Part 6

Part 6

scripture, yea, and seemingly such a very apposite [appropriate] one

too? I suspect some design, without doubt: for herein, he would mimic

our Lord, who, he perceived, intended to fight him with this weapon;

and not liking the sharp edge of it, he thought that if he quoted

scripture, the Lord Jesus would not employ it against him any more. "It

is written, (therefore said he) he shall give his angels charge

concerning thee, and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at

any time thou dash thy foot against a stone: and therefore, since thou

art sure of such protection, thou needst not fear to cast thyself

down." This was plausible, and by the length of it, one would be apt to

imagine, it was a fair quotation; but Satan takes care, not only to

misapply, but also to maim it, purposely omitting these important

words, "in all thy ways." It is true, God had given charge to his

angels, concerning his children in general, and his beloved Son in

particular, that they should keep him in all his ways; but, if our Lord

had at this time, at the devil's request, and to gratify pride, thrown

himself down from the pinnacle, and thereby unnecessarily presumed on

his Father's protection, he would not have been in God' s way, and

therefore, would have had no right to the promised protection at all.

Satan was aware of this, and therefore fitly left out what he knew

would not suit his purpose. But is scripture the worse, for being

abused or perverted by the devil, or his emissaries? No, in no wise.

Our Lord, therefore, lets him know, that he should not throw aside this

important weapon upon this account, but puts by this home thrust, with

another scripture: "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord

thy God." Still our Lord quotes something out of the book of

Deuteronomy, and hath his eye upon Israel in his wilderness state.

Originally these words were directed to the Israelites in general, and

accordingly are in the plural number; but here our Lord, as before,

makes a particular application of them to himself: Satan bids him cast

himself down, assuring him, God had promised in his word, to order his

angels to take care of him. Now, says our Lord, "It is written in

another part of his word, that the Israelites should not tempt the Lord

their God, by distrusting his goodness on the one hand, or presuming on

his protection on the other. And, therefore, as I would not command the

stones to be made bread, needlessly and distrustfully set up to provide

for myself; neither will I now presume unnecessarily upon God's power,

by casting myself down, though placed by thee in such a dangerous

situation.

Thus our great Michael comes off conqueror in the second assault. And

doth not the serpent feel his head bruised enough yet? Not at all: on

the contrary, being more and more enraged at such unusual opposition,

and want of success, "He again taketh him up into an exceeding high

mountain, (what mountain is not very material) and showeth him all the

kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them," St. Luke adds, "in a

moment of time:" which confirms the common conjecture, that Satan did

not show our Lord really the kingdoms of the world, (for that must have

taken up more time) but only took him up into an exceeding high

mountain to humor the thing, and by exerting his utmost art, impressed

on our Lord's imagination all at once, a very strong, and to any but

innocence itself, a very striking prospect of the kingdoms of the

world, and the glory of them; not the cares: that would not serve

Satan's turn. He showed our Savior crowns, but never told him those

crowns were gilded [inlaid] with thorns; "He showed him, (says Mr.

Henry, my favorite commentator) as in a landscape, or airy

representation in a cloud, such as that great deceiver could easily

frame and put together, the glorious and splendid appearance of

princes, their robes and retinue, their equipage and lifeguards; the

pomps of thrones and courts, and stately palaces; the sumptuous

buildings in cities; the gardens and fields about the country feats,

with the various instances of their wealth, pleasure, and gaiety; so as

might be most likely to strike the fancy, and excite the admiration and

affection. Such was this show." Our Savior very well knew it, only lets

Satan go to the full length of his string, that his victory over him

might be the more illustrious. And now, says the devil, "All these

things ( a mighty all indeed; a mere imaginary bubble!) will I give

thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. He would fain have it

taken for granted, that he had succeeded in the two preceding

temptations: "Come, thou seest thou art not the Son of God, or if thou

art, thou seest what an unkind Father he is; thou art here in a

starving condition, therefore take my advice, disown thy relation to

him, set up for thyself, call me father, ask of me blessings, and all

these will I give thee; while all that I desire in return, is but a

bow, only fall down and worship me." Here Satan discovers himself with

a witness: this was a desperate parting stroke, indeed. It is not high

time for thee, O thou enemy of souls, to be commanded to depart! Filled

with a holy resentment at such hellish treatment, and impatient of the

very thought of setthng up for himself, or alienating the least part

of his heart and affections from his Father, or dividing them between

his God and the world; "Then said Jesus unto him, Get thee hence,

Satan, (I know thee who thou art, under all thy disguises) get thee

hence, thou grand adversary; for it is written, Thou shalt worship the

Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve; this is the great

commandment of the law; this is the commandment my Father gave unto his

Israel of old, and wouldst thou have me, who came to fulfill the law

and the prophets, thus shamefully be a transgressor of it? Get thee

hence, I will bear thy insolence no longer: thy other temptations were

hellish, like thyself, but this intolerably so; get thee therefore

hence, Satan: my heavenly Father is the Lord my God, and him only will

I serve."

And now the battle is over; the important combat is ended; Jesus hath

won the field: Satan is routed and totally put to flight. "Then," when

the devil found that Jesus could withstand even the golden bait, the

lust of the eye and pride of life, in the two last, as well as the lust

of the flesh in the first temptation, despairing of the least success,

and quite stunned with that all-powerful get thee hence, Satan, "he

leaveth him."

Hell, we may well suppose, like the Philistines of old, was confounded,

and gave a horrible groan, when they saw their great Goliath, in whom

they had so long trusted, thus shamefully and totally defeated in no

less than three pitched battles. The first Adam was attacked but once,

and was conquered; but the second Adam, though thus repeatedly

assaulted, comes off without the least sin, not only conqueror, but

more than conqueror. Think you not, that there was joy, joy unspeakable

in heaven, upon this glorious occasion? Think you not that the angels,

those sons of God, and the multitude of the heavenly host, who shouted

so loud at our Lord's birth, did not repeat, if possible, with yet

greater ecstasy, that heavenly anthem, "Glory be to God in the

highest." For a while they were only spectators, orders, we may

suppose, being issued out, that they should only wait around, but not

relieve their praying, fasting, tempted Lord; but now the restraint is

removed: Satan departs, and "behold, angels came and ministered unto

him;" they came to administer to his bodily necessities, and to

congratulate him upon the glorious and complete victory which he had

gained: some of them, it may be, had done this kind office for Elijah

long ago; and with unspeakably greater joy, they repeat it to the Lord

of Elijah now. His Father sends him bread from heaven; and by this lets

him know, that notwithstanding the horrid temptations with which he had

been attacked, he is his own beloved son, in and with whom he was well

pleased.

And was there joy in heaven on this happy occasion? What equal, and if

possible, what infinitely greater joy ought there to be among the

children of God here on earth? For we should do well to remember, that

our blessed Lord in this great fight with, and conquest over the

dragon, acted as a public person, as a federal head of his mystical

body the church, even the common representative of all believers. We

may therefore from this blessed passage gather strong consolations;

since by our Lord's conquest over Satan, we are thereby assured of our

own, and in the mean while can apply to him as a compassionate High

Priest, who was in all things tempted as we are, that he might

experimentally be enabled to succor us when we are tempted.

Who, who after hearing of or reading this, can think themselves hardly

used, or utterly cast off by God, because they are tempted to

self-murder, blasphemy, or any other horrid and shocking crimes? Who

can wonder at wave being permitted to come upon wave, and one trial to

follow upon the back of another? Who can admire, that Satan follows

them to holy ordinances, and tempts them to doubt of the reality of all

their manifestations, and of their being God's children, even after

they have enjoyed the most intimate and delightful communion with their

heavenly Father? Was not our Lord treated thus? And "shall the servant

be above his Lord, or the disciple above his Master?" No, it is

sufficient that the servant be as his Lord, and the disciple as his

Master.

But not to dwell on a general improvement, let us see what particular

lessons may be learned from this affecting portion of holy writ.

And First, was our Lord thus violently beset in the wilderness? Then we

may learn, that however profitable solitude and retirement may be, when

used in due season, yet when carried to an extreme is hurtful, and

rather befriends than prevents temptation. Woe be to him that is thus

always alone; for he hath not another to lift him up when he falleth,

or to advise with when he is tempted. As a hermit in America once told

me, when I asked him whether he found that way of life lessened his

temptations: "Dost not thou know, friend, (said he) that a tree which

grows by itself, is more exposed to winds and storms than another that

stands surrounded with other trees in the woods?" Our Lord knew this,

and therefore he was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be

tempted of the devil. Lord, keep us from leading ourselves into this

temptation, and succor and support us whenever led by thy providence

into it! Then, and then only, shall we be safe amidst the fiery darts

of the grand enemy of our souls.

Secondly, Did our Lord by prayer, fasting, and temptation, prepare

himself for his public ministry? Surely then, all those who profess to

be inwardly moved by the Holy Ghost to take upon them the office and

administration of the church, should be prepared in the same manner.

For though the knowledge of books and men, are good in their places,

yet without a knowledge of Satan's devices be superadded, a minister

will be only like a physician, that undertakes to prescribe to sick

people, without having studied the nature of herbs. And hence, it is to

be feared, many heavy laden and afflicted souls have been sent by

certain ministers, to surgeons, to be blooded in the arm, instead of

being directed to apply to the blood of Christ to cleanse their hearts.

Hence, conviction is looked upon as a delirium, and violent temptations

censured as downright madness. Hence, souls that are truly and

earnestly repenting of their sins, and as earnestly seeking after rest

in Christ, have been directed to plays, novels, romances, and merry

company, to divert them from being righteous over-much. Miserable

comforters are such blind guides! Surely, they deserve not better

titles than that of murderers of souls! They go not into the kingdom of

heaven themselves, and those who are entering in they would by this

means hinder. Go not after them, all ye young men who would be able

ministers of the New Testament; but on the contrary, if you would be

useful in binding up the broken hearted, and pouring the oil of

consolation into wounded souls, prepare yourselves for manifold

temptations. For as Luther says, "prayer and meditation, reading and

temptation, make a minister." If now exercised with spiritual

conflicts, be not disheartened, it is a good sign that our Lord intends

to make use of you. Being thus tempted like unto your brethren, you

will be the better enabled to succor and advise those who shall apply

to you under their temptations. What says the apostle Paul? "If we are

afflicted, it is for your sake." And if you are afflicted, it is only

that you may save your own souls, and help to save the souls of those

who shall be committed to your charge. Be strong therefore in the grace

which is in Christ Jesus, and learn to endure hardness, like good

soldiers, that are hereafter to instruct others how they must fight the

good fight of faith.

Thirdly, Did the tempter come to Christ when he saw him an hungered?

Let those of you that are reduced to a low estate, from hence learn,

that an hour of poverty is an hour of temptation, not only to murmuring

and doubting of our sonship and the divine favor, but also to help

ourselves by unlawful means. "If thou be the Son of God, said Satan,

command that these stones may be made bread." This is what Agur

dreaded, "lest I be poor and steal." Learn, ye godly poor, to be upon

your guard, and remember that poverty and temptations are no marks of

your being cast off by God. Your Lord was an hungered; your Lord was

tempted on this account to doubt his sonship, before you. Learn of him

not to distrust, but rather to trust in your heavenly Father. Angels

came and ministered unto Christ; and he who is Lord of the angels, will

send some kind messenger or another to relieve your wants. Your

extremity shall be the Redeemer's opportunity to help you. Make your

wants known unto him, he careth for you. Though in a desart [desert?],

though no visible means appear at present, yet you shall in God's due

time find a table spread for you and yours; "For man doth not live by

bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of

God."

And may not such among you, who are exalted, as well as those who are

brought low, from Satan's taking the Lord Jesus, and placing him upon a

pinnacle of the temple, learn also a lesson of holy watchfulness and

caution. High places are slippery places, and are apt to make even the

strongest heads and most devout hearts to turn giddy. How necessary

therefore is that excellent petition in our Litany, "in all time of our

wealth, (as well as in all time of our tribulation) good Lord deliver

us!" Agreeably to this, Agur prays as much against riches as poverty;

if he was poor, he feared he should be tempted to steal, if rich, that

he should trust in uncertain riches; and say, who is the Lord?

I charge, therefore, all of you, who are rich and high in this world,

to watch and pray, lest ye fall by Satan's temptation. Those especially

of you, that are placed as on the pinnacle of the temple, exalted above

your fellows in the church of God, take heed in an especial manner unto

yourselves, lest by spiritual pride, vanity, or any other sin that doth

most easily beset persons in such eminent stations, ye cast yourselves

down. This is what Satan aims at. He strives to make us destroyers of

ourselves. And he hath a particular enmity against such as you; he

knows, that your name is Legion; and that if you cast yourselves down,

he shall gain a great advantage over many others; you cannot fall

alone. O that it may be said of us, as the papists use to say of

Luther, "That German beast doth not love gold." May the fire of divine

love burn up all the love of this present evil world, and pride of

life, out of your hearts! This, Satan reserved for his last, as

thinking it was the most powerful and prevailing temptation, "He took

our Lord up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed him all the

kingdoms of the world and the glory of them." He cares not how high he

exalts us, or how high he is obliged to bid, so he can but get our

hearts divided between God and the world. All this will he offer to

give us, if we will only fall down and worship him. Arm us, dear Lord

Jesus, with thy Spirit, and help us under all such circumstances, to

learn of thee, and say unto the tempter, "Get thee hence, Satan; for it

is written, thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt

thou serve."

Fourthly, Whether beset with this or any other temptation, let all us

learn of our Lord to fight the devil with the sword of the Spirit,

which is the word of God. Though he had the Spirit without measure, yet

he always made use of this. We pray say of it, as David did of

Goliath's sword, "none like this," none like this. And supposing Satan

should be permitted to transform himself into an angel of light, and by

false impressions, and delusive applications of misquoted texts,

attempt to turn this weapon upon us against ourselves; let us not

therefore be prevailed on to let go, but by comparing spiritual things

with spiritual, as our Lord did, find out God's mind and our duty. Had

Christ's children and ministers only observed this one lesson, how much

strange fire would quickly have been extinguished? How much real

enthusiasm been easily stopped? How may imaginary revelations have been

detected? How many triumphs of Satan and his emissaries been prevented?

And how much more would the comforts of Christ's people and ministers

been continued and increased, not only in this present, but also in

every age of the Christian church? But let us not be discouraged or

think worse of Christ, his cause, or his word, because through Satan's

subtlety, any of us, or others, may have been drawn in to make some

wrong applications of it; others have been thus tempted and mistaken

before us. However, let us be humbled before God and man, and be

excited by our past ignorance of Satan's devices, to adhere more

closely to the written word, and to pray more earnestly for God's holy

Spirit to give us direction by it. "Then will it still be a lantern

unto our feet, and a light unto our path;" we shall yet be enabled to

behave more skillfully under all our future trials. Many we must yet

expect; nay, perhaps our severest temptations are yet to come; Satan

left our Lord, after his attacking him in the wilderness, "only for a

season," as St. Luke has it, until the season of his death and passion.

And thus he may be permitted to deal with us. We are not yet come to

our complete rest; the King of terrors is yet to be grappled with, and

the valley of the shadow of death to be passed through; long before

that, we may be called to endure many a fiery trial, and be beset with

manifold temptations, under which we may be as ignorant how to behave,

as under those with which we have already been visited. Alas! we know

not what remaining corruptions are in our hearts, which time and

temptation may draw out and discover. Perhaps Satan hath not yet

attacked us on our weakest side; when he does, if left to ourselves,

how weak shall we be? It is said of Achilles, that he was invulnerable,

except in the heel, and by a wound in that, at last he died. Let not

him, therefore, that putteth on the harness, boast as though he had put

it off." Neither, on the other hand, let us be faint-hearted or

dismayed. Satan may tempt, but cannot force; he may sift, but Christ

will pray. He who hath helped us already, will help us to the end. He

who conquered for us in the wilderness, will ere long make us also more

than conquerors over all trials and temptations, inward and outward,

and over death and hell itself, through his almighty, everlasting and

never-failing love. We now sow in tears; in a very little time, and we

shall reap with joy; we may now go on our way weeping, by reason of the

enemy oppressing us; but, ere long, angels shall be sent, not to

minister to us in this wilderness, but to carry us to an heavenly

Canaan, even to Abraham's bosom. Then shall we see this accuser and

tempter of our Lord, of our brethren, and of ourselves, cast out: this

wicked one, as well as the wicked world, and wicked heart, will no more

be permitted to vex, disturb or annoy us.

"But woe unto you that laugh now; for you shall then lament and weep."

Woe unto you, who either believer there is no devil, or never felt any

of his temptations. Woe unto you that are at ease in Zion, and instead

of staying to be tempted by the devil, by idleness, self-indulgence,

and making continual provision for the flesh, even tempt the devil to

tempt you. Woe unto you, who not content with sinning yourselves, turn

factors for hell, and make a trade of tempting others to sin. Woe unto

you, who either deny divine revelation, or never make use of it but to

serve a bad turn. Woe unto you who sell your consciences, and pawn your

souls for a little worldly wealth or honor. Woe unto you who climb up

to high places, when in church or state, by corruption, bribery,

extortion, cringing, flattery, or bowing down to, and soothing the

vices of those by whom you expect to rise. Woe unto you! For whether

you will own the relation or not, surely you are of your father the

devil; for the works of your father you will do; I tremble for you. How

can you escape the damnation of hell?

But I have not time to follow such as you any farther. This discourse,

and the present frame of my mind, lead me rather to speak to those, who

by feeling Satan's fiery darts, know assuredly that there is a devil.

Comfort thou, comfort thou, these afflicted ones, O Lord. O thou

all-merciful and all-bountiful God, and thou compassionate High-Priest,

thou once tempted, but now triumphant Savior, as thou once didst not

disdain to be ministered unto by angels, bless we pray thou this

discourse, to the support and strengthening of thy tempted people,

though delivered by the meanest messenger thou didst ever yet employ in

thy church!

I add no more. The Lord bless you and keep you! The Lord lift up the

light of his countenance, stablish, strengthen, and settle you, and

bring you to his eternal kingdom!

__________________________________________________________________

The Heinous Sin of Profane Cursing and Swearing

Matthew 5:34 -- "But I say unto you, Swear not at all."

Among the many heinous sins for which this nation is grown infamous,

perhaps there is no one more crying, but withal more common, than the

abominable custom of profane swearing and cursing. Our streets abound

with persons of all degrees and qualities, who are continually

provoking the holy one of Israel to anger, by their detestable oaths

and blasphemies: and our very children, "out of whose mouths," the

psalmist observes in his days, "was perfected praise," are now grown

remarkable for the quite opposite ill quality of cursing and swearing.

This cannot but be a melancholy prospect, for every sincere and honest

minister of Jesus Christ, to view his fellow-creatures in; and such as

will put him on contriving some means to prevent the spreading at least

of so growing an evil; knowing that the Lord (without repentance) will

assuredly visit for these things. But alas! what can he do? Public

animadversions are so neglected amongst us, that we seldom find a

common swearer punished as the laws direct. And as for private

admonition, men are now so hardened through the deceitfulness of sin,

that to give them sober and pious advice, and to show them the evil of

their doings, is but like "casting pearls before swine; they only turn

again and rend you." Since matters then are come to this pass, all that

we can do is, that as we are appointed watchmen and ambassadors of the

Lord, it our duty from time to time to show the people their

transgression, and warn them of their sin; so that whether they will

hear, or whether they will forbear, we however may deliver our own

souls. That I therefore may discharge my duty in this particular, give

me leave, in the name of God, humbly to offer to your most serious

consideration, some few observations on the words of the text, in order

to show the heinousness of profane cursing and swearing.

But, before I proceed directly to the prosecution of this point, it

will be proper to clear this precept of our Lord from a

misrepresentation that has been put on it by some, who infer from

hence, that our Savior prohibits swearing before a magistrate, when

required on a solemn and proper occasion. But that all swearing is not

absolutely unlawful for a Christian, is evident from the writings of

St. Paul, whom we often find upon some solemn occasions using several

forms of imprecation, as, "I call God as witness;" "God is my judge;"

"By your rejoicing in Christ Jesus," and suchlike. And that our savior

does by no means forbid swearing before a magistrate, in the words now

before us, is plain, if we consider the sense and design he had in

view, when he gave his disciples this command. Permit me to observe to

you then, that our blessed master had set himself, from the 27th verse

of the chapter, out of which the text is taken, to vindicate and clear

the moral law from the corrupt glosses and misconstruction of the

Pharisees, who then sat in Moses's chair, but were notoriously faulty

in adhering too closely to the literal expression of the law, without

ever considering the due extent and spiritual meaning of it.

Accordingly they imagined, that because God had said, "Thou shalt not

commit adultery," that therefore, supposing a person was not guilty of

the very act of adultery, he was not chargeable with the breach of the

seventh commandment. And likewise in the matter of swearing, because

God had forbidden his people, in the books of Exodus and Deuteronomy,

"to take his name in vain," or to swear falsely by his name; they

therefore judged it lawful to swear by any creature in common

discourse, supposing they did not directly mention the name of God. Our

blessed Savior therefore, in the words now before us, rectifies this

their mistake about swearing, as he had done in the verses immediately

forgoing, concerning adultery, and tells the people, that whatever

allowances the Pharisees might give to swear by any creature, yet he

pronounced it absolutely unlawful for any of his followers to do so.

"You have heard, that it has been said by them of old time," (namely,

by the Pharisees and teachers of the Jewish law) "Thou shalt not

forswear thyself, but perform unto the Lord thine oaths; but I say unto

you," (I who am appointed by the Father to be the great prophet and

true law-giver of his church) "Swear not at all, (in your common

conversation) neither by heaven for it is God's throne; (and therefore

to swear by that, is to swear by Him that sits thereon) neither by the

earth, for it is his foot-stool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city

of the great King; neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou

canst not make one hair white or black: but let your communications

(which plainly shows that Christ is here speaking of swearing, not

before a magistrate, but in common conversation) let your communication

be yea, yea; nay, nay, (a strong affirmation or negation at the most);

for whatsoever is more than this, cometh of evil;" that is, cometh from

an evil principle, from the evil one, the devil, the author of all

evil.

Which by the way, methinks, should be a caution to all such persons,

who, though not guilty of swearing in the gross sense of the word, yet

attest the truth of what they are speaking of, though ever so trifling,

by saying, Upon my life, -- as I live, -- by my faith, -- by the

heavens, and such like: which expressions, however harmless and

innocent they may be esteemed by some sorts of people, yet are the very

oaths which our blessed Lord condemns in the words immediately

following the text; and persons who use such unwarrantable forms of

speaking, must expect to be convicted and condemned as swearers, at our

Savior's second coming to judge the world.

But to return: It appears then from the whole tenor of our Savior's

discourse, that in the words of the text he does by no means disannul

or forbid swearing before a magistrate (which, as might easily be

shown, is both lawful and necessary) but only profane swearing in

common conversation; the heinousness and sinfulness of which I come

now, more immediately to lay before you.

And here, not to mention that it is a direct breach of our blessed

master's and great law-giver's command in the words of the text, as

likewise of the third commandment, wherein God positively declares, "he

will not hold him guiltless (that is, will assuredly punish him) that

taketh his name in vain:" not to mention that it is the greatest abuse

of that noble faculty of speech, whereby we are distinguished from the

brute creation; or the great hazard the common swearer runs, of being

perjured some time or other: not to mention those reasons against it,

which of themselves would abundantly prove the folly and sinfulness of

swearing: I shall at this time content myself with instancing four

particulars, which highly aggravate the crime of profane swearing, and

those are such as follow:

I. First, Because there is no temptation in nature to this sin, nor

does the commission of it afford the offender the least pleasure or

satisfaction.

II. Secondly, Because it is a sin which may be so often repeated.

III. Thirdly, Because it hardens infidels against the Christian

religion, and must give great offense, and occasion much sorrow and

concern to every true disciple of Jesus Christ.

IV. Fourthly, Because it is an extremity of sin, which can only be

matched in hell.

I. The first reason then, why swearing in common conversation is so

heinous in God's sight, and why we should not swear at all, is, because

it has no temptation in nature, nor does the commission of it, unless a

man be a devil incarnate, afford the offender the least pleasure or

satisfaction.

Now here, I presume, we may lay it down as a maxim universally agreed

on, that the guilt of any crime is increased or lessened in proportion

to the weakness or strength of the temptation, by which a person is

carried to the commission of it. It was this consideration that

extenuated and diminished the guilt of Saul's taking upon him to offer

sacrifice before the Prophet Samuel came; and of Uzza's touching the

ark, because it was in danger of falling: as, on the contrary, what so

highly aggravated the disobedience of our first parents, and of Lot's

wife, was, because the former had so little reason to eat the forbidden

fruit, and the latter so small a temptation to look back on Sodom.

And now if this be granted, surely the common swearer must of all

sinners be the most without excuse, since there is no manner of

temptation in nature to commission of his crime. In most of the other

commands, persons, perhaps, may plead the force of natural inclination

in excuse for the breach of them: one, for instance, may alledge his

string propensity to anger, to excuse his breaking of the sixth;

another, his proneness to lust, for his violation of the seventh. But

surely the common swearer has nothing of this kind to urge in his

behalf; for though he may have a natural inclination to this or that

crime, yet no man, it is to be presumed, can say, he is born with a

swearing constitution.

But further, As there is no temptation to it, so there is no pleasure

or profit to be reaped from the commission of it. Ask the drunkard why

he rises up early to follow strong drink, and he will tell you, because

it affords his sensual appetite some kind of pleasure and

gratification, though it be no higher than that of a brute. Inquire of

the covetous worldling, why he defrauds and over-reaches his neighbor,

and he has an answer ready; to enrich himself, and lay up goods for

many years. But it must certainly puzzle the profane swearer himself,

to inform you what pleasure he reaps from swearing: for alas! it is a

fruitless tasteless thing that he sells his soul for. But indeed he

does not sell it at all: in this case he prodigally gives it away

(without repentance) to the devil; and parts with a blessed eternity,

and runs into everlasting torment, merely for nothing.

II. But Secondly, what increases the heinousness of profane swearing,

is, that it is a sin which may so often be repeated.

This is another consideration which always serves to lessen or increase

the guilt and malignity of any sin. It was some excuse for the

drunkenness of Noah, and the adultery of David, that they committed

these crimes but once; as, on the contrary, of the patriarch Abraham's

distrust of God, that he repeated the dissembling [deception] of Sarah

to be his wife, two several times. And if this be admitted as an

aggravation of other profane crimes, surely much more so of the guilt

of common swearing, because it is a sin which may be, and is for the

generality often repeated. In many other gross sins it cannot be so: if

a man be overcome in drink, there must be a considerable time ere he

can recover his debauch, and return to his cups again: or if he be

accustomed to profane the sabbath, he cannot do it every day, but only

one in seven. But alas! the profane swearer is ready for another oath,

almost before the sound of the first is out of our ears; yea, some

double and treble them in one sentence, even so as to confound the

sense of what they say, by an horrid din of blasphemy! Now if the great

and terrible Jehovah has expressly declared that he will not hold him

guiltless, that is, will assuredly punish him, that taketh his name but

once in vain; what a vast heap of these heinous sins lies at every

common swearer's door? It would be apt to sink him into an intolerable

despair, did he but see the whole sum of them. And O what a seared

conscience must that wretch have, that does not feel this prodigious

weight!

III. But Thirdly, what makes the sin of profane swearing appear yet

more exceeding sinful, is, that it hardens infidels against the

Christian religion.

It is the Apostle Peter's advice to the married persons of his time,

that they should walk as became the gospel of Christ, that those who

were without, might be won to embrace the Christian religion, by seeing

and observing their pious conversation coupled together with fear. And

what the Apostle presses on married persons, we find elsewhere enjoined

on each particular member of the church. Accordingly we are commanded

by our blessed Lord, to "let our light to shine before men, that they

may see our good works, and glorify our Father which is in heaven;" And

the Apostle Paul bids us "walk circumspectly towards them that are

without, redeeming the time;" that is, embracing all opportunities to

do them good, "because the days are evil." But alas! in what a direct

contradiction does the profane swearer live to this and such-like

precepts, who, instead of gaining proselytes to Christ from the

unbelieving part of the world, does all he can to oppose it! For how

can it be expected, that infidels should honor God, when Christians

themselves despise him; or that any should embrace our religion, when

professors of it themselves make so light of one of its strictest

commands? No; to our grief and shame be it spoken, it is by reason of

such impieties as these, that our holy religion (the best and purest in

itself) is become a by-word among the heathen; that the sacred

authority of the holy Jesus and his doctrine is despised; and "God's

name (as it is written) blasphemed among the Gentiles."

These cannot but be sad stumbling-blocks and offenses in the way of our

brethren's conversion; "But woe be to those men by whom such offenses

come." We may say of them, as our blessed Lord did of Judas, "It had

been better for such men, that they had never been born;" or, as he

threatens in another place, "It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and

Gomorrah in the day of judgment, than for such sinners."

But this is not all; As profane swearing must undoubtedly harden those

in their infidelity, that are without, so must it no less grieve and

give great offense to those hones and sincere persons that are within

the church. We hear of David's complaining and crying out, "Woe is me,

that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech, and to have my habitation

amongst the tents of Kedar;" that is, that he was obliged to live and

converse with a people exceedingly wicked and profane. And St. Peter

tells us, that "Lot's righteous soul was grieved day by day, whilst he

saw and observed the ungodly conversation of the wicked." And no doubt

it was one great part of our blessed Master's sufferings whilst on

earth, that he was compelled to converse with a wicked and perverse

generation, and to hear his heavenly Father's sacred name profaned and

scoffed at by unrighteous and wicked men. And surely it cannot but

pierce the heart of every true and sincere Christian, of every one that

does in any measure partake of the spirit of his master, to hear the

multitude of oaths and curses which proceed daily and hourly out of the

mouths of many people, and those too, whose liberal education, and

seeming regard for the welfare of religion, one would think, should

teach them a more becoming behavior. To hear the great and terrible

name of God polluted by men, which is adored by angels; and to consider

how often that sacred name is profancd in common discourse, which we

are not worthy to mention in our prayers; this, I say, cannot but make

each of them cry out with holy David, "Woe is me, that I am constrained

to dwell with Mesech, and to have my habitation amongst the tents of

Kedar." And though the blasphemous and profane discourses of others,

will not be imputed to sincere persons for sin, so long as they "have

no fellowship with such hellish fruits of darkness, but rather reprove

them;" yet it will greatly enhance the present guilt, and sadly

increase the future punishment of every profane swearer, by whom such

offenses come. For if, as our Savior tells us, "it had been better for

a man to have a mill-stone tied around his neck, than that he should

offend one of his little once, (that is, the weakest of his disciples)

how much sorer punishment will they be thought worthy of," who not only

cause God's name to be blasphemed among the Gentiles, and the religion

of our dear Redeemer to be abhorred; but who make his saints to weep

and mourn, and vex their righteous souls from day to day, by their

ungodly, profane, and blasphemous conversation? Surely, as God will put

the tears of the one into his bottle, so it will be just in him to

punish the other with eternal sorrow, for all their ungodly and hard

speeches, and cast them into a lake of fire and brimstone, where they

shall be glad of a drop of water to cool those tongues, with which they

have so often blasphemed the Lord of Hosts, and grieved the people of

our God.

IV. But it is time for me to proceed to give my Fourth and last reason,

why common swearing is so exceeding sinful; and that is, Because it is

such an extremity of sin, that can only be matched in hell, where all

are desperate, and without hope of mercy.

The damned devils, and damned souls of men in hell, may be supposed to

rave and blaspheme in their torments, because they know that the chains

wherein they are held, can never be knocked off; but for men that swim

in the river of God's goodness, whose mercies are renewed to them every

morning, and who are visited with fresh tokens of his infinite

unmerited loving-kindness every moment; for these favorite creatures to

set their mouths against heaven, and to blaspheme a gracious, patient,

all-bountiful God; is a height of sin which exceeds the blackness and

impiety of devils and hell itself.

And now, after what has been here offered, to show the heinousness of

profane cursing and swearing in common conversation, may I not very

justly address myself to you in the words of the text, "Therefore I say

unto you, Swear not at all;" since it is a sin that has no temptation

in nature, nor brings any pleasure or profit to the committer of it;

since it hardens infidels in their infidelity, and affords sad causes

of grief and lamentation to every honest Christian; since it is a sin

that generally grows into a habit, and lastly, such a sin that can only

be matched in hell.

1. And first then, if these things be so, and the sin of profane

swearing, as hath been in some measure shown, is so exceeding sinful,

what shall we say to such unhappy men, who think it not only allowable,

but fashionable and polite, to "take the name of God in vain;" who

imagine that swearing makes them look big among their companions, and

really think it a piece of honor to abound in it? But alas! little do

they think that such a behavior argues the greatest degeneracy of mind

and fool-hardiness, that can possibly be thought of. For what can be

more base, than one hour to pretend to adore God in public worship, and

the very next moment to blaspheme his name; indeed, such a behavior,

from persons who deny the being of a God, (if any such fools there be)

is not altogether to much to be wondered at; but for men, who not only

subscribe to the belief of a Deity, but likewise acknowledge him to be

a God of infinite majesty and power; for such men to blaspheme his holy

name, by profane cursing and swearing, and at the same time confess,

that this very God has expressly declared, he will not hold him

guiltless, but will certainly and eternally punish (without repentance)

him that taketh his name in vain; is such an instance of

fool-hardiness, as well as baseness, that can scarcely be paralleled.

This is what they presume not to do in other cases of less danger: they

dare not revile a general at the head of his army, nor rouse a sleeping

lion when within reach of his paw. And is the Almighty God, the great

Jehovah, the everlasting King, who can consume them by the breath of

his nostrils, and frown them to hell in an instant; is he the only

contemptible being in their account, that may be provoked without fear,

and offended without punishment? No; though God hear long, he will not

bear always; the time will come, and that too, perhaps, much sooner

than such persons may expect, when God will vindicate his injured

honor, when he will lay bare his almighty arm, and make those wretches

feel the eternal smart of his justice, show power and name they have so

often vilified and blasphemed. Alas! what will become of all their

bravery then? Will they then wantonly sport with the name of their

Maker, and call upon the King of all the earth to damn them any more in

jest? No; their note will then be changed: indeed, they shall call, but

it will be for "the rocks to fall on them, and the hills to cover them

from the wrath of him that sitteth upon the throne, and from the Lamb

for ever." It is true, time was when they prayed, though without

thought, perhaps, for damnation both for themselves and others; and now

they will find their prayers answered. "They delighted in cursing,

therefore shalt it happen unto them; they loved not blessing, therefore

shall it be far from them; they clothed themselves with cursing like as

with a garment, and it shall come into their bowels like water, and

like oil into their bones."

2. But further, if the sin of swearing is so exceeding heinous, and

withal so common, then it is every particular person's duty, especially

those that are in authority, to do their utmost towards

discountenancing and suppressing so malignant a crime. The duty we owe

both to God and our neighbor, requires this at our hands; by the one we

are obliged to assert our Maker's honor; by the other to prevent our

neighbor's ruin; and it is but doing as we would be done by, and as we

ourselves act in cases of lesser consequence. Were we to hear either

our own or our friend's good name vilified [slandered, maligned] and

traduced [slandered, maligned], we should think it our bounden duty to

vindicate the wronged reputation of each; and shall the great,

terrible, and holy name of our best and only friend, our king, our

father, nay our God: shall this be daily, nay every moment, defied and

blasphemed; and will no one dare to stand up in defense of his honor

and holiness? Be astonished, O heavens, at this! No; let us scorn all

such base and treacherous treatment; let us resolve to support the

cause of religion, and with a becoming prudent courage manifest our

zeal for the honor of the Lord of Hosts. Men in authority have double

the advantages of ordinary Christians; their very office shows they are

intended for the punishment of evil doers. And such is the degeneracy

of mankind, that the generality of them will be more influenced by the

power of persons in authority, than by the most labored exhortations

from the pulpit. To such, therefore, if there are any here present, I

humbly address myself, beseeching them, in the name of our Lord Jesus

Christ, to do their utmost to put a stop to, and restrain profane

cursing and swearing. And though it must be confessed, that this is a

work which requires a great deal of courage and pains, yet they would

do well to consider, it is for God they undertake it, who certainly

will support and bear them out in a due execution of their office here,

and reward them with an exceeding and eternal weight of glory

hereafter. But it is time to draw towards a conclusion.

3. Let me, therefore, once more address myself to every person here

present, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; and if any amongst them

have been any way guilty of this notorious sin of swearing, let me

entreat them by all that is near and dear to them, that they would

neither give the magistrate the trouble to punish, nor their friends

any reason for the future to warn them against committing the crime;

but keep a constant and careful watch over the door of their lips, and

withal implore the divine assistance (without which all is nothing)

that they offend no more so scandalously with their tongues. Let them

seriously lay to heart, what with great plainness and simplicity has

here been delivered: and if they have any regard for themselves as men,

or their reputation as Christians; if they would not be a public

scandal to their profession, or a grief to all that know or converse

with them: in short, if they would not be devils incarnate here, and

provoke God to punish them eternally hereafter; I say unto them in the

name of our Lord Jesus Christ, "Swear not at all."

__________________________________________________________________

Christ the Support of the Tempted

Matthew 6:13 -- "Lead us not into temptation."

The great and important duty which is incumbent on Christians, is to

guard against all appearance of evil; to watch against the first

risings in the heart to evil; and to have a guard upon our actions,

that they may not be sinful, or so much as seem to be so. It is true,

the devil is tempting us continually, and our own evil hearts are ready

to join with the tempter, to make us fall into sins, that he thereby

may obtain a victory over us, and that we, my brethren, may be his

subjects, his servants, his slaves; and then by-and-by he will pay us

our wages, which will be death temporal, and death eternal. Our Lord

Jesus Christ saw how his people would be tempted; and that the great

enemy of their souls would lay hold of every opportunity, so he could

but be a means of keeping poor sinners from coming to the Lord Jesus

Christ; hurrying you with temptation, to drive you to some great sins;

and then if he cannot gain you over, sell it to a smaller, and suit his

temptations time after time; and when he finds none of these things

will do, often transform himself into an angel of light, and by that

means make the soul fall into sin, to the dishonor of God, and the

wounding of itself; the Lord Jesus, I say, seeing how liable his

disciples, and all others, would be to be overcome by temptation,

therefore advises them, when they pray, to beg that they might not be

led into temptation. It is so dangerous to engage so subtle and

powerful an enemy as Satan is, that we shall be overcome as often as we

engage, unless the Lord is on our side. My brethren, if you were left

to yourselves, you would be overcome by every temptation with which you

are beset.

These words are part of the prayer which Christ taught his disciples;

and I shall, therefore, make no doubt, but that you all believe them to

be true, since they are spoken by one who cannot lie. I shall,

I. Show you who it is that tempts you.

II. Shall show, my brethren, why he tempts you.

III. Mention some of the ways and means he makes use of, to draw you

over to his temptations.

IV. Let you see how earnest you ought to be to the Lord, that he may

preserve you from being led into temptation.

V. I shall make some application by way of entreaty unto you, to come

unto Christ, that he, my brethren, may deliver you from being tempted.

I. First, We are to consider who it is that tempts us.

And the tempter is Satan, the prince of the power of the air, he that

now ruleth in the children of disobedience; he is an enemy to God and

goodness, he is a hater of all truth. Why else did he slander God in

paradise? Why did he tell Eve, "You shall not surely die?" He is full

of malice, envy, and revenge; for what reasons else could induce him to

molest innocent man in paradise? The person that tempts ye, my

brethren, is remarkable for his subtlety; for having not power given

him from above, he is obliged to wait for opportunities to betray us,

and to catch us by guile; he, therefore, made use of the serpent to

tempt our first parents; and to lie in wait to deceive, is another part

of his character. And though this character is given of the devil, if

we were to examine our own hearts, we should find many of the tempter's

characters legible in us.

Do not many of you love to make a lie? And if it is done in your trade;

you therefore look on it as excusable; but whether you believe it or

not, it is sinful, it is exceedingly sinful. Though you may value

yourselves as fine rational creatures, and that you are noble beings;

and you were so, as you first came out of God's hands; but now you are

fallen, there is nothing lovely, nothing desirable in man; his heart is

a sink of pollution, full of sin and uncleanness: Yet, though a man's

own heart is so desperately wicked, he is told by our modern polite

preachers, that there is a fitness in men, and that God seeing you a

good creature, gives you his grace; but this, though it is a modern,

polite, and fashionable way of talking, is very unscriptural; it is

very contrary to the doctrines of the Reformation, and to our own

Articles. But however contrary to the doctrines of the Church of

England, yet our pulpits ring of nothing more, than doing no one any

harm, living honestly, loving your neighbor as yourselves, and do what

you can, and then Christ is to make up the deficiency: this is making

Christ to be half a savior, and man the other part; but I say, Christ

will be your whole righteousness, your whole wisdom, your whole

sanctification, or else he will never be your whole redemption. How

amazing is it, that the ministers of the church of England should speak

quite contrary to what they have subscribed! Good God! If these are the

guides of the ignorant, and esteemed to be the true ministers of Jesus,

because they have a great share of letter-learning; when at the same

time they are only the blind leaders of the blind; and without a

special Providence, they both will fall into the ditch.

No wonder at people's talking of the fitness and unfitness of things,

when they can tell us, that the Spirit of God, is a good conscience,

and the comforts of the Holy Ghost are consequent thereupon. But this

is wrong; for it should be said, the Spirit of God, are the comforts of

the Holy Ghost, and a good conscience consequent thereupon. Seneca,

Cicero, Plato, or any of the heathen philosophers, would have given as

good a definition as this; it means no more than reflecting we have

done well.

But let these modern, polite gentlemen, and let my letter-learned

brethren, paint man in as lovely colors as they please, I will not do

it; I dare not make him better than the word of God does. If I was to

paint man in his proper colors, I must go to the kingdom of hell for a

copy; for man is by nature full of pride, subtlety, malice, envy,

revenge, and all uncharitableness; and what are these but the temper of

the devil? And lust, sensuality, pleasure, these are the tempers of the

beast. Thus, my brethren, man is half a beast, and half a devil, a

motley mixture of the beast and devil. And this is the creature, who

has made himself so obnoxious to the wrath of God, and open to his

indignation, that is told, that he must be part his own savior, by

doing good works, and what he cannot do Christ will do for him.

This is giving the tempter great room to come in with his temptation;

he may press a soul to follow moral duties, to go to church, take the

sacrament, read, pray, meditate; the devil is well content you should

do all these; but if they are done in your own strength, or if you go

no farther than here, you are only going a smoother way to hell.

Thus, my brethren, you may see who it is that tempts us. But

II. Why he tempts you, is the second thing I am to show you.

It is our of envy to you, and to the Lord Jesus Christ, he endeavors to

keep you from closing with Jesus; and if he can but keep you from

laying hold by faith on Christ, he knows he has you safe enough; and

the more temptations you are under, and according to their nature and

greatness, you are more hurried in your minds; and the more unsettled

your thoughts and affections are, the more apt you are to conclude,

that if you were to go to Christ, at present, in all that hurry of

mind, he would not receive you; but this is a policy of the tempter, to

make you have low and dishonorable thoughts of the blessed Jesus; and

so by degrees he works upon your minds, that you are careless and

indifferent about Christ. This, this, my brethren, is the design of the

tempter. Nothing will please him more, than to see you ruined and lost

forever. He tempts you for that end, that you may lose your interest in

Jesus Christ, and that you may dwell with him and apostate spirits to

all eternity. He knows that Jesus Christ died for sinners, yet he would

fain keep souls from seeking to this city of refuge for shelter, and

from going to Gilead for the true balm.

It is he that rules in thy heart, O scoffer, O Pharisee; the devil

reigns there, and endeavors to blind your eyes, that you shall not see

what danger you are in, and how much evil there is in those hearts of

yours; and as long as he can keep you easy and unconcerned about having

your hearts changed, he will be easy; though if he can, he will tempt

you to sin against him, until you are hardened in your iniquity. O, my

brethren, do not give the devil a handle wherewith he may lay hold on

you; alas! it is not wonder that the devil tempts you, when he finds

you at a play, a ball, or masquerade; if you are doing the devil's

work, it is no wonder if he presses you in the continuation thereof;

and how can any say, "Lead us not into temptation," in the morning,

when they are resolved to run into it at night? Good God! Are these

persons members of the church of England? Alas, when you have gone to

church, and read over the prayers, it is offering no more than the

sacrifice of fools; you say Amen to them with your lips, when in your

hearts you are either unconcerned at what you are about, or else you

think that the bare saying of your prayers is sufficient, and that then

God and you have balanced accounts.

But, my dear brethren, do not deceive yourselves, God is not to be

mocked. You are only ruining yourselves for time and eternity. You

pray, "lead us not into temptation," when you are tempting the devil to

come and tempt you.

III. I shall now point out some of the ways and means, he makes use of

to draw you to himself.

But this is a field so large, and I have but just begun to be a soldier

of Jesus Christ, that I cannot name many unto you. I shall therefore be

very short on this head.

1. He endeavors to make you think sin is not so great as it is; that

there is no occasion of being so over-strict, and that you are

righteous over-much; that you are ostentatious [showy, pompous,

egotistical], and will do yourself harm by it; and that you will

destroy yourselves. He shows you, by brethren, the bait, but he hides

the hook; he shows you the pleasure, profits, and advantages, that

attend abundance of this world's goods; but he does not show you

crosses, losses and vexations that you may have while you are in the

enjoyment of the blessings of this world.

2. When he finds he cannot allure you by flattery, he will try you by

frowns, and the terrors of this world; he will stir up people to point

at you, and cry, "Here comes another troop of his followers;" He will

stir them up to jeer, scoff, backbite, and hate you; but if he still

finds this will not do, then he throws doubts, my brethren, and

discouragement in your mind, whether the way you are in is the true way

or not; or else he will suggest, What! Do you expect to be saved by

Christ? Also, He did not die for you; you have been too great a sinner;

you have lived in sin so long, and committed such sins against Christ,

which he will not forgive. Thus he hurries poor sinners almost into

despair.

And very often, when the people of God are met to worship him, he sends

his agents, the scoffers, to disturb them. We saw an instance of their

rage just now; they would fain have disturb us; but the Lord was on our

side, and so prevented all the attempts of wicked and designing men, to

disturb and disquiet us. Lord Jesus, forgive them who are thus

persecuting thy truth! Jesus, show them that they are fighting against

thee, and that it is hard for them to kick against the pricks! These,

my brethren, are some of the ways Satan takes, in is temptations, to

bring you from Christ. Many more might be named; but these are

sufficient, I hope, to keep you on your guard, against all that the

enemy can do to hinder you from coming to Christ.

IV. I come to show you, how earnest you ought to be with Jesus Christ,

either not to suffer you to be led into temptations, or to preserve you

under them.

And here, my dear brethren, let me beseech you to go to Jesus Christ;

tell him, how you are assaulted by the evil one, who lies in wait for

your souls; tell him, you are not able to master him, in your own

strength; beg his assistance, and you shall find him ready to help you;

ready to assist you, and to be your Guide, your Comforter, your Savior,

your All; He will give you strength to resist the fiery darts of the

devil; and, therefore, you can no where find one so proper to relieve

you, as Jesus Christ; he knows what it is to be tempted; he was tempted

by Satan in the wilderness, and he will give you the assistance of his

Spirit, to resist the evil one, and then he will fly from you. In

Christ Jesus you shall have the strength you stand in need of, the

devil shall have no power; therefore fear not, for in the name of the

Lord we shall overcome all our spiritual Amalekites. Let the devil and

his agents rage, let them breathe out threatenings, yes, let them

breathe out slaughters, yet we can rejoice in this, that Jesus Christ

hath them in his power, they shall go no farther than he permits them;

they may rage, they may rage horribly, but they can go no farther,

until they have got more power from on high.

If they could do us what mischief they would, very few of us should be

permitted to see our habitations any more; but, blessed be God, we can

commit ourselves to his protection; he has been our protector hitherto,

he will be so still. Then earnestly entreat of the Lord to support you

under those temptations, which the devil may assault you with; he is a

powerful adversary, he is a cunning one too; he would be too hard for

us, unless we have the strength of Christ to be with us. But let us be

looking up unto Jesus, that he would send his Spirit into our hearts,

and keep us from falling. O my dear brethren in Christ Jesus, how

stands it now between God and your souls? Is Jesus altogether lovely to

your souls? Is he precious unto you? I am sure, if you have not gone

back from Christ, he will not from you; he will root out the accursed

things of this world, and dwell in your hearts. You are candidates for

heaven; and will you mind earth ? What are all the pleasures of earth,

without an interest in the Lord Jesus Christ? And one smile from him is

more to be desired than rubies, yea more than the whole world.

O you who have found Jesus Christ assisting you, and supporting you

under all the temptations of this life, will you forsake him? Have you

not found him a gracious master? Is he not the chiefest of ten

thousand, and altogether lovely? Now you see a form and comeliness in

Christ, which you never saw before. O! how do you and I wish we had

known Jesus sooner, and that we had more of his love; it is

condescending love, it is amazing, it is forgiving love, it is dying

love, it is exalted and interceding love, and it is glorified love.

Methinks when I am talking of the love of Jesus Christ, who loved me

before I love him; he saw us polluted in blood, full of sores, a slave

to sin, to death and hell, running to destruction, then he passed by

me, and said unto my soul, "Live;" he snatched me as a brand plucked

from the burning. It was love that saved me, it was all of the free

grace of God, and that only. The little experience I have had of this

love, makes me amazed at the condescension, the love, and mercifulness

of the blessed Jesus, that he should have mercy upon such a wretch. O,

my brethren, the kingdom of God is within me, and this fills me so full

of love, that I would not be in my natural state again, not for

millions of millions of worlds; I long to be with Jesus, to live with

the Lord that bought me, to live forever with the Lamb that was slain,

and to sing Hallelujah's unto him. Eternity itself will be too short to

set forth the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. I cannot, indeed I cannot

forbear speaking again, and again, and again, of the Lord Jesus.

And if there are any here who are strangers to this love of the Lord

Jesus Christ, do not despair; come, come unto Christ, and he will have

mercy upon you, he will pardon all your sins, he will heal all your

backslidings, he will love you freely, and take you to be with

himself.. Come therefore, O my guilty brethren, unto Jesus, and you

shall find rest for your souls. You need not fear, you need not

despair, when God has had mercy upon such a wretch as I; and he will

save you also, if you will come unto him by faith.

Why do ye delay? What! Do you say, you are poor, and therefore ashamed

to come? It is not your poverty that Christ mindeth; come in all your

rags, in all your pollution, and he will save you. Do not depend upon

any thing but the blood of Jesus Christ; do not stand out an hour

longer, but give your hearts to Christ, give him the firsthngs of the

flock; come unto him now, lest he should cut you off before you are

prepared, and your soul be sent to that pit from whence there is no

redemption.

Do not waver, but give him that which he desires, your hearts; it is

the heart the Lord Jesus Christ wanteth; and when you have an inward

principle wrought in your hearts by this same Jesus, then you will feel

the sweetness and pleasure of communion with God. O consider, my

brethren, the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, in dying for you; and are

you resolved to slight his dying love? Your sins brought Christ from

heaven, and I humbly pray to the Lord that they may not be a means of

sending you to hell. What language will make you leave your sins and

come to Christ? O that I did but know! And that it lay in my power to

give you this grace; not one of you, not the greatest scoffer here

should go hence before he was changed from a natural to a spiritual

life; then, then we would rejoice and take sweet council together; but

all this is not in my power; but I tell you where you may have it, even

of the Lord Jesus; he will give it to you, if you ask it of him, for he

has told us, "Ask, and you shall receive;" therefore ask of him, and if

you are repulsed again and again, entreat him more, and he will be unto

you as he was to the poor Syrophoenician woman, who came to Christ on

account of her daughter; and is she was so importunate to him for a

body, how much more should we be solicitous for our souls? If you seek

to him in faith, his answer will be to you as it was to her, "Thy faith

hath saved thee, be it as thou wouldest have it."

O, do not forsake the seeking of the Lord; do not, I beseech you,

neglect the opportunities which may be offered to you, for the

salvation of your souls; forsake not the assembling of yourselves

together, to build up and confirm and strengthen those who are weak in

faith; to convince sinners, that they may feel the power of God

pricking them in their hearts, and make them cry out, "What must we do

to be saved?"

The devil and his agents have their clubs of reveling, and their

societies of drunkenness; they are not ashamed to be seen and heard

doing the devil their master's works; they are not ashamed to proclaim

him; and sure you are not ashamed of the Lord Jesus Christ; you dare

proclaim that Jesus, who died that you might live, and who will own you

before his Father and all the holy angels; Therefore, dare to be

singularly good; be not afraid of the face of man; let not all the

threats of the men of this world move you; what is the loss of all the

grandeur, or pleasure, or reputation of this life, compared to the loss

of heaven, of Christ and of your souls? And as for the reproaches of

the world, do not mind them; when they revile you, never, never revile

again; do not answer railing with railing; but let love, kindness,

meekness, patience, long-suffering, be found in you, as they were in

the blessed Jesus; therefore, I beseech you, do not neglect the

frequent coming together, and telling each other, what great things

Jesus Christ hath done for your souls.

I do not now, as the Pharisees say I do, encourage you to leave your

lawful callings, and your business, in which God, by his providence,

hath placed you; for you have two callings, the one a general, and the

other a special one; it is your duty to regard your families, and if

you neglect them out of any pretense whatever, as going to church or in

societies, you are out of the way of your duty, and offering that to

God which he commanded you not. But then, my brethren, you are to take

care that the things of this life do not hinder the preparing for that

which is to come; let not the business of the world make you unmindful

of your souls; but in all your moral actions, in the business of life,

let all be done with a view to the glory of God, and the salvation of

your souls.

The nigh draws on, and obliges me to hasten to a conclusion; though,

methinks, I could speak until my tongue clave to the roof of my mouth,

yes, until I could speak no more, if it was to save your souls from the

paws of him who seeketh to devour you.

Therefore let me beseech you, in all love and compassion; Consider,

you, who are Pharisees; you, who will not come to Christ, but are

trusting to yourselves for righteousness; who think, because you lead

civil, honest, decent lives, all will go well at last; but let me tell

you, O ye Pharisees, that harlots, murderers, and thieves, shall enter

the kingdom of God before you. Do not flatter yourselves of being in

the way to heaven, when you are in the broad way to hell; but if you

will throw away your righteousness and come to Christ, and be contented

to let Jesus Christ do all for you, and in you, then Christ is willing

to be your Savior; but if you bring your good works with you, and think

to be justified on the account of them, you may seek to be justified by

them forever, and never be justified; no, it is only the blood of Jesus

Christ that cleanseth us from the filth and pollution of all our sins;

and you must be sanctified before you are justified. As for good works,

we are justified before God without any respect to them, either past,

present, or to come: when w are justified, good works will follow our

justification, for we can do no good works, until we are cleansed of

our pollution, by the sanctification of the Spirit of God.

O ye scoffers, come and see this Jesus, this Lord of glory whom you

have despised; and if you will but come to Christ, he will be willing

to receive you, notwithstanding all the persecution you have used

towards his members; However, if you are resolved to persist in your

obstinacy, remember, salvation was offered to you, that Christ and free

grace were proposed; but you refused to accept of either, and therefore

your blood will be required at your own hands.

I shall only say this unto you, that however you may despise either me

or my ministry, I shall not regard it, but shall frequently show you

your danger, and propose to you the remedy; and shall earnestly pity

and pray for you, that God would show you your error, and bring you

home into his sheepfold, that you, from ravenous lions, may become

peaceful lambs.

And as for you, O my brethren, who desire to choose Christ for you

Lord, and to experience his power upon your souls, and as you do not

find your desires and prayers answered; go on, and Christ will manifest

himself unto you, as he does not unto the world; you shall be made to

see and feel this love of Jesus upon your souls; you shall have a

witness in your own breast, that you are the Lord's; therefore, do not

fear, the Lord Jesus Christ will gather you with his elect, when he

comes at that great day of accounts, to judge every one according to

the deeds done in the body, whether they be good, or whether they be

evil; and, O that the thought of answering to God for all our actions,

would make us more mindful about the consequences that will attend it.

And now let me address all of you, high and low, rich and poor, one

with another, to accept of mercy and grace while it is offered to you;

Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation; and will you not

accept it, now it is offered unto you? Do not stand out one moment

longer; but come and accept of Jesus Christ in his own way, and then

you shall be taken up at the last day, and be with him forever and

ever; and sure this should make you desirous of being with that Jesus

who has done so much for you, and is not interceding for you, and

preparing mansions for you; where may we all arrive and sit down with

Jesus to all eternity!

Which God of his infinite mercy grant, &c

__________________________________________________________________

Worldly Business No Plea for the Neglect of Religion

Matthew 8:22 -- "Let the dead bury their dead."

St. Paul preaching at Athens, tells them, that as he passed by and

beheld their devotions, he perceived they were in all things too

superstitious. But was this apostle to rise, can come publishing the

glad tidings of salvation in any of our populous cities, he would see

no reason why he should charge the inhabitants with this; but rather as

he passed by and observed the tenor of their life, say, I perceive in

all things ye are two worldly-minded; ye are too eagerly bent on

pursuing your lawful business; so eagerly, as either wholly to neglect,

or at least too heedlessly to attend on the one thing needful.

There cannot then be a greater charity shown to the Christian world,

than to sound an alarm in their ears, and to warn them of the

inexpressible danger, of continually grasping after the things of this

life, without being equally, nay a thousand times more concerned for

their well-being in a future state.

And there is still the more occasion for such an alarm, because

worldly-mindedness so easily and craftily besets the hearts of men. For

out of a specious pretense of serving God in laboring for the meat

which perisheth, they are insensibly lulled into such a spiritual

slumber, as scarce to perceive their neglect to secure that which

endureth to everlasting life.

The words of the text, if not at first view, yet when examined and

explained, will be found applicable to this case, as containing an

admirable caution not to pursue the affairs of this world, at the

expense of our happiness in the next.

They are the words of Jesus Christ himself: the occasion of their being

spoken was this; As he was conversing with those that were gathered

round about him, he gave one of them an immediate summons to follow

him: but he, either afraid to go after such a persecuted master, or

rather loving this present world, says, "Suffer me first to go home and

bury my father," or, as most explain it, let me first go and dispatch

some important business I have now in hand. But Jesus said unto him,

"Let the dead bury their dead;" leave worldly business to worldly men,

let thy secular business be left undone, rather than thou shouldst

neglect to follow me.

Whether this person did as he was commanded, I know not; but this I

know, that what Christ said here is person, he has often whispered with

the small still voice of his holy Spirit, and said to many here

present, that rise up early and late take rest, and eat the bread of

carefulness, Come draw off your affections from the things of this

life; take up your cross and follow me. But they, willing to justify

themselves, make answer, Lord, suffer us first to bury our fathers, or

dispatch our secular affairs. I say unto all such, "Let the dead bury

their dead," let your worldly business be left undone, rather than you

should neglect to follow him.

From the words thus explained, naturally arises this proposition, that

no business, though ever so important, can justify a neglect of true

religion.

The truth of which I shall first show, and then make an application of

it.

I. First then, I am to prove, that no temporal business, though ever so

important, can justify a neglect of true religion.

By the word religion, I do not mean any set of moral virtues, any

partial amendment of ourselves, or formal attendance on any outward

duties whatsoever: but an application of Christ's whole and personal

righteousness, made by faith to our hearts; a thorough real change of

nature wrought in us by the invisible, yet powerful operation of the

Holy Ghost, preserved and nourished in our souls by a constant use of

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

the fruits of the Spirit.

This is true and undefiled religion, and for the perfecting this good

work in our hearts, the eternal Son of God came down and shed his

precious blood; for this end were we made, and sent into the world, and

by this alone can we become the sons of God. Were we indeed to judge by

the common practice of the world, we might think we were sent into it

for no other purpose, than to care and toil for the uncertain riches of

this life: but if we consult the lively oracles, they will inform us,

that we were born for nobler ends, even to be born again from above, to

be restored to the divine likeness by Jesus Christ, our second Adam,

and thereby be made meet to inherit the kingdom of heaven; and

consequently, there is an obligation laid upon all, even the most busy

people, to secure this end; it being an undeniable truth, that all

creatures ought to answer the end for which they were created.

Some indeed are for confining religion to the clergy, and think it only

belongs to those who serve at the altar; but what a fatal mistake is

this, seeing all persons are indifferently called by God to the same

state of inward holiness. As we are all corrupt in our nature, so must

we all be renewed and sanctified. And though it must be granted, that

the clergy lie under double obligations to be examples to believers, in

faith, zeal, charity, and whatever else s commendable and of good

report, as being more immediately dedicated to the service of God; yet

as we have been all baptized with one baptism into the death of Christ,

we are all under the necessity of performing our baptismal covenant,

and perfecting holiness in the fear of God: for the holy scriptures

point out to us but one way of admission into the kingdom of Christ,

through the narrow gate of a sound conversion: And he that does not

enter into the sheepfold, whether clergy or lay-men, by this door, will

find, to his everlasting confusion, there is no climbing up another

way.

Besides, what a gross ignorance of the nature of true religion, as well

as of our own happiness, does such a distinction discover? For what

does our Savior, by willing us to be religious, require of us? But to

subdue our corrupt passions, to root out ill habits, to engraft the

heavenly graces of God's most holy Spirit in their room; and, in one

word, to fill us with all the fullness of God.

And will men be so much their own enemies, as to affirm this belongs

only to those who minister in holy things? Does it not equally concern

the most active man living? Is it the end of religion to make men

happy, and is it not every one's privilege to be as happy as he can? Do

persons in business find the corruptions of their nature, and disorder

of their passions, so pleasing, that they care not whether they ever

regulate or root them out? Or will they consent that ministers shall be

alone partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light? If not, as

they desire the same end, why will they not make use of the same means?

Do they think that God will create a new thing upon the earth, and,

contrary to the purity of his nature, and immutability of his counsel,

admit them into heaven in their natural state, because they have been

encumbered about many worldly things? Search the scriptures, and see if

they give any room for such a groundless hope.

But farther, one would imagine there was something of the highest

concern and utmost importance in our temporal affairs, that they should

divert so many from purifying their hearts by faith which is in Christ

Jesus.

A covetous miser, who neglects religion by being continually intent on

seeking great things for himself and those of his own household,

flatters himself he herein acts most wisely; and at the same time will

censure and condemn a young prodigal, who has no time to be devout,

because he is so perpetually engaged in wasting his substance by

riotous living and following of harlots. But yet a little while, and

men will be convinced, that they are as much without excuse who lost

their souls by hunting after riches, as those who lose them by hunting

after sensual pleasures. For though business may assume an air of

importance, when compared with other trifling amusements, yet when put

in the balance with the loss of our precious and immortal souls, it is

equally frivolous, according to that of our Savior, "What shall it

profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lost his own soul;

or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?"

And now what need we any further proof? We have heard the decision out

of Christ's own mouth. But because it is so difficult to convince such

of this important truth, whose hearts are blinded by the deceitfulness

of riches, that we had need cry out to them in the language of the

prophet, "O earth, earth, hear the word of the Lord," I shall lay

before you one passage of scripture more, which I could wish were

written on the tables of all our hearts. In the 14th of St. Luke, the

18th and following verses, our blessed Lord puts forth this parable, "A

certain man made a great supper, and bade many, and sent his servant at

supper-time, to call them that were bidden: but they all, with one

consent, began to make excuse. The one said, I have bought a piece of

ground, and I must needs go and see it, I pray thee have me excused.

And another said, I have bought a yoke of oxen, and I must needs go and

prove them, I pray thee therefore have me excused. So the servant

returned, and showed his master all these things." And what follows?

Did the master accept of their excuses? No, the text tells us the good

man was angry, and said, "that none of those which were bidden, should

taste of his supper." And what dies this parable teach, but that the

most lawful callings cannot justify our neglect; nay, that they are no

longer lawful when they in any wise interfere with the great concerns

of religion? For the marriage supper here spoken of, means the gospel;

the master of the house is Christ; the servants sent out, are his

ministers, whose duty it is, from time to time, to call the people to

this marriage-feast, or, in other words, to be religious. Now we find

those that were bidden, were very well and honestly employed. There was

no harm in buying or seeing a piece of ground, or in going to prove a

yoke of oxen; but here lay their faults, they were doing those things,

when they were invited to come to the marriage feast.

Without doubt, persons may very honestly and commendably be employed in

following their respective callings; but yet, if they are engaged so

deeply in these, as to hinder their working our their salvation with

fear and trembling, they must expect the same sentence with their

predecessors in the parable, that none of them shall taste of Christ's

supper: for our particular calling, as of this or that profession, must

never interfere with our general and precious calling, as Christians.

Not that Christianity calls us entirely out of the world, the holy

scriptures warrant no such doctrine.

It is very remarkable, that in the book of life, we find some almost of

all kinds of occupations, who notwithstanding served God in their

respective generations, and shone as so many lights in the world. Thus

we hear of a good centurion in the evangelists, and a devout Cornelius

in the Acts; a pious lawyer; and some that walked with God, even of

Nero's household, in the epistles; and our divine master himself, in

his check to Martha, does not condemn her for minding, but for being

cumbered or perplexed about many things.

No, you may, nay, you must labor, our of obedience to God, even for the

meat which perisheth.

But I come, in the Second place, to apply what has been said.

I beseech you, by the mercies of God in Christ Jesus, let not your

concern for the meat which perisheth be at the expense of that which

endureth to everlasting life; for, to repeat our blessed Savior's

words, "What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world,

and lose his own soul; or, what shall a man give in exchange for his

soul?

Were we always to live in the world, then worldly wisdom would be our

highest wisdom: but forasmuch as we have here no continuing city, and

were only sent into this world to have our natures changed, and to fit

ourselves for that which is to come; then to neglect this important

work for a little worldly gain, what is it but, with profane Esau, to

sell our birth-right for a mess of pottage.

Alas! how unlike are Christians to Christianity! They are commanded to

"seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness," and all other

real necessaries shall be added unto them; but they are fearful (O men

of little faith!) that if they should do so, all other necessaries

would be taken from them: they are strictly forbidden to be careful for

the morrow, and yet they rest not night or day, but are continually

heaping up riches for many years, though they know not who shall gather

them. Is this acting like persons that are strangers and pilgrims upon

earth? Is this keeping their baptismal vow? Or rather, is it not

directly apostatizing from it, and deserting the service of Jesus

Christ, to list themselves under the banner of mammon?

But what will be the hope of such worldlings, when God shall take away

their souls? What if the almighty should say to each of them, as he did

to the rich fool in the gospel, "this night shall thy soul be required

of thee;" O then, what would all those things profit them, which they

are now so busy in providing?

Was eternal life, that free gift of God in Christ Jesus, to be

purchased with money; or could men carry their flocks beyond the grave,

to buy oil for their lamps, i.e. grace for their hearts, when they

should be called to meet the bridegroom, there might be some reason why

God might well bear with them: but since their money is to perish with

them; since it is certain, as they brought nothing into the world, so

they can carry nothing out; or supposing they could, since there is no

oil to be bought, no grace to be purchased when once the lamp of their

natural life is gone out; would it not be much more prudent to spend

the short time they have here allotted them, in buying oil while it may

be had, and not for fear of having a little less of that which will

quickly be another man's, eternally lose the true riches?

What think you? Is it to be supposed, it grieved that covetous

worldling before mentioned, when his sprung into the world of spirits,

that he could not stay here till he had pulled down his barns and built

greater? Or think you not that all things here below seemed equally

little to him then, and he only repented that he had not employed more

time in pulling down every high thought that exalted itself against the

Almighty, and building up his soul in the knowledge and fear of God?

And thus it will be with all unhappy men, who like him are disquieting

themselves in a vain pursuit after worldly riches, and at the same time

are not rich towards God.

They may, for a season, seem excellently well employed in being

solicitously careful about the important concerns of this life; but

when once their eyes are opened by death, and their souls launched into

eternity, they will then see the littleness of all sublunary cares, and

wonder they should be so besotted [intoxicated, loaded] to the things

of another life, while they were, it may be, applauded for their great

wisdom and profound sagacity in the affairs of this world.

Alas! how will they bemoan themselves for acting like the unjust

steward, so very wisely in their temporal concerns, in calling their

respective debtors so carefully, and asking how much every one owes to

them, and yet never remembering to call themselves to an account, or

inquire how much they owed to their own great Lord and master?

And now what shall I say more? The God of this world, and the

inordinate desire of other things, must have wholly stifled the

conscience of that man, who does not see the force of these plain

reasonings.

Permit me only to add a word or two to the rich, and to persons that

are freed from the business of this life.

But here I must pause a while, for I am sensible that it is but an

ungrateful, and as some may imagine, an assuming thing, for such a

novice in religion to take upon him to instruct men in high stations,

and who perhaps would disdain to set me with the dogs of their flock.

But however, since St. Paul, who knew what best became a young

preacher, commanded Timothy, young as he was, to exhort and charge the

rich with all authority; I hope none here that are so, will be

offended, if with humility I beg leave to remind them, though they once

knew this, that if persons in the most busy employs are indispensably

obliged to "work out their salvation with fear and trembling," much

more ought they to do so, who are free from the toils and encumbrance

of a lower way of life, and consequently have greater opportunities to

leisure to prepare themselves for a future state.

But is this really the case? Or do we not find, by fatal experience,

that too many of those whom God has exalted above their brethren, who

are "clothed in purple and fine linen, and fare sumptuously every day,"

by a sad abuse of God's great bounty towards them, think that their

stations set them above religion, and so let the poor, who live by the

sweat of their brows, attend more constantly on the means of grace than

do they?

But woe unto such rich men! For they have received their consolation.

Happy had it been if they had never been born: for if the careless

irreligious tradesman cannot be saved, where will luxurious and wicked

gentlemen appear?

Let me therefore, by way of conclusion, exhort all persons, high and

low, rich and poor, one with another, to make the renewal of their

fallen nature, the one business of their lives; and to let no worldly

profit, no worldly pleasure, divert them from the thoughts of it. Let

this cry, "Behold the bridegroom cometh," be ever sounding in our ears;

and let us live as creatures that are every moment liable to be hurried

away by death to judgment: let us remember, that this life is a state

of infinite importance, a point between two eternities, and that after

these few days are ended, there will remain no more sacrifice for sin;

let us be often asking ourselves, how we shall wish we had lived when

we leave the world? And then we shall always live in such a state, as

we shall never fear to die in. Whether we live, we shall live unto the

Lord; or whether we die, we shall die unto the Lord; so that living or

dying we may be the Lord's.

To which end, let us beseech God, the protector of all them that put

their trust in him, without whom nothing is string, nothing is holy, to

increase and multiply upon us his mercy, that he being our ruler and

guide, we may so pass through things temporal, that we finally lose not

the things eternal; though Jesus Christ our Lord.

__________________________________________________________________

Christ the Only Rest for the Weary and Heavy-Laden

Matthew 11:28 -- "Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden,

and I will give you rest."

Nothing is more generally known than our duties which belong to

Christianity; and yet, how amazing is it, nothing is less practiced?

There is much of it in name and show, but little of it in the heart and

conversation; indeed, if going to church, and to the sacrament, or, if

our being called after the name of Christ, and being baptized into that

name; if that will make us Christians, I believe all of us would have a

claim thereto: but if it consists in the heart, that there must be an

inward principle wrought in us by faith; that there must be a change of

the whole nature, a putting off the old man with his deeds, a turning

from sin unto God, a cleaving only unto the Son of Righteousness; and

that there must be a new birth, and we experience the pangs thereof;

and that you must feel yourselves weary and heavy laden with your sins,

before you will seek for deliverance from them; if this is to be the

case, if there is so much in being children of God, alas! how many who

please themselves with an outside show, a name to live whilst they are

dead; and how few that have any share in this spiritual state, in this

true and living name? How few are they who are weary and heavy laden

with their sins, and seek to Christ for rest? They say, in a formal

customary manner, we are sinners, and there is no health in us; but how

few feel themselves sinners, and are so oppressed in their own spirits,

that they have no quiet nor rest in them, because of the burden of

their sins, and the weight that is fallen and lays on their minds?

Under these burdens, these heavy burdens, they are at a loss what to do

whereby they may obtain rest; they fly to their works, they go to a

minister, and he tells them to read, to pray, and meditate, and take

the sacrament: thus they go away, and read, and pray, and meditate

almost without ceasing, and never neglect the sacrament whenever there

is an opportunity for the taking of it. Well, when the poor soul has

done all this, it still finds no ease, there is yet no relief. Well,

what must you do then? To lie still under the burden they cannot, and

to get rid of it then cannot. O what must the burdened soul do! Why,

goes to the clergyman again, and tells him the case, and what it has

done, and that it is no better. Well, he asks, have you given alms to

the poor? Why no. Then go and do that, and you will find rest. Thus the

poor sinner is hurried from duty to duty, and still finds no rest: all

things are uneasy and disquiet within, and there remains no rest in the

soul. And if it was to go through all the duties of religion, and read

over a thousand manuals of prayers, none would ever give the soul any

rest; nothing will, until it goes to the Lord Jesus Christ, for there

is the only true rest; that is the rest which abideth, and will

continue for ever. It is not in your own works, nor in your endeavors:

no; when Christ comes into your souls, he pardons you, without any

respect to your works, either past, present, or to come.

From the words, my brethren, I have now read, I shall

I. Show you who are the weary and heavy laden.

II. Inquire what is meant by coming to Christ. And,

III. Conclude with exhorting you to accept of the invitation which the

Lord Jesus Christ gives unto you to come unto him, with the assurance

of finding rest.

First, I am to show you, who are the weary and heavy-laden.

And here it will be necessary to consider who are not; and then, to

consider who they are that are really so.

1. Those who think themselves good enough, and are pleased that they

are not so bad as others, these are not weary or heavy laden.

No, these Pharisees are not thus troubled; they laugh and jest at those

who talk of feeling their sins, and think there is no occasion to make

so much ado about religion: it is to be righteous over-much, and the

means to destroy yourselves. They think if they do but mean well, and

say their prayers, as they call them, it is sufficient: though they may

say a prayer, yea, thousands of prayers, and all the while be only

offering up the sacrifice of fools. They may call God, Father, every

day, when it is only mocking of God, and offering up false fire unto

him; and it would be just for him to serve them, as he did Nadab and

Abihu, destroy them, cut them off from the face of the earth: but he is

waiting to be gracious, and willing to try a little longer, whether you

will bring forth any thing more than the leaven of an outward

profession, which is not all that the Lord requires; no, he wants the

heart; and unless you honor him with that, he does not regard your

mouths, when the other is far from him. You may say over your prayers

all your lives, and yet you may never pray over one: therefore, while

you flatter yourselves you are good enough, and that you are in a state

of salvation, you are only deceiving you own souls, and hastening on

your own destruction. Come unto him, not as being good enough, but as

vile sinners, as poor, and blind, and naked, and miserable, and then

Jesus will have compassion.

O ye Pharisees, what fruits do ye bring forth? Why, you are moral,

polite creatures; you do your endeavors, you do what you can, and so

Jesus is to make up the rest. You esteem yourselves fine, rational, and

polite beings, and think it is too unfashionable to pray; it is not

polite enough: perhaps you have read some prayers, but knew not how to

pray from your hearts; no, by no means: that was being righteous

over-much indeed.

But when once you are sensible of your being lost, damned creatures,

and see hell gaping ready to receive you: if God was but to cut the

thread of life, O then, then you would cry earnestly unto the Lord to

receive you, to open the door of mercy unto you; your bones would then

be changed, you would no more flatter yourselves with your abilities

and good wishes; no, you would see how unable you were, how incapable

to save yourselves; that there is no fitness, no free will in you; no

fitness, but for eternal damnation, no free will but that of doing

evil; and that when you would do good, evil is present with you, and

the thing that ye would not, that do ye. He knows the secret intent of

every heart; and this is a pleasure to you, my dear brethren, who come

on purpose to meet with him, though it be a field. And, however some

may esteem me a mountebank, and an enthusiast, one that is only going

to make you methodically mad; they may breathe out their invectives

against me, yet Christ knows all; he takes notice of it, and I shall

leave it to him to plead my cause, for he is a gracious Master: I have

already found him so, and am sure he will continue so. Vengeance is

his, and he will repay it. Let them revile me; let them cast me out of

their synagogues, and have my name in reproach, I shall not answer them

by reviling again, or in speaking evil against them: no, that is not

the Spirit of Christ, but meekness, patience, long-suffering, kindness,

&c.

Ye Pharisees, who are going about to establish your own righteousness;

you, who are too polite to follow the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity

and truth; you, who are all for a little show, a little outside work;

who lead moral, civil, decent lives, Christ will not know you at the

great day, but will say unto you, O ye Pharisees, was there any place

for me in your love? Alas! you are full of anger and malice, and

self-will; yet you pretended to love and serve me, and to be my people:

but, however, I despise you; I, who am God, and knoweth the secret of

all hearts; I, who am truth itself, the faithful and true witness, say

unto you, "Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity, into that place of

torment, prepared for the devil and his angels." Good God! And must

these discreet polite creatures, who never did any one harm, but led

such civil, decent lives, must they suffer the vengeance of eternal

fire? Cannot their righteous souls be saved? Where then must the sinner

and the ungodly appear? Where wilt thou, O Sabbath- breaker, appear,

thou, who canst take thy pleasure, thy recreation, on the Lord's-day,

who refuseth to hear the word of God, who wilt not come to church to be

instructed in the ways of the Lord? Where will you, O ye adulterers,

fornicators, and such-like of this generation appear? Whoremongers and

adulterers God will judge, and them he will condemn. Then you will not

call these tricks of youth: no, but you will call on the rocks and the

mountains to fall on you, to hide you from the fury and anger of the

Lord. Where wilt thou, O man, appear, that takes pleasure in making a

mock of sin, who despiseth all reproof, who throws about thy jests as a

madman does fire, and asks whether thou art not in sport? Where wilt

thou, O man, appear, that makes it thy business to preach against the

children of the Most High; thou, who art inventing methods in order to

stop the progress of the gospel, and using thy utmost power to quash

[squash] the preaching thereof; who art raising of evil reports against

the disciple of Christ, and esteemest them madmen, fools, schismatics,

and a parcel of rabble? Thou, O man, with all thy letter-learning, wilt

surely see the judgment seat of Christ, though, perhaps, sorely against

your will; to be cast by him into eternal fire, a place prepared for

the devil and his angels. There is a burning tophet kindled by the fury

of an avenging God, which will never, never be quenched. The devil

longs to embrace you in his hellish arms, whenever the sentence is

past, where you must for ever bear the weight of your sin: there is no

redemption then; the day of grace is past; the door of hope is shut;

mercy will be no more offered, but you must be shut out from God for

ever. O who can dwell with everlasting burnings!

However you may think of hell, indeed it is not a painted fire; it is

not an imagination to keep people in awe: then, then you will feel the

power of the almighty arm. If you will not lay hold on his golden

scepter, he will break you with his iron rod. O ye Pharisees, who are

now so good, so much better than others, how will ye stand before

Christ, when dressed in his glory as judge? You Arians, may now despise

his divinity; then you shall have a proof of it; he will show, that he

has all power, and that he was no subordinate God; he will show you

that he has all power in heaven and earth; that he was King of kings,

and Lord of lords; that he was the mighty God, the everlasting Father;

and this power that he has, he will exercise in preserving you to no

other end, but to punish you forever. Thus you, who please yourselves

with being good enough now, who are not weary and heavy laden with a

sense of your sins here, will be weary and heavy laden with a sense of

your punishment hereafter.

2. Those, my brethren, are not weary and heavy laden with a sense of

their sins, who can delight themselves in the polite entertainments of

the age, and follow the sinful diversion of life.

Now they can go to balls and assemblies, play-houses and horse-racing;

they have no thought of their sins; they know not what it is to weep

for sin, or humble themselves under the mighty hand of God; they can

laugh away their sorrows, and sing away their cares, and drive away

these melancholy thoughts: they are too polite to entertain any sad

thoughts; the talk of death and judgment is irksome to them, because it

damps their mirth; they could not endure to think of their sin and

danger; they could not go to a play, and think of hell; they could not

go quietly to a masquerade, and think of their danger; they could not

go to a ball or an assembly in peace, if they thought of their sins.

And so it is proved, even to a demonstration, that these are not weary

and heavy laden: for if they are not thoughtful about their sins, they

will never be weary and heavy laden of them. But at the day of judgment

all will be over; they shall lose all their carnal mirth, all their

pleasure, all their delight will be gone forever.

They will say then of their laughter, it is mad; and of mirth, What

dost thou? Their merry conceits, and witty jests against the poor

despised people of God, are then over. Their mirth was but as the

crackling of thorns under a pot; it made a great blaze and unseemly

noise for a while, but it was presently gone, and will return no more.

They think now, that if they were to fast or to pray, and meditate and

mourn, they should be righteous over-much, and destroy themselves;

their lives would be a continual trouble, and it would make them run

mad. Alas, my brethren, what misery must that life be, where there is

no more pleasant days, no more balls or plays, no cards or dice, those

wasters of precious time, no horse-racing and cock-fighting, from

whence no good ever came, unless abusing God Almighty's creatures, and

putting them to that use which he never designed them, can be called

so. How miserable will your life be, when all your joys are over, when

your pleasures are all past, and no more mirth or pastime? Do you think

there is one merry heart in hell? One pleasing countenance? Or jesting,

scoffing, swearing tongue? A sermon now is irksome; the offer of

salvation, by the blood of Jesus Christ, is now termed enthusiasm; but

then you would give thousands of worlds, if in your power, for one

tender of mercy, for one offer of grace, which now you so much despise.

Now, you are not weary of your diversions, nor are you heavy laden with

the sins, with which they are accompanied; but then you will be weary

of your punishment, and the aggravation which attends it. Your cards

and dice, your hawks and hounds, and bowls, and your pleasant sports,

will then be over. What mirth will you have in remembering your sports

and diversions? I would not have you mistake me, and say, I am only

preaching death and damnation to you; I am only showing you what will

be the consequence of continuing in these sinful pleasures; and if the

devil does not hurry you away with half a sermon, I shall show you how

to avoid these dangers, which I now preach up as the effect of sin

unrepented of. I mention this, lest you should be hurried away by the

devil: but be not offended, if I point our unto you more of the terrors

which will attend your following these polite and fashionable

entertainments of the present age, and of not being weary and heavy

laden with a sense of your sins.

They who delight in drinking wine to excess, and who are drunkards,

what bitter draughts will they have instead of wine and ale? The heat

of lust will be then also abated; they will no more sing the song of

the drunkard; no more spend their time in courting their mistresses, in

lascivious discourse, in amorous songs, in wanton dalliances, in

brutish defilements: no, these are all over; and it will but prick each

other to the heart to look one another in the face. Then they will

wish, that instead of sinning together, they had prayed together; had

frequented religious societies; had stirred up each other to love and

holiness, and endeavored to convince each other of the evil of sin, and

how obnoxious they are to the wrath of God; and the necessity of being

weary and heavy laden with a sense thereof; that they might have

escaped the punishment which they suffer, by their following the sinful

an polite diversions of the age they fell into. But as it was against

God himself they had sinned, so no less than God will punish them for

their offenses: he hath prepared those torments for his enemies; his

continual anger will still be devouring of them; his breath of

indignation will kindle the flame; his wrath will be a continual burden

to their souls. Woe be to him who falls under the stroke of the

Almighty!

Thus they are not weary and heavy laden with their sins, who can follow

the polite and fashionable entertainments of the age. But,

Secondly, I am to show you what it is to be weary and heavy laden with

sins. And

1. You may be said, my brethren, to be weary and heavy laden, when your

sins are grievous unto you, and it is with grief and trouble you commit

them.

You, who are awakened unto a sense of your sins, who see how hateful

they are to God, and how they lay you open to his wrath and

indignation, and would willingly avoid them; who hate yourselves for

committing them; when you are thus convinced of sin, when you see the

terrors of the law, and are afraid of his judgments; then you may be

said to be weary of your sins. And O how terrible do they appear when

you are first awakened to a sense of them; when you see nothing but the

wrath of God ready to fall upon you, and you are afraid of his

judgments! O how heavy is your sin to you then! Then you feel the

weight thereof, and that it is grievous to be born.

2. When you are obliged to cry out under the burden of your sins, and

know not what to do for relief; when this is your case, you are weary

of your sins. It does not consist in a weariness all of a sudden; no,

it is the continual burden of your soul, it is your grief and concern

that you cannot live without offending God, and sinning against him;

and these sins are so many and so great, that you fear they will not be

forgiven.

I come, Secondly, to show you what is meant by coming to Christ.

It is not, my brethren, coming with your own works: no, you must come

in full dependence upon the Lord Jesus Christ, looking on him as the

Lord who died to save sinners: Go to him, tell him you are lost,

undone, miserable sinners, and that you deserve nothing but hell; and

when you thus go to the Lord Jesus Christ out of yourself, in full

dependence on the Lord Jesus Christ, you will find him an able and a

willing savior; he is pleased to see sinners coming to him in a sense

of their own unworthiness; and when their case seems to be most

dangerous, most distressed, then the Lord in his mercy steps in and

gives you his grace; he puts his Spirit within you, takes away your

heart of stone, and gives you a heart of flesh. Stand not out then

against this Lord, but go unto him, not in your own strength, but in

the strength of Jesus Christ.

And this brings me, Thirdly, to consider the exhortation Christ gives

unto all of you, high and low, rich and poor, one with another, to come

unto him that you may have rest. And if Jesus Christ gives you rest,

you may be sure it will be a rest indeed; it will be such a rest as

your soul wants; it will be a rest which the world can neither give nor

take away. O come all of ye this night, and you shall find rest: Jesus

Christ hath promised it. Here is a gracious invitation, and do not let

a little rain hurry you away from the hearing of it; do but consider

what the devil and damned spirits would give to have the offer of

mercy, and to accept of Christ, that they may be delivered from the

torments they labor under, and must do so forever; or, how pleasing

would this rain be to them to cool their parched tongues; but they are

denied both, while you have mercy offered to you; free and rich mercy

to come to Christ; here is food for your souls, and the rain is to

bring forth the fruits of the earth, as food for you bodies. Here is

mercy upon mercy.

Let me beseech you to come unto Christ, and he will give you rest; you

shall find rest unto your souls. O you, my weary, burdened brethren, do

but go to Christ in this manner, and though you go to him weary, you

shall find rest before you come from him: let not anything short of the

Lord Jesus Christ be your rest; for wherever you seek you will be

disappointed; but if you do but seek unto the Lord Jesus Christ, there

you will find a fullness of every thing which your weary soul wants. Go

to him this night; here is an invitation to all you who are weary

souls. He does not call you, O Pharisees; not, it is only you weary

sinners; and sure you will not stay from him, but accept of his

invitation; do not delay; one moment may be dangerous: death may take

you off suddenly. You know not but that a fit of the apoplexy may hurry

you from time into eternity; therefore, be not for staying till you

have something to bring; come in all your rags, in all your filthiness,

in all your distresses, and you will soon find Jesus Christ ready to

help, and to relieve you; he loves you as well in your rags, as in your

best garments; he regards not your dress; no, do but come unto him, and

you shall soon find rest for your souls.

What say you? Shall I tell my Master you will come unto him, and that

you will accept him on his own terms. Let me, my brethren, beseech you

to take Jesus without anything of your own righteousness: for if you

expect to mix anything of yourself with Christ, you build upon a sandy

foundation; but if you take Christ for your rest, he will be that unto

you. Let me beseech you to build upon this rock of ages. O my brethren,

think of the gracious invitation, "Come unto me," to Jesus Christ; it

is he that calls you; And will you not go?

Come, come unto him. If your souls were not immortal, and you in danger

of losing them, I would not thus speak unto you; but the love of your

souls constrains me to speak: methinks this would constrain me to speak

unto you forever. Come then by faith, and lay hold of the Lord Jesus;

though he be in heaven, he now calleth thee. Come, all ye drunkards,

swearers, Sabbath-breakers, adulterers, fornicators; come, all ye

scoffers, harlots, thieves, and murderers, and Jesus Christ will save

you; he will give you rest, if you are weary of your sins. O come lay

hold upon him. Had I less love for your souls, I might speak less; but

that love of God, which is shed abroad in my heart, will not permit me

to leave you, till I see whether you will come to Christ or no. O for

your life receive him, for fear he may never call you any more. Behold,

the Bridegroom cometh; it may be this night the cry may be made. Now

would you hear this, if you were sure to die before the morning light?

God grant you may begin to live, that when the king of terrors shall

come, you may have nothing to do but to commit your souls into the

hands of a faithful Redeemer.

Now to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, be all

honor, praises, dominion, and power, henceforth and for evermore. Amen,

Amen.

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The Folly and Danger of Parting with Christ for the Pleasures and Profits of

Life

Matthew 8:23-34 -- "And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples

followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea,

insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep.

And his disciples came to [him], and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us:

we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little

faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was

a great calm. But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this,

that even the winds and the sea obey him! And when he was come to the

other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two

possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so

that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out,

saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou

come hither to torment us before the time? And there was a good way off

from them an herd of many swine feeding. So the devils besought him,

saying, If thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the herd of

swine. And he said unto them, Go. And when they were come out, they

went into the herd of swine: and, behold, the whole herd of swine ran

violently down a steep place into the sea, and perished in the waters.

And they that kept them fled, and went their ways into the city, and

told every thing, and what was befallen to the possessed of the devils.

And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw

him, they besought [him] that he would depart out of their coasts."

If we were but sensible of the great necessity there is, in this our

day, of being real Christians, sure we should not be contented with

being nominal ones; but we are sunk into I know not what; we are no

better than baptized heathen. And how amazing is it, that we should

profess the name of Christ, and yet so little converse about him;

surely, this name whereby we are called, should be the theme of our

discourse here, and of our eternal Hallelujahs in a world to come. But

is it not more amazing, to consider, that instead of the name of Jesus,

whereby we are to have salvation, we are taught to look for it in

ourselves, and that there must be a fitness in us before God bestows

his grace and favor upon us. But what doctrine is this? Not the

doctrine of the scripture, not the doctrine of Jesus, not that of the

primitive Christians, not that of the reformation, nor that of the

articles of the church of England. No, it is the doctrine of the devil;

this is making Christ but half a Savior, and driving man into an error

of the greatest consequence, in making him go to Jesus in his own

strength, and not in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. But, my

brethren, unless you go in the strength of Jesus Christ; unless you

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