide an Advocate, he doth as good as say, My peopleare subject to infirmities. Do not, therefore, think of thyselfabove what, by plain texts, and fair inferences drawn from Christ'soffices, thou are bound to think. What doth it bespeak concerningthee that Christ is always a priest in heaven, and there ever livesto make intercession for thee (Heb 7:24), but this, that thou artat the best in thyself, yea, and in thy best exercising of allthy graces too, but a poor, pitiful, sorry, sinful man; a man thatwould, when yet most holy, be certainly cast away, did not thy highpriest take away for thee the iniquity of thy holy things. The agewe live in is a wanton age; the godly are not so humble, and low, and base in their own eyes as they should, though their dailyexperience calls for it, and the priesthood of Jesus Christ too. 

But above all, the advocateship of Jesus Christ declares us to besorry creatures; for that office does, as it were, predict thatsome time or other we shall basely fall, and by falling be undone, if the Lord Jesus stand not up to plead. And as it shows thisconcerning us, so it shows concerning God that he will not lightlyor easily lose his people. He has provided well for us-blood to washus in; a priest to pray for us, that we may be made to persevere;and, in case we foully fall, an advocate to plead our cause, andto recover us from under, and out of all that danger, that by sinand Satan, we at any time may be brought into. 

But having thus briefly passed through that in the text which I thinkthe apostle must necessarily presuppose, I shall now endeavour toenter into the bowels of it, and see what, in a more particularmanner, shall be found therein. And, for my more profitable doingof this work, I shall choose to observe this method in my discourse-

[METHOD OF THE DISCOURSE. ]

FIRST, I shall show you more particularly of this Advocate's office, or what and wherein Christ's office as Advocate doth lie. SECOND, After that, I shall also show you how Jesus Christ doth manage thisoffice of an Advocate. THIRD, I shall also then show you who theyare that have Jesus Christ for their Advocate. FOURTH, I shallalso show you what excellent privileges they have, who have JesusChrist for their Advocate. FIFTH, And to silence cavillers, I shallalso show the necessity of this office of Jesus Christ. SIXTH, Ishall come to answer some objections; and, LASTLY, To the use andapplication. 

[WHEREIN CHRIST'S OFFICE AS ADVOCATE DOTH LIE. ]

FIRST, To begin with the first of these-namely, to show you moreparticularly of Christ's office as an Advocate, and wherein it lieth;the which I shall do these three ways-First, Touch again upon thenature of this office; and then, Second, Treat of the order andplace that it hath among the rest of his offices; and, Third, Treatof the occasion of the execution of this office. 

First, To touch upon the nature of this office. It is that whichempowereth a man to plead for a man, or one man to plead for another;not in common discourses, and upon common occasions, as any man maydo, but at a bar, or before a court of judicature, where a man isaccused or impleaded by his enemy; I say, this Advocate's officeis such, both here, and in the kingdom of heaven. An advocate is asone of our attorneys, at least in the general, who pleads accordingto law and justice for one or other that is in trouble by reason ofsome miscarriage, or of the naughty temper of some that are abouthim, who trouble and vex, and labour to bring him into danger ofthe law. This is the nature of this office, as I said, on earth;and this is the office that Christ executeth in heaven. Whereforehe saith, "If any man sin, we have an Advocate"; one to stand upfor him, and to plead for his deliverance before the bar of God. (Joel 3:2. Isa 66:16. Eze 38:22. Jer 2. )

For though in some places of Scripture Christ is said to pleadfor his with men, and that by terrible arguments, as by fire, andsword, and famine, and pestilence, yet this is not that which isintended by this text; for the apostle here saith, he is an Advocatewith the Father, or before the Father, to plead for those thatthere, or that to the Father's face, shall be accused for theirtransgressions: "If any man sin, we have an Advocate with theFather, Jesus Christ the righteous. " So, then, this is the employof Jesus Christ as he is for us, an Advocate. He has undertakento stand up for his people at God's bar, and before that greatcourt, there to plead, by the law and justice of heaven, for theirdeliverance; when, for their faults, they are accused, indicted, or impleaded by their adversary. 

Second. And now to treat of the order or place that this office ofChrist hath among the rest of his offices, which he doth executefor us while we are here in a state of imperfection; and I thinkit is an office that is to come behind as a reserve, or for a helpat last, when all other means shall seem to fail. Men do not useto go to law upon every occasion; or if they do, the wisdom of thejudge, the jury, and the court will not admit that every brangleand foolish quarrel shall come before them; but an Advocate doththen come into place, and then to the exercise of his office, whena cause is counted worthy to be taken notice of by the judge andby the court. Wherefore he, I say, comes in the last place, as areserve, or help at last, to plead; and, by pleading, to set thatright by law which would otherwise have caused an increase to moredoubts, and to further dangers. 

Christ, as priest, doth always works of service for us, becausein our most spiritual things there may faults and spots be found, and these he taketh away of course, by the exercise of that office;for he always wears that plate of gold upon his forehead beforethe Father, whereon is written, "Holiness to the Lord. " But now, besides these common infirmities, there are faults that are highlygross and foul, that oft are found in the skirts of the childrenof God. Now, there are they that Satan taketh hold on; these arethey that Satan draweth up a charge against us for; and to save usfrom these, it is, that the Lord Jesus is made an Advocate. WhenJoshua was clothed with filthy garments, then Satan stood at hisright hand to resist him; then the angel of the covenant, the LordJesus, pleaded for his help (Zech 3). By all which it appears, that this office comes behind, is provided as a reserve, that wemay have help at a pinch, and then be lifted out, when we sink inmire, where there is no standing. 

This is yet further hinted at by the several postures that Christis said to be in, as he exerciseth his priestly and advocate'soffice. As a Priest, he sits; as an Advocate, he stands (Isa 3:13). The Lord stands up when he pleads; his sitting is more constant andof course (Sit thou, Psa 110:1, 4), but his standing is occasional, when Joshua is indicted, or when hell and earth are broken looseagainst his servant Stephen. For as Joshua was accused by thedevil, and as then the angel of the Lord stood by, so when Stephenwas accused by men on earth, and that charge seconded by the fallenangels before the face of God, it is said, "the Lord Jesus stoodon the right hand of God, " (Acts 7:55)-to wit, to plead; for so Itake it, because standing is his posture as an Advocate, not as aPriest; for, as a Priest, he must sit down; but he standeth as anAdvocate, as has been showed afore (Heb 10:12). Wherefore, Third. The occasion of his exercising of this office of advocateis, as hath been hinted already, when a child of God shall be foundguilty before God of some heinous sin, of some grievous thing inhis life and conversation. For as for those infirmities that attendthe best, in their most spiritual sacrifices; if a child of Godwere guilty of ten thousand of them, they are of course purged, through the much incense that is always mixed with those sacrificesin the golden censer that is in the hand of Christ; and so he iskept clean, and counted upright, notwithstanding those infirmities;and, therefore, you shall find that, notwithstanding those common faults, the children of God are counted good and upright in conversation, and not charged as offenders. "David, " saith the text, "did thatwhich was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside fromany thing that he commanded him, all the days of his life, saveonly in the matter of Uriah the Hittite" (I Kings 15:5). But wasDavid, in a strict sense, without fault in all things else? No, verily; but that was foul in a higher degree than the rest, andtherefore there God sets a blot; ay, and doubtless for that he wasaccused by Satan before the throne of God; for here is adultery, and murder, and hypocrisy, in David's doings; here is notoriousmatter, a great sin, and so a great ground for Satan to draw upan indictment against the king; and a thundering one, to be sure, shall be preferred against him. This is the time, then, for Christto stand up to plead; for now there is room for such a question-CanDavid's sin stand with grace? Or, Is it possible that a man thathas done as he has, should yet be found a saint, and so in a savedstate? Or, Can God repute him so, and yet be holy and just? or, Can the merits of the Lord Jesus reach, according to the law ofheaven, a man in this condition? Here is a case dubious; here isa man whose salvation, by his foul offences, is made doubtful; nowwe must to law and judgment, wherefore now let Christ stand up toplead! I say, now was David's case dubious; he was afraid that Godwould cast him away, and the devil hoped he would, and to that endcharged him before God's face, if, perhaps, he might get sentenceof damnation to pass upon his soul (Psa 51). But this was David'smercy, he had an Advocate to plead his cause, by whose wisdom andskill in matters of law and judgment he was brought off of thoseheavy charges, from those gross sins, and delivered from that eternalcondemnation, that by the law of sin and death, was due thereto. 

This is then the occasion that Christ taketh to plead, as Advocate, for the salvation of his people-to wit, the cause: He "pleadeththe cause of his people" (Is 51:22). Not every cause, but such andsuch a cause; the cause that is very bad, and by the which theyare involved, not only in guilt and shame, but also in danger ofdeath and hell. I say, the cause is bad, if the text be true, ifsin can make it bad, yea, if sin itself be bad-"If any man sin, we have an Advocate"; an Advocate to plead for him; for him asconsidered guilty, and so, consequently, as considered in a badcondition. It is true, we must distinguish between the person andthe sin; and Christ pleads for the person, not the sin; but yet Hecannot be concerned with the person, but he must be with the sin;for though the person and the sin may be distinguished, yet theycannot be separated. He must plead, then, not for a person only, butfor a guilty person, for a person under the worst of circumstances-"Ifany man sin, we have an Advocate" for him as so considered. 

When a man's cause is good, it will sufficiently plead for itself, yea, and for its master too, especially when it is made appear soto be, before a just and righteous judge. Here, therefore, needsno advocate; the judge himself will pronounce him righteous. Thisis evidently seen in Job-"Thou movedst me against him (this saidGod to Satan), to destroy him without cause" (Job 2:3). Thus farJob's cause was good, wherefore he did not need an advocate; hiscause pleaded for itself, and for its owner also. But if it wasto plead good causes for which Christ is appointed Advocate, thenthe apostle should have written thus: If any man be righteous, wehave an Advocate with the Father. Indeed, I never heard but one inall my life preach from this text, and he, when he came to handlethe cause for which he was to plead, pretended it must be good, and therefore said to the people, See that your cause be good, elseChrist will not undertake it. But when I heard it, Lord, thoughtI, if this be true, what shall I do, and what will become of allthis people, yea, and of this preacher too? Besides, I saw by thetext, the apostle supposeth another cause, a cause bad, exceedingbad, if sin can make it so. And this was one cause why I undertookthis work. 

When we speak of a cause, we speak not of a person simplyas so considered; for, as I said before, person and cause mustbe distinguished; nor can the person make the cause good but ashe regulates his action by the Word of God. If, then, a good, arighteous, man doth what the law condemns, that thing is bad; andif he be indicted for so doing, he is indicted for a bad cause;and he that will be his advocate, must be concerned in and abouta bad matter; and how he will bring his client off, therein dothlie the mystery. 

I know that a bad man may have a good cause depending before thejudge, and so also good men have (Job 31). But then they are boldin their own cause, and fear not to make mention of it, and inChrist to plead their innocency before the God of heaven, as wellas before men (Psa 71:3-5. II Cor 1:23. Gal 1:10. Phil 1:8). Butwe have in the text a cause that all men are afraid of-a cause thatthe apostle concludes so bad that none but Jesus Christ himself cansave a Christian from it. It is not only sinful, but sin itself-"Ifany man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father. "

Wherefore there is in this place handled by the apostle, one ofthe greatest mysteries under heaven-to wit, that an innocent andholy Jesus should take in hand to plead for one before a just andrighteous God, that has defiled himself with sin; yea, that heshould take in hand to plead for such an one against the fallenangels, and that he should also by his plea effectually rescue, andbring them off from the crimes and curse whereof they were verilyguilty by the verdict of the law, and approbation of the Judge. 

This, I say, is a great mystery, and deserves to be pried into byall the godly, both because much of the wisdom of heaven is discoveredin it, and because the best saint is, or may be, concerned with it. Nor must we by any means let this truth be lost, because it is thetruth; the text has declared it so, and to say otherwise is to beliethe Word of God, to thwart the apostle, to soothe up hypocrites, to rob Christians of their privilege, and to take the glory fromthe head of Jesus Christ (Luke 18:11, 12). 

The best saints are most sensible of their sins, and most apt tomake mountains of their mole hills. Satan also, as has been alreadyhinted, doth labour greatly to prevail with them to sin, and toprovoke their God against them, by pleading what is true, or bysurmising evilly of them, to the end they may be accused by him(Job 2:9). Great is his malice toward them, great is his diligencein seeking their destruction; wherefore greatly doth he desireto sift, to try, and winnow them, if perhaps he may work in theirflesh to answer his design-that is, to break out in sinful acts, that he may have by law to accuse them to their God and Father. Wherefore, for their sakes this text abides, that they may seethat, when they have sinned, "they have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. " And thus have I showed you the nature, the order, and occasion of this office of our blessed Lord Jesus. 

[HOW CHRIST MANAGES THE OFFICE OF AN ADVOCATE. ]

II. I come now to show you how Jesus Christ doth manage thishis office of an Advocate for us. And that I may do this to youredification, I shall choose this method for the opening of it-First. Show you how he manages this office with his Father. Second. Ishall show you how he manages it before him against our adversary. 

First. How he manages this his office of Advocate with his Father. 

1. He doth it by himself, by no other as deputy under him, no angel, no saint; no work has place here but Jesus, and Jesus only. Thisthe text implies: "We have an Advocate"; speaking of one, but one, one alone; without an equal or an inferior. We have but one, and heis Jesus Christ. Nor is it for Christ's honour, nor for the honourof the law, or of the justice of God, that any but Jesus Christshould be an Advocate for a sinning saint. Besides, to assert thecontrary, what doth it but lessen sin, and make the advocateship ofJesus Christ superfluous? It would lessen sin should it be removedby a saint or angel; it would make the advocateship of Jesus Christsuperfluous, yea, needless, should it be possible that sin couldbe removed from us by either saint or angel. 

Again; if God should admit of more advocates than one, and yetmake mention of never an one but Jesus Christ; or if John shouldallow another, and yet speak nothing but of Jesus only; yea, thatan advocate under that title should be mentioned but once, butonce only in all the book of God, and yet that divers should beadmitted, stands neither with the wisdom or love of God, nor withthe faithfulness of the apostle. But saints have but one Advocate, if they will use him, or improve their faith in that office fortheir help, so; if not, they must take what follows. This I thoughtgood to hint at, because the times are corrupt, and because ignoranceand superstition always wait for a countenance with us, and thesethings have a natural tendency to darken all truth, so especiallythis, which bringeth to Jesus Christ so much glory, and yieldethto the godly so much help and relief. 

2. As Jesus Christ alone is Advocate, so God's bar, and that alone, is that before which he pleads, for God is judge himself (Deut32:36. Heb 12:23). Nor can the cause which now he is to plead beremoved into any other court, either by appeals or otherwise. 

Could Satan remove us from heaven, to another court, he wouldcertainly be too hard for us, because there we should want our Jesus, our Advocate, to plead our cause. Indeed, sometimes he impleadsus before men, and they are glad of the occasion, for they and heare often one; but then we have leave to remove our cause, and topray for a trial in the highest court, saying, "Let my sentencecome forth from thy presence; let thine eyes behold the things thatare equal" (Psa 17:2). This wicked world doth sentence us for ourgood deeds, but how then would they sentence us for our bad ones?But we will never appeal from heaven to earth for right, for herewe have no Advocate; "our Advocate is with the Father, Jesus Christthe righteous. "

3. As he pleadeth by himself alone, and nowhere else but in thecourt of heaven with the Father, so as he pleadeth with the Fatherfor us, he observeth this rule-

(1. ) He granteth and confesseth whatever can rightly be chargedupon us; yet so as that he taketh the whole charge upon himself, acknowledging the crimes to be his own. "O God, " says he, "thouknowest my foolishness, and my sins"; my guiltiness "is not hid fromthee" (Psa 69:5). And this he must do, or else he can do nothing. If he hides the sin, or lesseneth it, he is faulty; if he leaves itstill upon us, we die. He must, then, take our iniquity to himself, make it his own, and so deliver us; for having thus taken the sinupon himself, as lawfully he may, and lovingly doth, "for we aremembers of his body" ('tis his hand, 'tis his foot, 'tis his earhath sinned), it followeth that we live if he lives; and who candesire more? 5This, then, must be thoroughly considered, if everwe will have comfort in a day of trouble and distress for sin. 

And thus far there is, in some kind, a harmony betwixt his beinga sacrifice, a priest, and an Advocate. As a sacrifice, our sinswere laid upon him (Isa 53). As a priest, he beareth them (Exo28:38). And as an Advocate, he acknowledges them to be his own (Psa69:5). Now, having acknowledged them to be his own, the quarrel isno more betwixt us and Satan, for the Lord Jesus has espoused ourquarrel, and made it his. All, then, that we in this matter haveto do, is to stand at the bar by faith among the angels, and seehow the business goes. O blessed God! what a lover of mankindart thou! and how gracious is our Lord Jesus, in his thus managingmatters for us. 

(2. ) The Lord Jesus having thus taken our sins upon himself, nextpleads his own goodness to God on our behalf, saying, "Let not themthat wait on thee, O Lord God of hosts, be ashamed for my sake: letnot those that seek thee be confounded for my sake, O God of Israel:because for thy sake I have borne reproach; shame hath covered myface" (Psa 69:6, 7). Mark, let them not be ashamed for my sake, let them not be confounded for my sake. Shame and confusion arethe fruits of guilt, or of a charge for sin, (Jer 3:25), and arebut an entrance into condemnation (Dan 12:2. John 5:29). But beholdhow Christ pleads, saying, Let not that be for my sake, for themerit of my blood, for the perfection of my righteousness, for theprevalency of my intercession. Let them not be ashamed for my sake, O Lord God of hosts. And let no man object, because this text isin the Psalms, as if it were not spoken by the prophet of Christ;for both John and Paul, yea, and Christ himself, do make this psalma prophecy of him. Compare verse 9 with John 2:17, and with Romans15:3; and verse 21 with Matthew 27:48, and Mark 15:25. But is notthis a wonderful thing, that Christ should first take our sins, and account them his own, and then plead the value and worth of hiswhole self for our deliverance? For by these words, "for my sake, "he pleads his own self, his whole self, and all that he is and has;and thus he put us in good estate again, though our cause was verybad. 

To bring this down to weak capacities. Suppose a man shouldbe indebted twenty thousand pounds, but has not twenty thousandfarthings wherewith to pay; and suppose also that this man bearrested for this debt, and that the law also, by which he is sued, will not admit of a penny bate; this man may yet come well enoughoff, if his advocate or attorney will make the debt his own, andwill, in the presence of the judges, out with his bags, and pay downevery farthing. Why, this is the way of our Advocate. Our sins arecalled debts (Matt 6:12). We are sued for them at the law (Luke12:59). And the devil is our accuser; but behold the Lord Jesuscomes out with his worthiness, pleads it at the bar, making the debthis own (Mark 10:45. II Cor 3:5). And saith, Now let them not beashamed for my sake, O Lord God of hosts: let them not be confoundedfor my sake, O God of Israel. And hence, as he is said to be anAdvocate, so he is said to be a propitiation, or amends-maker, orone that appeaseth the justice of God for our sins-"If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous;and he is the propitiation for our sins. "

And who can now object against the deliverance of the child of God?God cannot; for he, for Christ's sake, according as he pleaded, hath forgiven us all trespasses (Col 2:13, Eph 4:32). The devilcannot; his mouth is stopped, as is plain in the case of Joshua(Zech 3). The law cannot; for that approveth of what Christ hasdone. This, then, is the way of Christ's pleading. You must know, that when Christ pleads with God, he pleads with a just and righteousGod, and therefore he must plead law, and nothing but law; and thishe pleaded in both these pleas-First, in confessing of the sin hejustified the sentence of the law in pronouncing of it evil; andthen in his laying of himself, his whole self, before God for thatsin, he vindicated the sanction and perfection of the law. Thus, therefore, he magnifies the law, and makes it honourable, and yetbrings off his client safe and sound in the view of all the angelsof God. 

(3). The Lord Jesus having thus taken our sins upon himself, andpresented God with all the worthiness that is in his whole self forthem, in the next place he calleth for justice, or a just verdictupon the satisfaction he hath made to God and to his law. Thenproclamation is made in open court, saying, "Take away the filthygarments from him, " from him that hath offended, and clothe himwith change of raiment (Zech 3). 

Thus the soul is preserved that hath sinned; thus the God of heavenis content that he should be saved; thus Satan is put to confusion, and Jesus applauded and cried up by the angels of heaven, and by thesaints on earth. Thus have I showed you how Christ doth advocate itwith God and his Father for us; and I have been the more particularin this, because the glory of Christ, and the comfort of thedejected, are greatly concerned and wrapped up in it. Look, then, to Jesus, if thou hast sinned; to Jesus, as an Advocate pleadingwith the Father for thee. Look to nothing else; for he can tellhow, and that by himself, to deliver thee; yea, and will do it ina way of justice, which is a wonder; and to the shame of Satan, which will be his glory; and also to thy complete deliverance, which will be thy comfort and salvation. 

Second, But to pass this and come to the second thing, which is, toshow you how the Lord Jesus manages this his office of an Advocatebefore his Father against the adversary; for he pleadeth with theFather, but pleadeth against the devil; he pleadeth with the Fatherlaw and justice, but against the adversary he letteth out himself. 

I say, as he pleads against the adversary, so he enlargeth himselfwith arguments over and besides those which he pleadeth with Godhis Father. 

Nor is it meet or needful that our advocate, when he pleads againstSatan, should so limit himself to matter of law, as when he pleadethwith his Father. The saint, by sinning, oweth Satan nothing; nolaw of his is broken thereby; why, then, should he plead for thesaving of his people, justifying righteousness to him?

Christ, when he died, died not to satisfy Satan, but his Father;not to appease the devil, but to answer the demands of the justiceof God; nor did he design, when he hanged on the tree, to triumphover his Father, but over Satan; "He redeemed us, " therefore, "fromthe curse of the law, " by his blood (Gal 3:13). And from the powerof Satan, by his resurrection (Heb 2:14). He delivered us fromrighteous judgment by price and purchase; but from the rage of hellby fight and conquest. 

And as he acted thus diversely in the work of our redemption, evenso he also doth in the execution of his Advocate's office. Whenhe pleadeth with God, he pleadeth so; and when he pleadeth againstSatan, he pleadeth so; and how he pleadeth with God when he dealethwith law and justice I have showed you. And now I will show youhow he pleadeth before him against the "accuser of the brethren. "

1. He pleads against him the well-pleasedness that his Father hasin his merits, saying, This shall please the Lord, or this doth orwill please the Lord, better than anything that can be propounded(Psa 69:31). Now this plea being true, as it is, being establishedupon the liking of God Almighty; whatever Satan can say to obtainour everlasting destruction is without ground, and so unreasonable. "I am well pleased, " saith God (Matt 3:17); and again, "The Lord iswell pleased for his (Christ's) righteousness' sake" (Isa 42:21). All that enter actions against others, pretend that wrong is done, either against themselves or against the king. Now Satan will neverenter an action against us in the court above, for that wrong byus has been done to himself; he must pretend, then, that he suesus, for that wrong has, by us, been done to our king. But, behold, "We have an Advocate with the Father, " and he has made compensationfor our offences. He gave himself for our offences. But still Satanmaintains his suit; and our God, saith Christ, is well pleasedwith us for this compensation-sake, yet he will not leave off hisclamour. Come, then, says the Lord Jesus, the contention is notnow against my people, but myself, and about the sufficiency ofthe amends that I have made for the transgressions of my people;but he is near that justifieth me, that approveth and acceptethof my doings, therefore shall I not be confounded. Who is mineadversary? Let him come near me! Behold, "the Lord God will helpme" (Isa 50:7-9). Who is he that condemneth me? Lo, they all shall, were there ten thousand times as many more of them, wax old asa garment; the moth shall eat them up. Wherefore, if the Fathersaith Amen to all this, as I have showed already that he hath anddoth, the which also further appeareth, because the Lord God hascalled him the Saviour, the Deliverer, and the Amen; what follows, but that a rebuke should proceed from the throne against him? Andthis, indeed, our Advocate calls for from the hand of his Father, saying, O enemy, "the Lord rebuke thee"; yea, he doubles this requestto the judge, to intimate his earnestness for such a conclusion, or to show that the enemy shall surely have it, both from ourAdvocate, and from him before whom Satan has so grievously accusedus (Zech 3). 

For what can be expected to follow from such an issue in law asthis is, but sound and severe snibs from the judge upon him thathath thus troubled his neighbour, and that hath, in the face ofthe country, cast contempt upon the highest act of mercy, justice, and righteousness, that ever the heavens beheld? 6 And all thisis true with reference to the case in hand, wherefore, "The Lordrebuke thee, " is that which, in conclusion, Satan must have forthe reward of his works of malice against the children, and forhis contemning of the works of the Son of God. Now, our Advocatehaving thus established, by the law of heaven, his plea with Godfor us against our accuser, there is way made for him to proceedupon a foundation that cannot be shaken; wherefore, he proceedethin his plea, and further urges against this accuser of the brethren. 

2. God's interest in this people; and prayeth that God wouldremember that: "The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; the Lord that hathchosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee. " True, the church, the saints, aredespicable in the world; wherefore men do think to tread them down;the saints are, also, weak in grace, but have corruptions that arestrong, and, therefore, Satan, the god of this world, doth thinkto tread them down; but the saints have a God, the living, theeternal God, and, therefore, they shall not be trodden down; yea, they "shall be holden up, for God is able to make them stand" (Rom14:4). 

It was Haman's mishap to be engaged against the queen, and thekindred of the queen; it was that that made him he could not prosper;that brought him to contempt and the gallows. Had he sought toruin another people, probably he might have brought his design toa desired conclusion; but his compassing the death of the queenspoiled all. Satan, also, when he fighteth against the church, must be sure to come to the worst, for God has a concern in that;therefore, it is said, "The gates of hell shall not prevail againstit"; but this hindereth not but that he is permitted to make almostwhat spoils he will of those that belong not to God. Oh, how manydoth he accuse, and soon get out from God, against them, a licenseto destroy them! as he served Ahab, and many more. But this, I say, is a very great block in his way when he meddles with the children;God has an interest in them-"Hath God cast away his people? Godforbid!" (Rom 11:1, 2). The text intimates that they for sin haddeserved it, and that Satan would fain have had it been so; butGod's interest in them preserved them-"God hath not cast away hispeople, which he foreknew. " Wherefore, when Satan accuseth thembefore God, Christ, as he pleadeth his own worth and merit, pleadethalso against him, that interest that God has in them. 

And though this, to some, may seem but an indifferent plea; for whatengagement lieth, may they say, upon God to be so much concernedwith them, for they sin against him, and often provoke him mostbitterly? Besides, in their best state, they are altogether vanity, and a very thing of nought-"What is man (sorry man), that thou artmindful of him, " or that thou shouldest be so?

I answer, Thought there lieth no engagement upon God for anyworthiness that is in man, yet there lieth a great deal upon Godfor the worthiness that is in himself. God has engaged himselfwith his having chosen them to be a people to himself; and by thismeans they are so secured from all that all can do against them, that the apostle is bold, upon this very account, to challengeall despite to do its worst against them, saying, "Who shall layanything to the charge of God's elect?" (Rom 8:33). Who? saith Satan;why, that will I. Ay, saith he, but who can do it, and prevail? "Itis God that justifieth, who is he that condemneth?" (ver. 34). Bywhich words the apostle clearly declareth that charges against theelect, though they may be brought against them, must needs proveineffectual as to their condemnation; because their Lord God stillwill justify, for that Christ has died for them. Besides, a littleto enlarge, the elect are bound to God by a sevenfold cord, and athreefold one is not quickly broken. 

(1. ) Election is eternal as God himself, and so without variablenessor shadow of change, and hence it is called "an eternal purpose, "and a "purpose of God" that must stand (Eph 3:11; Rom 9:11). (2. )Election is absolute, not conditional; and, therefore, cannotbe overthrown by the sin of the man that is wrapped up therein. No works foreseen to be in us was the cause of God's choosing us;no sin in us shall frustrate or make election void-"Who shall layanything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth"(Rom 8:33; 9:11). (3. ) By the act of election the children areinvolved, wrapped up, and covered in Christ; he hath chosen us inhim; not in ourselves, not in our virtues, no, not for or becauseof anything, but of his own will (Eph 1:4-11). (4. ) Election includethin it a permanent resolution of God to glorify his mercy on thevessels of mercy, thus foreordained unto glory (Rom 9:15, 18, 23). (5. ) By the act of electing love, it is concluded that all thingswhatsoever shall work together for the good of them whose call toGod is the fruit of this purpose, this eternal purpose of God (Rom8:28-30). (6. ) The eternal inheritance is by a covenant of free andunchangeable grace made over to those thus chosen; and to securethem from the fruits of sin, and from the malice of Satan, itis sealed by this our Advocate's blood, as he is Mediator of thiscovenant, who also is become surety to God for them; to wit, tosee them forthcoming at the great day, and to set them then safeand sound before his Father's face after the judgment is over (Rom9:23; Heb 7:22; 9:15, 17-24; 13:20; John 10:28, 29). (7. ) By thischoice, purpose, and decree, the elect, the concerned therein, haveallotted them by God, and laid up for them, in Christ, a sufficiencyof grace to bring them through all difficulties to glory; yea, andthey, every one of them, after the first act of faith-the whichalso they shall certainly attain, because wrapped up in the promisefor them-are to receive the earnest and first fruits thereof intotheir souls (II Tim 1:9; Acts 14:22; Eph 1:4, 5, 13, 14). 

Now, put all these things together, and then feel if there be notweight in this plea of Christ against the devil. He pleads God'schoice and interest in his saints against him-an interest that issecured by the wisdom of heaven, by the grace of heaven, by thepower, will, and mercy of God, in Christ-an interest in which allthe three Persons in the Godhead have engaged themselves, by mutualagreement and operation, to make good when Satan has done his all. I know there are some that object against this doctrine as false;but such, perhaps, are ignorant of some things else as well as ofthis. However, they object against the wisdom of God, whose truthit is, and against Christ our Advocate, whose argument, as he issuch, it is; yea, they labour, what in them lieth, to wrest thatweapon out of his hand, with which he so cudgelleth the enemywhen, as Advocate, he pleadeth so effectually against him for therescuing of us from the danger of judgment, saying, "The Lord rebukethee, O Satan, even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebukethee. "

Third. As Christ, as Advocate, pleads against Satan the interestthat his Father hath in his chosen, so also he pleads againsthim by no less authority-his own interest in them. "Holy Father, "saith he, "keep through thine own name those whom thou hast givenme" (John 17:11). Keep them while in the world from the evil, thesoul-damning evil of it. These words are directed to the Father, but they are leveled against the accusations of the enemy, and werespoken here to show what Christ will do for his, against our foe, when he is above. How, I say, he will urge before his Father hisown interest in us against Satan, and against all his accusations, when he brings them to the bar of God's tribunal, with design towork our utter ruin. And is there not a great deal in it? As ifChrist should say, Father, my people have an adversary who willaccuse them for their faults before thee; but I will be theirAdvocate, and as I have bought them of thee, I will plead my rightagainst him (John 10:28). Our English proverb is, Interest willnot lie; interest will make a man do that which otherwise he wouldnot. How many thousands are there for whom Christ doth not so much asonce open his mouth, but leaves them to the accusations of Satan, and to Ahab's judgment, nay, a worse, because there is none toplead their cause? And why doth he not concern himself with them?but because he is not interested in them-"I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me, for they are thine; and allmine are thine, and I am glorified in them" (John 17:9, 10). 

Suppose so many cattle in such a pound, and one goes by whose theyare not, doth he concern himself? No; he beholds them, and goes hisway. But suppose that at his return he should find his own cattlein that pound, would he now carry it toward them as he did unto theother? No, no; he has interest here, they are his that are in thepound; now he is concerned, now he must know who put them there, and for what cause too they are served as they are; and if hefinds them rightfully there, he will fetch them by ransom; but ifwrongfully, he will replevy7 them, and stand a trial at law withhim that has thus illegally pounded his cattle. And thus it isbetwixt Jesus Christ and his. He is interested in them; the cattleare his own, "his own sheep, " (John 10:3, 4), but pounded by someother, by the law, or by the devil. If pounded by the law, hedelivereth them by ransom; if pounded by the devil, he will replevythem, stand a trial at law for them, and will be, against theiraccuser, their Advocate himself. Nor can Satan withstand his plea, though he should against them join argument with the law; forasmuch, as has been proved before, he can and will, by what he has to produceand plead of his own, save his from all trespasses, charges, andaccusations. Besides, all men know that a man's proper goods arenot therefore forfeited, because they commit many, and them toogreat transgressions-"And if any man sin, we have an Advocate withthe Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. " Now, the strength of thisplea thus grounded upon Christ's interest in his people is great, and hath many weighty reasons on its side; as-

1. They are mine; therefore in reason at my dispose, not at thedispose of an adversary; for while a thing can properly be calledmine, no man has therewith to do but myself; nor doth (a man, nor)Christ close his right to what he has by the weakness of that thingwhich is his proper right. He, therefore, as an Advocate, pleadethinterest, his own interest, in his people, and right must, withthe Judge of all the earth, take place-"Shall not the Judge of allthe earth do right?" (Gen 18:25). 

2. They cost him dear; and that which is dear bought is not easilyparted with (I Cor. 6:20). They were bought with "his blood" (Eph1:7; I Peter 1:18, 19). They were given him for his blood, andtherefore are "dear children" (Eph 5:1); for they are his by thehighest price; and this price he, as Advocate, pleadeth against theenemy of our salvation; yea, I will add, they are his, because hegave his all for them (II Cor 8:9). When a man shall give his allfor this or that, then that which he so hath purchased is becomehis all. Now Christ has given his all for us; he made himself poorfor us, wherefore we are become his all, his fullness; and so thechurch is called (Eph 1:23). Nay, further, Christ likes well enoughof his purchase, though it hath cost him his all-"The lines, " sayshe, "are fallen to me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage"(Psa 16:6). Now, put all these things together, and there is astrong plea in them. Interest, such an interest, will not be easilyparted with. But this is not all; for, 3. As they cost him dear, so he hath made them near to himself, near by way of relation. Now that which did not only cost dear, butthat by way of relation is made so, that a man will plead heartilyfor. Said David to Abner, "Thou shalt not see my face, except thoufirst bring Michal, Saul's daughter, when thou comest to see myface" (II Sam 3:13, 14). Saul's daughter cost me dear; I boughther with the jeopardy of my life; Saul's daughter is near to me;she is my beloved wife. He pleaded hard for her, because she wasdear and near to him. Now, I say, the same is true in Christ; hispeople cost him dear, and he hath made them near unto him; wherefore, to plead interest in them, is to hold by an argument that is strong. (a. ) They are his spouse, and he hath made them so; they are hislove, his dove, his darling, and he accounts them so. Now, shoulda wretch attempt, in open court, to take a man's wife away fromhim, how would this cause the man to plead! Yea, and what judgethat is just, and knows that the man has this interest in the womanpleaded for, would yield to, or give a verdict for the wretch, against the man whose wife the woman is? Thus Christ, in pleadinginterest-in pleading "thou gavest them me"-pleads by a strong argument, an argument that the enemy cannot invalidate. True, were Christ toplead this before a Saul (I Sam 25;44), or before Samson's wife'sfather, the Philistine (Judg 14:20), perhaps such treacherousjudges would give it against all right. But, I have told you, thecourt in which Christ pleads is the highest and the justest, andthat from which there can be no appeal; wherefore Christ's cause, and so the cause of the children of God, must be tried before theirFather, from whose face, to be sure, just judgment shall proceed. But, (b. ) As they are called his spouse, so they are called his flesh, and members of his body. Now, said Paul to the church, "Ye are thebody of Christ, and members in particular" (I Cor 12:27; Eph 5:30). This relation also makes a man plead hard. Were a man to plead fora limb, or a member of his own, how would he plead? What argumentswould he use? And what sympathy and feeling would his argumentsflow from? I cannot lose a hand, I cannot lose a foot, cannot losea finger; why, saints are Christ's members, his members are of himself. With what strength of argument would a man plead the necessarinessof his members to him, and the unnaturalness of his adversary inseeking the destruction of his members, and the deformity of hisbody! Yea, a man would shuck and cringe, and weep, and entreat, and make demurs, and halts, and delays, to a thousand years, ifpossible, before he would lose his members, or any one of them. 

But, I say, how would he plead and advocate it for his members, if judge, and law, and reason, and equity, were all on his side, and if, by the adversary, there could be nothing urged, but thatagainst which the Advocate had long before made provision for theeffectual overthrow thereof? And all this is true as to the casethat lies before us. Thus we see what strength there lieth in thissecond argument, that our Advocate bringeth for us against theenemy. They are his flesh and bones, his members; he cannot sparethem; he cannot spare this, because, nor that, because, nor any, because, they are his members. As such, they are lovely to him; assuch, they are useful to him; as such, they are an ornament to him;yea, though in themselves they are feeble, and through infirmityweak, much disabled from doing as they should. Thus, "If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. "But, 4. As Christ, as Advocate, pleads for us, against Satan, hisFather's interest in us and his own; so he pleadeth against himthat right and property that he hath in heaven, to give it to whomhe will. He has a right to heaven as Priest and King; it is hisalso by inheritance; and since he will be so good a benefactor asto bestow this house on somebody, but not for their deserts, butnot for their goodness, and since, again, he has to that end spilthis blood for, and taken a generation into covenant relation tohim, that it might be bestowed on them; it shall be bestowed onthem; and he will plead this, if there be need, if his people sin, and if their accuser seeks, by their sin, their ruin and destruction:"Father, " saith he, "I will that they also, whom thou hast givenme, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thouhast given me" (John 17:24). Christ's will is the will of heaven, the will of God. Shall not Christ, then, prevail?

"I will, " saith Christ; "I will, " saith Satan; but whose will shallstand? It is true, Christ in the text speaks more like an arbitratorthan an Advocate; more like a judge than one pleading at a bar. I will have it so; I judge that so it ought to be, and must. Butthere is also something of plea in the words both before his Father, and against our enemy; and therefore he speaketh like one that canplead and determine also; yea, like one that has power so to do. But shall the will of heaven stoop to the will of hell? Or thewill of Christ to the will of Satan? Or the will of righteousnessto the will of sin? Shall Satan, who is God's enemy, and whose chargewherewith he chargeth us for sin, and which is grounded, not uponlove to righteousness, but upon malice against God's designs ofmercy, against the blood of Christ, and the salvation of his people-Isay, shall this enemy and this charge prevail with God against thewell-grounded plea of Christ, and against the salvation of God'select, and so keep us out of heaven? No, no; Christ will have itotherwise, he is the great donator, 8 and his eye is good. True, Satan was turned out of heaven for that he sinned there, and wemust be taken into heaven, though we have sinned here; this is thewill of Christ, and, as Advocate, he pleads it against the faceand accusation of our adversary. Thus, "If any man sin, we have anAdvocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. " But, 5. As Christ, as Advocate, pleadeth for us, against Satan, hisFather's interest in us, and his own, and pleadeth also what righthe has to dispose of the kingdom of heaven; so he pleadeth againstthis enemy, that malice and enmity that is in him, and upon whichchiefly his charge against us is grounded, to the confusion of hisface. This is evident from the title that our Advocate bestows uponhim, while he pleads for us against him: "The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, O enemy, " saith he; for Satan is an enemy, and this namegiven him signifies so much. And lawyers, in their pleas, can makea great matter of such a circumstance as this; saying, My lord, we can prove that what is now pleaded against the prisoner at thebar is of mere malice and hatred, that has also a long time lainburning and raging in his enemy's breast against him. This, Isay, will greatly weaken the plea and accusation of an enemy. But, says Jesus Christ, "Father, here is a plea brought in against myJoshua, that clothes him with filthy garments, but it is brought inagainst him by an enemy, by an enemy in the superlative or highestdegree. One that hates goodness worse than he, and that lovethwickedness more than the man against whom at this time he has broughtsuch a heinous charge. " Then leaving with the Father the value ofhis blood for the accused, he turneth him to the accuser, and pleadsagainst him as an enemy: "O Satan, thou that accusest my spouse, my love, my members, art SATAN, an enemy. " But it will be objectedthat the things charged are true. Grant it; yet what law takes noticeof the plea of one who doth professedly act as an enemy? becauseit is not done of love to truth, and justice, and righteousness, nor intended for the honour of the king, nor for the good of theprosecuted; but to gratify malice and rage, and merely to kill anddestroy. There is, therefore, a great deal of force and strength inan Advocate's pleading of such a circumstance against an accuser;especially when the crimes now charged are those, and only thosefor which the law, in the due execution of it, has been satisfiedbefore; wherefore now a lawyer has double and treble ground ormatter to plead for his client against his enemy. And this advantageagainst him has Jesus Christ. 

Besides, it is well known that Satan, as to us, is the original causeof those very crimes for which he accuses us at the bar of God'stribunal. Not to say anything of how he cometh to us, solicitsus, tempts us, flatters us, and always, in a manner, lies at usto do those wicked things for which he so hotly pursues us to thebar of the judgment of God. For though it is not meet for us thusto plead, -to wit, laying that fault upon Satan, but rather uponourselves, -yet our advocate will do it, and make work of it toobefore God. "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he might sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, thatthy faith fail not" (Luke 22:31, 32). He maketh here mention ofSatan's desires, by way of advantage against him; and, doubtless, so he did in his prayer with God for Peter's preservation. Andwhat he did here, while on earth, as a Saviour in general, that hedoth now in heaven as a Priest and an Advocate in special. 

I will further suppose that which may be supposed, and that whichis suitable to our purpose. Suppose, therefore, that a father thathas a child whom he loveth, but the child has not half that witthat some of the family hath, and I am sure that we have less witthan angels; and suppose, also, that some bad-minded neighbour, bytampering with, tempting of, and by unwearied solicitations, shouldprevail with this child to steal something out of his father's houseor grounds, and give it unto him; and this he doth on purpose toset the father against the child; and suppose, again, that it comesto the father's knowledge that the child, through the allurementsof such an one, has done so and so against his father; will hetherefore disinherit this child? Yea, suppose, again, that he thatdid tempt this child to steal, should be the first that should cometo accuse this child to its father for so doing, would the fathertake notice of the accusation of such an one?-No, verily, we thatare evil can do better than so; how then should we think that theGod of heaven should do such a thing, since also we have a brotherthat is wise, and that will and can plead the very malice of our enemythat doth to us all these things against him for our advantage?-Isay, this is the sum of this fifth plea of Christ our Advocate, against Satan. O Satan, says he, thou art an enemy to my people;thou pleadest not out of love to righteousness, not to reform, butto destroy my beloved and inheritance. The charge wherewith thouchargest my people is thine own (Job 8:4-6). Not only as to a matterof charge, but the things that thou accusest them of are thine, thine in the nature of them. Also, thou hast tempted, allured, flattered, and daily laboured with them, to do that for which nowthou so willingly would have them destroyed. Yea, all this hastthou done of envy to my Father, and to godliness; of hatred to meand my people; and that thou mightest destroy others besides (I Chron21:1). And now, what can this accuser say? Can he excuse himself?Can he contradict our Advocate? He cannot; he knows that he is aSatan, an enemy, and as an adversary has he sown his tares amongthe wheat, that it might be rooted up; but he shall not have hisend; his malice has prevented9 him, and so has the care and graceof our Advocate. The tares, therefore, he shall have returned untohim again; but the wheat, for all this, shall be gathered intoGod's barn (Matt 13:25-30). 

Thus, therefore, our Advocate makes use, in his plea against Satan, of the rage and malice that is the occasion of the enemy's chargewherewith he accuseth the children of God. Wherefore, when thoureadest these words, "O Satan, " say with thyself, thus Christ ourAdvocate accuseth our adversary of malice and envy against God andgoodness, while he accuseth us of the sins which we commit, forwhich we are sorry, and Christ has paid a price of redemption-"And(thus) if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, JesusChrist the righteous. " But, 6. Christ, when he pleads as an Advocate for his people, in thepresence of God against Satan, he can plead those very weaknessesof his people for which Satan would have them damned, for theirrelief and advantage. "Is not this a brand plucked out of thefire?" This is part of the plea of our Advocate against Satan forhis servant Joshua, when he said, "The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan"(Zech3:2). Now, to be a brand plucked out of the fire is to bea saint, impaired, weakened, defiled, and made imperfect by sin;for so also the apostle means when he saith, "And others save withfear, pulling them our of the fire; hating even the garment spottedby the flesh" (Jude 23). By fire, in both these places, we are tounderstand sin; for that it burns and consumes as fire (Rom 1:27). Wherefore a man is said to burn when his lusts are strong upon him;and to burn in lusts to others, when his wicked heart runs wickedlyafter them (I Cor 7:9). 

Also, when Abraham said, "I am but dust and ashes, " (Gen 18:27), he means he was but what sin had left; yea, he had something ofthe smutch and besmearings of sin yet upon him. Wherefore it wasa custom with Israel, in days of old, when they set days apartfor confession of sin, and humiliation for the same, to sprinklethemselves with, or to wallow in dust and ashes, as a token thatthey did confess they were but what sin had left, and that theyalso were defiled, weakened, and polluted by it (Esth 4:1, 3; Jer6:26; Job 30:19, 42:6). 

This, then, is the next plea of our goodly Advocate for us: O Satan, this is "a brand plucked out of the fire. " As who should say, Thouobjected against my servant Joshua that he is black like a coal, or that the fire of sin at times is still burning in him. And whatthen? The reason why he is not totally extinct, as tow; is not thypity, but my Father's mercy to him; I have plucked him out of thefire, yet not so out but that the smell thereof is yet upon him;and my Father and I, we consider his weakness, and pity him; forsince he is as a brand pulled out, can it be expected by my Fatheror me that he should appear before us as clear, and do our biddingsas well, as if he had never been there? This is "a brand pluckedout of the fire, " and must be considered as such, and must beborne with as such. Thus, as Mephibosheth pleaded for his excuse, his lameness, (II Sam 19:24-26), so Christ pleads the infirm andindigent condition of his people, against Satan, for their advantage. Wherefore Christ, by such pleas as these for his people, doth yetfurther show the malice of Satan (for all this burning comes throughhim), yea, and by it he moveth the heart of God to pity us, and yetto be gentle, and long-suffering, and merciful to us; for pity andcompassion are the fruits of the yearning of God's bowels towardsus, while he considereth us as infirm and weak, and subject toslips, and stumbles, and falls, because of weakness. 

And that Christ our Advocate, by thus pleading, doth turn thingsto our advantage, consider, (1. ) That God is careful, that throughour weakness, our spirits do not fail before him when he chides(Isa 57:16-18). (2. ) "He stayeth his rough wind in the day of theeast wind, " and debates about the measure of affliction, when, forsin, we should be chastened, lest we should sink thereunder (Isa27:7-9). (3. ) He will not strictly mark what is done amiss, becauseif he should, we cannot stand (Psa 130:3). (4. ) When he threatenethto strike, his bowels are troubled, and his repentings are kindledtogether (Hosea 11:8, 9). (5. ) He will spin out his patience to theutmost length, because he knows we are such bunglers at doing (Jer9:24). (6. ) He will accept of the will for the deed, because heknows that sin will make our best performances imperfect (II Cor8:12). (7. ) He will count our little a very great deal, for thathe knows we are so unable to do anything at all (Job 1:21). (8. ) Hewill excuse the souls of his people, and lay the fault upon theirflesh, which has greatest affinity with Satan, if through weaknessand infirmity we do not do as we should (Matt 26:41; Rom 7). Now, as I said, all these things happen unto us, both infirmities andpity, because and for that we were once in the fire, and for thatthe weakness of sin abides upon us to this day. But none of thisfavour could come to us, nor could we, by any means, cause thatour infirmities should work for us thus advantageously; but thatChrist our Advocate stands our friend, and pleads for us as hedoth. 

But again, before I pass this over, I will, for the clearing of this, present you with a few more considerations, which are of anotherrank-to wit, that Christ our Advocate, as such, makes mention ofour weaknesses so, against Satan, and before his Father, as to turnall to our advantage. 

(1. ) We are therefore to be saved by grace, because by reason ofsin we are disabled from keeping of the law (Deut 9:5; Isa 64:6). (2. ) We have given unto us the Spirit of grace to help, because wecan do nothing that is good without it (Eph 2:5; Rom 8:26). (3. )God has put Christ's righteousness upon us to cover our nakednesswith, because we have none of our own to do it withal (Phil 3:7, 8;Eze 16:8). (4. ) God alloweth us to ride in the bosom of Christto the grave, and from thence in the bosom of angels to heaven, because our own legs are not able to carry us thither (Isa 40:11, 46:4; Psa 48:14; Luke 16:22). (5. ) God has made his Son our Head, our Priest, our Advocate, our Saviour, our Captain, that we may bedelivered from all the infirmities and all the fiends that attendus, and that plot to do us hurt (Eph 1:22; Col 1:18; Heb 7:21). (6. ) God has put the fallen angels into chains, (II Peter 2:4; Rev20:1, 2), that they might not follow us too fast, and has enlargedus, (Psa 4:1), and directed our feet in the way of his steps, thatwe may haste us to the strong tower and city of refuge for succourand safety, and has given good angels a charge to look to us (Heb1:14; Psa 34:7). (7. ) God has promised that we, at our countingdays, shall be spared, "as a man spareth his own son that servethhim" (Mal 3:17). 

Now, from all these things, it appears that we have indulgenceat God's hand, and that our weaknesses, as our Christ manages thematter for us, are so far off from laying a block or bar in theway to the enjoyment of favour, that they also work for our good;yea, and God's foresight of them has so kindled his bowels andcompassion to us, as to put him upon devising of such things forour relief, which by no means could have been, had not sin beenwith us in the world, and had not the best of saints been "as abrand plucked out of the burning. "

I have seen men (and yet they are worse than God) take most careof, and, also, best provide for, those of their children that havebeen most infirm and helpless; 10 and our Advocate "shall gatherhis lambs with his arms, and carry them in his bosom"; yea, andI know that there is such an art in showing and making mention ofweaknesses as shall make the tears stand in a parent's eyes, and asshall make him search to the bottom of his purse to find out whatmay do his weakling good. Christ, also, has that excellent art, ashe is an Advocate with the Father for us; he can so make mentionof us and of our infirmities, while he pleads before God, againstthe devil, for us, that he can make the bowels of the Almighty yearntowards us, and to wrap us up in their compassions. You read muchof the pity, compassion, and of the yearning of the bowels of themighty God towards his people; all which, I think, is kindled andmade burn towards us, by the pleading of our Advocate. I have seenfathers offended with their children; but when a brother had turneda skillful advocate, the anger has been appeased, and the meanshave been concealed. We read but little of this Advocate's officeof Jesus Christ, yet much of the fruit of it is extended to thechurches; but as the cause of smiles, after offences committed, is made manifest afterwards, so at the day when God will openall things, we shall see how many times our Lord, as an Advocate, pleaded for us, and redeemed us by his so pleading, unto theenjoyments of smiles and embraces, who, for sin, but a while before, were under frowns and chastisements. And thus much for the makingout how Christ doth manage his office of being an Advocate forus with the Father-"If any man sin, we have an Advocate with theFather, Jesus Christ the righteous. "

[WHO HAVE CHRIST FOR AN ADVOCATE]

THIRDLY, And I shall come now to the third head; to wit, to showyou more particularly who they are that have Jesus Christ for theirAdvocate. 

In my handling of this head, I shall show, First, That this officeof an advocate differeth from that of a priest, and how. Second, I shall show you how far Christ extendeth this his office ofadvocateship-I mean, in matters concerning the people of God, Andthen, Third, I shall come more directly to show who they are thathave Christ for their Advocate. 

First, For the first of these, That this office of Christ, as anAdvocate, differeth from that of a Priest. That he is a Priest, aPriest for ever, I heartily acknowledge; but that his priesthoodand advocateship should be one and the self-same office, I cannotbelieve. 

1. Because they differ in name. We may as well say a father, assuch, is a son, or that father and son is the self-same relation, as say a priest and an advocate, as to office, are but one and thesame thing. They differ in name as much as priest and sacrifice do:a priest is one, and a sacrifice is another; and though Christ isPriest and Sacrifice too, yet, as a Priest, he is not a Sacrifice, nor, as a Sacrifice, a Priest. 

2. As they differ in name, so they differ in the nature of office. A priest is to slay a sacrifice; an advocate is to plead a cause;a priest is to offer his sacrifice, to the end that, by the meritthereof, he may appease; an advocate is to plead, to plead accordingto law; a priest is to make intercession, by virtue of his sacrifice;an advocate is to plead law, because amends is made. 

3. As they differ in name and nature, so they also differ asto their extent. The priesthood of Christ extendeth itself to thewhole of God's elect, whether called or in their sins; but Christ, as Advocate, pleadeth only for the children. 

4. As they differ in name, in nature, and extent, so they differas to the persons with whom they have to do. We read not anywherethat Christ, as Priest, has to do with the devil as an antagonist, but, as an Advocate, he hath. 

5. As they differ in these, so they differ as to the mattersabout which they are employed. Christ, as Priest, concerns himselfwith every wry thought, and, also, with the least imperfection orinfirmity that attends our most holy things; but Christ, as Advocate, doth not so, as I have already showed. 

6. So that Christ, as Priest, goes before, and Christ, as anAdvocate, comes after; Christ, as Priest, continually intercedes;Christ, as Advocate, in case of great transgressions, pleads:Christ, as Priest, has need to act always, but Christ, as Advocate, sometimes only. Christ, as Priest, acts in times of peace; but Christ, as Advocate, in times of broils, turmoils, and sharp contentions;wherefore, Christ, as Advocate, is, as I may call him, a reserve, and his time is then to arise, to stand up and plead, when HIS areclothed with some filthy sin that of late they have fallen into, as David, Joshua, or Peter. When some such thing is committed bythem, as ministereth to the enemy a show of ground to question thetruth of their grace; or when it is a question, and to be debated, whether it can stand with the laws of heaven, with the merits ofChrist, and the honour of God, that such a one should be saved. Now let an advocate come forth, now let him have time to plead, for this is a fit occasion for the saints' Advocate to stand up toplead for the salvation of his people. But, Second, I come next to show you how far this office of an Advocateis extended. I hinted at this before, so now shall be the morebrief. 1. By this office he offereth no sacrifice; he only, as tomatter of justice, pleads the sacrifice offered. 2. By this officehe obtains the conversion of none; he only thereby secureth theconverted from the damnation which their adversary, for sins afterlight and profession, endeavoureth to bring them to. 3. By thisoffice he prevents not temporal punishment, but by it he chieflypreserveth the soul from hell. 4. By this office he brings inno justifying righteousness for us, he only thereby prevaileth tohave the dispose of that brought in by himself, as Priest, for thejustifying of those, by a new and fresh act, who had made theirjustification doubtful by new falls into sin. And this is plainin the history of our Joshua, so often mentioned before (Zech 3). 5. As Priest, he hath obtained eternal redemption for us; and asAdvocate, he by law, maintaineth our right thereto, against thedevil and his angels. 

Third, I come now to show you who they are that have Jesus Christfor their Advocate. And this I shall do-first, more generally, andthen shall be more particular and distinct about it. 

1. More generally. They are all the truly gracious; those that arethe children by adoption; and this the test affirmeth-"My littlechildren, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And ifany man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ therighteous. " They are, then, the children, by adoption, that arethe persons concerned in the advocateship of Jesus Christ. Thepriesthood of Christ extendeth itself to the whole body of theelect, but the advocateship of Christ doth not so. This is furthercleared by this apostle; and in this very text, if you considerwhat immediately follows-"We have an Advocate, " says he, "and heis the propitiation for our sins. " He is our Advocate, and alsoour Priest. As an Advocate, ours only; but as a propitiation, notours only, but also for the sins of the whole world; to be sure, for the elect throughout the world, and they that will extend itfurther, let them. 

And I say again, had he not intended that there should have beena straiter limit put to the Advocateship of Christ than he wouldhave us put to his priestly office, what needed he, when he speakethof the propitiation which relates to Christ as Priest, have added-"Andnot for ours only"? As an Advocate, then, he engageth for us thatare children; and as a Priest, too, he hath appeased God's wrathfor our sins; but as an Advocate his offices are confined to thechildren only, but as a Priest he is not so. He is the propitiationfor our sins, and not for ours only. The sense, therefore, of theapostle should, I think, be this-That Christ, as a Priest, hathoffered a propitiatory sacrifice for all; but as an Advocate hepleadeth only for the children. Children, we have an Advocate toourselves, and he is also our Priest; but as he is a Priest, he isnot ours only, but maketh, as such, amends for all that shall besaved. The elect, therefore, have the Lord Jesus for their Advocatethen, and then only, when they are by calling put among the children;because, as Advocate, he is peculiarly the children's-"My littlechildren, WE have an Advocate. "

Objection. But he also saith, "If any man sin, we have an Advocate";any man that sinneth seems, by the text, notwithstanding what yousay, "to have an Advocate with the Father. "

Answer. By any man, must not be meant any of the world, nor anyof the elect, but any man in faith and grace; for he still limitsthis general term, "any man, " with this restriction, "we"-Children, "if any man sin, we have an Advocate. " We, any man of us. And thisis yet further made appear, since he saith that it is to them hewrites, not only here, but further in this chapter-"I write untoYOU, little children; I write unto you, fathers; I write unto you, young men" (I John 2: 12, 13). These are the persons intended inthe text, for under these three heads are comprehended all men;for they are either children, and so men in nature, or young men, and so men in strength; or else they are fathers, and so aged, andof experience. Add to this, by "any man, " that the apostle intendethnot to enlarge himself beyond the persons that are in grace; but tosupply what was wanting by that term "little children"; for sincethe strongest saint may have heed of an Advocate, as well as themost feeble of the flock, why should the apostle leave it to beso understood as if the children, and the children only, had aninterest in that office? Wherefore, after he had said, "My littlechildren, I write unto you, that ye sin not"; he then adds, withenlargement, "If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father. "Yet the little children may well be mentioned first, since they mostwant the knowledge of it, are most feeble, and so by sin may beforced most frequently to act faith on Christ, as Advocate. Besides, they are most ready, through temptation, to question whether theyhave so good a right to Christ in all his offices as have better andmore well-grown saints; and, therefore, they, in this the apostle'ssalutation, are first set down in the catalogue of names-"My littlechildren, I write unto you, that ye sin not. If any man sin, wehave an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. " So, then, the children of God are they who have the Lord Jesus, anAdvocate for them with the Father. The least and biggest, the oldestand youngest, the feeblest and the strongest; ALL the children havean Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 

(1. ) Since, then, the children have Christ for their advocate, artthou a child? Art thou begotten of God by his Word? (James 1:18). Hast thou in thee the spirit of adoption? (Gal 4:1-6). Canst thouin faith say, Father, Father, to God? Then is Christ thy Advocate, thine Advocate, "now to appear in the presence of God for thee"(Heb 9:24). To appear there, and to plead there, in the face of thecourt of heaven, for thee; to plead there against thine adversary, whose accusations are dreadful, whose subtlety is great, whosemalice is inconceivable, and whose rage is intolerable; to pleadthere before a just God, a righteous God, a sin-revenging God:before whose face thou wouldst die if thou wast to show thyself, and at his bar to plead thine own cause. But, (2. ) There is a difference in children; some are bigger thansome; there are children and little children-"My little children, I write unto you. " Little children; some of the little childrencan neither say Father, nor so much as know that they themselvesare children. 

This is true in nature, and so it is in grace; wherefore, notwithstanding what was said under the first head, it doth notfollow, that if I be a child I must certainly know it, and also beable to call God, Father. Let the first, then, serve to poise andbalance the confident ones, and let this be for the relief of thosemore feeble; for they that are children, whether they know it orno, have Jesus Christ for their Advocate, for Christ is assigned tobe our Advocate by the Judge, by the King, by our God and Father, although we have not known it. True, at present, there can comefrom hence, to them that are thus concerned in the advocateship ofChrist, but little comfort; but yet it yields them great security;they have "an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. "God knows this, the devil feels this, and the children shall havethe comfort of it afterwards. I say, the time is coming when theyshall know that even then, when they knew it not, they had an Advocatewith the Father; an Advocate who was neither loath, nor afraid, nor ashamed, to plead for their defense against their proudest foe. And will not this, when they know it, yield them comfort? Doubtlessit will; yea, more, and of a better kind, than that which flowsfrom the knowledge that one is born to crowns and kingdoms. 

Again; as he is an Advocate for the children, so he is also, asbefore was hinted, for the strong and experienced; for no strengthin this world secureth from the rage of hell; nor can any experience, while we are here, fortify us against his assaults. There is alsoan incidency in the best to sin; and the bigger man, the biggerfall; for the more hurt, the greater damage. Wherefore it is ofabsolute necessity that an advocate be provided for the strong asfor the weak. "Any man"; he that is most holy, most reformed, mostrefined, and most purified, may as soon be in the dirt as theweakest Christian; and, so far as I can see, Satan's design isagainst them most. I am sure the greatest sins have been committedby the biggest saints. This wayfaring man came to David's house, and when he stood up against Israel, he provoked David to numberthe people (II Sam 12:4, 7; I Chron 21:1). Wherefore they have asmuch need of an advocate as have the youngest and most feeble ofthe flock. What a mind had he to try a fall with Peter! And howquickly did he break the neck of Judas! The like, without doubt, he had done to Peter, had not Jesus, by stepping in, prevented. Aslong as sin is in our flesh, there is danger. Indeed, he saith ofthe young men that they are strong, and that they have overcomethe wicked one; but he doth not say they have killed him. As longas the devil is alive there is danger; and though a strong Christianmay be too hard for, and may overcome him in one thing, he may betoo hard for, yea, and may overcome him two for one afterwards. Thus he served David, and thus he served Peter, and thus he, inour day, has served many more. The strongest are weak, the wisestare fools, when suffered to be sifted as wheat in Satan's sieve;yea, and have often been so proved, to the wounding of their greathearts, and the dishonour of religion. To conclude this: God ofhis mercy hath sufficiently declared the truth of what I say, bypreparing for the best, the strongest, and most sanctified, as wellas for the least, weakest, and most feeble saint, as Advocate-"Mylittle children, I write unto you, that ye sin not. And if any mansin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. "

2. But some may object, that what has been said as to discoveringfor whom Christ is an Advocate has been too general, and, therefore, would have me come more to particulars, else they can get nocomfort. Well, inquiring soul, so I will; and, therefore, hearkento what I say. 

(1. ) Wouldest thou know whether Christ is thine Advocate or no?I ask, Hast thou entertained him so to be? When men have suits oflaw depending in any of the king's courts above, they entertaintheir attorney or advocate to plead their cause, and so he pleadsfor them. I say, hast thou entertained Jesus Christ for thy lawyerto plead thy cause? "Plead my cause, O Lord, " said David (Psa 35:1);and again, "Judge me, O God, and plead my cause" (Psa 43:1). This, therefore, is the first thing that I would propound to thee: Hastthou, with David, entertained him for thy lawyer, or, with goodHezekiah, cried out, "O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me"(Isa 38:14). What sayest thou, soul? Hast thou been with him, andprayed him to plead thy cause, and cried unto him to undertakefor thee? This I call entertaining of him to be thy advocate, andI choose to follow the similitude, both because the Scripture seemsto smile upon such a way of discourse, and because thy questiondoth naturally lead me to it. Wherefore, I ask again, hast thoubeen with him? Hast thou entertained him? Hast thou desired him toplead thy cause?

Question. Thou wilt say unto me, How should I know that I have doneso?

Answer. I answer, Art thou sensible that thou hast an action commencedagainst thee in that high court of justice that is above? I say, Art thou sensible of this? For the defendants-and all God's peopleare defendants-do not use to entertain their lawyers, but fromknowledge, that an action either is, or may be, commenced againstthem before the God of heaven. If thou sayest yea, then I ask, Whotold thee that thou standest accused for transgression before thejudgment-seat of God? I say, Who told thee so? Hath the Holy Ghost, hath the world, or hath thy conscience? For nothing else, as I knowof, can bring such tidings to thy soul. 

Again; Hast thou found a failure in all others that might havebeen entertained to plead thy cause? Some make their sighs, theirtears, their prayers, and their reformations, their advocates-"Hastthou tried these, and found them wanting?" Hast thou seen thy stateto be desperate, if the Lord Jesus doth not undertake to plead thycause? for Jesus is not entertained so long as men can make shiftwithout him. But when it comes to this point I perish for ever, notwithstanding the help of all, if the Lord Jesus steps not in. Then Lord Jesus, Lord Jesus, good Lord Jesus! undertake for me. Hast thou therefore been with Jesus Christ as concerned in thysoul, as heartily concerned about the action that thou perceivestto be commenced against thee?

Question. You will say, How should I know that?

Answer. I answer, Hast thou well considered the nature of the crimewherewith thou standest charged at the bar of God? Hast thou alsoconsidered the justness of the Judge? Again I ask, Hast thou consideredwhat truth, as to matter of fact, there is in the things whereofthou standest accused? Also, Hast thou considered the cunning, themalice, and diligence of thy adversary, with the greatness of theloss thou art like to sustain, shouldst thou with Ahab, in the bookof Kings, (I Kings 22:17-23), or with the hypocrites in Isaiah, (Isa6:5-10), have the verdict of the Lord God go out from the throneagainst thee? I ask thee these questions, because if thou art inthe knowledge of these things to seek, or if thou art not deeplyconcerned about the greatness of the damage that will certainlyovertake thee, and that for ever, shouldest thou be indeed accusedbefore God, and have none to plead thy cause, thou hast not, norcanst not, let what will come upon thee, have been with Jesus Christto plead thy cause; and so, let thy case be never so desperate, thou standest alone, and hast no helper (Job 30:13, 9:13) Or ifthou hast, they, not being the advocate of God's appointing, mustneeds fall with thee, and with thy burden. Wherefore, consider ofthis seriously, and return thy answer to God, who can tell if truthshall be found in thy answers, better by far than any; for it ishe that tries the reins and the heart, and therefore to him I referthee. But, (2. ) Wouldst thou know whether Jesus Christ is thine advocate? ThenI ask again, Hast thou revealed thy cause unto him?-I say, Hastthou revealed thy cause unto him? For he that goeth to law for hisright, must not only go to a lawyer, and say, Sir, I am in trouble, and am to have a trial at law with mine enemy, pray undertake mycause; but he must also reveal to his lawyer his cause. He mustgo to him and tell him what is the matter, how things stand, wherethe shoe pinches, and so. Thus did the church of old, and thus dothevery true Christian now; for though nothing can be hid from him, yet he will have things out of thine own mouth; he will have theeto reveal thy matters unto him (Matt 20:32). "O Lord of hosts, "said Jeremiah, "that judgest righteously, that triest the reins andthe heart, let me see thy vengeance on them: for unto thee have Irevealed my cause" (Jer 11:20). And again; "But, O Lord of hosts, that triest the righteous, and seest the reins and the heart, letme see thy vengeance on them; for unto thee have I opened my cause"(Jer 20:12). Seest thou here, how saints of old were wont to do?how they did, not only in a general way, entreat Christ to pleadtheir cause, but in a particular way, go to him and reveal, or opentheir cause unto him?

O! it is excellent to behold how some sinners will do this whenthey get Christ and themselves in a closet alone; when they, upontheir bare knees, are pouring out of their souls before him; or, like the woman in the gospel, telling him all the truth (Mark 5). O! saith the soul, Lord, I am come to thee upon an earnest business;I am arrested by Satan; the bailiff was mine own conscience, and Iam like to be accused before the judgment-seat of God. My salvationlies at stake; I am questioned for my interest in heaven; I am afraidof the Judge; my heart condemns me (I John 3:20). Mine enemy issubtle, and wanteth not malice to prosecute me to death, and thento hell. Also, Lord, I am sensible that the law is against me, forindeed I have horribly sinned, and thus and thus have I done. HereI lie open to law, and there I lie open to law; here I have giventhe adversary advantage, and there he will surely have a hank11against me. Lord, I am distressed, undertake for me! And there aresome things that thou must be acquainted with about thine Advocate, before thou wilt venture to go thus far with him. As, (a. ) Thou must know him to be a friend, and not an enemy, unto whomthou openest thy heart; and until thou comest to know that Christis a friend to thee, or to souls in thy condition, thou wilt neverreveal thy cause unto him, not thy whole cause unto him. And itis from this that so many that have soul causes hourly dependingbefore the throne of God, and that are in danger every day of eternaldamnation, forbear to entertain Jesus Christ for their Advocate, and so wickedly conceal their matters from him; but "he that hidethhis sins shall not prosper" (Prov 28:13)

FOOTNOTE: Quoted from the Genevan, or Puritan translation. -ED. This, therefore, must first be believed by thee before thou wilt revealthy cause unto him. 

(b. ) A man, when his estate is called in question, I mean hisright and title thereto, will be very cautious, especially if healso questions his title to it himself, unto whom he reveals thataffair; he must know him to be one that is not only friendly, butfaithful, to whom he reveals such a secret as this. Why, thus itis with Christ and the soul. If the soul is not somewhat persuadedof the faithfulness of Christ-to wit, that if he can do him nogood, he will do him no harm, he will never reveal his cause untohim, but will seek to hide his counsel from the Lord. This, therefore, is another thing by which thou mayest know that thou hast Christfor thine Advocate, if thou hast heartily and in very deed revealedthy cause unto him. Now, they that do honestly reveal their causeto their lawyer, will endeavour to possess him, as I hinted before, with the worst; they will, with words, make it as bad as they may;for, think they, by that means I shall prepare him for the worstthat mine enemy can do. And thus souls deal with Jesus Christ; seePsalms 51 and 38, with several others that might be named, and seeif God's people have not done so. "I said, " saith David, "I willconfess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest theiniquity of my sin. " But, (3. ) Hast thou Jesus Christ for thine Advocate? or wouldst thouknow if thou hast? Then I ask again, Hast thou committed thy causeto him? When a man entertains12 his lawyer to stand for him andto plead his cause, he doth not only reveal, but commit his causeunto him. "I would seek unto God, " says Eliphaz to Job, "and untoGod would I commit my cause" (Job 5:8). Now there is a differencebetwixt revealing my cause and committing of it to a man. To revealmy cause is to open it to one; and to commit it to him is to trustit in his hand. Many a man will reveal his cause to him unto whomhe will yet be afraid to commit it; but now, he that entertains alawyer to plead his cause, doth not only reveal but commit his causeinto him. As, suppose right to his estate be called in question;why, then, he not only reveals his cause to his lawyer, but putsinto his hands his evidences, deeds, leases, mortgages, bonds, orwhat else he hath, to show a title to his estate by. And thus dothChristians deal with Christ; they deliver up all unto him-to wit, all their signs, evidences, promises, and assurances, which theyhave thought they had for heaven and the salvation of their souls, and have desired him to peruse, to search, and try them every one. "And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the wayeverlasting" (Psa 139:23-24). This is committing of thy cause toChrist, and this is the hardest task of all, for the man that doththus, he trusteth Christ with all; and it implieth, that he willlive and die, stand and fall, lose and win, according as Christwill manage his business. Thus did Paul, (II Tim 1:12), and thusPeter admonishes us to do. Now he that doth this must be convinced, (a. ) Of the ability of Jesus Christ to defend him; for a man willnot commit so great a concern as his all is to his friend. No; notto his friend, be he never so faithful, if he perceives not inhim ability to save him, and to preserve what he hath, against allthe cavils of an enemy. And hence it is that the ability of JesusChrist, as to the saving of his people, is so much insisted on inthe Scripture; as, "I have laid help upon one that is mighty" (Psa89:19). "I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save" (Isa 63:1). And again, "He shall send them a Saviour, and a great one" (Isa19:20). 

(b. ) As they must be convinced of his ability to help them, so theymust of his courage; a man that has parts sufficient may yet failhis friend for want of courage; wherefore, the courage and greatnessof Christ's Spirit, as to his undertaking of the cause of hispeople, is also amply set out in Scripture. "He shall not fail norbe discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth, " "till hesend forth judgment unto victory" (Isa 42:4; Matt 12:20). 

(c. ) They must also be convinced of his willingness to do this forthem; for though one be able and of courage sufficient, yet if heis not willing to undertake one's cause, what is it the better?Wherefore, he declareth his willingness also, and how ready he isto stand up to plead the cause of the poor and of them that arein want. "The Lord will plead their cause, and spoil the soul ofthose that spoiled them" (Prov 22:23). 

(d. ) They must also be convinced of this-that Christ is tender, and will not be offended at the dullness of his client. Some mencan reveal their cause to their lawyers better than some, and aremore serviceable and handy in that affair than others. But, saiththe Christian, I am dull and stupid that way, will not Christ beshuff13 and shy with me because of this? Honest heart! He hath asupply of thy defects14 in himself, and knoweth what thou wantest, and where the shoe pinches, though thou art not able distinctlyto open matters to him. The child is pricked with a pin, and liescrying in the mother's lap, but cannot show its mother where the pinis; but there is pity enough in the mother to supply this defectof the child; wherefore she undresses it, opens it, searchesevery clout from head to the foot of the child, and so finds wherethe pin is. Thus will thy lawyer do; he will search and find outthy difficulties, and where Satan seeketh an advantage of thee, accordingly will provide his remedy. 

(e. ) O, but will he not be weary? The prophet complains of some, "that they weary God" (Isa 7:13). And mine is a very cross andintricate cause; I have wearied many a good man while I have beentelling my tale unto him, and I am afraid that I shall also wearyJesus Christ. Answer. Soul, he suffered and did bear with the mannersof Israel forty years in the wilderness; and hast thou tried himhalf so long? (Acts 13:18). The good souls that have gone beforethee have found him "a tried stone, " a sure one to be trusted toas to this (Isa 28:16). And the prophet saith positively that "hefainteth not, neither is weary"; and that "there is no searching ofhis understanding" (Isa 40:28). Let all these things prevail withthee to believe, that if thou hast committed by cause unto him, hewill bring it to pass, to a good pass, to so good a pass as willglorify God, honour Christ, save thee, and shame the devil. But, (4. ) Wouldst thou know whether Jesus Christ is thine Advocate, whether he has taken in hand to plead thy cause? Then, I ask, dostthou, together with what has been mentioned before, wait upon himaccording to his counsel, until things shall come to a legal issue?Thus must clients do. There is a great many turnings and windingsabout suits and trials at law; the enemy, also, with his supersedeas15cavils, and motions, often defers a speedy issue; wherefore, the manwhose is the concern must wait; as the prophet said, "I will look, "said he, "unto the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation. "But how long, prophet, wilt thou wait? Why, says he, "until heplead my cause, and execute judgment for me" (Micah 7:7-10). 

Perhaps when thy cause is tried, things for the present are uponthis issue; thy adversary, indeed, is cast, but whether thou shalthave an absolute discharge, as Peter had, or a conditional one, as David, and as the Corinthians had, that is the question (II Sam12:10-14). True, thou shalt be completely saved at last; but yetwhether it is not best to leave to thee a memento of God's displeasureagainst thy sin, by awarding that the sword shall never depart fromthy house, or that some sore sickness or other distresses shallhaunt thee as long as thou livest, or, perhaps, that thou shaltwalk without the light of God's countenance for several years anda day. Now, if any of these three things happen unto thee, thou mustexercise patience, and wait; thus did David-"I waited patiently";and again he exercises his soul in this virtue, saying "My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him" (Psa 62:5). For now we are judged of the Lord, that we may not be condemnedwith the world. And by this judgment, though it sets us free fromtheir damnation, yet we are involved in many troubles, and, perhaps, must wait many a day before we can know that, as to the main, theverdict hath gone on our side. Thus, therefore, in order to thywaiting upon him without fainting, it is meet that thou shouldestknow the methods of him that manages thy cause for thee in heaven;and suffer not mistrust to break in and bear sway in thy soul, for"he will" at length "bring thee forth to the light, and thou shaltbehold his righteousness. She, also, that is thine enemy shall seeit, and shame shall cover her which saith unto thee, Where is theLord thy God?" (Micah 7: 9-10). 

Question. But what is it to wait upon him according to his counsel?

Answer. (a. ) To wait is to be of good courage, to live in expectation, and to look for deliverance, though thou hast sinned against thyGod. "Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and he shall strengthenthine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord" (Psa 27:14). 

(b. ) To wait upon him is to keep his way, to walk humbly in hisappointments. "Wait on the Lord, and keep his way, and he shallexalt thee to inherit the land" (Psa 37:34). 

(c. ) To wait upon him is to observe and keep those directionswhich he giveth thee; to observe even while he stands up to pleadthy cause; for without this, or not doing this, a man may mar hiscause in the hand of him that is to plead it; wherefore, keep theefar from an evil matter, have no correspondence with thine enemy, walk humbly for the wickedness thou hast committed, and loathe andabhor thyself for it, in dust and ashes. To these things doth theScripture everywhere direct us. 

(d. ) To wait, is also to incline, to hearken to those further directionswhich thou mayest receive from the mouth of thine advocate, as toany fresh matters that may forward and expedite a good issue ofthine affair in the court of heaven. The want of this was the reasonthat the deliverance of Israel did linger so long in former times. "O, " says he, "that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israelhad walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, and turned my hand against their adversaries. The haters of the Lordshould have submitted themselves unto him; but their time shouldhave endured for ever" (Psa 81:13-15). 

(e. ) Also, if it tarry long, wait for it. Do not conclude that thycause is lost because at present thou dost not hear from court. Cry, if thou wilt, O, when wilt thou come unto me? But never letsuch a wicked thought pass through thy heart, saying, "This evilis of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?" (IIKings 6:33). 

(f. ) But take heed that thou turnest not thy waiting into sleeping. Wait thou must, and wait patiently too; but yet wait with muchlonging and earnestness of spirit, to see or hear how matters goabove. You may observe, that when a man that dwells far down inthe country, and has some business at the term, in this or anotherof the king's courts, though he will wait his lawyer's time andconvenience, yet he will so wait as still to inquire at the posthouse, or at the carrier's, or if a neighbour comes down from term, at his mouth, for letters, or any other intelligence, if possibly hemay arrive to know how his cause speeds, and whether his adversary, or he, has the day. Thus, I say, thou must wait upon thine Advocate. His ordinances are his post house, his ministers are his carriers, where tidings from heaven are to be had, and where those that aresued in that court by the devil may, at one time or another, hearfrom their lawyer, their advocate, how things are like to go. Wherefore, I say, wait at the posts of wisdom's house, go to ordinances withexpectation to hear from thy Advocate there; for he will send indue time; "though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surelycome, it will not tarry" (Hab 2:1-3). And now, soul, I have answeredthy request, and let me hear what thou sayest unto me. 

Soul. -Truly, says the soul, methinks that by what you have said, I may have this blessed Jesus to be mine Advocate; for I think, verily, I have entertained him to be mine Advocate. I have alsorevealed my cause unto him, yea, committed both it and myself untohim; and, as you say, I wait; oh! I wait! and my eyes fail withlooking upward. Fain would I hear how my soul standeth in the sightof God, and whether my sins, which I have committed since lightand grace were given unto me, be by mine Advocate, taken out of thehand of the devil, and by mine Advocate removed as far from me asthe ends of the earth are asunder; whether the verdict has goneon my side, and what a shout there was among the angels when theysaw it went well with me! But alas! I have waited, and that a longtime, and have, as you advise, run from ordinance to minister, andfrom minister to ordinance, or, as you phrase it, from the post tothe carrier, and from the carrier to the post house, to see if Icould hear aught from heaven how matters went about my soul there. Ihave also asked those that pass by the way, "if they saw him whommy soul loveth, " and if they had anything to communicate to me? Butnothing can I get or find but generals; as, that I have an Advocatethere, and that he pleadeth the cause of his people, and that hewill thoroughly plead their cause. But what he has done for ME, of that as yet I am ignorant. I doubt if my soul shall by him beeffectually secured, that yet a conditional verdict will be awardedconcerning me, and that much bitter will be mixed with my sweet, and that I must drink gall and wormwood for my folly; for if David, and Asa, and Hezekiah and such good men, were so served for theirsins, (II Chron 16:7, 12), why should I look for other dealingat the hand of God? But as to this, I will endeavour to "bear theindignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him, " (Micah7:9), and shall count it an infinite mercy, if this judgment comesto me from him, that I may "not be condemned with the world" (ICor 11:32). I know it is dreadful walking in darkness; but if thatalso shall be the Lord's lot upon me; I pray God I may have faithenough to stay upon him till death, and then will the clouds blowover, and I shall see him in the light of the living. 

Mine, enemy, the devil, as you see, is of an inveigling temper;and though he has accused my before the judgment-seat of God, yetwhen he comes to me at any time, he glavers16 and flatters as if henever did mean me harm; but I think it is that he might get furtheradvantage against me. But I carry it now at a greater distance thanformerly; and O that I was at the remotest distance, not only fromhim, but also from that self of mine, that laboureth with him formy undoing!

But although I say these things now, and to you, yet I havemy solitary hours, and in them I have other strange thoughts; forthus I think, my cause is bad, I have sinned, and I have been vile. I am ashamed myself of mine own doings, and have given mine enemythe best end of the staff. The law, and reason, and my conscience, plead for him against me, and all is true; he puts into his chargeagainst me, that I have sinned more times than there be hairs onmy head. I know not anything that ever I did in my life but it hadflaw, or wrinkle, or spot, or some such thing in it. Mine eyes haveseen vileness in the best of my doings; what, then, think you, mustGod needs see in them? Nor can I do anything yet, for all I knowthat I am accused by my enemy before the judgment-seat of God, better than what already is imperfect. "I lie down in my shame, and my confusion covers my face. " "I have sinned, what shall I dounto thee, O thou preserver of men" (Jer 3:25, Job 7:20). 

Reply. -Well, soul, I have heard what thou hast said, and if all betrue which thou hast said, it is good, and gives me ground of hopethat Jesus Christ is become thine Advocate; and if that be so, no doubt but thy trial will come to a good conclusion. And be notafraid because of the holiness of God; for thine Advocate has thisfor his advantage, that he pleads before a judge that is just, andagainst an enemy that is unholy and rejected. Nor let the thoughtsof the badness of thy cause terrify thee overmuch. Cause thou hastindeed to be humble, and thou dost well to cover thy face with shame;and it is no matter how base and vile thou art in thine own eyes, provided that it comes not by renewed acts of rebellion, but througha spiritual sight of thine imperfections. Only let me advise theehere to stop. Let not thy shame nor thy self-abasing apprehensionof thyself, drive thee from the firm and permanent ground of hope, which is the promise, and the doctrine of an Advocate with theFather. No; let not the apprehension of the badness of thy causedo it, forasmuch as he did never yet take cause in hand that wasgood, perfectly good of itself; and his excellency is, to make aman stand that has a bad cause; yea, he can make a bad cause good, in a way of justice and righteousness. 

[THE PRIVILEGES OF THOSE WHO HAVE CHRIST FOR AN ADVOCATE. ]

FOURTHLY, And for thy further encouragement in this matter, I willhere bring in the fourth chief head-to wit, to show what excellentprivilege (I mean over and above what has already been spoken of)they have that are made partakers of the benefit of this office:-"Ifany man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ therighteous. "

First Privilege. Thy Advocate pleads to a price paid, to apropitiation made; and this is a great advantage; yea, he pleadsto a satisfaction made for all wrongs done, or to be done, by hiselect-"For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them thatare sanctified" (Heb 10:10, 14; 9:26). "By one offering"-that is, bythe offering of himself-by one offering once offered, once offeredin the end of the world. This, I say, thine Advocate pleads. WhenSatan brings in fresh accusations for more transgressions againstthe law of God, he forces not Christ to shift his first plea. I say, he puts him not to his shifts at all; for the price once paid hathin it sufficient value, would God impute it to that end, to takeaway the sin of the whole world. There is a man that hath brethren;he is rich, and they are poor (and this is the case betwixt Christand us), and the rich brother goeth to his father, and saith, Thouart related to my brethren with me, and out of my store, I praythee, let them have sufficient, and for thy satisfaction I willput into thy hand the whole of what I have, which perhaps is worthan hundred thousand pounds by the year; and this other sum I alsogive, that they be not disinherited. Now, will not this last hispoor brethren to spend upon a great while? But Christ's worth cannever be drawn dry. 

Now, set the case again, that some ill-conditioned man should takenotice that these poor men live all upon the spend (and saints doso), and should come to the good man's house, and complain to himof the spending of his sons, and that while their elder brotherstands by, what do you think the elder brother would reply, if hewas as good-natured as Christ? Why, he would say, I have yet withmy father in store for my brethren, wherefore then seekest thou tostop his hand? As he is just, he must give them for their convenience;yea, and as for their extravagances, I have satisfied for themso well, that, however he afflicteth them, he will not disinheritthem. I hope you will read and hear this, not like them that say, "Let us do evil that good may come, " but like those whom the loveof Christ constrains to be better. However, this is the children'sbread, that which they have need of, and without which they cannotlive; and they must have it, though Satan should put pins intoit, therewith to choke the dogs. 17 And for the further clearing ofthis, I will present you with these few considerations:

1. Those that are most sanctified have yet a body of sin and deathin them, and so also it will be, while they continue in this world(Rom 7:24). 2. This body of sin strives to break out, and willbreak out, to the polluting of the conversation, if saints be notthe more watchful (Rom 6:12). Yea, it has broken out in a mostsad manner, and that in the strongest saints (Gal 5:17). 3. Christoffereth no new sacrifice for the salvation of these his people. "For, being raised from the dead, he dieth no more" (Rom 6:9). Sothen, if saints sin, they must be saved, if saved at all, by virtueof the offering already offered; and if so, then all Christ's pleas, as an Advocate, are grounded upon that one offering which before, as a Priest, he presented God with, for the taking away of sin. So then, Christians live upon this old stock; their transgressionsare forgiven for the sake of the worth, that yet God finds in theoffering that Christ hath offered. And all Christ's pleadings, asan Advocate, are grounded upon the sufficiency and worth of thatone sacrifice; I mean, all his pleadings with his Father, as to thecharge which the accuser brings in against them. For though thouart a man of infirmity, and so incident to nothing [so much] as tostumble and fall, if grace doth not prevent, and it doth not alwaysprevent; yet the value and worth of the price that was once paidfor thee is not yet worn out; and Christ, as an Advocate, stillpleadeth, as occasion is given, that, with success, to thy salvation. And this privilege they have, who indeed have Christ for theirAdvocate; and I put it here, in the first place, because all otherdo depend upon it. 

Second Privilege. Thine Advocate, as he pleadeth a price alreadypaid, so, and therefore, he pleads for himself as for thee. We areall concerned in one bottom; if he sinks, we sink; if we sink, hesinks. 18 Give me leave to make out my meaning. 

1. Christ pleads the value and virtue of the price of his blood andsacrifice for us. And admit of this horrible supposition a little, for argument's sake, that though Christ pleads the worth of what, as Priest, he offereth, yet the soul for whom he so pleads perisheseternally. Now, where lieth the fault? In sin, you say: true; butit is because there was more virtue in sin to damn, than there wasin the blood pleaded by Christ to save; for he pleaded his merit, he put it into the balance against sin; but sin hath weighed downthe soul of the sinner to hell, notwithstanding the weight of meritthat he did put in against it. Now, what is the result, but thatthe Advocate goes down, as well as we; we to hell, and he in esteem?Wherefore, I say, he is concerned with us; his credit, his honour, his glory and renown, flies all away, if those for whom he pleadsas an Advocate perish for want of worth in his sacrifice pleaded. But shall this ever be said of Christ? Or will it be found thatany, for whom Christ as Advocate pleads, yet perish for want ofworth in the price, or of neglect in the Advocate to plead it? No, no; himself is concerned, and that as to his own reputation andhonour, and as to the value and virtue of his blood; nor will helose these for want of pleading for them concerned in this office. 

2. I argue again; Christ, as Advocate, must needs be concerned inhis plea; for that every one, for whose salvation he advocates, is his own; so, then, if he loses, he loses his own-his substanceand inheritance. Thus, if he lose the whole, and if he lose apart, one, any one of his own, he loseth part of his all, and ofhis fullness; wherefore we may well think, that Christ, as Advocate, is concerned, even concerned with his people, and therefore willthoroughly plead their cause. 

Suppose a man should have a horse, though lame, and a piece ofground, though somewhat barren, yet if any should attempt to takethese away, he would not sit still, and so lose his own; no, saithhe, "since they are mine own, they shall cost me five times morethan they are worth, but I will maintain my right. " I have seen mensometimes strongly engaged in law for that which, when consideredby itself, one would think was not worth regarding; but when I haveasked them, why so concerned for a thing of so little esteem, theyhave answered, O, it is some of that by which I hold a title ofhonour, or my right to a greater income, and therefore I will notlose it. Why, thus is Christ engaged; what he pleads for is hisown, his all, his fullness; yea, it is that by which he holds hisroyalty, for he is "King of saints" (Rev 15:3, John 6:37-39, Psa16:5, 6). It is part of his estate, and that by which he holds someof his titles of honour (Eph 5:23, Jer 50:34, Rom 11:26, Heb 2:10). Saviour, Redeemer, Deliverer, and Captain, are some of his titlesof honour; but if he loseth any of those, upon whose account heweareth those titles of honour, for want of virtue in his plea, orfor want of worth in his blood, he loseth his own, and not only so, but part of his royalty, and does also diminish and lay a blot uponhis glorious titles of honour; and he is jealous of his honour;his honour he will not give to another. 

Wherefore he will not, be not afraid, he never will leave norforsake those who have given themselves unto him, and for whom heis become an Advocate with the Father, to plead their cause; evenbecause thou art one, one of his own, one by whom he holdeth hisglorious titles of honour. 

Objection. O, but I am but one, and a very sorry one, too; and whatis one, especially such an one as I am? Can there be a miss of theloss of such an one?

Answer. One and one makes two, and so ad infinitum. Christ cannotlose one, but as he may lose more, and so, in conclusion, loseall: but of all that God has given him, he will lose nothing (John6:38, 39). Besides, to lose one would encourage Satan, disparagehis own wisdom, make him incapable of giving in, at the day ofaccount, the whole tale19 to God of those that he has given him. Further, this would dishearten sinners, and make them afraid ofventuring their cause and their souls in his hand; and would, as Isaid before, either prove his propitiation in some sense ineffectual, or else himself defective in his pleading on it; but none of thesethings must be supposed. He will thoroughly plead the cause of hispeople, execute judgment for them, bring them out to the light, and cause them to behold his righteousness (Micah 7:9). 

Third Privilege. The plea of Satan is groundless, and that isanother privilege: for albeit thou hast sinned, yet since Christbefore has paid thy debt, and also paid for more; since thouhast not yet run beyond the price of thy redemption; it must beconcluded that Satan wants a good bottom to ground his plea upon, and therefore must, in conclusion, fail of his design. True, thereis sin committed, there is a law transgressed, but there is also asatisfaction for this transgression, and that which superabounds;so, though there be sin, yet there wants a foundation for a plea. Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, but Christ had othergarments provided for him, change of raiment: wherefore iniquity, as to the charge of Satan, vanishes. "And the angel answered andsaid, Take away the filthy garments from him" [this intimates thatthere was no ground, no sufficient ground, for Satan's charge];"and unto him he said, Behold I have caused thine iniquity to passfrom thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment" (Zech3:4). 20

Now, if there be no ground, no sound and sufficient ground, to builda charge against the child upon, I mean, as to eternal condemnation;for that is the thing contended for; then, as I said, Satan mustfall "like lightning to the ground, " and be cast over the bar, asa corrupt and illegal pleader. But this is so, as in part is provedalready, and will be further made out by that which follows. Theythat have indeed Christ to be their Advocate, are themselves, byvirtue of another law than that against which they have sinned, secured from the charge that Satan brings in against them. I grantedbefore, that the child of God has sinned, and that there is a lawthat condemneth for this sin; but here is the thing, this child isremoved by an act of grace into and under another law: "For we arenot under the law, " and so, consequently, "there is now no condemnationfor them" (Rom 6:14, 8:1). Wherefore, when God speaketh of hisdealing with his, he saith, It shall "not be by their covenant, "that is, not by that of the law, they then being not under the law(Eze 16:61). What if a plea be commenced against them, a plea forsin, and they have committed sin; a plea grounded upon the law, andthe law takes cognizance of their sin? Yet, I say, the plea wantsa good bottom, for that the person thus accused is put under anotherlaw; hence, he says, "Sin shall not have dominion over you, forye are not under the law. " If the child was under the law, Satan'scharge would be good, because it would have a substantial groundof support; but since the child is dead to the law, (Gal 2:19), andthat also dead to him, for both are true as to condemnation, (Rom7:6), how can it be that Satan should have a sufficient ground forhis charge, though he should have matter of fact, sufficient matterof fact, that is sin? For by his change of relation, he is put outof the reach of that law. There is a woman, a widow, that oweth asum of money, and she is threatened to be sued for the debt; nowwhat doth she but marrieth; so, when the action is commenced againsther as a widow, the law finds her a married woman; what now canbe done? Nothing to her; she is not who she was; she is deliveredfrom that state by her marriage; if anything be done, it must bedone to her husband. But if Satan will sue Christ for my debt, heoweth him nothing; and as for what the law can claim of me whileI was under it, Christ has delivered me by redemption from thatcurse, "being made a curse for me" (Gal 3:13). 

Now the covenant into which I am brought by grace, by which alsoI am secured from the law, is not a law of sin and death, as thatis from under which I am brought, (Rom 8:2), but a law of grace andlife; so that Satan cannot come at me by that law; and by grace, I am by that secured also from the hand, and mouth, and sting ofall other; I mean still, as to an eternal concern. Wherefore Godsaith, "If we break his law, the law of works, he will visit oursin with a rod, and our iniquity with stripes; but his covenant, his new covenant, will he not break, " but will still keep close tothat, and so secure us from eternal condemnation (Psa 89:30-37). 

Christ also is made the mediator of that covenant, and thereforean Advocate by that; for his priestly office and advocateship areincluded by his mediation; wherefore when Satan pleads by the old, Christ pleads by the new covenant, for the sake of which the oldone is removed. "In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath madethe first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready tovanish away" (Heb 8:13). So, then, the ground of plea is with JesusChrist, and not with our accuser. Now, what doth Christ plead, andwhat is the ground of his plea? Why, he pleads for exemption andfreedom from condemnation, though by the law of works his childrenhave deserved it; and the ground for this his plea, as to law, isthe matter of the covenant itself, for thus it runs: "For I willbe merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and theiriniquities will I remember no more" (Heb 8:12). Now here is afoundation-a foundation in law, for our Advocate to build his pleaupon; a foundation in a law not to be moved, or removed, or madeto give place, as that is forced to do, upon which Satan groundshis plea against us. Men, when they plead before a judge, use toplead matter of law. Now, suppose there is an old law in the realm, by which men deserve to be condemned to death, and there is a newlaw in this realm that secureth men from that condemnation whichbelongs to them by the old; and suppose also, that I am completelycomprehended by all the provisos of the new law, and not by anytittle thereof excluded from a share therein; and suppose, again, that I have a brangling adversary that pursues me by the old law, which yet cannot in right touch me, because I am interested inthe new; my advocate also is one that pleads by the new law, whereonly there is a ground of plea; shall not now mine adversary feelthe power of his plea to the delivering of me, and the putting ofhim to shame? Yes, verily; especially since the plea is good, thejudge just; nor can the enemy find any ground for a demur21 tobe put in against my present discharge in open court, and that byproclamation; especially since my Advocate has also, by his blood, fully satisfied the old law, that he might establish the new (Heb10: 9, 11, 12). 

Fourth Privilege. Since that which goeth before is true, itfollows, that he that entereth his plea against the children mustneeds be overthrown; for always before just judges it is the rightthat taketh place. Judge the right, O Lord, said David; or, "letmy sentence come forth from thy presence, " according to the law ofgrace. And he that knows what strong ground, or bottom, our Advocatehas for his pleadings, and how Satan's accusations are without soundfoundation, will not be afraid, he speaking in Christ, to say, Iappeal to God Almighty, since Christ is my Advocate by the new law, whether I ought to be condemned to death and hell for what Satanpleads against me by the old. Satan urgeth that we have sinned, but Christ pleads to his propitiatory sacrifice; and so Satan isoverthrown. Satan pleads the law of works, but Christ pleads thelaw of grace. Further, Satan pleads the justice and holiness ofGod against us; and there the accuser is overthrown again. And tothem Christ appeals, and his appeal is good, since the law testifiesto the sufficiency of the satisfaction that Christ has made theretoby his obedience (Rom 3:22, 23). And also, since by another covenant, God himself has given us to Jesus Christ, and so delivered usfrom the old. Wherefore you read nothing as an effect of Satan'spleading against us, but that his mouth is stopped, as appears byZechariah 3; and that he is cast; yea, cast down, as you have itin Revelation 12. 

Indeed, when God admits not, when Christ wills not to be an Advocate, and when Satan is bid stand at the right hand of one accused, toenforce, by pleading against him, the things charged on him by thelaw, then he can prevail-prevail for ever against such a wretchedone (Psa 109: 6, 7). But when Christ stands up to plead, whenChrist espouses this or that man's cause, then Satan must retreat, then he must go down. And this necessarily flows from the text, "We have an Advocate, " a prevailing one, one that never lost cause, one that always puts the children's enemy to the rout before thejudgment-seat of God. 22

This, therefore, is another privilege that they have, who have JesusChrist for their Advocate; their enemy must needs be overthrown, because both law and justice are on their side. 

Fifth Privilege. Thine advocate has pity for thee, and great indignationagainst thine accuser: and these are two excellent things. When alawyer hath pity for a man whose cause he pleadeth, it will engagehim much; but when he has indignation also against the man's accuser, this will yet engage him more. Now, Christ has both these, and thatnot of humour, but by grace and justice; grace to us, and justiceto our accuser. He came down from heaven that he might be a Priest, and returned thither again to be Priest and Advocate for his; andin both these offices he levelleth his whole force and power againstthine accuser: "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil" (I John 3:8). 

Cunning men will, if they can, retain such an one to be theirAdvocate, who has a particular quarrel against their adversary; forthus, think they, he that is such, will not only plead for me, butfor himself, and to right his own wrongs also; and since, if it beso, and it is so here, my concerns and my Advocate's are interwoven, I am like to fare much the better for the anger that is conceivedin his heart against him. And this, I say, is the children's case;their Advocate counteth their accuser his greatest enemy, andwaiteth for a time to take vengeance, and he usually then takesthe opportunity when he has aught to do for his people against him. Hence he says, "The day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the yearof my redeemed is come" (Isa 63:3, 4). 

I do not say that this revenge of Christ is, as ofttimes is a man's, of spite, prejudice, or other irregular lettings out of passions;but it ariseth from righteousness and truth; nor can it be but thatJesus must have a desire to take vengeance on his enemy and ours, since holiness is in him, to the utmost bounds of perfection. AndI say again, that in all his pleading as an Advocate, as well asin his offering as a Priest, he has a hot and flaming desire anddesign to right himself upon his foe and ours; hence he triumphedover him when he died for us upon the cross, and designed thespoiling of his principality, while he poured out his blood for usbefore God. We then have this advantage more, in that Christ is ourAdvocate, our enemy is also his, and the Lord Jesus counts him so(Col 2:14, 15). 

Sixth Privilege. As thine Advocate, so thy judge holdeth thineaccuser for his enemy also; for it is not of love to righteousnessand justice that Satan accuseth us to God, but that he may destroythe workmanship of God. Wherefore he also fighteth against God whenhe accuseth the children; and this thy Father knows right well. Hemust therefore needs distinguish between the charge and the mindthat brings it; especially when what is charged upon us is underthe gracious promise of a pardon, as I have showed it is. Shallnot the Judge then hear his Son-for our Advocate is his Son-in thecause of one that he favours, and that he justly can, against anenemy who seeks his dishonour, and the destruction of his eternaldishonour, and the destruction of his eternal designs of grace?

A mention of the judge's son goes far with countrymen; and greatstriving there is with them who have great enemies and bad causesto get the judge's son to plead, promising themselves that thejudge is as like to hear him, and to yield a verdict to his plea, as to any other lawyer. But what now shall we say concerning ourJudge's Son, who takes part, not only with his children, but withhim, and with law and justice, in pleading against our accuser?Yea, what shall we say when both Judge, and Advocate, and law, areall bent to make our persons stand and escape, whatever, and howtruly soever, the charge and accusation is by which we are assaultedof the devil. And yet all this is true; wherefore, here is anotherprivilege of them that have Jesus for their Advocate. 

Seventh Privilege. Another privilege that they have who have JesusChrist for their Advocate is, that he is undaunted, and of a goodcourage, as to the cause that he undertakes; for that is a requisitequalification for a lawyer, to be bold and undaunted in a man'scause. Such an one is coveted, especially by him that knows hehas a brazen-faced antagonist. Wherefore, he saith that "he willset his face like a flint, " when he stands up to plead the causeof his people (Isa 50:5-7). Lawyers, of all men, need this courage, and to be above others, men of hard foreheads, because of theaffronts that sometimes they meet with, be their cause never sogood, in the face sometimes, of the chief of a kingdom. Now Christis our lawyer, and stands up to plead, not only sometimes, butalways, for his people, before the God of gods, and that not ina corner, but while all the host of heaven stands by, both on theright hand and on the left. Nor is it to be doubted but that ouraccuser brings many a sore charge against us into the court; but, however, we have an Advocate that is valiant and courageous, onethat will not fail nor be discouraged till he has brought judgmentunto victory. Hence John asserts his name, saying, "If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. "

Men love to understand a man before they commit their cause untohim-to wit, whether he be fitly qualified for their business. Well, here is an Advocate propounded, an Advocate to plead our causeagainst our foe. But what is he? What is his name? Is he qualifiedfor my business? The answer is, It is Jesus Christ. How? Jesus Christ, what! That old friend of publicans and sinners? Jesus Christ! Heused never to fail, he used to set his face like a flint againstSatan when he pleaded the cause of his people. Is it Jesus Christ?says the knowing soul; then he shall be mine Advocate. 

For my part, I have often wondered, when I have considered whatsad causes Jesus Christ sometimes takes in hand, and for what sadsouls he sometimes pleads with God his Father. He had need of aface as hard as flint, else how could he bear up in that work inwhich for us sometimes he is employed-a work enough to make angelsblush. Some, indeed, will lightly put off this, and say, "It ishis office"; but, I say, his office, notwithstanding the work initself is hard, exceeding hard, when he went to die, had he notdespised the shame, he had turned his back upon the cross, and leftus in our blood. And now it is his turn to plead, the case wouldbe the same, only he can make argument upon that which to us seemsto yield no argument at all, to take courage to plead for a Joshua, for a Joshua clothed, clothed with filthy garments. He, saith he, that "shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterousand sinful generation: of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, " &C(Mark 8:38). Hence it follows that Christ will be ashamed of some;but why not ashamed of others? It is not because their cause isgood, but because they are kept from denying of him professedly;wherefore, for such he will force himself, and will set his facelike a flint, and will, without shame, own, plead, and improve hisinterest with God for them, even for them whose cause is so horriblybad and gross that themselves do blush while they think thereof. But what will not love do? What will not love bear with? And whatwill not love suffer? Of all the offices of Jesus Christ, I thinkthis trieth him as much as any! True, his offering himself in sacrificetried him greatly, but that was but for awhile; his grappling, asa captain, with the curse, death, and hell, tried him much, butthat also was but for awhile; but this office of being an Advocate, though it meeteth not with such sudden depths of trouble, yet whatis wants in shortness it may meet with in length of time. I knowChrist, being raised from the dead, dies no more; yet he has notleft off, though in heaven, to do some works of service for hissaints on earth; for there he pleads as an Advocate or lawyer forhis people (Heb 8:1, 2). And let it be that he has no cause of shamewhen he standeth thus up to plead for so vile a wretch as I, whohave so vilely sinned, yet I have cause to think that well he may, and to hold my hands before my face for shame, and to be confoundedwith shame, while he, to fetch me off from condemnation for mytransgressions, sets his face like a flint to plead for me withGod, and against my accuser. But thus much for the seventh privilegethat they have by Christ who have him for their Advocate. 

Eighth Privilege. Another privilege that they have who have JesusChrist to be their Advocate is this, He is always ready, alwaysin court, always with the judge, then and there to oppose, if ouraccuser comes, and to plead against him what is pleadable for hischildren. And this the text implies where it saith, "We have anAdvocate with the Father, " always with the Father. Some lawyers, though they are otherwise able and shrewd, yet not being alwaysin court and ready, do suffer their poor clients to be baffled andnonsuited23 by their adversary; yea, it so comes to pass becauseof this neglect, that a judgment is got out against them for whomthey have undertaken to plead, to their great perplexity and damage:but no such opportunity can Satan have of our Advocate, for he iswith the Father, always with the Father; as to be a Priest, so tobe an Advocate-"We have an Advocate with the Father. " It is said ofthe priests, they wait at the altar, and that they give attendancethere, (I Cor 9:13); also of the magistrate, that as to his office, he should attend "continually on this very thing" (Rom 13:6). And as these, so Christ, as to his office of an Advocate, attendscontinually upon that office with his Father. "We have an Advocatewith the Father, " always with the Father. And truly such anAdvocate becomes the children of God, because of the vigilance oftheir enemy; for it is said of him, that "he accuseth us day andnight, " so unweariedly doth he both seek and pursue our destruction(Rev 12:10). But behold how we are provided for him-"We have anAdvocate with the Father. " If he come a-days, our Advocate is withthe Father; if he come a-nights, our Advocate is with the Father24

Thus, then, is our Advocate ready to put check to Satan, come hewhen he will or can, to accuse us to the Father. Wherefore thesetwo texts are greatly to be minded, one of them, for that it showsus the restlessness of our enemy, the other, for that it shows usthe diligence of our Advocate. 

That, also, in the Hebrews shows us the carefulness of our Advocate, where it saith, He is gone "into heaven itself, now to appear inthe presence of God for us" (Heb 9:24). Now, just the time present;NOW, the time always present; NOW, let Satan come when he will! Noris it to be omitted that this word that thus specifies the time, the present time, doth also conclude it to be that time in whichwe are imperfect in grace, in which we have many failings, in whichwe are tempted and accused of the devil to God; this is the time, and in it, and every whit of it, he now appeareth in the presenceof God for us. Oh, the diligence of our enemy; oh, the diligenceof our friend!-the one against us, the other for us, and thatcontinually-"If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. " This, then, that Jesus Christ is alwaysan Advocate with the Father for us, and so continually ready to puta check to every accusation that Satan brings into the presence ofGod against us, is another of the privileges that they have, whohave Jesus Christ for their Advocate. 

Ninth Privilege. Another privilege that they have who have JesusChrist to be their Advocate is this, he is such an one that willnot, by bribes, by flattery, nor fair pretenses, be turned asidefrom pursuing of his client's business. This was the fault oflawyers in old time, that they would wrest judgment for a bribe. Hence the Holy One complained, that a bribe did use to blind theeyes of the wise, and pervert the judgment of the righteous (I Sam12:3; Amos 5:12; Deut 16:19). 

There are three things in judgment that a lawyer must take heedof-one is the nature of the offence, the other is the meaning andintendment of the law-makers, and a third is to plead for them indanger, without respect to affection or reward; and this is theexcellency of our Advocate, he will not, cannot be biased to turnaside from doing judgment. And this the apostle intendeth whenhe calleth our Advocate "Jesus Christ the righteous. " "We havean Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous"; or, asanother prophet calls him, to wit, "The just Lord-one that will notdo iniquity"-that is, no unrighteousness in judgment (Zeph 3:5). Hewill not be provoked to do it, neither by the continual solicitationsof thine enemy; nor by thy continual provocations wherewith, byreason of thy infirm condition, thou dost often tempt him to doit. And remember that thy Advocate pleads by the new covenant, andthine adversary accuses by the old; and again, remember that thenew covenant is better and more richly provided with grounds ofpleading for our pardon and salvation, than the old can be withgrounds for a charge to be brought in by the devil against us, supposeour sin be never so heinous. It is a better covenant, establishedupon better promises. 

Now, put these two together-namely, that Jesus Christ is righteous, and will not swerve in judgment; also, that he pleads for us by thenew law, with which Satan hath nothing to do, nor, had he, can heby it bring in a plea against us, because that law, in the verybody of it, consists in free promises of giving grace unto us, andof an everlasting forgiveness of our sin (Jer 31:31-34; Eze 36:25-30;Heb 8:8-13) O children, your Advocate will stick to the law, to thenew law, to the new and everlasting covenant, and will not admitthat anything should be pleaded by our foe that is inconsistent withthe promise of the gift of grace, and of the remission of all sin. This, therefore, is another privilege that they are made partakersof who have Jesus Christ to be their Advocate. He is just, he isrighteous, he is "Jesus Christ the righteous"; he will not be turnedaside to judge awry, either of the crime or the law, for favour oraffection. Nor is there any sin but what is pardonable committedby those that have chosen Jesus Christ to be their Advocate. 

Tenth Privilege. Another privilege that they have who have JesusChrist to be their Advocate, is this, the Father has made him, evenhim that is thine Advocate, the umpire and judge in all mattersthat have, do, or shall fall out betwixt him and us. Mark thiswell; for when the judge himself, before whom I am accused, shallmake mine Advocate, the judge of the nature of the crime for whichI am accused, and of matter of law by which I am accused-to wit, whether it is in force against me to condemnation, or whether bythe law of grace I am set free, especially since my Advocate hasespoused my cause, promised me deliverance, and pleaded my rightto the state of eternal life-must it not go well with me? Yes, verily. The judge, then, making thine Advocate the judge, for he"hath committed all judgment unto the Son, " hath done it also forthy sake who hast chosen him to be thine Advocate (John 5:22) Itwas a great thing that happened to Israel when Joseph was becometheir advocate, and when Pharaoh had made him a judge. "Thou, "says he, "shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shallall my people be ruled. See, I have set thee over all the land ofEgypt-and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in allthe land of Egypt-only in the throne will I be greater than thou"(Gen 41:40, 44). Joseph in this was a type of Christ, and hisgovernment here of the government of Christ for his church. Kingsseldom make a man's judge his advocate; they seldom leave the issueof the whole affair to the arbitration of the poor man's lawyer;but when they do, methinks it should even go to the heart's desireof the client whose the advocate is, especially when, as I saidbefore, the cause of the client is become the concern of the advocate, and that they are both wrapped up in the self-same interest; yea, when the judge himself also is therein concerned; and yet thus itis with that soul who has Jesus Christ for his Advocate. What sayestthou, poor heart, to this? The judge-to wit, the God of heaven, has made thy Advocate, arbitrator in thy business; he is to judge;God has referred the matter to him, and he has a concern in thyconcern, an interest in thy good speed. Christian man, dost thouhear? Thou hast put thy cause into the hand of Jesus Christ, andhast chosen him to be thine Advocate to plead for thee before Godand against thy adversary; and God has referred the judgment ofthat matter to thy Advocate, so that he has power to determine thematter. I know Satan is not pleased with this. He had rather thingsshould have been referred to himself, and then woe had been to thechild of God; but, I say, God has referred the business to JesusChrist, has made him umpire and judge in thine affair. Art thoualso willing that he should decide the matter? Canst thou say untohim as David, "Judge me, O God, and plead my cause" (Psa 43:1)?Oh, the care of God towards his people, and the desire of theirwelfare! He has provided them an Advocate, and he has referredall causes and things that may by Satan be objected and brought inagainst us, to the judgment and sentence of Christ our Advocate. But to come to a conclusion for this; and therefore, Eleventh Privilege. The advantage that he has that has the LordJesus for his Advocate is very great. Thy Advocate has the cause, has the law, has the judge, has the purse, and so consequently hasall that is requisite for an Advocate to have, since together withthese he has heart, he has wisdom, he has courage, and loves tomake the best improvement of his advantages for the benefit of hisclient; and that which adds to all is, he can prove the debt paid, about which Satan makes such ado-a price given for the ransom of mysoul and for the pardon of my sins. Lawyers do use to make a greatmatter of it, when they can prove, that that very debt is paid forwhich their client is sued at law. Now this Christ Jesus himselfis witness to; yea, he himself has paid it, and that out of his ownpurse, for us, with his own hands, before and upon the mercy-seat, according as the law requireth (Lev 16:13-15; Heb 9:11-24). Whatthen can accrue to our enemy? or what advantage can he get by histhus vexing and troubling the children of the Most High? Certainlynothing, but, as has been said already, to be cast down; for thekingdom of our God, which is a kingdom of grace, and the power of hisChrist will prevail. Samson's power lay in his hair, but Christ'spower, his power to deliver us from the accusation and chargeof Satan, lieth in the worth of his undertakings. And hence it issaid again, "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, " andhe was cast out and down (Rev 12:10-12). And thus much for theprivileges that those are made partakers of, who have Jesus Christto be their Advocate. 

[THE NECESSITY OF HAVING CHRIST FOR OUR ADVOCATE. ]

Fifthly, I come now to the fifth thing, which is, to show you whatnecessity there is that Christ should be our Advocate. 

That Christ should be a Priest to offer sacrifice, a King to rule, and a Prophet to teach, all seeing men acknowledge is of necessity;but that he should be an Advocate, a pleader for his people, fewsee the reason of it. But he is an Advocate, and as an Advocate hasa work and employ distinct from his priestly, kingly, or propheticaloffices. John says, "He is our Advocate, " and signifieth also thenature of his work as such, in that very place where he assertethhis office; as also I have showed you in that which goes before. But having already showed you the nature, I will now show you thenecessity of this office. 

First. It is necessary for the more full and ample vindication ofthe justice of God against all the cavils of the infernal spirits. Christ died on earth to declare the justice of God to men in hisjustifying the ungodly. God standeth upon the vindication of hisjustice, as well as upon the act thereof. Hence the Holy Ghost, bythe prophets and apostles, so largely disputeth for the vindicationthereof, while it asserteth the reality of the pardon of sin, thejustification of the unworthy, and their glorification with God(Rom 3:24; Isa, Jer, Mal; Rom 3, 4, 8; Gal 3, 4). I say, while itdisputeth the justness of this high act of God against the cavilsof implacable sinners. Now the prophets and apostles, in thosedisputes by which they seek to vindicate the justice of God inthe salvation of sinners, are not only ministers of God to us, butadvocates for him; since, as Elihu has it, they "speak on God'sbehalf, " or, as the margin has it, "I will show thee that thereare yet words for God, " words to be spoken and pleaded against hisenemies for the justification of his actions (Job 36:2). Now, asit is necessary that there should be advocates for God on earthto plead for his justice and holiness, while he saveth sinners, against the cavils of an ungodly people, so it is necessary thatthere should be an Advocate also in heaven, that may there vindicatethe same justice and holiness of God from all those charges thatthe fallen angels are apt to charge it with, while it consenteththat we, though ungodly, should be saved. 

That the fallen angels are bold enough to charge God to his facewith unjustness of language, is evident in the 1st and 2nd of Job;and that they should not be as bold to charge him with unjustnessof actions, nothing can be showed to the contrary. Further, thatGod seeks to clear himself of this unjust charge of Satan is asmanifest; for all the troubles of his servant Job were chiefly forthat purpose. And why he should have one also in heaven to pleadfor the justness of his doing in the forgiveness and salvation ofsinners appears also as necessary, even because there is one, evenan Advocate with the Father, or on the Father's side, seeking tovindicate his justice, while he pleadeth with him for us, againstthe devil and his objections. God is wonderfully pleased with hisdesign in saving of sinners; it pleases him at the heart. And sincehe also is infinitely just, there is need that an Advocate shouldbe appointed to show how, in a way of justice as well as mercy, asinner may be saved. 

The good angels did not at first see so far into the mysteries ofthe gospel of the grace of God, but that they needed further lighttherein for the vindication of their Lord as servants. Whereforethey yet did pry and look narrowly into it further, and also bowedtheir heads and hearts to learn yet more, by the church, of "themanifold wisdom of God" (I Peter 1:12; Eph 3:9, 10). And if thestanding angels were not yet, to the utmost, perfect in the knowledgeof this mystery, and yet surely they must know more thereof thanthose that fell could do, no wonder if those devils, whose enmitycould not but animate their ignorance, made, and do make, theircavils against justice, insinuating that it is not impartial andexact, because it, as it is just, justifieth the ungodly. 

That Satan will quarrel with God I have showed you, and that hewill also dispute against his works with the holy angels, is morethan intimated by the apostle Jude, verse 9, and why not quarrelwith, and accuse the justice of God as unrighteous, for consentingto the salvation of sinners, since his best qualifications aremost profound and prodigious attempts to dethrone the Lord God ofhis power and glory. 

Nay, all this is evident, since "we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. " And again, I say, it is evident thatone part of his work as an Advocate, is to vindicate the justiceof God while he pleadeth for our salvation, because he pleadeth apropitiation; for a propitiation respects God as well as us; theappeasing his wrath, and the reconciling of his justice to us, aswell as the redeeming us from death and hell; yea, it thereforedoth the one, because it doth the other. Now, if Christ, as anAdvocate, pleadeth a propitiation with God, for whose convictiondoth he plead it? Not for God's; for he has ordained it, allowsit, and gloriously acquiesces therein, because he knows the wholevirtue thereof. It is therefore for the conviction of the fallenangels, and for the confounding of all those cavils that can beinvented and objected against our salvation by those most subtleand envious ones. But, Second. There is matter of law to be objected, and that both againstGod and us; at least, there seems to be so, because of the sanctionthat God has put upon the law, and also because we have sinnedagainst it. God has said, "In the day thou eatest thereof, thoushalt surely die"; and, "the soul that sinneth, it shall die. " Godalso standeth still upon the vindication of his justice, he alsosaveth sinners. Now, in comes our accuser, and chargeth us of sin, of being guilty of sin, because we have transgressed the law. Godalso will not be put out of his way, or steps of grace, to save us;also he will say, he is just and righteous still. Ay, but theseare but say-so's. How shall this be proved? Why, now, here is roomfor an advocate that can plead to matter of law, that can preservethe sanction of the law in the salvation of the sinner-"He willmagnify the law, and make it honourable" (Isa 42:21). The marginsaith, "and make him honourable25"--that is, he shall save the sinner, and preserve the holiness of the law, and the honour of his God. But who is this that can do this? "It is the servant of God, " saiththe prophet, (Isa 42:1, 13), "the Lord, a man of war. " But how canthis be done by him? The answer is, It shall be done, "for God iswell pleased for his righteousness' sake"; for it is by that hemagnifies the law, and makes his Father honourable-that is, he, asa public person, comes into the world under the law, fulfills it, and having so done, he gives that righteousness away, for he, asto his own person, never had need thereof; I say, he gives thatrighteousness to those that have need, to those that have noneof their own, that righteousness might be imputed to them. Thisrighteousness, then, he presenteth to God for us, and God, for thisrighteousness' sake, is well pleased that we should be saved, andfor it can save us, and secure his honour, and preserve the law inits sanction. And this Christ pleadeth against Satan as an Advocatewith the Father for us; by which he vindicates his Father's justice, holdeth the child of God, notwithstanding his sins, in a state ofjustification, and utterly overthroweth and confoundeth the devil. 

For Christ, in pleading thus, appeals to the law itself, if hehas not done it justice, saying, "Most mighty law, what command ofthine have I not fulfilled? What demand of thine have I not fullyanswered? Where is that jot or tittle of the law that is able toobject against my doings for want of satisfaction?" Here the lawis mute; it speaketh not one word by way of the least complaint, but rather testifies of this righteousness that it is good andholy, (Rom 3:22, 23; 5:15-19). Now, then, since Christ did this asa public person, it follows that others must be justified thereby;for that was the end and reason of Christ's taking on him to dothe righteousness of the law. Nor can the law object against theequity of this dispensation of heaven; for why might not that God, who gave the law his being and his sanction, dispose as he pleasesof the righteousness which it commendeth? Besides, if men be maderighteous, they are so; and if by a righteousness which the lawcommendeth, how can fault be found with them by the law? Nay, it is"witnessed by the law and the prophets, " who consent that it shouldbe unto all, and upon all them that believe, for their justification(Rom 3:20, 21). 

And that the mighty God suffereth the prince of the devils to dowith the law what he can, against this most wholesome and godlydoctrine; it is to show the truth, goodness, and permanency thereof;for this is as who should say, Devil, do thy worst! When the law isin the hand of an easy pleader, though the cause that he pleadethbe good, a crafty opposer may overthrow the right; but here is thesalvation of the children in debate, whether it can stand with lawand justice; the opposer of this is the devil, his argument againstit is the law; he that defends the doctrine is Christ the Advocate, who, in his plea, must justify the justice of God, defend theholiness of the law, and save the sinner from all the arguments, pleas, stops and demurs that Satan is able to put in against it. And this he must do fairly, righteously, simply, pleading the voiceof the self-same law for the justification of what he standeth for, which Satan pleads against it; for though it is by the new law thatour salvation comes, yet by the old law is the new law approved ofand the way of salvation thereby by it consented to. 

This shows, therefore, that Christ is not ashamed to own the wayof our justification and salvation, no, not before men and devils. It shows also that he is resolved to dispute and plead for the same, though the devil himself shall oppose it. And since our adversarypretends a plea in law against it, it is meet that there should bean open hearing before the Judge of all about it; but, forasmuch aswe neither can nor dare appear to plead for ourselves, our good Godhas thought fit we should do it by an advocate: "We have an Advocatewith the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. " This, therefore, isthe second thing that shows the need that we have of an Advocate-towit, our adversary pretends that he has a plea in law against us, and that by law we should be otherwise disposed of than to be madepossessors of the heavenly kingdom. But, Third. There are many things relating to the promise, to our life, and to the threatenings, that minister matter of question anddoubt, and give the advantage of objections unto him that so eagerlydesireth to be putting in cavils against our salvation, all whichit hath pleased God to repel by Jesus Christ our Advocate. 

1. There are many things relating to the promises, as to the largenessand straitness of words, as to the freeness and conditionality ofthem, which we are not able so well to understand; and, therefore, when Satan dealeth with us about them, we quickly fall to theground before him; we often conclude that the words of the promiseare too narrow and strait to comprehend us; we also think, verily, that the conditions of some promises do utterly shut us out fromhope of justification and life; but our Advocate, who is for us withthe Father, he is better acquainted with, and learned in, this lawthan to be baffled out with a bold word or two, or with a subtlepiece of hellish sophistication (Isa 50:4). He knows the truepurport, intent, meaning, and sense of every promise, and piece ofpromise that is in the whole Bible, and can tell how to plead itfor advantage against our accuser, and doth so. And I gather itnot only from his contest with Satan for Joshua, (Zech 3), and fromhis conflict with him in the wilderness, (Matt 4), and in heaven, (Rev 14), but also from the practice of Satan's emissaries here;for what his angels do, that doth he. Now there is here nothingmore apparent than that the instruments of Satan do plead againstthe church, from the pretended intricacy, ambiguity, and difficultyof the promise; whence I gather, so doth Satan before the tribunalof God; but there we have one to match him; "we have an Advocatewith the Father, " that knows law and judgment better than Satan, and statute and commandment better than all his angels; and by theverdict of our Advocate, all the words, and limits, and extensionsof words, with all conditions of the promises, are expounded andapplied! And hence it is that it sometimes so falleth out that thevery promise we have thought could not reach us, to comfort us byany means, has at another time swallowed us up with joy unspeakable. Christ, the true Prophet, has the right understanding of the Wordas an Advocate, has pleaded it before God against Satan, and havingovercome him at the common law, he hath sent to let us know it byhis good Spirit, to our comfort, and the confusion of our enemy. Again, 2. There are many things relating to our lives that minister to ouraccuser occasions of many objections against our salvation; for, besides our daily infirmities, there are in our lives gross sins, many horrible backslidings; also we ofttimes suck and drink inmany abominable errors and deceitful opinions, of all which Satanaccuseth us before the judgment-seat of God, and pleadeth hard thatwe may be damned for ever for them. Besides, some of these thingsare done after light received, against present convictions anddissuasions to the contrary, against solemn engagements to amendment, when the bonds of love were upon us (Jer 2:20). These are cryingsins; they have a loud voice in themselves against us, and giveto Satan great advantage and boldness to sue for our destructionbefore the bar of God; nor doth he want skill to aggravate and tocomment profoundly upon all occasions and circumstances that didattend us in these our miscarriages-to wit, that we did it withouta cause, also, when we had, had we had grace to have used them, many things to have helped us against such sins, and to have keptus clean and upright. "There is also a sin unto death, " (I John5:16), and he can tell how to labour, by argument and sleight ofspeech, to make our transgressions, not only to border upon, butto appear in the hue, shape, and figure of that, and thereto makehis objection against our salvation. He often argueth thus withus, and fasteneth the weight of his reasons upon our consciences, to the almost utter destruction of us, and the bringing of us downto the gates of despair and utter destruction; the same sins, withtheir aggravating circumstances, as I said, he pleadeth againstus at the bar of God. But there he meeteth with Jesus Christ, ourLord and Advocate, who entereth his plea against him, unravelsall his reasons and arguments against us, and shows the guile andfalsehood of them. He also pleadeth as to the nature of sin, as alsoto all those high aggravations, and proveth that neither the sin initself, nor yet as joined with all its advantageous circumstances, can be the sin unto death, (Col 2:19), because we hold the head, and have not "made shipwreck of faith, " (I Tim 1:19), but still, as David and Solomon, we confess, and are sorry for our sins. Thus, though we seem, through our falls, to come short of the promise, with Peter, (Heb 4:1-3), and leave our transgressions as stumblingblocks to the world, with Solomon, and minister occasion of a questionof our salvation among the godly, yet our Advocate fetches us offbefore God, and we shall be found safe and in heaven at last, bythem in the next world, who were afraid they had lost us in this. 

But all these points must be managed by Christ for us, againstSatan, as a lawyer, an advocate, who to that end now appears in thepresence of God for us, and wisely handleth the very crisis of theword, and of the failings of his people, together with all thosenice and critical juggles by which our adversary laboureth to bringus down, to the confusion of his face. 

3. There are also the threatenings that are annexed to the gospel, and they fall now under our consideration. They are of two sorts-suchas respect those who altogether neglect and reject the gospel, orthose that profess it, yet fall in or from the profession thereof. 

The first sort of threatening cannot be pleaded against the professorsof the gospel as against those that never professed it; whereforehe betaketh himself to manage those threatenings against us thatbelong to those that have professed, and that have fallen fromit (Psa 109:1-6). Joshua fell in it (Zech 3:1, 2). Judas fellfrom it, and the accuser stands at the right hand of them beforethe judgment of God, to resist them, by pleading the threateningsagainst them-to wit, that God's soul should have no pleasurein them. "If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure inhim. " Here is a plea for Satan, both against the one and the other;they are both apostatized, both drawn back, and he is subtle enoughto manage it. 

Ay, but Satan, here is also matter sufficient for a plea for ourAdvocate against thee, forasmuch as the next words distinguishbetwixt drawing back, and drawing back "unto perdition"; everyone that draws back, doth not draw back unto perdition (Heb 10:38, 39). Some of them draw back from, and some in the profession of, the gospel. Judas drew back from, and Peter in the profession ofhis faith; wherefore Judas perishes, but Peter turns again, becauseJudas drew back unto perdition, but Peter yet believed to the savingof the soul. 26 Nor doth Jesus Christ, when he sees it is to no boot, at any time step in to endeavour to save the soul. Wherefore, asfor Judas, for his backsliding from the faith, Christ turns him upto Satan, and leaveth him in his hand, saying, "When he shall bejudged, let him be condemned: and let his prayer become sin" (Psa109:7) But he will not serve Peter so-"The Lord will not leavehim in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged" (Psa 37:33). He will pray for him before, and plead for him after, he hath beenin the temptation, and so secure him, by virtue of his advocation, from the sting and lash of the threatening that is made againstfinal apostasy. But, Fourth. The necessity of the Advocate's office in Jesus Christappears plainly in this-to plead about the judgments, distresses, afflictions, and troubles that we meet withal in this life for oursins. For though, by virtue of this office, Christ fully takes usoff from the condemnation that the unbelievers go down to for theirsins, yet he doth not thereby exempt us from temporal punishments, for we see and feel that they daily overtake us; but for theproportioning of the punishment, or affliction for transgression, seeing that comes under the sentence of the law, it is fit that weshould have an Advocate that understands both law and judgment, toplead for equal distribution of chastisement, according, I say, tothe law of grace; and this the Lord Jesus doth. 

Suppose a man for transgression be indicted at the assizes; hisadversary is full of malice, and would have him punished sorelybeyond what by the law is provided for such offence; and he pleadsthat the judge will so afflict and punish as he in his maliciousmind desireth. But the man has an advocate there, and he entershis plea against the cruelty of his client's accuser, saying, Mylord, it cannot be as our enemy would have it; the punishment forthese transgressions is prescribed by that law that we here groundour plea upon; nor may it be declined to satisfy his envy; we standhere upon matters of law, and appeal to the law. And this is thework of our Advocate in heaven. Punishments for the sin of thechildren come not headlong, not without measure, as our accuserwould have them, nor yet as they fall upon those who have none toplead their cause. 27 Hath he smote the children according to thestroke wherewith he hath smitten others? No; "in measure when itshooteth forth, " or seeks to exceed due bounds, "thou wilt debatewith it: he stayeth his rough wind in the day of the east wind"(Isa 27:8). "Thou wilt debate with it, " inquiring and reasoning bythe law, whether the shootings forth of the affliction (now goingout for the offence committed) be not too strong, too heavy, toohot, and of too long a time admitted to distress and break thespirit of this Christian; and if it be, he applies himself to therule to measure it by, he fetches forth his plumb line, and setsit in the midst of his people, (Amos 7:8; Isa 28:17), and laysrighteousness to that, and will not suffer it to go further; butaccording to the quality of the transgression, and according to theterms, bounds, limits, and measures which the law of grace admits, so shall the punishment be. Satan often saith of us when we havesinned, as Abishai said of Shimei after he had cursed David, Shallnot this man die for this? (II Sam 19:21). But Jesus, our Advocate, answers as David, What have I to do with thee, O Satan? Thou thisday art an enemy to me; thou seekest for a punishment for thetransgressions of my people above what is allotted to them by thelaw of grace, under which they are, and beyond what their relationthat they stand in to my Father and myself will admit. Wherefore, as Advocate, he pleadeth against Satan when he brings in againstus a charge for sins committed, for the regulating of punishments, both as to the nature, degree, and continuation of punishment; andthis is the reason why, when we are judged, we are not condemned, but chastened, "that we should not be condemned with the world"(I Cor 11:32). Hence king David says, the Lord hath not given himover to the will of his enemy (Psa 27:12). And again, "The Lordhath chastened me sore; but he hath not given me over unto death"(Psa 118:18). Satan's plea was, that the Lord would give David overto his will, and to the tyranny of death. No, says our Advocate, that must not be; to do so would be an affront to the covenantunder which grace has put them; that would be to deal with them bya covenant of works, under which they are not. There is a rod forchildren; and stripes for those of them that transgress. This rodis in the hand of a Father, and must be used according to the lawof that relation, not for the destruction, but correction of thechildren; not to satisfy the rage of Satan, but to vindicate theholiness of my Father; not to drive them further from, but to bringthem nearer to their God. But, Fifth. The necessity of the advocateship of Jesus Christ isalso manifest in this, for that there is need of one to plead theefficacy of old titles to our eternal inheritance, when our interestthereunto seems questionable by reason of new transgressions. ThatGod's people may, by their new and repeated sins, as to reasonat least, endanger their interest in the eternal inheritance, ismanifest by such groanings of theirs as these-"Why dost thou castme off?" (Psa 43:2). "Cast me not away from thy presence" (Psa 51:11). And, "O God, why hast thou cast us off for ever?" (Psa 74:1). YetI find in the book of Leviticus, that though any of the childrenof Israel should have sold, mortgaged, or made away with theirinheritance, they did not thereby utterly make void their titleto an interest therein, but it should again return to them, andthey again enjoy the possession of it, in the year of jubilee. Inthe year of jubilee, saith God, you shall return every man to hispossession; "the land shall not be sold for ever, " nor be quitecut off, "for the land is mine; for ye are strangers and sojournerswith me. And in all the land of your possession, ye shall grant aredemption for the land" (Lev 25:23, 24). 

The man in Israel that, by waxing poor, did sell his land inCanaan, was surely a type of the Christian who, by sin and decaysin grace, has forfeited his place and inheritance in heaven; butas the ceremonial law provided that the poor man in Canaan shouldnot, by his poverty, lose his portion in Canaan for ever, but thatit should return to him in the year of jubilee; so the law of gracehas provided that the children shall not, for their sin, lose theirinheritance in heaven for ever, but that it shall return to themin the world to come (I Cor 11:32)28

All therefore that happeneth in this case is, they may live withoutthe comfort of it here, as he that had sold his house in Canaanmight live without the enjoyment of it till the jubilee. They mayalso seem to come short of it when they die, as he in Canaan didthat deceased before the year of jubilee; but as certainly as hethat died in Canaan before the jubilee did yet receive again hisinheritance by the hand of his relative survivor when the jubileecame, so certainly shall he that dieth, and that seemeth in his dyingto come short of the celestial inheritance now, be yet admitted, at his rising again, to the repossession of his old inheritance atthe day of judgment. But now here is room for a caviler to object, and to plead against the children, saying, They have forfeitedtheir part of paradise by their sin; what right, then, shall theyhave to the kingdom of heaven? Now let the Lord stand up to plead, for he is Advocate for the children; yea, let them plead thesufficiency of their first title to the kingdom, and that it isnot their doings can sell the land for ever. The reason why thechildren of Israel could not sell the land for ever was, becausethe Lord, their head, reserved to himself a right therein-"The landshall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine. " Suppose two orthree children have a lawful title to such an estate, but they areall profuse and prodigal, and there is a brother also that has bylaw a chief right to the same estate: this brother may hinder theestate from being sold for ever, because it is his inheritance, and he may, when the limited time that his brethren had sold theirshare therein is out, if he will, restore it to them again. And inthe meantime, if any that are unjust should go about utterly andfor ever to deprive his brethren, he may stand up and plead forthem; that in law the land cannot be sold for ever, for that itis his as well as theirs, he being resolved not to part with hisright. O my brethren! Christ will not part with his right of theinheritance unto which you are also born; your profuseness andprodigality shall not make him let go his hold that he hath for youof heaven; nor can you, according to law, sell the land for ever, since it is his, and he hath the principal and chief title thereto. This also gives him ground to stand up to plead for you againstall those that would hold the kingdom from you for ever; for letSatan say what he can against you, yet Christ can say, "The land ismine, " and consequently that his brethren could not sell it. Yes, says Satan, if the inheritance be divided. 

O but, says Christ, the land is undivided; no man has his part setout and turned over to himself; besides, my brethren yet are underage, and I am made their guardian; they have not power to sell theland for ever; the land is mine; also my Father has made me feoffeein trust for my brethren, that they may have what is allotted themwhen they are all come to a perfect man, "unto the measure of thestature of the fulness of Christ" (Eph 4:13). And not before, and Iwill reserve it for them till then; and thus to do is the will ofmy Father, the law of the Judge, and also my unchangeable resolution. And what can Satan say against this plea? Can he prove that Christhas no interest in the saints' inheritance? Can he prove that weare at age, or that our several parts of the heavenly house arealready delivered into our own power? And if he goes about to dothis, is not the law of the land against him? Doth it not say thatour Advocate is "Lord of all, " (Acts 10:36), that the kingdom isChrist's, that it is laid up in heaven for us, (Eph 5:5, Col 1:5);yea, that the "inheritance which is incorruptible, undefiled, andthat fadeth not away, is reserved in heaven for us, who are keptby the power of God, through faith unto salvation" (I Peter 1:4, 5). Thus therefore is our heavenly inheritance made good by ourAdvocate against the thwartings and branglings29 of the devil; norcan our new sins make it invalid, but it abideth safe to us at last, notwithstanding our weaknesses; though, if we sin, we may have butlittle comfort of it, or but little of its present profits, whilewe live in this present world. A spendthrift, though he loses nothis title, may yet lose the present benefit, but the principalwill come again at last; for "we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. "

Sixth. The necessity of the advocateship of Jesus Christ forus further appears in this-to wit, for that our evidences, whichdeclare that we have a right to the eternal inheritance, are oftenout of our own hand, yea, and also sometimes kept long from us, the which we come not at the sight or comfort of again but by ourAdvocate, especially when our evidences are taken from us, becauseof a present forfeiture of this inheritance to God by this or thatmost foul offence. Evidences, when they are thus taken away, as inDavid's case they were, (Psa 51:12), why then they are in our God'shand, laid up, I say, from the sight of them to whom they belong, till they even forget the contents thereof (II Peter 1:5-9). 30

Now when writings and evidences are out of the hand of the owners, andlaid up in the court, where in justice they ought to be kept, theyare not ordinarily got thence again but by the help of a lawyer-anAdvocate. Thus it is with the children of God. We do often forfeitour interest in eternal life, but the mercy is, the forfeit fallsinto the hand of God, not of the law nor of Satan, whereforehe taketh away also our evidences, if not all, yet some of them, as he saith-"I have taken away my peace from this people, evenloving-kindness and mercies" (Jer 16:5). This he took from David, and he entreats for the restoration of it, saying, "Restore untome the joy of thy salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit"(I Chron 17:13; Psa 51:12). And, "Lord, turn us again, cause thyface to shine, and we shall be saved" (Psa 80:3, 7, 19. )

Satan now also hath an opportunity to plead against us, and tohelp forward the affliction, as his servants did of old, when Godwas but a little angry (Zech 1:15); but Jesus Christ our Advocateis ready to appear against him, and to send us from heaven our oldevidences again, or to signify to us that they are yet good andauthentic, and cannot be gainsaid. "Gabriel, " saith he, "make thisman to understand the vision" (Dan 8:16). And again, saith he toanother, "Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall beinhabited as towns without walls" (Zech 2:4). Jerusalem had beenin captivity, had lost many evidences of God's favour and loveby reason of her sin, and her enemy stepped in to augment her sinand sorrow; but there was a man [the angel of the Lord] "among themyrtle trees" that were in the bottom that did prevail with God tosay, I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies; and then commands itto be proclaimed that his "cities through prosperity shall yet bespread abroad" (Zech 1:11-17). Thus, by virtue of our Advocate, weare either made to receive our old evidences for heaven again, orelse are made to understand that they yet are good, and stand validin the court of heaven; nor can they be made ineffectual, but shallabide the test at last, because our Advocate is also concerned inthe inheritance of the saints in light. Christians know what it isto lose their evidences for heaven, and to receive them again, orto hear that they hold their title by them; but perhaps they knownot how they come at this privilege; therefore the apostle tellsthem "they have an Advocate"; and that by him, as Advocate, theyenjoy all these advantages is manifest, because his Advocate'soffice is appointed for our help when we sin-that is, commit sinsthat are great and heinous-"If any man sin, we have an Advocate. "31

By him the justice of God is vindicated, the law answered, thethreatenings taken off, the measure of affliction that for sin weundergo determined, our titles to eternal life preserved, and ourcomfort of them restored, notwithstanding the wit, and rage, andenvy of hell. So, then, Christ gave himself for us as a priest, died for us as a sacrifice, but pleadeth justice and righteousnessin a way of justice and righteousness; for such is his sacrifice, for our salvation from the death that is due to our foul or hightransgressions-as an Advocate. Thus have I given you thus far, anaccount of the nature, end, and necessity of the Advocateship ofJesus Christ, and should now come to the use and application, onlyI must first remove an objection or two. 

[OBJECTIONS REMOVED. ]

SIXTHLY, [I now come to answer some objections. ]

First Objection. But what need all these offices of Jesus Christ?or, what need you trouble us with these nice distinctions? It isenough for us to believe in Christ in the general, without consideringhim under this and that office. 

Answer. The wisdom of God is not to be charged with needless doingwhen it giveth to Jesus Christ such variety of offices, and callethhim to so many sundry employments for us; they are all thoughtnecessary by heaven, and therefore should not be counted superfluousby earth. And to put a question upon thy objection-What is a sacrificewithout a priest, and what is a priest without a sacrifice? Andthe same I say of his Advocate's office-What is an advocate withoutthe exercise of his office? And what need of an Advocate's officeto be exercised, if Christ, as sacrifice and Priest, was thoughtsufficient by God? Each of these offices is sufficient for theperfecting the work for which it is designed; but they are not alldesigned for the self-same particular thing. Christ as sacrificeoffereth not himself; it is Christ as Priest does that. Christ asPriest dieth not for our sins; it is Christ as sacrifice does so. Again, Christ as a sacrifice and a Priest limits himself to thosetwo employs, but as an Advocate he launches out into a third. Andsince these are not confounded in heaven, nor by the Scriptures, they should not be confounded in our apprehension, nor accounteduseless. 

It is not, therefore, enough for us that we exercise our thoughtsupon Christ in an indistinct and general way, but we must learn toknow him in all his offices, and to know the nature of his officesalso; our condition requires this, it requireth it, I say, as weare guilty of sin, as we have to do with God, and with our enemythe devil. As we are guilty of sin, so we need a sacrifice; and aswe are also sinners, we need one perfect to present our sacrificeto God for us. We have need also of him as priest to present ourpersons and services to God. And since God is just, and upon thejudgment-seat, and since also we are subject to sin grievously, and again, since we have an accuser who will by law plead at thisbar of God our sins against us, to the end we might be condemned, we have need of, and also "have an Advocate with the Father, JesusChrist the righteous. "

Alas! How many of God's precious people, for want of a distinctknowledge of Christ in all his offices, are at this day sadly baffledwith the sophistications of the devil? To instance no more thanthis one thing-when they have committed some heinous sin after lightreceived, how are they, I say, tossed and tumbled and distressedwith many perplexities! They cannot come to any anchor in this theirtroubled sea; they go from promise to promise, from providence toprovidence, from this to that office of Jesus Christ, but forgetthat he is, or else understand not what it is for this Lord Jesusto be an Advocate for them. Hence they so oft sink under the fearsthat their sin is unpardonable, and that therefore their conditionis desperate; whereas, if they could but consider that Christ istheir Advocate, and that he is therefore made an Advocate to savethem from those high transgressions that are committed by them, andthat he waits upon this office continually before the judgment-seatof God, they would conceive relief, and be made to hold up theirhead, and would more strongly twist themselves from under thatguilt and burden, those ropes and cords wherewith by their follythey have so strongly bound themselves, than commonly they havedone, or do. 

Second Objection. But notwithstanding what you have said, this sinis a deadly stick in my way; it will not out of my mind, my causebeing bad, but Christ will desert me. 

Answer. It is true, sin is, and will be, a deadly stick and stop tofaith, attempt to exercise it on Christ as considered under whichof his offices or relations you will; and, above all, the sin ofunbelief is "the sin that doth so, " or most "easily beset us" (Heb12:1, 2). And no marvel; for it never acteth alone, but is backed, not only with guilt and ignorance, but also with carnal sense andreason. He that is ignorant of this knows but little of himself, or what believing is. He that undertakes to believe sets upon thehardest task that ever was proposed to man; not because the thingsimposed upon us are unreasonable or unaccountable, but because theheart of man, the more true anything is, the more it sticks andstumbles thereat; and, says Christ, "Because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not" (John 8:45). Hence believing is called labouring, (Heb 4:11); and it is the sorest labour, at times that any man cantake in hand, because assaulted with the greatest oppositions; butbelieve thou must, be the labour never so hard, and that not onlyin Christ in a general way, but in him as to his several offices, and to this of his being an Advocate in particular, else some sinsand some temptations will not, in their guilt or vexatious trouble, easily depart from thy conscience; no, not by promise, nor by thyattempts to apply the same by faith. And this the text insinuatethby its setting forth of Christ as Advocate, as the only or bestand most speedy way of relief to the soul in certain cases. 

There is, then, an order that thou must observe in exercising ofthy soul in a way of believing. 

1. Thou must believe unto justification in general; and for thisthou must direct thy soul to the Lord Christ as he is a sacrificefor sin; and as a Priest offering that sacrifice, so as a sacrificethou shalt see him appeasing Divine displeasure for thy sin, andas a Priest spreading the skirt of his garment over thee, for thecovering of thy nakedness; thus being clothed, thou shalt not befound naked. 

2. This, when thou hast done as well as thou canst, thou must, inthe next place, keep thine eye upon the Lord Christ as improving, as Priest in heaven, the sacrifice which he offered on earth forthe continuing thee in a state of justification in thy lifetime, notwithstanding those common infirmities that attend thee, and towhich thou art incident in all thy holy services or best performances(Rom 5:10; Exo 28:31-38). For therefore is he a Priest in heaven, and by his sacrifices interceding for thee. 

3. But if thy foot slippeth, if it slippeth greatly, then know thouit will not be long before a bill be in heaven preferred againstthee by the accuser of the brethren; wherefore then thou musthave recourse to Christ as Advocate, to plead before God thy judgeagainst the devil thine adversary for thee. 

4. And as to the badness of thy cause, let nothing move thee, saveto humility and self-abasement, for Christ is glorified by beingconcerned for thee; yea, the angels will shout aloud to see himbring thee off. For what greater glory can we conceive Christ toobtain ad Advocate, than to bring off his people when they havesinned, notwithstanding Satan so charging of them for it as hedoth?

He gloried when he was going to the cross to die; he went up witha shout and the sound of a trumpet, to make intercession for us;and shall we think that by his being an Advocate he receives noadditional glory? It is glory to him, doubtless, to bear the titleof an Advocate, and much more to plead and prosper for us againstour adversary, as he doth. 

5. And, I say again, for thee to think that Christ will reject theefor that thy cause is bad, is a kind of thinking blasphemy againstthis his office and his Word; for what doth such a man but sidewith Satan, while Christ is pleading against him? I say, it is asthe devil would have it, for it puts strength into his plea againstus, by increasing our sin and wickedness. But shall Christ takeour cause in hand, and shall we doubt of good success?

This is to count Satan stronger than Christ; and that he can longerabide to oppose, than Christ can to plead for us. Wherefore, awaywith, it, not only as to the notion, but also as to the heart androot thereof. Oh! When shall Jesus Christ our Lord be honoured byus as he ought? This dastardly heart of ours, when shall it be moresubdued and trodden under foot of faith? When shall Christ rideLord, and King, and Advocate, upon the faith of his people, as heshould? He is exalted before God, before angels, and above all thepower of the enemy; there is nothing comes behind but the faith ofhis people. 

Third Objection. But since you follow the metaphor so close, Iwill suppose, if an advocate be entertained, some recompense mustbe given him. His fee-who shall pay him his fee? I have nothing. Could I do anything to make this advocate part of amends, I couldthink I might have benefit from him; but I have nothing. What sayyou to this?32

Answer. Similitudes must not be strained too far; but yet I havean answer for this objection. There is, in some cases, law for themthat have no money; ay, law and lawyers too; and this is calleda suing in forma pauperis;33 and such lawyers are appointed byauthority for that purpose. Indeed, I know not that it is thus inevery nation, but it is sometimes so with us in England; and thisis the way altogether in the kingdom of heaven before the bar ofGod. All is done there for us in forma pauperis, on free cost; forour Advocate or lawyer is thereto designed and appointed of hisFather. 

Hence Christ is said to plead the cause, not of the rich and wealthy, but of the poor and needy; not of those that have many friends, butof the fatherless and widow; not of them that are fat and strong, but of those under sore afflictions (Prov 22:22, 23; 23:10, 11;31:9). "He shall stand at the right hand of the poor, to save himfrom those that condemn his soul, " or, as it is in the margin, "fromthe judges of his soul" (Psa 109:31). This, then, is the manner ofJesus Christ with men; he doth freely what he doth, not for pricenor reward. "I have raised him up, " says God, "and I will direct allhis ways; he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for a price nor reward" (Isa 45:13). [This scripture speaks ofCyrus, a type of Christ. ]

This, I say, is the manner of Jesus Christ with men; he pleads, hesues in forma pauperis, gratis, and of mere compassion; and henceit is that you have his clients give him thanks; for that is allthe poor can give. "I will greatly praise the Lord with my mouth;yea, I will praise him among the multitude. For he shall stand atthe right hand of the poor, to save him from those that condemnhis soul" (Psa 109:30, 31). 

They know but little that talk of giving to Christ, except they meanthey would give him blessing and praise. He bids us come freely, take freely, and tells us that he will give and do freely (Rev22:17; 21:6). Let him have that which is his own-to wit, thyself;for thou art the price of his blood. David speaks very strangelyof giving to God for mercy bestowed on him; I call it strangely, because indeed it is so to reason. "What, " says he, "shall I renderto the Lord for all his benefits? I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord" for more (Psa 116:12, 13). God has no need of thy gift, nor Christ of thy bribe, to plead thycause; take thankfully what is offered, and call for more; thatis the best giving to God. God is rich enough; talk not then ofgiving, but of receiving, for thou art poor. Be not too high, northink thyself too good to live by the alms of heaven; and sincethe Lord Jesus is willing to serve thee freely, and to maintainthy right to heaven against thy foe, to the saving of thy soul, without price or reward, "let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called, " as is the rest of "the body, and be ye thankful" (Col 3:15). This, then, is the privilege of aChristian-"We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ therighteous"; one that pleadeth the cause of his people against thosethat rise up against them, of his love, pity, and mere good-will. Lord, open the eyes of dark readers, of disconsolate saints, thatthey may see who is for them, and on what terms!

Fourth Objection. But if Christ doth once begin to plead for me, and shall become mine Advocate, he will always be troubled with me, unless I should, of myself, forsake him; for I am ever in broilsand suits of law, action after action is laid upon me, and I amsometimes ten times in a day summoned to answer my doings beforeGod. 

Answer. Christ is not an Advocate to plead a cause or two; nor todeliver the godly from an accusation or two. "He delivereth Israelout of all his troubles" (Psa 25:22; II Sam 22:28); and choosesto be an Advocate for such; therefore, the godly of old did use tomake, from the greatness of their troubles, and the abundance oftheir troublers, an argument to the Lord Christ to send and lendthem help-"Have mercy upon me, " saith David; "consider my troublewhich I suffer of them that hate me" (Psa 9:13). And again, "Manyare they that rise up against me; many there be which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God" (Psa 3:1, 2). Yea the troubles ofthis man were so many and great, that his enemies began to triumphover him, saying, "There is no help for him in God. " But could henot deliver him, or did the Lord forsake him? No, no; "Thou hastsmitten, " saith he, "all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thouhast broken the teeth of the ungodly. " And as he delivereth themfrom their troublers, so also he pleadeth all their causes; "OLord, " saith the church, "thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul;thou hast redeemed my life" (Lam 3:58). Mark, troubled Christian, thou sayest thou hast been arrested ofttimes in a day, and as oftensummoned to appear at God's bar, there to answer to what shall belaid to thy charge. And here, for thy encouragement, thou readestthat the church hath an Advocate that pleadeth the causes ofher soul; that is, all her causes, to deliver her. He knows that, so long as we are in this world, we are subject to temptation andweakness, and through them made guilty of many bad things; wherefore, he hath prepared himself to our service, and to abide with theFather, an Advocate for us. As Solomon saith of a man of greatwrath, so it may be said of a man of great weakness, and the bestof saints are such-he must be delivered again and again, (Prov19:19); yea, "many a time, " saith David, "did he deliver them, "(Psa 106:43); to wit, more than once or twice; and he will do sofor thee, if thou entertain him to be thine Advocate. Thou talkestof leaving him, but then whither wilt thou go? All else are vainthings, things that cannot profit; and he will not forsake his people, (I Sam 12:20-23), "though their land be filled with sin againstthe Holy One of Israel" (Jer 51:5). I know the modest saint isapt to be abashed to think what a troublesome one he is, and whata make-work he has been in God's house all his days; and let himbe filled with holy blushing; but let him not forsake his Advocate. 

[THE USE AND APPLICATION. ]

SEVENTHLY, Having thus spoken to these objections, let us now cometo make some use of the whole. And, Use First. I would exhort the children to consider the dignity thatGod hath put upon Jesus Christ their Saviour; for by how much Godhath called his Son to offices and places of trust, by so much hehath heaped dignities upon him. It is said of Mordecai, that he wasnext to the king Ahasuerus. And what then? Why, then the greatnessof Mordecai, and his high advance, must be written in the book ofthe Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia, to the end hisfame might not be buried nor forgotten, but remembered and talkedof in generations to come (Esth 10). Why, my brethren, God exaltedJesus of Nazareth, hath made him the only great one, having givenhim a name above every name-a name, did I say?-a name and glorybeyond all names, and above all names, as doth witness both his beingset above all, and the many offices which he executeth for God onbehalf of his people. It is counted no little addition to honourwhen men are not only made near to the king, but also entrustedwith most, if not almost with all the most weighty affairs of thekingdom. Why, this is the dignity of Christ; he is, it is true, the natural Son of God, and so high, and one that abounds withhonour. But this is not all; God has conferred upon him, as man, allthe most mighty honours of heaven; he hath made him Lord Mediatorbetwixt him and the world. This in general. And particularly, hehath called him to be his High Priest for ever, and hath sworn heshall not be changed for another (Heb 7:21-24). He hath acceptedof his offering once for ever, counting that there is wholly enoughin what he did once "to perfect for ever them that are sanctified";to wit, set apart to glory (Heb 10:11-14). 

He is Captain-general of all the forces that God hath in heaven andearth, the King and Commander of his people (ch. 9:25, 28). He isLord of all, and made "head over all things to the church, " and isour Advocate with the Father (Eph 1:22). O, the exaltation of JesusChrist! Let Christians, therefore, in the first place, considerthis. Nor can it be but profitable to them, if withal they considerthat all this trust and honour is put and conferred upon him inrelation to the advantage and advancement of Christians. If Christiansdo but consider the nearness that is betwixt Christ and them, and, withal, consider how he is exalted, it must needs be matter ofcomfort to them. He is my flesh and my bone that is exalted; heis my friend and brother that is thus set up and preferred. It wassomething to the Jews when Mordecai was exalted to honour; they had, thereby, ground to rejoice and be glad, for that one of themselveswas made lord-chief by the king, and the great governor of the land, for the good of his kindred. True, when a man thinks of Christ assevered from him, he sees but little to his comfort in Christ'sexaltation; but when he looks upon Christ, and can say, My Saviour, my Priest, or the chief Bishop of my soul, then he will see much inhis being thus promoted to honour. Consider, then, of the gloriesto which God has exalted our Saviour, in that he hath made him sohigh. It is comely, also, when thou speakest of him, that thou namehis name with some additional title, thereby to call thy mind tothe remembrance, and so to the greater reverence of the person ofthy Jesus; as, our Lord Jesus, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, "the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus" (IIPeter 2:20; Heb 3:1, &c). Men write themselves by their titles; as, John, earl of such a place, Anthony, earl of such a place, Thomas, lord, &c. It is common, also, to call men in great places by theirtitles rather than by their names; yea, it also pleaseth such greatones well; as, My lord high chancellor of England, My lord privyseal, My lord high admiral, &c. And thus should Christians makemention of Jesus Christ our Lord, adding to his name some of histitles of honour; especially since all places of trust and titlesof honour conferred on him are of special favour to us. I diduse to be much taken with one sect of Christians; for that it wasusually their way, when they made mention of the name of Jesus, tocall him "The blessed King of Glory. " Christians should do thus;it would do them good; for why doth the Holy Ghost, think you, givehim all these titles but that we should call him by them, and somake mention of him one to another; for the very calling of him bythis or that title, or name, belonging to this or that office ofhis, giveth us occasion, not only to think of him as exercisingthat office, but to inquire, by the Word, by meditation, and one ofanother, what there is in that office and what, by his exercisingof that, the Lord Jesus profiteth his church. 

How will men stand for that honour that, by superiors, is given tothem, expecting and using all things; to wit, actions and carriages, so as that thereby their grandeur may be maintained; and saith Christ, "Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am" (John13:13). Christ Jesus our Lord would have us exercise ourselves inthe knowledge of his glorious offices and relative titles, becauseof the advantage that we get by the knowledge of them, and thereverence of, and love to, him that they beget in our hearts. "Thatdisciple, " saith the text, "whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, Itis the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, hegirt his fisher's coat unto him (for he was naked), and did casthimself into the sea. And the other disciples came in a littleship": to wit, to shore, to wait upon their Lord (John 21). Thevery naming of him under the title of Lord, bowed their heartsforthwith to come with joint readiness to wait upon him. Let thisalso teach us to distinguish Christ's offices and titles, not toconfound them, for he exerciseth those offices, and beareth thosetitles, for great reason, and to our commodity. Every circumstancerelating both to Christ's humiliation and exaltation ought to beduly weighed by us, because of that mystery of God, and of man'sredemption that is wrapped therein; for as there was not a pin, nor a loop, nor a tack in the tabernacle but had in it use ofinstruction to the children of Israel, so there is not any part, whether more near or more remote to Christ's suffering and exaltation, but is, could we get into it, full of spiritual advantage to us. 

To instance the water that came out of Christ's side, a thinglittle taken notice of either by preachers or hearers, and yet Johnmakes it one of the witnesses of the truth of our redemption, anda confirmation of the certainty of that record that God, to theworld, hath given of the sufficiency that is in his Son to save(John 19:34; I John 3:5-9; 5:5-9; I John 4:9-12). 

When I have considered that the very timing of Scripture expressions, and the season of administering ordinances, have been argumentativeto the promoting of the faith and way of justification by Christ, it has made think that both myself and most of the people of Godlook over the Scriptures too slightly, and take too little noticeof that or of those many honours that God, for our good, hasconferred upon Christ. Shall he be called a King, a Priest, a Prophet, a Sacrifice, an Altar, a Captain, a Head, a Husband, a Father, aFountain, a Door, a Rock, a Lion, a Saviour, &c. , and shall we notconsider these things? And shall God to all these add, moreover, thathe is an Advocate, and shall we take no notice thereof, or jumblethings so together, that we lose some of his titles and offices;or so be concerned with one as not to think we have need of thebenefit of the rest? Let us be ashamed thus to do or think, and letus give to him that is thus exalted the glory due unto his name. 

Use Second. As we should consider the titles and offices of Christin general, so we should consider this of his being an Advocatein particular; for this is one of the reasons which induced theapostle to present him here under that very notion to us-namely, that we should have faith about it, and consider of it to ourcomfort-"If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, JesusChrist the righteous. " "An advocate"-an advocate, as I said, isone that hath power to plead for another in this, or that, or anycourt of judicature. Be much therefore in the meditation of Christ, as executing of this his office for thee, for many advantages willcome to thee thereby. As, 1. This will give thee to see that thou art not forsaken whenthou hast sinned; and this has not in it a little relief only, butyieldeth consolation in time of need. There is nothing that we aremore prone unto than to think we are forsaken when we have sinned, when for this very thing-to wit, to keep us from thinking so, is the Lord Jesus become our Advocate-"If any man sin, we havean Advocate. " Christian, thou that hast sinned, and that with theguilt of thy sin art driven to the brink of hell, I bring thee newsfrom God-thou shalt not die, but live, for thou hast "an Advocatewith the Father. " Let this therefore be considered by thee, becauseit yieldeth this fruit. 

2. The study of this truth will give thee ground to take courage tocontend with the devil concerning the largeness of grace by faith, since thy Advocate is contending for thee against him at the barof God. It is a great encouragement for a man to hold up his headin the country, when he knows he has a special friend at court. Why, our Advocate is a friend at court, a friend there ready togive the onset to Satan, come he when he will. "We have an Advocatewith the Father"; an Advocate, or one to plead against Satan forus. 

3. This consideration will yield relief, when, by Satan's abuse ofsome other of the offices of Christ, thy faith is discouraged andmade afraid. Christ as a prophet pronounces many a dreadful sentenceagainst sin; and Christ as a king is of power to execute them; andSatan as an enemy has subtlety enough to abuse both these, to thealmost utter overthrow of the faith of the children of God. Butwhat will he do with him as he is an Advocate? Will he urge thathe will plead against us? He cannot; he has no such office. "Willhe plead against me with his great power? No, but he would putstrength into me"(Job 23:6). Wherefore Satan doth all he may tokeep thee ignorant of this office; for he knows that as Advocate, when he is so apprehended, the saints are greatly relieved by him, even by a believing thought of that office. 

4. This consideration, or the consideration of Christ as exercising ofthis office, will help thee to put by that visor wherewith Christby Satan is misrepresented to thee, to the weakening and affrightingof thee. There is nothing more common among saints than thus tobe wronged by Satan; for as he will labour to fetch fire out ofthe offices of Christ to burn us, so to present him to us with sodreadful and so ireful a countenance, that a man in temptation, and under guilt, shall hardly be able to lift up his face to God. But now, to think really that he is my Advocate, this heals all!Put a visor upon the face of a father, and it may perhaps for awhile fright the child; but let the father speak, let him speak inhis own fatherly dialect to the child, and the visor is gone, ifnot from the father's face, yet from the child's mind; yea, thechild, notwithstanding that visor, will adventure to creep into itsfather's bosom. Why, thus it is with the saints when Satan deludesand abuses them by disfiguring the countenance of Christ to theirview. Let them but hear their Lord speak in his own natural dialect(and then he doth so indeed when we hear him speak as an Advocate), and their minds are calmed, their thoughts settled, their guiltmade to vanish, and their faith to revive. 

Indeed, the advocateship of Jesus Christ is not much mentioned inthe Word, and because it is no oftener made mention of, thereforeperhaps it is that some Christians do so lightly pass it over;when, on the contrary, the rarity of the thing should make it themore admirable; and perhaps it is therefore so little made mentionof in the Bible, because it should not by the common sort be abused, but is as it were privately dropped in a corner, to be found by themthat are for finding relief for their soul by a diligent search ofthe Scriptures; for Christ in this office of advocateship is onlydesigned for the child of God, the world hath nothing therewith todo. 34 Methinks that which alone is proper to saints, and that whichby God is peculiarly designed for them, they should be mightilytaken withal; the peculiar treasure of kings, the peculiar privilegeof saints, oh, this should be affecting to us!-why, Christ, as anAdvocate, is such. "Remember me, O Lord, " said the Psalmist, "withthe favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me withthy salvation; that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I mayrejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thineinheritance" (Psa 106:4, 5). The Psalmist, you see here, is cryingout for a share in, and the knowledge of, the peculiar treasureof saints; and this of Christ as Advocate is such; wherefore studyit, and prize it so much the more, this Advocate is ours. 

(1. ) Study it with reference to its peculiarity. It is for thechildren, and nobody else; for the children, little and great. This is children's bread; this is a mess for Benjamin; this is tobe eaten in the holy place. Children use to make much of that which, by way of specialty, is by their relations bestowed on them-"AndNaboth said to Ahab, The Lord forbid it me, that I should give theinheritance of my fathers to thee" (I Kings 21:3). No, truly willI not. Why so? Because it was my father's gift, not in common toall, but to me in special. 

(2. ) Study this office in the nature of it; for therein lies theexcellency of anything, even in the nature of it. Wrong thoughts ofthis or that abuses it, and takes its natural glory from it. Takeheed, therefore, of misapprehending, while thou art seeking toapprehend Christ as thy Advocate. Men judge of Christ's officeswhile they are at too great a distance from them; but "let themcome near, " says God, "then let them speak, " (Isa 41:1); or asElihu said to his friends, when he had seen them judge amiss, "Letus choose to us judgment, let us know among ourselves what isgood" (Job 34:4). So say I; study to know, rightly to know, theAdvocate-office of Jesus Christ. It is one of the easiest thingsin the world to miss of the nature, while we speak of the name andoffices of Jesus Christ; wherefore look to it, that thou study thenature of the office of his advocateship, of his advocateship for, for so you ought to consider it. There is an Advocate for, notagainst, the children of God-"Jesus Christ the righteous. "

(3. ) Study this office with reference to its efficacy and prevalency. Job says, "After my words, they spake not again" (Job 29:22). Andwhen Christ stands up to plead, all must keep silence before him. True, Satan had the first word, but Christ the last, in the businessof Joshua, and such a last as brought the poor man off well, though"clothed with filthy garments" (Zech 3). Satan must be speechlessafter a plea of our Advocate, how rampant soever he is afore; or asElihu has it, "They were amazed; they answered no more; they leftoff speaking. " Shall he that speaks in righteousness give place, and he who has nothing but envy and deceit be admitted to standhis ground? Behold, the angels cover their faces when they speakof his glory, how then shall not Satan bend before him? In the daysof his humiliation, he made him cringe and creep, how much more, then, now he is exalted to glory, to glory to be an Advocate, anAdvocate for his people! "If any man sin, we have an Advocate withthe Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. "

(4. ) Study the faithfulness of Christ in his execution of thisoffice, for he will not fail nor forsake them that have entertainedhim for their Advocate: "He will thoroughly plead their cause" (Jer50:34). Faithful and true, is one of his titles; and you shallbe faithfully served by him; you may boldly commit your cause untohim, nor shall the badness of it make him fail, or discourage himin his work; for it is not the badness of a cause that can hinderhim from prevailing, because he hath wherewith to answer for allthy sins, and a new law to plead by, through which he will makethee a conqueror. He is also for sticking to a man to the end, ifhe once engages for him (John 13:1, 2). He will threaten and love, he will chastise and love, he will kill and love, and thou shaltfind it so. And he will make this appear at the last; and Satanknows it is so now, for he finds the power of his repulses whilehe pleadeth for him at the bar against him. And all this is in veryfaithfulness. 

(5. ) Study also the need that thou hast of a share in the executionof the advocateship of Jesus Christ. Christians find that they haveneed of washing in the blood of Christ, and that they have needof being clothed with the righteousness of Christ; they also findthat they have need that Christ should make intercession for them, and that by him, of necessity, they must approach God, and presenttheir prayers and services to him; but they do not so well seethat they need that Christ should also be their Advocate. And thereason thereof is this: they forget that their adversary makes ithis business to accuse them before the throne of God; they considernot the long scrolls and many crimes wherewith he chargeth them inthe presence of the angels of God. I say, this is the cause thatthe advocateship of Christ is so little considered in the churches;yea, many that have been relieved by that office of his, have notunderstood what he has thereby done for them. But perhaps this isto be kept from many till they come to behold his face, and tillall things shall be revealed, that Christ might have glory given himin the next world for doing of that for them which they so littlethought of in this. But do not thou be content with this ignorance, because the knowledge of his advocating it for thee will yield theepresent relief. Study, therefore, thine own weakness, the holinessof the judge, the badness of thy cause, the subtlety, malice, andrage, of thine enemy; and be assured that whenever thou sinnest, by and by thou art for it accused before God at his judgment seat. These things will, as it were, by way of necessity, instill intothy heart the need that thou hast of an advocate, and will make theelook as to the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ to justifythee, so to Christ as an Advocate to plead thy cause, as did holyJob in his distresses (Job 16:21). 

Use Third. Is Christ Jesus not only a priest of, and a King over, but an Advocate for his people? Let this make us stand and wonder, and be amazed at his humiliation and condescension. We read of hishumiliation on earth when he put himself into our flesh, took uponhim our sins, and made them as his own unto condemnation and death. And to be an advocate is an office reproachful to the malicious, if any man be such an one, for those that are base and unworthy. Yea, and the higher and more honourable the person is that pleadsfor such, the more he humbles himself. The word doth often in effectaccount him now in heaven as a servant for us, and acts of serviceare acts of condescension; and I am sure some acts of service havemore of that in them than some; and I think when all things areconsidered, that Christ neither doth nor can do anything for usthere, of a more condescending nature, than to become our Advocate. True, he glories in it; but that doth not show that the work isexcellent in itself. It is also one of his titles of honour; butthat is to show how highly God esteems of, and dignifies all hisacts; and though this shall tend at last to the greatening of hishonour and glory in his kingdom, yet the work itself is amazinglymean. 

I speak after the manner of men. It is accounted so in this world. How ignoble and unrespectful doth a man make himself, especially tohis enemy, when he undertakes to plead a bad cause, if it happenethto be the cause of the base and unworthy! And I am sure we are, every one, so in ourselves, for whom he is become an Advocate withthe Father. True, we are made worthy in him, but that is no thanksto us; as to ourselves and our cause, both are bad enough. And letus now leave off disputing, and stand amazed at his condescension;"Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven" (Psa113:6). And men of old did use to wonder to think that God shouldso much stoop, as to open his eyes to look upon man, or once so muchas to mind him (Job 7:17; 14:1-3; Psa 8:4; 144:3, 4). And if thesebe acts that speak a condescension, what will you count of Christ'sstanding up as an Advocate to plead the cause of his people? Mustnot that be much more so accounted? O, the condescension of Christin heaven! While cavillers quarrel at such kind of language, letthe saints stay themselves and wonder at it, and be so much themore affected with his grace. The persons are base, the crimes arebase, with which the persons are charged; wherefore one would thinkthat has but the reason to think, that it is a great condescensionof Christ, now in heaven, to take upon him to be an Advocate forsuch a people, especially if you consider the openness of this workof Christ; for this thing is not done in a corner. This is done inopen court. 

1. With a holy and just God; for he is the judge of all, and hiseyes are purer than to behold iniquity; yea, his very essence andpresence is a consuming fire; yet, before and with this God, andthat for such a people, Jesus Christ, the King, will be an Advocate. For one mean man to be an Advocate for the base, with one that isnot considerable, is not so much; but for Christ to be an Advocatefor the base, and for the base, too, under the basest consideration, this is to be wondered at. When Bathsheba, the queen became anadvocate for Adonijah unto king Solomon, you see how he flounced ather, for that his cause was bad. "And why, " saith he, "dost thouask Abishag for Adonijah? Ask for him the kingdom also" (I Kings2:16-23). I told you before, that to be an advocate did run oneupon hazards of reproach; and it may easily be thought that thequeen did blush, when, from the king, her son, she received such arepulse; nor do we hear any more of her being an advocate; I believeshe had enough of this. But oh! This Christ of God, who himself isgreater that Solomon, he is become an Advocate, "an Advocate withthe Father, " who is the eternally just, and holy, and righteousGod; and that for a people, with respect to him, far worse thancould be Adonijah in the eyes of his brother Solomon. Majesty andjustice are dreadful in themselves, and much more so when approachedby any, especially when the cause, as to matter of fact, is bad, that the man is guilty of who is concerned in the advocateship ofhis friend; and yet Jesus Christ is still an Advocate for us, "anAdvocate with the Father. "

2. Consider, also, before whom Jesus Christ doth plead as anAdvocate, and that is before, or in the presence and observationof, all the heavenly host; for whilst Christ pleadeth with God forhis people, all the host of heaven stand by on the right hand andon the left (Matt 10:32). And though as yet there may seem to bebut little in this consideration, yet Christ would have us know, andaccount it an infinite kindness of his to us that he will confess, and not be ashamed of us before the angels of his Father (Mark 8:38). Angels are holy and glorious creatures, and, in some respect, mayhave a greater knowledge of the nature and baseness of sin than wewhile here are capable of; and so may be made to stand and wonderwhile the Advocate pleads with God for a people, from head to foot, clothed therewith. But Christ will not be ashamed to stand up forus before them, though they know how bad we are, and what vilethings we have done. Let this, therefore, make us wonder. 

3. Add to these, how unconcerned ofttimes those are with themselves, and their own desolate condition, for whom Christ, as an Advocate, laboureth in heaven with God. Alas! The soul is as far off of knowingwhat the devil is doing against it at God's bar as David was whenSaul was threatening to have his blood, while he was hid in thefield (I Sam 20:26-34). But, O true Jonathan! How didst thou pleadfor David! Only here thou hadst the advantage of our Advocate, thou hadst a good cause to plead; for when Saul, thy father, said, "David shall surely die, " thy reply was, "Wherefore shall he beslain? What [evil] hath he done?" But Christ cannot say thus whenhe pleadeth for us at God's bar; nor is our present senselessnessand unconcernedness about his pleading but an aggravation to our sin. Perhaps David was praying while Jonathan was playing the advocatefor him before the king his father; but perhaps the saint is sleeping, yea, sinning more, whilst Christ is pleading for him in heaven. Oh! This should greatly affect us; this should make us wonder;this should be so considered by us, as to heighten our souls toadmiration of the grace and kindness of Christ. 

4. Join to these the greatness and gravity, the highness and gloriousmajesty of the Man that is become our Advocate. Says the text, itis Jesus Christ-"We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ. "Now, that he should become an Advocate, that he should embrace suchan employ as this of his advocateship, let this be a wonderment, and so be accounted. But let us come to the fourth use. 

Use Fourth. Is it so? Is Jesus Christ the Saviour also become ourAdvocate? Then let us labour to make that improvement of this doctrineas tendeth to strengthen our graces, and us, in the management ofthem. Indeed, this should be the use that we should make of allthe offices of Christ; but let us, at this time, concern ourselvesabout this; let, I say, the poor Christian thus expostulate withhimself-

1. Is Christ Jesus the Lord mine Advocate with the Father? Thenawake, my faith, and shake thyself like a giant; stir up thyself, and be not faint; Christ is the Advocate of his people, and pleadeththe cause of the poor and needy. And as for sin, which is one greatstumble to thy actings, O my faith, Christ has not only died forthat as a sacrifice, nor only carried his sacrifice unto the Father, in the holiest of all, but is there to manage that offering asan Advocate, pleading the efficacy and worth thereof before God, against the devil, for us. Thus, I say, we should strengthen ourfaith; for faith has to do not only with the Word, but also withthe offices of Christ. Besides, considering how many the assaultsare that are made upon our faith, we find all little enough tosupport it against all the wiles of the devil. 

Christians too little concern themselves, as I have said, with theoffices of Jesus Christ; and therefore their knowledge of him isso little, and their faith in him so weak. We are bid to have ourconversation in heaven, and then a man so hath, when he is there, in his spirit, by faith, observing how the Lord Jesus doth exercisehis offices there for him. Let us often, by faith, go to the barof God, there to hear our Advocate plead our cause; we should oftenhave our faith to God's judgment-seat, because we are concernedthere; there we are accused of the devil, there we have our crimeslaid open, and there we have our Advocate to plead; and this issuggested in the text, for it saith, "We have an Advocate with theFather"; therefore, thither our faith should go for help and reliefin the day of our straits. I say, we should have our faith to God'sjudgment-seat, and show it there, by the glass of our text, 35 whatSatan is doing against, and the Lord Jesus for, our souls. We shouldalso show it how the Lord Jesus carries away every cause from thedevil, and from before the judgment-seat, to the comfort of thechildren, the joy of angels, and the shame of the enemy. Thiswould strengthen and support our faith indeed, and would make usmore able than, for the most part, we are to apply the grace of Godto ourselves, and hereafter to give more strong repulses to Satan. It is easy with a man, when he knows that his advocate has overthrownhis enemy at the King's Bench bar or Court of Common Pleas, lessto fear him the next time he sees him, and more boldly to answerhim when he reneweth his threats on him. Let faith, then, bestrengthened, from its being exercised about the advocateship ofJesus Christ. 

2. As we should make use of Christ's advocateship for thestrengthening of our faith, so we should also make use thereof tothe encouraging us to prayer. As our faith is, so is our prayer;to wit, cold, weak, and doubtful, if our faith be so. When faithcannot apprehend that we have access to the Father by Christ, orthat we have an Advocate, when charged before God for our sins bythe devil, then we flag and faint in our prayer; but when we beginto take courage to believe-and then we do so when most clearlywe apprehend Christ-then we get up in prayer. And according as aman apprehends Christ in his undertakings and offices, so he willwrestle with and supplicate God. As, suppose a man believes thatChrist died for his sins; why, then, he will plead that in prayerwith God. Suppose, also, that a man understands that Christ roseagain for his justification; why, then, he will also plead that inprayer; but if he knows no more, no further will he go. But when heshall know that there is also for him an Advocate with the Father, and that that Advocate is Jesus Christ; and when the glory of thisoffice of Christ shall shine in the face of this man's soul; oh, then, he takes courage to pray with that courage he had not before;yea, then is his faith so supported and made strong, that his prayeris more fervent, and importuning abundance. So that, I say, theknowledge of the advocateship of Christ is very useful to strengthenour graces; and, as of graces in general, so of faith and prayer inparticular. Wherefore, our wisdom is, so to improve this doctrinethat prayer may be strengthened thereby. 

3. As we should make use of this doctrine to strengthen faith andprayer, so we should make use of it to keep us humble; for the moreoffices Christ executeth for us with the Father, the greater signthat we are bad; and the more we see our badness, the more humbleshould we be. Christ gave for us the price of blood; but that isnot all; Christ as a Captain has conquered death and the grave forus, but that is not all: Christ as a Priest intercedes for us inheaven; but that is not all. Sin is still in us, and with us, andmixes itself with whatever we do, whether what we do be religiousor civil; for not only our prayers and our sermons, our hearingsand preaching, and so; but our houses, our shops, our trades, andour beds, are all polluted with sin. Nor doth the devil, our nightand day adversary, forbear to tell our bad deeds to our Father, urging that we might for ever be disinherited for this. But whatshould we now do, if we had not an Advocate; yea, if we had notone who would plead in forma pauperis; yea, if we had not one thatcould prevail, and that would faithfully execute that office forus? Why, we must die. But since we are rescued by him, let us, asto ourselves, lay our hand upon our mouth, and be silent, and say, "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory. "And, I say again, since the Lord Jesus is fain to run through somany offices for us before he can bring us to glory, oh! how low, how little, how vile and base in our own eyes should we be. 

It is a shame for a Christian to think highly of himself, sinceChrist is fain to do so much for him, and he again not at all ableto make him amends; but some, whose riches consist in nothing butscabs and lice, will yet have lofty looks. But are not they much toblame who sit lifting up of lofty eyes in the house, and yet knownot how to turn their hand to do anything so, but that another, their betters, must come and mend their work? I say, is it not moremeet that those that are such, should look and speak, and act assuch that declare their sense of their unhandiness, and their shame, and the like, for their unprofitableness? Yea, is it not meet thatto every one they should confess what sorry ones they are? I amsure it should be thus with Christians, and God is angry when itis otherwise. Nor doth it become these helpless ones to lift upthemselves on high. Let Christ's advocateship therefore teach usto be humble. 

4. As we should improve this doctrine to strengthen faith, toencourage prayer, and keep us humble, so we should make use of itto encourage perseverance-that is, to hold on, to hold out to theend; for, for all those causes the apostle setteth Christ before usas an Advocate. There is nothing more discourages the truly godlythan the sense of their own infirmities, as has been hinted allalong; consequently, nothing can more encourage them to go on thanto think that Christ is an Advocate for them. The services, also, that Christ has for us to do in this world are full of difficulty, and so apt to discourage: but when a Christian shall come tounderstand that-if we do what we can-it is not a failing either inmatter or manner that shall render it wholly unserviceable, or givethe devil that advantage as to plead thereby to prevail for ourcondemnation and rejection; but that Christ, by being our Advocate, saves us from falling short, as also from the rage of hell. Thiswill encourage us to hold on, though we do but hobble in all ourgoings, and fumble in all our doings; for we have Christ for anAdvocate in case we sin in the management of any duty-"If any mansin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. "Let us, therefore, go on in all God's ways as well as we can forour hearts; and when our foot slips, let us tell God of it, andhis mercy in Christ shall hold us up (Psa 84:9-12). 

Darkness, and to be shut up in prison, is also a great discouragementto us; but our Advocate is for giving us light, and for fetchingus out of our prison. True, he that Joseph chose to be his Advocatewith Pharaoh remembered not Joseph, but forgat him (Gen 40:14, 23);but he that has Jesus Christ to be his Advocate shall be rememberedbefore God, (Micah 7:8-10). -"He remembered us in our low estate;for his mercy endureth for ever" (Psa 136:23). Yea, he will sayto the prisoners, Show yourselves; and to them that are in theprison-house, Go forth. Satan sometimes gets the saints into theprison when he has taken them captive by their lusts (Rom 7:23). But they shall not be always there; and this should encourage usto go on in godly ways; for "we must through much tribulation enterinto the kingdom of God. "

Objection. But I cannot pray, says one, therefore how shouldI persevere? When I go to prayer, instead of praying, my mouth isstopped. What would you have me do?

Answer. Well, soul, though Satan may baffle thee, he cannot soserve thine Advocate; if thou must not speak for thyself, Christthine Advocate can speak for thee. Lemuel was to open his mouthfor the dumb-to wit, for the sons of destruction, and to plead thecause of the poor and needy (Prov 31:8, 9). If we knew the grace ofour Lord Jesus Christ, so as the Word reveals it, we would believe, we would hope, and would, notwithstanding all discouragements, waitfor the salvation of the Lord. But there are many things that hinder, wherefore faith, prayer, and perseverance, are made difficult thingsunto us-"But if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous": and, God "shall fight for you, andyou shall hold your peace, " was once a good word to me when I couldnot pray. 

5. As we should improve this doctrine for the improvementand encouragement of these graces, so we should improve it to thedriving of difficulties down before us, to the getting of groundupon the enemy-"Resist the devil, " drive him back; this is it forwhich thy Lord Jesus is an Advocate with God in heaven; and thisis it for the sake of which thou art made a believer on earth (IPeter 5:9; Heb 12:4). Wherefore has God put this sword, WE HAVEAN ADVOCATE, into thy hand, but to fight thy way through the world?"Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, " and say, "I will go in the strength of the Lord God. " And since I have anAdvocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, I will notdespair, though "the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about"(Psa 49:5). 

Use Fifth. Doth Jesus Christ stand up to plead for us with God, toplead with him for us against the devil? Let this teach us to standup to plead for him before men, to plead for him against the enemiesof his person and gospel. This is but reasonable; for if Christstands up to plead for us, why should not we stand up to plead forhim? He also expects this at our hands, saying, "Who will rise upfor me against the evil doers? Who will stand up for me against theworkers of iniquity?" (Psa 94:16). The apostle did it, and countedhimself engaged to do it, where he saith, he preached "the gospelof God with much contention" (I Thess 2:2). Nor is this the duty ofapostles or preachers only, but every child of God should "earnestlycontend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints"(Jude 3). 

And, as I said, there is reason why we should do this; he standethfor us. And if we, (1. ) Consider the disparity of persons to plead, it will seem far more reasonable. He stands up to plead with God, we stand up to plead with men. The dread of God is great, yea, greater than the dread of men. (2. ) If we consider the personspleaded for. He pleads for sinners, for the inconsiderable, vile, and base; we plead for Jesus, for the great, holy, and honourable. It is an honour for the poor to stand up for the great and mighty;but what honour is it for the great to plead for the base? Reason, therefore, requireth that we stand up to plead for him, though therecan be but little rendered why he should stand up to plead for us. (3. ) He standeth up to plead for us in the most holy place, thoughwe are vile; and why should we not stand up for him in this vileworld, since he is holy? (4. ) He pleads for us, though our causeis bad; why should not we plead for him, since his cause is good?(5. ) He pleads for us, against fallen angels; why should we notplead for him against sinful vanities? (6. ) He pleads for us tosave our souls; why should not we plead for him to sanctify hisname? (7. ) He pleads for us before the holy angels; why shouldnot we plead for him before princes? (8. ) He is not ashamed of us, though now in heaven; why should we be ashamed of him before thisadulterous and sinful generation? (9. ) He is unwearied in his pleadingfor us; why should we faint and be dismayed while we plead for him?

My brethren, is it not reasonable that we should stand up for himin this world? Yea, is it not reason that in all things we shouldstudy his exaltation here, since he in all things contrives ourhonour and glory in heaven? A child of God should study in everyof his relations to serve the Lord Christ in this world, becauseChrist, by the execution of every one of his offices, seeks ourpromotion hereafter. If these be not sufficient arguments to bow usto yield up our members, ourselves, our whole selves to God, thatwe may be servants of righteousness unto him; yea, if by these andsuch like we are not made willing to stand up for him before men, it is a sign that there is but little, if any, of the grace of Godin our hearts. 

Yea, further, that we should have now at last in reserve Christas authorized to be our Advocate to plead for us; for this is thelast of his offices for us while we are here, and is to be put inpractice for us when there are more than ordinary occasions. Thisis to help, as we say, at a dead lift, even then when a Christianis taken for a captive, or when he sinks in the mire where is nostanding, or when he is clothed with filthy garments, or when thedevil doth desperately plead against us our evil deeds, or whenby our lives we have made our salvation questionable, and haveforfeited our evidences for heaven. And why then should not wehave also in reserve for Christ? And when profession and confessionwill not do, when loss of goods and a prison will not do, when lossof country and of friends will not do, then to bring it in, thento bring it in as the reserve, and as that which will do-to wit, willingly to lay down our lives for his name; and since he dothhis part without grudging for us, let us do ours with rejoicingfor him (Isa 24:15; John 21:19). 

Use Sixth. Doth Jesus Christ stand up to plead for us, and that ofhis mere grace and love? Then this should teach Christians to bewatchful and wary how they sin against God. This inference seems torun retrograde; but whoso duly considers it, will find it fairlyfetched from the premises. Christianity teaches ingenuity, 36and aptness to be sensible of kindnesses, and doth instruct us toa loathness to be overhard upon him from whom we have all at freecost. "Shall we-sin that grace may abound? God forbid. Shall we doevil that good may come? God forbid. Shall we sin because we arenot under the law, but under grace? God forbid" (Rom 6:1, 2, 15). 

It is the most disingenuous thing in the world not to care howchargeable we are to that friend that bestows all upon us gratis. When Mephibosheth had an opportunity to be yet more chargeable toDavid, he would not, because he had his life and his all from themere grace of the king (II Sam 19:24-28). Also David thought ittoo much for all his household to go to Absalom's feast, because itwas made of free cost. Why, Christ is our Advocate of free cost, we pay him neither fee nor income for what he doth; nor doth hedesire aught of us, but to accept of his free doing for us thankfully;wherefore let us put him upon this work as little as may be, andby so doing we shall show ourselves Christians of the right makeand stamp. We count him but a fellow of a very gross spirit thatwill therefore be lavishing of what is his friend's, because itis prepared of mere kindness for him; Esau himself was loath to dothis; and shall Christians be disingenuous?

I dare say, if Christians were sober, watchful, and of a moreself-denying temper, they need not put the Lord Jesus to that towhich for the want of these things they do so often put him. I knowhe is not unwilling to serve us, but I know also that the love ofChrist should constrain us to live not to ourselves, but to himthat loved us, that died for us, and rose again (II Cor 5:14, 15). We shall do that which is naught too much, even then when we watchand take care what we can to prevent it. Our flesh, when we do ourutmost diligence to resist, it will defile both us and our bestperformances. We need not lay the reins on its neck and say, Whatcare we? the more sin the more grace, and the more we shall seethe kindness of Christ, and what virtue there is in his Advocate'soffice to save us. And should there be any such here, I wouldpresent them with a scripture or two; the first is this, "Do yethus requite the Lord, O foolish people and unwise?" (Deut 32:6). And if this gentle check will not do, then read the other, Shallwe say, Let us do evil that good may come? their damnation is just(Rom 3:8). Besides, as nothing so swayeth with us as love, so thereis nothing so well pleasing to God as it. Let a man love, though hehas opportunity to do nothing, it is accepted of the God of heaven. But where there is no love, let a man do what he will, it is notat all regarded (I Cor 13:1-3). Now to be careless and negligent, and that from a supposed understanding of the grace of Christ inthe exercise of his advocateship for us in heaven, is as clear signas can be, that in thy heart there is no love to Christ, and thatconsequently thou art just a nothing, instead of being a Christian. Talk, then, what thou wilt, and profess never so largely, Christ isno Advocate of thine, nor shalt thou, thou so continuing, be everthe better for any of those pleas that Christ, at God's bar, putsin against the devil, for his people. 

Christians, Christ Jesus is not unwilling to lay out himself foryou in heaven, nor to be an Advocate for you in the presence of hisFather; but yet he is unwilling that you should render him evilfor good; I say, that you should do so by your remissness andcarelessness for want of such a thinking of things as may affectyour hearts therewith. It would be more comely in you, would pleasehim better, would agree with your profession, and also better wouldprove you gracious, to be found in the power and nature of theseconclusions. "How shall we that are dead to sin, live any longertherein?" (Rom 6:2). " If ye be risen with Christ, seek those thingswhich are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God;for ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. WhenChrist, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appearwith him in glory. Mortify therefore your members which are uponthe earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evilconcupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry; for which things'sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience" (Col3:1-6). 

I say, it would be more comely for Christians to say, We will notsin because God will pardon; we will not commit iniquity becauseChrist will advocate for us. "I write unto you that ye sin not;though if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father. " Why, the brute would conclude, I will not do so, because my masterwill beat me; I will do thus, for then my master will love me. AndChristians should be above [such] men, brutish men. 

And for a conclusion as to this, let me present you with threeconsiderations-(1. ) Know that it is the nature of grace to draw holyarguments to move to goodness of life from the love and goodness ofGod, but not thence to be remiss (II Cor 5:14). (2. ) Know thereforethat they have no grace that find not these effects of the discoveriesof the love and goodness of God. (3. ) Know also that among all theswarms of professors that from age to age make mention of the nameof Christ, they only must dwell with him in heaven that do partfrom iniquity, and are zealous of good works (II Tim 2:19). He gavehimself for these (Titus 2:11-14). Not that they were so antecedentto this gift. But those that he hath redeemed to himself are thussanctified by the faith of him (Acts 26:18). 

Use Seventh. Is it so? Is Jesus Christ an Advocate with the Father forus? Then this should encourage strong Christians to tell the weakones where, when they are in their temptations and fears throughsin, they may have one to plead their cause. Thus the apostle dothby the text; and thus we should do one to another. Mark, he telleththe weak of an Advocate: "My little children, I write unto youthat ye sin not; though if any man sin, we have an Advocate withthe Father. "

Christians, when they would comfort their dejected brethren, talktoo much at rovers37 or in generals; they should be more at themark: "A word spoken in season, how good is it?" I say, Christiansshould observe and inquire, that they may observe the cause orground of their brother's trouble; and having first taken noticeof that, in the next place consider under which of the offices ofJesus Christ this sin or trouble has cast this man; and so labourto apply Christ in the word of the gospel to him. Sometimes we arebid to consider him as an Apostle and High Priest, and sometimesas a forerunner and an Advocate. And he has, as was said afore, these divers offices, with others, that we by the considerationof him might be relieved under our manifold temptations. This, asI said, as I perceive John teaches us here, as he doth a littlebefore of his being a sacrifice for us; for he presenteth themthat after conversion shall sin with Christ as an Advocate withthe Father. As who should say, My brethren, are you tempted, areyou accused, have you sinned, has Satan prevailed against you? "Wehave an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. "

Thus we should do, and deliver our brother from death. There isnothing that Satan more desires than to get good men in his sieveto sift them as wheat, that if possible he may leave them nothingbut bran; no grace, but the very husk and shell of religion. Andwhen a Christian comes to know this, should Christ as Advocate behid, what could bear him up? But let him now remember and believethat "we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ therighteous, " and he forthwith conceiveth comfort; for an advocateis to plead for me according as has been showed afore, that I maybe delivered from the wrath and accusation of my adversary, andstill be kept safe under grace. 

Further, by telling of my brother that he hath an Advocate, I putthings into his mind that he has not known, or do bring them intoremembrance which he has forgotten-to wit, that though he hathsinned, he shall be saved in a way of justice; for an advocate isto plead justice and law, and Christ is to plead these for a saintthat has sinned; yea, so to plead them that he may be saved. Thisbeing so, he is made to perceive that by law he must have his sinsforgiven him; that by justice he must be justified. For Christas an Advocate pleadeth for justice, justice to himself; and thissaint is of himself-a member of his body, of his flesh, and of hisbones. 

Nor has Satan so good a right to plead justice against us, thoughwe have sinned, that we might be damned, as Christ has to pleadit, though we have sinned, that we might be saved; for sin cannotcry so loud to justice as can the blood of Christ; and he pleadshis blood as Advocate, by which he has answered the law; whereforethe law having nothing to object, must needs acquit the man for whomthe Lord Jesus pleads. I conclude this with that of the Psalmist, "Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory maydwell in our land. Mercy and truth are met together; righteousnessand peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of theearth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, theLord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield herincrease. Righteousness shall go before him; and shall set us inthe way of his steps" (Psa 85:9-13). 

Use Eighth. But what is all this to you that are not concernedin this privilege? The children, indeed, have the advantage of anadvocate; but what is this to them that have none to plead theircause? (Jer 30:12, 13); they are, as we say, left to the wide world, or to be ground to powder between the justice of God and the sinswhich they have committed. This is the man that none but the devilseeks after; that is pursued by the law, and sin, and death, andhas none to plead his cause. It is sad to consider the plightthat such an one is in. His accuser is appointed, yea, ordered tobring in a charge against him-"Let Satan stand at his right hand, "in the place where accusers stand. "And when he shall be judged, lethim be condemned, " let there be none to plead for his deliverance. If he cries, or offereth to cry out for mercy or forgiveness, "lethis prayer become sin" (Psa 109:6-7). This is the portion of awicked man: "terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealethhim away in the night, the east wind carrieth him away, and hedeparteth, and as a storm hurleth him out of his place; for Godshall cast upon him, and not spare; he would fain flee out of hishand. Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him outof his place" (Job 27:20-23). And what shall this man do? Can heoverstand the charge, the accusation, the sentence, and condemnation?No, he has none to plead his cause. I remember that somewhere Ihave read, as I think, concerning one who, when he was being carriedupon men's shoulders to the grave, cried out as he lay upon thebier, I am accused before the just judgment of God; and a whileafter, I am condemned before the just judgment of God. Nor was thisman but strict as the religion that was then on foot in the world;but all the religion of the world amounts to no more than nothing. I mean as to eternal salvation, if men be denied an Advocate toplead their cause with God. Nor can any advocate save Jesus Christthe righteous avail anything at all, because there is none appointedbut him to that work, and therefore not to be admitted to enter aplea for their client at the bar of God. 

Objection. But some may say, There is God's grace, the promise, Christ's blood, and his second part of priesthood now in heaven. Can none of these severally, nor all of them jointly, save a manfrom hell, unless Christ also become our Advocate?

Answer. All these, his Advocate's office not excluded, are fewenough, and little enough, to save the saints from hell; for therighteous shall scarcely be saved (I Peter 4:18). There must, then, be the promise, God's grace, Christ's blood, and him to advocatetoo, or we cannot be saved. What is the promise without God's grace, and what is that grace without a promise to bestow it on us? I say, what benefit have we thereby? Besides, if the promise and God'sgrace, without Christ's blood, would have saved us, whereforethen did Christ die? Yea, and again I say, if all these, withouthis being an Advocate, would have delivered us from all thosedisadvantages that our sins and infirmities would bring us to andinto; surely in vain and to no purpose was Jesus made an Advocate. But, soul, there is need of all; and therefore be not thou offendedthat the Lord Jesus is of the Father made so much to his, butrather admire and wonder that the Father and the Son should be soconcerned with so sorry a lump of dust and ashes as thou art. AndI say again, be confounded to think that sin should be a thing sohorrible, of power to pollute, to captivate, and detain us fromGod, that without all this ado (I would speak with reverence ofGod and his wisdom) we cannot be delivered from the everlastingdestruction that it hath brought upon the children of men. 

But, I say, what is this to them that are not admitted to a privilegein the advocate-office of Christ? Whether he is an Advocate orno, the case to them is the same. True, Christ as a Saviour is notdivided; he that hath him not in all, shall have him in none atall of his offices in a saving manner. Therefore, he for whom heis not an Advocate, he is nothing as to eternal life. 

Indeed, Christ by some of his offices is concerned for the elect, before by some others of them he is; but such shall have the blessingof them all before they come to glory. Nor hath man ground to sayChrist is here or there mine, before he hath ground to say, he alsois mine Advocate; though that office of his, as has been alreadyshowed, stands in the last place, and comes in as a reserve. Butcan any imagine that Christ will pray for them as Priest for whomhe will not plead as Advocate? or that he will speak for them toGod for whom he will not plead against the devil? No, no; they arehis own, that he loveth to the end, (John 13:1), to the end of theirlives, to the end of their sins, to the end of their temptations, to the end of their fears, and of the exercise of the rage andmalice of Satan against them. To the end may also be understood, even until he hath given them the profit and benefit of all hisoffices in their due exercise and administration. But, I say, whatis all this to them that have him not for their Advocate?

You may remember that I have already told you that there are severalwho have not the Lord Jesus for their Advocate-to wit, those thatare still in their sins, pursuing of their lusts; those that areashamed of him before men; and those that are never otherwise butlukewarm in their profession. And let us now, for a conclusion, make further inquiry into this matter. 

Is it likely that those should have the Lord Jesus for theirAdvocate to plead their cause; who despise and reject his person, his Word, and ways? or those either who are so far off from senseof, and shame for, sin, that it is the only thing they hug andembrace? True, he pleadeth the cause of his people both with theFather and against the devil, and all the world besides; but openprofaneness, shame of good, and without heart or warmth in religion, are no characters of his people. It is irrational to think thatChrist is an Advocate for, or that he pleadeth the cause of such, who, in the self-same hour, and before his enemies, are throwingdirt in his face by their profane mouths and unsanctified livesand conversations. 

If he pleads as an Advocate for any, he must plead against Satan forthem, and so consequently must have some special bottom to groundhis plea upon; I say, a bottom better than that upon which the carnalman stands; which bottom is either some special relation that thisman stands in to God, or some special law he hath privilege by, thathe may have some ground for an appeal, if need be, to the justiceand righteousness of God; but none of these things belong to themthat are dead in trespasses and sins; they stand in no specialrelation to God: they are not privileged by the law of grace. 

Objection. -But doth not Christ as Advocate plead for his elect, though not called as yet?

Answer. -He died for all his elect, he prayeth for all his electas a Priest, but as an Advocate he pleadeth only for the children, the called only. Satan objecteth not against God's election, for heknows it not; but he objecteth against the called-to wit, whetherthey be truly godly or no, or whether they ought not to die fortheir transgressions (Job 1:9, 10; Zech 3). And for these thingshe has some colour to frame an accusation against us, and now itis time enough for Christ to stand up to plead. I say, for thesethings he has some colour to frame a plea against us; for there issin and a law of works, and a judge too, that has not respect ofpersons. Now to overthrow this plea of Satan, is Jesus Christ ourAdvocate; yea, to overthrow it by pleading law and justice; andthis must be done with respect to the children only-"My littlechildren, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And ifany man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ therighteous. "

FOOTNOTES:

1 "Nulled"; repealed or annulled. -ED. 

2 "Ingenuity"; ingenuousness, frankness, sincerity. -ED. 

3 How deeply important is this essential doctrine of Christianity-apersonal investigation. We must hear and see for ourselves, handlethe word of life, and not trust to others, however holy and capablethey may appear to be; we must search the Scriptures, and prayfor ourselves, or we have not the slightest claim to the name ofChristian. --ED. 

4 The sin here referred to was numbering the people of Israel; seeI Chronicles 21:1-ED.. 

5 This is the great mystery of godliness-God manifest in the flesh, making sinful creatures the members of his own body, and becominga sin-offering for them. It is a holy, a heavenly, a soul-comfortingmystery, which should influence the Christian to an intense hatredto sin, as the cause of his Saviour's sufferings; and a still moreintense love to him, who redeemed us at such a sacrifice. -ED. 

6 Altered, by a typographical error, in editions after the author'sdeath, to "the heathens beheld. "-ED. 

7 "Replevy": a form of law by which goods that are proved to havebeen wrongfully seized are re-delivered to the owner. -ED. 

8 "Donator"; giver, donor; now obsolete. -ED. 

9 "Prevented"; gone before, so as to be seen. "Let thy grace, OLord, always prevent and follow us. "-Common Prayer. -ED. 

10This may refer to Bunyan's own feelings, which are so passionatelyexpressed in his Grace Abounding, No. 327, when he was draggedfrom his home, his wife, and his children, to be shut up in Bedfordjail, for obedience to God. He exclaims, "My poor blind child, wholay nearer my heart than all I had besides, thou must be beaten, must beg, suffer hunger, cold, nakedness, and a thousand calamities, though I cannot now endure that the wind should blow upon thee. Ithought this would break my heart to pieces. "-ED. 

11 "A hank"; a check, an influence over; obsolete. -ED. 

12 "Entertains his lawyer"; hires or retains. So Shakespeare-"Sweetlady, entertain him, To be my fellow-servant to your ladyship. "Gentleman of Verona, Scene IV. -ED. 

13 "Shuff"; from the old Saxon word schufan, to reject, castaway. -ED. 

14 "Supply of thy defects"; a sufficiency in himself to supply allthy defects and deficiencies. -ED. 

15 "Supersedeas"; a writ to stay proceedings, for reasons expressedin it. "Cavils and motions"; quibbles or quirks of special pleading, and moving a court of law to occasion delay and weary out an honestsuitor; much of this nuisance has been abated, but enough remainsto render a lawsuit uncertain, vexatious, tedious, and expensive. -ED. 

16 "Glaver;" to wheedle, flatter, or fawn upon; now obsolete. -ED. 

17 This sentence at first sight seems obscure. The children's breadis the superabounding riches of Divine grace. Satan putting pinsinto it, may refer to those who profanely pervert the grace ofGod to evil, by saying, "Let us do evil, that good may come. Whosedamnation is just. " These are the dogs who are without, but neverwere within the fold of Christ. (Phil 3:2, Rev 22:15)-ED. 

18 Dr. Watts beautifully illustrates this soul-supporting truth inhis hymn (116, verse 2):-"How can I sink with such a prop, As myeternal God, Who bears the earth's huge pillars up, And spreadsthe heavens abroad?"-ED. 

19 "The whole tale"; the whole number as reckoned and ascertained;nothing being lost. -ED. 

20 In the first edition of this treatise, this quotation is fromJoshua 3:4, an error which has been continued through every editionto the present one. -ED. 

21 "A demur"; now called a demurrer, is when a defect or legaldifficulty is discovered, which must first be settled by the judgebefore the action or proceedings can be carried on. -ED. 

22 How consoling a reflection is this to the distressed soul, "Christ never lost a cause. " "Him that cometh to me, I will in nowise cast out. " "They shall never perish; nor shall any pluck themout of my hand" (John 10:28)-ED. 

23 "Nonsuit"; the giving up a suit upon the discovery of some fatalerror or defect in the cause. -ED. 

24 There is no night in heaven; it is one eternal day; no need ofrest or sleep. Christ ever liveth to make intercession for us. -ED. 

25 The marginal readings which are found in our venerable versionof the Bible are very interesting, both to the unlearned and tothe scholar. They often throw a light upon the Scripture. For "andmake him honourable, " see Bishop Patrick and Dr. Gill's annotations. -ED. 

26 To draw back from, or in, our dependence upon Christ for salvation, is a distinction which every despairing backslider should striveto understand. The total abandonment of Christianity is perdition, while he who is overcome of evil may yet repent to the salvationof the soul. -ED. 

27 "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth themthat fear him. " He punishes but to restore them in his own time tothe paths of peace. -ED. 

28 How full of sweet consolation is this spiritual exposition ofthe Levitical law. It was a type or shadow of good things which wereto come. Bunyan possessed a heavenly store of these apt illustrations. -ED. 

29 "Branglings"; noisy quarrels or squabbles. "The payment of tithesis subject to many brangles. "-Swift. It is now obsolete, and issubstituted by wranglings. -ED. 

30 The poor backslider "is blind and cannot see afar off"; thisdoes not affect his title, but is fatal to any present prospect ofthe enjoyment of his inheritance. -ED. 

31 Every sin, however comparatively small, drives us to the mediationof Christ, but it is under a sense of great sins that we feel howprecious he is as an Advocate. -ED. 

32 What can we render to the Lord? is an inquiry perpetuallyfostered by the pride that clings to every believer. The world, and all things in it, are his already. We must, as poor tremblingbeggars, "take the cup of salvation and call upon the name of theLord, "-rely upon his free gift of a full salvation. All must bedone for us gratis, or we must perish. Yes, proud sinner, you mustsue as a pauper, or you can never succeed. -ED. 

33 In the form of a pauper, one who has nothing to pay with, butis living upon alms. -ED. 

34 This Greek word is only once translated "advocate" in the NewTestament; but it is used in the Gospel by John (14, 15, 16), andtranslated Comforter, and applied to the Holy Spirit. Thus, the HolyGhost is to the Christian [the Greek word ] a monitor or comforter;and our ascended Lord is [the Greek word ] the advocate beforehis Father's throne. Both are our counsel-the Spirit to guide, theSaviour to defend, the saints. -ED. 

35 The Bible is the only perspective glass by which we can knowfuturity, and see things that, to carnal eyes, are invisible. -ED. 

36 "Ingenuity"; ingenuousness, frankness, candour, generosity: nowobsolete in this sense. -ED. 

37 "Rovers"; without any definite aim. "Nature shoots not atrovers. "-Glanville. -ED

***

CHRIST A COMPLETE SAVIOUR:

OR, THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST, AND WHO ARE PRIVILEGED IN IT. 

BY JOHN BUNYAN

Advertisement by the Editor. 

However strange it may appear, it is a solemn fact, that the heartof man, unless prepared by a sense of the exceeding sinfulness ofsin, rejects Christ as a complete Saviour. The pride of human naturewill not suffer it to fall, as helpless and utterly undone, intothe arms of Divine mercy. Man prefers a partial Saviour; one whohad done so much, that, with the sinner's aid, the work might becompleted. No such were the opinions of John Bunyan; the furnaceof sharp conviction had burnt up this proud dross; he believed thetestimony of Scripture, that from the crown of the head to the solesof the feet all nature is corrupted; so that out of the unsanctifiedheart of man proceed evil thoughts, murders, and the sad catalogueof crimes which our Lord enumerates, and which defile our bestefforts after purity of heart and life. No sinner will ever totallyrely upon the Saviour until he is sensible of his own perishingstate; hanging by the brittle thread of life over the yawning gulfof perdition; sinking in that sin which will swallow him up in thoseawful torments which await the transgressor; feeling that sin hasfitted him as stubble for the fire; then it is that the cry proceedsfrom his heart, Lord, save, I perish; and then, and not till then, are we made willing to receive 'Christ as a complete Saviour' tothe uttermost, not of his ability, but of our necessity. This wasthe subject of all Mr. Bunyan's writings, and, doubtless, of allhis preaching. It was to direct sinners to the Lamb of God, whoalone can take away sin. This little treatise was one of thoseten 'excellent manuscripts' which, at Bunyan's decease, were foundprepared for the press. It was first published in 1692, by hisfriends E. Chandler, J. Wilson, and C. Doe. 

It is limited to a subject which is too often lost sight of, becauseit is within the veil--the intercession of Christ as the finishingwork of a sinner's salvation. Many persons limit the 'looking untoJesus' to beholding him upon the cross, a common popish error; butthis is not enough; we must, in our minds, follow him to the unseenworld, and thus ascend to a risen Saviour, at the right hand ofthe Father, making intercession for our daily sins. And he is ourONLY Intercessor, and it is a rejection of him, for us to seek theaid of another. Who ever was mad enough to ask Moses to intercedefor him, and surely he is as able as Mary or any other saint? Toatone for sin calls for the amazing price of the blood of Christ, who was 'God manifest in the flesh. ' He undertook the work bycovenant; and all the 'saved' form part of his mystical body; thusperfectly obeying the law in him. He poured out his life to open afountain for sin and uncleanness; and as they are liable to pollutionin their passage through the world, he only is able, and he everliveth, to make intercession for their transgressions. Thus hebecomes a complete Saviour, and will crown, with an eternal weightof glory, all those that put their trust in him. Beautiful, andsoul-softening, and heart-warming thoughts abound in this littlework, which cannot fail to make a lasting impression upon the reader. Bunyan disclaims 'the beggarly art of complimenting' in things ofsuch solemnity. He describes the heart as unweldable, a remarkableexpression, drawn from his father's trade of a blacksmith; nothingbut grace can so heat it as to enable the hammer of conviction toweld it to Christ; and when thus welded, it becomes one with him. There is hope for a returning backslider in a complete Saviour;he combines the evidence of two men, the coming and the returningsinner; he has been, like Jonah, in the belly of hell; his sins, like talking devils, have driven him back to the Saviour. Sin bringsits own punishment, from which we escape by keeping in the narrowpath. Good works save us from temporal miseries, which ever followan indulgence in sin; but if we fall, we have an Advocate andIntercessor to lift us up; still, if thou lovest thy soul, slightnot the knowledge of hell, for that, with the law, are the spurswhich Christ useth to prick souls forward to himself. O gather upthy heels and mend thy pace, or those spurs will be in thy sides. Take heed, O persecutor; like Saul, thou art exceeding mad, andhell is thy bedlam. Take heed of a false faith; none is true butthat which is acquired by a kneeling, searching, seeking for truthas for hid treasure. Death is God's bailiff, he will seize theewithout warning; but with the saints, the grave's mouth is thefinal parting place between grace and sin. Forget not that a goodimprovement will make your little grace to thrive. Reader, mayDivine grace indelibly fix these wholesome truths upon our minds. 

GEORGE OFFOR. 

CHRIST A COMPLETE SAVIOUR. 

'WHEREFORE HE IS ABLE ALSO TO SAVE THEM TO THE UTTERMOST THAT COMEUNTO GOD BY HIM, SEEING HE EVER LIVETH TO MAKE INTERCESSION FORTHEM. '--HEBREWS 7:25. 

The apostle, in this chapter, presenteth us with two things; thatis, with the greatness of the person and of the priesthood of ourLord Jesus. 

First, He presenteth us with the greatness of his person, in thathe preferreth him before Abraham, who is the father of us all;yea, in that he preferreth him before Melchisedec, who was aboveAbraham, and blessed him who had the promises. 

Second, As to his priesthood, he showeth the greatness of that, inthat he was made a priest, not by the law of a carnal commandment, but by the power of an endless life. Not without, but with an oath, by him that said, 'The Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art apriest for ever, after the order of Melchisedec'; wherefore, 'thisman, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 'Now my text is drawn from this conclusion, namely, that Christabideth a priest continually. 'Wherefore he is able also to savethem to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he everliveth to make intercession for them. '

In the words, I take notice of four things: FIRST, Of the intercessionof Christ--He maketh intercession. SECOND, Of the benefit of hisintercession--'Wherefore he is able to save to the uttermost, ' &c. THIRD, We have also here set before us the persons interested inthis intercession of Christ--And they are those 'that come untoGod by him. ' FOURTH, We have also here the certainty of theirreaping this benefit by him; to wit, seeing he ever liveth to makeintercession for them--'Wherefore he is able also to save themto the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he everliveth to make intercession for them. ' 1

[I. OF THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST. ]

FIRST, We will begin with HIS INTERCESSION, and will show you, First, What that is; Second, For what he intercedes; and, Third, What is also to be inferred from Christ's making intercession forus. 

First, I begin, then, with the first; that is, to show you whatintercession is. Intercession is prayer; but all prayer is notintercession. Intercession, then, is that prayer that is made bya third person about the concerns that are between two. And it maybe made either to set them at further difference, or to make themfriends; for intercession may be made against, as well as for, aperson or people. 'Wot ye not what the Scripture saith of Elias?how he maketh intercession to God against Israel. ' (Rom 11:2) Butthe intercession that we are now to speak of is not an intercessionof this kind, not an intercession against, but an intercession fora people. 'He ever liveth to make intercession for them. ' The highpriest is ordained for, but not to be against the people. 'Everyhigh priest taken from among men is ordained for men in thingspertaining to God, ' to make reconciliation for the sins of thepeople; or 'that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins. '(Heb 5:1) This, then, is intercession; and the intercession ofChrist is to be between two, between God and man, for man's good. And it extendeth itself unto these: 1. To pray that the elect maybe brought all home to him; that is, to God. 2. To pray that theirsins committed after conversion may be forgiven them. 3. To praythat their graces which they receive at conversion may be maintainedand supplied. 4. To pray that their persons may be preserved untohis heavenly kingdom. 

Second, This is the intercession of Christ, or that for which hedoth make intercession. 

1. He prays for all the elect, that they may be brought home toGod, and so into the unity of the faith, &c. This is clear, forthat he saith, 'Neither pray I for these alone'; that is, for thoseonly that are converted; 'but for them also which shall believe onme through their word'; for all them that shall, that are appointedto believe; or, as you have it a little above, 'for them whichthou hast given me. ' (John 17:9, 20, Isa 53:12) And the reason is, for that he hath paid a ransom for them. Christ, therefore, whenhe maketh intercession for the ungodly, and all the unconvertedelect are such, doth but petitionarily ask for his own, his purchasedones, those for whom he died before, that they might be saved byhis blood. 

2. When any of them are brought home to God, he yet prays forthem; namely, that the sins which through infirmity they, afterconversion, may commit, may also be forgiven them. 

This is showed us by the intercession of the high priest under thelaw, that was to bear away the iniquities of the holy things of thechildren of Israel; yea, and also by his atonement for them thatsinned; for that it saith, 'And the priest shall make an atonementfor him, for his sin which he hath sinned, and it shall be forgivenhim. ' (Lev 5:10) This also is intimated even where our Lord dothmake intercession, saying, 'I pray not that thou shouldest takethem out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from theevil. ' (John 17:15) That Christ prayed that the converted shouldbe kept from all manner of commission of sin, must not be supposed, for that is the way to make his intercession, at least in somethings, invalid, and to contradict himself; for, saith he, 'I knowthat thou hearest me always. ' (John 11:42) But the meaning is, Ipray that thou wouldest keep them from soul-damning delusions, suchas are unavoidably such; also that thou wouldest keep them from thesoul-destroying evil of every sin, of ever temptation. Now this hedoth by his prevailing and by his pardoning grace. 

3. In his intercession he prayeth also that those graces which wereceive at conversion may be maintained and supplied. This is clearwhere he saith, 'Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to haveyou, that he may sift you as wheat; but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. ' (Luke 22:31, 32) Ay, may some say, he issaid to pray here for the support and supply of faith, but doth ittherefore follow that he prayed for the maintaining and supply ofall our graces? Yes, in that he prayed for the preservation of ourfaith, he prayed for the preservation of all our graces; for faithis the mother grace, the root grace, the grace that hath all othersin the bowels of it, and that from the which all others flow; yea, it is that which gives being to all our other graces, and that bywhich all the rest do live. Let, then, faith be preserved, and allgraces continue and live--that is, according to the present state, health, and degree of faith. So, then, Christ prayed for thepreservation of every grace when he prayed for the preservationof faith. That text also is of the same tendency where he saith, 'Keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given men. ' (John17:11) Keep them in thy fear, in the faith, in the true religion, in the way of life by thy grace, by thy power, by thy wisdom, &c. This must be much of the meaning of this place, and he that excludesthis sense will make but poor work of another exposition. 

4. He also in his intercession prayeth that our persons be preserved, and brought safe unto his heavenly kingdom. And this he doth, (1. )By pleading interest in them. (2. ) By pleading that he had given, by promise, glory to them. (3. ) By pleading his own resolution tohave it so. (4. ) By pleading the reason why it must be so. 

(1. ) He prays that their persons may come to glory, for that theyare his, and that by the best of titles: 'Thine they were, andthou gavest them me. ' (John 17:6) Father, I will have them; Father, I will have them, for they are mine: 'Thine they were, and thougavest them me. ' What is mine, my wife, or my child, or my jewel, or my joy, sure I may have it with me. Thus, therefore, he pleadsor cries in his intercession, that our persons might be preservedto glory: They are mine, 'and thou gavest them me. '2

(2. ) He also pleads that he had given--given already, that is, inthe promise--glory to them, and therefore they must not go withoutit. 'And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them. ' (John17:22) Righteous men, when they give a good thing by promise, theydesign the performance of that promise; nay, they more than designit, they purpose, they determine it. As the mad prophet also saithof God, in another case, 'Hath he said, and shall he not do it? orhath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?' (Num 23:19) HathChrist given us glory, and shall we not have it? Yea, hath the truthitself bestowed it upon us, and shall those to whom it is given, even given by Scripture of truth, be yet deprived thereof?

(3. ) He pleads in his interceding that they might have glory; hisown resolution to have it so. 'Father, I will that they also, whomthou hast given me, be with me where I am. ' (John 17:24) Beholdye here, he is resolved to have it so. It must be so. It shall beso. I will have it so. We read of Adonijah, that his father neverdenied him in anything. He never said to him, 'Why hast thoudone so?' (1 Kings 1:6) Indeed, he denied him the kingdom; for hisbrother was heir of that from the Lord. How much more will ourFather let our Lord Jesus have his mind and will in this, since healso is as willing to have it so as is the Son himself. 'Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you thekingdom. ' (Luke 12:32) Resolution will drive things far, especiallyresolution to do that which none but they that cannot hinder shalloppose. Why this is the case, the resolution of our Intercessor is, that we be preserved to glory; yea, and this resolution he pleadsin his intercession: 'Father, I will that they also, whom thou hastgiven me, be with me where I am, ' &c. (John 17:24) Must it not, therefore, now be so?

(4. ) He also, in the last place, in this his intercession, urgesa reason why he will have it so, namely, 'That they may behold myglory, which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me before thefoundation of the world. ' (verse 24) And this is a reason to thepurpose; it is as if he had said, Father, these have continued withme in my temptations; these have seen me under all my disadvantages;these have seen me in my poor, low, contemptible condition; thesehave seen what scorn, reproach, slanders, and disgrace I have bornefor thy sake in the world; and now I will have them also be wherethey shall see me in my glory. I have told them that I am thy Son, and they have believed that; I have told them that thou lovestme, and they have believed that; I have also told them that thouwouldest take me again to glory, and they have believed that; butthey have not seen my glory, nor can they but be like the Queen ofSheba, they will but believe by the halves unless their own eyesdo behold it. Besides, Father, these are they that love me, and itwill be an increase of their joy if they may but see me in glory;it will be as a heaven to their hearts to see their Saviour inglory. I will, therefore, that those which 'thou hast given me bewith me where I am, that they may behold my glory. ' This, therefore, is a reason why Christ Jesus our Lord intercedes to have his peoplewith him in glory. 

Third, I come now to the third thing, namely, to show you what isto be inferred from Christ's making intercession for us. 

1. This is to be inferred from hence, that saints--for I willhere say nothing of those of the elect uncalled--do ofttimes giveoccasion of offence to God, even they that have received grace;for intercession is made to continue one in the favour of another, and to make up those breaches that, at any time, shall happen tobe made by one to the alienating of the affections of the other. And thus he makes reconciliation for iniquity; for reconciliationmay be made for iniquity two ways: first, by paying of a price;secondly, by insisting upon the price paid for the offender byway of intercession. Therefore you read that as the goat was to bekilled, so his blood was, by the priest, to be brought within theveil, and, in a way of intercession, to be sprinkled before and uponthe mercy-seat: 'Then shall he kill the goat of the sin-offering, that is, for the people, and bring his blood within the veil, anddo with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, andsprinkle it upon the mercy-seat, and before the mercy-seat; and heshall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleannessof the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in alltheir sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregationthat remaineth among them, in the midst of their uncleanness. ' (Lev16:15, 16) This was to be done, as you see, that the tabernacle, which was the place of God's presence and graces, might yet remainamong the children of Israel, notwithstanding their uncleannessesand transgressions. This, also, is the effect of Christ's intercession;it is that the signs of God's presence and his grace might remainamong his people, notwithstanding they have, by their transgressions, so often provoked God to depart from them. 

2. By Christ's intercession I gather, that awakened men and women, such as the godly are, dare not, after offence given, come intheir own names to make unto God an application for mercy. God, inhimself, is a consuming fire, and sin has made the best of us asstubble is to fire; wherefore, they may not, they cannot, they darenot approach God's presence for help but by and through a mediatorand intercessor. When Israel saw the fire, the blackness anddarkness, and heard the thunder, and lightning, and the terriblesound of the trumpet, 'they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. '(Exo 20:19, Deut 18:16) Guilt, and sense of the disparity that isbetwixt God and us, will make us look out for a man that may layhis hand upon us both, and that may set us right in the eyes ofour Father again. This, I say, I infer from the intercession ofChrist; for, if there had been a possibility of our ability to haveapproached God with advantage without, what need had there been ofthe intercession of Christ?

Absalom durst not approach--no, not the presence of his father--byhimself, without a mediator and intercessor; wherefore, he sendsto Joab to go to the king and make intercession for him. (2 Sam13, 14:32, 33) Also, Joab durst not go upon that errand himself, but by the mediation of another. Sin is a fearful thing, it willquash and quail the courage of a man, and make him afraid to approachthe presence of him whom he has offended, though the offended isbut a man. How much more, then, shall it discourage a man, whenonce loaden with guilt and shame, from attempting to approach thepresence of a holy and a sin-avenging God, unless he can come tohim through, and in the name of, an intercessor? But here now isthe help and comfort of the people of God--there is to help themunder all their infirmities an intercessor prepared, and at work. 'He ever liveth to make intercession. '

3. I also infer from hence, that should we, out of an ignorantboldness and presumption, attempt, when we have offended, by ourselvesto approach the presence of God, God would not accept us. He toldEliphaz so. What Eliphaz thought, or was about to do, I know not;but God said unto him, 'My wrath is kindled against thee, andagainst thy two friends; for ye have not spoken of me the thingthat is right, as my servant Job hath. Therefore take unto younow seven bullocks, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, andoffer up for yourselves [that is, by him] a burnt-offering, and myservant Job shall pray for you; for him will I accept; lest I dealwith you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me thething which is right, like my servant Job. ' See here, an offence isa bar and an obstruction to acceptance with God, but by a mediator, but by an intercessor. He that comes to God by himself, God willanswer him by himself--that is, without an intercessor; and I willtell you, such are not like to get any pleasant or comfortableanswer-I will answer him that so cometh according to the multitudeof his idols. 'And I will set my face against that man, and willmake him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midstof my people; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. ' (Eze 14:7, 8)

He that intercedes for another with a holy and just God had needbe clean himself, lest he with whom he so busieth himself say tohim, First clear thyself, and then come and speak for thy friend. Wherefore, this is the very description and qualification of thisour High Priest and blessed Intercessor, 'For such an high priestbecame us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as thosehigh priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, ' &c. (Heb 7:26, 27) Had we not had such an Intercessor, we had been butin a very poor case; but we have one that becomes us; one thatfits us to the purpose; one against whom our God hath nothing, canobject nothing; one in whose mouth no guile could be found. 3

4. Since Christ is an Intercessor, I infer that he has wherewithalin readiness to answer to any demands that may be propounded byhim that hath been by us offended, in order to a renewing of peaceand letting out of that grace to us that we have sinned away, andyet have need of. Ofttimes the offended saith to the intercessor, Well, thou comest to me about this man; what interest he has in theeis one thing, what offence he has committed against me is another. I speak now after the manner of men. Now, what can an intercessordo, if he is not able to answer this question? But now, if he beable to answer this question--that is, according to law and justice, no question but he may prevail with the offended, for him for whomhe makes intercession. 

Why, this is our case; to be sure, thus far it is, we have offendeda just and a holy God, and Jesus Christ is become Intercessor. Healso knows full well, that for our parts, if it would save us fromhell, we cannot produce towards a peace with God so much as poortwo farthings; that is, not anything that can by law and justice beesteemed worth a halfpenny; yet he makes intercession. It follows, therefore, that he has wherewith of his own, if that question aforeis propounded, to answer to every reasonable demand. Hence, it issaid, that he has gifts as well as sacrifice for sin. 'Every highpriest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it isof necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. ' (Heb 8:3)And, observe it, the apostle speaks here of Christ as in heaven, there ministering in the second part of his office; 'For if hewere on earth, he should not be a priest. ' (verse 4) These gifts, therefore, and this sacrifice, he now offereth in heaven by way ofintercession, urging and pleading as an Intercessor, the valuablenessof his gifts for the pacifying of that wrath that our Father hathconceived against us for the disobediences that we are guilty of. 'A gift in secret pacifieth anger; and a reward in the bosom strongwrath. ' (Prov 21:14)

What gifts these are the Scripture everywhere testifies. He gavehimself, he gave his life, he gave his all for us. (John 6, Gal1:4, 1 Tim 2:6, Matt 20:28) These gifts, as he offered them up atthe demand of justice on Mount Calvary for us, so now he is in heavenhe presenteth them continually before God, as gifts and sacrificevaluable for the sins, for all the sins that we, through infirmity, do commit, from the day of our conversion to the day of our death. And these gifts are so satisfactory, so prevalent with God, thatthey always prevail for a continual remission of our sins withhim. Yea, they prevail with him for more than for the remission ofsins; we have, through their procurement, our graces often renewed, the devil often rebuked, the snare often broken, guilt often takenaway from the conscience, and many a blessed smile from God, andlove-look from his life-creating countenance. (Eph 3:12)

5. Since Christ is an Intercessor, I infer that believers shouldnot rest at the cross for comfort; justification they should lookfor there; but, being justified by his blood, they should ascendup after him to the throne. At the cross you will see him in hissorrows and humiliations, in his tears and blood; but follow himto where he is now, and then you shall see him in his robes, inhis priestly robes, and with his golden girdle about his paps. Thenyou shall see him wearing the breastplate of judgment, and with allyour names written upon his heart. Then you shall perceive thatthe whole family in heaven and earth is named by him, and how heprevaileth with God the Father of mercies, for you. Stand stillawhile and listen; yea, enter with boldness into the holiest, andsee your Jesus as he now appears in the presence of God for you;what work he makes against the devil and sin, and death and hell, for you. (Heb 10:9) Ah! it is brave following of Jesus Christ tothe holiest, the veil is rent, you may see with open face as in aglass, the glory of the Lord. This, then, is our High Priest, thishis intercession, these the benefits of it! It lieth on our part toimprove it; and wisdom to do that also comes from the mercy-seat, or throne of grace, where he, even our High Priest, ever liveth tomake intercession for us; to whom be glory for ever and ever. 

[II. OF THE BENEFITS OF CHRIST'S INTERCESSION. ]

[SECOND. ] And thus have I spoken to the first thing--to wit, of theintercession of Christ; and now I come more particularly to speakto the second, THE BENEFITS OF HIS INTERCESSION; namely, that weare saved thereby. Wherefore he is able also to save them, seeinghe maketh intercession for them. 'He is able to save them to theuttermost. '

In my handling of this head, I must show you, First, What the apostlemeans here by 'save'--'Wherefore he is able to save. ' Second, Whathe means here by saving to the 'uttermost'--'He is able to save tothe uttermost. ' Third, And then, thirdly, we shall do as we did inthe foregoing--to wit, gather some inferences from the whole, andspeak to them. 

First, What doth the apostle mean here by 'save'--'He is able tosave them. '

To 'save' may be taken two ways. In the general, I know it may betaken many ways, for there are many salvations that we enjoy; yea, that we never knew of, nor can know, until we come thither, whereall secret things shall be seen, and where that which has been donein darkness shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. But I say thereare two ways that this word may be taken--1. To save in a way ofjustification. 2. Or to save in a way of preservation. Now, Christsaves both these ways. But which of these, or whether both of themare intended in this place, of that I shall tell you my thoughtsanon; meanwhile, I will show you, 1. What it is to be saved in the first sense, [namely, in a way ofjustification, ] and also how that is brought to pass. 

To be saved is to be delivered from guilt of sin that is by thelaw, as it is the ministration of death and condemnation; or, tobe set free therefrom before God. This is to be saved; for he thatis not set free therefrom, whatever he may think of himself, orwhatever others may think concerning him, he is a condemned man. It saith not, he shall be, but, he is condemned already. (John3:18) The reason is, for that he has deserved the sentence ofthe ministration of condemnation, which is the law. Yea, that lawhas already arraigned, accused, and condemned him before God, forthat it hath found him guilty of sin. Now he that is set free fromthis, or, as the phrase is, 'being made free from sin, ' (Rom 6:22);that is, from the imputation of guilt, there can, to him, be nocondemnation, no condemnation to hell fire; but the person thus madefree may properly be said to be saved. Wherefore, as sometimes itsaith, we shall be saved, respecting saving in the second sense, or the utmost completing of salvation; so sometimes it saith, weare saved, as respecting our being already secured from guilt, andso from condemnation to hell for sin, and so set safe, and quitfrom the second death before God. (1 Cor 1:18, Eph 2:5)

Now, saving thus comes to us by what Christ did for us in this world, by what Christ did for us as suffering for us. I say, it comes tous thus; that is, it comes to us by grace through the redemptionthat is in Christ. And thus to be saved is called justification, justification to life, because one thus saved is, as I said, acquitted from guilt, and that everlasting damnation to which forsin he had made himself obnoxious by the law. (1 Cor 15:1-4, Rom5:8-10)

Hence we are said to be saved by his death, justified by his blood, and reconciled to God by the death of his Son; all which must respecthis offering of himself on the day he died, and not his improvingof his so dying in a way of intercession, because in the sameplace the apostle reserveth a second, or an additional salvation, and applieth that to his intercession, 'Much more then, being now, 'or already, 'justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wraththrough him'; that is, through what he will further do for us. 'Forif, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the deathof his son, much more, being reconciled, ' that is, by his death, 'we shall be saved by his life, ' his intercession, which he everliveth to complete. (verse 9, 10)

See here, we are said to be justified, reconciled already, andtherefore we shall be saved, justified by his blood and death, andsaved through him by his life. 

2. Now the saving intended in the text is saving in this secondsense; that is, a saving of us by preserving us, by deliveringof us from all those hazards that we run betwixt our state ofjustification and our state of glorification. Yea, such a savingof us as we that are justified need to bring us into glory. Therefore, When he saith he is able to save, seeing he ever liveth to makeintercession, he addeth saving to saving; saving by his life tosaving by his death; saving by his improving of his blood to savingby his spilling of his blood. He gave himself a ransom for us, andnow improves that gift in the presence of God by way of intercession. For, as I have hinted already, the high priests under the law took theblood of the sacrifices that were offered for sin, and brought itwithin the veil, and there sprinkled it before and upon the mercy-seat, and by it made intercession for the people to an additional way ofsaving them; the sum of which Paul thus applies to Christ when hesaith, 'He can save, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession. '

That also in the Romans is clear to this purpose, 'Who is hethat condemneth? It is Christ that died. ' (Rom 8:31-39) That is, who is he that shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect tocondemnation to hell, since Christ has taken away the curse by hisdeath from before God? Then he adds, that there is nothing thatshall yet happen to us, shall destroy us, since Christ also livethto make intercession for us. 'Who shall condemn? It is Christ thatdied; yea, rather, that is risen again, who is even at the righthand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. '

Christ, then, by his death saveth us as we are sinners, enemies, and in a state of condemnation by sin; and Christ by his life savethus as considered justified, and reconciled to God by his blood. So, then, we have salvation from that condemnation that sin had broughtus unto, and salvation from those ruins that all the enemies of oursouls would yet bring us unto, but cannot; for the intercession ofChrist preventeth. 4 (Rom 6:7-10)

Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law. Whatever the lawcan take hold of to curse us for, that Christ has redeemed us from, by being made a curse for us. But this curse that Christ was madefor us, must be confined to his sufferings, not to his exaltation, and, consequently, not to his intercession, for Christ is made nocurse but when he suffered; not in his intercession: so then, ashe died he took away the curse, and sin that was the cause thereof, by the sacrifice of himself, (Gal 3:13), and by his life, hisintercession, he saveth us from all those things that attempt tobring us into that condemnation again. 

The salvation, then, that we have by the intercession of Christ, as was said--I speak now of them that are capable of receivingcomfort and relief by this doctrine--is salvation that followsupon, or that comes after, justification. We that are saved as tojustification of life, need yet to be saved with that that preservethto glory; for though by the death of Christ we are saved from thecurse of the law, yet attempts are made by many that we may be keptfrom the glory that justified persons are designed for; and fromthese we are saved by his intercession. 

A man, then, that must be eternally saved is to be considered, (a. )As an heir of wrath. (b. ) As an heir of God. An heir of wrath heis in himself by sin; an heir of God he is by grace through Christ. (Eph 2:3, Gal 4:7) Now, as an heir of wrath he is redeemed, and asan heir of God he is preserved; as an heir of wrath he is redeemedby blood, and as an heir of God he is preserved by this intercession. Christ by his death, then, puts me, I being reconciled to Godthereby, into a justified state, and God accepts me to grace andfavour through him. But this doth not hinder but that, all thisnotwithstanding, there re, that would frustrate me of the end towhich I am designed by this reconciliation to God, by redemptionthrough grace; and from the accomplishing of this design I am savedby the blessed intercession of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Object. 1. Perhaps some may say, we are not saved from all punishmentof sin by the death of Christ; and if so, so not from all dangerof damnation by the intercession of Christ. 

Answ. We are saved from all punishment in hell fire by the death ofChrist. Jesus has 'delivered us from the wrath to come. ' (1 Thess1:10) So that as to this great punishment, God for his sake hasforgiven us all trespasses. (Col 2:13) But we being translatedfrom being slaves to Satan to be sons of God, God reserveth yetthis liberty in his hand to chastise us if we offend, as a fatherchastiseth his son. (Deut 8:5) But this chastisement is not in legalwrath, but in fatherly affection; not to destroy us, but that stillwe might be made to get advantage thereby, even be made partakersof his holiness. This is, that we might 'not be condemned with theworld. ' (Heb 12:5-11, 1 Cor 11:32) As to the second part of theobjection; there do, as we say, many things happen betwixt or betweenthe cup and the lip; many things attempt to overthrow the workof God, and to cause that we should perish through our weakness, notwithstanding the price that hath by Christ been paid for us. Butwhat saith the Scripture? 'Who shall separate us from the love ofChrist? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sakewe are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for theslaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerorsthrough him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor thingspresent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any othercreature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, whichis in Christ Jesus our Lord. ' (Rom 8:35-39)

Thus the apostle reckoneth up all the disadvantages that a justifiedperson is incident to in this life, and by way of challengedeclares, that not any one of them, nor all together, shall be ableto separate us from the love of God, that is towards us by Christ, his death, and his intercession. 

Object. 2. It may be further objected, that the apostle doth hereleave out sin, unto which we know the saints are subject, afterjustification. And sin of itself, we need no other enemies, is ofthat nature as to destroy the whole world. 

Answ. Sin is sin, in the nature of sin, wherever it is found. Butsin as to the damning effects thereof is taken away from them untowhom righteousness is imputed for justification. Nor shall any orall the things aforementioned, though there is a tendency in everyone of them to drive us unto sin, drown us, through it, in perditionand destruction. I am persuaded, says Paul, they shall never beable to do that. The apostle, therefore, doth implicitly, though toexpressly, challenge sin, yea, sin by all its advantages; and thenglorieth in the love of God in Christ Jesus, from which he concludethit shall never separate the justified. Besides, it would now havebeen needless to have expressly here put in sin by itself, seeingbefore, he had argued that those he speaks of were freely justifiedtherefrom. 

One word more before I go to the second head. The Father, as Itold you, has reserved to himself a liberty to chastise his sons, to wit, with temporal chastisements, if they offend. This stillabideth to us, notwithstanding God's grace, Christ's death, orblessed intercession. And this punishment is so surely entailedto the transgressions that we who believe shall commit, that itis impossible that we should be utterly freed therefrom; insomuchthat the apostle positively concludeth them to be bastards, whatpretences to sonship soever they have, that are not, for sin, partakers of fatherly chastisements. 

For the reversing of this punishment it is that we should pray, ifperhaps God will remit it, when we are taught to say, 'Our Father, forgive us our trespasses. ' And he that admits of any other senseas to this petition, derogates from the death of Christ, or faith, or both. For either he concludes that for some of his sins Christdid not die, or that he is bound to believe that God, though hedid, has not yet, nor will forgive them, till from the petitionersome legal work be done; forgive us, as we forgive them thattrespass against us. (Matt 6:14, 15) But now, apply this to temporalpunishments, and then it is true that God has reserved a liberty inhis hand to punish even the sins of his people upon them; yea, andwill not pardon their sin, as to the remitting of such punishment, unless some good work by them be done; 'If ye forgive not men theirtrespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. '(Matt 6:15, 18:28-35)

And this is the cause why some that belong to God are yet so underthe afflicting hand of God; they have sinned, and God, who istheir Father, punisheth; yea, and this is the reason why some whoare dear to God have this kind of punishment never forgiven, butit abides with them to their lives' end, goes with them to theday of their death, yea, is the very cause of their death. By thispunishment they are cut off out of the land of the living. But allthis is that they might 'not be condemned with the world. ' (1 Cor11:32)

Christ died not to save from this punishment; Christ intercedesnot to save from this punishment. Nothing but a good life will savefrom this punishment; nor always that either. 

The hidings of God's face, the harshness of his providences, the severeand sharp chastisements that ofttimes overtake the very spirits ofhis people, plainly show that Christ died not to save from temporalpunishments, prays not to save from temporal punishments--thatis, absolutely. God has reserved a power to punish, with temporalpunishments, the best and dearest of his people, if need be. 5 Andsometimes he remits them, sometimes not, even as it pleases him. I come now to the second thing. 

[Christ saves to the uttermost. ]

Second, I shall now show you something of what it is for Christ, byhis intercession, to save to the 'uttermost. ' 'He is able to savethem to the uttermost. '

This is a great expression, and carrrieth with it much. 'Uttermost'signifieth to the outside, to the end, to the last, to the furthestpart. And it hath respect both to persons and things. (Gen 49:26, Deut 30:4, Matt 5:26, Mark 13:27, Luke 15)

1. To persons. Some persons are in their own apprehensionseven further from Christ than anybody else; afar off, a great wayoff, yet a-coming, as the prodigal was. Now, these many times areexceedingly afraid; the sight of that distance that they think isbetwixt Christ and them makes them afraid. As it is said in anothercase, 'They that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thytokens. ' (Psa 65:8) So these are afraid they shall not speed, notobtain that for which they come to God. But the text says, He isable to save to the uttermost, to the very hindermost, them thatcome to God by him. 

Two sorts of men seem to be far, very far from God. (1. ) The townsinner. (2. ) The great backslider. (Neh 1:9) But both these, if theycome, he is able to save to the uttermost. He is able to save themfrom all those dangers that they fear will prevent their obtainingof that grace and mercy they would have to help them in time ofneed. The publicans and harlots enter into the kingdom of heaven. 

2. As this text respecteth persons, so it respecteth things. Thereare some things with which some are attended that are coming toGod, by Christ, that make their coming hard and very difficult. 

(1. ) There is a more than ordinary breaking up of the corruptionsof their nature. It seems as if all their lusts and vile passionsof the flesh were become masters, and might now do what they willwith the soul. Yea, they take this man and toss and tumble him likea ball in a large place. This man is not master of himself, of histhoughts, nor of his passions--'His iniquities, like the wind, docarry him away. ' (Isa 64:6) He thinks to go forward, but this windblows him backward; he laboureth against this wind, but cannot findthat he getteth ground; he takes what advantage opportunity dothminister to him, but all he gets is to be beat out of heart, outof breath, out of courage. He stands still, and pants, and gapethas for life. 'I opened my mouth, and panted, ' said David, 'for Ilonged for thy commandments. ' (Psa 119:131) He sets forward again, but has nothing but labour and sorrow. 

(2. ) Nay, to help forward his calamity, Satan [and his] angels willnot be wanting, both to trouble his head with the fumes of theirstinking breath, nor to throw up his heels in their dirty places--'Andas he was yet a-coming, the devil threw him down and tare him. '(Luke 9:42) How many strange, hideous, and amazing blasphemies havethose, some of those, that are coming to Christ, had injected andfixed upon their spirits against him. Nothing so common to such, as to have some hellish wish or other against God they are comingto, and against Christ, by whom they would come to him. Theseblasphemies are like those frogs that I have heard of, that willleap up, and catch hold of, and hang by their claws. Now help, Lord; now, Lord Jesus, what shall I do? Now, Son of David, havemercy upon me! I say, to say these words is hard work for such anone. But he is able to save to the uttermost this comer to God byhim. 

(3. ) There are also the oppositions of sense and reason hardat work for the devil, against the soul; the men of his own houseare risen up against him. One's sense and reason, one would think, should not fall in with the devil against ourselves, and yetnothing more common, nothing more natural, than for our own senseand reason to turn the unnatural, and are both against our God andus. And now it is hard coming to God. Better can a man hear anddeal with any objections against himself, than with those thathimself doth make against himself. They lie close, stick fast, speak aloud, and will be heard; yea, will haunt and hunt him, asthe devil doth some, in every hole and corner. But come, man, come;for he is able to save to the uttermost!

(4. ) Now guilt is the consequence and fruit of all this; and whatso intolerable a burden as guilt! They talk of the stones, and ofthe sands of the sea; but it is guilt that breaks the heart withits burden. And Satan has the art of making the uttermost of everysin; he can blow it up, make it swell, make every hair of its headas big as a cedar. He can tell how to make it a heinous offence, and unpardonable offence, an offence of that continuance, andcommitted against so much light, that, says he, it is impossibleit should ever be forgiven. But, soul, Christ is able to save tothe uttermost, he can 'do exceeding abundantly above all that weask or think. ' (Eph 3:20)

(5. ) Join to all this the rage and terror of men, which thing ofitself is sufficient to quash and break to pieces all desires tocome to God by Christ; yea, and it doth do so to thousands that arenot willing to go to hell. Yet thou art kept, and made to go pantingon; a whole world of men, and devils, and sin, are not able tokeep thee from coming. But how comes it to pass that thou art sohearty, that thou settest thy face against so much wind and weather? Idare say it arises not from thyself, nor from any of thine enemies. This comes from God, though thou art not aware thereof; and isobtained for thee by the intercession of the blessed Son of God, who is also able to save thee to the uttermost, that comest to Godby him. 

(6. ) And for a conclusion as to this, I will add, that there ismuch of the honour of the Lord Jesus engaged as to the saving ofthe coming man to the uttermost: 'I am glorified in them, ' saithhe. (John 17:10) He is exalted to be a Saviour. (Acts 5:31) And ifthe blessed One doth count it an exaltation to be a Saviour, surelyit is an exaltation to be a Saviour, and a great one. 'They shallcry unto the Lord because of the oppressors, and he shall sendthem a Saviour, and a great one, and he shall deliver them. ' (Isa19:20) If it is a glory to be a Saviour, a great Saviour, thenit is a glory for a Saviour, a great one, to save, and save, andsave to the uttermost--to the uttermost man, to the uttermost sin, to the uttermost temptation. And hence it is that he saith again, speaking of the transgressions, sins, and iniquities that he wouldpardon, that it should turn to him for 'a name of joy, a praise, and an honour before all nations. ' (Jer 33:9) He therefore countsit an honour to be a great Saviour, to save men to the uttermost. 

When Moses said, 'I beseech thee, show me thy glory, ' the answerwas, 'I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I willproclaim the name of the Lord before thee. ' (Exo 33:18, 19) And whenhe came indeed to make proclamation, then he proclaimed, 'The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundantin goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgivinginiquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clearthe guilty. ' (Exo 34:6, 7) That will by no means clear them thatwill not come to me that they may be saved. 

See here, if it is not by himself accounted his glory to make hisgoodness, all his goodness, pass before us. And how can that be, if he saveth not to the uttermost them that come unto God by him?For goodness is by us noways seen but by those acts by which itexpresseth itself to be so. And, I am sure, to save, to save tothe uttermost, is one of the most eminent expressions by which weunderstand it is great goodness. I know goodness has many ways toexpress itself to be what it is to the world; but then it expressethits greatness when it pardons and saves, when it pardons and savesto the uttermost. My goodness, says Christ, extends not itself tomy Father, but to my saints. (Psa 16:2, 3) My Father has no needof my goodness, but my saints have, and therefore it shall reachforth itself for their help, in whom is all my delight. And, 'Ohhow great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them thatfear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in theebefore the sons of men'! (Psa 31:19) It is therefore that whichtendeth to get Christ a name, a fame, and glory, to be able to saveto the uttermost them that come to God by him. 

[In Christ's ability to save, lieth our safety. ]

But some may say, What is the meaning of this word able? 'Whereforehe is able to save. ' He is able to save the uttermost. How comes itto pass that his power to save is rather put in than his willingness;for willingness, saith the soul, would better have pleased me. Iwill speak two or three words to this question. And, First, By this word able is suggested to us the sufficiency of hismerit, the great worthiness of his merit; for, as Intercessor, hesticks fast by his merit; all his petitions, prayers, or supplicationsare grounded upon the worthiness of his person as Mediator, andon the validity of his offering as priest. This is the more clear, if you consider the reason why those priests and sacrifices underthe law could not make the worshippers perfect. It was, I say, becausethere wanted in them worthiness and merit in their sacrifices. Butthis man, when he came and offered his sacrifice, he did by thatone act 'perfect for ever them that are sanctified, ' or set apartfor glory. 'But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice forsins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God. ' (Heb 10:1-12)

When Moses prayed for the people of Israel, thus he said, 'Andnow, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, accordingas thou hast spoken. ' But what had he spoken? 'The Lord is long-suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and byno means clearing the guilty--Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquityof this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and asthou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now. ' (Num14:17-19)

Second, Has he but power, we know he is willing, else he would nothave promised; it is also his glory to pardon and save. So, then, in his ability lies our safety. What if he were never so willing, if he were not of ability sufficient, what would his willingnessdo? But he has showed, as I said, his willingness by promising:'Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. ' (John 6:37) Sothat now our comfort lies in his power, in that he is able to makegood his word. (Rom 4:20, 21) And this also will then be seen, whenhe hath saved them that come to God by him, when he hath saved themto the uttermost; not to the uttermost of his ability, but to theuttermost of our necessity; for to the uttermost of his ability Ibelieve he will never be put to it to save his church; not for thathe is loath so to save, but because there is no need so to save; heshall not need to put out all his power, and to press the utmost ofhis merit for the saving of his church. Alas! there is sufficiencyof merit in him to save a thousand times as many more as are liketo be saved by him; 'he is able to do exceeding abundantly aboveall that we ask or think. '

Measure not, therefore, what he can do by what he has, doth, orwill do; neither do thou interpret this word, to the uttermost, as if it related to the uttermost of his ability, but rather as itrelateth, for so it doth indeed, to the greatness of thy necessity. For as he is able to save thee, though thy condition be, as it maybe supposed to be, the worst that ever man was in that was saved, so he is able to save thee, though thy condition were ten timesworse than it is. 

What! shall not the worthiness of the Son of God be sufficient tosave from the sin of man? or shall the sin of the world be of thatweight to destroy, that it shall put Christ Jesus to the uttermostof the worth of his person and merit to save therefrom? I believeit is blasphemy to think so. We can easily imagine that he cansave all the world--that is, that he is of ability to do it; butwe cannot imagine that he can do no more than we can think he can. But our imagination and thoughts set no bound to his ability. 'Heis able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think. 'But what that is, I say, no man can think, no man can imagine. So, then, Jesus Christ can do more than ever any man thought he coulddo as to saving; he can do we know not what. This, therefore, shouldencourage comers to come to him; and them that come, to hope. This, I say, should encourage them to let out, to lengthen, and heightentheir thoughts by the word, to the uttermost, seeing he can 'saveto the uttermost them that come to God by him. '6

[Inferences from the benefits of Christ's intercession. ]

Third. And now I come to the third thing that I told you I shouldspeak to, and that is, to those inferences that may be gatheredfrom these words. 

1. Are they that are justified by Christ's blood such as have needyet to be saved by his intercession? Then from hence it follows thatjustification will stand with imperfection. It doth not thereforefollow that a justified man is without infirmity; for he that iswithout infirmity--that is, perfect with absolute perfection, hasno need to be yet saved by an act yet to be performed by a mediatorand his mediation. 

When I say, justification will stand with imperfection, I donot mean that it will allow, countenance, or approve thereof; butI mean there is no necessity of our perfection, of our personalperfection, as to our justification, and that we are justifiedwithout it; yea, that that, in justified persons, remains. Again;when I say that justification will stand with imperfection, I donot mean that in our justification we are imperfect; for in thatwe are complete; 'we are complete in him' who is our justice. (Col2:10) If otherwise, the imperfection is in the matter that justifiethus, which is the righteousness of Christ. Yea, and to say so wouldconclude that wrong judgment proceedeth from him that imputeth thatrighteousness to us to justification, since an imperfect thing isimputed to us for justification. But far be it from any that believethat God is true to imagine such a thing; all his works are perfect, there is nothing wanting in them as to the present design. 

[Quest. ] But what then do we mean when we say, justification willstand with a state of imperfection?

Answ. Why, I mean that justified men are yet sinners in themselves, are yet full of imperfections; yea, sinful imperfections. JustifiedPaul said, 'I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth nogood thing. ' (Rom 7:18) While we are yet sinners, we are justifiedby the blood of Christ. Hence, again, it is said, 'he justifieththe ungodly. ' (Rom 4:5, 5:8, 9) Justification, then, only coverethour sin from the sight of God; it maketh us not perfect with inherentperfection. But God, for the sake of that righteousness which byhis grace is imputed to us, declareth us quit and discharged fromthe curse, and sees sin in us no more to condemnation. 

[WHY THE JUSTIFIED NEED AN INTERCESSOR. ]

And this is the reason, or one reason, why they that are justifiedhave need of an intercessor--to wit, to save us from the evil ofthe sin that remains in our flesh after we are justified by gracethrough Christ, and set free from the law as to condemnation. Therefore, as it is said, we are saved; so it is said, 'He is ablealso to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeinghe ever liveth to make intercession for them. ' The godly, for nowwe will call them the godly, though there is yet abundance of sinin them, feel in themselves many things even after justificationby which they are convinced they are still attended with personal, sinful imperfections. 

[Imperfect in their feelings and inclinations. ]--(1. ) Theyfeel unbelief, fear, mistrust, doubting, despondings, murmurings, blasphemies, pride, lightness, foolishness, avarice, fleshly lusts, heartlessness to good, wicked desires, low thoughts of Christ, toogood thoughts of sin, and, at times, too great an itching afterthe worst of immoralities. 

(2. ) They feel in themselves an aptness to incline to errors, asto lean to the works of the law for justification; to question thetruth of the resurrection and judgment to come; to dissemble andplay the hypocrite in profession and in performance of duties; todo religious duties rather to please man than God, who trieth theheart. 

(3. ) They feel an inclination in them, in times of trial, to faintunder the cross, to seek too much to save themselves, to dissemblethe known truth for the obtaining a little favour with men, and tospeak things that they ought not, that they may sleep in a wholeskin. 

(4. ) They feel wearisomeness in religious duties, but a naturalpropensity to things of the flesh. They feel a desire to go beyondbounds both at board, and bed, and bodily exercise, and in alllawful recreation. 

(5. ) They feel in themselves an aptness to take the advantage ofusing of things that are lawful, as food, raiment, sleep, talk, estates, relations, beauty, wit, parts, and graces, to unlawfulends. These things, with many more of the like kind, the justifiedman finds and feels in himself, to his humbling and often castingdown; and to save him from the destroying evil of these, Christever liveth to make intercession for him. 

[Imperfect in their graces. ]--Again; the justified man is imperfectin his graces, and therefore needeth to be saved by the intercessionof Christ from the bad fruit that that imperfection yields. 

Justifying righteousness is accompanied with graces--the graces ofthe Spirit. Though these graces are not that matter by and throughwhich we are justified, nor any part thereof, that being only theobedience of Christ imputed to us of mere pleasure and good will;but, I say, they come when justification comes. (Rom 9) And thoughthey are not so easily discerned at the first, they show forththemselves afterwards. But I say, how many soever they are, and howfast soever they grow, their utmost arrivement here is but a stateshort of perfection. None of the graces of God's Spirit in ourhearts can do their work in us without shortness, and that becauseof their own imperfections, and also because of the oppositionsthat they meet with from our flesh. 

(1. ) Faith, which is the root-grace, the grand grace, its shortnessis sufficiently manifest by its shortness of apprehension of thingspertaining to the person, offices, relations, and works of Christ, now in the heavenly place for us. It is also very defective in itsfetching of comfort from the Word to us, and in continuing of itwith us, when at any time we attain unto it; in its receiving ofstrength to subdue sin, and in its purifyings of the heart, thoughindeed it doth what it doth in reality, yet how short is it of doingof it thoroughly? Oftentimes, were it not for supplies by virtueof the intercession of Christ, faith would fail of performing itsoffice in any measure. (Luke 22:31, 32)

(2. ) There is hope, another grace of the Spirit bestowed upon us;and how often is that also, as to the excellency of working, madeto flag? 'I shall perish, ' saith David; 'I am cut off from beforethine eyes, ' said he. (Psa 31:22) And now where was his hope, in theright gospel discovery of it? Also all our fear of men, and fearsof death, and fears of judgment, they arise from the imperfectionsof hope. But from all those faults Christ saves us by his intercessions. 

(3. ) There is love, that should be in us as hot as fire. It iscompared to fire, to fire of the hottest sort; yea, it is said tobe hotter than the coals of juniper. (Cant 8:6, 7) But who finds thisheat in love so much as for one poor quarter of an hour together?Some little flashes, perhaps, some at some times may feel, but whereis that constant burning of affection that the Word, the love ofGod, and the love of Christ call for? yea, and that the necessitiesof the poor and afflicted members of Christ call for also. Ah! loveis cold in these frozen days, and short when it is at the highest. 

(4. ) The grace of humility, when is it? who has a thimbleful thereof?Where is he that is 'clothed with humility, ' and that does what heis commanded 'with all humility of mind'? (1 Peter 5:5, Acts 20:19)

(5. ) For zeal, where is that also? Zeal for God against sin, profaneness, superstition, and idolatry. I speak now to the godly, who have this zeal in the root and habit; but oh, how little of itputs forth itself into actions in such a day as this is!

(6. ) There is reverence, fear, and standing in awe of God's Wordand judgments, where are the excellent workings thereof to be found?And where it is most, how far short of perfect acts is it?

(7. ) Simplicity and godly sincerity also, with how much dirt is itmixed in the best; especially among those of the saints that arerich, who have got the poor and beggarly art of complimenting? Forthe more compliment, the less sincerity. Many words will not filla bushel. But 'in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin. '(Prov 10:19) Plain men are thin come up in this day; to find amouth without fraud and deceit now is a rare thing. Thus might onecount up all the graces of the Spirit, and show wherein every oneof them are scanty and wanting of perfection. Now look, what theywant of perfection is supplied with sin and vanity; for there is afullness of sin and flesh at hand to make up all the vacant placesin our souls. There is no place in the souls of the godly but itis filled up with darkness when the light is wanting, and with sinso far forth as grace is wanting. Satan, also, diligently waitethto come in at the door, if Careless has left it a little achare. 7But, oh! the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who ever liveth tomake intercession for us, and that, by so doing, saves us from allthe imperfect acts and workings of our graces, and from all theadvantages that flesh, and sin, and Satan getteth upon us thereby. 

[Imperfect in their Duties. ]--Further, as Christ Jesus our Lord dothsave us, by his intercession, from that hurt that would unavoidablycome upon us by these, so also, by that we are saved from theevil that is at any time found in any or all our holy duties andperformances that is our duty daily to be found in. That our dutiesare imperfect, follows upon what was discoursed before; for if ourgraces be imperfect, how can our duties but be so too?

(1. ) Our prayers, how imperfect are they! With how much unbeliefare they mixed! How apt is our tongue to run, in prayer, beforeour hearts! With how much earnestness do our lips move, while ourhearts lie within as cold as a clod! Yea, and ofttimes, it is tobe feared, we ask for that with out mouth that we care not whetherwe have or no. Where is the man that pursues with all his mightwhat but now he seemed to ask for with all his heart? Prayer isbecome a shell, a piece of formality, a very empty thing, as to thespirit and life of prayer at this day. I speak now of the prayersof the godly. I once met with a poor woman that, in the greatest ofher distresses, told me she did use to rise in the night, in coldweather, and pray to God, while she sweat with fears of the lossof her prayers and desires that her soul might be saved. I haveheard of many that have played, but of few that have prayed, tillthey have sweat, by reason of their wrestling with God for mercyin that duty. 

(2. ) There is the duty of almsgiving, another gospel performance;but how poorly is it done in our days! We have so many foolishways to lay out money, in toys and fools' baubles for our children, that we can spare none, or very little, for the relief of the poor. Also, do not many give that to their dogs, yea, let it lie in theirhouses until it stinks so vilely that neither dog nor cat willeat it; which, had it been bestowed well in time, might have beena succour and nourishment to some poor member of Christ?

(3. ) There is hearing of the Word; but, alas! the place of hearingis the place of sleeping with many a fine professor. I have oftenobserved that those that keep shops can briskly attend upon atwopenny customer; but when they come themselves to God's market, they spend their time too much in letting their thoughts to wanderfrom God's commandments, or in a nasty drowsy way. The heads, also, and hearts of most hearers are to the Word as the sieve isto water; they can hold no sermons, remember no texts, bring homeno proofs, produce none of the sermon to the edification and profitof others. And do not the best take up too much in hearing, andmind too little what, by the Word, God calls for at their hands, to perform it with a good conscience?

(4. ) There is faithfulness in callings, faithfulness to brethren, faithfulness to the world, faithfulness to children, to servants, to all, according to our place and capacity. Oh! how little of itis there found in the mouths and lives, to speak nothing of thehearts, of professors. 

I will proceed no further in this kind of repetition of things;only thus much give me leave to say over again, even many of thetruly godly are very faulty here. But what would they do if therewere not one always at the right hand of God, by intercession, taking away these kind of iniquities?

2. Are those that are justified by the blood of Christ such, afterthat, as have need also of saving by Christ's intercession? Fromhence, then, we may infer, that as sin, so Satan will not give overfrom assaulting the best of the saints. 

It is not justification that can secure us from being assaultedby Satan: 'Simon, Simon, Satan has desired to have you. ' (Luke22:31, 32) There are two things that do encourage the devil to setupon the people of God:--

(1. ) He knows not who are elect; for all that profess are not, and, therefore, he will make trial, if he can get them into his sieve, whether he can cause them to perish. And great success he hath hadthis way. Many a brave professor has he overcome; he has cast someof the stars from heaven to earth; he picked one out from among theapostles, and one, as it is thought, from among the seven deacons, 8and many from among Christ's disciples; but how many, think you, nowadays, doth he utterly destroy with his net?

(2. ) If it so happeneth that he cannot destroy, because Christ, byhis intercession, prevaileth, yet will he set upon the church todefile and afflict it. For (a), If he can but get us to fall, withPeter, then he has obtained that dishonour be brought to God, theweak to be stumbled, the world offended, and the gospel vilifiedand reproached. Or (b), If he cannot throw up our heels, yet, bybuffeting of us, he can grieve us, afflict us, put us to pain, frightus, drive us to many doubts, and make our life very uncomfortable untous, and make us go groaning to our Father's house. But blessed beGod for his Christ, and for that 'he ever liveth to make intercessionfor us. '

3. Are those that are justified by the blood of Christ such as, after that, have need to be saved by Christ's intercession? Then, hence I infer that it is dangerous going about anything in our ownname and strength. If we would have helps from the intercession ofChrist, let us have a care that we do what we do according to theword of Christ. Do what he bids us as well as we can, as he bidsus, and then we need not doubt to have help and salvation in thoseduties by the intercession of Christ. 'Do all, ' says the apostle, 'in the name of the Lord Jesus. ' (Col 3:17) Oh, but then the deviland the world will be most of all offended! Well, well, but if youdo nothing but as in his fear, by his Word, in his name, you maybe sure of what help his intercession can afford you, and that canafford you much help, not only to begin, but to go through withyour work in some good measure, as you should; and by that also youshall be secured from those dangers, if not temptations to dangers, that those that go out about business in their own names and strengthshall be sure to meet withal. 

4. Are those that are justified by the blood of Christ such as, after that, have need of being saved by Christ's intercession? Then, hence I infer again, that God has a great dislike of the sins ofhis own people, and would fall upon them in judgment and anger muchmore severely than he doth, were it not for Christ's intercession. The gospel is not, as some think, a loose and licentious doctrine, nor God's discipline of his church a negligent and careless discipline;for, though those that believe already have also an intercessor, yet God, to show his detestation against sin, doth often make themfeel to purpose the weight of his fingers. The sincere, that fainwould walk oft with God, have felt what I say, and that to thebreaking of their bones full oft. The loose ones, and those thatGod loves not, may be utter strangers as to this; but those thatare his own indeed do know it is otherwise. 9

'You only have I known' above all others, says God, 'therefore Iwill punish you for all your iniquities. ' (Amos 3:2) God keeps avery strict house among his children. David found it so, Haman foundit so, Job found it so, and the church of God found it so; and Iknow not that his mind is ever the less against sin, notwithstandingwe have an Intercessor. True, our Intercessor saves us from damningevils, from damning judgments; but he neither doth nor will secureus from temporal punishment, from spiritual punishment, unless wewatch, deny ourselves, and walk in his fear. I would to God thatthose who are otherwise minded did but feel, for three or fourmonths, something of what I have felt for several years togetherfor base sinful thoughts! I wish it, I say, if it might be fortheir good, and for the better regulating of their understandings. But whether they obtain my wish or no, sure I am that God is nocountenancer of sin; no, not in his own people; nay, he will bearit least of all in them. And as for others, however he may fora while have patience towards them, if, perhaps, his goodness maylead them to repentance; yet the day is coming when he will pay thecarnal and hypocrites' home with devouring fire for their offences. 

But if our holy God will not let us go altogether unpunished, though we have so able and blessed an Intercessor, that has alwaysto present God with, on our behalf, so valuable a price of his ownblood, now before the throne of grace, what should we have doneif there had been no day's-man, none to plead for us, or to makeintercession on our behalf? Read that text, 'For I am with thee, saith the Lord, to save thee; though I make a full end of allnations whither I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a fullend of thee; but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leavethee altogether unpunished. ' (Jer 30:11) If it be so, I say, whathad become of us, if we had had no Intercessor? And what willbecome of them concerning whom the Lord has said already, 'I willnot take up their names into my lips'? (Psa 16:4) 'I pray not forthe world. ' (John 17:9)

5. Are those that are already justified by the blood of Christ yetsuch as have need of being saved by his intercession? Then, hence, I infer that Christ is not only the beginner, but the completerof our salvation; or, as the Holy Ghost calls him, 'the author andfinisher of our faith, ' (Heb 12:2); or, as it calls him again, 'theauthor of eternal salvation. ' (Heb 5:9) Of salvation throughout, from the beginning to the end, from first to last. His hands havelaid the foundation of it in his own blood, and his hands shallfinish it by his intercession. (Zech 4:9) As he has laid the beginningfastly, so he shall bring forth the headstones with shoutings, andwe shall cry, Grace, grace, at the last, salvation only belongethto the Lord. (Zech 4:7, Psa 3:8, Isa 43:11)

Many there be that begin with grace, and end with works, andthink THAT is the only way. Indeed works will save from temporalpunishments, when their imperfections are purged from them by theintercession of Christ; but to be saved and brought to glory, tobe carried through this dangerous world, from my first moving afterChrist till I set my foot within the gates of paradise, this is thework of my Mediator, of my high priest and intercessor; it is hethat fetches us again when we are run away; it is he that liftethus up when the devil and sin has thrown us down; it is he thatquickeneth us when we grow cold; it is he that comforteth us whenwe despair; it is he that obtains fresh pardon when we have contractedsin; and he that purges our consciences when they are loaden withguilt. (Eze 34:16, Psa 145:14)

I know also, that rewards do wait for them in heaven that do believein Christ, and shall do well on earth; but this is not a reward ofmerit, but of grace. We are saved by Christ; brought to glory byChrist; and all our works are no otherwise made acceptable to Godbut by the person and personal excellencies and works of Christ;therefore, whatever the jewels are, and the bracelets, and thepearls, that thou shalt be adorned with as a reward of service doneto God in the world, for them thou must thank Christ, and, beforeall, confess that he was the meritorious cause thereof. (1 Peter2:5, Heb 13:15) He saves us, and saves our services too. (Rev 5:9-14)They would be all cast back as dung in our faces, were they notrinsed and washed in the blood, were they not sweetened and perfumedin the incense, and conveyed to God himself through the white handof Jesus Christ; for that is his golden-censer; from thence ascendsthe smoke that is in the nostrils of God of such a sweet savour. (Rev 7:12-14, 8:3, 4)

6. Are those that are already justified by the blood of Christ, such as do still stand in need of being saved by his intercession?Then hence I infer again, that we that have been saved hitherto, and preserved from the dangers that we have met with since ourfirst conversion to this moment, should ascribe the glory to JesusChrist, to God by Jesus Christ. 'I have prayed that thy faith failnot: I pray that thou wouldest keep them from the evil, ' is thetrue cause of our standing, and of our continuing in the faith andholy profession of the gospel to this very day. Wherefore we mustgive the glory of all to God by Christ: 'I will not trust in mybow, ' said David, 'neither shall my sword save me. But thou hastsaved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hatedus. In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah'! 'He always causeth us to triumph in Christ. ' 'We rejoice inChrist Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. ' (Psa 44:6-8, 2 Cor 2:14, Phil 3:3) Thus you see that, both in the Old andNew Testament, all the glory is given to the Lord, as well forpreservation to heaven as for justification of life. And he thatis well acquainted with himself will do this readily; though lightheads, and such as are not acquainted with the desperate evil thatis in their natures, will sacrifice to their own net. But such willso sacrifice but a while. Sir Death is coming, and he will put theminto the view of what they see not now, and will feed sweetly uponthem, because they made not the Lord their trust. And therefore, ascribe thou the glory of the preservation of thy soul in the faithhitherto, to that salvation which Christ Jesus our Lord obtainethfor thee by his intercession. 

7. Are those that are already justified by the blood of Christ suchas do still stand in need of being saved by his intercession? Thenis this also to be inferred from hence, that saints should look tohim for that saving that they shall yet have need of betwixt thisand the day of their dissolution; yea, from henceforward, even tothe day of judgment. I say, they should still look to him for theremaining part of their salvation, or for that of their salvationwhich is yet behind; and let them look for it with confidence, forthat it is in a faithful hand; and for thy encouragement to look andhope for the completing of thy salvation in glory, let me presentthee with a few things--

(1. ) The hardest or worst part of the work of thy Saviour is over;his bloody work, his bearing of thy sin and curse, his loss of thelight of his Father's face for a time; his dying upon the cursedtree, that was the worst, the sorest, the hardest, and most difficultpart of the work of redemption; and yet this he did willingly, cheerfully, and without thy desires; yea, this he did, as consideringthose for whom he did it in a state of rebellion and enmity to him. 

(2. ) Consider, also, that he has made a beginning with thy soulto reconcile thee to God, and to that end has bestowed his justiceupon thee, put his Spirit within thee, and began to make theunweldable mountain and rock, 10 thy heart, to turn towards him, and desire after him; to believe in him, and rejoice in him. 

(3. ) Consider, also, that some comfortable pledges of his lovethou hast already received, namely, as to feel the sweetness ofhis love, as to see the light of his countenance, as to be made toknow his power in raising of thee when thou wast down, and how hehas made thee stand, while hell has been pushing at thee, utterlyto overthrow thee. 

(4. ) Thou mayest consider, also, that what remains behind of thework of thy salvation in his hands, as it is the most easy part, so the most comfortable, and that part which will more immediatelyissue in his glory, and therefore he will mind it. 

(5. ) That which is behind is also more safe in his hand than ifit were in thine own; he is wise, he is powerful, he is faithful, and therefore will manage that part that is lacking to our salvationwell, until he has completed it. It is his love to thee that hasmade him that 'he putteth no trust in thee'; he knows that he canhimself bring thee to his kingdom most surely; and therefore hasnot left that work to thee, no, not any part thereof. (Job 5:18, 15:15)

Live in hope, then, in a lively hope, that since Christ is risenfrom the dead, he lives to make intercession for thee, and thatthou shalt reap the blessed benefit of this twofold salvation thatis wrought, and that is working out for thee, by Jesus Christ ourLord. And thus have we treated of the benefit of his intercession, in that he is able to save to the uttermost. And this leads me tothe third particular. 

[III. THE PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE INTERCESSION OF CHRIST. ]

THIRD, The third particular is to show WHO ARE THE PERSONS INTERESTEDIN THIS INTERCESSION OF CHRIST; and they are those that come toGod by him. The words are very concise, and distinctly laid down;they are they that come, that come to God, that come to God by him. 'Wherefore he is able also to save them, to save to the uttermostthem that come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to makeintercession for them. '

[Of coming to God by Christ. ]--A little, first, to comment uponthe order of the words, 'that come unto God by him. '

There are that come unto God, but not 'by him'; and these are notincluded in this text, have not a share in this privilege. Thus theJews came to God, the unbelieving Jews, 'who had a zeal of God, butnot according to knowledge. ' (Rom 9:30-34, 10:1-4) These submittednot to Christ, the righteousness of God, but thought to come tohim by works of their own, or at least, as it were, by them, andso came short of salvation by grace, for that reigns to salvationonly in Christ. To these Christ's person and undertaking were astumbling stone; for at him they stumbled, and did split themselvesto pieces, though they indeed were such as came to God for life. 

As there are that come to God, but not by Christ, so there are thatcome to Christ, but not to God by him:11 of this sort are they, whohearing that Christ is Saviour, therefore come to him for pardon, but cannot abide to come to God by him, for that he is holy, andso will snub their lusts, and will change their hearts and natures. Mind me what I say. There are a great many that would be savedby Christ, but love not to be sanctified by God through him. Thesemake a stop at Christ, and will go no further. Might such havepardon, they care not whether ever they went to heaven or no. Ofthis kind of coming to Christ I think it is, of which he warnethhis disciples when he saith, 'In that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Fatherin my name, he will give it you. ' (John 16:23) As who should say, when you ask for anything, make not a stop at me, but come tomy Father by me; for they that come to me, and not to my Father, through me, will have nothing of what they come for. Righteousnessshall be imputed to us, 'if we believe on him that raised upJesus our Lord from the dead. ' (Rom 4:24, 25) To come to Christ fora benefit, and stop there, and not come to God by him, prevailethnothing. Here the mother of Zebedee's children erred; and aboutthis it was that the Lord Jesus cautioned her. Lord, saith she, 'Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy right hand, and the other on the left, in thy kingdom. ' But what is the answerof Christ? 'To sit on my right hand and on my left, is not mine togive, but for whom it is prepared of my Father. ' (Matt 20:21-23)As who should say, Woman, of myself I do nothing, my Father workethwith me. Go therefore to him by me, for I am the way to him; whatthou canst obtain of him by me thou shalt have; that is to say, what of the things that pertain to eternal life, whether pardon orglory. 

It is true, the Son has power to give pardon and glory, but hegives it not by himself, but by and according to the will of hisFather. (Matt 9:6, John 17:22) They, therefore, that come to himfor an eternal good, and look not to the Father by him, come shortthereof; I mean, now, pardon and glory. And hence, though it besaid the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins--to wit, to show the certainty of his Godhead, and of the excellency of hismediation; yet forgiveness of sin is said to lie more particularlyin the hand of the Father, and that God for Christ's sake forgivethus. (Eph 4:32)

The Father, as we see, will not forgive unless we come to him bythe Son. Why, then, should we conceit that the Son will forgivethese that come not to the Father by him?

So then, justifying righteousness is in the Son, and with him alsois intercession; but forgiveness is with the Father; yea, the giftof the Holy Ghost, yea, and the power of imputing of the righteousnessof Christ is yet in the hand of the Father. Hence Christ praysto the Father to forgive, prays to the Father to send the Spirit, and it is God that imputeth righteousness to justification to us. (Luke 23:34, John 14:16, Rom 4:6) The Father, then, doth nothingbut for the sake of and through the Son; the Son also doth nothingderogating from the glory of the Father. But it would be a derogationto the glory of the Father if the Son should grant to save themthat come not to the Father by him; wherefore you that cry Christ, Christ, delighting yourselves in the thoughts of forgiveness, butcare not to come by Christ to the Father for it, you are not at allconcerned in this blessed text, for he only saves by his intercessionthem that come to God by him. 

There are three sorts of people that may be said to come to Christ, but not to God by him. 

1. They whose utmost design in coming is only that guilt and fearof damning may be removed from them. And there are three signs ofsuch an one--(1. ) He that takes up in a belief of pardon, and sogoes on in his course of carnality as he did before. (2. ) He whosecomfort in the belief of pardon standeth alone, without otherfruits of the Holy Ghost. (3. ) He that, having been washed, canbe content to tumble in the mire, as the sow again, or as the dogthat did spue to lick up his vomit again. 

2. They may be said to come to Christ, but not to God by him, whodo pick and choose doctrines, itching only after that which soundsof grace, 12 but secretly abhorring of that which presseth to moralgoodness. These did never see God, what notions soever they mayhave of the Lord Jesus, and of forgiveness from him. (Matt 5:8)

3. They surely did never come to God by Christ, however they mayboast of the grace of Christ, that will from the freeness of gospelgrace plead an indulgence for sin. 

[Manner of coming to God. ]--And now to speak a few words of comingto God, or coming as the text intends. And in speaking to this, Imust touch upon two things--1. Concerning God. 2. Concerning theframe of the heart of him that comes to him. 

1. Of God. God is the chief good. Good so as nothing is but himself. He is in himself most happy; yea, all good; and all true happinessis only to be found in God, as that which is essential to his nature;nor is there any good or any happiness in or with any creatureor thing but what is communicated to it by God. God is the onlydesirable good, nothing without him is worthy of our hearts. Rightthoughts of God are able to ravish the heart; how much more happyis the man that has interest in God. God alone is able by himself toput the soul into a more blessed, comfortable, and happy conditionthan can the whole world; yea, and more than if all the createdhappiness of all the angels of heaven did dwell in one man's bosom. God is the upholder of all creatures, and whatever they have thatis a suitable good to their kind, it is from God; by God all thingshave their subsistence, and all the good that they enjoy. I cannottell what to say; I am drowned! The life, the glory, the blessedness, the soul-satisfying goodness that is in God is beyond all expression. 

2. Now there must be in us something of a suitableness of spiritto this God before we can be willing to come to him. 

Before, therefore, God has been with a man, and has left someimpression of his glory upon him, that man cannot be willing tocome to him aright. Hence it is said concerning Abraham, that, inorder to his coming to God, and following of him aright, the Lordhimself did show himself unto him--'Men, brethren, and fathers, hearken; The God of glory appeared unto our father Abraham, whenhe was in Mesopotamia, before he dwelt in Charran, and said untohim, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and comeinto the land which I shall show thee. ' (Acts 7:2, 3, Gen 12:1)

It was this God of glory, the sight and visions of this Godof glory, that provoked Abraham to leave his country and kindredto come after God. The reason why men are so careless of, andso indifferent about, their coming to God, is because they havetheir eyes blinded, because they do not perceive his glory. God isso blessed a one, that did he not hide himself and his glory, thewhole world would be ravished with him. But he has, I will notsay reasons of state, but reasons of glory, glorious reasons whyhe hideth himself from the world, and appeareth but to particularones. Now by his thus appearing to Abraham, down fell Abraham'svanity, and his idolatrous fancies and affections, and his heartbegan to turn unto God, for that there was in this appearance analluring and soul-instructing voice. Hence that which Moses callshere an appearing, Christ calls a hearing, and a teaching, and alearning--'It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taughtof God. Every man, therefore, that hath heard and hath learned ofthe Father, cometh unto me, ' that is, to God by me. But, I say, whatmust they hear and learn of the Father but that Christ is the wayto glory, the way to the God of glory. This is a drawing doctrine;wherefore that which in this verse is called teaching and learning, is called, in the verse before, the drawing of the Father--'Noman can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him';that is, with powerful proposals, and alluring conclusions, andheart-subduing influences. (John 6:44, 45)

Having thus touched upon this, we will now proceed to show youwhat kind of people they are that come to God by Christ; and thenshall draw some inferences from this also. 

[Who are the people that come to Christ. ]

There are, therefore, three sorts of people that come to Godby Christ. First, Men newly awakened. Second, Men turned frombacksliding. Third, The sincere and upright man. 

[Of the newly awakened coming to Christ. ]

First, Men newly awakened. By awakened, I mean awakened thoroughly. So awakened as to be made to see themselves, what they are; theworld, what it is; the law, what it is; hell, what it is; death, what it is; Christ, what he is; and God, what he is; and also whatjudgment is. 

A man that will come to God by Christ aright must needs, precedentto his so coming, have a competent knowledge of things of thiskind. 

1. He must know himself, what a wretched and miserable sinner heis, before he will take one step forward in order to his comingto God by Christ. This is plain from a great many scriptures; asthat of the parable of the prodigal, (Luke 15); that of the threethousand, (Acts 2); that of the jailer, (Acts 16), and those ofmany more besides. The whole have no need of the physician. Theywere not the sound and whole, but the lame and diseased that cameto him to be cured of their infirmities; and it is not the righteous, but the sinners that do well know themselves to be such, that cometo God by Christ. 

It is not in the power of all the men on earth to make one man cometo God by Christ, because it is not in their power to make men seetheir state by nature. And what should a man come to God for, thatcan live in the world without him? Reason says so, experience saysso, the Scripture beareth witness that so it is of a truth. It isa sight of what I am that must unroost me, that must shake my soul, and make me leave my present rest. No man comes to God by Christbut he that knows himself, and what sin hath done to him; that isthe first. (Job 21:7-15)

2. As he must know himself, and what a wretch he is, so he mustknow the world, and what an empty thing it is. Cain did see himself, but saw not the emptiness of this world; and therefore instead ofgoing to God by Christ, he went to the world, and there did takeup to his dying day. (Gen 4:16) The world is a great snare to thesoul, even to the souls of awakened sinners, by reason of its biglooks, and the fair promises that it makes to those that will pleaseto entertain it. It will also make as though it could do as muchto the quieting of the spirit as either sermon, Bible, or preacher. Yea, and it has its followers ready at its heels continually to blowits applause abroad, saying, 'Who will show us any [other] good?'(Psa 4:6) and though 'this their way is their folly: yet theirposterity approve their sayings. ' (Psa 49:13) So that unless a man, under some awakenings, sees the emptiness of the world, he willtake up in the good things thereof, and not come to God by Christ. Many there be now in hell that can seal to this for truth. It wasthe world that took awakened Cain, awakened Judas, awakened Demas. Yea, Balaam, though he had some kind of visions of God, yet was keptby the world from coming to him aright. See with what earnestnessthe young man in the gospel came to Jesus Christ, and that foreternal life. He ran to him, he kneeled down to him, and asked, andthat before a multitude, 'Good master, what shall I do that I mayinherit eternal life?' (Mark 10:17-24) And yet when he was told hecould not come, the world soon stepped betwixt that life and him, and persuaded him to take up in itself; and so, for aught we know, he never looked after life more. 

There are four things in the world that have a tendency to lull anawakened man asleep, if God also makes him not afraid of the world. 

(1. ) There is the bustle and cumber of the world, that will calla man off from looking after the salvation of his soul. This isintimated by the parable of the thorny ground. (Luke 8:14) Worldlycumber is a devilish thing; it will hurry a man from his bed withoutprayer; to a sermon, and from it again, without prayer; it willchoke prayer, it will choke the Word, it will choke convictions, it will choke the soul, and cause that awakening shall be to nosaving purpose. 

(2. ) There is the friendship of this world, to which, if a man isnot mortified, there is no coming for him to God by Christ. And aman can never be mortified to it unless he shall see the emptinessand vanity of it. Whosoever makes himself a friend of this worldis the enemy of God. And how, then, can he come to him by Christ?(James 4:4)

(3. ) There are the terrors of the world, if a man stands in fearof them, he also will not come to God by Christ. The fear of manbrings a snare. How many have, in all ages, been kept from comingto God aright by the terrors of the world? Yea, how many are thereto one's thinking have almost got to the gates of heaven, and havebeen scared and driven quite back again by nothing but the terrorsof this world? This is that which Christ so cautioneth his disciplesabout, for he knew it was a deadly thing. Peter also bids thesaints beware of this as of a thing very destructive. (Luke 12:4-6, 1 Peter 3:14, 15)

(4. ) There is also the glory of the world, an absolute hindranceto convictions and awakenings, to wit, honours, and greatness, and preferments: 'How can ye believe, ' said Christ, 'which receivehonour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh fromGod only. ' (John 5:44) If therefore a man is not in his affectionscrucified to these, it will keep him from coming to God aright. 

3. As a man must know himself, how vile he is, and know the world, how empty it is, so he must know the law, how severe it is; elsehe will not come to God by Jesus Christ our Lord. 

A man that is under awakenings, is under a double danger of fallingshort of coming to God by Christ. If he knows not the severity ofthe law, he is either in danger of slighting its penalty, or ofseeking to make amends to it by doing of good works; and nothingcan keep him from splitting his soul upon one of these two rocks, but a sound knowledge of the severity of the law. 

(1. ) He is in danger of slighting the penalty. This is seen by thepractice of all the profane in the world. Do they not know the law?Verily, many of them can say the Ten Commandments without book. But they do not know the severity of the law; and therefore whenat any time awakenings come upon their consciences, they striveto drive away the guilt of one sin, by wallowing in the filth ofanother. 

But would they do thus if they knew the severity of the law?they would as soon eat fire. The severity of the law would be anintolerable, insupportable burden to their consciences; it woulddrive them, and make them fly for refuge, to lay hold on the hopeset before them. 

(2. ) Or if he slights not the penalty, he will seek to make amendsto it by doing of good works for the sins he has committed. Thisis manifest by the practice of the Jews and Turks, and all thatswerve on that hand--to wit, to seek life and happiness by the law. Paul also was here before he meet with Jesus in the way. This isnatural to consciences that are awakened, unless also they have givento them to see the true severity of the law; the which that thoumayest do, if my mite will help, I will cast in for thy convictionthese four things--

(a. ) The law charges thee with its curse, as well for the pollutionof thy nature, as for the defilements of thy life; yea, and ifthou hadst never committed sinful act, thy pollution of nature muststand in thy way to life, if thou comest not to God for mercy byChrist. 

(b. ) The law takes notice of, and chargeth thee with its curse, as well for sinful thoughts as for vile and sinful actions. 'The[very] thought of foolishness is sin, ' (Prov 24:9), though it neverbreaks out into act, and will as surely merit the damnation of thesoul as will the greatest transgression in the world. 

(c. ) If now thou couldst keep all the commandments, that will dothee no good at all, because thou hast sinned first: 'The soul thatsinneth shall die. ' Unless, then, thou canst endure the curse, andso in a legal way overcome it for the sins that thou hast committed, thou art gone, if thou comest not to God by Christ for mercy andpardon. 

(d. ) And never think of repentance, thereby to stop the mouth ofthe law; for the law calleth not for repentance, but life; nor willit accept of any, shouldst thou mourn and weep for thy sins tillthou hast made a sea of blood with tears. This, I say, thou mustknow, or thou wilt not come to God by Christ for life. For theknowledge of this will cause that thou shalt neither slight theseverity of the law, nor trust to the works thereof for life. Now, when thou doest neither of these, thou canst not but speed thee toGod by Christ for life; for now thou hast no stay; pleasures aregone, all hope in thyself is gone. Thou now diest, and that is theway to love; for this inward death is, or feels like, a hunger-bittenstomach, that cannot but crave and gape for meat and drink. Now itwill be as possible for thee to sleep with thy finger in the fire, as to forbear craving of mercy so long as this knowledge remains. 

4. As a man must know himself, the emptiness of this world, andthe law, so it is necessary for him to know that there is a hell, and how insupportable the torments of it are; for all threatenings, curses, and determinations to punish in the next world will provebut fictions and scarecrows, if there be no woeful place, no woefulstate, for the sinner to receive his wages in for sin, when his daysare ended in this world. Wherefore, this word 'saved' supposethsuch a place and state. He is able to save from hell, from thewoeful place, from the woeful state of hell, them that come untoGod by him. 

Christ, therefore, often insinuated the truth of a hell in hisinvitations to the sinners of this world to come to him; as wherehe tells them they shall be saved if they do, they shall be damnedif they do not. As if he had said, there is a hell, a terriblehell, and they that come to me I will save them from it; but theythat come not, the law will damn them in it. Therefore, that thoumayest indeed come to God by Christ for mercy, believe there is ahell, a woeful, terrible place. Hell is God's creature, 'he hathmade it deep and large'! The punishments are by the lashes of hiswrath, which will issue from his mouth like a stream of burningbrimstone, ever kindling itself upon the soul. (Isa 30:33) Thoumust know this by the Word, and fly from it, or thou shalt know itby thy sins, and lie and cry in it. 

I might enlarge, but if I did, I should be swallowed up; for weare while here no more able to set forth the torments of hell, thanwe are whole here to set forth the joys of heaven; only this may, and ought to be said, that God is able, as to save, so to cast intohell. (Luke 12:5) And as he is able to make heaven sweet, good, pleasurable, and glorious beyond thought; so he is able to make thetorments of hell so exquisite, so hot, so sharp, so intolerable, that no tongue can utter it, no, not the damned in hell themselves. (Isa 64:4) If thou lovest thy soul, slight not the knowledge of hell, for that, with the law, are the spurs which Christ useth to pricksouls forward to himself withal. What is the cause that sinners canplay so delightfully with sin? It is for that they forget there isa hell for them to descend into for their so doing, when they goout of this world. For here usually he gives our stop to a sinfulcourse; we perceive that hell hath opened her mouth before us. Lestthou shouldst forget, I beseech thee, another time, to retain theknowledge of hell in thine understanding, and apply the burning-hotthoughts thereof to thy conscience; this is one way to make theegather up thy heels, and mend thy pace in thy coming to JesusChrist, and to God the Father by him. 13

5. It is also necessary that he that cometh to God by the Lord Jesus, should know what death is, and the uncertainty of its approachesupon us. Death is, as I may call it, the feller, the cutter down. Death is that that puts a stop to a further living here, and thatwhich lays man where judgment finds him. If he is in the faith inJesus, it lays him down there to sleep till the Lord comes; if hebe not in the faith, it lays him down in his sins till the Lordcomes. (Heb 11:13, 1 Thess 4:14, Job 20:11) Again; if thou hastsome beginnings that look like good, and death should overtake theebefore those beginnings are ripe, thy fruit will wither, and thouwilt fall short of being gathered into God's barn. Some men are'cut off as the tops of the ears of corn, ' and some are even nippedby death in the very bud of their spring; but the safety is whena man is ripe, and shall be gathered to his grave, as a shock ofcorn to the barn in its season. (Job 24:20-24, 5:26)

Now if death should surprise and seize thee before thou art fitto die, all is lost; for there is no repentance in the grave, orrather, as the wise man has it, 'Whatsoever thy hand findeth todo, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, norknowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest. ' (Eccl9:10)

Death is God's sergeant, God's bailiff, and he arrests in God'sname when he comes, but seldom gives warning before he clappeth uson the shoulder; and when he arrests us, though he may stay a littlewhile, and give us leave to pant, and tumble, and toss ourselvesfor a while upon a bed of languishing, yet at last he will prickour bladder, and let out our life, and then our soul will be pouredupon the ground, yea, into hell, if we are not ready and preparedfor the life everlasting. He that doth not watch for, and is notafraid lest death should prevent him, will not make haste to Godby Christ. What Job said of temporal afflictions, such an one willdeath be if thou art not aware--'When I looked for good, then evilcame--The days of affliction prevented me. ' (Job 30:26, 27) If thoulookest, or beginnest to look for good, and the day of death shallcut thee off before thou hast found that good thou lookest for, all is lost, soul, and life, and heaven, and all. Wherefore itis convenient that thou conclude the grave is thy house, and thatthou make thy bed once a day in the grave; also that thou say untocorruption, 'Thou art my father; to the worm, thou art my motherand my sister. ' (Job 17:13, 14) I say, be acquainted with the graveand death. The fool puts the evil day far away, but the wise manbrings it nigh. Better be ready to die seven years before deathcomes, than want one day, one hour, one moment, one tear, onesorrowful sigh at the remembrance of the ill-spent life that I havelived. This, then, is that which I admonish thee of; namely, thatthou know death, what it is, what it doth when it comes. Also, thatthou consider well of the danger that death leaves that man in, towhom he comes before he is ready and prepared to be laid by it inthe grave. 

6. Thou must also be made by thy awakenings to see what Christis. This is of absolute necessity; for how can or shall a man bewilling to come to Christ that knows not what he is, what God hasappointed him to do? He is the Saviour, every man will say so; butto sense, smell, and taste, what saving is, and so to understandthe nature of the office and work of a Saviour, is a rare thing, kept close from most, known but by some. Jesus of Nazareth is theSaviour or the reconciler of men to God in the body of his fleshthrough death. (Col 1:19-21) This is he whose business in comingfrom heaven to earth was to save his people from their sins. Now, as was said, to know how he doth this, is that which is needful tobe inquired into; for some say he doth it one way, some, he doth itanother; and it must be remembered that we are now speaking of thesalvation of that man that from new or first awakenings, is comingto God by Christ for life. (1. ) Some say he doth it, by giving ofus precepts and laws to keep, that we might be justified thereby. (2. ) Some say that he doth it, by setting himself a pattern for usto follow him. (3. ) Some again hold, that he doth it by our followingthe light within. 

But thou must take heed of all these, for he justifies us by noneof these means, and thou dost need to be justified. I say, hejustifieth us, not either by giving laws unto us, or by becoming ourexample, or by our following of him in any sense, but by his bloodshed for us. His blood is not laws, nor ordinances, nor commandments, but a price, a redeeming price. (Rom 5:7-9, Rev 1:5) He justifiesus by bestowing upon us, not by expecting from us; he justifies usby his grace, not by our works. (Eph 1:7) In a word, thou must bewell grounded in the knowledge of what Christ is, and how men arejustified by him, or thou wilt not come unto God by him. 

As thou must know him, and how men are justified by him, so thoumust know the readiness that is in him to receive and to do forthose what they need that come unto God by him. Suppose his meritswere never so efficacious, yet if it could be proved that there isa loathness in him that these merits should be bestowed upon thecoming ones, there would but few adventure to wait upon him. Butnow, as he is full, he is free. Nothing pleases him better than togive what he has away; than to bestow it upon the poor and needy. And it will be convenient that thou who art a coming soul shouldstknow this for thy comfort to encourage thee to come to God by him. Take two or three sayings of his, for the confirming of what isnow said. 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ' (Matt 11:28) 'All that the Father givethme shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wisecast out. ' (John 6:37) 'I came not to call the righteous, but sinnersto repentance. ' (Mark 2:17) 'This is a faithful saying, and worthyof all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to savesinners; of whom I am chief. ' (1 Tim 1:15)

7. As a man that would come to God by Christ must, antecedent tohis so coming, know himself, what he is; the world, how empty itis; the law, how severe it is; death, and what it is; and Christ, and what he is; so also he must know God. 'He that cometh to Godmust believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them thatdiligently seek him. ' (Heb 11:6) God must be known, else how canthe sinner propound him as his end, his ultimate end? For so dothevery one that indeed doth come to Christ aright; he comes to Christbecause he is the way; he comes to God because he is the end. But, I say, if he knows him not, how can he propound him as the end? Theend is that for the sake of which I propound to myself anything, and for the sake of which I use any means. Now, then, I would besaved; but why? Even because I would enjoy God. I use the meansto be saved; and why? Because I would enjoy God. I am sensible thatsin has made me come short of the glory of God, and that Christ Jesusis he, the only he, that can put me into a condition of obtainingthe glory of God; and, therefore, I come to God by him. (Rom 3:23, 5:1, 2)

But, I say again, who will propound God for his end that knows himnot, that knows him not aright? yea, that knows him not, to be worthbeing propounded as my end in coming to Jesus Christ; and he thatthus knows him must know him to be above all, best of all, and himin whom the soul shall find that content, that bliss, that gloryand happiness that can by no means be found elsewhere. And, Isay, if this be not found in God, the soul will never propound himto itself as the only, highest, and ultimate end in its coming toJesus Christ. But it will propound something else, even what itshall imagine to be the best good; perhaps heaven, perhaps easefrom guilt, perhaps to be kept out of hell, or the like. I do notsay but a man may propound all these to himself, in his comingto Jesus Christ; but if he propound these as his ultimate end, asthe chiefest good that he seeks; if the presence and enjoyment ofGod, of God's glorious majesty, be not his chief design, he is notconcerned in the salvation that is propounded in our text--'He isable, ' and so will 'save to the uttermost them that come unto Godby him. '

What is heaven without God? what is ease without the peace andenjoyment of God? what is deliverance from hell without the enjoymentof God? The propounding, therefore, these, and only these, to thyselffor thy happiness in thy coming to Jesus Christ is a proposal nota hair's breadth higher than what a man without grace can propound. What or who is he that would not go to heaven? What or who is hethat would not also have ease from the guilt of sin? And where isthe man that chooseth to go to hell? But many there be that cannotabide God; no, they like not to go to heaven, because God isthere. If the devil had a heaven to bestow upon men, a vicious anda beastly heaven, if it be lawful thus to speak, I durst pawn mysoul upon it, were it a thousand times better than it is, that, upon a bare invitation, the foul fiend would have twenty to God'sone. They, I say, cannot abide God; nay, for all, the devil hasnothing but a hell for them; yet how thick men go to him, but howthinly to God Almighty. The nature of God lieth cross to the lustsof men. A holy God, a glorious holy God, an infinitely holy God, this spoils all. But to the soul that is awakened, and that is madeto see things as they are; to him God is what he is in himself, the blessed, the highest, the only eternal good, and he without theenjoyment of whom all things would sound but emptily in the earsof that soul. 

Now, then, I advise thee that hast a mind to come to God by Christ, that thou seek the knowledge of God--'If thou seekest wisdom assilver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures, then shalt thouunderstand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. '(Prov 2:4, 5) And to encourage thee yet further, he is so desirousof communion with men, that he pardoneth sins for that. Hencehe is called not only loving, but love. 'God is love; and he thatdwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. ' (1 John 4:16)

Methinks, when I consider what glory there is at times upon thecreatures, and that all their glory is the workmanship of God; OLord, say I, what is God himself? He may well be called the God ofglory, as well as the glorious Lord; for as all glory is from him, so in him is an inconceivable well-spring of glory, of glory tobe communicated to them that come by Christ to him. Wherefore, letthe glory, and love, and bliss, and eternal happiness that is inGod allure thee to come to him by Christ. 

8. As thou shouldst, nay, must, have a good knowledge of all these, so thou must have it of judgment to come. They that come to Godby Christ are said to 'flee from the wrath to come'; to 'flee forrefuge, to lay hold on the hope set before them. ' (Matt 3:7, Heb6:18)

This judgment to come is a warm thing to be thought of, an awakeningthing to be thought of; it is called the eternal judgment, becauseit is and will be God's final conclusion with men. This day iscalled the 'great and notable day of the Lord, ' (Acts 2:20); theday 'that shall burn like an oven, ' (Mal 4:1); the day in which theangels shall gather the wicked together, as tares, into bundles, to burn them; but the rest, into his kingdom and glory. This daywill be it in which all the bowels of love and compassion shall beshut up to the wicked, and that in which the floodgates of wrathshall be opened, by which shall a plentiful reward be given toevil-doers, but glory to the righteous. (Psa 31:23) This is theday in which men, if they could, would creep into the ground forfear; but because they cannot, therefore, they will call and cryto the mountains to fall upon them, but they shall not; therefore, they stand bound to bear their judgment. 

This day will be the day of breaking up of closet-councils, cabinet-councils, secret purposes, hidden thoughts; yea, 'God shallbring every work into judgment, with every secret thing. ' (Eccl12:14) I say he shall do it then; for he will both 'bring to lightthe hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counselsof the heart. ' (1 Cor 4:5) This is the day that is appointed to putthem to shame and contempt in that have, in this world, been boldand audacious in their vile and beastly ways. At this day, Godwill cover all such bold and brazen faces with shame. Now they willblush till the blood is ready to burst through their cheeks. (Dan12:2) Oh! the confusion and shame that will cover their faces whileGod is discovering to them what a nasty, what a beastly, what anuncomely, and what an unreasonable life they lived in the world. They shall now see they contemned God, that fed them, that clothedthem, that gave them life and limb, and that maintained theirbreath in their nostrils. But, oh, when they see the gulf beforethem, and all things ready to receive them in thither; then, thenthey will know what sinning against God means!

And, I say, thou that art for coming to God by Christ must knowthis, and be well assured of this, or thou wilt never come to Godby him. 

What of the glory of God shall be put upon them that do indeedcome to him will also help in this spiritual journey, if it be wellconsidered by thee. But, perhaps, terror and unbelief will sufferthee to consider but little of that. However, the things afore-mentionedwill be goads, and will serve to prick thee forward; and if theydo so, they will be God's great blessing unto thee, and that forwhich thou wilt give him thy thanks for ever. (Eccl 12:10, 11)

Thus I have, in few words, spoken something as to the first sort ofcomers to God by Christ, namely, of the coming of the newly-awakenedman. And I say again, if any of the things afore-named be wanting, and are not with his heart, it is a question whether, notwithstandingall the noise that he may make about religion, he will ever cometo God by Christ. 1. If he knows not himself and the badness of hiscondition, wherefore should he come? 2. If he knows not the world, and the emptiness and vanity thereof, wherefore should he come?3. If he knows not the law, and the severity thereof, whereforeshould he come? 4. If he knows not hell, and the torments thereof, wherefore should he come? 5. If he knows not what death is, whereforeshould he come? 6. And if he knows not the Father and the Son, howcan he come? 7. And to know that there is a judgment to come is asnecessary to his coming as most of the rest of the things propounded. Coming to God by Christ is for shelter, for safety, for advantage, and everlasting happiness. But he that knows not, that understandsnot the things afore-mentioned, sees not his need of taking shelter, of flying for safety, of coming for advantage to God by Christ. Iknow there are degrees of this knowledge, and he that has it mostwarm upon him, in all likelihood, will make most haste; or, as Davidsaith, will hasten his escape 'from the windy storm and tempest';and he that sees least is in most danger of being the loiterer, and so of losing the prize; for all that run do not obtain it; allthat fight do not win it; and ALL that strive for it have it not. (Psa 55:8, 1 Cor 9:24-26, 2 Tim 2:4, 5)

[Of the backslider's return to Christ. ]

Second, I shall now come to the second man mentioned; to wit, theman that is turning back from his backsliding, and speak somethingalso about his coming again to God by Christ. 

There are two things remarkable in the returning of a backsliderto God by Christ. 1. The first is, he gives a second testimony tothe truth of all things spoken of before. 2. He also gives a secondtestimony of the necessity of coming to God by Christ. Of the mannerof his coming to God by Christ perhaps I may also speak a word ortwo. But, 1. The returning again of the backslider gives a second testimonyto the truth of man's state being by nature miserable, of the vanityof this world, of the severity of the law, certainty of death, andterribleness of judgment to come. His first coming told them so, but his second coming tells them so with a double confirmation ofthe truth. It is so, saith his first coming. Oh! it is so, saith hissecond. The backsliding of a Christian comes through the overmuchpersuading of Satan and lust, that the man was mistaken, and thatthere was no such horror in the things from which he fled, nor somuch good in the things to which he hasted. Turn again, fool, saysthe devil, turn again to thy former course; I wonder what frenzy itwas that drove thee to thy heels, and that made thee leave so muchgood behind thee, as other men find in the lusts of the flesh andthe good of the world. As for the law, and death, and an imaginationof the day of judgment, they are but mere scarecrows, set up bypolitic heads, to keep the ignorant in subjection. Well, says thebackslider, I will go back again and see; so, fool as he is, hegoes back, and has all things ready to entertain him; his consciencesleeps, the world smiles, flesh is sweet, carnal company complimentshim, and all that can be got is presented to this backsliderto accommodate him. But, behold, he doth again begin to see hisown nakedness, and he perceives that the law is whetting his axe. As for the world, he perceives it is a bubble; he also smells thesmell of brimstone, for God hath scattered it upon his tabernacle, and it begins to burn within him. (Job 18:15) Oh! saith he, Iam deluded; oh! I am ensnared. My first sight of things was true. I see it is so again. Now he begins to be for flying again to hisfirst refuge; O God, saith he, I am undone, I have turned from thytruth to lies! I believed them such at first, and find them suchat last. Have mercy upon me, O God!

This, I say, is a testimony, a second testimony, by the same man, as to the miserable state of man, the severity of the law, theemptiness of the world, the certainty of death, and the terriblenessof judgment. This man hath seen it, and seen it again. 

A returning backslider is a great blessing, I mean intended tobe so, to two sorts of men--1. To the elect uncalled. 2. To theelect that are called, and that at present stand their ground. Theuncalled are made to hear him, and consider; the called are madeto hear him, and are afraid of falling. Behold, therefore, themystery of God's wisdom, and how willing he is that spectatorsshould be warned and made take heed. Yea, he will permit that someof his own shall fall into the fire, to convince the world that hellis hot, and to warn their brethren to take heed that they slip notwith their feet. I have often said in my heart that this was thecause why God suffered so many of the believing Jews to fall; towit, that the Gentiles might take heed. (Rom 11:21) O, brethren!saith the backslider that is returned, did you see how I left myGod? did you see how I turned again to those vanities from whichsome time before I fell? O! I was deluded, I was bewitched, I wasdeceived; for I found all things from which I fled at first stillworse by far when I went to them the second time. Do not backslide. Oh! do not backslide. The first ground of your departing from themwas good; never tempt God a second time. 

2. And as he gives us a second testimony, that the world and himselfare so as at first he believed they were, so by this his returninghe testifies that God and Christ are the same, and much more thanever he believed at first they were. This man has made a proofbefore and a proof after conviction of the evil of the one and goodof the other. This man has made a proof by feeling and seeing, andthat before and after grace received. This man God has set up tobe a witness; this man is two men, has the testimony of two men, must serve in the place of two men. He knows what it is to befetched from a state of nature by grace; but this all Christiansknow as well as he. Ay, but he knows what it is to be fetched fromthe world, from the devil, and hell, the second time; and that butfew professors know, for few that fall away return to do again. (Heb6:4-8) Ay, but this man is come again, wherefore there is news inhis mouth, sad news, dreadful news, and news that is to make thestanding saint to take heed lest he fall. The returning backslider, therefore, is a rare man, a man of worth and intelligence, a manto whom the men of the world should flock, and of whom they shouldlearn to fear the Lord God. He also is a man of whom the saintsshould receive both caution, counsel, and strength in their presentstanding; and they should, by his harms, learn to serve the Lordwith fear, and to rejoice with trembling. (1 Cor 10:6-13, Isa51:11-13, Luke 22:32)

This man has the second time also had a proof of God's goodnessin his Christ unto him, a proof which the standing Christian hasnot--I would not tempt him that stands to fall; but the good thata returning backslider has received at God's hands, and at the handof Christ, is a double good, he has been converted twice, fetchedfrom the world, and from the devil, and from himself twice; oh, grace! and has been made to know the stability of God's covenant, the unchangeableness of God's mind, the sure and lasting truthof his promise in Christ, and of the sufficiency of the merits ofChrist, over and over. 

[The manner of a backslider's return. ]--Of the manner of this man'scoming to God by Christ I shall also speak a word or two. He comesas the newly-awakened sinner comes, and that from the same motivesand the knowledge of things as he hath over and above (which he hadas good have been without), that which the newly-awakened sinnerhas not; to wit, the guilt of his backsliding, which is a guilt ofa worse complexion, of a deeper dye, and of a heavier nature thanis any guilt else in the world. He is also attended with fearsand doubts that arise from other reasons and considerations thando the doubts and fears of the newly-awakened man; doubts buildedupon the vileness of his backsliding. He has also more dreadfulscriptures to consider of, and they will look more wishfully inhis face, yea, and will also make him take notice of their grimphysiognomy, than has the newly-awakened man. Besides, as a punishmentof his backsliding, God seems to withdraw the sweet influences ofhis Spirit, and as if he would not suffer him to pray, nor to repentany more, (Psa 51:11), as if he would now take all away from him, and leave him to those lusts and idols that he left his God tofollow. Swarms of his new rogueries shall haunt him in every place, and that not only in the guilt, but in the filth and pollution ofthem. (Prov 14:14) None know the things that haunt a backslider'smind, his new sins are all turned talking devils, threateningdevils, roaring devils, within him. Besides, he doubts of the truthof his first conversion, consequently he has it lying upon him as astrong suspicion that there was nothing of truth in all his firstexperience; and this also adds lead to his heels, and makes himcome, as to sense and feeling, more heavy and with the greaterdifficulty to God by Christ. As faithfulness of other men killshim, he cannot see an honest, humble, holy, faithful servant ofGod, but he is pierced and wounded at the heart. Ay, says he withinhimself, that man fears God, that man hath faithfully followed God, that man, like the elect angels, has kept his place; but I am fallenfrom my station like a devil. That man honoureth God, edifieth thesaints, convinceth the world, and condemneth them, and is becomeheir of the righteousness which is by faith. But I have dishonouredGod, stumbled and grieved saints, made the world blaspheme, and, for aught I know, been the cause of the damnation of many! Theseare the things, I say, together with many more of the same kind, that come with him; yea, they will come with him, yea, and willstare him in the face, will tell him of his baseness, and laugh himto scorn, all the way that he is coming to God by Christ--I knowwhat I say!--and this makes his coming to God by Christ hard anddifficult to him. Besides, he thinks saints will be aware of him, will be shy of him, will be afraid to trust him, yea, will tellhis Father of him, and make intercession against him, as Elias didagainst Israel, (Rom 11:2), or as the men did that were fellow-servantswith him that took his brother by the throat. (Matt 18:31) Shamecovereth his face all the way he comes; he doth not know what todo; the God he is returning to, is the God that he has slighted, the God before whom he has preferred the vilest lust; and he knowsGod knows it, and has before him all his ways. The man that has beena backslider, and is returning to God, can tell strange stories, and yet such as are very true. No man was in the whale's belly, and came out again alive, but backsliding and returning Jonah;consequently, no man could tell how he was there, what he feltthere, what he saw there, and what workings of heart he had whenhe was there, so well as he. 

[The sincere Christian's coming to God by Christ. ]

Third, I come now to the third man--to wit, to the sincere andupright man that cometh to God by Christ. And although this may, in some sense, be applicable to the two former, for his coming isnot worthy to be counted coming to God, that is, not in sincerityand uprightness, yet by such an one I now mean, one that has beencalled to the faith, and that has in some good measure of sincerityand uprightness therein abode with God. 

This man also comes to God by Christ; but his coming is to bedistinguished, I mean in the main of it, from the coming of the othertwo. The other come for the knowledge of forgiveness, a thing thatthe upright and faithful Christian for the most part has a comfortablefaith of, and that for which he is often helped to give thanks toGod. I do not say he doubteth not, or that he has not his evidencessometimes clouded; nor do I say that the knowledge of his reconciliationto God by Christ Jesus is so high, so firm, so fixed, and steadfast, that it cannot be shaken, or that he needs no more. I will thenexplain myself. He comes not to God as an unconverted sinnercomes; he comes not as a backslider comes when he is returning toGod from his backslidings; but he comes as a son, as one of thehousehold of God, and he comes as one that has not, since correction, wickedly departed from his God. 

1. He then comes to God with that access and godly boldness thatis only proper to such as himself, that is, to them that walk withGod. (Rom 5:2) Thus every one that shall be saved doth not do;thus every one that shall be saved cannot do--to instance the twospoken of before. 

2. He comes to God by Christ constantly by prayer, by meditation, by every ordinance. For therefore he maketh use of ordinances, because by them through Christ he getteth into the presence of God. (Psa 27:4)

3. He comes to God through Christ, because he judgeth that Godonly is that good, that blessedness, that happiness, that is worthlooking after; that good and that blessedness that alone can fillthe soul to the brim; that good and that happiness that is worthyof our hearts and souls and spirits. Hence David expresseth hiscoming to God by panting, by thirsting, by tears, saying, 'My soulpanteth after thee, O God. ' And again, 'My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God, when shall I come and appear before God?' (Psa42:1, 2) And again, 'I will go to the altar of God, unto God, myexceeding joy. ' (Psa 43:4) And hence it was that he so envied theswallow and sparrow, even because they could come to the altarof God, where he had promised to give his presence, when he, as Ithink, by the rage of Saul, was forced to abide remote. 'My soullongeth, ' saith he, 'yea, even fainteth for the courts of theLord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God: Blessed are they that dwell in thy house, theywill be still praising thee. ' Then after a few more words he saith, 'For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had ratherbe a doorkeeper, ' I would choose rather to sit at the thresholdof thy house, 'than to dwell in the tents of wickedness'; and thenrenders the reason--'For the Lord is a sun and shield: the Lordgives grace and glory, ' &c. (Psa 84)

The presence of God, and the glory and soul-ravishing goodness ofthat presence, is a thing that the world understands not, nor canthey as such desire to know what it is. 

4. These good men come to God upon other accounts also; for so itis that they have many concerns with God. 

[Concern for themselves. ]--(1. ) They come to him for a more cleardiscovery of themselves to themselves, for they desire to know howfrail they are, because the more they know that, the more they areengaged in their souls to take heed to their ways, and to fear lestthey should tempt their God to leave them. (Psa 39:1-8)

(2. ) They come to God by Christ for the weakening of their lustsand corruptions; for they are a sore, yea, a plague to a trulysanctified soul. Those, to be rid of which, if it might be, a godlyman chooseth rather to die than to live. This David did mean whenhe cried. 'Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a rightspirit within me, ' (Psa 51:10); and Paul, when he cried out, 'Owretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of thisdeath?' (Rom 7:24)

(3. ) They come to God by Christ for the renewing and strengtheningof their graces. The graces that the godly have received are, andthey feel they are, subject to decay; yea, they cannot live withouta continual supply of grace. This is the meaning of that, 'Let ushave grace, ' and, 'Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne ofgrace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time ofneed. ' (Heb 4:16)

(4. ) They come to God by Christ to be helped against thosetemptations that they may meet withal. (Matt 6:13) They know thatevery new temptation has a new snare and a new evil in it; but whatsnare and what evil, that at present they know not; but they knowtheir God knows, and can deliver out of temptation when we are in, and keep us out while we are out. 

(5. ) They come to God by Christ for a blessing upon that means ofgrace which God has afforded for the succour of the soul, and thebuilding of it up in the faith; knowing that as the means, so ablessing upon it, is from God. (2 Thess 3:1) And for this they haveencouragement, because God has said, 'I will abundantly bless herprovision: I will satisfy her poor with bread. ' (Psa 132:15)

(6. ) They come to God by Christ for the forgiveness of dailyinfirmities, (Psa 19:12), and for the continuing them in the lightof his countenance notwithstanding. Thus he also would always acceptthem and their services, and grant that an answer of peace may bereturned from their Father into their bosoms; for this is the lifeof their souls. There are a great many such things that the sincereand upright man comes to God for, too many here to mention. Butagain, [Concern for the church and others. ]--(1. ) This man also comes toGod to beseech him for the flourishing of Christ's kingdom, which heknows will never be until Antichrist is dead, and till the Spiritbe more plentifully poured upon us from on high. Therefore he alsocries to God for the downfall of the first, and for the pouringout of the other. 

(2. ) He comes to God for the hastening the gathering in of his elect;for it is an affliction to him to think that so many of those forwhom Christ died should be still in a posture of hostility againsthim. (Psa 122:6)

(3. ) He comes to God for a spirit of unity to be poured out amongbelievers, for, for the divisions of Reuben he has great thoughtsof heart. 

(4. ) He comes to God to pray for magistrates, and that God wouldmake speed to set them all to that work that is so desirable to hischurch--that is, to 'hate the whore, ' 'to eat her flesh, ' to 'makeher desolate, ' 'and burn her with fire. ' (1 Tim 2:1, Rev 17:16)

(5. ) He comes to God to beg that he would hasten that great andnotable day, the day of the coming of our Lord Jesus, for he knowsthat Christ will never be exalted as he must be till then; yea, healso knows that God's church will never be as she would, and shall, till then. (Rev 22:20)

(6. ) But the main meaning, if I may so call it, of this high textis this, that they that come to God by him--that is, by Christ, arethose that come by Christ to God to enjoy him by faith and spirithere, and by open vision and unspeakable possession of him in thenext world. This is the great design of the soul in its coming toGod by Jesus Christ, and it comes to him by Jesus Christ becauseit dares not come by itself, and because God himself has made himthe way, the new and living way. Here, as I said, the Father meetswith that which pleaseth him, and the soul with that which savethher. Here is righteousness and merits to spare, even righteousnessthat can justify the ungodly. Here is always, how empty soever webe, a fullness of merit always presented to God by Christ for myobtaining of that which at any time I want, whether wisdom, grace, Spirit, or any good thing soever; only, since I was upon thissubject, I thought a little to touch upon things in this order, forthe enlarging of thy thoughts, for the conviction of thy spirit, for the stirring of thee up to God, and for the showing of theethe good signs of grace where it is, where is abused, and whereany are seeking after it. 

[Inferences from thus coming to God by Christ. ]

And now I come to draw some inferences from this point also, as Ihave already done from those going before it. You see that I havenow been speaking to you of the man that cometh to God, both withrespect to the way he comes, as also with respect to the manner ofspirit in which he comes; and hence I may well infer, First, That he is no fool, no fool according to the best judgment, that cometh to God by Christ. The world indeed will count him one;for the things that be of the Spirit of God are foolishness to them;but indeed, and in the verdict of true judgment, he is not so. 

1. For that he now seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom. He haschosen to be concerned with the very head and fountain of wisdom;for Christ is the wisdom of God, and the way to the Father by Christ, is the greatest of mysteries; and to choose to walk in that way, the fruits of the most sage advice; wherefore he is not a fool thatthus concerns himself. (Prov 18:1, 1 Cor 1)

2. It is not a sign of foolishness timely to prevent ruin, is it?They are the prudent men that foresee an evil, and hide themselves;and the fools, that go on, and are punished. (Prov 18:8, 27:12)Why, this man foresees an evil, the greatest evil, sin, and thepunishment of the soul for sin in hell; and flies to Christ, who isthe refuge that God has provided for penitent sinners; and is thisa sign of a fool? God make me such a fool, and thee that readestthese lines such a fool, and then we shall be wiser than all menthat are counted wise by the wisdom of this world. Is it a sign ofa fool to agree with one's adversary while we are in the way withhim, even before he delivereth us to the judge? Yea, it is a pieceof the highest wisdom. 

Is he a fool that chooseth for himself long lasters, or he whosebest things will rot in a day? Sinners, 'before your pots can feelthe thorns [before you can see where you are], God shall take youaway as with a whirlwind, both living, and in his wrath. ' (Psa58:9) But this man has provided for things; like the tortoise, hehas got a shell on his back, so strong and sound that he fears notto suffer a loaden cart to go over him. The Lord is his rock, hisdefence, his refuge, his high tower, unto which he doth continuallyresort. 

Was the unjust steward a fool in providing for himself for hereafter?for providing friends to receive him to harbour when others shouldturn him out of their doors? (Luke 16:8, 9) No more is he that getsanother house for his harbour before death shall turn him out ofdoors here. 

3. As he that cometh to God by Christ is no fool, so he is nolittle-spirited fellow. There are a generation of men in this worldthat count themselves men of the largest capacities, when yet thegreatness of their desires lift themselves no higher than to thingsbelow. If they can, with their net of craft and policy, encompassa bulky lump of earth, oh what a treasure have they engrossed tothemselves! Meanwhile, the man in the text has laid siege to heaven, has found out the way to get into the city, and is resolved, inand by God's help, to make that his own. Earth is a drossy thing inthis man's account; earthly greatness and splendours are but likevanishing bubbles in this man's esteem. None but God, as the endof his desires, none but Christ, as the means to accomplish thishis end, are things counted great by this man. No company now isacceptable to this man but the Spirit of God, Christ and angels, and saints, as fellow-heirs with himself. All other men and thingshe deals with as strangers and pilgrims were wont to do. This man'smind soars higher than the eagle or stork of the heavens. He isfor musing about things that are above, and their glory, and forthinking what shall come to pass hereafter. 

4. But as I have showed you what he is not, so now let me, by afew words, tell you what he is. 

(1. ) Then he is a man concerned for his soul, for his immortal soul. The soul is a thing, though of most worth, least minded by most. The souls of most lie waste while all other things are enclosed. But this man has got it by the end, that his soul is of more valuethan the world, wherefore he is concerned for his soul. Soul concernsare concerns of the highest nature, and concerns that arise fromthoughts most deep and ponderous. He never yet knew what belongedto great and deep thoughts that is a stranger to soul concerns. Now the man that comes to God by Christ, is a man that is engagedin soul concerns. 

(2. ) He is a man whose spirit is subjected to a suitableness tospiritual things, for a carnal mind cannot suit with and be delightedin these things: 'The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it isnot subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ' (Rom 8:7)This is the man that God has tamed, and keeps tame by himself, while all other run wild, as the assess upon the mountains. Ifbirds could speak, surely they would tell that those that are keptin the cage have with them another temper than they that range theair, and fly in the fields and woods. Yea, and could those kepttame express themselves to the rest, they would tell that they havewhite bread and milk, and sugar; while those without make a lifeout of maggots and worms. They are also in place where there arebetter things, and their companions are the children of men; besides, they learn such notes, and can whistle such tunes, as other birdsare strangers to. Oh! the man whose spirit is subjected to God, betwixt whom and God there is a reconciliation, not only as to adifference made up, but also as to a oneness of heart; none knowswhat lumps of sugar God gives that man, nor what notes and tunesGod learns that man: 'He hath put a new song in my mouth, ' saithDavid, 'even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, andshall trust in the Lord. ' (Psa 40:3)

Second. Is there a man that comes to God by Christ? Thence I inferthat there is that believes there is a world to come. No man looksafter that which yet he believes is not; faith must be before comingto Christ will be; coming is the fruit of faith. He that comes mustbelieve antecedent to his coming; wherefore it is said, 'we walkby faith'--that is, we come to God through Christ by faith. (Heb11:7, 2 Cor 5:7) And hence I learn two things:--1. That faith isof a strong and forcible quality. 2. That they who come not to Godby Christ have no faith. 

1. Faith is of a strong and forcible quality, and that whether itbe true or false. 

(1. ) A false faith has done great things; it has made men believelies, plead for them, and stand to them, to the damnation of theirsouls. 'God shall send them strong delusion, that they shouldbelieve a lie, ' to their damnation. (2 Thess 2:11, 12) Hence it issaid, men make lies 'their refuge. ' Why? Because they 'trust ina lie. ' (Jer 28:15) A lie, if believed, if a man has faith in it, it will do great things, because faith is of a forcible quality. Suppose thyself to be twenty miles from home, and there some mancomes and possesses thee that thy house, thy wife and children, are all burned with the fire. If thou believest it, though indeedthere should be nothing of truth in what thou hast heard, yet willthis lie 'drink up thy spirit, ' even as if the tidings were true. How many are there in the world whose heart Satan hath filled witha belief that their state and condition for another world is good?and these are made to live by lying hope that all shall be wellwith them, and so are kept from seeking for that which will makethem happy indeed. Man is naturally apt and willing to be deceived, and therefore a groundless faith is the more taking and forcible. Fancy will help to confirm a false faith, and so will conceit andidleness of spirit. There is also in man a willingness to take thingsupon trust, without searching into the ground and reason of them. Nor will Satan be behind hand to prompt and encourage to thy believingof a lie, for that he knows will be a means to bring thee to thatend to which he greatly desireth thou shouldst come. Wherefore letmen beware, and, oh, that they would, of a false and lying faith!

(2. ) But if a false faith is so forcible, what is a true? What force, I say, is there in a faith that is begotten by truth, managed bytruth, fed by truth, and preserved by the truth of God? This faithwill make invisible things visible; not fantastically so, butsubstantially so--'Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. ' (Heb 11:1) True faith carriethalong with it an evidence of the certainty of what it believeth, and that evidence is the infallible Word of God. There is a God, a Christ, a heaven, saith the faith that is good, for the Word ofGod doth say so. The way to this God and this heaven is by Christ, for the Word of God doth say so. If I run not to this God by thisChrist, this heaven shall never be my portion, for the Word of Goddoth say so. So, then, thus believing makes the man come to Godby him. His thus believing, then, it is that carries him away fromthis world, that makes him trample upon this world, and that giveshim the victory over this world. 'For whatsoever is born of Godovercometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh theworld, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but hethat believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that cameby water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but bywater and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, becausethe Spirit is truth. ' (1 John 5:4-6)

2. Now if this be true, that faith, true faith, is so forcible athing as to take a man from his seat of ease, and make him to cometo God by Christ as afore, then, is it not truly inferred from hencethat they that come not to God by Christ have no faith. What! isman such a fool as to believe things, and yet not look after them?to believe great things, and yet not to concern himself with them?Who would knowingly go over a pearl, and yet not count it worthstooping for? Believe thou art what thou art; believe hell iswhat it is; believe death and judgment are coming, as they are;and believe that the Father and the Son are, as by the Holy Ghostin the Word they are described, and sit still in thy sins if thoucanst. Thou canst not sit still; faith is forcible. Faith is groundedupon the voice of God in the Word, upon the teaching of God in theWord. And it pleases God by the foolishness of preaching to savethem that believe; for believing makes them heartily close in with, and embrace what by the Word is set before them, because it seeththe reality of them. 

Shall God speak to man's soul, and shall not man believe? Shallman believe what God says, and nothing at all regard it? It cannotbe. 'Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. ' Andwe know that when faith is come, it purifies the heart of what isopposite to God, and the salvation of the soul. 

So, then, those men that are at ease in a sinful course, or thatcome not to God by Christ, they are such as have no faith, and musttherefore perish with the vile and unbelievers. (Rev 21:8)

The whole world is divided into two sorts of men--believers andunbelievers. The godly are called believers; and why believers, butbecause they are they that have given credit to the great thingsof the gospel of God? These believers are here in the text calledalso comers, or they that come to God by Christ, because whosobelieves will come; for coming is a fruit of faith in the habit, or, if you will, it is faith in exercise; yet faith must have abeing in the soul before the soul can put it into act. 

This therefore further evidences that they that come not, have nofaith, are not believers, belong not to the household of faith, and must perish--'For he that believes not, shall be damned. '

Nor will it be to any boot14 to say, I believe there is a God anda Christ, for still thy sitting still doth demonstrate that eitherthou liest in what thou sayest, or that thou believest with a worsethan a false faith. But the object of my faith is true. I answer, so is the object of the faith of devils; for they believe thatthere is one God and one Christ, yet their faith, as to the rootand exercise of it, is notwithstanding no such faith as is thatfaith that saves, or that is intended in the text, and that bywhich men come to God through Christ. Wherefore still, oh, thouslothful one, thou deceivest thyself! Thy not coming to God by Christdeclareth to thy face that thy faith is not good, consequently, that thou feedest on ashes, and thy deceived heart has turned theeaside, that thou canst not deliver thy soul, nor say, 'Is therenot a lie in my right hand?' (Isa 44:20)

Third. Is there a man that comes to God by Christ? Thence I inferthat the world to come is better than this; yea, so much betteras to quit cost and bear charges of coming to God, from this, byChrist, to that. Though there is a world to come, yet if it wereno better than this, one had as good stay here as seek that, orif it were better than this, and would bear charges if a man leftthis for that, and that was all, still the one would be as goodas the other. But the man that comes to God by Christ, has chosenthe world that is infinitely good; a world, betwixt which and thisthere can be no comparison. This must be granted, because he thatcomes to God by Christ is said to have made the best choice, evenchose a city that has foundations. (Heb 11:10) There are severalthings that make it manifest enough that he that comes to God byChrist has made the best market, or chose the best world. 

1. That is the world which God commendeth, but this that thathe slighteth and contemneth. (2 Thess 1:5, 6) Hence that is calledthe kingdom of God, but this an 'evil world. ' (Gal 1:4) Now letus conclude, that since God made both, he is able to judge whichof the two are best; yea, best able so to judge thereof. I choosethe rather to refer you to the judgment of God in this matter, forshould I put you upon asking of him as to this, that is, coming toGod by Christ, perhaps you would say, he is as little able to givean account of this matter as yourselves. But I hope you think Godknows, and therefore I refer you to the judgment of God, which youhave in the Scriptures of truth--'Heaven is his throne, and theearth is his footstool. ' I hope you will say here is some difference. The Lord is the God of that, the devil the god and prince of this. Thus also it appears there is some difference between them. 

2. That world, and those that are counted worthy of it, shall allbe everlasting; but so shall not this, nor the inhabiters of it. The earth with the works thereof shall be burned up, and the menthat are of it shall die in like manner. (2 Peter 3) 'But Israelshall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shallnot be ashamed nor confounded world without end. ' (Isa 45:17) Thisworld, with the lovers of it, will end in a burning hell; but theworld to come fadeth not away. (1 Peter 1:3, 4)

3. The world that we are now in, has its best comforts mixed eitherwith crosses or curses; but that to come with neither. There shallbe no more curse: and as for crosses, all tears shall be wipedfrom the eyes of them that dwell there. There will be nothing butravishing pleasures, and holy; there will be no cessation of joys, nor any speck of pollution. 'In thy presence is fullness of joy, at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. ' (Psa 16:11)

4. There men shall be made like angels, 'neither can they die anymore. ' (Luke 20:35, 36) There shall they behold the face of God andhis Son, and swim in the enjoyment of them for ever. 

5. There men shall see themselves beyond all misery, and shallknow that it will be utterly impossible that either anything likesorrow, or grief, or sickness, or discontent, should touch themmore. 

6. There men shall be rewarded of God for what they have doneand suffered according to his will for his sake; there they shalleat and drink their comforts, and wear them to their everlastingconsolation. 

7. They are all kings that go to that world, and so shall beproclaimed there. They shall also be crowned with crowns, and theyshall wear crowns of life and glory, crowns of everlasting joy, crowns of lovingkindness; yea, 'In that day the Lord of hosts himselfshall be for a crown of glory to those that are his people. ' (Heb2:7, Isa 28:5, 35:10, Psa 103:4) Now, if this world, though nomore could be said of it that is said in these few lines, is notinfinitely far better than what the present world is, I have missedit in my thoughts. But the coming man, the man that comes to Godby Christ, is satisfied, knows what he does; and if his way, allhis way thither, were strewed with burning coals, he would choose, God helping him, to tread that path rather than to have his portionwith them that perish. 

Fourth, If there be a world to come, and such a way to it so safeand good, and if God is there to be enjoyed by them that come tohim by Christ; then this shows the great madness of the most ofmen, madness, I say, of the highest degree, for that they come notto God by Christ that they may be inheritors of the world to come. It is a right character which Solomon gives of them, 'The heart, 'saith he, 'of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is intheir heart while they live, and after that they go to the dead. '(Eccl 9:3) A madman is intent upon his toys, upon anything but thatabout which he should be intent; and so are they that come not toGod by Jesus Christ. A madman has neither ears to hear, nor a heartto do, what they that are in their right wits advise him for thebest, no more have they that come not to God by Christ. A madman setsmore by the straws and cock's feathers by which he decks himself, than he does by all the pearls and jewels in the world. And theythat come not to God by Christ set more by the vanishing bubblesof this life than they do by that glory that the wise man shallinherit; 'The wise shall inherit glory, but shame, ' says Solomon, 'shall be the promotion of fools. ' What a shame it is to see God'sjewels lie unregarded of them that yet think none are wiser thanthemselves. 

I know the wise men of this world will scorn one should think ofthem that they are mad; but verily it is so, the more wise for thisworld, the more fool in God's matters; and the more obstinatelythey stand in their way, the more mad. When Solomon gave himself tobacksliding, he saith he gave himself to folly and madness. (Eccl1:17, 2:12) And when he went about to search out what man is sincethe fall, he went about to search out foolishness and madness. (Eccl 7:25-29) And is it not said, that when the Jews were angrywith Jesus for that he did good on the Sabbath, that that angerdid flow from their being filled with madness? Doth not Paul also, while he opposed himself against Christ, the gospel, and professorsthereof, plainly tell us that he did it even from the highest pitchof madness? 'And being exceedingly mad against them, I persecutedthem even unto strange cities. ' (Acts 26:11) Now if it is exceedingmadness to do thus, how many at this day must be counted exceedingmad, who yet count themselves the only sober men? They opposethemselves, they stand in their own light, they are against theirown happiness, they cherish and nourish cockatrices in their ownbosoms; they choose to themselves those paths which have writtenupon them in large characters, These are the ways of death anddamnation. They are offended with them that endeavour to pull themout of their ditch, and choose rather to lie and die there than togo to God by Christ that they may be saved from wrath through him;yea, so mad are they, that they count the most sober, the mostgodly, the most holy man, the mad one; the more earnest for life, the more mad; the more in the Spirit, the more mad; the more desirousto promote the salvation of others, the more mad. But is not thisa sign of madness, of madness unto perfection? And yet thus mad aremany, and mad are all they that while it is called to-day, whiletheir door is open, and while the golden sceptre of the goldengrace of the blessed God is held forth, stand in their own light, and come not to God by Christ. (John 10:20, Acts 26:24) That isthe fourth inference. 

Fifth, A fifth inference that I gather from this text is, that theend that God will make with men will be according as they come orcome not to God by Christ. They that come to God by Christ havetaken shelter and have hid themselves; but they that come not toGod by Christ lay themselves open to the windy storm and tempestthat will be in that day. And the wind then will be high, and thetempest strong, that will blow upon them that shall be found inthemselves; 'Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fireshall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous roundabout him. He shall call to the heavens from above, and to theearth, that he may judge his people. ' (Psa 50:3, 4) And now, whatwill be found in that day to be the portion of them that in thisday do not come to God by Christ? None knows but God, with whomthe reward of unbelievers is. 

But writing and preaching is in vain as to such; let men say whatthey will, what they can, to persuade to come, to dissuade fromneglecting to come, they are resolved not to stir. They will tryif God will be so faithful to himself and to his Word, as to dareto condemn them to hell fire that have refused to hear and complywith the voice of him that speaketh from heaven. 

But this is but a desperate venture. Several things declare thatHe is determined to be at a point in this matter--

1. The gallows are built--hell is prepared for the wicked. 2. Thereare those already in chains, and stand bound over to the judgmentof that day, that are, as to creation, higher and greater than men, to wit, the angels that sinned. (2 Peter 2:4) Let sinners, then, look to themselves. 3. The Judge is prepared and appointed, andit hath fallen out to be HE that thou hast refused to come to Godby; and that predicts no good to thee; for then will he say of allsuch, 'Those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign overthem, bring hither, and slay them before me. ' (Luke 19:27)

But what a surprise will it be to them that now have come to Godby Christ to see themselves in heaven indeed, saved indeed, andpossessed of everlasting life indeed. For alas! what is faith topossession? Faith that is mixed with many fears, that is opposed withmany assaults, and that seems sometimes to be quite extinguished;I say, what is that to a seeing of myself in heaven? Hence it issaid, that he shall then come to be admired in them that now believe, because they did here believe the testimony; then they shall admirethat it was their lot to believe when they were in the world. (2Thess 1:10) They shall also admire to think, to see, and behold, what believing has brought them to, while the rest, for refusing tocome to God by Christ, drink their tears mixed with burning brimstone. 

Repentance will not be found in heaven among them that come toGod by Christ; no, hell is the place of untimely repentance; it isthere where the tears will be mixed with gnashing of teeth, whilethey consider how mad, and worse, they were in not coming to Godby Jesus Christ. 

Then will their hearts and mouths be full of, 'Lord, Lord, openunto us. ' But the answer will be, Ye shut me out of doors; 'I wasa stranger, and ye took me not in'; besides, you refused to cometo my Father by me, wherefore now you must go from my Father byme. (Matt 25)

They that will not be saved by Christ, must be damned by Christ;no man can escape one of the two. Refuse the first they may, butshun the second they cannot. And now they that would not come untoGod by Christ will have leisure and time enough, if I may call ittime, to consider what they have done in refusing to come to Godby Christ. Now they will meditate warmly on this thing, now theirthoughts will be burning hot about it, and it is too late, will be, in each thought, such a sting, that, like a bow of steel, it willcontinually strike him through. 

Now they will bless those whom formerly they have despised, andcommend those they once contemned. Now would the rich man willinglychange places with poor Lazarus, though he preferred his owncondition before his in the world. The day of judgment will bringthe worst to rights in their opinions; they will not be capableof misapprehending any more. They will never after that day putbitter for sweet, or darkness for light, or evil for good any more. Their madness will now be gone. Hell will be the unbeliever's bedlamhouse, and there God will tame them as to all those bedlam tricksand pranks which they played in this world, but not at all totheir profit nor advantage; the gulf that God has placed and fixedbetwixt heaven and hell will spoil all as to that. (Luke 16:23-26)

But what a joy will it be to the truly godly to think now that theyare come to God by Christ! It was their mercy to begin to come, it was their happiness that they continued coming; but it is theirglory that they are come, that they are come to God by Christ. To God! why, he is all! all that is good, essentially good, andeternally good. To God! the infinite ocean of good. To God, infriendly-wise, by the means of reconciliation; for the other nowwill be come to him to receive his anger, because they come notto him by Jesus Christ. Oh! that I could imagine; oh! that I couldthink, that I might write more effectually to thee of the happyestate of them that come to God by Christ. 

But thus have I passed through the three former things, namely, 1. That of the intercession of Christ. 2. That of the benefit ofintercession. 3. That of the persons that are interested in thisintercession. 

[IV. EVERY SINCERE COMER CERTAIN OF SALVATION. ]

Wherefore now I come to the fourth and last head, and that is, TOSHOW YOU THE CERTAINTY OF THEIR REAPING THE BENEFIT OF HIS INTERCESSION. 'Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that comeunto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession forthem. '

[Christ ever living is the safety of comers. ]

The certainty of their reaping the benefit of being saved thatcome unto God by Christ is thus expressed: 'Seeing he ever livethto make intercession for them. ' The intercession of Christ, and thelastingness of it, is a sure token of the salvation of them thatcome unto God by him. 

Of his intercession, what it is, and for whom, we have spokenalready; of the success and prevalency of it, we have also spokenbefore; but the reason of its successfulness of that we are tospeak now. And that reason, as the apostle suggesteth, lies in thecontinuance of it, 'Seeing he ever liveth to make intercession. ' Theapostle also makes very much of the continuation of the priesthoodof Christ in other places of this epistle: he abides a priestcontinually, 'Thou art a priest for ever. ' He 'hath an unchangeablepriesthood. ' (Heb 7:3, 17, 21, 24) And here he 'ever liveth to makeintercession. '

Now, by the text is showed the reason why he so continually harpethupon the durableness of it, namely, for that by the unchangeablenessof this priesthood we are saved; nay, saved demonstratively, apparently; it is evident we are. 'He is also able to save them tothe uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth tomake intercession for them. ' For, First, The durableness of his intercession proves that the covenantin which those who come to God by him are concerned and wrapt upis not shaken, broken, or made invalid by all their weaknesses andinfirmities. 

Christ is a priest according to covenant, and in all his acts ofmediation he has regard to that covenant; so long as that covenantabides in its strength, so long Christ's intercession is of worth. Hence, when God cast the old high priest out of doors, he rendersthis reason for his so doing: 'Because they continued not inmy covenant'; that is, neither priests nor people. Therefore werethey cast out of the priesthood, and the people pulled down asto a church state. (Heb 7:6-9) Now, the covenant by which Christacteth, as a priest, so far as we are concerned therein, he alsohimself acteth our part, being, indeed, the Head and Mediator ofthe body; wherefore, God doth not count that the covenant is broken, though we sin, if Christ Jesus our Lord is found to do by it whatby law is required of us. Therefore he saith, 'If his children breakmy law, and keep not my commandments, I will visit their sins witha rod, ' &c. But their sins shall not shake my covenant with myBeloved, nor cause that I for ever should reject them. 'My covenantwill I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. His seed will I make to endure for ever, his seed shall endure forever. ' (Psa 89:30-36) Hence, it is clear that the covenant standsgood to us as long as Christ stands good to God, or before his face;for he is not only our Mediator by covenant, but he himself is ourconditions to God-ward; therefore he is said to be 'a covenant ofthe people, ' or that which the holy God, by law, required of us. (Isa42:6) Hence, again, he is said to be our justice or righteousness;to wit, which answereth to what is required of us by the law. He ismade unto us of God so, and in our room and in our stead presentethhimself to God. So, then, if any ask me by what Christ's priesthoodis continued, I answer, by covenant; for that the covenant bywhich he is made priest abideth of full force. If any ask whetherthe church is concerned in that covenant, I answer, yea; yet soas that all points and parts thereof, that concern life and deatheverlasting, is laid upon his shoulders, and he alone is the doerof it. He is the Lord our righteousness, and he is the Saviourof the body, so that my sins break not the covenant; but them15notwithstanding, God's covenant stands fast with him, with him forevermore. And good reason, if no fault can be found with Christ, who is the person that did strike hands with his Father upon ouraccount and for us; to wit, to do what was meet should be foundupon us when we came to appear before God by him. 

And that God himself doth so understand this matter is evident;because he also, by his own act, giveth and imputeth to us thatgood that we never did, that righteousness which we never wroughtout; yea, and for the sake of that transmitteth our sins unto Christ, as to one that had not only well satisfied for them, but couldcarry them so far, both from us and from God, that they should neveragain come to be charged on the committers, to death and damnation. (Rom 4:1-5) The Scriptures are so plentiful for this, that he mustbe a Turk, or a Jew, or an atheist that denies it. Besides, God'scommanding that men should believe in his Son unto righteousnesswell enough proveth this thing, and the reason of this command dothprove it with an over and above; to wit, 'For he hath made him tobe sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousnessof God in him. ' (2 Cor 5:19-21) Hence comes out that proclamationfrom God, at the rising again of Christ from the dead: 'Be itknown unto you, therefore, men and brethren, that through this manis preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all thatbelieve are justified from all things, from which ye could not bejustified by the law of Moses. ' (Acts 13:38, 39)

If this be so, as indeed it is, then here lieth a great deal ofthis conclusion, 'he ever liveth to make intercession, ' and of thedemonstration of the certain salvation of him that cometh to God byhim, 'seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. ' For ifChrist Jesus is a priest by covenant, and so abides as the covenantabides, and if, since the covenant is everlasting, his priesthoodis unchangeable, then the man that cometh to God by him must needsbe certainly saved; for if the covenant, the covenant of salvation, is not broken, none can show a reason why he that comes to Christshould be damned, or why the priesthood of Jesus Christ shouldcease. Hence, after the apostle had spoken of the excellency ofhis person and priesthood, he then shows that the benefit of thecovenant of God remaineth with us, namely, that grace should becommunicated unto us for his priesthood's sake, and that our sinsand iniquities God would remember no more. (Heb 8:10-12; 10:16-22)Now, as I also have already hinted, if this covenant, of which theLord Jesus is Mediator and High Priest, has in the bowels of it, not only grace and remission of sins, but a promise that we shallbe partakers thereof, through the blood of his priesthood, for soit comes to us; then, why should not we have boldness, not onlyto come to God by him, but to enter also 'into the holiest by theblood of Jesus, by that new and living way, ' &c. 

Second, But, further, this priesthood, as to the unchangeablenessof it, is confirmed unto him 'with an oath, by him that said untohim, the Lord sware, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever. ' This oath seems to me to be for the confirmation of thecovenant, as it is worded before by Paul to the Galatians, (Gal3:15-17), when he speaks of it with respect to that establishmentthat it also had on Christ's part by the sacrifice which he offeredto God for us; yea, he then speaks of the mutual confirmation of itboth by the Father and the Son. Now, I say, since, by this covenanthe stands and abides a Priest, and since 'the Lord sware, andwill not repent, saying, Thou art a priest for ever, ' we are stillfurther confirmed in the certain salvation of him that cometh toGod by Christ. 

The Lord, by swearing, confirmeth to Christ, and so to us in him, the immutability of his counsel, (Heb 6:16-18), and that he is utterlyunchangeable in his resolutions 'to save them to the uttermost thatcome to God by Christ. ' And this also shows that this covenant, andso the promise of remission of sins, is steadfast and unmovable. And it is worth your noting the manner and nature of this oath, 'The Lord sware, and will not repent. ' It is as much as to say, WhatI have now sworn I bind me for ever to stand to, or, I determinenever to revoke; and that is, 'That thou art a priest for ever. 'Now, as was said before, since his priesthood stands by covenant, and this covenant of his priesthood is confirmed by this oath, itcannot be but that he that comes by him to God must be accepted ofhim; for should such a one be rejected, it must be either for thegreatness of his sins, or for want of merit in the sacrifice hepresented and urged, as to the merit of it, before the mercy-seat. But let the reason specified be what it will, the consequence fallsharder upon the sacrifice of Christ than it can do anywhere else, and so also upon the covenant, and at last upon God himself, whohas sworn, and will not repent, that he is a Priest for ever. Ithus discourse, to show you what dangerous conclusions follow froma conceit that some that come to God by Christ shall not be saved, though 'he ever liveth to make intercession for them. ' And this Ihave further to say, that the Lord's swearing, since the manner ofthe oath is such as it is, and that it also tended to establish toChrist his priesthood to be unchangeable, it declareth that, as tothe excellency of his sacrifice, he is eternally satisfied in thegoodness and merit of it; and that he will never deny him anythingthat he shall ask for at his hands for his sufferings' sake. Forthis oath doth not only show God's firm resolution to keep his partof the covenant, in giving to Christ that which was covenanted forby him, but it declareth that, in the judgment of God, Christ'sblood is able to save any sinner, and that he will never put stopnor check to his intercession, how great soever the sinners be thatat any time he shall intercede for; so that the demonstration isclearer and clearer, 'He is able to save them to the uttermost thatcome unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercessionfor them. '

Third, This unchangeableness of the priesthood of Christ dependethalso upon his own life: 'This man, because he continueth ever, hathan unchangeable priesthood. ' (Heb 7:24) Now although, perhaps, atfirst much may not appear in this text, yet the words that we areupon take their ground from them. 'This man, because he continuethever, hath an unchangeable priesthood: wherefore he is ablealso'--that is, by his unchangeable priesthood--'to save them tothe uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth tomake intercession for them. '

The life of Christ, then, is a ground of the lastingness of hispriesthood, and so a ground of the salvation of them that come untoGod by him: 'We shall be saved by his life. ' (Rom 5:10) Wherefore, in another place, this his life is spoken of with great emphasis--thepower of an endless life. 'He is made [a priest], not after the lawof a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. '(Heb 7:16) An endless life is, then, a powerful thing; and indeedtwo things are very considerable in it--1. That it is above death, and so above him that hath the power of death, the devil. 2. Inthat it capacitates him to be the last in his own cause, and so tohave the casting voice. 

1. We will speak to the first, and for the better setting of it forthwe will show what life it is of which the apostle here speaks; andthen how, as to life, it comes to be so advantageous, both withrespect to his office of priesthood and us. 

What life is it that is thus the ground of his priesthood? It isa life taken, his own life rescued from the power of the grave; alife that we had forfeited, he being our surety; and a life thathe recovered again, he being the Captain of our salvation: I laydown my life that I may take it again: 'this commandment have Ireceived of my Father. ' (John 10:18) It is a life, then, that wasonce laid down as the price of man's redemption, and a life won, gained, taken, or recovered again, as the token or true effect ofthe completing, by so dying, that redemption; wherefore it is saidagain, 'In that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that heliveth, he liveth unto God. ' (Rom 6:10) He liveth as having pleasedGod by dying for our sins, as having merited his life by dyingfor our sins. Now if this life of his is a life merited and wonby virtue of the death that he died, as Acts 2:24 doth clearlymanifest; and if this life is the ground of the unchangeablenessof this part of his priesthood, as we see it is, then it followsthat this second part of his priesthood, which is called hereintercession, is grounded upon the demonstrations of the virtueof his sacrifice, which is his life taken to live again; so, then, he holds this part of his priesthood, not by virtue of a carnalcommandment, but by the power of an endless life; but by the powerof a life rescued from death, and eternally exalted above all thatany ways would yet assault it; for 'Christ being raised from thedead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. ' (Rom6:9) Hence Christ brings in his life, the life that he won tohimself by his death, to comfort John withal when he fainted underthe view of that overcoming glory that he saw upon Christ in isvisions of him at Patmos: 'And he laid his right hand upon me, 'said he, 'saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:I am he that liveth and was dead, and, behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. ' (Rev 1:17, 18) Why should Christ bring in his lifeto comfort John, if it was not a life advantageous to him? But theadvantageousness of it doth lie not merely in the being of life, but in that it was a life laid down for his sins, and a life takenup again for his justification; a life lost to ransom him, and alife won to save him; as also the text affirmeth, saying, 'He isable to save to the uttermost them that come unto God by him, seeinghe ever liveth to make intercession for them. '

Again; it is yet more manifest that Christ receiving of his lifeagain was the death and destruction of the enemy of his people; andto manifest that it was so, therefore he adds (after he had said, 'And, behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen'), 'And I have thekeys of hell and of death. ' I have the power over them; I have themunder me; I tread them down by being a victor, a conqueror, andone that has got the dominion of life (for he now is the Prince oflife), one that lives for evermore. Amen. Hence it is said again, He 'hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to lightthrough the gospel. ' (2 Tim 1:10) He hath abolished death by hisdeath (by death he destroyed him that had the power of death, thatis, the devil), and brought life (a very emphatical expression);and brought it from whence? From God, who raised him from the dead;and brought it to light, to our view and sight, by the word of thetruth of the gospel. 

So, then, the life that he now hath is a life once laid down as theprice of our redemption; a life obtained and taken to him again asthe effect of the merit that was in the laying down thereof; a lifeby the virtue of which death, and sin, and the curse is overcome;and so a life that is above them for ever. This is the life thathe liveth--to wit, this meriting, purchasing, victorious life--andthat he improveth while he ever so lives to make intercession forus. 

This life, then, is a continual plea and argument with God for themthat come to him by Christ, should he make no other intercession, but only show to God that he liveth; because his thus living saith, that he has satisfied for the sins of them that come unto God byhim. It testifies, moreover, that those--to wit, death, the grave, and hell--are overcome by him for them; because indeed he liveth, and hath their keys. But now, add to life, to a life meritorious, intercession, or an urging of this meritorious life by way ofprayer for his, and against all those that seek to destroy them, since they themselves also have been already overcome by his death, and what an encouraging consideration is here for all them thatcome to God by him, to hope for life eternal. But, 2. Let us speak a word to the second head--namely, for that hisliving for ever capacitates him to be the last in his own cause, and to have the casting voice, and that is an advantage next towhat is chiefest. 

His cause; what is his cause? but that the death that he died whenhe was in the world was and is of merit sufficient to secure allthose from hell, or, as the text has it, to save them that comeunto God by him, to save them to the uttermost. Now, if this causebe faulty, why doth he live? yea, he liveth by the power of God, by the power of God towards us; or with a respect to our welfare, for he liveth to make intercession, intercession against Satan ouraccuser, for us. (2 Cor 13:4) Besides, he liveth before God, andto God, and that after he had given his life a ransom for us. Whatcan follow more clearly from this, but that amends were made by himfor those souls for whose sins he suffered upon the tree? Wherefore, since his Father has given him his life and favour, and that afterhe died for our sins, it cannot be thought but that the life henow liveth, is a life that he received as the effect of the meritof his passion for us. 

God is just, and yet Christ liveth, and yet Christ liveth in heaven!God is just, and yet Christ our passover liveth there, do what ourfoes can to the contrary!

And this note, by the way, that though the design of Satan againstus, in his labouring continually to accuse us to God, and to prevailagainst our salvation, seems to terminate here, yet indeed it isalso laid against the very life of Christ, and that his priesthoodmight be utterly overthrown; and, in conclusion, that God alsomight be found unjust in receiving of such whose sins have notbeen satisfied for, and so whose souls are yet under the power ofthe devil. For he that objects against him for whom Christ intercedes, objects against Christ and his merits; and he that objects againstChrist's intercession, objects against God, who has made him apriest for ever. Behold you, therefore, how the cause of God, ofChrist, and of the souls that come to God by him are interwoven;they are all wrapt up in one bottom. Mischief one, and you mischiefall; overthrow that soul, and you overthrow his intercessor; andoverthrow him, and you overthrow even him that made him a priestfor ever. For the text is without restriction: 'He is able to saveto the uttermost them that come unto God by him. ' He saith not, now and then one, or sinners of an inferior rank in sin, but themthat come to God by him, how great soever their transgressions are, as is clear in that it addeth this clause, 'to the uttermost. ' 'Heis able to save them to the uttermost. ' But if he were not, why didthe King send, yea, come and loose him, and let him go free; yea, admit him into his presence; yea, make him Lord over all his people, and deliver all things into his hand?

But he liveth, he ever liveth, and is admitted to make intercession, yea, is ordained of God so to do; therefore he is 'able to saveto the uttermost them that come unto God by him. ' This, therefore, that he liveth, seeing he liveth to God and his judgment, andin justice is made so to do, it is chiefly with reference to hislife as Mediator for their sakes for whom he makes intercession. He liveth to make intercession. And in that it is said he livethever, what is it but that he must live, and outlive all his enemies;for he must live, yea, reign, till all his enemies are put underhis feet. (1 Cor 15:25) Yea, his very intercessions must live tillthey are all dead and gone. For the devil and sin must not livefor ever, not for ever to accuse. Time is coming when due courseof law will have an end, and all cavillers will be cast over thebar. But then and after that, Christ our high priest shall live, and so shall his intercessions; yea, and also all them for whom hemakes intercession, seeing they come unto God by him. 

Now if he lives, and outlives all, and if his intercession has thecasting voice, since also he pleadeth in his prayers a sufficientmerit before a just God, against a lying, malicious, clamorous, and envious adversary, he must needs carry the cause, the cause forhimself and his people, to the glory of God and their salvation. So, then, his life and intercession must prevail, there can be nowithstanding of it. Is not this, then, a demonstration clear asthe sun, that they that come to God by him shall be saved, seeinghe ever liveth to make intercession for them?

Fourth, The duration of Christ's intercession, as it is groundedupon a covenant betwixt God and him, upon an oath also, and uponhis life, so it is grounded upon the validity of his merits. Thishas been promiscuously touched before, but since it is an essentialto the lastingness of his intercession, it will be to the purposeto lay it down by itself. 

Intercession, then, I mean Christ's intercession, is, that thosefor whom he died with full intention to save them, might be broughtinto that inheritance which he hath purchased for them. Now, then, his intercession must, as to length and breadth, reach no furtherthan his merits, for he may not pray for those for whom he diednot. Indeed, if we take in the utmost extent of his death, then wemust beware, for his death is sufficient to save the whole world. But his intercessions are kept within a narrower compass. Thealtar of burnt-offerings was a great deal bigger than the altar ofincense, which was a figure of Christ's intercession. (Exo 27:1, 30:1, Rev 8:3) But this, I say, his intercession is for those forwhom he died with full intention to save them; wherefore it mustbe grounded upon the validity of his sufferings. And, indeed, hisintercession is nothing else, that I know of, but a presenting ofwhat he did in the world for us unto God, and pressing the valueof it for our salvation. The blood of sprinkling is that whichspeaketh meritoriously, (Heb 12:24); it is by the value of thatthat God measureth out and giveth unto us grace and life eternal;wherefore Christ's intercessions also must be ordered and governedby merit; 'By his own blood he entered into the holy place, having[before by it] obtained eternal redemption for us, ' for our souls. (Heb 9:12)

Now, if by blood he entered in thither, by blood he must also makeintercession there. His blood made way for his entrance thither, hisblood must make way for our entrance thither. Though here, again, we must beware; for his blood did make way for him as Priest tointercede; his blood makes way for us, as for those redeemed by it, that we might be saved. This, then, shows sufficiently the worthof the blood of Christ, even his ever living to make intercessionfor us; for the merit of his blood lasts all the while that he doth, and for all them for whom he ever liveth to make intercession. Oh, precious blood! oh, lasting merit!

Blood must be pleaded in Christ's intercession, because of justice, and to stop the mouth of the enemy, and also to encourage us tocome to God by him. Justice, since that is of the essence of God, must concur in the salvation of the sinner; but how can that be, since it is said at first, 'In the day thou eatest thereof, thoushalt surely die, ' unless a plenary16 satisfaction be made for sinto the pleasing of the mighty God. The enemy also would else neverlet go his objecting against our salvation. But now God has declaredthat our salvation is grounded on justice, because merited byblood. And though God needed not to have given his Son to die forus that he might save us, and stop the mouth of the devil in sodoing, yet this way of salvation has done both, and so it is declared, we are 'justified freely by his grace, through the redemption thatis in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiationthrough faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for theremission of sins that are past--to declare, I say, at this timehis righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of himwhich believeth in Jesus. ' (Rom 3:24, 25) So, then, here is also aground of intercession, even the blood shed for us before. 

And that you may see it yet more for your comfort, God did, atChrist's resurrection, to show what a price he set upon his blood, bid him ask of him the heathen, and he would give him the uttermostparts of the earth for his possession. (Psa 2:8) His blood, then, has value enough in it to ground intercession upon; yea, there ismore worth in it than Christ will plead or improve for men by wayof intercession. I do not at all doubt but that there is virtueenough in the blood of Christ, would God Almighty so apply it, tosave the souls of the whole world. But it is the blood of Christ, his own blood; and he may do what he will with his own. It is alsothe blood of God, and he also may restrain its merits, or applyit as he sees good. But the coming soul, he shall find and feelthe virtue thereof, even the soul that comes to God by Christ;for he is the man concerned in its worth, and he ever liveth tomake intercession for him. Now, seeing the intercession of Christis grounded upon a covenant, an oath, a life, and also upon thevalidity of his merits, it must of necessity be prevalent, and sodrive down all opposition before it. This, therefore, is the lastpart of the text, and that which demonstrateth that he that comesto God by Christ shall be saved, seeing 'he ever liveth to makeintercession for him. '

I have now done what I intend upon this subject when I have drawna few inferences from this also. 

[Inferences from the certainty of benefit from Christ's Intercession. ]

First, then, hence I infer that the souls saved by Christ are inthemselves in a most deplorable condition. Oh, what ado, as I maysay, is here before one sinner can be eternally saved! Christ mustdie; but that is not all; the Spirit of grace must be given tous; but that is not all;--but Christ must also ever live to makeintercession for us. And as he doth this for all, so he doth it foreach one. He interceded for me, before I was born, that I might intime, at the set time, come into being. After that, he also madeintercession for me, that I might be kept from hell in the time ofmy unregenerate state, until the time of my call and conversion. Yet again, he then intercedes that the work now begun in my soulmay be perfected, not only to the day of my dissolution, but untothe day of Christ; that is, until he comes to judgment. (Phil 1:6)So that, as he began to save me before I had being, so he will goon to save me when

I am dead and gone, and will never leave off to save me until hehas set me before his face for ever. 

But, I say, what a deplorable condition has our sin put us into, that there must be all this ado to save us. Oh, how hardly is singot out of the soul when once it is in! Blood takes away the guilt;inherent grace weakens the filth; but the grave is the place, atthe mouth of which, sin, as to the being of sin, and the saved, must have a perfect and final parting. (Isa 38:10) Not that thegrave of itself is of a sin-purging quality, but God will followSatan home to his own door; for the grave is the door or gate ofhell, and will there, where the devil thought to have swallowedus up, even there by the power of his mercy make us, at our comingthence, shine like the sun, and look like angels. Christ, all thiswhile, ever liveth to make intercession for us. 

Second, Hence, also, I infer that as Satan thought he struckhome at first, when he polluted our nature, and brought our soulsto death, so he is marvellous loath to lose us, and to suffer hislawful captives now to escape his hands. He is full of fire againstus, full of the fire of malice, as is manifest--

1. Not only by his first attempt upon our first parents, but behold, when the Deliverer came into the world, how he roared. He soughthis death while he was an infant; he hated him in his cradle; hepersecuted him while he was but a bud and blossom. (Matt 2) Whenhe was come to riper years, and began to manifest his glory, yet, lest the world should be taken with him, how politicly did thisold serpent, called the Devil and Satan, work? He possessed peoplethat he had a devil, and was mad, and a deceiver; that he wroughthis miracles by magic art and by the devil; that the prophets spakenothing of him, and that he sought to overthrow the governmentwhich was God's ordinance. And, not being contented with all this, he pursued him to the death, and could never rest until he hadspilt his blood upon the ground like water. Yea, so insatiable washis malice, that he set the soldiers to forge lies about him to thedenial of his resurrection, and so managed that matter that whatthey said has become a stumblingblock to the Jews to this very day. (John 10:20, 7:12, Matt 9:34, John 7:52, Luke 23:2, Matt 28:11-15)

2. When he was ascended to God, and so was out of his reach, yethow busily went he about to make war with his people. (Rev 12)Yea, what horrors and terrors, what troubles and temptations, hasGod's church met with from that day till now! Nor is he contentwith persecutions and general troubles; but oh! how doth he hauntthe spirits of the Christians with blasphemies and troubles, withdarkness and frightful fears; sometimes to their distraction, andoften to the filling the church with outcries. 

3. Yet his malice is in the pursuit, and now his boldness will trywhat it can do with God, either to tempt him to reject his Son'smediation, or to reject them that come to God by him for mercy. Andthis is one cause among many why 'he ever liveth to make intercessionfor them that come to God by him. '

4. And if he cannot overthrow, if he knows he cannot overthrow them, yet he cannot forbear but vex and perplex them, even as he didtheir Lord, from the day of their conversion to the day of theirascension to glory. 

Third, Hence I infer that the love of Christ to his, is an unweariedlove, and it must needs be so; an undaunted love, and it must needsbe so. Who but Jesus Christ would have undertaken such a task asthe salvation of the sinner is, if Jesus Christ had passed us by?It is true which is written of him, 'He shall not fail, nor bediscouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth, ' &c. If he hadnot set his 'face like a flint, ' the greatness of this work wouldsurely have daunted his mind. (Isa 42:1, 50:6-7)

For do but consider what sin is from which they must be saved; dobut consider what the devil and the curse is from which they mustbe saved; and it will easily be concluded by you that it is he thatfull rightly deserveth to have his name called Wonderful, and hislove such as verily passeth knowledge. 

Consider, again, by what means these souls are saved, even withthe loss of his life, and, together with it, the loss of the lightof his Father's face. I pass by here and forbear to speak of thematchless contradiction of sinners which he endured against himself, which could not but be a great grief, or, as himself doth word it, abreaking of heart unto him; but all this did not, could not, hinder. 

Join to all this, his everlasting intercession for us, and theeffectual management thereof with God for us; and, withal, theinfinite number of times that we by sin provoke him to spue us outof his mouth, instead of interceding for us, and the many times alsothat his intercession is repeated by the repeating of our faults, and this love still passes knowledge, and is by us to be wonderedat. What did, or what doth, the Lord Jesus see in us to be at allthis care, and pains, and cost to save us? What will he get of usby the bargain but a small pittance of thanks and love? for so itis, and ever will be, when compared with his matchless and unspeakablelove and kindness towards us. 

Oh, how unworthy are we of this love! How little do we think of it!But, most of all, the angels may be astonished to see how littlewe are affected with that of which we pretend to know. But neithercan this prevail with him to put us out of the scroll in which allthe names of them are written for whom he doth make intercessionto God. Let us cry, Grace, grace unto it. 

Fourth, Hence again I infer that they shall be saved that come toGod by Christ, when the devil and sin have done what they can tohinder it. This is clear, for that the strife is now, who shallbe lord of all, whether Satan, the prince of this world, or ChristJesus, the Son of God; or which can lay the best claim to God'select, he that produceth their sins against them, or he that laiddown his heart's blood a price of redemption for them. Who, then, shall condemn when Christ has died, and doth also make intercession?Stand still, angels, and behold how the Father divideth his Son 'aportion with the great'; and how he divideth 'the spoil with thestrong: because he hath poured out his soul unto death, and wasnumbered with the transgressors, and bare the sin of many, and madeintercession for the transgressors. ' (Isa 53:12) The grace of Godand blood of Christ will, before the end of the world, make bravework among the sons of men! They shall come to a wonderment to Godby Christ, and be saved by a wonderment for Christ's sake--'Beholdthese shall come from far: and lo, these from the north and fromthe west, and these from the land of Sinim. ' (Isa 49:12)

Behold, these, and these, and these shall come, and lo, these, and these, and these from the land of Sinim! This is to denote theabundance that shall come in to God by Christ towards the latter endof the world--namely, when Antichrist is gone to bed in the sidesof the pit's mouth; then shall nations come in and be saved, andshall walk in the light of the Lord. 17 But, I say, what encouragementwould there be for sinners thus to do if that the Lord Jesus byhis intercession were not able to save 'even to the uttermost' themthat come unto God by him. 

Fifth, hence again I infer that here is ground for confidence tothem that come to God by Christ. Confidence to the end becomes uswho have such a High Priest, such an Intercessor as Jesus Christ;who would dishonour such a Jesus by doubting that, that all thedevils in hell cannot discourage by all their wiles? He is a triedstone, he is a sure foundation; a man may confidently venture hissoul in his hand, and not fear but he will bring him safe home. Ability, love to the person, and faithfulness to trust committedto him, will do all; and all these are with infinite fullness inhim. He has been a Saviour these four thousand years already--twothousand before the law, two thousand in the time of the law--besidesthe sixteen hundred years he has in his flesh continued to makeintercession for them that come unto God by him. Yet the day is tocome, yea, will never come, that he can be charged with any fault, or neglect of the salvation of any of them that at any time havecome unto God by him. What ground, then, is here for confidencethat Christ will make a good end with me, since I come unto Godby him, and since he ever liveth to make intercession for me. Letme, then, honour him, I say, by setting on his head the crown ofhis undertakings for me, by the believing that he is able to saveme 'even to the uttermost, seeing he ever liveth to make intercessionfor me. '

Sixth, Hence also I infer that Christ ought to bear and wear theglory of our salvation for ever. He has done it, he has wrought itout. 'Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people, give unto theLord glory and strength. ' Do not sacrifice to your own inventions, do not give glory to the work of your own hands. Your reformations, your works, your good deeds, and all the glory of your doing, cast them at the feet of this High Priest, and confess that glorybelongs unto him--'Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receivepower, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, andglory, and blessing. ' (Rev 5:12) 'And they shall hang upon him allthe glory of his Father's house, and offspring and the issue, allvessels of small quantity, from the vessels of cups, even to allthe vessels of flagons. ' (Isa 22:24) Oh! the work of our redemptionby Christ is such as wanteth not provocation to us to bless, and praise, and glorify Jesus Christ. Saints, set to the work andglorify him in your body and in your souls; him who has bought uswith a price, and glorify God and the Father by him. (1 Cor 6:20)

THE USE. 

I come now to make some use of this discourse; and, USE FIRST, Let me exhort you to the study of this, as of other thetruths of our Lord Jesus Christ. The priestly office of Christ isthe first and great thing that is presented to us in the gospel--namely, how that he died for our sins, and gave himself to the cross, thatthe blessing of Abraham might come upon us through him. (1 Cor15:1-6, Gal 3:13-16) But now because this priestly office of hisis divided into two parts, and because one of them--to wit, thisof his intercession--is to be accomplished for us within the veil, therefore, as we say among men, out of sight out of mind, he istoo much as to this forgotten by us. We satisfy ourselves with theslaying of the sacrifice; we look not enough after our Aaron as hegoes into the holiest, there to sprinkle the mercy-seat with bloodupon our account. God forbid that the least syllable of what I sayshould be intended by me, or construed by others, as if I soughtto diminish the price paid by Christ for our redemption in thisworld. But since his dying is his laying down his price, and hisintercession the urging and managing the worthiness of it in thepresence of God against Satan, there is glory to be found therein, and we should look after him into the holy place. The second partof the work of the high priests under the law, had great glory andsanctity put upon it; forasmuch as the holy garments were providedfor him to officiate in within the veil, also it as there thatthe altar stood on which he offered incense; also there was themercy-seat and the cherubims of glory, which were figures of theangels, that love to be continually looking and prying into themanagement of this second part of the priesthood of Christ in thepresence of God; for although themselves are not the persons soimmediately concerned therein as we, yet the management of it, Isay, is with so much grace, and glory, and wisdom, and effectualness, that it is a heaven to the angels to see it. Oh! to enjoy theodorous scent, and sweet memorial, the heart-refreshing perfumes, that ascend continually from the mercy-seat to the 'above' whereGod is; and also to behold how effectual it is to the end for whichit is designed, is glorious; and he that is not somewhat let intothis by the grace of God, there is a great thing lacking to hisfaith, and he misseth of many a sweet bit that he might otherwiseenjoy. Wherefore, I say, be exhorted to the study of this partof Christ's work in the managing of our salvation for us. And theceremonies of the law may be a great help to you as to this, forthough they be out of use now as to practice, yet the significationof them is rich, and that from which many gospellers18 have gotmuch. Wherefore I advise that you read the five books of Mosesoften; yea, read, and read again, and do not despair of help tounderstand something of the will and mind of God therein, thoughyou think they are fast locked up from you. Neither trouble yourheads though you have not commentaries and expositions; pray andread, and read and pray; for a little from God is better than agreat deal from men. Also, what is from men is uncertain, and isoften lost and tumbled over and over by men; but what is from Godis fixed as a nail in a sure place. I know there are [peculiar]times of temptation, but I speak now as to the common course ofChristianity. There is nothing that so abides with us as what wereceive from God; and the reason why Christians at this day areat such a loss as to some things is, because they are content withwhat come from men's mouths, without searching and kneeling beforeGod, to know of him the truth of things. Things that we receiveat God's hand come to us as things from the minting house, thoughold in themselves, yet new to us. Old truths are always new to usif they come to us with the smell of heaven upon them. I speaknot this because I would have people despise their ministers, butto show that there is nowadays so much idleness among professorsas hinders them from a diligent search after things, and makes themtake up short of that that is sealed by the Spirit of testimonyto the conscience. Witness the great decays at this day among us, and that strange revolting from truth once professed by us. 

USE SECOND, As I would press you to an earnest study and search afterthis great truth, so I would press you to a diligent improvementof it to yourselves and to others. To know truth for knowledgesake is short of a gracious disposition of soul; and to communicatetruth out of a desire of praise and vain-glory for so doing isalso a swerving from godly simplicity; but to improve what I knowfor the good of myself and others is true Christianity indeed. Nowtruths received may be improved with respect to myself and others, and that several ways--

1. To myself, when I search after the power that belongs to thosenotions that I have received of truth. There belongs to every truenotion of truth a power; the notion is the shell--the power isthe kernel and life. Without this last, truth doth me no good, northose to whom I communicate it. Hence Paul said to the Corinthians, 'When I come to you again, I will know not the speech of them thatare puffed up, but the power. For the kingdom of God is not inword, but in power. ' (1 Cor 4:19, 20) Search, then, after the powerof what thou knowest, for it is the power that will do thee good. Now this will not be got but by earnest prayer, and much attendingupon God; also there must not be admitted by thee that thy heartbe stuffed with cumbering cares of this world, for they are of achoking nature. 

Take heed of slighting that little that thou hast; a good improvementof little is the way to make that little thrive, and the way toobtain additions thereto: 'He that is faithful in that which isleast is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in the leastis unjust also in much. ' (Luke 16:10)

2. Improve them to others, and that, (1. ) By labouring to instillthem upon their hearts by good and wholesome words, presentingall to them with the authority of the Scriptures. (2. ) Labour toenforce those instillings on them by showing them by thy life thepeace, the glorious effects that they have upon thy soul. 

Lastly, Let this doctrine give thee boldness to come to God. ShallJesus Christ be interceding in heaven? Oh, then, be thou a prayingman on earth; yea, take courage to pray. Think thus with thyself--Igo to God, to God, before whose throne the Lord Jesus is ready tohand my petitions to him; yea, 'he ever lives to make intercessionfor me. ' This is a great encouragement to come to God by prayersand supplications for ourselves, and by intercessions for ourfamilies, our neighbours, and enemies. Farewell. 

FOOTNOTES:

1: Coming unto God by Christ, essentially involves in it walkingin conformity to his image; and all such comers must be perfectlyand eternally saved. Why then, O child of God, should you sufferunder Giant Despair, in his doubting, fearing castle. --Ed. 

2 What indescribable consolations flow into the Christina's soulfrom communion with God, especially to the most deeply afflicted. Thus the wisdom casts her care upon her heavenly Father--her Creator, Christ; for all things were made by him. He is her husband, everliving to intercede for her. Wondrous privileges!--Ed. 

3 The infinite perfection of the Mediatorial work of Jesus, God manifestin the flesh, is the ground of our hope. He alone can effectuallyplead with God. O my soul! if, in thy holiest and happiest moments, thou art found 'looking unto Jesus, ' how much more intensely oughtthy trembling eye to be directed to him, when thou art wounded bysin!!--Ed. 

4 What can withstand the will of Christ, that all his shouldbehold and partake of his glory? He is the Captain of salvation, has subdued all our enemies for us, and will destroy their power inus, and, ere long, put our last enemy, death, under his feet. --Mason. 

5 One proof of a future state of rewards is, that many of God'sdearest saints have been most bitterly persecuted all their lives, and martyred with extreme cruelty. Thus it was with the greatestman this country ever saw--William Tyndale, to whom the world isindebted for our translation of the Bible. See his letters, in hisMemoir by the Editor, prefixed to a reprint of the first EnglishNew Testament. --Ed. 

6 'The uttermost. ' How boundless! It includes all that wondrousextent of Divine love which we shall be ever learning, and neverbe able to comprehend, the breadth, length, depth, and height ofthe love of Christ, which passeth knowledge. --Ed. 

7 'Achare, ' from to chare, to turn about, or backwards and forwards;, as achare woman, one who takes her turn at work; a door achare, orajar, turning to and fro on its hinges, or standing partly open. --Ed. 

8 It is supposed by some that 'Nicolas' was the founder of thesect of the Nicolaitanes, mentioned in Revelation 2:6, 15; but ofthis there is much doubt. See Dr. Gill, and Matthew Henry on Acts6:5. --Ed. 

9 A godly man's prayers are sometimes answered by terrible thingsin righteousness. He prays to be quickened in his walk with God;and the answer, dictated by wisdom and love, is the loss of sometemporal blessing, that he may be kept 'looking unto Jesus. '--Ed. 

10 The heart 'unweldable. ' This homely allusion, drawn from Bunyan'strade of blacksmith, is worthy of remark. The heart a mountain ofiron, so hard that no heat in nature can soften it so as to weldit to Christ. To weld is to hammer into firm union two piecesof iron, when heated almost to fusion, so as to become one piece. The heart of man is by nature 'unweldable, ' until God the Spiritsoftens it; and then the union is such that Christ becomes THE LIFEof his saints. Reader, has thy heart passed through this process?--Ed. 

11 This is a solemn and heart-searching consideration. It is notenough that we fear eternal wrath, but we must love heaven, forthe sake of its purity. It is not sufficient that we go to Christfor pardon, but we must go through him to the infinitely holy God, for holiness and fitness for heaven. --Ed. 

12 There have been, in every age, professors who, instead ofgratefully receiving and obeying the whole truth, have indulged infavourite doctrines. Happy is that Christian who equally loves tohear Christ set forth as a priest and sacrifice, or to dwell uponhis power and authority as king and lawgiver; who delights as muchin holy obedience as in electing love. The saints are bound tobear with each other, never forgetting that they are members ofone family, and must cherish and comfort one another, as we hopeto enjoy fellowship with heaven and the smiles of the great Headof the church. --Ed. 

13 Nothing can be more solemn and awful than are these warnings. Othat we may feel the spurs, the condemning curse of a broken law, and a sense of the jaws of hell, urging us on in coming to, andcleaving to Christ. --Ed. 

14

 'To any boot, ' to any profit. 'What boots it at one gate to make defence, and at another to let in the foe!'

Milton's Samson Agonistes--Ed. 

15 'Them. ' As Christ is the Saviour of both body and soul, notwithstanding the sins of the body, they break not the covenant;because it is God's covenant, and stands fast in Christ forevermore. --Ed. 

16 'Plenary'; full, perfect, or complete. --Ed. 

17 Bunyan saw that time very far off, which much more nearlyapproaches us: when Antichrist will find a grave in the side ofthe pit's mouth; when no national barriers, either Pagan, Popish, or Protestant, shall exist to prevent the glorious spread of pureand vital Christianity. And, however abundant that harvest of soulsshall be, there will prove a superabundance of grace in Christ tosupply all their wants. He was, is now, and ever will be, 'a completeSaviour. '--Ed. 

18 'Gospellers, ' a nickname given to the Reformers, when firsta holy band determined, at the imminent risk of life, to read theNew Testament or Gospels in English. It was like the term Methodist, a few years ago. The gospel has now so much spread, that theseterms of reproach are only used by fanatics. --Ed. 

***

COME AND WELCOME TO JESUS CHRIST;

OR, A PLAIN AND PROFITABLE DISCOURSE ON JOHN 6:37

SHOWING THE CAUSE, TRUTH, AND MANNER OF THE COMING OF A SINNER TOJESUS CHRIST; WITH HIS HAPPY RECEPTION AND BLESSED ENTERTAINMENT. 

WRITTEN BY JOHN BUNYAN, AUTHOR OF "THE PILGRIM'S PROGRESS. "

"And they shall come which were ready to perish. "--Isaiah 27:13. 

London, 1681. 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

"Come and welcome to Jesus Christ, " is a subject peculiarly fittedto the deep and searching experience of John Bunyan. He knew allthe wiles of sin and Satan, in placing stumblingblocks in the wayof a sincere penitent; all the human craft employed in keeping thesoul from a simple and entire reliance upon Christ for salvation. This little work soon became most deservedly popular, passing throughfour large editions during the last seven years of the author'slife. It is an enlightened display of the dealings of the Father ingiving sinners to Christ; the Son in saving them by his atonement, mediation, and intercession; and the Holy Spirit in sanctifyingand fitting them for glory. Here is no Calvinism, Lutheranism, orArminianism; no Episcopacy, Presbytery, or Independency; nothingbut Christism and Bibleism. The gracious invitation is addressedto all who feel their misery, Come unto me, and I will make youhappy and blessed. All who feel the leprosy of sin are invited tothis spiritual Physician, and he only can and will heal them. Allwho suffer under the slavery of sin and Satan, Christ alone can makeyou free. Come to him, and you shall be free indeed. The analysisof Bunyan's treatise shows that ALL mankind are born in sin. ALLsinners are invited to Christ. None will come but such as feel theplague, and see the leprosy of sin. Those who come are drawn in avariety of ways--some terrified with the horrors of hell, othersallured by the gracious voice of the Saviour, and the prospects ofheavenly felicity. ALL who sincerely come, attain the same end, asincere and total reliance upon the Saviour as the only refuge fromthe roaring lion. 

Every other way to life is guarded by the flaming swords of thecherubim. Christ opens his golden arms wider than all our miseries. But he suffers no rival on his throne, no partnership with Moses orJohn Baptist. The personification of "shall come, " and of "ignorance, "is strikingly illustrative; as is "sin, the winding-sheet of thesoul;" "unbelief, the white devil;" the sinner being a counsellorfor Satan; and the two ways of taking our own likeness. His appealto persecutors is most forcible. But I must not detain the readerlonger from the pleasure and profit he will receive from an attentiveperusal of these pages. 

HACKNEY, 1850. GEORGE OFFOR. 

COME AND WELCOME TO JESUS CHRIST. 

"ALL THAT THE FATHER GIVETH ME SHALL COME TO ME; AND HIM THAT COMETHTO ME I WILL IN NO WISE CAST OUT. "--JOHN 6:37. 

A little before, in this chapter, you may read that the Lord Jesuswalked on the sea to go to Capernaum, having sent his disciplesbefore in a ship, but the wind was contrary; by which means theship was hindered in her passage. Now, about the fourth watch ofthe night, Jesus came walking upon the sea, and overtook them; atthe sight of whom they were afraid. 

Note, When providences are black and terrible to God's people, theLord Jesus shows himself to them in wonderful manner; the whichsometimes they can as little bear, as they can the things thatwere before terrible to them. They were afraid of the wind and thewater; they were also afraid of their Lord and Saviour, when heappeared to them in that state. 

But he said, "Be not afraid, it is I. "

Note, That the end of the appearing of the Lord Jesus unto hispeople, though the manner of his appearing be never so terrible, is to allay their fears and perplexities. 

Then they received him into the ship, and immediately the ship wasat land whither it went. 

Note, When Christ is absent from his people, they go on but slowly, and with great difficulty; but when he joineth himself unto them, oh! how fast they steer their course! how soon are theyat their journey's end! 1

The people now among whom he last preached, when they saw that bothJesus was gone and his disciples, they also took shipping, and cameto Capernaum, seeking for Jesus. And when they had found him, theywonderingly asked him, "Rabbi, when camest thou hither?" but theLord Jesus, slighting their compliment, answered, "Verily, verily, ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye dideat of the loaves, and were filled. "

Note, A people may follow Christ far for base ends, as these wentafter him beyond sea for loaves. A man's belly will carry hima great way in religion; yea, a man's belly will make him venturefar for Christ. 

Note again, They are not feigning compliments, but graciousintentions, that crown the work in the eye of Christ; or thus, itis not the toil and business of professors, 2 but their love tohim, that makes him approve of them. 

Note again, When men shall look for friendly entertainmentat Christ's hand, if their hearts be rotten, even then will theymeet with a check and rebuke. "Ye seek me, not because ye saw themiracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled. "

Yet observe again, He doth not refuse to give, even to these, goodcounsel: he bids them labour for the meat that endureth to eternallife. Oh! how willingly would Jesus Christ have even those professorsthat come to him with pretences only, come to him sincerely, thatthey may be saved. 

The text, you will find, is, after much more discourse with and aboutthis people, and it is uttered by the Lord Jesus as the conclusionof the whole, and intimateth that, since they were professors inpretence only, and therefore such as his soul could not delightin, as such, that he would content himself with a remnant that hisFather had bestowed upon him. As who should say, I am not like tobe honoured in your salvation; but the Father hath bestowed uponme a people, and they shall come to me in truth, and in them willI be satisfied. The text, therefore, may be called Christ's repose;in the fulfilling whereof he resteth himself content, after muchlabour and many sermons spent, as it were, in vain. As he saithby the prophet, "I have laboured in vain, I have spent my strengthfor nought, and in vain" (Isa 49:4). 

But as there he saith, "My judgment is with the LORD, and my workwith my God;" so in the text he saith, "All that the Father givethme shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wisecast out. " By these words, therefore, the Lord Jesus comfortethhimself under the consideration of the dissimulation of someof his followers. He also thus betook himself to rest under theconsideration of the little effect that his ministry had in Capernaum, Chorazin, and Bethsaida: "I thank thee, O Father, " said he, "Lordof heaven and earth, because thou has hid these things from the wiseand prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight" (Matt 11:25; Luke 10:21). 

The text, in the general, standeth of TWO PARTS, and hath specialrespect to the Father and the Son; as also to their joint managementof the salvation of the people: "All that the Father giveth meshall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise castout. " The first part of the text, as is evident, respecteth theFather and his gift; the other part the Son and his reception ofthat gift. 

FIRST, For the gift of the Father there is this to be considered, to wit, the gift itself; and that is the gift of certain personsto the Son. The Father giveth, and that gift shall come: "And himthat cometh. " The gift, then, is of persons; the Father givethpersons to Jesus Christ. 

SECOND, Next you have the Son's reception of this gift, and that showethitself in these particulars:--1. In his hearty acknowledgement ofit to be a gift: "The Father giveth me. " 2. In his taking notice, after a solemn manner, of all and every part of the gift: "Allthat the Father giveth me. " 3. In his resolution to bring them tohimself: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me. " 4. Andin his determining that not anything shall make him dislike themin their coming: "And him that cometh to me I will in no wise castout. "

These things might be spoken to at large, as they are in this methodpresented to view: but I shall choose to speak to the words, FIRST, BY WAY OF EXPLICATION. SECOND, BY WAY OF OBSERVATION. 

[FIRST, THE TEXT TREATED BY WAY OF EXPLICATION. ]

[THE EXTENT OF THE GIFT. ]

"All that the Father giveth me. " This word all, is often used inScripture, and is to be taken more largely, or more strictly, evenas the truth or argument, for the sake of which it is made use of, will bear. Wherefore, that we may the better understand the mind ofChrist in the use of it here, we must consider, that it is limitedand restrained only to those that shall be saved, to wit, to thosethat shall come to Christ; even to those whom he will "in no wisecast out. " Thus, also, the words all Israel, is sometimes to betaken, although sometimes it is taken for the whole family of Jacob. "And so all Israel shall be saved" (Rom 11:26). By all Israel here, he intendeth not all of Israel, in the largest sense; "for they arenot all Israel which are of Israel;" "neither because they are ofthe seed of Abraham, are they all children; but, In Isaac shall thyseed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promiseare counted for the seed" (Rom 9:6-8). 

This word ALL, therefore, must be limited and enlarged, as thetruth and argument, for the sake of which it is used, will bear;else we shall abuse Scripture, and readers, and ourselves, and all. "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, " said Christ, "will drawALL men unto me" (John 12:32). Can any man imagine, that by ALL, in this place, he should mean all and every individual man in theworld, and not rather that all that is consonant to the scope ofthe place? And if, by being "lifted up from the earth, " he means, ashe should seem, his being taken up into heaven; and if, by "drawingALL men after him, " he meant a drawing them unto that place ofglory; then must he mean by ALL men, those, and only those, thatshall in truth be eternally saved from the wrath to come. "ForGod hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercyupon all" (Rom 11:32). Here again you have all and all, two alls;but yet a greater disparity between the all made mention of in thefirst place, and that all made mention of the second. Those intendedin this text are the Jews, even all of them, by the first all thatyou find in the words. The second all doth also intend the samepeople; but yet only so many of them as God will have mercy upon. "He hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercyupon all. " The all also in the text, is likewise to be limited andrestrained to the saved, and to them only. But again;--

The word "giveth, " or "hath given, " must be restrained, after thesame manner, to the same limited number. "All that the Father givethme. " Not all that are given, if you take the gift of the Fatherto the Son in the largest sense; for in that sense there are manygiven to him that shall never come unto him; yea, many are givenunto him that he will "cast out. " I shall, therefore, first showyou the truth of this; and then in what sense the gift in the textmust be taken. 

First, [ALL cannot be intended in its largest sense. ] That ALL thatare given to Christ, if you take the gift of the Father to him inthe largest sense, cannot be intended in the text, is evident--

1. Because, then, all the men, yea, all the things in the world, must be saved. "All things, " saith he, "are delivered unto me of myFather" (Matt 11:27). This, I think, no rational man in the worldwill conclude. Therefore, the gift intended in the text must berestrained to some, to a gift that is given by way of specialityby the Father to the Son. 

2. It must not be taken for ALL, that in any sense are given bythe Father to him, because the Father hath given some, yea, manyto him, to be dashed in pieces by him. "Ask of me, " said the Fatherto him, "and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. " But whatmust be done with them? must he save them all? No. "Thou shaltbreak them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like apotter's vessel" (Psa 2). This method he useth not with them thathe saveth by his grace, but with those that himself and saints shallrule over in justice and severity (Rev 2:26, 27). Yet, as you see, "they are given to him. " Therefore, the gift intended in the textmust be restrained to some, to a gift that is given by way ofspeciality by the Father to the Son. 

In Psalm 18 he saith plainly, that some are given to him that hemight destroy them. "Thou hast given me the necks of mine enemies;that I might destroy them that hate me" (verse 40). These, therefore, cannot be of the number of those that are said to be given in thetext; for those, even ALL of them, shall come to him, "and he willin no wise cast them out. "

3. Some are given to Christ, that he by them might bring about someof his high and deep designs in the world. Thus Judas was givento Christ, to wit, that by him, even as was determined before, hemight bring about his death, and so the salvation of his elect byhis blood. Yea, and Judas must so manage this business, as thathe must lose himself for ever in bringing it to pass. Thereforethe Lord Jesus, even in his losing of Judas, applies himself tothe judgment of his Father, if he had not in that thing done thatwhich was right, even in suffering of Judas so to bring about hisMaster's death, as that he might, by so doing, bring about his owneternal damnation also. 

"Those, " said he, "that thou gavest me, I have kept, and none ofthem is lost, but the son of perdition; that the Scripture might befulfilled" (John 17:12). Let us, then, grant that Judas was givento Christ, but not as others are given to him, not as those mademention of in the text; for then he should have failed to havebeen so received by Christ, and kept to eternal life. Indeed, hewas given to Christ; but he was given to him to lose him, in theway that I have mentioned before; he was given to Christ, that heby him might bring about his own death, as was before determined;and that in the overthrow of him that did it. Yea, he must bringabout his own death, as was before determined, and that in theoverthrow of him that did it. Yea, he must bring about his dyingfor us in the loss of the instrument that betrayed him, that hemight even fulfil the Scripture in his destruction, as well as inthe salvation of the rest. "And none of them is lost, but the sonof perdition; that the Scripture might be fulfilled. "

[Second, Those intended as the gift. ]--The gift, therefore, in thetext, must not be taken in the largest sense, but even as the wordswill bear, to wit, for such a gift as he accepteth, and promisethto be an effectual means of eternal salvation to. "All that theFather giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I willin no wise cast out. " Mark! they shall come that are in specialgiven to me; and they shall by no means be rejected. For this isthe substance of the text. 

Those, therefore, intended as the gift in the text, are those thatare given by covenant to the Son; those that in other places arecalled "the elect, " "the chosen, " "the sheep, " and "the childrenof the promise, " &c. These be they that the Father hath given toChrist to keep them; those that Christ hath promised eternal lifeunto; those to whom he hath given his word, and that he will havewith him in his kingdom to behold his glory. 

"This is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which hehath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up againat the last day" (John 6:39). "And I give unto them eternal life;and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them outof my hand. My Father which gave them me, is greater than all; andno man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand" (John 10:28). "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should giveeternal life to as many as thou hast given him. Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word; I pray forthem: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast givenme; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine;and I am glorified in them. " "Keep through thine own name thosewhom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. " "Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where Iam; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thoulovedst me before the foundation of the world" (John 17:1, 6, 9, 10, 24). 

All these sentences are of the same import with the text; and thealls and manies, those, they, &c. , in these several sayings ofChrist, are the same with all the given in the text. "All that theFather giveth. "

So that, as I said before, the word ALL, as also other words, mustnot be taken in such sort as our foolish fancies or groundlessopinions will prompt us to, but do admit of an enlargement or arestriction, according to the true meaning and intent of the text. We must therefore diligently consult the meaning of the text, bycomparing it with other the sayings of God; so shall we be betterable to find out the mind of the Lord, in the word which he hasgiven us to know it by. 

[THE PERSON GIVING, THE FATHER. ]

"All that the Father giveth. " By this word "Father, " Christ describeththe person giving; by which we may learn several useful things. 

First, That the Lord God, and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, isconcerned with the Son in the salvation of his people. True, hisacts, as to our salvation, are diverse from those of the Son; hewas not capable of doing that, or those things for us, as did theSon; he died not, he spilt not blood for our redemption, as theSon; but yet he hath a hand, a great hand, in our salvation too. As Christ saith, "The Father himself loveth you, " and his love ismanifest in choosing of us, in giving of us to his Son; yea, andin giving his Son also to be a ransom for us. Hence he is called, "The Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort. " For here eventhe Father hath himself found out, and made way for his grace tocome to us through the sides and the heart-blood of his well-belovedSon (Col 1:12-14). The Father, therefore, is to be remembered andadored, as one having a chief hand in the salvation of sinners. Weought to give "thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet tobe partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light" (Col 1:12). For "the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world" (John4:14). As also we see in the text, the "Father giveth" the sinnerto Christ to save him. 

Second, Christ Jesus the Lord, by this word "Father, " wouldfamiliarize this giver to us. Naturally the name of God is dreadfulto us, especially when he is discovered to us by those names thatdeclare his justice, holiness, power, and glory; but now this word"Father" is a familiar word, it frighteth not the sinner, but ratherinclineth his heart to love, and be pleased with the remembranceof him. Hence Christ also, when he would have us to pray with godlyboldness, puts this word "Father" into our mouths; saying, "Whenye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven;" concluding thereby, that by the familiarity that by such a word is intimated, thechildren of God may take more boldness to pray for, and ask greatthings. I myself have often found, that when I can say but thisword Father, it doth me more good than when I call him by any otherScripture name. It is worth your noting, that to call God by hisrelative title was rare among the saints in Old Testament times. Seldom do you find him called by this name; no, sometimes not inthree or four books: but now in New Testament times, he is calledby no name so often as this, both by the Lord Jesus himself, and bythe apostles afterwards. Indeed, the Lord Jesus was he that firstmade this name common among the saints, and that taught them, bothin their discourses, their prayers, and in their writings, so muchto use it; it being more pleasing to, and discovering more plainlyour interest in, God, than any other expression; for by this one namewe are made to understand that all our mercies are the offspring ofGod, and that we also that are called are his children by adoption. 

[Import of the word GIVETH. ]--"All that the Father giveth. "

This word "giveth" is out of Christ's ordinary dialect, and seemethto intimate, at the first sound, as if the Father's gift to the Sonwas not an act that is past, but one that is present and continuing;when, indeed, this gift was bestowed upon Christ when the covenant, the eternal covenant, was made between them before all worlds. Wherefore, in those other places, when this gift is mentioned, itis still spoken of, as of an act that is past; as, "All that hehath give me; to as many as thou hast given me; thou gavest themme; and those which thou hast given me. " Therefore, of necessity, this must be the first and chief sense of the text; I mean ofthis word "giveth, " otherwise the doctrine of election, and of theeternal covenant which was made between the Father and the Son, inwhich covenant this gift of the Father is most certainly comprised, will be shaken, or at leastwise questionable, by erroneous andwicked men: for they may say, That the Father gave not all thoseto Christ that shall be saved, before the world was made; for thatthis act of giving is an act of continuation. 3 But again, thisword "giveth" is not to be rejected, for it hath its proper use, and may signify to us--

1. That though the act of giving among men doth admit of the timepast, or the time to come, and is to be spoken of with referenceto such time; yet with God it is not so. Things past, or things tocome, are always present with God, and with his Son Jesus Christ:He "calleth those things which be not, " that is, to us, "as thoughthey were" (Rom 4:17). And again, "Known unto God are all his worksfrom the beginning of the world. " All things to God are present, and so the gift of the Father to the Son, although to us, as ismanifest by the word, it is an act that is past (Acts 15:16). 

2. Christ may express himself thus, to show, that the Father hathnot only given him this portion in the lump, before the world was, but that those that he had so given, he will give him again; thatis, will bring them to him at the time of their conversion; forthe Father bringeth them to Christ (John 6:44). As it is said, "Sheshall be brought unto the king in raiment of needle-work;" thatis, in the righteousness of Christ; for it is God that imputeththat to those that are saved (Psa 45:14; 1 Cor 1). A man givethhis daughter to such a man, first in order to marriage, and thisrespects the time past, and he giveth her again at the day appointedin marriage. And in this last sense, perhaps, the text may have ameaning; that is, that all that the Father hath, before the worldwas, given to Jesus Christ, he giveth them again to him in the dayof their espousals. 

Things that are given among men, are ofttimes best at first; to wit, when they are new; and the reason is, because all earthly thingswax old; but with Christ it is not so. This gift of the Father isnot old and deformed, and unpleasant in his eyes; and therefore tohim it is always new. When the Lord spake of giving the land ofCanaan to the Israelites, he saith not, that he had given, or wouldgive it to them, but thus: "The Lord thy God giveth thee--this goodland" (Deut 9:6). Not but that he had given it to them, while theywere in the loins of their fathers, hundreds of years before. Yethe saith now he giveth it to them; as if they were now also in thevery act of taking possession, when as yet they were on the otherside Jordan. What then should be the meaning? Why, I take it to bethis. That the land should be to them always as new; as new as ifthey were taking possession thereof but now. And so is the giftof the Father, mentioned in the text, to the Son; it is always new, as if it were always new. 

"All that the Father giveth me. " In these words you find mentionmade of two persons, the Father and the Son; the Father giving, and the Son receiving or accepting of this gift. This, then, in thefirst place, clearly demonstrateth, that the Father and the Son, though they, with the Holy Ghost, are one and the same eternal God;yet, as to their personality, are distinct. The Father is one, theSon is one, the Holy Spirit is one. But because there is in thistext mention made but of two of the three, therefore a word aboutthese two. The giver and receiver cannot be the same person ina proper sense, in the same act of giving and receiving. He thatgiveth, giveth not to himself, but to another; the Father givethnot to the Father, to wit, to himself, but to the Son: the Sonreceiveth not of the Son, to wit, of himself, but of the Father:so when the Father giveth commandment, he giveth it not to himself, but to another; as Christ saith, "He gave me a commandment" (John12:49). So again, "I am one that bear witness of myself, and theFather that sent me beareth witness of me" (John 8:18). 

Further, here is something implied that is not expressed, to wit, that the Father hath not given all men to Christ; that is, in thatsense as it is intended in this text, though in a larger, as wassaid before, he hath given him every one of them; for then allshould be saved: he hath, therefore, disposed of some another way. He gives some up to idolatry; he gives some up to uncleanness, tovile affections, and to a reprobate mind. Now these he disposeth ofin his anger, for their destruction, that they may reap the fruitof their doings, and be filled with the reward of their own ways(Acts 7:42; Rom 1:24, 26, 28). But neither hath he thus disposed ofall men; he hath even of mercy reserved some from these judgments, and those are they that he will pardon, as he saith, "For I willpardon them whom I reserve" (Jer 50:20). Now these he hath givento Jesus Christ, by will, as a legacy and portion. Hence the LordJesus says, "This is the Father's will which hath sent me, that ofall which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raiseit up again at the last day" (John 6:39). 

[THE FATHER'S INTENT IN GIVING. ]

The Father, therefore, in giving of them to him to save them, mustneeds declare unto us these following things:--

First, That he is able to answer this design of God, to wit, tosave them to the uttermost sin, the uttermost temptation, &c. (Heb7:25). Hence he is said to lay "help upon one that is mighty, ""mighty to save" (Psa 89:19; Isa 63:1) and hence it is again, thatGod did even of old promise to send his people "a Saviour, a greatone" (Isa 19:20). To save is a great work, and calls for almightinessin the undertaker: hence he is called the "Mighty God, the wonderfulCounsellor, " &c. Sin is strong, Satan is also strong, death andthe grave are strong, and so is the curse of the law; therefore itfollows, that this Jesus must needs be, by God the Father, accountedalmighty, in that he hath given his elect to him to save them, anddeliver them from these, and that in despite of all their forceand power. 

And he gave us testimony of this his might, when he was employed inthat part of our deliverance that called for a declaration of it. He abolished death; he destroyed him that had the power of death;he was the destruction of the grave; he hath finished sin, and madean end of it, as to its damning effects upon the persons that theFather hath given him; he hath vanquished the curse of the law, nailed it to his cross, triumphed over them upon his cross, andmade a show of these things openly (2 Tim 1:10; Heb 2:14, 15; Hosea13:14; Dan 9:24; Gal 3:13; Col 2:14, 15). Yea, and even now, as asign of his triumph and conquest, he is alive from the dead, andhath the keys of hell and death in his own keeping (Rev 1:18). 

Second, The Father's giving of them to him to save them, declaresunto us that he is and will be faithful in his office of Mediator, and that therefore they shall be secured from the fruit and wagesof their sins, which is eternal damnation, by his faithful executionof it. And, indeed, it is said, even by the Holy Ghost himself, Thathe "was faithful to him that appointed him, " that is, to this workof saving those that the Father hath given him for that purpose;as "Moses was faithful in all his house. " Yea, and more faithfultoo, for Moses was faithful in God's house but as a servant; "butChrist as a Son over his own house" (Heb 3). And therefore this manis counted worthy of more glory than Moses, even upon this account, because more faithful than he, as well as because of the dignityof his person. Therefore in him, and in his truth and faithfulness, God resteth well pleased, and hath put all the government of thispeople upon his shoulders. Knowing that nothing shall be wantingin him, that may any way perfect this design. And of this he, towit, the Son, hath already given a proof. For when the time wascome, that his blood was, by Divine justice, required for theirredemption, washing, and cleansing, he as freely poured it out ofhis heart, as if it had been water out of a vessel; not stickingto part with his own life, that the life which was laid up for hispeople in heaven might not fail to be bestowed upon them. And uponthis account, as well as upon any other, it is that God callethhim "my righteous servant" (Isa 53:11). For his righteousnesscould never have been complete, if he had not been to the uttermostfaithful to the work he undertook; it is also, because he is faithfuland true, that in righteousness he doth judge and make work forhis people's deliverance. He will faithfully perform this trustreposed in him. The Father knows this, and hath therefore givenhis elect unto him. 

Third, The Father's giving of them to him, to save them, declaresthat he is, and will be gentle, and patient towards them, underall their provocations and miscarriages. It is not to be imagined, the trials and provocations that the Son of God hath all alonghad with these people that have been given to him that saves them:indeed he is said to be "a tried stone;" for he has been tried, notonly by the devil, guilt of sin, death, and the curse of the law, but also by his people's ignorance, unruliness, falls into sin, and declining to errors in life and doctrine. Were we but capableof seeing how this Lord Jesus has been tried even by his people, ever since there was one of them in the world, we should be amazedat his patience and gentle carriages to them. It is said, indeed, "The Lord is very pitiful, slow to anger, and of great mercy. " And, indeed, if he had not been so, he could never have endured theirmanners as he has done from Adam hitherto. Therefore is his pityand bowels towards his church preferred above the pity and bowelsof a mother towards her child. "Can a woman forget her suckingchild, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, " saith the Lord(Isa 49:15). 

God did once give Moses, as Christ's servant, an handful of hispeople, to carry them in his bosom, but no further than from Egyptto Canaan; and this Moses, as is said of him by the Holy Ghost, was the meekest man that was then to be found in the earth; yea, and he loved the people at a very great rate; yet neither wouldhis meekness nor love hold out in this work; he failed and grewpassionate, even to the provoking his God to anger under this work. "And Moses said unto the Lord, Wherefore hast thou afflicted thyservant?" But what was the affliction? Why, the Lord had said untohim, "Carry this people in thy bosom as a nursing father beareththe suckling child, unto the land which thou swarest unto theirfathers. " And how then? Not I, says Moses, "I am not able to bearall this people alone, because it is too heavy for me. If thoudeal thus with me, kill me, I pray thee, out of hand, and let menot see my wretchedness" (Num 11:11-15). 

God gave them to Moses, that he might carry them in his bosom, thathe might show gentleness and patience towards them, under all theprovocations wherewith they would provoke him from that time tillhe had brought them to their land; but he failed in the work;he could not exercise it, because he had not that sufficiency ofpatience towards them. But now it is said of the person speaking inthe text, "That he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carrythem in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young"(Isa 40:11). Intimating, that this was one of the qualificationsthat God looked for, and knew was in him, when he gave his electto him to save them. 

Fourth, The Father giving of him to save them, declares that hehath a sufficiency of wisdom to wage with all those difficultiesthat would attend him in his bringing of his sons and daughtersunto glory. He made him to us to be wisdom; yea, he is called wisdomitself (1 Cor 1:30). And God saith, moreover, That "he shall dealprudently" (Isa 52:13). And, indeed, he that shall take upon himto be the Saviour of the people, had need be wise, because theiradversaries are subtle above any. Here they are to encounter withthe serpent, who for his subtilty outwitted our father and mother, when their wisdom was at highest (Gen 3). But if we talk of wisdom, our Jesus is wise, wiser than Solomon, wiser than all men, wiserthan all angels; he is even the wisdom of God. "Christ is thewisdom of God" (1 Cor 1:24). And hence it is that he turneth sin, temptations, persecutions, falls, and all things, for good untohis people (Rom 8:28). 

Now these things thus concluded on do show us also the great andwonderful love of the Father, in that he should choose out oneevery way so well prepared for the work of man's salvation. 

Herein, indeed, perceive we the love of God. Huram gathered, thatGod loved Israel because he had given them such a king as Solomon(2 Chron 2:11). But how much more may we behold the love that Godhath bestowed upon us, in that he hath given us to his Son, andalso given his Son for us?

[THE SON'S RECEPTION OF THE GIFT. ]

"All that the Father giveth me SHALL COME. " In these last wordsthere is closely inserted an answer unto the Father's end in givingof his elect to Jesus Christ. The Father's end was, that they mightcome to him, and be saved by him; and that, says the Son, shallbe done; neither sin nor Satan, neither flesh nor world, neitherwisdom nor folly, shall hinder their coming to me. "They shall cometo me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. "

Here, therefore, the Lord Jesus positively determineth to put forthsuch a sufficiency of all grace as shall effectually perform thispromise. "They shall come;" that is, he will cause them to come, by infusing of an effectual blessing into all the means that shallbe used to that end. As was said to the evil spirit that was sentto persuade Ahab to go and fall at Ramoth-Gilead; Go: "Thou shaltpersuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so" (1 Kings22:22). So will Jesus Christ say to the means that shall be usedfor the bringing of those to him that the Father hath given him. I say, he will bless it effectually to this very end; it shallpersuade them, and shall prevail also; else, as I said, the Father'send would be frustrate; for the Father's will is, that "of allwhich he hath given him, he should lose nothing, but should raiseit up at the last day, " (John 6:39); in order next unto himself, Christ the first-fruits, afterwards those that are his at his coming(1 Cor 15). But this cannot be done if there should fail to be awork of grace effectually wrought, though but in any one of them. But this shall not fail to be wrought in them, even in all theFather hath given him to save. "All that the Father hath given meshall come unto me, " &c. 

But to speak more distinctly to the words, THEY "SHALL COME, " twothings I would show you from these words--FIRST, What it is to cometo Christ. SECOND, What force there is in this promise, to makethem come to him. 

[WHAT IT IS TO COME TO CHRIST. ]

FIRST, I would show you WHAT IT IS TO COME TO CHRIST. This wordcome must be understood spiritually, not carnally; for many cameto him carnally, or bodily, that had no saving advantage by him. Multitudes did thus come unto him in the days of his flesh; yea, innumerable companies. There is also at this day a formal customarycoming to his ordinances and ways of worship, which availeth notanything; but with them I shall not now meddle, for they are notintended in the text. The coming, then, intended in the text is tobe understood of the coming of the mind to him, even the moving ofthe heart towards him. I say the moving of the heart towards him, from a sound sense of the absolute want that a man hath of him forhis justification and salvation. 

This description of coming to Christ divideth itself into two heads:First, That coming to Christ is a moving of the mind towards him. Second, That it is a moving of the mind towards him, from a soundsense of the absolute want that a man hath of him for his justificationand salvation. 

[First. ] To speak to the first, that it is a moving of the mindtowards him. This is evident; because coming hither or thither, if it be voluntary, is by an act of the mind or will; so coming toChrist is through the inclining of the will. "Thy people shall bewilling" (Psa 110:3). This willingness of heart is it which setsthe mind a-moving after or towards him. The church expresseth thismoving of her mind towards Christ by the moving of her bowels. "Mybeloved put in his hand by the hole of the door, and my bowels weremoved for him" (Can 5:4). "My bowels;" the passions of my mindand affections; which passions of the affections are expressed bythe yearning and sounding of the bowels, the yearning or passionateworking of them, the sounding of them, or their making a noise forhim (Gen 43:30; 1 Kings 3:26; Isa 16:11). 

This, then, is the coming to Christ, even a moving towards himwith the mind. 4 "And it shall come to pass, that every thing thatliveth, which moveth, whithersoever the rivers shall come, shalllive" (Eze 47:9). The water in this text is the grace of God inthe doctrine of it. The living things are the children of men, towhom the grace of God, by the gospel, is preached. Now, saith he, every living thing which moveth, whithersoever the water shall come, shall live. And see how this word moveth is expounded by Christhimself, in the book of the Revelations: "The Spirit and the bridesay, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him thatis athirst, come. And whosoever will, " that is, willing, "let himtake the water of life freely" (Rev 22:17). 

So that to move in thy mind and will after Christ, is to be comingto him. There are many poor souls that are coming to Christ, thatyet cannot tell how to believe it, because they think that comingto him is some strange and wonderful thing; and, indeed, so itis. But I mean, they overlook the inclination of their will, themoving of their mind, and the sounding of their bowels after him;and count these none of this strange and wonderful thing; when, indeed, it is a work of greatest wonder in this world, to see a manwho was sometimes dead in sin possessed of the devil, an enemy toChrist and to all things spiritually good; I say, to see this manmoving with his mind after the Lord Jesus Christ, is one of thehighest wonders in the world. 

Second, It is a moving of the mind towards him, from a sound senseof the absolute want that a man hath of him for his justificationand salvation. Indeed, without this sense of a lost condition withouthim, there will be no moving of the mind towards him. A moving oftheir mouth there may be; "With their mouth they show much love"(Eze 33:31). Such a people as this will come as the true peoplecometh; that is, in show and outward appearance. And they will sitbefore God's ministers, as his people sit before them; and theywill hear his words too, but they will not do them; that is, willnot come inwardly with their minds. "For with their mouth theyshew much love, but their heart, " or mind, "goeth after theircovetousness. " Now, all this is because they want an effectualsense of the misery of their state by nature; for not till they havethat will they, in their mind, move after him. Therefore, thus itis said concerning the true comers, At "that day the great trumpetshall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish inthe land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, andshall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem" (Isa 27:13). They are then, as you see, the outcasts, and those that are readyto perish, that, indeed, have their minds effectually moved to cometo Jesus Christ. This sense of things was that which made the threethousand come, that made Saul come, that made the jailer come, andthat, indeed, makes all others come, that come effectually (Acts2:8, 18). 

Of the true coming to Christ, the four lepers were a famous semblance, of whom you read, (2 Kings 7:3), &c. The famine in those days wassore in the land, there was no bread for the people; and as forthat sustenance that was, which was asses' flesh and doves' dung, that was only in Samaria, and of these the lepers had no share, forthey were thrust without the city. Well, now they sat in the gateof the city, and hunger was, as I may say, making his last meal ofthem; and being, therefore, half dead already, what do they thinkof doing? Why, first they display the dismal colours of death beforeeach other's faces, and then resolve what to do, saying, "If wesay we will enter into the city, then famine is in the city, and weshall die there: if we sit still here, we die also. Now, therefore, come, let us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save usalive, we shall live; if they kill us, we shall but die. " Here, now, was necessity at work, and this necessity drove them to gothither for life, whither else they would never have gone for it. Thus it is with them that in truth come to Jesus Christ. Deathis before them, they see it and feel it; he is feeding upon them, and will eat them quite up, if they come not to Jesus Christ; andtherefore they come, even of necessity, being forced thereto by thatsense they have of their being utterly and everlastingly undone, if they find not safety in him. These are they that will come. Indeed, these are they that are invited to come. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"(Matt 11:28). 

Take two or three things to make this more plain; to wit, Thatcoming to Christ floweth from a sound sense of the absolute needthat a man hath of him, as afore. 

1. "They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will Ilead them; I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in astraight way wherein they shall not stumble" (Jer 31:9). Mind it;they come with weeping and supplication; they come with prayers andtears. Now prayers and tears are the effects of a right sense ofthe need of mercy. Thus a senseless sinner cannot come, he cannotpray, he cannot cry, he cannot come sensible of what he seesnot, nor feels. "In those days, and in that time--the children ofIsrael shall come; they and the children of Judah together, goingand weeping: they shall go and seek the Lord their God. They shallask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Comeand let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetual covenant thatshall not be forgotten" (Jer 1:4, 5). 

2. This coming to Christ, it is called a running to him, as flyingto him; a flying to him from wrath to come. By all which termsis set forth the sense of the man that comes; to wit, That he isaffected with the sense of his sin, and the death due thereto; thathe is sensible that the avenger of blood pursues him, and that, therefore, he is thus off, if he makes not speed to the Son of Godfor life (Matt 3:7; Psa 143:9). Flying is the last work of a manin danger; all that are in danger do not fly; no, not all that seethemselves in danger; flying is the last work of a man in danger;all that hear of danger will not fly. Men will consider if therebe no other way of escape before they fly. Therefore, as I said, flying is the last thing. When all refuge fails, and a man is madeto see that there is nothing left him but sin, death, and damnation, unless he flies to Christ for life; then he flies, and not tillthen. 

3. That the true coming is from a sense of an absolute need ofJesus Christ to save, &c. , is evident by the outcry that is madeby them to come, even as they are coming to him, "Lord, save me, "or I perish; "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" "Sirs, what mustI do to be saved?" and the like (Matt 14:30; Acts 2:37; 16:30). This language doth sufficiently discover that the truly-coming soulsare souls sensible of their need of salvation by Jesus Christ; and, moreover, that there is nothing else that can help them but Christ. 

4. It is yet further evident by these few things that follow: Itis said that such are "pricked in their heart, " that is, with thesentence of death by the law; and the least prick in the heartkills a man (Acts 2:37). Such are said, as I said before, to weep, to tremble, and to be astonished in themselves at the evident andunavoidable danger that attends them, unless they fly to JesusChrist (Acts 9:16). 

5. Coming to Christ is attended with an honest and sincere forsakingof all for him. "If any man come to me, and hate not his father andmother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, andhis own life also, he cannot be my disciple. And whosoever dothnot bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple" (Luke14:26, 27). 

By these and the like expressions elsewhere, Christ describeth thetrue comer, or the man that indeed is coming to him; he is one thatcasteth all behind his back; he leaveth all, he forsaketh all, hehateth all things that would stand in his way to hinder his comingto Jesus Christ. There are a great many pretended comers to JesusChrist in the world; and they are much like to the man you read ofin Matthew 21:30, that said to his father's bidding, "I go, Sir, and went not. " I say, there are a great many such comers to JesusChrist; they say, when Christ calls by his gospel, I come, Sir;but still they abide by their pleasures and carnal delights. Theycome not at all, only they give him a courtly compliment; but hetakes notice of it, and will not let it pass for any more than alie. He said, "I go, Sir, and went not;" he dissembled and lied. Take heed of this, you that flatter yourselves with your owndeceivings. Words will not do with Jesus Christ. Coming is coming, and nothing else will go for coming with him. 

[Objections that usually lie in the way of coming to Christ. ]

Before I speak to the other head, I shall answer some objectionsthat usually lie in the way of those that in truth are coming toJesus Christ. 

Objection 1. Though I cannot deny but my mind runs after Christ, and that too as being moved thereto from a sight and considerationof my lost condition, for I see without him I perish; yet I fearmy ends are not right in coming to him. 

Quest. Why, what is thine end in coming to Christ?

Answ. My end is, that I might have life, and be saved by JesusChrist. 

This is the objection; well, let me tell thee, that to come to Christfor life, and to be saved, although at present thou hast no otherend, is a lawful and good coming to Jesus Christ. This is evident, because Christ propoundeth life as the only argument to prevailwith sinners to come to him, and so also blameth them because theycome not to him for life. "And ye will not come to me, that ye mighthave life" (John 5:40). Besides, there are many other scriptureswhereby he allureth sinners to come to him, in which he propoundethnothing to them but their safety. As, "whosoever believeth in himshould not perish;" he that believeth is "passed from death untolife. " "He that believeth--shall be saved. " "He that believeth onhim is not condemned. " And believing and coming are all one. Sothat you see, to come to Christ for life, is a lawful coming andgood. In that he believeth, that he alone hath made atonement forsin (Rom 2). And let me add over and above, that for a man to cometo Christ for life, though he comes to him for nothing else butlife, it is to give much honour to him. 

1. He honoureth the word of Christ, and consenteth to the truth ofit; and that in these two general heads. (1. ) He consenteth to thetruth of all those sayings that testify that sin is most abominablein itself, dishonourable to God, and damnable to the soul of man;for thus saith the man that cometh to Jesus Christ (Jer 44:4; Rom2:23; 6:23; 2 Thess 2:12). (2. ) In that he believeth, as the wordhath said, that there is in the world's best things, righteousnessand all, nothing but death and damnation; for so also says theman that comes to Jesus Christ for life (Rom 7:24, 25; 8:2, 3; 2 Cor3:6-8). 

2. He honoureth Christ's person, in that he believeth that thereis life in him, and that he is able to save him from death, hell, the devil, and damnation; for unless a man believes this, he willnot come to Christ for life (Heb 7:24, 25). 

3. He honoureth him, in that he believeth that he is authorizedof the Father to give life to those that come to him for it (John5:11, 12; 17:1-3). 

4. He honoureth the priesthood of Jesus Christ. (1. ) In thathe believeth that Christ hath more power to save from sin by thesacrifice that he hath offered for it, than hath all law, devils, death, or sin to condemn. He that believes not this, will not cometo Jesus Christ for life (Acts 13:38; Heb 2:14, 15; Rev 1:17, 18). (2. ) In that he believeth that Christ, according to his office, will be most faithful and merciful in the discharge of his office. This must be included in the faith of him that comes for life toJesus Christ (1 John 2:1-3; Heb 2:17, 18). 

5. Further, He that cometh to Jesus Christ for life, taketh part withhim against sin, and against the ragged and imperfect righteousnessof the world; yea, and against false Christs, and damnable errors, that set themselves against the worthiness of his merits andsufficiency. This is evident, for that such a soul singleth Christout from them all, as the only one that can save. 

6. Therefore as Noah, at God's command, thou preparest this ark, for the saving of thyself, by which also thou condemnest the world, and art become heir of the righteousness which is by faith (Heb11:7). Wherefore, coming sinner, be content; he that cometh toJesus Christ, believeth too that he is willing to show mercy to, and have compassion upon him, though unworthy, that comes to himfor life. And therefore thy soul lieth not only under a specialinvitation to come, but under a promise too of being accepted andforgiven (Matt 11:28). 

All these particular parts and qualities of faith are in thatsoul that comes to Jesus Christ for life, as is evident to anyindifferent judgment. For, will he that believeth not the testimonyof Christ concerning the baseness of sin, and the insufficiencyof the righteousness of the world, come to Christ for life? No. Hethat believeth not this testimony of the word, comes not. He thatbelieveth that there is life anywhere else, comes not. He thatquestions whether the Father hath given Christ power to forgive, comes not. He that thinketh that there is more in sin, in the law, in death, and the devil, to destroy, than there is in Christ tosave, comes not. He also that questions his faithful management ofhis priesthood for the salvation of sinners, comes not. 

Thou, then, that art indeed the coming sinner, believest all this. True, perhaps thou dost not believe with that full assurance, norhast thou leisure to take notice of thy faith as to these distinctacts of it; but yet all this faith is in him coming to Christ forlife. And the faith that thus worketh, is the faith of the bestand purest kind; because this man comes alone as a sinner, and asseeing that life is, and is to be had only in Jesus Christ. 

Before I conclude my answer to this objection, take into thyconsideration these two things. 

1st. [Consider] that the cities of refuge were erected for thosethat were dead in law, and that yet would live by grace; even forthose that were to fly thither for life from the avenger of bloodthat pursueth after them. And it is worth your noting, that thosethat were upon their flight thither, are in a peculiar manner calledthe people of God: "Cast ye up, cast ye up, " saith God; "preparethe way; take up the stumblingblock out of the way of my people"(Isa 57:14). This is meant of preparing the way to the city ofrefuge, that the slayers might escape thither; which flying slayersare here, by way of specialty, called the people of God; even thoseof them that escaped thither for life. 

2dly. [Consider] that of Ahab, when Benhadad sent to him for life, saying, "Thus saith thy servant Benhadad, I pray thee let me live. "Though Benhadad had sought the crown, kingdom, yea, and also thelife of Ahab, yet how effectually doth Benhadad prevail with him!Is Benhadad yet alive? saith Ahab; He is my brother; yea, go ye, bring him to me. So he made him ride in his chariot (1 Kings 20). 

Coming sinner, what thinkest thou? If Jesus Christ had as littlegoodness in him as Ahab, he might grant an humble Benhadad life;thou neither beggest of him his crown and dignity; life, eternallife, will serve thy turn. How much more then shalt thou have it, since thou hast to deal with him who is goodness and mercy itself!yea, since thou art also called upon, yea, greatly encouragedby a promise of life, to come unto him for life! Read also theseScriptures, Numbers 35:11, 14, 15, Joshua 20:1-6, Hebrews 6:16-21. 

Object. 2. When I say I only seek myself, I mean I do not find thatI do design God's glory in mine own salvation by Christ, and thatmakes me fear I do not come aright. 

Answ. Where doth Christ Jesus require such a qualification of thosethat are coming to him for life? Come thou for life, and troublenot thy head with such objections against thyself, and let God andChrist alone to glorify themselves in the salvation of such a wormas thou art. The Father saith to the Son, "Thou art my servant, O Israel, in whom I will be glorified. " God propoundeth life tosinners, as the argument to prevail with them to come to him forlife; and Christ says plainly, "I am come that they might havelife" (John 10:10). He hath no need of thy designs, though thouhast need of his. Eternal life, pardon of sin, and deliverance fromwrath to come, Christ propounds to thee, and these be the thingsthat thou hast need of; besides, God will be gracious and mercifulto worthless, undeserving wretches; come then as such an one, andlay no stumblingblocks in the way to him, but come to him for life, and live (John 5:34; 10:10; 3:36; Matt 1:21; Prov 8:35, 36; 1 Thess1:10; John 11:25, 26). 

When the jailer said, "Sirs, What must I do to be saved?" Paul didnot so much as once ask him, What is your end in this question?do you design the glory of God, in the salvation of your soul? Hehad more wit; he knew that such questions as these would have beenbut fools' babbles about, instead of a sufficient salve5 "WhichCambell seeing, though he could not salve, to so weighty a questionas this. Wherefore, since this poor wretch lacked salvation by JesusChrist, I mean to be saved from hell and death, " which he knew, now, was due to him for the sins that he had committed, Paul bids him, like a poor condemned sinner as he was, to proceed still in thishis way of self-seeking, saying, "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Acts 16:30-32). I know that afterwardsthou wilt desire to glorify Christ by walking in the way of hisprecepts; but at present thou wantest life; the avenger of bloodis behind thee, and the devil like a roaring lion is behind thee;well, come now, and obtain life from these; and when thou hastobtained some comfortable persuasion that thou art made partakerof life by Christ, then, and not till then, thou wilt say, "Blessthe Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me bless his holyname. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:6 who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases;who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee withlovingkindness and tender mercies" (Psa 103:1-4). 

Object. 3. But I cannot believe that I come to Christ aright, becausesometimes I am apt to question his very being and office to save. 

Thus to do is horrible; but mayest thou not judge amiss in thismatter? How can I judge amiss, when I judge as I feel? Poor soul!Thou mayest judge amiss for all that. Why, saith the sinner, I thinkthat these questionings come from my heart. Let me answer. Thatwhich comes from thy heart, comes from thy will and affections, fromthy understanding, judgment, and conscience, for these must acquiescein thy questioning, if thy questioning be with thy heart. And howsayest thou, for to name no more, dost thou with thy affection andconscience thus question? Answ. No, my conscience trembles whensuch thoughts come into my mind; and my affections are otherwiseinclined. 

Then I conclude, that these things are either suddenly injectedby the devil, or else are the fruits of that body of sin and deaththat yet dwells within thee, or perhaps from both together. 

If they come wholly from the devil, as they seem, because thyconscience and affections are against them, or if they come fromthat body of death that is in thee, and be not thou curious ininquiring from whether of them they come, the safest way is to layenough at thy own door; nothing of this should hinder thy coming, nor make thee conclude thou comest not aright. 7 And before I leavethee, let me a little query with thee about this matter. 

1. Dost thou like these wicked blasphemies? Answ. No, no, theirpresence and working kills me. 

2. Dost thou mourn for them, pray against them, and hate thyselfbecause of them? Answ. Yes, yes; but that which afflicts me is, Ido not prevail against them. 

3. Dost thou sincerely choose, mightest thou have thy choice, thatthy heart might be affected and taken with the things that arebest, most heavenly, and holy? Answ. With all my heart, and deaththe next hour, if it were God's will, rather than thus to sinagainst him. 

Well then, thy not liking of them, thy mourning for them, thypraying against them, and thy loathing thyself because of them, with thy sincere choosing of those thoughts for thy delectationthat are heavenly and holy, clearly declares, that these things arenot countenanced either with thy will, affections, understanding, judgment, or conscience; and so, that thy heart is not in them, butthat rather they come immediately from the devil, or arise from thebody of death that is in thy flesh, of which thou oughtest thus tosay, "Now, then, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwellethin me" (Rom 7:17). 

I will give thee a pertinent instance. In Deuteronomy 22, thoumayest read of a betrothed damsel, one betrothed to her beloved, one that had given him her heart and mouth, as thou hast giventhyself to Christ; yet was she met with as she walked in the field, by one that forced her, because he was stronger than she. Well, whatjudgment now doth God, the righteous judge, pass upon the damselfor this? "The man only that lay with her, " saith God, "shall die. But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damselno sin worthy of death. For, as when a man riseth against hisneighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter; for he foundher in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there wasnone to save her" (Deut 22:25-27). 

Thou art this damsel. The man that forced thee with these blasphemousthoughts, is the devil; and he lighteth upon thee in a fit place, even in the field, as thou art wandering after Jesus Christ; butthou criest out, and by thy cry did show, that thou abhorrest suchwicked lewdness. Well, the Judge of all the earth will do right;he will not lay the sin at thy door, but at his that offered theviolence. And for thy comfort take this into consideration, that hecame to heal them "that were oppressed of the devil" (Acts 10:38). 

Object. 4. But, saith another, I am so heartless, so slow, and, asI think, so indifferent in my coming, that, to speak truth, I knownot whether my kind of coming ought to be called a coming to Christ. 

Answ. You know that I told you at first, that coming to Christ isa moving of the heart and affections towards him. 

But, saith the soul, my dullness and indifferency in all holy duties, demonstrate my heartlessness in coming; and to come, and not withthe heart, signifies nothing at all. 

1. The moving of the heart after Christ is not to be discerned, at all times, by thy sensible affectionate performance of duties, but rather by those secret groanings and complaints which thy soulmakes to God against that sloth that attends thee in duties. 

2. But grant it to be even as thou sayest it is, that thou comestso slowly, &c. , yet, since Christ bids them come that come not atall, surely they may be accepted that come, though attended withthose infirmities which thou at present groanest under. He saith, "and him that cometh;" he saith not, If they come sensible; sofast; but, "and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. "He saith also in the ninth of Proverbs, "As for him that wantethunderstanding, " that is, an heart (for oftentimes the understandingis taken for the heart), "come, eat of my bread, and drink of thewine which I have mingled. "

3. Thou mayest be vehement in thy spirit in coming to Jesus Christ, and yet be plagued with sensible sloth; so was the church when shecried, "Draw me, we will run after thee;" and Paul, when he said, "When I would do good, evil is present with me" (Song 14; Rom 7;Gal 5:19). The works, strugglings, and oppositions of the flesh, are more manifest than are the works of the Spirit in our hearts, and so are sooner felt than they. What then? Let us not bediscouraged at the sight and feeling of our own infirmities, butrun the faster to Jesus Christ for salvation. 

4. Get thy heart warmed with the sweet promise of Christ's acceptanceof the coming sinner, and that will make thee make more haste untohim. Discouraging thoughts they are like unto cold weather, theybenumb the senses, and make us go ungainly about our business;but the sweet and warm gleads8 of promise are like the comfortablebeams of the sun, which liven and refresh. 9 You see how littlethe bee and fly do play in the air in winter; why, the cold hindersthem from doing it; but when the wind and sun is warm, who so busyas they?

5. But again, he that comes to Christ, flies for his life. Now, there is no man that flies for his life, that thinks he speedsfast enough on his journey; no, could he, he would willingly takea mile at a step. O my sloth and heartlessness, sayest thou! "Ohthat I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and beat rest. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest"(Psa 55:6, 8). 

Poor coming soul, thou art like the man that would ride fullgallop, whose horse will hardly trot! Now, the desire of his mindis not to be judged of by the slow pace of the dull jade he rideson, but by the hitching, and kicking, and spurring, as he sitson his back. Thy flesh is like this dull jade; it will not gallopafter Christ; it will be backward, though thy soul and heaven lieat stake. 10 But be of good comfort, Christ judgeth not accordingto the fierceness of outward motion (Mark 10:17) but according tothe sincerity of the heart and inward parts (John 1:47; Psa 51:6;Matt 26:41). 

6. Ziba, in appearance, came to David much faster than didMephibosheth; but yet his heart was not so upright in him to Davidas was his. It is true, Mephibosheth had a check from David; for, said he, "Why wentest not thou with me, Mephibosheth?" But whenDavid came to remember that Mephibosheth was lame, for that washis plea--"thy servant is lame" (2 Sam 19), he was content, andconcluded, he would have come after him faster than he did; andMephibosheth appealed to David, who was in those days as an angelof God, to know all things that are done in the earth, if he didnot believe that the reason of his backwardness lay in his lameness, and not in his mind. Why, poor coming sinner, thou canst not cometo Christ with that outward swiftness of a courier as many othersdo; but doth the reason of thy backwardness lie in thy mind andwill, or in the sluggishness of the flesh? Canst thou say sincerely, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matt 26:41). Yea, canst thou appeal to the Lord Jesus, who knoweth perfectly thevery inmost thought of thy heart, that this is true? Then take thisfor thy comfort, he hath said, "I will assemble her that halteth--Iwill make her that halted a remnant, " (Micah 4:6), "and I will saveher that halteth" (Zeph 3:19). What canst thou have more from thesweet lips of the Son of God? But, 7. I read of some that are to follow Christ in chains; I say, tocome after him in chains. "Thus saith the Lord, The labour of Egypt, and merchandise of Ethiopia and of the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over unto thee, and they shall be thine: they shallcome after thee: in chains they shall come over, and they shallfall down unto thee: they shall make supplication unto thee, saying--Surely there is none else" to save (Isa 45:14). Surely theythat come after Christ in chains, come to him in great difficulty, because their steps, by the chains, are straitened. And what chainsare so heavy as those that discourage thee? Thy chain, which ismade up of guilt and filth, is heavy; it is a wretched bond aboutthy neck, by which thy strength doth fail (Lam 1:14; 3:18). But come, though thou comest in chains; it is glory to Christ that a sinnercomes after him in chains. The chinking of thy chains, thoughtroublesome to thee, are not, nor can be obstruction to thy salvation;it is Christ's work and glory to save thee from thy chains, toenlarge thy steps, and set thee at liberty. The blind man, thoughcalled, surely could not come apace to Jesus Christ, but Christcould stand still, and stay for him (Mark 10:49). True, "He ridethupon the wings of the wind;" but yet he is long-suffering, andhis long-suffering is salvation to him that cometh to him (2 Peter3:9). 

8. Hadst thou seen those that came to the Lord Jesus in the days ofhis flesh, how slowly, how hobblingly, they came to him, by reasonof their infirmities; and also how friendly, and kindly, andgraciously, he received them, and gave them the desire of theirhearts, thou wouldest not, as thou dost, make such objectionsagainst thyself, in thy coming to Jesus Christ. 

Object. 5. But, says another, I fear I come too late; I doubt Ihave staid too long; I am afraid the door is shut. 

Answ. Thou canst never come too late to Jesus Christ, if thou dostcome. This is manifest by two instances. 

1. By the man that came to him at the eleventh hour. This man wasidle all the day long. He had a whole gospel day to come in, andhe played it all away save only the last hour thereof. But at last, at the eleventh hour, he came, and goes into the vineyard to workwith the rest of the labourers, that had borne the burden andheat of the day. Well, but how was he received by the lord of thevineyard? Why, when pay-day came, he had even as much as the rest;yea, had his money first. True, the others murmured at him; butwhat did the Lord Jesus answer them? "Is thine eye evil, becauseI am good? I will give unto this last, even as unto thee" (Matt20:14, 15). 

2. The other instance is, the thief upon the cross. He came latealso, even as at an hour before his death; yea, he stayed fromJesus Christ as long as he had liberty to be a thief, and longertoo; for could he have deluded the judge, and by lying words haveescaped his just condemnation, for ought I know, he had not comeas yet to his Saviour; but being convicted, and condemned to die, yea, fastened to the cross, that he might die like a rogue, as hewas in his life; behold the Lord Jesus, when this wicked one, evennow, desireth mercy at his hands, tells him, and that without theleast reflection upon him, for his former misspent life, "To-dayshalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). Let no man turnthis grace of God into wantonness. My design is now to encouragethe coming soul. 

Object. But is not the door of mercy shut against some before theydie?

Answ. Yea; and God forbids that prayers should be made to him forthem (Jer 6:16; Jude 22). 

Quest. Then, why may not I doubt that I may be one of these?

Answ. By no means, if thou art coming to Jesus Christ; becausewhen God shuts the door upon men, he gives them no heart to cometo Jesus Christ. "None come but those to whom it is given of theFather. " But thou comest, therefore it is given to thee of theFather. 

Be sure, therefore, if the Father hath given thee an heart to cometo Jesus Christ, the gate of mercy yet stands open to thee. For itstands not with the wisdom of God to give strength to come to thebirth, and yet to shut up the womb, (Isa 66:9); to give grace tocome to Jesus Christ, and yet shut up the door of his mercy uponthee. "Incline your ear, " saith he, "and come unto me: hear, andyour soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant withyou, even the sure mercies of David" (Isa 55:3). 

Object. But it is said, that some knocked when the door was shut. 

Answ. Yes; but the texts in which these knockers are mentioned, areto be referred unto the day of judgment, and not to the coming ofthe sinner to Christ in this life. See the texts, Matthew 15:11, Luke13:24, 25. These, therefore, concern thee nothing at all, that artcoming to Jesus Christ, thou art coming NOW! "Now is the acceptedtime; behold, now is the day of salvation" (2 Cor 6:2). Now God isupon the mercy-seat; now Christ Jesus sits by, continually pleadingthe victory of his blood for sinners; and now, even as long as thisworld lasts, this word of the text shall still be free, and fullyfulfilled; "And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. "

Sinner, the greater sinner thou art, the greater need of mercy thouhast, and the more will Christ be glorified thereby. Come then, comeand try; come, taste and see how good the Lord is to an undeservingsinner!

Object. 6. But, says another, I am fallen since I began to come toChrist; therefore I fear I did not come aright, and so consequentlythat Christ will not receive me. 

Answ. Falls are dangerous, for they dishonour Christ, wound theconscience, and cause the enemies of God to speak reproachfully. But it is no good argument, I am fallen, therefore I was not comingaright to Jesus Christ. If David, and Solomon, and Peter, had thusobjected against themselves, they had added to their griefs; andyet, at least they had as much cause as thou. A man whose stepsare ordered by the Lord, and whose goings the Lord delights in, may yet be overtaken with a temptation that may cause him to fall11 (Psa 37:23, 24). Did not Aaron fall; yea, and Moses himself?What shall we say of Hezekiah and Jehosaphat? There are, therefore, falls and falls; falls pardonable and falls unpardonable. Fallsunpardonable are falls against light, from the faith, to the despisingof, and trampling upon Jesus Christ and his blessed undertakings(Heb 6:2-5; 10:28, 29). Now, as for such, there remains no moresacrifice for sin. Indeed, they have no heart, no mind, no desireto come to Jesus Christ for life, therefore they must perish. Nay, says the Holy Ghost, "It is impossible that they should be renewedagain unto repentance. " Therefore these God had no compassion for, neither ought we; but for other falls though they be dreadful, and God will chastise his people for them, they do not prove theea graceless man, one not coming to Jesus Christ for life. 

It is said of the child in the gospel, that while "he was yet acoming, the devil threw him down, and tare him" (Luke 9:42). Dejectedsinner, it is no wonder that thou hast caught a fall in coming toJesus Christ. Is it not rather to be wondered at, that thou hast notcaught before this a thousand times a thousand falls? considering, 1. What fools we are by nature. 2. What weaknesses are in us. 3. What mighty powers the fallen angels, our implacable enemies, are. 4. Considering also how often the coming man is benighted in hisjourney; and also what stumblingblocks do lie in his way. 5. Alsohis familiars, that were so before, now watch for his halting, andseek by what means they may to cause him to fall by the hand oftheir strong ones. 

What then? Must we, because of these temptations, incline to fall?No. Must we not fear falls? Yes. "Let him that thinketh he standethtake heed lest he fall" (1 Cor 10:12). Yet let him not utterly becast down; "The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up thosethat are bowed down. " Make not light of falls! Yet, hast thoufallen? "Ye have, " said Samuel, "done all this wickedness; yet turnnot aside from following the Lord, " but serve him with a perfectheart, and turn not aside, "for the Lord will not forsake hispeople, " and he counteth the coming sinner one of them, "becauseit hath pleased the Lord to make you his people" (1 Sam 12:20-22). 

[WHAT FORCE THERE IS IN THE PROMISE TO MAKE THEM COME TO CHRIST. ]

SECOND, "Shall come to me. " Now we come to show WHAT FORCE THEREIS IN THIS PROMISE TO MAKE THEM COME TO HIM. "All that the Fathergiveth me shall come to me. " I will speak to this promise, First, In general. Second, In particular. 

[First], In general. This word SHALL is confined to these ALL thatare given to Christ. "All that the Father giveth me shall come tome. " Hence I conclude, 1. That coming to Jesus Christ aright is an effect of their being, of God, given to Christ before. Mark, They shall come. Who? Thosethat are given. They come, then, because they were given, "thinethey were, and thou gavest them me. " Now, this is indeed a singularcomfort to them that are coming in truth to Christ, to think thatthe reason why they come is, because they were given of the Fatherbefore to him. Thus, then, may the coming soul reason with himselfas he comes. Am I coming, indeed, to Jesus Christ? This coming ofmine is not to be attributed to me or my goodness, but to the graceand gift of God to Christ. God gave first my person to him, and, therefore, hath now given me a heart to come. 

2. This word, shall come, maketh thy coming not only the fruit ofthe gift of the Father, but also of the purpose of the Son; for thesewords are a Divine purpose; they show us the heavenly determinationof the Son. "The Father hath given them to me, and they shall;yea, they shall come to me. " Christ is as full in his resolution tosave those given to him as is the Father in giving of them. Christprizeth the gift of his Father; he will lose nothing of it; he isresolved to save it every whit by his blood, and to raise it upagain at the last day; and thus he fulfills his Father's will, andaccomplisheth his own desires (John 6:39). 

3. These words, shall come, make thy coming to be also the effectof an absolute promise; coming sinner, thou art concluded in apromise; thy coming is the fruit of the faithfulness of an absolutepromise. It was this promise, by the virtue of which thou at firstreceivedst strength to come; and this is the promise, by the virtueof which thou shalt be effectually brought to him. It was said toAbraham, "At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. "This son was Isaac. Mark! "Sarah shall have a son;" there isthe promise. And Sarah had a son; there was the fulfilling of thepromise; and, therefore, was Isaac called the child of the promise(Gen 17:19; 18:10; Rom 9:9). 

Sarah shall have a son. But how, if Sarah be past age? Why, stillthe promise continues to say, Sarah shall have a son. But how, ifSarah be barren? Why, still the promise says, Sarah shall have ason. But Abraham's body is now dead? Why, the promise is still thesame, Sarah shall have a son. Thus, you see what virtue there isin an absolute promise; it carrieth enough in its own bowels toaccomplish the thing promised, whether there be means or no in usto effect it. Wherefore, this promise in the text, being an absolutepromise, by virtue of it, not by virtue of ourselves, or by ourown inducements, do we come to Jesus Christ: for so are the wordsof the text: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me. "

Therefore is every sincere comer to Jesus Christ called also a childof the promise. "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the childrenof promise, " (Gal 4:28); that is, we are the children that God hathpromised to Jesus Christ, and given to him; yea, the children thatJesus Christ hath promised shall come to him. "All that the Fathergiveth me shall come. "

4. This word, shall come, engageth Christ to communicate all mannerof grace to those thus given him to make them effectually to cometo him. "They shall come;" that is, not if they will, but if grace, all grace, if power, wisdom, a new heart, and the Holy Spirit, andall joining together, can make them come. I say, this word, shallcome, being absolute, hath no dependence upon our own will, orpower, or goodness; but it engageth for us even God himself, Christhimself, the Spirit himself. When God had made that absolute promiseto Abraham, that Sarah "should have a son, " Abraham did not at alllook at any qualification in himself, because the promise lookedat none; but as God had, by the promise, absolutely promised hima son; so he considered now not his own body now dead, nor yet thebarrenness of Sarah's womb. "He staggered not at the promise ofGod through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was ablealso to perform" (Rom 4:20, 21). He had promised, and had promisedabsolutely, Sarah shall have a son. Therefore, Abraham looks thathe, to wit, God, must fulfil the condition of it. Neither is thisexpectation of Abraham disapproved by the Holy Ghost, but accountedgood and laudable; it being that by which he gave glory to God. The Father, also, hath given to Christ a certain number of soulsfor him to save; and he himself hath said, "They shall come tohim. " Let the church of God then live in a joyful expectation ofthe utmost accomplishment of this promise; for assuredly it shallbe fulfilled, and not one thousandth part of a tittle thereof shallfail. "They SHALL come to me. "

[Second, In particular. ] And now, before I go any further, I willmore particularly inquire into the nature of an absolute promise. 

1. We call that an absolute promise that is made without anycondition; or more fully thus: That is an absolute promise of God, or of Christ, which maketh over to this or that man any saving, spiritual blessing, without a condition to be done on our part forthe obtaining thereof. And this we have in hand is such an one. Letthe best Master of Arts on earth show me, if he can, any conditionin this text depending upon any qualification in us, which is notby the same promise concluded, shall be by the Lord Jesus effectedin us. 

2. An absolute promise therefore is, as we say, without if or and;that is, it requireth nothing of us, that itself might be accomplished. It saith not, They shall, if they will; but they shall: not, theyshall, if they use the means; but, they shall. You may say, thata will and the use of the means is supposed, though not expressed. But I answer, No, by no means; that is, as a condition of thispromise. If they be at all included in the promise, they are includedthere as the fruit of the absolute promise, not as if it expectedthe qualification to arise from us. "Thy people shall be willingin the day of thy power" (Psa 110:3). That is another absolutepromise. But doth that promise suppose a willingness in us, asa condition of God's making us willing? They shall be willing, ifthey are willing; or, they shall be willing, if they will be willing. This is ridiculous; there is nothing of this supposed. The promiseis absolute as to us; all that it engageth for its own accomplishmentis, the mighty power of Christ and his faithfulness to accomplish. 

3. The difference, therefore, betwixt the absolute and conditionalpromise is this:

(1. ) They differ in their terms. The absolute promises say, Iwill, and you shall: the other, I will, if you will; or, Do this, and thou shalt live (Jer 4:1; 31:31-33; Eze 18:30-32; 36:24-34;Heb 8:7-13; Matt 19:21). 

(2. ) They differ in their way of communicating of good things tomen; the absolute ones communicate things freely, only of grace;the other, if there be that qualification in us, that the promisecalls for, not else. 

(3. ) The absolute promises therefore engage God, the other engageus: I mean, God only, us only. 

(4. ) Absolute promises must be fulfilled; conditional may, or maynot be fulfilled. The absolute ones must be fulfilled, becauseof the faithfulness of God; the other may not, because of theunfaithfulness of men. 

(5. ) Absolute promises have therefore a sufficiency in themselvesto bring about their own fulfilling; the conditional have not so. The absolute promise is therefore a big-bellied promise, because ithath in itself a fullness of all desired things for us; and will, when the time of that promise is come, yield to us mortals thatwhich will verily save us; yea, and make us capable of answeringof the demands of the promise that is conditional. 

4. Wherefore, though there be a real, yea, an eternal difference, in these things, with others, betwixt the conditional and absolutepromise; yet again, in other respects, there is a blessed harmonybetwixt them; as may be seen in these particulars. The conditionalpromise calls for repentance, the absolute promise gives it (Acts5:31). The conditional promise calls for faith, the absolute promisegives it (Zeph 3:12; Rom 15:12). The conditional promise calls fora new heart, the absolute promise gives it (Eze 36:25, 26). Theconditional promise calleth for holy obedience, the absolute promisegiveth it, or causeth it (Eze 36:27). 

5. And as they harmoniously agree in this, so again the conditionalpromise blesseth the man, who by the absolute promise is enduedwith its fruit. As, for instance, the absolute promise maketh menupright; and then the conditional follows, saying, "Blessed arethe undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord" (Psa119:1). The absolute promise giveth to this man the fear of theLord; and then the conditional followeth, saying, "Blessed is everyone that feareth the Lord" (Psa 128:1). The absolute promise givethfaith, and then this conditional follows, saying, "Blessed is shethat believed" (Zeph 3:12; Luke 1:45). The absolute promise bringsfree forgiveness of sins; and then says the condition, "Blessedare they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered"(Rom 4:7). The absolute promise says, that God's elect shall holdout to the end; then the conditional follows with his blessings, "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (1Peter 1:4-6; Matt 24:13). 

Thus do the promises gloriously serve one another and us, in thistheir harmonious agreement. 

Now, the promise under consideration is an absolute promise. "Allthat the Father giveth me shall come to me. "

This promise therefore is, as is said, a big-bellied promise, andhath in itself all those things to bestow upon us that the conditionalcalleth for at our hands. They shall come! Shall they come? Yes, they shall come. But how, if they want those things, those graces, power, and heart, without which they cannot come? Why, Shall-comeanswereth all this, and all things else that may in this manner beobjected. And here I will take the liberty to amplify things. 

[Objections to the absoluteness of this promise (the force ofSHALL-COME) answered. ]

Object. 1. But they are dead, dead in trespasses and sins, howshall they then come?

Answ. Why, Shall-come can raise them from this death. "The hour iscoming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Sonof God, and they that hear shall live. " Thus, therefore, is thisimpediment by Shall-come removed out of the way. They shall heal, they shall live. 

Object. 2. But they are Satan's captives; he takes them captive athis will, and he is stronger than they: how then can they come?

Answ. Why, Shall-come hath also provided an help for this. Satanhad bound that daughter of Abraham so, that she could by no meanslift up herself; but yet Shall-come set her free both in body andsoul. Christ will have them turned from the power of Satan to God. But what! Must it be, if they turn themselves, or do something tomerit of him to turn them? No, he will do it freely, of his own goodwill. Alas! Man, whose soul is possessed by the devil, is turnedwhithersoever that governor listeth, is taken captive by him, notwithstanding its natural powers, at his will; but what will hedo? Will he hold him when Shall-come puts forth itself, will hethen let12 him, for coming to Jesus Christ? No, that cannot be!His power is but the power of a fallen angel, but Shall-come isthe Word of God. Therefore Shall-come must be fulfilled; "and thegates of hell shall not prevail against it. "

There were seven devils in Mary Magdalene, too many for her to getfrom under the power of; but when the time was come that Shall-comewas to be fulfilled upon her, they give place, fly from her, andshe comes indeed to Jesus Christ, according as it is written, "Allthat the Father giveth me shall come to me. "

The man that was possessed with a legion, (Mark 5), was too muchby them captivated for him by human force to come; yea, had he had, to boot, all the men under heaven to help him, had he that said, He shall come, withheld his mighty power: but when this promisewas to be fulfilled upon him, then he comes; nor could all theirpower hinder his coming. It was also this Shall-come that preservedhim from death; when by these evil spirits he was hurled hitherand thither; and it was by the virtue of Shall-come that at lasthe was set at liberty from them, and enabled indeed to come toChrist. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me. "

Object. 3. They shall, you say; but how if they will not; and, ifso, then what can Shall-come do?

Answ. True, there are some men say, "We are lords; we will comeno more unto thee" (Jer 2:31). But as God says in another case, if they are concerned in Shall-come to me, they "shall know whosewords shall stand, mine or theirs" (Jer 41:28). Here, then, is thecase; we must now see who will be the liar, he that saith, I willnot; or he that saith, He shall come to me. You shall come, saysGod; I will not come, saith the sinner. Now, as sure as he isconcerned in this Shall-come, God will make that man eat his ownwords; for I will not, is the unadvised conclusion of a crazy-headedsinner; but Shall-come was spoken by him that is of power to performhis word. "Son, go work to-day in my vineyard, " said the Father. But he answered, and said, I will not come. What now? will he beable to stand to his refusal? will he pursue his desperate denial?No, "he afterwards repented and went. " But how came he by thatrepentance? Why, it was wrapped up for him in the absolute promise;and therefore, notwithstanding he said, "I will not, he afterwardsrepented and went. " By this parable Jesus Christ sets forth theobstinacy of the sinners of the world, as touching their comingto him; they will not come, though threatened: yea, though life beoffered them upon condition of coming. 

But now, when Shall-come, the absolute promise of God, comes tobe fulfilled upon them, then they come; because by that promise acure is provided against the rebellion of their will. "Thy peopleshall be willing in the day of thy power"(Psa 110:3). Thy people, what people? Why, the people that thy Father hath given thee. Theobstinacy and plague that is in the will of that people, shall betaken away; and they shall be made willing; Shall-come will makethem willing to come to thee. 

He that had seen Paul in the midst of his outrages against Christ, his gospel, and people, would hardly have thought that he wouldever have been a follower of Jesus Christ, especially since he wentnot against his conscience in his persecuting of them. He thoughtverily that he ought to do what he did. But we may see whatShall-come can do, when it comes to be fulfilled upon the soul ofa rebellious sinner: he was a chosen vessel, given by the Father tothe Son; and now the time being come that Shall-come was to takehim in hand, behold, he is over-mastered, astonished, and withtrembling and reverence, in a moment becomes willing to be obedientto the heavenly call (Acts 9). 

And were not they far gone, that you read of, (Acts 2) who hadtheir hands and hearts in the murder of the Son of God; and to showtheir resolvedness never to repent of that horrid fact, said, "Hisblood be on us and on our children?" But must their obstinacy rule?Must they be bound to their own ruin, by the rebellion of theirstubborn wills? No, not those of these the Father gave to Christ;wherefore, at the times appointed, Shall-come breaks in amongthem; the absolute promise takes them in hand; and then they comeindeed, crying out to Peter, and the rest of the apostles, "Menand brethren, what shall we do?" No stubbornness of man's will canstand, when God hath absolutely said the contrary; Shall-come canmake them come "as doves to their windows, " that had afore resolvednever to come to him. 

The Lord spake unto Manasseh, and to his people, by the prophets, but would he hear? No, he would not. But shall Manasseh come offthus? No, he shall not. Therefore, he being also one of those whomthe Father had given to the Son, and so falling within the boundsand reach of Shall-come, at last Shall-come takes him in hand, and then he comes indeed. He comes bowing and bending; he humbleshimself greatly, and made supplication to the Lord, and prayed untohim; and he was entreated of him, and had mercy upon him (2 Chron30:10). 

The thief upon the cross, at first, did rail with his fellow uponJesus Christ; but he was one that the Father had given to him, and, therefore, Shall-come must handle him and his rebellious will. Andbehold, so soon as he is dealt withal, by virtue of that absolutepromise, how soon he buckleth, leaves his railing, falls to supplicatingof the Son of God for mercy; "Lord, " saith he, "Remember me whenthou comest into thy kingdom" (Matt 27:44; Luke 23:40-42). 

Object. 4. They shall come, say you, but how if they be blind, andsee not the way? For some are kept off from Christ, not only by theobstinacy of their will, but by the blindness of their mind. Now, if they be blind, how shall they come?

Answ. The question is not, Are they blind? But, Are they within thereach and power of Shall-come? If so, that Christ that said, theyshall come, will find them eyes, or a guide or both, to bring themto himself. "Must is for the king. " If they shall come, they shallcome. No impediment shall hinder. 

The Thessalonians' darkness did not hinder them from being thechildren of light; "I am come, " said Christ, "that they which seenot might see. " And if he saith, See, ye "blind that have eyes, "who shall hinder it? (Eph 5:8; John 9:39; Isa 29:18; 43:8). 

This promise, therefore, is, as I said, a big-bellied promise, havingin the bowels of it, all things that shall occur to the completefulfilling of itself. They shall come. But it is objected, that theyare blind. Well, Shall-come is still the same, and continueth tosay, "They shall come to me. " Therefore he saith again, "I willbring the blind by a way that they know not, I will lead them inpaths that they have not known; I will make darkness light beforethem, and crooked things straight. These things will I do untothem, and not forsake them" (Isa 42:16). 

Mark, I will bring them, though they be blind; I will bring themby a way they know not; I will--I will; and therefore "they shallcome to me. "

Object. 5. But how, if they have exceeded many in sin, and so madethemselves far more abominable? They are the ringleading sinnersin the county, the town, or family. 

Answ. What then? Shall that hinder the execution of Shall-come? Itis not transgressions, nor sins, nor all their transgressions inall their sins, if they by the Father are given to Christ to savethem, that shall hinder this promise, that it should not be fulfilledupon them. "In those days, and in that time, " saith the Lord, "theiniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none;and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found" (Jer 50:20). Not that they had none, for they abounded in transgression, (2 Chron33:9; Eze 16:48), but God would pardon, cover, hide, and put themaway, by virtue of his absolute promise, by which they are givento Christ to save them. "And I will cleanse them from all theiriniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardonall their iniquities, whereby they have transgressed against me. And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise, and an honour beforeall the nations of the earth, which shall bear all the good that Ido unto them; and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodnessand for all the prosperity that I procure unto it" (Jer 33:8, 9). 

Object. 6. But how, if they have not faith and repentance? Howshall they come then?

Answ. Why, he that saith, They shall come, shall he not make itgood? If they shall come, they shall come; and he that hath said, they shall come, if faith and repentance be the way to come, asindeed they are, then faith and repentance shall be given to them!for Shall-come must be fulfilled on them. 

1. Faith shall be given them. "I will also leave in the midst ofthee an afflicted and poor people, and they shall trust in the nameof the Lord. " "There shall be a root of Jesse, and he that shallrise to reign over the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles trust"(Zeph 3:12; Rom 15:12). 

2. They shall have repentance. He is exalted to give repentance. "They shall come weeping, and seeking the Lord their God. " Andagain, "With weeping and supplication will I lead them" (Acts 5:31;Jer 31:9). 

I told you before, that an absolute promise hath all conditionalones in the belly of it, and also provision to answer all thosequalifications, that they propound to him that seeketh for theirbenefit. And it must be so; for if Shall-come be an absolutepromise, as indeed it is, then it must be fulfilled upon every ofthose concerned therein. I say, it must be fulfilled, if God canby grace, and his absolute will, fulfil it. Besides, since comingand believing is all one, according to John 6:35, "He that comethto me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall neverthirst, " then, when he saith they shall come, it is as much as tosay, they shall believe, and consequently repent, to the saving ofthe soul. 

So then the present want of faith and repentance cannot make thispromise of God of none effect; because that this promise hath init to give what others call for and expect. I will give them anheart, I will give them my Spirit, I will give them repentance, Iwill give them faith. Mark these words: "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature. " But how came he to be a "new creature, "since none can create but God? Why, God indeed doth make them "newcreatures. " "Behold, " saith he, "I make all things new. " And henceit follows, even after he had said they are "new creatures, " "andall things are of God;" that is, all this new creation standethin the several operations, and special workings of the Spirit ofgrace, who is God (2 Cor 5:17, 18). 

Object. 7. But how shall they escape all those dangerous and damnableopinions, that, like rocks and quicksands, are in the way in whichthey are going?

Answ. Indeed this age is an age of errors, if ever there was anage of errors in the world; but yet the gift of the Father, laidclaim to by the Son in the text, must needs escape them, and inconclusion come to him. There are a company of Shall-comes in theBible that doth secure them; not but that they may be assaultedby them; yea, and also for the time entangled and detained by themfrom the Bishop of their souls, but these Shall-comes will breakthose chains and fetters, that those given to Christ are entangledin, and they shall come, because he hath said they shall come tohim. 

Indeed, errors are like that whore of whom you read in the Proverbs, that sitteth in her seat in the high places of the city, "to callpassengers who go right on their ways" (Prov 9:13-16). But thepersons, as I said, that by the Father are given to the Son to savethem, are, at one time or other, secured by "shall come to me. "

And therefore of such it is said, God will guide them with his eye, with his counsels, by his Spirit, and that in the way of peace;by the springs of water, and into all truth (Psa 32:8; 73:24; John16:13; Luke 1:79; Isa 49:10). So then he that hath such a guide, and all that the Father giveth to Christ shall have it, he shallescape those dangers, he shall not err in the way; yea, thoughhe be a fool, he shall not err therein, (Isa 35:8), for of everysuch an one it is said, "Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the righthand, and when ye turn to the left" (Isa 30:21). 

There were thieves and robbers before Christ's coming, as thereare also now; but, said he, "The sheep did not hear them. " And whydid they not hear them, but because they were under the power ofShall-come, that absolute promise, that had that grace in itselfto bestow upon them, as could make them able rightly to distinguishof voices, "My sheep hear my voice. " But how came they to hear it?Why, to them it is given to know and to hear, and that distinguishingly(John 10:8, 16; 5:25; Eph 5:14). 

Further, The very plain sentence of the text makes provision againstall these things; for, saith it, "All that the Father giveth meshall come to me;" that is, shall not be stopped, or be allured totake up anywhere short of ME, nor shall they turn aside, to abidewith any besides ME. 

[Import of the words TO ME. ]

"Shall come TO ME. "--To me. By these words there is furtherinsinuated, though not expressed, a double cause of their comingto him. First. There is in Christ a fullness of all-sufficiency ofthat, even of all that which is needful to make us happy. Second. Those that indeed come to him, do therefore come to him that theymay receive it at his hand. 

First. For the first of these, there is in Christ a fullness ofall-sufficiency of all that, even of all that which is needful tomake us happy. Hence it is said, "For it pleased the Father thatin him should all fullness dwell" (Col 1:19). And again, "Of hisfullness have all we received, and grace for grace" (John 1:16). It is also said of him, that his riches are unsearchable--"theunsearchable riches of Christ" (Eph 3:8). Hear what he saith ofhimself, "Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches andrighteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold;and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment; that I may cause those thatlove me to inherit substance. And I will fill their treasures"(Prov 8:18-21). 

This in general. But, more particularly, 1. There is that light in Christ, that is sufficient to lead themout of, and from all that darkness, in the midst of which allothers, but them that come to him, stumble, and fall and perish: "Iam the light of the world, " saith he, "he that followeth me shallnot walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John8:12). Man by nature is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, andknows not whither he goes, for darkness hath blinded his eyes;neither can anything but Jesus Christ lead men out of this darkness. Natural conscience cannot do it; the ten commandments, though inthe heart of man, cannot do it. This prerogative belongs only toJesus Christ. 

2. There is that life in Christ, that is to be found nowhere else(John 5:40). Life, as a principle in the soul, by which it shallbe acted and enabled to do that which through him is pleasing toGod. "He that believeth in, " or cometh to, "me, " saith he, as theScripture hath said, "out of his belly shall flow rivers of livingwater" (John 7:38). Without this life a man is dead, whether hebe bad, or whether he be good; that is, good in his own, and othermen's esteem. There is no true and eternal life but what is in theME that speaketh in the text. 

There is also life for those that come to him, to be had by faithin his flesh and blood. "He that eateth me, even he shall live byme" (John 6:57). And this is a life against that death that comesby the guilt of sin, and the curse of the law, under which all menare, and for ever must be, unless they eat the ME that speaks inthe text. "Whoso findeth ME, " saith he, "findeth life;" deliverancefrom that everlasting death and destruction, that, without me, heshall be devoured by (Prov 8:35). Nothing is more desirable thanlife, to him that hath in himself the sentence of condemnation;and here only is life to be found. This life, to wit, eternal life, this life is in his Son; that is, in him that saith in the text, "All that the Father hath given me shall come to me" (1 John 5:10). 

3. The person speaking in the text, is he alone by whom poor sinnershave admittance to, and acceptance with the Father, because ofthe glory of his righteousness, by and in which he presenteth themamiable and spotless in his sight; neither is there any way besideshim so to come to the Father: "I am the way, " says he, "and thetruth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by me" (John14:6). All other ways to God are dead and damnable; the destroyingcherubim stand with flaming swords, turning every way to keep allothers from his presence (Gen 3:24). I say, all others but themthat come by him. "I am the door; by me, " saith he, "if any manenter in, he shall be saved" (John 10:9). 

The person speaking in the text is HE, and only HE, that can givestable and everlasting peace; therefore, saith he, "My peace I giveunto you. " My peace, which is a peace with God, peace of conscience, and that of an everlasting duration. My peace, peace that cannotbe matched, "not as the world giveth, give I unto you;" for theworld's peace is but carnal and transitory, but mine is Divine andeternal. Hence it is called the peace of God, and that passeth allunderstanding. 

4. The person speaking in the text hath enough of all things trulyspiritually good, to satisfy the desires of every longing soul. "Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him comeunto me, and drink. " And to him that is athirst, "I will give ofthe fountain of the water of life freely" (John 7:37, Rev 21:6). 

5. With the person speaking in the text is power to perfect anddefend, and deliver those that come to him for safe-guard. "Allpower, " saith he, "is given unto me in heaven and earth" (Matt28:18). 

Thus might I multiply instances in this nature in abundance. But, Second. They that in truth do come to him, do therefore come to himthat they might receive it at his hand. They come for light, theycome for life, they come for reconciliation with God: they alsocome for peace, they come that their soul may be satisfied withspiritual good, and that they may be protected by him against allspiritual and eternal damnation; and he alone is able to give themall this, to the filling of their joy to the full, as they alsofind when they come to him. This is evident, 1. From the plain declaration of those that already are come tohim. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through ourLord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access by faith into thisgrace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God"(Rom 5:1, 2). 

2. It is evident also, in that while they keep their eyes upon him, they never desire to change him for another, or to add to themselvessome other thing, together with him, to make up their spiritualjoy. "God forbid, " saith Paul, "that I should glory, save in thecross of our Lord Jesus Christ. " "Yea, doubtless, and I count allthings but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesusmy Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and docount them but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but thatwhich is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which isof God by faith" (Phil 3:8, 9). 

3. It is evident also, by their earnest desires that others mightbe made partakers of their blessedness. "Brethren, " said Paul, "myheart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might besaved. " That is, that way that he expected to be saved himself. Ashe saith also to the Galatians, "Brethren, " saith he, "I beseechyou, be as I am; for I am as ye are;" that is, I am a sinner as youare. Now, I beseech you, seek for life, as I am seeking of it; aswho should say, For there is a sufficiency in the Lord Jesus bothfor me and you. 

4. It is evident also, by the triumph that such men make over alltheir enemies, both bodily and ghostly: "Now thanks be unto God, "said Paul, "which always causeth us to triumph in Christ. " And, "who shall separate us from the love of Christ" our Lord? and again, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thesting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law; butthanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our LordJesus Christ" (2 Cor 2:14; Rom 8:35; 1 Cor 15:55, 56). 

5. It is evident also, for that they are made by the glory of thatwhich they have found in him, to suffer and endure what the deviland hell itself hath or could invent, as a means to separate themfrom him. Again, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? as it is written, For thy sakewe are killed all the day long, we are accounted as sheep for theslaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor thingspresent, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any othercreature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God whichis in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 8:35-39). 

"Shall come TO ME. " Oh! the heart-attracting glory that is in JesusChrist, when he is discovered, to draw those to him that are givento him of the Father; therefore those that came of old, renderedthis as the cause of their coming to him: "And we beheld his glory, as of the only begotten of the Father" (John 1:14). And the reasonwhy others come not, but perish in their sins, is for want of asight of his glory: "If our gospel be hid, it is hid to them thatare lost: in whom the God of this world hath blinded the minds ofthem that believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel ofChrist, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Cor4:3, 4). 

There is therefore heart-pulling glory in Jesus Christ, which, when discovered, draws the man to him; wherefore by shall come tome, Christ may mean, when his glory is discovered, then they mustcome, then they shall come to me. Therefore, as the true comerscome with weeping and relenting, as being sensible of their ownvileness, so again it is said, that "the ransomed of the Lord shallreturn, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon theirheads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighingshall flee away. " That is, at the sight of the glory of that gracethat shows itself to them now in the face of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the hopes that they now have of being with him in the heavenlytabernacles. Therefore it saith again, "With gladness and rejoicingshall they be brought; they shall enter into the King's palace"(Isa 35:10; 51:11; Psa 45:15). There is therefore heart-attractingglory in the Lord Jesus Christ, which, when discovered, subjectsthe heart to the Word, and makes us come to him. 

It is said of Abraham, that when he dwelt in Mesopotamia, "the Godof glory appeared unto him, " saying, "Get thee out of thy country. "And what then? Why, away he went from his house and friends, andall the world could not stay him. "Now, " as the Psalmist says, "Whois this King of glory?" he answers, "The Lord, mighty in battle"(Psa 24:8). And who was that, but he that "spoiled principalitiesand powers, " when he did hang upon the tree, triumphing over themthereon? And who was that but Jesus Christ, even the person speakingin the text? Therefore he said of Abraham, "He saw his day. Yea, "saith he to the Jews, "your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and was glad" (Col 2:15; James 2:23; John 8:56). 

Indeed, the carnal man says, at least in his heart, "There isno form or comeliness in Christ; and when we shall see him, thereis no beauty that we should desire him, " (Isa 53:2); but he lies. This he speaks, as having never seen him. But they that stand inhis house, and look upon him through the glass of his Word, by thehelp of his Holy Spirit, they will tell you other things. "But weall, " say they, "with open face, beholding as in a glass the gloryof the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory"(2 Cor 3:18). They see glory in his person, glory in his undertakings, glory in the merit of his blood, and glory in the perfectionof his righteousness; yea, heart-affecting, heart-sweetening, andheart-changing glory!

Indeed, his glory is veiled, and cannot be seen but as discoveredby the Father (Matt 11:27). It is veiled with flesh, with meannessof descent from the flesh, and with that ignominy and shame thatattended him in the flesh; but they that can, in God's light, seethrough these things, they shall see glory in him; yea, such gloryas will draw and pull their hearts unto him. 

Moses was the adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter; and for aught Iknow, had been king at last, had he now conformed to the presentvanities that were there at court; but he could not, he would notdo it. Why? What was the matter? Why! he saw more in the worst ofChrist (bear with the expression), than he saw in the best of allthe treasures of the land of Egypt. He "refused to be called theson of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer afflictionwith the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for aseason; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than thetreasures in Egypt; for he had respect unto the recompence of thereward. He forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king. " Butwhat emboldened him thus to do? Why, "he endured;" for he had asight of the person speaking in the text. "He endured, as seeinghim who is invisible. " But I say, would a sight of Jesus have thustaken away Moses' heart from a crown, and a kingdom, &c. , had henot by that sight seen more in him than was to be seen in them?(Heb 11:24-26). 

Therefore, when he saith, shall come to me, he means, they shallhave a discovery of the glory of the grace that is in him; and thebeauty and glory of that is of such virtue, that it constraineth, and forceth, with a blessed violency, the hearts of those that aregiven to him. 

Moses, of whom we spake before, was no child when he was thus takenwith the beauteous glory of his Lord. He was forty years old, andso consequently was able, being a man of that wisdom and opportunityas he was, to make the best judgment of the things, and of thegoodness of them that was before him in the land of Egypt. But he, even he it was, that set that low esteem upon the glory of Egypt, as to count it not worth the meddling with, when he had a sight ofthis Lord Jesus Christ. This wicked world thinks, that the fanciesof a heaven, and a happiness hereafter, may serve well enough totake the heart of such, as either have not the world's good thingsto delight in; or that are fools, and know not how to delightthemselves therein. But let them know again, that we have had menof all ranks and qualities, that have been taken with the gloryof our Lord Jesus, and have left all to follow him. As Abel, Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samuel, David, Solomon;and who not, that had either wit or grace, to savour heavenlythings? Indeed none can stand off from him, nor any longer holdout against him to whom he reveals the glory of his grace. 

[THE PROMISE TO THOSE COMING TO CHRIST. ]

"AND HIM THAT COMETH TO ME I will in no wise cast out. "

By these words our Lord Jesus doth set forth yet more amply thegreat goodness of his nature towards the coming sinner. Before, hesaid, They shall come; and here he declareth, That with heart andaffections he will receive them. But, by the way, let me speakone word or two to the seeming conditionality of this promise withwhich now I have to do. "And him that cometh to me I will in nowise cast out. " Where it is evident, may some say, that Christ'sreceiving us to mercy depends upon our coming, and so our salvationby Christ is conditional. If we come, we shall be received; ifnot, we shall not; for that is fully intimated by the words. Thepromise of reception is only to him that cometh. "And him thatcometh. " I answer, that the coming in these words mentioned, asa condition of being received to life, is that which is promised, yea, concluded to be effected in us by the promise going before. In those latter words, coming to Christ is implicitly required ofus; and in the words before, that grace that can make us come ispositively promised to us. "All that the Father giveth me shallcome to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out"thence. We come to Christ, because it is said, We shall come;because it is given to us to come. So that the condition which isexpressed by Christ in these latter words is absolutely promised inthe words before. And, indeed, the coming here intended is nothingelse but the effect of "shall come to me. They shall come, and Iwill not cast them out. "

"AND HIM THAT COMETH. "

He saith not, and him that is come, but him that cometh. To speakto these words, First, In general. Second, More particularly. 

[First. ] In general. They suggest unto us these four things:--

1. That Jesus Christ doth build upon it, that since the Father gavehis people to him, they shall be enabled to come unto him. "And himthat cometh. " As who should say, I know that since they are givento me, they shall be enabled to come unto me. He saith not, if theycome, or I suppose they will come; but, "and him that cometh. " Bythese words, therefore, he shows us that he addresseth himself tothe receiving of them whom the Father gave to him to save them. Isay, he addresseth himself, or prepareth himself to receive them. By which, as I said, he concludeth or buildeth upon it, that theyshall indeed come to him. He looketh that the Father should bringthem into his bosom, and so stands ready to embrace them. 

2. Christ also suggesteth by these words, that he very well knowethwho are given to him; not by their coming to him, but by theirbeing given to him. "All that the Father giveth me shall come tome; and him that cometh, " &c. This him he knoweth to be one of themthat the Father hath given him; and, therefore, he received him, even because the Father hath given him to him (John 10). "I knowmy sheep, " saith he. Not only those that already have knowledge ofhim, but those, too, that yet are ignorant of him. "Other sheep Ihave, " said he, "which are not of this fold, " (John 10:16); not ofthe Jewish church, but those that lie in their sins, even the rudeand barbarous Gentiles. Therefore, when Paul was afraid to stayat Corinth, from a supposition that some mischief might befall himthere; "Be not afraid, " said the Lord Jesus to him, "but speak, and hold not thy peace--for I have much people in this city" (Acts18:9, 10). The people that the Lord here speaks of were not at thistime accounted his, by reason of a work of conversion that alreadyhad passed upon them, but by virtue of the gift of the Father; forhe had given them unto him. Therefore was Paul to stay here, tospeak the word of the Lord to them, that, by his speaking, the HolyGhost might effectually work over their souls, to the causing themto come to him, who was also ready, with heart and soul, to receivethem. 

3. Christ, by these words, also suggesteth, that no more come untohim than, indeed, are given him of the Father. For the him in thisplace is one of the all that by Christ was mentioned before. "Allthat the Father giveth me shall come to me;" and every him of thatall, "I will in no wise cast out. " This the apostle insinuateth, where he saith, "He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; andsome, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfectingof the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying ofthe body of Christ; till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, untothe measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Eph 4:11-13). 

Mark, as in the text, so here he speaketh of all. "Until we allcome. " We all! all who? Doubtless, "All that the Father giveth toChrist. " This is further insinuated, because he called this ALLthe body of Christ; the measure of the stature of the fullness ofChrist. By which he means the universal number given; to wit, thetrue elect church, which is said to be his body and fullness (Eph1:22, 23). 

4. Christ Jesus, by these words, further suggesteth, that he is wellcontent with this gift of the Father to him. "All that the Fathergiveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in nowise cast out. " I will heartily, willingly, and with great contentof mind, receive him. 

They show us, also, that Christ's love in receiving is as large ashis Father's love in giving, and no larger. Hence, he thanks himfor his gift, and also thanks him for hiding of him and his thingsfrom the rest of the wicked (Matt 11:25; Luke 10:21). But, Secondly, and more particularly, "And HIM that cometh. "

[Import of the word HIM. ]

"And him. " This word him; by it Christ looketh back to the giftof the Father; not only in the lump and whole of the gift, but tothe every him of that lump. As who should say, I do not only acceptof the gift of my Father in the general, but have a special regardto every of them in particular; and will secure not only some, orthe greatest part, but every him, every dust. Not a hoof of allshall be lost or left behind. And, indeed, in this he consentethto his Father's will, which is that of all that he hath given him, he should lose nothing (John 6:39). 

"And him. " Christ Jesus, also, by his thus dividing the gift ofhis Father into hims, and by his speaking of them in the singularnumber, shows what a particular work shall be wrought in each one, at the time appointed of the Father. "And it shall come to pass inthat day, " saith the prophet, "that the Lord shall beat off fromthe channel of the river unto the stream of Egypt, and ye shall begathered one by one, O ye children of Israel. " Here are the hims, one by one, to be gathered to him by the Father (Isa 27:12). 

He shows also hereby that no lineage, kindred, or relation, canat all be profited by any outward or carnal union with the personthat the Father hath given to Christ. It is only him, the givenHIM, the coming him, that he intends absolutely to secure. Men makea great ado with the children of believers; and oh the childrenof believers! 13 But if the child of the believer is not the himconcerned in this absolute promise, it is not these men's great cry, nor yet what the parent or child can do, that can interest him inthis promise of the Lord Christ, this absolute promise. 

AND HIM. There are divers sorts of persons that the Father hathgiven to Jesus Christ; they are not all of one rank, of one quality;some are high, some are low; some are wise, some fools; some aremore civil, and complying with the law; some more profane, andaverse to him and his gospel. Now, since those that are given tohim are, in some sense, so diverse; and again, since he yet saith, "And him that cometh, " &c. , he, by that, doth give us to understandthat he is not, as men, for picking and choosing, to take a bestand leave a worst, but he is for him that the Father hath givenhim, and that cometh to him. "He shall not alter it, nor changeit, a good for a bad, or a bad for a good, " (Lev 27:10); but willtake him as he is, and will save his soul. 

There is many a sad wretch given by the Father to Jesus Christ;but not one of them all is despised or slighted by him. It is saidof those that the Father hath given to Christ that they have doneworse than the heathen; that they were murderers, thieves, drunkards, unclean persons, and what not; but he has received them, washedthem, and saved them. A fit emblem of this sort is that wretchedinstance mentioned in the 16th of Ezekiel, that was cast out in astinking condition, to the loathing of its person, in the days thatit was born; a creature in such a wretched condition, that no eyepitied, to do any of the things there mentioned unto it, or to havecompassion upon it; no eye but his that speaketh in the text. 

AND HIM. Let him be as red as blood, let him be as red as crimson. Some men are blood-red sinners, crimson-sinners, sinners of a doubledie; dipped and dipped again, before they come to Jesus Christ. Art thou that readest these lines such an one? Speak out, man! Artthou such an one? and art thou now coming to Jesus Christ for themercy of justification, that thou mightest be made white in hisblood, and be covered with his righteousness? Fear not; forasmuchas this thy coming betokeneth that thou art of the number of themthat the Father hath given to Christ; for he will in no wise castthee out. "Come now, " saith Christ, "and let us reason together;though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isa 1:18). 

AND HIM. There was many a strange HIM came to Jesus Christ, in thedays of his flesh; but he received them all, without turning anyaway; speaking unto them "of the kingdom of God, and healed themthat had need of healing" (Luke 9:11; 4:40). These words, AND HIM, are therefore words to be wondered at. That not one of them who, by virtue of the Father's gift, and drawing, are coming to JesusChrist, I say, that not one of them, whatever they have been, whatever they have done, should be rejected or set by, but admittedto a share in his saving grace. It is said in Luke, that the people"wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth"(4:22). Now this is one of his gracious words; these words are likedrops of honey, as it is said, "Pleasant words are as an honey-comb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones" (Prov 16:24). Theseare gracious words indeed, even as full as a faithful and mercifulHigh-priest could speak them. Luther saith, "When Christ speaketh, he hath a mouth as wide as heaven and earth. " That is, to speakfully to the encouragement of every sinful him that is coming toJesus Christ. And that his word is certain, hear how himself confirmsit: "Heaven and earth, " saith he, "shall pass away; but my wordsshall not pass away" (Isa 51:6; Matt 24:35). 

It is also confirmed by the testimony of the four evangelists, who gave faithful relation of his loving reception of all sortsof coming sinners, whether they were publicans, harlots, thieves, possessed of devils, bedlams, and what not (Luke 19:1-10; Matt21:31; Luke 15; 23:43; Mark 16:9; 5:1-9). 

This, then, shows us, 1. "The greatness of the merits of Christ. "2. The willingness of his heart to impute them for life to thegreat, if coming, sinners. 

1. This shows us the greatness of the merits of Christ; for it mustnot be supposed, that his words are bigger than his worthiness. He is strong to execute his word. He can do, as well as speak. Hecan do exceeding abundantly more than we ask or think, even to theuttermost, and outside of his word (Eph 3:20). Now, then, since heconcludeth any coming HIM; it must be concluded, that he can saveto the uttermost sin, any coming HIM. 

Do you think, I say, that the Lord Jesus did not think before hespake? He speaks all in righteousness, and therefore by his wordwe are to judge how mighty he is to save (Isa 63:1). He speakethin righteousness, in very faithfulness, when he began to build thisblessed gospel-fabric, the text; it was for that he had first satdown, and counted the cost; and for that, he knew he was able tofinish it! What, Lord, any him? any him that cometh to thee? Thisis a Christ worth looking after, this is a Christ worth coming to!

This, then, should learn us diligently to consider the naturalforce of every word of God; and to judge of Christ's ability tosave, not by our sins, or by our shallow apprehensions of his grace;but by his word, which is the true measure of grace. And if we donot judge thus, we shall dishonour his grace, lose the benefit ofhis word, and needlessly fright ourselves into many discouragementsthough coming to Jesus Christ. Him, any him that cometh, hathsufficient from this word of Christ, to feed himself with hopesof salvation. As thou art therefore coming, O thou coming sinner, judge thou, whether Christ can save thee by the true sense ofhis words: judge, coming sinner, of the efficacy of his blood, ofthe perfection of his righteousness, and of the prevalency of hisintercession, by his word. "And him, " saith he, "that cometh tome I will in no wise cast out. " "In no wise, " that is, for no sin. Judge therefore by his word, how able he is to save thee. It issaid of God's sayings to the children of Israel, "There failed notaught of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house ofIsrael; all came to pass" (Josh 21:45). And again, "Not one thinghath failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spakeconcerning you, all are come to pass unto you; and not one thinghath failed thereof" (Josh 23:14). 

Coming sinner, what promise thou findest in the word of Christ, strain it whither thou canst, so thou dost not corrupt it, and hisblood and merits will answer all; what the word saith, or any trueconsequence that is drawn therefrom, that we may boldly venture upon. As here in the text he saith, "And him that cometh, " indefinitely, without the least intimation of the rejection of any, though neverso great, if he be a coming sinner. Take it then for granted, thatthou, whoever thou art, if coming, art intended in these words;neither shall it injure Christ at all, if, as Benhadad's servantsserved Ahab, thou shalt catch him at his word. "Now, " saith thetext, "the man did diligently observe whether anything would comefrom him, " to wit, any word of grace; "and did hastily catch it. "And it happened that Ahab had called Benhadad his brother. Theman replied, therefore, "Thy brother Benhadad!" (1 Kings 20:33), catching him at his word. Sinner, coming sinner, serve JesusChrist thus, and he will take it kindly at thy hands. When he inhis argument called the Canaanitish woman dog, she catched him atit, and saith, "Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs whichfall from their master's table. " I say, she catched him thus in hiswords, and he took it kindly, saying, "O woman great is thy faith;be it unto thee even as thou wilt" (Matt 15:28). Catch him, comingsinner, catch him in his words, surely he will take it kindly, andwill not be offended at thee. 

2. The other thing that I told you is showed from these words, isthis: The willingness of Christ's heart to impute his merits forlife to the great, if coming sinner. "And him that cometh to me Iwill in no wise cast out. "

The awakened coming sinner doth not so easily question the power ofChrist, as his willingness to save him. Lord, "if thou wilt, thoucanst, " said one (Mark 1:40). He did not put the if upon his power, but upon his will. He concluded he could, but he was not as fullyof persuasion that he would. But we have the same ground to believehe will, as we have to believe he can; and, indeed, ground for bothis the Word of God. If he was not willing, why did he promise? Whydid he say he would receive the coming sinner? Coming sinner, takenotice of this; we use to plead practices with men, and why notwith God likewise? I am sure we have no more ground for the onethan the other; for we have to plead the promise of a faithfulGod. Jacob took him there: "Thou saidst, " said he, "I will surelydo thee good" (Gen 32:12). For, from this promise he concluded, that it followed in reason, "He must be willing. "

The text also gives some ground for us to draw the same conclusion. "And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. " Here is hiswillingness asserted, as well as his power suggested. It is worthyour observation, that Abraham's faith considered rather God'spower than his willingness; that is, he drew his conclusion, "Ishall have a child, " from the power that was in God to fulfil thepromise to him. For he concluded he was willing to give him one, else he would not have promised one. "He staggered not at the promiseof God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory toGod; and being fully persuaded that what he had promised he was ablealso to perform" (Rev 4:20, 21). But was not his faith exercised, or tried, about his willingness too? No, there was no show ofreason for that, because he had promised it. Indeed, had he notpromised it, he might lawfully have doubted it; but since he hadpromised it, there was left no ground at all for doubting, becausehis willingness to give a son was demonstrated in his promising hima son. These words, therefore, are sufficient ground to encourageany coming sinner that Christ is willing to his power to receivehim; and since he hath power also to do what he will, there is noground at all left to the coming sinner any more to doubt; but tocome in full hope of acceptance, and of being received unto graceand mercy. "And him that cometh. " He saith not, and him that iscome; but, and him that cometh; that is, and him whose heart beginsto move after me, who is leaving all for my sake; him who is lookingout, who is on his journey to me. We must, therefore, distinguishbetwixt coming, and being come to Jesus Christ. He that is come tohim has attained of him more sensibly what he felt before that hewanted, than he has that but yet is coming to him. 

[Advantages to the man that is come to Christ. ]

A man that is come to Christ hath the advantage of him that is butcoming to him; and that in seven things. 

1. He that is come to Christ is nearer to him than he that is butcoming to him; for he that is but coming to him is yet, in somesense, at a distance from him; as it is said of the coming prodigal, "And while he was yet a great way off" (Luke 15:20). Now he thatis nearer to him hath the best sight of him; and so is able to makethe best judgment of his wonderful grace and beauty, as God saith, "Let them come near, then let them speak" (Isa 41:1). And asthe apostle John saith, "And we have seen and do testify that theFather sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world" (1 John 4:14). He that is not yet come, though he is coming, is not fit, not beingindeed capable to make that judgment of the worth and glory of thegrace of Christ, as he is that is come to him, and hath seen andbeheld it. Therefore, sinner, suspend thy judgment till thou artcome nearer. 

2. He that is come to Christ has the advantage of him that is butcoming, in that he is eased of his burden; for he that is but comingis not eased of his burden (Matt 11:28). He that is come has casthis burden upon the Lord. By faith he hath seen himself releasedthereof; but he that is but coming hath it yet, as to sense andfeeling, upon his own shoulders. "Come unto me, all ye that labourand are heavy laden, " implies, that their burden, though they arecoming, is yet upon them, and so will be till indeed they are cometo him. 

3. He that is come to Christ has the advantage of him that is butcoming in this also, namely, he hath drank of the sweet and soulrefreshing water of life; but he that is but coming hath not. "Ifany man thirst, let him come unto me and drink" (John 7:37). 

Mark, He must come to him before he drinks: according to that ofthe prophet, "Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. "He drinketh not as he cometh, but when he is come to the waters(Isa 55:1). 

4. He that is come to Christ hath the advantage of him that as yetis but coming in this also, to wit, he is not so terrified withthe noise, and, as I may call it, hue and cry, which the avengerof blood makes at the heels of him that yet is but coming to him. When the slayer was on his flight to the city of his refuge, he hadthe noise or fear of the avenger of blood at his heels; but whenhe was come to the city, and was entered thereinto, that noiseceased. Even so it is with him that is but coming to Jesus Christ, he heareth many a dreadful sound in is ear; sounds of death anddamnation, which he that is come is at present freed from. Thereforehe saith, "Come, and I will give you rest. " And so he saith again, "We that have believed, do enter into rest, " as he said, &c. (Heb4). 

5. He, therefore, that is come to Christ, is not so subject to thosedejections, and castings down, by reason of the rage and assaultsof the evil one, as is the man that is but coming to Jesus Christ, though he has temptations too. "And as he was yet a-coming, the devilthrew him down, and tare him" (Luke 9:42). For he has, though Satanstill roareth upon him, those experimental comforts and refreshments, to wit, in his treasury, to present himself with, in times oftemptation and conflict; which he that is but coming has not. 

6. He that is come to Christ has the advantage of him that is butcoming to him, in this also, to wit, he hath upon him the weddinggarment, &c. , but he that is coming has not. The prodigal, whencoming home to his father, was clothed with nothing but rags, andwas tormented with an empty belly; but when he was come, the bestrobe is brought out, also the gold ring, and the shoes, yea, theyare put upon him, to his great rejoicing. The fatted calf was killedfor him; the music was struck up to make him merry; and thus alsothe Father himself sang of him, "This my son was dead, and is aliveagain; was lost and is found" (Luke 15:18, 19). 

7. In a word, he that is come to Christ, his groans and tears, hisdoubts and fears, are turned into songs and praises; for that hehath now received the atonement, and the earnest of his inheritance;but he that is but yet a-coming, hath not those praises nor songsof deliverance with him; nor has he as yet received the atonementand earnest of his inheritance, which is, the sealing testimony ofthe Holy Ghost, through the sprinkling of the blood of Christ uponhis conscience, for he is not come (Rom 5:11; Eph 1:13; Heb 12:22-24). 

[Import of the word COMETH. ]

"And him that COMETH. " There is further to be gathered from thisword cometh, these following particulars:--

1. That Jesus Christ hath his eye upon, and takes notice of, thefirst moving of the heart of a sinner after himself. Coming sinner, thou canst not move with desires after Christ, but he sees theworking of those desires in thy heart. "All my desire, " said David, "is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee" (Psa 38:9). This he spake, as he was coming, after he had backslidden, to theLord Jesus Christ. It is said of the prodigal, that while he wasyet a great way off, his father saw him, had his eye upon him, andupon the going out of his heart after him (Luke 15:20). 

When Nathanael was come to Jesus Christ, the Lord said to themthat stood before him, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is noguile. " But Nathanael answered him, "Whence knowest thou me?" Jesusanswered, "Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast underthe fig-tree, I saw thee. " There, I suppose, Nathanael was pouringout of his soul to God for mercy, or that he would give him goodunderstanding about the Messias to come; and Jesus saw all theworkings of his honest heart at that time (John 1:47, 48). 

Zaccheus also had some secret movings of heart, such as they were, towards Jesus Christ, when he ran before, and climbed up the treeto see him; and the Lord Jesus Christ had his eye upon him: therefore, when he was come to the place, he looked up to him, bids him comedown, "For today, " said he, "I must abide at thy house;" to wit, in order to the further completing the work of grace in his soul(Luke 19:1-9). Remember this, coming sinner. 

2. As Jesus Christ hath his eye upon, so he hath his heart opento receive, the coming sinner. This is verified by the text: "Andhim that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. " This is alsodiscovered by his preparing of the way, in his making of it easy(as may be) to the coming sinner; which preparation is manifest bythose blessed words, "I will in no wise cast out;" of which morewhen we come to the place. And while "he was yet a great way off, his Father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on hisneck, and kissed him" (Luke 15:20). All these expressions do stronglyprove that the heart of Christ is open to receive the coming sinner. 

3. As Jesus Christ has his eye upon, and his heart open to receive, so he hath resolved already that nothing shall alienate his heartfrom receiving the coming sinner. No sins of the coming sinner, nor the length of the time that he hath abode in them, shall byany means prevail with Jesus Christ to reject him. Coming sinner, thou art coming to a loving Lord Jesus!

4. These words therefore are dropped from his blessed mouth, onpurpose that the coming sinner might take encouragement to continueon his journey, until he be come indeed to Jesus Christ. It wasdoubtless a great encouragement to blind Bartimeus, that JesusChrist stood still and called him, when he was crying, "Jesus, thouSon of David, have mercy on me;" therefore, it is said, he castaway his garment, "rose, and came to Jesus" (Mark 10:46). Now, ifa call to come hath such encouragement in it, what is a promiseof receiving such, but an encouragement much more? And observe it, though he had a call to come, yet not having a promise, his faithwas forced to work upon a mere consequence, saying, He calls me;and surely since he calls me, he will grant me my desire. Ah! butcoming sinner, thou hast no need to go so far about as to draw (inthis matter) consequences, because thou hast plain promises: "Andhim that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. " Here is full, plain, yea, what encouragement one can desire; for, suppose thouwast admitted to make a promise thyself, and Christ should attestthat he would fulfil it upon the sinner that cometh to him, Couldstthou make a better promise? Couldst thou invent a more full, free, or larger promise? a promise that looks at the first moving ofthe heart after Jesus Christ? a promise that declares, yea, thatengageth Christ Jesus to open his heart to receive the coming sinner?yea, further, a promise that demonstrateth that the Lord Jesus isresolved freely to receive, and will in no wise cast out, nor meansto reject, the soul of the coming sinner! For all this lieth fullyin this promise, and doth naturally flow therefrom. Here thou needestnot make use of far-fetched consequences, nor strain thy wits, toforce encouraging arguments from the text. Coming sinner, the wordsare plain: "And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. "

[TWO SORTS OF SINNERS COMING TO CHRIST. ]

"And him that COMETH. " There are two sorts of sinners that arecoming to Jesus Christ. First, Him that hath never, while of late, 14 at all began to come. Second, Him that came formerly, and afterthat went back; but hath since bethought himself, and is now comingagain. Both these sorts of sinners are intended by the HIM in thetext, as is evident; because both are now the coming sinners. "Andhim that cometh. "

First. [The newly-awakened comer. ]--For the first of these:the sinner that hath never, while of late, began to come, his wayis more easy; I do not say, more plain and open to come to Christthan is the other--those last not having the clog of a guiltyconscience, for the sin of backsliding, hanging at their heels. But all the encouragement of the gospel, with what invitations aretherein contained to coming sinners, are as free and as open tothe one as to the other; so that they may with the same freedom andliberty, as from the Word, both alike claim interest in the promise. "All things are ready;" all things for the coming backsliders, aswell as for the others: "Come to the wedding. " "And let him thatis athirst come" (Matt 22:1-4; Rev 22:17). 

Second. [The returning backslider. ]--But having spoke to the firstof these already, I shall here pass it by; and shall speak a wordor two to him that is coming, after backsliding, to Jesus Christfor life. Thy way, O thou sinner of a double dye, thy way is opento come to Jesus Christ. I mean thee, whose heart, after longbacksliding, doth think of turning to him again. Thy way, I say, is open to him, as is the way of the other sorts of comers; asappears by what follows:--

1. Because the text makes no exception against thee. It doth notsay, And any him but a backslider, any him but him. The text dothnot thus object, but indefinitely openeth wide its golden armsto every coming soul, without the least exception; therefore thoumayest come. And take heed that thou shut not that door againstthy soul by unbelief, which God has opened by his grace. 

2. Nay, the text is so far from excepting against thy coming, thatit strongly suggesteth that thou art one of the souls intended, O thou coming backslider; else what need that clause have been soinserted, "I will in no wise cast out?" As who should say, Thoughthose that come now are such as have formerly backslidden, I willin "no wise" cast away the fornicator, the covetous, the railer, thedrunkard, or other common sinners, nor yet the backslider neither. 

3. That the backslider is intended is evident, (1. ) For that he is sent to by name, "Go, tell his disciples andPeter" (Mark 16:7). But Peter was a godly man. True, but he was alsoa backslider, yea, a desperate backslider: he had denied his Masteronce, twice, thrice, cursing and swearing that he knew him not. If this was not backsliding, if this was not an high and eminentbacksliding, yea, a higher backsliding than thou art capable of, I have thought amiss. 

Again, when David had backslidden, and had committed adultery andmurder in his backsliding, he must be sent to by name: "And, " saiththe text, "the Lord sent Nathan unto David. " And he sent him totell him, after he had brought him to unfeigned acknowledgment, "The Lord hath also put away, or forgiven thy sin" (2 Sam 12:1, 13). 

This man also was far gone: he took a man's wife, and killed herhusband, and endeavoured to cover all with wicked dissimulation. Hedid this, I say, after God had exalted him, and showed him greatfavour; wherefore his transgression was greatened also by theprophet with mighty aggravations; yet he was accepted, and thatwith gladness, at the first step he took in his returning to Christ. For the first step of the backslider's return is to say, sensiblyand unfeignedly, "I have sinned;" but he had no sooner said thus, but a pardon was produced, yea, thrust into his bosom: "And Nathansaid unto David, The Lord hath also put away thy sin. "

(2. ) As the person of the backslider is mentioned by name, so alsois his sin, that, if possible, thy objections against thy returningto Christ may be taken out of thy way; I say, thy sin also ismentioned by name, and mixed, as mentioned, with words of grace andfavour: "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely"(Hosea 14:4). What sayest thou now, backslider?

(3. ) Nay, further, thou art not only mentioned by name, and thysin by the nature of it, but thou thyself, who art a returningbackslider, put, (a) Amongst God's Israel, "Return, thou backslidingIsrael, saith the Lord; and I will not cause mine anger to fallupon you; for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keepanger for ever" (Jer 3:12). (b) Thou art put among his children;among his children to whom he is married. "Turn, O backslidingchildren, for I am married unto you" (verse 14). (c) Yea, afterall this, as if his heart was so full of grace for them, that hewas pressed until he had uttered it before them, he adds, "Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings" (verse22). 

(4. ) Nay, further, the Lord hath considered, that the shame of thysin hath stopped thy mouth, and made thee almost a prayerless man;and therefore he saith unto thee, "Take with you words, and turnto the Lord: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receiveus graciously. " See his grace, that himself should put words ofencouragement into the heart of a backslider; as he saith in anotherplace, "I taught Ephraim to go, taking him by the arms. " This isteaching him to go indeed, to hold him up by the arms; by the chin, as we say (Hosea 14:2; 11:3). 

From what has been said, I conclude, even as I said before, thatthe him in the text, and him that cometh, includeth both thesesorts of sinners, and therefore both should freely come. 

Quest. 1. But where doth Jesus Christ, in all the word of the NewTestament, expressly speak to a returning backslider with wordsof grace and peace? For what you have urged as yet, from the NewTestament, is nothing but consequences drawn from this text. Indeedit is a full text for carnal ignorant sinners that come, but tome, who am a backslider, it yieldeth but little relief. 

Answ. How! but little encouragement from the text, when it is said, "I will in now wise cast out"! What more could have been said? Whatis here omitted that might have been inserted, to make the promisemore full and free? Nay, take all the promises in the Bible, allthe freest promises, with all the variety of expressions of whatnature or extent soever, and they can but amount to the expressionsof this very promise, "I will in no wise cast out;" I will fornothing, by no means, upon no account, however they have sinned, however they have backslidden, however they have provoked, castout the coming sinner. But, Quest. 2. Thou sayest, Where doth Jesus Christ, in all the wordsof the New Testament, speak to a returning backslider with wordsof grace and peace, that is under the name of a backslider?

Answ. Where there is such plenty of examples in receiving backsliders, there is the less need for express words to that intent; one promise, as the text is, with those examples that are annexed, are insteadof many promises. And besides, I reckon that the act of receivingis of as much, if not of more encouragement, than is a bare promiseto receive; for receiving is as the promise, and the fulfilling ofit too; so that in the Old Testament thou hast the promise, and inthe New, the fulfilling of it; and that in divers examples. 

1. In Peter. Peter denied his master, once, twice, thrice, andthat with open oath; yet Christ receives him again without any theleast hesitation or stick. Yea, he slips, stumbles, falls again, in downright dissimulation, and that to the hurt and fall of manyothers; but neither of this doth Christ make a bar to his salvation, but receives him again at his return, as if he knew nothing of thefault (Gal 2). 

2. The rest of the disciples, even all of them, did backslideand leave the Lord Jesus in his greatest straits. "Then all thedisciples forsook him and fled, " (Matt 26:56), they returned, as hehad foretold, every one to his own, and left him alone; but thisalso he passes over as a very light matter. Not that it was soindeed in itself, but the abundance of grace that was in him didlightly roll it away; for after his resurrection, when first heappeared unto them, he gives them not the least check for theirperfidious dealings with him, but salutes them with words ofgrace, saying, "All hail! be not afraid, peace be to you; all powerin heaven and earth is given unto me. " True, he rebuked them fortheir unbelief, for the which also thou deservest the same. For itis unbelief that alone puts Christ and his benefits from us (John16:52; Matt 28:9-11; Luke 24:39; Mark 16:14). 

3. The man that after a large profession lay with his father'swife, committed a high transgression, even such a one that at thatday was not heard of, no, not among the Gentiles. Wherefore thiswas a desperate backsliding; yet, at his return, he was received, and accepted again to mercy (1 Cor 5:1, 2; 2 Cor 2:6-8). 

4. The thief that stole was bid to steal no more; not at all doubtingbut that Christ was ready to forgive him this act of backsliding(Eph 4:28). 

Now all these are examples, particular instances of Christ's readinessto receive the backsliders to mercy; and, observe it, examples andproofs that he hath done so are, to our unbelieving hearts, strongerencouragements than bare promises that so he will do. 

But again, the Lord Jesus hath added to these, for the encouragementof returning backsliders, to come to him. (1. ) A call to come, and he will receive them (Rev 2:1-5; 14-16; 20-22; 3:1-3; 15-22). Wherefore New Testament backsliders have encouragement to come. (2. ) A declaration of readiness to receive them that come, as herein the text, and in many other places, is plain. Therefore, "Setthee up waymarks, make thee high heaps, " of the golden grace ofthe gospel, "set thine heart toward the highway, even the way whichthou wentest. " When thou didst backslide; "turn again, O virgin ofIsrael, turn again to these thy cities" (Jer 31:21). 

"And him that cometh. " He saith not, and him that talketh, thatprofesseth, that maketh a show, a noise, or the like; but, him thatcometh. Christ will take leave to judge, who, among the many thatmake a noise, they be that indeed are coming to him. It is not himthat saith he comes, nor him of whom others affirm that he comes;but him that Christ himself shall say doth come, that is concernedin this text. When the woman that had the bloody issue came tohim for cure, there were others as well as she, that made a greatbustle about him, that touched, yea, thronged him. Ah, but Christcould distinguish this woman from them all; "And he looked roundabout" upon them all, "to see her that had done this thing" (Mark5:25-32). He was not concerned with the thronging, or touchings ofthe rest; for theirs were but accidental, or at best, void of thatwhich made her touch acceptable. Wherefore Christ must be judgewho they be that in truth are coming to him; Every man's ways areright in his own eyes, "but the Lord weigheth the spirits" (Prov16:2). It standeth therefore every one in hand to be certain oftheir coming to Jesus Christ; for as thy coming is, so shall thysalvation be. If thou comest indeed, thy salvation shall be indeed;but if thou comest but in outward appearance, so shall thy salvationbe; but of coming, see before, as also afterwards, in the use andapplication. 

"And him that cometh TO ME. " These words to me are also well tobe heeded; for by them, as he secureth those that come to him, soalso he shows himself unconcerned with those that in their comingrest short, to turn aside to others; for you must know, that everyone that comes, comes not to Jesus Christ; some that come, come toMoses, and to his law, and there take up for life; with these Christis not concerned; with these his promise hath not to do. "Christis become of no effect unto you; whosoever of you are justifiedby the law, ye are fallen from grace" (Gal 5:4). Again, some thatcame, came no further than to gospel ordinances, and there stay;they came not through them to Christ; with these neither is heconcerned; nor will their "Lord, Lord, " avail them anything in thegreat and dismal day. A man may come to, and also go from the placeand ordinances of worship, and yet not be remembered by Christ. "So I saw the wicked buried, " said Solomon, "who had come and gonefrom the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the citywhere they had so done; this is also vanity" (Eccl 8:10). 

"TO ME. " These words, therefore, are by Jesus Christ very warily putin, and serve for caution and encouragement; for caution, lest wetake up in our coming anywhere short of Christ; and for encouragementto those that shall in their coming, come past all; till they cometo Jesus Christ. "And him that cometh to me I will in no wise castout. "

Reader, if thou lovest thy soul, take this caution kindly at thehands of Jesus Christ. Thou seest thy sickness, thy wound, thynecessity of salvation. Well, go not to king Jareb, for he cannotheal thee, nor cure thee of thy wound (Hosea 5:13). Take the caution, I say, lest Christ, instead of being a Saviour unto thee, becomesa lion, a young lion, to tear thee, and go away (Hosea 5:14). 

There is a coming, but not to the Most High; there is a coming, but not with the whole heart, but as it were feignedly; thereforetake the caution kindly (Jer 3:10; Hosea 7:16). 

"And him that cometh TO ME;" Christ as a Saviour will stand alone, because his own arm alone hath brought salvation unto him. He willnot be joined with Moses, nor suffer John Baptist to be tabernacledby him. I say they must vanish, for Christ will stand alone (Luke9:28-36). Yea, God the Father will have it so; therefore they mustbe parted from him, and a voice from heaven must come to bid thedisciples hear only the beloved Son. Christ will not suffer anylaw, ordinance, statute, or judgment, to be partners with him inthe salvation of the sinner. Nay, he saith not, and him that comethto my WORD; but, and him that cometh to ME. The words of Christ, even his most blessed and free promises, such as this in the text, are not the Saviour of the world; for that is Christ himself, Christ himself only. The promises, therefore, are but to encouragethe coming sinner to come to Jesus Christ, and not to rest in them, short of salvation by him. "And him that cometh TO ME. " The man, therefore, that comes aright, casts all things behind his back, and looketh at, nor hath his expectations from ought, but the Sonof God alone; as David said, "My soul, wait thou only upon God; formy expectation is from him. He only is my rock, and my salvation;he is my defence; I shall not be moved" (Psa 62:5, 6). His eye isto Christ, his heart is to Christ, and his expectation is from him, from him only. 

Therefore the man that comes to Christ, is one that hath had deepconsiderations of his own sins, slighting thoughts of his ownrighteousness, and high thoughts of the blood and righteousnessof Jesus Christ; yea, he sees, as I have said, more virtue in theblood of Christ to save him, than there is in all his sins to damnhim. He therefore setteth Christ before his eyes; there is nothingin heaven or earth, he knows, that can save his soul and securehim from the wrath of God, but Christ; that is, nothing but hispersonal righteousness and blood. 

[Import of the words IN NO WISE. ]

"And him that cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out. " IN NOWISE: by these words there is [First, ] Something expressed; and[Second, ] Something implied. 

First, That which is expressed is Christ Jesus, his unchangeableresolution to save the coming sinner; I will in no wise reject him, or deny him the benefit of my death and righteousness. This word, therefore, is like that which he speaks of the everlasting damnationof the sinner in hell-fire; "He shall by no means depart thence;"that is, never, never come out again, no, not to all eternity (Matt5:26; 25:46). So that as he that is condemned into hell-fire hathno ground of hope for his deliverance thence; so him that comethto Christ, hath no ground to fear he shall ever be cast in thither. 

"Thus saith the Lord, If heaven above can be measured, and thefoundations of the earth searched out beneath, I will also castoff all the seed of Israel, for all that they have done, saiththe Lord" (Jer 31:37). "Thus saith the Lord, If my covenant be notwith day and night, and if I have not appointed the ordinances ofheaven and earth, then will I cast away the seed of Jacob" (Jer33:25, 26). But heaven cannot be measured, nor the foundations ofthe earth searched out beneath; his covenant is also with day andnight, and he hath appointed the ordinances of heaven; thereforehe will not cast away the seed of Jacob, who are the coming ones, but will certainly save them from the dreadful wrath to come (Jer50:4, 5). By this, therefore, it is manifest, that it was not thegreatness of sin, nor the long continuance in it, no, nor yet thebacksliding, nor the pollution of thy nature, that can put a barin against, or be an hindrance of, the salvation of the comingsinner. For, if indeed this could be, then would this solemn andabsolute determination of the Lord Jesus, of itself, fall to theground, and be made of none effect. But his "counsel shall stand, and he will do all his pleasure;" that is, his pleasure in this;for his promise, as to this irreversible conclusion, ariseth ofhis pleasure; he will stand to it, and will fulfil it, because itis his pleasure (Isa 46:10, 11). 

Suppose that one man had the sins, or as many sins as an hundred, and another should have an hundred times as many as he; yet, ifthey come, this word, "I will in no wise cast out, " secures themboth alike. 

Suppose a man hath a desire to be saved, and for that purpose iscoming in truth to Jesus Christ; but he, by his debauched life, has damned many in hell; why, the door of hope is by these wordsset as open for him, as it is for him that hath not the thousandthpart of his transgressions. "And him that cometh to me I will inno wise cast out. "

Suppose a man is coming to Christ to be saved, and hath nothing butsin, and an ill-spent life, to bring with him; why, let him come, and welcome to Jesus Christ, "And he will in no wise cast him out"(Luke 7:42). Is not this love that passeth knowledge? Is not thislove the wonderment of angels? And is not this love worthy of allacceptation at the hands and hearts of all coming sinners?

[Hindrances in coming to Christ. ]

Second, That which is implied in the words is, 1. The coming soulshave those that continually lie at Jesus Christ15 to cast them off. 2. The coming souls are afraid that those will prevail with Christto cast them off. For these words are spoken to satisfy us, and tostay up our spirits against these two dangers: "I will in no wisecast out. "

1. For the first, Coming souls have those that continually lie atJesus Christ to cast them off. And there are three things that thusbend themselves against the coming sinner. 

(1. ) There is the devil, that accuser of the brethren, that accusesthem before God, day and night (Rev 12:10). This prince of darknessis unwearied in this work; he doth it, as you see, day and night;that is, without ceasing. He continually puts in his caveats againstthee, if so be he may prevail. How did he ply16 it against thatgood man Job, if possibly he might have obtained his destructionin hell-fire? He objected against him, that he served not God fornought, and tempted God to put forth his hand against him, urging, that if he did it, he would curse him to his face; and all this, as God witnesseth, "he did without a cause" (Job 1:9-11; 2:4, 5). How did he ply it with Christ against Joshua the high-priest? "Andhe showed me Joshua, " said the prophet, "the high-priest, standingbefore the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right handto resist him" (Zech 3:1). 

To resist him; that is, to prevail with the Lord Jesus Christto resist him; objecting the uncleanness and unlawful marriage ofhis sons with the Gentiles; for that was the crime that Satan laidagainst them (Ezra 10:18). Yea, and for aught I know, Joshua wasalso guilty of the fact; but if not of that, of crimes no whitinferior; for he was clothed with filthy garments, as he stoodbefore the angel. Neither had he one word to say in vindication ofhimself, against all that this wicked one had to say against him. But notwithstanding that, he came off well; but he might for it thanka good Lord Jesus, because he did not resist him, but contrariwise, took up his cause, pleaded against the devil, excusing his infirmity, and put justifying robes upon him before his adversary's face. 

"And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan, eventhe Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee. Is not this abrand plucked out of the fire? And he answered and spoke to thosethat stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments fromhim; and unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquityto pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment"(Zech 3:2-4). 

Again, how did Satan ply it against Peter, when he desired to havehim, that he might sift him as wheat? that is, if possible, severall grace from his heart, and leave him nothing but flesh and filth, to the end that he might make the Lord Jesus loathe and abhor him. "Simon, Simon, " said Christ, "Satan hath desired to have you, thathe may sift you as wheat. " But did he prevail against him? No: "ButI have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not. " As who shouldsay, Simon, Satan hath desired me that I would give thee up to him, and not only thee, but all the rest of thy brethren--for that theword you imports--but I will not leave thee in his hand: I haveprayed for thee, thy faith shall not fail; I will secure thee tothe heavenly inheritance (Luke 22:30-32). 

(2. ) As Satan, so every sin of the coming sinner, comes in with avoice against him, if perhaps they may prevail with Christ to castoff the soul. When Israel was coming out of Egypt to Canaan, howmany times had their sins thrown them out of the mercy of God, hadnot Moses, as a type of Christ, stood in the breach to turn awayhis wrath from them! (Psa 106:23). Our iniquities testify againstus, and would certainly prevail against us, to our utter rejectionand damnation, had we not an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christthe righteous (1 John 2:1, 2). 

The sins of the old world cried them down to hell; the sins of Sodomfetched upon them fire from heaven, which devoured them; the sinsof the Egyptians cried them down to hell, because they came notto Jesus Christ for life. Coming sinner, thy sins are no whit lessthan any; nay, perhaps, they are as big as all theirs. Why is itthen, that thou livest when they are dead, and that thou hast apromise of pardon when they had not? "Why, thou art coming to JesusChrist;" and therefore sin shall not be thy ruin. 

(3. ) As Satan and sin, so the law of Moses, as it is a perfectholy law, hath a voice against you before the face of God. "Thereis one that accuseth you, even Moses, " his law (John 5:45). Yea, it accuseth all men of transgression that have sinned against it;for as long as sin is sin, there will be a law to accuse for sin. But this accusation shall not prevail against the coming sinner;because it is Christ that died, and that ever lives, to makeintercession for them that "come to God by him" (Rom 8; Heb 7:25). 

These things, I say, do accuse us before Christ Jesus; yea, andalso to our own faces, if perhaps they might prevail against us. But these words, "I will in no wise cast out, " secureth the comingsinner from them all. 

The coming sinner is not saved, because there is none that comesin against him; but because the Lord Jesus will not hear theiraccusations, will not cast out the coming sinner. When Shimei camedown to meet king David, and to ask for pardon for his rebellion, up starts Abishai, and puts in his caveat, saying, Shall not Shimeidie for this? This is the case of him that comes to Christ. He haththis Abishai, and that Abishai, that presently steps in againsthim, saying, Shall not this rebel's sins destroy him in hell? Readfurther. But David answered, "What have I to do with you, ye sonsof Zeruiah, that ye should this day be adversaries unto me? Shallthere any man be put to death this day in Israel, for do not I know, that I am king this day over Israel?" (2 Sam 19:16-22). That isChrist's answer by the text, to all that accuse the coming Shimeis. What have I to do with you, that accuse the coming sinners to me?I count you adversaries, that are against my showing mercy to them. Do not I know that I am exalted this day to be king of righteousness, and king of peace? "I will in no wise cast them out. "

2. But again, these words do closely imply, that the coming soulsare afraid that these accusers will prevail against them, as isevident, because the text is spoken for their relief and succour. For that need not be, if they that are coming were not subject tofear and despond upon this account. Alas, there is guilt, and thecurse lies upon the conscience of the coming sinner!

Besides, he is conscious to himself what a villain, what a wretchhe hath been against God and Christ. Also he now knows, by woefulexperience, how he hath been at Satan's beck, and at the motionof every lust. He hath now also new thoughts of the holiness andjustice of God. Also he feels, that he cannot forbear sinningagainst him. For the motions of sins, which are by the law, dothstill work in his members, to bring forth fruit unto death (Rom7:5). But none of this needs be [a discouragement] since we haveso good, so tender-hearted, and so faithful a Jesus to come to, who will rather overthrow heaven and earth, than suffer a tittleof this text to fail. "And him that cometh to me I will in no wisecast out. "

[Import of the words TO CAST OUT. ]

Now, we have yet to inquire into two things that lie in the words, to which there hath yet been nothing said. As, FIRST, What it isto cast out. SECOND, How it appears that Christ hath power to saveor cast out?

[WHAT IT IS TO CAST OUT. ]

FIRST. For the first of these, What it is to cast out. To this Iwill speak, First, Generally. Second, More particularly. 

[First, Generally. ]

1. To cast out, is to slight and despise, and contemn; as it issaid of Saul's shield, "it was vilely cast away, " (2 Sam 1:21), that is, slighted and contemned. Thus it is with the sinners thatcome not to Jesus Christ. He slights, despises, and contemns them;that is, "casts them away. "

2. Things cast away are reputed as menstruous cloths, and as thedirt of the street (Isa 3:24; Psa 18:42; Matt 5:13; 15:17). Andthus it shall be with the men that come not to Jesus Christ, theyshall be counted as menstruous, and as the dirt in the streets. 

3. To be cast out, or off, it is to be abhorred, not to be pitied;but to be put to perpetual shame (Psa 44:9; 89:38; Amos 1:11). But, Second, More particularly, to come to the text. The casting outhere mentioned is not limited to this or the other evil: thereforeit must be extended to the most extreme and utmost misery. Or thus:He that cometh to Christ shall not want anything that may make himgospelly-happy in this world, or that which is to come; nor shallhe want anything that cometh not, that may make him spiritually andeternally miserable. But further, As it is to be generally taken[as respecteth the things that are now], so it respecteth thingsthat shall be hereafter. 

I. For the things that are now, they are either, 1. More general:Or, 2. More particular. 

1. More general, thus:

(1. ) It is "to be cast out" of the presence and favour of God. Thus was Cain cast out: "Thou has driven, " or cast "me out thisday; from thy face, " that is, from thy favour "shall I be hid. " Adreadful complaint! But the effect of a more dreadful judgment!(Gen 4:14; Jer 23:39; 1 Chron 28:9). 

(2. ) "To be cast out, " is to be cast out of God's sight. God willlook after them no more, care for them no more; nor will he watchover them any more for good (2 Kings 17:20; Jer 7:15). Now theythat are so, are left like blind men, to wander and fall into thepit of hell. This, therefore, is also a sad judgment! thereforehere is the mercy of him that cometh to Christ. He shall not beleft to wander at uncertainties. The Lord Jesus Christ will keephim, as a shepherd doth his sheep (Psa 23). "Him that cometh to meI will in no wise cast out. "

(3. ) "To be cast out, " is to be denied a place in God's house, andto be left as fugitives and vagabonds, to pass a little time awayin this miserable life, and after that to go down to the dead (Gal4:30; Gen 4:13, 14; 21:10). Therefore here is the benefit of him thatcometh to Christ, he shall not be denied a place in God's house. They shall not be left like vagabonds in the world. "Him thatcometh to me I will in no wise cast out. " See Proverbs 14:26, Isaiah56:3-5, Ephesians 1:1922, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23. 

(4. ) In a word, "To be cast out, " is to be rejected as are thefallen angels. For their eternal damnation began at their beingcast down from heaven to hell. So then, not to be cast out, is tohave a place, a house, and habitation there; and to have a sharein the privileges of elect angels. 

These words, therefore, "I will not cast out, " will prove greatwords one day to them that come to Jesus Christ (2 Peter 2:4; John20:31; Luke 20:35). 

2. Second, and more particularly, (1. ) Christ hath everlasting life for him that cometh to him, andhe shall never perish; "For he will in no wise cast him out;" butfor the rest, they are rejected, "cast out, " and must be damned(John 10:27, 28). 

(2. ) Christ hath everlasting righteousness to clothe them with thatcome to him, and they shall be covered with it as with a garment, but the rest shall be found in the filthy rags of their own stinkingpollutions, and shall be wrapt up in them, as in a winding-sheet, and so bear their shame before the Lord, and also before the angels(Dan 9:27; Isa 57:20; Rev 3:4-18, 15, 16). 

(3. ) Christ hath precious blood, that, like an open fountain, standsfree for him to wash in, that comes to him for life; "And he willin no wise cast him out;" but they that come not to him are rejectedfrom a share therein, and are left to ireful vengeance for theirsins (Zech 13:1; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; John 13:8; 3:16). 

(4. ) Christ hath precious promises, and they shall have a share inthem that come to him for life; for "he will in no wise cast themout. " But they that come not can have no share in them, becausethey are true only in him; for in him, and only in him, all thepromises are yea and amen. Wherefore they that come not to him, are no whit the better for them (Psa 50:16; 2 Cor 1:20, 21). 

(5. ) Christ hath also fullness of grace in himself for them thatcome to him for life: "And he will in no wise cast them out. " Butthose that come not unto him are left in their graceless state;and as Christ leaves them, death, hell, and judgment finds them. "Whoso findeth me, " saith Christ, "findeth life, and shall obtainfavour of the Lord. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth hisown soul: all they that hate me love death" (Prov 8:35, 36). 

(6. ) Christ is an Intercessor, and ever liveth to make intercessionfor them that come to God by him: "But their sorrows shall bemultiplied, that hasten after another, " or other gods, their sinsand lusts. "Their drink-offerings will I not offer, nor take uptheir names into his lips" (Psa 16:4; Heb 7:25). 

(7. ) Christ hath wonderful love, bowels, and compassions, for thosethat come to him; for "he will in no wise cast them out. " But therest will find him a lion rampant; he will one day tear them allto pieces. "Now consider this, " saith he, "ye that forget God, lestI tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver" (Psa 50:22). 

(8. ) Christ is one by and for whose sake those that come to himhave their persons and performances accepted of the Father: "Andhe will in no wise cast them out;" but the rest must fly to therocks and mountains for shelter, but all in vain, to hide them fromhis face and wrath (Rev 6:15-17). 

II. But again, These words, CAST OUT, have a special look to whatwill be hereafter, even at the day of judgment. For then, and nottill then, will be the great anathema and casting out made manifest, even manifest by execution. Therefore here to speak to this, andthat under these two heads. As, First, Of the casting out itself. Second, Of the place into which they shall be cast, that shall thenbe cast out. 

First, The casting out itself standeth in two things. 1. In apreparatory work. 2. In the manner of executing the act. 

1. The preparatory work standeth in these three things. 

(1. ) It standeth in their separation that have not come to him, from them that have, at that day. Or thus: At the day of the greatcasting out, those that have not NOW come to him, shall be separatedfrom them that have; for them that have "he will not cast out. ""When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holyangels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory;and before him shall be gathered all nations, and he shall separatethem one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from thegoats" (Matt 25:31, 32). This dreadful separation, therefore, shallthen be made betwixt them that NOW come to Christ, and them thatcome not. And good reason; for since they would not with us come tohim now they have time, why should they stand with us when judgmentis come?

(2. ) They shall be placed before him according to their condition:they that have come to him, in great dignity, even at his righthand; "For he will in no wise cast them out": but the rest shallbe set at his left hand, the place of disgrace and shame; for theydid not come to him for life. Distinguished also shall they be byfit terms: these that come to him he calleth the sheep, but the restare frowish goats, "and he shall separate them one from another, asa shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats;" and the sheep willbe set on the right hand--next heaven gate, for they came to him--butthe goats on his left, to go from him into hell, because they arenot of his sheep. 

(3. ) Then will Christ proceed to conviction of those that came notto him, and will say, "I was a stranger, and ye took me not in, "or did not come unto me. Their excuse of themselves he will slightas dirt, and proceed to their final judgment. 

2. Now when these wretched rejecters of Christ shall thus be setbefore him in their sins, and convicted, this is the preparatorywork upon which follows the manner of executing the act which willbe done. 

(1. ) In the presence of all the holy angels. 

(2. ) In the presence of all them that in their lifetime came to him, by saying unto them, "Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlastingfire, prepared for the devil and his angels": with the reason annexedto it. For you were cruel to me and mine, particularly discoveredin these words, "For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; Iwas thirsty, and ye gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and ye tookme not in; naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, andye visited me not" (Matt 25:41-43). 

Second, Now it remains that we speak of the place into which theseshall be cast, which, in the general, you have heard already, to wit, the first prepared for the devil and his angels. But, inparticular, it is thus described:--

1. It is called Tophet: "For Tophet is ordained of old, yea, forthe king, " the Lucifer, "it is prepared; he hath made it deep andlarge; the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of theLord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it" (Isa 30:32). 

2. It is called hell. "It is better for thee to enter halt" or lame"into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell" (Mark 9:45). 

3. It is called the wine-press of the wrath of God. "And the angelthrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of theearth, " that is, them that did not come to Christ, "and cast itinto the great wine-press of the wrath of God" (Rev 14:19). 

4. It is called a lake of fire. "And whosoever was not found writtenin the book of life was cast into the lake of fire" (Rev 20:15). 

5. It is called a pit. "Thou hast said in thy heart, I will ascendinto heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I willsit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of thenorth. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of thepit" (Isa 14:13-15). 

6. It is called a bottomless pit, out of which the smoke and thelocust came, and into which the great dragon was cast; and it iscalled bottomless, to show the endlessness of the fall that theywill have into it, that come not, in the acceptable time, to JesusChrist (Rev 9:1, 2; 20:3). . 7. It is called outer darkness. "Bindhim hand and foot--and cast him into outer darkness, " "and castye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, " "there shall beweeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matt 22:13; 25:30). 

8. It is called a furnace of fire. "As therefore the tares aregathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of thisworld. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shallgather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which doiniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shallbe wailing and gnashing of teeth. " And again, "So shall it be atthe end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever thewicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace offire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth" (Matt 13:40-51). 

9. Lastly, It may not be amiss, if, in the conclusion of this, I show in few words to what the things that torment them in thisstate are compared. Indeed, some of them have been occasionallymentioned already; as that they are compared, (1. ) To wood that burneth. 

(2. ) To fire. 

(3. ) To fire and brimstone: But, (4. ) It is compared to a worm, a gnawing worm, a never-dying gnawingworm; They are cast into hell, "where their worm dieth not" (Mark9:44). 

(5. ) It is called unquenchable fire; "He will gather his wheat intothe garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire"(Matt 3:12; Luke 3:17). 

(6. ) It is called everlasting destruction; "The Lord Jesus shall berevealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, takingvengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospelof our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall be punished with everlastingdestruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory ofhis power" (2 Thess 1:7-9). 

(7. ) It is called wrath without mixture, and is given them in thecup of his indignation. "If any man worship the beast, and hisimage, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, thesame shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is pouredout without mixture, into the cup of his indignation; and he shallbe tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holyangels, and in the presence of the Lamb" (Rev 14:9, 10). 

(8. ) It is called the second death. "And death and hell were castinto the lake of fire. This is the second death. Blessed and holyis he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the seconddeath hath no power" (Rev 20:6, 14). 

(9. ) It is called eternal damnation. "But he that shall blasphemeagainst the Holy Ghost, hath never forgiveness, but is in danger ofeternal damnation. " Oh! these three words! Everlasting punishment!Eternal damnation! And For ever and ever! How will they gnaw andeat up all the expectation of the end of the misery of the cast-awaysinners. "And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for everand ever; and they have no rest day nor night, " &c. , (Rev 14:11). 

Their behaviour in hell is set forth by four things as I knowof;--(a. ) By calling for help and relief in vain; (b. ) By weeping;(c. ) By wailing; (d. ) By gnashing of teeth. 

[THE POWER OF CHRIST TO SAVE, OR TO CAST OUT. ]

SECOND. And now we come to the second thing that is to be inquiredinto, namely, How it appears that Christ hath power to save, orto cast out. For by these words, "I will in no wise cast out, " hedeclareth that he hath power to do both. Now this inquiry admitsus to search into the things: First, How it appears that he hathpower to save; Second, How it appears that he hath power to castout. 

First, That he hath power to save, appears by that which follows:--

1. To speak only of him as he is mediator: he was authorized tothis blessed work by his Father, before the world began. Hence theapostle saith, "He hath chosen us in him before the foundation ofthe world" (Eph 1:4). With all those things that effectually willproduce our salvation. Read the same chapter, with 2 Timothy 1:9. 

2. He was promised to our first parents, that he should, in thefullness of time, bruise the serpent's head; and, as Paul expoundsit, redeem them that were under the law. Hence, since that time, he hath been reckoned as slain for our sins. By which means allthe fathers under the first testament were secured from the wrathto come; hence he is called, "The Lamb slain from the foundationof the world" (Rev 13:8; Gen 3:15; Gal 4:4, 5). 

3. Moses gave testimony of him by the types and shadows, and bloodysacrifices, that he commanded from the mouth of God to be in use forthe support of his people's faith, until the time of reformation;which was the time of this Jesus his death (Heb 9, 10). 

4. At the time of his birth it was testified of him by the angel, "That he should save his people from their sins" (Matt 1:21). 

5. It is testified of him in the days of his flesh, that he hadpower on earth to forgive sins (Mark 2:5-12). 

6. It is testified also of him by the apostle Peter, that "God hathexalted him with his own right hand, to be a prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins" (Acts5:31). 

7. In a word, this is everywhere testified of him, both in the OldTestament and the New. And good reason that he should be acknowledgedand trusted in, as a Saviour. 

(1. ) He came down from heaven to be a Saviour (John 6:38-40). 

(2. ) He was anointed when on earth to be a Saviour (Luke 3:22). 

(3. ) He did the works of a Saviour. As, (a. ) He fulfilled the law, and became the end of it for righteousness, for them that believein him (Rom 10:3, 4). (b. ) He laid down his life as a Saviour; hegave his life as "a ransom for many" (Matt 20:28; Mark 10:45; 1 Tim2:6). (c. ) He hath abolished death, destroyed the devil, put awaysin, got the keys of hell and death, is ascended into heaven; isthere accepted of God, and bid sit at the right hand as a Saviour;and that because his sacrifice for sins pleased God (2 Tim 1:10;Heb 2:14, 15; 10:12, 13; Eph 4:7, 8; John 16:10, 11; Acts 5:30, 31). 

(4. ) God hath sent out and proclaimed him as a Saviour, and tellsthe world that we have redemption through his blood, that he willjustify us, if we believe in his blood, and that he can faithfullyand justly do it. Yea, God doth beseech us to be reconciled tohim by his Son; which could not be, if he were not anointed by himto this very end, and also if his works and undertakings were notaccepted of him considered as a Saviour (Rom 3:24, 25; 2 Cor 5:18-21). 

(5. ) God hath received already millions of souls into his paradise, because they have received this Jesus for a Saviour; and is resolvedto cut them off, and to cast them out of his presence, that willnot take him for a Saviour (Heb 12:22-26). 

I intend brevity here; therefore a word to the second, and soconclude. 

Second, How it appears that he hath power to cast out. This appearsalso by what follows:--

1. The Father, for the service that he hath done him as Saviour, hath made him Lord of all, even Lord of quick and dead. "For tothis end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might beLord both of the dead and living" (Rom 14:9). 

2. The Father hath left it with him to quicken whom he will, towit, with saving grace, and to cast out whom he will, for theirrebellion against him (John 5:21). 

3. The Father hath made him judge of quick and dead, hath committedall judgment unto the Son, and appointed that all should honourthe Son, even as they honour the Father (John 5:22, 23). 

4. God will judge the world by this man: the day is appointed forjudgment, and he is appointed for judge. "He hath appointed a dayin the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man"(Acts 17:31). Therefore we must all appear before the judgmentseat of Christ, that every one may receive for the things done inthe body, according to what they have done. If they have closed withhim, heaven and salvation; if they have not, hell and damnation!And for these reasons he must be judge:--

(1. ) Because of his humiliation, because of his Father's word hehumbled himself, and he became obedient unto death, even the deathof the cross. "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, andgiven him a name which is above every name: that at the name ofJesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things inearth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue shouldconfess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. "This hath respect to his being judge, and his sitting in judgmentupon angels and men (Phil 2:7-11; Rom 14:10, 11). 

(2. ) That all men might honour the Son, even as they honour theFather. "For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed alljudgment unto the Son; that all men should honour the Son, even asthey honour the Father" (John 5:22, 23). 

(3. ) Because of his righteous judgment, this work is fit for nocreature; it is only fit for the Son of God. For he will rewardevery man according to his ways (Rev 22:12). 

(4. ) Because he is the Son of man. He "hath given him authority toexecute judgment also, because he is the Son of man" (John 5:27). 

[SECOND, THE TEXT TREATED BY WAY OF OBSERVATION. ]

Thus have I in brief passed through this text by way of explications. My next work is to speak to it by way of observation. But I shallbe also as brief in that as the nature of the thing will admit. "Allthat the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh tome I will in no wise cast out" (John 6:37). 

And now I come to some observations, and a little briefly to speakto them, and then conclude the whole. The words thus explainedafford us many, some of which are these. 1. That God the Father, and Christ his Son, are two distinct persons in the Godhead. 2. Thatby them, not excluding the Holy Ghost, is contrived and determinedthe salvation of fallen mankind. 3. That this contrivance resolveditself into a covenant between these persons in the Godhead, whichstandeth in giving on the Father's part, and receiving on theSon's. "All that the Father giveth me, " &c. 4. That every one thatthe Father hath given to Christ, according to the mind of God inthe text, shall certainly come to him. 5. That coming to JesusChrist is therefore not by the will, wisdom, or power of man; butby the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father. "All that theFather giveth me shall come. " 6. That Jesus Christ will be carefulto receive, and will not in any wise reject those that come, or arecoming to him. "And him that cometh to me I will in no wise castout. " There are, besides these, some other truths implied in thewords. As, 7. They that are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimesheartily afraid that he will not receive them. 8. Jesus Christ wouldnot have them that in truth are coming to him once think that hewill cast them out. 

These observations lie all of them in the words, and are plentifullyconfirmed by the Scriptures of truth; but I shall not at this timespeak to them all, but shall pass by the first, second, third, fourth, and sixth, partly because I design brevity, and partlybecause they are touched upon in the explicatory part of the text. I shall therefore begin with the fifth observation, and so makethat the first in order, in the following discourse. 

[COMING TO CHRIST NOT BY THE POWER OF MAN, BUT BY THE DRAWING OFTHE FATHER. ]

OBSERVATION FIRST. First, then, coming to Christ is not by the will, wisdom, or power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing ofthe Father. This observation standeth of two parts. First, The comingto Christ is not by the will, wisdom, or power of man; Second, Butby the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father. 

That the text carrieth this truth in its bosom, you will find ifyou look into the explication of the first part thereof before. Ishall, therefore, here follow the method propounded, viz: show, First, That coming to Christ is not by the will, wisdom, or powerof man. This is true, because the Word doth positively say it isnot. 

1. It denieth it wholly to be by the will of man. "Not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man" (John 1:13). And again, "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth"(Rom 9:16). 

2. It denieth it to be of the wisdom of man, as is manifest fromthese considerations:

(1. ) In the wisdom of God it pleased him, that the world by wisdomshould not know him. Now, if by their wisdom they cannot know him, it follows, by that wisdom, they cannot come unto him; for comingto him is not before, but after some knowledge of him (1 Cor 1:21;Acts 13:27; Psa 9:10). 

(2. ) The wisdom of man, in God's account, as to the knowledge ofChrist, is reckoned foolishness. "Hath not God made foolish thewisdom of this world?" (1 Cor 1:20). And again, The wisdom of thisworld is foolishness with God (2:14). If God hath made foolish thewisdom of this world; and again, if the wisdom of this world isfoolishness with him, then verily it is not likely, that by thata sinner should become so prudent as to come to Jesus Christ, especially if you consider, (3. ) That the doctrine of a crucified Christ, and so of salvationby him, is the very thing that is counted foolishness to the wisdomof the world. Now, if the very doctrine of a crucified Christ becounted foolishness by the wisdom of this world, it cannot be that, by that wisdom, a man should be drawn out in his soul to come tohim (1 Cor 3:19; 1:18, 23). 

(4. ) God counted the wisdom of this world one of his greatest enemies;therefore, by that wisdom no man can come to Jesus Christ. For itis not likely that one of God's greatest enemies should draw a manto that which best of all pleaseth God, as coming to Christ doth. Now, that God counteth the wisdom of this world one of his greatestenemies, is evident, (a. ) For that it casteth the greatest contemptupon his Son's undertakings, as afore is proved, in that it countshis crucifixion foolishness; though that be one of the highestdemonstrations of Divine wisdom (Eph 1:7, 8). (b. ) Because God haththreatened to destroy it, and bring it to nought, and cause it toperish; which surely he would not do, was it not an enemy, wouldit direct men to, and cause them to close with Jesus Christ (Isa29:14; 1 Cor 1:19). (c. ) He hath rejected it from helping in theministry of his Word, as a fruitless business, and a thing thatcomes to nought (1 Cor 2:4, 6, 12, 13). (d. ) Because it causeth toperish, those that seek it, and pursue it (1 Cor 1:18, 19). (e. )And God has proclaimed, that if any man will be wise in this world, he must be a fool in the wisdom of this world, and that is the wayto be wise in the wisdom of God. "If any man seemeth to be wisein this world, let him become a fool that he may be wise. For thewisdom of this world is foolishness with God" (1 Cor 3:18-20). 

3. Coming to Christ is not by the power of man. This is evidentpartly, (1. ) From that which goeth before. For man's power in the puttingforth of it, in this matter, is either stirred up by love, or senseof necessity; but the wisdom of this world neither gives man loveto, or sense of a need of, Jesus Christ; therefore, his power liethstill, as from that. 

(2. ) What power has he that is dead, as every natural man spirituallyis, even dead in trespasses and sins? Dead, even as dead to God'sNew Testament things as he that is in his grave is dead to thethings of this world. What power hath he, then, whereby to come toJesus Christ? (John 5:25; Eph 2:1; Col 2:13). 

(3. ) God forbids the mighty man's glorying in his strength; andsays positively, "By strength shall no man prevail;" and again, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord" (Jer9:23, 24; 1 Sam 2:9; Zech 4:6; 1 Cor 1:27-31). 

(4. ) Paul acknowledgeth that man, nay, converted man, of himself, hath not a sufficiency of power in himself to think a good thought;if not to do that which is least, for to think is less than tocome; then no man, by his own power, can come to Jesus Christ (2Cor 2:5). 

(5. ) Hence we are said to be made willing to come, by the power ofGod; to be raised from a state of sin to a state of grace, by thepower of God; and to believe, that is to come, through the exceedingworking of his mighty power (Psa 110:3; Col 2:12; Eph 1:18, 20; Job23:14). But this needed not, if either man had power or will tocome; or so much as graciously to think of being willing to come, of themselves, to Jesus Christ. 

Second, I should now come to the proof of the second part of theobservation [namely, the coming to Christ is by the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father], but that is occasionally done already, in the explicatory part of the text, to which I refer the reader;for I shall here only give thee a text or two more to the samepurpose, and so come to the use and application. 

1. It is expressly said, "No man can come to me, except the Fatherwhich hath sent me draw him" (John 6:44). By this text, there isnot only insinuated that in man is want of power, but also of will, to come to Jesus Christ: they must be drawn; they come not if theybe not drawn. And observe, it is not man, no, nor all the angelsin heaven, that can draw one sinner to Jesus Christ. No man comethto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him. 

2. Again, "No man can come unto me, except it were given unto himof my Father" (John 6:65). It is an heavenly gift that maketh mancome to Jesus Christ. 

3. Again, "It is written in the prophets, And they shall be alltaught of God. Every man, therefore, that hath heard, and hathlearned of the Father, cometh unto me" (John 6:45). 

I shall not enlarge, but shall make some use and application, andso come to the next observation. 

[Use and Application of Observation First. ]

Use First. Is it so? Is coming to Jesus Christ not by the will, wisdom, or power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing ofthe Father? Then they are to blame that cry up the will, wisdom, and power of man, as things sufficient to bring men to Christ. 

There are some men who think they may not be contradicted, whenthey plead for the will, wisdom, and power of man in reference tothe things that are of the kingdom of Christ; but I will say tosuch a man, he never yet came to understand, that himself is whatthe Scripture teacheth concerning him; neither did he ever knowwhat coming to Christ is, by the teaching, gift, and drawing of theFather. He is such a one that hath set up God's enemy in oppositionto him, and that continueth in such acts of defiance; and what hisend, without a new birth, will be, the Scripture teacheth also;but we will pass this. 

Use Second. Is it so? Is coming to Jesus Christ by the gift, promise, and drawing of the Father? Then let saints here learn toascribe their coming to Christ to the gift, promise, and drawing ofthe Father. Christian man, bless God, who hath given thee to JesusChrist by promise; and again, bless God for that he hath drawn theeto him. And why is it thee? Why not another? O that the glory ofelecting love should rest upon thy head, and that the glory of theexceeding grace of God should take hold of thy heart, and bringthee to Jesus Christ!

Use Third. Is it so, that coming to Jesus Christ is by the Father, as aforesaid? Then this should teach us to set a high esteem uponthem that indeed are coming to Jesus Christ; I say, an high esteemon them, for the sake of him by virtue of whose grace they are madeto come to Jesus Christ. 

We see that when men, by the help of human abilities, do arriveat the knowledge of, and bring to pass that which, when done, is awonder to the world, how he that did it, is esteemed and commended;yea, how are his wits, parts, industry, and unweariedness in alladmired, and yet the man, as to this, is but of the world, and hiswork the effect of natural ability; the things also attained byhim end in vanity and vexation of spirit. Further, perhaps in thepursuit of these his achievements, he sins against God, wastes histime vainly, and at long-run loses his soul by neglecting of betterthings; yet he is admired! But I say, if this man's parts, labour, diligence, and the like, will bring him to such applause and esteemin the world, what esteem should we have of such an one that is bythe gift, promise, and power of God, coming to Jesus Christ?

1. This is a man with whom God is, in whom God works and walks; aman whose motion is governed and steered by the mighty hand of God, and the effectual working of his power. Here is a man!

2. This man, by the power of God's might, which worketh in him, is able to cast a whole world behind him, with all the lusts andpleasures of it, and to charge through all the difficulties thatmen and devils can set against him. Here is a man. 

3. This man is travelling to Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the city of the living God, and to an innumerable company of angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, to God the Judge of all, and to Jesus. Here is a man!

4. This man can look upon death with comfort, can laugh at destructionwhen it cometh, and longs to hear the sound of the last trump, and to see his Judge coming in the clouds of heaven. Here is a manindeed!

Let Christians, then, esteem each other as such. I know you do it;but do it more and more. And that you may, consider these two orthree things. (1. ) These are the objects of Christ's esteem (Matt12:48, 49; 15:22-28; Luke 7:9). (2. ) These are the objects of theesteem of angels (Dan 9:12; 10:21, 22; 13:3, 4; Heb 2:14). (3. ) Thesehave been the objects of the esteem of heathens, when but convincedabout them (Dan 5:10, 11; Acts 5:15; 1 Cor 14:24, 25). "Let each [ofyou, then, ] esteem [each] other better than themselves" (Phil 2:2). 

Use Fourth. Again, Is it so, that no man comes to Jesus Christ bythe will, wisdom, and power of man, but by the gift, promise, anddrawing of the Father? Then this shows us how horribly ignorant ofthis such are, who make the man that is coming to Christ the objectof their contempt and rage. These are also unreasonable and wickedmen; men in whom is no faith (2 Thess 3:2). Sinners, did you butknow what a blessed thing it is to come to Jesus Christ, and thatby the help and drawing of the Father, they do indeed come to him;you would hang and burn in hell a thousand years, before you wouldturn your spirits as you do, against him that God is drawing toJesus Christ, and also against the God that draws him. 

But, faithless sinner, let us a little expostulate the matter. Whathath this man done against thee, that is coming to Jesus Christ?Why dost thou make him the object of thy scorn? doth his coming toJesus Christ offend thee? doth his pursuing of his own salvationoffend thee? doth his forsaking of his sins and pleasures offendthee?

Poor coming man! "Shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptiansbefore their eyes, and will they not stone us?" (Exo 8:26). 

But, I say, why offended at this? Is he ever the worse for comingto Jesus Christ, or for his loving and serving of Jesus Christ? Oris he ever the more a fool, for flying from that which will drownthee in hell-fire, and for seeking eternal life? Besides, pray, Sirs, consider it; this he doth, not of himself, but by the drawingof the Father. Come, let me tell thee in thine ear, thou that wiltnot come to him thyself, and him that would, thou hinderest--

1. Thou shalt be judged for one that hath hated, maligned, andreproached Jesus Christ, to whom this poor sinner is coming. 

2. Thou shalt be judged, too, for one that hath hated the Father, by whose powerful drawing this sinner doth come. 

3. Thou shalt be taken and judged for one that has done despite tothe Spirit of grace in him that is, by its help, coming to JesusChrist. What sayest thou now? Wilt thou stand by thy doings? Wiltthou continue to contemn and reproach the living God? Thinkest thouthat thou shalt weather it out well enough at the day of judgment?"Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the daysthat I shall deal with thee, " saith the Lord? (Eze 22:14, John15:18-25; Jude 15; 1 Thess 4:8). 

Use Fifth. Is it so, that no man comes to Jesus Christ by the will, wisdom, and power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing ofthe Father? Then this showeth us how it comes to pass, that weakmeans are so powerful as to bring men out of their sins to a heartypursuit after Jesus Christ. When God bid Moses speak to the people, he said, "I will give thee counsel, and God shall be with thee"(Exo 18:19). When God speaks, when God works, who can let it?None, none; then the work goes on! Elias threw his mantle uponthe shoulders of Elisha; and what a wonderful work followed! WhenJesus fell in with the crowing of a cock, what work was there! Owhen God is in the means, then shall that means--be it never soweak and contemptible in itself--work wonders (1 Kings 19:19; Matt26:74, 75; Mark 14:71, 72; Luke 22:60-62). The world understood not, nor believed, that the walls of Jericho should fall at the sound oframs' horns; but when God will work, the means must be effectual. A word weakly spoken, spoken with difficulty, in temptation, and inthe midst of great contempt and scorn, works wonders, if the Lordthy God will say so too. 

Use Sixth. Is it so? Doth no man come to Jesus Christ by the will, wisdom, and power of man, but by the gift, promise, and drawing ofthe Father? Then here is room for Christians to stand and wonderat the effectual working of God's providences, that he hath madeuse of, as means to bring them to Jesus Christ. 

For although men are drawn to Christ by the power of the Father, yet that power putteth forth itself in the use of means: and thesemeans are divers, sometimes this, sometimes that; for God is atliberty to work by which, and when, and how he will; but let themeans be what they will, and as contemptible as may be, yet Godthat commanded the light to shine out of darkness, and that outof weakness can make strong, can, nay, doth oftentimes make useof very unlikely means to bring about the conversion and salvationof his people. Therefore, you that are come to Christ--and thatby unlikely means--stay yourselves, and wonder, and, wondering, magnify almighty power, by the work of which the means hath beenmade effectual to bring you to Jesus Christ. 

What was the providence that God made use of as a means, eithermore remote or more near, to bring thee to Jesus Christ? Was it theremoving of thy habitation, the change of thy condition, the lossof relations, estate, or the like? Was it thy casting of thine eyeupon some good book, thy hearing of thy neighbours talk of heavenlythings, the beholding of God's judgments as executed upon others, or thine own deliverance from them, or thy being strangely cast underthe ministry of some godly man? O take notice of such providence orprovidences! They were sent and managed by mighty power to do theegood. God himself, I say, hath joined himself unto this chariot:yea, and so blessed it, that it failed not to accomplish the thingfor which he sent it. 

God blesseth not to every one his providences in this manner. Howmany thousands are there in this world, that pass every day underthe same providences! but God is not in them, to do that work bythem as he hath done for thy poor soul, by his effectually workingwith them. O that Jesus Christ should meet thee in this providence, that dispensation, or the other ordinance! This is grace indeed!At this, therefore, it will be thy wisdom to admire, and for thisto bless God. 

Give me leave to give you a taste of some of those providencesthat have been effectual, through the management of God, to bringsalvation to the souls of his people. 

(1. ) The first shall be that of the woman of Samaria. It musthappen, that she must needs go out of the city to draw water, notbefore nor after, but just when Jesus Christ her Saviour was comefrom far, and set to rest him, being weary, upon the well. Whata blessed providence was this! Even a providence managed by thealmighty wisdom, and almighty power, to the conversion and salvationof this poor creature. For by this providence was this poor creatureand her Saviour brought together, that that blessed work might befulfilled upon the woman, according to the purpose before determinedby the Father (John 4). 

(2. ) What providence was it that there should be a tree in the wayfor Zaccheus to climb, thereby to give Jesus opportunity to callthat chief of the publicans home to himself, even before he camedown therefrom (Luke 19). 

(3. ) Was it not also wonderful that the thief, which you read of inthe gospel, should, by the providence of God, be cast into prison, to be condemned even at that session that Christ himself was todie; nay, and that it should happen, too, that they must be hangedtogether, that the thief might be in hearing and observing ofJesus in his last words, that he might be converted by him beforehis death! (Luke 23). 

(4. ) What a strange providence was it, and as strangely managed byGod, that Onesimus, when he was run away from his master, shouldbe taken, and, as I think, cast into that very prison where Paullay bound for the Word of the gospel; that he might there be by himconverted, and then sent home again to his master Philemon! Behold"all things work together for good to them that love God, to themwho are the called according to his purpose" (Rom 8:28). 

Nay, I have myself known some that have been made to go to hear theWord preached against their wills; others have gone not to hear, but to see and to be seen; nay, to jeer and flout others, as alsoto catch and carp at things. Some also to feed their adulterouseyes with the sight of beautiful objects; and yet God hath made useeven of these things, and even of the wicked and sinful proposalsof sinners, to bring them under the grace that might save theirsouls. 

Use Seventh. Doth no man come to Jesus Christ but by the drawing, &c. , of the Father? Then let me here caution those poor sinners, that are spectators of the change that God hath wrought in them thatare coming to Jesus Christ, not to attribute this work and changeto other things and causes. 

There are some poor sinners in the world that plainly see a change, a mighty change, in their neighbours and relations that are comingto Jesus Christ. But, as I said, they being ignorant, and notknowing whence it comes and whither it goes, for "so is every onethat is born of the Spirit, " (John 3:8), therefore they attributethis change to others causes: as melancholy; to sitting alone; toovermuch reading; to their going to too many sermons; to too muchstudying and musing on what they hear. 

Also they conclude, on the other side, that it is for want of merrycompany; for want of physic; and therefore they advise them toleave off reading, going to sermons, the company of sober people;and to be merry, to go a gossiping, to busy themselves in thethings of this world, not to sit musing alone, &c. But come, poorignorant sinner, let me deal with thee. It seems thou art turnedcounsellor for Satan: I tell thee thou knowest not what thou dost. Take heed of spending thy judgment after this manner; thou judgestfoolishly, and sayest in this, to every one that passeth by, thouart a fool. What! count convictions for sin, mournings for sin, and repentance for sin, melancholy? This is like those that on theother side said, "These men are [drunk with] full of new wine, " &c. Or as he that said Paul was mad (Acts 2:13, 26:24). Poor ignorantsinner! canst thou judge no better? What! is sitting alone, pensiveunder God's hand, reading the Scriptures, and hearing of sermons, &c. , the way to be undone? The Lord open thine eyes, and make theeto see thine error! Thou hast set thyself against God, thou hastdespised the operation of his hands, thou attemptest to murdersouls. What! canst thou give no better counsel touching those whomGod hath wounded, than to send them to the ordinances of hell forhelp? Thou biddest them be merry and lightsome; but dost thou notknow that "the heart of fools is in the house of mirth?" (Eccl7:4). 

Thou biddest them shun the hearing of thundering preachers; butis it not "better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a manto hear the song of fools?" (Eccl 7:5). Thou biddest them busythemselves in the things of this world; but dost thou not know thatthe Lord bids, "Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness?"(Matt 6:33). Poor ignorant sinner! hear the counsel of God to such, and learn thyself to be wiser. "Is any afflicted? let him pray. Isany merry? let him sing psalms" (James 5:13). "Blessed is the manthat heareth me" (Prov 8:32). And hear for time to come, "Saveyourselves from this untoward generation" (Acts 2:40). "Search theScriptures" (John 5:39). "Give attendance to reading" (1 Tim 4:13). "It is better to go to the house of mourning" (Eccl 7:2, 3). 

And wilt thou judge him that doth thus? Art thou almost like Elymasthe sorcerer, that sought to turn the deputy from the faith? Thouseekest to pervert the right ways of the Lord. Take heed lest someheavy judgment overtake thee (Acts 13:8-13). What! teach men toquench convictions; take men off from a serious consideration ofthe evil of sin, of the terrors of the world to come, and how theyshall escape the same? What! teach men to put God and his Wordout of their minds, by running to merry company, by running to theworld, by gossiping? &c. This is as much as to bid them to say toGod, "Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways;"or, "What is the Almighty that we should serve him? or what profithave we if we keep his ways?" Here is a devil in grain! What! bidman walk "according to the course of this world, according to theprince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in thechildren of disobedience" (Eph 2:2). 

[Two objections answered. ]

Object. 1. But we do not know that such are coming to Jesus Christ;truly we wonder at them, and think they are fools. 

Answ. Do you not know that they are coming to Jesus Christ? thenthey may be coming to him, for aught you know; and why will ye beworse than the brute, to speak evil of the things you know not?What! are ye made to be taken and destroyed? must ye utterly perishin your own corruptions? (2 Peter 2:12). Do you not know them? Letthem alone then. If you cannot speak good of them, speak not bad. "Refrain from these men, and let them alone; for if this counsel orthis work be of men, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it, lest haply ye be found even to fight againstGod" (Acts 5:38, 39). But why do you wonder at a work of convictionand conversion? Know you not that this is the judgment of Godupon you, "ye despisers, to behold, and wonder, and perish?" (Acts13:40, 41). But why wonder, and think they are fools? Is the way ofthe just an abomination to you? See that passage, and be ashamed, "He that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked"(Prov 29:27). Your wondering at them argues that you are strangersto yourselves, to conviction for sin, and to hearty desires to besaved; as also to coming to Jesus Christ. 

Object. 2. But how shall we know that such men are coming to JesusChrist?

Answ. Who can make them see that Christ has made blind? (John 2:8, 9). Nevertheless, because I endeavour thy conviction, conversion, andsalvation, consider: Do they cry out of sin, being burthened withit, as of an exceeding bitter thing? Do they fly from it, as fromthe face of a deadly serpent? Do they cry out of the insufficiencyof their own righteousness, as to justification in the sight ofGod? Do they cry out after the Lord Jesus, to save them? Do theysee more worth and merit in one drop of Christ's blood to save them, than in all the sins of the world to damn them? Are they tender ofsinning against Jesus Christ? Is his name, person, and undertakings, more precious to them, than is the glory of the world? Is this wordmore dear unto them? Is faith in Christ (of which they are convincedby God's Spirit of the want of, and that without it they can neverclose with Christ) precious to them? Do they savour Christ in hisWord, and do they leave all the world for his sake? And are theywilling, God helping them, to run hazards for his name, for thelove they bear to him? Are his saints precious to them? If thesethings be so, whether thou seest them or no, these men are comingto Jesus Christ (Rom 7:914; Psa 38:3-8; Heb 6:18-20; Isa 64:6; Phil3:7, 8; Psa 54:1; 109:26; Acts 16:30; Psa 51:7, 8; 1 Peter 1:18, 19;Rom 7:24; 2 Cor 5:2; Acts 5:41; James 2:7; Song 5:10-16; Psa 119;John 13:35; 1 John 4:7; 3:14; John 16:9; Rom 14:23; Heb 11:6; Psa19:10, 11; Jer 15:16; Heb 11:24-27; Acts 20:22-24; 21:13; Titus3:15; 2 John 1; Eph 4:16; Phile 7; 1 Cor 16:24). 

[COMERS OFTTIMES AFRAID THAT CHRIST WILL NOT RECEIVE THEM. ]

OBSERVATION SECOND. --I come now to the second observation propoundedto be spoken to, to wit, That they that are coming to Jesus Christ, are ofttimes heartily afraid that Jesus Christ will not receivethem. 

I told you that this observation is implied in the text; and Igather it, First, From the largeness and openness of the promise: "Iwill in no wise cast out. " For had there not been a proneness inus to "fear casting out, " Christ needed not to have, as it were, waylaid our fear, as he doth by this great and strange expression, "In no wise;" "And him that cometh to me I will in no wise castout. " There needed not, as I may say, such a promise to be inventedby the wisdom of heaven, and worded at such a rate, as it were onpurpose to dash in pieces at one blow all the objections of comingsinners, if they were not prone to admit of such objections, tothe discouraging of their own souls. For this word, "in no wise, "cutteth the throat of all objections; and it was dropped by theLord Jesus for that very end; and to help the faith that is mixedwith unbelief. And it is, as it were, the sum of all promises;neither can any objection be made upon the unworthiness that thoufindest in thee, that this promise will not assoil. 

But I am a great sinner, sayest thou. "I will in no wise cast out, "says Christ. But I am an old sinner, sayest thou. "I will in no wisecast out, " says Christ. But I am a hard-hearted sinner, sayest thou. "I will in no wise cast out, " says Christ. But I am a backslidingsinner, sayest thou. "I will in no wise cast out, " says Christ. ButI have served Satan all my days, sayest thou. "I will in no wisecast out, " says Christ. But I have sinned against light, sayestthou. "I will in no wise cast out, " says Christ. But I have sinnedagainst mercy, sayest thou. "I will in no wise cast out, " saysChrist. But I have no good thing to bring with me, sayest thou. "Iwill in no wise cast out, " says Christ. 

Thus I might go on to the end of things, and show you, that stillthis promise was provided to answer all objections, and doth answerthem. But I say, what need it be, if they that are coming to JesusChrist are not sometimes, yea, oftentimes, heartily afraid, "thatJesus Christ will cast them out?"

Second, I will give you now two instances that seem to imply thetruth of this observation. 

In the ninth of Matthew, at the second verse, you read of a manthat was sick of the palsy; and he was coming to Jesus Christ, being borne upon a bed by his friends: he also was coming himself, and that upon another account than any of his friends were awareof; even for the pardon of sins, and the salvation of his soul. Now, so soon as ever he was come into the presence of Christ, Christbids him "be of good cheer. " It seems then, his heart was fainting;but what was the cause of his fainting? Not his bodily infirmity, for the cure of which his friends did bring him to Christ; but theguilt and burden of his sins, for the pardon of which himself didcome to him; therefore he proceeds, "Be of good cheer, thy sins beforgiven thee. " I say, Christ saw him sinking in his mind, abouthow it would go with his most noble part; and therefore, first, heapplies himself to him upon that account. For though his friendshad faith enough as to the cure of the body, yet he himself hadlittle enough as to the cure of his soul: therefore Christ takeshim up as a man falling down, saying, "Son, be of good cheer, thysins be forgiven thee. "

That about the Prodigal seems pertinent also to this matter: "Whenhe came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father'shave bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I willarise and go to my father. " Heartily spoken; but how did he performhis promise? I think not so well as he promised to do; and my groundfor my thoughts is, because his father, so soon as he was come tohim, fell upon his neck and kissed him; implying, methinks, as ifthe prodigal by this time was dejected in his mind; and thereforehis father gives him the most sudden and familiar token ofreconciliation. And kisses were of old time often used to removedoubts and fears. Thus Laban and Esau kiss Jacob. Thus Josephkissed his brethren; and thus also David kissed Absalom (Gen 31:55;33:1-4; 48:9, 10; 2 Sam 14:33). It is true, as I said, at firstsetting out, he spake heartily, as sometimes sinners also do intheir beginning to come to Jesus Christ; but might not he, yea, in all probability he had, between the first step he took, and thelast, by which he accomplished that journey, many a thought, boththis way and that; as whether his father would receive him or no?As thus: I said, "I would go to my Father. " But how, if when I comeat him he should ask me, Where I have all this while been? Whatmust I say then? Also, if he ask me, What is become of the portionof goods that he gave me? What shall I say then? If he asks me, Whohave been my companions? What shall I say then? If he also shallask me, What hath been my preferment in all the time of my absencefrom him? What shall I say then? Yea, and if he ask me, Why I camehome no sooner? What shall I say then? Thus, I say, might he reasonwith himself, and being conscious to himself, that he could givebut a bad answer to any of these interrogatories, no marvel if hestood in need first of all of a kiss from his father's lips. Forhad he answered the first in truth, he must say, I have been ahaunter of taverns and ale-houses; and as for my portion, I spentit in riotous living; my companions were whores and drabs; as formy preferment, the highest was, that I became a hog-herd; and asfor my not coming home till now, could I have made shift to havestaid abroad any longer, I had not lain at thy feet for mercy now. 

I say, these things considered, and considering, again, how pronepoor man is to give way, when truly awakened, to despondings andheart misgivings, no marvel if he did sink in his mind, between thetime of his first setting out, and that of his coming to his Father. 

Third, But, thirdly, methinks I have for the confirmation of thistruth the consent of all the saints that are under heaven, to wit, That they that are coming to Jesus Christ, are ofttimes heartilyafraid that he will not receive them. 

Quest. But what should be the reason? I will answer to this questionthus:

1. It is not for want of the revealed will of God, that manifestethgrounds for the contrary, for of that there is a sufficiency; yea, the text itself hath laid a sufficient foundation for encouragement, for them that are coming to Jesus Christ. "And him that cometh tome I will in no wise cast out. "

2. It is not for want of any invitation to come, for that is fulland plain. "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matt 11:28). 

3. Neither is it for want of a manifestation of Christ's willingnessto receive, as those texts above named, with that which follows, declareth, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink"(John 7:37). 

4. It is not for want of exceeding great and precious promises toreceive them that come. "Wherefore come out from among them, andbe ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shallbe my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty" (2 Cor 6:17, 18). 

5. It is not for want of solemn oath and engagement to save themthat come. "For--because he could swear by no greater, he sware byhimself--that by two immutable things, in which it was impossiblefor God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fledfor refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb 6:13-18). 

6. Neither is it for want of great examples of God's mercy, thathave come to Jesus Christ, of which we read most plentifully inthe Word. Therefore, it must be concluded, it is for want of thatwhich follows. 

[What it is that prevents the coming to Christ. ]

First, It is for want of the knowledge of Christ. Thou knowest butlittle of the grace and kindness that is in the heart of Christ;thou knowest but little of the virtue and merit of his blood; thouknowest but little of the willingness that is in his heart to savethee; and this is the reason of the fear that ariseth in thy heart, and that causeth thee to doubt that Christ will not receive thee. Unbelief is the daughter of Ignorance. Therefore Christ saith, "Ofools, and slow of heart to believe" (Luke 24:25). 

Slowness of heart to believe, flows from thy foolishness in thethings of Christ; this is evident to all that are acquainted withthemselves, and are seeking after Jesus Christ. The more ignorance, the more unbelief. The more knowledge of Christ, the more faith. "They that know thy name will put their trust in thee" (Psa 9:10). He, therefore, that began to come to Christ but the other day, andhath yet but little knowledge of him, he fears that Christ will notreceive him. But he that hath been longer acquainted with him, he"is strong, and hath overcome the wicked one" (1 John 2:13). WhenJoseph's brethren came into Egypt to buy corn, it is said, "Josephknew his brethren, but his brethren knew not him. " What follows?Why, great mistrust of heart about their speeding well; especially, if Joseph did but answer them roughly, calling them spies, andquestioning their truth and the like. And observe it, so long astheir ignorance about their brother remained with them, whatsoeverJoseph did, still they put the worse sense upon it. For instance, Joseph upon a time bids the steward of his house bring them home, to dine with him, to dine even in Joseph's house. And how is thisresented by them? Why, they are afraid. "And the men were afraid, because they were brought unto" their brother "Joseph's house. "And they said, He seeketh occasion against us, and will fall uponus, and take us for bondmen, and our asses (Gen 42, 43). What!afraid to go to Joseph's house? He was their brother; he intendedto feast them; to feast them, and to feast with them. Ah! butthey were ignorant that he was their brother. And so long as theirignorance lasted, so long their fear terrified them. Just thusit is with the sinner that but of late is coming to Jesus Christ. He is ignorant of the love and pity that is in Christ to comingsinners. Therefore he doubts, therefore he fears, therefore hisheart misgives him. 

Coming sinner, Christ inviteth thee to dine and sup with him. Heinviteth thee to a banquet of wine, yea, to come into his wine-cellar, and his banner over thee shall be love (Rev 3:20; Song 2:5). ButI doubt it, says the sinner: but, it is answered, he calls thee, invites thee to his banquet, flagons, apples; to his wine, and tothe juice of his pomegranate. "O, I fear, I doubt, I mistrust, Itremble in expectation of the contrary!" Come out of the man, thoudastardly ignorance! Be not afraid, sinner, only believe; "He thatcometh to Christ he will in no wise cast out. "

Let the coming sinner, therefore, seek after more of the goodknowledge of Jesus Christ. Press after it, seek it as silver, anddig for it as for hid treasure. This will embolden thee; this willmake thee wax stronger and stronger. "I know whom I have believed, "I know him, said Paul; and what follows? Why, "and I am persuadedthat he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him, against that day" (2 Tim 1:12). What had Paul committed to JesusChrist? The answer is, He had committed to him his soul. But whydid he commit his soul to him? Why, because he knew him. He knewhim to be faithful, to be kind. He knew he would not fail him, norforsake him; and therefore he laid his soul down at his feet, andcommitted it to him, to keep against that day. But, Second, Thy fears that Christ will not receive thee may be also aconsequent of thy earnest and strong desires after thy salvation byhim. For this I observe, that strong desires to have, are attendedwith strong fears of missing. What man most sets his heart upon, and what his desires are most after, he ofttimes most fears he shallnot obtain. So the man, the ruler of the synagogue, had a greatdesire that his daughter should live; and that desire was attendedwith fear, that she should not. Wherefore, Christ saith unto him, "Be not afraid" (Mark 5:36). 

Suppose a young man should have his heart much set upon a virginto have her to wife, if ever he fears he shall not obtain her, itis when he begins to love; now, thinks he, somebody will step inbetwixt my love and the object of it; either they will find faultwith my person, my estate, my conditions, or something! Now thoughtsbegin to work; she doth not like me, or something. And thus it iswith the soul at first coming to Jesus Christ, thou lovest him, and thy love produceth jealousy, and that jealousy ofttimes begetsfears. 

Now thou fearest the sins of thy youth, the sins of thine old age, the sins of thy calling, the sins of thy Christian duties, the sinsof thine heart, or something; thou thinkest something or other willalienate the heart and affections of Jesus Christ from thee; thouthinkest he sees something in thee, for the sake of which he willrefuse thy soul. But be content, a little more knowledge of himwill make thee take better heart; thy earnest desires shall not beattended with such burning fears; thou shalt hereafter say, "Thisis my infirmity" (Psa 77:10). 

Thou art sick of love, a very sweet disease, and yet every diseasehas some weakness attending of it: yet I wish this distemper, if itbe lawful to call it so, was more epidemical. Die of this diseaseI would gladly do; it is better than life itself, though it beattended with fears. But thou criest, I cannot obtain: well, benot too hasty in making conclusions. If Jesus Christ had not puthis finger in at the hole of the lock, thy bowels would not havebeen troubled for him (Song 5:4). Mark how the prophet hath it, "They shall walk after the Lord; he shall roar like a lion; whenhe shall roar, then the children shall tremble from the west, theyshall tremble as a bird out of Egypt, and as a dove out of the landof Assyria" (Hosea 11:10, 11). When God roars (as ofttimes the comingsoul hears him roar), what man that is coming can do otherwise thantremble? (Amos 3:8). But trembling he comes: "He sprang in, andcame trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas" (Acts 16:29). 

Should you ask him that we mentioned but now, How long is it sinceyou began to fear you should miss of this damsel you love so? Theanswer will be, Ever since I began to love her. But did you notfear it before? No, nor should I fear it now, but that I vehementlylove her. Come, sinner, let us apply it: How long is it since thoubegan to fear that Jesus Christ will not receive thee? Thy answeris, Ever since I began to desire that he would save my soul. Ibegan to fear, when I began to come; and the more my heart burnsin desires after him, the more I feel my heart fear I shall notbe saved by him. See now, did not I tell thee that thy fears werebut the consequence of strong desires? Well, fear not, coming sinner, thousands of coming souls are in thy condition, and yet they willget safe into Christ's bosom: "Say, " says Christ, "to them thatare of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not; your God will comeand save you" (Isa 35:4; 63:1). 

Third, Thy fear that Christ will not receive thee may arise froma sense of thine own unworthiness. Thou seest what a poor, sorry, wretched, worthless creature thou art; and seeing this, thou fearestChrist will not receive thee. Alas, sayest thou, I am the vilestof all men; a town-sinner, a ringleading sinner! I am not only asinner myself, but have made others twofold worse the children ofhell also. Besides, now I am under some awakenings and stirrings ofmind after salvation, even now I find my heart rebellious, carnal, hard, treacherous, desperate, prone to unbelief, to despair: itforgetteth the Word; it wandereth; it runneth to the ends of theearth. There is not, I am persuaded, one in all the world that hathsuch a desperate wicked heart as mine is; my soul is careless todo good, but none more earnest to do that which is evil. 

Can such a one as I am, live in glory? Can a holy, a just, and arighteous God, once think (with honour to his name) of saving sucha vile creature as I am? I fear it. Will he show wonders to such adead dog as I am? I doubt it. I am cast out to the loathing of myperson, yea, I loath myself; I stink in mine own nostrils. How canI then be accepted by a holy and sin-abhorring God? (Psa 38:5-7;Eze 11; 20:42, 44). Saved I would be; and who is there that wouldnot, were they in my condition? Indeed, I wonder at the madnessand folly of others, when I see them leap and skip so carelesslyabout the mouth of hell! Bold sinner, how darest thou tempt God, by laughing at the breach of his holy law? But alas! they are notso bad one way, but I am worse another: I wish myself were anybodybut myself; and yet here again, I know not what to wish. When Isee such as I believe are coming to Jesus Christ, O I bless them!But I am confounded in myself, to see how unlike, as I think, I amto every good man in the world. They can read, hear, pray, remember, repent, be humble, do everything better than so vile a wretch asI. I, vile wretch, am good for nothing but to burn in hell-fire, and when I think of that, I am confounded too!

Thus the sense of unworthiness creates and heightens fears in thehearts of them that are coming to Jesus Christ; but indeed it shouldnot; for who needs the physician but the sick? or who did Christcome into the world to save, but the chief of sinners? (Mark 2:17;1 Tim 1:15). Wherefore, the more thou seest thy sins, the fasterfly thou to Jesus Christ. And let the sense of thine own unworthinessprevail with thee yet to go faster. As it is with the man thatcarrieth his broken arm in a sling to the bone-setter, still as hethinks of his broken arm, and as he feels the pain and anguish, hehastens his pace to the man. And if Satan meets thee, and asketh, Whither goest thou? tell him thou art maimed, and art going to theLord Jesus. If he objects thine own unworthiness, tell him, Thateven as the sick seeketh the physician; as he that hath broken bonesseeks him that can set them; so thou art going to Jesus Christ forcure and healing for thy sin sick soul. But it ofttimes happenethto him that flies for his life, he despairs of escaping, andtherefore delivers himself up into the hand of the pursuer. Butup, up, sinner; be of good cheer, Christ came to save the unworthyones: be not faithless, but believe. Come away, man, the Lord Jesuscalls thee, saying, "And him that cometh to me I will in no wisecast out. "

Fourth. Thy fear that Christ will not receive thee, may arise froma sense of the exceeding mercy of being saved; sometimes salvationis in the eyes of him that desires so great, so huge, so wonderfula thing, that the very thoughts of the excellency of it, engendersunbelief about obtaining it, in the heart of those that unfeignedlydesire it. "Seemeth it to you, " saith David, "a light thing to bea king's son-in-law?" (1 Sam 18:23). So the thoughts of the greatnessand glory of the thing propounded, as heaven, eternal life, eternalglory, to be with God, and Christ, and angels; these are greatthings, things too good, saith the soul that is little in his owneyes; things too rich, saith the soul that is truly poor in spirit, for me. 

Besides, the Holy Ghost hath a way to greaten heavenly things tothe understanding of the coming sinner; yea, and at the same timeto greaten, too, the sin and unworthiness of that sinner. Now thesoul staggeringly wonders, saying, What! to be made like angels, like Christ, to live in eternal bliss, joy, and felicity! This isfor angels, and for them that can walk like angels! If a prince, a duke, an earl, should send (by the hand of his servant) for somepoor, sorry, beggarly scrub, to take her for his master to wife, and the servant should come and say, My lord and master, such anone hath sent me to thee, to take thee to him to wife; he is rich, beautiful, and of excellent qualities; he is loving, meek, humble, well-spoken, &c. What now would this poor, sorry, beggarly creaturethink? What would she say? or how would she frame an answer? Whenking David sent to Abigail upon this account, and though she was arich woman, yet she said, "Behold, let thine handmaid be a servantto wash the feet of the servants of my lord" (1 Sam 25:40, 41). Shewas confounded, she could not well tell what to say, the offer wasso great, beyond what could in reason be expected. 

But suppose this great person should second his suit, and send tothis sorry creature again, what would she say now? Would she notsay, You mock me? But what if he affirms that he is in good earnest, and that his lord must have her to wife; yea, suppose he shouldprevail upon her to credit his message, and to address herself forher journey; yet, behold every thought of her pedigree confoundsher; also her sense of want of beauty makes her ashamed; and if shedoth but think of being embraced, the unbelief that is mixed withthat thought whirls her into tremblings; and now she calls herselffool, for believing the messenger, and thinks not to go; if shethinks of being bold, she blushes; and the least thought that sheshall be rejected, when she comes at him, makes her look as if shewould give up the ghost. 

And is it a wonder, then, to see a soul that is drowned in the senseof glory and a sense of its own nothingness, to be confounded initself, and to fear that the glory apprehended is too great, toogood, and too rich, for such an one? That thing, heaven and eternalglory, is so great, and I that would have it, so small, so sorrya creature, that the thoughts of obtaining it confounds me. 

Thus, I say, doth the greatness of the things desired, quite dashand overthrow the mind of the desirer. O, it is too big! it is toobig! it is too great a mercy! But, coming sinner, let me reasonwith thee. Thou sayest, it is too big, too great. Well, will thingsthat are less satisfy thy soul? Will a less thing than heaven, thanglory and eternal life, answer thy desires? No, nothing less; andyet I fear they are too big, and too good for me, ever to obtain. Well, as big and as good as they are, God giveth them to such asthou; they are not too big for God to give; no, not too big to givefreely. Be content; let God give like himself; he is that eternalGod, and giveth like himself. When kings give, they do not use togive as poor men do. Hence it is said, that Nabal made a feast inhis house like the feast of a king; and again, "All these thingsdid Araunah, as a king, give unto David" (1 Sam 25:36; 2 Sam 24:23). Now, God is a great king, let him give like a king; nay, let himgive like himself, and do thou receive like thyself. He hath all, and thou hast nothing. God told his people of old, that he wouldsave them in truth and in righteousness, and that they should returnto, and enjoy the land, which before, for their sins, had spewedthem out; and then adds, under a supposition of their counting themercy too good, or too big, "If it be marvellous in the eyes of theremnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellousin mine eyes? saith the Lord of hosts" (Zech 8:6). 

As who should say, they are now in captivity, and little in theirown eyes; therefore they think the mercy of returning to Canaan isa mercy too marvellously big for them to enjoy; but if it be so intheir eyes, it is not so in mine; I will do for them like God, ifthey will but receive my bounty like sinners. Coming sinner, Godcan give his heavenly Canaan, and the glory of it, unto thee; yea, none ever had them but as a gift, a free gift. He hath given us hisSon, "How shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"(Rom 8:32). 

It was not the worthiness of Abraham, or Moses, or David or Peter, or Paul, but the mercy of God, that made them inheritors of heaven. If God thinks thee worthy, judge not thyself unworthy; but takeit, and be thankful. And it is a good sign he intends to give thee, if he hath drawn out thy heart to ask. "Lord, thou hast heard thedesire of the humble; thou wilt prepare their heart; thou wiltcause thine ear to hear" (Psa 10:17). 

When God is said to incline his ear, it implies an intention tobestow the mercy desired. Take it therefore; thy wisdom will beto receive, not sticking at thy own unworthiness. It is said, "Heraiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar fromthe dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inheritthe throne of glory. " Again, "He raiseth up the poor out of thedust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill, that he may sethim with princes, even with the princes of his people" (1 Sam 2:8;Psa 113:7, 8). You see also when God made a wedding for his Son, hecalled not the great, nor the rich, nor the mighty; but the poor, the maimed, the halt, and the blind (Matt 12; Luke 14). 

Fifth. Thy fears that Christ will not receive thee may arise fromthe hideous roaring of the devil, who pursues thee. He that hearshim roar, must be a mighty Christian, if he can at that time deliverhimself from fear. He is called a roaring lion; and then to alludeto that in Isaiah, "If one look" into them, they have "darknessand sorrow, and the light is darkened in the heavens thereof" (1Peter 5:8; Isa 5:3). 

[Two of the devil's objections. ]--There are two things among manythat Satan useth to roar out after them that are coming to JesusChrist. 1. That they are not elected. Or, 2. That they have sinnedthe sin against the Holy Ghost. To both these I answer briefly--

1. [Election. ]--Touching election, out of which thou fearest thouart excluded. Why, coming sinner, even the text itself affordeththee help against this doubt, and that by a double argument. 

(1. ) That coming to Christ is by virtue of the gift, promise, anddrawing of the Father; but thou art a-coming; therefore God hathgiven thee, promised thee, and is drawing thee to Jesus Christ. Coming sinner, hold to this; and when Satan beginneth to roaragain, answer, But I feel my heart moving after Jesus Christ; butthat would not be, if it were not given by promise, and drawing toChrist by the power of the Father. 

(2. ) Jesus Christ hath promised, "That him that cometh to him hewill in no wise cast out. " And if he hath said it, will he not makeit good, I mean even thy salvation? For, as I have said already, notto cast out, is to receive and admit to the benefit of salvation. If then the Father hath given thee, as is manifest by thy coming;and if Christ will receive thee, thou coming soul, as it is plainhe will, because he hath said, "He will in no wise cast out;" thenbe confident, and let those conclusions, that as naturally flowfrom the text as light from the sun, or water from the fountain, stay thee. 

If Satan therefore objecteth, But thou art not elected; answer, But I am coming, Satan, I am coming; and that I could not be, butthat the Father draws me; and I am coming to such a Lord Jesus, as will in no wise cast me out. Further, Satan, were I not elect, the Father would not draw me, nor would the Son so graciouslyopen his bosom to me. I am persuaded, that not one of the nonelectshall ever be able to say, no, not in the day of judgment, I didsincerely come to Jesus Christ. Come they may, feignedly, as Judasand Simon Magus did; but that is not our question. Therefore, Othou honest-hearted coming sinner, be not afraid, but come. 

2. [Of the sin against the Holy Ghost. ]--As to the second part ofthe objection, about sinning the sin against the Holy Ghost, thesame argument overthrows that also. But I will argue thus:

(1. ) Coming to Christ is by virtue of a special gift of the Father;but the Father giveth no such gift to them that have sinned thatsin; therefore thou that art coming hast not committed that sin. That the Father giveth no such gift to them that have sinned thatsin is evident--(a. ) Because such have sinned themselves out ofGod's favour; "They shall never have forgiveness" (Matt 12:32). But it is a special favour of God to give unto a man, to come toJesus Christ; because thereby he obtaineth forgiveness. Therefore hethat cometh hath not sinned that sin. (b. ) They that have sinnedthe sin against the Holy Ghost, have sinned themselves out ofan interest in the sacrifice of Christ's body and blood; "Thereremaineth [for such] no more sacrifice for sins" (Heb 10:26). ButGod giveth not grace to any of them to come to Christ, that haveno share in the sacrifice of his body and blood. Therefore, thouthat art coming to him, hast not sinned that sin. 

(2. ) Coming to Christ is by the special drawing of the Father; "Noman can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him"(John 6:44). But the Father draweth not him to Christ, for whomhe hath not allotted forgiveness by his blood; therefore they thatare coming to Jesus Christ have not committed that sin, because hehath allotted them forgiveness by his blood. That the Father cannotdraw them to Jesus Christ, for whom he hath not allotted forgivenessof sins, is manifest to sense: for that would be a plain mockery, a flam, 17 neither becoming his wisdom, justice, holiness, norgoodness. 

(3. ) Coming to Jesus Christ lays a man under the promise of forgivenessand salvation. But it is impossible that he that hath sinned thatsin should ever be put under a promise of these. Therefore, he thathath sinned that sin can never have heart to come to Jesus Christ. 

(4. ) Coming to Jesus Christ lays a man under his intercession. "For he ever liveth to make intercession for them that come" (Heb7:25). Therefore, he that is coming to Jesus Christ cannot havesinned that sin. Christ has forbidden his people to pray for themthat have sinned that sin; and, therefore, will not pray for themhimself, but he prays for them that come. 

(5. ) He that hath sinned that sin, Christ is to him of no more worththan is a man that is dead; "For he hath crucified to himself theSon of God;" yea, and hath also counted his precious blood as theblood of an unholy thing. (Heb 6, 10) Now, he that hath this lowesteem of Christ will never come to him for life; but the comingman has an high esteem of his person, blood, and merits. Therefore, he that is coming has not committed that sin. 

(6. ) If he that has sinned this sin might yet come to Jesus Christ, then must the truth of God be overthrown; which saith in one place, "He hath never forgiveness;" and in another, "I will in no wisecast him out. " Therefore, that he may never have forgiveness, heshall never have heart to come to Jesus Christ. It is impossiblethat such an one should be renewed, either to or by repentance (Heb6). Wherefore, never trouble thy head nor heart about this matter;he that cometh to Jesus Christ cannot have sinned against the HolyGhost. 

Sixth, Thy fears that Christ will not receive thee may arise fromthine own folly, in inventing, yea, in thy chalking out to God, away to bring thee home to Jesus Christ. Some souls that are comingto Jesus Christ are great tormentors of themselves upon this account;they conclude, that if their coming to Jesus Christ is right, theymust needs be brought home thus and thus. 

As to instance: 1. Says one, If God be bringing of me to JesusChrist, then will he load me with the guilt of sin till he makesme roar again. 2. If God be indeed a-bringing me home to JesusChrist, then must I be assaulted with dreadful temptations of thedevil. 3. If God be indeed a-bringing me to Jesus Christ, then, even when I come at him, I shall have wonderful revelations of him. 

This is the way that some sinners appoint for God; but, perhaps, he will not walk therein; yet will he bring them to Jesus Christ. But now, because they come not the way of their own chalking out, therefore they are at a loss. They look for heavy load and burden;but, perhaps, God gives them a sight of their lost condition, andaddeth not that heavy weight and burden. They look for fearfultemptations of Satan; but God sees that yet they are not fit forthem, nor is the time come that he should be honoured by them insuch a condition. They look for great and glorious revelations ofChrist, grace, and mercy; but, perhaps, God only takes the yokefrom off their jaws, and lays meat before them. And now again theyare at a loss, yet a-coming to Jesus Christ; "I drew them, " saithGod, "with cords of a man, with bands of love--I took the yoke fromoff their jaws, and laid meat unto them" (Hosea 11:4). 

Now, I say, If God brings thee to Christ, and not by the way thatthou hast appointed, then thou art at a loss; and for thy beingat a loss, thou mayest thank thyself. God hath more ways than thouknowest of to bring a sinner to Jesus Christ; but he will not givethee beforehand an account by which of them he will bring thee toChrist (Isa 40:13; Job 33:13). Sometimes he hath his ways in thewhirlwind; but sometimes the Lord is not there (Nahum 1:3; 1 Kings19:11). If God will deal more gently with thee than with othersof his children, grudge not at it; refuse not the waters that gosoftly, lest he bring upon thee the waters of the rivers, strongand many, even these two smoking firebrand, the devil and guilt ofsin (Isa 8:6, 7). He saith to Peter, "Follow me. " And what thunderdid Zaccheus hear or see? Zaccheus, "Come down, " said Christ; "andhe came down, " says Luke, "and received him joyfully. "

But had Peter or Zaccheus made the objection that thou hast made, and directed the Spirit of the Lord as thou hast done, they mighthave looked long enough before they had found themselves comingto Jesus Christ. Besides, I will tell thee, that the greatness ofsense of sin, the hideous roaring of the devil, yea, and abundanceof revelations, will not prove that God is bringing thy soul toJesus Christ; as Balaam, Cain, Judas, and others, can witness. 

Further, consider that what thou hast not of these things here, thoumayest have another time, and that to thy distraction. Wherefore, instead of being discontent, because thou art not in the fire, becausethou hearest not the sound of the trumpet and alarm of war, "Praythat thou enter not into temptation;" yea, come boldly to thethrone of grace, and obtain mercy, and find grace to help in thattime of need (Psa 88:15; Matt 26:41; Heb 4:16). 

Poor creature! thou criest, if I were tempted, I could come fasterand with more confidence to Christ. Thou sayest thou knowest notwhat. What says Job? "Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let notthy dread make me afraid. Then call thou, and I will answer: orlet me speak, and answer thou me" (Job 13:21, 22). It is not theoverheavy load of sin, but the discovery of mercy; not the roaringof the devil, but the drawing of the Father, that makes a man cometo Jesus Christ; I myself know all these things. 

True, sometimes, yea, most an end, 18 they that come to JesusChrist come the way that thou desirest; the loading, tempted way;but the Lord also leads some by the waters of comfort. If I was tochoose when to go a long journey, to wit, whether I would go it inthe dead of winter or in the pleasant spring, though, if it was avery profitable journey, as that of coming to Christ is, I wouldchoose to go it through fire and water before I would choose losethe benefit. But, I say, if I might choose the time, I would chooseto go it in the pleasant spring, because the way would be moredelightsome, the days longer and warmer, the nights shorter and notso cold. And it is observable, that that very argument that thouusest to weaken thy strength in the way, that very argument ChristJesus useth to encourage his beloved to come to him: "Rise up, "saith he, "my love, my fair one, and come away. " Why? "For lo, thewinter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear onthe earth, the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voiceof the turtle is heard in our land; the fig-tree putteth forth hergreen figs, and the vines with the tender grape give a good smell. Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away" (Song 2:10-13). 

Trouble not thyself, coming sinner. If thou seest thy lost conditionby original and actual sin; if thou seest thy need of the spotlessrighteousness of Jesus Christ; if thou art willing to be found inhim, and to take up thy cross and follow him; then pray for a fairwind and good weather, and come away. Stick no longer in a muse anddoubt about things, but come away to Jesus Christ. Do it, I say, lest thou tempt God to lay the sorrows of a travailing woman uponthee. Thy folly in this thing may make him do it. Mind what follows:"The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him. " Why? "Heis an unwise son; for he should not stay long in the place of thebreaking forth of children" (Hosea 13:13). 

Seventh, Thy fears that Christ will not receive thee may arisefrom those decays that thou findest in thy soul, even while thouart coming to him. Some, even as they are coming to Jesus Christ, do find themselves grow worse and worse; and this is indeed a soretrial to the poor coming sinner. 

[Fears that we do not run fast enough. ]

To explain myself. There is such an one a coming to Jesus Christwho, when at first he began to look out after him, was sensible, affectionate, and broken in spirit; but now is grown dark, senseless, hard-hearted, and inclining to neglect spiritual duties, &c. Besides, he now finds in himself inclinations to unbelief, atheism, blasphemy, and the like; now he finds he cannot trembleat God's Word, his judgment, nor at the apprehension of hell fire;neither can he, as he thinketh, be sorry for these things. Now, this is a sad dispensation. The man under the sixth head complainethfor want of temptations, but thou hast enough of them; art thouglad of them, tempted, coming sinner? They that never were exercisedwith them may think it a fine thing to be within the range, but hethat is there is ready to sweat blood for sorrow of heart, and tohowl for vexation of spirit! This man is in the wilderness amongwild beasts. Here he sees a bear, there a lion, yonder a leopard, a wolf, a dragon; devils of all sorts, doubts of all sorts, fearsof all sorts, haunt and molest his soul. Here he sees smoke, yea, feels fire and brimstone, scattered upon his secret places. Hehears the sound of an horrible tempest. O! my friends, even the LordJesus, that knew all things, even he saw no pleasure in temptations, nor did he desire to be with them; wherefore, one text saith, "hewas led, " and another, "he was driven, " of the Spirit into thewilderness, to be tempted of the devil (Matt 4:1; Mark 1:12). 

But to return. Thus it happeneth sometimes to them that are comingto Jesus Christ. A sad hap indeed! One would think that he that isflying from wrath to come has little need of such clogs as these. And yet so it is, and woeful experience proves it. The church ofold complained that her enemies overtook her between the straits;just between hope and fear, heaven and hell (Lam 1). 

This man feeleth the infirmity of his flesh, he findeth a pronenessin himself to be desperate. Now, he chides with God, flingsand tumbles like a wild bull in a net, and still the guilt of allreturns upon himself, to the crushing of him to pieces. Yet he feelethhis heart so hard, that he can find, as he thinks, no kind fallingunder any of his miscarriages. Now, he is a lump of confusion inhis own eyes, whose spirit and actions are without order. 

Temptations serve the Christian as the shepherd's dog serveth thesilly sheep; that is, coming behind the flock, he runs upon it, pulls it down, worries it, wounds it, and grievously bedabblethit with dirt and wet, in the lowest places of the furrows of thefield, and not leaving it until it is half dead, nor then neither, except God rebuke. 

Here is now room for fears of being cast away. Now I see I amlost, says the sinner. This is not coming to Jesus Christ, saysthe sinner; such a desperate, hard, and wretched heart as mine is, cannot be a gracious one, saith the sinner. And bid such an one bebetter, he says, I cannot; no, I cannot. 

[Why temptations assail God's people. ]

Quest. But what will you say to a soul in this condition?

Answ. I will say, That temptations have attended the best ofGod's people. I will say, That temptations come to do us good; andI will say also, That there is a difference betwixt growing worseand worse, and thy seeing more clearly how bad thou art. 

There is a man of an ill-favoured countenance, who hath too higha conceit of his beauty; and, wanting the benefit of a glass, hestill stands in his own conceit; at last a limner is sent unto him, who draweth his ill-favoured face to the life; now looking thereon, he begins to be convinced that he is not half so handsome as hethought he was. Coming sinner, thy temptations are these painters;they have drawn out thy ill-favoured heart to the life, and haveset it before thine eyes, and now thou seest how ill-favouredthou art. Hezekiah was a good man, yet when he lay sick, for aughtI know, he had somewhat too good an opinion of his heart; and foraught I know also, the Lord might, upon his recovery, leave him toa temptation, that he might better know all that was in his heart. Compare Isaiah 38:1-3, with 2 Chronicles 32:31. 

Alas! we are sinful out of measure, but see it not to be the full, until an hour of temptation comes. But when it comes, it doth asthe painter doth, draweth out our heart to the life: yet the sightof what we are should not keep us from coming to Jesus Christ. There are two ways by which God lets a man into a sight of thenaughtiness of his heart; one is, by the light of the Word andSpirit of God; and the other is, by the temptations of the devil. But, by the first, we see our naughtiness one way; and, by thesecond, another. By the light of the Word and Spirit of God, thouhast a sight of thy naughtiness; and by the light of the sun, thouhast a sight of the spots and defilements that are in thy house orraiment. Which light gives thee to see a necessity of cleansing, but maketh not the blemishes to spread more abominably. But whenSatan comes, when he tempts, he puts life and rage into our sins, and turns them, as it were, into so many devils within us. Now, like prisoners, they attempt to break through the prison of ourbody; they will attempt to get out at our eyes, mouth, ears, anyways, to the scandal of the gospel, and reproach of religion, tothe darkening of our evidences, and damning of our souls. 

But I shall say, as I said before, this hath ofttimes been the lotof God's people. And, "There hath no temptation overtaken you butsuch as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not sufferyou to be tempted above that ye are able" (1 Cor 10:13). See theBook of Job, the Book of Psalms, and that of the Lamentations. Andremember further, that Christ himself was tempted to blaspheme, to worship the devil, and to murder himself, (Matt 4; Luke 4);temptations worse than which thou canst hardly be overtaken with. But he was sinless, that is true. And he is thy Saviour, and thatis as true! Yea, it is as true also, that by his being tempted, hebecame the conqueror of the tempter, and a succourer of those thatare tempted (Col 2:14, 15; Heb 2:15; 4:15, 16). 

Quest. But what should be the reason that some that are coming toChrist should be so lamentably cast down and buffeted with temptations?

Answ. It may be for several causes. 

1. Some that are coming to Christ cannot be persuaded, until thetemptation comes, that they are so vile as the Scripture saith theyare. True, they see so much of their wretchedness as to drive themto Christ. But there is an over and above of wickedness whichthey see not. Peter little thought that he had had cursing, andswearing, and lying, and an inclination in his heart to deny hisMaster, before the temptation came; but when that indeed came uponhim, then he found it there to his sorrow (John 13:36-38; Mark14:36-40; 68-72). 

2. Some that are coming to Jesus Christ are too much affectedwith their own graces, and too little taken with Christ's person;wherefore God, to take them off from doting upon their own jewels, and that they might look more to the person, undertaking, and meritsof his Son, plunges them into the ditch by temptations. And this Itake to be the meaning of Job, "If I wash myself, " said he, "withsnow-water, and make my hands never so clean, yet shalt thou plungeme in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me" (Job 9:30). Job had been a little too much tampering with his own graces, andsetting his excellencies a little too high; as these texts makemanifest: Job 33:8-13, 34:5-10, 35:2, 3, 38:1, 2, 40:105, 42:3-6. But by that the temptations were ended, you find him better taught. 

Yea, God doth ofttimes, even for this thing, as it were, take ourgraces from us, and so leave us almost quite to ourselves and tothe tempter, that we may learn not to love the picture more thanthe person of his Son. See how he dealt with them in the 16th ofEzekiel, and the second of Hosea. 

3. Perhaps thou hast been given too much to judge thy brother, tocondemn thy brother, because a poor tempted man. And God, to bringdown the pride of thy heart, letteth the tempter loose upon thee, that thou also mayst feel thyself weak. For "pride goeth beforedestruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall" (Prov 16:18). 

4. It may be thou hast dealt a little too roughly with those thatGod hath this way wounded, not considering thyself, lest thou alsobe tempted. And therefore God hath suffered it to come unto thee(Gal 6:1). 

5. It may be thou wast given to slumber and sleep, and thereforethese temptations were sent to awake thee. You know that Peter'stemptation came upon him after his sleeping; then, instead ofwatching and praying, then he denied, and denied, and denied hisMaster (Matt 26). 

6. It may be thou hast presumed too far, and stood too muchin thine own strength, and therefore is a time of temptation comeupon thee. This was also one cause why it came upon Peter--Thoughall men forsake thee, yet will not I. Ah! that is the way to betempted indeed (John 13:36-38). 

7. It may be God intends to make thee wise, to speak a word inseason to others that are afflicted; and therefore he suffereththee to be tempted. Christ was tempted that he might be able tosuccour them that are tempted (Heb 2:18). 

8. It may be Satan hath dared God to suffer him to tempt thee;promising himself, that if he will but let him do it, thou wiltcurse him to his face. Thus he obtained leave against Job; whereforetake heed, tempted soul, lest thou provest the devil's sayings true(Job 1:11). 

9. It may be thy graces must be tried in the fire, that that rustthat cleaveth to them may be taken away, and themselves proved, both before angels and devils, to be far better than of gold thatperisheth; it may be also, that thy graces are to receive specialpraises, and honour, and glory, at the coming of the Lord Jesus tojudgment, for all the exploits that thou hast acted by them againsthell, and its infernal crew, in the day of thy temptation (1 Peter1:6, 7). 

10. It may be God would have others learn by thy sighs, groans, and complaints, under temptation, to beware of those sins for thesake of which thou art at present delivered to the tormentors. 

But to conclude this, put the worst to the worst--and then thingswill be bad enough--suppose that thou art to this day without thegrace of God, yet thou art but a miserable creature, a sinner, thathath need of a blessed Saviour; and the text presents thee with oneas good and kind as heart can wish; who also for thy encouragementsaith, "And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. "

[Application of Observation Second. ]

To come, therefore, to a word of application. Is it so, that theythat are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimes heartily afraid thatJesus Christ will not receive them? Then this teacheth us thesethings--

1. That faith and doubting may at the same time have their residencein the same soul. "O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thoudoubt?" (Matt 14:31). He saith not, O thou of no faith! but, O thouof little faith! because he had a little faith in the midst of hismany doubts. The same is true even of many that are coming toJesus Christ. They come, and fear they come not, and doubt they comenot. When they look upon the promise, or a word of encouragementby faith, then they come; but when they look upon themselves, orthe difficulties that lie before them, then they doubt. "Bid mecome, " said Peter; "Come, " said Christ. So he went down out of theship to go to Jesus, but his hap was to go to him upon the water;there was the trial. So it is with the poor desiring soul. Bid mecome, says the sinner; Come, says Christ, and I will in no wisecast thee out. So he comes, but his hap is to come upon the water, upon drowning difficulties; if, therefore, the wind of temptationsblow, the waves of doubts and fears will presently arise, and thiscoming sinner will begin to sink, if he has but little faith. Butyou shall find here in Peter's little faith, a twofold act; to wit, coming and crying. Little faith cannot come all the way withoutcrying. So long as its holy boldness lasts, so long it can comewith peace; but when it is so, it can come no further, it will gothe rest of the way with crying. Peter went as far as his littlefaith would carry him: he also cried as far as his little faith wouldhelp, "Lord, save me, I perish!" And so with coming and crying hewas kept from sinking, though he had but a little faith. "Jesusstretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thouof little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

2. Is it so, that they that are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimesheartily afraid that Jesus Christ will not receive them? Thenthis shows us a reason of that dejection, and those castings down, that very often we perceive to be in them that are coming to JesusChrist. Why, it is because they are afraid that Jesus Christ willnot receive them. The poor world they mock us, because we are adejected people; I mean, because we are sometimes so: but they donot know the cause of our dejection. Could we be persuaded, eventhen, when we are dejected, that Jesus Christ would indeed receiveus, it would make us fly over their heads, and would put moregladness into our hearts than in the time in which their corn, wine, and oil increases (Psa 4:6, 7). But, 3. It is so, That they that are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimesheartily afraid that he will not receive them. Then this shows thatthey that are coming to Jesus Christ are an awakened, sensible, considering people. For fear cometh from sense, and considerationof things. They are sensible of sin, sensible of the curse duethereto; they are also sensible of the glorious majesty of God, and of what a blessed, blessed thing it is to be received of JesusChrist. The glory of heaven, and the evil of sin, these thingsthey consider, and are sensible of. "When I remember, I am afraid. ""When I consider, I am afraid" (Job 21:6; 23:15). 

These things dash their spirits, being awake and sensible. Werethey dead, like other men, they would not be afflicted with fearas they are. For dead men fear not, feel not, care not, but theliving and sensible man, he it is that is ofttimes heartily afraidthat Jesus Christ will not receive him. I say, the dead and senselessare not distressed. They presume; they are groundlessly confident. Who so bold as blind Bayard? These indeed should fear and beafraid, because they are not coming to Jesus Christ. O! the hell, the fire, the pit, the wrath of God, and torment of hell, thatare prepared for poor neglecting sinners! "How shall we escape ifwe neglect so great salvation?" (Heb 3:3). But they want sense ofthings, and so cannot fear. 

4. Is it so, that they that are coming to Jesus Christ are ofttimesheartily afraid that he will not receive them? Then this shouldteach old Christians to pity and pray for young comers. You knowthe heart of a stranger; for you yourselves were strangers in theland of Egypt. You know the fears, and doubts, and terrors, that takehold of them; for that they sometimes took hold of you. Whereforepity them, pray for them, encourage them; they need all this: guilthath overtaken them, fears of the wrath of God hath overtaken them. Perhaps they are within the sight of hell-fire; and the fear ofgoing thither is burning hot within their hearts. You may know, how strangely Satan is suggesting his devilish doubts unto them, ifpossible he may sink and drown them with the multitude and weightof them. Old Christians, mend up the path for them, take thestumblingblocks out of the way; lest that which is feeble and weakbe turned aside, but let it rather be healed (Heb 12). 

[CHRIST WOULD HAVE COMERS NOT ONCE THINK THAT HE WILL CAST THEMOUT. ]

OBSERVATION THIRD. --I come now to the next observation, and shallspeak a little to that; to wit, That Jesus Christ would not havethem, that in truth are coming to him, once think that he will castthem out. 

The text is full of this: for he saith, "And him that cometh tome I will in no wise cast out. " Now, if he saith, I will not, hewould not have us think he will. This is yet further manifest bythese considerations. 

First, Christ Jesus did forbid even them that as yet were notcoming to him, once to think him such an one. "Do not think, " saidhe, "that I will accuse you to the Father" (John 5:45). 

These, as I said, were such, that as yet were not coming to him. For he saith of them a little before, "And ye will not come to me;"for the respect they had to the honour of men kept them back. Yet, I say, Jesus Christ gives them to understand, that though he mightjustly reject them, yet he would not, but bids them not once tothink that he would accuse them to the Father. Now, not to accuse, with Christ, is to plead for: for Christ in these things standsnot neuter between the Father and sinners. So then, if Jesus Christwould not have them think, that yet will not come to him, that hewill accuse them; then he would not that they should think so, thatin truth are coming to him. "And him that cometh to me I will inno wise cast out. "

Second, When the woman taken in adultery, even in the very act, was brought before Jesus Christ, he so carried it both by words andactions, that he evidently enough made it manifest, that condemningand casting out were such things, for the doing of which he camenot into the world. Wherefore, when they had set her before him, and had laid to her charge her heinous fact, he stooped down, andwith his finger wrote upon the ground, as though he heard them not. Now what did he do by this his carriage, but testify plainly thathe was not for receiving accusations against poor sinners, whoeveraccused by? And observe, though they continue asking, thinking atlast to force him to condemn her; yet then he so answered, so thathe drove all condemning persons from her. And then he adds, forher encouragement to come to him; "Neither do I condemn thee; go, and sin no more" (John 8:1-11). 

Not but that he indeed abhorred the fact, but he would not condemnthe woman for the sin, because that was not his office. He wasnot sent "into the world to condemn the world; but that the worldthrough him might be saved" (John 3:17). Now if Christ, thoughurged to it, would not condemn the guilty woman, though she was farat present from coming to him, he would not that they should oncethink that he will cast them out, that in truth are coming to him. "And him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. "

Third, Christ plainly bids the turning sinner come; and forbids himto entertain any such thought as that he will cast him out. "Letthe wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts;and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him;and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon" (Isa 4:7). The Lord, by bidding the unrighteous forsake his thoughts, doth in specialforbid, as I have said, viz. , those thoughts that hinder the comingman in his progress to Jesus Christ, his unbelieving thoughts. 

Therefore he bids him not only forsake his ways, but his thoughts. "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man histhoughts. " It is not enough to forsake one if thou wilt come toJesus Christ; because the other will keep thee from him. Supposea man forsakes his wicked ways, his debauched and filthy life;yet if these thoughts, that Jesus Christ will not receive him, beentertained and nourished in his heart; these thoughts will keephim from coming to Jesus Christ. 

Sinner, coming sinner, art thou for coming to Jesus Christ? Yes, says the sinner. Forsake thy wicked ways then. So I do, says thesinner. 

Why comest thou then so slowly? Because I am hindered. What hinders?Has God forbidden thee? No. Art thou not willing to come faster?Yes, yet I cannot. Well, prithee be plain with me, and tell methe reason and ground of thy discouragement. Why, says the sinner, though God forbids me not, and though I am willing to come faster, yet there naturally ariseth this, and that, and the other thoughtin my heart, that hinders my speed to Jesus Christ. Sometimes Ithink I am not chosen; sometimes I think I am not called; sometimesI think I am come too late; and sometimes I think I know not whatit is to come. Also one while I think I have no grace; and thenagain, that I cannot pray; and then again, I think that I am a veryhypocrite. And these things keep me from coming to Jesus Christ. 

Look ye now, did not I tell you so? There are thoughts yet remainingin the heart, even of those who have forsaken their wicked ways;and with those thoughts they are more plagued than with anythingelse; because they hinder their coming to Jesus Christ; for the sinof unbelief, which is the original of all these thoughts, is thatwhich besets a coming sinner more easily, than doth his ways (Heb12:1-4). But now, since Jesus Christ commands thee to forsake thesethoughts, forsake them, coming sinner; and if thou forsake themnot, thou transgressest the commands of Christ, and abidest thineown tormentor, and keepest thyself from establishment in grace. "If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established" (Isa7:9). Thus you see how Jesus Christ setteth himself against suchthoughts, that any way discourage the coming sinner; and therebytruly vindicates the doctrine we have in hand; to wit, that JesusChrist would not have them, that in truth are coming to him, oncethink that he will cast them out. "And him that cometh to me I willin no wise cast out. "

[Reasons of Observation Third. ]

I come now to the reasons of the observation. 

1. If Jesus Christ should allow thee once to think that he willcast thee out, he must allow thee to think that he will falsify hisword; for he hath said, "I will in no wise cast out. " But Christwould not that thou shouldst count him as one that will falsifyhis word; for he saith of himself, "I am the truth;" therefore hewould not that any that in truth are coming to him, should oncethink that he will cast them out. 

2. If Jesus Christ should allow the sinner that in truth is comingto him, once to think that he will cast him out, then he must allow, and so countenance the first appearance of unbelief; the which hecounteth his greatest enemy, and against which he hast bent evenhis holy gospel. Therefore Jesus Christ would not that they thatin truth are coming to him, should once think that he will castthem out. See Matthew 14:31, 21:21, Mark 11:23, Luke 24:25. 

3. If Jesus Christ should allow the coming sinner once to thinkthat he will cast him out; then he must allow him to make a question, Whether he is willing to receive his Father's gift; for thecoming sinner is his Father's gift; as also says the text; but hetestifieth, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; andhim that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. " Therefore JesusChrist would not have him, that in truth is coming to him, once tothink that he will cast him out. 

4. If Jesus Christ should allow them once to think, that indeedare coming to him, that he will cast them out, he must allow themto think that he will despise and reject the drawing of his Father. For no man can come to him but whom the Father draweth. But itwould be high blasphemy, and damnable wickedness once to imaginethus. Therefore, Jesus Christ would not have him that cometh oncethink that he will cast him out. 

5. If Jesus Christ should allow those that indeed are coming tohim, once to think that he will cast them out, he must allow themto think that he will be unfaithful to the trust and charge thathis Father hath committed to him; which is to save, and not to loseanything of that which he hath given unto him to save (John 6:39). But the Father hath given him a charge to save the coming sinner;therefore it cannot be, that he should allow, that such an oneshould once think that he will cast him out. 

6. If Jesus Christ should allow that they should once think that arecoming to him, that he will cast them out, then he must allow themto think that he will be unfaithful to his office of priesthood; for, as by the first part of it, he paid price for, and ransomed souls, so by the second part thereof, he continually maketh intercessionto God for them that come (Heb 7:25). But he cannot allow us toquestion his faithful execution of his priesthood. Therefore hecannot allow us once to think that the coming sinner shall be castout. 

7. If Jesus Christ should allow us once to think that the comingsinner shall be cast out, then he must allow us to question hiswill, or power, or merit to save. But he cannot allow us once toquestion any of these; therefore not once to think, that the comingsinner shall be cast out. (1. ) He cannot allow them to questionhis will; for he saith in the text, "I WILL in no wise cast out. "(2. ) He cannot allow us to question his power; for the Holy Ghostsaith HE IS ABLE to save to the uttermost them that come. (3. ) Hecannot allow them to question the efficacy of his merit; for theblood of Christ cleanseth the comer from all sin, (1 John 1:7), therefore he cannot allow that he that is coming to him should oncethink that he will cast them out. 

8. If Jesus Christ should allow the coming sinner once to thinkthat he will cast him out, he must allow him to give the lie tothe manifest testimony of the Father, Son, and Spirit; yea, to thewhole gospel contained in Moses, the prophets, the book of Psalms, and that commonly called the New Testament. But he cannot allow ofthis; therefore, not that the coming sinner should once think thathe will cast him out. 

9. Lastly, If Jesus Christ should allow him that is coming to him, once to think that he will cast him out, he must allow him toquestion his Father's oath, which he in truth and righteousnesshath taken, that they might have a strong consolation, who have fledfor refuge to Jesus Christ. But he cannot allow this; therefore hecannot allow that the coming sinner should once think that he willcast him out (Heb 6). 

[USE AND APPLICATION. ]

I come now to make some GENERAL USE AND APPLICATION OF THE WHOLE, and so to draw towards a conclusion. 

USE FIRST. --The first use--A USE OF INFORMATION; and, First, It informeth us that men by nature are far off from Christ. Let me a little improve this use, by speaking to these threequestions. 1. Where is he that is coming [but has not come], toJesus Christ? 2. What is he that is not coming to Jesus Christ? 3. Whither is he to go that cometh not to Jesus Christ?

1. Where is he?

[Answ. ] (1. ) He is far from God, he is without him, even alienatefrom him both in his understanding, will, affections, judgment, and conscience (Eph 2:12; 4:18). (2. ) He is far from Jesus Christ, who is the only deliverer of men from hell fire (Psa 73:27). (3. )He is far from the work of the Holy Ghost, the work of regeneration, and a second creation, without which no man shall see the kingdomof heaven (John 3:3). (4. ) He is far more righteous, 19 from thatrighteousness that should make him acceptable in God's sight (Isa46:12, 13). (5. ) He is under the power and dominion of sin; sinreigneth in and over him; it dwelleth in every faculty of his soul, and member of his body; so that from head to foot there is no placeclean (Isa 1:6; Rom 3:9-18). (6. ) He is in the pest-house withUzziah and excluded the camp of Israel with the lepers (2 Chron26:21; Num 5:2; Job 36:14). (7. ) His "life is among the unclean. "He is "in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity"(Acts 8:28). (8. ) He is "in sin, " "in the flesh, " "in death, " "inthe snare of the devil, " and is "taken captive by him at his will"(1 Cor 15:17; Rom 8:8; 1 John 3:14; 2 Tim 2:26). (9. ) He is underthe curse of the law, and the devil dwells in him, and hath themastery of him (Gal 3:13; Eph 2:2, 3; Acts 26:18). (10. ) He is indarkness, and walketh in darkness, and knows not whither he goes;for darkness has blinded his eyes. (11. ) He is in the broad waythat leadeth to destruction; and holding on, he will assuredly goin at the broad gate, and so down the stairs to hell. 

2. What is he that cometh not to Jesus Christ?

[Answ. ] (1. ) He is counted one of God's enemies (Luke 19:14; Rom8:7). (2. ) He is a child of the devil, and of hell; for the devilbegat him, as to his sinful nature, and hell must swallow himat last, because he cometh not to Jesus Christ (John 8:44; 1 John3:8; Matt 23:15; Psa 9:17). (3. ) He is a child of wrath, an heir ofit; it is his portion, and God will repay it him to his face (Eph2:1-3; Job 21:29-31). (4. ) He is a self-murderer; he wrongeth hisown soul, and is one that loveth death (Prov 1:18; 8:36). (5. ) Heis a companion for devils and damned men (Prov 21:16; Matt 25:41). 

3. Whither is he like to go that cometh not to Jesus Christ?

[Answ. ] (1. ) He that cometh not to him, is like to go further fromhim; so every sin is a step further from Jesus Christ (Hosea 11). (2. ) As he is in darkness, so he is like to go on in it; for Christis the light of the world, and he that comes not to him, walketh indarkness (John 8:12). (3. ) He is like to be removed at last as farfrom God, and Christ, and heaven, and all felicity, as an infiniteGod can remove him (Matt 12:41). But, Second, This doctrine of coming to Christ informeth us where poordestitute sinners may find life for their souls, and that is inChrist. This life is in his Son; he that hath the Son, hath life. And again, "Whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favourof the Lord" (Prov 8:35). Now, for further enlargement, I will alsohere propound three more questions: 1. What life is in Christ? 2. Who may have it? 3. Upon what terms?

1. What life is in Jesus Christ?

[Answ. ] (1. ) There is justifying life in Christ. Man by sin isdead in law; and Christ only can deliver him by his righteousnessand blood from this death into a state of life. "For God sent hisSon into the world, that we might live through him" (1 John 4:9). That is, through the righteousness which he should accomplish, andthe death that he should die. (2. ) There is eternal life in Christ;life that is endless; life for ever and ever. "He hath givenus eternal life, and this life is in his Son" (1 John 5:11). Now, justification and eternal salvation being both in Christ, andnowhere else to be had for men, who would not come to Jesus Christ?

2. Who may have this life?

I answer, Poor, helpless, miserable sinners. Particularly, (1. )Such as are willing to have it. "Whosoever will, let him take thewater of life" (Rev 22:17). (2. ) He that thirsteth for it. "I willgive unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life"(Rev 21:6). (3. ) He that is weary of his sins. "This is the restwherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing"(Isa 28:12). (4. ) He that is poor and needy. "He shall spare thepoor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy" (Psa 72:13). (5. ) He that followeth after him, crieth for life. "He that followethme shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life"(John 8:12). 

3. Upon what terms may he have this life?

[Answ. ] Freely. Sinner, dost thou hear. Thou mayest have itfreely. Let him take the water of life freely. I will give him ofthe fountain of the water of life freely. "And when they had nothingto pay, he frankly forgave them both" (Luke 7:42). Freely, withoutmoney, or without price. "Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye tothe waters, and he that hath no money, come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price" (Isa 55:1). Sinner, art thou thirsty? art thou weary? art thou willing? Come, then, and regard not your stuff; for all the good that is in Christis offered to the coming sinner, without money and without price. He has life to give away to such as want it, and that hath not apenny to purchase it; and he will give it freely. Oh what a blessedcondition is the coming sinner in! But, Third, This doctrine of coming to Jesus Christ for life, informethus, that it is to be had nowhere else. Might it be had anywhereelse, the text, and him that spoke it, would be but little set by;for what greater matter is there in "I will in no wise cast out, "if another stood by that could receive them? But here appears theglory of Christ, that none but he can save. And here appears hislove, that though none can save but he, yet he is not coy in saving. "But him that comes to me, " says he, "I will in no wise cast out. "

That none can save but Jesus Christ, is evident from Acts 4:12:"Neither is there salvation in any other;" and "he hath given to useternal life, and this life is in his Son" (1 John 5:11). If lifecould have been had anywhere else, it should have been in the law. But it is not in the law; for by the deeds of the law, no man livingshall be justified; and if not justified, then no life. Thereforelife is nowhere to be had but in Jesus Christ (Gal 3). 

[Quest. ] But why would God so order it, that life should be hadnowhere else but in Jesus Christ?

[Answ. ] There is reason for it, and that both with respect to Godand us. 

1. With respect to God. 

(1. ) That it might be in a way of justice as well as mercy. Andin a way of justice it could not have been, if it had not been byChrist; because he, and he only, was able to answer the demand ofthe law, and give for sin what the justice thereof required. Allangels had been crushed down to hell for ever, had that curse beenlaid upon them for our sins, which was laid upon Jesus Christ; butit was laid upon him, and he bare it; and answered the penalty, andredeemed his people from under it, with that satisfaction to Divinejustice that God himself doth now proclaim, That he is faithfuland just to forgive us, if by faith we shall venture to Jesus, andtrust to what he has done for life (Rom 3:24-26; John 1:4). (2. )Life must be by Jesus Christ, that God might be adored and magnified, for finding out this way. This is the Lord's doings, that in allthings he might be glorified through Jesus Christ our Lord. (3. )It must be by Jesus Christ, that life might be at God's dispose, who hath great pity for the poor, the lowly, the meek, the brokenin heart, and for them that others care not for (Psa 34:6; 138:6;25; 51:17; 147:3). (4. ) Life must be in Christ, to cut off boastingfrom the lips of men. This also is the apostle's reason in Romans3:19, 27 (Eph 2:8-10). 

2. Life must be in Jesus Christ with respect to us. 

(1. ) That we might have it upon the easiest terms, to wit, freely:as a gift, not as wages. Was it in Moses' hand, we should comehardly at it. Was it in the pope's hand, we should pay soundlyfor it. 20 But thanks be to God, it is in Christ, laid up in him, and by him to be communicated to sinners upon easy terms, evenfor receiving, accepting, and embracing with thanksgiving; as theScriptures plainly declare (John 1:11, 12; 2 Cor 11:4; Heb 11:13;Col 3:13-15). (2. ) Life is in Christ FOR US, that it might not beupon so brittle a foundation, as indeed it would had it been anywhereelse. The law itself is weak because of us, as to this. But Christis a tried stone, a sure foundation, one that will not fail to bearthy burden, and to receive thy soul, coming sinner. (3. ) Life isin Christ, that it might be sure to all the seed. Alas! the bestof us, was life left in our hand, to be sure we should forfeit it, over, and over, and over; or, was it in any other hand, we should, by our often backslidings, so offend him, that at last he wouldshut up his bowels in everlasting displeasure against us. But nowit is in Christ, it is with one that can pity, pray for, pardon, yea, multiply pardons; it is with one that can have compassionupon us, when we are out of the way; with one that hath an heart tofetch us again, when we are gone astray; with one that can pardonwithout upbraiding. Blessed be God, that life is in Christ! Fornow it is sure to all the seed. But, Fourth, This doctrine of coming to Jesus Christ for life informsus of the evil of unbelief; that wicked thing that is the only orchief hindrance to the coming sinner. Doth the text say, "Come?"Doth it say, "and him that cometh to me I will in no wise castout?" Then what an evil is that that keepeth sinners from comingto Jesus Christ! And that evil is unbelief: for by faith we come;by unbelief we keep away. Therefore it is said to be that by whicha soul is said to depart from God; because it was that which atfirst caused the world to go off from him, and that also that keepsthem from him to this day. And it doth it the more easily, becauseit doth it with a wile. 

[Of the Sin of Unbelief. ]--This sin may be called the white devil, for it oftentimes, in its mischievous doings in the soul, shows asif it was an angel of light: yea, it acteth like a counsellor ofheaven. Therefore a little to discourse of this evil disease. 

1. It is that sin, above all others, that hath some show of reasonin its attempts. For it keeps the soul from Christ by pretendingits present unfitness and unpreparedness; as want of more senseof sin, want of more repentance, want of more humility, want of amore broken heart. 

2. It is the sin that most suiteth with the conscience: the conscienceof the coming sinner tells him that he hath nothing good; thathe stands inditeable for ten thousand talents; that he is a veryignorant, blind, and hard-hearted sinner, unworthy to be once takennotice of by Jesus Christ. And will you, says Unbelief, in such acase as you now are, presume to come to Jesus Christ?

3. It is the sin that most suiteth with our sense of feeling. Thecoming sinner feels the workings of sin, of all manner of sin andwretchedness in his flesh; he also feels the wrath and judgmentof God due to sin, and ofttimes staggers under it. Now, saysUnbelief, you may see you have no grace; for that which works inyou is corruption. You may also perceive that God doth not loveyou, because the sense of his wrath abides upon you. Therefore, how can you bear the face to come to Jesus Christ?

4. It is that sin, above all others, that most suiteth with thewisdom of our flesh. The wisdom of our flesh thinks it prudent toquestion awhile, to stand back awhile, to hearken to both sidesawhile; and not to be rash, sudden, or unadvised, in too bolda presuming upon Jesus Christ. And this wisdom unbelief falls inwith. 

5. It is that sin, above all other, that continually is whisperingthe soul in the ear with mistrusts of the faithfulness of God, in keeping promise to them that come to Jesus Christ for life. Italso suggests mistrust about Christ's willingness to receive it, and save it. And no sin can do this so artificially as unbelief. 

6. It is also that sin which is always at hand to enter an objectionagainst this or that promise that by the Spirit of God is broughtto our heart to comfort us; and if the poor coming sinner is notaware of it, it will, by some evasion, slight, trick, or cavil, quickly wrest from him the promise again, and he shall have butlittle benefit of it. 

7. It is that, above all other sins, that weakness our prayers, our faith, our love, our diligence, our hope, and expectations: iteven taketh the heart away from God in duty. 

8. Lastly, This sin, as I have said even now, it appeareth in thesoul with so many sweet pretences to safety and security, that itis, as it were, counsel sent from heaven; bidding the soul be wise, wary, considerate, well-advised, and to take heed of too rash aventure upon believing. Be sure, first, that God loves you; takehold of no promise until you are forced by God unto it; neither beyou sure of your salvation; doubt it still, though the testimonyof the Lord has been often confirmed in you. Live not by faith, but by sense; and when you can neither see nor feel, then fear andmistrust, then doubt and question all. This is the devilish counselof unbelief, which is so covered over with specious pretences, thatthe wisest Christian can hardly shake off these reasonings. 

[Qualities of unbelief as opposed to faith. ]--But to be brief. Letme here give thee, Christian reader, a more particular descriptionof the qualities of unbelief, by opposing faith unto it, in thesetwenty-five particulars:--

1. Faith believeth the Word of God; but unbelief questioneth thecertainty of the same (Psa 106:24). 

2. Faith believeth the Word, because it is true; but unbeliefdoubteth thereof, because it is true (1 Tim 4:3; John 8:45). 

3. Faith sees more in a promise of God to help, than in all otherthings to hinder; but unbelief, notwithstanding God's promise, saith, How can these things be? (Rom 4:19-21; 2 Kings 7:2; John 3:11, 12). 

4. Faith will make thee see love in the heart of Christ, when withhis mouth he giveth reproofs; but unbelief will imagine wrath inhis heart, when with his mouth and Word he saith he loves us (Matt15:22, 28; Num 13; 2 Chron 14:3). 

5. Faith will help the soul to wait, though God defers to give; butunbelief will take huff and throw up all, if God makes any tarrying(Psa 25:5; Isa 8:17; 2 Kings 6:33; Psa 106:13, 14). 

6. Faith will give comfort in the midst of fears; but unbeliefcauseth fears in the midst of comfort (2 Chron 20:20, 21; Matt 8:26;Luke 24:26, 27). 

7. Faith will suck sweetness out of God's rod; but unbelief canfind no comfort in his greatest mercies (Psa 23:4; Num 21). 

8. Faith maketh great burdens light; but unbelief maketh light onesintolerably heavy (2 Cor 4:1; 14-18; Mal 1:12, 13). 

9. Faith helpeth us when we are down; but unbelief throws us downwhen we are up (Micah 7:8-10; Heb 4:11). 

10. Faith bringeth us near to God when we are far from him; butunbelief puts us far from God when we are near to him (Heb 10:22;3:12, 13). 

11. Where faith reigns, it declareth men to be the friends of God;but where unbelief reigns, it declareth them to be his enemies(John 3:23; Heb 3:18; Rev 21:8). 

12. Faith putteth a man under grace; but unbelief holdeth himunder wrath (Rom 3:24-26; 14:6; Eph 2:8; John 3:36; 1 John 5:10;Heb 3:17; Mark 16:16). 

13. Faith purifieth the heart; but unbelief keepeth it pollutedand impure (Acts 15:9; Titus 1:15, 16). 

14. By faith, the righteousness of Christ is imputed to us; butby unbelief, we are shut up under the law to perish (Rom 4:23, 24;11:32; Gal 3:23). 

15. Faith maketh our work acceptable to God through Christ; butwhatsoever is of unbelief is sin. For without faith it is impossibleto please him (Heb 11:4; Rom 14:23; Heb 6:6). 

16. Faith giveth us peace and comfort in our souls; but unbeliefworketh trouble and tossings, like the restless waves of the sea(Rom 5:1; James 1:6). 

17. Faith maketh us to see preciousness in Christ; but unbeliefsees no form, beauty, or comeliness in him (1 Peter 2:7; Isa 53:2, 3). 

18. By faith we have our life in Christ's fullness; but by unbeliefwe starve and pine away (Gal 2:20). 

19. Faith gives us the victory over the law, sin, death, the devil, and all evils; but unbelief layeth us obnoxious to them all (1 John5:4, 5; Luke 12:46). 

20. Faith will show us more excellency in things not seen, thanin them that are; but unbelief sees more in things that are seen, than in things that will be hereafter;. (2 Cor 4:18; Heb 11:24-27;1 Cor 15:32). 

21. Faith makes the ways of God pleasant and admirable; but unbeliefmakes them heavy and hard (Gal 5:6; 1 Cor 12:10, 11; John 6:60; Psa2:3). 

22. By faith Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob possessed the land of promise;but because of unbelief, neither Aaron, nor Moses, nor Miriam couldget thither (Heb 11:9; 3:19). 

23. By faith the children of Israel passed through the Red Sea;but by unbelief the generality of them perished in the wilderness(Heb 11:29; Jude 5). 

24. By faith Gideon did more with three hundred men, and a fewempty pitchers, than all the twelve tribes could do, because theybelieved not God (Judg 7:16-22; Num 14:11, 14). 

25. By faith Peter walked on the water; but by unbelief he beganto sink (Matt 14:28-30). 

Thus might many more be added, which, for brevity's sake, I omit;beseeching every one that thinketh he hath a soul to save, or bedamned, to take heed of unbelief; lest, seeing there is a promiseleft us of entering into his rest, any of us by unbelief shouldindeed come short of it. 

USE SECOND. The second use--A USE OF EXAMINATION. 

We come now to a use of examination. Sinner, thou hast heard of thenecessity of coming to Christ; also of the willingness of Christto receive the coming soul; together with the benefit that they byhim shall have that indeed come to him. Put thyself now upon thisserious inquiry, Am I indeed come to Jesus Christ?

Motives plenty I might here urge, to prevail with thee toa conscientious performance of this duty. As, 1. Thou art in sin, in the flesh, in death, in the snare of the devil, and under thecurse of the law, if you are not coming to Jesus Christ. 2. Thereis no way to be delivered from these, but by coming to Jesus Christ. 3. If thou comest, Jesus Christ will receive thee, and will in nowise cast thee out. 4. Thou wilt not repent it in the day of judgment, if now thou comest to Jesus Christ. 5. But thou wilt surely mournat last, if now thou shalt refuse to come. 6. And lastly, Now thouhast been invited to come; now will thy judgment be greater, andthy damnation more fearful, if thou shalt yet refuse, than if thouhadst never heard of coming to Christ. 

Object. But we hope we are come to Jesus Christ. 

Answ. It is well if it proves so. But lest thou shouldst speakwithout ground, and so fall unawares into hell-fire, let us examinea little. 

First, Art thou indeed come to Jesus Christ? What hast thou leftbehind thee? What didst thou come away from, in thy coming to JesusChrist?

When Lot came out of Sodom, he left the Sodomites behind him (Gen19). When Abraham came out of Chaldea, he left his country andkindred behind him (Gen 12; Acts 7). When Ruth came to put her trustunder the wings of the Lord God of Israel, she left her father andmother, her gods, and the land of her nativity, behind her (Ruth1:15-17; 2:11, 12). When Peter came to Christ, he left his netsbehind him (Matt 4:20). When Zaccheus came to Christ, he left thereceipt of custom behind him (Luke 19). When Paul came to Christ, he left his own righteousness behind him (Phil 3:7, 8). When thosethat used curious arts came to Jesus Christ, they took theircurious books and burned them; though, in another man's eye, theywere counted worth fifty thousand pieces of silver (Acts 19:18-20). 

What sayest thou, man? Hast thou left thy darling sins, thy Sodomitishpleasures, thy acquaintance and vain companions, thy unlawful gain, thy idol-gods, thy righteousness, and thy unlawful curious arts, behind thee? If any of these be with thee, and thou with them, inthy heart and life, thou art not yet come to Jesus Christ. 

Second, Art thou come to Jesus Christ? Prithee tell me what movedthee to come to Jesus Christ?

Men do not usually come or go to this or that place, before theyhave a moving cause, or rather a cause moving them thereto. Nomore do they come to Jesus Christ--I do not say, before they havea cause, but--before that cause moveth them to come. What sayestthou? Hast thou a cause moving thee to come? To be at present ina state of condemnation, is cause sufficient for men to come toJesus Christ for life. But that will not do, except the cause movethem; the which it will never do, until their eyes be opened tosee themselves in that condition. For it is not a man's being underwrath, but his seeing it, that moveth him to come to Jesus Christ. Alas! all men by sin are under wrath; yet but few of that all cometo Jesus Christ. And the reason is, because they do not see theircondition. "Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?"(Matt 3:7). Until men are warned, and also receive the warning, they will not come to Jesus Christ. 

Take three or four instances for this. Adam and Eve came not toJesus Christ until they received the alarm, the conviction of theirundone state by sin. (Gen 3) The children of Israel cried not outfor a mediator before they saw themselves in danger of death by thelaw (Exo 20:18, 19). Before the publican came, he saw himself lostand undone (Luke 18:13). The prodigal came not, until he saw deathat the door, ready to devour him (Luke 15:17, 18). The three thousandcame not, until they knew not what to do to be saved (Acts 2:37-39). Paul came not, until he saw himself lost and undone (Acts 9:3-8, 11). Lastly, Before the jailer came, he saw himself undone (Acts 16:29-31). And I tell thee, it is an easier thing to persuade a well man togo to the physician for cure, or a man without hurt to seek fora plaster to cure him, than it is to persuade a man that sees nothis soul-disease, to come to Jesus Christ. The whole have no needof the physician; then why should they go to him? The full pitchercan hold no more; then why should it go to the fountain? And ifthou comest full, thou comest not aright; and be sure Christ willsend thee empty away. "But he healeth the broken in heart, andbindeth up their wounds" (Mark 2:17; Psa 147:3; Luke 1:53). 

Third, Art thou coming to Jesus Christ? Prithee tell me, What seestthou in him to allure thee to forsake all the world, to come tohim?

I say, What hast thou seen in him? Men must see something in JesusChrist, else they will not come to him. 1. What comeliness hastthou seen in his person? thou comest not, if thou seest no formnor comeliness in him (Isa 53:1-3). 2. Until those mentioned inthe Song were convinced that there was more beauty, comeliness, and desirableness in Christ, than in ten thousand, they did notso much as ask where he was, nor incline to turn aside after him(Song 5, 6). 

There be many things on this side heaven that can and do carry awaythe heart; and so will do, so long as thou livest, if thou shaltbe kept blind, and not be admitted to see the beauty of the LordJesus. 

Fourth, Art thou come to the Lord Jesus? What hast thou found inhim, since thou camest to him?

Peter found with him the word of eternal life (John 6:68). Theythat Peter makes mention of, found him a living stone, even sucha living stone as communicated life to them (1 Peter 2:4, 5). Hesaith himself, they that come to him, &c. , shall find rest untotheir souls; hast thou found rest in him for thy soul? (Matt 11:28). 

Let us go back to the times of the Old Testament. 

1. Abraham found THAT in him, that made him leave his country forhim, and become for his sake a pilgrim and stranger in the earth(Gen 12; Heb 11). 

2. Moses found THAT in him, that made him forsake a crown, and akingdom for him too. 

3. David found so much in him, that he counted to be in his houseone day was better than a thousand; yea, to be a door-keeper thereinwas better, in his esteem, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness(Psa 84:10). 

4. What did Daniel and the three children find in him, to makethem run the hazards of the fiery furnace, and the den of lions, for his sake? (Dan 3, 6). 

Let us come down to martyrs. 

1. Stephen found that in him that made him joyful, and quietlyyield up his life for his name (Acts 7). 

2. Ignatius found that in Christ that made him choose to go throughthe torments of the devil, and hell itself, rather than not to havehim. --Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. 1, p. 52, Anno. 111. Edit. 1632. 

3. What saw Romanus in Christ, when he said to the raging Emperor, who threatened him with fearful torments, Thy sentence, O Emperor, I joyfully embrace, and refuse not to be sacrificed by as crueltorments as thou canst invent?--Fox, vol. 1, p. 116. 

4. What saw Menas, the Egyptian, in Christ, when he said, under mostcruel torments, There is nothing in my mind that can be compared tothe kingdom of heaven; neither is all the world, if it was weighedin a balance, to be preferred with the price of one soul? Who isable to separate us from the love of Jesus Christ our Lord? AndI have learned of my Lord and King not to fear them that kill thebody, &c. P. 117. 

5. What did Eulalia see in Christ, when she said, as they werepulling her one joint from another, Behold, O Lord, I will not forgetthee. What a pleasure it is for them, O Christ! that remember thytriumphant victory? P. 121. 

6. What think you did Agnes see in Christ, when rejoicingly shewent to meet the soldier that was appointed to be her executioner. I will willingly, said she, receive into my paps the length of thissword, and into my breast will draw the force thereof, even to thehilts; that thus I, being married to Christ my spouse, may surmountand escape all the darkness of this world? P. 122. 

7. What do you think did Julitta see in Christ, when, at theEmperor's telling of her, that except she would worship the gods, she should never have protection, laws, judgments, nor life, shereplied, Farewell life, welcome death; farewell riches, welcomepoverty: all that I have, if it were a thousand times more, wouldI rather lose, than to speak one wicked and blasphemous word againstmy Creator? P. 123. 

8. What did Marcus Arethusius see in Christ, when after his enemieshad cut his flesh, anointed it with honey, and hanged him up in abasket for flies and bees to feed on, he would not give, to upholdidolatry, one halfpenny to save his life? P. 128. 

9. What did Constantine see in Christ, when he used to kiss thewounds of them that suffered for him? P. 135. 

10. But what need I give thus particular instances of words andsmaller actions, when by their lives, their blood, their enduringhunger, sword, fire, pulling asunder, and all torments that thedevil and hell could devise, for the love they bare to Christ, after they were come to him?

What hast THOU found in him, sinner?

What! come to Christ, and find nothing in him!--when all thingsthat are worth looking after are in him!--or if anything, yet notenough to wean thee from thy sinful delights, and fleshly lusts!Away, away, thou art not coming to Jesus Christ. 

He that has come to Jesus Christ, hath found in him, that, as Isaid, that is not to be found anywhere else. As, 1. He that is come to Christ hath found God in him reconciling theworld unto himself, not imputing their trespasses to them. And soGod is not to be found in heaven and earth besides (2 Cor 5:19, 20). 

2. He that is come to Jesus Christ hath found in him a fountainof grace, sufficient, not only to pardon sin, but to sanctify thesoul, and to preserve it from falling, in this evil world. 

3. He that is come to Jesus Christ hath found virtue in him; THATvirtue, that if he does but touch thee with his Word, or thou himby faith, life is forthwith conveyed into thy soul. It makes theewake as one that is waked out of his sleep; it awakes all the powersof the soul (Psa 30:11, 12; Song 6:12). 

4. Art thou come to Jesus Christ? Thou hast found glory in him, glory that surmounts and goes beyond. "Thou art more glorious--thanthe mountains of prey" (Psa 76:4). 

5. What shall I say? Thou hast found righteousness in him; thouhast found rest, peace, delight, heaven, glory, and eternal life. 

Sinner, be advised; ask thy heart again, saying, Am I come to JesusChrist? For upon this one question, Am I come, or, am I not? hangsheaven and hell as to thee. If thou canst say, I am come, and Godshall approve that saying, happy, happy, happy man art thou! Butif thou art not come, what can make thee happy? yea, what can makethat man happy that, for his not coming to Jesus Christ for life, must be damned in hell?

USE THIRD. --The third use--A USE OF ENCOURAGEMENT. 

Coming sinner, I have now a word for thee; be of good comfort, "Hewill in no wise cast out. " Of all men, thou art the blessed of theLord; the Father hath prepared his Son to be a sacrifice for thee, and Jesus Christ, thy Lord, is gone to prepare a place for thee(John 1:29; Heb 10). What shall I say to thee?

[First, ] Thou comest to a FULL Christ; thou canst not want anythingfor soul or body, for this world or that to come, but it is tobe had in or by Jesus Christ. As it is said of the land that theDanites went to possess, so, and with much more truth, it may besaid of Christ; he is such an one with whom there is no want of anygood thing that is in heaven or earth. A full Christ is thy Christ. 

1. He is full of grace. Grace is sometimes taken for love; neverany loved like Jesus Christ. Jonathan's love went beyond the loveof women; but the love of Christ passes knowledge. It is beyond thelove of all the earth, of all creatures, even of men and angels. His love prevailed with him to lay aside his glory, to leavethe heavenly place, to clothe himself with flesh, to be born in astable, to be laid in a manger, to live a poor life in the world, to take upon him our sicknesses, infirmities, sins, curse, death, and the wrath that was due to man. And all this he did for a base, undeserving, unthankful people; yea, for a people that was atenmity with him. "For when we were yet without strength, in duetime Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous manwill one die; yet peradventure for a good man some would even dareto die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while wewere yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more, then, being nowjustified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the deathof his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by hislife" (Rom 5:6-10). 

2. He is full of truth. Full of grace and truth. Truth, that is, faithfulness in keeping promise, even this of the text, with allother, "I will in no wise cast out" (John 14:6). Hence it is said, that his words be true, and that he is the faithful God, that keepethcovenant. And hence it is also that his promises are called truth:"Thou wilt fulfil thy truth unto Jacob, and thy mercy unto Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old. "Therefore it is said again, that both himself and words are truth:"I am the truth, the Scripture of truth" (Dan 10:21). "Thy word istruth, " (John 17:17; 2 Sam 7:28); "thy law is truth, " (Psa 119:142);and "my mouth, " saith he, "shall speak truth, " (Prov 8:7); seealso Ecclesiastes 12:10, Isaiah 25:1, Malachi 2:6, Acts 26:25, 2Timothy 2:12, 13. Now, I say, his word is truth, and he is full oftruth to fulfil his truth, even to a thousand generations. Comingsinner, he will not deceive thee; come boldly to Jesus Christ. 

3. He is full of wisdom. He is made unto us of God wisdom; wisdomto manage the affairs of his church in general, and the affairsof every coming sinner in particular. And upon this account he issaid to be "head over all things, " (1 Cor 1; Eph 1), because hemanages all things that are in the world by his wisdom, for thegood of his church; all men's actions, all Satan's temptations, all God's providences, all crosses, and disappointments; all thingswhatever are under the hand of Christ--who is the wisdom of God--andhe ordereth them all for good to his church. And can Christ helpit--and be sure he can--nothing shall happen or fall out in theworld, but it shall, in despite of all opposition, have a goodtendency to his church and people. 

4. He is full of the Spirit, to communicate it to the comingsinner; he hath therefore received it without measure, that hemay communicate it to every member of his body, according as everyman's measure thereof is allotted him by the Father. Whereforehe saith, that he that comes to him, "Out of his belly shall flowrivers of living water" (John 3:34; Titus 3:5, 6; Acts 2; John7:33-39). 

5. He is indeed a storehouse full of all the graces of the Spirit. "Of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace"(John 1:16). Here is more faith, more love, more sincerity, morehumility, more of every grace; and of this, even more of this, hegiveth to every lowly, humble, penitent coming sinner. Wherefore, coming soul, thou comest not to a barren wilderness when thou comestto Jesus Christ. 

6. He is full of bowels and compassion: and they shall feel and findit so that come to him for life. He can bear with thy weaknesses, he can pity thy ignorance, he can be touched with the feeling ofthy infirmities, he can affectionately forgive they transgressions, he can heal thy backslidings, and love thee freely. His compassionsfail not; "and he will not break a bruised reed, nor quench thesmoking flax; he can pity them that no eye pities, and be afflictedin all thy afflictions" (Matt 26:41; Heb 5:2; 2:18; Matt 9:2;Hosea 14:4; Eze 16:5, 6; Isa 63:9; Psa 78:38; 86:15; 111:4; 112:4;Lam 3:22; Isa 42:3). 

7. Coming soul, the Jesus that thou art coming to, is full of mightand terribleness for thy advantage; he can suppress all thineenemies; he is the Prince of the kings of the earth; he can bow allmen's designs for thy help; he can break all snares laid for theein the way; he can lift thee out of all difficulties wherewith thoumayest be surrounded; he is wise in heart, and mighty in power. Every life under heaven is in his hand; yea, the fallen angelstremble before him. And he will save thy life, coming sinner (1Cor 1:24; Rom 8:28; Matt 28:18; Rev 4; Psa 19:3; 27:5, 6; Job 9:4;John 17:2; Matt 8:29; Luke 8:28; James 2:19). 

8. Coming sinner, the Jesus to whom thou art coming is lowly inheart, he despiseth not any. It is not thy outward meanness, northy inward weakness; it is not because thou art poor, or base, ordeformed, or a fool, that he will despise thee: he hath chosen thefoolish, the base, and despised things of this world, to confoundthe wise and mighty. He will bow his ear to thy stammering prayershe will pick out the meaning of thy inexpressible groans; he willrespect thy weakest offering, if there be in it but thy heart (Matt11:20; Luke 14:21; Prov 9:4-6; Isa 38:14, 15; Song 5:15; John 4:27;Mark 12:33, 34; James 5:11). Now, is not this a blessed Christ, comingsinner? Art thou not like to fare well, when thou hast embracedhim, coming sinner? But, Second. Thou hast yet another advantage by Jesus Christ, thou artcoming to him, for he is not only full, BUT FREE. He is not sparingof what he has; he is open-hearted and open-handed. Let me in afew particulars show thee this:

1. This is evident, because he calls thee; he calls upon thee to comeunto him; the which he would not do, was he not free to give; yea, he bids thee, when come, ask, seek, knock. And for thy encouragement, adds to every command a promise, "Seek, and ye shall find; ask, and ye shall have; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. " Ifthe rich man should say thus to the poor, would not he be reckoneda free-hearted man? I say, should he say to the poor, Come tomy door, ask at my door, knock at my door, and you shall find andhave; would he not be counted liberal? Why, thus doth Jesus Christ. Mind it, coming sinner (Isa 55:3; Psa 50:15; Matt 7:7-9). 

2. He doth not only bid thee come, but tells thee, he will heartilydo thee good; yea, he will do it with rejoicing; "I will rejoiceover them, to do them good--with my whole heart, and with my wholesoul" (Jer 32:41). 

3. It appeareth that he is free, because he giveth without twitting. 21 "He giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not" (James 1, 5). There are some that will not deny to do the poor a pleasure, but they will mix their mercies with so many twits, that the personson whom they bestow their charity shall find but little sweetnessin it. But Christ doth not do so, coming sinner; he casteth all thineiniquities behind his back (Isa 38:17). Thy sins and iniquities hewill remember no more (Heb 8:12). 

4. That Christ is free, is manifest by the complaints that hemakes against them that will not come to him for mercy. I say, hecomplains, saying, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! how often would I havegathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickensunder her wings, and ye would not!" (Matt 23:37). I say, he speaksit by way of complaint. He saith also in another place, "But thouhast not called upon me, O Jacob" (Isa 43:22). Coming sinner, seehere the willingness of Christ to save; see here how free he isto communicate life, and all good things, to such as thou art. Hecomplains, if thou comest not; he is displeased, if thou callestnot upon him. Hark, coming sinner, once again; when Jerusalem wouldnot come to him for safeguard, "he beheld the city, and wept overit, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thyday, the things which belong unto thy peace; but now they are hidfrom thine eyes" (Luke 19:41, 42). 

5. Lastly, He is open and free-hearted to do thee good, as is seenby the joy and rejoicing that he manifesteth at the coming homeof poor prodigals. He receives the lost sheep with rejoicing; thelost goat with rejoicing; yea, when the prodigal came home, whatjoy and mirth, what music and dancing, was in his father's house!(Luke 15). 

Third. Coming sinner, I will add another encouragement for thyhelp. 

1. God hath prepared a mercy-seat, a throne of grace to sit on;that thou mayest come thither to him, and that he may from thencehear thee, and receive thee. "I will commune with thee, " saith he, "from above the mercy-seat" (Exo 25:22). As who shall say, sinner, When thou comest to me, thou shalt find me upon the mercy-seat, where also I am always found of the undone coming sinner. ThitherI bring my pardons; there I hear and receive their petitions, andaccept them to my favour. 

2. God hath also prepared a golden altar for thee to offer thy prayersand tears upon. A golden altar! It is called a "golden altar, " toshow what worth it is of in God's account: for this golden altaris Jesus Christ; this altar sanctifies thy gift, and makes thysacrifice acceptable. This altar, then, makes thy groans goldengroans; thy tears golden tears; and thy prayers golden prayers, in the eye of that God thou comest to, coming sinner (Rev 8; Matt23:19; Heb 10:10; 1 Peter 2:5). 

3. God hath strewed all the way, from the gate of hell, where thouwast, to the gate of heaven, whither thou art going, with flowersout of his own garden. Behold how the promises, invitations, calls, and encouragements, like lilies, lie round about thee! take heedthat thou dost not tread them under foot, sinner. With promises, did I say? Yea, he hath mixed all those with his own name, hisSon's name; also, with the name of mercy, goodness, compassion, love, pity, grace, forgiveness, pardon, and what not, that mayencourage the coming sinner. 

4. He hath also for thy encouragement laid up the names, and setforth the sins, of those that have been saved. In this book theyare fairly written, that thou, through patience and comfort ofthe Scriptures, mightest have hope. (1. ) In this book is recordedNoah's maim and sin; and how God had mercy upon him. (2. ) In thisrecord is fairly written the name of Lot, and the nature of hissin; and how the Lord had mercy upon him. (3. ) In this record thouhast also fairly written the names of Moses, Aaron, Gideon, Samson, David, Solomon, Peter, Paul, with the nature of their sins; and howGod had mercy upon them; and all to encourage thee, coming sinner. 

Fourth. I will add yet another encouragement for the man that iscoming to Jesus Christ. Art thou coming? Art thou coming, indeed?Why, 1. Then this thy coming is by virtue of God's call. Thou art called. Calling goes before coming. Coming is not of works, but of him thatcalleth. "He goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whomhe would; and they came unto him" (Mark 3:13). 

2. Art thou coming? This is also by virtue of illumination. God hasmade thee see; and, therefore, thou art coming. So long as thouwast darkness, thou lovedst darkness, and couldst not abide tocome, because thy deeds were evil; but being now illuminated andmade to see what and where thou art, and also what and where thySaviour is, now thou art coming to Jesus Christ; "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, "saith Christ, "but my Father which is in heaven" (Matt 16:17). 

3. Art thou coming? This is because God hath inclined thine heartto come. God hath called thee, illuminated thee, and inclined thyheart to come; and, therefore, thou comest to Jesus Christ. Itis God that worketh in thee to will, and to come to Jesus Christ. Coming sinner, bless God for that he hath given thee a will to cometo Jesus Christ. It is a sign that thou belongest to Jesus Christ, because God has made thee willing to come to him (Psa 110:3). BlessGod for slaying the enmity of thy mind; had he not done it, thouwouldst as yet have hated thine own salvation. 

4. Art thou coming to Jesus Christ? It is God that giveth theepower: power to pursue thy will in the matters of thy salvation, is the gift of God. "It is God which worketh in you both to willand to do" (Phil 2:13). Not that God worketh will to come, wherehe gives no power; but thou shouldest take notice, that power isan additional mercy. The church saw that will and power were twothings, when she cried, "Draw me, we will run after thee" (Song1:4). And so did David too, when he said, "I will run the way ofthy commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart" (Psa 119:32). Will to come, and power to pursue thy will, is double mercy, comingsinner. 

5. All thy strange, passionate, sudden rushings forward after JesusChrist, coming sinners know what I mean, they also are thy helpsfrom God. Perhaps thou feelest at some times more than at others, strong stirrings up of heart to fly to Jesus Christ; now thou hastat this time a sweet and stiff gale of the Spirit of God, fillingthy sails with the fresh gales of his good Spirit; and thou ridestat those times as upon the wings of the wind, being carried outbeyond thyself, beyond the most of thy prayers, and also above allthy fear and temptations. 

6. Coming sinner, hast thou not now and then a kiss of the sweetlips of Jesus Christ, I mean some blessed word dropping like ahoney-comb upon thy soul to revive thee, when thou art in the midstof thy dumps?

7. Does not Jesus Christ sometimes give thee a glimpse of himself, though perhaps thou seest him not so long a time as while one maytell twenty. 

8. Hast thou not sometimes as it were the very warmth of his wingsovershadowing the face of thy soul, that gives thee as it werea gload22 upon thy spirit, as the bright beams of the sun do uponthy body, when it suddenly breaks out of a cloud, though presentlyall is gone away? Well, all these things are the good hand of thyGod upon thee, and they are upon thee to constrain, to provoke, and to make thee willing and able to come, coming sinner, that thoumightest in the end be saved. 

FOOTNOTES:

1 "My grace is sufficient for thee, " and the language of the church, conscious of its own weakness and the Lord's all-sufficiency, is, "Draw me, we will run after thee" (Song 1:4). --Mason. 

2 No outward profession is accepted, except it springs from inwardlove to Christ. --Ed. 

3 How clearly is every seeming difficulty explained by Bunyan. TheFather entered into covenant with the Son, in eternity, to save hiselect; and, in time, as they appear upon earth, the Father giveththem to Christ by effectual calling, and he brings them to eternalglory. --Ed. 

4 To come unto Christ, in its proper sense, is to receive him ashe is offered to us in the Word; to believe in him, as a suitableand all-sufficient Saviour; to submit to his government, in bothsuffering and doing his will, with all lowly-mindedness and humility;and this by the powerful operation of the Holy Spirit upon thesoul. --Mason. 

5 "Salve;" relief, aid, or help. 

 'Which Cambell seign, though he could not salve, He done undoe, yet for to salve his name And purchase honour to his friend's behalve, This goodly counterfesaunce he did frame. "

--Spenser's Faery Queen. 

6 We cannot remember all God's benefits, but how prone we are toforget them all!--Ed. 

7 Christian, in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, was thus exercised:--"I took notice that now poor Christian was so confounded that hedid not know his own voice; and thus I perceived it:--Just when hewas come over against the mouth of the burning pit, one of the wickedones got behind him, and stepped up softly to him, and whisperinglysuggested many grievous blasphemies to him, which he verily thoughthad proceeded from his own mind. " See also Grace Abounding, No. 100-102. --Ed. 

8 "Warm gleads;" from Saxon glow, anything heated or hot. 

 "My destiny to behold her doth me leade, And yet I know I runne into the gleade. "--Wyatt. --Ed. 

9 Many misspend their time in poring upon their own hearts, to findout some evidence of their interest in Christ, when they shouldrather be employed in receiving Christ, and walking in him, by aconfident faith grounded on the Divine testimony. --Mason. 

10 How striking are Bunyan's illustrations! The devil, as a roaringlion, is in pursuit of the flying sinner; he would flee fasterthan his infirmities will let him. We cannot wonder that modernpreachers borrowed so vivid and truthful a figure. --Ed. 

11 A Christian is "never safe but when watchful;" he should keep ajealous eye on his own weakness, and a believing eye on the promiseand power of Christ, and he shall be preserved from falling. --Mason. 

12 "Let him;" hinder him. See 2 Thessalonians 2:7. Obsolete. --ImperialDictionary. --Ed. 

13 "The Scripture contains many gracious promises in behalf of thechildren of believing parents; but grace is not hereditary. It isthe parent's part to pray with and for, admonish, and piously trainup his children; but, after all, must recommend them to the tendermercies of God, which the children of many prayers often happilyexperience. "--Mason. O that all persons may solemnly consider thissearching truth! especially the children of believers. The comingof your father or mother to Christ cannot be imputed to you; comefor yourself, or you must perish. As you love your souls, believenot that awful delusion, that any ceremony could make you a childof God. --Ed. 

14 "While of late;" until of late. --Ed. 

15 "Lie at Jesus Christ;" to lay down, lie at the feet of JesusChrist, to persevere like the Syrophenician woman, Mark 7:25. --Ed. 

16 "Ply;" to solicit importunately. --Ed. 

17 "A flam;" a fable, an imposition. 

18 "Most an end;" continually, perpetually. 

19 How awful is the confidence of the self-righteous pharisee; heconsiders himself more righteous than the poor penitent, who isclothed in Christ's righteousness, the garments of salvation. 

The self-righteous says:--"Stand by, I am holier than thou. ThankGod, I am not like this publican. " While in God's sight, poorwretched boaster, thou art clothed in filthy rags. --Ed. 

20 This nation now pays some eight or ten millions sterling a year. Had God sanctioned this diabolical trade in souls, all Christendomwould have been divided into two classes-priests and slaves. --Ed. 

21 "Twitting;" taunting, or rebuking. --Ed. 

22 "A gload;" a warm, eager, passionate gazing: now obsolete. --Ed. 

***

JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS;

OR, NO WAY TO HEAVEN BUT BY JESUS CHRIST. 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

This is one of those ten excellent manuscripts which were found amongBunyan's papers after his decease in 1688. It had been prepared byhim for publication, but still wanted a few touches of his masterlyhand, and a preface in his characteristic style. He had, while aprisoner for nonconformity, in 1672, published a treatise upon thissubject, in reply to Mr. Fowler, who was soon after created Bishopof Gloucester; but that was more peculiarly intended to prove thatthose who are justified by faith in Christ are placed in a safer, more honourable, and more glorious state than that possessed byAdam before his fall. Mr. Fowler took the popular view, that thesufferings of the Saviour were intended to replace man in a similarposition to that of Adam when in a state of innocence; and togive him powers, which, if properly used, would enable him to savehimself. 

It is of important that we should understand the meaning of the term'justification' as here used. It is an acquittal, on being triedby the law; or a proof that, upon the most penetrating scrutiny, we have, through life, fulfilled and performed all its requirementsin word, thought, and deed, without the slightest deviation ortaint of error. This is essential to salvation, and must be done, either personally, or by the imputation of the Saviour's obedienceto us. Multitudes vainly imagine that this can be attained by ourpartial obedience, aided, where we fail, by the imputation of somuch of the Saviour's obedience as, being placed to our account, will make up the deficiency. Upon justification must depend thesalvation of the soul. Bunyan was convinced that the sinner's onlyhope was by the imputation of Christ's righteousness, which alonecould justify him from ALL things, and without which he must perish. 

As 'by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified, 'it becomes an important inquiry whether the law, by which all mustbe tried, and justified or condemned, is opposed to the gospel orglad tidings of salvation? God forbid that we should for a momententertain such a thought! they both proceed from the same Divinesource, and the gospel confirms and establishes the law. This isclearly shown in the following treatise. Every Christian forms apart of that one mystical body, of which Christ is the head, andin which alone can be fulfilled every jot and tittle of the law. Bunyan's controversy is with an opinion, held by many, that a manmay, in his own person, by an imperfect obedience to some of therequirements of the law, procure, or aid in obtaining, justification. 

There can be no subject more intensely interesting than the meansof a sinner's justification before that God whose law is perfect, and who is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity except withabhorrence; nor is there one upon which more fatal mistakes havebeen made. 

The great delusion which like a deadly leprosy, has involved manin uncertainty and darkness in all his conceptions of purity andholiness, is the fallacious hope of producing some good works toblot out transgressions; or that man is not so polluted, but thathe may justify himself by works performed through some kind ofability communicated by the Saviour--an ability which he might ormight not use, but upon the proper use of which he considers that hissalvation depends; leaving him in the most distressing uncertaintyand doubt upon this all-important subject. All these Bunyan consideredto be specious and most dangerous devices of Satan, unscriptural, and contrary to the simplicity and design of the gospel. 

In this treatise very powerful arguments are used to counteractthese errors, and to place the doctrine of justification in all itsglorious purity. It is essentially the source of the glad tidingsof great joy made known by the Christian dispensation; showingthat the redemption of believers is perfect and finished, neitherneeding nor suffering any human additions. The righteousness ofChrist fully justifies all that believe, while the fountain thathe opened washes away all their defilements, and presents them atthe judgment-seat, without spot or blemish, their robes being washedand made white in the blood of the Lamb. 

To prevent this doctrine from being impeached with a tendency toweaken man in the discharge of his moral duties, the same Divinepower which thus pardoned sin has decreed that a sense of pardoninglove should impel the redeemed to walk in newness of life--and thatit is only while thus walking in holy obedience that they have anevidence of being members of Christ's mystical body. For, 'whomhe did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to theimage of his Son; whom he did predestinate, them he also called;and whom he called, them he also justified. ' So full is thisof consolation and felicity that the apostle exclaims, 'If God befor us, who can be against us?' Thus, salvation by free grace isinseparably connected with good works. The righteousness of thesecond Adam, the Lord from heaven, imputed to his members, justifiesthem, in the same manner as the disobedience of the first Adam, imputed to all his members or posterity, makes them sinners. Touse the expressive words of Bunyan, 'The sinner is justified fromthe curse, in the sight of God, while a sinner in himself. ' Thisis a startling fact. That Rahab or Mary Magdalene, and even Saul, the murderous persecutor, were, in the sight and purposes of God, justified, while they were, in the esteem of God's saints, in astate of the vilest sin, is a doctrine revolting to the pride ofhuman nature. But we should recollect that, in the sight of God, athousand years are but as one day; while one day may be magnifiedinto a thousand years; and that the purposes of God are concealedto us while sin blinds our eyes. Rahab and Magdalene were wretchedbefore their conversion, nor could Saul have been much less wretched, while carrying misery into the hearts and families of God's saints. 

There can be no real happiness without spiritual life--holy obedienceto the Divine will, and a scriptural hope of justification beforeGod and his law. These are the means he uses to make known to us hissecret purposes. No man has lived in the world, since the inspiredwriters, more capable of detecting the devil's sophistry uponthis subject than John Bunyan. He had passed through a furnace ofexperience while seeking justification. He well knew that, uponkeeping the moral law of God, the peace of the world and our personalhappiness depended. How is this great object to be accomplished?If we attempt to keep it, in order to gain eternal life, we shallfail, as all others have done. In every attempt thus to keep it, to use Bunyan's expression 'The guilt of sin, which is by the law, makes such a noise and horror in my conscience that I can neitherhear nor see the word of peace, unless it is spoken with a voicefrom heaven!' Our polluted nature leads to sin; a mist is beforeour eyes; we 'go astray speaking lies. ' The strong natural bias tobreak the law will prevail; we see its effects in the great bulkof those who are taught to rely upon ceremonies and upon keepingthe law. Who are so lawless, so little advanced in civilization, as the poor Irish, Spaniards, or Italians? while those who seekjustification as the free gift of God, influenced by gratitude andlove, are found walking in obedience to the Divine law; their onlyregret is, that they cannot live more to the glory of their Saviour. The doctrines of grace, as exhibited in this treatise, have everproduced glory to God, on earth peace, and goodwill to men; althoughthat spirit which called Christ a gluttonous man and a wine-bibber, still charges these doctrines as having a tendency to licentiousness. 

Christian, be not offended with the humbling, but scriptural views, which Bunyan entertained of every church of Christ 'An hospital ofsick, wounded, and afflicted people. ' None but such as feel theirneed of the Physician of souls are fit for church membership, or aresafely on the road to heaven. Leaving this solemn and interestingsubject to the prayerful attention of the reader, I shall concludemy advertisement by quoting from a characteristic specimen ofBunyan's style of writing, and it was doubtless his striking modeof preaching:--'Faith doth the same against the devil that unbeliefdoth to God. Doth unbelief count God a liar? Faith counts the devila liar. Doth unbelief hold the soul from the mercy of God? Faithholds the soul from the malice of the devil. Doth unbelief quenchthy graces? Faith kindleth them even into a flame. Doth unbelieffill the soul full of sorrow? Faith fills it full of the joy ofthe Holy Ghost. In a word, Doth unbelief bind down thy sins uponthee? Why, faith in Jesus Christ releaseth thee of them all. '

GEO. OFFOR. 

JUSTIFICATION BY AN IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS

JUSTIFICATION is to be diversly taken in the Scripture. Sometimesit is taken for the justification of persons; sometimes for thejustification of actions; and sometimes for the justification ofthe person and action too. 

It is taken for the justification of persons, and that, as tojustification with God; or, as to justification with men. 

As to justification with God; that is, when a man stands clear, quit, free, or, in a saved condition before him, in the approbationof his holy law. 

As to justification with men; that is, when a man stands clear andquit from just ground of reprehension with them. 

Justification also is to be taken with reference to actions; andthat may be when they are considered, as flowing from true faith;or, because the act done fulfils some transient law. [1]

As actions flow from faith, so they are justified, because donebefore God in, and made complete through, the perfections of JesusChrist (1 Peter 2:5; Heb 13:15; Rev 8:1-4). 

As by the doing of the act some transient law is fulfilled; aswhen Jehu executed judgment upon the house of Ahab. 'Thou hast donewell, ' said God to him, 'in executing that which is right in mineeyes, and hast done to the house of Ahab according to all that wasin mine heart' (2 Kings 10:30). As to such acts, God may or maynot look at the qualification of those that do them; and it isclear that he had not respect to any good that was in Jehu in thejustifying of this action; nor could he; for Jehu stuck close yetto the sins of Jeroboam, but 'took no heed to walk in the law ofthe Lord God of Israel' (2 Kings 10:29, 31). 

I might hence also show you that a man may be justified even thenwhen his action is condemned; also that a man may be in a stateof condemnation when his action may be justified. But with thesedistinctions I will not take up time, my intention being to treatof justification as it sets a man free or quit from sin, the curseand condemnation of the law in the sight of God, in order to eternalsalvation. 

And that I may with the more clearness handle this point beforeyou, I will lay down and speak to this

PROPOSITION. 

THAT THERE IS NO OTHER WAY FOR SINNERS TO BE JUSTIFIED FROM THECURSE OF THE LAW IN THE SIGHT OF GOD, THAN BY THE IMPUTATION OFTHAT RIGHTEOUSNESS LONG AGO PERFORMED BY, AND STILL RESIDING WITH, THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST. 

The terms of this proposition are easy; yet if it will help, I willspeak a word or two for explication. First. By a sinner, I meanone that has transgressed the law; 'for sin is the transgressionof the law' (1 John 3:4). Second. By the curse of the law, I meanthat sentence, judgment, or condemnation which the law pronouncethagainst the transgressor (Gal 3:10). Third. By justifying righteousness, I mean that which stands in the doing and suffering of Christ whenhe was in the world (Rom 5:19). Fourth. By the residing of thisrighteousness in Christ's person, I mean it still abides with himas to the action, though the benefit is bestowed upon those thatare his. Fifth. By the imputation of it to us, I mean God's makingof it ours by an act of his grace, that we by it might be securedfrom the curse of the law. Sixth. When I say there is no otherway to be justified. I cast away TO THAT END the law, and all theworks of the law as done by us. [2]

Thus I have opened the terms of the proposition. 

First and Second. Now the two first--to wit, what sin and thecurse is--stand clear in all men's sight, unless they be atheistsor desperately heretical. I shall, therefore, in few words, clearthe other four. 

Third. Therefore justifying righteousness is the doing and sufferingof Christ when he was in the world. This is clear, because we aresaid to be 'justified by his obedience, ' by his obedience to thelaw (Rom 5:19). Hence he is said again to be the end of the law forthat very thing--'Christ is the end of the law for righteousness, '&c. (Rom 10:4). The end, what is that? Why, the requirement ordemand of the law. But what are they? Why, righteousness, perfectrighteousness (Gal 3:10). Perfect righteousness, what to do? Thatthe soul concerned might stand spotless in the sight of God (Rev1:5). Now this lies only in the doings and sufferings of Christ; for'by his obedience many are made righteous'; wherefore as to this, Christ is the end of the law, that being found in that obedience, that becomes to us sufficient for our justification. Hence we aresaid to be made righteous by his obedience; yea, and to be washed, purged, and justified by his blood (Heb 9:14; Rom 5:18, 19). 

Fourth. That this righteousness still resides in and with theperson of Christ, even then when we stand just before God thereby, is clear, for that we are said, when justified, to be justified'in him. ' 'In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified. 'And again, 'Surely, shall one say, In the Lord have I righteousness, '&c. (Isa 45:24, 25). And again, 'But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us--righteousness' (1 Cor 1:30). 

Mark, the righteousness is still 'in him, ' not 'in us, ' even thenwhen we are made partakers of the benefit of it; even as the wingand feathers still abide in the hen when the chickens are covered, kept, and warmed thereby. 

For as my doings, though my children are fed and clothed thereby, are still my doings, not theirs; so the righteousness wherewithwe stand just before God from the curse, still resides in Christ, not in us. Our sins, when laid upon Christ, were yet personally ours, not his; so his righteousness, when put upon us, is yet personallyhis, not ours. What is it, then? Why, 'he was made to be sin forus, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness ofGod in him' (2 Cor 5:21). [3]

Fifth. It is, therefore, of a justifying virtue, only by imputation, or as God reckoneth it to us; even as our sins made the Lord Jesusa sinner--nay, 'sin, ' by God's reckoning of them to him. 

It is absolutely necessary that this be known of us; for if theunderstanding be muddy as to this, it is impossible that such shouldbe sound in the faith; also in temptation, that man will be at aloss that looketh for a righteousness for justification in himself, when it is to be found nowhere but in Jesus Christ. The apostle, who was his craftsmaster as to this, was always 'looking to Jesus, 'that he 'might be found in him, ' knowing that nowhere else couldpeace or safety be had (Phil 3:6-9). And, indeed, this is one ofthe greatest mysteries in the world; namely, that a righteousnessthat resides with a person in heaven should justify me, a sinner, on earth!

Sixth. Therefore the law and the works thereof, as to this, must byus be cast away; not only because they here are useless, but alsothey being retained are a hindrance. That they are useless isevident, for that salvation comes by another name (Acts 4:12). Andthat they are a hindrance, it is clear; for the very adhering tothe law, though it be but a little, or in a little part, preventsjustification by the righteousness of Christ (Rom 9:31, 32). 

What shall I say? As to this, the moral law is rejected, theceremonial law is rejected, and man's righteousness is rejected, for that they are here both weak and unprofitable (Rom 8:2, 3; Gal3:21; Heb 10:1-12). Now if all these and their works as to ourjustification, are rejected, where, but in Christ, is righteousnessto be found?

Thus much, therefore, for the explication of the proposition--namely, that there is no other way for sinners to be justified from thecurse of the law in the sight of God, than by the imputation ofthat righteousness long ago performed by, and still residing with, the person of Jesus Christ. 

[Two Positions. ]

Now, from this proposition I draw these two positions--FIRST. THAT MEN ARE JUSTIFIED FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW BEFORE GOD WHILESINNERS IN THEMSELVES. SECOND. THAT THIS CAN BE DONE BY NO OTHERRIGHTEOUSNESS THAN THAT LONG AGO PERFORMED BY, AND RESIDING WITH, THE PERSON OF JESUS CHRIST. 

[FIRST POSITION]

FIRST. Let us, then, now enter into the consideration of the firstof these--namely, THAT MEN ARE JUSTIFIED FROM THE CURSE OF THELAW BEFORE GOD WHILE SINNERS IN THEMSELVES. This I shall manifest, FIRST, By touching upon the mysterious acts of our redemption;SECOND, By giving of you plain texts which discover it; and, THIRD, By reasons drawn from the texts. 

FIRST. For the first of these; to wit, the mysterious act of ourredemption: and that I shall speak to under these two heads--First, I shall show you what that is; and, Second, How we are concernedtherein. 

First. [What that is. ] That which I call, and that rightly, the mysterious act of our redemption, is Christ's sufferings as acommon, [4] though a particular person and as a sinner, though alwayscompletely righteous. 

That he suffered as a common person is true. By common, I mean apublic person, or one that presents the body of mankind in himself. This a multitude of scriptures bear witness to, especially that fifthchapter to the Romans, where, by the apostle, he is set before usas the head of all the elect, even as Adam was once head of all theworld. Thus he lived, and thus he died; and this was a mysteriousact. And that he should die as a sinner, when yet himself did 'nosin, ' nor had any 'guile found in his mouth, ' made this act moremysterious (1 Pet 1:19, 2:22, 3:18). That he died as a sinner isplain--'He hath made him to be sin. And the Lord laid upon him theiniquity of us all' (Isa 53). That, then, as to his own person hewas completely sinless is also as truly manifest, and that by amultitude of scriptures. Now, I say, that Christ Jesus should bethus considered, and thus die, was the great mystery of God. HencePaul tells us, that when he preached 'Christ crucified, ' he preachednot only the 'wisdom of God, ' but the 'wisdom of God in a mystery, 'even his 'hidden wisdom, ' for, indeed, this wisdom is hidden, andkept close from the 'fowls of the air' (1 Cor 1:24, 2:7, 8; Job28:20, 21). 

It is also so mysterious, that it goes beyond the reach of all men, except those to whom an understanding is given of God to apprehendit (1 John 5:20). That one particular man should represent allthe elect in himself, and that the most righteous should die as asinner, yea, as a sinner by the hand of a just and holy God, is amystery of the greatest depth!

Second. And now I come to show you how the elect are concernedtherein; that is, in this mysterious act of this most blessed One;and this will make this act yet more mysterious to you. 

Now, then, we will speak of this first, as to how Christ preparedhimself thus mysteriously to act. He took hold of our nature. Isay, he took hold of us, by taking upon him flesh and blood. TheSon of God, therefore, took not upon him a particular person, thoughhe took to him a human body and soul; but that which he took was, as I may call it, a lump of the common nature of man; and by that, hold of the whole elect seed of Abraham; 'For verily he took not onhim the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham'(Heb 2:16) Hence he, in a mystery, became us, and was counted asall the men that were or should be saved. And this is the reason whywe are said to do, when only Jesus Christ did do. As for instance--

1. When Jesus Christ fulfilled the righteousness of the law, itis said it was fulfilled in us, because indeed fulfilled in ournature: 'For what the law could not do, in that it was weak throughthe flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteousnessof the law might be fulfilled in us, ' &c. (Rom 8:3, 4). But becausenone should appropriate this unto themselves that have not had passedupon them a work of conversion, therefore he adds, 'Who walk notafter the flesh, but after the Spirit' (v. 4). For there beinga union between head and members, though things may be done bythe head, and that for the members, the things are counted to themembers, as if not done only by the head. 'The righteousness of thelaw is fulfilled in us'; and that truly, because fulfilled in thatcommon nature which the Son of God took of the Virgin. Wherefore, in this sense we are said to do what only was done by him; evenas the client doth by his lawyer, when his lawyer personates him;the client is said to do, when it is the lawyer only that does;and to overcome by doing, when it is the lawyer that overcomes; thereason is, because the lawyer does in the client's name. How muchmore then may it be said we do, when only Christ does; since hedoes what he does, not in our name only, but in our nature too;'for the law of the spirit of life in Christ. ' not in me, 'hathmade me free from the law of sin and death' (Rom 8:2); he doing inhis common flesh what could not be done in my particular person, that so I might have the righteousness of the law fulfilled in me, [that is, in] my flesh assumed by Christ; though impossible to bedone [by me], because of the weakness of my person. The reason ofall this is, because we are said to be in him in his doing, in himby our flesh, and also by the election of God. So, then, as allmen sinned when Adam fell, so all the elect did righteousness whenChrist wrought and fulfilled the law; 'for as in Adam all die, evenso in Christ shall all be made alive' (1 Cor 15:22). 

2. As we are said to do by Christ, so we are said to suffer byhim, to suffer with him. 'I am crucified with Christ, ' said Paul. And again, 'Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in theflesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind; for he that hathsuffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin' (1 Peter 4:1). Mark howthe apostle seems to change the person. First he says, it is Christthat suffered; and that is true; but then he insinuates that it isus that suffered, for the exhortation is to believers, to 'walk innewness of life' (Rom 6:4). And the argument is, because they havesuffered in the flesh, 'For he that hath suffered in the flesh hathceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his timein the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God' (1 Peter4:1, 2). We then suffered, when Christ suffered; we then sufferedin his flesh, and also our 'old man was crucified with him' (Rom6:6); that is, in his crucifixion; for when he hanged on the cross, all the elect hanged there in their common flesh which he assumed, and because he suffered there as a public man. 

3. As we are said to suffer with him, so we are said to die, to bedead with him; with him, that is, by the dying of his body. 'Now, if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live withhim' (Rom 6:8). Wherefore he saith in other places, 'Brethren, ye are become dead to the law by the body of Christ'; for indeedwe died then to it by him. To the law--that is, the law now hasnothing to do with us; for that it has already executed its curseto the full upon us by its slaying of the body of Christ; for thebody of Christ was our flesh: upon it also was laid our sin. Thelaw, too, spent that curse that was due to us upon him, when itcondemned, killed, and cast him into the grave. Wherefore, it havingthus spent its whole curse upon him as standing in our stead, weare exempted from its curse for ever; we are become dead to it bythat body (Rom 7:4). It has done with us as to justifying righteousness. Nor need we fear its damning threats any more; for by the death ofthis body we are freed from it, and are for ever now coupled to aliving Christ. 

4. As we are said thus to be dead, so we are said also to riseagain by him--'Thy dead men, ' saith he to the Father, 'shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise' (Isa 26:19). [5] Andagain, 'After two days he will revive us; in the third day--weshall live in his sight' (Hosea 6:2). 

Both these scriptures speak of the resurrection of Christ, of theresurrection of his body on the third day; but behold, as we weresaid before to suffer and be dead with him, so now we are said alsoto rise and live in God's sight by the resurrection of his body. For, as was said, the flesh was ours; he took part of our fleshwhen he came into the world; and in it he suffered, died, and roseagain (Heb 2:14). We also were therefore counted by God, in thatGod-man, when he did this; yea, he suffered, died, and rose as acommon head. [6]

Hence also the New Testament is full of this, saying, 'If ye bedead with Christ' (Col 2:20). 'If ye be risen with Christ' (3:1). And again, 'He hath quickened us together with him' (2:13). 'We arequickened together with him. ' 'Quickened, ' and 'quickened togetherwith him. ' The apostle hath words that cannot easily be shiftedor evaded. Christ then was quickened when he was raised from thedead. Nor is it proper to say that he was ever quickened eitherbefore or since. This text also concludes that we--to wit, thewhole body of God's elect, were also quickened then, and made tolive with him together. True, we also are quickened personally bygrace the day in the which we are born unto God by the gospel; yetafore that, we are quickened in our Head; quickened when he wasraised from the dead, quickened together with him. 

5. Nor are we thus considered--to wit, as dying and rising, and soleft; but the apostle pursues his argument, and tells us that wealso reap by him, as being considered in him, the benefit whichChrist received, both in order to his resurrection, and the blessedeffect thereof. 

(1. ) We received, by our thus being counted in him, that benefitwhich did precede his rising from the dead; and what was that butthe forgiveness of sins? For this stands clear to reason, that ifChrist had our sins charged upon him at his death, he then mustbe discharged of them in order to his resurrection. Now, though itis not proper to say they were forgiven to him, because they werepurged from him by merit; yet they may be said to be forgiven us, because we receive this benefit by grace. And this, I say, was doneprecedent to his resurrection from the dead. 'He hath quickenedus together with him, HAVING forgiven us all trespasses. ' He couldnot be 'quickened' till we were 'discharged'; because it was notfor himself, but for us, that he died. Hence we are said to be atthat time, as to our own personal estate, dead in our sins, evenwhen we are 'quickened together with him' (Col 2:13). 

Therefore both the 'quickening' and 'forgiveness' too, so faras we are in this text concerned, is to him, as we are consideredin him, or to him, with respect to us. 'Having forgiven you ALLtrespasses. ' For necessity so required; because else how was itpossible that the pains of death should be loosed in order to hisrising, so long as one sin stood still charged to him, as that forthe commission of which God had not received a plenary satisfaction?As therefore we suffered, died, and rose again by him, so, inorder to his so rising, he, as presenting of us in his person andsuffering, received for us remission of all our trespasses. A fulldischarge therefore was, in and by Christ, received of God of allour sins afore he rose from the dead, as his resurrection trulydeclared; for he 'was delivered for our offences, and was raisedagain for our justification' (Rom 4:25). This therefore is oneof the privileges we receive by the rising again of our Lord, forthat we were in his flesh considered, yea, and in his death andsuffering too. 

(2. ) By this means also we have now escaped death. 'Knowing thatChrist being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no moredominion over him. For in that he died, he died unto, ' or for, 'sinonce; but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God' (Rom 6:9, 10). Nowin all this, considering what has been said before, we that areof the elect are privileged, for that we also are raised up by therising of the body of Christ from the dead. And thus the apostlebids us reckon: 'Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be deadindeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ' (Rom 6:11). Hence Christ says, 'I am the resurrection and the life, ' for thatall his are safe in him, suffering, dying, and rising. He is thelife, 'our life'; yea, so our life, that by him the elect do livebefore God, even then when as to themselves they yet are dead intheir sins. Wherefore, hence it is that in time they partake ofquickening grace from this their Head, to the making of them alsolive by faith, in order to their living hereafter with him in glory;for if Christ lives, they cannot die that were sharers with him inhis resurrection. [7] Hence they are said to 'live, ' being 'quickenedtogether with him. ' Also, as sure as at his resurrection they livedby him, so sure at his coming shall they be gathered to him; nay, from that day to this, all that, as aforesaid, were in him athis death and resurrection, are already, in the 'dispensation ofthe fulness of times, ' daily 'gathering to him. ' For this he hathpurposed, wherefore none can disannul it--'In the dispensation ofthe fulness of times he might gather together in one all things inChrist, both which are in heaven and which are in earth; even inhim' (Eph 1:10). 

(3. ) To secure this the more to our faith that believe, as we aresaid to be 'raised up together' with him, so we are said to be 'madeto sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus' (Eph 2:6). Wedied by him, we rose by him, and are together, even all the elect, set down 'together' in 'heavenly places in Christ Jesus'; for still, even now he is on the right hand of God, he is to be considered asour public man, our Head, and so one in whom is concluded all theelect of God. We then are by him already in heaven; in heaven, I say, by him; yea, set down there in our places of glory by him. Hence the apostle, speaking of us again, saith, That as we arepredestinate, we are called, justified, and glorified; called, justified, glorified; all is done, already done, as thus consideredin Christ (Rom 8:30). For that in his public work there is nothingyet to do as to this. Is not HE called? Is not HE justified? Is notHE glorified? And are we not in him, in him, even as so considered?

Nor doth this doctrine hinder or forestal the doctrine ofregeneration or conversion; nay, it lays a foundation for it; forby this doctrine we gather assurance that Christ will have his own;for if already they live in their head, what is that but a pledgethat they shall live in their persons with him? and, consequently, that to that end they shall, in the times allotted for that end, be called to a state of faith, which God has ordained shall precedeand go before their personal enjoyment of glory. Nor doth thishinder their partaking of the symbol of regeneration, [8] and oftheir other privileges to which they are called in the day of grace;yea, it lays a foundation for all these things; for if I am deadwith Christ, let me be like one dead with him, even to all thingsto which Christ died when he hanged on the tree; and then he diedto sin, to the law, and to the rudiments of this world (Rom 6:10, 7:4; Col 2:20). And if I be risen with Christ, let me live, likeone born from the dead, in newness of life, and having my mindand affections on the things where Christ now sitteth on the righthand of God. And indeed he professes in vain that talketh of thesethings, and careth not to have them also answered in himself. Thiswas the apostle's way, namely, to covet to 'know him, and the powerof his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, beingmade conformable unto his death' (Phil 3:10). And when we are thus, that thing is true both in him and us. Then as is the heavenly, such are they that are heavenly; for he that saith he is in him, and by being in him, a partaker of these privileges by him, 'oughthimself also so to walk, even as he walked' (1 Cor 15:48; 1 John2:6). 

But to pass this digression, and to come to my argument, namely, that men are justified from the curse of the law, before God, whilesinners in themselves; this is evident by what hath already beensaid; for if the justification of their persons is by, in, andthrough Christ; then it is not by, in, and through their own doings. Nor was Christ engaged in this work but of necessity, even becauseelse there had not been salvation for the elect. 'O my father, 'saith he, 'if it be possible, let this cup pass from me' (Matt26:39). If what be possible? Why, that my elect may be saved, andI not spill my blood. Wherefore he saith again, Christ ought tosuffer (Luke 24:26). 'Christ must needs have suffered, ' for 'withoutshedding of blood is no remission' of sin (Acts 17:3; Heb 9:22). [9]

[Proofs of the first position. ]

SECOND. We will now come to the present state and condition of thosethat are justified; I mean with respect to their own qualifications, and so prove the truth of this our great position. And this Iwill do, by giving of you plain texts that discover it, and thatconsequently prove our point. And after that, by giving of youreasons drawn from the texts. 

First. 'Speak not thou in thine heart, ' no, not in thine heart, 'after that the Lord thy God hath cast them out [thine enemies] beforethee, saying, For my righteousness--do I possess this land. --Notfor thy righteousness, or for the uprightness of thine heart, dostthou go to possess their land. --Understand, therefore, that theLord thy God giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thyrighteousness; for thou art a stiff-necked people' (Deut 9:4-6). 

In these words, very pat for our purpose, two things are worthyour consideration. 1. The people here spoken to were the peopleof God; and so by God himself are they here twice acknowledged tobe--'The Lord thy God, the Lord thy God. ' So then, the righteousnesshere intended is not the righteousness that is in the world, butthat which the people of God perform. 2. The righteousness hereintended is not some, but all, and every whit of that the churchperforms to God: Say not in thine heart, after the Lord hath broughtthee in, It was for my righteousness. No, all thy righteousness, from Egypt to Canaan, will not purchase Canaan for thee. 

That this is true is evident, because it is thrice rejected--Notfor thy righteousness--not for thy righteousness--not for thyrighteousness, dost thou possess the land. Now, if the righteousnessof the people of God of old could not merit for them Canaan, whichwas but a type of heaven, how can the righteousness of the worldnow obtain heaven itself? I say again, if godly men, as these were, could not by their works purchase the type of heaven, then mustthe ungodly be justified, if ever they be justified from the curseand sentence of the law, while sinners in themselves. The argumentis clear; for if good men, by what they do, cannot merit the less, bad men, by what they do, cannot merit more. 

Second. 'Remember me, O my God, concerning this; and wipe not outmy good deeds that I have done' (Neh 13:14). 

These words were spoken by holy Nehemiah, and that at the end ofall the good that we read he did in the world. Also, the deeds herespoken of were deeds done for God, for his people, for his house, and for the offices thereof. Yet godly Nehemiah durst not standbefore God in these, nor yet suffer them to stand to his judgmentby the law; but prays to God to be merciful both to him and them, and to spare him 'according to the greatness of his mercy' (v 22). 

God blots out no good but for the sake of sin;[10] and forasmuchas this man prays God would not blot out his, it is evident thathe was conscious to himself that in his good works were sin. Now, I say, if a good man's works are in danger of being overthrownbecause there is in them a tang of sin, how can bad men think tostand just before God in their works, which are in all parts fullof sin? Yea, if the works of a sanctified man are blameworthy, howshall the works of a bad man set him clear in the eyes of Divinejustice?

Third. 'But we are all as an unclean thing, and all ourrighteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf;and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away' (Isa 64:6). 

In these words we have a relation both of persons and things. 1. Of persons. And they are a righteous people, a righteous peopleput all together--'We, we all are, ' &c. 2. The condition of thispeople, even of ALL of them, take them at the best, are, and that bytheir own confession, 'as an unclean thing. ' 3. Again; the thingshere attending this people are their good things, put down underthis large character, 'Righteousnesses, ALL our righteousnesses. '

These expressions therefore comprehend all their religious duties, both before and after faith too. But what are all these righteousnesses?Why, they are all as 'filthy rags' when set before the justice ofthe law; yea, it is also confessed, and that by these people, thattheir iniquities, notwithstanding all their righteousnesses, likethe wind, if grace prevent not, would 'carry them away. ' Thisbeing so, how is it possible for one that is in his sins, to workhimself into a spotless condition by works done before faith, by works done by natural abilities? or to perform a righteousnesswhich is able to look God in the face, his law in the face, andto demand and obtain the forgiveness of sins, and the life that iseternal? It cannot be: 'men must therefore be justified from thecurse, in the sight of God while sinners in themselves, ' or not atall. [11]

Fourth. 'There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, andsinneth not' (Eccl 7:20; 1 Kings 8:46). 

Although the words before are large, yet these seem far larger;there is not a man, not a just man, not a just man upon the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. Now, if no good man, if no goodman upon earth doth good, and sinneth not; then no good man uponearth can set himself by his own actions justified in the sight ofGod, for he has sin mixed with his good. How then shall a bad man, any bad man, the best bad man upon earth, think to set himself byhis best things just in the sight of God? And if the tree makesthe fruit either good or evil, then a bad tree--and a bad man isa bad tree--can bring forth no good fruit, how then shall such anone do that that shall 'cleanse him from his sin, ' and set him as'spotless before the face of God?' (Matt 7:16). 

Fifth. 'Hearken unto me, ye stout-hearted, that are far fromrighteousness: I bring near my righteousness, ' &c. (Isa 46:12-13). 

1. This call is general, and so proves, whatever men think of themselves, that in the judgment of God there is none at all righteous. Men, as men, are far from being so. 2. This general offer of righteousness, of the righteousness of God, declares that it is in vain for men tothink to be set just and righteous before God by any other means. 3. There is here also insinuated, that for him that thinks himselfthe worst, God has prepared a righteousness, and therefore would nothave him despair of life that sees himself far from righteousness. From all these scriptures, therefore, it is manifest, 'that menmust be justified from the curse of the law, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves. '

Sixth. 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, andI will give you rest' (Matt 11:28). 

Here we have a labouring people, a people labouring for life; butby all their labour, you see, they cannot ease themselves; theirburden still remains upon them; they yet are heavy laden. The loadhere is, doubtless, guilt of sin, such as David had when he saidby reason thereof, he was not able to look up (Psa 38:3-5). Hence, therefore, you have an experiment set before you of those that aretrying what they can do for life; but behold, the more they stir, the more they sink under the weight of the burden that lies uponthem. [12] And the conclusion--to wit, Christ's call to them to cometo him for rest--declares that, in his judgment, rest was not tobe had elsewhere. And I think, one may with as much safety adhereto Christ's judgment as to any man's alive; wherefore, 'men mustbe justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners inthemselves. '

Seventh. 'There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none thatunderstandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are allgone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; thereis none that doeth good, no, not one' (Rom 3:10-12). 

These words have respect to a righteousness which is justified bythe law; and they conclude that none by his own performances isrighteous with such a righteousness; and it is concluded from fivereasons--1. Because they are not good; for a man must be goodbefore he doth good, and perfectly good before he doth good andsinneth not. 2. Because they understand not. How then should theydo good? for a man must know before he does, else how should hedivert[13] himself to do? 3. Because they want a heart; they seeknot after God according to the way of his own appointment. 4. Theyare all gone out of the way; how then can they walk therein? 5. They are together become unprofitable. What worth or value then canthere be in any of their doings? These are the reasons by whichhe proveth that there is 'none righteous, no, not one. ' And thereasons are weighty, for by them he proves the tree is not good;how then can it yield good fruit?

Now, as he concludes from these five reasons that not one indeedis righteous, so he concludes by five more that none can do good tomake him so--1. For that internally they are as an open sepulchre, as full of dead men's bones. Their minds and consciences are defiled;how then can sweet and good proceed from thence? (v 13). 2. Theirthroat is filled with this stink; all their vocal duties thereforesmell thereof. 3. Their mouth is full of cursing and bitterness;how then can there be found one word that should please God? 4. Their tongue, which should present their praise to God, has beenused to work deceit; how then, until it is made a new one, shouldit speak in righteousness? 5. The poison of asps is under their lips;therefore whatever comes from them must be polluted (Rom 3:11-14;Matt 23:27; Titus 1:15; Jer 44:17, 17:9). Thus, you see, he setsforth their internal part, which being a true report, as to be sureit is, it is impossible that any good should so much as be framedin such an inward part, or come clean out of such a throat, by sucha tongue, through such lips as these. 

And yet this is not all. He also proves, and that by five reasonsmore, that it is not possible they should do good--1. 'Their feetare swift to shed blood' (Rom 3:15). This implies an inclination, an inward inclination to evil courses; a quickness of motion todo evil, but a backwardness to do good. 2. 'Destruction and miseryare in their ways' (v16). Take 'ways' for their 'doings, ' and inthe best of them destruction lurks, and misery yet follows them atthe heels. 3. 'The way of peace have they not known'; that is farabove out of their sight (v 17). Wherefore the labour of thesefoolish ones will weary every one of them, because they know notthe way that goes to the city (Eccl 10:15). 4. 'There is no fearof God before their eyes' (v 18). How then can they do anythingwith that godly reverence of his holy Majesty that is and must beessential to every good work? for to do things, but not in God'sfear, to what will it amount? will it avail? 5. All this while theyare under a law that calls for works that are perfectly good; thatwill accept of none but what are perfectly good; and that willcertainly condemn them because they neither are nor can be perfectlygood. 'For what things soever the law saith, it saith it to themwho are under the law; that every mouth may be stopped, and allthe world may become guilty before God' (v 19). 

Thus you see that Paul here proves, by fifteen reasons, that noneare, nor can be, righteous before God by works that they can do;therefore 'men must be justified from the curse, in the sight ofGod, while sinners in themselves. '

Eighth. 'But now the righteousness of God without the law ismanifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets' (v 21). 

This text utterly excludes the law--what law? The law of works, the moral law, (v 27)--and makes mention of another righteousness, even a righteousness of God; for the righteousness of the law isthe righteousness of men, men's 'own righteousness' (Phil 3:9). Now, if the law, as to a justifying righteousness, is rejected;then the very matter upon and by which man should work is rejected;and if so, then he must be justified by the righteousness ofGod, or not at all; for he must be justified by a righteousnessthat is without the law; to wit, the righteousness of God. Now, this righteousness of God, whatever it is, to be sure it is not arighteousness that flows from men; for that, as I said, is rejected, and the righteousness of God opposed unto it, being calleda righteousness that is without the law, without our personalobedience to it. The righteousness of God, or a righteousness ofGod's completing, a righteousness of God's bestowing, a righteousnessthat God also gives unto, and puts upon all them that believe (Rom3:22), a righteousness that stands in the works of Christ, and thatis imputed both by the grace and justice of God (v 24-26). Where, now, is room for man's righteousness, either in the whole, or asto any part thereof? I say, where, as to justification with God?

Ninth. 'What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertainingto the flesh, hath found?' (Rom 4:1)

Now, the apostle is at the root of the matter; for Abraham iscounted the father of the faithful; consequently, the man whoseway of attaining justification must needs be exemplary to all thechildren of Abraham. Now, the question is, how Abraham found? howhe found that which some of his children sought and missed? (Rom9:32); that is, how he found justifying righteousness; for it wasthat which Israel sought and attained not unto (11:7). 'Did hefind it, ' saith Paul, 'by the flesh?' or, as he was in the flesh?or, by acts and works of the flesh? But what are they? why, thenext verse tells you 'they are the works of the law' (Rom 4). 

'If Abraham was justified by works'; that is, as pertaining to theflesh; for the works of the law are none other but the best sortof the works of the flesh. And so Paul calls all they that he hadbefore his conversion to Christ: 'If any other man, ' saith he, 'thinketh he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more. 'And then he counteth up several of his privileges, to which he atlast adjoineth the righteousness of the moral law, saying, 'Touchingthe righteousness which is in the law, [I was] blameless' (Phil3:4-6). And it is proper to call the righteousness of the law thework of the flesh, because it is the work of a man, of a man inthe flesh; for the Holy Ghost doth not attend the law, or the workthereof, as to this, in man, as man; that has confined itself toanother ministration, whose glorious name it bears (2 Cor 3:8). I say it is proper to call the works of the law the works of theflesh, because they are done by that self-same nature in and out ofwhich comes all those things that are more grossly so called (Gal5:19, 20); to wit, from the corrupt fountain of fallen man's pollutednature (James 3:10). 

This, saith Paul, was not the righteousness by which Abraham foundjustification with God--'For if Abraham was justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. For what saith theScripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him forrighteousness' (Rom 4:2-3). This 'believing' is also set in flatopposition to 'works, ' and to the 'law of works'; wherefore, uponpain of great contempt to God, it must not be reckoned as a workto justify withal, but rather as that which receiveth and applieththat righteousness. From all this, therefore, it is manifest 'thatmen must be justified from the curse of the law, in the sight ofGod, while sinners in themselves. ' But, Tenth. 'Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt' (Rom 4:4). 

These words do not only back what went before, as to the rejectionof the law for righteousness as to justification with God, but supposingthe law was of force to justify, life must not be admitted to comethat way, because of the evil consequences that will unavoidablyflow therefrom. 1. By this means, grace, and justification by grace, would be rejected; and that would be a foul business; it would notbe reckoned of grace. 2. By this, God would become the debtor, andso the underling; and so we in this the more honourable. 

It would not be reckoned of grace, but of debt; and what would followfrom hence? Why, (1. ) By this we should frustrate the design ofHeaven, which is, to justify us freely by grace, through a redemptionbrought in by Christ (Rom 3:24-26; Eph 2:8-13). (2. ) By this weshould make ourselves the saviours, and jostle Christ quite out ofdoors (Gal 5:2-4). (3. ) We should have heaven at our own dispose, as a debt, not by promise, and so not be beholden to God for it (Gal3:18). It must, then, be of grace, not of works, for the preventingof these evils. 

Again, it must not be of works, because if it should, then God wouldbe the debtor, and we the creditor. Now, much blasphemy would flowfrom hence; as, (1. ) God himself would not be his own to disposeof; for the inheritance being God, as well as his kingdom (for soit is written, 'heirs of God' (Rom 8:17)), himself, I say, mustneeds be our purchase. (2. ) If so, then we have right to disposeof him, of his kingdom and glory, and all--'Be astonished, O heavens, at this!'--for if he be ours by works, then he is ours of debt; ifhe be ours of debt, then he is ours by purchase; and then, again, if so, he is no longer his own, but ours, and at our disposal. 

Therefore, for these reasons, were there sufficiency in our personalworks to justify us, it would be even inconsistent with the beingof God to suffer it. So then, 'men are justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves. '

Eleventh. 'But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him thatjustifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness'(Rom 4:5). 

These words show how we must stand just in the sight of God fromthe curse of the law, both as it respecteth justification itself, as also the instrument or means that receiveth that righteousnesswhich justifieth. 

1. As for that righteousness that justifieth, it is not personalperformances in us; for the person here justified stands, in thatrespect, as one that worketh not, as one that is ungodly. 2. Asit respecteth the instrument that receiveth it, that faith, as inthe point of justifying righteousness, will not work, but believe, but receive the works and righteousness of another; for works andfaith in this are set in opposition. He doth not work, he dothbelieve' (Gal 3:12). He worketh not, but believeth on him whojustifieth us, ungodly. As Paul also saith in another place, Thelaw is not of faith (Rom 10:5, 6). And again, Works saith on thiswise; faith, far different. The law saith, Do this, and live. Butthe doctrine of faith saith, 'If thou shalt confess with thy mouththe Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hathraised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heartman believeth unto righteousness, ' &c. (Rom 10:9, 10). 

Object. But faith is counted for righteousness. 

Answ. True, but yet consider, that by faith we do oft understandthe doctrine of remission of sins, as well as the act of believing. 

But again; faith when it hath received the Lord Jesus, it hathdone that which pleaseth God; therefore, the very act of believingis the most noble in the world; believing sets the crown upon thehead of grace; it seals to the truth of the sufficiency of therighteousness of Christ, and giveth all the glory to God (John3:33). And therefore it is a righteous act; but Christ himself, he is the Righteousness that justifieth' (Rom 4:20, 25). Besides, faith is a relative, and hath its relation as such. Its relationis the righteousness that justifieth, which is therefore called therighteousness of faith, or that with which faith hath to do (Rom10:6). Separate these two, and justification cannot be, becausefaith now wants his righteousness. And hence it is you have so oftensuch sayings as these--'He that believeth in me; he that believethon him; believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved'(John 6:35, 40). Faith, then, as separate from Christ, doth nothing;nothing, neither with God nor man; because it wants its relative;but let it go to the Lord Jesus--let it behold him as dying, &c. , and it fetches righteousness, and life, and peace out of the virtueof his blood, &c. (Acts 10:29, 31, 33). Or rather, sees it there assufficient for me to stand just thereby in the sight of EternalJustice For him 'God hath set forth to be a propitiation throughfaith [belief] in his blood, ' with intent to justify him thatbelieveth in Jesus (Rom 3:25, 26). 

Twelfth. 'Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the manto whom God imputeth righteousness without works' (Rom 4:6). 

Did our adversaries understand this one text, they would notso boldly affirm, as they do, that the words, 'impute, imputed, imputeth, imputing, ' &c. , are not used in scripture but to expressmen really and personally to be that which is imputed unto them;for men are not really and personally faith, yet faith is imputedto men; nay, they are not really and personally sin, nor really andpersonally righteousness, yet these are imputed to men: so, then, both good things and bad may sometimes be imputed to men, yetthemselves be really and personally neither. But to come to thepoint: what righteousness hath that man that hath no works? Doubtlessnone of his own; yet God imputeth righteousness to him. Yea, whatworks of that man doth God impute to him that he yet justifies asungodly?

Further, He that hath works as to justification from the curse beforeGod, not one of them is regarded of God; so, then, it matterethnot whether thou hast righteousness of thine own, or none. 'Blessedis the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousness without works. 'Man's blessedness, then, the blessedness of justification from thecurse in the sight of God, lieth not in good works done by us, either before or after faith received, but in a righteousness whichGod imputeth without works; as we 'work not' as we 'are ungodly. ''Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sin iscovered' (v 7). To forgive and to cover are acts of mercy, not thecause of our merit. Besides, where sin is real, there can be noperfect righteousness; but the way of justification must be throughperfect righteousness, therefore by another than our own, 'Blessedis the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin' (v 8). The firstcause, then, of justification before God, dependeth upon the willof God, who will justify because he will; therefore the meritoriouscause must also be of his own providing, else his will cannotherein be absolute; for if justification depend upon our personalperformances, then not upon the will of God. He may not have mercyupon whom he will, but on whom man's righteousness will give him leave. But his will, not ours, must rule here; therefore his righteousness, and his only (Rom 9:15, 18). So, then, 'men are justified from thecurse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves. '

Having passed over these few scriptures, I shall come to particularinstances of persons who have been justified; and shall brieflytouch their qualifications in the act of God's justifying them. First, By the Old Testament types. Second, By the New. 

[First Position illustrated by Scripture types. ]

First. By the Old [Testament types]. First. 'Unto Adam also and tohis wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them'(Gen 3:21). 

In the beginning of this chapter you find these two persons reasoningwith the serpent, the effect of which discourse was, they take ofthe forbidden fruit, and so break the command of God (vv 7-15). This done, they hide themselves, and cover their nakedness withaprons. But God finds out their sin, from the highest branch evento the roots thereof. What followeth? Not one precept by whichthey should by works obtain the favour of God, but the promise ofa Saviour; of which promise this twenty-first verse is a mysticalinterpretation: 'The Lord God made them coats of skins, and clothedthem. '

Hence observe--1. That these coats were made, not before, but afterthey had made themselves aprons; a plain proof their aprons werenot sufficient to hide their shame from the sight of God. 2. Thesecoats were made, not of Adam's inherent righteousness, for thatwas lost before by sin, but of the skins of the slain, types of thedeath of Christ, and of the righteousness brought in thereby--'Bywhose stripes we are healed' (Isa 53). [14] 3. This is furthermanifest; for the coats, God made them; and for the persons, Godclothed them therewith; to show that as the righteousness by whichwe must stand just before God from the curse is a righteousness ofChrist's performing, not of theirs; so he, not they, must put it onthem also, for of God we are in Christ, and of God his righteousnessis made ours (1 Cor 1:30). 

But, I say, if you would see their antecedent qualifications, youfind them under two heads--rebellion [and] hypocrisy. Rebellion, in breaking God's command; hypocrisy, in seeking how to hide theirfaults from God. Expound this by gospel language, and then itshows 'that men are justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves. '

Second. 'The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering' (Gen4:4). 

By these words we find the person first accepted: 'The Lordhad respect unto Abel. ' And indeed, where the person is not firstaccepted, the offering will not be pleasing; the altar sanctifiesthe gift, and the temple sanctifieth the gold; so the person, thecondition of the person, is that which makes the offering eitherpleasing or despising (Matt 23:16-21). In the epistle to theHebrews it is said, 'By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellentsacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he wasrighteous' (Heb 11:4). Righteous before he offered his gift, ashis sacrifice testified; for God accepted of it. 

'By faith he offered. ' Wherefore faith was precedent, or beforehe offered. Now faith hath to do with God through Christ; not withhim through our works of righteousness. Besides, Abel was righteousbefore he offered, before he did do good, otherwise God would nothave testified of his gift. 'By faith he obtained witness that hewas righteous, ' for God approved of his gifts. Now faith, I say, as to our standing quit before the Father, respects the promiseof forgiveness of sins through the undertaking of the Lord Jesus. Wherefore Abel's faith as to justifying righteousness before Godlooked not forward to what should be done by himself, but back tothe promise of the seed of the woman, that was to destroy the powerof hell, and 'to redeem them that were under the law' (Gen 3:15;Gal 4:4, 5). By this faith he shrouds himself under the promise ofvictory, and the merits of the Lord Jesus. Now being there, Godfinds him righteous; and being righteous, 'he offered to God amore excellent sacrifice than his brother'; for Cain's person wasnot first accepted through the righteousness of faith going before, although he seemed foremost as to personal acts of righteousness(Gen 4). Abel therefore was righteous before he did good works;but that could not be but alone through that respect God had to himfor the sake of the Messias promised before (3:15). But the Lord'sso respecting Abel presupposeth that at that time he stood inhimself by the law a sinner, otherwise he needed not to be respectedfor and upon the account of another. Yea, Abel also, forasmuch ashe acted faith before he offered sacrifice, must thereby entirelyrespect the promise, which promise was not grounded upon a conditionof works to be found in Abel, but in and for the sake of the seedof the woman, which is Christ; which promise he believed, and sotook it for granted that this Christ should break the serpent'shead--that is, destroy by himself the works of the devil; to wit, sin, death, the curse, and hell (Gal 4:4). By this faith he stoodbefore God righteous, because he had put on Christ; and being thus, he offered; by which act of faith God declared he was pleased withhim, because he accepted of his sacrifice. 

Third. 'And the Lord said unto her, The elder shall serve theyounger' (Gen 25:23). 

These words, after Paul's exposition, are to be understood ofjustification in the sight of God, according to the purpose anddecree of electing love, which had so determined long before, thatone of these children should be received to eternal grace; but mark, not by works of righteousness which they should do, but 'beforethey had done either good or evil'; otherwise 'the purpose of Godaccording to election, ' not of works, but of him that calleth, 'could not stand, ' but fall in pieces (Rom 9:10-12). But none arereceived into eternal mercy but such as are just before the Lordby a righteousness that is complete; and Jacob having done no good, could by no means have that of his own, and therefore it must beby some other righteousness, 'and so himself be justified from thecurse, in the sight of God, while a sinner in himself. '

Fourth. The same may be said concerning Solomon, whom the Lordloved with special love, as soon as born into the world; which healso confirmed with signal characters. 'He sent, ' saith the HolyGhost, 'by the hand of Nathan the prophet, and he called his nameJedidiah, because the Lord loved him (2 Sam 12:24, 25). [15] Wasthis love of God extended to him because of his personal virtues?No, verily; for he was yet an infant. [16] He was justified then inthe sight of God from the curse by another than his own righteousness. 

Fifth. 'And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thineown blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live' (Eze 16:6). 

The state of this people you have in the former verses described, both as to their rise and practice in the world (vv 1-5). 1. Asto their rise. Their original was the same with Canaan, the men ofGod's curse (Gen 9:25). 'Thy birth and thy nativity is of the landof Canaan'; the same with other carnal men (Rom 3:9). 'Thy fatherwas an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite' (Eze 16:3). Theircondition, that is showed us by this emblem--(1. ) They had not beenwashed in water. (2. ) They had not been swaddled. (3. ) They hadnot been salted. (4. ) They brought filth with them into the world. (5. ) They lay stinking in their cradle. (6. ) They were withoutstrength to help themselves. Thus they appear and come by generation. 2. Again, as to their practice--(1. ) They polluted themselves intheir own blood. (2. ) They so continued till God passed by--'And whenI passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood';--'inthy blood, in thy blood'; it is doubled. Thus we see they werepolluted born, they continued in their blood till the day that theLord looked upon them; polluted, I say, to the loathing of theirpersons, &c. Now this was the time of love--'And when I passed bythee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto theewhen thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee when thouwast in thy blood, Live' (Eze 16:6). 

Quest. But how could a holy God say, 'Live, ' to such a sinfulpeople?

Answ. Though they had nought but sin, yet he had love and righteousness. He had love to pity them; righteousness to cover them--'Now whenI passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was thetime of love' (Eze 16:8). What follows? (1) 'I spread my skirtover thee'; and (2) 'Covered thy nakedness'; yea, (3) 'I sware untothee'; and (4) 'Entered into covenant with thee'; and (5) 'Thoubecamest mine. ' My love pitied thee; my skirt covered thee. ThusGod delivered them from the curse in his sight. 'Then I washed theewith water, after thou wast justified; yea, I thoroughly washedaway thy blood from thee, and anointed thee with oil' (v 9). 

Sanctification, then, is consequential, justification goes before. The Holy Ghost by this scripture setteth forth to the life, freegrace to the sons of men, while they themselves are sinners. I say, while they are unwashed, unswaddled, unsalted, but bloody sinners;for by these words, 'not washed, not salted, not swaddled, ' hesetteth forth their unsanctified state; yea, they were not onlyunsanctified, but also cast out, without pity, to the loathing oftheir persons; yea, 'no eye pitied them, to do any of these thingsfor them'; no eye but his, whose glorious grace is unsearchable;no eye but his, who could look and love; all others looked andloathed; but blessed be God that hath passed by us in that daythat we wallowed in our own blood; and blessed be God for the skirtof his glorious righteousness wherewith he covered us when we laybefore him naked in blood. It was when we were in our blood thathe loved us; when we were in our blood he said, Live. Therefore, 'men are justified from the curse, in the sight of God, whilesinners in themselves. '

Sixth. 'Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stoodbefore the angel' (Zech 3:3). 

The standing of Joshua here is as men used to stand that werearraigned before a judge. 'Joshua stood before the angel of theLord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him' (v 1). The same posture as Judas stood in when he was to be condemned. 'Setthou, ' said David, 'a wicked man over him; and let Satan stand athis right hand' (Psa 109:6). Thus, therefore, Joshua stood. NowJoshua was clothed, not with righteousness, but with filthy rags!Sin upon him, and Satan by him, and this before the angel! Whatmust he do now? Go away? No; there he must stand! Can he speak forhimself? Not a word; guilt had made him dumb! (Isa 53:12). Had heno place clean? No; he was clothed with filthy garments! But hislot was to stand before Jesus Christ, that maketh intercessionfor transgressors. 'And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebukethee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebukethee' (Zech 3:2). Thus Christ saveth from present condemnationthose that be still in their sin and blood. [17]

But is he now quit? No; he standeth yet in filthy garments; neithercan he, by aught that is in him, or done by him, clear himself fromhim. How then? Why, the Lord clothes him with change of raiment. The iniquities were his own, the raiment was the Lord's. 'This isthe heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousnessis of me, saith the Lord' (Isa 54:17). We will not here discourseof Joshua's sin, what it was, or when committed; it is enough toour purpose that he was clothed with filthy garments; and that theLord made a change with him, by causing his iniquity to pass fromhim, and by clothing him with change of raiment. But what hadJoshua antecedent to this glorious and heavenly clothing? The devilat his right hand to resist him, and himself in filthy garments. 'Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before theangel. And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him. And unto him hesaid, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, andI will clothe thee with change of raiment' (Zech 3: 3, 4). 

Second. But to pass [from] the Old Testament types, and to come tothe New. 

First. 'And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessedwith the devil prayed him that he might be with him. Howbeit Jesussuffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, andtell them how great things God hath done for thee, and hath hadcompassion on thee' (Mark 5:18, 19). 

The present state of this man is sufficiently declared in theseparticulars--1. He was possessed with a devil; with devils, withmany; with a whole legion, which some say is six thousand, orthereabouts (Matt 8). 2. These devils had so the mastery of himas to drive him from place to place into the wilderness among themountains, and so to dwell in the tombs among the dead (Luke 8). 3. He was out of his wits; he would cut his flesh, break his chains;nay, 'no man could tame him' (Mark 5:4-5). 4. When he saw Jesus, thedevil in him, as being lord and governor there, cried out againstthe Lord Jesus (v 7). In all this, what qualification shows itselfas precedent to justification? None but such as devils work, or asrank bedlams have. Yet this poor man was dispossessed, taken intoGod's compassion, and was bid to show it to the world. 'Go hometo thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath donefor thee, and hath had compassion on thee' (v 19); which last words, because they are added over and above his being dispossessed ofthe devils, I understand to be the fruit of electing love. 'I willhave compassion on whom I will have compassion, ' which blessethus with the mercy of a justifying righteousness; and all this, asby this is manifest, without the least precedent qualification ofours. 

Second. 'And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave themboth' (Luke 7:42). 

The occasion of these words was, for that the Pharisee murmuredagainst the woman that washed Jesus' feet, because 'she was a sinner';for so said the Pharisee, and so saith the Holy Ghost (v 37). But, saith Christ, Simon, I will ask thee a question, 'A certain manhad two debtors: the one owed him five hundred pence, and the otherfifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave themboth' (v 38). 

Hence I gather these conclusions--1. That men that are wedded to theirown righteousness understand not the doctrine of the forgiveness ofsins. This is manifested by the poor Pharisee; he objected againstthe woman because she was a sinner. 2. Let Pharisees murmur still, yet Christ hath pity and mercy for sinners. 3. Yet Jesus doth notusually manifest mercy until the sinner hath nothing to pay. 'Andwhen they had nothing to pay, he frankly, ' or freely, or heartily, 'forgave them both. ' If they had nothing to pay, then they weresinners; but he forgiveth no man but with respect to a righteousness;therefore that righteousness must be another's; for in the veryact of mercy they are found sinners. They had nothing but debt, nothing but sin, nothing to pay [with]. Then they were 'justifiedfreely by his grace, through the redemption that is in ChristJesus. ' So, then, 'men are justified from the curse, in the sightof God, while sinners in themselves. '

Third. 'And when he saw their faith, he said unto the man, Thy sinsare forgiven thee' (Luke 5:20). 

This man had not righteousness to stand just before God withal, for his sins as yet remained unforgiven; wherefore, seeing guiltremained until Christ remitted him, he was discharged while ungodly. And observe it, the faith here mentioned is not to be reckoned somuch the man's, as the faith of them that brought him; neither didit reach to the forgiveness of sins, but to the miracle of healing;yet this man, in this condition, had his sins forgiven him. 

But again; set the case, the faith was only his, as it was not, and that it reached to the doctrine of forgiveness, yet it did itwithout respect to righteousness in himself; for guilt lay stillupon him, he had now his sins forgiven him. But this act of gracewas a surprisal; it was unlooked for. 'I am found of them thatsought me not' (Isa 65:1). They came for one thing, he gave themanother; they came for a cure upon his body, but, to their amazement, he cured first his soul. 'Thy sins are forgiven thee. ' Besides, to have his sins forgiven betokeneth an act of grace; but graceand works as to this are opposite (Rom 11:6). Therefore 'men arejustified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners inthemselves. '

Fourth. 'Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son' (Luke 15:21). 

What this man was is sufficiently declared in verse 13, &c. As 1. A riotous spender of all--of time, talent, body, and soul. 2. Headded to this his rebellion, great contempt of his father's house--hejoined himself to a stranger, and became an associate with swine (vv15, 17). At last, indeed, he came to himself. But then observe--(1. ) Hesought not justification by personal performances of his own; (2. )Neither did he mitigate his wickedness; (3. ) Nor excuse himselfbefore his father; but first resolveth to confess his sin; andcoming to his father, did confess it, and that with aggravatingcircumstances. 'I have sinned against heaven; I have sinned againstthee; I am no more worthy to be called thy son' (v 18). Now whathe said was true or false. If true, then he had not righteousness. If false, he could not stand just in the sight of his fatherby virtue of his own performances. And, indeed, the sequel of theparable clears it. His 'father said to his servant, Bring forththe best robe, ' the justifying righteousness, 'and put it on him;and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet' (v 22). This bestrobe, then, being in the father's house, was not in the prodigal'sheart; neither stayed the father for further qualifications, butput it upon him as he was, surrounded with sin and oppressed withguilt. Therefore 'men are justified from the curse, in the sightof God, while sinners in themselves. '

Fifth. 'For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that whichwas lost' (Luke 19:10). 

The occasion of these words was, for that the Pharisees murmuredbecause 'Jesus was gone to be guest to one that was a sinner, ' yea, a sinner of the publicans, and are most fitly applied to the casein hand. For though Zaccheus climbed the tree, yet Jesus Christfound him first, and called him down by his name; adding withal, 'For to-day I must abide at thy house' (v 5); which being openedby verse 9, is as much as to say, I am come to be thy salvation. Now this being believed by Zaccheus, 'he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. ' And not only so, but to declare to allthe simplicity of his faith, and that he unfeignedly accepted ofthis word of salvation, he said unto the Lord, and that before allpresent, 'Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor;and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, ' asupposition intimating an affirmative, 'I restore him fourfold. '[18]This being thus, Christ doubleth his comfort, saying to him also, and that before the people, 'This day is salvation come to thishouse. ' Then, by adding the next words, he expounds the whole ofthe matter, 'For I am come to seek and save that which was lost';to seek it till I find it, to save it when I find it. He findsthem that sought him not (Rom 10:20); and saith, Zaccheus, Beholdme! to a people that asked not after him. So, then, seeing Jesusfindeth this publican first, preaching salvation to him before hecame down from the tree, it is evident he received this as he wasa sinner; from which faith flowed his following words and works asa consequence. 

Sixth. 'Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shaltthou be with me in paradise' (Luke 23:43). 

This was spoken to the thief upon the cross, who had lived inwickedness all his days; neither had he so much as truly repented--no, not till he came to die; nay, when he first was hanged he then fellto railing on Christ; for though Luke leaves it out, beginning butat his conversion; yet by Matthew's relating the whole tragedy, we find him at first as bad as the other (Matt 27:44). This man, then, had no moral righteousness, for he had lived in the breachof the law of God. Indeed, by faith he believed Christ to be King, and that when dying with him. But what was this to a personalperforming the commandments? or of restoring what he had oft takenaway? Yea, he confesseth his death to be just for his sin; and soleaning upon the mediation of Christ he goeth out of the world. Nowhe that truly confesseth and acknowledgeth his sin, acknowledgethalso the curse to be due thereto from the righteous hand of God. Sothen, where the curse of God is due, that man wanteth righteousness. Besides, he that makes to another for help, hath by that condemnedhis own, had he any, of utter insufficiency. But all these didthis poor creature; wherefore he must stand 'just from the law inthe sight of God, while sinful in himself. '

Seventh. 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' (Acts 9:6). 

What wilt thou have me to do? Ignorance is here set forth to thefull. Paul hitherto knew not Jesus, neither what he would have himto do; yet a mighty man for the law of works, and for zeal towardsGod according to that. Thus you see that he neither knew that Christwas Lord, nor what was his mind and will--'I did it ignorantly, inunbelief' (1 Tim 1:13-15). I did not know him; I did not believehe was to save us; I thought I must be saved by living righteously, by keeping the law of God. This thought kept me ignorant of Jesus, and of justification from the curse by him. Poor Saul! how manyfellows hast thou yet alive!--every man zealous of the law of works, yet none of them know the law of grace; each of them seeking forlife by doing the law, when life is to be had by nought but believingin Jesus Christ. 

Eighth. 'Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved'(Acts 16:31). 

A little before, we find Paul and Silas in the stocks for preachingof Jesus Christ; in the stocks, in the inward prison, by the handsof a sturdy jailer; but at midnight, while Paul and his companionsang praises to God, the foundations of the prison shook, and everyman's bands were loosed. Now the jailer being awakened by the noiseof this shaking, and supposing he had lost his prisoners, drew hissword, with intent to kill himself; 'But Paul cried out, Do thyselfno harm; for we are all here. Then he called for a light, and sprangin, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, andbrought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?'

In all this relation here is not aught that can justify the jailer. For, 1. His whole life was idolatry, cruelty, and enmity to God. Yea, 2. Even now, while the earthquake shook the prison, he hadmurder in his heart--yea, and in his intentions too; murder, Isay, and that of a high nature, even to have killed his own bodyand soul at once. [19] Well, 3. When he began to shake under thefears of everlasting burnings, yet then his heart was wrapped upin ignorance as to the way of salvation by Jesus Christ: 'What mustI do to be saved?' He knew not what; no, not he. His condition, then, was this: he neither had righteousness to save him, nor knewhe how to get it. Now, what was Paul's answer? Why, 'Believe in theLord Jesus Christ, ' look for righteousness in Christ, 'and thenthou shalt be saved. ' This, then, still holdeth true, 'men arejustified from the curse, in the sight of God, whilst sinners inthemselves. '

[Reasons for the first position drawn from the texts. ]

THIRD. I should now come to the second conclusion, viz. , that thiscan be done by no other righteousness than that long ago performedby, and remaining with, the person of Christ. But before I speak tothat, I will a little further press this, by urging for it severalreasons. 

The First Reason. --Men must be justified from the curse whilesinners in themselves, because by nature all are under sin--'Allhave sinned, and come short of the glory of God. He hath concludedall in unbelief; he hath concluded all under sin' (Rom 3:23, 11:32;Gal 3:22). Now having sinned, they are in body and soul defiled, and become an unclean thing. Wherefore, whatever they touch, withan intent to work out righteousness thereby, they defile that also(Titus 1:15; Lev 15:11; Isa 64:6). And hence, as I have said, allthe righteousness they seek to accomplish is but as a menstruouscloth and filthy rags; therefore they are sinners still. ' Indeed, to some men's thinking, the Pharisee is holier than the Publican;but in God's sight, in the eyes of Divine justice, they stand alikecondemned. 'All have sinned'; there is the poison! Therefore, asto God, without Christ, all throats are an open sepulchre (Matt23:27; Rom 3:13). 

The world in general is divided into two sorts of sinners--theopen profane, and the man that seeks life by the works of the law. The profane is judged by all; but the other by a few. Oh! but Godjudgeth him. 

1. For a hypocrite; because that notwithstanding he hath sinned, he would be thought to be good and righteous. And hence it isthat Christ calls such kind of holy ones, 'Pharisees, hypocrites!Pharisees hypocrites!' because by their gay outside they deceivedthose that beheld them. But, saith he, God sees your hearts; youare but like painted sepulchres, within you are full of dead men'sbones (Prov 30:12; Matt 23:27-30; Luke 11:26, 16:15). Such is theroot from whence flows all their righteousness. But doth the blindPharisee think his state is such? No; his thoughts of himself arefar otherwise--'God, I thank thee, ' saith he, 'I am not as othermen, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this publican'(Luke 18:11, 12). Aye, but still God judgeth him for a hypocrite. 

2. God judgeth him for one that spurneth against Christ, even byevery such work he doth. And hence it is, when Paul was convertedto Jesus Christ, that he calls the righteousness he had before, madness, blasphemy, injury; because what he did to save himselfby works was in direct opposition to grace by Jesus Christ (Phil3:7, 8; Acts 22:3, 4, 26:4; 1 Tim 1:14, 15). Behold, then, the evilthat is in a man's own righteousness! (1. ) It curseth and condemneththe righteousness of Christ. (2. ) It blindeth the man from seeinghis misery. (3. ) It hardeneth his heart against his own salvation. 

3. But again, God judgeth such, for those that condemn him offoolishness--'The preaching of the cross, ' that is, Christ crucified, 'is to them that perish foolishness' (1 Cor 1:18, 23). What, saiththe merit-monger, will you look for life by the obedience ofanother man? Will you trust to the blood that was shed upon thecross, that run down to the ground, and perished in the dust? Thusderidingly they scoff at, stumble upon, and are taken in the ginthat attends the gospel; not to salvation, but to their condemnation, because they have condemned the Just, that they might justify theirown filthy righteousness (Isa 8:14). 

But, I say, if all have sinned, if all are defiled, if the bestof a man's righteousness be but madness, blasphemy, injury; iffor their righteousness they are judged hypocrites, condemned asopposers of the gospel, and as such have counted God foolish forsending his Son into the world; then must the best of 'men be justifiedfrom the curse in the sight of God while sinners in themselves';because they still stand guilty in the sight of God, their heartsare also still filthy infected--'Though thou wash thee with nitre, and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity is marked before ME, saith the Lord God' (Jer 2:22). It stands marked still before God. So, then, what esteem soever men have of the righteousness of theworld, yet God accounts it horrible wickedness, and the greatestenemy that Jesus hath. Wherefore, this vine is the vine of Sodom;these clusters are the clusters of Gomorrah; these grapes aregrapes of gall; these clusters are bitter, they are the poison ofdragons, and the cruel venom of asps (Matt 3:7; 23). No marvel, then, if John in his ministry gives the first rebuke and jostle tosuch, still calling them serpents and vipers, and concluding itis almost impossible they should escape the damnation of hell; forof all sin, man's own righteousness, in special, bids defiance toJesus Christ. 

The Second Reason. --A second reason why men must stand just inthe sight of God from the curse, while sinners in themselves, is, because of the exactions of the law. For were it granted that men'sgood works arose from a holy root, and were perfect in their kind, yet the demand of the law--for that is still beyond them--wouldleave them sinners before the justice of God. And hence it is thatholy men stand just in the sight of God from the curse; yet darenot offer their gifts by the law, but through Jesus Christ; knowingthat not only their persons, but their spiritual service also, would else be rejected of the heavenly Majesty (1 Peter 2:5; Rev7:14-16; Heb 8:7, 8). [20]

For the law is itself so perfectly holy and good as not to admit ofthe least failure, either in the matter or manner of obedience--'Cursedis every one that continueth not in all things that are written inthe book of the law to do them' (Gal 3:10). For they that shall keepthe whole law, and yet offend in one point, are guilty of all, andconvicted of the law as transgressors (James 2:9, 10). 'Tribulation, 'therefore, 'and anguish, upon every soul of man that doth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile' (Rom 2:9). And observe, the law leaveth thee not to thy choice, when, or when not, tobegin to keep it; but requireth thy obedience so soon as concerned, exactly, both as to the matter and manner, and that before thouhast sinned against it; for the first sin breaks the law. Now, ifthou sinnest before thou beginnest to do, thou art found by thelaw a transgressor, and so standest by that convicted of sin; so, then, all thy after-acts of righteousness are but the righteousnessof a sinner, of one whom the law hath condemned already (John 3:18). 'The law is spiritual, but thou art carnal, sold under sin' (Rom7:14). 

Besides, the law being absolutely perfect, doth not only respectthe matter and manner as to outward acts, but also the rise androot, the heart, from whence they flow; and an impediment therespoils all, were the executive part never so good--'Thou shaltlove the Lord thy God with ALL thy heart, with ALL thy soul, withALL thy mind, and with ALL thy strength' (Mark 12:30). Mark therepetition, with all, with all, with all, with all; with all thyheart, with all thy soul, in all things, at all times, else thouhadst as good do nothing. But 'every imagination of the thought ofthe heart of man is only evil continually' (Gen 6:5). The marginhath it, 'the whole imagination, the purposes, and desires'; sothat a good root is here wanting. 'The heart is deceitful aboveall things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?' (Jer 17:9). What thoughts, words, or actions can be clean, sufficiently to answera perfect law that flows from this original? It is impossible. 'Menmust therefore be justified from the curse, in the sight of God, while sinners in themselves. ' But further yet to open the case. There are several things that make it impossible that a man shouldstand just in the sight of God but while sinful in himself. 

1. Because the law under which he at present stands, holds himunder the dominion of sin; for sin by the law hath dominion overall that are under the law (Rom 6:14). Dominion, I say, both asto guilt and filth. Guilt hath dominion over him, because he isunder the curse: and filth, because the law giveth him no power, neither can he by it deliver his soul. And for this cause it isthat it is called beggarly, weak, unprofitable; imposing duty, butgiving no strength (Gal 3:2, 4:9). Expecting the duty should becomplete, yet bendeth not the heart to do the work; to do it, I say, as is required (Rom 8:3). And hence it is again that it is calleda 'voice of words' (Heb 12:19);[21] for as words that are barelysuch are void of spirit and quickening life, so are the impositionsof the law of works. Thus far, therefore, the man remains a sinner. But, 2. The law is so far from giving life or strength to do it, thatit doth quite the contrary. [22]

(1. ) It weakeneth, it discourageth, and dishearteneth the sinner, especially when it shows itself in its glory; for then it is theministration of death, and killeth all the world. When Israel sawthis, they fled from the face of God; they could not endure thatwhich was commanded (Exo 20:18, 19); yea, so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, 'I exceedingly fear and quake' (Heb 12:20, 21). Yea, almost forty years after, Moses stood amazed to find himselfand Israel yet alive, 'Did ever people, ' said he, 'hear the voiceof God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard, and live?' (Deut 4:32, 33). Alas! he who boasteth himself in theworks of the law, he doth not hear the law; when that speaks, itshakes Mount Sinai, and writeth death upon all faces, and makesthe church itself cry out, A mediator! else we die (Exo 20:19; Deut5:25-27, 18:15, 19). 

(2. ) It doth not only thus discourage, but abundantly increasethevery sin. Sin takes the advantage of being by the law; the motionsof sin are by the law. Where no law is, there is no transgression(Rom 4:15, 7:5). Sin takes an occasion to live by the law: 'Whenthe commandment came, sin revived; for without the law, sin wasdead' (Rom 7:8, 9). Sin takes an occasion to multiply by the law: 'Thelaw entered, that the offence might abound' (Rom 5:20). 'And thestrength of sin is the law' (1 Cor 15:56). 'That sin by the commandmentmight become' outrageous, 'exceeding sinful' (Rom 7:13). 'What shallwe say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence. For without the law, sin was dead' (Rom 7:7, 8)

These things, then, are not infused or operated by the law from itsown nature or doctrine, but are occasioned by the meeting of, andhaving to do with, a thing directly opposite. 'The law is spiritual, I am carnal'; therefore every imposition is rejected and rebelledagainst. Strike a steel against a flint, and the fire flies aboutyou; strike the law against a carnal heart, and sin appears, sinmultiplies, sin rageth, sin is strengthened! And hence ariseth allthese doubts, murmurings, and sinful complainings that are foundin the hearts of the people of God; they have too much to do withthe law; the law of works is now in the conscience, imposing dutyupon the carnal part. This is the reason of the noise that youhear, and of the sin that you see, and of the horror that you feelin your own souls when tempted. But to pass this digression. 

The law, then, having to do with carnal men, by this they become worsesinners than before; for their heart now recoileth desperately, opposeth blasphemously; it giveth way to despair; and thento conclude there is no hope for hereafter; and so goeth on in asordid, ungodly course of life, till his time is come to die and bedamned, unless a miracle of grace prevent. From all this I conclude, that 'a man cannot stand just from the curse, in the sight of Godbut while sinful in himself. ' But, 3. As the law giveth neither strength nor life to keep it, so itneither giveth nor worketh repentance unto life if thou break it. Do this and live, break it and die; this is the voice of the law. All the repentance that such men have, it is but that of themselves, the sorrow of the world, that endeth in death, as Cain's and Judas'did, even such a repentance as must be repented of either here orin hell-fire (2 Cor 7:10). 

4. As it giveth none, so it accepteth none of them that are underthe law (Gal 5:4). Sin and die, is for ever its language; there isno middle way in the law; they must bear their judgment, whosoeverthey be, that stand and fall to the law. Therefore Cain was avagabond still, and Judas hangeth himself; their repentance couldnot save them, they fell headlong under the law. The law stays noman from the due reward of his deeds; it hath no ears to hear norheart to pity its penitent ones (Gen 4:9-11; Matt 27:3). 

5. By the law, God will show no mercy; for, 'I will be mercifulto their unrighteousness, ' is the tenor of another covenant (Heb8:9, 10, 12). But by the law I regard them not, saith the Lord. For, 6. All the promises annexed to the law are, by the first sin, nulland void. Though, then, a man should live a thousand years twicetold, and all that while fulfil the law, yet having sinned first, he is not at all the better. Our legalists, then, begin to talk toosoon of having life by the law; let them first begin without sin, and so throughout continue to death, and then if God will save them, not by Christ, but works, contrary to the covenant of grace, theymay hope to go to heaven. 

7. But, lastly, to come close to the point. Thou hast sinned; thelaw now calls for passive as well as active obedience; yea, greatcontentedness in all thou sufferest for thy transgressing againstthe law. So, then, wilt thou live by the law? Fulfil it, then, perfectly till death, and afterwards go to hell and be damned, andabide there till the law and curse for thy sin be satisfied for;and then, but not till then, thou shalt have life by the law. Tellme, now, you that desire to be under the law, can you fulfil allthe commands of the law, and after answer all its demands? Can yougrapple with the judgment of God? Can you wrestle with the Almighty?Are you stronger than he that made the heavens, and that holdethangels in everlasting chains? 'Can thine heart endure, or can thyhands be strong in the day that I shall deal with thee? I the Lordhave spoken it, and will do it' (Eze 22:14). O, it cannot be! 'Thesemust go away into everlasting punishment' (Matt 25:46). So, then, men must stand just from the curse, in the sight of God, whilesinners in themselves, or not at all. 

Objection [to the second reason]. But the apostle saith, 'That thedoers of the law shall be justified' (Rom 2). Plainly intimatingthat, notwithstanding all you say, some by doing the law may standjust before God thereby; and if so, then Christ fulfilled it forus but as our example. 

Answer. The consequences are not true; for by these words, 'Thedoers of the law shall be justified, ' there is no more proof of apossibility of saving thyself by the law than there is by these:'For by the works of the law shall no man living be justified inhis sight' (Gal 2:16). The intent, then, of the text objected, isnot to prove a possibility of man's salvation by the law, but toinsinuate rather an impossibility, by asserting what perfectionsthe law requireth. And were I to argue against the pretendedsufficiency of man's own righteousness, I would choose to framemine argument upon such a place as this--'The hearers of the laware not just before God'; therefore the breakers of the law are notjust before God; not just, I say, by the law; but all have sinnedand broken the law; therefore none by the law are just beforeGod. For if all stand guilty of sin by the law, then that law thatjudgeth them sinners cannot justify them before God. And what if theapostle had said, 'Blessed are they that continue in all things, 'instead of pronouncing a curse for the contrary, the conclusion hadbeen the same; for where the blessing is pronounced, he is not thebetter that breaks the condition; and where the curse is pronounced, he is not the worse that keeps it. But neither doth the blessingnor curse in the law intend a supposition that men may be just bythe law, but rather to show the perfection of the law, and thatthough a blessing be annexed thereto, no man by it can obtain thatblessing; for not the hearers of the law are justified before God, but the doers, when they do it, shall be justified. None but doerscan by it be just before God: but none do the law, no, not one, therefore none by it can stand just before God (Rom 3:10, 11). 

And whereas it is said Christ kept the law as our example, that weby keeping it might get to heaven, as he; it is false, as beforewas showed--'He is the end of the law, ' or, hath perfectly finishedit, 'for righteousness to every one that believeth' (Rom 10:4). Buta little to travel with this objection; no man can keep the morallaw as Christ, unless he be first without sin, as Christ; unless hebe God and man, as Christ. And again; Christ cannot be our patternin keeping the law for life, because of the disproportion that isbetween him and us; for if we do it as he, when yet we are weakerthan he; what is this but to out-vie, outdo, and go beyond Christ?Wherefore we, not he, have our lives exemplary: exemplary, I say, to him; for who doth the greatest work, they that take it in handin full strength, as Christ; or he that takes it in hand in weakness, as we? Doubtless the last, if he fulfils it as Christ. So, then, by this doctrine, while we call ourselves his scholars, we makeourselves indeed the masters. But I challenge all the angels inheaven, let them but first sin as we have done, to fulfil the law, as Christ, if they can!

But again; if Christ be our pattern in keeping the law for life fromthe curse before God, then Christ fulfilled the law for himself;if so, he was imperfect before he fulfilled it. And how far shortthis is of blasphemy let sober Christians judge; for the righteousnesshe fulfilled was to justify from sin; but if it was not to justifyus from ours, you know what remaineth (Dan 9:26; Isa 53:8-10). 

But when must we conclude we have kept the law? Not when we begin, because we have sinned first; nor when we are in the middle, forwe may afterwards miscarry. But what if a man in this his progresshath one sinful thought? I query, is it possible to come up to thepattern for justification with God? If yea, then Christ had such;if no, then who can fulfil the law as he? But should I grant thatwhich is indeed impossible--namely, that thou art justified by thelaw; what then? Art thou now in the favour of God? No, thou artfallen by this thy perfection, from the love and mercy of God:'Whosoever of you are justified by the law are fallen from grace'(Gal 5:4). He speaks not this to them that are doing, but to suchas think they have done it, and shows that the blessing that thesehave got thereby is to fall from the favour of God. Being fallenfrom grace, Christ profits them nothing, and so they still standdebtors to do the whole law. So, then, they must not be saved byGod's mercy, nor Christ's merits, but alone by the works of thelaw! But what should such men do in that kingdom that comes by gift, where grace and mercy reigns? Yea, what should they do among thatcompany that are saved alone by grace, through the redemption thatis in Jesus Christ? Let them go to that kingdom that God hath preparedfor them that are fallen from grace. 'Cast out the bond-woman andher son; for he shall not be heir with the son of the free-woman'and of promise (Gal 4:30). [23]

But to pass this objection. Before I come to the next reason, Ishall yet for the further clearing of this, urge these scripturesmore. 

[Further scriptures to prove the second reason. ]

1. The first is that in Galatians 3:10, 'As many as are of theworks of the law are under the curse. '

Behold how boldly Paul asserts it! And observe it, he saith nothere, so many as sin against the law--though that be true--but, 'Asmany as are of the works of the law. ' But what, then, are the worksof the law? Not whoredom, murder, theft, and the like; but worksthat are holy and good, the works commanded in the ten commandments, as to love God, abhor idols, reverence the name of God, keeping theSabbath, honouring thy parents, abstaining from adultery, murder, theft, false-witness, and not to covet what is thy neighbour's--theseare the works of the law. Now he, saith Paul, that is of these isunder the curse of God. But what is it then to be of these? Why, to be found in the practice of them, and there resting; this is theman that is under the curse: not because the works of the law arewicked in themselves, but because the man that is in the practiceof them comes short of answering the exactness of them, and thereforedies for his imperfections (Rom 2:17). 

2. The second scripture is that of the eleventh verse of the samechapter, 'But that no man is justified by the law in the sight ofGod, it is evident; for, The just shall live by faith. '

These words, 'the just shall live by faith, ' are taken out of theOld Testament, and are thrice used by this apostle in the New. (1. ) To show that nothing of the gospel can be apprehended but byfaith: 'For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faithto faith. ' 'As it is written, The just shall live by faith' (Rom1:17). (2. ) To show that the way to have relief and succour undertemptation is then to live by faith: 'Now the just shall live byfaith' (Heb 10:38) (3. ) But in this of the Galatians it is urgedto show that how holy and just soever men be in themselves, yet assuch they are dead, and condemned to death by the law before God. But that no man is justified by the law, in the sight of God, isevident; for, 'the just shall live by faith. '

The word 'just, ' therefore, in this place in special, respectetha man that is just, or that so esteems himself by the law, and ishere considered in a double capacity; first, what he is before men;secondly, what he is before God. (1. ) As he stands before men, heis just by the law; as Paul before his conversion (Phil 3:4). (2. )As he stands in the sight of God; so, without the faith of Christ, he cannot be just, as is evident; for 'the just shall live, ' notby his justice or righteousness by the law. 

This is the true intent of this place. Because they carry with thema supposition that the just here intended may be excluded life, he falling within the rejection asserted within the first part ofthe verse. No man is just by the law in the sight of God; for 'thejust shall live by faith': his justice cannot make him live, hemust live by the faith of Christ. [24] Again, the words are a reasondissuasive, urged to put a stop to those that are seeking life bythe law; as if the apostle had said, Ye Galatians! what are youdoing? Would you be saved by keeping the law? Would you stand justbefore God thereby? Do you not hear the prophets, how they pressfaith in Jesus, and life by faith in him? Come, I will reason withyou, by way of supposition. Were it granted that you all lovedthe law, yet that for life, will avail you nothing; for, 'the justshall live by faith. '

Were it granted that you kept the law, and that no man on earthcould accuse you; were you therefore just before God? No; neithercan you live by works before him; for 'the just shall live by faith. 'Why not live before him? Because when we have done our best, andare applauded of all the world for just, yet then God sees sin inour hearts: 'He putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavensare not clean in his sight' (Job 15:15, 4:18). There is then a justman that perisheth in his righteousness, if he want the faith ofChrist, for that no man is justified by the law, in the sight ofGod, is evident; for, 'the just shall live by faith'; and the lawis not of faith. 

3. The third Scripture is this--'We who are Jews by nature, andnot sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justifiedby the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even wehave believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by thefaith of Christ, and not by the works of the law; for by the worksof the law shall no flesh be justified' (Gal 2:15, 16). 

These words are the result of the experienced Christians inthe primitive times; yea, of those among them that had given upthemselves before to the law, to get life and heaven thereby; theresult, I say, of believing Jews--We who are Jews by nature. Buthow are they distinguished from the Gentiles? Why, they are suchthat rest in the law, and make their boast of God; that know hiswill, and approve the things that are excellent; that are guidesto the blind, and a light to them that are in darkness; that areinstructors of the foolish, teachers of babes, and which have theform of knowledge, and of the truth of the law (Rom 2:17-19). Howfar these attained we find by that of the Pharisee--I pray, I fast, I give tithes of all (Luke 18:11, 12); and by the young man in thegospel--'All these have I kept from my youth up'; and by that ofPaul--'Touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless'(Phil 3:6). This was the Jew by nature, to do and trust in this. [25]Now these attaining afterwards the sound knowledge of sin, thedepravedness of nature, and the exactions of the law, fled from thecommand of the law to the Lord Jesus for life. 'We knowing' is--Wethat are taught of God, and that have found it by sad experience, we, even we, have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might bejustified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law. Surely, if righteousness had come by the law, Paul and the Jewshad found it, they being by many privileges far better than thesinners of the Gentiles; but these, when they received the word ofthe gospel, even these now fly to Christ from the law, that theymight be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works ofthe law. 

To conclude this. If righteous men, through the knowledge of thegospel, are made to leave the law of God, as despairing of lifethereby, surely righteousness is not to be found in the law; I meanthat which can justify thee before God from the curse who livestand walkest in the law. I shall, therefore, end this second reasonwith what I have said before--'Men must be justified from the cursein the sight of God while sinful in themselves. '

The Third Reason. --Another reason why not one under heaven can bejustified by the law, or by his own personal performances to it, is, because since sin was in the world, God hath rejected the lawand the works thereof for life (Rom 7:10). 

It is true, before man had sinned, it was ordained to be unto life;but since, and because of sin, the God of love gave the word ofgrace. Take the law, then, as God hath established it; to wit, tocondemn all flesh (Gal 3:21); and then there is room for the promiseand the law, the one to kill, the other to heal; and so the law isnot against the promises; but make the law a justifier, and faithis made void, and the promise is made of none effect (Rom 4:14);and the everlasting gospel, by so doing, thou endeavourest to rootout of the world. Methinks, since it hath pleased God to reject thelaw and the righteousness thereof for life, such dust and ashes aswe are should strive to consent to his holy will, especially whenin the room of this [covenant] of works there is established a bettercovenant, and that upon better promises. The Lord hath rejected thelaw, for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof; for, findingfault with them of the law, 'The days come, saith the Lord, when Iwill make a new covenant with the house of Israel, ' &c. (Heb 8:8). Give God leave to find fault with us, and to condemn our personalperformances to death, as to our justification before him thereby;let him do it, I say; and the rather, because he doth by the gospelpresent us with a better. And certainly, if ever he be pleasedwith us, it will be when he findeth us in that righteousness thatis of his own appointing. 

[Six things that incline the heart to seek to the law for life. ]

To conclude. Notwithstanding all that hath or can be said, thereare six things that have great power with the heart to bend it toseek life before God by the law; of all which I would caution thatsoul to beware, that would have happiness in another world. 

First. Take heed thou be not made to seek to the law for life, because of that name and majesty of God which thou findest upon thedoctrine of the law (Exo 20:1). God indeed spake all the words ofthe law, and delivered them in that dread and majesty to men thatshook the hearts of all that heard it. Now this is of great authoritywith some, even to seek for life and bliss by the law. 'We know, 'said some, 'that God spake to Moses' (John 9:29). And Saul rejectedChrist even of zeal towards God (Acts 22:3). What zeal? Zeal towardsGod according to the law, which afterwards he left and rejected, because he had found out a better way. The life that he once lived, it was by the law; but afterwards, saith he, 'The life which I nowlive, ' it is by faith, 'by the faith of Jesus Christ' (Gal 2:20). So that though the law was the appointment of God, and had alsohis name and majesty upon it, yet now he will not live by the law. Indeed, God is in the law, but yet only as just and holy, not asgracious and merciful; so he is only in Jesus Christ. 'The law, 'the word of justice, 'was given by Moses, but grace and truth cameby Jesus Christ' (John 1:17). Wherefore, whatever of God thou findestin the law, yet seeing grace and mercy is not there, let neitherthe name of God, nor that majesty that thou findest of him in thelaw, prevail with thee to seek life by all the holy commandmentsof the law. 

Second. Take heed that the law, by taking hold on thy conscience, doth not make thee seek life by the law (Rom 2:13-15). The heartof man is the seat of the law. This being so, the understandingand conscience must needs be in danger of being bound by the law. Man is a law unto himself, and showeth that the works of the laware written in his heart. Now, the law being thus nearly relatedto man, it easily takes hold of the understanding and conscience;by which hold, if it be not quickly broken off by the promise andgrace of the gospel, it is captivated to the works of the law;for conscience is such a thing, that if it once be possessed witha doctrine, yea, though but with the doctrine of an idol, it willcleave so fast thereto that nothing but a hand from heaven canloosen it; and if it be not loosed, no gospel can be there embraced(1 Cor 8:7). Conscience is Little-ease, if men resist it, whetherit be rightly or wrongly informed. [26] How fast, then, will ithold when it knows it cleaves to the law of God! Upon this account, the condition of the unbeliever is most miserable; for not havingfaith in the gospel of grace, through which is tendered the forgivenessof sins, they, like men a-drowning, hold fast that they have found;which being the law of God, they follow it; but because righteousnessflies from them, they at last are found only accursed and condemnedto hell by the law. Take heed, therefore, that thy conscience benot entangled by the law (Rom 9:31, 32). 

Third. Take heed of fleshly wisdom. Reasoning suiteth much withthe law. 'I thought verily that I ought to do many things againstthe name of Jesus, ' and so to have sought for life by the law; myreason told me so. For thus will reason say: Here is a righteouslaw, the rule of life and death; besides, what can be better thanto love God, and my neighbour as myself? Again; God hath thuscommanded, and his commands are just and good; therefore, doubtless, life must come by the law. Further, to love God and keep the laware better than to sin and break it; and seeing men lost heavenby sin, how should they get it again but by working righteousness?Besides, God is righteous, and will therefore bless the righteous. O the holiness of the law! It mightily swayeth with reason whena man addicteth himself to religion; the light of nature teacheththat sin is not the way to heaven; and seeing no word doth morecondemn sin than the words of the ten commandments, it must needsbe, therefore, the most perfect rule for holiness; wherefore, saithreason, the safest way to life and glory is to keep myself closeto the law. But a little here to correct. Though the law indeed beholy, yet the mistake as to the matter in hand is as wide as theeast from the west; for therefore the law can do thee no good, because it is holy and just; for what can he that hath sinnedexpect from a law that is holy and just? Nought but condemnation. Let them lean to it while they will, 'there is one that accusethyou, ' saith Christ, 'even Moses, in whom you trust' (John 5:45). 

Fourth. Man's ignorance of the gospel suiteth well with thedoctrine of the law; they, through their being ignorant of God'srighteousness, fall in love with that (Rom 10:1-4). Yea, they donot only suit, but, when joined in act, the one strengtheneth theother; that is, the law strengtheneth our blindness, and bindeththe veil more fast about the face of our souls. The law suitethmuch our blindness of mind; for until this day remains the veiluntaken away in the reading of the Old Testament; especially in thereading of that which was written and engraven on stones; to wit, the ten commandments, that perfect rule for holiness; which veilwas done away in Christ (2 Cor 3:15, 16). But 'even to this day, whenMoses is read, the veil is over their hearts'; they are blindedby the duties enjoined by the law from the sight and hopes offorgiveness of sins by grace. 'Nevertheless when IT, ' the heart, 'shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. ' The law, then, doth veil the heart from Christ, and holds the man so down todoing and working for the kingdom of heaven, that he quite forgetsthe forgiveness of sins by mercy through Christ. Now this veilingor blinding by the law is occasioned--

1. By reason of the contrariety of doctrine that is in the law tothat which was in the gospel. The law requireth obedience to allits demands upon pain of everlasting burnings; the gospel promisethforgiveness of sins to him that worketh not, but believeth. Nowthe heart cannot receive both these doctrines; it must either letgo doing or believing. If it believe, it is dead to doing; if itbe set to doing for life, it is dead to believing. [27] Besides, hethat shall think both to do and believe for justification beforeGod from the curse, he seeks for life but as it were by the law, he seeks for life but as it were by Christ; and he being not directin either, shall for certain be forsaken of either. Wherefore?Because he seeks it not by faith, but as it were by the works ofthe law' (Rom 9:32). 

2. The law veils and blinds by that guilt and horror for sin thatseizeth the soul by the law; for guilt, when charged close uponthe conscience, is attended with such aggravations, and that withsuch power and evidence, that the conscience cannot hear, nor see, nor feel anything else but that. When David's guilt for murder andblood did roar by the law in his conscience, notwithstanding heknew much of the grace of the gospel, he could hear nothing elsebut terror, the sound of blood; the murder of Uriah was the onlynoise that he heard; wherefore he crieth to God that he would makehim hear the gospel. 'Make me to hear joy and gladness, that thebones which thou hast broken may rejoice' (Psa 51:8). And as hecould not hear, so neither could he see; the law had struck himdeaf and blind. 'I am, ' saith he, 'not able to look up'; not up toChrist for mercy. As if David had said, O Lord, the guilt of sin, which is by the law, makes such a noise and horror in my conscience, that I can neither hear nor see the word of peace unless it isspoken with a voice from heaven! The serpents that bit the peoplein the days of old were types of guilt and sin (Num 21:6). Now, these were fiery serpents, and such as, I think, could fly (Isa14:29). Wherefore, in my judgment, they stung the people abouttheir faces, and so swelled up their eyes, which made it the moredifficult for them to look up to the brazen serpent, which was thetype of Christ (John 3:14). Just so doth sin by the law do now. It stings the soul, the very face of the soul, which is the causethat looking up to Jesus, or believing in him, is so difficult atask in time of terror of conscience. [28]

3. This is not only so at present, but so long as guilt is on theconscience, so long remains the blindness; for guilt standing beforethe soul, the grace of God is intercepted, even as the sun is hidfrom the sight of mine eyes by the cloud that cometh between. 'Mysin, ' said David, 'is ever before me, ' and so kept other thingsout of his sight; sin, I say, when applied by the law (Psa 51:3). When the law came to Paul, he remained without sight until the goodman came unto him with the word of forgiveness of sins (Acts 9). 

4. Again; where the law comes with power, there it begetteth manydoubts against the grace of God; for it is only a revealer of sin, and the ministration of death; that is, a doctrine that shewethsin, and condemneth for the same; hence, therefore, as was hintedbefore, the law being the revealer of sin, where that is embraced, there sin must needs be discovered and condemned, and the soul forthe sake of that. Further, it is not only a revealer of sin, butthat which makes it abound; so that the closer any man sticks tothe law for life, the faster sin doth cleave to him. 'That law, 'saith Paul, 'which was ordained to be unto life, I found to be untodeath, ' for by the law I became a notorious sinner; I thought tohave obtained life by obeying the law, 'but sin taking occasion bythe commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me' (Rom 7:10-14). Astrange way of deceivableness, and it is hid from the most of men;but, as I have already told you, you see how it comes to pass. (1. ) Man by nature is carnal, and the law itself is spiritual: nowbetwixt these two ariseth great difference; the law is exceedinggood, the heart exceeding bad; these two opposites, therefore, theheart so abiding, can by no means agree. (2. ) Therefore, at everyapproach of the law to the heart with intent to impose duty, or tocondemn for the neglect thereof; at every such approach the heartstarteth back, especially when the law comes home indeed, and isheard in his own language. This being thus, the conscience perceivingthis is a fault, begins to tremble at the sense of judgment; thelaw still continueth to command to duty, and to condemn for theneglect thereof. From this struggling of these two opposites ariseth, I say, those doubts and fears that drive the heart into unbelief, and that make it blind to the word of the gospel, that it can neithersee nor understand anything but that it is a sinner, and that thelaw must be fulfilled by it, if ever it be saved. 

[Fifth. ] But again; another thing that hath great influence uponthe heart to make it lean to the law for life is, the false namesthat Satan and his instruments have put upon it; such as these--tocall the law the gospel; conscience, the Spirit of Christ; works, faith; and the like: with these, weak consciences have beenmightily pestered; yea, thousands deluded and destroyed. This wasthe way whereby the enemy attempted to overthrow the church ofChrist of old; as, namely, those in Galatia and at Corinth, &c. (2Cor 11:3, 4, 13, 14). I say, by the feigned notion that the law wasthe gospel, the Galatians were removed from the gospel of Christ;and Satan, by appropriating to himself and his ministers the namesand titles of the ministers of the Lord Jesus, prevailed with manyat Corinth to forsake Paul and his doctrine. Where the Lord Jesushath been preached in truth, and something of his doctrine known, it is not there so easy to turn people aside from the sound of thepromise of grace, unless it be by the noise and sound of a gospel. Therefore, I say, the false apostles came thus among the churches:'another gospel, another gospel'; which, in truth, saith Paul, 'is not another; but some would pervert the gospel of Christ, ' andthrust that out of doors, by gilding the law with that glorious name(Gal 1:6-8). [29] So again, for the ministers of Satan, they mustbe called the apostles of Christ, and ministers of righteousness;which thing, I say, is of great force, especially being accompaniedwith so holy and just a doctrine as the word of the law is; forwhat better to the eye of reason than to love God above all, andour neighbour as ourselves, which doctrine, being the scope of theten words given on Sinai, no man can contradict; for, in truth, they are holy and good. 

But here is the poison; to set this law in the room of a mediator, as those do that seek to stand just before God thereby; and thennothing is so dishonourable to Christ, nor of so soul-destroying anature as the law; for that, thus placed, hath not only power whensouls are deluded, but power to delude, by its real holiness, theunderstanding, conscience, and reason of a man; and by giving thesoul a semblance of heaven, to cause it to throw away Christ, grace, and faith. Wherefore it behoveth all men to take heed of names, and of appearances of holiness and goodness. 

[Sixth. ] Lastly, Satan will yet go further; he will make useof something that may be at a distance from a moral precept, andtherewith bring souls under the law. Thus he did with some of old;he did not make the Galatians fall from Christ by virtue of one ofthe ten words, but by something that was aloof off; by circumcision, days, and months, that were Levitical ceremonies; for he knows itis no matter, nor in what Testament he found it, if he can therewithhide Christ from the soul--'Behold, I Paul say unto you, that ifye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testifyagain to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do thewhole law' (Gal 5:2, 3). Why so, seeing circumcision is not one ofthe ten words [commandments]? Why, because they did it in conscienceto God, to stand just before him thereby. Now here we may beholdmuch cunning of the devil; he begins with some at a distance fromthat law which curseth, and so by little and little bringeth themunder it; even as by circumcision the Galatians were at lengthbrought under the law that condemneth all men to the wrath andjudgment of God. I have often wondered when I have read how Godcrieth out against the Jews, for observing his own commandment(Isa 1:11-14). But I perceive by Paul that by these things a manmay reject and condemn the Lord Jesus; which those do, that forlife set up aught, whether moral or other institution, besides thefaith of Jesus. Let men therefore warily distinguish betwixt namesand things, betwixt statute and commandment, lest they by doing theone transgress against the other (2 Cor 1:19, 20). Study, therefore, the nature and end of the law with the nature and end of thegospel; and if thou canst keep them distinct in thy understandingand conscience, neither names nor things, neither statutes norcommandments, can draw thee from the faith of the gospel. Andthat thou mayest yet be helped in this matter, I shall now come tospeak to the second conclusion. 

[THE SECOND POSITION. ]

SECOND. THAT MEN CAN BE JUSTIFIED FROM THE CURSE BEFORE GOD, WHILESINNERS IN THEMSELVES, BY NO OTHER RIGHTEOUSNESS THAN THAT LONGAGO PERFORMED BY, AND REMAINING WITH, THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 

For the better prosecuting of this position I shall observe twothings--FIRST, That the righteousness by which we stand just beforeGod, from the curse, was performed by the person of Christ. SECOND, That this righteousness is inherent only in him. 

FIRST. As to the first of these, I shall be but brief. Now, thatthe righteousness that justifieth us was performed long ago by theperson of Christ, besides what hath already been said, is furthermanifest thus--

First. He is said to have purged our sins by himself--'When he hadby himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of God'(Heb 1:3). I have showed that in Christ, for the accomplishing ofrighteousness, there was both doing and suffering; doing, to fulfilall the commands of the law; suffering, to answer its penalty forsin. This second is that which in this to the Hebrews is in specialintended by the apostle, where he saith he hath purged our sins, that is, by his precious blood; for it is that alone can purge oursins, either out of the sight of God or out of the sight of thesoul (Heb 9:14). Now this was done by himself, saith the apostle;that is, in or by his personal doings and sufferings. And hence itis that when God had rejected the offerings of the law, he said, 'Lo, I come. A body hast thou prepared me, --to do thy will, O God'(Heb 10:5-8). Now by this will of God, saith the Scripture, we aresanctified. By what will? Why, by the offering up of the body ofJesus Christ; for that was God's will, that thereby we might be ahabitation for him; as he saith again--'Jesus also, that he mightsanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate'(Heb 13:12). 

Second. As it is said, he hath purged our sins by himself, so itwas by himself at once--'For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified' (10:14). Now by this word 'at once, 'or by 'one offering, ' is cut off all those imaginary sufferings ofChrist which foolish men conceive of; as that he in all ages hathsuffered or suffereth for sin in us. [30] No; he did this work butonce. 'Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priestentereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; forthen must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world:but now once in the end of the world, ' in the time of Pilate, 'hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself' (Heb9:25, 26). Mark how to the purpose the Holy Ghost expresseth it: hehath suffered but once; and that once, now; now once; now he is Godand man in one person; now he hath taken the body that was preparedof God; now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to putaway sin by the sacrifice of himself; by the offering up of thebody of Jesus Christ once for all. 

Third. It further appears, in that by his resurrection from thedead the mercies of God are made sure to the soul, God declaring bythat, as was said before, how well pleased he is by the undertakingof his Son for the salvation of the world: 'And as concerning thathe raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David'(Acts 13:34). For Christ being clothed with man's flesh, andundertaking for man's sins, did then confirm all sure to us byhis resurrection from the dead. So that by the rising of that managain, mercy and grace are made sure to him that hath believed onJesus. Wherefore, from these things, together with what hath beendiscovered about his addressing himself to the work, I conclude 'thatmen can be justified from the curse, before God, while sinners inthemselves, by no other righteousness than that long ago performedby the person of Christ. ' Now the conclusion is true from all showof contradiction; for the Holy Ghost saith he hath done it; hathdone it by himself, and that by the will of God, at once, eventhen when he took the prepared body upon him--'By the will of Godwe are sanctified, through the offering up of the body of JesusChrist once for all. '

[SECOND. ] This being so, the second position is also manifest--namely, that the righteousness by which we stand just from the curse, beforeGod, is only inherent in Jesus Christ. For if he hath undertaken tobring in a justifying righteousness, and that by works and meritsof his own, then that righteousness must of necessity be inherentin him alone, and ours only by imputation; and hence it is called, in that fifth to the Romans, the gift, the 'gift of righteousness';because neither wrought nor obtained by works of ours, but bestowedupon us, as a garment already prepared, by the mercy of God inChrist (Rom 5:17; Isa 61:10). There are four things that confirmthis for a truth--

First. This righteousness is said to be the righteousness of one, not of many; I mean of one properly and personally, as his ownparticular personal righteousness. The gift of grace, which isthe gift of righteousness, it is 'by one man, Jesus Christ. ' 'Muchmore they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift ofrighteousness shall reign in life by ONE, Jesus Christ. Thereforeas by the offence of one, judgment came upon all to condemnation;even so by the righteousness of ONE, the free gift came upon allmen unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobediencemany were made sinners, so by the obedience of ONE shall manybe made righteous' (Rom 5:15-19). Mark, the righteousness of one, the obedience of one; the righteousness of one man, of one man, Jesus. [31] Wherefore, the righteousness that justifieth a sinner, it is personally and inherently the righteousness of that persononly who, by works and acts of obedience, did complete it, eventhe obedience of one, of one man, Jesus Christ; and so ours only byimputation. It is improper to say, Adam's eating of the forbiddenfruit was personally and inherently an act of mine. It was personallyhis, and imputatively mine; personally his, because he did it;imputatively mine, because I was then in him. Indeed, the effectsof his personal eating is found in my person; to wit, defilementand pravity. The effects also of the imputation of Christ's personalrighteousness are truly found in those that are in him by electinglove and unfeigned faith, even holy and heavenly dispositions; buta personal act is one thing, and the effects of that another. Theact may be done by, and be only inherent in one; the imputation ofthe merit of the act, as also the effects of the same, may be ina manner universal, extending itself unto the most, or all. Thisthe case of Adam and Christ doth manifest. The sin of one is imputedto his posterity; the righteousness of the other is reckoned therighteousness of those that are his. 

Second. The righteousness by which we stand just before God from thecurse is called, 'The righteousness of the Lord--the righteousnessof God--the righteousness of Jesus Christ, ' &c. (Phil 3:6-9);and that by way of opposition to the righteousness of God'sown holy law--'That I might be found in him, not having on my ownrighteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through thefaith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. ' Now, by this opposition, as by what was said before, the truth is madeexceeding clear; for by these words, 'not having my own righteousness, 'are not only excluded what qualifications we suppose to be in us, but the righteousness through which we stand just in the sight ofGod by them is limited and confined to a person absolutely distinct. Distinct, I say, as to his person and performances, who here iscalled God and Jesus Christ; as he saith also in the prophet Isaiah, 'In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shallglory' (Isa 45:25). In the Lord, not in the law; in the Lord, notin themselves. 'And their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord. ' Ofme, not of themselves; of me, not of the law (54:17). And again;'Surely, shall one say, in the Lord have I righteousness and strength'(45:24). Now, as I have already said, all this is to be understoodof the righteousness that was fulfilled by acts and works of obedience, which the person of the Son of God accomplished in the days of hisflesh in the world; by that man, I say, 'The Lord our righteousness' (Jer23:5). Christ, indeed, is naturally and essentially righteousness;but as he is simply such, so he justifieth no man; for then heneed not to bear our sins in his flesh, and become obedient in allpoints of the law for us; but the righteousness by which we standjust before God is righteousness consisting of works and deeds, ofthe doings and sufferings, of such a person who also is essentiallyrighteousness. And hence, as before I have hinted, we are said tobe justified by the obedience and blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, by the doings and sufferings of the Son of God. And hence, again, it is that he first is called King of righteousness; that is, aKing of righteousness as God-man, which of necessity supposeth hispersonal performances; and after that, 'King of peace' (Heb 7:1-3). For what he is naturally and eternally in his Godhead, he is notto us, but himself; but what he is actively and by works, he is notto himself, but to us; so, then, he is neither King of righteousnessnor of peace to us, as he is only the eternal Son of the Father, without his being considered as our priest and undertaker. He hath'obtained, ' by works of righteousness, 'eternal redemption forus' (Heb 9:12). So then, the righteousness by which we stand justbefore God is a righteousness inherent only in Christ, because arighteousness performed by him alone. 

Now, that righteousness by which we stand just before God must bea righteousness consisting of personal performances; the reason is, because persons had sinned; this the nature of justice requireth, that 'since by man came death, by man' should come 'also theresurrection from the dead' (1 Cor 15:21). The angels, therefore, forthis very reason, abide under the chains of everlasting darkness, because he 'took not hold on them' (Heb 2:16, 17); that is, by fulfilling righteousness for them in their nature. That is ablessed word, to you. 'To you is born this day in the city of Davida Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. ' To YOU, not to angels; toyou is born a Saviour (Luke 2:11). 

Third. It is yet further evident that the righteousness by which westand just before God from the curse, is a righteousness inherent, not in us, but Christ; because it is a righteousness besides, andwithout the law itself. Now take away the law, and you take awaythe rule of righteousness. Again; take away the rule, and the actas to us must cease. 'But now the righteousness of God without thelaw is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets'(Rom 3:21). So then, by such a righteousness we are justified asis not within the power of the law to command of us. 

Quest. But what law is that which hath not power to command ourobedience in the point of our justification with God?

Answ. The moral law, or that called the ten commandments. Thereforewe are neither commanded to love God, or our neighbour, as themeans or part of our justifying righteousness; nay, he that shallattempt to do these things to be delivered from the curse thereby, by the scripture is holden accursed of God. 'As many as are ofthe works, ' or duties, 'of the law, are under the curse, ' &c. (Gal3:10). Because we are justified not by that of the law, but by therighteousness of God without the law; that is, without its commandingof us, without our obedience to it--'Freely by his grace, throughthe redemption that is in Christ Jesus; whom God hath set forth tobe a propitiation, through faith in his blood' (Rom 3:24, 25). Thisis the righteousness of God without the law; that is, without anyof our obedience to the law. Wherefore the righteousness by whichwe stand just, in the sight of God, cannot be inherent in us, butin Christ the King thereof. 

Fourth. This is further made apparent, by the capacity that God willconsider that soul in, to whom he imputeth justifying righteousness;and that is, 'as one that worketh not, ' as one that stands ungodlyin the judgment of the law (Rom 4:4, 5). But this I have handledbefore, and therefore shall pass it here. 

Fifth. To conclude. If any works of ours could justify us beforeGod, they would be works after faith received; but it is evidentthat these do not; therefore the righteousness that justifies us fromthe curse before God is a righteousness inherent only in Christ. 

That works after faith do not justify us from the curse, in thesight of God, is evident--

1. Because no works of the saints can be justified by the morallaw, considering it as the law of works for life (Gal 3:10). Forthis must stand a truth for ever--Whatsoever justifieth us must bejustified by the moral law, for that is it that pronounceth thecurse; unless, then, that curse be taken away by the work, thework cannot justify us before God (Rom 3:21). But the curse cannotbe taken away but by a righteousness that is first approved of bythat law that so curseth; for if that shall yet complain for wantof a full satisfaction, the penalty remaineth. This is evident toreason, and confirmed by the authority of God's Word, as hath beenalready proved; because the law, once broken, pronounceth death, expecteth death, and executeth the same on him that will stand tothe judgment of the law; but no work of a believer is capable ofanswering this demand of the law; therefore none of his works canjustify him before God; for the law, that notwithstanding, complaineth. 

2. No works of faith can justify us from the curse before God, because of the want of perfection that is in the greatest faithin us. Now, if faith be not perfect, the work cannot be perfect;I mean with that perfection as to please Divine justice. Considerthe person, one that hath to do with God immediately by himself. Now, that faith is not capable of this kind of perfection, it isevident, because when men here know most, they know but in part. Now he that knows but in part, can do but in part; and he that dothbut in part, hath a part wanting in the judgment of the justice ofGod. So then, when thou hast done all thou canst, thou hast donebut part of thy duty, and so art short of justification from thecurse by what thou hast done (1 Cor 8:2, 13:12). 

3. Besides, it looks too like a monster that the works of faithshould justify us before God; because then faith is turned, as itwere, with its neck behind it. [32] Faith, in its own nature andnatural course, respecteth the mercy of God through the Mediator, Jesus Christ; and as such, its virtue and excellency is to expectjustification by grace through him; but by this doctrine faith isturned round about, and now makes a life out of what itself hathdone; but, methinks, faith should be as noble as its fruits, thatbeing the first, and they but the fruits of that. 

Besides, seeing the work is only good because it floweth fromfaith (for faith purifieth the heart), therefore faith is it thatjustifies all its works (Acts 15:9). If, then, we be justified byeither, it is by faith, and not by his works; unless we will saythere is more virtue in the less than in the greater. Now, whatis faith but a believing, a trusting, or relying act of the soul?What, then, must it rely upon or trust in? Not in itself; that is, without Scripture; not in its works, they are inferior to itself;besides, this is the way to make even the works of faith themediator between God and the soul, and so by them thrust Christout of doors; therefore it must trust in Christ; and if so, thenno man can be justified from the curse, before God, by the worksthat flow from faith. 

4. To put all out of doubt; the saint, when he hath done what hecan to bring forth good works by faith, yet he dares not show theseworks before God but as they pass through the Mediator Christ, butas they are washed in the blood of the Lamb. And therefore Petersaith, those sacrifices of ours that are truly spiritual are onlythen accepted of God, when offered up by Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5). And therefore it is said again, that the prayers of the saints, which are the fruits of faith, come up before the throne of Godthrough the angel's hand; that is, through the hand of Christ, throughhis golden censer, perfumed with his incense, made acceptable byhis intercession (Rev 8:3, 4). It is said in the Book of Revelation, that it is granted to the bride, the Lamb's wife, that she shouldbe 'arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; which white linen isthe righteousness of saints. ' This fine linen, in my judgment, isthe works of godly men, their works that sprang from faith. Buthow came they clean? How came they white? Not simply because theywere the works of faith. But mark, they 'washed their robes, andmade them white in the blood of the Lamb. ' And 'therefore theystand before the throne of God' (Rev 7:14, 15). Yea, therefore itis that their good works stand there too. 

I conclude, then, 'our persons are justified while we are sinnersin ourselves. ' Our works, even the works of faith, are no otherwiseaccepted but as they come through Jesus Christ, even through hisintercession and blood. So then, Christ doth justify both our personand works, not by way of approbation, as we stand in ourselves orworks before God, but by presenting of us to his Father by himself, washing what we are and have from guilt in his blood, and clothingus with his own performances. This is the cause of our acceptancewith God, and that our works are not cast forth of his presence. 

THE USE. 

USE FIRST. --Is justifying righteousness to be found in the personof Christ only? Then this should admonish us to take heed of seekingit in ourselves; that is, of working righteousness, thereby to appeasethe justice of God, lest by so doing we affront and blaspheme therighteousness of Christ. He that shall go about to establish hisown righteousness, he, as yet, doth defiance to that which is ofGod, of God's appointing, of God's providing; and that only wherewiththe justice of the law must be well pleased. Wherefore take heed, I say, of doing such a thing, lest it provoke the eyes of the Lord'sglory--'When I shall say to the righteous, that he shall surelylive; if he trust to his own righteousness, and commit iniquity, allhis righteousnesses shall not be remembered; but for his iniquitythat he hath committed, he shall die for it' (Eze 33:13). Mark, though he be righteous, yea, though he have a promise of life, yet he shall die. But why? Because he sinned against the Lord bytrusting to his own righteousness, therefore he must die for it. There are some things that will preserve a man from splitting uponthis rock. As, First. Get good acquaintance with the covenant of grace, and of thepersons concerned in the conditions of that covenant. The conditionsof that covenant are, that a righteousness shall be brought intothe world that shall please the justice of God, and answer and soremove the curse of the law. Now he that doth perform this conditionis Christ; therefore the covenant is not immediately with man, butwith him that will be the Mediator betwixt God and man: 'As forthee also, by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thyprisoners, ' speaking of Christ (Zech 9:11). So then, Christ, theMan Christ, is he who was to bring in these conditions; to wit, everlasting righteousness. And hence it is that God hath said, Christ shall be the covenant of the people--that is, he shall beour conditions to Godward (Dan 9:23, 24). He, therefore, is all ourrighteousness as to the point of our justification before God; heis the covenant of the people, as well as the light of the Gentiles;for as no man can see but in the light of his Spirit, so no mancan stand but in and by him; he is the covenant of the people, theconditions and qualifications of the people (Isa 52:6). So that toGodward Christ is all in all, and no man anything at all. He hathmade with me an everlasting covenant; with me, as I stand in my head, Christ, who, because he hath brought in everlasting righteousness, therefore hath removed the curse of the law; wherefore he adds, thiscovenant 'is ordered in all things, and sure, ' because all pointsthat concern me, as to redemption from the curse, are taken awayby Christ, as before is discoursed (2 Sam 23:5). Look, then, uponChrist as the man, the mediator, undertaker, and accomplisher ofthat righteousness in himself, wherein thou must stand just beforeGod; and that he is the covenant or conditions of the people toGodward, always having in himself the righteousness that the lawis well pleased with, and always presenting himself before God asour only righteousness. 

Second. That this truth may be the more heartily inquired into bythee, consider thine own perfections;[33] I say, study how pollutedthou art, even from the heart throughout. No man hath a high esteemof the Lord Jesus that is a stranger to his own sore. Christ'schurch is an hospital of sick, wounded, and afflicted people; evenas when he was in the world, the afflicted and distressed set thehighest price upon Jesus Christ. Why? They were sick, and he wasthe Physician; but the whole had no need of him. And just thusit is now: Christ is offered to the world to be the righteousnessand life of sinners, but no man will regard him save he that seethhis own pollution; he that seeth he cannot answer the demands ofthe law, he that sees himself from top to toe polluted, and thattherefore his service cannot be clean as to justify him from thecurse before God--he is the man that must needs die in despair andbe damned, or must trust in Jesus Christ for life. 

Further, This rule I would have all receive that come to JesusChrist for life and salvation--

1. Not to stick at the acknowledgment of sin, but to make that ofit which the law makes of it: 'Acknowledge thine iniquity, ' saiththe Lord (Jer 3:13). This is a hard pinch, I know what I say, fora man to fall down under the sense of sins by acknowledging themto be what the Lord saith they are; to acknowledge them, I say, in their own defiling and polluting nature; to acknowledge them intheir unreasonable and aggravating circumstances; to acknowledgethem in their God-offending and soul-destroying nature, especiallywhen the conscience is burdened with the guilt of them. Yetthis is duty: 'If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just toforgive' (1 John 1:9). Yea, to this is annexed the promise, 'He thatconfesseth and forsaketh them shall find mercy. ' This made David, as it were, lay claim to the mercy of God--'Wash me thoroughly, 'said he, 'from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin; for Iacknowledge my transgression, and my sin is ever before me. ' Though, then, thou art to blush and be ashamed when thou rememberest thysins and iniquities, yet do not hide them--'He that covereth hissins shall not prosper. ' Do not lessen them; do not speak of thembefore God after a mincing way--'Acknowledge thine iniquities, thatthou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scatteredthy ways to the strangers under every green tree; and ye have notobeyed my voice, saith the Lord' (Jer 3:13). 

2. If we would come to Christ aright, we must only acknowledge oursins; we must ONLY acknowledge them, and there stop; stop, I say, from attempting to do aught to present us good before God, but onlyto receive the mercy offered. 'Only acknowledge thine iniquities. 'Men are subject to two extremes, either to confess sins notionallyand by the halves; or else, together with the confession of them, to labour to do some holy work, thereby to ease their burdenedconsciences, and beget faith in the mercy of God (Hosea 5:15). Now both these are dangerous, and very ungodly--dangerous, becausethe wound is healed falsely; and ungodly, because the command istransgressed: 'Only acknowledge thy sin, ' and there stand, as David, 'till thy guilt is taken away. ' Joshua stood before the angel, fromtop to toe in filthy garments, till the Lord put other clothes uponhim (Zech 3:3-5). In the matter of thy justification thou must knownothing, see nothing, hear nothing, but thine own sins and Christ'srighteousness--'Only acknowledge thine iniquities. ' Now the Saviourand the soul comes rightly together; the Saviour to do his work, which is to spread his skirt over the sinner; and the sinner toreceive, by believing this blessed imputed righteousness. And hencethe church, when she came to God, lieth down in her shame, and herconfusion covereth her; and so lieth till pardon comes (Jer 3:25). 

USE SECOND. --I come now to the second use--Have faith in Christ. 

But what are we to understand by faith?

Answ. Faith importeth as much as to say, Receive, embrace, acceptof, or trust in, the benefit offered. All which are, by holy menof God, words used on purpose to show that the mercy of God, theforgiveness of sins, and eternal life, are not to be had by doing, or by the law; but by receiving, embracing, accepting, or trustingto the mercy of God through Christ: 'We believe that through thegrace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they'(Acts 15:11; John 1:12; 2 Cor 4:1, 11:4; Col 2:6; Heb 11:13; 1Tim 1:15; Eph 1:12-13). Thus you see what the gospel is, and whatfaith doth do in the salvation of the soul. Now, that faith mightbe helped in this work, for great are they that oppose it, thereforethe Scriptures, the Word of truth, hath presented us with theinvitation in most plain and suitable sentences: as, 'That Christcame into the world to save sinners--Christ died for our sins--Christgave himself for our sins--Christ bare our sins in his body on thetree--and that God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven you. ' Further, as the invitations are plain and easy, so the threatenings to theopposers are sore and astonishing: 'He that believeth not shall bedamned--Because they received not the love of the truth, that theymight be saved, God gave them up to strong delusions, that theyall might be damned' (Mark 16:16; 2 Thess 2:10-12). 

Object. But faith is said to be an act of obedience. 

Answ. And well it may, for it is the most submitting act that a mancan do; it throweth out all our righteousness; it makes the soulpoor in itself; it liveth upon God and Christ, as the almsman dothupon his lord; it consenteth to the gospel that it is true; itgiveth God and Christ the glory of their mercy and merit; it lovethGod for his mercy, and Jesus Christ for his service; whatever goodit doth, it still crieth, Hereby am I not justified, but he thatjustifieth me is the Lord. Well, but is there in truth such a thingas the obedience of faith? Then let Christians labour to understandit, and distinguish it aright, and to separate it from the lawand all man's righteousness; and remember that it is a receiving ofmercy, an embracing of forgiveness, an accepting of the righteousnessof Christ, and a trusting to these for life. Remember, again, that it putteth the soul upon coming to Christ as a sinner, and toreceive forgiveness as a sinner, as such. We now treat of justification. 

But a little to insert at large a few more of the excellencies ofit, and so draw towards a conclusion. The more thou believest forremission of sins, the more of the light of the glorious gospel ofChrist thou receivest into thy soul--'For therein is the righteousnessof God revealed from faith to faith' (Rom 1:17). That is, accordingto the degree of faith. Little faith seeth but little but greatfaith seeth much; and therefore he saith again, that by faith wehave 'access into the grace of God' (Rom 5:2). The reason is, 1. Because faith, having laid hold upon Christ, hath found him 'inwhom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge' (Col 2:3). In him therefore it finds and sees those heights and depths ofgospel mysteries that are nowhere else to be found; nay, let a manbe destitute of faith, and it is not possible he should once thinkof some of them. 

2. By this means the Holy Spirit is plentifully received (Gal 3:1-3). Now the Spirit of God is a spirit of wisdom and revelation; but yetso as in the knowledge of Christ; otherwise the Spirit will showto man not any mighty thing, its great delight being to open Christand to reveal him unto faith (Eph 1:17). Faith indeed can see him, for that is the eye of the soul; and the Spirit alone can revealhim, that being the searcher of the deep things of God; by thesetherefore the mysteries of heaven are revealed and received. Andhence it is that the mystery of the gospel is called the 'mysteryof faith, ' or the mystery with which faith only hath to do (1 Tim3:9). 

Wouldst thou, then, know the greatest things of God? Accustomthyself to the obedience of faith, [34] live upon thy justifyingrighteousness, and never think that to live always on Christ forjustification is a low and beggarly thing, and as it were a stayingat the foundation; for let me tell you, depart from a sense ofthe meritorious means of your justification with God, and you willquickly grow light, and frothy, and vain. Besides, you will alwaysbe subject to errors and delusions; for this is not to hold thehead from or through which nourishment is administered (Col 2:19). Further, no man that buildeth forsakes the good foundation; thatis the ground of his encouragement to work, for upon that is laidthe stress of all; and without it nothing that is framed can besupported, but must inevitably fall to the ground. 

Again; why not live upon Christ alway? and especially as he standeththe mediator between God, and the soul, defending thee with themerit of his blood, and covering thee with his infinite righteousnessfrom the wrath of God and curse of the law. Can there be anygreater comfort ministered to thee than to know thy person standsjust before God? Just and justified from all things that wouldotherwise swallow thee up? Is peace with God and assurance ofheaven of so little respect with thee that thou slightest the veryfoundation thereof, even faith in the blood and righteousness ofChrist? and are notions and whimsies of such credit with thee thatthou must leave the foundation to follow them? But again; whatmystery is desirable to be known that is not to be found in JesusChrist, as Priest, Prophet, or King of saints? In him are hid allthe treasures of them, and he alone hath the key of David to openthem (Col 2:1, 2; Rev 3:7). Paul was so taken with Jesus Christ, and the knowledge of this, that he was crucified for us, thathe desired, nay, determined not to know any thing else among theCorinthians, that itched after other wisdom (1 Cor 2:2). 

Object. But I see not that in Christ now, that I have seen in himin former days. Besides, I find the Spirit lead me forth to studyother things. 

Answ. To the first part of this objection I would answer severalthings. --The cause why thou seest not that in Christ now, whichthou hast seen in him in former days, is not in Christ, but inthy faith; he is the same, as fresh, and as good, and as full ofblessedness, as when thou didst most rejoice in him (Heb 1:11, 12). And why not now, as well as formerly? God is never weary of beingdelighted with Jesus Christ; his blood is always precious with God;his merits being those in which justice hath everlasting rest, whyshouldst thou wander or go about to change thy way? (Prov 8:30;Jer 2:36). Sin is the same as ever, and so is the curse of the law. The devil is as busy as ever; and beware of the law in thy members. Return, therefore, to thy rest, O soul! for he is thy life, and thelength of thy days. Guilt is to be taken off now, as it was yearsago; and whether thou seest it or no, thou sinnest in all thyworks. How, then, canst thou stand clear from guilt in thy soul whoneglectest to act faith in the blood of the Lamb? There thou mustwash thy robes, and there thou must make them white (Rev 7:14, 15). I conclude, then, thou art a polluted, surfeited, corrupted, hardenedcreature, whosoever thou art, that thus objectest. 

But I find, sayest thou, as if the Spirit led me forth to studyother matters. 

Answ. --First. What other matters? What matters besides, above, orbeyond the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, and of our acceptancewith God through him? What spirit, or doctrine, or wisdom soever itbe that centres not in, that cometh not from, and that terminatesnot within, the bonds of the gospel of Jesus Christ, is not worthythe study of the sons of God; neither is it food for the faith ofJesus Christ, for that is the flesh of Christ, and that is eternallife (John 6:5). Whither will you go? Beware of the spirit ofAntichrist; for 'many false spirits are gone out into the world. 'I told you before, that the Spirit of God is 'the Spirit of wisdomand revelation in the knowledge of Christ, ' and that without andbesides the Lord Jesus it discovereth nothing (Eph 1:17). It is sentto testify of him; it is sent to bring his words to our remembrance;it is sent to take of his things and show them unto us (John14, 15, 16). Wherefore, never call that the Spirit of Jesus whichleads you away from the blood and righteousness of Christ; that isbut the spirit of delusion and of the devil, whose teachings endin perdition and destruction. Tempt not Christ as they of old did. But how did they tempt him? Why, in loathing the manna, which wasthe type of his flesh and blood, which we are to eat of by believing. I say, tempt him not, lest you be destroyed by the serpents, bythe gnawing guilt of sin; for, take away Christ, and sin remains, and there is no more sacrifice for sin: if so, thou wilt be destroyedby the destroyer (Num 21:5-7; 1 Cor 10:10). But again--

Second. Living by faith begets in the heart a son-like boldnessand confidence to God-ward in all our gospel duties, under all ourweaknesses, and under all our temptations. It is a blessed thingto be privileged with a holy boldness and confidence God-ward, thathe is on our side, that he taketh part with us and that he willplead our cause 'with them that rise up against us' (2 Cor 2:14, 4:17, 18; Gal 2:20). But this boldness faith helpeth us to do, andalso manageth in our heart. This is that which made Paul alwaystriumph and rejoice in God and the Lord Jesus (Phil 3:3; Rom 5:11). He lived the life of faith; for faith sets a man in the favour ofGod by Christ, and makes a man see that what befals him in this life, it shall, through the wisdom and mercy of God, not only prove forhis forwarding to heaven, but to augment his glory when he comesthere. This man now stands on high, he lives, he is rid of slavishfears and carking cares, and in all his straits he hath a God to goto! Thus David, when all things looked awry upon him, 'encouragedhimself in the Lord his God' (1 Sam 30:6). Daniel also believed inhis God, and knew that all his trouble, losses, and crosses, wouldbe abundantly made up in his God (Dan 6:23). And David said, 'I hadfainted unless I had believed' (Psa 27:13). Believing, therefore, is a great preservative against all such impediments, and makes usconfident in our God, and with boldness to come into his presence, claiming privilege in what he is and hath (Jonah 3:4, 5). Forby faith, I say, he seeth his acceptance through the Beloved, andhimself interested in the mercy of God, and riches of Christ, andglory in the world to come (Heb 10:22, 23; Eph 1:4-7). This man canlook upon all the dangers in hell and earth without paleness ofcountenance; he shall meditate terror with comfort, 'because hebeholds the King in his beauty' (Isa 33:17, 18). Again--

Third. Living by faith makes a man exercise patience and quietnessunder all his afflictions; for faith shows him that his best partis safe, that his soul is in God's special care and protection, purged from sin in the blood of Christ. Faith also shows him thatafter a little while he shall be in the full enjoyment of that whichnow he believes is coming: 'We, through the Spirit, wait for thehope of righteousness by faith' (Gal 5:5). Wherefore, upon thisground it is that James exhorteth the saints to whom he wrote, to patience, because they knew the harvest would in due time come(James 5:7-11). Faith lodgeth the soul with Christ: 'I know, ' saithPaul, 'on whom I have believed, ' and to whom I have committed mysoul, 'and am persuaded, ' I believe it, 'that he is able to keepthat which I have committed unto him against that day'; thereforeit were no shame to him to wear a chain for his name and sake (2Tim 1:12). O! it is a blessed thing to see, I say, by the faithof the Lord Jesus, that we are embarked in the same ship with him;this will help us greatly 'both to hope and quietly wait for thesalvation of the Lord' (Psa 46:1-6; Lam 3:26). Further--

Fourth. I might add, that living by faith is the way to receivefresh strength from heaven, thereby to manage thine every day's workwith life and vigour; yea, every look by faith upon Jesus Christ, as thine, doth this great work. It is said, when Paul saw thebrethren that came to meet him, 'he thanked God, and took courage'(Acts 28:15). O! how much more, then, shall the Christian be blessedwith fresh strength and courage even at the beholding of Christ;whom 'beholding as in a glass, ' we 'are changed, ' even by beholdingof him by faith in the word, 'into the same image, from glory toglory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord' (2 Cor 3:18). But to bebrief. 

Fifth. Make conscience of the duty of believing, and be as afraidof falling short here as in any other command of God. 'This is hiscommandment, that you believe' (1 John 3:23). Believe, therefore, in the name of the Lord Jesus. This is the will of God, thatyou believe. Believe, therefore, to the saving of the soul (John6:46). Unbelief is a fine-spun thread, not so easily discerned asgrosser sins; and therefore that is truly 'The sin that doth soeasily beset us' (Heb 12:1). The light of nature will show thosesins that are against the law of nature; but the law of faith isa command beyond what flesh or nature teacheth; therefore to liveby faith is so much the harder work; yet it must be done, otherwisethine other duties profit thee nothing. For if a man give way tounbelief, though he be most frequent in all other duties besides, sooften as he worshippeth God in these, he yet saith, God is a liarin the other, even because he hath not believed: 'He that believethnot God, hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the recordthat God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hathgiven to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son' (1 John5:10, 11). So then, when thou givest way to unbelief; when thou dostnot venture the salvation of thy soul upon the justifying life thatis in Christ--that is, in his blood, &c. , --at once, thou givestthe lie to the whole testament of God; yea, thou tramplest uponthe promise of grace, and countest this precious blood an unholyand unworthy thing (Heb 10:29). Now how, thou doing thus, the Lordshould accept of thy other duties, of prayer, alms, thanksgiving, self-denial, or any other, will be hard for thee to prove. In themeantime remember, that faith pleaseth God; and that without faithit is impossible to please him. Remember also, that for this causeit was that the offering of Cain was not accepted: 'By faith Abeloffered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain'; for byfaith Abel first justified the promise of the Messias, by whom aconquest should be obtained over the devil, and all the combinationof hell against us: then he honoured Christ by believing that hewas able to save him; and in token that he believed these thingsindeed, he presented the Lord with the firstlings of his flock, asa remembrance before God that he believed in his Christ (Heb 11:4). And therefore it is said, 'By faith he offered'; by which means theoffering was accepted of God; for no man's offering can be acceptedwith God but his that stands righteous before him first. But unbeliefholdeth men under their guilt, because they have not believed inChrist, and by that means put on his righteousness. Again; he thatbelieveth not, hath made invalid--what in him lies--the promise ofGod and merits of Christ, of whom the Father hath spoken so worthily;therefore what duties or acts of obedience soever he performeth, God by no means can be pleased with him. 

By this, therefore, you see the miserable state of the people thathave not faith--'Whatever they do, they sin'; if they break thelaw, they sin; if they endeavour to keep it, they sin. They sin, Isay, upon a double account: first, because they do it but imperfectly;and, secondly, because they yet stay upon that, resisting that whichis perfect, even that which God hath appointed. It mattereth not, as to justification from the curse, therefore; men wanting faith, whether they be civil or profane, they are such as stand accursedof the law, because they have not believed, and because they havegiven the lie to the truth, and to the God of truth. Let all men, therefore, that would please God make conscience of believing;on pain, I say, of displeasing him; on pain of being, with Cain, rejected, and on pain of being damned in hell. 'He that believethnot shall be damned' (Mark 16:16). Faith is the very quintessenceof all gospel obedience, it being that which must go before otherduties, and that which also must accompany whatever I do in theworship of God, if it be accepted of him. [35] Here you may see areason why the force and power of hell is so bent against believing. Satan hateth all the parts of our Christian obedience, but the bestand chiefest most. And hence the apostle saith to the Thessalonians, that he sent to know their faith, lest by some means the tempterhave tempted them, and so his labour had been in vain (1 Thess3:5). Indeed, where faith is wanting, or hath been destroyed, allthe labour is in vain, nothing can profit any man, neither as topeace with God, nor the acceptance of any religious duty; and this, I say, Satan knows, which makes him so bend his force against us. 

There are three things in the act of believing which make thisgrace displeasing to the wicked one--

1. Faith discovereth the truth of things to the soul; the truth ofthings as they are, whether they be things that are of this world, or of that which is to come; the things and pleasures above, andalso those beneath. Faith discovereth to the soul the blessedness, and goodness, and durableness of the one; the vanity, foolishness, and transitoriness of the other. Faith giveth credit to all thingsthat are written in the law and in the prophets (Acts 24:14), both as to the being, nature, and attributes of God; the blessedundertaking of the Lord Jesus Christ; the glory of heaven and tormentsof hell; the sweetness of the promise and terror of the threateningsand curses of the Word; by which means Satan is greatly frustrated inhis assaults when he tempteth either to love this world or slightthat which is to come, for he can do no great matter in thesethings to any but those who want the faith. 'In vain is the snarelaid in the sight of any bird' (Prov 1:17); therefore he mustfirst blind, and hold blind, the minds of men, 'that the light ofthe glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should notshine unto them, ' else he can do no harm to the soul (2 Cor 4:4). Now, faith is the eye of the godly man, and that sees the truthof things, whatever Satan suggests, either about the glory of thisworld, the sweetness of sin, the uncertainty of another world, orthe like (1 John 5:4, 5; Heb. 11:27). 

2. Faith wraps the soul up in the bundle of life with God;it encloseth it in the righteousness of Jesus, and presents it soperfect in that, that whatever he can do, with all his cunning, cannot render the soul spotted or wrinkled before the justice ofthe law; yea, though the man, as to his own person and acts, befull of sin from top to toe, Jesus Christ covereth all; faith seesit, and holds the soul in the godly sense and comfort of it. Theman, therefore, standing here, stands shrouded under that goodlyrobe that makes him glisten in the eye of justice. Yea, all theanswer that Satan can get from God against such a soul is, that he'doth not see iniquity in Jacob, nor behold perverseness in Israel';for here 'Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, ofthe Lord of hosts, though, ' as to their own persons, 'their landwas filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel' (Num 23:21-23;Jer 51:5; Rom 6:14; Deut 33:12). Thus, therefore, the soul believing, is hid from all the power of the enemy, and dwells safely underthe dominion of grace. 

3. Faith keeps the soul from giving credit to any of his insinuations;for whatever Satan saith, either about the acceptance of my personor performances, so long as I believe that both are accepted ofGod for Christ's sake, he suggesteth to the wind; wherefore faithdoth the same against the devil that unbelief doth to God. Dothunbelief count God a liar? Faith counts the devil a liar. Dothunbelief hold the soul from the mercy of God? Faith holds the soulfrom the malice of the devil. Doth unbelief quench thy graces?Faith kindleth them even into a flame. Doth unbelief fill the soulfull of sorrow? Faith fills it full of the joy of the Holy Ghost. In a word, doth unbelief bind down thy sins upon thee? Why, faithin Jesus Christ releaseth thee of them all. 

4. As faith keeps the soul from giving credit to the insinuationsof Satan, so, when he makes his assaults, it over-masters him, and makes him retreat; 'Resist the devil, and he will flee fromyou. --Whom resist steadfast in the faith' (James 4:7; 1 Peter5:9). Believe, as I have already said, that God loveth you, thatthe blood of Christ was shed for you, that your person is presentedcomplete before him, through the righteousness of Christ, and Satanmust give place; thy crediting of the gospel makes him fly beforethee; but thou must do it steadfast in the faith; every waverergiveth him advantage. And, indeed, this is the reason that the godlyare so foiled with his assaults, they do not resist him steadfastin the faith; they often stagger through unbelief. Now, at everystagger he recovereth lost ground again, and giveth battle anothertime. Besides, by this and the other stagger he taketh heartto attempt by other means, and so doubleth the affliction withmanifold temptations. This is, I say, for want of being steadfast. 'Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be ableto quench all the fiery darts of the wicked' (Eph 6:16). To quenchthem, though they come from him as kindled with the very fireof hell. None knows, save him that feels it, how burning hot thefiery darts of Satan are; and how, when darted, they kindle uponour flesh and unbelief; neither can any know the power and worthof faith to quench them but he that hath it, and hath power to actit. 

5. Lastly, if justifying righteousness be alone to be found in theperson of Jesus Christ, then this shows us the sad condition oftwo sorts of men--1. Of those that hang in doubt betwixt Christand the law. 2. Of those that do professedly make denial of thesufficiency of this most blessed righteousness. 

First. The first sort, though they may seek life, yet, thus continuing, are never like to find it. Wherefore? Because they seek it not byfaith, but, as it were, by the works of the law. Indeed, they willnot be merit-mongers; they will not wholly trust to the law; theywill partly venture on Christ, and partly trust to the law. Well, but therefore they shall be damned, because they trust to Christbut in part, and in part, as it were, to the works of the law; forsuch sinners make Christ but a Saviour in part--why, then, shouldhe be their Saviour in whole? No; because they halt between Christand the law, therefore they shall fall between Christ and the law;yea, because they will trust to their works in part, they shall bebut almost saved by Christ. Let not that man think that he shallobtain any thing from the Lord. What man? Why, he that doubteth orwavereth in his mind about the truth of the mercy of God in Christ. Therefore the exhortation is, 'But let him ask in faith. --For hethat wavereth, ' or, that halteth between the law and Christ forlife, 'is like a wave of the sea, driven of the wind and tossed'(James 1:6). In conclusion, he resteth nowhere--'a double-mindedman is unstable in all his ways' (v 8). This man, therefore, mustmiscarry; he must not see the good land that flows with milk andhoney; no, let him not have a thought of life in his heart; letnot that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. [36]

This was the case of many in the primitive times, for whose sakethis caution was written; for the devout and religious Jew andproselyte, when they fell away from the word of the gospel, theydid not fall to those gross and abominable pollutions in which theopen profane, like sows and swine, do wallow, but they fell fromthe grace of God to the law; or, at least, did rest betwixt themboth, doubting of the sufficiency of either; and thus, being fearful, they distrust; wherefore, being found at length unbelieving, theyare reputed of God abominable, as murderers, whoremongers, sorcerers, idolators, and liars, and so must have their portion in the lake, with them, that burns with fire and brimstone (Rev 21:8). Thereason is, because where Christ is rejected sin remaineth, and sothe wrath of God for sin. Neither will he be a Saviour in part; hemust be all thy salvation, or none. 'Let not that man think thathe shall receive any thing of the Lord' (James 1:7; John 3:36). Not any thing. There is no promise for him, no pardon for him, no heaven for him, no salvation for him, no escaping of his fire!What condition is this man in? Yet he is a religious man, for heprays; he is a seeking man, a desiring man, for he prays; but hehalts between two, he leaneth to his righteousness, and committethiniquity. He is afraid to venture all upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Let not that man think of receiving any thing from the Lord!

Yet the words suggest that he is apt to think he shall receivesomething, because God is merciful, because his promise is great;but this expectation is by this word cut off, and this sinner iscast away. Let not that man think, let him forbear to think, ofhaving anything at the hand of God. The Israelites thought to goup to the land the day after they had despised it. Agag thoughtthe bitterness of death was past even that day in which he was hewnto pieces. Rechab and Baanah his brother thought to have receivedreward of David that day they were hanged over the pool in Hebron. Let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord'(Num 14:40-45; 1 Sam 15:32, 33; 2 Sam 4:12). 

Second. As for those that do professedly make denial of thesufficiency of this most blessed righteousness, the whole book isconviction to them, and shall assuredly, if it comes to their hands, rise up in judgment against them. They have rejected the wisdomand mercy of God; they have rejected the means of their salvation;they have trampled upon the blood of the Son of God; whereforejudgment waiteth for them, and fiery indignation, which shall devourthe adversaries. 

[A word to neglecters of Christ. ]

To conclude. One word also to you that are neglecters of JesusChrist: 'How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?'Here then, we may see how we ought to judge of all such persons asneglect the Lord Jesus, under what guise, name, or notion soeverthey be. We ought, I say, to judge of such, that they are at presentin a state of condemnation; of condemnation, 'because they havenot believed in the only-begotten Son of God' (John 3:18). It istrue, there is no man more at ease in his mind, with such ease asit is, than the man that hath not closed with the Lord Jesus, butis shut up in unbelief. O! but that is the man that stands convictbefore God, and that is bound over to the great assize; that isthe man whose sins are still his own, and upon whom the wrath ofGod abideth (v 36); for the ease and peace of such, though it keepthem far from fear, is but like to that of the secure thief, thatis ignorant that the constable standeth at the door; the first sightof an officer makes his peace to give up the ghost (1 John 5:12). Ah, how many thousands that can now glory that they never weretroubled for sin against God; I say, how many be there that God willtrouble worse than he troubled cursed Achan, because their peace, though false, and of the devil, was rather chosen by them than peaceby Jesus Christ, than 'peace with God by the blood of his cross'(Col 1:20). Awake, careless sinners, awake! and arise from thedead, and Christ shall give you light. Content not yourselves eitherwith sin or righteousness, if you be destitute of Jesus Christ, but cry, cry, O cry to God for light to see your condition by;for light in the Word of God, for therein is the righteousnessof God revealed (Eph 5:14). Cry, therefore, for light to see thisrighteousness by; it is a righteousness of Christ's finishing, ofGod's accepting, and that which alone can save the soul from thestroke of eternal justice! (Rom 1:17). 

There are six things that on man's part are the cause he receivethnot the gospel of Christ, and so life by him--1. They see not theirstate by nature, how polluted they are with original sin (Eph 2:2). 2. They see not the justice of God against sin; they know not himthat hath said, 'Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense'(Heb 10:30). 3. They cannot see the beauty of Jesus Christ (2 Cor4:4). 4. Unbelief being mighty in them, they dare not venture theirsouls with Jesus Christ. They dare not trust to his righteousness, and to that only (Rev 21:8). For, 5. Their carnal reason also setsitself against the word of faith, and cannot stoop to the graceof Jesus Christ (1 Cor 2:14). 6. They love to have honour oneof another, they love to be commended for their own vain-gloriousrighteousness; and the fools think that because they are commendedof men, they shall be commended of God also: 'How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour thatcometh from God only?' (John 5:44). This last thing--to wit, desireof vain-glory, is the bane of thousands; it is the legalist's bane, it is the civilian's[37] bane, it is the formalist's bane, yea, which yet is stranger, it is the bane of the vicious and debauchedalso;[38] for though there be a generation that, to one's thinking, have not regard to righteousness, yet watch them narrowly, andthey have their times of doing something that looks like good, andthough possibly it be but seldom, yet this wretch counteth that, for the sake of that, God accepteth him, and counteth his, gloriousrighteousness. I might add a seventh cause, which is, want ofserious meditation upon eternal judgment, and what shall follow. This consideration, did it take a deep place in the heart, woulddoubtless produce these workings of spirit after Jesus Christ forjustification that now are wanting in the most of men. This madeFelix, yea, it makes the devils, tremble; and would, I say, couldstthou deeply meditate, make thee start and turn thy wanton thoughtsinto heavy sighs after God's mercy in Jesus Christ, lest thou alsocome into their place of torment. 

Before I conclude this use, I would lay down a few motives, if sobe thou mayest be prevailed with to look after thine own everlastingstate. 

1. Consider, God hath put man above all the creatures in thisvisible world, into a state of abiding for ever; they cannot beannihilated, they shall never again be turned into nothing, butmust live with God or the devil for ever and ever. And though thescripture saith, 'Man hath not pre-eminence over a beast in hisdeath, ' yet the beast hath pre-eminence above many men, for heshall not rise again to come into judgment as man must, nor receivethat dismal sentence for sin and transgression as man shall; this, therefore, is worthy to be considered with seriousness of allthat have souls to be saved or damned--'They must one day come tojudgment, ' there to stand before that Judge of all the earth whoseeyes are like a flame of fire, from the sight of which thou canstnot hide one of thy words, or thoughts, or actions, because thouwantest the righteousness of God. The fire of his justice shallburn up all thy rags of righteousness wherewith by the law thouhast clothed thyself, and will leave thee nothing but a soul fullof sin to bemoan, and eternal burnings to grapple with. O theburnings that will then beset sinners on every side, and that willeat their flesh and torment their spirit with far more terror thanif they were stricken with scorpions! And observe it, the tormentwill there be higher than other where there is the guilt of neglectingJesus Christ, he being indeed the Saviour, and him that was senton purpose to deliver men from the wrath to come. 

2. Consider, once past grace, and ever past grace. When the dooris shut against thee, it will open no more, and then repentings, desires, wishings, and wouldings, come all too late (Luke 13). Good may be done to others, but to thee, none; and this shall bebecause, even because thou hast withstood the time of thy visitation, and not received grace when offered: 'My God will cast them away, because they did not hearken unto him' (Luke 19:41-43; Hosea 9:17). Cain was driven out from the presence of God, for aught I know, some hundreds of years before his death; Ishmael was cast away afterseventeen years of age; Esau lived thirty or forty years after hehad sold his birthright. O! many, very many are in this condition!for though God be gracious, yet he will not be slighted nor abusedalways; there are plenty of sinners in the world--if one will not, another will. Christ was soon repulsed by and sent away from thecountry of the Gadarenes; but on the other side of the sea therewere many ready with joy to receive him (Luke 8:37, 40). So, whenthe Jews contradicted and blasphemed, 'the Gentiles gladly receivedthe word' (Acts 13:46-48). Look to it, sinner, here is life anddeath set before thee; life, if it be not too late to receive it;but if it be, it is not too late for death to swallow thee up. And tell me, will it not be dreadful to be carried from under thegospel to the damned, there to lie in endless torment, because thouwouldst not be delivered therefrom?[39] Will it be comfort to theeto see the Saviour turn Judge? to see him that wept and died forthe sin of the world now ease his mind on Christ-abhorring sinnersby rendering to them the just judgment of God? For all theirabominable filthiness, had they closed with Christ, they had beenshrouded from the justice of the law, and should not have come intocondemnation. 'But had been passed from death to life'; but theywould not take shelter there; they would venture to meet the justiceof God in its fury, wherefore now it shall swallow them up for everand ever. And let me ask further, is not he a madman who, beingloaded with combustible matter, will run headlong into the fireupon a bravado? or that, being guilty of felony or murder, willdesperately run himself into the hand of the officer, as if the law, the judge, the sentence, execution, were but a jest, or a thing tobe played withal? And yet thus mad are poor, wretched, miserablesinners, who, flying from Christ as if he were a viper, they areovercome, and cast off for ever by the just judgment of the law. But ah! how poorly will these be able to plead the virtues of thelaw to which they have cleaved, when God shall answer them, 'Whomdost thou pass in beauty? go down, and be thou laid with theuncircumcised' (Eze 32:19). Go down to hell, and there be laid withthose that refused the grace of God. 

Sinners, take my advice, with which I shall conclude this use--Calloften to remembrance that thou hast a precious soul within thee; thatthou art in the way to thine end, at which thy precious soul willbe in special concerned, it being then time to delay no longer, the time of reward being come. I say again, bring thy end home; putthyself in thy thoughts into the last day thou must live in thisworld, seriously arguing thus--How if this day were my last? How ifI never see the sun rise more? How if the first voice that ringsto-morrow morning in my heavy ears be, 'Arise, ye dead, and cometo judgment?' Or how, if the next sight I see with mine eyes bethe Lord in the clouds, with all his angels, raining floods of fireand brimstone upon the world? Am I in a case to be thus near mineend? to hear this trump of God? or to see this great appearance ofthis great God, and the Lord Jesus Christ? Will my profession, orthe faith I think I have, carry me through all the trials of God'stribunal? Cannot his eyes, which are as a flame of fire, see in mywords, thoughts, and actions enough to make me culpable of the wrathof God? O how serious should sinners be in this work of rememberingthings to come, of laying to their heart the greatness and terrorof that notable day of God Almighty, and in examining themselves, how it is like to go with their souls when they shall stand before theJudge indeed! To this end, God make this word effectual. Amen. [40]

FOOTNOTES:

1. These are most important distinctions, upon which depends aright understanding of this doctrine. God sees the soul either inChrist or in sin. He may see apparently good works arising from thefoulest motives. Uriah doubtless thought himself highly honouredas a confidential messenger of great king David; God saw the murderand adultery in David's heart. He was justified in the sight ofman for the very act that condemned him in the sight of God; andfor which he was sorely punished in this world, although saved bythe blood of atonement. --Ed. 

2. Let not a scoffer say, 'See how Christians cast away the law ofGod!' They are under the law to Christ; bound by the most sacredobligations to obey all its requirements; not to merit pardon, butto prove, to the comfort of their souls, that they have receivedpardon, and are living under a sense of the unmerited grace of Godin Christ. --Ed. 

3. This is a clear statement of a most important truth. The sinsof believers were laid upon Christ, or imputed to him, and he borethem away, but was undefiled. His righteousness covers us, and weare justified, but it is still HIS. Not unto us, but unto his name, be all the glory. --Ed. 

4. By 'common, ' is here meant that Christ is the federal headof all his saints; they have an equal or common right equally toparticipate in his merits. --Ed. 

5. How full of consolation is this voice from the tomb! Lowth'stranslation is very striking--'Thy dead shall live, my deceased;they SHALL arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in the dust; forthy dew is as the dew of the dawn! But the earth shall cast forth, as an abortion, thy deceased tyrants. ' Antichrist shall 'cease fromtroubling, ' and be only seen afar off in torments. --Ed. 

6. Christ (amazing love!) 'was made a curse for us, ' and therebyredeemed us from the curse of the law. He subjected himself to thelaw in active as well as passive obedience, and his obedience evento death was for our justification. --Mason. 

7. Those whom God justifies, he also glorifies; and because Christlives, blessed be God! we shall live also. Nevertheless, thestrongest believer has as much need to come to Christ every dayfor fresh strength, as if he had never believed before; and if hewere to depend on his own faithfulness, and not on the faithfulnessof the Son of God, he would soon desert the Lord Jesus Christ. --Mason. 

8. The symbol of regeneration, or water baptism. Although theregenerate believer feels an assurance that he forms part of Christ'smystical body, and is saved by grace, and loves God because Godfirst loved him, this does not prevent, but approves, his followingthe example of his Redeemer, in a symbolical or water baptism. Thushe publicly puts on Christ; he is buried with him in baptism, andrises to newness of life. Colossians 2:12, 13. --Ed. 

9. Believer, if thou art rejoicing in this great and finishedsalvation, never forget that thine only evidence is--sorrow forthy sins, which caused the shedding of this precious blood, and alove of holiness. If sin be deplored, not only art thou redeemedfrom its curse, but also delivered from its power. The grace thatjustifies quickens us to good works, that we may walk therein. --Ed. 

10. Because it is tainted by sin. --Ed. 

11. The best righteousness that can be produced by fallen man isimpressively designated by Isaiah, 'A bed shorter than a man canstretch himself on, and a covering narrower than he can wrap himselfin. '--Ed. 

12. The way of salvation by works was blasted by the curse uponAdam's sin, so that it cannot work life in us, or holiness, butonly death. --Ed. 

13. To divert or turn aside from an intended course; not to divertor amuse. --Ed. 

14. Bunyan, in his Creation Spiritualized, or Exposition on Genesis, has shown that the fig-leaf aprons are a type of man's attempt tocover his sins by his own good works, which soon fade, become dung, or are burned up. But the righteousness that God provides endurethfor ever. See vol. I. , p. 440. --Ed. 

15. The marginal notes to the Bible are exceedingly valuable, especially to the unlearned. There we find that Jedidiah means'beloved of the Lord. '--Ed. 

16. The birth of a babe is a period of excitement. Parents shouldhope that the new comer is a Jedidiah. On such occasions, it is adelightful service when the father, mother, and family speciallyattend public worship, to bless God for his mercies, and to beseechgrace that they may train up the child for heaven. Such is thepractice among the Baptists. But even in this, watchfulness isrequisite, lest it degenerate into mere parade. --Ed. 

17. The non-imputation of sin, and the imputation of Christ'srighteousness, always go together. David knew this; while he describesthe blessedness of the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin, he, at the same time, describes the blessedness of the man to whomGod imputeth Christ's righteousness. --Mason. 

18. However excellent the conduct of Zaccheus, still he was a sinner, and under the curse. His curiosity leads him to climb a tree tosee Jesus, and most unexpectedly salvation is brought to one whosought it not. Christ called, and he instantly obeyed. O may ourhearts be so inclined to receive the invitations of his gospel!. --Ed. 

19. We are all, by nature and practice, in a spiritual sense, robbers, idolaters, and murderers. God make us to know and feel it! We mayadopt the language of the poet, and say--

 'Sinful soul, what hast thou done? Murder'd God's eternal Son!'--Mason. 

20. Works justify us from such accusations of men as will deny usto have justification by faith--not as being our righteousness, orconditions of our having Christ's righteousness, or as qualifyingus for it. --Mason. 

21. Every edition of Bunyan's works calls this a 'void of words, 'and gives a false reference to Hebrews 12:14. --Ed. 

22. The law condemns all sinners, and strikes them dead as with athunderbolt; adjudging them to shame and misery, instead of gloryand happiness. None can fulfil its strict terms, neither Jew norGentile. There is no hope, if free grace restore them not. Romans3:20, 2:6-29; 8:7. --Mason. 

23. Hagar, by which is meant the law or covenant of works. Thisis said to gender unto bondage, because it makes them bondmen wholook to be saved and justified thereby. It is called the 'ministrationof death' (2 Cor 3:6). Whereas the gospel and new covenant is adispensation of liberty and life. --Mason. 

24. We will hold and extol this faith which doubteth not of God, nor of the Divine promises, nor of the forgiveness of sins throughChrist; that we may dwell sure and safe in this our object Christ, and may keep still before our eyes the passion and blood of theMediator and all his benefits. --Luther on Galatians 3:11. 

25. Multitudes of professors set up their rest in outward duties, and repose a carnal confidence in ordinances, without endeavouringafter any lively communion with Father, Son, or Holy Spirit, inthe exercise of faith and love. --Mason. 

26. Conscience, if resisted, is little case, whether rightly orwrongly informed. By little ease, is meant a prison not large enougheither to lie down or stand upright in, with spikes in the walls;places of torment well known in former times of persecution forconscience sake. --Ed. 

27. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. We must either, as lost sinners, fall into the arms of Divine mercy, and receive pardon as a freegift through the merits of the Saviour, or we must perish. It isa solemn, searching consideration. --Ed. 

28. Difficult at any time, and impossible without Divine power; butmost difficult when all the faculties of the soul become harrowedby a 'certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation'(Heb 10:27). --Ed. 

29. If we seek salvation by works, such as sincere obedience orChristian perfection, we thereby bring ourselves under the law, andbecome debtors to fulfil all its requirements, though we intendedto engage ourselves to fulfil it only in part (Gal 5:3). Let thisbe seriously considered. --Mason. 

30. These 'foolish men' were a sect which sprung up in Bunyan'stime, and soon became extinct. They believed that the sufferingsof Christ, to his death on Calvary, were only typical of what hesuffers in the body of every believer. This was as contrary to theexpress declaration of Holy Writ, 'He was ONCE offered' (Heb 9:28), as is the absurd notion of the Papists in the mass, or continualsacrifice of Christ. What impious mortal dares pretend to offer upChrist to his Father. --Ed. 

31. As the carnal Adam, having lost his original righteousness, imparts a corrupt nature to all his descendants; so the spiritualAdam, Christ Jesus, by his obedience unto death, conveys spiritual lifeto us; believers are made 'the righteousness of God in him. '--Mason. 

32. 'Neck' is from hniga, to bend or incline. In Bunyan's time, these ancient words were well understood by the peasantry. To havethe neck turned, so as to bend the back of the head towards theback of the body, would be as absurd as for faith to look to itsown works for justification. This would indeed be bowing backward, instead of bending before, and looking to Jesus and his finishedwork for justification. --Ed. 

33. Modern editors have altered this to 'imperfections, ' but Bunyanwould have us look to the most perfect of our works, and see howpolluted they are. --Ed. 

34. Faith looks at things which be not, as though they were. Sensejudges from what it sees and feels, faith from what God says;sense looks inward to self, faith looks outward to Christ and hisfullness. --Mason. 

35. How strangely does the world mistake the source of good works!The common and fatal error is, that if salvation is all of faith, then good works will fail; whereas faith is the prolific fountain, yea, the only source of really good works and holy obedience. --Ed. 

36. How universal to fallen nature is that soul-destroying heresy--theattempt to justify ourselves partly by our own good works, and tomake up the deficiency by the merits of the Saviour! Ye might aswell attempt to serve God and mammon, as to unite our impure workswith those of the pure and holy Jesus. We must, as perishing sinners, fall into the arms of Divine mercy, and receive pardon as a freegift, wholly through the merits of the Saviour, or we must for everperish. It is an awful consideration. --Ed. 

37. 'The civilian'; one who is versed in law and government. SeeImperial Dictionary. --Ed. 

38. When the pilgrims Christian and Hopeful had wandered in By-pathMeadow, one that walked before them said that the way led to thecelestial gate. 'He therefore that went before, Vain-confidence byname, not seeing the way before him, fell into a deep pit, whichwas on purpose there made by Giant Despair to catch vain-gloriousfools withal, and was dashed in pieces with his fall. ' Beware, Olegalist, civilian, or formalist!--Ed. 

39. How deplorably and inexcusably they will perish, who perish bytheir own willful unbelief under the gospel! It will be dreadfulindeed to be driven, as it were, from the very gate of heaven tothe lowermost and hottest hell. Lord, send forth thy light, truth, and power, that sinners may be saved and comforted by coming untothee for life and peace!--Mason. 

40. This is a striking and soul-searching appeal. O that the HolySpirit may 'search me and try me, and see if there be any wickedway in me, and lead me in the way everlasting, ' before we go henceinto the eternal state!--Ed. 

***

SAVED BY GRACE;

OR, A DISCOURSE OF THE GRACE OF GOD:

SHOWING--

I. WHAT IT IS TO BE SAVED. II. WHAT IT IS TO BE SAVED BY GRACE. III. WHO THEY AEE THAT ABE SAVED BY GRACE. IV. HOW IT APPEARS THATTHEY ARE SAVED BY GRACE. V. WHAT SHOULD BE THE REASON THAT GOD SHOULDCHOOSE TO SAVE SINNERS BY GRACE RATHER THAN BY ANY OTHER MEANS. 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

THIS admirable Treatise upon the most important of all subjects, that of the soul's salvation, was first published in a pocket volume, in the year 1675. This has become very rare, but it is inserted inevery edition of the author's collected works. Our copy is reprintedfrom the first edition published after the author's decease, ina small folio volume of his works, 1691. Although it is somewhatencumbered with subdivisions, it is plain, practical, and writtenin Bunyan's strong and energetic style; calculated to excite thedeepest attention, and to fix the mind upon those solemn realitieswhich alone can unite earth with heaven. 

Ho extensive is the meaning of that little sentance, 'Saved byGrace!' It includes in it redemption from the curse of sin, whichoppresses the poor sinner with the fears of everlasting burnings;while it elevates the body, soul, and spirit, to an eternal and anexceeding weight of glory--to the possession of infinite treasures, inconceivable, and that never fade away. 

Bunyan, in opening and deeply investigating this subject, shows hismaster hand in every page. It was a subject which, from his firstconviction of sin, while playing a gat at cat on a Sunday, ahdexcited his feelings to an intense degree, absorbing all the powersof his soul. It was eminently to him the one thing needful--thesum and substance of human habbiness. He felt that it included thepreservation and re-structure of the body--raised from filth andvileness--from sickness, pain, and disease--from death and thegrave--to be perfected in immortality like the Saviour's gloriousbody. That included in this salvation, is the death ofdeath, and theswallowing up of the grave, to be no more seen for ever. The soulwill be perfect, and, re-united with the body, be filled 'withbliss and glory, as much as ever it can hold;' all jars and discordbetween sould and body will be finished; and the perfect man beclothed with righteousness; in a word, be like Christ and with him. All this is the work of grace, performed by the ever-blessed Trinity. 

In displaying the feelings and experience of the inquiring, alarmed, quickened sinner, we are instructed by a continual illustration ofthe Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. He manifests profoundknowledge of the devices of Satan--the workings of unbelief--thedifficulties thrown by the wicked one in the way of the sinner, to prevent his approach to Christ. He fastens conviction uponconviction--gives blow upon blow to human pride; proving that therecan be found nothing in our fallen nature to recommend the sinnerto God--all is of grace--from the foundation to the top-stone of asinner's salvation. And above all, he clearly shows that salvationby grace is the most sin-killing doctrine in the world, as well asthe most consoling tidings that can be brought to a sin-sick soul. 'O, when a God of grace is upon a throne of grace, and a poor sinnerstands by and begs for grace, and that in the name of a graciousChrist, in and by the help of the Spirit of grace, can it be otherwisebut that such a sinner must obtain mercy and grace to help in timeof need? O, then, COME BOLDLY!' p. 360. 

But I must not detain the reader from entering upon this solemnsubject; only for a moment, while I quote another passage conceivedin all the ardour of Bunyan's feelings:--'O Son of God! grace wasin all thy tears--grace came out where the. Whip smote thee, wherethe thorns pricked thee, where the nails and spear pierced thee! Oblessed Son of God! Here is grace indeed!' Unsearchable riches ofgrace! Grace to make angels wonder, grace to make sinners happy, grace to astonish devils! And what will become of them that trampleunder foot this Son of God?'

Reader, may this searching, comforting, reviving subject be blessedto our well-grounded consolation!

GEO. OFFOR. 

TO THE READER. 

COURTEOUS READER, In this little book thou art presented with a discourse of theGRACE of God, and of salvation by that grace. In which discourse, thou shalt find how each Person in the Godhead doth his part inthe salvation of the sinner. I. The Father putteth forth his grace, thus. II. The Son putteth forth his grace, thus. III. And the Spiritputteth forth his grace, thus. Which things thou shalt find hereparticularly handled. 

Thou shalt also find, in this small treatise, the way of God withthe sinner, as to his CONVERSATION, 1 and the way of the sinner withGod in the same; where[in] the grace of God, and the wickedness ofthe sinner, do greatly show themselves. 

If thou findest me short in things, impute that [to] my love tobrevity. If thou findest me besides the truth in aught, impute thatto mine infirmity. But if thou findest anything here that servethto thy furtherance and joy of faith, impute that to the mercy ofGod bestowed on thee and me. 

Thine to serve thee with that little I have, J. B. 

SAVED BY GRACE. 

"BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED. "--EPHESIANS 2:5. 

In the first chapter, from the fourth to the twelfth verse, theapostle is treating of the doctrine of election, both with respectto the act itself, the end, and means conducing thereto. The act, he tells us, was God's free choice of some (verse 4, 5, 11). The endwas God's glory in their salvation (verse 6, 14). The means conducingto that end was Jesus Christ himself--"In whom we have redemptionthrough his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the richesof his grace" (verse 7). This done, he treateth of the subjectionof the Ephesians to the faith, as it was held forth to them in theWord of the truth of the gospel, as also of their being sealed bythe Holy Spirit of God unto the day of redemption (verse 12-14). Moreover, he telleth them how he gave thanks to God for them, making mention of them in his prayers, even that he would make themsee "what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of theglory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceedinggreatness of his power to usward who believe, according to theworking of his mighty power, which he wrought in Christ, when heraised him from the dead, " &c. (verse 15-20). 

And lest the Ephesians, at the hearing of these their so manyprivileges, should forget how little they deserved them, he tellsthem that in time past they were dead in trespasses and sins, andthat then they walked in them "according to the course of thisworld, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spiritthat now worketh in the children of disobedience" (Eph 2:2, 3). 

Having thus called them back to the remembrance of themselves--towit, what they were in their state of unregeneracy, he proceedethto show them that their first quickening was by the resurrectionof Christ their Head, in whom they before were chosen, and thatby him they were already set down in heavenly places, (verse 5, 6);inserting, by the way, the true cause of all this blessedness, with what else should be by us enjoyed in another world; and thatis, the love and grace of God: "But God, who is rich in mercy, forhis great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ [by grace ye are saved]. "These last words seen to be the apostle's conclusion rightly drawnfrom the premises; as who should say, If you Ephesians were indeeddead in trespasses and sins; if indeed you were by nature the childrenof wrath, even as others, then you deserve no more than others. 2

Again, if God hath chosen you, if God hath justified and saved youby his Christ, and left others as good as you by nature to perishin their sins, then the true cause of this your blessed conditionis, the free grace of God. But just thus it is, therefore by graceye are saved; therefore all the good which you enjoy more thanothers, it is of mere goodwill. 

"BY GRACE YE ARE SAVED. "

The method that I shall choose to discourse upon these words shallbe this--I will propound certain questions upon the words, anddirect particular answers to them; in which answers I hope I shallanswer also, somewhat at least, the expectation of the godly andconscientious reader, and so shall draw towards a conclusion. 

THE QUESTIONS ARE--

I. What is it to be saved? II. What is it to be saved by grace? III. Who are they that are saved by grace? IV. How it appears that theythat are saved, are saved by grace? V. What might be the reasonswhich prevailed with God to save us by grace, rather than by anyother means?

Now the reason why I propound these five questions upon the words, it is, because the words themselves admit them; the first threeare grounded upon the several phrases in the text, and the two lastare to make way for demonstration of the whole. 

QUEST. I. --WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED?

This question supposeth that there is such a thing as damnationdue to man for sin; for to save supposeth the person to be saved tobe at present in a sad condition; saving, to him that is not lost, signifies nothing, neither is it anything in itself. "To save, toredeem, to deliver, " are in the general terms equivalent, and theydo all of them suppose us to be in a state of thraldom and misery;therefore this word "saved, " in the sense that the apostle heredoth use it, is a word of great worth, forasmuch as the miseriesfrom which we are saved is the misery of all most dreadful. 

The miseries from which they that shall be saved shall by theirsalvation be delivered, are dreadful; they are no less than sin, the curse of God, and flames of hell for ever. What more abominablethan sin? What more insupportable than the dreadful wrath of anangry God? And what more fearful than the bottomless pit of hell?I say, what more fearful than to be tormented there for ever withthe devil and his angels? Now, to "save, " according to my text, isto deliver the sinner from these, with all things else that attendthem. And although sinners may think that it is no hard matter toanswer this question, yet I must tell you there is no man, that canfeelingly know what it is to be saved, that knoweth not experimentallysomething of the dread of these three things, as is evident, becauseall others do even by their practice count it a thing of no greatconcern, when yet it is of all other of the highest concern amongmen; "For what is a man profited if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matt 16:26). 

But, I say, if this word "saved" concludeth our deliverance fromsin, how can he tell what it is to be saved that hath not in hisconscience groaned under the burden of sin? yea, it is impossibleelse that he should ever cry out with all his heart, "Men andbrethren, what shall we do?"--that is, do to be saved (Acts 2:37). The man that hath no sores or aches cannot know the virtue of thesalve; I mean, not know it from his own experience, and thereforecannot prize, nor have that esteem of it, as he that hath receivedcure thereby. Clap a plaster to a well place, and that maketh not itsvirtue to appear; neither can he to whose flesh it is so applied, by that application understand its worth. Sinners, you, I mean, thatare not wounded with guilt, and oppressed with the burden of sin, you cannot--I will say it again--you cannot know, in this senselesscondition of yours, what it is to be saved. 

Again; this word "saved, " as I said, concludeth deliverance fromthe wrath of God. How, then, can he tell what it is to be savedthat hath not felt the burden of the wrath of God? He--he that isastonished with, and that trembleth at, the wrath of God--he knowsbest what it is to be saved (Acts 16:29). 

Further, this word "saved, " it concludeth deliverance from death andhell. How, then, can he tell what it is to be saved that never wassensible of the sorrows of the one, nor distressed with the painsof the other? The Psalmist says, "The sorrows of death compassedme, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble andsorrow. Then called I upon the name of the Lord"--(mark, then), "then called I upon the name of the Lord; O Lord, I beseech thee, deliver my soul, "--then, in my distress. When he knew what it wasto be saved, then he called, because, I say, then he knew what itwas to be saved (Psa 18:4, 5; 116:3, 4). I say, this is the man, andthis only, that knows what it is to be saved. And this is evident, as is manifest by the little regard that the rest have to saving, or the little dread they have of damnation. Where is he that seeksand groans for salvation? I say, where is he that hath taken hisflight for salvation, because of the dread of the wrath to come? "Ogeneration of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath tocome?" (Matt 3:7). Alas! do not the most set light by salvation?--asfor sin, how do they love it, embrace it, please themselves withit, hide it still within their mouth, and keep it close under theirtongue. Besides, for the wrath of God, they feel it not, they flynot from it; and for hell, it is become a doubt to many if therebe any, and a mock to those whose doubt is resolved by atheism. 

But to come to the question--What is it to be saved? To be savedmay either respect salvation in the whole of it, or salvation inthe parts of it, or both. I think this text respecteth both--towit, salvation completing, and salvation completed; for "to save"is a work of many steps; or, to be as plain as possible, "to save"is a work that hath its beginning before the world began, and shallnot be completed before it is ended. 

First, then, we may be said to be saved in the purpose of God beforethe world began. The apostle saith that "he saved us, and calledus with an holy calling, not according to our works, but accordingto his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesusbefore the world began" (2 Tim 1:9). This is the beginning ofsalvation, and according to this beginning all things concur andfall out in conclusion--"He hath saved us according to his eternalpurpose, which he purposed in Christ Jesus. " God in thus savingmay be said to save us by determining to make those means effectualfor the blessed completing of our salvation; and hence we are said"to be chosen in Christ to salvation. " And again, that he hath inthat choice given us that grace that shall complete our salvation. Yea, the text is very full, "He hath blessed us with all spiritualblessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosenus in him before the foundation of the world" (Eph 1:3, 4). 

Second. As we may be said to be saved in the purpose of God beforethe foundation of the world, so we may be said to be saved beforewe are converted, or called to Christ. And hence "saved" is putbefore "called"; "he hath saved us, and called us"; he saith not, he hath called us, and saved us; but he puts saving before calling(2 Tim 1:9). So again, we are said to be "preserved in Christ andcalled"; he saith not, called and preserved (Jude 1). And thereforeGod saith again, "I will pardon them whom I reserve"--that is, asPaul expounds it, those whom I have "elected and kept, " and this partof salvation is accomplished through the forbearance of God (Jer50:20; Rom 11:4, 5). God beareth with is own elect, for Christ's sake, all the time of their unregeneracy, until the time comes which hehath appointed for their conversion. The sins that we stood guiltyof before conversion, had the judgment due to them been executedupon us, we had not now been in the world to partake of a heavenlycalling. But the judgment due to them hath been by the patienceof God prevented, and we saved all the time of our ungodly andunconverted state, from that death, and those many hells, that forour sins we deserved at the hands of God. 

And here lies the reason that long life is granted to the electbefore conversion, and that all the sins they commit and all thejudgments they deserve, cannot drive them out of the world beforeconversion. Manasseh, you know, was a great sinner, and for thetrespass which he committed he was driven from his own land, andcarried to Babylon; but kill him they could not, though his sinshad deserved death ten thousand times. But what was the reason?Why, he was not yet called; God had chosen him in Christ, and laidup in him a stock of grace, which must be given to Manasseh beforehe dies; therefore Manasseh must be convinced, converted, and saved. That legion of devils that was in the possessed, with all the sinswhich he had committed in the time of his unregeneracy, could nottake away his life before his conversion (Mark 5). How many timeswas that poor creature, as we may easily conjecture, assaulted forhis life by the devils that were in him, yet could they not killhim, yea, though his dwelling was near the sea-side, and the devilshad power to drive him too, yet could they not drive him furtherthan the mountains that were by the sea-side; yea, they could helphim often to break his chains and fetters, and could also make himas mad as a bedlam, 3 they could also prevail with him to separatefrom men, and cut himself with stones, but kill him they couldnot, drown him they could not; he was saved to be called; he was, notwithstanding all this, preserved in Christ, and called. As itis said of the young lad in the gospel, he was by the devil castoft into the fire, and oft into the water, to destroy him, but itcould not be; even so hath he served others, but they must be "savedto be called" (Mark 9:22). How many deaths have some been deliveredfrom and saved out of before conversion! Some have fallen intorivers, some into wells, some into the sea, some into the handsof men; yea, they have been justly arraigned and condemned, asthe thief upon the cross, but must not die before they have beenconverted. They were preserved in Christ, and called. 

Called Christian, how many times have thy sins laid thee upona sick-bed, and, to thine and others' thinking, at the very mouthof the grave? yet God said concerning thee, Let him live, for heis not yet converted. Behold, therefore, that the elect are savedbefore they are called. 4 "God, who is rich in mercy, for his greatlove wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, " hathpreserved us in Christ, and called us (Eph 2:4, 5). 

Now this "saving" of us arises from six causes. 1. God hath chosenus unto salvation, and therefore will not frustrate his own purposes(1 Thess 5:9). 2. God hath given us to Christ; and his gift, aswell as his calling, is without repentance (Rom 11:29; John 6:37). 3. Christ hath purchased us with his blood (Rom 5:8, 9). 4. Theyare, by God, counted in Christ before they are converted (Eph1:3, 4). 5. They are ordained before conversion to eternal life;yea, to be called, to be justified, to be glorified, and thereforeall this must come upon them (Rom 8:29, 30). 6. For all this, hehath also appointed them their portion and measure of grace, andthat before the world began; therefore, that they may partake of allthese privileges, they are saved and called, preserved in Christ, and called. 

Third. To be saved is to be brought to, and helped to lay hold on, Jesus Christ by faith. And this is called saving by grace throughfaith. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not ofyourselves, it is the gift of God" (Eph 2:8). 

1. They must be brought unto Christ, yea, drawn unto him; for "noman, " saith Christ, "can come to me, except the Father which hathsent me draw him" (John 6:44). Men, even the elect, have too manyinfirmities to come to Christ without help from heaven; invitingwill not do. "As they called them, so they went from them, " thereforehe "drew them with cords" (Hosea 11:2, 4). 

2. As they must be brought to, so they must be helped to lay holdon Christ by faith; for as coming to Christ, so faith, is not in ourown power; therefore we are said to be raised up with him "throughthe faith of the operation of God. " And again, we are said tobelieve, "according to the working of his mighty power, which hewrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead" (Col 2:12; Eph1:19, 20). Now we are said to be saved by faith, because by faithwe lay hold of, venture upon, and put on Jesus Christ for life. For life, I say, because God having made him the Saviour, hathgiven him life to communicate to sinners, and the life that hecommunicates to them is the merit of his flesh and blood, whichwhoso eateth and drinketh by faith, hath eternal life, because thatflesh and blood hath merit in it sufficient to obtain the favour ofGod. Yea, it hath done so [since] that day it was offered throughthe eternal Spirit a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour to him;wherefore God imputeth the righteousness of Christ to him thatbelieveth in him, by which righteousness he is personally justified, and saved from that just judgment of the law that was due unto him(John 5:26, 6:53-58; Eph 4:32; 5:2; Rom 4:23-25). 

"Saved by faith. " For although salvation beginneth in God's purpose, and comes to us through Christ's righteousness, yet is not faithexempted from having a hand in saving of us. Not that it meritethaught, but is given by God to those which he saveth, that therebythey may embrace and put on that Christ by whose righteousness theymust be saved. Wherefore this faith is that which here distinguisheththem that shall be saved from them that shall be damned. Hence itis said, "He that believeth not, shall be damned"; and hence againit is that the believers are called "the children, the heirs, andthe blessed with faithful Abraham;" that the promise by faith inJesus Christ might be given to them that believe (Gal 3:6-9, 26;Rom 4:13, 14). 

And here let Christians warily distinguish betwixt the meritoriousand the instrumental cause of their justification. Christ, withwhat he hath done and suffered, is the meritorious cause of ourjustification; therefore he is said to be made to us of God, "wisdomand righteousness;" and we are said to be "justified by his blood, and saved from wrath through him, " for it was his life and bloodthat were the price of our redemption (1 Cor 1:30; Rom 5:9, 10). "Redeemed, " says Peter, "not with corruptible things, as silverand gold, " alluding to the redemption of money under the law, "butwith the precious blood of Christ. " Thou art, therefore, as I havesaid, to make Christ Jesus the object of thy faith for justification;for by his righteousness thy sins must be covered from the sightof the justice of the law. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, andthou shalt be saved. " "For he shall save his people from theirsins" (Acts 16:31; Matt 1:21). 

Fourth. To be saved is to be preserved in the faith to the end. "He that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" (Matt24:13). Not that perseverance is an accident in Christianity, ora thing performed by human industry; they that are saved "are keptby the power of God, through faith unto salvation" (1 Peter 1:3-6). 

But perseverance is absolutely necessary to the complete savingof the soul, because he that falleth short of the state that theythat are saved are possessed of, as saved, cannot arrive to thatsaved state. He that goeth to sea with a purpose to arrive atSpain, cannot arrive there if he be drowned by the way; whereforeperseverance is absolutely necessary to the saving of the soul, and therefore it is included in the complete saving of us--"Israelshall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shallnot be ashamed nor confounded world without end" (Isa 45:17). Perseverance is here made absolutely necessary to the completesaving of the soul. 

But, as I said, this part of salvation dependeth not upon humanpower, but upon him that hath begun a good work in us (Phil 1:6). This part, therefore, of our salvation is great, and calleth forno less than the power of God for our help to perform it, as willbe easily granted by all those that consider--

1. That all the power and policy, malice and rage, of the devilsand hell itself are against us. Any man that understandeth this willconclude that to be saved is no small thing. The devil is calleda god, a prince, a lion, a roaring lion; it is said that he hathdeath and the power of it, &c. But what can a poor creature, whosehabitation is in flesh, do against a god, a prince, a roaring lion, and the power of death itself? Our perseverance, therefore, liethin the power of God; "the gates of hell shall not prevail againstit. "

2. All the world is against him that shall be saved. But whatis one poor creature to all the world, especially if you considerthat with the world is terror, fear, power, majesty, laws, jails, gibbets, hangings, burnings, drownings, starvings, banishments, and a thousand kinds of deaths? (1 John 5:4, 5; John 16:33). 

3. Add to this, that all the corruptions that dwell in our fleshare against us, and that not only in their nature and being, butthey lust against us, and war against us, to "bring us into captivityto the law of sin and death" (Gal 5:17; 1 Peter 2:11; Rom 7:23). 

4. All the delusions in the world are against them that shall besaved, many of which are so cunningly woven, so plausibly handled, so rarely5 polished with Scripture and reason, that it is tenthousand wonders that the elect are not swallowed up with them;and swallowed up they would be, were they not elect, and was notGod himself engaged, either by power to keep them from falling, orby grace to pardon if they fall, and to lift them up again (Matt24:24; Eph 4:14; Rom 3:12). 

5. Every fall of the saved is against the salvation of his soul;but a Christian once fallen riseth not but as helped by Omnipotentpower--"O Israel, thou hast fallen by thine iniquity, " "but in meis thy help, " says God (Hosea 13:9; 14:1; Psa 37:23). 

Christians, were you awake, here would be matter of wonder to you, to see a man assaulted with all the power of hell, and yet to comeoff a conqueror! Is it not a wonder to see a poor creature, whoin himself is weaker than the moth, to stand against and overcomeall devils, all the world, all his lusts and corruptions? (Job4:19). Or if he fall, is it not a wonder to see him, when devilsand guilt are upon him, to rise again, stand upon his feet again, walk with God again, and persevere after all this in the faith andholiness of the gospel? He that knows himself, wonders; he thatknows temptation, wonders; he that knows what falls and guilt mean, wonders; indeed, perseverance is a wonderful thing, and is managedby the power of God; for he only "is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory withexceeding joy" (Jude 24). Those of the children of Israel that wentfrom Egypt, and entered the land of Canaan, how came they thither?Why, the text says, that "as an eagle spreadeth abroad her wings, so the Lord alone did lead them. " And again, "he bore them, andcarried them all the days of old" (Deu 32:11, 12; Isa 63:9). Davidalso tells us that mercy and goodness should follow him all thedays of his life, and so he should dwell in the house of the Lordfor ever (Psa 23:6). 

Fifth. To be saved calls for more than all this; he that is saved, must, when this world can hold him no longer, have a safe-conductto heaven, for that is the place where they that are saved must tothe full enjoy their salvation. This heaven is called "the end ofour faith, " because it is that which faith looks at; as Peter says, "Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. "And again, "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition;but of them that believe to the saving of the soul" (1 Peter 1:9;Heb 10:39). For, as I said, heaven is the place for the saved toenjoy their salvation in, with that perfect gladness that is notattainable here. Here we are saved by faith and hope of glory;but there, we that are saved shall enjoy the end of our faith andhope, even the salvation of our souls. There is "Mount Zion, theheavenly Jerusalem, the general assembly and church of the firstborn;"there is the "innumerable company of angels, and the spirits ofjust men made perfect;" there is "God the judge of all, and Jesusthe Mediator of the new covenant;" there shall our soul haveas much of heaven as it is capable of enjoying, and that withoutintermission; wherefore, when we come there we shall be saved indeed!But now for a poor creature to be brought hither, this is the lifeof the point. But how shall I come hither? there are heights anddepths to hinder (Rom 8:38, 39). 

Suppose the poor Christian is now upon a sick-bed, beset with athousand fears, and ten thousand at the end of that; sick-bed fears!and they are sometimes dreadful ones; fears that are begotten bythe review of the sin, perhaps, of forty years' profession; fearsthat are begotten by dreadful and fearful suggestions of the devil, the sight of death, and the grave, and it may be of hell itself;fears that are begotten by the withdrawing and silence of God andChrist, and by, it may be, the appearance of the devil himself;some of these made David cry, "O spare me" a little, "that I mayrecover strength before I go hence, and be no more" (Psa 39:13). "The sorrows of death, " said he, "compassed me, and the pains ofhell gat hold upon me; I found trouble and sorrow" (Psa 116:3). These things, in another place, he calls the bands that the godlyhave in their death, and the plagues that others are not aware of. "They are not in trouble as other men; neither are they plaguedlike other men" (Psa 73:9). But now, out of all these, the Lordwill save his people; not one sin, nor fear, nor devil shall hinder;nor the grave nor hell disappoint thee. But how must this be? Why, thou must have a safe-conduct to heaven? 6 What conduct? A conductof angels: "Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth tominister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb 1:14). 

These angels, therefore, are not to fail them that are the saved;but must, as commissioned of God, come down from heaven to do thisoffice for them; they must come, I say, and take the care and chargeof our soul, to conduct it safely into Abraham's bosom. It is notour meanness in the world, nor our weakness of faith, that shallhinder this; nor shall the loathsomeness of our diseases make thesedelicate spirits shy of taking this charge upon them. Lazarus thebeggar found this a truth; a beggar so despised of the rich gluttonthat he was not suffered to come within his gate; a beggar fullof sores and noisome putrefaction; yet, behold, when he dies, theangels come from heaven to fetch him thither: "And it came to passthat the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham'sbosom" (Luke 16:22). True, sick-bed temptations are ofttimes themost violent, because then the devil plays his last game with us, he is never to assault us more; besides, perhaps God suffereth itthus to be, that the entering into heaven may be the sweeter, andring of this salvation the louder! O it is a blessed thing forGod to be our God and our guide even unto death, and then for hisangels to conduct us safely to glory; this is saving indeed. Andhe shall save Israel "out of all his troubles;" out of sick-bedtroubles as well as others (Psa 25:22; 34:6; 48:14). 

Sixth. To be saved, to be perfectly saved, calls for more than allthis; the godly are not perfectly saved when their soul is possessedof heaven. True, their spirit is made perfect, and hath as much ofheaven as at present it can hold, but man, consisting of body andsoul, cannot be said to be perfectly saved so long as but part ofhim is in the heavens; his body is the price of the blood of Christas well as his spirit; his body is the temple of God, and a memberof the body, and of the flesh, and of the bones of Christ; he cannot, then, be completely saved until the time of the resurrection of thedead (1 Cor 6:13-19; Eph 5:30). Wherefore, when Christ shall comethe second time, then will he save the body from all those thingsthat at present make it incapable of the heavens. "For our conversationis in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the LordJesus Christ; who shall change" this "our vile body, that it maybe fashioned like unto his glorious body" (Phil 3:20, 21). O what agreat deal of good God hath put into this little word "saved"! Weshall not see all the good that God hath put into this word "saved"until the Lord Jesus comes to raise the dead. "It doth not yetappear what we shall be" (1 John 3:2). But till it appears what weshall be, we cannot see the bottom of this word "saved. " True, wehave the earnest of what we shall be, we have the Spirit of God, "which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of thepurchased possession" (Eph 1:14). The possession is our body--it iscalled "a purchased possession, " because it is the price of blood;now the redemption of this purchased possession is the raisingof it out of the grave, which raising is called the redemption ofour body (Rom 8:23). And when this vile body is made like unto hisglorious body, and this body and soul together possessed of theheavens, then shall we be every way saved. 

There are three things from which this body must be saved--1. Thereis that sinful filth and vileness that yet dwells in it, underwhich we groan earnestly all our days (2 Cor 5:1-3). 2. Thereis mortality, that subjecteth us to age, sickness, aches, pains, diseases, and death. 3. And there is the grave and death itself, for death is the last enemy that is to be destroyed. "So when thiscorruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shallhave put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the sayingthat is written, Death is swallowed up in victory" (1 Cor 15:54). So then, when this comes to pass, then we shall be saved; thenwill salvation, in all the parts of it, meet together in our glory;then we shall be every way saved--saved in God's decree, savedin Christ's undertakings, saved by faith, saved in perseverance, saved in soul, and in body and soul together in the heavens, savedperfectly, everlastingly, gloriously. 

[Of the state of our body and soul in heaven. ]

Before I conclude my answer to the first question, I would discoursea little of the state of our body and soul in heaven, when we shallenjoy this blessed state of salvation. 

First. Of the soul; it will then be filled in all the faculties ofit with as much bliss and glory as ever it can hold. 

1. The understanding shall then be perfect in knowledge--"Nowwe know but in part;" we know God, Christ, heaven, and glory, butin part; "but when that which is perfect is come, then that whichis in part shall be done away" (1 Cor 13:10). Then shall we haveperfect and everlasting visions of God, and that blessed one hisSon Jesus Christ, a good thought of whom doth sometimes so fill uswhile in this world, that it causeth "joy unspeakable and full ofglory. " 2. Then shall our will and affections be ever in a burningflame of love to God and his Son Jesus Christ; our love here hathups and downs, but there it shall be always perfect with thatperfection which is not possible in this world to be enjoyed. 3. Then will our conscience have that peace and joy that neither tonguenor pen of men or angels can express. 4. Then will our memory beso enlarged to retain all things that happened to us in this world, so that with unspeakable aptness we shall call to mind all God'sprovidences, all Satan's malice, all our own weaknesses, all therage of men, and how God made all work together for his glory andour good, to the everlasting ravishing of our hearts. 

Second. For our body; it shall be raised in power, in incorruption, a spiritual body and glorious (1 Cor 15:44). The glory of which isset forth by several things--1. It is compared to "the brightnessof the firmament, " and to the shining of the stars "for ever andever" (Dan 12:3; 1 Cor 15:41, 42). 2. It is compared to the shiningof the sun--"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun inthe kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear"(Matt 13:43). 3. Their state is then to be equally glorious withangels; "But they which shall be counted worthy to obtain thatworld, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor aregiven in marriage; neither can they die any more, for they are equalunto the angels" (Luke 20:35, 36). 4. It is said that then this ourvile body shall be like the glorious body of Jesus Christ (Phil3:20, 21; 1 John 3:2, 3). 5. And now, when body and soul are thusunited, who can imagine what glory they both possess? They will nowbe both in capacity, without jarring, to serve the Lord with shoutingthanksgivings, and with a crown of everlasting joy upon their head. 8

In this world there cannot be that harmony and oneness of bodyand soul as there will be in heaven. Here the body sometimes sinsagainst the soul, and the soul again vexes and perplexes the bodywith dreadful apprehensions of the wrath and judgment of God. Whilewe be in this world, the body oft hangs this way, and the soul thequite contrary; but there, in heaven, they shall have that perfectunion as never to jar more; but now the glory of the body shall sosuit with the glory of the soul, and both so perfectly suit withthe heavenly state, that it passeth words and thoughts. 

Third. Shall I now speak of the place that this saved body and soulshall dwell in?

Why, 1. It is a city (Heb 11:16; Eph 2:19, 22). 2. It is calledheaven (Heb 10:34). 3. It is called God's house (John 14:1-3). 4. It is called a kingdom (Luke 12:32). 5. It is called glory (Col3:4; Heb 2:10). 6. It is called paradise (Rev 2:7). 7. It is calledeverlasting habitations (Luke 16:9). 

Fourth. Shall I speak of their company?

Why, 1. They shall stand and live in the presence of the gloriousGod, the Judge of all (Heb 12:23). 2. They shall be with the Lamb, the Lord Jesus. 3. They shall be with an innumerable company ofholy angels (Heb 12:22). 4. They shall be with Abraham, Isaac, andJacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of heaven (Luke 13:28). 

Fifth. Shall I speak of their heavenly raiment?

1. It is salvation; they shall be clothed with the garment ofsalvation (Psa 132:16; 149:4; Isa 61:10). 2. This raiment is calledwhite raiment, signifying their clean and innocent state in heaven. "And they, " says Christ, "shall walk with me in white, for theyare worthy" (Rev 3:4; 19:8; Isa 57:2). 3. It is called glory--"Whenhe shall appear, we shall appear with him in glory" (Col 3:4). 4. They shall also have crowns of righteousness, everlasting joy andglory (Isa 35:10; 2 Tim 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4). 

Sixth. Shall I speak of their continuance in this condition?

1. It is for ever and ever. "And they shall see his face, and hisname shall be in their foreheads; and they shall reign for ever andever" (Rev 22:4, 5). 2. It is everlasting. "And this is the will ofhim that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believethon him, may have everlasting life" (John 6:40, 47). 3. It is lifeeternal. "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they followme; and I give unto them eternal life" (John 10:27, 28). 4. It isworld without end. "But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with aneverlasting salvation; ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded worldwithout end" (Isa 45:17; Eph 3:20, 21). 

O sinner! what sayest thou? How dost thou like being saved? Dothnot thy mouth water? Doth not thy heart twitter at being saved? Why, come then: "The Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him thatheareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoeverwill, let him take the water of life freely" (Rev 22:17). 

QUEST. II. --WHAT IS IT TO BE SAVED BY GRACE?

Now I come to the second question--to wit, What is it to be savedby grace? For so are the words of the text, "By grace ye are saved. "But, First. I must touch a little upon the word GRACE, and show youhow diversely it is taken. Sometimes it is taken for the goodwilland favour of men (Esth 2:17: Ruth 2:2: 1 Sam 1:18: 2 Sam 16:4). Sometimes it is taken for those sweet ornaments that a lifeaccording to the Word of God putteth about the neck 9 (Prov 1:9;3:22). Sometimes it is taken for the charity of the saints, as 2Corinthians 9:6-8. 

But "grace" in the text is taken for God's goodwill, "the goodwill ofhim that dwelt in the bush;" and is expressed variously. Sometimesit is called "his good pleasure. " Sometimes, "the good pleasureof his will, " which is all one with "the riches of his grace" (Eph1:7). Sometimes it is expressed by goodness, pity, love, mercy, kindness, and the like (Rom 2:4; Isa 63:9; Titus 3:4, 5). Yea, hestyles himself, "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercyfor thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, andthat will by no means clear the guilty" (Exo 34:6, 7). 

Second. As the word "grace" signifieth all these, so it intimatesto us that all these are free acts of God, free love, free mercy, free kindness; hence we have other hints in the Word about the natureof grace, as, 1. It is an act of God's will, which must needs befree; an act of his own will, of the good pleasure of his will; byeach of these expressions is intimated that grace is a free act ofGod's goodness towards the sons of men. 2. Therefore it is expresslysaid--"Being justified freely by his grace" (Rom 3:24). 3. "Andwhen they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both" (Luke7:42). 4. And again, "Not for your sakes do I this, saith the LordGod, be it known unto you" (Eze 36:32; Deu 9:5). 5. And therefore"grace, " and the deservings of the creature, are set in flatopposition one to another--"And if by grace, then is it no moreof works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace; otherwise work is no more work" (Rom11:6). 

The word "grace, " therefore, being understood, doth most properlyset forth the true cause of man's happiness with God, not but thatthose expressions, love, mercy, goodness, pity, kindness, &c. , andthe like, have their proper place in our happiness also. Had notGod loved us, grace had not acted freely in our salvation; had notGod been merciful, good, pitiful, kind, he would have turned awayfrom us when he saw us in our blood (Eze 16). 

So then, when he saith, "By grace ye are saved, " it is all one asif he had said, By the goodwill, free mercy, and loving-kindnessof God ye are saved; as the words conjoined with the text do alsofurther manifest: "But God, " saith Paul, "who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were deadin sins, hath quickened us together with Christ [by grace ye aresaved]. "

[Third. ] The words thus understood admit us these few conclusions--1. That God, in saving of the sinner, hath no respect to the sinner'sgoodness; hence it is said he is frankly forgiven, and freelyjustified (Luke 7:42; Rom 3:24). 2. That God doth this to whomand when he pleases, because it is an act of his own good pleasure(Gal 1:15, 16). 3. This is the cause why great sinners are saved, for God pardoneth "according to the riches of his grace" (Eph1:7). 4. This is the true cause that some sinners are so amazed andconfounded at the apprehension of their own salvation; his graceis unsearchable; and by unsearchable grace God oft puzzles andconfounds our reason (Eze 16:62, 63; Acts 9:6). 5. This is the causethat sinners are so often recovered from their backslidings, healedof their wounds that they get by their falls, and helped again torejoice in God's mercy. Why, he will be gracious to whom he willbe gracious, and he will have compassion on whom he will havecompassion (Rom 9:15). 

[Fourth. ] But I must not here conclude this point. We are herediscoursing of the grace of God, and that by it we are saved; saved, I say, by the grace of God. 

Now, God is set forth in the Word unto us under a double consideration--1. He is set forth in his own eternal power and Godhead; and as thusset forth, we are to conceive of him by his attributes of power, justice, goodness, holiness, everlastingness, &c. 2. But then, wehave him set forth in the Word of truth as consisting of Father, Son, and Spirit; and although this second consideration containethin it the nature of the Godhead, yet the first doth not demonstratethe persons in the Godhead. We are saved by the grace of God--thatis, by the grace of the Father, who is God; by the grace of theSon, who is God; and by the grace of the Spirit, who is God. 

Now, since we are said to be "saved by grace, " and that the graceof God; and since also we find in the Word that in the Godheadthere are Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, we must conclude that it isby the grace of the Father, Son, and Spirit that we are saved; whereforegrace is attributed to the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost distinctly. 1. Grace is attributed to the Father, as these scriptures testify;Romans 7:25, 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2, 1 Thessalonians1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, 1 Timothy 1:2, 2 Timothy 1:2, Titus 1:4, Philemon 3. 2. Grace is also attributed to the Son, and I firstmanifest it by all those texts above-mentioned, as also by thesethat follow: 2 Corinthians 8:9, 13:14, Galatians 6:18, Philippians4:23, 1 Thessalonians 5:28, 2 Thessalonians 3:18, Philemon 25, Revelation 22:21. 3. It is also attributed to the Holy Ghost. Now, he is here called the Spirit of grace, because he is the author ofgrace as the Father, and the Son (Zech 12:10; Heb 10:29). 

So then, it remaineth that I show you, FIRST, How we are saved bythe grace of the Father. SECOND, How we are saved by the grace ofthe Son. And, THIRD, How we are saved by the grace of the Spirit. 

Of the Father's grace. 

FIRST. How we are saved by the grace of the Father. Now this willI open unto you thus--

1. The Father by his grace hath bound up them that shall go toheaven in an eternal decree of election; and here, indeed, as wasshowed at first, is the beginning of our salvation (2 Tim 1:9). Andelection is reckoned not the Son's act, but the Father's--"Blessedbe the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessedus with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of theworld" (Eph 1:3, 4). Now this election is counted an act of grace--"Sothen, at this present time also, there is a remnant according tothe election of grace" (Rom 11:5). 

2. The Father's grace ordaineth and giveth the Son to undertakefor us our redemption. The Father sent the Son to be the Saviourof the world--"In whom we have redemption through his blood, theforgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; that inthe ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace, in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus" (Eph 1:7; 2:7; 1John 4:14; John 3:16; 6:32, 33; 12:49). 

3. The Father's grace giveth us to Christ to be justified by hisrighteousness, washed in his blood, and saved by his life. ThisChrist mentioneth, and tells us it is his Father's will that theyshould be safe-coming at the last day, and that he had kept themall the days of his life, and they shall never perish (John 6:37-39;17:2, 12). 

4. The Father's grace giveth the kingdom of heaven to those thathe hath given to Jesus Christ--"Fear not, little flock, for it isyour Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom" (Luke 12:32). 

5. The Father's grace provideth and layeth up in Christ, for thosethat he hath chosen, a sufficiency of all spiritual blessings, tobe communicated to them at their need, for their preservation in thefaith, and faithful perseverance through this life; "not accordingto our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, whichwas given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (2 Tim 1:9;Eph 1:3, 4). 

6. The Father's grace saveth us by the blessed and effectual callthat he giveth us to the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ (1 Col1:9; Gal 1:15). 

7. The Father's grace saveth us by multiplying pardons to us, forChrist's sake, day by day--"In whom we have redemption throughhis blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of hisgrace" (Eph 1:7). 

8. The Father's grace saves us by exercising patience and forbearancetowards us all the time of our unregeneracy (Rom 3:24). 

9. The Father's grace saveth us by holding of us fast in his hand, and by keeping of us from all the power of the enemy--"My Father, "said Christ, "that gave them me, is greater than all, and no manis able to pluck them out of my Father's hand" (John 10:29). 

10. What shall I say? The Father's grace saveth us by accepting ofour persons and services, by lifting up the light of his countenanceupon us, by manifesting of his love unto us, and by sending of hisangels to fetch us to himself, when we have finished our pilgrimagein this world. 

Of the grace of the Son. 

SECOND. I come now to speak of the grace of the Son; for as theFather putteth forth his grace in the saving of the sinner, so doththe Son put forth his--"For ye know the grace of our Lord JesusChrist, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he becamepoor, that ye through his poverty might be rich" (2 Cor 8:9). 

Here you see also that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ is broughtin as a partner with the grace of his Father in the salvation ofour souls. Now this is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; he wasrich, but for our sakes he became poor, that we through his povertymight be made rich. 

To inquire, then, into this grace, this condescending grace ofChrist, and that by searching out how rich Jesus Christ was, andthen how poor he made himself, that we through his poverty mighthave the riches of salvation. 

First. How rich was Jesus Christ? To which I answer--1. Generally;2. Particularly. 

1. Generally. He was rich as the Father--"All things that the Fatherhath, " saith he, "are mine. " Jesus Christ is the Lord of all, Godover all, blessed for ever. "He thought it not robbery to be equalwith God, " being naturally and eternally God, as the Father, butof his Godhead he could not strip himself (John 10:30; 16:15; Acts10:36; Phil 2:6; Rom 9:4, 5). 

2. Particularly. Jesus Christ had glory with the Father; yea, amanifold glory with him, which he stripped himself of. 

(1. ) He had the glory of dominion, he was Lord of all the creatures;they were under him upon a double account--(a) as he was theirCreator (Col 1:16); (b) as he was made the heir of God (Heb 1:2). 

(2. ) Therefore the glory of worship, reverence, and fear from allcreatures, was due unto him; the worship, obedience, subjection, and service of angels were due unto him; the fear, honour, and gloryof kings, and princes, and judges of the earth were due unto him;the obedience of the sun, moon, stars, clouds, and all vapours, were due unto him; all dragons, deeps, fire, hail, snow, mountainsand hills, beasts, cattle, creeping things, and flying fowls, theservice of them all, and their worship, were due unto him (Psa148). 

(3. ) The glory of the heavens themselves was due unto him; in aword, heaven and earth were his. 

(4. ) But above all, the glory of communion with his Father was his;I say, the glory of that unspeakable communion that he had with theFather before his incarnation, which alone was worth ten thousandworlds, that was ever his. 

(5. ) But again; as Jesus Christ was possessed with this, so, besides, he was Lord of life; this glory also was Jesus Christ's:"In him was life, " therefore he is called the Prince of it; becauseit was in him originally as in the Father (Acts 3:15). He gave toall life and breath, and all things; angels, men, beasts, they hadall their life from him. 

(6. ) Again, as he was Lord of glory, and Prince of life, so he wasalso Prince of peace, (Isa 9:6); and by him was maintained thatharmony and goodly order which were among things in heaven andthings on earth. 

Take things briefly in these few particulars--(a. ) The heavens werehis, and he made them. (b. ) Angels were his, and he made them. (c. )The earth was his, and he made it. (d. ) Man was his, and he madehim. 

[Second. How poor he made himself. ] Now this heaven he forsook forour sakes--"He came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tim 1:15). 

[1. ] He was made lower than the angels, for the suffering of death(Heb 2:9). When he was born, he made himself, as he saith, a worm, or one of no reputation; he became the reproach and byword of thepeople; he was born in a stable, laid in a manger, earned his breadwith his labour, being by trade a carpenter (Psa 22:6; Phil 2:7;Luke 2:7; Mark 6:3). When he betook himself to his ministry, helived upon the charity of the people; when other men went to theirown houses, Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Hark what himselfsaith for the clearing of this--"Foxes have holes, and birds ofthe air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay hishead. " He denied himself of this world's good (Luke 8:2, 3; 9:58;John 7:35; 8:1). 

[2. ] Again, as he was Prince of life, so he for our sakes laiddown that also; for so stood the matter, that he or we must die;but the grace that was in his heart wrought with him to lay downhis life: "He gave his life a ransom for many. " He laid down hislife that we might have life; he gave his flesh and blood for thelife of the world; he laid down his life for his sheep. 

[3. ] Again; he was Prince of peace, but he forsook his peace also. (1. ) He laid aside peace with the world, and chose upon that accountto be a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, and thereforewas persecuted from his cradle to his cross, by kings, rulers, &c. (2. ) He laid aside his peace with his Father, and made himself theobject of his Father's curse, insomuch that the Lord smote, struck, and afflicted him; and, in conclusion, hid his face from him (ashe expressed, with great crying) at the hour of his death. 

[Object. ] But perhaps some may say, What need was there that JesusChrist should do all this? Could not the grace of the Father saveus without this condescension of the Son?

Answ. As there is grace, so there is justice in God; and manhaving sinned, God concluded to save him in a way of righteousness;therefore it was absolutely necessary that Jesus Christ should puthimself into our very condition, sin only excepted. 1. Now by sinwe had lost the glory of God, therefore Jesus Christ lays aside theglory that he had with the Father (Rom 3:23; John 17:5). 2. Man bysin had shut himself out of an earthly paradise, and Jesus Christwill leave his heavenly paradise to save him (Gen 3:24; 1 Tim 1:15;John 6:38, 39). 3. Man by sin had made himself lighter than vanity, and this Lord God, Jesus Christ, made himself lower than the angelsto redeem him (Isa 40:17; Heb 2:7). 4. Man by sin lost his right tothe creatures, and Jesus Christ will deny himself of a whole worldto save him (Luke 9:58). 5. Man by sin had made himself subject todeath; but Jesus Christ will lose his life to save him (Rom 6:23). 6. Man by sin had procured to himself the curse of God; but JesusChrist will bear that curse in his own body to save him (Gal 3:13). 7. Man by sin had lost peace with God; but this would Jesus Christlose also, to the end man might be saved. 8. Man should have beenmocked of God, therefore Christ was mocked of men. 9. Man shouldhave been scourged in hell; but, to hinder that, Jesus was scourgedon earth. 10. Man should have been crowned with ignominy and shame;but, to prevent that, Jesus was crowned with thorns. 11. Man shouldhave been pierced with the spear of God's wrath; but, to preventthat, Jesus was pierced both by God and men. 12. Man should havebeen rejected of God and angels; but, to prevent that, Jesus wasforsaken of God, and denied, hated, and rejected of men (Isa 48:22;Prov 1:24-26; Matt 27:26, 39, 46; Psa 9:17; 11:6; 22:7; Dan 12:2;John 19:2-5, 37; Num 24:8; Zech 12:10; Luke 9:22). 

I might thus enlarge, and that by authority from this text--"He becamepoor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. " All the richeshe stripped himself of, it was for our sakes; all the sorrows heunderwent, it was for our sakes; to the least circumstance of thesufferings of Christ there was necessity that so it should be, allwas for our sakes: "For our sakes he became poor, that ye throughhis poverty might be rich. "

And you see the argument that prevailed with Christ to do thisgreat service for man, the grace that was in his heart; as alsothe prophet saith, "In his love and in his pity he redeemed them. "According to this in the Corinthians, "Ye know the grace of ourLord Jesus Christ"; both which agree with the text, "By grace yeare saved. "

I say, this was the grace of the Son, and the exercise thereof. TheFather therefore shows his grace one way, and the Son his another. It was not the Father, but the Son, that left his heaven forsinners; it was not the Father, but the Son, that spilt his bloodfor sinners. The Father indeed gave the Son, and blessed be theFather for that; and the Son gave his life and blood for us, andblessed be the Son for that. 

But methinks we should not yet have done with this grace ofthe Son. Thou Son of the Blessed, what grace was manifest in thycondescension! Grace brought thee down from heaven, grace strippedthee of thy glory, grace made thee poor and despicable, grace madethee bear such burdens of sin, such burdens of sorrow, such burdensof God's curse as are unspeakable. O Son of God! grace was in allthy tears, grace came bubbling out of thy side with thy blood, grace came forth with every word of thy sweet mouth (Psa 45:2; Luke4:22). Grace came out where the whip smote thee, where the thornspricked thee, where the nails and spear pierced thee. O blessedSon of God! Here is grace indeed! Unsearchable riches of grace!Unthought-of riches of grace! Grace to make angels wonder, grace tomake sinners happy, grace to astonish devils. And what will becomeof them that trample under foot this Son of God?

Of the grace of the Spirit. THIRD. I come now to speak of the graceof the Spirit; for he also saveth us by his grace. The Spirit, Itold you, is God, as the Father and the Son, and is therefore alsothe author of grace; yea, and it is absolutely necessary that heput forth his grace also, or else no flesh can be saved. The Spiritof God hath his hand in saving of us many ways; for they that goto heaven, as they must be beholding to the Father and the Son, so also to the Spirit of God. The Father chooseth us, giveth us toChrist, and heaven to us, and the like. The Son fulfills the lawfor us, takes the curse of the law from us, bears in his own bodyour sorrows, and sets us justified in the sight of God. The Father'sgrace is showed in heaven and earth; the Son's grace is showed onthe earth, and on the cross; and the Spirit's grace must be showedin our souls and bodies, before we come to heaven. 

Quest. But some may say, Wherein doth the saving grace of the Spiritappear?

Answ. In many things. 

In taking possession of us for his own, in his making of us hishouse and habitation, so that though the Father and the Son haveboth gloriously put forth gracious acts in order to our salvation, yet the Spirit is the first that makes seizure of us (1 Cor 3:16;6:19; Eph 2:21, 22). Christ, therefore, when he went away, said notthat he would send the Father, but the Spirit, and that he shouldbe in us for ever--"If I depart, " said Christ, "I will send him, the Spirit of truth, the Comforter" (John 14:16; 16:7, 13). 

The Holy Spirit coming into us, and dwelling in us, worketh outmany salvations for us now, and each of them in order also to ourbeing saved for ever. 

1. He saveth us from our darkness by illuminating of us; hence heis called "the Spirit of revelation, " because he openeth the blindeyes, and so consequently delivereth us from that darkness whichelse would drown us in the deeps of hell (Eph 1:17, 19). 

2. He it is that convinceth us of the evil of our unbelief, andthat shows us the necessity of our believing in Christ; withoutthe conviction of this we should perish (John 16:9). 

3. This is that finger of God by which the devil is made to giveplace unto grace, by whose power else we should be carried headlongto hell (Luke 11:20-22). 

4. This is he that worketh faith in our hearts, without whichneither the grace of the Father nor the grace of the Son can saveus, "For he that believeth not, shall be damned" (Mark 16:16; Rom15:13). 

5. This is he by whom we are born again; and he that is not so borncan neither see nor inherit the kingdom of heaven (John 3:3-7). 

6. This is he that setteth up his kingdom in the heart, and by thatmeans keepeth out the devil after he is cast out, which kingdom ofthe Spirit, whoever wanteth, they lie liable to a worse possessionof the devil than ever (Matt 12:43-45; Luke 11:24, 25). 

7. By this Spirit we come to see the beauty of Christ, withouta sight of which we should never desire him, but should certainlylive in the neglect of him, and perish (John 16:14; 1 Cor 2:9-13;Isa 53:1, 2). 

8. By this Spirit we are helped to praise God acceptably, butwithout it, it is impossible to be heard unto salvation (Rom 8:26;Eph 6:18; 1 Cor 14:15). 

9. By this blessed Spirit the love of God is shed abroad in ourhearts, and our hearts are directed into the love of God (Rom 5:5;2 Thess 2:13). 

10. By this blessed Spirit we are led from the ways of the fleshinto the ways of life, and by it our mortal body, as well as ourimmortal soul, is quickened in the service of God (Gal 5:18, 25;Rom 8:11). 

11. By this good Spirit we keep that good thing, even the seed ofGod, that at the first by the Word of God was infused into us, andwithout which we are liable to the worst damnation (1 John 3:9; 1Peter 1:23; 2 Tim 1:14). 

12. By this good Spirit we have help and light against all thewisdom and cunning of the world, which putteth forth itself in itsmost cursed sophistications to overthrow the simplicity that is inChrist (Matt 10:19, 20; Mark 13:11; Luke 12:11, 12). 

13. By this good Spirit our graces are maintained in life andvigour, as faith, hope, love, a spirit of prayer, and every grace(2 Cor 4:13; Rom 15:13; 2 Tim 1:7; Eph 6:18; Titus 3:5). 

14. By this good Spirit we are sealed to the day of redemption (Eph1:14). 

15. And by this good Spirit we are made to wait with patience untilthe redemption of the purchased possession comes (Gal 5:5). 

Now all these things are so necessary to our salvation, that Iknow not which of them can be wanting; neither can any of them beby any means attained but by this blessed Spirit. 

And thus have I in few words showed you the grace of the Spirit, and how it putteth forth itself towards the saving of the soul. And verily, Sirs, it is necessary that you know these thingsdistinctly--to wit, the grace of the Father, the grace of the Son, and the grace of the Holy Ghost; for it is not the grace of one, but of all these three, that saveth him that shall be saved indeed. 

The Father's grace saveth no man without the grace of the Son;neither doth the Father and the Son save any without the graceof the Spirit; for as the Father loves, the Son must die, and theSpirit must sanctify, or no soul must be saved. 

Some think that the love of the Father, without the blood of theSon, will save them, but they are deceived; for "without sheddingof blood is no remission" (Heb 9:22). 

Some think that the love of the Father and blood of the Son willdo, without the holiness of the Spirit of God; but they are deceivedalso; for "if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none ofhis"; and again, "without holiness no man shall see the Lord" (Rom8:9; Heb 12:14). 

There is a third sort, that think the holiness of the Spirit issufficient of itself; but they (if they had it) are deceived also;for it must be the grace of the Father, the grace of the Son, andthe grace of the Spirit, jointly, that must save them. 

But yet, as these three do put forth grace jointly and truly in thesalvation of a sinner, so they put it forth, as I also have showedyou before, after a diverse manner. The Father designs us for heaven, the Son redeems from sin and death, and the Spirit makes us meetfor heaven; not by electing, that is the work of the Father; notby dying, that is the work of the Son; but by his revealing Christ, and applying Christ to our souls, by shedding the love of God abroadin our hearts, by sanctifying of our souls, and taking possessionof us as an earnest of our possession of heaven. 

QUEST. III. --WHO ARE THEY THAT ARE TO BE SAVED BY GRACE?

I come now to the third particular--namely, to show you who theyare that are to be saved by grace. 

[Who are not saved. ]

First. Not the self-righteous, not they that have no need of thephysician. "The whole have no need of the physician, " saith Christ. "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark2:17). And again, "He hath filled the hungry with good things, andthe rich he hath sent empty away" (Luke 1:53). Now when I say notthe self-righteous nor the rich, I mean not that they are utterlyexcluded; for Paul was such an one; but he saveth not such withouthe first awaken them to see they have need to be saved by grace. 

Second. The grace of God saveth not him that hath sinned the unpardonablesin. There is nothing left for him "but a certain fearful lookingfor of judgment, --which shall devour the adversaries" (Heb 10:26, 27). 

Third. That sinner that persevereth in final impenitency and unbeliefshall be damned (Luke 13:3, 5; Rom 2:2-5; Mark 16:15, 16). 

Fourth. That sinner whose mind the god of this world hath blinded, that the glorious light of the gospel of Christ, who is the imageof God, can never shine into him, is lost, and must be damned (2Cor 4:3, 4). 

Fifth. The sinner that maketh religion his cloak for wickedness, heis a hypocrite, and, continuing so, must certainly be damned (Psa125:5; Isa 33:14; Matt 24:50, 51). 

Sixth. In a word, every sinner that persevereth in his wickedness, shall not inherit the kingdom of heaven--"Know ye not that theunrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived:neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inheritthe kingdom of God. " "Let no man deceive you with vain words; forbecause of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the childrenof disobedience" (1 Cor 6:9-12; Eph 5:5, 6). 

[Who are saved. ] Question. But what kind of sinners shall then besaved?

Answ. Those of all these kinds that the Spirit of God shall bring[to] the Father by Jesus Christ; these, I say, and none but these, can be saved, because else the sinners might be saved without theFather, or without the Son, or without the Spirit. 

Now, in all that I have said, I have not in the least suggestedthat any sinner is rejected because his sins, in the nature of them, are great; Christ Jesus came into the world to save the chief ofsinners. It is not, therefore, the greatness of, but the continuancein, sins that indeed damneth the sinner. But I always exclude himthat hath sinned against the Holy Ghost. That it is not the greatnessof sin that excludeth the sinner is evident--

1. From the words before the text, which doth give an accountof what kind of sinners were here saved by grace, as namely, theythat were dead in trespasses and sins, those that walked in thesesins, "according to the course of this world, according to theprince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in thechildren of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversationin times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desiresof the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children ofwrath, even as others" (Eph 2:2, 3). 

2. It is evident also from the many sinners that we find to be saved, by the revealed will of God. For in the Word we have mention madeof the salvation of great sinners, where their names and theirsins stand recorded for our encouragement; as, (1. ) You read ofManasseh, who was an idolater, a witch, a persecutor, yea, a rebelagainst the word of God, sent unto him by the prophets; and yetthis man was saved (2 Chron 33:2-13; 2 Kings 21:16). (2. ) You readof Mary Magdalene, in whom were seven devils; her condition wasdreadful, yet she was saved (Luke 8:2; John 20). (3. ) You readof the man that had a legion of devils in him. O how dreadful washis condition! and yet by grace he was saved (Mark 5:1-10). (4. )You read of them that murdered the Lord Jesus, and how they wereconverted and saved (Acts 2:23). (5. ) You read of the exorcists, how they closed with Christ, and were saved by grace (Acts 19:13). (6. ) You read of Saul the persecutor, and how he was saved by grace(Acts 9:15). 

Object. But, thou sayest, I am a backslider. 

Answ. So was Noah, and yet he found grace in the eyes of the Lord(Gen 9:21, 22). So was Lot, and yet God saved him by grace (Gen19:35; 2 Peter 2:7-9). So was David, yet by grace he was forgivenhis iniquities (2 Sam 12:7-13). So was Solomon, and a great onetoo; yet by grace his soul was saved (Psa 89:28-34). So was Peter, and that a dreadful one; yet by grace he was saved (Matt 26:69-74;Mark 16:7; Acts 15:7-11). Besides, for further encouragement, readJeremiah 3, 33:25, 26, 51:5, Ezekiel 36:25, Hosea 14:1-4; and staythyself, and wonder at the riches of the grace of God. 

Quest. But how should we find out what sinners shall be saved? All, it seems, shall not. Besides, for aught can be gathered by whatyou have said, there is as bad saved as damned, set him that hathsinned the unpardonable sin aside. 

Answ. True, there are as bad saved as damned; but to this question:They that are effectually called, are saved. They that believe onthe Son of God shall be saved. They that are sanctified and preservedin Christ shall be saved. They that take up their cross daily, andfollow Christ, shall be saved. 

Take a catalogue of them thus: "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved" (Mark 16:16; Acts 16:31). "If thou shaltconfess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thineheart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved"(Rom 10:9). Be justified by the blood of Christ, and thou shaltbe saved (Rom 5:9). Be reconciled to God by the death of his Son, and thou shalt be saved by his life (Rom 5:10). "And it shall cometo pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shallbe saved" (Acts 2:21). 

See some other scriptures. "He shall save the humble person" (Job22:29). "Thou wilt save the afflicted people" (Psa 18:27). "Heshall save the children of the needy" (Psa 72:4). "He shall savethe souls of the needy" (Psa 72:13). "O thou, my God, save thyservant that trusteth in thee" (Psa 86:2). "He will fulfill thedesire of them that fear him, he also will hear their cry, and willsave them" (Psa 145:19). 

[Caution. ] But, sinner, if thou wouldst indeed be saved, beware ofthese four things--

1. Beware of delaying repentance; delays are dangerous anddamnable; they are dangerous, because they harden the heart; theyare damnable, because their tendency is to make thee outstand thetime of grace (Psa 95:7; Heb 3-12). 

2. Beware of resting in the word of the kingdom, without the spiritand power of the kingdom of the gospel; for the gospel coming inword only saves nobody, for the kingdom of God or the gospel, whereit comes to salvation, is not in word but in power (1 Thess 1:4-6;1 Cor 4:19). 

3. Take heed of living in a profession, a life that is provokingto God; for that is the way to make him cast thee away in his anger. 

4. Take heed that thy inside and outside be alike;, and bothconformable to the Word of his grace; labour to be like the livingcreatures which thou mayest read of in the book of the prophetEzekiel, whose appearance and themselves were one 10 (Eze 10:22). 

In all this, I have advertised you not to be content without thepower and Spirit of God in your hearts, for without him you partakeof none of the grace of the Father or Son, but will certainly missof the salvation of the soul. 

QUEST. IV. --HOW IT APPEARS THAT THEY THAT ARE SAVED, ARE SAVED BYGRACE?

This fourth question requireth that some demonstration be given ofthe truth of this doctrine--to wit, that they that are saved aresaved by grace. 

What hath been said before hath given some demonstration of thetruth; wherefore, first repeating in few words the sum of what hathbeen said already, I shall come to further proof. 1. That this istrue, the Scriptures testify, because God chose them to salvationbefore they had done good (Rom 9:11). 2. Christ was ordained to betheir Saviour before the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4; 1 Peter1:19-21). 3. All things that concur and go to our salvation werealso in the same laid up in Christ, to be communicated in thedispensation of the fullness of times, to them that shall be saved(Eph 1:3, 4; 2 Tim 1:9; Eph 1:10; 3:8-11; Rom 8:30). 

[That salvation is by grace appears in its contrivance. ] Again, as their salvation was contrived by God, so, as was said, thissalvation was undertaken by one of the three; to wit, the Son ofthe Father (John 1:29; Isa 48:16). 

Had there been a contrivance in heaven about the salvation ofsinners on earth, yet if the result of that contrivance had beenthat we should be saved by our own good deeds, it would not havebeen proper for an apostle, or an angel, to say, "By grace yeare saved. " But now, when a council is held in eternity about thesalvation of sinners in time, and when the result of that councilshall be, that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost willthemselves accomplish the work of this salvation, this is grace, this is naturally grace, grace that is rich and free; yea, thisis unthought-of grace. I will say it again, this is unthought-ofgrace; for who could have thought that a Saviour had been in thebosom of the Father, or that the Father would have given him to bethe Saviour of men, since he refused to give him to be the Saviourof angels? (Heb 2:16, 17). 

[Grace appears in the Son's undertaking this work. ] Again; couldit have been thought that the Father would have sent his Son to bethe Saviour, we should, in reason, have thought also that he wouldnever have taken the work wholly upon himself, especially thatfearful, dreadful, soul-astonishing, and amazing part thereof!Who could once have imagined that the Lord Jesus would have madehimself so poor as to stand before God in the nauseous rags of oursins, and subject himself to the curse and death that were due toour sin? but thus he did to save us by grace. 

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hathblessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of theworld, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by JesusChrist to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made usaccepted in the Beloved; in whom we have redemption through hisblood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of hisgrace" (Eph 1:3-7). 

[Grace appears in the terms and conditions on which salvation ismade over. ] Again; if we consider the terms and conditions uponwhich this salvation is made over to them that are saved, it willfurther appear we are saved by grace. 

1. The things that immediately concern our justification andsalvation, they are offered, yea, given to us freely, and we arecommanded to receive them by faith. Sinner, hold up thy lap. Godso loved the world, that he giveth his Son, that he giveth hisrighteousness, that he giveth his Spirit, and the kingdom of heaven(John 3:16; Rom 5:17; 2 Cor 1:21, 22; Luke 12:32). 

2. He also giveth repentance, he giveth faith, and giveth everlastingconsolation, and good hope through grace (Acts 5:30, 31; Phil 1:29;2 Thess 2:16). 

3. He giveth pardon, and giveth more grace, to keep us from sinkinginto hell, than we have sin to sink us in thither (Acts 5:31; Prov3:34; John 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). 

4. He hath made all these things over to us in a covenant of grace. We call it a covenant of grace, because it is set in opposition tothe covenant of works, and because it is established to us in thedoings of Christ, founded in his blood, established upon the bestpromises made to him, and to us by him. "For all the promises ofGod in him are yea, and in him amen, to the glory of God by us" (2Cor 1:20). 

But to pass these, and to come to some other demonstrations forthe clearing of this--

Let us a little consider, What man is, upon whom the Father, the Son, and the Spirit bestowsthis grace. 

1. [An enemy to God. ] By nature he is an enemy to God, an enemyin his mind. "The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is notsubject to the law of God, neither indeed can be" (Rom 8:7; Col1:21). 

2. [A slave to sin. ] So that the state of man was this--he was notonly over persuaded on a sudden to sin against God, but he drankthis sin, like water, into his very nature, mingled it with everyfaculty of his soul and member of his body; by the means of which hebecame alienated from God, and an enemy to him in his very heart;and wilt thou, O Lord, as the Scripture hath it, "And dost thouopen thine eyes upon such an one?" (Job 14:3). Yea, open thy heart, and take this man, not into judgment, but into mercy with thee?

3. [In covenant with death and hell. ] Further, man by his sin hadnot only given himself to be a captive slave to the devil, but, continuing in his sin, he made head against his God, struck up acovenant with death, and made an agreement with hell; but for Godto open his eyes upon such an one, and to take hold of him by richesof grace, this is amazing (Isa 28:16-18). 

See where God found the Jew when he came to look upon him to savehim--"As for thy nativity, " says God, "in the day thou wast bornthy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supplethee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. None eyepitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion uponthee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing ofthy person, in the day that thou wast born. And when I passed bythee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee, when thouwast in thy blood, Live. --Now when I passed by thee, and lookedupon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread myskirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness; yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thoubecamest mine. " Sinner, see further into the chapter, Ezekiel 16. All this is the grace of God; every word in this text smells ofgrace. 

But before I pass this, let us a little take notice of

The carriage of God to man, and again of man to God, in hisconversion. 

FIRST. OF GOD'S CARRIAGE TO MAN. He comes to him while he is in hissins, in his blood; he comes to him now, not in the heat and fireof his jealousy, but "in the cool of the day, " in unspeakablegentleness, mercy, pity, and bowels of love; not in clothing himselfwith vengeance, but in a way of entreaty, and meekly beseecheththe sinner to be reconciled unto him (2 Cor 5:19, 20). 

It is expected among men that he which giveth the offence shouldbe the first in seeking peace; but, sinner, betwixt God and man itis not so; not that we loved God, not that we chose God; but "Godwas in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputingtheir trespasses unto them. " God is the first that seeketh peace;and, as I said, in a way of entreaty he bids his ministers pray youin Christ's stead; "as though God did beseech you by us, we prayyou, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. " O sinner, wiltthou not open? Behold, God the Father and his Son Jesus Christstand both at the door of thy heart, beseeching there for favourfrom thee, that thou wilt be reconciled to them, with promise, ifthou wilt comply, to forgive thee all thy sins. O grace! O amazinggrace! To see a prince entreat a beggar to receive an alms wouldbe a strange sight; to see a king entreat the traitor to accept ofmercy would be a stranger sight than that; but to see God entreata sinner, to hear Christ say, "I stand at the door and knock, " witha heart full and a heaven full of grace to bestow upon him thatopens, this is such a sight as dazzles the eyes of angels. Whatsayest thou now, sinner? Is not this God rich in mercy? Hath notthis God great love for sinners? Nay, further, that thou mayest nothave any ground to doubt that all this is but complementing, thouhast also here declared that God hath made his Christ "to be sinfor us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousnessof God in him. " If God would have stuck at anything, he would havestuck at the death of his Son; but he "delivered him up for us"freely; "how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?"(Rom 8:32). 11

But this is not all. God doth not only beseech thee to be reconciledto him, but further, for thy encouragement, he hath pronounced, in thy hearing, exceeding great and precious promises; "and hathconfirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which itwas impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us"(Heb 6:18, 19; Isa 1:18; 55:6, 7; Jer 51:5). 

SECOND. OF MAN'S CARRIAGE TO GOD. Let us come now to the carriageof these sinners to God, and that from the first day he beginnethto deal with their souls, even to the time that they are to betaken up into heaven. And, First. To begin with God's ordinary dealing with sinners, when atfirst he ministereth conviction to them by his Word, how strangelydo they behave themselves! They love not to have their consciencestouched; they like not to ponder upon what they have been, what theyare, or what is like to become of them hereafter; such thoughts theycount unmanly, hurtful, disadvantageous; therefore "they refusedto hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear" (Zech 7, 11). And now they are for anythingrather than the Word; an alehouse, a whorehouse, a playhouse, sports, pleasures, sleep, the world, and what not so they may stave12 offthe power of the word of God. 

Second. If God now comes up closer to them, and begins to fastenconviction upon the conscience, though such conviction be the firststep to faith and repentance, yea, and to life eternal, yet whatshifts will they have to forget them, and wear them off! Yea, although they now begin to see that they must either turn or burn, 13 yet oftentimes even then they will study to wave a presentconversion: they object, they are too young to turn yet; sevenyears hence time enough, when they are old, or come upon a sick-bed. O what an enemy is man to his own salvation! I am persuaded thatGod hath visited some of you often with his Word, even twice andthrice, and you have thrown water as fast as he hath by the Wordcast fire upon your conscience. 14

Christian, what had become of thee if God had taken thy denialfor an answer, and said, Then will I carry the word of salvationto another, and he will hear it? Sinner, turn, says God. Lord, Icannot tend15 it, says the sinner. Turn or burn, says God. I willventure that, says the sinner. Turn, and be saved, says God. I cannotleave my pleasures, says the sinner: sweet sins, sweet pleasures, sweet delights, says the sinner. But what grace is it in God thusto parley with the sinner! O the patience of God to a poor sinner!What if God should now say, Then get thee to thy sins, get thee tothy delights, get thee to thy pleasures, take them for thy portion, they shall be all thy heaven, all thy happiness, and all thy portion?

Third. But God comes again, and shows the sinner the necessity ofturning now; now or not at all; yea, and giveth the sinner thisconviction so strongly, that he cannot put it off. But behold, thesinner has one spark of enmity still. If he must needs turn now, he will either turn from one sin to another, from great ones tolittle ones, from many to few, or from all to one, and there stop. But perhaps convictions will not thus leave him. Why, then, he willturn from profaneness to the law of Moses, and will dwell as longas God will let him upon his own seeming goodness. And now observehim, he is a great stickler for legal performance; now he will bea good neighbour, he will pay every man his own, will leave off hisswearing, the alehouse, his sports, and carnal delights; he willread, pray, talk of Scripture, and be a very busy one in religion, such as it is; now he will please God, and make him amends for allthe wrong he hath done him, and will feed him with chapters, andprayers, and promises, and vows, and a great many more such daintydishes as these, persuading himself that now he must needs be fairfor heaven, and thinks besides that he serveth God as well as anyman in England can. 16

But all this while he is as ignorant of Christ as the stool he sitson, and no nearer heaven than was the blind Pharisee; only he hasgot in a cleaner way to hell than the rest of his neighbours arein--"There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, andyet is not washed from their filthiness" (Prov 30:12). 

Might not God now cut off this sinner, and cast him out of hissight; might he not leave him here to his own choice, to be deludedby, and to fall in his own righteousness, because he "trusteth toit, and commits iniquity"? (Eze 33:13). But grace, preventing grace, preserves him. It is true, this turn of the sinner, as I said, isa turning short of Christ; but, Fourth. God in this way of the sinner will mercifully follow him, and show him the shortness of his performances, the emptiness ofhis duties, and the uncleanness of his righteousness (Isa 28:20;64:6). Thus I speak of the sinner, the salvation of whose soul isgraciously intended and contrived of God; for he shall by gospellight be wearied out of all; he shall be made to see the vanity ofall, and that the personal righteousness of Jesus Christ, and thatonly, is it which of God is ordained to save the sinner from thedue reward of his sins. But behold, the sinner now, at the sightand sense of his own nothingness, falleth into a kind of despair;for although he hath it in him to presume of salvation, throughthe delusiveness of his own good opinion of himself, yet he hath itnot in himself to have a good opinion of the grace of God in therighteousness of Christ; wherefore he concludeth, that if salvation bealone of the grace of God, through the righteousness of Christ, andthat all of a man's own is utterly rejected, as to the justificationof his person with God, then he is cast away. Now the reason of thissinking of heart is the sight that God hath given him, a sight ofthe uncleanness of his best performance; the former sight of hisimmoralities did somewhat distress him, and make him betake himselfto his own good deeds to ease his conscience, wherefore this washis prop, his stay; but behold, now God hath taken this from underhim, and now he falls; wherefore his best doth also now forsakehim, and flies away like the morning dew, or a bird, or as the chaffthat is driven with the whirlwind, and the smoke out of a chimney(Hosea 9:11; 13:3). Besides, this revelation of the emptiness ofhis own righteousness, brings also with it a further discovery ofthe naughtiness of his heart, in its hypocrisies, pride, unbelief, hardness of heart, deadness, and backwardness to all gospel andnew-covenant obedience, which sight of himself lies like millstonesupon his shoulders, and sinks him yet further into doubts and fears ofdamnation. For, bid him now receive Christ, he answers he cannot, he dares not. Ask him why he cannot, he will answer he has no faith, nor hope in his heart. Tell him that grace is offered him freely, he says, but I have no heart to receive it; besides, he finds not, as he thinks, any gracious disposition in his soul, and thereforeconcludes he doth not belong to God's mercy, nor hath an interestin the blood of Christ, and therefore dares not presume to believe;wherefore, as I said, he sinks in his heart, he dies in his thoughts, he doubts, he despairs, and concludes he shall never be saved. 

Fifth. But behold, the God of all grace leaveth him not in thisdistress, but comes up now to him closer than ever; he sends theSpirit of adoption, the blessed Comforter, to him, to tell him, "God is love, " and therefore not willing to reject the broken inheart; bids him cry and pray for an evidence of mercy to his soul, and says, "Peradventure you may be hid in the day of the Lord'sanger. " At this the sinner takes some encouragement, yet he can getno more than that which will hang upon a mere probability, whichby the next doubt that ariseth in the heart is blown quite away, and the soul left again in his first plight, or worse, where helamentably bewails his miserable state, and is tormented with athousand fears of perishing, for he hears not a word from heaven, perhaps for several weeks together. Wherefore unbelief begins toget the mastery of him, and takes off the very edge and spirit ofprayer, and inclination to hear the Word any longer; yea, the devilalso claps in with these thoughts, saying that all your prayers, and hearing, and reading, and godly company which you frequent, will rise up in judgment against you at last; therefore better itis, if you must be damned, to choose as easy a place in hell asyou can. The soul at this, being quite discouraged, thinks to doas it hath been taught, and with dying thoughts it begins to faintwhen it goeth to prayer or to hear the word; but behold, whenall hope seems to be quite gone, and the soul concludes, I DIE, IPERISH, in comes, on a sudden, the Spirit of God again, with somegood word of God, which the soul never thought of before, whichword of God commands a calm in the soul, makes unbelief give place, encourageth to hope and wait upon God again; perhaps it gives somelittle sight of Christ to the soul, and of his blessed undertakingfor sinners. But behold, so soon as the power of things does againbegin to wear off the heart, the sinner gives place to unbelief, questions God's mercy, and fears damning again; he also entertainshard thoughts of God and Christ, and thinks former encouragementswere fancies, delusions, or mere think-so's. And why doth not Godnow cast the sinner to hell for his thus abusing his mercy andgrace. O no! "He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy, andhe will have compassion on whom he will have compassion"; wherefore"goodness and mercy shall follow him all the days of his life, thathe may dwell in the house of the Lord for ever" (Psa 23:6). 

Sixth. God, therefore, after all these provocations, comes by hisSpirit to the soul again, and brings sealing grace and pardon tothe conscience, testifying to it that its sins are forgiven, andthat freely, for the sake of the blood of Christ; and now has thesinner such a sight of the grace of God in Christ as kindly breakshis heart with joy and comfort; now the soul knows what it is toeat promises; it also knows what it is to eat and drink the fleshand blood of Jesus Christ by faith; now it is driven by the powerof his grace to its knees, to thank God for forgiveness of sinsand for hopes of an inheritance amongst them that are sanctifiedby faith which is in Christ; now it hath a calm and sunshine; now"he washeth his steps with butter, and the rock pours him out riversof oil" (Job 29:6). 

Seventh. But after this, perhaps the soul grows cold again, italso forgets this grace received, and waxeth carnal, begins againto itch after the world, loseth the life and savour of heavenlythings, grieves the Spirit of God, woefully backslides, casteth offcloset duties quite, or else retains only the formality of them, isa reproach to religion, grieves the hearts of them that are awake, and tender of God's name, &c. But what will God do now? Willhe take this advantage to destroy the sinner? No. Will he let himalone in his apostasy? No. Will he leave him to recover himself bythe strength of his now languishing graces? No. What then? Why, hewill seek this man out till he finds him, and bring him home tohimself again: "For thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I, even I, willboth search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh outhis flock in the day that he is among the sheep that are scattered;so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all placeswhere they have been scattered. --I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up thatwhich was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick" (Eze34:11, 16). 

Thus he dealt with the man that went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves; and thus he dealt with the prodigal youread of also (Luke 10:30-35; 15:20). 

Of God's ordinary way of fetching the backslider home I will notnow discourse--namely, whether he always breaketh his bones for hissins, as he broke David's; or whether he will all the days of theirlife, for this, leave them under guilt and darkness; or whetherhe will kill them now, that they may not be damned in the day ofjudgment, as he dealt with them at Corinth (1 Cor 11:30-32). He iswise, and can tell how to embitter backsliding to them he loveth. He can break their bones, and save them; he can lay them in thelowest pit, in darkness, in the deep, and save them; he can slaythem as to this life, and save them. And herein again appearswonderful grace, that "Israel is not forsaken, nor Judah of hisGod, though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One ofIsrael" (Jer 51:5). 

Eighth. But suppose God deals not either of these ways with thebackslider, but shines upon him again, and seals up to him theremission of his sins a second time, saying, "I will heal theirbackslidings, and love them freely, " what will the soul do now?Surely it will walk humbly now, and holily all its days. It willnever backslide again, will it? It may happen it will not, it mayhappen it will; it is just as his God keeps him; for although hissins are of himself, his standing is of God; I say, his standing, while he stands, and his recovery, if he falls, are both of God;wherefore, if God leaves him a little, the next gap he finds, awayhe is gone again. "My people, " says God, "are bent to backslidingfrom me. " How many times did David backslide; yea, Jehoshaphat andPeter! (2 Sam 11, 24; 2 Chron 19:1-3; 20:1-5; Matt 26:69-71; Gal2:11-13). As also in the third of Jeremiah it is said, "But thou hastplayed the harlot with many lovers, yet return unto me, saith theLord" (verse 1). Here is grace! So many time as the soul backslides, so many times God brings him again--I mean, the soul that must besaved by grace--he renews his pardons, and multiplies them. "Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man" (Job 33:29). 

Ninth. But see yet more grace. I will speak here of heart-wanderings, and of daily miscarriages--I mean, of these common infirmities thatare incident to the best of saints, and that attend them in theirbest performances; not that I intend, for I cannot, mention themparticularly, that would be a task impossible; but such there are, worldly thoughts, unclean thoughts, too low thoughts of God, ofChrist, of the Spirit, words, ways, and ordinances of God, by whicha Christian transgresses many times; may I not say, sometimes manyhundred times a day; yea, for aught I know, there are some saints, and them not long-lived either, that must receive, before theyenter into life, millions of pardons from God for these; and everypardon is an act of grace, through the redemption that is in Christ'sblood. 17

Seventy times seven times a day we sometimes sin against ourbrother; but how many times, in that day, do we sin against God?Lord, "who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secretfaults" [sins], said David. And again, "If thou, Lord, shouldestmark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgivenesswith thee that thou mayest be feared" (Matt 18:21, 22; Psa 19:12;130:3, 4). 

But to mention some of them. Sometimes they question the very beingof God, or foolishly ask how he came to be at first; sometimes theyquestion the truth of his Word, and suspect the harmony thereof, because their blind hearts and dull heads cannot reconcile it; yea, all fundamental truths lie open sometimes to the censure of theirunbelief and atheism; as, namely, whether there be such an one asChrist, such a thing as the day of judgment, or whether there willbe a heaven or hell hereafter, and God pardons all these by hisgrace. When they believe these things, even then they sin, by nothaving such reverent, high, and holy thoughts of them as they ought;they sin also by having too, too good thoughts of themselves, ofsin, and the world; sometimes, let me say, often, they wink too muchat known sin, they bewail not, as they should, the infirmities ofthe flesh; the itching inclinations which they find in their heartsafter vanity go too often from them unrepented of. I do not saybut they repent them in the general. But all these things, O howoften doth God forgive, through the riches of his grace!

They sin by not walking answerably to mercies received; yea, theycome short in their thanks to God for them, even then when theymost heartily acknowledge how unworthy they are of them; also, howlittle of the strength of them is spent to his praise, who freelypoureth them into their bosoms; but from all these sins are theysaved by grace. They sin in their most exact and spiritual performanceof duties; they pray not, they hear not, they read not, they givenot alms, they come not to the Lord's table, or other holy appointmentsof God, but in and with much coldness, deadness, wanderings ofheart, ignorance, misapprehensions, &c. They forget God while theypray unto him; they forget Christ while they are at his table; theyforget his Word even while they are reading of it. 

How often do they make promises to God, and afterwards break them!Yea, or if they keep promise in show, how much doth their heart evengrudge the performing of them; how do they shuck18 at the cross;and how unwilling are they to lose that little they have for God, though all they have was given them to glorify him withal! 19

All these things, and a thousand times as many more, dwell in theflesh of man; and they may as soon go away from themselves as fromthese corruptions; yea, they may sooner cut the flesh from theirbones than these motions of sin from their flesh; these will bewith them in every duty--I mean, some or other of them; yea, asoften as they look, or think, or hear, or speak. These are withthem, especially when the man intends good in so doing: "WhenI would do good, " says Paul, "evil is present with me. " And Godhimself complains that "every imagination of the thoughts of theheart of man is only evil, " and that "continually" (Rom 7:21; Gen6:5). 

By these things, therefore, we continually defile ourselves, and every one of our performances--I mean, in the judgment of thelaw--even mixing iniquity with those things which we hallow untothe Lord. "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evilthoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness; all these evil things come from within, and defilethe man" (Mark 7:21-23). Now what can deliver the soul from thesebut grace? "By grace ye are saved. " QUEST. V. --WHAT MIGHT BE THEREASON MOVED GOD TO ORDAIN AND CHOOSE TO SAVE THOSE THAT HE SAVETHBY HIS GRACE, RATHER THAN BY ANY OTHER MEANS?

I come now to answer the fifth question; namely, to show why Godsaveth those that he saveth by grace, rather than by any othermeans. 

First. God saveth us by grace, because since sin is in the world, he can save us no other way; sin and transgression cannot be removedbut by the grace of God through Christ; sin is the transgressionof the law of God, who is perfectly just. Infinite justice cannotbe satisfied with the recompence that man can make; for if it could, Christ Jesus himself needed not to have died; besides, man havingsinned, and defiled himself thereby, all his acts are the acts ofa defiled man; nay, further, the best of his performances are alsodefiled by his hands; these performances, therefore, cannot be arecompence for sin. Besides, to affirm that God saveth defiled manfor the sake of his defiled duties--for so, I say, is every workof his hand--what is it but to say, God accepteth of one sinful actas a recompence and satisfaction for another? (Hag 2:14). But God, even of old, hath declared how he abominates imperfect sacrifices, therefore we can by no means be saved from sin but by grace (Rom3:24). 

Second. To assert that we may be saved any other way than bythe grace of God, what is it but to object against the wisdom andprudence of God, wherein he aboundeth towards them whom he hathsaved by grace? (Eph 1:5-8). His wisdom and prudence found out noother way, therefore he chooseth to save us by grace. 

Third. We must be saved by grace, because else it follows that Godis mutable in his decrees, for so hath he determined before thefoundation of the world; therefore he saveth us not, nor choosethto save us by any other way, than by grace (Eph 1:3, 4; 3:8-11; Rom9:23). 

Fourth. If man should be saved any other way than by grace, Godwould be disappointed in his design to cut off boasting from hiscreature; but God's design to cut off boasting from his creaturecannot be frustrated or disappointed; therefore he will save manby no other means than by grace; he, I say, hath designed thatno flesh should glory in his presence, and therefore he refuseththeir works; "Not of works, lest any man should boast. " "Where isboasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay; but bythe law of faith" (Eph 2:8, 9; Rom 3:24-28). 

Fifth. God hath ordained that we should be saved by grace, that hemight have the praise and glory of our salvation; that we shouldbe "to the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath madeus accepted in the Beloved" (Eph 1:6). Now God will not lose hispraise, and his glory he will not give to another; therefore Goddoth choose to save sinners but by his grace. 

Sixth. God hath ordained, and doth choose to save us by grace, because, were there another way apparent, yet this is the way thatis safest, and best secureth the soul. "Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise [the promise ofeternal inheritance, (Heb 9:14-16)] might be sure to all the seed"(Rom 4:16). No other way could have been sure. This is evident inAdam, the Jews, and, I will add, the fallen angels, who being turnedover to another way than grace, you see in short time what becameof them. 

To be saved by grace supposeth that God hath taken the salvationof our souls into his own hand; and to be sure it is safer in God'shand than ours. Hence it is called the salvation of the Lord, thesalvation of God, and salvation, and that of God. 

When our salvation is in God's hand, himself is engaged to accomplishit for us. 1. Here is the mercy of God engaged for us (Rom 9:15). 2. Here is the wisdom of God engaged for us (Eph 1:7, 8). 3. Hereis the power of God engaged for us (1 Peter 1:3-5). 4. Here is thejustice of God engaged for us (Rom 3:24, 25). 5. Here is the holinessof God engaged for us (Psa 89:30-35). 6. Here is the care of Godengaged for us, and his watchful eye is always over us for our good(1 Peter 5:7; Isa 27:1-3). 

What shall I say? Grace can take us into favour with God, and thatwhen we are in our blood (Eze 16:7, 8). Grace can make children ofus, though by nature we have been enemies to God (Rom 9:25, 26). Grace can make them God's people which were not God's people (1Peter 2:9, 10). Grace will not trust our own salvation in our ownhands--"He putteth no trust in his saints" (Job 15:15). Grace canpardon our ungodliness, justify us with Christ's righteousness;it can put the spirit of Jesus Christ within us, it can help usup when we are down, it can heal us when we are wounded, it canmultiply pardons, as we, through frailty, multiply transgressions. 

What shall I say? Grace and mercy are everlasting. They are builtup for ever. They are the delight of God. They rejoice againstjudgment. And therefore it is the most safe and secure way ofsalvation, and therefore hath God chosen to save us by his graceand mercy rather than any other way (Isa 43:25; Rom 3:24, 25; Isa44:2, 4; Psa 37:23; Luke 10:33, 34; Isa 55:7, 8; Psa 136; 89:2; Mal3:18; James 2:13). 

Seventh. We must be saved by the grace of God, or else God willnot have his will. They that are saved are "predestinated unto theadoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to thegood pleasure of his will, to the praise of the glory of his grace"(Eph 1:5, 6). 

1. But if it be his will that men should be saved by grace, thento think of another way is against the will of God. Hence they thatseek to establish their own righteousness are such as are accountedto stand out in defiance against, and that do not submit to, therighteousness of God--that is, to the righteousness that he hathwilled to be that through which alone we are saved by grace (Rom10:3). 

2. If it be his will that men should be saved through grace, thenit is his will that men should be saved by faith in that Christwho is the contrivance of grace; therefore they that have soughtto be justified another way have come short of, and perishednotwithstanding, that salvation that is provided of God for men bygrace (Rom 9:31-33). 

3. God is not willing that faith should be made void, and thepromise of none effect; therefore they of the righteousness of thelaw are excluded: "for if the inheritance be of the law, it is nomore of promise, but God gave it to Abraham by promise" (Rom 4:14Gal 3:18). 

4. God is not willing that men should be saved by their own naturalabilities; but all the works of the law which men do to be savedby, they are the works of men's natural abilities, and are thereforecalled the work of the flesh, but God is not willing that men shouldbe saved by these, therefore no way but by his grace (Rom 4:1; Gal3:1-3; Phil 3:3). 

Eighth. We must be saved by grace, or else the main pillars andfoundations of salvation are not only shaken, but overthrown--towit, election, the new covenant, Christ, and the glory of God; butthese must not be overthrown; therefore we must be saved by grace. 

1. Election, which layeth hold of men by the grace of God, Godhath purposed that that shall stand--the election of God standethsure; therefore men must be saved by virtue of the election ofgrace (Rom 9:11; 2 Tim 2:19). 

2. The covenant of grace, that must stand--"Brethren, I speak afterthe manner of men. Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it beconfirmed [as this is, by the death of the testator, (Heb 9:16, 17)]no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto"; therefore man must besaved by virtue of a covenant of grace (Gal 3:15). 

3. Christ, who is the gift of the grace of God to the world, hemust stand, because he is a sure foundation, "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever"; therefore men must be saved by grace, throughthe redemption that is in Christ (Isa 28:16; Heb 13:8). 

4. God's glory, that also must stand; to wit, the glory of hisgrace; for that he will not give to another; therefore men mustso be saved from the wrath to come, that in their salvation praisemay redound to the glory of his grace. 

Ninth. There can be but one will the master in our salvation; butthat shall never be the will of man, but of God; therefore man mustbe saved by grace (John 1:13; Rom 9:16). 

Tenth. There can be but one righteousness that shall save asinner; but that shall never be the righteousness of men, but ofChrist (therefore men must be saved by grace), that imputeth thisrighteousness to whom he will. 

Eleventh. There can be but one covenant by which men must be saved;but that shall never be the covenant of the law, for the weaknessand unprofitableness thereof; therefore men must be saved by the covenantof grace, by which God will be merciful to our unrighteousnesses, and our sins and iniquities will remember no more (Heb 8:6-13). 

POSTSCRIPT. 

A few words by way of use, and so I shall conclude. 

THE FIRST USE. 

First. Is the salvation of the sinner by the grace of God? Thenhere you see the reason why God hath not respect to the personalvirtues of men in the bringing of them to glory. Did I say, personalvirtues? How can they have any to Godward that are enemies to himin their minds by wicked works? Indeed, men one to another seemto be, some better, some worse, by nature, but to God they are allalike, dead in trespasses and sins. 20

We will, therefore, state it again--Are men saved by grace? Thenhere you may see the reason why conversion runs at that rate amongthe sons of men, that none are converted for their good deeds, nor rejected for their bad, but even so many of both, and only somany, are brought home to God as grace is pleased to bring home tohim. 

1. None are received for their good deeds; for then they would notbe saved by grace, but by works. Works and grace, as I have showed, are in this matter opposite each to other; if he be saved by works, then not by grace; if by grace, then not by works (Rom 11). Thatnone are received of God for their good deeds is evident, notonly because he declares his abhorrence of the supposition of sucha thing, but hath also rejected the persons that have at any timeattempted to present themselves to God in their own good deeds forjustification. This I have showed you before. 

2. Men are not rejected for their bad deeds. This is evident byManasseh, by the murderers of our Lord Jesus Christ, by the menthat you read of in the nineteenth of the Acts, with many others, whose sins were of as deep a dye as the sins of the worst of men(2 Chron 33:2, 13; Acts 2:23, 41; 19:19). 

Grace respecteth, in the salvation of a sinner, chiefly the purposeof God; wherefore those that it findeth under that purpose, thoseit justifies freely, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. At Saul's conversion, Ananias of Damascus brought in a most dreadfulcharge against him to the Lord Jesus Christ, saying, "Lord, I haveheard by many of this man, how much evil he hath done to thy saintsat Jerusalem; and here he hath authority from the chief priests tobind all that call on thy name. " But what said the Lord unto him?"Go thy way, for he is a chosen vessel unto me" (Acts 9:13-15). Thisman's cruelty and outrage must not hinder his conversion, becausehe was a chosen vessel. Men's good deeds are no argument with Godto convert them; men's bad deeds are no argument with him to rejectthem. I mean, those that come to Christ, by the drawings of theFather; besides, Christ also saith, "I will in no wise cast" such"out. " (John 6:37-44). 

Second. Is the salvation of the sinner by the grace of God? Thenhere you see the reason why some sinners, that were wonderfullyaverse to conversion by nature, are yet made to stoop to the Godof their salvation. Grace takes them to do, because grace hathdesigned them to this very thing. Hence some of the Gentiles weretaken from among the rest; God granted them repentance unto life, because he had taken them from among the rest, both by electionand calling, for his name (Acts 11:18; 15:14). These men that werenot a people, are thus become the people of God; these men thatwere not beloved for their works, were yet beloved by the graceof God. "I will call them my people which were not my people; andher beloved which was not beloved. " But their minds are averse. But are they the people on whom God doth magnify the riches ofhis grace? Why, then, they shall be, in the day of his power, madewilling, and be able to believe through grace (Psa 110:3; Rom 9:25;Acts 18:27). But doth the guilt and burden of sin so keep themdown that they can by no means lift up themselves? Why, God will, by the exceeding greatness of that power by which he raised Christfrom the dead, work in their souls also by the Spirit of grace, tocause them to believe and to walk in his ways (Eph 1:18-20). 

Paul tells us, in that epistle of his to the Corinthians, that itwas by grace he was what he was--"By the grace of God I am whatI am, " says he, "and his grace which was bestowed upon me was notin vain" (1 Cor 15:10). This man kept always in his mind a warmremembrance of what he was formerly by nature, and also how he hadadded to his vileness by practice; yea, moreover, he truly concludedin his own soul, that had not God, by unspeakable grace, put astop to his wicked proceedings, he had perished in his wickedness;hence he lays his call and conversion at the door of the graceof God--"When it pleased God, " says he, "who separated me from mymother's womb, and called me by his grace, to reveal his Son in me"(Gal 1:15, 16). And hence it is, again, that he saith, "He obtainedgrace and apostleship"; grace to convert his soul, and the giftsand authority of an apostle, to preach the gospel of the grace ofGod. 

This blessed man ascribes all to the grace of God. 1. His call heascribes to the grace of God. 2. His apostleship he ascribes to thegrace of God. 3. And all his labour in that charge he also ascribesto the grace of God. 

This grace of God it was that which saved from the beginning. 1. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, and was thereforeconverted and preserved from the flood (Gen 6:8). 2. Abraham foundgrace in the sight of the Lord, and therefore he was called out ofhis country (Gen 12:1, 2). 3. Moses found grace in the eyes of theLord, and therefore he must not be blotted out of God's book (Exo33:12, 17). 

Neither may it be imagined that these men were, before grace laidhold on them, better than other men; for then they would not havebeen saved by grace; grace should not have had the dominion andglory of their salvation. But, as Paul says of himself, and ofthose that were saved by grace in his day, "What then? are we betterthan they? No, in no wise; for we have before proved both Jews andGentiles that they are all under sin" (Rom 3:9). So it may be saidof these blessed ones; for indeed this conclusion is general, andreacheth all the children of men, Christ Jesus alone only excepted. But, Third. Is the salvation of the sinner by the grace of God? Thenhere you may see the reason why one backslider is recovered, andanother left to perish in his backsliding. 

There was grace for Lot, but none for his wife; therefore she wasleft in her transgression, but Lot was saved notwithstanding. Therewas grace for Jacob, but none for Esau; therefore Esau was left inhis backsliding, but Jacob found mercy notwithstanding. There wasgrace for David, but none for Saul; therefore David obtained mercy, and Saul perished in his backsliding. There was grace for Peter, but none for Judas; therefore Judas is left to perish in hisbacksliding, and Peter is saved from his sin. That text standsgood to none but those that are elect by grace--"Sin shall not havedominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace"(Rom 6:14). 

It will be said, repentance was found in one, but not in the other. Well, but who granted and gave the one repentance; The Lord turned, and looked upon Peter; he did not turn and look upon Judas; yea, the Lord told Peter before he fell that he should follow him tothe kingdom of heaven, but told him that he should deny him first;but withal told him also he should not let his heart be troubled, that is, utterly dejected, for he would go and prepare a placefor him, and come again and receive him to himself (John 13:36-38;14:1-3). That is a blessed word of God, "The steps of a good manare ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way. Though hefall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholdethhim with his hand" (Psa 37:23, 24). 

THE SECOND USE. 

My second use shall be to them that are dejected in their souls atthe sight and sense of their sins. 

First. Are they that are saved, saved by grace? Then they thatwould have their guilty consciences quieted, they must study thedoctrine of grace. 

It is Satan's great design either to keep the sinner senseless ofhis sins, or if God makes him sensible of them, then to hide andkeep from his thoughts the sweet doctrine of the grace of God, bywhich alone the conscience getteth health and cure; "for everlastingconsolation, and good hope" is given "through grace" (1 Thess 2:16). How then shall the conscience of the burdened sinner by rightlyquieted, if he perceiveth not the grace of God?

Study, therefore, this doctrine of the grace of God. Suppose thouhast a disease upon thee which is not to be cured but by such orsuch medicines, the first step to thy cure is to know the medicines. I am sure this is true as to the case in hand; the first step tothe cure of a wounded conscience is for thee to know the grace ofGod, especially the grace of God as to justification from the cursein his sight. 

A man under a wounded conscience naturally leaneth to the works ofthe law, and thinks God must be pacified by something that he shoulddo, whereas the Word says, "I will have mercy and not sacrifice:for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance"(Matt 9:13). 

Wherefore thou must study the grace of God. "It is a good thing, "saith the apostle, "that the heart be established with grace";thereby insinuating that there is no establishment in the soul thatis right but by the knowledge of the grace of God (Heb 13:9). 

I said, that when a man is wounded in his conscience, he naturallyleaneth to the works of the law; wherefore thou must thereforebe so much the more heedful to study the grace of God; yea, so tostudy it as rightly, not only in notion, but in thy practices, todistinguish it from the law. "The law was given by Moses, but graceand truth came by Jesus Christ" (John 1:17). Study it, I say, soas to distinguish it, and that, not only from the law, but fromall those things that men blasphemously call this grace of God. 

There are many things which men call the grace of God, that arenot. 

1. The light and knowledge that are in every man. 2. That naturalwillingness that is in man to be saved. 3. That power that is in manby nature to do something, as he thinketh, towards his own salvation. 

I name these three; there are also many other which some will haveentitled the grace of God. But do thou remember that the graceof God is his goodwill and great love to sinners in his Son JesusChrist; "by the which" good "will we are sanctified, through theoffering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb 10:10). 

Again; when thou hast smelt out this grace of God, and canstdistinguish it from that which is not, then labour to strengthenthy soul with the blessed knowledge of it. "Thou therefore, myson, " said Paul, "be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus"(2 Tim 2:1). Fortify thy judgment and understanding; but especiallylabour to get down all into thy conscience, that that may be "purgedfrom dead works, to serve the living God. "

[Second. ] And to enforce this use upon thee yet further, consider, a man gets yet more advantage by the knowledge of, and by growingstrong in, this grace of God. 

1. It ministereth to him matter of joy; for he that knows this gracearight, he knows God is at peace with him, because he believethin Jesus Christ, who by grace tasted death for every man; "by whomalso we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, andrejoice in hope of the glory of God" (Rom 5:2). And indeed whatjoy or what rejoicing is like rejoicing here? To rejoice in hope ofthe glory of God, it is to rejoice in hope to enjoy him for ever, with that eternal glory that is in him. 

2. As it manifesteth matter of joy and rejoicing, so it causethmuch fruitfulness in all holiness and godliness. "For the grace ofGod that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching usthat, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world" (Titus 2:11, 12). Yea, it so naturally tendeth this way, that it can no sooner appear tothe soul, but it causeth this blessed fruit in the heart and life. "We ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness andlove of God our Saviour appeared"--what then? Why then, he thatbelieveth, being justified by his grace, and expecting to be anheir according to the hope of eternal life, is "careful to maintaingood works" (Titus 3:3-8). See also that in Paul's epistle to theColossians--"We give thanks, " says he, "to God and the Father ofour Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard ofyour faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to allthe saints, for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereofye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; which iscome unto you, as it is in all the world; and bringeth forth fruit, as it doth also in you, since the day ye heard of it, and knew thegrace of God in truth" (Col 1:3-6). 

3. The knowledge of, and strength that comes by, the grace of Godis a sovereign antidote against all, and all manner of delusionsthat are or may come into the world. Wherefore Peter, exhortingthe believers to take heed that they were not carried away withthe errors of the wicked, and so fall from their own steadfastness, adds, as their only help, this exhortation--"But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter3:18). 

(1. ) Suppose it should be urged, that man's own righteousness saveththe sinner; why, then, we have this at hand--God "hath saved us, and called us, not according to our works, but according to his ownpurpose and grace, which was given us in Christ" &c. (2 Tim 1:9). 

(2. ) Suppose it should be urged, that by the doctrine of free gracewe must not understand God's extending free forgiveness as far aswe have or do sin; the answer is--"But where sin abounded, gracedid much more abound: that as sin hath reigned unto death, even somight grace reign through righteousness, " through the justice ofGod being satisfied by his Son, "unto eternal life" (Rom 5:20, 21). 

(3. ) Suppose it should be urged, that this is a doctrine tendingto looseness and lasciviousness; the answer is ready--"What shallwe say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longertherein?" for the doctrine of free grace believed is the mostsin-killing doctrine in the world (Rom 6:1, 2). 

(4. ) Suppose men should attempt to burden the church of God withunnecessary ceremonies, and impose them, even as the false apostles21urged circumcision of old, saying, Unless you do these things, yecannot be saved; why, the answer is ready--"Why tempt ye God, to puta yoke upon the necks of the disciples, which neither our fathersnor we were able to bear? But we believe that through the graceof the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they" (Acts15:1, 10, 11). But not to enlarge, 22

[Third. ] This doctrine, "By grace ye are saved, " it is the onlyremedy against despairing thoughts at the apprehension of our ownunworthiness; as, 1. Thou criest out, O cursed man that I am! my sins will sink meinto hell. 

Answ. Hold, man; there is a God in heaven that is "the God of allgrace" (1 Peter 5:10). Yet thou art not the man of all sin. If Godbe the God of all grace, then if all the sins in the world werethine, yet the God of all grace can pardon, or else it should seemthat sin is stronger in a man penitent, to damn, than the grace ofGod can be to save. 

2. But my sins are of the worst sort--blasphemy, adultery, covetousness, murder, &c. 

Answ. "All manner of sins and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men, wherewithsoever they shall blaspheme. --Let the wicked forsake hisway, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return untothe Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for hewill abundantly pardon" (Matt 12:31; Mark 3:28; Isa 55:7, 8). 

3. But I have a stout and rebellious heart, a heart that is farfrom good. 

Answ. "Hearken unto me, " saith God, "ye stout-hearted, that arefar from righteousness: I bring near my righteousness"; that is, the righteousness of Christ, by which stout-hearted sinners arejustified, though ungodly (Isa 46:12, 13; Phil 3:7, 8; Rev 4:5). 

4. But I have a heart as hard as any stone. 

Answ. "A new heart also will I give you, " says God, "and a newspirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heartout of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh" (Eze36:26). 

5. But I am as blind as a beetle; I cannot understand anything ofthe gospel. 

Answ. "I will bring the blind by a way that they know not; I willlead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darknesslight before them, and crooked things straight. These things willI do unto them, and not forsake them" (Isa 42:16). 

6. But my heart will not be affected with the sufferings and bloodof Christ. 

Answ. "I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitantsof Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplications: and theyshall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn forhim, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitternessfor him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born" (Zech12:10). 

7. But though I see what is like to become of me if I findnot Christ, yet my spirit, while I am thus, will be running aftervanity, foolishness, uncleanness, wickedness. 

Answ. "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall beclean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will Icleanse you" (Eze 36:25). 

8. But I cannot believe in Christ. 

Answ. But God hath promised to make thee believe. "I will alsoleave in the midst of thee an afflicted and poor people, and theyshall trust in the name of the Lord. " And again, "There shall be aroot of Jesse, and he that shall rise to reign over the Gentiles, in him shall the Gentiles trust" (Zeph 3:12; Rom 15:12). 

9. But I cannot pray to God for mercy. 

Answ. But God hath graciously promised a spirit of prayer--"Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hostsin Jerusalem, and to pray before the Lord. --They shall call on myname, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people; and theyshall say, The Lord is my God" (Zech 8:22; 12:10; 13:9). 

10. But I cannot repent. Answ. "The God of our fathers raised upJesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted withhis right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentanceto Israel, and forgiveness of sins" (Acts 5:30, 31). 

Thus might I enlarge, for the holy Bible is full of this exceedinggrace of God. O these words, "I will" and "you shall"! they arethe language of a gracious God; they are promises by which our Godhas engaged himself to do that for poor sinners which would elsebe left undone for ever. 

THE THIRD USE. 

Are they that are saved, saved by grace? Then let Christians labourto advance God's grace. FIRST. In heart. SECOND. In life. 

FIRST. In heart; and that in this manner--

First. Believe in God's mercy through Jesus Christ, and so advancethe grace of God; I mean, venture heartily, venture confidently, for there is a sufficiency in the grace of God. Abraham magnifiedthe grace of God when "he considered not his own body now dead, --neitheryet the deadness of Sarah's womb: he staggered not at the promiseof God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory toGod" (Rom 4:19, 20). 

Second. Advance it by heightening of it in thy thoughts. Have alwaysgood and great thoughts of the grace of God; narrow and slenderthoughts of it are a great disparagement to it. 

And to help thee in this matter, consider--1. This grace is comparedto a sea--"And thou will cast all their sins into the depths of thesea" (Micah 7:19). Now a sea can never be filled by casting intoit. 23

2. This grace is compared to a fountain, to an open fountain--"Inthat day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for sin and for uncleanness. "Now a fountain can never be drawn dry (Zech 12:1). 3. The Psalmistcries out concerning the grace and mercy of God, "It endureth forever"; he says so twenty-six times in one psalm. Surely he sawa great deal in it, surely he was taken a great deal with it (Psa136). 4. Paul says the God of all grace can do more than "we askor think" (Eph 3:20). 5. Therefore as God's Word says, so thoushouldst conclude of the grace of God. 

Third. Come boldly to the throne of grace by hearty prayer; for thisis the way also to magnify the grace of God. This is the apostle'sexhortation, "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need"(Heb 4:16). See here a little, and wonder. 

We have been all this while discoursing of the grace of God; andnow we are come to his throne, as Job says, "even to his seat";and behold, "that is a throne of grace. " O, when a God of grace isupon a throne of grace, and a poor sinner stands by and begs forgrace, and that in the name of a gracious Christ, in and by thehelp of the Spirit of grace, can it be otherwise but such a sinnermust obtain mercy and grace to help in time of need? But not toforget the exhortation, "Come boldly. " Indeed, we are apt to forgetthis exhortation; we think, seeing we are such abominable sinners, we should not presume to come boldly to the throne of grace; butyet so we are bidden to do; and to break a commandment here is asbad as to break it in another place. 

You may ask me, What is it to come boldly? [I] answer--

1. It is to come confidently--"Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from anevil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water" (Heb 10:22). 

2. To come boldly, it is to come frequently--"At morning, at noon, and at night, will I pray. " We use to count them bold beggars thatcome often to our door. 

3. To come boldly, it is to ask for great things when we come. That is the bold beggar that will not only ask, but also choosethe thing that he asketh. 

4. To come boldly, it is to ask for others as well as ourselves, tobeg mercy and grace for all the saints of God under heaven as wellas for ourselves--"Praying always with all prayer and supplicationin the Spirit--for all saints" (Eph 6:18). 

5. To come boldly, it is to come and take no nay; thus Jacob cameto the throne of grace--"I will not let thee go except thou blessme" (Gen 32:26). 

6. To come boldly, it is to plead God's promises with him both ina way of justice and mercy, and to take it for granted God willgive us--because he hath said it--whatever we ask in the name ofhis Son. 

Fourth. Labour to advance God's grace in thy heart, by oftenadmiring, praising, and blessing God in secret for it; God expectsit--"Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me, " says he. "By Jesus Christtherefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually;that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name" (Psa50:23; Heb 13:15). 

SECOND. [In life. ] But again; as we should advance this gracein our hearts, so we should do it in our life. We should in ourconversation adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. It is a great word of the apostle, "Only let your conversation beas it becometh the gospel of Christ, " which is the gospel of thegrace of God (Phil 1:27). God expecteth that there should in ourwhole life be a blessed tang24 of the gospel, or that in our lifeamong men there should be preached to them the grace of the gospelof God. 

The gospel shows us that God did wonderfully stoop and condescendfor our good; and to do accordingly, it is to stoop and condescendto others. 

The gospel shows us that there was abundance of pity, love, bowels, and compassion in God towards us; and accordingly we should be fullof bowels, pity, love, and compassion to others. 

The gospel shows us that in God there is a great deal of willingnessto do good to others. 

The gospel shows us that God acteth towards us according to histruth and faithfulness, and so should we be in all our actions oneto another. 

By the gospel, God declares that he forgiveth us ten thousandtalents, and we ought likewise to forgive our brother the hundredpence. 

And now, before I conclude this use, let me give you a fewheart-endearing considerations to this so good and so happy a work. 

[Heart-endearing Considerations. ]

First. Consider, God hath saved thee by his grace. Christian, God hath saved thee, thou hast escaped the lion's mouth, thou artdelivered from wrath to come; advance the grace that saves thee, in thy heart and life. 

Second. Consider, God left millions in their sins that day he savedthee by his grace; he left millions out, and pitched upon thee;it may be hundreds also, yea, thousands, were in the day of thyconversion lying before him under the preaching of the word as thouwert, yet he took thee. 25 Considerations of this nature affectedDavid much; and God would have them affect thee, to the advancingof his grace in thy life and conversation (Psa 78:67-72; Deu 7:7). 

Third. Consider, perhaps the most part of those that God refusedthat day that he called thee by his grace were, as to conversation, far better than ever thou wert--I was a blasphemer, I was apersecutor, I was an injurious person, but I obtained mercy! O thisshould affect thy heart, this should engage thy heart to study toadvance this grace of God (1 Tim 1:14, 15). 

Fourth. Perhaps in the day of thy conversion thou wast more unrulythan many. Like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, hardly tamed, thou wast brought home by strong hands; thou wouldst not drive, the Lord Jesus must take thee up, lay thee upon his shoulder, andcarry thee home to his Father's house. This should engage thy heartto study to advance the grace of God (Luke 15:1-6). 

Fifth. It may be many did take even offence at God in his convertingand saving of thee by his grace, even as the elder son was offendedwith his father for killing the fatted calf for his brother, andyet that did not hinder the grace of God, nor make God abate hislove to thy soul. This should make thee study to advance the graceof God in thy heart and life (Luke 15:21-32). 

Sixth. Consider again, that God hath allowed thee but a littletime for this good work, even the few days that thou hast now tolive--I mean, for this good work among sinful men, and then thoushalt go to receive that wages that grace also will give thee forthy work to thy eternal joy. 

Seventh. Let this also have some place upon thy heart--every manshows subjection to the god that he serveth; yea, though that god benone other but the devil and his lusts; and wilt not thou, O man!saved of the Lord, be much more subject "to the Father of spirits, and live"?26

Alas! they are pursuing their own damnation, yet they sport it, and dance all the way they go. They serve that "god" (Satan) withcheerfulness and delight, who at last will plunge them into theeverlasting gulf of death, and torment them in the fiery flamesof hell; but thy God is the God of salvation, and to God thy Lordbelong the issues from death. Wilt not thou serve him with joyfulnessin the enjoyment of all good things, even him by whom thou art tobe made blessed for ever?

Object. This is that which kills me--honour God I cannot; my heartis so wretched, so spiritless, and desperately wicked, I cannot. 

Answ. What dost thou mean by cannot? 1. If thou meanest thou hastno strength to do it, thou hast said an untruth, for "greater is hethat is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). 2. Ifthou meanest thou hast no will, then thou art out also; for everyChristian, in his right mind, is a willing man, and the day ofGod's power hath made him so (Psa 110:3). 3. If thou meanest thatthou wantest wisdom, that is thine own fault--"If any man lackwisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, andupbraideth not" (James 1:5). 

Object. I cannot do things as I would. 

Answ. No more could the best of the saints of old--"To will ispresent with me, " said Paul; "but how to perform that which is goodI find not. " And again, "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, andthe Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to theother, so that ye cannot do the things that ye would" (Rom 7:18;Gal 5:17). 

And here indeed lies a great discovery of this truth, "ye are savedby grace"; for the children of God whilst here, notwithstandingtheir conversion to God, and salvation by Christ through grace, areso infirm and weak by reason of a body of death that yet remainethin them, that should even the sin that is in the best of theirperformances be laid to their charge, according to the tenor of acovenant of works, they would find it impossible ever to get intoglory. But why do I talk thus? It is impossible that those thatare saved by grace should have their infirmities laid to theircharge as afore, "for they are not under the law"; they are includedby the grace of God in the death and blood of the Son of God, whoever liveth to make intercession for them at the right hand of God;whose intercession is so prevalent with the Father as to take awaythe iniquity of our holy things from his sight, and to presentus holy, and unreprovable, and unblamable in his sight. To him, by Christ Jesus, through the help of the blessed Spirit of grace, be given praise, and thanks, and glory, and dominion, by all hissaints, now and for ever. Amen. 

FOOTNOTES:

1 General course of manners, behaviour, deportment, especially asit regards morals (see Phil 1:27, 1 Peter 1:15). 

2 Their conduct proved to the living that they were dead, theythemselves having no feeling or sense of spiritual life; but, when quickened, their penitence and good works were brought intoexistence by Divine power; they feel the joys of salvation, butfeel also their total unworthiness of this new creating power, andsing, "O to grace how great a debtor!"--Ed. 

3 The hospital of St. Mary Bethlem, vulgarly called "Bedlam, "bestowed, in 1545, upon the citizens of London, who appropriatedit to the reception of lunatics. It being the only public hospitalfor that class of the afflicted in England, it gave the name of"bedlam" to all whose conduct could only be accounted for on thescore of madness. --Ed. 

4 The person who writes this, was a singular instance of the truthof our author's remark; having been twice providentially preservedfrom drowning, and once from the fatal effects of a violent fever, before effectual saving grace had reached his soul. The same richand abundant mercy follows all the elect, quickens them when dead, saves them when lost, and restores them when ruined. God hathchosen us unto salvation, and enables us to live holily on earth, in order to a life of happiness in heaven. The Father's good willand pleasure is the only fountain from whence the salvation ofbelievers flows; and such as are given to Christ by the Father heconsiders as his charge, and stands engaged for their preservation;and the death of Christ for sinners, is an evident demonstrationof the love of God the Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, towardsthem; this love manifested in time was in and upon the heart of Godbefore the world began. --Mason. What a multitude of unseen dangers, both spiritual and temporal, the Christian escapes before he iscalled!--Ed. 

5 "Rarely, " finely, nicely. 

6 A safe-conduct is a military term, either a convoy or guard forprotection in an enemy's land, or a passport, by the sovereign ofa country, to enable a subject to travel with safety. --ImperialDict. --Ed. 

7 What amazing love! Christ visited this poor beggar, yea, was formedin him the hope of glory; his body, so miserable in the sight ofman, was a temple of the Holy Ghost, and the angels carry his soulto heaven. O the riches of grace!--Ed. 

8 What heart can conceive the glorious worship of heaven? The newsong shall be as the voice of many waters, and a great thunder, when the "ten thousand times ten thousand and thousand of thousands"shall sing, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and blessing. "O that my poor voice may join that celestial choir!--Ed. 

9 The fear of the Lord--an ornament of grace unto thy head, andchains about thy neck, and life unto thy soul. --Solomon. 

10 "Their appearance and themselves"; this beautiful illustrationmight escape the reader's notice, unless specially directed to it. The living creatures were always the same, although seen underdifferent circumstances, and in diverse places. Inside and out theywere the same; without deviation or turning, they went straightforward. It is well said that Bunyan has here snatched a gracebeyond the reach of art, and has applied it to exalt and beautifyconsistency of Christian character. --Ed. 

11 This is one of Bunyan's peculiarly affecting representations, which in preaching went to the heart, producing intense interest, and tears of contrition over the stubbornness of human nature. Reader, Bunyan, being dead, yet speaketh; can you feel unaffectedunder such an appeal?--Ed. 

12 "To stave, " to thrust, to push, to delay. --Ed. 

13 These terms are taken from Foxe's Martyrology. It was frequentlythe brutal remark of the Judges, You must turn or burn. Bunyan hereapplies it to turning from sin or burning in hell. --Ed. 

14 This treatise having been written some years after the Pilgrim'sProgress, Bunyan very naturally refers to the well-known scene inthe Interpreter's House, where the fire is kept burning by oil frombehind the wall, in spite of all the water thrown upon its flames. --Ed. 

15 "To tend, " to watch, to guard, to attend. --Ed. 

16 How pointedly, how admirably, does this illustrate the fondabsurdities, the extreme follies of the human heart! "To serve Godwith such dainty dishes, " the cleanest being befouled with sin. "Acleaner way to hell than our neighbours!"--Ed. 

17 O how humbling a consideration! Our sins are numberless, ofomission, of commission, openly and secretly; nay, in a thousandcases they escape the sinner's observation. "Cleanse thou me fromsecret faults. "--Ed. 

18 "Shuck, " to shake or start back. --Ed. 

19 In Bunyan's time, the saints of God were sorely tormented bypenalties, fines, and imprisonments. It required great faith in amother, who saw all her goods seized, for not going to church, theincarnate devils throwing the milk that was warming for her infanton the dunghill, and the skillet in which it was contained into thecart, answering her prayers for mercy on her babe. Let the brat ofa heretic starve. --Ed. 

20 How abasing and humbling to human pride is it thus to conceive, that all have sinned, and, in the sight of God, are hell-deserving. What! says the honourable man, must I take mercy upon no higherconsideration than the thief on the cross? Or the highly virtuousdame, Must I sue for mercy upon the same terms as the Magdalene?The faithful answer to both is, YES, or you must perish. --Ed. 

21 "False apostles, " mentioned in Acts 15, who would have blendedJewish observances with Christianity, and have brought the convertsinto misery and thraldom. They are specially referred to in 2Corinthians 11:13, "false apostles, " deceitful workers, that devouryou and take from you (verse 20). In contradistinction to Paul, who was "chargeable to no man" (verse 9). --Ed. 

22 We must not for a moment imagine that Bunyan was afraid oftemporal consequences, which prevents his enlarging upon this partof his subject. His contemptuous answer to Fowler for attackingthe doctrine of justification, although a great man with the state, and soon afterwards made a bishop, is a proof that he was a strangerto the fear of man. He had said enough, and therefore there was noneed to enlarge. --Ed. 

23 How does Bunyan here exhibit the perfection as well as thefreeness of the pardon that Micah celebrates! That which is sunkin the depths of the sea is lost for ever. --Ed. 

24 "Tang, " taste, touch, savour, flavour, relish, tone, sound. A word of extensive meaning, but now nearly obsolete. "No tang ofprepossession or fancy appears in the morality of our Saviour orhis apostles. "--Locke. --Ed. 

25 What can I render unto thee, my God, for such unspeakableblessedness? The cattle upon a thousand hills, yea, all creation, all that I have and am, is thine: all that I can do is "to takethe cup of salvation and call upon the name of the Lord. " Not untous, but unto thy name, be all the praise and honour of salvation!--Ed. 

26 In the edition of 1692, this sentence is "subject to the Fatherof spirits and love. " It is a very singular mode of expression to callGod "the Father of love. " God is love, and that author and sourceof all holy love. Bunyan was at all times governed by Scripturephrases, with which his mind was so richly imbued as to cause him, if we may so speak, to live in a scriptural atmosphere; and thissentence bears a great affinity to Hebrews 12:9, "Shall we notmuch rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live. "I have been, for these reasons, induced to consider the letter o in"love" a typographical error, and have altered the word to "live, "but could not take such a liberty without a public notice. --Ed. 

***

THE STRAIT GATE;

OR, GREAT DIFFICULTY OF GOING TO HEAVEN:

PLAINLY PROVING, BY THE SCRIPTURES, THAT NOT ONLY THE RUDE ANDPROFANE, BUT MANY GREAT PROFESSORS, WILL COME SHORT OF THAT KINGDOM. 

"Enter ye in at the strait gate; for wide is the gate, and broadis the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be whichgo in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the waywhich leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. "--Matthew7:13, 14

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

If any uninspired writer has been entitled to the name of Boanerges, or a son of thunder, it is the author of the following treatise. Here we have a most searching and faithful display of the straitnessor exact dimensions of that all-important gate, which will not suffermany professors to pass into the kingdom of heaven, encumbered asthey are with fatal errors. Still "it is no little pinching wicket, but wide enough for all the truly gracious and sincere loversof Jesus Christ; while it is so strait, that no others can by anymeans enter in. " This is a subject calculated to rouse and stimulateall genuine professors to solemn inquiry; and it was peculiarlyintended to dart at, and fix convictions upon, the multitudes ofhypocritical professors who abounded in Bunyan's time, especiallyunder the reigns of the later Stuarts. 

During the Protectorate, wickedness was discountenanced, and skulkedin the holes and corners of Mansoul; but when a debauched monarch, who had taken refuge in the most licentious court in Europe, wascalled to occupy the throne of his fathers, the most abandonedprofligacy and profaneness were let loose upon the nation. Vicewas openly patronized, while virtue and religion were as openlytreated with mockery and contempt. Bunyan justly says, "The textcalls for sharpness, so do the times. " "With those whose religionlieth in some circumstantials, the kingdom swarms at this day. "When they stand at the gate, they will "shake like a quagmire--theirfeigned faith, pretended love, shows of gravity, and holiday words, will stand them in little stead; some professors do with religionjust as people do with their best apparel--hang it on the wall allthe week, and put it on on Sundays; they save it till they go toa meeting, or meet with a godly chapman. " This state of societycalled for peculiar sharpness, and Bunyan preached and published, in 1676, this awful alarm to professors. No subject could be morepeculiarly applicable than "The Gate of heaven, " and "the difficultiesof entering in thereat"; a subject of the deepest interest to allmankind--to stimulate the careless to find, and to enter the gateof this the only city of refuge from eternal misery--to fill theheart of God's children with love and joy in their prospects ofa blessed immortality--and to sting the hypocrites with the awfulthought of finding the gate shut against them for ever. Their criesand tears will be too late; they will stand without and vehementlycry, "Lord, Lord, open unto us"; in vain will be their outcry, "the devils are coming; Lord, Lord, the pit opens her mouth uponus; Lord, Lord, there is nothing but hell and damnation left us, ifthou hast not mercy upon us. " These were professors who pretendedto have found the gate and way to heaven; who passed for pilgrimswho were seeking a better, even a heavenly country; such deludedvictims must be, of all men, the most miserable. 

Faithfulness becomes the ministers of Christ in dealing with thesouls of men; and pre-eminently faithful is John Bunyan in thistreatise. Reader, he will be clear of thy blood. Enter upon thesolemn inquiry, Have I sought the gate? Shall I be admitted into, or shut out from, that blessed kingdom? The openly profane can haveno hope. Are you a professor?--there is danger sill. In vain willit be to urge, "We have prophesied in thy name, and in thy namecast out devils. " To the secretly profane, whatever may be theirprofession, there can be no well-grounded hope of entrance in atthis gate. Those only will be admitted whom the Lord knows to behis--the sheep of his pasture, who have heard his voice, and obeyedit. Against all others the door will be shut, and the awful words, "I know you not--depart, ye cursed, " will hurry them to eternaldarkness. The question, "Are there few that be saved?" will suggestitself to our minds; may the answer fix upon our conscience, "STRIVEto enter in. " It is very probable that it was in preaching uponthis text, Bunyan was assailed with a want of charity. The anecdoteis thus narrated by Mr. Doe in The Struggler:--"As Mr. Bunyan waspreaching in a barn, and showing the fewness of those that shouldbe saved, there stood one of the learned to take advantage of hiswords; and having done preaching, the schoolman said to him, Youare a deceiver, a person of no charity, and therefore not fit topreach; for he that [in effect] condemneth the greatest part of hishearers hath no charity, and therefore is not fit to preach. ThenMr. Bunyan answered, The Lord Jesus Christ preached in a ship tohis hearers on the shore (Mat 13), and showed that they were asfour sorts of ground, the highway, the stony, the thorny, and thegood ground, but those represented by the good ground were the onlypersons to be saved. And your position is, That he that in effectcondemneth the greatest part of his hearers, hath no charity, andtherefore is not fit to preach the gospel. But here the Lord JesusChrist did so, then your conclusion is, The Lord Jesus Christ wantedcharity, and therefore was not fit to preach the gospel. Horridblasphemy; away with your hellish logic, and speak Scripture. " Ofone thing we are certain, that while hollow-hearted hypocriticalprofessors will ever complain of faithful dealing with their soul'seternal interests; the sincere and humble Christina will be mostthankful for searching inquiries, that, if wrong, he may be setright before his final destiny is irrevocably fixed. May our soulssubmit to a scriptural measurement of this gate, and the terms uponwhich alone it can be opened unto us. 

The difficulties that prevent "the many" from entering in are, 1. Forgetfulness that we can only enter heaven by the permission ofthe law--every jot and tittle must be fulfilled. Now, if we couldlive from our conversion to our death in the holiest obedience toall its precepts, yet, having previously violated them, the stainmust not only be washed away in the blood of atonement, but we, aspart of the body of Christ, must, in him, render perfect obedience. 2. In addition to the disinclination of our hearts to submit tothis perfect righteousness, we have outward storms of temptationand persecution. "The world will seek to keep thee out of heavenwith mocks, flouts, taunts, threats, jails, gibbets, halters, burnings, and a thousand deaths; therefore strive! Again, if itcannot overcome thee with these, it will flatter, promise, allure, entice, entreat, and use a thousand tricks on this hand to destroythee; and many that have been stout against the threats of the worldhave yet been overcome with the bewitching flatteries of the same. O that we may by grace escape all these enemies, and so strive asto enter into the joy of our Lord. "

GEO. OFFOR. 

TO THE READER. 

COURTEOUS READER, God, I hope, hath put it into my heart to write unto thee anothertime, and that about matters of greatest moment--for now we discoursenot about things controverted among the godly, but directly aboutthe saving or damning of the soul; yea, moreover, this discourse isabout the fewness of them that shall be saved, and it proves thatmany a high professor will come short of eternal life; whereforethe matter must needs be sharp, and so disliked by some, but letit not be rejected by thee. The text calls for sharpness, so dothe times, yea, the faithful discharge of my duty towards thee hathput me upon it. 

I do not now pipe, but mourn; and it will be well for thee if thoucanst graciously lament. (Matt 11:17) Some, say they, make thegate of heaven too wide, and some make it too narrow; for my part, I have here presented thee with as true a measure of it as by theWord of God I can. Read me, therefore, yea, read me, and compareme with the Bible; and if thou findest my doctrine and that bookof God concur, embrace it, as thou wilt answer the contrary in theday of judgment. This awakening work--if God will make it so--wasprepared for thee: if there be need, and it wounds, get healing byblood: if it disquiets, get peace by blood: if it takes away allthou hast, because it was naught (for this book is not prepared totake away true grace from any), then buy of Christ "gold tried inthe fire, that thou mayest be rich, and white raiment, that thoumayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear, and anoint thine eyes with eye-salve, that thou mayest see. " (Rev3:18) Self-flatteries, self-deceivings, are easy and pleasant, but damnable. The Lord give thee a heart to judge right of thyself, right of this book, and so to prepare for eternity, that thoumayest not only expect entrance, but be received into the kingdomof Christ and of God. Amen. 

So prays thy Friend, JOHN BUNYAN. 

THE STRAIT GATE. 

"STRIVE TO ENTER IN AT THE STRAIT GATE; FOR MANY, I SAY UNTO YOU, WILL SEEK TO ENTER IN, AND SHALL NOT BE ABLE. "--LUKE 13:24

These are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and are, therefore, in especial manner to be heeded; besides, the subject matter of thewords is the most weighty, to wit, how we should attain salvation, and therefore also to be heeded. 

The occasion of the words was a question which one that was atthis time in the company of the disciples put to Jesus Christ; thequestion was this, "Lord, are there few that be saved?" (verse 23)A serious question, not such as tended to the subversion of thehearers, as too many now-a-days do; but such as in its own naturetended to the awakening of the company to good, and that calledfor such an answer that might profit the people also. This questionalso well pleased Jesus Christ, and he prepareth and giveth such ananswer as was without the least retort, or show of distaste; suchan answer, I say, as carried in it the most full resolve to thequestion itself, and help to the persons questioning. "And he saidunto them, Strive to enter in, " &c. The words are an answer, andan instruction also. First. An answer, and that in the affirmative;the gate is strait--many that seek will not be able, thereforebut few shall be saved. Second. The answer is an instruction also;"strive to enter in, " &c. , good counsel and instruction; pray Godhelp me, and my reader, and all that love their own salvation, totake it. 

My manner of handling the words will be--[FIRST], By way ofexplication; and then [SECOND], By way of observation. 

[FIRST. THE WORDS BY WAY OF EXPLICATION. ]

The words are to be considered, [FIRST], with reference to theirgeneral scope; and then [SECOND], with reference to their severalphrases. 

FIRST. The general scope of the text is to be considered, and thatis that great thing--salvation; for these words do immediately lookat, point to, and give directions about salvation: "Are there fewthat be saved? Strive to enter in at the strait gate. "

The words, I say, are to direct us not only to talk of, or to wishfor, but to understand how we shall, and to seek that we may be, effectually saved, and therefore of the greatest importance. To besaved! what is like being saved? To be saved from sin, from hell, from the wrath of God, from eternal damnation, what is like it? Tobe made an heir of God, of his grace, of his kingdom, and eternalglory, what is like it? and yet all this is included in this wordsaved, and in the answer to that question, "Are there few that besaved?" Indeed this word SAVED is but of little use in the world, save to them that are heartily afraid of damning. This word liesin the Bible as excellent salves lie in some men's houses, thrustinto a hole, and not thought on for many months, because the householdpeople have no wounds nor sores. In time of sickness, what so setby as the doctor's glasses and gally-pots full of his excellentthings? but when the person is grown well, the rest isthrown to the dunghill. 1

O when men are sick of sin, and afraid of damning, what a text isthat where this word saved is found! Yea, what a word of worth, and goodness, and blessedness, is it to him that lies continuallyupon the wrath of a guilty conscience? "But the whole need not aphysician"; he therefore, and he only, knows what saved means, thatknows what hell, and death, and damnation means. "What shall I doto be saved?" is the language of the trembling sinner. "Lord saveme, " is the language of the sinking sinner; and none admire theglory that is in that word saved, but such as see, without beingsaved, all things in heaven and earth are emptiness to them. Theyalso that believe themselves privileged in all the blessednessthat is wrapt up in that word, bless and admire God that hath savedthem. Wherefore, since the thing intended, both in the questionand the answer, is no less than the salvation of the soul, I beseechyou to give the more earnest heed. (Heb 12) But, SECOND. To come to the particular phrases in the words, and tohandle them orderly, in the words I find four things. First. Anintimation of the kingdom of heaven. Second. A description of theentrance into it. Third. An exhortation to enter into it. And, Fourth, A motive to enforce that exhortation. 

[AN INTIMATION OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. ]

First. An intimation of the kingdom of heaven; for when he saith, "Strive to enter in, " and in such phrases, there is supposed a placeor state, or both, to be enjoyed. "Enter in"; enter into what, orwhither, but into a state or place, or both? and therefore whenyou read this word, "enter in, " you must say there is certainlyincluded in the text that good thing that yet is not expressed. "Enter in"; into heaven, that is the meaning, where the saved are, and shall be; into heaven, that place, that glorious place, whereGod, and Christ, and angels are, and the souls or spirits of justmen made perfect. "Enter in"; that thing included, though notexpressed in the words, is called in another place, the Mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, the general assembly and church of thefirst-born which are written in heaven. (Heb 12:23) And thereforethe words signify unto us, that there is a state most glorious, and that when this world is ended; and that this place and stateare likewise to be enjoyed, and inherited by a generation of menfor ever. Besides, this word, "enter in, " signifieth that salvationto the full is to be enjoyed only there, and that there onlyis eternal safety; all other places and conditions are hazardous, dangerous, full of snares, imperfections, temptations, and afflictions, but there all is well; there is no devil to tempt, no desperatelywicked heart to deliver us up, no deceitful lust to entangle, norany enchanting world to bewitch us. There all shall be well to alleternity. Further, all the parts of, and circumstances that attendsalvation, are only there to be enjoyed; there only is immortalityand eternal life; there is the glory and fulness of joy, and theeverlasting pleasures; there is God and Christ to be enjoyed byopen vision, and more; there are the angels and the saints; further, there is no death, nor sickness, no sorrow nor sighing for ever;there is no pain, nor persecutor, nor darkness, to eclipse ourglory. O this Mount Zion! O this heavenly Jerusalem! (2 Cor 5:1-4, Psa 16:11, Luke 20:35, 36, Heb 12:22-24)

Behold, therefore, what a great thing the Lord Jesus hath includedby this little word, "IN. " In this word is wrapt up a whole heavenand eternal life; even as there is also by other little words inthe holy Scriptures of truth: as where he saith, "Knock, and itshall be opened unto you, " and "the election hath obtained it. "This should teach us, not only to read, but to attend in reading;not only to read, but to lift up our hearts to God in reading; forif we be not heedful, if he gives us not light and understanding, we may easily pass over, without any great regard, such a word asmay have a glorious kingdom and eternal salvation in the bowelsof it; yea, sometimes, as here, a whole heaven is intimated, whereit is not at all expressed. The apostles of old did use to fetchgreat things out of the Scriptures, even out of the very order andtiming of the several things contained therein. See Romans 4:9-11, Galatians 3:16, 17, Hebrews 8:13. But, [DESCRIPTION OF THE ENTRANCE INTO THIS KINGDOM. ]

Second. As we have here an intimation of the kingdom of heaven, sowe have a description of the entrance into it, and that by a doublesimilitude: I. It is called a gate; II. A strait gate--"Strive toenter in at the strait gate. "

[It is called a gate. ]

I. It is set forth by the similitude of a gate. A gate, you know, is of a double use. It is to open and shut, and so, consequently, to let in or to keep out; and to do both these at the season; ashe said, "Let not the gates of Jerusalem be opened until the sunbe hot"; and again, "I commanded that the gates should be shut, and charged that they should not be opened till after the Sabbath. "(Neh 7:3, 13:19, 20) And so you find of this gate of heaven, whenthe five wise virgins came, the gate was opened; but afterwardscame the other virgins, and the door was shut. (Matt 25) So then, the entrance into heaven is called a gate, to show there is a timewhen there may be entrance, and there will come a time when thereshall be none; and, indeed, this is a chief truth contained in thetext--"Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say untoyou, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. " I read in theScriptures of two gates or doors, through which they thatgo to heaven must enter. 2

1. There is the door of faith, the door which the grace of God hathopened to the Gentiles. This door is Jesus Christ, as also himselfdoth testify, saying, "I am the door, " &c. (John 10:9, Acts 14:27)By this door men enter into God's favour and mercy, and findforgiveness through faith in his blood, and live in hope of eternallife; and therefore himself also hath said, "I am the door; by meif any man enter in, he shall be saved"; that is, received to mercy, and inherit eternal life. But, 2. There is another door or gate--for that which is called in thetext a gate, is twice in the next verse called a door--there is, I say, another gate, and that is the passage into the very heavenitself; the entrance into the celestial mansion-house, and that isthe gate mentioned in the text, 3 and the door mentioned twice inthe verse that follows. And this Jacob called it, when he said, Bethel was the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven; thatis, the entrance, for he saw the entrance into heaven. One end ofJacob's ladder stands in Bethel, God's house, and the other endreacheth up to the gate of heaven. (Gen 28:10-17) Jacob's ladderwas the figure of Christ, which ladder was not the gate of heaven, but the way from the church to that gate which he saw above at thetop of the ladder. (Gen 28:12, John 1:51) But again, that the gatein the text is the gate or entrance into heaven, consider--

(1. ) It is that gate that letteth men into, or shutteth men outof that place or kingdom where Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob is, which place is that paradise where Christ promised the thief thathe should be that day, that he asked to be with him in his kingdom;it is that place into which Paul said he was caught, when he heardwords unlawful or impossible for a man to utter. (Luke 13:28, 23:42, 2 Cor 12:1-6)

Quest. But is not Christ the gate or entrance into this heavenlyplace?

Answ. He is he without whom no man can get thither, because by hismerits men obtain that world, and also because he, as the Father, is the donor and disposer of that kingdom to whom he will. Further, this place is called his house, and himself the Master of it--"Whenonce the Master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to thedoor. " (Luke 13:25) But we use to say, that the master of the houseis not the door. Men enter into heaven, then, by him, not as he isthe gate, or door, or entrance, into the celestial mansion-house, but as he is the giver and disposer of that kingdom to them whomhe shall count worthy, because he hath obtained it for them. 

(2. ) That this gate is the very passage into heaven, consider thetext hath special reference to the day of judgment, when Christwill have laid aside his mediatory office, which before he exercisedfor the bringing to the faith his own elect; and will then act, not as one that justifieth the ungodly, but as one that judgethsinners. He will now be risen up from the throne of grace, andshut up the door against all the impenitent, and will be set uponthe throne of judgment, from thence to proceed with ungodly sinners. 

Object. But Christ bids strive: "Strive" now "to enter in at thestrait gate"; but if that gate be as you say, the gate or entranceinto heaven, then it should seem that we should not strive tillthe day of judgment, for we shall not come at that gate till then. 

Answ. Christ, by this exhortation, Strive, &c. , doth not at alladmit of, or countenance delays, or that a man should neglect hisown salvation; but putteth poor creatures upon preparing for thejudgment, and counselleth them now to get those things that willthen give them entrance into glory. This exhortation is much likethese: "Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye thinknot the Son of man cometh. --And they that were ready went in withhim to the marriage, and the door was shut. " (Matt 24:44, 25:10)

So that when he saith, "Strive to enter in, " it is as if he shouldsay, Blessed are they that shall be admitted another day to enterinto the kingdom of heaven; but they that shall be counted worthyof so unspeakable a favour, must be well prepared and fitted for itbeforehand. Now, the time to be fitted is not the day of judgment, but the day of grace; not then, but now. Therefore, strive now forthose things that will then give you entrance into the heavenlykingdom. But, [It is called a strait gate. ]

II. As it is called a gate, so it is called a strait gate--"Striveto enter in at the strait gate. "

The straitness of this gate is not to be understood carnally, butmystically. You are not to understand it, as if the entrance intoheaven was some little pinching wicket; no, the straitness of thisgate is quite another thing. This gate is wide enough for all themthat are the truly gracious and sincere lovers of Jesus Christ, but so strait, as that not one of the other can by any means enterin: "Open to me the gates of righteousness: I will go into them, and I will praise the Lord: this gate of the Lord, into which therighteous shall enter. " (Psa 118:19, 20) By this word, therefore, Christ Jesus hath showed unto us, that without due qualificationsthere is no possibility of entering into heaven; the strait gatewill keep all others out. When Christ spake this parable, he haddoubtless his eye upon some passage or passages of the Old Testament, with which the Jews were well acquainted. I will mention two, andso go on. 

1. The place by which God turned Adam and his wife out of paradise. Possibly our Lord might have his eye upon that; for though thatwas wide enough for them to come out at, yet it was too strait forthem to go in at. But what should be the reason of that? Why, theyhad sinned; and therefore God "placed at the east of that gardencherubims, and a flaming sword, which turned every way, to keepthe way of the tree of life. " (Gen 3:24) The cherubims, and theflaming sword, they made the entrance too strait for them to enterin. Souls, there are cherubims and a flaming sword at the gatesof heaven to keep the way of the tree of life; therefore none butthem that are duly fitted for heaven can enter in at this straitgate; the flaming sword will keep all others out. "Know ye notthat the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be notdeceived, neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, noreffeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shallinherit the kingdom of God. " (1 Cor 6:9, 10)

(2. ) Perhaps our Lord might have his eye upon the gates of the templewhen he spoke this word unto the people; for though the gates ofthe temple were six cubits wide, yet they were so strait, that nonethat were unclean in anything might enter in thereat (Eze 40:48), because there were placed at these gates, porters, whose officewas to look that none but those that had right to enter might go inthither. And so it is written, Jehoiada set "porters at the gatesof the house of the Lord, that none which was unclean in anythingshould enter in. " (2 Chron 23:19) Souls, God hath porters at thegates of the temple, at the gate of heaven; porters, I say, placedthere by God, to look that none that are unclean in anything maycome in thither. In at the gate of the church, none may enter nowthat are openly profane, and scandalous to religion; no, thoughthey plead they are beloved of God: "What hath my beloved to doin mine house, " saith the Lord, "seeing she hath wrought lewdnesswith many?" (Jer 11:15)

I say, I am very apt to believe that our Lord Jesus Christ had histhoughts upon these two texts, when he said the gate is strait:and that which confirms me the more in the things is this, a littlebelow the text he saith, "There shall be weeping and gnashing ofteeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and allthe prophets, in the kingdom of heaven, and you yourselves thrustout. " (Luke 13:28) Thrust out, which signifieth a violent act, resisting with striving those that would--though unqualified--enter. The porters of the temple were, for this very thing, to wear arms, if need were, and to be men of courage and strength, lest theunsanctified or unprepared should by some means enter in. We read, in the book of Revelations, of the holy city, and that it had twelvegates, and at the gates twelve angels; but what did they do there?Why, amongst the rest of their service, this was one thing, thatthere might "in no wise enter in to it any thing that defileth, orworketh abomination, or that maketh a lie. " (Rev 21:27)

[Three things that make this gate so strait. ]

But more particularly, to show what it is that maketh this gateso strait. There are three things that make it strait--1. There issin. 2. There is the word of the law. 3. There are the angels ofGod. 

1. There is sin; the sin of the profane, and the sin of the professor. 

(1. ) The sin of the profane. But this needs not be enlarged upon, because it is concluded upon at all hands, where there is thecommon belief of the being of God, and the judgment to come, that"the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations thatforget God. " (Psa 9:17)

(2. ) But there is the sin of professors; or take it rather thus, there is a profession that will stand with an unsanctified heartand life. The sin of such will overpoise the salvation of theirsouls, the sin end being the heaviest end of the scale; I say, that being the heaviest end which hath sin in it, they tilt over, and so are, notwithstanding their glorious profession, drowned inperdition and destruction; for none such hath any inheritance inthe kingdom of Christ and of God; therefore "let no man deceiveyou with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrathof God upon the children of disobedience"; neither will a professionbe able to excuse them. (Eph 5:3-6) The gate will be too strait forsuch as these to enter in thereat. A man may partake of salvationin part, but not of salvation in whole. God saved the children ofIsrael out of Egypt, but overthrew them in the wilderness:--"I willtherefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, howthat the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not. " (Jude 5) So we seethat, notwithstanding their beginning, "they could not enter in, because of unbelief. " (Heb 3:19)

2. There is the word of the law, and that will make the gate straitalso. None must go in thereat but those that can go in by the leaveof the law; for though no man be, or can be, justified by the worksof the law, yet unless the righteousness and holiness by which theyattempt to enter into this kingdom be justified by the law, it isin vain once to think of entering in at this strait gate. Now thelaw justifieth not, but upon the account of Christ's righteousness;if therefore thou be not indeed found in that righteousness, thouwilt find the law lie just in the passage into heaven to keep theeout. Every man's work must be tried by fire, that it may be manifestof what sort it is. There are two errors in the world about thelaw; one is, when men think to enter in at the strait gate by therighteousness of the law; the other is, when men think they may enterinto heaven without the leave of the law. Both these, I say, areerrors; for as by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified;so without the consent of the law, no flesh shall be saved. "Heavenand earth shall pass away, before one jot or tittle of the lawshall fail, till all be fulfilled. " He therefore must be damnedthat cannot be saved by the consent of the law. And, indeed, thislaw is the flaming sword that turneth every way; yea, that liethto this day in the way to heaven, for a bar to all unbelievers andunsanctified professors; for it is taken out of the way for thetruly gracious only. It will be found as a roaring lion to devourall others. Because of the law, therefore, the gate will be foundtoo strait for the unsanctified to enter in. When the apostle hadtold the Corinthians that "the unrighteous should not inherit thekingdom of God, " and that such were some of them, he adds, "But yeare washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the nameof the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. " (1 Cor 6:9-11)Closely concluding, that had they not been washed, and sanctified, and justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus, the law, for theirtransgressions, would have kept them out; it would have made thegate too strait for them to enter in. 

3. There are also the angels of God, and by reason of them the gateis strait. The Lord Jesus calleth the end of the world his harvest;and saith, moreover, that the angels are his reapers. These angelsare therefore to gather his wheat into his barn, but to gatherthe ungodly into bundles to burn them. (Matt 13:39, 41, 49) Unless, therefore, the man that is unsanctified can master the law, andconquer angels; unless he can, as I may say, pull them out of thegateway of heaven, himself is not to come thither for ever. No mangoeth to heaven but by the help of the angels--I mean at the dayof judgment. For the Son of man "shall send his angels with a greatsound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect fromthe four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. " (Matt 24:31)If those that shall enter in at the strait gate shall enter inthither by the conduct of the holy angels, pray when do you thinkthose men will enter in thither, concerning whom the angels arecommanded to gather them, to "bind them in bundles to burn them?"This, therefore, is a third difficulty. The angels will make thisentrance strait; yea, too strait for the unjustified and unsanctifiedto enter in thither. 

[AN EXHORTATION TO STRIVE TO ENTER INTO THIS KINGDOM. ]

Third. I come not to the exhortation, which is, to strive to enterin. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate. " These words are fitlyadded; for since the gate is strait, it follows that they that willenter in must strive. 

"Strive. " This word strive supposeth that great idleness is naturalto professors; they think to get to heaven by lying, as it were, ontheir elbows. It also suggesteth that many will be the difficultiesthat professors will meet with, before they get to heaven. It alsoconcludeth that only the labouring Christian, man or woman, willget in thither. "Strive, " &c. 

Three questions I will propound upon the word, an answer to whichmay give us light into the meaning of it: I. What doththis word strive import? 4

II. How should we strive? III. Why should we strive?

[Import of the word STRIVE. ]

I. What doth this word strive import? Answer, 1. When he saith, Strive, it is as much as to say, Bend yourselvesto the work with all your might. "Whatsoever thy hand findeth todo, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, norknowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest. " (Eccl 9:10)Thus Samson did when he set himself to destroy the Philistines;"He bowed himself with all his might. " (Judg 16:30) Thus David didalso, when he made provision for the building and beautifying ofthe temple of God. (1 Chron 29:2) And thus must thou do, if everthou enterest into heaven. 

2. When he saith, Strive, he calleth for the mind and will, thatthey should be on his side, and on the side of the things of hiskingdom; for none strive indeed, but such as have given the Son ofGod their heart; of which the mind and will are a principal part;for saving conversion lieth more in the turning of the mind andwill to Christ, and to the love of his heavenly things, than inall knowledge and judgment. And this the apostle confirmeth, whenhe saith, "Stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving, " &c. (Phil 1:27)

3. And, more particularly, this word strive is expressed by severalother terms; as, (1. ) It is expressed by that word, "So run thatye may obtain. " (1 Cor 9:24, 25) (2. ) It is expressed by that word, "Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life. " (1 Tim6:12) (3. ) It is expressed by that word, "Labour not for the meatwhich perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlastinglife. " (John 6:27) (4. ) It is expressed by that word, "We wrestle--withprincipalities and powers, and the rulers of the darkness of thisworld. " (Eph 6:12) Therefore, when he saith, Strive, it is as muchas to say, Run for heaven, Fight for heaven, Labour for heaven, Wrestle for heaven, or you are like to go without it. 

[How should we strive?]

II. The second question is, How should we strive?

Answ. The answer in general is, Thou must strive lawfully. "and ifa man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except hestrive lawfully. " (2 Tim 2:5) But you will say, What is it to strivelawfully? [I] answer--

1. To strive against the things which are abhorred by the LordJesus; yea, to resist to the spilling of your blood, striving againstsin. (Heb 12:4) To have all those things that are condemned by theWord; yea, though they be thine own right hand, right eye, or rightfoot, in abomination; and to seek by all godly means the uttersuppressing of them. (Mark 9:43, 45, 47)

2. To strive lawfully, is to strive for those things that arecommanded in the Word. --"But thou, O man of God, flee the world, and follow after, " that is, strive for, "righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness; fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, " &c. (1 Tim 6:11, 12)

3. He that striveth lawfully, must be therefore very temperate inall the good and lawful things of this life. "And every man thatstriveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they doit to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. " (1 Cor9:25) Most professors give leave to the world and the vanity oftheir hearts, to close with them, and to hang about their necks, andmake their striving to stand rather in an outcry of words, than ahearty labour against the lusts and love of the world, and theirown corruptions; but this kind of striving is but a beating of theair, and will come to just nothing at last. (1 Cor 9:26)

4. He that striveth lawfully, must take God and Christ along withhim to the work, otherwise he will certainly be undone. "Whereunto, "said Paul, "I also labour, striving according to his working, whichworketh in me mightily. " (Col 1:29) And for the right performingof this, he must observe these following particulars:--

(1. ) He must take heed that he doth not strive about things, orwords, to no profit; for God will not then be with him. "Of thesethings, " saith the apostle, "put them in remembrance; charging thembefore the Lord, that they strive not about words to no profit, butto the subverting of the hearers. " (2 Tim 2:14) But, alas! how manyprofessors in our days are guilty of this transgression, whosereligion stands chiefly, if not only, in a few unprofitable questionsand vain wranglings about words and things to no profit, but tothe destruction of the hearers!

(2. ) He must take heed that whilst he strives against one sin, hedoes not harbour and shelter another; or that whilst he cries outagainst other men's sin, he does not countenance his own. 

(3. ) In the striving, strive to believe, strive for the faith ofthe gospel; for the more we believe the gospel, and the reality ofthe things of the world to come, with the more stomach and courageshall we labour to possess the blessedness. (Phil 1:27) "Let uslabour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall afterthe same example of unbelief. " (Heb 4:11)

(4. ) As we should strive for, and by faith, so we should striveby prayer, by fervent and effectual prayer. (Romans 15:30) O theswarms of our prayerless professors! What do they think of themselves?Surely the gate of heaven was heretofore as wide as in these ourdays; but what striving by prayer was there then among Christiansfor the thing that gives admittance into this kingdom, over [what]there is in these latter days!

(5. ) We should also strive by mortifying our members that are uponthe earth. "I therefore so run, " said Paul, "not as uncertainly;so fight I, not as one that beateth the air; but I keep under mybody, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when Ihave preached the gospel to others, I myself should be a cast-away. "(1 Cor 9:26, 27) But all this is spoken principally to professors;so I would be understood. 

[Why should we strive?]

III. I come now to the third question, namely, But why should westrive? Answer--

1. Because the thing for which you are here exhorted to strive, it is worth the striving for; it is for not less than for a wholeheaven, and an eternity of felicity there. How will men that havebefore them a little honour, a little profit, a little pleasure, strive? I say again, how will they strive for this? Now they doit for a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. Methinks thisword heaven, and this eternal life, ought verily to make us strive, for what is there again either in heaven or earth like them toprovoke a man to strive?

2. Strive, because otherwise the devil and hell will assuredlyhave thee. He goes about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he maydevour. (1 Peter 5:8) These fallen angels, they are always watchful, diligent, unwearied; they are also mighty, subtle, and malicious, seeking nothing more than the damnation of thy soul. O thou thatart like the artless dove, strive!

3. Strive, because every lust strives and wars against thy soul. "The flesh lusteth against the Spirit. " (Gal 5:17) "Dearly beloved, I beseech you, " said Peter, "as strangers and pilgrims, abstainfrom fleshly lusts, which war against the soul. " (1 Peter 2:11)It is a rare thing to see or find out a Christian that indeed canbridle his lusts; but no strange thing to see such professors thatare "not only bridled, but saddled too, " yea, and ridden from lustto sin, from one vanity to another, by the very devil himself, andthe corruptions of their hearts. 

4. Strive, because thou hast a whole world against thee. The worldhateth thee if thou be a Christian; the men of the world hatethee; the things of the world are snares for thee, even thy bed andtable, thy wife and husband, yea, thy most lawful enjoyments havethat in them that will certainly sink thy soul to hell, if thoudost not strive against the snares that are in them. (Rom 11:9)

The world will seek to keep thee out of heaven with mocks, flouts, taunts, threatenings, jails, gibbets, halters, burnings, anda thousand deaths; therefore strive! Again, if it cannot overcomethee with these, it will flatter, promise, allure, entice, entreat, and use a thousand tricks on this hand to destroy thee; and observe, many that have been stout against the threats of the world, haveyet been overcome with the bewitching flatteries of the same. 5

There ever was enmity betwixt the devil and the church, and betwixthis seed and her seed too; Michael and his angels, and the dragonand his angels, these make war continually. (Gen 3, Rev 12) Therehath been great desires and endeavours among men to reconcilethese two in one, to wit, the seed of the serpent and the seed ofthe woman, but it could never yet be accomplished. The world says, they will never come over to us; and we again say, by God's grace, we will never come over to them. But the business hath not endedin words; both they and we have also added our endeavours to makeeach other submit, but endeavours have proved ineffectual too. They, for their part, have devised all manner of cruel torments to makeus submit, as slaying with the sword, stoning, sawing asunder, flames, wild beasts, banishments, hunger, and a thousand miseries. We again, on the other side, have laboured by prayers and tears, by patience and long-suffering, by gentleness and love, by sounddoctrine and faithful witness-bearing against their enormities, to bring them over to us; but yet the enmity remains; so that theymust conquer us, or we must conquer them. One side must be overcome;but the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty throughGod. 

5. Strive, because there is nothing of Christianity got by idleness. Idleness clothes a man with rags, and the vineyard of the slothfulis grown over with nettles. (Prov 23:21, 24:30-32) Profession thatis not attended with spiritual labour cannot bring the soul toheaven. The fathers before us were "not slothful in business, " but"fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. " Therefore "be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit thepromises. " (Rom 12:11, Heb 6:12)

"Strive to enter in. " Methinks the words, at the first reading, do intimate to us, that the Christian, in all that ever he does inthis world, should carefully heed and regard his soul--I say, inall that ever he does. Many are for their souls by fits and starts;but a Christian indeed, in all his doing and designs which hecontriveth and manageth in this world, should have a special eye tohis own future and everlasting good; in all his labours he shouldstrive to enter in: "Wisdom [Christ] is the principal thing;therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. "(Prov 4:7) Get nothing, if thou canst not get Christ and grace, andfurther hopes of heaven in that getting; get nothing with a badconscience, with the hazard of thy peace with God, and that ingetting it thou weakenest thy graces which God hath given thee;for this is not to strive to enter in. Add grace to grace, both byreligious and worldly duties; "For so an entrance shall be ministeredunto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord andSaviour Jesus Christ. " (2 Peter 1:8-11) Religious duties are notthe only striving times; he that thinks so is out. Thou mayest helpthy faith and thy hope in the godly management of thy calling, andmayest get further footing in eternal life, by studying the gloryof God in all thy worldly employment. I am speaking now to Christiansthat are justified freely by grace, and am encouraging, or rathercounselling of them to strive to enter in; for there is an enteringin by faith and good conscience now, as well as our entering inbody and soul hereafter; and I must add, that the more common itis to thy soul to enter in now by faith, the more steadfast hopeshalt thou have of entering in hereafter in body and soul. 

"Strive to enter in. " By these words also the Lord Jesus givethsharp rebuke to those professors that have not eternal glory, butother temporal things in their eye, by all the bustle that theymake in the world about religion. Some there be, what a stir theymake, what a noise and clamour, with their notions and forms, andyet perhaps all is for the loaves; because they have eaten of theloaves, and are filled. (John 6:26) These strive indeed to enter, but it is not into heaven; they find religion hath a good trade atthe end of it, or they find that it is the way to credit, repute, preferment, and the like, and therefore they strive to enter intothese. But these have not the strait gate in their eye, nor yetin themselves have they love to their poor and perishing souls;wherefore this exhortation nippeth such, by predicting of theirdamnation. 

"Strive to enter in. " These words also sharply rebuke them whocontent themselves as the angel of the church of Sardis, did, towit, "to have a name to live, and be dead" (Rev 3:1), or as theyof the Laodiceans, who took their religion upon trust, and werecontent with a poor, wretched, lukewarm profession; for such asthese do altogether unlike to the exhortation in the text, thatsays, Strive, and they sit and sleep; that says, Strive to enterin, and they content themselves with a profession that is neverlike to bring them thither. 

"Strive to enter in. " Further, these words put us upon proving thetruth of our graces now; I say, they put us upon the proof of thetruth of them now; for if the strait gate be the gate of heaven, and yet we are to strive to enter into it now, even while we live, and before we come thither, then doubtless Christ means by thisexhortation, that we should use all lawful means to prove ourgraces in this world, whether they will stand in the judgment orno. Strive to enter in; get those graces now that will prove truegraces then, and therefore try those you have; and if, upon trial, they prove not right, cast them away, and cry for better, lest theycast thee away, when better are not to be had. "Buy of me gold triedin the fire"; mark that. (Rev 3:18) Buy of me faith and grace thatwill stand in the judgment; strive for that faith; buy of me thatgrace, and also white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, thatthe shame of thy wickedness doth not appear, and anoint thine eyeswith eye-salve, that thou mayest see. Mind you this advice; thisis right striving to enter in. 

But you will say, How should we try our graces? Would you have usrun into temptation, to try if they be sound or rotten? Answ. Youneed not run into trials; God hath ordained that enough of themshall overtake thee to prove thy graces either rotten or sound beforethe day of thy death; sufficient to the day is the evil thereof, if thou hast but a sufficiency of grace to withstand. I say, thoushalt have trials enough overtake thee, to prove thy grace soundor rotten. Thou mayest, therefore, if God shall help thee, see howit is like to go with thee before thou goest out of this world, towit, whether thy graces be such as will carry thee in at the gatesof heaven or no. 

But how should we try our graces now? Answ. (a. ) How dost thou findthem in outward trials? See Hebrews 11:15, 16. (b. ) How dost thoufind thyself in the inward workings of sin? (Rom 7:24) (c. ) Howdost thou find thyself under the most high enjoyment of grace inthis world? (Phil 3:14)

But what do you mean by these three questions? I mean graces showthemselves at these their seasons, whether they be rotten or sound. 

(a. ) How do they show themselves to be true under the first ofthese? Answ. By mistrusting our own sufficiency, by crying to Godfor help, by desiring rather to die than to bring any dishonour tothe name of God, and by counting that, if God be honoured in thetrial, thou hast gained more than all the world could give thee. (2 Chron 20:12, 14:11, Acts 4, 20:22, 2 Cor 4:17, 18, Heb 11:24, 25)

(b. ) How do they show themselves to be true under the second? Answ. By mourning, and confessing, and striving, and praying, againstthem; by not being content, shouldst thou have heaven, if they live, and defile thee; and by counting of holiness the greatest beautyin the world; and by flying to Jesus Christ for life. (Zech 12:10, John 19, Heb 12:14, Psa 19:12)

(c. ) How do they show themselves to be true under the third? Answ. By prizing the true graces above all the world, by praying heartilythat God will give thee more; by not being content with all thegrace thou canst be capable of enjoying on this side heaven andglory. (Psa 84:10, Luke 17:5, Phil 3)

"Strive to enter in. " The reason why Christ addeth these words, "to enter in, " is obvious, to wit, because there is no true andlasting happiness on this side heaven; I say, none that is bothtrue and lasting, I mean, as to our sense and feeling as thereshall [be]; "For here have we no continuing city, but we seek oneto come. " (Heb 13:14) The heaven is within, strive therefore toenter in; the glory is within, strive therefore to enter in; theMount Zion is within, strive therefore to enter in; the heavenlyJerusalem is within, strive therefore to enter in; angels and saintsare within, strive therefore to enter in; and, to make up all, theGod and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and that glorious Redeemer, is within, strive therefore to enter in. 

"Strive to enter in. " "For without are dogs, and sorcerers, andwhoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth andmaketh a lie. " Without are also the devils, and hell, and death, and all damned souls; without is howling, weeping, wailing, andgnashing of teeth; yea, without are all the miseries, sorrows, andplagues that an infinite God can in justice and power inflict uponan evil and wicked generation; "Strive therefore to enter in at thestrait gate. " (Rev 22:15, Matt 25:41, Rev 12:9, Is 65:13, 14, Matt22:13, Deu 29:18-20)

"Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. "

[MOTIVE TO STRIVE TO ENTER INTO THIS KINGDOM. ]

Fourth. We are come now to the motive which our Lord urges toenforce his exhortation. 

He told us before that the gate was strait; he also exhorted us tostrive to enter in thereat, or to get those things now that willfurther our entrance then, and to set ourselves against those thingsthat will hinder our entering in. 

In this motive there are five things to be minded. 

1. That there will be a disappointment to some at the day ofjudgment; they will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 

2. That not a few, but many, will meet with this disappointment;"For many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. "

3. This doctrine of the miscarriage of many then, it standeth uponthe validity of the word of Christ; "For many, I say, will seek toenter in, and shall not be able. "

4. Professors shall make a great heap among the many that shallfall short of heaven; "For many, I say unto you, will seek to enterin, and shall not be able. "

5. Where grace and striving are wanting now, seeking and contendingto enter in will be unprofitable then; "For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. "

But I will proceed in my former method, to wit, to open the wordsunto you. 

[Import of the words FOR MANY. ]

"For many, " &c. If he had said, For some will fall short, it hadbeen a sentence to be minded; if he had said, For some that seekwill fall short, it had been very awakening; but when he saith, Many, many will fall short, yea, many among professors will fallshort, this is not only awakening, but dreadful!

[Various applications of the word MANY. ]--"For many, " &c. I findthis word many variously applied in Scripture. 

1. Sometimes it intendeth the open profane, the wicked and ungodlyworld, as where Christ saith, "Wide is the gate, and broad is theway, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go inthereat. " (Matt 7:13) I say, by the many here, he intends thosechiefly that go on in the broad way of sin and profaneness, bearingthe "tokens" of their damnation in their foreheads, those whosedaily practice proclaims that their "feet go down to death, andtheir steps take hold on hell. " (Job 21:29, 30, Isa 3:9, Prov 4)

2. Sometimes this word many intendeth those that cleave to thepeople of God deceitfully, and in hypocrisy, or, as Daniel hath it, "Many shall cleave to them with flatteries. " (Dan 11:34) The wordmany in this text includeth all those who feign themselves betterthan they are in religion; it includeth, I say, those that havereligion only for a holiday suit6 to set them out at certain times, and when they come among suitable company. 

3. Sometimes this word many intendeth them that apostatize fromChrist; such as for a while believe, and in time of temptation fallaway; as John saith of some of Christ's disciples: "From that timemany of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. "(John 6:66)

4. Sometimes this word many intendeth them that make a great noise, and do many great things in the church, and yet want saving grace:"Many, " saith Christ, "will say unto me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast outdevils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?" (Matt 7:22)Mark, there will be many of these. 

5. Sometimes this word many intendeth those poor, ignorant, deludedsouls that are led away with every wind of doctrine; those who arecaught with the cunning and crafty deceiver, who lieth in wait tobeguile unstable souls: "And many shall follow their perniciousways, by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. "(2 Peter 2:2)

6. Sometimes this word many includeth all the world, good and bad:"And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. "(Dan 12:2) Compare with John 5:28, 29. 

7. Lastly. Sometimes this word many intendeth the good only, eventhem that shall be saved. (Luke 1:16, 2:34)

[How MANY is applied in the text. ] Since then that the word is sovariously applied, let us inquire how it must be taken in the text. And, 1. It must not be applied to the sincerely godly, for they shall neverperish. (John 10:27, 28) 2. It cannot be applied to all the world, for then no flesh should be saved. 3. Neither is it to be appliedto the open profane only, for then the hypocrite is by it excluded. 4. But by the many in the text our Lord intendeth in special theprofessor; the professor, I say, how high soever he seems to benow, that shall be found without saving grace in the day of judgment. 

Now that the professor is in special intended in this text, consider, so soon as the Lord had said, "Many will seek to enterin, and shall not be able, " he pointeth, as with his finger, atthe many that then he in special intendeth; to wit, them among whomhe had taught; them that had eat and drunken in his presence; themthat had prophesied, and cast out devils in his name, and in hisname had done many wonderful works. (Luke 13:26, Matt 7:22) Theseare the many intended by the Lord in this text, though others alsoare included under the sentence of damnation by his word in otherplaces. "For many, " &c. Matthew saith, concerning this strait gate, that there are but few that find it. But it seems the cast-alwaysin my text did find it; for you read, that they knocked at it, andcried, "Lord, open unto us. " So then, the meaning may seem to bethis--many of the few that find it will seek to enter in, and shallnot be able. I find, at the day of judgment, some will be cryingto the rocks to cover them, and some at the gates of heaven forentrance. Suppose that those that cry to the rocks to cover them, are they whose conscience will not suffer them once to look Godin the face, because they are fallen under present guilt, and thedreadful fears of the wrath of the Lamb. (Rev 6:16) And that thosethat stand crying at the gate of heaven, are those whose confidenceholds out to the last, --even those whose boldness will enable themto contend even with Jesus Christ for entrance; them, I say, thatwill have profession, casting out of devils, and many wonderfulworks, to plead; of this sort are the many in my text: "For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. "Could we compare the professors of the times with the everlastingword of God, this doctrine would more easily appear to the childrenof men. How few among the many, yea, among the swarms of professors, have heart to make conscience of walking before God in this world, and to study his glory among the children of men! How few, I say, have his name lie nearer their hearts than their own carnal concerns!Nay, do not many make his Word, and his name, and his ways, a stalking-horse to their own worldly advantages? 7

God calls for faith, good conscience, moderation, self-denial, humility, heavenly-mindedness, love to saints, to enemies, and forconformity in heart, in word, and life, to his will: but where isit? (Mark 11:22, 1 Peter 3:16, Heb 13:5, Phil 4:5, Matt 10:37-39, Col 3:1-4, Micah 6:8, Rev 2:10, John 15:17, 1 John 4:21, Matt 5:44, Prov 23:26, Col 4:6)

[Import of the words I SAY UNTO YOU. ]

"For many, I say unto you. " These latter words carry in them adouble argument to prove the truth asserted before: First, in thathe directly pointeth at his followers: "I say unto you": Many, I sayunto you, even to you that are my disciples, to you that have eatand drunk in my presence. I know that sometimes Christ hath directedhis speech to his disciples, not so much upon their accounts, asupon the accounts of others; but here it is not so; the "I say untoyou, " in this place, it immediately concerned some of themselves:I say unto you, ye shall begin to stand without, and to knock, "saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us, and he shall answer and say untoyou, I know you not whence ye are; then shall ye begin to say, Wehave eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in ourstreets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence yeare; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity"; it is you, you, YOU, that I mean! "I say unto you. " It is common with a professingpeople, when they hear a smart and a thundering sermon, to say, Nowhas the preacher paid off the drunkard, the swearer, the liar, thecovetous, and adulterer; forgetting that these sins may be committedin a spiritual and mystical way. There is spiritual drunkenness, spiritual adultery, and a man may be a liar that calls God his Fatherwhen he is not, or that calls himself a Christian, and is not. 8

Wherefore, perhaps all these thunders and lightnings in this terriblesermon may more concern thee than thou art aware of: "I say untoyou"; unto you, professors, may be the application of all thisthunder. (Rev 2:9, 3:9)

"I say unto you!" Had not the Lord Jesus designed by these wordsto show what an overthrow will one day be made among professors, he needed not to have you'd it at this rate, as in the text, andafterwards, he has done; the sentence had run intelligible enoughwithout it; I say, without his saying, "I say unto you. " But thetruth is, the professor is in danger; the preacher and the hearer, the workers of miracles, and workers of wonders, may all be indanger of damning, notwithstanding all their attainments. And toawaken us all about this truth, therefore, the text must run thus:"For many, I say unto YOU, shall seek to enter in, and shall notbe able. "

See you not yet that the professor is in danger, and that thosewords, "I say unto you, " are a prophecy of the everlasting perditionof some that are famous in the congregation of saints? I say, ifyou do not see it, pray God your eyes may be opened, and bewarethat thy portion be not as the portion of one of those that arewrapped up in the 28th verse of the chapter: "There shall be weepingand gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, andJacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of heaven, and youyourselves thrust out. "

"For many, I say unto you. " These words, I told you, carry in thema double argument for confirmation of the truth asserted before:first, that professors are here particularly pointed at; and, secondly, it is the saying of the Truth himself: for these words, "I say, " are words full of authority; I say it, I say unto you, saysChrist, as he saith in another place, "It is I that speak; beholdit is I!" The person whose words we have now under considerationwas no blundering raw-headed preacher, 9 but the very wisdom ofGod, his Son, and him that hath lain in his bosom from everlasting, and consequently had the most perfect knowledge of his Father'swill, and how it would fare with professors at the end of thisworld. And now hearken what himself doth say of the words which hehath spoken; "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shallnot pass away. " (Matt 24:35)

"I say unto you. " The prophets used not to speak after this manner, nor yet the holy apostles; for thus to speak, is to press thingsto be received upon their own authority. They used to say, Thussaith the Lord, or Paul, or Peter, an apostle, or a servant of God. But now we are dealing with the words of the Son of God; it is HEthat hath said it; wherefore we find the truth of the perishingof many professors asserted, and confirmed by Christ's own mouth. This consideration carrieth great awakening in it; but into sucha fast sleep are many now-a-days fallen, that nothing will awakenthem but that shrill and terrible cry, "Behold, the Bridegroomcometh; go ye out to meet him. "

[Two things that befall Professors. ]

"I SAY UNTO YOU. " There are two things upon which this assertionmay be grounded--1. There is in the world a thing like grace, thatis not. 2. There is a sin called the sin against the Holy Ghost, from which there is no redemption. And both these things befallprofessors. 

1. There is in the world a thing like grace, that is not. (1. )This is evident, because we read that there are some that not only"make a fair show in the flesh, " that "glory in appearance, " that"appear beautiful outward, " that do as God's people, but have notthe grace of God's people. (Gal 6:12, 2 Cor 5:12, Matt 23:27, Isa57:3, 4) (2. ) It is evident also from those frequent cautions thatare everywhere in the Scriptures given us about this thing: "Benot deceived: Let a man examine himself: Examine yourselves whetherye be in the faith. " (Gal 6:7, 1 Cor 11:28, 2 Cor 13:5) All theseexpressions intimate to us that there may be a show of, or a thinglike grace, where there is no grace indeed. (3. ) This is evidentfrom the conclusion made by the Holy Ghost upon this very thing:"For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. " (Gal 6:3) The Holy Ghost here concludeth, that a man may think himself to be something, may think he hathgrace, when he hath none; may think himself something for heavenand another world, when indeed he is just nothing at all withreference thereto. The Holy Ghost also determines upon this point, to wit, that they that do so deceive themselves: "For if a man thinkhimself to be something when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself";he deceiveth his own soul, he deceiveth himself of heaven andsalvation. So again: "Let no man beguile you of your reward. " (Col2:18) (4. ) It is manifest from the text; "For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. " Alas! great light, great parts, great works, and great confidence of heaven, may bewhere there is no faith of God's elect, no love of the Spirit, norepentance unto salvation, no sanctification of the Spirit, and soconsequently no saving grace. But, 2. As there is a thing like grace, which is not, so there is asin, called the sin against the Holy Ghost, from which there is noredemption; and this sin doth more than ordinarily befall professors. 

There is a sin, called the sin against the Holy Ghost, from whichthere is no redemption. This is evident both from Matthew and Mark:"But whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not beforgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. ""But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath neverforgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation. " (Matt 12:32, Mark 3:29) Wherefore, when we know that a man hath sinned this sin, we are not to pray for him, or to have compassion on him. (1 John5:16, Jude 22)

This sin doth most ordinarily befall professors; for there arefew, if any, that are not professors, that are at present capableof sinning this sin. They which "were once enlightened, and havetasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the HolyGhost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of theworld to come, " of this sort are they that commit this sin. (Heb6:4, 5) Peter also describes them to be such, that sin the unpardonablesin. "For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the worldthrough the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, theyare again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worsewith them than the beginning. " (2 Peter 2:20) The other passage inthe tenth of Hebrews holdeth forth the same thing. "For if we sinwillfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearfullooking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devourthe adversaries. " (Heb 10:26, 27) THESE, therefore, are the personsthat are the prey for this sin; this sin feedeth upon PROFESSORS, and they that are such do very often fall into the mouth ofthis eater. Some fall into the mouth of the sin by delusions anddoctrines of devils; and some fall into the mouth of it by returningwith the dog to his own vomit again, and with the sow that waswashed to her wallowing in the mire. (2 Peter 2:22) I shall nothere give you a particular description of this sin--that I havedone elsewhere; 10 but such a sin there is, and they that commit itshall never have forgiveness. And I say again, there be professorsthat commit this unpardonable sin, yea, more than most are awareof. Let all, therefore, look about them. The Lord awaken themthat they may so do; for what with a profession without grace, andby the venom of the sin against the Holy Ghost, many will seek toenter in, and shall not be able. 

[Import of the words WILL SEEK TO ENTER IN. ]

"Will seek to enter in. " This kingdom, at the gate of which thereprobate will be stopped, will be, at the last judgment, the desireof all the world; and they, especially THEY in my text, will seekto enter in; for then they will see that the blessedness is tothose that shall get into this kingdom, according to that whichis written, "Blessed are they that do his commandments, that theymay have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through thegates into the city. " (Rev 21:14) To prove that they will seek, although I have done it already, yet read these texts at yourleisure--Matthew 25:11, 7:22, Luke 13:28. And, in a word, to giveyou the reason why they will seek to enter in. 

[Why they will seek to enter in. ]

1. Now they will see what a kingdom it is, what glory there is init, and now they shall also see the blessedness which they shallhave that shall then be counted worthy to enter in. The reason whythis kingdom is so little regarded, it is because it is not seen;the glory of it is hid from the eyes of the world. "Their eye hathnot seen, nor their ear heard, " &c. Aye, but then they shall hearand see too; and when this comes to pass, then, even then, he thatnow most seldom thinks thereof will seek to enter in. 

2. They will now see what hell is, and what damnation in hell is, more clear than ever. They will also see how the breath of theLord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. O the sight ofthe burning fiery furnace, which is prepared for the devil and hisangels! This, this will make work in the souls of cast-always atthat day of God Almighty, and then they will seek to enter in. 

3. Now they will see what the meaning of such words as these are, hell-fire, everlasting fire, devouring fire, fire that never shallbe quenched. Now they will see what "for ever" means, what eternitymeans; now they will see what this word means, "the bottomlesspit"; now they will hear roaring of sinners in this place, howlingin that, some crying to the mountains to fall upon them, and othersto the rocks to cover them; now they will see blessedness is nowherebut within!

4. Now they will see what glory the godly are possessed with; howthey rest in Abraham's bosom, how they enjoy eternal glory, howthey walk in their white robes, and are equal to the angels. O thefavour, and blessedness, and unspeakable happiness that now God'speople shall have! and this shall be seen by them that are shutout, by them that God hath rejected for ever; and this will makethem seek to enter in. (Luke 16:22, 23, 13:28)

[How will they seek to enter in. ]

"Will seek to enter in. " Quest. But some may say, How will theyseek to enter in? [I] answer, 1. They will put on all the confidence they can, they will trickand trim up their profession, and adorn it with what bravery theycan. Thus the foolish virgins sought to enter in; they did trimup their lamps, made themselves as fine as they could. They madeshift to make their lamps to shine awhile; but the Son of Goddiscovering himself, their confidence failed, their lamps went out, the door was shut upon them, and they were kept out. (Matt 25:1-12)

2. They will seek to enter in by crowding themselves in among thegodly. Thus the man without the wedding garment sought to enter in. He goes to the wedding, gets into the wedding chamber, sits closeamong the guests, and then, without doubt, concluded he should escapedamnation. But, you know, one black sheep is soon seen, though itbe among a hundred white ones. Why, even thus it fared with thispoor man. "And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw therea man that had not on a wedding garment. " He spied him presently, and before one word was spoken to any of the others, he had thisdreadful salutation, "Friend, how camest thou in hither, not havingon a wedding garment?" 11

"And he was speechless"; though he could swagger it out among theguests, yet the master of the feast, at first coming in, strikeshim dumb; and having nothing to say for himself, the king hadsomething to say against him. "Then the king said to the servants, "the angels, "Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and casthim into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing ofteeth. " (Matt 22:11-13)

3. They will seek to enter in by pleading their profession andadmittance to the Lord's ordinances when they were in the world. "Lord, we have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hasttaught in our streets"; we sat at thy table, and used to frequentsermons and Christian assemblies; we were well thought of by thysaints, and were admitted into thy churches; we professed the samefaith as they did; "Lord, Lord, open unto us. "

4. They will seek to enter in by pleading their virtues; how theysubjected [themselves] to this ministry, how they wrought for him, what good they did in the world, and the like, but neither willthis help them; the same answer that the two former had, the samehave these--"Depart from me, ye that work iniquity. " (Matt 7:22)

5. They will seek to enter in by pleading excuses where they cannotevade conviction. The slothful servant went this way to work, when he was called to account for not improving his Lord's money. "Lord, " says he, "I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reapingwhere thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed, and I was afraid, " &c. , either that I should not please in layingout thy money, or that I should put it into hands out of which Ishould not get it again at thy need, "and I went a hid thy talentin the earth; lo, there thou hast that is thine"; as if he had said, True, Lord, I have not improved, I have not got; but consider alsoI have not embezzled, I have not spent nor lost thy money; lo, there thou hast what is thine. (Matt 25:24-28) There are but fewwill be able to say these last words at the day of judgment. Themost of professors are for embezzling, misspending, and slothingaway their time, their talents, their opportunities to do good in. But, I say, if he that can make so good an excuse as to say, Lo, there thou hast that is thine; I say, if such an one shall be calleda wicked and slothful servant, if such an one shall be put to shameat the day of judgment, yea, if such an one shall, notwithstandingthis care to save his Lord's money, be cast as unprofitable intoouter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, whatwill they do that have neither taken care to lay out, nor care tokeep what was committed to their trust?

6. They will seek to enter in by pleading that ignorance was theground of their miscarrying in the things wherein they offended. Wherefore, when Christ charges them with want of love to him, and with want of those fruits that should prove their love to betrue--as, that they did not feed him, did not give him drink, didnot take him in, did not clothe him, visit him, come unto him, andthe like--they readily reply, "Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didnot minister unto thee?" (Matt 25:44) As who should say, Lord, weare not conscious to ourselves that this charge is worthily laid atour door! God forbid that we should have been such sinners. But, Lord, give an instance; when was it, or where? True, there wasa company of poor sorry people in the world, very inconsiderable, set by with nobody; but for thyself, we professed thee, we lovedthee, and hadst thou been with us in the world, wouldst thou haveworn gold, wouldst thou have eaten the sweetest of the world, wewould have provided it for thee; and therefore, Lord, Lord, open tous! But will the plea do? No. Then shall he answer them, "Inasmuchas ye did it not to one of the least of these" my brethren, "yedid it not to me. " This plea, then, though grounded upon ignorance, which is one of the strangest pleas for neglect of duty, would notgive them admittance into the kingdom. "These shall go away intoeverlasting punishment, but the righteous into life eternal. "

I might add other things by which it will appear how they will seekto enter in. As, 1. They will make a stop at this gate, this beautiful gate of heaven. They will begin to stand without at the gate, as being loath togo any further. Never did malefactor so unwillingly turn off theladder when the rope was about his neck, as these will turn awayin that day from the gates of heaven to hell. 

2. They will not only make a stop at the gate; but there they willknock and call. This also argueth them willing to enter. They willbegin to stand without, and to knock at the gate, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. This word, Lord, being doubled, shows the vehemency oftheir desires, "Lord, Lord, open unto us. " The devils are coming;Lord, Lord, the pit opens her mouth upon us; Lord, Lord, there isnothing but hell and damnation left us, if, Lord, Lord, thou hastnot mercy upon us; "Lord, Lord, open unto us!"

3. Their last argument for entrance is their tears, when groundlessconfidence, pleading of virtues, excuses, and ignorance, will notdo; when standing at the gate, knocking, and calling, "Lord, Lord, open unto us, " will not do, then they betake themselves to theirtears. Tears are sometimes the most powerful arguments, but theyare nothing worth here. Esau also sought it carefully with tears, but it helped him nothing at all. (Heb 12:17) There shall beweeping and gnashing of teeth; for the gate is shut for ever, mercyis gone for ever, Christ hath rejected them for ever. All theirpleas, excuses, and tears will not make them able to enter intothis kingdom. "For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. "

[Import of the words SHALL NOT BE ABLE. ]

I come now to the latter part of the words, which closely showus the reason of the rejection of these many that must be damned;"They will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. "

A hypocrite, a false professor, may go a great way; they may passthrough the first and second watch, to wit, may be approved ofChristians and churches; but what will they do when they come atthis iron gate that leadeth into the city? "There the workers ofiniquity are fallen, they are cast down, and shall not be able torise!" (Psa 36:12)

"And shall not be able. " The time, as I have already hinted, whichmy text respecteth, it is the day of judgment, a day when all masksand vizards shall be taken off from all faces. It is a day whereinGod "will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and willmake manifest the counsel of the hearts. " (1 Cor 4:5) It is alsothe day of his wrath, the day in which he will pay vengeance, evena recompence to his adversaries. 

At this day, those things that now these "many" count sound and good, will then shake like a quagmire, even all their naked knowledge, their feigned faith, pretended love, glorious shows of gravity inthe face, their holiday words and specious carriages, will standthem in little stead. I call them holiday ones, for I perceive thatsome professors do with religion just as people do with their bestapparel--hang it against the wall all the week, and put it on onSundays. For as some scarce ever put on a suit but when they goto a fair or a market, so little house religion will do with some;they save religion till they go to a meeting, or till they meetwith a godly chapman. O poor religion! O poor professor! What wiltthou do at this day, and the day of thy trial and judgment? Coverthyself thou canst not; go for a Christian thou canst not; standagainst the Judge thou canst not! What wilt thou do? "The ungodlyshall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregationof the righteous. " 12 "And shall not be able. " The ability hereintended is not that which standeth in carnal power or fleshlysubtlety, but in the truth and simplicity of those things for thesake of which God giveth the kingdom of heaven to his people. 

There are five things, for the want of which this people will notbe able to enter. 

1. This kingdom belongs to the elect, to those for whom itwas prepared from the foundation of the world. (Matt 25:34) HenceChrist saith, when he comes, he will send forth his angels with agreat sound of trumpet, and they shall gather together his electfrom the four winds, from one end of heaven to another. (Matt 24:31)And hence he saith again, "I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an inheritor of my mountains, and mine electshall inherit it, and my servants shall dwell there. " "They shalldeceive, if it were possible, the very elect. " "But the electionhath obtained it, and the rest were blinded. " (Rom 11:7)

2. They will not be able to enter, because they will want thebirthright. The kingdom of heaven is for the heirs--and if children, thenheirs; if born again, then heirs. Wherefore it is said expressly, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. "By this one word, down goes all carnal privilege of being born offlesh and blood, and of the will of man. Canst thou produce thebirthright? But art thou sure thou canst? For it will little profitthee to think of the blessed kingdom of heaven, if thou wantesta birthright to give thee inheritance there. Esau did despise hisbirthright, saying, What good will this birthright do me? And thereare many in the world of his mind to this day. "Tush, " say they, "they talk of being born again; what good shall a man get by that?They say, no going to heaven without being born again. But God ismerciful; Christ died for sinners; and we will turn when we cantend it, 13 and doubt not but all will be well at last. " But I willanswer thee, thou child of Esau, that the birthright and blessinggo together; miss of one, and thou shalt never have the other! Esaufound this true; for, having first despised the birthright, whenhe would afterwards "have inherited the blessing, he was rejected;for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefullywith tears. " (Gen 25, Heb 12:16, 17)

3. They shall not be able to enter in who have not believed withthe faith of God's operation; the faith that is most holy, eventhe faith of God's elect. "He that believeth on the Son of God hatheverlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not seelife; but the wrath of God abideth on him. " (John 3:36) But nowthis faith is the effect of electing love, and of a new birth. (John 1:11-13) Therefore, all the professors that have not faithwhich floweth from being born of God, will seek to enter in, andshall not be able. 

4. They shall not be able to enter in that have not gospel-holiness. Holiness that is the effect of faith is that which admits into thepresence of God, and into his kingdom too. "Blessed and holy ishe that hath part in the first resurrection, on such the seconddeath, " that is, hell and eternal damnation, "hath no power. " (Rev20:6, 14) Blessed and holy, with the holiness that flows from faithwhich is in Christ; for to these the inheritance belongs. "Thatthey may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among themwhich are sanctified, by faith, " saith Christ, "that is in me. "(Acts 26:18) This holiness, which is the natural effect of faithin the Son of God, Christ Jesus the Lord will, at this day ofjudgment, distinguish from all other shows of holiness and sanctity, be they what they will, and will admit the soul that hath thisholiness into his kingdom, when the rest will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 

5. They shall not be able to enter in that do not persevere in thisblessed faith and holiness; not that they that have them indeed canfinally fall away, and everlastingly perish; but it hath pleasedJesus Christ to bid them that have the right to hold fast thatthey have: to endure to the end; and then tells them they shall besaved--though it is as true that none is of power to keep himself;but God worketh together with his children, and they are "kept bythe power of God, through faith unto salvation, " which is also laidup in heaven for them. (1 Peter 1:3-5)

"The foolish shall not stand in thy sight; thou hatest all workersof iniquity. " (Psa 5:5) The foolish are the unholy ones, thatneither have faith, nor holiness, nor perseverance in godliness, and yet lay claim to the kingdom of heaven; but "better is a littlewith righteousness, than great revenues without right. " (Prov 16:8)What is it for me to claim a house, or a farm, without right? orto say, all this is mine, but have nothing to show for it? Thisis but like the revenues of the foolish; his estate lieth in hisconceit. He hath nothing by birthright and law, and therefore shallnot be able to inherit the possession. "For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. "

Thus you see, that the non-elect shall not be able to enter, thathe that is not born again shall not be able to enter, that hethat hath not saving faith, with holiness and perseverance flowingtherefrom, shall not be able to enter; wherefore consider of whatI have said. 

[SECOND. THE WORDS BY WAY OF OBSERVATION. ]

I come now to give you some observations from the words, and theymay be three. 

FIRST. When men have put in all the claim they can for heaven, but few will have it for their inheritance. "For many, I say untoyou, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. " SECOND. Great, therefore, will be the disappointment that many will meet with atthe day of judgment: "For many will seek to enter in, and shallnot be able. " THIRD. Going to heaven, therefore, will be no trivialbusiness; salvation is not got by a dream; they that would thenhave that kingdom must now strive lawfully to enter: "For many, Isay unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. "

FIRST. I shall speak chiefly, and yet but briefly, to the firstof these observations; to wit, That when men have put in all theclaim they can to the kingdom of heaven, but few will have it fortheir inheritance. The observation standeth of two parts. First. That the time is coming, when every man will put in whatever claimthey can to the kingdom of heaven. Second. There will be but fewof them that put in claim thereto, that shall enjoy it for theirinheritance. 

[First. ALL WILL PUT IN WHAT CLAIM THEY CAN TO THE KINGDOM OFHEAVEN. ]

I shall speak but a word or two to the first part of the observation, because I have prevented my enlargement thereon by my explicationupon the words; but you find in the 25th of Matthew, that all theyon the left hand of the Judge did put in all the claim they couldfor this blessed kingdom of heaven. If you should take them on theleft hand as most do, for all the sinners that shall be damned, then that completely proveth the first part of the observation;for it is expressly said, "Then shall they, " all of them jointly, and every one apart, "also answer him, saying, Lord, when sawwe thus and thus, and did not minister unto thee?" (Matt 25:44) Icould here bring you in the plea of the slothful servant, the cryof the foolish virgins; I could also here enlarge upon that passage, "Lord, Lord, have we not eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thouhast taught in our streets?" But these things are handled alreadyin the handling of which this first part of the observation isproved; wherefore, without more words, I will, God assisting byhis grace, descend to the second part thereof, to wit, [Second. THERE WILL BE BUT FEW OF THEM THAT PUT IN CLAIM THERETOTHAT WILL ENJOY IT FOR THEIR INHERITANCE. ]

I shall speak distinctly to this part of the observation, and shallfirst confirm it by a Scripture or two. "Strait is the gate, andnarrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be thatfind it. " (Matt 7:14) "Fear not, little flock, for it is yourFather's good pleasure to give you the kingdom. " (Luke 12:32) Bythese two texts, and by many more that will be urged anon, you maysee the truth of what I have said. 

To enlarge, therefore, upon the truth; and, First, more generally;Second, more particularly. More generally, I shall prove that inall ages but few have been saved. More particularly, I shall provebut few of them that profess have been saved. 

[First, Generally--in all ages but few have been saved. ]

1. In the old world, when it was most populous, even in the daysof Noah, we read but of eight persons that were saved out of it;well, therefore, might Peter call them but few; but how few? why, but eight souls; "wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved bywater. " (1 Peter 3:20) He touches a second time upon this truth, saying, He "spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighthperson, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon theworld of the ungodly. " (2 Peter 2:5) Mark, all the rest are calledthe ungodly, and there were also a world of them. These are alsotaken notice of in Job, and go there also by the name of wickedmen: "Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflownwith a flood, which said unto God, Depart from us, and what canthe Almighty do for them?" (Job 22:15-17)

There were therefore but eight persons that escaped the wrath ofGod, in the day that the flood came upon the earth; the rest wereungodly; there was also a world of them, and they are to this dayin the prison of hell. (Heb 11:7, 1 Peter 3:19, 20) Nay, I mustcorrect my pen, there were but seven of the eight that were good;for Ham, though he escaped the judgment of the water, yet the curseof God overtook him to his damnation. 2. When the world began againto be replenished, and people began to multiply therein: how few, even in all ages, do we read of that were saved from the damnationof the world!

(1. ) One Abraham and his wife, God called out of the land of theChaldeans; "I called, " said God, "Abraham alone. " (Isa 51:2)

(2. ) One Lot out of Sodom and Gomorrah, out of Admah and Zeboim;one Lot out of four cities! Indeed his wife and two daughters wentout of Sodom with him; but they all three proved naught, as youmay see in the 19th of Genesis. Wherefore Peter observes, that Lotonly was saved: "He turned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah intoashes, condemning them with an overthrow, making them an exampleunto those that after should live ungodly, and delivered just Lot, that righteous man. " (Read 2 Peter 2:6-8) Jude says, that in thiscondemnation God overthrew not only Sodom and Gomorrah, but thecities about them also; and yet you find none but Lot could befound that was righteous, either in Sodom or Gomorrah, or the citiesabout them; wherefore they, all of them, suffer the vengeance ofeternal fire. (verse 7)

(3. ) Come we now to the time of the Judges, how few then were godly, even then when the inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceasedin Israel! "the highways" of God "were" then "unoccupied. " (Judg5:6, 7)

(4. ) There were but few in the days of David: "Help, Lord, " sayshe, "for the godly man ceaseth, for the faithful fail from amongthe children of men. " (Psa 12:1)

(5. ) In Isaiah's time the saved were come to such a few, that hepositively says that there were a very small number left: "God hadmade them like Sodom, and they had been like unto Gomorrah. " (Isa1:8, 9)

(6. ) It was cried unto them in the time of Jeremiah, that theyshould "run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and seenow, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye canfind a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, that seekeththe truth, and I will pardon it. " (Jer 5:1)

(7. ) God showed his servant Ezekiel how few there would be savedin his day, by the vision of a few hairs saved out of the midst ofa few hairs; for the saved were a few saved out of a few. (Eze 5:5)

(8. ) You find in the time of the prophet Micah, how the godlycomplain, that as to number they then were so few, that he comparesthem to those that are left behind when they had gathered thesummer-fruit. (Micah 7:1)

(9. ) When Christ was come, how did he confirm this truth, that butfew of them that put in claim for heaven will have it for theirinheritance! But the common people could not hear it, and therefore, upon a time when he did but a little hint at this truth, the people, even all in the synagogue where he preached it, "were filled withwrath, rose up, thrust him out of the city, and led him unto thebrow of the hill, " whereon their city was built, "that they mightcast him down headlong. " (Luke 4:24-29)

(10. ) John, who was after Christ, saith, "The whole world lieth inwickedness; that all the world wondered after the beast; and thatpower was given to the beast over all kindreds, tongues, and nations. "Power to do what? Why, to cause all, both great and small, richand poor, bond and free, to receive his mark, and to be brandedfor him. (1 John 5:10, Rev 13:3, 7, 16)

(11. ) Should we come to observation and experience, the show ofthe countenance of the bulk of men doth witness against them; "theydeclare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. " (Isa 3:9) Where isthe man that maketh the Almighty God his delight, and that designethhis glory in the world? Do not even almost all pursue this world, their lusts and pleasures? and so, consequently, say unto God, "Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways; or, What is the Almighty that we should serve him? It is in vain toserve God, " &c. 

So that without doubt it will appear a truth in the day of God, that but few of them that shall put in their claim to heaven willhave it for their inheritance. 

Before I pass this head, I will show you to what the saved arecompared in the Scriptures. 

[To what the saved are compared in Scripture. ]

1. They are compared to a handful: "There shall be a handful ofcorn in the earth upon the top of the mountains, " &c. (Psa 72:16)This corn is nothing else but them that shall be saved. (Matt 3:12, 13:30) But mark, "There shall be a handful": What is a handful, when compared with the whole heap? or, what is a handful out ofthe rest of the world?

2. As they are compared to a handful, so they are compared toa lily among the thorns, which is rare, and not so commonly seen:"As the lily among thorns, " saith Christ, "so is my love among thedaughters. " (Cant 2:2) By thorns, we understand the worst and bestof men, even all that are destitute of the grace of God, for "thebest of them is a brier, the most upright" of them "as a thorn-hedge. "(Micah 7:4, 2 Sam 23:6) I know that she may be called a lily amongstthorns also, because she meets with the pricks of persecution. (Eze2:6, 28:24) She may also be thus termed, to show the disparity thatis betwixt hypocrites and the church. (Luke 8:14, Heb 8) But thisis not all; the saved are compared to a lily among thorns, to showyou that they are but few in the world; to show you that they arebut few and rare; for as Christ compares her to a lily among thorns, so she compares him to an apple-tree among the trees of the wood, which is rare and scarce; not common. 

3. They that are saved are called but one of many; for thoughthere be "threescore queens, and fourscore concubines, and virginswithout number, " yet my love, saith Christ, is but one, my undefiledis but one. (Cant 6:8, 9) According to that of Jeremiah, "I willtake you one of a city. " (Jer 3:14) That saying of Paul is muchlike this, "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, butone receiveth the prize?" (1 Cor 9:24) But one, that is, few ofmany, few of them that run; for he is not here comparing them thatrun with them that sit still, but with them that run, some run andlose, some run and win; they that run and win are few in comparisonwith them that run and lose: "They that run in a race run all, butone receives the prize"; let there then be "threescore queens, andfourscore concubines, and virgins without number, " yet the savedare but few. 

4. They that are saved are compared to the gleaning after the vintageis in: "Woe is me, " said the church, "for I am as when they havegathered the summer-fruits, as the grape-gleanings" after thevintage is in. (Micah 7:1) The gleanings! What are the gleaningsto the whole crop? and yet you here see, to the gleanings arethe saved compared. It is the devil and sin that carry away thecartloads, while Christ and his ministers come after a gleaning. Butthe gleaning of the grapes of Ephraim are better than the vintageof Abiezer. (Judg 8:2) Them that Christ and his ministers glean upand bind up in the bundle of life, are better than the loads thatgo the other way. You know it is often the cry of the poor inharvest, Poor gleaning, poor gleaning. And the ministers of thegospel they also cry, Lord, "who hath believed our report? and towhom is the arm of the Lord revealed?" (Isa 53:1) When the prophetspeaks of the saved under this metaphor of gleaning, how doth heamplify the matter? "Gleaning-grapes shall be left, " says he, "twoor three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or fivein the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the Lord. " (Isa17:6) Thus you see what gleaning is left in the vineyard, after thevintage is in; two or three here, four or five there. Alas! theythat shall be saved when the devil and hell have had their due, they will be but as the gleaning, they will be but few; they thatgo to hell, go thither in clusters, but the saved go not so toheaven. (Matt 13:30, Micah 7) Wherefore when the prophet speakethof the saved, he saith there is no cluster; but when he speaketh ofthe damned, he saith they are gathered by clusters. (Rev 14:18, 19)O sinners! but few will be saved! O professors! but few will besaved!

5. They that shall be saved are compared to jewels: "and they shallbe mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up myjewels. " (Mal 3:17) Jewels, you know, are rare things, things thatare not found in every house. Jewels will lie in little room, beingfew and small, though lumber takes up much. In almost every house, you may find brass, and iron, and lead; and in every place you mayfind hypocritical professors, but the saved are not these commonthings; they are God's peculiar treasure. (Psa 135:4) Wherefore Pauldistinguisheth betwixt the lumber and the treasure in the house. There is, saith he, in a great house, not only vessels of gold andsilver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honour, and someto dishonour. (2 Tim 2:20) Here is a word for wooden and earthyprofessors; the jewels and treasures are vessels to honour, theyof wood and earth are vessels of dishonour, that is, vessels fordestruction. (Rom 9:21) 6. They that shall be saved are comparedto a remnant: "Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us a verysmall remnant, we should have been as Sodom, and we should havebeen like unto Gomorrah. " (Isa 1:9) A remnant, a small remnant, avery small remnant! O how doth the Holy Ghost word it! and all toshow you how few shall be saved. Every one knows what a remnantis, but this is a small remnant, a very small remnant. So again, "Sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of thenations: publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord, save thy people, the remnant of Israel. " (Jer 31:7) What shall I say? the savedare often in Scripture called a remnant. (Eze 9:4, 8, Isa 10:20-22, 11:11, 16, Jer 23:3, Joel 2:32) But what is a remnant to the wholepiece? What is a remnant of people to the whole kingdom? or whatis a remnant of wheat to the whole harvest?

7. The saved are compared to the tithe or tenth part; whereforewhen God sendeth the prophet to make the hearts of the people fat, their ears dull, and to shut their eyes, the prophet asketh, "Howlong?" to which God answereth, "Until the cities be wasted withoutinhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterlydesolate, and the Lord have removed men far away, and there be agreat forsaking in the midst of the land. But yet, " as God saithin another place, "I will not make a full end, " "in it shall bea tenth, --so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. " (Isa6:10-13) But what is a tenth? What is one in ten? And yet so speaksthe Holy Ghost, when he speaks of the holy seed, of those that wereto be reserved from the judgment. And observe it, the fatteningand blinding of the rest, it was to their everlasting destruction;and so both Christ and Paul expounds it often in the New Testament. (Matt 13:14, 15, Mark 4:12, Luke 8:10, John 12:40, Acts 28:26, Rom11:8) So that those that are reserved from them that perish willbe very few, one in ten: "A tenth shall return, so the holy seedshall be the substance thereof. " 14

I shall not add more generals at this time. I pray God that theworld be not offended at these. But without doubt, but few of themthat shall put in their claim for heaven will have it for theirinheritance; which will yet further appear in the reading of thatwhich follows. 

[Second. Particularly--but few of them that profess have beensaved. ]

Therefore I come more particularly to show you that but few shallbe saved. I say, but few of professors themselves will be saved;for that is the truth that the text doth more directly look atand defend. Give me, therefore, thy hand, good reader, and let ussoberly walk through the rest of what shall be said; and let uscompare as we go each particular with the holy Scripture. 

1. It is said, "The daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in avineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. "(Isa 1:8) The vineyard was the church of Israel, the cottage in thatvineyard was the daughter of Zion, or the truly gracious amongst, or in that church. (Isa 5:1) A cottage; God had but a cottage there, but a little habitation in the church, a very few that were trulygracious amongst that great multitude that professed; and had itnot been for these, for this cottage, the rest had been ruined asSodom: "Except the Lord of hosts had left unto us, " in the church, a very few, they had been as Sodom. (Isa 1:9) Wherefore, amongthe multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will makea considerable party. 

2. "For though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant of them shall return, " "a remnant shall be saved. " (Isa10:22, Rom 9:27) For though thy people Israel, whom thou broughtestout of Egypt, to whom thou hast given church-constitution, holy laws, holy ordinances, holy prophets, and holy covenants; thy people byseparation from all people, and thy people by profession; thoughthis thy people be as the sand of the sea, "a remnant shall besaved"; wherefore, among the multitude of them that shall be damned, professors will make a considerable party. 

3. "Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the Lord hathrejected them. " (Jer 6:30) The people here under considerationare called, in verse 27, God's people, his people by profession:"I have set thee for a tower and a fortress among my people, thatthou mayest know, and try their way. " What follows? They are allgrievous revolters, walking with slanders, reprobate silver; theLord hath rejected them. In chapter 7, verse 29, they are calledalso the generation of his wrath: "For the Lord hath rejected andforsaken the generation of his wrath. " This, therefore, I gatherout of these holy Scriptures, --that with reference to professionand church-constitution, a people may be called the people of God;but, with reference to the event and final conclusion that Godwill make with some of them, they may be truly the generation ofhis wrath. 

4. In the fifth of Isaiah, you read again of the vineyard of God, and that it was planted on a very fruitful hill, planted withthe choicest vines, had a wall, a tower, a wine-press belongingto it, and all things that could put it into right order and goodgovernment, as a church; but this vineyard of the Lord of hostsbrought forth wild grapes, fruits unbecoming her constitution andgovernment, wherefore the Lord takes from her his hedge and wall, and lets her be trodden down. Read Christ's exposition upon it inMatthew 21:33, &c. Look to it, professors, these are the words ofthe text, "For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, andshall not be able. "

5. "Son of man, " said God to the prophet, "the house of Israel isto me become dross, all they are brass and tin, and iron and lead, in the midst of the furnace they even are the dross of silver. " (Eze22:18) God had silver there, some silver, but it was but little;the bulk of that people was but the dross of the church, thoughthey were the members of it. But what doth he mean by the dross?why, he looked upon them as no better, notwithstanding theirchurch-membership, than the rabble of the world, that is, withrespect to their latter end; for to be called dross, it is to beput amongst the rest of the sinners of the world, in the judgmentof God, though at present they abide in his house: "Thou puttestaway all the wicked of the earth like dross; therefore I love thytestimonies. " (Psa 119:119)

God saith of his saved ones, "He hath chosen them in the furnaceof affliction. " The refiner, when he putteth his silver into hisfurnace, he puts lead in also among it; now this lead being orderedas he knows how, works up the dross from the silver, which dross, still as it riseth, he putteth by, or taketh away with an instrument. And thus deals God with his church; there is silver in his church, aye, and there is also dross: now the dross are the hypocrites andgraceless ones that are got into the church, and these will Goddiscover, and afterwards put away as dross. So that it will withoutdoubt prove a truth of God, that many of their professors thatshall put in claim for heaven, will not have it for their inheritance. 

6. It is said of Christ, his "fan is in his hand, and he willthoroughly purge his floor, and will gather his wheat into thegarner, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. "(Matt 3:12) The floor is the church of God: "O my threshing, andthe corn of my floor!" said God by the prophet, to his people. (Isa21:10) The wheat are these good ones in his church that shall beundoubtedly saved; therefore he saith, "Gather my wheat into mygarner. " The chaff groweth upon the same stalk and ear, and so isin the same visible body with the wheat, but there is not substancein it: wherefore in time they must be severed one from the other;the wheat must be gathered into the garner, which is heaven; andthe chaff, or professors that want true grace, must be gathered intohell, that they may be burned up with unquenchable fire. Thereforelet professors look to it! 15

7. Christ Jesus casts away two of the three grounds that are saidto receive the word. (Luke 8)

The stony ground received it with joy, and the thorny ground broughtforth fruit almost to perfection. Indeed the highway ground was toshow us that the carnal, whilst such, receive not the word at all;but here is the pinch, two of the three that received it, fellshort of the kingdom of heaven; for but one of the three receivedit so as to bring forth fruit to perfection. Look to it, professors!

8. The parable of the unprofitable servant, the parable of the manwithout a wedding garment, and the parable of the unsavoury salt, do each of them justify this for truth. (Matt 25:24, 29, 22:11-13, 5:13) That of the unprofitable servant is to show us the slothand idleness of some professors; that of the man without a weddinggarment is to show us how some professors have the shame of theirwickedness seen by God, even when they are among the children ofthe bridegroom; and that parable of the unsavoury salt is to show, that as the salt that hath lost its savour is fit for nothing, no, not for the dunghill, but to be trodden under foot of men; so someprofessors, yea, and great ones too, for this parable reached oneof the apostles, will in God's day be counted fit for nothing butto be trodden down as the mire in the streets. O the slothful, thenaked, and unsavoury professors, how will they be rejected of Godand his Christ in the judgment! Look to it, professors!

9. The parable of the tares also giveth countenance to this truth:for though it be said the field is the world, yet it is said, thetares were sown even in the church. "And while men slept, his enemycame and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. " (Matt13:24, 25) Object. But some may object, The tares might be sown inthe world among the wheat, though not in the churches. Answ. ButChrist, by expounding this parable, tells us the tares were sownin his kingdom; the tares, that is, the children of the devil. "Astherefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shallit be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forthhis angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all thingsthat offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them intoa furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. "(verse 30, 39-43) Look to it, professors!

10. The parable of the ten virgins also suiteth our purpose; theseten are called the kingdom of heaven, that is, the church of Christ, the visible rightly-constituted church of Christ; for they wentall out of the world, had all lamps, and all went forth to meetthe bridegroom; yet behold what an overthrow the one-half of themmet with at the gate of heaven; they were shut out, bid to depart, and Christ told them he did not know them. (Matt 25:1-13) Tremble, professors! Pray, professors!

11. The parable of the net that was cast into the sea, that alsocountenanceth this truth. The substance of that parable is toshow that souls may be gathered by the gospel--there compared to anet--may be kept in that net, drawn to shore, to the world's end, by that net, and yet may then prove bad fishes, and be cast away. The parable runs thus:--"The kingdom of heaven, " the gospel, "is likeunto a net which was cast into the sea, " the world, "and gatheredof every kind, " good and bad, "which when it was full, they drewto shore, " to the end of the world, "and sat down, " in judgment, "and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. " Somebad fishes, nay, I doubt a great many, will be found in the net ofthe gospel, at the day of judgment. (Matt 13:47, 49) Watch and besober, professors!

12. "And--many shall come from the east and from the west, andshall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdomof heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out. "(Matt 8:11, 12) The children of the kingdom, whose privileges weresaid to be these, "to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service ofGod, and the promises. " (Rom 9:4) I take liberty to harp the moreupon the first church, because that that happened to them, happenedas types and examples, intimating, there is ground to think, thatthings of as dreadful a nature are to happen among the church ofthe Gentiles. (1 Cor 10:11, 12) Neither, indeed, have the Gentilechurches security from God that there shall not as dreadful thingshappen to them. And concerning this very thing, sufficient cautionis given to us also. (1 Cor 6:9, 10, Gal 5:19-21, Eph 5:3-6, Phil3:17, 19, 2 Thess 2:11, 12, 2 Tim 2:20, 21, Heb 6:4-8, 10:26-28, 2Peter 2, 3, 1 John 5:10, Rev 2:20-22)

13. The parable of the true vine and its branches confirm what Ihave said. By the vine there I understand Christ, Christ as head;by the branches, I understand this church. Some of these branchesproved fruitless cast-always, were in time cast out of the church, were gathered by men, and burned. (John 15:1-6)

14. Lastly, I will come to particular instances. 

(1. ) The twelve had a devil among them. (John 6:70) (2. ) Ananiasand Sapphira were in the church of Jerusalem. (Acts 5) (3. ) SimonMagus was among them at Samaria. (Acts 8) (4. ) Among the church ofCorinth were them that had not the knowledge of God. (1 Cor 15:34)(5. ) Paul tells the Galatians that false brethren crept in unawares;and so does the apostle Jude, and yet they were as quick-sighted tosee as any now-a-days. (Gal 2:4, Jude 4) (6. ) The church in Sardishad but a few names in her, to whom the kingdom of heaven belonged. "Thou hast a few names, even in Sardis, which have not defiledtheir garments, and they shall walk with me in white, for they areworthy. " (Rev 3:4) (7. ) As for the church of the Laodiceans, it iscalled "wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. "(Rev 3:17) So that put all things together, and I may boldly say, as I also have said already, that among the multitude of them thatshall be damned, professors will make a considerable party; or, to speak in the words of the observation, "when men have put inall the claim they can for heaven, but few will have it for theirinheritance. "

[REASONS WHY FEW ARE SAVED. ]

I will show you some reasons of the point, besides those five thatI showed you before. And, First, I will show you why the poor, carnal, ignorant world miss of heaven; and then, Second, why theknowing professors miss of it also. 

[First, Why the poor, carnal, ignorant world miss heaven. ]

1. The poor, carnal, ignorant world miss of heaven even becausethey love their sins, and cannot part with them. "Men loved darknessrather than light, because their deeds were evil. " (John 3:19) Thepoor ignorant world miss of heaven, because they are enemies intheir minds to God, his Word, and holiness; they must be all damnedwho take pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thess 2:10-12) The poorignorant world miss of heaven, because they stop their ears againstconvictions, and refuse to come when God calls. "Because I havecalled, and ye refused, I have stretched out my hand, and no manregarded, but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would noneof my reproof; I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mockwhen your fear cometh--as desolation, and your destruction--as awhirlwind, when distress and anguish cometh upon you; then shallthey call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me. " (Prov 1:24-29)

2. The poor ignorant world miss of heaven, because the god of thisworld hath blinded their eyes, that they can neither see the eviland damnable state they are in at present, nor the way to get outof it; neither do they see the beauty of Jesus Christ, nor howwilling he is to save poor sinners. (2 Cor 4:2, 3)

3. The poor ignorant world miss of heaven, because they put offand defer coming to Christ, until the time of God's patience andgrace is over. Some, indeed, are resolved never to come; but some, again, say, We will come hereafter; and so it comes to pass, thatbecause God called, and they did not hear; so they shall cry, andI will not hear, saith the Lord. (Zech 7:11-13)

4. The poor ignorant world miss of heaven, because they have falseapprehensions of God's mercy. They say in their hearts, We shallhave peace, though we walk in the imagination of our heart, to adddrunkenness to thirst. But what saith the Word? "The Lord will notspare him; but then the anger of the Lord, and his jealousy, shallsmoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in thisbook shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name fromunder heaven. " (Deu 29:19-21)

5. The poor ignorant world miss of heaven, because they make lightof the gospel that offereth mercy to them freely, and because theylean upon their own good meanings, and thinkings, and doings. (Matt22:1-5, Rom 9:30, 31)

6. The poor carnal world miss of heaven because by unbelief, whichreigns in them, they are kept for ever from being clothed withChrist's righteousness, and from washing in his blood, without whichthere is neither remission of sin, nor justification. But to passthese till anon. 

[Second. ] I come, in the next place, to show you some reasons whythe professor falls short of heaven. 

First. In the general, they rest in things below special grace; asin awakenings that are not special, in faith16 that is not special, &c. ; and, a little to run a parallel betwixt the one and the other, that, if God will, you may see and escape. 

1. Have they that shall be saved, awakenings about their state bynature? So have they that shall be damned. They that never go toheaven may see much of sin, and of the wrath of God due thereto. This had Cain and Judas, and yet they came short of the kingdom. (Gen 4, Matt 27:4) The saved have convictions, in order to theireternal life; but the others' convictions are not so. The convictionsof the one doth drive them sincerely to Christ; the convictions ofthe other doth drive them to the law, and the law to desperationat last. 

2. There is a repentance that will not save, a repentance tobe repented of; and a repentance to salvation, not to be repentedof. (2 Cor 7:10) Yet so great a similitude and likeness there isbetwixt the one and the other, that most times the wrong is takenfor the right, and through this mistake professors perish. As, (1. ) In saving repentance there will be an acknowledgment of sin;and one that hath the other repentance may acknowledge his sins also. (Matt 27:4) (2. ) In saving repentance there is a crying out undersin; but one that hath the other repentance may cry out under sinalso. (Gen 4:13) (3. ) In saving repentance there will be humiliationfor sin; and one that hath the other repentance may humble himselfalso. (1 Kings 21:29) (4. ) Saving repentance is attended withself-loathing; but he that hath the other repentance may haveloathing of sin too; a loathing of sin, because it is sin, thathe cannot have; but a loathing of sin, because it is offensive tohim, that he may have. The dog doth not loath that which troublethhis stomach because it is there, but because it troubleth him; whenit has done troubling of him, he can turn to it again, and lick itup as before it troubled him. (2 Peter 2:22) (5. ) Saving repentanceis attended with prayers and tears; but he that hath none but theother repentance, may have prayers and tears also. (Gen 27:34, 35, Heb 12:16, 17) (6. ) In saving repentance there is fear and reverenceof the Word and ministers that bring it; but this may be also wherethere is none but the repentance that is not saving; for Herodfeared John, knowing that he was a just man and holy, and observedhim; when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly. (Mark 6:20) (7. ) Saving repentance makes a man's heart very tenderof doing anything against the Word of God. But Balaam could say, "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannotgo beyond the commandment of the Lord. " (Num 24:13)

Behold, then, how far a man may go in repentance, and yet be shortof that which is called, "Repentance unto salvation, not to berepented of. " (a. ) He may be awakened; (b. ) He may acknowledge hissin; (c. ) He may cry out under the burden of sin; (d. ) He may havehumility for it; (e. ) He may loath it; (f. ) May have prayers andtears against it; (g. ) may delight to do many things of God; (h. )May be afraid of sinning against him--and, after all this, mayperish, for want of saving repentance. 

Second. Have they that shall be saved, faith? Why, they that shallnot be saved may have faith also; yea, a faith in many things solike the faith that saveth, that they can hardly be distinguished, though they differ both in root and branch. To come to particulars. 

1. Saving faith hath Christ for its object, and so may the faithhave that is not saving. Those very Jews of whom it is said theybelieved on Christ, Christ tells them, and that after their believing, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father yewill do. " (John 8:30-44) 2. Saving faith is wrought by the Wordof God, and so may the faith be that is not saving. (Luke 8:13)3. Saving faith looks for justification without works, and so maya faith do that is not saving. (James 2:18) 4. Saving faith willsanctify and purify the heart, and the faith that is not saving maywork a man off from the pollutions of the world, as it did Judas, Demas, and others. (2 Peter 2) 5. Saving faith will give a mantastes of the world to come, and also joy by those tastes, and sowill the faith do that is not saving. (Heb 6:4, 5, Luke 8:13) 6. Saving faith will help a man, if called thereto, to give his bodyto be burned for his religion, and so will the faith do that isnot saving. (1 Cor 13:1-5) 7. Saving faith will help a man to lookfor an inheritance in the world to come, and that may the faith dothat is not saving. All those virgins "took their lamps, and wentforth to meet the bridegroom. " (Matt 25:1) 8. Saving faith willnot only make a man look for, but prepare to meet the bridegroom, and so may the faith do that is not saving. "Then all those virginsarose, and trimmed their lamps. " (Matt 25:7) 9. Saving faith willmake a man look for an interest in the kingdom of heaven withconfidence, and the faith that is not saving will even demandentrance of the Lord. "Lord, Lord, open to us. " (Matt 25:11) 10. Saving faith will have good works follow it into heaven, and thefaith that is not saving may have great works follow it, as far asto heaven gates. "Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and inthy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderfulworks?" (Matt 7:22)

Now, then, if the faith that is not saving may have Christ forits object, be wrought by the Word, look for justification withoutworks, work men off from the pollutions of the world, and give mentastes of, and joy in the things of another world--I say again, if it will help a man to burn for his judgment, and to look for aninheritance in another world; yea, if it will help a man to preparefor it, claim interest in it; and if it can carry great works, manygreat and glorious works, as far as heaven gates, then no marvelif abundance of people take this faith for the saving faith, andso fall short of heaven thereby. Alas, friends! There are but fewthat can produce such [works] for repentance; and such faith, asyet you see I have proved even reprobates have had in several agesof the church. 17

But, Third. They that go to heaven are a praying people; but a man maypray that shall not be saved. Pray! He may pray, pray daily; yea, he may ask of God the ordinances of justice, and may take delightin approaching to God; nay, further, such souls may, as it were, cover the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping and cryingout. (Isa 28:2, Mal 2:13)

Fourth. Do God's people keep holy fasts? They that are not hispeople may keep fasts also--may keep fasts often--even twice aweek. "The Pharisee stood, and prayed thus with himself: God, Ithank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, Igive tithes of all that I possess. " (Luke 18:11, 12) I might enlargeupon things, but I intend but a little book. I do not question butmany Balaamites will appear before the judgment-seat to condemnation;men that have had visions of God, and that knew the knowledge ofthe Most High; men that have had the Spirit of God come upon them, and that have by that been made other men; yet these shall go tothe generations of their fathers, they shall never see light. (Num24:2, 4, 16, 1 Sam 10:6, 10, Psa 49:19)

I read of some men whose excellency in religion mounts up to theheavens, and their heads reach unto the clouds, who yet shall perishfor ever like their own dung; and he that in this world hath seenthem, shall say at the judgment, Where are they? (Job 20:5-7) Therewill be many a one, that were gallant professors in this world, bewanting among the saved in the day of Christ's coming; yea, manywhose damnation was never dreamed of. Which of the twelve everthought that Judas would have proved a devil? Nay, when Christsuggested that one among them was naught, they each were moreafraid of themselves than of him. (Matt 26:21-23) Who questionedthe salvation of the foolish virgins? The wise ones did not; theygave them the privilege of communion with themselves. (Matt 25) Thediscerning of the heart, and the infallible proof of the truth ofsaving grace, is reserved to the judgment of Jesus Christ at hiscoming. The church and best of saints sometimes hit, and sometimesmiss in their judgments about this matter; and the cause of ourmissing in our judgment is, 1. Partly because we cannot infallibly, at all times, distinguish grace that saveth from that which dothbut appear to do so. 2. Partly also because some men have the artto give right names to wrong things. 3. And partly because we, being commanded to receive him that is weak, are afraid to excludethe least Christian. By a hid means hypocrites creep into thechurches. But what saith the Scripture? "I the Lord search theheart, I try the reins. " And again, "All the churches shall knowthat I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts; and I will giveunto every one of you according to your works. " (Jer 11:20, 17:10, Rev 2:23) To this Searcher of hearts is the time of infalliblediscerning reserved, and then you shall see how far grace that isnot saving hath gone; and also how few will be saved indeed. TheLord awaken poor sinners by my little book. 

[USE AND APPLICATION OF THE WHOLE. ]

I come now to make some brief use and application of the whole:and

[USE FIRST. ]--My first word shall be to the open profane. Poor sinner, thou readest here that but a few will be saved; thatmany that expect heaven will go without heaven. What sayest thouto this, poor sinner? Let me say it over again. There are but fewto be saved, but very few. Let me add, but few professors--butfew eminent professors. What sayest thou now, sinner? If judgmentbegins at the house of God, what will the end of them be that obeynot the gospel of God? This is Peter's question. Canst thou answerit, sinner? Yea, I say again, if judgment must begin at them, willit not make thee think, What shall become of me? And I add, whenthou shalt see the stars of heaven to tumble down to hell, canstthou think that such a muck-heap of sin as thou art shall be liftedup to heaven? Peter asks thee another question, to wit, "If therighteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinnerappear?" (1 Peter 4:18) Canst thou answer this question, sinner?Stand among the righteous thou mayest not: "The ungodly shallnot stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of therighteous. " (Psa 1:5) Stand among the wicked thou then wilt notdare to do. Where wilt thou appear, sinner? To stand among thehypocrites will avail thee nothing. The hypocrite "shall not comebefore him, " that is, with acceptance, but shall perish. (Job13:16) Because it concerns thee much, let me over with it again!When thou shalt see less sinners than thou art, bound up by angelsin bundles, to burn them, where wilt thou appear, sinner? Thou mayestwish thyself another man, but that will not help thee, sinner. Thoumayest wish, Would I had been converted in time; but that will nothelp thee either. And if, like the wife of Jeroboam, thou shouldstfeign thyself to be another woman, the Prophet, the Lord Jesus, would soon find thee out! What wilt thou do, poor sinner? Heavytidings, heavy tidings, will attend thee, except thou repent, poorsinner! (1 Kings 14:2, 5, 6, Luke 13:3, 5) O the dreadful state ofa poor sinner, of an open profane sinner! Everybody that hath butcommon sense knows that this man is in the broad way to death, yethe laughs at his own damnation. 

Shall I come to particulars with thee?

1. Poor unclean sinner, the "harlot's house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. " (Prov 2:18, 5:5, 7:27)

2. Poor swearing and thievish sinner, God hath prepared the curse, that "every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this sideaccording to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off ason that side, according to it. " (Zech 5:3)

3. Poor drunken sinner, what shall I say to thee? "Woe to thedrunkards of Ephraim, " "woe unto them that are mighty to drinkwine, and men of--strong drink; they shall not inherit the kingdomof heaven. " (Isa 28:1, 5:22, 1 Cor 6:9, 10)

4. Poor covetous worldly man, God's Word says, that "the covetousthe Lord abhorreth"; that the "covetous man is an idolater"; andthat the covetous "shall not inherit the kingdom of God. " (Psa10:3, Eph 5:5, John 2:15, 1 Cor 6:9, 10)

5. And thou liar, what wilt thou do? "All liars shall have their partin the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone. " (Rev 21:8, 27)

I shall not enlarge, poor sinner, let no man deceive thee; "forbecause of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the childrenof disobedience. " (Eph 5:6) I will therefore give thee a shortcall, and so leave thee. 

Sinner, awake: yea, I say unto thee, awake! Sin lieth at thy door, and God's axe lieth at thy root, and hell-fire is right underneaththee. (Gen 4:7) I say again, Awake! "Therefore every tree whichbringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. "(Matt 3:10)

Poor sinner, awake; eternity is coming, and HIS SON, they are bothcoming to judge the world; awake, art yet asleep, poor sinner? letme set the trumpet to thine ear once again! The heavens will beshortly on a burning flame; the earth, and the works thereof, shallbe burned up, and then wicked men shall go into perdition; dostthou hear this, sinner? (2 Peter 3) Hark again, the sweet morselsof sin will then be fled and gone, and the bitter burning fruitsof them only left. What sayest thou now, sinner? Canst thou drinkhell-fire? Will the wrath of God be a pleasant dish to thy taste?This must be thine every day's meat and drink in hell, sinner!

I will yet propound to thee God's ponderous question, and then forthis time leave thee: "Can thine heart endure, or can thine handsbe strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee?" saith the Lord. (Eze 22:14) What sayest thou? Wilt thou answer this question now, or wilt thou take time to do it? or wilt thou be desperate, andventure all? And let me put this text in thine ear to keep it open;and so the Lord have mercy upon thee: "Upon the wicked shall theLord rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest; thisshall be the portion of their cup. " (Psa 11:6) Repent, sinners!

[USE SECOND. ]--My second word is to them that are upon the potter'swheel; concerning whom we know not as yet whether their convictionsand awakenings will end in conversion or not. Several things Ishall say to you, both to further your convictions, and to cautionyou from staying anywhere below or short of saving grace. 

1. Remember that but few shall be saved; and if God should countthee worthy to be one of that few, what a mercy would that be!

2. Be thankful, therefore, for convictions; conversion begins atconviction, though all conviction doth not end in conversion. Itis a great mercy to be convinced that we are sinners, and that weneed a Saviour; count it therefore a mercy, and that thy convictionsmay end in conversion, do thou take heed of stifling of them. Itis the way of poor sinners to look upon convictions as things thatare hurtful; and therefore they use to shun the awakening ministry, and to check a convincing conscience. Such poor sinners are muchlike to the wanton boy that stands at the maid's elbow, to blow outher candle as fast as she lights it at the fire. Convinced sinner, God lighteth thy candle, and thou puttest it out; God lights itagain, and thou puttest it out. Yea, "how oft is the candle of thewicked put out?" (Job 21:17) At last, God resolveth he will lightthy candle no more; and then, like the Egyptians, you dwell allyour days in darkness, and never see light more, but by the lightof hell-fire; wherefore give glory to God, and if he awakens thyconscience, quench not thy convictions. Do it, saith the prophet, "before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon thedark mountains, and he turn" your convictions "into the shadow ofdeath, and make them gross darkness. " (Jer 13:16)

(1. ) Be willing to see the worst of thy condition. It is betterto see it here than in hell; for thou must see thy misery here orthere. (2. ) Beware of little sins; they will make way for greatones, and they again will make way for bigger, upon which God'swrath will follow; and then may thy latter end be worse than thybeginning. (2 Peter 2:20) (3. ) Take heed of bad company, and evilcommunication, for that will corrupt good manners. God saith, evilcompany will turn thee away from following him, and will temptthee to serve other gods, devils. "So the anger of the Lord willbe kindled against you, and destroy thee suddenly. " (Deu 7:4) (4. )Beware of such a thought as bids thee delay repentance, for that isdamnable. (Prov 1:24, Zech 7:12, 13) (5. ) Beware of taking exampleby some poor, carnal professor, whose religion lies in the tip ofhis tongue. Beware, I say, of the man whose head swims with notions, but "his life is among the unclean. " (Job 36:14) "He that walkethwith wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall bedestroyed. " (Prov 13:20) (6. ) Give thyself much to the Word, andprayer, and good conference. (7. ) Labour to see the sin that cleavethto the best of thy performances, and know that all is nothing ifthou be not found in Jesus Christ. (8. ) Keep in remembrance thatGod's eye is upon thy heart, and upon all thy ways. "Can any hidehimself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord. " (Jer 23:24) (9. )Be often meditating upon death and judgment. (Eccl 11:9, 12:14) (10. )Be often thinking what a dreadful end sinners that have neglectedChrist will make at that day of death and judgment. (Heb 10:31) (11. )Put thyself often, in thy thoughts, before Christ's judgment-seat, in thy sins, and consider with thyself, Were I now before my Judge, how should I look, how should I shake and tremble? (12. ) Be oftenthinking of them that are now in hell, past all mercy; I say, beoften thinking of them, thus: They were once in the world, as Inow am; they once took delight in sin, as I have done; they onceneglected repentance, as Satan would have me do. But now they aregone; now they are in hell, now the pit hath shut her mouth uponthem!

Thou mayest also doubt18 thy thoughts of the damned thus: If thesepoor creatures were in the world again, would they sin as they didbefore? would they neglect salvation as they did before? If theyhad sermons, as I have; if they had the Bible, as I have; if theyhad good company, as I have; yea, if they had a day of grace, asI have, would they neglect it as they did before?

Sinner, couldst thou soberly think of these things, they mighthelp, God blessing them, to awaken thee, and to keep thee awaketo repentance, to the repentance that is to salvation, never to berepented of. 

Object. But you have said few shall be saved; and some that go a greatway, yet are not saved. At this, therefore, I am even discouragedand weakened; I think I had as good go no further. I am, indeed, under conviction, but I may perish; and if I go on in my sins, Ican but perish; and it is ten, twenty, and an hundred to one if Ibe saved, should I be ever so earnest for heaven. 

Answ. That few will be saved must needs be a truth, for Christ hathsaid it; that many go far, and come short of heaven, is as true, being testified by the same hand. But what then? "Why, then hadI as good never seek. " Who told thee so? Must nobody seek becausefew are saved? This is just contrary to the text, that bids ustherefore strive; strive to enter in, because the gate is strait, and because many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. Butwhy go back again, seeing that is the next way to hell? Never goover hedge and ditch to hell. If I must needs go thither, I willgo the furthest way about. But who can tell, though there shouldnot be saved so many as there shall, but thou mayest be one of thatfew? They that miss of life perish, because they will not let gotheir sins, or because they take up a profession short of the savingfaith of the gospel. They perish, I say, because they are contentwith such things as will not prove graces of a saving nature whenthey come to be tried in the fire. Otherwise, the promise is free, and full, and everlasting--"Him that cometh to me, " saith Christ, "I will in no wise cast out"; "for God so loved the world, that hegave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him shouldnot perish, but have everlasting life. " (John 6:37, 3:16) Whereforelet not this thought, Few shall be saved, weaken thy heart; but letit cause thee to mend thy pace, to mend thy cries, to look well tothy grounds for heaven; let it make thee fly faster from sin toChrist; let it keep thee awake, and out of carnal security, andthou mayest be saved. 

[USE THIRD. ]--My third word is to professors. Sirs, give me leaveto set my trumpet to your ears again a little. When every man hathput in all the claim they can for heaven, but few will have itfor their inheritance; I mean but few professors, for so the textintendeth, and so I have also proved. "For many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. " Let me, therefore, alittle expostulate the matter with you, O ye thousands of professors!

1. I begin with you whose religion lieth only in your tongues;I mean you who are little or nothing known from the rest of therabble of the world, only you can talk better than they. Hear mea word or two. If "I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, " that is, love to God, and Christ, and saints, and holiness, "I am nothing"; no child of God, and so have nothingto do with heaven. (1 Cor 13:1, 2) A prating tongue will not unlockthe gates of haven, nor blind the eyes of the Judge. Look to it. "The wise in heart will receive commandments; but a prating foolshall fall. " 19 (Prov 10:8)

2. Covetous professor, thou that makest a gain of religion, thatusest thy profession to bring grist to thy mill, look to it also. Gain is not godliness. Judas' religion lay much in the bag, buthis soul is now burning in hell. All covetousness is idolatry; butwhat is that, or what will you call it, when men are religious forfilthy lucre's sake? (Eze 33:31)

3. Wanton professors, I have a word for you; I mean you thatcan tell how to misplead Scripture, to maintain your pride, yourbanqueting, and abominable idolatry. Read what Peter says. You arethe snare and damnation of others. You "allure through the lust ofthe flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escapedfrom them who live in error. " (2 Peter 2:18) Besides, the HolyGhost hath a great deal against you, for your feastings, and eatingwithout fear, not for health, but gluttony. (Jude 12) Further, Petersays, that you that count it pleasure to riot in the day-time arespots and blemishes, sporting yourselves with your own deceivings. (2 Peter 2:13) And let me ask, Did God give his Word to justifyyour wickedness? or doth grace teach you to plead for the flesh, or the making provision for the lusts thereof? Of these also arethey that feed their bodies to strengthen their lusts, under pretenceof strengthening frail nature. But pray, remember the text, "Many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. "

4. I come next to the opinionist; I mean, to him whose religionlieth in some circumstantials of religion. With this sort thiskingdom swarms at this day. These think all out of the way thatare not of their mode, when themselves may be out of the way in themidst of their zeal for their opinions. Pray, do you also observethe text; "Many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shallnot be able. "

5. Neither is the formalist exempted from this number. He is a manthat hath lost all but the shell of religion. He is hot, indeed, for his form; and no marvel, for that is his all to contend for. But his form being without the power and spirit of godliness, itwill leave him in his sins; nay, he standeth now in them in thesight of God, and is one of the many that "will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. " (2 Tim 3:5)

6. The legalist comes next, even him that hath no life but what hemakes out of his duties. This man hath chosen to stand or fall byMoses, who is the condemner of the world. "There is one that accusethyou, even Moses, in whom ye trust. " (John 5:45)

7. There is, in the next place, the libertine--he that pretendethto be against forms and duties, as things that gender to bondage, neglecting the order of God. This man pretends to pray always, but, under that pretence, prays not at all; he pretends to keep everyday a Sabbath, but this pretence serves him only to cast off allset times for the worship of God. This is also one of the many that"will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. " (Titus 1:16)

8. There is the temporizing latitudinarian. He is a man that hathno God but his belly, nor any religion but that by which his bellyis worshipped. His religion is always, like the times, turningthis way and that way, like the cock on the steeple; neither hathhe any conscience but a benumbed and seared one, and is next doorto a downright atheist; and also is one of the many that "will seekto enter in, and shall not be able. "

9. There is also the willfully ignorant professor, or him that isafraid to know more, for fear of the cross. He is for picking andchoosing of truth, and loveth not to hazard his all for that worthyname by which he would be called. When he is at any time overset byarguments, or awakenings of conscience, he uses to heal all by--Iwas not brought up in this faith; as if it were unlawful for Christiansto know more than hath been taught them at first conversion. Thereare many Scriptures that lie against his man, as the mouths ofgreat guns, and he is one of the many that "will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. "

10. We will add to all these, the professor that would provehimself a Christian, by comparing himself with others, instead ofcomparing himself with the Word of God. This man comforts himself, because he is as holy as such and such; he also knows as such asthat old professor, and then concludes he shall go to heaven: asif he certainly knew, that those with whom he compareth himselfwould be undoubtedly saved; but how if he should be mistaken? nay, may they not both fall short? But to be sure he is in the wrong thathath made the comparison; and a wrong foundation will not stand inthe day of judgment. (2 Cor 10:12) This man, therefore, is one ofthe many that "will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. "

11. There is yet another professor; and he is for God and for Baaltoo; he can be anything for any company; he can throw stones withboth hands; his religion alters as fast as his company; he is afrog of Egypt, and can live in the water and out of the water; hecan live in religious company, and again as well out. Nothing thatis disorderly comes amiss to him; he will hold with the hare, andrun with the hound; he carries fire in the one hand, and water inthe other; he is a very anything but what he should be. This isalso one of the many that "will seek to enter in, and shall not beable. " 20

12. There is also that free-willer, who denies to the Holy Ghost thesole work in conversion; and that Socinian, who denieth to Christthat he hath made to God satisfaction for sin; and that Quaker, who takes from Christ the two natures in his person: and I mightadd as many more, touching whose damnation, they dying as they are, the Scripture is plain: these "will seek to enter in, and shallnot be able. " But, [USE FOURTH. ]--If it be so, what a strange disappointment willmany professors meet with at the day of judgment! I speak not nowto the open profane; everybody, as I have said, that hath but commonunderstanding between good and evil, knows that they are in thebroad way to hell and damnation, and they must needs come thither;nothing can hinder it but repentance unto salvation, except Godshould prove a liar to save them, and it is hard venturing of that. 

Neither is it amiss, if we take notice of the examples that arebriefly mentioned in the Scriptures, concerning professors thathave miscarried. 1. Judas perished from among the apostles. (Acts1) 2. Demas, as I think, perished from among the evangelists. (2Tim 4:10) 3. Diotrephes from among the ministers, or them in officein the church. (3 John 9) 4. And s for Christian professors, theyhave fallen by heaps, and almost by whole churches. (2 Tim 1:15, Rev 3:4, 15-17) 5. Let us add to these, that the things mentioned inthe Scriptures about these matters, are but brief hints and itemsof what is afterwards to happen; as the apostle said, "Some men'ssins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some menthey follow after. " (1 Tim 5:24)

So that, fellow-professors, let us fear, lest a promise being leftus of entering into this rest, any of us should seem to come shortof it. O! to come short! nothing kills like it, nothing will burnlike it. I intend not discouragements, but awakenings; the churcheshave need of awakening, and so have all professors. Do not despiseme, therefore, but hear me over again. What a strange disappointmentwill many professors meet with at the day of God Almighty!--adisappointment, I say, and that as to several things. 

(1. ) They will look to escape hell, and yet fall just into themouth of hell: what a disappointment will be here! (2. ) They willlook for heaven, but the gate of heaven will be shut against them:what a disappointment is here! (3. ) They will expect that Christshould have compassion for them, but will find that he hath shutup all bowels of compassion form them: what a disappointment ishere! Again, [USE FIFTH. ]--As this disappointment will be fearful, so certainlyit will be very full of amazement. 

1. Will it not amaze them to be unexpectedly excluded from lifeand salvation? 2. Will it not be amazing to them to see their ownmadness and folly, while they consider how they have dallied withtheir own souls, and took lightly for granted that they had thatgrace that would save them, but hath left them in a damnable state?3. Will they not also be amazed one at another, while they rememberhow in their lifetime they counted themselves fellow-heirs oflife? To allude to that of the prophet, "They shall be amazed oneat another, their faces shall be as flames. " (Isa 13:8) 4. Will itnot be amazing to some of the damned themselves, to see some cometo hell that then they shall see come thither? to see preachers ofthe Word, professors of the Word, practisers in the Word, to comethither. What wondering was there among them at the fall of the kingof Babylon, since he thought to have swallowed up all, because hewas run down by the Medes and Persians! "How art thou fallen fromheaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down tothe ground which didst weaken the nations!" If such a thing as thiswill with amazement surprise the damned, what an amazement willit be to them to see such a one as he whose head reached to theclouds, to see him come down to the pit, and perish for ever likehis own dung. "Hell from beneath is moved for thee, to meet theeat thy coming; it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chiefones of the earth. " (Isa 14) They that see thee shall narrowly lookupon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man? Is this hethat professed, and disputed, and forsook us; but now he is come tous again? Is this he that separated from us, but now he is fallenwith us into the same eternal damnation with us?

[USE SIXTH. ]--Yet again, one word more, if I may awaken professors. Consider, though the poor carnal world shall certainly perish, yetthey will want these things to aggravate their sorrow, which thouwilt meet with in every thought that thou wilt have of the conditionthou wast in when thou wast in the world. 

1. They will not have a profession, to bite them when they comethither. 2. They will not have a taste of a lost heaven, to bitethem when they come thither. 3. They will not have the thoughtsof, "I was almost at heaven, " to bite them when they come thither. 4. They will not have the thoughts of, how they cheated saints, ministers, churches, to bite them when they come thither. 5. Theywill not have the dying thoughts of false faith, false hope, falserepentance, and false holiness, to bite them when they come thither. I was at the gates of heaven, I looked into heaven, I thoughtI should have entered into heaven; O how will these things sting!They will, if I may call them so, be the sting of the sting ofdeath in hell-fire. 

[USE SEVENTH. ]--Give me leave now in a word to give you a littleadvice. 

1. Dost thou love thine own soul? then pray to Jesus Christ foran awakened heart, for a heart so awakened with all the things ofanother world, that thou mayest be allured to Jesus Christ. 2. Whenthou comest there, beg again for more awakenings about sin, hell, grace, and about the righteousness of Christ. 3. Cry also for aspirit of discerning, that thou mayest know that which is savinggrace indeed. 4. Above all studies apply thyself to the study ofthose things that show thee the evil of sin, the shortness of man'slife, and which is the way to be saved. 5. Keep company with themost godly among professors. 6. When thou hearest what the natureof true grace is, defer not to ask thine own heart if this gracebe there. And here take heed--

(1. ) That the preacher himself be sound, and of good life. (2. ) Thatthou takest not seeming graces for real ones, nor seeming fruitsfor real fruits. (3. ) Take heed that a sin in thy life goesnot unrepented of; for that will make a flaw in thine evidence, awound in thy conscience, and a breach in thy peace; and a hundredto one, if at last it doth not drive all the grace in thee intoso dark a corner of thy heart, that thou shalt not be able, for atime, by all the torches that are burning in the gospel, to findit out to thine own comfort and consolation. 21

FOOTNOTES:

1 However homely this illustration, yet how striking. No familyhas been many years without that uneasy anxiety--earnest seekingthe doctor to alleviate their sufferings, or those of a belovedrelative, and then the trembling hope that "his excellent things"may produce the desired effect. Reader, have you had, at any time, equal anxiety for your soul's health and salvation? What has beenthe result?--Ed. 

2 How delightfully but solemnly is this illustrated in the "Pilgrim'sProgress. " The wicket-gate, at the head of the way, at which thepoor burdened sinner must knock and obtain an entrance by Christthe door. It may be like Mercy, with a trembling but sure hope. And then the glorious entrance into the Celestial City itself, after crossing the river which has no bridge. This was opened toChristian, but shut against Ignorance and against Turnaway of theTown of Apostasy. --Ed. 

3 Much confusion appears to exist in the minds of many in referenceto the "strait gate" mentioned in the text, as this passageis frequently introduced into exhortations to the unconverted. Itis addressed exclusively to professors of religion--to those whoprofess to have set out for the Celestial City, and seems to say, Beware of the form of godliness without its power--of the professionwithout the possession! For, as old Mason truly said, "They falldeepest into hell that fall backward. " The "striving" here alludedto refers to the whole course of the believers' life, with its endin view--"We labour to be accepted of him" "Give diligence, " byadding to faith virtue, &c. , "to make your calling and electionsure; for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantlyinto the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. "(2 Peter 1:5-11)

4 How well does our unlettered author give the meaning of strive, agonize. --Ed. 

5 Reader, while we bless God for being mercifully relieved fromthose bodily privations and sufferings through which our pilgrimfathers passed, forget not that Satan plies all his arts to allureour souls from the narrow path. If we are saved from tediousimprisonments in damp dungeons--if Antichrist has lost much of hispower, the flatterer is ever at hand to entangle us in his net--theatheist is ever ready, by his derision and scorn, to drive us backto the City of Destruction. --Ed. 

6 In the edition printed 1692, "an holiday saint" is used. Saints'days were holidays upon which the gayest dress was put on; but theoutward affectation of religion in pious company is better expressedby "holiday suit, " and I have followed all the modern editors inconcluding that the word "saint" is a typographical error. --Ed. 

7 See the character of By-ends and his companions in the "Pilgrim'sProgress. "

8 O how few professors feel that the judgment of man is as nothingin comparison with that of a heart-searching God. Thousands wouldtremble at the thought of outwardly committing these great crimes, but who inwardly, in spirit, are daily guilty of them before God. He who is kept by Divine power from spiritual sins, is alone safefrom the commission of carnal sins. --Ed. 

9 It is an awful fact that in every age of the church these"blundering raw-headed preachers" have abounded. It is a singularappellation to make use of to those who strut in black, and vainlypride themselves upon being descended from the apostles. Alas!how many are those whose hearts and heads are raw indeed as to anyinfluences of vital religion, and whose whole ministry is calculatedto mislead the souls of their fellow-sinners as to their eternalhopes. Reader, how solemn is our duty to examine what we hear bythe unerring Word--to try all things, and hold fast that only whichis good. --Ed. 

10 More particularly in the "Jerusalem Sinner Saved"--"He thatwould be saved by Jesus Christ, through faith in his blood, cannotbe counted for such, " &c. The sin against the Holy Ghost is anabandonment of Christianity--"to crucify the Son of God afresh, andput him to an open shame. " (Heb 6:6) Poor trembler, wouldst thoucrucify the Son of God afresh? If thy conscience says, Never! never!thou hast not committed this unpardonable sin. --Ed. 

11 The wedding garments being provided by the host, this man musthave refused it, and insults his King by sitting among the guestsin his ordinary apparel. O reader, before you take a seat at theLord's table, take prayerful care to be clothed with the robe ofrighteousness, otherwise you will eat to your utter condemnationand may, after all, be cast into outer darkness. --Ed. 

12 May these searching words make an indelible impression upon theheart of every reader. How striking, and alas! how true, is thisdelineation of character. Religious when in company withprofessors--profane when with the world; pretending to be aChristian on a Sunday; striving to climb with Christian the HillDifficulty--every other day running down the hill with Timorousand Mistrust. Such may get to the bottom of the hill, and hidethemselves in the world; but they can never lie concealed from God'sanger, either in this world, or in the bottomless pit, whither theyare hurrying to destruction. 

"Sinner, O why so thoughtless grown? Why in such dreadful hast todie?"--Ed. 

13 "Tend it, " or attend to it. What madness does sin engender andfoster! The trifles of time entirely occupy the attention, whilethe momentous affairs of eternity are put off to a more convenientopportunity. --Ed. 

14 Lowth's translation of this passage in Isaiah 6:13 not only confirmsBunyan, but exhibits his view in a more prominent light:--"Andthough there be a tenth part remaining in it, even this shallundergo a repeated destruction; yet as the ilex and the oak, thoughcut down, hath its stock remaining, a holy seed shall be the stockof the nation. "--Ed. 

15 How solemn the thought--there is but little wheat in comparisonwith all the grass and vegetable produce of the earth; and in theharvest how much chaff and straw, which grew with the wheat, willbe cast out! Well may it be said, Look to it, professors. --Ed. 

16 The word "faith" was changed in 1737 for "repentance, " which hasbeen continued in subsequent editions; "faith" is right. Awakeningsand repentance are classed together under the first head, and faithunder the second. --Ed. 

17 Many readers will cry out, Who then can be saved? Withoutcharity, or the love of Christ in the heart, all faith and worksare but dross. Love is the touchstone of faith and works--notto glorify ourselves, but him who has bought us with his own mostprecious blood. Carry the solemn inquiry to the throne of grace, Have I passed from death unto life? for whosoever thus livethbelieveth in Christ, and amidst the fatal wreck of professors, heshall never die. --Ed. 

18 "To doubt"; to suspect, make a question of, reconsider. --Ed. 

19 When Talkative asked Faithful what difference there is betweencrying out against and abhorring sin, he answered, "O! a greatdeal; a man may cry out against sin of policy, but he cannot abhorit but by virtue of a godly antipathy against it. I have heardmany cry out against sin in the pulpit, who yet can abide it wellenough in the heart, house, and conversation. "--Pilgrim's Progress. 

20 Similar to By-ends who never strove for heaven against windor weather; was most zealous when religion walked in his silverslippers, and walked with him in the streets, while the sun shone, and people applauded him. --Pilgrim's Progress. 

21 The striving inculcated in this treatise reminds us of Hopkins'bold appeal to conscience. He says, "There must be a holy roughnessand violence, to break through all that stands in our way; neithercaring for allurements, nor fearing opposition, but by a piousobstinacy and frowardness, we must thrust away the one and bear downthe other. This is the Christian who will carry heaven by force, when the whining pusillanimous professor, who only complains ofdifficulty, but never attempts to conquer it, will be for ever shutout!"--Ed. 

***

LIGHT FOR THEM THAT SIT IN DARKNESS;

OR, A DISCOURSE OF JESUS CHRIST:

AND THAT HE UNDERTOOK TO ACCOMPLISH BY HIMSELF THE ETERNAL REDEMPTIONOF SINNERS:

ALSO, HOW THE LORD JESUS ADDRESSED HIMSELF TO THIS WORK; WITHUNDENIABLE DEMONSTRATIONS THAT HE PERFORMED THE SAME. 

OBJECTIONS TO THE CONTRARY ANSWERED. 

'Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made acurse for us. '--Galatians 3:13. 

by John Bunyan--1674

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

This solemn and searching treatise was first published in 1674, acopy of which is in the Editor's possession. The author's objectis to correct some fatal errors which then peculiarly abounded, and to recommend the gospel in its purity to the acceptation of hisfellow-sinners. Possessing that inward peace, serenity, happiness, and safety, arising from a scriptural knowledge of Christ and himcrucified, he proclaims, 'I have ventured my own soul thereon withgladness, ' and 'if all the souls in the world were mine, I wouldventure them all. ' His prayer is that others may receive the samelight and life by faith. 

Every age has had its peculiar delusions for the trial of thespirit--mysticism in Bunyan's time, Puseyism in our days. Prior tothe Reformation, the clergy, called the church, claimed implicitobedience from the laity as essential to salvation, and taughtthat inquiry was the high road to eternal ruin. After the Bible hadbeen extensively circulated, many regarded it as the letter whichkilleth--that it was of no importance, compared with the lightwithin, which alone was essential. These were not the notions of anyone or two sects, but had spread their influence to a considerableextent over the Christian church. To check the growth of theseerrors, and to recover those who had been misled by them, Bunyanpublished this 'Light for them that sit in darkness. ' His objectis to prove that all our knowledge of the Saviour must be receiveddirectly from the written Word--that to understand these holy oracles, we must seek and obtain Divine light. By this light we shall findthat Christ took upon himself our nature, and, by his holy and perfectobedience to the law, and sacrifice of himself as a sin-atoningoffering, he redeemed all his saints, paid the FULL price of theirredemption, and will present them unblameable, unreprovable, andacceptable to him that is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. Their robes are washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb;they are perfect as Christ is perfect; there is no condemnation tothem; their salvation is sure. To those whose spirits are dismayedunder a fear that they have sinned the unpardonable sin, thearguments on the following pages are most consoling. Those who areunder that awful curse are sunk in a deathly state of insensibility, while they sit in the seat of the scorner. To be alarmed with thefear of having so offended the Saviour, is the best evidence thatno such sin can have been committed. The closing chapter is fullof striking solemnity. May its beneficial effects be felt, to theglory of God and the reader's solid peace. 

GEO. OFFOR. 

THE AUTHOR TO THE READER. 

Gentle Reader, It was the great care of the apostle Paul to deliver his gospel tothe churches in its own simplicity, because so it is the power ofGod unto salvation to every one that believeth. And if it was hiscare so to deliver it to us, it should be ours to seek so to continueit; and the rather, because of the unaptness of the minds, evenof the saints themselves, to retain it without commixture. For, tosay nothing of the projects of hell, and of the cunning craftinessof some that lie in wait to deceive even the godly themselves, asthey are dull of hearing, so much more dull in receiving and holdingfast the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ. From their sense, and reason, and unbelief, and darkness, arise many imaginationsand high thoughts, which exalt themselves against the knowledge ofGod and the obedience of Jesus Christ, wherefore they themselveshave much ado to stand complete in all the will of God. And werethey not concerned in electing love, by which they are bound upin the bundle of life, and blessed with the enjoyment of savinggrace, which enlighteneth their souls and maintaineth their fathand hope, they would not only be assaulted and afflicted with theirown corruptions, but, as others, overcome thereby. 

Alas! how ordinary a thing is it for professors to fall from theknowledge they have had of the glorious gospel of the blessed God, and to be turned unto fables, seducing spirits, and doctrines ofdevils, through the intoxications of delusions and the witchcraftof false preachers. 

Now, this their swerving from the gospel ariseth, 1. Either fromtheir not having, or, having, not retaining, the true knowledge ofthe person of the Lord Jesus Christ; or, 2. From their not believingthe true causes of his coming into the world, with his doing andsuffering there. Upon one or both these accounts, I say, it is thatthey everlastingly perish; for if they have not, and do not alsoretain the knowledge of his person, they want the HE, on whom, ifthey believe not, they must die in their sins; and if they knownot the reason of his coming, doing, and suffering, they are inthe same condition also. 

Now, those professors that have had some knowledge of these things, and yet have lost them, it hath come thus to pass with them becausethey first lost the knowledge of themselves and of their sins. They know not themselves to be such nothing ones as the Scripturesreporteth them to be, nor their sins to be so heinous as thelaw hath concluded; therefore they either turn again with the dogto his vomit, or adhere to a few of the rags of their own fleshlyrighteousness, and so become pure in their own eyes, yet are notpurged by blood from their filthiness. 

For the person and doings of Jesus Christ are only precious to themthat get and retain the true knowledge of themselves, and the duereward of their sins by the law. These are desolate, being drivenout of all; these embrace the rock instead of a shelter. The sensiblesinner receiveth him joyfully. 

And because a miscarriage in this great truth is the most dangerousand damning miscarriage, therefore should professors be the morefearful of swerving aside therefrom. The man that rejecteth the trueknowledge of the person of the Lord Jesus, and the causes of hisdoing and suffering in the world, takes the next way to be guiltyof that transgression that is not to be purged with sacrifice forever; that fearful transgression for which is left no offering atall, nor anything to be expected by the person transgressing butfearful judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour theadversary. 

Now, for their sakes that have not sinned this sin, for their sakesthat are in danger thereof, but yet not overcome, for their sakeshave I written this little book, wherein is largely, and yet withfew words, discovered the doctrine of the person, and doings, andsufferings of Christ, with the true cause thereof, also a removalof those objections that the crafty children of darkness have framedagainst the same. 

And I have been the more plain and simple in my writing, becausethe sin against the Holy Ghost is in these days more common thanformerly, and the way unto it more beautified with colour andpretence of truth. I may say of the way to this sin, it is, as wasonce the way to Jerusalem, strewed with boughs and branches; andby some there is cried a kind of hosanna to them that are treadingthese steps to hell. O the plausible pretences, the golden names, the feigned holiness, the demure behaviours, mixed with damnablehypocrisy, that attend the persons that have forsaken the Lord Jesus, that have despised his person, trampled upon him, and counted theblood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing!They have crucified him to themselves, and think that they can goto heaven without him; yea, pretend they love him, when they hatehim; pretend they have him, when they have cast him off; pretendthey trust in him, when they bid defiance to his undertakings forthe world. 

Reader, let me beseech thee to hear me patiently; read, and consider, and judge. I have presented thee with that which I have receivedfrom God; and the holy men of God, who spake as they were moved bythe Holy Ghost, do bear me witness. Thou wilt say, All pretend tothis. Well, but give me the hearing, take me to the Bible, and letme find in thy heart no favour if thou find me to swerve from thestandard. 

I say again, receive my doctrine; I beseech thee, in Christ's stead, receive it; I know it to be the way of salvation. I have venturedmy own soul thereon with gladness; and if all the souls in theworld were mine, as mine own soul is, I would, through God's grace, venture every one of them there. I have not writ at a venture, nor borrowed my doctrine from libraries. I depend upon the sayingsof no man. I found it in the Scriptures of truth, among the truesayings of God. 

I have done, when I have exhorted thee to pray, and give heed to thewords of God as revealed in the Holy Writ. The Lord Jesus Christhimself give thee light and life by faith in him; to whom, withthe Father and the good Spirit of grace, be glory and dominion, now and for ever. Amen. 

JOHN BUNYAN. 

LIGHT FOR THEM THAT SIT IN DARKNESS. 

'OF THIS MAN'S SEED HATH GOD, ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE, RAISED UNTOISRAEL A SAVIOUR, JESUS. '--ACTS 13:23. 

These words are part of a sermon which Paul preached to the peoplethat lived at Antioch in Pisidia, where also inhabited many of theJews. The preparation to his discourse he thus begins--'Men ofIsrael, and ye that fear God, give audience' (v 16); by which havingprepared their minds to attend, he proceeds and gives a particularrelation of God's peculiar dealings with his people Israel, from Egyptto the time of David their king, of whom he treateth particularly--

That he was the son of Jesse, that he was a king, that God raisedhim up in mercy, that God gave testimony of him, that he was a manafter God's own heart, that he should fulfil all his will (v 22). 

And this he did of purpose both to engage them the more to attend, and because they well knew that of the fruit of his loins God hathpromised the Messiah should come. 

Having thus therefore gathered up their minds to hearken, he presenteththem with his errand--to wit, that the Messiah was come, and thatthe promise was indeed fulfilled that a Saviour should be born toIsrael--'Of this man's seed, ' saith he, 'hath God, according tohis promise, raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus. '

In this assertion he concludeth--1. That the promise had kept itsdue course in presenting a Saviour to Israel--to wit, in David'sloins--'Of this man's seed. ' 2. That the time of the promise wascome, and the Saviour was revealed--'God hath raised unto Israel aSaviour. ' 3. That Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph, was he--'Hehath raised unto Israel a Saviour, Jesus. '

From these things we may inquire, for the explication of the words, First. What this Jesus is? Second. What it was for this Jesus tobe of the seed of David? Third. What it was for Jesus to be of thisman's seed according to the promise? And, Fourth, what it was forhim to be raised unto Israel? These things may give us light intowhat shall be spoken after. 

Quest. First. What this Jesus is?

He is God, and had personal being from before all worlds; thereforenot such an one as took being when he was formed in the world; he isGod's natural Son, the Eternal Son of his begetting and love--'Godsent forth his Son. ' He was, and was his Son, before he wasrevealed--'What is his name, and what is his Son's name, if thoucanst tell?' (Prov 30:4; Eze 21:10). He hath an eternal generation, such as none can declare, not man, not angel (Isa 53:8). He was thedelight of his Father before he had made either mountain or hill. While as yet he had not made the earth or the fields, or the highestpart of the dust of the world, all things were made by him, andwithout him was not anything made that was made, and he is beforeall things, and by him all things consist. It is he with whom theFather consulted when he was about to make man, when he intendedto overthrow Babel, and when he sent Isaiah to harden the hearts ofIsrael (Prov 8:26; John 1:3; Heb 1:2, 3; Col 1:17; Gen 1:26, 11:7;Isa 6:8). This is the person intended in the text. Hence also hetestifies of himself that he came down from the Father; that hehad glory with him before the world was. And 'what and if ye shallsee the Son of man ascend up where he was before?' (John 6:62, 16:28, 17:5). 

Quest. Second. What was it for Jesus to be of David's seed?

To be of David's seed is to spring from his loins, to come of hisrace according to the flesh; and therefore as he is David's God, so likewise is he David's Son; the root and also the offspring ofDavid. And this the Lord himself acknowledgeth, saying, 'I am theroot, ' or God, 'and the offspring, ' and Son, 'of David, and thebright and morning star' (Rev 22:16). This is indeed the greatmystery, the mystery of godliness. 'If David then call him Lord, how is he his Son?' (Matt 22:45; Luke 2:4; Rom 1:3; 2 Tim 2:8). Andhence it is that he is said to be 'wonderful, ' because he is bothGod and man in one person--'Unto us a child is born, unto us aSon is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, andhis name shall be called Wonderful' (Isa 9:6). Wonderful indeed!Wonderful God, Wonderful man, Wonderful God-man, and so a WonderfulJesus and Saviour. He also hath wonderful love, bore wonderfulsorrows for our wonderful sins, and obtained for HIS a wonderfulsalvation. 

Quest. Third. What was it for Jesus to be of this man's seedaccording to the promise?

This word 'promise' doth sometimes comprehend all the promiseswhich God made to our fathers, from the first promise to the last, and so the Holy Ghost doth call them--'The promise made unto thefathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children' (Acts13:32, 33). But the word 'promise' here doth in special intend thatwhich God made to David himself--'Men and brethren, ' said Peter, 'let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he isboth dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn withan oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to theflesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; he seeing thisbefore, spake of the resurrection of Christ, ' &c. (Acts 2:29, 30). 

Quest. Fourth. What was it for Jesus to be raised thus up of Godto Israel?

Here we have two things to consider of--1. Who Israel is. 2. Whatit was for Jesus to be raised up unto them. 

1. Who Israel is. By 'Israel' sometimes we should understand thewhole stock of Jacob, the natural children of his flesh; for thatname they have of him, for he obtained it when he wrestled withthe angel, and prevailed, and it remained with his seed in theirgenerations (Gen 32). By 'Israel' we are to understand all thosethat God hath promised to Christ--'The children of the promiseare counted for the seed, ' the elect Jews and Gentiles. These arecalled 'the Israel of God, ' and the seed of Abraham, whom Jesus inspecial regarded in his undertaking the work of man's redemption(Rom 9:8; Gal 6:16; Heb 2:14-16). 

2. What it was for Jesus to be raised up unto them. This word'raised up' is diversely taken in the Scripture. (1. ) It is takenfor 'sending'; as when he saith he raised them up judges, saviours, and prophets, he means he sent them such, and thus he raised upJesus--that is, 'he sent him' (Judg 2:16, 18, 3:9, 15; Amos 2:11). 'I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gaveme a commandment' (John 12:49). (2. ) To be raised up, intimatethone invested with power and authority. Thus he raised up David tobe the king of Israel, he anointed him and invested him with kinglypower (1 Sam 16:13; Acts 13:22). And thus was Jesus Christ raisedup. Hence he is called 'the horn of salvation'--'He hath raisedup an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David'(Luke 1:69). (3. ) To be raised up, intimateth quickening andstrengthening, to oppose and overcome all opposition. Thus wasJesus raised up from under sin, death, the rage of the world, andhell, that day that God raised him out of the grave. 

Thus, therefore, was Jesus raised up to Israel--that is, he wassent, authorized, and strengthened to, and in the work of, theirsalvation, to the completing of it. 

The words thus opened do lay before us these two observations--FIRST. That in all ages God gave his people a promise, and so ground fora believing remembrance, that he would one day send them a Saviour. SECOND. That when Jesus was come into the world, then was thatpromise of God fulfilled. 

[OBSERVATION FIRST. ]

To begin with the first, THAT IN ALL AGES GOD GAVE HIS PEOPLE APROMISE, AND SO GROUND FOR A BELIEVING REMEMBRANCE, THAT HE WOULDONE DAY SEND THEM A SAVIOUR. 

This Zacharias testifies when he was filled with the Holy Ghost;for, speaking of the Messiah or the Saviour, he saith that God spakeof him by the mouth of all the prophets which have been since theworld began; to which I will add that of Peter, 'Yea, and all theprophets from Samuel, and those that follow after, as many as havespoken, have likewise foretold of these days' (Luke 1:69, 70; Acts3:24). 

From these texts it is evident that in every generation or age ofthe world God did give his people a promise, and so ground for abelieving remembrance, that he would one day send them a Saviour;for indeed the promise is not only a ground for a remembrance, butfor a believing remembrance. What God saith is sufficient ground forfaith, because he is truth, and cannot lie or repent. But that isnot all; his heart was engaged, yea, all his heart, in the promisewhich he spoke of sending us a Saviour. 

From this observation I shall make inquiry into these threethings--FIRST. What it is to be a Saviour. SECOND. How it appearsthat God in all ages gave his people a promise that he would oneday send them a Saviour. THIRD. That this was ground for believingremembrance that a Saviour should one day come. 

FIRST. What it is to be a Saviour. 

First. This word 'Saviour' is easy to be understood, it being allone with Deliverer, Redeemer, &c. 'A Saviour, Jesus, ' both wordsare of the same signification, and are doubled, perhaps to teachus that the person mentioned in the text is not called 'Jesus'only to distinguish him from other men--for names are given todistinguish--but also and especially to specify his office; hisname is Saviour, because it was to be his work, his office, hisbusiness in the world. His name shall be called Jesus, 'for heshall save his people from their sins' (Matt 1:21). 

Second. This word 'Saviour' is a word so large that it hath placein all the undertakings of Christ: for whatever he doth in hismediation he doth as a Saviour. He interposeth between God and manas a Saviour; he engageth against sin, the devil, death, and hell, as a Saviour, and triumphed over them by himself as a Saviour. 

Third. The word 'Saviour, ' as I said, is all one with Redeemer, Deliverer, Reconciler, Peace-maker, or the like; for though therebe variation in the terms, yet Saviour is the intendment of themall. By redeeming he becomes a Saviour, by delivering he becomesa Saviour, by reconciling he becomes a Saviour, and by making peacehe becometh a Saviour. But I pass this now, intending to speak moreto the same question afterwards. 

SECOND. How it appears that God in all ages gave his people apromise that he would one day send them a Saviour. 

It appears evidently; for so soon as man had sinned, God came tohim with a heart full of promise, and continued to renew, and renew, till the time of the promised Messiah to be revealed was come. 

[First. ] He promised him under the name of 'the seed of the women, 'after our first father had sinned--'I will also put enmity betweenthee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed. He shallbruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel' (Gen 3:15). [1] Thisthe apostle hath his eye upon when he saith, 'When the fulness ofthe time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, madeunder the law, to redeem them that were under the law' (Gal 4:4, 5). 

Second. God renewed this promise to Abraham, and there tells himChrist should be his seed, saying, 'In thy seed shall all familiesof the earth be blessed' (Gen 12:3). 'Now, ' saith Paul, 'to Abrahamand his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ' (Gal3:16). 

Third. He was promised in the time of Moses under the name ofa 'prophet'--'I will raise them up, ' saith God to him, 'a prophetfrom among their brethren like unto thee' (Deut 18:18). ThisPeter expounds of Christ, 'For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shallsay unto you' (Acts 3:22). 

Fourth. He promised him to David under the title of a 'son, ' saying, 'I will be his Father, and he shall be my Son' (2 Sam 7:14). Forthis the apostle expounded of the Saviour, saying, 'Thou art mySon, this day have I begotten thee'; and again, 'I will be to hima Father, and he shall be to me a Son' (Heb 1:5). 

Fifth. He was promised in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, andHezekiah, kings of Judah--

1. By the name of a 'branch'--'In that day shall the branch of theLord be beautiful and glorious' (Isa 4:2). 

2. Under the name of the 'son of a virgin'--'Therefore the Lordhimself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. ' This Matthewexpounds of Christ (Isa 7:14; Matt 1:23). 

3. He was promised under the name of a 'rod'--'There shall comeforth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a branch shall grow outof his roots, and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him. ' Thisanswereth the text, David was the son of Jesse, and Christ the Sonof David (Isa 11:1, 2). 

4. He is promised under the title of a 'king'--'Behold, a kingshall reign in righteousness, --and a man shall be as an hiding-placefrom the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of waterin a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land' (Isa32:1, 2). 

5. He was promised under the name of an 'elect servant'--'Beholdmy servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth;I have put my Spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment tothe Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voiceto be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, andthe smoking flax shall he not quench' (Isa 42:1-3; Matt 12:17-20). 

6. He was promised to Jeremiah under the name of 'the Lord ourRighteousness'--'Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that Iwill raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reignand prosper; and shall execute judgment--in the earth. In his daysJudah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely; and this ishis name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS'(Jer 23:5, 6). 

7. He was promised by the prophet Ezekiel under the name of 'David, a shepherd'--'And I will set up one shepherd over them, and heshall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and heshall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and myservant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it' (Eze24:23; John 10:1-3). 

8. He was promised by the prophet Daniel under the name of 'Messiah, or Christ, the most holy'--'And after threescore and two weeksshall the Messiah be cut off, but not for himself' (Dan 9:26). 

9. He was promised by the prophet Micah under the name of the 'rulerin Israel'--'But thou, Bethlehem-Ephratah, though thou be littleamong the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come--thatis to be ruler in Israel' (Micah 5:2; Matt 2:6). 

10. He was promised to Haggai as 'the desire of all nations'--'Iwill shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts'(Hagg 2:7). 

11. He was promised by Zechariah under the name of 'servant andbranch'--'For, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. 'And again, 'Behold the man whose name is the BRANCH; and he shallgrow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of theLord; and he shall bear the glory' (Zech 3:8, 6:12, 13). 

12. He was promised by Malachi under the name of 'the Lord, andthe messenger of the covenant'--'Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom yeseek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of thecovenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lordof hosts' (Mal 3:1). 

Indeed, the Scriptures of the Old Testament are filled with promisesof the Messias to come, prophetical promises, typical promises;for all the types and shadows of the Saviour are virtually so manypromises. 

Sixth. Having therefore touched upon the prophetical, I willbriefly touch the typical promises also; for as God spake at sundrytimes to the fathers, so also in diverse manners, prophetically, providentially, typically, and all of the Messias (Heb 1:1). Thetypes of the Saviour were various--1. Sometimes he was typed outby men; 2. Sometimes by beasts; 3. Sometimes by insensible creatures. 

1. He was typed forth sometimes by men. Adam was his type in manythings, especially as he was the head and father of the first world. He was 'the figure of him that was to come' (Rom 5:14). Moses washis type as Mediator, and as builder of the tabernacle (Heb 3:2, 3). Aaron was his type as he was high-priest, and so was Melchisedecbefore him (Heb 5:4, 5, 7:1, 21). Samson was his type in the effectsof his death; for as Samson gave his life for the deliverance ofIsrael from the Philistines, Christ gave his life to deliver us fromsin and devils. Joshua was his type in giving the land of Canaanto Israel, as Jesus will give the kingdom of heaven to the elect(Heb 4:8). David was his type in many things, especially in hissubduing of Israel's enemies, and feeding them [Israel]: hence heis sometimes called David their king, and David their shepherd (Eze34:23, 24). Solomon was his type in his building the temple, and inhis peaceable kingdom. Hence it is said, 'He shall build the templeof the Lord'; and again, 'Of his government and peace there shallbe no end. '

2. Beasts were his types. To instance some--

(1. ) The paschal lamb was his type (Exo 12). In its spotlessness;Christ was 'a lamb without blemish and without spot' (1 Peter1:18, 19). In its being roasted it was a figure of the cursed deathof Christ; for to be roasted bespake one accursed (Jer 29:22;Gal 3:13). In that it was to be eaten--'Whoso eateth my flesh anddrinketh my blood, ' saith Christ, 'hath eternal life' (John 6:54). In that its blood was to be sprinkled upon the doors of theirhouses, for the destroying angel to look on; the blood of Christis sprinkled upon the elect for the justice of God to look on (Heb9; 1 Peter 1:2). By eating the paschal lamb, the people went outof Egypt; by feeding upon Christ by faith we come from under theEgyptian darkness, tyranny of Satan, &c. 

(2. ) The red cow was his type (Num 19:2, &c. ). [2] In that she wasto be without blemish. In that she was to be slain without thecamp--'Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his ownblood, suffered without the gate' (Heb 13:12). In that her fleshwas to be burnt; a type of the grievous death of Christ. Her asheswere to be carried into a clean place without the camp; a type ofthe clean sepulchre where the body of Jesus was laid (John 19:38-41). 

There were also divers other sacrifices, as bulls, goats, and birds, which were types of him, which I here omit. 

3. Insensible creatures were his types. As, (1. ) The man in the wilderness (Exo 16). And that as it came downfrom heaven, for so did Christ--'I came down from heaven, ' saithhe; and again, 'I am the living bread which came down from heaven'(John 6:51). The manna was to be eaten; so is Christ by faith--'Ifany man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the breadthat I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life ofthe world' (John 6:51). The manna was to be gathered daily; so isChrist to be daily eaten. The manna was all the bread that Israelhad in the wilderness; Christ is all the bread that believers havein this life for their souls. The manna came not by Moses' law, neither comes Christ by our merits--'Moses gave you not that breadfrom heaven, but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven'(John 6:32). 

(2. ) Again; the rock that gave them out water for their thirstwas a type of him (Num 20). They 'did all drink the same spiritualdrink, for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them;and that Rock was Christ' (1 Cor 10:4). This rock was his type infour things--

(a. ) It gave drink to the people in the wilderness when they werecome out of Egypt; Christ gives drink to them that forsake theworld for him. (b. ) The rock yielded water by being smitten byMoses' rod; Christ giveth drink, even his blood, by being strickenby Moses' law (Num 20:11; Isa 53). (c. ) The water out of this rockwas given to the thirsty--'I will give unto him that is athirst, 'saith Christ, 'of the fountain of the water of life freely' (Rev21:6). (d. ) The water of the rock in the wilderness ran after thepeople; they drank of that rock that followed them--'He opened therock, and the waters gushed out, they ran in the dry places likea river' (Psa 110:41). Christ also is said by that type to followus--'They drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them; and thatRock was Christ' (1 Cor 10:4). 

(3. ) Again, the mount Moriah was his type. That mount stood inJerusalem; Christ also stands in his church. Upon that rock wasbuilt the temple (2 Chron 3:1)--'And upon this rock, ' said Christ, 'I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevailagainst it' (Matt 16:18). 

Other things might be urged, but these being virtually of theforce of the promises, and also as a key to open them, thereforeI thought good to place them here with the promises; because, asthey are standing with them, so they are written to beget faith inthe same Lord Jesus Christ. 

THIRD. I come now to the third thing--to wit, That these promiseswere ground for a believing remembrance that a Saviour should oneday come. 

There is a remembering, and a believing remembering, or sucha remembering that begetteth and maintaineth faith in the heart. Jacob had a believing remembrance when he said, 'I have waited forthy salvation, O Lord' (Gen 49:18). And so had David when he cried, 'O that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion' (Psa 53:6). These, with Simeon and Anna, had not a remembrance only, but abelieving remembrance that God would send them a Saviour. They hadthe promise not in the book only, but in their hearts; this gospelwas mixed in them with faith; therefore they with their fellowsremembered and believed, or made the promise the ground of theirbelieving that God would one day send them a Saviour. 

Let me make some

Use of this Doctrine. 

Here we may see how much the heart of God was set upon the salvationof sinners--he studied it, contrived it, set his heart on it, andpromised, and promised, and promised to complete it, by sendingone day his Son for a Saviour (2 Same 14:14; Eph 1:3; Titus 1:2). No marvel, therefore, if when he treateth of the new covenant, inwhich the Lord Jesus is wrapped, and presented in a word of promiseto the world, that he saith, I will do it 'assuredly with my wholeheart, and with my whole soul' (Jer 32:41). 

Now this is of singular comfort to sensible sinners; yea, whatgreater ground of consolation to such than to hear that the Godagainst whom they have sinned should himself take care to providethem a Saviour. There are some poor sinners in the world that havegiven such way to discouragement, from the sense of the greatnessof their sins, that they dare not think upon God, nor the sins whichthey have committed; but the reason is, because they are ignorantthat God's heart was wrapt up in this good work of providing andsending a Saviour. Let such hearken now to the call of God--'Returnunto me, for I have redeemed thee' (Isa 44:22). Ho! turn again, hearken; the heart of God is much set upon mercy; from the beginningof the world he resolved and promised, aye, and sware we shouldhave a Saviour. 

[OBSERVATION SECOND. ]

I now proceed to the second observation--THAT WHEN JESUS WAS COMEINTO THE WORLD, THEN WAS THE PROMISE OF GOD FULFILLED--namely, THATHE WOULD ONE DAY SEND US A SAVIOUR. 

Take three texts for the confirmation of this point--1. 'This is ofa truth that prophet that should come into the world' (John 6:14). These words were spoken of them that were present at that miracleof Jesus, when he fed five thousand with five barley loaves, whicha lad had about him in the company; for these men, when they hadseen the marvel, being amazed at it, made confession of him to bethe Saviour. 2. 'Lord, I believe that thou art the Christ, the Sonof God, which should come into the world' (John 11:27). 3. 'Thisis a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that ChristJesus came into the world to save sinners' (1 Tim 1:15). 

For the explaining of this observation I will briefly handle threequestions--FIRST. How this Jesus is to be distinguished from othersof that name. SECOND. What it was for this Jesus to come into theworld. THIRD. What it was for him to come to be a Saviour. 

[HOW THIS JESUS IS TO BE DISTINGUISHED FROM OTHERS. ]

QUEST. FIRST. For the first, the Jesus in the text is distinguishedfrom all others of that name. 

First. By the manner of his birth; he was born of a virgin, a virginespoused to a man whose name was Joseph; but he 'knew her not tillshe had brought forth her first-born son, and he called his nameJESUS' (Matt 1:25). 

Second. He is distinguished from others of that name by the placeof his birth--to wit, Bethlehem, the city of David; there he mustbe born, there he was born (John 7:42; Matt 2:4-6). 

Third. He is distinguished by his lineage--he came 'of the houseand lineage of David' (Luke 2:4-6). 

Fourth. He is distinguished by the time of his birth--to wit, thetime of the prophets prefixed (Gal 4:4). 

Fifth. But his common distinction is Jesus of Nazareth; by this namehe is distinguished one and twenty times in the New Testament--1. His enemies called him 'Jesus of Nazareth' (Matt 26:71; Mark 14:67;John 18:5). 2. His disciples called him 'Jesus of Nazareth' (Matt21:11; Luke 24:19; John 1:45; Acts 2:22). 3. The angels called him'Jesus of Nazareth' (Mark 16:6). 4. And he calleth himself 'Jesusof Nazareth' (Acts 22:8). 5. Yea, and he goeth also by the name of'Jesus of Nazareth' among the devils (Mark 1:24; Luke 4:34). 

He was called 'Jesus of Nazareth' because he dwelt there with hismother Mary and her husband. Nazareth was his city, where he hadbeen brought up, whither for shelter Joseph carried him when hecame out of Egypt with him; in Nazareth was his common abode untilthe time that John was cast into prison; wherefore he might wellsay, 'I am Jesus of Nazareth' (Luke 4:16; Matt 2:23, 4:12, 13). Yea, though he was now in heaven, for heaven shall not make us forgetwhat countrymen we were when we lived in the world. Jesus, you seehere, though glorified in heaven, yet forgets not what countrymanhe was when he dwelt in the world. 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, ' saithhe; I am the Jesus that thou persecutest; and that thou mayestknow I am he, I tell thee I dwelt once in the city of Nazareth inGalilee; Joseph and my mother Mary brought me up there, and thereI dwelt with them many years. 'I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thoupersecutest' (Acts 22:8). 

[WHAT IT WAS FOR JESUS TO COME INTO THE WORLD. ]

QUEST. SECOND. What it was for Jesus to come into the world. 

Answ. Not his coming in, or by his Spirit in his people; for sohe was never out of the world. Neither is it his appearance in hisordinances. Nor that coming of his by which he destroyeth Antichrist. Nor his appearing in his dreadful providences or judgments. But bythe coming of Jesus, according to the text, we are to understandthat, or such a coming, whereby he was manifest to be God-man inone person; God in our flesh without us, or distinct in his ownperson by himself; such a coming by which he was manifested to bein all points like as men are, sin only excepted; such a comingwherein, or by which, the Son of God became also the Son of man. 

[First. ] For the further clearing of this, you find it expresslysaid, he was 'born into the world'; Mary, 'of whom was born Jesus. 'Now, when Jesus was born, it is said, 'Where is he that is bornKing of the Jews?' Herod 'demanded of them where Christ should beborn' (Matt 1:16, 2:1, 2, 4; Luke 1:35, 2:11). 

Now, that this was fulfilled according to the very word of the text, without any juggle, evasion, or cunningly-devised fable, consider--

1. He is called the first-born of this woman; the male child thatopened her womb (Luke 2:7, 23). 

2. He was not born till nourished in her womb the full time, according to the time of life: 'And so it was, that while they werethere [at Bethlehem], the days were accomplished that she shouldbe delivered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and wrappedhim in swaddling-clothes, and laid him in a manger' (Luke 2:6, 7). 

3. She also continued in her separation at the birth of Jesus, as other women at the birth of their children, until 'the days ofher purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished'(Luke 2:22). 

4. Himself also, as other Hebrew children, was brought to Jerusalemto present him unto the Lord--'As it is written in the law of theLord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to theLord' (Luke 2:23, 24). 

5. Thus Jesus also, as other Hebrew children, when the set day wascome, was circumcised--'And when eight days were accomplished forthe circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS, which wasso named of the angel before he was conceived in the womb' (Luke2:21). 

6. After this he is often called the young child, the child Jesus;and further, it is said of him, that he grew, that he increased inwisdom and stature (Matt 2:20, 21; Luke 2:40, 52). 

Behold with what diligence, even to a circumstance, the Holy Ghostsets forth the birth of the Lord Jesus, and all to convince theincredulous world of the true manner of the coming of the Saviourinto the world. 

Second. The reality of the manhood of this Lord Jesus is yet furthermanifest, and that, 1. By those natural infirmities that attendhuman flesh; 2. By the names the prophets gave him in the days ofthe Old Testament and the New. 

1. By those natural infirmities that attend human flesh. As, athis birth he could not go but as carried by his parents. He wassensible of hunger (Luke 4:2). He was sensible of thirst (John19:28). He was sensible of weariness (John 4:6). He was nourishedby sleep (Mark 4:38). He was subject to grief (Mark 3:5). He wassubject to anger (Mark 3:5). He was subject to weep (John 11:35;Luke 19:41). He had joy as a man, and rejoiced (Matt 11:25; Luke10:21). These things, I say, Jesus was subject to as a man, as theson of the Virgin. 

2. The reality of his manhood is yet made manifest by the names theprophets gave him, both in the Old Testament and in the New. As, (1. ) He is called the 'seed'--the seed of the woman, the seed ofAbraham, the seed of David, by which is meant he was to come oftheir children (Gen 3:15, 12, 22; Gal 3:16, 17; Rom 1:3). 

(2. ) Therefore it is added (where mention is made of the fathers), 'of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came. ' He was made of theseed of David according to the flesh; and hence again he callethhimself the offspring of David; therefore, I say, he is said tobe of their flesh, their loins, and is called their Son (Rom 1:3, 4:5; Acts 2:30; Rev 22:16). 

(3. ) He therefore is frequently called 'a man, and the Son ofman'--'Then shall you see the Son of man coming in the clouds ofheaven. ' 'When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all theholy angels with him. ' 'This man, because he continueth ever, hathan unchangeable priesthood. ' 'Wherefore, it is necessary that thisman have somewhat also to offer' (Matt 25:31, 26:64; Heb 7:24, 8:3, 10:12). 

(4. ) What shall I say? He himself gave undeniable demonstration ofall this when he said he 'was dead'; when he called to Thomas toput his finger to, and behold his hands, to reach to him his handand thrust it into his side, and bid him he should not be faithless, but believing. At another time, when he stood in the midst of theeleven, as they were troubled with the thoughts of unbelief, hesaid, 'Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handleme, and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see mehave' (John 20:27; Luke 24:39). 

Thus have I showed you what it was for Jesus to come into theworld--namely, to be born of a woman, to take flesh, and to becomeGod-man in one person. I come now to the third question; but beforeI speak particularly to that, I will produce further testimony thatwe find upon record concerning the truth of all this. 

Particular testimonies that this coming of Jesus is his coming tosave us. 

The Testimony of Simeon. --Simeon the Just gives testimony of him:'And the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him bythe Holy Ghost that he should not see death, before he had seenthe Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple; andwhen the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after thecustom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, --formine eyes have seen thy salvation' (Luke 2:25-32). 

The Testimony of Anna. --Anna, a prophetess, one 'of a great age, --whichdeparted not from the temple, but served God with fasting andprayers night and day. And she, coming in at that instant, gavethanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them thatlooked for redemption in Jerusalem' (Luke 2:36-38). 

The Testimony of John Baptist. --John Baptist, as he fulfilled hisministry, he cried concerning this Jesus, 'Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. --And he, ' saith John, 'thatsent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whomthou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining' or abiding, 'the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God' (John 1:29-34). 

The Testimony of the Star and Wise Men. --The star that appeared athis birth in the east, and that coasted through the heavens tillit came over the place where the young child Jesus was, that stargave testimony that he was the Saviour. This star alarmed many, especially the wise men of the east, who were brought by it fromafar to worship him: 'And lo, the star which they saw in the east, went before them till it came and stood over where the young childwas. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding greatjoy. And when they were come into the house, they saw the youngchild, with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him;and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto himgifts, gold, and frankincense, and myrrh' (Matt 2:9-11). 

The Testimony of the Angels. --1. To Mary herself--'And in the sixthmonth the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, -and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured. --And the angel saidunto her, Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, andshalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be calledthe Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto him thethrone of his father David, and he shall reign over the house ofJacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end' (Luke1:26-33). 2. The angels' testimony to the shepherds, as they werefeeding their flocks in the fields by night--'And, lo, the angelof the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone roundabout them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said untothem, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in thecity of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord' (Luke 2:9-11). 3. How the angels solemnized his birth among themselves--'Andsuddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly hostpraising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earthpeace, goodwill towards men' (vv 13, 14). 

The Testimony of God the Father. --1. When he was baptized--'AndJesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water;and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spiritof God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I amwell pleased' (Matt 3:16, 17). 2. The Father's testimony of him athis transfiguration--'And he took Peter and John and James, and wentup into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of hiscountenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. 'And there appeared Moses and Elias talking with him, and a cloudfrom heaven overshadowed them; at which the three disciples beganto be afraid. Then 'there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, Thisis my beloved Son, hear him' (Luke 9:28-35). This is that testimonyof God which Peter speaks of, saying, 'We have not followed cunninglydevised fables, when we made known unto you the power and comingof our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when therecame such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is mybeloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which camefrom heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount'(2 Peter 1:16-18). 3. God gave testimony of him by signs andwonders--'Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Fatherin me? The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: butthe Father, that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. ' 'God alsobearing them witness, ' that preached salvation by Jesus, 'both withsigns and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the HolyGhost, according to his own will' (John 14:10; Heb 2:4). 

Concerning Jesus, how he put himself upon the test among hisadversaries. 

The Lord Jesus also putteth himself upon the test among hisadversaries divers ways. 

First. He urgeth the time of the appearing of the Messias to become--'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand:repent ye, and believe the gospel' (Mark 1:15). 

For this he had a threefold proof--1. The heathens had invadedand taken the land, according to that of Daniel (9:25, 26). 2. Thesceptre was departed from Judah, according to that of Jacob (Gen49:10). To which also suited that prophecy: 'Before the child shallknow to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thouabhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings' (Isa 7:16). 3. TheRoman emperor had not only subdued the nation, and put down thekingly race of the Jews, but had set up and established his ownpower over them. In the fifteenth year of the reign of TiberiusCaesar, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea; Herod was tetrarchof Galilee; Philip, tetrarch of Iturea; and Lysanias, tetrarch ofAbilene; all heathens, and of Tiberius' making. 

Besides, the kingly race of Judah was at this time become so lowby reason of the Roman oppression, that the chief of them were putto get their living by their own hands; even Joseph, the supposedfather of Jesus, was then become a carpenter. Poor man! when Jesuswas born, he was fain to thrust into a stable, for there was inthe inn no room for such guests as they. The offering also whichwas brought unto God at the time when Jesus was presented untothe Lord, was two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons--a sacrificeallowed only for them that were poor, and could provide no bigger--'And ifshe be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons, the one for the burnt-offering, and theother for a sin-offering' (Lev 12:8). Besides, Jesus himself saith, 'Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son ofman hath not where to lay his head. '

Now, I say, all these things were so apparent to the Jews, thatthey could not object; they felt the Romans were come, they knewthe sceptre was gone, they smarted under the Roman tyranny, andknew the kingly race of Judea was overthrown. How, then, could theyobject that the time was not come for Christ to be born?

Further, the people were generally convinced that the time was come, and therefore, saith the text, they were in expectation. 'And asthe people were in expectation, and all men mused in their heartsof John, whether he were the Christ or not' (Luke 3:15). The unbiasedpeople, observing the face of things, could do no other but lookfor the Messias. And hence it is that the Lord Jesus gives thePharisees, those mortal enemies of his, such sore rebukes, saying, 'O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, but can ye notdiscern the signs of the times?' The kingdom is lost, the heathensare come, and the sceptre is departed from Judah. 'Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, and of the earth, but how isit that ye do not discern this time?' (Matt 16:3; Luke 12:56). 

Second. He yet again puts himself upon the test by the miracleswhich he wrought before them--'Believe me, that I am in the Father, and the Father in me, or else believe me for the very works'sake' (John 14:11). 'For the works which the Father hath given meto finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that theFather hath sent me' (John 5:36. )

This proof they could not withstand, but granted that he did manymiracles, while they did nothing. 'Then gathered the chief priestsand the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this mandoeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believeon him, and the Romans shall come, and take away both our placeand nation' (John 11:47, 48). 

Yea, so did Jesus confound them, that by their own records andlaws, by which they were to prove persons clean or unclean, they, in reading their lectures, did justify him, and overthrow themselves. 

For instance, it was written in their law, 'If he that hath anissue spit upon him that is clean, ' that spittle should make himunclean (Lev 15:8). Now Jesus, whom they counted most unclean, because he said he was the Son of God, as they thought, speakingblasphemy, he spits upon people, and makes them whole. He spat, and made clay with the spittle, and with that clay made a blind mansee (John 9:6). Also he spat on the eyes of another, and made himsee (Mark 8:23-25). Again, he spat, and with his spittle touchedthe tongue of one that was dumb, and made him speak immediately(Mark 7:33-35). Thus he proved himself clear of their accusations, and maintained before them that by their law he was guiltless, andthe Son of God; for the miracles which he wrought were to provehim so to be. 

Again, in their law it was written that whoso toucheth the altarof incense should be holy (Exo 29:37). A woman with a bloody issuetouched him, and is whole of her plague (Mark 5:28). Yea, theybrought to him many diseased persons, 'and besought him that theymight only touch the hem of his garment; and as many as touchedwere made perfectly whole' (Matt 14:36). 

Thus was he justified before them out of their own law, and had hisglory manifest before their faces, to their everlasting confusionand contempt. 

Indeed, the Jews did make one objection against Jesus Christ thatseemed to them to have weight in it, and that was, because he firstbegan to appear and manifest his glory in Cana of Galilee. At this, I say, they stumbled. It was their sore temptation; for still, assome affirmed him to be the Christ, others as fast objected, 'ShallChrist come out of Galilee?' 'Art thou also of Galilee? Search andlook; for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet' (John 2:1, 11, 7:40-42, 52). 

But this their stumble might arise either from the cruelty ofHerod, or from their own not observing and keeping mind the alarmthat God gave them at his birth. 

1. It might arise or be occasioned through the cruelty of Herod;for Jesus was born in Bethlehem, the city where David dwelt. Butwhen Herod sent out to kill him, and for his sake killed all theyoung children in Bethlehem, then was Joseph warned by an angel ofGod to take the young child and his mother, and fly into Egypt, andso he did, and was there till the death of Herod (Matt 2:1, 13, 16). After this, the angel comes to them in Egypt, and bids them takethe young child, and return into the land of Israel; wherefore theyarose and went. But hearing that Herod's son, that tyrant, ruledin the room of his father, they were afraid to go to Bethlehem, butturned aside into the parts of Galilee, where they remained tillthe time of his showing to Israel (Matt 2:19-23). 

2. This stumble of theirs might arise from their not observing andkeeping in mind the alarm that God gave them of his birth. (1. )God began to give them the alarm at the birth of John the Baptist, where was asserted that he was to go before the face of the LordJesus, and to prepare his ways. 'And fear came on all that dweltround about them, and all these sayings were noised abroad throughoutall the hill country of Judea' (Luke 1:65). (2. ) Again, what acontinuation of this alarm was there also at the birth of Jesus, which was about three months after John Baptist was born? Now comethe angels from heaven. Now comes a strange star over the countryto lead the men of the east to the stable where Jesus was born; nowwas Herod, the priests, the scribes, and also the city of Jerusalem, awakened and sore troubled; for it was noised by the wise men thatChrist the King and Saviour was born. Besides the shepherds, Simeonand Anna gave notice of him to the people. They should, therefore, have retained the memory of these things, and have followed Godin all his dark providences, until his Sun of Righteousness shouldarise among them with healing under his wings. 

3. I may add another cause of their stumble--they did not understandthe prophecies that went before of him. (1. ) He was to come tothem out of Egypt--'Out of Egypt have I called my Son' (Matt 2:15;Hosea 11:1). (2. ) He turned aside into Cana of Galilee, and dweltin the city of Nazareth, 'that it might be fulfilled which was spokenby the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene' (Matt 2:23). (3. )That saying also was to be fulfilled, 'The land of Zabulon, and theland of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galileeof the Gentiles; the people which sat in darkness saw great light, and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light issprung up' (Matt 4:15, 16; Isa 9:2, 42:7). 

At these things, then, they stumbled, and it was a great judgmentof God upon them. Besides, there seemed to be a contradiction inthe prophecies of the Scripture concerning his coming. He was tobe born in Bethlehem, and yet to come out of Egypt. How should hebe the Christ, and yet come out of Galilee, out of which arisethno prophet? Thus they stumbled. 

Hence note, that though the prophecies and promises be full and plainas these were, that he should be born in Bethlehem, yet men's sinsmay cause them to be fulfilled in such obscurity, that insteadof having benefit thereby, they may stumble and split their soulsthereat. Take heed then; hunt not Christ from plain promises withHerod, hunt him not from Bethlehem, lest he appear to your amazementand destruction from Egypt, or in the land of Zabulon! But thismuch to the second question; to wit, What it was for Jesus to comeinto the world. 

I come now to the third question. 

[WHAT IT WAS FOR JESUS TO COME TO BE A SAVIOUR. ]

QUEST. THIRD. What it was for him to come to be a Saviour. 

For the further handling of this question I must show--First. Whatit is to be a Saviour. Second. What it is to come to be a Saviour. Third. What it is for Jesus to come to be a Saviour. To these threebriefly--

First. What it is TO BE a Saviour. 1. A saviour supposeth some inmisery, and himself one that is to deliver them. 2. A saviour iseither such an one ministerially or meritoriously. 

Ministerially is, when one person engageth or is engaged by virtueof respect or command from superiors, to go and obtain, by conquestor the king's redemption, the captives, or persons grieved bythe tyranny of an enemy. And thus were Moses and Joshua, and thejudges and kings of Israel, saviours--'Thou deliveredst them intothe hands of their enemies, who vexed them: and in the time oftheir trouble, when they cried unto thee, thou heardest them fromheaven; and according to thy manifold mercies thou gavest themsaviours, who saved them out of the hand of their enemies' (Neh9:27). Thus was Jesus Christ a Saviour; he was engaged by virtue ofrespect and command from God to obtain, by conquest and redemption, the captives or persons grieved. God sent his Son to be 'the Saviourof the world' (John 4:42). 

Meritoriously is, when the person engaging shall, at his ownproper cost and charge, give a sufficient value or price for thosehe redeemeth. Thus those under the law were redeemed by the moneycalled the redemption-money--'And Moses gave the money of those thatwere redeemed unto Aaron and to his sons' (Num 3:46-51). And thuswas Jesus Christ a Saviour. He paid full price to Divine justicefor sinners, even his own precious blood--'Forasmuch as ye knowthat ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver andgold, from your vain conversation, received by tradition from yourfathers, but with the precious blood of Christ' (1 Peter 1:18, 19). 

And forasmuch as, in man's redemption, the undertaker must haverespect, not only to the paying of a price, but also to the gettingof a victory; for there is not only justice to satisfy, but death, devil, hell, and the grave, to conquer; therefore hath he also byhimself gotten the victory over these. He hath abolished death (2Tim 1:10). He hath destroyed the devil (Heb 2:14, 15). He hath beenthe destruction of the grave (Hosea 13:14). He hath gotten the keysof hell (Rev 1:18). And this, I say, he did by himself, at his ownproper cost and charge, when he triumphed over them upon his cross(Col 2:14, 15). 

Second. What it is TO COME to be a Saviour. 

1. To come to be one, supposeth one ordained and fore-prepared forthat work--'Then said he, Lo, I come, a body hast thou preparedme' (Heb 10). 

2. To come to be a Saviour supposeth one commissionated or authorizedto that work--'The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hathanointed me, ' authorized me, 'to preach the gospel to the poor;he hath sent met to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliveranceto the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set atliberty them that are bruised' (Luke 4:18). And upon this accountit is that he is so often called Christ, or the Anointed One;the anointed Jesus, or Jesus the Anointed Saviour. 'Thou art theChrist, the Son of God, which should come into the world. ' 'ThisJesus whom I preach unto you is Christ. ' He 'testified to the Jewsthat Jesus was Christ, ' 'and confounded the Jews which dwelt atDamascus, proving' by the Scriptures 'that this is very Christ'(John 11:27; Acts 9:22, 17:3, 18:5); the very anointed of God, orhe whom God authorized and qualified to be the Saviour of the world. 

3. To come to be a Saviour supposeth a resolution to do that workbefore he goeth back--'I will ransom them from the power of thegrave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues;O grave, I will be thy destruction; repentance shall be hid frommine eyes' (Hosea 13:14). 

And as he resolved, so he hath done. He hath purged our sins (Heb1:3). By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that aresanctified (Heb 10:14). He hath obtained eternal redemption forthem (Heb 9:12; 2 Tim 1:10; Heb 9:26; Col 2:15; Heb 6:18-20). 

Third. I come now to the third question--What it is for JESUS tocome to be a Saviour. 

1. It is the greatest discovery of man's misery and inability tosave himself therefrom that ever was made in the world. Must the Sonof God himself come down from heaven? or can there be no salvation?Cannot one sinner save another? Cannot man by any means redeem hisbrother, nor give to God a ransom for him? Cannot an angel do it?Cannot all the angels do it? No; Christ must come and die to doit. 

2. It is the greatest discovery of the love of God that ever theworld had, for God so to love the world as to send his Son! ForGod so to commend his love to the world as to send it to them inthe blood of his Son! Amazing love! (John 3:16; Rom 5:8). 

3. It is the greatest discovery of the condescension of Christthat ever the world had, that he should not come 'to be ministeredunto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many'(Matt 20:28). That he should be manifest for this purpose, 'that hemight destroy the works of the devil' (1 John 3:8). That he shouldcome that we 'might have life, and that we might have it moreabundantly' (John 10:10). That the Son of God should 'come to seekand to save that which was lost' (Luke 19:10). That he should notcome 'to judge the world, but to save the world' (John 12:47). That'Christ Jesus should come into the world to save sinners, of whomI am the chief' (1 Tim 1:15). That he should 'love us, and wash usfrom our sins in his own blood' (Rev 1:5). What amazing condescensionand humility is this! (Phil 2:6-9). 

HOW JESUS CHRIST ADDRESSED HIMSELF TO THE WORK OF OUR REDEMPTION. 

I come, then, in the next place, to show you how Jesus Christaddressed himself to the work of man's redemption. 

The Scripture saith, 'he became poor, ' that he made himself of noreputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, that he humbledhimself unto death, even the death of the cross. But particularly, FIRST. He took upon him our flesh. SECOND. He was made under thelaw. THIRD. He took upon him our sins. FOURTH. He bore the cursedue to our sins. 

[HE TOOK UPON HIM OUR FLESH. ]

FIRST. He took upon him our flesh. I showed you before that he camein our flesh, and now I must show you the reason of it--namely, because that was the way to address himself to the work of ourredemption. 

Wherefore, when the apostle treated of the incarnation of Christ, he added withal the reason--to wit, that he might be capable towork out the redemption of men. 

There are three things to be considered in this first head. First. That he took our flesh for this reason--that he might be a Saviour. Second. How he took flesh, that he might be our Saviour. Third. That it was necessary that he should take our flesh, if indeed hewill be our Saviour. 

[He took our flesh, that he might be a Saviour. ]

[First. ] For the first. That he took our flesh for this reason--thathe might be a Saviour: 'For what the law could not do, in that itwas weak through the flesh, God, sending his own Son in the likenessof sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh' (Rom8:3). 

The sum of the words is, Forasmuch as the law could do us no good, by reason of the inability that is in our flesh to do it--for thelaw can do us no good until it be fulfilled--and because God had adesire that good should come to us, therefore did he send his Sonin our likeness, clothed with flesh, to destroy, by his doing thelaw, the tendency of the sin that dwells in our flesh. He thereforetook our flesh, that our sin, with its effects, might by him becondemned and overcome. 

The reason, therefore, why he took flesh is, because he would beour Saviour--'Forasmuch, then, as the children are partakers offlesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same;that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death wereall their lifetime subject to bondage' (Heb 2:14, 15). 

In these words it is asserted that he took our flesh for certainreasons. 

1. Because the children, the heirs of heaven, are partakers offlesh and blood--'Forasmuch, then, as the children are partakersof flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same. ' Had thechildren, the heirs, been without flesh, he himself had not takenit upon him; had the children been angels, he had taken upon himthe nature of angels; but because the children were partakers offlesh, therefore leaving angels, or refusing to take hold of angels, he took flesh and blood, the nature of the children, that he mightput himself into a capacity to save and deliver the children;therefore it follows, that 'through death he might destroy him thathad the power of death, that is, the devil. '

2. This, therefore, was another reason--that he might destroy thedevil. 

The devil had bent himself against the children; he is theiradversary, and goeth forth to make war with them--'Your adversary, the devil. --And he went to make war with the remnant of her seed'(1 Peter 5:8; Rev 12:17). Now the children could not destroy him, because he had already cast them into sin, defiled their nature, and laid them under the wrath of God. Therefore Christ puts himselfamong the children, and into the nature of the children, that hemight, by means of his dying in their flesh, destroy the devil--thatis, take away sin, his [the devil's] work, that he might destroythe works of the devil; for sin is the great engine of hell, bywhich he overthroweth all that perish. Now this did Christ destroyby taking on him the similitude of sinful flesh; of which moreanon. 

3. 'That he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver them. ' This was the thing in chief intended, that he might deliver the children, that he might deliver themfrom death, the fruit of their sin, and from sin, the sting of thatdeath--'That he might deliver them who through fear of death wereall their lifetime subject to bondage. '

He took flesh, therefore, because the children had it; he took itthat he might die for the children; he took it that he might deliverthe children from the works of the devil--'that he might deliverthem. ' No deliverance had come to the children if the Son of Godhad not taken their flesh and blood; therefore he took our flesh, that he might be our Saviour. 

Again, in a Saviour there must be not only merit, but compassion andsympathy, because the children are yet to live by faith, are notyet come to the inheritance--'Wherefore it behoved him in all thingsto be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a mercifuland faithful High-priest in things pertaining to God, to makereconciliation for the sins of the people' (Heb 2:17, 18). 

Two reasons are rendered in this text why he must take flesh--namely, that he might be their priest to offer sacrifice, to wit, his bodyand blood for them; and that he might be merciful and faithful, topity and preserve them unto the kingdom appointed for them. 

Mark you, therefore, how the apostle, when he asserteth thatthe Lord Jesus took our flesh, urgeth the reason why he took ourflesh--that he might destroy the devil and death, that he mightdeliver them. It behoveth him to be made like unto his brethren, thathe might be merciful and faithful, that he might make reconciliationfor the sins of the people. The reason, therefore, why he took ourflesh is declared--to wit, that he might be our Saviour. And henceyou find it so often recorded. He hath 'abolished in his flesh theenmity. ' He hath 'slain the enmity' by his flesh. 'And you thatwere sometimes alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled in the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable--in his sight' (Eph 2:15, 16;Col 1:21, 22). 

How he took flesh. 

Second. I come now to the second question--to wit, How he took ourflesh. This must be inquired into; for his taking flesh was notafter the common way; never any took man's flesh upon him as he, since the foundation of the world. 

1. He took not our flesh like Adam, who was formed out of theground; 'who was made of the dust of the ground' (Gen 2:7, 3:19). 2. He took not our flesh as we do, by carnal generation. Josephknew not his wife, neither did Mary know any man, till she hadbrought forth her first-born son (Matt 1:25; Luke 1:34). 3. He tookflesh, then, by the immediate working and overshadowing of the HolyGhost. And hence it is said expressly, 'She was found with childof the Holy Ghost. ' 'Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on thiswise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before theycame together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost' (Matt1:18). And hence again, when Joseph doubted of her honesty, forhe perceived she was with child, and knew he had not touched her, the angel of God himself comes down to resolve his doubt, andsaid, 'Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Marythy wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost'(Matt 1:20). 

But again, though the Holy Ghost was that by which the child Jesuswas formed in the womb, so as to be without carnal generation, yetwas he not formed in her without, but by, her conception--'Behold, thou shalt conceive in they womb, and bring forth a son, and shaltcall his name JESUS' (Luke 1:31). Wherefore he took flesh not onlyin, but of, the Virgin. Hence he is called her son, the seed of thewoman; and hence it is also that he is called the seed of Abraham, the seed of David; their seed, according to the flesh (Gen 12, 13:15, 22; Luke 1:31, 2:7; Rom 1:3, 9:5; Gal 3:16, 4:4). 

And this, the work he undertook, required, 1. It required thathe should take our flesh. 2. It required that he should take ourflesh without sin, which could not be had he taken it by reasonof a carnal generation; for so all children are conceived in, andpolluted with, sin (Psa 51). And the least pollution, either offlesh or spirit, had utterly disabled him for the work, which todo, he came down from heaven. Therefore, 'such an High-priest becameus, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, andmade higher than the heavens' (Heb 7:26). 

This mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God was thus completed, I say, that he might be in all points like as we are, yet withoutsin; for sin in the flesh disableth and maketh incapable to dothe commandment. Therefore was he thus made, thus made of a woman;and this the angel assigneth as the reason of this his marvellousincarnation. 'The Holy Ghost, ' saith he, 'shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore alsothat holy thing that shall be born of thee shall be called the Sonof God' (Luke 1:35). 

The overshadowing of the Holy Ghost and the power of the Highest--theFather and the Holy Ghost--brought this wonderful thing to pass, for Jesus is a wonderful one in his conception and birth. Thismystery is that next to the mystery of three persons in one God;it is a great mystery. 'Great is the mystery of godliness: God wasmanifest in the flesh. '

The conclusion is, that Jesus Christ took our flesh that he mightbe our Saviour; and that he might be our Saviour indeed, he thustook our flesh. 

That it was necessary that he should take our flesh if he will beour Saviour. 

Third. I come now to the third thing--namely, that it was necessarythat he should take our flesh if he will be our Saviour. 

1. And that, first, from the nature of the work; his work was tosave, to save man, sinking man, man that was 'going down to thepit' (Job 33:24). Now, he that will save him that is sinking musttake hold on him. And since he was not to save a man, but men, therefore it was necessary that he should take hold, not of oneperson, but of the common nature, clothing himself with part of thesame. He took not hold of angels, 'but he took on him the seed ofAbraham' (Heb 2:16). For that flesh was the same with the wholelump of the children to whom the promise was made, and comprehendedin it the body of them that shall be saved, even as in Adam wascomprehended the whole world at first (Rom 5). 

Hence we are said to be chosen in him, to be gathered, being inhim, to be dead by him, to be risen with him, and to be set withhim, or in him, in heavenly places already (Rom 7:4; Eph 1:4, 10;Col 2:12, 13, 3:1-3). This, then, was the wisdom of the great God, that the Eternal Son of his love should take hold of, and so securethe sinking souls of perishing sinners by assuming their flesh. 

2. The manner of his doing the work of a Saviour did call for histaking of our flesh. 

He must do the work by dying. 'Ought not Christ to have suffered?Christ must needs have suffered, ' or else no glory follows (Luke24:26; Acts 17:3). 'The prophets testified beforehand the sufferingsof Christ, and the glory that should follow' (1 Peter 1:11). Yea, they did it by the Spirit, even by the Spirit of Christ himself. This Spirit, then, did bid them tell the world, yea, testify, that Christ must suffer, or no man be blest with glory; for thethreatening of death and the curse of the law lay in the way betweenheaven gates and the souls of the children, for their sins; whereforehe that will save them must answer Divine justice, or God mustlie, in saving them without inflicting the punishment threatened. Christ, then, must needs have suffered; the manner of the work laida necessity upon him to take our flesh upon him; he must die, hemust die for us, he must die for our sins. And this was effectuallyforetold by all the bloody sacrifices that were offered under thelaw--the blood of bulls, the blood of lambs, the blood of rams, the blood of calves, and the blood of goats and birds. These bloodysacrifices, what did they signify, what were they figures of, butof the bloody sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ? their bloodbeing a shadow of his blood, and their flesh being a shadow of hisflesh. 

Therefore, when God declared that he took no pleasure in them, because they could not make the worshippers perfect as pertainingto the conscience, then comes Jesus Christ to offer his sinless bodyand soul for the sin of the people--'For it is not possible thatthe blood of bulls and of goats should take away sin. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifices and offering thouwouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me; in burnt-offeringsand sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do thywill, O God. ' Since burnt-offerings cannot do thy will, my bodyshall; since the blood of bulls and goats cannot do thy will, myblood shall. Then follows, By the will of God 'we are sanctified, through the offering up of the body of Jesus Christ once for all'(Heb 10:4-10). 

3. The end of the work required that Christ, if he will be ourSaviour, should take upon him our flesh. 

The end of our salvation is, that we might enjoy God, and that heby us might be glorified for ever and ever. 

(1. ) That we might enjoy God. 'I will dwell in them, and they shallbe my people, and I will be their God. ' This indwelling of God, andconsequently our enjoyment of him, begins first in its eminency byhis possessing our flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. Hence hisname is called 'Immanuel, God with us'; and 'the Word was madeflesh, and dwelt among us. ' The flesh of Christ is the tabernaclewhich the Lord pitched, according to that saying, 'The tabernacleof God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall behis people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God'(Rev 21:3). Here God beginneth to discover his glory, and to bedesirable to the sons of men. 

God could not communicate himself to us, nor take us into theenjoyment of himself, but with respect to that flesh which his Sontook of the Virgin, because sin stood betwixt. Now this flesh onlywas the holy lump, in this flesh God could dwell; and forasmuchas this flesh is the same with ours, and was taken up with intentthat what was done in and by that, should be communicated to allthe children; therefore through that doth God communicate of himselfunto his people--'God was in Christ, reconciling the world untohimself' (2 Cor 5:19). And 'I am the way, ' saith Christ, 'no mancometh unto the Father but by me' (John 14:6). 

That passage to the Hebrews is greatly to our purpose. We haveboldness, brethren, 'to enter into the holiest, ' the place whereGod is, 'by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, whichhe hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, hisflesh' (Heb 10:19, 20). 

Wherefore by the flesh and blood of Christ we enter into the holiest;through the veil, saith he, that is to say, his flesh. 

(2. ) As the end of our salvation is that we might enjoy God, soalso it is that he by us might be glorified for ever--'That God inall things might be glorified, through Jesus Christ our Lord. '

Here indeed will the mystery of his grace, wisdom, justice, power, holiness, and glory, inhabit eternal praise, while we that arecounted worthy of the kingdom of God shall admire at the mystery, and see ourselves, without ourselves, even by the flesh and bloodof Christ through faith therein, effectually and eternally saved. Oh, this will be the burden of our eternal joy--God loved us, andgave his Son for us; Christ loved us, and gave his flesh for ourlife, and his blood for our eternal redemption and salvation!

THAT CHRIST WAS MADE UNDER THE LAW. 

SECOND. But, secondly CHRIST WAS MADE UNDER THE LAW--'When thefulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of awoman, made under the law' (Gal 4:4). 

Of right, being found in flesh, he must needs be under the law, for that there is not any creature above or without law to God; butthis is not to the point in hand. Christ was not therefore underthe law because he was found in flesh, but he took flesh, anddesignedly put himself, or was made under the law; wherefore itis added, He was made under the law to 'redeem, ' to redeem themthat were under that law. Wherefore, here is a design, a heavenlycontrivance and device on foot; Christ is made--that is, by designsubjected--under the law, for the sake and upon the account ofothers, 'to redeem them that were under the law. '

Made under the law--that is, put himself into the room of sinners, into the condition of sinners; made himself subject to the samepains and penalties we were obnoxious to. We were under the law, and it had dominion over us, bound us upon pain of eternal damnationto do completely all things written in the law. This conditionChrist put himself into that 'he might redeem'; for assuredly wehad else perished. 

The law had dominion over us, and since we had sinned, of rightit pronounced the curse, and made all men subject to the wrath ofGod. Christ, therefore, did not only come into our flesh, but alsointo our condition, into the valley and shadow of death where wewere, and where we are, as we are sinners. He that is under thelaw is under the edge of the axe. When David was to go to visithis brethren, and to save them from the hand of Goliath, he wasto look how his brethren fared, and to 'take their pledge' (1 Sam17:18). This is true of Jesus Christ when he came to save us fromthe hand of death and the law; he looked how his brethren fared, took to heart their deplorable condition, and put himself into thesame plight--to wit, under the law, that he might redeem them thatwere under the law. 

I told you before that he came sinless into the world, that he hada miraculous conception, and wonderful birth; and here you see areason for it, he was to be put, or made, under the law, 'to redeem. 'He that will be made under the law to redeem, had need be sinlessand spotless himself; for the law findeth fault with the least, and condemneth man for the first beginning of, sin. 

Without this, then, there could not have been redemption, nor anythe sons of God by adoption: no redemption, because the sentenceof death had already passed upon all; no sons by adoption, becausethat is the effect of redemption. 'God sent forth his Son, madeof a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under thelaw, that we might receive the adoption of sons. ' Christ, then, bybeing made under the law, hath recovered his from under the law, and obtained for them the privilege of the adoption of sons. 

For, as I told you before, Christ stood a common[3] person, presenting in himself the whole lump of the promised seed, or thechildren of the promise; wherefore he comes under the law for them, takes upon him to do what the law required of them, takes upon himto do it for them. 

He began, therefore, at the first tittle of the law, and going inman's flesh, for man, through the law, he becomes 'the end of thelaw for righteousness to every one that believeth. ' The END of thelaw--what is the end of the law but perfect and sinless obedience?that is the end of the law, both with respect to its nature, andthe cause of its being imposed. God gave the law, that completerighteousness should by that be found upon men; but because sin wasgot into man's flesh, therefore this righteousness, by us, couldnot be completed. Now comes Christ the Lord into the world, clotheshimself with the children's flesh, addresseth himself to the workof their redemption, is made under the law; and going through everypart of the law without sin, he becometh 'the end of the law for'justifying 'righteousness to every one that believeth' (Rom 10:4). For he obeyed not the law for himself, he needed no obediencethereto; it was we that needed obedience, it was we that wanted toanswer the law; we wanted it but could not obtain it, because thenthe law was weak through the flesh; therefore God sent his ownSon, and he did our duty for us, even to become the end of the lawto every one that believeth. In this, therefore, Christ labouredfor us, he was made under the law to redeem. Therefore, as I saidbefore, it behoved him to be sinless, because the law binds overto answer for sin at the bar of the judgment of God. Therefore didhis Godhead assume our human flesh, in a clean and spotless way, that he might come under 'the law, to redeem them that were underthe law. '

For, consisting of two natures, and the personality lying in theGodhead, which gave value and worth to all things done for us bythe manhood, the obedience takes denomination from thence, to bethe obedience of God. The Son's righteousness, the Son's blood; therighteousness of God, the blood of God (Heb 5:8, 9; Phil 3:9; Acts20:28; 1 John 3:16). 

Thus Jesus Christ came into the world under the law to redeem, notsimply as God, but God-man, both natures making one Christ. TheGodhead, therefore, did influence and give value to the human fleshof Christ in all its obedience to the law, else there would havebeen wanting that perfection of righteousness which only couldanswer the demands and expectation of the justice of God; to wit, perfect righteousness by flesh. 

But the second Person in the Godhead, the Son, the Word, comingunder the law for men in their flesh, and subjecting himself bythat flesh to every tittle and demand of the law; all and everywhit of what was acted and done by Jesus Christ, God-man, for us, it was and is the righteousness of God; and since it was not donefor himself, but for us, as he saith in the text, 'to redeem, ' therighteousness by which we are set free from the law is none otherbut the righteousness that alone resideth in the person of the Sonof God. 

And that it is absolutely necessary thus it should be, is evident, both with respect to God and also with respect to man. 

With respect to God. The righteousness is demanded by God; thereforehe that comes to redeem must present before God a righteousnessabsolutely perfect; this can be done by none but God. 

With respect to man. Man was to present this righteousness to God;therefore must the undertaker be man. Man for man, and God for God, God-man between God and man. This daysman can lay his hand upon usboth, and bring God and man together in peace (Job 9:33). 

Quest. But some may say, what need of the righteousness of onethat is naturally God? Had Adam, who was but a mere man, stood inhis innocency, and done his duty, he had saved himself and all hisposterity. 

Answ. Had Adam stood, he had so long secured himself from the wagesof sin, and posterity so long as they were in him. But had Adamsinned, yea, although he had not defiled his nature with filth, he could never after that have redeemed himself from the curse ofthe law, because he was not equal with God; for the curse of thelaw is the curse of God; but no man can deliver himself from thecurse of God, having first transgressed. This is evident, becauseangels, for sin, lie bound in chains, and can never deliverthemselves. He, therefore, that redeemeth man from under the lawmust not only do all the good that the law requireth, but bear allthe penalty that is due by the law for sin. 

Should an angel assume human flesh, and in that flesh do the law, this righteousness would not redeem a sinner; it would be but therighteousness of an angel, and so, far short of such a righteousnessas can secure a sinner from the wrath of God. But 'thou shalt lovethe Lord thy God with all thy soul, with all thy heart, with allthy mind, with all thy strength. ' If there were no more requiredof us now to redeem ourselves, it would be utterly impossible forus to do it, because in the best there is sin, which will intermixitself with every duty of man. This being so, all the heart, all thesoul, all the strength, and all the mind, to the exact requirementof the justice of the law, can never be found in a natural man. 

Besides, for this work there is required a perfect memory, alwaysto keep in mind the whole duty of man, the whole of every tittle ofall the law, lest sin come in by forgetfulness; a perfect knowledgeand judgment, lest sin come in by ignorance; an everlastingunweariedness in all, lest sin and continual temptation tire thesoul, and cause it to fail before the whole be done. 

For the accomplishing of this last, he must have--1. A perfectwillingness, without the least thought to the contrary. 2. Such ahatred of sin as is not to be found but in the heart of God. 3. Afull delight in every duty, and that in the midst of all temptations. 4. A continuing in all things to the well-pleasing of the justiceof God. 

I say, should the penalty of the law be taken off, should Godforgive the penalty and punishment due to sins that are past, andonly demand good works now, according to the tenor of the law, noman could be saved; there would not be found that heart, that soul, that mind, and that strength, anywhere in the world. 

This, therefore, must cease for ever, unless the Son of God willput his shoulder to the work; but, blessed be God, he hath doneit--'When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth hisSon, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that wereunder the law. '

CHRIST TOOK UPON HIM OUR SINS. 

THIRD. But thirdly, CHRIST OUR SAVIOUR TAKES UPON HIM OUR SINS. This is another step to the work of our redemption. 'He hath madehim to be sin for us. ' Strange doctrine! A fool would think itblasphemy; but Truth hath said it. Truth, I say, hath said, notthat he was made to sin, but that God made him to be sin--'He hathmade him to be sin for us' (2 Cor 5:21). 

This, therefore, showeth us how effectually Christ Jesus undertookthe work of our redemption--He was made to be sin for us. Sin is thegreat block and bar to our happiness; sin is the procurer of allmiseries to men both here and for ever. Take away sin, and nothingcan hurt us; for death temporal, death spiritual, and death eternal, are the wages of sin (Rom 6:23). 

Sin, then, and man for sin, is the object of the wrath of God. Ifthe object of the wrath of God, then is his case most dreadful; forwho can bear, who can grapple with the wrath of God? Men cannot, angels cannot, the whole world cannot. All, therefore, must sinkunder sin, but he who is made to be sin for us; he only can bearsins, he only can bear them away, and therefore were they laidupon him--'The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all' (Isa53:6). 

Mark, therefore, and you shall find that the reason why God madehim to be sin for us was, 'that we might be made the righteousnessof God in him. ' He took our flesh, he was made under the law, andwas made to be sin for us, that the devil might be destroyed, thatthe captives might be redeemed, and made the righteousness of Godin him. 

And forasmuch as he saith that God 'hath made him to be sin, ' itdeclareth that the design of God and the mystery of his will andgrace was in it. 'He hath made him to be sin. ' God hath done it, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. There was noother way; the wisdom of heaven could find no other way; we couldnot by other means stand just before the justice of God. 

Now, what remains but that we who are reconciled to God by faithin his blood are quit, discharged, and set free from the law of sinand death? Yea, what encouragement to trust in him, when we readthat God 'made him to be sin for us. '

Quest. But how was Jesus Christ made of God to be sin for us?

Answ. Even so as if himself had committed all our sins; that is, they were as really charged upon him as if himself had been the actorand committer of them all. 'He hath made him to be sin, ' not onlyas a sinner, but as sin itself. He was as the sin of the world thatday he stood before God in our stead. Some, indeed, will not haveJesus Christ our Lord to be made sin for us; their wicked reasonsthink this to be wrong judgment in the Lord; it seems, supposingthat because they cannot imagine how it should be, therefore God, if he does it, must do it at his peril, and must be charged withdoing wrong judgment, and so things that become not his heavenlyMajesty; but against this duncish sophistry[4] we set Paul andIsaiah, the one telling us still, 'the Lord hath laid on him theiniquity of us all'; and the other, that 'God made him to be sinfor us. '

But these men, as I suppose, think it enough for Christ to dieunder that notion only, not knowing nor feeling the burden of sin, and the wrath of God due thereto. These make him as senseless inhis dying, and as much without reason, as a silly sheep or goat, who also died for sin, but so as in name, in show, in shadow only. They felt not the proper weight, guilt, and judgment of God forsin. But thou, sinner, who art so in thine own eyes, and who feelestguilt in thine own conscience, know thou that Jesus Christ, the Sonof the living God in flesh, was made to be sin for thee, or stoodsensibly guilty of all thy sins before God, and bare them in hisown body upon the cross. 

God charged our sins upon Christ, and that in their guilt and burden, what remaineth but that the charge was real or feigned? If real, then he hath either perished under them, or carried them away frombefore God; if they were charged but feignedly, then did he butfeignedly die for them, then shall we have but feigned benefit byhis death, and but a feigned salvation at last--not to say how thiscursed doctrine chargeth God and Christ with hypocrisy, the one insaying, He made Christ to be sin; the other in saying that he bareour sin; when, in deed and in truth, our guilt and burden neverwas really upon him. 

Quest. But might not Christ die for our sins but he needs must beartheir guilt or burden?

Answ. He that can sever sin and guilt, sin and the burden, each fromother, laying sin and no guilt, sin and no burden on the personthat dieth for sin, must do it only in his own imaginative head. No scripture, nor reason, nor sense, understandeth or feeleth sinwhen charged without its guilt and burden. 

And here we must distinguish between sin charged and sin forgiven. Sin forgiven may be seen without guilt or burden, though I thinknot without shame in this world; but sin charged, and that by thejustice of God--for so it was upon Christ--this cannot be but guiltand the burden, as inseparable companions, must unavoidably lie onthat person. Poor sinner, be advised to take heed of such deludedpreachers who, with their tongues smoother than oil, would robthee of that excellent doctrine, 'God hath made him to be sin forus'; for such, as I said, do not only present thee with a feigneddeliverance and forgiveness, with a feigned heaven and happiness, but charge God and the Lord Jesus as mere impostors, who, whilethey tell us that Christ was made of God to be sin for us, affirmthat it was not so really, suggesting this sophistical reason, 'No wrong judgment comes from the Lord. ' I say again, this wickeddoctrine is the next way to turn the gospel in thy thoughts to nomore than a cunningly-devised fable (2 Peter 1:16), and to makeJesus Christ, in his dying for our sins, as brutish as the paschallamb in Moses' law. 

Wherefore, distressed sinner, when thou findest it recorded inthe Word of truth that Christ died for our sins, and that God hathmade him to be sin for us, then do thou consider of sin as it is atransgression against the law of God, and that as such it procureththe judgment of God, torments and afflicts the mind with guilt, and bindeth over the soul to answer it. Sever not sin and guiltasunder, lest thou be an hypocrite like these wicked men, and robChrist of his true sufferings. Besides, to see sin upon Christ, butnot its guilt; to see sin upon Christ, but not the legal punishment, what is this but to conclude that either there is no guilt andpunishment in sin, or that Christ bare our sin, but we the punishment?for the punishment must be borne, because the sentence is gone outfrom the mouth of God against sin. 

Do thou therefore, as I have said, consider of sin as a transgressionof the law (1 John 3:4), and a provoker of the justice of God;which done, turn thine eye to the cross, and behold those sins, inthe guilt and punishment of them, sticking in the flesh of Christ. 'God condemned sin in the flesh' of Christ (Rom 8:3). He 'bare oursins in his own body on the tree' (1 Peter 2:24). 

I would only give thee this caution--Not sin in the nature ofsin--sin was not so in the flesh of Christ; but sin in the naturalpunishment of it--to wit, guilt, and the chastising hand of justice. 'He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for ouriniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and withhis stripes we are healed' (Isa 53:5). 

Look, then, upon Christ crucified to be as the sin of the world, as if he only had broken the law; which done, behold him perfectlyinnocent in himself, and so conclude that for the transgressionof God's people he was stricken; that when the Lord made him to besin, he made him to be sin for us. [5]

HE WAS MADE A CURSE FOR US. 

FOURTH. As he was made flesh under the law, and also sin, SO HEWAS MADE A CURSE FOR US--'Christ hath redeemed us from the curseof the law, being made a curse for us; as it is written, Cursedis every one that hangeth on a tree. ' This sentence is taken outof Moses, being passed there upon them that for sin are worthyof death--'And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, andthou hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night uponthe tree, but thou shalt in anywise bury him that day, for he thatis hanged is accursed of God' (Deut 21:22, 23). By this sentencePaul concludeth that Jesus Christ was justly hanged, because sinworthy of death was upon him; sin, not of his own, but ours. Since, then, he took our sins, he must be cursed of God; for sin is sinwherever it lies, and justice is justice wherever it finds it;wherefore since Jesus Christ will bear our sin, he must be 'numberedwith the transgressors, ' and counted worthy to die the death. 

He that committeth sin is worthy of death. This, though Christ didnot personally do, his members, his body, which is his church did;and since he would undertake for them with God, and stand in theirsins before the eyes of his justice, he must die the death by thelaw. 

Sin and the curse cannot be severed. Sin must be followed with thecurse of God. Sin therefore being removed from us to the back ofChrist, thither goes also the curse; for if sin be found upon him, he is the person worthy to die--worthy by our sins. 

Wherefore Paul here setteth forth Christ clothed with our sins, and so taking from us the guilt and punishment. What punishment, but the wrath and displeasure of God?--'Christ hath redeemed usfrom the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. '

In this word 'curse' are two things comprised, 1. The reality of sin; for there can be no curse where there isno sin, either of the person's own, or made to be his by his ownconsent or the imputation of Divine justice. And since sins are madeto be Christ's by imputation, they are his, though not naturally, yet really, and consequently the wages due. He hath made him to besin; he was made a curse for us. 

2. This word 'curse' compriseth, therefore, the punishment of sin, that punishment properly due to sin from the hand of God's justice, which punishment standeth in three things--(1. ) In charging sinupon the body and soul of the person concerned; and hence we readthat both the body and soul of Christ 'were made an offering forsin' (Isa 53:10; Heb 10:10). (2. ) The punishment standeth in God'sinflicting of the just merits of sin upon him that standeth chargedtherewith, and that is death in its own nature and strength; towit, death with the sting thereof--'The sting of death is sin. 'This death did Christ die because he died for our sins. (3. ) Thesorrows and pains of this death, therefore, must be undergone byJesus Christ. 

Now there are divers sorrows in death--such sorrows as brutes aresubject to; such sorrows as persons are subject to that stand insin before God; such sorrows as those undergo who are swallowed upof the curse and wrath of God for ever. 

Now so much of all kinds of sorrow as the imputation of our sincould justly bring from the hand of Divine justice, so much of ithe had. He had death. He had the sting of death, which is sin. Hewas forsaken of God; but could not by any means have those sorrowswhich they have that are everlastingly swallowed up of them. 'Itwas not possible that he should be holden of it' (Acts 2:24). 

For where sin is charged and borne, there must of necessity followthe wrath and curse of God. Now where the wrath and curse of God is, there must of necessity follow the effects, the natural effects--Isay, the natural effects--to wit, the sense, the sorrowful senseof the displeasure of an infinite Majesty, and his chastisementsfor the sin that hath provoked him. There are effects natural, and effects accidental; those accidental are such as flow fromour weakness, whilst we wrestle with the judgment of God--to wit, hellish fear, despair, rage, blasphemy, and the like; these werenot incident to Jesus Christ, he being in his own person everyway perfect. Neither did he always endure the natural effects; hismerits relieved and delivered him. God loosed the pains of death, 'because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. '

Christ then was made a curse for us, for he did bear our sin; thepunishment therefore from the revenging hand of God must needs fallupon him. 

Wherefore by these four things we see how Christ became ourSaviour--he took hold of our nature, was born under the law, wasmade to be sin, and the accursed of God for us. And observe it--allthis, as I said before, was the handiwork of God. God made himflesh, made him under the law, God made him to be sin, and alsoa curse for us. The Lord bruised him, the Lord put him to grief, the Lord made his soul an offering for sin (Isa 53:10). Not forthat he hated him, considering him in his own harmless, innocent, and blessed person, for he was daily his delight; but by an actof grace to us-ward, were our iniquities laid upon him, and he inour stead was bruised and chastised for them. God loved us, andmade him a curse for us. He was made a curse for us, 'that theblessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through [faith in]Jesus Christ' (Gal 3:14). 

FURTHER DEMONSTRATION OF THIS TRUTH. 

Before I pass this truth, I will present thee, courteous reader, with two or three demonstrations for its further confirmation. 

First. That Christ did bear our sins and curse is clear, becausehe died, and that without a mediator. 

He died--'The wages of sin is death' (Rom 6:23). Now if deathbe the wages of sin, and that be true that Christ did die and notsin, either the course of justice is perverted, or else he died forour sins; there was 'no cause of death in him, ' yet he died (Acts13:28). He did no evil, guile was not found in his mouth, yet hereceived the wages of sin (1 Peter 2:22). Sin, therefore, thoughnot of his own, was found upon him, and laid to his charge, because'he died. ' 'Christ died for our sins, ' Christ 'gave himself forour sins' (1 Cor 15:1-3; Gal 1:4). 

He, then, that will conclude that Christ did not bear our sin, chargeth God foolishly, for delivering him up to death; for layingon him the wages, when in no sense he deserved the same. Yea, heoverthroweth the whole gospel, for that hangeth on this hinge--'Christdied for our sins. '

Object. But all that die do not bear the curse of God for sin. 

Answ. But all that die without a mediator do. Angels died thecursed death because Christ took not hold of them; and they for whomChrist never prayeth, they die the cursed death, for they perisheverlastingly in the unutterable torments of hell. Christ, too, died that death which is the proper wages of sin, for he had noneto stand for him. 'I looked, ' saith he, 'and there was none tohelp; and I wondered that there was none to uphold: therefore mineown arm brought salvation unto me. --And he saw that there was noman, and wondered that there was no intercessor; therefore his armbrought salvation unto him, and his righteousness it sustained him'(Isa 63:5, 54:16). 

Christ then died, or endured the wages of sin, and that without anintercessor, without one between God and him; he grappled immediatelywith the eternal justice of God, who inflicted on him death, thewages of sin; there was no man to hold off the hand of God; justicehad his full blow at him, and made him a curse for sin. He diedfor sin without a mediator, he died the cursed death. 

Second. A second thing that demonstrateth that Christ died thecursed death for sin; it is, the frame of spirit that he was in atthe time that he was to be taken. 

Never was poor mortal so beset with the apprehensions of approachingdeath, as was this Lord Jesus Christ; amazement beyond measure, sorrow that exceeded, seized upon his soul. 'My soul, ' saith he, 'is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. ' 'And he began, ' saithMark, 'to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy' (Matt 26:38; Mark14:33). 

Add to this, that Jesus Christ was better able to grapple withdeath, even better able to do it alone, than the whole world joinedall together. 1. He was anointed with the Spirit without measure(John 3:34). 2. He had all grace perfect in him (John 1:16). 3. Never none so soaked in the bosom of his Father's love as himself(Prov 8:23-30). 4. Never none so harmless and without sin as hewas, and, consequently, never man had so good a conscience as hehad (Heb 7:26). 5. Never none prepared such a stock of good worksto bear him company at the hour of death as he. 6. Never none hadgreater assurance of being with the Father eternally in the heavensthan he. And yet, behold, when he comes to die, how weak is he, how amazed at death, how heavy, how exceeding sorrowful! and, Isay, no cause assigned but the approach of death. 

Alas! how often is it seen that we poor sinners can laugh atdestruction when it cometh; yea, and 'rejoice exceedingly when wefind the grave, ' looking upon death as a part of our portion; yea, as that which will be a means of our present relief and help (Job3:22; 1 Cor 3:22). This Jesus Christ could not do, considered asdying for our sin, but the nearer death, the more heavy and oppressedwith the thoughts of the revenging hand of God. Wherefore he fallsinto an agony, and sweats; not after the common rate as we do whendeath is severing body and soul--'His sweat was as it were greatdrops [clodders] of blood falling down to the ground' (Luke 22:44). 

What, I say, should be the reason, but that death assaulted himwith his sting? If Jesus Christ had been to die for his virtuesonly, doubtless he would have borne it lightly, and so he didas he died, bearing witness to the truth, 'He endured the cross, despising the shame' (Heb 12:2). How have the martyrs despiseddeath, and, as it were, not been careful of that, having peace withGod by Jesus Christ, scorning the most cruel torments that hell andmen could devise and invent! but Jesus Christ could not do so, ashe was a sacrifice for sin; he died for sin, he was made a cursefor us. O my brethren, Christ died many deaths at once, he madehis grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death. Lookhow many thousands shall be saved--so many deaths did Jesus die;yet it was but once he died. He died thy death, and my death, andso many deaths as all our sins deserved who shall be saved fromthe wrath to come. 

Now, to feign that these sorrows and this bloody agony, was notreal, but in show only, what greater condemnation can be passedupon Jesus Christ, who loved to do all things in the most unfeignedsimplicity? It was, therefore, because of sin, the sin that was putinto the death he died, and the curse of God that was due to sin, that made death so bitter to Jesus Christ--'It is Christ that died. 'The apostle speaks as if never any died but Christ, nor indeed didthere, so wonderful a death as he (Rom 8:34). Death, consideredsimply as it is a deprivation of natural life, could not have theseeffects in a person, personally more righteous than an angel. Yea, even carnal, wicked men, not awakened in their conscience, howsecurely can they die! It must therefore also be concluded that thesorrows and agony of Jesus Christ came from a higher cause, evenfrom the guilt of sin, and from the curse of God that was nowapproaching for that sin. 

It cannot be attributed to the fear of men; their terror could notmake him afraid; that was contrary to his doctrine, and did notbecome the dignity of his person; it was sin, sin, sin, and thecurse due to sin. 

Third. It is evident that Christ did bear and die the cursed deathfor sin, from the carriage and dispensations of God towards him. 

1. From the carriage of God. God now becomes as an enemy to him. (1. ) He forsakes him--'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?'Yea, the sense of the loss of God's comfortable presence abodewith him even till he gave up the ghost. (2. ) He dealeth with himas with one that hath sinned, he chastiseth him, he bruiseth him, he striketh and smiteth him, and was pleased--that is, his justicewas satisfied--in so doing. 'It pleased the Lord to bruise him; hehath put him to grief' (Isa 53:10). 

These things could not be, had he only considered him in his ownpersonal standing. Where was the righteous forsaken? Without theconsideration of sin, he doth not willingly afflict nor grieve thechildren of men--that is, not out of pleasure, or without sufficientcause. 

Jesus Christ, then, since he is under this withdrawing, chastising, bruising, and afflicting displeasure of God, he is all that timeunder sin, under our sins, and therefore thus accursed of God, hisGod. 

2. Not only the carriage of God, but his dispensations, his visibledispensations, plainly declare that he stood before God in oursins. Vengeance suffered him not to live. Wherefore God deliveredhim up--'He spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for usall' (Rom 8:32). (1. ) He delivered him into the hands of men (Mark9:31). (2. ) He was delivered into the hands of sinners (Luke 24:7). (3. ) He was delivered unto death (Rom 4:25). (4. ) Yea, so deliveredup as that they both had him to put him to death, and God left himfor that purpose in their hands; yea, was so far off from deliveringhim, that he gave way to all things that had a tendency to takehis life from the earth. 

Now many men do what they will with him, he was delivered to theirwill--Judas may sell him; Peter may deny him; all his disciplesforsake him; the enemy apprehends him, binds him, they have himaway like a thief to Caiaphas the high-priest, in whose house heis mocked, spit upon, his beard is twitched from his cheeks; nowthey buffet him and scornfully bow the knee before him; yea, 'hisvisage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than thesons of men' (Isa 52:14). 

Now he is sent to the governor, defaced with blows and blood;who delivereth him into the hand of his soldiers; they whip him, crown him with thorns, and stick the points of the thorns fast inhis temples by a blow with a staff in their hand; now he is madea spectacle to the people, and then sent away to Herod, who, withhis men of war, set him at nought, no God appearing for his help. 

In fine, they at last condemn him to death, even to the death ofthe cross, where they hang him up by wounds made through his handsand his feet, between the earth and the heavens, where he hangedfor the space of six hours--to wit, from nine in the morning tillthree in the afternoon. No God yet appears for his help; whilehe hangs there some rail at him, others wag their heads, otherstauntingly say, 'He saved others, himself he cannot save'; somedivide his raiment, casting lots for his garments before his face;others mockingly bid him come down from the cross, and when hedesireth succour, they give him vinegar to drink. No God yet appearsfor his help. 

Now the earth quakes, the rocks are rent, the sun becomes black, and Jesus still cries out that he was forsaken of God; and presentlyboweth his head and dies (Matt 26, 27; Mark 14, 15; Luke 22, 23;John 18, 19). 

And for all this there is no cause assigned from God but sin--'Hewas wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities;the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripeswe are healed' (Isa 53:5). 

The sum then is, that Jesus Christ the Lord, by taking part ofour flesh, became a public person, not doing or dying in a privatecapacity, but in the room and stead of sinners, whose sin deserveddeath and the curse of God; all which Jesus Christ bare in hisown body upon the tree. I conclude, then, that my sin is alreadycrucified and accursed in the death and curse Christ underwent. 

[Objections to this doctrine. ]

I come now to some objections. 

Objection First. Christ never was a sinner, God never supposed himto be a sinner, neither did our sins become really his; God neverreputed him so to have been; therefore hate or punish him as asinner he could not; for no false judgment can belong to the Lord. 

Answer. --First. That Christ was not a sinner personally, by actsor doings of his own, is granted; and in this sense it is true thatGod did never suppose him to be a sinner, nor punished him as sucha sinner, nor did he really, if by really you understand naturally, become our sin, nor did God ever repute him so. Second. But thatChrist stood before God in our sins, and that God did not onlysuppose him so to stand, but set him in them, put them upon him, and counted them as his own, is so true that he cannot at presentbe a Christian that denies it--'The Lord hath laid upon him theiniquities of us all' (Isa 53:6; 1 Peter 2:22). Third. So, then, though God did not punish him for sin of his own committing, yethe punished him for sin of our committing--'The just suffered forthe unjust' (1 Peter 3:18). Fourth. Therefore it is true, thatthough Christ did never really become sin of his own, he did reallybecome our sin, did really become our curse for sin. If this bedenied, it follows that he became our sin but feignedly, that hewas made our curse, or a curse for us but in appearance, show, orin dissimulation; but no such action or work can proceed of theLord. He did then really lay our sin and his curse upon him forour sin. 

Objection Second. But if Christ indeed hath suffered for our sins, and endured for them that curse that of justice is due thereto, then hath he also endured for us the proper torments of hell, forthey are the wages of our sins. 

Answer. Many things might be said in answer to this objection; butbriefly--First. What God chargeth upon the soul for sin is onething, and what followeth upon that charge is another. Second. A difference in the person suffering may make a difference in theconsequences that follow upon the charge. Let us then consider ofboth these things. 

First. The charge is sin--God charge him with our sins. The personthen stands guilty before the judgment of God. The consequencesare--1. The person charged sustains or suffereth the wrath of God. 2. This wrath of God is expressed and inflicted on body and soul. 

The consequences are--God forsaketh the person charged, and beingleft, if he cannot stand, he falleth under the power of guilt andhorror of the same. 

If the person utterly fall under this charge, as not being able towrestle with and overcome this wrath of God, then despair, horrorof hell, rage, blasphemy, darkness, and damnable anguish, immediatelyswallow him up, and he lieth for ever and ever in the pains ofhell, a monument of eternal vengeance. 

Now that Christ underwent the wrath of God it is evident, because hebare our curse; that God forsook him, he did with strong crying andtears acknowledge; and therefore that he was under the soul-afflictingsense of the loss of God's favour, and under the sense of hisdispleasure, must needs flow from the premises. 

[Second. ] But now, because Christ Jesus the Lord was a personinfinitely differing from all others that fall under the wrath ofGod, therefore those things that flow from damned sinners couldnot flow from him. 

1. Despair would not rise in his heart, for his flesh did rest inhope; and said, even when he suffered, 'Thou wilt not leave my soulin hell' (Acts 2:27). 

2. The everlastingness of the punishment, therefore, nor the terrorsthat accompany such, could not fasten upon him; for he knew at lastthat God would justify him, or approve of his works that they weremeritorious. 

And mark, everlasting punishment is not the proper wages of sinbut under a supposition that the person suffering be not able topay the debt--'Thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paidthe very last mite' (Luke 12:59). 

The difference, then, of the persons suffering may make a difference, though not in the nature of the punishment, yet in the durationand consequences of it. 

Christ under the sentence was, as to his own personal acts only, altogether innocent; the damned only altogether sinners. Christ hadin him even then the utmost perfection of all graces and virtues; butthe damned, the perfection of sin and vileness. Christ's humanityhad still union with his Godhead; the damned, union only with sin. Now, an innocent person, perfect in all graces, as really God asman, can better wrestle with the curse for sin than either sinfulmen or angels. 

While they despair, Christ hopes. While they blaspheme, Christsubmits. While they rage, Christ justifies God. While they sinkunder the burden of sin and wrath, Christ recovereth by virtue ofhis worthiness--'Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wiltthou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. ' He was God's HolyOne, and his holiness prevailed. 

So that it follows not, that because Christ did undergo the cursedue to our sins, he therefore must have those accidental consequenceswhich are found to accompany damned souls. 

Objection Third. But the Scripture saith, that the wages of sin iseverlasting punishment: 'Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlastingfire, prepared for the devil and his angels' (Matt 25:41). 

Answer. This objection is partly answered already in the answer tothat foregoing. But further, First. Consider, the wages of sin is death, and punishment underthe wrath of God--till those that die the death for sin have paidthe utmost farthing (Matt 5:26; Luke 12:58, 59). 

Second. So, then, the everlastingness of the punishment lieth here, if the person suffering be not able to make amends to justice forthe sins for which he suffereth; else justice neither would norcould, because it is just, keep such still under punishment. 

Third. The reason, then, why fallen angels and damned souls havean everlastingness of punishment allotted them is, because, by whatthey suffer, they cannot satisfy the justice of God. 

Fourth. The conclusion then is, though the rebukes of God for sinby death, and punishment after, be the rebukes of eternal vengeance, yet the eternity of that punishment is for want of merit. Couldthe damned merit their own deliverance, justice would let them go. 

Fifth. It is one thing, therefore, to suffer for sin by the strokeof eternal justice, and another thing to abide for ever a suffererthere: Christ did the first, the damned do the second. 

Sixth. His rising, therefore, from the dead the third day dothnothing invalidate his sufferings, but rather showeth the power ofhis merit. And here I would ask a question, Had Christ Jesus beenmore the object of faith, if weakness and endless infirmity hadkept him under the curse, than by rising again from the dead; wantof merit causing the one, sufficiency thereof causing the other?

Seventh. If men will not believe that Christ hath removed thecurse because he is risen again, they would much more strongly havedoubted it had he been still in the grave. But, O amazing darkness!to make that an argument that his sufferings wanted merit, whichto God himself is sufficient proof that he hath purged our sins forever--'For this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sinsfor ever, sat down on the right hand of God' (Heb 10:12). 

Objection Fourth. But the Scripture saith, Christ is our example, and that in his very death (1 Peter 2:21). 

Answer. Christ in his sufferings and death is both sacrifice andexample. 

First. A sacrifice--'Christ our passover is sacrificed for us. 'And again, 'He gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice toGod, for a sweet-smelling savour. ' And thus he made reconciliationfor iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteousness (1 Cor 5:7;Eph 5:1, 2; Dan 9:24). 

Second. He was also in his sufferings exemplary, and that in severalparticulars--(1. ) In his meek deportment while he was apprehended(Isa 53:7). (2. ) In doing them good that sought his life (Luke22:50, 51). (3. ) In his praying for his enemies when they were intheir outrage (Luke 23:34). (4. ) 'When he was reviled, he revilednot again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committedhimself to him that judgeth righteously' (1 Peter 2:23). 

In these respects, I say, he was exemplary, and brought honour tohis profession by his good behaviour; and O how beautiful wouldChristianity be in the eyes of men, if the disciples of our Lordwould more imitate him therein!

But what? because Christ is our pattern, is he not our passover?or, because we should in these things follow his steps, died henot for our sins? Thus to conclude would not only argue thee veryerroneous, but such a conclusion would overthrow the gospel, itbeing none other but a great sleight of Satan to shut out the wholeby a part, and to make us blasphemers while we plead for holiness. 

Look, then, upon the death of Christ under a double consideration--1. As he suffered from the hand of God. 2. As he suffered from thehand of men. Now, as he suffered by God's hand, so he suffered forsin; but as he suffered from men, so he suffered for righteousness'sake. 

Observe, then, that as he suffered for sin, so no man took awayhis life; but as he suffered for righteousness, so they slew himby wicked hands. What is it then? Christ must needs have suffered, and the wisdom of God had so ordained that 'those things which Godbefore had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christshould suffer, he hath so fulfilled' (Acts 3:18). Thus, therefore, we ought to distinguish of the causes and ends of the death ofChrist. 

Again; as Christ suffered for sin, so he would neither be taken atman's pleasure, nor die at man's time. 1. Not at man's pleasure;and hence it was that they so often sought his life in vain, 'forhis hour was not yet come'--to wit, the hour in which he was to bemade a sacrifice for our sin (John 13, 17:1, 2, 18:1, 2). 2. Not attheir time; but, contrary to all expectation, when the due timewas come, 'he bowed his head and gave up the ghost' (John 19:30). 

And for this last work, he had power given him of God--that is, power to die when he would. 'I have power, ' said he, 'to lay downmy life, and I have power to take it again. ' This power never manhad before. This made the centurion wonder, and made Pontius Pilatemarvel; and indeed well they might, for it was as great a miracleas any he wrought in his life; it demonstrated him to be the Sonof God (Mark 15:38, 39). The centurion, knowing that according tonature he might have lived longer, concluded therefore that hisdying at that instant was not but miraculously. And when he 'sawthat he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly thisman was the Son of God. '

And the reason why he had power to die was, that he might offerhis offering willingly, and at the season. 1. Willingly--'If hisoffering be a burnt sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a malewithout blemish: he shall offer it of his own voluntary will, atthe door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord'(Lev 1:3). 2. He must offer it at the season--'Thou shalt keep thisordinance, ' the passover, 'in his season' (Exo 13:10). 

Now, both these offerings having immediate respect to the offeringof the body of Christ for sin--for he came in the room of all burntsacrifices--the passover also was a type of him (Heb 10:3-6; 1 Cor5:7, 8). Therefore, he being now the priest as well as sacrifice, must have power and will to offer his sacrifice with acceptation;and this the Scripture testifieth he did, where it saith, 'In duetime Christ died for the ungodly' (Rom 5:6). In due time, that is, at the time appointed, at the acceptable time. 

Thou must, therefore, unless thou art willing to be deceived, lookupon the sufferings of Christ under a double consideration, anddistinguish between his sufferings as our example and his sufferingfor our sins. And know, that as he suffered as our example, sohe suffered only for righteousness' sake from the hands of wickedmen; but as he suffered for our sins, so he suffered, as being byGod imputed wicked, the punishment that was due to sin, even thedreadful curse of God. Not that Christ died two deaths, one afteranother; but he died at the same time upon a double account--forhis righteousness' sake from men, for our sins from the hand ofGod. And, as I said before, had he only suffered for righteousness'sake, death had not so amazed him, nor had he been so exceedingheavy in the thoughts of it; that had never put him into an agony, nor made him sweat as it were great drops of blood. Besides, whenmen suffer only for righteousness' sake, God doth not use to hidehis face from them, to forsake them, and make them accursed; 'butChrist hath delivered us from the curse of the law, being made acurse for us. '

Objection Fifth. But if indeed Christ hath paid the full price forus by his death, in suffering the punishment that we should havedone, wherefore is the Scripture so silent as not to declare thatby his death he hath made satisfaction?

Answer. No man may teach God knowledge; he knoweth best how todeliver his mind in such words and terms as best agree with hiseternal wisdom, and the consciences of those that are truly desirousof salvation, being overburdened with the guilt of sin. Perhaps theword 'satisfaction' will hardly be found in the Bible; and whereis it said in so many words, 'God is dissatisfied with our sins?'yet it is sufficiently manifest that there is nothing that Godhateth but sin, and sinners for the sake of sin. What meant he byturning Adam out of paradise, by drowning the old world, by burningup Sodom with fire and brimstone from heaven? What meant he bydrowning of Pharaoh, by causing the ground to swallow up Korah andhis company, and by his destroying Israel in the wilderness, ifnot to show that he was dissatisfied with sin? That God is alsosatisfied, yea, more than satisfied, by Christ's sufferings forour sins, is apparent; for, granting that he died for them as thesescriptures declare--Isaiah 49:4-6, 53; 1 Corinthians 5:8, 15:1-4;2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 1:4, 3:13; 1 Peter 2:24, 3:18; 1 John2:2, 3:16, 4:14; Revelation 1:5, 5:9. --

First. It is apparent, because it is said that God smelled inthat offering of the body of Christ for our sins a sweet-smellingsavour--'He gave himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling savour' (Eph 5:2). 

Second. It is apparent, because it is said expressly that Godfor Christ's sake doth now forgive--'Be ye kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ'ssake hath forgiven you' (Eph 4:32). 

Third. It is apparent that God is satisfied with Christ's blood forour sins, because he hath declared that he can justify those thatbelieve in, or rely upon, that blood for life, in a way of justiceand righteousness--'Being justified freely by his grace, throughthe redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forthto be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare hisrighteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through theforbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness:that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth inJesus' (Rom 3:24-26). 

Now, I say, to object against such plain testimonies, what is itbut to deny that Christ died for sin; or to conclude, that havingso done, he is still in the grave; or, that there is no such thingas sin; or, no such thing as revenging justice in God against it;or, that we must die ourselves for our sins; or, that sin may bepardoned without a satisfaction; or, that every man may merit hisown salvation? But 'without shedding of blood is no remission' (Heb9:22). 

To avoid, therefore, these cursed absurdities, it must be grantedthat Jesus Christ by his death did make satisfaction for sin. 

But the word 'satisfaction' may not be used by the Holy Ghost, perhaps for that it is too short and scanty a word to express theblessedness that comes to sinners by the blood of Christ. 

1. To make satisfaction amounts to no more than completely toanswer a legal demand for harms and injuries done. Now this, whendone to the full, leaveth the offender there where he was beforehe committed the injury. Now, if Christ had done no more than this, he had only paid our debt, but had not obtained eternal redemptionfor us. 

2. For a full satisfaction given by this man for harms done byanother may neither obtain the love of the person offended, northe smallest gift which the person offending hath not deserved. Suppose I owe to this man ten thousand talents, and another shouldpay him every farthing, there remaineth over and above by thatcomplete satisfaction not one single halfpenny for me. Christ haththerefore done more than to make satisfaction for sin by his blood. He hath also 'made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, 'and we 'shall reign with him for ever and ever' (Rev 1:6, 22:5). 

[Additional scriptures in proof of this doctrine. ]

But take a few more scriptures for the proof of the doctrine beforeasserted. 

First. 'We have redemption through his blood' (Col 1:14). 1. Redemptionfrom sin (Eph 1:7). 2. Redemption from death (Heb 2:14, 15; Hosea13:14). 3. Redemption from Satan (Heb 2:14). 4. Redemption fromthe world (Gal 1:4). 5. Redemption to God (Rev 5:9). 6. Eternalredemption--'Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by hisown blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtainedeternal redemption for us' (Heb 9:12). 

Second. We are said also to be washed in his blood. 1. Our personsare washed--He 'loved us, and washed us from our sins in his ownblood' (Rev 1:5). 2. His blood washeth also our performances--'Ourrobes are washed, and made white in the blood of the Lamb' (Rev7:14). 

Third. We are said to be purged by his blood. 1. Purged from sinbefore God--'When he had by himself purged our sins, he sat down onthe right hand of God' (Heb 1:3). 2. Purged from evil consciences--'Howmuch more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spiritoffered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience fromdead works to serve the living God?' (Heb 9:14). 

Fourth. We are said to be made nigh to God by his blood--'But nowin Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were far off, are made nigh bythe blood of Christ' (Eph 2:13). 

Fifth. Peace is said to be made by his blood. 1. Peace with God(Col 1:20). 2. Peace of conscience (Heb 10:19-23). 3. Peace onewith another (Eph 2:14). 

Sixth. We are said to be justified by his blood. 'Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wraththrough him' (Rom 5:9). Justified, that is, acquitted--1. Acquittedbefore God (Eph 5:26, 27). 2. Acquitted before angels (Matt 28:5-8). 3. Acquitted by the law (Rom 3:21-23). 4. Acquitted in the courtof conscience (Heb 9:14). 

Seventh. We are said to be saved by his blood (Rom 5:8, 9). 

Eighth. We are said to be reconciled by his blood (Col 1:20-22). 

Ninth. We are said to be sanctified by his blood (Heb 13:12). 

Tenth. We are said to be admitted into the holiest by his blood(Heb 10:19). 

Eleventh. We are said to have eternal redemption by his blood (Heb9:12). 

Yea, lastly, this blood which was once spilt upon the cross, willbe the burden of our song in heaven itself for ever and ever (Rev5:9). 

Now, if we be redeemed, washed, purged, made nigh to God, havepeace with God; if we stand just before God, are saved, reconciled, sanctified, admitted into the holiest; if we have eternal redemptionby his blood, and if his blood will be the burden of our song forever; then hath Christ paid the full price for us by his death, then hath he done more than made satisfaction for our sins. 

SEVERAL DEMONSTRATIONS MORE, PROVING THE FORMER DOCTRINE. 

But before I conclude this answer, I will give you nine or ten moreundeniable demonstrations to satisfy you, if God will bless themto you, in the truth of this great doctrine--to wit, that JesusChrist, by what he hath done, hath paid the full price to God forthe souls of sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them. 

THE FIRST DEMONSTRATION. 

FIRST. And, first, I begin with his resurrection. That God thatdelivered him up unto death, and that made him a curse for sin, that God raised him up from the dead--'But God raised him from thedead' (Acts 3:15, 13:30). Now, considering that at his death he wascharged with our sins, and accursed to death for our sins, thatjustice that delivered him up for them must have amends made tohim before he acquits him from them; for there can be no changein justice. Had he found him in our sins in the grave, as he foundhim in them upon the tree (for he had them in his body on the tree), he had left him there as he had left him upon the tree; yea, hehad as surely rotted in the grave, as ever he died on the tree (1Peter 2:24). But when he visited Christ in the grave, he found hima holy, harmless, undefiled, and spotless Christ, and thereforehe raised him up from the dead--'He raised him up from the dead, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible thathe should be holden of it' (Acts 2:24). 

Quest. But why not possible now to be holden of death?

Answ. Because the cause was removed. Sin was the cause--'He diedfor our sins. --He gave himself for our sins' (1 Cor 15:1-3; Gal1:4). These sins brought him to death; but when God, that hadmade him a curse for us, looked upon him in the grave, he foundhim there without sin, and therefore loosed the pains of death;for justice saith, this is not possible, because not lawful, thathe who lieth sinless before God should be swallowed up of death;therefore he raised him up. 

Quest. But what did he do with our sins, for he had them upon hisback?

Answ. It is said he took them away--'Behold the Lamb of God whichtaketh away the sin of the world. ' It is said he put them away--'Nowonce in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin bythe sacrifice of himself' (John 1:29; Heb 9:26). That is, by themerit of his undertaking he brought into the world, and set beforethe face of God, such a righteousness that outweigheth and goeth farbeyond that sin, and so did hide sin from the sight of God; hence, he that is justified is said to have his sins hid and covered--'Blessedis he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered' (Psa32:1). Covered with the righteousness of Christ--'I spread my skirtover thee, and covered thy nakedness, ' thy sins (Eze 16:8). ChristJesus, therefore, having by the infiniteness of his merit takenaway, put away, or hidden our sins from the face of God, thereforehe raised him up from the dead. 

You find in that sixteenth of Leviticus mention made of two goats, one was to be slain for a sin-offering, the other to be leftalive; the goat that was slain was a type of Christ in his death, the goat that was not slain was a type of Christ in his merit. Nowthis living goat, he carried away the sins of the people into theland of forgetfulness--'And Aaron shall lay both his hands upon thehead of the live goat, and confess over him all the iniquities ofthe children of Israel, and all their transgressions in all theirsins, putting them upon the head of the goat, and shall send himaway by the hands of a fit man into the wilderness; and the goatshall bear upon him all their iniquities unto a land not inhabited'(Lev 16:21, 22). Thus did Jesus Christ bear away by the merit ofhis death the sins and iniquities of them that believe; wherefore, when God came to him in the grave, he found him holy and undefiled, and raised him up from the dead. 

And observe it, as his death was for our sin, so his rising againwas for our discharge; for both in his death and resurrection heimmediately respected our benefits; he died for us, he rose fromthe dead for us--'He was delivered for our offences, and was raisedagain for our justification' (Rom 4:25). By his death he carriedaway our sins, by his rising he brought to us justifying righteousness. 

There are five circumstances also attending his resurrection thatshow us how well pleased God was with his death. 

First. It must be solemnized with the company, attendance, andtestimony of angels (Matt 28:1-8; Luke 24:3-7; John 20:11, 12). 

Second. At, or just upon, his resurrection, the graves where manyof the saints for whom he died lay asleep, did open, and theyfollowed their Lord in full triumph over death--'The graves wereopened, and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and cameout of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holycity, and appeared unto many' (Matt 27:52, 53). These saints comingout of their graves after him, what a testimony is it that he forthem had taken away sin, and destroyed him that had the power ofdeath; yea, what a testimony was it that he had made amends to Godthe Father, who granted him at his resurrection to have presentlyout of the grave, of the price of his blood, even the bodies ofmany of the saints which slept! He was declared to be the Son ofGod with power by the Spirit of holiness, and the resurrection fromthe dead (Rom 1:4). It saith not, by his resurrection, though thatbe true; but by the resurrection, meaning the resurrection of thebodies of the saints which slept, because they rose by virtue ofhis blood; and by that he was with power declared to be the Son ofGod. They, I say, were part of his purchase, some of them for whomChrist died. Now for God to raise them, and that upon and by virtueof his resurrection, what is it but an open declaration from heaventhat Christ by his death hath made amends for us, and obtainedeternal redemption for us?

Third. When he was risen from the dead, God, to confirm hisdisciples in the faith of the redemption that Christ had obtainedby his blood, brings him to the church, presents him to them alive, shows him openly, sometimes to two or three, sometimes to elevenor twelve, and once to above five hundred brethren at once (Acts1:3, 10:40; Luke 24:13-16; John 20:19, 21:1-23; 1 Cor 15:3-8). 

Fourth. At his resurrection, God gives him the keys of hell andof death (Rev 1:18). Hell and death are the effects and fruits ofsin. 'The wicked shall be turned into hell, ' and the wages of sinis death. But what then are sinners the better for the death andblood of Christ? O! they that dare venture upon him are much thebetter, for they shall not perish, unless the Saviour will damnthem, for he hath the keys of hell and of death. 'Fear not, ' saithhe, 'I am the first and the last, I am he that liveth, and wasdead, and, behold, I am alive for evermore, and have the keys ofhell and death. ' These were given him at his resurrection, as ifGod had said, My Son, thou hast spilt thy blood for sinners, I ampleased with it, I am delighted in thy merits, and in the redemptionwhich thou hast wrought; in token hereof I give thee the keys ofhell and of death; I give thee all power in heaven and earth; savewho thou wilt, deliver who thou wilt, bring to heaven who thouwilt. 

Fifth. At Christ's resurrection, God bids him ask the heathen ofhim, with a promise to give him the uttermost parts of the earthfor his possession. This sentence is in the second Psalm, andis expounded by Paul's interpretation of the words before, to bespoken to Christ at his resurrection--'Thou art my Son, this dayhave I begotten thee. ' I have begotten thee--that is, saith Paul, from the dead (Acts 13:33, 34). 

He hath raised up Jesus again, as it is also written in the secondPsalm--'Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. ' Now mark, at his raising him from the dead, he bids him ask, 'Ask of me, 'and that 'the heathen'; as if God had said, My Son, thy blood hathpacified and appeased my justice; I can now in justice, for thysake, forgive poor mortals their sin. Ask them of me; ask them, though they be heathens, and I will give them to thee, to the utmostends of the earth. This is, then, the first demonstration to provethat Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price toGod for the souls of sinners, and obtained eternal redemption forthem--namely, his being raised again from the dead. 

THE SECOND DEMONSTRATION. 

SECOND. A second thing that demonstrateth this truth is, that heascended and was received up into heaven. 'So then, after the Lordhad spoken to them, he was received up into heaven' (Mark 16:19). This demonstration consisteth of two parts--First, Of his ascending. Second, Of his being received. 

First. For his ascending--'He ascended up on high' (Eph 4:8). Thisact of ascending answereth to the high-priest under the law, who, after they had killed the sacrifice, he was to bring the blood intothe most holy place--to wit, the inner temple, the way to whichwas ascending or going up (2 Chron 9). 

Now, consider the circumstances that attended his ascending, whenhe went to carry his blood to present it before the mercy-seat, and you will find they all say amends is made to God for us. 

1. At this he is again attended and accompanied with angels (Acts1:10, 11). 

2. He ascendeth with a shout, and with the sound of a trumpet, with'Sing praises, sing praises, sing praises' (Psa 47:6). 

3. The enemies of man's salvation are now tied to his chariot-wheels--'Whenhe ascended up on high, he led captivity captive' (Eph 4:8). Thatis, he led death, devils, and hell, and the grave, and the curse, captive, for these things were our captivity. And thus did Deborahprophesy of him when she cried, 'Arise, Barak, and lead thy captivitycaptive, thou son of Abinoam' (Judg 5:12). This David also foresawwhen he said, 'Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivitycaptive' (Psa 68:18). 

4. The apostles must be the beholders of his going up, and mustsee the cloud receive him out of their sight (Acts 1:9-12). 

The consideration of these things strongly enforceth this conclusion, that he hath spoiled what would have spoiled us, had he not by hisblood shed taken them away. And I say, for God to adorn him withall this glory in his ascension, thus to make him ride conqueror upinto the clouds, thus to go up with sound of trumpet, with shout ofangels, and with songs of praises, and, let me add, to be accompaniedalso with those that rose from the dead after his resurrection, who were the very price of his blood; this doth greatly demonstratethat Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price toGod for the souls of sinners, and obtained eternal redemption forthem; he had not else rode thus in triumph to heaven. 

Second. I come now to his being received--'He was received up intoheaven. ' The high-priest under the law, when he ascended into theholiest, he was there to offer the blood, which holiest was thetype of heaven (Exo 19:10, 11; Heb 9:24). But because the sacrificesunder the law could not make them that did the service perfect aspertaining to the conscience, therefore they were to stand, notto sit; to come out again, not tarry there. 'For it is not possiblethat the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice andoffering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: inburnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is writtenof me), to do thy will, O God' (Heb 10:4-6). 

Christ, therefore, in his entering into heaven, did it as high-priestof the church of God; therefore neither did he go in withoutblood. Wherefore, when he came to be 'an high-priest of good thingsto come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made withhands, that is to say, not of this building; neither by the bloodof goats and calves, but by his own blood; he entered in once intothe holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us' (Heb9:12-14). He entered in, having obtained, or because he obtained, eternal redemption for us. But to pass that. 

[Glorious circumstances attending his entrance into heaven. ]

Consider ye now also those glorious circumstances that accompanyhis approach to the gates of the everlasting habitation. 

First. The everlasting gates are set, yea, bid stand open--Be yeopen, 'ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. 'This King of glory is Jesus Christ, and the words are a prophecyof his glorious ascending into the heavens, when he went up as thehigh-priest of the church, to carry the price of his blood intothe holiest of all. 'Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift themup, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in' (Psa24:7, 9). 

Second. At his entrance he was received, and the price acceptedwhich he paid for our souls. Hence it is said, he entered in byhis blood--that is, by the merit of it. 'To receive' is an act ofcomplacency and delight, and includeth well-pleasedness in the personreceiving, who is God the Father; and considering that this Jesusnow received is to be received upon our account, or as undertakingthe salvation of sinners--for he entered into the heavens forus--it is apparent that he entered thither by virtue of his infiniterighteousness, which he accomplished for us upon the earth. 

Third. At his reception he received glory, and that also for ourencouragement--'God raised him up, and gave him glory, that yourfaith and hope might be in God' (1 Peter 1:19-21). He gave him glory, as a testimony that his undertaking the work of our redemption wasaccepted of him. 

1. He gave glory to his person, in granting him to sit at his ownright hand; and this he had, I say, for or upon the account of thework he accomplished for us in the world. When he had offered upone sacrifice for sins for ever, he sat down on the right hand ofGod, and this by God's appointment--'Sit thou at my right hand'(Heb 10:12, 13). This glory is the highest; it is above all kings, princes, and potentates in this world; it is above all angels, principalities, and powers in heaven. 'He is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powersbeing made subject unto him' (1 Peter 3:32). 

2. He gave glory to his name, to his name Jesus, that name beingexalted above every name--'He hath given him a name above everyname, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things inheaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and thatevery tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the gloryof God the Father' (Phil 2:9-11). 

This name is said, in another place, to be a name above every namethat is named, 'not only in this world, but also in that which isto come' (Eph 1:21). 

But should JESUS have been such a name, since he undertook forsinners, had this undertaker failed in his work, if his work hadnot been accepted with God, even the work of our redemption byhis blood? No, verily; it would have stunk in the nostrils both ofGod and man; it would have been the most abhorred name. But Jesusis the name; Jesus he was called, in order to his work--'His nameshall be called JESUS, for he shall save'; he was so named of theangel before he was conceived in the womb; and he goeth by thatname now he is in heaven; by the name Jesus--'Jesus of Nazareth, 'because he once dwelt there. This name, I say, is the highest name, the everlasting name, the name that he is to go by, to be knownby, to be worshipped by, and to be glorified by; yea, the name bywhich also most glory shall redound to God the Father. Now, whatis the signification of this name but SAVIOUR? This name he hath, therefore, for his work's sake; and because God delighted in hisundertaking, and was pleased with the price he had paid for us, therefore the Divine Majesty hath given him it, hath made it high, and hath commanded all angels to bow unto it; yea, it is the name inwhich he resteth, and by which he hath magnified all his attributes. 

(1. ) This is the name by which sinners should go to God the Father. 

(2. ) This is the name through which they obtain forgiveness ofsins, and 'anything'--'If ye shall ask anything in my name, I willdo it' (John 14:14). 

(3. ) This is the name through which our spiritual services andsacrifices are accepted, and by which an answer of peace is returnedinto our bosoms (1 Peter 2). But more of this anon. 

(4. ) At this name devils tremble, at this name angels bow the head, at this name God's heart openeth, at this name the godly man'sheart is comforted; this name, none but devils hate it, and nonebut those that must be damned despise it. 'No man speaking by theSpirit of God calleth Jesus accursed, ' or accounteth him stilldead, and his blood ineffectual to save the world. 

3. He hath also given him the glory of office. 

(1. ) He is there a priest for ever, intercepting betwixt the Divinepresence and all that hate us, by his blood; sin, Satan, death, hell, the law, the grave, or the like, cannot be heard, if his blood bepresented to God as the atonement for us. This is called the bloodof sprinkling, that speaketh better things than the blood of Abel(Heb 12:24). By this blood he entered into heaven, by this bloodhe secureth from wrath 'all that come unto God by him. ' But shouldhis blood have had a voice in heaven to save withal, had it notmerited first, even in the shedding of it, the ransom and redemptionof souls? It is true, a man whose blood cannot save, may, withAbel's, cry out for vengeance and wrath on the head of him that shedit. But this blood speaks for better things, this blood speaks forsouls, for sinners, for pardon, 'having obtained eternal redemptionfor us. '

(2. ) He is there a forerunner for us--'Whither the forerunner isfor us entered, even Jesus' (Heb 6:20). This office of harbinger isdistinct from, though it comes by virtue of, his priestly office;therefore they are both mentioned in the text--'Whither theforerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high-priest forever, after the order of Melchisedec. ' He is therefore our forerunnerby virtue of his priesthood, his blood giving worth to all he does. 

In this office of harbinger or forerunner, he prepareth for believerstheir dwelling-places in the heavens; their dwelling-places accordingto their place, state, calling, service, or work, in his body, thechurch--'In my Father's house, ' saith he, 'are many mansions; ifit were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place foryou' (John 14:2). 

This is that mentioned in the forty-seventh Psalm--'He shall chooseour inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob, whom he loved. 'But should he have had power to choose our inheritance for us, toprepare for us our dwelling-places; should he have power to giveeven heaven itself to a company of poor men, had he not in the firstplace obtained by his blood the deliverance of our souls from death?

(3. ) He is there a prophet for us, by which office of his he hathreceived to communicate the whole will of the eternal God, so faras is fit for us to know in this world, or in that which is to come. Hence he is called the prophet of the church--'The Lord shall raiseyou up a prophet, ' 'and this is of a truth that prophet that shouldcome into the world. ' But this office he hath also now in heaven, by virtue of the blood he shed for us upon earth. Hence the newtestament is called, 'the new testament in his blood'; and his bloodis said to be 'the blood of the everlasting covenant' or testament;yea, such virtue doth his blood give to the new testament, orcovenant of grace, as that severed from that it is nothing worth;'for a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is ofno strength at all while the testator liveth' (Heb 9:17). So thatevery word of God which he hath by Christ given to us for oureverlasting consolation, is dipped in blood, is founded in blood, and stands good to sinners purely--I mean with respect to merit--uponthe account of blood, or because his blood that was shed for us onthe cross prevailed for us for the remission of our sins. Let notman think to receive any benefit by Christ's prophetical office, by any of the good words of grace, and forgiveness of sins thatare sprinkled up and down in the new testament; that looketh notfor that good to come to him for the sake of that blood by whichthis testament is established; for 'neither was the first testamentdedicated without blood; for when Moses had spoken every preceptto all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calvesand of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkledboth the book, and all the people, saying, This is the blood ofthe testament which God hath enjoined unto you' (Heb 9:18-20). 

The prophetical office of Christ standeth of two parts--first, inpromises of grace: secondly, in directions of worship. But neitheris this last--to wit, the doctrine of worship, or our subjectionto that worship--of any value any further than as sprinkled alsowith his blood; for as in the first testament, the tabernacle andall the vessels of the ministry were sprinkled with blood, and it wasnecessary that so it should be, so the heavenly things themselvesmust be also purified with sacrifices, but yet 'with better sacrificesthan these'; for now, not Moses, but Christ, doth sprinkle, notwith blood of calves, but with his own blood; neither as enteredinto places made with hands, but from heaven doth Jesus sprinkleall that doctrine of worship, and subjection of his saints thereto, which is of his own instituting and commanding (Heb 9:23-26). 

(4. ) He hath received there the office of a king, by which he rulethin the church, and over all things for her sake. 'The governmentshall be upon his shoulder'; the Lord God hath given him the throneof his father David. Hence it is that he saith, 'All power is givenunto me in heaven and in earth'; but now this kingly office, hehath it by his blood, because he humbled himself to death, thereforeGod hath highly exalted him, and given him the highest name. Andhence, again, he is called a Lamb upon the throne--'In the midstof the throne, and of the four beasts, and in the midst of theelders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns';a demonstration of kingly power. But mark, he was a Lamb upon thethrone, he had his horns as a lamb. Now by 'Lamb' we are to understand, not only his meek and sweet disposition, but his sacrifice; forhe was as a lamb to be slain and sacrificed; and so his having athrone and seven horns, as a lamb, giveth us to understand that heobtained this dignity of king by his blood (Rev 5). 'When he hadby himself purged our sins, he sat down on the right hand of theMajesty on high' (Heb 1:3). When 'he had offered one sacrifice forsins for ever, he sat down on the right hand of God' (Heb 10:12). 

Now, put all these together--to wit, his resurrection from thedead, his ascension, and exaltation to office; and remember alsothat the person thus exalted is the same Jesus of Nazareth thatsometime was made accursed of God for sin, and also that he obtainedthis glory by virtue of the blood that was shed for us, and it mustunavoidably follow that Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hathpaid a full price to God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemptionfor them. 

THE THIRD DEMONSTRATION. 

THIRD. But to proceed. A third demonstration that Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full price to God for sinners, andobtained eternal redemption for them, is, because he hath receivedfor them the Holy Spirit of God. 

'This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof, ' said Peter, 'we all arewitnesses. Therefore, being by the right hand of God exalted, andhaving received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, hehath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear' (Acts 2:32, 33). 

The receiving of the Holy Ghost at the hand of the Father, whohad bruised him before for the transgressions of his people; thereceiving of it, I say, upon his resurrection, and that to give themfor whom, just before, he had spilt his blood to make an atonementfor their souls, argueth that the Divine Majesty found rest andcontent in that precious blood, and found it full price for thesinners for whom he shed it. 

And if you consider the necessity of the giving of this good Spiritto men, and the benefit that they receive by his coming upon them, you will see yet more into the truth now contended for. First, then, Of the necessity of giving this good Spirit; and then, Second, Ofthe benefit which we receive at his coming. 

First. Of the necessity of its being given. 

1. Otherwise, Jesus could never have been proved to be the Saviour;for the promise was, that Messias should have the Spirit givenhim; given him to communicate--'As for me, this is my covenant withthem, saith the Lord, My Spirit that is upon thee, and my wordswhich I have put in thy mouth, ' meaning the Redeemer, 'shall notdepart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor outof the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the Lord, from henceforthand for ever' (Isa 59:20, 21). 

Here is the promise of the Spirit to be given to Christ, and byhim to his seed for ever. And this was signified long before inthe anointing of Aaron and his sons--'And thou shalt anoint Aaronand his sons, and consecrate them' (Exo 30:30). 

This Spirit Jesus promised to send unto his at his exaltation onthe right hand of God; the Spirit, I say, in the plentiful pouringsof it out. True, the church in all ages had something of it byvirtue of the suretyship of the Lord Jesus; but this, in comparisonof what was to come into the church after his resurrection, is notreckoned a pouring forth; therefore pourings forth are reservedto the time of the ascension and exaltation of this Jesus. 'I willpour out of my Spirit in those days. '

Hence Jesus reserves it till his going away, and it is expresslysaid, 'The Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus wasnot yet glorified. ' Accordingly did the apostles wait after hisresurrection for the pouring forth of the Holy Ghost, and at theset time did receive it; by the giving of which he declared himselfto be the Son of God and Saviour of the world (John 7:39, 14:26, 15:26, 16:7; Acts 1:4, 5, 2:16, 17; Joel 2:28; Rom 1:4). 

2. Without the giving of the Holy Ghost, there had wanted a testimonythat his gospel was the gospel of Messias. Moses' ministration wasconfirmed by signs and wonders and mighty deeds, both in Egypt, in the wilderness, and at the Red Sea; wherefore it was necessarythat the doctrine of redemption by blood, which is the doctrineof the gospel of this Jesus, should be also 'confirmed with signsfollowing. ' Hence both himself and apostles did as frequently workmiracles and do mighty deeds as his ministers now do preach; whichsigns and miracles and wonders confirmed their doctrine, thoughthemselves, both master and scholar, were in appearance themost considerable mean [in outward show the meanest of men]; yea, they by the means of the Holy Ghost have so ratified, confirmed, and settled the gospel in the world, that no philosopher, tyrant, or devil, hath been able hitherto to move it out of its place. Heconfirmed 'the word with signs following' (Mark 16:20; Heb 2:4). 

3. As the giving of the Holy Ghost was necessary thus, so wasit necessary also to strengthen them that were intrusted with thegospel, (1. ) To preach it effectually; (2. ) To stand to it boldly;and (3. ) To justify it to be the doctrine of Messias incontrollably. (1. ) To preach it effectually, in demonstration of the Spirit (1Cor 2:4; John 16:8, 9; Acts 8:13). (2. ) To stand to it boldly--'ThenPeter, filled with the Holy Ghost, said. ' 'And they saw the boldnessof Peter and John' (2 Cor 6:4-6; Acts 4:8, 13). (3. ) To justify thedoctrine incontrollably--'I will give you a mouth and wisdom whichall your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist' (Luke21:15). 'And they were not able to resist the wisdom and spirit bywhich he spake' (Acts 6:10). 

Now I say, that God should give the Holy Ghost to Jesus to confirmthis gospel, redemption from sin by his blood, what is it butthat by his blood he hath paid full price to God for sinners, andobtained eternal redemption for them?

[Second. ] But again; the benefit which we receive at the comingof the Holy Ghost doth more demonstrate this truth; hath Christpurchased sinners, and are they the price of his blood? Yes. Buthow doth that appear? Why, because by the Holy Ghost which he hathreceived to give us, we are fitted for the inheritance which byhis blood is prepared for us. 

1. By the Spirit of God we are quickened and raised from a stateof sin, but that we could not be were it not that an atonementis made for us first, by the blood of Christ our Saviour. This istrue; for they that are quickened by the Holy Ghost are quickenedby it through the word of the gospel, which offereth justificationto sinners through faith in his blood; yea, we are said to bequickened together with him, dead and risen with him, yet so as bythe Spirit of God. 

2. We are not only quickened by the Holy Ghost, but possessedtherewith; it is given to dwell in our hearts--'Because ye aresons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts'(Gal 4:6). Which Spirit is also our earnest for heaven, until theredemption of the purchased possession--that is, until our body, which is the purchased possession, be redeemed also out of thegrave by the power of the same mighty Spirit of God (Eph 1:13, 14). 

3. By this Holy Spirit we are made to believe (Rom 15:13). 

4. By this Holy Spirit we are helped to pray and call God Father. 

5. By this Holy Spirit we are helped to understand and apply thepromises. 

6. By this Holy Spirit the joy of heaven and the love of God isshed abroad in the heart of the saved. 

7. By this Holy Spirit we are made to wait for the hope of righteousnessby faith; that is, to stand fast through our Lord Jesus in the daywhen he shall judge the world. 

And all this is the fruit of redemption by blood, of redemption bythe blood of Christ. 

This is yet further evident, (1. ) Because the work of the Spirit isto lead us into the sayings of Christ, which, as to our redemptionfrom death, are such as these--'I lay down my life, that you mayhave life'; 'I give my life a ransom for many'; and, 'The breadthat I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the lifeof the world' (John 6:51). (2. ) Because the Spirit, in the wisdomof heaven, is not counted a sufficient testimony on earth, but asjoined with the blood of Christ--'There are three that bear witnesson earth, the Spirit, the water, and the blood'; these are thewitnesses of God. The Spirit, because it quickeneth; the blood, because it hath merited; and the water--to wit, the word--becauseby that we are clean as to life and conversation (1 John 5:8; Eph5:26; Rom 8:16; Psa 119:9). (3. ) Because, as by the Spirit, so weare sanctified by faith in the blood of Jesus (Heb 13:12). (4. )Because, when most full of the Spirit, and when that doth workmost mightily in us, we are then most in the belief and admiringapprehensions of our deliverance from death by the blood of Jesus(Rev 5:9, 15). (5. ) The Holy Ghost breatheth nowhere so as in theministry of this doctrine, this doctrine is sent with the Holy Ghostfrom heaven; yea, as I have hinted, one of the great works of theHoly Ghost, under the Old Testament, was to testify 'of the sufferingsof Christ, and the glory that should follow' (1 Peter 1:11, 12). 

Put all these things together, and see if Jesus Christ, by whathe hath done, hath not paid full price to God for sinners, if he'hath not obtained eternal redemption for them?'

THE FOURTH DEMONSTRATION. 

FOURTH. That Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid fullprice to God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them, is evident, if you consider how the preaching thereof hath been, from that time to this, a mighty conqueror over all kinds ofsinners. What nation, what people, what kind of sinners have notbeen subdued by the preaching of a crucified Christ? He upon thewhite horse with his bow and his crown hath conquered, doth conquer, and goeth forth yet 'conquering and to conquer' (Rev 6:2). 'AndI, ' saith he, 'if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all menunto me' (John 12:32). But what was it to be lifted up from theearth? Why, it may be expounded by that saying, 'As Moses liftedup the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man belifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, buthave eternal life' (John 3:14, 15). 

He was then lifted up when he was hanged upon a tree between theheavens and the earth, as the accursed of God for us. The revelationof this, it conquers all nations, tongues, and people. 'And theysung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and toopen the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed usto God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation' (Rev 5:9). Hence the apostle Paul chose above alldoctrines to preach up a crucified Christ, and resolved so to do;'for I determined, ' saith he, 'not to know anything among you, saveJesus Christ and him crucified' (1 Cor 2:2). 

First. The doctrine of forgiveness of sin conquered his verymurderers; they could not withstand the grace; those bloody onesthat would kill him, whatever it cost them, could stand no longer, but received his doctrine, fell into his bosom, and obtained thesalvation which is in Christ Jesus--'They shall look upon me whomthey have pierced, and they shall mourn for him as one mournethfor his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one thatis in bitterness for his first-born' (Zech 12:10). Now was thisscripture eminently fulfilled, when the kindness of a crucifiedChrist broke to pieces the hearts of them that had before been hisbetrayers and murderers. Now was there a great mourning in Jerusalem;now was there wailing and lamentation, mixed with joy and rejoicing. 

Second. Though Paul was mad, exceeding mad against Jesus Christ ofNazareth; yea, though he was his avowed enemy, seeking to put outhis name from under heaven, yet the voice from heaven, 'I am Jesus, '&c. , 'I am the Saviour, ' how did it conquer him, make him throw downhis arms, fall down at his feet, and accept of the forgiveness ofsins freely by grace, through redemption by faith in his blood!

Third. They at Samaria (though before Philip preached to them)worshipped and admired the devil in Magus, yet when they believedPhilip's preaching of Christ unto them, and forgiveness of sinsthrough faith in his name, great joy was amongst them, and theywere baptized, both men and woman (Acts 8). 'He preached, ' saiththe text, 'the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the nameof Jesus Christ'--that is, all the blessings of life, through thename of Jesus Christ; for he is the Mediator, and without his bloodcome no spiritual blessings to men. 

Fourth. How was the sturdy jailer overcome by a promise offorgiveness of sins by faith in Jesus Christ! It stopped his handof self-murder, it eased him of the gnawings of a guilty conscienceand fears of hell-fire, and filled his soul with rejoicing in God(Acts 16:30-34). 

Fifth. How were those that used curious arts, that were next to, if not witches indeed; I say, how were they prevailed upon andovercome by the word of God, which is the gospel of good tidings, through faith in the blood of Christ! (Acts 19:17, 18). 

Sixth. How were the Ephesians, who were sometimes far from God;how, I say, were they made nigh by the blood of Christ! (Eph 2:13). 

Seventh. The Colossians, though sometimes dead in their sins, yethow were they quickened by God, through the forgiveness of alltheir trespasses; and they had that through his blood! (Col 1:14, 2:13). 

What shall I say? No man could as yet stand before and not fallunder the revelation of the forgiveness of sins through a crucifiedChrist, as hanged, as dying, as accursed for sinners; he draws allmen unto him, men of all sorts, of all degrees. 

Shall I add, how have men broken through the pricks to Jesus whenhe hath been discovered to them! Neither lions, nor fires, nor sword, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor peril, 'neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is inChrist Jesus our Lord' (Rom 8:35-39). 

THE FIFTH DEMONSTRATION. 

FIFTH. That Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full priceto God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them, isevident, by the peace and holiness that by that doctrine possessethmen's souls; the souls of men awakened, and that continue so. Byawakened men I mean such as, through the revelation of their sinand misery, groan under the want of Jesus to save them, and thatcontinue sensible that they needs must perish if his benefits benot bestowed upon them; for otherwise the gospel ministereth neitherpeace nor holiness to any of the souls of the sons of men; thatis to say, not saving peace and holiness. The gospel of grace andsalvation is above all doctrines the most dangerous, if in wordonly it be received by graceless men; if it be not attended witha revelation of men's need of a Saviour; if it be not accompaniedin the soul by the power of the Holy Ghost. For such men as haveonly the notions of it are of all men liable to the greatest sins, because there wanteth in their notions the power of love, whichalone can constrain them to love Jesus Christ. And this is the reasonof these scriptures--They turn the grace of God into wantonness. 'They turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness' (Jude 4). 

For some, when they hear of the riches of grace through Christ, that hearing not being attended with the faith and love which is inChrist Jesus, those men receive the notions of this good doctrineonly to cloak their wickedness, and to harden themselves in theirvillainies. 

Others, when they hear, being leavened before with the leavenof some other doctrine, some doctrine of the righteousness of theworld, or doctrine of devils, forthwith make head against and speakevil of the blessed doctrine; and because some that profess it arenot cleansed from their filthiness of flesh and spirit, and do notperfect holiness in the fear of God, therefore others conclude thatall that profess it are such, and that the doctrine itself tendethto encourage, or at least to tolerate, licentiousness, as theyimagined and affirmed of Paul that he should say, 'Let us do evil, that good may come' (Rom 3:8). 

The ground of that wicked conclusion of theirs was, because he bythe allowance of God affirmed that, as sin had reigned unto death, so grace reigned unto life in a way of righteousness by Jesus Christour Lord. Nay, then, says the adversary, we may be as unholy as wewill, and that by the doctrine you preach; for if where sin aboundsgrace abounds more, the consequence of a wicked life is but theheightening, advancing, and magnifying of grace. But what saith theapostle? My conclusions are true that grace doth reign above sin, but to say, 'Let us therefore sin, ' that man's damnation is just;because such an one abuseth and maketh the most devilish use ofthe blessedest doctrine that ever was heard of in the world amongstmen. Besides, it is evident that such know not the power thereof, nor have felt or savoured its blessedness; for where this gospelcometh in truth, it naturally produceth peace and holiness. 

First. Peace. He is our peace, he is the Prince of peace, he givethpeace in his high places. This word 'peace' hath in it a doublerespect. 

1. It respecteth God--He hath 'made peace by the blood of his cross';that is, he hath made peace for us with God, having appeased therigour of his law, and satisfied justice for us. Hence it is said, 'The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep yourhearts and minds through Christ Jesus' (Col 1:20; Phil 4:7). 'Thepeace of God'--that is, the doctrine of reconciliation by Christ'sbeing made to be sin for us, THAT shall keep the heart--that is, fromdespair or fainting, under apprehensions of weakness and justice. But yet this peace of God cannot be apprehended, nor be of anycomfort to the heart, but as the man looks for it through ChristJesus; therefore that clause is added, 'through Christ Jesus';for he is peace-maker, it is he that reconcileth us to God 'in thebody of his flesh through death'; for by his doing and sufferinghe presented God with everlasting righteousness, with everlastingrighteousness for sinners. Upon this we have peace with God. HenceChrist is called King of righteousness first; 'first being byinterpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King ofSalem, which is, King of peace' (Heb 7:1, 2). For he could not makepeace with God betwixt us and him but by being first the Lord ofrighteousness, the Lord our righteousness; but having first completedrighteousness, he then came and preached peace, and commanded hisambassadors to make proclamation of it to the world, for it waswant of righteousness that caused want of peace (2 Cor 5:19-21). Now, then, righteousness being brought in, it followeth that hehath made peace. 'For he is our peace, who hath made both one, andhath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; havingabolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandmentscontained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one newman, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God inone body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: and cameand preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them thatwere nigh. For through him we both have access by one Spirit untothe Father' (Eph 2:14-18). 

2. This word 'peace' respecteth our inward quietness of heart whichwe obtain by beholding this reconciliation made by Christ with Godfor us--'Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, throughour Lord Jesus Christ' (Rom 5:1). 'The God of peace fill you withall joy and peace in believing' (Rom 15:13). 

This peace is expressed diversely--(1. ) Sometimes it is called'quietness, ' for it calms the soul from those troublous fears ofdamning because of sin--'And the work of righteousness shall bepeace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurancefor ever' (Isa 32:17). (2. ) Sometimes it is called 'boldness'; forby the blood of Christ a man hath encouragement to approach untoGod--'Having, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by theblood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecratedfor us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh' (Heb 10:19, 20). (3. ) It is sometimes called 'confidence'; because by Jesus Christwe have not only encouragement to come to God, but confidence, thatif we ask anything according to his will, he not only heareth, butgranteth the request which we put up to him (1 John 5:14, 15). 'Inwhom we have boldness and access with confidence, by the faith ofJesus' (Eph 3:12). (4. ) Sometimes this peace is expressed by 'rest';because a man having found a sufficient fulness to answer all hiswants, he sitteth down, and looks no further for satisfaction--'Comeunto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will giveyou rest' (Matt 11:28). (5. ) It is also expressed by 'singing';because the peace of God when it is received into the soul by faithputteth the conscience into a heavenly and melodious frame. 'Andthe ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songsand everlasting joy upon their heads; they shall obtain joy andgladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away' (Isa 35:10). (6. )Sometimes it is expressed or discovered by a heavenly glorying andboasting in Jesus Christ; because this peace causeth the soul toset its face upon its enemies with faith of a victory over themfor ever by its Lord Jesus--'Let him that glorieth, glory in theLord' (Jer 9:23, 24). And, 'My soul shall make her boast in theLord; the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad' (Psa 34:2). (7. )Sometimes it is expressed or discovered by joy, 'joy unspeakable':because the soul, having seen itself reconciled to God, hath notonly quietness, but such apprehensions do now possess it of theunspeakable benefits it receiveth by Christ with respect to theworld to come, that it is swallowed up with them--'Whom having notseen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory' (1 Peter 1:8). (8. ) Lastly, it is expressed or discovered by the triumph thatariseth sometimes in the hearts of the believers, for they at timesare able to see death, sin, the devil, and hell, and all adversity, conquered by, and tied as captives at the chariot-wheels of JesusChrist; taken captive, I say, and overthrown for ever. 'Thanksbe unto God which always causeth us to triumph in Christ' (2 Cor2:14). 'O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with thevoice of triumph' (Psa 47:1). 

[The Authors of this peace. ]--Now that all this should be a cheatis impossible--that is, it is impossible that believers should thushave peace with God through the blood of his cross, he having notpaid full price to God for them; especially if you consider thatthe authors of this peace are all the three in the Godhead, andthat upon a double account. 

1. In that they have given us a gospel of peace (Rom 10:15). Or anew testament which propoundeth peace with God through the redemptionthat is in Christ. Now as this is called the gospel of peace, soit is called the gospel of God (1 Thess 2:9). The gospel of Christ(Rom 15:19; 2 Thess 1:8). A gospel indited by the Holy Ghost (1Thess 4:8). I say, therefore, that redemption and salvation beingthat through Christ, and the truth thereof proclaimed by theFather, the Word, and the Holy Ghost, in the word of the truth ofthe gospel, it must needs be that we who believe shall be saved, 'if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firmunto the end. '

2. As the three in the Godhead are the authors of this peace byinditing for us the gospel of peace, or the good tidings of salvationby Jesus Christ, so they are the authors of our peace by workingwith that word of the gospel in our hearts. And hence, (1. ) TheFather is called the God of peace, 'Now the God of peace be withyou all' (Rom 15:33). 'And the very God of peace sanctify you'(1 Thess 5:23). And because he is the God of peace, therefore hefilleth those that believe in his Christ with joy and peace throughbelieving (Rom 15:13). (2. ) Again, Christ is called the Prince ofpeace; therefore the prayer is, 'Grace unto you, and peace, fromGod our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ' (2 Thess 1:2). (3. ) TheHoly Ghost also is the author of this peace, this inward peace, even'righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost' (Rom 14:17). 

And I say, as I also already have said, the procuring or meritoriouscause of this peace is the doings and sufferings of Christ; thereforeby his doings and sufferings he paid full price to God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them; else God would never haveindited a proclamation of peace for them, and the tenor of thatproclamation to be the worthiness of the Lord Jesus; yea, he wouldnever have wrought with that word in the heart of them that believe, to create within them peace, peace. 

Second. [Holiness. ] As peace with God is an evidence--the blood ofChrist being the cause thereof--that Christ hath by it paid fullprice to God for sinners, so holiness in their hearts, taking itsbeginning from this doctrine, makes its fifth demonstration ofdouble strength. 

1. That holiness, true gospel holiness, possesseth our hearts bythis doctrine it is evident, because the ground of holiness, whichis the Spirit of God in us, is ministered to us by this doctrine. When the apostle had insinuated that the Galatians were bewitchedbecause they had turned from the doctrine of Christ crucified, hedemands of them whether 'they received the Spirit by the works ofthe law, or by the hearing of faith?' (Gal 3:1-4). That is, whetherthe Spirit took possession of their souls by their obedience tothe ten commandments, or by their giving credit to the doctrine ofthe forgiveness of their sins by faith in this crucified Christ, strongly concluding, not by the law, but by the hearing or preachingof faith--that is, of the Lord Jesus as crucified, who is the objectof faith. 

2. As this doctrine conveyeth the ground or groundwork, which isthe Spirit, so also it worketh in the heart those three graces, faith, hope, love, all which as naturally purify the heart fromwickedness as soap and nitre cleanseth the cloth. He purified 'theirhearts by faith, ' by faith in Christ's blood. 'And every man thathath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as he is pure. ' Andalso love, you shall see what that doth if you look into the text(Acts 15:9; 1 John 3:3, 4; 1 Cor 13). Now, I say, this faith groundethitself in the blood of Christ; hope waiteth for the full enjoymentsof the purchase of it in another world; and love is begot, andworketh by the love that Christ hath expressed by his death, and bythe kindness he presented us with in his heart's blood (Rom 3:24;1 Cor 15:19; 2 Cor 5:14). 

Besides, what arguments so prevailing as such as are purely gospel?To instance a few--(1. ) What stronger than a free forgiveness ofsins? 'A certain man had two debtors, the one owed five hundredpence, and the other fifty; and when they had nothing to pay, hefrankly forgave them both; tell me therefore which of them willlove him most?' (Luke 7:41, 42, 47). (2. ) What stronger argument toholiness than to see that though forgiveness comes free to us, yetit cost Christ Jesus heart-blood to obtain it for us. 'Herein islove, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent hisSon to be the propitiation for our sins. ' And this love of Godin giving his Christ, and of Christ in dying for us, there is noargument stronger to prevail with a sensible and awakened sinnerto judge 'he should live to him that died for him, and rose again'(2 Cor 5:15). (3. ) What stronger argument to holiness than this:'If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christthe righteous?' (1 John 2:1). Unsanctified and graceless wretchesknow not how to use these words of God; the hypocrites also fly inour faces because we thus urge them; but a heart that is possessedwith gospel ingenuity, or, to speak more properly, that is possessedwith gospel grace, and with divine considerations, cries, If itbe thus, O let me never sin against God, 'for the love of Christconstraineth me' (2 Cor 5:14). (4. ) What greater argument toholiness than to see the holy Scriptures so furnished with promisesof grace and salvation by Christ, that a man can hardly cast hiseye into the Bible but he espieth one or other of them? Who wouldnot live in such a house, or be servant to such a prince, who, besides his exceeding in good conditions, hath gold and silver ascommon in his palace as stones are by the highway side? 'Having, therefore, these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselvesfrom all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holinessin the fear of God' (2 Cor 7:1). (5. ) What greater argumentto holiness than to have our performances, though weak and infirmfrom us, yet accepted of God in Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:4-6). (6. )What greater argument to holiness than to have our soul, our body, our life, hid and secured with Christ in God? 'Mortify thereforeyour members which are upon the earth, fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, whichis idolatry' (Col 3:1-5). (7. ) What greater argument to holinessthan to be made the members of the body, of the flesh, and of thebones of Jesus Christ? 'Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid' (Eph 5:30; 1Cor 6:15). 

Now all these, and five times as many more, having their foundationin the love, blood, and righteousness of Christ, and operating inthe soul by faith, are the great arguments unto that holiness towhich is annexed eternal life. It is worth our observing, that inActs 26:18, the inheritance belongs 'to them which are sanctifiedby faith in Jesus Christ'; for all other pretences to holiness, theyare but a stolen semblance of that which is true and acceptable, though it is common for even that which is counterfeit to be calledby the deluded the true, and to be reckoned to be in them that areutter strangers to faith, and the holiness that comes by faith. 'Butwhosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of itupon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people' (Exo 30:23). God knoweth which is holiness that comes by faith in forgiveness ofsins, and acceptance with God through Christ; and God knows whichis only such feignedly; and accordingly will he deal with sinnersin that great day of God Almighty. 

THE SIXTH DEMONSTRATION. 

SIXTH. That Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full priceto God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them, isevident, because prayers are accepted of God only upon the accountand for the sake of the name of Jesus Christ--'Verily, verily, I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, hewill give it you' (John 16:23). In my name, in the name of JesusChrist of Nazareth, in the name of him that came into the worldto save sinners, by dying for them a grievous, bloody death; inhis name that hath by himself put away sin, and brought unto Godacceptable righteousness for sinners; in his name. Why in his name, if he be not accepted of God? why in his name if his undertakingsfor us are not well-pleasing to God? But by these words, 'inmy name, ' are insinuated that his person and performances, as ourundertaker, are accepted by the Father of spirits. We may not goin our own names, because we are sinners; not in the name of oneanother, because all are sinners. But why not in the name of anangel? Because they are not those that did undertake for us; orhad they, they could not have done our work for us. 'He putteth notrust in his saints, yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight'(Job 4:18, 15:15). It may further be objected--

Since Jesus Christ is God, equal with the Father, and so hathnaturally the same power to give us the Father, why should theFather rather than the Son be the great giver to the sinners of theworld? and why may we not go to Christ in the name of the Father, as well as to the Father in the name of Christ? I say, how canthese things be solved, but by considering that sin and justiceput a necessity upon it that thus must our salvation be obtained. Sin and justice could not reconcile, nor could a means be found outto bring the sinner and a holy God together, but by the interceptingof the Son, who must take upon him to answer justice, and that bytaking our sins from before the face of God by bloody sacrifice, notby blood of others, as the high-priests under the law--'For everyhigh-priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; whereforeit is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer' (Heb8:3). Which offering and sacrifice of his being able to perfectfor ever them that are sanctified and set apart for eternal life, therefore the name of the person that offered--even Jesus, made ofGod a high-priest--is acceptable with God; yea, therefore is hemade for ever, by his doing for us, the appeaser of the justiceof God, and the reconciler of sinners to him. Hence it is that HISname is that which it behoveth us to mention when we come beforeGod, for what God hath determined in his counsels of grace to bestowupon sinners, because for his name's sake he forgiveth them. 'Iwrite unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven youfor his name's sake' (1 John 2:12). 'To him give all the prophetswitness, that through his name, whosoever believeth in him shallreceive remission of sins' (Acts 10:43). 

They therefore that would obtain the forgiveness of sins must askit of God, through the name of Jesus; and he that shall sensiblyand unfeignedly do it, he shall receive the forgiveness ofthem--'Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will giveit you. ' Hence it is evident that he hath not only paid full priceto God for them, but also obtained eternal redemption for them. 

And it is observable, the Lord Jesus would have his disciplesmake a proof of this, and promiseth that if they do, they shallexperimentally find it so--'Hitherto, ' saith he, 'have ye askednothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy maybe full' (John 16:24). As who should say, O my disciples, you haveheard what I have promised to you, even that my Father shall dofor you whatsoever ye shall ask him in my name. Ask now, therefore, and prove me, if I shall not make my words good: ask, I say, whatyou need, and see if you do not receive it to the joying of yourhearts. 'At that day ye shall ask in my name, and I say not untoyou that I will pray the Father for you. ' I do not bid you ask inmy name as if the Father was yet hard to be reconciled, or unwillingto accept you to mercy; my coming into the world was the designof my Father, and the effect of his love to sinners; but there issin in you and justice in God; therefore that you to him might bereconciled, I am made of my Father mediator; wherefore ask in myname, for 'there is none other name under heaven given among menwhereby we must be saved' (Acts 4:12). Ask in my name; love islet out to you through me; it is let out to you by me in a way ofjustice, which is the only secure way for you. Ask in my name, andmy Father will love you--'The Father himself loveth you, becauseye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God' (John16:27). My Father's love is set first upon me, for my name is chiefin his heart, and all that love me are beloved of my Father, andshall have what they need, if they ask in my name. 

But, I say, what cause would there be to ask in his name more thanin the name of some other, since justice was provoked by our sin, if he had not undertook to make up the difference that by sin wasmade betwixt justice and us? For though there be in this Jesusinfinite worth, infinite righteousness, infinite merit, yet if hemake not with these interest for us, we get no more benefit therebythan if there were no mediator. But this worth and merit is in himfor us, for he undertook to reconcile us to God; it is thereforethat his name is with God so prevailing for us poor sinners, andtherefore that we ought to go to God in his name. Hence, therefore, it is evident that Jesus Christ hath paid full price to God forsinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them. 

THE SEVENTH DEMONSTRATION. 

SEVENTH. That Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid fullprice to God for sinners, &c. , is evident, because we are commandedalso to give God thanks in his name--'By him, therefore, let us offerthe sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit ofour lips, giving thanks to his name' (Heb 3:15). 

'By him therefore. ' Wherefore? Because he also, that he might'sanctify us with his own blood, suffered without the gate' (v 12). 

He sanctified us with his blood; but why should the Father havethanks for this? Even because the Father gave him for us, that hemight die to sanctify us with his blood--'Giving thanks unto theFather, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritanceof the saints in light; who hath delivered us from the power ofdarkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son;in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgivenessof sins' (Col 1:12-14). The Father is to be thanked, for thecontrivance was also his; but the blood, the righteousness, orthat worthiness, for the sake of which we are accepted of God, isthe worthiness of his own dear Son. As it is meet, therefore, thatGod should have thanks, so it is necessary that he have it in hisname for whose sake we indeed are accepted of him. 

Let us therefore by him offer praise first for the gift of his Son, and for that we stand quit through him in his sight, and that indespite of all inward weakness, and that in despite of all outwardenemies. 

When the apostle had taken such a view of himself as to put himselfinto a maze, with an outcry also, 'Who shall deliver me?' he quietshimself with this sweet conclusion, 'I thank God through JesusChrist' (Rom 7:24, 25). He found more in the blood of Christ tosave him than he found in his own corruptions to damn him; but thatcould not be, had he not paid full price for him, had he not obtainedeternal redemption for him. And can a holy and just God requirethat we give thanks to him in his name, if it was not effectuallydone for us by him?

Further, when the apostle looks upon death and the grave, andstrengtheneth them by adding to them sin and the law, saying, 'Thesting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, ' hepresently addeth, 'But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory, through Jesus Christ' (1 Cor 15)--the victory over sin, death, andthe law, the victory over these through our Lord Jesus Christ: butGod hath given us the victory; but it is through our Lord JesusChrist, through his fulfilling the law, through his destroying death, and through his bringing in everlasting righteousness. Elisha saidto the king of Israel, that had it not been that he regarded thepresence of Jehoshaphat, he would not look to him nor regard him(2 Kings 3:14); nor would God at all have looked to or regardedthee, but that he respected the person of Jesus Christ. 

'Let the peace of God [therefore] rule in our hearts, to the whichalso ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful' (Col 3:15). Thepeace of God, of that we have spoken before. But how should thisrule in our hearts? He by the next words directs you--'Let theword of Christ dwell in you richly'--that is, the word that makesrevelation of the death and blood of Christ, and of the peace thatis made with God for you thereby. 

'Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ' (Eph 5:20). For all things;for all things come to us through this name Jesus--redemption, translation, the kingdom, salvation, with all the good thingswherewith we are blessed. 

These are the works of God; he gave his Son, and he brings us tohim, and puts us into his kingdom--that is, his true body, whichJeremiah calleth a putting among the children, and a 'giving us agoodly heritage of the hosts of nations' (Jer 3:19; John 6). 

'Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph inChrist' (2 Cor 2:14). 

See here our cause of triumph is through Christ Jesus; and God causethus through him to triumph, first and chiefly, because Christ Jesushath done our work for us, hath pleased God for our sins, hathspoiled the powers of darkness. God gave Jesus Christ to undertakeour redemption; Christ did undertake it, did engage our enemies, and spoiled them--He 'spoiled principalities and powers, and madea show of them openly, triumphing over them' upon the cross (Col2:14, 15). Therefore it is evident that he paid full price to Godfor sinners with his blood, because God commands us to give thanksto him in his name, through his name--'And whatsoever ye do inword or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanksto God and the Father by him' (Col 3:17). 

Take this conclusion from the whole: no thanks are accepted of Godthat come not to him in the name of his Son; his Son must have theglory of conveying our thanks to God, because he was he that byhis blood conveyeth his grace to us. 

THE EIGHTH DEMONSTRATION. 

EIGHTH. In the next place, that Jesus Christ, by what he hathdone, hath paid full price to God for sinners, and obtained eternalredemption for them, is evident, because we are exhorted to waitfor, and to expect, the full and glorious enjoyment of that eternalredemption, at the second coming of the Lord from heaven--'Let yourloins by girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselveslike unto men that wait for their Lord, --that when he cometh andknocketh, they may open unto him immediately' (Luke 12:35, 36). 

Jesus Christ hath obtained by his blood eternal redemption forus, and hath taken it up now in the heavens, is, as I have showed, preparing for us there everlasting mansions of rest; and then hewill come again for us. This coming is intended in this text, andthis coming we are exhorted to wait for; and that I may more fullyshow the truth of this demonstration, observe these followingtexts--

First. It is said, he shall choose our inheritance for us--'Heshall choose our inheritance for us; the excellency of Jacob whomhe loved. Selah. God is gone up with a shout, ' &c. (Psa 47:4, 5). Theselatter words intend the ascension of Jesus Christ; his ascension, when he had upon the cross made reconciliation for iniquity; hisascension into the heavens to prepare our mansions of glory forus; for our inheritance is in the heavens; our house, our hope, ourmansion-house, and our incorruptible and undefiled inheritance isin heaven (2 Cor 5:1, 2; Col 1:5, 6; John 14:1, 2; 1 Peter 1:3-5). 

This is called the eternal inheritance, of which we that are calledhave received the promise already (Heb 9:14, 15). 

This inheritance, I say, he is gone to choose for us in the heavens, because by his blood he obtained it for us (Heb 9:12). And thiswe are commanded to wait for; but how ridiculous, yea, how greata cheat would this be, had he not by his blood obtained it for us. 

Second. 'We wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from thedead, even Jesus [Christ], which delivered us from the wrath tocome' (1 Thess 1:10). He delivered us by his blood, and obtainedthe kingdom of heaven for us, and hath promised that he would goand prepare our places, and come again and fetch us thither--'Andif I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receiveyou unto myself, that where I am, there ye may be also' (John14:3). This, then, is the cause that we wait for him, we look forthe reward of the inheritance at his coming who have served theLord Christ in this world. 

Third. 'For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also welook for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ' (Phil 3:20). We lookfor him to come yet as a Saviour--a Saviour he was at his firstcoming, and a Saviour he will be at his second coming. At his firstcoming, he bought and paid for us; at his second coming, he willfetch us to himself. At his first coming, he gave us promise ofthe kingdom; at his second coming, he will give us possession ofthe kingdom. At his first coming, he also showed us how we shouldbe, by his own transfiguration; at his second coming, 'he willchange our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his gloriousbody' (Phil 3:21). 

Fourth. Hence therefore it is that his coming is called our blessedhope--'Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearingof the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ' (Titus 2:13). Ablessed hope indeed, if he hath bought our persons with his blood, and an eternal inheritance for us in the heavens; a blessed hopeindeed, if also at his coming we be certainly carried thither. No marvel, then, if saints be bid to wait for it, and if saintsthemselves long for it. But what a disappointment would thesewaiting believers have, should all their expectations be rewardedwith a fable! and the result of their blessed hope can amount tono more, if our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ either denieth tocome, or coming, bringeth not with him the hope, the blessed hopethat is laid up for us in heaven, whereof we have certainly beeninformed by 'the word of the truth of the gospel' (Col 1:5). 

Fifth. 'For Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; andunto them that look for him shall he appear the second time withoutsin unto salvation' (Heb 9:28). Here we have it promised that heshall come, that he shall appear the second time, but not with sin, as he did before--to wit, with and in the sin of his people, whenhe bare them in his own body; but now without sin, for he beforedid put them away by the sacrifice of himself. Now, then, let thesaints look for him, not to die for the purchasing of their personsby blood, but to bring to them, and to bring them also to thatsalvation that before when he died he obtained of God for them byhis death. 

These things are to be expected therefore by them that believe inand love Jesus Christ, and that from faith and love serve him inthis world; they are to be expected by them, being obtained forthem by Jesus Christ. And he shall give the crown, saith Paul, 'not to me only, but to all them also that love his appearing' (2Tim 4:8, 9). 

Now forasmuch as this inheritance in the heavens is the price, purchase, and reward of his blood, how evidently doth it appearthat he hath paid full price to God for sinners! Would God elsehave given him the heaven to dispose of to us that believe, andwould he else have told us so? Yea, and what comfort could we haveto look for his coming, and kingdom, and glory as the fruits ofhis death, if his death had not for that purpose been sufficientlyefficacious? O 'the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that shallfollow!' (1 Peter 1:11). 

THE NINTH DEMONSTRATION. 

NINTH. That Jesus Christ, by what he hath done, hath paid full priceto God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for sinners, isevident, because of the threatenings wherewith God hath threatened, and the punishments wherewith he punisheth those that shall refuseto be saved by Christ, or seek to make insignificant the doctrineof righteousness by faith in him. 

This demonstration consisteth of three parts--First. It suggesteththat some refuse to be justified or saved by Christ, and also seekto make insignificant the doctrine of righteousness by faith inhim. Second. That God doth threaten these. Third. That God willpunish these. 

[First. ] That some refuse to be saved by Christ is evident frommany texts. He is the stone which the builders have rejected; he isalso disallowed of men; the Jews stumble at him, and to the Greekshe is foolishness; both saying, This man shall not rule over us, or, How can this man save us? (Psa 118:22; Matt 21:44; Luke 19:14;1 Cor 1:23; 1 Peter 2:4). 

The causes of men's refusing Christ are many--1. Their love to sin. 2. Their ignorance of his excellency. 3. Their unbelief. 4. Theirdeferring to come to him in the acceptable time. 5. Their leaningto their own righteousness. 6. Their entertaining damnable doctrines. 7. Their loving the praise of men. 8. The meanness of his ways, hispeople, &c. 9. The just judgment of God upon them. 10. The kingdomis given to others. 

Now these, as they all refuse him, so they seek, more or less, somepractically, others in practice and judgment also, to make insignificantthe doctrine of righteousness by faith in him. One does it bypreferring his sins before him. Another does it by preferring hisrighteousness before him. Another dies it by preferring his delusionsbefore him. Another does it by preferring the world before him. 

Now these God threateneth, these God punisheth. 

Second. God threateneth them. 

1. Whosoever shall 'not hear that prophet shall be destroyed fromamongst the people' (Acts 3:23). The prophet is Jesus Christ; thedoctrine that he preached was, that he would lay down his life forus, that he would give us his flesh to eat, and his blood to drinkby faith; and promised, that if we did eat his flesh, and drink hisblood, we should have eternal life. He therefore that seeth not, or that is afraid to venture his soul for salvation on the fleshand blood of Christ by faith, he refuseth this prophet, he hearethnot this prophet, and him God hath purposed to cut off. But wouldGod thus have threatened, if Christ by his blood, and the merits ofthe same, had not paid full price to God for sinners, and obtainedeternal redemption for them?

2. 'Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thyfootstool' (Psa 110:1; Matt 22:44; Heb 1:13). The honour of sittingat God's right hand was given him because he died, and offered hisbody once for all. 'This man, after he had offered one sacrifice forsins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God, from henceforthexpecting till his enemies be made his footstool' (Heb 10:12, 13). Expecting, since God accepted his offering, that those that refusedhim should be trodden under foot; that is, sunk by him into andunder endless and insupportable vengeance. But would God have giventhe world such an account of his sufferings, that by one offeringhe did perfect for ever them that are sanctified? yea, and would hehave threatened to make those foes his footstool that shall refuseto venture themselves upon his offering--for they are indeed hisfoes--had not his eternal Majesty been well pleased with the pricehe paid to God for sinners; had he not obtained eternal redemptionfor them?

3. He shall come 'from heaven with his mighty angels, in flamingfire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obeynot the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ' (2 Thess 1:7, 8). 

Here he expressly telleth us wherefore they shall be punished;because 'they know not God, and obey not the gospel of our LordJesus Christ'; where also is notably intimated that he that obeyethnot the gospel of Christ knoweth not God, neither in his justicenor mercy. But what is the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ butgood tidings of good things--to wit, forgiveness of sins by faithin his blood, an inheritance in heaven by faith in his blood, asthe whole of all the foregoing discourse hath manifested? Now, Isay, can it be imagined that God would threaten to come upon theworld with this flaming, fiery vengeance to punish them for theirnon-subjection to his Son's gospel, if there had not been byhimself paid to God full price for the souls of sinners, if he hadnot obtained eternal redemption by his blood for sinners?

4. 'And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodlyamong them of all their ungodly deeds, which they have ungodlycommitted, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinnershave spoken against him' (Jude 14, 15). 

The Lord that is here said to come with ten thousands of his saintsis Jesus Christ himself; and they that come with him are calledhis saints, because given to him by the Father, for the sake of theshedding of his blood. Now in that he is said to come to executejudgment upon all, and especially those that speak hard speechesagainst him, it is evident that the Father tendereth his name, which is Jesus, a Saviour, and his undertaking for our redemption;and as evident that the hard speeches intended by the text aresuch as vilify him as Saviour, counting the blood of the covenantunholy, and trampling him that is Prince of the covenant under thefeet of their reproachful language; this is counted a putting ofhim to open shame, and a despising the riches of his goodness (Heb6:10; Rom 2). Time would fail to give you a view of the revilings, despiteful sayings, and of the ungodly speeches which theseabominable children of hell let fall in their pamphlets, doctrines, and discourses against the Lord the King. But the threatening is, he shall 'execute judgment upon them for all their ungodly deeds, and for all the hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spokenagainst him. '

5. 'Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken of inthe prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for Iwork a work in your days, a work which you shall in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you' (Acts 13:40, 41). 

This work is the same we have been all this while treating of--towit, redemption by the blood of Christ for sinners, or that Christhath paid full price to God for sinners, and obtained eternalredemption for them. This is manifest from verses 23 to 29 of thischapter. 

Now, observe, there are and will be despisers of this doctrine, andthey are threatened with the wrath of God--'Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish. ' But would God so carefully have cautionedsinners to take heed of despising this blessed doctrine, and havebacked his caution with a threatening that they shall perish, ifthey persist, had not he himself received by the blood of Christfull price for the souls of sinners?

Third. As God threateneth, so he punisheth those that refuse hisSon, or that seek to vilify or make insignificant the doctrine ofrighteousness by faith in him. 

1. He punished them with the abidings of his wrath--'He that believethnot the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth onhim' (John 3:36). 

The wrath of God for men; for sin stands already condemned bythe law; and the judgment is, that they who refuse the Lord JesusChrist shall have this wrath of God for ever lie and abide uponthem; for they want a sacrifice to pacify wrath for the sin theyhave committed, having resisted and refused the sacrifice of thebody of Christ. Therefore it cannot be that they should get fromunder their present condition who have refused to accept of theundertaking of Christ for them. 

Besides, God, to show that he taketh it ill at the hands of sinnersthat they should refuse the sacrifice of Christ, hath resolvedthat there shall be no more sacrifice for sin. Therefore 'if we sinwillfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins' (Heb 10:26). God dothneither appoint another, neither will he accept another, whoeverbrings it. And here those sayings are of their own natural force:'How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?' And again, 'See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped notwho refused him that spake on earth (Moses), much more shall notwe escape, if we turn away from him (Christ) that speaketh fromheaven' (Heb 2:3, 12:25). 

This therefore is a mighty demonstration that Christ by what hehath done hath paid full price to God for the souls of sinners, because God so severely threateneth, and also punisheth them thatrefuse to be justified by his blood: he threateneth, as you haveheard, and punisheth, by leaving such men in their sins, under hisheavy and insupportable vengeance here. 

2. 'He that believeth not shall be damned, ' damned in hell-fire(Mark 16:16). 'He that believeth not. ' But what should he believe?Why, (1. ) That Jesus is the Saviour. 'If, ' saith he, 'ye believe notthat I am he, ye shall die in your sins. '

(2. ) He that believeth not that he [Jesus] hath undertaken andcompletely perfected righteousness for us, shall die in his sins, shall be damned, and perish in hell-fire; for such have no cloak fortheir sin, but must stand naked to the show of their shame beforethe judgment of God, that fearful judgment. Therefore, after hehad said, 'there remaineth' for such 'no more sacrifice for sin, 'he adds, 'but a certain fearful looking for of judgment'; thereis for them left nothing but the judgment of God, and his fieryindignation, which shall devour the adversaries. 'He that despisedMoses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses; of howmuch sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, whohath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the bloodof the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, andhath done despite unto the Spirit of grace' (Heb 10:28, 29). 

See here, if fury comes not up now into the face of God; now ismention made of his fearful judgment and fiery indignation. Now, Isay, is mention made thereof, when it is suggested that some havelight thoughts of him, count his blood unholy, and trample hissacrificed body under the feet of their reproaches; now is he aconsuming fire, and will burn to the lowest hell. 'For we know himthat hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people' (Heb10:30). These words are urged by the Holy Ghost on purpose to beget inthe hearts of the rebellious reverend thoughts, and a high esteemof the sacrifice which our Lord Jesus offered once for all uponMount Calvary unto God the Father for our sins; for that is thevery argument of the whole epistle. 

It is said to this purpose, in one of Paul's epistles to theThessalonians, that because men receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved; 'for this cause God shall send themstrong delusion, that they should believe a lie; that they mightbe damned' (2 Thess 2:11, 12). 

'The truth' mentioned in this place is Jesus Christ. 'I am thetruth, ' saith he (John 14:6). The love of the truth is none elsebut the love and compassion of Jesus Christ in shedding his bloodfor man's redemption. 'Greater love hath no man than this, that aman lay down his life for his friends' (John 15:13). This, then, isthe love of the Truth (of Jesus), that he hath laid down his lifefor us. Now, that the rejecters of this love should by this theirrejecting procure such wrath of God against them, that rather thanthey shall miss of damnation, himself will choose their delusionsfor them, and also give them up to the effectual working of thesedelusions, what doth this manifest but that God is displeased withthem that accept not of Jesus Christ for righteousness, and willcertainly order that their end shall be everlasting damnation?therefore Jesus Christ hath paid full price to God for sinners, and obtained eternal redemption for them. 

THE USE OF THE DOCTRINE. 

I come now to make some use of and to apply this blessed doctrineof the undertaking of Jesus Christ, and of his paying full price toGod for sinners, and of his obtaining eternal redemption for them. 

THE FIRST USE. 

[FIRST. ] By this doctrine we come to understand many things whichotherwise abide obscure and utterly unknown, because this doctrineis accompanied with the Holy Ghost, that revealer of secrets, andsearcher of the deep things of God (1 Peter 1:2; Eph 1:17; 1 Cor2). The Holy Ghost comes down with this doctrine as that in whichit alone delighteth; therefore is it called 'the Spirit of wisdomand revelation in the knowledge' of Jesus Christ. He giveth also'the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of JesusChrist' (2 Cor 4:6). Little of God is known in the world where thegospel is rejected; the religious Jew and the wise Gentile may seemore of God in a crucified Christ than in heaven and earth besides;for in him 'are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, ' notonly in his person as God, but also in his undertakings as Mediator(Col 2:3). Hence Paul telleth us, that he 'determined not to knowanything among' the Corinthians but 'Jesus Christ and him crucified'(1 Cor 2:2). I say, more of God is revealed to us in this doctrinethan we can see of him in heaven and earth without it. 

First. Here is more of his WISDOM seen than in his making andupholding all the creatures. His wisdom, I say, in devising meansto reconcile sinners to a holy and infinite Majesty; to be a just God, and YET a Saviour; to be just to his law, just to his threatening, just to himself, and yet save sinners, can no way be understoodtill thou understandest why Jesus Christ did hang on the tree; forhere only is the riddle unfolded, 'Christ died for our sins, ' andtherefore can God in justice save us (Isa 45:21). And hence is Christcalled the Wisdom of God, not only because he is so essentially, but because by him is the greatest revelation of his wisdom towardsman. In redemption, therefore, by the blood of Christ, God is saidto abound towards us in all wisdom (Eph 1:7, 8). Here we see thehighest contradictions reconciled, here justice kisseth the sinner, here a man stands just in the sight of God while confounded athis own pollutions, and here he that hath done no good hath yet asufficient righteousness, even the righteousness of God, which isby faith of Jesus Christ. 

Second. The JUSTICE of God is here more seen than in punishing allthe damned. 'He spared not his own Son, ' is a sentence which morerevealeth the nature of the justice of God than if it had said, He spared not all the world. True, he cast angels from heaven, anddrowned the old world; he turned Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes, withmany more of like nature; but what were all these to the cursingof his Son? Yea, what were ten thousand such manifestations of hisireful indignation against sin, to that of striking, afflicting, chastising, and making the darling of his bosom the object of hiswrath and judgment? Here it is seen he respecteth not persons, butjudgeth sin, and condemneth him on whom it is found; yea, althoughon Jesus Christ his well-beloved (Rom 8:32; Gal 3:13). 

Third. The mystery of God's WILL is here more seen than in hangingthe earth upon nothing, while he condemneth Christ, though righteous, and justifieth us, though sinners, while he maketh him to be sinfor us, and us the righteousness of God in him (1 Peter 3:18; 2Cor 5:20). 

Fourth. The POWER of God is here more seen than in making ofheaven and earth; for one to bear, and get the victory over sin, when charged by the justice of an infinite majesty, in so doing heshoweth the height of the highest power; for where sin by the lawis charged, and that by God immediately, there an infinite majestyopposeth, and that with the whole of his justice, holiness, andpower; so then, he that is thus charged and engaged for the sin ofthe world, must not only be equal with God, but show it by overcomingthat curse and judgment that by infinite justice is charged uponhim for sin. 

When angels and men had sinned, how did they fall and crumble beforethe anger of God! they had not power to withstand the terror, norcould there be worth found in their persons or doings to appeasedispleased justice. But behold here stands the Son of God beforehim in the sin of the world; his Father, finding him there, cursethand condemns him to death; but he, by the power of his Godhead, andthe worthiness of his person and doings, vanquisheth sin, satisfiethGod's justice, and so becomes the Saviour of the world. Here, then, is power seen: sin is a mighty thing, it crusheth all in pieces savehim whose Spirit is eternal (Heb 9:14). Set Christ and his sufferingsaside, and you neither see the evil of sin nor the displeasureof God against it; you see them not in their utmost. Hadst thoua view of all the legions that are now in the pains of hell, yea, couldst thou hear their shrieks and groans together at once, andfeel the whole of all their burden, much of the evil of sin and ofthe justice of God against it would be yet unknown by thee, forthou wouldest want power to feel and bear the utmost. A giant showsnot his power by killing of a little child, nor yet is his mightseen by the resistance that such a little one makes, but thenhe showeth his power when he dealeth with one like himself; yea, and the power also of the other is then made manifest in savinghimself from being swallowed up with his wrath. Jesus Christ alsomade manifest his eternal power and Godhead, more by bearing andovercoming our sins, than in making or upholding the whole world;hence Christ crucified is called 'the power of God' (1 Cor 1:23, 24). 

Fifth. The LOVE and MERCY of God are more seen in and by thisdoctrine than any other way. Mercy and love are seen, in that Godgives us rain and fruitful seasons, and in that he filleth ourhearts with food and gladness; from that bounty which he bestowethupon us as men, as his creatures. O! but herein is love made manifest, in that 'Christ laid down his life for us. ' 'And God commendethhis love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ diedfor us' (1 John 3:16; Rom 5:8). 

Never love like this, nor did God ever give such discovery of hislove from the beginning to this day. 'Herein is love, not thatwe loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be thepropitiation for our sins' (1 John 4:10). 

Here is love, that God sent his Son, his darling, his Son that neveroffended, his Son that was always his delight! Herein is love, thathe sent him to save sinners, to save them by bearing their sins, by bearing their curse, by dying their death, and by carrying theirsorrows! Here is love, in that while we were yet enemies, Christdied for us; yea, here is love, in that while 'we were yet withoutstrength, Christ died for the ungodly' (Rom 5:6). 

THE SECOND USE. 

[SECOND. ] But as this doctrine giveth us the best discovery ofGod, so also it giveth us the best discovery of ourselves and ourown things. 

First. It giveth us the best discovery of ourselves. Wouldst thouknow, sinner, what thou art? look up to the cross, and behold aweeping, bleeding, dying Jesus: nothing could do but that, nothingcould save thee but his blood; angels could not, saints could not, God could not, because he could not lie, because he could not denyhimself. What a thing is sin, that it should sink all that bearits burden! yea, it sunk the Son of God himself into death and thegrave, and had also sunk him into hell-fire for ever had he notbeen the Son of God, had he not been able to take it on his back, and bear it away! O this Lamb of God! Sinners were going to hell, Christ was the delight of his Father, and had a whole heaven tohimself; but that did not content him, heaven could not hold him;he must come into the world to save sinners (1 Tim 1:15). Aye, andhad he not come, thy sins had sunk thee, thy sins had provoked thewrath of God against thee, to thy perdition and destruction forever. There is no man but is a sinner, there is no sin but woulddamn an angel, should God lay it to his charge. Sinner, the doctrineof Christ crucified crieth therefore aloud unto thee, that sinhath made thy condition dreadful. See yourselves, your sin, andconsequently the condition that your souls are in, by the death andblood of Christ; Christ's death giveth us the most clear discoveryof the dreadful nature of our sins. I say again, if sin be sodreadful a thing as to break the heart of the Son of God, for so hesaid it did, how shall a poor, wretched, impenitent, damned sinnerwrestle with the wrath of God? Awake, sinners; you are lost, youare undone, you are damned, hell-fire is your portion for ever, if you abide in your sins, and be found without a Saviour in thedreadful day of judgment. 

Second. For your good deeds cannot help you; the blood of Christtells you so. For by this doctrine, 'Christ died for our sins, 'God damneth to death and hell the righteousness of the world. Christ must die, or man be damned. Where is now any room for therighteousness of men? room, I say, for man's righteousness, as tohis acceptance and justification? Bring, then, thy righteousnessto the cross of Jesus Christ, and in his blood behold the demandsof justice; behold them, I say, in the cries and tears, in theblood and death of Jesus Christ. Look again, and behold the persondying; such an one as never sinned nor offended at any time, yethe dies. Could a holy life, an innocent, harmless conversation, have saved one from death, Jesus had not died. But he must die;sin was charged, therefore Christ must die. 

Men, therefore, need to go no further to prove the worth of theirown righteousness than to the death of Christ; they need not bewaiting to seek in that matter till they stand before the judgment-seat. 

Quest. But how should I prove [or try] the goodness of mine ownrighteousness by the death and blood of Christ?

Answ. Thus: if Christ must die for sin, then all thy righteousnesscannot save thee. 'If righteousness come by the law, then Christis dead in vain' (Gal 2:21). By this text it is manifest thateither Christ died in vain, or thy righteousness is vain. If thyrighteousness can save thee, then Christ died in vain; if nothingbelow or besides the death of Christ could save thee, then thyrighteousness is in vain; one of the two must be cast away, eitherChrist's or thine. Christ crucified to save the world, discoverethtwo great evils in man's own righteousness; I mean, when broughtfor justification and life. 1. It opposeth the righteousness ofChrist. 2. It condemneth God of foolishness. 

1. It opposeth the righteousness of Christ, in that it seekethitself to stand where should the righteousness of Christ--to wit, in God's affection for the justification of thy person; and thisis one of the highest affronts to Christ that poor man is capableto give him: right worthily, therefore, doth the doctrine of thegospel damn the righteousness of men, and promiseth the kingdom ofGod to publicans and harlots rather. 

2. It condemneth God of foolishness; for if works of righteousnesswhich we can do can justify from the curse of the law in the sightof God, then are not all the treasures of wisdom found in the heartof God and Christ; for this dolt-headed sinner hath now found outa way of his own, unawares to God, to secure his soul from wrathand vengeance; I say, unawares to God, for he never imagined thatsuch a thing could be; for had he, he would never have purposedbefore the world began to send his Son to die for sinners. Christis the wisdom of God, as you have heard, and that as he is ourjustifying righteousness. God was manifest in the flesh to save us, is the great mystery of godliness. But wherein lieth the depth ofthis wisdom of God in our salvation, if man's righteousness cansave him? (Job 40:10-14). 

Yea, wherefore hath God also given it out that there is none othername given to men under heaven whereby we must be saved? I say again, why is it affirmed 'without shedding of blood is no remission, ' ifman's good deeds can save him?

This doctrine, therefore, of the righteousness of Christ beingrightly preached, and truly believed, arraigneth and condemnethman's righteousness to hell; it casteth it out as Abraham cast outIshmael. Blood, blood, the sound of blood, abaseth all the gloryof it! When men have said all, and showed us what they can, theyhave no blood to present God's justice with; yet it is blood thatmaketh an atonement for the soul, and nothing but blood can washaway from us our sins (Lev 17:11; Rev 1:5; Heb 9). 

Justice calls for blood, sins call for blood, the righteous lawcalls for blood, yea, the devil himself must be overcome by blood. Sinner, where is now thy righteousness? Bring it before a consumingfire, for our God is a consuming fire; bring it before the justiceof the law; yea, try if aught but the blood of Christ can save theefrom thy sins, and devils; try it, I say, by this doctrine; go notone step further before thou hast tried it. 

Third. By this doctrine we are made to see the worth of souls. Itcannot be but that the soul is of wonderful price, when the Son ofGod will not stick to spill his blood for it. O sinners, you thatwill venture your souls for a little pleasure, surely you know notthe worth of your souls. Now, if you would know what your soulsare worth, and the price which God sets them at, read that price bythe blood of Christ. The blood of Christ was spilt to save souls. 'For ye are bought with a price, ' and that price none other thanthe blood of Christ; 'therefore glorify God in your body and inyour spirit, which are God's (1 Cor 6:20). Sinners, you have souls, can you behold a crucified Christ, and not bleed, and not mourn, and not fall in love with him?

THE THIRD USE. 

[THIRD. ] By this doctrine sinners, as sinners, are encouraged tocome to God for mercy, for the curse due to sin is taken out ofthe way. I speak now to sinners that are awake, and see themselvessinners. 

There are two things in special when men begin to be awakened, thatkill their thoughts of being saved. 1. A sense of sin. 2. The wagesdue thereto. These kill the heart; for who can bear up under theguilt of sin? 'If our sins be upon us, and we pine away in them, how should we then live?' (Eze 33:10). How indeed! it is impossible. So neither can man grapple with the justice of God. 'Can thine heartendure, or can thine hands be strong?' They cannot (Eze 22:14). 'A wounded spirit who can bear?' (Prov 18:14). Men cannot, angelscannot. Wherefore, if now Christ be hid, and the blessing of faithin his blood denied, woe be to them; such go after Saul and Judas, one to the sword, and the other to the halter, and so miserablyend their days; for come to God they dare not; the thoughts of thateternal Majesty strike them through. 

But now, present such poor dejected sinners with a crucified Christ, and persuade them that the sins under which they shake and tremblewere long ago laid upon the back of Christ, and the noise and senseand fear of damning begins to cease, depart, and fly away; dolorsand terrors fade and vanish, and that soul conceiveth hopes oflife; for thus the soul argueth, Is this indeed the truth of God, that Christ was made to be sin for me? was made the curse of God forme? Hath he indeed borne all my sins, and spilt his blood for myredemption! O Blessed tidings! O welcome grace! 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. ' Now ispeace come; now the face of heaven is altered; 'Behold, all thingsare become new. ' Now the sinner can abide God's presence, yea, sees unutterable glory and beauty in him; for here he sees justicesmite. While Jacob was afraid of Esau, how heavily did he driveeven towards the promised land? but when killing thoughts wereturned into kissing, and the fears of the sword's point turned intobrother embraces, what says he?--'I have seen thy face as thoughit had been the face of God, and thou wast pleased with me' (Gen33:10). 

So and far better is it with a poor distressed sinner atthe revelation of the grace of God through Jesus Christ. 'God wasin Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing theirtrespasses unto them. ' O what work will such a word make upon awounded conscience, especially when the next words follow--'For hehath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might bemade the righteousness of God in him!'

Now, the soul sees qualifications able to set him quit in the sightof God; qualifications prepared already. Prepared, I say, already;and that by God through Christ; even such as can perfectly answerthe law. What doth the law require? If obedience, here it is; ifbloody sacrifice, here it is; if infinite righteousness, here itis! Now, then, the law condemns him that believes before God nomore; for all its demands are answered, all its curses are swallowedup in the death and curse Christ underwent. 

Object. But reason saith, since personal sin brought the death, surely personal obedience must bring us life and glory. 

Answ. True reason saith so, and so doth the law itself (Rom 10:5);but God, we know, is above them both, and he in the covenant ofgrace saith otherwise; to wit, that 'if thou shalt confess withthy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart thatGod hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved' (Rom 10:9). 

Let reason, then, hold its tongue, yea, let the law with all itswisdom subject itself to him that made it; let it look for sinwhere God hath laid it; let it approve the righteousness whichGod approveth; yea, though it be not that of the law, but that byfaith of Jesus Christ. 

God hath made him our righteousness, God hath made him our sin, Godhath made him our curse, God hath made him our blessing; methinksthis word, 'God hath made it so, ' should silence all the world. 

THE FOURTH USE. 

[FOURTH. ] By this doctrine, sufficiency of argument is ministeredto the tempted to withstand hereby the assaults of the devil. 

When souls begin to seek after the Lord Jesus, then Satan beginsto afflict and distress, as the Canaanites did the Gibeonites, formaking peace with Joshua (Josh 10:1, 6). 

There are three things that do usually afflict the soul that isearnestly looking after Jesus Christ. First. Dreadful accusationsfrom Satan. Second. Grievous defiling and infectious thoughts. Third. A strange readiness in our nature to fall in with both. 

First. By the first of these, the heart is made continually totremble. Hence his temptations are compared to the roaring of alion, for as the lion by roaring killeth the heart of his prey, sodoth Satan kill the spirit of these that hearken to him (1 Peter5:8); for when he tempteth, especially by way of accusation, hedoth to us as Rabshakeh did to the Jews; he speaks to us in our ownlanguage; he speaks our sin at every word, our guilty conscienceknows it; he speaks our death at every word, our doubting consciencefeels it. 

Second. Besides this, there doth now arise, even in the heart, such defiling and foul infectious thoughts that putteth the temptedto their wits' end; for now it seems to the soul that the veryflood-gates of the flesh are opened, and that to sin there is nostop at all; now the air seems to be covered with darkness, andthe man is as if he was changed into the nature of a devil; now ifignorance and unbelief prevail, he concludeth that he is a reprobate, made to be taken and destroyed. 

Third. Now also he feeleth in him a readiness to fall in with everytemptation; a readiness, I say, continually present (Rom 7:21). Thisthrows all down. Now despair begins to swallow him up; now he canneither pray, nor read, nor hear, nor meditate on God, but fireand smoke continually bursteth forth of the heart against him. Nowsin and great confusion puts forth itself in all; yea, the more thesinner desireth to do a duty sincerely, the further off it alwaysfind itself; for by how much the soul struggleth under these distresses, by so much the more doth Satan put forth himself to resist, stillinfusing more poison, that if possible it might never strugglemore, for strugglings are also as poison to Satan. The fly in thespider's web is an emblem of the soul in such a condition--the flyis entangled in the web; at this the spider shows himself; if thefly stir again, down comes the spider to her, and claps a footupon her; if yet the fly makes a noise, then with poisoned mouththe spider lays hold upon her; if the fly struggle still, thenhe poisons her more and more. What shall the fly do now? Why, shedies, if somebody does not quickly release her. This is the caseof the tempted; they are entangled in the web, their feet and wingsare entangled; now Satan shows himself; if the soul now struggleth, Satan laboureth to hold it down; if it now shall make a noise, thenhe bites with blasphemous mouth, more poisonous than the gall ofa serpent; if it struggle again, then he poisoneth more and more, insomuch that it needs, at last, must die in the net, if the man, the lord Jesus, help not out. [6]

The afflicted conscience understands my words. 

Further, though the fly in the web is altogether incapable oflooking for relief, yet this awakened, tempted Christian is not. What must he do therefore? How should he contain hopes of life? Ifhe look to his heart, there is blasphemy; if he look to his duties, there is sin; if he strive to mourn and lament, perhaps he cannot;unbelief and hardness hinder. Shall this man lie down and despair?No. Shall he trust to his duties? No. Shall he stay from Christtill his heart is better? No. What then? Let him NOW look to JesusChrist crucified, then shall he see his sins answered for, thenshall he see death a-dying, then shall he see guilt borne by another, and there shall he see the devil overcome. This sight destroys thepower of the first temptation, purifies the heart, and inclinesthe mind to all good things. 

And to encourage thee, tempted creature, to this most gospel duty, consider that when Jesus Christ read his commission upon the enteringinto his ministry, he proclaimed, 'The Spirit of the Lord is uponme, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor;he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliveranceto the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set atliberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year ofthe Lord' (Luke 4:18, 19). 

These things therefore should the tempted believe; but believingis now sweating work; for Satan will hold as long as possible, andonly steadfast faith can make him fly. But O, the toil of a trulygracious heart in this combat! If faith be weak, he can scarce gethigher than his knees; Lord, help! Lord, save! and then down again, till an arm from heaven takes him up, until Jesus Christ be evidentlyset forth crucified for him, and cursed for his sin; for then, andnot till then, the temptation rightly ceaseth, at leastwise for aseason. Now the soul can tend to look about it, and thus considerwith itself: if Christ hath borne my sin and curse, then it is takenaway from me; and seeing thus to take away sin was the contrivanceof the God of heaven, I will bless his name, hope in his mercy, andlook upon death and hell with comfort. 'Thine heart shall meditateterror, ' thou shalt see the land that is very far off (Isa 33:16-18). 

THE FIFTH USE. 

[FIFTH. ] this doctrine makes Christ precious to the believers--'Untoyou therefore which believe, he is precious' (1 Peter 2:7). 

This head might be greatly enlarged upon, and branched out intoa thousand particulars, and each one full of weight and glory. 1. By considering what sin is. 2. By considering what hell is. 3. Byconsidering what wrath is. 4. By considering what eternity is. 5. By considering what the loss of a soul is. 6. What the loss of Godis. 7. What the loss of heaven is. 8. And what it is to be in utterdarkness with devils and damned souls for ever and ever. And afterall to conclude, from all the miseries the Lord Jesus deliveredme. 

Further, this makes Christ precious, if I consider, in the nextplace, 1. How he did deliver me; it was with his life, his blood; it costhim tears, groans, agony, separation from God; to do it he enduredhis Father's wrath, bore his Father's curse, and died thousands ofdeaths at once. 

2. He did this while I was his enemy, without my desires, withoutmy knowledge, without my deserts; he did it unawares to me. 

3. He did it freely, cheerfully, yea, he longed to die for me;yea, heaven would not hold him for the love he had to my salvation, which also he hath effectually accomplished for me at Jerusalem. Honourable Jesus! precious Jesus! loving Jesus! Jonathan's kindnesscaptivated David, and made him precious in his eyes for ever. 'I amdistressed for thee, my brother Jonathan, ' said he; 'very pleasanthast thou been unto me; thy love to me was wonderful, passing thelove of women' (2 Sam 1:26). Why, what had Jonathan done? O, he haddelivered David from the wrath of Saul. But how much more should hebe precious to me who hath saved me from death and hell! who hathdelivered me from the wrath of God! 'The love of Christ constrainethus. ' Nothing will so edge the spirit of a Christian as, 'Thou wastslain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood. ' This makes theheavens themselves ring with joy and shouting. Mark the words, 'Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out ofevery kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made usunto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth. 'What follows now? 'And I beheld, and I heard the voice of manyangels round about the throne, and the beasts and the elders: andthe number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousandsof thousands; saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb thatwas slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which isin heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as arein the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth uponthe throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever' (Rev 5:9-14). 

Thus also is the song, that new song that is said to be sung bythe hundred forty and four thousand which stand with the Lamb uponMount Sion, with his Father's name written in their foreheads. Theseare also called harpers, harping with their harps: 'And they sungas it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundredand forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth'(Rev 14:1-3). 

But why could they not learn that song? Because they were notredeemed: none can sing of this song but the redeemed; they cangive glory to the Lamb, the Lamb that was slain, and that redeemedthem to God by his blood. It is faith in his blood on earth thatwill make us sing this song in heaven. These shoutings and heavenlysongs must needs come from love put into a flame by the sufferingsof Christ. 

THE LAST USE. 

If all these things be true, what follows but a demonstration ofthe accursed condition of those among the religious in these nationswhose notions put them far off from Jesus, and from venturing theirsouls upon his bloody death? I have observed such a spirit as thisin the world that careth not for knowing of Jesus; the possessedtherewith do think that it is not material to salvation to ventureupon a crucified Christ, neither do they trouble their heads orhearts with inquiring whether Christ Jesus be risen and ascendedinto heaven, or whether they see him again or no, but rather arefor concluding that there will be no such thing: these men speaknot by the Holly Ghost, for in the sum they call Jesus accursed;but I doubt not to say that many of them are anathematized of God, and shall stand so, till the coming of the Lord Jesus, to whom beglory for ever and ever. Amen. [7]

FOOTNOTES:

1. In this quotation, Bunyan has followed the Genevan or Puritanversion. It was a favourite version with our pilgrim forefathers, and is in many texts more faithful than our authorized translation;but, in this passage, our present version is more literal. The sameHebrew word, to 'break' or 'bruise, ' is used as to Satan's headand the Saviour's heel. --Ed. 

2. Genevan or Puritan version. --Ed. 

3. 'Common' means public. 'Not doing nor dying in a private capacity, but in the room and stead of sinners. '--Ed. 

4. It was common with the Reformers and Puritans, when condemningthe absurdities of Aquinas and the schoolmen, to call it 'Dunsishsophistry, ' from one of the chief of these writers named Duns, usually called, from the place of his birth, Duns Scotus. --Ed. 

5. The apostle evidently means by 'Christ made sin for us, ' thathe was made an offering or sacrifice for our sins. He was made sinwho knew no sin. Our sins were laid upon him; he bore them awayin his own body on the tree. The clean animals sacrificed by thepatriarchs, and under the law, were types of this great sacrificeof Christ. --Ed. 

6. 'I hid myself when I for flies do wait, So doth the devil whenhe lays his bait; If I do fear the losing of my prey, I stir me, and more snares upon her lay, This way and that her wings and legsI tie, That sure as she is caught, so she must die. '--Bunyan'sDivine Emblems, No. XVIII. 'Dialogue between a spider and a sinner. '

7. Here is faithful dealing! This is a most solemn and awfulappeal to the consciences of those who, forsaking the fountain ofsalvation, venture to build their hopes of pardon upon some otherfoundation than Jesus Christ, the Rock of Ages. They seek refugein lies, which, at the great and trying day, will be fearfully andswiftly swept away, leaving them, with all their guilt upon theirheads, to suffer under the curse. Reader, do not indulge in vainimaginations as to whether any sect is here alluded to; Bunyan'sappeal is to persons--to you and me. If WE, either by secret oropen sins, or by carelessness of eternal realities, or by departingfrom a simple and entire reliance by faith in the work and meritsof Christ--we trample under foot the blood of the covenant, thereis nothing left us but a fearful looking for of judgment, andfiery indignation to devour us. May we appeal to our God, Lord, isit I? Lord, thou knowest that I love thee. O lead me in the wayeverlasting. --Ed

***

A TREATISE OF THE FEAR OF GOD;

SHOWING

WHAT IT IS, AND HOW DISTINGUISHED FROM THAT WHICH IS NOT SO. 

ALSO, WHENCE IT COMES; WHO HAS IT; WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS; AND WHATTHE PRIVILEGES OF THOSE THAT HAVE IT IN THEIR HEARTS. 

London: Printed for N. Ponder, at the Peacock in the Poultry, overagainst the Stocks market: 1679. 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, " and "a fountainof life"--the foundation on which all wisdom rests, as well as thesource from whence it emanates. Upon a principle so vastly important, all the subtle malignity of Satan has been directed, if possibleto mislead the very elect; while the ungodly and impenitent fallunder his devices. To the mind enlightened by Divine truth, thedifference between a filial fear of offending God and the dread ofpunishment is very plain. Still, by the devil's sophistry, some ofthe most pious Christians have been puzzled and bewildered. Bunyanwas not ignorant of Satan's devices, and he has roused the energiesof his powerful mind, guided by Divine truth, to render this importantdoctrine so clear and easy to be understood, that the believer maynot err. 

This rare volume, first published in 1679, soon became so scarcethat Chandler, Wilson, Whitefield, and others, omitted it fromtheir editions of Bunyan's works. At length it appeared in the morecomplete collection by Ryland and Mason, about 1780. Since then, it has been reprinted, somewhat modernized, by the Tract Society, from an original copy, discovered by that ardent lover of Bunyan, the Rev. Joseph Belcher. Of this edition, four thousand copies havebeen printed. 

The great line of distinction that Bunyan draws is between thatterror and dread of God, as the infinitely Holy One, before whomall sin must incur the intensity of punishment; and the love ofGod, as the Father of mercies, and fountain of blessedness, in thegift of his Son, and a sense of adoption into his family; by theinfluences of which the soul fears to offend him. This fear is purelyevangelical; for if the slightest dependence is placed upon anysupposed good works of our own, the filial fear of God is swallowedup in dread and terror--for salvation depends upon the perfectionof holiness, without which none can enter heaven, and which canonly be found in Christ. 

Mr. Mason, on reading this treatise, thus expressed his feelings--"Whenthe fear of the Lord is a permanent principle, inwrought in thesoul by the Divine Spirit, it is an undoubted token of electionto life eternal; for the most precious promises are made to God'sfearers, even the blessings of the everlasting covenant. Such aresure to be protected from every enemy; to be guided by unerringcounsel; and what will crown all, to be beloved of God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; till, by almighty and effectual grace, he willbe translated to those mansions of glory and blessedness preparedfor him, where he will sing the praises of his covenant-God whileeternity endures. "

May this be the blessed experience of all those who prayerfullyread this important treatise. 

Geo. Offor. 

A TREATISE ON THE FEAR OF GOD

"BLESSED IS EVERY ONE THAT FEARETH THE LORD. "--PSALM 128:1

"FEAR GOD. "--REVELATION 14:7

This exhortation is not only found here in the text, but is inseveral other places of the Scripture pressed, and that with muchvehemency, upon the children of men, as in Ecclesiastes 12:13; 1Peter 1:17, &c. I shall not trouble you with a long preamble, orforespeech to the matter, nor shall I here so much as meddle withthe context, but shall immediately fall upon the words themselves, and briefly treat of the fear of God. The text, you see, presentethus with matter of greatest moment, to wit, with God, and with thefear of him. 

First they present us with God, the true and living God, maker ofthe worlds, and upholder of all things by the word of his power:that incomprehensible majesty, in comparison of whom all nationsare less than the drop of a bucket, and than the small dust of thebalance. This is he that fills heaven and earth, and is everywherepresent with the children of men, beholding the evil and the good;for he hath set his eyes upon all their ways. 

So that, considering that by the text we have presented to oursouls the Lord God and Maker of us all, who also will be eitherour Saviour or Judge, we are in reason and duty bound to give themore earnest heed to the things that shall be spoken, and be themore careful to receive them, and put them in practice; for, as Isaid, as they present us with the mighty God, so they exhort us tothe highest duty towards him; to wit, to fear him. I call it thehighest duty, because it is, as I may call it, not only a duty initself, but, as it were, the salt that seasoneth every duty. Forthere is no duty performed by us that can by any means be acceptedof God, if it be not seasoned with godly fear. Wherefore the apostlesaith, "Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, withreverence and godly fear. " Of this fear, I say, I would discourseat this time; but because this word fear is variously taken inthe Scripture, and because it may be profitable to us to see it inits variety, I shall therefore choose this method for the managingof my discourse, even to show you the nature of the word in itsseveral, especially of the chiefest, acceptations. FIRST. Then bythis word fear we are to understand even God himself, who is theobject of our fear. SECOND. By this word fear we are to understandthe Word of God, the rule and director of our fear. Now to speakto this word fear, as it is thus taken. 

[THIS WORD FEAR AS TAKEN FOR GOD HIMSELF. ]

FIRST. Of this word "fear, " AS IT RESPECTETH GOD HIMSELF, who isthe object of our fear. 

By this word fear, as I said, we are to understand God himself, who is the object of our fear: For the Divine majesty goeth oftenunder this very name himself. This name Jacob called him by, whenhe and Laban chid together on Mount Gilead, after that Jacob hadmade his escape to his father's house; "Except, " said he, "theGod of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac hadbeen with me, surely thou hadst sent me away now empty. " So again, a little after, when Jacob and Laban agree to make a covenant ofpeace each with other, though Laban, after the jumbling way of theheathen by his oath, puts the true God and the false together, yet"Jacob sware by the fear of his father Isaac" (Gen 31:42, 53). [1]

By the fear, that is, by the God of his father Isaac. And, indeed, God may well be called the fear of his people, not only because theyhave by his grace made him the object of their fear, but becauseof the dread and terrible majesty that is in him. "He is a mightyGod, a great and terrible, and with God is terrible majesty" (Dan7:28, 10:17; Neh 1:5, 4:14, 9:32; Job 37:22). Who knows the powerof his anger? "The mountains quake at him, the hills melt, andthe earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all thatdwell therein. Who can stand before his indignation? who can abidein the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him" (Nahum 1:5, 6). His peopleknow him, and have his dread upon them, by virtue whereof there isbegot and maintained in them that godly awe and reverence of hismajesty which is agreeable to their profession of him. "Let him beyour fear, and let him be your dread. " Set his majesty before theeyes of your souls, and let his excellency make you afraid withgodly fear (Isa 8:13). 

There are these things that make God to be the fear of his people. 

First. His presence is dreadful, and that not only his presencein common, but his special, yea, his most comfortable and joyouspresence. When God comes to bring a soul news of mercy and salvation, even that visit, that presence of God, is fearful. When Jacob wentfrom Beersheba towards Haran, he met with God in the way by a dream, in the which he apprehended a ladder set upon the earth, whose topreached to heaven; now in this dream, from the top of this ladder, he saw the Lord, and heard him speak unto him, not threateningly;not as having his fury come up into his face; but in the most sweetand gracious manner, saluting him with promise of goodness afterpromise of goodness, to the number of eight or nine; as will appearif you read the place. Yet I say, when he awoke, all the grace thatdiscovered itself in this heavenly vision to him could not keep himfrom dread and fear of God's majesty. "And Jacob awaked out of hissleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place, and I knew itnot; and he was afraid and said, How dreadful is this place! thisis none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven"(Gen 28:10-17). 

At another time, to wit, when Jacob had that memorable visit fromGod, in which he gave him power as a prince to prevail with him;yea, and gave him a name, that by his remembering it he mightcall God's favour the better to his mind; yet even then and theresuch dread of the majesty of God was upon him, that he went awaywondering that his life was preserved (Gen 32:30). Man crumbles todust at the presence of God; yea, though he shows himself to us inhis robes of salvation. We have read how dreadful and how terribleeven the presence of angels have been unto men, and that when theyhave brought them good tidings from heaven (Judg 13:22; Matt 28:4;Mark 16:5, 6). Now, if angels, which are but creatures, are, throughthe glory that God has put upon them, so fearful and terrible intheir appearance to men, how much more dreadful and terrible mustGod himself be to us, who are but dust and ashes! When Daniel hadthe vision of his salvation sent him from heaven, for so it was, "O Daniel, " said the messenger, "a man greatly beloved"; yet beholdthe dread and terror of the person speaking fell with that weightupon this good man's soul, that he could not stand, nor bear up underit. He stood trembling, and cries out, "O my lord, by the visionmy sorrows are turned upon me, and I have retained no strength. Forhow can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for asfor me, straightway there remained no strength in me" (Dan 10:16-17). See you here if the presence of God is not a dreadful and a fearfulthing; yea, his most gracious and merciful appearances; how muchmore then when he showeth himself to us as one that disliketh ourways, as one that is offended with us for our sins?

And there are three things that in an eminent manner make hispresence dreadful to us. 

1. The first is God's own greatness and majesty; the discoveryof this, or of himself thus, even as no poor mortals are able toconceive of him, is altogether unsupportable. The man dies to whomhe thus discovers himself. "And when I saw him, " says John, "I fellat his feet as dead" (Rev 1:17). It was this, therefore, that Jobwould have avoided in the day that he would have approached untohim. "Let not thy dread, " says he, "make me afraid. Then callthou, and I will answer; or let me speak, and answer thou me" (Job13:21, 22). But why doth Job after this manner thus speak to God?Why! it was from a sense that he had of the dreadful majesty ofGod, even the great and dreadful God that keepeth covenant with hispeople. The presence of a king is dreadful to the subject, yea, though he carries it never so condescendingly; if then there beso much glory and dread in the presence of the king, what fear anddread must there be, think you, in the presence of the eternal God?

2. When God giveth his presence to his people, that his presencecauseth them to appear to themselves more what they are, than atother times, by all other light, they can see. "O my lord, " saidDaniel, "by the vision my sorrows are turned upon me"; and whywas that, but because by the glory of that vision, he saw his ownvileness more than at other times. So again: "I was left alone, "says he, "and saw this great vision"; and what follows? Why, "andthere remained no strength in me; for my comeliness was turnedinto corruption, and I retained no strength" (Dan 10:8, 16). By thepresence of God, when we have it indeed, even our best things, ourcomeliness, our sanctity and righteousness, all do immediately turnto corruption and polluted rags. The brightness of his glory dimsthem as the clear light of the shining sun puts out the glory ofthe fire or candle, and covers them with the shadow of death. Seealso the truth of this in that vision of the prophet Isaiah. "Wois me, " said he, "for I am undone, because I am a man of uncleanlips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips. " Why, what is the matter? how came the prophet by this sight? Why, sayshe, "mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts" (Isa 6:5). But do you think that this outcry was caused by unbelief? No; noryet begotten by slavish fear. This was to him the vision of hisSaviour, with whom also he had communion before (vv 2-5). It wasthe glory of that God with whom he had now to do, that turned, aswas noted before of Daniel, his comeliness in him into corruption, and that gave him yet greater sense of the disproportion that wasbetwixt his God and him, and so a greater sight of his defiled andpolluted nature. 

3. Add to this the revelation of God's goodness, and it must needsmake his presence dreadful to us; for when a poor defiled creatureshall see that this great God hath, notwithstanding his greatness, goodness in his heart, and mercy to bestow upon him: this makeshis presence yet the more dreadful. They "shall fear the Lord andhis goodness" (Hosea 3:5). The goodness as well as the greatnessof God doth beget in the heart of his elect an awful reverence ofhis majesty. "Fear ye not me? saith the Lord; will ye not trembleat my presence?" And then, to engage us in our soul to the duty, he adds one of his wonderful mercies to the world, for a motive, "Fear ye not me?" Why, who are thou? He answers, Even I, "which have"set, or "placed the sand for the bound of the sea by a perpetualdecree, that it cannot pass it; and though the waves thereof tossthemselves, yet can they not prevail; though they roar, yet canthey not pass over it?" (Jer 5:22). Also, when Job had God presentwith him, making manifest the goodness of his great heart to him, what doth he say? how doth he behave himself in his presence? "Ihave heard of thee, " says he, "by the hearing of the ear, but nowmine eye seeth thee; wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dustand ashes" (Job 42:5, 6). 

And what mean the tremblings, the tears, those breakings and shakingsof heart that attend the people of God, when in an eminent mannerthey receive the pronunciation of the forgiveness of sins at hismouth, but that the dread of the majesty of God is in their sightmixed therewith? God must appear like himself, speak to the soul likehimself; nor can the sinner, when under these glorious discoveriesof his Lord and Saviour, keep out the beams of his majesty from theeyes of his understanding. "I will cleanse them, " saith he, "fromall their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me, and I willpardon all their iniquities whereby they have sinned, and wherebythey have transgressed against me. " And what then? "And they shallfear and tremble for all the goodness, and for all the prosperitythat I procure unto it" (Jer 33:8, 9). Alas! there is a company ofpoor, light, frothy professors in the world, that carry it underthat which they call the presence of God, more like to antics, than sober sensible Christians; yea, more like to a fool of a play, than those that have the presence of God. They would not carry itso in the presence of a king, nor yet of the lord of their land, were they but receivers of mercy at his hand. They carry it evenin their most eminent seasons, as if the sense and sight of God, and his blessed grace to their souls in Christ, had a tendency inthem to make men wanton: but indeed it is the most humbling andheart-breaking sight in the world; it is fearful. [2]

Object. But would you not have us rejoice at the sight and senseof the forgiveness of our sins?

Answ. Yes; but yet I would have you, and indeed you shall, when Godshall tell you that your sins are pardoned indeed, "rejoice withtrembling" (Psa 2:11). For then you have solid and godly joy; ajoyful heart, and wet eyes, in this will stand very well together;and it will be so more or less. For if God shall come to you indeed, and visit you with the forgiveness of sins, that visit removeththe guilt, but increaseth the sense of thy filth, and the sense ofthis that God hath forgiven a filthy sinner, will make thee bothrejoice and tremble. O, the blessed confusion that will then coverthy face whilst thou, even thou, so vile a wretch, shalt standbefore God to receive at his hand thy pardon, and so the firstfruitsof thy eternal salvation--"That thou mayest remember, and beconfounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame(thy filth), when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hastdone, saith the Lord God" (Eze 16:63). But, Second. As the presence, so the name of God, is dreadful andfearful: wherefore his name doth rightly go under the same title, "That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORDTHY GOD" (Deut 28:58). The name of God, what is that, but that bywhich he is distinguished and known from all others? Names are todistinguish by; so man is distinguished from beasts, and angelsfrom men; so heaven from earth, and darkness from light; especiallywhen by the name, the nature of the thing is signified and expressed;and so it was in their original, for then names expressed thenature of the thing so named. And therefore it is that the name ofGod is the object of our fear, because by his name his nature isexpressed: "Holy and reverend is his name" (Psa 111:9). And again, he proclaimed the name of the Lord, "The Lord, the Lord God, mercifuland gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth;keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, and transgression, and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty" (Exo 34:6, 7). 

Also his name, I am, Jah, Jehovah, with several others, what isby them intended but his nature, as his power, wisdom, eternity, goodness, and omnipotency, &c. , might be expressed and declared. The name of God is therefore the object of a Christian's fear. Davidprayed to God that he would unite his heart to fear his name (Psa86:11). Indeed, the name of God is a fearful name, and shouldalways be reverenced by his people: yea his "name is to be fearedfor ever and ever, " and that not only in his church, and amonghis saints, but even in the world and among the heathen--"So theheathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all kings thy glory"(Psa 102:15). God tells us that his name is dreadful, and that heis pleased to see men be afraid before his name. Yea, one reasonwhy he executeth so many judgments upon men as he doth, is thatothers might see and fear his name. "So shall they fear the name ofthe Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun"(Isa 59:19; Mal 2:5). 

The name of a king is a name of fear--"And I am a great king, saith the Lord of hosts" (Mal 1:14). The name of master is a nameof fear--"And if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord" (v6). Yea, rightly to fear the Lord is a sign of a gracious heart. And again, "To you that fear my name, " saith he, "shall the Sunof righteousness arise with healing in his wings" (Mal 4:2). Yea, when Christ comes to judge the world, he will give reward to hisservants the prophets, and to his saints, "and to them that fear hisname, small and great" (Rev 11:18). Now, I say, since the name ofGod is that by which his nature is expressed, and since he naturallyis so glorious and incomprehensible, his name must needs be theobject of our fear, and we ought always to have a reverent aweof God upon our hearts at what time soever we think of, or hearhis name, but most of all, when we ourselves do take his holy andfearful name into our mouths, especially in a religious manner, that is, in preaching, praying, or holy conference. I do not bythus saying intend as if it was lawful to make mention of his namein light and vain discourses; for we ought always to speak of itwith reverence and godly fear, but I speak it to put Christiansin mind that they should not in religious duties show lightness ofmind, or be vain in their words when yet they are making mentionof the name of the Lord--"Let every one that nameth the name ofChrist depart from iniquity" (2 Tim 2:19). 

Make mention then of the name of the Lord at all times with greatdread of his majesty upon our hearts, and in great soberness andtruth. To do otherwise is to profane the name of the Lord, and totake his name in vain; and "the Lord will not hold him guiltlessthat taketh his name in vain. " Yea, God saith that he will cut offthe man that doth it; so jealous is he of the honour due unto hisname (Exo 20:7; Lev 20:3). This therefore showeth you the dreadfulstate of those that lightly, vainly, lyingly, and profanely make useof the name, this fearful name of God, either by their blasphemouscursing and oaths, or by their fraudulent dealing with theirneighbour; for some men have no way to prevail with their neighbourto bow under a cheat, but by calling falsely upon the name of theLord to be witness that the wickedness is good and honest; but howthese men will escape, when they shall be judged, devouring fire andeverlasting burnings, for their profaning and blaspheming of thename of the Lord, becomes them betimes to consider of (Jer 14:14, 15;Eze 20:39; Exo 20:7). [3]

But, Third. As the presence and name of God are dreadful and fearful inthe church, so is his worship and service. I say his worship, orthe works of service to which we are by him enjoined while we arein this world, are dreadful and fearful things. This David conceiveth, when he saith, "But as for me, I will come into thy house in themultitude of thy mercy, and in thy fear will I worship toward thyholy temple" (Psa 5:7). And again, saith he, "Serve the Lord withfear. " To praise God is a part of his worship. But, says Moses, "Whois a God like unto thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?" (Exo 15:11). To rejoice before him is a part ofhis worship; but David bids us "rejoice with trembling" (Psa 2:11). Yea, the whole of our service to God, and every part thereof, oughtto be done by us with reverence and godly fear. And therefore letus, as Paul saith again, "Cleanse ourselves from all filthiness ofthe flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2Cor 7:1; Heb 12). 

1. That which makes the worship of God so fearful a thing, is, forthat it is the worship of GOD: all manner of service carries moreor less dread and fear along with it, according as the qualityor condition of the person is to whom the worship and service isdone. This is seen in the service of subjects to their princes, the service of servants to their lords, and the service of childrento their parents. Divine worship, then, being due to God, for it isnow of Divine worship we speak, and this God so great and dreadfulin himself and name, his worship must therefore be a fearful thing. 

2. Besides, this glorious Majesty is himself present to behold hisworshippers in their worshipping him. "When two or three of youare gathered together in my name, I am there. " That is, gatheredtogether to worship him, "I am there, " says he. And so, again, heis said to walk "in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks"(Rev 1:13). That is, in the churches, and that with a countenancelike the sun, with a head and hair as white as snow, and with eyeslike a flame of fire. This puts dread and fear into his service;and therefore his servants should serve him with fear. 

3. Above all things, God is jealous of his worship and service. In all the ten words, he telleth us not anything of his being ajealous God, but in the second, which respecteth his worship (Exo20). Look to yourselves therefore, both as to the matter and mannerof your worship; "for I the Lord thy God, " says he, "am a jealousGod, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children. " Thistherefore doth also put dread and fear into the worship and serviceof God. 

4. The judgments that sometimes God hath executed upon men fortheir want of godly fear, while they have been in his worship andservice, put fear and dread upon his holy appointments. (1. ) Nadaband Abihu were burned to death with fire from heaven, because theyattempted to offer false fire upon God's altar, and the reasonrendered why they were so served, was, because God will be sanctifiedin them that come nigh him (Lev 10:1-3). To sanctify his nameis to let him be thy dread and thy fear, and to do nothing in hisworship but what is well-pleasing to him. But because these men hadnot grace to do this, therefore they died before the Lord. (2. )Eli's sons, for want of this fear, when they ministered in theholy worship of God, were both slain in one day by the sword of theuncircumcised Philistines (see 1 Sam 2). (3. ) Uzzah was smitten, and died before the Lord, for but an unadvised touching of theark, when the men forsook it (1 Chron 13:9, 10). (4. ) Ananias andSapphira his wife, for telling a lie in the church, when they werebefore God, were both stricken dead upon the place before them all, because they wanted the fear and dread of God's majesty, name, andservice, when they came before him (Acts 5). 

This therefore should teach us to conclude, that, next to God'snature and name, his service, his instituted worship, is the mostdreadful thing under heaven. His name is upon his ordinances, hiseye is upon the worshippers, and his wrath and judgment upon thosethat worship not in his fear. For this cause some of those at Corinthwere by God himself cut off, and to others he has given the back, and will again be with them no more (1 Cor 11:27-32). [4]

This also rebuketh three sorts of people. 

[Three sorts of people rebuked. ]

1. Such as regard not to worship God at all; be sure they haveno reverence of his service, nor fear of his majesty before theireyes. Sinner, thou dost not come before the Lord to worship him;thou dost not bow before the high God; thou neither worshippesthim in thy closet nor in the congregation of saints. The fury ofthe Lord and his indignation must in short time be poured out uponthee, and upon the families that call not upon his name (Psa 79:6;Jer 10:25). 

2. This rebukes such as count it enough to present their body inthe place where God is worshipped, not minding with what heart, orwith what spirit they come thither. Some come into the worship ofGod to sleep there; some come thither to meet with their chapmen, and to get into the wicked fellowship of their vain companions. Some come thither to feed their lustful and adulterous eyes withthe flattering beauty of their fellow-sinners. O what a sad accountwill these worshippers give, when they shall count for all this, and be damned for it, because they come not to worship the Lordwith that fear of his name that became them to come in, when theypresented themselves before him![5]

3. This also rebukes those that care not, so they worship, how theyworship; how, where, or after what manner they worship God. Those, I mean, whose fear towards God "is taught by the precept of men. "They are hypocrites; their worship also is vain, and a stink inthe nostrils of God. "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as thispeople draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honourme, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear towardme is taught by the precept of men: therefore, behold I will proceedto do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous workand a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, andthe understanding of their prudent men shall be hid" (Isa 29:13, 14;Matt 15:7-9; Mark 7:6, 7). [6] Thus I conclude this first thing, namely, that God is called our dread and fear. 

OF THIS WORD FEAR AS IT IS TAKEN FOR THE WORD OF GOD. 

I shall now come to the second thing, to wit, to the rule anddirector of our fear. 

SECOND. But again, this word FEAR is sometimes to be taken for THEWORD, the written Word of God; for that also is, and ought to be, the rule and director of our fear. So David calls it in the nineteenthPsalm: "the fear of the Lord, " saith he, "is clean, enduring forever. " The fear of the Lord, that is, the Word of the Lord, thewritten word; for that which he calleth in this place the fearof the Lord, even in the same place he calleth the law, statutes, commandments, and judgments of God. "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, makingwise the simple: the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing theheart: the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes:the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments ofthe Lord are true and righteous altogether. " All these words haverespect to the same thing, to wit, to the Word of God, jointlydesigning the glory of it. Among which phrases, as you see, thisis one, "The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever. " Thiswritten Word is therefore the object of a Christian's fear. Thisis that also which David intended when he said, "Come, ye children, hearken unto me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord" (Psa34:11). I will teach you the fear, that is, I will teach you thecommandments, statutes, and judgments of the Lord, even as Mosescommanded the children of Israel--"Thou shalt teach them diligentlyunto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest inthine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liestdown, and when thou risest up" (Deut 6:4-7). 

That also in the eleventh of Isaiah intends the same, where theFather saith of the Son, that he shall be of quick understandingin the fear of the Lord; that he may judge and smite the earth withthe rod of his mouth. This rod in the text is none other but thefear, the Word of the Lord; for he was to be of a quick understanding, that he might smite, that is, execute it according to the will ofhis Father, upon and among the children of men. Now this, as I said, is called the fear of the Lord, because it is called the rule anddirector of our fear. For we know not how to fear the Lord in asaving way without its guidance and direction. As it is said of thepriest that was sent back from the captivity to Samaria to teachthe people to fear the Lord, so it is said concerning the writtenWord; it is given to us, and left among us, that we may readtherein all the days of our life, and learn to fear the Lord (Deut6:1-3, 24, 10:12, 17:19). And here it is that, trembling at theWord of God, is even by God himself not only taken notice of, butcounted as laudable and praiseworthy, as is evident in the case ofJosiah (2 Chron 34:26, 27). Such also are the approved of God, letthem be condemned by whomsoever: "Hear the word of the Lord, yethat tremble at his word; Your brethren that hated you, that castyou out for my name's sake, said, Let the Lord be glorified; buthe shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed" (Isa 66:5). 

Further, such shall be looked to, by God himself cared for, and watched over, that no distress, temptation, or affliction mayovercome them and destroy them--"To this man will I look, " saithGod, "even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and thattrembleth at my word. " It is the same in substance with that inthe same prophet in chapter 57: "For thus saith the high and loftyOne that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in thehigh and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humblespirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heartof the contrite ones. " Yea, the way to escape dangers foretold, is to hearken to, understand, and fear the Word of God--"He thatfeared the word of the Lord among the servants of Pharaoh, madehis servants and his cattle flee into the houses, " and they weresecured; but "he that regarded not the word of the Lord, left hisservants and his cattle in the field, " and they were destroyed ofthe hail (Exo 9:20-25). 

If at any time the sins of a nation or church are discovered andbewailed, it is by them that know and tremble at the word of God. When Ezra heard of the wickedness of his brethren, and had a desireto humble himself before God for the same, who were they that wouldassist him in that matter, but they that trembled at the word ofGod?--"Then, " saith he, "were assembled unto me every one that trembledat the words of the God of Israel, because of the transgression ofthose that had been carried away" (Ezra 9:4). They are such alsothat tremble at the Word that are best able to give counsel in thematters of God, for their judgment best suiteth with his mind andwill: "Now therefore, " said he, "let us make a covenant with ourGod to put away all the (strange) wives, --according to the counselof my Lord, and of those that tremble at the commandment of ourGod, and let it be done according to the law" (Ezra 10:3). Nowsomething of the dread and terror of the Word lieth in these things. 

First. As I have already hinted, from the author of them, they arethe words of God. Therefore you have Moses and the prophets, whenthey came to deliver their errand, their message to the people, still saying, "Hear the word of the Lord, " "Thus saith the Lord, "and the like. So when Ezekiel was sent to the house of Israel, intheir state of religion, thus was he bid to say unto them, "Thussaith the Lord God"; "Thus saith the Lord God" (Eze 2:4, 3:11). This is the honour and majesty, then, that God hath put upon hiswritten Word, and thus he hath done even of purpose, that we mightmake them the rule and directory of our fear, and that we mightstand in awe of, and tremble at them. When Habakkuk heard the wordof the Lord, his belly trembled, and rottenness entered into hisbones. "I trembled in myself, " said he, "that I might rest in theday of trouble" (Hab 3:16). The word of a king is as the roaringof a lion; where the word of a king is, there is power. What is it, then, when God, the great God, shall roar out of Zion, and utterhis voice from Jerusalem, whose voice shakes not only the earth, but also heaven? How doth holy David set it forth; "The voice ofthe Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is full of majesty, "&c. (Psa 29). 

Second. It is a Word that is fearful, and may well be called thefear of the Lord, because of the subject matter of it; to wit, thestate of sinners in another world; for that is it unto which thewhole Bible bendeth itself, either more immediately or more mediately. All its doctrines, counsels, encouragements, threatenings, andjudgments, have a look, one way or other, upon us, with respect tothe next world, which will be our last state, because it will beto us a state eternal. This word, this law, these judgments, arethey that we shall be disposed of by--"The word that I have spoken, "says Christ, "it shall judge you (and so consequently dispose ofyou) in the last day" (John 12:48). Now, if we consider that ournext state must be eternal, either eternal glory or eternal fire, and that this eternal glory or this eternal fire must be our portion, according as the words of God, revealed in the holy Scriptures, shall determine; who will not but conclude that therefore the wordsof God are they at which we should tremble, and they by which weshould have our fear of God guided and directed, for by them weare taught how to please him in everything?

Third. It is to be called a fearful Word, because of the truth andfaithfulness of it. The Scriptures cannot be broken. Here they arecalled the Scriptures of truth, the true sayings of God, and alsothe fear of the Lord, for that every jot and tittle thereof isfor ever settled in heaven, and stand more steadfast than doth theworld--"Heaven and earth, " saith Christ, "shall pass away, but mywords shall not pass away" (Matt 24:35). Those, therefore, that arefavoured by the Word of God, those are favoured indeed, and thatwith the favour that no man can turn away; but those that by theword of the Scriptures are condemned, those can no man justify andset quit in the sight of God. Therefore what is bound by the text, is bound, and what is released by the text, is released; also thebond and release is unalterable (Dan 10:21; Rev 19:9; Matt 24:35;Psa 119:89; John 10:35). This, therefore, calleth upon God's peopleto stand more in fear of the Word of God than of all the terrorsof the world. [7] There wanteth even in the hearts of God's peoplea greater reverence of the Word of God than to this day appearethamong us, and this let me say, that want of reverence of theWord is the ground of all disorders that are in the heart, life, conversation, and in Christian communion. Besides, the want ofreverence of the Word layeth men open to the fearful displeasureof God--"Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed; but he thatfeareth the commandment shall be rewarded" (Prov 13:13). 

All transgression beginneth at wandering from the Word of God; but, on the other side, David saith, "Concerning the works of men, bythe word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer"(Psa 17:4). Therefore Solomon saith, "My son, attend to my words;incline thine ear unto my sayings; let them not depart from thineeyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart; for they are lifeunto those that find them, and health to all their flesh" (Prov4:20-22). Now, if indeed thou wouldest reverence the Word of theLord, and make it thy rule and director in all things, believe thatthe Word is the fear of the Lord, the Word that standeth fast forever; without and against which God will do nothing, either insaving or damning of the souls of sinners. But to conclude this, 1. Know that those that have no due regard to the Word of the Lord, and that make it not their dread and their fear, but the rule oftheir life is the lust of their flesh, the desire of their eyes, and the pride of life, are sorely rebuked by this doctrine, andare counted the fools of the world; for "lo, they have rejectedthe word of the Lord, and what wisdom is in them?" (Jer 8:9). Thatthere are such a people is evident, not only by their irregularlives, but by the manifest testimony of the Word. "As for the wordof the Lord, " said they to Jeremiah, "that thou hast spoken to usin the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee, but we willcertainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth"(Jer 44:16). Was this only the temper of wicked men then? Is notthe same spirit of rebellion amongst us in our days? Doubtlessthere is; for there is no new thing--"The thing that hath been, itis that which shall be, and that which is done is that which shallbe done; and there is no new thing under the sun" (Eccl 1:9). Therefore, as it was then, so it is with many in this day. 

As for the Word of the Lord, it is nothing at all to them; theirlusts, and whatsoever proceedeth out of their own mouths, that theywill do, that they will follow. Now, such will certainly perishin their own rebellion; for this is as the sin of witchcraft; itwas the sin of Korah and his company, and that which brought uponthem such heavy judgments; yea, and they are made a sign that thoushouldest not do as they, for they perished (because they rejectedthe word, the fear of the Lord) from among the congregation ofthe Lord, "and they became a sign. " The word which thou despiseststill abideth to denounce its woe and judgment upon thee; andunless God will save such with the breath of his word--and it ishard trusting to that--they must never see his face with comfort(1 Sam 15:22, 23; Num 26:9, 10). 

2. Are the words of God called by the name of the fear of theLord? Are they so dreadful in their receipt and sentence? Thenthis rebukes them that esteem the words and things of men more thanthe words of God, as those do who are drawn from their respect of, and obedience to, the Word of God, by the pleasures or threats ofmen. Some there be who verily will acknowledge the authority ofthe Word, yet will not stoop their souls thereto. Such, whateverthey think of themselves, are judged by Christ to be ashamed of theWord; wherefore their state is damnable as the other. "Whosoever, "saith he, "shall be ashamed of me and of my words, in this adulterousand sinful generation, of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of the Father, with the holy angels"(Mark 8:38). 

3. And if these things be so, what will become of those that mockat, and professedly contemn, the words of God, making them as athing ridiculous, and not to be regarded? Shall they prosper that dosuch things? From the promises it is concluded that their judgmentnow of a long time slumbereth not, and when it comes, it will devourthem without remedy (2 Chron 36:15). If God, I say, hath put thatreverence upon his Word as to call it the fear of the Lord, what willbecome of them that do what they can to overthrow its authority, by denying it to be his Word, and by raising cavils againstits authority? Such stumble, indeed, at the Word, being appointedthereunto, but it shall judge them in the last day (1 Peter 2:8;John 12:48). But thus much for this. 

OF SEVERAL SORTS OF FEAR OF GOD IN THE HEART OF THE CHILDREN OFMEN. 

Having thus spoken of the object and rule of our fear, I should comenow to speak of fear as it is a grace of the Spirit of God in thehearts of his people; but before I do that, I shall show you thatthere are divers sorts of fear besides. For man being a reasonablecreature, and having even by nature a certain knowledge of God, hath also naturally something of some kind of fear of God at times, which, although it be not that which is intended in the text, yet ought to be spoken to, that that which is not right may bedistinguished from that that is. 

There is, I say, several sorts or kinds of fear in the hearts ofthe sons of men, I mean besides that fear of God that is intendedin the text, and that accompanieth eternal life. I shall here makemention of three of them. FIRST. There is a fear of God that flowseven from the light of nature. SECOND. There is a fear of God thatflows from some of his dispensations to men, which yet is neitheruniversal nor saving. THIRD. There is a fear of God in the heartof some men that is good and godly, but doth not for ever abide so. To speak a little to all these, before I come to speak of fear, asit is a grace of God in the hearts of his children, And, FIRST. To the first, to wit, that there is a fear of God that flowseven from the light of nature. A people may be said to do thingsin a fear of God, when they act one towards another in thingsreasonable, and honest betwixt man and man, not doing that to othersthey would not have done to themselves. This is that fear of Godwhich Abraham thought the Philistines had destroyed in themselves, when he said of his wife to Abimelech, "She is my sister. " For whenAbimelech asked Abraham why he said of his wife, She is my sister;he replied, saying, "I thought surely the fear of God is not inthis place, and they will slay me for my wife's sake" (Gen 20:11). I thought verily that in this place men had stifled and choked thatlight of nature that is in them, at least so far forth as not tosuffer it to put them in fear, when their lusts were powerful inthem to accomplish their ends on the object that was present beforethem. But this I will pass by, and come to the second thing, namely--

SECOND. To show that there is a fear of God that flows from someof his dispensations to men, which yet is neither universal norsaving. This fear, when opposed to that which is saving, may becalled an ungodly fear of God. I shall describe it by these severalparticulars that follow--

First. There is a fear of God that causeth a continual grudging, discontent, and heart-risings against God under the hand of God;and that is, when the dread of God in his coming upon men, todeal with them for their sins, is apprehended by them, and yet bythis dispensation they have no change of heart to submit to Godthereunder. The sinners under this dispensation cannot shake God outof their mind, nor yet graciously tremble before him; but throughthe unsanctified frame that they now are in, they are afraid withungodly fear, and so in their minds let fly against him. This fearoftentimes took hold of the children of Israel when they were inthe wilderness in their journey to the promised land; still theyfeared that God in this place would destroy them, but not withthat fear that made them willing to submit, for their sins, to thejudgment which they fear, but with that fear that made them let flyagainst God. This fear showed itself in them, even at the beginningof their voyage, and was rebuked by Moses at the Red Sea, but itwas not there, nor yet at any other place, so subdued, but thatit would rise again in them at times to the dishonour of God, andthe anew making of them guilty of sin before him (Exo 14:11-13;Num 14:1-9). This fear is that which God said he would send beforethem, in the day of Joshua, even a fear that should possess theinhabitants of the land, to wit, a fear that should arise for thatfaintness of heart that they should be swallowed up of, at theirapprehending of Joshua in his approaches towards them to destroythem. "I will send my fear before thee, and will destroy all thepeople to whom thou shalt come, and I will make all thine enemiesturn their backs unto thee" (Exo 23:27). "This day, " says God, "will I begin to put the dread of thee, and the fear of thee uponthe nations that are under the whole heaven who shall hear reportof thee, and shall tremble, and be in anguish because of thee"(Deut 2:25, 11:25). 

Now this fear is also, as you here see, called anguish, and inanother place, an hornet; for it, and the soul that it falls upon, do greet each other, as boys and bees do. The hornet puts men infear, not so as to bring the heart into a sweet compliance withhis terror, but so as to stir up the spirit into acts of oppositionand resistance, yet withal they flee before it. "I will send hornetsbefore thee, which shall drive out the Hivite, " &c. (Exo 23:28). Now this fear, whether it be wrought by misapprehending of thejudgments of God, as in the Israelites, or otherwise as in theCanaanites, yet ungodliness is the effect thereof, and thereforeI call it an ungodly fear of God, for it stirreth up murmurings, discontents, and heart-risings against God, while he with hisdispensations is dealing with them. 

Second. There is a fear of God that driveth a man away from God--Ispeak not now of the atheist, nor of the pleasurable sinner, noryet of these, and that fear that I spoke of just now--I speak nowof such who through a sense of sin and of God's justice fly fromhim of a slavish ungodly fear. This ungodly fear was that whichpossessed Adam's heart in the day that he did eat of the treeconcerning which the Lord has said unto him, "In the day that thoueatest thereof, thou shalt surely die. " For then was he possessedwith such a fear of God as made him seek to hide himself from hispresence. "I heard, " said he, "thy voice in the garden, and I wasafraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself" (Gen 3:10). Mind it, he had a fear of God, but it was not godly. It was not that thatmade him afterwards submit himself unto him; for that would havekept him from not departing from him, or else have brought him tohim again, with bowed, broken, and contrite spirit. But this fear, as the rest of his sin, managed his departing from his God, andpursued him to provoke him still so to do; by it he kept himselffrom God, by it his whole man was carried away from him. I callit ungodly fear, because it begat in him ungodly apprehensions ofhis Maker; because it confined Adam's conscience to the sense ofjustice only, and consequently to despair. 

The same fear also possessed the children of Israel when they heardthe law delivered to them on Mount Sinai; as is evident, for itmade them that they could neither abide his presence nor hear hisword. It drove them back from the mountain. It made them, saiththe apostle to the Hebrews, that "they could not endure that whichwas commanded" (Heb 12:20). Wherefore this fear Moses rebukes, and forbids their giving way thereto. "Fear not, " said he; but hadthat fear been godly, he would have encouraged it, and not forbidand rebuke it as he did. "Fear not, " said he, "for God is come toprove you"; they thought otherwise. "God, " saith he, "is come toprove you, and that his fear may be before your faces. " Thereforethat fear that already had taken possession of them, was not thefear of God, but a fear that was of Satan, of their own misjudginghearts, and so a fear that was ungodly (Exo 20:18-20). Mark you, here is a fear and a fear, a fear forbidden, and a fear commended;a fear forbidden, because it engendered their hearts to bondage, and to ungodly thoughts of God and of his word; it made them thatthey could not desire to hear God speak to them any more (vv 19-21). 

Many also at this day are possessed with this ungodly fear; andyou may know them by this, --they cannot abide conviction for sin, and if at any time the word of the law, by the preaching of theword, comes near them, they will not abide that preacher, nor suchkind of sermons any more. They are, as they deem, best at ease, when furthest off of God, and of the power of his word. The wordpreached brings God nearer to them than they desire he should come, because whenever God comes near, their sins by him are manifest, andso is the judgment too that to them is due. Now these not havingfaith in the mercy of God through Christ, nor that grace thattendeth to bring them to him, they cannot but think of God amiss, and their so thinking of him makes them say unto him, "Departfrom us, for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways" (Job 21:14). Wherefore their wrong thoughts of God beget in them this ungodly fear;and again, this ungodly fear doth maintain in them the continuanceof these wrong and unworthy thoughts of God, and therefore, throughthat devilish service wherewith they strengthen one another, thesinner, without a miracle of grace prevents him, is drowned indestruction and perdition. 

It was this ungodly fear of God that carried Cain from the presenceof God into the land of Nod, and that put him there upon any carnalworldly business, if perhaps he might by so doing stifle convictionsof the majesty and justice of God against his sin, and so livethe rest of his vain life in the more sinful security and fleshlyease. This ungodly fear is that also which Samuel perceived at thepeople's apprehension of their sin, to begin to get hold of theirhearts; wherefore he, as Moses before him, quickly forbids theirentertaining of it. "Fear not, " said he, "ye have done all thiswickedness, yet turn not aside from following the Lord. " For toturn them aside from following of him, was the natural tendency ofthis fear. "But fear not, " said he, that is, with that fear thattendeth to turn you aside. Now, I say, the matter that this fearworketh upon, as in Adam, and the Israelites mentioned before, wastheir sin. You have sinned, says he, that is true, yet turn notaside, yet fear not with that fear that would make you so do (1 Sam12:20). Note by the way, sinner, that when the greatness of thysins, being apprehended by thee, shall work in thee that fear ofGod, as shall incline thy heart to fly from him, thou art possessedwith a fear of God that is ungodly, yea, so ungodly, that not anyof thy sins for heinousness may be compared therewith, as might bemade manifest in many particulars, but Samuel having rebuked thisfear, presently sets before the people another, to wit, the truefear of God; "fear the Lord, " says he, "serve him--with all yourheart" (v 24). And he giveth them this encouragement so to do, "forthe Lord will not forsake his people. " This ungodly fear is thatwhich you read of in Isaiah 2, and in many other places, and God'speople should shun it, as they would shun the devil, because itsnatural tendency is to forward the destruction of the soul in whichit has taken possession. [8]

Third. There is a fear of God, which, although it hath not in it thatpower as to make men flee from God's presence, yet it is ungodly, because, even while they are in the outward way of God's ordinances, their hearts are by it quite discouraged from attempting to exercisethemselves in the power of religion. Of this sort are they whichdare not cast off the hearing, reading, and discourse of the wordas others; no, nor the assembly of God's children for the exerciseof other religious duties, for their conscience is convinced thisis the way and worship of God. But yet their heart, as I said, by this ungodly fear, is kept from a powerful gracious falling inwith God. This fear takes away their heart from all holy and godlyprayer in private, and from all holy and godly zeal for his namein public, and there be many professors whose hearts are possessedwith this ungodly fear of God; and they are intended by the slothfulone. He was a servant, a servant among the servants of God, and hadgifts and abilities given him, therewith to serve Christ, as wellas his fellows, yea, and was commanded too, as well as the rest, to occupy till his master came. But what does he? Why, he takes histalent, the gift that he was to lay out for his master's profit, and puts it in a napkin, digs a hole in the earth, and hides hislord's money, and lies in a lazy manner at to-elbow all his days, not out of, but in his lord's vineyard;[9] for he came among theservants also at last. By which it is manifest that he had not castoff his profession, but was slothful and negligent while he was init. But what was it that made him thus slothful? What was it thattook away his heart, while he was in the way, and that discouragedhim from falling in with the power and holy practice of religionaccording to the talent he received? Why, it was this, he gave wayto an ungodly fear of God, and that took away his heart from thepower of religious duties. "Lord, " said he, "behold, here is thypound, which I have kept, laid up in a napkin, for I feared thee. "Why, man, doth the fear of God make a man idle and slothful? No, no; that is, if it be right and godly. This fear was thereforeevil fear; it was that ungodly fear of God which I have here beenspeaking of. For I feared thee, or as Matthew hath it, "for Iwas afraid. " Afraid of what? Of Christ, "that he was an hard man, reaping where he sowed not, and gathering where he had not strawed. "This his fear, being ungodly, made him apprehend of Christ contraryto the goodness of his nature, and so took away his heart fromall endeavours to be doing of that which was pleasing in his sight(Luke 19:20; Matt 25:24, 25). And thus do all those that retainthe name and show of religion, but are neglecters as to the powerand godly practice of it. These will live like dogs and swine inthe house; they pray not, they watch not their hearts, they pullnot their hands out of their bosoms to work, they do not striveagainst their lusts, nor will they ever resist unto blood, strivingagainst sin; they cannot take up their cross, or improve whatthey have to God's glory. Let all men therefore take heed of thisungodly fear, and shun it as they shun the devil, for it willmake them afraid where no fear is. It will tell them that there isa lion in the street, the unlikeliest place in the world for sucha beast to be in; it will put a vizard upon the face of God, mostdreadful and fearful to behold, and then quite discourage the soulas to his service; so it served the slothful servant, and so itwill serve thee, poor sinner, if thou entertainest it, and givestway thereto. But, Fourth. This ungodly fear of God shows itself also in this. Itwill not suffer the soul that is governed thereby to trust only toChrist for justification of life, but will bend the powers of thesoul to trust partly to the works of the law. Many of the Jewswere, in the time of Christ and his apostles, possessed with thisungodly fear of God, for they were not as the former, to wit, asthe slothful servant, to receive a talent and hide it in the earthin a napkin, but they were an industrious people, they followedafter the law of righteousness, they had a zeal of God and of thereligion of their fathers; but how then did they come to miscarry?Why, their fear of God was ungodly; it would not suffer themwholly to trust to the righteousness of faith, which is the imputedrighteousness of Christ. They followed after the law of righteousness, but attained not to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? becausethey sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of thelaw. But what was it that made them join their works of the lawwith Christ, but their unbelief, whose foundation was ignorance andfear? They were afraid to venture all in one bottom, they thoughttwo strings to one bow would be best, and thus betwixt two stoolsthey came to the ground. And hence, to fear and to doubt, areput together as being the cause one of another; yea, they are putofttimes the one for the other; thus ungodly fear for unbelief:"Be not afraid, only believe, " and therefore he that is overruledand carried away with this fear, is coupled with the unbeliever thatis thrust out from the holy city among the dogs. But the fearfuland unbelievers, and murderers are without (Rev 21:8). "The fearfuland unbelieving, " you see, are put together; for indeed fear, thatis, this ungodly fear, is the ground of unbelief, or, if you will, unbelief is the ground of fear, this fear: but I stand not uponnice distinctions. This ungodly fear hath a great hand in keepingof the soul from trusting only to Christ's righteousness forjustification of life. 

Fifth. This ungodly fear of God is that which will put men uponadding to the revealed will of God their own inventions, and theirown performances of them, as a means to pacify the anger of God. For the truth is, where this ungodly fear reigneth, there is no endof law and duty. When those that you read of in the book of Kingswere destroyed by the lions, because they had set up idolatry inthe land of Israel, they sent for a priest from Babylon that mightteach them the manner of the God of the land; but behold when theyknew it, being taught it by the priest, yet their fear would notsuffer them to be content with that worship only. "They fearedthe Lord, " saith the text, "and served their own gods. " And again, "So these nations feared the Lord, and served their graven images"(2 Kings 17). It was this fear also that put the Pharisees uponinventing so many traditions, as the washing of cups, and beds, and tables, and basins, with abundance of such other like gear, [10]none knows the many dangers that an ungodly fear of God will drivea man into (Mark 7). How has it racked and tortured the Papistsfor hundreds of years together! for what else is the cause but thisungodly fear, at least in the most simple and harmless of them, of their penances, as creeping to the cross, going barefoot onpilgrimage, whipping themselves, wearing of sackcloth, saying somany Pater-nosters, so many Ave-marias, making so many confessionsto the priest, giving so much money for pardons, and abundance ofother the like, but this ungodly fear of God? For could they bebrought to believe this doctrine, that Christ was delivered for ouroffences, and raised again for our justification, and to apply itby faith with godly boldness to their own souls, this fear wouldvanish, and so consequently all those things with which they soneedlessly and unprofitably afflicted themselves, offend God, andgrieve his people. Therefore, gentle reader, although my text dothbid that indeed thou shouldest fear God, yet it includeth not, noraccepteth of any fear; no, not of any [or every] fear of God. Forthere is, as you see, a fear of God that is ungodly, and that is tobe shunned as their sin. Wherefore thy wisdom and thy care shouldbe, to see and prove thy fear to be godly, which shall be the nextthing that I shall take in hand. 

THIRD. The third thing that I am to speak to is, that there is afear of God in the heart of some men that is good and godly, butyet doth not for ever abide so. Or you may take it thus--Thereis a fear of God that is godly but for a time. In my speaking to, and opening of this to you, I shall observe this method. First. Ishall show you what this fear is. Second. I shall show you by whomor what this fear is wrought in the heart. Third. I shall show youwhat this fear doth in the soul. And, Fourth, I shall show you whenthis fear is to have an end. 

First. For the first, this fear is an effect of sound awakeningsby the word of wrath which begetteth in the soul a sense of itsright to eternal damnation; for this fear is not in every sinner;he that is blinded by the devil, and that is not able to see thathis state is damnable, he hath not this fear in his heart, but hethat is under the powerful workings of the word of wrath, as God'select are at first conversion, he hath this godly fear in hisheart; that is, he fears that that damnation will come upon him, which by the justice of God is due unto him, because he hath brokenhis holy law. This is the fear that made the three thousand cryout, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" and that made the jailercry out, and that with great trembling of soul, "Sirs, what mustI do to be saved?" (Acts 2, 16). The method of God is to kill andmake alive, to smite and then heal; when the commandment came toPaul, sin revived, and he died, and that law which was ordainedto life, he found to be unto death; that is, it passed a sentenceof death upon him for his sins, and slew his conscience with thatsentence. Therefore from that time that he heard that word, "Whypersecutest thou me?" which is all one as if he had said, Why dostthou commit murder? he lay under the sentence of condemnation bythe law, and under this fear of that sentence in his conscience. He lay, I say, under it, until that Ananias came to him to comforthim, and to preach unto him the forgiveness of sin (Acts 9). Thefear therefore that now I call godly, it is that fear which isproperly called the fear of eternal damnation for sin, and thisfear, at first awakening, is good and godly, because it ariseth inthe soul from a true sense of its very state. Its state by natureis damnable, because it is sinful, and because he is not one thatas yet believeth in Christ for remission of sins: "He that believethnot shall be damned. "--"He that believeth not is condemned already, and the wrath of God abideth on him" (Mark 16:16; John 3:18, 36). The which when the sinner at first begins to see, he justly fearsit; I say, he fears it justly, and therefore godly, because bythis fear he subscribes to the sentence that is gone out againsthim for sin. 

Second. By whom or by what is this fear wrought in the heart? Tothis I shall answer in brief. It is wrought in the heart by theSpirit of God, working there at first as a spirit of bondage, onpurpose to put us in fear. This Paul insinuateth, saying, "Ye havenot received the spirit of bondage again to fear" (Rom 8:15). Hedoth not say, Ye have not received the spirit of bondage; for thatthey had received, and that to put them in fear, which was at theirfirst conversion, as by the instances made mention of before ismanifest; all that he says is, that they had not received it again, that is, after the Spirit, as a spirit of adoption, is come; forthen, as a spirit of bondage, it cometh no more. It is then theSpirit of God, even the Holy Ghost, that convinceth us of sin, and so of our damnable state because of sin (John 16:8, 9). For itcannot be that the Spirit of God should convince us of sin, but itmust also show us our state to be damnable because of it, especiallyif it so convinceth us, before we believe, and that is the intentof our Lord in that place, "of sin, " and so of their damnable stateby sin, because they believe not on me. Therefore the Spirit ofGod, when he worketh in the heart as a spirit of bondage, he dothit by working in us by the law, "for by the law is the knowledgeof sin" (Rom 3:20). And he, in this his working, is properly calleda spirit of bondage. 

1. Because by the law he shows us that indeed we are in bondage tothe law, the devil, and death and damnation; for this is our properstate by nature, though we see it not until the Spirit of God shallcome to reveal this our state of bondage unto our own senses byrevealing to us our sins by the law. 

2. He is called, in this his working, "the spirit of bondage, "because he here also holds us; to wit, in this sight and sense ofour bondage-state, so long as is meet we should be so held, whichto some of the saints is a longer, and to some a shorter time. Paulwas held in it three days and three nights, but the jailer and thethree thousand, so far as can be gathered, not above an hour; butsome in these later times are so held for days and months, if notyears. [11] But, I say, let the time be longer or shorter, it isthe Spirit of God that holdeth him under this yoke; and it is goodthat a man should be in HIS time held under it, as is that sayingof the lamentation, "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke inhis youth" (Lam 3:27). That is, at his first awakening; so long asseems good to this Holy Spirit to work in this manner by the law. Now, as I said, the sinner at first is by the Spirit of God heldin this bondage, that is, hath such a discovery of his sin and ofhis damnation for sin made to him, and also is held so fast underthe sense thereof, that it is not in the power of any man, noryet of the very angels in heaven, to release him or set him free, until the Holy Spirit changeth his ministration, and comes in thesweet and peaceable tidings of salvation by Christ in the gospelto his poor, dejected, and afflicted conscience. 

Third. I now come to show you what this fear doth in the soul. Now, although this godly fear is not to last always with us, as Ishall further show you anon, yet it greatly differs from that whichis wholly ungodly of itself, both because of the author, and alsoof the effects of it. Of the author I have told you before; I nowshall tell you what it doth. 

1. This fear makes a man judge himself for sin, and to fall downbefore God with a broken mind under this judgment; the which ispleasing to God, because the sinner by so doing justifies God inhis saying, and clears him in his judgment (Psa 51:1-4). 

2. As this fear makes a man judge himself, and cast himself downat God's foot, so it makes him condole and bewail his misery beforehim, which is also well-pleasing in his sight: "I have surely heardEphraim bemoaning himself, " saying, "Thou hast chastised me, andI was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke, " &c. (Jer31:18, 19). 

3. This fear makes a man lie at God's foot, and puts his mouth inthe dust, if so be there may be hope. This also is well-pleasingto God, because now is the sinner as nothing, and in his own eyesless than nothing, as to any good or desert: "He sitteth aloneand keepeth silence, " because he hath now this yoke upon him; "heputteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope" (Lam3:28, 29). 

4. This fear puts a man upon crying to God for mercy, and thatin most humble manner; now he sensibly cries, now he dejectedlycries, now he feels and cries, now he smarts and criest out, "Godbe merciful to me a sinner" (Luke 18:13). 

5. This fear makes a man that he cannot accept of that for supportand succour which others that are destitute thereof will take up, and be contented with. This man must be washed by God himself, andcleansed from his sin by God himself (Psa 51). 

6. Therefore this fear goes not away until the Spirit of God dothchange his ministration as to this particular, in leaving offto work now by the law, as afore, and coming to the soul with thesweet word of promise of life and salvation by Jesus Christ. Thusfar this fear is godly, that is, until Christ by the Spirit in thegospel is revealed and made over unto us, and no longer. 

Thus far this fear is godly, and the reason why it is godly isbecause the groundwork of it is good. I told you before what thisfear is; namely, it is the fear of damnation. Now the ground forthis fear is good, as is manifest by these particulars. 1. The soulfeareth damnation, and that rightly, because it is in its sins. 2. The soul feareth damnation rightly, because it hath not faithin Christ, but is at present under the law. 3. The soul fearethdamnation rightly now, because by sin, the law, and for want offaith, the wrath of God abideth on it. But now, although thus farthis fear of God is good and godly, yet after Christ by the Spiritin the word of the gospel is revealed to us, and we made to acceptof him as so revealed and offered to us by a true and living faith;this fear, to wit, of damnation, is no longer good, but ungodly. Nor doth the Spirit of God ever work it in us again. Now we do notreceive the spirit of bondage again to fear, that is to say, tofear damnation, but we have received the spirit of adoption, wherebywe cry, Father, Father. But I would not be mistaken, when I say, that this fear is no longer godly. I do not mean with reference tothe essence and habit of it, for I believe it is the same in theseed which shall afterwards grow up to a higher degree, and intoa more sweet and gospel current and manner of working, but I meanreference to this act of fearing damnation, I say it shall neverby the Spirit be managed to that work; it shall never bring forththat fruit more. And my reasons are, [Reasons why the Spirit of God cannot work this ungodly fear. ]

1. Because that the soul by closing through the promise, by theSpirit, with Jesus Christ, is removed off of that foundation uponwhich it stood when it justly feared damnation. It hath receivednow forgiveness of sin, it is now no more under the law, but inJesus Christ by faith; there is "therefore now no condemnation toit" (Acts 26:18; Rom 6:14, 8:1). The groundwork, therefore, beingnow taken away, the Spirit worketh that fear no more. 

2. He cannot, after he hath come to the soul as a spirit of adoption, come again as a spirit of bondage to put the soul into his firstfear; to wit, a fear of eternal damnation, because he cannot sayand unsay, do and undo. As a spirit of adoption he told me thatmy sins were forgiven me, that I was included in the covenant ofgrace, that God was my Father through Christ, that I was under thepromise of salvation, and that this calling and gift of God to meis permanent, and without repentance. And do you think, that afterhe hath told me this, and sealed up the truth of it to my precioussoul, that he will come to me, and tell me that I am yet in mysins, under the curse of the law and the eternal wrath of God? No, no, the word of the gospel is not yea, yea; nay, nay. It is onlyyea, and amen; it is so, "as God is true" (2 Cor 1:17-20). 

3. The state therefore of the sinner being changed, and that, too, by the Spirit's changing his dispensation, leaving off to be nowas a spirit of bondage to put us in fear, and coming to our heartas the spirit of adoption to make us cry, Father, Father, he cannotgo back to his first work again; for if so, then he must gratify, yea, and also ratify, that profane and popish doctrine, forgivento-day, unforgiven to-morrow--a child of God to-day, a child ofhell to-morrow; but what saith the Scriptures? "Now therefore yeare no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with thesaints, and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundationof the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chiefcorner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together growethunto an holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded togetherfor an habitation of God through the Spirit" (Eph 2:19-22). 

Object. But this is contrary to my experience. Why, Christian, whatis thy experience? Why, I was at first, as you have said, possessedwith a fear of damnation, and so under the power of the spirit ofbondage. Well said, and how was it then? Why, after some time ofcontinuance in these fears, I had the spirit of adoption sent tome to seal up to my soul the forgiveness of sins, and so he did;and was also helped by the same Spirit, as you have said, to callGod Father, Father. Well said, and what after that? Why, after thatI fell into as great fears as ever I was in before. [12]

Answ. All this may be granted, and yet nevertheless what I havesaid will abide a truth; for I have not said that after the spiritof adoption is come, a Christian shall not again be in as great fears, for he may have worse than he had at first; but I say, that afterthe spirit of adoption is come, the spirit of bondage, as such, issent of God no more, to put us into those fears. For, mark, for we"have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear. " Let theword be true, whatever thy experience is. Dost thou not understandme?

After the Spirit of God has told me, and also helped me to believeit, that the Lord for Christ's sake hath forgiven mine iniquities:he tells me no more that they are not forgiven. After the Spiritof God has helped me, by Christ, to call God my Father, he tellsme no more that the devil is my father. After he hath told me thatI am not under the law, but under grace, he tells me no more thatI am not under grace, but under the law, and bound over by it, formy sins, to the wrath and judgment of God; but this is the fear thatthe Spirit, as a spirit of bondage, worketh in the soul at first. 

Quest. Can you give me further reason yet to convict me of thetruth of what you say?

Answ. Yes. 

1. Because as the Spirit cannot give himself the lie, so he cannotoverthrow his own order of working, nor yet contradict that testimonythat his servants, by his inspiration, hath given of his order ofworking with them. But he must do the first, if he saith to us--andthat after we have received his own testimony, that we are undergrace--that yet we are under sin, the law, and wrath. 

And he must do the second, if--after he hath gone through the firstwork on us as a spirit of bondage, to the second as a spirit ofadoption--he should overthrow as a spirit of bondage again whatbefore he had built as a spirit of adoption. 

And the third must therefore needs follow, that is, he overthroweththe testimony of his servants; for they have said, that now wereceive the spirit of bondage again to fear no more; that is, afterthat we by the Holy Ghost are enabled to call God Father, Father. 

2. This is evident also, because the covenant in which now the soulis interested abideth, and is everlasting, not upon the suppositionof my obedience, but upon the unchangeable purpose of God, and theefficacy of the obedience of Christ, whose blood also hath confirmedit. It is "ordered in all things, and sure, " said David; and this, said he, "is all my salvation" (2 Sam 23:5). The covenant then iseverlasting in itself, being established upon so good a foundation, and therefore standeth in itself everlastingly bent for the goodof them that are involved in it. Hear the tenor of the covenant, and God's attesting of the truth thereof--"This is the covenantthat I will make with the house of Israel, after those days, saiththe Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them intheir hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be tome a people; and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, andevery man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall knowme, from the least to the greatest; for I will be merciful totheir unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities I willremember no more" (Heb 8:10-12). Now if God will do thus unto thosethat he hath comprised in his everlasting covenant of grace, thenhe will remember their sins no more, that is, unto condemnation--forso it is that he doth forget them; then cannot the Holy Ghost, whoalso is one with the Father and the Son, come to us again, evenafter we are possessed with these glorious fruits of this covenant, as a spirit of bondage, to put us in fear of damnation. 

3. The Spirit of God, after it has come to me as a spirit of adoption, can come to me no more as a spirit of bondage, to put me in fear, that is, with my first fears; because, by that faith that he, evenhe himself, hath wrought in me, to believe and call God "Father, Father, " I am united to Christ, and stand no more upon mineown legs, in mine own sins, or performances; but in his gloriousrighteousness before him, and before his Father; but he will notcast away a member of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones; norwill he, that the Spirit of God should come as a spirit of bondageto put him into a grounded fear of damnation, that standeth completebefore God in the righteousness of Christ; for that is an apparentcontradiction. [13]

Quest. But may it not come again as a spirit of bondage, to put meinto my first fears for my good?

Answ. The text saith the contrary; for we "have not received thespirit of bondage again to fear. " Nor is God put to it for want ofwisdom, to say and unsay, do and undo, or else he cannot do good. When we are sons, and have received the adoption of children, hedoth not use to send the spirit after that to tell us we are slavesand heirs of damnation, also that we are without Christ, withoutthe promise, without grace, and without God in the world; and yetthis he must do if it comes to us after we have received him as aspirit of adoption, and put us, as a spirit of bondage, in fear asbefore. 

[This ungodly fear wrought by the spirit of the devil. ]

Quest. But by what spirit is it then that I am brought again intofears, even into the fears of damnation, and so into bondage?

Answ. By the spirit of the devil, who always labours to frustratethe faith, and hope, and comfort of the godly. 

Quest. How doth that appear?

Answ. 1. By the groundlessness of such fears. 2. By the unseasonablenessof them. 3. By the effects of them. 

1. By the groundlessness of such fears. The ground is removed;for a grounded fear of damnation is this--I am yet in my sins, ina state of nature, under the law, without faith, and so under thewrath of God. This, I say, is the ground of the fear of damnation, the true ground to fear it; but now the man that we are talking of, is one that hath the ground of this fear taken away by the testimonyand seal of the spirit of adoption. He is called, justified, andhas, for the truth of this his condition, received the evidence ofthe spirit of adoption, and hath been thereby enabled to call God"Father, Father. " Now he that hath received this, has the ground ofthe fear of damnation taken from him; therefore his fear, I say, being without ground, is false, and so no work of the Spirit ofGod. 

2. By the unseasonableness of them. This spirit always comes toolate. It comes after the spirit of adoption is come. Satan is alwaysfor being too soon or too late. If he would have men believe theyare children, he would have them believe it while they are slaves, slaves to him and their lusts. If he would have them believe theyare slaves, it is when they are sons, and have received the spiritof adoption, and the testimony, by that, of their sonship before. And this evil is rooted even in his nature--"He is a liar, and thefather of it"; and his lies are not known to saints more than inthis, that he labours always to contradict the work and order ofthe Spirit of truth (John 8). 

3. It also appears by the effects of such fears. For there is agreat deal of difference betwixt the natural effects of these fearswhich are wrought indeed by the spirit of bondage, and those whichare wrought by the spirit of the devil afterwards. The one, towit, the fears that are wrought by the spirit of bondage, causethus to confess the truth, to wit, that we are Christless, graceless, faithless, and so at present; that is, while he is so working ina sinful and damnable case; but the other, to wit, the spirit ofthe devil, when he comes, which is after the spirit of adoption iscome, he causeth us to make a lie; that is, to say we are Christless, graceless, and faithless. Now this, I say, is wholly, and in allpart of it, a lie, and HE is the father of it. 

Besides, the direct tendency of the fear that the Spirit of God, as a spirit of bondage, worketh in the soul, is to cause us to comerepenting home to God by Jesus Christ, but these latter fears tenddirectly to make a man, he having first denied the work of God, ashe will, if he falleth in with them, to run quite away from God, andfrom his grace to him in Christ, as will evidently appear if thougivest but a plain and honest answer to these questions following. 

[This fear driveth a man from God. ]

Quest. 1. Do not these fears make thee question whether there wasever a work of grace wrought in thy soul? Answ. Yes, verily, thatthey do. Quest. 2. Do not these fears make thee question whetherever thy first fears were wrought by the Holy Spirit of God? Answ. Yes, verily, that they do. Quest. 3. Do not these fears make theequestion whether ever thou hast had, indeed, any true comfort fromthe Word and Spirit of God? Answ. Yes, verily, that they do. Quest. 4. Dost thou not find intermixed with these fears plain assertionsthat thy first comforts were either from thy fancy, or from thedevil, and a fruit of his delusions? Answ. Yes, verily, that I do. Quest. 5. Do not these fears weaken thy heart in prayer? Answ. Yes, that they do. Quest. 6. Do not these fears keep thee backfrom laying hold of the promise of salvation by Jesus Christ? Answ. Yes; for I think if I were deceived before, if I were comforted bya spirit of delusion before, why may it not be so again? so I amafraid to take hold of the promise. Quest. 7. Do not these fearstend to the hardening of thy heart, and to the making of theedesperate? Answ. Yes, verily, that they do. Quest. 8. Do not thesefears hinder thee from profiting in hearing or reading of the Word?Answ. Yes, verily, for still whatever I hear or read, I thinknothing that is good belongs to me. Quest. 9. Do not these fearstend to the stirring up of blasphemies in thy heart against God?Answ. Yes, to the almost distracting of me. Quest. 10. Do not thesefears make thee sometimes think, that it is in vain for thee towait upon the Lord any longer? Answ. Yes, verily; and I have manytimes almost come to this conclusion, that I will read, pray, hear, company with God's people, or the like, no longer. 

Well, poor Christian, I am glad that thou hast so plainly answeredme; but, prithee, look back upon thy answer. How much of God dostthou think is in these things? how much of his Spirit, and the graceof his Word? Just none at all; for it cannot be that these thingscan be the true and natural effects of the workings of the Spiritof God: no, not as a spirit of bondage. These are not his doings. Dost thou not see the very paw of the devil in them; yea, in everyone of thy ten confessions? Is there not palpably high wickednessin every one of the effects of this fear? I conclude, then, as Ibegan, that the fear that the spirit of God, as a spirit of bondage, worketh, is good and godly, not only because of the author, butalso because of the ground and effects; but yet it can last nolonger as such, as producing the aforesaid conclusion, than tillthe Spirit, as the spirit of adoption, comes; because that thenthe soul is manifestly taken out of the state and condition intowhich it had brought itself by nature and sin, and is put intoChrist, and so by him into a state of life and blessedness by grace. Therefore, if first fears come again into thy soul, after that thespirit of adoption hath been with thee, know they come not fromthe Spirit of God, but apparently from the spirit of the devil, for they are a lie in themselves, and their effects are sinful anddevilish. 

Object. But I had also such wickedness as those in my heart at myfirst awakening, and therefore, by your argument, neither shouldthat be but from the devil. 

Answ. So far forth as such wickedness was in thy heart, so far didthe devil and thine own heart seek to drive thee to despair, anddrown thee there; but thou hast forgot the question; the questionis not whether then thou wast troubled with such iniquities, butwhether thy fears of damnation at that time were not just and good, because grounded upon thy present condition, which was, for thatthou wast out of Christ, in thy sins, and under the curse of thelaw; and whether now, since the spirit of adoption is come unto thee, and hath thee, and hath done that for thee as hath been mentioned;I say, whether thou oughtest for anything whatsoever to give wayto the same fear, from the same ground of damnation; it is evidentthou oughtest not, because the ground, the cause, is removed. 

Object. But since I was sealed to the day of redemption, I havegrievously sinned against God, have not I, therefore, cause tofear, as before? may not, therefore, the spirit of bondage be sentagain to put me in fear, as at first? Sin was the first cause, andI have sinned now. 

Answ. No, by no means; for we have not received the spirit ofbondage again to fear; that is, God hath not given it us, "for Godhath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Tim 1:7). If, therefore, our first fearscome upon us again, after that we have received at God's hands thespirit of love, of power, and of a sound mind, it is to be refused, though we have grievously sinned against our God. This is manifestfrom 1 Samuel 12:20; "Fear not; ye have done all this wickedness. "That is, not with that fear which would have made them fly from God, as concluding that they were not now his people. And the reasonis, because sin cannot dissolve the covenant into which the sons ofGod, by his grace, are taken. "If his children forsake my law, andwalk not in my judgments; if they break my statutes, and keep notmy commandments; then will I visit their transgressions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, my loving-kindnesswill I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness tofail" (Psa 89:30-33). Now, if sin doth not dissolve the covenant;if sin doth not cast me out of this covenant, which is made personallywith the Son of God, and into the hands of which by the grace ofGod I am put, then ought I not, though I have sinned, to fear withmy first fears. 

Sin, after that the spirit of adoption is come, cannot dissolvethe relation of Father and son, of Father and child. And this thechurch did rightly assert, and that when her heart was under greathardness, and when she had the guilt of erring from his ways, saithshe. "Doubtless thou art our Father" (Isa 63:16, 17). Doubtlessthou art, though this be our case, and though Israel should notacknowledge us for such. 

That sin dissolveth not the relation of Father and son is furtherevident--"When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forthhis Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them thatwere under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Soninto your hearts, crying, [Abba, or] Father, Father. " Now mark, "wherefore thou art no more a servant"; that is, no more under thelaw of death and damnation, "but a son; and if a son, then an heirof God through Christ" (Gal 4:4-7). 

Suppose a child doth grievously transgress against and offend hisfather, is the relation between them therefore dissolved? Again, suppose the father should scourge and chasten the son for suchoffence, is the relation between them therefore dissolved? Yea, suppose the child should now, through ignorance, cry, and say, This man is now no more my father; is he, therefore, now no morehis father? Doth not everybody see the folly of such arguings? Why, of the same nature is that doctrine that saith, that after we havereceived the spirit of adoption, that the spirit of bondage is sentto us again to put us in fear of eternal damnation. 

Know then that thy sin, after thou hast received the spirit of adoptionto cry unto God, Father, Father, is counted the transgression of achild, not of a slave, and that all that happeneth to thee for thattransgression is but the chastisement of a father--and "what son ishe whom the father chasteneth not?" It is worth your observation, that the Holy Ghost checks those who, under their chastisementsfor sin, forget to call God their Father--"Ye have, " said Paul, "forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faintwhen thou art rebuked of him. " Yea, observe yet further, that God'schastising of his children for their sin, is a a sign of grace andlove, and not of his wrath, and thy damnation; therefore now thereis no ground for the aforesaid fear--"For whom the Lord loveth hechasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth" (Heb 12). Now, if God would not have those that have received the Spirit ofthe Son, however he chastises them, to forget the relation that bythe adoption of sons they stand in to God, if he checks them thatdo forget it, when his rod is upon their backs for sin, then itis evident that those fears that thou hast under a colour of thecoming again of the Spirit, as a spirit of bondage, to put theein fear of eternal damnation, is nothing else but Satan disguised, the better to play his pranks upon thee. 

I will yet give you two or three instances more, wherein it will bemanifest that whatever happeneth to thee, I mean as a chastisementfor sin, after the spirit of adoption is come, thou oughtest to holdfast by faith the relation of Father and son. The people spokenof by Moses are said to have lightly esteemed the rock of theirsalvation, which rock is Jesus Christ, and that is a grievous sinindeed, yet, saith he, "Is not God thy Father that hath boughtthee?" and then puts them upon considering the days of old (Deut32:6). They in the prophet Jeremiah had played the harlot withmany lovers, and done evil things as they could; and, as anotherscripture hath it, gone a-whoring from under their God, yet God callsto them by the prophet, saying, "Wilt thou not from this time cryunto me, My Father, thou art the guide of my youth?" (Jer 3:4). Remember also that eminent text made mention of in 1 Samuel 12:20, "Fear not; ye have done all this wickedness"; and labour to maintainfaith in thy soul, of thy being a child, it being true that thou hastreceived the spirit of adoption before, and so that thou oughtestnot to fall under thy first fears, because the ground is takenaway, of thy eternal damnation. 

Now, let not any, from what hath been said, take courage to liveloose lives, under a supposition that once in Christ, and everin Christ, and the covenant cannot be broken, nor the relation ofFather and child dissolved; for they that do so, it is evident, have not known what it is to receive the spirit of adoption. It isthe spirit of the devil in his own hue that suggesteth this untothem, and that prevaileth with them to do so. Shall we do evil thatgood may come? shall we sin that grace may abound? or shall we bebase in life because God by grace hath secured us from wrath tocome? God forbid; these conclusions betoken one void of the fearof God indeed, and of the spirit of adoption too. For what son ishe, that because the father cannot break the relation, nor suffersin to do it--that is, betwixt the Father and him--that willtherefore say, I will live altogether after my own lusts, I willlabour to be a continual grief to my Father?

[Considerations to prevent such temptations. ]

Yet lest the devil (for some are "not ignorant of his devices" ), should get an advantage against some of the sons, to draw them awayfrom the filial fear of their Father, let me here, to prevent suchtemptations, present such with these following considerations. 

First. Though God cannot, will not, dissolve the relation whichthe spirit of adoption hath made betwixt the Father and the Son, for any sins that such do commit, yet he can, and often doth, takeaway from them the comfort of their adoption, not suffering childrenwhile sinning to have the sweet and comfortable sense thereof ontheir hearts. He can tell how to let snares be round about them, and sudden fear trouble them. He can tell how to send darkness thatthey may not see, and to let abundance of waters cover them (Job22:10, 11). 

Second. God can tell how to hide his face from them, and so toafflict them with that dispensation, that it shall not be in thepower of all the world to comfort them. "When he hideth his face, who then can behold him?" (Job 23:8, 9, 34:29). 

Third. God can tell how to make thee again to possess the sinsthat he long since hath pardoned, and that in such wise that thingsshall be bitter to thy soul. "Thou writest bitter things againstme, " says Job, "and makest me to possess the iniquities of myyouth. " By this also he once made David groan and pray against itas an insupportable affliction (Job 13:26; Psa 25:7). 

Fourth. God can lay thee in the dungeon in chains, and roll a stoneupon thee, he can make thy feet fast in the stocks, and make theea gazing-stock to men and angels (Lam 3:7, 53, 55; Job 13:27; Nahum3:6). 

Fifth. God can tell how to cause to cease the sweet operationsand blessed influences of his grace in thy soul, and to make thosegospel showers that formerly thou hast enjoyed to become now tothee nothing but powder and dust (Psa 51; Deut 28:24). 

Sixth. God can tell how to fight against thee "with the sword ofhis mouth, " and to make thee a butt for his arrows; and this is adispensation most dreadful (Rev 2:16; Job 6:4; Psa 38:2-5). 

Seventh. God can tell how so to bow thee down with guilt and distressthat thou shalt in no wise be able to lift up thy head (Psa 40:12). 

Eighth. God can tell how to break thy bones, and to make thee byreason of that to live in continual anguish of spirit: yea, he cansend a fire into thy bones that shall burn, and none shall quenchit (Psa 51:8; Lam 3:4, 1:13; Psa 102:3; Job 30:30). 

Ninth. God can tell how to lay thee aside, and make no use of theeas to any work for him in thy generation. He can throw thee aside"as a broken vessel" (Psa 31:12; Eze 44:10-13). 

Tenth. God can tell how to kill thee, and to take thee away fromthe earth for thy sins (1 Cor 11:29-32). 

Eleventh. God can tell how to plague thee in thy death, with greatplagues, and of long continuance (Psa 78:45; Deut 28). 

Twelfth. What shall I say? God can tell how to let Satan loose uponthee; when thou liest a dying he can license him then to assaultthee with great temptations, he can tell how to make thee possessthe guilt of all thy unkindness towards him, and that when thou, as I said, art going out of the world, he can cause that thy lifeshall be in continual doubt before thee, and not suffer thee totake any comfort day nor night; yea, he can drive thee even to amadness with his chastisements for thy folly, and yet all shall bedone by him to thee, as a father chastiseth his son (Deut 28:65-67). 

Thirteenth. Further, God can tell how to tumble thee from off thydeathbed in a cloud, he can let thee die in the dark; when thou artdying thou shalt not know whither thou art going, to wit, whetherto heaven or to hell. Yea, he can tell how to let thee seem to comeshort of life, both in thine own eyes, and also in the eyes of themthat behold thee. "Let us therefore fear, " says the apostle, --thoughnot with slavish, yet with filial fear--"lest a promise being leftus of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come shortof it" (Heb 4:1). 

Now all this, and much more, can God do to his as a Father by hisrod and fatherly rebukes; ah, who know but those that are underthem, what terrors, fears, distresses, and amazements God can bringhis people into; he can put them into a furnace, a fire, and notongue can tell what, so unsearchable and fearful are his fatherlychastisements, and yet never give them the spirit of bondage againto fear. Therefore, if thou art a son, take heed of sin, lest allthese things overtake thee, and come upon thee. 

Object. But I have sinned, and am under this high and mighty handof God. 

Answ. Then thou knowest what I say is true, but yet take heed ofhearkening unto such temptations as would make thee believe thouart out of Christ, under the law, and in a state of damnation; andtake heed also, that thou dost not conclude that the author ofthese fears is the Spirit of God come to thee again as a spiritof bondage, to put thee into such fears, lest unawares to thyselfthou dost defy the devil, dishonour thy Father, overthrow gooddoctrine, and bring thyself into a double temptation. 

Object. But if God deals thus with a man, how can he otherwise thinkbut that he is a reprobate, a graceless, Christless, and faithlessone?

Answ. Nay, but why dost thou tempt the Lord thy God? Why dostthou sin and provoke the eyes of his glory? Why "doth a living mancomplain, a man for the punishment of his sins?" (Lam 3:39). Hedoth not willingly afflict nor grieve the children of men; but ifthou sinnest, though God should save thy soul, as he will if thouart an adopted son of God, yet he will make thee know that sin issin, and his rod that he will chastise thee with, if need be, shallbe made of scorpions; read the whole book of the Lamentations; readJob's and David's complaints; yea, read what happened to his Son, his well-beloved, and that when he did but stand in the room ofsinners, being in himself altogether innocent, and then consider, O thou sinning child of God, if it is any injustice in God, yea, ifit be not necessary, that thou shouldest be chastised for thy sin. But then, I say, when the hand of God is upon thee, how grievous soeverit be, take heed, and beware that thou give not way to thy firstfears, lest, as I said before, thou addest to thine affliction; andto help thee here, let me give you a few instances of the carriagesof some of the saints under some of the most heavy afflictions thatthey have met with for sin. 

[Carriages of some of the saints under heavy afflictions for sin. ]

First. Job was in great affliction and that, as he confessed, forsin, insomuch that he said God had set him for his mark to shootat, and that he ran upon him like a giant, that he took him by theneck and shook him to pieces, and counted him for his enemy; thathe hid his face from him, and that he could not tell where to findhim; yet he counted not all this as a sign of a damnable state, butas a trial, and chastisement, and said, when he was in the hottestof the battle, "when he hath tried me I shall come forth as gold. "And again, when he was pressed upon by the tempter to think thatGod would kill him, he answers with greatest confidence, "Thoughhe slay me, yet will I trust in him" (Job 7:20, 13:15, 14:12, 16, 19:11, 23:8-10). 

Second. David complained that God had broken his bones, that hehad set his face against his sins, and had taken from him the joyof his salvation: yet even at this time he saith, "O God, thou Godof my salvation" (Psa 51:8, 9, 12, 14). 

Third. Heman complained that his soul was full of troubles, thatGod had laid him in the lowest pit, that he had put his acquaintancefar from him, and was casting off his soul, and had hid his facefrom him. That he was afflicted from his youth up, and ready to diewith trouble: he saith, moreover, that the fierce wrath of God wentover him, that his terrors had cut him off; yea, that by reasonof them he was distracted; and yet, even before he maketh any ofthese complaints, he takes fast hold of God as his, saying, "O LordGod of my salvation" (Psa 88). 

Fourth. The church in the Lamentations complains that the Lord hadafflicted her for her transgressions, and that in the day of hisfierce anger; also that he had trodden under foot her mighty men, and that he had called the heathen against her; she says, that hehad covered her with a cloud in his anger, that he was an enemy, and that he had hung a chain upon her; she adds, moreover, that hehad shut out her prayer, broken her teeth with gravel stones, andcovered her with ashes, and in conclusion, that he had utterlyrejected her. But what doth she do under all this trial? doth shegive up her faith and hope, and return to that fear that begot thefirst bondage? No: "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, thereforewill I hope in him"; yea, she adds, "O Lord, thou hast pleaded thecauses of my soul, thou hast redeemed my life" (Lam 1:5, 2:1, 2, 5, 3:7, 8, 16, 5:22, 3:24, 31, 58). 

These things show, that God's people even after they have receivedthe spirit of adoption, have fell foully into sin, and have beenbitterly chastised for it; and also, that when the rod was mostsmart upon them, they made great conscience of giving way to theirfirst fears wherewith they were made afraid by the Spirit as itwrought as a spirit of bondage; for indeed there is no such thingas the coming of the spirit of bondage to put us in fear the secondtime, as such, that is, after he is come as the spirit of adoptionto the soul. 

I conclude then, that that fear that is wrought by the spirit ofbondage is good and godly, because the ground for it is sound; andI also conclude, that he comes to the soul as a spirit of bondagebut once, and that once is before he comes as a spirit of adoption:and if therefore the same fear doth again take hold of thy heart, that is, if after thou hast received the spirit of adoption thoufearest again the damnation of thy soul, that thou art out of Christand under the law, that fear is bad and of the devil, and ought byno means to be admitted by thee. 

[How the devil worketh these fears. ]

1. Quest. But since it is as you say, how doth the devil, afterthe spirit of adoption is come, work the child of God into thosefears of being out of Christ, not forgiven, and so an heir ofdamnation again?

Answ. 1. By giving the lie, and by prevailing with us to give ittoo, to the work of grace wrought in our hearts, and to the testimonyof the Holy Spirit of adoption. Or, 2. By abusing of our ignoranceof the everlasting love of God to his in Christ, and the durationof the covenant of grace. Or, 3. By abusing some scripture thatseems to look that way, but doth not. Or, 4. By abusing our sensesand reason. Or, 5. By strengthening of our unbelief. Or, 6. Byovershadowing of our judgment with horrid darkness. Or, 7. By givingof us counterfeit representations of God. Or, 8. By stirring up, and setting in a rage, our inward corruptions. Or, 9. By pouringinto our hearts abundance of horrid blasphemies. Or, 10. By puttingof wrong constructions on the rod, and chastising hand of God. Or, 11. By charging upon us, that our ill behaviours under the rod, and chastising hand of God, is a sign that we indeed have no grace, but are downright graceless reprobates. By these things and otherlike these, Satan, I say, Satan bringeth the child of God, not onlyto the borders, but even into the bowels of the fears of damnation, after it hath received a blessed testimony of eternal life, andthat by the Holy Spirit of adoption. 

[The people of God should fear his rod. ]

Quest. But would you not have the people of God stand in fear ofhis rod, and be afraid of his judgments?

Answ. Yes, and the more they are rightly afraid of them, the lessand the seldomer will they come under them; for it is want of fearthat brings us into sin, and it is sin that brings us into theseafflictions. But I would not have them fear with the fear of slaves;for that will add no strength against sin; but I would have themfear with the reverential fear of sons, and that is the way todepart from evil. 

Quest. How is that?

Answ. Why, having before received the spirit of adoption; stillto believe that he is our father, and so to fear with the fearof children, not as slaves fear a tyrant. I would therefore havethem to look upon his rod, rebukes, chidings, and chastisements, and also upon the wrath wherewith he doth inflict, to be but thedispensations of their Father. This believed, maintains, or at leasthelps to maintain, in the heart, a son-like bowing under the rod. It also maintains in the soul a son-like confession of sin, and ajustifying of God under all the rebukes that he grieveth us with. It also engageth us to come to him, to claim and lay hold of formermercies, to expect more, and to hope a good end shall be made ofall God's present dispensations towards us (Micah 7:9; Lam 1:18;Psa 77:10-12; Lam 3:31-34). [14]

Now God would have us thus fear his rod, because he is resolvedto chastise us therewith, if so be we sin against him, as I havealready showed; for although God's bowels turn within him, evenwhile he is threatening his people, yet if we sin, he will lay onthe rod so hard as to make us cry, "Woe unto us that we have sinned"(Lam 5:16); and therefore, as I said, we should be afraid of hisjudgments, yet only as afore is provided as of the rod, wrath, andjudgment of a Father. 

[Five considerations to move to child-like fear. ]

Quest. But have you yet any other considerations to move us to fearGod with child-like fear?

Answ. I will in this place give you five. 1. Consider that God thinksmeet to have it so, and he is wiser in heart than thou; he knowsbest how to secure his people from sin, and to that end hath giventhem law and commandments to read, that they may learn to fear himas a Father (Job 37:24; Eccl 3:14; Deut 17:18, 19). 2. Consider heis mighty in power; if he touch but with a fatherly touch, man norangel cannot bear it; yea, Christ makes use of that argument, he"hath power to cast into hell; Fear him" (Luke 12:4, 5). 3. Considerthat he is everywhere; thou canst not be out of his sight orpresence; nor out of the reach of his hand. "Fear ye not me? saiththe Lord. " "Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall notsee him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith theLord" (Jer 5:22, 23:24). 4. Consider that he is holy, and cannotlook with liking upon the sins of his own people. Therefore, saysPeter, be "as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves accordingto the former lusts in your ignorance, but as he which hath calledyou is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation, becauseit is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy. And if ye call on theFather, who without respect of persons judgeth according to everyman's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. " 5. Consider that he is good, and has been good to thee, good in thathe hath singled thee out from others, and saved thee from theirdeath and hell, though thou perhaps wast worse in thy life thanthose that he left when he laid hold on thee. O this should engagethy heart to fear the Lord all the days of thy life. They "shallfear the Lord, and his goodness in the latter days" (Hosea 3:5). And now for the present, I have done with that fear, I mean as toits first workings, to wit, to put me in fear of damnation, andshall come, in the next place, to treat

OF THE GRACE OF FEAR MORE IMMEDIATELY INTENDED IN THE TEXT. 

I shall now speak to this fear, which I call a lasting godly fear;first, by way of explication; by which I shall show, FIRST. How bythe Scripture it is described. SECOND. I shall show you what thisfear flows from. And then, THIRD. I shall also show you what dothflow from it. 

[How this Fear is described by the Scripture. ]

FIRST. For the first of these, to wit, how by the Scripture thisfear is described; and that, First. More generally. Second. Moreparticularly. 

First. More generally. 

1. It is called a grace, that is, a sweet and blessed work of theSpirit of grace, as he is given to the elect by God. Hence theapostle says, "let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence and godly fear" (Heb 12:28). For as that fear thatbrings bondage is wrought in the soul by the Spirit as a spirit ofbondage, so this fear, which is a fear that we have while we arein the liberty of sons, is wrought by him as he manifesteth to usour liberty; "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty, "that is, where he is as a spirit of adoption, setting the soulfree from that bondage under which it was held by the same Spiritwhile he wrought as a spirit of bondage. Hence as he is calleda spirit working bondage to fear, so he, as the Spirit of the Sonand of adoption, is called "the Spirit of the fear of the Lord"(Isa 11:2). Because it is that Spirit of grace that is the author, animater, and maintainer of our filial fear, or of that fear thatis son-like, and that subjecteth the elect unto God, his word, andways; unto him, his word, and ways, as a Father. 

2. This fear is called also the fear of God, not as that which isungodly is, nor yet as that may be which is wrought by the Spiritas a spirit of bondage, but by way of eminency; to wit, as adispensation of the grace of the gospel, and as a fruit of eternallove. "I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall notdepart from me" (Jer 32:38-41). 

3. This fear of God is called God's treasure, for it is one of hischoice jewels, it is one of the rarities of heaven, "The fear ofthe Lord is his treasure" (Isa 33:6). And it may well go under sucha title; for as treasure, so the fear of the Lord is not found inevery corner. It is said all men have not faith, because that alsois more precious than gold; the same is said about this fear--"Thereis no fear of God before their eyes"; that is, the greatest partof men are utterly destitute of this godly jewel, this treasure, the fear of the Lord. Poor vagrants, when they come straggling toa lord's house, may perhaps obtain some scraps and fragments, theymay also obtain old shoes, and some sorry cast-off rags, but theyget not any of his jewels, they may not touch his choicest treasure;that is kept for the children, and those that shall be his heirs. We may say the same also of this blessed grace of fear, which iscalled here God's treasure. It is only bestowed upon the elect, the heirs and children of the promise; all others are destitute ofit, and so continue to death and judgment. 

4. This grace of fear is that which maketh men excel and go beyondall men, in the account of God; it is that which beautifies a man, and prefers him above all other; "Hast thou, " says God to Satan, "considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and eschewethevil?" (Job 1:8, 2:3). Mind it, "There is none like him, none alikehim in the earth. " I suppose he means either [that Job was theonly most perfect and upright man] in those parts, or else he wasthe man that abounded in the fear of the Lord; none like him to fearthe Lord, he only excelled others with respect to his reverencingof God, bowing before him, and sincerely complying with his will;and therefore is counted the excellent man. It is not the knowledgeof the will of God, but our sincere complying therewith, that provethwe fear the Lord; and it is our so doing that putteth upon us thenote of excelling; hereby appears our perfection, herein is manifestour uprightness. A perfect and an upright man is one that fearethGod, and that because he escheweth evil. Therefore this grace offear is that without which no part or piece of service which we doto God, can be accepted of him. It is, as I may call it, the saltof the covenant, which seasoneth the heart, and therefore must notbe lacking there; it is also that which salteth, or seasoneth allour doings, and therefore must not be lacking in any of them (Lev2:13). 

5. I take this grace of fear to be that which softeneth and mollifieththe heart, and that makes it stand in awe both of the mercies andjudgments of God. This is that that retaineth in the heart that duedread, and reverence of the heavenly majesty, that is meet shouldbe both in, and kept in the heart of poor sinners. Wherefore whenDavid described this fear, in the exercise of it, he calls it anawe of God. "Stand in awe, " saith he, "and sin not"; and again, "myheart standeth in awe of thy word"; and again, "Let all the earthfear the Lord"; what is that? or how is that? why? "Let all theinhabitants of the world stand in awe of him" (Psa 4:4, 119:161, 33:8). This is that therefore that is, as I said before, so excellenta thing in the eyes of God, to wit, a grace of the Spirit, the fearof God, his treasure, the salt of the covenant, that which makesmen excel all others; for it is that which maketh the sinner tostand in awe of God, which posture is the most comely thing in us, throughout all ages. But, Second. And more particularly. 

1. This grace is called "the beginning of knowledge, " because by thefirst gracious discovery of God to the soul, this grace is begot:and again, because the first time that the soul doth apprehend Godin Christ to be good unto it, this grace is animated, by which thesoul is put into an holy awe of God, which causeth it with reverenceand due attention to hearken to him, and tremble before him (Prov1:7). It is also by virtue of this fear that the soul doth inquireyet more after the blessed knowledge of God. This is the moreevident, because, where this fear of God is wanting, or where thediscovery of God is not attended with it, the heart still abidesrebellious, obstinate, and unwilling to know more, that it mightcomply therewith; nay, for want of it, such sinners say rather, Asfor God, let him "depart from us, " and for the Almighty, "we desirenot the knowledge of his ways. "

2. This fear is called "the beginning of wisdom, " because then, and not till then, a man begins to be truly spiritually wise;what wisdom is there where the fear of God is not? (Job 28:28; Psa111:10). Therefore the fools are described thus, "For that theyhated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord" (Prov1:29). The Word of God is the fountain of knowledge, into whicha man will not with godly reverence look, until he is endued withthe fear of the Lord. Therefore it is rightly called "the beginningof knowledge; but fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Prov1:7). It is therefore this fear of the Lord that makes a man wisefor his soul, for life, and for another world. It is this thatteacheth him how he should do to escape those spiritual and eternalruins that the fool is overtaken with, and swallowed up of forever. A man void of this fear of God, wherever he is wise, or inwhatever he excels, yet about the matters of his soul, there isnone more foolish than himself; for through the want of the fear ofthe Lord, he leaves the best things at sixes and sevens, and onlypursueth with all his heart those that will leave him in the snarewhen he dies. 

3. This fear of the Lord is to hate evil. To hate sin and vanity. Sin and vanity, they are the sweet morsels of the fool, and suchwhich the carnal appetite of the flesh runs after; and it is onlythe virtue that is in the fear of the Lord that maketh the sinnerhave an antipathy against it (Job 20:12). "By the fear of the Lordmen depart from evil" (Prov 16:6). That is, men shun, separatethemselves from, and eschew it in its appearances. Wherefore it isplain that those that love evil, are not possessed with the fearof God. 

There is a generation that will pursue evil, that will take it in, nourish it, lay it up in their hearts, hide it, and plead for it, and rejoice to do it. These cannot have in them the fear of theLord, for that is to hate it, and to make men depart from it: wherethe fear of God and sin is, it will be with the soul, as it waswith Israel when Omri and Tibni strove to reign among them both atonce, one of them must be put to death, they cannot live together(see 1 Kings 16): sin must down, for the fear of the Lord begettethin the soul a hatred against it, an abhorrence of it, thereforesin must die, that is, as to the affections and lusts of it; foras Solomon says in another case, "where no wood is, the fire goethout. " So we may say, where there is a hatred of sin, and where mendepart from it, there it loseth much of its power, waxeth feeble, and decayeth. Therefore Solomon saith again, "Fear the Lord, anddepart from evil" (Prov 3:7). As who should say, Fear the Lord, and it will follow that you shall depart from evil: departing fromevil is a natural consequence, a proper effect of the fear of theLord where it is. By the fear of the Lord men depart from evil, that is, in their judgment, will, mind, and affections. Not thatby the fear of the Lord sin is annihilated, or has lost its beingin the soul; there still will those Canaanites be, but they arehated, loathed, abominated, fought against, prayed against, watchedagainst, striven against, and mortified by the soul (Rom 7). 

4. This fear is called a fountain of life--"The fear of the Lordis a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death" (Prov14:27). It is a fountain, or spring, which so continually supplieththe soul with variety of considerations of sin, of God, of death, and life eternal, as to keep the soul in continual exercise ofvirtue and in holy contemplation. It is a fountain of life; everyoperation thereof, every act and exercise thereof, hath a true andnatural tendency to spiritual and eternal felicity. Wherefore thewise man saith in another place, "The fear of the Lord tendeth tolife, and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not bevisited with evil" (Prov 19:23). It tendeth to life; even as ofnature, everything hath a tendency to that which is most naturalto itself; the fire to burn, the water to wet, the stone to fall, the sun to shine, sin to defile, &c. Thus I say, the fear of the Lordtendeth to life; the nature of it is to put the soul upon fearingof God, of closing with Christ, and of walking humbly before him. "It is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. " Whatare the snares of death, but sin, the wiles of the devil, &c. Fromwhich the fear of God hath a natural tendency to deliver thee, andto keep thee in the way that tendeth to life. 

5. This fear of the Lord, it is called "the instruction of wisdom"(Prov 15:33). You heard before that it is the beginning of wisdom, but here you find it called the instruction of wisdom; for indeedit is not only that which makes a man begin to be wise, but toimprove, and make advantage of all those helps and means to life, which God hath afforded to that end; that is, both to his own, andhis neighbour's salvation also. It is the instruction of wisdom;it will make a man capable to use all his natural parts, all hisnatural wisdom to God's glory, and his own good. There lieth, evenin many natural things, that, into which if we were instructed, would yield us a great deal of help to the understanding of spiritualmatters; "For in wisdom has God made all the world"; nor is thereanything that God has made, whether in heaven above, or on earthbeneath, but there is couched some spiritual mystery in it. Thewhich men matter no more than they do the ground they tread on, or than the stones that are under their feet, and all because theyhave not this fear of the Lord; for had they that, that would teachthem to think, even from that knowledge of God, that hath by thefear of him put into their hearts, that he being so great and sogood, there must needs be abundance of wisdom in the things he hathmade: that fear would also endeavour to find out what that wisdomis; yea, and give to the soul the instruction of it. In that itis called the instruction of wisdom, it intimates to us that itstendency is to keep all even, and in good order in the soul. WhenJob perceived that his friends did not deal with him in an evenspirit and orderly manner, he said that they forsook "the fear ofthe Almighty" (Job 6:14). For this fear keeps a man even in hiswords and judgment of things. It may be compared to the ballast ofthe ship, and to the poise of the balance of the scales; it keepsall even, and also makes us steer our course right with respect tothe things that pertain to God and man. 

What this fear of God flows from. 

SECOND. I come now to the second thing, to wit, to show you whatthis fear of God flows from. 

First. This fear, this grace of fear, this son-like fear of God, it flows from the distinguishing love of God to his elect. "I willbe their God, " saith he, "and I will put my fear in their hearts. "None other obtain it but those that are enclosed and bound upin that bundle. Therefore they, in the same place, are said to bethose that are wrapt up in the eternal or everlasting covenant ofGod, and so designed to be the people that should be blessed withthis fear. "I will make an everlasting covenant with them" saithGod, "that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but Iwill put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart fromme" (Jer 32:38-40). This covenant declares unto men that God hath, in his heart, distinguishing love for some of the children of men;for he saith he will be their God, that he will not leave them, noryet suffer them to depart, to wit, finally, from him. Into thesemen's hearts he doth put his fear, this blessed grace, and thisrare and effectual sign of his love, and of their eternal salvation. 

Second. This fear flows from a new heart. This fear is not in menby nature; the fear of devils they may have, as also an ungodlyfear of God; but this fear is not in any but where there dwelletha new heart, another fruit and effect of this everlasting covenant, and of this distinguishing love of God. "A new heart also will Igive them"; a new heart, what a one is that? why, the same prophetsaith in another place, "A heart to fear me, " a circumcised one, asanctified one (Jer 32:39; Eze 11:19, 36:26). So then, until a manreceive a heart from God, a heart from heaven, a new heart, hehas not this fear of God in him. New wine must not be put into oldbottles, lest the one, to wit, the bottles, mar the wine, or thewine the bottles; but new wine must have new bottles, and thenboth shall be preserved (Matt 9:17). This fear of God must not be, cannot be found in old hearts; old hearts are not bottles out ofwhich this fear of God proceeds, but it is from an honest and goodheart, from a new one, from such an one that is also an effect ofthe everlasting covenant, and love of God to men. 

" I will give them one heart" to fear me; there must in all actionsbe heart, and without heart no action is good, nor can there befaith, love, or fear, from every kind of heart. These must flowfrom such an one, whose nature is to produce, and bring forth suchfruit. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? sofrom a corrupt heart there cannot proceed such fruit as the fear ofGod, as to believe in God, and love God (Luke 6:43-45). The heartnaturally is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;how then should there flow from such an one the fear of God? Itcannot be. He, therefore, that hath not received at the hands ofGod a new heart, cannot fear the Lord. 

Third. This fear of God flows from an impression, a sound impression, that the Word of God maketh on our souls; for without an impress ofthe Word, there is no fear of God. Hence it is said that God gaveto Israel good laws, statutes, and judgments, that they might learnthem, and in learning them, learn to fear the Lord their God. Therefore, saith God, in another place, "Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thygates, that they may hear, and that they may learn and fear the Lordyour God" (Deut 6:1, 2, 31:12). For as a man drinketh good doctrineinto his soul, so he feareth God. If he drinks it in much, hefeareth him greatly; if he drinketh it in but little, he fearethhim but little; if he drinketh it not in at all, he feareth himnot at all. This, therefore, teacheth us how to judge who feareththe Lord; they are those that learn, and that stand in awe of theWord. Those that have by the holy Word of God the very form ofitself engraven upon the face of their souls, they fear God (Rom6:17). [15]

But, on the contrary, those that do not love good doctrine, thatgive not place to the wholesome truths of the God of heaven, revealedin his Testament, to take place in their souls, but rather despiseit, and the true possessors of it, they fear not God. For, asI said before, this fear of God, it flows from a sound impressionthat the Word of God maketh upon the soul; and therefore, Fourth. This godly fear floweth from faith; for where the Wordmaketh a sound impression on the soul, by that impression is faithbegotten, whence also this fear doth flow. Therefore right hearingof the Word is called "the hearing of faith" (Gal 3:2). Hence itis said again, "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things notseen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of hishouse, by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of therighteousness which is by faith" (Heb 11:7). The Word, the warningthat he had from God of things not seen as yet, wrought, throughfaith therein, that fear of God in his heart that made him prepareagainst unseen dangers, and that he might be an inheritor of unseenhappiness. Where, therefore, there is not faith in the Word of God, there can be none of this fear; and where the Word doth not makesound impression on the soul, there can be none of this faith. So thatas vices hang together, and have the links of a chain, dependenceone upon another, even so the graces of the Spirit also are thefruits of one another, and have such dependence on each other, that the one cannot be without the other. No faith, no fear of God;devil's faith, devil's fear; saint's faith, saint's fear. 

Fifth. This godly fear also floweth from sound repentance for andfrom sin; godly sorrow worketh repentance, and godly repentanceproduceth this fear--"For behold, " says Paul, "this self-same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wroughtin you! yea, what clearing of yourselves! yea, what indignation!yea, what fear!" (2 Cor 7:10, 11). Repentance is the effect of sorrow, and sorrow is the effect of smart, and smart the effect of faith. Now, therefore, fear must needs be an effect of, and flow fromrepentance. Sinner, do not deceive thyself; if thou art a strangerto sound repentance, which standeth in sorrow and shame before Godfor sin, as also in turning from it, thou hast no fear of God; Imean none of this godly fear; for that is the fruit of, and flowethfrom, sound repentance. 

Sixth. This godly fear also flows from a sense of the love andkindness of God to the soul. Where there is no sense of hope ofthe kindness and mercy of God by Jesus Christ, there can be noneof this fear, but rather wrath and despair, which produceth thatfear that is either devilish, or else that which is only wroughtin us by the Spirit, as a spirit of bondage; but these we donot discourse of now; wherefore the godly fear that now I treatof, it floweth from some sense or hope of mercy from God by JesusChrist--"If thou, Lord, " says David, "shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee thatthou mayest be feared" (Psa 130:3, 4). "There is mercy with thee";this the soul hath sense of, and hope in, and therefore fearethGod. Indeed nothing can lay a stronger obligation upon the heartto fear God, than sense of, or hope in mercy (Jer 33:8, 9). Thisbegetteth true tenderness of heart, true godly softness of spirit;this truly endeareth the affections to God; and in this truetenderness, softness, and endearedness of affection to God, lieththe very essence of this fear of the Lord, as is manifest by thefruit of this fear when we shall come to speak of it. 

Seventh. This fear of God flows from a due consideration of thejudgments of God that are to be executed in the world; yea, uponprofessors too. Yea further, God's people themselves, I mean asto themselves, have such a consideration of his judgments towardsthem, as to produce this godly fear. When God's judgments are inthe earth, they effect the fear of his name, in the hearts of hisown people--"My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am, " saidDavid, "afraid of thy judgments" (Psa 119:120). When God smoteUzzah, David was afraid of God that day (1 Chron 13:12). Indeed, many regard not the works of the Lord, nor take notice of theoperation of his hands, and such cannot fear the Lord. But othersobserve and regard, and wisely consider of his doings, and of thejudgments that he executeth, and that makes them fear the Lord. This God himself suggesteth as a means to make us fear him. Hencehe commands the false prophet to be stoned, "that all Israel mighthear and fear. " Hence also he commanded that the rebellious sonshould be stoned, "that all Israel might hear and fear. " A falsewitness was also to have the same judgment of God executed uponhim, "that all Israel might hear and fear. " The man also that didought presumptuously was to die, "that all Israel might hear andfear" (Deut 13:11, 21:21, 17:13, 19:20). There is a natural tendencyin judgments, as judgments, to beget a fear of God in the heartof man, as man; but when the observation of the judgment of God ismade by him that hath a principle of true grace in his soul, thatobservation being made, I say, by a gracious heart, produceth afear of God in the soul of its own nature, to wit, a gracious orgodly fear of God. 

Eighth. This godly fear also flows from a godly remembrance of ourformer distresses, when we were distressed with our first fears; forthough our first fears were begotten in us by the Spirit's workingas a spirit of bondage, and so are not always to be entertainedas such, yet even that fear leaveth in us, and upon our spirits, that sense and relish of our first awakenings and dread, as alsooccasioneth and produceth this godly fear. "Take heed, " says God, "and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things whichthine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all thedays of thy life, but teach them thy sons, and thy son's sons. "But what were the things that their eyes had seen, that would sodamnify them should they be forgotten? The answer is, the thingswhich they saw at Horeb; to wit, the fire, the smoke, the darkness, the earthquake, their first awakenings by the law, by which theywere brought into a bondage fear; yea, they were to remember thisespecially--"Specially, " saith he, "the day that thou stoodest beforethe Lord thy God in Horeb, when the Lord said unto me, Gather methe people together, and I will make them hear my words, that theymay learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon theearth" (Deut 4:9-11). The remembrance of what we saw, felt, feared, and trembled under the sense of, when our first fears were upon us, is that which will produce in our hearts this godly filial fear. 

Ninth. This godly fear flows from our receiving of an answerof prayer, when we supplicated for mercy at the hand of God. Seethe proof for this--"If there be in the land famine, if there bepestilence, blasting, mildew, locust, or if there be caterpillar;if their enemy besiege them in the land of their cities, whatsoeverplague, whatsoever sickness there be: what prayer and supplicationsoever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shallknow every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth hishands toward this house: then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling-place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest (for thou, even thou only, knowest thehearts of all the children of men). That they may fear thee all thedays of their life, that they live in the land which thou gavestunto our fathers" (1 Kings 8:37-40). 

Tenth. This grace of fear also flows from a blessed conviction ofthe all-seeing eye of God; that is, from a belief that he certainlyknoweth the heart, and seeth every one of the turnings and returningsthereof; this is intimated in the text last mentioned--"Whose heartthou knowest, that they may fear thee, " to wit, so many of them asbe, or shall be convinced of this. Indeed, without this conviction, this godly fear cannot be in us; the want of this conviction madethe Pharisees such hypocrites--"Ye are they, " said Christ, "whichjustify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts" (Luke16:15). The Pharisees, I say, were not aware of this; therefore theyso much preferred themselves before those that by far were betterthan themselves, and it is for want of this conviction that men goon in such secret sins as they do, so much without fear either ofGod or his judgments. [16]

Eleventh. This grace of fear also flows from a sense of theimpartial judgment of God upon men according to their works. Thisalso is manifest from the text mentioned above. And give unto everyman according to his works or ways, "that they may fear thee, " &c. This is also manifest by that of Peter--"And if ye call on theFather, who without respect of persons judgeth according to everyman's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear" (1 Peter1:17). He that hath godly conviction of this fear of God, willfear before him; by which fear their hearts are poised, and worksdirected with trembling, according to the will of God. Thus you seewhat a weighty and great grace this grace of the holy fear of Godis, and how all the graces of the Holy Ghost yield mutually theirhelp and strength to the nourishment and life of it; and also howit flows from them all, and hath a dependence upon every one ofthem for its due working in the heart of him that hath it. And thusmuch to show you from whence it flows. And now I shall come to thethird thing, to wit, to show you

What flows from this godly fear. 

THIRD. Having showed you what godly fear flows from, I come now, Isay, to show you what proceedeth or flows from this godly fear ofGod, where it is seated in the heart of man. And, First. There flows from this godly fear a godly reverence of God. "He is great, " said David, "and greatly to be feared in the assemblyof his saints. " God, as I have already showed you, is the properobject of godly fear; it is his person and majesty that this fearalways causeth the eye of the soul to be upon. "Behold, " saith David, "as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters, andas the eyes of a maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our eyeswait upon the Lord our God, until that he have mercy upon us" (Psa123:2). Nothing aweth the soul that feareth God so much as doth theglorious majesty of God. His person is above all things feared bythem; "I fear God, " said Joseph (Gen 42:18). That is, more than anyother; I stand in awe of him, he is my dread, he is my fear, I doall mine actions as in his presence, as in his sight; I reverencehis holy and glorious majesty, doing all things as with fear andtrembling before him. This fear makes them have also a very greatreverence of his Word; for that also, I told you, was the rule oftheir fear. "Princes, " said David, "persecuted me without a cause, but my heart standeth in awe, " in fear, "of thy word. " This graceof fear, therefore, from it flows reverence of the words of God; ofall laws, that man feareth the word; and no law that is not agreeingtherewith (Psa 119:116). There flows from this godly fear tendernessof God's glory. This fear, I say, will cause a man to afflict hissoul, when he seeth that by professors dishonour is brought to thename of God and to his Word. Who would not fear thee, said Jeremiah, O king of nations, for to thee doth it appertain? He speaks it asbeing affected with that dishonour, that by the body of the Jewswas continually brought to his name, his Word, and ways; he alsospeaks it of a hearty wish that they once would be otherwise minded. The same saying in effect hath also John in the Revelation--"Whoshall not fear thee, O Lord, " said he, "and glorify thy name?"(Rev 15:4); clearly concluding that godly fear produceth a godlytenderness of God's glory in the world, for that appertaineth untohim; that is, it is due unto him, it is a debt which we owe untohim. "Give unto the Lord, " said David, "the glory due unto his name. "Now if there be begotten in the heart of the godly, by this graceof fear, a godly tenderness of the glory of God, then it followsof consequence, that where they that have this fear of God do seehis glory diminished by the wickedness of the children of men, there they are grieved and deeply distressed. "Rivers of waters, "said David, "run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law"(Psa 119:136). Let met give you for this these following instances--

How was David provoked when Goliath defied the God of Israel (1Sam 17:23-29, 45, 46). Also, when others reproached God, he tells usthat that reproach was even as "a sword in his bones" (Psa 42:10). How was Hezekiah afflicted when Rabshakeh railed upon his God (Isa37). David also, for the love that he had to the glory of God'sword, ran the hazard and reproach "of all the mighty people" (Psa119:151, 89:50). How tender of the glory of God was Eli, Daniel, andthe three children in their day. Eli died with fear and tremblingof heart when he heard that "the ark of God was taken" (1 Sam4:14-18). Daniel ran the danger of the lions' mouths, for the tenderlove that he had to the word and worship of God (Dan 6:10-16). Thethree children ran the hazard of a burning fiery furnace, rather thanthey would dare to dishonour the way of their God (Dan 3:13, 16, 20). This therefore is one of the fruits of this godly fear, to wit, areverence of his name and tenderness of his glory. 

Second. There flows from this godly fear, watchfulness. As it issaid of Solomon's servants, they "watched about his bed, becauseof fear in the night, " so it may be said of them that have thisgodly fear--it makes them a watchful people. It makes them watchtheir hearts, and take heed to keep them with all diligence, lestthey should, by one or another of its flights, lead them to do thatwhich in itself is wicked (Prov 4:23; Heb 12:15). It makes themwatch, lest some temptation from hell should enter into their heartto the destroying of them (1 Peter 5:8). It makes them watch theirmouths, and keep them also, at sometimes, as with a bit and bridle, that they offend not with their tongue, knowing that the tongue isapt, being an evil member, soon to catch the fire of hell, to thedefiling of the whole body (James 3:2-7). It makes them watch overtheir ways, look well to their goings, and to make straight stepsfor their feet (Psa 39:1; Heb 12:13). Thus this godly fear puts thesoul upon its watch, lest from the heart within, or from the devilwithout, or from the world, or some other temptation, somethingshould surprise and overtake the child of God to defile him, orto cause him to defile the ways of God, and so offend the saints, open the mouths of men, and cause the enemy to speak reproachfullyof religion. 

Third. There flows from this fear a holy provocation to a reverentialconverse with saints in their religious and godly assemblies, fortheir further progress in the faith and way of holiness. "Then theythat feared the Lord spake often one to another. " Spake, that is, of God, and his holy and glorious name, kingdom, and works, fortheir mutual edification; "a book of remembrance was written beforehim for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name"(Mal 3:16). The fear of the Lord in the heart provoketh to thisin all its acts, not only of necessity, but of nature: it is thenatural effect of this godly fear, to exercise the church in thecontemplation of God, together and apart. All fear, good and bad, hath a natural propenseness in it to incline the heart to contemplateupon the object of fear, and though a man should labour to takeoff his thoughts from the object of his fear, whether that objectwas men, hell, devils, &c. , yet do what he could the next time hisfear had any act in it, it would return again to its object. Andso it is with godly fear; that will make a man speak of, and thinkupon, the name of God reverentially (Psa 89:7); yea, and exercisehimself in the holy thoughts of him in such sort that his soulshall be sanctified, and seasoned with such meditations. Indeed, holy thoughts of God, such as you see this fear doth exercise theheart withal, prepare the heart to, and for God. This fear thereforeit is that David prayed for, for the people, when he said, "O LordGod of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel our fathers, keep this forever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee" (1 Chron 29:18). 

Fourth. There flows from this fear of God great reverence of hismajesty, in and under the use and enjoyment of God's holy ordinances. His ordinances are his courts and palaces, his walks and places, where he giveth his presence to those that wait upon him in them, in the fear of his name. And this is the meaning of that of theapostle: "Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea, andGalilee, and Samaria, and were edified; and, walking in the fearof the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied"(Acts 9:31). "And walking"--that word intendeth their use of theordinances of God. They walked in all the commandments and ordinancesof the Lord blameless. This, in Old Testament language, is called, treading God's courts, and walking in his paths. This, saiththe text, they did here, in the fear of God. That is, in a greatreverence of that God whose ordinances they were. "Ye shall keepmy Sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary; I am the Lord" (Lev 19:30, 26:2). 

It is one thing to be conversant in God's ordinances, and anotherto be conversant in them with a due reverence of the majesty andname of that God whose ordinances they are: it is common for mento do the first, but none can do the last without this fear. "Inthy fear, " said David, "will I worship" (Psa 5:7). It is this fearof God, therefore, from whence doth flow that great reverence thathis saints have in them, of his majesty, in and under the use andenjoyment of God's holy ordinances; and, consequently, that makesour service in the performance of them acceptable to God throughChrist (Heb 12). For God expects that we serve him with fear andtrembling, and it is odious among men, for a man in the presence, or about the service of his prince, to behave himself lightly, andwithout due reverence of that majesty in whose presence and aboutwhose business he is. And if so, how can their service to God haveanything like acceptation from the hand of God, that is done, notin, but without the fear of God? This service must needs be anabomination to him, and these servers must come off with rebuke. 

Fifth. There flows from this godly fear of God, self-denial. Thatis, a holy abstaining from those things that are either unlawful orinexpedient; according to that of Nehemiah, "The former governorsthat had been before me, were chargeable unto the people, that hadtaken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver, yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God" (Neh 5:15). [17]

Here not was self-denial; he would not do as they did that wentbefore him, neither himself, nor should his servants; but what wasit that put him upon these acts of self-denial? The answer is, thefear of God: "but so did not I, because of the fear of God. "

Now, whether by the fear of God in this place be meant his Word, orthe grace of fear in his heart, may perhaps be a scruple to some, but in my judgment the text must have respect to the latter, to wit, to the grace of fear, for without that being indeed in the heart, the word will not produce that good self-denial in us, that hereyou find this good man to live in the daily exercise of. The fearof God, therefore, that was the cause of his self-denial, wasthis grace of fear in his heart. This made him to be, as was saidbefore, tender of the honour of God, and of the salvation of hisbrother: yea, so tender, that rather than he would give an occasionto the weak to stumble, or be offended, he would even deny himselfof that which others never sticked to do. Paul also, through thesanctifying operations of this fear of God in his heart, did denyhimself even of lawful things, for the profit and commodity of hisbrother--"I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I makemy brother to offend"; that is, if his eating of it would make hisbrother to offend (1 Cor 8:13). 

Men that have not this fear of God in them, will not, cannot denythemselves--of love to God, and the good of the weak, who aresubject to stumble at indifferent things--but where this grace offear is, there follows self-denial; there men are tender of offending;and count that it far better becomes their profession to be of aself-denying, condescending conversation and temper, than to standsturdily to their own liberty in things inexpedient, whoever isoffended thereat. This grace of fear, therefore, is a very excellentthing, because it yieldeth such excellent fruit as this. For thisself-denial, of how little esteem soever it be with some, yet thewant of it, if the words of Christ be true, as they are, takesquite away from even a professor the very name of a disciple (Matt10:37, 38; Luke 14:26, 27, 33). They, says Nehemiah, lorded it overthe brethren, but so did not I. They took bread and wine, andforty shekels of silver of them, but so did not I; yea, even theirservants bare rule over the people, "but so did not I, because ofthe fear of God. "

Sixth. There flows from this godly fear of God "singleness of heart"(Col 3:22). Singleness of heart both to God and man; singleness ofheart, that is it which in another place is called sincerity andgodly simplicity, and it is this, when a man doth a thing simplyfor the sake of him or of the law that commands it, without respectto this by-end, [18]

or that desire of praise or of vain-glory from others; I say, whenour obedience to God is done by us simply or alone for God's sake, for his Word's sake, without any regard to this or that by-end orreserve, "not with eye-service, as men-pleasers, but in singlenessof heart, fearing God. " A man is more subject to nothing than toswerve from singleness of heart in his service to God, and obedienceto his will. How doth the Lord charge the children of Israel, andall their obedience, and that for seventy years together, withthe want of singleness of heart towards him--"When ye fasted andmourned in the fifth and seventh month, even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, even to me? And when ye did eat, andwhen ye did drink, did not ye eat for yourselves, and drink foryourselves?" (Zech 7:5, 6). 

They wanted this singleness of heart in their fasting, and in theireating, in their mourning, and in their drinking; they had doublehearts in what they did. They did not as the apostle bids; "whetherye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory ofGod. " And the reason of their want of this thing was, they wantedthis fear of God; for that, as the apostle here saith, effectethsingleness of heart to God, and makes a man, as John said of Gaius, "do faithfully whatsoever he doth" (3 John 5). And the reason is, as hath been already urged, for that grace of fear of God retainethand keepeth upon the heart a reverent and awful sense of the dreadmajesty and all-seeing eye of God, also a due consideration of theday of account before him; it likewise maketh his service sweetand pleasing, and fortifies the soul against all discouragements;by this means, I say, the soul, in its service to God or man, isnot so soon captivated as where there is not this fear, but throughand by it its service is accepted, being single, sincere, simple, and faithful; when others, with what they do, are cast into hellfor their hypocrisy, for they mix not what they do with godly fear. Singleness of heart in the service of God is of such absolutenecessity, that without it, as I have hinted, nothing can be accepted;because where that is wanting, there wanteth love to God, and tothat which is true holiness indeed. It was this singleness of heartthat made Nathanael so honourable in the eyes of Jesus Christ. "Behold, " said he, "an Israelite indeed, in whom there is noguile" (John 1:47). And it was the want of it that made him so muchabhor the Pharisees. They wanted sincerity, simplicity, and godlysincerity in their souls, and so became an abhorrence in his esteem. Now, I say, this golden grace, singleness of heart, it flows fromthis godly fear of God. 

Seventh. There flows from this godly fear of God, compassion andbowels to those of the saints that are in necessity and distress. This is manifest in good Obadiah; it is said of him, "That he tookan hundred" of the Lord's "prophets, and hid them by fifty in acave, and fed them with bread and water, " in the days when Jezebel, that tyrant, sought their lives to destroy them (1 Kings 18:3, 4). But what was it that moved so upon his heart, as to cause him todo this thing? Why, it was this blessed grace of the fear of God. "Now Obadiah, " saith the text, "feared the Lord greatly, for itwas so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of the Lord, that Obadiahtook an hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fedthem with bread and water. " This was charity to the distressed, even to the distressed for the Lord's sake. 

Had not Obadiah served the Lord, yea, had he not greatly feared him, he would not have been able to do this thing, especially as thecase then stood with him, and also with the church at that time, for then Jezebel sought to slay all that indeed feared the Lord;yea, and the persecution prevailed so much at that time, that evenElijah himself thought that she had killed all but him. But now, even now, the fear of God in this good man's heart put forth itselfinto acts of mercy though attended with so imminent danger. Seehere, therefore, that the fear of God will put forth itself in theheart where God hath put it, even to show kindness, and to havecompassion upon the distressed servants of God, even under Jezebel'snose; for Obadiah dwelt in Ahab's house, and Jezebel was Ahab'swife, and a horrible persecutor, as was said before: yet Obadiahwill show mercy to the poor because he feared God, yea, he willventure her displeasure, his place, and neck, and all, but he willbe merciful to his brethren in distress. Cornelius, also, beinga man possessed with this fear of God, became a very free-heartedand open-handed man to the poor--"He feared God, and gave muchalms to the people. " Indeed this fear, this godly fear of God, itis a universal grace; it will stir up the soul unto all good duties. It is a fruitful grace; from it, where it is, floweth abundance ofexcellent virtues; nor without it can there be anything good, ordone well, that is done. But, Eighth. There flows from this fear of God hearty, fervent, andconstant prayer. This also is seen in Cornelius, that devout man. He feared God; and what then? why, he gave much alms to the people, "and prayed to God alway" (Acts 10:1, 2). 

Did I say that hearty, fervent, and constant prayer flowed fromthis fear of God? I will add, that if the whole duty, and thecontinuation of it, be not managed with this fear of God, it profitethnothing at all. It is said of our Lord Jesus Christ himself, "Hewas heard in that he feared. " He prayed, then, because he feared, because he feared God, and therefore was his prayer accepted ofhim, even because he feared--"He was heard in that he feared" (Heb5:7). This godly fear is so essential to right prayer, and rightprayer is such an inseparable effect and fruit of this fear, thatyou must have both or none; he that prayeth not feareth not God, yea, he that prayeth not fervently and frequently feareth him not;and so he that feareth him not cannot pray; for if prayer be theeffect of this fear of God, then without this fear, prayer, ferventprayer, ceaseth. How can they pray or make conscience of the dutythat fear not God? O prayerless man, thou fearest not God! Thouwouldest not live so like a swine or a dog in the world as thoudost, if thou fearest the Lord. 

Ninth. There floweth from this fear of God a readiness orwillingness, at God's call, to give up our best enjoyments to hisdisposal. This is evident in Abraham, who at God's call, withoutdelay, rose early in the morning to offer up his only and well-belovedIsaac a burnt-offering in the place where God should appoint him. It was a rare thing that Abraham did; and had he not had this raregrace, this fear of God, he would not, he could not have done toGod's liking so wonderful a thing. It is true the Holy Ghost alsomakes this service of Abraham to be the fruit of his faith--"Byfaith Abraham offered up Isaac, and he that had received the promisesoffered up his only-begotten son" (Heb 11; James 2). Aye, andwithout doubt love unto God, in Abraham, was not wanting in thishis service, nor was this grace of fear; nay, in the story whereit is recorded. There it is chiefly accounted for the fruit of hisgodly fear, and that by an angel from heaven--"And the angel calledout of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham. And he said, Here amI. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thouanything unto him, for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thouhast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me" (Gen 22:11, 12). Now I know it; now, now thou hast offered up thine only Isaac, thineall, at the bidding of thy God. Now I know it. The fear of God isnot presently discerned in the heart and life of a man. Abraham hadlong before this done many a holy duty, and showed much willingnessof heart to observe and do the will of God; yet you find not, asI remember, that he had this testimony from heaven that he fearedGod till now; but now he has it, now he has it from heaven. "Now Iknow that thou fearest God. " Many duties may be done--though I donot say that Abraham did them--without the fear of God; but whena man shall not stick at, or withhold, his darling from God, whencalled upon by God to offer it up unto him, that declareth, yea, and gives conviction to angels, that now he feareth God. 

Tenth. There floweth from this godly fear humility of mind. Thisis evident, because, when the apostle cautions the Romans againstthe venom of spiritual pride, he directs them to the exercise ofthis blessed grace of fear as its antidote. "Be not high-minded, "saith he, "but fear" (Rom 11:20). Pride, spiritual pride, which ishere set forth by the word "high-minded, " is a sin of a very highand damnable nature; it was the sin of the fallen angels, and isthat which causeth men to fall into the same condemnation--"Lestbeing lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of thedevil. " Pride, I say, it damns a professor with the damnation ofdevils, with the damnation of hell, and therefore it is a deadly, deadly sin. Now against this deadly sin is set the grace ofhumility; that comely garment, for so the apostle calls it, saying, "be clothed with humility. " But the question is now, how we shouldattain to, and live in, the exercise of this blessed and comelygrace? to which the apostle answers, Fear; be afraid with godly fear, and thence will flow humility--"Be not high-minded, but fear. " Thatis, Fear, or be continually afraid and jealous of yourselves, andof your own naughty hearts, also fear lest at some time or otherthe devil, your adversary, should have advantage of you. Fear, lest by forgetting what you are by nature, you also forget the needthat you have of continual pardon, support, and supplies from theSpirit of grace, and so grow proud of your own abilities, or ofwhat you have received of God, and fall into the condemnation ofthe devil. Fear, and that will make you little in your own eyes, keep you humble, put you upon crying to God for protection, andupon lying at his foot for mercy; that will also make you have lowthoughts of your own parts, your own doings, and cause you to preferyour brother before yourself, and so you will walk in humiliation, and be continually under the teachings of God, and under his conductin your way. The humble, God will teach--"The meek will he guidein judgment, the meek will he teach his way. " From this grace offear then flows this excellent and comely thing, humility; yea, italso is maintained by this fear. Fear takes off a man from trustingto himself, it puts a man upon trying of all things, it puts a manupon desiring counsel and help from heaven, it makes a man readyand willing to hear instruction, and makes a man walk lowly, softly, and so securely in the way. 

Eleventh. There flows from this grace of fear, hope in the mercyof God--"The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in themthat hope in his mercy" (Psa 147:11). The latter part of the textis an explanation of the former: as if the psalmist had said, Theybe the men that fear the Lord, even they that hope in his mercy;for true fear produceth hope in God's mercy. And it is furthermanifest thus. Fear, true fear of God inclineth the heart to aserious inquiry after that way of salvation which God himself hathprescribed; now the way that God hath appointed, by the which thesinner is to obtain the salvation of his soul, is his mercy as soand so set forth in the Word, and godly fear hath special regardto the Word. To this way, therefore, the sinner with this godlyfear submits his soul, rolls himself upon it, and so is deliveredfrom that death into which others, for want of this fear of God, do headlong fall. 

It is, as I also hinted before, the nature of godly fear to be verymuch putting the soul upon the inquiry which is, and which is not, the thing approved of God, and accordingly to embrace it or shunit. Now I say, this fear having put the soul upon a strict andserious inquiry after the way of salvation, at last it finds it tobe by the mercy of God in Christ; therefore this fear putteth thesoul upon hoping also in him for eternal life and blessedness; bywhich hope he doth not only secure his soul, but becomes a portionof God's delight--"The Lord takes pleasure in them that fear him, in them that hope in his mercy. "

Besides, this godly fear carrieth in it self-evidence that the stateof the sinner is happy, because possessed with this happy grace. Therefore, as John saith, "We know we have passed from death untolife, because we love the brethren" (1 John 3:14). So here, "TheLord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in them that hope inhis mercy. " If I fear God, and if my fearing of him is a thing inwhich he taketh such pleasure, then may I boldly venture to rollmyself for eternal life into the bosom of his mercy, which isChrist. This fear also produceth hope; if therefore, poor sinner, thou knowest thyself to be one that is possessed with this fear ofGod, suffer thyself to be persuaded therefore to hope in the mercyof God for salvation, for the Lord takes pleasure in thee. And itdelights him to see thee hope in his mercy. 

Twelfth. There floweth from this godly fear of God an honest andconscientious use of all those means which God hath ordained, thatwe should be conversant in for our attaining salvation. Faith andhope in God's mercy is that which secureth our justification andhope, and as you have heard, they do flow from this fear. But now, besides faith and hope, there is a course of life in those thingsin which God hath ordained us to have our conversation, withoutwhich there is no eternal life. "Ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life"; and again, "without holiness no manshall see the Lord. " Not that faith and hope are deficient, if theybe right, but they are both of them counterfeit when not attendedwith a reverent use of all the means: upon the reverent use of whichthe soul is put by this grace of fear. "Wherefore, beloved, " saidPaul, "as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, butnow much more in mine absence, work out your own salvation withfear and trembling" (Rom 6:22; Heb 12:14; Phil 2:11). 

There is a faith and hope of mercy that may deceive a man (thoughthe faith of God's elect, and the hope that purifies the heartnever will), because they are alone, and not attended with thosecompanions that accompany salvation (Heb 6:3-8). But now this godlyfear carries in its bowels, not only a moving of the soul to faithand hope in God's mercy, but an earnest provocation to the holyand reverent use of all the means that God has ordained for a manto have his conversation in, in order to his eternal salvation. "Work out your salvation with fear. " Not that work is meritorious, or such that can purchase eternal life, for eternal life is obtainedby hope in God's mercy; but this hope, if it be right, is attendedwith this godly fear, which fear putteth the soul upon a diligentuse of all those means that may tend to the strengthening of hope, and so to the making of us holy in all manner of conversation, thatwe may be meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints inlight. For hope purifieth the heart, if fear of God shall be itscompanion, and so maketh a man a vessel of mercy prepared untoglory. Paul bids Timothy to fly pride, covetousness, doting aboutquestions, and the like, and to "follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience; to fight the good fight of faith, and to lay hold on eternal life" (1 Tim 6). 

So Peter bids that we "add to our faith virtue; and to virtueknowledge; and to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience;and to patience godliness; and to godliness brotherly kindness;and to brotherly kindness charity"; adding, "for if these thingsbe in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barrennor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whereforethe rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling andelection sure; for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall. Forso an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into theeverlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ" (2 Peter1:5-11). The sum of all which is that which was mentioned before;to wit, "to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling. "For none of these things can be conscientiously done, but by andwith the help of this blessed grace of fear. 

Thirteenth. There flows from this fear, this godly fear, a great delightin the holy commands of God, that is, a delight to be conformableunto them. "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delightethgreatly in his commandments" (Psa 112:1). This confirmeth thatwhich was said before, to wit, that this fear provoketh to a holyand reverent use of the means; for that cannot be, when there isnot an holy, yea, a great delight in the commandments. Whereforethis fear maketh the sinner to abhor that which is sin, because thatis contrary to the object of his delight. A man cannot delighthimself at the same time in things directly opposite one to another, as sin and the holy commandment is; therefore Christ saith of theservant, he cannot love God and mammon--"Ye cannot serve God andmammon. " If he cleaves to the one, he must hate and despise theother; there cannot at the same time be service to both, becausethat themselves are at enmity one with the other. So is sinand the commandment. Therefore if a man delighteth himself in thecommandment, he hateth that which is opposite, which is sin: howmuch more when he greatly delighteth in the commandment? Now, thisholy fear of God it taketh the heart and affections from sin, andsetteth them upon the holy commandment. Therefore such a man isrightly esteemed blessed. For no profession makes a man blessedbut that which is accompanied with an alienation of the heart fromsin, nor doth anything do that when this holy fear is wanting. It is from this fear then, that love to, and delight in, the holycommandment floweth, and so by that the sinner is kept from thosefalls and dangers of miscarrying that other professors are sosubject to: he greatly delights in the commandment. 

Fourteenth. Lastly, There floweth from this fear of God, enlargementof heart. "Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heartshall fear, and be enlarged" (Isa 60:5). "Thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged, " enlarged to God-ward, enlarged to his ways, enlarged to his holy people, enlarged in love after the salvationof others. Indeed when this fear of God is wanting, though theprofession be never so famous, the heart is shut up and straitened, and nothing is done in that princely free spirit which is called"the spirit of the fear of the Lord" (Psa 51:12; Isa 11:2). But withgrudging, legally, or with desire of vain-glory, this enlargednessof heart is wanting, for that flows from this fear of the Lord. 

Thus have I showed you both what this fear of God is, what it flowsfrom, and also what doth flow from it. I come now to show you some

OF THE PRIVILEGES OF THEM THAT THUS DO FEAR THE LORD. 

Having thus briefly handled in particular thus far this fear ofGod, I shall now show you certain of the excellent privileges ofthem that fear the Lord, not that they are not privileges that havebeen already mentioned; for what greater privileges than to havethis fear producing in the soul such excellent things so necessaryfor us for good, both with reference to this world, and that whichis to come? But because those fourteen above named do rather flowfrom this grace of fear where it is, than from a promise to theperson that hath it, therefore I have chosen rather to discourseof them as the fruits and effects of fear, than otherwise. Now, besides all these, there is entailed by promise to the man that haththis fear many other blessed privileges, the which I shall now ina brief way lay open unto you. 

First Privilege, then. That man that feareth the Lord, has a grantand a license "to trust in the Lord, " with an affirmation thathe is their help, and their shield--"Ye that fear the Lord, trustin the Lord; he is their help and their shield" (Psa 115:11). Nowwhat a privilege is this! an exhortation in general to sinners, assinners, to trust in him, is a privilege great and glorious; butfor a man to be singled out from his neighbours, for a man to bespoken to from heaven, as it were by name, and to be told that Godhath given him a license, a special and peculiar grant to trust inhim, this is abundantly more; and yet this is the grant that Godhath given that man! He hath, I say, a license to do it--a licenseindicted by the Holy Ghost, and left upon record for those to beborn that shall fear the Lord, to trust in him. And not only so, butas the text affirmeth, "he is their help and their shield. " Theirhelp under all their weaknesses and infirmities, and a shield todefend them against all the assaults of the devil and this world. So then, the man that feareth the Lord is licensed to make theLord his stay and God of his salvation, the succour and delivererof his soul. He will defend him because his fear is in his heart. O ye servants of the Lord, ye that fear him, live in the comfort ofthis; boldly make use of it when you are in straits, and put yourtrust under the shadow of his wings, for indeed he would have youdo so, because you do fear the Lord. 

Second Privilege. God hath also proclaimed concerning the man thatfeareth the Lord, that he will also be his teacher and guide inthe way that he shall choose, and hath moreover promised concerningsuch, that their soul shall dwell at ease--"What man is he thatfeareth the Lord?" says David, "him shall he teach in the way thathe shall choose" (Psa 25:12). Now, to be taught of God, what likeit? yea, what like to be taught in the way that thou shalt choose?Thou hast chosen the way to life, God's way; but perhaps thyignorance about it is so great, and those that tempt thee to turnaside so many and so subtle, that they seem to outwit thee andconfound thee with their guile. Well, but the Lord whom thou fearestwill not leave thee to thy ignorance, nor yet to thine enemies'power or subtlety, but will take it upon himself to be thy teacherand thy guide, and that in the way that thou hast chosen. Hear, then, and behold thy privilege, O thou that fearest the Lord; andwhoever wanders, turns aside, and swerveth from the way of salvation, whoever is benighted, and lost in the midst of darkness, thou shaltfind the way to the heaven and the glory that thou hast chosen. 

Further, He doth not only say, that he will teach them the way, forthat must of necessity be supplied, but he says also that he willteach such in it--"Him shall he teach in the way that he shallchoose. " This argueth that, as thou shalt know, so the way shallbe made, by the communion that thou shalt have with God therein, sweet and pleasant to thee. For this text promiseth unto the manthat feareth the Lord, the presence, company, and discovery of themind of God, while he is going in the way that he hath chosen. Itis said of the good scribe, that he is instructed unto, as well asinto, the way of the kingdom of God (Matt 13:52). Instructed unto;that is, he hath the heart and mind of God still discovered to himin the way that he hath chosen, even all the way from this worldto that which is to come, even until he shall come to the very gateand door of heaven. What the disciples said was the effect of thepresence of Christ, to wit, "that their hearts did burn withinthem while he talked to them by the way, " shall be also fulfilledin thee, he will meet with thee in the way, talk with thee in theway; he will teach thee in the way that thou shalt choose (Luke24:32). 

Third Privilege. Dost thou fear the Lord? he will open his secretunto thee, even that which he hath hid and keeps close from allthe world, to wit, the secret of his covenant and of thy concerntherein--"The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him, andhe will shew them his covenant" (Psa 25:14). This, then, furtherconfirmeth what was said but just above; his secret shall be withthem, and his covenant shall be showed unto them. His secret, towit, that which hath been kept hid from ages and generations; thatwhich he manifesteth only to the saints, or holy ones; that is, hisChrist, for he it is that is hid in God, and that no man can knowbut he to whom the Father shall reveal him (Matt 11:27). 

But O! what is there wrapped up in this Christ, this secret of God?why, all treasures of life, of heaven, and happiness--"In him arehid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. " And "in him dwellethall the fulness of the Godhead bodily" (Col 2). 

This also is that hidden One, that is so full of grace to savesinners, and so full of truth and faithfulness to keep promise andcovenant with them, that their eyes must needs convey, even byevery glance they make upon his person, offices, and relation, suchaffecting ravishments to the heart, that it would please them thatsee him, even to be killed with that sight. This secret of theLord shall be, nay is, with them that fear him, for he dwelleth intheir heart by faith. "And he will shew them his covenant. " That is, the covenant that is confirmed of God in Christ, that everlastingand eternal covenant, and show him too that he himself is wrappedup therein, as in a bundle of life with the Lord his God. Theseare the thoughts, purposes, and promises of God to them that fearhim. 

Fourth Privilege. Dost thou fear the Lord? his eye is always overthee for good, to keep thee from all evil--"Behold the eye of theLord is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;to deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine"(Psa 33:18, 19). His eye is upon them; that is, to watch over themfor good. He that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. Hiseyes are upon them, and he will keep them as a shepherd doth hissheep; that is, from those wolves that seek to devour them, andto swallow them up in death. His eyes are upon them; for they arethe object of his delight, the rarities of the world, in whom, saithhe, is all my delight. His eye is upon them, as I said before, toteach and instruct them--"I will instruct thee and teach thee inthe way which thou shalt go; I will guide thee with mine eye" (Psa32:8; 2 Chron 7:15, 16). The eye of the Lord, therefore, is uponthem, not to take advantage of them, to destroy them for their sins, but to guide, to help, and deliver them from death; from that deaththat would feed upon their souls--"To deliver their soul fromdeath and to keep them alive in famine. " Take death here for deathspiritual, and death eternal; and the famine here, not for thatthat is for want of bread and water, but for that which comes onmany for want of the Word of the Lord (Rev 20:14; Amos 8:11, 12);and then the sense is this, the man that feareth the Lord shallneither die spiritually nor eternally; for God will keep him withhis eye from all those things that would in such a manner killhim. Again, should there be a famine of the Word; should there wantboth the Word and them that preach it in the place that thou dostdwell, yet bread shall be given thee, and thy water shall be sure;thou shalt not die of the famine, because thou fearest God. I say, that man shall not, behold he shall not, because he feareth God, and this the next head doth yet more fully manifest. 

Fifth Privilege. Dost thou fear God? fear him for this advantagemore and more--"O fear the Lord, ye his saints, for there is no wantto them that fear him. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord, " that fear him, "shall not want anygood thing" (Psa 34:9, 10). Not anything that God sees good for themshall those men want that fear the Lord. If health will do themgood, if sickness will do them good, if riches will do them good, if poverty will do them good, if life will do them good, if deathwill do them good, then they shall not want them, neither shall anyof these come nigh them, if they will not do them good. The lions, the wicked people [19] of the world that fear not God, are notmade sharers in this great privilege; all things fall out to themcontrary, because they fear not God. In the midst of their sufficiency, they are in want of that good that God puts into the worst thingsthat the man that feareth God doth meet with in the world. 

Sixth Privilege. Dost thou fear God? he hath given charge to thearmies of heaven to look after, take charge of, to camp about, and to deliver thee--"The angel of the Lord encampeth round aboutthem that fear him, and delivereth them" (Psa 34:7). This also isa privilege entailed to them that in all generations fear the Lord. The angels, the heavenly creatures, have it in commission to takethe charge of them that fear the Lord; one of them is able to slay ofmen in one night 185, 000. These are they that camped about Elishalike horses of fire, and chariots of fire, when the enemy cameto destroy him. They also helped Hezekiah against the band of theenemy, because he feared God (2 Kings 6:17; Isa 37:36; Jer 26:19). "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them"; that is, lestthe enemy should set upon them on any side; but let him come wherehe will, behind or before, on this side or that, the angel of theLord is there to defend them. "The angel. " It may be spoken in thesingular number, perhaps, to show that every one that feareth Godhath his angel to attend on him, and serve him. When the church, in the Acts, was told that Peter stood at the door and knocked; atfirst they counted the messenger mad, but when she did constantlyaffirm it, they said, It is his angel (Acts 12:13-15). So Christsaith of the children that came unto him, "their angels beholdthe face of my Father which is in heaven. " Their angels; that is, those of them that feared God, had each of them his angel, who hada charge from God to keep them in their way. We little think ofthis, yet this is the privilege of them that fear the Lord; yea, if need be, they shall all come down to help them and to deliverthem, rather than, contrary to the mind of their God, they shouldby any be abused--"Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forthto minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb 1:14). 

[Quest. ] But how do they deliver them? for so says the text--"Theangel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, anddelivereth them. " Answ. The way that they take to deliver themthat fear the Lord, is sometimes by smiting of their enemies withblindness, that they may not find them; and so they served theenemies of Lot (Gen 19:10, 11). Sometimes by smiting of them withdeadly fear; and so they served those that laid siege againstSamaria (2 Kings 7:6). And sometimes by smiting of them even withdeath itself; and thus they served Herod, after he had attemptedto kill the apostle James, and also sought to vex certain others ofthe church (Acts 12). These angels that are servants to them thatfear the Lord, are them that will, if God doth bid them, revengethe quarrel of his servants upon the stoutest monarch on earth. This, therefore, is a glorious privilege of the men that fear theLord. Alas! they are, some of them, so mean that they are countednot worth taking notice of by the high ones of the world; but theirbetters do respect them. The angels of God count not themselvestoo good to attend on them, and camp about them to deliver them. This, then, is the man that hath his angel to wait upon him, evenhe that feareth God. 

Seventh Privilege. Dost thou fear the Lord? salvation is nigh untothee--"Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him, that glorymay dwell in our land" (Psa 85:9). This is another privilege forthem that fear the Lord. I told you before, that the angel of theLord did encamp about them, but now he saith, "his salvation isalso nigh them"; the which although it doth not altogether excludethe conduct of angels, [20] but include them; yet it looketh further. "Surely his salvation, " his saving, pardoning grace, "is nigh themthat fear him"; that is, to save them out of the hand of theirspiritual enemies. The devil, and sin, and death, do always waiteven to devour them that fear the Lord, but to deliver them fromthese his salvation doth attend them. So then, if Satan tempts, here is their salvation nigh; if sin, by breaking forth, beguilesthem, here is God's salvation nigh them; yea, if death itself shallsuddenly seize upon them, why, here is their God's salvation nighthem. 

I have seen that great men's little children must go no whitherwithout their nurses be at hand. If they go abroad, their nursesmust go with them; if they go to meals, their nurses must go withthem; if they go to bed, their nurses must go with them; yea, andif they fall asleep, their nurses must stand by them. O my brethren, those little ones that fear the Lord, they are the children of thehighest, therefore they shall not walk alone, be at their spiritualmeats alone, go to their sick-beds, or to their graves alone; thesalvation of their God is nigh them, to deliver them from the evil. This is then the glory that dwells in the land of them that fearthe Lord. 

Eighth Privilege. Dost thou fear the Lord? hearken yet again--"Themercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon themthat fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children" (Psa103:17). This still confirms what was last asserted, that is, thathis salvation is nigh unto them. His salvation, that is, pardoningmercy, that is nigh them. But mind it, there he says it is nighthem; but here it is upon them. His mercy is upon them, it covereththem all over, it encompasseth them about as with a shield. Thereforethey are said in another place to be clothed with salvation, and covered with the robe of righteousness. The mercy of the Lordis upon them, that is, as I said, to shelter and defend them. Themercy, the pardoning preserving mercy, the mercy of the Lord isupon them, who is he then that can condemn them? (Rom 8). 

But there yet is more behind, "The mercy of the Lord is fromeverlasting to everlasting upon them. " It was designed for thembefore the world was, and shall be upon them when the world itselfis ended; from everlasting to everlasting it is on them that fearhim. This from everlasting to everlasting is that by which, in anotherplace, the eternity of God himself is declared--"From everlastingto everlasting, thou art God" (Psa 90:2). The meaning, then, maybe this; that so long as God hath his being, so long shall theman that feareth him find mercy at his hand. According to thatof Moses--"The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are theeverlasting arms; and he shall thrust out the enemy from beforethee, and shall say, Destroy them" (Deut 33:27). 

Child of God, thou that fearest God, here is mercy nigh thee, mercyenough, everlasting mercy upon thee. This is long-lived mercy. Itwill live longer than thy sin, it will live longer than temptation, it will live longer than thy sorrows, it will live longer than thypersecutors. It is mercy from everlasting to contrive thy salvation, and mercy to everlasting to weather it out with all thy adversaries. Now what can hell and death do to him that hath this mercy of Godupon him? And this hath the man that feareth the Lord. Take thatother blessed word, and O thou man that fearest the Lord, hang itlike a chain of gold about thy neck--"As the heaven is high abovethe earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him" (Psa103:11). If mercy as big, as high, and as good as heaven itselfwill be a privilege, the man that feareth God shall have a privilege. 

Ninth Privilege. Dost thou fear God?--"Like as a father pitiethhis children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him" (Psa 103:13). 

" The Lord pitieth them that fear him"; that is, condoleth and isaffected, feeleth and sympathizeth with them in all their afflictions. It is a great matter for a poor man to be in this manner in theaffections of the great and mighty, but for a poor sinner to bethus in the heart and affections of God, and they that fear him areso, this is astonishing to consider. "In his love and in his pityhe redeemed them. " In his love and in his pity! "In all theiraffliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence savedthem; in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, and he barethem, and carried them all the days of old" (Isa 63:9). I say, inthat he is said to pity them, it is as much as to say, he condoleth, feeleth, and sympathizeth with them in all their afflictions andtemptations. So that this is the happiness of him that feareth God, he has a God to pity him and to be touched with all his miseries. It is said in Judges, "His soul was grieved for the misery ofIsrael" (Judg 10:16). And in the Hebrews, he is "touched with thefeeling of our infirmities, " and can "succour them that are tempted"(4:15, 2:17, 18). 

But further, let us take notice of the comparison. "As a fatherpitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him. " Hereis not only pity, but the pity of a relation, a father. It is saidin another place; "Can a woman, " a mother, "forget her suckingchild, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?yea, they may, yet will not I forget thee. " The pity of neighboursand acquaintance helpeth in times of distress, but the pity ofa father and a mother is pity with an over and above. "The Lord, "says James, "is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. " Pharaoh calledJoseph his tender father, [21] because he provided for him againstthe famine, but how tender a father is God! how full of bowels!how full of pity! (James 5:11; Gen 41:43). It is said, that whenEphraim was afflicted, God's bowels were troubled for him, and turnedwithin him towards him. O that the man that feareth the Lord didbut believe the pity and bowels that are in the heart of God andhis father towards him (Jer 31:18-20). 

Tenth Privilege. Dost thou fear God?--"He will fulfil the desireof them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will savethem" (Psa 145:19). Almost all those places that make mention ofthe men that fear God, do insinuate as if they still were underaffliction, or in danger by reason of an enemy. But I say, hereis still their privilege, their God is their father and pitiesthem--"He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him. " Where nowis the man that feareth the Lord? let him hearken to this. Whatsayest thou, poor soul? will this content thee, the Lord will fulfilthy desires? It is intimated of Adonijah, that David his fatherdid let him have his head and his will in all things. "His father, "says the text, "had not displeased him at any time in (so much as)saying, Why hast thou done so?" (1 Kings 1:6). But here is more, here is a promise to grant thee the whole desire of thy heart, according to the prayer of holy David, "The Lord grant thee, accordingto thine own heart, and fulfil all thy counsel. " And again, "TheLord fulfil all thy petitions" (Psa 20). 

O thou that fearest the Lord, what is thy desire? All my desire, says David, is all my salvation (2 Sam 23:5), so sayest thou, "Allmy salvation" is "all my desire. " Well, the desire of thy soul isgranted thee, yea, God himself hath engaged himself even to fulfilthis thy desire--"He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him, he also will hear their cry, and will save them. " O this desire whenit cometh, what a tree of life will it be to thee! Thou desirestto be rid of thy present trouble; the Lord shall rid thee out oftrouble. Thou desirest to be delivered from temptation; the Lordshall deliver thee out of temptation. Thou desirest to be deliveredfrom thy body of death; and the Lord shall change this thy vilebody, that it may be like to his glorious body. Thou desirest tobe in the presence of God, and among the angels in heaven. Thisthy desire also shall be fulfilled, and thou shalt be made equalto the angels (Exo 6:6; 2 Peter 2:9; Phil 3:20, 21; Luke 16:22, 20:35, 36). O but it is long first! Well, learn first to live uponthy portion in the promise of it, and that will make thy expectationof it sweet. God will fulfil thy desires, God will do it, thoughit tarry long. Wait for it, because it will surely come, it willnot tarry. 

Eleventh Privilege. Dost thou fear God?--"The Lord taketh pleasurein them that fear him" (Psa 147:11). They that fear God are amonghis chief delights. He delights in his Son, he delights in his works, and takes pleasure in them that fear him. As a man takes pleasurein his wife, in his children, in his gold, in his jewels; so theman that fears the Lord is the object of his delight. He takespleasure in their prosperity, and therefore sendeth them health fromthe sanctuary, and makes them drink of the river of his pleasures(Psa 35:27). "They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatnessof thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thypleasures" (Psa 36:8). That or those that we take pleasure in, that or those we love to beautify and adorn with many ornaments. We count no cost too much to be bestowed on those in whom we placeour delight, and whom we make the object of our pleasure. And eventhus it is with God. "For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people, "and what follows? "he will beautify the meek with salvation" (Psa149:4). 

Those in whom we delight, we take pleasure in their actions; yea, we teach them, and give them such rules and laws to walk by, as mayyet make them that we love more pleasurable in our eyes. Thereforethey that fear God, since they are the object of his pleasure, aretaught to know how to please him in everything (1 Thess 4:1). Andhence it is said, that he is ravished with their looks, that hedelighteth in their cry, and that he is pleased with their walking(Can 4:9; Prov 15:8, 11:20). 

Those in whom we delight and take pleasure, many things we willbear and put up that they do, though they be not according to ourminds. A man will suffer that in, and put up that at, the handof the child or wife of his pleasure, that he will not pass by norput up in another. They are my jewels, says God, even them thatfear me; and I will spare them, in all their comings-short of mywill, "even as a man spareth his own son that serveth him" (Mal3:16, 17). O how happy is the man that feareth God! His good thoughts, his good attempts to serve him, and his good life pleases him, because he feareth God. 

You know how pleasing in our eyes the actions of our children are, when we know that they do what they do even of a reverent fear andawe of us; yea, though that which they do amounts but to little, wetake it well at their hands, and are pleased therewith. The womanthat cast in her two mites into the treasury, cast in not much, forthey both did but make one farthing; yet how doth the Lord Jesustrumpet her up, [22] he had pleasure in her, and in her action (Mark12:41-44). This, therefore, that the Lord taketh pleasure in themthat fear him, is another of their great privileges. 

Twelfth Privilege. Dost thou fear God? the least dram of that feargiveth the privilege to be blessed with the biggest saint--"He willbless them that fear the Lord, small and great" (Psa 115:13). Thisword small may be taken three ways--1. For those that are smallin esteem, for those that are but little accounted of (Judg 6:15;1 Sam 18:23). Art thou small or little in this sense, yet if thoufearest God, thou art sure to be blessed. "He will bless them thatfear him, small and great, " be thou never so small in the world'seyes, in thine own eyes, in the saints' eyes, as sometimes one saintis little in another saint's eye; yet thou, because thou fearestGod, art put among the blessed. 2. By small, sometimes is meantthose that are but small of stature, or young in years, littlechildren, that are easily passed by and looked over: as those thatsang Hosanna in the temple were, when the Pharisees deridingly saidof them to Christ, "Hearest thou what these say?" (Matt 21:16). Well, but Christ would not despise them, of them that feared God, but preferred them by the Scripture testimony far before those thatdid contemn them. Little children, how small soever, and althoughof never so small esteem with men, shall also, if they fear theLord, be blessed with the greatest saints--"He will bless themthat fear him, small and great. " 3. By small may sometimes be meantthose that are small in grace or gifts; these are said to be theleast in the church, that is, under this consideration, and so areby it least esteemed (Matt 25:45). Thus also is that of Christ tobe understood, "Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least ofthese, ye did it not to me" (1 Cor 6:4). 

Art thou in thine own thoughts, or in the thoughts of others, ofthese last small ones, small in grace, small in gifts, small inesteem upon this account, yet if thou fearest God, if thou fearestGod indeed, thou art certainly blessed with the best of saints. Theleast star stands as fixed, as the biggest of them all, in heaven. "He will bless them that fear him, small and great. " He will blessthem, that is, with the same blessing of eternal life. For thedifferent degrees of grace in saints doth not make the blessing, as to its nature, differ. It is the same heaven, the same life, the same glory, and the same eternity of felicity that they arein the text promised to be blessed with. That is observable whichI mentioned before, where Christ at the day of judgment particularlymentioneth and owneth the least--"Inasmuch as ye did it not to oneof the least. " The least then was there, in his kingdom and in hisglory, as well as the biggest of all. "He will bless them that fearhim, small and great. " The small are named first in the text, andare so the first in rank; it may be to show that though they maybe slighted and little set by in the world, yet they are much setby in the eyes of the Lord. 

Are great saints only to have the kingdom, and the glory everlasting?Are great works only to be rewarded? works that are done by virtueof great grace, and the abundance of the gifts of the Holy Ghost?No: "Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little onesa cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I sayunto you, he shall in no wise lose his (a disciple's) reward. " Mark, here is but a little gift, a cup of cold water, and that given toa little saint, but both taken special notice of by our Lord JesusChrist (Matt 10:42). "He will give reward to his servants theprophets, and to his saints, and to them that fear his name, smalland great" (Rev 11:18). The small, therefore, among them thatfear God, are blessed with the great, as the great, with the samesalvation, the same glory, and the same eternal life; and theyshall have, even as the great ones also shall, as much as they cancarry; as much as their hearts, souls, bodies, and capacities canhold. 

Thirteenth Privilege. Dost thou fear God? why, the Holy Ghosthath on purpose indited for thee a whole psalm to sing concerningthyself. So that thou mayest even as thou art in thy calling, bed, journey, or whenever, sing out thine own blessed and happy conditionto thine own comfort and the comfort of thy fellows. The psalm iscalled the 128th Psalm; I will set it before thee, both as it isin the reading[23] and in the singing Psalms--

" Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord, that walketh in hisways. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shaltthou be, and it shall be well with thee. Thy wife shall be as afruitful vine by the sides of thine house; thy children, like oliveplants round about thy table. Behold, that thus shall the man beblessed that feareth the Lord. The Lord shall bless thee out ofZion; and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thylife. Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace uponIsrael. "

AS IT IS SUNG. 

Blessed art thou that fearest God, And walkest in his way: For ofthy labour thou shalt eat; Happy art thou, I say! Like fruitfulvines on thy house side, So doth thy wife spring out; Thy childrenstand like olive plants Thy table round about. 

Thus art thou blest that fearest God, And he shall let thee seeThe promised Jerusalem, And her felicity. Thou shalt thy children'schildren see, To thy great joy's increase; And likewise grace onIsrael, Prosperity and peace. [24]

And now I have done with the privileges when I have removed oneobjection. 

Object. But the Scripture says, "perfect love casteth our fear";and therefore it seems that saints, after that a spirit of adoptionis come, should not fear, but do their duty, as another Scripturesaith, without it (1 John 4:18; Luke 1:74, 75). 

Answ. Fear, as I have showed you, may be taken several ways. 1. It may be taken for the fear of devils. 2. It may be taken for thefear of reprobates. 3. It may be taken for the fear that is wroughtin the godly by the Spirit as a spirit of bondage; or, 4. It maybe taken for the fear that I have been but now discoursing of. 

Now the fear that perfect love casts out cannot be that son-like, gracious fear of God, that I have in this last place been treatingof; because that fear that love casts out hath torment, but so hasnot the son-like fear. Therefore the fear that love casts out iseither that fear that is like the fear of devils and reprobates, or that fear that is begot in the heart by the Spirit of God as aspirit of bondage, or both; for, indeed, all these kinds of fearhave torment, and therefore may be cast out; and are so by thespirit of adoption, which is called the spirit of faith and love, when he comes with power into the soul; so that without this fearwe should serve him. But to argue from these texts that we oughtnot to fear God, or to mix fear with our worship of him, is as muchas to say that by the spirit of adoption we are made very rogues;for not to fear God is by the Scripture applied to such (Luke23:40). But for what I have affirmed the Scripture doth plentifullyconfirm, saying, "Happy is the man that feareth alway. " And again, "It shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him. "Fear, therefore; the spirit of the fear of the Lord is a gracethat greatly beautifies a Christian, his words, and all his ways:"Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you; take heed, anddo it, for there is no iniquity with the Lord our God, nor respectof persons, nor taking of gifts" (2 Chron 19:7). 

I come now to make some use and application of this doctrine. 

THE USE OF THIS DOCTRINE. 

Having proceeded thus far about this doctrine of the fear of God, I now come to make some use and application of the whole; and my

[USE FIRST, of Examination. ]

FIRST USE shall be a USE OF EXAMINATION. Is this fear of God suchan excellent thing? Is it attended with so many blessed privileges?Then this should put us, every soul of us, upon a diligent examinationof ourselves, to wit, whether this grace be in us or not, for ifit be, then thou art one of these blessed ones to whom belong theseglorious privileges, for thou hast an interest in every of them;but if it shall appear that this grace is not in thee, then thystate is fearfully miserable, as hath partly been manifest already, and will further be seen in what comes after. Now, the better tohelp thee to consider, and not to miss in finding out what thou artin thy self-examination, I will speak to this--First. In general. Second. In particular. 

First. In general. No man brings this grace into the world withhim. Every one by nature is destitute of it; for naturally nonefear God, there is no fear of God, none of this grace of fear beforetheir eyes, they do not so much as know what it is; for this fearflows, as was showed before, from a new heart, faith, repentanceand the like; of which new heart, faith, and repentance, if thou bevoid, thou art also void of this godly fear. Men must have a mightychange of heart and life, or else they are strangers to this fearof God. Alas, how ignorant are the most of this! Yea, and someare not afraid to say they are not changed, nor desire so to be. Can these fear God? can these be possessed with this grace of fear?No: "Because they have no changes, therefore they fear not God"(Psa 55:19; Psa 36:1; Rom 3:18). 

Wherefore, sinner, consider whoever thou art that art destituteof this fear of God, thou art void of all other graces; for thisfear, as also I have showed, floweth from the whole stock of gracewhere it is. There is not one of the graces of the Spirit, butthis fear is in the bowels of it; yea, as I may say, this fear isthe flower and beauty of every grace; neither is there anything, let it look as much like grace as it will, that will be counted soindeed, if the fruit thereof be not this fear of God; wherefore, I say again, consider well of this matter, for as thou shalt befound with reference to this grace, so shall thy judgment be. Ihave but briefly treated of this grace, yet have endeavoured, withwords as fit as I could, to display it in its colours before thyface, first by showing you what this fear of God is, then what itflows from, as also what doth flow from it; to which, as was saidbefore, I have added several privileges that are annexed to thisfear, that by all, if it may be, thou mayest see it if thou hastit, and thyself without it if thou hast it not. Wherefore I referthee thither again for information in this thing; or if thou artloath to give the book a second reading, but wilt go on to the endnow thou art gotten hither; then

Second and particularly, I conclude with these several propositionsconcerning those that fear not God. 

1. That man that is proud, and of a high and lofty mind, fears notGod. This is plain from the exhortation, "Be not high-minded, butfear" (Rom 11:20). Here you see that a high mind and the fear ofGod are set in direct opposition the one to the other; and thereis in them, closely concluded by the apostle, that where indeedthe one is, there cannot be the other; where there is a high mind, there is not the fear of God; and where there is the fear of God, the mind is not high but lowly. Can a man at the same time be aproud man, and fear God too? Why, then, is it said God beholdethevery one that is proud, and abases him? and again, He beholds theproud afar off? He therefore that is proud of his person, of hisriches, of his office, of his parts, and the like, feareth not God. It is also manifest further, for God resisteth the proud, which hewould not do, if he feared him, but in that he sets him at such adistance from him, in that he testifies that he will abase him andresist him, it is evident that he is not the man that hath thisgrace of fear; for that man, as I have showed you, is the man ofGod's delight, the object of his pleasure (Psa 138:6; James 4:6;1 Peter 5:5; Mal 4:1). 

2. The covetous man feareth not God. This also is plain fromthe Word, because it setteth covetousness and the fear of God indirect opposition. Men that fear God are said to hate covetousness(Exo 18:21). Besides, the covetous man is called an idolater, andis said to have no part in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Andagain, "The wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth thecovetous, whom the Lord abhorreth" (Eze 33:31; Eph 5:5; Psa 10:3). Hearken to this, you that hunt the world to take it, you that carenot how you get, so you get the world. Also you that make evenreligion your stalking-horse to get the world, you fear not God. And what will you do whose hearts go after your covetousness? youwho are led by covetousness up and down, as it were by the nose;sometimes to swear, to lie, to cozen, and cheat and defraud, whenyou can get the advantage to do it. You are far, very far, from thefear of God. "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, " for so the covetousare called, "know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmitywith God? whosoever, therefore, will be a friend of the world, isthe enemy of God" (James 4:4). 

3. The riotous eaters of flesh have not the fear of God. For thisis done "without fear" (Jude 12). Gluttony is a sin little takennotice of, and as little repented of by those that use it, butyet it is odious in the sight of God, and the practice of it ademonstration of the want of his fear in the heart: yea, so odiousis it, that God forbids that his people should so much as companywith such. "Be not, " saith he, "among wine-bibbers, among riotouseaters of flesh" (Prov 23:20). And he further tells us, that theythat are such, are spots and blemishes to those that keep themcompany, for indeed they fear not God (2 Peter 2:13; Rom 13:13;1 Peter 4:4). Alas! some men are as if they were for nought elseborn but to eat and to drink, and pamper their carcasses with thedainties of this world, quite forgetting why God sent them hither;but such, as is said, fear not God, and so consequently are of thenumber of them upon whom the day of judgment will come at unawares(Luke 21:34). 

4. The liar is one that fears not God. This also is evident fromthe plain text, "Thou hast lied, " saith the Lord, "and hast notremembered me, nor laid it to thy heart: have not I held my peaceeven of old, " saith the Lord, "and thou fearest me not?" (Isa57:11). What lie this was is not material; it was a lie, or a courseof lying that is here rebuked, and the person or persons in thispractice, as is said, were such as feared not God; a course of lyingand the fear of God cannot stand together. This sin of lying is acommon sin, and it walketh in the world in several guises. Thereis the profane scoffing liar, there is the cunning artificial liar, there is the hypocritical religious liar, with liars of other ranksand degrees. But none of them all have the fear of God, nor shallany of them, they not repenting, escape the damnation of hell--"Allliars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fireand brimstone" (Rev 21:8). Heaven and the New Jerusalem are not aplace for such--"And there shall in no wise enter into it anythingthat defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketha lie" (v 27). Therefore another scripture says that all liars arewithout--"For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh alie" (Rev 22:15). But this should not be their sentence, judgment, and condemnation, if they that are liars were such as had in themthis blessed fear of God. 

5. They fear not God who cry unto him for help in the time of theircalamity, and when they are delivered, they return to their formerrebellion. This, Moses, in a spirit of prophecy, asserteth at thetime of the mighty judgment of the hail. Pharaoh then desired himto pray to God that he would take away that judgment from him. Well, so I will, said Moses, "But as for thee and thy servants, I knowthat ye will not yet fear the Lord God" (Exo 9:30). As who shouldsay, I know that so soon as this judgment is removed, you will toyour old rebellion again. And what greater demonstration can begiven that such a man feareth not God, than to cry to God to bedelivered from affliction to prosperity, and to spend that prosperityin rebellion against him? This is crying for mercies that they maybe spent, or that we may have something to spend upon our lusts, and in the service of Satan (John 4:1-3). Of these God complains inthe sixteenth of Ezekiel, and in the second of Hosea--"Thou hast, "saith God, "taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, whichI had given thee, and madest to thyself images" &c. (Eze 16:17). This was for want of the fear of God. Many of this kind there benow in the world, both of men, and women, and children; art notthou that readest this book of this number? Hast thou not criedfor health when sick, for wealth when poor, when lame for strength, when in prison for liberty, and then spent all that thou gottestby thy prayer in the service of Satan, and to gratify thy lusts?Look to it, sinner, these things are signs that with thy heart thoufearest not God. 

6. They fear not God that way-lay his people and seek to overthrowthem, or to turn them besides the right path, as they are journeyingfrom hence to their eternal rest. This is evident from the plaintext, "Remember, " saith God, "what Amalek did unto thee by the waywhen ye were come forth out of Egypt; how he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of thee, even all that were feeble behindthee, when thou wast faint and weary, and he feared not God" (Deut25:17, 18). Many such Amalekites there be now in the world that setthemselves against the feeble of the flock, against the feeble ofthe flock especially, still smiting them, some by power, some withthe tongue, some in their lives and estates, some in their names andreputations, by scandals, slanders, and reproach, but the reasonof this their ungodly practice is this, they fear not God. For didthey fear him, they would be afraid to so much as think, much moreof attempting to afflict and destroy, and calumniate the childrenof God; but such there have been, such there are, and such therewill be in the world, for all men fear not God. 

7. They fear not God who see his hand upon backsliders for theirsins, and yet themselves will be backsliders also. "I saw, " saithGod, "when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committedadultery, I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce, yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, but went and playedthe harlot also" (Jer 3:8, 2:19). Judah saw that her sister wasput away, and delivered by God into the hands of Shalmaneser, whocarried her away beyond Babylon, and yet, though she saw it, shewent and played the harlot also--a sign of great hardness of heart, and of the want of the fear of God indeed. For this fear, had itbeen in her heart, it would have taught her to have trembled atthe judgment that was executed upon her sister, and not to havegone and played the harlot also: and not to have done it whileher sister's judgment was in sight and memory. But what is it thata heart that is destitute of the fear of God will not do? No sincomes amiss to such: yea, they will sin, they will do that themselves, for the doing of which they believe some are in hell-fire, and allbecause they fear not God. 

But pray observe, if those that take not warning when they see thehand of God upon backsliders, are said to have none of the fearof God, have they it, think you, that lay stumbling-blocks in theway of God's people, and use devices to cause them to backslide, yea, rejoice when they can do this mischief to any? and yet manyof this sort there are in the world, that even rejoice when theysee a professor fall into sin, and go back from his profession, asif they had found some excellent thing. 

8. They fear not God who can look upon a land as wallowing insin, and yet are not humbled at the sight thereof. "Have ye, " saidGod by the prophet to the Jews, "forgotten the wickedness of yourfathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickednessof their wives, which they have committed in the land of Judahand in the streets of Jerusalem? They are not humbled to this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law" (Jer 44:9, 10). Here is a land full of wickedness, and none to bewail it, for theywanted the fear of God, and love to walk in his law. But how sayyou, if they that are not humbled at their own and others' wickednessare said not to fear, or have the fear of God, what shall we thinkor say of such that receive, that nourish and rejoice in suchwickedness? Do they fear God? Yea, what shall we say of such thatare the inventors and promoters of wickedness, as of oaths, beastlytalk, or the like? Do they, do you think, fear God? Once again, what shall we say of such that cannot be content to be wickedthemselves, and to invent and rejoice in other men's wickedness, but must hate, reproach, vilify and abuse those that they cannotpersuade to be wicked? Do they fear God?

9. They that take more heed to their own dreams than to the Wordof God, fear not God. This also is plain from the Word--"For inthe multitude of dreams, there are also divers vanities, but fearthou God"; that is, take heed unto his Word (Eccl 5:7; Isa 8:20). Here the fearing of God is opposed to our overmuch heeding dreams:and there is implied, that it is for want of the fear of God thatmen so much heed those things. What will they say to this that givemore heed to a suggestion that ariseth from their foolish hearts, or that is cast in thither by the devil, than they do to the holyWord of God? These are "filthy dreamers. " Also, what shall wesay to those that are more confident of the mercy of God to theirsoul, because he hath blessed them with outward things, than theyare afraid of his wrath and condemnation, though the whole of theWord of God doth fully verify the same? These are "filthy dreamers"indeed. 

A dream is either real, or so by way of semblance, and so somemen dream sleeping, and some waking (Isa 29:7). And as those thata man dreams sleeping are caused either by God, Satan, business, flesh, or the like; so are they that a man dreams waking, to passby those that we have in our sleep. Men, when bodily awake, mayhave dreams, that is, visions from heaven; such are all they thathave a tendency to discover to the sinner his state, or the stateof the church according to the Word. But those that are from Satan, business, and the flesh, are such--especially the first and last, to wit, from Satan and the flesh--as tend to embolden men to hopefor good in a way disagreeing with the Word of God. [25]

These Jude calls "filthy dreamers, " such whose principles weretheir dreams, and they led them "to defile the flesh, " that is, byfornication and uncleanness; "to despise dominion, " that the reinsmight be laid upon the neck of their lusts; "to speak evil ofdignities, " of those that God had set over them, for their governingin all the law and testament of Christ, these dreamt that to livelike brutes, to be greedy of gain, and to take away for it, as Cainand Balaam did by their wiles, the lives of the owners thereof, would go for good coin in the best of trials. These also Peterspeaks of (2 Peter 2). And he makes their dreams, that Jude callsso, their principle and errors in life and doctrine; you may readof them in that whole chapter, where they are called cursed children, and so by consequence such as fear not God. 

10. They fear not God, who are sorcerers, adulterers, false swearers, and that oppress the hireling of his wages. It is a custom with somemen to keep back by fraud from the hireling that which by covenantthey agreed to pay for their labour; pinching, I say, and paringfrom them their due that of right belongs to them, to the making ofthem cry in "the ears of the Lord of sabaoth" (James 5:4). Thesefear not God; they are reckoned among the worst of men, and intheir day of account God himself will bear witness against them. "And I, " saith God, "will come near to you to judgment; and I willbe a swift witness against the adulterers, and against the falseswearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger fromhis right, and fear not me, saith the Lord" (Mal 3:5). 

11. They fear not God, who instead of pitying of, rail at God'speople in their affliction, temptations, and persecutions, andrather rejoice and skip for joy, than sympathize with them in theirsorrow. Thus did David's enemies, thus did Israel's enemies, andthus did the thief, he railed at Christ when he hanged upon thecross, and was for that, even by his fellow, accounted for onethat feared not God (Luke 23:40; Psa 35:1, 22-26. Read Oba 10-15;Jer 48:2-6). This is a common thing among the children of men, evento rejoice at the hurt of them that fear God, and it ariseth evenof an inward hatred to godliness. They hate you, saith Christ, because they hated me. Therefore Christ takes what is done to his, in this, as done unto himself, and so to holiness of life. Butthis falls hard upon such as despise at, and rejoice to see, God'speople in their griefs, and that take the advantage, as doggedShimei did, to augment the griefs and afflictions of God's people(2 Sam 16:5-8). These fear not God, they do this of enmity, andtheir sin is such as will hardly be blotted out (1 Kings 2:8, 9). 

12. They fear not God, who are strangers to the effects of fear. "If I be a master, where is my fear?" That is, show that I am soby your fear of me in the effects of your fear of me. "You offerpolluted bread upon mine altar. " This is not a sign that you fearme, ye offer the blind for sacrifices, where is my fear? ye offerthe lame and the sick, these are not the effects of the fear ofGod (Mal 1:6-8). Sinner, it is one thing to say, I fear God, andanother to fear him indeed. Therefore, as James says, show me thyfaith by thy works, so here God calls for a testimony of thy fearby the effects of fear. I have already showed you several effectsof fear; if thou art a stranger to them, thou art a stranger to thisgrace of fear. Therefore, to conclude this, it is not a feignedprofession that will do; nothing is good here, but what is saltedwith this fear of God, and they that fear him are men of truth, men of singleness of heart, perfect, upright, humble, holy men;wherefore, reader, examine, and again, I say examine, and lay theWord and thy heart together, before that thou concludest that thoufearest God. 

What! fear God, and in a state of nature? fear God without a changeof heart and life? What! fear God and be proud, and covetous, a wine-bibber, and a riotous eater of flesh? How! fear God and aliar, and one that cries for mercies to spend them upon thy lusts?This would be strange. True, thou mayest fear as devils do, butwhat will that profit? Thou mayest by thy fear be driven away fromGod, from his worship, people, and ways, but what will that avail?It may be thou mayest so fear at present, as to be a little stoppedin thy sinful course; perhaps thou hast got a knock from the Wordof God, and are at present a little dazzled and hindered from beingin thy former and full career after sin; but what of that? if bythe fear that thou hast, thy heart is not united to God, and to thelove of his Son, Word, and people, thy fear is nothing worth. [26]Many men also are forced to fear God, as underlings are forced tofear those that are by force above them. If thou only thus fearestGod, it is but a false fear; it flows not from love to God: thisfear brings not willing subjection, which indeed brings the effectof right fear; but being over-mastered like an hypocrite, thousubjected thyself by feigned obedience, being forced, I say, bymere dread to do it (Psa 66:3). 

It is said of David, "that the fame of him went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations" (1 Chron14:17). But what, did they now love David? did they now choose himto be their king? no verily; they, many of them, rather hated him, and, when they could, made resistance against him. They did evenas thou dost--feared, but did not love; feared, but did not choosehis government that ruled over them. It is also said of Jehoshaphat, when God had subdued before him Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, that"the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of these countries, whenthey had heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel"(2 Chron 20:29). But, I say, was this fear, that is called now thefear of God, anything else, but a dread of the greatness of powerof the king? No verily, nor did that dread bring them into a willingsubjection to, and liking of his laws and government; it only madethem like slaves and underlings, stand in fear of his executingthe vengeance of God upon them. 

Therefore still, notwithstanding this fear, they were rebels to himin their hearts, and when occasion and advantage offered themselves, they showed it by rising in rebellion against Israel. This feartherefore provoked but feigned and forced obedience, a right emblemof the obedience of such, who being still enemies in their minds toGod, are forced by virtue of present conviction to yield a little, even of fear to God, to his Word, and to his ordinances. Reader, whoever thou art, think of this, it is thy concern, thereforedo it, and examine, and examine again, and look diligently to thyheart in thine examination, that it beguile thee not about thisthy so great concern, as indeed the fear of God is. 

One thing more, before I leave thee, let me warn thee of. Takeheed of deferring to fear the Lord. Some men, when they have hadconviction upon their heart that the fear of God is not in them, have through the overpowering of their corruptions yet deferredand put off the fear of God from them, as it is said of them inJeremiah: "This people hath a revolting and a rebellious heart;they are revolted and gone. Neither say they in their heart, Letus now fear the Lord" (Jer 5:23, 24). They saw that the judgmentsof God attended them because they did not yet fear God, but thatconviction would not prevail with them to say, "Let us now fearthe Lord. " They were for deferring to fear him still; they were forputting off his fear from them longer. Sinner, hast thou deferredto fear the Lord? is thy heart still so stubborn as not to sayyet, "Let us fear the Lord?" O! the Lord hath taken notice of thisthy rebellion, and is preparing some dreadful judgment for thee. "Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord; shall notmy soul be avenged on such a nation as this?" (v 29). Sinner, whyshouldest thou pull vengeance down upon thee? why shouldest thoupull vengeance down from heaven upon thee? Look up, perhaps thouhast already been pulling this great while, to pull it down uponthee. O! pull no longer; why shouldest thou be thine own executioner?Fall down upon thy knees, man, and up with thy heart and thy handsto the God that dwells in the heavens; cry, yea cry aloud, Lord, unite mine heart to fear thy name, and do not harden mine heartfrom thy fear. Thus holy men have cried before thee, and by cryinghave prevented judgment. 

[A few things that may provoke thee to fear the Lord. ]

Before I leave this use, let me give thee a few things, that, ifGod will, may provoke thee to fear the Lord. 

1. The man that feareth not God, carrieth it worse towards him thanthe beast, the brute beast, doth carry it towards that man. "Thefear of you, and the dread of you, shall be upon every beast of theearth, " yea, "and upon every fowl of the air, " and "upon all thatmoveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea" (Gen9:2). 

Mark, all my creatures shall fear you, and dread you, says God. None of them shall be so hardy as to cast of all reverence of you. But what a shame is this to man, that God should subject all hiscreatures to him, and he should refuse to stoop his heart to God?The beast, the bird, the fish, and all, have a fear and dread ofman, yea, God has put it in their hearts to fear man, and yet manis void of fear and dread, I mean of godly fear of him, that thuslovingly hath put all things under him. Sinner, art thou not ashamed, that a silly cow, a sheep, yea, a swine, should better observe thelaw of his creation, than thou dost the law of thy God?

2. Consider, he that will not fear God, God will make him fear himwhether he will or no. That is, he that doth not, will not now sofear him, as willingly to bow before him, and put his neck into hisyoke. God will make him fear him when he comes to take vengeanceon him. Then he will surround him with terror, and with fear onevery side, fear within, and fear without; fear shall be in theway, even in the way that thou goest when thou art going out ofthis world; and that will be dreadful fear (Eccl 12:5). "I willbring their fears upon them, " saith the Lord (Isa 66:4). 

3. He that fears not God now, the Lord shall laugh at his fearsthen. Sinner, God will be even with all them that choose not tohave his fear in their hearts: for as he calls and they hear notnow, so they shall cry, yea, howl then, and he will laugh at theirfears. "I will laugh, " saith he, "at their destruction; I will mockwhen their fear cometh, when your fear cometh as desolation andyour destruction cometh as a whirlwind, when distress and anguishcometh upon you; then shall they call upon me, but I will notanswer: they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me, forthat they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord"(Prov 1:27-29). 

Sinner! thou thinkest to escape the fear; but what wilt thou dowith the pit? Thou thinkest to escape the pit; but what wilt thoudo with the snare? The snare, say you, what is that? I answer, itis even the work of thine own hands. "The wicked is snared in thework of his own hands, " he is "snared by the transgression of hislips" (Psa 9:16; Prov 12:13). 

Sinner! what wilt thou do when thou comest into this snare; thatis, into the guilt and terror that thy sins will snaffle[27] theewith, when they, like a cord, are fastened about thy soul? Thissnare will bring thee back again to the pit, which is hell, andthen how wilt thou do to be rid of thy fear? The fear, pit, andthe snare shall come upon thee, because thou fearest not God. 

Sinner! art thou one of them that hast cast off fear? poor man, what wilt thou do when these three things beset thee? whither wiltthou fly for help? And where wilt thou leave thy glory? If thoufliest from the fear, there is the pit; if thou fliest from thepit, there is the snare. 

[USE SECOND, an exhortation to fear God. ]

SECOND USE. My next word shall be AN EXHORTATION TO FEAR GOD. I mean an exhortation to saints--"O fear the Lord, ye his saints, for there is no want to them that fear him. " Not but that everysaint doth fear God, but as the apostle saith in another case, "Ibeseech you, do it more and more. " The fear of the Lord, as I haveshowed you, is a grace of the new covenant, as other saving gracesare, and so is capable of being stronger or weaker, as other gracesare. Wherefore I beseech you, fear him more and more. 

It is said of Obadiah, that he feared the Lord greatly: every saintfears the Lord, but every saint does not greatly fear him. O thereare but few Obadiahs in the world, I mean among the saints onearth: see the whole relation of him (1 Kings 18). As Paul saidof Timothy, "I have none like-minded, " so it may be said of someconcerning the fear of the Lord; they have scarce a fellow. So itwas with Job, "There is none like him in the earth, one that fearethGod, " &c. (Job 1:8). There was even none in Job's day that fearedGod like him, no, there was not one like him in all the earth, butdoubtless there were more in the world that feared God; but thisfearing of him greatly, that is the thing that saints should do, and that was the thing that Job did do, and in that he did outstriphis fellows. It is also said of Hananiah, that "he was a faithfulman, and feared God above many" (Neh 7:2). He also had got, as tothe exercise of, and growth in, this grace, the start of many ofhis brethren. He "feared God above many. " Now then, seeing thisgrace admits of degrees, and is in some stronger, and in some weaker, let us be all awakened as to other graces, so to this grace also. That like as you abound in everything, in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, seethat ye abound in this grace also. I will labour to enforce thisexhortation upon you by several motives. 

First. Let God's distinguishing love to you be a motive to you tofear him greatly. He hath put his fear in thy heart, and hath notgiven that blessing to thy neighbour; perhaps not to thy husband, thy wife, thy child, or thy parent. O what an obligation shouldthis consideration lay upon thy heart greatly to fear the Lord!Remember also, as I have showed in the first part of this book, that this fear of the Lord is his treasure, a choice jewel, givenonly to favourites, and to those that are greatly beloved. Greatgifts naturally tend to oblige, and will do so, I trust, with thee, when thou shalt ingeniously consider it. It is a sign of a verybad nature when the contrary shows itself; could God have done morefor thee than to have put his fear in thy heart? This is betterthan to have given thee a place even in heaven without it. Yea, had he given thee all faith, all knowledge, and the tongue of menand angels, and a place in heaven to boot, they had all been shortof this gift, of the fear of God in thy heart. Therefore love it, nourish it, exercise it, use all means to cause it to increase andgrow in thy heart, that it may appear it is set by at thy hand, poor sinner. 

Second. Another motive to stir thee up to grow in this grace of thefear of God may be the privileges that it lays thee under. What orwhere wilt thou find in the Bible, so many privileges so affectionatelyentailed to any grace, as to this of the fear of God? God speaksof this grace, and of the privileges that belong unto it, as if, to speak with reverence, he knew not how to have done blessing ofthe man that hath it. It seems to me as if this grace of fear isthe darling grace, the grace that God sets his heart upon at thehighest rate. As it were, he embraces the hugs, and lays the manin his bosom, that hath, and grows strong in this grace of the fearof God. See again the many privileges in which the man is interestedthat hath this grace in his heart: and see also that there arebut few of them, wherever mentioned, but have entailed to them thepronunciation of a blessing, or else that man is spoken of by wayof admiration. 

Third. Another motive may be this: The man that groweth in thisgrace of the fear of the Lord will escape those evils that otherswill fall into. Where this grace is, it keepeth the soul from finalapostasy, "I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall notdepart from me" (Jer 32:40). But yet, if there be not an increasein this grace, much evil may attend, and be committed notwithstanding. There is a child that is healthy, and hath its limbs, and can go, but it is careless; now the evil of carelessness doth disadvantageit very much; carelessness is the cause of stumblings, of falls, of knocks, and that it falls into the dirt, yea, that sometimesit is burned, or almost drowned. And thus it is, even with God'speople that fear him, because they add not to their fear a careof growing more in the fear of God, therefore they reap damage;whereas, were they more in his fear, it would keep them better, deliver them more, and preserve them from these snares of death. 

Fourth. Another motive may be this: To grow in this grace ofthe fear of God, is the way to be kept always in a conscientiousperformance of Christian duties. An increase in this grace, I say, keeps every grace in exercise, and the keeping of our graces intheir due exercise, produceth a conscientious performance of duties. Thou hast a watch perhaps in thy pocket, but the hand will notas yet be kept in any good order, but does always give the lie asto the hour of the day; well, but what is the way to remedy this, but to look well to the spring, and the wheels within? for if theyindeed go right, so will the hand do also. This is thy case inspiritual things; thou art a gracious man, and the fear of God isin thee, but yet for all that, one cannot well tell, by thy life, what time of day it is. [28] Thou givest no true and constant signthat thou art indeed a Christian; why, the reason is, thou dostnot look well to this grace of the fear of God. Thou dost not growand increase in that, but sufferest thy heart to grow careless, and hard, and so thy life remiss and worldly: Job's growing greatin the fear of God made him eschew evil (Job 1, 2:3). 

Fifth. Another motive is: This is the way to be wise indeed. Awise man feareth and departeth from evil. It doth not say a wiseman hath the grace of fear, but a wise man feareth, that is, putteththis grace into exercise. There is no greater sign of wisdom thanto grow in this blessed grace. Is it not a sign of wisdom to departfrom sins, which are the snares of death and hell? Is it not asign of wisdom for a man yet more and more to endeavour to interesthimself in the love and protection of God? Is it not a high pointof wisdom for a man to be always doing of that which lays him underthe conduct of angels? Surely this is wisdom. And if it be a blessingto have this fear, is it not wisdom to increase in it? Doubtless itis the highest point of wisdom, as I have showed before, thereforegrow therein. 

Sixth. Another motive may be this: It is seemly for saints tofear, and increase in this fear of God. He is thy Creator; is itnot seemly for creatures to fear and reverence their Creator? Heis thy King; is it not seemly for subjects to fear and reverencetheir King? He is thy Father; is it not seemly for children toreverence and fear their Father? yea, and to do it more and more?

Seventh. Another motive may be: It is honourable to grow in thisgrace of fear; "When Ephraim spake trembling, he exalted himself inIsrael" (Hosea 13:1). Truly, to fear, and to about in this fear, isa sign of a very princely spirit; and the reason is, when I greatlyfear my God, I am above the fear of all others, nor can anythingin this world, be it never so terrible and dreadful, move me at allto fear them. And hence it is that Christ counsels us to fear--"AndI say unto you, my friends, " saith he, "be not afraid of themthat kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. "Aye, but this is a high pitch, how should we come by such princelyspirits? well, I will forewarn you whom you shall fear, and byfearing of him, arrive to this pitch, "Fear him, which after hehath killed, hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear him" (Luke 12:4, 5). Indeed this true fear of God sets a manabove all the world. And therefore it saith again, "Neither fearye their fear, "--but "sanctify the Lord God" in your hearts, "andlet him be your fear, and let him be your dread" (Isa 8:12, 13). 

Your great ranting, swaggering, roysters, [29] that are ignorant ofthe nature of the fear of God, count it a poor, sneaking, pitiful, cowardly spirit in men to fear and tremble before the Lord; butwhoso looks back to jails and gibbets, to the sword and burningstake, shall see, that there, in them, has been the most mightyand invincible spirit that has been in the world!

Yea, see if God doth not count that the growth of his people inthis grace of fear is that which makes them honourable, when hepositively excludeth those from a dwelling-place in his house, thatdo not honour them that fear him (Psa 15:4). And he saith moreover, "A woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. " If the worldand godless men will not honour these, they shall be honoured someway else. Such, saith he, "that honour me I will honour, " and theyshall be honoured in heaven, in the churches, and among the angels. 

Eighth. Another motive to grow in this fear of God may be: Thisfear, and the increase of it, qualifies a man to be put in trustwith heavenly and spiritual things, yea, and with earthly thingstoo. 

1. For heavenly and spiritual things. "My covenant, " saith God, "was with [Levi] of life and peace, and I gave them to him, for thefear wherewith he feared me, and was afraid before my name" (Mal2:5). 

Behold what a gift, what a mercy, what a blessing this Levi isintrusted with; to wit, with God's everlasting covenant, and withthe life and peace that is wrapped up in this covenant. But why isit given to him? the answer is, "for the fear wherewith he fearedme, and was afraid before my name. " And the reason is good, forthis fear of God teaches a man to put a due estimation upon everygift of God bestowed upon us; also it teaches us to make use ofthe same with reverence of his name, and respect to his glory inmost godly-wise, all which becomes him that is intrusted with anyspiritual gift. The gift here was given to Levi to minister to hisbrethren doctrinally thereof, for he, saith God, shall teach Jacobmy statutes and Israel my law. See also Exodus 18:21 and Nehemiah7:2, with many other places that might be named, and you will findthat men fearing God and hating covetousness; that men that fearGod above others, are intrusted by God, yea, and by his churchtoo, with the trust and ministration of spiritual things beforeany other in the world. 

2. For earthly things. This fear of God qualifies a man to be putin trust with them rather than with another. Therefore God madeJoseph lord of all Egypt; Obadiah, steward of Ahab's house; Daniel, Mordecai, and the three children, were set over the province ofBabylon; and this by the wonderful working hand of God, becausehe had to dispose of earthly things now, not only in a common way, but for the good of his people in special. True, when there isno special matter or thing to be done by God in a nation for hispeople, then who will (that is, whether they have grace or no)may have the disposal of those things; but if God has anything inspecial to bestow upon his people of this world's goods, then hewill intrust it in the hands of men fearing God. Joseph must nowbe made lord of Egypt, because Israel must be kept from starving;Obadiah must now be made steward of Ahab's house, because the Lord'sprophets must be hid from and fed in despite of the rage and bloodymind of Jezebel; Daniel, with his companions, and Mordecai also, they were all exalted to earthly and temporal dignity, that theymight in that state, they being men that abounded in the fear of God, be serviceable to their brethren in their straits and difficulties(Gen 42:18, 41:39; 1 Kings 18:3; Esth 6:10; Dan 2:48, 3:30, 5:29, 6:1-3). 

Ninth. Another motive to grow in this grace of fear is, Where thefear of God in the heart of any is not growing, there no gracethrives, nor duty done as it should. 

There no grace thrives, neither faith, hope, love, nor any grace. This is evident from that general exhortation, "Perfecting holinessin the fear of God" (2 Cor 7:1). Perfecting holiness, what is that?but as James says of patience, let every grace have its perfectwork, that ye may be perfect and entire, lacking nothing (James1:4). 

But this cannot be done but in the fear of God, yea, in the exerciseof that grace, and so consequently in the growth of it, for thereis no grace but grows by being exercised. If then you would beperfect in holiness, if you would have every grace that God hasput into your souls, grow and flourish into perfection; lay them, as I may say, a-soak in this grace of fear, [30] and do all in theexercise of it; for a little done in the fear of the Lord is betterthan the revenues of the wicked. And again, the Lord will not sufferthe soul of the righteous, the soul that liveth in the fear of theLord, to famish, but he casteth away the abundance of the wicked. Bring abundance to God, and if it be not seasoned with godly fear, it shall not be acceptable to him, but loathsome and abominablein his sight; for it doth not flow from the spirit of the fear ofthe Lord. 

Therefore, where there is not a growth in this fear, there is noduty done so acceptably. This flows from that which goes before, for if grace rather decays than grows, where this grace of fear isnot in the growth and increase thereof, then duties in their gloryand acceptableness decay likewise. 

Tenth. Another motive to stir thee up to grow in the increase ofthis grace of fear is, It is a grace, do but abound therein, thatwill give thee great boldness both with God and men. Job was a mana none-such in his day for one that feared God; and who so bold withGod as Job? who so bold with God, and who so bold with men as he?How bold was he with God, when he wishes for nothing more than thathe might come even to his seat, and concludes that if he could comeat him, he would approach even as a prince unto him, and as suchwould order his cause before him (Job 23:3-7, 31:35-37). Also beforehis friends, how bold was he? For ever as they laid to his chargethat he was an hypocrite, he repels them with the testimony of a goodconscience, which good conscience he got, and kept, and maintainedby increasing in the fear of God; yea, his conscience was kept sogood by this grace of fear, for it was by that that he eschewedevil, that it was common with him to appeal to God when accused, and also to put himself for his clearing under most bitter cursesand imprecations (Job 13:3-9, 18, 19:23, 24, 31). 

This fear of God is it that keeps the conscience clean and tender, and so free from much of that defilement that even a good man maybe afflicted with, for want of his growth in this fear of God. Yea, let me add, if a man can with a good conscience say that hedesires to fear the name of God, it will add boldness to his soulin his approaches into the presence of God. "O Lord, " said Nehemiah, "I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer ofthy servant, and servants, who desire to fear thy name" (Neh 1:11). He pleaded his desire of fearing the name of God, as an argumentwith God to grant him his request; and the reason was, because Godhad promised before "to bless them that fear him, both small andgreat" (Psa 115:13). 

Eleventh. Another motive to stir you up to fear the Lord, and togrow in this fear is, By it thou mayest have thy labours blessed, to the saving of the souls of others. It is said of Levi, of whommention was made before, that he feared God and was afraid beforehis name--that he saved others from their sins. "The law of truthwas in his mouth, and he walked with me in peace and equity, anddid turn away many from iniquity" (Mal 2:6). The fear of God thatdwelt in his heart, showed its growth in the sanctifying of the Lordby his life and words, and the Lord also blessed this his growthherein, by blessing his labours to the saving of his neighbours. 

Wouldest thou save thy husband, thy wife, thy children, &c. , thenbe greatly in the fear of God. 

This Peter teaches, "Wives, " saith he, "be in subjection to yourown husbands, that, if any obey not the word, they also may withoutthe word be won by the conversation of the wives, while they beholdyour chaste conversation, coupled with fear" (1 Peter 3:1, 2). Sothen, if wives and children, yea, if husbands, wives, children, servants, &c. , did but better observe this general rule of Peter, to wit, of letting their whole conversation be coupled with fear, they might be made instruments in God's hand of much more good thanthey are. But the misery is, the fear of God is wanting in actions, and that is the cause that so little good is done by those that profess. It is not a conversation that is coupled with a profession--for agreat profession may be attended with a life that is not good, butscandalous; but it is a conversation coupled with fear of God--thatis, with the impressions of the fear of God upon it--that is convincingand that ministereth the awakenings of God to the conscience, inorder to saving the unbeliever. O they are a sweet couple, to wit, a Christian conversation coupled with fear. 

The want of this fear of God is that that has been a stumbling-blockto the blind oftentimes. Alas, the world will not be convinced byyour talk, by your notions, and by the great profession that youmake, if they see not, therewith mixed, the lively impressions ofthe fear of God; but will, as I said, rather stumble and fall, evenat your conversation and at your profession itself. Wherefore, toprevent this mischief, that is, of stumbling of souls while youmake your profession of God, by a conversation not becoming yourprofession, God bids you fear him; implying that a good conversation, coupled with fear, delivers the blind world from those falls thatotherwise they cannot be delivered from. "Thou shalt not curse thedeaf, nor put a stumbling-block before the blind, but shalt fearthy God: I am the Lord" (Lev 19:14). But shalt fear thy God, thatis the remedy that will prevent their stumbling at you, at whatelse soever they stumble. Wherefore Paul says to Timothy, "Takeheed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them; for indoing this thou shalt both save thyself and them that hear thee"(1 Tim 4:16). 

Twelfth. Another motive to fear, and to grow in this fear of Godis, This is the way to engage God to deliver thee from many outwarddangers, whoever falls therein (Psa 34:7). This is proved from thatof the story of the Hebrew midwives. "The midwives, " said Moses, "feared God, " and did not drown the men-children as the kinghad commanded, but saved them alive. And what follows? "ThereforeGod dealt well with the midwives; and it came to pass because themidwives feared God, that he made them houses" (Exo 1). That is, he sheltered them and caused them to be hid from the rage and furyof the king, and that perhaps in some of the houses of the Egyptiansthemselves for why might not the midwives be there hid as wellas was Moses even in the king's court?[31] And how many times arethey that fear God said to be delivered both by God and his holyangels? as also I have already showed. 

Thirteenth. Another motive to fear and to grow in this fear ofGod is, This is the way to be delivered from errors and damnableopinions. There are some that perish in their righteousness, thatis an error; there be some that perish in their wickedness, andthat is an error also. Some again prolong their lives by theirwickedness, and others are righteous over-much, and also some areover-wise, and all these are snares, and pits, and holes. But then, sayest thou, how shall I escape? Indeed that is the question, andthe Holy Ghost resolves it thus, "He that feareth God shall comeforth of them all" (Eccl 7:18). 

Fourteenth. Another motive to fear, and to grow in this fear ofGod, is, Such as have leave, be they never so dark in their souls, to come boldly to Jesus Christ, and to trust in him for life. I toldyou before, that they that fear God have in the general a licenseto trust in him; but now I tell you, and that in particular, thatthey, and they especially, may do it, and that though in the dark;you that sit in darkness and have no light, if this grace of fearbe alive in your hearts, you have this boldness--"Who is among youthat feareth the Lord, " mark, that feareth the Lord, "that obeyeththe voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath nolight? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon hisGod" (Isa 50:10). It is no small advantage, you know, when menhave to deal in difficult matters, to have a patent or license todeal; now to trust in the Lord is a difficult thing, yet the bestand most gainful of all. But then, some will say, since it isso difficult, how may we do without danger? Why, the text gives alicense, a patent to them to trust in his name, that have his fearin their hearts--"Let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stayupon his God. " [32]

Fifteenth. Another motive to fear and grow in this grace of fear, is, God will own and acknowledge such to be his, whoever he rejecteth. Yea he will distinguish and separate them from all others, inthe day of his terrible judgments. He will do with them as he didby those that sighed for the abominations that were done in theland--command the man that hath his ink-horn by his side "to seta mark upon their foreheads, " that they might not fall in thatjudgment with others (Eze 9). So God said plainly of them thatfeared the Lord, and that thought upon his name, that they shouldbe writ in his book--"A book of remembrance was written beforehim for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name;and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day whenI make up my jewels, and I will spare them as a man spareth hisown son that serveth him" (Mal 3:16, 17). Mark, he both acknowledgesthem for his, and also promises to spare them, as a man would sparehis own son; yea, and moreover, will wrap them up as his chiefjewels with himself in the bundle of life. Thus much for the motives. 

How to grow in this fear of God. 

Having given you these motives to the duty of growing in this fearof God, before I leave this use, I will, in a few words, show youhow you may grow in this fear of God. 

First. Then, if thou wouldest grow in this fear of God, learn arightto distinguish of fear in general. I mean, learn to distinguishbetween that fear that is godly, and that which in itself is indeedungodly fear of God; and know them well the one from the other, lest the one, the fear that in itself indeed is ungodly, get theplace, even the upper hand of that which truly is godly fear. Andremember the ungodly fear of God is by God himself counted an enemyto him, and hurtful to his people, and is therefore most plentifullyforbidden in the Word (Gen 3:15, 26:24, 46:3; Exo 14:13, 20:20;Num 14:9, 21:34; Isa 41:10, 14, 43:1, 44:2, 8; 54:4; Jer 30:10; Dan10:12, 19; Joel 2:21; Hagg 2:5; Zech 8:13). 

Second. If thou wouldest grow in this godly fear, learn rightlyto distinguish it from that fear, in particular, that is godly butfor a time; even from that fear that is wrought by the Spirit, asa spirit of bondage. I say, learn to distinguish this from that, and also perfectly to know the bounds that God hath set to thatfear that is wrought by the Spirit, as a spirit of bondage; lest, instead of growing in the fear that is to abide with thy soul forever, thou be over-run again with that first fear, which is toabide with thee but till the spirit of adoption come. And that thoumayest not only distinguish them one from the other, but also keepeach in its due place and bounds, consider in general of what hathalready been said upon this head, and in particular that the firstfear is no more wrought by the Holy Spirit, but by the devil, todistress thee, and make thee to live, not like a son, but a slave. And for thy better help in this matter, know that God himself hathset bounds to this fear, and has concluded that after the spiritof adoption is come, that other fear is wrought in thy heart byhim no more (Rom 8:15; 2 Tim 1:7). 

Again, before I leave this, let me tell thee that if thou dost notwell bestir thee in this matter, this bondage fear, to wit, thatwhich is like it, though not wrought in thee by the Holy Ghost, will, by the management and subtlety of the devil, the authorof it, haunt, disturb, and make thee live uncomfortably, and thatwhile thou art an heir of God and his kingdom. This is that fearthat the apostle speaks of, that makes men "all their lifetimesubject to bondage" (Heb 2:14, 15). For though Christ will deliverthee indeed at last, thou having embraced him by faith, yet thylife will be full of trouble; and death, though Jesus hath abolishedit, will be always a living bugbear to thee in all thy ways andthoughts, to break thy peace, and to make thee to draw thy loinsheavily after him. 

Third. Wouldest thou grow in this godly fear? then, as thou shouldestlearn to distinguish of fears, so thou shouldest make conscienceof which to entertain and cherish. If God would have his fear--andit is called HIS fear by way of eminency--"that his fear may bebefore you, that ye sin not" (Exo 20:20; Jer 32:40)--I say, if Godwould have his fear be with thee, then thou shouldest make conscienceof this, and not so lightly give way to slavish fear, as is commonfor Christians to do. 

There is utterly a fault among Christians about this thing; thatis, they make not that conscience of resisting of slavish fear asthey ought; they rather cherish and entertain it, and so weakenthemselves, and that fear that they ought to strengthen. 

And this is the reason that we so often lie grabbling[33] underthe black and amazing thoughts that are engendered in our heartsby unbelief; for this fear nourisheth unbelief; that is, now itdoth, to wit, if we give way to it after the spirit of adoption iscome, and readily closeth with all the fiery darts of the wicked. 

But Christians are ready to do with this fear as the horse doeswhen the tines[34] of the fork are set against his side; even leanto it until it entereth into his belly. We lean naturally to thisfear, I mean, after God has done good to our souls; it is hardstriving against it, because it has even our sense and feeling ofits side. But I say, if thou wouldest be a growing Christian--growing, Isay, in the fear that is godly, in the fear that is always so--thenmake conscience of striving against the other, and against allthese things that would bring thee back to it. "Wherefore shouldI fear, " said David, "in the day of evil, when the iniquity of myheels shall compass me about?" (Psa 49:5). 

What! not fear in the day of evil? What! not when the iniquity ofthy heels compasseth thee about? No, not then, saith he, that is, not with that fear that would bring him again into bondage to thelaw; for he had received the spirit of adoption before. Indeed, ifever a Christian has ground to give way to slavish fear, it is atthese two times, to wit, in the day of evil, and when the iniquityof his heels compasseth him about; but you see, David would notthen, no, not then, give way thereto, nor did he see reason whyhe should. "Wherefore should I, " said he? Aye, wherefore indeed?since now thou art become a son of God through Christ, and hastreceived the Spirit of his Son into thy heart, crying, Father, Father. 

Fourth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of godly fear? then growin the knowledge of the new covenant, for that is indeed the girdleof our reins, and the strength of our souls. Hear what Zachariassaith: God, says he, "hath raised up an horn of salvation forus in the house of his servant David, as he spake by the mouth ofhis holy prophets which have been since the world began. " But whatwas it? what was it that he spake? Why, "That he would grant untous, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, mightserve him without fear, " without this slavish bondage fear, "inholiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. "But upon what is this princely fearless service of God grounded?Why, upon the holy covenant of God, upon the oath that he sworeunto Abraham (Luke 1:69-74). Now in this covenant is wrapped up allthy salvation; in it is contained all thy desire, and I am sure, that then it containeth the complete salvation of thy soul; and Isay, since this covenant is confirmed by promise, by oath, and bythe blood of the Son of God, and that on purpose that thou mightestserve thy God without slavish fear, then the knowledge and faithof this covenant is of absolute necessity to bring us into thisliberty, and out of our slavish terrors, and so, consequently, tocause us to grow in that son-like, godly fear, which became eventhe Son of God himself, and becomes all his disciples to live inthe growth and exercise of. 

Fifth. Wouldest thou grow in this godly fear? then labour even alwaysto keep thine evidences for heaven and of thy salvation alive uponthy heart; for he that loseth his evidences for heaven, will hardlykeep slavish fear out of heart; but he that hath the wisdom andgrace to keep them alive, and apparent to himself, he will grow inthis godly fear. See how David words it, "From the end of the earth, "saith he, "will I cry unto thee; when my heart is overwhelmed, leadme to the rock that is higher than I. For thou hast been a shelterfor me, and a strong tower from the enemy: I will abide in thytabernacle for ever. For thou, O God, hast heard my vows; thou hastgiven me the heritage of those that fear thy name" (Psa 61:2-5). Mark a little, David doth by these words, in the first place, suggest that sometimes, to his thinking, he was as far off of hisGod as the ends of the earth are asunder, and that at such times hewas subject to be overwhelmed, afraid: [And] second, the way thathe took at such times, to help himself, was to cry to God to leadhim again to Jesus Christ--"lead me to the rock that is higherthan I"; for indeed without faith in him, and the renewing of thatfaith, there can be no evidence for heaven made to appear unto thesoul. This therefore he prays for first. Then he puts that faithinto exercise, and that with respect to the time that was past, and also of the time that was to come. For the time past, sayshe, "Thou hast been a shelter to me, and a strong tower from theenemy"; and for the time to come, he said, "I will abide in thytabernacle, " that is, in thy Christ by faith, and in thy way ofworship by love, "forever. " And observe it, he makes the believingremembrance of his first evidences for heaven the ground of thishis cry and faith, "For thou, " says he, "O God, hast given me theheritage of those that fear thy name. " Thou hast made me meet tobe a partaker of the mercy of thy chosen, and hast put me underthe blessing of goodness wherewith thou hast blessed those thatfear thee. Thus you see how David, in his distresses, musters uphis prayers, faith, and evidences for eternal life, that he mightdeliver himself from being overwhelmed, that is, with slavishfear, and that he might also abound in that son-like fear ofhis fellow-brethren, that is not only comely, with respect to ourprofession, but profitable to our souls. 

Sixth. Wouldest thou grow in this fear of God? then set beforethine eyes the being and majesty of God; for that both begetteth, maintaineth, and increaseth this fear. And hence it is called thefear of God, that is, an holy and awful dread and reverence of hismajesty. For the fear of God is to stand in awe of him, but howcan that be done if we do not set him before us? And again, if wewould fear him more, we must abide more in the sense and faith ofhis glorious majesty. Hence this fear and God's name is so oftenput together: as fear God, fear the Lord, fear thy God, do this inthe fear of the Lord, and thou shalt fear thy God, I am the Lord. For these words, "I am the Lord thy God, " and the like, are onpurpose put in, not only to show us whom we should fear, but alsoto beget, maintain, and increase in us that fear that is due fromus to that "glorious and fearful name, the Lord our God" (Deut28:58). 

Seventh. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then keepalways close to thy conscience the authority of the Word; fear thecommandment as the commandment of a God both mighty and glorious, and as the commandment of a father, both loving and pitiful; letthis commandment, I say, be always with thine eye, with thine ear, and with thine heart; for then thou wilt be taught, not only tofear, but to abound in the fear of the Lord. Every grace is nourishedby the Word, and without it there is no thrift in the soul (Prov13:13, 4:20-22; Deut 6:1, 2). 

Eighth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then be much inthe faith of the promise, of the promise that maketh over to thysoul an interest in God by Christ, and of all good things. Thepromise naturally tendeth to increase in us the fear of the Lord, because this fear, it grows by goodness and mercy; they shall fearthe Lord, and his goodness; now this goodness and mercy of God, it is wrapt up in, and made over to us by promise; for God gave itto Abraham by promise. Therefore the faith and hope of the promisecauseth this fear to grow in the soul--"Having therefore thesepromises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthinessof the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God"(2 Cor 7:1). "Perfecting holiness in the fear of God"; thereforethat fear by the promise must needs grow mighty, for by, with, andin it, you see holiness is perfected. 

Ninth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then rememberthe judgments of God that have, or shall certainly overtake, thoseprofessors, that have either been downright hypocrites, or elseunwatchful Christians. For both these sorts partake of the judgmentsof God; the one, to wit, the true Christian, for his unwatchfulness, for his correction; the other, to wit, the hypocrite, for hishypocrisy, to his destruction. This is a way to make thee stand inawe, and to make thee tremble, and grow in the grace of fear beforethy God. 

Judgments! you may say, what judgments? Answ. Time will fail mehere to tell thee of the judgments that sometimes overtake God'speople, and that always certainly overtake the hypocrite for histransgressions. For those that attend God's people, I would havethee look back to the place in this book where they are particularlytouched upon. And for those that attend the hypocrite, in generalthey are these. 1. Blindness of heart in this world. 2. The deathof their hope at the day of their death. 3. And the damnationof their souls at the day of judgment (Matt 23:15-19; Job 8:13, 11:20, 18:14, 20:4-7, Matt 23:33, 24:51; Luke 20:47). The godlyconsideration of these things tend to make men grow in the fear ofGod. 

Tenth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then study theexcellencies of the grace of fear, and what profit it yieldethto them that have it, and labour to get thy heart into the love, both of the exercise of the grace itself, and also of the fruitit yieldeth; for a man hardly grows in the increase of any grace, until his heart is united to it, and until it is made lovely inhis eyes (Psa 119:119, 120). Now the excellencies of this grace offear have also been discoursed of in this book before, where byreading thou shalt find the fruit it bears, and the promises thatare annexed to it, which, because they are many, I refer thee alsothither for thy instruction. 

Eleventh. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then rememberwhat a world of privileges do belong to them that fear the Lord, as also I have hinted; namely, that such shall not be hurt, shallwant no good thing, shall be guarded by angels, and have a speciallicense, though in never so dreadful a plight, to trust in the nameof the Lord, and stay upon their God. 

Twelfth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then be much inprayer to God for abundance of the increase thereof. To fear Godis that which is according to his will, and if we ask anythingaccording to his will, he heareth us. Pray therefore that God willunite thy heart to fear his name; this is the way to grow in thegrace of fear. 

Lastly, Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then devotethyself to it (Psa 119:38). Devote myself to it, you will say, howis that? I answer, why, give thyself to it, addict thyself to it. Solace thyself in the contemplation of God, and of a reverence ofhis name, and word, and worship. Then wilt thou fear, and grow inthis grace of fear. 

What things they are that have a tendency in them to hinder thegrowth of the fear of God in our hearts. 

And that I may yet be helpful to thee, reader, I shall now givethee caution of those things that will, if way be given to them, hinder thy growth in this fear of God, the which, because they arevery hurtful to the people of God, I would have thee be warned bythem. And they are these which follow:

First. If thou wouldest grow in this grace of fear, take heed ofA HARD HEART, for that will hinder thy growth in this grace. "Whyhast thou hardened our heart from thy fear?" was a bitter complaintof the church heretofore; for it is not only the judgment that initself is dreadful and sore to God's people, but that which greatlyhindereth the growth of this grace in the soul (Isa 63:17). A hardheart is but barren ground for any grace to grow in, especiallyfor the grace of fear: there is but little of this fear where theheart is indeed hard; neither will there ever be much therein. 

Now if thou wouldest be kept from a hard heart, 1. Take heed of thebeginnings of sin. Take heed, I say, of that, though it should benever so small; "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. " Thereis more in a little sin to harden, than in a great deal of graceto soften. David's look upon Bathsheba was, one would think, buta small matter; yet that beginning of sin contracted such hardnessof heart in him, that it carried him almost beyond all fear ofGod. It did carry him to commit lewdness with her, murder upon thebody of Uriah, and to abundance of wicked dissimulation; which arethings, I say, that have direct tendency to quench and destroy allfear of God in the soul. 

2. If thou hast sinned, lie not down without repentance; for thewant of repentance, after one has sinned, makes the heart yet harderand harder. Indeed a hard heart is impenitent, and impenitencealso makes the heart harder and harder. So that if impenitence beadded to hardness of heart, or to the beginning of sin which makesit so, it will quickly be with that soul, as is said of the houseof Israel, it will have a whore's forehead, it will hardly bebrought to shame (Jer 3:3). 

3. If thou wouldest be rid of a hard heart, that great enemy to thegrowth of the grace of fear, be much with Christ upon the cross inthy meditations; for that is an excellent remedy against hardnessof heart: a right sight of him, as he hanged there for thy sins, will dissolve thy heart into tears, and make it soft and tender. "They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, --and mourn" (Zech12:10). Now a soft, a tender, and a broken heart, is a fit placefor the grace of fear to thrive in. But, Second. If thou wouldest have the grace of fear to grow in thy soul, take heed also of A PRAYERLESS HEART, for that is not a place forthis grace of fear to grow in. Hence he that restraineth prayeris said to cast off fear. "Thou castest off fear, " said one of hisfriends to Job. But how must he do that? Why the next words show, "Thou restrainest prayer before God" (Job 15:4). Seest thou aprofessor that prayeth not? that man thrusteth the fear of God awayfrom him. Seest thou a man that prays but little, that man fearethGod but little; for it is the praying soul, the man that is mightyin praying, that has a heart for the fear of God to grow in. Takeheed, therefore, of a prayerless heart, if you would grow in thisgrace of the fear of God. Prayer is as the pitcher that fetchethwater from the brook, therewith to water the herbs; break the pitcher, and it will fetch no water, and for want of water the garden withers. 

Third. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heed ofA LIGHT AND WANTON HEART, for neither is such a heart good groundfor the fear of God to grow in. Wherefore it is said of Israel, "She feared not, but went and played the harlot also. " She wasgiven to wantonness, and to be light and vain, and so her fear ofGod decayed (Jer 3:8). Had Joseph been as wanton as his mistress, he had been as void of the fear of God as she; but he was of asober, tender, godly, considerate spirit, therefore he grew in thefear of God. 

Fourth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heedof A COVETOUS HEART, for neither is that which is such an one goodground for this grace of fear to grow in. Therefore this covetousnessand the fear of God are as enemies, set the one in opposition to theother: one that feareth God and hateth covetousness (Exo 18:21). And the reason why covetousness is such an obstruction to the growthof this grace of fear, is because covetousness casteth those thingsout of the heart which alone can nourish this fear. It casteth outthe Word and love of God, without which no grace can grow in thesoul; how then should the fear of God grow in a covetous heart?(Eze 33:30-32; 1 John 2:15). 

Fifth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heed ofAN UNBELIEVING HEART, for an unbelieving heart is not good groundfor this grace of fear to grow in. An unbelieving heart is called"an evil heart, " because from it flows all the wickedness that iscommitted in the world (Heb 3:12). Now it is faith, or a believingheart, that nourisheth this fear of God, and not the other; andthe reason is, for that faith brings God, heaven, and hell, to thesoul, and maketh it duly consider of them all (Heb 11:7). This istherefore the means of fear, and that which will make it grow inthe soul; but unbelief is a bane thereto. 

Sixth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heed ofA FORGETFUL HEART. Such a heart is not a heart where the grace offear will flourish, "when I remember, I am afraid, " &c. Thereforetake heed of forgetfulness; do not forget but remember God, andhis kindness, patience, and mercy, to those that yet neither havegrace, nor special favour from him, and that will beget and nourishhis fear in thy heart, but forgetfulness of this, or of any otherof his judgments, is a great wound and weakening to this fear (Job21:6). When a man well remembers that God's judgments are so greata deep and mystery, as indeed they are, that remembrance puts a manupon such considerations of God and of his judgments as to make himfear--"Therefore, " said Job, "I am afraid of him. " See the place, Job 23:15. "Therefore am I troubled at his presence; when I consider, I am afraid of him"--when I remember and consider of the wonderfuldepths of his judgments towards man. 

Seventh. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heedof A MURMURING AND REPINING HEART, for that is not a heart forthis grace of fear to grow in. As for instance, when men murmur andrepine at God's hand, at his dispensations, and at the judgments thatovertake them, in their persons, estates, families, or relations, that their murmuring tendeth to destroy fear; for a murmuringspirit is such an one as seems to correct God, and to find faultwith his dispensations, and where there is that, the heart is farfrom fear. A murmuring spirit either comes from that wisdom thatpretends to understand that there is a failure in the nature andexecution of things, or from an envy and spite at the execution ofthem. Now if murmurings arise from this pretended wisdom of theflesh, then instead of fearing of God, his actions are judged to beeither rigid or ridiculous, which yet are done in judgment, truth, and righteousness. So that a murmuring heart cannot be a good onefor the fear of God to grow in. Alas! the heart where that growsmust be a soft one; as you have it in Job 23:15, 16; and a heartthat will stoop and be silent at the most abstruse of all hisjudgments--"I was dumb, because THOU didst it. " The heart in whichthis fear of God doth flourish is such, that it bows and is mute, if it can but espy the hand, wisdom, justice, or holiness of God inthis or the other of his dispensations, and so stirs up the soulto fear before him. But if this murmuring ariseth from envy andspite, that looketh so like to the spirit of the devil, that nothingneed be said to give conviction of the horrible wickedness of it. 

Eighth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heedof A HIGH AND CAPTIOUS SPIRIT, for that is not good ground for thefear of God to grow in. A meek and quiet spirit is the best, andthere the fear of God will flourish most; therefore Peter putsmeekness and fear together, as being most suited in their natureand natural tendency one to another (1 Peter 3:15). Meekness ofspirit is like that heart that hath depth of earth in it in whichthings may take root and grow; but a high and captious spirit islike to the stony ground, where there is not depth of earth, andconsequently, where this grace of fear cannot grow; therefore takeheed of this kind of spirit, if thou wouldest that the fear of Godshould grow in thy soul. 

Ninth. Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then take heedof AN ENVIOUS HEART, for that is not a good heart for the fear ofGod to grow in. "Let not thine heart envy sinners; but be thou inthe fear of the Lord all the day long" (Prov 23:17). To envy anyis a sign of a bad spirit, and that man takes upon him, as I havealready hinted, to be a controller and a judge, yea, and a maliciousexecutioner too, and that of that fury that ariseth from his ownlusts and revengeful spirit, upon (perhaps) the man that is morerighteous than himself. But suppose he is a sinner that is the objectof thine envy, why, the text sets that envy in direct oppositionto the fear of God; "Envy not sinners, but be thou in the fear ofGod. " These two, therefore, to wit, envy to sinners and fearing ofGod, are opposites. Thou canst not fear God, and envy sinners too. And the reason is, because he that envieth a sinner, hath forgottenhimself, that he is as bad; and how can he then fear God? He thatenvies sinners rejects his duty of blessing of them that curse, and praying for them that despitefully use us; and how can he thathath rejected this, fear God? He that envieth sinners, therefore, cannot be of a good spirit, nor can the fear of God grow in hisheart. 

Tenth. Lastly, Wouldest thou grow in this grace of fear? then takeheed of HARDENING THY HEART at any time against convictions toparticular duties, as to prayer, alms, self-denial, or the like. Take heed also of hardening thy heart, when thou art under anyjudgment of God, as sickness, losses, crosses, or the like. I bidyou before to beware of a hard heart, but now I bid you beware ofhardening your soft ones. For to harden the heart is to make itworse than it is; harder, more desperate, and bold against God, than at the present it is. Now, I say, if thou wouldest grow in thisgrace of fear, take heed of hardening thy heart, and especially ofhardening of it against convictions to good; for those convictionsare sent of God like seasonable showers of rain, to keep the tillage ofthy heart in good order, that the grace of fear may grow therein;but this stifling of convictions makes the heart as hard as apiece of the nether millstone. Therefore happy is he that receivethconviction, for so he doth keep in the fear of God, and that fearthereby nourished in his soul; but cursed is he that dothotherwise--"Happy is the man that feareth alway; but he thathardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief" (Prov 28:14). 

USE THIRD, of encouragement. 

USE THIRD. I come now to A USE OF ENCOURAGEMENT to those that areblessed with this grace of fear. The last text that was mentionedsaith, "Happy is the man that feareth alway, " and so doth manymore. Happy already, because blessed with this grace; and happyfor time to come, because this grace shall abide, and continue tillthe soul that hath it is brought unto the mansion-house of glory. "I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart fromme. " Therefore, as here it saith, Happy is he, so it saith also, It shall go well with him, that is, in time to come. "It shall bewell with them that fear God" (Eccl 8:12). 

First. Had God given thee all the world, yet cursed hadst thou been, if he had not given thee the fear of the Lord; for the fashion ofthis world is a fading thing, but he that feareth the Lord shallabide for ever and ever. This therefore is the first thing that Iwould propound for thy encouragement, thou man that fears the Lord. This grace will dwell in thy heart, for it is a new covenant grace, and will abide with thee for ever. It is sent to thee from God, not only to join thy heart unto him, but to keep thee from finalapostasy--"I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall notdepart from me" (Jer 32:40). That thou mayest never forsake God, is his design, and therefore, to keep thee from that wicked thing, he hath put his fear in thy heart. Many are the temptations, difficulties, snares, traps, trials, and troubles that the peopleof God pass through in the world, but how shall they be kept, howshall they be delivered, and escape? Why, the answer is, The fearof God will keep them--"He that feareth God shall come forth ofthem all. "

Is it not therefore a wonderful mercy to be blessed with thisgrace of fear, that thou by it mayest be kept from final, whichis damnable apostasy? Bless God, therefore, thou blessed man, thathast this grace of fear in thy soul. There are five things in thisgrace of fear that have a direct tendency in them to keep thee fromfinal apostasy. 

1. It is seated in the heart, and the heart is, as I may call it, the main fort in the mystical world, man. It is not placed in thehead, as knowledge is; nor in the mouth, as utterance is, but inthe heart, the seat of all, "I will put my fear in their hearts. "If a king will keep a town secure to himself, let him be sure toman sufficiently the main fort thereof. If he have twenty thousandmen well armed, yet if they lie scattered here and there, the townmay be taken for all that, but if the main fort be well manned, thenthe town is more secure. What if a man had all the parts, yea, allthe arts of men and angels? That will not keep the heart to God. But when the heart, this principal fort, is possessed with the fearof God, then he is safe, but not else. 

2. As the heart in general, so the will in special. That chief andgreat faculty of the soul is the principle that is acted by thisfear. The will, which way that goes, all goes; if it be to heavenor hell. Now the will, I say, is that main faculty that is governedby this fear that doth possess the soul, therefore all is liketo go well with it. This Samuel insinuateth, where he saith, "Ifye will fear the Lord. " Fearing of God is a voluntary act of thewill, and that being so, the soul is kept from rebellion againstthe commandment, because by the will where this fear of God isplaced, and which it governeth, is led all the rest of the powersof the soul (1 Sam 12:14). In this will, then, is this fear of Godplaced, that this grace may the better be able to govern the soul, and so by consequence the whole man; for as I said before, lookwhat way the will goes, look what the will does, thither goes, andthat does, the whole man (Psa 110:3). Man, when his will is alienatefrom God, is reckoned rebellious throughout, and that not withoutground, for the will is the principal faculty of the soul as toobedience, and therefore things done without the will are as ifthey were not done at all. The spirit is willing; if ye be willing;"she hath done what she could, " and the like; by these and such-likesayings the goodness of the heart and action is judged, as to thesubjective part thereof. Now this fear that we have been speakingof, is placed in the soul, and so consequently in the will, that theman may thereby the better be kept from final and damnable apostasy. 

3. This fear, as I may say, even above every other grace, is God'swell-wisher; and hence it is called, as I also have showed you, hisfear. As he also says in the text mentioned above, "I will put myfear in their hearts. " These words, his and my, they are intimateand familiar expressions, bespeaking not only great favour to man, but a very great trust put in him. As who should say, this fearis my special friend, it will subject and bow the soul, and theseveral faculties thereof, to my pleasure; it is my great favourite, and subdueth sinners to my pleasure. You shall rarely find faithor repentance, or parts, go under such familiar characters as thisblessed fear of the Lord doth. Of all the counsellors and mightiesthat David had, Hushai only was called the king's friend (2 Sam15:37, 16:16). So of all the graces of the Spirit this of the fearof God goes mostly, if not always, by the title of MY fear, God'sfear, HIS fear, &c. I told you before, if the king will keep a town, the main fort therein must be sufficiently manned: and now I willadd, that if he have not to govern those men some trusty and specialfriend, such as Hushai was to David, he may find it lost when itshould stand him in greatest stead. If a soul should be possessedwith all things possible, yet if this fear of God be wanting, allother things will give place in time of rebellion, and the soulshall be found in, and under the conduct of hell, when it shouldstand up for God and his truth in the world. This fear of God, itis God's special friend, and therefore it has given unto it thechief seat of the heart, the will, that the whole man may now be, and also be kept hereafter, in the subjection and obedience of thegospel. For, 4. This grace of fear is the softest and most tender of God's honourof any other grace. It is that tender, sensible, and tremblinggrace, that keepeth the soul upon its continual watch. To keep agood watch is, you know, a wonderful safety to a place that is incontinual danger because of the enemy. Why, this is the grace thatsetteth the watch, and that keepeth the watchmen awake (Can 3:7, 8). A man cannot watch as he should, if he be destitute of fear: let himbe confident, and he sleeps; he unadvisedly lets into the garrisonthose that should not come there. Israel's fault when they came toCanaan was, that they made a covenant with the inhabitants of theland, to wit, the Gibeonites, without asking counsel of God. Butwould they have done so, think you, if at the same time the fearof God had had its full play in the soul, in the army? no, they atthat time forgot to fear. The grace of fear had not at that timeits full stroke and sway among them. 

5. This grace of fear is that which, as I may so say, first affectsthe hearts of saints with judgments, after we have sinned, and sois as a beginning grace to bring again that to rights that by sinis put out of frame. O it is a precious grace of God! I know whatI say in this matter, and also where I had been long ago, throughthe power of my lusts, and the wiles of the devil, had it not beenfor the fear of God. 

Second. But secondly, another encouragement for those that areblessed with this blessed grace of fear is this, --this fear failsnot to do this work for the soul, if there in truth, be it neverso small in measure. A little of this leaven "leaveneth the wholelump. " True, a little will not do, or help the soul to do thoseworthy exploits in the heart or life as well as a bigger measurethereof; nor, indeed, can a little of any grace do that whicha bigger measure will; but a little will preserve the soul fromfinal apostasy, and deliver it into the arms of the Son of God atthe final judgment. Wherefore, when he saith, "I will put my fearin their hearts, " he says not, I will put so much of it there, sucha quantity, or such a degree; but, "I will put my fear there. " Ispeak not this in the least to tempt the godly man to be contentwith the least degree of the fear of God in his heart. True, menshould be glad that God hath put even the least degree of thisgrace into their souls, but they should not be content therewith;they should earnestly covet more, pray for more, and use all lawful, that is, all the means of God's appointing, that they may get more. 

There are, as I have said already, several degrees of this grace offear, and our wisdom is to grow in it, as in all the other gracesof the Spirit. The reasons why, I have showed you, and also the wayto grow therein; but the least measure thereof will do as I said, that is, keep the soul from final apostasy. There are, as I haveshowed you, those that greatly fear the Lord, that fear exceedingly, and that fear him above many of their brethren; but the small inthis grace are saved as well as those that are great therein: "Hewill bless" or save "them that fear him, both small and great. "This fear of the Lord is the pulse of the soul; and as some pulsesbeat stronger, some weaker, so is this grace of fear in the soul. They that beat best are a sign of best life, but they that beatworst show that life is [barely] present. As long as the pulsebeats, we count not that the man is dead, though weak; and thisfear, where it is, preserves to everlasting life. Pulses there arealso that are intermitting; to wit, such as have their times fora little, a little time to stop, and beat again; true, these aredangerous pulses, but yet too a sign of life. This fear of God alsois sometimes like this intermitting pulse; there are times when itforbears to work, and then it works again. David had an intermittingpulse, Peter had an intermitting pulse, as also many other of thesaints of God. I call that an intermitting pulse, with referenceto the fear we speak of, when there is some obstruction by theworkings of corruptions in the soul; I say, some obstruction from, and hindrance of, the continual motion of this fear of God; yetnone of these, though they are various, and some of them signsof weakness, are signs of death, but life. "I will put my fear intheir hearts, that they shall not depart from me. "

Quest. But you may say, How shall I know that I fear God?

Answ. If I should say that desires, true sincere desires to fearhim, is fear itself. I should not say amiss (Neh 1:11). For althougha desire to be, or do so and so, makes not a man to be in temporalor natural things what he desires to be--for a sick, or poor, or imprisoned man may desire to be well, to be rich, or to beat liberty, and yet be as they are, sick, poor, or in prison--yetin spirituals, a man's desire to be good, to believe, to love, tohope, and fear God, doth flow from the nature of grace itself. 

I said before, that in temporals a man could not properly be saidto be what he was not; yet a man, even in naturals or temporals, shows his love to that thing that he desires, whether it be health, riches, or liberty; and in spirituals, desires of, from love tothis or that grace of God, sincere desires of it flow from the rootof the grace itself--"Thy servants who desire to fear thy name. "Nehemiah bore himself before God upon this, "that he desired tofear his name. " And hence again it is said concerning desires, truedesires, "The desire of man is his kindness" (Prov 19:22). For aman shows his heart, his love, his affections, and his delights, in his desires; and since the grace of the fear of God is a graceso pleasant in the sight of God, and of so sanctifying a naturein the soul where it is, a true sincere desire to be blessed withthat grace must needs flow from some being of this grace in thesoul already. 

True desires are lower than higher acts of grace, but God will notoverlook desires--"But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God;for he hath prepared for them a city. " Mark, they desire a country, and they shall have a city. At this low place, to wit, sinceredesires, God will meet the soul and will tell him that he hathaccepted of his desires, that his desires are his kindness, andflow from grace itself: "He will fulfil the desire of them that fearhim. " Therefore desires are not rejected of God; but they would, if they did not flow from a principle of grace already in the soul;therefore desires, sincere desires to fear God, flow from gracealready in the soul. Therefore, since thou fearest God, and it isevident by thy desires that thou dost so do, thou art happy nowin this thy fear, and shalt be happy for ever hereafter in theenjoyment of that which God in another world hath laid up for themthat fear him. 

Third. Another encouragement for those that have this grace of fearis this; this grace can make that man, that in many other thingsis not capable of serving of God, serve him better than those thathave all without it. Poor Christian man, thou hast scarce been ableto do anything for God all thy days, but only to fear the Lord. Thou art no preacher, and so canst not do him service that way;thou art no rich man, and so canst not do him service with outwardsubstance; thou art no wise man, and so canst not do anything thatway; but here is thy mercy, thou fearest God. Though thou canstnot preach, thou canst fear God. Though thou hast no bread to feedthe belly, nor fleece to clothe the back of the poor, thou canstfear God. O how "blessed is the man that feareth the Lord"; becausethis duty of fearing of God is an act of the mind, and may bedone by the man that is destitute of all things but that holy andblessed mind. 

Blessed therefore is that man, for God hath not laid the comfortof his people in the doing of external duties, nor the salvationof their souls, but in believing, loving, and fearing God. Neitherhath he laid these things in actions done in their health nor in thedue management of their most excellent parts, but in the receivingof Christ, and fear of God. The which, good Christian, thou mayestdo, and do acceptably, even though thou shouldest lie bed-rid allthy days; thou mayest also be sick and believe; be sick and love, be sick and fear God, and so be a blessed man. And here the poorChristian hath something to answer them that reproach him for hisignoble pedigree, and shortness of the glory of the wisdom of theworld. True, may that man say, I was taken out of the dunghill, Iwas born in a base and low estate, but I fear God. I have no worldlygreatness, nor excellency of natural parts, but I fear God. 

When Obadiah met with Elijah, he gave him no worldly and fantasticalcompliment, nor did he glory in his promotion by Ahab the king ofIsrael, but gravely, and after a gracious manner, said, "I thy servantfear the Lord from my youth. " Also when the mariners inquired ofJonah, saying, "What is thine occupation, and whence comest thou?what is thy country, and of what people art thou?" This was theanswer he gave them, "I am a Hebrew, and I fear the Lord, the Godof heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land" (Jonah 1:8, 9). Indeed this answer is the highest, and most noble in the world, nor are there any, save a few, that in truth can thus expressthemselves, though other answers they had enough; most can say, I have wisdom, or might, or riches, or friends, or health, or thelike; these are common, and are greatly boasted in by the most;but he is the man that feareth God, and he that can say, when theysay to him, What art thou? "I thy servant fear the Lord, " he isthe man of many, he is to be honoured of men: though this, to wit, that he feareth the Lord, is all that he hath in the world. Hehath the thing, the honour, the life, and glory that is lasting;his blessedness will abide when all men's but his is buried in thedust, in shame and contempt. [35]

A word to hypocrites. 

Hypocrites, my last word is to you; the hypocrite is one that wouldappear to be that in men's eyes that is nothing of in God's--thouhypocrite, that wouldest be esteemed to be one that loves and thatfears God, but does not; I have this to say to thee, thy conditionis damnable, because thou art a hypocrite, and seekest to deceiveboth God and man with guises, vizards, masks, shows, pretences, andthy formal, carnal, feigned subjection to the outside of statutes, laws, and commandments; but within thou art full of rottenness andall excess. 

Hypocrite, thou mayest by thy cunning shifts be veiled and hid frommen, but thou art naked before the eyes of God, and he knoweth thathis fear is not in thy heart (Luke 16:15). 

Hypocrite, be admonished that there is not obedience accepted ofGod, where the heart is destitute of this grace of fear. Keepingof the commandments is but one part of the duty of man, and Pauldid that, even while he was a hypocrite (Phil 3). To "fear God andkeep his commandments, this is the whole duty of man" (Eccl 12:13). This--fear God--the hypocrite, as a hypocrite, cannot do, andtherefore, as such, cannot escape the damnation of hell. 

Hypocrite, thou must fear God first, even before thou dost offer tomeddle with the commandments, that is, as to the keeping of them. Indeed, thou shouldest read therein, that thou mayest learn to fearthe Lord, but yet, "fear God" goes before the command to keep hiscommandments. And if thou dost not fear God first, thou transgressest, instead of keeping of the commandments. 

Hypocrite, this word, FEAR GOD, is that which the hypocrite quiteforgets, although it is that which sanctifies the whole duty ofman. For this is that, and nothing without it, that can make a mansincere in his obedience; the hypocrite looks for applause abroad, and forgets that he is condemned at home, and both these he doesbecause he wanteth the fear of God. 

Hypocrite, be admonished that none of the privileges that arespoken of in the former part of the book belongs to thee, becausethou art a hypocrite; and if thou hope, thy hope shall be cut off, and if thou lean upon thy house, both thou and it shall fall intohell-fire. Triumph then, thy triumph is but for awhile. Joy then, but the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment (Job 8:13, 15, 20:4-6). 

Perhaps thou wilt not let go now, what, as a hypocrite, thou hastgot; but "what is the hope of the hypocrite, when God taketh awayhis soul?" (Job 27:8). Hypocrite, thou shouldest have chosen thefear of God, as thou hast chosen a profession without it, but thouhast cast off fear, because thou art a hypocrite; and because thouart such, thou shalt have the same measure that thou metest; Godwill cast thee off, because thou art a hypocrite. God hath prepareda fear for thee because thou didst not choose the fear of God, andthat fear shall come upon thee like desolation, and like an armedman, and shall swallow thee up, thou and all that thou art (Prov1:27). 

Hypocrite, read this text and tremble--"The sinners in Zion areafraid, fearfulness hath surprised the hypocrites. Who among usshall dwell with the devouring fire? who among us shall dwell witheverlasting burnings?" (Isa 33:13, 14). 

Hypocrite, thou art not under the fatherly protection of God, because thou art a hypocrite, and wantest his fear in thine heart. The eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him, to deliver them. But the fearless man or hypocrite is left to the snares and wilesof the devil, to be caught therein and overcome, because he isdestitute of the fear of God. 

Hypocrite, thou art like to have no other reward of God for thylabour than that which the goats shall have;[36] the hypocrite, because he is a hypocrite, shall not stand in God's sight. Thegain of thy religion thou spendest as thou gettest it. Thou wiltnot have one farthing overplus at death and judgment. 

Hypocrite, God hath not intrusted thee with the least dram of hissaving grace, nor will he, because thou art a hypocrite: and as forwhat thou hast, thou hast stolen it, even every man of you from hisneighbour; still pilfering out of their profession, even as Judasdid out of the bag. Thou comest like a thief into thy profession, and like a thief thou shalt go out of the same. Jesus Christ hathnot counted thee faithful to commit to thee any of his jewels tokeep, because thou fearest him not. He hath given his "banner tothem that fear him, that it may be displayed because of the truth"(Psa 60:4). 

Hypocrite, thou art not true to God nor man, nor thine own soul, because thou art a hypocrite! How should the Lord put any trustin thee? Why should the saints look for any good from thee? ShouldGod give thee his Word, thou wilt sell it. Should men commit theirsouls to thee, thou wilt destroy them, by making merchandise ofthem, for thy own hypocritical designs. Yea, if the sun waxes hot, thou wilt throw all away, and not endure the heat, because thouart a hypocrite!

FOOTNOTES:

[1]This is a very remarkable illustration of godly fear. Jacob doesnot swear by the omnipresence or omniscience of God--nor by hisomnipotence--nor by his love or mercy in his covenant--nor by theGod of Abraham, but by the "fear of his father Isaac"--the soleobject of his adoration. A most striking and solemn appeal toJehovah, fixing upon our hearts that Divine proverb, "The fear ofthe Lord is the beginning of wisdom"--the source of all happiness, both in time and in eternity. --Ed. 

[2] It is of solemn importance that we feel the vast differencebetween holy and unholy familiarity with God. Has he adopted us intohis family? Can we, by a new birth, say "Our Father?" Still he isin heaven, we on earth. He is infinite in purity; Holy, Holy, Holyis his name. We are defiled, and can only approach his presencein the righteousness of the Saviour and Mediator. Then, O my soul, if it is thy bliss to draw near to the throne of grace with holyboldness, let it be with reverence and godly fear. --Ed. 

[3] It is an awful thing to appeal to God for the truth of a lie!All appeals to God, not required by law, are worse than useless;they are wicked, and cast a doubt on the veracity of those who makethem--Ed. 

[4] "To give the back"; to forsake, to depart, to treat withcontempt. See Imperial Dictionary, vol. I. P. 145. --Ed. 

[5] The genuine disciple "who thinketh no evil" will say, Can thisbe so now? Yes, reader, it is. Some go to God's house to worshiptheir ease and forgetfulness in sleep; some for worldly purposes;some to admire the beauty of the frail body; but many to worship Godin spirit and in truth. Reader, inquire to which of these classesyou belong. --Ed. 

[6] They worshipped God, not according to his appointment, buttheir own inventions--the direction of their false prophets, ortheir idolatrous kings, or the usages of the nations round aboutthem. The tradition of the elders was of more value and validitywith them than God's laws by Moses. This our Saviour applies to theJews in his time, who were formal in their devotions, and wedded totheir own inventions; and pronounces concerning them that in vaindo they worship God. How many still in worship regard the inventionsof man, and traditions of the church, more than the commands ofGod. --Ed. 

[7] The Word is the decree upon which we must depend or perish. Invain, poor sinner, is any reliance upon churches or men; neitherPapist nor Protestant have any power "committed unto them" toforgive sins. If they claim it, believe them not, but pity theirpride and delusion. Christ is the Rock, and not poor erring Peter, as some have vainly imagined. Peter is dead, awaiting the resurrectionof his body, and the great day of judgment; but Christ ever livethat all times, and in all places, able to save unto the uttermost. Put no trust in man, but in thy broken spirit seek the blessing ofChrist, that he may pardon thy sins. --Ed. 

[8] The fear of the wicked arises from a corrupt, sinful, self-condemning conscience; they fear God as an angry judge, andtherefore consider him as their enemy. As they love and will not partwith their sins, so they are in continual dread of punishment. --Mason. 

[9] "To-elbow all his days in his lord's vineyard"; to sit or standidly resting upon his elbows, instead of labouring in the vineyard. "A sovereign shame so elbows him. "--King Lear, Act iv, Scene 3. --Ed. 

[10] "Gear"; apparel, furniture, implements. "The apostles werenot fixed in their residence, but were ready in their gears to movewhither they were called. "--Barrow. --Ed. 

[11] God does not limit himself as to his mode of calling poorsinners. The three thousand he convinced at one hour, and theyimmediately made a profession, but Bunyan was for years in a stateof alarming uncertainty; some are driven by fiery terrors, othersby a still small voice. Reader, our anxious inquiry should be, Have we entered in by Christ the gate? Are our fruits meet forrepentance? Let no one vaunt of his experience, because he gowell bedaubed with the dirt of the slough. Every soul that entersthe gate is equally a miracle of grace. --Ed. 

[12] This is remarkably instanced in Bunyan's Grace Abounding. --Ed. 

[13] Those who are adopted into the family of heaven are "justifiedfrom all things"; being delivered from sin, the curse, and wrath, "there is now no condemnation for them"; and trusting to Jesus'precious blood of pardon, to his righteousness for acceptance, andto his grace for sanctification, they are, by the indwelling ofthe Spirit which adopted them, possessed of that love which castethout fear, and rejoiceth in hope of the glory of God. And to thosewho, through their manifold infirmities and departures, are oftenbeset with unbelieving fears, the Lord says, for their encouragement, "Fear thou not, for I am with thee; I will help thee; yea, I will upholdthee with the right hand of my righteousness" (Isa 41:10). --Mason. 

[14] Effectual grace in the soul is accompanied by doubts andfears, owing to the remains of indwelling corruption; hence arisesa continual warfare. Believer, how needful is it ever to retainyour confidence and assurance of your Lord's love to you! Rely onhis faithfulness, persevere steadfastly in the way of duty, lookingto Jesus, and living upon his fulness. --Mason. How does all thisreasoning remind us of Bunyan's own experience, recorded in hisGrace Abounding; he was not ignorant of Satan's devices. --Ed. 

[15] Alas! how few attain to this most blessed state. To delightso in the Word--to make it so much our daily study, and the objectof our meditations at night, as to have "its very form engravenupon the face of our souls. " Happy is the man that is in such acase. O my soul, why is it not thy case?--Ed. 

[16] The filial fear of God is most prevalent when the heartis impressed with a lively sense of the love of God manifested inChrist. As a dutiful and obedient child fears to offend an affectionateparent, or as a person of grateful heart would be extremely carefulnot to grieve a kind and bountiful friend, who is continually loadinghim with favours and promoting his true happiness; so, and muchmore, will the gracious soul be afraid of displeasing the Lord, his bountiful and unwearied benefactor, who is crowning him withloving kindness and tender mercies. --Mason. 

[17] It is no new thing for those who are in public places, toseek themselves more than the public welfare; nay, and to servethemselves by the public loss. --Henry. 

[18] How does this remind us of the character of By-ends in the"Pilgrim's Progress" !--Ed. 

[19] So Ainsworth understands, p. 134, vol. 10. He renders it, "lurking lions, which are lusty, strong-toothed, fierce, roaring, and ravenous. And hereby, " says he, "may be meant the rich and mightyof the world, whom God often bringeth to misery. " "They that areravenous, and prey on all about them, shall want, but the meek shallinherit the earth; they shall not want who, with quiet obedience, work and mind their own business; plain-hearted Jacob has pottageenough, when Esau, the cunning hunter, is ready to perish. "Henry. --Ed. 

[20] "The conduct of angels" means not merely their guiding pilgrimsin the way, but also, in a military sense, a guard, or what is nowcalled a convoy. --Ed. 

[21] See margin, Genesis 41:43, and 40:8. --Ed. 

[22] To publish by sound of trumpet, to trumpet good tidings. InBunyan's time it was never used ironically. --Ed. 

[23] This if from the Bible, and not from the inferior version inthe Book of Common Prayer, commonly called the reading Psalms. --Ed. 

[24] Sternhold and Hopkin's edit. 1635. --The propriety of singingin public worship was strongly debated by some of the Nonconformists. There were very weighty reasons, in persecuting times, for meetingsbeing held as quietly as possible. The Quakers to this day do notadmit singing in their assemblies. The introduction of this psalmproves that Bunyan was acquainted with the "singing" Psalms, and, in all probability, practised singing in public worship. WhenJames I. Improved this version for church use, called the Psalmsof KING David, translated by KING James, his last four lines are--

 Thou of Jerusalem shalt see While as thou liv'st the good, Thou shalt thy children's children see, And peace on Israel's brood. 

How blessed are we in our day with the poetry of Watts, Wesley, and a host of others, who have supplied the church with beautifulsoul-inspiring compositions, without fear to restrain us in usingthem. --Ed. 

[25] No one can charge Bunyan with a superstitious notion of dreams, whether asleep or as if asleep. Such a mode of interpretationas he recommends is both rational and scriptural. To dream awakeis thus explained--"They dream on in a course of reading withoutdigesting. "--Locke. --Ed. 

[26] Whoever thou art, beseech the Lord to weigh thee in thebalances of the sanctuary. No fear of God--no grace in the soul. Of this class is the proud, the covetous, the glutton, the liar, the apostate, the perverter of God's people from the right way;obstinate and incorrigible backsliders; those who neither mournnor sigh for the wickedness of the land; they that prefer theirown fancies, dreams, frames, and feelings, to the Word of God;swearers, adulterers, perjured persons, and oppressors of the poor;they that insult the godly, and rejoice at their sufferings; theythat have no love, gratitude, nor sense of duty to God, as thefountain of their unmerited mercies. O reader, give God no restuntil, by his Word and Spirit, he imparts to thee this holy fear asthe earnest of glory hereafter; without it you are perishing. --Mason. --Ed. 

[27] "Snaffle"; a loose bridle with a curb. "To snaffle"; to beeasily led. 

 "The third o' the' world is yours, which with a snaffle, You may pace easy, but not such a wise. " Antony and Cleopatra. --Ed. 

[28] How familiar but striking an illustration. Reader, look wellto the mainspring, and see also that the wheels are not clogged. We ought to be living epistles, known and read of all men. --Ed. 

[29] "A royster"; a violent, riotous, blustering, turbulent, fellow--a species of men now much out of date, as are jails andgibbets, sword and burning stake. How great and true that couragewhich could look at, and expect, such trials, without shrinking, when they were threatened as a reward for love to Christ and holyobedience to his gospel!--Ed. 

[30] This is a very strong and striking expression. "To soak, "means to imbibe as much as we can contain; and as to the influenceof godly fear, happy shall we be in proportion as we are enabledto follow Bunyan's advice. --Ed. 

[31] The words, "he made them houses, " we humbly suggest, may notonly mean that these God-fearing women had safe dwelling-places, but, in a more extensive sense, God made them the heads of honourablefamilies, see 1 Samuel 2:35; 2 Samuel 7:11, 13, 27, 29; 1 Kings2:24, 11:28. So David's prayer was, "Let my house be establishedbefore thee; thou, O my God, wilt build me an house" (1 Chron17:24, 25). --Ed. 

[32] Royal patents, in Bunyan's time, were lucrative but most oppressive, conferring upon favourites, or their nominees, an exclusive rightto deal in any article of manufacture. But the patent to God'sfearers, to trust in him when involved in darkness and distress, is a blessed privilege, injurious to none. --Ed. 

[33] "Grabbling"; sprawling along, drawing the body, by the hands, through a small aperture in a mine. --Ed. 

[34] "Tines"; from the Saxon; the teeth or spikes in the rowel ofa spur. --Ed. 

[35] "Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord. " Blessednessshall attend him all the way to heaven, in proportion as that fearabounds. It is a heaven on earth to live in the constant fear ofGod--to have a reverential awe and fear of his majesty immovablyfixed and implanted in the soul. The grace of fear has an eminentinfluence in a Christian's sanctification; it is a powerful restraintfrom sin. A holy fear of God, and a humble fear of ourselves, which are alike of Divine operation, will preserve us from sin andengage us to obedience. God will be our protector and instructor, our guide and our everlasting deliverer from all evil. Let us notrest satisfied with the greatest attainments short of "perfectingholiness in the fear of God. "--Mason. 

[36] By the goats we are to understand the hypocrites and thefinally impenitent, who will depart into everlasting fire, preparedfor the devil and his angels; see Matthew 25:32, 33-41. --Ed. 

***

THE DOCTRINE

OF

THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED;

OR, A DISCOURSE TOUCHING THE LAW AND GRACE; THE NATURE OF THE ONE, ANDTHE NATURE OF THE OTHER; SHOWING WHAT THEY ARE, AS THEY ARE THETWO COVENANTS; AND LIKEWISE, WHO THEY BE, AND WHAT THEIR CONDITIONSARE, THAT BE UNDER EITHER OF THESE TWO COVENANTS:

Wherein, for the better understanding of the reader, there areseveral questions answered touching the law and grace, very easy tobe read, and as easy to be understood, by those that are the sonsof wisdom, the children of the second covenant. 

"For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a betterhope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God" (Heb 7:19). 

"Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith withoutthe deeds of the law" (Rom 3:28). 

"To him [therefore] that worketh not, but believeth on Him thatjustifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness"(Rom 4:5). 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

It is difficult to understand those peculiar trials which calledforth the mighty energies of Bunyan's mind, unless we are acquaintedwith the times in which he lived. The trammels of statecraft andpriestcraft had been suddenly removed from religion, and men wereleft to form their own opinions as to rites and ceremonies. In thisstate of abrupt liberty, some wild enthusiasts ran into singularerrors; and Bunyan's first work on "Gospel Truths" was publishedto correct them. Then followed that alarm to thoughtless souls--"AFew Sighs from Hell"; and, in 1659, as a further declaration of themost important truths of revelation, this work on the two covenantswas sent forth to chastise error, and comfort the saints of God. It was published many times during the author's life; and sincethen, to a late period, very large impressions have been circulated. Upon a subject of such vast importance--upon which hangs all oureternal interests--all our indescribable joys or sorrows in a futureand never-ending state--the requirements of our Creator--and Hisgracious provision of pardoning mercy, upon our failing to keepHis Law--these are subjects of intense interest. How important isit that all our researches into these solemn realities should beguided simply by the revealed will of God! That was the fountainat which Bunyan drunk in all his knowledge; and with simplicity, and most earnest desire to promote the glory of God in the salvationof sinners, he here gives the result of his patient, prayerful, painful investigation. The humble dependence upon Divine mercy whichthe author felt is very striking. He was sensible of his want ofeducation; "no vain, whimsical, scholar-like terms"--no philosophyfrom Plato or Aristotle. He felt, as to human teaching, his weakness, but proved that, "when he was weak, then was he strong. " He claimedan interest in the fervent prayers of his fellow saints--"My heartis vile, the devil lieth at watch, trust myself I dare not; ifGod do not help me, my heart will deceive me. " This was the properspirit in which to enter upon so solemn a subject; and the aid hesought was vouchsafed to him, and appears throughout this importantwork. His first object is to define what is the Law, a strictobedience to which is exacted upon all mankind. It was given toAdam, and was afterwards more fully developed upon Mount Sinai. It commands implicit, universal, perfect obedience, upon pain ofeternal ruin. He shows us that man, under the influence of thatlaw, and while a stranger to the Law of Grace, may repent and reformhis conduct, become a member of a Christian church, be a virginwaiting for his Lord, "but not step even upon the lowest round ofthe ladder that reacheth to heaven. " While man is a stranger to thenew birth, "his destiny is the lion's den; yea, worse than that, to be thrown into Hell to the very devils. " Bunyan in this, aswell as all other of his works, is awfully severe upon those whosay, "Let us sin that grace may abound, " perverting the consolatorydoctrine of Divine grace to their souls' destruction. "What!because Christ is a Saviour, wilt thou be a sinner! because Hisgrace abounds, therefore thou wilt abound in sin! O wicked wretch!rake Hell all over, and surely I think thy fellow will scarcebe found. If Christ will not serve their turn, but they must havetheir sins too, take them, Devil; if Heaven will not satisfy them, take them, Hell; devour them, burn them, Hell!" "Tell the hogs ofthis world what a hog-sty is prepared for them, even such an oneas a God hath prepared to put the devil and his angels into. "

To the distressed, sin-beaten Christian, this book abounds withconsolation, and instructions how to overcome the devices of Satan, who will plant the Ten Commandments, like ten great guns, to destroythy hopes. "Learn to outshoot the devil in his own bow, and to cutoff his head with his own sword. Doth Satan tell thee thou prayestbut faintly and with cold devotions? Answer him, I am glad you toldme, I will trust the more to Christ's prayers, and groan, sigh, and cry more earnestly at the Throne of Grace. " To such readersas have been driven to the verge of despair by a fear of havingcommitted the unpardonable sin, here is strong consolation, and avery explicit scriptural definition of that awful crime. Want ofspace prevents me adding more than my earnest desire that the readingof this treatise may be productive of solid peace and comfort. --ED. 

THE EPISTLE TO THE READER

READER, If at any time there be held forth by the preacher the freenessand fullness of the Gospel, together with the readiness of the Lordof Peace to receive those that have any desire thereto, presentlyit is the spirit of the world to cry out, Sure this man disdainsthe law, slights the law, and counts that of none effect; and allbecause there is not, together with the Gospel, mingled the doctrineof the law, which is not a right dispensing of the Word accordingto truth and knowledge. Again; if there be the terror, horror, andseverity of the law discovered to a people by the servants of JesusChrist, though they do not speak of it to the end people shouldtrust to it, by relying on it as it is a covenant of works; butrather that they should be driven further from that covenant, evento embrace the tenders and privileges of the second, yet, poorsouls, because they are unacquainted with the natures of thesetwo covenants, or either of them, therefore, "they say, " "Hereis nothing but preaching of the law, thundering of the law"; when, alas, if these two be not held forth--to wit, the Covenant ofWorks and the Covenant of Grace, together with the nature of theone and the nature of the other--souls will never be able either toknow what they are by nature or what they lie under. Also, neithercan they understand what grace is, nor how to come from under thelaw to meet God in and through that other most glorious covenant, through which and only through which, God can communicate of Himselfgrace, glory, yea, even all the good things of another world. 

I, having considered these things, together with others, have madebold to present yet once more to thy view, my friend, something ofthe mind of God, to the end, if it shall be but blessed to thee, thou mayest be benefited thereby; for verily these things are notsuch as are ordinary and of small concernment, but do absolutelyconcern thee to know, and that experimentally too, if ever thoudo partake of the glory of God through Jesus Christ, and so escapethe terror and insupportable vengeance that will otherwise comeupon thee through His justice, because of thy living and dying inthy transgressions against the Law of God. And therefore, whilethou livest here below, it is thy duty, if thou wish thyself happyfor the time to come, to give up thyself to the studying of thesetwo covenants treated of in the ensuing discourse; and so to studythem until thou, through grace, do not only get the notion of theone and of the other in thy head, but until thou do feel the verypower, life, and glory of the one and of the other: for take thisfor granted, he that is dark as touching the scope, intent, andnature of the law, is also dark as to the scope, nature, and gloryof the Gospel; and also he that hath but a notion of the one, willbarely have any more than a notion of the other. 

And the reason is this: because so long as people are ignorant ofthe nature of the law, and of their being under it--that is, underthe curse and condemning power of it, by reason of their sin againstit--so long they will be careless, and negligent as to the inquiringafter the true knowledge of the Gospel. Before the commandmentcame--that is, in the spirituality of it--Paul was alive--that is, thought himself safe; which is clear, (Rom 7:9, 10 compared withPhil 3:5-11, etc). But when that came, and was indeed discoveredunto him by the Spirit of the Lord, then Paul dies (Rom 7) to allhis former life (Phil 3) and that man which before could contenthimself to live, though ignorant of the Gospel, cries out now, "Icount all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge ofChrist Jesus my Lord" (verse 8). Therefore, I say, so long they willbe ignorant of the nature of the Gospel, and how glorious a thingit is to be found within the bounds of it; for we use to say, thatman that knoweth not himself to be sick, that man will not lookout for himself a physician; and this Christ knew full well whenHe saith, "The whole have no need of the physician, but the sick";1that is, none will in truth desire the physician unless they knowthey be sick. That man also that hath got but a notion of thelaw--a notion, that is, the knowledge of it in the head, so as todiscourse and talk of it--if he hath not felt the power of it, andthat effectually too, it is to be feared will at the best be but anotionist in the Gospel; he will not have the experimental knowledgeof the same in his heart; nay, he will not seek nor heartily desireafter it; and all because, as I said before, he hath not experienceof the wounding, cutting, killing nature of the other. 

I say, therefore, if thou wouldst know the authority and power ofthe Gospel, labour first to know the power and authority of the law;for I am verily persuaded that the want of this one thing--namely, the knowledge of the law, is one cause why so many are ignorant ofthe other. That man that doth know the law doth not know in deedand in truth that he is a sinner; and that man that doth not knowhe is a sinner, doth not know savingly that there is a Saviour. 

Again; that man that doth not know the nature of the law, that mandoth not know the nature of sin; and that man that knoweth not thenature of sin, will not regard to know the nature of a Saviour;this is proved (John 8:31-36). These people were professors, andyet did not know the truth--the Gospel; and the reason was, becausethey did not know themselves, and so not the law. I would not havethee mistake me, Christian reader; I do not say that the law ofitself will lead any soul to Jesus Christ; but the soul being killedby the law, through the operation of its severity seizing on thesoul, then the man, if he be enlightened by the Spirit of Christto see where remedy is to be had, will not, through grace, becontented without the real and saving knowledge through faith ofHim. 

If thou wouldst, then, wash thy face clean, first take a glass andsee where it is dirty; that is, if thou wouldst indeed have thysins washed away by the blood of Christ, labour first to see themin the glass of the law, and do not be afraid to see thy besmearedcondition, but look on every spot thou hast; for he that looks onthe foulness of his face by the halves, will wash by the halves;even so, he that looks on his sins by the halves, he will seek forChrist by the halves. Reckon thyself, therefore, I say, the biggestsinner in the world, and be persuaded that there is none worse thanthyself; then let the guilt of it seize on thy heart, then alsogo in that case and condition to Jesus Christ, and plunge thyselfinto His merits and the virtue of His blood; and after that, thoushalt speak of the things of the law and of the Gospel experimentally, and the very language of the children of God shall feelingly dropfrom thy lips, and not till then (James 1). 

Let this therefore learn thee thus much: he that hath not seen hislost condition hath not seen a safe condition; he that did neversee himself in the devil's snare, did never see himself in Christ'sbosom. "This my Son was dead, and is alive again: he was lost, andis found. " "Among whom we also had our conversation in time past. "2 "But now are (so many of us as believe) returned unto" JesusChrist, "the" chief "Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. "

I say, therefore, if thou do find in this treatise, in the firstplace, something touching the nature, end, and extent of the law, do not thou cry out, therefore, all of a sudden, saying, "Here isnothing but the terror, horror, and thundering sentences of thelaw. "

Again; if thou do find in the second part of this discoursesomething of the freeness and fullness of the Gospel, do not thousay neither, "Here is nothing but grace, therefore, surely, anundervaluing of the law. " No; but read it quite through, and soconsider of it; and I hope thou shalt find the two covenants--whichall men are under, either the one or the other--discovered, andheld forth in their natures, ends, bounds, together with the stateand condition of them that are under the one, and of them that areunder the other. 

There be some that through ignorance do say how that such men aspreach terror and amazement to sinners are beside the book, andare ministers of the letter--the law, and not of the Spirit--theGospel; but I would answer them, citing them to the Sixteenth ofLuke, from the nineteenth verse to the end; and (1 Cor 6:9, 10; Gal3:10; Rom 3:9-19) only this caution I would give by the way, howthat they which preach terror to drive souls to the obtaining ofsalvation by the works of the law, that preaching is not the rightGospel preaching; yet when saints speak of the sad state that manare in by nature, to discover to souls their need of the Gospel, this is honest preaching, and he that doth do so, he doth the workof a Gospel minister (Rom 3:9-25). 

Again, there are others that say, because we do preach the free, full, and exceeding grace discovered in the Gospel, therefore wemake void the law; when indeed, unless the Gospel be held forth inthe glory thereof without confusion, by mingling the Covenant ofWorks therewith, the law cannot be established. "Do we then makevoid the law through faith, " or preaching of the Gospel; nay, stay, saith Paul, "God forbid: yea, we establish the law" (Rom 3:31). 

And verily, he that will indeed establish the law, or set it inits own place, for so I understand the words, must be sure to holdforth the Gospel in its right colour and nature; for if a man beignorant of the nature of the Gospel and the Covenant of Grace, they, or he, will be very apt to remove the law out of its place, and that because they are ignorant, not knowing "what they say, nor whereof they affirm. "

And let me tell you, if a man be ignorant of the Covenant of Grace, and the bounds and boundlessness of the Gospel, though he speak andmake mention of the name of the Father, and of the Son, and alsoof the name of the new covenant, and the blood of Christ, yet atthis very time, and in these very words, he will preach nothingbut the law, and that as a Covenant of Works. 

Reader, I must confess it is a wonderfully mysterious thing, andhe had need have a wiser spirit than his own that can rightly setthese two covenants in their right places, that when he speaks ofthe one he doth not jostle the other out of its place. O, to be sowell enlightened as to speak of the one--that is, the law--for tomagnify the Gospel; and also to speak of the Gospel so as to establish, and yet not to idolize, the law, nor any particular thereof! It israre, and to be heard and found but in very few men's breasts. 

If thou shouldst say, What is it to speak to each of these twocovenants so as to set them in their right places, and also to usethe terror of the one so as to magnify and advance the glory ofthe other? To this I shall answer also, read the ensuing discourse, but with an understanding heart, and it is like thou wilt find areply therein to the same purpose, which may be to thy satisfaction. 

Reader, if thou do find this book empty of fantastical expressions, and without light, vain, whimsical, scholar-like terms, thou mustunderstand it is because I never went to school to Aristotle, or Plato, but was brought up at my father's house, in a very meancondition, among a company of poor countrymen. But if thou do finda parcel of plain, yet sound, true, and home sayings, attribute thatto the Lord Jesus His gifts and abilities, which He hath bestowedupon such a poor creature as I am and have been. And if thou, being a seeing Christian, dost find me coming short, though rightlytouching at some things, attribute that either to my brevity, or, if thou wilt, to my weaknesses, for I am full of them. A word ortwo more, and so I shall have done with this. 

First. And the first is, Friend, if thou do not desire the salvationof thy soul, yet I pray thee to read this book over with seriousconsideration; it may be it will stir up in thee some desires tolook out after it, which at present thou mayest be without. 

Secondly, If thou dost find any stirrings in thy heart by thy readingsuch an unworthy man's works as mine are, be sure that in the firstplace thou give glory to God, and give way to thy convictions, and be not too hasty in getting them off from thy conscience; butlet them so work till thou dost see thyself by nature void of allgraces, as faith, hope, knowledge of God, Christ, and the Covenantof Grace. 

Thirdly, Then, in the next place, fly in all haste to Jesus Christ, thou being sensible of thy lost condition without Him, secretlypersuading of thy soul that Jesus Christ standeth open-armedto receive thee, to wash away thy sins, to clothe thee with Hisrighteousness, and is willing, yea, heartily willing, to present theebefore the presence of the glory of God and among the innumerablecompany of angels with exceeding joy. This being thus, in the nextplace, do not satisfy thyself with these secret and first persuasions, which do or may encourage thee to come to Jesus Christ; but berestless till thou dost find by blessed experience the gloriousglory of this the second covenant extended unto thee, and sealedupon thy soul with the very Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ. Andthat thou mayest not slight this my counsel, I beseech thee, inthe second place, consider these following things--

First, If thou dost get off thy convictions, and not the rightway (which is by seeing thy sins washed away by the blood of JesusChrist), it is a question whether ever God will knock at thy heartagain or no; but rather say, such an one "is joined to idols, lethim alone" (Hosea 4:17). Though he be in a natural state, "let himalone. " Though he be in or under the curse of the law, "let himalone. " Though he be in the very hand of the devil, "let him alone. "Though he be a-going post-haste to Hell, "let him alone. " Thoughhis damnation will not only be damnation for sins against the law, but also for slighting the Gospel, yet "let him alone. " My Spirit, My ministers, My Word, My grace, My mercy, My love, My pity, Mycommon providences, shall no more strive with him; "let him alone. "O sad! O miserable! who would slight convictions that are on theirsouls, which (if not slighted) tend so much for their good?

Secondly, If thou shalt not regard how thou do put off convictions, but put them off without the precious blood of Christ being savinglyapplied to thy soul, thou art sure to have the mis-spending of thatconviction to prove the hardening of thy heart against the nexttime thou art to hear the Word preached or read. This is commonlyseen, that those souls that have not regarded those convictionsthat are at first set upon their spirits, do commonly, and that bythe just judgments of God upon them, grow more hard, more senseless, more seared and sottish in their spirits; for some, who formerlywould quake and weep, and relent under the hearing of the Word, donow for the present sit so senseless, so seared, and hardened intheir consciences, that certainly if they should have hell-firethrown in their faces, as it sometimes cried up in their ears, theywould scarce be moved; and this comes upon them as a just judgmentof God (2 Thess 2:11, 12). 

Thirdly, If thou do slight these, or those convictions that maybe set upon thy heart by reading of this discourse, or hearing ofany other good man preach the Word of God sincerely, thou wilt havethe stifling of these or those convictions to account and answerfor at the day of judgment; not only thy sins, that are commonlycommitted by thee in thy calling and common discourse, but thou shaltbe called to a reckoning for slighting convictions, disregardingof convictions, which God useth as a special means to make poorsinners see their lost condition and the need of a Saviour. Nowhere I might add many more considerations besides these, to theend thou mayest be willing to tend and listen to convictions; as, First, Consider thou hast a precious soul, more worth than the wholeworld; and this is commonly worked upon, if ever it be saved, byconvictions. 

Secondly, This soul is for certain to go to Hell, if thou shalt bea slighter of convictions. 

Thirdly, If that go to Hell, thy body must go thither too, and thennever to come out again. "Now consider this, ye that" are apt to"forget God, " and His convictions, "lest He tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver" (Psa 50:22). 

But if thou shalt be such an one that shall, notwithstanding thyreading of thy misery, and also of God's mercy, shall persist togo on in thy sins, know, in the first place, that here thou shaltbe left, by the things that thou readest, without excuse; and inthe world to come thy damnation will be exceedingly aggravated forthy not regarding of them, and turning from thy sins, which werenot only reproved by them, but also for rejecting of that Word ofGrace that did instruct thee how and which way thou shouldst besaved from them. And so farewell; I shall leave thee, and also thisdiscourse, to God, who I know will pass a righteous judgment bothupon that and thee. I am yours, though not to serve your lustsand filthy minds, yet to reprove, instruct, and, according to thatproportion of faith and knowledge which God hath given me, to declareunto you the way of life and salvation. Your judgings, railings, surmisings, and disdaining of me, that I shall leave till the fieryjudgment comes, in which the offender shall not go unpunished, behe you or me; yet I shall pray for you, wish well to you, and doyou what good I can. And that I might not write or speak in vain, Christian, pray for me to our God with much earnestness, fervency, and frequently, in all your knockings at our Father's door, becauseI do very much stand in need thereof; for my work is great, my heartis vile, the devil lieth at watch, the world would fain be saying, "Aha, aha, thus we would have it"; and of myself, keep myself Icannot; trust myself I dare not; if God do not help me, I am sureit will not be long before my heart deceive me, and the world wouldhave their advantage of me, and so God be dishonoured by me, andthou also ashamed to own me. O, therefore, be much in prayer forme, thy fellow! I trust, in that glorious grace that is conveyedfrom Heaven to sinners, by which they are not only sanctified herein this world, but shall be glorified in that which is to come;unto which, the Lord of His mercy bring us all. 

John Bunyan. ___________________

These are several titles which are set over the several TRUTHScontained in this book, for thy sooner finding of them--

THE FIRST PART

1. The words of the text opened, and the doctrines laid down. [Thisdoctrine, that there are some that are under the law, or under theCovenant of Works. ] 2. What the Covenant of Works is, and when itis given. 3. What it is to be under the Covenant of Works. 4. Whothey are that are under the Covenant of Works. 5. What men mayattain to that are under this Covenant of Works. 

THE SECOND PART

1. The doctrine proved. 2. The new covenant made with Christ. 3. The conditions of the new covenant. 4. The suretiship of Christ. 5. Christ the Messenger of the new covenant. 6. Christ the Sacrificeof the new covenant. 7. Christ the High Priest of the new covenant. 8. Christ completely fulfilled the conditions of the new covenant. 9. The Covenant of Grace unchangeable; the opposers answered. 10. Who, and how men are actually brought into the new covenant. 11. A word of experience. 12. The privileges of the new covenant. 13. Two Hell-bred objections answered. 14. A use of examination aboutthe old covenant. 15. A legal spirit. 16. The use of the new covenant. 17. The unpardonable sin. 18. Objections answered for their comfortwho would have their part in the new covenant. ___________________

THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED; OR, A DISCOVERY OF THELAW AND GRACE; THE NATURE OF THE ONE, AND THE NATURE OF THE OTHER, AS THEY ARE THE TWO COVENANTS, ETC. 

"FOR YE ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW, BUT UNDER GRACE" (Rom 6:14). 

[THE WORDS OF THE TEXT OPENED, AND THE DOCTRINES LAID DOWN. ]

In the three former chapters, the Apostle is pleading for thesalvation of sinners by grace without the works of the law, to theend he might confirm the saints, and also that he might win overall those that did oppose the truth of this doctrine, or else leavethem the more without excuse; and that he might so do, he takethin hand, first, to show the state of all men naturally, or as theycome into the world by generation, saying, in the Third Chapter, "Thereis none righteous, no, not one; there is none that understandeth;there is none that doeth good, " etc. As if he had said, It seems thereis a generation of men that think to be saved by the righteousnessof the law; but let me tell them that they are much deceived, in thatthey have already sinned against the law; for by the disobedienceof one, many, yea all, were brought into a state of condemnation(Rom 5:12-20). Now, in the Sixth Chapter he doth, as if he hadturned him round to the brethren, and said, My brethren, you seenow that it is clear and evident that it is freely by the grace ofChrist that we do inherit eternal life. And again, for your comfort, my brethren, let me tell you that your condition is wondrous safe, in that you are under grace; for, saith he, "Sin shall not havedominion over you"; that is, neither the damning power, neither thefilthy power, so as to destroy your souls: "For ye are not underthe law"; that is, you are not under that that will damn you forsin; "but" you are "under grace, " or stand thus in relation toGod, that though you have sinned, yet you shall be pardoned. "Forye are not under the law, but under grace. " If any should ask whatis the meaning of the word "under, " I answer, it signifieth, youare not held, kept, or shut up by it so as to appear before Godunder that administration, and none but that; or thus, you arenot now bound by the authority of the law to fulfill it and obeyit, so as to have no salvation without you so do; or thus, if youtransgress against any one tittle of it, you by the power of itmust be condemned. No, no, for you are not so under it; that is, not thus under the law. Again, "For ye are not under the law. " Whatis meant by this word "law"? The word "law, " in Scripture, may betaken more ways than one, as might be largely cleared. There is thelaw of faith, the law of sin, the law of men, the law of works, otherwise called the Covenant of Works, or the first or oldcovenant. "In that He saith a new covenant, " which is the grace ofGod, or commonly called the Covenant of Grace, "He hath made thefirst old, " that is, the Covenant of Works, or the law (Heb 8:13). I say, therefore, the word "law" and the word "grace, " in thisSixth of the Romans, do hold forth the two covenants which all menare under; that is, either the one or the other. "For ye are notunder the law"--that is, you to whom I do now write these words, who are and have been effectually brought into the faith of Jesus, you are not under the law, or under the Covenant of Works. Hedoth not, therefore, apply these words to all, but to some, whenhe saith, "But ye"; mark, ye, ye believers, ye converted persons, ye saints, ye that have been born. (YE) "for ye are not under thelaw, " implying others are that are in their natural state, thathave not been brought in to the Covenant of Grace by faith in JesusChrist. 

The words, therefore, being thus understood, there is discoveredthese two truths in them--DOCTRINE FIRST. That there are some inGospel times that are under the Covenant of Works. DOCTRINE SECOND. That there is never a believer under the law, as it is the Covenantof Works, but under grace through Christ. "For ye, " you believers, you converted persons, ye "are not under the law but under grace";or, for you are delivered and brought into or under the Covenantof Grace. 

DOCTRINE FIRST. 

For the first, THAT THERE ARE SOME THAT ARE UNDER THE LAW, OR UNDERTHE COVENANT OF WORKS, see, I pray you, that Scripture in the Thirdof the Romans, where the Apostle, speaking before of sins againstthe law, and of the denunciations thereof against those that arein that condition, he saith, "What things soever the law saith, itsaith to them who are under the law"; mark, "it saith to them whoare under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all theworld become guilty before God" (Rom 3:19). That is, all those thatare under the law as a Covenant of Works, that are yet in theirsins, and unconverted, as I told you before. Again he saith, "Butif ye be led by the Spirit, ye are not under the law" (Gal 5:18). Implying again, that those which are for sinning against the law, or the works of the law, either as it is the old covenant, theseare under the law, and not under the Covenant of Grace. Again hesaith, "For as many as are of the works of the law are under thecurse" (Gal 3:10). That is, they that are under the law are underthe curse; for mark, they that are under the Covenant of Grace arenot under the curse. Now, there are but two covenants, therefore, it must needs be that they that are under the curse are under thelaw, seeing those that are under the other covenant are not underthe curse, but under the blessing. "So, then, they which be offaith are blessed with faithful Abraham, " but the rest are underthe law (Gal 3:9). 

Now I shall proceed to what I do intend to speak unto. FIRST. I shall show you what the Covenant of Works, or the law, is, andwhen it was first given, together with the nature of it. SECOND. Ishall show you what it is to be under the law, or Covenant of Works, and the miserable state of all those that are under it. THIRD. Ishall show you who they are that are under this covenant, or law. FOURTH. I shall show you how far a man may go and yet be underthis covenant, or law. 

[WHAT THE COVENANT OF WORKS IS, AND WHEN IT WAS GIVEN. ]

FIRST. What this Covenant of Works is, and when it was given. [Whatthis covenant is. ] The Covenant of Works or the law, here spokenof, is the law delivered upon Mount Sinai to Moses, in two tablesof stone, in ten particular branches or heads; for this see Galatians4. The Apostle, speaking there of the law, and of some also thatthrough delusions of false doctrine were brought again, as it were, under it, or at least were leaning that way (verse 21) he saith, As for you that desire to be under the law, I will show you themystery of Abraham's two sons, which he had by Hagar and Sarah;these two do signify the two covenants; the one named Hagar signifiesMount Sinai, where the law was delivered to Moses on two tables ofstone (Exo 24:12; 34:1; Deu 10:1). Which is that, that whosoeveris under, he is destitute of, and altogether without the grace ofChrist in his heart at the present. "For I testify again to everyman, " saith he, speaking to the same people, that "Christ has becomeof no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law, "namely, that given on Mount Sinai--"ye are fallen from grace" (Gal5:3, 4). That is, not that any can be justified by the law; but thismeaning is, that all those that seek justification by the works ofthe law, they are not such as seek to be under the second covenant, the Covenant of Grace. Also the Apostle, speaking again of thesetwo covenants, saith, "But if the ministration of death, " or thelaw, for it is all one, "written and engraven in stones, " mark that, "was glorious, how shall not the ministration of the Spirit, " orthe Covenant of Grace, "be rather glorious?" (2 Cor 3:7, 8). As ifhe had said, It is true, there was a glory in the Covenant of Works, and a very great excellency did appear in it--namely, in that givenin the stones on Sinai--yet there is another covenant, the Covenantof Grace, that doth exceed it for comfort and glory. 

[When it was given. ] But, though this law was delivered to Mosesfrom the hands of angels in two tables of stones, on Mount Sinai, yet this was not the first appearing of this law to man; but eventhis in substance, though possibly not so openly, was given to thefirst man, Adam, in the Garden of Eden, in these words: "And theLORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the gardenthou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of goodand evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatestthereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen 2:16, 17). Which commandmentthen given to Adam did contain in it a forbidding to do any ofthose things that was and is accounted evil, although at that timeit did not appear so plainly, in so many particular heads, as itdid when it was again delivered on Mount Sinai; but yet the verysame. And that I shall prove thus--

God commanded Adam in Paradise to abstain from all evil againstthe first covenant, and not from some sins only; but if God hadnot commanded Adam to abstain from the sins spoken against in theTen Commandments, He had not commanded to abstain from all, butfrom some; therefore it must needs be that He then commanded toabstain from all sins forbidden in the law given on Mount Sinai. Nowthat God commanded to abstain from all evil or sin against any ofthe Ten Commandments, when He gave Adam the command in the garden, it is evident that He did punish the sins that were committedagainst those commands that were then delivered on Mount Sinai, before they were delivered on Mount Sinai, which will appear asfolloweth--

The First, Second, and Third Commandments were broken by Pharaoh andhis men; for they had false gods which the Lord executed judgmentagainst (Exo 12:12); and blasphemed their true God (Exo 5:2) whichescaped not punishment (Exo 7:17-25). For their gods could neitherdeliver themselves nor their people from the hand of God; but"in the thing wherein they dealt proudly, He was above them" (Exo18:11). 

Again; some judge that the Lord punished the sin against theSecond Commandment, which Jacob was in some measure guilty of innot purging his house from false gods, with the defiling of hisdaughter Dinah (Gen 34:2). 

Again; we find that Abimelech thought the sin against the ThirdCommandment so great, that he required no other security of Abrahamagainst the fear of mischief that might be done to him by Abraham, his son, and his son's son, but only Abraham's oath (Gen 21:23). The like we see between Abimelech and Isaac (Gen 31:53). The likewe find in Moses and the Israelites, who durst not leave the bonesof Joseph in Egypt, because of the oath of the Lord, whose name, by so doing, would have been abused (Exo 13:19). 

And we find the Lord rebuking His people for the breach of theFourth Commandment (Exo 16:27-29). 

And for the breach of the Fifth, the curse came upon Ham (Gen9:25-27). And Ishmael dishonouring his father in mocking Isaacwas cast out, as we read (Gen 21:9, 10). The sons-in-law of Lot forslighting their father perish in the overthrow of Sodom (Gen 19:14). 

The Sixth Commandment was broken by Cain, and so dreadful a curseand punishment came upon him that it made him cry out, "My punishmentis greater than I can bear" (Gen 4:13). 

Again; when Esau threatened to slay his brother, Rebecca sent himaway, saying, "Why should I be deprived also of you both in oneday?" hinting unto us, that she knew murder was to be punishedwith death (Gen 27:45) which the Lord Himself declared likewise toNoah (Gen 9:6). 3 Again; a notable example of the Lord's justice inpunishing murder we see in the Egyptians and Pharaoh, who drownedthe Israelites' children in the river (Exo 1:22); and they themselveswere drowned in the sea (Exo 14:27). 

The sin against the Seventh Commandment was punished in the Sodomites, etc. , with the utter destruction of their city and themselves (Gen19:24, 25). Yea, they suffer "the vengeance of eternal fire" (Jude7). Also the male Shechemites, for the sin committed by Hamor'sson, were all put to the sword (Gen 34:25, 26). 

Our first parents sinned against the Eighth Commandment in takingthe forbidden fruit, and so brought the curse on themselves andtheir posterity (Gen 3:16). Again; the punishment due to the breachof this Commandment was by Jacob accounted death (Gen 31:30, 32). And also by Jacob's sons (Gen 44:9, 10). 

Cain sinning against the Ninth Commandment as in Genesis 4:9, wastherefore cursed as to the earth (Verse 11). And Abraham, thoughthe friend of God, was blamed for false-witness by Pharaoh, andsent out of Egypt (Gen 12:18-20) and both he and Sarah reproved byAbimelech (Gen 20:9, 10, 16). 

Pharaoh sinned against the Tenth Commandment, and was thereforeplagued with great plagues (Gen 12:15, 17). Abimelech covetedAbraham's wife, and the Lord threatened death to him and his, excepthe restored her again; yea, though he had not come near her, yetfor coveting and taking her the Lord fast closed up the wombs ofhis house (Gen 20:3, 18). 

[Further Arguments. ] I could have spoken more fully to this, butthat I would not be too tedious, but speak what I have to say withas much brevity as I can. But before I pass it, I will besidesthis give you an argument or two more for the further clearing ofthis, that the substance of the law delivered on Mount Sinai was, before that, delivered by the Lord to man in the garden. As, first, "death reigned over them that had not sinned after the similitudeof Adam's transgression"--that is, though they did not take theforbidden fruit as Adam did; but had the transgression been noother, or had their sin been laid to the charge of none but thosethat did eat of that fruit, then those that were born to Adamafter he was shut out of the garden had not had sin, in that theydid not actually eat of that fruit, and so had not been slaves todeath; but, in that death did reign from Adam to Moses, of fromthe time of his transgression against the first giving of the law, till the time the law was given on Mount Sinai, it is evident thatthe substance of the Ten Commandments was given to Adam and hisposterity under that command, "Eat not of the tree that is in themidst of the garden. " But yet, if any shall say that it was becauseof the sin of their father that death reigned over them, to that Ishall answer, that although original sin be laid to the charge ofhis posterity, yet it is also for their sins that they actuallycommitted that they were plagued. And again, saith the Apostle, "For where no law is, there is no transgression" (Rom 4:15). For"sin is not imputed when there is no law; nevertheless death reignedfrom Adam to Moses. " saith he (Rom 5:13, 14). But if there had beenno law, then there had been no transgression, and so no death tofollow after as the wages thereof; for death is the wages of sin(Rom 6:23) and sin is the breach of the law; an actual breach inour particular persons, as well as an actual breach inour public person (1 John 3:4). 4

Again; there are no other sins than those against that law givenon Sinai, for the which those sins before mentioned were punished;therefore the law given before by the Lord to Adam and his posterityis the same with that afterwards given on Mount Sinai. Again; theconditions of that on Sinai and of that in the garden are all one;the one saying, "Do this and live, " the other saying the same. Alsojudgment denounced against men in both kinds alike; therefore thislaw it appeareth to be the very same that was given on Mount Sinai. 

Again; the Apostle speaketh but of two covenants--to wit, graceand works--under which two covenants all are; some under one, andsome under the other. Now this to Adam is one, therefore that onSinai is one, and all one with this; and that this is a truth, Isay, I know, because the sins against that on Sinai were punishedby God for the breech thereof before it was given there; so it dothplainly appear to be a truth; for it would be unrighteous with Godfor to punish for that law that was not broken; therefore it wasall one with that on Sinai. 

Now the law given on Sinai was for the more clear discovery ofthose sins that were before committed against it; for though thevery substance of the Ten Commandments were given in the gardenbefore they were received from Sinai, yet they lay so darkly inthe heart of man, that his sins were not so clearly discovered asafterwards they were; therefore, saith the Apostle, the law wasadded (Gal 3:19). Or, more plainly, given on Sinai, on tables ofstone, "that the offence might abound, "--that is, that it mightthe more clearly be made manifest and appear (Rom 5:20). 

Again; we have a notable resemblance of this at Sinai, even in givingthe law; for, first, the law was given twice on Sinai, to signifythat indeed the substance of it was given before. And, secondly, the first tables that were given on Sinai were broken at the footof the mount, and the others were preserved whole, to signify thatthough it was the true law that was given before, with that givenon Sinai, yet it was not so easy to be read and to be taken noticeof, in that the stones were not whole, but broken, and so the lawwritten thereon somewhat defaced and disfigured. 

[Object. ] But if any object and say, though the sins against theone be the sins against the other, and so in that they do agree, yet it doth not appear that the same is therefore the same Covenantof Works with the other. 

Answ. That which was given to Adam in Paradise you will grant wasthe Covenant of Works; for it runs thus: Do this and live; do itnot and die; nay, "Thou shalt surely die. " Now there is but oneCovenant of Works. If therefore I prove that that which was deliveredon Mount Sinai is the Covenant of Works, then all will be put outof doubt. Now that this is so it is evident--

1. Consider the two covenants are thus called in Scripture, theone the administration of death, and the other the administrationof life; the one the Covenant of Works, the other of grace; butthat delivered on Sinai is called the ministration of death; that, therefore, is the Covenant of Works. "But if, " saith he, "theministration of death, written and engraven on stones was glorious, "(2 Cor 3:7). 

2. The Apostle, writing to the Galatians, doth labour to beatthem off from trusting in the Covenant of Works; but when he comesto give a discovery of that law or covenant--he labouring to takethem off from trusting in it--he doth plainly tell them it is thatwhich was given on Sinai (Gal 4:24, 25). Therefore that which wasdelivered in two tables of stone on Mount Sinai, is the very samething that was given before to Adam in Paradise, they running bothalike; that in the garden saying, Do this and live; but in the daythou eatest thereof--or dost not do this--thou shalt surely die. 

And so is this on Sinai, as is evident when he saith, "the manwhich doeth those things shall live by them" (Rom 10:5). And incase they break them, even any of them, it saith, "Cursed is everyone that continueth not in all things which are written in the(whole) book of the law to do them" (Gal 3:10). Now this being thuscleared, I shall proceed. 

[WHAT IT IS TO BE UNDER THE COVENANT OF WORKS. ]

SECOND. A second thing to be spoken to is this: to show what it isto be under the law as it is a Covenant of Works; to which I shallspeak, and that thus--

To be under the law as it is a Covenant of Works, is to be bound, upon pain of eternal damnation, to fulfill, and that completelyand continually, every particular point of the Ten Commandments, bydoing them--Do this, and then thou shalt live; otherwise, "cursedis every one that continueth not in all, " in every particular thingor "things which are written in the book for the law to do them"(Gal 3:10). That man that is under the first covenant stands thus, and only thus, as he is under that covenant, or law. Poor souls, through ignorance of the nature of that Covenant of Works, the lawthat they are under, they do not think their state to be half sobad as it is; when, alas! there is none in the world in such a sadcondition again besides themselves; for, indeed, they do not understandthese things. He that is under the law, as it is a Covenant ofWorks, is like the man that is bound by the law of his king, uponpain of banishment, or of being hanged, drawn, and quartered, notto transgress any of the commandments of the king; so here, theythat are under the Covenant of Works, they are bound, upon pain ofeternal banishment and condemnation, to keep within the compass ofthe law of the God of Heaven. The Covenant of Works may, in thiscase, be compared to the laws of the Medes and Persians, which beingonce made, cannot be altered. Daniel 6:8. You find that when therewas a law made and given forth that none should ask a petition ofany, God or man, but of the king only; this law being establishedby the king (verse 9). Daniel breaking of it, let all do whateverthey can, Daniel must go into the lions' den (verse 16). So here, I say, there being a law given, and sealed with the Truth and theWord of God, --how that "the soul that sinneth, it shall die" (Eze18:4). Whosoever doth abide under this covenant, and dieth underthe same, they must and shall go into the lion's den; yea, worsethan that, for they shall be thrown into Hell, to the very devils. 

But to speak in a few particulars for thy better understandingherein, know, First. That the Law of God, or Covenant of Works, doth not containitself in one particular branch of the law, but doth extend itselfinto many, even into all the Ten Commandments, and those ten intovery many more, as might be showed; so that the danger doth notlie in the breaking of one or two of these ten only, but it dothlie even in the transgression of any one of them. As you know, ifa king should give forth ten particular commands to be obeyed byhis subjects upon pain of death; now if any man doth transgressagainst any one of these ten, he doth commit treason, as if he hadbroke them all, and lieth liable to have the sentence of the lawas certainly passed on him as if he had broken every particular ofthem. 

Second. Again; you know that the laws being given forth by theking, which if a man keep and obey for a long time, yet if at thelast he slips and breaks those laws, he is presently apprehended, and condemned by that law. These things are clear as touching theLaw of God, as it is a Covenant of Works. If a man doth fulfill nineof the Commandments, and yet breaketh but one, that being brokenwill as surely destroy him and shut him out from the joys of Heavenas if he had actually transgressed against them all; for indeed, in effect, so he hath. There is a notable Scripture for this inthe Epistle of James, Second Chapter, at the tenth verse, that runsthus:--"For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend inone point, he is guilty of all, "--that is, he hath in effect brokenthem all, and shall have the voice of them all cry out against him. And it must needs be so, saith James, because "He that said, " orthat law which said, "Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now, if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art becomea transgressor of the law" (Verse 11). As thus; it may be thou didstnever make to thyself a god of stone or wood, or at least not toworship them so greatly and so openly as the heathen do, yet ifthou hast stolen, born false witness, or lusted after a woman inthy heart (Matt 5:28) thou hast transgressed the law, and must forcertain, living and dying under that covenant, perish for ever bythe law; for the law hath resolved on that before-hand, saying, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in ALL things"; mark, I pray you, "in all things"; that is the Word, and that seals thedoctrine. 

Third. Again; though a man doth not covet, steal, murder, worshipgods of wood and stone, etc. , yet if he do take the Lord's name invain, he is for ever gone, living and dying under that covenant. "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain"; thereis the command. But how if we do? Then he saith, "the LORD will nothold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain. " No; though thoulive as holy as ever thou canst, and walk as circumspectly as everany did, yet if thou dost take the Lord's name in vain, thou artgone by that covenant: "For I will not, " mark "I will not, " lethim be in never so much danger, "I will not hold him guiltless thattaketh My name in vain" (Exo 20:7). And so likewise for any otherof the ten, do but break them, and thy state is irrecoverable, ifthou live and die under that covenant. 

Fourth. Though thou shouldest fulfill this covenant, or law, evenall of it, for a long time, ten, twenty, forty, fifty, or threescoreyears, yet if thou do chance to slip and break one of them but oncebefore thou die, thou art also gone and lost by that covenant; formark, "Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things, " thatcontinueth not in ALL things, mark that, "which are written in thebook of the law to do them. " But if a man doth keep all the Law ofGod his whole lifetime, and only sin one time before he dies, thatone sin is a breach of the law, and he hath not continued in doingthe things contained therein. For, so to continue, according to thesense of this Scripture, is to hold on without any failing, eitherin thought, word, or deed; therefore, I say, though a man doth walkup to the law all his lifetime, but only at the very last sin onetime before he die, he is sure to perish for ever, dying under thatcovenant. For, my friends, you must understand that the Law of Godis "yea, " as well as the Gospel; and as they that are under theCovenant of Grace shall surely be saved by it, so, even so, they thatare under the Covenant of Works and the law, they shall surely bedamned by it, if continuing there. This is the Covenant of Worksand the nature of it--namely, not to abate anything, no, not a mite, to him that lives and dies under it: "I tell thee, " saith Christ, "thou shalt not depart thence, " that is, from under the curse, "till thou hast paid the very last mite" (Luke 12:59). 

Fifth. Again; you must consider that this law doth not only condemnwords and actions, as I said before, but it hath authority tocondemn the most secret thoughts of the heart, being evil; so thatif thou do not speak any word that is evil, as swearing, lying, jesting, dissembling, or any other word that tendeth to, orsavoureth of sin, yet if there should chance to pass but one vainthought through thy heart but once in all thy lifetime, the lawtaketh hold of it, accuseth, and also will condemn thee for it. Youmay see one instance for all in (Matt 5:27, 28) where Christ saith, that though a man doth not lie with a woman carnally, yet if he dothbut look on her, and in his heart lust after her, he is counted bythe law, being rightly expounded, such an one that hath committedthe sin, and thereby hath laid himself under the condemnation ofthe law. And so likewise of all the rest of the commands; if therebe any thought that is evil do but pass through thy heart, whetherit be against God or against man in the least measure, thoughpossibly not discerned of thee, or by thee, yet the law takes holdof thee therefore, and doth by its authority, both cast, condemn, and execute thee for thy so doing. "The thought of foolishness issin" (Prov 24:9). 

Sixth. Again; the law is of that nature and severity, that itdoth not only inquire into the generality of thy life as touchingseveral things, whether thou art upright there or no; but the lawdoth also follow thee into all thy holy duties, and watcheth overthee there, to see whether thou dost do all things aright there--thatis to say, whether when thou dost pray thy heart hath no wanderingthoughts in it; whether thou do every holy duty thou doest perfectlywithout the least mixture of sin; and if it do find thee to slip, or in the least measure to fail in any holy duty that thou dostperform, the law taketh hold on that, and findeth fault with that, so as to render all the holy duties that ever thou didst unavailablebecause of that. I say, if, when thou art a hearing, there is butone vain thought, or in praying, but one vain thought, or in anyother thing whatsoever, let it be civil or spiritual, one vainthought once in all thy lifetime will cause the law to take suchhold on it, that for that one thing it doth even set open all thefloodgates of God's wrath against thee, and irrecoverably by thatcovenant it doth bring eternal vengeance upon thee; so that, I say, look which ways thou wilt, and fail wherein thou wilt, and do it asseldom as ever thou canst, either in civil or spiritual things, asaforesaid--that is, either in the service of God, or in thy employmentsin the world, as thy trade or calling, either in buying or sellingany way, in anything whatsoever; I say, if in any particular itfind thee tardy, or in the least measure guilty, it calleth theean offender, it accuseth thee to God, it puts a stop to all thepromises thereof that are joined to the law, and leaves thee thereas a cursed transgressor against God, and a destroyer of thy own soul. 5

Here I would have thee, by the way, for to take notice, that it isnot my intent at this time to enlarge on the several commands inparticular--for that would be very tedious both for me to writeand thee to read; only thus much I would have thee to do at thereading hereof--make a pause, and sit still one quarter of an hour, and muse a little in thy mind thus with thyself, and say, Did Iever break the law; yea or no? Had I ever, in all my lifetime, onesinful thought passed through my heart since I was born; yea orno? And if thou findest thyself guilty, as I am sure thou canstnot otherwise choose but do, unless thou shut thy eyes against thyevery day's practice, then, I say, conclude thyself guilty of thebreach of the first covenant. And when that this is done, be sure, in the next place, thou do not straightway forget it and put itout of thy mind, that thou art condemned by the same covenant; andthen do not content thyself until thou do find that God hath sentthee a pardon from Heaven through the merits of our Lord JesusChrist, the mediator of the second covenant. And if God shall butgive thee a heart to take this my counsel, I do make no questionbut these words spoken by me, will prove an instrument for thedirecting of thy heart to the right remedy for the salvation ofthy soul. 

Thus much now touching the law, and the severity of it upon the personthat is found under it, having offended or broken any particularof it, either in thought, word, or action; and now, before I doproceed to the next thing, I shall answer four objections that dolie in my way, and also, such as do stumble most part of the world. 

[Four Objections. ]

Object. First. But you will say, Methinks you speak very harsh;it is enough to daunt a body. Set the case, therefore, that a man, after he hath sinned and broken the law, repenteth of his wickednessand promiseth to do so no more, will not God have mercy then, andsave a poor sinner then?

Answ. I told you before, that the covenant, once broken, willexecute upon the offender that which it doth threaten to lay uponhim; and as for your supposing that your repenting and promising todo so no more may help well, and put you in a condition to attainthe mercy of God by the law, these thoughts do flow from grossignorance both of the nature of sin, and also of the nature of thejustice of God. And if I were to give you a description of one ina lost condition for the present, I would brand him out with sucha mark of ignorance as this is. 

Answ. 2. [The first answer is expounded by the second]. The law, as it is a Covenant of Works, doth not allow of any repentance untolife to those that live and die under it; for the law being oncebroken by thee, never speaks good unto thee, neither doth God atall regard thee, if thou be under that covenant, notwithstandingall thy repenting and also promises to do so no more. No, saiththe law, thou hast sinned, therefore I must curse thee; for it isMy nature to curse, even, and nothing else but curse, every onethat doth in any point transgress against Me (Gal 3:10). They brakeMy covenant "and I regarded them not, saith the Lord" (Heb 8:9). Let them cry, I will not regard them; let them repent, I will notregard them; they have broken My covenant, and done that in whichI delighted not; therefore, by that covenant I do curse, and notbless; damn, and not save; frown, and not smile; reject, and notembrace; charge sin and not forgive it. They brake My covenant"and I regarded them not"; so that I say, if thou break the law, the first covenant, and thou being found there, God looking onthee through that, He hath no regard on thee, no pity for thee, nodelight in thee. 

Object. Second. But hath not the law promises as well as threatenings?saying, "The man which doeth these things shall live, " mark, heshall live, "by them, " or in them (Rom 10:5; Gal 3:12). 

Answ. 1. To break the Commandments is not to keep or fulfill thesame; but thou hast broken them, therefore the promise doth notbelong to thee by that covenant. 2. The promises that are of thelaw are conditional, and so not performed unless there be a fulland continual obedience to every particular of it, and that withoutthe least sin. "Do this"--mark, do this--and afterwards thou shaltlive; but if thou break one point of it once in all thy life, thouhast not done the law; therefore the promises following the lawdo not belong unto thee if one sin hath been committed by thee. Asthus, I will give you a plain instance--"Set the case, there be alaw made by the king, that if any man speak a word against him hemust be put to death, and this must not be revoked, but must forcertain be executed on the offender; though there be a promise madeto them that do not speak a word against him, that they should havegreat love from him; yet this promise is nothing to the offender;he is like to have no share in it, or to be ever the better for it;but contrariwise, the law that he hath offended must be executedon him; for his sin shutteth him out from a share of, or in, thepromises. " So it is here, there is a promise made indeed, but towhom? Why, it is to none but those that live without sinning againstthe law; but if thou, I say, sin one time against it in all thylifetime, thou art gone, and not one promise belongs to thee ifthou continue under this covenant. Methinks the prisoners at thebar, having offended the law, and the charge of a just judge towardsthem, do much hold forth the law, as it is a Covenant of Works, and how it deals with them that are under it. The prisoner havingoffended, cries out for mercy; Good, my lord, mercy, saith he, pray, my lord, pity me. The judge saith, What canst thou say forthyself that sentence of death should not be passed upon thee?Why, nothing but this, I pray my lord be merciful. But he answersagain, Friend, the law must take place, the law must not be broken. The prisoner saith, Good, my lord, spare me, and I will never doso any more. The judge, notwithstanding the man's outcries and sadcondition, must, according to the tenor of the law, pass judgmentupon him, and the sentence of condemnation must be read to theprisoner, though it makes him fall down dead to hear it, if heexecutes the law as he ought to do. And just thus it is concerningthe Law of God. 

Object. Third. Ay, but sometimes, for all your haste, the judge dothalso give some pardons, and forgives some offenders, notwithstandingtheir offences, though he be a judge. 

Answ. It is not because the law is merciful, but because there ismanifested the love of the judge, not the love of the law. I beseechyou to mark this distinction; for if a man that hath deserveddeath by the law be, notwithstanding this, forgiven his offence, it is not because the law saith, "spare him"; but it is the loveof the judge or chief magistrate that doth set the man free fromthe condemnation of the law. But mark; here the law of men andthe Law of God do differ; the law of man is not so irrevocable;but if the Supreme please he may sometimes grant a pardon withoutsatisfaction given for the offence; but the Law of God is of thisnature, that if a man be found under it, and a transgressor, orone that hath transgressed against it, before that prisoner can bereleased there must be a full and complete satisfaction given toit, either by the man's own life or by the blood of some other man;for "without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb 9:22); thatis, there is no deliverance from under the curse of the Law of God;and therefore, however the law of man may be made of none effectsometimes by showing mercy without giving of a full satisfaction, yet the Law of God cannot be so contented, nor at the least giveway, that the person offending that should escape the curse and notbe damned, except some one do give a full and complete satisfactionto it for him, and bring the prisoner into another covenant--towit, the Covenant of Grace, which is more easy, and soul-refreshing, and sin-pardoning. 

I say, therefore, you must understand that if there be a law madethat reaches the life, to take it away for the offence given bythe offender against it, then it is clear that if the man be sparedand saved, it is not the law that doth give the man this advantage, but it is the mere mercy of the king, either because he hath a ransomor satisfaction some other way, or being provoked thereto out ofhis own love to the person whom he saveth. Now, thou also havingtransgressed and broken the Law of God, if the law be not executedupon thee, it is not because the law is merciful, or can pass bythe least offence done by thee, but thy deliverance comes anotherway; therefore, I say, however it be by the laws of men where theybe corrupted and perverted, yet the Law of God is of that nature, that if it hath not thy own blood or the blood of some otherman--for it calls for no less, for to ransom thee from the curseof it, being due to thee for thy transgression, and to satisfy thecries, the doleful cries, thereof, and ever for to present theepure and spotless before God, notwithstanding this fiery law--thouart gone if thou hadst a thousand souls; for "without sheddingof blood there is no remission" (Heb 9:22); no forgiveness of theleast sin against the law. 

Object. Fourth. But, you will say, "I do not only repent me ofmy former life, and also promise to do so no more, but now I dolabour to be righteous, and to live a holy life; and now, insteadof being a breaker of the law, I do labour to fulfill the same. What say you to that?"

Answ. Set the case, thou couldst walk like an angel of God; setthe case, thou couldst fulfill the whole law, and live from thisday to thy life's end without sinning in thought, word, or deed, which is impossible; but, I say, set the case it should be so, why, thy state is as bad, if thou be under the first covenant, as everit was. For, first, I know thou darest not say but thou hast atone time or other sinned; and if so, then the law hath condemnedthee; and if so, then I am sure that thou, with all thy actionsand works of righteousness, canst not remove the dreadful andirresistible curse that is already laid upon thee by that law whichthou art under, and which thou hast sinned against; though thoulivest the holiest life that any man can live in this world, beingunder the law of works, and so not under the Covenant of Grace, thou must be cut off without remedy; for thou hast sinned, thoughafterwards thou live never so well. 

The reasons for this that hath been spoken are these--

First, The nature of God's justice calls for it--that is, it callsfor irrecoverable ruin on them that transgress against this law;for justice gave it, and justice looks to have it completely andcontinually obeyed, or else justice is resolved to take place, andexecute its office, which is to punish the transgressor against it. You must understand that the justice of God is as unchangeable asHis love; His justice cannot change its nature; justice it is, ifit be pleased; and justice it is, if it be displeased. The justiceof God in this case may be compared to fire; there is a great firemade in some place; if thou do keep out of it, it is fire; if thoudo fall into it, thou wilt find it fire; and therefore the Apostleuseth this as an argument to stir up the Hebrews to stick closeto Jesus Christ, lest they fall under the justice of God by thesewords, "For our God is a consuming fire" (Heb 12:29); into which, if thou fall, it is not for thee to get out again, as it is withsome that fall into a material fire; no, but he that falls intothis, he must lie there for ever; as it is clear where he saith, "Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings, and withdevouring fire?" (Isa 33:14). For justice once offended knowethnot how to show any pity or compassion to the offender, but runs onhim like a lion, takes him by the throat, throws him into prison, and there he is sure to lie, and that to all eternity, unlessinfinite satisfaction be given to it, which is impossible to begiven by any of us the sons of Adam. 

Secondly, The faithfulness of God calls for irrecoverable ruin tobe poured out on those that shall live and die under this covenant. If thou, having sinned but one sin against this covenant, and shouldstafterwards escape damning, God must be unfaithful to Himself andto His Word, which both agree as one. First, he would be unfaithfulto Himself; to Himself, that is, to His justice, holiness, righteousness, wisdom, and power, if He should offer to stop therunning out of His justice for the damning of them that have offendedit. And secondly, He would be unfaithful to His Word, His writtenWord, and disown, deny, and break that, of which He hath said, "Itis easier for Heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the lawto fail, " or be made of none effect (Luke 16:17). Now, if He shouldnot, according to His certain declarations therein, take vengeanceon those that fall and die within the threat and sad curses denounced, in that His Word could not be fulfilled. 

Thirdly, Because otherwise he would disown the sayings of HisProphets, and gratify the sayings of His enemies; His Prophets sayHe will take vengeance; His enemies say He will not; His Prophetssay He will remember their iniquities, and recompense them intotheir bosom; but His enemies say they should do well, and theyshall have peace, though they walk after the imaginations of theirown hearts, and be not so strict as the Word commands, and do notas it saith (Deu 29:19, 20). But let me tell thee, hadst thou athousand souls, and each of them was worth a thousand worlds, Godwould set them all on a light by fire, if they fall within thecondemnings of His Word, and thou die without a Jesus, even theright Jesus; "for the Scriptures cannot be broken. " What! dost thouthink that God, Christ, Prophets, and Scriptures, will all lie forthee? and falsify their words for thee? It will be but ill venturingthy soul upon that. 

And the reasons for it are these:--First, Because God is God; andsecondly, Because man is man. 

First, Because God is perfectly just and eternally just, perfectly holyand eternally holy, perfectly faithful and eternally faithful; thatis, without any variableness or shadow of turning, but perfectlycontinueth the same, and cannot as well cease to be God as to alteror change the nature of His Godhead. As He is thus the perfectionof all perfections, He gave out His Law to be obeyed; but ifany offend it, then they fall into the hands of this His eternaljustice, and so must drink of His irrevocable wrath, which is theexecution of the same justice. I say, this being thus, the law beingbroken, justice takes place, and so faithfulness followeth to seethat execution be done, and also to testify that He is true, anddoth denounce His unspeakable, insupportable, and unchangeablevengeance on the party offending. 

Secondly, Because thou art not as infinite as God, but a poor createdweed, that is here today and gone tomorrow, and not able to answerGod in His essence, being, and attributes; thou art bound to fallunder Him, for thy soul or body can do nothing that is infinitein such a way as to satisfy this God, which is an infinite God inall His attributes. 

[Misery of man by this law. ]

But to declare unto you the misery of man by this law to purpose, I do beseech you to take notice of these following particulars, besides what has been already spoken:--First, I shall show the dangerof them by reason of the law, as they come from Adam; Second, asthey are in their own persons particularly under it. 

[First, The danger of them by reason of the law, as they come fromAdam. ]

1. As they come from Adam, they are in a sad condition, because heleft them a broken covenant. Or take it thus: because they, whilethey were in him, did with him break that covenant. O! this was thetreasure that Adam left to his posterity; it was a broken covenant, insomuch that death reigned over all his children, and doth stillto this day, as they come from him, both natural and eternal death(Rom 5). It may be, drunkard, swearer, liar, thief, thou dost notthink of this. 

2. He did not only leave them a broken covenant, but also madethem himself sinners against it. He [Adam] made them sinners--"Byone man's disobedience many were made sinners" (Rom 5:19). And thisis worse than the first. 

3. Not only so, but he did deprive them of their strength, by whichat first they were enabled to stand, and left them no more thandead men. O helpless state! O how beggarly and miserable are thesons of Adam!

4. Not only so, but also before he left them he was the conduitpipe through which the devil did convey off his poisoned spawnand venom nature into the hearts of Adam's sons and daughters, bywhich they are at this day so strongly and so violently carriedaway, that they fly as fast to Hell, and the devil, by reason ofsin, as chaff before a mighty wind. 

5. In a word, Adam led them out of their paradise, that is onemore; and put out their eyes, that is another; and left them to theleading of the devil. O sad! Canst thou hear this, and not have thyears to tingle and burn on thy head? Canst thou read this, and notfeel thy conscience begin to throb and dag? If so, surely it isbecause thou art either possessed with the devil, or besides thyself. 

[Second. ] But I pass this, and come to the second thing, which is, the cause of their being in a sad condition, which is by reason oftheir being in their particular persons under it. 

1. Therefore, they that are under the law, they are in a sadcondition, because they are under that which is more ready, throughour infirmity, to curse than to bless; they are under that calledthe ministration of condemnation, that is, they are under thatdispensation, or administration, whose proper work is to curse andcondemn, and nothing else (2 Cor 3). 

2. Their condition is sad who are under the law, because they arenot only under that ministration that doth condemn, but also thatwhich doth wait an opportunity to condemn; the law doth not waitthat it might be gracious, but it doth wait to curse and condemn;it came on purpose to discover sin, "The law entered, " saiththe Apostle, "that the offence might abound" (Rom 5:20) or appearindeed to be that which God doth hate, and also to curse for thatwhich hath been committed; as he saith, "Cursed is every one thatcontinueth not in all things which are written in the book of thelaw to do them" (Gal 3:10). 

3. They are in a sad condition, because that administration theyare under that are under the law doth always find fault with thesinner's obedience as well as his disobedience, if it be not donein a right spirit, which they that are under that covenant cannotdo, by reason of their being destitute of faith; therefore, I say, it doth control them, saying, "This was not well done, this wasdone by the halves, this was not done freely, and that was notdone perfectly, and out of love to God. " And hence it is that somemen, notwithstanding they labour to live as holy as ever they canaccording to the law, yet they do not live a peaceable life, butare full of condemnings, full of guilt and torment of conscience, finding themselves to fail here, and to fall short there, omittingthis good which the law commands, and doing that evil which the lawforbids, but never giveth them one good word for all their pains. 

4. They that are under the law are in a sad condition, because theyare under that administration that will never be contented withwhat is done by the sinner. If thou be under this covenant, workas hard as thou canst, the law will never say, "Well done"; neversay, "My good servant"; no; but always it will be driving theefaster, hastening of thee harder, giving thee fresh commands, whichthou must do, and upon pain of damnation not to be left undone. Nay, it is such a master that will curse thee, not only for thysins, but also because thy good works were not so well done as theyought to be. 

5. They that are under this covenant or law, their state is verysad, because this law doth command impossible things of him thatis under it; and yet doth but right in it, seeing man at the firsthad in Adam strength to stand, if he would have used it, and thelaw was given them, as I said before, when man was in his fullstrength; and therefore no inequality if it commands the same still, seeing God that gave thee strength did not take it away. I willgive you a similitude for the clearing of it. Set the case that Igive to my servant ten pounds, with this charge, Lay it out for mybest advantage, that I may have my own again with profit; now ifmy servant, contrary to my command, goeth and spends my money in adisobedient way, is it any inequality in me to demand of my servantwhat I gave him at first? Nay, and though he have nothing to pay, Imay lawfully cast him into prison, and keep him there until I havesatisfaction. So here; the law was delivered to man at the firstwhen he was in a possibility to have fulfilled it; now, then, thoughman have lost his strength, yet God is just in commanding the samework to be done. Ay, and if they do not do the same things, I say, that are impossible for them to do, it is just with God to damnthem, seeing it was they themselves that brought themselves intothis condition; therefore, saith the Apostle, "What things soeverthe law (or commands) saith, it saith to them who are under thelaw; that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may becomeguilty before God" (Rom 3:19). And this is thy sad condition thatart under the law (Gal 3:10). 

But if any should object, and say, But the law doth not commandimpossible things of natural man, --

I should answer in this case as the Apostle did in another verymuch like unto it, saying, "Understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm. " For doth not the law command thee to lovethe Lord thy God with all thy soul, with all they strength, withall thy might, etc. , and can the natural man do this? How can thosethat are accustomed to do evil, do that which is commanded in thisparticular? "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard hisspots?" (Jer 12:23). 

Doth the law command thee to do good, and nothing but good, and thatwith all thy soul, heart, and delight? which the law as a Covenantof Works calleth for; and canst thou, being carnal, do that? Butthere is no man that hath understanding, if he should hear theesay so, but would say that thou wast either bewitched or stark mad. 

6. They that are under the law are in a sad condition, because thatthough they follow the law, or Covenant of Works; I say, though theyfollow it, it will not lead them to Heaven; no, but contrariwise, it will lead them under the curse. It is not possible, saith Paul, that any should be justified by the law, or by our following of it;for by that "is the knowledge of sin, " and by it we are condemnedfor the same, which is far from leading us to life, being theministration of death (2 Cor 3). And again; "Israel, which followethafter the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law ofrighteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, butby the law, and by the works thereof" (Rom 9:30-32). 

7. They that are under the law are in a sad condition, because theydo not know whether ever they shall have any wages for their workor no; they have no assurance of the pardon of their sins, neitherany hopes of eternal life; but poor hearts as they are, they workfor they do not know what, even like a poor horse that works hardall day, and at night hath a dirty stable for his pains; so thoumayest work hard all the days of thy life, and at the day of death, instead of having a glorious rest in the Kingdom of Heaven, thoumayest, nay, thou shalt, have for thy sins the damnation of thysoul and body in Hell to all eternity; forasmuch, as I said before, that the law, if thou sinnest, it doth not take notice of any goodwork done by thee, but takes its advantage to destroy and cut offthy soul for the sin thou hast committed. 

8. They that are under the law are in a sad condition, becausethey are under that administration; upon whose souls God doth notsmile, they dying there; for the administration that God doth smileupon His children through, is the Covenant of Grace, they being inJesus Christ, the Lord of life and consolation; but contrariwiseto those that are under the law; for they have His frowns, Hisrebukes, His threatenings, and with much severity they must be dealtwithal--"For they continued not in My covenant, and I regarded themnot, saith the Lord" (Heb 8:9). 

9. They are in a sad condition, because they are out of the faith ofChrist; they that are under the law have not the faith of Christin them; for that dispensation which they are under is not theadministration of faith. The law is not of faith, saith the Apostle(Gal 3:12). 

10. Because they have not received the Spirit; for that is receivedby the hearing of faith, and not by the law, nor the works thereof(Gal 3:2). 

11. In a word, if thou live and die under that covenant, JesusChrist will neither pray for thee, neither let thee have one dropof His blood to wash away thy sins, neither shalt thou be so muchas one of the least in the Kingdom of Heaven; for all these privilegescome to souls under another covenant, as the Apostle saith--"Forsuch are not under the law, but under grace"--that is, such as havea share in the benefits of Jesus Christ, or such as are brought fromunder the first covenant into the second; or from under the lawinto the grace of Christ's Gospel, without which Covenant of Grace, and being found in that, there is no soul can have the least hopeof eternal life, no joy in the Holy Ghost, no share in the privilegesof saints, because they are tied up from them by the limits andbonds of the Covenant of Works. For you must understand that thesetwo covenants have their several bounds and limitations, for theruling and keeping in subjection, or giving of freedom, to theparties under the said covenants. Now they that are under the laware within the compass and the jurisdiction of that, and are boundto be in subjection to that; and living and dying under that, theymust stand and fall to that, as Paul saith, "To his own master hestandeth or falleth. " The Covenant of Grace doth admit to those thatare under it also liberty and freedom, together with commanding ofsubjection to the things contained in it, which I shall speak tofurther hereafter. [For what purpose the Law was added and given. ]

But now, that the former things may be further made to appear--thatis, what the sad condition of all them that are under the law is, as I have shown you something of the nature of the law, so also shallI show that the law was added and given for this purpose, that itmight be so with those that are out of the Covenant of Grace. 

First, God did give the law that sin might abound, not thatit should take away sin in any, but to discover the sin which isalready begotten, or that may be hereafter begotten, by lust andSatan (Rom 5:20). I say, this is one proper work of the law, tomake manifest sin; it is sent to find fault with the sinner, and itdoth also watch that it may do so, and it doth take all advantagesfor the accomplishing of its work in them that give ear thereto, ordo not give ear, if it have the rule over them. I say, it is likea man that is sent by his lord to see and pry into the laboursand works of other men, taking every advantage to discover theirinfirmities and failings, and to chide them? yea, to throw themout of the Lord's favour for the same. 

Second. Another great end why the Lord did add or give the law, itwas that no man might have anything to lay to the charge of theLord for His condemning of them that do transgress against the same. You know that if a man should be had before an officer or judge, and there be condemned, and yet by no law, he that condemns himmight be very well reprehended or reproved for passing the judgment;yea, the party himself might have better ground to plead for hisliberty than the other to plead for the condemning of him; but thisshall not be so in the judgment-day, but contrariwise; for thenevery man shall be forced to lay his hand on his mouth, and holdhis tongue at the judgment of God when it is passed upon them;therefore saith the Apostle, "What things soever the law saith, itsaith to them who are under the law"; that is, all the commands, all the cursings and threatenings that are spoken by it, are spoken, saith he, "that every mouth may be stopped"; mark, I beseech you, "it saith, " saith he, "that every mouth may be stopped, and allthe world may become guilty before God" (Rom 3:19). So that now, in case any in the judgment-day should object against the judgmentof God, as those in the 25th of Matthew do, saying, Lord, when sawwe Thee thus and thus? and why dost Thou pass such a sad sentenceof condemnation upon us? surely this is injustice, and not equity:now for the preventing of this the law was given; ay, and that itmight prevent thee to purpose, God gave it betimes, before eitherthy first father had sinned, or thou wast born. So that again, ifthere should be these objections offered against the proceedingsof the Lord in justice and judgment, saying, Lord, why am I thuscondemned, I did not know it was sin? Now against these two wasthe law given and that betimes, so that both these are answered. Ifthe first come in and say, Why am I judged? why am I damned? thenwill the law come in, even all the Ten Commandments, with every oneof their cries against thy soul; the First saying, He hath sinnedagainst Me, damn him; the Second saying also, He hath transgressedagainst Me, damn him; the Third also saying the same, together withthe Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Seventh, Eighth, Ninth, Tenth; even allof them will discharge themselves against thy soul if thou die underthe first covenant, saying, He or they have transgressed againstus, damn them, damn them: and I tell thee also, that these ten greatguns, the Ten Commandments, will, with discharging themselves injustice against thy soul, so rattle in thy conscience, that thouwilt in spite of thy teeth be immediately put to silence, and havethy mouth stopped. And let me tell thee further, that if thou shaltappear before God to have the Ten Commandments discharge themselvesagainst thee, thou hadst better be tied to a tree, and have ten, yea, ten thousand of the biggest pieces of ordnance in the worldto be shot off against thee; for these could go no further but onlyto kill the body; but they, both body and soul, to be tormented inHell with the devil to all eternity. 

Third, Again; if the second thing should be objected, saying, ButLord, I did not think this had been sin, or the other had been sin, for nobody told me so; then also will the giving of the law takeoff that, saying, Nay, But I was given to thy father Adam beforehe had sinned, or before thou wast born, and have ever since beenin thy soul to convince thee of thy sins, and to control thee fordoing the thing that was not right. Did not I secretly tell theeat such a time, in such a place, when thou wast doing of such athing, with such an one, or when thou was all alone, that this wasa sin, and that God did forbid it, therefore if thou didst commitit, God would be displeased with thee for it: and when thou wasthinking to do such a thing at such a time, did not I say, Forbear, do not so? God will smite thee, and punish thee for it if thou dostdo it. And besides, God did so order it that you had me in yourhouses, in your Bibles, and also you could speak and talk of me;thus pleading the truth, thou shalt be forced to confess it isso; nay, it shall be so in some sort with the very Gentiles andbarbarous people that fall far short of that light we have in theseparts of the world; for, saith the Apostle, "The Gentiles which havenot the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, " that is, not written as we have, yet they "area law unto themselves: which show the works of the law written intheir hearts" (Rom 2:14, 15). That is, they have the law of worksin them by nature, and therefore they shall be left without excuse;for their own consciences shall stand up for the truth of thiswhere he saith, "Their conscience also bearing witness, and theirthoughts the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another. " Ay, but when? Why, "in the day when God shall judge the secrets of menby Jesus Christ according to my Gospel" (Rom 2:15, 16). So this, Isay, is another end for which the Lord did give the law--namely, that God might pass a sentence in righteousness, without beingcharged with any injustice by those that shall fall under it inthe judgment. 

Fourth, A fourth end why the Lord did give the law it was, becausethey that die out of Jesus Christ might not only have their mouthsstopped, but also that their persons "might become guilty beforeGod" (Rom 3:19). And indeed this will be the ground of silencing, as I said before, they finding themselves guilty, their consciencesbacking the truth of the judgment of God passed upon them, "theyshall become guilty"--that is, they shall be fit vessels for thewrath of God to be poured out into, being filled with guilt byreason of transgressions against the commandments; thus, therefore, shall the parties under the first covenant be "fitted to destruction"(Rom 9:22) even as wood or straw, being well dried, is fittedfor the fire; and the law was added and given, and speaks to thisvery end, that sins might be shown, mouths might be stopped fromquarreling, and that "all the world, " mark, "the world may becomeguilty before God, " and so be in justice for ever and ever overthrownbecause of their sins. 

And this will be so for these reasons--

1. Because God hath a time to magnify His justice and holiness, as well as to show His forbearance and mercy. We read in Scripturethat His eyes are too pure to behold iniquity, and then we shallfind it true (Hab 1:13). We read in Scripture that He will magnifythe law, and make it honourable, and then He will do it indeed. Now, because the Lord doth not strike so soon as He is provoked bysin, therefore poor souls will not know nor regard the justice ofGod, neither do they consider the time in which it must be advanced, which will be when men drop under the wrath of God as fast as hailin a mighty storm (2 Peter 3:9; Psa 50:21, 22). Now, therefore, lookto it all you that count the long-suffering and forbearance of Godslackness; and because for the present He keepeth silence, thereforeto think that He is like unto yourselves. No, no; but know thatGod hath His set time for every purpose of His, and in its time itshall be advanced most marvelously, to the everlasting astonishmentand overthrow of that soul that shall be dealt withal by justiceand the law. O! how will God advance His justice! O! how willGod advance His holiness! First, by showing men that He in justicecannot, will not regard them, because they have sinned; and, secondly, in that His holiness will not give way for such uncleanwretches to abide in His sight, His eyes are so pure. 

2. Because God will make it appear that He will be as good as HisWord to sinners. Sinners must not look to escape always, though theymay escape awhile, yet they shall not go far all adoe unpunished;no, but they shall have their due to a farthing, when everythreatening and curse shall be accomplished and fulfilled on thehead of the transgressor. Friend, there is never an idle word thatthou speakest but God will account with thee for it; there is nevera lie thou tellest, but God will reckon with thee for it; nay, thereshall not pass so much as one passage in all thy lifetime but God, the righteous God, will have it in the trial by His law, if thoudie under it, in the judgment-day. 

[WHO THE ARE THAT ARE UNDER THE COVENANT OF WORKS. ]

THIRD. But you will say--"But who are those that are thus underthe law?"

Answ. Those that are under the law may be branched out into threeranks of men; either, first, such as are grossly profane, or suchas are more refined; which may be two ways, some in a lower sort, and some in a more eminent way. 

First, Then they are under the law as a Covenant of Works who areopen profane, and ungodly wretches, such as delight not only insin, but also make their boast of the same, and brag at the thoughtsof committing of it. Now, as for such as these are, there is aScripture in the First Epistle of Paul to Timothy Chapter 1, verses9, 10, which is a notable one to this purpose, "The law, " saithhe, "is not made for a righteous man, " not as it is a Covenant ofWorks, "but for the" unrighteous or "lawless and disobedient, forthe ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderersof fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, " look to it, liars, "for perjured persons, and, " in aword, "if there be any other thing that is not according to sounddoctrine. " These are one sort of people that are under the law, and so under the curse of the same, whose due is to drink up thebrimful cup of God's eternal vengeance, and therefore I beseech younot to deceive yourselves; for "know ye not that the unrighteousshall not inherit the kingdom of God? Neither fornicators, noridolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselveswith mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor 6:9, 10). Poor souls, you think that you may have your sins, your lusts, andpleasures, and yet you shall do pretty well, and be let to go freein the judgment-day; but see what God saith of such in Deuteronomy29:19, 20--which shall "bless himself in his heart, saying, I shallhave peace, " I shall be saved, I shall do as well as others, inthe day when God shall judge the world by Jesus Christ; but, saithGod, I will not spare them, no, but My anger and My jealousy shallsmoke against them. How far? Even to the executing all the cursesthat are written in the Law of God upon them. Nay, saith God, Iwill be even with them, "for I will blot out their names from underHeaven. " And indeed it must of necessity be so, because such soulsare unbelievers, in their sins, and under the law, which cannot, will not, show any mercy on them; for it is not the administrationof mercy and life, but the administration of death and destruction, as you have it (2 Cor 3:7, 9); and all those, every one of them, that are open profane, and scandalous wretches are under it, andhave been so ever since they came into the world to this day; andthey will for certain live and die under the same dispensation, and then be damned to all eternity, if they be not converted fromunder that covenant into and under the Covenant of Grace, of whichI shall speak in its place; and yet for all this, how brag and crank6 are our poor wantons and wicked ones in this day of forbearance!as if God would never have a reckoning with them, as if there wasno law to condemn them, as if there was no hellfire to put theminto. But O how will they be deceived when they shall see Christsitting upon the judgment-seat, having laid aside his priestly andprophetical office, and appearing only as a judge to the wicked?when they shall see all the records of Heaven unfolded and laidopen; when they shall see each man his name in the Book of Life, and in the book of the law; when they shall see God in His majesty, Christ in His majesty, the saints in their dignity, but themselvesin their impurity. What will they say then? whither will they flythen? where will they leave their glory? O sad state! (Isa 10:3). 

Second. They are under the law also who do not only so break anddisobey the law, but follow after the law as hard as ever theycan, seeking justification thereby--that is, though a man shouldabstain from the sins against the law, and labour to fulfill thelaw, and give up himself to the law, yet if he look no furtherthan the law he is still under the law, and for all his obedienceto the law, the righteous Law of God, he shall be destroyed by thatlaw. Friend, you must not understand that none but profane personsare under the law; no, but you must understand that a man may beturned from a vain, loose, open, profane conversation and sinningagainst the law, to a holy, righteous, religious life, and yet bein the same state, under the same law, and as sure to be damned asthe other that are more profane and loose. And though you may saythis is very strange, yet I shall both say it and prove it to betrue. Read with understanding that Scripture in Romans 9:30-31, where the Apostle, speaking of the very thing, saith, "But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness"; mark, that followedafter the law of righteousness; they notwithstanding their earnestpursuit, or hunting after the law of righteousness, "hath notattained to the law of righteousness. " It signifies thus much tous, that let a man be never so earnest, so fervent, so restless, so serious, so ready, so apt and willing to follow the law and therighteousness thereof, if he be under that covenant, he is gone, he is lost, he is deprived of eternal life, because he is not underthe ministration of life if he die there. Read also that Scripture, Galatians 3:10, which saith, "For as many as are of the works ofthe law are under the curse"; mark, they that are of the works ofthe law. Now, for to be of the works of the law, it is to be of theworks of the righteousness thereof--that is, to abstain from sinsagainst the law, and to do the commands thereof as near as everthey can for their lives, or with all the might they have: andtherefore I beseech you to consider it, for men's being ignorant ofthis is the cause why so many go on supposing they have a share inChrist, because they are reformed, and abstain from the sins againstthe law, who, when all comes to all, will be damned notwithstanding, because they are not brought out from under the Covenant of Works, and put under the Covenant of Grace. 

Object. "But can you in very deed make these things manifestlyevident from the Word of God? Methinks to reason thus is verystrange, that a man should labour to walk up according to the Lawof God as much as ever he can, and yet that man notwithstandingthis, should be still under the curse. Pray clear it. "

Answ. Truly this doth seem very strange, I do know full well, tothe natural man, to him that is yet in his unbelief, because hegoeth by beguiled reason; but for my part, I do know it is so, andshall labour also to convince thee of the truth of the same. 

1. Then, the law is thus strict and severe, that if a man do sin butonce against it, he, I say, is gone for ever by the law, living anddying under that covenant. If you would be satisfied as touching thetruth of this, do but read Galatians 3:10, where it saith "Cursedis every one, " that is, not a man shall miss by that covenant, "thatcontinueth not in all, " mark, in all "things which are written inthe book of the law to do them. " (1. ) Pray mark, here is a curse, in the first place, if all things written in the book of the law benot done, and that, continually too--that is, without any failingor one slip, as I said before. Now there is never a one in the worldbut before they did begin to yield obedience to the least command, they in their own persons did sin against it by breaking of it. The Apostle, methinks, is very notable for the clearing of thisin Romans 3:5. In the one he endeavours for to prove that allhad transgressed in the first Adam as he stood a common person, representing both himself and us in his standing and falling. "Wherefore, " saith he, "as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, " mark that; butwhy? "for that all have sinned" (Rom 5:12). That is, forasmuch asall naturally are guilty of original sin, the sin that was committedby us in Adam; so this is one cause why none can be justified bytheir obedience to the law, because they have in the first placebroken it in their first parents. But, (2. ) in case this should beopposed and rejected by quarrelsome persons, though there be noground for it, Paul hath another argument to back his doctrine, saying, For we have proved (already) that both Jews and Gentilesare all under sin. "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. " "They are all gone out of the way, they are together, "mark, together, "become unprofitable, there is none that doethgood, no, not one. " "Their throat is an open sepulchre; with theirtongues they have used deceit, the poison of asps is under theirlips. " Their "mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. " "Theirfeet are swift to shed blood. " In a word, "Destruction and miseryare in their ways; and the way of peace have they not known. " Nowthen, saith he, having proved these things so clearly, the conclusionof the whole is this, "That what things soever the law saith, " inboth showing of sin, and cursing for the same, "it saith" all "tothem who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped, andall the world may become guilty before God" (Rom 3:10, 19). So thathere, I say, lieth the ground of our not being justified by thelaw, even because, in the first place, we have sinned against it;for know this for certain, that if the law doth take the leastadvantage of thee by thy sinning against it, all that ever thoushalt afterwards hear from it is nothing but Curse, curse, cursehim, "for not continuing in all things which are written in thebook of the law to do them. "

2. Thou canst not be saved by the righteous Law of God, the firstcovenant, because that, together with this thy miserable state, byoriginal and actual sins, before thou didst follow the law, sincethy turning to the law thou hast committed several sins against thelaw--"In many things we offend all. " So that now thy righteousnessto the law being mixed with sometimes the lust of concupiscence, fornication, covetousness, pride, heart-risings against God, coldnessof affection towards Him, backwardness to good duties, speakingidle words, having of strife in your hearts, and such like; I say, these things being thus, the righteousness of the law is becometoo weak through this our flesh (Rom 8:3), and so, notwithstandingall our obedience to the law, we are yet through our weakness underthe curse of the law; for, as I said before, the law is so holy, so just, and so good, that it cannot allow that any failing or slipshould be done by them that look for life by the same. "Cursed isevery one that continuteth not in everything" (Gal 3:10). And thisPaul knew full well, which made him throw away all his righteousness. But you will say, that was his own. Answ. But it was even that whichwhile he calls it his own, he also calls it the righteousness ofthe law (Phil 3:7-10) and to account it but dung, but as dirt onhis shoes, and that, that he might be found in Christ, and so besaved by Him "without the deeds of the law" (Rom 3:28). But, 3. Set the case, the righteousness of the law which thou hast waspure and perfect, without the least flaw or fault, without theleast mixture of the least sinful thought, yet this would fall farshort of presenting of thee blameless in the sight of God. And thatI prove by these arguments--(1. ) The first argument is, that thatwhich is not Christ cannot redeem souls from the curse, it cannotcompletely present them before the Lord; now the law is not Christ;therefore the moral law cannot, by all our obedience to it, deliverus from the curse that is due to us (Acts 4:12). (2. ) The secondargument is, that that righteousness that is not the righteousnessof faith, that is, by believing in Jesus Christ, cannot pleaseGod; now the righteousness of the law as a Covenant of Works isnot the righteousness of faith; therefore the righteousness of thelaw as acted by us, being under that covenant, cannot please God. The first is proved in Hebrews 11:6, "But without faith it isimpossible to please Him"; mark, it is impossible. The second thus, "The law is not of faith" (Gal 3:12; Rom 10:5, 6), compared withGalatians 3:11. "But that no man is justified by the law in thesight of God, it is evident; for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith. "

But for the better understanding of those that are weak ofapprehension, I shall prove it thus--1. The soul that hath eternallife, he must have it by right of purchase or redemption (Heb 9:12;Eph 1:7). 2. This purchase of redemption must be through the bloodof Christ. "We have redemption through His blood. " "Without sheddingof blood is no remission. " Now the law is not in a capacity to die, and so to redeem sinners by the purchase of blood, which satisfactionjustice calls for. Read the same Scriptures (Heb 9:22). Justicecalls for satisfaction, because thou hast transgressed and sinnedagainst it, and that must have satisfaction; therefore all thatever thou canst do cannot bring in redemption, though thou followthe law up the to the nail-head, as I may say, because all thisis not shedding of blood; for believe it, and know it for certain, that though thou hadst sinned but one sin before thou didst turnto the law, that one sin will murder thy soul, if it be not washedaway by blood, even by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, thatwas shed when He did hang upon the cross on Mount Calvary. 

Object. But you will say, "Methinks, that giving of ourselves upto live a righteous life should make God like the better of us, and so let us be saved by Christ, because we are so willing to obeyHis law. "

Answ. The motive that moveth God to have mercy upon sinners is notbecause they are willing to follow the law, but because He is willingto save them. "Not for thy righteousness, or for the uprighteousof thine heart dost thou go to possess their land" (Deu 9:4-6). Now understand this: if thy will to do righteousness was the firstmoving cause why God had mercy on thee through Christ, then it mustnot be freely by grace--I say, freely. But the Lord loves thee andsaves thee upon free terms, having nothing beforehand to make Himaccept of thy soul, but only the blood of Christ; therefore to allowof such a principle it is to allow that grace is to be obtainedby the works of the law, which is as gross darkness as lies inthe darkest dungeon in Popery, and is also directly opposite toScripture--For we are "justified freely by His grace, through theredemption that is in Christ"; not through the good that is in ourselves, or done by us, no, "but by faith, without"--mark that--"withoutthe deeds of the law" (Rom 3:24-28). Again, "Not of works, leastany man should boast" (Eph 2:9). No, no, saith he, "Not accordingto our works, " or righteousness, "but according to His own purpose";mark "according to His own purpose and grace, which was" a freegift, "given us in Christ Jesus, " not lately, but "before the worldbegan" (2 Tim 1:9). 

Object. But you will say, "Then why did God give the law, if wecannot have salvation by following of it?"

Answ. I told you before that the law was given for these followingreasons--1. That thou mightest be convinced by it of thy sins, andthat thy sins might indeed appear very sinful unto thee, which isdone by the law these ways--(1. ) By showing of thee what a holy GodHe is that did give the law; and, (2. ) By showing thee thy vilenessand wickedness, in that thou, contrary to this holy God, hasttransgressed against and broken this His holy Law; therefore, saithPaul, "the law entered, that the offence might abound, " that is, byshowing the creature the holiness of God, and also its own vileness(Rom 5:20). 2. That thou mayest know that God will not damn thee fornothing in the judgment-day. 3. Because He would have no quarrelingat His just condemning of them at that day. 4. Because He will makethee to know that He is a holy God and pure. 

WHAT MEN MAY ATTAIN TO THAT ARE UNDER THIS COVENANT OF WORKS. 

[FOURTH] Quest. "But seeing you have spoken thus far, I wish youwould do so much as to show in some particulars, both what menhave done, and how far they have gone, and what they have received, being yet under this covenant, which you call the ministration ofcondemnation. "

Answ. This is somewhat a difficult question, and had need be not onlywarily, but also home and soundly answered. The question consistsof three particulars--First, What men have done; Second, How farmen have gone; Third, What they have received, and yet to be underthe law, or Covenant of Works, and so in a state of condemnation. 

[First. ] As for the first, I have spoken something in general tothat already; but for thy better understanding I shall yet speakmore particularly. 

1. A man hath and may be convinced and troubled for his sins, andyet be under this covenant, and that in a very heavy and dreadfulmanner, insomuch that he find the weight of them to be intolerableand too heavy for him to bear, as it was with Cain, "My punishment, "saith he, "is greater than I can bear" (Gen 4:13). 

2. A man living thus under a sense of his sins may repent and besorry for them, and yet be under this covenant, and yet be in adamned state. And when he, Judas, saw what was done, he "repented"(Matt 27:3). 

3. Men may not only be convinced, and also repent for their sins, but they may also desire the prayers of the children of God forthem too, and yet be under this covenant and curse, "Then Pharaohcalled for Moses and Aaron, in haste, and he said, I have sinned;entreat the LORD your God that He may take away from me this death"(Exo 10:16, 17). 

4. A man may also humble himself for his offences and disobedienceagainst his God, and yet be under this covenant (1 Kings 21:24-19). 

5. A man may make restitution unto men for the offence he hath doneunto them, and yet be under this covenant. 

6. A man may do much work for God in his generation, and yet beunder this first covenant; as Jehu, who did do that which God bidhim (2 Kings 9:25, 26). And yet God threateneth even Jehu, becausethough he did do the thing that the Lord commanded him, yet he didit not from a right principle; for had he, the Lord would not havesaid, "Yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreelupon the house of Jehu" (Hosea 1:4). 

7. Men may hear and fear the servants of the Lord, and reverencethem very highly; yea, and when they hear, they may not only hear, but hear and do, and that gladly too, not one or two things, butmany; mark, many things gladly, and yet be lost, and yet be damned, "For Herod feared John, " why? not because he had any civil powerover him, but because "he was a just man and an holy, and observedhim; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly"(Mark 6:20). It may be that thou thinkest that because thou hearestsuch and such, therefore thou art better than thy neighbours; butknow for certain that thou mayest not only hear, but thou mayesthear and do, and that not with a backward will, but gladly--mark, "gladly"--and yet be Herod still, an enemy to the Lord Jesus still. Consider this, I pray you. 

Second. But to the second thing, which is this, How far may suchan one go? To what may such an one attain? Whither may he arrive, and yet be an undone man, under this covenant? [1] answer--

1. Such an one may be received into fellowship with the saints, asthey are in a visible way of walking one with another; they maywalk hand in hand together, "The Kingdom of Heaven, " that is, avisible company of professors of Christ, is likened to ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the Bridegroom, "fiveof them were wise, and five were foolish" (Matt 25:1, 2). These, in the first place, are called virgins--that is, such as are clearfrom the pollutions of the world; secondly, they are said to goforth--that is, from the rudiments and traditions of men; thirdly, they do agree to take their lamps with them--that is, to professthemselves the servants of Jesus Christ, that wait upon Him, andfor Him; and yet when He came, He found half of them, even thevirgins, that had lamps, that also went forth from the pollutionsof the world and the customs of men, to be such as lost theirprecious souls (verse 12) which they should not have done, had theybeen under the Covenant of Grace, and so not under the law. 

2. They may attain to a great deal of honour in the said companyof professors, that which may be accounted honour, insomuch thatthey may be put in trust with church affairs, and bear the bag, asJudas did. I speak not this to shame the saints, but, being beloved, I warn them; yet I speak this on purpose that it might, if the Lordwill, knock at the door of the souls of professors. Consider Demas!

3. They may attain to speak of the Word as ministers, and becomepreachers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, insomuch that the peoplewhere they dwell may even take up a proverb concerning them, saying, "Is he among the prophets?" his gifts may be so rare, his tonguemay be so fluent, and his matter may be so fit, that he may speakwith a tongue like an angel, and speak of the hidden mysteries, yea, of them all; mark that, and yet be nothing, and yet be noneof the Lord's anointed ones, with the Spirit of grace savingly, but may live and die under the curse of the law (1 Cor 13:1-4). 

4. They may go yet further; they may have the gifts of the Spiritof God, which may enable them to cast out devils, to remove thebiggest hills or mountains in the world; nay, thou mayest be sogifted as to prophesy of things to come, the most glorious things, even the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to reign over all Hisenemies, and yet be but a Balaam, a wicked and a mad prophet (2Peter 2:16; Num 24:16-25). 

5. There may not only stand thus for awhile, for a little season, but they may stand thus till the coming of our Lord Jesus Christwith His holy angels; ay, and not be discovered of the saints tillthat very day. "Then all those virgins arose, "--the wise and thefoolish; then! when? why, when this voice was heard, "Behold theBridegroom cometh, go ye out to meet him" (Matt 25:1-6). And yetwere out of the Lord Jesus Christ, and yet were under the law. 

6. Nay, further, they may not only continue in a profession tillthen, supposing themselves to be under the grace of the Gospel, when indeed they are under the curse of the law, but even when theBridegroom is come, they may still be so confident of their stateto be good, that they will even reason out the case with Christ whythey are not let into the kingdom of glory, saying, "Lord, Lord, we have eaten and drunk in Thy presence; and Thou hast taught inour streets. " Nay, further, "Have we not prophesied in Thy name?and in Thy name have cast out devils?" Nay, not only thus, but, "done many, " mark, we have "done many wonderful works. " Nay, further, they were so confident, that they commanded, in a commanding way, saying, "Lord, open to us. " See here, I beseech you, how far thesewent; they thought they had had intimate acquaintance with JesusChrist, they thought He could not choose but save them; they had eatand drunk with Him, sat at the table with Him, received power fromHim, executed the same power. In Thy name have we done thus and thus;even wrought many wonderful works (Matt 7:22; Luke 13:25, 26). Andyet these poor creatures were shut out of the kingdom. O considerthis, I beseech you, before it be too late, lest you say, Lord, letus come in, when Christ saith, Thrust him out (Verse 28). Hears youcry, "Lord open to us, " when He saith, "Depart, I know you not";lest though you think of having joy, you have "weeping and gnashingof teeth. "

Third. But the third thing touched in the question was this--Whatmay such an one receive of God who is under the curse of the law?

1. They may receive an answer to their prayers from God at sometimes, for some things as they do stand in need of. I find inScripture that God did hear these persons that the Apostle saithwere cast out (Gen 21:17). "And God heard the voice of the lad, "even of cast-out Ishmael; "and the angel of God called to Hagar"which was the bond-woman, and under the law (Gal 4:30). "out ofheaven, and said unto her, Fear not; for God hath heard the voiceof the lad where he is. " Friends, it may be you may think, becauseyou have your prayers answered in some particular things, thereforeyou may suppose that as to your eternal state your condition is verygood. But you must know that God doth hear the cry of a company ofIshmaelites, the sons of the bondwomen, who are under the law as aCovenant of Works. I do not say He hears them as to their eternalstate, but He heareth them as to several straits that they go throughin this life, ay, and gives them ease and liberty from their trouble. Here this poor wretch was almost perished for a little water, andhe cried, and God heard him, yea, He heard him out of Heaven. Readalso Psalm 107:23-29. "He gave them their desire, but Hesent leanness into their soul" (Psa 106:15). 7

But some may say, Methinks this is yet more strange that God shouldhear the prayers, the cries of those that are under the law, andanswer them. Answ. I told you before, He doth not hear them as totheir eternal state, but as to their temporal state; for God astheir Creator hath a care for them, and causeth the sun to shineupon them, and the rain to distill upon their substance (Matt5:45). Nay, He doth give the beasts in the field their appointedfood, and doth hear the young ravens when they cry, which are farinferior to man (Psa 147:9). I say, therefore, that God doth hearthe cries of His creatures, and doth answer them too, though notas to their eternal state; but may damn them nevertheless when theydie for all that. 

2. They may receive promises from the mouth of the Lord. There aremany that have promises made to them by the Lord in a most eminentway, and yet, as I said before, are such as are cast out and calledthe children of the bond-woman, which is the law--"And the angelof God called to Hagar out of Heaven, " that was the bond-woman, saying, "Fear not; for God hath heard the voice of the lad wherehe is. Arise, lift up the lad, and hold him in thine hand; FORI WILL MAKE HIM, "--mark, there is the promise, --"for I will makehim, " of the son of the bond-woman, "a great nation" (Gen 21:17, 18). 

3. Nay, they may go further; for they may receive another heartthan they had before, and yet be under the law. There is no man, I think, but those that do not know what they say, that will thinkor say that Saul was under the Covenant of Grace; yet after he hadtalked with Samuel, and had turned his back to go from him, saiththe Scripture, "God gave him another heart" (1 Sam 10:9). Anotherheart, mark that, and yet an out-cast, a rejected person (1 Sam15:26, 29). Friends, I beseech you, let not these things offendyou, but let them rather beget in your hearts an inquiring intothe truth of your condition, and be willing to be searched tothe bottom; and also, that everything which hath not been plantedby the Lord's right hand may be rejected, and that there may be areaching after better things, even the things that will not onlymake thy soul think thy state is good now, but that thou mayest beable to look sin, death, Hell, the curse of the law, together withthe Judge, in the face with comfort, having such a real, sound, effectual work of God's grace in thy soul, that when thou hearestthe trumpet sound, seest the graves fly open, and the deadcome creeping forth out of their holes; when thou shalt see thejudgment set, the books opened, and all the world standing beforethe judgment-seat; I say, that then thou mayest stand, and havethat blessed sentence spoken to thy soul, "Come, ye blessed of MyFather, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundationof the world" (Matt 25:34). 

[Objection to this head. ] But, you will say, for all this, We cannotbelieve that we are under the law, for these reasons--As, First. Because we have found a change in our hearts. Second. Because wedo deny that the Covenant of Works will save any. Third. Because, for our parts, we judge ourselves far from legal principles; for weare got up into as perfect a Gospel order, as to matter of practiceand discipline in church affairs, as any this day in England, aswe judge. 

[Answer to reason first. ] That man's belief that is grounded uponanything done in him, or by him only, that man's belief is not groundedupon the death, burial, resurrection, ascension, and intercessionof Jesus Christ; for that man that hath indeed good ground of hiseternal salvation, his faith is settled upon that object which Godis well pleased or satisfied withal, which is that man that wasborn of Mary, even her first-born Son--that is, he doth apply byfaith to his soul the virtues of His death, blood, righteousness, etc. , and doth look for satisfaction of soul nowhere else than fromthat, neither doth the soul seek to give God any satisfaction asto justification any other ways; but doth willingly and cheerfullyaccept of and embrace the virtues of Christ's death, together withthe rest of His things done by Himself on the cross as a sacrifice, and since also as a priest, advocate, mediator, etc. ; and dothso really and effectually receive the glories of the same, thatthereby--mark that--thereby he is "changed into the same image, from glory to glory" (2 Cor 3:18). Thus in general; but yet moreparticular--

1. To think that your condition is good because there is somechange in you from a loose profane life, to a more close, honest, and civil life and conversation; I say, to think this testimonysufficient to ground the stress of thy salvation upon is verydangerous. First, because such a soul doth not only lay the stressof its salvation besides the man Christ Jesus that died upon thecross; but secondly, because that his confidence is not groundedupon the Saviour of sinners, but upon his turning from gross sinsto a more refined life, --and it may be to the performance of somegood duties--which is no Saviour; I say, this is very dangerous;therefore read it, and the Lord help you to understand it; forunless you lay the whole stress of the salvation of your souls uponthe merits of another man--namely, Jesus--and that by what He diddo and is adoing without you, for certain, as sure as God is inHeaven, your souls will perish. And this must not be notionallyneither, as with an assenting of the understanding only; but it mustbe by the wonderful, invisible, invincible power of the AlmightyGod, working in your souls by His Spirit such a real, saving, holyfaith, that can, through the operation of the same Spirit by whichit is wrought, lay hold on and apply these most heavenly, mostexcellent, most meritorious benefits of the man Christ Jesus, notonly to your heads and fancies, but to your very souls and consciences, so effectually, that you may be able by the same faith to challengethe power, madness, malice, rage, and destroying nature either ofsin, the law, death, the devil, together with Hell and all otherevils, throwing your souls upon the death, burial, resurrection, and intercession of that man Jesus without (Rom 8:32-39). But, 2. Do you think that there was no change in the five foolishvirgins spoken of (Matt 25:1-3). Yes; there was such a change inthose very people, that the five wise ones could give them admittanceof walking with them in the most pure ways and institutions of theGospel of Christ, and yet but foolish; nay, they walked with them, or shall walk with them, until the Lord Jesus Christ shall breakdown from Heaven, and yet be but foolish virgins, and yet but underthe law, and so under the curse, as I said before. 

[Second part of objection. ] But, say you, We have disowned theCovenant of Works, and turned from that also. 

[Answer to reason second. ] This is sooner said than done. Alas, alas!poor souls think because they say, "Grace, grace, it is freely bygrace, " therefore they are under the Covenant of Grace. A very widemistake. You must understand thus much, that though you be such ascan speak of the grace of the Gospel, yet if you yourselves be notbrought under the very Covenant of Grace, you are yet, notwithstandingyour talk and profession, very far wide of a sense and of a sharein the Covenant of the Grace of God held forth in the Gospel. 

The Jews were of a clearer understanding many of them than toconclude that the law, and only the law, was the way to salvation;for they, even they that received not the Christ of God, did expecta Saviour should come (John 7:27, 41-43). But they were men thathad not the Gospel Spirit, which alone is able to lead them to thevery life, marrow, or substance of the Gospel in right terms; andso being muddy in their understandings, being between the thoughtsof a Saviour and the thoughts of the works of the law, thinkingthat they must be accomplished for the obtaining of a Saviour, andHis mercy towards them; I say, between these they fell short of aSaviour. As many poor souls in these days, they think they must besaved alone by the Saviour, yet they think there is something tobe done on their parts for the obtaining of the good-will of theSaviour, as their humiliation for sin, their turning from the same, their promises, and vows, and resolutions to become new men, joinin church-fellowship, and what not; and thus they, bringing thisalong with them as a means to help them, they fall short of eternalsalvation if they are not converted; see that Scripture (Rom9:30-32). The Apostle saith there, that they that sought not didobtain, when they that did seek fell short. "What shall we say then?"saith he. "That the Gentiles which sought not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, " yea, "even the righteousnesswhich is of faith. " And what else? Why, "but Israel which followedafter the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law ofrighteousness. " How came that to pass? "Because, " saith he, "theysought it not by faith, but as it were"--mark, he doth not say, altogether, no, "but as it were"--that is, because as they sought, they did a little by the bye lean upon the works of the law. Andlet me tell you, that this is such a hard thing to beat men off of, that though Paul himself did take the work in hand, he did findenough to do touching it; how is he fain to labour in the tenfirst chapters of his Epistle to the Romans, for the establishingof those that did even profess largely in the doctrine of grace, andalso in that Epistle to the Galatians; and yet lost many, do whathe could. Now, the reason why the doctrine of grace doth so hardlydown--even with professors--in truth, effectually, it is becausethere is a principle naturally in man that doth argue against thesame, and that thus: Why, saith the soul, I am a sinner, and Godis righteous, holy, and just; His holy Law, therefore, having beenbroken by me, I must, by all means, if ever I look to be saved, in the first place, be sorry for my sins; secondly, turn from thesame; thirdly, follow after good duties, and practise the goodthings of the law and ordinances of the Gospel, and so hope thatGod for Christ's sake may forgive all my sins; which is not theway to God as a Father in Christ, but the way, the very way to cometo God by the Covenant of Works, or the law, which things I shallmore fully clear when I speak to the second doctrine. 

Again, therefore, those that this day profess the Gospel, forthe generality of them they are such, that, notwithstanding theirprofession, they are very ignorant of that glorious influence andlustre of the same; I say, they are ignorant of the virtue andefficacy of the glorious things of Christ held forth by and inthe Gospel, which doth argue their not being under the Covenant ofGrace, but rather under the law or old covenant (2 Cor 4:3). As, for instance, if you do come among some professors of the Gospel, in general you shall have them pretty busy and ripe; also able tohold you in a very large discourse in several points of the sameglorious Gospel; but if you come to the same people and ask themconcerning heart-work, or what work the Gospel hath wrought onthem, and what appearance they have had of the sweet influences andvirtues on their souls and consciences, it may be they will giveyou such an answer as this--I do find by the preaching thereof thatI am changed, and turned from my sins in a good measure, and alsohave learned (but only in tongue), to distinguish between the lawand the Gospel, so that for the one--that is, for the Gospel--Ican plead, and also can show the weakness and unprofitableness ofthe other. And thus far, it is like they may go, which is not farenough to prove them under the Covenant of Grace, though they mayhave their tongues so largely tipped with the profession of thesame (2 Peter 2:20) where he saith "For if after they have escapedthe pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord andSaviour Jesus Christ, " which was not a saving knowledge, "they areagain entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end" of that man"is worse than the beginning" (Matt 25:1-4, etc. ; Matt 7:22). 

Object. But, you will say, is not this a fair declaring of the workof grace, or doth it not discover that, without all gainsaying, we are under the Covenant of Grace, when we are able, not only tospeak of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, but also to tell, and that by experience, that we have been changed from worse tobetter, from sin to a holy life, by leaving of the same, and thatby hearing of the Word preached?

Answer 1. A man may, in the first place, be able to talk of allthe mysteries of the Gospel, and that like an angel of God, and yetbe no more in God's account than the sounding of a drum, brass, orthe tinkling of a cymbal, which are things that, notwithstandingtheir sound and great noise, are absolutely void of life and motion, and so are accounted with God as nothing--that is, no Christians, no believers, not under the Covenant of Grace for all that (1 Cor13:1-4). 2. Men may not only do this, but may also be changed inreality, for a season, from what they formerly were, and yet benothing at all in the Lord's account as to an eternal blessing. Read 2 Peter 2:20, the Scripture which I mentioned before; for, indeed, that one Scripture is enough to prove all that I desire tosay as to this very thing; for, if you observe, there is enfoldedtherein these following things--(1. ) That reprobates may attain toa knowledge of Christ. (2. ) This knowledge may be of such weightand force, that, for the present, it may make them escape thepollutions of the world, and this by hearing the Gospel. "For ifafter they have escaped the pollutions of the world through theknowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are againentangled therein, and overcome, the latter end of that man is worsethan the beginning. " [Some professors, take them at the best, theyare but like dogs, spewing out their filth for a time. ] Now thatthey are reprobates, dogs, or sows, read further; "But, " saith he, "it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dogis turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed toher wallowing in the mire" (Verse 22). 

[Third part of objection. ] The last part of the objection. But, sayyou, our practices in the worship of God shall testify for us thatwe are not under the law; for we have by God's goodness attained toas exact a way of waking in the ordinances of God, and as near theexamples of the Apostles, as ever any churches since the primitivetimes, as we judge. 

[Answer to reason third. ] What then? Do you think that the walkingin the order of the churches of old, as to matter of outward worship, is sufficient to clear you of your sins at the judgment-day? or, doyou think that God will be contented with a little bodily subjectionto that which shall vanish and fade like a flower, when the Lordshall come from Heaven in flaming fire, with His mighty angels (2Thess 1:7, 8). Alas, alas, how will such professors as these are fallbefore the judgment-seat of Christ! Then such a question as this, "Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment?"will make them be speechless, and fall down into everlastingburnings, thousands on a heap; for you must know that it is notthen your crying, Lord, Lord, that will stand you in stead; notyour saying, We have ate and drank in Thy presence, that will keepyou from standing on the left hand of Christ. It is the principleas well as the practice that shall be inquired into at that day. 

Quest. The principle, you will say, what do you mean by that?

Answ. My meaning is, the Lord Jesus Christ will then inquireand examine whether the spirit from which you acted was legal orevangelical--that is, whether it was the Spirit of adoption thatdid draw you out to the thing you took in hand, or a mere moralprinciple, together with some shallow and common illuminations intothe outward way of the worship of God, according to Gospel rule. 

Quest. But, you will say, it is like, How should this be mademanifest and appear?

Answ. I shall speak briefly in answer hereunto as followeth--First, then, that man that doth take up any of the ordinances of God--namely, as prayer, baptism, breaking of bread, reading, hearing, alms-deeds, or the like; I say, he that doth practise any of these, or such like, supposing thereby to procure the love of Christ to his own soul, he doth do what he doth from a legal, and not from an evangelicalor Gospel spirit: as thus--for a man to suppose that God will hearhim for his prayer's sake, for his alm's sake, for his humiliation'ssake, or because he hath promised to make God amends hereafter, whereas there is no such thing as a satisfaction to be made to Godby our prayers or whatever we can do; I say, there is no such wayto have reconciliation with God in. And so also for men to think, because they are got into such and such an ordinance, and havecrowded themselves into such and such a society, that thereforethey have got pretty good shelter from the wrath of the Almighty;when, alas, poor souls, there is no such thing. No, but God willso set His face against such professors, that His very looks willmake them to tear their very flesh; yea, make them to wish wouldthey had the biggest millstone in the world hanged about theirneck, and they cast into the midst of the sea. For, friends, let metell you, though you can now content yourselves without the holy, harmless, undefiled, perfect righteousness of Christ; yet thereis a day a-coming in which there is not one of you shall be savedbut those that are and shall be found clothed with that righteousness;God will say to all the rest, "Take them, bind them hand and foot, and cast them into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashingof teeth" (Matt 22:13). For Christ will not say unto men in thatday, Come, which of you made a profession of Me, and walked inchurch-fellowship with My saints: no; but then it shall be inquiredinto, who have the reality of the truth of grace wrought in theirhearts. And, for certain, he that misseth of that shall surely becast into the Lake of Fire, there to burn with the devils and damnedmen and women; there to undergo the wrath of an eternal God, andthat not for a day, a month, a year, but for ever, for ever, forever and ever; there is that which cutteth to the quick. Therefore, look to it, and consider now what you do, and whereon you hang yoursouls; for it is not every pin that will hold in the judgment, notevery foundation that will be able to hold up the house againstthose mighty, terrible, soul-drowning floods and destroying tempestswhich then will roar against the soul and body of a sinner (Luke6:47-49). And, if the principle be rotten, all will fall, allwill come to nothing. Now, the principle is this--Not to do thingsbecause we would be saved, but to do them from this--namely, becausewe do really believe that we are and shall be saved. But do notmistake me; I do not say we should slight any holy duties; Godforbid; but I say, he that doth look for life because he doth dogood duties, he is under the Covenant of Works, the law; let hisduties be never so eminent, so often, so fervent, so zealous. Ay, and I say, as I said before, that if any man or men, or multitudesof people, do get into never so high, so eminent; and clear practicesand Gospel order, as to church discipline, if it be done to thisend I have been speaking of, from this principle, they must andshall have these sad things fall to their share which I have mademention of. 

Object. But, you will say, can a man use Gospel ordinances with alegal spirit?

Answ. Yes, as easily as the Jews could use and practise circumcision, though not the moral or Ten Commandments. For this I shall bebold to affirm, that it is not the commands of the New Testamentadministration that can keep a man from using of its self [thatadministration] in a legal spirit; for know this for certain, thatit is the principle, not the command, that makes the subjector tothe same either legal or evangelical, and so his obedience fromthat command to be from legal convictions or evangelical principles. 

Now, herein the devil is wondrous subtle and crafty, in sufferingpeople to practise the ordinances and commands of the Gospel, ifthey do but do them in a legal spirit, [I beseech you, do not thinkbecause I say this, therefore I am against the ordinances of theGospel, for I do honour them in their places, yet would not thatany of them should be idolized, or done in a wrong spirit, ] froma spirit of works; for he knows then, that if he can but get thesoul to go on in such a spirit, though they do never so many duties, he shall hold them sure enough; for he knows full well that therebythey do set up something in the room of, or, at the least, to havesome, though but a little, share with the Lord Jesus Christ intheir salvation; and if he can but get thee here, he knows that heshall cause thee by thy depending a little upon the one, and sothy whole dependence being not upon the other, that is, Christ, andtaking of him upon his own terms, thou wilt fall short of life byChrist, though thou do very much busy thyself in a suitable walking, in an outward conformity to the several commands of the Lord JesusChrist. And let me tell you plainly, that I do verily believethat as Satan by his instruments did draw many of the Galatiansby circumcision (though, I say, it was none of the commands of themoral law) to be debtors to do upon pain of eternal damnation thewhole of the moral law, so also Satan, in the time of the Gospel, doth use even the commands laid down in the Gospel, some of them, to bind the soul over to do the same law; the thing being doneand walked in, by and in the spirit; for, as I said before, it isnot the obedience to the command that makes the subjector theretoevangelical, or of a Gospel spirit; but, contrariwise, the principlethat leads out the soul to the doing of the command, that makesthe persons that do thus practise any command, together with thecommand by them practised, either legal or evangelical. As, forinstance, prayer--it is a Gospel command; yet if he that praysdoth it in a legal spirit, he doth make that which in itself is aGospel command an occasion of leading him into a Covenant of Works, inasmuch as he doth it by and in that old covenant spirit. 

Again; giving of alms is a Gospel command; yet if I do give almsfrom a legal principle, the command to me is not Gospel, but legal, and it binds me over, as aforesaid, to do the whole law--"Forhe is not a Jew, " nor a Christian, "which is one outwardly"--thatis, one only by an outward subjection to the ordinances of prayer, hearing, reading, baptism, breaking of bread, etc. --"But he is aJew, " a Christian, "which is one inwardly, " who is rightly principled, and practiseth the ordinances of the Lord from the leadings forthof the Spirit of the Lord, from a true and saving faith in theLord (Rom 2:28, 29). Those men spoken of in the 7th of Matthew, forcertain, for all their great declaration, did not do what they didfrom a right Gospel spirit; for had they, no question but the Lordwould have said, "Well done, good and faithful servant. " But inthat the Lord Jesus doth turn them away into Hell, notwithstandingtheir great profession of the Lord, and of their doing in His name, it is evident that notwithstanding all that they did do, they werestill under the law, and not under that covenant as true believersare--to wit, the Covenant of Grace; and if so, then all their dutiesthat they did, of which they boasted before the Lord, was not inand by a right evangelical principle or spirit. 

Again, saith the Apostle, "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin, " (Rom14:23); but there are some that do even practise baptism, breakingof bread, together with other ordinances, and yet are unbelievers;therefore unbelievers doing these things, they are not done infaith but sin. Now to do these things in sin, or without faith, itis not to do things in an evangelical or Gospel spirit; also theythat do these things in a legal spirit, the very practising of themrenders them not under the law of Christ, as Head of His Church, but the works they do are so much contradiction to the Gospel ofGod, or the Covenant of Grace, that they that do them thus do evenset up against the Covenant of Grace; and the very performance ofthem is of such force that it is sufficient to drown them that aresubjects thereunto, even under the Covenant of Works; but this poorsouls are not aware of, and there is their misery. 

Quest. But have you no other way to discover the things of theGospel, how they are done with a legal principle, but those youhave already made mention of?

Answ. That thou mightest be indeed satisfied herein, I shall showyou the very manner and way that a legal, or old-covenant-convertedprofessor, bear with the terms, doth take both in the beginning, middle, and the end of his doing of any duty or command, or whatsoeverit be that he doth do. 1. He thinking this or that to be his duty, and considering of the same, he is also presently persuaded inhis own conscience that God will not accept of him if he leave itundone; he seeing that he is short of his duty, as he supposeth, while this is undone by him, and also judging that God is angry withhim until the thing be done, he, in the second place, sets to thedoing of the duty, to the end he may be able to pacify his conscienceby doing of the same, persuading of himself that now the Lord ispleased with him for doing of it. 2. Having done it, he contentshimself, sits down at his ease, until some further convictions ofhis duty to be done, which when he seeth and knoweth, he doth doit as aforesaid, from the same principle as he did the former, andso goeth on in his progress of profession. This is to do thingsfrom a legal principle, and from an old-covenant spirit; for thusruns that covenant, "The man that doth these things shall live inthem, " of "by them" (Lev 18:5; Gal 3:12; Rom 10:5). But more ofthis in the use of this doctrine. 

Object. But, you will say, by these words of yours you do seemto deny that there are conditional promises in the Gospel, as isclear, in that you strike at such practices as are conditional, and commanded to be done upon the same. 

Answ. The thing that I strike at is this, that a man in or with alegal spirit should not, nay, cannot, do any conditional commandof the Gospel acceptably, as to his eternal state, because he dothit in an old-covenant spirit. "No man putteth new wine into oldbottles"; but new wine must have new bottles, a Gospel command musthave a Gospel spirit, or else the wine will break the bottles, orthe principle will break the command. 

Object. Then you do grant that there are conditional promises inthe New Testament, as in the moral law, or Ten Commands. 

Answ. Though this be true, yet the conditional promises in theNew Testament do not call to the same people in the same state ofunregeneracy to fulfill them upon the same conditions. 

The Law and the Gospel being two distinct covenants, they are madein divers ways, and the nature of the conditions also being notthe same, as saith the Apostle, the righteousness of the law saithone thing, and the righteousness of faith saith another (Rom 10:4-6). That is, the great condition in the law is, If you do these things, you shall live by them; but the condition, even the greatest conditionlaid down for a poor soul to do, as to salvation--for it is thatwe speak of--is to believe that my sins be forgiven me for JesusChrist's sake, without the works or righteousness of the law, on mypart, to help forward. "To him that worketh not, " saith the Apostle[that is] for salvation, "but believeth on Him that justifieth theungodly, his faith"--mark, "his faith is counted for righteousness"(Rom 4:5). So that we, saith, he, "conclude that a man is justifiedby faith without"--mark again, "without the deeds of the law" (Rom3:28). 

But again; there is never a condition in the Gospel that canbe fulfilled by an unbeliever; and therefore, whether there beconditions or whether there be none, it makes no matter to theewho art without the faith of Christ; for it is impossible for theein that state to do them, so as to be ever the better as to thyeternal estate; therefore, lest thou shouldst split thy soul uponthe conditions laid down in the Gospel, as thou wilt do if thou goabout to do them only with a legal spirit; but, I say, to preventthis, see if thou canst fulfill the first condition; that is, tobelieve that all thy sins are forgiven thee, not for any conditionthat hath been or can be done by thee, but merely for the Man's sakethat did hang on Mount Calvary, between two thieves, some sixteenhundred years ago and odd. And, I say, see if thou canst believethat at that time He did, when He hanged on the Cross, give fullsatisfaction, for all thy sins, before thou in thy person hadstcommitted ever a one. I say, see if thou canst believe this; andtake heed thou deceive not thyself with an historical, notional, or traditional acknowledgment of the same. And, secondly, see ifthou canst so well fulfill this condition, that the very virtueand efficacy that it hath on thy soul will engage thee to fulfillthose other conditions, really in love to that Man whom thoushouldst believe hath frankly and freely forgiven thee all, withoutany condition acted by thee to move Him thereto, according to thatsaying in 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15; and then thy doing will arisefrom a contrary principle than otherwise it will do--that is, thenthou wilt not act and do because thou wouldst be accepted of God, but because thou hast some good hope in thy heart that thou artaccepted of Him already, and not on thine, but wholly and aloneupon another man's account; for here runs the Gospel spirit offaith: "We believe, "--mark, "We believe, and therefore speak. " Sowe believe, and therefore do (2 Cor 4:13). Take heed, therefore, that you do not DO, that you may believe, but rather believeso effectually that you may DO, even all that Jesus doth requireof you from a right principle, even out of love to your dear LordJesus Christ, which thing I shall speak to more fully by and by. 

Object. But what do you mean by those expressions? Do not do thatyou may believe, but believe so effectually that you may do. 

Answ. When I say, Do not do that you may believe, I mean, donot think that any of the things that thou canst do will procureor purchase faith from God unto thy soul; for that is still theold-covenant spirit, the spirit of the law, to think to have it forthy doing. They that are saved, they are saved by grace, throughfaith, and that not of themselves, not for anything that they cando, for they are both the free gift of God, "Not of" doing, or of"works, lest any man should, " be proud, and "boast" (Eph 2:8, 9). Now, some people be so ignorant as to think that God will give themChrist, and so all the merits of His, if they will be but valiant, and do something to please God, that they may obtain Him at Hishands; but let me tell them, they may lose a thousand souls quickly, if they had so many, by going this way to work, and yet be neverthe better; for the Lord doth not give His Christ to any upon suchconditions, but He doth give Him freely; that is, without havingrespect to anything that is in thee (Rev 22:17; Isa 55:1, 2). To himthat is athirst will I give; He doth not say, I will sell; but, Iwill give him the water of life freely (Rev 21:6). 

Now, if Christ doth give it, and that freely, then He doth notsell if for anything that is in the creature; but Christ doth giveHimself, as also doth His Father, and that freely, not becausethere is anything in us, or done by us, that moves Him thereunto. If it were by doing, then, saith Paul, "Grace is not grace, " seeingit is obtained by works; but grace is grace, and that is the reasonit is given to men without their works. And if it be by grace, that is, if it be a free gift from God, without anything foreseenas done, or to be done, by the creature, then it is not of works, which is clear; therefore it is grace, without the works of thelaw. But if you say, Nay, it is of something in the man done byhim that moves God thereunto; then you must conclude that eithergrace is no grace, or else that works are grace and not works. Dobut read with understanding (Rom 11:6). 

Now before I go any further, it may be necessary to speak a wordor two to some poor souls that are willing to close in with JesusChrist, and would willingly take Him upon His own terms, onlythey being muddy in their minds, and have not yet attained theunderstanding of the terms and conditions of the two covenants, they are kept off from closing with Christ; and all is, becausethey see they can do nothing [to merit His favour]. As, for example, come to some souls, and ask them how they do, they will tell youpresently that they are so bad that it is not to be expressed. Ifyou bid them believe in Jesus Christ, they will answer that theycannot believe; if you ask them why they cannot believe, they willanswer, because their hearts are so hard, so dead, so dull, sobackward to good duties; and if their hearts were but better, ifthey were more earnest, if they could pray better, and keep theirhearts more from running after sin, then they could believe; butshould they believe with such vile hearts, and presume to believein Christ, and be so filthy? Now all this is because the spirit ofthe law still ruleth in such souls, and blinds them so that theycannot see the terms of the Gospel. To clear this, take the substanceor the drift of these poor souls, which is this--"If I were better, then I think I could believe; but being so bad as I am, thatis the reason that I cannot. " This is just to do something that Imay believe, to work that I may have Christ, to do the law that Imay have the Gospel; or thus, to be righteous that I may come toChrist. O man! thou must go quite back again, thou art out of theway, thou must believe, because thou canst not pray, because thoucanst not do; thou must believe, because there is nothing in theenaturally that is good, or desireth after good, or else thou wiltnever come to Christ as a sinner; and if so, then Christ will notreceive thee; and if so, then thou mayest see that to keep offfrom Christ because thou canst not do, is to be kept from Christby the law, and to stand off from Him because thou canst not buyHim. Thus having spoken something by the way for the direction ofthose souls that would come to Christ, I shall return to the formerdiscourse, wherein ariseth this objection--

Object. But you did but even now put souls upon fulfilling thefirst condition of the Gospel, even to believe in Christ, and sobe saved; but now you say it is alone by grace, without condition;and therefore by these words, there is first a contradiction to yourformer sayings, and also that men may be saved without the conditionof faith, which to me seems a very strange thing. I desire, therefore, that you would clear out what you have said, to my satisfaction. 

Answer, 1. Though there be a condition commanded in the Gospel, yet He that commands the condition doth not leave His children totheir own natural abilities, that in their own strength they shouldfulfill them, as the law doth; but the same God that doth commandthat the condition be fulfilled, even He doth help His childrenby His Holy Spirit to fulfill the same condition; "For it is Godwhich worketh in you, "--mark "in you, " believers, "both to willand to do of His own good pleasure" (Phil 2:13). "Thou also hastwrought all our works in us, and for us" (Isa 26:12). So that, ifthe condition be fulfilled, it is not done by the ability of thecreature. But, 2. Faith, as it is a gift of God, or an act of ours, take it whichway you will, if we speak properly of salvation, it is not the firstnor the second cause of our salvation, but the third, and that butinstrumentally neither--that is, it only layeth hold of and appliethto us that which saveth us, which is the love of God, through themerits of Christ, which are the two main causes of our salvation, without which all other things are nothing, whether it be faith, hope, love, or whatever can be done by us. And to this the greatApostle of the Gentiles speaks fully, for, saith he, "God, whois rich in mercy, loved us, even when we were dead in sins" (Eph2:4, 5). That is, when we were without faith, and that was the causewhy we believed for He thereby hath quickened us together, throughthe meritorious cause, which is Christ, and so hath saved us bygrace--that is, of His own voluntary love and good will; the effectof which was this, He gave us faith to believe in Christ. Readsoberly Ephesians 2:4-8. Faith, as the gift of God, is not theSaviour, as our act doth merit nothing; faith was not the causethat God gave Christ as the first, neither is it the cause why Godconverts men to Christ; but faith is a gift bestowed upon us by thegracious God, the nature of which is to lay hold on Christ, thatGod afore did give for a ransom to redeem sinners; this faith hathits nourishment and supplies from the same God that at the firstdid give it, and is the only instrument, through the Spirit, thatdoth keep the soul in a comfortable frame, both to do and suffer forChrist; helps the soul to receive comfort from Christ when it canget none from itself, beareth up the soul in its progress heavenwards. But that it is the first cause of salvation, that I deny, or thatit is the second, I deny; but it is only the instrument, or hand, that receiveth the benefits, that God hath prepared for thee beforethou hadst any faith; so that we do nothing for salvation as weare men. But if we speak properly, it was God's grace that movedHim to give Christ a ransom for sinners; and the same God, withthe same grace, that doth give to the soul faith to believe, andso, by believing, to close in with Him whom God out of His loveand pity did send into the world to save sinners, so that all theworks of the creature are shut out as to justification and life, and men are saved freely by grace. I shall speak no more here; butin my discourse upon the second covenant, I shall answer a Hell-bredobjection or two, to forewarn sinners how they turn the grace ofGod into wantonness. 

And thus, you see, I have briefly spoken to you something touchingthe law. First, what it is, and when given; secondly, how sad thosemen's conditions are that are under it; thirdly, who they are thatbe under it; fourthly, how far they may go, and what they may doand receive, and yet be under it; which hath been done by way ofanswers to several questions, for the better satisfaction of thosethat may stand in doubt of the truth of what hath been delivered. 

Now, in the next place, I shall come to some application of thetruth of that which hath been spoken; but I shall in the firstplace speak something to the second doctrine, and then afterwardsI shall speak something by way of use and application to this firstdoctrine. 

[DOCTRINE SECOND. ]

The second doctrine now to be spoken to is, TO SHOW THAT THE PEOPLEOF GOD ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW BUT UNDER GRACE--"For ye are not underthe law, but under grace" (Rom 6:14). 

You may well remember that from these words I did observe thesetwo great truths of the Lord--FIRST, That there are some in Gospeltimes that are under the law, or Covenant of Works. SECOND, Thatthere is never a believer under the law, or Covenant of Works, but under grace. I have spoken something to the former of thesetruths--to wit, that there are some under the law, together withwho they are, and what their condition is, that are under it. NowI am to speak to the second, and to show you who they are, and whattheir condition is, that are under that [Covenant of Grace]. 

But before I come to that, I shall speak a few words to show youwhat the word "grace" in this place signifies; [I touched uponthis in the first doctrine] for the word "grace" in the Scripturereferreth sometimes to favour with men (Gen 33:10; 39:4; 50:4). Sometimes to holy qualifications of saints (2 Cor 8:7). And sometimesto hold forth the condescension of Christ in coming down from theglory which He had with His Father before the world was, to bemade of no reputation, and a servant to men (2 Cor 8:9; Phil 2:7). Again: sometimes it is taken for the free, rich, and unchangeablelove of God to man, through Jesus Christ, that for our cause andsakes did make Himself poor; and so it is to be understood in thesewords, "For ye are not under the law, " to be cursed, and damned, andsent headlong to Hell, "but" you are "under grace, " to be saved, to be pardoned, to be preserved, "and kept by the mighty powerof God, through faith, " which alone is the gift of grace, "untoeternal glory. " This one Scripture alone proves the same--"For bygrace are ye saved" (Eph 2:8), by free grace, by rich grace, byunchangeable grace. And you are saved from the curse of the law;from the power, guilt, and filth of sin; from the power, malice, madness, and rage of the devil; from the wishes, curses, and desiresof wicked men; from the hot, scalding, flaming, fiery furnaceof Hell; from being arraigned as malefactors, convinced, judged, condemned, and fettered with the chains of our sins to the devilsto all eternity; and all this freely, freely by His grace (Rom3:24) by rich grace unchangeable grace; for, saith He, "I am theLORD, I change not: therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed"(Mal 3:6). This is grace indeed. 

The word "grace, " therefore, in this Scripture (Rom 6:14) is to beunderstood of the free love of God in Christ to sinners, by virtueof the new covenant, in delivering them from the power of sin, from the curse and condemning power of the old covenant, from thedestroying nature of sin, by its continual workings; as is allevident if you read with understanding the words as they lie--"For, "saith he, "sin shall not have dominion over you, " or, it shallnot domineer, reign, or destroy you, though you have transgressedagainst the Covenant of Works, the law; and the reason is renderedin these words, "For ye are not under the law"--that is, underthat which accuseth, chargeth, condemneth and brings execution onthe soul for sin, --"but under grace"; that is, under that whichfrees you, forgives you, keeps you, and justifies you from all yoursins, adversaries, or whatever may come in to lay anything to yourcharge to damn you. For that is truly called grace in this sensethat doth set a man free from all his sins, deliver him from allthe curses of the law, and what else can be laid to His charge, freely, without any foresight in God to look at what good will bedone by the party that hath offended; and also that doth keep thesoul by the same power through faith--which also is his own propergift--unto eternal glory. 

Again; that it is a pardon not conditional, but freely given, consider, first, it is set in opposition to works--"Ye are not underthe law. " Secondly, The promise that is made to them (saying, "Sinshall not have dominion over you") doth not run with any conditionas on their part to be done; but merely and alone because they wereunder, or because they had the grace of God extended to them. "Sinshall not have dominion over you: for, " mark the reason, "ye arenot under the law, but under grace. "

The words being thus opened, and the truth thus laid down, HOW THEREIS NEVER A BELIEVER UNDER THE COVENANT OF WORKS, BUT UNDER GRACE, the free, rich, unchangeable love of God, it remaineth that, inthe first place, we prove the doctrine, and after that proceed. 

THE DOCTRINE PROVED. 

Now in the doctrine there are two things to be considered andproved--FIRST, That believers are under grace. SECONDLY, Not underthe law as a Covenant of Works; for so you must understand me. Forthese two we need go no further than the very words themselves;the first part of the words proves the first part of the doctrine, "Ye are not under the law"; the second part proves the other, "but" ye are "under grace. " But besides these, consider with me afew things for the demonstrating of these truths, as, First. They are not under the law, because their sins are pardoned, which could not be if they were dealt withal according to the law, and their being under it; for the law alloweth of no repentance, but accuseth, curseth and condemneth every one that is underit--"Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things whichare written in the Book of the Law to do them" (Gal 3:10). But, Isay, believers having their sins forgiven them, it is because theyare under another, even a new covenant--"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with them. "--"ForI will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins andtheir iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb 8:12). 

Second. They are not under the law, because their sins and iniquitiesare not only forgiven, but they are forgiven them freely. Theythat stand in the first covenant, and continue there, are to havenever a sin forgiven them unless they can give God a completesatisfaction; for the law calls for it at their hands, saying, "Payme that thou owest. " O! but when God deals with His saints by theCovenant of Grace it is not so; for it is said, "And when" He saw"they had nothing to pay, He frankly" and freely "forgave them"all--"I will heal their backsliding; I will love them freely. "--Iwill blot "out thy transgressions for Mine own sake, " etc. (Luke7:42; Hosea 14:4; Isa 43:25). 

Third. The saints are not under the law, because the righteousnessthat they stand justified before God in is not their own actualrighteousness by the law, but by imputation, and is really therighteousness of Another--namely, of God in Christ (2 Cor 5:21;Phil 3:9). "Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith ofJesus Christ unto all and upon all, " that is, imputed to "them thatbelieve" (Rom 3:22). But if they were under the old covenant, theCovenant of Works, then their righteousness must be their own, [Butit is impossible that the righteousness of man by the law shouldsave him. ] or no forgiveness of sins--"If thou doest well, shaltthou not be accepted?" but if thou transgress, "sin lieth at thedoor, " saith the law (Gen 4:7). 

Fourth. In a word, whatsoever they do receive, whether it be conversionto God; whether it be pardon of sin; whether it be faith or hope;whether it be righteousness; whether it be strength" whether it bethe Spirit, or the fruits thereof; whether it be victory over sin, death, or Hell; whether it be Heaven, everlasting life, and gloryinexpressible; or whatsoever it be, it comes to them freely, Godhaving no first eye to what they would do, or should do, for theobtaining of the same. But to take this in pieces--1. In a word, are they converted? God finds them first, for, saith He, "I amfound of them that sought Me not" (Isa 65:1). 2. Have they pardonof sin? They have that also freely, --"I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely" (Hosea 14:4). 3. Have they faith? It isthe gift of God in Christ Jesus, and He is not only the Author, that is, the beginner thereof, but He doth also perfect the same(Heb 12:2). 4. Have they hope? It is God that is the first causethereof--"Remember the word unto Thy servant, upon which Thou hastcaused me to hope" (Psa 119:49). 5. Have they righteousness? It isthe free gift of God (Rom 5:17). Have they strength to do the workof God in their generations, or any other thing that God wouldhave them do? That also is a free gift from the Lord, for withoutHim we neither do nor can do anything (John 15:5). 7. Have we comfort, or consolation? We have it not for what we have done, but from Godthrough Christ; for He is the God of all comforts and consolation(2 Cor 1:3-7). 8. Have we the Spirit, or the fruits thereof? it isthe gift of the Father--"how much more shall your heavenly Fathergive the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him (Luke 11:13)? "Thou haswrought all our works in us" (Isa 26:12). 

And so, I say, whether it be victory over sin, death, Hell, or thedevil, it is given us by the victory of Christ--"But thanks be toGod which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1Cor 15:57; Rom 7:24, 25). Heaven and glory it is also the gift ofHim who giveth us richly all things to enjoy (Matt 25:34). 

So that these things, if they be duly and soberly considered, willgive satisfaction in this thing. I might have added many more forthe clearing of these things; as 1. When God came to man to converthim, He found him a dead man (Eph 2:1, 2). He found him an enemyto God, Christ, and the salvation of his own soul; He found himwallowing in all manner of wickedness; He found him taking pleasuretherein; with all delight and greediness. 2. He was fain to quickenhim by putting His Spirit into him, and to translate him by themighty operation thereof. He was fain to reveal Christ Jesus untohim, man being altogether senseless and ignorant of this blessedJesus (Matt 11:25, 27; 1 Cor 2:7-10). 4. He was fain to break thesnare of the devil, and to let poor man, poor bound and fetteredman, out of the chains of the enemy. 

[THE NEW COVENANT FREE AND UNCHANGEABLE, WHO ARE UNDER IT, ANDTHEIR PRIVILEGES. ]

Now we are to proceed, and the things that we are to treat uponin the second place are these--First. [Besides the reasons alreadygiven. ] Why is it a free and unchangeable grace? SECOND. Who they arethat are actually brought into His free and unchangeable Covenantof Grace, and how they are brought in? THIRD. What are the privilegesof those that are actually brought into this free and gloriousgrace of the glorious God of Heaven and glory?

[THE NEW COVENANT FREE AND UNCHANGEABLE BECAUSE MADE WITH CHRIST. ]

FIRST. WHY IT IS A FREE AND UNCHANGEABLE GRACE. 

And for the opening of this we must consider, first, How and throughWhom this grace doth come to be, first, free to us, and, secondly, unchangeable? This grace is free to us through conditions inAnother--that is, by way of covenant or bargain; for this gracecomes by way of covenant or bargain to us, yet made with Anotherfor us. 

First. That it comes by way of covenant, contract, or bargain, thoughnot personally with us, be pleased to consider these Scriptures, where it is said, "I have made a covenant with My Chosen: I havesworn unto David [The word David in this place signifieth Christ, as also in these Scriptures--(Eze 34:23, 24; 37:24, 25). ] My servant"(Psa 89:3). "And as for Thee also, by the blood of Thy covenant, "speaking of Christ, "I have sent forth Thy prisoners out of the pitwherein is no water, " (Zech 9:9-11). Again; "Ye have sold yourselvesfor nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money" (Isa 52:3). "Blessed be the Lord, " therefore, saith Zacharias, "for He hathvisited and" also "redeemed His people, and hath raised up an hornof salvation for us in the house of His servant David; as He spakeby the mouth of His holy Prophets, which have been since the worldbegan; that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the handsof all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant, " or bargain (Luke 1:68-72). [Imight give you more Scriptures; but pray consider the second thing. ]And if any should be offended with the plainness of these words, as some poor souls may be through ignorance, let them be pleasedto read soberly Isaiah 49:1-12, and there they may see that it runsas plain a bargain as if two would be making of a bargain betweenthemselves, and concluding upon several conditions on both sides. But more of this hereafter. Now, Second. This covenant, I say, was made with One, not with many, andalso confirmed in the conditions of it with One, not with several. First, that the covenant was made with One (Gal 3:16). "Now toAbraham and his Seed were the promises made. He saith not, And toseeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ"(Verse 17). "And this, I say, that the covenant that was confirmedbefore of God, in Christ, " etc. The covenant was made with the Seedof Abraham; not the seeds, but the Seed, which is the Lord JesusChrist, our Head and Undertaker in the things concerning thecovenant. 

Third. The condition was made with One, and also accomplishedby Him alone, and not by several; yet in the nature, and for theeverlasting deliverance of many; even by one man Jesus Christ, asit is clear from Romans 5:15-17, etc. , and in Zechariah 9:11, theLord saith to Christ, "And as for Thee"--mark, "As for Thee also, by the blood of Thy covenant, " or as for Thee whose covenant wasby blood; that is, the condition of the covenant was, that Thoushouldst spill Thy blood; which having been done in the account ofGod, saith He, I according to My condition have let go the prisoners, or sent them "out of the pit wherein is no water. " Those Scripturesin Galatians 3:16, 17 that are above cited, are notably to our purpose;Verse 16 saith it was made with Christ, Verse 17 saith it was alsoconfirmed in or with God in Him. Pray read with understanding. "Now, "saith Paul, "the promises were not made unto seeds, as of many;but as of one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ. " . . . . "The law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, thatit should make the promise of none effect. " Not that the covenantwas made with Abraham and Christ together, as two persons thatwere the undertakers of the same; the promise was made with, orto, Abraham afterwards; but the covenant with Christ before. 

[Neither Abraham nor the fathers able to undertake the accomplishmentof this covenant. ]

Further, that the covenant was not personally made with Abraham, no, nor with any of the fathers, neither so as that they were thepersons that should stand engaged to be the accomplishers thereof, either in whole or in part; which is very clear. 

First. Because this covenant was not made with God and the creature;not with another poor Adam, that only stood upon the strengthof natural abilities; but this covenant was made with the secondPerson, with the Eternal Word of God; with Him that was everywaysas holy, as pure, as infinite, as powerful, and as everlasting asGod (Prov 8:22-31; Isa 9:6; Zech 13:7; Phil 2:6; Heb 1; Rev 1:11-17;22:13, 17). 

Second. This covenant or bargain was made in deed and in truthbefore man was in being. O! God thought of the salvation of manbefore there was any transgression of man; for then, I say, andnot since then, was the Covenant of Grace made with the Undertakerthereof; for all the other sayings are to show unto us that gloriousplot and contrivance that was concluded on before time betweenthe Father and the Son, which may very well be concluded on for atruth from the Word of God, if you consider, 1. That the Scripturedoth declare that the price was agreed on by the Son before time;2. The promise was made to Him by the Father that He should have Hisbargain before time; 3. The choice, and who they were that shouldbe saved was made before time, even before the world began. 

1. For the first, That the price was agreed upon before the worldbegan. Consider the word which speaketh of the price that was paidfor sinners, even the precious blood of Christ; it saith of Him, "Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, butwas manifest in these last times for you, who by Him do believe, "etc. (1 Peter 1:20, 21). Mark, it was foreordained or concluded onbetween the Father and the Son before the world began. 

2. The promise from God to the Son was also made in the same manner, as it is clear where the Apostle saith with comfort to his soul, that he had "hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began, " (Titus 1:2) which could be tonone but the Mediator of the new covenant, because there was noneelse to whom it should be made but He. 

3. The choice was also made then, even before man had a being inthis world, as it is evident where he saith, "Blessed be the Godand Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with allspiritual blessings in heavenly places IN Christ: according as Hehath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that weshould be holy and without blame before Him in love" (Eph 1:3, 4). [Did I think this would meet with any opposition, I should be inthis more large. ] Nay, did I look upon it here to be necessary, Ishould show you very largely and clearly that God did not only makethe covenant with Christ before the world began, and the conditionsthereof, but I could also show you that the very saints' qualifications, as part of the covenant, was then concluded on by the Father andthe Son according to these Scriptures, which, it may be, I maytouch upon further anon (Eph 1:3, 4; 2:10; Rom 8:28). But, Third. This covenant was not made with any of the fathers, neitherin whole nor in part, as the undertakers thereof; for then it mustbe also concluded that they are co-partners with Christ in oursalvation, and so that Christ is not Mediator alone; but this wouldbe blasphemy for any once to surmise. And therefore, by the way, when thou readest of the new covenant in Scripture as though itwas made with Adam, Noah, Abraham, or David, thou art to considerthus with thyself--1. That God spake to them in such a way for toshow or signify unto us how He did make the covenant that He didmake with Christ before the world began, they being types of Him. 2. That He thereby might let them understand that He was the samethen as He is now, and now as He was then; and that then it wasresolved on between His Son and HIM, that in after ages His Sonshould in their natures, from their loins, and for their sins, beborn of a woman, hanged on the Cross, etc. , for them: for all alongyou may see that when He speaketh to them of the new covenant, Hementions their seed--their seed--still aiming at Christ; Christ, the Seed of the woman, was to break the serpent's head (Gen 3:15;17; Psa 89:36). Now to Abraham and his Seed was the promise made;his Seed shall endure for ever, and His throne as the days ofHeaven, etc. ; still pointing at Christ. And, 3. To stir up theirfaith and expectations to be constant unto the end in waiting forthat which He and His Son had concluded on before time, and what Hehad since the conclusion declared unto the world by the Prophets. 4. It appeareth that the heart of God was much delighted thereinalso, as is evident, in that He was always in every age declaringof that unto them which before He had prepared for them. O thisgood God of Heaven!

Objection: But you will say, perhaps, the Scriptures say plainlythat the new covenant was and is made with believers, saying, "Thedays come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant withthe house of Israel, and with the house of Judah; not according tothe covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I ledthem out of the land of Egypt, " etc. (Heb 8:8-10). So that it dothnot run with Christ alone, but with believers also--I will make anew covenant with the house of Israel and Judah, etc. (Jer 31:33). 

Answer first: It cannot be meant that the new covenant was madewith Christ, and the house of Israel and Judah as the undertakersthereof; for so it was made with Christ alone, which is clear, inthat it was made long before the house of Israel and Judah had abeing, as I showed before. But, Answer second: These words here are spoken, first, to show ratherthe end of the ceremonies than the beginning or rise of the newcovenant. Mind a little; the Apostle is labouring to beat the Jews, to whom he wrote this Epistle, off of the ceremonies of the law, of the priests, altar, offerings, temple, etc. , and to bring themto the right understanding of the thing and things that they heldforth, which were to come, and to put an end to those. If you dobut understand the Epistle to the Hebrews, it is a discourse thatshoweth that the Son of God being come, there is an end put to theceremonies; for they were to continue so long and no longer--"It, "saith the Apostle, "stood in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances imposed on them until the time of reformation";that is, until Christ did come. "But Christ being come an highpriest of good things to come, " etc. , puts an end to the thingsand ordinances of the Levitical priesthood. Read the 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Chapters of Hebrews, and you will find this true. So, then, when He saith, "The days come in which I make a new covenant, "it is rather to be meant a changing of the administration, takingaway the type, the shadow, the ceremonies from the house of Israeland Judah, and relieving by the birth of Christ, and the death ofChrist, and the offering of the body of Him whom the shadows andtypes did point out to be indeed He whom God the Father had givenfor a ransom by covenant for the souls of the saints; and also tomanifest the truth of that covenant which was made between the Fatherand the Son before the world began; for though the new covenantwas made before the world began, and also every one in all ages wassaved by the virtue of that covenant, yet that covenant was neverso clearly made manifest as at the coming, death, and resurrectionof Christ; and therefore, saith the Scripture, "He hath broughtlife and immortality to light through the Gospel. " "Who hath savedus, and called us with an holy calling" not according to the"works" of righteousness which we have done, "but according to Hisown purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus beforethe world began, " there is the covenant, but it was "made MANIFESTby the APPEARING of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolisheddeath, and brought life and immortality to LIGHT through the Gospel"(2 Tim 1:9, 10). Therefore, I say, these words are therefore todiscover that the time was come to change the dispensation, to takeaway the type, and bring in the substance, and so manifesting thatmore clearly which before lay hid in dark sayings and figures. Andthis is usual with God to speak in this manner. 

Again; if at any time you do find in Scripture that the Covenantof Works is spoken of as the first covenant that was manifested, and so before the second covenant, yet you must understand thatit was so only as to manifestation--that is, it was first given toman, yet not made before that which was made with Christ; and indeedit was requisite that it should be given or made known first, thatthereby there might be a way made for the second, by its discoveringof sin, and the sad state that man was in after the Fall by reasonof that. And again, that the other might be made the more welcometo the sons of men. Yet the second Adam was before the first, andalso the second covenant before the first. [This is a riddle]. Andin this did Christ in time most gloriously answer Adam, who wasthe figure of Christ, as well as of other things. Romans 5. For, Was the first covenant made with the first Adam? so was the secondcovenant made with the second; for these are and were the twogreat public persons, or representators of the whole world, as tothe first and second covenants; and therefore you find God speakingon this wise in Scripture concerning the new covenant--"My covenantshall stand fast with HIM. " "My mercy will I keep for HIM forevermore, " saith God: "My covenant shall stand fast with HIM" (Psa89:28, 34, 35); this HIM is Christ, if you compare this with Luke1:32, "My covenant will I not break"--namely, that which was madewith HIM--"nor alter the thing that is gone out of My mouth. Once Ihave sworn by My holiness that I will not lie unto David, " [Davidhere is to be understood Christ. ] to whom this was spoken figurativelyin the Person of Christ; for that was God's usual way to speak ofthe glorious things of the Gospel in the time of the Law, as I saidbefore. 

The conditions of the new covenant. 

The conditions also were concluded on and agreed to be fulfilledby Him: as it is clear, if you understand His saying in the 12thof John, at the 27th verse, where He foretelleth His death, andsaith, "Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I" into the world"unto this hour"; as if He had said, My business is now not toshrink from My sufferings that are coming upon Me; for these arethe things that are a great part of the conditions contracted inthe covenant which stands between My Father and Me; therefore Ishall not pray that this might be absolutely removed from Me; For, "for this cause came I" into the world; even this was the veryterms of the covenant. By this you may see, "we are under grace. "

Now in a covenant there are these three things to be considered--First. What it is that is covenanted for. Second. The conditions uponwhich the persons who are concerned in it do agree. Third. If theconditions on both sides be not according to the agreement fulfilled, then the covenant standeth not, but is made void. And this newcovenant in these particulars is very exactly fulfilled and madeout in Christ. 

First. The thing or things covenanted for was the salvation ofman, but made good in Christ--"The Son of Man is come to seek andto save that which was lost. The Son of Man did not come to destroymen's lives, but to save them. I gave My life a ransom for many. And this is the will, " or covenant, "of Him that sent Me, that ofall which He hath given Me, I should lose nothing, but should raiseit up again at the last day" (John 6:39). 

Second. As touching the conditions agreed on, they ran thus--1. Onthe Mediator's side, that He should come into the world; and thenon the Father's side, that He should give Him a body. This was oneof the glorious conditions between the Father and Christ; "Wherefore, when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offeringThou wouldest not"--that is, the old covenant must not stand, butgive way to another sacrifice which Thou hast prepared, which isthe giving up My Manhood to the strokes of Thy justice--"for a bodyThou hast prepared Me" (Heb 10:5). This doth prove us under grace. 

2. On the Mediator's side, that He should be put to death; and onGod the Father's side, that He should raise Him up again; this wasconcluded on also to be done between God the Father and His SonJesus Christ. On Christ's side, that He should die to give thejustice of His Father satisfaction, and so to take away the cursethat was due to us, wretched sinners, by reason of our transgressions;and that God His Father, being every ways fully and completelysatisfied, should by His mighty power revive and raise Him up again. He hath "brought again--our Lord Jesus"; that is, from death to life, through the virtue or effectual satisfaction that He received fromthe blood that was shed according to the terms "of the EverlastingCovenant" (Heb 13:20). 

3. On the Mediator's side, that He should be made a curse; and onthe Father's side, that through Him sinners should be inheritorsof the blessing. What wonderful love doth there appear by this inthe heart of our Lord Jesus, in suffering such things for our poorbodies and souls? (Gal 3:13, 14). This is grace. 

4. That on the Mediator's side there should be by Him a victoryover Hell, death, and the devil, and the curse of the Law; and onthe Father's side, that these should be communicated to sinners, and they set at liberty thereby--"Turn you to the stronghold, "saith God, "ye prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that Iwill render double unto thee" (Zech 9:12). Why so? It is because ofthe blood of My Son's covenant (Verse 11); which made Paul, thoughsensible of a body of death, and of the sting that death did strikeinto the souls of all those that are found in their sins, bold tosay, "O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?The sting of death is sin. " That is true, and the terrible Law ofGod doth aggravate and set it home with insupportable torment andpain. But shall I be daunted at this? No, "I thank my God throughJesus Christ He hath given me this victory. " So that now, thoughI be a sinner in myself, yet I can, by believing in Jesus Christ, the Mediator of this new covenant, triumph over the devil, sin, death, and Hell; and say, Do not fear, my soul, seeing the victoryis obtained over all my enemies through my Lord Jesus Christ (1Cor 15:55-57). This is the way to prove ourselves under grace. 

5. That on the Mediator's side He should by thus doing bring ineverlasting righteousness for saints (Dan 9:24); and that the Fatherfor this should give them an everlasting kingdom (1 Peter 1:3-5;Eph 1:4; 2 Tim 4:18; Luke 22:28, 29). But, Third. [How the conditions are fulfilled]. In the next place, thiswas not all--that is, the Covenant of Grace, with the conditionsthereof, was not only concluded on by both parties to be done, butJesus Christ [Christ is put into office by the Father, to do allthings contained in the new covenant]. Must be authorized to dowhat was concluded on touching this covenant by way of office. Ishall therefore speak a word or two also touching the offices, atleast, some of them, that Christ Jesus did and doth still executeas the Mediator of the new covenant, which also were typed out inthe Levitical law; for this is the way to prove that we are notunder the law, but under grace. And, Christ is the Surety of the new covenant. 

FIRST. His first office, after the covenant was made and concludedupon, was that Jesus should become bound as a Surety, [His Suretyship]. And stand engaged upon oath to see that all the conditions of thecovenant that were concluded on between Him and His Father should, according to the agreement, be accomplished by Him; and that afterthat, He should be the Messenger from God to the world to declarethe mind of God touching the tenor and nature of both the covenants, especially of the new one. The Scripture saith, that Jesus Christwas not only made a priest by an oath, but also a Surety, orbondsman, as in Hebrews 7:21, 22. In the 21st Verse he speaketh ofthe priesthood of Christ, that it was with an oath; and saith, inthe 22nd Verse, "By so much" also "was Jesus made a Surety of abetter testament, " or covenant. 

Now the covenant was not only made on Jesus Christ's side with anoath, but also on God the Father's side, that it might be for thebetter ground of establishment to all those that are, or are to be, the children of the promise. Methinks it is wonderful to considerthat the God and Father of our souls, by Jesus Christ, should beso bent upon the salvation of sinners, that He would covenant withHis Son Jesus for the security of them, and also that there shouldpass an oath on both sides for the confirmation of Their resolutionto do good. As if the Lord had said, My Son, Thou and I have heremade a covenant, that I on My part should do thus and thus, andthat Thou on Thy part shouldst do so and so. Now that We may givethese souls the best ground of comfort that may be, there shallpass an oath on both sides, that Our children may see that We doindeed love them. "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to showunto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, " inmaking of the covenant, "confirmed it by an oath: that we mighthave a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold uponthe hope set before us" (Heb 6:17, 18; 7:21). Mark, the 6th Chaptersaith, God confirmed His part by an oath; and the 7th saith, Christwas made or set on His office also by an oath. Again, "Once, "saith God, "have I sworn by My holiness, that I will not lie untoDavid, " "nor alter the thing that is gone out of My mouth, " (Psa89:34, 35) as was before cited. 

Herein you may see that God and Christ were in good earnest aboutthe salvation of sinners; for as soon as ever the covenant was made, the next thing was, who should be bound to see all those thingsfulfilled which were conditioned on between the Father and theSon: the angels, they could have no hands in it; the world couldnot do it; the devils had rather see them damned than they wouldwish them the least good; thus Christ looked, and there was noneto help; though the burden lay never so heavy upon His shoulder, He must bear it Himself; for there was none besides Himself touphold, or so much as to step in to be bound, to see the conditions, before mentioned, fulfilled neither in whole nor in part (Isa63:1-7). So that He must not be only He with whom the covenant wasmade, but He must also become the bondsman or surety thereof, andso stand bound to see that all and every particular thing conditionedfor should be, both in manner, and matter, at the time and place, according to the agreement, duly and orderly fulfilled. Is not thisgrace?

Now as touching the nature of a surety and his work, in some thingsit is well known to most men; therefore I shall be very brief uponit. 

First. You know a surety is at the bargain's making; and so wasChrist--"Then was I beside Him" (Prov 8:30). 

Second. A surety must consent to the terms of the agreement, orcovenant; and so did Christ Jesus. Now that which He did engageshould be done for sinners, according to the terms of the covenant;it was this--1. That there should be a complete satisfaction givento God for the sins of the world; for that was one great thingthat was agreed upon when the covenant was made (Heb 10:5, 17). 2. That Jesus Christ should, as aforesaid, bring in an everlastingrighteousness to clothe the saints (His body) withal (Dan 9:24, 25). Here is grace. 3. That He should take in charge to see all thoseforthcoming without spot or wrinkle at the day of His gloriousappearing from Heaven in judgment, and to quit them before theJudgment-seat. Again, Third. In the work of a surety there is required by the creditorthat the surety should stand to what he is bound; and on the surety'sside there is a consenting thereunto. 1. The creditor looks, thatin case the debtor proves a bankrupt, that then the surety shouldengage the payment. Is not this grace? [However it is in otherengagements, it is thus in this]. 2. The creditor looks that thesurety should be an able man. Now our Surety was, and is, in thiscase, every way suitable; for He is heir of all things. 3. Thecreditor appoints the day, and also looks that the covenant shouldbe kept, and the debt paid, according to the time appointed; and itis required of sureties, as well as stewards, that they be foundfaithful--namely, to pay the debt according to the bargain; andtherefore it is said, "When the fullness of the time was come, Godsent forth His Son--made under the law, to redeem them that wereunder the law, " (Gal 4:4, 5). Thus comes grace to saints. 4. Thecreditor looks that his money should be brought into his house, tohis own habitation. Jesus, our Surety, in this also is faithful;for by His own blood, which was the payment, He is entered into theholy place, even into Heaven itself, which is God's dwelling-place, to render the value and price that was agreed upon for the salvationof sinners. But I shall speak more of this in another head, thereforeI pass it. Again, Fourth. If the surety stands bound, the debtor is at liberty; andif the law do issue out any process to take any, it will be thesurety. [Though the debtor, together with the surety, is liable topay the debt by the law of man, yet Christ our Surety only by theCovenant of Grace]. And, O! how wonderfully true was this accomplishedin that, when Christ our Surety came down from Heaven, God's Lawdid so seize upon the Lord Jesus, and so cruelly handle Him, andso exact upon Him, that it would never let Him alone until it hadaccused Him and condemned Him, executed Him, and screwed His veryheart's blood out of His precious heart and side; nay, and morethan this too, as I shall show hereafter. But, Christ the Messenger of the new covenant. 

SECOND. [His second office]. After that Jesus Christ had stood bound, and was become our Surety in things pertaining to this covenant, His next office was to be the Messenger of God touching His mindand the tenor of the covenant unto the poor world; and this did theProphet foresee long before, when he saith, "Behold, I will sendMy messenger, and he shall prepare the way before Me"; speakingof John the Baptist. "And he shall prepare the way before Me. " Andthen He speaketh of Christ to the people, saying, "And the Lordwhom ye seek shall suddenly come to His temple. " Who is He? Eventhe Messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in, that is Christ. "Behold, He shall come, saith the LORD of Hosts" (Mal 3:1). 

Now the covenant being made before between the Father and the Son, and Jesus Christ becoming bound to see all the conditions fulfilled, this being done, He could come down from Heaven to earth, to declareto the world what God the Father and HE had concluded on before, and what was the mind of the Father towards the world concerningthe salvation of their souls; and indeed, who could better come onsuch an errand than He that stood by when the covenant was made?than He that shook hands with the Father in making of the covenant?than He that was become a Surety in the behalf of poor sinners, according to the terms of the covenant. 

Now, you know, a messenger commonly when he cometh, doth bringsome errand to them to whom he is sent, either of what is donefor them, or what they would have them whom they send unto do forthem, or such like. Now what a glorious message was that whichour Lord Jesus Christ came down from Heaven withal to declare untopoor sinners, and that from God His Father? I say, how gloriouswas it; and how sweet is it to you that have seen yourselves lostby nature? and it will also appear a glorious one to you who are aseeking after Jesus Christ, if you do but consider these followingthings about what He was sent--

First. Jesus Christ was sent from Heaven to declare unto the worldfrom God the Father that He was wonderfully filled with love to poorsinners. First, in that He would forgive their sins. Secondly, inthat He would save their souls. Thirdly in that He would make themheirs of His glory. "For God so loved the world, that He gave Hisonly begotten Son. --For God sent not His Son into the world tocondemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved"(John 3:16, 17). 

Second. God sent Jesus Christ to tell the poor world how that Hewould do this for poor sinners, and yet be just, and yet do Hisjustice no wrong; and that was to be done by Jesus Christ's dyingof a cursed death in the room of poor sinners, to satisfy justice, and make way for mercy; to take away the stumbling-blocks, and setopen Heaven's gates; to overcome Satan, and break off from sinnershis chains (Luke 4:18) to set open the prison doors, and to letthe prisoners go free (Isa 61:1-3). And this was the message thatChrist was to deliver to the world by commandment from His Father;and this did He tell us when He came of His errand, where he saith, "I lay down My life for the sheep--no man taketh it from Me, butI lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and to takeit again. This commandment have I received of My Father" (John10:15-18). Even this commandment hath My Father given Me, that Ishould both do this thing and also tell it unto you. 

Third. He was not only sent as a Messenger to declare this Hisfather's love, but also how dearly He himself loved sinners, what aheart He had to do them good, where He saith, "All that the Fathergiveth Me shall come to Me"; and let me tell you, MY heart too, saith Christ--"Him that cometh to Me, I will in no wise cast out"(John 6:37). As My Father is willing to give you unto Me, even soam I as willing to receive you. As My Father is willing to giveyou Heaven, so am I willing to make you fit for it, by washing youwith My own blood; I lay down My life that you might have life;and this I was sent to tell you of My Father. 

Fourth. His message was further; He came to tell them how andwhich way they should come to enjoy these glorious benefits; alsoby laying down motives to stir them up to accept of the benefits. The way is laid down in John 3:14, 15, where Christ saith, "As Moseslifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son ofMan be lifted up, " or caused to be hanged on the Cross, and diethe death--"that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish buthave everlasting life. " The way, therefore, that thou shalt have thebenefit and comfort of that which My Father and I have covenantedfor, for thee, I am come down from Heaven to earth on purpose togive thee intelligence, and to certify thee of it. Know, therefore, that as I have been born of a woman, and I have taken this Bodyupon Me, it is on purpose that I might offer it up upon the Crossa sacrifice to God, to give Him satisfaction for thy sins, thatHis mercy may be extended to thy soul, without any wrong done tojustice; and this thou art to believe, and not in the notion butfrom thy very whole soul. Now the motives are many. 1. If they donot leave their sins, and come to Jesus Christ, that their sins maybe washed away by His blood, they are sure to be damned in Hell;for the law hath condemned them already (John 3:18, 19). 2. But ifthey do come, they shall have the bosom of Christ to lie in, theKingdom of Heaven to dwell in, the angels and saints for theircompanions, shall shine there like the sun, shall be there forever, shall sit upon the thrones of judgment, etc. Here is grace. 

Methinks if I had but the time to speak fully to all thingsthat I could speak to from these two heavenly truths, and to makeapplication thereof, surely, with the blessing of God, I thinkit might persuade some vile and abominable wretch to lay down hisarms that he hath taken up in defiance against God, and is marchingHellwards, post-haste with the devil; I say, methinks it should stopthem, and make them willing to look back and accept of salvationfor their poor condemned souls, before God's eternal vengeance isexecuted upon them. O, therefore! you that are upon this march, Ibeseech you consider a little. What! shall Christ become a drudgefor you; and will you be drudges for the devil? Shall Christ covenantwith God for the salvation of sinners; and shall sinners covenantwith Hell, death, and the devil for the damnation of their souls?Shall Christ come down from Heaven to earth to declare thisto sinners; and shall sinners stop their ears against these goodtidings? Will you not hear the errand of Christ, although He tellethyou tidings of peace and salvation? How, if He had come, havingtaken a commandment from His Father to damn you, and to send youto the devils in Hell? Sinner, hear His message; He speaketh noharm, His words are Eternal Life; all men that give ear unto them, they have eternal advantage by them; advantage, I say, that neverhath an end. Besides, do but consider these two things, it is likethey have some sway upon thy soul--1. When He came on His message, He came with tears in His eyes, and did even weepingly tender theterms of reconciliation to them; I say, with tears in his eyes. Andwhen He came near the city--i. E. , with His message of peace--beholdingthe hardness of their hearts, He wept over it, and took up alamentation over it; because He saw they rejected His mercy, whichwas tidings of peace; I say, wilt thou then slight a weeping Jesus, One that so loveth thy soul that, rather than He will lose thee, Hewill with tears persuade with thee? 2. Not only so, but also whenHe came, He came all on a gore blood to proffer mercy to thee, toshow thee still how dearly He did love thee; as if He had said, Sinner, here is mercy for thee; but behold My bloody sweat, Mybloody wounds, My cursed death; behold and see what danger I havegone through to come unto thy soul; I am come indeed unto thee, and do bring thee tidings of salvation, but it cost Me My heart'sblood before I could come at thee, to give thee the fruits of Myeverlasting love. But more of this anon. 

Thus have I spoken something concerning Christ's being the Messengerof the new covenant; but because I am not willing to cut too shortof what shall come after, I shall pass by these things not halftouched, and come to the other which I promised even now; which wasto show you, that as there were Levitical ceremonies in or belongingto the first covenant, so these types, or Levitical ceremonies, did represent the glorious things of the new covenant. In thoseceremonies you read of a sacrifice, of a priest to offer up thesacrifice, the place where, and the manner how, he was to offerit; of which I shall speak something. 

Christ the sacrifice of the new covenant. 

THIRD. [A third office of Christ, in reference to the new covenant, was His becoming the sacrifice]. As touching the sacrifice; youfind that it was not to be offered up of all kind of beasts, as oflions, bears, wolves, tigers, dragons, serpents, or such like; tosignify, that not all kind of creatures that had sinned, as devils, the fallen angels, should be saved; but the sacrifice was to betaken out of some kind of beasts and birds, to signify, that someof God's creatures that had sinned He would be pleased to reconcilethem to Himself again; as poor fallen man and woman, those miserablecreatures, God, the God of Heaven, had a good look for after theirfall; but not for the cruel devils, though more noble creatures bycreation than we. Here is grace. 

Now though these sacrifices were offered, yet they were not offeredto the end they should make the comers to, or offerers thereof, perfect; but the things were to represent to the world what Godhad in after ages for to do, which was even the salvation of Hiscreatures by that offering of the body of Jesus Christ, of whichthese were a shadow and a type for the accomplishing of the secondcovenant. For Christ was by covenant to offer a sacrifice, and thatan effectual one too, if He intended the salvation of sinners--"Abody hast Thou prepared for Me; I am come to do Thy will" (Heb10:5). I shall therefore show you, First. What was expected by Godin the sacrifice in the type, and then show you how it was answeredin the antitype. Second. I shall show you the manner of the offeringof the type, and so answerable thereto to show you the fitnessof the sacrifice of the body of Christ, by way of answering somequestions. 

First. For the first of these, [What was expected by God in thesacrifice in the type, and how answered in the antitype]--1. Goddid expect that sacrifice which He Himself had appointed, and notanother, to signify, that none would serve His turn but the bodyand soul of His appointed Christ, the Mediator of the new covenant(John 1:29). 2. This sacrifice must not be lame nor deformed; itmust have no scar, spot, or blemish; to signify, that Jesus Christwas to be a complete sacrifice by covenant (1 Peter 1:19). 3. Thissacrifice was to be taken out of the flock or herd; to signify, thatJesus Christ was to come out of the race of mankind, according tocovenant (Heb 10:5). But, Second. As to the manner of it [The offering of the types, and soanswerable thereto, to show the fitness of the sacrifice of thebody of Christ]--1. The sacrifice, before it was offered, was tohave all the sins of the children of Israel confessed over it; tosignify, that Jesus Christ must bear the sins of all His childrenby covenant (Isa 53:4-7; 1 Peter 2:24). "As for Thee also, by theblood of Thy covenant, " in His own body on the tree (Zech 9:11). 2. It must be had to the place appointed--namely, without the campof Israel; to signify, that Jesus Christ must be led to the MountCalvary (Luke 23:33). 3. The sacrifice was to be killed there; tosignify, that Jesus Christ must and did suffer without the city ofJerusalem for our salvation. 4. The sacrifice must not only haveits life taken away, but also some of its flesh burned upon thealtar; to signify, that Jesus Christ was not only to die a naturaldeath, but also that He should undergo the pains and torments ofthe damned in Hell. 5. Sometimes there must be a living offeringand a dead offering, as the goat that was killed, and the scape-goat, the dead bird and the living bird, to signify, that Jesus Christmust die, and come to life again (Lev 19:4-6). 6. The goat thatwas to die was to be the sin-offering; that is, to be offered asthe rest of the sin-offerings, to make an atonement as a type; andthe other goat was to have all the sins of the children of Israelconfessed over him, and then let go into the wilderness, never tobe catched again (Lev 16:7-22). To signify, that Christ's deathwas to make satisfaction for sin, and His coming to life again wasto bring in everlasting justification from the power, curse, anddestroying nature of sin (Rom 4:25). 7. The scape-goat was to becarried by a fit man into the wilderness; to signify that Jesus Christshould both be fit and able to carry our sins quite a way from us, so as they should never be laid to our charge again. Here is grace. 8. The sacrifices under the law, commonly part of them must beeaten; to signify, that they that are saved should spiritually feedon the body and blood of Jesus Christ, or else they have no lifeby Him (Exo 12:5-11; John 6:51-53). 9. This sacrifice must be eatenwith unleavened bread; to signify, that they which love their sins, that devilish leaven of wickedness, they do not feed upon Jesus Christ. 8

Now of what hath been spoken this is the sum, that there is asacrifice under the new covenant, as there were sacrifices under theold; and that this sacrifice did every way answer that, or those;indeed, they did but suffer for sin in show, but He in reality;they are the shadow, but He as the substance. O! when Jesus Christdid come to make Himself a sacrifice, or to offer Himself for sin, you may understand that our sins were indeed charged to purposeupon Him. O! how they scarred his soul, how they brake His body, insomuch that they made the blood run down His blessed face and fromHis precious side; therefore thou must understand these followingthings--First, that Jesus Christ by covenant did die for sin. Secondly, that His death was not a mere natural death, but a "curseddeath, " even such an one as men do undergo from God for their sins, though He Himself had none, even such a death as to endure the verypains and torments of Hell. O sad pains and inexpressible tormentsthat this our Sacrifice for sin went under! The pains of His bodywere not all; no, but the pains of His soul; for His soul was madean offering as well as His body, yet all but one sacrifice (Isa53). [As Christ did not suffer in His body without suffering insoul, nor yet in soul without His suffering in body; it was becausenot the body without the soul, but both the body and soul of thesaints should be for ever saved]. To signify, that the sufferingof Christ was not only a bodily suffering, but a soul suffering;not only to suffer what man could inflict upon Him, but also tosuffer soul torments that none but God can inflict, or suffer tobe inflicted upon Him. O, the torments of His soul! they were thetorments indeed; His soul was that that felt the wrath of God. "Mysoul, " saith He, "is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death" (Matt26:38). "Now is My soul troubled, and what shall I say?" (John12:27). The rock was not so rent as was His precious soul; therewas not such a terrible darkness on the face of the earth then asthere was on His precious soul. O! the torments of Hell and theeclipsings of the Divine smiles of God were both upon Him at once;the devils assailing of Him, and God forsaking of Him, and allat once! "My God, My God, " saith He, "why hast Thou forsaken Me?"(Matt 27:46). Now in my greatest extremity; now sin is laid uponMe, the curse takes hold of Me, the pains of Hell are claspedabout Me, and Thou hast forsaken Me. O sad! Sinners, this was notdone in pretence, but in reality; not in show, but in very deed;otherwise Christ had dissembled, and had not spoken the truth; butthe truth of it His bloody sweat declares, His mighty cries declare, the things which and for what He suffered declare. Nay, I mustsay thus much, that all the damned souls in Hell, with all theirdamnations, did never yet feel that torment and pain that did thisblessed Jesus in a little time. Sinner, canst thou read that JesusChrist was made an offering for sin, and yet go in sin? Canst thouhear that the load of thy sins did break the very heart of Christ, and spill His precious blood? and canst thou find in thy heartto labour to lay more sins upon His back? Canst thou hear that Hesuffered the pains, the fiery flames of Hell, and canst thou findin thy heart to add to His groans by slighting of His sufferings?O hard-hearted wretch! how canst thou deal so unkindly with sucha sweet Lord Jesus?

Quest. But why did Christ offer Himself in sacrifice?

Answ. That thou shouldst not be thrown to the very devils. 

Quest. But why did He spill His precious blood?

Answ. That thou mightest enjoy the joys of Heaven. 

Quest. But why did He suffer the pains of Hell?

Answ. That thou mightest not fry with the devil and damned souls. 

Quest. But could not we have been saved if Christ had not died?

Answ. No; for without the shedding of blood there is no remission;and besides, there was no death that could satisfy God's justicebut His, which is evident, because there was none in a capacityto die, or that was able to answer an infinite God by Hisso suffering but He. 9

Quest. But why did God let Him die?

Answ. He standing in the room of sinners, and that in their namesand natures, God's justice must fall upon Him; for justice takesvengeance for sin wheresoever it finds it, though it be on His dearSon. Nay, God favoured His Son no more, finding our sins upon Him, than He would have favoured any of us; for, should we have died?so did He. Should we have been made a curse? so was He. Should wehave undergone the pains of Hell? so did He. 

Quest. But did He indeed suffer the torments of Hell?

Answ. Yea, and that in such a horrible way too, that it is unspeakable. 

Quest. Could He not have suffered without His so suffering? Wouldnot His dying only of a natural death have served the turn?

Answ. No, in nowise. [1]. The sins for which He suffered called forthe torments of Hell; the conditions upon which He died did callfor the torments of Hell; for Christ did not die the death of asaint, but the death of a sinner, of a cursed and damned sinner;because He stood in their room, the law to which He was subjectedcalled for the torments of Hell; the nature of God's justice couldnot bate Him anything; the death which He was to suffer had notlost its sting; all these being put together do irresistibly declareunto us that He, as a sacrifice, did suffer the torments of Hell(Gal 3:13). But, 2. Had He not died and suffered the cursed death, the covenant had been made void, and His Suretyship would havebeen forfeited, and, besides this, the world damned in the flamesof Hell-fire; therefore, His being a sacrifice was one part of thecovenant; for the terms of the covenant were that He should spillHis blood. O blessed Jesus! O blessed grace! (Zech 9:10, 11). 

Quest. But why, then, is His death so slighted by some?

Answ. Because they are enemies to Him, either through ignoranceor presumption; either for want of knowledge or out of malice; forsurely did they love or believe Him, they could not choose but breakand bleed at heart to consider and to think of Him (Zech 12:10, 11. )

Christ the High Priest of the New Covenant. 

FOURTH, [A fourth office of Christ under the new covenant isHis priestly]. Thus, passing this, I shall now speak something toChrist's priestly office. But, by the way, if any should think thatI do spin my thread too long in distinguishing His priestly officefrom His being a sacrifice, the supposing that for Christ to be apriest and a sacrifice is all one and the same thing; and it maybe it is, because they have not thought on this so well as theyshould--namely, that as He was a sacrifice He was passive, that is, led or had away as a lamb to His sufferings (Isaiah 53); but as apriest He was active--that is, He did willingly and freely give upHis Body to be a sacrifice. "He hath given His life a ransom formany. " This consideration being with some weight and clearness onmy spirit, I was and am caused to lay them down in two particularheads. 

And therefore I would speak something to is this, that as therewere priests under the first covenant, so there is a Priest underthis, belonging to this new covenant, a High Priest, the ChiefPriest; as it is clear where it is said, We "having a high priestover the house of God" (Heb 3:1; 5:5, 10; 7:24-26; 8:1, 4; 10:21). 

Now the things that I shall treat upon are these--First, I shallshow you the qualifications required of a priest under the Law;Second, his office; and, Third, how Jesus Christ did according towhat was signified by those under the law; I say, how He did answerthe types, and where He went beyond them. 

First, For his qualifications:--

1. They must be called thereto of God--"No man taketh this honourunto himself, but he that is called of God, as Aaron" (Heb 5:4). Now Aaron's being called of God to be a priest signifies that JesusChrist is a Priest of God's appointment, such an one that God hathchosen, likes of, and hath set on work--"Called of God an HighPriest, " etc. (Heb 5:10). 

2. The priests under the law they must be men, complete, notdeformed--"Speak unto Aaron, " saith God to Moses, "saying, Whosoeverhe be of thy seed in their generations that hath any blemish, lethim not approach to offer the bread of his God. For whatsoever manhe be that hath a blemish, he shall not approach; a blind man, ora lame, or he that hath a flat nose, or any thing superfluous, ora man that is broken-footed, or broken-handed, or crook-backt, ora dwarf, or that hath a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy, or scabbed, or hath his stones broken; no man that hath a blemish of the seedof Aaron the priest shall come nigh to offer the offerings of theLord made by fire; he that hath a blemish; he shall not come nighto offer the bread of his God" (Lev 21:17-21). What doth all thissignify but that, (1. ) He must not be lame, to signify he must notgo haltingly about the work of our salvation. (2. ) He must not beblind, to signify that he must not go ignorantly to work, but hemust be quick of understanding in the things of God. (3. ) He mustnot be scabbed, to signify that the priest must not be corrupt offilthy in his office. (4. ) In a word, he must be every way complete, to signify to us that Jesus Christ was to be, and is, most completeand most perfect in things pertaining to God in reference to Hissecond covenant. 

3. The priests under the law were not to be hard-hearted, butpitiful and compassionate, willing and ready, with abundance ofbowels, to offer for the people, and to make an atonement for them(Heb 5:1, 2). To signify, that Jesus Christ should be a tender-heartedHigh Priest, able and willing to sympathize and be affected withthe infirmities of others, to pray for them, to offer up for themHis precious blood; He must be such an One who can have compassionon a company of poor ignorant souls, and on them that are out ofthe way, to recover them, and to set them in safety (Heb 4:15). And that He might thus do, He must be a man that had experience ofthe disadvantages that infirmity and sin did bring unto those poorcreatures (Heb 2:17). 

4. The high priests under the law were not to be shy or squeamishin case there were any that had the plague or leprosy, scab orblotches; but must look on them, go to them, and offer for them (Lev13), all which is to signify, that Jesus Christ should not refuseto take notice of the several infirmities of the poorest people, but to teach them, and to see that none of them be lost by reasonof their infirmity, for want of looking to or tending of. 10

This privilege also have we under this second covenant. This isthe way to make grace shine. 

5. The high priests under the law they were to be anointed withvery excellent oil, compounded by art (Exo 29:7; 30:30). To signify, that Jesus, the Great High Priest of this new covenant, would bein a most eminent way anointed to His priestly office by the HolySpirit of the Lord. 

6. The priest's food and livelihood in the time of his ministrywas to be the consecrated and holy things (Exo 29:33). To signify, that it is the very meat and drink of Jesus Christ to do His priestlyoffice, and to save and preserve His poor, tempted, and afflictedsaints. O what a new-covenant High Priest have we!

7. The priests under the law were to be washed with water (Exo29:4). To signify, that Jesus Christ should not go about the workof His priestly office with the filth of sin upon Him, but waswithout sin to appear as our High Priest in the presence of HisFather, to execute His priestly office there for our advantage--"Forsuch a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens" (Heb 7:26). 

8. The high priest under the law, before they went into the holy place, there were to be clothed--with a curious garment, a breastplate, andan ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle, and they were to be made of gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen; and in his garment and glorious ornaments theremust be precious stones, and on those stones there must be writtenthe names of the children of Israel (read Exodus 28), and all thiswas to signify what a glorious High Priest Jesus Christ should be, and how in the righteousness of God He should appear before God asour High Priest, to offer up the sacrifice that was to be offeredfor our salvation to God His Father. But I pass that. 

Second, Now I shall speak to His office. The office of the highpriest in general was twofold. 1. To offer the sacrifice withoutthe camp. 2. To bring it within the veil--that is, into the holiestof all, which did type out Heaven. 

1. [First part of the high priest's office]. (1. ) It was the officeof the priest to offer the sacrifice; and so did Jesus Christ; Hedid offer His own Body and Soul in sacrifice. I say, HE did OFFERit, and not another, as it is written, "No man taketh away My life, but I lay it down of Myself; I have power to lay it down, and Ihave power to take it again" (John 10:17, 18). And again it is said, "When He, " Jesus, "had offered up one sacrifice for sin, for eversat down on the right hand of God" (Heb 10:12). (2. ) The priestsunder the law must offer up the sacrifice that God had appointed, and none else, a complete one without any blemish; and so did ourHigh Priest, where He saith, "Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldestnot, but a body has Thou prepared Me, " and that I will offer (Heb10:5). (3. ) The priest was to take of the ashes of the sacrifice, and lay them in a clean place; and this signifies, that the Bodyof Jesus, after it had been offered, should be laid into Joseph'ssepulchre, as in a clean place, where never any man before was laid(Lev 6:11, compared with John 19:41, 42). 

2. [Second part of the high priest's office]. This being one partof his office, and when this was done, then in the next place hewas, (1. ) To put on the glorious garment, when he was to go intothe holiest, and take of the blood, and carry it thither, etc. , hewas to put on the holy garment which signifieth the righteousnessof Jesus Christ. (2. ) He was in this holy garment, which hath init the stones, and in the stones the names of the twelve tribesof the children of Israel, to appear in the holy place. "And thoushalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of thechildren of Israel: six of their names on one stone, and the othersix names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth"(Exo 28:9, 10). And this was to signify, that Jesus Christ was toenter into the holiest, then He was there to bear the names of Hiselect in the tables of His heart before the Throne of God and theMercy-seat (Heb 12:23). (3. ) With this he was to take of the bloodof the sacrifices, and carry it into the holiest of all, which wasa type of Heaven, and there was he to sprinkle the mercy-seat; andthis was to be done by the high priest only; to signify, that nonebut Jesus Christ must have this office and privilege, to be thepeople's High Priest to offer for them. "But into the second wentthe high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which heoffered for himself, and for the errors of the people" (Heb 9:7). (4. ) He was there to make an atonement for the people with the blood, sprinkling of it upon the mercy-seat; but this must be done withmuch incense. "And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin-offeringwhich is for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullockof the sin-offering which is for himself: and he shall take a censorfull of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the Lord, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring itwithin the veil: and he shall put the incense upon the fire beforethe Lord, that he cloud of the incense may cover the mercy-seatthat is upon the testimony, that he die not: and he shall take ofthe blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon themercy-seat eastward, and before the mercy-seat shall he sprinkleof the blood with his finger seven times. Then shall he kill thegoat of the sin-offering, that is for the people, and bring hisblood within the veil, and do with that blood as he did with theblood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy-seat and beforethe mercy-seat. " (Lev 16:11-15). Now this was for the priest andthe people; all which doth signify that Jesus Christ was afterHis death to go into Heaven itself, of which this holy place was afigure, and there to carry the sacrifice that He offered upon theCross into the presence of God, to obtain mercy for the peoplein a way of justice (Heb 9). And in that he is said to take hishands full of sweet incense, it signifies that Jesus Christ was tooffer up His sacrifice in the presence of His Father in a way ofintercession and prayers. 

I might have branched these things out into several particulars, but I would be brief. I say, therefore, the office of the priestwas to carry the blood into the holy place, and there to presentit before the mercy-seat, with his heart full of intercessions forthe people for whom he was a priest (Luke 1:8-11). This is JesusChrist's work now in the Kingdom of Glory, to plead His own blood, the nature and virtue of it, with a perpetual intercession to theGod of Mercy on behalf of us poor miserable sinners (Heb 7:25). 

[Comfortable considerations from Christ's intercession]. Now, in theintercession of this Jesus, which is part of His priestly office, there are these things to be considered for our comfort--

1. There is a pleading of the virtue of His Blood for them that arealready come in, that they may be kept from the evils of heresies, delusions, temptations, pleasures, profits, or anything of thisworld which may be too hard for them. "Father, I pray not that Thoushouldest take them out of the world, " saith Christ, "but that Thoushouldest keep them from the evil" (John 17:15). 

2. In case the devil should aspire up into the presence of God, to accuse any of the poor saints, and to plead their backslidingsagainst them, as he will do if he can, then there is Jesus, our LordJesus, ready in the Court of Heaven, at the right hand of God, toplead the virtue of His Blood, not only for the great and generalsatisfaction that He did give when He was on the Cross, but alsothe virtue that is in it now for the cleansing and fresh purgingof His poor saints under their several temptations and infirmities;as saith the Apostle, "For if when we were enemies we were reconciledto God by the death of His Son, much more being reconciled, we shallbe saved by His life"--that is, by His intercession (Rom 5:10). 

3. The maintaining of grace, also, is by Jesus Christ's intercession, being the second part of His priestly office. O, had we not a Jesusat the right hand of God making intercession for us, and to conveyfresh supplies of grace unto us through the virtue of His Bloodbeing pleaded at God's right hand, how soon would it be with usas it is with those for whom He prays not at all (John 17:9)? Butthe reason why thou standest while others fall, the reason why thougoest through the many temptations of the world, and shakest themoff from thee, while others are ensnared and entangled therein, itis because thou hast an interceding Jesus. "I have prayed, " saithHe, "that thy faith fail not" (Luke 22:32). 

4. It is partly by the virtue of Christ's intercession that theelect are brought in. There are many that are to come to Christwhich are not yet brought in to Christ: and it is one part of Hiswork to pray for their salvation too--"Neither pray I for thesealone, but for them also which shall believe, " though as yet theydo not believe "on Me, " but that they may believe "through theirword" (John 17:20). And let me tell thee, soul, for thy comfort, whoart a-coming to Christ, panting and sighing, as if thy heart wouldbreak, I tell thee, soul, thou wouldst never have come to Christ, if He had not first, by the virtue of His blood and intercession, sent into thy heart an earnest desire after Christ; and let me tellthee also, that it is His business to make intercession for thee, not only that thou mightest come in, but that thou mightest bepreserved when thou art come in (Compare Heb 7:25; Rom 8:33-39). 

5. It is by the intercession of Christ that the infirmities of thesaints in their holy duties are forgiven. Alas, if it were not forthe priestly office of Christ Jesus, the prayers, alms, and otherduties of the saints might be rejected, because of the sin that isin them; but Jesus being our High Priest, He is ready to take awaythe iniquities of our holy things, perfuming our prayers with theglory of His own perfections; and therefore it is that there is ananswer given to the saints' prayers, and also acceptance of theirholy duties (Rev 8:3, 4). "But Christ being come an high priest ofgood things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, notmade with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neither bythe blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered inonce into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifersprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternalSpirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your consciencefrom dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause He isthe mediator of the New Testament, " or covenant, "that by meansof death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were underthe first testament, they which are called, " notwithstanding alltheir sins, "might receive the promise of eternal inheritance" (Heb9:11-15). 

Third. The third thing now to be spoken to is, to show where andhow Jesus Christ outwent and goes beyond these priests, in alltheir qualifications and offices, for the comfort of poor saints. 

1. They that were called to the priesthood under the law were butmen; but He is both God and man (Heb 7:3, 28). 

2. Their qualifications were in them in a very scanty way; butJesus was every way qualified in an infinite and full way. 

3. They were consecrated but for a time, but He for evermore (Heb7:23, 24). 

4. They were made without an oath, but He with an oath (Verses20, 21). 

5. They as servants; but He as a Son (Hebrews 3:6). 

6. Their garments were but such as could be made with hands, butHis the very righteousness of God (Exo 28; Rom 3:22; Phil 3:8, 9). 

7. Their offerings were but the body and blood of beasts, and suchlike, but His offering was His own body and soul (Heb 9:12, 13;10:4, 5; Isa 53:10). 

8. Those were at best but a shadow or type, but He the very substanceand end of all those ceremonies (Heb 9:1, 10, 11). 

9. Their holy place was but made by men, but His, or that whichJesus is entered, is into Heaven itself (Heb 9:2, 3, 24). 

10. When they went to offer their sacrifice, they were forced tooffer for themselves, as men compassed about with infirmity, but Heholy, harmless, who did never commit the least transgression (Heb7:26; 10:11). 

11. They when they went to offer they were fain to do it standing, to signify that God had no satisfaction therein; but He, when "Hehad offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the righthand of God, " to signify that God was very well pleased with Hisoffering (Heb 10:12). 

12. They were fain to offer "oftentimes the same sacrifices, whichcan never take away sins"; but He, "by one offering hath perfectedfor ever them that are sanctified" (Heb 10:11, 14). 

13. Their sacrifices at the best could but serve for the cleansingof the flesh, but His for cleansing both body and soul--the bloodof Jesus Christ doth purge the conscience from dead works, to livea holy life (Heb 9:13, 14). 

14. Those high priests could not offer but once a year in the holiestof all, but our High Priest He ever liveth to make intercessionfor us (Heb 9:7; 12:24, 25). 

15. Those high priests, notwithstanding they were priests, theywere not always to wear their holy garments; but Jesus never putsthem off of Him, but is in them always. 

16. Those high priests, death would be too hard for them, but ourHigh Priest hath vanquished and overcome that cruel enemy of ours, and brought life and immortality to light through the gloriousGospel (Heb 7:21, 23; 2:15; 2 Tim 1:10). 

17. Those high priests were not able to save themselves; but thisis able to save Himself, and all that come to God, by Him (Heb7:25). 

18. Those high priests' blood could not do away sin; but the bloodof Jesus Christ, who is our High Priest, "cleanseth us from allsin" (1 John 1:7). 

19. Those high priests sometimes by sin caused God to reject theirsacrifices; but this High Priest doth always the things that pleaseHim. 

20. Those high priests could never convey the Spirit by virtue oftheir sacrifices or office; but this High Priest, our Lord Jesus, He can and doth give all the gifts and graces that are given tothe sons of men. 

21. Those high priests could never by their sacrifices bring thesoul of any sinner to glory by virtue of itself; but Jesus hath byone offering, as I said before, perfected for ever those that Hedid die for. Thus in brief I have showed in some particulars howand wherein Jesus our High Priest doth go beyond those high priests;and many more without question might be mentioned, but I forbear. 

Christ the forerunner of the saints. 

FIFTH. A fifth office of Christ in reference to the second covenantwas, that He should be the forerunner to Heaven before His saintsthat were to follow after. First, He strikes hands in the covenant, [and then] He stands bound as a Surety to see everything in thecovenant accomplished that was to be done on His part; [next] Hebrings the message from Heaven to the world; and before He goethback, He offereth Himself for the same sins that He agreed to sufferfor; and so soon as this was done, He goeth post-haste to Heavenagain, not only to exercise the second part of His priestly office, but as our forerunner, to take possession for us, even into Heavenitself, as you may see, where it is said, "Whither the Forerunneris for us entered" (Heb 6:20). 

First. He is run before to open Heaven's gates--Be ye open, yeeverlasting doors, that the King of Glory may enter in. 

Second. He is run before us to take possession of glory in ournatures for us. 

Third. He is run before to prepare us our places against we comeafter--"I go to prepare a place for you" (John 14:1-3). 

Fourth. He is run thither to make the way easy, in that He hathfirst trodden the path Himself. 

Fifth. He is run thither to receive gifts for us. All spiritualand heavenly gifts had been kept from us had not Christ, so soonas the time appointed was come, run back to the Kingdom of Glory toreceive them for us. But I cannot stand to enlarge upon these gloriousthings, the Lord enlarge them upon your hearts by meditation. [Thesethings have I spoken to show you that saints are under grace. ]

Christ completely fulfilled the conditions of the new covenant. 

Here now I might begin to speak of His prophetical and kingly office, and the privileges that do and shall come thereby, but that I fearI shall be too tedious, therefore at this time I shall pass themby. Thus you may see how the Covenant of Grace doth run, and withWhom it was made, and also what were the conditions thereof. 

Now, then, this grace, this everlasting grace of God, comes to befree to us through the satisfaction, according to the conditions, given by Another for us; for though it be free, and freely givento us, yet the obtaining of it did cost our Head, our public Man, a very dear price. "For ye are bought with a price, " even with theprecious blood of Christ. So it is by Another, I say, not by us;yet it is as surely made over to us, even to so many of us as door shall believe, as if we had done it, and obtained the grace ofGod ourselves (1 Cor 6:20; 1 Peter 1:9). Nay, surer; for consider, I say, this grace is free to us, and comes upon a clear score, by virtue of the labour and purchase of Another for us; mark, that which is obtained by Another for us is not obtained for usby ourselves--No, but Christ hath, not by the blood of goats andcalves, "obtained eternal redemption for us, " which were thingsoffered by men under the law, "but by His own blood, " meaningChrist's, "He entered in once into the holy place, having obtainedeternal redemption for us" (Heb 9:12). 

It comes to be unchangeable through the perfection of that satisfactionthat was given to God through the Son of Mary for us; for whateverthe Divine, infinite, and eternal justice of God did call forat the hands of man, if ever he intended to be a partaker of thegrace of God, this Jesus, this one Man, this public Person, did, did completely give a satisfaction to it, even so effectually; whichcaused God not only to say, I am pleased, but "I am well pleased";completely and sufficiently satisfied with Thee on their behalf;for so you must understand it (Matt 3:17). Mark therefore thesefollowing words--"And, having made peace, " or completely made upthe difference, "through the blood of His cross, by Him to reconcileall things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things inearth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienatedand enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled, "how? "in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, "mark, "holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight" (Col1:20-22). And thus it is grace, unchangeable grace to us; becauseit was obtained, yea, completely obtained, for us, by Jesus Christ, God-man. 

Object. But some may say, How was it possible that one man Jesus, by one offering, should so completely obtain and bring in unchangeablegrace for such an innumerable company of sinners as are to be saved?

Answ. First. In that He was every way fitted for such a work. And, Second. In that, as I said before, He did every way completelysatisfy that which was offended by our disobedience to the formercovenant. 

[First. He was every way fitted for such a work]. And, for theclearing of this, 1. Consider, was it man that had offended? He was Man that gavethe satisfaction--"For since by man came death, by man came alsothe resurrection of the dead" (1 Cor 15:21). 

2. Was it God that was offended? He was God that did give asatisfaction--"Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. --andHis name shall be called The mighty God" (Isa 9:6). "He thoughtit not robbery to be equal with God: but, " for our sakes, He "madeHimself of no reputation, " etc. (Phil 2:6-7). 

3. For the further clearing of this, to show you that in everythingHe was rightly qualified for this great work, see what God Himselfsaith of Him; He calls Him, in the first place, Man; and, secondly, He owns Him to be His Fellow, saying, "Awake, O sword, against MyShepherd, and against the Man"--mark, "the Man that is My Fellow, saith the LORD of hosts" (Zech 13:7). 

So that now, let Divine and infinite justice turn itself which wayit will, it finds one that can tell how to match it; for if it say, I will require the satisfaction of man, here is a Man to satisfyits cry; and if it say, But I am an infinite God, and must and willhave an infinite satisfaction; here is One also that is infinite, even fellow with God, fellow in His essence and being; fellow inHis power and strength; fellow in His wisdom; fellow in His mercyand grace; together with the rest of the attributes of God; sothat, I say, let justice turn itself which way it will, here is acomplete Person to give a complete satisfaction (Prov 8:23; 1 Cor1:24; Titus 2:10; compared with Verse 11). Thus much of the fitnessof the Person. 

Second. For the completeness of the satisfaction given by Him forus. And that is discovered in these particulars--

1. Doth justice call for the blood of that nature that sinned? hereis the heart-blood of Jesus Christ--"We have redemption throughHis blood, " (Eph 1:7, 14; 1 Peter 1:18, 19; Zech 9:10, 11). 

2. Doth justice say that this blood, if it be not the blood of Onethat is really and naturally God, it will not give satisfactionto infinite justice? then here is God, purchasing His Church "withHis own blood" (Acts 20:28). 

3. Doth justice say, that it must not only have satisfaction forsinners, but they that are saved must be also washed and sanctifiedwith this blood? then here is He that so loved us, that He "washedus from our sins in His own blood" (Rev 1:5). 

4. Is there to be a righteousness to clothe them with that is tobe presented before Divine justice? there here is the righteousnessof Christ, which is "even the righteousness of God by faith" (Rom3:22; Phil 3:8-10). 

5. Are there any sins now that will fly upon this Saviour like somany lions, or raging devils, if He take in hand to redeem man?He will be content to bear them all Himself alone, even in His ownbody upon the tree (1 Peter 2:24). 

6. Is there any law now that will curse and condemn this Saviourfor standing in our persons to give satisfaction to God for thetransgression of man? He will be willing to be cursed, yea, tobe made a curse for sinners, rather than they shall be cursed anddamned themselves (Gal 3:13). 

7. Must the great and glorious God, whose eyes are so pure thatHe cannot behold iniquity; I say, must He not only have the blood, but the very life of Him that will take in hand to be the Delivererand Saviour of us poor miserable sinners? He is willing to lay downHis life for His sheep (John 10:11). 

8. Must He not only die a natural death, but must His soul descendinto hell, though it should not be left there, He will suffer thatalso Psalms 16:10; and Acts 2:31. 11

9. Must He not only be buried, but rise again from the dead, andovercome death, that He might be the first-fruits to God of themthat sleep, which shall be saved? He will be buried, and alsothrough the strength of His Godhead, He will raise Himself out ofthe grave, though death hold Him never so fast, and the Jews laynever such a great stone upon the mouth of the selpulchre, and sealit never so fast (1 Cor 15:4; Luke 24:34). 

10. Must He carry that body into the presence of His Father, totake possession of Heaven, and must He appear there as a priest, as a forerunner, as an advocate, as prophet, as a treasure-house, as an interceder and pleader of the causes of His people? He willbe all these, and much more, to the end the grace of God by faithin Jesus Christ might be made sure to all the seed. "Who thencan condemn? It is God that justifieth; because Christ hath died, yea rather, that is risen again. " Who, now seeing all this is soeffectually done, shall lay anything, the least thing? who can findthe least flaw, the least wrinkle, the least defect or imperfection, in this glorious satisfaction (Rom 8:33-34; Heb 6:20; 9:24; John14:2, 3; 1 John 2:1)?

Object. But is it possible that He should so soon give infinitejustice a satisfaction, a complete satisfaction? for the eternalGod doth require an eternal lying under the curse, to the end Hemay be eternally satisfied. 

Answ. Indeed, that which is infinite must have an eternity to satisfyGod in--that is, they that fall into the prison and pit of utterdarkness must be there to all eternity, to the end the justice ofGod may have its full blow at them. But now He that I am speakingof is God, and so is infinite (Isa 9:6; Titus 1:16, 17; Heb 1:8, 9;Phil 2:4-6). Now, He which is true God is able to give in aslittle a time an infinite satisfaction as Adam was in giving thedissatisfaction. Adam himself might have given satisfaction forhimself as soon as Christ had he been very God, as Jesus Christ was. For the reason why the posterity of Adam, even so many of them asfall short of life, must lie broiling in Hell to all eternity isthis--they are not able to give the justice of God satisfaction, theybeing not infinite, as aforesaid. "But Christ, " that is, God-man, "being come an High Priest, " that is, to offer and give satisfaction, "of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; neitherby the blood of goats and calves, but by His own, "--mark you that, "but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. " But how? "For if theblood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinklingthe unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: how muchmore shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, "who through the power and virtue of His infinite Godhead, "offeredHimself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead worksto serve the living God? And for this cause, " that is, for thatHe is God as well as man, and so able to give justice an infinitesatisfaction, therefore, "He is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressionsthat were under the first testament, they which are called mightreceive the promise of eternal inheritance" (Heb 9:11-15). As Isaid before. 

Object. This is much; but is God connected with this? Is He satisfiednow in the behalf of sinners by this Man's thus suffering? If Heis, then how doth it appear?

Answ. It is evident, yea, wonderful evident, that this hath pleasedHim to the full, as appeareth by these following demonstrations. --

First. In that God did admit Him into His presence; yea, receiveHim with joy and music, even with the sound of the trumpet, at Hisascension into Heaven (Psa 47:5). And Christ makes it an argumentto His children that His righteousness was sufficient, in that Hewent to His Father, and they saw Him no more, "of righteousness, "saith He, "because I go to My Father, and ye see Me no more" (John16:10). As if He had said, My Spirit shall show to the world thatI have brought in a sufficient righteousness to justify sinnerswithal, in that when I go to appear in the presence of My Fatheron their behalf, He shall give Me entertainment, and not throw Medown from Heaven, because I did not do it sufficiently. 

Again; if you consider the high esteem that God the Father doth seton the death of His Son, you will find that He hath received goodcontent thereby. When the Lord Jesus, by way of complaint, toldHis Father that He and His merits were not valued to the worth, His Father answered, It is a light thing that I should give Thee, O My Servant, to bring Jacob again; "I will also give Thee for alight to the Gentiles, that Thou mayest be My salvation unto theend of the earth" (Isa 49:6). As if the Lord had said, "My Son, Ido value Thy death at a higher rate than that Thou shouldst savethe tribes of Israel only; behold the Gentiles, the barbarousheathens, they also shall be brought in as the price of Thy blood. It is a light thing that Thou shouldest be My Servant only to bring, or redeem, the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ofIsrael: I will also give Thee for a light to the Gentiles, thatThou mayest be My salvation unto the end of the earth. " 12

Again; you may see it also by the carriage of God the Father toall the great sinners to whom mercy was proffered. We do not findthat God maketh any objection against them to come to Him for thepardon of their sins; because He did want a satisfaction suitableto the greatness of their sins. There was Manasseh, who was one thatburned his children in the fire to the devil, that used witchcraft, that used to worship the host of heaven, that turned his back onthe Word that God sent unto him; nay, that did worse than the veryheathen that God cast out before the children of Israel (2 Chron33:1-13). Also those that are spoken of in the Nineteenth of Acts, that did spend so much time in conjuration, and the like, for suchI judge they were, that when they came to burn their books, theycounted the price thereof to be fifty thousand pieces of silver(Acts 19:19). Simon Magus also, that was a sorcerer, and bewitchedthe whole city, yet he had mercy proffered to him once and again(Acts 8). I say, it was not the greatness of the sins of thesesinners; no, nor of an innumerable company of others, that madeGod at all to object against the salvation of their souls, whichjustice would have constrained Him to had He not had satisfactionsufficient by the blood of the Lord Jesus. Nay, further, I do findthat because God the Father would not have the merits of His Sonto be undervalued, I say, He doth therefore freely by His consentlet mercy be proffered to the greatest sinners--in the first place, for the Jews, that were the worst of men in that day for blasphemyagainst the Gospel; yet the Apostle proffered mercy to them in thefirst place--"It was necessary, " saith he, "that the Word of Godshould first have been spoken to you" (Acts 3:26; 13:46). And Christgave them commission so to do; for, saith He, Let repentance andremission of sins be preached in My name among all nations, andbegin--mark that, "beginning at Jerusalem" (Luke 24:47), Let themthat but the other day had their hands up to the elbows in Myheart's blood have the first proffer of My mercy. And, saith Paul, "For this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christmight show forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them whichshould hereafter believe on Him to life everlasting" (1 Tim 1:16). As the Apostle saith, those sinners that were dead, possessed withthe devil, and the children of wrath, He hath quickened, delivered, and saved. That He might, even in the very "ages to come He mightshow the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us, "and that "through Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:7). 

Second. It is evident that that which this Man did as a commonperson He did it completely and satisfactorily, as appears by theopenness, as I may so call it, which was in the heart of God toHim at His resurrection and ascension--"Ask of Me, " saith He, "andI shall give Thee the" very "heathen for Thine inheritance, andthe uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession" (Psa 2:8). And this was at His resurrection (Acts 13:33). Whereas, though Hehad asked, yet if He had not given a full and complete satisfaction, justice would not have given Him any thing; for justice, the justiceof God, is so pure, that if it be not completely satisfied in everyparticular, it giveth nothing but curses (Gal 3:10). 

Third. It is yet far more evident that He hath indeed pleasedGod in the behalf of sinners, in that God hath given Him gifts todistribute to sinners, yea, the worst of sinners, as a fruit of Hissatisfaction, and that at His ascension (Psa 68:18). Christ hathso satisfied God, that He hath given Him all the treasures both ofHeaven and earth to dispose of as He seeth good; He hath so pleasedGod, that He hath given Him a name above every name, a sceptre aboveevery sceptre, a crown above every crown, a kingdom above everykingdom; He hath given Him the highest place in Heaven, even Hisown right hand; He hath given Him all the power of Heaven and earth, and under the earth, in His own hand, to bind whom He pleaseth, andto set free whom He thinks meet; He hath, in a word, such a highesteem in the eyes of His Father, that He hath put into His handsall things that are for the profit of His people, both in thisworld and that which is to come; and all this as the fruit ofHis faithfulness in doing of His work, as the Mediator of the newcovenant (Phil 2:9; Rev 19:6). Thou hast ascended on high, Thouhast led captivity captive, Thou hast received gifts--mark, Thouhast received them--for men, even for the worst of men, for therebellious also; and hath sent forth some, being furnished with thesegifts; some, I say, for the work of the ministry, to the edifyingof them that are already called, and also for the calling in ofall those for whom He covenanted with His Father, till all come inthe unity of faith, etc. (Eph 4:8-13). 

Fourth. It doth still appear yet far more evident; for will you hearwhat the Father Himself saith for the showing of His well-pleasednessin these two particulars--First, in that He bids poor souls tohear and to do as Christ would have them (Matt 3:17; Luke 9:35). Secondly, in that He resolves to make them that turn their backsupon Him, that dishonour Him, which is done in a very great measureby those that lay aside His merits done by Himself for justification; Isay, He that resolved to make this His footstool, where He saith, "Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool"(Psa 110:1). Are they enemies to Thee? saith God. I will be evenwith them. Do they slight Thy merits? Do they slight Thy groans, Thy tears, Thy blood, Thy death, Thy resurrection and intercession, Thy second coming again in heavenly glory? I will tear them andrend them; I will make them as mire in the streets; I will makeThy enemies Thy footstool (Matt 22:44; Heb 1:13; 10:13). Ay, saithHe, and "Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel"(Psa 2:9). Look to it you that slight the merits of the blood ofChrist. 

Fifth. Again further; yet God will make all the world to know that Hehath been and is well pleased in His Son, in that God hath given, and will make it appear He hath given, the world to come intoHis hand; and that He shall raise the dead, bring them beforeHis judgment-seat, execute judgment upon them, which He pleasethto execute judgment on to their damnation; and to receive them toeternal life whom He doth favour, even so many as shall be foundto believe in His name and merits (Heb 2). "For as the Fatherhath life in Himself; so hath He given to the Son to have life inHimself; and hath given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of man. For the hour is coming, in the whichall that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall comeforth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life;and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation"(John 5:26-29). Ay, and the worst enemy that Christ hath now shallcome at that day with a pale face, with a quaking heart, and bendedknees, trembling before Him, confessing the glory of His merits, and the virtue there was in them to save, "to the glory of God theFather" (Rom 14:11; Phil 2:11). 

Much more might be added to discover the glorious perfectionof this Man's satisfaction; but for you that desire to be furthersatisfied concerning this, search the Scriptures, and beg of Godto give you faith and understanding therein; and as for you thatslight these things, and continue so doing, God hath another way totake with you, even to dash you in pieces like a potter's vessel;for this hath Christ received of His Father to do unto you (Rev2:27). 

Thus I have showed you in particular, that the Covenant of Graceof God is free and unchangeable to men--that is, in that it hathbeen obtained for men, and that perfectly, to the satisfying ofjustice, and taking all things out of the way that were any waysa hindrance to our salvation (Col 2:14). 

The Covenant of Grace unchangeable; the opposers answered. 

The second thing for the discovering of this freeness and constancyof the Covenant of Grace of God is manifested thus--

First. Whatsoever any man hath of the grace of God, he hath itas a free gift of God through Christ Jesus the Mediator of thiscovenant, even when they are in a state of enmity to Him, whetherit be Christ as the foundation-stone, or faith to lay hold of Him, mark that (Rom 5:8, 9; Col 1:21, 22). "For by grace are ye savedthrough faith; and that not of yourselves, " not for anything inyou, or done by you for the purchasing of it, but "it is the giftof God, " (Eph 2:8) and that bestowed on you, even when ye "were deadin trespasses and sins" (Eph 2:1, 9). Nay, if thou hast so much asone desire that is right, it is the gift of God; for of ourselves, saith the Apostle, we are not able to speak a good word, or thinka good thought (2 Cor 3:5). 

Was it not grace, absolute grace, that God made promise to Adamafter transgression? (Gen 3:15). Was it not free grace in God to savesuch a wretch as Manasseh was, who used enchantments, witchcraft, burnt his children in the fire, and wrought much evil? (2 Chron33). Was it not free grace to save such as those were that arespoken of in the 16th of Ezekiel, which no eye pitied? Was it notfree grace for Christ to give Peter a loving look after he hadcursed, and swore, and denied Him? Was it not free grace that metPaul when he was agoing to Damascus to persecute, which convertedhim, and made him a vessel of mercy?

And what shall I say of such that are spoken of in 1 Corinthians6:9, 10, speaking there of fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, abusers of themselves with mankind, thieves, covetous, drunkards, revilers, extortioners, the basest of sinners in theworld, and yet were washed, and yet were justified; was it notfreely by grace? O saints, you that are in heaven cry out, "We camehither by grace; and you that are on the earth, I am sure you cry, If ever we do go thither, it must be freely by grace!"

Second. In the next place, it appears to be unchangeable in this--1. Because justice being once satisfied doth not use to call for thedebt again. No; let never such a sinner come to Jesus Christ, andso to God by Him, and justice, instead of speaking against thesalvation of that sinner, it will say, I am just as well as faithfulto forgive him his sins (1 John 1:9). When justice itself is pleasedwith a man, and speaks on his side, instead of speaking againsthim, we may well cry out, Who shall condemn? 2. Because there isno law to come in against the sinner that believes in Jesus Christ;for he is not under that, and that by right comes in against nonebut those that are under it. But believers are not under that--thatis, not their Lord, therefore that hath nothing to do with them;and besides, Christ's blood hath not only taken away the cursethereof, but also He hath in His own Person completely fulfilledit as a public Person in our stead. (Rom 7:1-4). 3. The devil thataccused them is destroyed (Heb 2:14, 15). 4. Death, and the grave, and Hell are overcome (1 Cor 15:55; Hosea 13:14). 5. Sin, thatgreat enemy of man's salvation, that is washed away (Rev 1:5). 6. The righteousness of God is put upon them that believe, and givento them, and they are found in it (Phil 3:8-10; Rom 3:22). 7. Christis always in Heaven to plead for them, and to prepare a place forthem (Heb 7:24; John 14:1-4). 8. He hath not only promised thatHe will not leave us, nor forsake us, but He hath also sworn tofulfill His promises. O rich grace! O free grace! Lord, who desiredThee to promise? who compelled Thee to swear? We use to take honestmen upon their bare word, but God, "willing more abundantly to showunto the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, " hath"confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutable things, " His promiseand His oath, "in which it was impossible for God to lie, " or breakeither of them, "we might have a strong consolation, who have fledfor refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb 6:17-18). I will warrant you, God will never break His oath; therefore wemay well have good ground to hope from such a good foundation asthis, that God will never leave us indeed. Amen. 

Third. Not only thus, but, 1. God hath begotten believers again toHimself, to be His adopted and accepted children, in and throughthe Lord Jesus (1 Peter 1:3). 2. God hath prepared a kingdom forthem before the foundation of the world, through Jesus Christ (Matt25:34). 3. He hath given them an earnest of their happiness whilethey live here in this world. "After that ye believed, ye weresealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest ofour inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory, " and that through this Jesus (Eph1:13, 14). [These things are more fully laid down in that part ofthe book which containeth the discourse of the privileges of the newcovenant]. 4. If His children sin through weakness, or by suddentemptation, they confessing of it, He willingly forgives, and healsall their wounds, reneweth His love towards them, waits to do themgood, casteth their sins into the depths of the sea, and all thisfreely, without any work done by men as men--Not for your own sakesdo I do this, O house of Israel, be it known unto you, saith theLord, but wholly and alone by the blood of Jesus (Eze 36:23, 23). 5. In a word, if you would see it altogether, God's love was thecause why Jesus Christ was sent to bleed for sinners. Jesus Christ'sbleeding stops the cries of Divine justice; God looks upon themas complete in Him, gives them to Him as His by right of purchase. Jesus ever lives to pray for them that are thus given unto Him. God sends His Holy Spirit into them to reveal this to them, sendsHis angels to minister for them; and all this by virtue of anEverlasting Covenant between the Father and the Son. Thrice happyare the people that are in such a case!

Nay, further, He hath made them brethren with Jesus Christ, membersof His flesh and of His bones, the spouse of this Lord Jesus; andall to show you how dearly, how really, how constantly He lovethus, who, by faith of His operation, have laid hold upon Him. [Thesethings I might have treated upon more largely]. 

[Further Arguments and Objections answered]. 

I shall now lay down a few arguments for the superabundant clearingof it, and afterwards answer two or three objections that may bemade against it, and so I shall fall upon the next thing. 

First. God loves the saints as He loves Jesus Christ; and God lovesJesus Christ with an eternal love; therefore the saints also withthe same. "Thou hast loved them as Thou has loved Me" (John 17:23). 

Second. That love which is God Himself, must needs be everlastinglove; and that is the love wherewith God hath loved His saints inChrist Jesus; therefore His love towards His children in Christmust needs be an everlasting love. There is none dare say that thelove of God is mixed with a created mixture; if not, then it mustneeds be Himself (1 John 4:16). [You must not understand that lovein God is a passion as it is in us; but the love of God is the veryessence or nature of God]. 

Third. That love which is always pitched upon us, in an object asholy as God, must needs be an everlasting love. Now the love ofGod was and is pitched upon us, through an object as holy as GodHimself, even our Lord Jesus; therefore it must needs be unchangeable. 

Fourth. If He with whom the Covenant of Grace was made, did in everything and condition do even what the Lord could desire or requireof Him, that His love might be extended to us, and that for ever, then His love must needs be an everlasting love, seeing everythingrequired of us was completely accomplished for us by Him; and allthis hath our Lord Jesus done, and that most gloriously, even onour behalf; therefore it must needs be a love that lasts for everand ever. 

Fifth. If God hath declared Himself to be the God that changethnot, and hath sworn to be immutable in His promise, then surely Hewill be unchangeable; and He hath done so; therefore it is impossiblefor God to lie, and so for His eternal love to be changeable (Heb6:13-18). Here is an argument of the Spirit's own making! Who cancontradict it? If any object, and say, But still it is upon thecondition of believing--I answer, The condition also is His ownfree gift, and not a qualification arising from the stock of nature(Eph 2:8; Phil 1:28, 29). So that here is the love unchangeable;here is also the condition given by Him whose love is unchangeable, which may serve yet further for a strong argument that God willhave His love unchangeable. Sinner, this is better felt and enjoyedthan talked of. 

Objection First. But if this love of God be unchangeable in itself, yet it is not unchangeably set upon the saints unless they behavethemselves the better. [The first objection]. 

Answ. As God's love at the first was bestowed upon the saintswithout anything foreseen by the Lord in them, as done by them, Deuteronomy 9:4-6, so He goeth on with the same, Saying, "I willnever leave thee nor forsake thee" (Heb 13:5). 

Objection Second. But how cometh it to pass then, that many falloff again from the grace of the Gospel, after a profession of itfor some time; some to delusions, and some to their own sins again?[The second objection]. 

Answ. They are all fallen away, not from the everlasting love ofGod to them, but from the profession of the love of God to them. Men may profess that God loves them when there is no such matter, and that they are the children of God, when the devil is theirfather; as it is in John 8:40-44. Therefore they that do finallyfall away from a profession of the grace of the Gospel, it is, first, because they are bastards and not sons. Secondly, becauseas they are not sons, so God suffereth them to fall, to make itappear that they are not sons, not of the household of God--"Theywent out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been ofus, they would no doubt, " mark that, "no doubt, " saith he, "theywould have continued with us: but they went out, " from us, "thatthey might be made manifest that they were not all of us" (1 John2:19). And though Hymeneus and Philetus do throw themselves headlongto Hell, "nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, havingthis seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His" (2 Tim 2:17-19). 

Objection Third. But the Scripture saith that there are some thathad faith, yet lost it, and have made shipwreck of it. [The thirdobjection]. Now God loves no longer than they believe, as is evident;for "he that believeth not shall be damned. " So then, if some mayhave faith, and yet lose it, and so lose the love of God becausethey have lost their faith, it is evident that God's love is notso immutable as you say it is to every one that believeth. 

Answ. There are more sorts of faith than one that are spoken of inScripture--

1. There is a faith that man may have, and yet be nothing, noneof the saints of God, and yet may do great things therewith (1 Cor13:1-4). 

2. There is a faith that was wrought merely by the operationof the miracles that were done in those days by Christ and hisfollowers--"And many of the people believed in Him. " How came theyby their faith? Why, by the operation of the miracles that He didamong them; for said they, "When Christ cometh, will He do moremiracles than these which this man hath done?" (John 7:31). 

The great thing that wrought their faith in them, was only by seeingthe miracles that He did, John 2:23, which is not that saving faithwhich is called the faith of God's elect, as is evident; for theremust not be only miracles wrought upon outward objects to begetthat--that being too weak a thing--but it must be by the same powerthat was stretched out in raising Christ from the dead; yea, theexceeding greatness of that power (Eph 1:18, 19). So there is abelieving, being taken with some marvelous work, visibly appearingto the outward sense of seeing; and there is a believing thatis wrought in the heart by an invisible operation of the Spirit, revealing the certainty of the satisfaction of the merits ofChrist to the soul in a more glorious way, both for certainty andfor durableness, both as to the promise and the constancy of it(Matt 16:17, 18). 

3. There is a faith of a man's own, of a man's self also; but thefaith of the operation of God, in Scripture, is set in oppositionto that, for, saith He, you are saved by grace, "through faith, and that not of yourselves, " of your own making, but that which isthe free gift of God (Eph 2:8). 

4. We say there is an historical faith--that is, such as is begottenby the co-operation of the Spirit with the Word. 

5. We say there is a traditional faith--that is, to believe thingsby tradition, because others say they believe them; this is receivedby tradition, not by revelation, and shall never be able to stand, neither at the day of death, nor at the day of judgment; thoughpossibly men, while they live here, may esteem themselves and statesto be very good, because their heads are filled full of it. 

6. There is a faith that is called in Scripture a dead faith, thefaith of devils, or of the devil; they also that have only this, theyare like the devil, and as sure to be damned as he, notwithstandingtheir faith, if they get no better into their hearts; for it isfar off from enabling of them to lay hold of Jesus Christ, and soto put Him on for eternal life and sanctification, which they mustdo if ever they be saved (James 2:19, 26). 

But all these are short of the saving faith of God's elect, asis manifest; I say, first, Because these may be wrought, and notby that power so exceedingly stretched forth. Secondly, Becausethese are wrought, partly, (1. ) By the sense of seeing--namely, the miracles--not by hearing; and, (2. ) The rest is wrought by atraditional or historical influence of the words in their heads, not by a heavenly, invisible, almighty, and saving operation ofthe Spirit of God in their hearts. 

7. I do suppose also that there is a faith that is wrought uponmen through the influence of those gifts and abilities that Godgives sometimes to those that are not His own by election, thoughby creation; my meaning is, some men, finding that God hath giventhem very great gifts and abilities, --as to the gifts of preaching, praying, working miracles, or the like--I say, therefore do concludethat God is their Father, and they are His children; the ground ofwhich confidence is still begotten, not by the glorious operationof the Spirit, but by a considering of the great gifts that God hathbestowed upon them as to the things before-mentioned. As thus, (1. )the poor soul considers how ignorant it was, and now how knowingit is. (2. ) Considering how vain it formerly was, and also now howcivil it is, presently makes this conclusion--Surely God loves me, surely He hath made me one of His, and will save me. This is nowa wrong faith, as is evident, in that it is placed upon a wrongobject; for mark, this faith is not placed assuredly on God's gracealone, through the blood and merits of Christ being discoveredeffectually to the soul, but upon God through those things thatGod hath given it, as of gifts, either to preach, or pray, or dogreat works, or the like, which will assuredly come to nought assure as God is in Heaven, if no better faith and ground of faithbe found out for thy soul savingly to rest upon. 

As to the second clause of the objection, which runs to this effect, God loves men upon the account of their believing, I answer, thatGod loves men before they believe; He loves them, He calls them, and gives them faith to believe--"But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, " when? when we believed, or before? "even when we were dead in sins, " and so, far off frombelievers, "hath quickened us together with" Christ, "by grace yeare saved" (Eph 2:4, 5). 

Now, also, I suppose that thou wilt say in thy heart, I would youwould show us then what is saving faith; which thing it may be Imay touch upon a while hence, in the next thing that I am to speakunto. O they that have that are safe indeed!

SECOND. WHO AND HOW MEN ARE ACTUALLY BROUGHT INTO THE NEW COVENANT. 

The SECOND thing that I am to speak unto is this--WHO they arethat are actually brought into this free and unchangeable grace;and also HOW they are brought in. 

Answ. Indeed, now we come to the pinch of the whole discourse; andif God do but help me to run rightly through this, as I do verilybelieve He will, I may do thee, reader, good, and bring glory tomy God. 

The question containeth these two branches--FIRST. Who are broughtin; SECOND. How they are brought in. 

[FIRST. Who are brought in?] The first is quickly answered--"ChristJesus came into the world to save sinners, " Jewish sinners, Gentilesinners, old sinners, young sinners, great sinners, the chiefestof sinners. Publicans and harlots--that is, whores, cheaters, andexactors--shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven (1 Tim 1:15; Rom5:7-11; 1 Cor 6:9, 11; Matt 21:31). "For I come not, " saith Christ, "to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17). 

A sinner in the Scripture is described in general to be a transgressorof the law--"Whosoever commiteth sin, transgresseth the law; forsin is the transgression of the law" (1 John 3:4). But particularly;they are described in a more particular way, as, 1. Such as in whomdwelleth the devil (Eph 2:2, 3). 2. Such as will do the service ofhim (John 8:44). 3. Such as are enemies to God (Col 1:21) 4. Suchas are drunkards, whoremasters, liars, perjured persons, covetous, revilers, extortionists, fornicators, swearers, possessed with devils, thieves, idolaters, witches, sorcerers, conjurors, murderers, andthe like (1 Cor 6:9, 10; 2 Chron 33:1-13; Acts 2:36, 37; 9:1-6; 19:9;1 Tim 1:14-16). These are sinners, and such sinners that God hathprepared Heaven, happiness, pardon of sin, and an inheritanceof God, with Christ, with saints, with angels, if they do come inand accept of grace, as I might prove at large; for God's grace isso great, that if they do come to Him by Christ, presently all isforgiven them; therefore never object that thy sins are too greatto be pardoned; but come, taste and see how good the Lord is toany whosoever come unto Him. 

[SECOND. ] The second thing is, How are these brought into thisEverlasting Covenant of Grace?

Answ. When God doth in deed and in truth bring in a sinner intothis most blessed covenant, [Come to the Touchstone, sinner]. Forso it is, He usually goeth this way--

First. He slays or kills the party to all things besides Himself, and His Son Jesus Christ, and the comforts of the Spirit. For theclearing of this I shall show you, 1. With what God kills; 2. HowGod kills; 3. To what God kills those whom He makes alive in JesusChrist. 

1. [What God kills]. When God brings sinners into the Covenant ofGrace, He doth first kill them with the Covenant of Works, whichis the moral law, or Ten Commandments. This is Paul's doctrine, andalso Paul's experience. It is his doctrine where he saith, "Theministration of death, written and engraven in stones--the ministrationof condemnation, " which is the law, in that place called the letter, "killeth" (2 Cor 3:6-9). The letter, saith he, killeth; or the law, or the ministration of death, which in another place is called "thevoice of words" (Heb 12:19), because they have no life in them, but rather death and damnation, through our inability to fulfillthem, doth kill (Rom 8:3; 2 Cor 6). It is his experience where hesaith, "I was alive" that is, to my own things, "without the lawonce, " that is, before God did strike him dead by it, "but whenthe commandment came, " that is, to do and exercise its right officeon me, which was to kill me, then "sin revived, and I died, " and Iwas killed. "And the commandment, " or the law, "which was ordainedto" be unto "life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking occasionby the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me" (Rom 7:9-11). 

2. But how doth God kill with this law, or covenant?

1. By opening to the soul the spirituality of it--"The law isspiritual, " saith he, "but I am carnal, sold under sin" (Rom 7:14). Now the spirituality of the law is discovered this way--

(1. ) By showing to the soul that every sinful thought is a sinagainst it. Ay, sinner, when the law doth come home indeed uponthy soul in the spirituality of it, it will discover such thingsto thee to be sins that now thou lookest over and regardest not;that is a remarkable saying of Paul when he saith, "Sin revived, and I died. " Sin revived, saith he; as if he had said, Those thingsthat before I did not value nor regard, but looked upon them to betrifles, to be dead, and forgotten; but when the law was fastenedon my soul, it did so raise them from the dead, call them intomind, so muster them before my face, and put such strength intothem, that I was overmastered by them, by the guilt of them. Sinrevived by the commandment, or my sins had mighty strength, life, and abundance of force upon me because of that, insomuch that theykilled me (Matt 5:28). 

(2. ) It showeth that every such sin deserveth eternal damnation. Friends, I doubt there be but few of you that have seen thespirituality of the law of works. But this is one thing in whichit discovereth its spirituality, and this is the proper work ofthe Law. 

(3. ) God, with a discovery of this, doth also discover His ownDivine and infinite justice, of which the law is a description, which backs what is discovered by the law, and that by discoveringof its purity and holiness to be so Divine, so pure, so upright, and so far of from winking at the least sin, that He doth by thatlaw, without any favour, condemn the sinner for that sin (Gal3:10). Now, when He hath brought the soul into this praemunire, 13into this puzzle, then, 2. He showeth to the soul the nature and condition of the law asto its dealings with, or forbearing of, the sinner that hath sinnedagainst it; which is to pass an eternal curse upon both soul andbody of the party so offending, saying to him, Cursed be the manthat continueth not in everything that is written in the Book ofthe Law to do it; for, saith the law, this is my proper work; first, to show thee thy sins; and when I have done that, then, in the nextplace, to condemn thee for them, and that without all remedy, asfrom ME, or anything within my bounds, for I am not to save any, to pardon any--nay, not to favour any in the least thing that havesinned against me; for God did not send me to make alive, but todiscover sin, and to condemn for the same. Now, so soon as this ispresented to thy conscience, in the next place, the Lord also bythis law doth show that now there is no righteous act according tothe tenor of that covenant that can replieve him, or take him offfrom all this horror and curse that lies upon him; because that isnot an administration of pardon, as I said before, to forgive thesin, but an administration of damnation, because of transgression. O, the very discovery of this striketh the soul into a deadlyswoon, even above half dead! But when God doth do the work indeed, He doth, in the next place, show the soul that he is the man thatis eternally under this covenant by nature, and that it is he thathath sinned against this law, and doth by right deserve the curseand displeasure of the same, and that all that ever he can do willnot give satisfaction to that glorious justice that did give thislaw; holy actions, tears of blood, selling all, and giving it tothe poor, or whatever else can be done by thee, it comes all shortand is all to no purpose (Phil 3). I will warrant him, he thatseeth this, it will kill him to that which he was alive unto before, though he had a thousand lives. Ah, sinners, sinners, were you butsensible indeed of the severity and truth of this, it would makeyou look about you to purpose! O, how would it make you strive tostop at that that now you drink down with delight! How many oathswould it make you bite asunder! Nay, it would make you bite yourtongues to think that they should be used as instruments of thedevil to bring your souls into such an unspeakable misery; thenalso we should not have you hang the salvation of your souls uponsuch slender pins as now you do; no, no; but you would be in anothermind then. O, then we should have you cry out, I must have Christ;what shall I do for Christ? how shall I come at Christ? Would Iwas sure, truly sure of Christ. My soul is gone, damned, cast away, and must for ever burn with the devils, if I do not get preciousJesus Christ!

3. In the next place, when God hath done this, then He furthershows the soul that that covenant which it is under by nature isdistinct from the Covenant of Grace; and also they that are underit are by nature without any of the graces which they have that areunder the Covenant of Grace; as, (1. ) That it hath no faith (John16:9). (2. ) No hope (Eph 2:12). Nor none of the Spirit to workthese things in it by nature. (4. ) Neither will that covenant giveto them any peace with God. (5. ) No promise of safeguard from Hisrevenging law by that covenant. (6. ) But lieth by nature liableto all the curses, and condemnings, and thunderclaps of this mostfiery covenant. (7. ) That it will accept of no sorrow, no repentance, no satisfaction, as from thee. (8. ) That it calls for no less thanthe shedding of thy blood. (9. ) The damnation of thy soul and body. (10. ) And if there be anything proffered to it by thee, as to themaking of it amends, it throws it back again as dirt in thy face, slighting all that thou canst bring. 

Now, when the soul is brought into this condition, then it is indeeddead, killed to that to which it was once alive. And therefore, 3. In the next place, to show you to what it is killed: and thatis, 1. To sin. O, it dares not sin! it sees Hell-fire is prepared forthem that sin, God's justice will not spare it if it live in sin;the Law will damn it if it live in sin; the devil will have it ifit follows its sins. [Here I am speaking of one that is effectuallybrought in]. O, I say, it trembles at the very thoughts of sin! Ay, if sin do but offer to tempt the soul, to draw away the soul fromGod, it cries, it sighs, it shunneth the very appearance of sin, itis odious unto it. If God would but serve you thus that love yourpleasures, you would not make such a trifle of sin as you do. 

2. It is killed to the Law of God as it is the Covenant of Works. O, saith the soul, the law hath killed me to itself, "I through thelaw am dead to the law" (Gal 2:19). The law is another thing thanI did think it was. I thought it would not have been so soul-destroying, so damning a law! I thought it would not have been so severe againstme for my little sins, for my playing, for my jesting, for mydissembling, quarreling, and the like. I had some thoughts, indeed, that it would hew great sinners, but let me pass! and though itcondemned great sinners, yet it would pass me by! But now, wouldI were free from this covenant, would I were free from this law! Iwill tell thee that a soul thus worked upon is more afraid of theCovenant of Works than he is of the devil; for he sees it is thelaw that doth give him up into his hands for sin; and if he was butclear from that, he should not greatly need to fear the devil. O, now every particular command tears the caul of his heart; now everycommand is a great gun well charged against his soul; now he seeshe had as good run into a fire to keep himself from burning, asto run to the law to keep himself from damning; and this he seesreally, ay, and feels it too, to his own sorrow and perplexity. 14

3. The soul also now is killed to his own righteousness, and countsthat but dung, but dross, not worth the dirt hanging on his shoes. O! then, says he, thou filthy righteousness! how hast thou deceivedme! How hast thou beguiled my poor soul! (Isa 64:6). How did Ideceive myself with giving of a little alms; with abstaining fromsome gross pollutions; with walking in some ordinances, as tothe outside of them! How hath my good words, good thinkings, goodmeanings, as the world calls them, deceived my ignorant soul! Iwant the righteousness of faith, the righteousness of God; for Isee now there is no less will do me any good. 

4. It is also killed to its own faith, its notion of the Gospel, its own hope, its own repentings, its own promises and resolutions, to its own strength, its own virtue, or whatsoever it had before. Now, saith the soul, that faith I thought I had, it is but fancy;that hope I thought I had, I see it is by hypocritical, but vainand groundless hope. [These things would be too tedious to enlargeupon]. Now the soul sees it hath by nature no saving faith, nosaving hope, no grace at all by nature, by the first covenant. Nowit crieth out, How many promises have I broken! and how many timeshave I resolved in vain, when I was sick at such a time, and insuch a strait at such a place! Indeed, I thought myself a wise manonce, but I see myself a very fool now. O, how ignorant am I ofthe Gospel now, and of the blessed experience of the work of God ona Christian heart! In a word, it sees itself beset by nature withall evil, and destitute of all good, which is enough to kill thestoutest, hardest-hearted sinner that ever lived on the earth. O, friends, should you be plainly dealt withal by this discovery ofthe dealing of God with a sinner when He makes him a saint, andwould seriously try your selves thereby, as God will try you oneday, how few would there be found of you to be so much as acquaintedwith the work of God in the notion, much less in the experimentalknowledge of the same! And indeed, God is fain to take this waywith sinners, thus to kill them with the old covenant to all thingsbelow a crucified Christ. 

Six reasons of this discourse. 

1. Because otherwise there would be none in the world that wouldlook after this sweet Jesus Christ. There are but a few that go toHeaven in all, comparatively; and those few God is fain to deal withthem in this manner, or else His Heaven, His Christ, His glory, andeverlasting happiness must abide by themselves, for all sinners. Do you think that Manasseh would have regarded the Lord, had He notsuffered his enemies to have prevailed against him? (2 Chron 33:1-16). Do you think that Ephraim would have looked after salvation, had notGod first confounded him with the guilt of the sins of his youth?(Jer 31:18). What do you think of Paul? (Acts 9:4-6). What do youthink of the jailer? (Acts 16:30-32). What do you think of thethree thousand? (Acts 2:36, 37). Was not this the way that the Lordwas fain to take to make them close in with Jesus Christ? Was He notfain to kill them to everything below a Christ, that were drivento their wits' ends, insomuch that they were forced to cry out, "What shall we do to be saved?" I say, God might have kept Heavenand happiness to Himself, if He should not go this way to work withsinners. O stout-hearted rebels! O tender-hearted God!

2. Because then, and not till then, will sinners accept of JesusChrist on God's terms. So long as sinners can make a life outof anything below Christ, so long they will not close with Christwithout indenting; 15

But when the God of Heaven hath killed them to everything belowHimself and His Son, then Christ will down on any terms in theworld. And, indeed, this is the very reason why sinners, when theyhear of Christ, yet will not close in with Him; there is somethingthat they can take content in besides Him. The prodigal, so longas he could content himself with the husks that the swine did eat, so long he did keep him away from his father's house; but whenhe could get no nourishment anywhere on this side of his father'shouse, then saith he, and not till then, "I will arise, and go tomy father, " etc. 

I say, this is the reason, therefore, why men come no faster, and close no more readily, with the Son of God, but stand haltingand indenting 16 about the terms they must have Christ upon; for, saith the drunkard, I look on Christ to be worth the having; butyet I am not willing to lose ALL for him; all but my pot, saith thedrunkard; and all but the world, saith the covetous. I will partwith anything but lust and pride, saith the wanton. But if Christwill not be had without I forsake all, cast away all, then it mustbe with me as it was with the young man in the Gospel, such newswill make me sorry at the very heart. 

But now, when a man is soundly killed to all his sins, to all hisrighteousness, to all his comforts whatsoever, and sees that thereis no way but the devil must leave him, but he must be damned inHell if he be not clothed with Jesus Christ; O, then, saith he, give me Christ on any terms, whatsoever He cost; though He costme friends, though He cost me comforts, though He cost me all thatever I have; yet, like the wise merchant in the Gospel, they willsell all to get that pearl. I tell you, when a soul is brought tosee its want of Christ aright, it will not be kept back; father, mother, husband, wife, lands, livings, nay, life and all, shall gorather than the soul will miss of Christ. Ay, and the soul countethChrist a cheap Saviour if he can get him upon any terms; now thesoul indents17 no longer. Now, Lord, give me Christ upon any terms, whatsoever He cost; for I am a dead man, a damned man, a castaway, if I have not Christ. What say you, O you wounded sinners? Is notthis true as I have said? Would you not give ten thousand worlds, if you had so many, so be you might be well assured that your sinsshall be pardoned, and your souls and bodies justified and glorifiedat the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ?

3. The Lord goeth this way for this reason also, that it might makethe soul sensible what it cost Christ to redeem it from death andHell. When a man cometh to feel the sting and guilt of sin, deathand Hell upon his conscience, then, and not till then, can hetell what it cost Christ to redeem sinners. O! saith the soul, ifa few sins are so terrible, and lay the soul under such wrath andtorment, what did Christ undergo, who bare the sins of thousandsand thousands, and all at once?

This also is one means to make souls tender of sin (it is the burnedchild that feareth the fire), to make them humble in a sense oftheir own vileness, to make them count everything that God giveththem a mercy, to make much of the least glimpse of the love of God, and to prize it above the whole world. O sinners, were you killedindeed [to sin], then Heaven would be Heaven, and Hell would beHell indeed; but because you are not wrought upon in this manner, therefore you count the ways of God as bad as a good man counteththe ways of the devil, and the ways of the devil and Hell as goodas a saint doth count the ways of God. 

4. Again, God is fain to go this way, and all to make sinners makesure of Heaven. So long as souls are senseless of sin, and what adamnable state they are in by nature, so long they will even dallywith the Kingdom of Heaven and the salvation of their own poorsouls; but when God cometh and showeth them where they are, andwhat it is like to become of them if they miss of the crucifiedSaviour, O, then, saith the soul, would I were sure of Jesus; whatshall I do to get assurance of Jesus? And thus is God forced, asI may say, to whip souls to Jesus Christ, they being so secure, sosenseless, and so much their own enemies, as not to look out aftertheir own eternal advantage. 

5. A fifth reason why God doth deal thus with sinners it is, becauseHe would bring Christ and the soul together in a right way. Christand sinners would never come together in a beloved posture, theywould not so suitably suit each other, if they were not broughttogether this way, the sinner being killed. O, when the sinner iskilled, and indeed struck dead to everything below a naked Jesus, how suitably then doth the soul and Christ suit one with another. Then here is a naked sinner for a righteousness Jesus, a poorsinner to a rich Jesus, a weak sinner to a strong Jesus, a blindsinner to a seeing Jesus, an ignorant, careless sinner to a wiseand careful Jesus. O, how wise is God in dealing thus with thesinner! He strips him of his own knowledge, that He may fill himwith Christ's; He killeth him for taking pleasure in sin, that hemay take pleasure in Jesus Christ, etc. 

6. God goeth this way with sinners, because He would have the gloryof their salvation. Should not men and women be killed to their ownthings, they would do sacrifice unto them, and instead of saying tothe Lamb, "THOU ART WORTHY, " they would say their own arm, theirown right hand hath saved them; but God will cut off boastingfrom ever entering within the borders of eternal glory; for He isresolved to have the glory of the beginning, the middle, and theend; of the contriving, and saving, and giving salvation to themthat enter in to the joys of everlasting glory (Rom 3:27; Eph2:8, 9; Titus 3:5; Rev 5:9). "That they might be called trees ofrighteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified"(Isa 61:3). I might have run through many things as to this; butI shall pass them, and proceed. 

Second. Now, the soul being this killed to itself, [The soul thathath the right work of God upon its heart, is not only killed toitself, but also made alive to Christ]. Its sins, its righteousness, faith, hope, wisdom, promises, resolutions, and the rest of itsthings which it trusted in by nature; in the next place, it hathalso given unto it a most glorious, perfect, and never-fading life, which is--

1. A life imputed to it, yet so really, that the very thought of itin the soul hath so much operation and authority, especially whenthe mediation of it is mixed with faith, as to make it, thoughcondemned by the law, to triumph, and to look its enemies in theface with comfort, notwithstanding the greatness of the multitude, the fierceness of their anger, and the continuation of their malice, be never so hot against it. 

This imputed life--for so it is--is the obedience of the Sonof God as His righteousness, in His suffering, rising, ascending, interceding, and so consequently triumphing over all the enemiesof the soul, and given to me, as being wrought on purpose for me. So that, is there righteousness in Christ? that is mine. Is thereperfection in that righteousness? that is mine. Did He bleed forsin? it was for mine. Hath He overcome the law, the devil, andHell? the victory is mine, and I am counted the conqueror, nay, more than a conqueror, through Him that hath loved me. And I docount this a most glorious life; for by this means it is that I am, in the first place, proclaimed both in Heaven and earth guiltless, and such an one who, as I am in Christ, am not sinner, and so notunder the law, to be condemned, but as holy and righteous as the Sonof God Himself, because He Himself is my holiness and righteousness, and so likewise having by this all things taken out of the way thatwould condemn me. 

Sometimes I bless the Lord my soul hath had the life that now Iam speaking of, not only imputed to me, but the very glory of itupon my soul; for, upon a time, when I was under many condemningsof heart, and feared, because of my sins, my soul would miss ofeternal glory, methought I felt in my soul such a secret motion ofthis--Thy righteousness is in Heaven, together with the splendourand shining of the Spirit of Grace in my soul, which gave me to seeclearly that my righteousness by which I should be justified fromall that could condemn, was the Son of God Himself in His own Person, now at the right hand of His Father representing me complete beforethe Mercy-seat in His Ownself; so that I saw clearly that nightand day, wherever I was, or whatever I was a doing, still therewas my righteousness just before the eyes of Divine glory; so thatthe Father could never find fault with me for any insufficiency thatwas in my righteousness, seeing it was complete; neither could Hesay, Where is it? because it was continually at His right hand. 18

Also, at another time, having contracted guilt upon my soul, andhaving some distemper of body upon me, I supposed that death mightnow so seize upon as to take me away from among men; then, thoughtI, what shall I do now? is all right with my soul? Have I the rightwork of God on my soul? Answering myself, "No, surely"; and thatbecause there were so many weaknesses in me; yes, so many weaknessesin my best duties. For, thought I, how can such an one as I findmercy, whose heart is so ready to evil, and so backward to thatwhich is good, so far as it is natural. Thus musing, being filledwith fear to die, these words come in upon my soul, "Being justifiedfreely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus"(Rom 3:24). As if God had said, Sinner, thou thinkest because thatthou hast had so many infirmities and weaknesses in thy soul whilethou hast been professing of Me, therefore now there can be no hopesof mercy; but be it known unto thee, that it was not anything doneby thee at the first that moved Me to have mercy upon thee: neitheris it anything that is done by thee now that shall make me eitheraccept or reject thee. Behold My Son, who standeth by Me, He isrighteous, He hath fulfilled My Law, and given me good satisfaction;on Him, therefore, do I look, and on thee only as thou art in Him;and according to what He hath done, so will I deal with thee. Thishaving stayed my heart, and taken off the guilt through the strengthof its coming on my soul, anon after came in that word as a secondtestimony--"Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, " of righteousness which we have done, "but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us inChrist Jesus before the world began" (2 Tim 1:9). And thus is thesinner made alive from the dead, being justified by grace throughthe righteousness of Christ, which is unto all and upon all themthat believe, according to the Scriptures--"And the life whichI now live--it is by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Gal 2:20). "I lay down my life for thesheep. " "I am come that they might have life, and that they mighthave it more abundantly" (John 10:10, 15). "For if, when we wereenemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. That as sin hathreigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousnessunto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom 5:10, 21). 

2. This life is not only imputed to him that is wrought on by theSpirit of Grace--that is, not only counted his, but also there isput into the soul an understanding, enlightened on purpose to knowthe things of God, which is Christ and His imputed righteousness(1 John 5:20) which it never thought of nor understood before (1Cor 2:9-11). Which understanding being enlightened and made to seesuch things that the soul cannot be contented without it lay holdof and apply Christ unto itself so effectually; I say, that thesoul shall be exceedingly revived in a very heavenly measure withthe application of this imputed righteousness; for thereby itknoweth it shall find God speaking peace to itself, with a fatherlyaffection, saying, "Be of good cheer, thy sins are forgiven thee";the righteousness of My Son I bestow upon thee; "For what the lawcould not do, in that it was weak through thee, " thy "flesh, " "Ihave sent forth My only Son, and have condemned" thy sins in Hisflesh (Rom 8:3). And though thou hast gone astray like a lost sheep, yet on Him I have laid thine iniquities; and though thou therebydidst undo and break thyself for ever, yet by His stripes I havehealed thee. Thus, I say, the Lord causeth the soul by faith toapply that which He doth by grace impute unto it, for thus everysoul more or less is dealt withal; the soul being thus enlightened, thus quickened, thus made alive from that dead state it was inbefore, or at least having the beginnings of this life, it haththese several virtuous advantages, which they have not that aredead in their sins and trespasses, and under the law--

[Advantages possessed by the quickened]. 

First. It seeth what a sad condition all men by nature are in, theybeing in that state which itself was in but a while since; but nowby grace it is a beginning to scrabble 19 out of it; now it seeth"the whole world lieth in wickedness, " and so liable to eternalvengeance, because of their wickedness (1 John 5:19). Ah, friends, let me tell you, though you may be ignorant of your state andcondition, yet the poor, groaning, hungering saints of God do seewhat a sad, woeful, miserable state you are in, which sometimesmakes them tremble to think of your most lamentable latter end, your dying so, and also to fly the faster to their Lord Jesus, forvery fear that they also should be partakers of that most dolefuldoom. [Like as the children of Israel, who fled for fear when theground opened its mouth to swallow up Korah and his company]. Andthis it hath by virtue of its own experience, knowing itself wasbut awhile ago in the same condition, under the same condemnation. O! there is now a hearth blessing of God that ever He should showto it its sad condition, and that He should incline its heart toseek after a better condition. O blessed be the Lord! saith thesoul, that ever He should awaken me, stir up me, and bring me outof that sad condition that I once with them was in (Psa 103:1-3). It makes also the soul to wonder to see how foolishly and vainlythe rest of its neighbours do spend their precious time, that theyshould be so void of understanding, so forgetful of their latterend, so senseless of the damning nature of their sins. O thattheir eyes were but enlightened to see whereabouts they are! surelythey would be of another mind than they are now in. Now, the soulwonders to see what slender pins those poor creatures do hang thestress of the eternal salvation of their souls upon. O! methinks, saith the soul, it makes me mourn to see that some should thinkthat they were born Christians; and others, that their baptism makesthem so; 20 others depend barely upon a traditional, historicalfaith, which will leave their souls in the midst of perplexity. Thatthey should trust to such fables, fancies, and wicked sleights ofthe devil, as their good doings, their good thinkings, their civilwalking and living with the world. O miserable profession, and theend thereof will be a miserable end!

But now, when the souls is thus wrought upon, it must be sure tolook for the very gates of Hell to be set open against it with alltheir force and might to destroy it. Now Hell rageth, the devilroareth, and all the world resolveth to do the best they can tobring the soul again into bondage and ruin. Also, the soul shallnot want enemies, even in its own heart's lust, [But this is but forthe exercise of his faith. ] as covetousness, adultery, blasphemy, unbelief, hardness of heart, coldness, half-heartedness, ignorance, with an innumerable company of attendants, hanging, like so manyblocks, at its heels, ready to sink it into the fire of Hell everymoment, together with strange apprehensions of God and Christ, asif now they were absolutely turned to be its enemies, which makethit doubt of the certainty of its salvation; for you must understand, that though a soul may in reality have the righteousness of the Sonof God imputed to it, and also some faith in a very strong mannerto lay hold upon it, yet at another time, through temptation, theymay fear and doubt again, insomuch that the soul may be put intoa very great fear lest it should return again into the conditionit once was in (Jer 32:40). O, saith the soul, when I think of myformer state, how miserable it was, it makes me tremble; and whenI think that I may fall into that condition again, how sad are thethoughts of it to me! I would not be in that condition again forall the world. And this fear riseth still higher and higher, asthe soul is sensible of Satan's temptations, or of the working ofits own corruptions. Ah! these filthy lusts, these filthy corruptions. O that I were rid of them, that they were consumed in a moment, that I could be quite rid of them, they do so disturb my soul, dishonour my God, so defile my conscience, and sometimes so weakenmy hands in the way of God, and my comforts in the Lord; O how gladshould I be if I might be stripped of them (Rom 7:24). Which fearputs the soul upon flying to the Lord by prayer for the coveringof His imputed righteousness, and for strength against the devil'stemptations and its own corruptions; that God would give down HisHoly Spirit to strengthen it against the things that do so annoy itssoul, and so discourage it in its way, with a resolution, throughgrace, never to be contented while [until] it doth find in itselfa triumphing over it, by faith in the blood of a crucified Jesus. 

Second. The soul that hath been thus killed by the Law to the thingsit formerly delighted in, now, O now, it cannot be contented withthat slender, groundless faith and hope that once it contenteditself withal. No, no; but now it must be brought into the rightsaving knowledge of Jesus Christ, now it must have Him discoveredto the soul by the Spirit, now it cannot be satisfied because suchand such do tell it is so. No; but now it will cry out, Lord, showme continually, in the light of Thy Spirit, through Thy Word, thatJesus that was born in the days of Caesar Augustus, when Mary, adaughter of Judah, went with Joseph to be taxed at Bethlehem, thatHe is the very Christ. Lord, let me see it in the light of ThySpirit, and in the operation thereof; and let me not be contentedwithout such a faith that is so wrought even by the discoveryof His birth, crucifying, death, blood, resurrection, ascension, intercession, and second--which is His personal--coming again, thatthe very faith of it may fill my soul with comfort and holiness. And O, how afraid the soul is lest it should fall short of thisfaith, and of the hope that is begotten by such discoveries asthese are! For the soul knoweth that if it hath not this, it willnot be able to stand either in death or judgment; and therefore, saith the soul, Lord, whatever other poor souls content themselveswithal, let me have that which will stand me in stead, and carryme through a dangerous world; that may help me to resist a cunningdevil; that may help me to suck true soul-satisfying consolationfrom Jesus Christ through Thy promises, by the might and powerof Thy Spirit. And now, when the poor soul at any time hath anydiscovery of the love of God through a bleeding, dying, risen, interceding Jesus, because it is not willing to be deceived, O, how wary [But this may be its temptation, taking place through thetimorousness of the soul]. Is it of closing with it, for fear itshould not be right, for fear it should not come from God! Saiththe soul, Cannot the devil give one such comfort I trow? Cannot hetransform himself thus into an angel of light? So that the soul, because that it would be upon a sure ground, cries out, Lord, showme Thy salvation, and that not once or twice, but, Lord, let mehave Thy presence continually upon my heart, today, and tomorrow, and every day. For the soul, when it is rightly brought from underthe Covenant of Works, and planted into the Covenant of Grace, then it cannot be, unless it be under some desperate temptation, contented without the presence of God, teaching, comforting, establishing, and helping of the soul to grow in the things of theLord Jesus Christ; because it knoweth that if God hath but withdrawnHis presence in any way from it, as He doth do sometimes for a while, that then the devil will be sure to be near at hand, working withhis temptations, trying all ways to get the soul into slavery andsin again; also the corrupt principle, that will be joining andcombining with the Wicked One, and will be willing to be a co-partnerwith him to bring the soul into mischief; which puts a soul uponan earnest, continual panting after more of the strengthening, preserving, comforting, and teaching presence of God, and for strongsupplies of faith, that it may effectually lay hold on him. 

Third. The soul is quickened so that it is not satisfied now withoutit do in deed and in truth partake of the peace of God's elect;now it is upon the examination of the reality of its joy and peace. Time was indeed that anything would serve its turn, any falseconceits of its state to be good; but now all kind of peace willnot serve its turn, all kind of joy will not be accepted with it;now it must joy in God through Jesus Christ; now its peace mustcome through the virtues of the blood of Christ speaking peace tothe conscience by taking away both the guilt and filth of sin bythat blood; also by showing the soul its free acceptance with Godthrough Christ, He hath completely fulfilled all the conditions ofthe first covenant, and freely placed it into the safety of whatHe hath done, and so presents the soul complete and spotless inthe sight of God through His obedience. Now, I say, he hath "peacethrough the blood of His Cross, " and sees himself reconciled to Godby the death of His Son, or else his comfort will be questioned byhim (Col 1:20, 21). It is not every promise as cometh now upon hisheart that will serve his turn, no, but he must see whether thebabe Jesus be presented to the soul in and through that promise. Now if the babe leap in his womb, as I may so say, it is becausethe Lord's promise sounds aloud in his heart, coming to him bigwith the love and pardoning grace of God in Jesus Christ; I say, this is the first and principal joy that the soul hath that isquickened and brought into the Covenant of Grace. 

Fourth. Now the man finds heavenly sanctification wrought inhis soul through the most precious blood of the Man whose name isJesus Christ--"Jesus, that He might sanctify the people with Hisown blood, suffered without the gate. " Now the souls finds a changein the understanding, in the will, in the mind, in the affections, in the judgment, and also in the conscience; through the inward mana change, and through the outward man a change, from head to foot, as we use to say, "for he that is in Christ, " and so in this Covenantof Grace, "is a new creature, " or hath been twice made--made, andmade again (2 Cor 5:17). O, now the soul is resolved for Heavenand Glory; now it crieth out, Lord, if there be a right eye thatis offensive to Thee, pluck it out; or a right foot, cut it off;or a right hand, take it from me. Now the soul doth begin to studyhow it may honour God, and bring praise to Him. Now the soul isfor a preparation for the second coming of Christ, endeavouring tolay aside everything that may hinder; and for the closing in withthose things that may make it in a beloved posture against thatday. 

Fifth. And all this is from a Gospel spirit, and not from a legal, natural principle, for the soul hath these things as the fruits andeffects of its being separated unto the Covenant of Grace, and sonow possessed with that Spirit that doth attend, yea, and dwellin them that are brought into the Covenant of Grace from under theold covenant; I say, these things do spring forth in the soul fromanother root and stock than any of the actings of other men do;for the soul that is thus wrought upon is as well dead to the lawand the righteousness thereof--as the first covenant--as well asto its sins. 

Sixth. Now the soul begins to have some blessed experience of thethings of God, even of the glorious mysteries of the Gospel. 

1. Now it knoweth the meaning of those words, "My flesh is meatindeed, and My blood is drink, indeed, " and that by experience; forthe soul hath received peace of conscience through that blood, bythe effectual application of it to the soul (John 6:55). First, by feeling the guilt of sin die off from the conscience by theoperation thereof. Secondly, By feeling the power thereof to takeaway the curse of the law. Thirdly, By finding the very strengthof Hell to fail when once the blood of that Man Jesus Christ isreceived in reality upon the soul. 

2. Now the soul also knoweth by experience the meaning of thatScripture that saith, "Our old man is crucified with Him, that thebody of sin might be destroyed" (Rom 6:6). Now it sees that whenthe Man Jesus did hang on the tree on Mount Calvary, that then thebody of its sins was there hanged up, dead and buried with Him, though it was then unborn, so as never to be laid to its charge, either here or hereafter; and also, so as never to carry it captiveinto perpetual bondage, being itself overcome by Him, even Christ, the Head of that poor creature. And indeed this is the way fora soul both to live comfortably as touching the guilt of sin, andalso as touching the power of the filth of sin; for the soul thatdoth or hath received this in deed and in truth, finds strengthagainst them both by and through that Man that did for him and therest of his fellow-sinners so gloriously overcome it, and hath giventhe victory unto them, so that now they are said to be overcomers, nay, "more than conquerors through Him, " the one Man Jesus Christ(Rom 7:33-37). 

3. Now the soul hath received a faith indeed, and a lively hopeindeed, such an one as now it can fetch strength from the fullnessof Christ, and from the merits of Christ. 

4. Yea, now the soul can look on itself with one eye, and look uponChrist with another, and say, Indeed, it is true; I am an emptysoul, but Christ is a full Christ; I am a poor sinner, but Christis a rich Christ; I am a foolish sinner, but Christ is a wiseChrist; I am an unholy, ungodly, unsanctified creature in myself, but Christ is made of God "unto me, wisdom, and righteousness, andsanctification, and redemption" (1 Cor 1:30). 

5. Now also that fiery law, that it could not once endure, norcould not once delight in, I say, now it can delight in it afterthe inward man; now this law is its delight, it would always bewalking in it, and always be delighting in it, being offended withany sin or any corruption that would be anyways an hinderance to it(Rom 7:24, 25). And yet it will not abide, it will not endure thatthat, even that that law should offer to take the work of itssalvation out of Christ's hand; no, if it once comes to do that, then out of doors it shall go, if it were as good again. For thatsoul that hath the right work of God indeed upon it, cries, Not myprayers, not my tears, not my works, not my things, do they comefrom the work of the Spirit of Christ itself within me, yet theseshall not have the glory of my salvation; no, it is none but theblood of Christ, the death of Christ, of the Man Christ Jesus ofNazareth, the carpenter's son, as they called Him, that must havethe crown and glory of my salvation. None but Christ, none butChrist. And thus the soul labours to give Christ the preeminence(Col 1:18). 

A word of experience. 

Now, before I go any further, I must needs speak a word from myown experience of the things of Christ; and the rather, because wehave a company of silly ones in this day of ignorance that do eithercomfort themselves with a notion without the power, or else doboth reject the notion and the power of this most glorious Gospel;therefore, for the further conviction of the reader, I shall tellhim, with David, something of what the Lord hath done for my soul;and indeed a little of the experience of the things of Christ isfar more worth than all the world. It would be too tedious for meto tell thee here all from the first to the last; but something Ishall tell thee, that thou mayest not think these things are fables. [This conviction seized on my soul one Sabbath day, when I was atplay, being one of the first that I had, which when it came, thoughit scared me with its terror, yet through the temptation of thedevil, immediately striking in therewith, I did rub it off again, and became as vile for some time as I was before, like a wretchthat I was]. 21

Reader, when it pleased the Lord to begin to instruct my soul, Hefound me one of the black sinners of the world; He found me makinga sport of oaths, and also of lies; and many a soul-poisoning mealdid I make out of divers lusts, as drinking, dancing, playing, pleasure with the wicked ones of the world. The Lord finding of mein this condition, did open the glass of His Law unto me, whereinHe showed me so clearly my sins, both the greatness of them, andalso how abominable they were in His sight, that I thought the veryclouds were charged with the wrath of God, and ready to let fallthe very fire of His jealousy upon me; yet for all this I was sowedded to my sin, that, thought I with myself, I will have them thoughI lose my soul, (O wicked wretch that I was!) but God, the great, the rich, the infinite merciful God, did not take this advantageof my soul to cast me away, and say, Then take him, Devil, seeinghe cares for Me no more; no, but He followed me still, and wonupon my heart, by giving me some understanding, not only into mymiserable state, which I was very sensible of, but also that theremight be hopes of mercy; also taking away that love to lust, andplacing in the room thereof a love to religion; and thus the Lordwon over my heart to some desire after the means, to hear the Word, and to grow a stranger to my old companions, and to accompany thepeople of God, together with giving of me many sweet encouragementsfrom several promises in the Scriptures. But after this, the Lorddid wonderfully set my sins upon my conscience, those sins especiallythat I had committed since the first convictions; temptationsalso followed me very hard, and especially such temptations as didtend to the making me question of the very way of salvation--viz. , whether Jesus Christ was the Saviour or no; and whether I hadbest to venture my soul upon His blood for salvation, or take someother course. But being through grace kept close with God, in somemeasure, in prayer and the rest of the ordinances, but went abouta year and upwards without any sound evidence as from God to mysoul touching the salvation that comes by Jesus Christ. But, atthe last, as I may say, when the set time was come, the Lord, justbefore the men called Quakers came into the country, did set medown so blessedly in the truth of the doctrine of Jesus Christ, that it made me marvel to see, first, how Jesus Christ was born ofa virgin, walked in the world awhile with His disciples, afterwardshanged on the Cross, spilt His blood, was buried, rose again, ascendedabove the clouds and heavens, there lives to make intercession, andthat He also will come again at the last day to judge the world, and take His saints unto Himself. 

These things, I say, I did see so evidently, even as if I had stoodwhen He was in the world, and also when He was caught up. I havingsuch a change as this upon my soul, it made me wonder; and musingwith myself at the great alteration that was in my spirit--for theLord did also very gloriously give me in His precious Word to backthe discovery of the Son of God unto me, so that I can say, throughgrace, it was according to the Scriptures (1 Cor 15:1-4). And asI was musing with myself what these things should mean, methoughtI heard such a word in my heart as this--I have set thee down onpurpose, for I have something more than ordinary for thee to do;which made me the more marvel, saying, What, my Lord, such a poorwretch as I? Yet still this continued, I have set thee down onpurpose, and so forth, with more fresh incomes of the Lord Jesus, and the power of the blood of His Cross upon my soul, even soevidently that I saw, through grace, that it was the blood shed onMount Calvary that did save and redeem sinners, as clearly and asreally with the eyes of my soul as ever, me thought, I had seen apenny loaf bought with a penny; which things then discovered hadsuch operation upon my soul, that I do hope they did sweetly seasonevery faculty thereof. Reader, I speak in the presence of God, andHe knows I lie not; much of this, and such like dealings of His, could I tell thee of; but my business at this time is not so to do, but only to tell what operation the blood of Christ hath had overand upon my conscience, and that at several times, and also whenI have been in several frames of spirit. 

As, first, sometimes, I have been so loaden with my sins, that Icould not tell where to rest, nor what to do; yea, at such times Ithought it would have taken away my senses; yet at that time Godthrough grace hath all of a sudden so effectually applied the bloodthat was spilt at Mount Calvary out of the side of Jesus, unto mypoor, wounded, guilty conscience, that presently I have found sucha sweet, solid, sober, heart-comforting peace, that it hath mademe as if it [my terror] had not been, and withal the same, I maysay, and I ought to say, the power of it, hath had such a powerfuloperation upon my soul, that I have for a time been in a straitand trouble to think that I should love and honour Him no more, the virtue of His blood hath so constrained me. 

Again; sometimes methinks my sins have appeared so big to me thatI thought one of my sins have been as big as all the sins of allthe men in the nation; ay, and of other nations too, reader; thesethings be not fancies, for I have smarted for this experience, butyet the least stream of the heart blood of this Man 22 Jesus hathvanished all away, and hath made it to fly, to the astonishmentof such a poor sinner; and as I said before, hath delivered me upinto sweet and heavenly peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 

Again; sometimes when my heart hath been hard, dead, slothful, blind, and senseless, which indeed are sad frames for a poor Christian tobe in, yet at such a time, when I have been is such a case, thenhath the blood of Christ, the precious blood of Christ, the admirableblood of the God of Heaven, that run out of His body when it didhang on the Cross, so softened, livened, quickened, and enlightenedmy soul, that truly, reader, I can say, O it makes me wonder!

Again; when I have been loaden with sin, and [I cannot stand hereto tell thee of particular temptations]. Pestered with severaltemptations, and in a very sad manner, then have I had the trialof the virtue of Christ's blood with the trial of the virtue ofother things; and I have found that when tears would not do, prayerswould not do, repentings and all other things could not reach myheart; O then, one touch, one drop, one shining of the virtue ofthe blood, of that blood that was let out with the spear, it hathin a very blessed manner delivered me, that it hath made me tomarvel. O! methinks it hath come with such life, such power, withsuch irresistible and marvelous glory, that it wipes off all theslurs, silences all the outcries, and quenches all the fiery darts, and all the flames of Hell-fire, that are begotten by the chargesof the Law, Satan, and doubtful remembrances of my sinful life. 

Friends, as Peter saith to the church, so I say to you, I havenot preached to you cunningly devised fables in telling you of theblood of Christ, and what authority it hath had upon my conscience;O no, but as Peter saith touching the coming of the Lord Jesus intothe world, so in some measure I can say of the blood of the LordJesus Christ that was shed when He did come into the world. Thereis not only my single testimony touching this; no, but there areall the Prophets do agree in advancing this in writing, and alsoall the saints do now declare the same, in speaking forth theamiableness and many powerful virtues thereof. "As for Thee also, by the blood of Thy covenant, " saith God to Christ, "I have sentforth Thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water" (Zech 9:11). "We have redemption through His blood" (Eph 1:7). Again, "We haveredemption through His blood" (Col 1:14). Our robes are washedand made "white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev 7:14). The devilis overcome through "the blood of the Lamb" (Rev 12:11). Yea, andconscience is purged, too, and that through the blood of the Lamb(Heb 9:14). We have free recourse to the Throne of Grace throughthe blood of Jesus (Heb 10:19). I could bring thee a cloud ofwitnesses out of all the types and shadows, and out of the sundryProphets, and much more out of the New Testament, but I forebear, because I would not be too tedious to the reader in making toolarge a digression, though I have committed here in this discourseno transgression, for the blood of Christ is precious blood (1Peter 1:18, 19). 

THIRD. THE PRIVILEGES OF THE NEW COVENANT. 

In the next place, I shall show you the several privileges andadvantages that the man or woman hath that is under this Covenantof Grace, over what they have that are under the Covenant of theLaw and Works. As, First. The Covenant of Grace is not grounded upon our obedience, but upon God's love, even His pardoning love to us through ChristJesus. The first covenant is stood to be broken or kept by us, and God's love or anger to be lost or enjoyed thereafter as we, ascreatures, behaved ourselves; but now, the very ground of the Covenantof Grace is God's love, His mere love through Jesus Christ--"TheLORD did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because yewere more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of allpeople: but because the LORD loved you, and because He would keepthe oath which He had sworn unto your fathers" (Deu 7:7, 8). Again, "In His love and in His pity He redeemed them, " "and the angel ofHis presence saved them, " that is, Jesus Christ (Isa 63:9). And again, "Who hath saved us--not according to our works" of righteousnesswhich we have done, "but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began" (2 Tim1:9). 

Second. This love is not conveyed to us through what we have done, as is before proved, but through what He hath done with Whom thecovenant was made, which was given us in Christ--According as Hehath chosen us in Christ. "Who hath blessed us with all spiritualblessings in heavenly places in Christ. " "God for Christ's sake hathforgiven you, " that is, through Christ's doings, through Christ'ssufferings (2 Tim 1:9; Eph 1:3, 4; 4:32). Now if this be but rightlyunderstood, it doth discover abundance of comfort to them, thatare within the bounds of the Covenant of Grace. For, 1. Here a believer seeth he shall stand, if Christ's doings andsufferings stand; which is sure foundation, for God dealeth withhim through Christ. And so, secondly, he shall not fall, unlessthe suffering and merits of Christ be thrown over the bar, beingfound guilty, which will never be, before the eyes of Divine justice;for with Him the covenant was made, and He was the Surety of it;that is, as the covenant was made with Him, so He stood bound tofulfill the same (Zech 9:11; Heb 7:22). For you must understandthat the covenant was made between the Father and the Son longbefore it was accomplished, or manifestly sealed with Christ'sblood; it was made before the world began (Titus 1:2; Eph 1:4; 1Peter 1:18-20). But the conditions thereof were not fulfilled untilless than two thousand years ago; and all that while did Jesus standbound as a surety, as I said before, is used to do, till the timein which the payment should be made. And it was by virtue of HisSuretyship, having bound Himself by covenant to do all things agreedon by the Father and Him, that all those of the election that wereborn before He came, that they might be saved, and did enter intorest. For the forgiveness of sins that were past, though it wasthrough the blood of Christ, yet it was also through the forbearanceof God (Rom 3:25). That is, Christ becoming Surety for those thatdied before His coming, that He should in deed and in truth, atthe fullness of time, or at the time appointed, give a complete andfull satisfaction for them according to the tenor or condition ofthe covenant. (Gal 4:4). Again, 2. The second covenant, which believers are under, as the groundand foundation, if it is safe, so the promises thereof are better, surer, freer, and fuller, etc. 

(1. ) They are better, if you compare the excellency of the onewith the excellency of the other. The first hath promised nothingbut an early paradise--Do this, and thou shalt live; namely, herein an earthly paradise. But the other doth bring the promise of aheavenly paradise. 

(2. ) As the Covenant of Works doth promise an earthly paradise, yet it is a paradise or blessing, though once obtained, yet mightbe lost again; for no longer than thou doest well, no longer artthou blessed by that. O, but the promises in the new covenant dobring unto us the benefit of an eternal inheritance--That "theywhich are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. "O rare! it is an "eternal inheritance" (Heb 9:15). 

(3. ) The other, as it is not so good as this, so neither is it sosure as this; and therefore he calls the one such an one as mightbe, and was, shaken, but this is said to be such an one that cannotbe shaken. "And this Word, " saith he, treating of the two covenantsfrom verse the 8th to the 24th--"And this Word, yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are, " or may be, "shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannotbe shaken, " which is the second covenant, "may remain, " (Heb 12:27);for, saith he (verse 28) "which cannot be moved. " Therefore, yeblessed saints, seeing you have received a kingdom "which cannotbe moved, " therefore, "let us have grace, whereby we may serve"our "God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. "

Thus in general, but more particularly. 

(4. ) They are surer, in that they are founded upon God's love also, and they come to us without calling for those things at our handsthat may be a means of putting of a stop to our certain enjoyingof them. The promises under, or for the law, they might easilybe stopped by our disobedience; but the promises under the Gospelsay, "If Heaven above can be measured, and the foundations of theearth searched, " then, and not till then, "I will also cast offall the seed of Israel for all that they have done" (Jer 31:37). Again, "I, even I, am He that blotteth out thy transgressions forMine own" name's "sake, and will not remember thy sins" (Isa 43:25). I will make thee a partaker of My promise; and that I may so do, I will take away that which would hinder; "I will cast all theirsins into the depths of the sea, " that My promise may be sure toall the seed; and therefore, saith the Apostle, when he would showus that the new-covenant promises were more sure than the old, hetells us plainly that the law and works are set aside and they aremerely made ours through the righteousness of faith, which is therighteousness of Christ--"For the promise, that he [Abraham] shouldbe the heir of the world, " saith he, "was not to Abraham, or to hisseed, through the law, " or works, "but through the righteousness offaith. For if they which are of the law, " or of works, "be heirs, "then "faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect. Therefore it is of faith--to the end the promise might be sure toall the seed" (Rom 4:13-14, 16). 

(5. ) Surer, because that as that is taken away that should hinder, so they are committed to a faithful Friend of ours in keeping. Forall the promises of God are in Christ, not yea and nay, but yeaand amen; certain and sure; sure, because they are in the hand ofour Head, our Friend, our Brother, our Husband, our flesh and bones, even in the heart and hand of our precious Jesus. 

(6. ) Because all the conditions of them are already fulfilled forus by Jesus Christ, as aforesaid; every promise that is a new-covenantpromise, if there be any condition in it, our Undertaker hathaccomplished that for us, and also giveth us such grace as to receivethe sweetness as doth spring from them through His obedience toevery thing required in them. 

(7. ) Surer, because that as they are grounded upon the love of God, everything is taken out of the way, in the hand of a sure Friend. And has Christ has fulfilled every condition as to justificationthat is contained therein, so the Lord hath solemnly sworn with anoath for our better confidence in this particular--"For when Godmade promise to Abraham, " and so to all the saints, "because Hecould swear by no greater, He sware by Himself, saying, Surely, blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater: and an oath for confirmationis to them an end of all strife, " that there might be no moredoubt or scruple concerning the certain fulfilling of the promise. "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs ofpromise the immutability of His counsel, " or certain, constant, unchangeable decree of God in making of the promise, for the comfortof his children, "confirmed it by an oath: that by two immutablethings, " His promise backed with an oath, "in which it was impossiblefor God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fledfor refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us" (Heb 6:13-18). 

(8. ) That they are better it appears also in that they are freerand fuller. That they are freer, it is evident, in that one saith, No works, no life--Do this, and then thou shalt live; if not, thoushalt be damned. But the other saith, We are saved by believing inwhat Another hath done, without the works of the Law--"Now to himthat worketh not, but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness" (Rom 4:4, 5). The one saith, Pay me that thou owest; the other say, I do frankly and freelyforgive thee all. The one saith, Because thou hast sinned, thoushalt die; the other saith, Because Christ lives, thou shalt livealso (John 15). 

(9. ) And as they are freer, so they are fuller; fuller of encouragement, fuller of comfort; the one, to wit, the law, looks like Pharaoh'sseven ill-favoured kine, more ready to eat one up than to affordus any food; the other is like the full grape in the cluster, whichfor certain hath a glorious blessing in it. The one saith, If thouhast sinned, turn again; the other saith, If thou hast sinned, thoushalt be damned, for all I have a promise in me. 

3. They that are of the second are better than they that areof the first; and it also appeareth in this--The promises of theLaw, through them we have neither faith, nor hope, nor the Spiritconveyed; but through the promises of the Gospel there are allthese--"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and preciouspromises, that by these we might be partakers of the Divine nature"(2 Peter 1:4). O therefore "let us hold fast the profession ofour faith without wavering; for He is faithful that promised" (Heb10:23). "In hope of eternal life, " how so? because "God, that cannotlie, promised it before the world began" (Titus 1:2). 

4. They that are in this covenant are in a very happy state; forthough there be several conditions in the Gospel to be done, yetChrist Jesus doth not look that they should be done by man, asman, but by His own Spirit in them, as it is written, "Thou hastwrought all our works in us. " Is there that condition, they mustbelieve? Why, then, He will be both the "author and finisher oftheir faith" (Heb 12:2, 3). Is there also hope to be in His children?He also doth and hath given them "good hope through His grace" (2Thess 2:16). Again, are the people of God to behave themselvesto the glory of God the Father? then He will work in them "both towill and to do of His own good pleasure" (Phil 2:13). 

5. Again, as He works all our works in us and for us, so alsoby virtue of this covenant we have another nature given unto us, whereby, or by which we are made willing to be glorifying of God, both in our bodies and in our spirits, which are His--"Thy peopleshall be willing in the day of Thy power" (1 Cor 6:20; Psa 110:3). 

6. In the next place, all those that are under this second covenantare in a wonderful safe condition; for in case they should slipor fall after their conversion into some sin or sins for who livesand sins not? (Prov 24:16), yet through the merits and intercessionof Christ Jesus, who is their Undertaker in this covenant, theyshall have their sins pardoned, their wounds healed, and they raisedup again; which privilege the children of the first covenant havenot; for if they sin, they are never afterwards regarded by thatcovenant--They brake My covenant and I regarded them not, saiththe Lord (Heb 8:9). But when He comes to speak of the Covenant ofGrace, speaking first of the public person under the name of David, He saith thus, "He shall cry unto Me, Thou art My Father, My God, and the rock of My salvation. Also I will make Him My firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep for Himfor evermore, and My covenant shall stand fast with Him. His seedalso will I make to endure for ever, and His throne as the days ofheaven. If His children forsake My law, and walk not in My judgments;If they break my statutes, and keep not My commandments; Then willI visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity withstripes. Nevertheless My lovingkindness will I not utterly takefrom Him, nor suffer My faithfulness to fail. My covenant will Inot break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips. Oncehave I sworn by My holiness that I will not lie unto David. Hisseed shall endure for ever, and His throne as the sun before Me. It shall be established for ever as the moon, and as a faithfulwitness in heaven" (Psa 89:26-37). "My covenant shall stand fast withhim"--mark that. As if God had said, I did not make this covenantwith man, but with My Son, and with Him I will perform it; andseeing He hath given Me complete satisfaction, though His childrendo, through infirmity, transgress, yet My covenant is not thereforebroken, seeing He with whom it was made standeth firm, accordingto the desire of my heart; so that My justice that is satisfied, and My Law, hath nothing to say, for there is no want of perfectionin the sacrifice of Christ. If you love your souls, and would havethem live in the peace of God, to the which you are called in onebody, even all believers, then I beseech you seriously to ponder, and labour to settle in your souls this one thing, that the newcovenant is not broken by our transgressions, and that because itwas not made with us. The reason why the very saints of God haveso many ups and downs in this their travel towards Heaven, it isbecause they are so weak in the faith of this one thing; for theythink that if they fail of this or that particular performance, iftheir hearts be dead and cold, and their lusts mighty and strong, therefore now God is angry, and now He will shut them out of Hisfavour, now the new covenant is broken, and now Christ Jesus willstand their Friend no longer; now also the devil hath power again, and now they must have their part in the resurrection of damnation;when, alas! the covenant is not for all this never the more broken, and so the grace of God no more straitened than it was before. Therefore, I say, when thou findest that thou art weak here, andfailing there, backward to this good, and thy heart forward tothat evil; then be sure thou keep a steadfast eye on the Mediatorof this new covenant, and be persuaded that it is not only madewith Him, and His part also fulfilled, but that He doth look uponHis fulfilling of it, so as not to lay thy sins to thy charge, thoughHe may as a Father chastise thee for the same--"If His childrenforsake My law, and walk not in My judgments; if they break Mystatutes, and keep not My commandments; then will I visit theirtransgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless, "mark "nevertheless My lovingkindness will I not utterly take fromHIM, nor suffer My faithfulness to fail. My covenant will I notbreak, nor alter the thing that is gone out of My lips. " And whatwas that? Why, that "His seed shall endure for ever, and His throneas the sun before Me" (Psa 89:30-34, 36). 

7. Another privilege that the saints have by virtue of the newcovenant is, that they have part of the possession or hold of Heavenand Glory already, and that two manner of ways--(1. ) The Divinenature is conveyed from Heaven into them; and, secondly, the humannature, i. E. , the nature of man, is received up, and entertainedin, and hath got possession of Heaven. We have the first-fruitsof the Spirit, saith the man of God; we have the earnest of theSpirit, which is instead of the whole, for it is the earnest of thewhole--"Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemptionof the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory" (Eph1:13, 14; Rom 8:8-11). (2. ) The nature of man, our nature is gotinto glory as the first-fruits of mankind, as a forerunner to takepossession till we all come thither (1 Cor 15:20). For the Man bornat Bethlehem is ascended, which is part of the lump of mankind, into glory as a public Person, as the first-fruits, representingthe whole of the children of God; so that in some sense it may besaid that the saints have already taken possession of the kingdomof Heaven by their Jesus, their public Person, He being in theirroom entered to prepare a place for them (John 14:1-4). I beseechyou consider, when Jesus Christ came down from Glory, it was thatHe might bring us to Glory; and that He might be sure not to fail, He clothed Himself with our nature, as if one should take a pieceout of the whole lump instead of the whole, until the other comes, and investeth it in that glory which He was in before He came downfrom Heaven (Heb 2:14, 15). And thus is that saying to be understood, speaking of Christ and His saints, which saith, "And" He "hathraised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly placesin Christ Jesus" (Eph 2:6). 

8. Again, not only thus, but all the power of God, together withthe rest of His glorious attributes, are on our side, in that theydwell in our nature, which is the Man Jesus, and doth engage for uspoor, simple, empty, nothing creatures as to our eternal happiness(1 Peter 1:5). "For in Him, " that is, in the Man Christ, who isour nature, our Head, our root, our flesh, our bone, "dwelleth allthe fullness of the Godhead bodily" (Col 2:9, 10). Mark how theyare joined together, "In whom dwelleth the fullness of the Godhead. And ye are complete in Him. " God dwelleth completely in Him, and youalso are completely implanted in Him, which is the Head of allprincipality and power; and all this by the consent of the Father--"Forit pleased the Father that in Him should all fullness dwell" (Col1:19). Now mark, the Godhead doth not dwell in Christ Jesus forHimself only, but that it may be in a way of righteousness conveyedto us, for our comfort and help in all our wants--"All power isgiven unto Me in heaven and in earth, " saith He (Matt 28:18). Andthen followeth, "And lo, I am with you alway, even unto the endof the world" (Verse 20). "He hath received gifts for men, yea forthe rebellious" (Psa 68:18). "Of His fullness have all we received, and grace for grace" (John 1:16). And this the saints cannot bedeprived of, because the covenant made with Christ, in every tittleof it, was so completely fulfilled as to righteousness, both activeand passive, that justice cannot object anything; holiness now canfind fault with nothing; nay, all the power of God cannot shakeanything that hath been done for us by the Mediator of the newcovenant; so that now there is no Covenant of Works to a believer;none of the commands, accusations, condemnations, or the leasttittle of the old covenant to be charged on any of those that arethe children of the second covenant; no sin to be charged, becausethere is no law to be pleaded, but all is made up by our middleman, Jesus Christ. O blessed covenant! O blessed privilege! Bewise, therefore, O ye poor drooping souls that are the sons of thissecond covenant, and "stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christhath made you free, and be not entangled AGAIN, " nor terrified inyour consciences, "with the yoke of bondage"; neither the commands, accusations, or condemnations of the Law of the old covenant (Gal5:1). 

Two Hell-bred objections answered. 

Object. If it be so, then one need not care what they do; theymay sin and sin again, seeing Christ hath made satisfaction. [Thefirst objection]. 

Answ. If I were to point out one that was under the power of thedevil, and going post-haste to Hell, for my life I would look nofarther for such a man than to him that would make such a use asthis of the grace of God. What, because Christ is a Saviour, thouwilt be a sinner! because His grace abounds, therefore thou wiltabound in sin! O wicked wretch! rake Hell all over, and surely I thinkthy fellow will scarce be found! And let me tell thee this beforeI leave thee--as God's covenant with Christ for His children, whichare of faith, stands sure, immutable, unrevocable, and unchangeable, so also hath God taken such a course with thee, that unless thoucanst make God forswear Himself, it is impossible that thou shouldstgo to Heaven, dying in that condition--"They tempted Me, provedMe, " and turned the grace of God into lasciviousness, "so I sware, "mark that, "so I sware, " and that in My wrath, too, that theyshould never enter into My rest. Compare Hebrews 3:9-11, with 1Corinthians 10:5-10. No, saith God; if Christ will not serve theirturns, but they must have their sins too, take them, Devil; ifHeaven will not satisfy them, take them, Hell; devour them, Hell;scald them, fry them, burn them, Hell! God hath more places thanone to put sinners into. If they do not like Heaven, He will fitthem with Hell; if they do not like Christ, they shall be forcedto have the devil. Therefore we must and will tell of the truth ofthe nature of the Covenant of Grace of God to His poor saints fortheir encouragement and for their comfort, who would be glad to leapat Christ upon any terms; yet therewith, we can tell how, throughgrace, to tell the hogs and sons of this world what a hog-sty thereis prepared for them, even such an one that God hath prepared toput the devil and his angels into, is fitly prepared for them (Matt25:41). 

Object. But if Christ hath given God a full and complete satisfaction, then though I do go on in sin, I need not fear, seeing God hathalready been satisfied. [The second objection]. It will be injusticein God to punish for those sins for which He is already satisfiedfor by Christ. 

Answ. Rebel, rebel, there are some in Christ and some out of Him. [1]. They that are in Him have their sins forgiven, and theythemselves made new creatures, and have the Spirit of the Son, whichis a holy, living, self-denying Spirit. And they that are thus inJesus Christ are so far off from delighting in sin, that sin is thegreatest thing that troubleth them; and O how willing would theybe rid of the very thoughts of it (Psa 119:113). It is the griefof their souls, when they are in a right frame of spirit, that theycan live no more to the honour and glory of God than they do; andin all their prayers to God, the breathings of their souls are asmuch sanctifying grace as pardoning grace, that they might live aholy life. They would as willing live holy here as they would behappy in the world to come; they would as willingly be cleansedfrom the filth of sin as to have the guilt of it taken away; theywould as willingly glorify God here as they would be glorified byHim hereafter (Phil 3:6-22). [2]. But there are some that are outof Christ, being under the Law; and as for all those, let them becivil or profane, they are such as God accounts wicked; and I say, as for those, if all the angels in Heaven can drag them before thejudgment-seat of Christ, they shall be brought before it to answerfor all their ungodly deeds; and being condemned for them, if allthe fire in Hell will burn them, they shall be burned there, ifthey die in that condition (Jude 15). And, therefore, if you loveyour souls, do not give way to such a wicked spirit. "Let no mandeceive you with" such "vain words, " as to think, because Christhath made satisfaction to God for sin, therefore you may live inyour sins. O no, God forbid that any should think so, "for becauseof these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children ofdisobedience" (Eph 5:6). 

Thus have I, reader, given thee a brief discourse touching theCovenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace, also of the natureof the one, together with the nature of the other. I have also inthis discourse endeavoured to show you the condition of them thatare under the Law, how sad it is, both from the nature of thecovenant they are under, and also by the carriage of God unto themby that covenant. And now, because I would bring all into as littlea compass as I can, I shall begin with the use and application ofthe whole in as brief a way as I can, desiring the Lord to blessit to thee. 

[USE AND APPLICATION]. 

A use of examination about the old covenant. 

First. And, first of all, let us here begin to examine a littletouching the covenant you stand before God in, whether it be theCovenant of Works or the Covenant of Grace; [The first use is ause of examination]. And for the right doing of this, I shall laydown this proposition--namely, that all men naturally come into theworld under the first of these, which is called the old covenant, or the Covenant of Works, which is the Law; "And were all by naturethe children of wrath, even as others"; which they could not be, hadthey not been under the law; for there are none that are under theother covenant that are still the children of wrath, but the childrenof faith, the children of the promise, the accepted children, thechildren not of the bond-woman, but of the free (Gal 4:28-31). 

[Quest. ] Now here lieth the question. Which of these two covenantsart thou under, soul?

Answ. I hope I am under the Covenant of Grace. 

Quest. But what ground hast thou to think that thou art under thatblessed covenant, and not rather under the Covenant of Works, thatstrict, that soul-damning covenant?

Answ. What ground? Why, I hope I am. 

Quest. But what ground hast thou for this thy hope? for a hopewithout a ground is like a castle built in the air, that will neverbe able to do thee any good, but will prove like unto that spokenof in Job 8, "Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shallbe" like "a spider's web. He shall lean upon his house, but itshall not stand; he shall hold it fast, " as thou wouldst thy hope, it is like, "but it shall not endure" (Job 8:13-15). 

Answ. My hope is grounded upon the promises; what else should itbe grounded upon?

Reply. Indeed, to build my hope upon Christ Jesus, upon God inChrist, through the promise, and to have this hope rightly, by theshedding abroad of the love of God in the heart, it is a right-groundedhope (Rom 5:1-7). 

Quest. But what promises in the Scripture do you find your hope builtupon? and how do you know whether you do build your hope upon thepromises in the Gospel, the promises of the new covenant, and notrather on the promises of the old covenant, for there are promisesin that as well as in the other?

Answ. I hope that if I do well I shall be accepted; because Godhath said I shall (Gen 4:7). 

Reply. O soul, if thy hope be grounded there, thy hope is notgrounded upon the Gospel promises, or the new covenant, but verilyupon the old; for these words were spoken to Cain, a son of theold covenant; and they themselves are the tenor and scope of that;for that runs thus: "Do this, and thou shalt live. The man thatdoth these things shall live by them. If thou do well, thou shaltbe accepted" (Lev 18:5; Eze 20:11; Rom 10:5; Gal 3:12; Gen 4:7). 

Reply. Why, truly, if a man's doing well, and living well, andhis striving to serve God as well as he can, will not help him toChrist, I do not know what will; I am sure sinning against God willnot. 

Quest. Did you never read that Scripture which saith, "Israel, whichfollowed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to thelaw of righteousness"? (Rom 9:30-32). 

Object. But doth not the Scripture say, "Blessed are they that doHis commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life"?(Rev 22:14). 

Answ. There is first, therefore, to be inquired into, whether to keepHis commandments be to strive to keep the Law as it is a Covenantof Works, or whether it be meant of the great commandments of theNew Testament which are cited in 1 John 3:22, 23--"And whatsoeverwe ask we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, anddo those things that are pleasing in His sight. " But what do youmean, John? Do you mean the covenant of the Law, or the covenantto the Gospel? Why, "this is His commandment, " saith he, "That weshould believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love oneanother, " as the fruits of this faith, "as He gave us commandment. "If it be of the old covenant, as a Covenant of Works, then theGospel is but a lost thing. If it were of works, then no more ofgrace; therefore it is not the old covenant, as the old covenant. 

Quest. But what do you mean by these words--the old covenant asthe old covenant? Explain your meaning. 

Answ. My meaning is, that the Law is not to be looked upon forlife, so as it was handed out from Mount Sinai, if ever thou wouldstindeed be saved; though after thou hast faith in Christ, thoumayest and must solace thyself in it, and take pleasure therein, to express thy love to Him who hath already saved thee by Hisown blood, without thy obedience to the law, either from Sinai orelsewhere. 

Quest. Do you think that I do mean that my righteousness will saveme without Christ? If so, you mistake me, for I think not so; butthis I say, I will labour to do what I can; and what I cannot do, Christ will do for me. 

Answ. Ah, poor soul, this is the wrong way too; for this is to makeChrist but a piece of a Saviour; thou wilt do something, and Christshall do the rest; thou wilt set thy own things in the first place, and if thou wantest at last, then thou wilt borrow of Christ; thouart such an one that dost Christ the greatest injury of all. First, in that thou dost undervalue His merits by preferring of thy ownworks before His; and, secondly, by mingling of thy works thy dirty, ragged righteousness with His. 

Quest. Why, would you have us do nothing? Would you have us makeChrist such a drudge as to do all, while we sit idling still?

Answ. Poor soul, thou mistakest Jesus Christ in saying thou makestHim a drudge in letting Him do all; I tell thee, He counts it agreat glory to do all for thee, and it is a great dishonour untoHim for thee so much as to think otherwise. And this the saintsof God that have experienced the work of grace upon their souls docount it also the same--"Saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof" (Rev 5:9). "Worthy is the Lamb, thatwas slain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing" (Verse 12). And why so? readagain in the 9th verse, "For Thou wast slain, and hast redeemedus to God by Thy" own "blood" (See also Eph 1:6, 7). "To the praiseof the glory of His grace--in whom we have redemption through Hisblood. "

Reply. All this we confess, that Jesus Christ died for us; but hethat thinks to be saved by Christ, and liveth in his sins, shallnever be saved. 

Answ. I grant that. But this I say again, a man must not make hisgood doings the lowest round of the ladder by which he goeth toHeaven--that is, he that will and shall go to Heaven, must, whollyand alone, without any of his own things, venture his precious soulupon Jesus Christ and His merits. 

Quest. What, and come to Christ as a sinner?

Answ. Yea, with all thy sins upon thee, even as filthy as ever thoucanst. 

Quest. But is not this the way to make Christ to loath us? You knowwhen children fall down in the dirt, they do usually before theygo home make their clothes as clean as they can, for fear theirparents should chide them; and so I think should we. 

Answ. This comparison is wrongly applied, if you bring it to showus how we must do when we come to Christ. He that can make himselfclean hath no need of Christ; for the whole, the clean, andrighteous have no need of Christ, but those that are foul and sick. Physicians, you know, if they love to be honoured, they will notbid the patients first make themselves whole, and then come tothem; no, but bid them come with their sores all running on them, as the woman with her bloody issue (Mark 5). And as Mary Magdalenewith her belly full of devils, and the lepers all scabbed; and thatis the right coming to Jesus Christ. 

Reply. Well, I hope that Christ will save me, for His promises andmercy are very large; and as long as He hath promised to give uslife, I fear my state the less. 

Answ. It is very true, Christ's promises are very large, blessedbe the Lord for ever; and also so is His mercy; but notwithstandingall that, there are many go in at the broad gate; and therefore Isay, your business is seriously to inquire whether you are underthe first or second covenant; for unless you are under the second, you will never be regarded of the Lord, forasmuch as you are asinner (Heb 8:9). And the rather, because if God should be so goodto you as to give you a share in the second, you shall have allyour sins pardoned, and for certain have eternal life, though youhave been a great sinner. But do not expect that thou shalt haveany part or share in the large promises and mercy of God, for thebenefit and comfort of thy poor soul, whilst thou art under theold covenant; because so long thou art out of Christ, through whomGod conveyeth His mercy, grace, and love to sinners. "For all thepromises of God in Him are yea, and in Him amen. " Indeed, His mercy, grace, and love are very great, but they are treasured up in Him, "given forth in Him, through Him. " "But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us--that He might show theexceeding riches of His grace"--but which way?--"in His kindnesstowards us through Jesus Christ. "

But out of Christ thou shalt find God a just God, a sin-avengingGod, a God that will by no means spare the guilty; and be sure thatevery one that is found out of Jesus Christ will be found guilty inthe judgment-day, upon whom the wrath of God shall smoke to theireternal ruin. Now, therefore, consider of it, and take the counselof the Apostle, in 2 Corinthians 13:5, which is, to examine thyselfwhether thou art "in the faith, " and to prove thy ownself whetherthou hast received the Spirit of Christ into thy soul, whether thouhast been converted, whether thou hast been born again, and madea new creature, whether thou hast had thy sins washed away in theblood of Christ, whether thou hast been brought from under the oldcovenant into the new; and do not make a slight examination, forthou hast a precious soul either to be saved or damned. 

And that thou mayest not be deceived, consider that it is onething to be convinced, and another to be converted; one thing tobe wounded, and another to be killed, and so to be made alive againby the faith of Jesus Christ. When men are killed, they are killedto all things they lived to before, both sin and righteousness, asall their old faith and supposed grace that they thought they had. Indeed, the old covenant will show thee that thou art a sinner, and that a great one too; but the old covenant, the Law, will notshow thee, without the help of the Spirit, that thou are withoutall grace by nature; no; but in the midst of thy troubles thouwilt keep thyself from coming to Christ by persuading thy soul thatthou art come already, and hast some grace already. O, therefore, be earnest in begging the Spirit, that thy soul may be enlightened, and the wickedness of thy heart discovered, that thou mayest seethe miserable state that thou art in by reason of sin and unbelief, which is the great condemning sin; and so in a sight and sense of thysad condition, if God should deal with thee in severity accordingto thy deservings. Do thou [now] cry to God for faith in a crucifiedChrist, that thou mayest have all thy sins washed away in His blood, and such a right work of grace wrought in thy soul that may standin the judgment-day. Again, Second. In the next place, you know I told you that a man might goa great way in a profession, and have many excellent gifts, [Seconduse]. So as to do many wondrous works, and yet be but under theLaw; from hence you may learn not to judge yourselves to be thechildren of God, because you may have some gifts of knowledge orunderstanding more than others: no, for thou mayest be the knowingestman in all the country as to head-knowledge, and yet be but underthe law, and so consequently under the curse, notwithstanding that, 1 Corinthians 13. Now, seeing it is so, that men may have all thisand yet perish, then what will become of those that do no good atall, and have no understanding, neither of their own sadness, norof Christ's mercy? O, sad! Read with understanding, Isaiah 27:11, "Therefore He that made them will not have mercy on them, and Hethat formed them will show them no favour" (See also 2 Thess 1:8, 9). 

Now there is one thing which, for want of, most people do miscarryin a very sad manner, and that is, because they are not able todistinguish between the nature of the Law and the Gospel. O, people, people, your being blinded here as to the knowledge of this is onegreat cause of the ruining of many. As Paul saith, "While Mosesis read, " or while the law is discovered, "the veil is upon theirheart" (2 Cor 3:15) that is, the veil of ignorance is still upontheir hearts, so that they cannot discern either the nature ofthe law or the nature of the Gospel, they being so dark and blindin their minds, as you may see, if you compare it with Chronicles4:3, 4. And truly I am confident, that were you but well examined, I doubt many of you would be found so ignorant that you would notbe able to give a word of right answer concerning either the Law orthe Gospel. Nay, my friends, set the case, one should ask you whattime you spend, what pains you take, to the end you may understandthe nature and difference of these two covenants, would you not say, if you should speak the truth, that you did not so much as regardwhether there were two or more? Would you not say, I did not thinkof covenants, or study the nature of them? I thought that if I hadlived honestly, and did as well as I could, that God would acceptof me, and have mercy upon me, as He had on others. Ah, friends, this is the cause of the ruin of thousands; for if they are blindedto this, both the right use of the law, and also of the Gospel, ishid from their eyes, and so for certain they will be in danger ofperishing most miserably, poor souls that they are, unless God, ofHis mere mercy and love, doth rend the veil from off their hearts, the veil of ignorance, for that is it which doth keep these poorsouls in this besotted and blindfolded condition, in which if theydie they may be lamented for, but not helped; they may be pitied, but not preserved from the stoke of God's everlasting vengeance. 

A legal spirit. 

In the next place, if you would indeed be delivered from the firstinto the second covenant, I do admonish you to the observing ofthese following particulars. First. Have a care that you do notcontent yourselves, though you do good works--that is, which inthemselves are good. Secondly. In and with a legal spirit, whichare done these ways as followeth. 

First. If you do anything commanded in Scripture, and your doingof it do think that God is well pleased therewith, because you, asyou are religious men, do do the same. Upon this mistake was Paulhimself in danger of being destroyed; for he thought, because hewas zealous, and one of the strictest sects for religion, thereforeGod would have been good unto him, and have accepted his doings, as it is clear, for he counted them his gain (Phil 3:4-8). Now thisis done thus--When a man doth think that because he thinks he ismore sincere, more liberal, with more difficulty, or to the weakeningof his estate; I say, if a man, because of this doth think thatGod accepteth his labour, it is done from an old-covenant spirit. 

Again; some men think that they shall be heard because they haveprayer in their families, because they can pray long, and speakexcellent expressions, or express themselves excellently in prayer, that because they have great enlargements in prayer, I say, thattherefore to think that God doth delight in their doings, and accepttheir works, this is from a legal spirit. 

Again; some men think that because their parents have been religiousbefore them, and have been indeed the people of God, they think ifthey also do as to the outward observing of that which they learnedfrom their forerunners, that therefore God doth accept them; but thisalso is from a wrong spirit; and yet how many are there in Englandat this day that think the better of themselves merely upon thataccount; ay, and think the people of God ought to think so too, not understanding that it is ordinary for an Eli to have a Hophniand a Phinehas, both sons of Belial; also a good Samuel to have aperverse offspring; likewise David an Absalom. I say, their beingignorant of, or else negligent in regarding this, they do thinkthat because they do spring from such and such, as the Jews in theirgeneration did, that therefore they have a privilege with God morethan others, when there is no such thing; but for certain, if thesame faith be not in them which was in their forerunners, to layhold of the Christ of God in the same spirit as they did, theymust utterly perish, for all their high conceits that they have ofthemselves (John 8:33-35; Matt 3:7-9). 

Second. When people come into the presence of God without havingtheir eye upon the Divine Majesty, through the flesh and bloodof the Son of Mary, the Son of God, then also do they come beforeGod, and do whatsoever they do from a legal spirit, an old-covenantspirit. As, for instance, you have some people, it is true, theywill go to prayer, in appearance very fervently, and will pleadvery hard with God that He would grant them their desires, pleadingtheir want, and the abundance thereof; they will also plead withGod His great mercy, and also His free promises; but yet theyneglecting the aforesaid body or Person of Christ, the righteousLamb of God, to appear before Him in, I say, in thus doing theydo not appear before the Lord no otherwise than in an old-covenantspirit; for they go to God as a merciful Creator, and they themselvesas His creatures; not as He is, their Father in the Son, and theyHis children by regeneration through the Lord Jesus. Ay, and thoughthey may call God their Father, in the notion--not knowing whatthey say, only having learned such things by tradition--as thePharisees did, yet Christ will have His time to say to them, evento their faces, as He did once to the Jews, Your father, for all thisyour profession, is the devil, to their own grief and everlastingmisery (John 8:44). 

Third. The third thing that is to be observed, if we would not beunder the Law, or do things in a legal spirit, is this--to have acare that we do none of the works of the holy Law of God for life, or acceptance with Him; no, nor of the Gospel neither. To do theworks of the law to the end we may be accepted of God, or that wemay please Him, and to have our desires of Him, is to do thingsfrom a legal or old-covenant spirit, and that is expressly laid downwhere it is said, "To him that worketh is the reward not reckonedof grace, but of debt"; that is, he appears before God through theLaw, and his obedience to it (Rom 4:4, 5). And again, though theybe in themselves Gospel-ordinances, as baptism, breaking of bread, hearing, praying, meditating, or the like; yet, I say, if they benot done in the right spirit, they are thereby used as a hand bythe devil to pull thee under the Covenant of Works, as in formertimes he used circumcision, which was no part of the Covenantof Works, the Ten Commands, but a seal of the righteousness offaith; yet, I say, they being done in a legal spirit, the soul wasthereby brought under the Covenant of Works, and so most miserablydestroyed unawares to itself, and that because there was not aright understanding of the nature and terms of the said covenants. And so it is now; souls being ignorant of the nature of the oldcovenant, do even by their subjecting to several Gospel ordinances, run themselves under the old covenant, and fly off from Christ, even when they think they are acoming closer to him. O, miserable!If you would know when or how this is done, whether in one particularor more, I shall show you as followeth--

1. That man doth bring himself under the Covenant of Works, by Gospelordinances, when he cannot be persuaded that God will have mercyupon him except he do yield obedience to such or such a particularthing commanded in the Word. This is the very same spirit thatwas in the false brethren (spoken of Acts 15; Galatians, the wholeEpistle), whose judgment was, that unless such and such things weredone, "they could not be saved. " As now-a-days we have also somethat say, Unless your infants be baptized they cannot be saved;23and others say, unless you be rightly baptized, you have no groundto be assured that you are believers, or members of churches; whichis so far off from being so good as a legal spirit, that it is thespirit of blasphemy, as is evident, because they do reckon thatthe Spirit, righteousness, and faith of Jesus, and the confessionthereof, is not sufficient to declare men to be members of the LordJesus; when, on the other side, though they be rank hypocrites, yet if they do yield an outward subjection to this or that, theyare counted presently communicable members, which doth clearlydiscover that there is not so much honour given to the putting onthe righteousness of the Son of God as there is given to that whicha man may do, and yet go to Hell within an hour after; nay, in thevery doing of it doth shut himself for ever from Jesus Christ. 

2. Men may do things from a legal or old-covenant spirit when theycontent themselves with their doing of such and such a thing, asprayers, reading, hearing, baptism, breaking of bread, or the like;I say, when they can content themselves with the thing done, andsit down at ease and content because the thing is done. As, forinstance, some men being persuaded that such and such a thing istheir duty, and that unless they do do it, God will not be pleasedwith them, nor suffer them to be heirs of His kingdom, they fromthis spirit do rush into and do the thing, which being done, theyare content, as being persuaded that now they are without doubt ina happy condition, because they have done such things, like untothe Pharisee, who, because he had done this and the other thing, said therefore, in a bragging way, "Lord, I thank thee that I amnot as this publican"; for I have done thus and thus; when, alas!the Lord give him never a good word for his labour, but rather areproof. 

3. That man doth act from a legal spirit who maketh the strictnessof his walking the ground of his assurance for eternal life. Somemen, all the ground they have to believe that they shall be saved, it is because they walk not so loose as their neighbours, theyare not so bad as others are, and therefore they question not butthat they shall do well. Now this is a false ground, and a thingthat is verily legal, and savours only of some slight and shallowapprehensions of the old covenant. I call them shallow apprehensions, because they are not right and sound, and are such as will do thesoul no good, but beguile it, in that the knowledge of the natureof this covenant doth not appear to the soul, only some commandingpower it hath on the soul, which the soul endeavouring to give upitself unto, it doth find some peace and content, and especiallyif it find itself to be pretty willing to yield itself to itscommands. And is not this the very ground of thy hoping that Godwill save thee from the wrath to come? If one should ask thee whatground thou hast to think thou shalt be saved, wouldst thou notsay, Truly, because I have left my sins, and because I am moreinclinable to do good, [Do not think that I am against the orderof the Gospel]. And to learn, and get more knowledge; I endeavourto walk in church order, as they call it, and therefore I hope Godhath done a good work for me, and I hope will save my soul. Alas, alas! this is a very trick of the devil to make souls build theground of their salvation upon this their strictness, and abstainingfrom the wickedness of their former lives, and because they desireto be stricter and stricter. Now, if you would know such a man orwoman, you shall find them in this frame--namely, when they thinktheir hearts are good, then they think also that Christ will havemercy upon them; but when their corruptions work, then they doubtand scruple until again they have their hearts more ready to do thethings contained in the law and ordinances of the Gospel. Again, such men do commonly cheer up their hearts, and encourage themselvesstill to hope all shall be well, and that because they are not sobad as the rest, but more inclinable than they, saying, I am gladI am not as this publican, but better than he, more righteous thanhe (Luke 18:11). 

4. This is a legal and old-covenant spirit that secretly persuadesthe soul that if ever it will be saved by Christ, if must be fittedfor Christ by its getting of a good heart and good intentions todo this and that for Christ; I say, that the soul when it comesto Christ may not be rejected or turned off; when in deed and intruth this is the very way for the soul to turn itself from JesusChrist, instead of turning to Him; for such a soul looks uponChrist rather to be a painted Saviour or a cypher than a very andreal Saviour. Friend, if thou canst fit thyself, what need hastthou of Christ? If thou cant get qualifications to carry to Christthat thou mightst be accepted, thou dost not look to be acceptedin the Beloved. Shall I tell thee? Thou art as if a man should say, I will make myself clean, and then I will go to Christ that He maywash me; or like a man possessed, that will first cast the devilsout of himself, and then come to Christ for cure from Him. Thou, must, therefore, if thou wilt so lay hold of Christ as not to berejected by Him; I say, thou must come to Him as the basest in theworld, more fit to be damned, if thou hadst thy right, than tohave the least smile, hope, or comfort from Him. Come with the fireof Hell in thy conscience, come with thy heart hard, dead, cold, full of wickedness and madness against thy own salvation; come asrenouncing all thy tears, prayers, watchings, fastings; come as ablood-red sinner; do not stay from Christ till thou hast a greatersense of thy own misery, nor of the reality of God's mercy; do notstay while thy heart is softer and thy spirit in a better frame, but go against thy mind, and against the mind of the devil and sin, throw thyself down at the foot of Christ, with a halter about thyneck, and say, Lord Jesus, hear a sinner, a hard-hearted sinner, a sinner that deserveth to be damned, to be cast into Hell; andresolve never to return, or to give over crying unto Him, till thoudo find that He hath washed thy conscience from dead works withHis blood virtually, and clothed thee with His own righteousness, and make thee complete in Himself; this is the way to come toChrist. 

THE USE OF THE NEW COVENANT

Now a few words to the second doctrine, and so I shall draw towardsa conclusion. 

FIRST USE. The doctrine doth contain in it very much comfort tothy [The use, for the second doctrine]. Soul who art a new-covenantman, or one of those who are under the new covenant. There is, First, pardon of sin; and, Second, the manifestation of the same;and, Third, as power to cause thee to persevere through faith tothe very end of thy life. 

First, There is, first, pardon of sin, which is not in the oldcovenant; for in that there is nothing but commands; and if notobeyed, condemned. O, but there is pardon of sin, even of all thysins, against the first and second covenant, under which thou art, and that freely upon the account of Jesus Christ the righteousness, He having in thy name, nature, and in the room of thy person, fulfilled all the whole law in Himself for thee, and freely givethit unto thee. O, though the law be a ministration of death andcondemnation, yet the Gospel, under which thou art, is the ministrationof life and salvation (2 Cor 3:6-9). Though they that live and dieunder the first covenant, God regardeth them not (Heb 8:9). Yet theythat are under the second are as the apple of His eye (Deu 32:10;Psa 17:8; Zech 2:8). Though they that are under the first, the Law, are "called to blackness, and darkness, and tempest, the sound ofa trumpet, " and a burning mountain, which sight was so terrible, that Moses said, "I exceedingly fear and quake" (Heb 12:18-22). "But ye are come unto Mount Sion, and unto the city of the livingGod, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, " whose names"are written in Heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to thespirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus, " to blessed Jesus, "the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel" (Heb 12:22-24). Evenforgiveness of sins (Eph 1:7). 

Second, The covenant that thou art under doth allow of repentancein case thou chance to slip or fall by sudden temptation; but thelaw allows of none (Rev 2:5; Gal 3:10). The covenant that thou artunder allows thee strength also; but the law is only a sound ofwords, commanding words, but no power is given by them to fulfillthe things commanded (Heb 12:19). Thou that art under this second, art made a son; but they that art under that first, are slaves andvagabonds (Gen 4:12). Thou that art under this, hast a Mediator, that is to stand between justice and thee; but they under the other, their mediator is turned an accuser, and speaketh most bitter thingsagainst their souls (1 Tim 2:5; John 5:45). Again; the way thatthou hast into Paradise is a new and living way--mark, a living way;but they that are under the old covenant, their way into Paradiseis a killing and destroying way (Heb 10:20; Gen 3:24). Again; thouhas the righteousness of God to appear before God withal; but theyunder the old covenant have nothing but the righteousness of theLaw, which Paul counts dirt and dung (Phil 3:7-9). Thou hast thatwhich will make thee perfect, but the other will not do so--"Thelaw made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did, "which is the Son of God, "by the which we draw nigh unto God" (Heb7:19). 

Third, The new covenant promiseth thee a new heart, as I said before;but the old covenant promiseth none; and a new spirit, but the oldcovenant promiseth none (Eze 36:26). The new covenant conveyethfaith, but the old one conveyeth none (Gal 3). Through the newcovenant the love of God is conveyed into the heart; but throughthe old covenant there is conveyed none of it savingly through JesusChrist. Romans 5. The new covenant doth not only give a promiseof life, but also with that the assurance of life, but the old onegiveth none; the old covenant wrought wrath in us and to us, butthe new one worketh love (Rom 4:15; Gal 5:6). Thus much for thefirst use. 

SECOND USE. As all these, and many more privileges, do come to theethrough or by the new covenant, and that thou mightst not doubt ofthe certainty of these glorious privileges, God hath so ordered itthat they do all come to thee by way of purchase, being obtainedfor thee, ready to thy hand, by that one Man Jesus, who is theMediator, or the Person that hath principally to do both with Godand thy soul in the things pertaining to this covenant; so thatnow thou mayst look on all the glorious things that are spoken ofin the new covenant, and say, All these must be mine; I must havea share in them; Christ hath purchased them for me, and given themto me. Now I need not to say, O! but how shall I come by them? Godis holy, I am a sinner; God is just, and I have offended. No; butthou mayst say, Though I am vile, and deserve nothing, yet Christis holy, and He deserveth all things; though I have so provokedGod by breaking His law that He could not in justice look upon me, yet Christ hath so gloriously paid the debt that now God can say, Welcome, soul, I will give thee grace, I will give thee glory, thou shalt lie in My bosom, and go no more out; My Son hath pleasedMe, He hath satisfied the loud cries of the Law and justice, thatcalled for speedy vengeance on thee; He hath fulfilled the wholeLaw, He hath brought in everlasting righteousness (Dan 9:24, 25). He hath overcome the devil, He hath washed away thy sins with Hismost precious blood, He hath destroyed the power of death, andtriumphs over all the enemies. This He did in His own Person, as a common Jesus, for all persons in their stead, even as for somany as shall come in to Him; for His victory I give to them, Hisrighteousness I give to them, His merits I bestow on them, andlook upon them holy, harmless, undefiled, and for ever comely inmy eye, through the victory of the Captain of their salvation (1Cor 15:55-57). 

And that thou mayest, in deed and in truth, not only hear and readthis glorious doctrine, but be found one that hath the life of itin thy heart, thou must be much in studying of the two covenants, the nature of the one, and the nature of the other, and the conditionsof them that are under them both. Also, thou must be well-groundedin the manner of the victory, and merits of Christ, how they aremade thine. 

First, And here thou must, in the first place, believe that thebabe that was born of Mary, lay in a manger at Bethlehem, in thetime of Caesar Augustus; that He, that babe, that child, was thevery Christ. 

Second, Thou must believe that in the days of Tiberius Caesar, when Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and Pontius Pilate governorof Judea, that in those days He was crucified, or hanged on a treebetween two thieves, which by computation, or according to the bestaccount, is above sixteen hundred years since. 24

Third, Thou must also believe that when He did hang upon that crossof wood on the Mount Calvary, that then He did die there for thesins of those that did die before He was crucified; also for theirsins that were alive at the time of His crucifying, and also thatHe did by that one death give satisfaction to God for all thosethat should be born and believe in Him after His death, even untothe world's end. I say, this thou must believe, upon pain of eternaldamnation, that by that one death, that when He did die, He did putan end to the curse of the Law and sin [This is the doctrine thatI will live and die by, and be willing to be damned if it saves menot. I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the powerof God to salvation; therefore I preach Christ crucified, to theJews a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness (Rom 1:16; 1Cor 1:23). ] and at that time by His death on the Cross, and by Hisresurrection out of Joseph's sepulchre, He did bring in a sufficientrighteousness to clothe thee withal completely--"For by one offeringHe hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified. " Not that Heshould often offer Himself--"for then must He often have sufferedsince the foundation of the world; but now ONCE in the end of theworld hath He appeared to put, " or do, "away sin by the sacrificeof Himself"--namely, when He hanged on the Cross. For it is by theoffering up of the body of this blessed Jesus Christ ONCE for all. Indeed, other priests may offer oftentimes sacrifices and offeringswhich can never take away sins; but this Man, this Jesus, thisanointed and appointed sacrifice, when He had offered ONE sacrificefor sins, for ever sat down on the right hand of God (Heb 10:14;9:24, 25). 

[A word of advice]. But because thou in thy pursuit after the faithof the Gospel wilt be sure to meet with devils, heretics, particularcorruptions, as unbelief, ignorance, the spirit of works animatedon by suggestions, false conclusions, with damnable doctrines, Ishall therefore briefly, besides what hath been already said, speaka word or two before I leave thee of further advice, especiallyconcerning these two things. First, How thou art to conceive ofthe Saviour. Second, How thou art to make application of Him. 

First. For the Saviour. 1. Thou must look upon Him to be very Godand very Man; not man only, nor God only, but God and Man in onePerson, both natures joined together, for the putting of Him in acapacity to be a suitable Saviour; suitable, I say, to answer bothsides and parties, with whom He hath to do in the office of HisMediatorship and being of a Saviour. 2. Thou must not only do this, but thou must also consider and believe that even what was doneby Jesus Christ, it was not done by one nature without the other;but thou must consider that both natures, both the Godhead and themanhood, did gloriously concur and join together in the undertakingof the salvation of our bodies and souls; not that the Godheadundertook anything without the manhood, neither did the manhooddo anything without the virtue and union of the Godhead; and thoumust of necessity do this, otherwise thou canst not find any soundground and footing for thy soul to rest upon. 

For if thou look upon any of these asunder--that is to say, theGodhead without the manhood, or the manhood without the Godhead--thouwilt conclude that what was done by the Godhead was not done forman, being done without the manhood; or else, that that which wasdone with the manhood could not answer Divine justice, in not doingwhat it did by the virtue and in union with the Godhead; for itwas the Godhead that gave virtue and value to the suffering of themanhood, and the manhood being joined therewith, that giveth us aninterest into the heavenly glory and comforts of the Godhead. 

What ground can a man have to believe that Christ is his Saviour, if he do not believe that He suffered for sin in his nature? Andwhat ground also can a man have to think that God the Father issatisfied, being infinite, if he believe not also that He who gavethe satisfaction was equal to Him who was offended?

Therefore, beloved, when you read of the offering of the body ofthe Son of Man for our sins, then consider that He did it in unionwith, and by the help of, the eternal Godhead. "How much moreshall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal Spirit, offeredHimself without spot to God, purge your consciences from deadworks, " etc. 

And when thou readest of the glorious works and splendour of theGodhead in Christ, then consider that all that was done by theGodhead, it was done as it had union and communion with the manhood. And then thou shalt see that the devil is overcome by God-man;sin, death, Hell, the grave, and all overcome by Jesus, God-man, and then thou shalt find them overcome indeed. They must needs beovercome when God doth overcome them; and we have good ground tohope the victory is ours, when in our nature they are overcome. 

Second. The second thing is, how to apply, or to make applicationof this Christ to the soul. And for this there are to be consideredthe following particulars--

1. That when Jesus Christ did thus appear, being born of Mary, Hewas looked upon by the Father as if the sin of the whole world wasupon Him; nay, further, God did look upon Him and account Him thesin of man--"He hath made Him to be sin for us, " (2 Cor 5:21) thatis, God made His Son Jesus Christ our sin, or reckoned Him to be, not only a sinner, but the very bulk of sin of the whole world, andcondemned Him so severely as if He had been nothing but sin. "Forwhat the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and forsin, condemned sin in the flesh"--that is, for our sins condemnedHis Son Jesus Christ; as if He had in deed and truth been ourvery sin, although altogether "without sin" (Rom 8:3; 2 Cor 5:21). Therefore, as to the taking away of thy curse, thou must reckonHim to be made sin for thee. And as to His being thy justification, thou must reckon Him to be thy righteousness; for, saith theScripture, "He, " that is, God, "hath made HIM to be SIN for us, though He knew no sin, that we might be made the RIGHTEOUSNESS ofGod in HIM. "

2. Consider for whose sakes all this glorious design of the Fatherand the Son was brought to pass; and that you shall find to be forman, for sinful man (2 Cor 8:9). 

3. The terms on which it is made ours; and that you will find to bea free gift, merely arising from the tender-heartedness of God--youare "justified freely by His grace, through the redemption thatis in Christ, whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation throughfaith in His blood, " etc. (Rom 3:25). 

4. How men are to reckon it theirs; and that is, upon the same termswhich God doth offer it, which is freely, as they are worthlessand undeserving creatures, as they are without all good, and alsounable to do any good. This, I say, is the right way of applyingthe merits of Christ to thy soul, for they are freely given tothee, a poor sinner, not for anything that is in thee, or done bythee, but freely as thou art a sinner, and so standest in absoluteneed thereof. 

And, Christian, thou art not in this thing to follow thy senseand feeling, but the very Word of God. The thing that doth do thepeople of God the greatest injury, it is their too little hearkeningto what the Gospel saith, and their too much giving credit to whatthe Law, sin, the devil, and conscience saith; and upon this veryground to conclude that because there is a certainty of guilt uponthe soul, therefore there is also for certain, by sin, damnationto be brought upon the soul. This is now to set the Word of Godaside, and to give credit to what is formed by the contrary; butthou must give more credit to one syllable of the written Wordof the Gospel than thou must give to all the saints and angels inHeaven and earth; much more than to the devil and thy own guiltyconscience. 

Let me give you a parable:--There was a certain man that hadcommitted treason against his king; but forasmuch as the king hadcompassion upon him, he sent him, by the hand of a faithful messenger, a pardon under his own hand and seal; but in the country where thispoor man dwelt, there were also many that sought to trouble him, by often putting of him in mind of his treason, and the law thatwas to be executed on the offender. Now which way should this manso honour his king, but as by believing his handwriting, which wasthe pardon. Certainly he would honour him more by so doing than toregard all the clamours of his enemies continually against him. 

Just thus it is here: thou having committed treason against theKing of Heaven, He through compassion, for Christ's sake, hathsent thee a pardon; but the devil, the Law, and thy conscience docontinually seek to disturb thee by bringing thy sins afresh intothy remembrance. But now, wouldst thou honour thy King? Why then, he that believeth "the record that God hath given of His Son, " hathset to his seal that God is true. "And this is the record, thatGod hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son"(1 John 5:11). And therefore, my brethren, seeing God our Fatherhath sent us damnable traitors a pardon from Heaven, even all thepromises of the Gospel, and also hath sealed to the certainty ofit with the heart-blood of His dear Son, let us not be daunted, though our enemies, with terrible voices, do bring our former lifenever so often into our remembrance. 

Object. But, saith the soul, how, if after I have received a pardon, I should commit treason again? What should I do then?

Answ. Set the case: thou hast committed abundance of treason, Hehath by Him abundance of pardons--"Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto theLORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He willabundantly pardon" (Isa 55:7). 

Sometimes I myself have been in such a strait that I have been almostdriven to my wit's ends with the sight and sense of the greatnessof my sins; but calling to mind that God was God in His mercy, pity, and love, as well as in His holiness, justice, etc. ; and again, considering the ability of the satisfaction that was given toholiness and justice, to the end there might be way made for sinnersto lay hold of this mercy; I say, I considering this, when temptedto doubt and despair, I have answered in this manner--

"Lord, here is one of the greatest sinners that ever the groundbare; a sinner against the Law, and a sinner against the Gospel. Ihave sinned against light, and I have sinned against mercy. And now, Lord, the guilt of them breaks my heart. The devil also he wouldhave me despair, telling of me that Thou art so far from hearingmy prayers in this my distress, that I cannot anger Thee worsethan to call upon Thee; for saith he, Thou art resolved for everto damn, and not to grant me the least of Thy favour; yet, Lord, I would fain have forgiveness. And Thy Word, though much may beinferred from it against me, yet it saith, If I come unto Thee, Thou will in nowise cast me out. Lord, shall I honour Thee mostby believing Thou canst pardon my sins, or by believing Thou canstnot? Shall I honour Thee most by believing Thou wilt pardon mysins, or by believing Thou wilt not? Shall I honour the blood of ThySon also by despairing that the virtue thereof is not sufficient, or by believing that it is sufficient to purge me from all myblood-red and crimson sins? Surely, Thou that couldst find so muchmercy as to pardon Manasseh, Mary Magdalene, the three thousandmurderers, persecuting Paul, murderous and adulterous David, andblaspheming Peter--Thou that offeredst mercy to Simon Magus, awitch, and didst receive the astrologers and conjurors in the 19thof Acts--Thou hast mercy enough for one poor sinner. Lord, setthe case: my sins were bigger than all these, and I less deservedmercy than any of these, yet Thou hast said in Thy Word that hethat cometh to thee Thou wilt in "nowise cast out. " And God hathgiven comfort to my soul, even to such a sinner as I am. And I tellyou, there is no way so to honour God, and to beat out the devil, as to stick to the truth of God's Word and the merits of Christ'sblood by believing. When Abraham believed--even against hope andreason--he gave glory to God (Rom 4). And this is our victory, even our faith (1 John 5:4). Believe, and all things are possibleto you. He that believeth shall be saved. He that believeth on theSon hath everlasting life, and shall never perish, neither shallany man pluck them out of Christ's Father's hands. "

And if thou dost indeed believe this, thou wilt not only confessHim as the Quakers do--that is, that He was born at Bethlehem ofMary, suffered on Mount Calvary under Pontius Pilate, was dead andburied, rose again, and ascended, etc. ; for all this they confess, and in the midst of their confession they do verily deny that Hisdeath on that Mount Calvary did give satisfaction to God for the sinsof the world, and that His resurrection out of Joseph's sepulchreis the cause of our justification in the sight of God, angels, anddevils; but, I say, if thou dost believe these things indeed, thoudost believe that then, so long ago, even before thou wast born, He did bear thy sins in His own body, which then was hanged onthe tree, and never before nor since; that thy old man was thencrucified with Him, namely, in the same body then crucified (See1 Peter 2:24; and Rom 6:6). This is nonsense to them that believenot; but if thou do indeed believe, thou seest it so plain, andyet such a mystery, that it makes thee wonder. But, [THIRD USE]. In the third place, this glorious doctrine of the newcovenant, and the Mediator thereof, will serve for the comforting, and the maintaining of the comfort, of the children of the newcovenant this way also--that is, that He did not only die and riseagain, but that He did ascend in His own Person into Heaven totake possession thereof for me, to prepare a place there for me, standeth there in the second part of His suretyship to bring mesafe in my coming thither, and to present me in a glorious manner, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; that He is thereexercising of His priestly office for me, pleading the perfectionof His own righteousness for me, and the virtue of His blood forme; that He is there ready to answer the accusations of the Law, devil, and sin for me. Here thou mayst through faith look the verydevil in the face, and rejoice, saying, O Satan! I have a preciousJesus, a soul-comforting Jesus, a sin-pardoning Jesus. Here thoumayst hear the biggest thunder-crack that the Law can give, andyet not be daunted. Here thou mayst say, O Law! thou mayst roaragainst sin, but thou canst not reach me; thou mayst curse andcondemn, but not my soul; for I have righteous Jesus, a holy Jesus, a soul-saving Jesus, and He hath delivered me from thy threats, from thy curses, from thy condemnations; I am out of thy reach, and out of thy bounds; I am brought into another covenant, underbetter promises, promises of life and salvation, free promises tocomfort me without my merit, even through the blood of Jesus, thesatisfaction given to God for me by Him; therefore, though thoulayest my sins to my charge, and sayest thou wilt prove me guilty, yet so long as Christ is above ground, and hath brought in everlastingrighteousness, and given that to me, I shall not fear thy threats, thy charges, thy soul-scarring denunciations; my Christ is all, hathdone all, and will deliver me from all that thou, and whatsoeverelse can bring an accusation against me. Thus also thou may say whendeath assaulteth thee--O death, where is thy sting? Thou mayst biteindeed, but thou canst not devour; I have comfort by and throughthe one Man Jesus; Jesus Christ, He hath taken thee captive, andtaken away thy strength; He hath pierced thy heart, and let outall thy soul-destroying poison; therefore, though I see thee, I amnot afraid of thee; though I feel thee, I am not daunted; for thouhast lost thy sting in the side of the Lord Jesus; through Him Iovercome thee, and set foot upon thee. Also, O Satan! though I hearthee grumble, and make a hellish noise, and though thou threaten mevery highly, yet my soul shall triumph over thee, so long as Christis alive and can be heard in Heaven; so long as He hath broken thyhead, and won the field of thee; so long as thou are in prison, andcanst not have thy desire. I, therefore, when I hear thy voice, dopitch my thoughts on Christ my Saviour, and do hearken when He willsay, for He will speak comfort; He saith, He hath got the victory, and doth give to me the crown, and causeth me to triumph throughHis most glorious conquest. 

Nay, my brethren, the saints under the Levitical Law, who had notthe new covenant sealed or confirmed any further than by promisethat it should be; I say, they, when they thought of the gloriousprivileges that God had promised should come, though at that timethey were not come, but seen afar off, how confidently were theypersuaded of them, and embraced them, and were so fully satisfiedas touching the certainty of them, that they did not stick at theparting with all for the enjoying of them. [Shall not we then thatsee all things already done before us make it a strong argumentto increase our faith (Heb 11). ] How many times doth David in thePsalms admire, triumph, and persuade others to do so also, throughthe faith that he had in the thing that was to be done? Also Job, in what faith doth he say he should see his Redeemer, though Hehad not then shed one drop of blood for him, yet because He hadpromised so to do; and this was signified by the blood of bullsand goats. Also Samuel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zechariah, etc. , howgloriously in confidence did they speak of Christ, and His death, blood, conquest, and everlasting priesthood, even before He didmanifest Himself in the flesh which He took of the Virgin. [Forthey were so many sure promises, with a remembrance in them, alsofor the better satisfaction of them that believed them]. We thathave lived since Christ, have more ground to hope than they underthe old covenant had, though they had the word of the just God forthe ground of their faith. Mark, they had only the promise that Heshould and would come; but we have the assured fulfilling of thosepromises, because He is come; they were told that He should spillHis blood, but we do see He hath spilt His blood; they ventured allupon His standing Surety for them, but we see He hath fulfilled, and that faithfully too, the office of His Suretyship, in that, according to the engagement, He hath redeemed us poor sinners;they ventured on the new covenant, though not actually sealed, only"because He judged Him faithful who had promised" (Heb 11:11). Butwe have the covenant sealed, all things are completely done, evenas sure as the heart-blood of a crucified Jesus can make it. 

There is a great difference between their dispensation and oursfor comfort, even as much as there is between the making of a bondwith a promise to seal it, and the sealing of the same. It wasmade indeed in their time, but it was not sealed until the timethe blood was shed on the Mount Calvary; and that we might indeedhave our faith mount up with wings like an eagle, he showeth us whatencouragement and ground of faith we have to conclude we shall beeverlastingly delivered, saying, "For where a testament" or covenant"is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. Fora testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of nostrength at all while the testator liveth. Whereupon neither thefirst testament was dedicated without blood" (Heb 9:16-18). AsChrist's blood was the confirmation of the new covenant, yet itwas not sealed in Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob's days to confirm thecovenant that God did tell them of, and yet they believed; thereforewe ought to give the more earnest heed to believe the things thatwe have heard, and not in any wise to let them be questioned; andthe rather, because you see the testament is not only now made, but confirmed; not only spoken of and promised, but verily sealedby the death and blood of Jesus, who is the Testator thereof. 

My brethren, I would not leave you ignorant of this one thing, thatthough the Jews had the promise of a sacrifice, of an everlastingHigh Priest that should deliver them, yet they had but the promise;for Christ was not sacrificed, and was not then come a high priestof good things to come; only the type, the shadow, the figure, theceremonies they had, together with Christ's engaging as Surety tobring all things to pass that were promised should come, and uponthat account received and saved. 

It was with them and their dispensation as this similitude givesyou to understand:--Set the case that there be two men who make acovenant that the one should give the other ten thousand sheep oncondition the other give him two thousand pound; but forasmuch asthe money is not to be paid down presently, therefore if he thatbuyeth the sheep will have any of them before the day of payment, the creditor requesteth a surety; and upon the engagement of thesurety there is part of the sheep given to the debtor even beforethe day of payment, but the other at and after. So it is here; Christcovenanted with His Father for His sheep--"I lay down My life forMy sheep, " saith He--but the money was not to be paid down so soonas the bargain was made, as I have already said, yet some of thesheep were saved even before the money was paid, and that becauseof the Suretyship of Christ; as it is written, "Being justified, " orsaved, "freely by His grace through the redemption, " or purchase, "that is in Christ Jesus. Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiationthrough faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for theremission of sins that are past, " or the sinners who died in thefaith before Christ was crucified, through God's forbearing till thepayment was paid; to declare, I say, at this time His righteousness;"that He might be just, and the justifier of him which believethin Jesus" (Rom 3:24-26). 

The end of my speaking of this is, to show you that it is not wisdomnow to doubt whether God will save you or no, but to believe, becauseall things are finished as to our justification: the covenant notonly made, but also sealed; the debt paid, the prison doors flungoff of the hooks, with a proclamation from Heaven of deliveranceto the prisoners of hope, saying, "Turn you to the stronghold, yeprisoners of hope, even today do I declare, " saith God, "that Iwill render double unto thee" (Zech 9:12). And, saith Christ, whenHe was come, "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hathanointed Me to preach the Gospel, " that is, good tidings "to thepoor, " that their sins should be pardoned, that their souls shallbe saved. "He hath sent Me to heal the broken-hearted, to preachdeliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, " and to comfort them thatmourn, "to preach the acceptable year of the Lord" (Luke 4:18, 19). 

Therefore here, soul, thou mayst come to Jesus Christ for anythingthou wantest, as to a common treasure-house, being the principalMan for the distributing of the things made mention of in the newcovenant, He having them all in His own custody by right of purchase;for He hath bought them all, paid for them all. Dost thou wantfaith? then come for it to the Man Christ Jesus (Heb 12:2). Dostthou want the Spirit? then ask it of Jesus. Dost thou want wisdom?Dost thou want grace of any sort? Dost thou want a new heart? Dostthou want strength against thy lusts, against the devil's temptations?Dost thou want strength to carry thee through afflictions of body, and afflictions of spirit, through persecutions? Wouldst thouwillingly hold out, stand to the last, and be more than a conqueror?then be sure thou meditate enough on the merits of the blood ofJesus, how He hath undertaken for thee, that He hath done the workof thy salvation in thy room, that He is filled of God on purposeto fill thee, and is willing to communicate whatsoever is in Himor about Him to thee. Consider this, I say, and triumph in it. 

Again; this may inform us of the safe state of the saints as touchingtheir perseverance, that they shall stand though Hell rages, thoughthe devil roareth, and all the world endeavoureth the ruin of thesaints of God, though some, through ignorance of the virtue of theoffering of the body of Jesus Christ, do say a man may be a childof God today, and a child of the devil tomorrow, which is grossignorance; for what? Is the blood of Christ, the death of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, of no more virtue than to bring in forus an uncertain salvation? or must the effectualness of Christ'smerits, as touching our perseverance, be helped on by the doingsof man? Surely they that are predestinated are also justified;and they that are justified, they shall be glorified (Rom 8:30). Saints, do not doubt of the salvation of your souls, unless you dointend to undervalue Christ's blood; and do not think but that Hethat hath begun the good work of His grace in you will perfect itto the second coming of our Lord Jesus (Phil 1:6). Should not we, as well as Paul, say, I am persuaded that nothing shall separateus from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus (Rom 8). O letthe saints know, that unless the devil can pluck Christ out ofHeaven, he cannot pull a true believer out of Christ. When I saya true believer, I do mean such an one as hath the faith of theoperation of God in his soul. 

Lastly, Is there such mercy as this? such privileges as these? Isthere so much ground of comfort, and so much cause to be glad? Isthere so much store in Christ, and such a ready heart in Him togive it to me? Hath His bleeding wounds so much in them, as thatthe fruits thereof should be the salvation of my soul, of my sinfulsoul, as to save me, sinful me, rebellious me, desperate me? Whatthen? Shall not I now be holy? Shall not I now study, strive, andlay out myself for Him that hath laid out Himself soul and bodyfor me? Shall I now love ever a lust or sin? Shall I now be ashamedof the cause, ways, people, or saints of Jesus Christ? Shall I nowyield my members as instruments of righteousness, seeing my endis everlasting life? (Rom 6). Shall Christ think nothing too dearfor me? and shall I count anything too dear for Him? Shall I grieveHim with my foolish carriage? Shall I slight His counsel by followingof my own will? Thus, therefore, the doctrine of the new covenantdoth call for holiness, engage to holiness, and maketh the childrenof that covenant to take pleasure therein. Let no man, therefore, conclude on this, that the doctrine of the Gospel is a licentiousdoctrine; but if they do, it is because they are fools, and suchas have not tasted of the virtue of the blood of Jesus Christ;neither did they ever feel the nature and sway that the love ofChrist hath in the hearts of His. And thus also you may see thatthe doctrine of the Gospel is of great advantage to the people ofGod that are already come in, or to them that shall at the considerationhereof be willing to come in, to partake of the glorious benefitsof this glorious covenant. But, saith the poor soul, Object. Alas! I doubt this is too good for me. 

Inquirer. Why so, I pray you?

Object. Alas! because I am a sinner. 

Reply. Why, all this is bestowed upon none but sinners, as it iswritten, While we were ungodly, Christ died for us (Rom 5:6, 8). "He came into the world to save sinners" (1 Tim 1:15). 

Object. O, but I am one of the chief of sinners. 

Reply. Why, this is for the chief of sinners--"Christ Jesus cameinto the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief, " saith Paul (1Tim 1:15). 

Object. O, but my sins are so big, that I cannot conceive how Ishould have mercy. 

Reply. Why, soul? Didst thou ever kill anybody? Didst thou ever burnany of thy children in the fire to idols? Hast thou been a witch?Didst thou ever use enchantments and conjuration? [You that areresolved to go on in your sins, meddle not with this]. Didst thouever curse, and swear, and deny Christ? And yet if thou hast, there is yet hopes of pardon; yea, such sinners as these have beenpardoned, as appears by these and the like Scriptures, 2 Chronicles33:1-10, compared with verses 12, 13. Again, Acts 19:19, 20; 8:22, compared with verse 9; Matthew 26:74, 75. 

Object. But though I have not sinned in such kind of sins, yet itmay be I have sinned as bad. 

Answ. That cannot likely be; yet though thou hast, still there isground of mercy for thee, forasmuch as thou art under the promise(John 6:37). 

The unpardonable sin. 

Object. Alas! man, I am afraid that I have sinned the unpardonablesin, and therefore there is no hope for me. 

Answ. Dost thou know what the unpardonable sin, the sin againstthe Holy Ghost, is? and when it is committed?

Reply. It is a sin against light. 

Answ. That is true; yet every sin against light is not the sinagainst the Holy Ghost. 

Reply. Say you so?

Answ. Yea, and I prove it thus--If every sin against light had beenthe sin that is unpardonable, then had David and Peter and otherssinned that sin; but though they did sin against light, yet theydid not sin that sin; therefore every sin against light is not thesin against the Holy Ghost, the unpardonable sin. 

Object. But the Scripture saith, "If we sin willfully after that wehave received the knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no moresacrifice for sins; but a certain fearful looking for of judgmentand fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. "

Answ. Do you know what that willful sin is?

Reply. Why, what is it? Is it not for a man to sin willingly afterenlightening?

Answ. 1. Yes; yet doubtless every willing sin is not that; for thenDavid had sinned it when he lay with Bathsheba; and Jonah, when hefled from the presence of the Lord; and Solomon also, when he hadso many concubines. 2. But that sin is a sin that is of anothernature, which is this--For a man after he hath made some professionof salvation to come alone by the blood of Jesus, together withsome light and power of the same upon his spirit; I say, for himafter this knowingly, willfully, and despitefully to trample uponthe blood of Christ shed on the Cross, and to count it an unholything, or no better than the blood of another man, and rather toventure his soul any other way than to be saved by this preciousblood. And this must be done, I say, after some light (Heb 6:4, 5)despitefully (Heb 10:29) knowingly (2 Peter 2:21) and willfully (Heb10:26 compared with verse 29) and that not in a hurry and suddenfit, as Peter's was, but with some time beforehand to pause uponit first, with Judas; and also with a continued resolution neverto turn or be converted again; "for it is impossible to renew suchagain to repentance, " they are so resolved and so desperate (Heb6). 

Quest. And how sayest thou now? Didst thou ever, after thou hadstreceived some blessed light from Christ, willfully, despitefully, and knowingly stamp or trample the blood of the Man Christ Jesusunder thy feet? and art thou for ever resolved so to do?

Answ. O no; I would not do that willfully, despitefully, andknowingly, not for all the world. 

Inquiry. But yet I must tell you, now you put me in mind of it, surely sometimes I have most horrible blasphemous thoughts in meagainst God, Christ, and the Spirit. May not these be that sin Itrow?

Answ. Dost thou delight in them? Are they such things as thou takestpleasure in?

Reply. O no; neither would I do it for a thousand worlds. O, methinksthey make me sometimes tremble to think of them. But how and if Ishould delight in them before I am aware?

Answ. Beg of God for strength against them, and if at any time thoufindest thy wicked heart to give way in the least thereto, for thatis likely enough, and though thou find it may on a sudden give wayto that Hell-bred wickedness that is in it, yet do not despair, forasmuch as Christ hath said, "All manner of sins and blasphemiesshall be forgiven to the sons of men. And whosoever speaketh a wordagainst the Son of man, " that is Christ, as he may do with Peter, through temptation, yet upon repentance, "it shall be forgiven him"(Matt 12:31, 32). 

Object. But I thought it might have been committed all on a sudden, either by some blasphemous thought, or else by committing someother horrible sin. 

Answ. For certain, this sin and the commission of it doth lie in aknowing, willful, malicious, or despiteful, together with a finaltrampling the blood of sweet Jesus under foot (Heb 10). 

Object. But it seems to be rather a resisting of the Spirit, and themotions thereof, than this which you say; for, first, its propertitle is the sin against the Holy Ghost; and again, "They have donedespite unto the Spirit of grace"; so that it rather seems to be, I say, that a resisting of the Spirit, and the movings thereof, isthat sin. 

Answ. First. For certain, the sin is committed by them that do asbefore I have said--that is, by a final, knowing, willful, malicioustrampling under foot the blood of Christ, which was shed on MountCalvary when Jesus was there crucified. And though it be calledthe sin against the Spirit, yet as I said before, every sin againstthe Spirit is not that; for if it were, then every sin against thelight and convictions of the Spirit would be unpardonable; but thatis an evident untruth, for these reasons--First, Because there bethose who have sinned against the movings of the Spirit, and thatknowingly too, and yet did not commit that sin; as Jonah, who whenGod had expressly by His Spirit bid him go to Nineveh, he runsthereupon quite another way. Secondly, Because the very people thathave sinned against the movings of the Spirit are yet, if theydo return, received to mercy. Witness also Jonah, who though hehad sinned against the movings of the Spirit of the Lord in doingcontrary thereunto, "yet when he called, " as he saith, "to theLord, " out of the belly of Hell, "the LORD heard him, and gavehim deliverance, and set him again about his work. " Read the wholestory of that Prophet. But, Answ. Second. I shall show you that it must needs be willfully, knowingly, and a malicious rejecting of the Man Christ Jesus asthe Saviour--that is, counting His blood, His righteousness, Hisintercession in His own Person, for he that rejects one rejectsall, to be of no value as to salvation; I say, this I shall showyou is the unpardonable sin, and then afterwards in brief show youwhy it is called the sin against the Holy Ghost. 

[Must be a willfully and maliciously rejecting the Saviour. ]

1. That man that doth reject, as aforesaid, the blood, death, righteousness, resurrection, ascension, and intercession of the ManChrist, doth reject that sacrifice, that blood, that righteousness, that victory, that rest, that God alone hath appointed forsalvation--"Behold the Lamb, " or sacrifice, "of God" (John 1:29). "We have redemption through His blood" (Eph 1:7). That I may "befound in Him"--to wit, in Christ's righteousness, with Christ'sown personal obedience to His Father's will (Phil 3:7-10). By Hisresurrection comes justification (Rom 4:25). His intercession nowin His own Person in the Heavens, now absent from His saints, isthe cause of the saints' perseverance (Rom 8:33-39). 

2. They that reject this sacrifice, and the merits of this Christ, which He by Himself hath brought in for sinners, have rejected Himthrough whom alone all the promises of the New Testament, togetherwith all the mercy discovered thereby, doth come unto poor creatures--"Forall the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him amen, unto theglory of God" (2 Cor 1:20). And all spiritual blessings are madeover to us through Him; that is, through and in this Man, which isChrist, we have all our spiritual, heavenly, and eternal mercies(Eph 1:3, 4). 

3. He that doth knowingly, willfully, and despitefully reject thisMan for salvation doth sin the unpardonable sin, because there isnever another sacrifice to be offered. "There is no more offeringfor sin. --There remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, " (Heb 10:18-26);namely, than the offering of the body of Jesus Christ a sacrificeonce for all (Heb 10:10, 14, compared with 18, 26). No; but they thatshall, after light and clear conviction, reject the first offeringof His body for salvation, do crucify Him the second time, whichirrecoverably merits their own damnation--"For it is impossible forthose who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenlygift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tastedthe good Word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if theyshall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing theycrucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an openshame" (Heb 6:4-6). "If they shall fall away, to renew them againunto repentance. " And why so? Seeing, saith the Apostle, they docrucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and do put Him to anopen shame. O, then, how miserably hath the devil deceived some, in that he hath got them to reject the merits of the first offeringof the body of Christ, which was for salvation, and got them totrust in a fresh crucifying of Christ, which unavoidably bringstheir speedy damnation. 

4. They that do reject this Man, as aforesaid, do sin the unpardonablesin, because in rejecting Him they do make way for the justice ofGod to break out upon them, and to handle them as it shall findthem; which will be, in the first place, sinners against the firstcovenant; and also despising of, even the life, and glory, andconsolations, pardon, grace, and love, that is discovered in thesecond covenant, forasmuch as they reject the Mediator and priestof the same, which is the Man Jesus. And the man that doth so, Iwould fain see how his sins should be pardoned, and his soul saved, seeing the means, which is the Son of Man, the Son of Mary, and Hismerits, are rejected; "for, " saith He, "if you believe not that Iam He, you shall, " mark, "you shall, " do what you can; "you shall, "appear where you can; "you shall, " follow Moses' law, or any holinesswhatsoever, "ye shall die in your sins" (John 8:24). So that, I say, the sin that is called the unpardonable sin is a knowing, willful, and despiteful rejecting of the sacrificing of the Son of Man thefirst time for sin. 

[Why it is called the sin against the Holy Ghost. ]

And now to show you why it is called the sin against the Holy Ghost, as in these Scriptures, (Matt 12; Heb 10; Mark 3). 

1. Because they sin against the manifest light of the Spirit, as Isaid before; it is a sin against the light of the Spirit--that is, they have been formerly enlightened into the nature of the Gospeland the merits of the Man Christ, and His blood, righteousness, intercession, etc. ; and also professed and confessed the same, with some life and comfort in and through the profession of Him;yet now against all that light, maliciously, and with despite toall their former profession, turn their backs and trample upon thesame. 

2. It is called the sin against the Holy Ghost because such aperson doth, as I may say, lay violent hands on it; one that setshimself in opposition to, and is resolved to resist all the motionsthat do come in from the Spirit to persuade the contrary. For I doverily believe that men, in this very rejecting of the Son of God, after some knowledge of Him, especially at their first resistingand refusing of Him, they have certain motions of the Spirit ofGod to dissuade them from so great a soul-damning act. But they, being filled with an overpowering measure of the spirit of thedevil, do despite unto these convictions and motions by studyingand contriving how they may answer them, and get from underthe convincing nature of them, and therefore it is called a doingdespite unto the Spirit of Grace (Heb 10:29). And so, 3. In that they do reject the beseeching of the Spirit, and all itsgentle entreatings of the soul to tarry still in the same doctrine. 

4. In that they do reject the very testimony of the Prophets andApostles with Christ Himself; I say, their testimony, through theSpirit, of the power, virtue, sufficiency, and prevalency of theblood, sacrifice, death, resurrection, ascension, and intercessionof the Man Christ Jesus, of which the Scriptures are full both in theOld and New Testament, as the Apostle saith, for all the Prophetsfrom Samuel, with them that follow after, have showed of thesedays--that is, in which Christ should be a sacrifice for sin (Acts3:24, compared with verses 6, 13-15, 18, 26). Again, saith, he, "Hetherefore that despiseth not man, but God; who hath also given untous His Holy Spirit" (1 Thessalonians 4:8); that is, he rejectethor despiseth the very testimony of the Spirit. 

5. It is called the sin against the Holy Ghost, because he thatdoth reject and disown the doctrine of salvation by the Man ChristJesus, through believing in Him, doth despise, resist, and rejectthe wisdom of the Spirit; for the wisdom of God's Spirit did nevermore appear than its finding out a way for sinners to be reconciledto God by the death of this Man; and therefore Christ, as He is asacrifice, is called the wisdom of God. And again, when it doth revealthe Lord Jesus it is called the "Spirit of wisdom and revelationin the knowledge of Him" (Eph 1:17). 

Object. But, some may say, the slighting or rejecting of the Sonof Man, Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary, cannot be the sin thatis unpardonable, as is clear from that Scripture in Matthew 12:32, where He Himself saith, "Whosoever speaketh a word against the Sonof Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whosoever speaketh against theHoly Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come. " Now by this it is clear that the sinthat is unpardonable is one thing, and the sin against the Son ofMan another; that sin that is against the Son of Man is pardonable;but if that was the sin against the Holy Ghost, it would not bepardonable; therefore the sin against the Son of Man is not thesin against the Holy Ghost, the unpardonable sin. 

Answ. 1. I do know full well that there are several persons thathave been pardoned, yet have sinned against the Son of Man, andthat have for a time rejected Him, as Paul (1 Tim 1:13, 14) alsothe Jews (Acts 2:36, 37). But there was an ignorant rejecting ofHim, without the enlightening, and taste, and feeling of the powerof the things of God, made mention in Hebrews 6:3-6. 2. There isand hath been a higher manner of sinning against the Son of Man, which also hath been, and is still, pardonable; as in the caseof Peter, who in a violent temptation, in a mighty hurry, upon asudden denied Him, and that after the revelation of the Spirit ofGod from Heaven to him, that He, Jesus, was the Son of God (Matt16:16-18). This also is pardonable, if there be a coming up againto repentance. O, rich grace! O, wonderful grace! that God shouldbe so full of love to His poor creatures, that though they do sinagainst the Son of God, either through ignorance, or some suddenviolent charge breaking loose from Hell upon them, but yet take iffor certain that if a man do slight and reject the Son of God andthe Spirit in that manner as I have before hinted--that is, for aman after some great measure of the enlightening by the Spirit ofGod, and some profession of Jesus Christ to be the Saviour, andHis blood that was shed on the mount without the gates of Jerusalemto be the Atonement; I say, he that shall after this knowingly, willfully, and out of malice and despite reject, speak against, andtrample that doctrine under foot, resolving for ever so to do, andif he there continue, I will pawn my soul upon it, he hath sinnedthe unpardonable sin, and shall never be forgiven, neither in thisworld, nor in the world to come; or else these Scriptures thattestify the truth of this must be scrabbled out, and must be lookedupon for mere fables, which are these following--"For if after theyhave escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge ofour Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, " which is the Son of Man (Matt16:13) "and are again entangled therein, and overcome, " which mustbe by denying this Lord that brought them (2 Peter 2:1) "the latterend is worse with them than the beginning, " (2 Peter 2:20). For itis impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tastedof the heavenly gift--and have tasted the good Word of God, andthe powers of the world to come; if they shall fall away, not onlyfall, but fall away, that is, finally (Heb 10:29) "it is impossibleto renew them again unto repentance"; and the reason is rendered, "seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God, " which is theSon of Man, "afresh, and put Him to an open shame" (Heb 6:4-6). Now if you would further know what it is to crucify the Son of Godafresh, it is this--for to undervalue and trample under foot themerits and virtue of His blood for remission of sins, as is clearlymanifested in Hebrews 10:26-28, where it is said, "For if we sinwillfully after that we have received the knowledge of the Truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearfullooking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devourthe adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy, --ofhow much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, " there is the secondcrucifying of Christ, which the Quakers think to be saved by, "andhath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, "--and then followeth--"and hath done despite untothe Spirit of Grace?" (verse 29). All that Paul had to keep himfrom this sin was, his ignorance in persecuting the Man and meritsof Jesus Christ (Acts 9). But I obtained mercy, saith he, becauseI did it ignorantly (1 Tim 1:13). And Peter, though he did deny Himknowingly, yet he did it unwillingly, and in a sudden and fearfultemptation, and so by the intercession of Jesus escaped thatdanger. So, I say, they that commit this sin, they do it afterlight, knowingly, willfully, and despitefully, and in the open viewof the whole world reject the Son of Man for being their Lord andSaviour, and in that it is called the sin against the Holy Ghost. It is a name most fit for this sin to be called the sin againstthe Holy Ghost, for these reasons but now laid down; for this sinis immediately committed against the motions, and convictions, andlight of the Holy Spirit of God that makes it its business to handforth and manifest the truth and reality of the merits and virtuesof the Lord Jesus, the Son of Man. And therefore beware, Ranters andQuakers, for I am sure you are the nearest that sin by profession, which is, indeed, the right committing of it, of any persons thatI do know at this day under the whole heavens, forasmuch as youwill not venture the salvation of your souls on the blood shed onMount Calvary, out of the side of that Man that was offered up insacrifice for all that did believe (Luke 23:33). In that His offeringup of His body at that time, either before He offered it, or thathave, do, or shall believe on it for the time since, together withthat time that He offered it, though formerly you did profess thatsalvation was wrought out that way, by that sacrifice then offered, and also seemed to have some comfort thereby; yea, insomuch thatsome of you declared the same in the hearing of many, professingyourselves to be believers of the same. O, therefore, it is sad foryou that were once enlightened, and have tasted these good things, and yet, notwithstanding all your profession, you are now turnedfrom the simplicity that is in Christ to another doctrine, whichwill be your destruction, if you continue in it; for without bloodthere is no remission (Heb 9:22). 

Many other reasons might be given, but that I would not be tootedious; yet I would put in this caution, that if there be anysouls that be but now willing to venture their salvation upon themerits of a naked Jesus, I do verily for the present believe theyhave not sinned that sin, because there is still a promise holdsforth itself to such a soul where Christ saith, "Him that comethto me, I will in nowise, " for nothing that he hath done, "cast himout" (John 6:37). That promise is worth to be written in lettersof gold. 

Objections answered for their comfort who would have their part inthe New Covenant. 

Object. But, alas, though I should never sin that sin, yet I haveother sins enough to damn me. 

Answ. What though thou hadst the sins of a thousand sinners, yetif thou come to Christ, He will save thee (John 6:37; See alsoHebrews 7:25). 

Object. Alas, but how shall I come? I doubt I do not come as Ishould do? My heart is naught and dead; and, alas! then how shouldI come?

Answ. Why, bethink thyself of all the sins that ever thou didstcommit, and lay the weight of them all upon thy heart, till thouart down loaden with the same, and come to Him in such a case asthis, and He will give thee rest for thy soul (Matt 11:28-30). Andagain; if thou wouldst know how thou shouldst come, come as muchundervaluing thyself as ever thou canst, saying, Lord, here is asinner, the basest in all the country; if I had my deserts, I hadbeen damned in Hell-fire long ago; Lord, I am not worthy to havethe least corner in the Kingdom of Heaven; and yet, O that Thouwouldst have mercy! Come like Benhadad's servants to the king ofIsrael, with a rope about thy neck (1 Kings 20:31, 32) and flingthyself at Christ's feet, and lie there a while, striving with Himby thy prayers, and I will warrant thee speed (Matt 11:28-30; John6:37). 

Object. O, but I am not sanctified. 

Answ. He will sanctify thee, and be made thy sanctification also(1 Cor 1:30; 6:10, 11). 

Object. O, but I cannot pray. 

Answ. To pray is not for thee to down on thy knees, and say overa many Scripture words only; for that thou mayest do, and yet donothing but babble. But if thou from a sense of thy baseness canstgroan out thy heart's desire before the Lord, He will hear thee, and grant thy desire; for He can tell what is the meaning of thegroanings of the Spirit (Rom 8:26, 27). 

Object. O, but I am afraid to pray, for fear my prayers should becounted as sin in the sight of the great God. 

Answ. That is a good sign that thy prayers are more than bare words, and have some prevalence at the Throne of Grace through ChristJesus, or else the devil would never seek to labour to beat theeoff from prayer by undervaluing thy prayers, telling thee they aresin; for the best prayers he will call the worst, and the worst hewill call the best, or else how should he be a liar?

Object. But I am afraid the day of grace is past; and if it shouldbe so, what should I do then?

Answ. Truly, with some men indeed it doth fare thus, that the dayof grace is at an end before their lives are at end. Or thus, theday of grace is past before the day of death is come, as Christsaith, "If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace, " that is, the word of graceor reconciliation, "but now they are hid from thine eyes" (Luke19:41, 42). But for the better satisfying of thee as touching thisthing, consider these following things--

First, Doth the Lord knock still at the door of thy heart by HisWord and Spirit? If so, then the day of grace is not past with thysoul; for where He doth so knock, there He doth also proffer andpromise to come in and sup, that is, to communicate of His thingsunto them, which he would not do was the day of grace past withhis soul (Rev 3:20). 

Object. But how should I know whether Christ do so knock at myheart as to be desirous to come in? That I may know also, whetherthe day of grace be past with me or no?

Answ. Consider these things--1. Doth the Lord make thee sensible ofthy miserable state without an interest in Jesus Christ, and thatnaturally thou hast no share in Him, no faith in Him, no communionwith Him, no delight in Him, or love in the least to Him? If Hehath, and is doing this, He hath, and is knocking at thy heart. 2. Doth He, together with this, put into thy heart an earnest desireafter communion with Him, together with holy resolutions not tobe satisfied without real communion with Him. 3. Doth He sometimesgive thee some secret persuasions, though scarcely discernible, that thou mayest attain, and get an interest in Him? 4. Doth Henow and then glance in some of the promises into thy heart, causingthem to leave some heavenly savour, though but for a very shorttime, on thy spirit? 5. Dost thou at some time see some littleexcellency in Christ? And doth all this stir up in thy heart somebreathing after Him? If so, then fear not, the day of grace is notpast with thy poor soul; for if the day of grace should be pastwith such a soul as this, then that Scripture must be broken whereChrist saith, "Him that cometh to Me, I will in nowise, " for nothing, by no means, upon no terms whatsoever, "cast out. " (John 6:37). 

Object. But surely, if the day of grace was not past with me, Ishould not be so long without an answer of God's love to my soul;that therefore doth make me mistrust my state the more is, that Iwait and wait, and yet am not delivered. 

Answ. 1. Hast thou waited on the Lord so long as the Lord hath waitedon thee? It may be the Lord hath waited on thee these twenty, orthirty, yes, forty years or more, and thou hath not waited on Himseven years. Cast this into thy mind, therefore, when Satan tellsthee that God doth not love thee, because thou hast waited so longwithout an assurance, for it is his temptation, for God did waitlonger upon thee, and was fain to send to thee by His ambassadorstime after time; and, therefore, say thou, I will wait to see whatthe Lord will say unto me; and the rather, because He will speakpeace, for He is the Lord thereof. But, 2. Know that it is not thybeing under trouble a long time that will be an argument sufficientlyto prove that thou art past hopes; nay, contrariwise, for Jesus Christdid take our nature upon Him, and also did undertake deliverancefor those, and bring it in for them who "were all their LIFETIMEsubject to bondage" (Heb 2:14, 15). 

Object. But alas! I am not able to wait, all my strength is gone;I have waited so long, I can wait no longer. 

Answ. It may be thou hast concluded on this long ago, thinkingthou shouldst not be able to hold out any longer; no, not a year, a month, or a week; nay, it may be, not so long. It may be in themorning thou hast thought thou shouldst not hold out till night;and at night, till morning again; yet the Lord hath supported thee, and kept thee in waiting upon Him many weeks and years; thereforethat is but the temptation of the devil to make thee think so, thathe might drive thee to despair of God's mercy, and so to leave offfollowing the ways of God, and to close in with thy sins again. O therefore do not give way unto it, but believe that thou shalt"see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait onthe Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen thine heart;wait, I say, on the Lord" (Psa 28:13, 14). And that thou mayest sodo, consider these things--(1. ) If thou, after thou hast waitedthus long, shouldst now give over, and wait no longer, thou wouldstlose all thy time and pains that thou hast taken in the way of Godhitherto, and wilt be like to a man that, because he sought longfor gold, and did not find it, therefore turned back from seekingafter it, though he was hard by it, and had almost found it, andall because he was loath to look and seek a little further. (2. )Thou wilt not only lose thy time, but also lose thy own soul, forsalvation is nowhere else but in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12). (3. )Thou wilt sin the highest sin that ever thou didst sin before, indrawing finally back, insomuch that God may say, My soul shall haveno pleasure in him (Heb 10:38). But, 2. Consider, thou sayest, allmy strength is gone, and therefore how should I wait? Why, at thattime when thou feelest and findest thy strength quite gone, eventhat is the time when the Lord will renew and give thee freshstrength. "The youths shall faint and be weary, and the young menshall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renewtheir strength: they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shallrun and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint" (Isa 40:30, 31). 

Object. But though I do wait, yet if I be not elected to eternallife, what good will all my waiting do me? "For it is not of himthat willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showethmercy. " Therefore, I say, if I should not be elected, all is invain. 

Answ. 1. Why in the first place, to be sure thy backsliding from Godwill not prove thy election, neither thy growing weary of waitingupon God. But, 2. Thou art, it may be, troubled to know whetherthou art elected; and, sayest thou, If I did but know that, thatwould encourage me in my waiting on God. Answ. I believe thee;but mark, thou shalt not know thy election in the first place, butin the second--that is to say, thou must first get acquaintancewith God in Christ, which doth come by thy giving credit to Hispromises, and records which He hath given of Jesus Christ's bloodand righteousness, together with the rest of His merits--that is, before thou canst know whether thou are elected, thou must believein Jesus Christ so really, that thy faith laying hold of, anddrinking and eating the flesh and blood of Christ, even so thatthere shall be life begotten in thy soul by the same; life fromthe condemnings of the Law; life from the guilt of sin; life overthe filth of the same; life also to walk with God in His Son andways; the life of love to God the Father, and Jesus Christ His Son, saints and ways and that because they are holy, harmless, and suchthat are altogether contrary to iniquity. 

For these things must be in thy soul as a forerunner of thy beingmade acquainted with the other; God hath these two ways to showHis children their election--(1. ) By testimony of the Spirit--thatis, the soul being under trouble of conscience and grieved forsin, the Spirit doth seal up the soul by its comfortable testimony;persuading of the soul that God, for Christ's sake, hath forgivenall those sins that lie so heavy on the conscience, and that doso much perplex the soul, by showing it that that Law, which dothutter such horrible curses against it, is by Christ's blood satisfiedand fulfilled (Eph 1:13, 14). (2. ) By consequence--that is, the soulfinding that God hath been good unto it, in that He hath showedit its lost state and miserable condition, and also that He hathgiven it some comfortable hope that He will save it from the same;I say, the soul, from a right sight thereof, doth, or may, drawthis conclusion, that if God had not been minded to have saved it, He would not have done for it such things as these. But for themore sure dealing with thy soul, it is not good to take any ofthese apart--that is, it is not good to take the testimony of theSpirit, as thou supposest thou hast, apart from the fruits thereof, soas to conclude the testimony thou hast received to be a sufficientground without the other; not that it is not, if it be the testimonyof the Spirit, but because the devil doth also deceive souls by theworkings of his spirit in them, pretending that it is the Spiritof God. And again; thou shouldst not satisfy thyself, though thoudo find some seekings in thee after that which is good, withoutthe testimony of the other--that is to say, of the Spirit--for itis the testimony of two that is to be taken for the truth; therefore, say I, as thou shouldst be much in praying for the Spirit totestify assurance to thee, so also thou shouldst look to the endof it when thou thinkest thou hast it; which is this, to show theethat it is alone for Christ's sake that thy sins are forgiven thee, and also thereby a constraining of thee to advance Him, both bywords and works, in holiness and righteousness all the days of thylife. From hence thou mayst boldly conclude thy election--"Rememberingwithout ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, andpatience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God andour Father. Knowing, brethren, " saith the Apostle, "beloved, yourelection of God. " But how? why by this, "For our Gospel came notunto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance. And ye became followers of us, and of theLord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy ofthe Holy Ghost: so that ye were ensamples to all that believe inMacedonia and Achaia. And to wait for His Son from Heaven, whomHe raised from the dead, even Jesus, which" hath "delivered us fromthe wrath to come" (1 Thess 3:4-6, 10). 

Object. But alas, for my part, instead of finding in me anything thatis good, I find in me all manners of wickedness, hard-heartedness, hypocricy, coldness of affection to Christ, very great unbelief, together with everything that is base and of an ill savour. Whathope therefore can I have?

Answ. If thou wast not such an one, thou hadst no need of mercy. If thou wast whole, thou hadst no need of the physician. Dost thoutherefore see thyself in such a sad condition as this? Thou hast themore need to come to Christ, that thou mayst be not only cleansedfrom these evils, but also that thou mayst be delivered from thatwrath they will bring upon thee, if thou dost not get rid of them, to all eternity. 

Quest. But how should I do? and what course should I take to bedelivered from this sad and troublesome condition?

Answ. Dost thou see in thee all manner of wickedness? The best waythat I can direct a soul in such a case is, to pitch a steadfasteye on Him that is full, and to look so steadfastly upon Him byfaith, that thereby thou mayst even draw down of His fullness intothy heart; for that is the right way, and the way that was typedout, before Christ came in the flesh, in the time of Moses, whenthe Lord said unto him, "Make thee a fiery serpent" of brass, whichwas a type of Christ "and set it upon a pole; and it shall cometo pass" that when a serpent hath bitten any man, "when he lookethupon it, shall live" (Num 21:8). Even so now in Gospel times, whenany soul is bitten with the fiery serpents--their sins--that thenthe next way to be healed is, for the soul to look upon the Son ofMan, who, as the serpent was, was hanged on a pole, or tree, thatwhosoever shall indeed look on Him by faith may be healed of alltheir distempers whatever (John 3:14, 15). 

As now to instance in some things. 1. Is thy heart hard? Why, then, behold how full of bowels and compassion is the heart of Christtowards thee, which may be seen in His coming down from Heaven tospill His heart-blood for thee. 2. Is thy heart slothful and idle?Then see how active the Lord Jesus is for thee in that He did notonly die for thee, but also in that He hath been ever since Hisascension into Heaven making intercession for thee (Heb 7:25). 3. Dost thou see and find in thee iniquity and unrighteousness? Thenlook up to Heaven, and see there a righteous Person, even thyrighteous Jesus Christ, now presenting thee in His own perfectionbefore the throne of His Father's glory (1 Cor 1:30). 4. Dostthou see that thou art very much void of sanctification? Then lookup, and thou shalt see that thy sanctification is in the presenceof God a complete sanctification, representing all the saints asrighteous, as sanctified ones in the presence of the great God ofHeaven. And so whatsoever thou wantest, be sure to strive to pitchthy faith upon the Son of God, and behold Him steadfastly, and thoushalt, by so doing, find a mighty change in thy soul. For when webehold Him as in a glass, even the glory of the Lord, we are changed, namely, by beholding, "from glory to glory, even as by the Spiritof the Lord" (2 Cor 3:18). This is the true way to get both comfortto thy soul, and also sanctification and right holiness into thysoul. 

Poor souls that are under the distemper of a guilty conscience, and under the workings of much corruption, do not go the nearestway to Heaven if they do not in the first place look upon themselvesas cursed sinners by Law; and yet at that time they are blessed, for ever blessed saints by the merits of Jesus Christ. "O wretchedman that I am, " saith Paul; and yet, O blessed man that I am, throughmy Lord Jesus Christ; for that is the scope of the Scripture (Rom7:24, 25). 

Object. But, alas, I am blind, and cannot see; what shall I do now?

Answ. Why, truly, thou must go to Him that can make the eyes thatare blind to see, even to our Lord Jesus, by prayer, saying, as thepoor blind man did, "Lord, that I might receive my sight"; and socontinue begging Him, till thou do receive sight, even a sight ofJesus Christ, His death, blood, resurrection, ascension, intercession, and that for thee, even for thee. And the rather, because, 1. Hehath invited thee to come and buy such eye-salve of Him that maymake thee see (Rev 3:18). 2. Because thou shalt never have any truecomfort till thou dost thus come to see and behold the Lamb of Godthat hath taken away thy sins (John 1:29). 3. Because that therebythou wilt be able through grace, to step over and turn aside from theseveral stumbling-blocks that Satan, together with his instruments, hath laid in our way, which otherwise thou wilt not be able to shun, but will certainly fall when others stand, and grope and stumblewhen others go upright, to the great prejudice of thy poor soul. 

Object. But, alas, I have nothing to carry with me; how then shouldI go?

Answ. Hast thou no sins? If thou hast, carry them, and exchangethem for His righteousness; because He hath said, "Cast thy burdenupon the Lord, and He shall sustain thee" (Psa 54:22); and again, because He hath said, though thou be heavy laden, yet if thou dobut come to Him, He will give thee rest (Matt 11:28). 

Object. But, you will say, Satan telleth me that I am so cold inprayers, so weak in believing, so great a sinner, that I do go soslothfully on in the way of God, that I am so apt to slip at everytemptation, and to be entangled therewith, together with other things, so that I shall never be able to attain those blessed things thatare held forth to sinners by Jesus Christ; and therefore my troubleis much upon this account also, and many times I fear that willcome upon me which Satan suggesteth to me--that is, I shall missof eternal life. 

Answ. 1. As to the latter part of the objection, that thou shaltnever attain to everlasting life, that is obtained for thee already, without thy doing, either thy praying, striving, or wrestling againstsin. If we speak properly, it is Christ that hath in His own bodyabolished death on the Cross, and brought light, life, and gloryto us through this His thus doing. But this is the thing that thouaimest at, that thou shalt never have a share in this life alreadyobtained for so many as do come by faith to Jesus Christ; and allbecause thou art so slothful, so cold, so weak, so great a sinner, so subject to slip and commit infirmities. 2. I answer, Didst thounever learn for to outshoot the devil in his own bow, and to cutoff his head with his own sword, as David served Goliath, who wasa type of him. 

Quest. O how should a poor soul do this? This is rare, indeed. 

Answ. Why, truly thus--Doth Satan tell thee thou prayest butfaintly, and with very cold devotion? Answer him thus, and say, Iam glad you told me, for this will make me trust the more to Christ'sprayers, and the less to my own; also I will endeavour henceforthto groan, to sigh, and to be so fervent in my crying at the Throneof Grace, that I will, if I can, make the heavens rattle againwith the mighty groans thereof. And whereas thou sayest that I amso weak in believing, I am glad you mind me of it; I hope it willhenceforward stir me up to cry the more heartily to God for strongfaith, and make me the more restless till I have it. And seeingthou tellest me that I run so softly, and that I shall go near tomiss of glory, this also shall be, through grace, to my advantage, and cause me to press the more earnestly towards the mark for theprize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. And seeing thoudost tell me that my sins are wondrous great, hereby thou bringestthe remembrance of the unsupportable vengeance of God into my mind, if I die out of Jesus Christ, and also the necessity of the blood, death, and merits of Christ to help me; I hope it will make me flythe faster, and press the harder after an interest in Him; and therather, because, as thou tellest me, my state will be unspeakablymiserable without Him. And so all along, if he tell thee of thydeadness, dullness, coldness, or unbelief, or the greatness of thysins, answer him, and say, I am glad you told me, I hope it willbe a means to make me run faster, seek earnestlier, and to be themore restless after Jesus Christ. If thou didst but get this artas to outrun him in his own shoes, as I may say, and to make hisown darts to pierce himself, then thou mightst also say, how dothSatan's temptations, as well as all other things, work togetherfor my good, for my advantage (Rom 8:28). 

Object. But I do find many weaknesses in every duty that I do perform, as when I pray, when I read, when I hear, or any other duty, thatit maketh me out of conceit with myself, it maketh me think thatmy duties are nothing worth. 

Answ. I answer, it may be it is thy mercy that thou art sensibleof infirmities in thy best things thou doest; ay, a greater mercythan thou art aware of. 

Quest. Can it me a mercy for me to be troubled with my corruptions?Can it be a privilege for me to be annoyed with my infirmities, andto have my best duties infected with it? How can it possibly be?

Answ. Verily, thy sins appearing in thy best duties, do work forthy advantage these ways--1. In that thou findest ground enoughthereby to make thee humble; and when thou hast done all, yet tocount thyself but an unprofitable servant. And, 2. Thou by thismeans art taken off from leaning on anything below a naked Jesusfor eternal life. It is like, if thou wast not sensible of manyby-thoughts and wickednesses in thy best performances, thou wouldstgo near to be some proud, abominable hypocrite, or a silly, prouddissembling wretch at the best, such an one as would send thy soulto the devil in a bundle of thy own righteousness. But now, thou, through grace, seest that in all and everything thou doest there issin enough in it to condemn thee. This, in the first place, makesthee have a care of trusting in thy own doings; and, secondly, showeth thee that there is nothing in thyself which will do theeany good by working in thee, as to the meritorious cause of thysalvation. No; but thou must have a share in the birth of Jesus, in the death of Jesus, in the blood, resurrection, ascension, andintercession of a crucified Jesus. And how sayest thou? Doth notthy finding of this in thee cause thee to fly from a depending onthy own doings? And doth it not also make thee more earnestly togroan after the Lord Jesus? Yea, and let me tell thee also, it willbe a cause to make thee admire the freeness and tender heartednessof Christ to thee, when He shall lift up the light of His countenanceupon thee, because He hath regarded such an one as thou, sinfulthou; and therefore, in this sense, it will be mercy to the saintsthat they do find the relics of sin still struggling in theirhearts. But this is not simply the nature of sin, but the mercy andwisdom of God, who causeth all things to work together for the goodof those that love and fear God (Rom 8). And, therefore, whateverthou findest in thy soul, though it be sin of never so blacka soul-scarring nature, let it move thee to run the faster to theLord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt not be ashamed--that is, of thyrunning to Him. 

But when thou dost apprehend that thou art defiled, and also thybest duties annoyed with many weaknesses, let that Scripture comeinto thy thoughts which saith, "Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, whoof God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption"; and if thou shalt understand that, what thou canstnot find in thyself thou shalt find in Christ. Art thou a fool inthyself? then Christ is made of God thy wisdom. Art thou unrighteousin thyself? Christ is made of God thy righteousness. Dost thoufind that there is but very little sanctifying grace in thy soul?still here is Christ made thy sanctification; and all this in Hisown Person without thee, without thy wisdom, without thy righteousness, without thy sanctification, without in His own Person in thyFather's presence, appearing there perfect wisdom, righteousness, and sanctification in His own Person; I say, as a public Person forthee; so that thou mayest believe, and say to thy soul, My soul, though dost find innumerable infirmities in thyself, and in thyactions, yet look upon thy Jesus, the Man Jesus; He is wisdom, andthat for thee, to govern thee, to take care for thee, and to orderall things for the best for thee. He is also thy righteousness nowat God's right hand, always shining before the eyes of His glory;so that there it is unmoveable, though thou art in never such a sadcondition, yet thy righteousness, which is the Son of God, God-man, shines as bright as ever, and is as much accepted of God as ever. O this sometimes hath been life to me; and so, whatever thou, O mysoul, findest wanting in thyself, through faith thou shalt see alllaid up for thee in Jesus Christ, whether it be wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, or redemption. Nay, not only so, but, as I saidbefore, He is all these in His own Person without thee in thepresence of His Father for thee. 

Object. But now, if any should say in their hearts, O, but I am oneof the old-covenant men, I doubt--that is, I doubt I am not withinthis glorious Covenant of Grace. And how if I should not?

Answ. Well, thou fearest that thou are one of the old covenant, ason of the bond-woman. [1. ] In the first place, know that thou wastone of them by nature, for all by nature are under that covenant;but set the case that thou art to this day under that, yet let metell thee, in the first place, there are hopes for thee; for thereis a gap open, a way made for souls to come from under the Covenantof Works, by Christ, "for He hath broken down the middle wall ofpartition between us" and you (Eph 2:14). And therefore, if thouwouldst be saved, thou mayest come to Christ; if thou wantest arighteousness, as I said before, there is one in Christ; if thouwouldst be washed, thou mayest come to Christ; and if thou wouldstbe justified, there is justification enough in the Lord Jesus Christ. That is the first. [2. ] And thou canst not be so willing to cometo Christ as He is willing thou shouldst come to Him. Witness Hiscoming down from Heaven, His humiliation, His spilling of His bloodfrom both His cheeks, by sweat under the burden of sin (Luke 22:44)and His shedding of it by the spear when He hanged on the Cross. It appears also by His promises, by His invitations, by His sendingforth His messengers to preach the same to poor sinners, andthreateneth damnation upon this very account, namely, the neglectof Him; and declares that all the thousands and ten thousands ofsins in the world should not be able to damn those that believedin Him; that He would pardon all, forgive and pass by all, if theywould but come unto Him; moreover, promiseth to cast out none, no, not the poorest, vilest, contemptiblest creature in the wholeworld. "Come unto Me all, " every one, though you be never so many, so vile, though your load be never so heavy and intolerable, thoughyou deserve no help, not the least help, no mercy, not the leastcompassion, yet "cast your burden upon Me, and you shall find restfor your souls. " Come unto Me and I will heal you, love you, teachyou, and tell you the way to the Kingdom of Heaven. Come unto Me, and I will succour you, help you, and keep you from all devils andtheir temptations, from the Law and its curses, and from being forever overcome with any evil whatever. Come unto Me for what youneed, and tell Me what you would have, or what you would have Medo for you, and all My strength, love, wisdom, and interest that Ihave with My Father shall be laid out for you. Come unto Me, yoursweet Jesus, your loving and tender-hearted Jesus, your everlastingand sin-pardoning Jesus. Come unto Me, and I will wash you, and putMy righteousness upon you, pray to the Father for you, and send MySpirit into you, that you might be saved. Therefore, Consider, besides this, what a privilege thou shalt have at theDay of Judgment above thousands, if thou do in deed and in truthclose in with this Jesus and accept of Him; for thou shalt not onlyhave a privilege in this life, but in the life everlasting, evenat the time of Christ's second coming from Heaven; for then, whenthere shall be the whole world gathered together, and all the goodangels, bad angels, saints, and reprobates, when all thy friendsand kindred, with thy neighbours on the right hand and on the leftshall be with thee, beholding of the wonderful glory and majestyof the Son of God; then shall the Son of Glory, even Jesus, in thevery view and sight of them all, smile and look kindly upon thee;when a smile or a kind look from Christ shall be worth more thanten thousand worlds, then thou shalt have it. You know it is countedan honour for a poor man to be favourably looked upon by a judge, or a king, in the sight of lords, earls, dukes, and princes; why, thus it will be with thee in the sight of all the princely saints, angels, and devils, in the sight of all the great nobles in theworld; then, even thou that closest in with Christ, be thou rich orpoor, be thou bond or free, wise or foolish, if thou close in withHim, He will say unto thee, "Well done, good and faithful servant, "even in the midst of the whole world; they that love thee shallsee it, and they that hate thee shall all to their shame beholdit; for if thou fear Him here in secret, He will make it manifesteven at that day upon the house-tops. 

Secondly, Not only thus, but thou shalt also be lovingly receivedand tenderly embraced of Him at that day, when Christ hath thousandsof gallant saints, as old Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, together with all the Prophets, and Apostles, and martyrs, attending on Him; together with many thousands of glittering angelsministering before Him; besides, when the ungodly shall appearthere with their pale faces, with their guilty consciences, andtrembling souls, that would then give thousands and ten thousandsof worlds, if they had so many, if they could enjoy but one lovinglook from Christ. I say, then, then shalt thou have the hand ofChrist, reached to thee kindly to receive thee, saying, Come, thoublessed, step up hither; thou was willing to leave all for Me, andnow will I give all to thee; here is a throne, a crown, a kingdom, take them; thou wast not ashamed of Me when thou wast in the worldamong my enemies, and now will not I be ashamed of thee beforethine enemies, but will, in the view of all these devils and damnedreprobates promote thee to honour and dignity. "Come, ye blessed ofMy Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundationof the world. " Thou shalt see that those who have served Me in truthshall lose nothing by the means. No; but ye shall be as pillarsin My temple, and inheritors of My glory, and shall have place towalk in among My saints and angels (Zech 3:7). O! who would not bein this condition? who would not be in this glory? It will be sucha soul-ravishing glory, that I am ready to think the whole reprobateworld will be ready to run mad, to think that they should miss ofit (Deu 28:34). Then will the vilest drunkard, swearer, liar, andunclean person willingly cry, "Lord, Lord, open to us, " yet be deniedof entrance; and thou in the meantime embraced, entertained, madewelcome, have a fair mitre set upon thy head, and clothed with immortalglory (Zech 3:5). O, therefore, let all this move thee, and be ofweight upon thy soul to close in with Jesus, this tender-heartedJesus. And if yet, for all what I have said, thy sins do stillstick with thee, and thou findest thy hellish heart loath to letthem go, think with thyself in this manner--Shall I have my sinsand lose my soul? Will they do me any good when Christ comes? Wouldnot Heaven be better to me than my sins? and the company of God, Christ, saints, and angels, be better than the company of Cain, Judas, Balaam, with the devils in the furnace of fire? Canst thounow that readest or hearest these lines turn thy back, and go onin your sins? Canst thou set so light of Heaven, of God, of Christ, and the salvation of thy poor, yet precious soul? Canst thou hear ofChrist, His bloody sweat and death, and not be taken with it, andnot be grieved for it, and also converted by it? If so, I might laythee down several considerations to stir thee up to mend thy pacetowards Heaven; but I shall not; there is enough written alreadyto leave thy soul without excuse and to bring thee down with avengeance into Hell-fire, devouring fire, the Lake of Fire, eternaleverlasting fire; O to make thee swim and roll up and down in theflames of the furnace of fire!

FOOTNOTES:

1 These words are quoted from the Genevan or Breeches Bible (Mark2:17). --Ed. 

2 This quotation is from the Genevan translation (Eph 2:3). --Ed. 

3 It is observable that the reason given for the punishment of themurderer with death (Gen 9:6) is taken from the affront he offersto God, not from the injury he does to man. --Scott. 

4 The reader need scarcely be reminded, that by "public person" ismeant the Saviour, in whom all His people have an equal right. "ForHe made Him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us" (2 Cor 5:21). --ED. 

5 Bunyan's first sight of the spiritual, inward, and extensiverequirements of the law filled his heart with despair; see "GraceAbounding, " No. 28. It was like the alarming sound of the drumDiabolus mentioned in the "Holy War, " which caused Mansoul to shakewith terror and dismay. Thus the soul is stripped of self-righteousness, and flies to Christ, whose blood alone cleanseth from all sin. --ED. 

6 "Crank, " brisk, jolly, lusty, spiritful, buxom. --ED. 

7 From the Puritan or Genevan version. --ED. 

8 These nine particulars are very methodically arranged, and areall deeply interesting. Very few of those who read the scripturallaw of sacrifices see how clearly they pointed as types to Christthe great Antitype. --ED. 

9 It is a mark of prying and dangerous, if not wicked curiosityto inquire whether God could have found any other way of salvationthan by the atoning death of our blessed Lord. Instead of such vainresearches, how much more consistent would it be to call upon oursouls, and all that is within us, to bless His name, who hath thusprovided abundant pardon, full remission, even to the chief ofsinners. --ED. 

10 The duty of the priests, under the law, led them to be familiarwith the most loathsome and catching diseases; and doubtless theytook every precaution to avoid contagion. Poor sin-sick soul, do youconsider your state more loathsome and dangerous than the leprosy?Fly to Christ, our High Priest and Physician; He will visit youin the lowest abyss of misery, without fear of contagion, and withfull powers to heal and save. --ED. 

11 The word "hell" in the two verses means the unseen place of thedead, the invisible world, or the grave. --ED. 

12 How awful and vast must have been the sufferings of the Saviour, when He paid the redemption price for the countless myriads of Hissaints; redeemed "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. " How magnificent His glory when "ten thousand timesten thousands, and thousands of thousands, shall sing with a loudvoice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing, forever and ever. " Such were the ecstatic vision which Bunyan enjoyed, drawn from the unerring pages of eternal truth. --ED. 

13 This singular use of the law term "premunire, " meaning that thesoul has trusted in a foreign jurisdiction, incurred God's anger, and forfeited its liberty and all its goods. --ED. 

14 These are solemn truths, in homely, forcible language. Let thesoul be convinced that by the obedience of Christ it is releasedfrom the law, it has no fear of Satan or of future punishment;Christ is all and in all. --ED. 

15 "Indenture"; a written agreement, binding one party to rewardthe other for specified services. As man is by nature bound tolove God with all his soul, he cannot be entitled to any rewardfor anything beyond his duty. When he feels that he has failed inhis obedience, he must fly to Christ for that mercy which he cannever obtain by indenture of service or merit and reward. --ED. 

16 Same as 15--Ed. 

17 Same as 15--Ed. 

18 For a deeply affecting account of the author's experience aboutthis period read Grace Abounding, No. 259-261. --ED. 

19 "Scrabble"; to go on the hands and feet or knees. See a remarkableillustration of the word "scrabble" in Grace Abounding, No. 335. --ED. 

20 As Bunyan was a Baptist, this is full proof that his friends didnot ascribe regeneration to water baptism. It is an awful delusionto suppose that immersion in or sprinkling with water can effector promote the new birth or spiritual regeneration of the soul. --ED. 

21 This is one of the very thrilling circumstances described byBunyan in his Grace Abounding, No. 24:--Sunday sports were thenallowed by the State, and after hearing a sermon on the evil ofSabbath-breaking, he went as usual to his sport. On that day it wasa game at cat, and as he was about to strike, "a voice did suddenlydart from Heaven into my soul, which said, Wilt thou leave thy sinsand go to Heaven, or have thy sins and go to Hell?"--ED. 

22 The word Man was essential in Bunyan's days, as an antidote tothe jargon of the Ranters, who affirmed that Jesus only existed inthe heart of the believer. --ED. 

23 Same As 20--Ed. 

24 Same as 22--Ed. 

***

ISRAEL'S HOPE ENCOURAGED;

OR, WHAT HOPE IS, AND HOW DISTINGUISHED FROM FAITH:

WITH ENCOURAGEMENTS FOR A HOPING PEOPLE. 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

 'Auspicious hope! in thy sweet garden grow Wreaths for each toil, a charm for every woe. '

Christian hope is a firm expectation of all promised good, butespecially of eternal salvation and happiness in heaven, where weshall be like the Son of God. This hope is founded on the grace, blood, righteousness, and intercession of Christ--the earnestof the Holy Spirit in our hearts, and the unchangeable truths andenlightening power of God. [1] 'Every man that hath this hope inhim purifieth himself even as God is pure' (1 John 3:3). Blessedhope! (Titus 2:13). Well might the apostle pray for the believingRomans, 'That ye may abound in hope through the power of the HolyGhost' (15:13). 'Which is Christ in you the hope of glory' (Col1:27). This is the sacred, the solemn, the all-important subjectwhich Bunyan in his ripe age makes the theme of his meditationsand of his deeply impressive exhortations. 

When drawing near the end of his pilgrimage--while in the fullestfruition of his mental powers--he gives the result of his long andhallowed experience to comfort and cherish his fellow pilgrims intheir dangerous heaven-ward journey. One of his last labours wasto prepare this treatise for the press, from which it issued threeyears after his decease, under the care of his pious friend CharlesDoe. 

Here, as drawn from the holy oracles of God, we contemplate Hope, the helmet of salvation, without which our mental powers are exposedto be led captive into despair at the will of Satan. Our venerableauthor pictures most vividly the Christian's weakness and the powerof his enemies; 'Should you see a man that could not go from doorto door but he must be clad in a coat of mail, a helmet of brassupon his head, and for his lifeguard a thousand men, would you notsay, surely this man has store of enemies at hand?' This is thecase, enemies lie in wait for Israel in every hole, he can neithereat, drink, wake, sleep, work, sit still, talk, be silent--worshiphis God in public or private, but he is in danger. Poor, lame, infirm, helpless man, cannot live without tender--great--rich--manifold--aboundingmercies. 'No faith, no hope, ' 'to hope without faith is to seewithout eyes, or expect without reason. ' Faith is the anchor whichenters within the vail; Christ in us the hope of glory is themighty cable which keeps us fast to that anchor. 'Faith lays holdof that end of the promise that is nearest to us, to wit, in theBible--Hope lays hold of that end that is fastened to the mercy-seat. 'Thus the soul is kept by the mighty power of God. They who haveno hope, enter Doubting Castle of their own free will--they placethemselves under the tyranny of Giant Despair--that he may put outtheir eyes, and send them to stumble among the tombs, and leavetheir bones in his castle-yard, a trophy to his victories, and aterror to any poor pilgrim caught by him trespassing on Bye-pathMeadow. [2] Hope is as a guardian angel--it enables us to come boldlyto a throne of grace 'in a goodly sort. ' The subject is full ofconsolation. Are we profanely apt to judge of God harshly, as ofone that would gather where he had not strawn? Hope leads us toform a holy and just conception of the God of love. 'Kind bringsforth its kind, know the tree by his fruit, and God BY HIS MERCYIN CHRIST. What has God been doing for and to his church from thebeginning of the world, but extending to and exercising loving-kindnessand mercy for them? Therefore he laid a foundation for this inmercy from everlasting. ' 'There is no single flowers in God's gospelgarden, they are all double and treble; there is a wheel within awheel, a blessing within a blessing in all the mercies of God; theyare manifold, a man cannot receive one but he receives many, manyfolded up one within another. ' Bless the Lord, O my soul!!

Reader, my deep anxiety is that you should receive from this treatisethe benefits which its glorified author intended it to produce. Itis accurately printed from the first edition. My notes are intendedto explain obsolete words or customs or to commend the author'ssentiments. May the Divine blessing abundantly replenish our earthenvessels with this heavenly hope. 

GEO. OFFOR. 

FOOTNOTES:

1. Cruden. 

2. Pilgrim's Progress. 

Israel's Hope Encouraged;

'Let Israel hope in the LORD: for with the LORD there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. '--Psalms 130:7

This Psalm is said to be one of 'the Psalms of Degrees, ' which somesay, if I be not mistaken, the priests and Levites used to singwhen they went up the steps into the temple. [1] But to let thatpass, it is a psalm that gives us a relation of the penman's prayingframe, and of an exhortation to Israel to hope in God. 

Verse 1. 'Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord'; thatis, out of deep or great afflictions, and said, 'Lord, hear my voice, let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. ' Thelatter words explain the former; as who should say, By voice I meanthe meaning and spirit of my prayer. There are words in prayer, andspirit in prayer, and by the spirit that is in prayer, is discernedwhether the words be dead, lifeless, feigned, or warm, fervent, earnest; and God who searcheth the heart, knoweth the meaning ofthe Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints accordingto the will of God (Rom 8:27). Verse 3. 'If thou, Lord, shouldestmark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?' Here he confesseth, that all men by the law must fall before God for ever; for thatthey have broken it, but cannot make amends for the transgressionthereof. But, he quickly bethinking himself of the mercy of Godin Christ, he saith, verse 4, 'But there is forgiveness with theethat thou mayest be feared. ' Then he returns, saying, verse 5, 'I wait for the Lord, ' that is, in all his appointments; yea, hedoubleth it, saying, 'My soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope. 'By which repetition he insinuates, that many are content to givetheir bodily presence to God in his appointments, while their heartswere roving to the ends of the earth; but for his part he did notso. Verse 6. 'My soul waiteth for the Lord, more than they thatwatch for the morning, I say, more than they that watch for themorning. ' As who should say, even as it is with those that are tiredwith the night, either by reason of dark or wearisome journies, or because of tedious sickness, to whom the night is most dolefuland uncomfortable, waiting for spring of day; so wait I for theLord, that his presence might be with my soul. So and more tooI say, 'More than they that wait for the morning. ' Then he comesto the words which I have chosen for my text, saying, 'Let Israelhope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with himis plenteous redemption. '

In which words we have, FIRST, AN EXHORTATION; SECOND, A REASON OFTHAT EXHORTATION; and THIRD, AN AMPLIFICATION OF THAT REASON. 'LetIsrael hope in the Lord'; there is the exhortation; 'For with theLord there is mercy'; there is the reason of it; 'And with him isplenteous redemption'; there is the amplification of that reason. 

[FIRST. AN EXHORTATION. ]

In the exhortation there are three things to be inquired into. FIRST, The matter contained in it; SECOND, The manner by which itis expressed; THIRD, The inferences that do naturally flow therefrom. 

[FIRST. The matter contained in the exhortation. ]

We will speak first to the matter contained in the text, and thatpresenteth itself unto us under three heads. First, A duty. Second, A direction for the well management of that duty. Third, The personsthat are so to manage it. 

First, Then, to speak to the duty, and that is HOPE; 'Let IsraelHOPE. ' By which word there is something pre-admitted, and somethingof great concern insinuated. 

That which is pre-admitted is faith; for when we speak properly ofhope, and put others distinctly to the duty of hoping, we concludethat such have faith already; for no faith, no hope. To hope withoutfaith, is to see without eyes, or to expect without a ground: for'Faith is the substance of things hoped for, ' as well with respectto the grace, as to the doctrine of faith (Heb 11:1). Doth sucha one believe? No. Doth he hope? Yes. If the first is true, thesecond is a lie; he that never believed, did never hope in theLord. Wherefore, when he saith, 'Let Israel hope in the Lord, ' hepre-supposeth faith, and signifieth that he speaketh to believers. 

That which is of great concern insinuated, is, that hope has in itan excellent quality to support Israel in all its troubles. Faithhas its excellency in this, hope in that, and love in anotherthing. Faith will do that which hope cannot do. Hope can do thatwhich faith doth not do, and love can do things distinct fromboth their doings. Faith goes in the van, hope in the body, andlove brings up the rear: and thus 'now abideth faith, hope, ' and'charity' (1 Cor 13:13). Faith is the mother-grace, for hope isborn of her, but charity floweth from them both. 

But a little, now we are upon faith and hope distinctly, to letyou see a little. 1. Faith comes by hearing (Rom 10:17), hope byexperience (Rom 5:3, 4). 2. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God, hope by the credit that faith hath given to it (Rom 4:18). 3. Faithbelieveth the truth of the Word, hope waits for the fulfilling ofit. 4. Faith lays hold of that end of the promise that is next tous, to wit, as it is in the Bible; hope lays hold of that end ofthe promise that is fastened to the mercy-seat; for the promise islike a mighty cable, that is fastened by one end to a ship, and bythe other to the anchor: the soul is the ship where faith is, andto which the hither[2] end of this cable is fastened; but hope is theanchor that is at the other end of this cable, and which enterethinto that within the vail. Thus faith and hope getting hold ofboth ends of the promise, they carry it safely all away. 5. Faithlooketh to Christ, as dead, buried, and ascended; and hope to hissecond coming (1 Cor 15:1-4). Faith looks to him for justification, hope for glory (Rom 4:1-8). 6. Faith fights for doctrine, hope fora reward (Acts 26:6, 7). Faith for what is in the bible, hope forwhat is in heaven (Col 1:3-5). 7. Faith purifies the heart from badprinciples (1 John 5:4, 5). Hope from bad manners (2 Peter 3:11, 14;Eph 5:8; 1 John 3:3). 8. Faith sets hope on work, hope sets patienceon work (Acts 28:20, 9:9). Faith says to hope, look for what ispromised; hope says to faith, So I do, and will wait for it too. 9. Faith looks through the word to God in Christ; hope looks throughfaith beyond the world to glory (Gal 5:5). 

Thus faith saves, and thus hope saves. Faith saves by laying holdof God by Christ (1 Peter 1:5). Hope saves by prevailing with thesoul to suffer all troubles, afflictions, and adversities that itmeets with betwixt this and the world to come, for the sake thereof(Rom 8:24). Take the matter in this plain similitude. There was aking that adopted such a one to be his child, and clothed him withthe attire of the children of the king, and promised him, that ifhe would fight his father's battles, and walk in his father's ways, he should at last share in his father's kingdoms. He has receivedthe adoption, and the king's robe, but not yet his part in thekingdom; but now, hope of a share in that will make him fight theking's battles, and also tread the king's paths. Yea, and though heshould meet with many things that have a tendency to deter him fromso doing, yet thoughts of the interest promised in the kingdom, and hopes to enjoy it, will make him out his way through thosedifficulties, and so save him from the ruin that those destructionswould bring upon him, and will, in conclusion, usher him into apersonal possession and enjoyment of that inheritance. Hope has athick skin, and will endure many a blow; it will put on patienceas a vestment, it will wade through a sea of blood, it will endureall things, if it be of the right kind, for the joy that is setbefore it. Hence patience is called, 'Patience of hope, ' becauseit is hope that makes the soul exercise patience and long-sufferingunder the cross, until the time comes to enjoy the crown (1 Thess1:3). The Psalmist, therefore, by this exhortation, persuadeththem that have believed the truth, to wait for the accomplishmentof it, as by his own example he did himself--'I wait for the Lord, ''my soul waiteth, ' 'and in his word do I hope. ' It is for want ofhope that so many brisk professors that have so boasted and madebrags of their faith, have not been able to endure the drum[3] inthe day of alarm and affliction. Their hope in Christ has been suchas has extended itself no further than to this life, and thereforethey are of all men the most miserable. 

The Psalmist therefore, by exhorting us unto this duty, doth putus in mind of four things. I. That the best things are yet behind, and in reversion for the saints. II. That those that have believed, will yet meet with difficulties before they come at them. III. Thegrace of hope well exercised, is the only way to overcome thesedifficulties. IV. They therefore that have hope, and do exerciseit as they should, shall assuredly at last enjoy that hope that islaid up for them in heaven. 

I. For the first of these, that the best things are yet behind, and in reversion for believers; this is manifest by the naturalexercise of this grace. For 'hope that is seen, is not hope; forwhat a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for thatwe see not, then do we with patience wait for it' (Rom 8:24, 25). Hope lives not by sight, as faith doth; but hope trusteth faith, as faith trusts the Word, and so bears up the soul in a patientexpectation at last to enjoy what God has promised. But I say, thevery natural work of this grace proveth, that the believer's bestthings are behind in reversion. 

You may ask me, what those things are? and I may tell you, first, in general, they are heavenly things, they are eternal things, theyare the things that are where Christ sitteth on the right hand ofGod (John 3:12; 2 Cor 4:18; Col 3:1). Do you know them now? Theyare things that 'eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor that haveentered into the heart of man to conceive of' (Isa 64:4; 1 Cor2:9). Do you know them now? They are things that are referred tothe next world, for the saints when they come into the next world;talked of they may be now, the real being of them may be believednow, and by hope we may, and it will be our wisdom to wait forthem now; but to know what they are in the nature of them, or inthe enjoyment of them, otherwise than by faith, he is deceived thatsaith it. They are things too big as yet to enter into our hearts, and things too big, if they were there to come out, or to beexpressed by our mouths. 

There is heaven itself, the imperial heaven; does any body know whatthat is? There is the mount Zion, the heavenly Jerusalem, and theinnumerable company of angels; doth any body know what all theyare? There is immortality and eternal life: and who knows what theyare? There are rewards for services, and labour of love showedto God's name here; and who knows what they will be? There aremansion-houses, beds of glory, and places to walk in among theangels; and who knows what they are? There will be badges of honour, harps to make merry with, and heavenly songs of triumph; doth anyhere know what they are? There will be then a knowing, an enjoyingand a solacing of ourselves with prophets, apostles, and martyrs, and all saints; but in what glorious manner we all are ignorantof. There we shall see and know, and be with for ever, all ourrelations, as wife, husband, child, father, mother, brother, orsister that have died in the faith; but how gloriously they willlook when we shall see them, and how gloriously we shall love whenwe are with them, it is not for us in this world to know (1 Thess4:16, 17). There are thoughts, and words, and ways for us, whichwe never dreamed on in this world. The law was but the shadow, thegospel the image; but what will be the substance that comes to usnext, or that rather we shall go unto, who can understand? (Heb10:1). If we never saw God nor Christ as glorified, nor the Spiritof the Lord, nor the bottom of the Bible, nor yet so much as oneof the days of eternity, and yet all these things we shall seeand have them, how can it be that the things laid up for us, thatshould be the object of our hope, should by us be understood inthis world? Yet there are intimations given us of the goodnessand greatness of them. [4]

1. Of their goodness, and that, (1. ) In that the Holy Ghost scornsthat things that are here should once be compared with them; henceall things here are called vanities, nothings, less than nothings(Isa 40:15-17). Now, if the things, all the things that are here, are so contemptuously considered, when compared with the things thatare to be hereafter, and yet these things so great in the carnalman's esteem, as that he is willing to venture life and soul, andall to have them, what are the things that God has prepared forthem that wait, that is, that hope for him? (2. ) Their goodnessalso appears in this, that whoever has had that understanding ofthem, as is revealed in the Word, whether king or beggar, wise meanor fool, he has willingly cast this world behind him in contemptand scorn, for the hope of that (Psa 73:25; Heb 11:24-26, 37-40). (3. ) The goodness of them has even testimony in the very consciencesof them that hate them. Take the vilest man in the country, the manwho is so wedded to his lusts, that he will rather run the hazardof a thousand hells than leave them; and ask this man his judgmentof the things of the next world, and he will shake his head, andsay, They are good, they are best of all. (4. ) But the saints havethe best apprehension of their goodness, for that the Lord dothsometimes drop some of the juice of them out of the Word, intotheir hungry souls. 

2. But as they are good, so they are great: 'O how great is thygoodness which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee, whichthou hast wrought for them that trust, ' that hope, 'in thee beforethe sons of men!' (Psa 31:19). (1. ) Their greatness appears, in thatthey go beyond the Word; yea, beyond the word of the Holy Ghost;it doth not yet appear to us by the Word of God to the full, thegreatness of what is prepared for God's people. 'Beloved, now arewe the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be'(1 John 3:2). It doth not appear in the Word; there is a greatnessin the things that we are to hope for, that could never be expressed:they are beyond word, beyond thought, beyond conceiving of! Paul, when he was come down again from out of paradise, into which hewas caught up, could not speak a word about the words he heard, andthe things that there he saw. They were things and words which hesaw and heard, 'which it is not possible[5] for a man to utter. '(2. ) Their greatness is intimated by the word Eternal; he thatknows the bottom of that word, shall know what things they are. 'The things which are not seen are eternal' (2 Cor 4:18). They are'incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, ' reservedin heaven for us (1 Peter 1:4). (3. ) Their greatness is showed inthat one right thought of them will fill the heart so full, thatboth it and the eyes will run over together; yea, so full, that thecreature shall not be able to stand up under the weight of glorythat by it is laid upon the soul. Alas! all the things in thisworld will not fill one heart; and yet one thought that is right, of the things that God has prepared, and laid up in heaven for us, will, yea, and over fill it too. (4. ) The greatness of the thingsof the next world appears, in that when one of the least of themare showed to us, we are not able, without support from thence, to abide the sight thereof. I count that the angels are of thosethings that are least in that world; and yet the sight of one ofthem, when the sight of them was in use, what work would it makein the hearts and minds of mortal men, the scripture plainly enoughdeclares (John 13:22). [6] (5. ) Their greatness is intimated, in thatwe must be as it were new made again, before we can be capable ofenjoying them, as we must enjoy them with comfort (Luke 20:36). And herein will be a great part of our happiness, that we shall notonly see them, but be made like unto them, like unto their King. For 'when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall seehim as he is' (1 John 3:2). We shall see him, and therefore must belike him, for else the sight of him would overcome us and destroyus; but because we are to see him with comfort and everlastingjoy, therefore we must be like him in body and mind (Rev 1:17; Phil3:20, 21). 

II. But to come to the second thing, namely, That those that havebelieved, there are such things as these, will meet with difficultiesbefore they come at them. This is so grand a truth, that nothingcan be said against it. Many are the afflictions of the righteous;and we must through many tribulations enter into the kingdom ofheaven (Acts 14:22). The cause from whence these afflictions ariseis known to be, 1. From ourselves; for sin having got such hold in our flesh, makesthat opposition against our soul and the welfare of that, that putsus continually to trouble. Fleshly lusts work against the soul, and so do worldly lusts too (1 Peter 2:11); yea, they quench ourgraces, and make them that would live, 'ready to die' (Rev 3:2). Yea, by reason of these, such darkness, such guilt, such fear, suchmistrust, ariseth in us, that it is common for us, if we live anywhile, to make a thousand conclusions, twice told, that we shallnever arrive with comfort at the gates of the kingdom of heaven. The natural tendency of every struggle of the least lust againstgrace is, if we judge according to carnal reason, to make us questionthe truth of a work of grace in us, and our right to the world tocome. This it was that made Paul cry out, 'O wretched man thatI am! who shall deliver me!' (Rom 7:24). Only he had more wisdomthan to follow the natural conclusions that carnal reason was aptto make thereupon, and so hoisted up his soul to hope. 

2. Sin, by its working in us, doth not only bring darkness, guilt, fear, mistrust, and the like; but it doth oft-times as it werehamstring us, and disable us from going to God by faith and prayerfor pardon. It makes the heart hard, senseless, careless, lifeless, spiritless as to feeling, in all Christian duty; and this is agrievous thing to a gracious soul. The other things will create adoubt, and drive it up to the head into the soul; but these willgo on the other side and clench it. [7] Now all these things makehoping difficult. 

3. For by these things the judgment is not only clouded, and theunderstanding greatly darkened, but all the powers of the soul madeto fight against itself, conceiving, imagining, apprehending, andconcluding things that have a direct tendency to extirpate andextinguish, if possible, the graces of God that are planted in thesoul; yea, to the making of it cry out, 'I am cut off from beforethine eyes!' (Psa 31:22). 

4. Add to these, the hidings of the face of God from the soul; athing to it more bitter than death; yet nothing more common amongthem that hope in the Lord. He 'hideth his face from the house ofJacob!' (Isa 8:17). Nor is this done only in fatherly displeasure, but by this means some graces are kept alive; faith is kept aliveby the word, patience by hope, and hope by faith; but oft-times aspirit of prayer, by the rod, chastisement, and the hiding of God'sface (Hosea 5:14, 15; Isa 26:16; Cant 5:6). But I say, this hidingof this sweet face is bitter to the soul, and oft-times puts bothfaith and hope to a sad and most fearful plunge. For at such a day, it is with the soul as with the ship at sea, that is benighted andwithout light; to wit, like a man bewildered upon the land; onlythe text saith, for the help and succour of such, 'Who is amongyou that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness and hath no light? Let him trust in thename of the Lord, and stay upon his God' (Isa 50:10). Yet as itis with children, so it is with saints; we are a great deal moresubject to fears in the night than in the day. That, therefore, that tendeth to the help of some graces, if there be not great caretaken, will prove an hindrance to others. 

5. Nor is the ruler of the darkness of this world wanting to applyhimself and his engines, so as, if possible, to make use of allthese things for the overthrowing of faith, and for the removingof our hope from the Lord, as a tree is removed from rooting in theground (Job 19:10). Behold! he can expound all things, so as thatthey shall fall directly in the way of our believing. As thus, wehave sin, therefore we have no grace; sin struggleth in us, thereforewe fear not God; something in us sideth with sin, therefore we arewholly unregenerate; sin is in our best performances, thereforewherefore should I hope? Thus I say, he can afflict us in ourpilgrimage, and make hope difficult to us. Besides the hiding ofGod's face, he can make not only a cause of sorrow, for that indeedit should, but a ground of despair, and as desperately concludinghe will never come again. How many good souls has he driven tothese conclusions, who afterwards have been made to unsay all again?

6. And though spiritual desertions, darkness of soul, and guilt ofsin, are the burdens most intolerable, yet they are not all; forthere is to be added to all these, that common evil of persecution, another device invented to make void our hope. In this, I say, weare sure to be concerned; that is, if we be godly. For though theapostle doth not say, 'All that will live in Christ, ' that is, in the common profession of him, shall suffer persecution; yet hesaith, 'All that will live godly in him shall' (2 Tim 3:12). Nowthis in itself is a terror to flesh and blood, and hath a directtendency in it to make hope difficult (1 Peter 3:6, 14). Hence menof a persecuting spirit, because of their greatness, and of theirteeth (the laws), are said to be a terror, and to carry amazementin their doings; and God's people are apt to be afraid of themthough they should die, and to forget God their Maker; and thismakes hoping hard work (Isa 51:12, 13). [8]

7. For besides that grimness that appears in the face ofpersecutors, Satan can tell how to lessen, and make to dwindle inour apprehensions, those truths unto which our hearts have joinedthemselves afore, and to which Christ our Lord has commanded us tostand. So that they shall now appear but little, small, inconsiderablethings; things not worth engaging for; things not worth runningthose hazards for, that in the hour of trial may lie staring us inthe face. Moreover, we shall not want false friends in every hole, such as will continually be boring our ears with that saying, Master, do good to thyself. At such times also, 'stars' do use to'fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken';and so every thing tends to weaken, or at least to lay stumbling-blocksin their way, who are commanded to hope in the Lord (Matt 24). 

8. Again, as Satan can make use of his subtilty, thus to afflictand weaken the hands and hearts of those that hope in God, so hecan add to these the dismalness of a suffering state. He can makethe loss of goods, in our imagination, ten times bigger than itis in itself; he can make an informer a frightful creature, and ajail look like hell itself; he can make banishment and death utterlyintolerable, and things that must be shunned with the hazard ofour salvation. Thus he can greaten and lessen, lessen and greaten, for the troubling of our hearts, for the hindering of our hope. [9]

9. Add to all these, that the things that we suffer for were neverseen by us, but are quite beyond our sight: things that indeed aresaid to be great and good; but we have only the word and the Biblefor it. And be sure if he that laboureth night and day to devourus, can help it, our faith shall be molested and perplexed at sucha time, that it may, if possible, be hard to do the commandmentthat here the text enjoins us to the practice of; that is, to hopein the Lord. And this brings me to the third particular. 

III. That the grace of hope well exercised, is the only way toovercome those difficulties. --Abraham had never laughed for joy, had he not hoped when the angel brought him tidings of a son; yea, had he not hoped against all things that could have been said todiscourage (Gen 17:17). Hence it is said, that 'against hope' he'believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, so shall thy seed be' (Rom4:18). There is hope against hope; hope grounded on faith, againsthope grounded on reason. Hope grounded on reason, would have madeAbraham expect that the promise should surely have been ineffectual, because of the deadness of Abraham's body, and of the barrennessof Sarah's womb. But he hoped against the difficulty, by hope thatsprang from faith, which confided in the promise and power of God, and so overcame the difficulty, and indeed obtained the promise. Hope, therefore, well exercised, is the only way to overcome. HencePeter bids those that are in a suffering condition, 'Be sober, andhope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto you atthe revelation of Jesus Christ' (1 Peter 1:13). And therefore itis, as you heard before, that we are said to be 'saved by hope'(Rom 8:24). 

Hope is excellent, 1. Against those discouragements that ariseup out of our bowels. 2. It is excellent to embolden a man in thecause of God. 3. It is excellent at helping one over the difficultiesthat men, by frights and terrors may lay in our way. 

1. It is excellent to help us against those discouragements thatarise out of our own bowels (Rom 4). This is clear in the instancelast mentioned about Abraham, who had nothing but discouragementsarising from himself; but he had hope, and as well he exercisedit; wherefore, after a little patient enduring, he overcame thedifficulty, and obtained the promise (Heb 6:13-18). The reason is, for that it is the nature of true hope to turn away its ear fromopposing difficulties, to the word and mouth of faith; and perceivingthat faith has got hold of the promise, hope, notwithstandingdifficulties that do or may attempt to intercept, will expect, andso wait for the accomplishment thereof. 

2. Hope is excellent at emboldening a man in the cause of God. Hence the apostle saith, 'Hope maketh not ashamed'; for not to beashamed there, is to be emboldened (Rom 5:5). So again, when Paulspeaks of the troubles he met with for the profession of the gospel, he saith, that they should turn to his salvation. 'According, 'saith he, 'to my earnest expectation, and my hope, that in nothingI shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so nowChrist shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or bydeath' (Phil 1:19, 20). See here, a man at the foot of the ladder, now ready in will and mind, to die for his profession; but howwill he carry it now? Why, with all brave and innocent boldness!But how will he do that? O! By the hope of the gospel that is inhim; for by that he is fully persuaded that the cause he sufferethfor will bear him up in the day of God, and that he shall then bewell rewarded for it. [10]

3. It is also excellent at helping one over those difficulties thatmen, by frights and terrors, may lay in our way. Hence when Davidwas almost killed with the reproach and oppression of his enemies, and his soul full sorely bowed down to the ground therewith; thathe might revive and get up again, he calls to his soul to put inexercise the grace of hope, saying, 'Why art thou cast down, O mysoul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God, forI shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, andmy God' (Psa 42:11). So again saith he in the next Psalm after, as afore he had complained of the oppression of the enemy, 'Whyart thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted withinme? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise him, who is the healthof my countenance and my God' (Psa 43:5). Hope, therefore, is asoul-encouraging grace, a soul-emboldening grace, and a soul-preservinggrace. Hence it is called our helmet or head-piece, the helmet ofsalvation (Eph 6:17; 1 Thess 5:8). This is one piece of the armourwith which the Son of God was clothed, when he came into the world;and it is that against which nothing can prevail (Isa 49:17). Foras long as I can hope for salvation, what can hurt me! This wordspoken in the blessed exercise of grace, I HOPE FOR SALVATION, drives down all before it. The truth of God is that man's 'shieldand buckler' that hath made the Lord his hope (Psa 91:4). 

[Encouragements to exercise this grace. ]--And now to encouragethee, good man, to the exercise of this blessed grace of hope as thetext bids, let me present thee with that which followeth. 1. God, to show how well he takes hoping in him at our hands, has calledhimself 'the God of hope' (Rom 15:13), that is, not only the authorof hope, but the God that takes pleasure in them that exercise it, 'The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hopein his mercy' (Psa 147:11). 2. He will be a shield, a defence tothem that hope in him. 'Thou art my hiding-place and my shield, 'saith David, 'I hope in thy word'; that is, he knew he would beso; for he hoped in his word (Psa 119:114). 3. He has promised usthe life we hope for, to encourage us still to hope, and to endureall things to enjoy it (Titus 1:2). 'That he that ploweth shouldplow in hope, and that he that thresheth in hope, should be partakerof his hope' (1 Cor 9:10). 

Quest. But you may say, What is it to exercise this grace aright?

Answ. 1. You must look well to your faith, that that may prosper, for as your faith is, such your hope will be. Hope is never illwhen faith is well; nor strong if faith be weak. Wherefore Paulprays that the Romans might be filled 'with all joy and peacein believing, ' that they might 'abound in hope' (Rom 15:13). Whena man by faith believes to joy and peace, then hope grows strong, and with an assurance looketh for a share in the world to come. Wherefore look to your faith, and pray heartily that the God ofhope will fill you with all joy and peace in believing. 2. Learnof Abraham not to faint, stumble, or doubt, at the sight of yourown weakness; for if you do, hope will stay below, and creak in thewheels as it goes, because it will want the oil of faith. But sayto thy soul, when thou beginnest to faint and sink at the sight ofthese, as David did to his, in the places made mention of before. 3. Be much in calling to mind what God has done for thee in formertimes. Keep thy experience as a choice thing (Rom 5:4). 'Rememberall the way the Lord led thee these forty years in the wilderness'(Deut 8:2). 'O my God, ' saith David, 'my soul is cast down withinme, therefore will I remember thee from the land of Jordan, andof the Hermonites from the hill Mizar' (Psa 42:6). 4. Be much inlooking at the end of things, or rather to the end of this, andto the beginning of the next world. What we enjoy of God in thisworld, may be an earnest of hope, or a token that the thing hopedfor is to be ours at last; but the object of hope is in general thenext world (Heb 11:1). We must therefore put a difference betwixtthe mother of hope, Faith; the means of hope, the Word; the earnestof hope, Christ in us; and the proper object of hope, to wit, theworld to come, and the goodness thereof (Psa 119:49; Col 1:27). 

If Christians have not much here, their hope, as I may so say, liesidle, and as a grace out of its exercise. For as faith cannot feedupon patience, but upon Christ, and as the grace of hungering andthirsting cannot live upon self-fulness, but upon the riches of thepromise; so hope cannot make what is enjoyed its object: 'for whata man seeth why doth he yet hope for?' (Rom 8:24). But the properobject of hope is, that we see not. Let faith then be exercisedupon Christ crucified for my justification, and hope upon the nextworld for my glorification; and let love show the truth of faith inChrist, by acts of kindness to Christ and his people; and patience, the truth of hope, by a quiet bearing and enduring that which maynow be laid upon me for my sincere profession's sake, until thehope that is laid up for us in heaven shall come to us, or we begathered to that, and then hope is in some measure in good order, and exercised well. But, IV. We now come to the last thing propounded to be spoken to, whichis, they that have hope and exercise it well, shall assuredly atlast enjoy that hope that is laid up for them in heaven; that is, they that do regularly exercise the grace of hope shall at last enjoythe object of it, or the thing hoped for. This must of necessitybe concluded, else we overthrow the whole truth of God at once, andthe expectation of the best of men; yea, if this be not concluded, what follows, but that Atheism, unbelief, and irreligion, are themost right, and profane and debauched persons are in the rightsway?

1. But to proceed, this must be, as is evident; for that the thingshoped for are put under the very name of the grace that lives inthe expectation of them. They are called HOPE; 'looking for thatblessed hope'; 'for the hope that is laid up for them in heaven'(Titus 2:13; Col 1:5). God has set that character upon them, tosignify that they belong to hope, and shall be the reward of hope. God doth in this, as your great traders do with the goods that theirchapmen have either bought or spoke for; to wit, he sets their nameor mark upon them, and then saith, This belongs to this grace, andthis belongs to that; but the kingdom of heaven belongs to HOPE, for his name is set upon it. This therefore is one thing, to provethat the thing hoped for shall be thine; God has marked it forthee: nor can it be given to those that do not hope. That is, tothe same purpose that you read of, 'That ye may be counted worthyof the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer' (2 Thess 1:5). Suffering flows from hope; he that hopes not for an house inheaven, will not for it choose to suffer the loss of the pleasuresand friendships of this world. But they that suffer for it, andthat all do, one way or other, in whom is placed this grace ofhope, they God counteth worthy of it, and therefore, hath markedit with their mark, HOPE; for that it belongs to hope, and shallbe given to those that hope. That is the first. 

2. They that do, as afore is said, exercise this grace of hope, shall assuredly enjoy the hope that is laid up for them in heaven, as is evident also from this; because, as God has marked and setit apart for them, so what he has done to and with our Lord andHead, since his death, he hath done it to this very end; that is, to beget and maintain our hope in him as touching this thing. He'hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection ofJesus Christ form the dead' (1 Peter 1:3). The meaning is, Christis our undertaker, and suffered death for us, that we might enjoyhappiness and glory: and God, to show how wiling he was that weshould have this glory, raised up Christ again, and delivered himfrom their sorrows of death. Wherefore, considering this, Paul said, 'He rejoiced in hope of the glory of God'; to wit, of that glory, that sin, had he not had Jesus for his undertaker, would have causedthat he should certainly have come short of (Rom 3:23, 5:2). But, again, God 'raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, ' too, and that to this very end, 'that your faith and hope might be inGod' (1 Peter 1:21). I say, he did it to this very end, that hemight beget in you this good opinion of him, as to hope in him, that he would give you that good thing hoped for--to wit, eternallife. He 'gave him glory, ' and put it into his hand for you whois your head and Saviour, that you might see how willing God is togive you the hope you look for, 'that your faith and hope might bein God. '

3. That we that have hope and rightly exercise it, might assuredlyenjoy that hope that is laid up for us in heaven: God has promisedit, and that to our Saviour for us. Had he promised it to us, wemight yet have feared, for that with our faults we give a causeof continual provocation to him. But since he hath promised it toChrist, it must assuredly come to us by him, because Christ, towhom it is promised, never gave occasion of provocation to him totake it back. And that it was promised to Christ, it is evident, because it was promised before the world began: 'In hope of eternallife, ' saith Paul, 'which God, that cannot lie, promised beforethe world began' (Titus 1:2). And this is, that we might hope. Menthat use to hope to enjoy that money or estate, that by those thatare faithful is promised to them, and put into the hands of trustypersons for them; why this is the case, God that cannot lie, haspromised it to the hopers, and has put it into the hand of thetrusty Jesus for us, therefore let us hope that in his times weshall both see and enjoy the same we hope for. 

4. Yea, that all ground of doubt and scruple as to this might beremoved out of the way, when Christ, who as to what was last said, is our hope (1 Tim 1:1), shall come, he shall bring that grace andmercy with him that shall even from before his judgment-seat removeall those things that might have any tendency in them to depriveus of our hope, or of the thing hoped for by us. Hence Peter bidsus, 'Be sober and hope to the end, for the grace that is to bebrought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ' (1 Peter 1:13). Also as to this, Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, joins withhim, saying, 'Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for themercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life' (Jude 21). Herethen you see that there is grace and mercy still for us in reversion;grace and mercy to be brought unto us at the revelation, or secondcoming of Jesus Christ. How then can we be hindered of our hope?For transporting mercy will then be busy for them that indeed havehere the hope of eternal life. 'And they shall be mine, saith theLord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I willspare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him' (Mal3:17). None knows the mystery of God's will in all things revealedin his Word. Therefore many texts are looked over, or laid by, asthose whose key doth go too hard; nor will I boast of any singularknowledge in any particular thing. [11] Yet methinks since grace andmercy was not only brought by Christ when he came into the world, but shall be brought again with him when he comes in his Father'sglory, it signifies, that as the first brought the beginning ofeternal life to us while we were enemies, this second will bring thefull enjoyment of it to us while we are saints, attended with manyimperfections. And that as by the first grace of all unworthinesswas pardoned and passed by; so by this second grace, the gracethat is to be brought unto us at the revelation of Jesus Christ, all shortness in duties, and failings in performances, shall bespared also; and we made possessors by virtue of this grace andmercy of the blessings hoped for, to wit, the blessings of eternallife. But thus much for the duty contained in the exhortation, towit, of hoping. 

[Second. A direction to the well managing of the duty of hope. ]

I shall therefore come, in the next place, to treat of the wellmanaging of this duty with reference to this primary object, whichis the Lord himself. 'Let Israel hope in the Lord. ' There is ageneral object of hope, and there is a particular object; there isa common object, and there is a special one. Of the general andcommon object, to wit, of heaven and happiness, I have said somethingalready; wherefore it remains that now we come and treat of thisparticular and special object of our hope: 'Let Israel hope in theLord. ' The Lord, therefore, is to be the particular and specialobject of our hope: 'Let Israel hope in the Lord. ' Now in that thereis not only a duty here exhorted to, but a direction for the bettermanagement of that duty, to the particular and special object uponwhich this duty should be exercised, it suggesteth, how apt goodmen are, especially in times of trouble, the case of Israel now, to fix their hopes in other things than on the Lord. We have seena great deal of this in our days; our days indeed have been daysof trouble, especially since the discovery of the Popish plot, forthen we began to fear cutting of throats, of being burned in our beds, and of seeing our children dashed in pieces before our faces. Butlooking about us, we found we had a gracious king, brave parliaments, a stout city, good lord-mayors, honest sheriffs, substantial lawsagainst them, and these we made the object of our hope, quiteforgetting the direction in this exhortation, 'Let Israel hope inthe Lord. ' For indeed the Lord ought to be our hope in temporals, as well as in spirituals and eternals. Wherefore Israel of old werechecked, under a supposition of placing their hope for temporalsin men; 'It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidencein man. It is better to trust in the Lord, than to put confidencein princes' (Psa 118:8, 9). And again, 'Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help' (Psa 146:3). Thisimplieth that there is in us an incidency to forget God our hope, and to put confidence in something else. And to be sure we shall findit the more difficult to make the Lord our hope only, when thingsthat are here, though deceitfully, proffer us their help. [12] Butmy design is not to treat of the object of hope but with referenceto the next world. And as to that we must take heed that we setour hope in God, in God in the first place, and in nothing below orbesides himself. To this end it is that he has given us his word, and appointed a law to Israel. 

I. Because of his own grace he is become the special object of hope, designating himself in the most special sense to be the portion ofhis people (Psa 78:5-7)--'The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore will I hope in him' (Lam 2:24). Wherefore this we mustlook well to, and take heed that we miss not of this object (Psa146:5). This is the special object, the ultimate object, the objectthat we cannot be without; and that, short of which, we cannot behappy as, God willing, shall be showed more anon (Jer 50:7). Godis not only happiness in himself, but the life of the soul, andhe that puts goodness into every thing in the next world, in whichgoodness shall be found (Jer 17:13). And this our Lord Jesus Christhimself affirmeth, when he saith, 'I am the way, ' to wit, the wayto life and happiness. And yet he saith, 'I am the way to the Father, 'for that it is HE that is the fountain and ocean of happiness andbliss. 

So then, that we might in the next world be heirs of the highestgood, God has made us heirs of his own good self; 'Heirs of God, andjoint heirs with Christ'; heirs of God through Christ (Rom 18:17;Gal 4:7). This God, this eternal God, therefore, is of necessityto be the object of our hope, because he is, of grace, become ourhope. The church in heaven, called the body and temple of God, isto be an habitation for himself, when it is finished, to dwell infor ever and ever. This then we hope for, to wit, to be possessedat that day with eternal life; eternal glory (1 Tim 6:12, 19). Nowthis eternal life and eternal glory is through God the hope of hispeople (1 Peter 5:10; 1 John 5:20). And for this end, and to thisbliss, are we called and regenerate in this world, 'That beingjustified by his grace, we should be made heirs, according to thehope of eternal life' (Titus 3:7). Nor can it be, that heaven andhappiness should ever be the portion of them that make not God theirhope, any more than such a lady should hope to enjoy the estate ofsuch a lord, who first makes not the lord himself her husband. [13]Heaven, heaven is the talk of the ignorant, while the God of heaventhey cannot abide. But shall such ever come to glory? But, II. God must be the special object of our hope, and him in specialthat must be enjoyed by us in the next world, or nothing can makeus happy. We will suppose now, for the illustrating of this matter, that which is not to be supposed. As, 1. Suppose a man, when he dieth, should go to heaven, that goldenplace, what good would this do him, if he was not possessed of theGod of it? It would be, as to sweetness, but a thing unsavoury; asto durableness, but a thing uncertain; as to society, as a thingforlorn; and as to life, but a place of death. All this is made toappear by the angels that fell; for when fallen, what was heavento them? Suppose they staid but one quarter of an hour there aftertheir fall, before they were cast out, what sweetness found theythere, but guilt? What stay, but a continual fall of heart and mind?What society, but to be abandoned of all? And what life, but deathin its perfection? Yea, if it be true that some think, that forthe promoting of grace, they are admitted yet to enter that placeto accuse the saints on earth, yet what do they find there but whatis grievous to them? It is the presence of God that makes heavenHeaven in all its beauteousness. Hence David, when he speaks ofheaven, says, 'Whom have I in heaven but thee?' (Psa 73:25). Aswho should say, What would heaven yield to me for delights, if Iwas there without my God? It is the presence of God that will makeheaven sweet to those who are his. And as it is that that makesthe place, so it is interest in him that makes the company, andthe deeds that are done there, pleasant to the soul. What solacecan he that is without God, though he were in heaven, have withAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the prophets and angels? How could hejoin in their thanks, and praises, and blessings of him for everand ever, in whose favour, mercy, and grace, they are not concerned?

2. Suppose a man, when he dieth, should be made to live for ever, but without the enjoyment of God, what good would his life do him?Why, it would be filled full of horror, darkness, desolation, sorrow, and all things that would tend to make it bitter to thesoul. Witness they that live in hell; if it be proper to say theylive in hell? It is no more possible for a man to live happily, were he possessed of all that heaven and life could afford him, suppose him to be without interest in God, than it is for a manthat hath all the enjoyments of this world, if the sun was takenfrom him out of the firmament. As all things, whether it be heaven, angels, heavenly pleasures and delights, have had their being ofhim, so their being is continued by him, and made sweet of him. 

Now, for the well managing of our hope, with reference to thisspecial object of it, there are these things to be considered. Andnow I speak to all. We must know him right, we must come to himright. (1. ) We must know him right. It is essential to happiness, and so to the making of the God of heaven our hope, to know himrightly (John 17:1-3). It is not every fancy, or every imaginationof God, that thou mayst have, that will prove that therefore thouknowest God aright. In him there 'is no variableness, neither shadowof turning' (James 1:17). He only is what he is, what imaginationssoever we have of him. We may set up idols and images of him, asmuch in our minds as some do in their houses and in their temples, and be as great, though not so gross idolaters as they. [14] Nowif thou wouldst know him, thou must diligently feel for him in hisworks, in his Word, and in his ways, if perhaps thou mayst find theknowledge of him (Prov 2:1-5; Acts 17:27). (2. ) Beware, when thouhast found him, that thou go to him by his Son, whom he has sanctifiedand sent into the world, to be the way for sinners to go to God;and see that thou keepest in this path always, for out of him heis found intolerable, and a consuming-fire. (3. ) Busy thyself withall thy might to make an interest in his Son, and he will willinglybe thy Saviour, for he must become thine before his Father can bethe object of thy hope (John 3:36). He that hath the Son, hath theFather, but contrariwise, he that hath not him has neither (2 John9). (4. ) Stay not in some transient comforts, but abide restlesstill thou seest an union betwixt thee and this Blessed One; to wit, that he is a root, and thou a branch; that he is head, and thou amember. And then shalt thou know that the case is so between theeand him, when grace and his Spirit has made thee to lay the wholestress of thy justification upon him and has subdued thy heartand mind to be 'one spirit' with him (Rom 4:4, 5; 1 Cor 6:17). (5. )This done, hope thou in God, for he is become thy hope, that is, the object of it. And for thy encouragement so to do, considerthat he is able to bear up thy heart, and has said he will do it, as to this very thing, to all those that thus hope in him. 'Beof good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart, ' all ye thathope in the Lord (Psa 31:24). It is manifest, as was said before, that many difficulties lie in the way of hoping; but God will makethose difficulties easy, by strengthening the heart of him thathopeth, to hope. He has a way to do that, which no creature canhinder, by the blessed work of his Holy Spirit. He can show us heloves us, that he may encourage our hope. And as he can work inus for our encouragement, so he can and will, as was said before, himself, in his time, answer our hope, by becoming our hope himself. 'The Lord shall be the hope of his people, and the strength of thechildren of Israel' (Joel 3:16). 

His faithfulness also is a great encouragement to his, to hope forthe accomplishment of all that he hath promised unto his people. 'Hath he said it, and shall he not make it good?' When he promisedto bring Israel into the land of Canaan, he accomplished it to atittle. 'There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lordhad spoken unto the house of Israel; all came to pass' (Josh 21:45, 23:14). Also what he with his mouth had promised to David, withhis hand he fulfilled to Solomon in the view of all the thousandsof Israel (1 Kings 8:22-24; 2 Chron 6:7-10). 

[Third. The persons who are concerned in the management of thisduty of hope. ]

I will omit making mention again of the encouragements spoken ofbefore, and shall now come to the third thing specified in thispart of the text, to wit, to show more distinctly, who, and whatparticular persons they are, who are concerned in this exhortationto hope. 

They are put, as you see, under this general term Israel; 'LetIsrael hope in the Lord. ' And, 'He shall save Israel from all histroubles. ' Israel is to be taken three ways, in the Scripture. 1. For such that are Israel after the flesh. 2. For such as are suchneither after the flesh nor the Spirit; but in their own fanciesand carnal imaginations only. 3. For such as are Israel after God, or the Spirit. 

1. Israel is to be taken for those that are such after the flesh;that is, for those that sprang from the loins of Jacob, and arecalled, 'Israel after the flesh, the children of the flesh. ' Nowthese, as such, are not the persons interested in this exhortation, for by the flesh comes no true spiritual and eternal grace (Rom9:6-8; 2 Cor 1:10-18). Men are not within the bounds of the promiseof eternal life, as they are the children of the flesh, either inthe more gross or more refined sense (Phil 3:4-6). Jacob was asspiritual a father as any HE, I suppose that now professeth thegospel; but his spiritualness could not convey down to this children, that were such only after the flesh, that spirit and grace thatcauseth sound conversion, and salvation by Jesus Christ. Hence Paulcounts it a carnal thing to glory in this; and tells us plainly, If he had heretofore known Christ thus, that is, to have been hisbrother or kinsman, according to the flesh, or after that, he wouldhenceforth know him, that is, so, 'no more' (2 Cor 5:16-18). Forthough the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet notthat multitude, but the remnant that the Lord hath chosen and shallcall, shall be saved (Rom 9:27; Joel 2:32). This, therefore, isas an arrow against the face of that false doctrine that the Jewsleaned upon, to wit, that they were in the state of grace, andeverlasting favour of God, because the children and offspring ofAbraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But, 2. Israel may be taken for such as are neither so after the flesh, nor the Spirit, but in their own fancy and imagination only. Andsuch I take to be all those that you read of in Revelation 2:9which said 'they were Jews, and were not, ' 'but did lie' (3:9). 

These I take to be those carnal gospellers, [15] that from among theGentiles pretended themselves to be Jews inwardly, whose circumcisionis that of the heart in the spirit, when they were such only intheir own fancies and conceits, and made their profession out as alie (Rom 2:28, 29). Abundance of these there are at this day in theworld; men who know neither the Father, nor the Son, nor anythingof the way of the Spirit, in the work of regeneration; and yetpresume to say, 'They are Jews'; that is, truly and spirituallythe seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 'For' now, 'he is not aJew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which isoutward in the flesh; but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, andcircumcision is that of the heart in the spirit, --whose praise isnot of men, but of God. ' And although it may please some now tosay, as they of old said to them of the captivity, 'We seek yourGod as ye do' (Ezra 4:2); yet at last it will be found, that asthey, such have 'no portion, nor right, nor memorial, in Jerusalem'(Neh 2:20). And I would from hence caution all to take heed ofpresuming to count themselves Jews, unless they have a substantialground so to do. For to do this without a good bottom, makes allour profession a lie; and not only so, but it hindereth us of asight of a want of an interest in Jesus Christ, without which wecannot be saved; yea, such an one is the great self-deceiver, andso the worst deceiver of all: for he that deceives his own self, his own heart, is a deceiver in the worst sense; nor can anydisappointment be like unto that which casts away soul and body atonce (James 1:22, 26). O slender thread! that a man should think, thatbecause he fancieth himself 'an Israelite indeed, ' that thereforehe shall go for such an one in the day of judgment; or that heshall be able to cheat God with a pitiful say-so!

3. But the Israel under consideration in the text, is Israel afterGod, or the Spirit; hence they are called 'the Israel of God, 'because they are made so of him, not by generation, nor by fancy, but by Divine power (Can 6:16). And thus was the first of this namemade so, 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob but Israel' (Gen32:28). This then is the man concerned in the text, 'Let Israelhope in the Lord'; to wit, Israel that is so of God's making, andof God's allowance: for men are not debarred from calling themselvesafter this most godly name, provided they are so indeed; all thatis dangerous is, when men shall think this privilege comes by carnalgeneration, or that their fancying of themselves to be such willbear them out in the day of judgment. Otherwise, if men become thetrue servants of God by Christ, they have, as I said, an allowanceso to subscribe themselves. 'One shall say, I am the Lord's andanother shall call himself by the name of Jacob, and another shallsubscribe with his hand unto the Lord, and surname himself by thename of Israel' (Isa 44:5). But then, for the further describingof such, they must be men of circumcised and tender hearts; theymust be such 'which worship God in the spirit, and that rejoicein Christ Jesus, and that have no confidence in the flesh' (Phil3:3), for these are the Nathaniels, the Israelites indeed in whomthere is no guile (John 1:47), and these are they that are intendedin the exhortation, when he saith, 'Let Israel hope in the Lord. '

For these are formed for that very end, that they might hope inthe Lord; yea, the word and testament are given to them for thispurpose (Psa 78:5-7). These are prisoners of hope all the time theyare in the state of nature, even as the whole creation is subjectedunder hope, all the time of its bondage, by the sin and villainyof man; and unto them it shall be said, in the dispensation of thefullness of time, 'Turn you to the strong hold, ye prisoners ofhope' (Zech 9:12); as certainly as that which is called the creatureitself shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into theglorious liberty of the children of God (Rom 8:18-21). Only here, as I said before, let all men have a care in this thing: this isthe pinnacle, the point; he that is right here, is right in allthat is necessary to salvation; but he that misses here, can by nomeans be right anywhere to his soul's advantage in the other world. 

[Improvement. ] If I should a little improve the text where thistitle is first given to man, and show the posture he was in whenit was said to him, 'Thy name shall be called Israel'; and shouldalso debate upon the cause or ground of that, 'An Israelite indeed, 'thou mightest not repent it who shall read it; and therefore a fewwords to each. 

1. When Jacob received the name of Israel, he was found wrestlingwith the angel; yea, and so resolved a wrestler was he, that hepurposed, now he had begun, not to give out without a blessing, 'Iwill not let thee go, ' said he, 'except thou bless me' (Gen 32:26). Discouragements he had while he wrestled with him, to have leftoff, before he obtained his desire; for the angel bid him leaveoff; 'let me go, ' said he. He had wrestled all night, and had notprevailed; and now the day brake upon him, and consequently hisdiscouragement was like to be the greater, for that now the majestyand terribleness of him with whom he wrestled would be seen moreapparently; but this did not discourage him: besides, he lost theuse of a limb as he wrestled with him; yet all would not put thisIsrael out. Pray he did, and pray he would, and nothing should makehim leave off prayer, until he had obtained, and therefore he wascalled 'Israel. ' 'For as a prince hast thou power with God andwith men, and hast prevailed' (Gen 32:28, 30). A wrestling spiritof prayer is a demonstration of an Israel of God; this Jacob had, this he made use of, and by this he obtained the name of 'Israel. 'A wrestling spirit of prayer in straits, difficulties, and distresses;a wrestling spirit of prayer when alone in private, in the night, when none eye seeth but God's then to be at it, then to lay holdof God, then to wrestle, to hold fast, and not to give over untilthe blessing is obtained, is a sign of one that is an Israel ofGod. 

2. 'Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile' (John 1:47). This was the testimony of the Lord Jesus concerning Nathaniel (v46). Nathaniel was persuaded by Philip to come to Jesus, and ashe was coming, Jesus saith to the rest of the disciples concerninghim, 'Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile. ' Then saidNathaniel to Jesus, 'Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and saidunto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under thefig-tree I saw thee' (v 15). Nathaniel, as Jacob, was at prayer, at prayer alone under the fig-tree, wrestling in prayer, for whatno man can certainly tell, but probably for the Messias, or for therevelation of him: for the seeing Jews were convinced that the timeof the promise was out; and all men were in expectation concerningJohn, whether he might not be he (Luke 3:15). But Nathaniel wasunder the fig-tree, alone with God, to inquire of him, and thatwith great earnestness and sincerity; else the Lord Jesus wouldnot thus have excused him of hypocrisy, and justified his actionas he did, concluding from what he did there that he was a trueson of Jacob; and ought, as he, to have his name changed from whathis parents gave him, to this given him of Christ, 'An Israeliteindeed. ' Wherefore, from both these places, it is apparent, thata wrestling spirit of prayer, in private, is one of the best signsthat this or that man or woman is of Israel; and, consequently, such who are within the compass of the exhortation here, saying, 'Let Israel hope in the Lord. ' I say, it is this wrestling spiritof prayer with God alone; for as for that of public prayer, thoughI will not condemn it, it gives not ground for this character, notwithstanding all the flourishes and excellencies that maytherein appear. I am not insensible what pride, what hypocrisy, what pretences, what self-seekings of commendations and applause, may be countenanced by those concerned in, or that make publicprayers; and how little thought or savour of God may be in all sosaid; but this closet, night, or alone prayer, is of another stamp, and attended, at least so I judge, with that sense, those desires, that simplicity, and those strugglings, wherewith that in public isnot. [16] Nay, I think verily a man cannot addict himself to thesemost solemn retirements, without some of Jacob's and Nathaniel'ssense and sincerity, wrestlings and restlessness for mercy; wherefore, laying aside all other, I shall abide by this, That the man thatis as I have here described, is not an Israelite of the flesh, norone so only in his fancy or imagination, but one made so of God; onethat is called a child of promise, and one to whom this exhortationdoth belong: 'Let Israel hope in the Lord'; to wit, they that serveGod by prayer day and night (Luke 2:37; Acts 26:5-7). These, I say, are Israel, the Israel of God, and let these hope in the Lord, fromnow, 'henceforth, and for ever' (Psa 131:3). 

[SECOND. The manner by which the exhortation is expressed. ]

Having thus briefly touched upon those three things that arecontained in the matter of the exhortation, I now come to speak aword to the manner of praises by which the exhortation is presentedto us, 'Let Israel hope'; he doth not say, Israel hath hoped; Israeldid hope; or Israel can hope, but 'let Israel hope in the Lord. ''Let' is a word very copious, and sometimes signifies this, andsometimes that, even according as the nature or reason of the thingunder debate, or to be expressed, will with truth and advantagebear. Let him hope, First. Sometimes 'let' is equivalent to a command; 'Let every soul besubject to the higher powers, ' this is a command. 'Let all thingsbe done decently and in order, ' this also is a command. So here, 'Let Israel hope, ' this also is a command; and so enjoins a dutyupon Israel; for why, since they seek for mercy, should they nothave it; now a command lays a very strong obligation upon a manto do this or another duty. 'He commandeth all men every whereto repent'; but Israel only to hope in his mercy. Now take theexhortation and convert it into a commandment, and it showeth us, (1. ) in what good earnest God offers his mercy to his Israel; hecommands them to hope in him, as he is and will be so to them. (2. )It supposes an impediment in Israel, as to the faculty of receivingor hoping in God for mercy; we that would have God be merciful, wethat cry and pray to him to show us mercy, have yet that weaknessand impediment in our faith, which greatly hindereth us from asteadfast hoping in the Lord for mercy. (3. ) It suggesteth also, that Israel SINS, if he hopeth not in God, God would not that allshould attempt to hope, because they have no faith; for he is forhaving of them first believe, knowing that it is in vain to thinkof hoping, until they have believed; but Israel has believed, andtherefore God has commanded them to hope, and they sin if they obeyhim not in this, as in all other duties. He commands thee, I say, since thou hast believed in his Son, to hope, that is, to expectto see his face in the next world with joy and comfort; this ishoping, this is thy duty, this God commands thee. 

Second. As this word 'let' is sometimes equivalent to a command, soit is expressed sometimes also to show a grant, leave, or license, to do a thing: such are these that follow, 'Let us come boldly tothe throne of grace' (Heb 4:6). 'Let us draw near with a true heart'(ch 10). 'Let us hold fast the profession of our faith withoutwavering' (vv 22, 23). Here also this manner of expressing thething may be taken in the same sense, to wit, to show that Israelhas a grant, a leave, a license, to trust in the Lord. And O! whata privilege is this, but who believes it? And yet as truly as Godhas granted to Jacob, to Israel, repentance unto life, and by thatmeans has made him fly for refuge, to lay hold of Christ set beforehim as a justifier; so has he granted him leave and license totrust in him for ever, and to hope for his favour in the next world. 

And if you take the word in this sense, to wit, for a grant, leave, or license, to hope in God; then (1. ) This shows how liberal Godis of himself, and things, to Israel. Let Israel hope in me, trustto me, expect good things at my hand; I give him leave and licenseto do it. Let him live in a full expectation of being with me, andwith my Son in glory; I give him leave to do so; he has licensefrom me to do so. (2. ) Understand the word thus, and it shows uswith what boldness and confidence God would have us hope in him. They that have leave and license to do a thing, may do it withconfidence and boldness, without misgivings and reluctance of mind;this is our privilege; we may live in a full assurance of hope untothe end, we may hope perfectly to the end, we have leave, license, and a grant to do it. (3. ) Understand the word thus, and it alsoshows you how muddy, how dark those of Israel are, and how littlethey are acquainted with the goodness of their God, who standshrinking at his door like beggars, and dare not in a godly sortbe bold, with his mercy. Wherefore standest thou thus with thy Ifsand thy O-buts, O thou poor benighted Israelite. Wherefore puttestthou thy hand in thy bosom, as being afraid to touch the hem ofthe garment of the Lord? Thou hast a leave, a grant, a license, to hope for good to come, thy Lord himself has given it to thee, saying, 'LET Israel hope in the Lord. '

Third. This word 'let' is also sometimes used by way of rebuke andsnub; 'Let her alone, for her soul is vexed' (2 Kings 4:27). 'Lether alone, why trouble ye her?' (Mark 14:6). 'Refrain from thesemen, and let them alone' (Acts 5:38). And it may also so be takenhere. But if so, then it implies, that God in this exhortationrebuketh those evil instruments, those fallen angels, with allothers that attempt to hinder us in the exercise of this duty. AsBoaz said to his servants, when Ruth was to glean in his field, 'let her glean even among the sheaves, and reproach her not' (Ruth2:15, 16). We have indeed those that continually endeavour to hinderus of living in the full assurance of hope, as to being with Godand with Christ in glory: but here is a rebuke for such, 'Let Israelhope in the Lord. ' And it shows us, 1. That what suggestions comefrom Satan to make us that are Israelites to doubt, come not forthat end, by virtue of any commission that he hath from God. Godhas rebuked him in the text, and you may see it also elsewhere. These temptations, therefore, are rather forged of malice, and ofdespite to our faith and hope; and so should be accounted by us(Zech 1:1-3). 2. This shows us also that we should take heed ofcrediting of that which comes unto us to hinder our hope in theLord; lest we take part with Satan, while God rebuketh him, andcountenanceth that which fights against the grace of God in us. 3. It shows us also that as faith, so hope, cannot be maintained withgreat difficulty, and that we should endeavour to maintain it, andhope through every difficulty. 

Fourth. This word 'LET' is sometimes used by way of request orintreaty. 'I pray thee, LET Tamar my sister come' (2 Sam 13:6). 'LET it be granted to the Jews to do, ' &c. (Esth 9:13). And if itbe so to be taken here, or if in the best sense this interpretationof it may here be admitted, the consideration thereof is amazing;for then it is all one as if God by the mouth of his servant, thepenman of this psalm, did intreat us to hope in him. And why thismay not be implied here, as well as expressed elsewhere, I knownot. 'God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, beye reconciled to God' (2 Cor 5:20). Why should God beseech us toreconcile to him, but that we might hope in him? and if it be thustaken here, it shows, 1. The great condescension of God, in thathe doth not only hold out to us the advantages of hoping in God, but desires that we should hope, that we might indeed be partakersof those advantages. 2. It teaches us also humility, and thatalways in the acts of faith and hope we should mix blushing, andshame, with our joy and rejoicing. Kiss the ground, sinner; put'thy mouth in the dust, if so be there may be hope' (Lam 3:29). 

Fifth. And lastly, This word is used sometimes by way of caution. 'Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall' (1Cor 10:12). 'Let us therefore fear lest a promise being left us ofentering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it'(Heb 4:1), and if it should be so taken here, then, 1. This showsus the evil of despair, and that we at times are incident to it; ourdaily weaknesses, our fresh guilt, our often decays, our aptness toforget the goodness of God, are direct tendencies unto this evil, of which we should be aware; for it robs God of his glory, andus of our comfort, and gratifies none but the devil and unbelief. 2. It showeth us that despair is a fall, a falling down from ourliberty; our liberty is to hope; it is our portion from God; forhe hath said that himself will be the hope of his people. To dothe contrary, is therefore a falling from God, a departing fromGod through an evil heart of unbelief. It is the greatest folly inthe world for an Israelite to despair; 'Why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel. My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgmentis passed over from my God? Hast thou not known? hast thou notheard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the endsof the earth, fainteth not? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might, heincreaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, andthe young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon, ' thatis, hope in, 'the Lord, shall renew their strength; they shall mountup with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and theyshall walk and not faint' (Isa 40:27-31). 

[THIRD. Inferences from the exhortation. ]

Now we come to those inferences that do naturally flow from thisexhortation, and they are in number four. 

First. That hope and the exercise of it, is as necessary in itsplace, as faith, and the exercise of it. All will grant that thereis need of a daily exercise of faith; and we are bid to hope untothe end, because hope is the grace that relieveth the soul when darkand weary. Hope is as the bottle to the faint and sinking spirit. Hope calls upon the soul not to forget how far it is arrived inits progress towards heaven. Hope will point and show it the gateafar off; and therefore it is called the hope of salvation. Hopeexerciseth itself upon God. 

1. By those mistakes that the soul hath formerly been guilty of, with reference to the judgment that it hath made of God, and of hisdealings with it. And this is an excellent virtue. 'I said, ' oncesays the church, that 'my hope is perished from the Lord, ' but Iwas deceived; 'this I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope';that is, why, if I give way to such distrusting thoughts, may I notbe wrong again? (Lam 3:18-21). Therefore will I hope! This virtueis that which belongs to this grace only; for this and this only isit that can turn unbelief and doubts to advantage. 'I said in myhaste, ' said David, 'I am cut off from before thine eyes'; neverthelessI was mistaken; 'thou heardest the voice of my supplications whenI cried unto thee' (Psa 31:22). And what use doth he make of this?Why, an exhortation to all good men to hope, and to take advantageto hope from the same mistakes. I think I am cast off from God, says the soul; so thou thoughtest afore, says memory, but thouwast mistaken then, and why not the like again? and therefore willI hope. When I had concluded that God would never come near memore, yet after that he came to me again, and as I was then, so Iam now; therefore will I hope. 

2. True hope, in the right exercise of it upon God, makes no stickat weakness or darkness; but rather worketh up the soul to somestay, by these. Thus Abraham's hope wrought by his weakness (Rom4). And so Paul, when I am weak, then I am strong; I will mostgladly therefore rejoice in mine infirmities (2 Cor 12). But thiscannot be done where there is no hope, nor but by hope: for it ishope, and the exercise of it, that can say, Now I expect that Godshould bring good out of all this. And as for the dark, it is itselement to act in that: 'But hope that is seen is not hope' (Rom8:24). But we must hope for that we see not. So David, 'Why artthou cast down, O my soul? hope thou in God. ' Christians have noreason to mistrust the goodness of God, because of their weakness, &c. 'I had fainted unless I had believed to see' (Psa 27:13). Bybelieving there, he means hoping to see, as the exhortation drawnfrom thence doth import. 

3. Hope will make use of our calling, to support the soul, and tohelp it, by that, to exercise itself in a way of expectation of goodfrom God. Hence the apostle prays for the Ephesians, that they maybe made to see what is 'the hope of their calling'; that is, whatgood that is which by their calling they have ground to hope islaid up in heaven, and to be brought unto them at the appearanceof Jesus Christ (Eph 1:17, 18). For thus the soul by this grace ofhope will reason about this matter: God has called me; surely it isto a feast. God has called me to the fellowship of his Son, surelyit is that I may be with him in the next world. God has given methe spirit of faith and prayer; surely it is that I might hope forwhat I believe is, and wait for what I pray for. God his given mesome tastes already; surely it is to encourage me to hope that hepurposeth to bring me into the rich fruition of the whole. 

4. Hope will exercise itself upon God by those breakings wherewithhe breaketh his people for their sins. 'The valley of Achor' mustbe given 'for a door of hope' (Hosea 2:15). The valley of Achor; whatis that? Why, the place where Achan was stoned for his wickedness, and the place where all Israel was afflicted for the same (Josh 7). I say, hope can gather by this, that God has a love to the soul; forwhen God hateth a man he chastiseth him not for his trespasses. [17]'If ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then areye bastards, and not sons' (Heb 12:8). Hence Moses tells Israel, that when the hand of God was upon them for their sins, they shouldconsider in their heart, 'that as a man chasteneth his son, so theLord thy God chasteneth thee' (Deut 8:5). And why thus consider, but that a door might be opened for hope to exercise itself uponGod by this? This is that also that is intended in Paul to theCorinthians, 'When we are judged we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world' (1 Cor 11:32). Isnot here a door of hope? And why a door of hope, but that by it, God's people, when afflicted, should go out by it from despair byhope?

[Second. ] But it is to be inferred, secondly, That the exerciseof hope upon God is very delightful to him: else he would not havecommanded and granted us a liberty to hope, and have snibbed thosethat would hinder. 'Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them thatfear him; upon them that hope in his mercy; to deliver their soulfrom death, and to keep them alive in famine' (Psa 33:18, 19). ThatGod is much delighted in the exercise of this grace, is evident, because of the preparation that he has made for this grace, wherewithto exercise itself. 'For whatsoever things were writ aforetime, werewritten for our learning, that we through patience and comfort ofthe Scriptures might have hope' (Rom 15:4). Mark, the whole historyof the Bible, with the relation of the wonderful works of God withhis people from the beginning of the world, are written for thisvery purpose, that we, by considering and comparing, by patienceand comfort of them, might have hope. The Bible is the scaffold orstage that God has builded for hope to play his part upon in thisworld. It is therefore a thing very delightful to God to see hoperightly given its colour before him; hence he is said, 'to laughat the trial of the innocent' (Job 9:23). Why at his trial? Becausehis trial puts him upon the exercise of hope: for then indeed thereis work for hope, when trials are sharp upon us. But why is Godso delighted in the exercise of this grace of hope?

1. Because hope is a head-grace and governing. There are severallusts in the soul that cannot be mastered, if hope be not inexercise; especially if the soul be in great and sore trials. Thereis peevishness and impatience, there is fear and despair, thereis doubting and misconstruing of God's present hand; and all thesebecome masters, if hope be not stirring; nor can any grace besidesput a stop to their tumultuous raging in the soul. But now hope inGod makes them all hush, takes away the occasion of their working, and lays the soul at the foot of God. 'Surely, ' saith the Psalmist, 'I have behaved and quieted myself as a child that is weaned ofhis mother, my soul is even as a weaned child. ' But how came he tobring his soul into so good a temper? Why, that is gathered by theexhortation following, 'Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforthand for ever' (Psa 131:2, 3). It was by hoping in the Lord that hequieted his soul, and all its unruly sinful passions. 

2. As hope quasheth and quieteth sinful passions, so it puttethinto order some graces that cannot be put into order without it:as patience, meekness, silence, and long-suffering, and the like. These are all in a day of trial out of place, order, and exercise, where hope forbeareth to work. I never saw a distrusting man, apatient man, a quiet man, a silent man, and a meek man, under thehand of God, except he was 'dead in sin' at the time. But we are notnow talking of such. But now let a man hope in the Lord, and hepresently concludes this affliction is for my good, a sign God lovesme, and that which will work out for me a far more and exceedingand eternal weight of glory; and so it puts the graces of the soulinto order (Luke 21:19). Wherefore patience, by which a man is bidto possess or keep his soul under the cross, is called 'the patienceof hope' (1 Thess 1:3). So in another place, when he would have thechurch patient in tribulation, and continue instant in prayer, hebids them 'rejoice in hope, ' knowing that the other could not bedone without it (Rom 12:12). 

3. God takes much delight in the exercise of hope, because itconstrueth all God's dispensations, at present, towards it, for thebest: 'When he hath tried me I shall come forth like gold' (Job23:10). This is the language of hope. God, saith the soul, is doingof me good, making of me better, refining of my inward man. Take aprofessor that is without hope, and either he suffereth afflictionof pride and ostentation, or else he picks a quarrel with God andthrows up all. For he thinks that God is about to undo him; but hopeconstrueth all to the best, and admits no such unruly passions tocarry the man away. 

4. Therefore hope makes the man, be the trials what they will, tokeep still close to the way and path of God. 'My foot, ' said hopingJob, 'hath held his steps, his way have I kept and not declined, neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips' (Job23:11, 12). And again, 'Our heart is not turned back, neither haveour steps declined from thy way: though thou hast sore broken usin the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death'(Psa 44:18, 19). But how came they thus patiently to endure? Why, they by hope put patience and prayer into exercise. They knew thattheir God was as it were but asleep, and that in his time he wouldarise for their help; and when he did arise he would certainlydeliver. Thus is this psalm applied by Paul (Rom 8). 

[Third. ] There is also inferred from this exhortation, thatthe hope of those that are not Israelites is not esteemed of God. 'Let Israel hope. ' The words are exclusive, shutting out the rest. He doth not say, Let Amalek hope, let Babylon, or the Babylonianshope; but even in and by this exhortation shutteth out both therest and their hope from his acceptance. This being concluded, itfollows, that some may hope and not be the better for their hope. 'The hypocrite's hope shall perish' (Job 8:13); their hope shallbe as the giving up of the ghost (11:20). 'For what is the hope ofthe hypocrite?' (27:8). Again, 'The hope of unjust men perisheth'(Prov 11:7). There is a hope that perisheth, both it and he thathoped with it together. The reasons are, 1. Because it floweth not from faith and experience, but ratherfrom conceit and presumption. Hope, as I have told you, if it beright, cometh of faith, and is brought forth by experience: but thehope now under consideration is alone, and has no right original, and therefore not regarded. It is not the hope of God, but the hopeof man; that is, it is not the hope of God's working, but the hopethat standeth in natural abilities. 'Thou washest away the thingswhich grow out of the dust of the earth, and thou destroyest the hopeof man' (Job 14:19). Whatsoever in religious matters is but of acarnal and earthly existence, must be washed away, when the overflowingscourge shall at the end pass over the world (Isa 28:17-19). 

2. Because the Lord's mercy is not the object of it. The worldlyman makes gold, or an arm of flesh his hope; that is, the objectof it, and so he despiseth God (Job 31:24; Jer 3:23). Or if he bea religious hypocrite, his hope terminates in his own doings: hetrusteth, or hopeth, in himself, that he is righteous (Luke 18:9). All these things are abhorred of God, nor can he, with honour tohis name, or in a compliance with his own eternal designs, giveany countenance to such a hope as this. 

3. This hope has no good effect on the heart and mind of him thathath it. It purifieth not the soul, it only holds fast a lie, andkeeps a man in a circuit, at an infinite distance from waiting uponGod. 

4. This hope busieth all the powers of the soul about things thatare of the world, or about those false objects on which it is pitched;even as the spider diligently worketh in her web--unto which alsothis hope is compared--in vain. This hope will bring that man thathas it, and exercises it, to heaven, when leviathan is pulled outof the sea with a hook; or when his jaw is bored through with athorn: but as he that thinks to do this, hopeth in vain; so, evenso, will the hope of the other be as unsuccessful; 'So are thepaths of all that forget God, and the hypocrite's hope shall perish;whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider'sweb. He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand; he shallhold it fast, but it shall not endure' (Job 8:13-15, 41:1-9). Thisis the hope that is not esteemed of God, nor the persons that haveit, preferred by him a whit before their own dung (Job 20:4-8). 

[Fourth. ] There is also inferred from these words, That Israelhimself is subject to swerve in his soul about the object of hope. For this text is to him as a command and grant, so an instructionby which he is to be informed, how and upon whom to set his hope. That Israel is apt to swerve as to the object of his hope, isevident, for that so much ado is made by the prophets to keep himupon his God; in that so many laws and statutes are made to directhim to set his hope in God: and also by his own confession (Psa78:7; Jer 3:23-25; Lam 4:17). The fears also and the murmurings andthe faintings that attend the godly in this life, do put the truthof this inference out of doubt. It is true, the apostle said, thathe had the sentence of death in himself, that he might not trustor hope in himself, but in God that raiseth the dead. But this wasan high pitch; Israel is not always here; there are many thingsthat hinder. (1. ) The imperfection of our graces. There is no graceperfected in the godly. Now it is incident to things defective, to be wanting in their course. Faith is not perfect; and hence thesensible Christian feels what follows: love is not perfect, andwe see what follows; and so of hope and every other grace; theirimperfection makes them stagger. 2. Israel is not yet beyondtemptations. There is a deal to attend him with temptations, and hehas a soul so disabled by sin, that at all times he cannot fix onGod that made him, but is apt to be turned aside to lying vanities:the very thing that Jonah was ensnared with (2:8). 

3. The promising helps that seem to be in other things, are greathindrances to a steady fixing, by hope, on God; there are goodframes of heart, enlargements in duties, with other the like, thathave through the darkness, and the legality of our spirits beengreat hindrances to Israel. Not that their natural tendency is toturn us aside; but our corrupt reason getting the upper hand, andbearing the stroke in judgment, converts our minds and consciencesto the making of wrong conclusions upon them. 4. Besides, as themind and conscience, by reason, is oft deluded to draw these wrongconclusions upon our good frames of heart, to the removing of ourhope from the right object unto them; so by like reason, are weturned by unwholesome doctrines, and a carnal understanding of theWord, to the very same thing: 'cisterns, broken cisterns that canhold no water, ' Israel, even God's people, are apt to make untothemselves to the forsaking of their God (Jer 2:11-13). 

Thus have I gone through the first part of the text, which consistsof an exhortation to hope in the Lord. And have showed you, 1. Thematter contained therein. 2. Something of the reason of the mannerof the phrase. 3. And have drawn, as you see, some inferences fromit. 

[SECOND. THE REASON URGED TO ENFORCE THE EXHORTATION. ]

I now come to the second part of the text, which is a reason urgedto enforce the exhortation, 'Let Israel hope in the Lord. ' Why?'For with the Lord there is mercy. ' There is the reason, let himhope, for there is mercy; let him hope in the Lord, for with himthere is mercy. The reason is full and suitable. For what is theground of despair, but a conceit that sin has shut the soul outof all interest in happiness? and what is the reason of that, buta persuasion that there is no help for him in God? Besides, couldGod do all but show mercy, yet the belief of that ability wouldnot be a reason sufficient to encourage the soul to hope in God. For the block SIN, which cannot be removed but by mercy, stilllies in the way. The reason therefore is full and suitable, havingnaturally an enforcement in it, to the exhortation. And, First. To touch upon the reason in a way general, and then [Second]to come to it more particularly. 'Let Israel hope in the Lord, forwith the Lord there is mercy, ' mercy to be bestowed, mercy designedto be bestowed. 

1. Mercy to be bestowed. This must be the meaning. What if a manhas never so much gold or silver, or food, or raiment: yet if hehas none to communicate, what is the distressed, or those in want, the better? What if there be mercy with God, yet if he has noneto bestow, what force is there in the exhortation, or what shallIsrael, if he hopeth, be the better. But God has mercy to bestow, to give. 'He saith on this wise, I will give you the sure merciesof David' (Acts 13:34). And again, 'The Lord give mercy untothe house of Onesiphorus' (2 Tim 1:16). Now then, here lies theencouragement. The Lord has mercy to give; he has not given awayALL his mercy; his mercy is not clean gone for ever (Psa 77:8). He has mercy yet to give away, yet to bestow upon his Israel. 'LetIsrael hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy. '

2. As there is with God mercy to be bestowed, so there is mercydesigned to be bestowed or given to Israel. Some men lay by whatthey mean to give away, and put that in a bag by itself, saying, This I design to give away, this I purpose to bestow upon the poor. Thus God; he designeth mercy for his people (Dan 9:4). Hence themercy that God's Israel are said to be partakers of, is a mercy keptfor them. And 'thou, O God, hast prepared of thy goodness for thepoor, ' and laid up for them (Psa 68:10). This is excellent and istrue, 'Let Israel hope in the Lord, for there is with him mercy, 'kept, prepared, and laid up for them! (Psa 61:7). When God designsthe bestowing of mercy, we may well hope to be partakers (Psa 31:19). The poor will go merrily to weddings and funerals, and hope for analms all the way they go, when they come to understand that thereis so much kept, prepared, and laid up for them by the bridegroom, &c. [18] But 'He keepeth mercy for thousands!' (Exo 34:7). 

3. As God has mercies to bestow, and as he has designed to bestowthem, so those mercies are no fragments or the leavings of others:but mercies that are full and complete to do for thee, what thouwantest, wouldst have, or canst desire. As I may so say, God hashis bags that were never yet untied, never yet broken up, but laidby him through a thousand generations, for those that he commandsto hope in his mercy. As Samuel kept the shoulder for Saul, and asGod brake up that decreed place for the sea, so hath he set apart, and will break up his mercy for his people: mercy and grace thathe gave us before we had a being, is the mercy designed for Israel(2 Tim 1:9). Whole mercies are allotted to us; however, mercysufficient (1 Sam 9:23-24; Job 38:10). But to be a little moredistinct. 

[Second, particularly. ] I find that the goodness of God to hispeople is diversely expressed in his word: sometimes by the wordgrace; sometimes by the word love; and sometimes by the word mercy;even as our badness against him is called iniquity, transgression, and sin. When it is expressed by that word 'grace, ' then it is toshow that what he doth is of his princely will, his royal bounty, and sovereign pleasure. When it is expressed by that word 'love, 'then it is to show us that his affection was and is in what hedoth, and that he doth what he doth for us, with complacency anddelight. But when it is set forth to us under the notion of 'mercy, 'then it bespeaks us to be in a state both wretched and miserable, and that his bowels and compassions yearn over us in this our fearfulplight. Now, the Holy Ghost chooseth--as it should seem--in thisplace, to present us with that goodness that is in God's hearttowards us, rather under the term of mercy; for that, as I saidbefore, it so presenteth us with our misery, and his pity andcompassion; and because it best pleaseth us when we apprehend Godin Christ as one that has the love of compassion and pity for us. Hence we are often presented with God's goodness to us to cause usto hope, under the name of pity and compassion. 'In his pity heredeemed them, ' and 'like as a father pitieth his children, so theLord pitieth them that fear him' (Isa 63:9; Psa 103:13). 'The Lordis very pitiful and of tender mercy, ' he also is gracious and 'fullof compassion' (James 5:11; Psa 78:38). 'Thou, O Lord, art a Godfull of compassion, ' and thy 'compassions fail not' (Psa 86:15, 111:4; Lam 3:22). 

The words being thus briefly touched upon, I shall come to treatof two things. FIRST, more distinctly, I shall show you what kindof mercy is with the Lord, as a reason to encourage Israel tohope. SECONDLY, And then shall show what is to be inferred fromthis reason, 'Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord thereis mercy. '

[FIRST, The kind of mercy that Israel is to hope for. ]

First, 'With him there is TENDER MERCY, and therefore let Israelhope' (Psa 25:6, 103:4, 119:156). Tender mercy is mercy in mercy, and that which Israel of old had in high estimation, cried much for, and chose that God would deal with their souls by that. 'Withholdnot thou thy tender mercies from me, ' said David, and 'accordingunto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions'(Psa 40:11, 51:1). And again, 'Let thy tender mercies come untome, that I may live' (Psa 119:77). Now of this sort of mercies Godhas a great many, a multitude to bestow upon his people. And theyare thus mentioned by the word, to cause us to hope in him. Andis not this alluring, is not this enticing to the Israel of God tohope, when the object of their hope is a God 'very pitiful, and oftender mercy?' Yea, a God whose tender mercies are great and many. There are two things that this word tender mercy importeth. 1. Thefirst is, that sin will put a believer, if he giveth way thereto, into a very miserable condition. 2. That God would have them hope, that though sin may have brought any of them into this condition, the Lord will restore them with much pity and compassion. 'LetIsrael hope in the Lord, ' for with the Lord there is mercy, tendermercy. 

1. For the first of these, That sin will put a believer, if hegives way thereto, into a very miserable condition, and that upona double account. (1. ) For that it will bring him into fears ofdamnation. (2. ) In that it will make his soul to be much painedunder those fears. 

We will wave the first, and come to the second of these. The painsthat guilt will make, when it wounds the conscience, none knowsbut those to whom sin is applied by the Spirit of God, in the law. Yet all may read of it in the experience of the godly; where thispain is compared to a wound in the flesh, to fire in the bones, tothe putting of bones out of joint, and the breaking of them asunder(Psa 38:3, 5, 7, 8, 102:3, 22:14; Lam 1:13, 3:4). He that knows whatwounds and broken bones are, knows them to be painful things. Andhe that knows what misery sin will bring the soul into with itsguilt, will conclude the one comes no whit short of the other. Butnow he that hath these wounds, and also these broken bones, thevery thoughts of a man that can cure, and of a bonesetter, willmake him afraid, yea, quake for fear; especially if he knows thatthough he has skill, he has a hard heart, and fingers that are likeiron. He that handleth a wound, had need have fingers like feathersor down; to be sure the patient wisheth they were! Tenderness is athing of great worth to such; and such men are much inquired afterby such; yea, their tenderness is an invitation to such to seekafter them. And the thing is true in spirituals (Isa 42:3). WhereforeDavid cried, as I said before, 'Have mercy upon me, O God! accordingunto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions'(Psa 51:1). O handle me tenderly, Lord, handle me tenderly, criedDavid. O cure me, I beseech thee, and do it with thy tender mercy. 

Now, answerable to this, the Lord is set forth to Israel, as onewith whom is mercy, consequently tender mercy. Let Israel hope inthe Lord, for with the Lord there is tender mercy. God thereforewould have the wounded and bruised, and those whose pains may becompared to the pains and pangs of broken bones, to hope that hewill restore them with much pity and compassion, or as you have itbefore, in pity and tender mercy. See how he promiseth to do it bythe prophet. 'A bruised reed shall he not break; and the smokingflax shall he not quench' (Isa 42:3). See how tender he is in theaction. 'When he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him onhis own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him'(Luke 10:33-35). Every circumstance is full of tenderness andcompassion. See also how angry he maketh himself with those of hisservants that handle the wounded or diseased without this tenderness;and how he catcheth them out of their hand, with a purpose to dealmore gently with them himself. 'The diseased, ' saith he, 'haveye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick;neither have ye bound up that which was broken; neither have yebrought again that which was driven away; neither have ye soughtthat which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruledthem; therefore, ye shepherds, hear the words of the Lord: I willfeed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the LordGod. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that whichwas driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, andwill strengthen that which was sick' (Eze 34:4, 7, 15, 16). Here isencouragement to hope, even according to the reason urged: 'LetIsrael hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, ' tendermercy. Second. As with him is mercy tender, so there is with himmercy that is GREAT, for with him is great mercy. 'The Lord islong-suffering, and of great mercy' (Num 14:18). When tendernessaccompanies want of skill, the defect is great; but when tendernessand great skill meet together, such a surgeon is a brave accomplishedman. Besides, some are more plagued with the sense of the greatnessof their sins than others are; the devil having placed or fixed thegreat sting there. These are driven by the greatness of sin intodespairing thoughts, hotter than fire: these have the greatness oftheir sin betwixt God and them, like a great mountain; yea, they arelike a cloud that darkeneth the sun and air. [19] This man standsunder Cain's gibbet, and has the halter of Judas, to his ownthinking, fastened about his neck. 

And now, cries, he, 'GREAT mercy or NO mercy; for little mercy willdo me no good'; such a poor creature thus expostulateth the casewith God, 'Wilt thou show wonders to the dead? Shall the dead ariseand praise thee?' (Psa 88:10). Lord, I have destroyed myself, canI live? My sins are more than the sands, can I live? Lord, everyone of them are sins of the first rate, of the biggest size, of theblackest line, can I live? I never read that expression but oncein all the whole Bible; 'For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mineiniquity, for it is great' (Psa 25:11). Not that there was but oneman in Israel that had committed great iniquities, but because menthat have so done, have rather inclined to despair, than to anargument so against the wind. If he had said, Pardon, for they arelittle, his reason had carried reason in it; but when he saith, Pardon, for they are great, he seems to stand like a man alone. Thisis the common language, 'if our transgressions be upon us, and wepine away in them, How should we then live?' (Eze 33:10). Or thus, 'Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost, and we are cut off forour parts' (Eze 37:11). Wherefore to such as these, good wishes, tender fingers, and compassion, without GREAT mercy, can donothing. But behold, O thou man of Israel, thou talkest of greatsins; answerable to this, the Scripture speaks of great mercy; andthy great sins are but the sins of a man, but these great merciesare the mercies of a God; yea, and thou art exhorted, even becausethere is mercy with him, therefore to trust thy soul with him, 'let Israel trust in the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, 'great mercy. This therefore is a truth of singular consolation, that mercy is with the Lord, that tender mercy is with him, thatgreat mercy is with him, both TENDER and GREAT. What would man havemore? But, Third. As great mercy is with the Lord to encourage us to hope, so this mercy that is great, is RICH. 'God is rich in mercy' (Eph2:4). There is riches of goodness and riches of grace with him(Rom 2:4; Eph 1:7). Things may be great in quantity, and little ofvalue; but the mercy of God is not so. We use to prize small thingswhen great worth is in them; even a diamond as little as a pea, ispreferred before a pebble, though as big as a camel. Why, here isrich mercy, sinner; here is mercy that is rich and full of virtue!a drop of it will cure a kingdom. 'Ah! but how much is there ofit?' says the sinner. O, abundance, abundance! for so saith thetext--'Let us fall now into the hand of the Lord, for his' rich'mercies are great' (2 Sam 24:14). Some things are so rich, and ofsuch virtue, that if they do but touch a man, if they do but comenigh a man, if a man doth but look upon them, they have a presentoperation upon him; but the very mentioning of mercy, yea, a verythought of it, has sometimes had that virtue in it as to cure asin-sick soul. Here is virtuous mercy!

Indeed mercy, the best of mercies, are little worth to a self-righteousman, or a sinner fast asleep; we must not, therefore, make our esteemsof mercy according to the judgment of the secure and heedless man, but according to the verdict of the Word; nay, though the awakenedsinner, he that roareth for mercy all day long, by reason of thedisquietness of his heart is the likeliest among sinful flesh, oras likely as another, to set a suitable estimate upon mercy; yethis verdict is not always to pass in this matter. None can knowthe riches of mercy to the full, but he that perfectly knoweth theevil of sin, the justice of God, all the errors of man, the tormentsof hell, and the sorrows that the Lord Jesus underwent, when mercymade him a reconciler of sinners to God. But this can be knownby none but the God whose mercy it is. This is the pearl of greatprice. 

The richness of mercy is seen in several things. It can save fromsin, from great sin, from all sin (Titus 3:5; Matt 15:22, 28). Itcan save a soul from the devil, from all devils (Matt 17:15, 18). It can save a soul from hell, from all hells (Psa 116:3, 5, 6). Itcan hold us up in the midst of all weaknesses (Psa 94:18). It candeliver from eternal judgment (Rom 9:23). Yea, what is it that wehave, or shall need, that this virtuous mercy cannot do for us:'Let Israel hope in the Lord: for which the Lord is RICH mercy, 'mercy full of virtue, and that can do great things. 

Fourth. As the mercies that are with the Lord are tender, great, and rich, so there is a MULTITUDE of them, and they are called'manifold, ' there is a multitude of these rich and virtuous mercies(Psa 69:13; Rev 9:19). By multitude, I understand mercies of everysort or kind; mercies for this, and mercies for the other malady;mercies for every sickness, a salve for every sore. Some thingsthat are rich and very full of virtue, have yet their excellencyextending itself but to one, or two, or three things for help; andthis is their leanness in the midst of their excellencies. But itis not thus with the mercy of God. Some things that are rich andvirtuous, are yet so only but at certain seasons; for there aretimes in which they can do nothing. But it is not so with thistender, great, and rich mercy of God. There are some things, thoughrich, that are sparingly made use of. But it is not so with thismercy of God. There is a multitude of them; so if one will notanother will. There is a multitude of them; so one or other ofthem is always in their season. There is a multitude of them; andtherefore it must not be supposed that God is niggardly as to thecommunicating of them. 

As they are called a multitude, so they are called merciesmanifold. There is no single flower in God's gospel-garden, theyare all double and treble; there is a wheel within a wheel, ablessing within a blessing, in all the mercies of God. Manifold; aman cannot receive one, but he receives many, many folded up, onewithin another. For instance, 1. If a man receiveth Christ, who is called God's tender mercy;why, he shall find in him all the promises, pardons, justifications, righteousnesses, and redemptions, that are requisite to make himstand clear before the justice of the law, in the sight of God, from sin (Luke 1:76-79; 1 Cor 1:30; Eph 4:32; 2 Cor 1:20). 

2. If a man receive the Spirit, he shall have as folded up in that, for this is the first unfolding itself, many, very many mercies (Ezra1:4). He shall have the graces, the teachings, the sanctifications, the comforts, and the supports of the Spirit: When he saith in oneplace, 'He will give the Spirit, ' he calleth that in another place, 'the good things' of God (Luke 11:13; Matt 7:11). 

3. If a man receive the mercy of the resurrection of the body, and God's people shall assuredly receive that in its time, what abundle of mercies will be received, as wrapt up in that? He willreceive perfection, immortality, heaven, and glory; and what isfolded up in these things, who can tell?

I name but these three, for many more might be added, to show youthe plenteousness, as well as the virtuousness of the tender, great, and rich mercy of God. A multitude! There is converting mercy, there is preserving mercy, there is glorifying mercy: and how manymercies are folded up in every one of these mercies, none but Godcan tell. A multitude! There are mercies for the faithful followersof Christ, for those of his that backslide from him, and alsofor those that suffer for him; and what mercies will by these befound folded up in their mercies, they will better know when theycome to heaven. A multitude of preventing mercies in afflictions, in disappointments, in cross providences, there are with God: andwhat mercies are folded up in these afflicting mercies, in thesedisappointing mercies, and in these merciful cross providences, mustrest in the bosom of him to be revealed, who only is wonderful incounsel, and excellent in working. A multitude of common mercies;of every day's mercies, of every night's mercies, of mercies inrelations, of mercies in food and raiment, and of mercies in whatof these things there is; and who can number them? David said, Hedaily was loaded with God's benefits. And I believe, if, as we arebound, we should at all times return God thanks for all particularmercies, particularly, it would be a burden intolerable, and wouldkill us out of hand! (Psa 68:19). And all this is written, thatIsrael might hope in the Lord: 'Let Israel hope in the Lord; forwith the Lord there is mercy. '

Fifth. As the mercies that are with the Lord are tender, great, rich, a multitude, and manifold; so they are mercies that DIMINISHNOT in the using, but that rather increase in the exercising ofthem. Hence it is said, grace aboundeth, and hath abounded untomany; and that God is able to make all grace abound towards us(Rom 5:15; 2 Cor 9:8; Eph 1:7, 8). The grace of forgiveness I mean, wherein he hath abounded towards us. Now, to abound, is to flow, to multiply, to increase, to greaten, to be more and more; and ofthis nature is the mercy that is with the Lord; mercy that will aboundand increase in the using. Hence he is said to pardon abundantly, to pardon and multiply to pardon: and, again, to exerciseloving-kindness; to exercise it, that is, to draw it out to thelength; to make the best advantage and improvement of every grainand quality of it (Isa 55:7; Jer 9;24). 'The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodnessand truth' (Exo 34:6). 

Mercy to a man under guilt, and fear of hell-fire, seems as alittle, shrunk-up, or shrivelled thing; there appears no quantityin it. There is mercy, said Cain, but there is not enough; and hedied under that conceit (Gen 4:13). Nor is it as to judgment andthought many times much better with the Israel of God. But beholdwhen God sets mercy to work, it is like the cloud that at firstwas but like a man's hand, it increaseth until it hath covered theface of heaven. Many have found it thus, yea they have found itthus in their distress (1 Kings 18:41-44). Paul has this expression, 'The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant, ' that is, increasedtowards me exceedingly (1 Tim 1:13-15). And this is the cause ofthat change of thoughts that is wrought at last in the hearts ofthe tempted; at first they doubt, at last they hope; at first theydespair, at last they rejoice; at first they quake, while theyimagine how great their sins are, and how little the grace of Godis; but at last they see such a greatness, such a largeness, suchan abundance of increase, in this multiplying mercy of God, that withgladness of heart, for their first thoughts, they call themselvesfools, and venture their souls, the next world, and their interestin it, upon this mercy of God. 

I tell you, Sirs, you must not trust your own apprehensions norjudgments with the mercy of God; you do not know how he can causeit to abound; that which seems to be short and shrunk up to you, hecan draw out, and cause to abound exceedingly. There is a breadth, and length, and depth, and height therein, when God will pleaseto open it; that for the infiniteness can swallow up not only allthy sins, but all thy thoughts and imaginations, and that can alsodrown thee at last. 'Now unto him that is able, ' 'as to mercy, ' 'todo exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, accordingto the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church byChrist Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen!' (Eph3:20, 21). This, therefore, is a wonderful thing, and shall bewondered at to all eternity; that that river of mercy, that at firstdid seem to be but ankle deep, should so rise, and rise, and rise, that at last it became 'waters to swim in, a river that could notbe passed over!' (Eze 47:3-5). Now all this is written, that Israelmight hope. 'Let Israel hope in the Lord; for with the Lord thereis mercy. '

Sixth. As there are with God mercies, tender, great, rich, amultitude, and mercy that abounds; so to encourage us to trust inhim, there is mercy to COMPASS US ROUND ABOUT. 'Many sorrows shallbe to the wicked, but he that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shallcompass him about' (Psa 32:10). This is, therefore, the lot ofthe Israel of God, that they shall, they trusting in their God, becompassed with mercy round about. This is mercy to do for us inthis world, that we may arrive safely in that world which is tocome. Another text saith, 'For thou, Lord, wilt bless the righteous;with favour wilt thou compass him as with a shield' (Psa 5:12). Aswith a shield. This compassing of them, therefore, is, to the endthey may be defended and guarded from them that seek their hurt. When Elisha was in danger, by reason of the army of the Syrians, 'behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire, roundabout him, ' to deliver him (2 Kings 6:15-17). Round about on everyside; or as David hath it, 'Thou shalt increase my greatness, andcomfort me on every side' (Psa 71:21). 'I will encamp about minehouse, ' saith God, 'because of the army, because of him that passethby, and him that returneth' (Zech 9:1). 

This, therefore, is the reason why, notwithstanding all ourweaknesses, and also the rage of Satan, we are kept and preservedin a wicked world; we are compassed round about. Hence, when Godasked Satan concerning holy Job, he answered, 'Hast thou not madea hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hathon every side?' (Job 1:10). I cannot come at him; thou compassesthim, and keepest me out. By this, then, is that scripture opened, 'Thou art my hiding-place, thou shalt preserve me from trouble, thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance' (Psa 32:7). And, indeed, it would be comely, if we, instead of doubting anddespairing, did sing in the ways of the Lord: have we not causethus to do, when the Lord is round about us with sword and shield, watching for us against the enemy, that he may deliver us fromtheir hand? (Jer 31:12). 

This also is the reason why nothing can come at us, but that itmay do us good. If the mercy of God is round about us, about uson every side; then no evil thing can by any means come at us, butit must come through this mercy, and so must be seasoned with it, and must have its deadly poison, by it, taken away. Hence Paul, understanding this, saith, 'And we know that all things work togetherfor good to them that love God' (Rom 8:28). But how can that be, did they not come to us through the very sides of mercy? and howcould they come to us so, since Satan pryeth to wound us deadly inevery, or in some private place, if mercy did not compass us roundabout, round about as with a shield? He went round about Job, tosee by what hog-hole he might get at him, that he might smite himunder the fifth rib. [20] But, behold, he found he was hedged outround about; wherefore he could not come at him but through thesides of mercy; and, therefore, what he did to him must be forgood. Even thus also shall it be in conclusion with all the wrathof our enemies, when they have done what they can; by the mercyof God, we shall be made to stand. 'Why boasteth thou thyself inmischief, ' said David, 'O mighty man? the goodness of God endurethcontinually' (Psa 52:1). And that will sanctify to me whatever thoudoest against me! This, therefore, is another singular encouragementto Israel to hope in the Lord; for that there is with him mercy tocompass us round about. 

Here is, I say, room for hope, and for the exercise thereof; whenwe feel ourselves after the worst manner assaulted. 'Whereforeshould I fear, ' said David, 'in the day of evil, when the iniquityof my heels shall compass me about?' (Psa 49:5). Wherefore? Whynow there is all the reason in the world to fear the day of evilis come upon thee, and the iniquity of thy heels doth compass theeabout. The hand of God is upon thee, and thy sins, which are thecause, stand round about thee, to give in evidence against thee; andtherefore thou must fear. No, saith David, that is not a sufficientreason; he that trusteth in the Lord, Mercy shall compass him about. Here is ground also to pray in faith, as David, saying, 'Keep meas the apple of the eye, hid me under the shadow of thy wings, fromthe wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies, who compass meabout' (Psa 17:8, 9). 

Seventh. As all this tender, great, rich, much abounding mercy, compasseth us about; so that we may hope in the God of our mercy, it is said this mercy IS TO FOLLOW US. 'Surely goodness and mercyshall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in thehouse of the Lord for ever' (Psa 23:6). It shall follow me, go withme, and be near me, in all the way that I go (Psa 32:8). There arethese six things to be gathered out of this text, for the furthersupport of our hope. 

1. It shall follow us to guide us in the way. I will guide theewith mine eye, says God, that is, in the way that thou shalt go. Theway of man to the next world, is like the way from Egypt to Canaan, a way not to be wound out but by the pillar of a cloud by day, anda flame of fire by night; that is, with the Word and Spirit. 'Thoushalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory'(Psa 73:24). Thou shalt guide me from the first step to the lastthat I shall take in this my pilgrimage: Goodness and mercy shallfollow me. 

2. As God in mercy will guide, so by the same he will uphold ourgoings in his paths. We are weak, wherefore though the path we goin were never so plain, yet we are apt to stumble and fall. But'when I said my foot slippeth, thy mercy, O Lord, held me up' (Psa94:18). Wherefore we should always turn our hope into prayer, andsay, Lord, 'hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slipnot' (Psa 17:5). Be not moved; let mercy follow me. 

3. As the God of our mercy has mercy to guide us, and uphold us; soby the same will he instruct us when we are at a loss, at a stand. 'I led Israel about, ' says God, 'I instructed him, and kept him asthe apple of mine eye' (Deut 32:10). I say we are often at a loss;David said, after all his brave sayings, in Psalm 119, 'I havegone astray like a lost sheep: seek thy servant' (v 176). Indeeda Christian is not so often out of the way, as he is at a standtherein, and knows not what to do. But here also is his mercy asto that. 'Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, Thisis the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and whenye turn to the left' (Isa 30:21). Mercy follows for this. 

4. Mercy shall follow to carry thee when thou art faint. We havemany fainting and sinking fits as we go. 'He shall gather the lambswith his arm, and carry them in his bosom, ' or upon eagles' wings(Isa 40:11). He made Israel to ride on the high places of the earth, and made him to suck honey out of the rock (Deut 32:13). 

5. Mercy shall follow us, to take us up when we are fallen, andto heal us of those wounds that we have caught by our falls. 'TheLord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be boweddown' (Psa 145:14). And again: 'The Lord openeth the yes of theblind; the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down; the Lord loveththe righteous' (Psa 146:8). Or, as we have it in another place, 'Thesteps of a good man are ordered by the Lord; and he delighteth inhis way. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down; for theLord upholdeth him with his hand' (Psa 37:23, 24). Here is mercyfor a hoping Israelite; and yet this is not all. 

6. Mercy shall follow us to pardon our sins as they are committed. For though by the act of justification, we are for ever securedfrom a state of condemnation; yet as we are children, we needforgiveness daily, and have need to pray, 'Our Father, forgive usour trespasses. ' Now, that we may have daily forgiveness for ourdaily sins and trespasses, mercy and goodness must follow us; oras Moses has it, 'And he said, If now I have found grace in thysight, O Lord! let my Lord, I pray thee, go amongst us, for it isa stiff-necked people, and pardon our iniquity and our sin, and takeus for thine inheritance' (Exo 34:9). Join to this that prayer ofhis, which you find in Numbers: 'Now I beseech thee let the powerof my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying, TheLord is long-suffering and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity, andtransgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting theiniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourthgeneration. Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this peopleaccording to the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiventhis people from Egypt even until now, ' or hitherto (Num 14:17-19). How many times, think you, did Israel stand in need of pardon, fromEgypt, until they came to Canaan? Even so many times wilt thou needpardon from the day of thy conversion to the day of death; to thewhich God will follow Israel, that he may dwell in the house ofthe Lord for ever. 

Eighth. As all this tender, great, rich, abounding, compassing mercy, shall follow Israel to do him good; so shall it do him EVERY GOODTURN, in delivering of him from every judgment that by sin he hathlaid himself obnoxious to, with rejoicing. For 'mercy rejoicethagainst judgment' (James 2:13). That is, applying it to the mercyof God towards his, it rejoiceth in delivering us form the judgmentsthat we have deserved; yea, it delivereth us from all our woes withrejoicing. In the margin it is 'glorieth'; it glorieth in doingthis great thing for us. I have thought, considering how often Ihave procured judgments and destructions to myself, that God wouldbe weary of pardoning, or else that he would pardon with grudging. But the Word said, 'He fainteth not nor is weary' (Isa 40;28). 'Iwill rejoice over them to do them good, --with my whole heart, andwith my whole soul' (Jer 32:41). This doing of us good with rejoicing, this saving of us from deserved judgments with rejoicing, thisgetting the victory over our destructions for us, with rejoicing;O! it is a marvellous thing! 'O sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holyarm hath gotten him the victory'; the victory for us (Psa 98:1). And as Paul said, 'We are more than conquerors through him' (Rom8:37); and this he did with triumph and rejoicing (Col 2:15). Theheart is seen oft-times, more in the manner than in the act thatis acted; more in the manner of doing than in doing of the thing. The wickedness of the heart of Moab was more seen in the manner ofaction than in the words that he spake against Israel. 'For sincethou spakest [of] against him thou skippedst for joy' (Jer 48:27). So Edom rejoiced at the calamity of his brother; he looked on it andrejoiced: and in his rejoicing appeared the badness of his heart, and the great spite that he had against his brother Jacob (Oba10:14). 

Now, my brethren, I beseech you consider, that God hath not onlyshowed you mercy, but hath done it with rejoicing. Mercy doth notonly follow you, but it follows you with rejoicing: yea, it dothnot only prevent your ruin, by our repeated transgressions procured, but it doth it with rejoicing. Here is the very heart of mercy seen, in that it rejoiceth against judgment. Like unto this is that inZephaniah: 'The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty: hewill save, he will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in hislove, he will joy over thee with singing' (Zeph 3:17, 18). 

There are many things that show with what an heart mercy is of Godextended, as is afore described, to Israel for his salvation; butthis, that it acteth with rejoicing, that it saveth with rejoicing, and gets the victory over judgment with rejoicing! is a wonderfulone, and one that should be taken notice of by Israel, for hisencouragement to hope. 'Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with himthere is mercy, ' tender, great, rich, multiplying mercy, mercy thatcompasseth us about, that goeth with us all the way, and mercy thatrejoiceth to overcome every judgment that seeketh our destruction, as we go toward our Father's house and kingdom!

It is said in the Word, God delighteth in mercy. 'Who is a God likeunto thee that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgressionof the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger forever, because he delighteth in mercy' (Micah 7:18). Here then isa reason of the rejoicing of mercy against judgment. Why, mercy isGod's delight; or, as another hath it, 'Mercy pleaseth thee. ' Whata man delights in, that he will set on foot, and that he will seekto manage, that he will promote, and that he will glory in thesuccess and prosperity of. Why, the text saith, God delighteth inmercy: nor do I believe, how odious soever the comparison may seemto be, that ever man delighteth more in sin, than God hath delightedin showing mercy. Has man given himself for sin? God has given hisSon for us, that he might show us mercy (John 3:16). Has man lainat wait for opportunities for sin? God has waited to be gracious, that he might have mercy upon us (Isa 30:10). Has man, that he mightenjoy his sin, brought himself to a morsel of bread? Why Christ, Lord of all, that he might make room for mercy, made himself thepoorest man (Luke 9:58; 2 Cor 8:9). Has man, when he has found hissin, pursued it with all his heart? Why God, when he sets a showingmercy, shows it with rejoicing, for he delighteth in mercy. 

Here also you may see the reason why all God's paths are mercy andtruth to his (Psa 25:10). I have observed that what a man loveth hewill accustom himself unto, whether it be fishing, hunting, or thelike. These are his ways, his course, the paths wherein he spendshis life, and therefore he is seldom found out of one or anotherof them. 'Now, ' saith David, 'all the paths of the Lord are mercy'(Psa 25:10). He is never out of them: for wherever he is, stillhe is coming towards his Israel in one or other of these paths, stepping steps of mercy. Hence again it is that you find that atthe end of every judgment there is mercy; and that God in the midstof this remembers that (Habb 2:3). Yea, judgment is in mercy; andwere it not for that, judgment should never overtake his people(1 Cor 11:32). Wherefore let Israel hope in the Lord, seeing withhim is all this mercy. 

Ninth. Besides all this, the mercy that is with God, and that isan encouragement to Israel to hope in him, IS EVERLASTING: 'Themercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them thatfear him' (Psa 103:17). From everlasting to everlasting; that ismore, more than I said. Well, 1. Then from everlasting; that is, from before the world began; sothen, things that are, and are to be hereafter, are to be managedaccording to those measures that God in mercy took for his peoplethen. Hence it is said, that he has blessed us according as hechose us in Christ, before the world began; that is, according tothose measures and grants that were by mercy allotted to us then(Eph 1:4). According to that other saying, 'according to his mercy hesaved us, ' that is, according as mercy had allotted for us beforethe world began (Titus 3:5). 'According to his own purpose andgrace, which was given us in Christ before the world began' (2 Tim1:9). This is mercy from everlasting, and is the ground and bottomof all dispensations that have been, are, or are to come to hispeople. And now, though it would be too great a step to a side, totreat of all those mercies that of necessity will be found to standupon that which is called mercy from everlasting, yet it will beto our purpose, and agreeable to our method, to conclude that mercyto everlasting stands upon that; even as vocation, justification, preservation, and glorification, standeth upon our being chosen inChrist before the foundation of the world (Rom 8:29, 30). Here thenis the mercy that is with God and that should encourage Israel tohope. The mercy that has concerned itself with them, is mercy fromeverlasting. Nor may it be thought that a few quarrels of somebrain-sick fellows will put God upon taking new measures for hispeople; what foundation has been laid for his, before he laid thefoundation of the world, shall stand; for that it was laid in Christby virtue of mercy: that is, from everlasting (Rom 9:11). The oldlaws, which are the Magna Charta, the sole basis of the governmentof a kingdom, may not be cast away for the pet that is taken by everylittle gentleman against them. [21] We have indeed some professorsthat take a great pet against that foundation of salvation, thatthe mercy that is from everlasting has laid; but since the kingdom, government, and glory of Christ is wrapped up in it, and sincethe calling, justification, perseverance, and glorification of hiselect, which are called his body and fulness, is wrapt up therein, it may not be laid aside nor despised, nor quarrelled against byany, without danger of damnation. 

Here then is the mercy with which Israel is concerned, and whichis with God as an encouragement to them that should hope, to hopein him. It is mercy from everlasting; it is mercy of an ancientdate; it is mercy in the root of the thing. For it is from thismercy in the root of the thing. For it is from this mercy, thismercy from everlasting, that all, and all those sorts of mercies, of which we have discoursed before, do flow. It is from this thatChrist the Saviour flows; this is it, from which that tender mercy, that great mercy, that rich mercy that aboundeth towards us, dothflow; and so of all the rest. Kind brings forth its kind; know thetree by his fruit; and God by his mercy in Christ; yea, and knowwhat God was doing before he made the world, by what he has beendoing ever since. And what has God been doing for and to his churchfrom the beginning of the world, but extending to, and exercisingloving-kindness and mercy for them? therefore he laid a foundationfor this in mercy from everlasting. 

2. But mercy from everlasting is but the beginning, and wehave discoursed of those mercies that we have found in the bowelsof this already, wherefore a word of that which is to everlastingalso. 'From everlasting to everlasting. ' Nothing can go beyondto everlasting; wherefore this, to everlasting, will see an endof all. The devil will tempt us, sin will assault us, men willpersecute; but can they do it to everlasting? If not, then there ismercy to come to God's people at last; even when all evils havedone to us what they can. After the prophet had spoken of theinconceivable blessedness that God hath prepared for them that waitfor him, he drops to present wrath, and the sin of God's people inthis life. This done, he mounts up again to the first, and saith, 'in those is continuance'; that is, the things laid up for us areeverlasting, and therefore 'we shall be saved' (Isa 64:4, 5). Howmany things since the beginning have assaulted the world to destroyit, as wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, &c. , and yet to thisday it abideth. But what is the reason of that? Why, God liveth, upon whose word, and by whose decree it abideth. 'He hath establishedthe earth, and it abideth'; it standeth fast, and 'cannot be moved'(Psa 119:90, 93:1, 96:10). Why, my brethren, mercy liveth, mercyis everlasting; 'His mercy endureth for ever!' (Psa 136). Andtherefore the church of God liveth; and when all her enemies havedone their all, this is the song that the church shall sing overthem: 'They are brought down and fallen, but we are risen, andstand upright!' (Psa 20:8). Everlasting mercy, with everlastingarms, are underneath (Deut 33:27). 

And as this shows the cause of the life of the church, notwithstandingher ghostly and bodily enemies, so it showeth the cause of herdeliverance from her repeated sins. As God said of leviathan 'I willnot conceal his parts, ' &c. (Job 41:12). So it is very unbecomingof God's people to conceal their sins and miscarriages, for itdiminisheth this mercy of God. Let therefore sin be acknowledged, confessed, and not be hid nor dissembled; it is to the glory ofmercy that we confess to God and one another what we are; stillremembering this, but mercy is everlasting!

As this shows the reason of our life, and the continuance of that, notwithstanding our repeated sins, so it shows the cause of thereceiving [or renewing] of our graces, from so many decays andsickness. For this mercy will live, last, and outlast, all thingsthat are corruptible and hurtful unto Israel. Wherefore 'let Israelhope in the Lord, ' for this reason, 'for with the Lord there ismercy. ' 1. Tender mercy for us. 2. Great mercy for us. 3. Rich mercy. 4. Manifold mercy. 5. Abounding mercy towards us. 6. Compassingmercy wherewith we are surrounded. 7. Mercy to follow us whereverwe go. 8. Mercy that rejoiceth against judgment. And, 9. Mercythat is from everlasting to everlasting. All these mercies are withGod, to allure, to encourage, and uphold Israel in hope. 

[SECOND. What is to be inferred from this reason. ]

I come now to the second thing, which is to show what is to beinferred from this reason. And, First. This, to be sure, is to be inferred, That Israel, as thechild of God, is a pitiful thing of himself; one that is full ofweaknesses, infirmities, and defects, should we speak nothing ofhis transgressions. He that is to be attended with so many mercies, absolutely necessary mercies, for there is not in these merciesone that can be spared, must needs be in himself a poor indigentcreature. Should you see a child attended with so many engines tomake him go, as the child of God is attended with mercies to makehim stand, you would say, What an infirm, decrepit, helpless thingis this![22] Alas! I have here counted up mercies in number nine. If I had counted up nine hundred and ninety-nine, all had been thesame, for the child of God would not have one to spare. The textsaith, 'The earth, O Lord, is full of thy mercy, ' and all littleenough to preserve his Israel (Psa 119:64). Indeed, those that Ihave presented the reader with are the chief heads of mercies; orthe head-mercies from which many others flow. But, however, were theybut single mercies, they show with great evidence our deficiency;but being double, they show it much more. 

Should it be said there is such a lord has a son, a poor decrepitthing; he is forced to wear things to strengthen his ancles, thingsto strengthen his knees, things to strengthen his loins, things tokeep up his bowels, things to strengthen his shoulders, his neck, his hands, fingers; yea, he cannot speak but by the help of anengine, nor chew his food but by the help of an engine. What wouldyou say? What would you think? Would you not say such a one is notworth the keeping, and that his father cannot look for any thingfrom him, but that he should live upon high charge and expense, aslong as he liveth; besides all the trouble such an one is like tobe of to others. Why this is the case: Israel is such an one, nay, a worse. He cannot live without tender mercy, without great mercy, without rich mercy, without manifold mercy and unless mercy aboundstowards him. He cannot stand if mercy doth not compass him roundabout, nor go unless mercy follows him. Yea, if mercy that rejoicethagainst judgment doth not continually flutter over him, the verymoth will eat him up, and the canker will consume him (Job 4:19). Wherefore it is necessary to the making of Israel live and flourish, that everlasting mercy should be over his head, and everlastingmercy under his feet, with all the afore-mentioned mercies, andmore in the bowels of it. But I say doth not this sufficiently show, had we but eyes to see it, what a sad and deplorable creature thechild of God of himself is? O! this is not believed nor consideredas it should. Vain man would be wise; sinful man would be holy;and poor, lame, infirm, helpless man, would be strong, and fainpersuade others that he hath a sufficiency of himself. But I say, if it be so, what need all this mercy? If thou canst go lustily, what mean thy crutches? No, no, Israel, God's Israel, when awake, stands astonished at his being surrounded with mercies, and criesout, 'I am not worthy of the least [I am less than the least] ofall thy mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast showed untothy servant' (Gen 32:10). 

Second. This also showeth how sorely the enemies of Israel are bentto seek his destruction. The devil is, by way of eminency, calledthe enemy of God's people: 'the devil, your adversary' (1 Peter5:8). And this, that there are so many mercies employed about us, and all to bring us to the place which God hath appointed for us, doth demonstrate it. Should you see a man that was not to go fromdoor to door, but he must be clad in a coat of mail, must havea helmet of brass upon is head, and for his life-guard not so fewas a thousand men to wait upon him; would you not say, Surely thisman has store of enemies at hand, surely this man goes continuallyin danger of his life? Why, this is the case, enemies lie in waitfor poor Israel in every hole; he can neither eat, drink, wake, sleep, work, sit still, talk, be silent; worship his God in publicor in private, but he is in danger of being stabbed, or beingdestroyed. Hence, as was said before, he is compassed about withmercy as with a shield (Micah 7:20). And again it is said concerningthese, 'God's truth, ' his mercy, 'shall be thy shield and buckler'(Psa 91:4). And again, 'He is a buckler to all them that trustin him' (2 Sam 22:31). Yea, David being a man sensible of his ownweakness, and of the rage and power of his enemies, cries out tohis God to take hold of shield and buckler, and to stand up for hishelp (Psa 35:2). But what need these things be asserted, promised, or prayed for? if Israel had no enemies, or none but such, he could, as we say, make his party good with all. Alas, their cries, theirtears, sighs, watchings, and outcries, at sundry times, make this, beyond all show of doubt, a truth. 

If Solomon used to have about his bed no less than threescore ofthe valiantest of Israel, holding swords, and being expert in war, every one with his sword upon his thigh, because of fear in thenight--and yet these fears were only concerning men--what guard andsafe-guard doth God's poor people need, who are continually, bothnight and day, roared upon by the unmerciful fallen angels ofhell! (Can 3:7, 8). I will add, if it be but duly considered, allthis guard and safeguard by mercy notwithstanding, how hardly thispeople do escape being destroyed for ever, yea, how with heartsbroken, and loins broken, many of them with much difficulty get tothe gates of heaven! it will be easily concluded, that her enemiesare swifter than eagles, stronger than lions; and that they oftenovertake her between the straits. 

To say nothing of the many thousands that dare not so much as oncethink of true religion, because of the power of the enemy whichthey behold, when alas! they see nobody but the very scarecrowswhich the devil hath set up for I count the persecutor of God'speople but the devil's scarecrow, the old one himself lies quat--yet, I say, how are they frighted! how are they amazed! What a many ofthe enemies of religion have these folks seen today![23] yea, andthey will as soon venture to run the hazard of hell-fire, as to beengaged by these enemies in this way. Why, God's people are fain togo through them all, and yet no more able than the other to do itof themselves. They therefore are girded, compassed, and defended bythis mercy, which is the true cause indeed of their godly perseverance. 

Third. A third thing that I infer from these words is, What a lovingGod has Israel! 'Truly God is good to Israel. Let the redeemed ofthe Lord say so. ' A loving God, that should take this care of him, and bestow so many mercies upon him. Mercies of all sorts, forall cases, for all manner of relief and help against all mannerof perils. What is man that God should so unweariedly attend uponhim, and visit him every moment? Is he a second God? Is he God'sfellow? Is he of the highest order of the angels? or what is he?O! he is a flea, a worm, a dead dog, sinful dust and ashes; he comesup like a flower and is cut down, and what a thing is it that Godshould so much as open his eyes upon such a one! (1 Sam 26:20; Job25:6, 45:2, 3). But then, what a thing is it that God should magnifyhim, and that he should set his heart upon him! (Job 7:17). Yea, that he should take him into acquaintance with him, give his angelsto be all ministering spirits for him! Yea, engage his mercy forhim, his tender, great, manifold, and everlasting mercy for him, to compass him round withal, as with a shield, that nothing mightwork his ruin for ever and ever!

It may well be said, 'God is love'! (1 John 4:16). Man may wellsay so, 'O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good, for his mercyendureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom hehath redeemed from the hand of the enemy' (Psa 107:1-3). If it belove for a fellow-creature to give a bit of bread, a coat, a cupof cold water, what shall we call this? when God, the great God, the former of all things, shall not only give an alms, an almsto an enemy, but shall rise up, take shield and buckler, and be aguard, a protection, a deliverer from all evil, until we come intohis heavenly kingdom? This love is such as is not found on earth, nor to be paralleled among the creatures. None hopes this but onethat is good. Nor does any believe as they should, that God dothlove as these things declare he does. Our heart staggereth at thegreatness of the thing, and who is it that has any reason left inhim, and knows anything of what a wretched thing sin hath made him, that can without starting so much as hear of all this mercy! But, Fourth. Another thing that I infer from these words is this, Whatground is here to Israel to hope in the Lord! The Lord is not thatbroken reed of Egypt, on which if a man lean, it will go into hishand and pierce it. God's word is steadfast for ever, even the wordby which we are here exhorted to hope. Nor shall we have cause todoubt of the cause of the exhortation to such a soul-quieting duty;for mercy is with the Lord: 'Let Israel rejoice in him that madehim; let the children of Zion be joyful in their king' (Psa 149:2). For with the Lord there is mercy, wherewith to beautify the meekwith salvation. What sayest thou, child of God? Has sin wounded, bruised thy soul, and broken thy bones? Why, with the Lord there istender mercy. Art thou a sinner of the first rate, of the biggestsize? Why, with the Lord there is great mercy for thee? Have thysins corrupted thy wounds, and made them putrefy and stink? Why, with the Lord there is rich, that is, virtuous[24] mercy for thee. Art thy sins of diverse sorts? Why, here is a multitude of manifoldmercies for thee. Dost thou see thyself surrounded with enemies?Why, with the Lord there is mercy to compass thee about withal. Is the way dangerous in which thou art to go? Surely goodness andmercy shall follow thee all the days of thy life. Doth iniquityprevail against thee? The mercy of this Lord aboundeth towards thee. Doth judgments for thy miscarriages overtake thee; There is withthy Lord mercy that rejoiceth to deliver thee from those judgments. What shall I say? There is mercy from everlasting to everlastingupon thee. What wouldst thou have? There is mercy underneath, mercyabove, and mercy for thee on every side; therefore 'let Israelhope in the Lord!' I will add, it is the greatest unkindness thoucanst return to the Lord to doubt this mercy notwithstanding. Why, what wilt thou make of God? Is there no truth nor trust to be putin him, notwithstanding all that he hath said? O the depravednessof man's nature! Because he speaketh the truth, therefore we believehim not! (John 8:45). The odiousness of unbelief is manifestby this, yea, also the unreasonableness thereof. God is true, hisWord is true; and to help us to hope in him, how many times has hefulfilled it to others, and that before our eyes? Hope then; it isgood that a man should hope. Hope then; it pleases God that thoushouldest hope. Hope then to the end, for the grace that is to bebrought unto thee will surely come, with Christ thy Saviour. 

Men that have given up themselves to their sins, hope to enjoysome benefit by them, though the curse of God, and his wrath, isrevealed from heaven against them for it (Rom 1:18). And yet thouthat hast given thyself to God by Christ, art afraid to hope in hismercy! For shame, hope, and do not thus dishonour thy God, wouldthine own soul, and set so bad an example to others. I know thouhast thy objections in a readiness to cast in my way, and werethey made against doctrine, reason would that some notice shouldbe taken of them; but since they are made against duty, duty urgedfrom, and grounded upon, a word which is stedfast for ever, thoudeservest to be blamed, and to be told, that of all sins that everthou didst commit, thou now art managing the vilest, while thou artgiving way to, and fortifying of, unbelief and mistrust, againstthis exhortation to hope, and against the reason for encouragementto the duty. 

[THIRD. THE AMPLIFICATION OF THE REASON 'TO HOPE IN THE LORD. ']

But I shall pass from this to the third thing found in the text, and that is the AMPLIFICATION of the reason. I told you that therewere in the text these three things, I. An exhortation to thechildren of God to hope in the Lord: 'Let Israel hope in the Lord. 'II. A reason to enforce that exhortation, 'For with the Lord thereis mercy. ' III. An amplification of that reason, 'And with him isplenteous redemption. ' I have gone through the two first, and shallnow come to this last. 

In these last words, which I call the Amplification of the reason, we have two things. FIRST. A more particular account of the natureof the mercy propounded for an encouragement to Israel to hope. SECOND. An account of the sufficiency of it. The nature of the mercypropounded, is expressed by that word 'redemption. ' The sufficiencyof it is expressed by that word 'plenteous. ' 'Let Israel hope in theLord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteousredemption. '

[FIRST. The nature of the mercy propounded. ]

Redemption may be diversely taken, as shall be further showed anon;but forasmuch as the term here is made mention of indefinitely, without nominating of this or that part of redemption particularly, I shall speak to it in the general, with respect at least to themain heads thereof. 

To redeem is to fetch back, by sufficient and suitable means, thoseat present in an enthralled, captivated, or an imprisoned condition;and there are two sorts of this redemption. First, Redemptionby purchase. Second, Redemption by power. Redemption by purchaseis from the cause of captivities. Redemption by power is from theeffects. 

First, If we speak of redemption by purchase, then three thingspresent themselves to our consideration--I. The person redeeming. II. The nature of the price paid to redeem withal. III. The thingor state from which this redeemer with this price redeemeth. 

[I. The Person redeeming. ] The subject of this redemption, or personredeemed, is Israel, of him we have spoken before. For the personredeeming, it is Jesus of Nazareth; Jesus that was born at Bethlehem, at the time, and as the Scriptures relate (Matt 1; Luke 2). Now, with reference to his person, we have two things to inquire after. What this person was. How he addressed himself to this work. 

1. What this person was. This Jesus was and is the natural and eternalSon of God Almighty, without beginning or end, from everlasting;the Creator and Upholder of the world (Prov 8; John 1; Heb 1). 

2. How he addressed himself to the work of redeeming, take as follows. He became true man: for he was conceived through the power of theHoly Ghost in the womb of a maid, and in the fulness of time broughtforth of her, true, real, natural man; I say, though not in theworst, yet in the best sense (Luke 2:31-35). Being thus broughtforth without spot or blemish, he began to address himself to thework. (1. ) By works preparatory, and then, (2. ) By the act itself. 

(1. ) The works preparatory were as follow. He prepares himselfa priestly robe, which was his own obediential righteousness; forwithout these holy garments he might not adventure to come intothe presence of God to offer his gift (Rom 5:19; Exo 28:40, 40:13). Before he offered his gift for the people, he was to be himselfsanctified to his office: and that--by blood--by prayers and tears(1 Peter 1:19). (a. ) By blood; for before Aaron was to offer hissacrifice for the people, he must himself be sprinkled with blood(Exo 29:19-22). And because Jesus could not be sprinkled with theblood of beasts, therefore was he sprinkled with that of his own:not as Aaron was, upon the tip of his ear, and upon the tip of histoe; but from top to toe, from head to foot, his sweat was blood(Luke 22:44). So that from his agony in the garden to the placewhere he was to lay down the price of our redemption, he went asconsecrated in his own blood. (b. ) He offered also his sacrificeof strong crying and tears, as his drink-offering to God, as asacrifice preparatory, not propitiatory, in pursuit of his office;not to purge his person (Heb 5:5-8). This is the person redeeming, and this was his preparation to the work. 

(2. ) The act itself. Now the redemption is often ascribed particularlyto his blood; yet in general, the act of his redeeming of us musteither more remotely or more nearly be reckoned from his wholesuffering for us in the flesh; which suffering I take to begin athis agony, and was finished when he was raised again from the dead. By his flesh I understand his whole man, as distinguished from hisDivine nature; and so that word doth comprehend his soul as wellas his body, as by the 53rd of Isaiah appears. His soul after thatmanner which was proper to it; and his body after that manner whichwas proper to it. 

[II. The nature of the price paid to redeem. ] His sufferings beganin his soul, some time before his body was touched, by virtue ofwhich was his bloody sweat in his body. The sorrows of his soulbegan at the apprehension of what was coming from God, for our sakes, upon him; but the bloody sweat of his body was from that union ithad with such a soul. His sufferings were from the hand of God, not of man; not by constraint, but of his own will (Lev 1:3; John10:18); and they differ from ours in these six things. 1. Hissufferings were by the rigour of the law; ours according to thetenor of the gospel (Gal 3:13; Heb 12:10). 2. His sufferings werefrom God's hand immediately; ours by and through a Mediator (Isa53:6; Heb 9:22). 3. God delighted himself in every stroke he gavehim; he doth not willingly grieve nor afflict his people (Isa 53;Psa 103; Lam 3:33). 4. He suffereth as a common or public person;we for our own private offences (1 Cor 15:3; Lam 3:39). 5. Hesuffered to make amends to justice for the breach of a holy law;we to receive some small correction, and to be taught to amend ourlives (Heb 9:26; Rom 10:3, 4; Deut 8:5; 2 chron 6:27). 6. He wasdelivered from the nature of suffering by the merit of his personand sufferings; we from ours by the mercy of God through Christ(Acts 2:24; Eph 4:32, 5:2). Redemption, then, by a price, was this;the blood of Christ, which he willingly suffered to be spilt onthe cross, before the face of God. 

[III. The state from which this price redeemeth. ] The cause ofthis price was our sins; by which we were justly delivered up tothe curse, the devil, death, and hell; and should everlastinglyhave so continued, but that this price of redemption was for uspaid. Hence it is said, Christ died for us. Christ died for oursins. Christ gave himself for our sins. We have redemption throughhis blood, the forgiveness of sins. And that we are bought withthis price. Now, in all this Christ respected the holiness of thelaw, and the worth of our souls; giving full satisfaction to theone, for the love that he bare to the other. And this has redeemedhis people from sin and the curse, the cause of our captivity. 

Second, But besides this, there is redemption by power, and thatrespecteth that, or those things, unto which we become not legallyindebted by our transgression. There was that unto which we becamelegally indebted, and that was the justice and holiness of the law(Gen 2:17). Now from this, because God had said it, for his Wordmade it so, there could be no deliverance, but by a reverend and duerespect to its command and demand, and an answer to every whit ofwhat it would require; for not one tittle, not one jot or tittle ofthe law could fail (Matt 5:18). Jesus Christ, therefore, with respectto the law, that he might redeem us, paid a full and sufficientprice of redemption; but as for these things that hold us captive, not for any injury we have done to them, but of power, tyranny, orthe like; from them he redeemed us by power (Eph 4). Hence, whenhe had made satisfaction or amends for us to the law, he is saidto 'lead captivity captive, to spoil principalities and powers, and to make a show of them openly' (Col 2). But to take captive, and to spoil, must be understood of what he did, not to the law, butto those others of our enemies from which we were to be redeemed, not by price but by power. And this second part of redemption isto be considered under a twofold head. 1. That these were overcomepersonally, in and by himself, for us. 2. That they shall be overcomealso, in and by his church, through the power of his Spirit. 

1. For the first, these were overcome personally, in and by himselffor us; to wit, at his resurrection from the dead. For as by hisdeath he made amends for our breach of the law, so by his resurrectionhe spoiled those other enemies, to wit, death, the devil, and thegrave, &c. , unto which we were subjected, not for any offence wehad committed against them, but for our sin against the law; andmen when they have answered to the justice of the law, are by lawand power delivered from the prison. Christ therefore, by power, byhis glorious power, did overcome the devil, hell, sin, and death, then when he arose and revived from his grave, and so got the victoryover them, in and by himself, for us. For he engaging as a commonor public person for us, did on our behalf what he did, both inhis death and resurrection. So then, as he died for us, he rosefor us; and as by his death he redeemed us from some, so by hisresurrection from other, of our enemies. Only it must be considered, that this redemption, as to the fulness of it as yet, resides inhis own person only, and is set out to his church as she has needthereof, and that orderly too. First, that part thereof whichrespecteth our redemption from the law; and then that part of itwhich respecteth our redemption from those other things. And althoughwe are made partakers of redemption from the curse of the law inthis life, so far forth as to be justified therefrom; and also asto the receiving of an earnest while here, of being wholly possessedof the glory of the next world hereafter; yet we neither are, norshall be redeemed from all those things, which yet our head has, as head, got a complete and eternal victory over, until just beforehe shall deliver up the kingdom to the Father, that God may be allin all; for 'the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death' (1Cor 15:26). Death, as it has hold upon us, for death as it had holdon our head, was destroyed, when he rose from the dead, but death, as we are subject to it, shall not be destroyed until we all andevery one of us shall attain to the resurrection from the dead; apledge of which we have by our spiritual resurrection, from a stateof nature to a state of grace (Col 3:1-4). A promise of which wehave in the word of the truth of the gospel; and an assurance ofit we have by the resurrection of Christ from the dead (Eph 4:30;Luke 20:35; Acts 17:30, 31). Wherefore let us hope!

Now, as to redemption from the law, and from those other things fromwhich we are, and are to be redeemed with power; do but considerthe different language which the Holy Ghost useth, with referenceto our redemption from each. 

When it speaketh of our redemption from the just curse of the law, which we have sufficiently deserved, it is said to be done, not bydestroying, but by fulfilling the law. 'Think not, ' says Christ, 'that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets; I am not cometo destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heavenand earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass fromthe law, till all be fulfilled' (Matt 5:17, 18). For it became him, as our Redeemer, to fulfil all, and all manner of righteousness, by doing and suffering what justly should have been done or borneof us (Rom 8:3-5; Gal 3:13, 14). 

But now when our redemption from those other things is made mentionof, the dialect is changed; for then we read, to the end we mightbe delivered from them, Christ was to destroy and abolish them (2Tim 1:10); 'that through death he might destroy him that had thepower of death, that is, the devil, ' and so deliver (Heb 2:14). And again, 'O death, I will be thy plagues! O grace, I will bethy destruction!' (Hosea 13:14). And again, 'that the body of sinmight be destroyed' (Rom 6:6); and I have the keys of hell and ofdeath (Rev 1:18). Having thereby sufficiently declared that thepower of it is destroyed as to Israel, who are the people concernedin this redemption. 

2. They shall be overcome by his church through the power ofhis Spirit. Now, as was hinted before, the redemption is alreadyobtained, and that completely, by the person of Christ for us (Heb9:24), as it is written, 'Having obtained eternal redemption forus'; yet these enemies, sin, death, the devil, hell, and the grave, are not so under the feet of his [saints] as he will put them, and as they shall be in conclusion under the feet of Christ (Heb2:8, 9). I say they are not; wherefore, as the text also concludeth, this redemption is with the Lord, and under our feet they shallbe by the power of God towards us (2 Cor 13:4). And for this letIsrael hope. The sum then is, God's people have with the Lordredemption, and redemption in reversion; redemption, and redemptionto come; all which is in the hand of the Lord for us, and of allwe shall be possessed in his time. This is that called plenteousredemption. 'For with him is plenteous redemption. ' A littletherefore to touch upon the redemption that we have in reversion, or of the redemption yet to come. 

(1. ) There is yet much sin and many imperfections that cleave toour persons and to our performances, from which, though we be notyet in the most full sense delivered, yet this redemption is withour Lord, and we shall have it in his time; and in the meantime itis said, It shall not have dominion over us. 'Sin shall not havedominion over you; for ye are not under the law, but under grace'(Rom 6:14). We are, by what Christ has done, taken from under thelaw, the curse; and must, by what Christ will do, be deliveredfrom the very being of sin. 'He gave himself for us, that he mightredeem us from all iniquity'; that he might present us to himselfa glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that we should be without blemish (Titus 2:13, 14; Eph 5:25, 27). That we are already without the being of sin, none but fools andmadmen will assert; and that we shall never be delivered from it, none but such men will affirm neither. It remains then, that thereis a redemption for Israel in reversion, and that from the beingof sin. And of this it is that the text also discourseth, and forwhich let the godly hope. 

(2. ) We are not yet quite free from Satan's assaulting of us, thoughour Head by himself, and that for us, has got a complete conquestover him; but the time is coming, and himself knows that it is buta little while to it, in which he shall forever be bruised underour feet. Be wise unto that which is good, and simple concerningevil, and the God of peace shall bruise, tread down Satan underyour feet shortly (Rom 16:20). Some may think that this text willhave a fulfilling in the ruin and downfall of Antichrist; and soit may; but yet it will never be wholly fulfilled, as long as Satanshall have any thing to do with one of the children of God. Thereis therefore a redemption in reversion for the children of God fromSatan, which they are to hope for, because this redemption is withthe Lord their Head, and that to manage and bring about for them. For he shall bruise him under their feet in his time. 

(3. ) There is yet belonging to the church of God a redemption fromwhat remains of Antichrist, although as yet he is stronger thanwe, which I also call a redemption in reversion, for that it is yetto come, nor shall it be accomplished till the time appointed. Inthis redemption, not only saints, but truths will have a share; yea, and many also of the men that belong not to the kingdom of Christand of God. This redemption God's people are also to hope for, for it is with their Lord, and he has promised it to them, as theScripture doth plentifully declare. 

(4. ) There is yet a redemption to come, which is called theredemption of our body (Rom 8:23). Of this redemption we have boththe earnest and the seal, to wit, the Spirit of God (Eph 1:14, 4:30). And because the time to it is long, therefore we are to waitfor it; and because it will be that upon which all our blessednesswill be let out to us, and we also let in to it, therefore weshould be comforted at all the signs of the near approach thereof;'then, ' saith Christ, 'look up and lift up your heads' (Luke21:28). The bodies of saints are called the purchased possession;possession, because the whole of all that shall be saved shall befor a temple or house for God to dwell in, in the heavens. A purchasedpossession, because the body, as well as the soul, is bought withthe price of blood (1 Cor 6:14-20). But what then doth he mean bythe redemption of this purchased possession? I answer, he meaneththe raising it up from the dead; 'I will ransom them from thepower of the grave, I will redeem them from death' (Hosea 13:14). And then shall be brought to pass that saying that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory'; that saying, that is this, andthat in Isaiah, for they speak both the selfsame thing (1 Cor 15;Isa 25:8). 

And this was signified by Moses, where he speaks of the year ofjubilee, and of the redemption of the house that was sold in Israel, how of that year it should return to the owner (Lev 25). Our bodiesof right are God's, but sin still dwells in them; we have also soldand forfeited them to death and the grave, and so they will abide;but at the judgment day, that blessed jubilee, God will take ourbody, which originally is his, and will deliver it from the bondageof corruption, unto which, by our souls, through sin, it has beensubjected; he will take it, I say, because it is his, both bycreation and redemption, and will bring it to that perfect freedomthat is only to be found in immortality and eternal life. And forthis should Israel hope! From what hath been said to this firstthing, it appears that the mercy that is with God for his people, as it is in general what has been described before, so it is redeemingmercy, or mercy that has with it the virtue of redemption; of theadvantageousness of this mercy, we will further discourse by andby, but now we will look into the second thing, that from thisamplification of the reason was propounded to be spoken to, to wit, [SECOND. The sufficiency of this redemption. ]

An account of the sufficiency of this redemption. 'Let Israel hopein the Lord; for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him isplenteous redemption. ' The sufficiency or plenteousness of it maybe spoken to, as it respecteth the many difficulties and dangersthat by sin we have brought ourselves into; or as it respecteththe superabundant worth that is found therein, let the dangersattending us be what they will, though we should not be acquaintedwith the half or the hundredth part thereof. 

To speak to it as it respecteth those particular difficultiesand dangers that by sin we have brought ourselves unto; and that, First. By showing the suitableness of it. Second. By showing thesufficiency of the suitableness thereof. 

First. The suitableness of it lieth in the fit application thereofto all the parts of thraldom and bondage. Have we sinned? Christhad our sins laid upon his back; yea, of God was made, that is, reputed, sin for us (Isa 53; 2 Cor 5:21). Were we under the curseof the law by reason of sin? Christ was made under the law, andbare the curse thereof to redeem (Gal 4:4, 3:13; Rom 3:24). Hadsin set us at an indefinite distance from God? Christ has become, by the price of his redeeming blood, a reconciler of man to Godagain (Col 1:20). Were we by sin subject to death? Christ died thedeath to set us free therefrom (Rom 6:23). Had our sins betrayedus into and under Satan's slavery? Christ has spoiled and destroyedthis work, and made us free citizens of heaven (Acts 26:18; 2 Tim2:26; Heb 2:14; Eph 2:19). Thus was our Redeemer made, as to thosethings, a suitable recoverer, taking all and missing nothing thatstood in the way of our happiness; according to that a little belowthe text, 'And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities, 'that is, from them, together with their evil fruits. 

Second. Now as to the sufficiency that was in this suitableness, that is declared by his resurrection, by his ascension, by hisexaltation to the right hand of God; that is also declared by God'sputting all things under his feet, and by giving of him to be headover all things for his redeemed's sake. It is also further declaredin that God now threateneth none but those that refuse to takeJesus for their Saviour, and for that he is resolved to make hisfoes his footstool. What are more natural consequences flowingfrom anything, than that by these things is the sufficiency of thesuitableness of redemption by Christ proved? For all these thingsfollowed Christ, for, or because he humbled himself to the deathof the cross, that he might become a Redeemer; therefore God raisedhim up, took him to his throne, and gave him glory, that your faithand hope might be in God by him (Phil 2). 

But alas! what need we stand to prove the sun is light, the firehot, the water wet? What was done by him was done by God, for hewas true God; and what comparison can there be betwixt God and thecreature, betwixt the worth of God's acts, and the merit of thesin of poor man! And can death, or sin, or the grave hold us, whenGod saith, 'Give up?' Yea, where is that, or he, that shall callinto question the superabounding sufficiency that is in the meritof Christ, when God continueth to discharge, day by day, yea, hourly, and every moment, sinners from their sin, and death, andhell, for the sake of the redemption that is obtained for us byChrist?

God be thanked here is plenty; but no want of anything! Enough andto spare! It will be with the merit of Christ, even at the end ofthe world, as it was with the five loaves and two fishes, afterthe five thousand men, besides women and children, had sufficientlyeaten thereof. There was, to the view of all at last, more thanshowed itself at fist. At first there was but five loaves and twofishes, which a lad carried. At last there were twelve basketsfull, the weight of which, I suppose, not the strongest man couldbear away. Nay, I am persuaded, that at the end of the world, whenthe damned shall see what a sufficiency there is left of meritin Christ, besides what was bestowed upon them that were saved byhim, they will run mad for anguish of heart to think what foolsthey were not to come to him, and trust in him that they mightbe saved, as their fellow-sinners did. But this is revealed thatIsrael, that the godly may hope and expect. Let Israel thereforehope in the Lord, for with him is plenteous redemption. 

[Amplifying reasons as a conclusion of the whole. ]

Now as this last clause, as I termed it, is the amplification ofthe reason going before; so itself yieldeth amplifying reasons asa conclusion of the whole. For, First. Add redemption unto mercy, and then things still areheightened and made greater. And it must, because the text addsit, and because both the nature of God, the holiness of his law, and the present state of the sinner that is to be saved, requireththat it should be so. God is justice as well as mercy; the law isholy and just; that man that is to be saved is not only a sinner, but polluted. Now, then, that mercy and justice may meet and kissin the salvation of the sinner, there must be a redemption; that thesinner may be saved, and the law retain its sanction and authority, there must be a redemption; that the sinner may be purged as wellas pardoned, there must be a redemption. And, I say, as there must, so there is: 'For with the Lord there is mercy, and with him isplenteous redemption. ' Mercy is the original, the cause, and themanager of our redemption. Redemption is the manifestation, andthe completing of that mercy. If there had been no mercy, therehad been no redemption. Mercy had been defective as to us, or musthave offered violence to the law and justice of God, and have savedus contrary to that word, 'In the day thou eatest thou shalt die, 'and 'Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things writtenin the book of the law to do them. ' But now, redemption coming inby mercy, the sin is done away, and the sinner saved, in a way ofrighteousness. 

Second. By law as well as grace; that is, in a way of justice aswell as in a way of mercy. Hence it saith we are 'justified freelyby his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus' (Rom3:24). Through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ, whom Godhath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, andso to show the world the equity of his proceeding with sinners inthe saving of their souls. As if God should say to all those whostumble at the salvation of sinners by grace, Behold, I act accordingto law and justice. For of grace I save them through a redemption, and therefore am faithful and just to my law, as well as freeand liberal of my mercy. Wherefore thus I declare I am righteous, faithful, and just in passing over or remitting of sin. Nay, thematter so standeth now betwixt me and the sinful world, that Icould not be just if I did not justify him that hath faith in theblood of Jesus, since by that blood my justice is appeased for allthat this or that sinner has done against my law!

This is a way that God, nor any child of his, need be ashamed ofbefore any that shall call in question the legality and justice ofthis procedure. For why may not God be merciful, and why may notGod be just? And since he can be both merciful and just in thesalvation of sinners, why may he not also save them from deathand hell? Christ is God's salvation, and to show that he is notashamed of him, he hath presented him, and the way of redemptionby him, before the face of all people (Luke 2:30-32). Nor is theSon, who is become, with respect to the act of redemption, theauthor of eternal salvation, ashamed of this his doings. 'I gavemy back to the smiters, ' saith he, 'and my cheeks to them thatplucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and smiting'(Isa 50:6). This he speaks to show what were some of his sufferingswhen he engaged in the work of our redemption, and how heartily hedid bear and go through them. 'For, ' says he, 'the Lord God willhelp me, ' that is, justify me in it, 'therefore shall I not beconfounded, therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I knowthat I shall not be ashamed' (v 7). And if God, and his Son JesusChrist, are neither of them ashamed to own this way of salvation, why should the sinners concerned thereabout be afraid thereupon toventure their soul? I know, saith he, 'I shall not be ashamed'; Ishall not, that is, when all things come to light, and everythingshall appear above board; when the heart and soul of this undertakingof mine shall be proclaimed upon the house-tops, I know I shallnot be ashamed. 

It was also upon this account that Paul said he was not ashamed ofthe gospel (Rom 1). For he knew that it was a declaration of thehighest act of wisdom that ever God did spread before the face ofthe sons of men. And of what wisdom is the gospel a declarationbut of that of forgiveness of sins by grace, through the redemptionthat is by the blood of Jesus Christ? 'In whom we have redemptionthrough his blood, ' even 'the forgiveness of sins, according tothe riches of his grace, wherein he hath abounded toward us in allwisdom and prudence' (Eph 1:7, 8). 

And as Paul speaketh here as a minister, so he speaketh after thesame manner also as he is a believer, saying, 'I am not ashamed'of this gospel, 'for I know whom I have believed, ' or trusted withmy soul, 'and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which Ihave committed unto him against that day' (2 Tim 1:11, 12). Whereforeseeing that mercy is not presented to us alone, or singly, but asaccompanying and concurring with redemption; it is manifest enoughthat mercy standeth not above, and consequently that it savethnone but in, by, and through a Redeemer. He that believeth not inChrist shall be damned. But what needs that, if mercy could savethe soul without the redemption that is by him? If any say, Christis the mercy of God to us. True, if you count him a Redeemer, aworker out of a redemption for us by his death and blood upon thecross. But otherwise he is none; I mean, if you make him a lawgiver, and a Saviour, only as he has set an example to us to get to heavenby doing commandments, or by treading in his steps. Yea, though yousay his commandment is that we believe in him: for, take the workof redemption by his blood from the curse, out of his hand, and thenwhat concerning him is left from me to believe, but, as was saidbefore, that he is a lawgiver, and as such, at best, but a patternto us to get to heaven, as here? And whoso counteth him as such, is so far off from counting of Christ the mercy of God to us, thatthey make him a contradictor of mercy, both in the fountain andall the streams of it. For to propound life eternal to us, throughthe observation of laws, is to set before us that which contradictethgrace and mercy, let the work be what it will; nor will it help atall to say, that they that do the law of Christ, or that take himfor their law and example, shall be sure of mercy to pass by theirshortness of attaining to the perfection of what is set before them. For all this might have been done, and not one drop of blood spiltfor the redemption of man. Besides, this makes Christ's death, as aRedeemer, as an act unadvisedly undertaken; for what need he havedied, if his doctrine and example had been sufficient, throughthat which they call mercy, to have brought the soul to glory? 'Ifrighteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain' (Gal2:21). I will add, put man's righteousness, God's mercy, and Christ'sredemption, all together, and they will not save a man; though thelast two alone will sufficiently do it: but this third is a piecewhen put to that, does, instead of mending, make the rent worse. Besides, since man's righteousness cannot be joined in justificationwith God's mercy and Christ's redemption, but through a disbeliefof the sufficiency of them, should it be admitted as a cause, thoughbut the least cause thereof, what would follow, but to make thatcursed sin of unbelief a good inventor, and a necessary worker inthe manner of the justification of a sinner? For, I say, unbeliefis the cause of this hodge-podge in any; and the effects of it areshowed in the 9th chapter of the epistle of Paul to the Romans, atthe latter end thereof (vv 31-35). 

And there are three things that follow upon that opinion that denieththe absolute necessity of the shedding of the blood of Christ forthe redemption of man, that mercy might be let out to him. 

1. It followeth from thence, that there is no such attributeas absolute justice in God; justice to stand to his word, and tovindicate every tittle of his law. For let but this be granted, andthe death of Christ must be brought in, or by justice the floodgateof mercy still be shut against sinful man; or that God must havemercy upon man, with the breach of his Word. 

2. It also followeth from the premises, that Christ's death was ofpleasure only, and not of necessity also; contrary to the Scripture, that makes his death the effect of both; of pleasure, to showhow willing God the Father was that Christ should die for man: ofnecessity, to show that man could not be saved without it; of pleasure, to show how justice did deal with him for our sin; of necessity, to show that mercy could not be communicated to us without it (Isa53:10; Matt 26:39; Acts 17:3). 

3. There also followeth therefrom, that by the blood of Christ wehave not redemption from law, and justice, as to the condemningpart of both, but that rather this title is given to it for honourand glory, to dignify it; as the name of God is also given to him:for they that affirm the one, are bold to affirm the other. Foras by them is concluded, that there is no necessity why the bloodof Christ should be counted the absolutely necessary price of ourredemption from the curse of the law and severity of justice; so bythem it is concluded, that it is not necessary to hold that Christthe Redeemer is naturally and co-eternally God, as the Father. But'let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. '

Third. Must there be redemption by blood added to mercy, if thesoul be saved? This shows us what an horrible thing the sin of manis. Sin, as to the nature of it, is little known in the world. O!it sticks so fast to us, as not to be severed from us by all themercy of God: do but exclude redemption by the blood of Christ. Iwill say it over again. All the mercy of God cannot save a sinner, without respect to redemption from the curse of the law, by the deathand blood of Christ. 'Without shedding of blood is no remission'(Heb 9:22). No remission, no pardon, or passing by of the leasttransgression, without it. Tears! Christ's tears will not do it. Prayers! Christ's prayers will not do it. An holy life! the holylife that Christ lived, will not do it, as severed from his deathand blood. The word redemption, therefore, must be well understood, and close stuck to, and must not be allowed, as properly spoken, when we talk of deliverance from sin, the law, and God's curse, unless it be applied particularly to the death and blood of Christ(Eph 1:7). We have redemption through his blood (Rev 1:5). 'Christhath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse forus; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree'(Gal 3:13). He has redeemed us to God by his blood. 'For thou wastslain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood' (Rev 5:9). This isthe redemption that is joined with mercy, yea, that is the fruitthereof; and it is that without which sin cannot be removed outof the sight of God. Moses, that was a better preacher of the law, and the sufficiency of the righteousness thereof, than any nowcan pretend to be, yet he full well declared by all his bloodysacrifices, that the blood and death of Jesus Christ is of absolutenecessity for the redemption of the soul. Besides, he tells us thatthe man that should flee to the city of refuge, from the avengerof blood, should not be at liberty from the law, unless he kepthimself close in that city until the death of the high-priest. Markthe words, 'Ye shall take no satisfaction for him that is fled tothe city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in theland, until the death of the' high 'priest' (Num 35:32). Wherefore, Christian man, know thou thy sin in the nature of it and persuadethyself, that the removing of it from before the face of God is byno less means than the death and blood of Christ. But it is a poorshift that the enemies of the truth are put to, when, to defendtheir errors, they are forced to diminish sin, and to enlarge theborders of their fig-leaf garments, and to deny or cast away, asmuch as in them lies, one of the attributes, the justice of God. Indeed they will say they abhor to do thus, and all erroneouspersons will put the best face they can upon their bad matters;but the natural consequences of things amount to it; nor can they, when men stick close to their sides, avoid the charge. 

Fourth. Then here you see the reason of that free course that mercyhath among the sons of men, and why it doth, as has been showedbefore what it doth. Why justice is content. Blood hath answeredthe demand of justice. The law hath nothing to object against hissalvation that believeth in Jesus Christ. Blood has set the dooropen for us with boldness to go to God for mercy, and for God tocome with his abundant grace to us. We have 'boldness, brethren, toenter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and livingway, which he hath consecrated for us through the vail, that is tosay, his flesh' (Heb 10:19, 20). This is the way that Moses desiredto find, when God so largely spake to him of his mercy. 'Thou hastsaid, ' says Moses to God, 'I know thee by name, and thou hast alsofound grace in my sight. Now, therefore, I pray thee, if I have foundgrace in thy sight, show me now thy way that I may know thee, ' &c. (Exo 33:12, 13). What if it should be applied thus? thou now talkestof mercy, but in thy words to us from the Mount, thou spakest fireand justice; and since thou hast delivered us to holy a law, andare resolved that the least tittle thereof shall by no means fallto the ground; by what means is it that mercy should come untous? Well, saith God, I will show thee my way, I will put thee in aclift of the rock, which was a figure of Christ, for Christ says, 'I am the way' (Exo 34; John 14:6). This done, he proclaimed hisname, and showed him how he could be gracious, and gave him thesign of his being merciful, a promise that his presence should gowith him. The breaking then of the body of Jesus was, the rentingof the vail, that out of which came blood, that the way to God mightbe living; and not death, or sword, or flame, to the poor childrenof men. Out hence therefore bubbleth continually the tender mercy, the great mercy, the rich mercy, the abundant mercy, the multiplyingmercy, and every other mercy of God to us for our present andeverlasting good. 

Not that God was sparing of his mercy, and would not part with itunless paid for it; for this way of redemption by blood was hiscontrivance, the fruit of his wisdom (Eph 1:8). So then, God wasbig with mercy for a sinful world; but to be continually extendingof mercy, since sin and justice, because of the sanction of thelaw, lay in the way as a turning flaming sword, there did lie thework (Gen 3:24); so it was concluded, that mercy might, in a wayof justice, be let out to sinners; Christ, the Son of God, shoulddie for the sin of man. By which means the outcries of the lawand justice against us for our sins did cease, and mercy flowedfrom heaven like the waters of Noah, until it became a sea (Micah7:18, 19). 

By redemption by blood, therefore, is this great mystery--That ajust God can save that man that has broken that law, that God hassaid he will inflict the penalty for the breach thereof upon, anddo his justice no wrong--expounded; not by a relaxation of thepunishment, as the doltish wisdom of this world imagines; but byan inflicting of the exactest justice upon that nature that hasoffended. If the question be asked, How a just God can save thatman from death, that by sin has put himself under the sentence ofit? any fool can answer, 'By a pardon. ' And if it be asked, Butwhat will become of the threatening wherewith he threatened theoffender? He that knows no mysteries can say, Why, man must repentof his sin, and God of his threatening. But if it be asked, HowGod can execute his threatening to the utmost, and yet deliver thesinner by his mercy from it; the sinner that has deserved it, andyet be just to his law, faithful to his law, and one that willstand by every tittle of his law? this, to expound, is to high fora fool; therefore these men are for despising of mysteries, andfor counting of mysteries in the gospel, follies. 

But this key of heaven is no where but in the Word of the Spirit;it is not seen in the law, nor in the reason or righteousness of theworld. To punish 'the just for the unjust, ' and to make him 'to besin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousnessof God in him, ' seems unreasonable; so cross to the wisdom of manare the wards of this lock (1 Peter 3:18; 2 Cor 5:21). Whereforeusually, when they come at this doctrine, they belch out theirfrumps, their taunts, their scoffs, and their scorns against it;and in opposition thereto, comment, exalt, cry up, and set on high, Socinianism, Mahometanism, man's ragged righteousness, or anything. But we will pass these things. 

Fifth. The knowledge of redemption, and the faith of redemption, is the only means of settling, composing, and upholding the soulof the thoroughly awakened, in the hope of enjoying a portion inmercy for ever. What senseless, secure, besotted, and deluded men, conclude of themselves, and of the means of future happiness, isone thing; and what the thoroughly awakened soul concludes upon, is another. And I say, one thoroughly awakened about the nature ofGod, the nature of sin, and the worth of the soul, will find butlittle ease of mind, notwithstanding notions of mercy, until hecomes and sees that he must be saved by mercy and justice both; andthat to be sure he shall never do, until he is taught that by theblood of Christ the law is, as to the curse that is in it againstthe sinner, taken out of the way (Col 2). 

These things, sin and justice, are too great to be played with byhim that shall see them in the light of the law, and that shallfeel them in their terror upon a trembling conscience. But when thesoul shall see that a propitiation is made to justice by blood, then, and not till then, it sees sin taken away: and when it sees, bythis means, sin taken away, then it can behold to hope in the mercyof God. Yea, and it will be as hard to wring off him that is settledhere, from this belief to another, as it would be to persuade himthat stands upon sound ground to venture his life upon a shakingbottomless quag. O! It is a pleasant thing for the wounded conscienceto taste the sweetness of redeeming blood! (John 6:51-56). This islike the best wine that goes down sweetly; this carries with thelast of it the very tang[25] of eternal life! (Heb 9:14). And knowthat dead works, or works of death, will abide in the conscience, notwithstanding all talk and notions of mercy, until that be purgedwith blood applied thereto, by the Spirit and faith. This is oneof the three that abide to witness on earth, that 'God hath givenus eternal life, and that this life is in his Son'; because he diedfor us, and rose again (1 John 5:8-11). 

This, therefore, is that that will establish a man with that peacethat shall not be shaken, because by this such an one seeth thejustice of God is quieted. For peace is made by the blood of thecross; peace with God for sinners (Col 1:20). Yea, God himself, bythe blood of the cross, has made it, that by him, Christ, he mightreconcile to himself all things, whether they be things on earth, or things in heaven. Nor will a man that is truly spiritually wise, rest till he comes where God towards man doth rest; but that canbe only there, where such means are offered for the taking away ofsin, that are of a sweet-smelling savour to God. Now this is theoffering that Christ offered, to wit, himself; for Christ lovedus, and hath given himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice toGod, for a sweet-smelling savour (Eph 5:2). Therefore it is by it, the body of his flesh, through death, that we are presented holy, unblameable, and unreproveable in his sight (Col 1:21). Whereforeit must be true which was said before, to wit, That the knowledgeof redemption, and the faith of redemption, is the only means ofsettling, composing, and upholding of the soul of the thoroughlyawakened, in the hope of enjoying a portion in mercy for ever. Hethat hath the Son of God, hath the Father, hath life; because withhim is the means of peace with the Father, and so of eternal life(1 John 2:23). But then, to have the Son, is to believe on him, andon the Father through him (1 John 5:10-12). On him, that he is theSaviour by his blood; and on the Father through him, as believingthat he, for his Son's sufferings, is pacified with us, and of hisgrace hath forgiven us, through him, all trespasses (2 John 9; Eph4:32). 

Sixth. The knowledge and faith of this redemption fortifieth theChristian against temptations. We that do believe, know what it isto be assaulted by the devil, and to have knotty objections castinto our minds by him. We also know what advantage the vile sinof unbelief will get upon us, if our knowledge and faith in thisredemption be in the least, below the common faith of saints, defective. If we talk of mercy, he can talk of justice; if we talkof grace, he can talk of the law. And all his words, when God willsuffer it, we shall find as sharp, and subject to stick in ourminds, as bearded arrows are to stick in flesh. Besides, he canand doth, and that often, work in our fancies and imaginations suchapprehensions of God, that he shall seem to be to us one that cannotabide us, one that hates us, and that lieth in wait to destroy us. And now, if any body speaks to us of mercy, we think we might hopein that, had we nothing to trouble us but the guilt of actual sins. But we see our nature as full of the filth of sin, as the egg is ofmeat, or the toad of poison: which filth vilely recoileth againstthe commandments, flieth in the face of God, and continueth allhis judgments. [26] This is felt, this is seen by the sinner, whocannot help it; nor can he be brought to that consideration as tosay, 'It is no more I' (Rom 7). Now, what shall this man do? Shallhe look to the commandment? There is death? Shall he look to God?There is justice! Shall he look to himself? There is sin out ofmeasure! Let him look, then, to one as dying, to the 'lamb as ithad been slain, ' and there let him see himself by this Lamb, ascursed, and a dying of a cursed death for this sin that doth sofright and so distress the soul (Rev 5:6). Then let him turn again, and behold this Lamb alive and well, and highly exalted by thisGod, that but just before laid the curse of the law upon him; butlet him be sure to reckon that he has died for his sins by theperson of Christ, and it will follow that this man is now acquitted, because Christ is still alive. Say I these things as a man? Saithnot the gospel the very same? 1. As to Christ's dying for us; asalso that we are dead to the law by the body of Christ (Rom 6:6;7). 2. And that we should so reckon as to this matter, because thatGod has transferred our sin from us to him. 

1. Did not Christ die for us; and dying for us, are we not becomedead to the law by the death of his body? or will the law slay bothhim and us, and that for the same transgression? (Rom 7:1, 2). Ifthis be concluded in the affirmative, what follows but that Christ, though he undertook, came short in doing for us? But he was raisedup from the dead, and believing marrieth us to him as risen, andthat stops the mouth of all. I am crucified with Christ, our oldman was crucified with him, and we are become dead to the law bythe body of Christ (Rom 5:3, 4). What then?

2. Why, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but aliveunto God through Jesus Christ. Ay, but says the soul, 'How can Ireckon thus, when sin is yet strong in me?' Answ. Read the wordsagain, He saith not, Reckon yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, in yourselves; but dead unto it through Jesus Christ. Not aliveunto God in yourselves, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ. For Christ in his death and resurrection representeth me. As Idied by him, I arose again by him, and live through the faith ofthe gospel in the presence of God by him. This must in the firstplace be allowed and believed, or no true peace can come nearthe soul, nor the soul be prepared to assoil the assaults of theadversary. Let therefore thy faith, if thou wouldst be a warrior, O thou faint-hearted Christian, be well instructed in this! Thenwill thy faith do thee a twofold kindness. 1. It will conform theeto the death and resurrection of Christ. And, 2. It will give theeadvantage, when thou seest sin strong in thyself, yet to concludethat by Christ thou art dead thereto, and by him alive therefrom. Nor can there but two objections be made against this. The firstis to question whether any are said to die and rise, by the deathand resurrection of Christ? or if it so may be said; yet whetherthou art one of them? To the first the scripture is full. To thesecond, thy faith must be strong: for let go faith here, and allfalls flat to the ground, I mean as to comfort and consolation. Christ died for us, or in our stead; therefore, by the Word of God, I am allowed so to reckon. Christ rose and revived, though he diedfor me; therefore I rose and revived by Christ: unless any doeshold, that though he died in a common, yet he arose as consideredbut in a single capacity. Now, then, if Satan comes and tells meof my sins, I answer, 'Christ has taken them upon himself. ' If hecomes and tells me of the death that is due to me for sin, by thecurse of the holy law, I answer, I have already undergone that byChrist. If he asks me, How I know that the law will not lay holdof me also? I answer, Because Christ is risen from the dead. If heasks me, By what authority I take upon me thus to reason? I tellhim, By the authority and allowance of the holy and most blessedgospel, which saith, He 'was delivered for our offences, andwas raised again for our justification' (Rom 4). And to encouragethee thus to believe, and thus to hold, when thou art in an hourof temptation, this is the way to see mercy stand and smile uponthee; for mercy will smile upon him that shall thus believe (2Cor 3:16-18). This is the way to put faith and hope both to workagainst the devil; and to do this is very pleasing to God. Thisthe way to make that hell-bound retreat and leave off to assault(James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9). And this is the way to find an answerto many scriptures, with which else thou wilt not know what to do, as with many of the types and shadows; yea, and with the moral lawitself. 

Besides, thus believing setteth thy soul against the fear of death, and judgment to come; for if Christ be raised from the dead whodied for our sins; and if Christ who died for our sins is enteredinto glory: I say again, if Christ who died for our sins has purchasedus to himself, and is purposed that the fruit of this his purchaseshall be, that we may behold his face in glory; then, cast offslavish fear of death and judgment: for Christ being raised fromthe dead, dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him!

Seventh. The knowledge and faith of this redemption prepareth manto a holy life. By a holy life, I mean a life according to themoral law, flowing from a spirit of thankfulness to God for givingof his Son to be my Redeemer. This I call a holy life, because itis according to the rule of holiness, the law, and this I call aholy life, because it floweth from such a principle as giveth toGod the heart, and life, for the gift bestowed on us. What pretencessoever there are to holiness, if it floweth not from thankfulnessfor mercy received, it floweth from a wrong principle, and so cannotbe good. Hence, men were required of old, to serve the Lord withjoyfulness, 'for the abundance of all things'; and threatened, ifthey did not, that 'they should serve their enemies in hunger andin thirst, and in nakedness, and in the want of all things' (Deut28:47, 48). But then, though there are many mercies that lay anobligation upon men to be holy, yet he that shall want the obligationthat is begotten by the faith of redeeming mercy, wanteth the mainprinciple of true holiness: nor will any other be found sufficientlyto sanctify the heart to the causing of it to produce such a life;nor can such holiness be accepted, because it comes not forthin the name of Christ. That that obliged David was forgiving andredeeming mercy; and that that obliged Paul was the love that Christshowed to him, in dying for his sins, and in rising from the dead(Psa 103:1-5; 2 Cor 5:14, 15). Paul also beseecheth the Romans, bythe redeeming, justifying, preserving, and electing mercy of God, that they present their body 'a living sacrifice, holy, acceptableto God; which is, ' saith he, 'your reasonable service' (Rom 12:1). For we must be holy and without blame before him in love (Eph 4:1). 

Hence, all along, they that are exhorted to holiness in the NewTestament, are exhorted to it upon the supposition of the benefitof redemption which they have received by Jesus Christ. 'Walkin love as Christ also hath loved us' (Eph 5:2). 'If there be anyconsolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowshipof the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, thatye be like minded, having the same love, ' &c. (Phil 2:1, 2). 'Ifye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affectionon things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, andyour life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Mortifytherefore your members which are upon the earth, ' &c. (Col 3:1-5). 'Wherefore laying aside all malice and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil-speakings, as new-born babes desire thesincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby, if so be ye havetasted that the Lord is gracious' (1 Peter 2:1-3). I will concludethis with that of Peter, to those to whom he wrote concerningthis very thing. Be 'obedient children, ' saith he, 'not fashioningyourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance; but ashe which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner ofconversation: because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy, Andif ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgethaccording to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourninghere in fear. Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed withcorruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversationreceived by tradition from your fathers, but with the preciousblood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot' (1Peter 1:14-19). 

From all which it appears, that mercy by Christ, or from the benefitof redemption by the precious blood of Christ, I say, from thefaith of that, flows that which is holiness indeed. And I believethat those very men that are pleased to taunt at this kind ofinference, would condemn a man was he laid under these obligationsconcerning things of this life, and yet did carry it as onenot touched thereby. We will make an instance: Suppose a Socinianshould, through his contracting a great debt, be forced to rot inprison, unless redeemed by silver and gold: and suppose a man, untowhom this Socinian was an enemy, should lay down the whole debtto the creditor, that this Socinian might be at liberty, mighttrade, and live comfortably in this world; and if, after this, thisSocinian should taunt at them that should tell him he is engagedto this redeemer, ought to love and respect this redeemer; whatwould they say but that this Socinian that was a debtor is aninconsiderate and stupefied rascal? Why, this is the case; Paul wasa debtor to the law and justice of God; Jesus Christ his Son, thatPaul might not perish for ever, paid for him a price of redemption, to wit, his most precious blood. But what! Shall Paul now, thoughredeemed from perpetual imprisonment in hell, be as one that neverwas beholden to Jesus Christ; or if others say he was, taunt at themfor their so saying? No, he scorns it. Though the love of Christ, in dying to pay a price of redemption, will not engage a Socinian, yet it will engage a true Christian to think and believe that heought to live to Jesus, that died for him and rose again. 

I know it will be objected that the Satisfactionists, as the quakingPenn is pleased to call them, show but little of this to the world;for their pride, covetousness, false dealing, and the like, sincethey profess as I have said, shows them as little concerned to thefull as to the Socinian under consideration. I answer, it must bethat the name of Christ should be scandalized through some thatprofess him; and they must answer it at the tribunal of the greatJudge; yet what I have said stands fast as a rock that cannot bemoved. 

Eighth. The knowledge and faith of redemption is a very greatencouragement to prayer. It is great encouragement for the poor togo even to a prince for what he wanteth, when he considereth thatwhat he goeth to him for is the price of redemption. All thingsthat we want, we must ask the Father for, in the name of Christ:we must ask it of him for the sake of his redeeming blood, for thesake of the merit of his passion (John 15:16). Thus David means, when he says, 'For thy name's sake' do it (Psa 25:11); and Danielwhen he saith here, 'For the Lord's sake' (9:17). For Jesus Christis God's great name; and to do for his sake is to do for whatworthiness is in him. 

Unworthiness! The consideration of unworthiness is a greatstumbling-block to the tempted when he goes to seek the Lord. Butnow, remembering the worthiness of Christ, and that he is now onthe right hand of God, on purpose to plead that on the behalf ofthe petitioner, this is great encouragement. The Jews, by God'sordinance, when they went morning and evening by their priest tospeak with God, were to offer a lamb for a burnt-offering, and itmust be thus continually (Exo 29:38-46). Now this lamb was a figureof the sacrificing of the body of Christ which was to be offeredfor them in time to come; and, in that it was to be continually, morning and evening, so repeated, what doth it signify, but that weshould remember to go, when we went to God, in the name and faithof the merits of Jesus Christ for what we stood in need of? Thiswill support, and this will encourage, for now we see that thething desired--it being according to his will--is obtained for usby the sacrificing of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all. 

When Israel begged of Samuel that he would not cease to cry tothe Lord their God for them, it is said he took a sucking lamb andoffered it for a burnt-offering wholly unto the Lord; and Samuelcried unto the Lord for Israel, and the Lord heard him (1 Sam 7:8, 9). But why did he take a sucking lamb, and why did he offer it, andthat wholly unto the Lord, as he cried, but to show to Israel thathe was not heard for his own, or for his righteousness sake, butfor the sake of Christ, whose merits were prefigured by Samuel'sburning of the lamb?

Also when David spake for himself to Saul, he put himself uponthis, 'If, ' saith he, 'the Lord hath stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering, a smell, a sweet-smelling sacrifice; afigure of the satisfactoriness of the sufferings of Jesus Christ'(1 Sam 26:19). What is the meaning of all these passages, if not toshow that when we go to pray to God, we should turn away our facefrom every thing of ours, and look to God, only by the price ofredemption paid for us by Jesus Christ, and plead that alone withhim as the great prevailing argument, and that by and for thesake of which he giveth pardon and grace to help in time of need?Wherefore, wouldst thou be a praying man, a man that would prayand prevail? why, pray to God in the faith of the merits of Christ, AND SPEED. [27]

Ninth. For this is the very cause why this is added in the text, to wit, the plenteousness of redemption, it is, I say, that menshould hope to partake by it, of the goodness and mercy of God. 'Let Israel hope in the Lord, for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. ' Mercy and redemption, mercythrough a Redeemer, therefore 'let Israel hope'! It must also benoted, that this word redemption is, as it were, the explicatorypart of the text, for the helping of Israel to hope. As who shouldsay, as there is with God mercy, so there is with him a way to hismercy, and that way is redemption, or a price paid for your sins;and that you should not be discouraged through the greatness ofyour sins, I tell you there is with God plenty of this redemption, or a price paid to the full; to an over and above. It also is asif he had said, Forget not this, for this is the key of all therest, and the great support to the saints in prayer, or while theywait upon God in any of his appointments to encourage them to hope. 

Tenth. And lastly, This also should teach the saints, when theysin or praise the Lord, they should not sing of mercy only, but ofmercy and judgment too; 'I will sing of mercy and judgment; untothee, O Lord, will I sing' (Psa 101:1). Of mercy and judgment, orjustice in the manifestation of it, as smiling upon our forgiveness. When Hannah sang of, and rejoiced in God's salvation, she sangaloud of holiness, saying, 'There is none holy as the Lord' (1Sam 2:1, 2). Holy in keeping his word, though it cost the blood ofhis Son. This also is that that is called a helping of his servantIsrael in remembrance of his mercy, and the performing of the mercypromised; even the oath that he sware to our father Abraham, thathe would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the handsof our enemies--by a Redeemer--might serve him without fear, &c. (Luke 1:49, 54). When you praise, therefore, remember Christ andhis blood, and how justice and judgment took hold on him, that theymight not take hold on thee; yea, how they by taking hold on him, left a way to thee to escape. Isaac should have been sacrificed, had not the Lord provided a ram; and thou thyself shouldest havebeen damned, had not the Lord provided a lamb (Gen 22; Rev 5). Hence Christ is called the 'Lamb of God which taketh away the sinof the world, ' that taketh them away by the sacrifice of himself. Sing therefore in your praises unto God, and to the Lamb!

[THE APPLICATION OR USE OF THE WHOLE. ]

I would come now to speak one short word of use to the whole. And, First. This still shows more and more, what a sad state God'speople have brought themselves into by sin. I told you before thatthe revelation of so much mercy as is presented unto us by the firstpart of the text, sufficiently declared our state to be miserableby sin. But what shall we say, when there must be added to thatthe heart blood of the Son of God, and all to make our salvationcomplete? For albeit mercy is essential to our salvation, and thatwithout which there can be no salvation; yet it is the blood thatmaketh the atonement for the soul, THAT propitiates, and so makescapable of enjoying of it. It was mercy and love, as I said afore, that sent one to shed his blood for us; and it is the blood of himthat was sent, that puts us into the enjoyment of mercy. O! I havethought sometimes, what bloody creatures hath sin made us![28] Thebeasts of the field must be slain by thousands before Christ came, to signify to us we should have a Saviour; and after that, he mustcome himself, and die a worse death than died those beasts, beforethe work of saving could be finished. O redemption, redemption byblood, is the heart-endearing consideration! This is that whichwill make the water stand in our eyes, that will break a heart offlint, and that will make one do as they do, that are 'in bitternessfor their first-born' (Zech 12:10). 

Sinner, wouldst thou have mercy? wouldst thou be saved? Go thouthen to the blood of the cross, as set forth in the word of thetruth of the gospel, and there thou shalt find that mercy thatthou hast need of first; for there is a mercy that may be calleda FIRST mercy, and that is the mercy that gives admittance into, and an interest in all the rest. Now the mercy that doth this, isthat which reconcileth us to God; but that other things cannot do, if we stand off from the blood of the cross. Wherefore we are saidto be reconciled to God, by the death of his Son. 'For if when wewere enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son;much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life' (Rom5:10). According to that other saying, 'He that spared not his ownSon, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him alsofreely give us all things?' (8:32). In both these places the Sonof God, and our Redeemer, is set forth to us in the first place, as the only one that reconcileth to God the sinner by the bloodof his cross; wherefore to this Christ, as crucified, the sinnermust come first; because nothing else can reconcile to God; and ifthou be not reconciled to God, what art thou but an enemy to him, partake of what mercy thou canst? (Col 1:20). Go to him, did I say?receive him into the arms of thy faith; hold him fast, for he is aSaviour; yea, carry him as set forth by the gospel, dying for thee, and pray God for his sake to bestow upon thee all those merciesthat will compass thee about as with a shield, and follow thee allthy days, till thou enterest in at the doors of eternity; and thisis the way to speed! For he that hath the Son hath life, in thebeginning of it; and he that holds fast the Son, shall have life inthe consummation of it. I do the oftener touch upon this matter, because this Christ is the door, in at which whosoever entereth shallbe saved; but he that climbs up any other way, shall be judged asa thief and a robber (John 10:1). [29] But, Second. Is Christ, as crucified, the way and door to all spiritualand eternal mercy? And doth God come to the sinner, and the sinneragain go to God in a saving way by him, and by him only? And isthere no other way to the Father but by his blood, and through theveil, that is to say, his flesh? (Heb 10:19, 20). Then this showsthe danger, upon what pretence soever, of casting off the dailysacrifice, and setting up in its place the abomination that makethdesolate. I mean, of casting away a crucified Christ, and the settingup the vanity of moral obedience as the more substantial and mostacceptable thing with God. I call not a crucified Christ the dailysacrifice, as if I thought he often suffered for sin, since thefoundation of the world; but because the virtue of that one offeringis that, and only that, by the which we daily draw nigh unto God;and because the virtuousness of that one sacrifice will for everabide beneficial to them that come to God, to the world's end byhim. 

But I say, into what a miserable plight have such people putthemselves, that have cast off coming to God by Christ, as he isthe propitiation for their sins, and that seek to come another way?Such are lapsed again to Gentilism, to Paganism, to Heathenism; norwill it help at all to say they rely on the mercy and goodness ofGod, for there is no such thing as spiritual and eternal mercy cancome from God to him, that comes not to him by Christ. The Turks, if I be not mistaken, have this for the beginning of every chapterof their Alcoran, 'The Lord, God, gracious and merciful, '[30]yet are counted unbelievers, and are verily so, for they have notreceived the faith of Christ. The Lord God, gracious and merciful, will not save them, no not by grace and mercy, unless repenting oftheir presuming upon mercy, without a bloody sacrifice, they cometo him by his Son (Acts 4:12). Men therefore that have laid asidethe necessity of reconciliation to God by the precious blood ofChrist, are in a damned state; nor will it help at all to say theydo indeed believe in him. I am not so void of reason as to thinkthat they that have cast away Christ, as he is a propitiatorysacrifice with God for sin, should also cast away his name outof their mouth; no, his name is too honorable, and the professionof it too glorious for them to do such a thing. But retaining hisname, and the notion of him as a Saviour, they yet cast him off, and that in those very things wherein the essential part of hissacrifice, the merit of it, and his everlasting priesthood, consists;and in this lies the mystery of their iniquity. 

They will have him to be a Saviour, but it must not be by fulfillingof the law for us; but it must not be by the putting of his gloriousrighteousness, that which he performed by subjecting himself tothe law, on our behalf, upon us; but it must not be by washing ofus from our sins in his own blood; but it must be by his kinglyand prophetical offices. When, as for his kingly and propheticaloffices, he puts those people under the government of them that hehas afore made to stand justified before God, from the curse of thelaw by his priesthood. Nor dare they altogether deny that Christdoth save his people as a priest, but then their art is to confoundthese offices, by pleading that they are in effect but one and theself-same thing; and then with a noise of morality and government, they jostle the merit of his blood, and the perfection of hisjustifying righteousness, out of doors; and so retaining the nameof Christ in their mouths, they cast those things of Christ, thatthey like not, under feet; which things, they who have not thefaith of, must not, cannot see the kingdom of God. 

The term of mercy is but a general sound, and is as an arrow shotat rovers, unless the blood and death of the Son of God be set beforeus, as the mark or mean by which our spirits are to be directedto it. What profit shall a man have, and what shelter or succourshall he find, in hearing of the most exact relation of the strengthof the most impregnable castle in the world, unless he knows thedoor, and entereth in by that, into that place of strength, in thetime when the enemy shall pursue him? Why, this is the case: Wehear a noise of mercy, and of being at peace with God; what a goodGod, God is, and what a blessed thing it is to be a child of God;how many privileges the children of God have, and what will betheir exaltation and glory in the next world! And all the while theythat tell us these things conceal from us the way thereto, which isChrist, not in the naming of him, but in the right administrationof his gospel to us. 

Christ, and faith in him as a Saviour, not in the name only, butin the true sense thereof, is the mark, as I have said, from whichif any swerve, they err from the saving way, and so come nothing nearthat mercy that can save them. Hence Christ is called a standard, an ensign (Isa 5:26). 'And in that day there shall be a root ofJesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shallthe Gentiles seek, and his rest shall be glorious' (Isa 11:10). Andagain, 'Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up mine handto the Gentiles; and set up my standard to the people' (49:22). 'Go through, go through the gates, prepare ye the way of thepeople, --gather out the stones, lift up a standard for the people. Behold the Lord hath proclaimed to the end of the world; say yeto the daughter of Zion, behold thy salvation cometh. Behold hisreward is with him, and his work before him' (62:10, 11). Henceagain he is called the captain, the chieftain, of our salvation, and him without whom there neither is nor can be any. 

But now the men of this confederacy, rather than they will submitthemselves to the righteousness of God, will lay odiums and scandalsupon them that preach they should (Rom 10:2, 4). Not forsooth, if youwill believe them, but that they are highly for the righteousnessof God, let it be that which they count so; but then to be sure itshall never be the personal performances of Christ, by which theythat believe in him are justified from all things; but that whichthey call 'first principles, ' 'dictates of human nature, ' 'obedienceto a moral precept, ' followed and done as they have Christ for anexample; not understanding that Christ, in his own doings, is theend of all these things to every one that believeth. But if itbe urged that Gentiles and Pagans are possessed with those veryprinciples, only they have not got the art, as our men have, tocover them with the name of Christ and principles of Christianity, then they fall to commending the heathens and their philosophers, and the natural motives and principles by which they were actuated;preferring of them much before what by others are called the gracesof the Spirit, and principles upon what the doctrine of the freegrace and mercy of God by Christ are grounded. But, as I said, allthe good that such preachers can do as to the next world, is, todraw the people away from their ensign and their standard, and solead them among the Gentiles and infidels, to seek by their rulesthe way to this unspeakable mercy of God. Wherefore their statebeing thus deplorable, and their spirits thus incorrigible, theymust be pitied, and left, and fled from, if we would live. 

Third. Is Christ Jesus the redemption; and, as such, the verydoor and inlet into all God's mercies? Christian man, look wellto thyself, that thou goest no whither, and dost nothing, I meanin any part of religious worship, &c. , but as thou art in him (2Cor 12:18, 19). [31] Walk in him, speak in him, grow in him, for heis THE ALL (Col 2:6, 7). And though others regard not to 'hold thehead, from which all the body by joints and bands have nourishmentministered, ' yet have thou a care! (Eph 4:15; Col 2:19). This ishe that is thy life, and the length of thy days, and without whomno true happiness can be had. Many there be that count this but alow thing; they desire to soar aloft, to fly into new notions, andto be broaching of new opinions, not counting themselves happy, except they can throw some new-found fangle, to be applauded for, among their novel-hearers. But fly thou to Christ for life; andthat thou mayest so do, remember well thy sins, and the judgmentand wrath of God; and know also that he is merciful, but at mercynone can come, but through the cursed death Christ underwent. Andalthough some of the wanton professors of our age may blame theefor poring so much upon thy sins, and the pollution of thy nature, yet know that there is an advantage in it. There be some alive inthe world, who, though they count the nature and commission of sinthe very evil of evils, yet can say that the remembrance of howvile they are, and of what evils they have committed, has been tothem a soul-humbling, a Christ-advancing, and a creature-emptyingconsideration. Though sin made death bitter to Christ, yet sinmakes Christ sweet to his. And though none should sin, that gracemight abound, yet where sin has abounded, grace doth much moreabound, not only as an act of God, but also in the eye of faith. 

A sight of the filth, and a sense of the guilt of sin, makes apardon to such a soul more than empty notion; and makes the meanthrough which the pardon comes more to be desired than is eitherlife or limb. This is it that makes the sensible soul prize theLord Jesus, while the self-justiciary[32] laugheth him to scorn. This is it which makes the awakened sinner cast away his ownrighteousness, while the self-conceited one makes it his advocatewith the Father. 

Some, indeed, count their own doings the only darling of theirsoul, while others cast it to the dogs. And why should a man cumberhimself with what is his, when the good of all that is in Christis laid, and to be laid out for him? Not that a believer castsoff to do good, for he knows that what good thing is done in faithand love, is acceptable to God, and profitable to his neighbour. But this is it, he setteth not his good deed against the judgmentof God; he cometh not in his own good. When he comes to God forforgiveness of sins, then he sees nothing, knows nothing, mentionsnothing as righteousness, but that which Christ wrought out in thedays of his flesh, and that only. But how then is what he dothaccepted of God? Verily as the duty of a son, and as the workof one that is justified. We must therefore conclude that thereis acceptation, and acceptation: acceptation of the person, andacceptation of his performance. Acceptation of the person may beconsidered with respect to justification from the curse, and soacceptation there can be none, but through the one offering of thebody of Jesus Christ once for all. Also the acceptation of a dutydone by such a person is, by virtue of the self-same offering, the person being considered as standing just through Christ beforeGod. And the reason why a justified person must have his dutiesaccepted the same way, as is his person, is because justifyingrighteousness sets not the person free from sin, save only in thesight of God and conscience; he remaineth still infirm in himself, and standeth still in need of the fresh and continual applicationof the merits of the Lord Jesus, which also the soul receiveth byvirtue of Christ's intercession. I speak now of acceptation withreference to the justice of the law, and the judgment of God uponperson or work, according to the self-same law. For so they bothmust be accepted through the self-same Mediator, or they cannot beaccepted at all. Nor is it a thing to be wondered at, that a manshould stand just in the sight of God, when polluted and defiledin his own sight. He stands just before God in the justice of hisSon, upon whom God looks, and for whose sake he accepts him. May nota scabbed, mangy man, a man all over-run with blains and blotches, be yet made beautiful to the view of a beholder, through the silken, silver, golden garment that may be put upon him, and may cover allhis flesh? Why, the righteousness of Christ is not only unto butupon all them that believe (Rom 3:22). And whoso considers theparable of the wretched infant, shall find, that before it waswashed with water it was wrapped up or covered, as it was found, in its blood, in and with the skirt of his garment that found it inits filth. And then he washed it with water, and then he sanctifiedit by the anointing oil of the Spirit of God (Eze 16:8, 9). I speakthus to thee, Christian reader, partly because in the faith of thesethings is thy life; and because I would yet enforce the exhortationupon thee with the reason and the amplification thereof, to wit, toput thee upon trusting in the Lord through the encouragement thatthou hast in redeeming mercy so to do. 

Some may say, Will God see that which is not? and will he judge aman just that is a sinner? But I will answer, The man that had therainbow about his head, was to look on, or be looked upon, whilehe shone like a jasper and a sardix-stone (Rev 4:3). The blood ofthe paschal lamb was to be looked upon by him that came to destroythe land of Egypt in their firstborn (Exo 12:13). I add, The rainbowthat God gave to Noah for a token that he would no more destroy theearth with the waters of the flood, was to be looked upon, thatGod might remember to show mercy to his people (Gen 9:8-17). Nowall these meet in the man Christ Jesus, who is the only one, forthe sake of whom the sinner that believeth in him stands acquittedin the sight of God. His is the blood, he is the prince, that ismore than the token of the covenant: nor do all the colours in therainbow appear so beautiful in the eyes of man, as does the garmentof Christ; which is from his loins, even upward, and from his loins, even downward, in the eyes of the God of heaven (Eze 1:27, 28). Andwilt thou say these are things that are not? Also, he can legallyjudge a man just, that is a sinner. Do but admit of a diverseconsideration, and God will so consider of that sinner which hejustifieth, in despite of all the teeth in thy proud mouth! 'Hejustifieth the ungodly' (Rom 4:5). Not that were, but that are suchnow, in the judgment and verdict of the law, might deal with themin their own persons as men (Rom 5:5-10). He will then consider themin his Son; in, and under the skirt of his Son. He will considerthem as washed in the blood of his Son, and will also consider'that in him is no sin, ' and so he will deal with them. 'We knowthat he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin'(1 John 3:5). 

What though I have broke a thousand pound in my creditor's debt--yetif another will discharge the whole freely, what has the law todo with me as to that? Or what if I cannot but live upon the spendall my days, yet if my friend will always supply my need, and, through his bounty, keep me from writ, bailiff, or jail, is it notwell for me? Yea, what if what I can get shall be laid up for mefor hereafter, and that my friend, so long as there is death ordanger in the way, will himself secure me, and bear my charges tothe world's end; may I not accept thereof, and be thankful? Blessedbe God for Jesus Christ! I believe he is more than all this to me. 'In the Lord shall all the seed of Israel be justified, and shallglory' (Isa 45:25). I know similitudes will not hold in all things;but we that believe are set free from the curse of the law byanother man's obedience. For 'by the obedience of one shall manybe made righteous' (Rom 5:19). Let then the believer, as was said, study and pray, and read God's Word continually, for the sakeof the glory of this truth, that it may be made more his own, andthat his conscience may be more and more settled in the power andglory thereof. [33]

Fourth. As the Christian should most labour to get into the powerand glory of this doctrine, so let him see that he holds it fast. This doctrine is foreign to flesh and blood; it is not earthly, but from heaven (Matt 16:17). It is with many that begin with thisdoctrine, as it is with boys that go to the Latin school; theylearn till they have learned the grounds of their grammar, and thengo home and forget all. How have many, that as to the grounds ofChristian religion, one would think, had been well taught, yet nottaking such heed thereto as they should, they have let slip all, and their hearts have been filled with the world again, or elsehave drunk in some opinion that has been diametrically oppositeto what they professed of the truth before (Heb 2:1-4). Whereforehast thou anything of the truth of Christ in thy heart? 'Hold thatfast, that no man take thy crown' (Rev 3:11). Yea 'grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ' (2 Peter3:18). 

He that will retain and hold fast the doctrine of redemption, andso by that have, through faith, an inlet into all the aboundingmercy of God, must not deal in God's matters with a slack hand. Itis not enough for them that would do so, to be content with sermons, family duties, and other public assemblies for worship, but theremust be a continual exercise of the mind about these matters, anda labour of the soul to retain them in their glory and sweetness;else they will, first as to their excellency, then as to the verynotion of them, slip from the heart and be gone (Heb 2:1-3). Notthat there is treachery or deceit therein, but the deceit lies inthe heart about them. He that will keep water in a sieve, must usemore than ordinary diligence. Our heart is the leaking vessel; and'therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the thingswhich we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. '

That this doctrine may remain with us, we must also mortify ourcarnal reason: for that makes head against the truth thereof, andwhat can foolishness do else? And the wisdom of this world, whichis carnal reason in its improvements, is foolishness with God (1Cor 1:20-25). It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeedcan it be. It judges this doctrine that we have been speaking of, foolishness; wherefore it must be avoided, opposed and mortified, and the word of faith the more carefully submitted to. 'Trust in theLord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding'(Rom 3:5). See here, that trusting in the Lord, and leaning to ourown understanding, are opposites; wherefore they must either bereconciled, or one quite adhered unto, in a way of mortificationof the other. Now, it is safest in this matter to keep a continualguard upon our carnal powers; and to give up ourselves to theconduct of our God, and in all our ways acknowledge him, that he, not ourselves, may direct our paths (v 6). It is a great thing fora man, when the Word and his reason clashes, then to adhere to theWord, and let his reason fall to the ground. And this indeed isChristianity in the practical part thereof. The Spirit of Christin the Word is to be hearkened unto, above all things (2 Cor 10:3-5). 

There must also be a continual war maintained upon all the lustsof the flesh, that they may not draw away the heart from the studyand delight, the love and faith, of the things that are hid inChrist (Isa 28:9). This, I say, must be done, else the heart cannotbe at liberty to wait upon the Lord without distraction, for thefurther communications of himself in his Son, according to hisblessed gospel to us. Many Christians are lean in their faith andtoo barren in their lives, and all for want of being diligent here. Wherefore having faith in this blessed Lord Jesus Christ, as hasbeen afore discoursed; in the next place, 'giving all diligence, addto your faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness;and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. For if these things be in you and abound, they make youthat ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledgeof our Lord' and Saviour 'Jesus Christ' (2 Peter 1:5-8). There isa method that the Holy Ghost has prescribed in the Word, for themthat hath faith to observe, and without the observation thereof, though they indeed may be of the number of them that shall besaved, yet they shall not have much, nor do much, for Christ andhis name, in this world. Now the unskilful, that are so in the wordof righteousness, finding this method, and not discerning to whomit belongs, forthwith apply it to all; and forgetting that faithmust go before, they press them as duties preparatory to faith, orelse so call that which is not so; and so the blind leading of theblind, both fall into the ditch, and are smothered. But do thou, Ochild of God, distinguish, and keep faith and duty for justificationof thy person in the sight of God far asunder; also be sure to letfaith go before, and be always with thy Saviour, but add unto thyfaith, virtue, &c. , not as though thy faith could not lay hold ofChrist, unless accompanied with these, but to show that thy faithis of the right kind, as also for the emboldening of thee to anholy endeavour yet to press further into his everlasting kingdomand his word; for he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannotsee afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his oldsins. 

Fifth. That thou mayest keep steadfast to this doctrine take heedof being offended, or of stumbling at the Word, because of theoffensive lives and conversations of some that are professors ofthe same. There will be offences, and it is needful there should;yea, scandals and heresies also, that they that are approved ofGod 'may be made manifest among you' (1 Cor 11:19). There are manycauses of the offensive lives of them that profess this faith, someof which I will give a touch upon here. 

1. Many that adhere to, and profess this gospel, are short of thepower and glory of the things which they profess: now the word, theword only, will not bring those that profess it into a conformity toit; into a conformity in heart and life (1 Cor 4:18-20). Whereforethey that know it only in word, live scandalous lives, to the reproachof the faith, the emboldening of its enemies, the stumbling of theignorant, and grief of the godly, that are so indeed, and such mustbear their judgment in the next world. 

2. This also flows from the wisdom of hell: the devil knows thatthe faith of the gospel rightly professed, is, not only saving tothose in whom it is, but alluring unto beholders: wherefore that hemay prevent the beauteous lustre thereof, he sows his tares amongGod's wheat, and goes his way, that is, to the end those that stumblemay not see what he hath done, or whose are the tares indeed. Nowby these the sunshine of the faith of the true professors of theblessed gospel is clouded; yea, and the world made believe, that suchas the worst are, such are the best; but there is never a barrelbetter herring, [34] but that the whole lump of them are, in truth, a pack of knaves. Now has the devil got the point aimed at, andhas caused many to fall; but behold ye now the good reward thesetares shall have at the day of reward for their doings. 'As thereforethe tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so shall it be inthe end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace offire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth' (Mat 13:37-42). 

3. It also happeneth, sometimes, through the anger and judgmentof God against sinners, that some of them truly gracious do fall, as David, Peter, &c. , the which is a great trial to the godly, awound to the persons fallen, and a judgment of God to the world. For since these last would not be converted, nor made turn to Godby the convincing glory that has attended their faith in a holyand unblameable life annexed, God has suffered them to fall, thatthey also might stumble and fall, and be dashed in pieces by theirvices. But thou, Christian man, be not thou offended at any ofthese things; do thou look unto Jesus, do thou look unto his Word, do thou live by faith, and think much of thy latter end; do thoube base in thine own eyes, be humble and tender, and pray to Godalways; do thou add to thy faith virtue, and to virtue what elseis mentioned; and 'give diligence to make thy calling and electionsure; for if thou doest these things thou shalt never fall: forso an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly, into theeverlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ' (2 Peter1:10, 11). 

Sixth. If it be so, that there is so much mercy in the heart ofGod for his people, and that Jesus his Son has by his blood madeso living a way for us that we might enjoy it, and the benefit ofit for ever, 'then let Israel hope': for to that end is this goodnessrevealed: 'Let Israel hope in the Lord; for with the Lord there ismercy, and with him is plenteous redemption. ' Hope! Who would nothope to enjoy life eternal, that has an inheritance in the God ofIsrael? 'Happy art thou, O Israel, who is like unto thee, O peoplesaved by the Lord, the shield of thy help, and who is the swordof thy excellency?' (Deut 33:29). Did but the people of God see towhat they are born, and how true the God of truth will be to whatby his Word they look for at his hands, they would be above alway;they would be weary of life, of estates, of relations; they wouldgroan earnestly under all their enjoyments to be with him, who istheir life, their portion, and their glory for ever. But we profess, and yet care not for dying; we profess, and yet long not for thecoming of the day of God; we profess the faith, and yet by our wholelife show to them that can see how little a measure of it we havein our hearts. The Lord lead us more into the power of things;then shall the virtues of him that has saved us, and called us outof darkness into his marvellous light, and the savour of his goodknowledge, be made known to others far otherwise than it is. Amen. 

Seventh. And lastly, Sinner, doth not all this discourse makethy heart twitter after the mercy that is with God, and after theway that is made by this plenteous redemption thereto? Methinksit should; yea, thou couldst not do otherwise, didst thou but seethy condition: look behind thee, take a view of the path thou hasttrodden these many years. Dost thou think that the way that thouart in will lead thee to the strait gate, sinner? Ponder the pathof thy feet with the greatest seriousness, thy life lies upon it;what thinkest thou? But make no answer till in the night, till thouart in the night-watches. 'Commune with your own heart upon yourbed' (Psa 4:4), and then say what thou thinkest of, whether thouart going?

O that thou wert serious! Is not it a thing to be lamented, thatmadness and folly should be in thy heart while thou livest, andafter that to go to the dead, when so much life stands before thee, and light to see the way to it? (Eccl 9:3). Surely, men void ofgrace, and possessed of carnal minds, must either think that sinis nothing, that hell is easy, and that eternity is short; or elsethat whatever God has said about the punishing of sinners, he willnever do as he has said; or that there is no sin, no God, no heaven, no hell, and so no good or bad hereafter; or else they could notlive as they do. But perhaps thou presumest upon it, and sayest, Ishall have peace, though I live so sinful a life. Sinner, if thiswicked thought be in thy heart, tell me again, dost thou thus thinkin earnest? Canst thou imagine thou shalt at the day of accountout-face God, or make him believe thou wast what thou wast not?or that when the gate of mercy is shut up in wrath, he will at thypleasure, and to the reversing of his own counsel, open it againto thee? Why shall thy deceived heart turn thee aside, that thoucanst not deliver thy soul, 'nor say, Is there not a lie in myright hand?' (Isa 44:20). 

FOOTNOTES:

[1] The titles to the Psalms have puzzled all the commentators. Bunyan follows Luther; who adds, that the title to the Psalms ofDegrees does not pertain to any doctrine, but only to the ceremonyof the singers. Ainsworth applies it to the place or tone of voiceof the singers, or to a special excellency of the Psalm. Calmetand Bishop Horsley consider that the title refers to the progressof the soul towards eternal felicity, ascending by degrees. Watfordimagines that these Psalms were written or selected to be sung onthe ascent of the Jews from the captivity in Babylon. Luther wiselyconcludes that the Christian has only to do with the brief and verynotable doctrine contained in these fifteen steps or degrees. --Ed. 

[2] 'The hither, ' or nearest end; now obsolete. --Ed. 

[3] When Diabolus, in the Holy War, marched against Mansoul, hisinfernal drum affrighted the backsliding Mansoul with its roaring. 'This, to speak truth, was amazingly hideous to hear; it frightedall men seven miles round. ' This drum was beat every night, and'when the drum did go, behold darkness and sorrow over Mansoul; thelight was darkened in the heaven thereof, no noise was ever heardupon earth more terrible; Mansoul trembled, and looked to beswallowed up. ' This awful alarm--this terrible drum--is a want ofa good hope through faith, which purifieth the heart. --Ed. 

[4] How comforting is that declaration of the Holy Spirit, 'For nowwe see through a glass darkly, but then face to face'! however wemay have had a glimpse of glory to strengthen us in the way. Thisrevelation was through one who had been 'caught up into paradise, 'and who had 'abundance of revelations, ' so great that it was needfulfor him to have 'a thorn in the flesh, ' to keep him humble. Blessedis Israel's 'Hope' of happiness, inconceivable and eternal. --Ed. 

[5] See the marginal reading to this text. --Ed. 

[6] Ecclesiastical writers, previous to Bunyan's time, madean hierarchy of nine orders of celestial spirits, viz. , seraphim, cherubim, thrones, dominions, virtues, powers, principalities, archangels, and angels; agreeing with Bunyan as to the angelsbeing the lowest order in these celestial hierarchies. The angelsare ministering spirits. May not the glorified saints become angels?Who was that angel who said to John, 'I and thy fellow-servant, and of thy brethren the prophets' (Rev 22:9). --Ed. 

[7] This is a striking illustration. Fear 'makes us question ourright to the world to come, ' and nails us to the earth; but it issin which clenches the nail, and makes us cry, O wretched man thatI am! who can deliver me? Poor Bunyan, in his Grace Abounding, mournfully illustrates this fact. --Ed. 

[8] In Bunyan's days, persecution for conscience sake was moreextensive under the Protestant Church of England than it was evenin the fiery days of Mary. Tens of thousands fled to seek an asylumamong savages in America, who were not permitted to live among menworse than savages in England. Thousands were immured in prisons, where many hundreds perished, and with those who suffered a violentdeath received the crown of martyrdom. Even now they that will livegodly in Christ Jesus, must submit to taunts, jeers, and reproaches. May we forget not the Saviour's comforting declaration, 'Blessedare you when persecuted, reviled, and spoken against falsely formy sake. '--Ed. 

[9] This is the language of an eye-witness, and not a theory. Ourauthor had associated with every man in jail, whose bitter suffering, and that of their families, tried the faith and patience of thesaints, and winnowed the church of formal professors. --Ed. 

[10] Often have God's saints rejoiced in tribulation, and, likeStephen, when put to death with excruciating torments, have prayedfor their enemies. Bunyan's fear was, when threatened to be hungfor preaching Christ, that he should make but 'a scrabbling shiftto clamber up the ladder. ' He was, however, comforted with the hopethat his dying speech might be blessed to some of the spectators. --GraceAbounding, Nos. 334, 335. --Ed. 

[11] How forcibly does this remind us of the escape of the poordoubting pilgrims from the castle of Giant Despair. The outer gate, like that of the prison in which Peter was confined, was of iron(Acts 12:10). But Peter had a heavenly messenger as his guide, andfaith was in lively exercise, so that 'the gate opened to them ofhis own accord. ' 'God cut the gates of iron in sunder' (Psa 107:16). The pilgrims lay for four days under dreadful sufferings, borderingon black despair. He had overlooked or laid by the 'key that dothgo too hard'; prayer brought it to his recollection, and he criedout, 'What a fool am I thus to be in a stinking dungeon, when I mayas well walk at liberty. ' He recollected the 'key called promise, 'which will open ALL the gates in Doubting Castle; and although thelock of that iron gate went damnable hard, yet the key did openit, and the prisoners escaped; see Grace Abounding, Nos 261-263. Fellow-pilgrims 'look not over, ' nor 'lay by, ' those keys that'go too hard, ' the prayerful use of which may save us much bitterdejection and gloomy doubts. --Ed. 

[12] The murder of Sir E. Godfrey, and the fears of a Popish plot, greatly alarmed the country at this time. The recollection of thefrightful atrocities committed by the Papists upon the unoffendingand unarmed Protestants in Ireland, led to the fears which are hereso forcibly, but naturally, expressed. Although we re here directedto the sole ground of hope in the spiritual warfare, yet doubtless, in temporal things, Bunyan felt the necessity of human agency. Hadhe lived to witness the punishment inflicted on these murderers byWilliam III, he would have owned with gratitude the services renderedto the nation by that warlike king and his brave parliament. --Ed. 

[13] How infinite is the condescension of Jehovah to enter intosuch a relationship with every member of his mystical body, thechurch. 'Thy Maker is thy husband, the Lord of Hosts is his name'(Isa 14:5). Surely it hath not entered into the heart of man toconceive the riches of that endowment, the magnificence of thatestate. --Ed. 

[14] Beware lest an evil heart, and Satan's devices, lead us toidolatry. All our ideas of God must be formed and governed by hisrevelation of himself in his Word. --Ed. 

[15] Gospellers was the nick-name for those who loved the gospelat the Reformation, as Puritan or Methodist in a later age. --Ed. 

[16] These are solemn and bitter truths. While the public assemblyis at times the gate of heaven to the soul, sincerity is betterevidenced by heart-wrestling with God in private. No duty drawsdown such blessings from heaven, nor has greater opposition fromSatan, than earnest closet prayer. While it humbles the soul beforeGod, it excites our zeal in good works and a heavenly conducttowards man. --Ed. 

[17] 'For whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth, and scourgeth everyson whom he receiveth' (Heb 12:6, 7). --Ed. 

[18] In Popish times, the poor wretchedly and lazily depended uponthe alms of the rich, which were especially bestowed at a funeral, to buy their prayers for the repose of the soul; and at wedding, for a blessing on the newly-married couple. Happily for them theyare now taught, by gospel light, to depend, under God, upon theirhonest exertions to produce the means of existence and enjoyment, as the most valuable class of society. --Ed. 

[19] Bunyan had felt all this. 'Alas!' says he, 'I could neitherhear Christ, nor see him, nor feel him, nor savour any of histhings; I was driven with a tempest, my heart would be unclean, theCanaanites would come into the land. '--Grace Abounding, No. 78. --Ed. 

[20] See 2 Samuel 2:23, 3:27. To smite under the fifth rib is togive a mortal blow. --Ed. 

[21] Human laws we must obey, unless they infringe upon the prerogativeof God and upon conscience; to such we must refuse obedience, andcount it an honour to suffer as Daniel and the Hebrew youths. Theselaws we may strive to get repealed or amended; but the laws of Godare immutable and eternal--they must be obeyed, or we perish. --Ed. 

[22] How striking an exemplification is this of our utter helplessnessand the unbounded love of God. O my soul, it is impossible to numberor recollect all his mercies, but take heed lest thou forget themall. --Ed. 

[23] The reader will easily understand this passage if he considers'these folks' to mean those who were deterred from making a publicprofession of faith, by the fear of 'the enemies, ' or persecutors, properly called the devil's scarecrows. 'Today, ' refers to the timein which this encouraging treatise was written. Then persecutorsand informers were let loose upon the churches, like a swarm oflocusts. Many folks were terrified, and much defection prevailed. But for such a time God prepared Bunyan, Baxter, Owen, Howe, andmany others of equal piety. Thus, when the enemy cometh in likea flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard againsthim. --Ed. 

[24] The word 'virtuous' is now very rarely used in this sense;it means, 'efficacious by inherent qualities, ' or having great orpowerful properties, as, 'By virtue of our Lord's intercession';see Imperial Dictionary. --Ed. 

[25] 'Tang'; a strong sense, flavour, or relish. --Ed. 

[26] 'O the unthought of imaginations, frights, fears, and terrorsthat are affected by a thorough application of guilt, yieldedto desperation! This is the man that hath his dwelling among thetombs. '--Bunyan's experience in Grace Abounding, No. 185. --Ed. 

[27] This is not merely an exhortation to diligence in the Christiancalling, but it is meant to convey to all the certain fact, thatthe prayer of faith in the merits of the Redeemer will and must befollowed by renewed speed in running the race that is set beforeus. --Ed. 

[28] There is something about the word blood at which the mindrecoils, as if intended to impress upon us the evils of sin and itsawful punishment--the death, spiritual and eternal, of the sinner. 'Without shedding of blood is no remission. ' Blessed are thosewho were in Christ when his precious blood was shed as an atoningsacrifice. --Ed. 

[29] See the character of Ignorance in the Pilgrim's Progress. --Ed. 

[30] The words are, 'In the name of God, gracious and merciful, 'before each of the 114 chapters of which Alcoran consists. --Ed. 

[31] No service on the part of those who are out of Christ, can beaccepted (Prov 15:8). We are accepted IN the Beloved (Eph 1:6). --Ed. 

[32] One who justifies himself; the self-righteous. The word isonly used by religious writers, and never now. --Ed. 

[33] What is this to me, O law, that thou accusest me, and sayestthat I have committed many sins? Indeed, I grant that I havecommitted many sins, yea, and still do commit sins daily withoutnumber. This toucheth me nothing. Thou talkest to me in vain. I amdead unto thee. --Luther. In the person of his Surety, the believerhas died, and paid the penalty of the law. It can have no claim onhim. --Ed. 

[34] A proverbial saying, which means that all are alike, 'thereis no one barrel better than another, the whole cargo is bad. '--Ed. 

***

I WILL PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING ALSO-

OR, A DISCOURSE TOUCHING PRAYER;

WHEREIN IS BRIEFLY DISCOVERED, 1. WHAT PRAYER IS. 2. WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT. 3. WHATIT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING ALSO. 

WRITTEN IN PRISON, 1662. PUBLISHED, 1663. 

"For we know not what we should pray for as we ought:--theSpirit--helpeth our infirmities" (Rom 8:26). 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

There is no subject of more solemn importance to human happinessthan prayer. It is the only medium of intercourse with heaven. "It is that language wherein a creature holds correspondence withhis Creator; and wherein the soul of a saint gets near to God, isentertained with great delight, and, as it were, dwells with hisheavenly Father. "1 God, when manifest in the flesh, hath givenus a solemn, sweeping declaration, embracing all prayer--private, social, and public--at all times and seasons, from the creation tothe final consummation of all things--"God is a Spirit, and theythat worship him MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH" (John4:24). 

The great enemy of souls, aided by the perverse state of the humanmind, has exhausted his ingenuity and malice to prevent the exerciseof this holy and delightful duty. His most successful effort hasbeen to keep the soul in that fatal lethargy, or death unto holiness, and consequently unto prayer, into which it is plunged by Adam'stransgression. Bunyan has some striking illustrations of Satan'sdevices to stifle prayer, in his history of the Holy War. Whenthe troops of Emmanuel besiege Mansoul, their great effort was togain "eargate" as a chief entrance to Mansoul, and at that importantgate there were placed, by order of Diabolous, "the Lord Will-be-will, who made one old Mr. Prejudice, an angry and ill-conditioned fellow, captain of that ward, and put under his power sixty men calledDeafmen to keep it, " and these were arrayed in the most excellentarmour of Diabolous, "A DUMB AND PRAYERLESS SPIRIT. " Nothing but theirresistible power of Emmanuel could have overcome these obstacles. He conquers and reigns supreme, and Mansoul becomes happy; prayerwithout ceasing enables the new-born man to breathe the celestialatmosphere. At length Carnal Security interrupts and mars thishappiness. The Redeemer gradually withdraws. Satan assaults the soulwith armies of doubts, and, to prevent prayer, Diabolous "lands upMouthgate with dirt. "2 Various efforts are made to send petitions, but the messengers make no impression, until, in the extremityof the soul's distress, two acceptable messengers are found, notdwelling in palaces, but in "a very mean cottage, "3 their nameswere "Desires Awake and Wet Eyes, " illustrating the inspired words, "Thus saith the High and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whosename is holy: I dwell--with him--that is of a contrite and humblespirit" (Isa 57:15). By this we are taught the utter worthlessnessof depending upon the prayers of saints on earth, or the glorifiedspirits of heaven. Our own prayers alone are availing. Our own"Desires-awake" and "Wet-eyes, " our own aspirations after God, ourown deep repentance and sense of utter helplessness drives us tothe Saviour, through whom ALONE we can find access and adoptioninto the family of our Father who is in heaven. 

The soul that communes with God attains an aptitude in prayer whichno human learning can give; devotional expressions become familiar;the Spirit of adoption leads them with deep solemnity to approachthe Infinite Eternal as a father. Private prayer is so essentiallyspiritual that it cannot be reduced to writing. "A man that trulyprays one prayer, shall after that never be able to express withhis mouth, or pen the unutterable desires, sense, affection, andlonging that went to God in that prayer". Prayer leads to "purereligion and undefiled, " "to visit the fatherless and widows intheir affliction, " and to preserve us "unspotted from the world"(James 1:27). Blessed indeed are those who enjoy an abiding senseof the Divine presence; the Christian's divine life may be measuredby his being able to "pray without ceasing, " to "seek God's facecontinually. " Men ought "always to pray, " and to "continue in prayer. "This does not consist in perpetually repeating any form of prayer, but in that devotional frame of mind which enables the soul to say, "For me to live is Christ. " When David was compassed about with thesorrows of hell, he at once ejaculates, "O Lord, I beseech theedeliver my soul. " When the disciples were in danger they did notrecite the Lord's Prayer, or any other form, but at once cried, "Lord, save us, we perish. " Bunyan, speaking of private prayer, keenly inquires, will God not hear thee "except thou comest beforehim with some eloquent oration?" "It is not, as many take it tobe, even a few babbling, prating, complimentary expressions, buta sensible feeling in the heart. " Sincerity and a dependence uponthe mediatorial office of Christ is all that God requires. "The Lordis nigh unto all them that call upon him--IN TRUTH" (Psa 145:18). In all that related to the individual approach of the spirit to itsheavenly Father, our pious author offended not; but having enjoyedcommunion with God, he was, as all Christians are, desirous ofcommunion with the saints on earth, and in choosing the forms ofpublic worship, he gave great offence to many by rejecting the Bookof Common Prayer. 

To compel or to bribe persons to attend religious services isunjustifiable, and naturally produces hypocrisy and persecution. So it was with the decree of King Darius, (Dan 6); and so it hasever been with any royal or parliamentary interference with Christianliberty. "Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to hisown master he standeth or falleth" (Rom 14:4). "EVERY ONE of us shallgive account of himself to God" (Rom 14:12). All the solemnitiesof the day of judgment point not merely to the right, but to thenecessity of private decision on all questions of faith, worship, and conduct, guided solely by the volume of inspiration. Mansoul, in its regenerate state, is the temple which the Creator has chosenfor his worship; and it is infinitely more glorious than earthlyedifices, which crumble into dust, while God's temples will be everglorious as eternity rolls on. 

Bunyan, to the sixteenth year of his age, had, when he attendedpublic worship, listened to the Book of Common Prayer. At that timean Act of Parliament prohibited its use under severe and unjustpenalties, and ordered the services to be conducted by the rules ofa directory. In this an outline is given of public thanksgivings, confessions, and petitions; but no form of prayer. In the prefacethe Puritans record their opinion, that the Liturgy of the Churchof England, notwithstanding all the pains and religious intentionsof its compilers, hath proved an offence; unprofitable ceremonieshath occasioned much mischief; its estimation hath been raised byprelates, as if there were no other way of worship; making it anidol to the ignorant and superstitious, a matter of endless strife, and of increasing an idle ministry. Bunyan had weighed theseobservations, and recollected his former ignorance and superstition, when he counted all things holy connected with the outward forms, and did "very devoutly say and sing as others did. "4 But when hearose from the long and dread conflict with sin, and entered uponhis Christian life, he decidedly preferred emancipation from formsof prayer, and treated them with great severity. He consideredthat the most essential qualification for the Christian ministryis the gift of prayer. Upon this subject learned and pious men havediffered; but the opinions of one so eminently pious, and so well-taughtin the Scriptures, are worthy of our careful investigation. Greatallowances must be made for all that appears harsh in language, because urbanity was not the fashion of that day in religiouscontroversy. He had been most cruelly imprisoned, with threats oftransportation, and even an ignominious death, for refusing conformityto the Book of Common Prayer. Being conscientiously and prayerfullydecided in his judgment, he set all these threats at defiance, andboldly, at the risk of his life, published this treatise, while yeta prisoner in Bedford jail; and it is a clear, concise, and scripturaldiscourse, setting forth his views upon this most important subject. 

Any preconceived form would have fettered Bunyan's free spirit; hewas a giant in prayer, and commanded the deepest reverence whileleading the public devotions of the largest congregations. Thegreat question as to public prayer is whether the minister should, relying upon Divine assistance, offer up prayer to God in theSaviour's name, immediately conceived under a sense of His presence;or whether it is better, as it is certainly easier, to read a formof prayer, from time to time, skillfully arranged, and with everyregard to beauty of language? Which of these modes is most inaccordance with the directions of the Sacred Scriptures, and mostlikely to be attended with spiritual benefit to the assembledchurch? Surely this inquiry does not involve the charge of schismor heresy upon either party. "Let every man be fully persuaded inhis own mind. " Nor should such differences lead us to despise eachother. Let our first inquiry be, whether the Saviour intended afixed form of prayer? And if so, did he give His church any otherthan that most beautiful and comprehensive form called the Lord'sPrayer? And did he license any one, and if so, who, to alter, addto, or diminish from it? On the other hand, should we concludethat "We know not what we should pray for as we ought, only as theSpirit helpeth our infirmities, " then must we rely, as Bunyan did, upon the promised aid of that gracious Spirit. Blessed, indeed, arethose whose intercourse with heaven sheds an influence on theirwhole conduct, gives them abundance of well-arranged words inpraying with their families and with the sick or dejected, and--whoselives prove that they have been with Jesus, and are taught by him, or who, in Scripture language, "pray with the spirit and with theunderstanding also. "

GEO. OFFOR. 

ON PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT. 

"I WILL PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT, AND I WILL PRAY WITH THE UNDERSTANDINGALSO"--(I Cor 14:15). 

PRAYER is an ORDINANCE of God, and that to be used both in publicand private; yea, such an ordinance as brings those that have thespirit of supplication into great familiarity with God; and is alsoso prevalent in action, that it getteth of God, both for the personthat prayeth, and for them that are prayed for, great things. 5 Itis the opener of the heart of God, and a means by which the soul, though empty, is filled. By prayer the Christian can open hisheart to God, as to a friend, and obtain fresh testimony of God'sfriendship to him. I might spend many words in distinguishingbetween public and private prayer; as also between that in the heart, and that with the vocal voice. Something also might be spoken todistinguish between the gifts and graces of prayer; but eschewingthis method, my business shall be at this time only to show you thevery heart of prayer, without which, all your lifting up, both ofhands, and eyes, and voices, will be to no purpose at all. "I willpray with the Spirit. "

The method that I shall go on in at this time shall be, FIRST. Toshow you what true prayer is. SECOND. To show you what it is topray with the Spirit. THIRD. What it is to pray with the Spiritand understanding also. And so, FOURTHLY. To make some short useand application of what shall be spoken. 

WHAT PRAYER IS. 

FIRST, What [true] prayer is. Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the heart or soul to God, through Christ, in the strength and assistance of the Holy Spirit, for such thingsas God hath promised, or according to the Word, for the good ofthe church, with submission, in faith, to the will of God. 

In this description are these seven things. First, It is a sincere;Second, A sensible; Third, An affectionate, pouring out of thesoul to God, through Christ; Fourth, By the strength or assistanceof the Spirit; Fifth, For such things as God hath promised, or, according to his word; Sixth, For the good of the church; Seventh, With submission in faith to the will of God. 

First. For the first of these, it is a SINCERE pouring out of thesoul to God. Sincerity is such a grace as runs through all thegraces of God in us, and through all the actings of a Christian, and hath the sway in them too, or else their actings are not anything regarded of God, and so of and in prayer, of which particularlyDavid speaks, when he mentions prayer. "I cried unto him, " the Lord"with my mouth, and he was extolled with my tongue. If I regardiniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" my prayer (Psa66:17, 18). Part of the exercise of prayer is sincerity, withoutwhich God looks not upon it as prayer in a good sense (Psa 16:1-4). Then "ye shall seek me and find me, when ye shall search for mewith all your heart" (Jer 29:12-13). The want of this made the Lordreject their prayers in Hosea 7:14, where he saith, "They have notcried unto me with their heart, " that is, in sincerity, "when theyhowled upon their beds. " But for a pretence, for a show in hypocrisy, to be seen of men, and applauded for the same, they prayed. Sinceritywas that which Christ commended in Nathaniel, when he was underthe fig tree. "Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile. "Probably this good man was pouring out of his soul to God in prayerunder the fig tree, and that in a sincere and unfeigned spirit beforethe Lord. The prayer that hath this in it as one of the principalingredients, is the prayer that God looks at. Thus, "The prayer ofthe upright is his delight" (Prov 15:8). 

And why must sincerity be one of the essentials of prayer whichis accepted of God, but because sincerity carries the soul inall simplicity to open its heart to God, and to tell him the caseplainly, without equivocation; to condemn itself plainly, withoutdissembling; to cry to God heartily, without complimenting. "I havesurely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou has chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke" (Jer31:18). Sincerity is the same in a corner alone, as it is beforethe face of the world. It knows not how to wear two vizards, onefor an appearance before men, and another for a short snatch in acorner; but it must have God, and be with him in the duty of prayer. It is not lip-labour that it doth regard, for it is the heart thatGod looks at, and that which sincerity looks at, and that whichprayer comes from, if it be that prayer which is accompanied withsincerity. 

Second. It is a sincere and SENSIBLE pouring out of the heartor soul. It is not, as many take it to be, even a few babbling, prating, complimentary expressions, but a sensible feeling there isin the heart. Prayer hath in it a sensibleness of diverse things;sometimes sense of sin, sometimes of mercy received, sometimes ofthe readiness of God to give mercy, &c. 

1. A sense of the want of mercy, by reason of the danger of sin. The soul, I say, feels, and from feeling sighs, groans, and breaksat the heart. For right prayer bubbleth out of the heart when itis overpressed with grief and bitterness, as blood is forced outof the flesh by reason of some heavy burden that lieth upon it (ISam 1:10; Psa 69:3). David roars, cries, weeps, faints at heart, fails at the eyes, loseth his moisture, &c. , (Psa 38:8-10). Hezekiahmourns like a dove (Isa 38:14). Ephraim bemoans himself (Jer 31:18). Peter weeps bitterly (Matt 26:75). Christ hath strong cryings andtears (Heb 5:7). And all this from a sense of the justice of God, the guilt of sin, the pains of hell and destruction. "The sorrowsof death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: Ifound trouble and sorrow. " Then cried I unto the Lord (Psa 116:3, 4). And in another place, "My sore ran in the night" (Psa 77:2). Again, "I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long" (Psa38:6). In all these instances, and in hundreds more that might benamed, you may see that prayer carrieth in it a sensible feelingdisposition, and that first from a sense of sin. 

2. Sometimes there is a sweet sense of mercy received; encouraging, comforting, strengthening, enlivening, enlightening mercy, &c. Thus David pours out his soul, to bless, and praise, and admirethe great God for his loving-kindness to such poor vile wretches. "Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me bless his holyname. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. 6Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases;who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth theewith loving-kindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouthwith good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's"(Psa 103:1-5). And thus is the prayer of saints sometimes turnedinto praise and thanksgiving, and yet are prayers still. This isa mystery; God's people pray with their praises, as it is written, "Be careful for nothing, but in every thing by prayer, and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God" (Phil4:6). A sensible thanksgiving, for mercies received, is a mightyprayer in the sight of God; it prevails with him unspeakably. 

3. In prayer there is sometimes in the soul a sense of mercy to bereceived. This again sets the soul all on a flame. "Thou, O lord ofhosts, " saith David, "hast revealed to thy servant, saying I willbuild thee an house; therefore hath thy servant found in his heartto pray--unto thee" (II Sam 7:27). This provoked Jacob, David, Daniel, with others--even a sense of mercies to be received--whichcaused them, not by fits and starts, nor yet in a foolish frothyway, to babble over a few words written in a paper; but mightily, fervently, and continually, to groan out their conditions beforethe Lord, as being sensible, sensible, I say, of their wants, theirmisery, and the willingness of God to show mercy (Gen 32:10, 11;Dan 9:3, 4). 

A good sense of sin, and the wrath of God, with some encouragementfrom God to come unto him, is a better Common-prayer-book than thatwhich is taken out of the Papistical mass-book, 7 being the scrapsand fragments of the devices of some popes, some friars, and I wotnot what. 

Third. Prayer is a sincere, sensible, and an AFFECTIONATE pouringout of the soul to God. O! the heat, strength, life, vigour, andaffection, that is in right prayer! "As the hart panteth after thewater-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God" (Psa 42:1). "Ihave longed after thy precepts" (Psa 119:40). "I have longed forthy salvation" (ver 174). "My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out forthe living God" (Psa 84:2). "My soul breaketh for the longing thatit hath unto thy judgments at all times" (Psa 119:20). Mark ye here, "My soul longeth, " it longeth, it longeth, &c. O what affection ishere discovered in prayer! The like you have in Daniel. "O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thineown sake, O my God" (Dan 9:19). Every syllable carrieth a mightyvehemency in it. This is called the fervent, or the working prayer, by James. And so again, "And being in an agony, he prayed moreearnestly" (Luke 22:44). Or had his affections more and more drawnout after God for his helping hand. O! How wide are the most ofmen with their prayers from this prayer, that is, PRAYER in God'saccount! Alas! The greatest part of men make no conscience atall of the duty; and as for them that do, it is to be feared thatmany of them are very great strangers to a sincere, sensible, andaffectionate pouring out their hearts or souls to God; but evencontent themselves with a little lip-labour and bodily exercise, mumbling over a few imaginary prayers. When the affections areindeed engaged in prayer, then, then the whole man is engaged, andthat in such sort, that the soul will spend itself to nothing, asit were, rather than it will go without that good desired, evencommunion and solace with Christ. And hence it is that the saintshave spent their strengths, and lost their lives, rather than gowithout the blessing (Psa 69:3; 38:9, 10; Gen 32:24, 26). 

All this is too, too evident by the ignorance, profaneness, andspirit of envy, that reign in the hearts of those men that are sohot for the forms, and not the power of praying. Scarce one of fortyamong them know what it is to be born again, to have communion withthe Father through the Son; to feel the power of grace sanctifyingtheir hearts: but for all their prayers, they still live cursed, drunken, whorish, and abominable lives, full of malice, envy, deceit, persecuting of the dear children of God. O what a dreadfulafter-clap is coming upon them! which all their hypocriticalassembling themselves together, with all their prayers, shall neverbe able to help them against, or shelter them from. 

Again, It is a pouring out of the heart or soul. There is in prayeran unbosoming of a man's self, an opening of the heart to God, anaffectionate pouring out of the soul in requests, sighs, and groans. "All my desire is before thee, " saith David, "and my groaning isnot hid from thee" (Psa 38:9). And again, "My soul thirsteth forGod, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God?When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me" (Psa 42:2, 4). Mark, "I pour out my soul. " It is an expression signifying, that inprayer there goeth the very life and whole strength to God. As inanother place, "Trust in him at all times; ye people, --pour outyour heart before him" (Psa 62:8). This is the prayer to whichthe promise is made, for the delivering of a poor creature out ofcaptivity and thralldom. "If from thence thou shalt seek the Lordthy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heartand with all thy soul" (Deut 4:29). 

Again, It is a pouring out of the heart or soul TO GOD. This showethalso the excellency of the spirit of prayer. It is the great Godto which it retires. "When shall I come and appear before God?"And it argueth, that the soul that thus prayeth indeed, sees anemptiness in all things under heaven; that in God alone there isrest and satisfaction for the soul. "Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God" (I Tim 5:5). So saith David, "Inthee, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion. Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape; inclinethine ear to me, and save me. Be thou my strong habitation, whereuntoI may continually resort:--for thou art my rock and my fortress;deliver me, O my God, --out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruelman. For thou art my hope, O Lord God, thou art my trust from myyouth" (Psa 71:1-5). Many in a wording way speak of God; but rightprayer makes God his hope, stay, and all. Right prayer sees nothingsubstantial, and worth the looking after, but God. And that, as Isaid before, it doth in a sincere, sensible, and affectionate way. 

Again, It is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of theheart or soul to God, THROUGH CHRIST. This through Christ must needsbe added, or else it is to be questioned, whether it be prayer, though in appearance it be never so eminent or eloquent. 

Christ is the way through whom the soul hath admittance to God, and without whom it is impossible that so much as one desire shouldcome into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth (John 14:6). "If ye shallask anything in my name"; "whatsoever ye shall ask the Father inmy name, I will do it" (John 14:13, 14). This was Daniel's way inpraying for the people of God; he did it in the name of Christ. "Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and hissupplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary thatis desolate, for the Lord's sake" (Dan 9:17). And so David, "Forthy name's sake, " that is, for thy Christ's sake, "pardon mineiniquity, for it is great" (Psa 25:11). But now, it is not every onethat maketh mention of Christ's name in prayer, that doth indeed, and in truth, effectually pray to God in the name of Christ, orthrough him. This coming to God through Christ is the hardest partthat is found in prayer. A man may more easily be sensible of hisworks, ay, and sincerely too desire mercy, and yet not be able tocome to God by Christ. That man that comes to God by Christ, hemust first have the knowledge of him; "for he that cometh to God, must believe that he is" (Heb 11:6). And so he that comes to Godthrough Christ, must be enabled to know Christ. Lord, saith Moses, "show me now thy way, that I may know thee" (Exo 33:13). 

This Christ, none but the Father can reveal (Matt 11:27). And tocome through Christ, is for the soul to be enabled of God to shrouditself under the shadow of the Lord Jesus, as a man shroudeth himselfunder a thing for safeguard (Matt 16:16). 8 Hence it is that Davidso often terms Christ his shield, buckler, tower, fortress, rockof defence, &c. , (Psa 18:2; 27:1; 28:1). Not only because by himhe overcame his enemies, but because through him he found favourwith God the Father. And so he saith to Abraham, "Fear not, I amthy shield, " &c. , (Gen 15:1). The man then that comes to God throughChrist, must have faith, by which he puts on Christ, and in himappears before God. Now he that hath faith is born of God, bornagain, and so becomes one of the sons of God; by virtue of which heis joined to Christ, and made a member of him (John 3:5, 7; 1:12). And therefore, secondly he, as a member of Christ, comes to God;I say, as a member of him, so that God looks on that man as a partof Christ, part of his body, flesh, and bones, united to him byelection, conversion, illumination, the Spirit being conveyed intothe heart of that poor man by God (Eph 5:30). So that now he comesto God in Christ's merits, in his blood, righteousness, victory, intercession, and so stands before him, being "accepted in hisBeloved" (Eph 1:6). And because this poor creature is thus a memberof the Lord Jesus, and under this consideration hath admittance tocome to God; therefore, by virtue of this union also, is the HolySpirit conveyed into him, whereby he is able to pour out himself, to wit, his soul, before God, with his audience. And this leads meto the next, or fourth particular. 

Fourth. Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate, pouring outof the heart or soul to God through Christ, by the strength orASSISTANCE OF THE SPIRIT. For these things do so depend one uponanother, that it is impossible that it should be prayer, without therebe a joint concurrence of them; for though it be never so famous, yet without these things, it is only such prayer as is rejected ofGod. For without a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out ofthe heart to God, it is but lip-labour; and if it be not throughChrist, it falleth far short of ever sounding well in the ears ofGod. So also, if it be not in the strength and assistance of theSpirit, it is but like the sons of Aaron, offering with strangefire (Lev 10:1, 2). But I shall speak more to this under the secondhead; and therefore in the meantime, that which is not petitionedthrough the teaching and assistance of the Spirit, it is not possiblethat it should be "according to the will of God" (Rom 8:26, 27). 

Fifth. Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out ofthe heart, or soul, to God, through Christ, in the strength andassistance of the Spirit, FOR SUCH THINGS AS GOD HATH PROMISED, &c. , (Matt 6:6-8). Prayer it is, when it is within the compass ofGod's Word; and it is blasphemy, or at best vain babbling, when thepetition is beside the book. David therefore still in his prayerkept his eye on the Word of God. "My soul, " saith he, "cleaveth tothe dust; quicken me according to thy word. " And again, "My soulmelteth for heaviness, strengthen thou me according unto thy word"(Psa 119:25-28; see also 41, 42, 58, 65, 74, 81, 82, 107, 147, 154, 169, 170). And, "remember thy word unto thy servant, upon whichthou hast caused me to hope" (ver 49). And indeed the Holy Ghostdoth not immediately quicken and stir up the heart of the Christianwithout, but by, with, and through the Word, by bringing thatto the heart, and by opening of that, whereby the man is provokedto go to the Lord, and to tell him how it is with him, and alsoto argue, and supplicate, according to the Word; thus it was withDaniel, that mighty prophet of the Lord. He understanding by booksthat the captivity of the children of Israel was hard at an end;then, according unto that word, he maketh his prayer to God. "IDaniel, " saith he, "understood by books, " viz. , the writings ofJeremiah, "the number of the years whereof the word of the Lordcame to Jeremiah, --that he would accomplish seventy years in thedesolations of Jerusalem. And I set my face to the Lord God, toseek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, andashes" (Dan 9:2, 3). So that I say, as the Spirit is the helper andthe governor of the soul, when it prayeth according to the willof God; so it guideth by and according to, the Word of God and hispromise. Hence it is that our Lord Jesus Christ himself did makea stop, although his life lay at stake for it. I could now prayto my Father, and he should give me more than twelve legions ofangels; but how then must the scripture be fulfilled that thus itmust be? (Matt 26:53, 54). As who should say, Were there but a wordfor it in the scripture, I should soon be out of the hands of mineenemies, I should be helped by angels; but the scripture will notwarrant this kind of praying, for that saith otherwise. It is apraying then according to the Word and promise. The Spirit by theWord must direct, as well in the manner, as in the matter of prayer. "I will pray with the Spirit, and I will pray with the understandingalso" (I Cor 14:15). But there is no understanding without theWord. For if they reject the word of the Lord, "what wisdom is inthem?" (Jer 8:9). 

Sixth. FOR THE GOOD OF THE CHURCH. This clause reacheth in whatsoevertendeth either to the honour of God, Christ's advancement, or hispeople's benefit. For God, and Christ, and his people are so linkedtogether that if the good of the one be prayed for, to wit, thechurch, the glory of God, and advancement of Christ, must needsbe included. For as Christ is in the Father, so the saints arein Christ; and he that toucheth the saints, toucheth the apple ofGod's eye; and therefore pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and youpray for all that is required of you. For Jerusalem will neverbe in perfect peace until she be in heaven; and there is nothingthat Christ doth more desire than to have her there. That also isthe place that God through Christ hath given to her. He then thatprayeth for the peace and good of Zion, or the church, doth askthat in prayer which Christ hath purchased with his blood; and alsothat which the Father hath given to him as the price thereof. Nowhe that prayeth for this, must pray for abundance of grace for thechurch, for help against all its temptations; that God would letnothing be too hard for it; and that all things might work togetherfor its good, that God would keep them blameless and harmless, thesons of God, to his glory, in the midst of a crooked and perversenation. And this is the substance of Christ's own prayer in John17. And all Paul's prayers did run that way, as one of his prayersdoth eminently show. "And this I pray, that your love may aboundyet more and more in knowledge, and in all judgment; that ye mayapprove things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere, andwithout offence, till the day of Christ. Being filled with thefruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the gloryand praise of God" (Phil 1:9-11). But a short prayer, you see, andyet full of good desires for the church, from the beginning to theend; that it may stand and go on, and that in the most excellentframe of spirit, even without blame, sincere, and without offence, until the day of Christ, let its temptations or persecutions bewhat they will (Eph 1:16-21; 3:14-19; Col 1:9-13). 

Seventh. And because, as I said, prayer doth SUBMIT TO THE WILLOF GOD, and say, Thy will be done, as Christ hath taught us (Matt6:10); therefore the people of the Lord in humility are to laythemselves and their prayers, and all that they have, at the footof their God, to be disposed of by him as he in his heavenly wisdomseeth best. Yet not doubting but God will answer the desire ofhis people that way that shall be most for their advantage and hisglory. When the saints therefore do pray with submission to thewill of God, it doth not argue that they are to doubt or questionGod's love and kindness to them. But because they at all timesare not so wise, but that sometimes Satan may get that advantageof them, as to tempt them to pray for that which, if they had it, would neither prove to God's glory nor his people's good. "Yetthis is the confidence that we have in him, that if we ask anythingaccording to his will, he heareth us; and if we know that he hearus, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions thatwe desired of him, " that is, we asking in the Spirit of grace andsupplication (I John 5:14, 15). For, as I said before, that petitionthat is not put up in and through the Spirit, it is not to beanswered, because it is beside the will of God. For the Spirit onlyknoweth that, and so consequently knoweth how to pray accordingto that will of God. "For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of Godknoweth no man but the Spirit of God" (I Cor 2:11). But more ofthis hereafter. Thus you see, first, what prayer is. Now to proceed. 

[WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT. ]

SECOND. I will pray with the Spirit. Now to pray with the Spirit--forthat is the praying man, and none else, so as to be accepted ofGod--it is for a man, as aforesaid, sincerely and sensibly, withaffection, to come to God through Christ, &c. ; which sincere, sensible, and affectionate coming must be by the working of God'sSpirit. 

There is no man nor church in the world that can come to Godin prayer, but by the assistance of the Holy Spirit. "For throughChrist we all have access by one Spirit unto the Father" (Eph2:18). Wherefore Paul saith, "For we know not what we should prayfor as we ought; but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for uswith groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth thehearts, knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makethintercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Rom8:26, 27). And because there is in this scripture so full a discoveryof the spirit of prayer, and of man's inability to pray withoutit; therefore I shall in a few words comment upon it. 

"For we. " Consider first the person speaking, even Paul, and, in hisperson, all the apostles. We apostles, we extraordinary officers, the wise master-builders, that have some of us been caught up intoparadise (Rom 15:16; I Cor 3:10; II Cor 12:4). "We know not whatwe should pray for. " Surely there is no man but will confess, thatPaul and his companions were as able to have done any work for God, as any pope or proud prelate in the church of Rome, and could aswell have made a Common Prayer Book as those who at first composedthis; as being not a whit behind them either in grace or gifts. 9

"For we know not what we should pray for. " We know not the matterof the things for which we should pray, neither the object to whomwe pray, nor the medium by or through whom we pray; none of thesethings know we, but by the help and assistance of the Spirit. Shouldwe pray for communion with God through Christ? should we pray forfaith, for justification by grace, and a truly sanctified heart?none of these things know we. "For what man knoweth the things ofa man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the thingsof God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God" (I Cor 2:11). Buthere, alas! the apostles speak of inward and spiritual things, which the world knows not (Isa 29:11). 

Again, as they know not the matter, &c. , of prayer, without thehelp of the Spirit; so neither know they the manner thereof withoutthe same; and therefore he adds, "We know not what we should prayfor as we ought"; but the Spirit helpeth our infirmities, with sighsand groans which cannot be uttered. Mark here, they could not sowell and so fully come off in the manner of performing this duty, as these in our days think they can. 

The apostles, when they were at the best, yea, when the Holy Ghostassisted them, yet then they were fain to come off with sighs andgroans, falling short of expressing their mind, but with sighs andgroans which cannot be uttered. 

But here now, the wise men of our days are so well skilled as thatthey have both the manner and matter of their prayers at theirfinger-ends; setting such a prayer for such a day, and that twentyyears before it comes. One for Christmas, another for Easter, andsix days after that. They have also bounded how many syllables mustbe said in every one of them at their public exercises. For eachsaint's day, also, they have them ready for the generations yetunborn to say. They can tell you, also, when you shall kneel, whenyou shall stand, when you should abide in your seats, when youshould go up into the chancel, and what you should do when you comethere. All which the apostles came short of, as not being able tocompose so profound a manner; and that for this reason included inthis scripture, because the fear of God tied them to pray as theyought. 

"For we know not what we should pray for as we ought. " Mark this, "as we ought. " For the not thinking of this word, or at least thenot understanding it in the spirit and truth of it, hath occasionedthese men to devise, as Jeroboam did, another way of worship, bothfor matter and manner, than is revealed in the Word of God (I Kings12:26-33). But, saith Paul, we must pray as we ought; and thisWE cannot do by all the art, skill, and cunning device of men orangels. "For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, butthe Spirit"; nay, further, it must be "the Spirit ITSELF" thathelpeth our infirmities; not the Spirit and man's lusts; what manof his own brain may imagine and devise, is one thing, and what theyare commanded, and ought to do, is another. Many ask and have not, because they ask amiss; and so are never the nearer the enjoyingof those things they petition for (James 4:3). It is not to pray atrandom that will put off God, or cause him to answer. While prayeris making, God is searching the heart, to see from what root andspirit it doth arise (I John 5:14). "And he that searcheth the heartknoweth, " that is, approveth only, the meaning "of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to thewill of God. " For in that which is according to his will only, heheareth us, and in nothing else. And it is the Spirit only that canteach us so to ask; it only being able to search out all things, even the deep things of God. Without which Spirit, though we had athousand Common Prayer Books, yet we know not what we should prayfor as we ought, being accompanied with those infirmities that makeus absolutely incapable of such a work. Which infirmities, althoughit is a hard thing to name them all, yet some of them are thesethat follow. 

First. Without the Spirit man is so infirm that he cannot, withall other means whatsoever, be enabled to think one right savingthought of God, of Christ, or of his blessed things; and thereforehe saith of the wicked, "God is not in all his thoughts, " (Psa10:4); unless it be that they imagine him altogether such a one asthemselves (Psa 50:21). For "every imagination of the thoughts ofhis heart was only evil, " and that "continually" (Gen 6:5; 8:21). They then not being able to conceive aright of God to whom theypray, of Christ through whom they pray, nor of the things for whichthey pray, as is before showed, how shall they be able to addressthemselves to God, without the Spirit help this infirmity?Peradventure you will say, By the help of the Common Prayer Book;but that cannot do it, unless it can open the eyes, and reveal tothe soul all these things before touched. Which that it cannot, itis evident; because that is the work of the Spirit only. The Spirititself is the revealer of these things to poor souls, and thatwhich doth give us to understand them; wherefore Christ tells hisdisciples, when he promised to send the Spirit, the Comforter, "Heshall take of mine and show unto you"; as if he had said, I knowyou are naturally dark and ignorant as to the understanding anyof my things; though ye try this course and the other, yet yourignorance will still remain, the veil is spread over your heart, and there is none can take away the same, nor give you spiritualunderstanding but the Spirit. The Common Prayer Book will notdo it, neither can any man expect that it should be instrumentalthat way, it being none of God's ordinances; but a thing since theScriptures were written, patched together one piece at one time, andanother at another; a mere human invention and institution, whichGod is so far from owning of, that he expressly forbids it, withany other such like, and that by manifold sayings in his most holyand blessed Word. (See Mark 7:7, 8, and Col 2:16-23; Deut 12:30-32;Prov 30:6; Deut 4:2; Rev 22:18). For right prayer must, as well inthe outward part of it, in the outward expression, as in the inwardintention, come from what the soul doth apprehend in the light ofthe Spirit; otherwise it is condemned as vain and an abomination, because the heart and tongue do not go along jointly in the same, neither indeed can they, unless the Spirit help our infirmities(Mark 7; Prov 28:9; Isa 29:13). And this David knew full well, whichdid make him cry, "Lord, open thou my lips, and my mouth shall showforth thy praise" (Psa 51:15). I suppose there is none can imaginebut that David could speak and express himself as well as others, nay, as any in our generation, as is clearly manifested by hisword and his works. Nevertheless when this good man, this prophet, comes into God's worship, then the Lord must help, or he can donothing. "Lord, open thou my lips, and" then "my mouth shall showforth thy praise. " He could not speak one right word, except theSpirit itself gave utterance. "For we know not what we should prayfor as we ought, but the Spirit itself helpeth our infirmities. "But, Second. It must be a praying with the Spirit, that is, theeffectual praying; because without that, as men are senseless, sohypocritical, cold, and unseemly in their prayers; and so they, with their prayers, are both rendered abominable to God (Matt 23:14;Mark 12:40; Luke 18:11, 12; Isa 58:2, 3). It is not the excellencyof the voice, nor the seeming affection, and earnestness of himthat prayeth, that is anything regarded of God without it. For man, as man, is so full of all manner of wickedness, that as he cannotkeep a word, or thought, so much less a piece of prayer clean, andacceptable to God through Christ; and for this cause the Pharisees, with their prayers, were rejected. No question but they were excellentlyable to express themselves in words, and also for length of time, too, they were very notable; but they had not the Spirit of JesusChrist to help them, and therefore they did what they did with theirinfirmities or weaknesses only, and so fell short of a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of their souls to God, throughthe strength of the Spirit. That is the prayer that goeth to heaven, that is sent thither in the strength of the Spirit. For, Third. Nothing but the Spirit can show a man clearly his miseryby nature, and so put a man into a posture of prayer. Talk is buttalk, as we use to say, and so it is but mouth-worship, if therebe not a sense of misery, and that effectually too. O the cursedhypocrisy that is in most hearts, and that accompanieth manythousands of praying men that would be so looked upon in this day, and all for want of a sense of their misery! But now the Spirit, that will sweetly show the soul its misery, where it is, and whatis like to become of it, also the intolerableness of that condition. For it is the Spirit that doth effectually convince of sin andmisery, without the Lord Jesus, and so puts the soul into a sweet, sensible, affectionate way of praying to God according to his word(John 16:7-9). 

Fourth. If men did see their sins, yet without the help of theSpirit they would not pray. For they would run away from God, withCain and Judas, and utterly despair of mercy, were it not for theSpirit. When a man is indeed sensible of his sin, and God's curse, then it is a hard thing to persuade him to pray; for, saith hisheart, "There is no hope, " it is in vain to seek God (Jer 2:25;18:12). I am so vile, so wretched, and so cursed a creature, thatI shall never be regarded! Now here comes the Spirit, and stayeththe soul, helpeth it to hold up its face to God, by letting intothe heart some small sense of mercy to encourage it to go to God, and hence it is called "the Comforter" (John 14:26). 

Fifth. It must be in or with the Spirit; for without that no mancan know how he should come to God the right way. Men may easilysay they come to God in his Son: but it is the hardest thing ofa thousand to come to God aright and in his own way, without theSpirit. It is "the Spirit" that "searcheth all things, yea, thedeep things of God" (I Cor 2:10). It is the Spirit that must showus the way of coming to God, and also what there is in God thatmakes him desirable: "I pray thee, " saith Moses, "show me now thyway, that I may know thee" (Exo 33:13). And, He shall take of mine, and "show it unto you" (John 16:14). 

Sixth. Because without the Spirit, though a man did see his misery, and also the way to come to God; yet he would never be able to claima share in either God, Christ, or mercy, with God's approbation. O how great a task is it, for a poor soul that becomes sensibleof sin and the wrath of God, to say in faith, but this one word, "Father!" I tell you, however hypocrites think, yet the Christianthat is so indeed finds all the difficulty in this very thing, it cannot say God is its Father. O! saith he, I dare not call himFather; and hence it is that the Spirit must be sent into the heartsof God's people for this very thing, to cry Father: it being toogreat a work for any man to do knowingly and believingly withoutit (Gal 4:6). When I say knowingly, I mean, knowing what it is tobe a child of God, and to be born again. And when I say believingly, I mean, for the soul to believe, and that from good experience, thatthe work of grace is wrought in him. This is the right calling ofGod Father; and not as many do, to say in a babbling way, the Lord'sprayer (so called) by heart, as it lieth in the words of the book. No, here is the life of prayer, when in or with the Spirit, a manbeing made sensible of sin, and how to come to the Lord for mercy;he comes, I say, in the strength of the Spirit, and crieth Father. That one word spoken in faith, is better than a thousand prayers, as men call them, written and read, in a formal, cold, lukewarmway. O how far short are those people of being sensible of this, who count it enough to teach themselves and children to say theLord's prayer, the creed, with other sayings; when, as God knows, they are senseless of themselves, their misery, or what it is tobe brought to God through Christ! Ah, poor soul! Study your misery, and cry to God to show you your confused blindness and ignorance, before you be so rife in calling God your Father, or teachingyour children either so to say. And know, that to say God is yourFather, in a way of prayer or conference, without any experiment ofthe work of grace on your souls, it is to say you are Jews and arenot, and so to lie. You say, Our Father; God saith, You blaspheme!You say you are Jew, that is, true Christians; God saith, Youlie! "Behold I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which saythey are Jews, and are not, but do lie" (Rev 3:9). "And I know theblasphemy of them that say they are Jews, and are not, but are thesynagogue of Satan" (Rev 2:9). And so much the greater the sin is, by how much the more the sinner boasts it with a pretended sanctity, as the Jews did to Christ, in the 8th of John, which made Christ, even in plain terms, to tell them their doom, for all theirhypocritical pretences (John 8:41-45). And yet forsooth every cursedwhoremaster, thief, and drunkard, swearer, and perjured person;they that have not only been such in times past, but are even sostill: these I say, by some must be counted the only honest men, and all because with their blasphemous throats, and hypocriticalhearts, they will come to church, and say, "Our Father!" Nay further, these men, though every time they say to God, Our Father, do mostabominably blaspheme, yet they must be compelled thus to do. Andbecause others that are of more sober principles, scruple the truthof such vain traditions; therefore they must be looked upon to bethe only enemies of God and the nation: when as it is their owncursed superstition that doth set the great God against them, andcause him to count them for his enemies (Isa 53:10). And yet justlike to Bonner, that blood-red persecutor, they commend, I say, these wretches, although never so vile, if they close in with theirtraditions, to be good churchmen, the honest subjects; while God'speople are, as it hath always been, looked upon to be a turbulent, seditious, and factious people (Ezra 4:12-16). 

Therefore give me leave a little to reason with thee, thou poor, blind, ignorant sot. 

(1. ) It may be thy great prayer is to say, "Our Father which artin heaven, " &c. Dost thou know the meaning of the very first wordsof this prayer? Canst thou indeed, with the rest of the saints, cry, Our Father? Art thou truly born again? Hast thou receivedthe spirit of adoption? Dost thou see thyself in Christ, and canstthou come to God as a member of him? Or art thou ignorant of thesethings, and yet darest thou say, Our Father? Is not the devil thyfather? (John 8:44). And dost thou not do the deeds of the flesh?And yet darest thou say to God, Our Father? Nay, art thou not adesperate persecutor of the children of God? Hast thou not cursedthem in thine heart many a time? And yet dost thou out of thyblasphemous throat suffer these words to come, even our Father? Heis their Father whom thou hatest and persecutest. But as the devilpresented himself amongst the sons of God, (Job 1), when they wereto present themselves before the Father, even our Father, so is itnow; because the saints were commanded to say, Our Father, thereforeall the blind ignorant rabble in the world, they must also use thesame words, Our Father. 

(2. ) And dost thou indeed say, "Hallowed be thy name" with thyheart? Dost thou study, by all honest and lawful ways, to advance thename, holiness, and majesty of God? Doth thy heart and conversationagree with this passage? Dost thou strive to imitate Christ in allthe works of righteousness, which God doth command of thee, andprompt thee forward to? It is so, if thou be one that can trulywith God's allowance cry, "Our Father. " Or is it not the least ofthy thoughts all the day? And dost thou not clearly make it appear, that thou art a cursed hypocrite, by condemning that with thy dailypractice, which thou pretendest in thy praying with thy dissemblingtongue?

(3. ) Wouldst thou have the kingdom of God come indeed, and also hiswill to be done in earth as it is in heaven? Nay, notwithstanding, thou according to the form, sayest, Thy kingdom come, yet would itnot make thee ready to run mad, to hear the trumpet sound, to seethe dead arise, and thyself just now to go and appear before God, to reckon for all the deeds thou hast done in the body? Nay, arenot the very thoughts of it altogether displeasing to thee? And ifGod's will should be done on earth as it is in heaven, must it notbe thy ruin? There is never a rebel in heaven against God, and ifhe should so deal on earth, must it not whirl thee down to hell?And so of the rest of the petitions. Ah! How sadly would eventhose men look, and with what terror would they walk up and downthe world, if they did but know the lying and blaspheming thatproceedeth out of their mouth, even in their most pretended sanctity?The Lord awaken you, and teach you, poor souls, in all humility, to take heed that you be not rash and unadvised with your heart, and much more with your mouth! When you appear before God, as thewise man saith, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thineheart be hasty to utter any thing, " (Eccl 5:2); especially to callGod Father, without some blessed experience when thou comest beforeGod. But I pass this. 

Seventh. It must be a praying with the Spirit if it be accepted, because there is nothing but the Spirit that can lift up the soulor heart to God in prayer: "The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the Lord" (Prov 16:1). Thatis, in every work for God, and especially in prayer, if the heartrun with the tongue, it must be prepared by the Spirit of God. Indeed the tongue is very apt, of itself, to run without eitherfear or wisdom: but when it is the answer of the heart, and thatsuch a heart as is prepared by the Spirit of God, then it speaksso as God commands and doth desire. 

They are mighty words of David, where he saith, that he liftethhis heart and his soul to God (Psa 25:1). It is a great work forany man without the strength of the Spirit, and therefore I conceivethat this is one of the great reasons why the Spirit of God iscalled a Spirit of supplications, (Zech 12:10), because it is thatwhich helpeth the heart when it supplicates indeed to do it; andtherefore saith Paul, "Praying with all prayer and supplicationin the Spirit" (Eph 6:18). And so in my text, "I will pray withthe Spirit. " Prayer, without the heart be in it, is like a soundwithout life; and a heart, without it be lifted up of the Spirit, will never pray to God. 

Eighth. As the heart must be lifted up by the Spirit, if it prayaright, so also it must be held up by the Spirit when it is up, ifit continue to pray aright. I do not know what, or how it is withothers' hearts, whether they be lifted up by the Spirit of God, and so continued, or no: but this I am sure of, First, That itis impossible that all the prayer-books that men have made in theworld, should lift up, or prepare the heart; that is the work ofthe great God himself. And, in the second place, I am sure thatthey are as far from keeping it up, when it is up. And indeed hereis the life of prayer, to have the heart kept with God in the duty. It was a great matter for Moses to keep his hands lifted up to Godin prayer; but how much more then to keep the heart in it! (Exo17:12). 

The want of this is that which God complains of; that they drawnigh to him with their mouth, and honour him with their lips, buttheir hearts were far from him (Isa 29:13; Eze 33), but chieflythat they walk after the commandments and traditions of men, asthe scope of Matthew 15:8, 9 doth testify. And verily, may I butspeak my own experience, and from that tell you the difficulty ofpraying to God as I ought, it is enough to make your poor, blind, carnal men to entertain strange thoughts of me. For, as for myheart, when I go to pray, I find it so loth to go to God, and whenit is with him, so loth to stay with him, that many times I amforced in my prayers, first to beg of God that he would take mineheart, and set it on himself in Christ, and when it is there, thathe would keep it there. Nay, many times I know not what to pray for, I am so blind, nor how to pray, I am so ignorant; only, blessed begrace, the Spirit helps our infirmities (Psa 86:11). 

O! the starting-holes that the heart hath in the time of prayer;none knows how many bye-ways the heart hath, and back-lanes, toslip away from the presence of God. How much pride also, if enabledwith expressions. How much hypocrisy, if before others. And howlittle conscience is there made of prayer between God and the soulin secret, unless the Spirit of supplication be there to help?When the Spirit gets into the heart, then there is prayer indeed, and not till then. 

Ninth. The soul that doth rightly pray, it must be in and withthe help and strength of the Spirit; because it is impossible thata man should express himself in prayer without it. When I say, itis impossible for a man to express himself in prayer without it, Imean, that it is impossible that the heart, in a sincere and sensibleaffectionate way, should pour out itself before God, with thosegroans and sighs that come from a truly praying heart, withoutthe assistance of the Spirit. It is not the mouth that is the mainthing to be looked at in prayer, but whether the heart is so fullof affection and earnestness in prayer with God, that it is impossibleto express their sense and desire; for then a man desires indeed, when his desires are so strong, many, and mighty, that all thewords, tears, and groans that can come from the heart, cannot utterthem: "The Spirit--helpeth our infirmities, --and maketh intercessionfor us with [sighs and] groanings which cannot be uttered" (Rom8:26). 

That is but poor prayer which is only discovered in so many words. A man that truly prays one prayer, shall after that never be ableto express with his mouth or pen the unutterable desires, sense, affection, and longing that went to God in that prayer. 

The best prayers have often more groans than words: and thosewords that it hath are but a lean and shallow representation of theheart, life, and spirit of that prayer. You do not find any wordsof prayer, that we read of, come out of the mouth of Moses, whenhe was going out of Egypt, and was followed by Pharaoh, and yethe made heaven ring again with his cry (Exo 14:15). But it wasinexpressible and unsearchable groans and cryings of his soul inand with the Spirit. God is the God of spirits, and his eyes lookfurther than at the outside of any duty whatsoever (Num 16:22). Idoubt this is but little thought on by the most of them that wouldbe looked upon as a praying people (I Sam 16:7). 

The nearer a man comes in any work that God commands him to the doingof it according to his will, so much the more hard and difficultit is; and the reason is, because man, as man, is not able to doit. But prayer, as aforesaid, is not only a duty, but one of themost eminent duties, and therefore so much the more difficult:therefore Paul knew what he said, when he said, "I will pray withthe Spirit. " He knew well it was not what others writ or said thatcould make him a praying person; nothing less than the Spirit coulddo it. 

Tenth. It must be with the Spirit, or else as there will be a failingin the act itself, so there will be a failing, yea, a fainting, inthe prosecution of the work. Prayer is an ordinance of God, thatmust continue with a soul so long as it is on this side glory. But, as I said before, it is not possible for a man to get up hisheart to God in prayer; so it is as difficult to keep it there, without the assistance of the Spirit. And if so, then for a man tocontinue from time to time in prayer with God, it must of necessitybe with the Spirit. 

Christ tells us, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint(Luke 18:1). And again tells us, that this is one definition ofa hypocrite, that either he will not continue in prayer, or elseif he do it, it will not be in the power, that is, in the spiritof prayer, but in the form, for a pretence only (Job 27:10; Matt23:14). It is the easiest thing of a hundred to fall from thepower to the form, but it is the hardest thing of many to keep inthe life, spirit, and power of any one duty, especially prayer; thatis such a work, that a man without the help of the Spirit cannotso much as pray once, much less continue, without it, in a sweetpraying frame, and in praying, so to pray as to have his prayersascend into the ears of the Lord God of Sabaoth. 

Jacob did not only begin, but held it: "I will not let thee go, unless thou bless me" (Gen 32). So did the rest of the godly (Hosea12:4). But this could not be without the spirit of prayer. It isthrough the Spirit that we have access to the Father (Eph 2:18). 

The same is a remarkable place in Jude, when he stirreth up thesaints by the judgment of God upon the wicked to stand fast, andcontinue to hold out in the faith of the gospel, as one excellentmeans thereto, without which he knew they would never be able todo it. Saith he, "Building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost" (Jude 20). As if he had said, Brethren, as eternal life is laid up for the persons that hold out only, soyou cannot hold out unless you continue praying in the Spirit. Thegreat cheat that the devil and antichrist delude the world withal, it is to make them continue in the form of any duty, the form ofpreaching, of hearing, or praying, &c. These are they that have "aform of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turnaway" (II Tim 3:5). 

Here followeth the third thing; to wit, WHAT IT IS TO PRAY WITH THE SPIRIT, AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING. 

THIRD. And now to the next thing, what it is to pray with theSpirit, and to pray with the understanding also. For the apostleputs a clear distinction between praying with the Spirit, andpraying with the Spirit and understanding: therefore when he saith, "he will pray with the Spirit, " he adds, "and I will pray with theunderstanding ALSO. " This distinction was occasioned through theCorinthians not observing that it was their duty to do what theydid to the edification of themselves and others too: whereas theydid it for their own commendations. So I judge: for many of themhaving extraordinary gifts, as to speak with divers tongues, &c. , therefore they were more for those mighty gifts than they werefor the edifying of their brethren; which was the cause that Paulwrote this chapter to them, to let them understand, that thoughextraordinary gifts were excellent, yet to do what they didto the edification of the church was more excellent. For, saiththe apostle, "if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding, " and also the understanding of others, "isunfruitful" (I Cor 14:3, 4, 12, 19, 24, 25. Read the scope of thewhole chapter). Therefore, "I will pray with the Spirit, and I willpray with the understanding also. "

It is expedient then that the understanding should be occupiedin prayer, as well as the heart and mouth: "I will pray with theSpirit, and I will pray with the understanding also. " That whichis done with understanding, is done more effectually, sensibly, and heartily, as I shall show farther anon, than that which is donewithout it; which made the apostle pray for the Colossians, thatGod would fill them "with the knowledge of his will, in all wisdomand spiritual understanding" (Col 1:9). And for the Ephesians, thatGod would give unto them "the spirit of wisdom and revelation, inthe knowledge of him" (Eph 1:17). And so for the Philippians, thatGod would make them abound "in knowledge, and in all judgment"(Phil 1:9). A suitable understanding is good in everything a manundertakes, either civil or spiritual; and therefore it must bedesired by all them that would be a praying people. In my speakingto this, I shall show you what it is to pray with understanding. 

Understanding is to be taken both for speaking in our mother-tongue, and also experimentally. I pass the first, and treat only on thesecond. 

For the making of right prayers, it is to be required that thereshould be a good or spiritual understanding in all them who prayto God. 

First. To pray with understanding, is to pray as being instructedby the Spirit in the understanding of the want of those thingswhich the soul is to pray for. Though a man be in never so muchneed of pardon of sin, and deliverance from wrath to come, yetif he understand not this, he will either not desire them at all, or else be so cold and lukewarm in his desires after them, thatGod will even loathe his frame of spirit in asking for them. Thusit was with the church of the Laodiceans, they wanted knowledgeor spiritual understanding; they knew not that they were poor, wretched, blind, and naked. The cause whereof made them, and alltheir services, so loathsome to Christ, that he threatens to spewthem out of his mouth (Rev 3:16, 17). Men without understandingmay say the same words in prayer as others do; but if there be anunderstanding in the one, and none in the other, there is, O thereis a mighty difference in speaking the very same words! The onespeaking from a spiritual understanding of those things that he inwords desires, and the other words it only, and there is all. 

Second. Spiritual understanding espieth in the heart of God areadiness and willingness to give those things to the soul that itstands in need of. David by this could guess at the very thoughtsof God towards him (Psa 40:5). And thus it was with the woman ofCanaan; she did by faith and a right understanding discern, beyondall the rough carriage of Christ, tenderness and willingness in hisheart to save, which caused her to be vehement and earnest, yea, restless, until she did enjoy the mercy she stood in need of (Matt15:22-28). 

And understanding of the willingness that is in the heart of Godto save sinners, there is nothing will press the soul more to seekafter God, and to cry for pardon, than it. If a man should see apearl worth an hundred pounds lie in a ditch, yet if he understoodnot the value of it, he would lightly pass it by: but if he onceget the knowledge of it, he would venture up to the neck for it. So it is with souls concerning the things of God: if a man onceget an understanding of the worth of them, then his heart, nay, the very strength of his soul, runs after them, and he will neverleave crying till he have them. The two blind men in the gospel, because they did certainly know that Jesus, who was going by them, was both able and willing to heal such infirmities as they wereafflicted with: therefore they cried, and the more they were rebuked, the more they cried (Matt 20:29-31). 

Third. The understanding being spiritually enlightened, herebythere is the way, as aforesaid, discovered, through which the soulshould come unto God; which gives great encouragement unto it. Itis else with a poor soul, as with one who hath a work to do, andif it be not done, the danger is great; if it be done, so is theadvantage. But he knows not how to begin, nor how to proceed; andso, through discouragement, lets all alone, and runs the hazard. 

Fourth. The enlightened understanding sees largeness enough in thepromises to encourage it to pray; which still adds to it strengthto strength. As when men promise such and such things to all thatwill come for them, it is great encouragement to those that knowwhat promises are made, to come and ask for them. 

Fifth. The understanding being enlightened, way is made for thesoul to come to God with suitable arguments, sometimes in a way ofexpostulation, as Jacob (Gen 32:9). Sometimes in way of supplication, yet not in a verbal way only, but even from the heart there isforced by the Spirit, through the understanding, such effectualarguments as moveth the heart of God. When Ephraim gets a rightunderstanding of his own unseemly carriages towards the Lord, thenhe begins to bemoan himself (Jer 31:18-20). And in bemoaning ofhimself, he used such arguments with the Lord, that it affects hisheart, draws out forgiveness, and makes Ephraim pleasant in hiseyes through Jesus Christ our Lord: "I have surely heard Ephraimbemoaning himself thus, " saith God, "Thou hast chastised me, andI was chastised; as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; turn thoume, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God. Surely afterthat I was turned, I repented, and after that I was instructed, "or had a right understanding of myself, "I smote upon my thigh, Iwas ashamed; yea, even confounded; because I did bear the reproachof my youth. " These be Ephraim's complaints and bemoanings ofhimself; at which the Lord breaks forth into these heart-meltingexpressions, saying, "Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasantchild? For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember himstill; therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely havemercy upon him, saith the Lord. " Thus, you see, that as it is requiredto pray with the Spirit, so it is to pray with the understandingalso. And to illustrate what hath been spoken by a similitude:--setthe case, there should come two a-begging to your door; the one isa poor, lame, wounded, and almost starved creature, the other isa healthful lusty person; these two use the same words in theirbegging; the one saith he is almost starved, so doth the other:but yet the man that is indeed the poor, lame, or maimed person, hespeaks with more sense, feeling, and understanding of the miserythat is mentioned in their begging, than the other can do; andit is discovered more by his affectionate speaking, his bemoaninghimself. His pain and poverty make him speak more in a spirit oflamentation than the other, and he shall be pitied sooner than theother, by all those that have the least dram of natural affectionor pity. Just thus it is with God: there are some who out of customand formality go and pray; there are others who go in the bitternessof their spirits: the one he prays out of bare notion and nakedknowledge; the other hath his words forced from him by the anguishof his soul. Surely that is the man that God will look at, "evento him that is poor, " of an humble "and of a contrite spirit, andtrembleth at my word" (Isa 66:2). 

Sixth. An understanding well enlightened is of admirable usealso, both as to the matter and manner of prayer. He that hath hisunderstanding well exercised, to discern between good and evil, andin it placed a sense either of the misery of man, or the mercy ofGod; that soul hath no need of the writings of other men to teachhim by forms of prayer. For as he that feels the pain needs not tobe taught to cry O! even so he that hath his understanding openedby the Spirit needs not so to be taught of other men's prayers, asthat he cannot pray without them. The present sense, feeling, andpressure that lieth upon his spirit, provokes him to groan out hisrequest unto the Lord. When David had the pains of hell catchinghold on him, and the sorrows of hell compassing him about, he needsnot a bishop in a surplice to teach him to say, "O Lord, I beseechthee, deliver my soul" (Psa 116:3, 4). Or to look into a book, toteach him in a form to pour out his heart before God. It is thenature of the heart of sick men, in their pain and sickness, tovent itself for ease, by dolorous groans and complainings to themthat stand by. Thus it was with David, in Psalm 38:1-12. And thus, blessed be the Lord, it is with them that are endued with the graceof God. 

Seventh. It is necessary that there be an enlightened understanding, to the end that the soul be kept in a continuation of the duty ofprayer. 

The people of God are not ignorant how many wiles, tricks, andtemptations the devil hath to make a poor soul, who is truly willingto have the Lord Jesus Christ, and that upon Christ's terms too;I say, to tempt that soul to be weary of seeking the face of God, and to think that God is not willing to have mercy on such a oneas him. Ay, saith Satan, thou mayest pray indeed, but thou shaltnot prevail. Thou seest thine heart is hard, cold, dull, and dread;thou dost not pray with the Spirit, thou dost not pray in goodearnest, thy thoughts are running after other things, when thoupretendest to pray to God. Away hypocrite, go no further, it is butin vain to strive any longer! Here now, if the soul be not wellinformed in its understanding, it will presently cry out, "theLord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me" (Isa 49:14). Whereas the soul rightly informed and enlightened saith, Well, I will seek the Lord, and wait; I will not leave off, though theLord keep silence, and speak not one word of comfort (Isa 40:27). He loved Jacob dearly, and yet he made him wrestle before he hadthe blessing (Gen 32:25-27). Seeming delays in God are no tokensof his displeasure; he may hide his face from his dearest saints(Isa 8:17). He loves to keep his people praying, and to find themever knocking at the gate of heaven; it may be, says the soul, theLord tries me, or he loves to hear me groan out my condition beforehim. 

The woman of Canaan would not take seeming denials for real ones;she knew the Lord was gracious, and the Lord will avenge his people, though he bear long with them (Luke 18:1-6). The Lord hath waitedlonger upon me than I have waited upon him; and thus it was withDavid, "I waited patiently, " saith he; that is, it was long beforethe Lord answered me, though at the last "he inclined" his ear "untome, and heard my cry" (Psa 40:1). And the most excellent remedyfor this is, an understanding well informed and enlightened. Alas, how many poor souls are there in the world, that truly fear theLord, who, because they are not well informed in their understanding, are oft ready to give up all for lost, upon almost every trick andtemptation of Satan! The Lord pity them, and help them to "praywith the Spirit, and with the understanding also. " Much of mineown experience could I here discover; when I have been in my fitsof agony of spirit, I have been strongly persuaded to leave off, and to seek the Lord no longer;10 but being made to understandwhat great sinners the Lord hath had mercy upon, and how large hispromises were still to sinners; and that it was not the whole, butthe sick, not the righteous, but the sinner, not the full, but theempty, that he extended his grace and mercy unto. This made me, through the assistance of his Holy Spirit, to cleave to him, to hangupon him, and yet to cry, though for the present he made no answer;and the Lord help all his poor, tempted, and afflicted people todo the like, and to continue, though it be long, according to thesaying of the prophet (Hab 2:3). And to help them (to that end) topray, not by the inventions of men, and their stinted forms, but"with the Spirit, and with the understanding also. "

[Queries and Objections answered. ]

And now to answer a query or two, and so to pass on to the nextthing. 

Query First. But what would you have us poor creatures to do thatcannot tell how to pray? The Lord knows I know not either how topray, or what to pray for. 

Answ. Poor heart! thou canst not, thou complainest, pray. Canstthou see thy misery? Hath God showed thee that thou art by natureunder the curse of his law? If so, do not mistake, I know thou dostgroan and that most bitterly. I am persuaded thou canst scarcelybe found doing any thing in thy calling, but prayer breaketh fromthy heart. Have not thy groans gone up to heaven from every cornerof thy house? (Rom 8:26). I know it is thus; and so also doth thineown sorrowful heart witness thy tears, thy forgetfulness of thycalling, &c. Is not thy heart so full of desires after the thingsof another world, that many times thou dost even forget the thingsof this world? Prithee read this scripture, Job 23:12. 

Query Second. Yea, but when I go into secret, and intend to pourout my soul before God, I can scarce say anything at all. 

Answ. 1. Ah! Sweet soul! It is not thy words that God so muchregards, as that he will not mind thee, except thou comest beforehim with some eloquent oration. His eye is on the brokenness ofthine heart; and that it is that makes the very bowels of the Lordto run over. "A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt notdespise" (Psa 51:17). 

2. The stopping of thy words may arise from overmuch trouble inthy heart. David was so troubled sometimes, that he could not speak(Psa 77:3, 4). But this may comfort all such sorrowful hearts asthou art, that though thou canst not through the anguish of thyspirit speak much, yet the Holy Spirit stirs up in thine heart groansand sighs, so much the more vehement: when the mouth is hindered, yet the spirit is not. Moses, as aforesaid, made heaven ring againwith his prayers, when (that we read of) not one word came out ofhis mouth (Exo 14:15). But, 3. If thou wouldst more fully express thyself before the Lord, study, first, Thy filthy estate; secondly, God's promises; thirdly, The heart of Christ. Which thou mayest know or discern, (1. ) Byhis condescension and bloodshed. (2. ) By the mercy he hath extendedto great sinners formerly, and plead thine own vileness, by wayof bemoaning; Christ's blood by way of expostulation; and in thyprayers, let the mercy that he hath extended to other great sinners, together with his rich promises of grace, be much upon thy heart. Yet let me counsel thee, (a. ) Take heed that thou content not thyselfwith words. (b. ) That thou do not think that God looks only at themneither. But, (c. ) However, whether thy words be few or many, letthine heart go with them; and then shalt thou seek him, and findhim, when thou shalt seek him with thy whole heart (Jer 29:13). 

Objection. But though you have seemed to speak against any otherway of praying but by the Spirit, yet here you yourself can givedirection how to pray. 

Answ. We ought to prompt one another forward to prayer, though weought not to make for each other forms of prayer. To exhort to praywith Christian direction is one thing, and to make stinted formsfor the tying up the Spirit of God to them is another thing. Theapostle gives them no form to pray withal, yet directs to prayer(Eph 6:18; Rom 15:30-32). Let no man therefore conclude, thatbecause we may with allowance give instructions and directions topray, that therefore it is lawful to make for each other forms ofprayer. 

Object. But if we do not use forms of prayer, how shall we teachour children to pray?

Answ. My judgment is, that men go the wrong way to teach theirchildren to pray, in going about so soon to teach them any setcompany of words, as is the common use of poor creatures to do. 

For to me it seems to be a better way for people betimes to telltheir children what cursed creatures they are, and how they areunder the wrath of God by reason of original and actual sin; alsoto tell them the nature of God's wrath, and the duration of themisery; which if they conscientiously do, they would sooner teachtheir children to pray than they do. The way that men learn topray, it is by conviction for sin; and this is the way to make oursweet babes do so too. But the other way, namely, to be busy inteaching children forms of prayer, before they know any thing else, it is the next way to make them cursed hypocrites, and to puff themup with pride. Teach therefore your children to know their wretchedstate and condition; tell them of hell-fire and their sins, ofdamnation, and salvation; the way to escape the one, and to enjoythe other, if you know it yourselves, and this will make tearsrun down your sweet babes' eyes, and hearty groans flow from theirhearts; and then also you may tell them to whom they should pray, and through whom they should pray: you may tell them also of God'spromises, and his former grace extended to sinners, according tothe word. 

Ah! Poor sweet babes, the Lord open their eyes, and make themholy Christians. Saith David, "Come ye children, hearken unto me;I will teach you the fear of the Lord" (Psa 34:11). He doth notsay, I will muzzle you up in a form of prayer; but "I will teachyou the fear of the Lord"; which is, to see their sad states bynature, and to be instructed in the truth of the gospel, which doththrough the Spirit beget prayer in every one that in truth learnsit. And the more you teach them this, the more will their heartsrun out to God in prayer. God never did account Paul a prayingman, until he was a convinced and converted man; no more will itbe with any else (Acts 9:11). 

Object. But we find that the disciples desired that Christ wouldteach them to pray, as John also taught his disciples; and thatthereupon he taught them that form called the LORD'S PRAYER. 

Answ. 1. To be taught by Christ, is that which not only they, butwe desire; and seeing he is not here in his person to teach us, theLord teach us by his Word and Spirit; for the Spirit it is whichhe hath said he would send to supply in his room when he went away, as it is (John 14:16; 16:7). 

2. As to that called a form, I cannot think that Christ intendedit as a stinted form of prayer. (1. ) Because he himself layeth itdown diversely, as is to be seen, if you compare Matthew 6 and Luke11. Whereas if he intended it as a set form, it must not have beenso laid down, for a set form is so many words and no more. (2. ) Wedo not find that the apostles did ever observe it as such; neitherdid they admonish others so to do. Search all their epistles, yetsurely they, both for knowledge to discern and faithfulness topractice, were as eminent as any HE ever since in the world whichwould impose it. 

[3. ] But, in a word, Christ by those words, "Our Father, " &c. , doth instruct his people what rules they should observe in theirprayers to God. (1. ) That they should pray in faith. (2. ) To Godin the heavens. (3. ) For such things as are according to his will, &c. Pray thus, or after this manner. 

Object. But Christ bids pray for the Spirit; this implieth thatmen without the Spirit may notwithstanding pray and be heard. (SeeLuke 11:9-13). 

Answ. The speech of Christ there is directed to his own (verse1). Christ's telling of them that God would give his Holy Spiritto them that ask him, is to be understood of giving more of theHoly Spirit; for still they are the disciples spoken to, which hada measure of the Spirit already; for he saith, "when ye pray, say, Our Father, " (verse 2) I say unto you (verse 8). And I say untoyou, (verse 9) "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good giftsunto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father givethe Holy Spirit to them that ask him, " (verse 13). Christians oughtto pray for the Spirit, that is, for more of it, though God hathendued them with it already. 

Quest. Then would you have none pray but those that know they arethe disciples of Christ?

Answ. Yes. 

1. Let every soul that would be saved pour out itself to God, thoughit cannot through temptation conclude itself a child of God. And, 2. I know if the grace of God be in thee, it will be as natural tothee to groan out thy condition, as it is for a sucking child tocry for the breast. Prayer is one of the first things that discoversa man to be a Christian (Acts 9:12). But yet if it be right, it issuch prayer as followeth. (1. ) To desire God in Christ, for himself, for his holiness, love, wisdom, and glory. For right prayer, as itruns only to God through Christ, so it centers in him, and in himalone. "Whom have I in heaven but thee? And there is none uponearth that I desire, " long for, or seek after, "beside thee" (Psa73:25). (2. ) That the soul might enjoy continually communionwith him, both here and hereafter. "I shall be satisfied, when Iawake with" thine image, or in "thy likeness, " (Psa 17:15). "Forin this we groan earnestly, " &c. , (II Cor 5:2). (3. ) Right prayeris accompanied with a continual labour after that which is prayedfor. "My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch forthe morning" (Psa 130:6). "I will rise now, I will seek him whommy soul loveth" (Song 3:2). For mark, I beseech you, there aretwo things that provoke to prayer. The one is a detestation to sin, and the things of this life; the other is a longing desire aftercommunion with God, in a holy and undefiled state and inheritance. Compare but this one thing with most of the prayers that are madeby men, and you shall find them but mock prayers, and the breathingsof an abominable spirit; for even the most of men either do pray atall, or else only endeavour to mock God and the world by so doing;for do but compare their prayer and the course of their livestogether, and you may easily see that the thing included in theirprayer is the least looked after by their lives. O sad hypocrites!

Thus have I briefly showed you, FIRST, What prayer is; SECOND, Whatit is to pray with the Spirit; THIRD, What it is to pray with theSpirit, and with the understanding also. 

FOURTH. [USE AND APPLICATION. ]

I shall now speak a word or two of application, and so concludewith, First, A word of information; Second, A word of encouragement;Third, A word of rebuke. 

USE First, A word of information. 

For the first to inform you; as prayer is the duty of every one ofthe children of God, and carried on by the Spirit of Christ in thesoul; so every one that doth but offer to take upon him to pray tothe Lord, had need be very wary, and go about that work especiallywith the dread of God, as well as with hopes of the mercy of Godthrough Jesus Christ. 

Prayer is an ordinance of God, in which a man draws very near toGod; and therefore it calleth for so much the more of the assistanceof the grace of God to help a soul to pray as becomes one that isin the presence of him. It is a shame for a man to behave himselfirreverently before a king, but a sin to do so before God. And asa king, if wise, is not pleased with an oration made up with unseemlywords and gestures, so God takes no pleasure in the sacrificeof fools (Eccl 5:1, 4). It is not long discourses, nor eloquenttongues, that are the things which are pleasing in the ears ofthe Lord; but a humble, broken, and contrite heart, that is sweetin the nostrils of the heavenly Majesty (Psa 51:17; Isa 57:15). Therefore for information, know that there are these five thingsthat are obstructions to prayer, and even make void the requestsof the creature. 

1. When men regard iniquity in their hearts, at the time of theirprayers before God. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord willnot hear" my prayer (Psa 66:18). For the preventing of temptation, that by the misunderstanding of this may seize thy heart, when thereis a secret love to that very thing which thou with thy dissemblinglips dost ask for strength against. For this is the wickedness ofman's heart, that it will even love, and hold fast, that which withthe mouth it prays against: and of this sort are they that honourGod with their mouth, but their heart is far from him (Isa 29:13;Eze 33:31). O! how ugly would it be in our eyes, if we should seea beggar ask an alms, with an intention to throw it to the dogs!Or that should say with one breath, Pray, you bestow this uponme; and with the next, I beseech you, give it me not! And yet thusit is with these kind of persons; with their mouth they say, "Thywill be done"; and with their hearts nothing less. With their mouthsay, "Hallowed be thy name"; and with their hearts and lives thydelight to dishonour him all the day long. These be the prayersthat become sin (Psa 109:7), and though they put them up often, yet the Lord will never answer them (II Sam 22:42). 

2. When men pray for a show to be heard, and thought somebody inreligion, and the like; these prayers also fall far short of God'sapprobation, and are never like to be answered, in reference toeternal life. There are two sorts of men that pray to this end. 

(1. ) Your trencher chaplains, that thrust themselves into greatmen's families, pretending the worship of God, when in truth thegreat business is their own bellies; and were notably painted outby Ahab's prophets, and also Nebuchadnezzar's wise men, who, thoughthey pretended great devotion, yet their lusts and their bellies werethe great things aimed at by them in all their pieces of devotion. 

(2. ) Them also that seek repute and applause for their eloquentterms, and seek more to tickle the ears and heads of their hearersthan anything else. These be they that pray to be heard of men, andhave all their reward already (Matt 6:5). These persons are discoveredthus, (a. ) They eye only their auditory in their expressions. (b. )They look for commendation when they have done. (c. ) Their heartseither rise or fall according to their praise or enlargement. (d. )The length of their prayer pleaseth them; and that it might belong, they will vainly repeat things over and over (Matt 6:7). Theystudy for enlargements, but look not from what heart they come;they look for returns, but it is the windy applause of men. Andtherefore they love not to be in their chamber, but among company:and if at any time conscience thrusts them into their closet, yethypocrisy will cause them to be heard in the streets; and when theirmouths have done going their prayers are ended; for they wait notto hearken what the Lord will say (Psa 85:8). 

3. A third sort of prayer that will not be accepted of God, it is, when either they pray for wrong things, or if for right things, yet that the thing prayed for might be spent upon their lusts, andlaid out to wrong ends. Some have not, because they ask not, saithJames, and others ask and have not, because they ask amiss, thatthey may consume it on their lusts (James 4: 2-4). Ends contrary toGod's will is a great argument with God to frustrate the petitionspresented before him. Hence it is that so many pray for this andthat, and yet receive it not. God answers them only with silence;they have their words for their labour; and that is all. Object. But God hears some persons, though their hearts be not right withhim, as he did Israel, in giving quails, though they spent themupon their lusts (Psa 106:14). Answ. If he doth, it is in judgment, not in mercy. He gave them their desire indeed, but they had betterhave been without it, for he "sent leanness into their soul" (Psa106:15). Woe be to that man that God answereth thus. 

4. Another sort of prayers there are that are not answered; andthose are such as are made by men, and presented to God in theirown persons only, without their appearing in the Lord Jesus. Forthough God hath appointed prayer, and promised to hear the prayerof the creature, yet not the prayer of any creature that comes notin Christ. "If ye shall ask anything in my name. " And whether yeeat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all in the name of the LordJesus Christ (Col 3:17). "If ye shall ask anything in my name, " &c. , (John 14:13, 14), though you be never so devout, zealous, earnestand constant in prayer, yet it is in Christ only that you must beheard and accepted. But, alas! the most of men know not what it isto come to him in the name of the Lord Jesus, which is the reasonthey either live wicked, pray wicked, and also die wicked. Or else, that they attain to nothing else but what a mere natural man mayattain unto, as to be exact in word and deed betwixt man and man, and only with the righteousness of the law to appear before God. 

5. The last thing that hindereth prayer is, the form of it withoutthe power. It is an easy thing for men to be very hot for suchthings as forms of prayer, as they are written in a book; but yetthey are altogether forgetful to inquire with themselves, whetherthey have the spirit and power of prayer. These men are like apainted man, and their prayers like a false voice. They in personappear as hypocrites, and their prayers are an abomination (Prov28:9). When they say they have been pouring out their souls to Godhe saith they have been howling like dogs (Hosea 7:14). 

When therefore thou intendest, or art minded to pray to the Lord ofheaven and earth, consider these following particulars. 1. Considerseriously what thou wantest. Do not, as many who in their wordsonly beat the air, and ask for such things as indeed they do notdesire, nor see that they stand in need thereof. 2. When thou seestwhat thou wantest, keep to that, and take heed thou pray sensibly. 

Object. But I have a sense of nothing; then, by your argument, Imust not pray at all. 

Answ. 1. If thou findest thyself senseless in some sad measure, yet thou canst not complain of that senselessness, but by beingsensible there is a sense of senselessness. According to thy sense, then, that thou hast of the need of anything, so pray; (Luke 8:9), and if thou art sensible of thy senselessness, pray the Lord tomake thee sensible of whatever thou findest thine heart senselessof. This was the usual practice of the holy men of God. "Lord, make me to know mine end, " saith David (Psa 39:4). "Lord, open tous this parable, " said the disciples (Luke 8:9). And to this isannexed the promise, "Call unto me and I will answer thee, and showthee great and mighty things which thou knowest not, " that thouart not sensible of (Jer 33:3). But, Answ. 2. Take heed that thy heart go to God as well as thy mouth. Let not thy mouth go any further than thou strivest to draw thineheart along with it. David would lift his heart and soul to theLord; and good reason; for so far as a man's mouth goeth alongwithout his heart, so far it is but lip-labour only; and thoughGod calls for, and accepteth the calves of the lips, yet the lipswithout the heart argueth, not only senselessness, but our beingwithout sense of our senselessness; and therefore if thou hast amind to enlarge in prayer before God, see that it be with thy heart. 

Answ. 3. Take heed of affecting expressions, and so to please thyselfwith the use of them, that thou forget not the life of prayer. 

I shall conclude this use with a caution or two. 

Caution 1. And the first is, take heed thou do not throw off prayer, through sudden persuasions that thou hast not the Spirit, neitherprayest thereby. It is the great work of the devil to do his best, or rather worst, against the best prayers. He will flatter yourfalse dissembling hypocrites, and feed them with a thousand fanciesof well-doing, when their very duties of prayer, and all other, stink in the nostrils of God, when he stands at a poor Joshua'shand to resist him, that is, to persuade him, that neither hisperson nor performances are accepted of God (Isa 65:5; Zech 3:1). Take heed, therefore, of such false conclusions and groundlessdiscouragements; and though such persuasions do come in upon thyspirit, be so far from being discouraged by them, that thou use themto put thee upon further sincerity and restlessness of spirit, inthy approaching to God. 

Caution 2. As such sudden temptations should not stop thee fromprayer, and pouring out thy soul to God; so neither should thineown heart's corruptions hinder thee. (Let not thy corruptions stopthy prayers). It may be thou mayest find in thee all those thingsbefore mentioned, and that they will be endeavouring to put forththemselves in thy praying to him. Thy business then is to judgethem, to pray against them, and to lay thyself so much the more atthe foot of God, in a sense of thy own vileness, and rather make anargument from thy vileness and corruption of heart, to plead withGod for justifying and sanctifying grace, than an argument ofdiscouragement and despair. David went this way. "O Lord, " saithhe, "pardon mine iniquity, for it is great" (Psa 25:11). 

USE Second. A word of encouragement. 

And therefore, secondly, to speak a word by way of encouragement, to the poor, tempted, and cast down soul, to pray to God throughChrist. Though all prayer that is accepted of God in reference toeternal life must be in the Spirit--for that only maketh intercessionfor us according to the will of God, (Rom 8:27)--yet because manypoor souls may have the Holy Spirit working on them, and stirringof them to groan unto the Lord for mercy, though through unbeliefthey do not, nor, for the present, cannot believe that they are thepeople of God, such as he delights in; yet forasmuch as the truthof grace may be in them, therefore I shall, to encourage them, laydown further these few particulars. 

1. That scripture in Luke 11:8 is very encouraging to any poor soulthat doth hunger after Christ Jesus. In verses 5-7, he speaketh aparable of a man that went to his friend to borrow three loaves, who, because he was in bed, denied him; yet for his importunity-sake, he did arise and give him, clearly signifying that though poorsouls, through the weakness of their faith, cannot see that theyare the friends of God, yet they should never leave asking, seeking, and knocking at God's door for mercy. Mark, saith Christ, "I sayunto you, though he will not rise and give him, because he is hisfriend; yet because of his importunity, " or restless desires, "hewill rise and give him as many as he needeth. " Poor heart! thoucriest out that God will not regard thee, thou dost not find thatthou art a friend to him, but rather an enemy in thine heart bywicked works (Col 1:21). And thou art as though thou didst hear theLord saying to thee, Trouble me not, I cannot give unto thee, ashe in the parable; yet I say, continue knocking, crying, moaning, and bewailing thyself. I tell thee, "though he will not rise and givethee, because thou art his friend; yet, because of thy importunity, he will arise and give thee as many as thou needest. " The same ineffect you have discovered, Luke 18, in the parable of the unjustjudge and the poor widow; her importunity prevailed with him. Andverily, mine own experience tells me, that there is nothing thatdoth more prevail with God than importunity. Is it not so with youin respect of your beggars that come to your door? Though you haveno heart to give them anything at their first asking, yet if theyfollow you, bemoaning themselves, and will take no nay without analms, you will give them; for their continual begging overcomethyou. Are there bowels in you that are wicked, and will they bewrought upon by an importuning beggar? Go thou and do the like. Itis a prevailing motive, and that by good experience, he will ariseand give thee as many as thou needest (Luke 11:8). 

2. Another encouragement for a poor trembling convinced soul is toconsider the place, throne, or seat, on which the great God hathplaced himself to hear the petitions and prayers of poor creatures;and that is a "throne of grace" (Heb 4:16). "The mercy-seat" (Exo25:22). Which signifieth that in the days of the gospel God hathtaken up his seat, his abiding-place, in mercy and forgiveness;and from thence he doth intend to hear the sinner, and to communewith him, as he saith (Exo 25:22), --speaking before of themercy-seat--"And there I will meet with thee, " mark, it is uponthe mercy-seat: "There I will meet with thee, and" there "I willcommune with thee, from above the mercy-seat. " Poor souls! Theyare very apt to entertain strange thoughts of God, and his carriagetowards them: and suddenly to conclude that God will have no regardunto them, when yet he is upon the mercy-seat, and hath taken uphis place on purpose there, to the end he may hear and regard theprayers of poor creatures. If he had said, I will commune with theefrom my throne of judgment, then indeed you might have trembled andfled from the face of the great and glorious Majesty. But when hesaith he will hear and commune with souls upon the throne of grace, or from the mercy-seat, this should encourage thee, and cause theeto hope, nay, to "come boldly unto the throne of grace, that thoumayest obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Heb4:16). 

3. There is yet another encouragement to continue in prayer withGod: and that is this:

As there is a mercy-seat, from whence God is willing to communewith poor sinners; so there is also by his mercy-seat, Jesus Christ, who continually besprinkleth it with his blood. Hence it is called"the blood of sprinkling" (Heb 12:24). When the high-priest underthe law was to go into the holiest, where the mercy-seat was, hemight not go in "without blood" (Heb 9:7). 

Why so? Because, though God was upon the mercy-seat, yet hewas perfectly just as well as merciful. Now the blood was to stopjustice from running out upon the persons concerned in the intercessionof the high-priest, as in Leviticus 16:13-17, to signify that allthine unworthiness that thou fearest should not hinder thee fromcoming to God in Christ for mercy. Thou criest out that thou artvile, and therefore God will not regard thy prayers; it is true, if thou delight in thy vileness, and come to God out of a merepretence. But if from a sense of thy vileness thou do pour out thyheart to God, desiring to be saved from the guilt, and cleansedfrom the filth, with all thy heart; fear not, thy vileness will notcause the Lord to stop his ear from hearing of thee. The value ofthe blood of Christ which is sprinkled upon the mercy-seat stopsthe course of justice, and opens a floodgate for the mercy of theLord to be extended unto thee. Thou hast therefore, as aforesaid, "boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, " thathath made "a new and living way" for thee, thou shalt not die (Heb10:19, 20). 

Besides, Jesus is there, not only to sprinkle the mercy-seat withhis blood, but he speaks, and his blood speaks; he hath audience, and his blood hath audience; insomuch that God saith, when he dothbut see the blood, he "will pass over you, and the plague shallnot be upon you, " &c. , (Exo 12:13). 

I shall not detain you any longer. Be sober and humble; go tothe Father in the name of the Son, and tell him your case, in theassistance of the Spirit, and you will then feel the benefit ofpraying with the Spirit and with the understanding also. 

USE Third. A word of reproof. 

1. This speaks sadly to you who never pray at all. "I will pray, "saith the apostle, and so saith the heart of them that are Christians. Thou then art not a Christian that art not a praying person. Thepromise is that every one that is righteous shall pray (Psa 32:6). Thou then art a wicked wretch that prayest not. Jacob got the nameof Israel by wrestling with God (Gen 32). And all his children barethat name with him (Gal 6:16). But the people that forget prayer, that call not on the name of the Lord, they have prayer made forthem, but it is such as this, "Pour out thy fury upon the heathen, "O Lord, "and upon the families that call not on thy name" (Jer 10:25). How likest thou this, O thou that art so far off from pouring outthine heart before God, that thou goest to bed like a dog, and risestlike a hog, or a sot, and forgettest to call upon God? What wiltthou do when thou shalt be damned in hell, because thou couldstnot find in thine heart to ask for heaven? Who will grieve for thysorrow, that didst not count mercy worth asking for? I tell thee, the ravens, the dogs, &c. , shall rise up in judgment against thee, for they will, according to their kind, make signs, and a noisefor something to refresh them when they want it; but thou hast notthe heart to ask for heaven, though thou must eternally perish inhell, if thou hast it not. 

2. This rebukes you that make it your business to slight, mock at, and undervalue the Spirit, and praying by that. What will you do, when God shall come to reckon for these things? You count it hightreason to speak but a word against the king, nay, you tremble atthe thought of it; and yet in the meantime you will blaspheme theSpirit of the Lord. Is God indeed to be dallied with, and will theend be pleasant unto you? Did God send his Holy Spirit into thehearts of his people, to that end that you should taunt at it? Isthis to serve God? And doth this demonstrate the reformation ofyour church? Nay, is it not the mark of implacable reprobates? Ofearful! Can you not be content to be damned for your sins againstthe law, but you must sin against the Holy Ghost?

Must the holy, harmless, and undefiled Spirit of grace, the natureof God, the promise of Christ, the Comforter of his children, thatwithout which no man can do any service acceptable to the Father--mustthis, I say, be the burthen of your song, to taunt, deride, andmock at? If God sent Korah and his company headlong to hell forspeaking against Moses and Aaron, do you that mock at the Spiritof Christ think to escape unpunished? (Num 16; Heb 10:29). Didyou never read what God did to Ananias and Sapphira for tellingbut one lie against it? (Acts 5:1-8). Also to Simon Magus for butundervaluing of it? (Acts 8:18-22). And will thy sin be a virtue, or go unrewarded with vengeance, that makest it thy business to rageagainst, and oppose its office, service, and help, that it givethunto the children of God? It is a fearful thing to do despite untothe Spirit of grace (Compare Matt 12:31, with Mark 3:28-30). 

3. As this is the doom of those who do openly blaspheme the HolyGhost, in a way of disdain and reproach to its office and service:so also it is sad for you, who resist the Spirit of prayer, bya form of man's inventing. A very juggle of the devil, that thetraditions of men should be of better esteem, and more to be ownedthan the Spirit of prayer. What is this less than that accursedabomination of Jeroboam, which kept many from going to Jerusalem, the place and way of God's appointment to worship; and by thatmeans brought such displeasure from God upon them, as to this dayis not appeased? (I Kings 12:26-33). One would think that God'sjudgments of old upon the hypocrites of that day should make themthat have heard of such things take heed and fear to do so. Yetthe doctors of our day are so far from taking of warning by thepunishment of others, that they do most desperately rush into thesame transgression, viz. , to set up an institution of man, neithercommanded nor commended of God; and whosoever will not obey herein, they must be driven either out of the land or the world. 

Hath God required these things at your hands? If he hath, show uswhere? If not, as I am sure he hath not, then what cursed presumptionis it in any pope, bishop, or other, to command that in the worshipof God which he hath not required? Nay further, it is not that partonly of the form, which is several texts of Scripture that we arecommanded to say, but even all must be confessed as the divineworship of God, notwithstanding those absurdities contained therein, which because they are at large discovered by others, I omit therehearsal of them. Again, though a man be willing to live neverso peaceably, yet because he cannot, for conscience sake, own thatfor one of the most eminent parts of God's worship, which he nevercommanded, therefore must that man be looked upon as factious, seditious, erroneous, heretical--a disparagement to the church, aseducer of the people, and what not? Lord, what will be the fruitof these things, when for the doctrine of God there is imposed, that is, more than taught, the traditions of men? Thus is the Spiritof prayer disowned, and the form imposed; the Spirit debased, andthe form extolled; they that pray with the Spirit, though neverso humble and holy, counted fanatics; and they that pray with theform, though with that only, counted the virtuous! And how will thefavorers of such a practice answer that Scripture, which commandeththat the church should turn away from such as have "a formof godliness, and deny the power thereof"? (II Tim 3:5). And if Ishould say that men that do these things aforesaid, do advance aform of prayer of other men's making, above the spirit of prayer, it would not take long time to prove it. For he that advanceth thebook of Common Prayer above the Spirit of prayer, he doth advancea form of men's making above it. But this do all those who banish, or desire to banish, them that pray with the Spirit of prayer;while they hug and embrace them that pray by that form only, andthat because they do it. Therefore they love and advance the formof their own or others' inventing, before the Spirit of prayer, which is God's special and gracious appointment. 

If you desire the clearing of the minor, look into the jails inEngland, and into the alehouses of the same; and I trow you willfind those that plead for the Spirit of prayer in the jail, and themthat look after the form of men's inventions only in the alehouse. It is evident also by the silencing of God's dear ministers, thoughnever so powerfully enabled by the Spirit of prayer, if they inconscience cannot admit of that form of Common Prayer. If this benot an exalting the Common Prayer Book above either praying by theSpirit, or preaching the Word, I have taken my mark amiss. It isnot pleasant for me to dwell on this. The Lord in mercy turn thehearts of the people to seek more after the Spirit of prayer; andin the strength of that, to pour out their souls before the Lord. Only let me say it is a sad sign, that that which is one of themost eminent parts of the pretended worship of God is Antichristian, when it hath nothing but the tradition of men, and the strength ofpersecution, to uphold or plead for it. 

THE CONCLUSION. 

I shall conclude this discourse with this word of advice to allGod's people. 1. Believe that as sure as you are in the way of Godyou must meet with temptations. 2. The first day therefore thatthou dost enter into Christ's congregation, look for them. 3. Whenthey do come, beg of God to carry thee through them. 4. Be jealousof thine own heart, that it deceive thee not in thy evidences forheaven, nor in thy walking with God in this world. 5. Take heed ofthe flatteries of false brethren. 6. Keep in the life and power oftruth. 7. Look most at the things which are not seen. 8. Take heedof little sins. 9. Keep the promise warm upon thy heart. 10. Renewthy acts of faith in the blood of Christ. 11. Consider the work ofthy generation. 12. Count to run with the foremost therein. 

Grace be with thee. 

FOOTNOTES:

1 Dr. Watt's Guide to Prayer. 

2 Vol iii. , p. 346. 

3 Vol iii. , p. 298. 

4Pilgrimage of Perfection, 4to, 1526, vol. Iii. , p. 9. 

5 Effectual fervent prayer is wrought in the heart by the HolyGhost, and those objects for which HE inclines the soul to pray arebestowed by God. Thus great things were obtained by Jacob, (Gen32:24-28); by Moses, (Exo 30:11-14; Num 14:13-21); by Joshua, (10:12-14); by Hezekiah, (II Kings 19:14-37); by the woman of Canaan, (Matt 15:21-28). The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous manavaileth much, (James 5:16). --ED. 

6 How easy to forget all God's benefits, and how impossible it isto remember them all!--ED. 

7 See Mr. Fox's citation of the mass, in the last volume of theBook of Martyrs. 

8 Jesus Christ has opened the way to God the Father, by thesacrifice He made for us upon the cross. The holiness and justiceof God need not frighten sinners and keep them back. Only let themcry to God in the name of Jesus, only let them plead the atoningblood of Jesus, and they shall find God upon a throne of grace, willing and ready to hear. The name of Jesus is a never-failingpassport to our prayers. In that name a man may draw near to Godwith boldness, and ask with confidence. God has engaged to hear him. Reader, think of this; is not this encouragement?--J. C. Ryle--ED. 

9 See Mr. Fox's Acts and Monuments, v. 2. 

10 "In these days, I should find my heart to shut itself up againstthe Lord, and against his holy Word: I have found my unbelief toset, as it were, the shoulder to the door to keep him out. "--GraceAbounding, No. 81. --ED. 

***

THE SAINTS' PRIVILEGE AND PROFIT;

OR, THE THRONE OF GRACE

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

The churches of Christ are very much indebted to the Rev. CharlesDoe, for the preservation and publishing of this treatise. Itformed one of the ten excellent manuscripts left by Bunyan at hisdecease, prepared for the press. Having treated on the nature ofprayer in his searching work on 'praying with the spirit and with theunderstanding also, ' in which he proves from the sacred scripturesthat prayer cannot be merely read or said, but must be the spontaneouseffusions of the heart principally in private, or at the domesticaltar upon set times in the morning and evening, or more publiclyin social meetings for praise and prayer, or in the public assemblyof the church--all being acceptable, only as it is offered up inspirit and in truth--he now directs us to the proper medium whichour mental powers should use in drawing near to the Divine Being. Wehave to approach the universal spirit, the creator, the preserver, the bountiful benefactor of our race; and, at the same time, the infinitely holy one, the supreme judge and just rewarder orpunisher of all creatures. How shall we, who are impure and uncleanby nature and by practice, draw near unto him who is so infinitelyholy? Others of our race who were equally guilty have held acceptableconverse with God, and received special marks of his favour. Weall know that a talented man, high in office, retired at certaintimes for prayer; this gave offence, and a law was made, by whichprayer to God was interdicted for thirty days. He refused obedienceto a human law which interfered with the divine authority, andfor this he was cast into the den of lions; but they hurt him not, although they devoured his persecutors. When a beloved ministerwas seized and imprisoned for his love to Christ, the church helda prayer meeting on his account, and while they were praying Godsent his angel to the prison. In vain four quaternions of soldierskept guard, two of them in the prisoner's cell, while the servantof Christ, who was loaded with chains and doomed to an ignominiousdeath, slept sweetly between the armed men. The angel awakes him, his chains fall off, no noise can awake his guard, the prisondoors open, and he was restored to his beloved charge. They wereyet imploring his deliverance, when he stood in their midst to tellthe wondrous miracle, wrought in answer to their prayer. Again, two of their much-loved ministers were seized and beaten, and castinto jail, their feet being made fast in the stocks. In the darkhour of midnight they prayed and praised God, when an earthquakewas sent, which shook the prison and threw open its doors, and thejailor, with his house, became converts to the faith. Millions ofinstances might have been recorded of prayer heard and answered. The child Samuel, and also Ishmael. The Magdalene. The thief on thecross. Ananias, who was directed to relieve the stricken persecutorSaul, for 'behold he prayeth. ' But innumerable prayers have beenread and offered up which have not been answered. What then is theacceptable form, and what the appointed medium consecrated for ouraccess to God, by which prayer is sanctified and accepted? If yelove me, saith the Saviour, keep my commandments, and whatsoeverye shall ask IN MY NAME that will I do. A sense of our want andunworthiness leads us to God in that new and living way consecratedby Christ though the veil, that is to say, his flesh (Heb 10:20). By that way we can 'come boldly, ' because it is 'a throne of grace, 'and there and there only we can 'obtain mercy and find grace tohelp in time of need. ' Wondrous throne! Blessed encouragement tothe poor pilgrim, traversing the desert surrounded by enemies, hisown heart by nature being one of the most formidable of them!

It is of great importance to all, and especially to the young, to attain correct definite ideas of religious truths. Bunyan hadremarkably clear views, arising from his strong feelings and therugged path by which he was led to Christ. His definition of thedifference between grace and mercy is very striking: 'Mercy signifiespitifulness to objects in a miserable condition. Grace acts as afree agent, not wrought upon by our misery but of God's own princelymind. ' Christ is the throne of grace--in him dwells all the fulnessof the Godhead, and yet he was found in fashion as a man, he tookon him the seed of Abraham, and was made like unto his brethren, and offered himself up as the sacrifice for sin. Thus he is thethrone of grace on the mercy-seat covering the law. Here he is anobject of worship to the angels on the right hand of God. In himthe uncreated glory, the dazzling effulgence of God, is so veiledin his glorified body, that man, poor sinful man, can lift up hiseyes to behold the place where God's honour most richly dwelleth, and find acceptance and grace to help in every time of need. 

Take heed, sinner, this is your only access to heaven. Themercy-seat and throne of grace is God's resting-place; the thronewhich governs his church, and which eventually will govern allnations. This throne, invisible to mortal eyes, is present at alltimes and in all places. After the saints have been supplied withall needful grace in this world, their glorified spirits will seethe great white throne, and hear the voice proceeding from it, saying, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom preparedfor you; while from that throne the direful thunderbolts will behurled upon the despisers of divine grace, and they will hurry intoirretrievable misery. The safety of the Christian entirely dependsupon his being found 'looking unto Jesus': his glorified humanbody is the throne of grace--the source of all blessedness to hisworshippers--the gate of heaven--the way, the truth and the life. Yes, proud nature, HE who was the babe at Bethlehem, the poorcarpenter's son, who, notwithstanding his miracles of wisdom, power, and mercy, was despised and rejected of men, HIM hath God exaltedto be a prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and the remissionof sins, the only medium of access to heaven. Before him every kneeshall bow. Wonders of grace to God belong. 'Busy thyself, fellowchristian, about this blessed office of Christ. It is full of good, it is full of sweet, it is full of heaven, it is full of reliefand succour for the tempted and dejected; wherefore, I say again, study these things, give thyself wholly to them. ' Reader, listento these words of Bunyan, and may the Divine blessing attend thereading of his works. 

GEO. OFFOR. 

THE SAINTS' PRIVILEGE AND PROFIT

'LET US THEREFORE COME BOLDLY UNTO THE THRONE OF GRACE, THAT WEMAY OBTAIN MERCY, AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED. '--HEBREWS4:16

This epistle is indited and left to the church by the Holy Ghost, to show particularly, and more distinctly, the high priesthoodof Jesus Christ, and the excellent benefits that his people havethereby. In which both the excellency of his person, and transcendentglory of his office, beyond either priest or priesthood of the law, is largely set forth before us, in chapter 1:2, &c. 

Wherefore, in order to our beneficial reading of this epistle, the Spirit of God calls upon us, first, most seriously to considerwhat an one this excellent person is: 'Wherefore, holy brethren, 'saith he, you that are 'partakers of the heavenly calling, 'consequently you that are related to and that are concerned in theundertaking of this holy one, 'consider the Apostle and High Priestof our profession, Christ Jesus' (Heb 3:1). Consider how great andhow fit this man is for so holy and glorious a calling. He beingso high, as to be far above all heavens; so great, as to be theSon of, and God equal with the Father. Consider him also as tohis humanity, how that he is really flesh of our flesh; sinlesslyso, sympathisingly so, so in all the compassions of a man; he istouched with, compassioneth, pitieth, loveth, succoureth us, andfeeleth our infirmities, and maketh our case his own. Nay, he again, from the consideration of his greatness and love, puts us upon aconfident reliance on his undertaking, and also presseth us to abold approach of that throne of grace where he continually abidethin the execution of his office: 'Seeing then, ' saith he, 'that wehave a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesusthe Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have notan high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of ourinfirmities: but was in all points tempted like as we are, yetwithout sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace'(Heb 3:14-16). 

In the words we have, First, An exhortation; [and] Second, Animplication that we shall reap a worthy benefit, if we truly putthe exhortation into practice. The exhortation is that we shallcome boldly to the throne of grace: 'Let us therefore come boldlyunto the throne of grace. ' In all we have an intimation of fivethings. 

FIRST, That God hath more thrones than one; else the throne ofgrace need not to be specified by name. 'Let us come unto the throneof grace. ' SECOND, That the godly can distinguish one throne fromanother. For the throne here is not set forth by where or whatsigns it should be known; it is only propounded to us by its name, and so left for saints to make their approach unto it: 'Let us comeunto the throne of grace. ' THIRD, The third thing is, the personsintended by this exhortation, 'Let us therefore come. ' Us: What us?or who are they that by this exhortation are called upon to come?'Let us. ' FOURTH, The manner of the coming of these persons to thisthrone of grace; and that is through the veil, boldly, confidently:'Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace. ' FIFTH, the motiveto this exhortation; and that is twofold, First, Because we haveso great an high priest, one that cannot but be touched with thefeeling of our infirmities: 'Let us therefore come boldly unto thethrone of grace. ' And, second, because we are sure to speed: 'Thatwe may obtain mercy, and find grace, ' &c. I shall, as God shallhelp me, handle these things in order. 

[THAT GOD HATH MORE THRONES THAN ONE. ]

FIRST. For the first, That God hath more thrones than one. He hatha throne in heaven, and a throne on earth: 'The Lord's throne isin heaven, ' and 'they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord'(Psa 11:4; Jer 3:17). He ruleth over the angels; he ruleth in hischurch. 'He ruleth in Jacob, unto the ends of the earth' (Psa59:13). Yea, he has a throne and seat of majesty among the princesand great ones of the world. He ruleth or 'judgeth among the gods'(Psa 82:1). There is a throne for him as a Father, and a thronefor Christ as a giver of reward to all faithful and overcomingChristians: 'To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with me inmy throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Fatherin his throne' (Rev 3:21). 

There is also to be a throne of judgment, on which God by Christ, atthe great and notable day, shall sit to give to the whole world, their last or final sentence; from which, no, not, not by anymeans, they shall never be released. This throne is made mentionof in the New Testament, and is called by Christ 'the throne ofhis glory, ' and 'a great white throne' (Matt 25:31; Rev 20:11). Andhis presence, when he sits upon this throne, will be so terrible, that nothing shall be able to abide it that is not reconciled toGod by him before. 

Wherefore it is not amiss that I give you this hint, because it maytend to inform unwary Christians, when they go to God, that theyaddress not themselves to him at rovers, or at random; but thatwhen they come to him for benefits, they direct their prayer to thethrone of grace, or to God as considered on a throne of grace. [1]For he is not to be found a God merciful and gracious, but as heis on the throne of grace. This is his holy place, out of which heis terrible to the sons of men, and cannot be gracious unto them. For as when he shall sit at the last day upon his throne of judgment, he will neither be moved with the tears of misery of the world todo any thing for them, that in the least will have a tendency to arelaxation of the least part of their sorrow; so now let men takehim where they will, or consider him as they list, he gives nograce, no special grace, but as considered on the throne of grace:wherefore they that will pray, and speed, they must come to athrone of grace: to a God that sitteth on a throne of grace: 'Letus therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain, '&c. 

The unbeliever, the erroneous and superstitious, consider not this:wherefore they speak to God as their fancies lead them, not as theword directs them, and therefore obtain nothing. Ask the carnalman to whom he prays? he will say to God. Ask him where this Godis? he will say in heaven. But ask him how, or under what notionhe is to be considered there? and he will give a few generals, butcannot direct his soul unto him as he is upon a throne of grace, as the apostle here biddeth, saying, 'Let us come boldly unto thethrone of grace. ' Wherefore they come and go, or rather go andcome to no advantage at all: they find nothing but their labour orwords for their pains. For the right considering of God when I gounto him, and how or where I may find him gracious and merciful, is all in all; and mercy and grace is then obtained when we cometo him as sitting upon a throne of grace. 

[THE GODLY CAN DISTINGUISH ONE THRONE FROM ANOTHER. ]

SECOND. We will therefore come to the second thing, to wit, thatthe godly can distinguish one thing from another. And the reasonwhy I so conclude, is, as I said, because the throne here is notset forth unto us here, by where or what signs it should be known;it is only propounded to us by its name, a throne of grace, and soleft for saints to make their approach thereto: 'Let us thereforecome boldly unto the throne of grace. ' We will therefore takethis conclusion into two parts, and consider it under this doubleposition. FIRST, That there is a throne of grace. SECOND, That itis the privilege of the godly to distinguish from all other throneswhatever this throne of grace. 

FIRST, There is a throne of grace. This must be true, becausethe text saith it;[2] also it is that of which the mercy-seat, sooften made mention of in the Old Testament, was a type, shadow, orfigure; nor is the terms of seat and throne of any strength to makethis supposition void. For it is common for the antitype to be putforth in words unto us more glorious than is the figure or shadowof that thing. And the reason is, for that the heavenly thingsthemselves are far more excellent than the shadow by which they arerepresented. What is a sheep, a bull, an ox, or calf, to Christ, or their blood to the blood of Christ? What is Jerusalem that stoodin Canaan, to that new Jerusalem that shall come down from heaven?or the tabernacle made with corruptible things, to the body ofChrist, or heaven itself? No marvel then, if they be set forth untous by words of an inferior rank; the most full and aptest beingreserved to set out the highest things withal. 

Before I proceed to give you a more particular description of thisthrone of grace, as also how it may be know, I will a little touchupon the terms themselves, and show briefly what must be impliedby them. 

[Import of the term grace. ]

First, By this word grace, we are to understand God's free, sovereign, good pleasure, whereby he acteth in Christ towards hispeople. Grace and mercy therefore are terms that have their distinctsignifications; mercy signifies pitifulness, or a running over ofinfinite bowels to objects in a miserable and helpless condition. But grace signifies that God still acts in this as a free agent, not being wrought upon by the misery of the creature, as a procuringcause; but of his own princely mind. 

Were there no objects of pity among those that in the old worldperished by the flood, or that in Sodom were burned with fire fromheaven? doubtless, according to our apprehension, there were many:but Noah, and he only, found grace in God's eyes; not because thatof himself he was better than the rest, but God acted as a graciousprince towards him, and let him share in mercy of his own sovereignwill and pleasure. But this at first was not so fully made manifestas it was afterwards. Wherefore the propitiatory was not called, ashere, a throne of grace, but a mercy-seat, albeit there was greatglory in these terms also; for, by mercy-seat was showed, not onlythat God had compassion for men, but that also to be good was ashis continual resting-place, whither he would at length retire, andwhere he would sit down and abide, whatever terrible or troublesomework for his church was on the wheel[3] at present. For a seat isa place of rest, yea, is prepared for that end; and in that heremercy is called that seat, it is to show, as I said, that whateverwork is on the wheel in the world, let it be never so dreadful andamazing, yet to God's church it shall end in mercy, for that isGod's resting-place. Wherefore after God had so severely threatenedand punished his church under the name of a whorish woman, as youmay read in the prophet Ezekiel, he saith, 'So will I make my furytoward thee to rest, and my jealousy shall depart from thee; and Iwill be quiet, and will be no more angry. ' And again, speaking ofthe same people and of the same punishments, he saith, 'Nevertheless, I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant. ' And again, 'I will establish my covenant with thee, and thou shalt know thatI am the Lord; that thou mayest remember and be confounded, and neveropen thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacifiedtoward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God' (Eze16:42, 60-63). These, with many more places, show that mercy isGod's place of rest, and thither he will retire at last, and fromthence will bless his church, his people. 

But yet these terms, a throne, the throne of grace, doth more exceedin glory: not only because the word grace shows that God, by allthat he doth towards us in saving and forgiving, acts freely asthe highest Lord, and of his own good-will and pleasure, but alsofor that he now saith, that his grace is become a king, a throne ofgrace. A throne is not only a seat for rest, but a place of dignityand authority. This is known to all. Wherefore by this word, athrone, or the throne of grace, is intimated, that God ruleth andgoverneth by his grace. And this he can justly do: 'Grace reignsthrough righteousness, unto eternal life, [4] through Jesus Christout Lord' (Rom 5:21). So then, in that here is mention made ofa throne of grace, it showeth that sin, and Satan, and death, andhell, must needs be subdued. For these last mentioned are but weaknessand destruction; but grace is life, and the absolute sovereign overall these to the ruling of them utterly down. A throne of grace!

But this then God plainly declareth, that he is resolved this wayto rule, and that he pointeth at sin as his deadly foe: and ifso, then, 'where sin aboundeth, grace must much more abound' (Rom5:20). [5] For it is the wisdom and discretion of all that rule, tofortify themselves against them that rebel against them what theycan. Wherefore he saith again, 'Sin shall not have dominion overyou; for ye are not under the law, but under grace' (Rom 6:14). Sin seeks for the dominion, and grace seeks for the dominion; butsin shall not rule, because it has no throne in the church amongthe godly. Grace is king. Grace has the throne, and the people ofGod are not under the dominion of sin, but of the grace of God, the which they are here implicitly bid to acknowledge, in that theyare bid to come boldly to it for help: 'That we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help; to help in time of need. ' For as from thehand and power of the king comes help and succour to the subject, when assaulted by an enemy; so from the throne of grace, or fromgrace as it reigns, comes the help and health of God's people. Hence it is said again, 'A glorious high throne from the beginningis the place of our sanctuary' (Jer 17:12). Here then the saintstake shelter from the roaring of the devil, from the raging oftheir lusts, and from the fury of the wicked. That also is a verynotable place, 'He will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt castall their sins into the depths of the sea' (Micah 7:19). He speakshere of God as solacing himself in mercy, and as delighting of himselfin the salvation of his people, and that without comparison: 'Whois a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth bythe transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth nothis anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy' (Micah 7:18). Thus is mercy and grace got into the throne, reigns, and willassuredly conquer all; yea, will conquer, and that with a shout. 'Mercy rejoiceth against judgment' (James 2:13). Yea, gloriethwhen it getteth the victory of sin, and subdueth the sinner untoGod and to his own salvation, as is yet more fully showed in theparable of the prodigal son (Luke 15). But this, briefly to showyou something of the nature of the terms, and what must necessarilybe implied thereby. 

[What is to be inferred from the term 'throne of grace. ']

Second. We will in the next place show what is to be inferred fromhence. And, 1. To be sure this is inferred, that converted men are not everyway, or in every sense, free from the being of sin. For, were they, they need not betake themselves to a throne of grace for help; whenit saith there is grace in God, it inferreth, that there is sin inthe godly; and when it saith, grace reigns, as upon a throne, itimplies, that sin would ascend the throne, would reign, and wouldhave the dominion over the children of God. This also is manifest, when he saith, 'Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof' (Rom 7:12). And theonly way to prevent it is to apply ourselves, as by the text weare directed, to the throne of grace for help against it. 

2. The text implies, that at certain times the most godly man inthe world may be hard put to it by the sin that dwelleth in him;yea, so hard put to it, as that there can be no ways to save himselffrom a fall, but by imploring heaven and the throne of grace forhelp. This is called the needy time, the time when the wayfaringman that knocked at David's door shall knock at ours (2 Sam 12);or when we are got into the sieve into which Satan did get Peter(Luke 22:31); or when those fists are about our ears that wereabout Paul's; and when that thorn pricks us that Paul said was inhis flesh (2 Cor 12:7, 8). But why, or how comes it to pass, thatthe godly are so hard put to it at these times, but because thereis in them, that is, in their flesh, no good thing, but consequentlyall aptness to close in with the devil and his suggestions, to theoverthrow of the soul? But now here we are presented with a throneof grace, unto which, as presented with a throne of grace, untowhich, as David says, we must 'continually resort'; and that is theway to obtain relief, and to find help in time of need (Psa 71:3). 

3. As Christians are sometimes in imminent dangers of falling, sosometimes it is so, that they are fallen, are down, down dreadfully, and can by no means lift up themselves. And this happeneth unto thembecause they have been remiss as to the conscionable performance ofwhat by this exhortation they are enjoined to. They have not beenconstant supplicants at this throne for preserving grace; for hadthey, they should, as the text suggests, most certainly have keptfrom such a fall; help should have been granted them in theirneedful time. But that is it, of which such are guilty, which iswritten in the prophet Isaiah, 'But thou hast not called upon me, O Jacob; but thou hast been weary of me, O Israel' (Isa 43:22). Therefore thou art profaned, therefore thou art given to reproaches(Isa 43:28). Now, as they which are falling are kept from comingdown by coming to this throne of grace, so those that are fallenmust rise by the sceptre of love extended to them from thence. Menmay fall by sin, but cannot raise up themselves without the help ofgrace. Wherefore, it is worthy of our inquiry after a more thoroughknowledge of this throne of grace, whence, as we may well perceive, our help comes, and by what comes from thence we are made tostand. I therefore come now to a more particular description ofthis throne of grace; and to show how the godly know, or may knowit, from other thrones of God. 

[What this throne of grace is. ]

First, then, this throne of grace is the humanity, or heart andsoul of Jesus Christ, in which God sits and resteth for ever inlove towards them that believe in him. Forasmuch as Christ did, bythe body of his flesh, when here, reconcile them unto the Father. 'The key of the house of David, ' saith God, 'will I lay upon hisshoulder; so he shall open and none shall shut; and he shall shutand none shall open. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place;and he shall be for a glorious throne to his Father's house' (Isa22:22, 23). For a glorious throne to his Father's house, that is, for his Father's house, to come to their Father by; for that theyshall always find him thereon; or, as another scripture saith, in Christ reconciling them unto him, not imputing to them theirtrespasses and sins (2 Cor 5:19). Nor is it possible, that we layaside the human nature of Christ, for us to find any such thing asa throne of grace, either in earth or heaven; for that then nothingcan be found to be the rest of God. 'This is my beloved Son, inwhom I am well pleased, ' is God's own language; but there is noneother of whom he hath so said (Matt 3:17). Wherefore he resteth inhim towards us, and in him only. Besides, grace cannot be extendedtowards us but in a way of justice; for that the law and our sinobstructeth another way (Gen 3:24). But, lay the human nature ofChrist aside, and where will you find, THAT that shall become sucha sacrifice to justice for the sin of men, as that God, for the sakeof that, shall both forgive, and cause that grace for ever shouldreign towards us in such a way? It reigns through righteousness, orjustice, by Jesus Christ, and no way else. Christ Jesus, therefore, is this throne of grace; or him, or that, by which grace reignstowards the children of God (Rom 5:21). 

That scripture also gives us a little light herein, 'And I beheld, and lo! in the midst of the throne, ' &c. , 'stood a Lamb, as ithad been slain' (Rev 5:6). This is to show the cause why grace isso freely let out to us, even for that there stands there, in themidst of the throne, and in the midst of the elders, a lamb as ithad been slain, or, as it was made a sacrifice for our sin; for, as a slain lamb, he now lives in the midst of the throne, and isthe meritorious cause of all the grace that we enjoy. And thoughit seems by this text that the throne is one thing and the Lambanother, yet the Lamb of God is the throne, though not as a lambor sacrifice, but as one that by his sacrifice has made way forgrace to run like a river into the world. The Son of God, JesusChrist, is ALL; he is the throne, the altar, the priest, thesacrifice, and all: but he is the throne, the priest, the altar, and the sacrifice, under divers considerations. He is not the throneas he is the priest; he is not the priest as he is the sacrifice;he is not the sacrifice as he is the altar; yet is truly all these. Yea, there is no throne of grace, no high priest, no propitiatorysacrifice, &c. , but he. Of all which we may yet speak further beforewe conclude this treatise. I conclude, then, that Christ Jesus, inhis human nature, is this throne of grace. In his human nature, Isay, he has by that completely accomplished all things necessaryfor the making way for grace to be extended to men; and that thatis not only God's place of rest, but that by and from which, asupon a glorious throne, his grace shall reign over devil, death, sin, hell, and the grave, for ever. This human nature of Christ isalso called the tabernacle of God; for the fullness of the Godheaddwells in it bodily. It is God's habitation, his dwelling-place, his chair and throne of state. He doth all in and by it, and withoutit he doth not any thing. But to pass this, let us come to the nextthing. 

[Where the throne of grace is erected. ]

Second. We will now come to discourse of the placing of thisthrone of grace, or to discover where it is erected. And for thiswe must repair to the type, which, as was said before, is calledthe mercy-seat; the which we find, not in the outward court, noryet within the first veil (Heb 9:3-5); which signifies, not in theworld, nor in the church on earth, but in the holy of the holies, or after the second veil, the flesh of Christ (Heb 10:20). Therethen is this throne of God, this throne of grace, and no wherehere below. And for as much as it is called the throne of God, ofgrace, and is there, it signifieth that it is the highest and mosthonourable. Hence he is said to be far above all heavens, and tohave a name above every name. Wherefore he that will come to thisthrone of grace, must know what manner of coming it is by which hemust approach it; and that is, not personally, [6] but by runningsout of heart; not by himself, but by his Priest, his High Priest;for so it was in the type (Heb 9:7). Into the second, where themercy-seat was, went the high priest alone, that is, personally, and the people by him, as he made intercession for them. This thenmust be done by those that will approach this throne of grace. They must go to God, as he is enthroned IN Christ; BY Christ, ashe is the High Priest of his church; and they must go to him inthe holiest, by him. 

But again, as this throne of grace is in the Holiest, not in theworld, not in the church on earth, so it is in this Holiest set upabove the ark of the testimony; for so was the mercy-seat, it wasset up in the most holy place, above the ark of the testimony (Deut10:1-5; 1 Kings 8:9; 2 Chron 5:10). The ark of the testimony. Whatwas that? Why it was the place of the law, the ark in which it waskept: the testimony was the law, the ark was prepared to put thatin. This ark in which was put this law was set up in the holiest, and the mercy-seat was set above it, for so was Moses commandedto place them. Thou shalt make an ark, saith God, 'and thou shaltmake a mercy-seat': the ark shall be called the ark of the testimony, and there 'thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee, 'that is, the law, 'and thou shalt put the mercy-seat above uponthe ark, and there I will meet with thee, from above the mercy-seatbetween the two cherubims, which are upon, ' that is, above, 'theark of the testimony, ' 'shadowing the mercy-seat' (Exo 25:16-22;Heb 9:5). 

Thus, then, were things of old ordained in the type, by which wegather what is now to be minded in our worshipping of God. Therewas an ark made, and the two tables of stone, in which the lawwas writ, was put therein (Deut 10:2-5). This ark, with these twotables, were put into the holiest, and this mercy-seat was setabove it. The Holy Ghost, in my mind, thus signifying that gracesits upon a throne that is higher than the law, above the law; andthat grace, therefore, is to rule before the law, and notwithstandingall the sentence of the law; for it sitteth, I say, upon a throne, but the law sits on none; a throne, I say, which the law, insteadof accusing, justifieth and approveth. For although it condemnethall men, yet it excepteth Christ, who, in his manhood, is this throneof grace. Him, I say, it condemneth not, but approveth, and likethwell of all his doings; yea, it granteth him, as here we see, asa throne of grace, to be exalted above itself: yea, it cannot butso do, because by wisdom and holiness itself, which is also the Lordof the law, it is appointed so to do. Here, then, is the throne ofGod, the throne of grace, namely, above the ark of the testimony;on this God and his grace sits, reigns, and gives leave to sinnersto approach his presence for grace and mercy. He gives, I say forthose sinners so to do, that have washed before in the brazen laverthat is prepared to wash in first, of which we may speak more anon. Now, behold the wisdom of God in his thus ordaining of things;in his placing, in the first place, the law, and Christ the arkof the testimony, and the mercy-seat, or throne of grace, so nightogether; for doubtless it was wisdom that thus ordained them, andit might so ordain for these reasons--

[Why the law and the mercy-seat are so near together. ]

1. That we that approach the throne of grace might, when we comethere, be made still to remember that we are sinners--'for by thelaw is the knowledge of sin' (Rom 3:20)--and behold just beforeus is this ark in which are the two tables that condemn all flesh:yea, we must look that way, if we look at all; for just above itis the mercy-seat or throne of grace. So then here is a mementofor them that come to God, and to his throne of grace, for mercy, to wit, the law, by which they are afresh put in remembrance ofthemselves, their sins, and what need they have of fresh suppliesof grace. I read that the laver of brass and the foot of it was madeof the looking-glasses of the women that assembled at the door ofthe tabernacle (Exo 38:8), methinks to signify, that men might seetheir smyrches[7] when they came to wash; so here you see the lawis placed even with the mercy-seat, only that stood above, wherebythose that come to the throne of grace for mercy might also yetmore be put in mind that they are sinners. 

2. This also tendeth to set an edge upon prayer, and to make us themore fervent in spirit when we come to the throne of grace. Shoulda king ordain that the axe and halter should be before all thosethat supplicate him for mercy, it would put yet an edge upon alltheir petitions for his grace, and make them yet the more humblyand fervently implore his majesty for favour. But, behold, themercy-seat stands above, is set up above the ark and testimonythat is in it. Here, therefore, we have encouragement to look forgood. For observe, though here is the law, and that too in theholiest of all, whither we go; yet above it is the mercy-seat andthrone of grace triumphant, unto which we should look, and to whichwe should direct our prayers. Let us therefore come boldly to thethrone of grace, notwithstanding the ark and testimony is by; forthe law cannot hurt us when grace is so nigh; besides, God is nownot in the law, but upon the throne of grace that is above it, togave forth pardons, and grace, and helps at a time of need. 

This, then, may serve to inform some whereabout they are, when theyare in their closets, and at prayer. Art thou most dejected whenthou art at prayer? Hear me, thou art not far from the throne ofgrace; for thy dejection proceedeth from thy looking into the ark, into which God hath ordained that whosoever looks shall die (1 Sam6:19). Now if thou art indeed so near as to see thy sins, by thyreading of thyself by the tables in the ark, cast but up thine eyesa little higher, and behold, there is the mercy-seat and throne ofgrace to which thou wouldest come, and by which thou must be saved. When David came to pray to God, he said he would direct his prayerto God, and would look up (Psa 5:3). As who should say, When I pray, I will say to my prayers, O my prayers, mount up, stay not at theark of the testimony, for there is the law and condemnation; butsoar aloft to the throne that stands above, for there is God, andthere is grace displayed, and there thou mayest obtain what isnecessary to help in time of need. Some, indeed, there be that knownot what these things mean; they never read their sin nor condemnationfor it; when they are upon their knees at their devotion, and soare neither dejected at the sight of what they are, nor driven withsense of things to look higher for help at need; for need, indeed, they see none. Of such I shall say, they are not concerned in ourtext, nor can they come hither before they have been prepared soto do, as may appear before we come to an end. 

[How the godly distinguish the throne of grace. ]

SECOND. And thus have I showed you what this throne of grace is, and where it stands. And now I shall come to show you how you shallfind it, and know when you are come to it, by several other things. 

First, then, about the throne of grace there is 'a rainbow--insight like unto an emerald' (Rev 4:1-3). This was the first sightthat John saw after he had received his epistles for the sevenchurches. Before he received them, he had the great vision of hisLord, and heard him say to him, I am he that was dead and am alive, or 'that liveth and was dead, and behold I am alive for evermore, amen; and have the keys of hell and of death' (Rev 1:18). And agood preparation it was for a work of that nature that now he wascalled unto; to wit, that he might the more warmly, and affectionately, and confidently attest the truth which his Lord had now for him totestify to them. So here, before he entereth upon his prophecy ofthings to come, he hears a first voice, and sees a first sight. The first voice that he heard was, 'Come up hither, ' and the firstsight that he saw was a throne with a rainbow round about it. 'Andimmediately, ' saith he, 'I was in the Spirit; and behold a thronewas set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. And he that sat wasto look upon like a jasper, and a sardine stone, and there was arainbow round about the throne' (Rev 4:1-3). 

The firs time that we find in God's Word mention made of a rainbow, we read also of its spiritual signification, to wit, that it was atoken of the firmness of the covenant that God made with Noah, astouching his not drowning the earth any more with the waters of aflood. 'I do set, ' saith he, 'my bow in the cloud, and it shall befor a token of a covenant between me and the earth. And it shallcome to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bowshall be seen in the cloud. And I will remember my covenant whichis between me and you, and every living creature of all flesh: andthe waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh' (Gen9:13-15). The first use, therefore, of the rainbow, it was to bea token of a covenant of mercy and kindness to the world; but thatwas not the utmost end thereof. For that covenant was but a shadowof the covenant of grace which God hath made with his elect inChrist, and that bow but a shadow of the token of the permanencyand lastingness of that covenant. Wherefore the next time we readof the rainbow is in the first of Ezekiel, and there we read ofit only with reference to the excellencies of its colour; for thatit is there said to be exactly like the colour of the glory of theman that the prophet there saw as sitting upon a throne (v 28). The glory, that is, the priestly robes; for he is a priest uponthe throne, and his robes become his glory and beauty (Zech 6:13). His robes--what are they but his blessed righteousness, with theskirts of which he covereth the sinful nakedness of his people, and with the perfection of which he decketh and adorneth them, 'asa bride adorneth herself with her jewels' (Exo 28:2; Eze 16:8; Isa61:10). 

Now here again, in the third place, we find a rainbow, a rainbow roundabout the throne; round about the throne of grace. A rainbow--thatis, a token of the covenant, a token of the covenant of grace inits lastingness; and that token is the appearance of the man Christ. The appearance--that is, his robes, his righteousness, 'from theappearance of his loins even upward, ' and 'from the appearance ofhis loins even downward' (Eze 1:27); even down to the foot, as youhave it in the book of the Revelation (1:13). 'As the appearanceof the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was theappearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearanceof the likeness of the glory of the Lord' (Eze 1:28). The sum thenis, that by the rainbow round about the throne of grace upon whichGod sitteth to hear and answer the petitions of his people, we areto understand the obedential righteousness of Jesus Christ, whichin the days of his flesh he wrought out and accomplished forhis people; by which God's justice is satisfied, and their personjustified, and they so made acceptable to him. This righteousness, that shines in God's eyes more glorious than the rainbow in thecloud doth in ours, saith John, is round about the throne. But forwhat purpose? Why, to be looked upon. But who must look upon it?Why, God and his people; the people when they come to pray, andGod when he is about to hear and give. 'And the bow shall be inthe cloud'; says God, 'and I will look upon it, that I may rememberthe everlasting covenant between God and every living creature ofall flesh that is upon the earth' (Gen 9:16). And, I say, as thebow is for God to look on, so it is also for our sight to behold. A rainbow round about the throne, in sight; in whose sight? inJohn's and his companions, like unto an emerald. 

We read of Solomon's great throne of ivory, that though there wasnot its like in any kingdom, yet he was not willing that the bow ofit should stand before him. It was round behind (1 Kings 10:18-20). O! but God's throne has the bow before, even round about to view, to look upon in sight. Solomon's was but a shadow, and thereforefit to be put behind; but this is the sum and substance, andtherefore fit to be before, in view, in sight, for God and hispeople to behold. Thus you see that a rainbow is round about thethrone of grace, and what this rainbow is. Look then, when thougoest to prayer, for the throne; and that thou mayest not be deceivedwith a fancy, look for the rainbow too. The rainbow, that is, asI have said, the personal performances of Christ thy Saviour forthee. Look, I say, for that, it is his righteousness; the token ofthe everlastingness of the covenant of grace; the object of God'sdelight, and must be the matter of the justification of thy personand performances before God. God looks at it, look thou at it, andat it only (Psa 71:16). For in heaven or earth, if that be castaway, there is nothing to be found that can please God, or justifythee. If it be said faith pleases God; I answer, faith is a relativegrace; take then the relative away, which, as to justification, isthis spangling robe, this rainbow, this righteousness of Christ, and faith dies, and becomes, as to what we now treat of, extinctand quenched as tow. 

And a very fit emblem the rainbow is of the righteousness of Christ;and that in these particulars. 1. The rainbow is an effect of thesun that shines in the firmament; and the righteousness by whichthis throne of grace is encompassed, is the work of the Son ofGod. 2. The rainbow was a token that the wrath of God in sendingthe flood was appeased; this righteousness of Christ is that forthe sake of which God forgiveth us all trespasses. 3. The rainbowwas set in the cloud, that the sinful man might look thereon, andwax confident in common mercy; this righteousness is showed us inthe word, that we may by it believe unto special mercy. 4. The bowis seen but now and then in the cloud; Christ's righteousness isbut here and there revealed in the Word. 5. The bow is seen commonlyupon, or after rain; Christ's righteousness is apprehended by faithupon, or soon after the apprehensions of wrath. 6. The bow is seensometimes more, sometimes less; and so is this righteousness, evenaccording to the degree or clearness of the sight of faith. 7. The bow is of that nature, as to make whatever you shall look uponthrough it, to be of the same colour of itself, whether that thingbe bush, or man, or beast; and the righteousness of Christ is thatthat makes sinners, when God looks upon them through it, to lookbeautiful, and acceptable in his sight, for we are made comelythrough his comeliness, and made accepted in the Beloved (Eze 16:14;Eph 1:6). 

One word more of the rainbow, and then to some other things. Ashere you read that the rainbow is round about the throne; so ifyou read on even in the same place, you shall find the gloriouseffects thereof to be far more than all that I have said. But, Second. As the throne of grace is known by the rainbow that isround about it; so also thou shalt know it by this, the high priestis continually ministering before it; the high priest, or Christas priest, is there before God in his high priest's robes, makingcontinual intercession for thy acceptance there. Now, as I saidbefore, Christ is priest and throne and all; throne in one sense, priest in another; even as he was priest, and sacrifice, and altartoo, when he became our reconciler to God. 

As a priest here, he is put under the notion of an angel, of anangel that came and stood at the altar to offer incense for thechurch, all the time that the seven angels were to sound out withtrumpets the alarm of God's wrath against the anti-christian world;lest that wrath should swallow them up also. 'And, ' saith John, 'another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer;and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offerit with the prayers of all saint upon the golden altar which wasbefore the throne. And the smoke of the incense which came with theprayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel'shand' (Rev 8:1-4). 

Here then you have before the throne, that is, the throne ormercy-seat, the high priest; for there it was that God appointedthat the altar of incense, or that to burn incense on, shouldbe placed (Exo 30:1-7). This incense-altar in the type was to beoverlaid with gold; but here the Holy Ghost implies, that it is allof gold. This throne then is the mercy-seat, or throne of grace, to which we are bid to come; and, as you see, here is the angel, the high priest with his golden censer, and his incense, ready towait upon us. For so the text implies, for he is there to offerhis incense with the prayers of all saints that are waiting withoutat his time of offering incense within (Luke 1:10). So, then, atthe throne of grace, or before it, stands the high priest of ourpropitiation, Christ Jesus, with his golden censer in his hand, full of incense, therewith to perfume the prayers of saints, thatcome thither for grace and mercy to help in time of need. [8] Andhe stands there, as you see, under the name of an angel, for he isthe angel of God's presence, and messenger of his covenant. 

But now it is worth our considering, to take notice how, orin what method, the high priest under the law was to approach theincense-altar. When he came to make intercession for the saintsbefore the throne, he was to go in thither to do this work in hisrobes and ornaments; not without them, lest he died. The principalof these ornaments were, 'a breast-plate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle' (Exo 28:4). These arebriefly called his garments, in Revelation the first, and in thegeneral they show us, that he is clothed with righteousness, girdedwith truth and faithfulness, for that is the girdle of his reinsto strengthen him (Isa 11:5). And that he beareth upon his heartthe names of the children of Israel that are Israelites indeed;for as on Aaron's breast-plate was fixed the names of the twelvetribes of Israel, and he was to bear the weight of them by thestrength of his shoulders, so are we on the heart of Christ (Isa22:21). 

Thus therefore is our high priest within the holiest to offerincense upon the golden altar of incense, that is, before the throne. Wherefore, when thou goest thither, even to 'the throne of grace, 'look for him, and be not content, though thou shouldst find Godthere, if thou findest him not there, I suppose now an impossibility, for edification's sake, for without him nothing can be done; Isay, without him as a priest. He is the throne, and without him asa throne, God has no resting-place as to us; he is a priest, andwithout him as such we can make no acceptable approach to God; forby him as priest our spiritual sacrifices are accepted (1 Peter2:5). 'By him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise toGod continually, --giving thanks, ' and confessing to and 'in hisname' (Heb 13:15). And for our further edification herein, let usconsider, that as God has chosen and made him his throne of grace;so he has sworn, that he shall be accepted as a priest for everthere. For his natural qualifications we may speak something tothem afterwards; in the meantime know, that there is no coming toGod, upon pain of death without him. 

Nor will it out of my mind, but that his wearing the rainbowupon his head doth somewhat belong to him as priest, his priestlyvestments being for glory and beauty, as afore was said, comparedto the colour of it (Rev 10:1; Eze 1). But why doth he wearthe rainbow upon his head; but to show, that the sign, that theeverlastingness of the covenant of grace is only to be found inhim; that he wears it as a mitre or frontlet of gold, and can alwaysplead it with acceptance to God, and for the subduing of the worldand good of his people. But, Thirdly, The throne of grace is to be known by the sacrifice thatis presented there. The high priest was not to go into the holiest, nor come near the mercy-seat; the which, as I have showed you, was a type of our throne of grace, 'without blood. ' 'But into thesecond went the high priest alone once every year, not withoutblood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of thepeople' (Heb 9:7). Yea, the priest was to take of the blood ofhis sacrifice, and sprinkle it seven times before the Lord, thatis, before the mercy-seat, or throne of grace; and was to put someof the blood upon the horns of the altar of incense before the Lord(Lev 4:5-7, 16:13-15). So then the throne of grace is known by theblood that is sprinkled thereon, and by the atonement that by itis made there. I told you before that before the throne of gracethere is our high-priest; and now I tell you, there is his sacrificetoo; his sacrifice which he there presenteth as amends for the sinsof all such as have a right to come with boldness to the throneof grace. Hence, as I mentioned before, there is said to be inthe midst of the throne, the same throne of which we have spokenbefore, 'a lamb as it had been slain' (Rev 5:6). The words are tothe purpose, and signify that in the midst of the throne is oursacrifice, with the very marks of his death upon him; showing toGod that sitteth upon the throne, the holes of the thorns, of thenails, of the spear; and how he was disfigured with blows and bloodwhen at his command he gave himself a ransom for his people; forit cannot be imagined that either the exaltation or glorificationof the body of Jesus Christ should make him forget the day in whichhe died the death for our sins; specially since that which putsworth into his whole intercession is the death he died, and theblood he shed upon the cross, for our trespasses. 

Besides, there is no sight more taketh the heart of God, than tosee of the travail of the soul, and the bruisings of the body of hisSon for our transgressions. Hence it is said, He 'is in the midstof the throne' as he died, or as he had been slain (Rev 7:17). Itis said again, 'The Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shallfeed them. ' The Lamb, that is, the Son of God as a sacrifice, shall be always in the midst of the throne to feed and comfort hispeople. He is the throne, he is the priest, he is the sacrifice. But then how as a Lamb is he in the midst of the throne? Why, themeaning in mine opinion is, that Christ, as a dying and bleedingsacrifice, shall be chief in the reconciling of us to God; orthat his being offered for our sins shall be of great virtue whenpleaded by him as priest, to the obtaining of grace, mercy, andglory for us (Heb 9:12). By his blood he entered into the holyplace; by his blood he hath made an atonement for us before themercy-seat. His blood it is that speaketh better for us than theblood of Abel did for Cain (Heb 12:24). Also it is by his blood thatwe have bold admittance into the holiest (Heb 10:19). Wherefore nomarvel if you find him here a Lamb, as it had been slain, and thatin the midst of the throne of grace. 

While thou art therefore thinking on him, as he is the throneof grace, forget him not as he is priest and sacrifice; for as apriest he makes atonement; but there is no atonement made for sinwithout a sacrifice. Now, as Christ is a sacrifice, so he is to beconsidered as passive, or a sufferer; as he is a priest, so he isactive, or one that hath offered up himself; as he is an altar, so he is to be considered as God; for in and upon the power of hisGodhead he offered up himself. The altar then was not the cross, assome have foolishly imagined. But as a throne, a throne of grace;so he is to be considered as distinct from these three things, asI also have hinted before. Wouldst thou then know this throne ofgrace, where God sits to hear prayers and give grace? then cast theeyes of thy soul about, and look till thou findest the Lamb there;a Lamb there 'as it had been slain, ' for by this thou shalt knowthou art right. A slain Lamb, or a Lamb as it had been slain, whenit is seen by a supplicant in the midst of the throne, whither heis come for grace, is a blessed sight! A blessed sight indeed! Andit informs him he is where he should be. 

And thou must look for this, the rather because without blood isno remission. He that thinks to find grace at God's hand, and yetenters not into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, will find himselfmistaken, and will find a DEAD, [9] instead of 'a living way' (Heb10:19). For if not anything below, or besides blood, can yieldremission on God's part, how should remission be received by uswithout our acting faith therein? We are justified by his blood, through faith in his blood (Rom 5:6-9). Wherefore, I say, lookwhen thou approachest the throne of grace, that thou give diligenceto see for the Lamb; that is, 'as it had been slain' in the midstof the throne of grace; and then thou wilt have, not only a signthat thou presentest thy supplications to God, where, and as thoushouldst; but there also wilt thou meet with matter to break, to soften, to bend, to bow, and to make thy heart as thou wouldsthave it; for if the blood of a goat will, as some say, dissolve anadamant, a stone that is harder than flint;[10] shall not the sightof 'a Lamb as it had been slain' much more dissolve and melt downthe spirit of that man that is upon his knees before the throneof grace for mercy; especially when he shall see, that not hisprayers, not his tears, not his wants, but the blood of the Lamb, has prevailed with a God of grace to give mercy and grace to anundeserving man? This then is the third sign by which thou shaltknow when thou art at the throne of grace: that throne is sprinkledwith blood; yea, in the midst of that throne there is to be seento this day, a Lamb as it had been slain; and he is in the midstof it, to feed those that come to that throne, and to lead them byand to 'living fountains of waters' (Rev 7:17). Wherefore, Fourth. The throne of grace is to be known, by the streams ofgrace that continually proceed therefrom, and that like a riverrun themselves out into the world. And, saith John, 'He showed mea pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out ofthe throne of God and of the Lamb' (Rev 22:1). Mark you, here isagain a throne; the throne of God, which, as we have showed, isthe human nature of his Son; out of which, as you read, proceeds ariver, a river of water of life, clear as crystal. And the joiningof the Lamb also here with God is to show that it comes, I say, fromGod, by the Lamb; by Christ, who as a lamb or sacrifice for sin, is the procuring cause of the running of this river; it proceedethout of the throne of God and of the Lamb. Behold, therefore, howcarefully here the Lamb is brought in, as one from or through whomproceeds the water of life to us. God is the spring-head; Christthe golden pipe of conveyance; the elect the receivers of thiswater of life. He saith not here, 'the throne of the Lamb, ' but'and of the Lamb, to show, I say, that he it is out of or throughwhom this river of grace should come. ' But and if it should beunderstood that it proceedeth from the throne of the Lamb, it maybe to show that Christ also has power as a mediator, to send gracelike a river into the church. And then it amounts to this, thatGod, for Christ's sake, gives this river of grace, and that Christ, for his merits sake, has power to do so too. And hence is thatgood wish, so often mentioned in the epistles, 'Grace to you, andpeace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ' (Rom 1:7; 1Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Gal 1:3; Eph 1:2; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; 1 Thess1:2; 2 Thess 1:2; Phile 3). And again, 'Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ' (1 Peter 1:2; 2Tim 1:2; Titus 1:4). For Christ has power with the Father to givegrace and forgiveness of sins to men (John 5:21-26; Mark 2:10). But let us come to the terms in this text. Here we have a throne, a throne of grace; and to show that this throne is it indeed, therefore there proceeds therefrom a river of this grace, put hereunder the term of 'water of life, ' a term fit to express both thenature of grace and the condition of him that comes for it to thethrone of grace. 

It is called by the name of water of life, to show what a revivingcordial the grace of God in Christ is, shall be, and will be foundto be, of all those that by him shall drink thereof. It shall bein him, even in him that drinks it, 'a well of water springing upinto everlasting life' (John 4:14). It will therefore beget life, and maintain it; yea, will itself be a spring of life, in the veryheart of him that drinks it. Ah! it will be such a preservativealso to spiritual health, as that by its virtue the soul shall forever be kept, I say, the soul that drinks it, from total and finaldecay; it shall be in them a well of living water, springing upinto everlasting life. 

But there is also by this phrase or term briefly touched the presentstate of them that shall come hither to drink; they are not thehealthful, but the sick. It is with the throne of grace, as it iswith the Bath, and other places of sovereign and healing waters, they are most coveted of them that are diseased, and do also showtheir virtues on those that have their health and limbs; so, I say, is the throne of grace; its waters are for healing, for soul-healing, that is their virtue (Eze 47:8, 9). Wherefore, as at those watersabove mentioned, the lame leave their crutches, and the sick [obtain]such signs of their recovery as may be a sign of their receivinghealth and cure there; so at the throne of grace, it is where truepenitents, and those that are sick for mercy, do leave their sighsand tears; 'and the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shallfeed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters;and God shall, ' there, 'wipe away all tears from their eyes' (Rev7:17). Wherefore, as Joseph washed his face, and dried his tearsaway, when he saw his brother Benjamin, so all God's saints shallhere, even at the throne of grace, where God's Benjamin, or theSon of his right hand, is, wash their souls from sorrow, and havetheir tears wiped from their eyes. Wherefore, O thou that arediseased, afflicted, and that wouldst live, come by Jesus to Godas merciful and gracious; yea, look for this river when thou artupon thy knees before him, for by that thou shalt find whereaboutis the throne of grace, and so where thou mayest find mercy. 

But again, as that which proceeds out of this throne of grace iscalled 'water of life, ' so it is said to be a river, a river of waterof life. This, in the first place, shows, that with God is plentyof grace, even as in a river there is plenty of water; a pond, apool, a cistern, will hold much, but a river will hold more; fromthis throne come rivers and streams of water of life, to satisfythose that come for life to the throne of God. Further, as by ariver is showed what abundance of grace proceeds from God throughChrist, so it shows the unsatiable thirst and desire of one thatcomes indeed aright to the throne of grace for mercy. Nothing butrivers will satisfy such a soul; ponds, pools, and cisterns, willdo nothing: such an one is like him of whom it is said, 'Behold hedrinketh up a river, and hasteth not; he trusteth that he can drawup Jordan into his mouth' (Job 40:23). This David testifies whenhe saith, 'As the hart panteth after the water-brooks, so pantethmy soul after thee, O God' (Psa 42:1). Hence the invitation isproportionable, 'Drink abundantly' (Cant 5:1), and that they thatare saved, are saved to receive abundance of grace; 'they whichreceive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shallreign in life by one, Jesus Christ' (Rom 5:17). And hence it issaid again, 'When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, Ithe God of Israel will not forsake them. ' But, Lord, how wilt thouquench their boundless thirst? 'I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wildernessa pool of water, and the dry land springs of water' (Isa 41:17, 18). Behold here is a pool of water as big as a wilderness, enough onewould think to satisfy any thirsty soul. O, but that will not do!wherefore he will open rivers, fountains, and springs, and allthis is to quench the drought of one that thirsteth for the graceof God, that they have enough. 'They shall be abundantly satisfiedwith the fatness of thy house, and thou shalt make them drink ofthe river of thy pleasures, for with thee is the fountain of life';&c. (Psa 36:8, 9). 

This abundance the throne of grace yieldeth for the help and healthof such as would have the water of life to drink, and to cure theirdiseases withal: it yields a river of water of life. Moreover, since grace is said here to proceed as a river from the throne ofGod and of the Lamb, it is to show the commonness of it; rivers youknow are common in the stream, however they are at the head (Judg5). And to show the commonness of it, the apostle calls it 'thecommon salvation'; and it is said in Ezekiel and Zecharias, to goforth to the desert, and into the sea, the world, to heal the beastsand fish of all kinds that are there (Eze 47:8; Zech 14:8). This, therefore, is a text that shows us what it is to come to a throne, where the token of the covenant of grace is, where the high priestministereth, and in the midst of which there is a Lamb, 'as it hadbeen slain': for from thence there cometh not drops, nor showers, but rivers of the grace of God, a river of water of life. 

Again, as the grace that we here read of is said, as it comes fromthis throne, to come as a river of water of life; so it is said tobe pure and clear as crystal. Pure is set in opposition to muddyand dirty waters, and clear is set in opposition to those watersthat are black, by reason of the cold and icyish nature of them;therefore there is conjoined to this phrase the word crystal, whichall know is a clear and shining stone (Eze 34:19; Job 6:15, 16). Indeed the life and spirit that is in this water, will keep it fromlooking black and dull; and the throne from whence it comes willkeep it from being muddy, so much as in the streams thereof. 'Theblessing of the Lord, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow withit' (Prov 10:22). Indeed, all the sorrow that is mixed with ourChristianity, it proceedeth, as the procuring cause, from ourselves, not from the throne of grace; for that is the place where our tears, as was showed you, are wiped away; and also where we hang up ourcrutches. The streams thereof are pure and clear, not muddy norfrozen, but warm and delightful, and that 'make glad the city ofGod' (Psa 46). 

These words also show us, that this water of itself can do withouta mixture of anything of ours. What comes from this throne of graceis pure grace, and nothing else; clear grace, free grace, gracethat is not mixed, nor need be mixed with works of righteousnesswhich we have done; it is of itself sufficient to answer all ourwants, to heal all our diseases, and to help us at a time of need. It is grace that chooses, it is grace that calleth, it is grace thatpreserveth, and it is grace that brings to glory: even the gracethat like a river of water of life proceedeth from this throne. Andhence it is, that from first to last, we must cry, 'Grace, graceunto it!'[11]

Thus you see what a throne the Christian is invited to; it isa throne of grace whereon doth sit the God of all grace; it is athrone of grace before which the Lord Jesus ministereth continuallyfor us; it is a throne of grace sprinkled with the blood, and inthe midst of which is a Lamb as it had been slain; it is a thronewith a rainbow round about it, which is the token of the everlastingcovenant, and out of which proceeds, as here you read, a river, apure river of water of life, clear as crystal. Look then for thesesigns of the throne of grace, all you that would come to it, andrest not, until by some of them you know that you are even cometo it; they are all to be seen have you but eyes; and the sight ofthem is very delectable, and has a natural tendency in them, whenseen, to revive and quicken the soul. But, Fifth. As the throne of grace is known and distinguished by thethings above named, so it is by the effects which these thingshave wrought. There is about that throne 'four and twenty seats, and upon the seats four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in whiteraiment, and they have on their heads crowns of gold' (Rev 4:4). There is no throne that has these signs and effects belonging to itbut this; wherefore, as by these signs, so by the effects of themalso, one may know which is, and so when he is indeed come to thethrone of grace. And a little as we commented upon what went before, we will also touch upon this. 

1. By seats, I understand places of rest and dignity; places ofrest, for that they that sit on them do rest from their labours;and places of dignity, for that they are about the throne (Rev14:13). 'And the four and twenty elders which sat before God ontheir seats, fell upon their faces and worshipped God' (Rev 11:16). And forasmuch as the seats are mentioned, before they are mentionedthat sat thereon, it is to show, that the places were preparedbefore they were converted. 

2. The elders, I take to be the twelve patriarchs and the twelveapostles, or the first fathers of the churches; for they are theelders of both the churches, that is, both of the Jewish and Gentilechurch of God; they are the ancients, as also they are called inthe prophet Isaiah, which are in some sense the fathers of boththese churches (Isa 24:23). These elders are well set forth bythat four and twenty that you read of in the book of Chronicles, who had every one of them for sons twelve in number. There thereforethe four and twenty are (1 Chron 25:8-31). 

3. Their sitting denoteth also their abiding in the presence ofGod. 'Sit thou at my right hand, ' was the Father's word to theSon, and also signifieth the same (Psa 110:1). It is then the throneof grace where the four and twenty seats are, and before which thefour and twenty elders sit. 

4. Their white robes are Christ's righteousness, their own goodworks and glory; not that their works brought them thither, forthey were of themselves polluted, and were washed white in theblood of the Lamb; but yet God will have all that his people havedone in love to him to be rewarded. Yea, and they shall wear theirown labours, being washed as afore is hinted, as a badge of theirhonour before the throne of grace, and this is grace indeed. 'Theyhave washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of theLamb, therefore are they before the throne of God' (Rev 7:14, 15). They have washed as others did do before them. 

5. 'And they had on their heads crowns of gold' (Rev 4:4). Thisdenotes their victory, and also that they are kings, and as kingsshall reign with him for ever and ever (Rev 5:10). 

6. But what! were they silent? did they say, did they do nothingwhile they sat before the throne? Yes, they were appointed to besingers there. This was signified by the four and twenty that wemade mention of before, who with their sons were instructed in thesongs of the Lord, and all that were cunning to do so then, were twohundred fourscore and eight (1 Chron 25:7). These were the figureof that hundred forty and four thousand redeemed from the earth. For as the first four and twenty, and their sons, are said to singand to play upon cymbals, psalteries, and harps; and as they arethere said to be instructed and cunning in the songs of the Lord;so these that sit before the throne are said also to sing withharps in their hands their song before the throne; and such songit was, and so cunningly did they sing it, that 'no man could learnit, but the hundred and forty and four thousand which were redeemedfrom the earth' (Rev 14:3). 

Now, as I said, as he at first began with four and twenty inDavid, and ended with four and twenty times twelve, so here in Johnhe begins with the same number, but ends with such a company thatno man could number. For, he saith, 'After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, andkindreds, and people, and tongues stood before the throne, and beforethe Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands. Andcried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God, which sittethupon the throne, and unto the Lamb. And all the angels stood roundabout the throne, and the elders, and the four beasts, and fellbefore the throne on their faces, and worshipped God' (Rev 7:9-11). This numberless number seems to have got the song by the end;[12]for they cry aloud, 'Salvation, salvation to our God and to theLamb'; which to be sure is such a song that none can learn but themthat are redeemed from the earth. 

But I say, what a brave encouragement is it for one that is comefor grace to the throne of grace, to see so great a number alreadythere, on their seats, in their robes, with their palms in theirhands, and their crowns upon their heads, singing of salvation toGod, and to the Lamb! And I say again, and speak now to the dejected, methinks it would be strange, O thou that art so afraid that thegreatness of thy sins will be a bar unto thee, if amongst all thisgreat number of pipers and harpers that are got to glory, thou canstnot espy one that when here was as vile a sinner as thyself. Lookman, they are there for thee to view them, and for thee to takeencouragement to hope, when thou shalt consider what grace andmercy has done for them. Look again, I say, now thou art upon thyknees, and see if some that are among them have not done worse thanthou hast done. And yet behold, they are set down; and yet beholdthey have their crowns on their heads, their harps in their hands, and sing aloud of salvation to their God, and to the Lamb. 

This then is a fifth note or sign that doth distinguish the throneof grace from other thrones. There are, before that, to be seen, for our encouragement, a numberless number of people sitting andsinging round about it. Singing, I say, to God for his grace, andto the Lamb for his blood, by which they are secured from the wrathto come. 'And the four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints, and they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; forthou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out ofevery kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and hast made usunto our God, kings and priests, and we shall reign on the earth'(Rev 5:8-10). Behold, tempted soul, dost thou not yet see what athrone of grace here is, and what multitudes are already arrivedthither, to give thanks unto his name that sits thereon, and tothe Lamb for ever and ever? And wilt thou hang thy harp upon thewillows, and go drooping up and down the world, as if there wasno God, no grace, no throne of grace, to apply thyself unto, formercy and grace to help in time of need? Hark! dost thou not hearthem what they say, 'Worthy, ' say they, 'is the Lamb that wasslain, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, andhonour, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is inheaven, ' where they are, 'and on the earth, ' where thou art, 'andunder the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are inthem, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power beunto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for everand ever' (Rev 5:12, 13). 

All this is written for our learning, that we through patience andcomfort of the scriptures might have hope; and that the droopingones might come boldly to the throne of grace, to obtain grace andfind mercy to help in time of need. They bless, they all bless;they thank, they all thank; and wilt thou hold thy tongue? 'Theyhave all received of his fulness, and grace for grace'; and willhe shut thee out? Or is his grace so far gone, and so near spent, that now he has not enough to pardon, and secure, and save onesinner more? For shame, leave off this unbelief! Wherefore, dostthou think, art thou told of all this, but to encourage thee tocome to the throne of grace? And wilt thou hang back or be sullen, because thou art none of the first? since he hath said, 'Thefirst shall be last, and the last first. ' Behold the legions, thethousands, the untold and numberless number that stand before thethrone, and be bold to hope in his mercy. 

Sixth. [The throne of grace is known by what proceeds from it. ] Asthe throne of grace is distinguished from other thrones by these, so 'out of this throne proceeds lightnings, and thunderings, andvoices. ' Also before this throne are 'seven lamps of fire burning, which are the seven spirits of God' (Rev 4:5). This then is anotherthing by which the throne of grace may be known as an effect of whatis before. So again, chapter the eighth, it is said, that from thealtar of incense that stood before the throne, 'there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake' (Rev 8:5). Allthese then come out of the holiest, where the throne is, and areinflamed by this throne, and by him that sits thereon. 

1. Lightnings here are to be taken for the illuminations of theSpirit in the gospel (Heb 10:32). As it is said in the book ofPsalms, 'They looked unto him, ' on the throne, 'and were lightened'(Psa 34:5). Or, as it is said in other places, 'The voice of thythunder was in the heaven, the lightnings lightened the world' (Psa77:18). And again, 'His lightnings enlightened the world, the earthsaw and trembled' (Psa 97:4). This lightning therefore communicateslight to them that sit in darkness. 'God, ' saith the apostle, 'whocommanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in ourhearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of Godin the face of Jesus Christ' (2 Cor 4:6). It was from this thronethat the light came that struck Paul off his horse, when he wentto destroy it and the people that professed it (Acts 9:3). Theseare those lightnings by which sinners are made to see their sadcondition, and by which they are made to see the way out of it. Art thou then made to see thy condition how bad it is, and that theway out of it is by Jesus Christ? for, as I said, he is the throneof grace. Why then, come orderly in the light of these convictionsto the throne from whence thy light did come, and cry there, asSamuel did to Eli, 'Here am I, for thou has called[13] me' (1 Sam3:8). Thus did Saul by the light that made him see; by it he cameto Christ, and cried, 'Who art thou, Lord?' and, 'What wouldst thouhave me do?' (Acts 9:5, 6). And is it not an encouragement to theeto come to him, when he lights thy candle that thou mightest seethe way; yea, when he doth it on purpose that thou mightest cometo him? 'He gives light to them that sit in darkness, and inthe shadow of death, ' what to do? 'to guide our feet into the wayof peace' (Luke 1:79). This interpretation of this place seems tome most to cohere with what went before; for first you have herea throne, and one sitting on it; then you have the elders, and inthem presented to you the whole church, sitting round about thethrone; then you have in the words last read unto you, a discoursehow they came thither, and that is, by the lightnings, thunderings, and voices that proceed out of the throne. 

2. As you have here lightnings, so thereto is adjoined thunders. There proceeded out of this throne lightnings and thunders. Bythunders, I understand that powerful discovery of the majesty ofGod by the word of truth, which seizeth the heart with a reverentialdread and awe of him: hence it is said, 'The voice of the Lord isfull of majesty; the voice of the Lord breaketh the cedars' (Psa29:45). The voice, that is, his thundering voice. 'Canst thou thunderwith a voice like him?' (Job 40:9). And 'the thunder of his powerwho can understand?' (Job 26:14). It was upon this account thatPeter, and James, and John, were called 'the sons of thunder, 'because, in the word which they were to preach, there was to benot only lightnings, but thunders; not only illuminations, but agreat seizing of the heart, with the dread and majesty of God, tothe effectual turning of the sinner to him (Mark 3:16, 17). 

Lightnings without thunder are in this case dangerous, because theythat receive the one without the other are subject to miscarry. They were 'once enlightened, ' but you read of no thunder they had;and they were subject to fall into an irrecoverable state (Heb6:4-6). Saul had thunder with his lightnings to the shaking ofhis soul; so had the three thousand; so had the jailor (Acts 2, 9, 16). They that receive light without thunder are subject to turnthe grace of God into wantonness; but they that know the terror ofGod will persuade men (Rom 3:8; Jude 4; 2 Cor 5:11). So then, whenhe decrees to give the rain of his grace to a man, he makes 'a wayfor the lighting of the thunder, ' not the one without the other, but the one following the other (Job 28:26). Lightning and thunderis made a cause of rain, but lightning alone is not: 'Who hathdivided a water-course for the overflowing of waters? or a way forthe lightning of thunder to cause it to rain on the earth, whereno man is: on the wilderness wherein there is no man?' (Job 38:25, 26). 

Thus therefore you may see how in the darkest sayings of theHoly Ghost there is as great an harmony with truth as in the mostplain and easy; there must be thunder with light, if thy heart bewell poised and balanced with the fear of God: we have had greatlightnings in this land of late years, but little thunders; andthat is one reason why so little grace is found where light is, andwhy so many professors run on their heads in such a day as this is, notwithstanding all they have seen. Well then, this also should bea help to a soul to come to the throne of grace; the God of gloryhas thundered, has thundered to awaken thee, as well as sentlightnings to give thee light; to awaken thee to a coming to him, as well as to the enabling of thee to see his things; this then hascome from the throne of grace to make thee come hither; whereforeobserve, where it is by these signs made mention of before, and bythese effects; and go, and come to the throne of grace. 

3. As there proceeds from this throne lightnings and thunders, sofrom hence it is said voices proceed also: now these voices maybe taken for such as are sent with this lightning and thunder toinstruct, or for such [instruction] as this lightning and thunderbegets in our hearts. 

(1. ) It may be taken in the first sense for light and dread, whenit falleth from God into the soul, is attended with a voice or voicesof instruction to the soul, to know what to do (Acts 2:3-7). Thisit was in Paul's case. He had light and dread, and voices for hisinstruction; he had lightnings, and thunderings, and voices: 'Goodand upright is the Lord; therefore will he teach sinners in the way. The meek will he guide in judgment; and the meek will he teach hisway' (Psa 25:8, 9). 

(2. ) Or by voices you may understand, such as the lightning andthunder begets in our hearts: for though man is as mute as a fishto Godward, before this thunder and lightning comes to him, yetafter that he is full of voices (2 Cor 4:13, 7:14). And how muchmore numerous are the voices that in the whole church on earth arebegot by these lightnings and thunders that proceed from the throneof grace; their faith has a voice, their repentance has a voice, their subjection to God's word has a voice in it; yea, there isa voice in their prayers, a voice in their cry, a voice in theirtears, a voice in their groans, in their roarings, in their bemoaningof themselves, and in their triumphs! (1 Thess 1:2-8; Psa 5:3, 7:17, 20:2-5, 22:1, 138:5; Jer 31:18). 

This then is an effect of the throne of grace; hence it is saidthat they proceed from it, even the lightning, and the thunder, and the voices; that is, effectual conversion to God. It followsthen, that if all these are with thy soul, the operations of thethrone of grace have been upon thee to bring thee to the throneof grace; first in thy prayers, and then in thy person. And thisleads me to the next thing propounded to be spoken to, which isto show who are the persons invited here to come to the throne ofgrace. 'Let us therefore come. '

[THE PERSONS INTENDED BY THIS EXHORTATION. ]

THIRD. Now the persons here called upon to come to the throneof grace, are not all or every sort of men, but the men that mayproperly be comprehended under this word Us and We; 'let Us thereforecome boldly, that We may obtain. ' And they that are here put underthese particular terms, are expressed both before and after, bythose that have explication in them. 

They are called [in the epistle to the Hebrews], 1. Such as givethe most earnest heed to the word which they have heard (Heb 2:1). 2. They are such as see Jesus crowned with glory and honour (Heb2:9). 3. They are called the children (Heb 2:14). 4. They arecalled the seed of Abraham (Heb 2:16). 5. They are called Christ'sbrethren (Heb 2:17). 

So, chapter the third, they are called holy brethren, and said tobe partakers of the heavenly calling, and the people of whom itis said that Christ Jesus is the apostle and high priest of theirprofession (Heb 3:1-6). They are called Christ's own house, andare said to be partakers of Christ (Heb 3:14). They are said to bethe believers, those that do enter in into rest, those that haveChrist for a high priest, and with the feeling of whose infirmitieshe is touched and sympathiseth (Heb 4:3, 14, 15). 

So, in chapter the sixth, they are called beloved, and the heirsof promise; they that have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hopeset before them; they are called those that have hope as an anchor, and those for whom Christ as a forerunner hath entered and takenpossession of heaven (Heb 6:9, 17-20). So, chapter the seventh, theyare said to be such as draw nigh unto God (Heb 7:19). And, chapterthe eighth, they are said to be such with whom the new covenant ismade in Christ. Chapter the ninth, they are such for whom Christhas obtained eternal redemption, and such for whom he has enteredthe holy place (Heb 9:12, 22). Chapter the tenth, they are such asare said to be sanctified by the will of God, such as have boldnessto enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus; such as draw nearwith a true heart, in full assurance of faith, or that have libertyto do so, having their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and their bodies washed with pure water; they were those that hadsuffered much for Christ in the world, and that became companionsof them that so were used (Heb 10:10, 19, 22-25). Yea, he tells them, in the eleventh chapter, that they and the patriarchs must be madeperfect together (Heb 11:40). He also tells them, in the twelfthchapter, that already they are come to Mount Zion, to the cityof the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerablecompany of angels; to the general assembly and church of the firstborn which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all; andto the spirits of just men made perfect, and to Jesus the mediatorof the New Testament, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speakethbetter things than that of Abel (Heb 12:22-24). 

Thus you see what terms, characters, titles, and privileges, theyare invested with that are here exhorted to come to the throne ofgrace. From whence we may conclude that every one is not capableof coming thither, no not every one that is under convictions, andthat hath a sense of the need of and a desire after the mercy ofGod in Christ. 

[The orderly coming to the throne of grace. ]

Wherefore we will come, in the next place, to show the orderlycoming of a soul to the throne of grace for mercy: and for thiswe must first apply ourselves to the Old Testament, where we havethe shadow of what we now are about to enter upon the discourseof, and then we will come to the antitype, where yet the thing isfar more explained. 

First. Then, the mercy-seat was for the church, not for the world;for a Gentile could not go immediately from his natural state tothe mercy-seat, by the high priest, but must first orderly joinhimself, or be joined, to the church, which then consisted of thebody of the Jews (Exo 12:43-49). The stranger then must first becircumcised, and consequently profess faith in the Messiah to come, which was signified by his going from his circumcision directlyto the passover, and so orderly to other privileges, specially tothis of the mercy-seat which the high priest was to go but once ayear into (Eze 44:6-9). 

Second. The church is again set forth unto us by Aaron and his sons. Aaron as the head, his sons as the members; but the sons of Aaronwere not to meddle with any of the things of the Holiest, untilthey had washed in a laver: 'And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash in; and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of thecongregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. ForAaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat. When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation they shallwash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to thealtar to minister, to burn offerings made by fire unto the Lord. So they shall wash their hands and their feet that they die not:and it shall be a statute for ever unto them, even to him, and tohis seed throughout their generations. ' See the margin (Exo 30:17-21, 40:30-32). [14]

Third. Nay, so strict was this law, that if any of Israel, as wellas the stranger, were defiled by any dead thing, they were to washbefore they partook of the holy things, or else to abstain: but ifthey did not, their sin should remain upon them (Lev 17:15, 16). Soagain, 'the soul that hath touched any such' uncleanness 'shall beunclean until even, and shall not eat of the holy things, ' much lesscome within the inner veil, 'unless he wash his flesh with water'(Lev 22:4-6). Now, I would ask, what all this should signify, if asinner, as a sinner, before he washes, or is washed, may immediatelygo unto the throne of grace? Yea, I ask again, why the apostlesupposes washing as a preparation to the Hebrews entering intothe holiest, if men may go immediately from under convictions to athrone of grace? For thus, he says, 'let us draw near' 'the holiest'(Heb 12:19), 'with a true heart, in full assurance of faith; havingour hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washedwith pure water' (Heb 12:22). Let us draw near; he saith not thatwe may have; but having FIRST been washed and sprinkled. 

The laver then must first be washed in; and he that washed not firstthere, has not right to come to the throne of grace; wherefore youhave here also a sea of glass standing before the throne of grace, to signify this thing (Rev 4:6). It stands before the throne, forthem to wash in that would indeed approach the throne of grace. Forthis sea of glass is the same that is shadowed forth by the lavermade mention of before, and with the brazen sea that stood inSolomon's temple, whereat they were to wash before they went intothe holiest. But you may ask me, What the laver or molten seashould signify to us in the New Testament? I answer, It signifieththe word of the New Testament, which containeth the cleansing doctrineof remission of sins, by the precious blood of Jesus Christ (John15:3). [15] Wherefore we are said to be clean through the Word, through the washing of water by the Word (Titus 3:5). The meaningthen is, A man must first come to Christ, as set forth in theWord, which is this sea of glass, before he can come to Christ inheaven, as he is the throne of grace. For the Word, I say, is thissea of glass that stands before the throne, for the sinner to washin first. Know therefore, whoever thou art, that art minded to besaved, thou must first begin with Christ crucified, and with thepromise of remission of sins through his blood; which crucifiedChrist thou shalt not find in heaven as such; for there he is alive;but thou shalt find him in the Word; for there he is to this dayset forth in all the circumstances of his death, as crucified beforeour eyes (Gal 3:1, 2). There thou shalt find that he died, when hedied, what death he died, why he died, and the Word open to theeto come and wash in his blood. The word therefore of Christ'sTestament is the laver for all New Testament priests, and everyChristian is a priest to God, to wash in. 

Here therefore thou must receive thy justification, and thatbefore thou goest one step further; for if thou art not justifiedby his blood, thou wilt not be saved by his life. And the justifyingefficacy of his blood is left behind, and is here contained inthe molten sea, or laver, or word of grace, for thee to wash in. Indeed, there is an interceding voice in his blood for us beforethe throne of grace, or mercy-seat; but that is still to bring usto wash, or for them that have washed therein, as it was shed uponthe cross. We have boldness therefore to enter into the holiest bythe blood of Jesus, that is, by faith in his blood, as shed withoutthe gate; for as his blood was shed without the gate, so it sanctifiesthe believer, and makes him capable to approach the holy of holies. Wherefore, after he had said, 'That he might sanctify the peoplewith his own blood, ' he 'suffered without the gate' (Heb 13:11-15). Let us by him therefore, that is, because we are first sanctifiedby faith in his blood, offer to God the sacrifice of praisecontinually, that is, the fruits of our lips, giving thanks in hisname. Wherefore the laver of regeneration, or Christ set forth bythe Word as crucified, is for all coming sinners to wash in untojustification; and the throne of grace is to be approached by saints, or as sinners justified by faith in a crucified Christ; and so, aswashed from sin in the sea of his blood, to come to the mercy-seat. 

And it is yet far more evident; for that those that approach thisthrone of grace, they must do it through believing; for, saith theapostle, 'How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed, 'of whom they have not heard, and in whom they have not believed?for to that purpose runs the text (Rom 10:14). 'How then shall theycall on him in whom they have not believed, ' antecedent to theircalling on him, 'and how shall they believe in him of whom theyhave not heard' first? So then hearing goes before believing, andbelieving before calling upon God, as he sits on the throne of grace. Now, believing is to be according to the sound of the beginning ofthe gospel, which presenteth us, not first with Christ as ascended, but as Christ dying, buried, and risen. [16] 'For I delivered untoyou first of all, that which I also received; how that Christ diedfor our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the scriptures'(1 Cor 15:3, 4). 

I conclude then, as to this, that the order of heaven is, that menwash in the laver of regeneration, to wit, in the blood of Christ, as held forth in the word of the truth of the gospel, which is theordinance of God; for there sinners, as sinners, or men as unclean, may wash, in order to their approach to God as he sits upon thethrone of grace. 

And besides, Is it possible that a man that passeth by the doctrineof Christ as dead, should be admitted with acceptance to a just andholy God for life; or that he that slighteth and trampleth underfoot the blood of Christ, as shed upon the cross, should be admittedto an interest in Christ, as he is the throne of grace? It cannotbe. He must then wash there first, or die--let his profession, orpretended faith, or holiness, be what it will. For God sees iniquityin all men; nor can all the nitre or soap in the world cause thatour iniquity should not be marked before God (Jer 2:22). 'Forwithout shedding of blood is NO remission' (Heb 9:22). Nothingthat polluteth, that defileth, or that is unclean, must enter intoGod's sanctuary; much less into the most holy part thereof, but bytheir sacrifice, by which they are purged, and for the sake of theperfection thereof, they believing are accepted. We have 'therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 'and no way else (Heb 10:19). 

[HOW WE ARE TO APPROACH THE THRONE OF GRACE. ]

FOURTH. But this will yet be further manifest by what we have yetto say of the manner of our approach unto the throne of grace. 

FIRST, then, we must approach the throne of grace by the secondveil; for the throne of grace is after the second veil. So, then, though a man cometh into the tabernacle or temple, which was afigure of the church, yet if he entered but within the first veil, he only came where there was no mercy-seat or throne of grace (Heb9:3). And what is this second veil, in, at, or through which, asthe phrase is, we must, by blood, enter into the holiest? why, asto the law, the second veil did hang up between the holy and themost holy place, and it did hide what was within the holiest fromthe eyes or sight of those that went no further than into the firsttabernacle. Now this second veil in the tabernacle or temple wasa figure of the second veil that all those must go through thatwill approach the throne of grace; and that veil is the flesh ofChrist. 

This is that which the holy apostle testifies in his exhortation, where he saith, We have 'boldness to enter into the holiest by theblood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecratedfor us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh' (Heb 10:19, 20). The second veil then is the flesh of Christ, the which until aman can enter or go through by his faith, it is impossible that heshould come to the holiest where the throne of grace is, that is, to the heart and soul of Jesus, which is the throne. The body ofChrist is the tabernacle of God, and so that in which God dwells;for the fulness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily (Col 2:9). Therefore, as also has been hinted before, Christ Jesus is thethrone of grace. Now, since his flesh is called the veil, it isevident that the glory that dwells within him, to wit, God restingin him, cannot be understood but by them that by faith can lookthrough, or enter through, his flesh to that glory. For the gloryis within the veil; there is the mercy-seat, or throne of grace;there sitteth God as delighted, as at rest, in and with sinners, that come to him by and through that flesh, and the offering ofit for sin without the gate. 'I am the way, ' saith Christ; but towhat? and how? (John 14:6). Why, to the Father, through my flesh. 'And having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him toreconcile all things to himself; by him, I say, whether they bethings in earth, or things in heaven. And you that were sometimealienated, and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hathhe reconciled [but how?] in the body of his flesh, [that thenmust be first: to what?] to present you holy and unblameable, andunreprovable in his sight' (Col 1:20-22). That is, when you enterinto his presence, or approach by this flesh, the mercy-seat, orthe throne of grace. 

This therefore is the manner of our coming, if we come aright to thethrone of grace for mercy, we must come by blood through his flesh, as through the veil; by which, until you have entered through it, the glory of God, and that he is resolved that grace shall reign, will be utterly hid from your eyes. I will not say, but by the notionof these things, men may have their whirling fancies, [17] and maycreate to themselves wild notions and flattering imaginations ofChrist, the throne of grace, and of glory; but the gospel knowledgeof this is of absolute necessity to my right coming to the throneof grace for mercy. I must come by his blood, through his flesh, or I cannot come at all, for here is no back door. This then isthe sum, Christ's body is the tabernacle, the holiest; 'thy law, 'saith he, 'is within my heart, ' or in the midst of my bowels (Psa40:7, 8). In this tabernacle then God sitteth, to wit, on the heartof Christ, for that is the throne of grace. Through this tabernaclemen must enter, that is, by a godly understanding of what by thistabernacle or flesh of Christ has been done to reconcile us to Godthat dwells in him. This is the way, all the way, for there is noway but this to come to the throne of grace. This is the new wayinto the heavenly paradise, for the old way is hedged and ditchedup by the flaming sword of cherubims (Gen 3:24). The NEW and LIVINGway, for to go the other is present death; so then, this 'new andliving way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, thatis to say, his flesh, ' is the only way into the holiest, where thethrone of grace is (Heb 10:20). 

SECOND. We must approach this throne of grace, as having our hearts, first, sprinkled from an evil conscience. The priest that was therepresentator of all Israel, when he went into the holiest, wasnot to go in, but as sprinkled with blood first (Exo 29). Thus itis written in t he law; 'not without blood'; and thus it is writtenin the gospel (Heb 9:7). And now since by the gospel we have alladmittance to enter in through the veil, by faith, we must take heedthat we enter not in without blood; for if the blood, virtually, benot seen upon us, we die, instead of obtaining mercy, and findingthe help of grace. This I press the oftener, because there is nothingto which we are more naturally inclined, than to forget this. Who, that understands himself, is not sensible how apt he is to forgetto act faith in the blood of Jesus, and to get his consciencesprinkled with the virtue of that, that attempteth to approach thethrone of grace? Yet the scripture calls upon us to take heed thatwe neglect not THUS to prepare ourselves. 'Let us draw near with atrue heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkledfrom an evil conscience, ' to wit, with the blood of Christ, lestwe die (Heb 10:22, 9:14). In the law all the people were to besprinkled with blood, and it was necessary that the patterns ofthings in the heavens should be purified with these, that is, withthe blood of bulls, but the heavenly things themselves with bettersacrifices than these, that is, with the offering of the body, andshedding of the blood of Christ. By this then must thou be purifiedand sprinkled, who by Christ wouldst approach the throne of grace. 

THIRD. Therefore it is added, 'And our bodies washed with purewater. ' This the apostle taketh also out of the law; where it wasappointed, as was showed before. Christ also, just before he wentto the Father, gave his disciples a signification of this, sayingto Peter, and by him to all the rest, 'If I wash thee not, thouhast no part with me' (John 13:8). This pure water is nothing butthe wholesome doctrine of the word mixed with Spirit, by which, as the conscience was before sprinkled with blood, the body andoutward conversation is now sanctified and made clean. 'Now ye areclean through the word, ' saith Christ, 'which I have spoken untoyou' (John 15:3). Hence, washing, and sanctifying, and justifying, are put together, and are said to come by the name of our Lord JesusChrist, and by the Spirit of our God (1 Cor 6:11). Thou must thenbe washed with water, and sprinkled with blood, if thou wouldstorderly approach the throne of grace: if thou wouldst orderlyapproach it with a true heart, in full assurance of faith; or ifthou wouldst, as the text biddeth thee here, to wit, 'come boldlyunto the throne of grace, to obtain mercy, and find grace to helpin time of need. '

To tell you what it is to come boldly, is one thing; and to tellyou how you should come boldly, is another. Here you are bid tocome boldly, and are also showed how that may be done. It may bedone through the blood of sprinkling, and through the sanctifyingoperations of the Spirit which are here by faith to be received. And when what can be said shall be said to the utmost, there is noboldness, godly boldness, but by blood. The more the conscience isa stranger to the sprinkling of blood, the further off it is ofbeing rightly bold with God, at the throne of grace; for it is theblood that makes the atonement, and that gives boldness to the soul(Lev 17:11; Heb 10:19). It is the blood, the power of it by faithupon the conscience, that drives away guilt, and so fear, andconsequently that begetteth boldness. Wherefore, he that will bebold with God at the throne of grace, must first be well acquaintedwith the doctrine of the blood of Christ; namely, that it was shed, and why, and that it has made peace with God, and for whom. Yea, thou must be able by faith to bring thyself within the number ofthose that are made partakers of this reconciliation, before thoucanst come boldly to the throne of grace. But, [What it is to come to the throne of grace without boldness. ]

First. There is a coming to the throne of grace before or withoutthis boldness; but that is not the coming to which by these textswe are exhorted; yet that coming, be it never so deficient, ifit is right, it is through some measure an inlet into the deathand blood of Christ, and through some management, though but verylittle, or perhaps scarce at all discerned of the soul, to hopefor grace from the throne; I say, it must arise, the encouragementmust, from the cross, and from Christ as dying there. Christ himselfwent that way to God, and it is not possible but we must go thesame way too. So, then, the encouragement, be it little, be itmuch--and it is little or much, even as the faith is in strengthor weakness, which apprehendeth Christ--it is according to theproportion of faith; strong faith gives great boldness, weak faithdoth not so, nor can it. 

Second. There is a sincere coming to the throne of grace withoutthis boldness, even a coming in the uprightness of one's heartwithout it. Hence a true heart and full assurance are distinguished. 'Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith'(Heb 10:22). Sincerity may be attended with a great deal of weakness, even as boldness may be attended with pride; but be it what kindof coming to the throne of grace it will, either a coming withboldness, or with that doubting which is incident to saints, stillthe cause of that coming, or ground thereof, is some knowledge ofredemption by blood, redemption which the soul seeth it has faithin, or would see it has faith in. For Christ is precious, sometimesin the sight of the worth, sometimes in the sight of the want, andsometimes in the sight of the enjoyment of him. [18]

Third. There is an earnest coming to the throne of grace even withall the desire of one's soul. When David had guilt and trouble, and that so heavy that he knew not what to do, yet he could say, 'Lord, all my desire is before thee, and my groaning is not hidfrom thee' (Psa 38:1-9). He could come earnestly to the throne ofgrace; he could come thither with all the desire of his soul: butstill this must be from that knowledge that he had of the way ofremission of sins by the blood of the Son of God. 

Fourth. There is also a constant coming to the throne of grace. 'Lord, ' said Heman, 'I have cried day and night before thee, letmy prayer come before thee, incline thine ear unto my cry, for mysoul is full of troubles: and my life draweth nigh unto the grave'(Psa 88:1-3). Here you see is constant crying before the throne ofgrace, crying night and day; and yet the man that cries seems tobe in a very black cloud, and to find hard work to bear up in hissoul; yet this he had, namely, the knowledge of how God was theGod of salvation; yea, he called him his God as such, though withpretty much difficulty of spirit, to be sure. Wherefore it mustnot be concluded, that they come not at all to the throne of grace, that come not with a full assurance; or that men must forbear tocome, till they come with assurance; but this I say, they come notat all aright, that take not the ground of their coming from thedeath and blood of Christ; and that they that come to the throneof grace, with but little knowledge of redemption by blood, willcome with but little hope of obtaining grace and mercy to help intime of need. 

I conclude then, that it is the privilege, the duty and glory ofa man, to approach the throne of grace as a prince, as Job said, could he but find it, he would be sure to do. 'O that I knew whereI might find him!' saith he, 'that I might come even to his seat:I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments:I would know the words which he would answer me, and understandwhat he would say unto me. Will he plead against me with his greatpower? No; but he would put strength in me. There the righteousmight dispute with him: so should I be delivered for ever from myjudge' (23:3-7). Indeed, God sometimes tries us. 'He holdeth back, 'sometimes, 'the face of his throne, and spreadeth his cloud uponit' (Job 26:9). And this seems to be Job's case here, which madehim to confess he was at a loss, and to cry out, 'O that I knewwhere I might find him!' And this he doth for trial, and to proveour honesty and constancy; for the hypocrite will not pray always. Will he always call upon God? No, verily; especially not when thoubindest them, afflictest them, and makest praying hard work to them(Job 36:13). 

But difficulty as to finding of God's presence, and the sweet shiningof the face of his throne, doth not always lie in the weakness offaith. Strong faith may be in this perplexity, and may be hard putto it to stand at times. It is said here, that God did hold back theface of his throne, and did spread a cloud upon it; not to weakenJob's faith, but to try Job's strength, and to show to men of afterages how valiant a man Job was. Faith, if it be strong, will playthe man in the dark; will, like a mettled horse, flounce in badway, will not be discouraged at trials, at many or strong trials:'Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, ' is the language ofthat invincible grace of God (Job 13:15). There is also an aptnessin those that come to the throne of grace, to cast all degrees offaith away, that carrieth not in its bowels self-evidence of itsown being and nature, thinking that if it be faith, it must be knownto the soul; yea, if it be faith, it will do so and so: even so asthe highest degrees of faith will do. When, alas! faith is sometimesin a calm, sometimes up, and sometimes down, and sometimes at itwith sin, death, and the devil, as we say, blood up to the ears. [19]Faith now has but little time to speak peace to the conscience; itis now struggling for life, it is now fighting with angels, withinfernals; all it can do now, is to cry, groan, sweat, fear, fight, and gasp for life. [20]

Indeed the soul should now run to the cross, for there is thewater, or rather the blood and water, that is provided for faith, as to the maintaining of the comfort of justification; but thesoul whose faith is thus attacked will find hard work to do this, though much of the well-managing of faith, in the good fight offaith, will lie in the soul's hearty and constant adhering to thedeath and blood of Christ; but a man must do as he can. Thus nowhave I showed you the manner of right coming to the throne of grace, for mercy and grace to help in time of need. 

[None but the godly know the throne of grace. ]

The next thing that I am to handle, is, first, To show you, thatit is the privilege of the godly to distinguish from all throneswhatsoever this throne of grace. This, as I told you, I gathered fromthe apostle in the text, for that he only maketh mention thereof, but gives no sign to distinguish it by; no sign, I say, though heknew that there were more thrones than it. 'Let us come boldly, 'saith he, 'to the throne of grace, ' and so leaves it, knowingfull well that they had a good understanding of his meaning, beingHebrews (Heb 9:1-8). They being now also enlightened from whatthey were taught by the placing of the ark of the testimony, andthe mercy-seat in the most holy place; of which particular theapostle did then count it, not of absolute necessity distinctly todiscourse. Indeed the Gentiles, as I have showed, have this throneof grace described and set forth before them, by those tokens whichI have touched upon in the sheets that go before--for with the bookof Revelation the Gentiles are particularly concerned--for thatit was writ to churches of the Gentiles; also the great thingsprophesied of there relate unto Gentile-believers, and to thedownfall of Antichrist, as he standeth among them. 

But yet, I think that John's discourse of the things attending thethrone of grace were not by him so much propounded, because theGentiles were incapable of finding of it without such description, as to show the answerableness of the antitype with the type; andalso to strengthen their faith, and illustrate the thing; for theythat know, may know more, and better of what they know; yea, maybe greatly comforted with another's dilating on what they know. Besides, the Holy Ghost by the word doth always give the most perfectdescription of things; wherefore to that we should have recoursefor the completing of our knowledge. I mean not, by what I say, inthe least to intimate, as if this throne of grace was to be knownwithout the text, for it is that that giveth revelation of JesusChrist: but my meaning is, that a saint, as such, has such a workingof things upon his heart, as makes him able by the Word to findout this throne of grace, and to distinguish it to himself fromothers. For, First. The saint has strong guilt of sin upon his conscience, especially at first; and this makes him better judge what grace, in the nature of grace, is, than others can that are not sensibleof what guilt is. What it was to be saved, was better relished bythe jailor when he was afraid of and trembled at the apprehensionsof the wrath of God, than ever it was with him all his lifebefore (Acts 16:29-33). Peter then also saw what saving was, whenhe began to sink into the sea: 'Lord, save me, ' said he, I perish(Matt 14:30). Sin is that without a sense of which a man is notapprehensive what grace is. Sin and grace, favour and wrath, deathand life, hell and heaven, are opposites, and are set off, or out, in their evil or good, shame or glory, one by another. What makesgrace so good to us as sin in its guilt and filth? What makes sinso horrible and damnable a thing in our eyes, as when we see thereis nothing can save us from it but the infinite grace of God?Further, there seems, if I may so term it, to be a kind of naturalinstinct in the new creature to seek after the grace of God; for sosaith the Word, 'They that are after the flesh, do mind the thingsof the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, the things ofthe Spirit' (Rom 8:5). The child by nature nuzzles in its mother'sbosom for the breast; the child by grace does by grace seek to liveby the grace of God. All creatures, the calf, the lamb, &c. , sosoon as they are fallen from their mother's belly, will by naturelook for, and turn themselves towards the teat, and the new creaturedoth so too (1 Peter 2:1-3). For guilt makes it hunger and thirst, as the hunted hart does pant after the water brooks. Hunger directsto bread, thirst directs to water; yea, it calls bread and waterto mind. Let a man be doing other business, hunger will put himin mind of his cupboard, and thirst of his cruse of water; yea, itwill call him, make him, force him, command him, to bethink whatnourishing victuals is, and will also drive him to search out afterwhere he may find it, to the satisfying of himself. All right talkalso to such an one sets the stomach and appetite a craving; yea, into a kind of running out of the body after this bread and water, that it might be fed, nourished, and filled therewith. Thus it isby nature, and thus it is by grace; thus it is for the bread thatperisheth, and for that which endureth to everlasting life. But, Second. As nature, the new nature, teaches this by a kind ofheavenly natural instinct; so experience also herein helpeth thegodly much. For they have found all other places, the throne ofgrace excepted, empty, and places or things that hold no water. They have been at Mount Sinai for help, but could find nothing therebut fire and darkness, but thunder and lightning, but earthquakeand trembling, and a voice of killing words, which words theythat heard them once could never endure to hear them again; and asfor the sight of vengeance there revealed against sin, it was soterrible, that Moses, even Moses, said, 'I exceedingly fear andquake' (Heb 12:18-21; Exo 19; 2 Cor 3). They have sought for graceby their own performances; but alas! they have yielded them nothingbut wind and confusion; not a performance, not a duty, not an actin any part of religious worship, but they looking upon it in theglass of the Lord, do find it spaked[21] and defective (Isa 64:5-8). They have sought for grace by their resolutions, their vows, theirpurposes, and the like; but alas! they all do as the other, discoverthat they have been very imperfectly managed, and so such as can byno means help them to grace. They have gone to their tears, theirsorrow, and repentance, if perhaps they might have found some helpthere; but all has either fled away like the early dew, or if theyhave stood, they have stunk even in the nostrils of those whosethey were. How much more, then, in the nostrils of a holy God!

They have gone to God, as the great Creator, and have beheld howwonderful his works have been; they have looked to the heavensabove, to the earth beneath, and to all their ornaments, but neitherhave these, nor what is of [or resulting from] them, yielded graceto those that had sensible want thereof. Thus have they gone, asI said, with these pitchers to their fountains, and have returnedempty and ashamed; they found no water, no river of water of life;they have been as the woman with her bloody issue, spending andspending till they have spent all, and been nothing better, butrather grew worse (Mark 5). Had they searched into nothing butthe law, it had been sufficient to convince them that there was nograce, nor throne of grace, in the world. For since the law, beingthe most excellent of all the things of the earth, is found tobe such as yieldeth no grace--for grace and truth comes by JesusChrist, not by Moses (John 1:17)--how can it be imagined that itshould be found in anything inferior? Paul, therefore, not findingit in the law, despairs to find it in anything else below, butpresently betakes himself to look for it there where he had not yetsought it--for he sometimes sought it not by faith, but as it wereby the works of the law (Phil 3:6-8)--he looked for it, I say, byJesus Christ, who is the throne of grace, where he found it, andrejoiced in hope of the glory of God (Rom 9:29-31, 5:1-3). But, Third. Saints come to know and distinguish the throne of grace fromother thrones, by the very direction of God himself; as it is saidof the well that the nobles digged in the wilderness--they diggedit by the direction of the lawgiver, so saints find out the throneof grace by the direction of the grace-giver. Hence Paul prays, that the Lord would direct the hearts of the people into the loveof God (2 Thess 3:5). Man, as man, cannot aim directly at thisthrone; but will drop his prayers short, besides, or the like, ifhe be not helped by the Spirit (Rom 8:26). Hence the Son saith ofhimself, 'No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sentme draw him' (John 6:44). Which text doth not only justify what isnow said, but insinuates that there is an unwillingness in man ofhimself to come to this throne of grace; he must be drawn thereto. He setteth us in the way of his steps, that is, in that way to thethrone by which grace and mercy is conveyed unto us. 

Fourth. We know the throne of grace from other thrones, by theglory that it always appears in, when revealed to us of God: itsglory outbids all; there is no such glory to be seen anywhere else, either in heaven or earth. But, I say, this comes by the sightthat God gives, not by any excellency that there is in my naturalunderstanding as such; my understanding and apprehension, simplyas natural, is blind and foolish. Wherefore, when I set to work inmine own spirit, and in the power of mine own abilities, to reachto this throne of grace, and to perceive somewhat of the glorythereof, then am I dark, rude, foolish, see nothing; and my heartgrows fat, dull, savourless, lifeless, and has no warmth in theduty. But it mounts up with wings like an eagle, when the throneis truly apprehended. Therefore that is another thing by whichthe Christian knows the throne of grace from all others; it meetswith that good there that it can meet with nowhere else. But atpresent let these things suffice for this. 

[MOTIVES FOR COMING BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF GRACE. ]

FIFTH. I come now to the motives by which the apostle stirrethup the Hebrews, and encourageth them to come boldly to the throneof grace. FIRST. The first is, because we have there such an highpriest, or an high priest so and so qualified. SECOND. Because wethat come thither for grace are sure there to speed, or find graceand obtain it. 

[The first motive, because we have such an high priest there. ]

FIRST. For the fist of these, to wit, we have an encouragementto move us to come with boldness to the throne of grace, becausewe have an high priest there; because we have such an high priestthere. 'For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched withthe feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted likeas we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto thethrone of grace. ' Of this high priest I have already made mentionbefore, to wit, so far as to show you that Christ Jesus is he, aswell as he is the altar, and sacrifice, and throne of grace, beforewhich he also himself makes intercession. But forasmuch as by theapostle here, he is not only presented unto us as a throne of grace, but as an high priest ministering before it, it will not be amissif I do somewhat particularly treat of his priesthood also. But themain or chief of my discourse will be to treat of his qualificationsto his office, which I find to be in general of two sorts. I. LEGAL. II. NATURAL. 

[THE LEGAL qualifications of Jesus Christ for the office of highpriest. ]

I. LEGAL. When I say legal, I mean, as the apostle's expressionis, not by 'the law of a carnal commandment, ' but by an eternalcovenant, and 'the power of an endless life' thereby; of which thepriesthood of old was but a type, and the law of their priesthoodbut a shadow (Heb 7:16, 9:15, 24). But because their law, and theirentrance into their priesthood thereby, was, as I said, 'a shadowof good things to come, ' therefore where it will help to illustrate, we will make use thereof so to do; and where not, there we willlet it pass (Heb 10:1). The thing to be now spoken to is, thatthe consideration of Jesus Christ being an high priest before thethrone of grace, is a motive and encouragement to us to come boldlythither for grace: 'Seeing then that we have a great high priestthat is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us holdfast our profession, ' and 'come boldly unto the throne of grace'(Heb 4:14, 16). Now, how he was made an high priest; for so isthe expression, 'made an high priest for ever after the order ofMelchisedec' (Heb 6;20). 

First. He took not his honour upon himself without a lawful callthereto. Thus the priests under the law were put into office; andthus the Son of God. No man taketh this honour to himself, but hethat is called of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified nothimself to be made a high priest, but he that said unto him, Thouart my Son, today have I begotten thee. Wherefore he was 'called ofGod an high priest after the order of Melchisedec' (Heb 5:4-6, 10). Thus far, therefore, the law of his priesthood answereth to the lawof the priesthood of old; they both were made priests by a legalcall to their work or office. But yet the law by which this Sonwas made high priest excelleth, and that in these particulars--

1. He was made a priest after the similitude of Melchisedec, for he testifieth, 'Thou art a priest for ever after the orderof Melchisedec' (Heb 7:17). Thus they under the law were not madepriests but after the order of Aaron, that is, by a carnal commandment, not by an everlasting covenant of God. 

2. And, saith he, 'inasmuch as not without an oath he was madepriest, for those priests were made without an oath, but this withan oath, by him that said unto him, The Lord sware, and will notrepent, thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec'(Heb 7:20, 21). 

3. The priesthood under the law, with their law and sacrifices, were fading, and were not suffered to continue, by reason of thedeath of the priest, and ineffectualness of his offering (Heb 7:23). 'But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeablepriesthood' (v 24). 'For the law maketh men high priests whichhave infirmity, but the word of the oath which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore' (v 28). From whathath already been said, we gather, (1. ) What kind of person it isthat is our high priest. (2. ) The manner of his being called to, and stated[22] in that office. 

(1. ) What manner of person he is. He is the Son, the Son of God, Jesus the Son of God. Hence the apostle saith, 'we have a greathigh priest, ' such an high priest 'that is passed into the heavens'(Heb 4:14). Such an high priest as is 'made higher than the heavens'(Heb 7:26). And why doth he thus dilate upon the dignity of hisperson, but because thereby is insinuated the excellency of hissacrifice, and the prevalency of his intercession, by that, toGod for us. Therefore he saith again, 'Every' Aaronical 'prieststandeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the samesacrifices, which can never take away sins: but this man, ' thisgreat man, this Jesus, this Son of God, 'after he had offered one, 'one only, one once, but one (Heb 9:25, 26), 'sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expectingtill his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering hehath perfected for ever them that are sanctified' (Heb 10:11-14). Thus, I say, the apostle toucheth upon the greatness of his person, thereby to set forth the excellency of his sacrifice, and prevalencyof his intercession. 'Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers ofthe heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and high priest of ourprofession, Christ Jesus' (Heb 3:1). Or, as he saith again, makingmention of Melchisedec, 'consider how great this man was' (Heb7:4), we have such a high priest, so great a high priest; one thatis entered into the heavens: Jesus the Son of God. 

(2. ) The manner also of his being called to and stated in his office, is not to be overlooked. He is made a priest after the power of anendless life, or is to be such an one as long as he lives, and aslong as we have need of his mediation. Now Christ being raised fromthe dead, dies no more; death hath no more dominion over him. Heis himself the Prince of life. Wherefore it follows, 'he hath anunchangeable priesthood. ' And what then? Why, then 'he is able alsoto save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeinghe ever liveth to make intercession for them' (Heb 7:24, 25). Butagain, he is made a priest with an oath, 'the Lord sware, and willnot repent, thou art a priest for ever. ' Hence I gather, (a) Thatbefore God there is no high priest but Jesus, nor ever shall be. (b) That God is to the full pleased with his high priesthood; andso with all those for whom he maketh intercession. For this priest, though he is not accepted for the sake of another, yet he is uponthe account of another. 'For every high priest taken from amongmen is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, ' to makereconciliation for the sins of the people (Heb 5:1, 2). And again, he is entered 'into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence ofGod for us' (Heb 9:24). God therefore, in that he hath made him apriest with an oath, and also determined that he will never repentof his so doing, declareth that he is, and for ever will be, satisfied with his offering. And this is a great encouragement tothose that come to God by him; they have by this oath a firm groundto go upon, and the oath is, 'Thou art a priest for ever, ' shalt beaccepted for ever for every one for whom thou makest intercession;nor will I ever reject any body that comes to me by thee; thereforehere is ground for faith, for hope and rejoicing; for this considerationa man has ground to come boldly to the throne of grace. 

Second. But again, as Christ is made a priest by call and with anoath, and so, so far legally; so he, being thus called, has otherpreparatory legal qualifications. The High Priest under the law wasnot by law to come into the holiest, but in those robes that wereordained for him to minister in before God; which robes were notto be made according to the fancy of the people, but according tothe commandment of Moses (Exo 28). Christ our high priest in heavenhas also his holy garment, with which he covereth the nakedness ofthem that are his, which robe was not made of corruptible things, as silver and gold, &c. , but by a patient continuance in a holylife, according to the law of Moses, both moral and ceremonial. Not that either of these were that eternal testament by which hewas made a priest; but the moral law was to be satisfied, and thetypes of the ceremonial law to be as to this eminently fulfilled;and he was bound by that eternal covenant by which he is made amediator to do so. Wherefore, before he could enter the holiest ofall, he must have these holy garments made; neither did he trustothers, as in the case of Aaron, to make these garments for him, buthe wrought them all himself, according to all that Moses commanded. 

This garment Christ was a great while a-making. What time, youmay ask, was required? And I answer, All the days of his life; forall things that were written concerning him, as to this, were notcompleted till the day that he hanged upon the cross. For then itwas that he said, 'It is finished; and he bowed his head, and gaveup the ghost' (John 19:28-30). This robe is for glory and for beauty. This is it that afore I said was of the colour of the rainbow, andthat compasseth even round about this throne of grace, unto whichwe are bid to come. This is that garment that reaches down to hisfeet, and that is girt to him with a golden girdle (Rev 1:13). Thisis that garment that covereth all his body mystical, and that hideththe blemishes of such members from the eye of God, and of the law. And it is made up of his obedience to the law, by his completeperfect obedience thereto (Rom 5:19). This Christ wears always, henever puts it off, as the [former] high priests put off theirs bya ceremonial command. He ever lives to make intercession; consequentlyhe ever wears this priestly robe. He might not go into the holyplace without it, upon danger of death, or at least of being sentback again; but he died not, but lives ever; is not sent back, butis set down at God's right hand; and there shall sit till his foesare made his footstool (John 16:10). 

This is that for the sake of which all are made welcome, and embracedand kissed, forgiven and saved, that come unto God by him. Thisis that righteousness, that mantle spotless, that Paul so muchdesired to be found wrapt in; for he knew that being found in thathe must be presented thereby to God a glorious man, not havingspot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. This therefore is another ofthe Lord Jesus' legal qualifications, as preparatory to the executingof his high priest's office in heaven. But of this something hasbeen spoken before; and therefore I shall not enlarge upon it here. 

Third. When the high priest under the law was thus accomplishedby a legal call, and a garment suitable to his office, then againthere was another thing that must be done, in order to his regularexecution of his office; and that was, he must be consecrated, andsolemnly ushered thereunto by certain offerings, first presentedto God for himself. This you have mention made of in the Leviticallaw; you have there first commanded, that, in order to the highpriest's approaching the holiest for the people, there must firstbe an offering of consecration for himself, and this is to succeedhis call, and the finishing of his holy garments (Exo 29:5-7, 19-22). For this ceremony was not to be observed until his garments weremade and put upon him; also the blood of the ram of consecrationwas to be sprinkled upon him, his garments, &c. , that he might behallowed, and rightly set apart for the high priest's office (Lev8). The Holy Ghost, I think, thus signifying that Jesus the Sonof God, our great high priest, was not only to sanctify the peoplewith his blood; but first, by blood must to that work be sanctifiedhimself; 'For their sakes, ' saith he, 'I sanctify myself, that theyalso might be sanctified through the truth' (John 17:19). 

But it may be asked, When was this done to Christ, or what sacrificeof consecration had he precedent to the offering up of himself forour sins? I answer, It was done in the garden when he was washed inhis own blood, when his sweat was in great drops of blood, fallingdown to the ground. For there it was he was sprinkled with his blood, not only the tip of his ear, his thumb, and toe, but there he waswashed all over; there therefore was his most solemn consecrationto his office; at least, so I think. And this, as Aaron's was, wasdone by Moses; it was Moses that sprinkled Aaron's garments. Itwas by virtue of an agony also that his bloody sweat was produced;and what was the cause of that agony, but the apprehension of thejustice and curse of Moses' law, which now he was to undergo forthe sins of the people. 

With this sacrifice he then subjoined another, which was alsopreparatory to the great acts of his high priest's office, which hewas afterwards to perform for us. And that was his drink-offering, his tears, which were offered to God with strong cries (Exo 29:40;Num 28:7). For this was the place and time that in a special mannerhe caused his strong wine to be poured out, and that he drankhis tears as water. This is called his offering, his offering forhis own acceptance with God. After 'he had offered up prayers andsupplications, with strong crying and tears unto him that was ableto save him, ' he 'was heard' for his piety, for his acceptance asto this office, for he merited his office as well as his people (Heb5:7). Wherefore it follows, 'and being made perfect, ' that is, bya complete performance of all that was necessary for the orderlyattaining of his office as high priest, 'he became the author ofeternal salvation, unto all them that obey him' (Heb 5:9). 

For your better understanding of me as to this, mind that I speak ofa twofold perfection in Christ; one as to his person, the other asto his performances. In the perfection of his person, two things areto be considered; first, the perfection of his humanity, as to thenature of it; it was at first appearing, wholly without pollutionof sin, and so completely perfect; but yet this humanity was tohave joined to this another perfection; and that was a perfectionof stature and age. Hence it is said that as to his humanity heincreased, that is, grew more perfect. For this his increasing was, in order to a perfection, not of nature, simply as nature, but ofstature. 'Jesus increased in wisdom and stature' (Luke 2:52). Thepaschal lamb was a lamb the first day it was yeaned; but it was notto be sacrificed until it attained such a perfection of age as bythe law of God was appointed to it (Exo 12:5, 6). It was necessary, therefore, that Christ as to his person should be perfect in boththese senses. And indeed 'in due time Christ died for the ungodly'(Rom 5:6). 

Again, as there was a perfection of person, or of nature and personagein Christ, so there was to be a perfection of performances in himalso. Hence it is said, that Jesus increased in favour with God(Luke 2:52); that is, by perfecting of his obedience to him for us. Now, his performances were such as had a respect to his bringingin of righteousness for us in the general; or such as respectedpreparations for his sacrifice as a high priest. But let them beapplied to both, or to this or that in particular; it cannot be, that while the most part of his performances were wanting, he shouldbe as perfect as when he said, 'The things concerning me have anend' (Luke 22:37). 

Not but that every act of his obedience was perfect, and carriedin it a length and breadth proportionable to that law by which itwas demanded. Nor was there at any time in his obedience that whichmade to interfere one commandment with another. He did all thingswell, and so stood in the favour of God. But yet one act was notactually all, though virtually any one of his actions might carryin it a merit sufficient to satisfy and quiet the law. Hence, asI said, it is told us, not only that he is the Son of God's love, but that he increased in favour with God; that is, by a going onin doing, by a continuing to do that always that pleased the Godof heaven. 

A man that pays money at the day appointed, beginning first at oneshilling, or one pound, and so ceaseth not until he hath in currentcoin told over the whole sum to the creditor, does well at thebeginning; but the first shilling, or first pound, not being thefull debt, cannot be counted or reckoned the whole, but a part;yet is it not an imperfect part, nor doth the creditor find faultat all, because there is but so much now told; but concludes thatall is at hand, and accepteth of this first, as a first-fruits: soChrist, when he came into the world, began to pay, and so continuedto do, even until he had paid the whole debt, and so increased infavour with God. There was then a gradual performance of duties, as to the number of them, by our Lord when he was in the world, andconsequently a time wherein it might be said that Christ had not, as to act, done all, as was appointed him to do, to do as preparatoryto that great thing which he was to do for us. Wherefore, inconclusion, he is said to be made perfect, 'and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obeyhim' (Heb 5:9). 

It will be objected, then, that at some time it might be said ofChrist that he was imperfect in his obedience. Answ. There was atime wherein it might have been said, Christ had not done all thathe was to do for us on earth. But it doth not follow thereupon, that he therefore was imperfect in his obedience; for that all hisacts of obedience were done in their proper time, and when theyshould, according to the will of God. The timing of performancesadds or diminishes as to the perfection of obedience, or theimperfection of it. Had these Jews killed the passover three dayssooner than the time appointed, they had transgressed (Exo 12:6). Had the Jews done that on the fourth day to Jericho, which was tohave been done on the seventh day, they had sinned (Josh 6:10-16). Duty is beautiful in its time, and the Son of God observed the time. 'I must, ' saith he, 'work the works of him that sent me, while itis day, ' that is, in their seasons. You must keep in mind that wespeak all this while of that part of Christ's perfection, as toduties, which stood in the number of performances, and not in thenature or quality of acts. And I say, as to the thing in hand, Christ had duty to do, with respect to his office as high priestfor us, which immediately concerned himself; such duties as gavehim a legal admittance unto the execution thereof; such duties, the which, had they not orderly been done, the want of them wouldhave made him an undue approacher of the presence of God, asto that. Wherefore, as I said afore, by what he did thereabout, he consecrated, or sanctified himself for that work, according toGod, and was accepted for his piety, or in that he feared and didorderly do what he should do. 

Fourth. The next thing preparatory to the execution of this officeof high priest was the sacrifice itself. The sacrifice, you know, must, as to the being of it, needs precede the offering of it; itmust be before it can be offered. Nor could Christ have been anhigh priest, had he not had a sacrifice to offer. 'For every highpriest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices; wherefore it isof necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer' (Heb 8:3). And I bring in the sacrifice as the last thing preparatory, notthat it was last, as to being, for it was before he could be capableof doing any of the afore-named duties, being his body, in and bywhich he did them, but it was the last as to fitness; it was not tobe a sacrifice before the time, the time appointed of the Father;for since he had prepared it to that end, it was fit as to the timeof its being offered, that that should be when God thought bestalso (Heb 10:5). 

Behold then, here is the high priest with his sacrifice; and beholdagain, how he comes to offer it. He comes to offer his burnt-offeringat the call of God; he comes to do it in his priestly garments, consecrated and sanctified in his own blood; he comes with blood andtears, or by water and blood, and offereth his sacrifice, himselfa sacrifice unto God for the sin of the world; and that too at atime when God began to be weary of the service and sacrifices ofall the world. 'Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thouprepared me, ' thou hast fitted me; 'in burnt-offerings and sacrificesfor sin thou hast had no pleasure; then said I, Lo I come, in thevolume of the book it is written of me, to do thy will, O God' (Heb10:5-7). 

[Christ the sacrifice as well as the high priest, and how he offeredit. ]

Thus you see our high priest proceeded to the execution of hispriestly office; and now we are come to his sacrifice, we willconsider a little of the parts thereof, and how he offered, andpleads the same. The burnt-offering for sin had two parts, theflesh and the fat, which fat is called the fat of the inwards, ofthe kidneys, and the like (Lev 3:12-16). Answerable to this, thesacrifice of Christ had two parts, the body and the soul. The bodyis the flesh, and his soul the fat; that inward part that mustnot by any means be kept from the fire (Isa 53:10). For withoutthe burning of the fat, the burnt-offering and sin-offering, bothwhich was a figure of the sacrifice of our high priest, was countedimperfect, and so not acceptable. 

And it is observable, that in these kind of offerings, when theywere to be burned, the fat and the head must be laid and be burnedtogether; and the priest 'shall cut it into his pieces with hishead and his fat; and the priest shall lay them in order on thewood that is on the fire which is upon the altar' (Lev 1:12). Tosignify, methinks, the feeling sense that this sacrifice of hisbody and soul should have of the curse of God due to sin, all thewhile that it suffered for sin. And therefore it is from this thatthis sacrifice has the name of burnt-offering, it is the burnt-offeringfor the burning, because of the burning upon the altar all night, until the morning; and the fire of the altar shall be burning init. 

The fat made the flame to increase and to ascend; wherefore Godspeaks affectionately of the fat, saying, The fat of mine offerings. And again, 'He shall see of the travail of his soul and shallbe satisfied' (Isa 53:10-12). The soul-groans, the soul-cries, the soul-conflicts that the Son of God had, together with hissoul-submission to his Father's will, when he was made a sacrificefor sin, did doubtless flame bright, ascend high, and cast outa sweet savour unto the nostrils of God, whose justice was nowappeasing for the sin of men. 

His flesh also was part of this sacrifice, and was made to feelthat judgment of God for sin that it was capable of. And it wascapable of feeling much, so long as natural life, and so, bodilysense, remained. It also began to feel with the soul, by reason ofthe union that was betwixt them both; the soul felt, and the bodybled; the soul was in an agony, and the body sweat blood; the soulwrestled with the judgment and curse of the law, and the body, toshow its sense and sympathy, sent out dolorous cries, and pouredout rivers of tears before God. We will not here at large speak ofthe lashes, of the crown of thorns, of how his face was bluft[23]with blows and blood; also how he was wounded, pierced, and whatpains he felt while life lasted, as he suffered for our sins; thoughthese things are also prefigured in the old law, by the nipping orwringing of the head, the cutting of the sacrifice in pieces, andburning it in the fire (Lev 1). Now, you must know, that as thehigh priest was to offer his sacrifice, so he was to bring theblood thereof to the mercy-seat or throne of grace, where now ourJesus is; he was to offer it at the door of the tabernacle, and tocarry the blood within the veil; of both which a little. 

[Christ a willing and an effectual sacrifice. ]

1. He was to offer it, and how? Not grudgingly, nor as by compulsion, but of a voluntary will and cheerful mind: 'If his offering be aburnt-sacrifice of the herd, let him offer a male without blemish;he shall offer it of his own voluntary will' (Lev 1:3). Thus didChrist when he offered up himself, as is manifest by that whichfollows. (1. ) He offered a male, 'himself, ' without blemish (Heb7:27). (2. ) He gave himself a ransom; he 'gave his life a ransom'(Matt 20;28). (3. ) He laid down his life of himself (John 10:18;Luke 12:5). (4. ) He longed for the day of his death, that he mightdie to redeem his people. (5. ) Nor was he ever so joyful in allhis life, that we read of, as when his sufferings grew near; thenhe takes the sacrament of his body and blood into his own hands, and with thanksgiving bestows it among his disciples; then he singsan hymn, then he rejoices, then he comes with a 'Lo, I come. ' Othe heart, the great heart, that Jesus Christ had for us to do usgood! He did it with all the desire of his soul. 

2. He did it, not only voluntarily, and of a free will, but of loveand affection to the life of his enemies. Had he done thus for thelife of his friends, it had been much; but since he did it out oflove to the life of his enemies, that is much more. 'Scarcely fora righteous man will one die, yet peradventure for a good man somewould even dare to die; but God commended his love toward us, inthat while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us' (Rom 5:7, 8). 

3. He did it without relinquishment of mind, when he was in: nodiscouragement disheartened him; cry and bleed he did, yea, roarby reason of the troubles of his soul, but his mind was fixed; hisFather sware and did not repent, that he should be his priest; andhe vowed, and said he would not repent that he had threatened tobe the plague and death of death (Hosea 13:13, 14). 

4. He did it effectually and to purpose: he hath stopped the mouthof the law with blood; he hath so pacified justice, that it nowcan forgive; he hath carried sin away from before the face of God, and set us quit in his sight; he hath destroyed the devil, abolisheddeath, and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel;he hath wrought such a change in the world by what he has done forthem that believe, that all things work together for their good, from thenceforward and for ever. 

[Christ the altar. ]

I should now come to the second part of the office of thishigh-priest, and speak to that; as also to those things that werepreparatory unto his executing it; but first, I think convenienta little to treat of the altar also upon which this sacrifice wasoffered to God. 

Some, I conceive, have thought the altar to be the cross on whichthe body of Christ was crucified, when he gave himself an offeringfor sin; but they are greatly deceived, for he also himself wasthe altar through which he offered himself; and this is one of thetreasures of wisdom which are hid in him, and of which the worldand Antichrist are utterly ignorant. I touched this in one hintbefore, but now a little more express. The altar is always greaterthan the gift; and since the gift was the body and soul of Christ--forso saith the text, 'He gave himself for our sins'--the altar mustbe something else than a sorry bit of wood, or than a cursed tree. Wherefore I will say to such, as one wiser than Solomon said tothe Jews, when they superstitiated the gift, in counting it morehonourable than the altar, 'Ye fools, and blind, for whether isgreater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?' (Matt23:18, 19). 

If the altar be greater than the gift, and yet the gift so great athing as the very humanity of Christ, can it--I will now direct myspeech to the greatest fool--can that greater thing be the cross?Is, was the cross, the wooden cross, the cursed tree, that someworship, greater than the gift, to wit, than the sacrifice whichChrist offered, when he gave himself for our sins! O idolatry, Oblasphemy![24]

Quest. But what then was the altar? Answ. The divine natureof Christ, that Eternal Spirit, by and in the assistance of whichhe 'offered himself without spot to God'; he, through the EternalSpirit 'offered himself' (Heb 9:14). 

1. And it must be THAT, because, as was said, the altar is greaterthan the gift; but there is nothing but Christ's divine naturegreater than his human; to be sure, a sorry bit of wood, a tree, the stock of a tree, is not. 

2. It must be this, because the text says plainly 'the altarsanctifies the gift, ' that is, puts worth and virtue into it; butwas it the tree, or the Godhead of Christ, that put virtue andefficacy into this sacrifice that he offered to God for us? If thoucanst but tell thy fingers, judge. 

3. The altar was it of old that was to bear up the sacrificeuntil it was consumed; and with reference to the sacrifice underconsideration, the tree could not bear up that; for our sacrificebeing a man, consisting of soul and body, that which could bearhim up in his suffering condition, must be that that could applyitself to his reasonable and sensible part for relief and succour, and that was of power to keep him even in his spirit, and in acomplete submissiveness to God, in the present condition in whichhe was; and could the tree do this, think you? Had the tree thatcommand and government of the soul and sense of Christ, of thereason and feeling of the Lord Jesus, as to keep him in this bittersuffering, in that evenness and spotlessness in his torment, as tocause that he should come off this great work, without the leastsmell or tang[25] of imperfection? No, no; it was through theEternal Spirit that he 'offered himself without spot to God. '

Quest. Wherefore then served the cross? Answ. I ask, and whereforethen served the wood by which the sacrifices were burned? Thesacrifices were burned with wood upon the altar; the wood then wasnot that altar, the wood was that instrument by which the sacrificewas consumed, and the cross that by which Christ suffered his tormentand affliction. The altar then was it that did bear both the woodand sacrifice, that did uphold the wood to burn, and the sacrificeto abide the burning. And with reference to the matter in hand, the tree on which Christ was hanged, and the sacrifice of his body, were both upheld by his divine power; yet the tree was no more asacrifice, nor an altar, than was the wood upon the altar; nor wasthe wood, but the fire, holy, by which the sacrifice was consumed. Let the tree then be the tree, the sacrifice the sacrifice, andthe altar the altar; and let men have a care how, in their worship, they make altars upon which, as they pretend, they offer the bodyof Christ; and let them leave off foolishly to dote upon wood, andthe works of their hands: the altar is greater than the gift orsacrifice that was, or is, upon it. 

[How Christ executes the office of high-priest. ]

We come now to the second part of the office of this high-priestand to show how he performeth that. In order to which, I must, as I did with reference to the first, show you what things, aspreparatory, were to precede the execution of it. We have here, asyou see, 'our passover sacrificed for us, ' for our encouragementto come to the throne of grace; and now let us look to it, as itis presented in the holiest of all, and to the order of its beingso presented. 

1. First, then, before there was anything further done, I mean bythis high-priest, as to a further application of his offering, thejudgment of God was waited for by him, with respect to his estimationof what was already done, to wit, how that was resented[26] by him;the which he declared to the full by raising him from the dead. For in that he was raised from the dead, when yet he died for oursins, it is evident that his offering was accepted, or esteemedof value sufficient to effect that for the which it was made asacrifice, which was for our sins; this, therefore, was in orderto his being admitted into heaven. God, by raising him from thedead, justified his death, and counted it sufficient for the savingof the world. And this Christ knew would be the effect of his death, long before he gave himself a ransom; where he saith, 'This alsoshall please the Lord better than an ox, or bullock that hath hornsand hoofs' (Psa 69:31). And again, 'For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my facelike a flint, and I know I shall not be ashamed. He is near thatjustifieth me; who will contend with me? Let us stand together; whois mine adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord Godwill help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all shallwax old as a garment, the moth shall eat them up' (Isa 50:7-9). All this is the work of the Lord God, his Father, and he had faiththerein, as I said before. And since it was God who was to beappeased, it was requisite that he should be heard in the matter, to wit, whether he was pacified or no: the which he has declared, I say, in raising him up from the dead. And this the apostles, bothPaul and Peter, insinuate, when they ascribe his resurrection tothe power of another, rather than to his raising of himself, saying, 'this Jesus hath God raised up' (Acts 2:32). 'God hath raised' himup 'from the dead' (3:15), 'whom God raised from the dead, ' andthe like (4:10, 5:30, 8:56, 13:30). I say, therefore, that God, by raising up Christ from the dead, hath said, that thus far hisoffering pleased him, and that he was content. 

2. But lest the world, being besotted by sin, should not rightlyinterpret actions, therefore God added to his raising him upfrom the dead, a solemn exposing of him to view, not to all men, but to such as were faithful, and that might be trusted with thecommunicating of it to others: 'Him, ' saith Peter, 'God raised'from the dead, 'and showed him openly, not to all the people, butto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us who did eat and drinkwith him, after he rose from the dead' (Acts 10:40, 41). And thiswas requisite, not for that it added anything to the value and worthof his sacrifice, but for the help of the faith of them that wereto have eternal salvation by him. And it is for this cause thatPaul so enlargeth upon this very thing, to wit, that there werethem that could testify that God had raised him up from the dead, namely, that men might see that God was well pleased, and that theyhad encouragement to come boldly by him to the throne of grace formercy (1 Cor 15:1-8). And this exposing of him to view, was notfor the length of a surprising or dazzling moment, but days andnights, to the number of no less than forty; and that to the self-samepersons, to wit, 'the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also, 'says the text, 'he showed himself alive after his passion, by manyinfallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking ofthe things pertaining to the kingdom of God' (Acts 1:2, 3). Thus Godtherefore being willing more abundantly to show him unto the world, ordered this great season betwixt his resurrection and ascension, that the world might see that they had ground to believe an atonementwas made for sin. 

3. But again, a third thing that was to precede the execution ofthe second part of this his priestly office was, the manner andorder of his going into the holiest; I say, the manner and orderof his going. He was to go thither in that robe of which mentionwas made before, to wit, in the virtue of his obedience, for itwas that which was to make his way for him as now sprinkled withhis blood. He was to go thither with a noise which the Holy Ghostcalls a shout, saying, 'God is gone up with a shout, the Lord withthe sound of a trumpet' (Psa 47:5). This was prefigured by the bells, as I said, which did hang on the border of Aaron's garments. Thisshout seems to signify the voice of men and angels; and this trumpetthe voice and joy of God; for so it says, he shall descend: 'Forthe Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with thevoice of the archangel, and with the trump of God' (1 Thess 4:16). Even as he ascended and went up; for Aaron's bells were to be heardwhen he went into, and when he came out of, the holy place (Exo28:33-35). But what men were to ascend with him, but, as was saidafore, the men that 'came out of the graves after his resurrection?'(Matt 27:53). And what angels but those that ministered to him herein the day of his humiliation? As for the evil ones, he then rodein triumph over their heads, and crushed them as captives withhis chariot wheels. He is ascended on high, he has 'led captivitycaptive, he has received gifts for men' (Eph 4:8). 

Thus then he ascended unto, into the holy paradise, where he waswaited for of a multitude of the heavenly host, and of thousandsof millions of the spirits of just men made perfect. So approachingthe highest heavens, the place of the special presence of God, he wasbid sit down at his right hand, in token that, for his sufferings'sake, God had made him the highest of every creature, and given hima name above every name, and commanded that at the name of Jesusnow all things in heaven should bow, and promised, that at the dayof judgment, all on earth, and under it, should bow too, to theglory of God the Father (Phil 2:6-11). Thus he presented himselfon our behalf unto God, a sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour, inwhich God resteth for ever, for that the blood of this sacrificehas always with him a pleasing and prevailing voice. It cannot bedenied, it cannot be outweighed by the heaviness, circumstances, or aggravations of any sin whatsoever, of them that come unto Godby him. He is always, as I said before, in the midst of the throne, and before the throne, 'a Lamb as it had been slain, ' now appearingin the presence of God for us. Of the manner of his intercession, whether it was vocal or virtual, whether by voice of mouth, ormerit of deed, or both, I will not determine; we know but littlewhile here, how things are done in heaven, and we may soon be toocarnal, or fantastical in our apprehensions. Intercession he makes, that is, he manages the efficacy and worth of his suffering withGod for us, and is always prevalent in his thus managing of hismerits on our behalf. And as to the manner, though it be in itselfinfinitely beyond what we can conceive while here, yet God hathstooped to our weakness, and so expressed himself in this matter, that we might somewhat, though but childishly, apprehend him (1Cor 13:11, 12). And we do not amiss if we conceive as the Word ofGod hath revealed; for the scriptures are the green poplar, hazel, and the chestnut rods that lie in the gutters where we should cometo drink; all the difficulty is, in seeing the white strakes, thevery mind of God there, that we may conceive by it. 

But the text says he prayeth in heaven, he makes intercession there. Again, it saith his blood speaks, and, consequently, why may nothis groans, his tears, his sighs, and strong cries, which he utteredhere in the days of flesh? I believe they do, and have a strongvoice with God for the salvation of his people. He may then intercedeboth vocally and virtually; virtually to be sure he does, and we areallowed so to apprehend, because the text suggesteth such a mannerof intercession to us; and because our weakness will not admit usto understand fully the thing as it is, our belief that he makethintercession for us has also the advantage of being purged fromits faultiness by his intercession, and we shall be saved thereby, because we have relied upon his blood shed, and the prevalency ofthe worthiness of it with God for us; though as to this circumstance, the manner of his interceding, we should be something at a loss. 

The Word says that we have yet but the image of heavenly things, or of things in the heavens. I do not at all doubt but that manyof those that were saved before Christ came in the flesh, thoughthey were, as to the main, right, and relied upon him to the savingof their souls, yet came far short of the knowledge of many of thecircumstances of his suffering for them (Heb 10:1). Did they allknow that he was to be betrayed of Judas? that he was to be scourgedof the soldiers? that he was to be crowned with thorns? that hewas to be crucified between two thieves, and to be pierced tillblood and water came out of his side? or that he was to be buriedin Joseph's sepulchre? I say, did all that were saved by faiththat he was to come and die for them, understand these, with manymore circumstances that were attendants of him to death? It wouldbe rude to think so; because for it we have neither scripture norreason. Even so, we now that believe that 'he ever liveth to makeintercession for us, ' are also very short of understanding of themanner or mode of his so interceding. Yet we believe that he died, and that his merits have a voice with God for us; yea, that hemanages his own merits before God in way of intercession for us, far beyond what we, while here, are able to conceive. 

The scripture saith that 'all the fulness of the Godhead' dwellsin him 'bodily' (Col 2:9). It also saith that he is the throne ofGod, and yet again, that he sits 'on the right hand of the throne' (Isa22:23; Heb 12:2). These things are so far from being comprehendedby the weakest, that they strain the wits and parts of the strongest, yet there is a heavenly truth in all. Heavenly things are not easilybelieved, no not of believers themselves, while here on earth, andwhen they are, they are so but weakly and infirmly. [27] I believethat the very appearing of Christ before God is an intercession asa priest, as well as a plea of an advocate; and I believe again, that his very life there is an intercession there, a continualintercession (Heb 9:24; Rom 5:10). 

But there is yet something further to be said: Christ, the humanityof Christ, if in it dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, how then appears he before him to make intercession? or if Christis the throne of grace and mercy-seat, how doth he appear beforeGod as sitting there, to sprinkle that now with his blood? Again, if Christ be the altar of incense, how stands he as a priest bythat altar to offer the prayers of all the saints thereon, beforethe throne?

[How these mysteries are to be learned. ]

That all this is written is true; and that it is all truth, is astrue: but that it is all understood by every one that is saved Ido not believe is true. I mean, so understood as that they couldall reconcile the seeming contradictions that are in these texts. There are therefore three lessons that God has set us as to theperfecting of our understanding in the mysteries of God. 1. Letters. 2. Words. 3. Meanings. 

1. Letters. I call the ceremonial law so; for there all is setforth distinctly, everything by itself; as letters are to children:there you have a priest, a sacrifice, an altar, a holy place amercy-seat: and all distinct. 

2. Words. Now in the gospel these letters are put all in a word, and Christ is that word, that word of God's mind; and thereforethe gospel makes Christ that priest, Christ that sacrifice, Christthat altar, Christ that holy place, Christ that throne of grace, and all; for Christ is all: all these meet in him as several lettersmeet in one word. 

3. Meanings. Next to the word you have the meaning, and the meaningis more difficult to be learned than either the letters or theword; and therefore the perfect understanding of that is reservedtill we arrive to a higher form, till we arrive to a perfect man;'But when that which is perfect is come, then that' knowledge'which is in part, shall be done away' (1 Cor 13:10). Meantime ourbusiness is to learn to bring the letters into a word, to bring theceremonies to Christ, and to make them terminate in him; I mean, tofind the priesthood in Christ, the sacrifice in Christ, the altarin Christ, the throne of grace in Christ, and also God in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself by him. And if we can learnthis well, while here, we shall not at all be blamed! for this isthe utmost lesson set us, to wit, to learn Christ as we find himrevealed in the gospel: 'I determined, ' saith Paul, 'not to knowany thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified' (1 Cor2:2). And Christians, after some time, I mean those that pray andpry into the Word well, do attain to some good measure of knowledgeof him. It is life eternal to know him, as he is to be known here, as he is to be known by the Holy Scriptures (James 17:3). Keep thenclose to the Scriptures, and let thy faith obey the authority ofthem, and thou wilt be sure to increase in faith; 'for therein isthe righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith; as it iswritten, The just shall live by faith' (Rom 1:17, 16:25-27). [28]

Believe then that Christ died, was buried, rose again, ascended, and ever liveth to make intercession for thee: and take heed ofprying too far, for in mysteries men soon lose their way. It isgood therefore that thou rest in this, to wit, that he doth so, though thou canst not tell how he doth it. A man at court gets byhis intercession a pardon for a man in the country; and the partyconcerned, after he had intelligence of it, knows that such an onehath obtained his pardon, and that by his interceding, but for allthat he may be ignorant of his methods of intercession, and so arewe, at least in part, of Christ. The meaning then is that I shouldbelieve, that for Christ's sake God will save me since he hasjustified me with his blood; 'being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him' (Rom 5:9). Through hisintercession, or through his coming between the God whom I haveoffended and me, a poor sinner: through his coming between withthe voice of his blood and merits, which speaketh on my behalf toGod, because that blood was shed for me, and because those merits, in the benefit of them, are made over to me by an act of the graceof God, according to his eternal covenant made with Christ. Thisis what I know of his intercession; I mean with reference to theact itself; to wit, HOW he makes intercession. And since all thefulness of the Godhead dwells in him bodily, and sine he also, asto his humanity, is the throne of grace; yea, and since he also isthe holiest of all, and the rest of God for ever, it has been somescruple to me, whether it be not too carnal to imagine as if Christstood distinct in his humanity; distinct, I say, as to space, fromthe Father as sitting upon a throne, and as so presenting his merits, and making vocal prayers for the life and salvation of his people. The more true meaning in my apprehension is, that the presence andworth of the human nature, being with the divine, yea, taken intounion with God for ever, for the service that was done by God forit, in the world, in reconciling his elect unto him, is still, andever will be, so deserving in his sight as to prevail--I know nothow else to express it--with the divine nature, in whom alone isa power to subdue all impossibilities to itself, to preserve thoseso reconciled to eternal life. 

When I speak of the human nature, I mean the man Christ, not bereftof sense and reasons, nor of the power of willing and affecting;[29]but thus I mean, that the human nature so terminates in the willof the divine; and again, the will of the divine so terminates, as to saving of sinners, in the merit and will of the human, thatwhat the Father would the Son wills, and what the Son wills theFather acquiesces in for ever. And this the Son wills, and hiswill is backed with infinite merit, in which also the Father rests, that those, all those whom the Father hath given him, be with himwhere he is, that they may behold his glory (John 17:24). And nowI am come to the will and affections of the high-priest. 

II. NATURAL. [The natural qualifications of Jesus Christ to be ourhigh priest. ]

This leads me to the second head, namely, to the natural qualificationsof him. And, First. This is one thing that I would urge, he is not of a natureforeign to that of man; the angels love us well, but they are notso capable of sympathising with us in our distresses, because theyare not partakers of our nature. Nature hath a peculiar sympathyin it; now he is naturally one with us, sin only excepted, and thatis our advantage too. He is man as we are, flesh and blood as weare: born of a woman, and in all points made like unto us, thatexcepted which the Holy Ghost excepteth. 'Forasmuch then as thechildren are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewisetook part of the same. For verily he took not on him the natureof angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham' (Heb 2:14, 16). This doth qualify him much; for, as I said before, there is a sympathyin nature. A man will not be so affected with the hurt that comesto a beast, as he naturally will with the hurt that comes to a man:a beast will be more affected with those attempts that are madeupon its own kind to hurt it, than it will be with those that aremade upon man. Wherefore? Why, there is a sympathy in nature. Nowthat Christ, the high priest of the house of God, is naturally onewith us, you see the Scriptures plainly affirm. 'God sent forthhis Son, made of a woman' (Gal 4:4); he was 'made of the seed ofDavid, according to the flesh' (Rom 1:3); from the fathers of whom, 'as concerning the flesh Christ came, ' &c. (Rom 9:5; 2 Tim 2:8). And this must needs then to make him a well-qualified high priest(Heb 2:14, 15). We will not now speak of the necessity of his takingupon him the human nature, to wit, that he might destroy him thathad the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver his people;for that would be here too much beside our matter, and be a diversionto the reader. We are now upon his High Priest's office, and ofthose natural qualifications that attend him, as to that; and Isay, nature is a great qualification, because in nature there issympathy; and where there is sympathy, there will be a provocationto help, a provocation to help with jealousy and indignation againstthose that afflict. A bear robbed of her whelps is not more provokedthan is the Lord Jesus when there are means used to make them missof life eternal, for whom he hath died, and for whom he ever livesto make intercession. But, Second. As there is natural sympathy in Christ to those for whom heis an High Priest, so there is relative sympathy; he has not onlytaken to or upon him our nature, but he is become one brotherhoodwith us; now you know brotherhood will carry a man further thannature; so then, when nature and relation meet, there is a doubleobligation. 'For both he that sanctifieth, ' which is Christ, 'andthey who are sanctified, ' his saints, 'are all of one, ' which isGod; and they are all of God, as children of a Father; 'for whichcause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I willdeclare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church willI sing praise unto thee' (Heb 2:11, 12). Now a relation is much, and a natural relation most of all. Why, here is a natural relationbetwixt Christ the High Priest, and those for whom 'he ever livethto make intercession'; a natural relation, I say, and that withrespect to the humanity which is the nature subject to afflictionand distress; 'Forasmuch then as the children are partakers offlesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same'(Heb 2:14). So then it is for a brother that he is engaged, fora brother that he doth make intercession. When Gideon knew by theconfession of Zeba and Zalmunna, that the men that they slew atTabor were his brethren, his fury came into his face, and he swarethey should therefore die (Judg 8:18-21). Relation is a greatmatter. And therefore it is said again, 'In all things it behovedhim to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a mercifulHigh Priest' (Heb 2:17). A brother is born for adversity; and abrother will go far. This therefore is a second thing or anotherqualification, with which Christ Jesus is furnished to be an HighPriest; he is a brother, there is a brotherly relation betwixt himand us; therefore by virtue of this relation he maketh intercessionfor us more affectionately. 

Third. There are other things in Christ Jesus that makes him naturallyof an excellent qualification with reference to his priesthood forus, and they are the temptations and infirmities wherewith he wasexercised in the days of his humiliation. It is true, temptationsand infirmities, strictly considered, are none of our nature, nomore are they of his; but yet, if it be proper to say temptationsand afflictions have a nature, his and ours were naturally the same;and that in all points too; for so says the text, 'He was temptedin all points, like as we are, yet without sin' (Heb 4:15). Arewe tempted to distrust God? so was he: are we tempted to murderourselves? so was he: are we tempted with the bewitching vanitiesof this world? so was he: are we tempted to commit idolatry, and toworship the devil? so was he (Matt 4:3-10; Luke 4:1-13). So thatherein we also were alike; yea, from his cradle to his cross he wasa man of sorrows and acquainted with griefs, a man of afflictionthroughout the whole course of his life. 

And observe it, He was made so, or subjected thereto by the ordinanceof God; nay, further, it behoved him to be made so, that is, to bemade like unto us in all things, the better to capacitate him tothe work of his priesthood, with the more bowels and compassion. We will read to you the text; 'Wherefore in all things it behovedhim to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be, ' qualifiedto be, 'a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertainingto God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For inthat he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succourthem that are tempted' (Heb 2:17, 18). See here how he is qualified, and to what end; he was tempted as we are, suffered by temptationsas we do, in all points and things as we are; that he might bebowels, that he might be a merciful and faithful High Priest, inthings pertaining to God, to make up the difference that is madeby sin between God and his people, to make reconciliation for thesins of the people. Yea, he by being tempted, and by suffering ashe did, he is prepared and enabled so to do; 'for in that he himselfhath suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that aretempted. ' Wherefore, I also call this qualification both naturaland necessary; natural, because in kind the same with ours; thatis, his temptations were the same with ours; the same in nature, the same in design, the same as to their own natural tendency; fortheir natural tendency was to have ruined both him and us, but Godprevented. They also were necessary, though not of themselves, yetmade so by him that can bring good out of evil, and light out ofdarkness; made so, I say, to us, for whose sakes they were sufferedto assault and afflict him, namely, that he might be able to bemerciful, faithful, and succouring to us. 

Fourth. Another qualification with which our High Priest isfurnished, for the better fitting of him to make intercession forus, is, that we are his members; to be a member is more than tobe of the same nature, or the nearest of relations, that excepted. So, then, now he makes intercession for his own self, for his ownbody, and for the several members of his body. The High Priestunder the law did use to offer up sacrifice for himself; first'for himself, ' for his own sins, and then 'for the errors of thepeople. ' I will not say that Christ had any sin that was personally, or by his act, his own; for that would be to blaspheme the name ofthat Holy One; but yet I will say, he made the sins of the peoplehis own (Psa 69:5). Yea, God the Father made them his; those alsofor whom he ever liveth to make intercession, are united to him, made members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones; and soare any part of himself (2 Cor 5:21). 

But we are now about his natural qualifications, and this is one;that they for whom he ever liveth to make intercession are hismembers, the members of his body; 'we are members of his body, ofhis flesh, and of his bones, ' so saith the Word (Eph 5:30). Whereforehere is a near concern, for that his church is part of himself; itis his own concern, it is for our own flesh. 'No man ever yet hatedhis own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it' (Eph 5:29). --Thingsare thus spoken, because of the infirmity of our flesh. --So thathad Christ no love to us as we are sinners, yet because we arepart of himself, he cannot but care for us, nature puts him uponit; yea, and the more infirm and weak we are, the more he is touchedwith the feeling of our infirmities, the more he is afflicted forus: 'For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched withthe feeling of our infirmities' (Heb 4:15). He at no time loseththis his fellow-feeling, because he always is our head, and we themembers of his. I will add, the infirm member is most cared for, most pitied, most watched over to be kept from harms, and mostconsulted for. [30]

I love to play the child with little children, and have learnedsomething by so doing; I have met with a child that has had a sorefinger; yea, so sore as to be altogether at present useless; andnot only so, but by reason of its infirmity, has been a let orhindrance to the use of all the fingers that have been upon thathand, then have I began to bemoan the child, and said, Alas! mypoor boy, or girl, hast got a sore finger! Ah! quoth the child, with water in its eyes, and hath come to me to be bemoaned. Then Ihave begun to offer to touch the sore finger. O! saith the child, pray do not hurt me: I then have replied, Canst thou do nothingwith this finger? No, saith the child, nor with this hand either;then have I said, Shall we cut off this finger, and buy my childa better, a brave golden finger? At this the child has started, stared in my face, gone back from me, and entertained a kind ofindignation against me, and has no more cared to be intimate withme. Then have I begun to make some use of that good sermon whichthis little child has preached unto me; and thus have I gone on. If membership be so dear, if this child has such tenderness to themost infirm, the most useless of its members; if it counts me itsfriend no longer than when I have a mouth to bemoan and carriagesthat show tenderness to this useless finger; what an interest dothmembership give on in the body, and what compassions hath the soulfor such an useless thing, because it is a member! and turning allthis over to Jesus Christ, then instead of matter and corruption, there presently comes honey to me out of this child's sore finger;I take leave to tell you now how I use to play. And thoughI have told this tale upon so grave a truth, as is the membershipof Christians with their head, yet bear with me; no child can beso tender of its sore finger as is the Son of God of his afflictedmembers; he cannot but be touched with the feeling of ourinfirmities. [31]

Ah! who would not make many supplications, prayers, and intercessions, for a leg, for an eye, for a foot, for a hand, for a finger, ratherthan they will lose it? And can it be imagined that Christ aloneshall be like the foolish ostrich, hardened against his young, yea, against his members? It cannot be. 

Should he lose a member, he would be disfigured, maimed, dismembered, imperfect, next to monstrous. For his body is called his fulness, yea, the fulness of him that fills all in all. This has naturallya respect for those for whom he ever liveth to make intercession;yea, an unfathomable respect for them, because they are his members. 

Fifth. But again, when nature, relation, and membership is urgedto show the fit qualifications wherewith Christ is endued, I intendnot to intimate, as if the bottom of all lay here; for then it mightbe urged that one imperfect has all these; for who knows not thatsinful man has all these qualifications in him towards his nature, relations, and members? I have therefore, as I said, thus discoursed, only for demonstration-sake, and to suit myself with the infirmityof your flesh. I might come, also, in the next place, to tell you, that Jesus Christ our High Priest is thus, with reference to otherdesigns. We are his purchase and he counts us so; his jewels, andhe counts us so; his estate real, and he counts us so (Psa 16:5, 6). And you know a man will do much, speak much, intercede much andlong, for that which he thus is interested in. But we will come tospeak more particularly of the exceeding excellency of his naturalqualifications, and show you that he hath such as are peculiar tohimself alone, and that we are concerned in them. 

[The peculiar natural qualifications of Christ as our High Priest. ]

1. He is holy, and so a suitable High Priest. There is a holinessthat sets further from, and a holiness that brings one nearerto, and to be concerned the more with the condition of those inaffliction; and that holiness is that which is entailed unto office. When a man is put into an office, the more unholy he is, the worsehe performs his office; and the more holy, the better he performshis office. For his holiness obliges him to be faithful unto men, wherein he is concerned by his office. Hence you read, that he is'a faithful High Priest, ' because he is a holy one, and 'such anHigh Priest became us, who is holy, ' &c. (Heb 2:17, 7:26). 'Goodand upright is the Lord' Jehovah, Christ Jesus, 'therefore willhe teach sinners in the way' (Psa 25:8). 'He that ruleth over menmust be just, ruling in the fear of God' (2 Sam 23:3). I mentionthese texts to show you, that holiness, when entailed to office, makes a man do that office the better. Now then, Christ is holy, and he is made, called, and made of God an High Priest, afterthe order of Melchisedec, and is to manage that his office forthee with God; that is to say, to continue to make reconciliationfor iniquity; for that iniquity that cleaveth unto thee, and thatspuriously breaketh, or issueth from thy flesh after thou artcalled and converted. For we are now upon the second part of theexecution of the priesthood of Christ; that which he executeth, Isay; and by executing takes away the iniquity of our holy thingsand of our life, after our turning to God by him. Now he that is todo this is holy, and so one that will make conscience of performingthat office for us, with which he is intrusted of God. Hence he isset in opposition to those high priests that had infirmities, thatwere not holy, and upon this very account preferred above them. 'For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but theword of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who isconsecrated, ' perfected, or holy 'for evermore' (Heb 7:28). Thistherefore is a great thing, to wit, that we have an High Priestthat is holy, and so one that will not fail to perform to the utmostthe trust committed to him in our behalf, to wit, 'to offer bothgifts and sacrifices for sins' (Heb 5:1). This is one thing. 

2. There is added to this of his holiness another; and that isharmless. 'For such an High Priest became us who is holy, harmless'(Heb 7:26). A harmful man, when he is in office, O how much mischiefmay he do! Such an one is partial in doing his office, such anone will put the poor by his right, such an one will buy and sella cause, a man, an interest, will do or not do, as his harmfulnessprompts him to it; 'so is a wicked ruler over the poor people' (Prov28:15). But now our Jesus, our High Priest, is holy, harmless; hewill wrong no man, he will deprive no man, he will contemn no man, he will deny to no man that comes to God by him, the benefit andadvantage of his blessed intercession; he respecteth not persons, nor taketh reward. A harmful man will stomach, and hate, andprejudice a man; will wait for an opportunity to do him a mischief;will take the advantage, if he can, to deny him his right, and keepfrom him his due, when yet it is in the power of his hand to helphim. O! but Christ is harmless, harmless as a dove, he thinksno ill, intends no ill, doth no ill; but graciously, innocently, harmlessly, makes intercession for thee; nor will he be prevailedwith to prejudice thy person, or to forbear to take up thy nameinto his lips, be thy infirmities, and weaknesses, and provocationsnever so many, if thou indeed comest to God by him. He is holy, and harmless, and so the more fit to become our High Priest and tomake intercession for us. 

3. But again, this is not all, he also is undefiled; 'For such anHigh Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled. ' This termis put in to show, that he neither is, nor can be found, neithernow, nor at any time, faulty in his office. A man that is holy mayyet be defiled; a man that is harmless may yet be defiled. We arebid to be holy and harmless; and in a gospel sense so every Christianis. O! but Christ is so in a legal sense; in the eye of the law, perfectly so. This is a great matter, for it shows, that as nothingdone by us can tempt him to be hurtful to us; so there is nothingin himself that can tempt him so to be. A man that is defiledhas that within him that will put him upon using of his officeunfaithfully, though he should have no provocation from those forwhose good he is to execute his office; but he that is undefiled--undefiledin a law sense--as our Lord Jesus is, is such an one as doth notonly not do hurt, and not act falsely in his office, but one thatcannot, one that knoweth not, how to be unfaithful to his trust. He is holy, harmless, undefiled, this therefore is a great thing. He has not the original of hurtfulness in him, there is no such rootthere; there is a root of bitterness, springing up in us, by whichnot only ourselves, but ofttimes others are defiled (Heb 12:15). O!but our High Priest is undefiled, he is not corrupt, nor corrupteth;he doth his office fairly, faithfully, holily, justly, accordingto, or answering, our necessities, and the trust reposed in him, and committed to him. But, 4. This is not all; as he is holy, harmless, and undefiled; so heis separate from sinners, both in his conception, in his composition, and the place ordained for him to execute this part of his HighPriest's office in. He was not conceived in the womb by carnalgeneration; he was not made up of polluted and defiled nature; heofficiateth not with those materials that are corrupt, stained, orimperfect; but with those that are unspotted, even with the spotlesssacrifice of his own unblemished offering. He, nor his offering, has any such tang, as had the priests, and their sacrifices underthe law, to wit, sin and imperfection; he is separate from them inthis respect, further than is an angel from a beast. He has noneof the qualities, actions, or inclinations of sinners; his waysare only his own; he never saw them, nor learned them, but of theFather; the none upright among men, wherefore he is separated fromthem to be a priest. Again, 5. As he is thus, so again, he is said to be 'higher than theheavens. ' For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, andundefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens. The text saith, that neither saint, nor heavens, are clean in God'ssight. 'Behold he puts no trust in his servants, ' he chargeth hisangels with folly; and again, 'Behold he putteth no trust in hissaints, yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight' (Job 4:18, 15:15). Wherefore, by this expression, he shows us that our HighPriest is more noble than either heaven or angel: yea, more cleanand perfect than any. It shows us also that all the heavenly hostare at his command, to do as his intercession shall prevail withthe Father for us. All angels worship him, and at his word theybecome, they all become ministering spirits for them who shall beheirs of salvation. 

Besides, by this word he shows, that it is impossible that our HighPriest should degenerate or decay; for that he is made 'higher thanthe heavens'; the spirits sometimes in the heavens have decayed (2Peter 2:4). The heavens themselves decay and wax old; and that isthe farthest that by the Word we are admitted to go (Heb 1:10-12). But as for him that is above the heavens, that is made higher thanthe heavens, that is ascended up far above all heavens; he is thesame, and 'his years fail not' (Heb 1:12). 'The same yesterday, today, and for ever' (Heb 13:8). This therefore is added, to showthat Christ is neither as the angels, nor heavens, subject todecay, or degenerate, or to flag and grow cold in the execution ofhis office; but that he will be found even at the last, when he iscome to the end of this work, and is about to come out of the holyplace, as affectionate, as full of love, as willing, and desirousafter our salvation, as he was the first moment that he was madeHigh Priest, and took upon him to execute that his blessed officefor us. Wherefore our High Priest is no such one as you readof in the law (Lev 21:18). He is no dwarf, hath no blemish, norany imperfection; therefore is not subject to flag or fail in dueexecution of his office, but is able to save to the uttermost themthat come unto God by him, 'seeing he ever liveth to make intercessionfor them. ' And it is well worth our consideration, that it issaid he is made thus; that is, appointed, instituted, called, andqualified thus of God; this shows the Father's heart as well asthe Son's, to usward, to wit, that this priesthood was of him, andthe glorious effects thereof by him. 'Let us therefore come boldlyunto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find graceto help in time of need. '

[The second motive, we are sure to speed. ]

SECOND. I come now to the second motive, to wit, that we may findgrace and mercy to help in time of need; or we shall find grace andmercy to help, if we come as we should, to the throne of grace. Inthis motive we have these three things considerable. First, Thatsaints are like to meet with needy times while they are in thisworld. Second, That nothing can carry us through our needy timesbut more, or a continual supply of mercy and grace. Third, Thatmercy and grace is to be had at the throne of grace, and we mustfetch it from thence by prayer, if we would, as we should, gothrough these needy times. 

First. For the first of these, that saints are like to meet withneedy times, or with such times as will show them that they need acontinual assistance of the grace of God, that they may go rightlythrough this world. This is therefore a motive, that weareth aspur in the heel of it, a spur to prick us forward to supplicateat the throne of grace. This needy time is in other places calledthe perilous time, the evil day, the hour and power of darkness, the day of temptation, the cloudy and dark day (2 Tim 3:1; Eph 6:13;Luke 22:53; Heb 3:8; Eze 34:12; Gen 47:9; Matt 6:34). And indeed, in the general, all the days of our pilgrimage here are evil, yea, every day has a sufficiency of evil in it to destroy the bestsaint that breatheth, were it not for the grace of God. But thereare also, as I have hinted, particular special times, times moreeminently dangerous and hazardous unto saints. As, [Ten special times of need. ]

There are their young days, the days of their youth, and childhoodin grace. This day is usually attended with much evil towards himor them that are asking the way to Zion with their faces thitherward. Now the devil has lost a sinner; there is a captive has broke prison, and one run away from his master: now hell seems to be awakenedfrom sleep, the devils are come out, they roar, and roaring theyseek to recover their runaway. Now tempt him, threaten him, flatterhim, stigmatise him, throw dust into his eyes, poison him witherror, spoil him while he is upon the potter's wheel; any thingto keep him from coming to Jesus Christ. And is not this a needytime; doth not such an one want abundance of grace? is it notof absolute necessity that thou, if thou art the man thus beset, shouldst ply it at the throne of grace, for mercy and grace to helpthee in such a time of need as this? To want a spirit of prayernow, is as much as thy life is worth. O, therefore, you that knowwhat I say, you that are broke loose from hell, that are fled forrefuge to lay hold on the hope set before you, and that do hearthe lion roar after you, and that are kept awake with the continualvoice of his chinking chain, cry as you fly; yea, the promise is, that they that come to God with weeping, with supplication, he willlead them. Well, this is one needy time, now thy hedge is low, nowthy branch is tender, now thou art but in the bud. Pray that thoubeest not marred in the potter's hand. 

2. The time of prosperity is also a time of need, I mean of thyspiritual prosperity. For as Satan can tell how to suit temptationsfor thee in the day of thy want, so he has those that can entanglethee in the day of thy fulness. He has his spiritual wickednessesin the high and heavenly places (Eph 6:12). He can tell how to laya snare for thee in the land of Canaan, as well as in the wilderness;in thy time of receiving good things, as well as in thy hungry andempty hours. Nay, such times seem to be the most dangerous, notin themselves, but through the deceits of our heart. Hence Mosesgives this caution to the children of Israel, that when God hadgiven them the promised land, and vineyards, and wells, and olivetrees, and when they had eaten and were full, 'Then, ' says he, 'beware lest thou forget the Lord which brought thee forth out ofthe land of Egypt, from the house of bondage' (Deut 6:10-13). Andagain, he doubleth this caution, saying, 'When thou hast eaten andart full, then thou shalt bless the Lord thy God, for the good landwhich he hath given thee. Beware that thou forget not the Lord thyGod in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and hisstatutes, which I command thee this day; lest when thou hast eatenand art full, ' and thou in all good things art increased, 'thenthine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God, whichbrought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house ofbondage'; all this may be applied spiritually (Deut 8:10-14). Forthere are, as I said, snares laid for us in our best things; andhe that has great enjoyments, and forgets to pray for grace tokeep him humble then, shall quickly be where Peter was, after hisknowledge of the Lord Jesus by the revelation of the Father. 

3. Another needy time is a time when men are low and empty, as toworldly good; this time is full of temptations and snares. At thistime, men will, if they look not well to their doings and goings, be tempted to strain curtesies both with conscience and with God'sWord, and adventure to do things that are dangerous, and that havea tendency to make all their religion and profession vain. Thisholy Agur was aware of; so he prayed, Let me not be rich and full, lest I deny thee; let me not be poor, lest I steal, and take thename of my God in vain (Prov 30:7-9). There are many inconveniencesthat attend him that is fallen into decay in this world. It isan evil day with him, and the devils will be as busy with him, asthe flies are with a lean and scabbed sheep. It shall go hard butsuch a man shall be full of maggots; full of silly, foolish, idleinventions, to get up, and to abound with fulness again. It is nota time now, will Satan say, to retain a tender conscience, to regardthy word or promise, to pay for what thou buyest, or to stick atpilfering, and filch from thy neighbour. [32] This Agur was afraidof; therefore he prayed that God would keep him from that whichwould be to him a temptation to do it. How many in our day have, on these very accounts, brought religion to a very ill savour, andthemselves unto the snare of the devil, and all because they havenot addicted themselves to pray to God for grace to help in thistime of need, but rather have left off the thing that is good, andgiven up themselves to the temptations of the devil, and the subtleand ensnaring motions of the flesh. 

4. Another needy time is the day of persecution; this is called, as was hinted before, 'the hour of darkness, ' 'the cloudy and darkday. ' This day, therefore, is full of snares, and of evils of everykind. Here is the fear of man, the terrors of a prison, of loss ofgoods and life. [33] Now all things look black, now the fiery trialis come. He that cannot now pray; he that now applieth not himselfto God on the throne of grace, by the priesthood of Jesus Christ, is like to take a fall before all men upon the stage; a foul fall, a fall that will not only break his own bones, but also the heartsof those that fear God and behold it: 'Come therefore boldly untothe throne of grace, that ye may obtain mercy, and find grace tohelp in time of need. '

5. Another time of need is that time wherein thou changest thycondition, and enterest into a new relation. For here also thesnares and traps lie waiting for thee. There is a hopeful child goesto service, or to be an apprentice; there is a young man, a youngmaid, entereth into a married condition, and though they pray before, yet they leave off to pray then. Why, these people are oftentimesruined and undone; the reason is, this change is attended with newsnares, with new cares, and with new temptations, of the which, because through unwatchfulness they are not aware, they are taken, drawn to perdition and destruction by them. Many in my short dayhave gone, I doubt, down to the pit, THIS way, that have sometimesbeen to appearance the very foremost and hopefulest in the placewhere they have lived. O how soon has their fire gone out; has theirlamps forborne to burn! How quickly have they lost their love totheir ministers, by whom they were illuminated, and to the warmestChristians, through communion with whom they used to be kept awakeand savoury! How quickly have they found them out new friends, newcompanions, new ways and methods of life, and new delights to feedtheir foolish minds withal! Wherefore, O thou that art in this fifthhead concerned, 'Come boldly unto the throne of grace, to obtainmercy, and find grace to help in time of need. '

6. Another time of need is, when the generality of professors aredecayed; when the custom of fancies and fooleries have taken awayall gravity and modesty from among the children of men. Now pray, or thou diest; yea, pray against those decays, those vain customs, those foolish fancies, those light and vain carriages that haveovertaken others, else they will assuredly knock at thy door, andobtain favour at thy hand, the which if they do, they will quicklybring thee down into the dirt with others, and put thee in perilof damnation as well as they. 

7. Another time of need is, the time of guilt contracted, and ofthe hiding of God's face. This is a dangerous time. If thou nowshalt forbear to pray, thou art undone, for the natural tendencyof guilt is to drive a man from God. So it served our first father;and ofttimes when God hides his face, men run into desperation, andso throw up all duties, and say as he of old, 'What should I waitfor the Lord any longer?' (2 Kings 6:33). Now thy great help againstthis is prayer, continuing in prayer. Prayer wrestleth with thedevil, and will overthrow him: prayer wrestleth with God, and willovercome him: prayer wrestleth with all temptations, and makes themfly. Great things have been done by prayer, even by the prayer ofthose that have contracted guilt, and that have by their sins lostthe smiles and sense of the favour of God. Wherefore, when thisneedy, this evil time has overtaken thee, pray: 'Come boldly untothe throne of grace, to obtain mercy, and find grace to help intime of need. '

8. The day of reproach and slander is another time of need, or aday in which thou wilt want supplies of grace. Sometimes we meetwith such days wherein we are loaden with reproaches, slanders, scandals, and lies. Christ found the day of reproach a burdensomeday unto him; and there is many a professor driven quite away fromall conscience towards God, and open profession of his name, bysuch things as these (Psa 69:7). Reproach is, when cast at a man, as if he was stoning to death with stones. Now ply it hard at thethrone of grace, for mercy and grace to bear thee up, or thou wilteither miscarry or sink under ground by the weight of reproach thatmay fall upon thee. [34]

9. Another time of need is that wherein a man's friends desertand forsake him, because of his gospel principles, or of thosetemptations that attend his profession. This is a time that oftenhappeneth to those that are good. Thus it was with Christ, withPaul, with Job, with Heman, and so has been with many other ofGod's servants in the day of their temptations in this world; anda sore time it is. Job complained under it, so did Heman, Paul, and Christ (John 6:66; 2 Tim 1:15; Job 19:13-19). Now a man is asforlorn as a pelican in the wilderness, as an owl in the desert, or as a sparrow upon the house-top. If a man cannot now go to thethrone of grace by prayer, through Christ, and so fetch grace forhis support from thence, what can he do? He cannot live of himself(John 15:4). Wherefore this is a sore evil. 

10. Another time of need is the day of death, when I am to pack upand to be gone from hence, the way of all the earth. [35] Now thegreatest trial is come, excepting that of the day of judgment. Nowa man is to be stripped of all, but that which cannot be shaken. Now a man grows near the borders of eternity. Now he begins tosee into the skirts of the next world. Now death is death, and thegrave the grave indeed! Now he begins to see what it is for bodyand soul to part, and what to go and appear before God (Eccl 12:5). Now the dark entry, and the thoughts of what is in the way froma deathbed to the gate of the holy heaven, comes nearer the heartthan when health and prosperity do compass a man about. Whereforethis is like to be a trying time, a time of need indeed. A prudentman will make it one of the great concerns of his whole life toget, and lay up a stock of grace for this day, though the fool willrage and be confident: for he knows all will be little enough tokeep him warm in his soul, while cold death strokes his hand overhis face, and over his heart, and is turning his blood into jelly;while strong death is loosing his silver cord, and breaking hisgolden bowl! (Eccl 12:6). Wherefore, I say, this motive wearetha spur on his heel, a spur to prick us on to the throne of gracefor mercy, and grace to help in time of need. But, [Continual supplies of grace essential to our welfare. ]

Second. I come now to the next thing, which is, to show that nothingcan carry us through our needy times, but more or a continualsupply of mercy and grace. This the text fully implies, because itdirecteth us to the throne of grace, for mercy and grace for thatvery end. And had there been any thing else that could have doneit, the apostle would have made mention of it, and would also havedirected the saints unto it. But forasmuch as he here makes mentionof the needy time, and directs them to the throne of grace formercy and grace to help, it followeth that mercy and grace, and thatonly, can help us in the evil time. Now mercy and grace are to bedistinctly considered. 1. Mercy, for that by it we have throughChrist the continuation and multiplication of forgivenesses, without which there is no salvation. 2. Grace, for that by it weare upheld, supported, and enabled to go through our needy times, as Christians, without which there is no salvation neither. Thefirst all will grant, the second is clear: 'If any man draws back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him; but we are not of them whodraw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the savingof the soul' (Heb 10:38, 39). 

1. Mercy is that by which we are pardoned, even all the falls, faults, failings, and weaknesses, that attend us, and that we areincident to, in this our day of temptation; and for this mercy weshould pray, and say, 'Our Father, forgive us our trespasses' (Matt6:9-12). For though mercy is free in the exercise of it to usward, yet God will have us ask, that we may have; as he also saith inthe text, 'Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we mayobtain mercy. ' Here then we have one help, and that is, the mercyof God is to be extended to us from his throne through Jesus Christ, for our pardon and forgiveness in all those weaknesses that we areattended with in the needy or evil times; and we should come toGod for this very thing. This is that which David means, when hesays, 'Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days ofmy life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever' (Psa23:6). And again, 'When I said my foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up' (Psa 94:18). Set me clear and free from guilt, and fromthe imputation of sin unto death, by Christ. 

Nor can any thing help where this is wanting; for our parts, ourknowledge, our attainments, nor our graces, cannot so carry usthrough this world, but that we shall be guilty of that that willsink us down to hell, without God's pardoning mercy. It is not thegrace that we have received can do it, nor the grace that is to bereceived that can do it; nothing can do it but the pardoning mercyof God: for because all our graces are here imperfect, they cannotproduce a spotless obedience. But where there is not a spotlessobedience, there must of necessity follow a continuation of pardonand forgiveness by mercy, or I know what will become of the soul. Here, therefore, the apostle lays an obligation upon thee to thethrone of grace, to wit, that thou mayest obtain mercy, a continuationof mercy, mercy as long as thou art like to live this vain life onthe earth; mercy that will reach through all thy days. For thereis not a day, nor a duty; not a day that thou livest, nor a dutythat thou dost, but will need that mercy should come after to takeaway thy iniquity. [36] Nay, thou canst not receive mercy so clearly, as not to stand in need of another act of mercy to pardon weaknessin thy no better receiving the last. We receive not our merciesso humbly, so readily, so gladly, and with that thankfulness aswe should: and therefore, for the want of these, have the need ofanother, and another act of God's sin-pardoning mercy, and needshall have thereof, as long as evil time shall last with us. 

But is not this great grace, that we should thus be called uponto come to God for mercy? Yea, is not God unspeakably good, inproviding such a throne of grace, such a sacrifice, such a highpriest, and so much mercy for us, and then to invite us to comewith boldness to him for it? Nay, doth not his kindness yet furtherappear, by giving of us items and intimations of needy times, andevil days, on purpose to provoke us to come to him for mercy? Thisthen shows us, as also we have hinted before, that the throne ofgrace, and Christ Jesus our High Priest, are both provided uponthe account of our imperfections, namely, that we who are calledmight not be, by remaining weaknesses, hindered of, but obtain eternalinheritance. Weaknesses, such weaknesses remain in the justified, and such slips and failings are found in and upon them, that callfor a course of mercy and forgiveness to attend them. Farther, this also intimates, that God's people should not be dejected atthe apprehensions of their imperfections; I say, not so dejected, as therefore to cast off faith, and hope, and prayer; for a throneof grace is provided for them, to the which they may, they must, they ought continually to resort for mercy, sin-pardoning mercy. 

2. As we are here to obtain mercy, so we are here to find grace. They that obtain mercy, shall find grace, therefore they are puttogether. That they may obtain mercy and find grace; only theymust find mercy first; for as forgiveness at first goes beforesanctification in the general, so forgiveness afterwards goes beforeparticular acts of grace for further sanctification. God givethnot the spirit of grace to those that he has not first forgiven bymercy, for the sake of Christ. [37] Also so long as he as a Fatherforbears to forgive us as his adopted, so long we go without thosefurther additions of grace that are here suggested in the text. But when we have obtained mercy to forgive, then we also find graceto our renewing. Therefore he saith, First obtain mercy, and thenfind grace. 

Grace here I take to be that grace which God has appointed for us, to dwell in us; and that by and through the continual supply ofwhich we are to be enabled to do and suffer, and to manage ourselvesin doing and suffering according to the will of God. 'Let us havegrace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godlyfear' (Heb 12:28). So again, 'he giveth more grace; wherefore hesaith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble'(James 4:6; Prov 3:34; 1 Peter 5:5). The grace, therefore, thatthis text intends, is grace given or to be given; grace receivedor to be received; grace a root, a principle of grace, with itscontinual supplies for the perfecting of that salvation that Godhas designed for us. This was that which comforted Paul, when themessenger of Satan was sent to buffet him, it was said unto himby Christ, 'My grace is sufficient for thee' (2 Cor 12:9). As whoshould say, Paul, be not utterly cast down, I have wherewith allto make thee stand, and overcome, and that is my grace, by whichthou shalt be supported, strengthened, comforted, and made to livea triumphant life, notwithstanding all that oppress thee. But thiscame to him upon his praying; for this I prayed to God thrice, saith he. So again, 'God is able to make all grace abound towardyou; that ye always have all sufficiency in all things, may aboundto every good work' (2 Cor 9:8). Thus you see, that by grace inthese places is meant that spirit, and those principles of grace, by the increase and continual supply of which we are inwardlystrengthened, and made to abound to every good work. 

This then is the conclusion, That as there is mercy to be obtainedby us at the throne of grace, for the pardon of all our weaknesses;so there is also grace there to be found that will yet strengthenus more, to all good walking and living before him. He giveth moregrace, and they receive one time or another abundance of gracethat shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ. This then teaches usseveral things, some of which I will mention. As, [What this should teach us. ]

1. That nature, as nature, is not capable of serving of God: no, not nature where grace dwells, as considered abstract from thatgrace that dwells in it. Nothing can be done aright without grace, I mean no part nor piece of gospel-duty. 'Let us have grace wherebywe may serve God acceptably. ' Nature, managed by grace, seasonedwith grace, and held up with grace, can serve God acceptably. Letus have grace, seek for and find grace to do so; for we cannot doso but by grace: 'By the grace of God I am what I am; and his gracewhich was bestowed upon me, was not in vain; but I laboured moreabundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of God which waswith me' (1 Cor 15:10). What can be more plain than this beautifultext? For the apostle doth here quite shut out nature, sanctifiednature, for he indeed was a sanctified man, and concludes that evenhe, as of himself, did nothing of all the great works that he did;but they were done, he did them by the grace of God that was inhim. Wherefore nature, sanctified nature, as nature, can of itselfdo nothing to the pleasing of God the Father. 

Is not this the experience of all the godly? Can they do that atall times which they can do at some times? Can they pray, believe, love, fear, repent, and bow before God always alike? No. Why so?they are the same men, the same human nature, the same saints. Aye, but the same grace, in the same degree, operation, and life ofgrace, doth not so now work on that man, that nature, that saint;therefore, notwithstanding he is what he is, he cannot do at alltimes alike. Thus therefore it is manifest, that nature, simplyas such, is a great way off of doing that which is acceptable withGod. Refined, purified, sanctified nature, cannot do but by theimmediate supplies, lifts, and helps of that spirit and principleof grace by the which it is so sanctified. 

2. As nature, even where grace is, cannot, without the assistanceof that grace, do anything acceptably before God; so grace received, if it be not also supplied with more grace, cannot cause that wecontinue to do acceptable service to God. This also is clear by thetext, For he speaketh there to them that had received grace; yea, puts himself into the number, saying, 'Let us come boldly unto thethrone of grace, that we may find grace to help in time of need. 'If grace received would do, what need for more? What need we prayfor more? What need we go to the throne of grace for more? Thisvery exhortation saith it will not: present supplies of grace areproportioned to our present need, and to help us to do a presentwork or duty. [38] But is our present need all the need that we arelike to have, and the present work all the work that we have to doin the world? Even so the grace that we have received at present, though it can help us to do a present work, it cannot, withouta further supply, help us to do what is to be done hereafter. Wherefore, the apostle saith, that his continuing to do was throughhis obtaining help, continual help of God: 'Having, therefore, 'saith he, 'obtained help of God, I continue unto this day witnessingboth to small and great, ' &c. (Acts 26:22). There must be a dailyimploring of God for daily supplies from him, if we will do ourdaily business as we should. 

A present dispensation of grace is like a good meal, a seasonableshower, or a penny in one's pocket, all which will serve for thepresent necessity. But will that good meal that I ate last week, enable me, without supply, to do a good day's work in this? or willthat seasonable shower which fell last year, be, without supplies, a seasonable help to the grain and grass that is growing now? orwill that penny that supplied my want the other day, I say, willthe same penny also, without a supply, supply my wants today? Thesame may, I say, be said of grace received; it is like the oil inthe lamp, it must be fed, it must be added to. And there, thereshall be a supply, 'wherefore he giveth more grace. ' Grace is thesap, which from the root maintaineth the branches: stop the sap, and the branch will wither. Not that the sap shall be stopped wherethere is union, not stopped for altogether; for as from the rootthe branch is supplied, so from Christ is every member furnishedwith a continual supply of grace, if it doth as it should; 'of hisfulness have all we received, and grace for grace' (John 1:16). 

The day of grace is the day of expense: this is our spending time. Hence we are called pilgrims and strangers in the earth, that is, travellers from place to place, from state to state, from trial totrial (Heb 11:13). Now, as the traveller at a fresh inn is made tospend fresh money; so Christians, at a fresh temptation, at a newtemptation, are made to spend afresh, and a new supply of grace. Great men, when and while their sons are travellers, appointthat their bags of money be lodged ready, or conveniently paid inat such and such a place, for the suitable relief of them; and sothey meet with supplies. Why, so are the sons of the Great One, and he has allotted that we should travel beyond sea, or at a greatdistance from our Father's house: wherefore he has appointed thatgrace shall be provided for us, to supply at such a place, sucha state or temptation, as need requires: but withal, as my lordexpecteth his son should acquaint him with the present emptinessof his purse, and with the difficulty he hath now to grapple with;so God our Father expects that we should plead by Christ our needat the throne of grace, in order to a supply of grace:[39] 'Let ustherefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtainmercy, and find grace to help in time of need. '

Now then, this shows the reason why many Christians that areindeed possessed with the grace of God, do yet walk so oddly, actso poorly, and live such ordinary lives in the world. They are liketo those gentlemen's sons that are of the more extravagant sort, that walk in their lousy hue, when they might be maintained better. Such young men care not, perhaps scorn to acquaint their fatherswith their wants, and therefore walk in their threadbare jackets, with hose and shoes out at heels! a right emblem of the uncircumspectchild of God. This also shows the reason of all those dreadfulfalls and miscarriages that many of the saints sustain, they madeit not their business to watch to see what is coming, and to prayfor a supply of grace to uphold them; they, with David, are toocareless, or, with Peter, too confident, or, with the disciples, too sleepy, and so the temptation comes upon them; and their wantlike an armed man. This also shows the reason why some that, toone's thinking, would fall every day; for that their want of parts, their small experience, their little knowledge of God's matters, doseem to bespeak it; yet stand, walk better, and keep their garmentsmore white than those that have, when compared with them, twice asmuch as they. They are praying saints, they are often at the throneof grace, they are sensible of their weakness, keep a sight of theirdanger before their faces, and will not be contented without moregrace. 

Third. And this leads me, in the third place, to show you, thatwere we wise, and did we ply it at the throne of grace for grace, as we should, O what spotless lives might we live! We should thenhave always help in time of need; for so the text insinuates, 'Thatwe may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. ' Thisis that which Peter means, when he says, 'And besides this, ' thatis, besides your faith in Christ, and besides your happy state ofjustification, 'giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue;and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and totemperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. For ifthese things be in you and abound, ' and be continually suppliedwith a supply from the throne of grace, 'they make you that ye shallneither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord JesusChrist. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot seeafar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your callingand election sure: for if you do these things, ye shall never fall:for so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly intothe everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ' (2Peter 1:5-11). 

The greatest part of professors now-a-days take up their time incontracting of guilt, and asking for pardon, and yet are not muchthe better. Whereas, if they had but the grace to add to theirfaith, virtue, &c. , they might have more peace, live better lives, and not have their heads so often in a bag as they have. 'To himthat ordereth his conversation aright, will I show the salvation ofGod' (Psa 50:23). To him that disposeth his way aright; now thiscannot be done without a constant supplicating at the throne of gracefor more grace. This then is the reason why every new temptationthat comes upon thee, so foils, so overcomes thee, that thou wiltneed a new conversion to be recovered from under the power andguilt that cleaves to thee by its overshadowing of thee. A newtemptation, a sudden temptation, an unexpected temptation, usuallyfoils those that are not upon their watch; and that have not beenbefore with God to be inlaid with grace proportionable to what maycome upon them. 

'That ye may find grace to help in time of need'! There is graceto be found at the throne of grace that will help us under thegreatest straits. 'Seek and ye shall find'; it is there, and itis to be found there; it is to be found there of the seeking soul, of the soul that seeketh him. Wherefore I will conclude as I didbegin; 'Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace thatwe may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. '

[CONCLUSION. Some lessons to be learned from this text. ]

We will now speak something by way of conclusion, and so wind upthe whole. 

First. You must remember that we have been hitherto speaking of thethrone of grace, and showing what it is. That we have also beenspeaking of Christ's sacrifice, and how he manages his high priest'soffice before the throne of grace. We have also here, as you see, been speaking of the mercy and grace that is to be obtained andfound at this throne of grace, and of what advantage it is to usin this our pilgrimage. Now, from all this it follows, that sin isa fearful thing: for all this ado is, that men might be saved fromsin! What a devil then is sin? it is the worst of devils; it isworse than all devils; those that are devils sin hath made themso; nor could anything else have made them devils but sin. Now, I pray, what is it to be a devil, but to be under, for ever, thepower and dominion of sin, an implacable spirit against God? Suchan one, from which implacableness all the power in heaven and earthcannot release them, because God of his justice has bound themover to judgment. These spirits are by sin carried quite away fromthemselves, as well as from God that made them; they cannot designtheir own good; they cannot leave that which yet they know will beeverlasting mischievous to themselves. Sin has bound them to itselfso fast, that there can be no deliverance for them, but by the Sonof God, who also has refused them, and left them to themselves, and to the judgment which they have deserved. Sin also has gota victory over man, has made him an enemy to God and to his ownsalvation; has caught him, captivated him, carried away his mind, and will, and heart, from God; and made him choose to be vain, andto run the hazard of eternal damnation, with rejoicing and delight. But God left not man where he left those wicked spirits, to wit, under the everlasting chains of darkness, reserved unto judgment;but devised means for their ransom and reconciliation to himself;which is the thing that has been discoursed of in the foregoingpart of this book (2 Sam 15:15). But, I say, what a thing is sin, what a devil and master of devils is it, that it should, whereit takes hold, so hang that nothing can unclinch its hold but themercy of God and the heart-blood of his dear Son! O the fretting, eating, infecting, defiling, and poisonous nature of sin, that itshould so eat into our flesh and spirit, body and soul, and so stainus with its vile and stinking nature: yea, it has almost turned maninto the nature of itself; insomuch as that sometimes, when natureis mentioned, sin is meant; and when sin is mentioned, nature ismeant (Eph 2:3, 5:8). Wherefore sin is a fearful thing; a thing tobe lamented, a thing to be abhorred, a thing to be fled from withmore astonishment and trembling than one would fly from any devil, because it is the worst of things; and that without which nothingcan be bad, and because where it takes hold it so fasteneth thatnothing, as I have said, can release whom it has made a captive, but the mercy of God and the heart-blood of his dear Son. O whata thing is sin!

Second. As by what hath been said sin appears to be exceeding sinful;so, from hence it also follows, that the soul is a precious thing. For you must know all this is for the redemption of the soul. Theredemption of the soul is precious (Psa 49:8, 20). I say, it is forthe redemption of the soul; it was for this that Christ was madea priest, a sacrifice, an altar, a throne of grace; yea, sin, acurse, and what not, that was necessary for our deliverance fromsin, and death, and everlasting damnation. He that would know whata soul is, let him read in letters of blood the price and purchaseof the soul. It was not for a light, a little, an inconsiderablething, that Christ Jesus underwent what he suffered when he was inthe world, and gave himself a ransom for souls. No, no! The soulis a great, a vast great thing, notwithstanding it is so littleset by of some. Some prefer anything that they fancy, above thesoul; a slut, a lie, a pot, an act of fraudulency, the swing of aprevailing passion, anything shall be preferred when the occasionoffereth itself. [40] If Christ had set as little by souls as somemen do, he had never left his Father's bosom, and the glory thathe had with him; he had never so humbled himself, so gave himselfto punishment, affliction, and sorrow; and made himself so the objectof scorn, and contempt, and reproach, as he did, and all that thesouls of sinners might live a life in glory with him. 

But methinks this is the mystery of all as to this, that the soulshould take that pains, contrive such ways, and take such advantagesagainst itself! For it is the soul that sins, that the soul mightdie! O! sin, what art thou? What hast thou done? and what stillwilt thou further do, if mercy, and blood and grace doth not preventthee? O silly soul! what a fool has sin made of thee? what an assart thou become to sin? that ever an immortal soul, at first made inthe image of God, for God, and for his delight, should so degeneratefrom its first station, and so abase itself that it might servesin, as to become the devil's ape, and to play like a Jack Puddingfor him upon any stage or theatre in the world! But I recallmyself; for if sin can make one who was sometimes a glorious angelin heaven, now so to abuse himself as to become, to appearance, as a filthy frog, a toad, a rat, a cat, a fly, a mouse, a dog, orbitch's whelp, [41] to serve its ends upon a poor mortal, that itmight gull them of everlasting life, no marvel if the soul is sobeguiled as to sell itself from God, and all good, for so poor anothing as a momentary pleasure is. But, Third. If sin and the soul are such great things, then behold thelove and care of God; the love to souls, the care he hath takento deliver them from sin. Sin, as I have said, is such a thing asfrom which no man can deliver himself; the soul is such a thing, so rich and valuable in the nature of it, that scarce one in twentythousand counts of it as they should. But God, the lover of mankind, and the greatest enemy to sin, has provided means effectuallyto overthrow the one, and to save and secure the other. Behold, therefore, the love of God, the care of God for us; for when weneither loved nor cared for ourselves, God both loved us and caredfor us. God commended his love towards us in sending his Son to bethe propitiation for our sins. 

Let it be then concluded that 'GOD IS LOVE, ' and that the love thatGod hath to us is such as we never had for ourselves. We have beenoften tried about our own love to ourselves, and it has been provedover, and over, and over, that sometimes even we that are Christianscould, and would, had it been possible, have pawned ourselves, oursouls, and our interest in Christ, for a foul and beastly lust. ButGod, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he lovedus, would not suffer it so to be. Now, if we are so fickle anduncertain in our love to ourselves, as to value our salvation atso low and so base a rate, can it be imagined that ever we should, had it been left to our choice, have given the best of what wehave for the salvation of our souls? Yet God gave his Son to bethe Saviour of the world. I say again, if our love is so slenderto our own souls, can any think that it should be more full to thesouls of others? And yet God had such love to us, as to give hisonly begotten Son for our sins. Yet again, how should it be that we, who are usually so affected with the conceit of our own happiness, since we care no more for our own souls, do our best to secure thesouls of others? and yet God, who is infinitely above all creatures, has so condescended, as to concern himself, and to give the bestof his flock, even his only beloved Son, for very dust and ashes. Wherefore, 'Herein is love, not that we loved God, ' or our neighbour, 'but that God loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiationfor our sins' (1 John 4:10). 

Fourth. Is sin so vile a thing? is the soul so precious a thing?and is God's love and care of the salvation of the souls of sinnersinfinitely greater than is their own care for their own souls?Then this should teach those concerned to blush, to blush, I say, and to cover their faces with shame. There is nothing, as I knowof, that more becomes a sinner, than blushing and shame doth; forhe is the harbourer, the nurse, and the nourisher of that vilething called sin; that so great an enemy of God, and that so greatan enemy to the soul. It becomes him also, if he considers what acreature God has made him, and how little he hath set by his owncreation, and by the matter of which God hath made his soul. Let himalso consider unto what base things he hath stooped and prostratedhimself, while things infinitely better have stood by and offeredthemselves unto him freely; yea, how he has cast that God that madehim, and his Son that came to redeem him, quite behind his back, and before their faces embraced, loved, and devoted himself untohim that seeks nothing more than the damnation of his soul. 

Ah, Lord! when will foolish man be wise, and come to God with hishands upon his head, and with his face covered with shame, to askhim forgiveness for that wickedness which he has committed? whichis wickedness committed not only against holiness and justice, against which also men by nature have an antipathy, but againstmercy and love, without which man cannot tell what to do. Blush, sinner, blush. Ah, that thou hadst grace to blush! But this is God'scomplaint, 'Were they ashamed when they had committed abomination?Nay, they were not at all ashamed, neither could they blush' (Jer8:12). It is a sad thing that men should be thus void of consideration, and yet they are so. They are at a continual jest with God and hisWord, with the devil and sin, with hell and judgment. But they willbe in earnest one day; but that one day will be too late!

Fifth. Is it so that God, though sin is so fearful a thing, hasprepared an effectual remedy against it, and purposed to save usfrom the evil and damning effects thereof? (1. ) Then this shouldbeget thankfulness in the hearts of the godly, for they are madepartakers of this grace; I say, it should beget thankfulness inthy heart. 'Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift, ' said theapostle, when he seriously thought of that which was much inferiorto what we have been a discoursing of (2 Cor 9:15). That was aboutman's willingness to do good; this is about God's. That was aboutmen's willingness to give money to poor saints; this about God'swillingness to give Christ Jesus his Son to the world. It was thethoughts of this redemption and salvation that made David say, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless hisholy name' (Psa 103:1). O! they that are partakers of redeeminggrace, and that have a throne of grace, a covenant of grace, anda Christ, that is the Son of God's love, to come to, and to liveby, should be a thankful people. 'By him therefore let us offer thesacrifice of praise to God continually, --giving thanks in his name'(Heb 13:15). How many obligations has God laid upon his people, to give thanks to him at every remembrance of his holiness. (2. )Study the priesthood, the high priesthood of Jesus Christ, boththe first and second part thereof. The first part was that when heoffered up himself without the gate, when he bare our sins in hisown body on the tree. The second part is that which he executeththere whither he is now gone, even in heaven itself, where the throneof grace is. I say, study what Christ has done, and is adoing. O!what is he adoing now? he is sprinkling his blood with his priestlyrobes on, before the throne of grace; that is too little thoughton by the saints of God: 'We have such a high priest, who is seton the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which theLord pitched, and not man' (Heb 8:1, 2). Busy thyself, fellow-Christian, about this blessed office of Christ. It is full of good, it is fullof sweet, it is full of heaven, it is full of relief and succourfor the tempted and dejected; wherefore, I say again, study thesethings, give thyself wholly to them. 

Sixth. Since God has prepared himself a lamb, a sacrifice, a priest, athrone of grace, and has bid thee come to him, come to him as theresitting; come, come boldly, as he bids thee. What better warrantcanst thou have to come, than to be bid to come of God? When thegoodman himself bids the beggar come to his house, then he may come, then he may come boldly; the consideration of the invitation dothencourage. That we have our friend at court, should also make uscome boldly. Jesus, as has been showed, as sacrifice and high priest, is there, 'in whom we have boldness, and access with confidence bythe faith of him' (Eph 3:12). Again, 'By whom also we have accessby faith into this grace, wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope ofthe glory of God' (Rom 5:2). Again, 'We have boldness, brethren, to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus' (Heb 10:19, 20). What can be more plain, more encouraging, more comfortable to themthat would obtain mercy, 'and find grace to help in time of need. 'It is a dishonour to God, disadvantage to thee, and an encouragementto Satan, when thou hangest back, and seemest afraid to 'come boldlyunto the throne of grace. ' 'Let us, ' therefore, 'draw near with atrue heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkledfrom an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water;let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, forhe is faithful that promised, and let us consider one another, toprovoke unto love and to good works' (Heb 10:22-24). Farewell. 

FOOTNOTES:

1. How many thousands rush into the presence of God with unholy, thoughtless familiarity, by repeating the form called the Lord'sprayer. His infinite holiness should make us tremblingly applyto his throne of grace. In the name of the Redeemer, and in hismediation alone, the sinner can find access, and be emboldened todraw nigh and receive grace to help in our everyday time of need. --Ed. 

2. 'Though the phrase, "throne of grace, " be only once namedin the Bible, yet the thing signified is so savoury, significant, and suitable, that this form of speaking is become famous amongChristians, and will be used to the end of time. '--Traill. --Ed. 

3. This is an allusion to Jeremiah 18:1-10 the potter and his wheel, upon which he forms his vessels of clay to honour or to dishonouras he pleaseth. So God worketh all things according to his will, all tending to the good of his church, because his resting-placeis the mercy-seat. --Ed. 

4. Quoted from the Genevan or puritan version. --Ed. 

5. 'Grace was poured so plentifully from heaven, that it did notonly countervail sin, but above measure passeth it. ' Note to theGenevan Bible. --Ed. 

6. Not by the person or body, but mentally. It matters little whetherthe body is sitting, kneeling, or standing; riding, walking, orlying down; the throne of grace is equally accessible, if the spiritis prostrate before it--the spontaneous effusions of the soul insighs or groans, or joyful exclamations, or the pouring forth ofheart-felt words; but all must be under a sense of the mediationof Jesus. --Ed. 

7. Smutches or smudges. 'And with a kind of amber smirch myface. '--Shakespeare. --Ed. 

8. 'In all our distresses, infirmities, and darkness in this world, we should get up to that mountain of myrrh and hill of frankincense, Canticles 4:6;--the passion of Christ, which was bitter like myrrh;and to the intercession of Christ, which is sweet like incense. '--Dr. Bates. --Ed. 

9. How dreadful for a sinner to enter upon a way, expecting it tobe a living way to life and happiness, and find it the dead way todeath and eternal destruction. O my soul, try thy way, and, by theassistance of the Holy Spirit, ascertain whether it is the livingway to everlasting life, or the dead way to eternal misery. --Ed. 

10. Such was the opinion of naturalists in the olden time, Bartolomeus, on the properties of things, thus speaks of goats'blood--'The goat's hot blood neshethe (softeneth) and carveth thehard ardamant stone, that neither fire nor iron may overcome. ' Book18 cap. 60. --Ed. 

11. What laid the cornerstone of this throne, but grace? What bringsin the inhabitants, preserves them, perfects them, but grace?--Traill. 

 'Grace all the work shall crown, Thro' everlasting days; It lays in heaven the topmost stone, And well deserves the praise. '--Rippon. 

12. Perfectly impressed upon their memories. --Ed. 

13. From the Genevan version. --Ed. 

14. Bunyan here refers to the marginal note in the Genevan bible, Exodus 30. The high priest's washing 'signifying that he that comethto God must be washed from all sin and corruption. '--Ed. 

15. This sea was full of pure water, a figure of the word, withoutmixture of men's inventions. See the typical meaning of the moltensea and the laver, fully explained and illustrated by Bunyan, inSolomon's Temple Spiritualized of this edition. --Ed. 

16. Our first lesson is of sin, righteousness, and judgment; second, Christ's obedience unto death for our salvation; third, Christascended to God's right hand, the Mediator and Advocate. Thus thebitter comes before the sweet, to make the sweet the sweeter. --Ed. 

17. Alluding to these destructive operations of nature, the whirlwindand the whirlpool, the first whirling fancies that Christ savesfrom the punishment, and not from the power of sin, takes them fromthe gospel hope, and the second receives them into the vortex ofmisery. O my soul, be watchful unto prayer at a throne of grace, for who can withstand the whirlpool if once within its influence?--Ed. 

18. To see the fulness and freeness of the treasures of grace inChrist--to see that we must partake of it or perish--to be lookingunto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, are indeed powerfulincentives to keep us near the throne of grace. --Ed. 

19. Probably a frightful military saying heard by Bunyan, whenserving in the debauched army of Charles I, from some of PrinceRupert's cavaliers. --Ed. 

20. How much this paragraph reminds us of the experience of poorChristian in his fearful battle with the fiend! 'In this combatno man can imagine, unless he had seen and heard as I did, whatyelling and hideous roaring Apollyon made all the time of thefight--he spake like a dragon; and, on the other side, what sighsand groans burst from Christian's heart. I never saw him, all thewhile, give so much as one pleasant look, till he perceived he hadwounded Apollyon with his two-edged sword; then, indeed, he didsmile and look upward; but it was the dreadfullest fight that everI saw. '--Ed. 

21. 'Spaked'; marked with small spots. --Ed. 

22. Instituted, inducted, or installed. --Ed. 

23. Exposed to violence--blindfolded or hoodwinked. --Ed. 

24. Protestants can have little idea of the idolatry used inthe Church of Rome. Something may be gathered from the followingdirections, given in a very beautiful office for Good Friday, corrected by royal authority, in conformity with the breviary andmissal of our holy father Pope Urban VIII, printed at Paris byPosset:--

'The priest having retired a little behind the altar, the deacontakes the cross (a plain wooden cross without the figure), coveredwith a veil, and gives it to the priest, who turns to the peopleand shows the top of the cross, before which they all prostratethemselves and kiss the ground, singing Ecce lignum crucis. Hethen removes the veil from the right limb of the cross, and liftsit up, singing, still louder, Behold the wood of the cross; againthe people prostrate themselves. The priest then comes to themiddle of the altar, and taking off the veil, exhibits the woodencross to be adored; then setting it down, he goes on his knees, and rising, takes off his shoes and approaches the cross to worshipit, making three genuflections, and kisses it. All the clergy whoare present take off their shoes, prostrate themselves, worship andkiss the cross in the order of their dignity. All the officers ofthe church, and all the people, follow in the same manner to adoreit, while solemn music and chanting attends and completes theceremony. ' Thus a wooden board, made into the shape of a cross bysome joiner, receives Divine honours. Talk not of heathen idols. Whocan wonder that honest John Bunyan felt indignation, and exclaimed, 'O idolatry! O blasphemy!'--Ed. 

25. An extraneous taste that leaves a sting behind, as, 'She hada tongue with a tang. ' 'The wine has a tang of the cask. '--Ed. 

26. This use of the word 'resent' has been long obsolete; it expresseda deep sense or strong perception of good as well as evil; in thisplace it means, 'proved to have been satisfactory or gratifying. '--Ed. 

27. How sublime is the Christian system, in its adaptation to allGod's intelligent creatures! So lovely in its simplicity, thatthe child--nay, even the poor Bushman of Africa, or the half-idiotnative of New South Wales--is able readily to comprehend how God, for Christ's sake, can blot out all iniquities and transgressions;while the noblest intellect admires and adores its vast and extensiveramifications of mercies. Blessings numerous and unbounded aredeveloped, reaching, in their ultimate effects, far beyond theutmost stretch of human perception, even when the most brilliantimagination is enlightened and sanctified by the Holy Ghost. Theintentions of mercy commence in the purposes of God before thecreation--are infinite in extent--and eternal in duration. How isDivine wisdom and mercy thus displayed in the adaptation of thegospel to the personal inquiry and reception of every individualof the human race!--Ed. 

28. The beginning, increase, and perfection of life eternal, consists in holy knowledge; that God and Christ are of the samenature, equal in power and glory. As Christ is the most excellentobject, therefore the knowledge of Christ is, and must be the mostexcellent knowledge; not only all the excellencies of the creaturesare found in him, but all excellencies, yea, the fulness of theGodhead, dwells in him bodily. All learning, in comparison of theknowledge of Christ, is the most contemptible ignorance. He is thewisdom of God, and our highest wisdom will be, with holy Paul, topart with whatever is most dear and precious to us, that we may winChrist, receiving him as he is revealed in the word of truth. --Mason. 

29. Power of exercising affection and feeling. --Ed. 

30. Bunyan's daughter, Mary, was blind, and thus became an objectof his tenderest solicitude. When he was sent to prison forpreaching, he felt for her far more than for all other worldlyobjects. 'My poor blind child. O the thoughts of the hardship shemight go under would break my heart to pieces. '--Grace Abounding, No. 320 and 329. --Ed. 

31. It is a stupendous and unspeakably blessed privilege that Christand believers are one flesh. Husband and wife, soul and body, arenot so closely united as Christ and believers are to each other. He has carried their sorrows, borne their punishment, and procuredcomplete redemption for them. And eternal blessings on him! henow ever liveth in heaven to act and intercede for them. He thereexercises a tender and compassionate spirit towards his sufferingchildren and servants here on earth. His love and pity to everyindividual of his church, infinitely exceeds that of the mostaffectionate parent towards their offspring. Our extremity is hisopportunity--he is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, will give consolation under, sanctify, and at length deliver thegodly out of all temptations and afflictions. --Mason. 

32. As this is Satan's temptation in the time of poverty, so thetime of prosperity is equally dangerous--the love of gain, when itpossesses the soul, is insatiable. Satan whispers into the ear, andthe heart too readily entertains the wicked thought--'Get money; ifyou cannot do it honestly, still get money. ' The most contemptiblemeannesses have been practised by the wealthy. O beware of thatruinous idolatry, covetousness. --Ed. 

33. Query, is this that part of a Christian's experience referredto in the Pilgrim's Progress, the second part of the Valley of theShadow of Death?--Ed. 

34. No man could speak more experimentally on the pain inflicted byslander, although utterly unfounded, than John Bunyan. So eminenta man became a mark for Satan and his emissaries to shoot at. He wascharged with witchcraft, called a highwayman, and every slanderthat malice could invent was heaped upon him. His remedy, hisconsolation, was the throne of grace--a specific that never did, nor ever will fail. --Ed. 

35. The late Rev. John Newton, who lived to a good old age, in his latter days used to tell his friends--'I am like a parcel, packed up and directed, only waiting the carrier to take me to mydestination'; blessed tranquility under such solemn circumstances. --Ed. 

36. This is illustrated by the account of Hopeful's experience inthe Pilgrim's Progress; he says, 'If I look narrowly into the bestof what I do now, I still see sin, new sin, mixing itself withthe best of that I do; so that now I am forced to conclude, that, notwithstanding my former fond conceits of myself and duties, Ihave committed sin enough IN ONE DUTY to send me to hell, thoughmy former life had been faultless. '--Ed. 

37. Grace, mercy, peace, justification, sanctification, andglorification, all flow from Christ the propitiatory sacrifice, inwhom, as his beloved, the Father accepts us graciously, and lovesus freely. --Mason. 

38. Spiritual strength, like bodily food, must be renewed day byday. The necessity of daily food for our bodies should remind usof that bread that cometh down from heaven, and that water of lifewhich, as a river, maketh glad the city of our God. 'As oft as yedo this, ' eat and drink, 'ye do show the Lord's death. ' O that sucha recollection may have an abiding influence upon our souls!--Ed. 

39. In those days travellers did well to advance as far in a dayas we now do in an hour. To make a country tour, required thenthe same precautions, as to supplies, as it now does to make thegrand tour of Europe. To have carried coin would have been a greatencumbrance, as well as risk from robbers. How accurately Bunyanknew the mode used in such cases to secure supplies, and with whatbeautiful simplicity it is spiritualized. --Ed. 

40. How truly and solemnly is the downward road of a sinner hereportrayed. 1. Drawn aside by lust. 2. A lie to conceal his wickedfolly. 3. Intoxication, to drown his convictions and harden hisconscience. 4. The consequent ruin of his worldly prospects; and, 5. A vain effort by fraud to keep up his credit!!!--Ed. 

41. It was in Bunyan's time the universally received opinion thatSatan appeared in the shape of animals to allure poor wretches intosin--Shakespeare, Judge Hale, Cotton Mather, Baxter, with all oureminent men, believed in these supernatural appearances. --Ed. 

***

THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE;

OR, THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART:

SHOWING THE NATURE, SIGNS, AND PROPER EFFECTS OF A CONTRITE SPIRIT. 

BEING THE LAST WORKS OF THAT EMINENT PREACHER AND FAITHFUL MINISTEROF JESUS CHRIST, MR. JOHN BUNYAN, OF BEDFORD. 

WITH A PREFACE PREFIXED THEREUNTO BY AN EMINENT MINISTER OF THEGOSPEL IN LONDON. 

London: Sold by George Larkin, at the Two Swans without Bishopgates, 1692. 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. 

The very excellent preface to this treatise, written by GeorgeCokayn, will inform the reader of the melancholy circumstances underwhich it was published, and of the author's intention, and modeof treatment. Very little more need be said, by way of introducingto our readers this new edition of Bunyan's Excellency of a BrokenHeart. George Cokayn was a gospel minister in London, who becameeventually connected with the Independent denomination. He wasa learned man--brought up at the university--had preached beforethe House of Commons--was chaplain to that eminent statesman andhistorian, Whitelocke--was rector of St. Pancras, Soper Lane--remarkablefor the consistency of his conduct and piety of his life--but as hedared not to violate his conscience, by conformity to ceremonies orcreeds which he deemed antichristian, he suffered under persecution, and, with upwards of two thousand godly ministers, was ejectedfrom his living, and thrown upon the care of Divine Providence fordaily food. The law ordered him to be silent, and not to set forththe glories of his Saviour; but his heavenly Father had ordainedhim to preach. There was no hesitation as to whom he would obey. Atthe risk of imprisonment, transportation, and death, he preached;and God honoured his ministry, and he became the founder ofa flourishing church in Hare Court, London. His preface bears thedate of September, 1688; and, at a good old age, he followed Bunyanto the celestial city, in 1689. It is painful to find the author'sBaptist friends keeping aloof because of his liberal sentiments;but it is delightful to witness the hearty affection with which anIndependent minister recommends the work of a Baptist; and trulyrefreshing to hear so learned a man commending most earnestly thework of a poor, unlettered, but gigantic brother in the ministry. Surely there is water enough connected with that controversy toquench any unholy fire that differences of opinion might ignite. George Cokayn appears to have possessed much a kindred spirit withJohn Bunyan. Some of his expressions are remarkably Bunyanish. Thus, when speaking of the jailor, 'who was a most barbarous, hard-heartedwretch; yet, when God came to deal with him, he was soon tamed, andhis heart became exceeding soft and tender. ' And when alluding tothe Lord's voice, in softening the sinner's heart, he says: 'Thisis a glorious work indeed, that hearts of stone should be dissolvedand melted into waters of godly sorrow, working repentance. '

The subject of a broken heart is one of vital importance, becauseit is essential to salvation. The heart, by nature, is hard, andcannot, and will not break itself. Angels have no power to performthis miracle of mercy and of justice. It is the work of the HolySpirit in the NEW BIRTH. Some have supposed that God always preparesthe heart for this solemn, this important change, by a stroke ofhis providence; but it is not so. Who dares limit the Almighty? Hetakes his own way with the sinner--one by a whisper, another by ahurricane. Some are first alarmed by the preaching of the Word--manyby conversation with a pious friend or neighbour; some by strokesof Providence--but all are led to a prayerful searching of the holyoracles, until there, by the enlightening influence of the Spirit, they find consolation. The great question is, not as to the means, but the fact--Have I been born again? Have I been grafted intoChrist? Do I bring forth the fruits of godliness in mourning overmy sins, and, in good words and works, am I a living epistle knownand read of all--men, angels, devils--and of the Omniscient God?These are the all-important inquiries which, I trust, will deeplyinfluence every reader. Let two of Bunyan's remarks make anindelible impression on every mind: 'God will break ALL hearts forsin, either here to repentance and happiness, or in the world tocome to condemnation and misery. ' 'Consider thou must die but once;I mean but once as to this world, for if thou, when thou goesthence, dost not die well, thou canst not come back again and diebetter. ' May our spirits be baptized into these solemn truths, andour broken hearts be an acceptable sacrifice to God. 

GEO. OFFOR. 

A PREFACE TO THE READER. 

The author of the ensuing discourse--now with God, reaping thefruit of all his labour, diligence, and success, in his Master'sservice--did experience in himself, through the grace of God, thenature, excellency, and comfort of a truly broken and contritespirit. So that what is here written is but a transcript out ofhis own heart: for God--who had much work for him to do--was stillhewing and hammering him by his Word, and sometimes also by morethan ordinary temptations and desertions. The design, and also theissue thereof, through God's goodness, was the humbling and keepingof him low in his own eyes. The truth is, as himself sometimesacknowledged, he always needed the thorn in the flesh, and God inmercy sent it him, lest, under his extraordinary circumstances, heshould be exalted about measure; which perhaps was the evil thatdid more easily beset him than any other. But the Lord was pleasedto overrule it, to work for his good, and to keep him in that brokenframe which is so acceptable unto him, and concerning which it issaid, that 'He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up theirwounds' (Psa 147:3). And, indeed, it is a most necessary qualificationthat should always be found in the disciples of Christ, who are mosteminent, and as stars of the first magnitude in the firmament ofthe church. Disciples, in the highest form of profession, need tobe thus qualified in the exercise of every grace, and the performanceof every duty. It is that which God doth principally and moreespecially look after, in all our approaches and accesses to him. Itis to him that God will look, and with him God will dwell, who ispoor, and of a contrite spirit (Isa 57:15, 66:2). And the reason whyGod will manifest so much respect to one so qualified, is becausehe carries it so becomingly towards him. He comes and lies at hisfeet, and discovers a quickness of sense, and apprehensiveness ofwhatever may be dishonourable and distasteful to God (Psa 38:4). And if the Lord doth at any time but shake his rod over him, hecomes trembling, and kisses the rod, and says, 'It is the Lord;let him do what seemeth him good' (1 Sam 3:18). He is sensible hehath sinned and gone astray like a lost sheep, and, therefore, willjustify God in his severest proceedings against him. This brokenheart is also a pliable and flexible heart, and prepared to receivewhatsoever impressions God shall make upon it, and is ready to bemoulded into any frame that shall best please the Lord. He says, with Samuel, 'Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth' (1 Sam 3:10). And with David, 'When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart saidunto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek' (Psa 27:8). And so withPaul, who tremblingly said, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?'(Acts 9:6). 

Now, therefore, surely such a heart as this is must needs be verydelightful to God. He says to us, 'My son, give me thine heart'(Prov 23:26). But, doubtless, he means there a broken heart: anunbroken heart we may keep to ourselves; it is the broken heartwhich God will have us to give to him; for, indeed, it is all theamends that the best of us are capable of making, for all the injurywe have done to God in sinning against him. We are not able to givebetter satisfaction for breaking God's laws, than by breaking ourown hearts; this is all that we can do of that kind; for the bloodof Christ only must give the due and full satisfaction to thejustice of God for what provocations we are at any time guilty of;but all that we can do is to accompany the acknowledgments we makeof miscarriages with a broken and contrite spirit. Therefore wefind, that when David had committed those two foul sins of adulteryand murder, against God, he saw that all his sacrifices signifiednothing to the expiating of his guilt; therefore he brings to Goda broken heart, which carried in it the best expression of indignationagainst himself, as of the highest respect he could show to God (2Cor 7:11). 

The day in which we live, and the present circumstances which thepeople of God and these nations are under, do loudly proclaim avery great necessity of being in this broken and tender frame; forwho can foresee what will be the issue of these violent fermentationsthat are amongst us? Who knows what will become of the ark of God?Therefore it is a seasonable duty with old Eli to sit tremblingfor it. Do we not also hear the sound of the trumpet, the alarm ofwars; and ought we not, with the prophet, to cry out, 'My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noisein me, I cannot hold my peace, ' &c. (Jer 4:19). Thus was that holyman affected with the consideration of what might befall Jerusalem, the temple and ordinances of God, &c. , as the consequence of thepresent dark dispensations they were under. Will not a humble posturebest become us when we have humbling providences in prospect? Mercyand judgment seem to be struggling in the same womb of providence;and which will come first out we know not; but neither of them canwe comfortably meet, but with a broken and a contrite spirit. Ifjudgment comes, Josiah's posture of tenderness will be the best wecan be found in; and also to say, with David, 'My flesh tremblethfor fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments' (Psa 119:120). It is very sad when God smites, and we are not grieved; which theprophet complains of, 'Thou hast stricken them, but they have notgrieved, ' &c. 'They have made their faces harder than a rock, theyhave refused to return' (Jer 5:3). 

But such as know the power of his anger will have a deep awe ofGod upon their hearts, and, observing him in all his motions, willhave the greatest apprehensions of his displeasure. So that when heis coming forth in any terrible dispensation, they will, accordingto their duty, prepare to meet him with a humble and broken heart. But if he should appear to us in his goodness, and farther lengthenout the day of our peace and liberty, yet still the contrite framewill be most seasonable; then will be a proper time, with Job, toabhor ourselves in dust and ashes, and to say, with David, 'Who amI that thou hast brought me hitherto'! (Job 42:6; 2 Sam 7:18). 

But we must still know that this broken tender heart is not a plantthat rows in our own soil, but is the peculiar gift of God himself. He that made the heart must break the heart. We may be underheart-breaking providences, and yet the heart remain altogetherunbroken; as it was with Pharaoh, whose heart, though it was underthe hammers of ten terrible judgments, immediately succeeding oneanother, yet continued hardened against God. The heart of man isharder than hardness itself, till God softeneth and breaks it. Menmove not, they relent not, let God thunder never so terribly; letGod, in the greatest earnest, cast abroad his firebrands, arrows, and death, in the most dreadful representations of wrath and judgment, yet still man trembles not, nor is any more astonished than if inall this God were but in jest, till he comes and falls to work withhim, and forces him to cry out, What have I done? What shall I do?

Therefore let us have recourse to him, who, as he gives the newheart, so also therewith the broken heart. And let men's hearts benever so hard, if God comes once to deal effectually with them, theyshall become mollified and tender; as it was with those hardenedJews who, by wicked and cruel hands, murdered the Lord of life:though they stouted it out a great while, yet how suddenly, whenGod brought them under the hammer of his Word and Spirit, in Peter'spowerful ministry, were they broken, and, being pricked in theirhearts, cried out, 'Men and brethren, what shall we do?' (Acts2:37). 

And the like instance we have in the jailor, who was a most barbarous, hard-hearted wretch; yet, when God came to deal with him, he wassoon tamed, and his heart became exceeding soft and tender (Acts16:29, 30). 

Men may speak long enough, and the heart not at all be moved; but'The voice of the Lord is powerful, the voice of the Lord is fullof majesty, ' and breaketh the rocks and cedars (Psa 29:4). Heturns 'the rock into a standing water, the flint into a fountainof waters' (Psa 114:8). And this is a glorious work indeed, thathearts of stone should be dissolved and melted into waters of godlysorrow, working repentance not to be repented of (2 Cor 7:10). 

When God speaks effectually the stoutest heart must melt andyield. Wait upon God, then, for the softening thy heart, and avoidwhatsoever may be a means of hardening it; as the apostle cautionsthe Hebrews, 'Take heed, --lest any of you be hardened through thedeceitfulness of sin' (Heb 3:13). 

Sin is deceitful, and will harden all those that indulge it. Themore tender any man is to his lust, the more will he be hardenedby it. There is a native hardness in every man's heart; and thoughit may be softened by gospel means, yet if those means be afterwardsneglected, the heart will fall to its native hardness again: as itis with the wax and the clay. Therefore, how much doth it behoveus to keep close to God, in the use of all gospel-means, wherebyour hearts being once softened, may be always kept so; which isbest done by repeating the use of those means which were at firstblessed for the softening of them. 

The following treatise may be of great use to the people ofGod--through his blessing accompanying it--to keep their heartstender and broken, when so many, after their hardness and impenitentheart, are treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath (Rom 2:5). 

O let none who peruse this book herd with that generation ofhardened ones, but be a companion of all those that mourn in Zionand whose hearts are broken for their own, the church's, and thenation's provocations; who, indeed, are the only likely ones thatwill stand in the gap to divert judgments. When Shishak, king ofEgypt, with a great host, came up against Judah, and having takentheir frontier fenced cities, they sat down before Jerusalem, whichput them all under a great consternation; but the king and princesupon this humbled themselves; the Lord sends a gracious message tothem by Shemaiah the prophet, the import whereof was, That becausethey humbled themselves, the Lord would not destroy them, nor pourout his wrath upon them, by the hand of Shishak (2 Chron 12:5-7). 

The greater the party is of mourning Christians, the more hope wehave that the storm impending may be blown over, and the blessingsenjoyed may yet be continued. As long as there is a sighing partywe may hope to be yet preserved; at least, such will have the markset upon themselves which shall distinguish them from those whomthe slaughtermen shall receive commission to destroy (Eze 9:4-6). 

But I shall not further enlarge the porch, as designing to makeway for the reader's entrance into the house, where I doubt notbut he will be pleased with the furniture and provision he finds init. And I shall only further assure him, that this whole book wasnot only prepared for, but also put into, the press by the authorhimself, whom the Lord was pleased to remove--to the great lossand unexpressible grief of many precious souls--before the sheetscould be all wrought off. 

And now, as I hinted in the beginning, that what was transcribedout of the author's heart into the book, may be transcribed out ofthe book into the hearts of all who shall peruse it, is the desireand prayer of

A lover and honourer of all saints as such, George Cokayn September 21, 1688

THE ACCEPTABLE SACRIFICE;

OR, THE EXCELLENCY OF A BROKEN HEART. 

'THE SACRIFICES OF GOD ARE A BROKEN SPIRIT: A BROKEN AND A CONTRITEHEART, O GOD, THOU WILT NOT DESPISE. '--Psalm 51:17

This psalm is David's penitential psalm. It may be fitly so called, because it is a psalm by which is manifest the unfeigned sorrowwhich he had for his horrible sin, in defiling of Bathsheba, andslaying Uriah her husband; a relation at large of which you have inthe 11th and 12th of the Second of Samuel. Many workings of heart, as this psalm showeth, this poor man had, so soon as convictiondid fall upon his spirit. One while he cries for mercy, then heconfesses his heinous offences, then he bewails the depravity ofhis nature; sometimes he cries out to be washed and sanctified, and then again he is afraid that God will cast him away from hispresence, and take his Holy Spirit utterly from him. And thus hegoes on till he comes to the text, and there he stayeth his mind, finding in himself that heart and spirit which God did not dislike;'The sacrifices of God, ' says he, 'are a broken spirit'; as ifhe should say, I thank God I have that. 'A broken and a contriteheart, ' says he, 'O God, thou wilt not despise'; as if he shouldsay, I thank God I have that. 

[I. THE TEXT OPENED IN THE MANY WORKINGS OF THE HEART. ]

The words consist of two parts. FIRST. An assertion. SECOND. A demonstration of that assertion. The assertion is this, 'Thesacrifices of God are a broken spirit. ' The demonstration is this, 'Because a broken and a contrite heart God will not despise. '

In the assertion we have two things present themselves to ourconsideration. First. That a broken spirit is to God a sacrifice. Second. That it is to God, as that which answereth to, or goethbeyond, all sacrifices. 'The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit. '

The demonstration of this is plain: for that heart God will notdespise it. 'A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt notdespise. ' Whence I draw this conclusion: That a spirit rightlybroken, a heart truly contrite, is to God an excellent thing. Thatis, a thing that goeth beyond all external duties whatever; for thatis intended by this saying, The sacrifices, because it answerethto all sacrifices which we can offer to God; yea it serveth inthe room of all: all our sacrifices without this are nothing; thisalone is all. 

There are four things that are very acceptable to God. The

First is The sacrifice of the body of Christ for our sins. Of this you read (Heb 10) for there you have it preferred to allburnt-offerings and sacrifices; it is this that pleaseth God; itis this that sanctifieth, and so setteth the people acceptable inthe sight of God. 

Second. Unfeigned love to God is counted better than all sacrifices, or external parts of worship. 'And to love him [the Lord thy God]with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with allthe soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour ashimself, is more than all whole burnt-offerings and sacrifices'(Mark 12:33). 

Third. To walk holily and humbly, and obediently, towards and beforeGod, is another. Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offeringsand sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord?--'Behold, toobey is better than sacrifice; and to hearken than the fat of rams'(Micah 6:6-8; 1 Sam 15:22). 

Fourth. And this in our text is the fourth: 'The sacrifices of Godare a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thouwilt not despise. '

But note by the way, that this broken, this broken and contriteheart, is thus excellent only to God: 'O God, ' saith he, 'THOUwilt not despise it. ' By which is implied, the world have not thisesteem or respect for such a heart, or for one that is of a brokenand a contrite spirit. No, no, a man, a woman, that is blessed witha broken heart, is so far off from getting by that esteem with theworld, that they are but burdens and trouble houses wherever theyare or go. Such people carry with them molestation and disquietment:they are in carnal families as David was to the king of Gath, troublers of the house (1 Sam 21). 

Their sighs, their tears, their day and night groans, their criesand prayers, and solitary carriages, put all the carnal family outof order. [1] Hence you have them brow-beaten by some, contemned byothers, yea, and their company fled from and deserted by others. But mark the text, 'A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wiltnot despise, ' but rather accept; for not to despise is with God toesteem and set a high price upon. 

[II. THE DOCTRINE, ASSERTION, DEMONSTRATION, AND CONCLUSION, THATA BROKEN AND TRULY CONTRITE HEART IS AN EXCELLENT HEART. ]

But we will demonstrate by several particulars, that a brokenspirit, a spirit RIGHTLY broken, an heart TRULY contrite, is toGod an excellent thing. 

First. This is evident from the comparison, 'Thou desirest notsacrifice, else would I give it, thou delightest not in burnt-offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, ' &c. Mark, he rejectethsacrifices, offerings and sacrifices: that is, all Leviticalceremonies under the law, and all external performances under thegospel; but accepteth a broken heart. It is therefore manifest bythis, were there nothing else to be said, that proves, that a heartrightly broken, a heart truly contrite, is to God an excellentthing; for as you see such a heart is set before all sacrifice; andyet they were the ordinances of God, and things that he commanded;but lo, a broken spirit is above them all, a contrite heart goesbeyond them, yea, beyond them when put all together. Thou wilt nothave the one, thou wilt not despise the other. O brethren, a brokenand a contrite heart is an excellent thing. Have I said a brokenheart, a broken and a contrite heart is esteemed above all sacrifices;I will add, Second. It is of greater esteem with God than is either heavenor earth; and that is more than to be set before external duties. 'Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is myfootstool, where is the house that ye build unto me? and where isthe place of my rest? For all those things hath mine hand made, andall those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man willI look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, andtrembleth at my word' (Isa 66:1, 2). Mark, God saith, he hath madeall these things, but he doth not say, that he will look to them, that is, take complacency and delight in them; no, there is thatwanting in all that he hath made that should take up and delighthis heart. But now, let a broken-hearted sinner come before him;yea, he ranges the world throughout to find out such an one, andhaving found him, 'To this man, ' saith he, 'will I look. ' I sayagain, that such a man to him is of more value than is either heavenor earth; 'They, ' saith he, 'shall wax old'; 'they shall perish'and vanish away; but this man he continues: he, as is presented tous in another place, under another character, 'he shall abide forever' (Heb 1:10-12; 1 John 2:17). 

'To this man will I look, ' with this man will I be delighted; forso to look doth sometimes signify. 'Thou hast ravished my heart, my sister, my spouse, ' saith Christ to his humble-hearted, 'thouhast ravished my heart with one of thine eyes' (Cant 4:9). Whileit is as a conduit to let the rivers out of thy broken heart. I amtaken, saith he, 'with one chain of thy neck' (Can 4:9). Here yousee he looks and is ravished, he looks and is taken, as it saithin another place, 'The king is held in the galleries'; that is, istaken with his beloved, with the dove's eyes of his beloved, withthe contrite spirit of his people (Cant 7:5, 1:15). But it is notthus reported of him with respect to heaven or earth: them he setsmore lightly by, them he 'reserves unto fire against the day ofjudgment and perdition of ungodly men' (2 Peter 3:7), but the brokenin heart are his beloved, his jewels. 

Wherefore, what I have said as to this must go for the truth ofGod, to wit, That a broken-hearted sinner, a sinner with a contritespirit, is of more esteem with God than is either heaven or earth. He saith he hath made them, but he doth not say he will look tothem. He saith they are his throne and footstool, but he doth notsay they have taken or ravished his heart. No, it is those that areof a contrite spirit do this. But there is yet more in the words, 'To this man will I look': that is, For this man will I care, aboutthis man will I camp, I will put this man under my protection; forso to look to one doth sometimes signify; and I take the meaningin this place to be such (Prov 27:23; Jer 39:12, 40:4). 'The Lordupholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be boweddown' (Psa 145:14). And the broken-hearted are of this number;wherefore he careth for, campeth about, and hath set his eyes uponsuch an one for good. This, therefore, is a second demonstrationto prove, that the man that hath his spirit rightly broken, hisheart truly contrite, is of great esteem with God. 

Third. Yet further, God doth not only prefer such an one, as hasbeen said, before heaven and earth, but he loveth, he desireth tohave that man for an intimate, for a companion; he must dwell; hemust cohabit with him that is of a broken heart, with such as areof a contrite spirit. 'For thus saith the high and lofty One thatinhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I will dwell in the highand holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humblespirit' &c. (Isa 57:15). 

Behold here both the majesty and condescension of the high and loftyOne; his majesty, in that he is high, and the inhabiter of eternity;'I am the high and lofty One, ' saith he, 'I inhabit eternity. 'Verily this consideration is enough to make the broken-hearted mancreep into a mouse-hole to hide himself from such a majesty! Butbehold his heart, his condescending mind; I am for dwelling alsowith him that hath a broken heart, with him that is of a contritespirit; that is the man that I would converse with, that is theman with whom I will cohabit; that is, he, saith God, I will choosefor my companion. For to desire to dwell with one supposeth allthese things; and verily, of all the men in the world, none haveacquaintance with God, none understand what communion with him, andwhat his teachings mean, but such as are of a broken and contriteheart. 'He is nigh unto them that are of a broken spirit' (Psa 34:18). These are they intended in the 14th Psalm, where it is said, 'TheLord looked down from heaven, --to see if any did understand andseek God'; that he might find some body in the world with whom hemight converse; for indeed there is none else that either understand, or that can tend to hearken to him. God, as I may say, is forcedto break men's hearts, before he can make them willing to cry tohim, or be willing that he should have any concerns with them; therest shut their eyes, stop their ears, withdraw their hearts, orsay unto God, Be gone (Job 21:14). But now the broken in heart cantend it; he has leisure, yea, leisure, and will, and understanding, and all; and therefore is a fit man to have to do with God. Thereis room also in this man's house, in this man's heart, in thisman's spirit, for God to dwell, for God to walk, for God to set upa kingdom. 

Here, therefore, is suitableness. 'Can two walk together, ' saithGod, 'except they be agreed?' (Amos 3:3). The broken-hearteddesireth God's company; when wilt thou come unto me? saith he. Thebroken-hearted loveth to hear God speak and talk to him. Here isa suitableness. 'Make me, ' saith he, 'to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice' (Psa 51:8). Buthere lies the glory, in that the high and lofty One, the God thatinhabiteth eternity, and that was a high and holy place for hishabitation, should choose to dwell with, and to be a companion ofthe broken in heart, and of them that are of a contrite spirit. Yea, and here also is great comfort for such. 

Fourth. God doth not only prefer such a heart before all sacrifices, nor esteems such a man above heaven and earth; nor yet only desireto be of his acquaintance, but he reserveth for him his chief comforts, his heart-reviving and soul-cherishing cordials. 'I dwell, ' saithhe, with such to revive them, and to support and comfort them, 'torevive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of thecontrite ones' (Isa 57:15). The broken-hearted man is a faintingman; he has his qualms, his sinking fits; he ofttimes dies awaywith pain and fear; he must be stayed with flagons, and comfortedwith apples, or else he cannot tell what to do: he pines, he pinesaway in his iniquity; nor can any thing keep him alive and make himwell but the comforts and cordials of Almighty God (Exo 33:10, 11). Wherefore with such an one God will dwell, to revive the heart, to revive the spirit. 'To revive the spirit of the humble, and torevive the heart of the contrite ones. '

God has cordials, but they are to comfort them that are cast down(2 Cor 7:6); and such are the broken-hearted; as for them that arewhole, they need not the physician (Mark 2:17). They are the brokenin spirit that stand in need of cordials; physicians are men ofno esteem but with them that feel their sickness; and this is onereason why God is so little accounted of in the world, even becausethey have not been made sick by the wounding stroke of God. Butnow when a man is wounded, has his bones broken, or is made sick, and laid at the grave's mouth, who is of that esteem with him asis an able physician? What is so much desired as are the cordials, comforts, and suitable supplies of the skilful physician in thosematters. And thus it is with the broken-hearted; he needs, and Godhas prepared for him plenty of the comforts and cordials of heaven, to succour and relieve his sinking soul. 

Wherefore such a one lieth under all the promises that have succourin them, and consolation for men, sick and desponding under thesense of sin and the heavy wrath of God; and they, says God, shallbe refreshed and revived with them. Yea, they are designed for them;he hath therefore broken their hearts, he hath therefore woundedtheir spirits, that he might make them apt to relish his revivingcordials, that he might minister to them his reviving comforts. For indeed, so soon as he hath broken them, his bowels yearn, andhis compassions roll up and down within him, and will not sufferhim to abide afflicting. Ephraim was one of these; but so soon asGod had smitten him, behold his heart, how it works towards him. 'Is Ephraim, ' saith he, 'my dear son?' that is, he is so; 'is hea pleasant child?' that is, he is so; 'for since I spake againsthim, I do earnestly remember him still; therefore my bowels aretroubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith theLord' (Jer 31:18-20). This therefore is another demonstration. 

Fifth. As God prefers such a heart, and esteems the man that hasit above heaven and earth; as he covets intimacy with such an one, and prepares for him his cordials; so when he sent his Son Jesusinto the world to be a Saviour, he gave him in special a charge totake care of such; yea, that was one of the main reasons he senthim down from heaven, anointed for his work on earth. 'The Spiritof the Lord God is upon me, ' saith he; 'because he hath anointedme to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to bind up thebroken-hearted, ' &c. (Luke 4:18; Isa 61:1). Now that this is meantof Christ, is confirmed by his own lips; for in the days of hisflesh he takes this book in his hand, when he was in the synagogueat Nazareth, and read this very place unto the people; and thentells them that that very day that Scripture was fulfilled in theirears (Luke 6:16-18). 

But see, these are the souls whose welfare is contrived in theheavens. God consulted their salvation, their deliverance, theirhealth, before his Son came down from thence. Doth not thereforethis demonstrate, that a broken-hearted man, that a man of a contritespirit, is of great esteem with God. I have often wondered at Davidthat he should give Joab and the men of war a charge, that theytake heed that they carry it tenderly to that young rebel Absalomhis son (2 Sam 18:5). But that God, the high God, the God againstwhom we have sinned, should, so soon as he has smitten, give his Sona command, a charge, a commission to take care of, to bind up andheal the broken in heart; this is that which can never be sufficientlyadmired or wondered at by men or angels. 

And as this was his commission, so he acted; as is evidently setforth by the parable of the man who fell among thieves. He wentto him, poured into his wounds wine and oil; he bound him up, tookhim, set him upon his own beast, had him to an inn, gave the hosta charge to look well to him, with money in hand, and a promise athis return to recompence him in what farther he should be expensivewhile he was under his care (Luke 10:30-35). Behold, therefore, the care of God which he has for the broken in heart; he has givena charge to Christ his Son, to look well to them, and to bind upand heal their wounds. Behold also the faithfulness of Christ, whodoth not hide, but read this commission as soon as he entereth uponhis ministry, and also falls into the practical part thereof. 'Hehealeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds' (Psa147:3). 

And behold again into whose care a broken heart and a contritespirit hath put this poor creature; he is under the care of God, the care and cure of Christ. If a man was sure that his diseasehad put him under the special care of the king and the queen, yetcould he not be sure of life, he might die under their sovereignhands. Ay, but here is a man in the favour of God, and under thehand of Christ to be healed; under whose hand none yet ever diedfor want of skill and power in him to save their life; whereforethis man must live; Christ has in commission not only to bind uphis wounds, but to heal him. He has of himself so expounded it inreading his commission; wherefore he that has his heart broken, and that is of a contrite spirit, must not only be taken in hand, but healed; healed of his pain, grief, sorrow, sin, and fearsof death and hell-fire; wherefore he adds, that he must give untosuch 'beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garmentof praise for the spirit of heaviness, ' and must 'comfort all thatmourn' (Isa 61:2, 3). This, I say, he has in the commission, thebroken-hearted are put into his hand, and he has said himself hewill heal him. Hence he says of that same man, 'I have seen hisways, and will heal him; I will lead him also, and restore comfortsunto him, and to his mourners;--and I will heal him' (Isa 57:18, 19). And this is a fifth demonstration. 

Sixth. As God prefers such a heart, and so esteems the man that hasit; as he desires his company, has provided for him his cordials, and given a charge to Christ to heal him, so he has promised inconclusion to save him. 'He saveth such as be of a contrite spirit, 'or, as the margin has it, that be 'contrite of spirit' (Psa 34:18). 

And this is the conclusion of all; for to save a man is the end ofall special mercy. 'He saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. ' Tosave, is to forgive; for without forgiveness of sins we cannot besaved. To save, is to preserve one in this miserable world, andto deliver one from all those devils, temptations, snares, anddestructions that would, were we not kept, were we not preservedof God, destroy us body and soul for ever. To save, is to bringa man body and soul to glory, and to give him an eternal mansionhouse in heaven, that he may dwell in the presence of this good God, and the Lord Jesus, and to sing to them the songs of his redemptionfor ever and ever. This it is to be saved; nor can any thing lessthan this complete the salvation of the sinner. Now, this is tobe the lot of him that is of a broken heart, and the end that Godwill make with him that is of a contrite spirit. 'He saveth suchas be contrite of spirit. ' He saveth such! This is excellent!

But, do the broken in spirit believe this? Can they imagine thatthis is to be the end that God has designed them to, and that heintended to make with them in the day in which he began to breaktheir hearts? No, no; they, alas! think quite the contrary. Theyare afraid that this is but the beginning of death, and a tokenthat they shall never see the face of God with comfort, either inthis world or that which is to come. Hence they cry, 'Cast me notaway from thy presence'; or, Now I am 'free among the dead whomGod remembers no more' (Psa 51:11, 88:4, 5). For indeed there goesto the breaking of the heart a visible appearance of the wrathof God, and a home charge from heaven of the guilt of sin to theconscience. This to reason is very dreadful; for it cuts the souldown to the ground; 'for a wounded spirit who [none] can bear?'(Prov 18:14). 

It seems also now to this man, that this is but the beginning ofhell; but as it were the first step down to the pit; when, indeed, all these are but the beginnings of love, and but that which makesway for life. The Lord kills before he makes alive; he woundsbefore his hands make whole. Yea, he does the one in order to, orbecause he would do the other; he wounds, because his purpose is toheal; 'he maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his handsmake whole' (Deut 32:39; 1 Sam 2:6; Job 5:18). His design, I say, is the salvation of the soul. He scourgeth, he breaketh the heartof every son whom he receiveth, and woe be to him whose heart Godbreaketh not. 

And thus have I proved what at first I asserted, namely, thata spirit rightly broken, an heart truly contrite, is to God anexcellent thing. 'A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wiltnot despise. ' For this say I, First. This is evident; for that itis better than sacrifices, than all sacrifice. Second. The man thathas it is of more esteem with God than heaven or earth. Third. Godcoveteth such a man for his intimate and house companion. Fourth. He reserveth for them his cordials and spiritual comforts. Fifth. He has given his Son a Charge, a commandment to take care that thebroken-hearted be healed; and he is resolved to heal them. Sixth. And concluded, that the broken-hearted, and they that are of acontrite spirit, shall be saved, that is, possessed of the heavens. 

[III. WHAT A BROKEN HEART, AND WHAT A CONTRITE SPIRIT IS. ]

I come now in order to show you what a broken heart and what acontrite spirit is. This must be done, because in the discovery ofthis lies both the comfort of them that have it, and the convictionof them that have it not. Now, that I may do this the better, Imust propound and speak to these four things. FIRST. I must showyou what an one that heart is that is not broken, that is notcontrite. SECOND. I must show you how, or with what the heart isbroken and made contrite. THIRD. Show you how, and what it is, whenbroken and made contrite. And, FOURTH. I shall, last of all, giveyou some signs of a broken and contrite heart. 

FIRST. For the first of these, to wit, What an one that heart is, that is not a broken, that is not a contrite heart. 

First. The heart, before it is broken, is hard and stubborn, andobstinate against God, and the salvation of the soul (Zech 7:12;Deut 2:30, 9:27). 

Second. It is a heart full of evil imaginations and darkness (Gen18:12; Rom 1:21). 

Third. It is a heart deceitful and subject to be deceived, especiallyabout the things of an eternal concernment (Isa 44:20; Deut 11:16). 

Fourth. It is a heart that rather gathereth iniquity and vanity toitself than anything that is good for the soul (Psa 41:6, 94:11). 

Fifth. It is an unbelieving heart, and one that will turn away fromGod to sin (Heb 3:12; Deut 17:17). 

Sixth. It is a heart not prepared for God, being uncircumcised, norfor the reception of his holy word (2 Chron 12:14; Psa 78:8; Acts7:51). 

Seventh. It is a heart not single, but double; it will pretend toserve God, but will withal lean to the devil and sin (Psa 12:2;Eze 33:31). 

Eighth. It is a heart proud and stout: it loves not to be controlled, though the controller be God himself (Psa 101:5; Prov 16:5; Mal3:13). 

Ninth. It is a heart that will give place to Satan, but will resistthe Holy Ghost (Acts 5:3, 7:51). 

Tenth. In a word, 'It is deceitful above all things, and desperatelywicked'; so wicked that none can know it (Jer 17:9). 

That the heart before it is broken is such, and worse than I havedescribed it to be, is sufficiently seen by the whole course ofthe world. Where is the man whose heart has not been broken, andwhose spirit is not contrite, that according to the Word of Goddeals honestly with his own soul? It is one character of a rightheart, that it is sound in God's statutes, and honest (Psa 119:18;Luke 8:15). Now, an honest heart will not put off itself, norbe put off with that which will not go for current money with themerchant; I mean, with that which will not go for saving grace atthe day of judgment. But alas! alas! but few men, how honest soeverthey are to others, have honesty towards themselves; though he isthe worst of deceivers who deceiveth his own soul, as James hasit, about the things of his own soul (1:22, 26). But, SECOND. I now come to show you with what and how the heart isbroken, and the spirit made contrite. 

[First. With what the heart is broken, and the spirit made contrite. ]

The instrument with which the heart is broken, and with which thespirit is made contrite, is the Word. 'Is not my word like as afire, saith the Lord; and like a hammer, that breaketh the rock inpieces?' (Jer 23:29). The rock, in this text, is the heart, whichin another place is compared to an adamant, which adamant is harderthan flint (Zech 7:11, 12; Eze 3:9). This rock, this adamant, thisstony heart, is broken and made contrite by the Word. But it onlyis so, when the Word is as a fire, and as a hammer to break andmelt it. And then, and then only, it is as a fire, and a hammer tothe heart to break it, when it is managed by the arm of God. Noman can break the heart with the Word; no angel can break the heartwith the Word; that is, if God forbears to second it by mighty powerfrom heaven. This made Balaam go without a heart rightly broken, and truly contrite, though he was rebuked by an angel; and thePharisees die in their sins, though rebuked for them, and admonishedto turn from them, by the Saviour of the world. Wherefore, thoughthe Word is the instrument with which the heart is broken, yet itis not broken with the Word, till that Word is managed by the mightand power of God. 

This made the prophet Isaiah, after long preaching, cry out, thathe had laboured for nought, and in vain; and this made him cry toGod, 'to rend the heavens and come down, ' that the mountains, orrocky hills, or hearts, might be broken, and melt at his presence(Isa 44:4, 64:1, 2). For he found by experience, that as to thisno effectual work could be done, unless the Lord put to his hand. This also is often intimated in the Scriptures, where it saith, when the preachers preached effectually to the breaking of men'shearts, 'the Lord wrought with them;[2] the hand of the Lord waswith them, ' and the like (Mark 16:20; Acts 11:21). 

Now when the hand of the Lord is with the Word, then it is mighty:it is 'mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds' (2Cor 10:4). It is sharp, then, as a sword in the soul and spirit;it sticks like an arrow in the hearts of sinners, to the causingof the people to fall at his foot for mercy (Heb 4:12). Then itis, as was said afore, as a fire and as a hammer to break this rockin pieces (Psa 110:3). And hence the Word is made mention of undera double consideration. 1. As it stands by itself. 2. As attendedwith power from heaven. 

1. As it stands by itself, and is not seconded with saving operationfrom heaven, it is called the Word only, the Word barely, or as ifit was only the word of men (1 Thess 1:5-7; 1 Cor 4:19, 20; 1 Thess2:13). Because, then, it is only as managed by men, who are notable to make it accomplish that work. The Word of God, when in aman's hand only, is like the father's sword in the hand of the suckingchild; which sword, though never so well pointed, and though neverso sharp on the edges, is not now able to conquer a foe, and tomake an enemy fall and cry out for mercy, because it is but in thehand of the child. But now, let the same sword be put into the handof a skilful father--and God is both skilful and able to managehis Word--and then the sinner, and then the proud helpers too, areboth made to stoop, and submit themselves; wherefore, I say, thoughthe Word be the instrument, yet of itself doth do no saving goodto the soul; the heart is not broken, nor the spirit made contritethereby; it only worketh death, and leaveth men in the chains oftheir sins, still faster bound over to eternal condemnation (2 Cor2:15, 16). 

2. But when seconded by mighty power, then the same Word is as theroaring of a lion, as the piercing of a sword, as a burning firein the bones, as thunder and as a hammer that dashes all to pieces(Jer 25:30; Amos 1:2, 3:8; Acts 2:37; Jer 20:9; Psa 29:3-9). Wherefore, from hence it is to be concluded, that whoever has heard the Wordpreached, and has not heard the voice of the living God therein, has not as yet had their hearts broken, nor their spirits madecontrite for their sins. 

[Second. How the heart is broken, and the spirit made contrite. ]

And this leads me to the second thing, to wit, To show how the heartis broken and the spirit made contrite by the Word, and verily itis when the Word comes home with power. But yet this is but general;wherefore, more particularly, 1. Then the Word works effectually to this purpose, when it findethout the sinner and his sin, and shall convince him that it has foundhim out. Thus it was with our first father; when he had sinned, he sought to hide himself from God; he gets among the trees of thegarden, and there he shrouds himself; but yet, not thinking himselfsecure, he covers himself with fig-leaves; and now he lieth quiet. Now God shall not find me, thinks he, nor know what I have done. But lo! by and by, he 'hears the voice of the Lord God walking inthe garden. ' And now, Adam, what do you mean to do? Why, as yet, he skulketh, and hides his head, and seeks yet to lie undiscovered;but behold, the voice cries out, ADAM! and now he begins to tremble. 'Adam, where art thou?' says God; and now Adam is made to answer(Gen 3:7-11). But the voice of the Lord God doth not leave him here:no, it now begins to search, and to inquire after his doings, andto unravel what he had wrapt together and covered, until it madehim bare and naked in his own sight before the face of God. Thus, therefore, doth the Word, when managed by the arm of God. It findethout, it singleth out the sinner; the sinner finds it so; it findsout the sins of the sinner; it unravels his whole life, it stripshim and lays him naked in his own sight before the face of God;neither can the sinner nor his wickedness be longer hid and covered;and now begins the sinner to see what he never saw before. 

2. Another instance for this is David, the man of our text. Hesins, he sins grossly, he sins and hides it; yea, and seeks to hideit from the face of God and man. Well, Nathan is sent to preacha preaching to him, and that in common, and that in special: incommon, by a parable; in special, by a particular application ofit to him. While Nathan only preached in common, or in general, David was fish-whole, [3] and stood as right in his own eyes as ifhe had been as innocent and as harmless as any man alive. But Godhad a love for David; and therefore commands his servant Nathanto go home, not only to David's ears, but to David's conscience. Well, David now must fall. Says Nathan, 'Thou art the man'; saysDavid, 'I have sinned, ' and then his heart was broken, and hisspirit made contrite; as this psalm and our text doth show (2 Sam12:1-13). 

3. A third instance is that of Saul; he had heard many a sermon, and was become a great professor, yea, he was more zealous thanwere many of his equals; but his heart was never broken, nor hisspirit ever made contrite, till he heard one preach from heaven, till he heard God, in the Word of God, making inquiry after hissins: 'Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?' says Jesus; and thenhe can stand no longer: for then his heart brake, then he fallsto the ground, then he trembles, then he cries out, 'Who art thou, Lord?' and, 'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' (Acts 9). Wherefore, as I said, Then the word works effectually to this purpose, when itfindeth out the sinner and his sin, and also when it shall convincehim that it has found him out. Only I must join here a caution, for every operation of the Word upon the conscience is not saving;nor doth all conviction end in the saving conversion of the sinner. It is then only such an operation of the Word that is intended, namely, that shows the sinner not only the evil of his ways, butbrings the heart unfeignedly over to God by Christ. And this bringsme to the third thing. 

THIRD. I am therefore come to show you how and what the heart iswhen broken and made contrite. And this I must do, by opening untoyou the two chief expressions in the text. First. What is meant bythis word broken. Second. What is meant by this word contrite. 

First. For this word broken, Tindal renders it a troubled heart;[4]but I think there is more in it. I take it, therefore, to bea heart disabled, as to former actions, even as a man whose bonesare broken is disabled, as to his way of running, leaping, wrestling, or ought else, which vainly he was wont to do; wherefore, that whichwas called a broken heart in the text, he calls his broken bones, in verse the eighth: 'Cause me, ' saith he, 'to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice' (Psa 51:8). Andwhy is the breaking of the heart compared to the breaking of thebones? but because as when the bones are broken, the outward manis disabled as to what it was wont to do; so when the spirit isbroken, the inward man is disabled as to what vanity and folly itbefore delighted in; hence, feebleness is joined with this brokennessof heart. 'I am feeble, ' saith he, 'and sore broken' (Psa 38:8). I have lost my strength and former vigour, as to vain and sinfulcourses. 

This, then, it is to have the heart broken; namely, to have itlamed, disabled, and taken off by sense of God's wrath due to sin, from that course of life it formerly was conversant in; and to showthat this work is no fancy, nor done but with great trouble to thesoul, it is compared to the putting the bones out of joint, thebreaking of the bones, the burning of the bones with fire, or asthe taking the natural moisture from the bones, the vexing of thebones, &c. (Psa 23:14; Jer 20:9; Lam 1:13; Psa 6:2; Prov 17:22). All which are expressions adorned with such similitudes, as doundeniably declare that to sense and feeling a broken heart is agrievous thing. 

Second. What is meant by the word contrite. A contrite spirit isa penitent one; one sorely grieved, and deeply sorrowful, for thesins it has committed against God, and to the damage of the soul;and so it is to be taken in all those places where a contrite spiritis made mention of; as in Psalm 34:18; Isaiah 57:15, 66:2. 

As a man that has by his folly procured a broken leg or arm, isheartily sorry that ever he was so foolish as to be engaged in suchfoolish ways of idleness and vanity; so he whose heart is brokenwith a sense of God's wrath due to his sin, hath deep sorrow inhis soul, and is greatly repentant that ever he should be such afool, as by rebellious doings to bring himself and his soul to somuch sharp affliction. Hence, while others are sporting themselvesin vanity, such a one doth call his sin his greatest folly. 'My woundsstink, and are corrupt, ' saith David, 'because of my foolishness. 'And again, 'O God, thou knowest my foolishness, and my sins arenot hid from thee' (Psa 38:5, 69:5). 

Men, whatever they say with their lips, cannot conclude, if yettheir hearts want breaking, that sin is a foolish thing. Hence itsays, 'The foolishness of fools is folly' (Prov 14:24). That is, the foolishness of some men, is that they take pleasure in theirsins; for their sins are their foolishness, and the folly of theirsoul lies in their countenancing of this foolishness. But the manwhose heart is broken, he is none of these, he cannot be one ofthese, no more than he that has his bones broken can rejoice thathe is desired to play a match at football. Hence, to hear otherstalk foolishly, is to the grief of those whom God has wounded: or, as it is in another place, their words are 'like the piercings ofa sword' (Psa 69:26; Prov 12:18). This, therefore, I take to bethe meaning of these two words, a broken and a contrite spirit. 

FOURTH. Lastly, As to this, I now come more particularly to giveyou some signs of a broken heart, of a broken and a contrite spirit. 

First. A broken-hearted man, such as is intended in the text, isa sensible man; he is brought to the exercise of all the senses ofhis soul. All others are dead, senseless, and without true feelingof what the broken-hearted man is sensible of. 

1. He sees himself to be what others are ignorant of; that is, hesees himself to be not only a sinful man, but a man by nature in thegall and bond of sin. In the gall of sin: it is Peter's expressionto Simon, and it is a saying common to all men: for every manin a state of nature is in the gall of sin; he was shapen in it, conceived in it; it has also possession of, and by that possessioninfected the whole of his soul and body (Psa 51:5; Acts 8:23). This he sees, this he understands; every professor sees not this, because the blessing of a broken heart is not bestowed on everyone. David says, 'There is no soundness in my flesh'; and Solomonsuggest that a plague or running sore is in the very heart. Butevery one perceives not this (Psa 38:3; 1 Kings 8:38). He saithagain, that his 'wounds stank, and were corrupted': that his 'soreran, and ceased not' (Psa 38:5, 77:2). But these things the brutishman, the man whose heart was never broken, has no understanding of. But the broken-hearted, the man that has a broken spirit, he sees, as the prophet has it, he sees his sickness, he sees his wound:'When Ephraim saw his sickness, and Judah saw his wound'; he seesit to his grief, he sees it to his sorrow (Hosea 5:13). 

2. He feels what others have no sense of; he feels the arrows ofthe Almighty, and that they stick fast in him (Psa 38:2). He feelshow sore and sick, by the smiting of God's hammer upon his heartto break it, his poor soul is made. He feels a burden intolerablylying upon his spirit (Hosea 5:13). 'Mine iniquities, ' saith he, 'are gone over mine head; as a heavy burden they are too heavy forme' (Psa 38:4). He feels also the heavy hand of God upon his soul, a thing unknown to carnal men. He feels pain, being wounded, evensuch pain as others cannot understand, because they are not broken. 'My heart, ' saith David, 'is sore pained within me. ' Why so? Why!'The terrors of death are fallen upon me' (Psa 55:4). The terrorsof death cause pain, yea, pain of the highest nature; hence thatwhich is here called pains, is in another place called pangs (Isa21:3). 

You know broken bones occasion pain, strong pain, yea, pain that willmake a man or woman groan 'with the groanings of a deadly woundedman' (Eze 30:24). Soul pain is the sorest pain, in comparison towhich the pain of the body is a very tolerable thing (Prov 18:14). Now here is soul pain, here is heart pain; here we are discoursingof a wounded, of a broken spirit; wherefore this is pain to be feltto the sinking of the whole man, neither can any support this butGod. Here is death in this pain, death for ever, without God'sspecial mercy. This pain will bring the soul to, and this thebroken-hearted man doth feel. 'The sorrows of death, ' saith David, 'compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me, I foundtrouble and sorrow' (Psa 116:3). Ay, I'll warrant thee, poor man, thou foundest trouble and sorrow indeed; for the pains of hell andsorrows of death are pains and sorrow the most intolerable. Butthis the man is acquainted with that has his heart broken. [5]

3. As he sees and feels, so he hears that which augments his woeand sorrow. You know, if a man has his bones broken, he does notonly see and feel, but oft-times also hears what increases hisgrief; as, that his wounds are incurable; that his bone is notrightly set; that there is danger of a gangrene; that he may belost for want of looking to. These are the voices, the sayings, that haunt the house of one that has his bones broken. And abroken-hearted man knows what I mean by this; he hears that whichmakes his lips quiver, and at the noise of which he seems to feelrottenness enter into his bones; he trembleth in himself, and wishesthat he may hear joy and gladness, that the bones, the heart, andspirit, which God has broken, may rejoice (Habb 3:16; Psa 51:8). He thinks he hears God say, the devil say, his conscience say, andall good men to whisper among themselves, saying, there is no helpfor him from God. Job heard this, David heard this, Heman heardthis; and this is the common sound in the ears of the broken-hearted. 

4. The broken-hearted smell what others cannot scent. Alas! sinnever smelled so to any man alive as it smells to the broken-hearted. You know wounds will stink: but [there is] no stink like thatof sin to the broken-hearted man. His own sins stink, and so doththe sins of all the world to him. Sin is like carrion; it is ofa stinking nature; yea, it has the worst of smells; however, somemen like it (Psa 38:5). But none are offended with the scent thereofbut God and the broken-hearted sinner. 'My wounds stink, and arecorrupt, ' saith he, both in God's nostrils and mine own. But, alas!who smells the stink of sin? None of the carnal world; they, likecarrion-crows, seek it, love it, and eat it as the child eats bread. 'They eat up the sin of my people, ' saith God, 'and they set theirheart on their iniquity' (Hosea 4:8). This, I say, they do, becausethey do not smell the nauseous scent of sin. You know, that whatis nauseous to the smell cannot be palatable to the taste. Thebroken-hearted man doth find that sin is nauseous, and thereforecries out it stinketh. They also think at times the smell of fire, of fire and brimstone, is upon them, they are so sensible of thewages due to sin. 

5. The broken-hearted is also a tasting man. Wounds, if sore, andfull of pains, of great pains, do sometimes alter the taste of aman; they make him think his meat, his drink, yea, that cordialshave a bitter taste in them. How many times doth the poor peopleof God, that are the only men that know what a broken-heart dothmean, cry out that gravel, wormwood, gall, and vinegar, was madetheir meat (Lam 3:15, 16, 19). This gravel, gall, and wormwood, isthe true temporal taste of sin; and God, to make them loathe itfor ever, doth feed them with it till their hearts both ache andbreak therewith. Wickedness is pleasant of taste to the world; henceit is said they feed on ashes, they feed on the wind (Isa 44:20;Hosea 12:1). Lusts, or any thing that is vile and refuse, thecarnal world think relishes well; as is set out most notably inthe parable of the prodigal son. 'He would fain have filled hisbelly, ' saith our Lord, 'with the husks that the swine did eat'(Luke 15:16). But the broken-hearted man has a relish that is trueas to these things, though, by reason of the anguish of his soul, it abhors all manner of dainty meat (Job 33:19, 20; Psa 107:17-19). Thus I have showed you one sign of a broken-hearted man; he is asensible man, he has all the senses of his soul awakened, he cansee, hear, feel, taste, smell, and that as none but himself cando. I come now to another sign of a broken and contrite man. 

Second. And that is, he is a very sorrowful man. This, as theother, is natural; it is natural to one that is in pain, and thathas his bones broken, to be a grieved and sorrowful man. He isnone of the jolly ones of the times; nor can he, for his bones, his heart, his heart is broken. 

1. He is sorry for that he feels and finds in himself a pravityof nature; I told you before he is sensible of it, he sees it, hefeels it; and here I say he is sorry for it. It is this that makeshim call himself a wretched man; it is this that makes him loatheand abhor himself; it is this that makes him blush, blush beforeGod and be ashamed (Rom 7:24; Job 42:5, 6; Eze 36:31). He finds bynature no form nor comeliness in himself, but the more he looks inthe glass of the Word, the more unhandsome, the more deformed heperceiveth sin has made him. Every body sees not this, thereforeevery body is not sorry for it; but the broken in heart sees thathe is by sin corrupted, marred, full of lewdness and naughtiness;he sees that in him, that is, in his flesh, dwells no good thing;and this makes him sorry, yea, it makes him sorry at heart. A manthat has his bones broken finds he is spoiled, marred, disabledfrom doing as he would and should, at which he is grieved and madesorry. 

Many are sorry for actual transgressions, because they do oftbring them to shame before men; but few are sorry for the defectsthat sin has made in nature, because they see not those defectsthemselves. A man cannot be sorry for the sinful defects of nature, till he sees they have rendered him contemptible to God; nor isit any thing but a sight of God that can make him truly see whathe is, and so be heartily sorry for being so. Now 'mine eye seeththee, ' saith Job, now 'I abhor myself. ' 'Woe is me, for I amundone, ' saith the prophet, 'for mine eyes have seen the King theLord. ' And it was this that made Daniel say his 'comeliness wasturned in him into corruption'; for he had now the vision of theHoly One (Job 42:6; Isa 6:1-5; Dan 10:8). Visions of God break theheart, because, by the sight the soul then has of his perfections, it sees its own infinite and unspeakable disproportion, because ofthe vileness of its nature. 

Suppose a company of ugly, uncomely, deformed persons dwelt togetherin one house; and suppose that they never yet saw any man or womanmore than themselves, or that were arrayed with the splendoursand perfections of nature; these would not be capable of comparingthemselves with any but themselves, and consequently would notbe affected and made sorry for their uncomely natural defections. But now bring them out of their cells and holes of darkness, wherethey have been shut up by themselves, and let them take a view ofthe splendour and perfections of beauty that are in others, andthen, if at all, they will be sorry and dejected at the view oftheir own defects. This is the case; men by sin are marred, spoiled, corrupted, depraved, but they may dwell by themselves in the dark;they see neither God, nor angels, nor saints, in their excellentnature and beauty: and therefore they are apt to count their ownuncomely parts their ornaments and their glory. But now let such, as I said, see God, see saints, or the ornaments of the Holy Ghost, and themselves as they are without them, and then they cannotbut must be affected with and sorry for their own deformity. Whenthe Lord Christ put forth but little of his excellency before hisservant Peter's face, it raised up the depravity of Peter's naturebefore him to his great confusion and shame; and made him cry outto him in the midst of all his fellows, 'Depart from me, for I ama sinful man, O Lord' (Luke 5:4-8). 

This therefore is the cause of a broken heart, even a sight ofdivine excellencies, and a sense that I am a poor, depraved, spoileddefiled wretch; and this sight having broken the heart, begetssorrow in the broken-hearted. 

2. The broken-hearted is a sorrowful man; for that he finds hisdepravity of nature strong in him, to the putting forth itselfto oppose and overthrow what his changed mind doth prompt him to;'When I would do good, ' saith Paul, 'evil is present with me' (Rom7:21). Evil is present to oppose, to resist, and make head againstthe desires of my soul. The man that has his bones broken, mayhave yet a mind to be industriously occupied in a lawful and honestcalling; but he finds, by experience, that an infirmity attendshis present condition that strongly resists his good endeavours;and at this he shakes his head, makes complaints, and with sorrowof heart he sighs and says, I 'cannot do the thing that I would' (Rom7:15; Gal 5:17). I am weak, I am feeble; I am not only depraved, but by that depravity deprived of ability to put good motions, [6]good intentions and desires into execution, to completeness; O sayshe, I am ready to halt, my sorrow is continually before me!

You must know that the broken-hearted loves God, loves his soul, loves good, and hates evil. Now, for such an one to find in himselfan opposition and continual contradiction to this holy passion, itmust needs cause sorrow, godly sorrow, as the apostle Paul callsit. For such are made sorrow after a godly sort. To be sorry forthat thy nature is with sin depraved, and that through this depravitythou art deprived of ability to do what the Word and thy holy minddoth prompt thee to, is to be sorry after a godly sort. For thissorrow worketh that in thee of which thou wilt never have cause torepent; no, not to eternity (2 Cor 7:9-11). 

3. The broken-hearted man is sorry for those breaches that, byreason of the depravity of his nature, are made in his life andconversation. And this was the case of the man in our text. Thevileness of his nature had broken out to the defiling of his life, and to the making of him, at this time, base in conversation. This, this was it, that all to[7] brake his heart. He saw in this he haddishonoured God, and that cut him, 'Against thee, thee only, haveI sinned, and done this evil in thy sight' (Psa 51:4). He sawin this he had caused the enemies of God to open their mouths andblaspheme; and this cut him to the heart. This made him cry, I havesinned against thee, Lord. This made him say, 'I will declare mineiniquity, I will be sorry for my sin' (Psa 38:18). 

When a man is designed to do a matter, when his heart is set uponit, and the broken-hearted doth design to glorify God, an obstructionto that design, the spoiling of this work, makes him sorrowful. Hannah coveted children, but could not have them, and this madeher 'a woman of a sorrowful spirit' (1 Sam 1:15). A broken-heartedman would be well inwardly, and do that which is well outwardly; buthe feels, he finds, he sees he is prevented, prevented at least inpart. This makes him sorrowful; in this he groans, groans earnestly, being burdened with his imperfections (2 Cor 5:1-3). You know onewith broken bones has imperfections many, and is more sensible ofthem, too, as was said afore, than any other man; and this makeshim sorrowful, yea, and makes him conclude that he shall go softlyall his days in the bitterness of his soul (Isa 38:15). 

Third. The man with a broken heart is a very humble man; or, truehumility is a sign of a broken heart. Hence, brokenness of heart, contrition of spirit, and humbleness of mind, are put together. 'To revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart ofthe contrite ones' (Isa 57:15). 

To follow our similitude. Suppose a man, while in bodily health, stout and strong, and one that fears and cares for no man; yetlet this man have but a leg or an arm broken, and his courage isquelled; he is now so far off from hectoring of it with a man, thathe is afraid of every little child that doth but offer to touchhim. Now he will court the most feeble that has ought to do withhim, to use him and handle him gently. Now he is become a child incourage, a child in fear, and humbleth himself as a little child. 

Why, thus it is with that man that is of a broken and contritespirit. Time was, indeed, he could hector, even hector it with Godhimself, saying, 'What is the Almighty, that we should serve him?'or what profit shall I have if I keep his commandments? (Job 21:15;Mal 3:13, 14). Ay! But now his heart is broken; God has wrestledwith him, and given him a fall, to the breaking of his bones, hisheart; and now he crouches, now he cringes, now he begs of God thathe will not only do him good, but do it with tender hands. 'Havemercy upon me, O God, ' said David; yea, 'according unto the multitudeof thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions' (Psa 51:1). 

He stands, as he sees, not only in need of mercy, but of the tenderestmercies. God has several sorts of mercies, some more rough, somemore tender. God can save a man, and yet have him a dreadful way toheaven! This the broken-hearted sees, and this the broken-hearteddreads, and therefore pleads for the tenderest sort of mercies; andhere we read of his gentle dealing, and that he is very pitiful, andthat he deals tenderly with his. But the reason of such expressionsno man knows but he that is broken-hearted; he has his sores, hisrunning sores, his stinking sores; wherefore he is pained, andtherefore covets to be handled tenderly. Thus God has broken thepride of his spirit, and humbled the loftiness of man. And hishumility yet appears, 1. In his thankfulness for natural life. He reckoneth at night, when he goes to bed, that like as a lion, so God will tear him topieces before the morning light (Isa 38:13). There is no judgmentthat has fallen upon others, but he counts of right he should beswallowed up by it. 'My flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I amafraid of thy judgments' (Psa 119:120). But perceiving a day addedto his life, and that he in the morning is still on this side hell, he cannot choose but take notice of it, and acknowledge it as aspecial favour, saying, God be thanked for holding my soul in lifetill now, and for keeping my life back from the destroyer (Job33:22; Psa 56:13, 86:13). 

Man, before his heart is broken, counts time his own, and thereforehe spends it lavishly upon every idle thing. His soul is far fromfear, because the rod of God is not upon him; but when he seeshimself under the wounding hand of God, or when God, like a lion, is breaking all his bones, then he humbleth himself before him, and falleth at his foot. Now he has learned to count every momenta mercy, and every small morsel a mercy. 

2. Now also the least hopes of mercy for his soul, O how preciousis it! He that was wont to make orts[8] of the gospel, and thatvalued promises but as stubble, and the words of God but as rottenwood; now, with what an eye doth he look on the promise? Yea, hecounted a peradventure of mercy more rich, more worth, than thewhole world. Now, as we say, he is glad to leap at a crust; now, to be a dog in God's house is counted better by him than to 'dwellin the tents of the wicked' (Matt 15:16, 27; Luke 15:17-19). 

3. Now he that was wont to look scornfully upon the people of God, yea, that used to scorn to show them a gentle cast of his countenance;now he admires and bows before them, and is ready to lick the dustof their feet, and would count it his greatest, the highest honour, to be as one of the least of them. 'Make me as one of thy hiredservants, ' says he (Luke 15:19). 

4. Now he is, in his own eyes, the greatest fool in nature; forthat he sees he has been so mistaken in his ways, and has not yetbut little, if any true knowledge of God. Every one now, says he, have more knowledge of God than I; every one serves him better thanI (Psa 73:21, 22; Prov 30:2, 3). 

5. Now may he be but one, though the least in the kingdom ofheaven! Now may he be but one, though the least in the church onearth! Now may he be but loved, though the least beloved of saints!How high an account doth he set thereon!

6. Now, when he talketh with God or men, how doth he debase himselfbefore them! If with God, how does he accuse himself, and loadhimself with the acknowledgments of his own villanies, which hecommitted in the days wherein he was the enemy of God! 'Lord, ' saidPaul, that contrite one, 'I imprisoned and beat in every synagoguethem that believed on thee. And when the blood of thy martyr Stephenwas shed, I also was standing by, and consenting unto his death, and kept the raiment of them that slew him' (Acts 22:19, 20). Yea, I punished thy saints 'oft in every synagogue, and compelled themto blaspheme; and being exceedingly mad against them, I persecutedthem even unto strange cities' (Acts 26:9-11). 

Also, when he comes to speak to saints, how doth he make himselfvile before them! 'I am, ' saith he, 'the least of the apostles; thatam not meet to be called an apostle'; I am 'less than the least ofall saints'; I was a blasphemer; I was a persecutor, and injurious, &c. (1 Cor 15:9; Eph 3:8; 1 Tim 1:13). What humility, what self-abasingthoughts, doth a broken heart produce! When David danced before theark of God, also how did he discover his nakedness to the dislikingof his wife; and when she taunted him for his doings, says he, 'Itwas before the Lord, ' &c. , 'and I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight' (2 Sam 6:20-22). O, the manthat is, or that has been kindly broken in his spirit, and that isof a contrite heart, is a lowly, humble man. 

Fourth. The broken-hearted man is a man that sees himself inspirituals to be poor. Therefore, as humble and contrite, so poorand contrite are put together in the Word. 'But to this man willI look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite spirit' (Isa66:1, 2). And here we still pursue our metaphor. A wounded man, aman with broken bones, concludes his condition to be but poor, verypoor. Ask him how he does, and he answers, 'Truly, neighbours, in avery poor condition!' Also you have the spiritual poverty of suchas have, or have had their hearts broken, and that have been ofcontrite spirits, much made mention of in the Word. And they goby two names to distinguish them from others. They are called THYpoor, that is, God's poor; they are also called 'the poor in spirit'(Psa 72:2, 74:19; Matt 5:3). Now, the man that is poor in his owneyes, for of him we now discourse, and the broken-hearted is suchan one, is sensible of his wants. He knows he cannot help himself, and therefore is forced to be content to live by the charity ofothers. Thus it is in nature, thus it is in grace. 

1. The broken-hearted now knows his wants, and he knew it not tillnow. As he that has a broken bone, knew no want of a bone-settertill he knew his bone was broken. His broken bone makes him knowit; his pain and anguish makes him know it; and thus it is inspirituals. Now he sees to be poor indeed is to want the sense ofthe favour of God; for his great pain is a sense of wrath, as hathbeen shown before. And the voice of joy would heal his broken bones(Psa 51:8). Two things he thinks would make him rich. (1) A rightand title to Jesus Christ, and all his benefits. (2) And savingfaith therein. They that are spiritually rich are rich in him, andin the faith of him (2 Cor 8:9; James 2:5). 

The first of these giveth us a right to the kingdom of heaven; andthe second yields the soul the comfort of it; and the broken-heartedman wants the sense and knowledge of his interest in these. Thathe knows he wants them is plain; but that he knows he has them iswhat, as yet, he wants the attainment of. Hence he says--'The poorand needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue failethfor thirst' (Isa 41:17). There is none in their view; none in theirview for them. Hence David, when he had his broken heart, felt hewanted washing, he wanted purging, he wanted to be made white. Heknew that spiritual riches lay there but he did not so well perceivethat God had washed and purged him. Yea, he rather was afraid thatall was going, that he was in danger of being cast out of God'spresence, and that the Spirit of grace would be utterly taken fromhim (Psa 51). That is the first thing. The broken-hearted is poor, because he knows his wants. 

2. The broken-hearted is poor, because he knows he cannot helphimself to what he knows he wants. The man that has a broken arm, as he knows it, so he knows of himself he cannot set it. Thistherefore is a second thing that declares a man is poor, otherwisehe is not so. For suppose a man wants never so much, yet if he canbut help himself, if he can furnish himself, if he can supply hisown wants out of what he has, he cannot be a poor man. Yea, themore he wants, the greater are his riches, if he can supply hisown wants out of his own purse. 

He then is the poor man, that knows his spiritual want, and alsoknows he cannot supply or help himself. But this the broken-heartedknows, therefore he in his own eyes is the only poor man. True, hemay have something of his own, but that will not supply his want, and therefore he is a poor man still. I have sacrifices, saysDavid, but thou dosts not desire them, therefore my poverty remains(Psa 51:16). Lead is not gold, lead is not current money with themerchants. There is none has spiritual gold to sell but Christ (Rev3:18). What can a man do to procure Christ, or procure faith, orlove? Yea, had he never so much of his own carnal excellencies, no, not one penny of it will go for pay in that market where grace isto be hand. 'If a man would give all the substance of his housefor love, it would utterly be contemned' (Can 8:7). 

This the broken-hearted man perceives, and therefore he sees himselfto be spiritually poor. True he has a broken heart, and that is ofgreat esteem with God; but that is not of nature's goodness, thatis a gift, a work of God; and that is the sacrifices of God. Besides, a man cannot remain content and at rest with that; for that, inthe nature of it, does but show him he is poor, and that his wantsare such as himself cannot supply. Besides, there is but littleease in a broken heart. 

3. The broken-hearted man is poor, and sees it; because he findshe is now disabled to live any way else but by begging. This Davidbetook himself to, though he was a king; for he knew, as to hissoul's health, he could live no way else. 'This poor man cried, 'saith he, 'and the Lord heard him, and saved him out of all histroubles' (Psa 34:6). And this leads me to the fifth sign. 

Fifth. Another sign of a broken heart is a crying, a crying out. Pain, you know, will make one cry. Go to them that have upon themthe anguish of broken bones, and see if they do not cry; anguishmakes them cry. This, this is that which quickly follows, if oncethy heart be broken, and thy spirit indeed made contrite. 

1. I say, anguish will make thee cry. 'Trouble and anguish, ' saithDavid, 'have taken hold on me' (Psa 119:143). Anguish, you know, doth naturally provoke to crying; now, as a broken bone has anguish, a broken heart has anguish. Hence the pains of one that has a brokenheart are compared to the pangs of a woman in travail (John 16:20-22). 

Anguish will make one cry alone, cry to one's self; and thisis called a bemoaning of one's self. 'I have surely heard Ephraimbemoaning himself, ' saith God (Jer 31:18). That is, being at presentunder the breaking, chastising hand of God. 'Thou hast chastisedme, ' saith he, 'and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomedto the yoke. ' This is his meaning also who said, 'I mourn in mycomplaint, and make a noise. ' And why? Why, 'My heart is sore painedwithin me' (Psa 4:2-4). 

This is a self-bemoaning, a bemoaning themselves in secret andretired places. You know it is common with them who are distressedwith anguish, though all alone, to cry out to themselves of theirpresent pains, saying, O my leg! O my arm! O my bowels! Or, as theson of the Shunammite, 'My head! my head!' (2 Kings 4:19). O thegroans, the sighs, the cries, that the broken-hearted have, whenby themselves, or alone! O, say they, my sins! my sins! my soul! mysoul! How am I loaden with guilt! How am I surrounded with fear!O this hard, this desperate, this unbelieving heart! O how sindefileth my will, my mind, my conscience! 'I am afflicted and readyto die' (Psa 88:15). [9]

Could some of you carnal people but get behind the chamber-door, to hear Ephraim when he is at the work of self-bemoaning, it wouldmake you stand amazed to hear him bewail that sin in himself inwhich you take delight; and to hear him bemoan his misspending oftime, while you spend all in pursuing your filthy lusts; and tohear him offended with his heart, because it will not better complywith God's holy will, while you are afraid of his Word and ways, and never think yourselves better than when farthest off from God. The unruliness of the passions and lusts of the broken-hearted makethem often get into a corner, and thus bemoan themselves. 

2. As they thus cry out in a bemoaning manner of and to themselves, so they have their outcries of and against themselves to others; asshe said in another case, 'Behold and see, if there be any sorrowlike unto my sorrow' (Lam 1:12). O the bitter cries and complaintsthat the broken-hearted have, and make to one another! Still everyone imagining that his own wounds are deepest, and his own soresfullest of anguish, and hardest to be cured. Say they, if ouriniquities be upon us, and we pine away in them, how can we thenlive? (Eze 33:10). 

Once being at an honest woman's house, I, after some pause, askedher how she did? She said, Very badly. I asked her if she was sick?she answered, No. What then, said I, are any of your children ill?She told me, No. What, said I, is your husband amiss, or do you goback in the world? No, no, said she, but I am afraid I shall notbe saved. And broke out with heavy heart, saying, 'Ah, GoodmanBunyan! Christ and a pitcher; if I had Christ, though I went andbegged my bread with a pitcher, it would be better with me than Ithink it is now!' This woman had her heart broken, this woman wantedChrist, this woman was concerned for her soul. There are but fewwomen, rich women, that count Christ and a pitcher better than theworld, their pride, and pleasures. This woman's cries are worthyto be recorded; it was a cry that carried in it, not only a senseof the want, but also of the worth of Christ. This cry, 'Christ anda pitcher, ' made a melodious noise in the ears of the very angels![10]

But, I say, few women cry out thus; few women are so in love withtheir own eternal salvation, as to be willing to part with alltheir lusts and vanities for Jesus Christ and a pitcher. Good Jacobalso was thus: 'If the Lord, ' said he, 'will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, then he shall be my God. ' Yea, he vowed itshould be so. 'And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be withme, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me breadto eat, and raiment to put on; so that I come again to my father'shouse in peace: then shall the Lord be my God' (Gen 28:20). 

3. As they bemoan themselves, and make their complaints to one andanother, so they cry to God. 'O God, ' said Heman, 'I have criedday and night before thee. ' But when? Why, when his soul was fullof trouble, and his life drew near to the grave (Psa 88:1-3). Or, as it says in another place, out of the deep, 'out of the bellyof hell cried I' (Psa 130:1; Jonah 2:2). By such words expressingwhat painful condition they were in when they cried. 

See how God himself words it. 'My pleasant portion, ' says he, isbecome 'a desolate wilderness, and being desolate, it mourneth untome' (Jer 12:11). And this also is natural to those whose hearts arebroken. Whether goes the child, when it catcheth harm, but to itsfather, to its mother? Where doth it lay its head, but in their laps?Into whose bosom doth it pour out its complaint, more especially, but into the bosom of the father, of a mother, because there arebowels, there is pity, there is relief and succour? And thus it iswith them whose bones, whose hearts are broken. It is natural tothem; they must cry; they cannot but cry to him. 'Lord, heal me, 'said David, 'for my bones are vexed; Lord, heal me, for my soulis also sore vexed' (Psa 6:1-3). He that cannot cry feels no pain, sees no want, fears no danger, or else is dead. 

Sixth. Another sign of a broken heart, and of a contrite spirit is, it trembleth at God's Word. 'To him that is poor, and of a contritespirit, and trembleth at my Word' (Isa 66:2). 

The Word of God is an awful Word to a broken-hearted man. Solomonsays, 'The word of a king is as the roaring of a lion'; and if so, what is the Word of God? for by the wrath and fear is meant theauthoritative word of a king. We have a proverb, 'The burnt childdreads the fire, the whipped child fears the rod'; even so thebroken-hearted fears the Word of God. Hence you have a remark setupon them that tremble at God's Word, to wit, they are they thatkeep among the godly; they are they that keep within compass; theyare they that are aptest to mourn, and to stand in the gap, whenGod is angry; and to turn away his wrath from a people. 

It is a sign the Word of God has had place, and wrought powerfully, when the heart trembleth at it, is afraid, and stands in awe of it. When Joseph's mistress tempted him to lie with her, he was afraidof the Word of God. 'How then can I do this great wickedness, ' saidhe, 'and sin against God?' He stood in awe of God's Word, durstnot do it, because he kept in remembrance what a dreadful thing itwas to rebel against God's Word. When old Eli heard that the arkwas taken, his very heart trembled within him; for he read by thatsad loss that God was angry with Israel, and he knew the anger ofGod was a great and terrible thing. When Samuel went to Bethlehem, the elders of the town trembled; for they feared that he came tothem with some sad message from God, and they had had experience ofthe dread of such things before (Gen 39:7-9; 1 Sam 4:13, 16:1-4). When Ezra would have a mourning in Israel for the sins of theland, he sent, and there came to him 'every one that trembled atthe words of the God of Israel, because of the transgressions ofthose that had been carried away' (Ezra 9:4). 

There are, I say, a sort of people that tremble at the words ofGod, and that are afraid of doing ought that is contrary to them;but they are only such with whose souls and spirits the Word hashad to do. For the rest, they are resolved to go on their course, let God say what he will. 'As for the word' of the Lord, saidrebellious Israel to Jeremiah, 'that thou hast spoken unto us inthe name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee. But we willcertainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth'(Jer 44:16). But do you think that these people did ever feel thepower and majesty of the Word of God to break their hearts? No, verily; had that been so, they would have trembled at the wordsof God; they would have been afraid of the words of God. God maycommand some people what he will, they will do what they list. Whatcare they for God? what care they for his Word? Neither threats norpromises, neither punishments or favours will make them obedientto the Word of God; and all because they have not felt the powerof it, their hearts have not been broken with it. When king Josiasdid but read in God's Book what punishment God had threatenedagainst rebellious Israel, though he himself was a holy and goodman, he humbled himself, 'he rent his clothes, ' and wept beforethe Lord, and was afraid of the judgment threatened (2 Kings 22;2 Chron 34). For he knew what a dreadful thing the Word of God is. Some men, as I said before, dare do anything, let the Word of Godbe never so much against it; but they that tremble at the Word darenot do so. No, they must make the Word their rule for all they do;they must go to the Holy Bible, and there inquire what may or maynot be done; for they tremble at the Word. This then is anothersign, a true sign, that the heart has been broken, namely, 'Whenthe heart is made afraid of, and trembleth at the Word' (Acts 9:4-6, 16:29, 30). Trembling at the Word is caused by a belief of what isdeserved, threatened, and of what will come, if not prevented byrepentance; and therefore the heart melts, and breaks before theLord. 

[IV. THE NECESSITY THERE IS THAT THE HEART MUST BE BROKEN. ]

I come, in the next place, to speak to this question. 

But what necessity is there that the heart must be broken? Cannota man be saved unless his heart be broken? I answer, Avoiding secretthings, which only belong to God, there is a necessity of breakingthe heart, in order to salvation; because a man will not sincerelycomply with the means conducing thereunto until his heart is broken. For, First. Man, take him as he comes into the world, as to spirituals, as to evangelical things, in which mainly lies man's eternalfelicity, and there he is as one dead, and so stupefied, and whollyin himself, as unconcerned with it. Nor can any call or admonition, that has not a heart-breaking power attending of it, bring him toa due consideration of his present state, and so unto an effectualdesire to be saved. 

Many ways God has manifested this. He has threatened men withtemporal judgments; yea, sent such judgments upon them, once andagain, over and over, but they will not do. What! says he, 'I havegiven you cleanness of teeth in all your cities; I have withholdenthe rain from you; I have smitten you with blasting and mildew; Ihave sent among you the pestilence; I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. Yet have ye not returned untome, saith the Lord' (Amos 4:6-11). See here! Here is judgment uponjudgment, stroke after stroke, punishment after punishment, butall will not do, unless the heart is broken. Yea, another prophetseems to say that such things, instead of converting the soul, setsit further off. If heart-breaking work attend such strokes, 'Whyshould ye be stricken any more?' says he, 'ye will revolt more andmore' (Isa 1:5). 

Man's heart is fenced, it is grown gross; there is a skin that, like a coat of mail, has wrapped it up, and inclosed it in on everyside. This skin, this coat of mail, unless it be cut off and takenaway, the heart remains untouched, whole; and so as unconcerned, whatever judgments or afflictions light upon the body (Matt 13:15;Acts 28:27). This which I call the coat of mail, the fence of theheart, has two great names in Scripture. It is called, 'the foreskinof the heart, ' and the armour in which the devil trusteth (Deut10:16; Luke 11:22). 

Because these shield and fence the heart from all gospel doctrine, and from all legal punishments, nothing can come at it till theseare removed. Therefore, in order unto conversion, the heart is saidto be circumcised; that is, this foreskin is taken away, and thiscoat of mail is spoiled. 'I will circumcise thy heart, ' saithhe, 'to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart'--and then thedevil's goods are spoiled--'that thou mayst live' (Deut 30:6; Luke11:22). 

And now the heart lies open, now the Word will prick, cut, and pierceit; and it being cut, pricked, and pierced, it bleeds, it faints, it falls, and dies at the foot of God, unless it is supported bythe grace and love of God in Jesus Christ. Conversion, you know, begins at the heart; but if the heart be so secured by sin andSatan, as I have said, all judgments are, while that is so, invain. Hence Moses, after he had made a long relation of mercy andjudgment unto the children of Israel, suggests that yet the greatthing was wanting to them, and that thing was, an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear unto that day (Deut 29:2, 3). Theirhearts were as yet not touched to the quick, were not awakened, and wounded by the holy Word of God, and made tremble at its truthand terror. 

But I say, before the heart be touched, pricked, made smart, &c. , how can it be thought, be the danger never so great, that it shouldrepent, cry, bow, and break at the foot of God, and supplicate therefor mercy! and yet thus it must do; for thus God has ordained, andthus God has appointed it; nor can men be saved without it. But, Isay, can a man spiritually dead, a stupid man, whose heart is pastfeeling, do this; before he has his dead and stupid heart awakened, to see and feel its state and misery without it? But, Second. Man, take him as he comes into the world--and how wise soeverhe is in worldly and temporal things--he is yet a fool as to thatwhich is spiritual and heavenly. Hence Paul says, 'the naturalman receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they arefoolishness unto him, ' because he is indeed a fool to them; 'neither, 'says the text, 'can he know them, because they are spirituallydiscerned' (1 Cor 2:14). But how now must this fool be made wise?Why, wisdom must be put into his heart (Job 38:36). Now, none canput it there but God; and how doth he put it there, but by makingroom there for it, by taking away the thing which hinders, which isthat folly and madness which naturally dwelleth there? But how dothhe take that away but by a severe chastising of his soul for it, until he has made him weary of it? The whip and stripes are providedfor the natural fool, and so it is for him that is spiritually so(Prov 19:29). 

Solomon intimates, that it is a hard thing to make a fool becomewise. 'Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheatwith a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him' (Prov27:22). By this it appears that it is a hard thing to make a foola wise man. To bray one in a mortar is a dreadful thing, to brayone there with a pestle; and yet it seems a whip, a mortar, and apestle is the way. And if this is the way to make one wise in thisworld, and if all this will hardly do, how must the fool that isso in spirituals be whipped and beaten, and stripped before he ismade wise therein? Yea, his heart must be put into God's mortar, and must be beaten; yea, brayed there with the pestle of the law, before it loves to hearken unto heavenly things. It is a greatword in Jeremiah, 'Through deceit, ' that is, folly, 'they refuse toknow me, saith the Lord. ' And what follows? Why, 'Therefore, thussaith the Lord of hosts, behold I will melt them, and try them, ' thatis, with fire, 'for how shall I do for the daughter of my people'(Jer 9:6, 7). I will melt them: I will put them into my furnace, andthere I will try them; and there will I make them know me, saiththe Lord. When David was under spiritual chastisement for his sin, and had his heart under the breaking hand of God, then he said, Godshould make him know wisdom (Psa 51:6). Now he was in the mortar, now he was in the furnace, now he was bruised and melted; yea, nowhis bones, his heart, was breaking, and now his folly was departing. Now, says he, thou shalt make me to know wisdom. If I know anythingof the way of God with us fools, there is nothing else will makeus wise men; yea, a thousand breakings will not make us so wise aswe should be. 

We say, Wisdom is not good till it is bought; and he that buys it, according to the intention of that proverb, usually smarts for it. The fool is wise in his own conceit; wherefore there is a doubledifficulty attends him before he can be wise indeed. Not only hisfolly, but his wisdom, must be removed from him; and how shall thatbe, but by ripping up of his heart by some sore conviction, thatmay show him plainly that his wisdom is his folly, and that whichwill undo him. A fool loves his folly; that is, as treasure, somuch is he in love with it. Now then, it must be a great thing thatmust make a fool forsake his folly. The foolish will not weigh, nor consider, nor compare wisdom with their folly. 'Folly is joyto him that is destitute of wisdom. ' 'As a dog returneth to hisvomit, so a fool returneth to his folly' (Prov 15:21, 26:11). Soloth are they when driven from it to let it go, to let it departfrom them. Wherefore there must go a great deal to the making ofa man a Christian; for as to that, every man is a fool, yea, thegreatest fool, the most unconcerned fool, the most self-willed foolof all fools; yea, one that will not be turned from his folly butby the breaking of his heart. David was one of these fools; Manassehwas one of these fools; Saul, otherwise called Paul, was one ofthese fools; and so was I--and that the biggest of all. [11]

Third. Man, take him as he comes into the world, and he is not onlya dead man, and a fool, but a proud man also. Pride is one of thosesins that first showeth itself to children, yea, and it grows upwith them, and mixeth itself with all they do: but it lies most hid, most deep in man as to his soul-concerns. For the nature of sin, as sin, is not only to be vile, but to hide its vileness from thesoul. Hence many think they do well when they sin. Jonah thoughthe did well to be angry with God (Jonah 4:9). The Pharisees thoughtthey did well when they said, Christ had a devil (John 8:48). And Paul thought verily, that he ought to do many things against, or contrary to, the name of Jesus; which he also did with greatmadness (Acts 26:9, 10). And thus sin puffs up men with pride, anda conceit of themselves, that they are a thousand times better thanthey are. Hence they think they are the children of God, when theyare the children of the devil; and that they are something as toChristianity, when they neither are such, nor know what it is thatthey must have to make them such (John 8:41-44; Gal 6:3). 

Now, whence flows this but from pride, and a self-conceit ofthemselves, and that their state is good for another world, whenthey are yet in their sins, and under the curse of God? Yea, andthis pride is so strong and high, and yet so hid in them, that allthe ministers in the world cannot persuade them that this is pride, not grace, in which they are so confident. Hence they slight allreproofs, rebukes, threatenings, or admonitions that are pressedupon them, to prevail with them to take heed, that they be notherein deceived. 'Hear ye, ' saith the prophet, 'and give ear: benot proud, for the Lord hath spoken. ' 'But if ye will not hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places for your pride' (Jer 13:15-17). And what was the conclusion? Why, all the proud men stood out still, and maintained their resistance of God and his holy prophet (Jer43:2). 

Nor is there any thing that will prevail with these to the savingof their souls, until their hearts are broken. David, after he haddefiled Bathsheba, and slain her husband, yet boasted himself inhis justice and holiness, and would by all means have the man putto death that had but taken the poor man's lamb, when, alas! poorsoul, himself was the great transgressor. But would he believeit? No, no; he stood upon the vindicating of himself to be a justdoer; nor would he be made to fall until Nathan, by authority fromGod, did tell him that he was the man whom himself had condemned;'Thou art the man, ' said he: at which word his conscience wasawakened, his heart wounded, and so his soul made to fall under theburden of his guilt, at the feet of the God of heaven for mercy (2Sam 12:1-13). 

Ah! pride, pride! thou art that which holds many a man in the chainsof his sins; thou art it, thou cursed self-conceit, and keepest themfrom believing that their state is damnable. 'The wicked, throughthe pride of his countenance, will not seek after God' (Psa 10:4). And if there is so much in the pride of his countenance, what isthere, think you, in the pride of his heart? Therefore Job says itis to hide pride from man, and so to save his soul from hell, thatGod chasteneth him with pain upon his bed, until the multitude ofhis bones stick out, and until his life draws nigh to the destroyer(Job 33:17-22). 

It is a hard thing to take a man off his pride, and make him, insteadof trusting in, and boasting of his goodness, wisdom, honesty, and the like, to see himself a sinner, a fool, yea, a man that iscruel, as to his own immortal soul. Pride of heart has a power init, and is therefore compared to an iron sinew, and an iron chain, by which they are made stout, and with which they are held in thatstoutness, to oppose the Lord, and drive his Word from their hearts(Lev 26:19; Psa 73:6). 

This was the sin of devils, and it is the sin of man, and the sin, I say, from which no man can be delivered until his heart is broken;and then his pride is spoiled, then he will be glad to yield. Ifa man be proud of his strength or manhood, a broken leg will maulhim; and if a man be proud of his goodness, a broken heart willmaul him; because, as has been said, a broken heart comes by thediscovery and charge of sin, by the power of God upon the conscience. 

Fourth. Man, take him as he comes into the world, and he is not onlya dead man, a fool, and proud, but also self-willed and headstrong(2 Peter 2:10). A stubborn ungain creature is man before his heartis broken. Hence they are so often called rebels, rebellious, anddisobedient: they will only do what they list. 'All day long, ' saysGod, 'have I stretched out my hand to a disobedient and gainsayingpeople. ' And hence, again, they are compared to a self-willed orheadstrong horse, that will, in spite of his rider, rush into thebattle. 'Every one, ' says God, 'turneth to his course, as the horserusheth into battle' (Jer 8:6). They say, 'With our tongue will weprevail, our lips are our own; who is lord over us' (Psa 12:4). 

Hence they are said to stop their ears, to pull away their shoulder, to shut their eyes, and harden their hearts, 'against the words ofGod, and contemned the counsel of the Most High' (Psa 107:11; Zech7:10, 12). They are fitly compared to the rebellious son who wouldnot be ruled by his parents, or to the prodigal, who would haveall in his own hand, and remove himself far away from father andfather's house (Deut 21:20; Luke 15:13). Now for such creatures, nothing will do but violence. The stubborn son must be stoned tillhe dies; and the prodigal must be famished out of all; nothing else, I say, will do. Their self-willed stubborn heart will not complywith the will of God before it is broken (Deut 21:21; Luke 15:14-17). These are they that are called the stout-hearted; these are saidto be far from righteousness, and so will remain until their heartsare broken; for so they must be made to know themselves (Isa 9:9-11). 

Fifth. Man, as he comes into the world, is not only a dead man, afool, proud, and self-willed, but also a fearless creature. 'Thereis, ' saith the text, 'no fear of God before their eyes' (Rom 3:18). No fear of God! There is fear of man, fear of losing his favour, his love, his good-will, his help, his friendship; this is seeneverywhere. How do the poor fear the rich, the weak fear the strong, and those that are threatened, them that threaten! But come now toGod; why, none fear him; that is, by nature, none reverence him;they neither fear his frowns, nor seek his favour, nor inquire howthey may escape his revenging hand that is lifted up against theirsins and their souls because of sin. Little things they fear thelosing of them; but the soul they are not afraid to lose. 'Theyfear not me, saith the Lord' (Mal 3:5). 

How many times are some men put in mind of death by sickness uponthemselves, by graves, by the death of others? How many times arethey put in mind of hell by reading the Word, by lashes of conscience, and by some that go roaring in despair out of this world? How manytimes are they put in mind of the day of judgment. As, 1. By God'sbinding the fallen angels over to judgment. 2. By the drowning ofthe old world (2 Peter 2:4, 5; Jude 6, 7). 3. By the burning of Sodomand Gomorrah with fire from heaven (2 Peter 2:6; Jude 7). 4. Byappointing a day (Acts 17:29-31). 5. By appointing a judge (Acts10:40-42). 6 By reserving their crimes in records (Isa 30:8; Rev20:12). 7. By appointing and preparing of witnesses (Rom 2:15). 8. And by promising, yea, threatening, yea, resolving, to call thewhole world to his bar, there to be judged for all which they havedone and said, and for every secret thing (Matt 25:31-33, 12:36;Eccl 11:9, 12:14). 

And yet they fear not God: alas! they believe not these things. These things, to carnal men, are like Lot's preaching to his sonsand daughters that were in Sodom. When he told them that God woulddestroy that place, he seemed unto them as one that mocked; andhis words to them were as idle tales (Gen 19:14). Fearless men arenot won by words; blows, wounds, and killings, are the things thatmust bring them under fear. How many struggling fits had Israelwith God in the wilderness? How many times did they declare thatthere they feared him not? And observe, they were seldom, if ever, brought to fear and dread his glorious name, unless he beset themround with death and the grave. Nothing, nothing but a severe hand, will make the fearless fear. Hence, to speak after the manner ofman, God is put upon it to go this way with sinners when he wouldsave their souls; even bring them, and lay them at the mouth, andwithin sight of hell and everlasting damnation: and there alsocharge them with sin and guilt, to the breaking of their hearts, before they will fear his name. 

Sixth. Man, as he comes into the world, is not only a dead man, afool, proud, self-willed, and fearless, but he is a false believerconcerning God. Let God report of himself never so plainly, manby nature will not believe this report of him. No, they are becomevain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart is darkened;wherefore they turn the glory of God, which is his truth, into alie (Rom 1:21-25). God says, He sees; they say, He seeth not; Godsaith, He knows; they say, He doth not know: God saith, None is likehimself; yet they say, He is altogether like to them: God saith, None shall keep his door for naught; they say, It is in vain, andto no profit to serve him: he saith, He will do good; they say, He will neither do good nor evil (Job 22:13, 14; Psa 50:21; Job21:14, 15; Mal 3:14; Zeph 1:12). Thus they falsely believe concerningGod; yea, as to the word of his grace, and the revelation of hismercy in Christ, they stick not to say by their practice--for awicked man speaketh with his feet (Prov 6:13)--that that is a starklie, and not to be trusted to (1 John 5:10). 

Now, what shall God do to save these men? If he hides himselfand conceals his glory, they perish. If he sends to them by hismessengers, and forbears to come to them himself, they perish. Ifhe comes to them and forbears to work upon them by his word, theyperish: if he worketh on them, but not effectually, they perish. If he works effectually he must break their hearts, and make them, as men wounded to death, fall at his feet for mercy, or there canbe no good done on them; they will not rightly believe until hefires them out of their misbelief, and makes them to know, by thebreaking of their bones for their false faith, that he is, and willbe, what he has said of himself in his holy Word. [12] The heart, therefore, must be broken before the man can come to good. 

Seventh. Man, as he comes into the world, is not only a dead man, a fool, proud, self-willed, fearless, and a false believer, buta great lover of sin; he is captivated, ravished, drowned in thedelights of it. Hence it [the Word] says, they love sin, delightin lies, do take pleasure in iniquity, and in them that do it; thatthey sport themselves in their own deceivings, and glory in theirshame (John 3:19; Psa 62:4; Rom 1:32; 2 Peter 2:13; Phil 3:19). 

This is the temper of man by nature; for sin is mixed with andhas the mastery of all the powers of his soul. Hence they are saidto be captives to it, and to be led captive into the pleasures ofit, at the will of the devil (2 Tim 2:26). And you know it is notan easy thing to break love, or to take the affections off thatobject on which they are so deeply set, in which they are so deeplyrooted, as man's heart is in his sins. Alas! how many are therethat contemn all the allurements of heaven, and that trample uponall the threatenings of God, and that say, 'Tush, ' at all the flamesof hell, whenever these are propounded as motives to work them offtheir sinful delights! so fixed are they, so mad are they, uponthese beastly idols. Yea, he that shall take in hand to stop theircourse in this their way, is as he that shall attempt to preventthe raging waves of the sea from their course, when driven by themighty winds. 

When men are somewhat put to it, when reason and conscience shallbegin a little to hearken to a preacher, or a judgment that shallbegin to hunt for iniquity, how many tricks, evasions, excuses, demurs, delays, and hiding-holes will they make, invent, and find, to hide and preserve their sweet sins with themselves and theirsouls, in the delights of them, to their own eternal perdition?Hence they endeavour to stifle conscience, to choke convictions, to forget God, to make themselves atheists, to contradict preachersthat are plain and honest, and to heap to themselves such of themonly as are like themselves, that speak unto them smooth things, and prophesy deceits; yea, they say themselves to such preachers, 'Get you out of the way; turn aside out of the path; cause the HolyOne of Israel to cease from before us' (Isa 30:8-11). If they befollowed still, and conscience and guilt shall, like blood-hounds, find them out in their secret places, and roar against them fortheir wicked lives, then they will flatter, cogg, dissemble, andlie against their soul, promising to mend, to turn, to repent, and grow better shortly; and all to daff[13] off convictions andmolestations in their wicked ways, that they may yet pursue theirlusts, their pleasures, and sinful delights, in quiet, and withoutcontrol. 

Yea, further, I have known some that have been made to roar likebears, to yell like dragons, and to howl like dogs, by reason ofthe weight of guilt, and the lashes of hell upon their consciencefor their evil deeds; who have, so soon as their present tormentsand fears were gone, returned again with the 'dog to his vomit; andas the sow that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire' (Hosea7:14; 2 Peter 2:20-22). 

Once again, some have been made taste of the good Word of God, ofthe joy of heaven, and of the powers of the world to come, and yetcould not by any one, nay, by all of these, be made to break theirleague for ever with their lusts and sins (Heb 6:4, 5; Luke 8:13;John 5:33-35). O Lord! what is man, that thou art mindful of him?Wherein is he to be accounted of? He has sinned against thee; heloves his sins more than thee. He is a lover of pleasures more thanhe is a lover of God!

But now, how shall this man be reclaimed from this sin? How shallhe be brought, wrought, and made, to be out of love with it?Doubtless it can be by no other means, by what we can see in theWord, but by the wounding, breaking, and disabling of the heartthat loves it, and by that means making it a plague and gall untoit. Sin may be made an affliction, and as gall and wormwood tothem that love it; but the making of it so bitter a thing to sucha man, will not be done but by great and sore means. I remember wehad in our town some time since, a little girl that loved to eatthe heads of foul tobacco-pipes, and neither rod nor good wordscould reclaim her, and make her leave them. So her father takesadvice of a doctor, to wean her from them, and it was this: Take, saith he, a great many of the foulest tobacco-pipe heads you canget, and boil them in milk, and make a posset of that milk, andmake your daughter drink the posset-drink up. He did so, and gavehis girl it, and made her drink it up; the which became so irksomeand nauseous to her stomach, and made her so sick, that she couldnever abide to meddle with tobacco-pipe heads any more, and so wascured of that disease. Thou lovest thy sin, and neither rod norgood words will as yet reclaim thee. Well, take heed; if thou wiltnot be reclaimed, God will make thee a posset of them, which shallbe so bitter to thy soul, so irksome to thy taste, so loathsome tothy mind, and so afflicting to thy heart, that it shall break itwith sickness and grief, till it be loathsome to thee. I say, thushe will do if he loves thee; if not, he will suffer thee to takethy course, and will let thee go on with thy tobacco-pipe heads!

The children of Israel will have flesh, must have flesh; they weep, cry, and murmur, because they have not flesh; the bread of heaven, that is but light and sorry stuff in their esteem (Num 11:1-6). Moses goes and tells God how the people despised his heavenly bread, and how they longed, lusted, and desired to be fed with flesh. Well, says God, they shall have flesh, they shall have their fillof flesh; I will feed them with it; they shall have to the full;and that 'ye shall not eat one day, nor two days, nor five days, neither ten days, nor twenty days; but even a whole month, untilit come out at your nostrils, and it be loathsome unto you; becauseye have despised the Lord' (Num 11:11-20). He can tell how to makethat loathsome to thee on which thou most dost set thine evil heart. And he will do so, if he loves thee; else, as I said, he will notmake thee sick by smiting of thee nor punish thee for or when thoucommittest whoredom, but will let thee alone till the judgment-day, and call thee to a reckoning for all thy sins then. But to passthis. 

Eighth. Man, as he comes into the world, is not only a dead man, afool, proud, self-willed, fearless, a false believer, and a loverof sin, but a wild man. He is of the wild olive tree, of thatwhich is wild by nature (Rom 11:17, 24). So, in another place, manby nature is compared to the ass, to a wild ass. 'For vain or emptyman would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt' (Job11:12). Isaac was a figure of Christ, and of all converted men(Gen 4:28). But Ishmael was a figure of man by nature; and theHoly Ghost, as to that, saith this of him, 'And he will be a wildman' (Gen 16:12). This man, I say, was a figure of all carnalmen, in their wildness or estrangedness from God. Hence it is saidof the prodigal, at his conversion, that he came to himself then;implying that he was mad, wild, or out of his wits before (Luke15:17). I know there is a difference sometimes betwixt one's beingwild and mad; yet sometimes wildness arriveth to that degree as togive one rightly the denomination of being mad. And it is alwaystrue in spirituals; namely, that he that is wild, as to God, ismad, or besides himself, and so not capable, before he is tamed, ofminding his own eternal good as he should. There are these severalthings that are tokens of one wild or mad; and they all meet in acarnal man. 

1. A wild or mad man gives no heed to good counsel; the frenzy of hishead shuts all out, and by its force leads him away from men thatare wise and sober. And thus it is with carnal men; good counselis to them as pearls are that are cast afore swine; it is trampledunder foot of them, and the man is despised that brings it (Matt7:6). 'The poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are notheard' (Eccl 9:16). 

2. A wild or mad man, let him alone, and he will greatly busyhimself all his life to accomplish that which, when it is completed, amounts to nothing. The work, the toil, the travel of such a onecomes to nothing, save to declare that he was out of his wits thatdid it. David, imitating of such a one, scrabbled upon the gate ofthe king, as fools do with chalk; and like to this is all the workof all carnal men in the world (1 Sam 21:12, 13). Hence, such a oneis said to labour for the wind, or for what will amount to no morethan if he filled his belly with the east wind (Eccl 5:16; Job15:2). 

3. A wild or mad man, if you set him to do anything, and he does it, he will yet do it, not by or according to your bidding, but afterthe folly of his own wild fancy; even as Jehu executed the commandmentof the Lord; he did it in his own madness, taking no heed to thecommandment of the Lord (2 Kings 9:20, 10:31). And thus do carnalmen do, when they meddle with any of God's matters, as hearing, praying, reading, professing; they do all according to their ownwild fancy; they take no heed to do these after the commandment ofthe Lord. 

4. Wild or mad men, if they deck or array themselves with ought, as many times they do, why, the spirit of their wildness or frenzyappears even in the mode and way in which they do it. Either thethings themselves which they make use of for that purpose are verytoys and trifles; or if they seem to be better, they are put onafter an antic manner, rather to the rendering of them ridiculous, than to bespeak them sober, judicious, or wise; and so do naturalmen array themselves with what they would be accepted in with God. Would one in his wits think to make himself fine or acceptable tomen by arraying himself in menstruous cloths, or by painting hisface with dross and dung? And yet this is the finery of carnal men, when they approach for acceptance into the presence of God (Isa64:6; Phil 3:7, 8). 

O the wildness, the frenzy, the madness, that possesses the heartand mind of carnal men! they walk according to the course of thisworld, according to or after that spirit which is in truth thespirit of the devil, which worketh in the children of disobedience(Eph 2:1-3). But do they believe that thus it is with them? No, they are, in their own account, as other madmen are, the only onesin the world. Hence they are so taken and tickled with their ownfrantic notions, and deride all else that dwell in the world. Butwhich is the way to make one that is wild, or a madman, sober? Tolet him alone will not do it; to give him good words only will notdo it; no, he must be tamed; means must be used to tame him. 'Hebrought down their hearts with labour, ' or by continual molestation;as you have it (Psa 107:10-12). He speaketh there of madmen thatare kept up in darkness, and bound in afflictions and irons, becausethey rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counselof the Most High. 

This, therefore, is the way to deal with such, and none but Godcan so deal with them. They must be taken, they must be separatedfrom men; they must be laid in chains, in darkness, afflictions, and irons; they must be blooded, half-starved, whipped, purged, and be dealt with as mad people are dealt with. And thus they mustbe dealt with till they come to themselves, and cry out in theirdistresses. And then they cry to the Lord in their troubles, andhe saveth them out of their distresses; then he brings them out ofdarkness, and the shadow of death, and breaks their bands in sunder(Psa 107:13-15). Thus, I say, God tames the wild, and brings madprodigals to themselves, and so to him for mercy. 

Ninth. Man, as he comes into the world, is not only a dead man, afool, proud, self-willed, fearless, a false believer, a lover ofsin, and a wild man; but a man that disrelishes the things of thekingdom of God. I told you before, that unconverted man is such asdid not taste things; but now I add, that he disrelishes things;he calls bitter things sweet, and sweet bitter; he judges quiteamiss. These are they that God threateneth with a woe. 'Woe untothem that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness forlight, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweetfor bitter' (Isa 5:20). 

This latter part of this text shows us evidently that the thingsof God are disrelished by some. They call his sweet things bitter, and the devil's bitter things sweet; and all this is for wantof a broken heart. A broken heart relishes otherwise than a wholeor unbroken one doth. A man that has no pain, or bodily distress, cannot find or feel virtue or good in the most sovereign plaister, were it applied to arm or leg; no, he rather says, Away with thesestinking daubing things. O! but lay the same plaisters where thereis need, and the patient will relish, and taste, and savour thegoodness of them; yea, will prize and commend them to others. 

Thus it is in spirituals. The world, they know not what theanguish or pain of a broken heart means; they say, 'Who will showus any good, ' that is, better than we find in our sports, pleasures, estates, and preferments. 'There be many, ' says the Psalmist, speakafter this sort. But what says the distressed man? Why, 'Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us'; and then adds, 'Thou hast put gladness in my heart'; namely, by the light of thycountenance, for that is the plaister for a broken heart. 'Thouhast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that theircorn and their wine increaseth' (Psa 4:1-7). O! a broken heartcan savour pardon, can savour the consolations of the Holy Ghost. Yea, as a hungry or thirsty man prizes bread and water in the wantthereof, so do the broken in heart prize and set a high esteem onthe things of the Lord Jesus. His flesh, his blood, his promise, and the light of his countenance, are the only sweet things bothto scent and taste, to those that are of a wounded spirit. The fullsoul loatheth the honey-comb; the whole despise the gospel, theysavour not the things that are of God. 

If twenty men were to hear a pardon read, and but one of thosetwenty were condemned to die, and the pardon was for none but such;which of these men, think you, would taste the sweetness of thatpardon, they who are not, or he that was condemned? The condemnedman, doubtless. This is the case in hand. The broken in heart isa condemned man; yea, it is a sense of condemnation, with otherthings, that has indeed broken his heart; nor is there anythingbut sense of forgiveness that can bind it up, or heal it. But couldthat heal it, could he not taste, truly taste, or rightly relishthis forgiveness? no; forgiveness would be to him as it is to himthat has not sense of want of it. 

But, I say, what is the reason some so prize what others so despise, since they both stand in need of the same grace and mercy of Godin Christ? Why, the one sees, and the other sees nothing, of thiswoeful miserable state. And thus have I showed you the necessityof a broken heart. 1. Man is dead, and must be quickened. 2. Man isa fool, and must be made wise. 3. Man is proud, and must be humbled. 4. Man is self-willed, and must be broken. 5. Man is fearless, andmust be made to consider. 6. Man is a false believer, and must berectified. 7. Man is a lover of sin, and must be weaned from it. 8. Man is wild, and must be tamed. 9. Man disrelishes the thingsof God, and can take no savour in them, until his heart is broken. 

[V. THE REASONS WHY A BROKEN HEART IS ESTEEMED BY GOD SUCH ANEXCELLENT THING. ]

And thus have I done with this, and shall come next to the reasonsof the point, namely, to show you, why or how it comes to pass, thata broken heart, a heart truly contrite, is to God such an excellentthing. That to him it is so, we have proved by six demonstrations;what it is, we have showed by the six signs thereof; that it mustbe, is manifest by those nine reasons but now urged; and why itis with God or in his esteem an excellent thing, that is shown bythat which follows. 

First. A broken heart is the handiwork of God; an heart of hisown preparing, for his own service; it is a sacrifice of his ownproviding, of his providing for himself; as Abraham said in anothercase, 'God will provide himself a lamb' (Gen 22:8). 

Hence it is said, 'The preparations of the heart in man, &c. , is fromthe Lord. ' And again, 'God maketh my heart soft, and the Almightytroubleth me' (Job 23:16). The heart, as it is by nature hard, stupid, and impenetrable, so it remains, and so will remain, untilGod, as was said, bruiseth it with his hammer, and melts it withhis fire. The stony nature of it is therefore said to be takenaway of God. 'I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you, ' saith he, 'an heart of flesh' (Eze 36:26). Iwill take away the stony heart, or the stoniness, or the hardness ofyour heart, and I will give you a heart of flesh; that is, I willmake your heart sensible, soft, wieldable, governable, and penitent. Sometimes he bids men rend their hearts, not because they can, butto convince them rather, that though it must be so, they cannot doit; so he bids them make themselves a new heart, and a new spirit, for the same purpose also; for if God doth not rend it, it remainsunrent; if God makes it not new, it abides an old one still. 

This is that that is meant by his bending of men for himself, andof his working in them that which is pleasing in his sight (Zech9:13). The heart, soul, or spirit, as in itself, as it came fromGod's fingers, a precious thing, a thing in God's account worth morethan all the world. This heart, soul, or spirit, sin has hardened, the devil has bewitched, the world has deceived. This heart, thusbeguiled, God coveteth and desireth: 'My son, ' saith he, 'give methine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways' (Prov 23:26). 

This man cannot do this thing: for that his heart has the masteryof him, and will not but carry him after all manner of vanity. Whatnow must be done? Why, God must take the heart by storm, by power, and bring it to a compliance with the Word; but the heart ofitself will not; it is deluded, carried away to another than God. Wherefore God now betakes him to his sword, and bring down theheart with labour, opens it, and drives out the strong man armedthat did keep it; wounds it; and makes it smart for its rebellion, that it may cry; so he rectifies it for himself. 'He maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole' (Job 5:18). Thus having wrought it for himself, it becomes his habitation, hisdwelling-place: 'That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith'(Eph 3:17). 

But I would not swerve from the thing in hand. I have told youa broken heart is the handiwork of God, a sacrifice of his ownpreparing; a material fitted for himself. 

1. By breaking of the heart he openeth it, and makes it a receptaclefor the graces of his Spirit; that is the cabinet, when unlocked, where God lays up the jewels of the gospel; there he puts his fear;'I will put my fear in their hearts'; there he writes his law; 'Iwill write my law in their heart'; there he puts his Spirit: 'I willput my Spirit within you' (Jer 31:31-33, 32:39-41; Eze 36:26, 27). The heart, I say, God chooses for his cabinet: there he hides histreasure; there is the seat of justice, mercy, and of every graceof God; I mean, when it is broken, made contrite; and so regulatedby the holy Word. 

2. The heart, when broken, is like sweet gums and spices whenbeaten; for as such cast their fragrant scent into the nostrils ofmen, so the heart when broken casts its sweet smells in the nostrilsof God. The incense, which was a type of prayer of old, was to bebeaten or bruised, and so to be burned in the censer. The heartmust be beaten or bruised, and then the sweet scent will come out:even groans, and cries, and sighs, for the mercy of God; whichcries, &c. To him, are a very excellent thing, and pleasing inhis nostrils. 

Second. A broken heart is in the sight of God an excellent thing;because a broken heart is submissive; it falleth before God, and givethto him his glory. All this is true from a multitude of scriptures, which I need not here mention. Hence such a heart is called anhonest heart, a good heart, a perfect heart, a heart fearing God, and such as is sound in God's statutes. 

Now, this cannot but be an excellent thing, if we consider, that bysuch a heart, unfeigned obedience is yielded unto him that callethfor it. 'Ye have obeyed from the heart, ' says Paul to them at Rome, 'that form of doctrine which was delivered you' (Rom 6:17). Alas!the heart, before it is broken and made contrite, is quite of anothertemper: 'It is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed canbe. ' The great stir before the heart is broken, is about who shallbe Lord, God or the sinner. True, the right of dominion is theLord's; but the sinner will not suffer it, but will be all himself;saying 'Who is Lord over us?' and again, say they to God, 'We arelords, we will come no more unto thee' (Psa 12:4; Jer 2:31). 

This also is evident by their practice; God may say what he will, but they will do what they list. Keep my sabbath, says God; I willnot, says the sinner. Leave your whoring, says God; I will not, saysthe sinner. Do not tell lies, nor swear, nor curse, nor blasphememy holy name, says God; O but I will, says the sinner. Turn tome, says God; I will not, says the sinner. The right of dominionis mine, says God; but, like that young rebel (1 Kings 1:5), Iwill be king, says the sinner. Now, this is intolerable, this isunsufferable, and yet every sinner by practice says thus; for theyhave not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 

Here can be no concord, no communion, no agreement, no fellowship. Here, here is enmity on the one side, and flaming justice on theother (2 Cor 6:14-16; Zech 11:8). And what delight, what content, what pleasure, can God take in such men. None at all; no, thoughthey should be mingled with the best of the saints of God; yea, though the best of saints should supplicate for them. Thus, saysJeremiah, 'Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuelstood before me, ' that is, to pray for them, 'yet my mind could notbe toward this people; cast them out of my sight, and let them goforth' (Jer 15:1). 

Here is nought but open war, acts of hostility, and shamefulrebellion, on the sinner's side; and what delight can God take inthat? Wherefore, if God will bend and buckle the spirit of such anone, he must shoot an arrow at him, a bearded arrow, such as maynot be plucked out of the wound: an arrow that will stick fast, and cause that the sinner falls down as dead at God's foot (Psa33:1, 2). Then will the sinner deliver up his arms, and surrenderup himself as one conquered, into the hand of, and beg for theLord's pardon, and not till then; I mean not sincerely. 

And now God has overcome, and his right hand and his holy arm hasgotten him the victory. Now he rides in triumph with his captiveat his chariot wheel; now he glories; now the bells in heaven doring; now the angels shout for joy, yea, are bid to do so, 'Rejoicewith me, for I have found my sheep which was lost' (Luke 15:1-10). Now also the sinner, as a token of being overcome, lies grovellingat his foot, saying, 'Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of theking's enemies, whereby the people fall under thee' (Psa 45:3-5). 

Now the sinner submits, now he follows his conqueror in chains, nowhe seeks peace, and would give all the world, were it his own, tobe in the favour of God, and to have hopes by Christ of being saved. Now this must be pleasing, this cannot but be a thing acceptablein God's sight: 'A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wiltnot despise. ' For it is the desire of his own heart, the work ofhis own hands. 

Third. Another reason why a broken heart is to God such an excellentthing is this, a broken heart prizes Christ, and has a high esteemfor him. The whole have no need of a physician, but the sick; thissick man is the broken-hearted in the text; for God makes men sickby smiting of them, by breaking of their hearts. Hence sicknessand wounds are put together; for that the one is a true effect ofthe other (Mark 2:17; Micah 6:13; Hosea 5:13). Can any think thatGod should be pleased, when men despise his Son, saying, He hath noform nor comeliness, and when we shall see him, there is no beautythat we should desire him? And yet so say they of him whose heartsGod has not mollified; yea, the elect themselves confess, thatbefore their hearts were broken, they set light by him also. Heis, say they, 'despised and rejected of men, --and we hid as it wereour faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not' (Isa53:2, 3). 

He is indeed the great deliverer; but what is a deliverer to themthat never saw themselves in bondage, as was said before? Hence itis said of him that delivered the city, 'No man remembered that samepoor man' (Eccl 9:15). He has sorely suffered, and been bruised forthe transgression of man, that they might not receive the smart, and hell, which by their sins they have procured to themselves. But what is that to them that never saw ought but beauty, and thatnever tasted anything but sweetness in sin? It is he that holdethby his intercession the hands of God, and that causes him to forbearto cut off the drunkard, the liar, and unclean person, even whenthey are in the very act and work of their abomination; but theirhard heart, their stupefied heart, has no sense of such kindnessas this, and therefore they take no notice of it. How many timeshas God said to this dresser of his vineyard, 'Cut down the barrenfig-tree, ' while he yet, by his intercession, has prevailed fora reprieve for another year! But no notice is taken of this, nothanks is from them returned to him for such kindness of Christ. Wherefore such ungrateful, unthankful, inconsiderate wretches asthese must needs be a continual eye-sore, as I may say, and greatprovocation to God; and yet thus men will do before their heartsare broken (Luke 13:6-9). 

Christ, as I said, is called a physician; yea, he is the onlysoul-physician. He heals, how desperate soever the disease be; yea, and heals who he undertakes for ever. 'I give unto them eternallife, ' and doth all of free cost, of mere mercy and compassion(John 10:28). But what is all this to one that neither sees hissickness, that sees nothing of a wound? What is the best physicianalive, or all the physicians in the world, put all together, to himthat knows no sickness, that is sensible of no disease? Physicians, as was said, may go a-begging for all the healthful. Physiciansare of no esteem, save only to the sick, or upon a supposition ofbeing so now, or at any other time. 

Why, this is the cause Christ is so little set by in the world. God has not made them sick by smiting of them; his sword has notgiven them the wound, his dart has not been struck through theirliver; they have not been broken with his hammer, nor melted withhis fire. So they have no regard to his physician; so they slightall the provision which God has made for the salvation of thesoul. But now, let such a soul be wounded; let such a man's heartbe broken; let such a man be made sick through the sting of guilt, and be made to wallow himself in ashes under the burden of histransgressions; and then, who but Christ, as has been showed afore, then the physician; then, wash me, Lord, then supple my wounds, then pour thy wine and oil into my sore; then Lord Jesus cause meto hear the voice of joy and gladness, that the bones which thouhast broken may rejoice. Nothing now so welcome as healing; andso nothing, no man, so desirable now as Christ. His name to suchis the best of names; his love to such is the best of love; himselfbeing now not only in himself, but also to such a soul, the chiefestof ten thousand (Can 5:10). 

As bread to the hungry, as water to the thirsty, as light to theblind, and liberty to the imprisoned; so, and a thousand times more, is Jesus Christ to the wounded, and to them that are broken-hearted. Now, as was said, this must needs be excellent in God's eyes, since Christ Jesus is so glorious in his eyes. To contemn what aman counts excellent, is an offence to him; but to value, esteem, or think highly of that which is of esteem with me, this is pleasingto me, such an opinion is excellent in my sight. What says Christ?'My Father loveth you, because ye loved me' (John 16:27). Whohath an high esteem for Christ, the Father hath an high esteem forthem. Hence it is said, 'He that hath the Son, hath the Father';the Father will be his, and will do for him as a Father, whoreceiveth and sets an honourable esteem on his Son. 

But none will, none can do this, but the broken-hearted; becausethey, and they only, are sensible of the want and worth of aninterest in him. 

I dare appeal to all the world as to the truth of this; and do sayagain, that these, and none but these, have hearts of esteem inthe sight of God. Alas! 'the heart of the wicked is little worth, 'for it is destitute of a precious esteem of Christ, and cannot butbe destitute, because it is not wounded, broken, and made sensibleof the want of mercy by him (Prov 10:20). 

Fourth. A broken heart is of great esteem with God, because it isa thankful heart for that sense of sin and of grace it has received. The broken heart is a sensible heart. This we touched upon before. It is sensible of the dangers which sin leadeth to; yea, and hascause to be sensible thereof, because it has seen and felt what sinis, both in the guilt and punishment that by law is due thereto. As a broken heart is sensible of sin, in the evil nature andconsequences of it; so it is also sensible of the way of God'sdelivering the soul from the day of judgment; consequently it mustbe a thankful heart. Now he that praises me, glorifies me, saithGod; and God loves to be glorified. God's glory is dear unto him;he will not part with that (Psa 50:23; Isa 42:8). 

The broken-hearted, say I, forasmuch as he is the sensible soul, itfollows that he is the thankful soul. 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, 'said David, 'and all that is within me bless his holy name. ' Beholdwhat blessing of God is here! and yet not content herewith, he goeson with it again, saying, 'Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forgetnot all his benefits. ' But what is the matter? O! he has 'forgivenall thine iniquities, and healed all thy diseases. He has redeemedthy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with loving kindnessesand tender mercies' (Psa 103:1-4). But how came he to be affectedwith this? Why, he knew what it was to hang over the mouth of hellfor sin; yea, he knew what it was for death and hell to beset andcompass him about; yea, they took hold of him, as we have said, andwere pulling of him down into the deep; this he saw to the breakingof his heart. He saw also the way of life, and had his soul relievedwith faith and sense of that, and that made him a thankful man. Ifa man who has had a broken leg, is but made to understand, that bythe breaking of that he kept from breaking of his neck, he will bethankful to God for a broken leg. 'It is good for me, ' said David, 'that I have been afflicted. ' I was by that preserved from a greatdanger; for before that I went astray (Psa 119:67, 71). 

And who can be thankful for a mercy that is not sensible that theywant it, have it, and have it of mercy? Now, this the broken-hearted, this the man that is of a contrite spirit, is sensible of; andthat with reference to mercies of the best sort, and therefore mustneeds be a thankful man, and so have a heart of esteem with God, because it is a thankful heart. 

Fifth. A broken heart is of great esteem with, or an excellentthing in, the sight of God, because it is a heart that desires nowto become a receptacle or habitation for the spirit and graces ofthe Spirit of God. It was the devil's hold before, and was contentedso to be. But now it is for entertaining of, for being possessedwith, the Holy Spirit of God. 'Create in me a clean heart, ' saidDavid, 'and renew a right spirit within me. Take not thy Holy Spiritfrom me, uphold me with thy free Spirit' (Psa 51:10-12). Now he wasfor a clean heart and a right spirit; now he was for the sanctifyingof the blessed spirit of grace; a thing which the uncircumcised inheart resist, and do despite unto (Acts 7:51; Heb 10:29). 

A broken heart, therefore, suiteth with the heart of God; a contritespirit is one spirit with him. God, as I told you before, covetsto dwell with the broken in heart, and the broken in heart desirecommunion with him. Now here is an agreement, a oneness of mind;now the same mind is in thee which was also in Christ Jesus. Thismust needs be an excellent spirit; this must needs be better withGod, and in his sight, than thousands of rams, or ten thousandrivers of oil. But does the carnal world covet this, this spirit, and the blessed graces of it? No, they despise it, as I said before;they mock at it, they prefer and countenance any sorry, dirty lustrather; and the reason is, because they want a broken heart, thatheart so highly in esteem with God, and remain for want thereof intheir enmity to God. 

The broken-hearted know, that the sanctifying of the Spirit isa good means to keep from that relapse, out of which a man cannotcome unless his heart be wounded a second time. Doubtless Davidhad a broken heart at first conversion, and if that brokennesshad remained, that is, had he not given way to hardness of heartagain, he had never fallen into that sin out of which he couldnot be recovered, but by the breaking of his bones a second time. Therefore, I say, a broken heart is of great esteem with God; forit--and I will add, so long as it retains its tenderness--covets nonebut God, and the things of his Holy Spirit; sin is an abominationto it. 

[VI. ADVANTAGES THAT A CHRISTIAN GETS BY KEEPING HIS HEART TENDER. ]

And here, as in a fit place, before I go any further, I will showyou some of the advantages that a Christian gets by keeping ofhis heart tender. For, as to have a broken heart, is to have anexcellent thing, so to keep this broken heart tender, is also veryadvantageous. 

First. This is the way to maintain in thy soul always a fear ofsinning against God. Christians do not wink at, or give way to sin, until their hearts begin to lose their tenderness. A tender heartwill be affected at the sin of another, much more it will be afraidof committing of sin itself (2 Kings 22:19). 

Second. A tender heart quickly yieldeth to prayer, yea, prompteth toit, puts an edge and fire into it. We never are backward to prayeruntil our heart has lost its tenderness; though then it grows cold, flat, and formal, and so carnal to and in that holy duty. 

Third. A tender hearts has always repentance at hand for the leastfault or slip, or sinful thought that the soul is guilty of. In manythings the best offend; but if a Christian loseth his tenderness, if he says he has his repentance to seek, his heart is grownhard--has lost that spirit, that kind spirit of repentance, it waswont to have. Thus it was with the Corinthians; they were decayed, and lost their tenderness; wherefore their sin--yea, greatsins--remained unrepented of (2 Cor 12:20). 

Fourth. A tender heart is for receiving often its communion withGod, when he that is hardened, though the seed of grace is in him, will be content to eat, drink, sleep, wake, and go days withoutnumber without him (Isa 17:10; Jer 2:32). 

Fifth. A tender heart is a wakeful, watchful heart. It watchesagainst sin in the soul, sin in the family, sin in the calling, sin in spiritual duties and performances, &c. It watches againstSatan, against the world, against the flesh, &c. But now, when theheart is not tender, there is sleepiness, unwatchfulness, idleness, a suffering the heart, the family, and calling to be much defiled, spotted, and blemished with sin; for a hard heart departs from God, and turns aside in all these things. 

Sixth. A tender heart will deny itself, and that in lawful things, and will forbear even that which may be done--for some Jew, or Gentile, or the church of God, or any member of it, should be offended, ormade weak thereby; whereas the Christian that is not tender, thathas lost his tenderness, is so far off of denying himself in lawfulthings, that he will even adventure to meddle in things utterlyforbidden, whoever is offended, grieved, or made weak thereby. Foran instance of this, we need go no further than to the man in thetext, who, while he was tender, trembled at little things; butwhen his heart was hardened, he could take Bathsheba to satisfyhis lust, and kill her husband to cover his wickedness. 

Seventh. A tender heart--I mean, the heart kept tender--preservesfrom many a blow, lash, and fatherly chastisement; because it shunsthe causes, which is sin, of the scourging hand of God. 'With thepure thou wilt show thyself pure, but with the froward thou wiltshew thyself unsavoury' (2 Sam 22:27; Psa 18:25-27). 

Many a needless rebuke and wound doth happen to the saints of Godthrough their unwise behaviour. When I say needless, I mean they arenot necessary, but to reclaim us from our vanities; for we shouldnot feel the smart of them, were it not for our follies. Hence theafflicted is called a fool, because his folly brings his afflictionupon him. 'Fools, ' says David, 'because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted' (Psa 107:17). And therefore it is, as was said before, that he call his sin hisfoolishness. And again, 'God will speak peace unto his people, andto his saints; but let them not turn again to folly' (Psa 38:5, 85:8). 'If his children transgress my laws, then will I visit theirtransgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes' (Psa89:30-32). 

[How to keep the heart tender. ]

QUEST. But what should a Christian do, when God has broke his heart, to keep it tender?

ANSW. To this I will speak briefly. And, first, give you severalcautions; secondly, several directions. 

[First--Several cautions. ]

1. Take heed that you choke not those convictions that at presentdo break your hearts, by labouring to put those things out of yourminds which were the cause of such convictions; but rather nourishand cherish those things in a deep and sober remembrance of them. Think, therefore, with thyself thus, What was it that at first didwound my heart? And let that still be there, until, by the graceof God, and the redeeming blood of Christ, it is removed. 

2. Shun vain company. The keeping of vain company has stifled manya conviction, killed many a desire, and made many a soul fall intohell, that once was hot in looking after heaven. A companion thatis not profitable to the soul, is hurtful. 'He that walketh withwise men shall be wise, but a companion of fools shall be destroyed'(Prov 13:20). 

3. Take heed of idle talk, that thou neither hear nor join withit. 'Go from the presence of a foolish man, when thou perceivestnot in him the lips of knowledge' (Prov 14:7). 'Evil communicationscorrupt good manners. And a fool's lips are the snare of his soul. 'Wherefore take heed of these things (Prov 18:7; 1 Cor 15:33). 

4. Beware of the least motion to sin, that it be not countenanced, lest the countenancing of that makes way for a bigger. [14] David'seye took his heart, and so his heart nourishing the thought, madeway for the woman's company, the act of adultery, and bloody murder. Take heed, therefore, brethren, 'lest any of you be hardened throughthe deceitfulness of sin' (Heb 3:12, 13). And remember, that he thatwill rend the block, puts the thin end of the wedge first thereto, and so, by driving, does his work. 

5. Take heed of evil examples among the godly; learn of no man todo that which the word of God forbids. Sometimes Satan makes use ofa good man's bad ways, to spoil and harden the heart of them thatcome after. Peter's false doing had like to have spoiled Barnabas, yea, and several others more. Wherefore take heed of men, of goodmen's ways, and measure both theirs and thine own by no other rulebut the holy Word of God (Gal 2:11-13). 

6. Take heed of unbelief, or atheistical thoughts; make no questionof the truth and reality of heavenly things: for know unbelief isthe worst of evils; nor can the heart be tender that nourisheth orgives place unto it. 'Take heed, therefore, lest there be in any ofyou an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God'(Heb 3:12). These cautions are necessary to be observed with alldiligence, of all them that would, when their heart is made tender, keep it so. And now to come, [Second]--to the Directions. 

1. Labour after a deep knowledge of God to keep it warm upon thyheart; knowledge of his presence, that is everywhere. 'Do not I fillheaven and earth, saith the Lord?' (Jer 23:24). (1. ) Knowledge ofhis piercing eye, that it runneth to and fro through the earth, beholding in every place the evil and the good; that his eyesbehold, and his eyelids try the children of men (Prov 15:3). (2. )The knowledge of his power, that he is able to turn and dissolveheaven and earth into dust and ashes; and that they are in hishand but as a scroll or vesture (Heb 1:11, 12). (3. ) The knowledgeof his justice, that the rebukes of it are as devouring fire (Heb12:19). (4. ) The knowledge of his faithfulness, in fulfillingpromises to them to whom they are made, and of his threatenings onthe impenitent (Matt 5:18, 24:35; Mark 13:31). 

2. Labour to get and keep a deep sense of sin in its evil nature, and in its soul-destroying effects upon thy heart; be persuaded, that it is the only enemy of God, and that none hate, or are hatedof God, but through that. (1. ) Remember it turned angels intodevils, thrust them down from heaven to hell. (2. ) That it is thechain in which they are held and bound over to judgment (2 Peter2:4; Jude 6). (3. ) That it was for that that Adam was turned outof paradise; that for which the old world was drowned; that forwhich Sodom and Gomorrah was burned with fire from heaven; andthat which cost Christ his blood to redeem thee from the curse ithas brought upon thee; and that, if anything, will keep thee out ofheaven for ever and ever. (4. ) Consider the pains of hell. Christmakes use of that as an argument to keep the heart tender; yea, to that end repeats and repeats, and repeats, both the nature anddurableness of the burning flame thereof, and of the gnawing ofthe neverdying worm that dwells there (Mark 9:43-48). 

3. Consider of death, both as to the certainty of thy dying, anduncertainty of the time when. We must die, we must needs die; ourdays are determined--the number of our months are with God, thoughnot with us; nor can we pass them, would we, had we them, give athousand worlds to do it (2 Sam 14:14; Job 7:1, 14:1-5). Considerthou must die but once--I mean but once as to this world; for ifthou, when thou goest hence, dost not die well, thou canst not comeback again and die better. 'It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment' (Heb 9;27). 

4. Consider also of the certainty and terribleness of the day ofjudgment, when Christ shall sit upon his great white throne, whenthe dead shall, by the sound of the trump of God, be raised up; whenthe elements, with heaven and earth, shall be on a burning flame;when Christ shall separate men one from another, as a shepherddivideth his sheep from the goats; when the books shall be opened, the witnesses produced, and every man be judged according to hisworks; when heaven's gate shall stand open to them that shall besaved, and the jaws of hell stand gaping for them that shall bedamned (Acts 5:30-31, 10:42; Matt 25:31, 32, 34, 4; Rev 2:11; 1 Cor15:51; Rev 20:12, 15; 2 Peter 3:7, 10, 12; Rom 2:2, 15, 16; Rev 22:12). 

5. Consider, Christ Jesus did use no means to harden his heartagainst doing and suffering those sorrows which were necessary forthe redemption of thy soul. No; though he could have hardened hisheart against thee in the way of justice and righteousness, becausethou hadst sinned against him, he rather awakened himself, and puton all pity, bowels, and compassion; yea, tender mercies, and didit. In his love and in his pity he saved us. His tender merciesfrom on high hath visited us. He loved us, and gave himself for us. Learn, then, of Christ, to be tender of thyself, and to endeavourto keep thy heart tender to God-ward, and to the salvation of thysoul. But to draw to a conclusion. 

VII. THE USE. 

Let us now, then, make some use of this doctrine. As, FIRST USE. From the truth of the matter, namely, that the man whois truly come to God has had his heart broken--his heart brokenin order to his coming to him. And this shows us what to judge ofthe league that is between sin and the soul, to wit, that it is sofirm, so strong, so inviolable, as that nothing can break, disannul, or make it void, unless the heart be broken for it. It was so withDavid, yea, his new league with it could not be broken until hisheart was broken. 

It is amazing to consider what hold sin has on some men's souls, spirits, will, and affections. It is to them better than heaven, better than God--than the soul, ay, than salvation; as is evident, because, though all these are offered them upon this condition, if they will but leave their sins, yet they will choose rather toabide in them, to stand and fall by them. How sayest thou, sinner?Is not this a truth? How many times hast thou had heaven andsalvation offered to thee freely, wouldst thou but break thy leaguewith this great enemy of God? Of God, do I say; if thou wouldst butbreak this league with this great enemy of thy soul? but couldstnever yet be brought unto it; no, neither by threatening nor bypromise couldst thou ever yet be brought unto it. 

It is said of Ahab he sold himself to work wickedness: and inanother place, yea, 'for your iniquities have ye sold yourselves'(1 Kings 21:25; Isa 50:1). But what is this iniquity? Why, a thingof nought; nay, worse than nought a thousand times; but becausenought is as we say nought, therefore it goes under that term, where God saith again to the people, 'Ye have sold yourselves fornought' (Isa 52:3). But, I say, what an amazing thing is this, thata rational creature should make no better a bargain; that one thatis so wise in all terrene things, should be such a fool in thething that is most weighty? And yet such a fool he is, and he tellsevery one that goes by the way that he is such an one, because hewill not break his league with sin until his heart is broken forit. Men love darkness rather than light. Ay, they make it manifestthey love it, since so great a proffer will not prevail with themto leave it. 

SECOND USE. Is this a truth, that the man that truly comes toGod in order thereto has had his heart broken? then this shows usa reason why some men's hearts are broken; even a reason why Godbreaks some men's hearts for sin; namely, because he would not havethem die in it, but rather come to God that they might be saved?Behold, therefore, in this how God resolved as to the saving of somemen's souls! He will have them, he will save them, he will breaktheir hearts, but he will save them; he will kill them, that theymay live; he will wound them, that he may heal them. And it seemsby our discourse that now there is no way left but this; fair means, as we say, will not do; good words, a glorious gospel, entreatings, beseeching with blood and tears, will not do. Men are resolved toput God to the utmost of it; if he will have them he must fetchthem, follow them, catch them, lame them; yea, break their bones, or else he shall not save them. 

Some men think an invitation, an outward call, a rational discourse, will do; but they are much deceived, there must a power, anexceeding great and mighty power, attend the Word, or it workethnot effectually to the salvation of the soul. I know these thingsare enough to leave men without excuse, but yet they are not enoughto bring men home to God. Sin has hold of them, they have soldthemselves to it; the power of the devil has hold of them, they arehis captives at his will; yea, and more than all this, their willis one with sin, and with the devil, to be held captive thereby:and if God gives not contrition, repentance, or a broken heart, forsin, there will not be no not so much as a mind in man to forsakethis so horrible a confederacy and plot against his soul (2 Tim2:24, 25). 

Hence men are said to be drawn from these breasts, that come, orthat are brought to him (Isa 26:9; John 6:44). Wherefore John mightwell say, 'Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowedupon us!' Here is cost bestowed, pains bestowed, labour bestowed, repentance bestowed; yea, and an heart made sore, wounded, broken, and filled with pain and sorrow, in order to the salvation of thesoul. 

THIRD USE. This then may teach us what estimation to set upon abroken heart. A broken heart is such as God esteems, yea, as Godcounts better than all external service: a broken heart is thatwhich is in order to salvation, in order to thy coming to Christfor life. The world know not what to make of it, nor what to sayto one that has a broken heart, and therefore do despise it, andcount that man that carries it in his bosom a moping fool, a miserablewretch, an undone soul: 'But a broken and a contrite spirit, O God, thou wilt not despise'; a broken heart takes thine eye, thy heart:thou choosest it for thy companion, yea, has given thy Son a chargeto look well to such a man, and has promised him thy salvation, ashas afore been proved. 

Sinner, hast thou obtained a broken heart? has God bestowed a contritespirit upon thee? He has given thee what himself is pleased with;he has given thee a cabinet to hold his grace in; he has given theea heart that can heartily desire his salvation, an heart after hisown heart, that is, such as suits his mind. True, it is painfulnow, sorrowful now, penitent now, grieved now; now it is broken, now it bleeds, now, now it sobs, now it sighs, now it mourns andcrieth unto God. Well, very well; all this is because he hath amind to make thee laugh; he has made thee sorry on earth that thoumightest rejoice in heaven. 'Blessed are they that mourn, for theyshall be comforted. --Blessed are ye that weep now, for ye shalllaugh' (Matt 5:4; Luke 6:21). 

But, soul, be sure thou hast this broken heart. All hearts arenot broken hearts, nor is every heart that seems to have a wound, a heart that is truly broken. A man may be cut to, yet not into theheart; a man may have another, yet not a broken heart (Acts 7:54;1 Sam 10:9). We know there is a difference betwixt a wound in theflesh and a wound in the spirit; yea, a man's sin may be wounded, and yet his heart not broken: so was Pharaoh's, so was Saul's, sowas Ahab's; but they had none of them the mercy of a broken heart. Therefore, I say, take heed; every scratch with a pin, every prickwith a thorn, nay, every blow that God giveth with his Word uponthe heart of sinners, doth not therefore break them. God gave Ahabsuch a blow that he made him stoop, fast, humble himself, girdhimself with and lie in sackcloth, which was a great matter for aking, and go softly, and yet he never had a broken heart (1 Kings21:27, 29). What shall I say? Pharaoh and Saul confessed their sins, Judas repented himself of his doings, Esau sought the blessing, and that carefully with tears, and yet none of these had a heartrightly broken, or a spirit truly contrite; Pharaoh, Saul, andJudas, were Pharaoh, Saul, and Judas still; Esau was Esau still;there was no gracious change, no thorough turn to God, no unfeignedparting with their sins, no hearty flight for refuge, to lay holdon the hope of glory, though they indeed had thus been touched (Exo10:16; 1 Sam 26:21; Matt 27:3; Heb 12:14-17). 

The consideration of these things call aloud to us to take heed, that we take not that for a broken and a contrite spirit that willnot go for one at the day of death and judgment. Wherefore, seekingsoul, let me advise thee, that thou mayest not be deceived as tothis thing of so great weight. 

First. To go back towards the beginning of this book, and comparethyself with those six or seven signs of a broken and contriteheart, which there I have, according to the Word of God, given tothee for that end; and deal with thy soul impartially about them. 

Second. Or, which may and will be great help to thee if thou shaltbe sincere therein, namely, to betake thyself to the search of theWord, especially where thou readest of the conversion of men, andtry if thy conversion be like, or has a good resemblance or onenesswith theirs. But in this have a care that thou dost not comparethyself with those good folk of whose conversion thou readestnot, or of the breaking of whose heart there is no mention made inScripture; for all that are recorded in the Scripture for saintshave not their conversion, as to the manner or nature of it, recordedin the Scripture. 

Third. Or else, do thou consider truly of the true signs ofrepentance which are laid down in Scripture; for that is the trueeffect of a broken heart, and of a wounded spirit. And for thissee Matthew 3:5, 6; Luke 18:13, 19:8; Acts 2:37-40, &c. , 16:29, 30, 19:18, 19; 2 Corinthians 7:8-11. 

Fourth. Or else, take into consideration how God has said, theyshall be in their spirits that he intends to save. And for thisread these scriptures: (1. ) That in Jeremiah 31, 'They shall comewith weeping, and with supplications will I lead them' &c. (v9). (2. ) Read Jeremiah 50:4, 5: 'In those days, and in that time, the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judahtogether, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the Lord theirGod. They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the Lord in a perpetualcovenant that shall not be forgotten. ' (3. ) Read Ezekiel 6:9: 'Andthey that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whitherthey shall be carried captives, because I am broken with theirwhorish heart, which have departed from me, and with their eyes, which go a-whoring after their idols: and they shall loathe themselvesfor the evils which they have committed in all their abominations. '(4. ) Read Ezekiel 7:16: 'But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of themmourning, every one for his iniquity. ' (5. ) Read Ezekiel 20:43:'And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, whereinye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your ownsight for all your evils that ye have committed. ' (6. ) Read Ezekiel37:31: 'Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doingsthat were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sightfor your iniquities and for your abominations. ' (7. ) Read Zechariah12:10: 'And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon theinhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications:and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shallmourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be inbitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born. '

Now all these are the fruits of the Spirit of God, and of theheart, when it is broken: wherefore, soul, take notice of them, andbecause these are texts by which God promiseth that those whom hesaveth shall have this heart, this spirit, and these holy effectsin them; therefore consider again, and examine thyself, whetherthis is the state and condition of thy soul. And that thou mayestdo it fully, consider again, and do thou, 1. Remember that here is such a sense of sin, and of the irksomenessthereof, as maketh the man not only to abhor that, but himself, because of that; this is worth the noting by thee. 

2. Remember again that here is not only a self-abhorrence, but asorrowful kind mourning unto God, at the consideration that the soulby sin has affronted, contemned, disregarded, and set at nought, both God and his holy Word. 

3. Remember also that here are prayers and tears for mercy, withdesires to be now out of love with sin for ever, and to be in heartand soul firmly joined and knit unto God. 

4. Remember also that this people here spoken of have all the wayfrom Satan to God, from sin to grace, from death to life, scatteredwith tears and prayers, with weeping and supplication; they shallgo weeping, and seeking the Lord their God. 

5. Remember that these people, as strangers and pilgrims do, arenot ashamed to ask the way of those they meet with to Zion, or theheavenly country; whereby they confess their ignorance, as becamethem, and their desire to know the way to life: yea, thereby theydeclare that there is nothing in this world, under the sun, orthis side heaven, that can satisfy the longings, the desire, andcravings of a broken and a contrite spirit. Reader, be advised, and consider of these things seriously, and compare thy soul withthem, and with what else thou shalt find here written for thyconviction and instruction. 

FOURTH USE. If a broken heart and a contrite spirit be of suchesteem with God, then this should encourage them that have it tocome to God with it. I know the great encouragement for men to cometo God is, for that there 'is a mediator between God and men, the manChrist Jesus' (1 Tim 2:5). This, I say, is the great encouragement, and in its place there is none but that; but there are otherencouragements subordinate to that, and a broken and a contrite spiritis one of them: this is evident from several places of Scripture. 

Wherefore, thou that canst carry a broken heart and a sorrowfulspirit with thee, when thou goest to God, tell him thy heart iswounded within thee, that thou hast sorrow in thy heart, and artsorry for thy sins; but take heed of lying. [15] Confess also thysins unto him, and tell him they are continually before thee. Davidmade an argument of these things, when he went to God by prayer. 'O Lord, ' saith he, 'rebuke me not in thy wrath: neither chastenme in thy hot displeasure. ' But why so? O! says he, 'Thine arrowsstick fast in me, and thy hand presseth me sore. There is nosoundness in my flesh, because of thine anger: neither is thereany rest in my bones, because of my sin. For mine iniquities aregone over mine head: as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink, and are corrupt, because of my foolishness. I amtroubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is nosoundness in my flesh. I am feeble and sore broken; I have roaredby reason of the disquietness of my heart. Lord, all my desire isbefore thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee. My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light for mine eyes, it also isgone from me. My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore':and so he goes on (Psa 38:1-4, &c. ). 

These are the words, sighs, complaints, prayers, and arguments ofa broken heart to God for mercy; and so are they--'Have mercy uponme, O God, according to thy loving kindness; according unto themultitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Washme thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. ForI acknowledge my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me' (Psa51:1-3). 

God alloweth poor creatures that can, without lying, thus to pleadand argue with him. 'I am poor and sorrowful, ' said the good manto him, 'let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high' (Psa 69:29). Wherefore thou that hast a broken heart take courage, God bids theetake courage; say therefore to thy soul, 'Why are thou cast down, O my soul?' as usually the broken-hearted are. 'And why art thoudisquieted within me? Hope thou in God. ' 'I had fainted, ' if I hadnot been of good courage; therefore 'be of good courage, and heshall strengthen thine heart' (Psa 42:11, 43:5, 27:12-14). 

But alas! the broken-hearted are far off from this; they faint;they reckon themselves among the dead; they think God will rememberthem no more: the thoughts of the greatness of God, and his holiness, and their own sins and vilenesses, will certainly consume them. They feel guilt and anguish of soul; they go mourning all the daylong; their mouth is full of gravel and gall, and they are made todrink draughts of wormwood and gall; so that he must be an artistindeed at believing, who can come to God under his guilt and horror, and plead in faith that the sacrifices of God are a broken heart, such as he had; and that 'a broken and a contrite spirit God willnot despise. '

FIFTH USE. If a broken heart, if a broken and contrite spirit, isof such esteem with God, then why should some be, as they are, soafraid of a broken heart, and so shy of a contrite spirit?

I have observed that some men are as afraid of a broken heart, orthat they for their sins should have their hearts broken, as thedog is of the whip. O! they cannot away with such books, with suchsermons, with such preachers, or with such talk, as tends to makea man sensible of, and to break his heart, and to make him contritefor his sins. Hence they heap to themselves such teachers, get suchbooks, love such company, and delight in such discourse, as rathertends to harden than soften; to make desperate in, than sorrowfulfor their sin. They say to such sermons, books, and preachers, asAmaziah said unto Amos, 'O thou seer, go, flee thee away into theland of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there, but prophesynot again any more at Bethel; for it is the king's chapel, and itis the king's court' (Amos 7:12, 13). 

But do these people know what they do? Yes, think they, for suchpreachers, such books, such discourses tend to make one melancholyor mad; they make us that we cannot take pleasure in ourselves, inour concerns, in our lives. But, O fool in grain![16] let me speakunto thee. Is it a time to take pleasure, and to recreate thyselfin anything, before thou hast mourned and been sorry for thy sins?That mirth that is before repentance for sin will certainly endin heaviness. Wherefore the wise man, putting both together, saiththat mourning must be first. There is 'a time to weep, and a timeto laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance' (Eccl 3:4). What, an unconverted man, and laugh! Shouldst thou see one singing merrysongs that is riding up Holborn to Tyburn, [17] to be hanged forfelony, wouldst thou not count him besides himself, if not worse?and yet thus it is with him that is for mirth while he standethcondemned by the Book of God for his trespasses. Man! man! thouhast cause to mourn; yea, thou must mourn if ever thou art saved. Wherefore my advice is, that instead of shunning, thou covet bothsuch books, such preachers, and such discourses, as have a tendencyto make a man sensible of, and to break his heart for sin; and thereason is, because thou wilt never be as thou shouldst, concernedabout, nor seek the salvation of thine own soul, before thou hasta broken heart, a broken and a contrite spirit. Wherefore be notafraid of a broken heart; be not shy of a contrite spirit. It isone of the greatest mercies that God bestows upon a man or a woman. The heart rightly broken at the sense of, and made truly contritefor transgression, is a certain forerunner of salvation. This isevident from those six demonstrations which were laid down to provethe point in hand, at first. 

And for thy awakening in this matter, let me tell thee, and thouwilt find it so, thou must have thy heart broken whether thou wiltor no. God is resolved to break ALL hearts for sin some time orother. Can it be imagined, sin being what it is, and God what heis--to wit, a revenger of disobedience--but that one time or otherman must smart for sin? smart, I say, either to repentance or tocondemnation. He that mourns not now, while the door of mercy isopen, must mourn for sin when the door of mercy is shut. 

Shall men despise God, break his law, contemn his threats, abusehis grace, yea, shut their eyes when he says, See; and stop theirears when he says, Hear; and shall they so escape? No, no, becausehe called, and they refused; he stretched out his hand, and theyregarded it not; therefore shall calamity come upon them, as uponone in travail; and they shall cry in their destruction, and thenGod will laugh at their destruction, and mock when their fearcometh. Then, saith he, 'they shall cry' (Prov 1:24-26). I haveoften observed that this threatening is repeated at least seventimes in the New Testament, saying, 'There shall be weeping andgnashing of teeth'; 'there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth'(Matt 8:12, 13:42, 50, 22:13, 24:51, 25:30; Luke 13:28). There. Where? In hell, and at the bar of Christ's tribunal, when he comesto judge the world, and shall have shut to the door to keep themout of glory, that have here despised the offer of his grace, andoverlooked the day of his patience. 'There shall be wailing andgnashing of teeth. ' They shall weep and wail for this. 

There are but two scriptures that I shall use more, and then I shalldraw towards a conclusion. One is that in Proverbs, where Solomonis counselling of young men to beware of strange, that is, of wanton, light, and ensnaring women. Take heed of such, said he, lest 'thoumourn at the last, ' that is, in hell, when thou art dead, 'whenthy flesh and thy body are consumed, and say, How have I hatedinstruction, and my heart despised reproof, and have not obeyed thevoice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ears to them that instructedme!' (Prov 5:11-13). 

The other scripture is that in Isaiah, where he says, 'Because whenI called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; butdid evil before mine eyes, and did choose that wherein I delightednot. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, my servants shalleat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, butye shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but yeshall be ashamed; behold, my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexationof spirit' (Isa 65:13, 14). 

How many beholds are here! and every behold is not only a call tocareless ones to consider, but as a declaration from heaven thatthus at last it shall be with all impenitent sinners; that is, when others sing for joy in the kingdom of heaven, they, they shallsorrow in hell, and howl for vexation of spirit there. 

Wherefore, let me advise that you be not afraid of, but that yourather covet a broken heart, and prize a contrite spirit; I say, covet it now, now the white flag is hung out, now the golden sceptreof grace is held forth to you. Better mourn now God inclines tomercy and pardon, than mourn when the door is quite shut up. Andtake notice, that this is not the first time that I have given youthis advice. 

USE SIXTH. Lastly, If a broken heart be a thing of so great esteemwith God as has been said, and if duties cannot be rightly performedby a heart that has not been broken, then this shows the vanity ofthose peoples' minds, and also the invalidity of their pretendedDivine services, who worship God with a heart that was never broken, and without a contrite spirit. There has, indeed, at all times beengreat flocks of such professors in the world in every age, but tolittle purpose, unless to deceive themselves, to mock God, and laystumbling-blocks in the way of others; for a man whose heart wasnever truly broken, and whose spirit was never contrite, cannotprofess Christ in earnest, cannot love his own soul in earnest;I mean, he cannot do these things in truth, and seek his own goodthe right way, for he wants a bottom for it, to wit, a broken heartfor sin, and a contrite spirit. 

That which makes a man a hearty, an unfeigned, a sincere seekerafter the good of his own soul, is sense of sin, and a godly fearof being overtaken with the danger which it brings a man into. This makes him contrite or repentant, and puts him upon seekingof Christ the Saviour, with heart-aching and heart-breakingconsiderations. But this cannot be, where this sense, this godlyfear, and this holy contrition is wanting. Profess men may, andmake a noise, as the empty barrel maketh the biggest sound; butprove them, and they are full of air, full of emptiness, and thatis all. 

Nor are such professors tender of God's name, nor of the credit ofthat gospel which they profess; nor can they, for they want thatwhich should oblige them thereunto, which is a sense of pardon andforgiveness, by the which their broken hearts have been replenished, succoured, and made to hope in God. Paul said, the love of Christconstrained him. But what was Paul but a broken-hearted and a contritesinner? (Acts 9:3-6; 2 Cor 5:14). When God shows a man the sin hehas committed, the hell he has deserved, the heaven he has lost;and yet that Christ, and grace, and pardon may be had; this willmake him serious, this will make him melt, this will break his heart, this will show him that there is more than air, than a noise, thanan empty sound in religion; and this is the man, whose heart, whoselife, whose conversation and all, will be engaged in the mattersof the eternal salvation of his precious and immortal soul. 

[VIII. OBJECTIONS ANSWERED. ]

Object. First. But some may object, that in this saying I seem toorigid and censorious; and will, if I moderate not these lines withsomething milder afterward, discourage many an honest soul. 

Answ. I answer, Not a jot, not an honest soul in all the world willbe offended at my words; for not one can be an honest soul, I meanwith reference to its concerns in another world, that has not hada broken heart, that never had a contrite spirit. This I will say, because I would be understood aright, that all attain not to thesame degree of trouble, nor lie so long there under, as some oftheir brethren do. But to go to heaven without a broken heart, orto be forgiven sin without a contrite spirit, is no article of mybelief. We speak not now of what is secret; revealed things belongto us and our children; nor must we venture to go further in ourfaith. Doth not Christ say, 'The whole have no need of a physician';that is, they see no need, but Christ will make them see theirneed before he ministers his sovereign grace unto them; and goodreason, otherwise he will have but little thanks for his kindness. 

Object. Second. But there are those that are godly educated fromtheir childhood, and so drink in the principles of Christianitythey know not how. 

Answ. I count it one thing to receive the faith of Christ from menonly, and another to receive it from God by the means. If thou arttaught by an angel, yet if not taught of God, thou wilt never cometo Christ; I do not say thou wilt never profess him. But if Godspeaks, and thou shalt hear and understand him, that voice willmake such work within thee as was never made before. The voice ofGod is a voice by itself, and is so distinguished by them that aretaught thereby (John 6:44, 45; Psa 29; Habb 3:12-16; Eph 4:20, 21;1 Peter 2:2, 3). 

Object. Third. But some men are not so debauched and profane assome, and so need not to be so hammered and fired as others; sobroken and wounded as others. 

Answ. God knows best what we need. Paul was as righteous beforeconversion as any that can pretend to civility now, I suppose; andyet that notwithstanding he was made to shake, and was astonishedat himself at his conversion. And truly I think the more righteousany is in his own eyes before conversion, the more need he has ofheart-breaking work, in order to his salvation; because a man isnot by nature so easily convinced that his righteousness is to Godabominable, as he is that his debauchery and profaneness is. 

A man's goodness is that which blinds him most, is dearest to him, and hardly parted with; and therefore when such an one is converted, that thinks he has goodness of his own enough to commend him inwhole or in part to God, but, but few such are converted, thereis required a great deal of breaking work upon his heart, to makehim come to Paul's conclusion, 'What! are we better than they? No, in no wise' (Rom 3:9). I say, before he can be brought to see hisglorious robes are filthy rags, and his gainful things but lossand dung (Isa 64; Phil 3). 

This is also gathered from these words, 'Publicans and harlotsenter into the kingdom of God before the Pharisees' (Matt 21:31). Why before them? But because they lie fairer for the Word, areeasier convinced of their need of Christ, and so are brought hometo him without, as I may say, all that ado that the Holy Ghost dothmake to bring home one of these to him. 

True; nothing is hard or difficult to God. But I speak after themanner of men. And let who will take to task a man debauched inthis life, and one that is not so, and he shall see, if he labourethto convince them both that they are in a state of condemnationby nature, that the Pharisee will make his appeals to God, with agreat many God, I thank these; while the Publican hangs his head, shakes at heart, and smites upon his breast, saying, 'God be mercifulto me a sinner' (Luke 18:11-13). 

Wherefore a self-righteous man is but a painted Satan, or a devilin fine clothes; but thinks he so of himself? No! no! he saith toothers, Stand back, come not near me, I am holier than thou. It isalmost impossible, that a self-righteous man should be saved. Buthe that can drive a camel through the eye of a needle, can causethat even such a one shall see his lost condition, and that heneedeth the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ. He can make him see, I say, that his own goodness did stand morein his way to the kingdom of heaven than he was aware of; and canmake him feel too, that his leaning to that is as great iniquityas any immorality that men commit. The sum then is, that men thatare converted to God by Christ, through the Word and Spirit--forall this must go to effectual conversion--must have their heartsbroken, and spirits made contrite; I say, it MUST be so, forthe reasons showed before. Yea, and all decayed, apostatized, andbackslidden Christians must, in order to their recovery again toGod, have their hearts broken, their souls wounded, their spiritsmade contrite, and sorry for their sins. 

Come, come, conversion to God is not so easy and so smooth a thingas some would have men believe it is. Why is man's heart comparedto fallow ground, God's Word to a plough, and his ministers toploughmen? if the heart indeed has no need of breaking, in order tothe receiving of the seed of God unto eternal life (Jer 4:3; Luke9:62; 1 Cor 9:10). Who knows not that the fallow ground must beploughed, and ploughed too before the husbandman will venture hisseed; yea, and after that oft soundly harrowed, or else he willhave but a slender harvest?

Why is the conversion of the soul compared to the grafting of atree, if that be done without cutting? The Word is the graft, thesoul is the tree, and the Word, as the scion, must be let in by awound; for to stick on the outside, or to be tied on with a string, will do no good here. Heart must be set to heart, and back to back, or your pretended ingrafting will come to nothing (Rom 11:17, 24;Jer 1:21). 

I say, heart must be set to heart, and back to back, or the sapwill not be conveyed from the root to the branch; and I say, thismust be done by a wound. The Lord opened the heart of Lydia, as aman openeth the stock to graft in the scions, and so the word waslet into her soul, and so the word and her heart cemented, andbecame one (Acts 16:14). 

Why is Christ bid to gird his sword upon his thigh? and why musthe make his arrows sharp, and all, that the heart may with thissword and these arrows be shot, wounded, and made to bleed? Yea, why is he commanded to let it be so, if the people would bow andfall kindly under him, and heartily implore his grace without it?(Psa 45; 55:3, 4). Alas! men are too lofty, too proud, too wild, toodevilishly resolved in the ways of their own destruction; in theiroccasions, they are like the wild asses upon the wild mountains;nothing can break them of their purposes, or hinder them fromruining of their own precious and immortal souls, but the breakingof their hearts. 

Why is a broken heart put in the room of all sacrifices whichwe can offer to God, and a contrite spirit put in the room of allofferings, as they are, and you may see it so, if you compare thetext with that verse which goes before it; I say, why is it countedbetter than all, were they all put together, if any one part orif all external parts of worship, were they put together, couldbe able to render the man a sound and a rightly made new creaturewithout it? 'A broken heart, a contrite spirit, God will not despise';but both thou, and all thy service, he will certainly slight andreject, if, when thou comest to him, a broken heart be wanting;wherefore here is the point, Come broken, come contrite, comesensible of, and sorry for thy sins, or thy coming will be countedno coming to God aright; and if so, consequently thou wilt get nobenefit thereby. 

FOOTNOTES:

[1] This is beautifully and most impressively described in thePilgrim's Progress, when the bitter feelings of poor Christianunder convictions of sin, alarm his family and put it quite 'outof order. '--Ed. 

[2] This quotation is from the Genevan or Puritan version of theBible. --Ed. 

[3]. 'Fish-whole' is a very striking and expressive term, highlyillustrative of the feelings and position of David when he wasaccosted by the prophet. The word 'whole' is from the Saxon, whichlanguage abounded in Bunyan's native county of Bedford--firstintroduced by an ancient colony of Saxons, who had settled there. It means hale, hearty, free from disease, as a fish is happy inits native element--'They that are WHOLE, need not a physician, butthey that are sick, ' Luke 5:31. David had no smitings of consciencefor his cruelty and enormous guilt; he was like a 'fish whole, ' inthe full enjoyment of every providential blessing; while, spiritually, he was dead in sin. God loved and pitied him, and sent a cunningangler. Nathan the prophet there in the bait, which David eagerlyseized; the hook entered his conscience, and he became as a fishwounded, and nigh unto death. --Ed. 

[4] The words of Tindal are, 'The sacrifice of God is a troubledsprete, a broken and a contrite hert, O God, shalt thou not despise. 'The same Hebrew word occurs in the original, both as to the spiritand the heart. Bunyan is quite right in preferring our authorisedversion of this verse. Coverdale, Tindal, Taverner, and Cranmer, all agree. The Genevan uses 'a contrite spirit, ' and the Bishops'a mortified spirit. '--Ed. 

[5] No one could speak more feelingly upon this subject than ourauthor. He had been in deep waters--in soul-harrowing fear, whilehis heart--hard by nature--was under the hammer of the Word. --'Mysoul was like a broken vessel. O, the unthought of imaginations, frights, fears, and terrors, that are affected by a thoroughapplication of guilt, yielded to desperation!' Like the man thathad his dwelling among the tombs. --Grace Abounding, No. 186. 

[6] The Christian, if he thinks of possessing good motions, joinswith such thoughts his inability to carry them into effect. 'WhenI would do good, evil is present with me. ' How different is this tothe self-righteous Ignorance, so vividly pictured in the Pilgrim'sProgress:--

'Ignor. --I am always full of good motions that come into my mind, to comfort me as I walk. 

Chris. --What good motions? pray tell us. 

Ignor. --Why, I think of God and heaven. 

Chris. --So do the devils and damned souls!'

The whole of that deeply interesting dialogue illustrates thedifficulty of self-knowledge, which can only be acquired by theteaching of the Holy Spirit. 

[7] 'All to brake'; an obsolete mode of expression for 'altogetherbroke. '--Ed. 

[8] 'Orts'; an obsolete word in England, derived from the Anglo-Saxon. Any worthless leaving or refuse. It is thus used by Shakespeare inhis Troylus and Cresida, act 5, s. 2:--

 'The fractions of her faith, orts of her love: The fragments, scraps, the bits and greasy relics Of her ore-eaten faith. '--Ed. 

[9] This is in exact agreement with the author's experience, whichhe had published twenty-two years before, under the title of GraceAbounding to the Chief of Sinners, --'I was more loathsome in myown eyes than was a toad, and I thought I was so in God's eyes too. Sin and corruption, I said, would as naturally bubble out of myheart as water would out of a fountain. I thought that none but thedevil himself could equal me for inward wickedness and pollution ofmind. ' A sure sign that God, as his heavenly Father, was enlighteninghis memory by the Holy Spirit. --Ed. 

[10] This account of the author's interview with a pious, humblewoman, is an agreeable episode, which relieves the mind withoutdiverting it from the serious object of the treatise. It wasprobably an event which took place in one of those pastoral visitswhich Bunyan was in the habit of making, and which, if wisely made, so endears a minister to the people of his charge. Christ and acrust is the common saying to express the sentiment that Christ isall in all. The pitcher has reference to the custom of pilgrims incarrying at their girdle a vessel to hold water, the staff havinga crook by which it was dipped up from a well or river. --Ed. 

[11] However hard, and even harsh, these terms may appear, theyare fully justified; and with all the author's great ability andrenown, he has the grace of humility to acknowledge that, by natureand practice, he had been the biggest of fools. --Ed. 

[12] Man must be burnt out of the stronghold in which he trusted. 'Saved, yet so as by fire. ' 'Baptized with the Holy Ghost, evenfire. ' 'His word is as a fire. ' Reader, the work of regenerationand purification is a trying work; may each inquire, Has this fireburnt up my wood, hay, stubble?--Ed. 

[13] To 'daff' or 'doff'; to do off or throw aside--used byShakespeare, but now obsolete, --

 Where is his son, The nimble-footed madcap, Prince of Wales, And his comrades, that daft the world aside And let it pass?--Ed. 

[14] 'Sin will at first, just like a beggar, crave One penny or onehalfpenny to have; And if you grant its first suit, 'twill aspireFrom pence to pounds, and so will still mount higher To the wholesoul!'--Bunyan's Caution Against Sin. --Ed. 

[15] This is faithful dealing. How many millions of lies are toldto the All-seeing God, with unblushing effrontery, every Lord'sday--when the unconcerned and careless, or the saint of God, happy, most happy in the enjoyment of Divine love, are led to say, 'Havemercy upon us miserable sinners. '--Ed. 

[16] 'In grain' is a term used in dyeing, when the raw material isdyed before being spun or wove; the colour thus takes every grain, and becomes indelible. So with sin and folly; it enters every grainof human nature. --Ed. 

[17] These frightful exhibitions, by drawing a criminal fromNewgate to Tyburn to be executed, were of common occurrence untilthe reign of George III, when such numbers were put to death thatit was found handier for the wholesale butchery to take place atNewgate, by a new drop, where twenty or thirty could be hung atonce!! When will such brutalizing exhibitions cease?--Ed. 

***

PAUL'S DEPARTURE AND CROWN;

OR, AN EXPOSITION UPON 2 TIM. IV. 6-8

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR

How great and glorious is the Christian's ultimate destiny--akingdom and a crown! Surely it hath not entered into the heart ofman to conceive what ear never heard, nor mortal eye ever saw? themansions of the blest--the realms of glory--'a far more exceedingand eternal weight of glory. ' For whom can so precious an inheritancebe intended? How are those treated in this world who are entitledto so glorious, so exalted, so eternal, and unchangeable aninheritance in the world to come? How do the heirs to immortalityconduct themselves in such a prospect? An inheritance sure andcertain--an absolute reversion which no contingency can possiblyaffect. All these are inquiries of the deepest interest--the mostsolemn importance. Above all, when we inquire as to our personaltitle to the heavenly mansions--Am I one of the heirs of Godand joint heirs with Christ?--most intensely should this questionagitate the soul, when we reflect that, unless we are entitled tothis inestimable reversion, we must be plunged into the most awful, the most irretrievable and external torments! There is no middleway--no escape from hell, but by going to heaven. Is heaven reservedonly for the noble and the learned, like Paul? God forbid! but, onthe contrary, we hear the voice of the divinity proclaiming, 'Notmany wise men after the flesh--not many mighty--not many noble. ''Thus saith the Lord, Heaven is my throne, the earth my footstool. 'He looketh upon the high and low--the learned and the noble--themighty princes and the unlettered labourer; and then makes thiswondrous declaration--'To this man will I look, even to him thatis poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. ' Theworld will treat such humble ones as it treated the Lord of lifeand glory, with scorn, contempt, insult, robbery--death. They bearall with patience--return good for evil--are the followers of himwho went about doing good--are known as living epistles, becausethey have been with Christ; they daily enjoy his guidance andprotection, and in their desires after conformity to his image, theybreathe the atmosphere of heaven. This is what the heir of glorystrives after; but, alas! he has to encounter an evil heart, anensnaring world, and the reproaches and revilings of his fellow-men, aided by satanic influence. Can we wonder, then, that he whois thus besieged, and believes that his work is finished, should, with Paul, be ready to depart and receive his rich inheritance?The lapse of time affects not the strong consolations of hope; asit was with Paul, so Bunyan felt. His longings after the heavenlymanna abounded when the cold hand of death pressed upon his brow;his desire was 'to be dissolved, and to be with Christ'; whenhis course of temple and relative duty was run, he waited for themessenger from the celestial city to conduct him home. Christian, are you actively engaged in fulfilling the duties of your course?or, in the humble hope that your course is accomplished, are youpatiently waiting the heavenly messenger? If the Christian's stateis one of trial now, it was much more so in former times. We can havevery little idea of the feelings of a dissenter from the religionof the State, like Paul, under the cruel Nero, or like Bunyan, underthe debauched Charles the Second--both of them liable, without amoment's warning, to be carried away to prison, or to be murdered, privately or publicly, for refusing submission to civil governorsin matters of faith or worship. Although they possessed every loyaland patriotic feeling, they dared not obey those human laws whichusurped the prerogatives of God, by interfering with divine worship. Their lives were in their hands; in the midst of imminent dangerthey boldly avowed the truth, and set us a noble example. Theirintercourse with heaven was doubly sweet from the uncertainty ofliberty and life. For them to live was Christ, and therefore theywell knew the gain of dying. In proportion as temporal blessingswere eminently doubtful, so spiritual and eternal benefits wereprecious. 

This treatise was one of those ten excellent manuscripts found alreadyprepared for the press, after the unexpected decease of its piousauthor. It bears the marks of having been composed, and perhapspreached, towards the end of his pilgrimage. Had his valuable lifebeen spared a few months longer, this work would, very probably, have been enlarged, and the sub-divisions somewhat improved. Theprincipal heads are now inserted as separate lines, to assist thereader in referring to its several parts; and notes are added toexplain old words and customs, and, in some cases, to point out afew of the beautiful and striking passages with which it abounds. Many of these ought to be indelibly impressed upon our minds. 'Thewords of the Lord are pure words; as silver tried in a furnace ofearth, purified seven times' (Psa 12:6). The question naturallyarises--What is this 'furnace of earth' in which the Lord's wordsare purified? Seven being the number of perfection, conveys the ideathat it will be in the furnace until it appears perfectly refined. Bunyan considers that these earthen furnaces are the bodies of thesaints. In the trials, troubles, and persecutions to which they aresubjected, the Word bears them up triumphantly, so that the purityand excellency of the holy oracles conspicuously appears, like thetrial of faith mentioned by Peter (1 Peter 1:7). Dr. Gill considersthat these crucibles mean Christ and his ministers; while Bunyan, with his enlarged mind, identifies them with the whole of Christ'sfollowers. Some of these crucibles prove not to be genuine, andperish in the using, not being able to abide the fire. Such was thecase with one of Mr. Bunyan's friends. John Childs, who, for fearof persecution, conformed, became horror-stricken for the denialof his Master, and notorious for having destroyed himself. 

In this treatise it is most affectionately impressed upon us toheap up treasures that will go with us into the unseen world, as ofgreater importance than those things which perish with the using. 'A Christian, and spend thy time, thy strength, and parts, ' forthat which maketh to itself wings and fleeth away! 'Remember thouart a man of another world, a subject of a more noble kingdom--thatof God, and of heaven. Make not heavenly things stoop to the world;but hoist up thy mind to the things that are above, and practicallyhold forth before all the world the blessed word of life. ' If deathis the king of terrors to fallen humanity, still there are truthsabounding with consolation, that when the Christian departs, theangels are ready, as in the case of Lazarus, to convey the happyspirit to Abraham's bosom; the struggle is short, and then comesthe reward. In this world we must have tribulation; but in heavenwhite robes, the palm of victory, and the conqueror's crown, awaitthe saints. Paul heard a voice which raised his soul above thefears of death, and gave him a desire to depart; its melodioussound invited him home--it was the voice of eternal truth, saying, 'Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord; yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do followthem. '

GEO. OFFOR. 

PAUL'S DEPARTURE AND CROWN. 

'For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure isat hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, Ihave kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown ofrighteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give meat that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that lovehis appearing. '--2 Timothy 4:6-8

These words were, by the apostle Paul, written to Timothy, whom hehad begot to the faith, by the preaching of the gospel of Christ;in which are many things of great concernment both for instructionand consolation; something of which I shall open unto you for yourprofit and edification. But before I come to the words themselves, as they are a relation of Paul's case, I shall take notice ofsomething from them as they depend upon the words going before, being a vehement exhortation to Timothy to be constant and faithfulin his work; which, in brief, may be summed up in these particulars:1st, A solemn binding charge before God and Jesus Christ our Lord, that he be constant in preaching the Word, whether in or out ofseason, reproving, rebuking, and exhorting with all long-sufferingand doctrine; and that because of that ungodly spirit that wouldpossess professors after he was dead; for the time will come, saith he, that they will not endure sound doctrine, neither soundreproof, nor sound trial of their state and condition by the Word, but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears, --the plague that once God threatened to rebelliousIsrael (Deut 28:27)--and be turned unto fables. Much like this isthat in the Acts of the Apostles, 'For I know this, that after mydeparting shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing theflock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perversethings, to draw away disciples after them. Therefore watch, andremember, that by the space of three years, I ceased not to warnevery one night and day with tears' (Acts 20:29-31)

This evil then is to be prevented:--by a diligent watchfulness inministers;--By a diligent preaching the word of the Lord;--and, Bysound and close rebukes, reproofs, and exhortations to those inwhosoever the least there appears any swerving or turning asidefrom the gospel. The ministers of the gospel have each of them allthat authority that belongs to their calling and office, and neednot to stay for power from men to put the laws of Christ in hischurch into due and full execution (Titus 2:15). This 'remnantof Jacob shall be in the midst of many people as a dew from theLord, --that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men'(Micah 5:7). Therefore he adds, 'Watch thou in all things, endureafflictions, ' if thou shouldst be opposed in thy work, 'do the workof an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry' (2 Tim 4:5). [1]How our time-serving and self-saving ministers will salve theirconscience from the stroke that God's Word will one day give them, and how they will stand before the judgment-seat to render anaccount of this their doings, let them see to it; surely God willrequire it of their hand!

But, O Timothy, do thou be diligent, do thou watch in all things, do thou endure affliction, do thou the work of an evangelist, makethou full proof of thy ministry, 'for I am not ready to be offered, '&c. The words, then, of my text are a reason of this exhortationto Timothy, that he should continue watchful, and abide faithfulin his calling. 'For I am now ready to be offered'; that is, to beput to death for the gospel. 

Hence then learn two things, First, That the murders and outrage that our brethren suffer at thehands of wicked men should not discourage those that live, from afull and faithful performance of their duty to God and man, whatevermay be the consequence thereof. Or thus, when we see our brethrenbefore us fall to the earth by death, through the violence of theenemies of God, for their holy and Christian profession, we shouldcovet to make good their ground against them, though our turnshould be the next. We should valiantly do in this matter, as isthe custom of soldiers in war; take great care that the ground bemaintained, and the front kept full and complete. 'Thou, therefore, 'saith Paul, 'endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ'(2 Tim 2:3). And in another place, We should not be moved by theseafflictions, but endure by resisting even unto blood (1 Thess 3:3). Wherefore Paul saith again, 'Be not thou therefore ashamed of thetestimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner; but be thou partakerof the afflictions of the gospel, according to the power of God'(2 Tim 1:8). Thus let the spirit of Moses rest upon Joshua (Num27:20), and the spirit of Elijah rest upon Elisha (2 Kings 2:15). Stand up, therefore, like valiant worthies, as the ministers of myGod, and fly not every man to his own, while the cause, and ways, and brethren of our Lord are buffeted and condemned by the world. And remember, that those that keep the charge of the Lord whenmost go a-whoring from under their God, they, when he turns thecaptivity of his people, shall be counted worthy to come nigh untohim, 'to offer the fat and the blood, saith the Lord God. ' Butfor the rest, though they may yet stand before the people, becausethey stood before them in a way of idolatry, yet it shall not beto their honour, nor to their comfort; but to their shame, as thesame scripture saith (Eze 44:10-16). 

1. Let this therefore smite with conviction those that, in thisday of Jacob's trouble, have been false with God, his cause, andpeople: I say, those first and especially as the chief ringleadersof this cowardliness, who have done it against light, profession, and resolutions. Behold, thou hast sinned against the Lord, and besure thy sins will find thee out; and though thou mayest now haveas a judgment of God upon thee, thy right eye darkened that thoumayest not see, yet awakening time will overtake thee, and that toobetween the straits, when he will show thee, to the great confusionof thy face, and the amazement of them that behold thee, how greatan affront he counts it to be left by thee, in a day when histruth is cast down to the ground (Rom 11:10). I have often thoughtof that prophet that went down from Judah to Bethel, to prophesyagainst the idolatry that was there set up by the King; who, becausehe kept not the commandment of God, but did eat and drink in thatplace, at the persuasion of a lying prophet, was met at last by alion, who slew him there in the way, where his carcase was made aspectacle of God to passengers (1 Kings 13). If thou be spiritual, judge what I say; and think not to be one of that number that shallhave the harps of God, when God appears for Zion, and that shallsing that song of Moses, and also the song of the Lamb; for thatis only for those who have fought the godly fight, and gotten thevictory over the beast, his image, mark, number, and name. 

2. Let this also be an awe to thee, who hast hankerings to do asthe other: Beware, and remember Judas, and the end God brought uponhim; he will not always bear such things; these times have showedus already that he beholds them with great dislike; why shouldthou hang up in chains as a terror to all that know thee? And neverobject that some have done it, and yet are at peace in their souls;for peace in a sinful course is one of the greatest of curses. And 'the man that wandereth out of the way of understanding shallremain in the congregation of the dead' (Prov 21:6). 

[Second. ] The Second thing to be learned from these words, as theyhave a relation to them going before, is encouragement to thosethat are yet in the storm; and that from three great arguments. 

1. Paul's peace and comfort now at the time of his death, which hesignifieth to Timothy by these three expressions, 'I have foughta good fight--I have finished my course--I have kept the faith. '

2. By the blessed reward he should have for his labour from Christin another world, together with all those that love the appearingof the Lord, at 'that great and notable day. '

3. That now his last act should not be inferior to any act he didfor God, while he was alive and preached in the world; for hisbody should now be an offering, a sacrifice well-pleasing to God. To all which I shall speak something in my discourse upon thesewords; and, therefore, to come to them:

'I AM NOW READY TO BE OFFERED. '

In these words we have to inquire into two things. FIRST. What itis to be 'offered. ' SECOND. What it is to be 'ready to be offeredup. ' 'I am now ready to be offered. '

[WHAT IT IS TO BE OFFERED. ]

FIRST. For the first of these. Paul, by saying he was 'to be offered, 'alludeth to some of the sacrifices that of old were under the law;and thereby signifieth to Timothy that his death and martyrdomfor the gospel should be both sweet in the nostrils of God, and ofgreat profit to his church in this world; for so were the sacrificesof old. Paul, therefore, lifts his eyes up higher than simply tolook upon death, as it is the common fate of men; and he had goodreason to do it, for his death was violent; it was also for Christ, and for his church and truth; and it is usual with Paul thus to setout the suffering of the saints, which they undergo for the nameand testimony of Jesus. Yea, he will have our prayers a sacrifice;our praises, thanksgiving, and mortification, sacrifices; almsdeed, and the offering up of the Gentiles, sacrifices, being sanctifiedby the Holy Ghost; and here his death also must be for a sacrifice, and an acceptable offering to God (Heb 13:15, 16; Rom 12:1, 2, 15:16). 

Peter also saith, We are priests 'to offer up spiritual sacrificesacceptable to God by Jesus Christ' (1 Peter 2:5). Of whichsacrifices, it seems by Paul, the death of a Christian for Jesus'sake must needs be counted one. Besides, Paul further insinuates thisby some other sentences in his epistles; as by that in the epistleto the Colossians, where he saith, 'I now rejoice in my sufferingsfor you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictionsof Christ in my flesh, for his body's sake, which is the church'(Col 1:24). Not by way of merit, for so Christ alone, and that byonce being offered himself, hath perfected for ever them that aresanctified (Heb 10:10-14). But his meaning is, that as Christ wasoffered in sacrifice for his church as a Saviour, so Paul wouldoffer himself as a sacrifice for Christ's church, as a saint, as aminister, and one that was counted faithful. 'Yea, ' saith he, 'andif I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, Ijoy and rejoice with you all' (Phil 2:17). This, then, teacheth usseveral things worthy our consideration. 

First. That the blood of the saints, that they lose for his name, is a sweet savour to God. And so saith the Holy Ghost, 'Preciousin the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints' (Psa 116:15). And again, 'He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence, and precious shall their blood be in his sight' (Psa 72:14). 

Second. Those that suffer for Christ are of great benefit to hischurch, as the sacrifices of old were confirming and strengtheningto Israel; wherefore Paul saith, his bonds encouraged his brethren, and made them much more bold in the way of God to speak his wordwithout fear (Phil 1:14). 

Third. The sufferings, or offering of the saints in sacrifice, itis of great use and advantage to the gospel; of use, I say, manyways. (1. ) The blood of the saints defends it; (2. ) confirmeth it;and (3. ) redeemeth that thereof that hath been lost in antichristiandarkness. 

1. They do thereby defend and preserve it from those that wouldtake it from us, or from those that would impose another upon us. 'I am set, ' saith Paul, 'for the defence of the gospel, ' and mysufferings have fallen out for the furtherance of it (Phil 1:17). That is, it hath not only continued to hold its ground, but hathalso got more by my contentions, sufferings, and hazards for it. 

2. It confirms it; and this is part of the meaning of Paul in thoselarge relations of his sufferings for Christ, saying, 'Are theyministers of Christ? I speak as a fool, I am more--in prisons morefrequent, ' &c. ; as he saith again, and these things 'I do for thegospel's sake. ' And again, That the truth of the 'gospel might becontinued with you. ' So again, 'I suffer, ' saith he, in the gospel'as an evil-doer even unto bonds, but the word of God is not bound;yea, ' saith he, 'therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake'(2 Tim 2:9, 10). That is, that the gospel may be preserved entire, that the souls that are yet unborn may have the benefit of it, witheternal glory. 

3. The sufferings of the saints are of a redeeming virtue; for, bytheir patient enduring and losing their blood for the word, theyrecover the truths of God that have been buried in Antichristianrubbish, from that soil and slur that thereby hath for a long timecleaved unto them; wherefore it is said, They overcame him, thebeast, 'by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death' (Rev 12:11). Theyovercame him; that is, they recovered the truth from under hisaspersions, and delivered it from all its enemies. David saith, 'The words of the Lord are--as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times' (Psa 12:6). What is this furnace of earth butthe body of the saints of God, in which the Word is tried, as byfire in persecution, yea, 'purified seven times'; that is, broughtforth at last by the death of the Christians in its purity beforethe world. How hath the headship and lordship of Christ, withmany other doctrines of God, been taken away from the Pope by thesufferings of our brethren before us? While their flesh did fry inthe flames, the Word of God was cleansed, and by such means purifiedin these their earthen furnaces, and so delivered to us. The lampsof Gideon were then discovered when his soldiers' pitchers werebroken; if our pitchers were broke for the Lord and his gospel'ssake, those lamps will then be discovered that before lay hid andunseen (Judg 7:15-22). Much use might be made of this good doctrine. 

Learn thus much:--

1. [Learn] The judgment that is made of our sufferings by carnalmen is nothing at all to be heeded; they see not the glory thatis wrapped up in our cause, nor the innocence and goodness of ourconscience in our enduring of these afflictions; they judge accordingto the flesh, according to outward appearance. For so, indeed, weseem to lie under contempt, and to be in a disgraceful condition;but all things here are converted to another use and end. Thatwhich is contemptible when persons are guilty, is honourable whenpersons are clear; and that which brings shame when persons arebuffeted for their faults, is thankworthy in those that enduregrief, suffering wrongfully (1 Peter 2:19-22). Though to sufferfor sin be the token of God's displeasure, yet to those that sufferfor righteousness, it is a token of greatest favour; wherefore matternot how the world doth esteem of thee and thy present distress, that thou bearest with patience for God and his Word; but believethat those things that are both shame and dishonour to others, areglory and honour to thee (2 Thess 1:4-10). O for a man to be ableto say, 'For the hope of Israel I am bound with this chain' (Acts28:20). It makes his face to shine like the face of an angel, andhis lips to drop like the honey-comb (Cant 4:11). 

2. We learn also from hence, the reason why some in days before ushave made light of the rage of the world; but they have laughed atdestruction when it cometh (Job 5:21, 22). And have gone forth tomeet the armed men; and with Job's war-horse, 'mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted, neither turneth he back from the sword; thequiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield, he said among the trumpets, Ha, ha' (Job 39:22, 25). It hath beentheir [God's fearers] glory to suffer for Christ; as it is said ofthe saints of old, 'they departed from the presence of the counsel, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for hisname' (Acts 5:41). As Paul also saith, 'most gladly I will, ' mark, 'most gladly, rather glory in mine infirmities, that the power ofChrist may rest upon me' (2 Cor 12:9, 10). Therefore I take pleasurein infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, indistresses, for Christ's sake, &c. Let those that suffer for theftand murder hang down their heads like a bulrush, and carry it likethose that are going to hanging; but let those whose trials arefor the Word of God know, by these very things they are dignified. 

3. Learn also in this to be confident, that thy sufferings havetheir sound and a voice before God and men. First, Before God, toprovoke him to vengeance, 'when he maketh inquisition for blood'(Psa 9:12; Gen 4:9-11). The blood of Abel cried until it brought downwrath upon Cain; and so did the blood of Christ and his apostles, till it had laid Jerusalem upon heaps. Secondly, Thy blood willalso have a voice before men, and that possibly for their good. The faithful Christian, in his patient suffering, knows not whatwork he may do for God; who knows but thy blood may be so rememberedby thy children, neighbours, and enemies, as to convince themthou wert for the truth? Yea, who knows but their thoughts of thyresolution for Christ, in thy resisting unto blood, may have sogood an effect upon some, as to persuade them to close with hisways? The three children in the fiery furnace made Nebuchadnezzarcry out there was no God like theirs! Indeed, this is hard labour, but be content, the dearer thou payest for it to win the souls ofothers, the greater will be thy crown, when the Lord, the righteousJudge, shall appear; and in the meanwhile, thy death shall be asa sacrifice pleasing to God and his saints. 

[WHAT IT IS TO BE NOW READY TO BE OFFERED. ]

SECOND. The second thing that I would inquire into is this: Whatit is to be 'ready to be offered up'? Or how we should understandthis word 'ready': 'I am now ready to be offered up. ' Which I thinkmay be understood three manner of ways. 

First. With respect to that readiness that was continually in theheart of those that hated him, to destroy him with his doctrines;Second. Or it may be understood with respect to the readiness ofthis blessed apostle's mind, his being ready and willing always toembrace the cross for the word's sake; or, Third. We may very wellunderstand it that he had done his work for God in this world, andtherefore was ready to be gone. 

[Readiness of enemies to destroy the apostle and his doctrine. ]

First. For the first of these: The enemies of God and his truth, they never want will and malice to oppose the Word of God; theyare also always so far forth in readiness to murder and slaughterthe saints, as the prophet cries to Jerusalem, 'Behold the princesof Israel, every one were in thee to their power to shed blood' (Eze22:6), that is, they had will and malice always at hand to opposethe upright in heart. And therefore our Lord Jesus saith, 'theyare they that kill the body'; he doth not say they can do it asrelating to their will, and their custom, if let loose; and we mayunderstand thereby that it is no more to them to kill the peopleof God, than it is to butchers to kill sheep and oxen. For thoughit be indeed a truth that God's hand is always safe upon the hiltof their sword, yet by them we are killed all the day long, andaccounted as sheep for the slaughter (Psa 44:22; Rom 8:36). That is, in their desires always, as well as by their deeds, when they arelet loose, as Paul's kinsman said to the captain, 'There lie in waitfor him of them more than forty men, which have bound themselveswith a curse, [2] that they will neither eat nor drink till theyhave killed him; and now are they ready, looking for a promise fromthee' (Acts 23:12, 13, 21). And hence it is, that by the Word theyare called dragons, lions, bears, wolves, leopards, dogs, and thelike; all which are beasts of prey, and delight to live by thedeath of others. [3] Paul therefore seeing and knowing that thisreadiness was in his enemies to pour out his bowels to the earth, he cried out to Timothy, saying, 'make thou full proof of thyministry, for' I am now ready to be slain; 'I am now ready to beoffered' (2 Tim 4:5, 6). These words thus understood may be usefulmany ways. 

1. To show us we live, not because of any good nature or inclinationthat is in our enemies towards us; for they, as to their wills, are ready to destroy us; but they are in the hand of God, in whosehand is also our times (Psa 31:15). Wherefore, though by the willof our enemies, we are always delivered to death, yet 'behold welive' (2 Cor 6:9). Therefore in this sense it may be said, 'Whereis the fury of the oppressor?' It is not in his power to dispose of, therefore here it may be said again, he is not 'ready to destroy'(Isa 51:13). The cup that God's people in all ages have drank of, even the cup of affliction and persecution, it is not in the handof the enemy, but in the hand of God; and he, not they, poureth outof the same (Psa 75:8). So that they, with all their raging waves, have banks and bounds set to them, by which they are limited withintheir range, as the bear is by his chain. 'Surely the wrath of menshall praise thee, the remainder of wrath thou shalt restrain' (Psa76:10; Job 38:10, 11). 

2. This should encourage us not to forsake the way of our LordJesus, when threatened by our adversaries, because they are in hischain: indeed they are ready in their wills to destroy us; but asto power and liberty to do it, that is not at all with them; whowould fear to go, even by the very nose of a lion, if his chainwould not suffer him to hurt us. [4] It is too much below the spiritof a Christian to fear a man that shall die (Isa 51:12, 13). Andthey that have so done, have forgotten the Lord their Maker, whopreserveth the hairs of our head (Luke 12:7). Yea, let me tellyou he that so doth, he feareth to trust the Lord with his life, estate, and concernments, and chooseth rather to trust to himself, and that too out of God's way; and though such persons may lickthemselves whole now, while they are fallen and senseless, theymust count for these things again, and then they shall see that fearof men, and to be ashamed of Christ, will load them with no lightburden. Also, it is an uncomely thing for any man in his professionto be in and out with the times; and to do this when winked atby men, that they would not do if they frowned. Do such fear God?nay, they fear the fear of men, when they should sanctify the Lordhimself, and let him be their dread, and let him be their fear (Isa8:12, 13). 

3. Let the readiness that is in the enemies of God to destroy, provoke thee to make ready also, as I said a little before; go outto meet the armed men; 'David ran to meet Goliath'; rub up man, [5]put on thy harness, 'put on the whole armour of God, that thoumayest be ready, ' as well as thy adversaries, as blessed Paul washere, 'I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departureis at hand' (1 Sam 17:46-48). But because this will fall in fittestunder the second head, I shall, therefore, discourse of it there. 

[The readiness IN MIND of the blessed apostle to suffer. ]

Second. The second thing considered in the words is this, that tobe ready might be understood with respect to the blessed apostle'smind, that was graciously brought over into a willingness to embracethe cross for the Word's sake; and thus in other places he himselfexpounds it. 'I am ready, ' saith he, 'not to be bound only, but alsoto die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus' (Acts 21:13). That also implies as much where he saith, 'Neither count I my lifedear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, andthe ministry which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testifythe gospel of the grace of God' (Acts 20:24). As the enemies, then, were ready and willing in their hearts, so he was ready andwilling in his. This man was like to those mighty men of Solomon, that were ready prepared for the war, and waited on the king, fitto be sent at any time upon the most sharp and pinching service (2Chron 17:12-19). A thing fitly becoming all the saints, but chieflythose that minister in the word and doctrine. Understand the wordsthus, and they also teach us many things, both for conviction andfor edification. 

1. Here we see that a Christian's heart should be unclenched fromthis world; for he that is ready to be made a sacrifice for Christand his blessed Word, he must be one that is not entangled with theaffairs of this life: how else can he please him who hath chosenhim to be a soldier? Thus was it with this blessed man; he wasbrought to God's foot with Abraham, and crucified to this worldwith Christ; he had passed a sentence of death upon all earthlypleasures and profits beforehand, that they might not deaden hisspirit when he came to suffer for his profession (2 Tim 2:4; 2 Cor1:8, 9; Gal 2:20, 6:14). 

2. This shows us the true effects of unfeigned faith and love, for they were the rise of this most blessed frame of heart; read2 Corinthians 4:8-13, and compare it with 2 Corinthians 12:9, 10;and men may talk what they will of their faith and love to the LordJesus, and to his holy gospel. But if they throw up their openprofession of his name for fear of those that hate him, it isevident their mouths go before their hearts, and that their wordsare bigger than their graces. 'If thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength is small, ' and so thy faith and love (Prov 24:10). Herein is love, 'that a man lay down his life for his friends'(John 15:13). 

3. This shows us the true effects of a right sight and sense of thesufferings that attend the gospel; that they shall become trulyprofitable to those that shall bear them aright. What made heready for? it was for sufferings; and why made he ready for thembut because he saw they wrought out for him a 'far more exceedingand eternal weight of glory?' (2 Cor 4:17). This made Moses alsospurn at a crown and a kingdom; to look with a disdainful eyeupon all the glory of Egypt. He saw the reward that was laid up inheaven for those that suffered for Christ. Therefore, 'he refusedto be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to sufferaffliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures ofsin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ grater richesthan the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompenseof reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of theking, for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible' (Heb 11:21-27). Every one cannot thus look upon the afflictions and temptationsthat attend the gospel; no, not every one that professeth it, asappears by their shrinking and shirking at the noise of the trumpet, and alarum to war. They can be content, as cowards in a garrison, to lie still under some smaller pieces of service, as hearing theWord, entering in, to follow with loving in word and in tongue, and the like; but to 'go forth unto him without the camp, bearinghis reproach, ' and to be in jeopardy every hour for the truth ofthe glorious gospel, that they dare not do (Heb 13:13; 1 Cor 15:30). Nay, instead of making ready with Paul to engage the dragon andhis angels, they study how to evade and shun the cross of Christ;secretly rejoicing if they can but delude their conscience, andmake it still and quiet, while they do yet unworthily (Rev 12:7-9). 

4. By this readiness we may discern who are unfeignedly willing tofind out that they may do the whole will of God; even those thatare already made willing to suffer for his sake; they are stillinquiring, 'Lord, what wouldst thou have me to do?' not matteringnor regarding the cross and distress that attends it. 'The HolyGhost witnesseth' to me, saith Paul, that 'in every city, sayingthat bonds and afflictions abide me; but none of these things moveme, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I may finishmy course with joy, ' &c. (Acts 20:23, 24). Counting that to see andbe doing of heavenly things, will countervail all the trouble andsorrow that attends them; this therefore sharply rebuketh thosethat can be glad to be ignorant of the knowledge of some truths, especially of them that are persecuted; still answering those thatcharge them with walking irregularly, that they do but according totheir light. Whereas the hearts that be full of love to the nameand glory of Christ, will in quiet return and come; yea, and beglad, if they find the words of God, and will eat them with savourand sweet delight, how bitter soever they are to the belly: becauseof that testimony they bind us up to maintain before peoples, andnations, and kings (Rev 10:10, 11). 'I am now ready to be offered. '

[Paul ready to depart, having done his work for God in this world. ]

Third. The third thing to be considered in the words is this, Thatthe apostle, by saying, 'I am now ready, ' doth signify that now hehad done that work that God had appointed him to do in the world. 'I am now ready, ' because I have done my work; this is furthermanifest by the following words of the text; 'I am now ready to beoffered, and the time of my departure is at hand'; namely, my timeto depart this world. The words also that follow are much to thepurpose, 'I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, '&c. , much like that of our Lord Jesus. 'I have finished the workwhich thou gavest me to do' (John 17:4). Now then, put all thesethings together, namely, that I am to be offered a sacrifice, andfor this my enemies are ready, my heart is also ready; and becauseI have done my work, I am therefore every way ready. This is a frameand condition that deserveth not only to stand in the Word of Godfor Paul's everlasting praise, but to be a provoking argument toall that read or hear thereof, to follow the same steps. I shalltherefore, to help it forward, according to grace received, drawone conclusion from the words, and speak a few words to it. Theconclusion is this: That it is the duty and wisdom of those thatfear God so to manage their time and work that he hath allottedunto them, that they may not have part of their work to do whenthey should be departing the world. 

[THE CHRISTIAN'S DUTY AND WISDOM TO BE THUS READY. ]

This truth I might further urge from the very words of the text, they being written on purpose by Paul to stir up Timothy and allthe godly to press hard after this very thing. But to pass that, and to mind you of some other scriptures that press it hard as aduty, and then to proceed to some few examples of the wise and mosteminent saints. Which when I have done I shall, 1. Show you reasonfor it. 2. Give you encouragement to it. 3. Press it with severalmotives. 4. Make some use and application of the whole, and soconclude. 

That this is the duty and wisdom of those that fear God, you maysee by Christ's exhortation to watchfulness, and to prepare forhis second coming; 'Therefore be ye also ready; for in an hour asye think not, the Son of man cometh' (Matt 24:44). These words, as they are spoken to stir up the godly to be ready to meet theirLord at his coming, so because the godly must meet him as well inhis judgments and providences here, as at his personal appearingat the last day; therefore they should be diligent to be fittingthemselves to meet him in all such dispensations. 'And because, 'saith God, 'I will do this unto thee; prepare to meet thy God, OIsrael' (Amos 4:12). Now death is one of the most certain of thosedispensations; yea, and such, that it leaveth to those no help atall, or means to perform for ever, that which, shouldst thou wantit, that is lacking to thy work. Wherefore Solomon also doth pressus to this very work, and that from this consideration, 'whatsoeverthy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might, for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thougoest' (Eccl 9:10). Baulk nothing of thy duty, neither defer todo it; for thou art in thy way to thy grave, and there thou canstnot finish ought that by neglect thou leavest undone; therefore bediligent while life lasts. [6]

Another scripture is that in Peter's epistle to those that werescattered abroad. 'Seeing, ' saith he, 'that ye look for such things, be diligent, that ye may be found of him in peace, ' &c. (2 Peter3:14). He is there discoursing of the coming of Christ to judgment, as Christ also was in the other; and from the certainty and dreadof that day he doth press them on to a continual diligence, and isto be understood as that of Paul to Timothy, a diligent watchingin all things, that as he saith again, they may stand complete inall the will of God, not lacking this or that of that work whichwas given them to do of God and this world (2 Tim 4:5). Much mightbe said for the further proof of this duty; but to give you someexamples of the godly men of old, whereby it will appear, that asit is our duty to do it so it is also our wisdom. And hence, It is said of Enoch, that he 'walked with God' (Gen 5:22), andof Noah, that he was faithful in his generation, and also 'walkedwith God' (Gen 6:9). That is, they kept touch[7] with him, stillkeeping up to the work and duty that every day required; not doingtheir duty by fits and by starts, but in a fervent spirit theyserved the Lord. So again it is said of Abraham, that his work wasto walk before God in a way of faith and self-denial, which he withdiligence performed. And therefore the Holy Ghost saith, he 'diedin a good old age' (Gen 25:8); thereby insinuating that he madeboth ends meet[8] together, the end of his work with the end of hisdays, and so came to his grave, 'in a full age, as a shock of corncometh in in his season' (Job 5:26). Jacob also, when he blessedhis sons, as he lay upon his death-bed before them, doth sweetlycomfort himself with this, after all his toil and travel, saying, 'I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord, '[9] as if he had said, Lord, I have faithfully walked before thee in the days of mypilgrimage, through the help and power of thy grace; and now havingnothing to do but to die, I lie waiting for thy coming to gatherme up to thyself and my father: so, when he 'had made an end ofcommanding his sons, ' now his bottom was wound, [10] 'he gathered uphis feet into the bed, and yielded up the ghost, and was gatheredunto his people' (Gen 49:18-33). Caleb and Joshua are said to bemen of excellent spirit, because they were faithful in this theirwork (Num 14:24). David was eminent this way, and had done his workbefore his death-day came: 'After he had served his own generationby the will of God, ' then he 'fell on sleep' (Acts 13:36). Which inthe Old Testament is signified by three passages, 1. By his losinghis heat before his death, thereby showing his work for God wasdone, he now only waited to die. 2. By that passage, 'these arethe last words of David, ' even the wind up of all the doctrines ofthat sweet psalmist of Israel (2 Sam 23:1, 2). 3. That in the Psalmsis very significant, 'The prayers of David the son of Jesse areended' (Psa 72:20). In the whole, they all do doubtless speak forththis in the main, that David made great conscience of walking withGod, by labouring to drive his work before him, that his work andlife might meet together: for that indeed is a good man's wisdom. Job had great conscience also as to this very thing, as witnessboth God's testimony and his own conscience for him (Job 1:8, 31). Elijah had brought his work to that issue that he had but to anointHazael to be king of Assyria, Jehu to be king of Israel, and Elishaprophet in his room, and then to be caught up into heaven (1 Kings19:15, 16). What shall I say? I might come to Hezekiah, Jehoshaphat, Josias; with old Simeon also, whose days were lengthened chiefly, not because he was behind with God and his conscience as to hiswork for God in the world, but to see with his eyes now at lastthe Lord's Christ: a sweet forefitting for death! Zacharias, withElizabeth his wife, that good old couple also, how tender anddoubtful were they in this matter, to walk 'in all the commandmentsand ordinances of the Lord, ' in a blessed blameless way! (Luke1:6, 2:25). Their son also is not to be left out, who rather thanhe would be put out of his way, and hindered from fulfilling hiscourse, would venture the loss of the love of a king, and the lossof his head for a word (Mark 6:17, 18). All these, with many more, are as so many mighty arguments for the praise of that I assertedbefore, to wit, that it is the duty and wisdom of those that fearGod, so to manage their time and work, that he hath here allottedunto them, that they may not have part of their work to do when theyshould be departing this world. I might urge also many reasons toenforce this truth upon you, as, [Reasons to enforce this duty. ]

First. Otherwise, the great and chief design of God in sending usinto the world, especially in converting us and possessing our soulswith gifts and graces, and many other benefits, that we might herebe to the glory of his grace, is as much as in us lies, frustrateand disappointed. 'This people have I formed for myself, ' saithhe, 'they shall show forth my praise' (Isa 43:21): and so again, 'ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you thatye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit shouldremain' (John 15:16). God never intended, when he covered thynakedness with the righteousness of his dear Son, and delivered theefrom the condemning power of sin and the law, that thou shouldststill live as do those who know not God. 'This I say therefore, 'saith Paul, 'and testify in the Lord; that ye henceforth walk notas other Gentiles, in the vanity of their mind' (Eph 4:17). What, a Christian, and live as does the world? (John 17:16). A Christian, and spend thy time, thy strength, and parts, for things that perishin the using? Remember, man, if the grace of God hath taken holdof thy soul, thou art a man of another world, and indeed a subjectof another and more noble kingdom, the kingdom of God, which is thekingdom of the gospel, of grace, of faith and righteousness, andthe kingdom of heaven hereafter (Rom 14:16-18). In these thingsthou shouldst exercise thyself; not making heavenly things which Godhath bestowed upon thee to stoop to things that are of the world, but rather here beat down thy body, mortify thy members; hoist upthy mind to the things that are above, and practically hold forthbefore all the world that blessed word of life (1 Cor 9:26, 27). This, I say, is God's design; this is the tendency, the naturaltendency of every grace of God bestowed upon thee: and herein isour Father glorified, that we bring forth much fruit (Col 3:1-4;John 15:8). 

Second. A second reason why Christians should so manage theirtime and the work that God hath appointed them to do for his namein this world, that they may not have part thereof to do when theyshould be departing this world, it is because, if they do not, dying will be a hard work with them especially if God awakeneththem about their neglect of their duty (1 Cor 11:30-32). The wayof God with his people is to visit their sins in this life; andthe worst time for thee to be visited for them, is when thy lifeis smitten down, as it were to the dust of death, even when allnatural infirmities break in like a flood upon thee, sickness, fainting, pains, wearisomeness, and the like; now I say, to becharged also with the neglect of duty, when in no capacity to doit; yea, perhaps so feeble, as scarce able to abide to hear thydearest friend in this life speak to thee; will not this make dyinghard. Yea, when thou shalt seem both in thine own eyes, as alsoin the eyes of others, to fall short of the kingdom of heaven forthis and the other transgression, will not this make dying hard?(Heb 4:1, 2). David found it hard, when he cried, 'O spare me'a little, 'that I may recover strength before I go hence, and beno more' (Psa 39:13). David at this time was chastened for someiniquity; yea, brought for his folly to the doors of the shadow ofdeath. But here he could not enter without great distress of mind;wherefore he cries out for respite and time to do the will ofGod, and the work allotted to him. So again, 'The sorrows of deathcompassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me; I foundtrouble and sorrow: then called I upon the name of the Lord. ' Ay, this will make thee cry, though thou be as good as David! Whereforelearn by his sorrow, as he himself also learned, at last, to servehis own generation by the will of God, before he fell asleep. Godcan tell how to pardon thy sins, and yet make them such a bitterthing, and so heavy a burden to thee, that thou wouldst not, ifthou wast but once distressed with it, come there again for all thisworld, Ah! it is easy with him to have this pardon in his bosom, when yet he is breaking all thy bones, and pouring out thy gallupon the ground; yea, to show himself then unto thee in so dreadfula majesty, that heaven and earth shall seem to thee to tremble athis presence! Let then the thoughts of this prevail with thee, asa reason of great weight to provoke thee to study to manage thytime and work in wisdom while thou art well. [11]

Third. Another reason, why those that fear God should so managetheir time and work for God in this world, that they may not havepart to do when they should be departing this life, it is, becauseloitering in thy work doth, as much as in it lieth, defer and holdback the second coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Onething, amongst many, that letteth[12] the appearing of Christ inthe clouds of heaven, is, that his body, with the several membersthereof, are not yet complete and full; they are not all yet cometo the knowledge of the Son of God, 'to the measure of the statureof the fulness of Christ' (Eph 4:8-13); that is, to the completemaking up of his body; for as Peter saith, 'The Lord is notslack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness, but islong-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, butthat all should come to repentance' (2 Peter 3:9). And so also tothe complete performance of all their duty and work they have forGod in this world. And I say, the faster the work of conversion, repentance, faith, self-denial, and the rest of the Christian duties, are performed by the saints in their day, the more they make wayfor the coming of the Lord from heaven. Wherefore Peter saith again, 'Seeing then that' we look for such things, 'what manner of personsought we to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for, and hasting unto, ' or, as it is in the margin, 'hasting the comingof the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall bedissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat' (2 Peter3:11, 12). When the bride hath made herself ready, 'the marriageof the Lamb is come' (Rev 19:7). That is, the Lord will then waitupon the world no longer, when his saints are fit to receive him. As he said to Lot when he came to burn down Sodom, 'Haste thee'to Zoar, 'for I cannot do anything till thou be come thither' (Gen19:20-22). So concerning the great day of judgment to the world, which shall be also the day of blessedness and rest to the peopleof God, it cannot come until the Lamb's wife hath made herselfready; until all the saints that belong to glory are ready. Andbefore I go further, what might I yet say to fasten this reasonupon the truly gracious soul? What! wilt thou yet loiter in the workof thy day? wilt thou still be unwilling to hasten righteousness?dost thou not know that thou by so doing deferrest the coming of thydearest Lord? Besides, that is the day of his glory, the day whenhe shall come in the glory of his Father and of the holy angels;and wilt not thou by thy diligence help it forwards? Must also thegeneral assembly and church of the first-born wait upon thee fortheir full portions of glory? Wilt thou by thus doing endeavour tokeep them wrapt up still in the dust of the earth, there to dwellwith the worm and corruption? The Lord awaken thee, that thou maystsee thy loitering doth do this, and doth also hinder thy own soulof the inheritance prepared for thee. [13]

4. Another reason why saints should press hard after a completeperforming their work that God hath allotted unto them is, because, so far forth as they fall short, in that they impair their ownglory. For as the Lord hath commanded his people to work for himin this world, so also he of grace hath promised to reward whateverthey Christianly do. For whatsoever good thing any man doth, thesame shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bound or free. Yea, he counts it unrighteousness to forget their work of faithand labour of love, but a righteous thing to recompense them forit in the day of our Lord Jesus (Heb 6:10; 2 Thess 1:6, 7). This, well considered, is of great force to prevail with those that arecovetous of glory, such as Moses and Paul, with the rest of thatspirit. As the apostle saith also to the saints at Corinth, 'Bestedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord'(1 Cor 15:50). 

Having thus given you the reasons why God's people should bediligent in that work that God hath allotted for them to be doingfor him in this world, I shall, in the next place, give you somedirections, as helps to further you in this work. And they are suchas tend to take away those hindrances that come upon thee, eitherby discouragement, or by reason of hardness and benumbedness ofspirit; for great hindrances overtake God's people from both theseimpediments. 

[Directions, as helps to further in this work. ]

First. If thou wouldst be faithful to do that work that God hathallotted thee to do in this world for his name, labour to livemuch in the favour and sense of thy freedom and liberty by JesusChrist; that is, keep this, if possible, ever before thee, thatthou art a redeemed one, taken out of this world, and from underthe curse of the law, out of the power of the devil, &c. , and placedin a kingdom of grace, and forgiveness of sins for Christ's sake. This is of absolute use in this matter; yea, so absolute, that itis impossible for any Christian to do his word Christianly withoutsome enjoyment of it. For this, in the 1st of Luke, is made thevery ground of all good works, both as to their nature and ourcontinuance in them; and is also reckoned there an essential partof that covenant that God made with our fathers; even 'that hewould grant unto us that we, being delivered out of the hands of ourenemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, before him all the days of our life' (Luke 1:74, 75). And indeed, take this away, and what ground can there be laid for any manto persevere in good works? None at all. For take away grace andremission of sins for Christ's sake, and you leave men nothing tohelp them but the terrors of the law and judgment of God, which, at best, can beget but a servile and slavish spirit in that man inwhom it dwells; which spirit is so far off from being an help tous in our pursuit of good works, that it makes us we cannot endurethat which is commanded, but, Israel-like, it flieth from God even asfrom the face of a serpent (Heb 12:20; Exo 19). As Solomon saith, 'A servant will not be corrected by words, for, though he understand, he will not answer' (Prov 29:19). Get thou then thy soul possessedwith the spirit of the Son, and believe thou art set perfectlyfree by him from whatsoever thou by sin hast deserved at the handof revenging justice. This doctrine unlooseth thy bands, takes offthy yoke, and lets thee go upright. This doctrine puts spiritualand heavenly inclinations into thy soul; and the faith of this truthdoth show thee that God hath so surprised thee, and gone beyondthee, with his blessed and everlasting love, that thou canst notbut reckon thyself his debtor for ever. 'Therefore, brethren, weare debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh' (Rom 8:12). That argument of Paul to Philemon is here true in the highestdegree, thou owest to God for his grace to thee, 'even thine ownself besides' (Phile 19). This Paul further testifies, both in the6th and 7th of the Romans. In the one he saith, we are 'free fromsin'; in the other he saith, we are 'dead to the law, ' that ourfruit might be unto holiness: that we might 'bring forth fruit untoGod' (Rom 6:22, 7:4). For, as I said, if either thy ungodly lusts, or the power and force of the law, have dominion over thy spirit, thou art not in a condition now to be performing thy work to God inthis world. I have heretofore marvelled at the quarrelsome spiritthat possessed the people that Malachi speaketh of, how they foundfault with, in a manner, all things that were commanded them to do;but I have since observed their ungodly disposition was groundedupon this, their doubting of the love of God, 'Yet ye say, Whereinhast thou loved us?' (Mal 1:2). And, indeed, if people once sayto God, by way of doubt, 'Wherein hast thou loved us?' no marvelthough that people be like those in Malachi's time, a discontented, a murmuring, backward people about everything that is good. Readthat whole book of Malachi. 

Second. If thou wouldst be faithful to do that work that God hathallotted thee to do in this world for his name, then labour to seea beauty and glory in holiness, and in every good work: this tendsmuch to the engaging of thy heart. 'O worship the Lord in the beautyof holiness; fear before him, all the earth' (Psa 96:9). And forthy help in this, think much on this in general, that 'Thus saiththe Lord' is the wind-up of every command; for, indeed, much ofthe glory and beauty of duties doth lie in the glory and excellencyof the person that doth command them; and hence it is that 'Be itenacted by the King's most excellent Majesty' is in the head ofevery law, because that law should therefore be reverenced by, andbe made glorious and beautiful to all. And we see, upon this veryaccount, what power and place the precepts of kings do take inthe hearts of their subjects, every one loving and reverencing thestatute, because there is the name of their king. Will you rebelagainst the king? is a word that shakes the world. [14] Well, then, turn these things about for an argument to the matter in hand, andlet the name of God, seeing he is wiser and better, and of moreglory and beauty than kings, beget in thy heart a beauty in allthings that are commanded thee of God. And, indeed, if thou do notin this act thus, thou wilt stumble at some of thy duty and workthou hast to do; for some of the commands of God are, in themselves, so mean and low, that take away the name of God from them, and thouwilt do as Naaman the Syrian, despise, instead of obeying. Whatis there in the Lord's supper, in baptism, yea, in preaching theWord, and prayer, were they not the appointments of God? His namebeing entailed to them, makes them every one glorious and beautiful. Wherefore, no marvel if he that looks upon them without theirtitle-page goeth away in a rage, like Naaman, preferring othersbefore them. What is Jordan? 'Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers ofDamascus, better than all the waters of Israel; may I not wash inthem and be clean?' saith he (2 Kings 5:10-12). This was becausehe remembered not that the name of God was in the command. Israel'strumpets of ram's horns (Josh 6:2-4), and Isaiah's walking naked(Isa 20:3), and Ezekiel's wars against a tile (Eze 4:1-4), would, doubtless, have been ignoble acts, but that the name of God was thatwhich gave them reverence, power, glory, and beauty. Set thereforethe name of God, and 'Thus saith the Lord, ' against all reasonings, defamings, and reproaches, that either by the world, or thy ownheart, thou findest to arise against thy duty, and let his nameand authority alone be a sufficient argument with thee, 'to beholdthe beauty' that he hath put upon all his ways, 'and to inquire inhis temple' (Psa 27:4). 

Third. Wouldst thou be faithful to do that work that God hathappointed thee to do in this world for his name? then make much ofa trembling heart and conscience; for though the Word be the lineand rule whereby we must order and govern all our actions, yet atrembling heart and tender conscience is of absolute necessity forour so doing. A hard heart can do nothing with the word of JesusChrist. 'Hear the word of the Lord, ye that tremble at his word'(Isa 66:5). 'Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling'(Psa 2:11). I spake before against a servile and slavish frame ofspirit, therefore you must not understand me here as if I meant nowto cherish such a one; no, it is a heart that trembleth for, or atthe grace of God; and a conscience made tender by the sprinklingof the blood of Christ. Such a conscience as is awakened both bywrath and grace, by the terror and the mercy of God; for it standswith the spirit of a son to fear before his father; yea, to fearchastings, though not to fear damnation. Let, therefore, destructionfrom God be a terror to thy heart, though not that destruction thatattends them that perish by sin for ever (Job 31:23). Though thisI might add further; it may do thee no harm, but good, to castan eye over thy shoulder at those that now lie roaring under thevengeance of eternal fire; it may put thee in mind of what thou wastonce, and of what thou must yet assuredly be, if grace by Christpreventeth not (Isa 66:24). Keep, then, thy conscience awake withwrath and grace, with heaven and hell; but let grace and heavenbear sway. Paul made much of a tender conscience, else he hadnever done as he did, nor suffered what we read of. 'And herein, 'saith he, 'do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience voidof offence toward God and toward men' (Acts 24:16). But this couldnot a stony, benumbed, bribed, deluded, or a muzzled conscience do. Paul was like the nightingale with his breast against the thorn. [15]That his heart might still keep waking, he would accustom himselfto the meditation of those things that should beget both loveand fear; and would always be very chary, lest he offended hisconscience. 'Herein do I exercise myself, ' &c. Be diligent, then, in this matter, if thou wouldst be faithful with God. A tenderconscience, to some people, is like Solomon's brawling woman, aburthen to those that have it (Prov 25:24). But let it be to theelike those that invited David to go up to the house of the Lord(Psa 122:1). Hear it, and cherish it with pleasure and delight. 

Fourth. If thou wouldst be faithful to do that work that God hathappointed thee to do in this world for his name; then let religionbe the only business to take up thy thoughts and time. 'Whatsoeverthy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might' (Eccl 9:10). With allthy heart, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength. Religion, to most men, is but a by-business, with which they use to fill upspare hours; or as a stalking-horse, which is used to catch thegame. [16] How few are there in the world that have their conversation'only as becometh the gospel'! (Phil 1:27). A heart sound in God'sstatutes, a heart united to the fear of God, a heart moulded andfashioned by the Word of God, is a rare thing; rare, because itis hard to be found, and rare because it is indeed the fruit of anexcellent spirit, and a token of one saved by the Lord (Psa 119:80, 86:11). But this indifferency in religion, this fashioning ourselvesin our language, gesture, behaviour, and carriage, to the fanciesand fopperies of this world, as it is in itself much unbecoming apeople that should bear the name of their God in their foreheads, soit cannot be but a very great and sore obstruction to thy faithfulwalking with God in this world (Rom 6:17). Gird up, then, thyloins like a man, [17] let God and his Christ, and his Word, andhis people, and cause, be the chief in thy soul; and as heretoforethou hast afforded this world the most of thy time, and travel, and study, so now convert all these to the use of religion. 'As yehave yielded your members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquityunto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousnessunto holiness' (Rom 6:19). Holy things must be in every heart wherethis is faithfully put in practice. 

1. Daily bring thy heart and the Word of God together, that thyheart may be levelled by it, and also filled with it. The want ofperforming this sincerely, is a great cause of that unfaithfulnessthat is in us to God. Bring, then, thy heart to the Word daily, totry how thou believest the Word today, to try how it agrees withthe Word today. This is the way to make clean work daily, to keepthy soul warm and living daily. 'Wherewithal shall a young mancleanse his way?' saith David. 'By taking heed thereto accordingto thy Word' (Psa 119:9). So again, 'Concerning the works of men, by the word of thy lips, I have kept me from the paths of thedestroyer' (Psa 17:4). And again, 'Thy Word have I hid in mineheart, that I might not sin against thee' (Psa 119:11). He thatdelighteth 'in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth meditateday and night, he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers ofwater, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf alsoshall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper' (Psa1:2, 3). 

2. A continual remembrance that to every day thou hast thy workallotted thee; and that sufficient for that day are the evils thatattend thee (Matt 6:34). This remembrance set Paul upon his watchdaily; made him die to himself and this world daily, and provokedhim also daily to wind up the spirit of his mind; transforminghimself by the power of the Word, from that proneness that was inhis flesh to carnal things (1 Cor 15:30-33). This will make theekeep the knife at thy throat in all places, and business, andcompany (Prov 23:2). 

3. Let thy heart be more affected with what concerns the honourof God, and the profit and glory of the gospel, than with what arethy concernments as a man, with all earthly advantages. This willmake thee refuse things that are lawful, if they appear to beinexpedient. Yea, this will make thee, like the apostles of old, prefer another man's peace and edification before thine own profit, and to take more pleasure in the increase of the power of godlinessin any, than in the increase of thy corn and wine. 

4. Reckon with thy own heart every day, before thou lie down tosleep, and cast up both what thou hast received from God, done forhim, and where thou hast also been wanting. This will beget praiseand humility, and put thee upon redeeming the day that is past;whereby thou wilt be able, through the continual supplies of grace, in some good measure to drive thy work before thee, and to shortenit as thy life doth shorten; and mayst comfortably live in the hopeof bringing both ends sweetly together. But to pass this. 

Fifth. If thou wouldst be faithful to do that work that God hathappointed thee to do in this world for his name, then beware thoudo not stop and stick when hard work comes before thee. It is withChristians as it is with other scholars, they sometimes meet withhard lessons; but these thou must also learn, or thou canst not dothy work. The Word and Spirit of God come sometimes like chain-shotto us, as if it would cut down all; as when Abraham was to offerup Isaac, and the Levites to slay their brethren (Gen 22; Exo32:26-28). Paul also must go from place to place to preach, thoughhe knew beforehand he was to be afflicted there (Acts 20:23). Godmay sometimes say to thee, as he said to his servant Moses, 'Takethe serpent by the tail'; or, as the Lord Jesus said to Peter, Walkupon the sea (Exo 4:3, 4). These are hard things, but have not beenrejected when God hath called to do them. O how willingly wouldour flesh and blood escape the cross of Christ! The comforts ofthe gospel, the sweetness of the promise, how pleasing is it tous! Like Ephraim here, we love to tread out the corn (Hosea 10:11), and to hear those pleasant songs and music that gospel sermonsmake, where only grace is preached, and nothing of our duty as toworks of self-denial; but as for such, God will tread upon theirfair neck, and yoke them with Christ's yoke; for there they havea work to do, even a work of self-denial. [18]

Now this work sometimes lieth in acts that seem to be desperate, as when a man must both leave and hate his life, and all he hathfor Christ, or else he cannot serve him nor be counted his disciple(Luke 14:26-33). Thus it seemed with Christ himself when he wenthis fatal journey up to Jerusalem; he went thither, as he knew, todie, and therefore trod every step as it were in his own bowels;[19]but yet, no doubt, with great temptation to shun and avoid thatvoyage; and therefore it is said, 'He set his face steadfastly togo up, ' scorning to be invited to the contrary, and to prevent thenoise of his weak disciples, Master, save thyself (Luke 9:51). Itis said he ascended before them, insomuch that they were amazedto see his resolution, while they themselves were afraid of thatdreadful effect that might follow (Mark 10:32-34). Also when hecame there, and was to be apprehended, he went to the garden thatJudas knew, his old accustomed place; so when they asked him thekilling question, he answered, 'I am he' (John 18:1-5). 

Sometimes in acts that seem to be foolish, as when men denythemselves of those comforts, and pleasures, and friendships, andhonours, of the world that formerly they used to have, and chooserather to associate themselves with the very abjects of thisworld[20]--I mean, such as carnal men count so--counting their waysand manners of life, though attended with a thousand calamities, more profitable, and pleasing, and delightful, than all formerglory. Thus Elisha left his father's house, though to pour waterupon the hands of Elijah (2 Kings 3:11). And thus the disciplesleft their fathers' ships and nets, to live a beggarly life withJesus Christ; as Paul did leave the feet of Gamaliel for the whip, and the stocks, and the deaths that attended the blessed gospel. One would have thought that had been a simple way of Peter to leaveall for Christ, before he knew what Christ would give him, as that19th of Matthew seems to import; but Christ will have it so (v 27). He that will save his life must lose it; and he that will lose hislife in this world for Christ, shall keep it to life eternal (John12:25). I might add many things of this nature, to show you whathard chapters sometimes God sets his best people; but thy workis, if thou wouldst be faithful, not to stop nor stick at anything(Matt 10:37). Some, when they come at the cross, they will eitherthere make a stop and go no further, or else, if they can, theywill step over it; if not, they will go round about: do not thoudo this, but take it up and kiss it, and bear it after Jesus. [21]'God forbid, ' saith Paul, 'that I should glory, save in the crossof our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world' (Gal 6:14). 

Now, for thy better performing this piece of service for ourLord and Saviour Jesus Christ: O it is hard work to pocket up thereproaches of all the foolish people, as if we had found greatspoil; and to suffer all their revilings, lies, and slanders, without cursing them, as Elisha did the children; to answer themwith prayers and blessings for their cursings. It is far more easyto give them taunt for taunt, and reviling for reviling; to givethem blow for blow; yea, to call for fire from heaven againstthem. But to 'bless them that curse you, and to pray for themthat despitefully use you, and persecute you'--even of malice, ofold grudge, and on purpose to vex and afflict our mind, and to makeus break out into a rage--this is work above us; now our patienceshould look up to unseen things; now remember Christ's carriage tothem that spilt his blood; or all is in danger of bursting, andthou of miscarrying in theses things. I might here also dilateupon Job's case, and the lesson God set him, when, at one stroke, he did beat down all (Job 1:15), only spared his life, but madethat also so bitter to him that his soul chose strangling ratherthan it (Job 7:15). O when every providence of God unto thee is likethe messengers of Job, and the last to bring more heavy tidingsthan all that went before him (Job 1); when life, estate, wife, children, body, and soul, and all at once, seem to be struck at byheaven and earth; here are hard lessons; now to behave myself evenas a weaned child, now to say, 'The Lord gave, and the Lord hathtaken away, and blessed be the name of the Lord' (Job 1:21). Thus, with few words, Job ascribeth righteousness to his Maker; butthough they were but few, they proceeded from so blessed a frameof heart, that causeth the penman of the Word to stay himself andwonder, saying, 'In all this Job sinned not' with his lips, 'norcharged God foolishly. ' In all this--what a great deal will theHoly Ghost make of that which seems but little when it flows froman upright heart! and it indeed may well be so accounted of allthat know what is in man, and what he is prone unto. 

1. Labour to believe that all these things are tokens of the loveof God (Heb 12:6; Rev 3:19). 2. Remember often that thou art notthe first that hath met with these things in the world. 'It hatedme, ' saith Christ, 'before it hated you' (John 15:18). 3. Armthyself with a patient and quiet mind to bear and suffer for hissake (1 Peter 4:1-3). 4. Look back upon thy provocations wherewiththou mayst have provoked God (Deut 9:7; Lev 26:41, 42); then wiltthou accept of the punishment for thy sins, and confess it was lessthan thine iniquities deserve (Ezra 9:13). 5. Pray thou mayst hearthe voice of the rod, and have a heart to answer the end of Godtherein (Micah 6:9). 6. Remember the promise--'All things worktogether for good to them that love God, to them who are the calledaccording to his purpose' (Rom 8:28). 

Sixth. If thou wouldst be faithful to do that work that God hathappointed thee to do in this world for his name, then labour awayto possess thy heart with a right understanding, both of the thingsthat this world yieldeth, and of the things that shall be hereafter. I am confident that most, if not all the miscarriages of the saintsand people of God, they have their rise from deceivable thoughtshere. The things of this world appear to us more, and those that areto come less, than they are; and hence it is that many are so hotand eager for things that be in the world, and so cold and heartlessfor those that be in heaven. Satan is here a mighty artist, andcan show us all earthly things in a multiplying glass; but whenwe look up to things above, we see them as through sackcloth ofhair;[22] but take thou heed, be not ruled by thy sensual appetitethat can only savour fleshly things, neither be thou ruled by carnalreason, which always darkeneth the things of heaven. But go to theWord, and as that says, so judge thou. That tells thee all thingsunder the sun are vanity, nay worse, vexation of spirit (Eccl1:2). That tells thee the world is not, even then when it doth mostappear to be; wilt thou set thine heart upon that which is not?'for riches certainly make themselves wings, they fly away as aneagle toward heaven' (Prov 23:5). The same may be said for honours, pleasures, and the like; they are poor, low, base things to beentertained by a Christian's heart. The man that hath most of themmay 'in the fulness of his sufficiency be in straits'; yea, 'whenhe is about to fill his belly with them, God may cast the fury of hiswrath upon him' (Job 20:22, 25); 'so is he that layeth up treasurefor himself' on earth, 'and is not rich towards God' (Luke 12:20, 21). Ahorse that is loaden with gold and pearls all day, may have a foulstable and a galled back at night. And woe be to him that increaseththat which is not his, and that ladeth himself with thick clay. Oman of God, throw this bone to the dogs; suck not at it, there isno marrow there (Heb 2:6). Set thine affections on 'things that areabove, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God' (Col 3:1-4). Behold what God hath prepared for them that love him. And if Godhath blessed thee with ought, set not thine heart upon it; honourthe Lord with thy substance. Labour to 'be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store forthemselves a good foundation against the time to come, that theymay lay hold on eternal life' (1 Tim 6:17-19). Further, to lightenthine eyes a little, and, 1. Concerning the glory of the world. 

(1. ) It is that which God doth mostly give to those that are nothis; for the poor receive the gospel; not many rich, 'not manymighty, not many noble are called' (1 Cor 1:26). 

(2. ) Much of this world and its glory is permitted of God to bedisposed of by the devil, and he is called both the prince and godthereof (John 14:30; 2 Cor 4:4). Yea, when Satan told Christ hecould give it to whom he would, Christ did not say, Thou liest, butanswered, by the Word, 'It is written thou shalt worship the Lordthy God, and him only shalt thou serve' (Luke 4:6-8). Implyingalso, that commonly when men get much of the honours and glory ofthis world, it is by bending the knee too low to the prince andgod thereof. 

(3. ) The nature of the best of worldly things, if hankered after, is to deaden the spirit (Rom 8:6, 7), to estrange the heart fromGod, to pierce thee through with many sorrows, and to drown theein perdition and destruction (1 John 2:15). 'O man of God, fleethose things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness'; and 'Fight the good fight, lay hold oneternal life, whereunto thou art also called, ' &c. (1 Tim 6:9-12). 

2. As to the things of God, what shall I say? the things of his Word, and Spirit, and kingdom, they so far go beyond the conceivings ofthe heart of man, that none can utter them but by the Holy Spirit;but there is no deceit in them; 'no lie is of the truth, ' what theypromise they will perform with additions of amazing glory (1 John2:21). Taste them first, and then thou shalt see them. 'O' come'taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man thattrusteth in him' (Psa 34:8). To stoop low is a good work, which isan act of thine, if it be done in faith and love, though but by acup of cold water; it is really more worth in itself, and of higheresteem with God, than all worldly and perishing glory; there is nocomparison, the one perisheth with the using, and for the other islaid up 'a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory' (2 Cor4:17). But again, as thou shouldst labour to possess thy heart witha right understanding of the perishing nature of the riches andpleasures of this world, and of the durable riches and righteousnessthat is in Christ, and all heavenly things; so thou shouldst labourto keep always in thy eye what sin is, what hell is, what the wrathof God and everlasting burnings are. Transfer them to thyself, asit were on a finger, [23] that thou mayst learn to think of nothingmore highly than is meet, but to give to what thou beholdst theirown due weight; then thou wilt fear where thou shouldst fear, lovewhat is worthy thy love, and slight that which is of no worth. These are just weights, and even balances; now thou dealest not withdeceitful weights; and this is the way to be rich in good works, and to bring thy work, that God hath appointed, to a good issueagainst thy dying day. 

Seventh. But again, if thou wouldst be faithful to do that workthat God hath appointed thee to do in this world, for his name, thenbeware that thou slip not, or let pass by, the present opportunitythat providence layeth before thee. Work while it is called today, 'the night cometh when no man can work' (John 9:4). In that parableof the man that took a far journey, it is said, as he gave to everyservant his work, so he 'commanded the porter to watch'; that is, for his Lord's coming back, and in the mean time, for all opportunitiesto perform the work he left in their hand, and committed untotheir trust (Mark 13:34, 35). [24] Seest thou the poor? seest thouthe fatherless? seest thou thy foe in distress? draw out thy breast, shut not up thy bowels of compassion, deal thy bread to the hungry, bring the poor that are cast out into thine house, hide not thyselffrom thine own flesh, take the opportunity that presents itselfto thee, either by the eye or the hearing of the ear, or by somegodly motion that passeth over thy heart (Isa 58:7; Rom 12:20). 'Say not' to such messengers, 'go, and come again tomorrow; ifthou hast it by thee'; now the opportunity is put into thy hand, delay not to do it, and the Lord be with thee! (Prov 3:28). Goodopportunities are God's seasons for the doing of thy work; whereforewatch for them, and take them as they come. Paul tells us 'he wasin watchings often' (2 Cor 11:26, 27); surely it was that he mighttake the season that God should give him to do this work for him;as he also saith to Timothy, 'Watch thou in all things, --do thework, ' &c. Opportunities as to some things come but once in one'slifetime, as in the case of Esther, and of Nicodemus, and holyJoseph; when Esther begged the life of the Jews, and the otherthe body of Jesus; which once had they let slip or neglected, theycould not have recovered it again for ever. Watch then for theopportunity. 1. Because it is God's season; which, without doubts, is the best season and time for every purpose (Eccl 3:11). 2. Because Satan watches to spoil, by mistiming as well as by corruptingwhatever thou shalt do for God. 'When I would do good, ' saith Paul, 'evil is present, ' that is, either to withdraw me from my purpose, or else to infect my work (Rom 7:21). 3. This is the way tobe profitable unto others. Thy wickedness may hurt a man, as thouart, and thy righteousness may profit the son of man (Job 35:8). 4. This is also the way to be doing good to thyself (Job 22:2). 'He that watereth shall be watered himself' (Prov 11:25). 'Castthy bread upon the waters, for thou shalt find it after many days'(Eccl 11:1; Deut 15:10). As God said to Coniah, 'Did not thy fathereat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was wellwith him? He judged the cause of the poor and needy, then it waswell with him' (Jer 22:15, 16). 

And I say, that the opportunity may not slip thee, either forwant of care or provision, (1. ) Sit always loose from an overmuchaffecting thine own concernments, and believe that thou wast notborn for thyself; 'a brother is born for adversity' (Prov 17:17). (2. ) Get thy heart tenderly affected with the welfare and prosperityof all things that bear the stamp and image of God (2 Cor 11:29). (3. ) Study thy own place and capacity that God hath put thee in, in this world; for suitable to thy place thy work and opportunitiesare (1 Cor 7:24). (4. ) Make provision beforehand, that when thingspresent themselves thou mayst come up to a good performance;be 'prepared to every good work' (2 Tim 2:21). (5. ) Take heed ofcarnal reasonings, keep thy heart tender; but set thy face like aflint for God (Gal 1:9). (6. ) And look well to the manner of everyduty. 

Eighth. Wouldst thou be faithful to do that work that God hathappointed thee to do in this world for his name? believe then, that whatever good thing thou dost for him, if done according tothe Word, it is not only accepted by him now, but recorded, to beremembered for thee, against the time to come; yea, laid up forthee as treasure in chests and coffers, to be brought out to berewarded before both men and angels, to thy eternal comfort, byJesus Christ our Lord. 'Lay not up, ' saith Christ, 'treasures uponearth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves breakthrough and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do notbreak through nor steal' (Matt 6:19, 20). The treasure that here ourLord commands we should with diligence lay up in heaven, is foundboth in Luke, and Paul, and Peter, to be meant by doing good work. 

1. Luke renders it thus, 'Sell that ye have and give alms; provideyourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens thatfaileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth, 'the latter part of the verse expounding the former (Luke 12:33). 

2. Paul saith thus, 'Charge them that are rich in this world, thatthey be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in theliving God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy: that they dogood, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willingto communicate: laying up in store for themselves a good foundationagainst the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life'(1 Tim 6:17, 19). 

3. Peter also acknowledgeth and asserteth this, where, in his exhortationto elders to do their duty faithfully, and with cheerfulness, heaffirms, if they do so, they 'shall receive a crown of glory thatfadeth not away' (1 Peter 5:2-4); which Paul also calleth a rewardfor cheerful work (1 Cor 9:17; 2 Tim 4:2). And that as an act ofjustice by the hand of a righteous judge, in the day when the Lordshall come to give reward to his servants the prophets, and to hissaints, and to all that fear his name, small and great; for 'everyman shall receive his own reward, according to his own labour' (1Cor 3:8). 

[Objections answered. ]

But before I go any further, I must answer three objections thatmay be made by those that read this book. 

The First Objection. The first is this; some godly heart may say, I dare not own that what I do shall ever be regarded, much lessrewarded by God in another world because of the unworthiness of myperson, and because of the many infirmities and sinful weaknessesthat attend me every day. 

Answer. This objection is built partly upon a bashful modesty, partly upon ignorance, and partly upon unbelief. My answer to itis as followeth. 

You must remind and look back to what but now hath been proved, namely, That both Christ and his apostles do all agree in this, that there is a reward for the righteous, and that their good deedsare laid up as treasures for them in heaven, and are certainly tobe bestowed upon them in the last day with abundance of eternalglory. 2. Now then, to speak to thy case, and to remove thebottom of thy objection, that the unworthiness of thy person, andthy sinful infirmities, that attend thee in every duty, do makethee think thy works shall not be either regarded or rewarded inanother world. But consider, first, as to the unworthiness of thyperson. They that are in Christ Jesus are always complete beforeGod, in the righteousness that Christ hath obtained, how infirm, and weak, and wicked soever they appear to themselves. Before God, therefore, in this righteousness thou standest all the day long, andthat upon a double account; first, by the act of faith, becausethou hast believed in him that thou mightest be justified bythe righteousness of Christ; but if this fail, I mean the act ofbelieving, still thou standest justified by God's imputing thisrighteousness to thee, which imputation standing purely upon thegrace and good pleasure of God to thee, that holds thee still asjust before God, though thou wantest at present the comfort thereof. Thus, therefore, thy person stands always acccepted; and, indeed, no man's works can at all be regarded, if his person, in the firstplace, be not respected. The Lord had respect first to Abel, andafter to his offering (Gen 4:4; Heb 11:4). But he can have respectto no man before works done, unless he find them in the righteousnessof Christ; for they must be accepted through a righteousness, which, because they have none of their own, therefore they have one ofGod's imputing, even that of his Son, which he wrought for us whenhe was born of the Virgin, &c. As to thy sinful infirmities thatattend thee in every work, they cannot hinder thee from laying uptreasure in heaven, thy heart being upright in the way with God;nor will he be unrighteous at all to forget thy good deeds in theday when Christ shall come from heaven. 

1. Because by the same reason then he must disown all the good worksof all his prophets and apostles; for they have all been attendedwith weaknesses and sinful infirmities; from the beginning hithertothere is not a man, 'not a just man upon earth, that doeth goodand sinneth not' (Eccl 7:20). The best of our works are accompaniedwith sin: 'When I would do good, ' saith Paul, 'evil is presentwith me' (Rom 7:21). This, therefore, must not hinder. And forthy further satisfaction in this, consider, as Christ presents thyperson before God, acceptable without thy works, freely and aloneby his righteousness, so his office is to take away the iniquityof thy holy things, that they also by him may be accepted of God(Exo 28:36-38; 1 Peter 2:5). Wherefore, it is further said, for theencouragement of the weak and feeble, He shall not break a bruisedreed, nor quench the smoking flax, but shall bring forth judgmentunto victory (Matt 12:20). The bruised reed, you know, is weak;and by bruises we should understand sinful infirmities. And so alsoconcerning the smoking flax; by smoking you must understand sinfulweakness; but none of these shall either hinder the justificationof thy person, or the acceptation of thy performance, they beingdone in faith and love, let thy temptations be never so many, because of Jesus Christ his priestly office now at the right handof God. By him, therefore, let us offer spiritual sacrifices; forthey shall be acceptable to God and our Father. 

2. Because otherwise God and Christ would prove false to their ownword, which is horrible blasphemy once to imagine; who hath promisedthat when the Son of God shall come to judgment, he shall render to'every man according to his work' (Rev 22:12); and doth upon thisvery account encourage his servants to a patient enduring of thehottest persecutions: 'for great is your reward in heaven' (Matt5:12; Luke 6:23, 35; Matt 6:1, 10:41, 42). From this also he bindethhis saints and servants to be sincerely liberal, and good, andkind to all; first, because otherwise, they have no reward of theirFather which is in heaven, that is, for what they do not; but ifthey do it, then, though it be but a cup of cold water given to aprophet or righteous man, they shall receive a prophet's reward, a righteous man's reward; yea, they shall receive it in any wise, 'they shall in no wise lose their reward. '

3. It must be so, otherwise he should deny a reward to the worksand operations of his own good grace he hath freely bestowed uponus; but that he will not do. He is not unfaithful to forget yourwork of faith and labour of love (Heb 6:10). And so of all othergraces, 'our work shall not be in vain in the Lord' (1 Cor 4:58). And, as I said before, temptations, weaknesses, and sins, shall nothinder the truly gracious of this their blessed reward. Nay, theyshall further it, 'if need be, ye are in heaviness, through manifoldtemptations; that the trial of your faith being much more preciousthan of gold that perisheth, might be found unto praise, and honour, and glory, at the appearing of Jesus Christ' (1 Peter 1:6, 7). Andthe reason is, because the truth and sincerity of God's grace inus doth so much the more discover itself, by how much it is opposedand resisted by weakness and sin. It is recorded to the everlastingrenown of three of David's mighties, that they would break througha host of giant-like enemies, to fetch water for their longing king;for it bespake their valour, their love, and good-will to him; thesame also is true concerning thy graces, and every act of them whenassaulted with an host of weaknesses (1 Chron 11:12, 15-18). 

The Second Objection. And now I come to the second objection, andthat ariseth from our being completely justified freely by thegrace of God through Christ; and by the same means alone brought toglory; and may be framed thus:--but seeing we are freely justified, and brought to glory by free grace, through the redemption that isin Jesus Christ; and seeing the glory that we shall be possessedof upon the account of the Lord Jesus, is both full and complete, both for happiness and continuing therein, what need will therebe that our work should be rewarded? Nay, may not the doctrineof reward for good works be here not only needless, but indeed animpairing and lessening the completeness of that glory to whichwe are brought, and in which we shall live inconceivably happy forever, by free grace?

Answer. That we are justified in the sight of the Divine Majesty, from the whole lump of our sins, both past, present, and to come, by free grace, through that one offering of the body of JesusChrist, once for all, I bless God I believe it, and that we shallbe brought to glory by the same grace, through the same most blessedJesus, I thank God by his grace I believe that also. Again, thatthe glory to which we shall be brought by free grace, through theonly merits of Jesus, is unspeakably glorious and complete, I questionno more than I question the blessed truths but now confessed. Butyet, notwithstanding all this, there is a reward for the righteous, a reward for their works of faith and love, whether in a doing ora suffering way, and that not principally to be enjoyed here, buthereafter; 'great is your reward in heaven, ' as I proved in theanswer to the first objection. And now I shall answer further:--

1. If this reward had been an impairing or derogation to the freegrace of God that saveth us, he would never have mentioned it forour encouragement unto good works, nor have added a promise ofreward for them that do them, nor have counted himself unfaithfulif he should not do it. 

2. The same may be said concerning Jesus Christ, who doubtlessloveth and tendereth the honour of his own merits, as much as anywho are saved by him can do, whether they be in heaven or earth;yet he hath promised a reward to a cup of cold water, or givingof any other alms; and hath further told us, they that do thesethings, they do lay up treasure in heaven, namely, a reward whentheir Lord doth come, then to be received by them to their eternalcomfort. 

3. Paul was as great a maintainer of the doctrine of God'sfree grace, and of justification from sin, by the righteousnessof Christ imputed by grace, as any he that ever lived in Christ'sservice, from the world's beginning till now: and yet he was forthis doctrine; he expected himself, and encouraged others also tolook for such a reward, for doing and suffering for Christ, whichhe calls 'a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory' (2 Cor4:17). Surely, as Christ saith, in a case not far distant from thisin hand, 'if it were not so, he would have told us' (John 14:1-3). Now could I tell what those rewards are that Christ hath prepared, and will one day bestow upon those that do for him in faith andlove in this world, I should therein also say more than now I dareor ought; yet this let me say in general, they are such as shouldmake us leap to think on, and that we should remember with exceedingjoy, and never think that it is contrary to the Christian faith, to rejoice and be glad for that which yet we understand not (Matt5:11, 12; Luke 6:23). 'Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and itdoth not yet appear what we shall be, ' &c. But 'every man that haththis hope in him, ' namely, that he shall be more than here he canimagine, 'purifieth himself even as he is pure' (1 John 3:2, 3). Things promised when not revealed to be known by us while here, are therefore not made known, because too big and wonderful. WhenPaul was up in paradise, he heard unspeakable words not possible forman to utter (2 Cor 12:3, 4). Wherefore, a reward I find, and thatlaid up in heaven, but what it is I know not, neither is it possiblefor any here to know it any further, than by certain general wordsof God, such as these, praise, honour, glory, a crown of righteousness, a crown of glory, thrones, judging of angels, a kingdom, with afar more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, &c. (1 Cor 4:5; 1Peter 1:7; 2 Tim 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4; Matt 25:34-36). Wherefore, toboth these objections, let me yet answer thus a few words. Thoughthy modesty or thy opinion will not suffer thee to look for areward for what thou dost here for thy Lord, by the faith and loveof the gospel; yea, though in the day of judgment thou shouldstthere slight all thou didst on earth for thy Lord, saying, When, Lord, when did we do it? he will answer, Then, even then when yedid it to the least of these my brethren, ye did it unto me (Matt25:37-40). 

The Third Objection. But is not the reward that God hath promisedto his saints, for their good works to be enjoyed only here?

Answer. 1. For concerning holy walking, according to God's command, yieldeth even here abundance of blessed fruits, as he saith, 'inkeeping of them there is great reward, ' and again, 'this man shallbe blessed in his deed, ' that is, now, even in this time, as hesaith in another place; for indeed there is so much goodness andblessedness to be found in a holy and godly life, that were a manto have nothing hereafter, the present comfort and glory that liethas the juice in the grape, in all things rightly done for God, itwere sufficient to answer all our travail and self-denial in ourwork of faith and labour of love, to do the will of God. [25]

2. Dost thou love thy friends, dost thou love thine enemies, dostthou love thy family or relations, or the church of God? then cryfor strength from heaven, and for wisdom, and a heart from heavento walk wisely before them. For if a man be remiss, negligent, andcareless in his conversation, not much mattering whom he offends, displeases, or discourages, by doing this or that, so he may savehimself, please his foolish heart, and get this world, or the like, this man hath lost a good report of them that are without, and isfallen into reproach and the snare of the devil (1 Tim 3:7). Heis fallen into reproach, and is slighted, disdained, both he, hisprofession, and all he says, either by way of reproof, rebuke, orexhortation: physician, cure thyself, say all to such a one; thisman is a sayer, but not a doer, say they; he believeth not what hesays; yea, religion itself is made to stink by this man's ungodlylife. This is he that hardens his children, that stumbleth theworld, that grieveth the tender and godly Christian; but I say, hethat walketh uprightly, that tenders[26] the name of God, the creditof the gospel, and the welfare of others, seeking with Paul, nothis own profit, but the profit of others, that they may be saved;this man holds forth the Word of life, this man is a good savourof Christ amongst them that are saved; yea, may prove, by so doing, the instrument in God's hand of the salvation of many souls. 

3. This is the way to be clear from the blood of all men, the waynot to be charged with the ruin and everlasting misery of poorimmortal souls. Great is the danger that attends an ungodly life, or an ungodly action, by them that profess the gospel (Jer 2:33). When wicked men learn to be wicked of professors, when professorscause the enemies of God to blaspheme, doubtless sad and woefuleffects must needs be the fruit of so doing (2 Sam 12:14). Howmany in Israel were destroyed for that which Aaron, Gideon, andManasseh, unworthily did in their day? (Exo 32:25; Judg 8:24-27). A godly man, if he take not heed to himself, may do that in his lifethat may send many to everlasting burnings, when he himself is ineverlasting bliss. But on the contrary, let men walk with God, andthere they shall be excused; the blood of them that perish shalllie at their own door, and thou shalt be clear. 'I am pure fromthe blood of all men, ' saith Paul (Acts 20:26). And again, 'yourblood be upon your own heads, I am clean' (Acts 18:6). Yea, he thatdoth thus, shall leave in them that perish an accusing conscience, even begotten by his good conversation, and by that they shall beforced to justify God, his people, and way, in the day of theirvisitation; in the day when they are descending into the pit tothe damned (1 Peter 2:12). 

4. This is the way to maintain always the answer, the echoinganswer of a good conscience in thy own soul. Godliness is of greatuse in this way; for the man that hath a good conscience to Godward, hath a continual feast in his own soul: while others say there iscasting down, he shall say there is lifting up; for he shall savethe humble person (Job 22:23-30). Some indeed, in the midst oftheir profession, are reproached, smitten, and condemned of theirown heart, their conscience still biting and stinging of them, because of the uncleanness of their hands, and they cannot lift uptheir face unto God; they have not the answer of a good consciencetoward him, but must walk as persons false to their God, and astraitors to their own eternal welfare; but the godly upright manshall have the light shine upon his ways, and he shall take hissteps in butter and honey. 'The work of righteousness shall bepeace, and the effect of righteousness, quietness and assurance forever' (Isa 32:17). 'If our heart condemn us, God is greater thanour heart, and knoweth all things; beloved, if our heart condemnus not, then have we confidence toward God' (1 John 3:20-22). 

5. The godly man that walketh with God, that chiefly careth todo the work that God hath allotted him to do for his name in thisworld, he hath not only these advantages, but further, he hath asit were a privilege of power with God, he can sway much with him;as it is said of Jacob, as a prince he had power with God to prevailin times of difficulty (Gen 32:28). And so again, it is said ofJudah, being faithful with the saints, he ruled with God (Hosea11:12). How many times did that good man Moses turn away the wrathof God from the many thousands of Israel; yea, as it were, he heldthe hands of God, and staved off the judgments not once nor twice;the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much (2Sam 5:10). One man that walketh much with God, may work wonders inthis very thing; he may be a means of saving whole countries andkingdoms from those judgments their sins deserve. How many times, when Israel provoked the Lord to anger, did he yet defer to destroythem? and the reason of that forbearance, he tells them it was forDavid's sake; for my servant David's sake I will not do it. As theLord said also concerning Paul, 'Lo, God hath given thee all themthat sail with thee'; that is, to save their lives from the rage ofthe sea (Acts 27:24). Yea, when a judgment is not only threatened, but the decree gone forth for its execution, then godly uprightmen may sometimes cause the very decree itself to cease withoutbringing forth (Zech 2:1-3). Or else may so time the judgment thatis decreed, that the church shall best be able to bear it (Matt24:20). 

6. The man that is tender of God's glory in this world, still rulingand governing his affairs by the Word, and desirous to be faithfulto the work and employment that God hath appointed him to do forhis name; that man shall still be let into the secrets of God; heshall know that which God will reserve and hide from many; 'ShallI hide from Abraham that thing which I do, ' saith the Lord?--'ForI know him, that he will command his children and his householdafter him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, ' &c. (Gen18:17, 19). So again, 'The secret of the Lord is with them that fearhim; and he will shew them his covenant' (Psa 25:14). 'And to himthat ordereth his conversation aright, will I shew the salvationof God' (Psa 50:23). Such a man shall have things new as well asold. His converse with the Father, and the Son, and the Spirit, shall be turned into a kind of familiarity; he shall be led intothe Word, and shall still increase in knowledge: when others shallbe stinted and look with old faces, being black and dry as a stick, he shall be like a fatted calf, like the tree that is planted bythe rivers of water, his flesh shall be fresh as the flesh of achild, and God will renew the face of his soul. 

7. If any escape public calamities, usually they are such as arevery tender of the name of God, and that make it their businessto walk before him. They either escape by being mercifully takenaway before it, or by being safely preserved in the midst of thejudgment, until the indignation be overpast. Therefore God saithin one place, the 'righteous are taken away from the evil to come'(Isa 57:1). But if not so, as all be not, then they shall have theirlife for a prey (Jer 39:15-18). Caleb and Joshua escaped all theplagues that befel to Israel in the wilderness, for they followedGod (Num 14:24). Somewhat of this you have also in that scripture, 'Seek ye the Lord all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought hisjudgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness, it may be, ye shall behid in the day of the Lord's anger' (Zeph 2:3). According to thisis that in Luke, 'Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that yemay be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall cometo pass, and to stand before the Son of man' (Luke 21:36). When aman's ways please the Lord, he will make his enemies to be at peacewith him. Marvellous is the work of God in the preservation ofhis saints that are faithful with him, when dangers and calamitiescome; as Joseph, David, Jeremiah, and Paul, with many others, mayappear. 'He shall deliver thee in six troubles; yea, in seven thereshall no evil touch thee. In famine he shall redeem thee from death;and in war from the power of the sword. Thou shalt be hid from thescourge of the tongue; neither shalt thou be afraid of destructionwhen it cometh' (Job 5:19-21). 

8. If afflictions do overtake thee, for whom the Lord loveth hechasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth, yet thoseafflictions shall not befal thee for those causes for which theybefal the slothful and backsliding Christian; neither shall theyhave that pinching and galling operation upon thee, as on thosewho have left their first love and tenderness for God's glory inthe world. 

(1. ) Upon the faithful upright man, though he also may be correctedand chastised for sin, yet, I say, he abiding close with God, afflictions come rather for trial and for the exercise of gracereceived, than as rebukes for this or that wickedness; when uponthe backsliding heartless Christian these things shall come fromfatherly anger and displeasure, and that for their sins againsthim. Job did acknowledge himself a sinner, and that God thereforemight chastise him: but yet he rather believed it was chiefly forthe trial of his grace, as indeed, and in truth, it was (Job 7:20, 23:10). 'He is a perfect man, ' saith God to Satan, 'and one thatfeareth God, and escheweth evil, and still he holdeth fast hisintegrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy himwithout cause' (Job 2:3). God will not say thus of every one whenaffliction is laid upon them, though they yet may be his children;but rather declareth and pronounceth that it is for theirtransgressions, because they have wickedly departed from him (Psa39:11, 38:1-4). 

(2. ) Now, affliction arising from these two causes, their effectsin the manner of their working, though grace turns them bothfor good, is very different one from the other; he who hath beenhelped to walk with God, is not assaulted with those turnings andreturnings of guilt when he is afflicted, as he who hath baselydeparted from God; the one can plead his integrity, when the otherblusheth for shame. See both these cases in one person, even thatgoodly beloved David. When the Lord did rebuke him for sin, then hecries, O blood guiltiness, O 'cast me not away from thy presence'(Psa 51:11). But when he at another time knew himself guiltless, though then also sorely afflicted, behold with what boldness heturns his face unto God; 'O Lord, my God, ' saith he, 'if I havedone this; if there be iniquity in my hands; if I have rewardedevil unto him that was at peace with me; [yea, I have deliveredhim that without cause is mine enemy] let the enemy persecute mysoul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah, ' &c. (Psa 7:3-5). 

This, therefore, must needs be a blessed help in distress, for aman to have a good conscience when affliction hath taken hold onhim; for a man then, in his looking behind and before, to returnwith peace to his own soul, that man must needs find honey in thislion, that can plead his innocency and uprightness. All the peoplecurse me, saith Jeremiah, but that without a cause, for I haveneither lent nor taken on usury; which it seems was a sin at thatday (Jer 15:10). 

9. When men are faithful with God in this world, to do the work hehath appointed for them, by this means a dying bed is made easier, and that upon a double account. (1. ) By reason of that presentpeace such shall have, even in their time of languishing. (2. ) Byreason of the good company such shall have at their departure. 

(1. ) Such souls usually abound in present peace; they look notback upon the years they have spent with that shame as the idle andslothful Christian does. 'Remember now, Lord, --how I have walkedbefore thee in truth, and with a perfect heart' (Isa 38:3). Blessedis the man that considereth the poor, the Lord will deliver him intime of trouble. The Lord will preserve him, and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth; and thou wilt not deliverhim unto the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him uponthe bed of languishing; thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness(Psa 41:1-3). 

Ah! when God makes the bed, [27] he must needs lie easy that weaknesshath cast thereon; a blessed pillow hath that man for his head, though to all beholders it is hard as a stone. Jacob, on hisdeathbed, had two things that made it easy:--(a) The faith of hisgoing to rest, 'I am to be gathered unto my people'; that is, tothe blessed that have yielded up the ghost before me (Gen 49:29). (b) The remembrance of the sealings of the countenance of God uponhim, when he walked before him in the days of his pilgrimage: whenJoseph came to see him, before he left this world, Israel, saiththe Word, 'strengthened himself and sat upon his bed'; and thefirst word that dropt out of this good man's mouth, O how full ofglory was it! 'God Almighty appeared unto me, ' saith he, 'at Luz, in the land of Canaan, and blessed me, ' &c. (Gen 48:1-3). O blesseddiscourse for a sick bed, when those can talk thus that lie thereon, from as true a ground as Jacob; but thus will God make the bed ofthose who walk close with him in this world. 

(2. ) The dying bed of such a man is made easy by reason also ofthe good company such shall have at their departure; and that is, (1) The angels; (b) Their good works they have done for God in theworld. 

(a) The angels of heaven shall wait upon them, as they did uponblessed Lazarus, to carry them into Abraham's bosom (Luke 16:22). I know all that go to paradise are by these holy ones conductedthither; but yet, for all that, such as die under the clouds forunchristian walking with God, may meet with darkness in that day--maygo heavily hence, notwithstanding that (Job 5:14). Yea, their bedmay be as uncomfortable to them as if they lay upon nothing butthe cords, and their departing from it, as to appearance, moreuncomfortable by far. But as for those who have been faithful totheir God, they shall see before them, shall know their tabernacles, 'shall be in peace' (Job 5:24), 'the everlasting gates shall beopened unto them, ' in all which, from earth, they shall see theglory (Acts 7:55, 56). [28] I once was told a story of what happenedat a good man's death, the which I have often remembered, withwonderment and gladness. After he had lain for some time sick, hishour came that he must depart, and behold, while he lay, as we callit, drawing on, to the amazement of the mourners, there was heardabout his bed such blessed and ravishing music as they never heardbefore; which also continued till his soul departed, and thenbegan to cease, and grow, as to its sound, as if it was departingthe house, and so still seemed to go further and further off, tillat last they could hear it not longer. 'Eye hath not seen, nor earheard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things thatGod hath prepared for them that love him': behold, then, how Godcan make thy sick bed easy! (1 Cor 2:9). 

(b) A dying bed is made easy by those good works that men have donein their life for the name of God: 'Blessed are the dead which diein the Lord: yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from theirlabours, and their works do follow them'; yea, and go before themtoo (Rev 14:13). No man need be afraid to be accompanied by gooddeeds to heaven. Be afraid of sins, they are like bloodhounds atthe heels; and be sure thy sins will find thee out, even thee whohast not been pardoned in the precious blood of Christ; but as forthose who have submitted themselves to the righteousness of Godfor their justification, and who have, through faith and love tohis name, been frequent in deeds of righteousness, they shall notappear empty before their God, 'their works, ' their good works, 'follow them. ' These shall enter into rest, and walk with Christin white. I observe, when Israel had passed over Jordan, they wereto go to possess between Mount Ebal and Mount Gerizim, from whencewas to be pronounced the blessing and the cursing (Deut 27). Thegospel meaning of which I take to be as followeth: I take Jordanto be a type of death: and these two mountains, with the cursingand blessing, to be a type of the judgment that comes on every man, so soon as he goes from hence--'and after death the judgment'--sothat he that escapes the cursing, he alone goes into blessedness;but he that Mount Ebal smiteth, he falls short of heaven! O! noneknows the noise that doth sound in sinners' souls from Ebal andGerizim when they are departed hence; yet it may be they know notwhat will become of them till they hear these echoings from thesetwo mountains: but here the good man is sure Mount Gerizim dothpronounce him blessed. Blessed, then, are the dead that die inthe Lord, for their works will follow them till they are past alldanger. These are the Christian's train that follow him to rest;these are a good man's company that follow him to heaven. 

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Solemn indeed is the responsibility of a Christian minister, and every follower of the Lamb bears that office privately, andshould be earnest in prayer that public ministers may do the workof evangelists, not only by insisting upon the necessity of the newbirth and its solemn reality, the happiness of a close walk withGod, and the glorious rest that remaineth, but to visit the poorand rich at their own habitations, in sickness and health, andwatch over their people as those that must give an account. --Ed. 

[2] 'With a curse, ' is from the Puritan version. --Ed. 

[3] Wretched are the persecutors, like a troubled sea, castingup mire and filth, vainly opposing the sinner's duty of personalinquiry for salvation, and harassing him if he refuses to submitto human dogmas, creeds, catechisms, and liturgies--the inventionsof men. Although the power is curtailed, the disposition remainsthe same; restless and unwearied, they stick at nothing to gluttheir revenge upon the disciples of Christ. But all in vain; thegospel spreads although the persecutor kicks; it is against thesharp goads; he rushes upon Jehovah's buckler and crushes himself;is wretched in this life and lost to all eternity; unless, as inthe case of Saul, unspeakable mercy arrests him--Ed. 

[4] The lions growled and roared upon the pilgrims in Bunyan's days, to prevent their making a public profession of Christ by unitingwith one of his churches; represented in the Pilgrim's Progressby the palace justly called Beautiful. Many were then kept back, to their serious injury or ruin, by fear of enormous penalties orimprisonment, but NOW, what keeps you back, O Christian. Fears forthe loss of property, liberty, or life, would have been a wretchedplea for the loss of the soul, how much less the fear of ridiculefrom ungodly friends or relatives. --Ed. 

[5] A familiar expression; 'rub up, ' prepare for action. 'Put onthy harness, ' an obsolete term for armour, weapons, and habilimentsof war; the spiritual warfare, 'put on the whole armour of God. '--Ed. 

[6] Would you be ready to die in peace? then seek a close walkand communion with God in time of health. A life of faith ensuresa life of glory. Live and walk in the Spirit; as strangers andpilgrims abstain from fleshly lusts. To live thus is Christ; todie is gain, the more sudden the more joyful and glorious. --Ed. 

[7] This meaning of the word 'touch' is now obsolete. It refers totouching the seal on a deed, called sealing it; a solemn, deliberatepledge to keep close to your covenants. 'I keep touch with mypromise. ' Sir Thomas More. --Ed. 

[8] 'To make both ends meet, ' is a proverbial expression, meaningthat our expenses should not exceed our income; but, in this moresolemn sense we should fulfil our daily duties as they approach, asall our moments have duties assigned to them. Omissions can neverbe recovered; hence the necessity of forgiveness for Christ's sake, who fulfilled every duty, and hence the necessity of perpetualwatchfulness. --Ed. 

[9] How delightfully does this exclamation flow from the lips of thepious patriarch, overcome by his exertion in this solemn death-bedscene. He pauses, and then, with his recovering breath, appeals toheaven--'I have waited for thy salvation, O Lord. ' Poor old man, the cold sweat of death is on thy brow, the angels stand ready toopen the gate of the celestial city; finish thy solemn instructionsto thy children, and then thou shalt enter upon the fruition of allthy patient waiting, thy fearing, fighting, trembling, doubting, shall be absorbed in immeasurable, eternal bliss. --Ed. 

[10] This is a very illustrative allusion. When a spinner has woundup all his material, the technical term is, 'The bottom is wound. 'When a poor spinner by age or infirmity, is incapable of work, itwould be said, 'Ah! his bottom is wound. ' In this text, Jacob hadfinally made an end of all his earthly duties, and had now only toclose his eyes for the last time upon the world. --Ed. 

[11] These are solemn and most weighty arguments to press upon usthe fulfilment of our daily duties. How incomprehensible are theways of God. His love is proved by bitterly convicting us of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Like Christian and Hopeful inDoubting Castle, sometimes so overwhelming as to drive us to theverge of despair and self-destruction. We fall not down the precipice, for still there is hope and pardon in his bosom, and at the propertime it will be revealed. --Ed. 

[12] That preventeth; 'letteth' is from the old verb to let orhinder, as used Romans 1:13. --Ed. 

[13] This language is probably founded on Revelation 22:14, 'Blessedare they that do his commandments, that they may have right to thetree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. 'Until the work that is assigned to us is done, we cannot cross theriver and ascend to the New Jerusalem. 'He which testifieth thesethings saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. ' He who is diligent tofinish his work may reply with truth, 'Even so, come, Lord Jesus. '--Ed. 

[14] Bunyan was in his politics a thorough loyalist. When a youngman he even fought at the siege of Leicester, when it was besiegedby the royal army. Probably the horrible cruelties practised uponthe peaceful inhabitants, by the cavaliers, at the taking of thatcity, induced him to leave the service. His pastor, J. Gifford, hadalso served in the royal army as an officer; both of them narrowlyescaped. This may account for Bunyan's high monarchial principles, they appear very prominently in many of his works. --Ed. 

[15] Many extraordinary tales are told of the nightingale, asto their great memory, and facility in imitating the human voice. Sitting in thorns is more for protection than penance. SeeGoldsmith's Animated Nature. It was a generally received opinionthat the nightingale, to keep himself awake in the night, sat ona tree of thorn, so that if he nodded he would be pricked in thebreast. The learned and witty Dr. Thomas Fuller thus alludes toit:--'I am sure the nightingale which would wake will not be angrywith the thorn which pricketh her breast when she noddeth. ' Howuseful would it be if a thorn could be so placed as to prick thosewho nod at church!--Ed. 

[16] A painted figure of a horse, behind which the sportsmanstealthily approaches the game. 

 'One underneath his horse, to get a shoot doth stalk Another over dykes upon his stilts doth walk. ' --Drayton's Polyolbion, vol. Iii. P. 25. --Ed. 

[17] So dress as to pass without being noticed; neither precise norformal, slovenly nor dandyish; dress like a man or woman. Conductyourself as one that fears God. --Ed. 

[18] The head having been crowned with thorns, it is unsuitablethat the feet should tread on rose leaves. --Mason. 

[19] How very striking is this expression. O! that it may assistin riveting upon our souls a vivid remembrance of the Saviour'ssufferings. --Ed. 

[20] Some Pharisees, falsely called by the Romish churches 'saints, 'have claimed merit from associating with dirt and filth, and vermin, beggars, and vagabonds, upon dunghills, to show their contempt ofthe world! All this was to gain the applause of the world. God'ssaints will associate with the salt of the earth, with God's fearers, who whether rich or poor, are equally despised by the world. --Ed. 

[21] Reader, do not mistake this to mean a piece of wood shapedas a cross. It means cherish, love, be conformed to the conduct orimage of Christ, follow him in reproaches and revilings, and countit your honour to suffer for his sake. 'Kiss it, ' has the samemeaning as the words of the Psalmist, 'Kiss the Son, lest he beangry, and ye perish. ' It is the soul mentally kissing the Saviour, and not a bit of wood, which would then be an idol, inflicting thedeep guilt of idolatry. --Ed. 

[22] Upon the opening of the sixth seal in the book of Revelation, there was 'a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackclothof hair, and the moon as blood. ' A preternatural and awful darknessbroods over nature, preparatory to its final dissolution. ThusSatan darkens the things above to the natural man, so that hecannot discern spiritual things, while those of time and sense aremagnified and multiplied in his estimation. --Ed. 

[23] This refers to the phylacteries worn by every Jew while inhis daily prayers. These are long strips of leather, having smallboxes containing the law minutely written in Hebrew, worn upon theforehead and wrist, and bound round the fingers. A custom foundedon Exodus 13:9, 16; Proverbs 7:3. That the Divine law should directthe head and fingers, as representing the mind and conduct, sowould Bunyan have all Christians carry, at all times, in the mindand conduct, the riches and righteousness of Christ. --Ed. 

[24] There are no idlers in God's Israel, every one has his appointedwork to fulfil against his appointed day. Christian, watch againstidleness. 

 'For Satan has some mischief still For idle hands to do. '--Ed. 

[25] Godliness, saith Paul, has the 'promise of the life that nowis, and of that which is to come. ' This should be more dwelt uponby our ministers, as Bunyan sets the example. The mind of a Christianhas the richest enjoyments, however his body may be persecuted, for over that only the enemy has power. A prison may be the gateof heaven. With God as our Father, a wall of fire round about, andthe glory in our midst, 'what can we want beside?'--Ed. 

[26] To tender; to care for, to guard. 'He had provoked others totender and seek the glory of God. '--Udal. Not frequently used inthis sense. --Ed. 

[27] How tenderly does the Psalmist exhibit the love of God tohis chosen under this figure, 'Thou wilt make all his bed in hissickness. ' He will never leave nor forsake them; and, when heartand flesh shall fail, he will guide them and receive them to hisglory. 'Wonders of grace to God belong. ' Christian women! withsuch an example, can you hesitate to go and make the bed of a poorsick and afflicted neighbour?--Ed. 

[28]

 'Jesus can make a dying bed Feel soft as downy pillows are, While on his breast I lean my head, And breath my life out sweetly there. '--Dr. Watts. 

***

THE DESIRE OF THE RIGHTEOUS GRANTED;

OR, A DISCOURSE OF THE RIGHTEOUS MAN'S DESIRES. 

ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR

As the tree is known by its fruit, so is the state of a man'sheart known by his desires. The desires of the righteous are thetouchstone or standard of Christian sincerity--the evidence ofthe new birth--the spiritual barometer of faith and grace--and thesprings of obedience. Christ and him crucified is the ground ofall our hopes--the foundation upon which all our desires after Godand holiness are built--and the root by which they are nourished. It is from this principle of Divine life which flows from Christto his members, that these desires and struggles after holiness ofthought and conduct arise, and are kept alive. They prove a fountainof consolation to the harassed and tried believer; for if we arein the sense of this scripture 'righteous, ' we shall have thosedesires to enjoy the presence of God on earth, and with him felicityin heaven, which the voice of the Omnipotent declareth SHALL begranted. O! the blessedness of those in whose hearts are planted'the desires of the righteous. '

This brings us to the most important of all the subjects ofself-examination--am I one of the 'righteous'? or, in other words, 'am I born again?' Upon this solemn heart-trying inquiry hangs allour hopes of escape from misery and ascension to glory--a kingdom, a crown, a bright, a happy, an eternal inheritance, on the onehand, or the gloomy abodes of wretchedness on the other hand, arefor ever to be decided. What are our desires? To guide our anxiousinquiries into this all-important subject, our author unlocks theheavenly treasures, and in every point furnishes us with book, andchapter, and verse, that we may carefully and prayerfully weigh allthat he displays in the unerring scales of the sanctuary. A desireafter the presence of God--of conformity to his image and example--fora greater hatred of sin--yea, as Bunyan expresses it, a desire todesire more of those blessed fruits of the Spirit, inspires theinquirer with the cheering hope that he has passed from death untolife--that he has been born again, and has been made righteous. And if, as we progress in the Divine life, our experience of thedelights of communion with God enables us to say with David, 'Mysoul panteth, ' or crieth, or, as the margin of our Bibles have, brayeth, 'yea, thirsteth after God, ' however we may be assaultedby the enemies within and without, we may say with confidence, 'Whyart thou disquieted, O my soul? hope thou in God, for I SHALL yetpraise him. '

Deeply are the churches of Christ indebted to the Holy Spirit forhaving assisted his honoured servant to write this treatise; and weare under great obligation to his friend, Charles Doe, for havinghanded it down to us, as he found it prepared for the press, withother excellent treatises, among the author's papers after hisdecease. It abounds with those striking ideas peculiar to the worksof the author of the Pilgrim's Progress; most faithful home thrustsat conscience, which those who really desire to know themselveswill greatly prize. It has been very properly observed that thewords used by the author, as descriptive of the text, may, withgreat propriety, be applied to this treatise--'It is a sharp andsmart description' of the desires of a righteous man. 

The desires of the righteous are very graphically impersonatedand described. They reach beyond time and peep into eternity. 'Therighteous have desires that reach further than this world, desiresthat have so long a neck as to look into the world to come. ' 'Soforcible and mighty are they in operation'; 'is there not life andmettle in them? They loose the bands of nature--harden the soulagainst sorrow--they are the fruits of an eagle-eyed confidence. 'They enable the soul 'to see through the jaws of death--to see Christpreparing mansion-houses for his poor ones that are now kicked toand fro, like footballs in the world!' 'A desire will take a manupon its back and carry him away to God, if ten thousand men opposeit. ' 'It will carry him away after God to do his will, let the workbe never so hard. ' The new man is subject to transient sickness, during which desire fails in its power when the inner man has caughta cold. 

Bunyan's views of church fellowship are always lovely; they aredelightfully expressed. He also introduces us to the unsearchableriches of Christ. 'The righteous desire a handful, God gives thema seaful; they desire a country, God prepares for them a city. 'Wonders of grace to God belong. 

Bunyan's pictures of the natural man are equally faithful andstriking--when guilt and conviction take hold on him--when pestilencethreatens to break up his house-keeping--and death takes him by thethroat and hauls him down stairs to the grave; then he, who neverprayed, crieth, Pray for me, and the poor soul is as loath to goout of the body for fear the devil should catch it, as the poorbird is to go out of the bush while she sees the hawk waiting toreceive her. But I must not detain the reader longer from enteringon this solemn and impressive treatise, but commend it to the Divineblessing. 

GEO. OFFOR. 

THE DESIRE OF THE RIGHTEOUS GRANTED. 

'The desite of the righteous is only good. '--Proverbs 11:23

'The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him; but the desite ofthe righteous shall be granted. '--Proverbs 10:24

This book of the Proverbs is so called because it is such ascontaineth hard, dark, and pithy sentences of wisdom, by which istaught unto young men knowledge and discretion (1-6). Whereforethis book is not such as discloseth truths by words antecedentor subsequent to the text, so as other scriptures generally do, but has its texts or sentences more independent; for usually eachverse standeth upon its own bottom, and presenteth by itself somesingular thing to the consideration of the reader; so that I shallnot need to bid my reader go back to what went before, nor yet tothat which follows, for the better opening of the text; and shalltherefore come immediately to the words, and search into them forwhat hidden treasures are contained therein. 

[First. ] The words then, in the first place, present us with thegeneral condition of the whole world; for all men are ranked underone of these conditions, the wicked or the righteous; for he thatis not wicked is righteous, and he that is not righteous is wicked. So again, 'Lay not wait, O wicked man, against the dwelling ofthe righteous, spoil not his resting-place. ' I might give you outof this book many such instances, for it flows with such; but thetruth hereof is plain enough. 

The world is also divided by other general terms, as by these--believers, unbelievers; saints, sinners; good, bad; children of God, andchildren of the wicked one, &c. These, I say, are general terms, and comprehend not this or that sect, or order of each, but thewhole. The believer, saint, good, and child of God, are one--towit, the righteous; the unbeliever, the sinner, the bad, and thechild of the devil, is one--to wit, the wicked; as also the textexpresses it. So that I say, the text, or these two terms in it, comprehend all men; the one all that shall be saved, the other allthat shall be damned for ever in hell-fire (Psa 9:17, 11:6). Thewicked; who is he but the man that loves not God, nor to do hiswill? The righteous; who is he but the man that loveth God, andhis holy will, to do it?

Of the wicked there are several sorts, some more ignorant, some moreknowing; the more ignorant of them are such as go to be executed, as the ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correctionof the stocks; that is, as creatures whose ignorance makes them asunconcerned, while they are going down the stairs to hell. But, alas! their ignorance will be no plea for them before the bar of God;for it is written, 'It is a people of no understanding; thereforehe that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formedthem will show them no favour' (Isa 27:11; Prov 7:22). 

Though, I must confess, the more knowing the wicked is, or themore light and goodness such a one sins against, the greater willhis judgment be; these shall have greater damnation: it shall bemore tolerable at the judgment for Sodom than for them (Luke 10:12, 20:47). There is a wicked man that goes blinded, and a wicked manthat goes with his eyes open to hell; there is a wicked man thatcannot see, and a wicked man that will not see the danger he isin; but hell-fire will open both their eyes (Luke 16:23). Thereare that are wicked, and cover all with a cloak of religion, andthere are that proclaim their profaneness; but they will meet bothin the lake that burns with fire and brimstone; 'The wicked shallbe turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God' (Psa9:17). 

There are also several sorts, if I may so express myself, of thosethat are truly righteous, as children, young men, fathers, orsaints that fear God, both small and great (Rev 11:18; 1 John 2). Some have more grace than some, and some do better improve thegrace they have than others of their brethren do; some also are morevaliant for the truth upon the earth than others of their brethrenare; yea, some are so swallowed up with God, and love to his wordand ways, that they are fit to be a pattern or example in holinessto all that are about them; and some again have their light shiningso dim, that they render themselves suspicious to their brethren, whether they are of the number of those that have grace or no. [1]But being gracious they shall not be lost, although such will atthe day of reward suffer loss; for this is the will of the Fatherthat sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world, 'That of allwhich he had given him he should lose nothing, but should raise itup again at the last day' (John 6:37-39; 1 Cor 3:15). 

[Second. ] In the next place, we are here presented with some ofthe qualities of the wicked and the righteous; the wicked has hisfears, the righteous has his desires. The wicked has his fears. 'Thefear of the wicked, it shall come upon him; but the desire of therighteous shall be granted. ' Indeed, it seems to the godly thatthe wicked feareth not, nor doth he after a godly sort; for he thatfeareth God aright must not be reputed a wicked man. The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, declareth that he fearethnot God aright, because he doth not graciously call upon him; butyet for all that, the wicked at times are haunted, sorely haunted, and that with the worst of fears. 'Terrors, ' says Bildad, 'shallmake him afraid on every side. ' And again, 'His confidence shallbe rooted out of his tabernacle, and it shall bring him to the kingof terrors' (Job 18:11-14). 

A wicked man, though he may hector it at times with his proud heart, as though he feared neither God nor hell, yet again, at times, hissoul is even drowned with terrors. 'The morning is to them even asthe shadow of death; if one knew them, they are in the terrors ofthe shadow of death' (Job 24:14-17). At times, I say, it is thuswith them, especially when they are under warm convictions thatthe day of judgment is at hand, or when they feel in themselvesas if death was coming as a tempest, to steal them away from theirenjoyments, and lusts, and delights; then the bed shakes on whichthey lie, then the proud tongue doth falter in their mouth, andtheir knees knock one against another; then their conscience stares, and roars, and tears, and arraigns them before God's judgment-seat, or threatens to follow them down to hell, and there to wreck itsfury on them, for all the abuses and affronts this wicked wretchoffered to it in the day in which it controlled his unlawfuldeeds. O! none can imagine what fearful plights a wicked man isin sometimes; though God in his just judgment towards them suffersthem again and again to stifle and choke such awakenings, from apurpose to reserve them unto the day of judgment to be punished (2Peter 2:7-9). 

[Third. ] In the third place, as the wicked has his fears, so therighteous has his desires. 'The desire of the righteous shall begranted'; but this must not be taken exclusively, as if the wickedhad nothing but fears, and the righteous nothing but desires. For, both by Scripture and experience also, we find that the wicked hashis desires, and the righteous man his fears. 

1. For the wicked, they are not without their desires. 'Let me diethe death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his, ' wasthe desire of wicked Balaam (Num 23:10), and another place saith, 'the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire'; that he is for heavenas well as the best of you all, but yet, even then, 'he blesseththe covetous, whom the Lord abhorreth' (Psa 10:3). Wicked menhave their desires and their hopes too, but the hope and desire ofunjust men perisheth (Prov 11:7, 14:32). Yea, and though they lookand long, too, all the day long, with desires of life and glory, yet their fears, and them only, shall come upon them; for they arethe desires of the righteous that shall be granted (Psa 112:10). 

The desires of the wicked want a good bottom; they flow not from asanctified mind, nor of love to the God, or the heaven now desired;but only from such a sense as devils have of torments, and so, asthey, they cry out, 'I beseech thee torment me not' (Luke 8:28, 16:24). But their fears have a substantial foundation, for theyare grounded upon the view of an ill-spent life, the due reward ofwhich is hell-fire; 'the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdomof God, ' their place is without; 'for without are dogs and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever lovethand maketh a lie' (1 Cor 6:9, 10; Rev 22:15). 

Their fears, therefore, have a strong foundation; they have alsomatter to work upon, which is guilt and justice, the which theyshall never be able to escape, without a miracle of grace and mercy(Heb 2:3). Therefore it saith, and that with emphasis, 'The fearof the wicked it shall come upon him'; wherefore his desires mustdie with him: for the promise of a grant of that which is desiredis only entailed to righteousness. 'The desire of the righteous shallbe granted, ' but 'grant not, O Lord, the desires of the wicked, 'saith David (Psa 140:8). 

2. Nor are the righteous without their fears, and that even alltheir life long. Through fear of death, they, some of them, are alltheir life time subject to bondage (Heb 2:15). But as the desiresof the wicked shall be frustrate, so shall also the fears ofthe godly; hence you have them admonished, yea commanded, not tobe afraid neither of devils, death, nor hell; for the fear of therighteous shall not come upon them to eternal damnation (Isa 35:4, 41:10-14, 43:1, 44:28; Luke 8:50, 12:32; Rev 1:17). 

'The desire of the righteous shall be granted. ' No, they are notto fear what sin can do unto them, nor what all their sins can dounto them; I do not say they should not be afraid of sinning, norof those temporal judgments that sin shall bring upon them, forof such things they ought to be afraid, as saith the Psalmist, 'Myflesh trembleth for fear of thee, and I am afraid of thy judgments'(Psa 119:120). But of eternal ruin, of that, they ought not to beafraid of with slavish fear. 'Wherefore should I fear, ' said theprophet, 'in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shallcompass me about?' (Psa 49:5). And again, 'Ye have done all thiswickedness, yet turn not aside from following the Lord;--for theLord will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake' (1Sam 12:20-22). 

The reason is, because the righteous are secured by their faith inChrist Jesus; also their fears stand upon a mistake of the natureof the covenant, in which they are wrapped up, which is orderedfor them in all things, and sure (2 Sam 23:5; Isa 55:3). Besides, God has purposed to magnify the riches of his grace in theirsalvation; therefore goodness and mercy shall, to that end, followthem all the days of their life, that they may 'dwell in the houseof the Lord for ever' (Psa 23:6; Eph 1:3-7). They have also theirintercessor and advocate ready with God, to take up matters forthem in such a way as may maintain true peace betwixt their God andthem; and as may encourage them to be sober, and hope to the end, for the grace that is to be brought unto them at the revelation ofJesus Christ (1 Peter 1:13; 1 John 2:1, 2). Wherefore, though thegodly have their fears, yea, sometimes dreadful fears, and thatof perishing for ever and ever; yet the day is coming, when theirfears and tears shall be done away, and when their desires onlyshall be granted. 'The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon them;but the desire of the righteous shall be granted. '

The words, then, are a prediction or prophecy, and that bothconcerning the wicked and the righteous, with reference to time andthings to come, and shall certainly be fulfilled in their season. Hence it is said concerning the wicked, that their triumphing isshort, and that the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment (Job20:5). O, their end will be bitter as wormwood, and will cut likea two-edged sword! Of this Solomon admonishes youth, when he saith. 'Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer theein the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all thesethings God will bring thee into judgment' (Eccl 11:9). 

This, therefore, showeth the desperate spirit that possesses thechildren of men, who, though they hear and read all this, yet cannotbe reclaimed from courses that are wicked, and that lead to sucha condition (Prov 5:7-14). I say they will not be reclaimed fromsuch courses as lead to ways that go down to hell, where their soulmust mourn, even then when their flesh and their body are consumed. O! how dear bought are their pleasures, and how will their laughterbe turned into tears and anguish unutterable! and that presently, for it is coming! Their 'judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not' (2 Peter 2:3). But what goodwill their covenant of death then do them? And will their agreementof hell yield them comfort? Is not God as well mighty to punish asto save? (Isa 28:18). Or can these sinners believe God out of theworld, or cause that he should not pay them home for their sins, and recompense them for all the evil they have loved, and continuedin the commission of? (Job 21:29-31). 'Can thy heart endure, orcan thy hands be strong in the days that God shall deal with thee?'(Eze 22:14). Thou art bold now, I mean bold in a wicked way; thousayest now thou wilt keep thy sweet morsels of sin under thy tongue, thou wilt keep them still within thy mouth. Poor wretch! Thy sinsshall lie down in the dust with thee (Job 20:11). Thou hast suckedthe poison of asps, and the viper's tongue shall slay thee (Job20:16). 'Thou shalt not see the rivers, the streaming floods, thebrooks of butter and honey' (Job 20:17). 'All darkness shall be hidin thy secret places, a fire not blown shall consume thee. ' 'Thisis the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointedto him by God' (Job 20:26-29). 

And as they [the Scriptures] predict or prophesy what shall becomeof the wicked; so also they plentifully foretell what shall happento the righteous, when he saith their desire shall be granted: ofwhich more anon. Only here I will drop this short hint, That therighteous have great cause to rejoice; for what more pleasing, what more comfortable to a man, than to be assured, and that fromthe Spirit of truth, that what he desireth shall be granted? Andthis the righteous are assured of here; for he saith it in wordsat length, 'The desire of the righteous shall be granted. ' This, then, should comfort them against their fears, and the sense oftheir unworthiness; it should also make them hold up their headsunder all their temptations, and the affronts that is usual for themto meet with in the world. The righteous! Who so vilified as therighteous? He, by the wise men of the world, is counted a veryAbraham, [2] a fool; like to him who is the father of us all. Butas he left all for the desire that he had of a better country, andat last obtained his desire; for after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise; so those that walk in the steps of thatfaith which our father Abraham had, even those also in the endshall find place in Abraham's bosom; wherefore it is meet that weshould cheer up and be glad, because what we desire shall be grantedunto us (Heb 6). 

THE NATURE OF THE WORDS. 

But I shall here leave off this short way of paraphrasing upon thetext, and shall come more distinctly to inquire into the natureof the words; but my subject-matter shall be the last part of theverse, 'The desire of the righteous shall be granted. ' From whichwords there are these things to be inquired into. 

FIRST. What, or who is the righteous man? SECOND. What are thedesires of a righteous man? THIRD. What is meant or to be understoodby the granting of the desires of the righteous? 'The desire ofthe righteous shall be granted. '

[WHO IS THE RIGHTEOUS MAN?]

FIRST. For the first of these, namely, 'WHAT OR WHO IS THE RIGHTEOUSMAN?

My way of prosecuting this head shall be to show you, first, thatI intend a righteous man not in every sense, but in that which is thebest; otherwise I shall miscarry as to the intendment of the HolyGhost; for it may not be supposed that these words reach to themthat are righteous in a general, but in a special sense; such, Imean, that are so in the judgment of God. For, as I hinted, thereare several sorts of righteous men that yet have nothing to dowith this blessed promise, or that shall never, as such, have theirdesires granted. 

FIRST. There is one that is righteous in his own eyes, and is yetfar enough off from the blessing of the text: 'There is a generationthat are pure' or righteous 'in their own eyes, and yet is not washedfrom their filthiness' (Prov 29:12). These are they that you alsoread of in the evangelist Luke, that are said to trust 'in themselvesthat they were righteous, and despised others' (Luke 18:9). Theseare set so low, by this their foolish confidence, in the eyes ofJesus Christ, that he even preferred a praying publican before them(Luke 18:13, 14). Wherefore these cannot be the men, I mean thoserighteous men, to whom this promise is made. 

SECOND. There are those that by others are counted righteous; Imean they are so accounted by their neighbours. Thus Korah and hiscompany are called the people of the Lord, and all the congregationby them also called holy, every one of them (Num 16:3, 41). But ashe who commends himself is not approved, so it is no great matterif all the world shall count us righteous, if God esteemeth us notfor such: 'For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whomthe Lord commends' (2 Cor 10:18). 

THIRD. There are those that indeed are righteous when comparedwith others: 'I came not to call the righteous'; 'for scarcely fora righteous man will one die, ' and the like, are texts thus to beunderstood. For such as these are, as to life moral, better thanothers. But these, if they are none otherwise righteous than byacts and works of righteousness of their own, are not the personscontained in the text that are to have their desires granted. 

FOURTH. The righteous man therefore in the text is, and ought to be, thus described: 1. He is one whom God makes righteous, by reckoninghim so. 2. He is one that God makes righteous, by possessing of himwith a principle of righteousness. 3. He is one that is practicallyrighteous. 

First. He is one that God makes righteous. Now, if God makes himrighteous, his righteousness is not his own, I mean this sort ofrighteousness: 'Their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord' (Isa54:17). God then makes a man righteous by putting righteousnessupon him--by putting the righteousness of God upon him (Phil 3:6-9). Hence we are said to be made the righteousness of God in Christ:'For God hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that wemight be made the righteousness of God in him' (2 Cor 5:21). ThusGod, therefore, reckoneth one righteous, even by imputing thatunto us which is able to make us so: 'Christ of God is made untous--righteousness' (1 Cor 1:30). Wherefore he saith again, 'In theLord shall all the seed of Israel be justified and shall glory'(Isa 45:25). 

The righteousness then by which a man is made righteous, withrighteousness to justification of life before God, for that isit we are speaking of now, is the righteousness of another thanhe who is justified thereby. Hence it is said again by the soulthus justified and made righteous, 'The Lord hath clothed me withthe garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe ofrighteousness' (Isa 61:10). As he also saith in another place, 'Ispread my skirts over thee, and covered thy nakedness' (Eze 16:8). This we call a being made righteous by reckoning, by the reckoningof God; for none is of power to reckon one righteous but God, because none can make one so to be but him. He that can make merich, though I am in myself the poorest of men, may reckon me rich, if together with his so reckoning, he indeed doth make me rich. Thisis the case, God makes a man righteous by bestowing of righteousnessupon him--by counting the righteousness of his Son for his. He giveshim righteousness, a righteousness already performed and completedby the obedience of his Son (Rom 5:19). 

Not that this righteousness, by being bestowed upon us, is severedfrom Jesus Christ; for it is still his and in him. How then, maysome say, doth it become ours? I answer, by our being put intohim. For of God are we in Christ Jesus, who is made unto us, ofhim, 'righteousness. ' And again, we are made 'the righteousness ofGod in him. ' So then, the righteousness of Christ covereth his, asa man's garments cover the members of his body, for we are 'thebody of Christ, and members in particular' (1 Cor 12:27). Therighteousness therefore is Christ's; resideth still in him, andcovereth us, as the child is lapped up in its father's skirt, oras the chicken is covered with the feathers of the hen. I make useof all these similitudes thereby to inform you of my meaning; forby all these things are set forth the way of our being made righteousto justification of life (Matt 23:37; Eze 16:8; Psa 36:7). 

Now thus a man is made righteous, without any regard to what hehas, or to what is of him; for as to him, it is utterly another's. Just as if I should, with the skirts of my garments, take up andclothe some poor and naked infant that I find cast out into theopen field. Now if I cover the person, I cover scabs and sores, andulcers, and all blemishes. Hence God, by putting this righteousnessupon us, is said to hide and cover our sins. 'Blessed are theywhose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessedis the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin' (Rom 4:7, 8). Forsince this righteousness is Christ's, and counted or reckoned oursby the grace of God, it is therefore bestowed upon us, not becausewe are, but to make us righteous before the face of God. Hence, as I said, it is said to make us righteous, even as gay clothes domake a naked body fine. 'He hath made him to be sin for us, who knewno sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. '

This is of absolute necessity to be known, and to be believed. Forwithout this no man can be counted righteous before God; and if westand not righteous before God, it will benefit us nothing as tolife eternal, though we should be counted righteous by all the menon earth. Besides, if God counts me righteous, I am safe, thoughin and of myself I am nothing but a sinner, and ungodly. The reasonis, because God has a right to bestow righteousness upon me, forhe has righteousness to spare; he has also a right to forgive, because sin is the transgression of the law. Yea, he has thereforesent his Son into the world to accomplish righteousness for sinners, and God of his mercy bestows it upon those that shall receive it byfaith. Now, if God shall count me righteous, who will be so hardyas to conclude I yet shall perish? 'It is God that justifieth. Whois he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather that isrisen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makethintercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?'(Rom 8:33-35). 

Thus therefore is a man made righteous, even of God by Christ, orthrough his righteousness. Now if, as was said, a man is thus maderighteous, then in this sense he is good before God, before he hasdone anything of that which the law calls good before men; for Godmaketh not men righteous with this righteousness, because they havebeen, or have done good, but before they are capable of doing goodat all. Hence we are said to be justified while ungodly, even asan infant is clothed with the skirt of another, while naked, astouching itself (Rom 4:4, 5). Works therefore do not precede, butfollow after this righteousness; and even thus it is in nature, the tree must be good before it bear good fruit, and so also musta man. It is as impossible to make a man bring forth good fruitto God, before he is of God made good, as it is for a thorn orbramble bush to bring forth figs or grapes (Matt 7:15, 16). 

But again, a man must be righteous before he can be good; righteousby imputation, before his person, his intellectuals, can be qualifiedwith good, as to the principle of good. For neither faith, theSpirit, nor any grace, is given unto the sinner before God has madehim righteous with this righteousness of Christ. Wherefore it issaid, that after he had spread his skirt over us, he washed us withwater, that is, with the washing of sanctification (Eze 16:8, 9). And to conclude otherwise, is as much as to say that an unjustifiedman has faith, the Spirit, and the graces thereof; which to say isto overthrow the gospel. For what need of Christ's righteousnessif a man may have faith and the Spirit of Christ without it, sincethe Spirit is said to be the earnest of our inheritance, and thatby which we are sealed unto the day of redemption (Eph 1, 4). Butthe truth is, the Spirit which makes our person good, I mean thatwhich sanctifies our natures, is the fruit of the righteousnesswhich is by Jesus Christ. For as Christ died and rose again beforehe sent the Holy Ghost from heaven to his, so the benefit of hisdeath and resurrection is by God bestowed upon us, in order to theSpirit's possessing of our souls. 

Second. And this leads me to the second thing, namely, That Godmakes a man righteous by possessing[3] of him with a principle ofrighteousness, even with the spirit of righteousness (Rom 4:4, 5). For though, as to justification before God from the curse of thelaw, we are made righteous while we are ungodly, and yet sinners;yet being made free from sin thus, we forthwith become, througha change which the Holy Ghost works in our minds, the servantsof God (Rom 5:7-9). Hence it is said, 'There is therefore now nocondemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not afterthe flesh, but after the Spirit' (Rom 8:1). For though, as the apostlealso insinuates here, that being in Christ Jesus is antecedent toour walking after the Spirit; yet a man can make no demonstrationof his being in Christ Jesus, but by his walking in the Spirit; becausethe Spirit is an inseparable companion of imputed righteousness, and immediately follows it, to dwell with whosoever it is bestowedupon. Now it dwelling in us, principles[4] us in all the powers ofour souls, with that which is righteousness in the habit and natureof it. Hence the fruits of the Spirit are called 'the fruits ofgoodness and righteousness, ' as the fruits of a tree are calledthe fruit of that tree (Eph 5:9). 

And again, 'He that doth righteousness is righteous, ' not only inour first sense, but even in this also. For who can do righteousnesswithout he be principled so to do? who can act reason that hathnot reason? So none can bring forth righteousness that hath not inhim the root of righteousness, which is the Spirit of God, whichcomes to us by virtue of our being made sons of God (1 John 2:19, 3:7; Gal 4:5-7). Hence the fruits of the Spirit are called 'thefruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ unto the gloryand praise of God' (Phil 1:11). This then is the thing we say, to wit, that he that is made righteous unto justification of lifebefore God, is also habituated with a principle of righteousness, as that which follows that righteousness by which he stood justbefore. I say, as that which follows it; for it comes by JesusChrist, and by our being justified before God, and made righteousthrough him. 

This second then also comes to us before we do any act spirituallygood. For how can a man act righteousness but from a principle ofrighteousness? And seeing this principle is not of or by nature, but of and by grace, through Christ, it follows that as no man isjust before God that is not covered with the righteousness of Christ, so no man can do righteousness but by the power of the Spirit ofGod which must dwell in him. Hence we are said through the Spiritto mortify the deeds of the body, which works are preparatory tofruitful actions. The husbandman, says Paul, that laboureth, mustfirst be partaker of the fruit; so he that worketh righteousness, must first be blessed with a principle of righteousness (2 Tim2:1-6). Men must have eyes before they see, tongues before theyspeak, and legs before they go; even so must a man be made habituallygood and righteous before he can work righteousness. This then isthe second thing. God makes a man righteous by possessing him witha principle of righteousness; which principle is not of nature, but of grace; not of man, but of God. 

Third. The man in the text is practically righteous, or one thatdeclareth himself by works that are good; a virtuous, a righteousman, even as the tree declares by the apple or plum it beareth whatmanner of tree it is: 'Ye shall know them by their fruits' (Matt7:16). Fruits show outwardly what the heart is principled with:show me then thy faith, which abideth in the heart, by thy works ina well spent life. Mark how the apostle words it, We being, saithhe, 'made free from sin, and become servants to God, have our fruitunto holiness, and the end everlasting life' (Rom 6:23). 

Mark his order: first we are made free from sin; now that is bybeing justified freely by the grace of God through the redemptionwhich is in Jesus Christ, whom God has set forth to be a propitiationthrough faith in his blood. Now this is God's act, without anyregard at all to any good that the sinner has or can accomplish;'not by works of righteousness which we have done, but accordingto his mercy' thus he saveth us (Titus 3:5; Rom 3:24; 2 Tim 1:9). Now, being made free from sin, what follows? We become the servantsof God, that is, by that turn which the Holy Ghost makes upon ourheart when it reconciles it to the Word of God's grace. For that, as was said afore, is the effect of the indwelling and operationof the Holy Ghost. Now having our hearts thus changed by God andhis Word, the fruits of righteousness put forth themselves by us. For as when we were in the flesh, the motions of sin, which is inour members, did bring forth fruit unto death, so now, if we arein the Spirit, and we are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, ifso be the Spirit of Christ dwells in us, by the motions and workingsof that we have our fruit unto holiness, and the end everlastinglife (Rom 8:6, 9). 

But now by these fruits we are neither made righteous nor good;for the apple maketh not the tree good, it only declares it so tobe. Here therefore all those are mistaken that think to be righteousby doing of righteous actions, or good by doing good. A man mustfirst be righteous, or he cannot do righteousness; to wit, thatwhich is evangelically such. Now if a man is, and must be righteous, before he acts righteousness, then all his works are born too lateto make him just before God; for his works, if they be right, flowfrom the heart of a righteous man, of a man that had, before hehad any good work, a twofold righteousness bestowed on him; oneto make him righteous in the sight of God, the other to principlehim to be righteous before the world. 'That he might be called atree of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might beglorified' (Isa 63:3). 

The want of understanding of this, is that which keeps so manyin a mist of darkness about the way of salvation. For they, poorhearts! when they hear of the need that they have of a righteousnessto commend them to God, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, that is, of that which God imputeth to a man, and that by which hecounteth him righteous, have it not in their thoughts to accept ofthat unto justification of life. But presently betake themselvesto the law of works, and fall to work there for the performing ofa righteousness, that they may be accepted of God for the same;and so submit not themselves to the righteousness of God, by which, and by which only, the soul stands just before God (Rom 10:1-3). Wherefore, I say, it is necessary that this be distinctly laiddown. That a man must be righteous first, even before he dothrighteousness; the argument is plain from the order of nature: 'Fora corrupt tree cannot bring forth good fruit': wherefore make thetree good, and so his fruit good; or the tree corrupt, and hisfruit corrupt (Luke 6:43). 

Reason also says the same, for how can Blacks beget white children, when both father and mother are black? How can a man without grace, and the spirit of grace, do good; nature is defiled even to themind and conscience; how then can good fruit come from such a stock?(Titus 1:15). Besides, God accepteth not any work of a person whichis not first accepted of him; 'The Lord hath respect unto Abel andto his offering' (Gen 4:4). To Abel first, that is, before thatAbel offered. But how could God have respect to Abel, if Abel wasnot pleasing in his sight? and how could Abel be yet pleasing inhis sight, for the sake of his own righteousness, when it is plainthat Abel had not yet done good works? he was therefore firstmade acceptable in the sight of God, by and for the sake of thatrighteousness which God of his grace had put upon him to justificationof life; through and by which also the Holy Ghost in the gracesof it dwelt in Abel's soul. Now Abel being justified, and alsopossessed with this holy principle, he offers his sacrifice to God. Hence it is said, that he offered 'by faith, ' by the faith whichhe had precedent to his offering; for if through faith he offered, he had that faith before he offered; that is plain. Now his faithlooked not for acceptance for the sake of what he offered, butfor the sake of that righteousness which it did apprehend God hadalready put upon him, and by which he was made righteous; whereforehis offering was the offering of a righteous man, of a man maderighteous first; and so the text saith, 'By faith Abel offeredunto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtainedwitness that he was righteous' (Heb 11:4); that is antecedent tohis offering; for he had faith in Christ to come, by which he wasmade righteous; he also had the spirit of faith, by which he waspossessed with a righteous principle; and so being in this mannermade righteous, righteous before God, and also principled to work, he comes and offereth his more acceptable sacrifice to God. Forthis, all will grant, namely, that the works of a righteous man aremore excellent than are even the best works of the wicked. HenceCain's works came behind; for God had not made him righteous, hadno respect unto his person, had not given him the Spirit and faith, whereby alone men are made capable to offer acceptably: 'But untoCain and to his offering, the Lord had not respect' (Gen 4:5). 

From all which it is manifest, that the person must be acceptedbefore the duty performed can be pleasing unto God. And if theperson must first be accepted, it is evident that the person mustfirst be righteous; but if the person be righteous before he dothgood, then it follows that he is made righteous by righteousnessthat is none of his own, that he hath no hand in, further than toreceive it as the gracious gift of God. Deny this, and it followsthat God accepteth men without respect to righteousness; and thenwhat follows that, but that Christ is dead in vain?

We must not therefore be deceived, 'He that doeth righteousnessis righteous, even as he, ' the Lord, 'is righteous' (1 John 3:7). He doth not say he that doth righteousness shall be righteous; asif his doing works would make him so before God; but he that dothrighteousness IS righteous, antecedent to his doing righteousness. And it must be thus understood, else that which follows signifiesnothing; for he saith, 'He that doth righteousness is righteous, even as he, ' the Lord his God, 'is righteous. ' But how is the Lordrighteous? Even antecedent to his works. The Lord was righteousbefore he wrought righteousness in the world; and even so are we, to wit, every child of God. 'As he is, so are we, in this world'!(1 John 4:17). But we must in this admit of this difference; theLord was eternally and essentially righteous before he did any work, but we are imputatively righteous, and also made so by a secondwork of creation, before we do good works. It holds therefore onlyas to order; God was righteous before he made the world, and we arerighteous before we do good works. Thus, therefore, we have describedthe righteous man. First. He is one whom God makes righteous, byreckoning or imputation. Second. He is one that God makes righteousby possessing of him with a principle of righteousness. Third. Heis one that is practically righteous. Nor dare I give a narrowerdescription of a righteous man than this; nor otherwise than thus. 

1. I dare not give a narrower description of a righteous man thanthis, because whoever pretends to justification, if he be notsanctified, pretends to what he is not; and whoever pretends tosanctification, if he shows not the fruits thereof by a holy life, hedeceiveth his own heart, and professeth but in vain (James 1:22-27). [5]

2. Nor dare I give this description otherwise than thus, becausethere is a real distinction to be put between that righteousnessby which we should be just before God, and that which is in us aprinciple of sanctification; the first being the obedience of theSon of God without us, the second being the work of the Spiritin our hearts. There is also a difference to be put betwixt theprinciple by which we work righteousness, and the works themselves;as a difference is to be put betwixt the cause and the effect, thetree and the apple. 

[WHAT ARE THE DESIRES OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN?]

SECOND. I come now to the second thing into which we are to inquire, and that is, WHAT ARE THE DESIRES OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN?

My way of handling this question shall be, FIRST, To speak of thenature of desire in the general. SECOND, And then to show you, moreparticularly, what are the desires of the righteous. 

[Desires in general. ]

FIRST. For the first; desires in general may be thus described:--Theyare the workings of the heart or mind, after that of which the soulis persuaded that it is good to be enjoyed; this, I say, is sowithout respect to regulation; for we speak not now of good desires, but of desires themselves, even as they flow from the heart of ahuman creature; I say, desires are or may be called, the working ofthe heart after this or that; the strong motions of the mind untoit. Hence the love of women to their husbands is called 'theirdesires' (Gen 3:16); and the wife also is called 'the desire ofthine' the husband's 'eyes' (Eze 24:16). Also love to woman, to makeher one's wife, is called by the name of 'desire' (Deut 21:10, 11). Now, how strong the motions or passions of love are, who is therethat is an utter stranger thereto? (Cant 8:6, 7). 

Hunger is also a most vehement thing; and that which is called'hunger' in one place, is called 'desire' in another; and he desired'to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table'(Luke 16:21; Psa 145:16). Exceeding lustings are called 'desires, 'to show the vehemency of desires (Psa 106:14, 78:27-30). Longings, pantings, thirstings, prayers, &c. , if there be any life in them, are all fruits of a desirous soul. Desires therefore flow from theconsideration of the goodness, or profitableness, or pleasurablenessof a thing; yea, all desires flow from thence; for a man desiresnot that about which he has had no consideration, nor that neitheron which he has thought, if he doth not judge it will yield himsomething worth desiring. 

When Eve saw that the forbidden fruit was a beautiful tree--thoughher sight deceived her--then she desired it, and took thereofherself, and gave to her husband, and he did eat; yea, saith thetext, 'when she saw that it was a tree to be desired, to make onewise, she took' (Gen 3:6). Hence that which is called 'coveting'in one place, is called 'desiring' in another; for desires arecraving; and by desires a man seeks to enjoy what is not his (Exo20:17; Deut 5:21). From all these things, therefore, we see whatdesire is. It is the working of the heart, after that which thesoul is persuaded that it is good to be enjoyed; and of them thereare these two effects. 

First. One is--on a supposition that the soul is not satisfiedwith what it has--to cause the soul to range and hunt through theworld for something that may fill up that vacancy that yet the soulfinds in itself, and would have supplied. Hence desires are saidto be wandering, and the soul said to walk by them; 'Better is thesight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire, ' or than thewalking of the soul (Eccl 6:8, 9). Desires are hunting things, andhow many things do some empty souls seek after, both as to theworld, and also as to religion, who have desirous minds!

Second. The second effect is, If desires be strong, they carry allaway with them; they are all like Samson, they will pull down thegates of a city; but they will go out abroad; nothing can stopthe current of desires, but the enjoyment of the thing desired, ora change of opinion as to the worth or want of worth of the thingthat is desired. 

[What are the desires of the righteous. ]

SECOND. But we will now come to the thing more particularly intended, which is, To show what are the desires of the righteous; that isthat which the text calls us to the consideration of, because itsaith, 'The desire of the righteous shall be granted. '

We have hitherto spoken of desires, as to the nature of them, withoutrespect to them as good or bad; but now we shall speak to them asthey are the effects of a sanctified mind, as they are the breathings, pantings, lustings, hungerings, and thirstings of a righteous man. The text says 'the desire of the righteous shall be granted'; whatthen are the desires of the righteous? Now I will, First. Speakto their desires in the general, or with reference to them as totheir bulk. Second. I will speak to them more particularly as theywork this way and that. 

[The desires of the righteous in the general. ]

First. For their desires in the general: the same Solomon thatsaith, 'The desire of the righteous shall be granted, ' saith also, 'The desire of the righteous is only good' (Prov 11:23). Thistext giveth us, in the general, a description of the desires of arighteous man; and a sharp and smart description it is: for where, may some say, is then the righteous man, or the man that hathnone but good desires? and if it be answered they are good in themain, or good in the general, yet that will seem to come short ofan answer: for in that he saith 'the desires of the righteous areonly good, ' it is as much as to say, that a righteous man has nonebut good desires, or desireth nothing but things that are good. Wherefore, before we go any further, I must labour to reconcilethe experience of good men with this text, which thus gives us adescription of the desires of the righteous. 

A righteous man is to be considered more generally, or more strictly. 

1. More generally, as he consisteth of the whole man, of flesh andspirit, of body and soul, of grace and nature; now consider himthus, and you can by no means reconcile the text with his experience, nor his experience with the text. For as he is body, flesh, andnature--for all these are with him, though he is a righteous man--sohe has desires vastly different from those described by this text, vastly differing from what is good; yea, what is it not, that isnaught, that the flesh and nature, even of a righteous man, will notdesire? 'Do ye think that the Scripture saith in vain, The spiritthat dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?' (James 4:5). And again, 'Inme, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing' (Rom 7:18). Andagain, 'The flesh lusteth against the spirit' (Gal 5:17). And again, The lusts thereof do 'war against the soul' (1 Peter 2:11). 

From all these texts we find that a righteous man has other workings, lusts, and desires than such only that are good; here then, if weconsider of a righteous man thus generally, is no place of agreementbetwixt him and this text. We must consider of him, then, in thenext place, more strictly, as he may and is to be distinguishedfrom his flesh, his carnal lusts, and sinful nature. 

2. More strictly. Then a righteous man is taken sometimes as to orfor his best part, or as he is A SECOND CREATION; and so, or as soconsidered, his desires are only good. 

(1. ) He is taken sometimes as to or for his best part, or as he isa second creation, as these scriptures declare: 'If any man be inChrist, he is a new creature, --all things are become new' (2 Cor5:17). 'Created in Christ Jesus' (Eph 2:10). 'Born of God' (John3; 1 John 3:9). Become heavenly things, renewed after the image ofhim that created them: Colossians 3:10; Hebrews 9:23 and the like. By all which places, the sinful flesh, the old man, the law of sin, the outward man, all which are corrupt according to the deceitfullusts, are excluded, and so pared off from the man, as he isrighteous; for his 'delight in the law of God' is 'after the inwardman. ' And Paul himself was forced thus to distinguish of himself, before he could come to make a right judgment in this matter;saith he, 'That which I do, I allow not; what I would, do I not;but what I hate, that do I. ' See you not here how he cleaves himselfin twain, severing himself as he is spiritual, from himself as heis carnal; and ascribeth his motions to what is good to himselfonly as he is spiritual, or the new man: 'If then I do that whichI would not, I consent to the law that it is good' (Rom 7). 

But I trow, Sir, your consenting to what is good is not by that partwhich doth do what you would not; no, no, saith he, that which dothdo what I would not, I disown, and count it no part of sanctifiedPaul: 'Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwellethin me; for--in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing: forto will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good, I find not: for the good that I would, I do not; but the evil whichI would not, that I do: Now, if I do that I would not, it is nomore I that do it, but sin that dwells in me' (Rom 7). Thus yousee Paul is forced to make two men of himself, saying, I and I; Ido; I do not; I do, I would not do; what I hate, that I do. Now itcannot be the same I unto whom these contraries are applied; buthis sinful flesh is one I, and his godly mind the other: and indeedso he concludes it in this chapter, saying, 'So then with the mindI myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin. '

Thus therefore the Christian man must distinguish concerning himself;and doing so, he shall find, though he has flesh, and as he issuch, he hath lusts contrary to God: yet as he is a new creature, he allows not, but hates the motions and desires of the flesh, andconsents to, and wills and delights in the law of God (Rom 15:17-22). Yea, as a new creature, he can do nothing else: for the new man, inward man, or hidden man of the heart, being the immediate workof the Holy Ghost, and consisting only of that which is divineand heavenly, cannot breathe, or act, or desire to act, in waysand courses that are carnal. Wherefore, in this sense, or as therighteous man is thus considered, 'his desires are only good. '

(2. ) As the righteous man must here be taken for the best part, forthe I that would do good, for the I that hates the evil; so again, we must consider of the desires of this righteous man, as they flowfrom that fountain of grace, which is the Holy Ghost within him;and as they are immediately mixed with those foul channels, in andthrough which they must pass, before they can be put forth intoacts. For though the desire, as to its birth, and first being, isonly good; yet before it comes into much motion, it gathers thatfrom the defilements of the passages through which it comes, asmakes it to bear a tang of flesh and weakness in the skirts of it;and the evil that dwells in us is so universal, and also alwaysso ready, that as sure as there is any motion to what is good, sosure evil is present with it; 'for when' or whenever 'I would dogood, ' says Paul, 'evil is present with me' (Rom 7:21). Hence itfollows, that all our graces, and so our desires, receive disadvantageby our flesh, that mixing itself with what is good, and so abatesthe excellency of the good. 

There is a spring that yieldeth water good and clear, but thechannels through which this water comes to us are muddy, foul, or dirty: now, of the channels the waters receive a disadvantage, and so come to us as savouring of what came not with them from thefountain, but from the channels. This is the cause of the coolness, and of the weakness, of the flatness, and of the many extravaganciesthat attend some of our desires. They come warm from the Spirit andgrace of God in us; but as hot water running through cold pipes, or as clear water running through dirty conveyances, so our desires[cool and] gather soil. 

You read in Solomon's Ecclesiastes of a time when desires fail, for that 'man goeth to his long home' (Eccl 12:5). And as to gooddesires, there is not one of them, when we are in our prime, butthey fail also as to the perfecting of that which a man desires todo. 'To will is present with me, ' says Paul, 'but how to performthat which is good I find not' (Rom 7:18). To will or to desire, that is present with me, but when I have willed or desired todo, to perform is what I cannot attain to. But why not attain toa performance? Why, says he, I find a law 'in my members warringagainst the law of my mind'; and this law takes me prisoner, andbrings 'me into captivity to the law of sin, which is in my members'(Rom 7:23). Now, where things willed and desired meet with suchobstructions, no marvel if our willing and desiring, though theyset out lustily at the beginning, come yet lame home in conclusion. 

There is a man, when he first prostrates himself before God, dothit with desires as warm as fire coals; but erewhile he finds, forall that, that the metal of those desires, were it not revived withfresh supplies, would be quickly spent and grow cold. [6] But yetthe desire is good, and only good, as it comes from the breathingof the Spirit of God within us. We must therefore, as I said, distinguish betwixt what is good and that which doth annoy it, as gold is to be distinguished from the earth and dross that dothattend it. The man that believed desired to believe better, andso cries out, 'Lord, help mine unbelief' (Mark 9:24). The man thatfeared God desired to fear him better, saying, 'I desire to fear thyname' (Neh 1:11). But these desires failed, as to the performanceof what was begun, so that they were forced to come off but lamely, as to their faith and fear they had; yet the desires were true, good, and such as was accepted of God by Christ; not according towhat they had not, but as to those good motions which they had. Distinguish then the desires of the righteous in the nature ofthem, from that corruption and weakness of ours that cleaveth tothem, and then again, 'they are only good. '

(3. ) There is another thing to be considered, and that is, thedifferent frames that our inward man is in while we live as pilgrimsin the world. A man, as he is not always well without, so neitheris he always well within. Our inward man is subject to transient, though not to utter decays (Isa 1:5). And as it is when the outwardman is sick, strength and stomach, and lust, or desire fails, soit is when our inward man has caught a cold likewise (Eze 34:4). 

The inward man I call the new creature, of which the Spirit of Godis the support, as my soul supports my body. But, I say, this newman is not always well. He knows nothing that knows not this. Nowbeing sick, things fail. As when a man is not in health of body, his pulse beats so as to declare that he is sick; so when a manis not well within, his inward pulse, which are his desires--forI count the desires for the pulse of the inward man--they alsodeclare that the man is not well within. They beat too little afterGod, weak and faintly after grace; they also have their halts, theybeat not evenly, as when the soul is well, but so as to manifestall is not well there. 

We read that the church of Sardis was under sore sickness, insomuchthat some of her things were quite dead, and they that were not sowere yet ready to die (Rev 3:2). Yet 'life is life, ' we say, andas long as there is a pulse, or breath, though breath scarce ableto shake a feather, we cast not away all hope of life. Desires, then, though they be weak, are, notwithstanding, true desires, ifthey be the desires of the righteous thus described, and thereforeare truly good, according to our text. David says he 'openedhis mouth and panted, ' for he longed for God's commandments (Psa119:131). This was a sickness, but not such a one as we have beenspeaking of. The spouse also cried out that she was 'sick of love. 'Such sickness would do us good, for in it the pulse beats stronglywell (Cant 5:8). 

[Some objections answered. ]

Object. But it may be objected, I am yet in doubt of the goodnessof my desires, both because my desires run both ways, and becausethose that run towards sin and the world seem more and strongerthan those that run after God, and Christ, and grace. 

Answ. There is not a Christian under heaven but has desires thatrun both ways, as is manifest from what hath been said already. Flesh will be flesh; grace shall not make it otherwise. By fleshI mean that body of sin and death that dwelleth in the godly (Rom6:6). As grace will act according to its nature, so sin will actaccording to the nature of sin (Eph 2:3). Now, the flesh has desires, and the desires of the flesh and of the mind are both one in theungodly; thank God it is not so in thee! (Rom 7:24). The flesh, I say, hath its desires in the godly; hence it is said to lustenviously; it lusts against the Spirit; 'The flesh lusteth againstthe Spirit' (Gal 5:17). And if it be so audacious as to fly in theface of the Holy Ghost, wonder that thou art not wholly carriedaway with it! (Rom 7:25). 

Object. But those desires that run to the world and sin seem mostand strongest in me. 

Answ. The works of the flesh are manifest; that is, more plainlydiscovered even in the godly than are the works of the Holy Ghost(Gal 5:19). And this their manifestation ariseth from these followingparticulars:

1. We know the least appearance of a sin better by its native huethan we know a grace of the Spirit. 2. Sin is sooner felt in itsbitterness to and upon a sanctified soul than is the grace of God. A little aloes will be sooner tasted than will much sweet, thoughmixed therewith. 3. Sin is dreadful and murderous in the sightof a sanctified soul: wherefore the apprehending of that makes usoften forget, and often question whether we have any grace or no. 4. Grace lies deep in the hidden part, but sin lies high, and floatsabove in the flesh; wherefore it is easier, oftener seen than isthe grace of God (Psa 51:6). The little fishes swim on the top ofthe water, but the biggest and best keep down below, and so areseldomer seen. 5. Grace, as to quantity, seems less than sin. Whatis leaven, or a grain of mustard seed, to the bulky lump of a bodyof death (Matt 13:31-33). 6. Sin is seen by its own darkness, andalso in the light of the Spirit; but the Spirit itself neitherdiscovers itself, nor yet its graces, by every glance of its ownlight. 7. A man may have the Spirit busily at work in him, he mayalso have many of his graces in their vigorous acts, and yet may begreatly ignorant of either; wherefore we are not competent judgesin this case. There may a thousand acts of grace pass through thysoul, and thou be sensible of few, if any, of them. [7] 8. Do youthink that he that repents, believes, loves, fears, or humbleshimself before God, and acts in other graces too, doth always knowwhat he doth? No, no; grace many times, even in a man, is acted byhim, unawares unto him. Did Gideon, think you, believe that hewas so strong in grace as he was? Nay, was he not ready to givethe lie to the angel, when he told him God was with him? (Judg6:12, 13). Or what do you think of David, when he said he was castoff from God's eyes? (Psa 31:22). Or of Heman, when he said he wasfree among them whom God remembered no more? (Psa 88). Did these, then, see their graces so clear, as they saw themselves by theirsins to be unworthy ones? I tell you it is a rare thing for someChristians to see their graces, but a thing very common for suchto see their sins; yea, and to feel them too, in their lusts anddesires, to the shaking of their souls. 

Quest. But since I have lusts and desires both ways, how shall Iknow to which my soul adheres?

Answ. This may be known thus: 1. Which wouldest thou have prevail?the desires of the flesh, or the lusts of the spirit, whose sideart thou of? Doth not thy soul now inwardly say, and that witha strong indignation, O let God, let grace, let my desires thatare good, prevail against my flesh, for Jesus Christ his sake? 2. What kind of secret wishes hast thou in thy soul when thou feelestthe lusts of thy flesh to rage? Dost thou not inwardly, and withindignation against sin, say, O that I might never, never feel onesuch motion more? O that my soul were so full of grace, that theremight be longer no room for ever for the least lust to come intomy thoughts! 3. What kind of thoughts hast thou of thyself, nowthou seest these desires of thine that are good so briskly opposedby those that are bad? Dost thou not say, O! I am the basest ofcreatures, I could even spew at myself? There is no man in all theworld in my eyes so loathsome as myself is. I abhor myself; a toadis not so vile as I am. [8] O Lord, let me be anything but a sinner, anything, so thou subduest mine iniquities for me! 4. How dost thoulike the discovery of that which thou thinkest is grace in othermen? Dost thou not cry out, O, I bless them in my heart! O, methinksgrace is the greatest beauty in the world! Yea, I could be contentto live and die with those people that have the grace of God intheir souls. A hundred times, and a hundred, when I have been uponmy knees before God, I have desired, were it the will of God, thatI might be in their condition. 5. How art thou when thou thinkestthat thou thyself hast grace? O then, says the soul, I am as if Icould leap out of myself; joy, joy, joy then is with my heart. Itis, methinks, the greatest mercy under heaven to be made a graciousman. 

And is it thus with thy soul indeed? Happy man! It is grace thathas thy soul, though sin at present works in thy flesh. Yea, allthese breathings are the very actings of grace, even of the graceof desire, of love, of humility, and of the fear of God withinthee. Be of good courage, thou art on the right side. Thy desiresare only good; for that thou hast desired against thy sin, thysinful self; which indeed is not thyself, but sin that dwells inthee. [9]

[The distinct or particular desires of the righteous. ]

Second. I come next to speak of desires more distinctly, or particularly, as they work this way and that. First, then, the desires of therighteous are either such as they would have accomplished here; orelse, Second, such as they know they cannot come at the enjoymentof till after death. 

[Desires that may be accomplished or enjoyed in this life. ]

First. For the first of these, the desires of the righteous are forsuch good things as they could have accomplished here; that is, inthis world, while they are on this side glory. And they, in general, are comprised under these two general heads:--1. Communion with theirGod in spirit, or spiritual communion with him; 2. The liberty ofthe enjoyment of his holy ordinances. And, indeed, this second is, that they may both attain to, and have the first maintained withthem. But for the first:

1. They desire now communion with God. 'With my soul, ' said she, 'have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within mewill I seek thee early' (Isa 26:9). The reason of this she rendersin the verse foregoing, saying, 'The desire of our soul is to thyname, and to the remembrance of thee. '

Now, thus to desire, declares one already made righteous. For hereinthere appears a mind reconciled to God. Wherefore the wicked areset on the other side, even in that opposition to these; 'theysay unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not the knowledge ofthy ways' (Job 21:14). They neither love his presence, nor to befrequenters of his ordinances. 'What is the Almighty that we shouldserve him? and what profit should we have if we pray unto him?'(Job 21:15). So, again, speaking of the wicked, he saith, 'Ye havesaid it is vain to serve God, and what profit is it that we havekept his ordinance?' (Mal 3:14). This, then, to desire truly tohave communion with God, is the property of a righteous man, ofa righteous man only; for this desire arises from a suitablenesswhich is in the righteous unto God; 'Whom, ' said the Prophet, 'haveI in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desirebeside thee' (Psa 73:25). This could never be the desire of a man, were he not a righteous man, a man with a truly sanctified mind. 'The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject tothe law of God, neither indeed can be' (Rom 8:7). 

When Moses, the man of God, was with the children of Israel in thewilderness, he prays that God would give them his presence untoCanaan, or else to let them die in that place. It was death to himto think of being in the wilderness without God! And he said untoGod, 'If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence' (Exo33:14, 15). Here, then, are the desires of a righteous man--namely, after communion with God. He chooses rather to be a stranger withGod in the world, than to be a citizen of the world and a strangerto God. 'For I am, ' said David, 'a stranger with thee, and a sojourner, as all my fathers were' (Psa 39:12). Indeed, he that walketh withGod is but a stranger to this world. And the righteous man's desiresare to, for, and after communion with God, though he be so. 

The reasons of these desires are many. In communion with God is lifeand favour; yea, the very presence of God with a man is a token ofit (Psa 30:3-5). For by his presence he helps, succours, relieves, and supports the hearts of his people, and therefore is communionwith him desired. 'I will, ' said David, 'behave myself wisely ina perfect way; O when wilt thou come unto me?' (Psa 101:2). Thepleasures that such a soul finds in God that has communion withhim are surpassing all pleasures and delights, yea, infinitelysurpassing them. 'In thy presence is fulness of joy, at thy righthand there are pleasures for evermore' (Psa 16:11). Upon this accounthe is called the desire of all nations--of all in all nations thatknow him. Job desired God's presence, that he might reason withGod. 'Surely, ' said he, 'I would speak to the Almighty, and I desireto reason with God' (Job 13:3). And again, 'O that one would hearme! Behold my desire is that the Almighty would answer me' (Job31:35). But why doth Job thus desire to be in the presence of God!O! he knew that God was good, and that he would speak to him thatwhich would do him good. 'Will he plead against me with his greatpower? No: but he would put strength into me. There the righteousmight dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from myjudge' (Job 23:6, 7). 

God's presence is the safety of a man. If God be with one, who canhurt one? As HE said, 'If God be for us, who can be against us?'Now, if so much safety flows from God's being for one, how safeare we when God is with us? 'The beloved of the Lord, ' said Moses, 'shall dwell in safety by him, and the Lord shall cover him all theday long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders' (Deut 33:12). God's presence keeps the heart awake to joy, and will make a mansing in the night (Job 35:10). 'Can the children of the bridechambermourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them?' (Matt 9:15). God'spresence is feasting, and feasting is made for mirth (Rev 3:20;Eccl 10:19). God's presence keeps the heart tender, and makes itready to fall in with what is made known as duty or privilege (Isa64:1). 'I will run the ways of thy commandments, ' said the Psalmist, 'when thou shalt enlarge my heart' (Psa 119:32). The presence ofGod makes a man affectionately and sincerely good; yea, makes himwilling to be searched and stripped from all the remains of iniquity(Psa 26:1-3). 

What, what shall I say? God's presence is renewing, transforming, seasoning, sanctifying, commanding, sweetening, and enlightening tothe soul! Nothing like it in all the world; his presence suppliesall wants, heals all maladies, saves from all dangers; is life indeath, heaven in hell; all in all. No marvel, then, if the presenceof, and communion with, God, is become the desire of a righteousman (Psa 26:9). To conclude this, by the presence of God being withus, it is known to ourselves, and to others, what we are. 'If thypresence, ' said Moses, 'go not with me, carry us not up hence. Forwherein shall it be known here, that I and thy people have foundgrace in thy sight, is it not in that thou goest with us? So shallwe be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that areupon the face of the earth' (Exo 33:15, 16). 

They are then best known to themselves. They know they are hispeople, because God's presence is with them. Therefore he saith, 'My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest' (Exo33:14). That is, let thee know that thou hast found grace in mysight, and art accepted of me. For if God withdraws himself, orhides his presence from his people, it is hard for them to bearup in the steadfast belief that they belong to him. 'Be not silentto me, ' O Lord, said David, 'lest I become like them that go downinto the pit' (Psa 28:1). 'Be not silent unto me, ' that is, ashe has it in another place, 'Hide not thy face from me. Hear mespeedily, O Lord, ' saith he, 'my spirit faileth; hide not thy facefrom me, lest I be like unto them that go down into the pit' (Psa143:7). So that God's presence is the desire of the righteous forthis cause also, even for that by it they gather that God delightethin them. 'By this I know that thou favourest me, because mineenemies doth not triumph over me' (Psa 41:11). And is this all? No. 'And as for me, thou upholdest me in mine integrity, and settestme before thy face for ever' (Psa 41:12). 

As by the presence of God being with us we know ourselves to bethe people of God: so by this presence of God the world themselvesare sometimes convinced who we are also. 

Thus Abimelech saw that God was with Abraham (Gen 21:22). ThusAbimelech saw that God was with Isaac (Gen 26:20, 29). Pharaoh knewthat God was with Joseph (Gen 41:38). Saul 'saw and knew that theLord was with David' (1 Sam 18:28). Saul's servant knew that theLord was with Samuel (1 Sam 9:6). Belshazzar's queen knew, also, thatGod was with Daniel. Darius knew, also, that God was with Daniel. And when the enemy saw the boldness of Peter and John, 'they tookknowledge of them that they had been with Jesus' (Acts 4:13). Thegirl that was a witch, knew that Paul was a servant of the mosthigh God (Acts 16:17). There is a glory upon them that have Godwith them, a glory that sometimes glances and flashes out into thefaces of those that behold the people of God; 'And all that sat inthe council, looking stedfastly upon him, saw Stephen's face, asit had been the face of an angel'; such rays of Divine majesty didshow themselves therein (Acts 6:15). 

The reason is, for that, (1. ) such have with them the wisdomof God (2 Sam 14:17-20). (2. ) Such, also, have special bowels andcompassions of God for others. (3. ) Such have more of his majestyupon them than others (1 Sam 16:4). (4. ) Such, their words andways, their carriages and doings, are attended with that of Godthat others are destitute of (1 Sam 3:19, 20). (5. ) Such are holier, and of more convincing lives in general, than other people are (2Kings 4:9). Now there is both comfort and honour in this; for whatcomfort like that of being a holy man of God? And what honour likethat of being a holy man of God? This, therefore, is the desireof the righteous, to wit, to have communion with God. Indeed nonelike God, and to be desired as he, in the thoughts of a righteousman. 

2. And this leads me to the second thing, namely, The liberty ofthe enjoyment of his holy ordinances; for, next to God himself, nothing is so dear to a righteous man as the enjoyment of his holyordinances. 

'One thing, ' said David, 'have I desired of the Lord, that willI seek after, ' namely, 'that I may dwell in the house of the Lordall the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and toinquire in his temple' (Psa 27:4). The temple of the Lord was thedwelling-house of God, there he recorded his name, and there hemade known himself unto his people (Psa 11:4; Habb 2:20). Whereforethis was the cause why David so earnestly desired to dwell theretoo, 'To behold, ' saith he, 'the beauty of the Lord, and to inquirein his temple. ' There he had promised his presence to his people, yea, and to bring thither a blessing for them; 'In all places whereI record my name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee'(Exo 20:24). For this cause, therefore, as I said, it is why therighteous do so desire that they may enjoy the liberty of the ordinancesand appointments of their God; to wit, that they may attain to, andhave communion maintained with him. Alas! the righteous are as itwere undone, if God's ordinances be taken from them: 'How amiableare thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts. My soul longeth, yea, evenfainteth for the courts of the Lord, my heart and my flesh criethout for the living God' (Psa 84:1, 2). Behold what a taking the goodman was in, because at this time he could not attain to so frequenta being in the temple of God as his soul desired. It even longedand fainted, yea, and his heart and his flesh cried out for theGod that dwelt in the temple at Jerusalem. 

Yea, he seems in the next words to envy the very birds that couldmore commonly frequent the temple than he: 'The sparrow, ' saithhe, 'hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, whereshe may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, myKing, and my God' (Psa 84:3). And then blesseth all them that hadthe liberty of temple worship, saying, 'Blessed are they that dwellin thy house, they will be still praising thee' (Psa 84:4). Thenhe cries up the happiness of those that in Zion do appear beforeGod (Psa 84:7). After this he cries out unto God, that he wouldgrant him to be partaker of this high favour, saying, 'O Lord Godof hosts, hear my prayer, ' &c. 'For a day in thy courts is betterthan a thousand: I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of myGod, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness' (Psa 84:8-10). 

But why is all this? what aileth the man thus to express himself?Why, as I said, the temple was the great ordinance of God; therewas his true worship performed, there God appeared, and there hispeople were to find him. This was, I say, the reason why the Psalmistchose out, and desired this one thing, above all the things thatwere under heaven, even 'to behold there the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple. ' There were to be seen the shadowsof things in the heavens; the candlestick, the table of shewbread, the holiest of all, where was the golden censer, the ark of thecovenant overlaid round about with gold, the golden pot that hadmanna, Aaron's rod that budded, the tables of the covenant, and thecherubims of glory overshadowing the mercy-seat, which were all ofthem then things by which God showed himself merciful to them (Heb9:1-5 compared with 9:23 and 8:5). 

Do you think that love-letters are not desired between lovers?Why these, God's ordinances, they are his love-letters, and hislove-tokens too. No marvel then if the righteous do so desire them:'More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold;sweeter also than honey and the honey-comb' (Psa 19:10, 119:72-127). Yea, this judgment wisdom itself passes upon these things. 'Receive, 'saith he, 'my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather thanchoice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies: and all the thingsthat may be desired, are not to be compared to it' (Prov 8:10, 11). For this cause therefore are the ordinances of God so much desiredby the righteous. In them they meet with God; and by them they arebuilded, and nourished up to eternal life. 'As new born babes, 'says Peter, 'desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may growthereby' (1 Peter 2:2). As milk is nourishing to children, so isthe word heard, read, and meditated on, to the righteous. Thereforeit is their desire. 

Christ made himself known to them in breaking of bread; who, who would not then, that loves to know him, be present at such anordinance? (Luke 24:35). Ofttimes the Holy Ghost, in the comfortableinfluence of it, has accompanied the baptized in the very act ofadministering it. [10] Therefore, 'in the way of thy judgments, 'or appointments, 'O Lord, we thy people have waited for thee: thedesire of their soul is to thy name, and to the remembrance of thee'(Isa 26:8). Church fellowship, or the communion of saints, is theplace where the Son of God loveth to walk; his first walking was inEden, there he converted our first parents: 'And come, my beloved, 'says he, 'let us get up to the vineyards; let us see if the vineflourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranatesbud forth; there will I give thee my loves' (Cant 7:12). Churchfellowship, rightly managed, is the glory of all the world. No place, no community, no fellowship, is adorned and bespangled with thosebeauties as is a church rightly knit together to their head, andlovingly serving one another. 'In his temple doth every one speakof his glory' (Psa 29:9). Hence the church is called the place ofGod's desire on earth. 'This is my rest for ever, here I will dwell, for I have desired it' (Psa 132:13-16). And again, thus the churchconfesseth when she saith, 'I am my beloved's, and his desire istowards me' (Cant 7:10). [11]

No marvel then if this be the one thing that David desired, andthat which he would seek after, namely, 'to dwell in the house ofthe Lord all the days of his life. ' And this also shows you the reasonwhy God's people of old used to venture so hardly for ordinances, and to get to them with the peril of their lives, 'because of thesword of the wilderness' (Lam 5:9). [12]

They were their bread, they were their water, they were their milk, they were their honey. Hence the sanctuary was called 'the desireof their eyes, and that which their soul pitieth, or the pity oftheir soul. ' They had rather have died than lost it, or than thatit should have been burned down as it was (Eze 24:21, 25). 

When the children of Israel had lost the ark, they count thatthe glory was departed from Israel. But when they had lost all, what a complaint made they then! 'He hath violently taken awayhis tabernacles, as if it were of a garden, he hath destroyed hisplaces of the assembly. The Lord hath caused the solemn feasts andsabbaths to be forgotten in Sion, and hath despised, in the indignationof his anger, the king and the priest' (Lam 2:6). Wherefore, uponthis account, it was that the church in those days counted thepunishment of her iniquity greater than the punishment of Sodom(Lam 4:6; 1 Sam 4:22). 

By these few hints you may perceive what is the 'desire of therighteous. ' But this is spoken of with reference to things present, to things that the righteous desire to enjoy while they are here;communion with God while here; and his ordinances in their puritywhile here. I come, therefore, in the second place, to show youthat the righteous have desires that reach further, desires thathave so long a neck as to look into the world to come. 

[Desires that can only be accomplished or enjoyed in eternity. ]

Second. Then the desires of the righteous are after that whichyet they know cannot be enjoyed till after death. And those arecomprehended under these two heads--1. They desire that presence oftheir Lord which is personal. 2. They desire to be in that countrywhere their Lord personally is, that heavenly country. 

1. [They desire that presence of their Lord which is personal. ] Forthe first of these, says Paul, 'I have a desire to depart, and tobe with Christ. ' Thus you have it in Philippians 1:23, 'I have adesire to be with Christ. '

In our first sort of desires, I told you that the righteous desiredspiritual communion with God; and now I tell you they desire tobe with Christ's person--'I have a desire to be with Christ'; thatis, with his person, that I may enjoy his personal presence, sucha presence of his as we are not capable to enjoy while here. Hencehe says, 'I have a desire to depart, that I might be with him;knowing, ' as he says in another place, 'that whilst we are at homein the body, we are, ' and cannot but be, 'absent from the Lord' (2Cor 5:6). Now this desire, as I said, is a desire that hath a longneck; for it can look over the brazen wall of this, quite intoanother world; and as it hath a long neck, so it is very forcibleand mighty in its operation. 

(1. ) This desire breeds a divorce, a complete divorce, betwixtthe soul and all inordinate love and affections to relations andworldly enjoyments. This desire makes a married man live as if hehad no wife; a rich man lives as if he possessed not what he has, &c. (1 Cor 7:29, 30). This is a soul-sequestering desire. This desiremakes a man willing rather to be absent form all enjoyments, thathe may be present with the Lord. This is a famous desire; none haththis desire but a righteous man. There are that profess much loveto Christ, that yet never had such a desire in them all their lifelong. No, the relation that they stand in to the world, togetherwith those many flesh-pleasing accommodations with which they aresurrounded, would never yet suffer such a desire to enter intotheir hearts. 

(2. ) The strength of this desire is such, that it is ready, sofar forth as it can, to dissolve that sweet knot of union that isbetwixt body and soul, a knot more dear to a reasonable creaturethan that can be which is betwixt wife and husband, parent andchild, or a man and his estate. For even 'all that a man hath willhe give for his life, ' and to keep body and soul firmly knit together. But now, when this desire comes, this 'silver cord is loosed'; isloosed by consent. This desire grants to him that comes to dissolvethis union leave to do it delightfully. 'We are confident andwilling rather to be absent from the body, and to be present withthe Lord' (2 Cor 5:8). Yea, this desire makes this flesh, this mortallife, a burden. The man that has this desire exercises self-denial, while he waits till his desired change comes. For were it notthat the will of God is that he should live, and did he not hopethat his life might be serviceable to the truth and church of God, he would not have wherewith to cool the heart of this desire, butwould rather, in a holy passion with holy Job, cry out, 'I loathe, 'or I abhor it, 'I would not live alway: let me alone, ' that I maydie, 'for my days are vanity' (Job 7:15-17). 

(3. ) The strength of this desire shows itself in this also, namely, in that it is willing to grapple with the king of terrors, ratherthan to be detained from that sweet communion that the soul looksfor when it comes into the place where its Lord is. Death is notto be desired for itself; the apostle chose rather to be clothedupon with his house which is from heaven, 'that mortality might beswallowed up of life' (2 Cor 5:1-4). But yet, rather than he wouldbe absent from the Lord, he was willing to be absent from the body. Death, in the very thoughts of it, is grievous to flesh and blood;and nothing can so master it in our apprehensions as that by whichwe attain to these desires. These desires do deal with death, asJacob's love to Rachel did deal with the seven long years which hewas to serve for her. It made them seem few, or but a little time;now so, I say, doth these desires deal with death itself. Theymake it seem little, nay, a servant, nay, a privilege; for that, by that a man may come to enjoy the presence of his beloved Lord. 'I have a desire to depart, ' to go from the world and relations, to go from my body, that great piece of myself; I have a desire toventure the tugs and pains, and the harsh handling of the king ofterrors, so I may be with Jesus Christ! These are desires of therighteous. 

Are not these therefore strong desires? is there not life and mettlein them? have they not in them power to loose the bands of nature, and to harden the soul against sorrow? flow they not, think you, from faith of the finest sort, and are they not bred in the bosomof a truly mortified soul? are these the effects of a purblindspirit? are they not rather the fruits of an eagle-eyed confidence?O these desires! they are peculiar to the righteous; they are noneothers but the desires of the righteous. 

Quest. But why do the righteous desire to be with Christ?

Answ. And I ask, Why doth the wife--that is, as the loving hind--loveto be in the presence of her husband?

1. Christ in glory is worth the being with. If the man out of whomthe Lord Jesus did cast a legion, prayed that he might be with him, notwithstanding all the trials that attended him in this life, howcan it be but that a righteous man must desire to be with him nowhe is in glory? What we have heard concerning the excellency ofhis person, the unspeakableness of his love, the greatness of hissufferings, and the things that he still is doing for us, mustneeds command our souls into a desire to be with him. When we haveheard of a man among us that has done for us some excellent thing, the next thing that our hearts doth pitch upon is, I would I couldset mine eyes upon him. But was ever heard the like to what JesusChrist has done for sinners? who then that hath the faith ofhim can do otherwise but desire to be with him? It was that whichsome time comforted John, that the time was coming that he shouldsee him (1 John 3:2). But that consideration made him bray like ahart, [13] to hasten the time that he might set his eyes upon himquickly (Rev 22:20). To see Jesus Christ, then, to see him as heis, to see him as he is in glory, is a sight that is worth goingfrom relations, and out of the body, and through the jaws of deathto see; for this is to see him head over all, to see him possessedof heaven for his church, to see him preparing of mansion-housesfor those his poor ones that are now by his enemies kicked to andfro, like footballs in the world; and is not this a blessed sight?

2. I have a desire to be with him, to see myself with him; this ismore blessed still; for, for a man to see himself in glory, thisis a sight worthy seeing. Sometimes I look upon myself, and say, Where am I now? and do quickly return answer to myself again, Why, I am in an evil world, a great way from heaven; in a sinful body, among devils and wicked men; sometimes benighted, sometimes beguiled, sometimes fearing, sometimes hoping, sometimes breathing, sometimesdying, and the like. But then I turn the tables, and say, Butwhere shall I be shortly? where shall I see myself anon, after afew times more have passed over me? And when I can but answer thisquestion thus--I shall see myself with Jesus Christ; this yieldsglory, even glory to one's spirit now: no marvel, then, if therighteous desire to be with Christ. 

3. I have a desire to be with Christ; there the spirits of the justare perfected; there the spirits of the righteous are as full asthey can hold (Heb 12:23). A sight of Jesus in the Word, some knowhow it will change them from glory to glory (2 Cor 3:18), but howthen shall we be changed and filled, when we shall see him as heis? 'When he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall seehim as he is' (1 John 3:2). Moses and Elias appeared to Peter, andJames, and John, at the transfiguration of Christ, in glory. Howso? Why, they had been in the heavens, and came thence with someof the glories of heaven upon them. Gild a bit of wood, yea, gildit seven times over, and it must not compare in difference to woodnot gilt, to the soul that but a little while has been dipped inglory! Glory is a strange thing to men that are on this side ofthe heavens; it is that which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, norentered into the heart of man to conceive of; only the Christianhas a Word and Spirit that at times doth give a little of theglimmering thereof unto him. But O! when he is in the Spirit, andsees in the Spirit, do you think his tongue can tell? But, I say, if the sight of heaven, at so vast a distance, is so excellenta prospect, what will it look like when one is in it? No marvel, then, if the desires of the righteous are to be with Christ. 

Object. But if this be the character of a righteous man, to desireto depart and to be with Christ, I am none of them, for I neverhad such a desire in my heart; no, my fears of perishing will notsuffer me either to desire to die to be with Christ, nor that Christshould come to judge the world. 

Answ. Though thine is a case that must be excepted, for that thydesires may not as yet be grown so high; yet if thou art a righteousman, thy heart has in it the very seeds thereof. There are thereforedesires, and desires to desire; as one child can reach so high, andthe other can but desire to do so. Thou, if thou art a righteousman, hast desires, these desires ready to put forth into act, when they are grown a little stronger, or when their impediment isremoved. Many times it is with our desires as it is with saffron, [14]it will bloom and blossom, and be ripe, and all in a night. Tellme, dost thou not desire to desire? Yea, dost thou not vehementlydesire to desire to depart and to be with Christ? I know, if thouart a righteous man, thou dost. There is a man sows his field withwheat, but as he sows, soon it is covered with great clods; now, that grows as well as the rest, though it runs not upright as yet;it grows, and yet is kept down, so do thy desires; and when oneshall remove the clod, the blade will soon point upwards. 

I know thy mind; that which keeps thee that thou canst not yet arriveto this--to desire to depart and to be with Christ, is because somestrong doubt or clod of unbelief, as to thy eternal welfare, lieshard upon thy desiring spirit. Now let but Jesus Christ removethis clod, and thy desires will quickly start up to be gone. I say, let but Jesus Christ give thee one kiss, and with his lips, as hekisses thee, whisper to thee the forgiveness of thy sins, and thouwilt quickly break out, and say, Nay then, Lord, let me die inpeace, since my soul is persuaded of thy salvation!

There is a man upon the bed of languishing; but O! he dares notdie, for all is not as he would have it betwixt God and his poorsoul; and many a night he lies thus in great horror of mind; butdo you think that he doth not desire to depart? Yes, yes, he alsowaits and cries to God to set his desires at liberty. At lastthe visitor comes and sets his soul at ease, by persuading of himthat he belongs to God: and what then? 'O! now let me die, welcomedeath!' Now he is like the man in Essex, who, when his neighbourat his bedside prayed for him that God would restore him to health, started up in his bed, and pulled him by the arm, and cried out, No, no, pray that God will take me away, for to me it is best togo to Christ. 

The desires of some good Christians are pinioned, and cannot stir, especially these sort of desires; but Christ can and will cut thecord some time or other: and then thou that wouldst shalt be ableto say, 'I have a desire to depart, and to be with Jesus Christ. 'Meantime, be thou earnest to desire to know thy interest in thegrace of God; for there is nothing short of the knowledge of thatcan make thee desire to depart, that thou mayest be with Christ. This is that that Paul laid as the ground of his desires to be gone:'We know, ' says he, 'that if our earthly house of this tabernaclewere dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made withhands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestlydesiring to be clothed upon with our house, which is from heaven'(2 Cor 5:1, 2). And know, that if thy desires be right they willgrow as other graces do, from strength to strength; only in thisthey can grow no faster than faith grows as to justification, andthen hope grows as to glory. But we will leave this and come tothe second thing. 

2. [They desire to be in that country where their Lord personallyis. ] As the righteous men desire to be present with Jesus Christ, so they desire to be with him in that country where he is: 'Butnow they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly; whereforeGod is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath preparedfor them a city' (Heb 11:14-16). 'But now they desire a bettercountry. ' Here is a comparison. There was another country, to wit, their native country, the country from whence they came out, thatin which they left their friends and their pleasures for the sakeof another world, which, indeed, is a better country, as is manifestfrom its character. 'It is an heavenly. ' As high as heaven is abovethe earth, so much better is that country which is a heavenly, thanis this in which now we are. 

A heavenly country, where there is a heavenly Father (Matt 6:14-16, 15:13, 18:35), a heavenly host (Luke 2:13), heavenly things (John3:12), heavenly visions (Acts 26:19), heavenly places (Eph 1:3, 20), a heavenly kingdom (2 Tim 4:18), and the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb12:22), for them that are partakers of the heavenly calling (Heb3:1), and that are the heavenly things themselves (Heb 9:23). Thisis a country to be desired, and therefore no marvel if any, exceptthose that have lost their wits and senses, refuse to choosethemselves an habitation here. Here is the 'Mount Zion, the city ofthe living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and an innumerable companyof angels: here is the general assembly and church of the firstborn, and God the Judge of all, and Jesus, and the spirits of just menmade perfect' (Heb 12:22-24). Who would not be here? This is thecountry that the righteous desire for a habitation: 'but now theydesire a better country, that is, an heavenly; wherefore God isnot ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for thema city' (Heb 11:16). 

Mark, they desire a country, and God prepareth for them a city; hegoes beyond their desires, beyond their apprehensions, beyond whattheir hearts could conceive to ask for. There is none that areweary of this world from a gracious disposition that they have toan heavenly, but God will take notice of them, will own them, andnot be ashamed to own them; yea, such shall not lose their longing. They desire a handful, God gives them a seaful; they desire acountry, God prepares for them a city; a city that is an heavenly;a city that has foundation, a city whose builder and maker is God(Heb 11:10; Rev 3:12). And all this is, that the promise to themmight be fulfilled, 'The desire of the righteous shall be granted. 'And this is the last thing propounded to be spoken to from thetext. Therefore, [WHAT IS MEANT BY GRANTING THESE DESIRES. ]

THIRD. We then, in conclusion, come to inquire into WHAT IS MEANT, or to be understood, BY THE GRANTING OF THE RIGHTEOUS THEIR DESIRES;'The desire of the righteous shall be granted. '

FIRST. To grant is to yield to what is desired, to consent that itshall be even so as is requested: 'The Lord hear thee in the day oftrouble, the name of the God of Jacob defend thee; send thee helpfrom the sanctuary, and strengthen thee out of Zion, remember allthy--sacrifices: grant thee according to thine own heart and fulfilall thy counsel' (Psa 20:1-4). SECOND. To grant is to accomplishwhat is promised; thus God granted to the Gentiles repentance untolife, namely, for that he had promised it by the prophets from thedays of old (Acts 11:18; Rom 15:9-12). THIRD. To grant, therefore, is an act of grace and condescending favour; for if God is said tohumble himself when he beholds things in heaven, what condescensionis it for him to hearken to a sinful wretch on earth, and to tellhim, Have the thing which thou desireth. A wretch, I call him, ifcompared to him that hears him, though he is a righteous man, whenconsidered as the new creation of God. FOURTH. To grant, then, isnot to part with the thing desired, as if a desire merited, purchased, earned, or deserved it, but of bounty and goodwill, to bestow thething desired upon the humble. Hence God's grants are said to begracious ones (Psa 119:29). FIFTH. I will add, that to grant issometimes taken for giving one authority or power to do, or possess, or enjoy such and such privileges; and so it may be taken here: forthe righteous has a right to a power, to enjoy the things bestowedon them by their God. So, then, to grant is to give, to accomplish, even of free grace, the desire of the righteous. 

This is acknowledged by David, where he saith to God, 'Thou hastgiven him his heart's desire, and hast not withholden the requestof his lips' (Psa 21:2). And this is promised unto all that delightthemselves in God, 'Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shallgive thee the desires of thy heart' (Psa 37:4). And again, 'He willfulfil the desire of them that fear him, he also will hear theircry, and will save them' (Psa 145:19). By all these places itis plain, that the promise of granting desires is entailed to therighteous, and also that the grant to them is an act of grace andmercy. But it also follows, that though the desires of the righteousare not meritorious, yet they are pleasing in his sight; and thisis manifest several ways, besides the promise of a grant of them. 

First. In that the desires of God, and the desires of the righteous, jump or agree in one, they are of one mind in their desires: God'sdesire is to the work of his hands, and the righteous are forsurrendering that up to him. 1. In giving up the heart unto him;'My son, ' says God, 'give me thy heart' (Prov 23:26). 'I lift mysoul to thee, ' says the righteous man (Psa 25:1, 86:4; Lam 3:41). Here, therefore, there is an agreement between God and the righteous;it is, I say, agreed on both sides that God should have the heart:God desires it, the righteous man desires it, yea, he desires itwith a groan, saying, 'Incline my heart unto thy testimony' (Psa119:36). 'Let my heart be sound in thy statutes' (Psa 119:80). 2. They are also agreed about the disposing of the whole man: God isfor body, and soul, and spirit; and the righteous desires that Godshould have it all. Hence they are said to give themselves to theLord (2 Cor 8:5), and to addict themselves to his service (1 Cor15:16). 3. God desireth truth in the inward parts, that is, that truthmay be at the bottom of all (Psa 51:6, 16), and this is the desireof the righteous man likewise: 'Thy word have I hid in my heart, 'said David, 'that I might not sin against thee' (Psa 119:11). 4. They agree in the way of justification, in the way of sanctification, in the way of preservation, and in the way of glorification, to wit, which way to come at and enjoy all: wherefore, who should hinderthe righteous man, or keep him back from enjoying the desire ofhis heart? 5. They also agree about the sanctifying of God's namein the world, saying, 'Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 'There is a great agreement between God and the righteous; 'he thatis joined to the Lord is one spirit' (1 Cor 6:17). No marvel, then, if their desires in the general, so far as the righteous man dothknow the mind of his God, are one, consequently their desires mustbe granted, or God must deny himself. 

Second. The desires of the righteous are the life of all their prayers;and it is said, 'The prayer of the upright is God's delight. '

Jesus Christ put a difference betwixt the form and spirit that isin prayer, and intimates the soul of prayer is in the desires ofa man; 'Therefore, ' saith he, 'I say unto you, What things soeverye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shallhave them' (Mark 11:24). If a man prays never so long, and has neverso many brave expressions in prayer, yet God counts it prayer nofurther than there are warm and fervent desires in it, after thosethings the mouth maketh mention of. David saith, 'Lord, all mydesire is before thee, and my groaning is not hid from thee' (Psa38:9). Can you say you desire, when you pray? or that your prayerscome from the braying, panting, and longing of your hearts? If not, they shall not be granted: for God looks, when men are at prayer, to see if their heart and spirit is in their prayers; for he countsall other but vain speaking. Ye shall seek me, and find me, sayshe, when you shall search for me with all your heart (Rom 8:26, 27;Matt 6:7; Jer 29:12). The people that you read of in 2 Chronicles15 are there said to do what they did 'with all their heart, andwith all their soul. ' 'For they sought God with their whole desire'(2 Chron 15:11-15). When a man's desires put him upon prayer, runalong with him in his prayer, break out of his heart and ascend upto heaven with his prayers, it is a good sign that he is a righteousman, and that his desire shall be granted. 

Third. By desire a righteous man shows more of his mind for God, than he can by any manner of way besides; hence it is said, 'Thedesire of man is his kindness, and a poor man, ' that is sincerein his desires, 'is better than' he that with his mouth shows muchlove, if he be 'a liar' (Prov 19:22). 

Desires, desires, are copious things; you read that a man may 'enlargehis desire as hell' (Habb 2:5), that is, if they be wicked; yea, and a righteous man may enlarge his desires as heaven (Psa 73:25). No grace is so extensive as desires. Desires out-go all. Who believesas he desires to believe? and loves as he desires to love? andfears as he desires to fear God's name? (Neh 1:11). Might it beas a righteous man doth sometimes desire it should be, both withGod's church, and also with his own soul, stranger things would bethan there are; faith, and love, and holiness, would flourish morethan it does! O! what does a righteous man desire? What do you thinkthe prophet desired, when he said, 'O that thou wouldest rend theheavens and--come down?' (Isa 54:1). And Paul, when he said, hecould wish that himself were accursed from Christ, for the vehementdesire that he had that the Jews might be saved? (Rom 9:1-3, 10:1). Yea, what do you think John desired, when he cried out to Christto come quickly?

Love to God, as I said, is more seen in desires than in any Christianact. Do you think that the woman with her two mites cast in allthat she desired to cast into the treasury of God? Or do you think, when David said that he had prepared for the house of God withall his might, that his desires stinted when his ability was atits utmost? (1 Chron 29). No, no; desires go beyond all actions;therefore I said it is the desires of a man that are reckoned forhis kindness. Kindness is that which God will not forget; I mean thekindness which his people show to him, especially in their desiresto serve him in the world. When Israel was come out of Egypt, youknow how many stumbles they had before they got to Canaan. Butforasmuch as they were willing or desirous to follow God, he passesby all their failures, saying, 'I remember thee, ' and that almosta thousand years after, [15] 'the kindness of thy youth, the loveof thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown' (Jer 2:2). Israel was holiness to theLord, and the first fruits of his increase. There is nothing thatGod likes of ours better than he likes our true desires. For indeedtrue desires, they are the smoke of our incense, the flower ofour graces, and the very vital part of our new man. They are ourdesires that ascend, and they that are the sweet of all the sacrificesthat we offer to God. The man of desires is the man of kindness. 

Fourth. Desires, true and right desires, they are they by which aman is taken up from the ground, and brought away to God, in spiteof all opposers. A desire will take a man upon its back, and carryhim away to God, if ten thousand men stand by and oppose it. Henceit is said, that 'through desire a man having separated himself, 'to wit, from what is contrary to the mind of God, and so 'seekethand intermeddleth with all wisdom' (Prov 18:1). 

All convictions, conversions, illuminations, favours, tastes, revelations, knowledge, and mercies, will do nothing if the soulabides without desires. All, I say, is but like rain upon stones, or favours bestowed upon a dead dog. O! but a poor man with desires, a man that sees but little, that knows but little, that finds inhimself but little, if he has but strong desires, they will supplyall. His desires take him up from his sins, from his companions, from his pleasures, and carry him away to God. Suppose thou wasta minister, and wast sent from God with a whip, whose cords weremade of the flames of hell, thou mightest lash long enough beforethou couldest so much as drive one man that abides without desiresto God, or to his kingdom, by that thy so sore a whip. Suppose againthat thou wast a minister, and wast sent from God to sinners witha crown of glory in thy hand, to offer to him that first comes tothee for it; yet none can come without desires: but desire takesthe man upon its back, and so brings him to thee. [16] What is thereason that men will with mouth commend God, and commend Christ, and commend and praise both heaven and glory, and yet all the whilefly from him, and from his mercy, as from the worst of enemies?Why, they want good desires; their desires being mischievous, carrythem another way. Thou entreatest thy wife, thy husband, and theson of thy womb, to fall in with thy Lord and thy Christ, but theywill not. Ask them the reason why they will not, and they knownone, only they have no desires. 'When we shall see him, there isno beauty in him that we should desire him' (Isa 53:1-3). And Iam sure if they do not desire him, they can by no means be made tocome to him. 

But now, desires, desires that are right, will carry a man quiteaway to God, and to do his will, let the work be never so hard. Take an instance or two for this. 

You may see it in Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The text says plainly, they were not mindful of that country from whence they came out, through their desires of a better (Heb 11:8-16). God gave themintimation of a better country, and their minds did cleave to itwith desires of it; and what then? Why, they went forth, and desiredto go, though they did not know whither they went. Yea, they allsojourned in the land of promise, because it was but a shadow ofwhat was designed for them by God, and looked to by their faith, as in a strange country; wherefore they also cast that behind theirback, looking for that city that had foundations, of which mentionwas made before. Had not now these men desires that were mighty?They were their desires that thus separated them from their dearestand choice relations and enjoyments. Their desires were pitched uponthe heavenly country, and so they broke through all difficultiesfor that. 

You may see it in Moses, who had a kingdom at his foot, and wasthe alone visible heir thereof; but desire of a better inheritancemade him refuse it, and choose rather to take part with the peopleof God in their afflicted condition, than to enjoy the pleasuresof sin for a season. You may say, the Scripture attributes thisto his faith. I answer, so it attributes to Abraham's faith hisleaving of his country. But his faith begat in him these desiresafter the country that is above. So indeed Moses saw these thingsby faith; and therefore his faith begat in him these desires. Forit was because of his desires that he did refuse, and did choose asyou read. And here we may opportunely take an opportunity to touchupon the vanity of that faith that is not breeding, and that knowsnot how to bring forth strong desires of enjoying what is pretended tobe believed; all such faith is false. Abraham's, Isaac's, Jacob's, and Moses' faith, bred in them desires, strong desires; yea, desiresso strong as to take them up, and to carry them after what, bytheir faith, was made known unto them. Yea, their desires were somightily set upon the things made known to them by their faith, thatneither difficulties nor dangers, nor yet frowns nor flatteries, could stop them from the use of all lawful attempts of enjoying whatthey believed was to be had, and what they desired to be possessedof. 

The women also that you read of, and others that would not, uponunworthy terms, accept of deliverance from torments and sundrytrials, that they might, or because they had a desire to, be madepartakers of a better resurrection. 'And others, ' saith he, 'hadtrial of cruel mockings and scourgings; yea, moreover, of bondsand imprisonments. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, weretempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheepskins, and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented; ofwhom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts, and inmountains, and caves of the earth' (Heb 11:35-38). 

But we will come to the Lord Jesus himself. Whither did his desiresbring him? Whither did they carry him? and to what did they makehim stoop? For they were his desires after us, and after our good, that made him humble himself to do as he did (Cant 7:10). Whatwas it, think you, that made him cry out, 'I have a baptism to bebaptized with, and how am I straitened till it be accomplished'!(Luke 12:50). What was that baptism but his death? and why didhe so long for it, but of desire to do us good? Yea, the passoverbeing to be eaten on the even of his sufferings, with what desiresdid he desire to eat it with his disciples? (Luke 22:15). Yea, hisdesires to suffer for his people made him go with more strength tolay down his life for them than they, for want of them, had to goto see him suffer. And they were in their way going up to Jerusalem, he to suffer, and they to look on, 'And Jesus went before them, and they were amazed, and as they followed, they were afraid' (Mark10:32; Matt 20:17). 

I tell you, desires are strange things, if they be right; theyjump with God's mind; they are the life of prayer; they are a man'skindness to God, and they which will take him up from the ground, and carry him away after God to do his will, let the work be neverso hard. Is it any marvel, then, if the desires of the righteousare so pleasing to God as they are, and that God has so graciouslypromised that the desires of the righteous shall be granted? Butwe come now to

[THE USE AND APPLICATION. ]

THE FIRST USE SHALL BE A USE OF INFORMATION. You have heard whathath been said of desires, and what pleasing things right desiresare unto God. But you must know that they are the desires of hispeople, of the righteous, that are so. No wicked man's desires areregarded (Psa 112:10). This men must be informed of, lest theirdesires become a snare to their souls. You read of a man whose'desire killeth him' (Prov 21:25). And why? but because he rests indesiring, without considering what he is, whether such a one untowhom the promise of granting desires is made; he coveteth greedilyall the day long, but to little purpose. The grant of desires, ofthe fulfilling of desires, is entailed to the righteous man. Thereare four sorts of people that desire, that desire the kingdom ofheaven; consequently, desires have a fourfold root from whence theyflow. 

First. The natural man desires to be saved, and to go to heavenwhen he dies. Ask any natural man, and he will tell you so. Besides, we see it is so with them, especially at certain seasons. As whensome guilt or conviction for sin takes hold upon them; or when somesudden fear terrifies them; when they are afraid that the plagueor pestilence will come upon them, and break up house-keeping forthem; or when death has taken them by the throat, and is haulingthem down stairs to the grave. Them, O then, 'Lord, save me, Lord, have mercy upon me; good people, pray for me! O! whither shall Igo when I die, if sweet Christ has not pity for my soul?' And nowthe bed shakes, and the poor soul is as loath to go out of the body, for fear the devil should catch it, as the poor bird is to go outof the bush, while it sees the hawk waits there to receive her. But the fears of the wicked, they must come upon the wicked; theyare the desires of the righteous that must be granted. Pray, takegood notice of this. And to back this with the authority of God, consider that scripture, 'The wicked man travaileth with pain allhis days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor. Adreadful sound is in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer shallcome upon him. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shallprevail against him as a king ready to the battle' (Job 15:20-24). [17]

Can it be imagined that when the wicked are in this distress, but that they will desire to be saved? Therefore he saith again, 'Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him awayin the night. The east wind, ' that blasting wind, 'carrieth himaway, and he departeth, and as a storm hurleth him out of' theworld, 'his place. For God shall cast upon him, and not spare'; inflying 'he would fain fly out of his hand' (Job 27:20-23). Theirterrors and their fears must come upon them: their desires andwishes for salvation must not be granted (Isa 65:13, 66:4). 'Theyshall call upon me, ' says God, 'but I will not answer; they shallseek me early, but they shall not find me' (Prov 1:28). 

Second. There is the hypocrite's desire. Now his desire seemsto have life and spirit in it. Also he desires, in his youth, hishealth, and the like; yet it comes to naught. You shall see himdrawn to the life in Mark 10:17. He comes running and kneeling, and asking, and that, as I said, in youth and health; and that ismore than men merely natural do. But all to no purpose; he went ashe came, without the thing desired. The conditions propounded weretoo hard for this hypocrite to comply withal (Mark 10:21, 22). [18]Some indeed make a great noise with their desires over some againdo; but in conclusion all comes to one, they meet together therewhere they go, whose desires are not granted. 

'For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he has gained' toa higher strain of desires, 'when God taketh away his soul?' 'WillGod hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?' (Job 27:8, 9). Didhe not, even when he desired life, yet break with God in the daywhen conditions of life were propounded to him? Did he not, evenwhen he asked what good things were to be done that he might haveeternal life, refuse to hear or to comply with what was propoundedto him? How then can his desires be granted, who himself refusedto have them answered? No marvel then if he perishes like his owndung, if they that have seen him shall say they miss him amongthose that are to have their desires granted. 

Third. There are the desires of the cold formal professor; thedesires, I say, of him whose religion lies in a few of the shellsof religion; even as the foolish virgins who were content withtheir lamps, but gave not heed to take oil in their vessels. TheseI take to be those whom the wise man calls the slothful: 'The soulof the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing; but the soul of thediligent shall be made fat' (Prov 13:4). The sluggard is one thatcomes to poverty through idleness--that contents himself with forms:'that will not plough' in winter 'by reason of the cold; thereforeshall he beg in harvest, ' or at the day of judgment, 'and havenothing' (Prov 20:4). 

Thus you see that there are many that desire; the natural man, thehypocrite, the formalist, they all desire. For heaven is a braveplace, and nobody would go to hell. 'Lord, Lord, open to us, ' isthe cry of many in this world, and will be the cry of more in theday of judgment. Of this therefore thou shouldst be informed; andthat for these reasons:--

Because ignorance of this may keep thee asleep in security, andcause thee to fall under such disappointments as are the worst, and the worst to be borne. For, for a man to think to go to heavenbecause he desires it, and when all is done to fall into hell, isa frustration of the most dismal complexion. And yet thus it willbe when desires shall fail, 'when man goes to his long home, andwhen the mourners go about the streets' (Eccl 12:5). Because, aswas said before, else thy desires, and that which should be for thygood, will kill thee. They kill thee at death, when thou shalt findthem every one empty. And at judgment, when thou shalt be convincedthat thou oughtest to go without what thou desirest, because thouwast not the man to whose desires the promise was made, nor theman that didst desire aright. To be informed of this is the way toput thee upon such sense and sight of thy case as will make theein earnest betake thyself in that way to him that is acceptable, who grants the desires of the righteous. And then shalt thou behappy when thou shunnest to desire as the natural man desireth, as the hypocrite desireth, or as the formalist desireth. When thoudesirest as the righteous do, thy desire shall be granted. 

THE SECOND USE IS OF EXAMINATION. If this be so, then what causehast thou that art conscious to thyself that thou art a desiringman to examine thyself whether thou art one whose desires shall begranted? For to what purpose should a man desire, or what fruitswill desire bring him whose desires shall not be granted? Such aman is but like to her that longs, but loses her longing; or liketo him that looks for peace while evil overtakes him. 

Thou hast heard it over and over that the grant of desires belongto the righteous: shouldst thou then not inquire into thy condition, and examine thyself whether thou art a righteous man or no? Theapostle said to the Corinthians, 'Examine yourselves whether ye bein the faith; prove your own selves; know you not--how that JesusChrist is in you, except ye be reprobates?' (2 Cor 13:5). You maybe reprobates and not be aware of it, if you do not examine andprove your own selves. It is therefore FOR THY LIFE, wherefore donot deceive thyself. I have given you before a description of arighteous man, namely, that he is one made so of God by imputation--byan inward principle, and one that brings forth fruit to God. Now, this last thou mayst think thou hast; for it is easy and common formen to think when they bring forth fruit to themselves, that theybring it forth to God. Wherefore examine thyself. 

First. Art thou righteous? If thou sayest, Yea; I ask, How comestthou righteous? If thou thinkest that obedience to the law ofrighteousness has made thee so, thou art utterly deceived; for hethat thus seeks righteousness, yet is not righteous, because hecannot, by so doing, attain that thing he seeketh for (Rom 9:31, 32). Did not I tell thee before, that a man must be righteous before hedoth one good work, or he can never be righteous? The tree must begood first, even before it brings forth one good apple. 

Second. Art thou righteous? In whose judgment art thou righteous?Is it in the judgment of God, or of man? If not of God, it is nomatter though all the men on earth should justify thee; thou forthat art no whit the more righteous. 

Third. Art thou righteous in the judgment of God? Who told thee so?or dost thou but dream thereof? Indeed, to be righteous in God'ssight is that, and only that, which can secure a man from wrathto come; for 'if God justifies, who is he that condemns?' (Rom8:33, 34). And this only is the man whose desires shall be granted. 

Fourth. But still, I say, the question is, How comest thou to knowthat thou art righteous in the judgment of God? Dost thou know bywhat it is that God makes a man righteous? Dost thou know wherethat is by or with which God makes a man righteous? and also howGod doth make a man righteous with it? These are questions, in theanswer of which thou must have some heavenly skill, or else all thatthou sayest about thy being righteous will seem without a bottom. 

Fifth. Now, if thou answerest, That that which makes me righteousis the obedience of Christ to his Father's will, that this righteousnessis before the throne of God, and that it is made mine by an act ofGod's free grace; I shall ask thee yet again, Sixth. How camest thou to see thy need of this righteousness? Andby what is this righteousness by thee applied to thyself? For thisrighteousness is bestowed upon those that see their need thereof. This righteousness is the refuge whereto the guilty fly for succour, that they may be sheltered from the wrath to come. Hast thou thenfled, or dost thou indeed fly to it? (Heb 6:16-19). 

Seventh. None flies to this righteousness for life, but those whofeel the sentence of condemnation by God's law upon their conscience;and that in that extremity have sought for righteousness firstelsewhere, but cannot find it in all the world. 

Eighth. For man, when he findeth himself at first a sinner, dothnot straightway betake himself for righteousness to God by Christ;but, in the first place, seeks it in the law on earth, by labouring toyield obedience thereto, to the end he may, when he stands beforeGod at death and judgment, have something to commend him to him, andfor the sake of which he may at least help forward his acceptancewith him. 

Ninth. But being wearied out of this, and if God loves him he willweary him out of it, then he looks unto heaven and cries to Godfor righteousness; the which God shows him in his own good time hehath reckoned to him, for the sake of Jesus Christ. 

Tenth. Now by this very discovery the heart is also principledwith the spirit of the gospel; for the Spirit comes with the gospeldown from heaven to such an one, and fills his soul with good; bywhich he is capacitated to bring forth fruit, true fruit, which arethe fruits of righteousness imputed, and of righteousness infused, to the glory and praise of God. 

Eleventh. Nor can anything but faith make a man see himself thusmade righteous; for this righteousness is revealed from faithto faith, from the object of faith to the grace of faith, by theSpirit of faith. A faithless man, then, can see this no more thana blind man can see colours; nor relish this, no more than a deadman tasteth victuals. As, therefore, blind men talk of colours, andas dead men relish food, so do carnal men talk of Jesus Christ; towit, without sense or savour; without sense of the want, or savourof the worth and goodness of him to the soul. 

Twelfth. Wherefore, I say, it is of absolute necessity that withthy heart thou deal in this point, and beware of self-deceiving;for if thou fail here, thy desires will fail thee for ever: 'forthe desire of the righteous, ' and that only, 'must be granted. '

THE THIRD USE IS CAUTIONARY. Let me here, therefore, caution theeto beware of some things, by which else, perhaps, thou mayestdeceive thyself. 

First. Take heed of taking such things for grants of desires, thataccidentally fall out; accidentally, I mean, as to thy desires; forit is possible that that very thing that thou desirest may come topass in the current of providence, not as an answer of thy desires. Now, if thou takest such things for a grant of thy desires, andconsequently concludest thyself a righteous man, how mayest thoube deceived? The ark of God was delivered into the hand of thePhilistines, which they desired; but not for the sake of theirdesires, but for the sins of the children of Israel. The land ofCanaan was given unto Israel, not for the sake of their desires, but for the sins of those whom God cast out before them; and tofulfil the promise that God, before they were born, had made untotheir fathers (Deut 9:5, 6). Israel was carried away captive out oftheir own land, not to fulfil the desires of their enemies, but topunish them for their transgressions. These, with many of smallerimportance, and more personal, might be mentioned, to show thatmany things happen to us, some to our pleasing, and some to thepleasing of our enemies; which, if either we or they should countthe returns of our prayer, or the fruits of our desires, and sodraw conclusions of our estate to be for the future happy, becausein such things we seemed to be answered of God, we might greatlyswerve in our judgments, and become the greatest at self-deceiving. 

Second. Or shouldest thou take it for granted that what thou enjoyestthou hast it as the fruit of thy desires; yet if the things thouboast of are things pertaining to this life, such may be grantedthee as thou art considered of God as his creature, though thyselfart far enough off from being a righteous man. 'Thou openestthy hand, ' says the Psalmist, 'and satisfiest the desire of everyliving thing' (Psa 145:16). Again, 'He feeds the young ravens thatcry to him; and the young lions seek their meat from God' (Psa147:9, 104:21). Cain, Ishmael, Ahab too, had in some things theirdesires granted them of God (Gen 4:14, 15, 21:17, 18; 1 Kings 21:29). For if God will hear the desire of the beast of the field, thefishes of the sea, and of the fowls of heaven; no marvel if thewicked also may boast him of his heart's desire (Psa 10:3). Intowhose hand, as he saith in another place, 'God bringeth abundantly. 'Take heed, therefore, neither these things, nor the grant of them, are any signs that thou art a righteous man, or that the promisemade to the righteous in granting their desires are accomplishedupon thee. I think a man may say, that the men that know not Godhave a fuller grant, I mean generally, of their desires of temporalthings, than has the child of God himself; for his portion lyingin better things, his desires are answered another way. 

Third. Take heed, God grants to some men their desires in anger, and to their destruction. He gave to some 'their own desire, ' 'butsent leanness into their soul' (Psa 78:29, 106:15; Jer 42:22). Allthat God gives to the sons of men, he gives not in mercy; he givesto some an inferior, and to some a superior portion; and yet so alsohe answereth them in the joy of their heart. Some men's hearts arenarrow upwards, and wide downwards; narrow as to God, but wide forthe world; they gape for the one, but shut themselves up againstthe other; so as they desire they have of what they desire; 'whosebelly thou fillest with thy hid treasure, ' for that they do desire;but 'as for me, ' said David, these things will not satisfy, 'Ishall be satisfied when I awake, with thy likeness' (Psa 17:14, 15). 

I told you before, that the heart of a wicked man was widest downward, but it is not so with the righteous: therefore the portion of Jacobis not like them; God has given to him himself. The temple thatEzekiel saw in the vision was still widest upward; it spread itselftoward heaven (Eze 41:7). So is the church, and so is the righteous, and so are his desires. Thy great concern, therefore, is to consider, since thou art confident that God also heareth thy desires; I say, to consider, whether he answereth thee in his anger; for if he dothso, thy desires come with a woe; therefore, I say, look to thyself. A full purse and a lean soul, is a sign of a great curse. 'He gavethem their desire, but he sent leanness into their soul. ' Takeheed of that; many men crave by their desires, as the dropsical mancraves drink; his drinking makes his belly swell big, but consumesother parts of his body. O! it is a sad grant, when the desire isgranted, only to make the belly big, the estate big, the name big;when even by this bigness the soul pines, is made to dwindle, togrow lean, and to look like an anatomy. 

I am persuaded that it is thus with many, who, while they were leanin estates, had fat souls; but the fattening of their estates hasmade their souls as to good, as lean as a rake. They cannot nowbreathe after God; they cannot now look to their hearts; they cannotnow set watch and ward over their ways; they cannot now spare timeto examine who goes out, or who comes in. They have so much theirdesires in things below, that they have no leisure to concernthemselves with, or to look after things above; their hearts arenow as fat as grease; their eyes do now too much start out, to beturned and made to look inward (Psa 119:70, 83:7). They are nowbecome, as to their best part, like the garden of the slothful, allgrown over with nettles and briars, that cover the face thereof;or, like Saul, removed from a little estate, and low condition, tomuch, even worse and worse. Men do not know what they do in desiringthings of this life, things over and above what are necessary;they desire them, and they have them with a woe. 'Surely he shallnot feel quietness in his belly, ' his belly is taken for his conscience(Prov 20:27). 'He shall not save of that which he desired, ' tohelp him in an evil day (Job 20:20, 1 Tim 6:17-19). 

I shall not here give my caution to the righteous, but shall reservethat for the next use. But, O! that men were as wise in judgingof the answering of the desires, as they are in judging of theextravagancies of their appetites. You shall have a man even fromexperience reclaim himself from such an excess of eating, drinking, smoking, sleeping, talking, or pleasurable actions, as by hisexperience he finds is hurtful to him, and yet all this may but hurtthe body, at least the body directly; but how blind, how unskilledare they in the evils that attend desires! For, like the man inthe dropsy, made mention of before, they desire this world, as hedoth drink, till they desire themselves quite down to hell. Look toit, therefore, and take heed; God's granting the things pertainingto this life unto thee, doth neither prove that thou art righteous, nor that he acts in mercy towards thee, by giving of thee thydesires. 

THE FOURTH USE IS FOR ENCOURAGEMENT. Is it so? shall the desireof the righteous be granted? Then this should encourage them thatin the first place have sought the kingdom of God and his Son'srighteousness, to go on in their desires. God has given thee hisSon's righteousness to justify thee; he has also, because thou arta son, sent forth the Spirit of his Son into thy heart to sanctifythee, and to help thee to cry unto him, Father, Father. Wilt thounot cry? wilt thou not desire? thy God has bidden thee 'open thymouth wide'; he has bid thee open it wide, and promised, saying, 'And I will fill it'; and wilt thou not desire? (Psa 81:10). O! thouhast a licence, a leave, a grant to desire; wherefore be not afraidto desire great mercies of the God of heaven; this was Daniel'sway, and he set others to do it too (Dan 2:18). 

Object. But I am an unworthy creature. 

Answ. That is true; but God gives to no man for his worthiness, nor rejects any for their sinfulness, that come to him sensible ofthe want and worth of mercy for them. Besides, I told thee before, that the desires of a righteous man, and the desires of his God, do jump or agree. God has a desire to thee; thou hast a desire tohim (Job 14:15). God desires truth in the inward parts, and so dostthou with all thy heart (Psa 5:1-6; Hosea 6:5). God desires mercy, and to show it to the needy; that is it thou also wantest, and thatwhich thy soul craves at his hand. Seek, man, ask, knock, and donot be discouraged; the Lord grant all thy desires. Thou sayestthou art unworthy to ask the biggest things, things spiritualand heavenly; well, will carnal things serve thee, and answer thedesires of thy heart? Canst thou be content to be put off with abelly well filled, and a back well clothed? O! better I never hadbeen born!

See, thou wilt not ask the best, and yet canst not make shift withoutthem. Shift, no, no shift without them; I am undone without them, undone for ever and ever, sayest thou; well then desire; so I do, sayest thou. Ah! but desire with more strong desires, desire withmore large desires, desire spiritual gifts, covet them earnestly, thou hast a licence too to do so (1 Cor 14:1). God bids thee doso; and I, says the apostle, 'desire that ye faint not' (Eph 3:13), that is, in the prosecution of your desires, what discouragementssoever you may meet with in the way; for he hath said, 'The desireof the righteous shall be granted. '

Object. But I find it not so, says one: for though I have desiredand desired, a thousand times upon my knees, for something thatI want, yet I have not my desire; and indeed the consideration ofthis hath made me question whether I am one of those to whom thepromise of granting desires is made. 

Answ. To this objection many things must be replied. First. By wayof question. Second. Then by way of answer. 

First. By way of question; what are the things thou desirest, arethey lawful or unlawful? for a Christian may desire unlawful things;as the mother of Zebedee's children did when she came to Christ, nay, her sons themselves had their hearts therein, saying, 'Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire'(Mark 10:35; Matt 20:20). They came with a wide mouth, but theirdesire was unlawful, as is evident, for that Christ would not grantit. James also himself caught those unto whom he wrote, in sucha fault as this, where he says, 'Ye kill, and desire to have, andcannot obtain' (James 4:2). 

There are four things that are unlawful to be desired. To desirethe life of thine enemy is unlawful (1 Kings 3:11; Deut 5:21). Todesire anything that is thy neighbour's is unlawful. To desire toshare in the prosperity of the wicked is unlawful (Psa 73:3). Todesire spiritual things for evil ends is unlawful (Prov 24:1, 19;James 4:2-4). 

Are they lawful things which thou desirest? Yet the question is, Arethey absolutely or conditionally promised? If absolutely promised, hold on in desiring; if conditionally promised, then thou mustconsider whether they are such as are essential to the well-beingof thy soul in thy Christian course in this life. Or whether theyare things that are of a more inferior sort. 

If they are such as are essential to the well-being of thy soul inthy Christian course in this world, then hold on in thy desires;and look also for the conditions that that word calls for, thatproffereth them to thee; and if it be not possible to find themin thyself, look for them in Christ, and cry to God for them, forthe Lord's sake. But if they be of an inferior sort, and thou canstbe a good Christian without them, desire them, and yet be contentto go without them; for who knows but it may be better that thoushouldest be denied, than that thou shouldest have now a grant ofsome things thou desirest? and herein thou hast thy Lord for thypattern; who, though he desired that his life might be prolonged, yet wound up that prayer with a 'nevertheless, not my will, butthine be done' (Matt 26:39-42; Mark 14:36). 

Second. By way of answer; but we will suppose that the thing thoudesirest is good; and that thy heart may be right in asking; assuppose thou desirest more grace; or as David has it, more 'truthin the inward and hidden part' (Psa 51:6). Yet there are severalthings for thy instruction, may be replied to thy objection, as, 1. Thou, though thou desirest more of this, mayest not yetbe sensible of the worth of what thou askest, as perhaps God willhave thee be, before he granteth thy desire; sometimes Christiansask for good things without having in themselves an estimateproportionable to the worth of what they desire; and God may holdit therefore back, to learn them to know better the worth andgreatness of that thing they ask for. The good disciples asked theyknew not what (Mark 10:38). I know they asked what was unlawful, but they were ignorant of the value of that thing; and the same maybe thy fault when thou askest for things most lawful and necessary. 

2. Hast thou well improved what thou hast received already? Fatherswill hold back more money, when the sons have spent that profuselywhich they had received before. 'He that is faithful in that whichis least, is faithful also in much; and he that is unjust in theleast, is unjust also in much. ' 'And if ye have not been faithfulin that which is another man's, who shall give you that which isyour own?' (Luke 16:10, 12). See here an objection made against afurther supply, or rather against such a supply as some would have, because they have misspent, or been unfaithful in what they havealready had. If thou, therefore, hast been faulty here, go, humblethyself to thy friend, and beg pardon for thy faults that are past, when thou art desiring of him more grace. 

3. When God gives to his the grant of their desires, he doth it soas may be best for our advantage; now there are times wherein thegiving of grace may be best to our advantage; as, (1. ) Just beforea temptation comes, then, if it rains grace on thee from heaven, it may be most for thy advantage. This is like God's sending ofplenty in Egypt just before the years of famine came. (2. ) For Godto restrain that which thou desirest, even till the spirit of prayeris in a manner spent, may be further to inform thee, that thoughprayer and desires are a duty, and such also to which the promiseis made; yet God sees those imperfections in both thy prayers anddesires, as would utterly bind his hands, did he not act towardsthee merely from motives drawn from his own bowels and compassion, rather than from any deserving that he sees in thy prayers. Christians, even righteous men, are apt to lean too much to theirown doings; and God, to wean them from them, ofttimes defers to dowhat they by doing expect, even until in doing their spirits arespent, and they as to doing can do no longer. When they that criedfor water had cried till their spirits failed, and their tongueclave to the roof of their mouth for thirst; then the Lord didhear, and then the God of Israel did give them their desire. Alsowhen Jonas his soul fainted under the consideration of all theevils that he had brought upon himself; then his prayer came untoGod into his holy temple (Jonah 2:7; Isa 41:17, 18). The righteouswould be too light in asking, and would too much overprize theirworks, if their God should not sometimes deal in this manner withthem. (3. ) It is also to the advantage of the righteous, that theybe kept and led in that way which will best improve grace alreadyreceived, and that is, when they spin it out and use it to theutmost; when they do with it as the prophet did with that meal'smeat that he ate under the juniper-tree, 'he went in the strengthof that meat forty days and forty nights, even to the mount ofGod' (1 Kings 19:8). Or when they do as the widow did, spend upontheir handful of flour in the barrel, and upon that little oil inthe cruse, till God shall send more plenty (1 Kings 17:9-16). Therighteous are apt to be like well fed children, too wanton, if Godshould not appoint them some fasting days. Or they would be apt tocast away fragments, if God should give them every day a new dish. So then God will grant the desires of the righteous in that waywhich will be most for their advantage. And that is, when they havemade the best of the old store (1 Kings 19:4-8). If God should giveus two or three harvests in a year, we should incline to feed ourhorse and hogs with wheat; but being as it is, we learn better tohusband the matter. 

By this means, we are also made to see, that there is virtuesufficient in our old store of grace to keep us with God in the wayof our duty, longer than we could imagine it would. I myself havecried out I can stand no longer, hold out no longer, without afurther supply of grace; and yet I have by my old grace been kepteven after this, days, and weeks, and months, in a way of waitingon God. A little true grace will go a great way, yea, and do morewonders than we are aware of. If we have but grace enough to keepus groaning after God, it is not all the world that can destroyus. [19]

4. Perhaps thou mayest be mistaken. The grace thou prayest for, may in great measure be come unto thee. Thou hast been desiring ofGod, thou sayest, more grace; but hast it not. 

But how, if whilst thou lookest for it to come to thee at one door, it should come to thee in at another? And that we may a littleinquire into the truth of this, let us a little consider what arethe effects of grace in its coming to the soul, and then see ifit has not been coming unto thee almost ever since thou hast setupon this fresh desire after it. (1. ) Grace, in the general effectof it, is to mend the soul, and to make it better disposed. Hencewhen it comes, it brings convincing light along with it, by whicha man sees more of his baseness than at other times. More, I say, of his inward baseness. It is through the shinings of the Spiritof grace that those cobwebs and stinks that yet remain in thee arediscovered: 'In thy light shall we see light. ' And again, whatsoevermakes manifest is light. If then thou seest thyself more vile thanformerly, grace by its coming to thee has done this for thee. (2. )Grace, when it comes, breaks and crumbles the heart, in the senseand sight of its vileness. A man stands amazed and confounded inhimself; breaks and falls down on his face before God; is ashamedto lift up so much as his face to God, at the sight and apprehensionof how wicked he is. (3. ) Grace, when it comes, shows to a manmore of the holiness and patience of God; his holiness to makeus wonder at his patience, and his patience to make us wonder athis mercy, that yet, even yet, such a vile one as I am, should beadmitted to breathe in the land of the living, yea more, sufferedto come to the throne of grace. (4. ) Grace is of a heart-humblingnature: it will make a man count himself the most unworthy ofanything, of all saints. It will make a man put all others aforehim, and be glad too, if he may be one beloved, though least beloved, because most unworthy. It will make him with gladness accept ofthe lowest room, as counting all saints more worthy of exaltationthan himself. (5. ) Grace will make a man prize other men's gracesand gracious actions above his own. As he thinks every man's candleburns brighter than his, every man improves grace better than he, every good man does more sincerely his duty than he. And if thesebe not some of the effects of the renewings of grace, I will confessI have taken my mark amiss. (6. ) Renewings of grace beget renewedself-bemoanings, self-condemnation, self-abhorrences. 

And say thou prayest for communion with, and the presence of God. God can have communion with thee, and grant thee his presence, and all this shall, instead of comforting of thee at present, moreconfound thee, and make thee see thy wickedness (Isa 6:1-5). Somepeople think they never have the presence and the renewings ofGod's grace upon them but when they are comforted, and when theyare cheered up; when, alas! God may be richly with them, while theycry out, By these visions my sorrows are multiplied; or, becauseI have seen God, I shall die (Dan 10:8-17; Judg 13:22). 

And tell me now, all these things considered, has not grace, eventhe grace of God, which thou hast so much desired, been comingto thee, and working in thee in all these hidden methods? And sodoing, has it not also accommodated thee with all the aforenamedconveniences? The which when thou considerest, I know thou wouldestnot be without for all the good of the world. Thus, therefore, thy desire is accomplishing; and when it is accomplished, will besweet to thy soul (Prov 13:19). 

5. But we will follow thee a little in the way of thy heart. Thousayest thou desirest, and desirest grace, yea, hast been a thousandtimes upon thy knees before God for more grace, and yet thou canstnot attain. I answer, (1. ) It may be the grace which thou prayest for, is worthy thy beingupon thy knees yet a thousand times more. We find, that usuallythey that go to king's courts for preferment, are there at greatexpenses; yea, and wait a great while, even until they have spenttheir whole estates, and worn out their patience too. Yet they atlast prevail, and the thing desired comes. Yea, and when it is come, it sets them up anew, and makes them better men--though they didspend all that they had to obtain it--than ever they were before. Wait, therefore, wait, I say, on the Lord (Psa 27:14). Wait thereforewith David, wait patiently; bid thy soul cheer up, and wait (Psa37:7, 62:5). 'Blessed are all they that wait for him' (Isa 30:18). 

(2. ) Thou must consider, that great grace is reserved for greatservice; thou desirest abundance of grace, thou dost well, and thoushalt have what shall qualify and fit thee for the service thatGod has for thee to do for him, and for his name in the world. Theapostles themselves were to stay for great grace until the timeof their work was come (Acts 1:4-8, 4:33). I will not allot thyservice, but assure thyself, when thy desire cometh, thou wilt haveoccasion for it; new work, new trials, new sufferings, or somethingthat will call for the power and virtue of all the grace thou shalthave to keep thy spirit even, and thy feet from slipping, whilethou art exercised in new engagements. Assure thyself, thy God willnot give thee straw, but he will expect brick: 'For unto whomsoevermuch is given, of him shall be much required; and to whom menhave committed much, of him they will ask the more' (Luke 12:48). Wherefore, as thou art busy in desiring more grace, be also desirousthat wisdom to manage it with faithfulness may also be granted untothee. Thou wilt say, Grace, if I had it, will do all this for me. It will, and will not. It will, if thou watch and be sober; it willnot, if thou be foolish and remiss. Men of great grace may growconsumptive in grace, and idleness may turn him that wears a plushjacket into rags. [20] David was once a man of great grace, but hissin made the grace which he had to shrink up, and dwindle away, asto make him cry out, O! 'take not thy holy spirit' utterly 'fromme' (Psa 51:11, 119:8). Or, perhaps God withholds what thou wouldesthave, that it may be the more prized by thee when it comes: 'Hopedeferred maketh the heart sick, but when the desire cometh, it isa tree of life' (Prov 13:12). 

6. Lastly, but dost thou think that thy more grace will exempt theefrom temptations? Alas! the more grace, as was hinted, the greatertrials. Thou must be, for all that, like the ship of which thoureadest, sometimes high, sometimes low; sometimes steady, sometimesstaggering; sometimes in, and sometimes even at the end of thy verywits. For 'so he brings us to our desired haven' (Psa 107:23-30). Yet grace is the gold and preciousness of the righteous man: yea, and herein appears the uprightness of his soul, in that though allthese things attend the grace of God in him, yet he chooseth gracehere above all, for that it makes him the more like God and hisChrist, and for that it seasons his heart best to his own content;and also for that it capacitates him to glorify God in the world. 

[THE CONCLUSION. ]

Is it so? Is this the sum of all, namely, That 'the fear of thewicked it shall come upon him, ' and that 'the desire of the righteousshall be granted?' Then this shows us what is determined concerningboth. Concerning the wicked, that all his hopes shall not bring himto heaven; and concerning the righteous, that all his fears shallnot bring him to hell. But what a sad thing is it for one to be awicked man! Nothing can help him, his wickedness is too strong forhim: 'His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and heshall be holden with the cords of his sins' (Prov 5:22). He maytwist and twine, and seek to work himself from under the sentencepassed upon him; but all will do him no pleasure: 'the wicked isdriven away in his wickedness. But the righteous hath hope in hisdeath' (Prov 14:32). Loth he is to be righteous now; and as loth hewill be to be found in his sins at the dreadful day of doom. Butso it must be: 'Upon the wicked God shall rain snares, fire, andbrimstone, and a horrible' burning 'tempest: this shall be theportion of their cup' (Psa 11:6). 

'Woe unto the wicked' therefore: 'it shall be ill with him, for thereward of his hands shall be given him' (Isa 3:10). The just Godwill recompense both the righteous and the wicked, even accordingto their works. And yet for all this the wicked will not hear! WhenI read God's Word, and see how the wicked follow their sins, yea, dance in the ways of their own destruction, it is astonishing tome. Their actions declare them, though not Atheists in principle, yet such in practice. [21] What do all their acts declare, but this, that they either know not God, or fear not what he can do untothem? But, O! how will they change their note, when they see whatwill become of them! How wan will they look! Yea, the hair of theirheads will stand on end for fear; for their fear is their portion;nor can their fears, nor their prayers, nor their entreaties, northeir wishes, nor their repentings, help them in this day. And thushave I showed you what are the 'desires of the righteous, ' and thatthe 'fear of the wicked shall come upon him, but the desire of therighteous shall be granted. '

FOOTNOTES:

[1] How blessed are those whose light shines so clearly as to beknown and read of all men. A brand plucked from the burning bearsthe marks of fire, but is not consuming. --Ed. 

[2] 'A very Abraham, ' or an Abraham cove. Cant terms formerlyapplied to poor silly half-naked men, or to sturdy beggars. Thusthe fraternity of Vacabondes, 1575, describes them:--'An Abraham manis he that walketh bare-armed or bare-legged, and fayneth hymselfemad, and caryeth a packe of wool, or a stycke with baken on it, orsuche lyke toy, and nameth poore Tom. ' Shakespeare alludes to themunder the name of Bedlam Beggars. --Ed. 

[3] To possess with or of; to cause to possess or to be possessedwith--

 'At the port (Lord) he give her to thy hand, And by the way possesse thee what she is. ' Troylus and Cressida, act 4, s. 4. 

 __________ 'thou hast given me to possess Life in myself for ever. ' Milton's Paradise Lost, book iii, 243. 

[4] Establishes our opinions, or fixes them in us. 'Our young menbeing principled by these new philosophers. '--Cudworth. 

 'A Parliament so principled will sink All ancient schools of empire in disgrace. ' Dr. Young. --Ed. 

[5] Where is the man, except he be a willful perverter of Divinetruth, who can charge the doctrines of grace with licentiousness?All hope of election or predestination arises from conformity to theimage of Christ. Vain is hope except it is founded upon redemptionfrom the curse, to walk in newness and holiness of life; equallyvain is a hope founded on the wicked assumption of man to the powerof forgiveness of sin. --Ed. 

[6] This is admirably illustrated by the Interpreter in the Pilgrim'sProgress. He shows Christian a fire burning against the wall, andone standing by it, always casting much water upon it to quench it, yet did the fire burn higher and hotter. Christian wonders untilhe is taken behind the wall, and sees Christ secretly pouring theoil of grace into the fire. Before Bunyan had been behind the wall, he was scared by the father of lies, who suggested to him--'You arevery hot for mercy, but I will cool you, though I be seven yearsin chilling your heart. ' Grace Abounding, No. 118. --Ed. 

[7] As we escape a thousand bodily dangers unseen and unknownto us in time, so, doubtless, acts of grace pass through the soulwithout our being sensible of them, although they may be the meansof saving us from severe tribulations. How wondrous will be thereview of our lives when we shall see face to face, and know allthings. --Ed. 

[8] However disgusting the appearance of a toad may be, thisis not the first time that Bunyan considered sin as rendering itsslave more loathsome even than a toad. 'Now I blessed, ' said he, 'the condition of the dog and the toad, and counted the state ofeverything that God had made far better than this state of mine. 'Grace Abounding, No. 104. --Ed. 

[9] 'This inward conflict between opposing principles constitutesthe very distinction between the regenerate and the unregenerate, and forms part of the recorded experience of the most advanced, and elevated, and spiritually-minded believers. Freedom from thisconflict is not to be expected here by any child of God. '--Dr. Wardlaw. 

[10] This is one of the very few instances, if not the only one, in which Bunyan's attachment to believers' baptism appears, exceptwhen writing expressly upon the subject. Of all men, he was themost eminent for non-sectarian feelings, arising from his soulbeing so baptized into Christ as to leave no room for controversyupon ceremonial observances. I feel bound to confirm the truth ofhis observation, for if ever I enjoyed a heaven upon earth, it wason the Lord's day morning, when, publicly professing my faith inthe Redeemer, I was solemnly baptized. Nor have I ever witnessedthis ceremony since without the strongest emotions of love, andjoy, and hope. --Ed. 

[11] Church fellowship, rightly managed, abounds with blessings, when the bishops or elders and the people are united in gospelbonds to promote each other's peace and holy enjoyments--their greathappiness being to extend the benign influence of the Redeemer'skingdom. Let Watchful be the porter; Discretion admit the members;Prudence take the oversight; Piety conduct the worship; and Charityendear the members to each other, and it is a house 'beautiful. ''Christians are like the several flowers in a garden; they haveupon each of them the dew of heaven, which, being shaken, they letfall at each other's roots, and are jointly nourished and nourishersof each other. ' Bunyan's Pilgrim and Christian Behaviour. --Ed. 

[12] Blessed be God the sword is for the present sheathed. Marvellouswas the indomitable courage of the martyrs under papacy, and, ina later day, of the Scottish Covenanters. They saw their friendsand ministers tortured and murdered--the pain of the boots must havebeen inconceivable--the bones of their legs were crushed betweenpieces of iron, and, even when death had released the victim, savagebarbarity was practised upon his mutilated remains; the head andhands were cut off and exhibited upon a pike, the hands fixed asin the attitude of prayer, to mock the holiest duty. Can we wonderthat lambs became lions, overthrew the horrid enemy, and drove outState Episcopacy for ever?--Ed. 

[13] The noise made by animals of the stag or hart species iscalled, by Goldsmith, bellowing. It strikes the ear as somethingbeneath the dignity of a hart to bray like an ass. Bunyan foundthe word in the margin of Psalm 42:1, 'The hart panteth. ' Heb. 'Brayeth, after the water brooks. '--Ed. 

[14] Saffron was formerly cultivated near Bunyan's residence, but, although sold at a very high price, it scarcely paid for itsexpense. In the flowering season, it was needful to gather theflowers every morning as they came to perfection. --Ed. 

[15] The Israelites entered the wilderness fourteen hundred andninety-one years before Christ. The prophecy of Jeremiah was deliveredsix hundred and twenty-nine years before Christ. This remembrancewas eight hundred and sixty-two years after that memorable event. With God there can be no forgetfulness; a thousand years in hissight are but as yesterday. --Ed. 

[16] How striking the contrast, but yet how true! A whip, whosecords were made of the flames of hell, could no more arouse a sinnerdead in trespass and sins than a crown of glory could allure him. With all the dread realities of the world to come pressed upon theconscience by a faithful minister, still, alas! how many maintaintheir downward course. The duty is ours to prophesy upon the drybones. God and his gracious Spirit alone can raise them up to holy, happy enjoyments. --Ed. 

[17] This language is as expressive and original as it is likeBunyan. Death takes the sinner by the throat, and 'hands him downstairs to the grave. ' The indulgence in any sinful propensity hasthis downward, deathly tendency. Every lust, whether for riches orhonours, for gambling, wine, or women, leads the deluded wretchedvotary step by step to the chambers of death. There is no hope inthe dread prospect; trouble and anguish possess the spirit. Hastthou escaped, O my soul, from the net of the infernal fowler? Neverforget that it is as a brand snatched from the burning. O to gracehow great a debtor. --Ed. 

[18] It is not usual to call the rich young man a hypocrite. Tooutward appearance he was in earnest. Negatively, he had kept thecommandments. Now he is required to perform positive duties, andto live by faith. Here the mask falls off, and he concludes thateternal life is not worth the sacrifice. --Ed. 

[19] We have here an additional section to the Grace Abounding tothe Chief of Sinners. The result of long experience convinced himthat if he possessed a spark of grace which impelled him to groanafter God, all the powers of earth and hell could not destroyhim. --Ed. 

[20] As it is in temporal things, so it is in spiritual. If newdiscoveries of Divine love lead to want of watchfulness, trial andsorrow must ensue. About sixty years ago a next door neighbour, ahatter, gained a prize in the lottery of ten thousand pounds--hebecame intoxicated with his wealth, moved to the fashionable end ofLondon, went into a large way of business, dissipated his fortune, and died in a workhouse! Christian, if you have unexpected enjoyments, be watchful; it is to fit you for trials. --Ed. 

[21] This is one of the most decisive proofs of the awfully degradedstate of human nature. Men believe, or pretend to believe, thatthis life is but a span in companions with eternity--that thereis a heaven to reward the righteous and a hell to receive theunconverted sinner; and yet make no personal inquiry at the holyoracles of God whether they have been born again to newness of life, or whether they remain in their sins. The great mass of mankindprefer paying their pence to a priest to mislead them to destruction, than to trouble themselves with God's holy Word. O for the outpouringof the Holy Spirit, that men may be released from such bondage andslavery, and enter upon the happy glorious liberty of the sons ofGod. --Ed. 

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