Two Forms Of Personal Covenanting By The Author

Two Forms Of Personal Covenanting By The Author

OF THE RULE OF DIRECTION IN PRAYER

MATTH. 6:9.—After this manner, therefore, pray ye, Our Father, &c.

OUR Lord Jesus Christ, in his sermon on the mount, whereof this chapter is a part, retrieves religion from the false doctrines, and the corrupt and hypocritical practices, which the Scribes and Pharisees brought into it. They were not wanting in the matter of external duties, but they were far from the right manner of performing them. Wherefore, in the first four verses, he teaches them the right manner of doing alms. In the next place, he teaches them the right manner of praying. He taxes two faults in the manner of praying: (1.) Hypocritical ostentation, ver. 5 and points them to the right manner in this. (2.) Idle multiplying of words, ver. 7, 8. In the text, for remedy of this fault, and others about prayer, the Lord, being to give us a prayer to serve for a pattern, and to direct us in praying, bids us 'pray after this manner;' i. e. in the manner following in the form of prayer here set down; not binding us to the very words, but to the manner of it, that we must pray after this manner, and to this purpose.

The right manner of performing the duty of prayer, is what God requires, and we should be concerned for. The Lord knows his people's weakness, and how ready they are to go wrong in this, and how much they need direction; and therefore gives this form and pattern of prayer, for their direction in that weighty duty: After this manner address yourselves to God in prayer. He had not left them without direction altogether before; they had the word formerly written, but this is added as a special rule of direction.

The text affords this doctrine:

DOCT. 'Though the whole word of God is of use to direct us in prayer, yet the special rule of direction is that form of prayer, which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called the Lord's prayer.'

Here I shall shew,

I. That we need direction in prayer.

II. What rule God hath given for our direction therein.

III. Whether these rules are sufficient to enable us to pray acceptably.

IV. Deduce some inferences.

I am to shew, that we need direction in prayer. This is evident from,

1. God's greatness. It is to him who dwells in heaven that we must address ourselves in prayer: therefore, 'be not rash with thy mouth (says Solomon), nor let thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few,' Eccl. 5:2. Rash and fearless approaches speak unbecoming thoughts of God, and low thoughts of the throne in heaven, which one presents himself before. And to such may be said, 'These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes,' Psal. 50:21. Who of us, approaching the presence of our prince, to present our petition before him, would not seek direction as to the right and acceptable manner of doing it? How much more should we, who have petitions to present to him who is God of gods, and King of kings, ask direction as to the right manner of presenting our petitions?

2. Our own guiltiness, Luke 18:13. Whoever would be rash or careless in approaching his prince's presence, one would think that a rebel, a traitor, and a criminal, would see well to the manner of his address, and would be very cautions. This is our case, and therefore that should be our way. Therefore the prodigal thinks before-hand what he will say to his offended father, Luke 15:18, 19.

3. The weight of the matter we go upon. Our errand to the throne is, to worship God, who 'will be sanctified in them that come nigh him, and before all the people will he be glorified,' Lev. 10:3 which is awful and solemn work, and gives ground for that question, 'Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God,' Micah 6:6. It is to present our supplications for our needs for time and for eternity. And if he help us not, all the world cannot do it. Our souls lie at stake, eternity is before us; and to entreat with God on the business of eternity, is business that needs direction.

4. Our weakness and aptness to mistake and miscarry in the approach, Job 37:19. 'Teach us what we shall pray unto him: for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.' We have no skill to manage the weighty matter; and we will be persuaded of it, if we know ourselves. We are ready to go wrong in the matter of prayer, Rom. 8:26 to ask of God things not agreeable to his revealed will, being blinded with our own passions and prejudices, Luke 9:54. And we are apt to go wrong in the manner of prayer, by insincerity, formality, and carnality, Jam. 4:3. Isa. 64:7.

5. Lastly, The danger of mistaking and miscarrying in prayer, either of the ways. It may provoke the Lord against us, and bring down a curse instead of a blessing upon us, Mal. 1 ult. 'Cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth and sacrificed unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen,' Exod. 20:7. 'Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain: for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.' At least it will frustrate our prayers, so that they will be rejected and not heard, Jam. 4:3 our petitions cast over the bar. Or what we seek not agreeable to his will, may be given us with a vengeance, Psal. 106:15.

II. The second head is, What rule hath God given for our direction in prayer? Our gracious God has not left us without direction in that matter. We have from himself the rule which we are to walk by in our addresses to the throne: and how else could he know it? who else could teach us how guilty creatures should present their supplications to the most high God? And,

First, There is a general rule given us for that end; and that is the whole word of God, the scriptures of the Old and New Testament, in which God's will is revealed, as to all things to be believed and done by us, 1 John 5:14. By our Bible we may learn to pray; for there we are furnished with all sorts of helps and directions for this duty, as to matter, manner, and words; and therefore it is a complete directory for prayer.

1. It furnishes us abundantly with matter of prayer, in all the parts of it, petition, confession, &c. Psal. 51:4, 5. Phil. 4:6. And whose has the word of God dwelling richly in him, will not want matter for prayer, for himself or for others. There is a storehouse of it there, of great variety; and we are welcome to the use of it, agreeable to our own case.

2. It fully directs us as to the manner of prayer: as, for instance, that we must pray with sincerity, Heb. 10:22 with humility, Psal. 10:17 in faith, Jam. 1:6 and with fervency, Jam. 5:16. And there is no qualification necessary in prayer, but what we may learn from the holy word.

3. It furnishes us with the most fit words to be used in prayer. Do ye want words to express your desires before the Lord? He has given us his own words in the Bible, that we may use them according to our needs, Hos. 14:2.

Secondly, There is a special rule given us by Jesus Christ for that end, namely, that form of words which Christ taught his disciples, commonly called 'the Lord's prayer;' that excellent pattern and example of prayer, composed by Jesus Christ himself for our direction in the text, which every Christian is obliged to receive with the utmost reverence, as the Lord's own word. But it was never imposed by Jesus Christ, or his apostles, as a set form to which his church is bound to pray in these very words, and no other. It is true, in the year 618, the Council of Toledo imposed it on the Clergy, under the pain of deposition; but then Antichrist had mounted the throne, and the Papists since have superstitiously abused it to this day. I would all Protestants could plead, Not guilty. To clear this matter,

1. The Lord's prayer is given us as a directory for prayer, a pattern and an example, by which we are to regulate our petitions, and make other prayers. This is clear from the text, After this manner pray ye, &c. And it is a most ample directory in few words, to be eyed by all praying persons, if studied and understood. There we are taught to pray in a known tongue, and without vain repetitions, to God only, and for things allowed; to have chief respect to the glory of God and our own advantage.

2. It may also be used as a prayer, so that it be done with understanding, faith, reverence, and other praying graces. So we own the very words may lawfully be used, Matth. 6:9 compared with Luke 11:2. See Larger Catechism, quest. 187 and the Directory for Public Worship, under the title, Of prayer after Sermon, parag. 5. Who can refuse this, since it is a piece of holy scripture, of the Lord's own word? And they who are so weak, as that they cannot conceive prayer, do well to use this holy form; though they should endeavour to make further progress in prayer. And sometimes knowing Christians, under great desertions, not able to conceive prayer, have used it with good success. But,

3. Our Lord hath not tied us to this very form of words when we pray to God. This is evident,

(1.) Because the prayers afterwards recorded in the scripture, were neither this form of words, nor yet concluded with it. Christ himself used it not in his prayer at Lazarus's grave, John 11:41; nor in his last prayer, John 17. Nor did his apostles, Acts 1:24; nor the church, Acts 4:24, &c.

(2.) This prayer is diversely set down by Matthew and Luke, the only two evangelists that make mention of it. And though it is obvious, that there is an entire harmony between them as to the matter and sense of the words; yet it is equally obvious, to all who compare them together, that there is some difference as to mode or manner of expression, particularly as to the fourth and fifth petitions; which certainly there would not have been, had it been designed for a form of prayer. In Luke, the fourth petition runs thus, 'Give us day by day our daily bread;' but in Matthew, it is thus expressed, 'Give us this day our daily bread.' The latter contains a petition for the supply of present wants; and the former for the supply of wants as they daily recur upon us: so that both accounts being compared together, we are directed to pray for those temporal blessings which we want at present, and for a supply of those we stand in need of as they daily recur: which shews a considerable difference in the expressions. In Luke, the fifth petition is, 'Forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us;' whereas, in Matthew the expression is very different, viz. 'Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.' Again, Luke leaves out the doxology, 'For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen;' which Matthew adds. From whence it may be justly inferred, that our Lord's design in furnishing his disciples with this prayer, was not that they should confine themselves solely to the manner of expression used therein, without the least variation; for then undoubtedly the two evangelists would have recorded it in the very same words; but he rather intended it as a directory respecting the matter of prayer. So that it is impossible to keep by the form of words precisely, since it is not one. It is said, Luke 11:2. 'When ye pray say, &c. Here we are tied to the form of words, say our adversaries. Ans. By this phrase is to be understood the manner, viz. Say this on the matter, pray after this manner. Compare Matth. 6:9. If it is to be understood otherwise, then, (1.) According to Matth. 10:7. 'Go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand;' the disciples' preaching was confined to these very words, which we are sure it was not. (2.) It would be unlawful to pray in any other words, which no Christian dare assert. (3.) Neither Papists nor Episcopalians stick to these words in Luke, but use the words in Matthew; by which they give up the cause.

Further, it may be observed, that our Saviour chiefly intended this prayer as a directory, respecting the matter of our petitions, rather than a form; because it does not explicitly contain all the parts of prayer, particularly confession of sin, and thankful acknowledgement of mercies. Again, there is no explicit or direct mention of the Mediator, in whose name we are to pray; nor of his obedience, sufferings, and intercession, on which the efficacy of our prayers is founded, and their success depends: which things are to be supplied from other parts of scripture; all which, taken together, give us a complete directory for prayer.

From the whole, I think it is evident, that a prayer formed upon the model of this excellent pattern, having the substance of the several petitions interspersed through it, though expressed in other words, is a true scriptural prayer; and that there is no necessity to conclude with the Lord's prayer. And therefore, I cannot but think, that Papists, and many Protestants, who conclude their prayers with the very words of the Lord's prayer, make a very superstitious use of it; causing people imagine, that the bare recital of the words of the Lord's prayer sanctifies their other prayers; and that no prayer can be accepted of God where this, I cannot but call it vain, repetition is omitted.

III. Whether are these rules sufficient to enable us to pray acceptably? Ans. They are sufficient in their kind, i. e. as external directions and helps. But besides, the inward grace and assistance of the Spirit are necessary for that end, Rom. 8:26.*

I shall conclude with a few inferences.

Inf. 1. How gracious and ready to hear prayer is our God, who has been pleased himself to direct us how to pray to him! We ought to be duly thankful to him for his great goodness in this matter, and diligently attend to the excellent rules he has given us on this head.

2. Let us acquaint ourselves with the blessed word, that contains such a full rule of practice as well as faith; and study the holy scriptures, that we may be the better instructed to pray. The bible is a noble guide for prayer, both for the matter and manner thereof; and if we diligently study it, we will not be in hazard of uttering any thing contrary to or inconsistent with it, or of using the words he has given us without knowledge or understanding.

3. Those who neglect prayer on any pretence, and particularly on that pretence that they cannot pray, or those who stick by a mere form, without endeavouring to improve in the duty, are highly culpable and inexcusable, as they have so many and such excellent helps scattered throughout the whole word of God. Herein they sin against God, and wrong their own souls.

Lastly, See the absolute necessity of prayer in the Christian life. Be convinced, that ye cannot be without that which the Lord is at so much pains to bring you to, by not only teaching you what to pray, but promising his Holy Spirit to assist you therein. Apply yourselves diligently to this duty, that you may be often with God, guiding yourselves therein by the direction of the word; and plead importunately for the quickening power and influence of the Holy Spirit, for his help and assistance. He will shew thee thy wants, to give thee matter of petition; thy sins, to give thee matter of confession; the mercies and blessings of God, to yield thee matter of thanksgiving; and the church's miseries and necessities, to furnish thee with matter of intercession.

THE PREFACE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER

MATTH. 6:9.—Our Father which art in heaven.

THE Lord's prayer consists of three parts, the preface, petitions, and conclusion. The preface is in the words which I have read, designing the object of worship, and particularly of prayer, namely, God himself. And we are directed to address ourselves in prayer to him, (1.) As a Father; (2.) As our Father; and (3.) As our Father in heaven.

The words afford this doctrine.

DOCT. 'If we would pray acceptably, we must address ourselves to the Lord in prayer, as our Father which is in heaven.'

Here I shall shew,

I. What our being directed to call God Father in prayer doth teach us.

II. What our being directed to call God our Father teaches us.

III. What we are taught by our being directed to address ourselves to God as our Father in heaven.

IV. Deduce some inferences.

I. I am to shew, what our being directed to call God Father in prayer does teach us. It teaches,

1. The children of God to be those who only can or are capable to pray acceptably: for they only can indeed call God Father. We cannot pray acceptably unless he be our Father, and we his children, namely, by regeneration and adoption, John 9:31. How can one plead the privileges of the family, if he be none of the members thereof, but of his father the devil, a stranger to the covenant of promise? Therefore, if we would pray aright, our state must first be changed, Jam. 5:16.

Quest. May none pray, then, who cannot call God, Father? Ans. There are two sorts of these.

(1.) Unregenerate persons, who are yet in the state of black nature, who have no ground to plead this saving relation to God. They may, yea, ought to pray, though they cannot pray acceptably; because prayer is the natural duty of all, which all are bound to, and the neglect of which God will punish them for, Jer. 10 ult. And prayer is not a sin, but a duty, though, as it is by them managed, it is turned into sin, as all other duties are. But the neglect of it is a greater sin.

Object. But it is needless for them to pray, since they cannot pray acceptably. Ans. No: for it is a mean of grace, and an ordinance of God; and though God have no respect to it as it is their performance, yet he may have respect to it as it is his own ordinance, and do good to them by it. The matter lies here; they are neither to continue in their sinful state, nor to satisfy themselves with their praying in that condition, but come out of it, and join themselves to God's family, and so they will come to pray acceptably.

(2.) The children of God who cannot discern their relation to him. These not only may pray, but pray acceptably, Psal. 103:13. 'Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.' But it is their duty to endeavour to assure their hearts before him, to advance their hunger and thirst after him to an actual acceptance of God to be their Father in Christ, and thereupon to believe he is their Father.

2. That it is through Jesus Christ we have access to God in prayer, Eph. 2:18, because it is through him alone that God becomes our Father; by him, for his sake, we are adopted into the family of heaven, John 1:12. When we hear that a company of guilty creatures, who stood before God as their terrible Judge, trembling for fear of his sentence of condemnation, change their note, and call him by the kindly name of Father, and confidently apply to him as children, we must own this to be owing to the mediation, obedience, and death of his Son, John 20:17. And therefore,

3. That coming to God in prayer, we must come in the name of his Son, as the alone foundation of all our confidence in and expectation from God, John 14:13. Being married to the Son, we call God Father, and make bold in his house, by virtue of our relation to him, through our Lord and Husband. And on the continuance of this relation to Christ depends the continuance of this relation to his Father; and blessed be our immortal Husband, that the marriage with him can never be dissolved.

4. That the Spirit of adoption, the Spirit of Christ in his people, is the principle of all acceptable praying to God; for by him it is that we are enabled to call God Father, Gal. 4:6 and therefore it is called 'inwrought prayer,' Jam. 5:16. He it is who excites his people to pray, moves them to go to God with their whole case, Psal. 27:8. He furnishes them with acceptable matter of prayer, Rom. 8:26 and with praying graces and affections, ib. And without the Spirit dwelling and acting in us, we cannot pray acceptably; and the more we have of the Spirit, we will pray the better.

5. That we should draw near to God in prayer with child-like dispositions and affections towards him.

(1.) Though he be very kind and admit us into familiarity with him, yet we must come with a holy reverence, Mal. 1:6. 'If I be a Father, where is mine honour?' Familiarity must not breed contempt. The character of a Father bears not only kindness, but reverence and fear in it. It is a mixture of love and awful authority; and the ingenuous child will regard both. Slavish fear is to be laid aside, but child-like reverence is necessary, Heb. 12:18.

(2.) Though we have offended God, and be under the marks of his displeasure, we must come with confidence, whatever we want, whatever we need, Eph. 3:12. While he bids us call him Father, he requires of us confidence in him for the supply of all our wants. For fatherly affection is tender; the child's trouble touches the father nearly, and his interest is the father's interest, which is ground of confidence, Psal. 103:13 forecited, Isa. 63:9. 'Surely they are my children,' Zech. 2:8. 'He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye.'

(3.) That God is ready and willing to help us, and we should come to him in that confidence, Matth. 7:11. 'If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?' We should pour out our hearts into his bosom, in full confidence of his pity. Whom can a child expect help of, if not of a father? But no father has the bowels of compassion that God has towards his own. If the mother's tenderness towards the child be ordinarily greater than that of the father's, yet the Lord is still more, Isa. 49:15, 16. 'Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me.' And there is no such present help as he is.

Object. But is not the heavenly Father often far from helping his children? Ans. The children of God often think so, when their trouble is continued, and the deliverence comes not quickly. But he is their Father: therefore, (1.) He designs their good by all the hardships they meet with, Rom. 8:28. 'All things shall work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.' (2.) He pities them under their hardships. (3.) He is a God of judgment, knows best when to remove them, and will do it in due time. The child cries, 'Father, remove this affliction, or this trial, for it pains me.' The Father pities, but his judgment leaves it till it be good for the child that it be removed.

II. I proceed to shew, what our being directed to call God our Father teaches us.

Negatively, Not that we may not pray, saying, My Father, or that we are always to speak plurally, saying, We pray. For we have scripture-examples for praying in the singular number, Ezra 9:6. Luke 15:18, 19. But,

1. That we are not only to pray secretly by ourselves alone, but with others, joining with them in public and private. And hence may be brought no inconsiderable argument for that too much neglected duty of family-prayer; which the guilty would do well seriously to consider.

2. That we are to pray, not only for ourselves, but for others also, according to scripture example and precept, Acts 12:5. 1 Tim. 2:1, 2.

Praying with and for others is a piece of the communion of saints. And it is one of the privileges of God's family on earth, that they have the prayers of all the family there. God is a rich Father, who has blessings for all.

III. I come now to shew, what we are taught by our being directed to address ourselves to God as our Father in heaven.

1. That we are to eye his sovereign power and dominion over all, in our addresses to him, believing that he is able to help us in our greatest straits, that nothing is too hard for him but he can do whatsoever he will, Psal. 115:3. This is a noble ground for faith. Our fathers on earth may be unable to help; but our Father in heaven is almighty, and has power to help in every case.

2. That we should be filled with heavenly affections in prayer, Psal. 123:1. And that God's glorious greatness above us should strike an awe upon us in our approaches to him, Eccl. 5:2.

3. God's glorious and wonderful condescension, who vouchsafes to look from his throne in heaven unto us poor worms on earth, Isa. 66:1, 2.

4. Lastly, That we go to God as those who are strangers on this earth, and to whom heaven is home, because it it our Father's house, 1 Pet. 1:17 looking on this world as the place of our pilgrimage, and the men and manners of it as those we desire to leave, that we may be admitted into the society of angels, and consort with the spirits of just men made perfect.

I shall conclude with a few inferences.

Inf. 1. Let us see here the miserable condition of those who have no ground to call God Father. They were never adopted into the family of heaven, but are of their father the devil, still members of the family of hell; and if they be not delivered from that hellish society, they must perish for ever. They have never yet prayed aright; for none can pray in a proper manner but those who have the Spirit of adoption. O cry to God, that he may be graciously pleased to translate you from the family of Satan into the family of God, and invest you with the privileges of the children of his family.

2. There is no right praying without faith. For without faith it is impossible to please God; and whatever it not of faith is sin. We cannot call God Father, nor love or reverence him without faith: nor can we have any fellowship or communion with him, but by faith in him as our Father in Christ.

3. Hence see the happiness of the saints in the love of the Father, who is their Father; of the Son, who has made them the children of God; and of the Holy Spirit, who teaches them to call God their Father. How happy must those be who are so nearly related to all the three persons of the adorable Trinity, and are loved by, and have communion with each of them! O seek above all things to become the children of God, and ye shall be thus happy!

4. In no case a child of God is much to be pitied in the world, as long as he has a Father in heaven, to whom he can have access by prayer, at all times and in all cases, whether it be in life or in death, Micah 7:7. The believer's Father is a very present help in trouble; and when all help fails, he will never fail his own children; but will sanctify their troubles, be present with them in their greatest straits and afflictions, support them under them, and deliver them, as he sees it will be for his own glory, and their good. O! then, let us plead our interest in him as our Father, and engage his Spirit and presence to be ever with us, in every circumstance of life, and in the awful scenes of death and the grave, which we should view, not with terror, but with joy, as the messenger sent to convey us to the house of our Father which is in heaven.

THE FIRST PETITION

MATTH. 6:9.—Hallowed be thy name.

IN the Lord's prayer are six petitions, whereof three are for God's honour, and the other three for our own good. Those which concern the honour of God take the lead of what concerns our good; for it is highly reasonable that the creature's interest vail to God's interest. The first of these petitions relates to the name of God, and the hallowing of it, or sanctifying of it, that is, the glorifying of it. So the first petition is for the glory of God's name. This is the first of all put into our mouths, because of all things it should lie nearest our hearts.

In discoursing further from this subject, I shall shew,

I. What is meant by the name of God.

II. In what sense God's name is to be hallowed or sanctified.

III. Why hallowed or sanctified, rather than glorified, since it is evident, that it is the glorifying of his name that is intended.

IV. What is the import of this petition.

V. Why this is the first petition that is put by our Saviour into our mouths.

VI. Deduce some inferences.

I. I shall shew, what is meant by the name of God.

1. God himself. So names are put for persons, Rev. 3:4. 'Thou hast a few names in Sardis;' that is, a few persons. And the name of God is put for God himself, Deut. 28:58.—'that thou mayst fear this glorious and fearful name, THE LORD THY GOD.' Accordingly, as we pray here that God's name may be hallowed, or sanctified, so he tells us 'he will be sanctified,' Lev. 10:3.

2. Every thing whereby he makes himself known to his creatures, Psal. 8:1. 'O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!' These are his names, Jehovah, I am, &c. though there is no word sufficient fully to express what he is; therefore his name is secret, wonderful, or incomprehensible, Jud. 13:18. His titles; Old Testament titles, as 'Hearer of prayer;' New Testament ones, as, 'The God of peace, the God of patience and consolation,' Rom. 15:33, 5. His attributes or perfections, Exod. 34:5. His word and ordinances, Psal. 147:19, 20 and his works, Job 36:14. In a special manner, Jesus Christ, by whom, and through whom, and in whom God manifests himself to us, John 1:18. And God's name is in him. But of the various senses in which the name of God is taken, I spoke more largely in the exposition of the third commandment.

II. I am to shew in what sense God's name is to be hallowed, or sanctified.

1. Not effectively, by making holy. 'Holy is his name.' He is infinitely holy, and cannot be made more holy. Whatever he is, whatever he says, whatever he does, is perfectly holy, and cannot be made more so, 1 John 1:5. Indeed he sanctifies his creatures by making them holy; but himself is originally and eternally holy, incapable of any addition.

2. But manifestly and declaratively, viz. when the holiness of his name is manifested, declared, shewn, and acknowledged, Isa. 29:23. 'They shall sanctify my name.' The holy name, in the dark parts of the earth, and in the dark men of the earth, is a candle under a bushel; it has a glorious light, but it is not seen: the bushel being removed, and the splendour breaking forth to open view, it is hallowed: men then shew, declare, and acknowledge it.

III. I come to shew, why God's name is said to be hallowed, or sanctified, rather than glorified, since it is evident that it is the glorifying his name that is intended.

1. Because God's holiness is his glory in a peculiar manner, Exod. 15:11.—'Glorious in holiness.' It is the glory of all his other attributes; it is the beauty of them all, and of every one of them. It is an universal attribute which runs through all the other. It is that vein of infinite purity, that goes through the several letters of his name, and makes them shine in glory. Wherein lies the glory of God's wisdom, power, mercy, &c. Why, it is in this, that his infinite wisdom is holy wisdom, his infinite power is holy power, &c. It is observed, that above thirty times in scripture God is called The holy One. And when the angels would pick out an attribute to glorify God most by, it is that of his holiness, Isa. 6:3.

2. Because it is the manifesting of his holiness, in the communicating of it to the creature, that brings in the greatest revenue of glory from the creature to God. The truth is, none are fit to glorify him but those who are holy, 1 Pet. 2:9. God stamps the image of his power and sovereign dominion upon one man, and sets him upon a throne; hence the phrase, Ye are gods. He stamps the image of his holiness on another, and sets him on a dunghill. I say, God's name is more glorified by the holy poor man, than by the unholy monarch. The unholy man may glorify God passively, but the holy man glorifies him actively. And in no other way can God be actively glorified, but by the creature's first receiving a stamp and impression of his holiness on the heart.

IV. I proceed to shew, what is the import of this petition.

To clear this, consider that God's name is hallowed two ways.

1. By himself, manifesting the glory of his own holy name. And this he doth in all the discoveries which he makes of himself to his creatures.

2. By his creatures, they contributing to his glory, by shewing forth his praise, and declaring the glory of his name. So we pray in this petition,

1st. That God would, by his over-ruling providence, hallow his own name, and glorify himself, John 12:28. The sins of men and devils are opposite to the honour of his name; the children of God in this petition put it into his own hands, to cause it shine forth notwithstanding, to dispose all things to his glory. Which may be taken up in three things.

(1.) That he would make the honour of his name to break through all impediments in the way of it, laid by men or devils, Psal. 79:9. 'Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name,' says the church; that he would drive his triumphal chariot over all the opposition made to it in the world, and appear unto men in his majesty and glory.

(2.) That he would make the honour of his name break forth from these impediments themselves, over-ruling the dishonour done to his name, to his honour, so bringing meat out of the eater, and sweetness out of the strong. This he will do, Psal. 76:10. 'Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee.' And this his people pray for, Psal. 83:17, 18. 'Let them be confounded and troubled for ever, yea, let them be put to shame and perish: that men may know, that thou, whose name alone is Jehovah, art the Most High over all the earth.'

(3.) That God would remove all these impediments, and shove off all the rubbish which the sins of men and devils have cast upon the honour of his name, that it may shine forth for ever without let or hinderance. And so it looks as far as the accomplishment of that passage, Rev. 20:14. 'And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire.'

2dly, That God would, by his powerful grace, cause the sons of men, ourselves and others, to glorify him and hallow his name: q. d. Let thy name be hallowed by us. This supposes,

(1.) That it is our duty to glorify God, 1 Cor. 10:31.—'Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.' It is our main duty, and the chief work we have to do in the world. And whose neglect it, are useless in the world: for their main work is neglected. They answer not the end of their creation.

(2.) That we cannot of ourselves do it, 2 Cor. 3:5.—'We are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God.' We are weak and powerless, and so unfit for it; we are perverse and selfish, and so unwilling to it. Our strength for it is in God himself.

(3.) That God can fit and dispose us for it, Phil. 4:13.'I can do all things,'says the apostle, 'through Christ which strengthened me.' Grace can make us both able and willing. There is no person in any station whatsoever, but free grace can make of them happy instruments for honouring his name; which should be a powerful motive to induce us to pray fervently for it, otherwise we will never actively glorify him.

Therefore we pray here, that grace may be bestowed on ourselves and others, whereby we and they may glorify him, which Is the leading duty we have to mind in this world and that,

[1.] Internally, by knowing, acknowledging, and highly esteeming him, his names, titles, attributes, ordinances, words, and works, and so every thing whereby he makes himself known, Psal. 77:2, 3. This is to hallow that name in our hearts.

[2.] Externally, in our words and actions, speaking and living to his praise, Phil. 1:11.'Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

V. Why is this petition put by our Saviour first into our mouths? The reason is, because the glory of God or honour of his name, is the chief end of our being, and of all others. And therefore it should lie nearest our hearts, Rom. 11:36. 'For of him, and through him and to him are all things. To whom be glory for ever.' God's glory is his own end in all his works, and it ought to be ours. We can no other way approve ourselves to him.

I shall conclude with some inferences.

Inf. 1. The dishonour done to God, by one's own sin and the sins of others, must needs go near the heart of a saint, Psal. 51:4. 'Against thee, thee only have I sinned,' says David, 'and done this evil in thy sight.' And again, Psal. 119:136. 'Rivers of waters run down mine eyes; because they kept not thy law.' And to be grieved for our own loss of sins, and not for the dishonour done to God thereby; and to be unconcerned at the dishonour of God in the world by others, does not look like the disposition of a child of the family of heaven.

2. Habitual profaners of that holy name are none of the children of God, whose main care is to get that name hallowed. And how many such profaners of the sacred name of God are to be found in our day! They are so far from making conscience of hallowing that dreadful and fearful name, that they are daily employed in dishonouring it by the most horrid oaths and imprecations, and pouring upon it all the contempt they can, in open violation of the third commandment. How many do profane it by Atheism, Sabbath-breaking, uncleanness, perjury, intemperance, injustice, oppression, lying, stealing, backbiting, and other gross abominations, as if they had sold themselves to commit open hostilities against the King of heaven and run desperately upon the thick bosses of his buckler! They wear the devil's mark on their foreheads, and openly declare to the world, that they are none of God's children.

3. Holiness is the creature's glory, and its greatest glory, for it is God's glory; and therefore unholiness is its disgrace and dishonour. Ah! unholy sinners, ye have lost your glory; sin has disgraced you, and made you contemptible to God and all his holy family. O seek to be sanctified by the Holy Spirit of Christ, that so you may recover your forfeited glory, and no more lie under disgrace. It is only the saints that are the most excellent in the earth. Seek ye to be like them, by having the image of God drawn on your hearts, and walking holily as God is holy.

4. It is not the language of a child of God to say, 'Am I my brother's keeper?' as wicked Cain did: what is my business how such an one live or die? Why truly, if thou belongest to God, it will be matter of thy hearty concern and prayer, that God may be honoured by others as well as by thyself. Without this concern a man cannot be a Christian; he is not a child of God; for every true believer ardently wishes and prays that God may be glorified; and as far as his power, authority, influence, and example, can reach, he will use his utmost endeavours to induce others to glorify the name of his God. Were it in his power, he would leave no means unessayed to engage the whole world in this delightful work, that 'songs might be heard from the uttermost parts of the earth, even glory to the righteous.'

5. It is the disposition of a child of God, to submit his lot and condition in the world to the Lord, to be cut and carved as may serve his glory. Without this one cannot be a child of God. For it is inseparable from the character of such an one, in whatever state he is, therewith to be content. Hence the apostle Paul could say, 'As alway, so now also, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death,' Phil. 1:20.

6. It is the duty of all men to sanctify the holy name of God, to reverence, adore and honour it, in their hearts, lips, and lives. O! let us then be excited to the practice of this duty, considering that it is the end for which God gave us a being; that if we do not hallow it, we contradict this very petition, praying for a thing we have no mind to comply with; that if we live in the neglect of this duty, God will get honour to himself by inflicting heavy judgments upon us in this life, and by making us eternal monuments of his vengeance in the next; that when we come to encounter with the king of terrors, it will tend to sweeten the awful prospect, that we have made it our business to glorify the name of God; that we will loose nothing, but be great gainers, by honouring the name of the Lord; for they that do so shall be reckoned among his jewels, and be a royal diadem in the Lord's hand; they shall be happy in death, and be safely conveyed to Immanuel's land where glory dwells. Let us then make it the principal business of our lives to glorify God, that so we may come to enjoy him for ever.

THE SECOND PETITION

MATTH. 6:10.—Thy Kingdom come.

As the first petition relates to the name of God, this second relates to the kingdom of God, the kingdom of our Father which is in heaven; the coming of which, that is the advancement thereof, is desired by all the children of God. And that is the great mean of glorifying his name; for then is his name hallowed, when his kingdom comes, is advanced and carried on till it come to perfection.

In discoursing further from this subject, I shall shew,

I. What is meant by the kingdom of God.

II. What is the import of this petition, for it's coming.

III. The reasons of the concerns of the children of God for the coming of his kingdom.

IV. Apply.

1. I am to shew, what is meant by the kingdom of God. There is a fourfold kingdom of God, mentioned in scripture.

1. The kingdom of his power, which reaches over all the world. The subjects of this kingdom are all creatures whatsoever, Psal. 103:19. 'His kingdom ruleth over all.' It reaches from the highest angel to the meanest worm that creeps on the earth. It is a vast dominion, comprehending earth, seas, and hell, and all that in them is. He made them all, and therefore has dominion over them all: and to him they must all submit themselves willing or unwilling, Rom. 14:11. 'As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' Compare Phil. 2:10, 11.—'At the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth; and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.' In this respect God is universal Monarch, and all the kings and emperors of the world are but his vassals.

2. The kingdom of his gospel, Matth. 21:43. 'The kingdom of God shall be taken from you,' says Christ to the Jews. This is not so large as the former. It is erected within it, but comprehends the whole visible church, in which God has set up the light of the gospel and Christ's name is known, and men profess subjection to him.

(1.) The subjects of it are all members of the visible church, whether godly or ungodly, sincere or hypocrites, (Matth. 13:47), with their children. Even the worst of them are privileged persons, in comparison of those of the world without the church, Psal. 147:19, 20. 'He sheweth his word unto Jacob, his statutes and his judgments unto Israel. He hath not dealt so with any nation: and as for his judgments, they have net known them.'

(2.) The King of it is Jesus Christ, Psal. 2:6. 'Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.' He is the alone Head of it, and only supreme in it. And neither Pope nor King can pretend to the supremacy over it, without invading his royal prerogative to their own cost, Eph. 1:22, 23. 'God hath put all things under his feet, and given him to be the Head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.' And his glory he will not give to another.

(3.) The laws of it are the word of God. The Bible it the book of the laws of the kingdom, which great and small within the kingdom are equally bound to walk by, Isa. 8:20. 'To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.' These laws are attended with the most weighty sanction; and as they have the promise of eternal life of free grace to those who obey him, so they have the threatening of eternal wrath to the disobedient, suitable to the majesty of the King, Mark 16:16. 'He that believeth shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.'

(4.) The ordinances of it are gospel-ordinances, instituted by the King himself, bearing his own signature, Matth. 28:20. 'Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.' And for men to pretend to add or alter, as if they were not bound up to the divine institution, is the product of their own blindness, and enmity against Zion's King, a saying in effect, 'We will not have this man to reign over us,' Luke 19:27. 'For the Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Lawgiver, the Lord is our King, Isa. 33:22.

Lastly, The officers of it (ordinary) are, pastors and teachers, for the work of the ministry, Eph. 4:11, 12; ruling elders for government, 1 Tim. 5:17; and deacons for the care of the poor, Acts 6. As for prelates or bishops, archbishops, metropolitans, &c. whatever is to be said of their persons, their offices belong not to the kingdom of Christ, but of Antichrist, as well as priests, cardinals, and popes, there being no institution of them in the book of the manner of Christ's kingdom.

3. The kingdom of his grace, Matth. 6:33. 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God,' &c. This is yet narrower than any of the former, and comprehends only the invisible church; for it is not an external, but an internal kingdom, in which grace, saving grace, reigns in the hearts of those who belong to it; for, says Christ to his disciples, 'behold the kingdom of God is within you,' Luke 17:21.

(1.) The subjects of it are believers, true saints, and they only; and they commence subjects of this kingdom in the day of Christ's power on their hearts, their new birth-day, Psal. 110:3. Well may it be called a kingdom, for it is a kingdom of Kings, Rev. 1:6 as all the subject of it are 'made kings unto God' Out of prison (their natural state) they come to reign over their spiritual enemies.

(2.) The King of it is Christ, dwelling in their hearts, Eph. 3:17; sitting in their hearts as on his throne, and all things else made his footstool, Luke 14:26. The gospel comes with power to the elect souls, Psal. 24:8. The everlasting doors are lifted up, and the King makes his triumphant entry, and receives the crown at his entrance, Cant. 3 ult.

(3.) The laws of it are the laws of the Bible, but written over in their hearts, Heb. 8:10. What others have in their book only, they have in their book and heart too; that is, inclinations of soul suited to the word are framed in them, which is a new nature, naturally disposing them to obedience without force. This is the law of their mind, Rom. 7:23.

(4.) The ordinances of it are the same gospel ordinances, but observed in a spiritual manner, in spirit and in truth, John 4:24. Phil. 3:3. For this kingdom consists not in outward observances, but inward graces, Rom. 14:17 whereby the soul is conformed to the image of Christ, and the inner man serves the Lord Christ, as well as the outward man: it is 'not in word, but in power.'

Lastly, The Administrator of it is the Holy Spirit of Christ, John 14:16, 17. He teaches the subjects the laws of the kingdom. So they are taught of God. He enlivens, excites, and strengthens them to obedience. He leads them out to the war against their spiritual enemies, inspires them with courage and resolution in the conflict, and crowns them with victory. He makes use of the word for all this, and brings every thought into obedience, 2 Cor. 10:5.

4. The kingdom of his glory, 1 Cor. 15:50. This is the blessed state of eternal happiness in the other world. This kingdom is now a-gathering, but shall fully come at the second coming of Christ.

(1.) The subjects of it are all the elect, being prepared for it by conversion, regeneration, justification, sanctification, and perseverance. This is the end of the golden chain, Rom. 8:29, 30. (And the elect angels make up a part of this kingdom too). However long any of them lie among the pots, there shall none of them be left there, nor missing in that kingdom. There they shall be in body and soul too. For Christ will summon death to deliver him his own, and then he will deliver up the kingdom to the Father, and present them spotless.

(2.) The King of it is God the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, reigning most gloriously over all the kingdom, without the least degree of rebellion or uneasiness under the government among all the subjects, and without any mixture of enemies or malcontents among them, Luke 20:36. This, then, is the kingdom by way of eminency, where the Lord reigns for ever and ever. The kingdom of his power has many malcontents in it, ready to quarrel with their Maker and his administration. The kingdom of the gospel has many adversaries, without and within men, and is held out of many nations. The kingdom of grace has no access to the hearts of many who hear the gospel; and where it is set up, ill neighbours, corrupt lusts, mar the progress. But in the kingdom of glory there are no such things.

(3.) The laws of it are the eternal laws of righteousness, indelibly engraven on their hearts, without the least blot. There is no Bible needed there; for the rule of conduct is written on the mind, and the writing neither waxes old, nor can be erazed.

(4.) The ordinances of it are perpetual praises and hallelujahs, never-ceasing songs to God and the Lamb. There is no temple there, for God and the Lamb are the temple thereof. There is no need of preaching or prayer; for perfect knowledge takes place, and every saint is made perfect and full, so as to seek no more. Faith is swallowed up in vision, and hope in fruition.

Lastly, The administrator of this heavenly kingdom is the Holy Spirit, but without any external means. He trained up the saints while in the world for this royal state, and at once, by his internal agency and invisible operations, disposed, fitted them for, and ever presides over them, in the delightful employments of the kingdom of glory, John 14:16. From what has been said,

USE. 1. Submit yourselves contentedly to the disposals of Providence. If God be King over all, is there any fault in the administration; nay, is not all well done, yea, best done? Let his sovereignty silence us; should it be according to thy mind? His infinite wisdom should satisfy us, who knows better than we do what is best for us, and can over-rule all things for his glory and our good.

2. Submit yourselves to the good sceptre. Are ye subjects of the gospel-kingdom? Then it becomes you to be subject to the laws, to observe the ordinances, and to be submissive to the officers of the kingdom. The contempt poured on these falls on the Prince of the kingdom. Beware then of transgressing or offending in this matter, lest ye incur the guilt of high treason against the majesty of Heaven, and the stone cut out of the mountain without hands fall upon you, and crush you to pieces. Answer the gospel-call, and let it have its due effect upon you, in submitting to the sceptre of Jesus Christ as King of Zion, and resigning yourselves wholly to him, as your Prophet, Priest, and Sovereign to be taught his will for your salvation, to be redeemed by his blood, sanctified by his Spirit, and to be ruled and governed by his laws as in the hand of the Mediator.

3. Let our royal Master have your hearts for his throne, and set up his kingdom of grace there. Let him sit enthroned there, without any rivals or competitors, and without any squint looks to any other sovereigns that may have had dominion over you, whether the devil, the world, or the flesh. Lie no more to him with your lips, nor offend him with any sinful or corrupt practices. Give him your hearts, and let them be his for ever, to meditate on his word and delight in his laws. There is no getting to the kingdom of glory without this. For all the loyal subjects of this kingdom are absolute nonconformists to the world, and are conformable to Christ their King in righteousness and holiness: and it is their study to be conformed to him more and more; and they are grieved that they are not so perfectly.

Lastly, Labour and be restless till ye get your interest in the kingdom of glory secured. And this is done by closing with Christ for all the ends for which he is given of God. It is dangerous to delay this. Therefore kiss the Son, lest he be angry. Now is the time, now or never.

II. I proceed to shew, what is the import of this petition for the coming of the kingdom of God. Here it is to be observed concerning this fourfold kingdom, that they are sweetly linked together, and stand in a line of subordination, the end of which is the kingdom of glory, the kingdom of grace being subordinated to it, the gospel-kingdom to that of grace, and the kingdom of power to the kingdom of the gospel. Therefore I must begin with the kingdom of glory.

First, What is the import of this petition with reference to the kingdom of glory? It imports,

1. That the kingdom of glory is not come yet, 1 John 3:2. 'It doth not yet appear what we shall be.' The King has not yet erected that kingdom. The King's coronation-day for that kingdom, 2 Thess. 1:10 is not yet come. That is a kingdom of perfect light and uninterrupted day. But the king's glory is yet under a vail in this world, through which only some rays are darted forth. It is night still, and till the day break, and the shadows flee away, the King has betaken himself to the mountains of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense, Cant. 6:6. And many of the designed subjects are yet lying among the pots, some of them yet in the devil's kingdom, some of them in their pilgrimage, some of them are got home indeed, but only half-home, having their souls in heaven, but their bodies in the grave.

2. That it will come. The King really designs it. From eternity he decreed it, John 17:24. 'Father, I will that they also whom thou hast 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 foundation of the world.' He is gone to heaven, but he will surely come back again, and he will set up this kingdom, Acts 1:11. There are two things one may say with full assurance about it, though it is not come yet.

(1.) It shall certainly come. It is impossible it can fail to be erected. The Father's truth, the Son's blood, and the Spirit's seal, are pledges of its erection. The Father has promised it, the Son purchased it, and the Spirit sealed it on the souls of all the saints. The King shall receive that crown, and the subjects theirs too, however low as some of them sit at this day, Matth. 25:31, 34.

(2.) It shall never come down, but last for ever. Many, sometimes famous, kingdoms in the world are now no more. The Assyrian, Chaldean, Persian, and Roman monarchies, as they came from below out of the sea, so they are all come to ruin. But this kingdom, as it is from above, so it shall never be destroyed, never swallowed up, nor succeeded by another, Dan. 7:27. 'His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him.'

3. That it is the duty and disposition of the saints and children of God, to desire the coming of this kingdom, and that themselves and others may be brought into it, 2 Tim. 4:8. And this their desire comprehends these four things.

(1.) The King's coming to receive his kingdom at the last day, Rev. 22:20. 'He which testifieth these things, saith, Surely I come quickly.' The Spirit in the hearts of the saints, that cries, 'Abba, Father,' cries also, (as Judg. 5:28.) 'Why is his chariot so long in coming? why tarry the wheels of his chariots?' They would have swift time that runs like a post, and never halts, to put wings to its feet, to hasten their King's coming.

(2.) The destruction of the last enemy, death, 1 Cor. 15:26. It is the last that will stand in the way of the erection of this kingdom of glory. But the King's summons, by the sound of the last trumpet, put in the hands of the grim tyrant, will give him one conquering stroke, cause the doors of the grave fly open, and loose his grips for ever of the bodies of his saints. And this they long for, and joy in the faith of it, 1 Cor. 15:57.

(3.) The everlasting complete happiness of themselves and others in that kingdom, Psal. 14 ult. Col. 3:2, 3, 4. Every thing desires its own perfection, and therefore grace is natively carried out in desire after glory. If it were at the saint's choice, he would not live always, Job 7:16 and therefore is coming up out of the world in affection or desires, Cant. 8:5.

Lastly, The coming of the kingdom of grace, in order to all this. Which brings me to the second thing. But before I enter on that, I must answer a

Case. If this be the disposition of the saints, I am none: for Christ's coming is a terror to me, and how can I desire it? Ans. (1.) If this temper of spirit rise in thee from an habitual tastelessness and unsavouriness of holy, spiritual, and heavenly things, and from a reigning relish of the things of this present world, no wonder that Christ's coming be a terror to thee, and thou canst not desire it, more than any thing can desire to be out of its element, as fish to be dragged out of the sea. And while it is so with thee, I can speak no comfort to thee, Phil. 3:18–20. 'For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ; whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly; and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.'

(2.) But if holy, spiritual, and heavenly things have the predominant relish habitually in thy heart, and that sin and the world's vanities are unsavoury, in comparison of these; then, though it is often a terror to thee when thou thinkest on it, yet thou dost really desire it, though not expressly, yet interpretatively, ver. 20. And this I prove to thee by two arguments.

1. Dost thou not desire to be perfectly freed from, and set beyond the reach of sin and death? And dost thou not know, that that will never be till that day? Wherefore that desire to be freed from sin and death, has the desire of Christ's coming in the bosom of it, as the desire to have the festered member cut off, for the safety of the life, implies a desire of the surgeon's coming, who is to perform the operation, though it be a terror to the person.

2. Dost thou not desire communion with God, and full and complete communion with him in his glory, in soul and body? Thou knowest that that cannot be till he come, that all sin and sorrow will not be taken away, and this absolutely perfect happiness obtained till then. Wherefore this desire implies, that

Your terror may arise either from natural causes, or want of evidence of interest in Christ, or both together. Wherefore labour to assure your hearts before him by believing, Isa. 35:4.

Secondly, What is the import of this petition with reference to the kingdom of grace? There is no getting into the kingdom of glory but by coming through that of grace. So that desiring the coming of the former, is desiring the coming of the latter too. It imports,

1. That all men naturally are without this kingdom, under the dominion of Satan, Eph. 2:2, 3. 'In time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience. Among whom also we had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of the flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh, and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.' These other lords have dominion over them. And as they are not subjects of, so they have nothing to do with the privileges of the kingdom of grace.

2. That we cannot bring ourselves or others into it, John 6:44. 'No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.' God alone can do it, Col. 1:13. It is he who translates us into the kingdom of his dear Son. One will lie under the iron yoke for any thing he can do, till the power of grace break it. When one is brought into it himself, he cannot bring his nearest relations along with him. He may use the means, exhort, excite, &c. but can do no more.

3. That we cannot, where it is set up, maintain and advance it, against the enemies of it, 2 Cor. 3:5. 'We are not sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves.'—Satan, the world, and corrupt lusts, are the enemies of this kingdom, fighting against it continually, to extinguish it, and to retard its progress, Gal. 5:17. 'For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. And if there be not another power than our own to balance the opposition, it will give way before them.

4. Lastly, That it is the duty and disposition of the children of God to desire, that the Lord himself may bring forward his kingdom, as Paul said to King Agrippa, 'I would to God that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am,' Acts 26:29. This extends to,

(1.) The destruction of the power of sin and Satan over the hearts and lives of men, Psal. 68:1, 18. 'Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men: yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them.' Every saint grudges the sway which these enemies bear in the world, and prays it down.

(2.) The conversion of sinners to God, 2 Thess. 3:1. 'Pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and he glorified.' Converts are the church's children, for which she travails in birth, in her ministers and members, as naturally longing for the conversion of souls, as a travailing woman to see the fruit of her womb.

(3.) The preserving and advancing to perfection the state of those who are in it already, ourselves or others, 1 Pet. 5:10. 'The God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you. It is the joint desire of all who are brought into this kingdom, to be carried on and through, till they come to the kingdom of glory, both themselves and others.

Lastly, In order thereto, the coming of the kingdom of the gospel. This brings me to the

Third thing, What is the import of this petition with reference to the kingdom of the gospel? It is by the kingdom of the gospel that one is brought into the kingdom of grace. So desiring the coming of the one, we desire also the coming of the other. It imports,

1. That there are many impediments in the way of the propagation and efficacy of the gospel, which we cannot remove. The devil is the main agent against it, 1 Thess. 2:18. 'Satan hindered us,' says Paul. Under him, the chief agents are the Turk and Antichrist; and every wicked man that has access to put hand to that work, all the world over; corrupt lusts in every man's heart, Luke 19:14 and even the untenderness and unwatchfulness of good men.

2. That the Lord himself can remove all the impediments out of the way, and make the gospel triumph over them all, persons or things, sins or troubles, that are laid in the way to hinder it, Isa. 57:14. 'Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling-block out of the way of my people.'

3. That it is the duty and disposition of the children of God to desire the advancement of the kingdom of the gospel. It extends to,

(1.) The removal of the impediments out of its way in the world, 2 Thess. 3:1. It is the desire of the saints, that Satan's power in the world may be broken. And they should all pray for the downfal of the Turk and Antichrist, for the purging of the church of corruptions, scandals, and divisions, and whatsoever hinders the progress of the gospel; and that peace and truth may be maintained.

(2.) The propagation of the gospel through the world, that it may be carried through all nations; that the Jews may be brought in, Rom. 10:1 and the fulness of the Gentiles, Psal. 67 and that Christ may be King in all the earth.

(3.) The efficacy of it, to set up the kingdom of grace in men's hearts, 2 Thess. 3:1 and that all things may be ordered to the advantage of it; the Spirit poured out from on high, the church furnished with gospel officers and ordinances, countenanced and protected by the magistrate, ministers made powerful and lively in their work, and the people tender and orderly in their walk, &c. all these things contributing to the success of the gospel.

Lastly, That God would exert his power for all this; which brings me to the

Fourth thing, What is the import of this petition with reference to the coming of God's kingdom of power? It is by the power of God that all these great things must be brought about. So the desiring of the coming of the gospel, is the desiring of the coming of this kingdom too. It imports,

1. That these things will not be done unless Omnipotency interpose. The work is great, the hands employed in it are feeble and there is great opposition. It will stick, if heaven put not to a helping hand.

2. That it is the duty and disposition of the children of God, to desire that God would exercise the kingdom of his power in the world, as may best conduce to these ends, Isa. 64:1, 2. 'Oh that thou wouldst rend the heavens, that thou wouldst come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence. As when the melting fire burneth, the fire causeth the waters to boil, to make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence.'

USE. Shew yourselves of the family of heaven, by your concern that the Lord's kingdom may come, even that of glory, grace, the gospel, and power. For this is the language of those who cry unto God, 'Abba, Father.' Let this be a petition in every one of your prayers, private or secret. And contribute ye your best endeavours for promoting this glorious end. And let your life and practice shew to the world, that ye have the interests of God's kingdom at heart.

III. I proceed to shew, the reasons of the concern of the children of God for the coming of his kingdom.

1. The new nature in them moves that way, Isa. 43:21. 'This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.' It is from heaven, and aspires to heaven, and is heavenly in its motions, Phil. 3:20. 'Our conversation is in heaven,' Rom. 8:5. 'They that are after the Spirit, do mind the things of the Spirit:' As by our first birth we join and addict ourselves to the interests of hell, Psal. 58:3. 'The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies; so one by the new birth joins interests with heaven. So that the meanest saint has a natural concern for the kingdom of Christ's thriving, the Spirit put in them being a public Spirit.

2. It is their Father's kingdom. How then can the children not be concerned for it? Matth. 6:9, 10. Their Father's honour must be dear to them, Mal. 1:6. 'If I be a Father, where is mine honour?' The further on his kingdom goes, the more his glory is advanced; and they have the more satisfaction as children, in their father's honour.

3. Their own interest lies in it. They are willing subjects of the kingdom of his power. They are subjects, not only of the kingdom of the gospel, but of the kingdom of grace, and designed subjects of the kingdom of glory. So in its good their own is wrapt up. See Jer. 29:7. Their all is in this ship. No wonder, then, that they be concerned that it come safe to land. When it does, they are made up for ever: if it were possible that it could be cast away, they are ruined.

4. Their brethren's interest lies in it too, Psal. 122:8. All the saints are born brethren. The more the kingdom is advanced, it is the better with them; and the more it is retarded, it is the worse, Psal. 103:16, 17. For be it foul or fair, their lot is in it, and it fares with them as with it. Their brethren yet unborn, all the elect not yet converted, some of them come, some but coming into the world, Cant. 8:8. Should the kingdom of God be taken away what should become of perishing souls? If the net of the gospel be folded up, how should the fish be caught? If the Lord leave our mother, how shall children be brought forth into God?

5. Lastly, The ruin of the enemies' interest lies in it too. Every kingdom has its enemies. There is an irreconcilable war betwixt the devil's kingdom and Christ's. It was proclaimed in paradise, Gen. 3:15. 'I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed.' It never was, nor will be, taken up by a peace; it must end in the ruin of one of the two. As the one goes up, the other goes down; and the perfection of Christ's kingdom will be the destruction of the other. No wonder, then, that all the King's children cry, Thy kingdom come.

I shall now make some practical improvement of this subject, in uses of information, trial, and exhortation.

USE I. Of information. From what is said, learn,

1. The excellency, usefulness, and necessity of the glorious gospel. It is the kingdom of God.

(1.) It is a most excellent thing, precious in itself, and in the eyes of all saints, 2 Pet. 1:4. It is more excellent than all the kingdoms of the earth; for it is the kingdom of God, Matth. 21:43. It is a field wherein a treasure lies, which, whoso discover, will part with all, if it were crowns and kingdoms, to gain it, Matth. 13:44. And a thousand times happy the man, who can call the field his own.

(2.) It is most useful; for it is the way by which one is brought into the kingdom of grace, and so to glory, Acts 26:18. It is the sword of the Spirit, by which sinners are subdued to Christ, the devil's nest is rifled, his power over sinners broken, and his kingdom brought down. It is the sinner's life, the saint's health, and the instrument of all spiritual good to them.

(3.) It is most necessary, as the kingdom of God among men, without which they are in a miserable plight, the devil ruling among them at his will, Psal. 74:20. 'The dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.' It is the key of the kingdom of grace, and opens the door of access to heaven. The world might better want the sun in the firmament, than want the gospel. It is the 'light shining in a dark place.' 2 Pet. 1:19 to guide our feet in the way to eternal happiness.

2. That the cry for the ruin of the kingdom of God, can be no other but the cry of the family of hell. Yet many join in it, saying, 'Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us,' Psal. 2:3. 'We will not have this man to reign over us,' Luke 19:14. The gospel-kingdom is the great eye-sore to the devil; and if he could reach it, he would destroy it. Sometimes his chain is lengthened, and his forces are raised to raze the temple of God among men. And then multitudes of great and small list themselves in his service, in the unholy war against the church. And then they 'roar in the midst of the congregations; they set up their ensigns for signs:' and 'they break down the carved work thereof at once, with axes and hammers,' Psal. 74:4, 6. But their cry is the cry of hell.

3. That the kingdom of our Lord will triumph over all its enemies, and drive over all opposition. For if what two agree on earth, as touching any thing that they shall ask, Matth. 18:19 shall be done for them, much more what all the saints on earth make their joint request. The devil's kingdom, and Antichrist's kingdom, though malignants lend their hand to carry it on, shall fall before the prayers of all the saints, and they in the ruins of it, if they quit not the Antichristian interest. If Christ's kingdom were ever so low, the joint prayers of the saints will raise it up.

4. No wonder that most men's prayers be not heard, for their hearts and lives contradict them quite, Prov. 28:9. 'He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.' They pray, that God's kingdom may come; yet they will not submit to it themselves. They cannot be bound with the laws of the kingdom of the gospel, they are strangers to that of grace, and the kingdom of glory is not their choice, if they could do otherwise. Christ says to such, 'Why call ye me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?' Luke 6:46. Remember, Sirs, that 'the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power,' 1 Cor. 4:20. The devil's kindly subjects may pretend a great concern for the kingdom of God. But what of that? It is but a pretence, while the kingdom of God is not within them, but sin reigns in their hearts.

5. Lastly, It is sad work to be employed in hindering the advancement of the kingdom of God, whether men pursue it openly or covertly. For it is driving contrary to the prayers of all saints. Persecution is a sad piece of work, but the devil is known there by his cloven foot. But scandalous practices, and fiery divisions, in the church, are apt to do more mischief to the kingdom of Christ. For whatever zeal for it the authors of them do pretend, one thing is evident, that the way to the getting good of the gospel is filled full of stumbling-blocks, and the poor blind graceless world is thereby taught to despise the means of grace. It must needs be fearful opposition to the kingdom of Christ, that is thus written in the blood of perishing souls.

USE. II. Of trial. Try by this whether ye be of the family of God or not. Have ye a kindly concern for the coming of his kingdom? Do your hearts say within you, Thy kingdom come? If it be not so, God is not your Father; but if so, he is. How shall that kindly concern be known? If it be of the right sort,

1. It will be a judicious deliberate concern, on a fair view of the nature of the kingdom, Matth. 13:45, 46. Many have a concern for the kingdom of Christ, who indeed know not what it is. The Jews had a mighty zeal for it, upon a mistake: and when it came to them, not answering the notion they had formed of it, they opposed it with all their might. But if ye be concerned for it, on a right view of it from the Lord's word, as a kingdom of true holiness, it is well.

2. A universal concern for it, for the kingdom of power, the gospel, grace, and glory. Ye will be concerned that God would exercise his power, for the advancing of the gospel; that the gospel may have its due effect on yourselves and others; that Christ may away his sceptre in your hearts; and that holiness may he perfected in glory.—You will not only be concerned for the kingdom without you, but for the kingdom within you; not for the kingdom within you only, but without you too.

3. An active concern for it, not in wishing and woulding only, but putting to your hand to get it forward, 1 Cor. 4:20. 'For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power; and this ye will do, as ye have access in the world, and particularly in your own hearts and lives. It will set you to keep up a constant war with the enemies, the devil, the world, and your own lusts.

4. Lastly, A superlative concern for it, mastering and swallowing up all other concerns. You will say as the captives in Babylon did, 'If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy,' Psal. 137:6. For if ye belong to God, your chief interest is in that kingdom; and where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

USE. III. and last, Of exhortation. I exhort you to join issue this day with Zion's King, to have common friends and enemies with him, come what will. Set yourselves against the kingdom of sin and Satan in the world and your own hearts; Psal. 2 ult. 'Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little.' And do ye exert heart and hand, that his kingdom may come. In this matter ye cannot be neutral: 'For he that is not with me,' says Christ, 'is against me; and he that gathereth not with me, scattereth abroad,' Matth. 12:30. Therefore, if ye be not with heart and hand set for the advancement of this kingdom, I declare you enemies to it. Come then,

First, Be concerned that the kingdom of God's power may come; that he may stretch out his almighty arm, and gain ground to himself in the world.

1. It is a universal kingdom. All is in his hand. He can reach to the ends of the earth. It extends over all persons and things; and he can make all things subserve his purposes. He can display his glorious arm in bringing in shoals of volunteers into the kingdom of grace, and utterly root out all the legions of hell that are in combination against him.

2. It is an uncontroulable kingdom. None can resist him more than the clay can resist the potter, Dan. 4:35. 'He doth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What dost thou?' He will work, and who can let it? It is in vain to contend with this almighty Sovereign; for he can easily conquer all his enemies, as easily as he caused the Red Sea swallow up Pharaoh and all his host. He can baffle all the machinations and plots of his adversaries, disconcert their best-laid projects, and make them retreat with shame and confusion. These are great encouragements for this concern.

Secondly, Be concerned that the kingdom of the gospel may come. For motives, consider,

1. That it is not a universal kingdom, but a narrow one, and that it is to be enlarged. For Christ has declared, 'that this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world, for a witness unto all nations,' Matth. 24:14. Though now this kingdom be confined within narrow bounds, yet it shall, according to Christ's promise, have a more diffusive spread: and the time will come when the Jews shall be brought in with the fulness of the Gentiles, and the kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ.

2. It is a moveable kingdom. It may be taken from them that have it. Christ may remove his throne, as he did from the Jews, Matth. 21:43 and as he has done in many once famous churches. Where are now the seven churches in the Lesser Asia? and where are many of those churches that were planted by the apostle of the Gentiles? Alas! their candlestick has been long ago removed out of its place, and the delusions of Mahomet prevail in those places where once the pure doctrines of the gospel were preached. Though Christ will always have a church on earth, yet it is confined to no particular country or place. And therefore, we in this land should earnestly pray, that the kingdom of the gospel may come more illustriously among us, and that it may continue with us to the end of time, that we may still see many days of the Son of man, and that the candle of gospel-light may ever shine brightly among us. These considerations should influence us always to pray, that Christ's gospel-kingdom may come among us, and be spread through the world.

Thirdly, Be concerned, that the kingdom of grace may come. Consider,

1. It is a kingdom that easily gets a back-set, Cant. 2:15. It may be thriving in a soul this moment, and the next going to decay. There is need of much faith and watchfulness for preserving and maintaining it. A multitude of formidable foes are still opposing it, and all the subjects of it have no power to resist them. They must look to their Captain-General, and be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. It is only through him that they can do valiantly: for it is he alone who treads down their enemies under their feet. And through him they shall be more than conquerors. Trust ye then in the Lord for ever; for with the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength. Be sober, then, and watch unto prayer, lest ye fall into temptation. Cry unto your King, for he will save you, and gradually overcome all your enemies.

2. Yet this is a kingdom that can never be overturned, never removed, Heb. 12:8. It is a spark of fire in the midst of an ocean, that can never be quite drowned or extinguished. The braised reed shall not be broken, and the smoking flax shall never be quenched. All the combinations of adversaries, however formidable, shall never overturn this kingdom; for the gates of hell shall never prevail against it. It is built on the Rock Christ, and all the surges and waves of the dragon's flood shall never overturn the edifice. The name of the city is, 'The Lord is there.' Of this kingdom of grace, it may well be said, 'Associate yourselves, O ye people, and ye shall be broken in pieces; and give ear, all ye of far countries: gird yourselves, and ye shall be broken in pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to nought; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us,' Isa. 8:9, 10. 'These are powerful considerations for inducing you to a hearty concern for the coming of this kingdom of grace.

Fourthly, Be concerned that the kingdom of glory may come. Consider,

1. Sin and trouble will have an end put to them there. The stage of sin and vanity will then be put down for ever, and none of the scenes that have so much vexed the righteous here, will ever be exhibited again. All corruptions, temptations, and backslidings from God, will then come to a final period. All bodily trouble and spiritual distress shall cease, and never more be heard of.

2. Grace and happiness will then arrive at their full perfection. The mystery of God will then be finished. Then will God's kingdom of power, of the gospel, and of grace, fully obtain their end; and all the subjects of Christ shall be completely blessed in the full enjoyment of him for evermore. Let us all then say, Let the kingdom of glory be hastened. Amen.

THE THIRD PETITION

MATTH. 6:10.—Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.

THIS third petition relates to the will of God, the doing of which is desired by all the children of God. And as by the coming of his kingdom his name is hallowed, so by doing his will his kingdom comes, or is advanced, and we own him to be King, Heb. 13:21. So all these three petitions meet in one great desirable point, viz. the glory of God. This is the scope of them all.

Observe here, by the by, that we are directed to speak to God in prayer as to one. Hallowed be thy name, not your name: Thy will be done, not your will. Wherefore then, should any forsake such a form of sound words, for such a harsh one, as speaks to God by ye and your, your Majesty, ye know all things, &c.? I will not insist on what may be said to defend it, from the plurality of persons in the Godhead, the manner of speaking to kings, and from common conversation, (those who use it, I suppose, doing it rather from custom than judgment.) But it is not the scripture-way of speaking to God; it is not the way of this pattern of prayer; it is offensive to, and grating in the ears of the most part of Christians, as savouring of the opinion of the plurality of Gods, and therefore ought to be forsaken. I may well say in this case, 'But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God,' 1 Cor. 11:16.

In discoursing from this petition, I shall shew,

I. What is meant by the will of God.

II. By whom is God's will done in heaven.

III. What is the import of this petition.

IV. The reasons why the saints have such a concern, that the will of God may be done in earth as it is in heaven.

V. Apply.

1. I am to shew what is meant by the will of God. By it we are to understand the will of his commands, and the will of his providence.

First, The will of God's commands, Heb. 13:24. 'Make you perfect in every good work to do his will.' Matth. 7:21. 'He that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven.' His is the kingdom over all creatures; he sits on the throne of his power, and gives out his will to all the rational world, which they are bound to obey, as the King's law, and laws of his kingdom, determining what they ought to do, and what to forbear. The church has that will of the King in all points in the Bible. In heaven, all do it; in hell, none do it; in earth, some do it, others not; and those who do it, do it but imperfectly. So we pray, Thy will be done.

The will of God's commands, is exceedingly comprehensive, Psal. 119:96. 'Thy commandment is exceeding broad.' It is but one will of God; but the objects of it, the things willed are many: but as many as they are, sincere Christians do sincerely fulfil them, though not perfectly, Acts 13:22. 'I have found David,—a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will,' Gr. 'all my wills.' This whole will of God, however, may be reduced to two heads, viz. faith, and holiness.

1. Faith, 1 John 3:23. 'This is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ.' And this is comprehended in that, Matth. 7:21. 'Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doth the will of my Father which is in heaven.' Ye are to look on it as the Father's will, the will of God, that ye believe in his Son, 2 Cor. 8:5. 'They gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.' It is the great thing which he wills you to do, John 6:29. 'This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.' His dinner is prepared, he wills you to come to the marriage, Matth. 22:2. This answers all the objections, I may not, I dare not, I will not be welcome. It is God's will that ye come forward. And ye have the prayers of all the saints to help you forward, Thy will be done. And the crossing of this will of God will ensure your ruin, more than any thing else, John 3:18. 'He that believeth not is condemned already.' Mark 16:16. 'He that believeth not shall be damned.'

(1.) Faith is the first leading will of God, 1 John 3:23 forecited. If ye would do any part of the will of God, believe: for ye can do none of it, if ye do not this, Heb. 11:6. 'For without faith it is impossible to please God.' John 15:5. 'Without me ye can do nothing.' If ye do not begin with believing, all that ye do is nothing. As in arithmetic, if a thousand cyphers be set in a line, they are nothing, but if begun with a figure, they are all something; so believe, and the rest will be the obedience of faith.

(2.) Faith is the last will of God. It is the Lord's last will, that ye believe in Christ, Mark 16:16. 'He that believeth shall be saved.' John 3:16. 'God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.' The Lord's will to man at first was, 'Do this and live.' Now he cannot do that: but that he may not perish, his will now in the second covenant is, 'Believe, and ye shall be saved.' The first not being complied with, the second came for man's help: but this second is the last. If ye do not believe, there is no third to be looked for, but fiery indignation, Heb. 10:26, 27.

2. Holiness, 1 Thess. 4:3. 'This is the will of God, even your sanctification.' God is a holy God, and cannot will unholiness. It is Satan's will and your own corrupt will, that ye be unholy. But therein ye contradict the will of God, Rom. 8:7. 'Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Every unholy thought, word, or action, is a going cross to the will of God, and therefore sinners are said to 'vex his holy spirit,' Isa. 63:10 as men are vexed when their will is still contradicted and crossed. Holiness is,

(1.) The will of God's nature, 1 Pet. 1:16. 'Be ye holy, as I am holy.' God has willed man to be holy; and it was inconsistent with his nature to have willed them to be unholy. Faith in a crucified Redeemer is God's will of free choice. He did not will innocent Adam to believe in a Mediator. He might, if he had pleased, never have provided that object of faith, and so there might never have been such a thing as faith in a Redeemer. But having once made man, he could not but will him to be a holy man. And fire and water may sooner agree than God's will and unholiness.

(2.) The will of his whole law. It is all pure, Psal. 19:8. A vein of holiness runs through the whole of it, and through every part. All the ten commandments are so many laws of holiness; all the enlargements on them in the Bible are so many directions and instructions for holiness of heart and life. There the Lord has parcelled out his will in so many particulars, but holiness is the scope of them all.

(3.) The will of God to all men, yea, all the rational creatures. That reason, 'Be ye holy, as I am holy,' 1 Pet. 1:16 reaches all. The devils will not be condemned because they do not believe in Christ; they have no warrant to believe in him, the gospel-offer is not made to them, Heb. 2:16. Prov. 8:4 but because they are unholy. The pagans will not be condemned neither for their unbelief, Rom. 2:12 for the gospel is not revealed to them, but because they are unholy, Rom. 1:8. 'The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.'

Secondly, The will of God's providence, Psal. 135:6. 'Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he in heaven and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.' He sits in heaven universal monarch of the world, and has the disposal of all his creatures, and all that concern them in his hand, and is accountable to none for his disposals, Dan. 4:35 forecited. They are all his own, as being created by him, and for him; and so he may do with them as the potter with his own clay, Matth. 20:15. Now this will of God's providence may be considered two ways.

1. As directing to duty, Psal. 32:8. 'I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go.' God speaks by his works as well as by his word. The whole world have this sort of speech made from heaven to them, Psal. 19:1–3. 'The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handy-work. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech, nor language, where their voice is not heard.' Providence serves to point men to particular pieces of service, Gal. 6:10. 'As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good to all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.' And therefore we must not be idle spectators of Providence, Psal. 107 ult. 'Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord.' But we must observe the language and meaning thereof, proving what is the good and acceptable will of God to us in it.

2. As ordering and disposing of events about ourselves and others, Matth. 10:29, 30. 'Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.' The world is a great family, under the conduct and management of an infinitely wise Master. And, for as broad and wide as it lies, his eye is in every part of it, and his hand too. And there is no person or thing but is under his providence; and whatever befals them is their portion or lot appointed by the great Master.

This all-disposing will of Providence reaches particulars, with respect to men, to us innumerable, even all that concerns them. But they may be reduced to two heads.

(1.) Smiling providences, in favourable dispensations, Rom. 2:4. The unthankful world is filled with these, for he doth good even to the unthankful and the unholy. Every day his table is spread, and he loads men with his benefits; though the mess of some may be double to that of others, yet all feed at his cost.

(2.) Frowning providences, Micah 6:9. 'The Lord's voice crieth unto the city.—Hear ye the rod, and who hath appointed it;' and this in afflicting dispensations. It is the same God who draws the white lines in one's lot, that draws the black ones too. It is the same hand that puts on the crown of prosperity, that pulls it off again. The same God who gives the fair weather, also sends the foul, and after the blink the shower, and the clouds after the rain. If it go ill with a land, with a congregation, or with one's house, it is the will of the Lord that it should be so.

And to all we are to say, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

II. I proceed to shew, by whom is God's will done in heaven.

1. By the bodies of heaven, the heavenly bodies, the sun, moon, and stars. God their Creator, when he made them, appointed their ends, motions, and courses; and these they have steadily observed from the time of their creation, Ps. 119:89, 91. 'For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven. They continue this day according to thine ordinances: for all are thy servants.' The scoffers observe this, 2 Pet. 3:4. 'All things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation', though they make a very bad use of it. Though in the heavenly fabric, these bodies are hugely great, and there are so many of them that men cannot number them, yet have they all, from the beginning to this day, observed and kept their motions and courses, without any breach of order, or any deviation whatsoever. In the mean time it is notorious, that engines made by men, and consisting of many wheels, with a variety of motions, are very hard to be long kept right, without going out of their course. But these do the will of God steadily, evenly, and unweariedly, Psal. 19:5, 6. 'The sun is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.' The sun and moon's standing still in Joshua's time, was no faltering nor disorder in their course, but it was in obedience to a particular will of God. And thus they give us a fair copy of doing the will of God on earth.

2. By the angels of heaven. These glorious spirits, attendants of the great King, are obedient to the nod of their Maker, and fall in with every the least intimation of his will, Psal. 103:21. They 'do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.' Though they 'excel in strength,' they entertain not the least thought of disputing his orders, ver. 20. They never put in an exception against the meanest piece of service that God puts into their hands, but are well content to minister unto worm man, Heb. 1 ult. 'Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?' They never use any shifts or offputs in the doing of his will; but when he speaks the word, it is done by them; the orders are readily and cheerfully complied with. Thus they also give us a fair copy of doing the will of God, a copy of rational obedience. The saints in heaven do his will also after the same manner, Rev. 7:5 having got a full answer of this petition as to themselves.

III. I shall now shew, what is the import of this petition, both with respect to the will of God's command, and his will of providence.

FIRST, I am to shew, the import of this petition with reference to the will of God's command. It imports something confessed, professed, and desired.

First, Something confessed. The children of God coming to him with this petition, confess, that,

1. The will of God is not done on earth as it is in heaven. There is no question but that all men on earth are obliged to do it with the same perfection as those in heaven do it, Matth. 5 ult. 'Be ye perfect, as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.' But, alas! it is not done. God has given men on earth his commands, and notified his will to them; but it is not complied with. Though the higher world abides to this day in obedience to its Maker, yet the frame of the lower rational world is quite marred and unhinged. Though above there is a perfect calm, yet below a most unnatural rebellion is raised and continued, so that it is a region of disorder and confusion.

1st, Most men make their own will, and not God's, their law, and the rule of their actions, Rom. 8:7: 'The carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.' All unregenerate men have shaken off the yoke of subjection to God, and instead of serving God, 'serve divers lusts and pleasures,' Tit. 3:3. If at any time they fall in with what is materially the will of God they do it, not because it is God's will, but because it is their own, and serves their own ends, as the Pharisees did in their almsgiving and prayers, &c. Matth. 6:1.

2dly, The best men carry the yoke of subjection to the will of God very unevenly, Gal. 5:17. Though they are sincere, they are far from being perfect in doing the will of God. Their own will carries them aside in many things: though they sincerely design the shore for Immanuel's land, and keep not a straight course. The wind of temptations, and their own unruly passions, oft-times blow them aside, so that they are in danger of splitting on the rocks.

2. There is in all men naturally an utter indisposition and unfitness for the will of God's command. There was a sweet harmony betwixt the will of God and the powers of man's soul at first, Eccl. 7:29 but that is gone. Sin has broken the concord, and marred the harmony; so that there is a sad jarring betwixt the two now. They are indisposed,

1st, For knowing it, for discerning what the will of God is, 1 Cor. 2:14. The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God; for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them; because they are spiritually discerned.' Sin hath raised a mist, so that the travellers cannot know the way, but are apt to chuse bypaths of destruction, instead of the King's high-way; to call evil good, and good evil: to put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter.

2dly, For doing it, Psal. 14:3. 'There is none that doeth good, no not one'. They are imperfect in that work, at best, they have lost the holy art of going by that rule. They have no skill of steering their coarse to the shore of Immanuel's land. Man naturally is under a threefold indisposition to it.

(1.) An inability to know or do the will of God. He has no head for it, 1 Cor. 2:14 just above quoted. Like Samson, we have lost our two eyes in that point. The gospel is a doctrine of mysteries, that requires a saving illumination to understand it, Eph. 1:17. Even the law itself in its spirituality is not discerned without a new light from the Lord, Rom. 7:9. And we have no hands for it neither, John 15:5. 2 Cor. 3:5. It is above our natural reach.

(2.) An unwillingness to know or do it. As we have neither head nor hand for it, so we have no heart for it neither, till a day of power change our hearts, Psal. 110:3. And hence it is that the truths of God which are practical are neglected, as not desired, Job 21:14. And when they force their entry into the head, they are held prisoners there, that they may not exert their efficacy in the heart, Rom. 1:18. And much more unwilling are we to doubt it, Hos. 4:16. 'Israel slideth back as a backsliding heifer.

(3.) A bias in the will to the wrong side, a bent and propensity to follow our own will, and the lusts of our own heart, Psal. 14:1. 'There is no God,' is the languish of every man's heart by nature. They would set up themselves for their own rule and their own end, and contend with their Maker for the sovereignty, that it should be according to their will with them, and not according to his. Again, it imports,

Secondly, Something professed. The children of God, coming to their Father with this profession, profess, that,

1. It is the grief of their hearts, that God's will is not done by themselves or others, as it is done in heaven, Matth. 21:29. Psal. 119:136. A gracious person has the law written in his heart. He knows it, and esteems it to be righteous in all things, the doing of it to be both one's duty and interest, Psal. 119:128. The heart inclines to the doing of it, though corruption and temptation drive him by it, Gal. 5:17. Hence proceeds sorrow of heart, that it is not done.

2. That God by the power of his grace, is able to reform this, and to frame the souls of men on earth to the doing his will, as in heaven, Prov. 21:1. He can new-frame men's will, give it a new bent of conformity to his own, and fix it too therein, Ezek. 36:26. So they pnt their own and other's hearts in God's hand, that he may set them in a way of obedience, Psal. 119:36. It imports also,

Thirdly, Something desired. And there are two things here desired of God by all the saints.

1. That he would by his grace remove from themselves and others all spiritual blindness and cause them to know his will, Eph. 1:17, 18. There can be no doing of God's will, without first knowing what it is, Rom. 14 ult. For suppose one to do what God requires, who yet does not know that he requires it, it is plain that one in such a case does it, not because it is the will of God, but because it is his own will. There is a natural blindness in all, and the remains of it are in the regenerate. This hides the will of God from them in many particulars, and so hinders them from doing it. But the children of God desire to know it in all things.

This desire to know the will of God is a mark of sincerity, if it be attended with these two properties.

(1.) If it be universal, if the soul really desires to know the whole will of God, Rom. 7:22; not only some shreds of the law, but the whole law, Psal. 119:6. Hypocrites may desire to know some parts of God's will, which are most agreeable to their own ends and inclinations. But happy they whose souls are opened to receive the intimations of the divine will in all things.

(2.) If it be practical, if they desire to know his whole will that they may conform themselves to it, Psal. 103:18. There may be a desire of the knowledge of God's will for speculation, to know it for the sake of knowledge, which may be found in the ungodly. But to desire the knowledge of it for the sake of practice, is a mark of sincerity.

Such a desire is a Sure mark: because,

[1.] It evidences a heart reconciled to the whole will of God, Heb. 8:10. The unrenewed heart is never so reconciled, Rom. 8:7. And therefore, since they have no inclination to let in the whole law into their heart, they do what they can to keep it out of their heads, and are willingly ignorant of what they are unwilling to practice, Job 21:14.

[2.] It evidences a heart ready to part with every known sin, with any thing whatsoever, upon the discovery of its contrariety to the will of God, Psal. 19:12. It is an evidence of an honest heart to be content to be searched, Psal. 139:23; but those who harbour deceit, will be unwilling to let in the discovering light, Jer. 9:6.

2. That God by his grace would remove from themselves and others, all weakness, indisposition, and perverseness, and cause them to obey and do his will, as it is done in heaven, Psal. 119:35. So this desire extends to,

(1.) The removal of the impediments of dutiful obedience to the will of God. The children of God are sensible of the obligation lying on all to conform to the will of God in all things; but withal, that there is in them,

[1.] A weakness, obstructing their obedience, which they would fain have removed, Eph. 3:16. The weak knees, the feeble hands, fail them when they would ever so fain do his will. These are their burden, and these they lay before the Lord daily for strengthening, longing for the day when the executive power shall be answerable to their will, and their will to the will of God.

[2.] An indisposition, hindering their obedience, which they would fain be rid of, Matth. 26:41. The gracious heart itself has such a mixture of corruption, that there is always a spice of backwardness to compliance with the will of God, and an inclination to the wrong side which they have to strive with. This is as iron fetters on them, out of which they would be enlarged, to run the way of God's commandments.

[3.] A perverseness of spirit, whereby one is inclined to resist and go quite contrary to the will of God. Ephraim complains of this, Jer. 31:18. 'I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God.' And the remainders of it in the best occasion them many a sad struggle; by-which the heart of a child of God is like a field of battle; the new nature endeavouring to take on the yoke, the corrupt nature resisting, and shifting, like an untamed ox.

(2.) God's advancing them to, and fixing them in a course of dutiful obedience to his own will, that they may do it as it is done in heaven. They look on perfect holiness as what would be their happiness. They see the will of God how it is done in heaven; they approve and love that way of it, and condemn their own, and would fain be brought up to the way of heavenly obedience, being wearied of their own earthly heartless way of doing it.

Quest. What signifies their praying for it, since they cannot obtain it while here? Ans. It speaks,

1. Their sense of duty in that case, and of their failings in their best performances. It is certain that perfection as well as sincerity of obedience is our duty, though we cannot reach it, Matth. 5 ult. 'Be ye perfect, &c. And when the saints have stretched out to the utmost, they sit down sighing, that they cannot get the length they should, Luke 17:16.

2. Their desire of perfection, which is accepted of God, 2 Cor. 8:12. They would do the will of God on earth as it is in heaven, if they could. That is the bent and disposition of their new nature, and they would as fain be rid of the remainders of corruption, as ever a prisoner was desirous of being rid of his chains, Rom. 7:24 while others please themselves therewith as with golden chains.

3. Their sincere endeavour to go forward to that perfection. Though, the stormy wind blowing in the face of the weak creature, they cannot hold pace with those in heaven in doing the will of God; yet they are still following them at a distance, if at length they may get up with them, Phil. 3:13, 14. And here as in a glass, we may see what sort of doing the will of God the saints aim at, and desire. It is,

(1.) To do it evenly, without stumbling or changing their course. So the heavenly bodies and the angels are uniform in their course, Psal. 119:91. But, alas! what an unevenliness is there in the walk of the best! Sometimes they are warm in obedience, and again key-cold. Sometimes they are tender with respect to the least of sins, and sometimes untender in great matters, according as grace or corruption gets the mastery. But all the saints are ashamed of this, and groan under the burden of it, longing for the day wherein they shall keep a stayed even course of obedience, as it is in heaven.

(2.) To do it unweariedly. Thus it is done in heaven, Psal. 19:5. 'The sun is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race,' Rev. 7:15. 'They are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple.' There is no wearying of this doing the will of God in heaven. But, alas! how soon are we on earth weary of well-doing? Even when the spirit is willing, the clog of earth which the soul is fixed to often sets up, and can go no farther. This often makes them long to be dissolved, that without weariness they may be capable to serve the Lord day and night in his temple.

(3.) To do it universally. So the angels do it, knowing all, and doing all in perfection, without the least failure, Psal. 103:21. But which of the commandments do we not break on earth? what part of God's will is done by us in every point as is required? None at all. But the saints hope and long for the day, when they shall be able to know and do the whole of it in every point.

(4.) To do it humbly. When the angels have wings to fly on God's errands, yet they have also wings to cover their face and their feet, Isa. 6:2. There is no raising of pride in their hearts upon the doing of their duty, nor to keep them from any duty. But how does pride of heart keep us back from many duties as too low for us! and how often does it arise upon the doing any thing well; 2 Cor. 12:7. This is a heavy piece of the body of death, which the saints long to be rid of.

(5.) To do it cheerfully, Psal. 103:20. So the angels do in heaven. It is no burden to them to do his will; there is no heavy driving in the course of their obedience. This also is our duty, Psal. 100:2. But, ah! how often are our hearts to be dragged to duty! what backwardness to the doing of God's will, like the cutting off of a right hand! How desirable is it to a holy heart to be able to obey cheerfully!

(6.) To do it readily, without delay. So the angels are represented with wings, to shew their readiness and speed in obeying their Lord. So should we, Psal. 119:60. 'I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments.' But, alas! how far from it are the best many times! God speaks once, yea, twice, but we perceive it not. How often are we ruined with delays, and our work is marred in our hand! It is the desire of all the godly to be rid of this indisposition.

(7.) Lastly, To do it constantly. So the heavenly bodies do it without intermission, without interruption: and so do the angels. So the saints desire to do, Psal. 119:112. 'I have inclined my heart to perform thy statutes always, even unto the end.' But, alas! how fickle and inconstant are they now, through a lightness of heart, which is heavy, heavy to every gracious soul!

SECONDLY, I shall shew, what is the import of this petition with reference to the will of God's providence. It imports,

First, A confession, (1.) Of a natural aptness in all men to quarrel, repine, and murmur against the methods and disposals of Providence, Numb. 14:2. No king's management is so freely canvassed and censured by the subjects, as the King of heaven's management in this world is by the hearts of men. An all-wise Providence guides the world, in every particular; but where is the man that has not some quarrel or other with it?

[1.] Kind providences towards others are grudged, Mat. 20:15. Though God is a Sovereign Lord of all, and all things are his own, and he is debtor to none, men are prone to quarrel the disposal of his benefits, as if they would teach him on whom to bestow his favours.

[2.] Afflictive providences towards one's self are quarreled. The foolish heart speaks as one of the foolish women, Job 2:10 though the most we meet with in the world is short of our deservings, yet how does the heart rise against the smallest evils laid upon as! When the yoke of affliction is wreathed about one's neck, the unsubdued heart rages under it like a wild bull in a net.

(2.) Of a natural backwardness to fall in with the designs of providence of one sort or other. God teaches by kind providences, and afflictive ones too. But such is the perverseness of human nature, that it scorns to be led by the one, Rom. 2:4 or to be driven with the other, Jer. 5:3. Whether God write men's duty in white or black lines of providence, the heart is disposed not to fall in with it, Matth. 11:16, 17.

Secondly, A profession, (1.) Of the saints'sorrow for this disposition of heart crossing the will of God. It is a burden to them, and the renewed nature hereby enters a dissent against this quarrelling of the corrupt nature against the will of God, Jer. 31:18. They condemn themselves for not submitting cheerfully to, and falling in readily with the divine will in all things. It is one of the greatest struggles which a child of God has, to get his will conformed to the will of God.

(2.) Of the faith of. the power of grace to subdue the will to this conformity. So they hereby put their stony refractory heart into the heart-changing hand to melt it down, and make it pliable, Jer. 31:18 forecited. And it is the comfort of all the saints, that there is a remedy of sufficient grace in Jesus Christ, for the removing of the natural perverseness of their wills.

Thirdly, A desire of grace for a thorough compliance with the will of God's providence. Which extends to,

1. A submission to the will of God in afflicting providences. This is our duty, whatever be our trial, Psal. 39:9. 'I was dumb,' says David, 'I opened not my mouth; because thou didst it.' But it was a difficult duty, because of that corrupt self-love which cries for ease, and so much prevails in all men; because of that blindness of men's minds, whereby they take that which is really for their good to be for evil to them, and because we are all so much wedded to our own will. Therefore the saints desire the removal of these impediments by God's grace, and the subduing of our hearts to a submission.

2. A thankful acceptance of merciful and kind providences, Luke 1:38. This is our duty also; but it is the natural bias of our hearts to sacrifice to our own net, and to forget and overlook God's goodness in these; to sit down to the covered table of kind providence, not looking up with due acknowledgments to him who has provided it. So it is the saints'desire to have grace to enable them to receive thankfully.

3. A compliance with the design of providences of all sorts. We must act according to the will of providence, Acts 13:36 and we have need of grace for it. When God by his providence puts work into our hands, and gives us abilities and occasions to serve him, we are obliged to employ all for his service, else we answer not the design. Mercies and rods have a call. And every one is by providence put into some particular station, with some talents, less or more, for the duties of that station. He does the will of God's providence, that employs his interest, gifts, and abilities in his calling, moving in his own sphere prudently, constantly, and vigorously, as those in heaven do.

Fourthly, A consent to the will of God, a yielding of the heart that it may be done. Our Lord gives us a copy of this resignation to the will of God in his bitter sufferings, Matth. 26:42. 'O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.' And the church in Paul's case wrote after this copy, Acts 21:14 saying, 'The will of the Lord be done.' And whatever befalls the church, ourselves, or others, by the will of providence, there ought to be a humble resignation to the will of God in it all.

IV. I shall give the reasons why the saints have such a concern that the will of God may be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

1. Because it is most just, holy, reasonable, and equitable, in all things, and they see it so, Psal. 119:128. 'I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right.' Psal. 145:17. 'The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.' God is holy and just in his own nature, and can command, demand, or inflict nothing that is unjust. He can do no wrong to the creature, nor can he bid the creature do any thing wrong. He is infinitely wise, and knows how to guide the world best. What wonder, then, they be concerned his will be done, since it is the best that can be done?

2. Because the glory of God, which of all things is dearest to the saints, is deeply interested in this matter, God is perfectly glorified in heaven, because there his will is done perfectly: but he is dishonoured on earth, because his will is not obeyed and submitted to there. It is by this that his Spirit is vexed, his will being crossed and contradicted by vile worms.

3. Because this would make a heaven on earth. If there were such a harmony betwixt earth and heaven, that God's will were done in the one, as in the other, it would make on earth,

(1.) A heaven for beauty and order of all things. There is a comely order in heaven, because all there keep their own place, and follow the will of the Creator in all things. But sin has filled the earth with confusion and disorder, which will never be rectified till those on earth return to move according to rule, viz. the will of the creature. What would become of us, if the sun and moon were as irregular in their motions as we are?

(2.) A heaven for happiness. The happiness of men lies in their assimulation to God; and they are so far like him as they conform to his will. Were our will perfectly conformed to the will of God, we could never be miserable; for if God's will were our will, nothing could befal us against our will; we would be pleased with all that we meet with.

USE. Are we directed thus to pray? Then,

1. We ought to be very careful to know what is the will of God in the several passages of our life, Eph. 5:10. Lest we mistake his will, or overlook it, we should study his word, that we may do it: and study his works, that we may comply with the call of them. For we can never be doers of the will of God, if we know it not. It is impossible that an ignorant person can do the will of God; and therefore it behoves us, if we would do his will, carefully to search the scriptures, and narrowly consider the works of God.

2. Let us be careful to do the will of God's commands, in such sort as we may most nearly resemble those in heaven, doing it evenly, unweariedly, universally, humbly, cheerfully, readily, and constantly, as you heard the saints desire to do. And let us never forget to comply with this great commandment, of believing in the name of Jesus Christ; for if this be not done in the first place, we cannot possibly do the will of God in any other thing. Faith is the foundation of all acceptable obedience to the will of God, leads to it, and animates the soul therein. For motives, consider,

Mot. (1.) We are under the greatest obligations to the doing of the will of God. God is our Creator, our Sovereign Lord and Ruler, and therefore has a just title to our obedience. The Creator's authority, and the Redeemer's love and grace, so amply displayed in the work of our redemption, loudly call for our obeying the will of God. The law is given us as the matter and rule of our obedience; and we are redeemed by Christ, that we may be holy, and comply with the whole will of God revealed to us.

(2.) It is only the doers of his will that shall get to heaven, Matth. 7:21. There is a reward of grace to be reaped afterwards for it. 'In keeping of the divine commandment,' says the Psalmist, 'there is great reward.' None are fit or qualified for the work and employment of heaven but holy persons, and none can be holy without doing the whole will of God. Obedience to his will is an infallible evidence of holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.

(3.) Since his will is manifested to us in his word and works, the neglect of it will lay us open to double stripes, Luke 12:47. Since God has been pleased to write to us the great things of his law, and to reveal his will respecting both matters of faith and practice, we can have no pretence for ignorance, nor room to plead that we know not what is our duty. All pleas of ignorance are as inexcusable as those of neglect, which shall be rejected at the great day, and all neglecters of the will of God punished with everlasting destruction.

3. Lastly, Let us be careful to comply with the will of Divine Providence. And,

(1.) Let us consider what the dispensations of the day towards the church, and towards ourselves do call for, and comply therewith. While the Lord's hand is stretched out, and he threatens to take away his peace from us, [1.] Let us examine ourselves, smiting on our breasts, and saying, What have I done to kindle the fire of the Lord's anger? [2.] Let us pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and have a deep concern for the preservation of truth and peace; that the Lord may support his own cause, bless the gospel for the conversion of sinners, and the edification of all who have given their names to Christ.

(2.) Let us be submissive under all afflicting providences, laying our hands on our mouths, accepting the punishment of our sins, and justifying God in whatever we meet with.

THE FOURTH PETITION

MATTH. 6:11.—Give us this day our daily bread.

THE former three petitions respect God's glory; and the latter three our own welfare. In the first three we are directed to pray for the advancement of his name, kingdom, and will, and in the last three for our own temporal and spiritual good. The order is divine, and teaches us this

DOCT. 'That it is the duty of all, and the disposition of God's children, to prefer God's honour to all their personal and private interests.' It is preferable,

1. To our own temporal welfare: Thy name be hallowed, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done; and then, Give us this day our daily bread. It speaks the disposition of God's children in three things.

(1.) They desire that God's glory may be advanced, whatever come of their bread or provision for this life. Their life itself is by them put in subordination to God's honour, much more the outward comforts of it, Acts 21:13. If the chariot of God's honour cannot drive forward, but it must drive over their table, they bid it welcome to drive on, though it cast down their table, making its way over it, Luke 14:26.

(2.) They desire not bread in a way inconsistent with the glory of God's name, the coming of his kingdom, and doing his will, Heb. 11:25. If they cannot have it, but out of the ruins of these, they will rather want it: it is too dear bought at the expence of the profanation of his name, wronging and marring the progress of his kingdom, and going over his declared will.

(3.) In pursuing the honour of his name, the advancing of his kingdom, and doing of his will, they will cast themselves on their Father for their bread, in confidence that he will furnish them with what they need of it for those great ends, 1 Cor. 9:7. 'Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?' They have his promise for it, Psal. 37:3. 'Verily thou shalt be fed.' And he will be as good as his word: it is a ruled case, Luke 22:35. 'When I sent you without purse, and scrip, and shoes, wanted ye any thing? And they said, Nothing.'

2. To our own spiritual welfare: Thy name &c. Thy kingdom, &c. Thy will, &c. Then, Forgive us our debts, &c. It speaks the disposition of the saints in submitting even their spiritual comforts and ease unto the glory of their Father. An eminent instance of this we have in David, 2 Sam. 15:25, 26. 'And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation. But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee: behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.' And we have another eminent instance of it in David's Lord, Psal. 22:1, 2, 3. 'My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? O my God, I cry in the day-time, but thou hearest not; and in the night-season, and am not silent. But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.' To this holy sovereignty Mary was required to stoop, and she did it, John 20:17. 'Jesus Saith unto her, Touch me not: for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.' And why should not all the children of God submit the whole of their spiritual comforts, and the way of their travelling through the wilderness unto their heavenly Father, that he may dispose of it to his own glory, and according to his will? I make no question, but men are to submit their eternal salvation to the honour of God; but as soon as one is brought into God's family, that is secured, and put beyond a possibility of losing.

The reason of this point is, that God is man's chief end, and the chief good. All things are from him, and so must be for him, Prov. 16:4. Rev 4 ult. And to alter this order, is for men to make God's honour the means, and their own welfare the end; which is to lift up themselves very proudly above God.

USE 1. This speaks death to those who make the interest of God's name, kingdom, and will, lacquey at the foot of their personal private interests; and who cut and carve in their religion, as may be most subservient to advance their own interest, Phil. 2:21. They will drive over God's honour, conscience, justice, and equity, to compass their own ends, and sacrifice all that is sacred to their own worldly interest.

2. It speaks comfort to those who first seek the kingdom of God in the habitual conduct of their lives, Matth. 6:33. These seek in the order prescribed, and so cannot miss to come speed. Heaven is a top with them, and earth under their feet. They consent to the cutting and carving of their own lot, as may be most subservient to God's honour, and God will see well to their welfare.

In the text God is represented as the universal Benefactor, Maintainer, and Supporter of all, out of whose hands every one must receive his portion; and to whom Christ sends rich and poor, to beg their bread of him. And here see,

1. What we are to seek of him, for our bodies, bread, i. e. all the means of life, necessaries and conveniences; for a man may be killed with thirst, and starved with cold, though he had abundance of other things, if he want things necessary in these cases.

2. What bread, daily bread, i. e. a competent portion of the good things of this life; God as the great Steward giving to all their portion meet for them, as a master or steward of a family gives to every member his stated allowance.

3. What sort of daily bread, our own; such as we lawfully come by; for what is unlawfully gotten, and we have no right to by God's gift, Satan puts it into men's hands, not God.

4. When we are to seek it, this day, i. e. every day. God keeps all men hanging on him for every day's provision. In respect of God, those who have the greatest fulness live from hand to mouth; and they are indebted to God for every day's mercies as well as the poor.

5. How we are to seek it, Give us, i. e. by way of free gift. We cannot plead the merit of a crumb; but grounding our plea on mercy through Christ, we may seek all we need.

6. Lastly, For whom we are to seek, us, i. e. for ourselves and others; for we are one needy company, and must be all furnished from the same hand.

Before I proceed to a particular consideration of this petition, I shall observe this point of doctrine from it, viz.

DOCT. 'Men depend wholly and entirely on God's bounty, for all the means and comforts of life.' There are some who are quite broken, have nothing left them, and can do nothing for a livelihood: how do they live? they hang on about their friends' hands, and they have nothing but what they give them. That is the case of all men with respect to God, the best friend of the creatures; and have what ye will, ye know not your own state, if ye know not that ye thus depend on him.

To confirm this point, consider,

1. God is the Creator of all things. He made us and all things, and particularly those which contribute to the support and comfort of our lives, Psal. 100:3. What a precious thing is the life of man, for which so many hands are set on work to maintain it? They that have a great family to maintain, will have several hands employed in several pieces of work, and all to provide for them. All mankind depend on God; his family of nature is a vast one: and he has made the hands to be employed in it accordingly. He made the corn, and the beasts of the earth, for this end; the earth itself to produce the one, and feed the other; and the heavens, with the glorious bodies therein, to influence the earth for that effect. For this cause the sun, that great servant of the world, is constantly going about, making day and night, seed-time and harvest, &c. and all for the support of the family.

2. He preserves them all in their being, Heb. 1:3. The whole frame of the universe, and all the creatures in it, are upheld by him, as a ball in the air: which would presently fall down, if he should withdraw his supporting hand. The being of the creatures is in a continual flux; there is no necessary connection betwixt their being one moment and another; so that if God should withdraw his hand, they would immediately dwindle into nothing. Our food would all evanish, the beasts disappear, the whole globe of the earth go like ashes in the wind, and the sun go out like a candle burnt to snuff, without his supporting influence.

3. He is the Proprietor of us, and of all the creatures that we have the benefit of, in heaven or earth. He has given you the use of them, but property remains with him: he is the true Owner and Lord of all. Have you got the corn into your barns or barn-yards to feed you, and the wool to clothe you? remember, God says, it is 'my corn and my wool,' Hos. 2:9. Have you the hills plenished with your store? remember God's mark is upon them all, small and great, Psal. 50:10. As it is his earth that bears us, and his air that we breathe, so it is his food that maintains us, and his raiment that clothes us.

4. All things that have life are maintained on his charges, man not excepted, Psal. 145:15, 16. 'The eyes of all wait upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.' He makes grass to grow for the cattle, and feeds the young ravens that cry. The same heavenly Father whom we seek our daily bread from, feeds the fowls of the air, Matth. 6:26. If God should close his hand upon the creatures that wait on him for their food, where would man's comforts be, that are drawn from them, for the support of his body.

5. All the usefulness and comfort of the creatures to us depends on God, Matth. 19:17. Whatsoever good is in them is dropt into them from the fountain of goodness. The creature is a mere empty nothing in itself, and has no substance without the blessing from the Lord, Matth. 4:4. No creature can be more to another than God makes it to be, Hos. 2:21, 22. The corn cannot hear Jezreel, nor the earth the corn, nor the heavens the earth, unless God hear first; and then the heavens will hear the earth, the earth the corn, and the corn Jezreel.

6. Wherefore God has a negative on all the creatures. Should they all say, Yea, if he says No, nothing can be done, Lam. 3:37. He is the spring that sets all the wheels of the creation a-going. Should he stop, and deny his influence, then all of them are motionless that moment. Thou hast bread; but what will it avail thee without his blessing? if he withdraw it, thou mayst eat, and not be satisfied, Hos. 4:10. Thy clothes could not warm thee without it. Ye might plough and sow, and get nothing for your pains, if he but lay his charge on the earth to deny her fruits. Ye might tend your cattle and flocks and do your best for them, and all to no purpose, if he keep back his own, Psal. 95:4 which ye cannot crave as a debt. Ye might rise early and sit up late, and ply your business with the utmost diligence; but when thou hast done all thou canst do by art or industry, remember what Moses says to the Israelites, Deut. 8:17, 18. 'Thou sayest in thine heart, My power, and the might of my hand, hath gotten me this wealth. But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth.' And consider what the Lord says, Psal. 127:1, 2. 'Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.'

7. Lastly, Our comforts and supports of life are never out of God's reach. If they were ever in such a flourishing condition, he can blast them to us in a moment. One day saw Job exceeding rich and poor to a proverb, Job 1:13, &c. having seven thousand sheep in the morning, and not a living one among all at night. How often has it been, that a fair braird has brought little into the barnyard? When it has been ready for the hook, or cut down in the field, shaking winds and rotting rains have made it little worth, Hos. 2:9. When it is brought to the barn-floor, even then we are not sure of it, Hos. 9:2. 'The floor and the wine-press shall not feed them, and the new wine shall fail in her.' When the corn is made in bread, 'the Lord can take away the whole stay of bread, Isa. 3:1. When it goes down the throat he can make it choke us, and when it is in the belly, he can 'turn it' and make it 'the gall of asps within us' Job 20:14.

I proceed to the petition itself, in which we pray, 'That of God's free gift, we may obtain a competent portion of the good things of this life, and enjoy his blessing with them.'

In discoursing from this petition, I shall shew,

I. What is meant by bread in it.

II. What is the import of this petition for bread.

III. Apply.

I. I am to shew, what is meant by bread in this petition. Not the spiritual bread, which is Jesus Christ; that we pray for in the second petition. Not the sacramental bread neither; that is prayed for in the fifth petition, being a seal of the pardon of sin. But, as I have already observed, bread for the sustenance of our bodies, bread for our own tables, for nourishing the clay bodies in their present earthly state. So this petition concerns our bodies. Hence,

Observe, That we are allowed to be concerned for our bodies, and their sustenance. The neglect of it is a sin against God, Col. 2 ult. And the care of it is necessary to fit us for serving God in our several stations, as the horse must be seen to by him who would make out his journey. And if we be the Lord's children, our bodies are the Lord's by a peculiar title; they are the members of Christ, and temples of his Spirit. And therefore we owe them a particular honour and regard.

Yet there is but one petition here for the body, while there are two for the soul, 'Forgive us our debts,' &c. 'And lead us not into temptation,' &c. Whence,

Observe, Our main concern should be for our souls; and so it is indeed with the saints. This is that better part of the man, which is worthy of double honour, double care and concern, Matth. 16:26.

1. The body is of the earth, the soul is from heaven. By the body we are allied to the beasts, but by our souls to the angels. The one is the brutal part of the man, the other the angelical part. And as heaven is above the earth, so should the care of our souls be beyond that of our bodies.

2. Our bodies are mortal, but our souls immortal. When one dies, his body goes to sleep in the dust till the resurrection; but his soul goes to God who gave it, to live either in heaven or hell. Shall we not then have a greater concern for the immortal inhabitant, than the clay cottage, the weak tabernacle in which it dwells?

3. Caring chiefly for the soul, we secure the happiness of the body too, in this life, Matth. 6:33. 'Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you;' and also in the life to come, Rom. 8:11. 'But if the Spirit of him, that raised up Jesus from the dead, dwell in you; he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.' But caring chiefly for the body, we lose the soul and body too, Matth. 10:39. 'He that findeth his life shall lose it.' And there is no compensating of this loss.

USE. How far are the most part of men from this duly divided concern! Alas! does not the body get the double portion of desires, cares, and concern; and is not the soul admitted only to the least part? For the quantity it gets more, and for the quality too; we being vigorous and lively in our concerns for the body, and careless and indifferent in those for the soul: which is the very reverse of the frame which grace puts the heart into.

Under the name of bread here is comprehended not only bread strictly so called, but generally the good things of this life for the support of our bodies.

1. Necessaries, without which life cannot be sustained, viz. food and raiment. For, as formerly noticed, a man may be killed with thirst, and starved by cold, though he had plenty of other things, 1 Tim. 6:8. Thus the scripture uses of the word bread, Eccl. 11:1. 'Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.'

2. Conveniences, which one cannot live comfortably without, Prov. 30:8. 'Feed me with food convenient for me.' God does not pen up his people to what is absolutely necessary for keeping in their life, but allows them for conveniency and delight, both as to desire and use. This varies according to the several stations in which men are placed in the world, that being abundance to one which would quite hamper another. And so in this men are allowed to beg of God, such a portion of the good things of this life, as is agreeable to the condition which he has placed them in.

Now, all necessaries and conveniences of life are comprehended under bread: (1.) Because bread is, generally speaking, the most common and ordinary, the entertainment of the poor and of the rich, and what by a special providence so ordering it, men are least apt to loath.

II. I proceed to shew what is the import of this petition for bread. That I may the more directly handle this, I shall consider it in the several parts thereof, by shewing the import of the words, Give bread, Give us bread, Give us our bread, and Give us our daily bread.

First, I shall shew what is the import of these words, Give bread. Our Lord teaches all his people to come unto God, and say, Our Father—give us bread. It imports,

1. That we are allowed to lay our temporal concerns and wants before the Lord in prayer, as well as our spiritual concerns, Prov. 3:6. 'In all thy ways acknowledge him.' The praying Christian is a trader with heaven, and he may trade there in small things as well as in great things; nay, he ought to do it. For the covenant comprehends the small things of this life, the bread and the water, Isa. 33:16 discretion in managing his affairs, Psal. 112:5; and the success of his management, Psal. 1:3; as well as the great things of eternal salvation, 1 Tim. 4:1. And much of God may be seen in answers to prayers of that kind. Gen. 33:10.

2. That men depend entirely on heaven for the means and comforts of life. Our country in this world is nourished by the king's country: and if the communication betwixt them were stopt, we would all starve, Hos. 2:21, 22. He is the Creator, Preserver, and Proprietor of all the creatures, and their Provisor. There are some who, having nothing of their own, do live by hanging on about the hands of their friends. And that is the case of all men with respect to God, the great Friend of the creatures.

3. That we need bread. While we are in this world, we will need it. The clay tabernacle in its present state, like an old thatched house is still needing reparation: but in a little time we will need no more. Death puts an end to all these needs; and after the resurrection our bodies will be supported without these things which are now necessary.

4. That it is God who giveth us bread. The necessaries and conveniences of life are distributed by his hand, Psal. 145:16. Though you get your bread by your labour, you have it from God; for it is God that gives success to your labours. Though others give it you of their own, it is from God; for it is he that opens their hearts to bestow it on you, Deut. 8:17, 18. Neither your industry nor interest can procure it without him.

Lastly, That our bread is God's free gift of mercy, without any merit of ours, Gen. 32:10. The least rag for our clothing, crumb for our food, breathing in God's air, &c. is what we deserve not at the hand of God, Luke 17:10. In Adam we forfeited our right to God's creatures, Gen. 2:17; and by that sin of breaking the first covenant, and many other rebellions against the sovereign God, we have deserved to be stript of all our comforts: so that all we get is God's free undeserved gift.

Quest. What needs one pray for bread, when he has it already? He that has it in his house, yea, upon his table, has good reason to pray for it; because,

1. Without the efficacy of the divine appointment, it cannot be bread to us, it cannot nourish us, Matth. 4:4. Without that our bread will not strengthen us, more than ashes, if God break the stay and staff of it, Isa. 3:1.

2. Without God's good-will and favour with it, there is a curse in it, Mal. 2:2. And cursed bread makes a sad meal.

Secondly, What is the import of these words, Give us bread? It imports,

1. That we may and ought to look to the Lord, not only for our own provision, but for the provision of our families, 1 Pet. 5:7. He that has laid it on masters of families to provide for their families, will make them welcome to pray for their provision. They who have had nothing to provide them with, have got them provided this way: and those who have had enough for them, little or nothing of it has come to their hand, when God has seen it meet to make it so.

2. That we should be concerned for others also, that they may have bread as well as we. Good men are merciful men, and will give to others that need, and much more wish them well, Jam. 2:15, 16. We are all of one common nature, which requires this sympathy; and it well becomes those who are full to remember those who are hungry.

Thirdly, What is the import of these words, Give us our bread? There are three things imported in it, as desired by us.

1. That whatever portion of the good things of this life be bestowed on us, we may have a right to them, and so may look on them as our own bread.

(1.) A covenant-right to them, through Jesus Christ, by whom the lost right to the creatures is restored to believers, 1 Cor. 3:22. For if one be in Christ, he enjoys his bread by a new tenor, the tenor of the covenant, Isa. 33:16. And that makes dry bread sweet.

(2.) A civil right to them, that it be such bread as we come lawfully by; that it be our own, not another's coming to us in an unjust way, 2 Thess. 3:12. One had better want, than be sustained on the gain of injustice; for upon that one can never expect God's blessing.

(3.) That God would bless our lawful endeavours for bread. That is a promise of the covenant; and what God has promised we may pray for, Psal. 128:2. 'Thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands.' One must not think to get his bread by praying for it, with folded hands, Prov. 10:4. 'He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand'. Nor is working for it without prayer to God, the way to obtain it, Hag. 1:6, 9. But God's blessing and man's industry must go hand in hand towards it.

3. That our bread thus brought to our hands may be blessed of God to us, 1 Tim. 4:5. As an ingenuous child loves rather to take his bread out of his father's hand, than to take it to himself; so the bread which is ours, as aforesaid, the children of God do by prayer put again into God's hand, that they may receive it out of his hand again with his blessing. Lord, do thou give us our bread.

Fourthly, What is the import of praying for daily bread? It imports,

1. That we are to confine our desires of the good things of this life to a competency, and not extend them to wealth and riches, Prov. 30:8. 'Give me neither poverty, nor riches'. We are to pray for daily, not weekly and yearly bread. Riches are a snare to our corrupt hearts, Matth. 19:23 and they who are anxious for them, court their own harm, 1 Tim. 6:9. If God lay them to your hand, as he has done to some of his own, ye are to be thankful for them; but beware the heart go not out after them, but use them for the honour and service of God.

2. That we are to be content to live from hand to mouth, having daily bread, without anxiety for the time to come, Matth. 6:34. Surely we have enough, if God provide for every day as it comes.

Fifthly, What is the import of praying, Give us this day our daily bread? It is not, Give us to-morrow our daily bread. It teaches us,

1. That we are not to be anxious about to-morrow's provision, Matth. 6:34.

2. That God will have us every day coming to him for the supply of our needs. He likes to have his people about his hand; and therefore never furnishes them so one day, but they need to come again another day.

3. That we are not sure of to-morrow. Every day may be our last. 'For what is our life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away,' Jam. 4:14. We may die this day, and need no more. So that there is no occasion for praying for any more than provision suitable to the day when it comes.

I shall conclude this subject with a few inferences.

Inf. 1. Let us be thankful to God for what we enjoy of the good things of this life. We owe it all to him; and therefore let us take all we have as out of his hand, whatever we do for it: for it is at his charges we live. Let us then he thankful to God, and own ourselves debtors to him, for all our mercies; for he it is that giveth rain and fruitful seasons. That there is food for man and beast among us is the effect of his free bounty. And it is owing to the same cause that we have peace to enjoy the fruit of our labours, and that God has not put it into the hands of enemies to eat it up. Let us admire his bounty to a sinful generation; and see and notice with wonder, how he does good to the unthankful and unholy, and how strictly he observes his promises, Gen. 8 ult. 'While the earth remaineth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night, shall not cease.' That year the general deluge happened, there was no seed-time, nor harvest; but since they have never failed.

2. Let us look to God, and depend by faith on him for future mercies; and particularly look to him, for his blessing on the winter and spring season, on which so much depends with us. Whatever strait he may be pleased to bring, let us accept it humbly off his hand, since he owes us nothing, and may do with his own what he will. Look to him for removing of it, and patiently wait his time. Pray for his blessing on your substance, and on the work of your hands. You see the petition is put in your mouths for it every day. And therefore being offered through Christ, it will be accepted.

3. Let us be content with the measure he sees meet for us. Though others may have more than we, we have more than we can crave as debt? and it becomes us not to pretend to teach the ruler of the world, to whom he should give more, and to whom less, Matth. 20:15.

5. Let us make God our friend through the mediation of his Son, Acts 12:20. Repent, and turn from your sins; and reform yourselves and families. Sin is the only make-bate betwixt God and us: put that away, since ye depend entirely on him for all you have. It is a strange thing to be provoking him, and grieving his Spirit, by a course of sin, on whom we depend for all things.

5. Beware of abusing God's creatures to gluttony, drunkenness, sensuality, and luxury. Be not like the horse that kicks against him that feeds him: and fight not against the Lord with the benefits he puts into your hands. Many to whom the Lord has given plenty of worldly good things, look on themselves as entitled to a greater liberty than others: but know that the more ye have, ye are the more in God's debt; and as your receipts are more than others, your reckoning will be deeper.

6. Let us serve God joyfully with what he gives us. Let not men take God's gifts, and bestow them on their lusts, as those who use their worldly good things to the dishonour of the name of God, and the feeding of their pride, sensuality, and other brutal passions. Sobriety becomes us; and as our Lord has stinted us to ask no more than a day's provision, let us use what he gives for every day soberly, with thankfulness; and improve it to his honour, in doing his will.

7. Let us not be anxious about provision for this life, nor go out of the road of duty or righteousness to get it. For the earth is the Lord's and the fulness thereof; and they that keep his way, he will see to their provision. Let us be diligent in our several callings to maintain ourselves in an honest way, without anxious solicitude and carking cares about the event; but leave the success to God, taking thankfully whatever he sends, and craving his blessing.

8. Lastly, Let us, from the same God, through Jesus Christ, look for eternal life, and the means leading thereto. Be concerned for your souls, and for the bread of life to them. Little bread will serve us till we will need no more. Many of us have eaten most of our bread already, and less may serve us than we are aware of. Our souls must have food too, and live for ever; therefore be especially concerned for them.

THE FIFTH PETITION

MATTH. 6:12.—And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

THIS petition concerns our souls, as the former did our bodies, and relates to the pardon of sin, which we are here taught to pray for.

In discoursing from this subject, I shall consider,

I. The order of this petition, and the connection of it.

II. The petition itself.

III. Deduce some inferences.

I. I shall consider the order of this petition, and the connection of it. Concerning the order of it, two things may be observed.

1. That it follows the petition for daily bread. Not that bread is comparable, far less preferable to pardon; but that the time of this life is the season of pardon, Heb. 9:27. Now or never we must be pardoned. When we have no more ado with bread, death taking away the necessity of it, we have no more ado with pardon.

2. That is the first of the petitions for spiritual blessings. Because pardon of sin is a leading benefit, and while sin remains unpardoned, the communication betwixt God and the sinner is stopped, Amos 3:2. 'Can two walk together, except they be agreed?' While God has a controversy with the sinner, he pursues it in greater or lesser measure, Psal. 66:18. And the removal of guilt is the opening of the spring of spiritual blessings, to run abundantly; it is the taking the stone off the mouth of the well.

As to the connection, this petition is knit to the former by the particle 'and, Give us this day,' &c. 'And forgive us,' &c. which speaks this, that, in giving bread without forgiving sin, there is death in the pot, Psal. 4:6, and 17:14. There can be little sap or sweet in the bread of the condemned, though, alas! many eat it cheerfully. Like the rich man, Luke 12 they eat, they drink joyfully, while the sword of Justice hangs over their head by a hair. It is because they see not. The looks of an angry Judge, the frowns of a Father, in giving the bread to us, will make it very sapless, to those who discern them. A pardon is the best seasoning to any meal, Eccl. 9:7. Compare Acts 2:37, 46.

II. Let us consider the petition itself, wherein we pray, 'That God, for Christ's sake, would freely pardon all our sins; which we are the rather encouraged to ask, because by his grace we are enabled from the heart to forgive others.' In which we may speak of two things.

1. The thing petitioned.

2. The argument backing it.

FIRST, Let us consider the petition itself, Forgive us our debts. This is the petition, strictly speaking. Upon which I am to enquire,

1. What is meant by debts.

2. What is meant by our debts.

3. Who are meant by us.

4. What is meant by forgiveness.

5. What is the import of this petition.

First, What is meant by debts? Sins are the debts here prayed to be forgiven, Luke 11:4 the worst debts in the world.

1. Why is sin called a debt? Not because it is a non-payment of God's dues, a non-performance of duty, as some say; these things answer not the notion of debt: far lees because we owe it to God. But sin is called debt, because it is a taking away from God something for which we owe him an equivalent, Psal. 69:4 'Then I restored that which I took not away.' This notion is the common notion of debts. By sin we rob God of his honour, and owe him reparation.

So in sin as a debt four things are to be considered. (1.) The debtor which is the sinner. Every sinner is a debtor, owing more than he is able to pay. (2.) The creditor is God, at whose mercy the sinner lies. (3.) The valuable thing which the sinner has got away from God for his own use, or rather abuse, is God's honour. (4.) The equivalent which the sinner owes on that account to God, is the reparation of God's honour.

2. What sort of a debt is sin?

(1.) It is a drowning debt, a debt so great as no mortal is able to pay, Matth. 18:24, 25. And all mankind had died in it, if a cautioner able to pay it had not been found, Psal. 89:19.

(2.) It is a disheartening debt for the presence of God. As an insolvent debtor has no will to come in his creditor's sight; so the sinner has no will to come into God's sight till he be brought, Matth. 18:24. This is the reason why many otherwise jovial and merry, when they come into God's presence in duties, are quite heartless.

(3.) It is a debt that the sinner is very ready to diminish, Luke 16:6. As he is unable to pay, so naturally he is unwilling to confess it, and make fair count.

(4.) It is a debt that in the end will be fairly and exactly stated and not the least article forgotten or miscounted. The creditor has given his oath upon it, Amos 8:7. 'The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely, I will never forget any of their works' And the debtor, whether he will or not, shall be convinced of the justness of the accounts.

(5.) It is a debt that must be paid one way or other. The debtor has but three choices, Pay, Find a cautioner, or Go to prison, Matth. 5:25. None can pay, few will employ the cautioner, therefore most go to prison.

(6.) It is a growing debt. While its growth is not arrested, the interest runs on, and the great sum to-day becomes greater to-morrow, Rom. 2:5.

Lastly, When it is pursued, on the debtor's expence. The pursuit is at the sinner's cost, and he is made to bear the weight of it.

Secondly, What is meant by our debts, or sins? All sins which we are any manner of way chargeable with, and accountable for, before the Lord. Now sin becomes ours four ways.

1. By imputation. So Adam's sin is our sin, Rom. 5:19 and therefore must be pardoned to us otherwise we will be ruined by it, as the heir is ruined by the father's debt.

2. By inhesion in us. So the sin of our nature conveyed to us from Adam, consisting in a bent to evil, and backwardness to good, is our sin as subjected in us, Psal. 51:5. This will ruin us also, if it be not forgiven as to the guilt of it: for 'the wages of sin is death,' Rom. 6:23.

3. By personal omission or commission, Jer. 16:10. Thus all our omission of duties, and commission of sins, are our sins which we absolutely need to be forgiven, as treason personally done by us against the King of heaven.

4. By accession any manner of way, to the sins of others, 1 Tim. 5:22. Thus other men's sins, which we become accessory to by commanding, counselling, approving, and the like, become our sins, and involve us in guilt, which we need to be forgiven.

Thirdly, Who are meant by us, for whom forgiveness is asked?

1. Ourselves: for every man is, in the first place, to be concerned for his own pardon. Yet not ourselves only,

2. But others also; not only those who are already of God's family, but all sorts of men living, 1 Tim. 2:1; those only excepted who have sinned the sin unto death, 1 John 5:16. The saints are daily orators at the throne of grace, for the rest of the world, and are concerned for pardon to those who are not concerned for it to themselves. Thus our Lord set the copy, Luke 23:34. 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And Stephen the first martyr followed it, Acts 7:60. 'Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.'

Fourthly, What is meant by forgiveness or pardon? It is the removal of guilt, which is an obligation to punishment. Guilt is twofold; the guilt of eternal wrath, and the guilt of temporary fatherly anger. Guilt is removed two ways, formally, and declaratively. Pardon is threefold.

1. Pardon of the guilt of eternal wrath. Thus every soul, upon its first closing with Jesus Christ in the gospel, is pardoned, Rom. 5:1. The condemning sentence of the law, binding them over to vindictive justice, to go to the prison of hell, and lie there till they have paid the utmost farthing of their own debt, is removed, Rom. 8:1. 'There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.'

2. Pardon of the guilt of temporary strokes and fatherly anger, 2 Kings 24:4. The law of grace says, 'If his children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments: then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes. Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail,' Psal. 89:30–33. So the children of God who are beyond the reach of eternal wrath, are oft-times liable to temporary fatherly wrath, which they need a pardon for, as the child needs the father's pardon. And upon their fresh applications to the Lord Jesus Christ they obtain it.

3. A declarative pardon, which is the pardon manifested to the soul, a sense of pardon, Luke 7:47, 48. 'Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, thy sins are forgiven.' She was a pardoned sinner before, for that is evident from her love to Christ; but now the pardon is intimated to her. The debt is not only forgiven, but the debtor gets the discharge of it.

This threefold pardon is here meant, and each of them is given for Christ's sake, and we obtain them by faith apprehending his obedience and death, Eph. 1:6, 7. Therefore the sea of glass is represented as betwixt the throne and the elders, Rev. 4:6. See Zech. 13:1.

Fifthly, Let us consider the import of this petition. This we take up in these three things.

1. A confessing of debt. The saints own themselves and all others God's debtors, Dan. 9:5. 'We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from thy judgments.' They will not deny the debt, nor mince it. They see that God is spoiled of his honour by themselves and others, and that they are bound to a reparation. They confess their folly with shame and sorrow.

2. A pleading poverty, and utter inability to pay the debt, Psal. 130:3, 4. 'If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, O Lord who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.' Who among all the sons of Adam is able to repair God's honour taken away by sin? There is an infinite evil in the least sin, which no creature is able to expiate, far less Adam's broken family, where the party has nothing to pay, whether he be owing ten talents or ten thousand.

3. A desire of free forgiveness, for Christ's sake, Dan. 9:17. 'Now, therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.' What can the debtor do, who is not able to pay? He must plead to be forgiven, or he is a ruined man. And it is to free forgiveness that the saints do all turn, Psal. 130:3, 4. forecited. And it is a forgiving of the debt to us, though Christ merited it; for we can do nothing to procure it to ourselves. Our pardon indeed stood dear to Christ, but it cost us nothing, Rom. 3:24. 'We are justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.'

Now, the pardon which the saints are taught here to desire daily, is to be considered agreeably to the state of the parties for whom it is desired.

1. Pardon of the guilt of eternal wrath, is desired for those who are yet out of Christ, and in an unjustified state. Not the saints themselves, who being already justified can never be more actually liable to eternal wrath, Rom. 7:1 forecited. They are not under the law, but under grace, the threatenings of which extend no farther than rods, &c. Psal. 89:30. &c. forecited. It is one thing, what a saint may pray for, apprehending himself liable to eternal wrath, and another what Christ bids him pray for.

2. Pardon of the guilt of temporal strokes, is desired for the saints themselves. For under that guilt they may fall: and being duly considered, it is dreadful, as comprehending all miseries consistent with the love of God.

3. Declarative pardon is also desired for themselves, that they may be delivered from doubts, and fears of eternal wrath, Psal. 4:6. 'Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.'

SECONDLY, Let us consider the argument enforcing the petition, as we forgive our debtors. This is not put in our mouths, to move God to forgive us, but to move ourselves to believe that our prayer shall be heard, and so to encourage us.

Here I shall shew,

1. Who are meant by our debtors.

2. What is meant by forgiving them.

3. What is meant by out forgiving as we forgive.

4. What encouragement one can draw from his forgiving others, to hope that God will grant the forgiveness desired.

First, Who are meant by our debtors? All such as have sinned against, or wronged us any manner of way, 1 Sam. 2:25. For sin may reach both God and man at once; and in respect of the injury done to us by the sin of others, they are our debtors, owing us a reparation of the injury, which many times they either cannot or will not do.

Secondly, What is meant by our forgiving them? It is our hearty forgiving them the injury done to us, (to forgive the injury against God is not in our power), entertaining no hatred or malice against them, but loving them with a love of good-will, heartily wishing their good, and being ready to do them good, Matth. 5:44, 45. 'But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven, for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.' But it does not extend to a love of complacency or delight in them, is whom there appears no ground for that, either as men or as Christians, Psal. 26:4. 'I have not sat with vain persons,' says David, 'neither will I go in with dissemblers.'

Thirdly, What is meant by forgiving as we forgive?

1. It does not denote the desire of a perfect equality or likeness betwixt God's forgiving and ours, for at best ours is but lame, and is neither so free nor full as we would desire of God. But the reality of our forgiveness that it is real and sincere, though imperfect (Matth. 18 ult.), for which we can appeal to God.

2. It denotes our forgiving to go before the forgiveness here asked of God for ourselves, Luke 11:4. 'Forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us.' And this is a demonstrative proof, that the forgiveness the saints here ask for themselves is only the pardon of the guilt of fatherly anger, and the manifestation of pardon, and not the pardon of the guilt of eternal wrath, which concerns their state. For till this last be obtained, one cannot sincerely forgive others, Matth. 18:32, 33. 'Then his Lord, after he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desired me: shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee?' No man can sincerely forgive his brother, who does not so love him; and none can love his brother, but he who loves God; and none loves God, but he who is forgiven of God, Luke 7:47. 'Her sins, which are many are forgiven: for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little.'

Fourthly, What encouragement can one draw from his forgiving others, to hope that God will grant the forgiveness desired?

1. What we find that we who are such evil and malignant creatures, so hateful and ready to hate one another, are by the power of God's grace enabled to forgive those who have injured us, we have ground to hope that the most gracious God will forgive the injury against himself, even to those who are under the guilt of eternal wrath, it being easier for him to forgive a talent, than for us to forgive a mite.

2. From our disposition to forgive, we may confirm our confidence in God as our God, and therefore firmly believe that our feet shall be washed, where our whole body has been washed before.

I shall conclude with some inferences.

Inf. 1. Beware of sin, as ye would be of contracting a debt which ye are unable to pay; and make sure your interest in the great Cautioner in time, lest ye be arrested ere ye are aware.

2. See your debts, and mourn over them, and apply to the blood of Christ for the pardon of them all, your imputed, your inherent, and your actual sins.

3. Pretend not to pay your debt by your good hearts, works, mourning, repentance, &c. but betake yourselves to free grace for forgiveness. If ever ye obtain pardon, it will be in the way of free grace.

4. An unforgiving irreconcileable disposition, and revengeful spirit, unfits men for praying. Forgive, if ye would be forgiven. And so it unfits for other duties, and particularly for the Lord's supper, the seal of forgiveness.

Lastly, Come to God through Christ for pardon. He is a forgiving God. Why does he teach us to pray for pardon to ourselves and others, but that there is a fulness of mercy for pardon with him?

THE SIXTH PETITION

MATTH. 6:13.—And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

THIS is the second of those petitions which concern our souls, and it relates to temptation, for warding off that great evil, as the former for the enjoyment of a great good, the pardon of sin. Thus all that are to seek for our personal, spiritual good, is deliverance from sin, from the guilt of it, petition fifth; and from the power of it, petition sixth. For these being obtained, the soul is happy, since nothing can hurt us but sin.

In discoursing from this subject, I shall shew,

I. The connection of this petition with the former, in the particle and.

II. The petition itself.

III. Apply.

I. I am to shew the connection of this petition with the former, in the particle and. This teaches us, that,

1. No man can with a good conscience sue to God for pardon, nor will he obtain it, who is not resolved to fight against sin in time coming, and to beware of it, Psal. 66:18. There are two things frightful to a penitent, the guilt of past sin, and the power of sin for the future. He is equally concerned for justification and sanctification. They who separate them, aet hypocritically, and therefore cannot come speed at the throne of grace. They are unreasonable, in that they would be saved from death, and yet lie under the power of the disease. Unchristian, in that they would make Christ the minister of sin, and his pardon a sconce for a sinful life.

2. A pardoned sinner is not past danger. He is in a sickly country; and though he be recovered he is in danger of a relapse. He is still in the field of battle; and though he is cured of one wound, he will be fair to get another, if the Lord do not shield him. Therefore he is to pray, Forgive our debts; And lead us not into temptation, &c. Nay, Satan will be most apt to bait the pardoned sinner, Acts 13:8.

II. Let us consider the petition itself, in which we pray, 'That God would either keep us from being tempted to sin, or support and deliver us when we are tempted.' It consists of two parts.

I. The first is for preventing grace, Lead us not into temptation.

II. The second is for assisting grace, But deliver us from evil.

The FIRST is for preventing grace, Lead us not into temptation.

Here I am to shew,

1. What is meant by temptation.

2. What by leading us into temptation.

3. What is the import of this part of the petition.

FIRST, What is meant by temptation? In general, it is a trial made on a man to see what is in him, and what he will do; and so the matter it is designed to bring forth may be good as well as evil. Thus 'God did tempt Abraham,'* Gen. 22:1. But ordinarily it is taken in an evil sense; and ao it is here meant of temptation to sin, which is the plying of a man with some engine or other to draw him into sin. So in temptation four things are to be considered.

1. The party tempted or liable to temptation.

2. The parties tempting, the black instruments of temptation.

3. The bait wherewith the hook of temptation is busked.

4. The mischievous design.

First, The party tempted, or liable to temptation, viz. ourselves and others, who live in this world of pits and snares, Cant. 4:8. Those who are in the upper house are beyond the reach of temptation; no hissing serpent is there; they are not within bow-shot of Satan. But here he rangeth up and down, 1 Pet. 5:8 here he has the length of his chain. Adam in paradise was tempted,* and the second Adam too; the one able to have stood, the other one who could not fall. What wonder then that he attack us, in whom he has bosom friends!

Secondly, The parties tempting, the black instruments of temptation.

1. The grand tempter is the devil, Matth. 4:3. He was an angel of light, but is now turned to a tempting devil. An apostate from God, for whom there is no hope; and being God's irreconcilable enemy, goes about withdrawing men from their allegiance to their sovereign Lord. He is an expert tempter; and has now had the experience of several thousand years in the hellish trade. He has his devices for entrapping poor mortals, and knows how to suit his temptations, as they may best take.

2. Men are tempters to one another. Satan so prevails with them, as to act his part one against another. Sometimes they set themselves to drive others into sin by force, Acts 26:11 sometimes gently to draw them into it, Gen. 39:7. And Satan gets not only wicked men, but many times godly men, yoked to this his tempting work, as in the case of Peter, Matth. 16:22, 23.

3. The lusts of the heart are temptations to all, Jam. 1:14. This is the most dangerous enemy, as being within. These are Satan's trustees, which effectually lead us off the road, and rob us of our purity. They are deceitful lusts; and as the heart of man is furnished with them, it is deceitful above all things, Jer. 17:9.

Thirdly, The bait wherewith the hook of temptation is busked. This is always some seeming good, if it were but the satisfying of a lust or a humour. In drawing or alluring temptations, the bait it some seeming good to be got. Thus was the present world to Demas, and the thirty pieces of silver to Judas. In driving temptations, the bait is some seeming good to be kept, by preventing evil, as those spoke of, Matth. 13:21 who, 'when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by are offended.' And it is no small advantage in temptation, to see through the bait, that it is but a bait to deceive. For so one will perceive, that it will not quit the cost, that by the bargain they will never better their condition, Matth. 16:26. 'For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?'

Fourthly, The mischievous design. The design of the great tempter, and the design of the thing, is always the ruin of the party, by falling into sin, and misery by sin. They are snares and traps for ruin, 1 Cor. 10:12 and land men in the bottomless pit.

SECONDLY, What is meant by leading us into temptation? It is holy wise providence so ordering matters about us as we are attacked with temptation to sin, brought upon the stage to fight with temptations, so as we may give a proof of ourselves. Here consider,

How the Lord leads men into temptation; and how it consists with his holiness so to lead them.

1. How the Lord leads men into temptation. He does so only two ways.

(1.) By a providential placing them in such circumstances, as the heart may take occasion of sin from them. Thus innocent Adam was led into temptation, being placed within reach of the forbidden fruit; Joseph, by being alone in the house with an adulterous woman, where yet he came fair off; Achan, by seeing the wedge of gold, and having an opportunity to take it, where he fell by it; Peter by being in the High Priest's hall, where he was attacked. It is on this account that afflictions and persecutions are called temptations, Jam. 1:2 because there the man is beset with such things as are apt to work on his corruptions, and so to lead him into sin, through fear or hope.

(2.) By permitting Satan or his instruments, to tempt them to sin. God has them in a chain, but sometimes, for holy wise ends, the Lord lets them loose, 2 Sam. 24:1 compared with 1 Chron. 21:1. They need no positive order; if God do not restrain them, they will fall on with all their might.

2. How it consists with God's holiness to lead men into temptation. This will appear from the consideration of three things.

(1.) God gave man a power to stand against temptation, if he would, Eccl. 7:29. 'God made man upright.' Thus the stock was put in man's hand, and he is bound still to stand out against it.

(2.) God is debtor to none, either to keep them out of such circumstances, as the heart may not take occasion of sin from thence, or to restrain Satan, or his instruments, from tempting them. Nay, it is just with him so to do, since men often cast themselves unnecessarily upon temptation, and will not be kept back from sin.

(3.) God can bring good out of it, for his own glory, the sinner; profit, or both. Thus Hezekiah and Peter were checked for their pride and vanity, and humbled.

THIRDLY, What is the import of this part of the petition?

1. That we are in danger to be tempted to sin. Temptations are ready for us in this evil world, the devil, the world, and the flesh, are ready to attack us, and break in upon us, if the hedge whereby they are held off were but removed, 1 Pet. 5:8. We walk amidst armed enemies, amongst lions' dens, amidst sparks of fire; were they but let loose, they would set on vigorously.

2. That no temptation can befal us without an over-ruling providence. Though the lion roar, he is in a chain, and cannot set on us, but as he is permitted of God, Job 1:8–10. He who rules the sea, when the waters thereof do roar, has an over-ruling hand over devils, men and the corruptions of our hearts, that no flood can break out, but where the sluice is opened, he withdrawing the restraint.

3. That when the Lord leads us into temptation, we will be sure of an attack. There is no hope in the mercy of our enemies, no hope that they will let an occasion of fighting us slip. He that goes about seeking his prey, will not pass by it, when it is laid in his way. We are ready to let advantages against sin and Satan slip, but they will let none slip, which they have against us.

4. That God may justly lead us into temptations, and leave us under the power of them, Psal. 81:11, 12. How often do we court temptations, and tamper with them, like the fly about the candle till its wings be burnt? How often do we grieve his spirit, and cleave to our idols, over the belly of warnings? What wonder he say, 'Ephraim is joined to idols: let him alone?' Hos. 4:17.

5. That we are not able of ourselves to stand against temptation, but if once we be engaged, we are fair to be foiled, Rom. 7:23, 24. And so much the more unable are we, that presumption and self-confidence is our ordinary plague in this case. So that there is much need of fear and trembling, when entering into temptation, lest we be overcome.

6. Lastly, That it is the duty of all, and the disposition of the people of God, to desire they may be kept from engaging with temptations, as with an enemy too strong for them, Matth. 26:42. 'Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation.' It is their souls' desire that God would restrain Satan, 2 Cor. 12:8; subdue their lusts, Psal. 119:133; and over-rule all in this evil world, as they may be kept from the evil of it, John 17:15.

I shall conclude this first part of the petition with a few inferences.

Inf. 1. Trials and persecutions, though God may bring good out of them, are not to be desired, but the averting of them prayed for. For they are sharp temptations to sin, wherein though God is much honoured by some, he is much dishonoured by many, Matth. 13:21 forecited, compared with Luke 8:13. 'They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.' And they that desire them are much of the temper of those disciples who would have prayed down fire from heaven, when they knew not what spirit they were of. The desire of them is downright contradictory to this petition; for the language of it is, Lord, lead us into temptation.

2. To run into temptation, cannot be from God's Spirit, but from Satan, and a corrupt, blind, and presumptuous heart. For it is a running into that which we should beg of God that he would not lead us into. If a man be called of God into a place where he is beset with temptations, he may look for grace to be kept up against them, because he is in God's way, and where he has his call to be, Psal. 91:11. 'For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways,' See 1 Kings 18:3. Obadiah was the governor of the house of Ahab, an idolatrous prince. But it is observed of him, that 'he feared the Lord greatly,' even in such a corrupt court. But where a man steps in among temptations without a call from God, he cannot expect such grace to be vouchsafed him. This rashness, self-confidence, and curiosity has cost dear to many.

3. 'Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation,' Matt. 26:41. Praying without watching is a tempting of God: watching without praying is a contempt of God and his grace. There is need to watch, for our enemies are ever lying at the catch, and they are ready to steal a dint of us when we are not aware; and we cannot expect God's help, but when we are in the way of duty. There is need to pray; for watch as we will, our enemies are too strong for us, if the Lord himself do not second us. We must have new supplies of grace, from the grace in Christ Jesus, if we would stand. What then God has joined, put not ye asunder.

The SECOND part of this pitition is for assisting grace, But deliver us from evil. Here I shall shew,

1. What is meant by evil.

2. What by deliverance from it.

3. What is the import of this part of the petition.

First, What is meant by evil? By evil is meant,

1. Sin, which is the greatest of evils, the worst of evils, and the cause of all other evils, Amos 5:15. 'Hate the evil.' There is no good in sin, it is an only evil. What makes the devil evil, the world evil, and the heart evil, but sin? Strip them of sin, and there would be no evil in them.

2. Temptation to sin, or whatsoever draws the soul to sin; that is, 'the evil of the world,' John 17:15. The soul-ruining snare that is in any thing, is the evil of it. For as sin is evil, so every thing that has a native tendency to draw into sin is evil.

Secondly, What is meant by deliverance from evil? It stands in two things.

1. To be brought out of it, by way of recovery when fallen into it, Psal. 51:12. Temptation may get the child of God down, his foot may be fast in the snare, and he needs an omnipotent hand to rid him out of Satan's net.

2. To be kept from it, that he fall not into it again. The snares are so many, that it is hard to stand; there is need of a divine power to keep back the sinner's soul from the pit of sin, Jude 14 to take part with him when engaged with a temptation.

Thirdly, What is the import of this part of the petition? We may take it up in these three things.

1. There is no escaping of temptation, in greater or lesser measure, while we are in this world. Though we should watch ever so narrowly, so as not to cast ourselves into temptation; though by no special providence we be led into temptation, yet the heart within is so full of corruption, the world without is so full of snares, and Satan goes so constantly about, that we are in danger every where, and no where safe.

In prosperity we are apt to be proud, vain, carnal, secure; to forget God, and grow tasteless of heavenly things, &c. In adversity, we are impatient, and discontented, and fretting, and dead to good things, Psal. 119:107. In company we are apt to be infected, or to infect others; and in solitude to become a prey to the tempter. House nor field, bed nor board, civil duties nor religious duties, are not such, but temptations will haunt us at them.

2. God's children would fain be delivered from evil, from sin and temptation to it, Rom. 7:24. 'O wretched man that I am!' says Paul, 'who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' The new nature in them makes them long and groan for it, as ever the captive exile longs for deliverance from captivity. And there is a threefold deliverance which their souls desire here.

(1.) A deliverance in temptation, that God would powerfully support and enable them to stand in the hour of temptation, 2 Cor. 12:8; that when they are engaged in the battle with Satan, the world, and the flesh, the Lord himself would come in for their rescue. They see they are not man enough for their enemies; and they would fain have Heaven to interpose, and cast the balance of victory to their side.

(2.) A deliverance under temptation, Psal. 51:8. Sometimes they are trod under foot by their lusts and passions: they are lying in the mire, and cannot get out. But they look again towards the Lord, as Jonah out of the whale's belly, that he would afford them his helping hand, and so sanctify their lot to them, as all may work for their good.

(3.) A deliverance completely from all sin, and temptation to it, Rom. 7:24 forecited. And thus the petitions of this prayer end with a longing cry for perfect freedom from sin in another world. And this good the Lord brings out of the hard handling which his people get there, that thereby they are made to long for heaven.

3. They believe that God, and he only can deliver them from evil. Without this faith they could not put up this petition; but the belief of the power and willingness of God to grant this deliverance to his people, daily excites them to cry unto him, Deliver us from evil.

I shall conclude this part of the sixth petition with a few inferences.

Inf. 1. Sinning is more terrible than suffering, in the eyes of the children of God. They pray to be delivered from sin absolutely at any rate, cost what it will. And they have good reason for it; for there is more evil in the least sin than in the greatest suffering. In sinning we are conformed to the devil, but in suffering to Jesus Christ. Let us then cry earnestly to God, that he may deliver us from evil.

2. It is a black mark of one that belongs not to God, when there is no parting betwixt him and his lusts. The word and providence works to the delivering the man from his sin, but he will not part with it; he is not content to let it go. It is not the spot of God's children.

3. A careless, fearless way of going through the world, without daily care of being ensnared in sin, is an evidence that the man is at home, and is not travelling Zion-ward. For those who are going through this world as a wilderness, are walking with fear and trembling through it, still saying, Lord, lead us not into temptation.

4. Lastly, It is in the nature of all God's children, to desire to be home. Our Father which art in heaven,—deliver us from evil. They know that this will never be completely and fully answered till they be beyond the clouds: but from their hearts they desire it. Let us evidence ourselves to be the children of God, by our ardent desires for this complete deliverance from sin.

THE CONCLUSION OF THE LORD'S PRAYER

MATTH. 6:13.—For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and th glory for ever. Amen.

WE come now to the conclusion of the Lord's prayer, which teacheth us, 'to take our encouragement in prayer from God only, and in our prayers to praise him, ascribing kingdom, power, and glory to him. And in testimony of our desire, and assurance to be heard, we say, Amen.'

In this conclusion three things are to be considered.

I. The connection thereof with the petitions.

II. The concluding sentence.

III. The concluding word.

IV. I shall deduce some inferences.

I. Let us consider the connection of this conclusion with the petitions in the particle for: which shews it to contain arguments to be used in prayer for hearing: q. d. Lord, hear as, for the kingdom is thine, the power is thine, and the glory is thine; and teaches us, that when we pray, we should plead and pray, press our prayers, and enforce our petitions, with arguments and reasons, to be heard. I shall shew you,

1. The truth of it.

2. The reason of it.

First, I shall shew you the truth of this pleading. And that it is so, appears from,

1. The Lord himself s teaching us so to do, which shews it to be acceptable to him, since he himself directs us to it. We have the Mediator's direction for it in this pattern of prayer, petition 5. and conclusion. See also Luke 11:5–9. And the more of the Spirit that one has in prayer, he will have his mouth the more filled with arguments.

2. The practice of the saints. See how Moses pleads and reasons with God, Exod. 32:11–13. 'Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians say, for mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of, will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.' See also how Asa pleads, 2 Chron. 14:11. 'Lord it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power; help us, O Lord our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude; O Lord, thou art our God, let not man prevail against thee.' Job thought it a good way of praying, and longed to be at it, Job 23:4. 'I would fill my mouth with arguments,' says he. The woman of Canaan recovered her arguments, when they seemed to be answered, Matth. 15:22–27. 'Have mercy on me,' says she, 'O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away, for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent, but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table.'

3. The nature of the thing. In prayer men are upon business of the greatest weight, and utmost necessity, and should be in deep earnest in it; and ordinarily the Lord does not answer but to importunity. Is it not very natural in such a case to plead? Yea, what case can men be in that requires more importunate pleading, than that which relates to God's glory, and their everlasting felicity?

Secondly, I come to shew the reason of this pleading, why we should do so.

1. It is not to move, persuade, or bring over the Lord, to give us what we desire. Force of argument may prevail with man to change his mind, but the unchangeable God cannot be turned about with any reason or thing whatsoever. For 'with him there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning,' Jam. 1:17. 'He is in one mind, and who can turn him?' Job 23:13.

2. But it is to exercise and strengthen our own praying graces, faith and fervency, &c. So that the effect of the pleading is on ourselves, not on God, though the consequent of it, by the divine purpose, is prevailing in prayer. It is true, the design of the pleading person is not on himself, though the effect is; neither ought it to be upon God, to move him, but upon the thing itself, to lay it out before the Lord, in the necessity and reasonableness of it. It is as if a hungry child should apply to his father for bread and the father should say, 'Child, wherefore should I give you bread?' and thereupon the child should say, 'Alas! I am pained with banger, and who will give it me if you refuse? will it not be a reflection on your name, to say your children faint for lack of bread?' While the child pleads thus, the tear strikes in his eye, and his earnestness increases: whereupon he is answered. Here it is evident, that the effect of the pleading is not on the father; it would be but a child's weakness to think that the father is overcome with his arguments, though the consequent of the pleading is the child's getting bread: But the effect of it is plainly on the child himself, though the child designs it not so: And suppose the child to have so much wit, as to know that his arguments are not needed to persuade his father, his design of pleading in that case is on the thing itself, to hold out the necessity and reasonableness of it.

II. Let us consider the concluding sentence, Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever. Here I shall shew,

1. What is meant by the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever.

2. What is the import of this sentence.

FIRST, I am to shew what is meant by the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever.

1. By the kingdom is meant, not the kingdom of grace, nor the kingdom of glory either; but God's essential kingdom, his universal sovereignty over all persons and all things whatsoever.

2. The power is not authority whereby God may do, but the ability whereby he can do what he will, in that kingdom.

3. The glory is not God's essential glory, but the declarative glory, arising from what he doth in that kingdom, which will shine forth for ever through eternity.

SECONDLY, I am to shew, what is the import of this sentence. It is twofold, praise, and pleading arguments.

First, Praise. Hereby we praise him in our prayers, expressing high and honourable thoughts of him: Thine is the kingdom, &c. Thus we exalt him above ourselves, and all creatures whatsoever.

1. As the universal and absolute Monarch of all the creation, and the only one, 1 Chron. 29:11. 'Thine, O Lord, is the greatness and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in heaven and in the earth, is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.' Universal and absolute sovereignity are the flowers of the imperial crown of heaven, and belong to no other. There are many kings on earth, but they are all limited monarchs, and vassals to the King of heaven, who can have no competitor: Lord, thine is the kingdom.

2. As the Omnipotent, and only Omnipotent, ibid. The power of men and angels is but a shadow of power, weakness in comparison with God's. None of them all are capable to do what they are capable to will. But his power and will are of equal extent.

3. As the chief end of all things, ibid, and the only chief end. It is the peculiar prerogative of God to say, 'For mine own sake, even for mine own sake, will I do it,' Isa. 48:11. All persons and things are for God, God is for himself; and the glory of all redounds to him, and will do for evermore.

This teaches us, That in our prayers we should praise God, as well as petition him. Praise is a comely mixture in all the parts of divine worship. It is most directly tending to God's honour; and it is the piece of worship that will last longest; when prayers, &c. are laid by in heaven, praise will be there for ever.

Observ. This pattern of prayer begins with praise, and ends with it too. For it is necessary, in the entrance, that we have our hearts awed with the divine glory, that so we may be the fitter to pray on: and in the end, that we may carry away high thoughts of God, for the better regulating of our life, in the intervals of duty.

Secondly, Let us consider the pleading arguments in prayer: and they are all taken from God himself. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory for ever.

Observ. This teaches us to take our encouragement from God only in prayer, to draw our arguments from the consideration of what God is. This is a large field to fill our mouths with arguments, and to furnish us with suitable pleas in prayer.

Quest. May we not plead with God upon any thing in ourselves? Ans. (1.) We may not plead upon any worthiness in ourselves or any other creature, Dan. 9:18. 'We do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.' 1 Tim. 2:5. 'For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.' (2.) Though in our pleading we may bring in both our evil and our good, yet the force of the plea or argument is not to be laid on either of them, but on something in God himself answerable thereto. David, brings in the greatness of his sin, in his plea for pardon; but the stress of the plea lies not there, but on God's own name, to be magnified greatly by the pardon of great sin, Psal. 25:11. 'For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon mine iniquity for it is great.' Hezekiah brings in his upright walking in the plea for prolonging his life, Isa. 38:3. 'Remember now, O Lord,' says he, 'I beseech thee, how I have walked before thee in truth, and with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight.' But the stress of it lay on God's faithfulness in that promise, 1 Kings 8:25. 'Therefore now, Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David, my father, that thou promisedst him, saying, There shall not fail thee a man in my sight to sit on the throne of Israel; so that thy children take heed to their way, that they walk before me, as thou hast walked before me.'

Now, the plea for hearing, here put in our mouths, is threefold.

1. The kingdom is the Lord's. The stress of the argument from this is, Therefore thou mayest do it, thou hast full authority to grant us whatsoever thou wilt, Matth. 20:15. 'Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?'

2. The power is the Lord's. Therefore thou canst do whatsoever we ask, over the belly of all opposition, and however hopeless it be in itself, Eph. 3:20. 'He is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.'

3. The glory is the Lord's. Therefore thou wilt do it, since thou lovest thy glory, and wilt have glory for evermore from answering our petitions, Josh. 7:9. 'What wilt thou not do unto thy great name?'

III. Let us consider the concluding word, Amen. It imports two things. (1.) Our desire to be heard, q. d. so be it, Rev. 22:20. 'Amen. Even so come, Lord Jesus.' And the believer uses this word properly as a testimony of his desire, when by faith he is enabled and emboldened to plead with God, that he would fulfil his requests, 2 Chron. 20:6, 11. (2.) Our confidence and assurance that we shall be heard; q. d. so certainly it shall be, Rev. 1:7. 'Even so Amen.' And the sincere Christian uses the word with great propriety in the conclusion of his prayers, in testimony of his assurance to be heard, when he is by faith emboldened quietly to rest upon the Lord, that he will fulfil the desires of his heart, 2 Chron. 14:11.

I conclude all with a very few inferences.

Inf. 1. Be fervent and importunate with God in prayer, and set yourselves to plead and pray, as men that are in the deepest earnest about a thing on which their highest interests were suspended, Jam. 5:16. If earnestness and importunity are any where required, here they are highly, nay, absolutely requisite.

2. Let not complaints justle out praises from your prayers, but still remember that every day affords you as much matter of praise as of request. God's mercies are new every morning; let therefore the sacrifice of praise be a part of the daily sacrifice ye offer unto God. Never bow a knee unto God for supplicating a mercy from him, without praising him for what mercies ye enjoy. This is a very promising way of obtaining the requests ye make at the throne of grace in the confidence of faith.

3. Deeply consider what a God he is with whom you have to do, to fill your mouth with arguments. Pleas in prayer may be fetched, and faith will fetch them, from every divine attribute and perfection; and faith will improve these pleas in such a manner as to procure the good things it applies to the throne for. 'What wilt thou not do to thy great name?' is a standing plea for faith, which can never be rejected. Mercy, holiness, justice, truth, &c. all magnified by the obedience and satisfaction of Christ, will be never-failing pleas in the mouth of the prayer of faith.

4. Lastly, Use not Amen superficially at the end of your prayers, but with earnestness and faith. As for those who think it superstition to say Amen, they are ignorant of the word of God; and I would recommend to them to consult their Bible and Catechism, in order to cure them of that senseless conceit.

And thus, by the good hand of God upon me, I have finished what I intended by way of illustration of the great doctrines of the Christian religion, with respects to faith and practice, as compendized, from the Holy Scriptures, in our Shorter Catechism. I am sensible of many defects in the prosecution of such a large work; for who is sufficient for these things? but I have endeavoured, according to the measure of grace given unto me, to declare unto you what I am persuaded is truth, agreeable to the word of God, the rule and standard of all religious truth. And I would now ask you, What entertainment have ye given to the great and important truths laid before you, from the Lord's word, in the course of these sermons, in which I have been engaged a considerable part of several years? Do ye now believe? Have ye embraced these doctrines with a divine faith, a faith of the operation of God? have ye received the truths into your hearts? and are your hearts moulded into the image of them? Are they become the food and nourishment of your souls, so as ye are made to esteem them more than the food that is necessary for the support of your natural life? Are they written on your hearts, and impressed on your consciences, so as to become an effective principle of new obedience? Is the effect of them the sanctification of your hearts and lives? and is the result of the whole an earnest desire to know the truth more fully and clearly, and to regulate every motion and desire of your hearts, every word of your months, and every action of your lives, by the truth, so as ye may be enabled through grace to do the whole will of God? If these catechetical discourses have not produced some such effects upon you, or any of you, alas! they have been all lost as to any saving benefit to your souls, and will be a swift and terrible witness against you in the day of the Lord Jesus. O, Sirs! consider, bethink yourselves, recollect the great and important truths I have been laying before you, drawn from the pure and uncorrupted fountain of the Lord's word, and let them have a suitable and lasting influence on your hearts and lives. If ye imprison the truth, and hold it in unrighteousness, by resisting and opposing its effect, which is sanctification, John 17:17 and refusing to let it rule over you, and raising up your lusts against it, and unrighteously smothering and suppressing it, ye do so at a terrible risk: 'For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness,' Rom. 1:18. It is very probable that many of you at least have acquired more knowledge of the principles of religion, than ye had formerly; and I am obliged to own, that your knowledge of the truths thereof is as much generally, as ever I observed in other places. But is it sanctifying saving knowledge, or only merely speculative, floating in your heads, without having a due and efficacious influence upon your hearts? Alas! I must say, that truth is held prisoner with a witness among us, and that our lives are not answerable to our light, and I am much afraid it may bring wrath on the place. I therefore earnestly beseech and exhort one and all of you, to study to know the truth as it is in Jesus, to have a heart experimental knowledge thereof, a real feeling and sensation of the sweetness, virtue, and excellency thereof, in your minds, so as ye may taste indeed that the Lord is good. This knowledge alone will be available to your salvation, while all other knowledge is quite useless and unprofitable as to any salutary effect. For says our Lord, John 17:3. 'This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.' But the further pressing of this experimental knowledge of Christ, I must defer to another occasion, with which I shall conclude this work.

A DISCOURSE ON THE EXPERIMENTAL KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST

PHIL. 3:10.—That I may know him.—

A MERE speculative knowledge of Christ, and of the great doctrines of the gospel, however laboriously acquired and extensive it may be, is of small importance in itself, and quite vain and ineffectual, if it be not sanctified, and issue in experimental knowledge of Christ, and a real feeling of the beauty and excellency, and efficacy of divine truth on the heart. A man may have a competent, nay, a very extensive acquaintance with the whole doctrines of the Christian religion, as laid down in the scriptures, and of which we have an excellent compend in the shorter Catechism, which I have been endeavouring to explain to you for a series of years; yet if you have not the experimental knowledge of Christ, all your knowledge is in vain as to the salvation of your souls. I therefore come, as a conclusion of the whole, to press this experimental knowledge upon you, as what alone will be available for any saving purposes.

In the preceding verse, the apostle speaks of the gain he received in Christianity in point of justification, flowing from the soul's closing with Christ, and renouncing all other; and here he speaks of that gain in point of sanctification. And first, more generally, That I may know him. Might not the Philippians hereupon have said, And do not you know Christ, who have preached him so long? There are two ways of knowing, one by hearing of a thing, another by sight and feeling: one by the relation of another, another by experience, as one knows honey, and all the virtues of it, by report, which he believes, another testing it himself. The apostle knew Christ by faith, when he first believed in him; and here he would have the spiritual feeling and experience of him, finding by experience him to be what he has heard and believed him to be. He had something of this, but he would still have more.

The doctrine arising from the text is,

DOCT. 'The experimental knowledge of Christ is the sum of practical religion,' 1 Cor. 2:2. 'flowing from faith, to be studied by all.' In handling this point I shall,

I. Shew what this experimental knowledge is.

II. Confirm the point.

III. Make application.

I. I am to shew what this experimental knowledge of Christ is. It is an inward and spiritual feeling of what we hear and believe concerning Christ and his truths, whereby answerable impressions are made on our souls, Psal. 34:8 like that of the Samaritans, John 4:42 when they said unto the woman, 'Now, we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.' There is a savoury report of Christ spread in the gospel; faith believes it, and embraces him for what the word gives him out to be; and then the believing soul doth come and see. There is a glorious scheme of the lovely perfections of Christ drawn in the Bible, and faith believes that he really is what he is said to be; and then that scheme begins to be drawn over again in the Christian's experience, and this is always drawing more and more till he come to glory. It is just as if some eminent physician should give a friend remedies for all diseases he may be liable to; and when he leaves them with him, he lets him know that such a remedy is good for that distemper, and another is good for such another, &c. Now, he knows them all; but he falls sick, and he takes the remedy fit for his disease, and it proves effectual. Now, the man knows the remedy by experience, which he knew before by report only. Even so Christ is given as all in all to a believer, and he makes use of Christ for his case, and that is the experimental knowledge of him. I will illustrate these by some instances.

1. The scripture says of Christ, He is the way to the Father, John 14:6. Now, the man that has tried many ways of attaining access to God, and communion with him, and is denied access, and can fine no way to come to God, at length comes by Jesus Christ, renouncing all things else, leans only on his merit and intercession, and he finds an open door of access to God, and communion with him. This flaming sword he finds removed, and him who was still before a consuming fire, he finds now a warming sun to his soul. Here is experimental knowledge of Christ. Hence the apostle says, Rom. 5:1, 2 'Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.'

2. Christ's blood 'purgeth the conscience from dead works to serve the living God,' Heb. 9:14. Now, the experimental Christian knows from experience, that unremoved and unrepented-of guilt defiles the conscience, leaves a sting in it, unfits him to serve the Lord, as much as a man in filthy rags is unfit to stand before a king: it breeds in the heart an unwillingness to come before God, and mars his confidence: he tries to repent, overlooking the blood of Christ, but it will not do. He looks to an absolute God, and his heart is indeed terrified, but nothing softened. At length he looks to God in Christ, throws the burden of his guilt, and dips his soul in the sea of Christ's blood; and then the heart melts for sin, the sting is taken out of the conscience, the soul is willing to converse with God, and is enabled to serve him, as a son doth a father.

3. Christ is fully satisfying to the soul, Psal. 73:25. Hab. 3:17, 18. We all know this by report; but the Christian experimentally knows it by a spiritual sensation in the innermost parts of his soul. Sometimes, when all his enjoyments have been standing entire about him, he has looked with a holy contempt on them all, saying in his heart, These are not my portion. His heart has been loosed from them, and he has been made willing to part with them all for Christ, in whom his soul rejoiced, and in whom alone he was satisfied. Sometimes, again, all outward things have been going wrong with him, yet he could comfort, encourage, and satisfy himself in Christ, as David did in a great strait, 1 Sam. 30:6. He has gone away to his God and his Christ, and with Hannah returned with 'a countenance no more sad,' 1 Sam. 1:18.

4. Christ helps his people to bear afflictions, and keeps them from sinking under them; and he lifts up their heads when they go through these waters, Isa. 43:2. Now, the Christian meets with affliction; and he takes a good lift of his own burden, for it is the thing he thinks he may well bear. But his burden is too heavy for him. He wrestles with it: but the more he wrestles, it grows the heavier, and he sinks the more. At length he goes to Christ, saying, 'Lord, I thought to have borne this burden, but I am not able; I will sink under it, if I get not help:' 'Master, save us, for we perish.' And so he lays it over on the great Burden-bearer, and he is helped, Psal. 28:7. Now, the man, when he thought he could do all, could do nothing; and when he thinks he can do nothing, he can do all, 2 Cor. 8:9, 10.

5. Christ is made unto us 'wisdom,' 1 Cor. 1:30. The experimental Christian finds, that when he leans to his own understanding, he mistakes his way at mid-day; and all that he reaps of it, is, that in the end he has himself to call 'beast,' and 'fool,' for his error. But when into comes he difficulties, that he sees he knows not how to extricate himself out of, and is wary, and lays out his case before the Lord, and gives himself up as a blind man to be led by the Lord, he finds he is conducted in the way he knew not; and the result is, to 'bless the Lord who has given him counsel.'

6. Lastly, Christ is made unto us 'sanctification,' 1 Cor. 1:30. Now, the Christian falls secure, does not make use of Christ, and then are ever he is aware, he is like Samson without his hair. When he awakens, he sees his case is all gone to wrack, the course of sanctifying influences is stopt, and graces are lying in the dead thraw, and lusts are strong and rampant. He falls a grappling with them, but is worsted still; until be come to himself, and acknowledge his utter weakness to stand in this battle, and renew the actings of faith in Christ; and then 'out of weakness he is made strong, waxes valiant in fight, and turns to flight the armies of the aliens,' Heb. 11:34. He flings down the confidence in himself, like the broken reed that has pierced his hand; and though the promise lie before him, like the rod turned into a serpent, which unbelief tells him he would be too bold to meddle with, he ventures and takes the serpent by the tail, and it becomes the rod of God in his hand.

Let these suffice for examples of experimental religion.

II. I proceed to confirm the point: or to shew that the experimental knowledge of Christ is the sum of practical religion. Consider,

1. The scripture testimonies concerning this. To learn religion in the power of it, and in all the parts of sanctification, is to lean Christ. Hence the apostle says, Eph. 4:20–24. 'But ye have not so learned Christ; if so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: that ye put off, concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts: and be renewed in the Spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created, in righteousness and true holiness.' There needs no more to be known, for that comprehends all, 1 Cor. 2:2. 'I determined not to know any thing among you,' says Paul, 'save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.' It is 'eternal life,' John 17:3. It is a pledge of eternal life; it is eternal life begun. Yea, Christ is the sum and substance of a believer's life, Phil. 1:21. 'To me to live is Christ.'

2. All true religion is the creature's conformity or likeness God, made by virtue of divine influences, transforming the soul into the divine image. Now, there can be no conformity to God but through Jesus Christ; for he is the only channel of the conveyance of the divine influences, and God can have no communication with sinners but through him. He alone makes us partakers of the divine nature, 2 Cor. 4:6.

3. Whatever religion or holiness a man seem to have, that doth not come and is maintained this way, is not of the right sort. It is but nature varnished over: for 'he that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father.'

The soul's closing with Christ by faith, opens the way to this experimental knowledge of him; so that whosoever would know Christ thus, must in the first place so close with him.

(1.) Faith closing with Christ, believes he is such an one as he is held out in the gospel, gives credit to the report; and it is the want of this that mars this knowledge, Isa. 53:1.

(2.) Faith closes with Christ to that very end, that the soul may so know him. The soul stands in need of Christ in all that wherein he is held out as useful to a sinner, and faith takes him for that.

(3.) Faith unites the soul to Christ, and so makes way for this knowledge, which is the happy result of this union.

I come now to a word of improvement, which I shall discuss in an use of exhortation. O Sirs! labour to be experimental Christians, to have the inward feeling of what you hear and say ye believe concerning Christ. Why will ye stand in the outer court all your days? Come forward, and dip into the heart of religion. Come in where the world's ungracious feet could never carry them. And be not satisfied with less of religion, than what the beloved disciple in the name of believers says he felt, 'Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ,' 1 John 1:3. This is a weighty and seasonable point. To enforce this exhortation, I offer the following motives.

1. Religion is not a matter of mere speculation to satisfy men's curiosity, but a matter of practice. Men's eternal state lies at the stake, which can never be brought to a comfortable issue by a speculative knowledge, more than a man can be cured by the knowledge of a remedy, without application of it. An unexperimental professor is like a foolish sick man, who entertains those about him with fine discourses of the nature of medicines, but in the mean time he is dying himself for want of application of them.

2. The sweet of religion lies in the experience of it: hence the Psalmist says, 'My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, Psal. 63:5. No man can have the idea of the sweetness of honey like him that tastes it, nor of religion like him that feels the power of it. One reads the word, and it is tasteless to him; to another it is sweeter than the honey comb; why? because he feels the power of it on his spirit, Psal. 19:11. Religion would not be such a burden to us as it is, if we could by experience carry it beyond dry sapless notions: it would be a reward to itself, and so chain the heart to it.

3. All the profit of religion to ourselves lies in the experience of it, Matth. 7:22. What avails all the religion men have in their heads, while it never sinks into the heart? Knowledge without experience will no more sanctify a man, than painted fire will but or the bare sight of water will wash. Ah! what avails that knowledge to a man, by which he is never a whit more holy, nor less: a slave to his lusts? True, it may do good to others, as the profit of the carpenter's gift came to Noah, while they themselves perished is the deluge. Light without heat serves only to shew the way to hell, where there is scorching heat without light. Gifts without grace are like a ship without ballast in a boisterous sea, that cannot miss to sink. And when such an one is sinking into hell, his gifts will be like a bag of gold on a drowning man, precious in itself, but will only help to sink him the faster.

2. The experimental Christian is the only Christian whose religion will bring him to heaven. Heaven in effect is but a perfect experimental knowledge of Christ, where the saints will for ever feed upon that sweetness they have heard to be in him. And there is no attaining of heaven, unless men first begin on earth to know Christ thus.

5. Lastly, It is absolutely necessary to qualify a man to go on and hold right in an evil time. And surely, if ever there was need for it, there is need now.

(1.) The experimental Christian is fitted thereby to suffer for Christ, because he has the testimony within himself, that the way which the world persecutes is the way of God. No arguments give such a certainty of the truth of religion as experience does.

(2.) When wickedness prospers, and piety is oppressed, experimental religion keeps a man from being led away with the error of the wicked, Mal. 3:16.

(3.) When many stumbling-blocks are laid in the way, especially in divisions and church-contentions, which make many wicked met think there is no reality in religion at all; yet the righteous, in sad a time, shall hold on his way.

This is a very weighty point; and to illustrate it a little further. I will,

1. Give evidence that experimental religion is very rare.

2. Point out some causes of it.

3. Shew how it may be obtained.

4. Press you to seek after it by some considerations.

First, I am to give evidences that experimental religion is very rare in our day.

1. The little relish that men have of the word either preached or read. Experience makes the word savoury; hence David says 'I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil,' Psal. 119:162. How many are there to whom the word is tasteless as the white of an egg? Their fancy may be tickled by the discovery of something which they knew not before: but, alas! they have no inward sensation of the thing wrapt up in the words of truth.

2. The little knowledge of the word by experience. The best commentary on the ills of the heart is the word; and the best commentary on the word is experience. These reflect light one upon another. The experimental Christian reads his heart in the word; he gets it opened and anatomised there, Heb. 4:12, 13. It is the looking-glass wherein he sees it. And he understands the word by experience, John 2:17 and 7:16. The doctrine of truth is according to godliness, and godliness, in the practice of it, makes truth shine the more into the soul.

3. The little precise and nice walking there is among professors, Eph. 5:14. Christians should 'walk circumspectly;' and it is the native effect of experimental religion, Isa. 38:15. And the reason is plain: The experimental Christian finds how a wrong step will provoke the Spirit to depart, and how communion with God cannot be kept up in a loose and irregular way, Psal. 66:18. He sees how small a thing exposeth to the dint of the threatening; and that the way of getting the promise told out to him, is the way of tender walking, which counts no sin little. But, alas! for that miserable latitude that prevails in the walk of the generation, who take such a woful liberty in their words and actions, as we may say with the prophet, Mic. 7:1, 2. 'Wo is me, for I am as when they have gathered the summer-fruits, as the grape-gleanings of the vintage: there is no cluster to eat: my soul desired the first-ripe fruit. The good man is perished out of the earth: and there is none upright among men: they all lie in wait for blood: they hunt every man his brother with a net.'

4. The little advantage religion has by the conferences of professors. People may go into many companies ere they get one from whence they may come forth with a heart more inflamed with love to God and Christ, and the practice of godliness, because they can meet with few like him who said, 'Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul,' Psal. 66:16. Alas! there is little of heaven in the converse of Christians at this day; which says there is but little of it in their hearts. We have sat down on time's things; and as for the matters of another world, we have little relish of them. A philosopher bade one speak, that he might see him, Col. 3:16.

5. Lastly, The general security that prevails among all ranks, though we never saw the day wherein it was more unseasonable. Did experimental religion prevail, we would be waiting on the Lord in the way of his judgments, as the church did, Isa. 26:8, 20. God help us! Scotland's stroke seems to be walking in the dark, with feet of wool, that we will never hear the sound of, till we feel its iron hands. It is very like some fearful surprise is abiding as. The dispensations of our day are in their own nature rousing dispensations; but we are not at all awakened by them, more than we were when there was not a pin in our tabernacle loosed. There are different opinions and practices in these matters; but whose heads soever are right, we think the hearts of all parties are wrong. And among all our unhappy differences, we have a more unhappy agreement in a spirit of slumber that has seized all together. And what shall be the end of these things?

Secondly, I shall point out some of the causes of the scarcity of experimental religion.

1. The Lord has a controversy with our mother, and therefore has withdrawn, and it fares the worse with the children. She was some time Hephzibah, and her land Beulah; but now her gold is become dross, and her wine mixed with water. She has forgotten her husband, and has been gadding after other lovers. She hath cast herself into a loathsome disease; her kindly heat and warmth is gone; any thing of it that is left has struck out to the outward parts, leaving a key-cold heart within. And, by all appearance. she will not be cured, till blood be let of her.

2. People's spiritual senses are dulled with the luscious sweets of a present world. Farms and merchandise take away people's appetites for the marriage-supper, Matth. 22:4, 5. The devil makes birdlime of the things of the world to catch professors, that they find, when they would get upward, their feet stick in the mire. Many of us, I trow, when our worldly incomes were less, our spiritual incomes were more. Or, if the world go against people, their spirits are so embittered, that they find no sweetness at all in religion.

3. Religion is not made people's business, but just a by-hand work. Men are like the mole, whose abode is in the earth; and though sometimes it come above ground, it hastes in again to it hole, to be in its element. They will say their prayers indeed evening and morning; but for walking with God in the interval of duties, they know nothing about it. Their religion is over when duties are over. They are like a man that takes physic indeed, but he just vomits it up again when he has got it, giving it no time to work, Gen. 6:9. Religion's chance-customers will never grow rich by it.

4. People's not holding hand to any attainment they make in religion, like 'the slothful man, not roasting that which he took in hunting,' Prov. 12:27. They are, it may be, at some pains to earn something in religion, but they put it in a bag with holes. Sometimes they are in a fair way to gain experience of religion, they get some taste of it, but then they do not follow on, Hos. 6:3. The spark is kindled, but they let it go out; they do not feed it, and presently they have a cold coal to blow again.

5. Lastly, Formality in religion, when people content themselves with outward worship, doing the work, but make it not their business to worship God in the spirit; by faith in him, love, dependence, fear, hope, patience, &c. It is these and the like graces that bring in the experimental knowledge of Christ and religion into the soul. These are they that get forward to God, even to his throne. And duties without them are useless and vain, like liquor that has lost all the spirits.

Thirdly, I come to shew, how we may become experimental Christians.

1. Let us labour to be Christians indeed, and lay the foundation well in a serious and sincere closing with Jesus Christ. That is to say, let us, under a conviction of the reality and necessity of religion, give away and consecrate ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ. Let us forsake the world for him, and look on ourselves as men bound to another world, under the conduct of the Captain of the Lord's hosts. And while we go through it with him, let us resolve to go lightly along, and not dip, Cant. 4:8. Let us forsake sin for him, and leave these husks to feed upon himself, for the manna will not fall till the Egyptian provision be done. And men need not think that the dainties of heaven will be brought to the table, where the soul is sitting at dust which is the serpent's meat. Labour to know them no more, not to seek your satisfaction from them, and ye shall know Christ.

2. Receive the truths of the word by faith. If you would be experimental Christians, let the word dwell in you richly in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Hear it, and read it attentively, and with application; meditate on it; let it be your constant companion and bosom-oracle, to which you may always resort for direction, caution, and encouragement. And ye will soon find the commandment is a light, and that by it ye are warned, and that the promises have a sweet accomplishment, in the way of duty, in the experience of the Christian. Labour to get the divine faith of the word. O, Sirs! it is not easy to believe scripture-truths, Luke 24:25. Admit the conviction; look to the Lord for grace to believe, and keep up the struggle with unbelief.

3. Be diligent observers of your own way, the way of your heart and life. A man that lets his heart run at random, and does not review what passeth there, can never be an experimental Christian. But every serious review of the heart would give you a new experimental confirmation of scripture-truths. There are two great depths that the experimental Christian wades much in, viz. the depths of wickedness in the heart, and the depth of perfection and fulness in Christ. Be much in self-examination.

4. Be careful observers of providence; the providence of God towards the church, and towards yourselves in particular, Psal. 107 ult. Providence is a river that brings down the rich ore of experiences, which are to be gathered by Christian observation. The Bible is the word that God preacheth to the world; and providence is the application of the doctrine. In the Bible, the word is brought to our ears, and in providence it is set before our eyes; though most of us are blind as moles, and see it not; but the experimental Christian doth see.

5. Lay it down for a conclusion, that religion is a thing that lies inwardly, and that it is quite another thing than a parcel of external performances; that it is a conforming of the soul to the image of Christ, by a close application to him, and a real participation of his Spirit, and virtue of his blood. And therefore seek that, and seek it on till ye find his truth comes not into your heart in word only, but in power, gradually killing sin and self, and conforming you more to his image. And go not to duties as one that is only to hear or speak, but to feel or taste. And when your hand is once in, that ye begin to taste how gracious the Lord is, hold hand to it, and ye shall find his going forth prepared as the morning.

Fourthly, I conclude with some considerations to stir you up to this exercise.

1. Experimental religion is a sort of heaven on earth. Heaven is the eternal feeling of that goodness which is in God the chief good. It is his eternal pouring out of his goodness into the souls of his people, making them drink of those rivers which they heard were at his right hand. Now, ye may begin it here with tasting the word of life. That will make great delight, as the full enjoyment makes perfect joy there.

2. There are none who being capable of that enjoyment on earth, that get the first taste of it in heaven. No; they all begin it here, John 17:3. For God first gives men a taste of Christian experience, and then they desire the full enjoyment of it, and they get it in heaven. And this is the reasonable way with the rational creature. Whosoever taste not here, shall not drink above.

3. The experimental Christian has the counterpart of the Bible in his breast, though imperfect. He has things old and new to bring out of his treasure, that answer to scripture doctrines and promises, as the copy to the original. The experimental Christian is a walking Bible. He has a body of divinity formed of experiences, which is an excellent sort of learning, a thousand times preferable to all the raw unfelt notions of noisy professors, that are like the sounding brass and tinkling cymbal.

4. The experimental Christian is fit to sail to heaven, whatever wind be blowing; for he hath both sail and ballast. He has experienced of the goodness and faithfulness of God, and of the sanctifying power of truth; that is sail that will carry him through in all storms; and he has experience of the corruption of his own nature, the deceit of his own heart, and of his pitiful weakness; and that will be ballast to him. For want of these in time of trial, few get through.

(1.) It is very hard, without experience of religion, to stand in a time when the proud contemners of God seem to be most happy: when the sun shines bright on the way of wickedness and apostasy from God, and nothing but clouds and darkness appear in the way of holiness, Mal. 3:15, 16. It is strange if those who never felt more sweetness in religion than in the world, do not at such a time turn their back on it altogether: but the experimental Christian will not do so: for 'the righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger,' Job 17:9.

(2.) When the night of error overtakes a church, and errors like locusts swarm abroad, how hard is it then to stand without experience! 2 Thess. 2:10. Where truth sinks not into the heart, but floats in the head, it makes itching ears, to which novelties have easy access. They to whom old truths are unsavoury, lie a pray to new notions. And hence it has come to pass, that many noted professors have been carried away in such a time. But he that has tasted of the power of truth, will say from his experience, 'The old is better,' Luke 5 ult.

(3.) When divisions enter into a church, it is hard to keep right without experimental religion. Division is a great plague from the Lord, a stain on the beauty of the church, and a dreadful snare to men. When church-builders are like Babel-builders, how can the work thrive? It turns some quite off from all religion; while they see one going one way, and another another way, they know not whom to follow, and they cast off all together. Others, whose religion was never so deep as the bottom of their hearts; exhaust the whole of their vigour on the controverted points, and so they become dead in the vitals of godliness. So that, unless people be experimental Christians, and exercised to godliness too in the time, having the ballast I spoke of before, they will run into terrible excess of selfishness, judging not only practices, but hearts: a very unchristian employment!

(4.) When great men, and good men are falling, how hard is it to stand, unless men have a witness to the truth from within? God, in his holy providence, for the further trial of men permits the fall of men of name for gifts and piety: and when these fall, readily they fall not alone, but as mighty oaks break down others about them, unless they be well rooted and grounded. And therefore they will never bring their religion to a good account, whose religion is only to do as others do.

(5.) Lastly, When it comes to hard and sharp personal persecution, especially to resisting unto blood. When extreme hardships, even death itself, are laid in the balance with an unfelt religion, it is hard to think how one should stand who has had no experience of the power of it. Should God give us up into the hands of a bloody antichristian enemy, it would not be hard for them that have not been sealed by the Spirit, to refuse the mark of the beast.

But I shall give more particular directions towards attaining experimental religion.

1. Fix your eyes on the particular evils of your heart and life, and ply closely the reformation of them by the Spirit. Alas! what are we doing in the way of mortification of sin? Experimental religion is a dying to sin, by virtue of our union with Christ. What use have we for Christ, if not to 'save us from our sins?' Matth. 1:21. But the use many make of Christ is to save them and their sins. They will drink, swear, lie, cheat, and do unjustly still, and they will call these infirmities, or very little things, that need not disturb a man; and they will lick themselves whole with their believing; and on a new temptation go just back again to them. Sirs, this is to make Christ the minister of sin, and to sin because grace abounds. The running the round between swearing and confessing, will make men fall down at length into the pit, whence they will never rise again, Prov. 29:1. If Christ cure thee not of thy disease, thou wilt never get life by him.

Therefore, I say, ply reformation of heart and life closely. It will not be wishing that will do it; ye must put your hand to the work. It will cost mourning groans under the weight of sin, believing looks, and vigorous endeavours against it. Is there a thing that is your weak side? pray remember thy soul is at stake; if it overcome thee, thy soul is gone; and if ever thou see heaven, thou must get above it, Matt. 5:29. Rev. 3:21. O mind that passage, Mark 10:21. 'One thing thou lackest,' &c. Look to thy spots in the glass of the law, and quickly set about purging them. Thou hast, may be, a carnal worldly heart: fall on to get it spiritual and heavenly; an ill tongue, get it bridled; or an offensive carriage, get it mended.

2. Continue at the work, for the victory is not got but by degrees. The interruptions that take place in our plying the work of religion, make it still the more difficult. The miserable halts we make in the exercise of godliness, do but weaken us, and give the enemy more time to recruit. And they that cannot digest the making religion their business, are not fit for heaven. Heaven is an eternal triumph; how can they be capable of it then that make it not their business to fight, or that are always overcome, instead of being overcomers? It is a rest, therefore it presupposeth a labour; not so much the toil of business in the world, for the most carnal have as much of that as professors, but a rest from labour against sin.

3. Take often notice what progress ye are making. Consider with yourselves, Have I got any more victory over my passions, my lusts, and my prevailing iniquity? Is there a cubit added to my spiritual stature? Am I going backward or forward? Sirs, people that are at pains with a farm, they count their profit, to see whether they be winners or losers: if any thing has been mismanaged to their loss, they endeavour to mend it the next time; and if they find they are gainers, they are encouraged to redouble their pains. But, alas! what pains men are at about religion, is bestowed on it as if they cared not whether they prospered or not; and therefore they have no experience.

4. Look after the profit of duties. We should never hear a sermon, but should inquire, when we have come from it, Now, what have I made of this? where did it touch me? what evil of my heart has it discovered? what influence has it had on me to fit me more for my journey and work? Sermons are not easy to some of you, that are far off from the place of public worship: ye would think it a great deal to go one mile, or two, three, four, or five miles in vain, in other cases. Look after your prayers, as the Psalmist did, Psal. 5:3. Ye would think it much if ye were to ask a request of your neighbour, and yet get no answer, or a refusal. O why then do ye not consider how your prayers are accepted by the prayer-hearing God? I assure you, if ye would fall upon this way, ye would soon find the good of it.

5. Converse with experimental Christians about experimental religion. There is a wonderful diffidence that professors have in one another at this day, Matth. 24:12. I verily believe this would be a good way to cure it, if those that have any experience of religion would modestly bring it forth to the edification of others. There is nothing that more endears Christians one to another than this. It is an unchristian-like thing in professors to despise converse about practical godliness and Christian experience. And there is more of the wisdom of the serpent than the harmlessness of the dove, in people's locking up in their own breasts all their sense of practical godliness, when it might be brought forth to the glory of God, and the good of others. I believe this way has been the cause of so much jealousy, suspicion, and division among professors; and has run out all Christian conference into vain jangling about the controversies of the time.

6. Be very nice as to the point of sin and duty, Psal. 133:2. Sudden resolutions in matters which will allow deliberation, are often to be suspected. Sometimes the matter of sin and duty is of that nature, that there is no time to deliberate; all that can be done is, to look to the Lord for immediate clearness, and the Christian shall have it, Prov. 4:12. 'When thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble.' Compare Matth. 10:19. 'But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak, for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.' Sometimes the Christian may have time to deliberate, and then God's ordinary way is to clear men step by step, Prov. 4:12. 'When thou goest thy steps shall not be straitened.' Say not, the way is plain at first glance in this case; for the Spirit of God bids thee 'ponder the path of thy feet,' Prov. 4:26. If a way be such as our own heart at the very first inclines to, I say it ought the rather to be narrowly examined, seeing in scripture-language the way of our own heart is of no good name. And suppose the inclination of the man's heart does really fall upon the right side in this case, yet this is no Christian resolution, but a stumbling on the right way, which God will never accept. Therefore men that would act as Christians in the point of sin and duty, should lay aside prejudices, trample their inclinations under foot, lay the matter before the Lord, and themselves open to conviction there, as a piece of clean paper, on which God may write what he sees meet, pondering all things with a holy jealousy over their own hearts, lest they be biassed by their own inclinations and preconceived opinions. I am sure much of God is to be found in this way.

7. Acknowledge God more in your temporal concerns, Prov. 3:6. Are we Christians? let us depend on God for all things in this life and the other. We are directed to pray about them, the promises are about them, and therefore we should wait on God for them. Many a sweet experience have the saints got in temporal things, when they have been helped to lay them before the Lord, and leave them there without anxiety, in the use of the means.

Lastly, Have a precise respect to all the commands of God, and be truly strict in your lives; that is, deal with men as believing God's eye is upon you, and with God as if the eyes of men were upon you. Never look on the authority of the multitude as sufficient to make that no fault, which will not abide strict examination by the word of God. Let the command of God prevail with you; and whatsoever liberty ye may take for ought that men can say or do to you, let that be a sufficient restraint. Thus may ye attain experimental religion.

THE RIGHT IMPROVEMENT OF A TIME OF SICKNESS AND MORTALITY

TWO sermons preached on a congregational fast-day, at Ettrick, April 27, 1720, on occasion of the great sickness and mortality then prevailing.

PSAL. 90:12.—So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

THE SERMON IN THE FORENOON

THIS text is a prayer suitable to the dispensation of this day. While we stand and see so much sickness and mortality prevailing among us, they have stout hearts indeed, who look not up to the Lord with this or the like petition in their hearts, So teach us, &c.

This psalm was calculated for a dying time, being supposed to be penned upon the occasion of that sentence passed in the wilderness, Num. 14:28, &c. concerning the death of those from twenty years old and upward who came out of the land of Egypt, so as none of them should enter Canaan, but Caleb and Joshua. It was penned, I say, by Moses, who saw, in the space of forty years, six hundred thousand men swept off by death, besides women and children.

There are three things insisted on in the body of this psalm, and summed up together, ver. 10, 11. A short life, a sure death, and a severe judgment. And here is the use of them, O to consider these so as to be wise for our souls, O for a sanctified use of the sad dispensation. In the words there is,

1. A lesson desired to be learned, (1.) The lesson itself, of counting or numbering of our days; i. e. of considering them duly and seriously, as he who tells any thing before him, looks to every one of the number, and makes a just reckoning. (2.) The teacher of whom only we can learn this is God himself. It is a difficult lesson to learn to purpose. Many good counters, who can dextrously count great sums, are quite out in the calculation of their days, Luke 12:19, 20. There is a necessity of the teaching of the Spirit, in order to learn this divine arithmetic.

2. The standard of proficiency in this lesson, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom; i. e. that we learn it so as we apply ourselves to serious godliness, which is the only wisdom: Heb. that we may bring in; a heart of wisdom, i. e. a wise heart. We have naturally light and foolish hearts; but he, and only he, learns this lesson well that brings in a serious, religious, and wise heart, from the school of the word and providence, where that lesson is taught. All under this standard are but bunglers at the lesson, they have not yet learned it truly: though they can talk of it, viz. the shortness and vanity of life, they are never a whit the wiser for all that, in respect of their souls; they have not yet got it by heart, but only by head; and therefore they are still the carnal, careless men they were before.

The words being thus explained, I shall, as the subject of this forenoon's discourse, observe the following doctrine.

DOCT. 'A time of mortality is a special call to all rightly to number their days.'

Sin brought in mortality into the world, Gen. 2:17 compare chap. 5. And it has never gone out of it since; at all times some are here and there stepping off: but there are some times by way of eminency to be called 'times of mortality,' as that in the wilderness, and as now amongst us in this land. This has a special call.

Here I shall shew,

I. What it is to number our days.

II. That a time of mortality is a special call to this work.

I. I am to shew what it is to number our days. It imports,

1. Our days had a beginning, and we must reflect on that, Psal. 22:9. Every thing that is numbered must have a beginning; and therefore God's duration is not liable to numbering. But we may goon perceive our beginning to be in the world; and thence learn and observe,

(1.) That it is by divine appointment, and not by necessity of our nature, that we continue to be. The latter is proper to God only; by the former, angels and men, and all creatures, are continued in being. For he that once had no being, can never claim a natural necessity of continuing to be.

(2.) That every moment of our life hangs on the divine will and pleasure, Rev. 4 ult. There is no necessary connection betwixt your living this moment and living the next. The only bond betwixt them is God's word of appointment, Heb. 1:3. Loose that, and remove it, our life goes, and our eyes shall never see the next moment. No food, no physic, can prevent it, Matth. 4:4. There is no outliving that word, Psal. 90:3. 'Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, Return, ye children of men,' so much as for one moment.

(3.) That we must go the way of all flesh; for many of those we found in the world at our coming into it, are now gone, Zech. 1:5. This world is always like a fair near the height, where some are coming in, others going out, and those within in confusion, Eccl. 1:4. I doubt not but there may be some in this house this day, who, if they will consider, shall not find one of all those that filled it at their first coming into it. But these are gone, and others have come into the room of them all. And shall not others reckon so of us in a little time?

2. Our days will have an end, and we must seriously consider that. Hence says the Psalmist, Psal. 39:4. 'Lord, make me to know mine end, and the measure of my days, what it is.' Every thing that is numerable has an end; and therefore eternity cannot be numbered, since it hath no end. But we may soon come to the end of our count, when we are counting our days; and thence may learn and observe,

(1.) That the shored tree will be cut down at length. 'I know that thou wilt bring me to death,' says Job, 'and to the house appointed for all living,' Job 30:23. When we were first planted in this world, the axe was laid down at the root of the tree, and we have grown up beside it. There is never a pain nor stitch, but it is a stroke of that axe, a pledge of a greater. Sometimes it has almost struck through, but in a little time it will go through altogether. So that man shall lie down, and not rise till the heavens be no more.

(2.) We will need nothing for this life ere long. Dip not so deep in the cares of this world as most do, to the ruin of their souls. Many have been anxious to provide for the day which they never saw, as the rich man in the parable did, Luke 12:17–20. The clods of earth will serve for back and belly ere long, and we will have no portion in what is done under the sun; others will possess the houses, land, &c. which we now occupy.

(3.) See now how ye will begin eternity. It will begin with us when our days are come to an end; and as we begin it, so we will continue in it, Heb. 9:27. Our state now is alterable, but then it is unalterable for ever. Therefore now or never let us secure a happy eternity. Learn your duty from the unjust steward, the serious consideration of which I recommend to you, Luke 14:3–8.

(4.) Working time for eternity will not last. It closeth with the end of our days: Therefore 'whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might: for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest,' Eccl. 9:10.

Use. Be not idle spectators of the dispensation of this day. Number your days, so as ye may apply your hearts unto wisdom. If you will not take warning to prepare for eternity, by the removal of others, take heed lest God make you a warning to others. Let the aged and young hear the voice of the rod, and seriously improve it.

3. Our days are few, and we must consider, that they are the number of a man, they may be counted. There are some things not innumerable in themselves, yet cannot be numbered for their multitude. But there is no such multitude of the days of our life.

(1.) Consider the counters the scripture affords us to count our days by. A web, Isa. 38; it is such a web as one is still working at without intermission, and therefore will soon be cut out:—grass, and a flower soon withered, Isa. 40:6, 7;—green at morn, and cut down at night, Psal. 90:6:—a vapour that vanisheth away, frail, uncertain, and of short continuance, Jam. 4:14—smoke, Psal. 102:3:—a wind, a blast, or puff, Job 7:7:—a sleep, Psal. 90:5:—a dream, Job 20:8:—a hand-breadth, Psal. 39:5:—nothing, ibid. compare Eccl. 3:2. Count with these counters, and the reckoning will be very small, which the scripture also has cast up to our hands.

(2.) Consider the scripture-reckoning of man's life. The highest reckoning is by years, now brought down to a few scores, Psal. 90:10. Nay, as we count the age of infants by months, so is man's age reckoned, Job 19:5. As if months were too big a word, it is brought down to days, and a few days, Job 14:1; yea, to one day, wherein there is but a morning, noon, and evening, Job 14:6; and yet lower, to an hour, 1 John 2:18; aye, to a moment, that is past ere one is aware, 2 Cor. 5:17. Prov. 12:19. So the sum of our days is very small.

From both ye may find that our days are few; and thence learn and observe,

(1.) It is no safe counting to count many years to come, whatever ye be, lest ye be out in your account, as the rich man was, Luke 12:19, 20. Many whose youth and strength seemed to give them ground for counting so, have been forced to see their mistake, and count again, little to their comfort, death coming ere it was looked for.

(2.) Our days will soon be at an end. We will quickly be over our hand-breadth. They fly like a shadow, Job 14:2. And though a weaver's shuttle is very swift, in going from one side of the web to the other, our days are swifter than it is, Job 7:6. See what Job says, chap. 9:25, 26. 'Now my days are swifter than a post; they flee away, they see no good. They are passed away as the swift ships; as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.'

(3.) We have no time to be idle. Our work for eternity is great, for it is long, and our time is short. They who have much work, little time to do it in, little strength to do it with, and much opposition to wrestle against, had need to lose no time, John 9:4. The shadows of the evening are stretched out; we have made but little way; let us therefore mend our pace.

(4.) Lastly, We must make the considering of our days, a serious business. The counting of them to purpose will not do otherwise. It deserves it, for eternity lies upon it; a mistake in that may be fatal; and we are very ready to miscount our days. And,

[1.] Make it a work by itself. If one have but a few threads to count, they will let other work alone till that be done; for it is of that nature that it will not mix with other pieces of work. Surely at any time, and much more at this time, God calls us to take some particular time for this work, Hag. 1:5.

[2.] Hold to it, till you have done it to purpose. Counting is not a work to be done by fits and starts. If it be broken off, readily all that is counted is lost, and one must just begin again, having lost his count. Fleeting thoughts of the shortness and uncertainty of time are to little purpose. The impression they make is soon worn off.

[3.] Dip into the business, and be not overly in it. One thing that is counting will be loath to hear or answer a word spoken to him, lest he miss his count. Satan and our ill hearts are apt to cast in diversions to those employed in counting their days; and by that means many times mar the work. But ye must stop your ears, and mind your business.

II. I proceed to shew, that a time of mortality is a special call to this work.

1. It sets death and eternity in a particular manner before the eyes of mortals, as appears from this psalm wherein our text lies. It is a looking-glass wherein every one may see his own frailty; for the strength of the hale is no more the strength of stones, nor their bones brass, more than others whom death has cut down. What is the lot of one mortal to-day, may be the lot of another to-morrow; and that calls to consider it.

2. God, by laying his hand on some, speaks unto others, as appears from what our Lord says, Luke 13:1 and downwards, and warns them. And they that are wise will take warning, Micah 6:9. And it is a sad evidence when people will not hear it. They look like those marked for destruction, who, in the face of God's judgments going abroad in a place still do wickedly, Isa. 26:11.

3. It is an evidence of the Lord's anger against a land or country-side where it prevails, Amos 3:8. And not laying it to heart is a contempt of God, that he will surely avenge, Psal. 28:5. It speaks God to be risen up from his place to punish; and who knows who may fall ere God's sword, once drawn, be returned into its sheath?

Use. Let old and young comply with the call of God by the present sickness and mortality: let every one be stirred up thereby so to count their days, as they may apply their hearts unto wisdom. For motives, consider,

1. We will be most inexcusable, if after all these warnings death find us unprovided. The dispensation of the day is such, that no body needs to pretend to be surprised with death's coming to their own door, since it is carrying off so many, both young and old.

2. It is a piece of that duty we owe to an angry God, as we would not inflame his anger more against us, Psal. 28:5. Amos 3:8. It is not true courage, but stupidity and obstinacy, not to be deeply affected with the hand of God gone out against us. Let creatures despise, if they will, the stroke of their fellow worms, but let them not despise the stroke of God, Heb. 12:5. It becomes saints of the highest pitch to fear God smiting, Luke 12:4, 5.

3. This would be the way to get the stroke removed, or at least to get it sanctified, Hab. 3:16. The design of Providence in the stroke is to stir us up to this duty, and the answering of the call of the rod bids fairest for the removal of it, Lev. 26:41, 42. If not, the venom will be taken out of it; and if one be taken away being fitted for it, he will exchange this life for a better.

4. Lastly, If this be misimproved, it lays us open to a worse, Amos 4:11, 12. In a land so fall of sin, so often threatened with desolating strokes, and so often delivered, but nothing bettered by deliverances, this stroke looks rather like the beginning than the end of sorrows, rather like an earnest than the round sum, that might clear the accounts betwixt God and a sinful nation.

THE SERMON IN THE AFTERNOON

WE are again met this day to humble ourselves under the hand of God, gone out against the congregation and country-side, in great sickness and mortality, and to deprecate the Lord's anger. I know no such expedient in our case, nor any thing that will bid so fair for the removal of the stroke, as our coming up to the standard of proficiency in the lesson in our text, which falls now to be spoken of, and which I shall cast into this doctrine.

DOCT. 'The right and necessary improvement of a time of bodily sickness and mortality, is to become wise for our souls.'

The Lord is putting particular persons and families among us, yea, all of us, to the school of affliction, since the hand of God gone out against some concerns all; and it is necessary we learn our lesson aright, and become wise thereby.

In discoursing from this doctrine, I shall,

I. Shew what is that wisdom we must learn thereby.

II. Condescend on some particulars of wisdom which such a time calls us to apply our hearts to.

I. I am to shew, what is that wisdom we are to learn by a time of bodily sickness and mortality. It is serious godliness, or true religion. When one becomes seriously godly, leaving the way of sin, and entering on the way of faith and holiness, then he has learned the lesson that God is teaching us this day, Job 28 ult. 'Unto man he said, Behold the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil, is understanding.' This is the only true wisdom; and they continue arrant fools who do not arrive at it, whatever other wisdom they be masters of. This is the wisdom taught at God's school of affliction, Heb. 12:10. The voice of the rod is, Be wise for your souls. That this is the true wisdom, appears in that,

1. It is practical wisdom, wisdom for regulating a man's life in the way to happiness, Hos. 14 ult. How many are there accounted wise, who betray their folly in quite shooting by the mark, in the way of life they chuse, Jer. 22:13–16. Surely that is wisdom which sets men in the true way to happiness, which is faith and holiness, Mark 16:16. Heb. 12:14. What avail carnal worldly wit, the profound speculations of natural men in the learned sciences, and the dry and sapless notions of religion in formal professors? All these are but laborious trifling, and making a noise, doing nothing, while they never make them better men, though more knowing.

2. It is wisdom for one's self, Prov. 9:12. There is a set of men, whose wisdom is noted to be for others, but not for themselves, resembled by boatmen, who ferry others over, but, during the whole time of their rowing, have their eyes fixed on the place whence they came, and, immediately after landing their passengers, return to where they set out. Such is the wisdom of all ungodly men: their wisdom may profit other men's souls or bodies; but, alas! it profits not themselves, 1 Cor. 9 ult. Matth. 6:19, 20. But this is the excellency of real godliness, that 'it giveth life to them that have it,' Eccl. 7:12. It casts the soul into the mould of truth, sanctifies the heart and life in conformity to the divine nature and will; and so perfects human nature, raising up a glorious fabric out of the ruins in which it was laid by the fall.

3. It is wisdom for one's latter end, Deut. 32:29. The fool in the gospel had wit enough to provide for many years' life. But here lay his folly, he had nothing provided for his latter end, for a dying hour, Luke 12:20. Many such fools are among us. It was one of the dying expressions of a learned man of the last age (Grotius), Ah! vitam perdidi, operose nihil agendo.

4. It is wisdom for the better part, Luke 10:41, 42. The wisdom of the world is but for the baser part of man, the body; it makes him useful in business and civil conversation. But this reaches only the outworks, while in the mean time the soul's concerns lie by neglected. But this wisdom advanceth the life and interests of the soul, insures one's title to heaven, and sets him on the way to eternal happiness, Prov. 8:35.

5. Lastly, It is wisdom for the better world, Heb. 11:14, 16. Our projects for this world, as to ourselves, must die with ourselves, Psal 146:4 but they who are wise for that better world, by being religious indeed, will find their measures wisely laid in time, to take and have their effect happily in eternity, Rev. 14:13. What they now sow, they shall then joyfully reap.

III. I proceed to condescend on some particulars of wisdom which such a time calls us to apply our hearts to.

1. To inquire seriously into the causes of the Lord's controversy with us, Job 10:2. When God's hand is stretched out, it will be our wisdom to search wherefore it is so, Lam. 3:39. Surely there is a cause; he does not smite without good reason: and unless our eyes see it, our hearts cannot rue it.

God has a controversy with the congregation and country-side; it were good we could lay it to heart. Two things seem to have the main hand in it.

(1.) Abuse and misimprovement of spiritual mercies and privileges. Thus the Lord threatened the Old-Testament church, Deut. 28:58, 59. 'If thou wilt not observe to do all the words of this law, that are written in this book, that thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful name, The Lord Thy God; then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderful, and the plagues of thy seed, even great plagues, and of long continuance and sore sicknesses, and of long continuance.' This brought a sore sickness upon the church of Corinth, 1 Cor. 11:30. The noted divisions, and deserting of ordinances, in the country, are the judgment and the sin of the corner, whereby contempt is poured on precious gospel-ordinances, the success of the gospel marred by so many hinderances laid in the way of souls getting good of it; and thus gnats are strained at, and camels swallowed down, in respect of the deep-dyed guilt in what it does to hinder the spiritual good of perishing souls. Men will not see it, but they shall see. And alas! how evident is our unfruitfulness under means of grace? How few are bettered now by a preached gospel? God's word is slighted, and ineffectual for our reformation, his holy name is profaned, his Sabbaths are violated, sacraments are neglected by some, and profaned by others with their unholy and untender lives. What wonder that for this cause 'many are weak and sickly among us, and many sleep?' 1 Cor. 11:30. Warnings and reproofs prevail not, conviction is rare, and conversion is more rare. Many have not a form of godliness left them; and few have any thing but a form of it. Many are crying out against the sins of others, while the visible blots in their own lives do not make them smite on their own breasts and say 'What have I done!' God grant that the contempt and abuse of gospel-privileges bring not a removal of the kingdom of God from us.

(2.) Abuse and misimprovement of temporal mercies. It is observable, that with the promise of plenty to the church, using their plenty in a holy becoming manner, the promise of the taking away of sickness is joined, Exod. 23:25. Deut. 7:12–14. This says that God punisheth abuse of plenty with sickness. God has given the country plenteous years; and what has been the issue of it, but contempt of God and the rules of righteousness, increase of pride and vanity, and drunkenness, with an unordinary abuse of that fiery liquor, never ordained for ordinary drinking; masters breaking the yoke, undermining and undergoing one another through the country; servants bursting all bonds, and turned quite unmanageable and undutiful? The last year, a little before this time, I gave warning from the Lord's word against these things particularly*: but I think there was never more of them in my time, than followed upon the back of it. No wonder then, that God has shapen us out another piece of work this year.

Let these things be weighed in an even balance, as in the sight of God, by us all. And let particular persons and families, especially those who have been or are under the rod, inquire into the causes of God's quarrel with them, that they may see why the Lord contendeth.

2. To be humbled under the causes of the Lord's anger, and to turn to a smiting God in Christ. This would be our wisdom, Lev. 26:41, 42. Micah 6:9. It is not time to stand in the way of sinners, when God is risen up to plead; it is high time to fall down before him in humiliation, and to fall off from God-provoking courses by reformation. Hear the voice of the rod. It is crying two things loudly this day.

(1.) Improve a season of the gospel. Some sermons have of late been the last to them that heard them. Some heard the sermon on the Lord's day in health, that were in eternity ere the next Sabbath. This says, Hear ye every day as if it were to be your last.

(2.) Improve temporal mercies, lest God be provoked to take them from you. Health and strength, and other temporal conveniences, are to be wisely managed, for you see we have no tack of them, Eccl. 9:10.

3. To be upon your guard, and make sure for eternity, while you live. Remember the parable of the wise and foolish builder, and how apt ye are to play the fool in these matters, while health and strength last.

(1.) Beware ye be not cheated out of your most valuable interests, by a deceitful heart, a treacherous world, and a wily devil. Satan goes about many a poor simple one, till they are tricked of their souls, their part of Christ and heaven, and all the happiness of another world, Matth. 16:26. And wherefore do they part with them, but for the gratifying of a lust, which is a practice more foolish than if one should part with an estate for a childish toy. So did Esau. Wherefore be wise in time.

(2.) Beware the best bargain slip not through your fingers, while ye are pursuing vanities, Prov. 17:16. Alas! there are not a few, who, being busied with vanities of this world, which pass away with the using, miss the opportunity of making the treasure hid in the field of the gospel their own. Therefore be wise.

(3.) Beware of feeding yourselves with dreams and fancies, where in there is no reality. There are many foolish virgins with lamps without oil, and foolish builders on the sand. There are many whose life is but one continued dream, wherein they judge aright of nothing, neither God, heaven, hell, nor the world. So that their awakening cannot he but terrible. But be ye wise.

4. To prepare timeously for death and judgment, Matth. 24:44. It is certain that naturally we are quite out of case for that great change: and, alas! we are naturally unwilling to think of it, or provide for it. But necessity has no law. We must die; and we must either he provided for death, or we are ruined: and if we be not timely provided, our candle may he put out ere our work be done.

(1.) Get habitual preparation for death, in a gracious state, Rom. 8:1. Be sure to get out of the state of nature into the state of grace. And then come death when it will, it will but transport you into the state of glory. And there are two things here to be secured.

[1.] Get your title to heaven fixed. None will get thither but those who have a right to it, Mat. 25:34. 2 Cor. 5:1. To others the door will be cast in their face. But, ye may say, how may we get a title to heaven? Ans. Marry the Heir, and heaven will he your dowry. The everlasting covenant is offerd to you in the gospel, God to be your God in Christ, and Christ to be yours in all his offices. Therefore make a solemn deliberate transaction with God this night, embracing Christ in the covenant, and consenting to it, with an eye to death and eternity.

[2.] Get a fitness for heaven wrought in you, Col. 1:12. For ye cannot be meet for it, till your nature be changed. How may we get that fitness? may ye say. Ans, Believe and embrace Jesus Christ, for his spirit of sanctification, 1 Cor. 1:30. There is a fulness of the Spirit in him to be communicated, and faith must eye Christ for his sanctifying Spirit. Put off the old man, and put on the new man: be new creatures, and let old things pass away, and all things become new. In vain do men pretend to faith without this, 2 Cor. 5:17 and in vain will men look for heaven without it, John 3:3.

This is habitual preparation, which whoso have, if they should be struck dead in a moment, or immediately seized with diliriousness, and die raving, yet they are safe; 'for there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus,' Rom. 8:1.

(2.) Get actual preparation for death, in a gracious frame for dying, that ye may die comfortably.

[1.] Make speed with the work given you to do. Whatever piece of work is put into your hand, for God's honour, dispatch it with all expedition, Matth. 24:46 for if ye delay it, ye may lose the opportunity for ever.

[2.] Be habitually tender in your life, Acts 24:16. And beware of any standing controversy betwixt God and you: for if there be any such, it will readily stare you in a dying hour.

[3.] Be weaned from the world, and hold a loose grip of all you have in it, that it might drop like Joseph's mantle.

(4.) Keep waking and watchful, Luke 12:36. Be much in the thoughts of death, and the life to come, that ye be not surprised*.

[5.] Lastly, To prepare for more public and general trials and calamities. This is a piece of wisdom to be learned from such a dispensation. For lesser strokes are usually the forerunners of greater ones. Sodom and Gomorrah were tried with a lesser stroke, ere they were destroyed by fire from heaven, Gen. 14:10. And our Lord told the Jews, that unless they repented, they should perish, Luke 13:5; which threatening was accomplished in the destruction of Jerusalem. The day may yet come, wherein men shall praise the dead, that are already dead; and they may miss this stroke, who are reserved for a worse, and shall meet with it ere all be done. In a time when the cup of God's anger is going through a land, they that drink first usually fare best. How are we to prepare? may ye say. Ans. Keep your garments clean from the sins and snares of the day, and place where ye live, and take up your lodging in the sure and unalterable covenant of grace, and then no evil shall befall you.

TWO FORMS OF PERSONAL COVENANTING BY THE AUTHOR

[As Mr. Boston, has in his writings accurately explained the nature, and warmly inculcated the duty and necessity, of personal covenanting, or explicit entering into, or renewing covenant with God, by taking hold of God's covenant of grace; it will not be improper to subjoin the two following specimens of that solemn transaction in his own practice: the first, dated August 14, 1699, a little before his ordination to the ministry; the other, dated December 2, 1729, about two years and five months before his death. Both are printed from the original copies.]

A FIRST PERSONAL COVENANT

I, MR. THOMAS BOSTON, preacher of the gospel of Christ, being by nature an apostate from God, an enemy to the great JEHOVAH, and so an heir of hell and wrath, in myself utterly lost and undone, because of my original and actual sins, and misery thereby; and being, in some measure, made sensible of this my lost and undone state, and sensible of my need, my absolute need of a Saviour, without whom I must perish eternally; and believing that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of the eternal God, is not only able to save me, by virtue of his death and sufferings, but willing also to save me (though most vile and ugly, and one who has given him many repulses), both from my sins, and from the load of wrath due to me for them, upon condition that I believe, come to him for salvation, and cordially receive him in all his offices; consenting to the terms of the covenant: therefore, as I have at several opportunities before given an express and solemn consent to the terms of the covenant, and have entered into a personal covenant with Christ; so now, being called to undertake the great and weighty work of the ministry of the gospel, for which I am altogether insufficient, I do by this declare, That I stand to and own all my former engagements, whether sacramental, or any other way whatsoever; and now again do RENEW my covenant with God; and hereby, at this present time, do solemnly COVENANT and ENGAGE to be the Lord's and MAKE a solemn resignation and upgiving of myself, my soul, body, spiritual and temporal concerns, unto the Lord Jesus Christ, without any reservation whatsoever; and do hereby give my voluntary consent to the terms of the covenant laid down in the holy scriptures, the word of truth; and with my heart and soul I TAKE and RECEIVE Christ in all his offices, as my PROPHET to teach me, resolving and engaging in his strength to follow, that is, to endeavour to follow his instructions: I TAKE him as my PRIEST, to be saved by his death and merits alone; and renouncing my own righteousness as filthy rags and menstruous cloths, I am content to be clothed with his righteousness alone; and live entirely upon free grace; likewise I TAKE him for my ADVOCATE and INTERCESSOR with the Father: and finally, I TAKE him as my KING, to reign in me, and to rule over me, renouncing all other lords, whether sin or self, and in particular my predominant idol; and in the strength of the Lord, do resolve and hereby engage, to cleave to Christ as my Sovereign Lord and King, in death and in life, in prosperity and in adversity, even for ever, and to strive and wrestle in his strength against all known sin; protesting, that whatever sin may be lying hid in my heart out of my view, I disown it, and abhor it, and shall in the Lord's strength, endeavour the mortification of it, when the Lord shall be pleased to let me see it. And this solemn covenant I make as in the presence of the ever-living, heart-searching God, and subscribe it with my hand, in my chamber, at Dunse, about one o'clock in the afternoon, the fourteenth day of August, one thousand six hundred and ninety-nine years.

T. BOSTON.

A SECOND PERSONAL COVENANT

O LORD, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, I confess from my heart, that I am by nature a lost and undone sinner, wholly corrupted, and laid under the curse, in Adam, through the breach of the covenant of works; and have ruined myself more and more by my innumerable actual transactions, whereby my whole life appears in mine eyes this day a heap of vanity, sin, and foolishness. I am fully convinced, and do from my heart acknowledge, that I am utterly unable to help myself, in whole or in part, out of this gulf of sin and misery, into which I am plunged; and that it is beyond the reach of the whole creation to help me out of it; so that I must inevitably perish for ever, if thine own strong hand do not make help to me. But forasmuch as there is a covenant of grace, for life and salvation to lost sinners, established between THEE and thine own SON, the Lord Jesus Christ, as second Adam; wherein, upon condition of his fulfilling all righteousness, which is now performed, in his having been born perfectly holy, lived altogether righteously, and made perfect satisfaction to justice by his death and sufferings, thou hast promised that thou wilt be their God, and they shall be thy people, to the making of them holy and happy for ever; and that this covenant is, in Christ the head thereof, offered and exhibited to me in thy gospel, and thou callest me into the fellowship thereof, in him: Therefore (adhering to my former acceptings, and taking hold of it, declared whether by word or writ before thee, without wilful mistaking of it, or known guile), upon the warrant of, and in obedience to, thy command and call, I, in myself a poor perishing sinner, and worthy to perish, do now again TAKE HOLD of that COVENANT, for life and salvation to ME; believing on the name of Christ crucified the head thereof, offered and exhibited to me, as the great High Priest, who, by the sacrifice of himself, hath made atonement, paid the ransom, and brought in everlasting righteousness for poor sinners. I CREDIT his word of grace to me, and accordingly TRUST on him, that he with his righteousness will be mine, and that, in and through him, God will be my God, and I shall be one of his people, to the making of me holy and happy for ever. O my God, I do by thy grace acquiesce in that covenant, as all my salvation, and all my desire. With my whole heart and soul, the Son incarnate is my only PRIEST, my surety, my Intercessor, and my Redeemer; and, in him, the FATHER my FATHER, the HOLY GHOST my SANCTIFIER; GOD in CHRIST my God. I resign my self, soul and body, to him, to be saved by his blood alone; renouncing all confidence in mine own righteousness, doings, and sufferings. With my whole heart and soul he is my HEAD and HUSBAND: and I am his only, wholly, and for ever; to live by him, to him, and for him. I take him for my alone PROPHET, Oracle, and Guide; give up myself wholly to him, to be taught, guided, and directed, in all things, by his word and Spirit; and renounce mine own wisdom, and the wisdom of this world. He is, with my heart's content, my alone KING and Lord. And I resign myself wholly, soul and body, unto him, to be rescued, by the strength of his mighty hand, from sin, death, the devil, and this present evil world, for to serve him for ever, and to be ruled by the will of his command as my duty, and the will of his providence as to my lot. I am, with my whole heart, content (Lord, thou knowest) to part with, and do renounce, every known sin, lust, or idol, and particularly that sin which most easily besets me; together with my own foolish will, and other lords besides him; without reservation, and without exception against his cross: Protesting in thy sight, O Lord, that I am, through grace, willing to have discovered unto me, and upon discovery to part with, every sin in me that I know not: and that the doubtings and averseness of heart, mixed with this my accepting of thy covenant, are what I allow not: and that, notwithstanding thereof, I look to be accepted of thee herein, in the Beloved, thine only Son and my Saviour, purging away these, with all my other sins, by his precious blood. Let it be recorded in heaven, O Lord, and let the bed on which I leaned, the timber, and the stones, and all other things about me here, in my closet, bear witness, That I, though most unworthy, have this second day of December, One thousand seven hundred and twenty-nine years, here taken hold of, and come into thy covenant of grace, offered and exhibited to me in thy gospel, for time and eternity; and that thou art my God in the tenor of that covenant, and I am one of thy people, from henceforth and for ever.

T. BOSTON.

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