flesh."

flesh."

unless they be of opinion, that to be righteous at all, is to be

righteous over-much. And yet it cannot possibly be supposed that the

persons spoken to, are men perfectly righteous; since, as I proved to

you, in the introduction of this discourse, till we come up to the

perfection of our heavenly father, we can never be righteous enough,

much less perfectly righteous: wherefore, as in this life, men cannot

attain to the perfection of their heavenly father, it follows in course

that the persons here spoken to, cannot be men perfectly righteous,

there being no such men existing; for as St. John saith, "If we say

that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us."

Alas, O Lord, when shall we be delivered from the body of this death?

It remains, that the persons spoken to, in the text, are such only, as

persisting steadfastly in a firm adherence to all the essential laws of

God, content not themselves with the practice of common virtues in a

common degree, but live in a perpetual habitude of desires, struggles,

and yearnings towards an intimate union with Christ, the perfection of

righteousness. They are not of the number of those righteous with

indifference, who would fain blend the service of God and mammon, would

fain have Christ and the world for their masters, and halting between

two, like the children of Israel of old, with their faces to heaven,

and their hearts to the earth, are neither hot nor cold. Alas, would

they were cold or hot! But "because they are luke-warm, and neither

cold nor hot, the Lord shall spew the out of his mouth."

Not so the persons spoken to in my text; not so you, O beloved in God,

who having shaken off the world and worldly affection; to run the more

swiftly after righteousness, hate your own lives for the sake of

Christ. Happy, happy are all you, who put on our Lord Jesus, and with

him the new man! "You are the true circumcision which worship God in

spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the

flesh."

What wonder then, Christians! To you I speak, all ye lovers and

strugglers after the perfect righteousness of your divine Master

Christ; what wonder is it, that you should be charged with enthusiasm,

with folly, with fanaticism and madness? Were not the apostles so

before you, when they preached Christ Jesus? Nay were they not reputed

drunk with wine? Can you be amazed at it in an age, "when all manner of

vice abounds to a degree almost unheard of," when the land is full of

adulterers, and because of swearing the land mourneth. O how is the

faithful city become an harlot! My heart within me is broken, because

of the clergy, all my bones shake? I am like a drunken man, and like a

man whom wine hath overcome; because of the Lord, and because of the

words of his holiness, perverted by this deluded clergyman.

When the clergy, whom Christ has appointed to teach his people "to walk

before him and be perfect," become teachers of worldly maxims, what can

be expected from the laity? It is notorious, that for the moralizing

iniquity of the priest, the land mourns. They have preached and lived

many sincere persons out of the church of England. They endeavor to

make you vain: (as the prophets did in the day of Jeremiah) they speak

a vision out of their own mouth, and not out of the mouth of the Lord.

In a word, "both prophet and priest are profane, and do wickedness in

the very house of the Lord." Nay, they say still to them who despise

the Lord, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and they say to

every one who walketh after the imagination of his own heart, No evil

shall come upon you.

Such is the language, my beloved lovers of Christian perfection, which

the indolent, earthly-minded, pleasure-taking clergy of the church of

England, use to strengthen the hands of evil-doers, that none may

return from his wickedness. Such is the doctrine of the letter-learned

divine, who has dipped his pen in gall, to decry perfect righteousness,

and to delude you from it, with a false application of that text so

greatly misunderstood by him: "Be not righteous over-much, neither be

thou over-wise: why shouldst thou destroy thyself?" But suffer not

yourselves, my fellow- Christians, to be deluded by him. For as I have

already shown to you, he is grossly (Lord grant he was not maliciously)

mistaken in his manner of explaining this text; and so far from making

a right application of it according to the wise, the experienced

Solomon's intention, he acts the character of a vain libertine, full of

self-love, and earthly desires, whom Solomon but personates, to

ridicule. But the doctor by realizing that character is himself,

becomes the teacher and approver of worldly maxims, which he applies to

you, on purpose to destroy in you the yearnings after perfect

righteousness in Christ. May I not then, nay, must I not warn you, my

beloved, that this man is an enemy to perfect righteousness in men

through Christ Jesus, and, therefore, no friend to Christ? O that my

head was an ocean, and my eyes fountains of tears, to weep night and

day for this poor creature, this hood-winked member of the clergy.

Pray you, O true Christians, pray and sigh mightily to the Lord;

importune him in the behalf of this erring pastor; pray that he would

vouchsafe to open the eyes, and touch the stubborn heart of this

scribe, that he may become better instructed. Otherwise, as the Lord

said by the mouth of his true prophet Jeremiah, "Behold, I will feed

him with wormwood, and make him drink the water of gall; for from him

is profaneness gone forth into all the land."

This good, however, hath he done by attempting to show the folly, sin,

and danger of that which he miscalls being righteous over-much, that

is, being superlatively righteous, in desire and habitual struggles; he

has thereby given me the occasion to show you, brethren, in the course

of this sermon, the great and real folly, sin, and danger of not being

righteous enough; which, perhaps, I should never have thought of doing,

had not this false doctrine pointed out to me the necessity of doing

it. Thus does the all-wise providence of God, make use of the very

vices of men to draw good out of evil; and choose their very errors to

confound falsehood and make way for truth. Though this should be more

than our angry adversary intended, yet, Lord, reward him according to

his works: and suffer him no longer to be hasty in his words, that we

may have room to entertain better hopes of him for the future.

Blessed be God for sending you better guides! I am convinced it was his

divine will: our dear fellow-creature, Doctor Trapp, falling to such

errors, has given so great a shock to the sound religion of Christian

perfection, that unless I had opposed him, I verily believe the whole

flock who listened to his doctrine, would have been scattered abroad

like sheep having no shepherd. "But woe to you scribes and Pharisees!

Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my

pasture, saith the Lord."

Full well I know that this sermon will not be pleasing to my poor

peevish adversary; but correction is not to pleasure but to profit: few

children can be brought willingly to kiss the rod which rebuketh them;

though, when they become of riper understanding, they will bless the

hand that guided them. Thus shall this angry man, I trust, thank me one

day for reproving him, when his reason shall be restored to him by the

light of the Holy Spirit. O Lord, grant thou this light unto him, and

suffer him to see with what bowels of pity and tenderness I love him in

thee, even while I chasten him.

Neither am I insensible, brethren, how offensive my words will be to

worldlings in general, who loving falsehood better than truth, and the

flesh before the spirit will still prefer the doctor's sin-soothing

doctrines to the plain gospel verities preached by me. O how my soul

pities them. But I have done my duty, I wash my hands, and am innocent

of the blood of all. I have not fought to please my hearers, but have

spoken plain truth though it should offend. For what things were gain

to me, those I counted loss for Christ; and hope I shall ever do so.

Not that I presume to think myself already perfect. But "I press

towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ

Jesus."

None of us, as I before told you, can boast of having attained the

summit of perfection; though, he is the nearest to it, who is widest

from the appetites of the flesh, and he stands the highest, who is the

lowhest in his own esteem: wherefore, as many of us as have made any

advances towards Christ and his kingdom, "whereto we have already

attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing."

Walk not then, brethren, according to the ways of the world: but be

followers of Christ together with me. And if any, even an angel of

light, should presume to teach you any other gospel than that which I

have here taught you, let him be accursed. "For you will find many

walking, like such of whom I have told you already, and now tell you

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, for they mind worldly things. But your conversation is in

heaven, from whcnce also you look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus

Christ: who shall change your vile bodies, that they may be fashioned

like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is

able to subdue even all things unto himself," even the stubborn heart

of our perverse adversary.

Which God of his infinite mercy grant, &c.

__________________________________________________________________

[4] Being a More Particular Answer to Doctor Trapp's Four Sermons Upon

the Same Text

__________________________________________________________________

The Benefits of an Early Piety

The amiableness of religion in itself, and the innumerable advantages

that flow from it to society in general, as well as to each sincere

professor in particular, cannot but recommend it to the choice of every

considerate person, and make, even wicked men, as they wish to die the

death, so in their more sober intervals, to envy the life of the

righteous. And, indeed, we must do the world so much justice, as to

confess, that the question about religion does not usually arise from a

dispute whether it be necessary or not (for most men see the necessity

of doing something for the salvation of their souls;) but when is the

best time to set about it. Persons are convinced by universal

experience, that the first essays or endeavors towards the attainment

of religion, are attended with some difficulty and trouble, and

therefore they would willingly defer the beginning of such a seemingly

ungrateful work, as long as they can. The wanton prodigal, who is

spending his substance in riotous living, cries, a little more

pleasure, a little more sensuality, and then I will be sober in

earnest. The covetous worldling, that employs all his care and pains in

"heaping up riches, though he cannot tell who shall gather them," does

not flatter himself that this will do always; but hopes with the rich

fool in the gospel, to lay up goods for a few more years on earth, and

then he will begin to lay up treasures in heaven. And, in short, thus

it is that most people are convinced of the necessity of being

religious some time or another; but then, like Felix, they put off the

acting suitably to their convictions, till, what they imagine, a more

convenient season: whereas, would we be so humble as to be guided by

the experience and counsel of the wisest men, we should learn that

youth is the fittest season for religion; "Remember now thy creator,

(says Solomon) in the days of thy youth." By the word remember, we are

not to understand a bare speculative remembrance, or calling to mind,

(for that, like a dead faith, will profit us nothing,) but such a

remembrance as will constrain us to obedience, and oblige us out of

gratitude, to perform all that the Lord our God shall require of us.

For as the forgetting God in scripture language, implies a total

neglect of our duty, in like manner remembering him signifies a perfect

performance of it: so that, when Solomon says, "Remember thy Creator in

the days of thy youth,: it is the same as if he had said, keep God's

commandments; or, in other words, be religious in the days of thy

youth, thereby implying, that youth is the most proper season for it.

I shall in the following discourse,

First, Endeavor to make good the wise man's proposition, implied in the

words of the text, and to show that youth is the fittest season for

religion.

Secondly, By way of motive, I shall consider the many unspeakable

advantages that will arise from, "Remembering our Creator in the days

of our youth." And,

Thirdly, I shall conclude with a word or two of exhortation to the

younger part of this audience.

First, I am to make good the wise man's proposition, implied in the

words of the text, and to show that youth is the fittest season for

religion: "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth." But to

proceed more clearly in this argument, it may not be improper, first,

to explain what I mean by the word religion. By this term, then, I

would not be understood to mean a bare outward profession or naming the

name of Christ; for we are told, that many who have even prophesied in

his name, and in his name cast out devils, shall notwithstanding be

rejected by him at the last day: nor would I understand by it, barely

being admitted into Christ's church by baptism; for then Simon Magus,

Arius, and the heresiarchs [heresies, maybe arch-heresies] of old,,

might pass for religious persons; for these were baptized: nor yet the

receiving the other seal of the covenant, for then Judas himself might

be canonized for a saint; nor indeed do I mean any or all of these

together, considered by themselves; but a thorough, real, inward change

of nature, wrought in us by the powerful operations of the Holy Ghost,

conveyed to and nourished in our hearts, by a constant use of all the

means of grace, evidenced by a good life, and bringing forth the fruits

of the spirit.

The attaining this real, inward religion, is a work of so great

difficulty, that Nicodemus, a learned doctor and teacher in Israel,

thought it altogether impossible, and therefore ignorantly asked our

blessed Lord, "How this thing could be?" And, truly, to rectify a

disordered nature, to mortify our corrupt passions, to turn darkness to

light, to put off the old man, and put on the new, and thereby to have

the image of God reinstamped upon the soul, or, in one word, "to be

born again," however light some may make of it, must, after all our

endeavors, be owned by man to be impossible. It is true, indeed,

Christ's yoke is said to be an easy or a gracious yoke, and his burden

light; but then it is to those only to whom grace has been given to

bear and draw in it. For, as the wise son of Sirach observes, "At first

wisdom walked with her children in crooked ways, and bring them into

fear, and torments them with her discipline, and does not turn to

comfort and rejoice them, till she has tried them and d proved their

judgment." No, we must not flatter ourselves that we shall walk in

wisdom's pleasant ways, unless we first submit to a great many

difficulties. The spiritual birth is attended with its pangs, as well

as the natural: for they that have experienced it (an they only are the

proper judges,) can acquaint you, that in all things that are dear to

corrupt nature, we must deny ourselves, lest, after all, when w come to

the birth, we should want strength to bring forth.

But if these things are so; if there are difficulties and pangs

attending our being born again; if we must deny ourselves, what season

more proper than that of youth? When, if ever, our bodies are robust

and vigorous, and our minds active and courageous; and, consequently,

we are then best qualified to endure hardness, as good soldiers of

Jesus Christ.

We find, in secular matters, people commonly observe this method, and

send their children abroad among the toils and fatigues of business, in

their younger years, as well knowing they are then fittest to undergo

them. And why do they not act with the same consistency in the grand

affair of religion? Because, as our Savior has told us, "The children

of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light.

But, Secondly, If pure and undefiled religion consists in the renewal

of our corrupted natures, then it is not only a work of difficulty,

but, the perfection of it, of time.

And if this be the case, then it highly concerns every one to set about

it betimes, and to "work their work while it is day, before the night

cometh, when no man can work."

Could we, indeed, live to the age of Methuselah, and had but little

business to employ ourselves in, we might then be more excusable, if we

made no other use of this world, than what too many do, take our

pastime therein: but since our lives are so very short, and we are

called to work our salvation with fear and trembling, we have no room

left for trifling, lest we should be snatched away while our lamps are

untrimmed, and we are entirely unprepared to meet the Bridegroom.

Did we know a friend or neighbor, who had a long journey of the utmost

importance to make, and yet should stand all the day idle, neglecting

to set out till the sun was about to go down, we could not but pity and

condemn his egregious folly. And yet it is to be feared most men are

just such fools; they have a long journey to take, nay, a journey to

eternity, a journey of infinite importance, and which they are obliged

to dispatch before the sun of their natural life be gone down; and yet

they loiter away the time allotted them to perform their journey in,

till sickness or death surprises them; and then they cry out, "What

shall we do to inherit eternal life?" But leaving such to the mercies

of God in Christ, who can call at the eleventh hour, I pass on to

The Second general thing proposed, To show the advantages that will

arise from remembering our Creator in the days of our youth; which may

serve as so many motives to excite and quicken all persons immediately

to set about it.

And the First benefit resulting from thence is, that it will bring most

honor and glory to God. This, I suppose, every serious person will

grant, ought to be the point in which our actions should center; for to

this end were we born, and to this end were we redeemed by the precious

blood of Jesus Christ, that we should promote God's eternal glory. And

as the glory of God is most advanced by paying obedience to his

precepts, they that begin soonest to walk in his ways, act most to his

glory. The common objection against the divine laws in general, and the

doctrines of the gospel in particular, is, they are not practicable;

that they are contrary to flesh and blood; and that all those precepts

concerning self-denial, renunciation of and deadness to the world, are

but so many arbitrary restraints imposed upon human nature: but when we

see mere striplings not only practicing, but delighting in such

religious duties, and in the days of their youth, when, if ever, they

have a relish for sensual pleasures, subduing and despising the lust of

the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life; this, this is

pleasing to God; this vindicates his injured honor; this shows that his

service is perfect freedom, "that his yoke is easy, and his burden

light."

But, Secondly, as an early piety redounds most to the honor o God, so

it will bring most honor to ourselves: for those that honor God, God

will honor. We find it, therefore, remarked to the praise of Obadiah,

that he served the Lord from his youth: of Samuel, that he stood, when

young, before God in a linen ephod: of Timothy, that from a child he

had known the holy scriptures: of St. John, that he was the youngest

and most beloved disciple: and of our blessed Lord himself, that at

twelve years old he went up to the temple, and sat among the doctors,

both hearing and asking them questions.

Nor, Thirdly, will an early piety afford us less comfort than honor,

not only because it renders religion habitual to us, but also because

it gives us a well-grounded assurance of the sincerity of our

profession. Was there no other argument against a death-bed repentance,

but the unsatisfactoriness and anxiety of such a state, that should be

sufficient to deter all thinking persons from deferring the most

important business of their life to such a dreadful period of it. For

supposing a man to be sincere in his profession of repentance on a

death-bed (which, in most cases, is very much to be doubted) yet, he is

often afraid lest his convictions and remorse proceed not from a true

sorrow for sin, but a servile fear of punishment. But one, who is a

young saint, need fear no such perplexity; he knows that he loves God

for his own sake, and is not driven to him by a dread of impending

evil; he does not decline the gratifications of sense, because he can

no longer "hear the voice of singing men and singing women;" but

willingly takes up his cross, and follows his blessed Master in his

youth, and therefore has reason to expect greater confidence of his

sincerity towards God. But further, as an early piety assures the heart

of its sincerity, so, likewise, it brings its present reward with it,

as it renders religion and its duties habitual and easy. A young saint,

were you to ask him, would joyfully tell you the unspeakable comfort of

beginning to be religious betimes: as for his part, he knows not what

men mean by talking of mortification, self-denial, and retirement, as

hard and rigorous duties; for he has so accustomed himself to them,

that, by the grace of God, they are now become even natural, and he

takes infinitely more pleasure in practicing the severest precepts of

the gospel, than a luxurious Dives in a bed of state, or an ambitious

Haman at a royal banquet. And O how happy must that youth be, whose

duty is become a second nature, and to whom those things, which seem

terrible to others, are grown both easy and delightful!

But the greatest advantage of an early piety is still behind, Fourthly,

It lays in the best provision of comfort and support against such time

as we shall stand most in need thereof, viz. All times of our

tribulation, and in particular, against the time of old age, the hour

of death, and the day of judgment.

This is the argument the wise man makes use of in the words immediately

following the text: "Remember now your Creator in the days of thy

youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, wherein

thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." Observe, the time of old

age, is an evil time, years wherein there is no pleasure: and ask those

that are grown old, and they will inform you so. Cordials surely, then,

must be exceeding proper to support our drooping spirits: and O what

cordial comparable to the recollection of early piety, depending wholly

on the righteousness of Christ? When the eyes, like Isaac's, are grown

dim with age; when "the keepers of the house, the hands, shall

tremble," as the wise man goes on to describe the infirmities of old

age; when "the strong men bow themselves," or the legs grow feeble; and

the "grinders," the tooth, shall cease to do their proper office,

because they are few; for a person then to hear the precepts of the

gospel read over to him, and to be able to lay his hand on his heart,

and to say sincerely, notwithstanding a consciousness of numberless

short-comings, "All these have I endeavored, through grace, to keep

from my youth:" this must give him, through Christ who worketh all,

comfort that I want words to express and thoughts to conceive. But,

supposing it was possible for us to escape the inconveniences of old

age, yet still death is a debt, since the fall, we all must pay; and,

what is worse, it generally comes attended with such dreadful

circumstances, that it will make even a Felix to tremble. But as for

the godly, that have been enabled to serve the Lord from their youth,

it is not usually so with them; no, they have faith given them to look

upon death, not as a king of terrors, but as a welcome messenger, that

is come to conduct them to their wished-for home. All the days of their

appointed time have they waited, and it has been the business of their

whole lives to study to prepare themselves for the coming of their

great change; and, therefore, they rejoice to hear they are called to

meet the heavenly Bridegroom. Thus dies the early pious, whose "path

has been as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the

perfect day." But follow him beyond the grave, and see with what an

holy triumph he enters into his Master's joy; with what an humble

boldness he stands at the dreadful tribunal of Jesus Christ; and can

you then forbear to cry out, "Let me die the death of the righteous,

and let my latter end, and future state, be like his?"

Need I then, after having shown so many advantages to arise from an

early piety, use any more arguments to persuade the younger part of

this audience, to whom, in the Third and last place, I address myself,

to "remember their Creator in the days of their youth?"

What! Will not all the arguments I have mentioned, prevail with them to

leave their husks, and return home to eat of the fatted calf? What!

Will they thus requite our Savior's love? That be far from them! Did he

come down and shed his precious blood to deliver them from the power of

sin; and will they spend their youthful strength and vigor in the

service of it, and then think to serve Christ, when they can follow

their lusts no longer? Is it fit, that many, who are endowed with

excellent gifts, and are thereby qualified to be supports and ornaments

of our sinking church, should, notwithstanding, forget the God who gave

them, and employ them in things that will not profit? O why will they

not arise, and, like so many Phineas's, be zealous for the Lord of

Hosts? Doubtless, when death overtakes them, they will wish they had:

and what hinders them, but that they begin now? Think you that any one

yet ever repented that he began to be religious too soon? But how many,

on the contrary, have repented that they began when almost too late?

May we not well imagine, that young Samuel now rejoices that he waited

so soon at the tabernacle of the Lord? Or young Timothy, that from a

child he knew the holy scriptures? And if you wish to be partakers of

their joy, let me persuade you to be partakers of their piety.

I could still go on to fill my mouth with arguments; but the

circumstances and piety of those amongst whom I am now preaching "the

kingdom of God," remind me to change my style; and, instead of urging

any more dissuasives from sin, to fill up what is behind of this

discourse, with encouragements to persevere in holiness.

Blessed, for ever blessed be the God and the Father of our Lord Jesus

Christ, I am not speaking to persons inflamed with youthful lusts, but

to a multitude of young professors, who by frequently assembling

together, and forming themselves into religious societies, are, I hope

on good ground, in a ready way to be of the number of those "young men,

who have overcome the wicked-one."

Believe me, it gladdens my very soul, to see so many of your faces set

heaven-wards, and the visible happy effects of your uniting together,

cannot but rejoice the hearts of all sincere Christians, and oblige

them to wish you good luck in the name of the Lord. The many souls who

are nourished weekly with the spiritual body and blood of Jesus Christ,

by your means; the weekly and monthly lectures that are preached by

your contributions; the daily incense of thanksgiving and prayer which

is publicly sent up to the throne of grace by your subscriptions; the

many children which are trained up "in the nurture and admonition of

the Lord," by your charities; and, lastly, the commendable and pious

zeal you exert in promoting and encouraging divine psalmody, are such

plain and apparent proofs of the benefit of your religious societies,

that they call for a public acknowledgment of praise and thanksgiving

to our blessed Master, who has not only put into your hearts such good

designs, but enabled you also to bring the same to good effect.

It is true it has been object, "That young men forming themselves into

religious societies, has a tendency to make them spiritually proud, and

to think more highly of themselves than they ought to think." And,

perhaps, the imprudent, imperious behavior of some novices in religion,

who, "though they went out from you, were not of you," may have given

too much occasion for such as aspersion.

But you, brethren, have not so learned Christ. Far, far be it from you

to look upon yourselves, as righteous, and despise others, because you

often assemble yourselves together. No; this, instead of creating

pride, ought to beget an holy fear in your hearts, lest your practice

should not correspond with your profession, and that, after you have

benefited and edified others, you yourselves should become cast-aways.

Worldly-mindedness, my brethren, is another rock against which we are

in danger of splitting. For, if other sins have slain their thousands

of professing Christians, this has slain its ten thousands. I need not

appeal to past ages; your own experience, no doubt, has furnished you

with many unhappy instances of young men, who, "after (as one would

have imagined) they had escaped the pollutions which are in the world

through lust," and "had tasted the good word of life," and endured for

a season, whilst under the tuition and inspection of others; yet, when

they have come to be their own masters, through a want of faith, and

through too great an earnestness in "laboring for the meat which

perisheth," have cast off their first love, been again entangled with

the world, and "returned like the dog to his vomit, and like the sow

that was washed, to her wallowing in the mire." You would, therefore,

do well, my brethren, frequently to remind each other of this dangerous

snare, and to exhort one another to begin, pursue, and end your

Christian warfare, in a thorough renunciation of the world, and worldly

tempers; so that, when you are obliged by Providence to provide for

yourselves, and those of your respective households, you may continue

to walk by faith, and still "seek first the kingdom of God, and his

righteousness;" not doubting, but all other things, upon your honest

industry and endeavors, shall be added unto you.

And now, what shall I say more? To speak unto you, fathers, who have

been in Christ so many years before me, and know the malignity of

worldly- mindedness, and pride in the spiritual life, would be

altogether needless. To you, therefore, O young men, (for whom I am

distressed, for whom I fear as well as for myself) do I once more

address myself, in the words of the beloved disciple, "Look to

yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but

receive a full reward." Be ever mindful, then, of the words that have

been spoken to us by the apostles of the Lord and Savior, "Give

diligence to make your calling and election sure. Beware, lest ye also

being led away by the error of the wicked, fall from your own

steadfastness. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he

fall. Be not high-minded, but fear. But we are persuaded better things

of you, and things that accompany salvation, though we thus speak. For

God is not unrighteous, to forget your works and labor of love. And we

desire that every one of you do show the same diligence, to the full

assurance of hope unto the end: that ye be not slothful, but followers

of them, who through faith and patience inherit the promises." It is

true, we have many difficulties to encounter, many powerful enemies to

overcome, ere we can get possession of the promised land. we have an

artful devil, and ensnaring world, and above all, the treachery of our

own hearts, to withstand and strive against. "For straight is the gate,

and narrow is the way that leadeth unto eternal life." But wherefore

should we fear, since he that is with us is far more powerful, than all

who are against us? Have we not already experienced his almighty power,

in enabling us to conquer some difficulties which seemed as

insurmountable then, as those we struggle with now? And cannot he, who

delivered us out of the paws of those bears and lions, preserve us also

from being hurt by the strongest Goliath?

"Be steadfast therefore, my brethren, be immovable." Be not "ashamed of

the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation." Fear

not man; fear not the contempt and revilings which you must meet with

in the way of duty; for one of you shall chase a thousand; and two of

you put ten thousand of your enemies to flight. And if you will be

contented, through grace, to suffer for a short time here; I speak the

truth in Christ, I lie not; then may ye hope, according to the blessed

word of promise, that ye shall be exalted to sit down with the Son of

Man, when he shall come in the glory of his Father, with his holy

angels, to judgment hereafter. May Almighty God give every one of us

such a measure of his grace, that we may not be of the number of those

that draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe and endure unto

the end, to the saving of our souls, through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Which God, &c.

__________________________________________________________________

Christ the Believer's Husband

Isaiah 54:5 -- "For thy Maker is thy Husband."

Although believers by nature, are far from God, and children of wrath,

even as others, yet it is amazing to think how nigh they are brought to

him again by the blood of Jesus Christ. Eye hath not seen, nor ear

heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of any man living, fully

to conceive, the nearness and dearness of that relation, in which they

stand to their common head. He is not ashamed to call them brethren.

Behold, says the blessed Jesus in the days of his flesh, "my mother and

my brethren." And again after his resurrection, "go tell my brethren."

Nay sometimes he is pleased to term believers his friends. "Henceforth

call I you no longer servants, but friends." "Our friend Lazarus

sleepeth." And what is a friend? Why there is a friend that is nearer

than a brother, nay as near as one's own soul. And "thy friend, (says

God in the book of Deuteronomy) which is as thy own soul." Kind and

endearing applications these, that undoubtedly bespeak a very near and

ineffably intimate union between the Lord Jesus and the true living

members of his mystical body! But, methinks, the words of our text

point out to us a relation, which not only comprehends, but in respect

to nearness and dearness , exceeds all other relations whatsoever. I

mean that of a Husband, "For thy Maker is thy husband; the Lord of

Hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel, the God of

the whole earth shall he be called."

These words were originally spoken to the people of the Jews,

considered collectively as a peculiar people, whom our Lord had

betrothed and married to himself; and they seem to be spoken, when

religion was on the decline among their churches; when they had, in a

great measure, lost that life and power, which they once experienced;

and their enemies began to insult them with a "where is now your God?"

Such a state of things must undoubtedly be very afflicting to the true

mourners in Zion; and put them upon crying unto the Lord, in this their

deep distress. He hears their prayer, his bowels yearn towards them;

and in the preceding verse, he assures them, that though the enemy had

broken in upon them like a flood, yet their extremity should be his

opportunity to lift up a standard against him. "Fear not, (says the

great Head and King of his church) for thou shalt not be ashamed

(finally or totally); neither be thou confounded, (dissipated or

dejected, giving up all for gone, as though thou never shouldst see

better days, or another revival of religion) for thou shalt not

(entirely) be put to shame;" though for a while, for thy humiliation,

and the greater confusion of thy adversaries, I suffer them to triumph

over thee: "For thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not

remember the reproach of thy widow-hood any more;" i.e. I will

vouchsafe you such another glorious gale of my blessed Spirit, that you

shall quite forget your former troubled widow-state, and give your

enemies no more occasion to insult you, on account of your

infant-condition, but rather to envy you, and gnash their teeth, and

melt away at the sight of your un-thought-of glory and prosperity. And

why will the infinitely great and condescending Jesus deal thus with

his people? Because the church is his spouse; "For, (as in the words

just now read to you) thy Maker is thy husband; thy Redeemer, the Holy

One of Israel;" and therefore he loves them too well, to let thy

enemies always trample thee under foot. "The Lord of Hosts is his name,

the God of the whole earth shall he be called;" and therefore he is

armed with sufficient power to relieve his oppressed people, and over

come and avenge himself of all their haughty and insulting foes.

This seems to be the prime and genuine interpretation of the text and

context, especially if we add, that they may have a further view to the

latter-day glory, and that blesses state of the church, which the

people of God have been looking for in all ages, and the speedy

approach of which, we undoubtedly pray for, when we put up that

petition of our Lord's, "thy kingdom come."

But, though the words were originally spoken to the Jews, yet they are

undoubtedly applicable to all believers in all ages, and, when enlarged

on in a proper manner, will afford us suitable matter of discourse both

for sinners and for saints; for such as know God, as well as for such

who know him not; and likewise for those, who once walked in the light

of his blessed countenance, but are now backslidden from him, have

their harps hung upon the willows, and are afraid that their beloved is

gone, and will return to their souls no more. Accordingly, without

prefacing this discourse any further, as I suppose that a mixed

multitude of saints, unconverted sinners, and backsliders, are present

here this day, I shall endeavor to speak from the words of the text,

that each may have a proper portion, and none be went empty away.

In prosecuting this design, I will,

I. Endeavor to show, what must pass between Jesus Christ and our souls

before we can say, "that our Maker is our husband."

II. The duties of love which they owe to our Lord, who stand in so near

a relation to him,

III. The miserable condition of such as cannot yet say "their Maker is

their husband." And

IV. I shall conclude with a general exhortation to all such unhappy

souls, to come and match with the dear Lord Jesus. And O! may that God

who blessed Abraham's servant, when he went out to seek a wife for his

son Isaac, bless me, even me also, now I am come, I trust, relying on

divine strength, to invite poor sinners, and recall backsliders, to my

Master Jesus!

And First, I am to show, what must pass between Jesus Christ and our

souls before we can say, "Our Maker is our husband."

But before I proceed to this, it may not be improper to observe, that

if any of you, amongst whom I am now preaching the kingdom of God, are

enemies to inward religion, and explode the doctrine of inward

feelings, as enthusiasm, cant and nonsense, I shall not be surprised,

if your hearts rise against me whilst I am preaching; for I am about to

discourse on true, vital, internal piety; and an inspired apostle hath

told us, "that the natural man discerneth not the things of the spirit,

because they are spiritually discerned." But, however, be noble as the

Bereans were; search the Scriptures as they did; lay aside prejudice;

hear like Nathaniel, with a true Israelitish ear; be willing to do the

will of God; and then you shall according to the promise of our dearest

Lord, "know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak

of myself."

I would further observe, that if any here do expect fine preaching from

me this day, they will, in all probability, go away disappointed. For I

came not here to shoot over people's heads; but, if the Lord shall be

pleased to bless me, to reach their hearts. Accordingly, I shall

endeavor to clothe my ideas in such plain language, that the meanest

negro or servant, if God is pleased to give a hearing ear, may

understand me; for I am certain, if the poor and unlearned can

comprehend, the learned and rich must.

This being premised, proceed we to show what must pass between Jesus

Christ and our souls, before we can say, "our Maker is our husband."

Now, that we may discourse more pertinently and intelligibly upon this

point, it may not be amiss to consider, what is necessary to be done,

before a marriage between two parties amongst ourselves, can be said to

be valid in the sight of God and men. And that will lead us in a

familiar way, to show what must be done, or what must pass between us

and Jesus Christ, before we can say, "our Maker is our husband."

And First, in all lawful marriages, it is absolutely necessary, that

the parties to be joined together in that holy and honorable estate,

are actually and legally freed from all pre-engagements whatsoever. "A

woman is bound to her husband, (saith the apostle) so long as her

husband liveth." The same law holds good in respect to the man. And so

likewise, if either party be betrothed and promised, though not

actually married to another, the marriage is not lawful, till that

pre-engagement and promise be fairly and mutually dissolved. Now, it is

just thus between us and the Lord Jesus. For, we are all by nature born

under, and wedded to the law, as a covenant of works. Hence it is that

we are so fond of, and artfully go about, in order to establish a

righteousness o four own. It is as natural for us to do this, as it is

to breathe. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, even after the covenant of

grace was revealed to them in that promise, "the seed of the woman

shall bruise the serpent's head," reached out their hands, and would

again have taken hold of the tree of life, which they had forfeited,

had not God drove them our of paradise, and compelled them, as it were,

to be saved by grace. And thus all their descendants naturally run to,

and want to be saved, partly at least, if not wholly, by their works.

And even gracious souls, who are inwardly renewed, so far as the old

man abides in them, find a strong propensity this way. Hence it is,

that natural men are generally so fond of Arminian principles. "Do and

live," is the native language of a proud, self-righteous heart. But

before we can say, "our Maker is our husband," we must be delivered

from our old husband the law; we must renounce our own righteousness,

our own doings and performances, in point of dependence, whether in

whole or part, as dung and dross, for the excellency of the knowledge

of Christ Jesus our Lord. For thus speaks the apostle Paul to the

Romans, chapter 7:4, "Ye also are become dead to the law (as a covenant

of works) by the body of Christ, that ye should be married to another,

even to him, who is raised from the dead." As he also speaketh in

another place, "I have espoused you, as a chaste virgin to Jesus

Christ." This was the apostle's own case. Whilst he depended on his

being a Hebrew of the Hebrews, and thought himself secure, because, as

to the outward observation of the law, he was blameless; he was an

entire stranger to the divine life: but when he began to experience the

power of Jesus Christ's resurrection, we find him, in his epistle to

the Philippians, absolutely renouncing all his external privileges, and

all his Pharisaical righteousness; "Yes, doubtless, and I count all

things but loss, nay but dung, that I may win Christ, and be found in

him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that

which is through the faith of Jesus Christ, the righteousness which is

of God by faith." And thus it must be with is. Ere we can say, "our

Maker is our husband." Though we may not be wrought upon in that

extraordinary way in which the apostle was, yet we must be dead to the

law, we must be espoused as chaste virgins to Jesus Christ, and count

all external privileges, and our most splendid performances (as was

before observed) only "ad dung and dross, for the excellency of the

knowledge of Jesus Christ our Lord."

But further; before a marriage among us can stand good in law, both

parties must not only be freed from all pre-engagements, but there must

be a mutual consent on both sides. We are not used to marry people

against their wills. This is what the Jews called betrothing, or

espousing, a thing previous to the solemnity of marriage. Thus we find,

the Virgin Mary is said to be espoused to Joseph, before they actually

came together, Matt. 1:18. And thus it is among us. Both parties are

previously agreed, and, as it were, espoused to each other, before we

publish, what we call the banns of marriage concerning them. And so it

will be in the spiritual marriage, between Jesus Christ and our souls.

Before we are actually married or united to him by faith; or, to keep

to the terms of the text, before we assuredly can say, that "our Maker

is our husband," we must be made willing people in the day of God's

power, we must be sweetly and effectually persuaded by the Holy Spirit

of God, that the glorious Emanuel is willing to accept of us, just as

we are, and also that we are willing to accept of him upon his own

terms, yea, upon any terms. And when once it comes to this, the

spiritual marriage goes on apace, and there is but one thing lacking to

make it complete. And what is that? An actual union.

From what has been delivered, may not the poorest and most illiterate

person here present easily know whether or not he is really married to

Jesus Christ. Some indeed, I am afraid, are so presumptuous as to

affirm, as least to insinuate, that there is no such thing as knowing,

or being fully assured, whilst here below, whether we are in Christ or

not. Or at least, if there be such a thing, it is very rare, or was

only the privilege of the primitive believers. Part of this is true,

and part of this absolutely false. That this glorious privilege of a

full assurance is very rare, is too, too true. And so it is equally too

true, that real Christians, comparatively speaking, are very rare also.

But that there is no such thing, or that this was only the privilege of

the first followers of our blessed Lord, is directly opposite to the

word of God. "We know (says St. John, speaking of believers in general)

that we are his, by the spirit which he hath given us;" and, "He that

believeth hath the witness of himself;" "because you are sons (saith

St. Paul) God hath sent forth his Spirit into your hearts, even the

spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." Not that I dare

affirm, that there is no real Christian, but what has this full

assurance of faith, and clearly knows, that his Maker is his husband.

In speaking thus, I should undoubtedly condemn some of the generation

of God's dear children, who through the prevalence of unbelief,

indwelling sin, spiritual sloth, or it may be, for want of being

informed of the privileges of believers, may walk in darkness, and see

no light; therefore, though I dare not affirm, that a full assurance of

faith is absolutely necessary for the very being, yet I dare assert,

that it is absolutely necessary, for the well being of a Christian. And

for my own part, I cannot conceive, how any persons, that pretend to

Christianity, can rest satisfied or contented without it. This is

stopping short, on this side Jordan, with a witness. And gives others

too much reason to suspect, that such persons, however high their

profession may be, have, as yet, no true saving grace at all.

Men, whose hearts are set on this world's goods, or, to use our Lord's

language, "the children of this world," act not so. I suppose there is

scarce a single merchant in this great congregation, especially in

these troublous times, that will venture out either his ship or cargo,

without first insuring, both against the violence of an enemy, or a

storm. And I suppose there is scarce a single house, of any

considerable value, in any populous town or city, but the owner has

taken out a policy from the fire- office, to unsure it, in case of

fire. And can I be so irrational as to think, that there is such a

thing as securing my goods, and my house, and that there is no such

thing as insuring, what is infinitely more valuable, my precious and

immortal soul? Or if there be such a thing, as undoubtedly there is,

what foolishness of folly must it needs be in men, that pretend to be

men of parts, of good sense, and solid reasoning, to be so anxious to

secure their ships against a storm, and their houses against a fire,

and at the same time, not to be unspeakably more solicitous, to take a

policy out of the assurance-office of heaven; even the soul and witness

of the blessed Spirit of God, to insure their souls against that storm

of divine wrath, and that vengeance of eternal fire, which will at the

last decisive day come upon all those, who know not God, and have not

obeyed his gracious gospel? To affirm therefore, that there is no such

thing as knowing, that "our Maker is our husband;" or that it was a

privilege peculiar to the first Christians, to speak in the mildest

terms, is both irrational and unscriptural. Not that all who can say,

their Maker is their husband, can give the same clear and distinct

account of the time, manner and means of their being spiritually united

and married by faith, to the blessed bridegroom of the church. Some

there may be now, as well as formerly, sanctified from the womb. And

others in their infancy and non-age, as it were silently converted.

Such perhaps may say, with a little Scotch maiden, now with God, when I

asked her, whether Jesus Christ had taken away her old heart, and given

her a new one? "Sir, it may be, (said she,) I cannot directly tell you

the time and place, but this I know, it is done." And indeed it is not

so very material, though no doubt it is very satisfactory, if we cannot

relate all the minute and particular circumstances, that attended our

conversion; if so be we are truly converted now, and can say, the work

is done, and that, "our Maker is our husband." And I question, whether

there is one single adult believer, now on earth, who lived before

conversion, either in a course of secret or open sin, but can, in a

good degree, give an account of the beginning and progress of a work of

grace in his heart.

What think ye? Need I tell my married persons in this congregation,

that they must go to the university, and learn the languages, before

they can tell whether they are married or not? Or, if their marriage

was to be doubted, could they not, think you, bring their certificates,

to certify the time and place of their marriage; and the minister that

joined them together in that holy state? And if you are adult, and are

indeed married to Jesus Christ, though you may be unlearned, and what

the world terms illiterate men, cannot you tell me the rise and

progress, and consummation of the spiritual marriage, between Jesus

Christ and your souls? Know you not the time, when you were first under

the drawings of the Father, and Jesus began to woo you for himself?

Tell me, O man, tell me, O woman, knowest thou not the time, or at

least, knowest thou not, that there was a time, when the blessed Spirit

of God stripped thee of the fig-leaves of thy own righteousness, hunted

thee out of the trees of the garden of they performances, forced thee

from the embraces of thy old husband the law, and made thee to abhor

thy own righteousness, as so many filthy rags? Canst thou not remember,

when, after a long struggle with unbelief, Jesus appeared to thee, as

altogether lovely, mighty and willing to save? And canst thou not

reflect upon a season, when thy own stubborn heart was made to bend;

and thou wast made willing to embrace him, as freely offered to thee in

the everlasting gospel? And canst thou not, with pleasure unspeakable,

reflect on some happy period, some certain point of time, in which a

sacred something (perhaps thou could it not then well tell what) did

captivate, and fill thy heart, so that thou could say, in a rapture of

holy surprise, and ecstasy of divine love, "My Lord and my God! My

beloved is mine, and I am his; I know that my Redeemer liveth;" or, to

keep to the words of our text, "My Maker is my husband." Surely, amidst

this great and solemn assembly, there are many that can answer these

questions in the affirmative. For these are transactions, not easily to

be forgotten; and the day of our espousals is, generally, a very

remarkable day; a day to be had in everlasting remembrance.

And can any of you indeed, upon good grounds say, that your Maker is

your husband? May I not then (as it is customary to wish persons joy

who are just entered into the marriage state) congratulate you upon

your happy change, and wish you joy, with all my heart? Sure am I that

there was joy in heaven on the day of your espousals: and why should

not the blessed news occasion joy on earth? May I not address you in

the language of our Lord to the women that came to visit his sepulcher,

"All hail!" for ye are highly favored. Blessed are ye among men,

blessed are ye among women! All generations shall call you blessed.

What! "is your Maker your husband? The holy on of Israel your

Redeemer?" Sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth! What an amazing stoop

is this! What a new thing has God created on the earth! Do not your

hearts, O believers, burn within you, when meditating on this

unspeakable condescension of the high and lofty one that inhabiteth

eternity? Whilst you are musing, does not the sacred fire of divine

love kindle in your souls? And, out of the abundance of your hearts, do

you not often speak with your tongues, and call upon all that is within

you, to laud and magnify your Redeemer's holy name? Is not that

God-exalting, self- abasing expression frequently in your mouths, "Why

me, Lord, why me?" And are you not often constrained to break out into

that devout exclamation of Solomon, when the glory of the Lord filled

the temple, "And will God indeed dwell with man?" ungrateful,

rebellious, ill, and hell-deserving man! O, my brethren, my heart is

enlarged towards you! Tears, while I am speaking, are ready to gush

out. But they are tears of love and joy. How shall I give it vent? How

shall I set forth thy happiness, O believer, thou bride of God! And is

thy Maker thy husband? Is his name "The Lord of hosts?" Whom then

shouldst thou fear? And is thy Redeemer the holy one of Israel? The God

of the whole earth should he be called! Of whom then shouldst thou be

afraid? He that toucheth thee, toucheth the very apple of God's eye.

"The very hairs of thy head are all numbered;" and "it is better that a

man should have a millstone tied round his neck, and be drowned in the

sea, than that he should justly offend thee."

All hail, (I must again repeat it) thou Lamb's bride! For thou art all

glorious within, and comely, through the comeliness thy heavenly

bridegroom hath put upon thee. Thy garment is indeed of wrought gold;

and, ere long, the King shall bring thee forth with a raiment of

needle-work, and present thee blameless before his Father, without

spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. In the mean while, well shall it

be with you, and happy shall you be, who are married to Jesus Christ:

for all that Christ has, is yours. "He is made of God to you, wisdom,

righteousness, sanctification, and eternal redemption." "Whether Paul,

or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or

things to come; all are yours." All his attributes are engaged for your

preservation, and all things shall work together for your good, who

love God, and, by being thus married to the Lord Jesus, give an evident

proof that you are called according to his purpose. What say you? When

you meditate on these things, are you not frequently ready to cry out,

What shall we render unto the Lord for all these mercies, which, of his

free unmerited grace, he hath been pleased to bestow upon us? For,

though you are dead to the law, as a covenant of works, yet you are

alive to the law as a rule of life, and are in, or under the law (for

either expression seems to denote the same thing) to your glorious

husband, Jesus Christ.

Pass we on therefore to the

Second general head, under which I was to show, what duties of love

they owe to Jesus Christ, who are so happy as to be able to say, "My

Maker is my husband."

I say, duties of love. For being now married to Jesus Christ, you work

not for life, but from life. The love of God constrains you, so that,

if there was no written law, or supposing Jesus would set you at

liberty from his yoke, so far as grace prevails in your hearts, you

would say, we love our blessed bridegroom, and will not go from him.

And what does the Lord require of you? That we may speak on this head

as plainly as may be, we shall pursue the method we began with; and, by

carrying on the allegory, and examining what is required of truly

Christian wives, under the gospel, infer what our Lord may justly

demand of those who are united to him by faith, and can therefore say,

"our Maker is our husband."

And here let us go to the law and to the testimony. What says the

scripture? "Let the wife see that she reverence her "husband." It is,

no doubt, the duty of married women to think highly of their husbands.

From whom may husbands justly command respect, if not from their wives?

The apostle's expression is emphatic. "Let the wife see that she

reverence her husband;" thereby implying, that women, some of them at

least, are too prone to disrespect their husbands; as Michal, Saul's

daughter, despised David in her heart, when she tauntingly said, 2 Sam.

6:20, "How glorious was the king of Israel to-day, who uncovered

himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of

the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself."

This is a source and fountain, from whence many domestic evils

frequently flow. Women should remember the character that husbands

sustain in scripture. The are to them, what Christ is to the church.

And it is mentioned to the honor of Sarah, that she called Abraham

"Lord." "Shall I have a child who am old, my Lord being old also?" It

is remarkable, there are but two good words in that whole sentence, "my

Lord," (for all the others are the language of unbelief) and yet those

two words the Holy Ghost mentions to her eternal honor, and buries, as

it were, the rest in oblivion. "Even as Sarah (says St. Peter) obeyed

Abraham, calling him Lord." An evident proof how pleasing it is in the

sight of God, for women in the married state to reverence and respect

their husbands. Not that husbands therefore should lord it over their

wives, or require too much respect at their hands. This would be

unchristian, as well as ungenerous, indeed. They ought rather, as God

has taken such care to keep up their authority, commanding their wives

to reverence and respect them; they ought, I say, to be doubly careful,

that they live so holy and unblameable, as to lay their wives under no

temptation to despise them. But to return from this digression. Does

the apostle say, "Let the wife see that she reverence her husband?" May

I not pertinently apply this caution to you who are married to Jesus

Christ? See to it that you reverence and respect your husband. I say,

see to it. For the devil will be often suggesting to you hard and mean

thoughts against your husband. It was thus he beset our mother Eve,

even in a state of innocence. He would fain persuade her to entertain

hard thoughts of her glorious benefactor, "What, has God said, ye shall

not eat of the trees of the garden?" Has he been so cruel to put you

here in a beautiful garden only to vex and tease you? This he made use

of as an inlet to all his succeeding insinuations. And this trade he is

still pursuing, and will be pursuing to the very end of time. Besides,

in the eyes of the world, Jesus Christ has no form or comeliness that

they should desire him; and therefore, unless you "watch and pray," you

will be led into temptation, and not keep up such high thoughts of your

blessed Jesus as he justly deserves. In this you can never exceed.

Women, perhaps may sometimes think too highly of, and, through excess

of love, idolize their earthly comforts. But it is impossible for you

to think too highly of your heavenly husband, Jesus Christ.

Farther, what says the apostle in his epistle to the Ephesians?

Speaking of the marriage state, he says, "The wife is the glory of her

husband;" as though he had said, a Christian wife should so behave, and

so walk, as to be a credit to her husband. As Abigail was an honor to

Nubal, and by her sweet deportment made up, in some degree, for her

husband's churlishness. This is to be a help-meet indeed. Such a woman

will be praised in the gate; and her husband get glory, and meet with

respect on her account. And ought a woman to be the glory of her

husband? How much more ought you, that are the Lamb's bride, so to

live, and so to walk, as to bring glory, and gain respect, to the cause

and interest of your husband Jesus? This is what the apostle everywhere

supposes, when he would draw a parallel between a temporal and

spiritual marriage. "The woman, is the glory of her husband, even as

the church is the glory of Christ." Agreeable to this, he tells the

Corinthians, "Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to

the glory of God;" and as he also speaks to the Thessalonians, 1 Thess.

2:11-12, "As you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every

one of you (as a father doth his children) that you would walk worthy

of God who hath called you to his kingdom, and his glory." What an

expression is here! "That you would walk worthy of God." O! how ought

this, and such like texts, to stir up your pure minds, O believers, so

to have your conversation in this world, that you may be what the

apostle says some particular persons were, even "the glory of Christ."

You are his glory; he rejoices over you with singing; and you should so

walk, that all who know and hear of you, may glorify Christ in you.

Subjection, is another duty, that is enjoined married women, in the

word of God. They are to "be subject to their own husbands in every

thing." Every lawful thing: "For, the husband is the head of the wife,

even as Christ is the head of the church." And knowing how inapt some

base minds would be to submit to the husband's authority, he takes care

to enforce this duty of subjection by many cogent and powerful

arguments." "For Adam was first made, and not Eve. Neither was the man

made for the woman, but the woman for the man." And again, "The man was

not first in the transgression, but the woman." Upon which accounts,

subjection was imposed on her as part of her punishment. "Thy desire

(says God) shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule (though not

tyrannize) over thee." So then, to use the words of pious Mr. Henry,

those who attempt to usurp authority over their husbands, not only

contradict a divine command, but thwart a divine curse. And if women

are to be subject to their own husbands in every thing, how much more

ought believers, whether men or women, to be subject to Jesus Christ:

for he is the head of the church. He has bought her by his blood.

Believers therefore are not their own, but are under the highest

obligations to glorify and obey Jesus Christ, in their bodies and their

souls, which are his. Add to this, that his service, as it is admirably

expressed in one of our collects, is perfect freedom. His commandments

holy, just, and good. And therefore it is your highest privilege, O

believers, to submit to, and obey them. Earthly husbands may be so mean

as to impose some things upon their wives, merely to show their

authority; but it is not so with Jesus Christ. He can and does impose

nothing, but what immediately conduces to our present, as well as

future good. In doing, nay, in suffering for Jesus Christ, there is a

present unspeakable reward. And therefore I may say to believers, as

the blessed Virgin said to the servants at the marriage in Cana,

"Whatsoever he says unto you, do it." "For his yoke is easy, and his

burden is light." And I believe it might easily be proved in a few

minutes, that all the disorders which are now in the world, whether in

church or state, are owing to a want of being universally, unanimously,

cheerfully, and perseveringly conformed to the laws and example of our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Again, faithfulness in the marriage state, is strictly enjoined in the

scriptures of truth. "Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed

undefiled. But whoremongers and adulterers God will judge." Nay,

adultery is an iniquity to be punished by the earthly judges; it

dissolves the marriage relation. "For the man has not power over his

own body, but the woman; neither has the woman power over her own body,

but the man." The heathens themselves have been taught this by the

light of nature; and adultery, among some of them, is punished with

immediate death. And ought married persons to be thus careful to keep

the marriage-bed undefiled, how carefully then ought believers to keep

their souls chaste, pure, and undefiled, now they are espoused to Jesus

Christ? For there is such a thing as spiritual adultery; "O ye

adulterers and adulteresses," saith St. James. And God frequently

complains of his people's playing the harlot. Hence it is, that St.

John, in the most endearing manner, exhorts believers to "keep

themselves from idols." For the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh,

and pride of life, are always ready to steal away our hearts from Jesus

Christ. And every time we place our affections upon any thing more than

Christ, we do undoubtedly commit spiritual adultery. For we admit a

creature to rival the Creator, who is God over all, blessed for

evermore. "Little children, therefore, keep yourselves from idols."

But it is time for me to draw towards the close of this head.

Fruitfulness was a blessing promised by God to the first happy pair;

"Increase and multiply, and replenish the earth." "Lo, children, and

the fruit of the womb, (says the Psalmist) are a gift and heritage,

which cometh of the Lord." And so, if we are married to Jesus Christ,

we must be fruitful. In what? In every good word and work: for this

speaks the Apostle, in his epistle to the Romans: "Wherefore, my

brethren, ye also are become dead to the law, by the body of Christ,

that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from

the dead." What follows? "That we should bring forth fruit unto God."

Glorious words, and proper to be considered in a peculiar manner, by

such who would explode the doctrine of free justification, as an

Antinomian doctrine, and as though it destroyed good works. No; it

establishes, and lays a solid foundation, whereon to build the

superstructure of good works. Titus is therefore commanded to "exhort

believers to be careful to maintain good works." And "herein (says our

Lord) is my Father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit. Let your

light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and

glorify your Father which is in heaven;" with a multitude of passages

to the same purpose.

Moreover, it is required of wives, that they not only love and

reverence their husbands, but that they also love and respect their

husband's friends. And if we are married to Jesus Christ, we shall not

only reverence the bridegroom, but we shall also love and honor the

bridegroom's friends. "By this, shall all men know that ye are my

disciples, if ye love one another." "By this we know, (says the beloved

disciple) that we have passed from death to life because we love the

brethren." Observe, the brethren, indefinitely; of whatever

denomination. And this love must be "without dissimulation, and with a

pure heart fervently." This was the case of the primitive Christians.

They were all of one heart, and of one mind. It was said of them (O

that it could be said of us!) "See how these Christians love one

another!" They were of the same spirit as a good woman of Scotland was,

who, when she saw a great multitude, as is customary in the country,

coming from various parts to receive the blessed sacrament, saluted

them with a "Come in, ye blessed of the Lord, I have an house that will

hold an hundred of you, and a heart that will hold ten thousand." Let

us go and do likewise.

Once more. Persons that are married, take one another for better or for

worse, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish each other in

sickness and in health. And if we are married to Jesus Christ, we shall

be willing to bear his cross, as well as to wear his crown. "If any man

will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow

me." Neither will they be compelled to do this, as Simon of Cyrene was,

but they will be volunteers in his service; they will cry out, Crown

him, crown him ,when others are crying out, "Crucify him, crucify him."

They will never leave or forsake him, but willingly follow the Captain

of their salvation, though it be through a sea of blood.

I might run the parallel still further, and also enlarge upon the hints

already given; but I fear I have said enough already to reproach most

believers; I am sure I have said more than enough to abash and upbraid

myself. For alas! how vilely, treacherously, and ungratefully have we

behaved towards our spiritual husband, the dear Lord Jesus, ever since

the day of our espousals? Had our friends, or even the wives of our own

bosoms, behaved to us as we have behaved to our great and best friend,

our glorious husband, we should have broken off our friendship, and

sued for a bill of divorcement long ago. Under our first love, what

promises did we make to him? But how frowardly have we behaved

ourselves in this covenant? How little have we reverenced him? How

often has our Beloved been no more to us than another beloved? How

little have we lived to his glory? Have we not been a shame and

reproach to his gospel? Have we not crucified him afresh, and has he

not been sorely wounded in the house of his friends? Nay, has not his

holy name been blasphemed through our means? For alas! how little have

we obeyed him? How careless and indifferent have we been, whether we

pleased him or not? We have often said, indeed, when commanded by him

to go work in his vineyard, We go, Lord; but alas! we went not. Or if

we did go, with what reluctance has it been? How unwilling to watch

with our dear Lord and Master, only one hour? And of his sabbaths, how

often have we said, What weariness is this? As for our adulteries, and

spiritual fornications, how frequent, how aggravated have they been?

Have not idols of all sorts, been suffered to fill up the room of the

ever-blessed Jesus in our hearts? You that love him in sincerity, will

not be offended if I tell you, that the 16th chapter of Ezekiel gives,

in my opinion, a lively description of our behavior towards our Lord.

We were, like base-born children, cast out in the field to the loathing

of our persons: no eye pitied or had compassion on us. Jesus passed by,

saw us polluted in our own blood, and said unto us, "Live," i.e.

preserved us, even in our natural state, from death. And when his time

of love was come, he spread the skirt of his imputed righteousness over

us, and covered the nakedness of our souls, entered into covenant with

us, and we became his. He washed us also with water, even in the laver

of regeneration, and thoroughly washed us by his precious blood, from

the guild of all our sins. He clothed us also with broidered work, and

decked us with ornaments, even with righteousness, and peace, and joy

in the Holy Ghost. We did eat fine flour and honey at his ordinances,

and we fed on Jesus Christ in our hearts by faith, with thanksgiving.

In short, we were made exceeding beautiful, and the kingdom of God was

erected in our hearts. We were renowned among our neighbors for our

love to God, and all that know us took knowledge of us, that we had

been with Jesus. But alas! how have we fallen, who were once sons of

the morning! How have we trusted in our own beauty, have grown

spiritually proud, and provoked our patient and unspeakably

long-suffering Lord to anger? Where is that ardent love we spoke of,

when we told him, that, though we should die for him, we would not deny

him in any wise? How desperately wicked, and deceitful above all

things, have we proved our hearts to be, since we have done all these

things, even the work of an imperious woman? These are great and

numerous charges; but great and numerous as they are, there is not a

single believer here present, but, if he knows his own heart, may plead

guilty to some, or all of them. But this is a tender point: I see you

concerned: your tears, O believers, are a proof of the anguish of your

souls. And can any of us give any reason, why Jesus Christ should not

give us a bill of divorcement, and put us away? May he not justly speak

to us as he did to his adulteress Israel, in the aforementioned 16th of

Ezekiel, "Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the Lord; I will judge

thee as women that break wedlock, and shed blood, are judged. I will

give thee blood in fury and jealousy, because thou hast not remembered

the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things. Behold,

therefore, I also will recompense thy way upon thy head. I will even

deal with thee as thou hast done, who hast despised the oath, in

breaking the covenant, the marriage contract that was between us."

This, I am persuaded, you will confess to be the treatment which we all

most justly deserve. But be not overwhelmed with over-much sorrow: for

though the Lord our God is a jealous God, and will certainly visit our

offenses with a rod, and our backslidings with a spiritual scourge, yet

his loving-kindness will he not utterly take from us, nor suffer his

truth to fail. Though we have changed, yet he changeth not: He abideth

faithful: his loving-kindness abideth for evermore. Hark! how sweetly

he speaks to his backsliding people of old; "O Israel, thou hast

destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help. I will heal their

backsliding, and love them freely." And in the verses immediately

following the words of the text, how comfortably does he address his

espoused people! "In a little wrath, I hid my face from thee for a

moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith

the Lord thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of Noah unto me; for

as I have sworn, that the waters of Noah should no more go over the

earth; so have I sworn, that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke

thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my

kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my

peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." O that this

goodness may lead us to repentance! O that this unparalleled, infinite,

unchangeable love, may constrain us to an universal, uniform, cheerful,

unanimous, persevering obedience to all the commands of God!

Brethren, my heart is enlarged towards you, and I could dwell a long

while upon the many great and precious invitations that are made to

backsliders, to return to their first love, and do their first works:

but it is high time for me, if, as was proposed,

III. I give to every one their proper portion; to speak to those poor

souls, who know nothing of this blessed Bridegroom of the church, and

consequently cannot say, "My Maker is my husband."

Ah! I pity you from my inmost soul; I could weep over, and for you,

though perhaps you will not weep for yourselves. But surely you would

weep, and howl too, did you know the miserable condition those are in,

who are not married to Jesus Christ. Will you give me leave (I think I

speak it in much love) to inform you, that if you are not married to

Jesus Christ, you are married to the law, the world, the flesh, and the

devil, neither of which can make you happy; but all, on the contrary,

concur to make you miserable. Hear ye not, ye that are married to the

law, and seek to be justified in the sight of God, partly, at least, if

not wholly, by your own works, what the law saith to those that are

under it, as a covenant of works? "Cursed is every one that continueth

not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them."

Every word breathes threatening and slaughter to poor fallen creatures.

Cursed, both here and hereafter, be this man, and every one, naturally

engendered of the offspring of Adam, without exception, that continueth

not, even to the very end of life, in all things; not only in some, or

many, but in all things, that are written in the book of the law, to do

them, in the utmost perfection; for "he that offendeth in one point, is

guilty of all." So that, according to the tenor of the covenant of

works, whosoever is guilty of one wicked thought, word, or action, is

under the curse of an angry sin- avenging God. "For a many as are under

the law, are under the curse." And do you know what it is to be under

the curse of God, and to have the wrath of God abide upon you? If you

did, I believe you would not be so unwilling to be divorced from the

law, and be espoused, as chaste virgins, to Jesus Christ.

And why are ye so wedded to the world? Did it ever prove faithful or

satisfactory to any of its votaries? Has not Solomon reckoned up the

sum total of worldly happiness? And what does it amount to? "Vanity,

vanity, saith the preacher, all is vanity," nay he adds, "and vexation

of spirit." And has not a greater than Solomon informed us, that a

man's life, the happiness of a man's life, doth not consist in the

things which he possesseth? Besides, "know ye not that the friendship

of this world is enmity with God; so that whosoever will be a friend to

the world, (to the corrupt customs and vices of it) is an enemy of

God?" And what better reasons can you give for being wedded to your

lusts? Might not the poor slaves in the galleys, as reasonably be

wedded to their chains? For do not your lusts fetter down your souls

from God? Do they not lord it, and have they not dominion over you? Do

not they say, Come, and ye come; Go, and ye go; Do this, and ye do it?

And is not he or she that liveth in pleasure, dead, whilst he liveth?

And above all, how can ye bear the thoughts of being wedded to the

devil, as every natural man is: for thus speaks the scripture, "He now

ruleth in the children of disobedience." And how can ye bear to be

ruled by one, who is such a professed open enemy to the most high and

holy God? Who will make a drudge of you, whilst you live, and be your

companion in endless and extreme torment, after you are dead? For thus

will our Lord say to those on the left hand, "Depart from me, ye

cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."

But,

IV. Will you permit me, O sinners, that I may draw towards a close of

this discourse, to propose a better match to your souls. This is a part

of the discourse which I long to come to, it being my heart's desire,

and earnest prayer to God, that your souls may be saved. "And now, O

Lord God Almighty, thou Father of mercies, and God of all consolations,

thou God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hast promised to give

thy Son the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the

earth for his possession, send me good speed this day. O Lord, send me

now prosperity. Behold, I stand here without the camp, bearing a little

of thy dear Son's sacred reproach! Hear me, O Lord, hear me, and

according to thy word, let thy dear, thine only begotten Son, see of

the travail of his soul, and be satisfied! O help me so to speak, that

many may believe on, and cleave unto thy blessed, thine holy child

Jesus!

But who am I, that I should undertake to recommend the blessed Jesus to

others, who am myself altogether unworthy to take his sacred name into

my polluted lips? Indeed, my brethren, I do not count myself worthy of

such an honor; but since it has pleased him, in whom all fullness

dwells, to count me worthy, and put me into the ministry, the very

stones would cry out against me, did I not attempt, at least, to lisp

out his praise, and earnestly recommend the ever-blessed Jesus to the

choice of all.

Thus Abraham's faithful servant behaved, when sent out to fetch a wife

for his master Isaac. He spake of the riches and honors, which God had

conferred on him; but what infinitely greater honors and riches, has

the God and Father of our Lord Jesus, conferred on his only Son, to

whom I now invite every Christless sinner! To you, therefore, I call, O

ye sons of men, assuring you, there is everything in Jesus that your

hearts can desire, or hunger and thirst after. Do people in disposing

of themselves or their children in marriage, generally covet to be

matched with persons of great names? Let this consideration serve as a

motive to stir you up to match with Jesus. For God the Father has given

him a name above every name; he has upon his vesture, and upon his

thigh, a name written, "The King of kings, and the Lord of lords;" and

herein the text we are told, "The Lord of Hosts is his name." Nor has

he an empty title, but power equivalent; for he is a prince, as well as

savior. "All power is given unto him, both in heaven and on earth;"

"The God of the while earth, (says our text) he shall be called." The

government of men, of the church, and of devils, is put upon his

shoulders: "Thrones, principalities and powers, are made subject unto

him; by him kings reign, and princes decree justice; he setteth up one,

and putteth down another: and of his kingdom there shall be no end."

Will riches be an inducement unto you to come and match with Jesus? Why

then, I can tell you, the riches of Jesus are infinite: for unto me,

who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I

should preach to poor sinners, the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ.

I appeal to you that are his saints, whether you have not found this

true, by happy experience; and though some of you, may have been

acquainted with him thirty, forty, fifty years ago, do you not find his

riches are yet unsearchable, and as much past finding out, as they were

the very first moment in which you gave him your hearts?

Would you match with a wise husband? Haste then, sinners, come away to

Jesus: He is the fountain of wisdom, and makes all that come unto him,

wise unto salvation: "He is the wisdom of the Father: the Lord

possessed him in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.

When he prepared the heavens, he was there; when he appointed the

foundations of the earth, then was he with him, as one brought up with

him; he was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him." As he is

wise, so is he holy; and therefore, in the words of our text, he is

stiled, "The Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel:" and by the angel

Gabriel, "That holy Thing." The apostles, addressing God the Father,

stile him his "holy child Jesus:" and the spirits of just men made

perfect, and the angels in heaven, cease not day or night, saying,

"Holy, holy, holy." Nor is his beauty inferior to his wisdom or

holiness; the seraphs veil their faces, when they appear before him:

"He is the chiefest among ten thousand, nay, he is altogether lovely."

And, as he is altogether lovely, so is he altogether loving: his name

and his nature is Love. God, God in Christ is love: love in the

abstract. And in this has he manifested his love, in that, whilst we

were yet sinners, may open enemies, Jesus, in his own due time, died

for the ungodly. He loved us so as to give himself for us. O what

manner of love is this! What was Jacob's love to Rachel, in comparison

of the love which Jesus bore to a perishing world! He became a curse

for us. For it is written, "Cursed is every man that hangeth upon a

tree." What Zipporah said to her husband improperly, Jesus may say

properly to his spouse the church, "A bloody wife hast thou been to me,

because of the crucifixion." For he has purchased her with his own

blood. And having once loved his people, he loves them unto the end.

His love, like himself, is from everlasting to everlasting. He hates

putting away: though we change, yet he changeth not: he abideth

faithful. When we are married here, there comes in that shocking

clause, t use the words of holy Mr. Boston, "Till death us doth part:"

but death itself shall not separate a true believer from the love of

God, which is in Christ Jesus his Lord: for he will never cease loving

his Bride, till he has loved her to heaven, and presented her before

his Father, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Nay, his love

will, as it were, but be beginning, through the endless ages of

eternity.

And now, Sirs, what say you? Shall I put that question to you, which

Rebecca's relations, upon a proposal of marriage, put to her? "Will ye

go with the man?" With the God-man, this infinitely great, this

infinitely powerful, this all-wise, all-holy, altogether lovely,

ever-loving Jesus? What objection have you to make against such a

gracious offer? One would imagine, you had not a single one; but it is

to be feared, through the prevalency of unbelief, and the corruption of

your desperately wicked deceitful hearts, you are ready to urge

several. Methinks I hear some of you say within yourselves, "We like

the proposal, but alas! we are poor." Are you so? If that be all, you

may, notwithstanding, be welcome to Jesus: "For has not God chosen the

poor of this world, to make them rich in faith, and heirs of his

everlasting kingdom?" And what says that Savior, to whom I am now

inviting you? "Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for there is the kingdom

of heaven." And what says his Apostle concerning him? "Though he was

rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty

might be made rich. But say you, "We are not only poor, but we are in

debt; we owe God ten thousand talents, and have nothing to pay;" but

that need not keep you back: for God the Father, from the Lord Jesus,

his dearly beloved Son, has received double for all believers sins: the

blood of Jesus cleanseth from them all. But you are blind, and

miserable, and naked; to whom then should you fly for succor, but to

Jesus, who came to open the eyes of the blind, to seek and save the

miserable and lost, and clothe the naked with his perfect and spotless

righteousness. And now, what can hinder your espousals with the dear

and ever-blessed Lamb of God? I know but of one thing, that dreadful

sin of unbelief. But this is my comfort, Jesus died for unbelief, as

well as for other sins, and has promised to send down the Holy Spirit

to convince the world of this sin in particular: "If I go not away, the

Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go away, I will send the

Comforter, and he will convince the world of son." What sin? of

unbelief; "because they believe not on me." O that this promise may be

so fulfilled in your hearts, and Jesus may so become the author of

divine faith in your souls, that you may be able to send me the same

message as a good woman in Scotland, on her dying bed, sent me by a

friend: "Tell him, (says she) for his comfort, that at such a time he

married me to the Lord Jesus." This would be comfort indeed. Not that

we can marry you to Christ: No; the Holy Ghost must tie the marriage

knot. But such honor have all God's ministers; under him they espouse

poor sinners to Jesus Christ. "I have espoused you (says St. Paul) as a

chaste virgin to Jesus Christ." O that you may say, We will go with the

man; then will I bow my head, as Abraham's servant did, and go with joy

and tell my Master, that he has not left his poor servant destitute

this day: then shall I rejoice in your felicity. For I know, my Master

will take you into the banqueting-house of his ordinances, and his

banner over you shall be love. That this may be the happy case of you

all, may the glorious God grant, for the sake of Jesus his dearly

beloved Son, the glorious bridegroom of his church, to whom, with the

Father, and the Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, now and for

evermore. Amen, and Amen.

__________________________________________________________________

The Potter and the Clay

Jeremiah 18:1-6 -- "The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord,

saying, Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will

cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter's house,

and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he

made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again

another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make [it]. Then the

word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do

with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay [is] in

the potter's hand, so [are] ye in mine hand, O house of Israel."

At sundry times, and in diverse manners, God was pleased to speak to

our fathers by the prophets, before he spoke to us in these last days

by his Son. To Elijah, he revealed himself by a small still voice. To

Jacob, by a dream. To Moses, he spoke face to face. Sometimes he was

pleased to send a favorite prophet on some especial errand; and whilst

he was thus employed, vouchsafed to give him a particular message,

which he was ordered to deliver without reserve to all the inhabitants

of the land. A very instructive instance of this kind we have recorded

in the passage now read to you. The first verse informs us that it was

a word, or message, which came immediately from the Lord to the prophet

Jeremiah. At what time, or how the prophet was employed when it came,

we are not told. Perhaps, whilst he was praying for those who would not

pray for themselves. Perhaps, near the morning, when he was slumbering

or musing on his bed. For the word came to him, saying, "Arise." And

what must he do when risen? He must "go down to the potter's house"

(the prophet knew where to find it) "and there (says the great Jehovah)

I will cause thee to hear my words." Jeremiah does not confer with

flesh and blood, he does not object that it was dark or cold, or desire

that he might have his message given him there, but without the least

hesitation is immediately obedient to the heavenly vision. "Then (says

he) I went down to the potter's house, and behold he wrought a work

upon the wheels." Just as he was entering into the house or workshop,

the potter, it seems, had a vessel upon his wheel. And was there any

thing so extraordinary in this, that it should be ushered in with the

word Behold? What a dreaming visionary, or superstitious enthusiast,

would this Jeremiah be accounted, even by many who read his prophecies

with seeming respect, was he alive now? But this was not the first time

Jeremiah had heard from heaven in this manner. He therefore willingly

obeyed; and had you or I accompanied him to the potter's house, I

believe we should have seen him silently, but intensely waiting upon

his great and all-wise Commander, to know wherefore he sent him

thither. Methinks I see him all attention. He takes notice, that "the

vessel was of clay;" but as he held it in his hand, and turned round

the wheel, in order to work it into some particular form, "it was

marred in the hands of the potter," and consequently unfit for the use

he before intended to put it to. And what becomes of this marred

vessel? Being thus marred, I suppose, the potter, without the least

imputation of injustice, might have thrown it aside, and taken up

another piece of clay in its room. But he did not. "He made it again

another vessel." And does the potter call a council of his domestics,

to inquire of them what kind of vessel they would advise him to make of

it? No, in no wise. "He made it again another vessel, as seemed good to

the potter to make it."

"Then," adds Jeremiah, whilst he was in the way of duty -- then --

whilst he was mentally crying, Lord what wouldst thou have me to do?

"Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, O house of Israel,

cannot I do with you as this potter? Saith the Lord. Behold, as the

clay is in the hands of the potter (marred, and unfit for the first

designed purpose) so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel." At

length, then, Jeremiah hath his sermon given to him: short, but

popular. It was to be delivered to the whole house of Israel, princes,

priests, and people: short, but pungent, even sharper than a two-edged

sword. What! says the sovereign Lord of heaven and earth, must I be

denied the privilege of a common potter? May I not do what I will with

my own? "Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hands, so are ye in

mine hands, O house of Israel. I made and formed you into a people, and

blessed you above any other nation under heaven: but, O Israel, thou by

thy backslidings hast destroyed thyself. As the potter therefore might

justly have thrown aside his marred clay, so may I justly unchurch and

unpeople you. But what if I should come over the mountains of your

guilt, heal your backslidings, revive my work in the midst of the

years, and cause your latter end greatly to increase? Behold, as the

clay is in the hands of the potter, lying at his disposal, either to be

destroyed or formed into another vessel, so are ye in my hands, O house

of Israel: I may either reject, and thereby ruin you, or I may revisit

and revive you according to my own sovereign good will and pleasure,

and who shall say unto me, what dost thou?"

This seems to be the genuine interpretation, and primary intention of

this beautiful part of holy writ. But waving all further inquiries

about its primary design or meaning, I shall now proceed to show, that

what the glorious Jehovah here says of the house of Israel in general,

is applicable to every individual of mankind in particular. And as I

presume this may be done, without either wire-drawing scripture on the

one hand, or wresthng it from its original meaning on the other, not

to detain you any longer, I shall, from the passage thus explained and

paraphrased, deduce, and endeavor to enlarge on these two general

heads.

First, I shall undertake to prove, that every man naturally engendered

of the offspring of Adam, is in the sight of the all-seeing, heart-

searching God, only as a "piece of marred clay."

Secondly, That being thus marred, he must necessarily be renewed: and

under this head, we shall likewise point out by whose agency this

mighty change is to be brought about.

These particulars being discussed, way will naturally be made for a

short word of application.

First, To prove that every man naturally engendered of the offspring of

Adam, is in the sight of an all-seeing, heart-searching God, only as a

piece of marred clay.

Be pleased to observe, that we say every man naturally engendered of

the offspring of Adam, or every man since the fall: for if we consider

man as he first came out of the hands of his Maker, he was far from

being in such melancholy circumstances. No; he was originally made

upright; or as Moses, that sacred penman, declares, "God made him after

his own image." Surely never was so much expressed in so few words;

which hath often made me wonder how that great critic Longinus, who so

justly admires the dignity and grandeur of Moses's account of the

creation, and "God said, Let there be light, and there was light;" I

say I have often wondered why he did not read a little further, and

bestow as just an encomium [praise, approval, acclaim] upon this short,

but withal inexpressibly august [noble, elegant, superb] and

comprehensive description of the formation of man, "so God created man

in his own image." Struck with a deep sense of such amazing goodness,

and that he might impress yet a deeper sense of it upon our minds too,

he immediately adds, "in the image of God made he him." A council of

the most adorable Trinity was called on this important occasion: God

did not say, Let there be a man, and there was a man, but God said,

"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness." This is the account

which the lively oracles of God do give us of man in his first estate;

but it is very remarkable, that the transition from the account of his

creation to that of his misery, is very quick, and why? For a very good

reason, because he soon fell from his primeval dignity; and by that

fall, the divine image is so defaced, that he is now to be valued only

as antiquarians value an ancient medal, merely for the sake of the

image and superscription once stamped upon it; or of a second divine

impress, which, through grace, it may yet receive.

Let us take a more particular survey of him, and see whether these

things are so or not: and first, as to his understanding. As man was

created originally "after God in knowledge," as well as righteousness

and true holiness, we may rationally infer, that his understanding, in

respect to things natural, as well as divine, was of a prodigious

extent: for he was make but a little lower than the angels, and

consequently being like them, excellent in his understanding, he knew

much of God, of himself, and all about him; and in this as well as

every other respect, was, as Mr. Golter expresses it in one of his

essays, a perfect major: but this is far from being our case now. For

in respect to natural things, our understandings are evidently

darkened. It is but little that we can know, and even that little

knowledge which we can acquire, is with much weariness of the flesh,

and we are doomed to gain it as we do our daily bread, I mean by the

sweat of our brows.

Men of low and narrow minds soon commence wise in their own conceits:

and having acquired a little smattering of the learned languages, and

made some small proficiency in the dry sciences, are easily tempted to

look upon themselves as a head taller than their fellow mortals, and

accordingly too, too often put forth great swelling words of vanity.

But persons of a more exalted, and extensive reach of thought, dare not

boast. No: they know that the greatest scholars are in the dark, in

respect to many even of the minutest things in life: and after all

their painful researches into the Arcana Natura, they find such an

immense void, such an unmeasurable expanse yet to be traveled over,

that they are obliged at last to conclude, almost with respect to every

thing, "that they know nothing yet as they ought to know." This

consideration, no doubt, led Socrates, when he was asked by one of his

scholars, why the oracle pronounced him the wisest man on earth, to

give him this judicious answer, "Perhaps it is, because I am most

sensible of my own ignorance." Would to God, that all who call

themselves Christians, had learned so much as this heathen! We should

then no longer hear so many learned men, falsely so called, betray

their ignorance by boasting of the extent of their shallow

understanding, nor by professing themselves so wise, prove themselves

such arrant pedantic fools.

If we view our understandings in respect to spiritual things, we shall

find that they are not only darkened, but become darkness itself, even

"darkness that may be felt" by all who are not past feeling. And how

should it be otherwise, since the infallible word of God assures us,

that they are alienated from the light of life of God, and thereby

naturally as incapable to judge of divine and spiritual things,

comparatively speaking, as a man born blind is incapacitated to

distinguish the various colors of the rainbow. "The natural man, (says

on inspired apostle) discerneth not the things of the Spirit of God;"

so far from it, "they are foolishness unto him;" and why? Because they

are only to be "spiritually discerned." Hence it was, that Nicodemus,

who was blessed with an outward and divine revelation, who was a ruler

of the Jews, nay a master of Israel, when our Lord told him, "he must

be born again;" appeared to be quite grappled. "How (says he) can a man

be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's

womb and be born? How can these things be?" Were three more absurd

questions ever proposed by the most ignorant man alive? Or can there be

a clearer proof of the blindness of man's understanding, in respect to

divine, as well as natural things? Is not man then a piece of marred

clay?

This will appear yet more evident, if we consider the perverse bent of

his will. Being made in the very image of God; undoubtedly before the

fall, man had no other will but his Maker's. God's will, and Adam's,

were than like unisons in music. There was not the least disunion, or

discord between them. But now he hath a will, as directly contrary to

the will of God, as light is contrary to darkness, or heaven to hell.

We all bring into the world with us a carnal mind, which is not only an

enemy to God, but "enmity itself, and which is therefore not subject

unto the law of God, neither indeed can it be." A great many show much

zeal in talking against the man of sin, and loudly (and indeed very

justly) exclaim against the Pope for sitting in the temple, I mean the

church of Christ, and "exalting himself above all that is called God."

But say not within thyself, who shall go to Rome, to pull down this

spiritual antichrist? As though there was no antichrist but what is

without us. For know, O man, whoever thou art, an infinitely more

dangerous antichrist, because less discerned, even self-will, fits

daily in the temple of thy heart, exalting itself, above all that is

called God, and obliging all its votaries to say of Christ himself,

that Prince of peace, "we will not have this man to reign over us."

God's people, whose spiritual senses, are exercised about spiritual

things, and whose eyes are opened to see the abominations that are in

their hearts, frequently feel this to their sorrow. Whether they will

or not, this enmity from time to time bubbles up, and in spite of all

their watchfulness and care, when they are under the pressure of some

sharp affliction, a long desertion, or tedious night of temptation,

they often find something within rising in rebellion against the

all-wise disposals of divine Providence, and saying unto God their

heavenly Father, "what dost thou?" This makes them to cry (and no

wonder, since it constrained one of the greatest saints and apostles

first to introduce the expression) "O wretched man that I am, who shall

deliver me from the body of this death?" The spiritual and renewed soul

groans thus, being burdened; but as for the natural and unawakened man,

it is not so with him; self-will, as well as every other evil, either

in a more latent or discernible manner, reigns in his unrenewed soul,

and proves him, even to a demonstration to others, whether he knows, or

will confess it himself or not, that in respect to the disorders of his

will, as well as his understanding, man is only a piece of marred clay.

A transient view of fallen man's affections will yet more firmly

corroborate this melancholy truth, These, at his being first placed in

the paradise of God, were always kept within proper bounds, fixed upon

their proper objects, and, like so many gentle rivers, sweetly,

spontaneously and habitually glided into their ocean, God. But now the

scene is changed. For we are not naturally full of vile affections,

which like a mighty and impetuous torrent carry all before them. We

love what we should hate, and hate what we should love; we fear what we

should hope for, and hope for what we should fear; nay, to such an

ungovernable height do our affections sometimes rise, that though our

judgments are convinced to the contrary, yet we will gratify our

passions though it be at the expense of our present and eternal

welfare. We feel a war of our affections, warring against the law of

our minds, and bringing us into captivity to the law of sin and death.

So that video meliora proboque, deteriora foquor [latin phrase], I

approve of better things but follow worse, is too, too often the

practice of us all.

I am sensible, that many are offended, when mankind are compared to

beasts and devils. And they might have some shadow of reason for being

so, if we asserted in a physical sense, that they were really beasts

and really devils. For then, as I once heard a very learned prelate,

who was objecting against this comparison, observe, "a man being a

beast would be incapable, and being a devil, would be under an

impossibility of being saved." But when we make use of such shocking

comparisons, as he was pleased to term them, we would be understood

only in a moral sense; and in so doing, we assert no more than some of

the most holy men of God have said of themselves, and others, in the

lively oracles many ages ago. Holy David, the man after God's own

heart, speaking of himself, says, "so foolish was I, and as a beast

before thee." And holy Job, speaking of man in general, says, that "he

is born as a wild ass's colt," or take away the expletive, which as

some think ought to be done, and then he positively asserts, that man

is a wild ass's colt. And what says our Lord, "Ye are of your father

the devil;" and "the whole world is said to lie in him, the wicked one,

who now rules in the children of disobedience," that is, in all

unrenewed souls. Our stupidity, proneness to fix our affections on the

things of the earth, and our eagerness to make provision for the flesh,

to fulfill the lusts thereof, evidence us to be earthly and brutes!;

and our mental passions, anger, hatred, malice, envy, and such like,

prove with equal strength, that we are also devilish. Both together

conspire to evince, that in respect to his affections, as well as his

understanding and will, man deservedly may be termed a piece of marred

clay.

The present blindness of natural conscience makes this appear in a yet

more glaring light; in the soul of the first man Adam, conscience was

no doubt the candle of the Lord, and enabled him rightly and

instantaneously to discern between good and evil, right and wrong. And,

blessed be God! Some remains of this are yet left; but alas, how dimly

does it burn, and how easily and quickly is it covered, or put out and

extinguished. I need not send you to the heathen world, to learn the

truth of this; you all know it by experience. Was there no other

evidence, your own consciences are instead of a thousand witnesses,

that man, as to his natural conscience, as well as understanding, will

and affections, is much marred clay.

Nor does that great and boasted Diana, I mean unassisted unenlightened

reason, less demonstrate the justness of such an assertion. Far be it

from me to decry or exclaim against human reason. Christ himself is

called the "Logos, the Reason;" and I believe it would not require much

learning, or take up much time to prove, that so far and no farther

than as we act agreeably to the laws of Christ Jesus, are we any way

conformable to the laws of right reason. His service is therefore

called "a reasonable service." And however his servants and followers

may now be looked upon as fools and madmen; yet there will come a time,

when those who despise and set themselves to oppose divine revelation,

will find, that what they now call reason, is only reason depraved, and

an utterly incapable, of itself, to guide us into the way of peace, or

show the way of salvation, as the men of Sodom were to find Lot's door

after they were struck with blindness by the angels, who came to lead

him out of the city. The horrid and dreadful mistakes, which the most

refined reasoners in the heathen world ran into, both as to the object,

as well as manner of divine worship, have sufficiently demonstrated the

weakness and depravity of human reason: nor do our modern boasters

afford us any better proofs of the greatness of its strength, since the

best improvement they generally make of it, is only to reason

themselves into downright willful infidelity, and thereby reason

themselves out of eternal salvation. Need we now any further witness,

that man, fallen man, is altogether a piece of marred clay?

But this is not all, we have yet more evidence to call; for do the

blindness of our understandings, the perverseness of our will, the

rebellion of our affections, the corruption our consciences, the

depravity of our reason prove this charge; and does not present

disordered frame and constitution of our bodes confirm the same also?

Doubtless in this respect, man, in the most literal sense of the word,

is a piece of marred clay. For God originally made him of the "dust of

the earth." So that notwithstanding our boasting of our high pedigrees,

and different descent, we were all originally upon a level, and a

little red earth was the common substratum out of which we were all

formed. Clay indeed it was, but clay wonderfully modified, even by the

immediate hands of the Creator of heaven and earth. One therefore hath

observed, that it is said "God built the man;" he did not form him

rashly or hastily, but built and finished him according to the plan

before laid down in his own eternal mind. And though, as the great God

is without body, parts, or passions, we cannot suppose when it is said

"God made man after his own image," that it has any reference to his

body, yet I cannot help thinking (with Doctor South) that as the

eternal Logos was hereafter to appear, God manifest in the flesh,

infinite wisdom was undoubtedly exerted in forming a casket into which

so invaluable a pearl was in the fullness of time to be deposited. Some

of the ancients are said to have asserted, that man at the first, had

what we call a glory shining round him; but without attempting to be

wise above what is written, we may venture to affirm, that he had a

glorious body, which knowing no sin, knew neither sickness nor pain.

But now on this, as well as other accounts, he may justly be called

Ichabod; for its primitive strength and glory are sadly departed from

it, and like the ruins of some ancient and stately fabric, only so much

less as to give us some faint idea of what it was when it first

appeared in its original and perfect beauty. The apostle Paul,

therefore, who knew how to call things by their proper names, as well

as any man living, does not scruple to term the human body, though in

its original constitution fearfully and wonderfully made, a "vile

body;" vile indeed! Since it is subject to such vile diseases, put to

such vile, yea very vile uses, and at length is to come to so vile an

end. "For dust we are, and to dust we must return." This among other

considerations, we may well suppose, caused the blessed Jesus to weep

at the grave of Lazarus. He wept, not only because his friend Lazarus

was dead, but he wept to see human nature, through man's own default,

thus laid in ruins, by being subject unto such a dissolution, made like

unto the beasts that perish.

Let us here pause a while, and with our sympathizing Lord, see if we

cannot shed a few silent tears at least, upon the same sorrowful

occasion. Who, who is there amongst us, that upon such a melancholy

review of man' present, real, and most deplorable depravity both in

body and soul, can refrain from weeping over such a piece of marred

clay? Who, who can help adopting holy David's lamentation over Saul and

Jonathan? "How are the mighty fallen! How are they slain in their high

places!" Originally it was not so. No, "God made man after his own

image; in the image of God made he man." Never was there so much

expressed in so few words. He was created after God in righteousness

and true holiness.

This is the account, which the sacred volume gives us of this

interesting point. This, this is that blessed book, that book of books,

from whence, together with an appeal to the experience of our own

hearts, and the testimonies of all past ages, we have thought proper to

fetch our proofs. For, after all, we must be obliged to divine

revelation, to know what we were, what we are, and what we are to be.

In these, as in a true glass, we may see our real and proper likeness.

And from these only can we trace the source and fountain of all those

innumerable evils, which like a deluge have overflowed the natural and

moral world. If any should object against the authenticity of this

revelation, and consequently against the doctrine this day drawn from

thence, they do in my opinion thereby very much confirm it. For unless

a man was very much disordered indeed, as to his understanding, will,

affections, natural conscience, and his power of reasoning, he could

never possibly deny such a revelation, which is founded on a

multiplicity of infallible external evidences, hath so many internal

evidences of a divine stamp in every page, is so suited to the common

exigencies of all mankind, so agreeable to the experience of all men,

and which hath been so wonderfully handed and preserved to us, hath

been so instrumental to the convicting, converting, and comforting so

many millions of souls, and hath stood the test of the most severe

scrutinies, and exact criticisms of the most subtle and refined, as

well as the most malicious and persecuting enemies, that ever lived,

even from the beginning of time to this very day. Persons of such a

turn of mind, I think, are rather to be prayed for, than disputed with,

if so be this perverse wickedness of their hearts may be forgiven them:

"They are in the very gall of bitterness, and must have their

consciences seared as it were with a red-hot iron," and must have their

eyes "blinded by the god of this world," otherwise they could not but

see, and feel, and assent to the truth of this doctrine, of man's being

universally depraved; which not only in one or two, but in one or two

thousands, in every page, I could almost say, is written, in such

legible characters, that runs may read. Indeed, revelation itself is

founded upon the doctrine of the fall. Had we kept our original

integrity, the law of God would have yet been written in our hearts,

and thereby the want of a divine revelation, at least such as ours,

would have been superseded; but being fallen, instead of rising in

rebellion against God, we ought to be filled with unspeakable

thankfulness to our all bountiful Creator, who by a few lines in his

own books hath discovered more to us, than all the philosophers and

most learned men in the world could, or would, have discovered, though

they had studied to all eternity.

I am well aware, that some who pretend to own the validity of divine

revelation, are notwithstanding enemies to the doctrine that hath this

day been delivered; and would fain elude the force of the proofs

generally urged in defense of it, by saying, they only bespeak the

corruption of particular persons, or have reference only to the heathen

world: but such persons err, not knowing their own hearts, or the power

of Jesus Christ: for by nature there is no difference between Jew or

Gentile, Greek or Barbarian, bond or free. We are altogether equally

become abominable in God's sight, all equally fallen short of the glory

of God, and consequently all alike so many pieces of marred clay.

How God came to suffer man to fall? how long man stood before he fell?

And how the corruption contracted by the fall, is propagated to every

individual of his species are questions of such an abstruse and

critical nature, that should I undertake to answer them, would be only

gratifying a sinful curiosity, and tempting you, as Satan tempted dour

first parents, to eat forbidden fruit. It will much better answer the

design of this present discourse, which is practical, to pass on

II. To the next thing proposed, and point out to you the absolute

necessity there is of this fallen nature's being renewed.

This I have had all along in my eye, and on account of this, have

purposely been so explicit on the first general head: for has

Archimedes once said, "Give me a place where I may fix my foot, and I

will move the world;" so without the least imputation of arrogance,

with which, perhaps, he was justly chargeable, we may venture to say,

grant the foregoing doctrine to be true, and then deny the necessity of

man's being renewed who can.

I suppose, I may take it for granted, that all of you amongst whom I am

now preaching the kingdom of God, hope after death to go to a place

which we call Heaven. And my heart's desire and prayer to God for you

is, that you all may have mansions prepared for you there. But give me

leave to tell you, were you now to see these heavens opened, and the

angel (to use the words of the seraphic Hervey clothed with all his

heavenly drapery, with one foot upon the earth, and another upon the

sea; nay, were you to see and hear the angel of the everlasting

covenant, Jesus Christ himself, proclaiming "time shall be no more,"

and giving you all an invitation immediately to come to heaven; heaven

would be no heaven to you, nay it would be a hell to your souls, unless

you were first prepared for a proper enjoyment of it here on earth.

"For what communion hath light with darkness?" Or what fellowship could

unrenewed sons of Belial possibly keep up with the pure and immaculate

Jesus?

The generality of people form strange ideas of heaven. And because the

scriptures, in condescension to the weakness of our capacities,

describe it by images taken from earthly delights and human grandeur,

therefore they are apt to carry their thoughts no higher, and at the

best only form to themselves a kind of Mahomitan paradise. But permit

me to tell you, and God grant it may sink deep into your hearts! Heaven

is rather a state than a place; and consequently, unless you are

previously disposed by a suitable state of mind, you could not be happy

even in heaven itself. For what is grace but glory militant? What is

glory but grace triumphant? This consideration made a pious author say,

that "holiness, happiness, and heaven, were only three different words

for one and the self-same thing." And this made the great Preston, when

he was about to die, turn to his friends, saying, "I am changing my

place, but not my company." He had conversed with God and good men on

earth; he was going to keep up the same, and infinitely more refined

communion with God, his holy angels, and the spirits of just men made

perfect, in heaven.

To make us meet to be blissful partakers of such heavenly company, this

"marred clay," I mean, these depraved natures of ours, must necessarily

undergo an universal moral change; our understandings must be

enlightened; our wills, reason, and consciences, must be renewed; our

affections must be drawn toward, and fixed upon things above; and

because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven, this

corruptible must put on incorruption, this mortal must put on

immortality. And thus old things must literally pass away, and behold

all things, even the body as well as the faculties of the soul, must

become new.

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