Section 23

Section 23

I prove it by three arguments:

(1.) They choose like fools. Is he not a fool, that when a pebble is offered to him by one, and a pearl by another, chooses the pebble, and refuses the pearl? Was not Esau a fool, in parting with his birthright for a mess of pottage ? O sinner, whatever thou thinkest of it now, the day is coming when thou wilt call thyself a thousand fools, for preferring the trash of this world before the heavenly treasure— the dross, the dirt, of the earth before the glories of the eternal kingdom I It is recorded of Mary, as an act of the highest wisdom, and she is commended for it, that she chose to sit at Christ's feet, to hear his wisdom, Luke x. 42. As the qaeeo of Sbefattfi Solomon's. See Luke xi. 31.

(2.) They count like fools.

They count themselves wise, and religioaspeo;^i company of fools, when themselves are the fools, ud the religious wise, John vii. 48,49. Liake xviii. 10.

They count upon time to come as their own, aid presume accordingly ; when, alas! it is not so. He that reckoned upon time is properly styled a fooL Luke xii. 20. They count upon going to beaiea when they die, but are miserably mistaken, as tk madman at Athens, that pleased himself with tk conceit that all the laden ships were his.

(3.) They carry it like fools.

The carriage of a fool is vain and frothy; tlim is no seriousness in him. Are there not many ssd with whom it is so ? Art not thou one of them ? '^ I: is as sport to a fool to do mischief," Prov. x. 2^. Art thou under the power of a vain mind ?

He carries it like a fool, that hugs his vrorst totm} in his bosom, and turns his back upon his U>: friend ; and doth not the sinner so ? Is not sin it\ enemy, the devil thy enemy ? and are not they macr much of, and Christ, thy best friend, slighted as. made nothing of? One of the fathers brings in t devil pleading against such at the day of j adgment-Lord, doth not this man deserve to be damned, tii.i would be ruled by me, that never did nothing for him, and would not.

2. They that are sensible of their want of wisdoa. and would be wise, may learn hence whither to gt and what to do, that they may attain it. The w^} is to apply thyself to the blessed Jesos, who is mad* unto us of God wisdom* He is oar Joseph. As thef that wanted corn must go to Joseph, so they tba: want grace, any grace, the grace of wisdom, mast p-to Christ.—And plead this text with him—Lord, art thou not made unto us of God wisdom T

What need is there of this plea ?

Universal need, every day, in every thing. Tkey that have most, have need of more.

(1.) We cannot carry it as we should in any relatioi: without wisdom, neither as superiors, inferiors, nor equals.

What need have magistrates of wisdom! P& ii. 9 —A conviction of this made Solomon ask as he did 1 Kings iii. 7—10.

Ministers are in the same situation. Col. i. &. What a plague are foolish shepherds! Zecb. xi. la On the other hand it is promised, *' I will give joa pastors according to mine heart, which shall feed joe with knowledge and understanding,'* Jer. iii. 16.

So are masters of families, husbands, wives, parents—^They all need vrisdom that they do not mi it by severity so much, or indolgeaoes too nmcl —Neighbours especially need it: if without wisdoa how can we walk in it, Col. iv. 5. so as that we 1035 do them good, and they do us no hurt ?

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.

(2.) Nor can we carry it as weshoald, in any con-ition, without wisdom.

If we prosper and thrive in the world, there is need f wisdom, to manage it so that we be not insnared, ot destroyed by it. If in affliction it is necessary, lat we may keep the mean between fainting and espising. If reproached, reviled, persecuted, to arry it as we ought towards our persecutors, with leekness and yet with courage. Jam. i. 3—6.

(3.) Nor can we carry it as we should in any duty > be done to God or man without wisdom.

If we pray, we need wisdom that we do not ask miss. If we hear the word, we need wisdom that we lay discern between wheatand ohaff,that we may take ur own portion. If we wish to reprove, we need dsdom to know when, how. Col. iii. 16. If to recon-lie differences, 1 Cor. vi. 5. If to manage good dis-oarse, Prov. zxxi. 26.—^to attend our particular ailing, so as not to intrench upon our general call-ng; to keep the world in its due place: we require risdom in all.

(4.) Nor can we carry it as we should in any diffi-ult case that lies before us, nor tell how to deter-aine for the best, without wisdom, Eccl. x. 10. I nay spare my pains to prove we have need of it; we ill know it and feel it by ourselves,-if we know and eel anything.

How is it to be supplied ?

I told you, by having recourse to the blessed Jesus n a humble sense of our need, Prov. iii. 5,6.

We must pray, as Paul, Acts ix. 6. Jam. i. 5.

We most study the word; that must be our Abel, »ur counsellor, 2 Tim. iii. 16. Let the word of Christ Iwell in yon richly in all wisdom. Col. iii. 16. What hat speaks, Christ speaks.

We must then believe, put on Christ, learn Christ, valk in Christ, which is the certain way to be made rise.

3. Here is matter of unspeakable comfort to all rue believers, that Jesus Christ is made wisdom that Sf as some interpret it, that all that infinite wisdom hat is in him as God, and all that infused wisdom vhich he had as God-man wherein he grew, Luke ii. »2. is all made over to us, to be employed for our ^ood. Dost thou know the meaning of this? If here be any matter or thing wherein that wisdom nay stand thee in any stead, it is thine; as if a voman marry a wise counsellor, or a wise physician, f she need the help of either, it is ready: so it is lere. Allude to Prov. xxxi. 11. Apply it,

1. To our particular, private affairs, especially n the great turns of our lives. If thou art in Christ, le will order them for thee, and he will order them visely, Eph. i. 11. according to the counsel of his vill. Therefore, cast thy care upon him, commit :by way onto him, Ps. xxxvii. 3—5. Isa. xxx. 18.

Therefore, submit to his disposals, quietly, patently ; of choice, cheerfully: wisdom would have it s8 so, sees it best it should be so, and shall I gainsay?

2. To the public affairs of the church and nation. Our enemies are not only many, mighty, malicious, but cunning, crafty, subtle; there are Ahithopbela amongst them. No matter, wisdom is our friend, knows how to undermine and countermine. Job v. 12. As he did Haman. The pilot is wise, though the sea is rough.

SERMON XVIII.

CHRIST IS OUR WAY.

John xiv. 6.

/ am the way and the truths and the life: no man Cometh unto the Father but hy me.

These are the words of our Lord Jesus concerning himself, wherein he says, / am the way: the way, whither? To the Father. Is there no other way ? No, no other way, no man cometh—but hy me. And what else is he besides the way ? The truth and the life also. The truth, therefore we may safely believe what he says. The life, therefore he is worth the seeking after. DocT. That our Lord Jesus Christ is our only way to the Father, and besides him there is no other way. The Father is God. Yon would all come to God, would you not? especially to God as a Father? Then hearken to me to-day; my errand is to set you in the right way. Abundance of people quite miss their way to God, and so perish in by-ways. There is but one right way, and that is Christ; therefore " kiss the Son lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little: blessed are all they that put their trust in him."

I. Show, in what sense is Christ the way to the Father.

II. The properties of Christ as away; what kind of way he is.

III. What improvement to make of it.

I. In what respects is Christ the way to the Father?

There are seven things which are our concernment with the Father, to which Jesns Christ is the only way.

1. Our acquaintance with the Father. It concerns us all to know Grod, and be acquainted with him, John xvii. 3. Job xxii. 21. Now there is no being acquainted with God but by Jesus Christ; no being savingly acquainted with him. We may know something of him by the works of creation, but not unto salvation; so, only by Christ, John i. IS, He hath declared

APPENDIX.

By what lie was, Heb. i. 3.

By word of mouth ; he preached concerning him.

By the works he did.

By saffering and dying. It declared him a jast, righteoas, sin-hating God; therefore, when Philip desired him, John xiv. 8. '* Show us the Father/' see his answer,—*' He that hath seen me hath seen the Father," v. 9.

2. Our access to the Father. We are coming to him daily in the duties of his worship ; are we not ? by prayer and supplication, alone, and with our families, in ordinary, in extraordinary, cases. But if we come without Christ, we come out of the right way. Through him we both have au access hy one Spirit unto the Father,'^ Eph. ii. IB. that is, through his merit and mediation, Eph. iii. 12. Rom. v. 2. By faith in Christ, applying that merit and mediation of his unto ourselves, and appearing in it before God ; as Jacob in Esau's clothes.

3. Our acceptance with the Father.

If we come and are not accepted, what the better are wc ? Paul laboured, '* that whether present or absent, he may be accepted of him," 2 Cor. v. 9. So should we. Now that is only in and through Jesus Christ, Eph. i. 6. This has been proclaimed so by a voice from heaven. Matt. iii. 17; xvii. 5. " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

Pleased with our persons: allude to Gen. xliii. 3.

Pleased with our performances, " Ye are an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God hy Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. ii. dw As no sacrifice was accepted, unless offered by a consecrated priest upon the right altar;—so here. Now Christ is both, our priest and altar, sanctifying the gift, Heb. iv. 14,16.

4. Our atonement with the Father. The Father and we arc fallen out; he is displeased towards us; how shall we get the quarrel taken up? There is no way but one, and Christ is that way, Eph. ii. 13, 14. 2 Cor. V. 19. Rom. v. 1. He made peace by the blood of the cross ; his death atoned and pacified God's offended justice; made amends for the wrong that we have done him; and we may comfortably plead it, accordingly, as our righteousness.

5. Our adoption by the Father. Adoption is that that makes us the children of God. We are by nature the devil's children, branches in the wild olive, and our fruit is accordingly. Adoption cuts us off from that stock, and grafts us into a better stock, a good olive; puts us into God's family. Now, how is this done? Only by Jesus Christ; he is the way. Gal. iii. 26. Eph. i. 4, 6. John i. 12. And upon our receiving of him, it is done immediately.

6. The accomplishment of all the promises of the Father. The promises are our great charter; they are both exceedingly numerous and exceedingly precious.

But our Lord Jesus was the way to the making of them; they were made in him, that is, supposing bis undertaking. Out of Christ God was a threatniiu God only, ever after the first promise. Do and liTe-was slighted.

Also he was the way to the makiD§^ of them good, 2 Cor. i. 20. If ever we have occasion to pot a promise in suit, it must be in his name, in the virtue <^ his merit and mediation.

7. Our admission into the everlasting kingdom tf the Father. To say he is the way to Ibe Father, is as much as to say, he is the way to heaven. Heaveo L< a place, a city, a city that hath foundations; dot every city hath a way to it, and so bath this citr-and that way is Christ There oar Father dvelK and keeps court. When we come thither, we sitali see him, and enjoy him, only by Jesos Christ.

It was he that purchased it for us, by the merit o' his death. We had never had title to it, if he had not so bought it. He is entered as oor forcnmner.

It is he that prepares as for it, by bis Spirit in tbe work of sanctification, beginning, carrying on, finishing it, Ps. Ixxxiy. 11. Col. i. 12, 13. He is oor Joshua, both conquering the promised land for oi and dividing it to us, leading us over the Jordas of death.

II. I am to show what kind of a way Christ is.

In general, when it is said Christ is a way, it bids needs be that he is so in a singular and pecalis manner, and that his properties, as sacfa, are extraordinary ; and so they are, even made op of seemiDg contradictions.

1. He is both a new way and an old way; as tbe command of loving one another is both an old cos-mand and a new command, 1 John ii. 7, 8. So itL« here.

He is the old way to the Father, even from tbe beginning ; the way that Adam, Abel, Enoch, NoaJu Abraham, all went; in and through him they verr accepted, and justified, and saved, Jer. vi. 16.

He is the new way —expressly said to be so, Heb. X. 20. New in respect of clearer discovery and rat-nifestation; held forth before under types and shadows, now laid open; so that he that mns may read. For this new way we are concerned to sing a nrv song, Ps. xcvi. 1; xcviii. 1,2.

2. He is both a dead way and a living vray. Dead: all other ways are dead things, and tberrfore he must die, and so he did, upon a tree, or H$e he could not have been oar way to God. If by djioc he had not paid the ransom, undergone the penaitr. there could have been no peace for sinners.

Living: he that was dead is alive again, and Hits for evermore. In Heb. x. 20. he is called a liriwf way —as here— and the life. If he were not living, and the life, he could not be a way for as to tke Father. It was his rising again that was our justification, Rom. iv. 25.

3. He is both a broad way and a narrow way.

A narrow way. Matt. vii. 14. We cannot valk

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.

I it, and have elbow-room for our lusts. The rictness of the divine precepts is the hedge com-%ssing this way about, both on the right hand and 1 the left, which must not be transgressed and aped over by those that intend Christ for their ay to the Father, 2 Tim. ii. 19. A broad way —in respect of the true spiritual hristian liberty, which they have that walk in it. he same that is our way is our freedom, John viii. J. Ps. cxix. 46. 2 Cor. iii. 17. There is no liberty I sin or to do what we list, but liberty as opposed • bondage through slavish fear, Rom. viii. 15, 16. a this sense he is our way to the Father.

4. He is both a high way, and a low way.

A high-way in the sense of Pro v. xv. 24. above to le vi'ise. They that walk in Christ, walk in a way it of sight to the carnal world ; a way out of their en, they know it not, nor what belongs to it. Also I the sense of Isa. xxxv. 8. the high way is the sady way, the next way; so is Christ to the Father. Jso in the sense of Ps. Ixviii. 18. because he him-;If is on high, at the right hand of the Father, far bove principalities.

A low way, because he so humbled himself as he id, tliat he might be the way trodden under foot of len; and because they must humble themselves, nd be meek and lowly in heart, that will walk in it: cnying ourselves our own nghteousness and merit, luke ix. 23.

5. A rough and nigged way, and yet a plain and nooth way.

Rough and rugged, in respect of the stones of umbling and rocks of offence that are in it, to lem that perish, 1 Cor. i. 23. *^ Unto the Jews a umbling-block."—'That be that could not save him-Jf from being hanged, should save us from being imncd—^that by his stripes we should be healed, lis death is our life.

Smooth and plain to him that believeth, 1 Cor. i. 24. Pet. ii. 7. Such, though fools, shall not err there-I, Isa. xxxv. 8. *' Knowledge is easy to him that aderstandeth," Prov. xiv. 6. to be sure, the know-dge of Christ and him crnci Oed, is so to every be-ever.

6. A persecuted way, and yet a sweet and plea int way.

A persecuted way, both with hand and tongue— sect every where spoken against. Acts xxviii. 22. hat sect was the Christian seot, the followers of e Lord Jesus; every where spoken against. Aye, id besides this, they that walk in it meet with many cross of God's laying in the course of his provi-;nce, Matt. vii. 14. *' Strait is the gate, and narrow -ainiction—is the way, which leadeth unto life." Yet it is a pleasant way notwithstanding, Prov. iii. ^ The way of justification by faith in Christ is Ttainly so, beyond any other way, so sweet, so com-rtable to the enlightened soul; no other is compar- | able to it. The way of holiness also, and new obedience—carries its own reward with it, Ps. xix. 11.— in the testimony of a good conscience, 2 Cor. i. 12.

7. It is a way beset with enemies on every hand, and yet secure and safe to them that walk in it.

Beset with enemies. Those are, the devil, and the world, and the flesh ; all against Christ as our way to the Father, all seeking to waylay us, and to turn us aside into by-paths, 1 Pet. 5, 8.

Yet secure and safe to them that walk in it; their heels may be tripped up, and they may stumble and fall, but they shall not be utterly cast down, Ps. xxxvii.24./brf/<tf X.orff upholdeth him with his hand. SeelPeti.5. "Kept by the power of God." If divine power be notsuflficient for our preservation, what is ?

8. An open way, and yet an enclosed way. Enclosed in the decree and counsel of God, which is secret and unknown. Thefo is a remnant only according to the election of grace, Rom. xi. 5. Matt. XX. 10.—few chosen.

Yet open in the proclamation of the gospel; as a fountain open, Zech. xiii. 1. Whosoever will may come, freely, Isa. Iv. 1,2. So come ye to this way; come and welcome. It is not a way shut up from any of you, one or other.

9. A beaten way, and yet but few walking in it. But few at one time, and in one place ; here and there a traveller.

But beaten by the multitudes that have been in all ages, and are, and shall be, as will appear, when they shall all come together. Rev. vii. 9.

III. What improvement are we to make of this ?

If Christ be the way to the Father,

Then, 1. If we are out of Christ, we are out of the way. Suppose a traveller hastening onward were informed, in answer to an inquiry respecting the road, that he was out of the way, how would he be surprised ! especially—if the business were earnest, —if it were drawing towards night,^f the false way were a foul way,—and if the danger were imminent if he went on.—And how culpable would he be, if he had been warned of that danger beforehand and would not heed ; and still more, if a guide had been offered to lead him in the right way, and he had refused him.

Now this is thy case, sinner. O bethink thyself— it is to the Father thou wouldst go.—If thou get not into Christ, thou wilt never come to him. There is no other way. The way of sottish ignorance is not the way; nor of sloth, and carelessness, and luke-warmness; nor of wickedness, and profaneness, swearing, drunkenness; nor of formal profession, in guilt and hypocrisy; nor of thy own merit and righteousness ; nor of trusting to the niediation of saints and angels. There is no way but Christ

2. Exhortation. Then, *' as ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him." Receive Christ Jesus the Lord, this day. Ye that never yet APPENDIX. received him, close with him as yoar way to the Father, yoar only way, renouncing all other; none bat Christ, none bat Christ.

Having received him, walk in him.

Walk in his life and example, as your copy to write after, 1 John ii. 6.

Walk in his death, as your comfort and joy, Rom. viii. 33, 34. 1 Johnii. 1,2.

Walk in his name, merit, and mediation, in his righteousness and strength, in every thing wherein you have to do with God, living and dying. If he be thus your way, he will be your life too.

SERMON XIX.

CHRIST IS OUR ENSIGN.

IsA. xi. 10.

And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seeh, and his rest shall be glorious.

By this root of Jesse here spoken of, is certainly meant our Lord Jesus Christ, who came, according to the flesh, from Jesse, the father of David.

It may be objected. It should then be said of him rather that he was a branch of Jesse, than the root of Jesse.

I reply. He was a branch of Jesse as roan, but as God he was the root of Jesse; as David, Ps. ex. 1. compare Matt. xxii. 45.

Or thus: The family of Jesse was like a tree cut down and worn out, and in process of time, from one of his roots in a dry ground, Isa. liii. 2. that is, from Mary the virjpn, a poor woman of the meaner sort, game one strangely and unexpectedly, and that was Jesus Christ the man, the branch, and he is the ensign here promised. And in that day, namely, the famous day of the gospel so much talked of, there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people ; to it shall the Gentiles seeh: and his rest shall be glorious.

DocT. Jesus Christ is our ensign.

I shall inquire,

I. What an ensign is, and how we are to understand it. And, II. What kind of ensign Jesus Christ is, and what good lessons we may learn from it.

I. What is an ensign ?

An ensign hath two significations, a standard, and a standard-bearer.

1. A standard, that is, a flag or banner, sach as both horse and foot companies of soldiers have, each company one.

2. A standard-bearer. We call him that carries that flag, the ensign of the company. Now here it is taken not for the person, the standard-bearer, bd for the thing, the standard, because it is said, to k shall the Gentiles seek ; and yet, to show that tk same that is the ensign, or standard, or flag, or bas-ner, that is, the thing, is also the ensigo-bearer, tk standard-bearer, the person, it follows, mnd ku rut shall be glorious.

II. What kind of ensign is Christ.

This ensign is an ensign extraordinary, such n is not to be found elsewhere; a none-soch ensip-And so you will say when I have laid before jos these ten properties which it hath: and in the opes-ing of each property, I will show yon what the particular duty is which it calls for from as.

1. He is a military flag or ensign; a banner of war. We call the coato of arms which nobleoen and gentlemen give for the distinction of families u times of peace, insignia, ensigns: hot sach an ensip Jesus Christ is not; he is an ensign for war, a soldier*! ensign. Elsewhere he is said to be given for a leader, and a commander to the people, Isa. Iv. 4. He is calkd the captain of our salvation, Heb. iL lO. here, tk ensign.

This teaches us that Christianity is a warfare, ud that Christ and Christians are warriors; he the captain, and the ensign, and they the soldiers. But who are the enemies, and what is the quantP The enemies are, the devil, and the world, and tk ^esh. The cause we are in is the glory of God: r member this, as many of you as are baptized, yoa are the enlisted soldiers of the Lord Jesas, and lose to it that ye be good soldiers, prepared for haidnes, 2 Tim. ii. 3. fighting under him not only as yosr captain, but as your banner. He himself is yocr banner. We are every day, upon one occasion or other, engaged with one temptation or other; do* what do we do ? Do we yield, suffer ourselves to be overcome, led captive? Is that like a good soldier! Or, do we resist and fight it out in the strength tf God's grace, standing fast in the waj of our diit;. keeping our integrity, whatever it cost as ? This is like a good soldier, Heb. xii. 4.

2. He is a movable ensign. Ensigns, flags, & standards, march from place to place, from one towi to another, as there'is occasion, at the appointaiee: of the captain. Now Christ our ensign, is Christ held forth in the preaching of the gospel; where thr gospel is preached, there Christ the ensign is. He is said here to stand, in respect of his abiding a Saviour, Heb. xiii. 8. Yet he moves as an eosigB. And who knows not what removes the preaching ot' the gospel is subject to; how it is fcM- a time in a place, and then after a while gone again, and another place hath it that had it not before. This «i» signified by the Old-Testament tabernacle, which was a movable tent, made to be suddenly taken dove, and set up again, and carried hither and thither " Lord, who shall dwell in thy tabemmcle," Ps

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.

V. 1. that is, thy church on earth. It was awhile at •biloh, then at Gibeon, then at Jemsalem. What » our daty then ? To make a good use of it while re have it, John xii. 35, 36. Some people bid the nsign be gone, as the Gadarenes did.

3. He is a gathering ensign. The design and end f an ensign is to gather together all that either are nlisted soldiers, or have a mind to be under such r such a captain. Now, in the preaching of the ospel, Christ, by his ministers, proclaims, Ho, every ne that will be on my side against sin and the devil, ome to me, whether Jews or Gentiles, come, come; s here, to it shall the Gmtileseome: ** And he shall et up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble be outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dis-«rsed of Judah, from the four comers of the earth," . 12. See the prophecy of good old Jacob, Gen. :lix. 10. And of Isaiah, eh. Wi. 8.

There is a gathering together to Christ, which is to iome, 2 Thess. ii. 1.

There is a gatheriog to Christ, which is present ^ow, now it is our duty to gather to him; till we lo so our condition is sad and perilous. We are he devlKs soldiers fighting the devil's battles. Away o me, saith Christ. Now what says thy soul ? shall he call be an effectual call ? It is as much as I ;an rememher forty-nine or fifty years ago, to hear alk of the king* setting up his standard, that is, lis ensign, at Nottingham, after that at Shrewsbury; he language whereof was, All that will fight for me ignst the parliament, come hither,—for my prerog^-ive against their privilege,—and multitudes came. That is the use of a standard or ensign. Now the Lord Jesus, I say, in like manner, invites yon all to 3ome to him, and to fight for him, as Jehu, "Z Kings IX. 32. Lord, whoever will not, I will. Let thy soul thus answer. Our gathering to Christ freely and Krillingly must be not only as soldiers, to their standard—but, (I.) As sheep to their shepherd. He is the good ind great Shepherd. Are we joined to him ? Do we follow him? John x. 28. Cant. i. 7, 8.

(2.) As doves to their windows, Isa. Ix. 8. If they once get to their windows they know they are safe there. Return unto thy rest,—Ps. cxvi.7.—^totby Noah,—as the dove, Gen. ix.

(3.) As the children to the father. Children, to be sure good children, love to be where their father is,—.to be taught, and instructed, and employed by him ; so should we, 1 John i. 3.

(4.) As the eagles to the carcass. Matt xxiv. 28. for food. It is strange how far off sometimes they will reach the scent of a carcass. So here,—^Where Christ is powerfully preached, and comfortably exhibited in holy ordinances, there, O my soul, saith the lively Christian, will I resort '* How amiable

Charlet L are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God. Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King, and my God. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: they will be still praising thee. Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee ; in whose heart are the ways of them: Who passing through the valley of Baca, make it a well: the rain also filleth the pools. They go from strength to strength ; every one of them in Zion appeareth before God. O 'Lord God of hosts, hear my prayer: give ear, O God of Jacob. Behold, O God, our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a door-keeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness," Ps. Ixxxiv. 1—10. This is the right gathering of churches, to gather souls to Jesus Christ, to fight under his banner. (5.) As the chickens to the hen. Matt, xxiii. 37.

4. He is a guiding ensign. The use of the flag is to shpw the soldiers which way to march: the way that the ensign goes they must go. Our Lord Jesus, as our ensign, is our guide to go in and out before us, Jsa. Iv. 4. a leader: and but for this leader how oft should we be at a loss; as the Israelites in the wilderness, but for the cloud and fire.

He leads us by his word and Spirit; his word outwardly, as the rule; his Spirit inwardly, as the principle, Isa. lix. 21.

He leads us also by his pattern and example, 1 Pet ii. 21. Matt xi. 29. John xiii. 13, 14. Now inquire, I beseech you, is it your daily care, every day,in every thing, to walk after this guide? Is Christ your guide to the ale-house, to be drunk there ? Are you following him as your flag, when you are going into wicked company ? I know you will say no; then how are ye his soldiers ?

5. He is an unseen ensign. I mean, unseen with bodily eyes, wherein he differs from other ensigns. They are visible things; but by an eye of faith we see him, we behold him, Heb. xi. 27. This looks like a contradiction, but it is not, I Pet i. 8.

6. He is an uniting ensign. It is by the flag that belongs to the company, as much as by any thing, that all the soldiers in that company, being gathered together, are knit together into one. That is their centre of unity; not only their having but one captain, and being engaged in one cause, and their taking one and the same oath, but having the same flag. So our great centre of unity is our Lord Jesus Christ, not only as our one captain, but as our ensign. We all profess to be one in him—O that we were so! '^ There is one body, and one Spirit, one

APPENDIX. hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all," Eph. iv. 4, 5, &c. How many ones are there mentioned, and amongst the rest one baptism, that is, one sacramental oath; and one Lord, that is, the Lord Jesus Christ, the uniting ensign, Some plead to have the pope the centre of unity, so that all that do not unite in him must be out of the way of salvation. Others are for episcopacy and the common prayer. As heretofore, one for Paul, ApoUos, Cephas; but I am, said Paul, for Christ, 1 Cor. i. 12. Where it seems to me, I of Christ, are Paul's words concerning himself; owning Christ, and no creature, as his centre of unity: (1.) Because of o. 13. Is Christ divided? As if he had said, Are there many Christs? being all one in him, why not with one another ?

(2.) Because of chap, iii. 4. ** While one saith, I am of Paul, and another, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal V —where he leaves out those that say, I am of Christ, from among them that are carnal.— When I say, we ought all to unite in Christ, I mean, that all that profess faith in Christ, and obedience to him, and walk answerable to that profession, ought to be thought meet for our communion in all the ordinances, without laying down other terms of our own devising, Gal. iii. 28. He united Jew and Gentile by this one ensign, Eph. ii. and it is a shame if others will not be united by him.—His prayer is, *• I pray for them also, which shall believe on mc,i—that they all may be one; as thou. Father, art in me, and I in thee ; that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one," John xvii. 20—^22. And the same should be ours also.

7. He is an exalted Ensign. Ensigns used to be so, lifted up on high, to be seen afar off, and they are seen, accordingly, above the heads of all the soldiers. It is a custom also to choose the tallest, pro-perest men to carry the colours, that they may help the more to lift them up. Xow the blessed Jesus is such an ensign ; lifted up three ways: (I.) In the kind of death which he died, even the death of the cross, John xii. 32, 33. As the brazen serpent upon the pole. Numb. xxi. compare John iii. 14, 16.

(2.) In his resurrection and exaltation at the right hand of the Father. There he sits, higher by the head and shoulders than all the people, in personal excellences and perfection. Cant. v. 10.—^the standard-bearer.

(3.) In the preaching of the gospel—that is the pole. The great work of ministers is to lift up Christ to people, to set him forth as the most eligible and desirable, both upon the account of what he is in himself, and what he is to poor sinners. They are

A. D. 1043. Oct 33. Reliquias Bazteriane. Lib. I. Part I. p. 43. the friends of the bridegroom, wooing for him, er for themselves; and will ye be won by them ?

8. He is an exposed Ensign. Of all the o&ct:i and soldiers in the troop or company, be is m:ii aimed at that carries the colours; kill him, and tx flag falls; and when the flag fails they are all di5-couraged, and their hearts fail; therefore, '* Tip: ye not with small or great, save only iritfa the kis? of Israel.'' And is it not in like manner with ib; blessed Jesus? When he was here apon earth, vhi: attempts were there, both by the devil and wicktd men, by all means to destroy him; his person, evri as soon as he was born, by Herod—afterwards, inc wilderness—^afterwards, to break his neck. Ard it last they did prevail to get him hanged on a atr and then they thought their work was done, bet i: proved otherwise. After his going to heaven, vkn himself was gone to heaven, what oppositioi was made against the spreading of his doctrine, sgaiafl his disciples and followers, especially his midcT standard-bearers, his deputy ensigns, the pr<»cben of the everlasting gospel. See 1 Cor. iv. 11—U And still, even at this day, what striking at himii allhisofiices,—Prophet, Priest, King. Nowcertainh it is every one's duty to do all that ever he can towards the securing of the flag. (At Edge-hill * tii? king's standard was taken, and the standard-beam killed; afterwards retaken.) Alas! what can we ^^' I answer. What we can in our particular place and station. We can own it as our chief interest, and «i accordingly; contributing our utmost endeavoirfs towards keeping the flag up, as Aaron and Hor ss porting Moses, who held forth the rod of God, Exod-xvii.

9. He is a covering ensign. As all the soldiers are concerned in the safety of the flag, so the fiai a means of the safety of all the soldiers, CanL ii.4. His banner over me was love; —^by clinging close to it unbroken, they are preserved. Our Lord Jesos \i promised to his chnrch under this notion, as a covering, Isa. iv. 5, 6; xxxii. 2. He will hide aU that are hisin the hollow of his hand—nnder tk shadow of his wings—in his secret place ; to sigoifr that he hath more ways than one of doing it.

10. He is a conquering ensign. In the aceoimt of victories always the number is giren in, b?v many ensigns killed, how many colours taken; bj that they judge. Now here is an ensign that iires for ever; a flag that cannot be taken. He alwajs hath been, is, and will be, Jesus the eonqaeror. Rev. xix. 11. compare Rev. vi. 2. But what are his conquests to us ? See Rom. viii. 37. We are told of a vision that Constantino had, the first CbnstiaD emperor, of a banner with a bloody cross in it, with this motto, '< Conquer by this," which gave hia great encouragement in his wars with heathen op-Hume, T. 7. 310.

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS. idrsJ* In onr late wars, one prayed to know icli side sboald get the better, for on that side he uld be.

Use 1. By way of inquiry. What think ye of irist. How like ye this brave ensign? Are ye led under it? Who are ye for? 2. By way of exhortation. Be persuaded this y to give in your names to him afresh, as your vk act and deed, to be his, Ps. xx. 5. Having ne 50, keep close to him.

SERMON XX.

CHRIbT IS OUR EXAMPLE.

John xiii. 15.

yr I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done to you.

HERE were two great ends of the coming of our [>rd Jesus in the flesh.

The one, That by dying he might satisfy God's stice for our sins, and so make peace.

The other. That by living he may set before us an Kample.

Particularly in this chapter we have him with a \sin of water and a towel, washing and wiping his isci pies' feet. If you ask. What an unbecoming thing as that, and why should he do so? himself answers I the text, I have given you an example. I did it to love you, how you should stoop and condescend in Hces of love one to another;/or i//, your Lord and faster, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash ^e another's feet.

DocT. That our Lord Jesus Christ is our example.

Show, I. How we are to understand this.

II. What need we have of an example.

III. What kind of example he is.

IV. What lessons and what duty are to be learned nom it.

I. How are we to understand this, our example ? When I say the Lord Jesus Christ is our example, mean three things :

1. He is the copy we are to write after ; as chil-ren when they are to learn to write have copies set bem. It is not enough to tell them thus and thus you lust do, but show them how, by making the letters, nd setting them before them. So our Lord Jesus lath set us a copy ; Mark how I have done, says he, nd look that ye do likewise.

2. He is the pattern or sampler we are to work >y ; as girls when they begin to sew have samplers; ls Moses when to rear the tabernacle, had a pattern >f 6od*s own making; See thou do every thing ac

Eusebiiis de Vit Coiul Mosheim's Ecd Hift. v. 1. p. 963, &c. cording to the pattern showed thee in the mount, Exod. XXV. 9, 40. So our Lord Jesus, that we might be sure* to do all things well, himself became our pattern, our sampler.

3. He is the way we are to walk in, and his are the footsteps we are to tread in, 1 Pet. ii. 21. Where he hath trod before us, there we may safely tread. There are the footsteps of the flock. Cant. i. 8. which we are to go forth by. And there are the footsteps of the shepherd of the flock, that is, Jesus Christ, which we are carefully to tread in, and as far as we tread in those footsteps, wherein he hath trod before us, we arc in no danger of missing; it is when we tread in other footsteps that we go astray.

II. What need have we of an example ?

We have need of an example upon two accounts; as of a righteousness for justiflcation, a fountain for washing, a foundation to build on, a refuge to fly to; so of a copy, pattern, example, to write, to work, to walk by.

We need it—because of our own debility, and —because of our work's difficulty.

If the work to be done be difficult work, and the person to do it be weak and infirm, and unskilful, and apt to miss it, then by all means let him have an example to help him, to go before him; besides a rule, let him have an example.

Now that is our case.

Is not the work we have to do hard and difiicnlt? A God to glorify, a soul to save, duty to be performed, temptation to be resisted, affliction to be borne, relations to be filled up;—is this easy ? Is repenting work easy ?

Are not we, the doers, weak and infirm, bent to backslide, unskilful in the word of righteousness, not only backward to, but awkward in, every thing that is good ? And have we not then great need of an example, one to go before us, to show us how, and which way ?—Our heavenly Father, who knows our frame, hath provided for us accordingly; the whole Bible is a book of rules and examples, rules in the precepts, examples in the stories; both Old Testament and New; which are all to help our infirmities, and we should make use of them accordingly. But one example there is so in a special and peculiar manner ; a pattern which in a special manner we are to take heed to; and that is, the blessed Jesus, whose properties are to be shown, III. By considering what kind of example Jesus Christ is.

1. He is a good example. There are bad examples, and good examples. Bad examples there are enow, which we must not follow; good examples but a few; yetsome. Aye, bntone we have, eminent above all the rest, and that is, the blessed Jesus. He was good, and he did good, and he went about doing

Milner'M Church Hist. v. 3. p 41,4-2.

APPENDIX. good ; and all to set us a copy, that we might learn both to be good, and to do good, and to go about doing good. Ps. xxxvii. 3,27. There is the precept, —do as your master hath done before you; there is the pattern,—imitate him.

2. He is a great example. Dr. Jeremy Taylor,* who wrote the history of his life, according to the foar gospels, titles his book the Great Exemplar; and certainly he was, and is so.

The examples we have of other good men, even the best of them, in comparison with him, were but little examples, small copies, hot he is a copy in text letters.—^Tbe reason is, they were bat little folks in comparison with him; they but candles, at best but stars, he the sun. Now as the sun exceeds and excels all other lights, so the blessed Jesus all other examples. There was never one of them all but would yield and veil bonnet to him, as John the Baptist did, John iit. 30.

3. He is a general example, the example of examples ; all others learned of him, he of none.

But I mean general in two respects:

(I.) He is an example to all persons. We are all to learn of him, and to do as he did, and to walk as he walked. But will one and the same copy serve every one to write after ? Yes, here is a copy that will.

But there are many of us that are in such conditions and relations as he was never in; we are women, he a man; we husbands, wives, parents, children, tradesmen, husbandmen: how can he then be a pattern to us ?

I reply. Though he never was, nor could be, all and every thing of that that we are, yet, however, be we what we will, his example will reach us, if not directly; yet by consequence, as the word is a general rule.—He carried it so and so, in all that he was, in every relation, and in every condition, and by parity of reason, if we carry it in like manner in our particular conditions and relations as he did in all his, soberly, righteously, godly, it cannot but be well. He had a spouse—and see, Eph. ▼. 25.

But not general, it is objected, for he was not an example to Old-Testament people.

Very true, and therein we have the pre-eminence; yea, and all now have it not—but he is general to us.

(2.) He is an example in all things. Other good men are patterns of good, one in one thing, another in another. Abraham in believing. Job in patience, Moses in meekness; butnoone in every thing: Jesus Christ only is such. *' Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying : but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ," Rom. xiii. 13, 14. It should be—and put on sobriety, chastity, charity; no, pui on the Lord Jesus Christ, which includes all.

* Bishop of Down and Connor. He died, A. D. 1667.

4. He is a public, evident example; set forth t be seen of all. Not a candle lighted and put oidn the bed, or under a bushel, but apon the taUe, ti i candlestick. Many godly people, men and wma. live and die in obscurity; some are poblisiied, »ia Clarke's Lives. We have the story of what be did written at large in the Bible, and of the two we Bi|h better spare all the rest of the stories of ScnptnR than the one story of the life and death of Jam Christ, because he is our great exemplar. Lo» him and we lose all; therefore, I beseech yon, ^im that part of your Bible, in a special laanoer, tb: tells you what Christ did, and how he carried it

We have ministers also, who apon all occasoe. either do, or should, explain tbe ^leat examples us; showing us what he did, and how he canid it, to the end we may receive instmction by iL

5. He is a plain, easy example. There is a gres* deal of difference in writing between one hand aa: another. Some hands are so full of cats and &Mh rishes, that it is hard for a learner to learn to w&4 after them. Others again so plain, and easy, ai free from such appurtenances, that there is litij! difficulty in copying them.—Now sach a hand «v that that Jesus Christ wrote, I mean, snch a eopv. such an example. The condition he pat on was t mean, plain condition; a servant, not a knight, or s lord, or a prince. Now as his condition was, soA his example was. He set a copy for p(x»r people to write after; the meanest cannot say. it is out of b? reach, Matt. xi. 20. Learn of me—What to do' u make the world, to raise the dead, rebake the winds and waves ? No: to be meek and lowly ; as here, te wash one another's feet: not to baild charcbess @ erect hospitals; not to fast forty days and fom nights, not to go barefoot on pilgrimage to Jeroa-lem, not to wallow naked in the snow, as Saii Francis.t

6. He is a perfect, exact example, a copy wit out a blot: there never was any other so but htm-self only; all tbe rest missed it in one kind orotkr. nay, missed it in that very thing wherein they ven most exemplary,—Abraham in nnbelief. Job h impatience, Moses in passion, Peter in cowardi The reason was, though they were good men, ret they were men compassed with infirmity, but here b one who had no infirmity, Heb. vii. 28. He t2> holy, harmless. See his challenge, ** Which of m convinceth me of sin V John viii. 46. O how veil is it for us, and what cause have we to be thaokfsl that we have one sinless, spotless example, one ihit we can safely trust in and follow withoot fear oi erring!

7. He is a purposely designed example. Designed by God the Father from all eternity to be ». and that was one reason why the contrivance «a * The founder of the order of Monks called died A. D. 1298. Mosheim's Eccl. Hist v. 3. 56,ftG. n. He

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS. that he should he a man like one of us ; not only tbat in his death he might he a propitiation, the same natnre that sinned satisfying; hut also, that in his life he might he a pattern; a man to men. Designed by himself all along, in all that he said or did ; he spake so and acted so that he might—^Matt iv. 19 ^that is, I most be an example.

8. He is a peculiarly hlessed example. I mean, Blessed of God for good to those tbat apply themselves to work and walk according to it There is a blessing that attends endeavours in reference toother good examples that are before us, but especially this. And many a poor soul hath found it so of a truth, found strength coming in from the Spirit of God, enabling him to do that in pursuing the example of the blessed Jesus, which otherwise he could not have done. ** Wherefore seeing we are encompassed about with so great a cloud"—smoothing the way,-*-" of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race tbat is set before us, looking unto Jesus.''

9. He is a perpetually abiding example, Heb. xiii. 8. Other copies of good men are worn out with time; we know little of them now, except some few Scrip-tare patterns. But here is one that will last to the world's end, Matt xx. 20. / am with you —as a copy for you to write after, as well as to support and bless you. rV. What is to be learnt from this subject ?

1. Then, hence we learn who is a true Christian. There are Christians in name, such we all are, and there are Christians in reality. Who are they? Those that walk as Christ walked; that make him their pattern and sampler; that can say with Paul, ** To me to live is Christ, and to die is gain," Phil, i. 21. A Christian! and not conform to Christ, to his image, to live as he lived ? It is a contradiction. As for a man to call himself a Lutheran, a Calvinist, and not hold with Luther, or Calvin ;—an Aristotelian, a Pythagorean, a Platonist, and yet oppose their schemes. It is our badge as Christ's sheep to follow him; " My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me."

2. We learn who are the best Christians amongst Christians.

It is certain some are better than others. Now, who are the best ? I answer, they who walk most like Jesus Christ, that tread most closely in his steps: allasion to 2 Kings xiv. 3. " He did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, yet not like David his father: he did according to all things as Joash his father did." David was the sampler, the standard, —^so is the Son of David.

3. Learn how far we are to follow all other examples, how good, how great soever;—no further than they follow Christ's example; when they leave him, we must leave them, 1 Cor. xi. 1. The reason is, he is the great exemplar, the pattern of patterns, Heb. xii. 1,2. In sitting at the sacrament they are on a safer side than those that kneel, because Christ sat;—though that does not prove we must, it proves we may.

4. Then let us in every thing set ourselves to do as he hath done before us, '* He tbat saith he abid-eth in him, ought himself also so to walk even as he walked;" 1 John ii. 6. ought —^not may, if he will, or may choose, but ought, —It is duty. Think you hear him say» Learn of me, or as Gideon, " Look on me, and do likewise," Judg. vii. 17. Who should children learn of but their father? servants, but their master ? Who should sheep follow but their shepherd ? It were a good thought in a doubtful matter. What would Jesus Christ do if he were here? how would he carry it ? Would he play at dice or cards, revel, be wanton ?

Wherein especially are we to imitate the holy Redeemer?

(1.) In his care to please God in every thing, John viii. 29. Did he so ? then let us endeavour the same. Acts ix. 6.

(2.) In his contempt of this world, and every thing in it. What poor nothings were they to him. Are they so to us,—riches, honours, pleasures ?

(3.) In his charity towards all men. He had a love of pity and compassion towards enemies, prayed for them; so should we. But his special love was for the excellent; so should ours be, Eph. v. 2.

(4.) In his carriage under his sufferings and at his death, so meek, so lamb-like, so silent, so submissive —such should ours be.

But is it possible we should be as he was, and do as he did ?

I reply. It is not in the same degree, but yet as a child learning to write strives, and doth as well as he can, and eyes his copy often, we may do.

There arc two motives to such endeavours.

It will be an evidence that we are his now in the kingdom of grace. And, It will be an earnest that we shall follow him hereafter in the kingdom of glory. Rev. xiv. 4, 6.

SERMON XXI.

CHRIST IS THE DOOR.

John x. 9.

/ am the door: by me if any man enter tn, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.

Of all the comparisons made use of by our Lord Jesus to illustrate and set forth what he is appointed of God to be to true believers, there is none more seemingly uncouth and unlikely, and yet none wherein he is more express and positive, than this, of a APPENDIX. iioor, — I am the door, . He says elsewhere, / am the watfy and / am the vine ; and here, / am the door, DocT. That Jesas Christ is the door. Show, I. Of what use a door is, that we may see and be convioced that we have need of him, as a door.

II. What are the properties of Christ as a door, and what kind of door he is.

III. What improvement is to be made of it. Lord, give me a door of utterance, and the people, while I am speaking, a door of entrance. Amen.

I. Of what use is a door, and how is Jesas useful as such ?

A door we all know is of a four-fold use, or for four purposes—^to let out, and let in; to shut out, and to shut in; and so is Jesus Christ, and therefore it is not amiss here that he says, I am the door,

1. A door is to let those out of the house that are in it, and have a desire or occasion to go out. It is not to break the walls down, nor to creep out by the window. No, the door is made for the purpose of orderly going out.

Now there are four houses or places which it concerns us all to get out of, and the Lord Jesus Christ is the door by which we must get out if ever we mean to get out.

(1.) There i:t the prison house of a sinful state and condition. In this we all arc by nature, one as well as another, Gal. iii. 22.—^shut up under lock and key, as prisoners are shut up, either for debt, or as malefactors.

In this prison there are two rooms, one is God's, and the other is the devil's.

God's room in this prison, is that in which we are all shut up by reason of the guilt of sin, according to his law, exposing us to wrath and punishment. Consider sin as a debt; wc are prisoners for that debt; as a fault, a trespass, a treason. We are prisoners for it, I say, prisoners already, though suffered to walk up and down, yet prisoners—bound over. There is a worse prison to come, but this is the way to it, the beginning of sorrows. Now is there never a door out of this prison, no way to pay the debt, to make satisfaction to divine justice, that we may be discharged ? Yes there is, and Christ is that door; Whosoever believes in him, shall not come into condemnation, Rom. viii. I. Thus it is prophesied of him, Isa. 1x1. 1. ''He hath sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound." By him many a poor prisoner hath been set free, Ps. cxvi. 16. I Tim. i. Id—15. Methinks we should all be glad of this, both those that are out, and those that may get out if they will. Were such an offer made to the poor prisoners in Chester, or Shrewsbury, or Ludgate, or Newgate, the debtors' end, or the malefactors' end, how welcome would it be !

The devil*s room in this prison, is that in which all unconverted sinners are; under the dominioD of sus, under the power of a corrupt nature ; led captite b him, 2 Tim. ii. 26. Like Samson with his eyes out. grinding in the Philistines' mill, and the Pbilistiaef making sport with him. Here is the truth of tfaj condition, sinner. " In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe oot. lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, vbo is the image of God, should shine unto them," 2 Cor. iv. 4. '* Wherein in time past ye walked accordiDs to the course of this world, according to tbe prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now voii. eth in the children of disobedience : among mhm we all had our conversation in times past. Id *^ lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the Icsb. and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others," Eph. ii. 2, 3. Now is there no door out? Most I live and die in this eonditioQ' Is there no escaping? Yes: there is a door; he b raised up, and sent of God, on purpose to be tkc deliverer; as Moses out of Egypt, Cjras out of Babylon. Dost thou not hear him call? Thou hast heard it many a time, but not heeded it. O heed it this day, and close with it; say not, I like obt master, and I will not go free, but yield thyself uofc> God, as one that is alive from the dead, and joor members as instruments of righteousness unto God Rom. vi. 13.

(2.) There is the house of bondage ander tbe cere-monial law; an uncomfortable bouse to dwell fa: the fathers thought it so; a yoke, an intolerable yoke. But is there no door ? Yes, Jesus Chirst is tbe door: by him the gospel church is called to go oat, from bondage to freedom, from carnal to spiritual onii> nances. Matt. xi. 28. And yet there are some tb£ will not stir, nay, are angry with those that do, and hate and persecute them ; as Ishmael the son of tbe bond-woman, did Isaac, the son of the free-womaa. Gal. iv.

(3.) There is the house of correction ander afflicting providences. And this is a house that few of as but one time or other are taking a tarn in it, and glad would we be to get out;—the sick to be well; in pain to be at ease; they that are in want to be supplied; the sad to be comforted. Some cannot abide in tbii house, but will break prison, use unlawful means to get out. There is but one door of lawful escape, and that is Jesus Christ: he is the door, Ps. Ixviii. 201 Make him thy friend, and let him alone. How! Humble thyself to him, accept of the punishmeot of thy iniquity, justify God, judge thyself, bear patiently his fatherly chastisement, use lawful means, and yet be willing to continue his prisoner: and mark if this be not the right door. Murmuring, qnar-relling, complaining, shifting, sharking will not do. Job xxxiii. 19; xxiii. 24, 26.—a tnm-kej, a doorkeeper, ehap, xzxvi. 8—12.

(4.) There is the house of the grave: a bouse in WHAT CHftlST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.

we mast all make oar bed shortly; a dark, silent, lonesome boase, wherein there is company enough, bat no converse. Is there any door oat of ^his hoase ? Only one comfortable door, and that is •Jesus Christ. " I am the resurrection and the life, lie that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live," John xi. 25.—the resurrection only to them that believe, and to all them; others must be vaised, but Jesus Christ is the resurrection only to true believers. None but they must come out through liim, as the door. There is victory only through him, 1 Cor. XV. 66, 67.

2. A door is to let those in that are without; being open, we go in at it, and it is the right and usual way of entering. Now, such a door for such a purpose is Jesus Christ.

(1.) He is the door into the pasture. So, in the context, he compares believing souls to a flock of sheep, and himself to their shepherd. Now sheep must have some pasture, some place to graze in; that place must have some gate or door, for the sheep to go in at. I am the door, says he. What, and the shepherd too ? Yes, and the shepherd too. What is the pasture then, to which he is the door ? The pasture for believing souls is the word of God, the ordinances of God, preaching, praying, singing psalms, sacraments, sabbaths: here Christ feeds his flock. Cant i. 7, 8. And brave ^reen pastures they are, Ps. xxiii. 2, 3. Now the door is Christ; it is by him we «nter, in his name, by the assistance of his Spirit "Without him there is no blessing, no nourishment. How do the sacraments become profitable ? By the blessing of Christ, and the working of his Spirit. See then that we come in his name, and strength.

(2.) He is the door into the presetice-chamber, £ph. ii. 13,18; iii. 12. There is no coming to God with comfort, but in at this door. It was his great end io dying, that he might bring us to God, 1 Pet. iii. 18.

(3.) He is the door into the storehouse, or treasury, of all the good things that we have need of, whether concerning this life, or the other. The door to them was shut and locked up, and barred and bolted, by the fall. There is no coming at any of them till the Son of God came, and himself became the door, '* My God shall supply all your need, according to his riches in glory, by Christ Jesus" —^Tbey are laid up in the promises; now Christ is the door to the promises, 2 Cor. i. 20. Col. i. 19. compare John i. 16.

(4.) He is the door into the school-house. The church of God in this world is like a great school, wherein all true believers are scholars, or learners. The teacher is God, John vi. 44. His ushers are the ministers, the under-feachers. The lesson is, the will of God concerning our salvation. The door or entrance into this school, is Christ; by him it is we are admitted into this privilege; he gives us the understanding, 1 John v. 20. Ps. cxiz. 130.

—the entrance or door.—O beg of him to help thee in at this door, to take thee under his blessed tuition.

(6.) He is the door into the ark: I mean, Noah's ark, the close ship, wherein Noah and his family were saved. It had a door. Gen. vi. 16. Now that door is Christ; there is no safety, no salvation, but in, and by, and through his merit, and mediation, 1 Pet. iii. 21.—he shall be saved as here.

(6.) He is the door into the atonement It is by him that we are let into the pardon-office; into a state of peace and reconciliation with God, Rom. v. 1. 2 Cor. V. 19, 20.

(7.) He is the door into grace and holiness; his blood is not justifying only, but sanctifying. It is by him that we are made new creatures, partakers of the divine nature; quickened, Eph. ii. 1.

(8.) He is the door into glory and happiness. He is the door into heaven. There is no coming thither, but by him. He is our forerunner.

3. A door is to shut out those that are without, to keep people from coming in at pleasure. They must knock that will enter. Our hearts have a door, and it is shut against him, and he is fain to knock, and call, Ps. xxiv. 7, 9. Cant. v. 2. Rev. iii. 20. These houses of his afore-mentioned have a door also, and they are kept by that door from being common. But if we knock, it shall be opened. Matt. vii. 7, 8. Provided we knock in time, else the door will be shut. Matt. xxv. 10,11. Luke xiii. 26—28. And provided also we knock in earnest, Luke xiii. 24. not coldly, carelessly; not in guile and hypocrisy.

4. A door is to shut those in that are within. All that are let in by Christ into those blessed rooms before mentioned, let him alone to secure them there. John X. 28. I Pet i. 6. When Noah was in the ark, God shut him in.

II. What are the properties of Christ as a door? A» a door he hath these properties.

1. He is a living door. This is peculiar to him. No other door is so besides him ; as he is the living way, Heb. x. so he is the living door. The door to life, and a door that hath life. Other doors are dead things. Now, it is true be was dead, but he is alive, and lives for evermore, and thence it follows. Rev. i. 18. and have the heys of hell and of Heath.

2. He is a low door. They that will enter in by him must stoop, or else there is no entering. It was man's pride, lifting up himself against God, that shut up the old door; therefore it is humility, and humiliation, and self-denial, that must help us in at this new door, Luke ix. 23.

3. He is a strait door. Matt vii. 14. As we must stoop, so we must strip; there is no taking our lusts and sins in with us at this door. Away with them, allude to Mark x. 60. He, casting away his garments, rose, and came to Jesus. See Matt xix. 23, APPENDIX.

24. A cable antwisted may, in time, be gotten through a needle's eye, but not else.

4. He is a strong door. The door into the temple was 80, when twenty men were employed night and morning to shut and open it We read of brazen gates. Such a gate Christ is, and it was needful he should bo so, F&r comfort to his people. Therefore he is able to save to the uttermost; therefore there is no danger of being broken open, or plucked out. And, Fwr terror to others. Therefore no breaking in upon him, otherwise than upon his own terms.

5. He is an open door. As yet I may say so in the sense in which he is an open fountain, Zech. xiii. 1. free to all, Isa. Iv. I. Rey. xxii. 17. He excludes none from coming in at this door, that do not exclude themselves.

6. He is the only door. Besides him there is no other. I am the door, that door, that one only door. Acts iv. 12. I Tim. ii. 5.

Our own merit and righteousness is no door; tbere« fore said Paul, What things were gain to me, them I counted loss for Christ: yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord," Phil. iii. 7, 8.

The mediation of saints and angels is not. They themselves have need of Christ to be their door.

General mercy is not; it never yet pardoned one sin, nor saved one soul, but in and by Jesus Christ

Ministers are not, nor ordinances.

III. What improvement is to be made of this subject.

1. What cause have we to bless God that there is such a door, especially that in love to our souls he hath revealed it to us. Yet, more especially, that he hath helped us in by it; that it is shut upon us for our security, and not against us for our exclusion.

2. What a condition are they in that are either in darkness, or blindness, knowing nothing of this door, like the Sodomites, Gen. xviii. Or, that are shutting it against themselves by unbelief; or that are knocking at other wrong doors, like the priests of Baal, 1 Kings xviii.

3. Of what concernment is it to us, every one of us, both to own Jesus Christ as the only door, and to get in by him, and to do it quickly, before the door be shut.

SERMON XXII.

CHRIST IS AS THE DEW.

HOSEA xiv. 5.

/ will he as the dew unto Israel.

These words are a gracious promise made to Israel by the God of Israel, wherein the thing promised is, that he will be as the dew to tfaem. Toa know mht. the dew is. It is a moisture distilled from li[»v«e upon the earth, in asummer*s morning, whereby fk earth is refreshed in a dry season, and tbe ^nss. and the corn, and the herbs are refreshed, and v&de to grow. Now to this little inconsiderable tJiiie. the Lord doth here compare himself, that is, God is Christ, for out of Christ God is not a dew to ns, b«i a consuming fire; and, therefore, I say io Chri and therefore to him I shall apply it.

DocT. That the Lord Jesus Christ is as the dev unto his Israel.

This comparison of the dew is made ose of fer illustration in sundry places of Scripture.

The inconstant goodness of an hjrpocrite or dissembler in religion, is compared to the monum dmwL and the early dew, Hos. vi. 4. The morning c!o34 promising rain, the early dew performiDg sc Mnethinf towards it, but nothing to purpose ; as good neters whit as never the better. So in the case of the hjpo-crite.

The multitudes of sincere converts that should be. and were, in the days of the gospel* especially at tlu first setting of it out, are compared to the multitude of the drops of dew in a morning, Ps. ex. Z. du iew of thy youthf that is, multitudes of yoong converts.

The benefits that the world hath from the prr-sence of good people in it, especially when tbcj an much made of; they are like the dew to the placa where they live, Micah v. 7.

The excellency of brotherly love and unity, ssc unanimity among brethren, is like the dew, P.v cxxxiii. 1, 3. It makes every thing to grow, ajni flourish, and prosper.

The word of God, especially the word of the p»-pel, is like dew, Deut xxxii. 2. Isa. It. 10,11. Hek vi. 7,8.

Here the Lord himself says, / will be as lAe dnr to Israel.

Show, I. What likeness there is between Jesu Christ and the dew.

II. Who the Israelis to whom he will be astbedfw.

III. When especially it is that we have need ol this dew.

IV. What our duty is in reference to it.

I. What likeness is there between Jcsos Chrisi and the dew?

The dew hath six properties, all fitly app Ucable, without straining, to the Lord Jesus Christ

I. The dew is divine and heaven-bom. Itis boi of the earth earthy, but of heaven heavenly. God himself is the Father of it, not man, Job xxxviii.SS. It is often called the dew of heaven Gen. xx Tii. 28, 39. Dan iv. 15; xxxiii. 5. 21. And is not Christ so? Is not God his Father? Was he oot begotten of him before all worlds? Isa. liit. 1. Wh» shall declare his generation f He b the dew certaiolr. for he came from heaven; he is the ffiji of God.

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.

2. The dew descends, comes down. The motion >f the sun is circular,* in a round, from east to west; t>ut the motion of the dew and the rain is perpen-iicalar, in a direct line downwards; and both for the good of man. Jesus Christ descended: he Biscended, it is true, but first he descended into the lower parts of the earth, Eph. iv. 9. And it was a descent indeed, if ever there was any,—from the right band of the Majesty of heaven to be born of a poor woman, in a stable, laid in a manger; to condescend to be made man was much, but to be made sin, a curse, was much more.

3. The manner of the descending of the dew is observable; it descends silently, makes no noise, as the rain oftentimes doth, clattering upon the houses. Such was the coming of this dew, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world ; he came not with observation, liuke xvii. 20. with outward show, did not cry, Matt, xii. 19.—not after the manner of kings and great men, sending harbingers before them. When he comes upon the soul, either in a way of sanctifica-tion, or of consolation, it is silently; there is no noise;—^the friend that sits on the same seat knows nothing of it, scarce the soul itself at present, Cant, vi. 12.

4. It is the nature of the dew to soften as far as it goes. So doth Jesus Christ: he finds the heart hard, incapable of divine impressions, but he doth not leave it so. He turns the stone into flesh. That is more than dew ever did, Ezek. xxxvi. 26. By this wc may know hath this dew ever descended upon oar souls. What softness, piiablencss, tractableness to the will of God, under ordinances, under providences, is there!

5. The dew moistens. So doth Christ The heart, through sin, is not hard only, but dry« till grace comes, and that opens a spring, which spring springs up in the soul to everlasting life; then there is weeping and mourning for sin; our own sins, Zech. xii. 10. and other men's sins, Ps. cxix. 136. Abab's repentance was in some things beyond Josiah's, but Josiah wept; so did not Ahab; compare 1 Kings xxi. 27. with 2 Kings xxii. 19. It is said of Gideon's fleece, it was wet with dew when all was dry round about it, Judg. vi. 37. So it is oftentimes with souls in ordinances, under providences.

6. The dew makes fruitful; the grass, and the com, and the herbs, and plants in the garden, and in the field, grow the better after the early dew : it is refreshing to them, and causes them to thrive and shoot forth. Gen. ii. 4—6. Says Elijah, when he would foretell a famine, as the means of it,'' There shall not be dew these years." Says David, in his elegy upon the death of Jonathan, when he would wish the mountains where he died barren. Let there be no dew, 2 Sam. i. 21.

That is, appareniljf to, except upon Its own axis. It is now pretty generally agreed that the earth and other planets move

The author of all the fruitfulness of souls is the blessed Jesus, by the working of his Spirit and grace. Isa. xliv. 4. See what follows here. He shall grow, that is, with all kinds of growth ; downwards, upwards ; in strength, comfort, usefulness. Hos. xiv. 8. '' From me is thy fruit found." See John xv. 1—5. Mai. iv. 2. As a sun he furthers fruitfulness and growth: " grow as calves of the stall."

II. Who is the Israel to whom he will be as the dew.

There is a two-fold Israel spoken of.

Israel the person. That was Jacob ; so called from his prevailing with God in his wrestling. Of him it is not meant He was dead and gone long before. And, Israel the people. This is two-fold: Israel according to the flesh. The nation and the people of the Jews; the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It was a truth with reference to them. The Lord was unto them as the dew,—refreshing, cheering, comforting, making them to grow, and increase wonderfully. And, Israel according to the spirit. All truly penitent believing people, whether under the Old Testament, or under the New. Such as are described doing according to rules given, Hos. xiv. 1—4. To such as these Christ is as the dew. It is true he must descend on us, ere we can be such, but when his grace hath made us such, then he is indeed the dew unto us. Now when it is said here, '* I will be as the dew unto Israel," understand it,

1. Of the gospel church in general; and the particular churches and congregations, the visible members of it. The Lord Jesus hath been, is, and will be, as the dew to them; making them to grow, and thrive, and increase, and bring forth.

2. Of particular believing souls. Such as are Israelites indeed, princes with God; called, and chosen, and faithful. They- will all witness for him —I am sure I have found him as the dew to me many a time; And so have I, will another say.

III. When especially have we need of this dew ?

1. To be sure we have all need of it while wc are in an unconverted state and condition. Till a shower of this dew falls upon thee, thou art good for nothing. God hath no service, no fruit, from thee. Thou art like the mountainsof Gilboa, under God's wrath and curse. O that thou wert made sensible of it, that thy soul might be like the dry and thirsty ground, that gapes for the dew and for the rain ; that thou wert set a longing after it; crying and calling for it.

2. .When the conscience is parched at any time with the sense of guilt staring thee in the face, through some wilful omission, or commission. O then for a shower of this dew! What is there else that can give ease and comfort, butonly this ? 1 John around the sun.

APPENDIX. i. 7; ii. 1, 2. Rom. v. I. He alone is our city of refuge, the altar we must fly to. a Under the withdrawings of the light of God's countenance. When he is pleased to hide his face from the soul, whether provoked to it, or for trial, when mourning alL the day long, this alone must be the dew that must refresh and comfort, Prov. xiv. 12. A beam of that favour shining upon the soul through Jesus Christ.

4. When a fit of barrenness prevails; through the stirrings of some corruption, the success of some temptation, or through the want of quickening means and ordinances, the word, sacraments, sabbaths, solemn assemblies. What hath the soul to recover itself by out of this ill frame ? Nothing but a shower of this dew. When he that hath said here, *' I will be as the dew unto Israel," comes by his Holy Spirit, puts in his hand by the bole of the door, speaks life and quickening to the soul, that makes a speedy change, as Cant. v. 2,4, &c.

5. In a time of outward trouble and calamity; when creature comforts fail, relations are unkind, or, it may be, snatched away ; when losses and crosses betide us, and our lifeis'made uncomfortable to us; —O the help that is had then, at such a time and in such a case, from a shower of this dew ! To be able to say. My Christ is mine still, and I am his. I have my fountain though my cisterns be all drawn dry, Hab. iii. 17, 18. As David, 1 Sam. xxx. 6.

6. When we come to die. The valley of the shadow of death is a very low place, so low that it is oftentimes very dark and uncomfortable to those that walk in it; but if the Lord Jesus be with us in that valley we need not fear, Ps. xxiii. 4. Qne shower of the dews of his refreshing, comforting Spirit, whispering peace, enabling us to look beyond, will make death to be quite another thing, 1 Cor. XV. 56, 67.

7. When we go to an ordinance. The dew is necessary to prepare the ground for the plough.

8. When we have been at an ordinance. It is needful to close the soil with the seed.

IV. What is our duty in reference to this ?

1. Mix faith with it, as a divine truth; that there is certainly such a thing as this dew ; and that the Lord Jesus Christ is it. We see and feel the other dew, and know by experience what it is, but this is spiritual and invisible; yet it is as real a thing as the other.

2. Be more and more sensible of your need of it every day,in every thing; to soften, to moisten, to make fruitful. All is nothing without it. Nothing else will do the work but it only, 1 Cor. iii. 6,7.

3. Ask it of God; and having asked it, expect and wait for it, in the use of appointed means." Ask ye of the Lord rain in the time of the latter rain," Zech. X. 1. Say, " Lord, I want a shower of dew for my soul: my plants, my graces, my comforts, wither and decline; my fruit fails; help, Lord!"—And formeafc. the ordinances are the way.—^We moat lie b? ik pool-side. Though they can do Dothiog withooikls. though he can refresh without them, yet his ord Lita7 way is in and by them. Wait as the basbandosfi. Jam. V. 7. allude to 1 Kings xviii. 4.

But I can do nothing, says one, I am anworthj.

What doth the ground do to invite the dew? h thirsts, and desires, and gapes, that is all. VhA worthiness is there in the earth to deserve sa«-2 refreshments from heaven? None at all ; the m3> na, that is, Christ, came down in the dew—^in tbe ordinances, to be gathered only in the moniiL£ Look to it you that are young, it is the early de« it is dried up at noon; there are no showers cf u then ; therefore, " Remember now yoar Creator l: the days of your youth.''

4. Observe whence all your spiritual refresbai»!5 come, and all your fruit It is from Christ as joer dew; and let him have the glory of it, Ps. cscr.!. 1 Tim. i. 12.

SERMON XXIII.

CHRIST IS OUR SUN.

Mal. iv. 2.

But unto you that fear my name shall iJke Smm*; righteousness arise with healing in his mngs : c9^. ye shall go forth and grow up as calves ef \^ stall.

This sun here spoken of is certainly oor L«ord Je Christ. It must be he. It can be no other.

He is the Sun of righteousness. That if He is most righteous in himself; holy, harmtev. undefiled, separate from sinners, as the Branch <*. righteousness, Jer. xxxiii. 16. Righteous as God. righteous as man, Jesus Christ the righteous. So ts: is called, I John ii. 1. He is a Sun for righteoc^-ness, transcending all other. Besides, He is made righteousness to tci, 1 Cor. i. 30. Tbc Lord Jehovah, our righteousness Jer. xxiii. 6. S:> that if ye have any thing to do at any time with tfet righteous God, any sin to get pardoned, service &r-cepted, and are sensible ye have no righteousness of your own, take his, and go in his name, and yo«r work is done.

He is also a rising sun. There is a two-fold risioc of this sun; The one general and universal to all the world: at his incarnation, when the day>star, that is, tlu-sun, from on high, visited us. Lake i. 78.

The other particular and personal, in our horizoa, and that is, when we are savingly converted. Tben he rises, and never till then, to our sonls; to ym that fear my name. Not that we fear first, and tbea

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS. he San rises. No, the tun rises first, and pats that iear into yoar hearts, that is, that repentance, faith, lew nature, and then he rises in ns, and on as, more iXkd more. Now, the query is, what the soal gets hy the ising of this son. What doth the world get, what 10 particular creatares get, hy the rising of the sun n the firmament every day ? I answer, six things— ight—life—^heat—healing—^furtherance in growth— md furtherance in fruitfulness.—So do the souls of rue believers, by the rising of Jesus Christ, the Sun if righteousness, on them; every day they get spiri-ual light, life ; and, therefore, if ye ask what kind if Sun Christ is, and whatare his properties as such, answer. He is an enlightening, enlivening, heating, lealing sun« furthering our growth—and our fruit-ulness. Of the two first we have discoursed before —as oar light and life.^ Of the four last this day.

Jesus Christ is made unto us of God, a soul-heat-Dg, soul-warming sun. What heat, what warmth is here in the beams of the sun in the firmament, in a ommer's day ! how extensive! There is nothing hid rem the heat thereof, Ps. xix. 6. Nay, if it be in the aidst of the winter, though, by reason of its distance rom as, the rays are weak, and want force, yet how omfortable is it to us, how refreshing, how glad are re of it! And hath Jesus Christ never been in like (lanner warming, refreshing, comforting to your oals ? Have ye never found him a heating sun to you ? t is trae, there are places where the heat of the sun s sach, as not only blackens, but burns. And there ire people too, to whom Jesus Christ is a burning, onsuming sun; that is, to all the impenitent, unbelieving opposers of his kingdom and gospel, to 11 that go on still in their wickedness. See in the rst of the chapter, a very terrible threatening,—*' All be proud, yea, all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: nd the day that cometh shall bum them up, saith be Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither oot nor branch." But it follows,^'' Unto you bat fear my name shall the San of righteousness rise with healing in his wings,"—as if he had said -Be not ye afraid; he that will be a lion to others, nil be a lamb to you—an oven to others, a sun to oa.

Show, I. What need we have of these warming dflocnces from Christ the Sun of righteousness. Lnd, II. How and in what way Christ the Sun of right-ousness, communicates heat and warmth to those bat fear his name.

I. What need have we of these warming infln-nces from Christ the Sun of righteousness ?

The need we have, is, upon the account of the oldness we are subject to, in spiritual things.

Some are key-cold, stone-cold ; they have no eat, no warmth at all. How should they? They

See DiacounesIX and X. p are dead, dead in trespasses and sins, altogether void of spiritual life ; and that was once the case of every one of us, and is still the case of every unconverted, unregenerate soul. Till Christ arise upon us, and give us life, we are dead, Eph. ii. 1. When life comes, heat comes.

Even the best, such as are spiritually alive, are subject to their cold fits. The sense and feeling of which, and complaining under it, is a sign there is life, and that it is not the cold of death. Living people are cold, as perhaps some of you are now at this time, while I am speaking,f and dead people are cold ; but there is this difference, the dead are always so; they feel nothing from it.

The causes of this spiritual coldness are,

1. Some inward distemper prevailing in the soul; some mortified Inst striving, which drinks up the spirits. There are spiritual agae-fits, strokes of palsy. The more of the stone in the heart, and the earth in the mind, the cooler it becomes.

2. From the season ; night-time and winter-time are cooling times. When God withdraws, it is both night and winter with the soul; and no marvel then if it be cold.

3. From cooling circumstances, such as want of ordinances, engagement with carnal relations. See both in Ps. cxx. 5. *' Woe is me that I sojourn in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kcdar!" As if he had said—Alas I how cold am I!

The effects of spiritual coldness are,

1. Inward uneasiness. Warmth is comfortable; cold is uncomfortable. When this sun was eclipsed and gone, how sad were the disciples !

2. Unfitness for action. When numbness seizes the joints, the man can do nothing, Job xxxvii. 7. '' He sealeth up the hand of every man.'* Wonder not if he cannot work.

3. Unaptness to receive impressions by the word and by the rod—as wax when hard and cold. Inquire, II. How is heat and warmth communicated by Christ to those that fear his name ?

In general—it is by bis wings. The sun, say you, hath no wings. It means bis beams. In allusion to the fowls, who not only fly with their wings, but warm and shelter their young with their wings. Matt, xxiii. 37. But,

1. In particular—he is a warming Sun to us.

(1.) He is so by the immediate motions and comforts of his holy Spirit. It is under that notion that he is promised as a Comforter John xiv. 16. Comfort is warming. Also he is promised as fire. Matt, iii. 11. When he sanctifies, he works as fire, which is cleansing; also when he comforts. And, (2.) He is so by his word and ordinances, though not without the Spirit They are dead things in t Janttary, 1601*3.

APPENDIX. themselviss; it is the Spirit only that qaickens; bat the effect is produced when he is pleased to work with them and by them.

The word of Christ hath a warmiDg facalty, Jer. xxiii. 29. Luke xxiv. 32. Have not you yourselves found it so many a time ? When you have come cold to it, benumbed, frozen, bow strangely, how suddenly, have you been altered, revived, quickened, comforted!

The sacrament of the Lord's sapper is a warning, quickening, comforting ordinance,—as food, as physic, a cordial. Allude to I Sam. xxx. 11,12.

Singing of psalms is another warming ordinance, Eph. v. 18,19. " Be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess ; but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your hearts to the Lord."

(3.) He is so, by good society. The very sight of a good man warms, much more converse with him; and the more inward and intimate the better, Eccl. iv. 11. Not only bad company, but the want of good company, is cooling. Fire is quenched as well by the withdrawing of fuel as by pouring on water. See Acts ii. 41—47.

May I be bold to ask you, How is it with you ? What temper are you in ? Are you cold ? What kind of cold is it—^the cold of the living, or the cold of the dead ?

My exhortation to you in both cases must be one and the same : Away to Christ the Sun of righteousness. Lay thy soul ander his wings, his warm beams, the influences of his Spirit and grace, his word and ordinances.

Beg of him to come and warm thee by them. This is the meaning of David's oft-repeated request, Ps. cxix. for quickening,—quickening.

Prayers must be seconded with endeavours. Motion begets heat; so does meditation: '* While I was musing the fire burned."

When you meet with spiritual warmth at any time, let the Sun of righteousness have the praise. We may lay ourselves under his warming beams; but what do we towards our own warming? Some ministers, some subjects, are more warming than others; but we must use all the means, and that diligently.

2. Jesus Christ is made unto us of God a heavenly sun, with healing in his wings. Our condition is oftentimes not only a cold, starved condition, but a sick and wounded condition. We are sick—of the disease of natural corruption. We are sick—of the wounds of actual sin.

We should be greatly concerned, each of us, about * " We now wtthoat the smallest danger of incurring the suspicion or disloyalty, can safely pronounce that the royal touch for the king's evil, is to be referred to the head of physical charms, evincing that no order of men escaped the ancient contagion of these two. If any thing ails the body, if tiiat be sick, if that be sore, we send hither and send thitke, far and near, for help. What! and no concerned-ness for the poor soul ? We should in this case be more concerned, much more; for the soal is oor precious than the body; one soal is of morc Ttlst than a thousand bodies. The soal is the man. If the body be sick and die, it is but the body, the son! may do well enough; but if the soul be sick asc die, the man is lost. The body may perish aloee. but the soul never perishes without the body ak) perishing with it.

Count upon it, each of yon, yoa have need of healing. If you think not so, yoa have most need o all. Matt. ix. 12. Have you not a €K>rropt naton Why, that itself is a disease. Are ye not daih trespassing and transgressing? Your backslidinp must be healed, or ye are undone.

Behold I bring you tidings of great joy. There ii healing, there is a healer. The San of righteousness is risen. Away to him then vrith all thy sores, *ith all thy sicknesses.

He cures of the disease of corrupted nature b? his renewing grace. When the Spirit sanctifies, k heals. O beg that Spirit of his ! Ps. li. 10.

He cures of the wounds of actual sin by his blood and merit; as a Sun of righteousness iroputiio; righteousness to us before God, wherein we are made to be accepted. This justifies, acquits, absolves, and so heals. See both together, Ps. ciiia

Consider, (1.) The healing that is with Christ the Sun of righteousness, is the alone healing. There is no other that can cure thee. Acts iv. 12. Whetbef it be true that the king's evil can be cured by tfe king's touch * only, is more than I know; but I ac sure the evil of sin can be cured no other way tba* by the touch of the King of kings.—All other pbvsir and physicians are of no value.

(2.) It is all-healing. There is no disease, i» wound, that he cannot cure. Among diseases thosr that are hereditary are hardest cored. Now sio m such ; but though it be so, he can care it. Amo&f wounds those that have been longest neglected ait hardest cured. Are thine such ? Say not there is d§ hope. David lay three quarters of a year under tht peril of a neglected wound, yet he did well. " Tk blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sic.' 1 John i. 7. As when here on earth no disease «a5 able to stand before him, so it is now. The diseases of the soul submit to his healing touch.

(3.) It is healing at hand. What is there nearer at hand to us, wherever we are, than the sun-beams' Would they afford a remedy for all sores and sicknesses, who would want it ? Lo, here is a son tba: superst Uion." Brand's Observations on Popular AntiquitTes. ▼ p. 699. An account of the ceremony nay be seen in the G«b* Mag. ▼. xxi. p. 41Ab

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS. rill heal thy soul; and how near is it! Away then, ach of you, with all the speed imaginable, to this lealer. Delays are dangerous. David complains, 's. xxxviii. 5. " My wounds stink and are corrupt »ecause of my foolishness."

3. Jesus Christ is made onto us of God a growth-urthering son; they shall go forth and grow up as alves of the stall.

Go forth —as a sick man when healed goes forth ; ¥alks abroad, after long keeping his bed or cham->er; abroad into the open air, which is refreshing, ind comfortable; abroad, about his occasions. So he soul, when cored of sin by the Sun of righteous-icss, then, and not till then, goes forth; that is, begins o live, to live to purpose, to the will and glory of God, 0 his own happiness and salvation, Ps. crvi. 16. And grow vp.—Oftentimes after a fit of sickness, vhen cured, children are observed to grow and shoot brth exceedingly. So it is with the soul, and it is >wing to the sun's wings or beams. Nobody doubts he infloence the sun hath upon the growth of trees ind plants in winter. When the sun is away they ^row not, they scarce live. So it is with trees of ighteoosncss, trees of the Lord's planting. All heir growth is owing to Jesus Christ.

Can a tree or plant grow without a root ? No. Lo, le is oor root.

Can a tree or plant grow without watering? Lo, be is our dew.

Can a tree or plant grow without warmth ? Lo, he s a sun to os, his warm beams make us to grow, lud nothing else will do it without him. Sometimes rrowth in grace is spoken of as a commanded duty, 1 Pet. iii. 18. 2 Tim. ii. 1. In the text and elsewhere it is spoken of as a promised mercy, Prov. iv. 18. Job xvii. 9. And the blessed Jesus is the sole luthor of it.

As calves of the stall, —It shall be a speedy, useful growth. It is true he promotes and furthers it by ippointed means, Ps. xcii. 12,13. But still himself s the author of it.

Let us examine how it is with us. Do we grow, ^w in knowledge, grow in grace ? Are we better, setter this year than the last, more humble, watch-'ul, tender ? It should be so. Growth evidences Tuth;—^painted trees grow not. Many grow worse ind worse, 2 Tim. iii. 13. Growth will appear in (trength, and in stedfastness.

Let me exhort and instruct you. Would yon

? Get onder the wings of this son. '* Grow n grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and ^avioor Jesos Christ," 2 Pet. iii. 18.—How in grace?

By growing in the knowledge of Christ; not headcnowledge, but heart-knowledge. After so much

of Christ God will certainly expect you ihould grow apace. '' Grow up into him," Eph iv.

Id.—into acquaintance with him, into living upon aim, especially as a Sun of righteousness healing us. r t

4. The same is also to be said concerning our fruit; our Lord Jesus is a fruit-furthering sun.

The summer time, when the sun is with us, is the fruit-beanng time of the year. So when Christ is near the soul, and the soul is under his influences, then it bears fruit. ** 1 will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell onder his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine : the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon. From me is thy fruit found," Hos. xiv. 5—8. See John XV. 1—8. *' I am the vine," &c.

SERMON XXIV.

CHRIST IS OUR SHIELD.

Genesis xv. I.

After these things the word of tlie Lord came unto Abram in a visiony saying, Fear not, A brum: I am thy shield.

The word of the Lord that appeared to Abram, and said this, was the Lord, the Word, the second Person in the blessed Trinity—God the Son; oor Lord Jesus Christ. He appeared often to the fathers in visions before his great appearance, when he was made flesh and dwelt among us. Now that which he said was, I am thy shield.

Aye thine, O Abram, says one; but what is that to us, what kin are we to Abram I

I reply. No kin at all, only he was car father; and is that nothing ? It is true, we are no kin to him according to the flesh, only as he and we are come of the same Adam and Eve; but, according to the Spirit,—he is our father, and we are his children, if we arc true believers. He is called the Father of the faithful, Rom. iv. Ail that was said to him was said to os. See chap. xvii. 7. A God to thee, and to thy seed.

DocT. That our Lord Jesus Christ is made of God a shield to all true believers.

Thy shield ? each faithful soul may hereupon say; my shield. Lord;—as David, Ps. iii. 3; xxviii. 7; cxix. 114.

Show, I. The meaning of this; what a shield is.

II. The properties of this shield; what kind of shield Jesus Christ is. And, III. What ose is to be made of it. I. What is a shield ?

A shield is the same with a buckler, a broad plate of gold, or brass, or steel, or such like, carried by soldiers in their left hand to ward off blows from the head and heart, while the right hand manages the sword. Such a thing God the Word promised Abram

APPENDIX. here, and as in him, that he would be to him a shield, that is, a defence, a protection, a preservation to keep us from ail evil, from all hurts and harms, from every thing that might annoy us.

But are we in danger? do we stand in need of such a thing ?

Certainly. We do every day, and every night, every hour, and every moment.

1. We are engaged in a warfare; every Christian is to look upon himself as an enlisted soldier, and as such hath need of shield and buckler; not only of a sword for offence, but of a shield for defence.

2. Our enemies that fight against us are many« and mighty; the world, the flesh, and the devil are the three generals, and under each is Gad—behold, a troop Cometh. " We wrestle not against flesh and blood," £ph. vi. 12. that is, men like ourselves, and yet among such we have enemies, and therefore as to them we have need of a shield. Afier these thingSf after the war of four kings with five, after Abnim had rescued Lot, and made them all his enemies, no doubt he was afraid. Now the Lord Jesus comes to him. Fear notf they shall none of them hurt thee. I will stand between thee and danger. Nay we have another enemy, I had like to have said, worse than all the rest, considered as an enemy, and that is God, the mighty and terrible God: a professed enemy to every wicked man, going on still in his trespasses. If thou have not a shield to defend thee from him, from the stroke of his offended justice, thou art undone. Now that shield is our Lord Jesus Christ; not only to defend us from men and devils, but from being hurt by God himself.

3. It concerns us to get a shield, considering what it is that is in danger; even our all; all we are, and all we have, our life, health, estate, families ; nay, more than all these; our souls, our precious and immortal souls, are in danger. They are in danger of being wounded, of being destroyed. Their purity, their peace, is in danger. O then see, see, I beseech you, the daily need you are in of some shield, nay, any shield will not serve—of this shield.

II. What are the properties of this shield ?

1. The Lord Jesus Christ is a living shield. Other shields are dead things, made of dead materials; but he lives, and lives for ever. He was dead, it is true, but he is alive again, and lives for evermore.

2. He is a lasting shield. Other shields are subject to be worn out in process of time with much using, and then new ones must be had. Solomon made golden ones. In his son's days, they were gone, and brazen ones made in the stead of them; but here is a shield the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; Heb. xiii. 8. It is a long time since Abram and David had him for a shield, yet he is as firm and good now as ever, as safe and as sure.

3. H«is an encompassing shield. Other shields are for one side only, but here is a shield for every side— right side, left side, inside, outside, Ps. v. 12. Itti said concerning Job, and though the deTil said it k said truth, ** Hast not thou made an hedge abost him, and about his house, and about all that be hvk on every side,*' Job 1.10.—a hedge about, and aboot, and round about, never a gap in it.—^Were there <»e open place, at that one evil might come in.

4. He is an impenetrable shield, socfa a shield » cannot be pieroed through. We are told of a buckler, or shield, that was seven-fold, the thickncsi d seven ox-hides. What sword, or spear, or dart, cooM pierce that shield? Lo, here is one beyond that, armour of proof, such a shield as nothing can pit-vail agnst, nothing can enter. Is it a thing possible to prevail by power against omnipotency ?

6. He is the alone shield, besides him there is i» other. Solomon, and the rest of the kings, had choice; if one failed, they had another—for varietf. But this never fails: there is no need of any other; it alone is sufficient Other shields are shields of no value, such as cannot do our business, neither gf one kind nor other; none but Christ, none but Christ

Are not, it is asked, magistrates shields? P& xlvii. 9.

They are sub-shields, nnder-shields ; he alocf is the chief shield. They can do nothing without him ; he can do what he pleases without them. Bot

Is not faith a shield ? Eph. vi. 16. '< Taking tte shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to queue!: all the fiery darts of the wicked."

It is not faith that quenches in itself, and of itself, but as it receives Christ, and holds op Christ. Evm shield must have a hand to hold it, so must this shield. Now that hand is faith;—^not love, not repentance, not patience; but faith.

6. He is an all-sufficient shield.

He is a shield to all them that pvt their tren in him. If there were more such than there are. ^ would be enough for each of them; but not to otfaera, Prov. xxi(. 6. Ps. xxxi. 19. It concerns every out then to make sure his interest in Christ. If Christ-less, shieldless.

He is so at all times, and in all cases; against ill enemies, bodily, ghostly; in all perils and dangers, to the inward, to the outward man, Gren. xvii. 1 Being God all-sufficient, he is shield all-sufficieBt

III. What use are wc to make of this ?

1. This is a very comfortable troth to all the Lord'? people—that Jesus Christ is a sun to enlighten and warm us, that he is a shield also to protect and defesd us. Let our condition be never so pleasant and delightful, if we be not safe in it, if exposed toperili and dangers by enemies, what the better are we ?

It may comfort us, (1.) In reference to public concerns. We sboald be of a public spirit, that is, disposed to rejoice In any truth we hear (as many are in news told) that is for the good of God's people in general. Kov

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS. ach IS this, the Lord Jesus Christ is his churcirs bield.

He is a shield to the universal church, visible and nisible—to protect and defend it from all its ene-aies, within and without, open and secret. Matt, c vi. 18. To his being so to it all along, we owe the continuance of the being of it in the world to this lj. The power and policy of hell and earth hath lot been wanting to undermine and destroy it, but »ur Shield defends it.

Now it is his tabernacle. Moses's tabernacle was secured from wind and weather, with a covering of -a.m8' skins, and badgers' skins. So Christ is the covering of his church, Isa. iv. d, 6.

It is his vineyard; and see what care he hath for he preservation of it, night and day, Isa. xxvii. I—3.

It is his flock and fold; and to preserve it, see what he says, He will be a wall of fire round about.

It is his army, and to secure it he is a shield-general ; not only captain-general, and ensign-general, but shield-general, for their protection. Therefore, ^e that love Jerusalem, rejoice with her, Ps. cxxv. 1,2. Her enemies shall not prevail.

He is a shield to particular congregations, and assemblies that profess faith in Christ, and obedience to him, especially that walk worthy of their profession, to protect and defend them against the wrath and violence of those that hate them. Are not we ourselves an instance, amongst many others in like circumstances? Had we been here to-day, if the blessed Jesus had not been a shield to us? Whose hand but his hath been our covering? It is true we have a good law, and a good king and queen,* but had they been for us, if the Lord Jesus had been against us ? No, no; he hath been for us, therefore they. " The shields of the earth belong unto God," Ps. xlvii. 9. He that hath undertaken the protection of the whole tabernacle, hath undertaken the protection of every apartment in it. He that hath undertaken the care of the whole vineyard, hath undertaken the care of every bed in it. He that hath undertaken to look after the whole flock, hath undertaken to look after every sheep in it He that hath the command of the whole army, hath the command of every troop in it. Therefore, to him let us give the glory. Therefore, on him let us still wait.

(2.) In reference to our own particular personal concerns, we have daily need of a shield; and we have one, and shall have him our shield, if we trust in him—even the blessed Jesus.

He is our shield to secure and safe-guard us from God's wrath and curse due to us for our sins. Were it not for him stepping between, every day we were undone. The blows falling upon us lighted upon our shield, and bruised him, Isa. liii. 4, 5. He was

King WlUiam HI. and Queen Mary. made a curse for us, died the death for us. O how should we love him!

He is our shield from the rage and malice of Satan. He goes about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us. And who secures us from him, but the blessed Jesuis —^the lion of the tribe of Judah ? He takes our part.

He keeps us from being tempted, preventing os with preventing grace. He was led himself into the wilderness to be tempted; Matt. iv. 1. But he doth not lead us so; and it is a great mercy, and that for which we should be very thankful.

When we are tempted he is our shield to ward off the blow of the temptation, so that it shall not fall so heavy as otherwise it would, 1 Cor. x. 13. Luke xxii. 30, 31. He was tempted, but see Paul's testimony, '* He said unto me. My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made, perfect in weakness," 2 Cor. xij. 9.

He is our shield, to give us victory over the temptation, nay, to make us more than conquerors, that is, triumphers, as Job was. " The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations," 2 Pet. ii. 9. Eph.vi. 16.— quenching the fiery darts of the wicked.— He is our shield from the violence of mched men, God had no sooner withdrawn his shield of protection from Job, but presently the Chaldeans and the Sabeans were upon him. We cannot imagine what our adversaries that hate us would do unto us, not only to our assemblies and meeting places, but to our persons and families, if the blessed Jesus were not our shield, 2 Kings vl. 16—17.

He is our shield from all the evils and disasters tltat we are day and night exposed to ; going out, coming in, lying down, rising up. It is true, he makes use of second causes in doing it, but himself is the principal. The angels are of his appointing, Ps. xxxiv. 7; xci. n ; and cxxi. He strengthens our bars, Ps. cxivii. 13. He is our shield fromsick-ness. He is the body's shield from falls and bruises. He is the children's shield from burning and scalding. Job i. 10. Say then, how much are we indebted, and what shall we render?

2. Learn hence what a sad condition they are in, to whom Christ is not a shield. How are they exposed to all the evils and enemies that are against them! Imagine a man in a field fighting, and no shield, no friend. This is thy condition, sinner. O be sensible of it, and be afraid.

3. By way of exhortation and instruction.

(I.) Make Christ your shield, by a hearty closing with him as such, from a due sight and sense of your absolute need of him, and of the insufficiency of all others, in heaven and earth, to safe-guard and defend you. Renounce them all, and cleave to him.

APPENDIX.

Suppose a paper or pasteboard shield were all the defence a man hath in time of battle—^how hopeless!

(2.) Having made him your shield, make use of him as your shield, every day, in eveiry thing. Go not out, lie not down, but under the shadow of his wings. Say, as in Ps. xx. 7. *' Some trust in chariots and some in horses; but we will remember the name of the Lord our God." Look up to him for protection.

(3.) Having and using him as your shield, fear not. There is a fear of care and caution, which is our duty, and it is awakening. There is a slavish, weakening fear, which is our sin. How often are we warned against it—as here, " Fear not, I am thy shield.''

SERMON XXV.

CHRIST IS OUR STRENGTH.

Phil. iv. 13.

/ can do all things through Christ which strengthen" eth me.

This were a big word of holy Paul, in the former part of this verse—/ can do all things —unless he had somewhat qualified it by adding, in the latter part of the verse— through Christ which strengtheneth me. Do all things ? One would hardly think it should be the same man that says elsewhere, I am nothing, the chiefest of sinners, less than the least of saints. Each of these sounds like humility, bespeaks him a humble, meek, lowly, self-denying man, such as we all should be ; but to say, / can do all things, is high and strange. What could be said more even of God himself, Job xiii. 2. But his adding, through Christy gives him the glory, even him who is God, blessed for evermore. It is true it is / thatc/o when I do, but then it is as true, what I dp Christ doth in me, Gal. ii. 20. I Cor. xv. 10. Then it is he and not I; his strength, and not my own.

DocT. That our Lord Jesus Christ is the alone strength of true believers, he is made unto us of God—^strength.

Not only wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, not only sun and shield, butstrennh also. He doth not only strengthen us, but he is our strength. The Lord is my strength —in the same sense in which he isour life. We donotonly live inhim, and by him, and through him, but he himself is our life, Col. iii. 4. So we are not only strong in him, and by him, and through him, but he himself is our strength.

Show, I. What strength this is meant of.

II. What need we have of him to be our strength —wherein.

III. What are the properties of this strength.

IV. How and by what means does he commoni-cate it to us. y. What special inferences are to be drawn fro& it, that Jesus Christ is the strength of tme believen.

I. Of what strength is this meant ?

Strength is two-fold:

1. There is natural strength, which is streogt of body. Some have very strong bodies in oomia-rison of other; they are stronger to bear barthess, to endure hardship, to do work. The strongest that ever was was Samson. But that the story of bis is a Scripture story, and therefore certainly tme oee would hardly believe it, that he should kill a lion. slay a thousand Philistines with the jaw-bone of an ass; carry the city gates, posts and all, on his back; burst the green withs; and overturn a house witk his two hands, Jndg. xiv. xv. xvi. The Lord was certainly with him, with him after a pecaliar maoocr, strengthening him, or he could not have done it H« was herein a type of Christ. He is our Samsos. Jer. i. 34. Now as to this strength, either we have it, or we have it not. We must be content If we bae it; thankful. We must not by any means bepnnd of it, Jer. ix. 23, 24. For consider—there are son-dry kinds of beasts that have more of it than we. We received it—and a small matter may take it away; a short fit of sickness.

2. There is spiritual strength, which ia in the mxiKi and soul; called strength in the inner tmmn, Epb. iii. 16. The one of these may be where the other is not. Samson was strong in body, bat weak is mind, else he would not have been deceived by a woman, Prov. vii. 26. Many are weak in the ooter man—women are the weaker vessels—who, nevertheless, are of great spiritual strength.

II. What need is there that he should be our strength ?

Those who think they have need of none have most need of all, as of righteousness, wisdom, washifir, physician, so of strength.—^That which needs strength is weakness. Now we are none of us weak, are we ? All strong, strong to do any thing: we eaa ^ all things, I warrant. No such matter. We are weak and can do nothing, nothing, nothing truly good, as it ought to be done, further than Christ works it in us. '* Without me"—separate from mc, aot taking me along with you—" ye can do nothior John XV. 5. Yon cannot please God, profit othen, save your own souls.

Our weakness is universal weakness. We are all over weak. I mean in the inner man; spiritaaliy weak, Isa. i. 6.

We are weak in the head, weak-headed. Tbe head is the upper region of the soul; the apprehending, understanding, remembering facoltj i$ there. And are these strong or weak with as in spiritual things ? Weak, certainly, I Cor. ii. 14. Do wA ye find it so, in yourselves and others ? Luke xiv. CV.

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS. i'rov. XXX. 3. How dall, how forgetfal! Is it not )ur daily complaiDt, and yet will we say we have no leed of Christ? O see your need of him, and heg of lim to give yoQ " an understanding, that ye may mow him that istrae," 1 John v. 20. Beg of him to >pen your understanding, that ye may understand he Scriptares, Luke xxiv. 45. Every time we open he Bible to read, every time we go to hear a sermon, et us say. Lord Jesus, be strength to my under-ttanding, my memory.

2. We are weak in the heart—^weak-hearted, Ezek. cvi. 39.

The heart is put for the lower region, the will and the affections. In these, it is true, there is strength, !>nt it lies the wrong way, as wise to do evil, but to do good we have no knowledge. We are strong and stiff in choosing evil, and fast in holding it; in refusing good motions, resisting, gain-saying, loving simplicity, hating knowledge, Prov. i. but as to that which is good, how weak are we to embrace it, and hold it fast. How weak are we in spiritual combats with sin and Satan; yielding presently, overcome immediately, easily, at the first onset What is that but weakness ? Now the Lord Jesus is the strength of our heart, Ps. Ixxiii. 26.

3. We are weak in the hands—weak-handed.

The hand is the part that we receive with, if any gift offered, money, a jewel. Such a hand we must have, or we cannot be saved. Now that hand is faith. And are we strong or weak in believing ? As weak as water; it is not in us to believe, till the Lord Jesus works it in us ; faith is his gift.—^The disciples were of little faith.

The hand is the part that we hold with, when we have received. Suppose a man taking hold of Christ, good hold, justifying hold, saving hold, can he keep that hold by any strength of his own ? No, he cannot, but as Christ is his strength. He is weak.

The hand is what we work with. We have a great deal of work to do for God, for ourselves, for the good of others; repenting work, obeying work, praying work. And are we not weak in it, not only backward to it, but awkward, untoward ? And is not he our strength ? I can do all things through Christ, Isa. xxxiii. 2.

4. Wc are weak in the back and shoulders. Those are the bearing parts; and are we strong there? Can we hold up under a heavy cross, or calamity befalling us ? No, no. We sink, we droop, we faint, and that is a sign our strength is small, Prov. xxiv. 10. But if the blessed Jesus put to his helping hand,that strengthens, that upholds, Phil. i. 29. Col. i* 11. Therefore to him we must go in this case also.

5. We are weak in the feet

Those are the standing parts, that bear the weight of the body. The shoulders bear other things, but the feet bear them. Now what feet hast thou, what ability to stand ? We are often called on to stand; stand therefore, Eph. vi. But have wc strengthof our own wherewithal ? Do we stand on our own legs ? No, certainly, Phil. iv. 1. ** Stand fast in the Lord."

Those are the walking parts. And what walking ability have we? The way we are to walk, is in the way of God's commandments, of righteousness, of holiness, of our duty. Alas, how weak ! not only weak-sighted, eyes weak, not seeing our way, however not clearly and plainly, but weak-footed; as appears, (1.) By our aptness to stumble, even at straws. Every little thing offends, and turns us aside.

(2.) By the slowness of our pace. Were it not for weakness, how might we rid ground in our way to heaven.

(3.) By our inability to hold out We are soon tired; we begin well, but are weary presently.

This weakness is born with us, and is increased through our own default, more and more.

It is growing weakness; old men become weaker and weaker;—and yet we are loth to own it, through pride of heart.

III. What are the properties of this strength ?

1. It is divine strength. Less than divine strength, and other than divine strength, will not do divine work. We had need of the strength of God to take hold, and to wrestle with God, and to walk with God, and to work for God, and, therefore, such is provided for us. ** By his strength he had power with God," Hos. xii. 3.—not by Jacob's own strength, but Jehovah's strength. Everlasting arms were under him, enabling him to tug and wrestle with him, as he did. *' According to his glorious power," Col. i. 11.—not according to our own shameful weakness. Christ the power of God, 1 Cor. i. 24. Therefore, be of good comfort, thou feeble soul; God and a weak creature can do any thing.

2. It is daily strength, that is, strength that we have need of every day, and strength that is ready for us every day; '* Be thou their arm every morning," Isa. xxxiii. 2. Think of this, when waking every morning.

Three things are to be done every day: (1.) New temptations are to be resisted ; and how else shall we be able to resist them, but in the strength of Jesus Christ? Read 1 Sam. xvii.

(2.) New afflictions are to be borne. Sufficient for each day is the evil of it. We are born to trouble, and born again to trouble, but whence are we able to bear it, but in the strength of Christ ? Col. i. 11.

(3.) New duties are to be performed—towards God—towards our neighbours^-towards our families —towards ourselves. And whence are we able to do them, but in the strength of Christ ? Christ is our arm in every prayer, in every thanksgiving, in every repenting act, in every believing act. Are we to give reproof, to take reproof? Strength is needful. So in the affairs of our particular calling.

APPENDIX. in the inward man, in opposition to bodily strength, but strength arising and flowing from an inward principle. A man may be strong to do much, and saffer mach, from external weights palling and drawing, that is, from motives from without—to please men, or gain applause from men, but that is another thing from what is done by an inward principle, grace in the heart, the love of God shed abroad there, the love of Christ constraining, as the bias in the bowl, the spring in a watch. Both of them are out of sight, but both arc strong and strengthening. Now inquire. Have ye this principle, can ye witness to such a drawing from within ?

4. It is increasing strength. It is said of our Lord himself, that he grew in strength, Luke ii. 62. that is, as man. So do all that are his, Prov. iv. 18. They go from strength to strengtb, Ps. Ixxxiv. 7. Job xvii. 9. Thence it is that true believers who live long are best at last. Other things weaken by age, but grace strengthens by it.

5. It is suitable strength. It is suited

To persons that have it, according as their age> condition, need requires. The little finger hath not the strength of the arm, nor is it needful it should have it. So a private Christian needs not the strength of a magistrate, or minister; nor the child, or the servant, that of the master, or father, in the family. It is suited also

To the work that is to be done with it. All work requires not the same measure of strength for the doing of it; one hath work of one kind, now of another. See Numb. vii. 6—8. " As thy days so shall thy strength be/' Deut xxxiii. 25.

6. It is sufficient strength, 2 Cor. xii. 9. As for ourselves, we have no sufficiency of our own to any thing that is good. No matter, while there is an all-sufficiency in the grace of Christ. Therefore, fear not that any temptation, affliction, duty, will be too hard for thee, Ps. xxiii. 4.

IV. How is this strength communicated to os ?

1. By the immediate influences of his Spirit, Eph. iii. 16. As it is the Spirit that quickens, so it is the Spirit that strengthens. Ho is the soul of our souls ; as all the strength the body hath it hath from the soul, so all the strength the soul has is from the Spirit. He works all our works in us, and for us, Isa. xxvi. 12. Our mortifying work, Rom. viii. 13. our repenting work, Zech. xii. 10. our praying work, Rom. viii. 26.

2. By the ordinances.

The word is strengthening both read and preached. It strengthens the head in knowledge, the heart in faith, and love, and all obedience.

The sacraments as seals are strengthening: what a help to believing!

3. By good society. Ps. ixxxiv. 7. " They go from strength to strength;" that is, they increase in number, and by that means in strength.

V. What special inferences are to be drawn hence'

1. Learn what is the reason we are so weak, U» ground of all our infirmities. We are ChrtitieB, Christless.

Some are totally so, therefore, tossed to and fro like children, by errors, by temptation: thereCfHe no work is done for God, or for the sooL

All in part are so; we go forth in our own sticogth; as Peter, and you know what came of it.

2. Learn what to do that we may be strengtbeaed. Ask it of God in the name of Jesos Christ, Ps. Ixviii. 28. Isa. xxxiii. 2. Every day in every thio.

3. Learn what to do when we hare asked and received it. Use it; it is a talent, li^^e can do mofc than we think we can, through Christ atiengthea-ing.

4. Learn what to do when duty is done, especially if well done; give him the glory, Ps. exv. 1. GaL ii. 20. 1 Cor. xv. 10. tsbeeomemy

SERMON XXVL

CHRIST IS OUR SONG.

Ps. cxviii. 14.

The Lord is my strength and song, and

sahation,

Christ, the true treasure, is certainly hid in the field of the Old Testament, particularly in the book i of Psalms, yet more particularly in this psalna. Who else but ho is the stone refused by the bnilders, and made the head-stone of the comer? v. 22. Who ebc but he is here spoken of ? v. 14. my strength and laa. Is it not the same that is become our sahmtion ? oar Jesus? All true believers may as truly say it in their measure as David,—^he is my song.

DocT. That Jesus Christ alone is, and ought to be, the song of all true believers.

Show, I. In what sense we are to understand it

II. What of Jesus Christ is it that is especially a believer's song.

III. What are the properties of that aonf whick Jesus Christ is to all true believers. rV. Make the application.

I. In what sense arc we to understand this, the Lord is my strength and song ?

To be sure, not in that sense in which Job says, " Now am I their song, yea, I am their by-word."' Job XXX. D, Or David—" I was the song of the drunkard," Ps. Ixix. 12. It is enough, and too much, that he is so to unbelievers, to them that swear by his blood and wounds, as unholy things, traraplio them under their feet. No ; " Unto you which believe he is precious/' 1 Pet. ii. 7. Believers have other thoughts of him, carry it otherwise towards him; aad

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS. it IS one of their best evidences that they are true believers.

But it is to be anderstood in a three-fold sense: 1. He is the main object of their hope and trust, and ought to be so. Of this we discoursed before, from 1 Tim. i. 1.* That which is our confidence uses to be our song. If gold be our confidence, gold is our song; if our great friends are our confidence, they are our song; and so every thing else. Now a belie vet's great, nay only, confidence is the Lord Jesus Christ; his hope is in him, and in no other; no, not in God himself, nor in the mercy of God, nor promises out of Christ '' The Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song, he also is become my salvation/' Isa. xii. 2. Are our sins to be forgiven, our performances to be accepted ? His merit and righteousness alone must be our song. We must hope and trust in no other.

2. He is the main subject of their praises and thanksgivings, and ought to be so. We have many occasions to sing, that is, to give thanks, upon the account of the many many mercies and deliverances vouchsafed, both public and personal, Ps. xxxii. 7. Nay, we must sing not of mercy only, but judgment also, Ps. ci. 1. Like the nightingale, even when the thorn is at our breast. But the mercy of mercies that we are to sing of, and to bless God for, is Jesus Christ, the gift of gifts, the unspeakable gift, 2 Cor. ix. 16.

3. He is the main matter of their joy and rejoicing, and ought to be so. He is the head of their joy, Ps. cxxxvii. 6. He is the gladness of their joy, Ps. xliii. 4. We may rejoice in other things: husbands are bid to live joyfully with the wife of their youth, Eccl. ix. We must eat our bread with joy, and rejoice in the labour of our hands; but still Jesus Christ must be our chief joy. Our song must be of him, above and beyond them all: and is it so ? Can we appeal to God and say. Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that it is so ? If we can, it is a good sign of the good work wrought in us. " We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh," Phil. iii. 3. Mark, no confidence; Jesus Christ alone is our confidence. And where is our joy ? Is it not in Christ Jesus ? He that rejoices aright in Christ Jesus can find enough in him to rejoice in, in the want of other things, Hab. iii. 17,18.

Three things are requisite to the making of Jesus Christ our song, that is, the main matter of our joy and rejoicing.

(1.) An interest in him. Not a common interest, which all have in him as a common Saviour; but a peculiar interest, a special interest, as my Saviour: this must be supposed. Now that which gives this interest is our closing with him by faith; it is be lieving that makes him ours; that is the foot by

See Diacouite VL which we come to him, the hand by which we receive him, the mouth by which we feed upon him. What is it that makes two one in the conjugal relation, but the mutual assent and consent each to the other ? Hos. iii. 3. So it is here.

(2.) The knowledge of that interest Many have the former that have not this, and that is the reason why many, concerning whom we hope they are truly in Christ Jesus, yet do not rejoice in him as they ought He is not their song. Their strength he is, to uphold and support them, that they sink not under their doubts and despondences, but their song he is not The more is the pity that these two should be parted; yet sometimes it is so. Zion said, ** The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me,*' Isa. xlix. 14. And is it any marvel, when the King of Zion himself hath said so, ** My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Ps. xxii. 1. It therefore concerns all true believers that have an interest in Christ, to clear up their interest to their own souls, that they maybe able to say, *' My Beloved is mine, and I am his," and, therefore, he b and shall be my song.

(a) Suitable walking. If we let the reins loose to sin and folly; if we suffer the world and yanities of it to encroach upon us, and to steal away our thoughts and affections, that will quickly spoil Christ's being our song, Hos. ix. 1. Joy is forbidden fruit to a backslider, such have other work to do. It is they only that keep conscience void of offence, that walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, that keep close to God and duty, I say, it is they only, that can rejoice in Christ Jesus. And therefore, see to it all ye that desire to make Christ your song, and to rejoice always in him; mind your way; mend your pace; ply your work.

II. What of Christ especially is a believers' song ?

True believers sing, and ought to sing,

1. Of what Jesus Christ is in himself as to his personal excellences and perfections. It is usual to make songs, and to sing them by way of encomium, or praising, of worthy men that outshine others. They made songs of Saul, and of his valour; of David also. David himself made a song in praise of Jonathan. And have not we much more cause to make and sing songs of the blessed Jesus ? Is there any like him, any in heaven, or on earth, to be compared with him ? There is something in him that makes him more admirable than his being a Saviour. What is that? His perfections as God infinite, eternal, unchangeable in his being, wisdom, and power. Of these we ought to sing. His name is Michael —who is like thee, O Lord! We ought to sing of him as a Saviour, onr Saviour.—So in the text— and is become my salvation. There is no need to make songs to this purpose, there are some made

APPENDIX. already; lead Pa. xlv. The book of Solomon's Song is an encomium of our Solomon, read eh. v. 10, &c.

2. We ought to sing of what be is to as. Yon have heard in sundry particulars already, and more is yet behind. He is our foundation, our food, our root, our raiment; and should we not sing of these? Is there not cause ?

3. We ought to sing of what he hath done, and is doing, and will yet do, for us.

What he hath done. He hath taken our nature upon him, and in our nature suffered and died; be hath washed us from our sins in his own blood; called us with a holy calling; begun a good work.

What he u doing. Is he not ever living to make intercession for us? Is he not guiding and guarding us, enlightening and comforting us, every day ?

What he will do for us. He will perform the good work that he hath begun; he will come again and fetch us to himself, that where he is there we may be also. Can ye name any other to sing of, that hath done the like for you ?

III. What are the properties of this song?

1. He is the angels' song. They were singing songs at the beginning of time, to the praise and glory of God—creator, Job xxxviii. 7. Aye, and they were singing too in the fulness of time, Lukeii. and what was their song? It was to the praise and glory of God—redeemer, Luke ii. 13, 14. Though they could not sing, as we. Who washed us from our tins — yet for our sake they sang, On earth, peace. Yea, and for their own confirmation also. So that it is no disparagement to be heard singing this song, when the blessed angels themselves sing it Christ is their song.

2. He is the most ancient song; the song of the ancients. All the Old-Testament saints sung of him, and rejoiced in him. Abraham saw his day, and rejoiced; the patriarchs sung of him; the prophets sung of him; Isaiah especially, the evangelical prophet, read cL v. xii. xx\i. xxvii. and Ixiii. only with this difference, they sung of him as one to come, for they saw him, though it was but as through the lattices, or as through a glass darkly.

3. He is the new song. Wherever ye read of a new song in Scripture, it points at him, Ps. xxxiii. 3; xl. 3; xcvi. 1; xcviii. 1; cxlix. 1. He is the New-Testament song. Ever since his coming in the flesh all his saints have been singing of him, as of one already come; rejoicing in him, and showing forth his praises. As fast as they have been made new creatures they have learned this new song.

New, that is, excellent, because when things are new they are at the best.

New, upon the account of new occasion given, a new mercy received.

4. He is their night song, Ps. xHi. 8. Job xxxy. 10.

In the night season, wjien others are skeu. true believers are rejoicing in God tbeir Rcdeearr. and solacing diemselves in him, Ps. cxlix. 5. CaiL i. 13. Acts xvi. Paul and Silas sang at midnit.

In the night of sorrow and affliction. To be alik to sing then, when eveiy thing looks sad and »r-rowful round about us, is a geat matter; as Datid 1 Sara. XXX. 6.

5. He is their song all the week, and their son; on the sabbath. We are bid to rejoice in the Lord always, every day, and they that have an interest is Christ, and know it, do so; bat especially on sabbath days, Ps. cxviii. 24. Sabbath days are sft apart on purpose. Ps. xcii. is entitled a Psalac? Song for the Sabbath day, v. 1—3.

6. He is their song while they live, and their s«£ when they die. While they live, in all the tansct their lives, Ps. cxlvi. 2. And in a special maose when they come to die; upon sick-b»ls, anddtati-beds. As it is said of the swan, that she sings svees-est when dying, so it is with many of God's peopk At the death of Mr. John Jane way,* one prese:: said, he never was in a room where God in Chrisi had more praises than there at that time.

7. He is their song in the world, and will be tkl? song to eternity. What is the great employment d heaven, and what will it be for ever and ever, boita lift up God-redeemer, Rev. v. 9—13. Jesas Christ is to be our everlasting song, Isa. xxxt. 10. Itis to be found doing that now that we would be ^i to be found doing hereafter—world without end.

IV. Let us make the application.

1. This may serve for an examining sign, or marl of trial, whereby to know what we are as to w spiritual state and condition. We are bid to tn ourselves, 2 Cor. xiii. 5. The glory of God and os own comfort depend much upon our knowing, or B>t knowing, of ourselves. Marks are needful for oai help herein. Amongst others this; What is Jess* Christ to us ? What think we of him ? Hath be efc been our song ? Do we rejoice in him ? Do ve ks rejoice in other things more than in bim ? Hate nA other things more of our thoughtsi, desires, pBisoits. joys? If yea, suspect thyself, and change tfayvsj. Conversion is often spoken of under the notios tf singing, Ps. cxxxviii. 4, 5. Isa. liv. l. Rom. v. 9, 10.

Get acquainted with Jesus Christ. The Werd reveals him to us, but the Spirit reveals him in ^^ Pray for that Spirit. Be learning Christ daily.

Make him thy own by believing; accept of him-close with him; let all go for him.

Having done this, be often meditating what tke blessings and benefits are that are made over to ns by him, and through him—justification, adoptioe, and sanctification—and call them all thy own: ?^ xlviii. 11, 12.

A. D. 1667, »t. S3. See Clarke Lives, p. 69. foL cd. i»

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS.

2. Here is a word of reproof to the true believers nong us that do not maice Christ their song, that 'e in him, but do not rejoice in him; however, not ith evenness and constancy, not in that measure id degree, that they should and ought Thou louldst chide thyself for it, Ps. xlii, and xliii. 5. onsider— It grieves the Spirit of God. It blemishes the ways of God; makes thee a u mbling-block to them that are without, like the ^11 spies.

It is weakening to thyself. The more Christ is ir soDg the more is our strength, Neh. viii. 10. ben search out the cause.

3. Exhortation, to all that call themselves be-svers. Make Christ your song, week days and ibbatb days.

He is worthy that you should. The gain of it will be thy own, in present comfort, t eternal recompence. " Now the Lord of hope fill >u with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may ^ound in hope, through the power of the Holy host,'' Rom. XV. 13.

SERMON XXVIL

CHRIST IS OUR HORN.

Luke i. 68, 69.

he the Lordffor lie hath raised up an HORfi of salvation for us.

HESE are the first words of the song of Zacharias, le father of John, wherein he blesses God, not for ohn, though John was to him a great mercy, being le son of his old age; yea, and a mercy to all srael, being the prophet of the Highest, and the >rcrunner of Jesus; but for Jesus, the mercy of lercies, the universal mercy. If you ask wherein ?

I answer,—As a Redeemer—^Ao hath visited and EDEEMED—God the Father, by God the Son; ot from corporal, but from spiritual, slavery. We ave cause to bless God every day for a Redeemer. Ind

As a horn of salvation.

DocT. That our Lord Jesus Christ is raised up of God to be a horn of salvation to all true believers.

Show, I. The meaning of this—why a horn, and irherein a horn of salvation. And, II. What kind of horn of salvation Jesus Christ a—what are the properties of this horn. And, III. Make the application.

I. I am to explain this—a horn of salvation. A horn hath many significations in Scripture :

AnUocbus Epipbanea, king of Syria. He died, B. C. 1650, io

1. There are horns, properly so called, wherewith beasts are armed ; some with two, some, it is said, with one, as the unicorn, which hath its name from having but one horn, Ps. xxii. 20,21. These horns are not only the beauty of the beast that hath them, but his strength also: with them he pushes, and gores, and tosses to and fro what is in his way; and it is incredible what the strength of some creatures is in their horns.

2. There are figurative horns.

We read of the horns of the altar; to which the beasts were tied that were unruly when they were to be sacrificed, Ps. ex viii. 27.—and to which Joab fled for refuge from the avenger of blood that was in pursuit of him, 1 Kings ii. 28.

The power ofwiched men, wherewith they vex and oppress their poor neighbours, is called their horn, Ps. Ixxv. 4, 5, 10. The godly also have their horns, *' The horns of the righteous shajll be exalted," Ps. Ixxv. 10.—that is, I will advance them to honour and power. It is never well with a nation or kingdom but when it is so, Prov. xi. 10. Antiochus,*^ that bloody enemy of the Old-Testament church, the type of the antichrist, is called in Daniel, the little horn, Dan. vii. 8, 21.

3. There is the musical horn, to blow with; either made of a beast's horn, or of some other materials framed in the likeness of a beast's horn; crooked, 1 Chron. xxv. 5. The same arc elsewhere called comets, Ps. xcviii. 6,6. Dan. iii. 5,15.

4. There is a vessel called a horn wherein oil was put, when David was anointed king by Samuel, 1 Sam. xvi. 1, 13. Saul was anointed with a vial of oil, a small quantity, 1 Sam. x. 1. David was anointed with a horn, that is, abundance of oil; noting the difierence that was to be between them— in their gifts for government—-and in the duration of their kingdom.

Now which of all these is applicable to Jesus Christ ? I will tell you when I shall first have told you what the salvation is. Salvation is three-fold.

Temporal —from temporal enemies.

Spiritual —from sin, and the world, and the devil.

Eternal —in heaven, from the wrath that is to come. Neither is that all. Salvation of each sort hath more in it than rescue from evil, it includes also the presence and fruition of the contrary good. So that salvation is the main matter. When it is said of Christ that he is a horn of salvation, it means —that he is the author and procurer of all good to us, temporal, spiritual, and eternal. It is he also that saves and delivers us from all evil, bodily and ghostly, present and future. Well might Zachary say, *' Blessed be the Lord, for he hath raised up an horn of salvation," Ps. Ixviii. 19,20.

A horn oi salvation, namely, a saving horn. Other the 12th year or Ms leign, and the 39tb of bis life.

APPENDIX. horns are destroying horns; beasts' horns are so; the little horn was so. Bat, lo, here is a saving horn, a horn that harts nobody bat those that stand it oat against him, and think to fight it oat with him; them he pashes and gores, and rains with a vrit-ness. Lake xix. 27; xx. 18. As for others, he is to them a saving horn, a redeeming horn, a delivering horn.

II. What are the properties of this horn of salvation ?

There are only two properties—according to the two-fold signatnre of a horn.

He is a plentiful horn of salvation, as horn signifies plenty. And, He is a plentiful horn of salvation, as horn signifies power.

I shall pat them together in this proposition:— 7%ere t# plenty of powerful salvation in Jesus Christ, hy the appointment of the Father, for all true believers, that is, for all that will come to him for it. I shall show,

1. That salvation by Jesas Christ is powerful salvation.

What we translate a horn of salvation, is by some rendered amtAtM/volum. Salvation by Jesas Christ is mighty salvation, Jer. I. 34. Their Redeemer is strong» If he were not strong and mighty, yea, almighty, he could be no Redeemer for us, because of the mighty enemies that were, and are, against us; and because of the vigorous opposition they make to hinder our salvation. Ho that will be the Author of salvation to us must be strong enough to deal, (I.) With God: for he is against us as sinners. His justice is our enemy, and must be satisfied. And can the blessed Jesus do that for us? is he able ? Yes, he is able, in the sense in which we call a rich man an able man; he is able in respect of wealth and riches, to pay all our debts, if they were a thousand times more and greater than they are, not farthings, and pence, and pounds only, but even talents; and therefore, if any be sent to the prison of hell for their debts, it is not for want of a sufficient surety to undertake for them, but for want of accepting of him, Heb. vii. 25. O mix faith with this, and say, If it be so, why am I thus ? His merit is of infinite worth and value.

(2.) With Satan. He is the gaoler in whose custody all unregenerate people are. They are his prisoners, his captifes, his galley-slaves now, and must be with him for ever. And can the blessed Jesus deal with him ? is he hard enough for him ? He is certainly ; he hath brohen his head. Gen. iii. 17. He bath led captivity captive, Ps. Ixviii. 20—made a shew of him openly. Col. ii. vanquished and destroyed him.—We read, in Matt iv. of a duel which he fought with him,—though upon geat advantage on the devil's part, yet he beat him out of the field, which was a pledge, or specimen, or earnest, of hi"^ gretit victory by dying, Heb. ii. 14. It most se(4 be so. Though the devil have great power, as veJ as great wrath, Eph. vi. 12. yet bis power is ba created power. He is a creature still. But ost Redeemer is Jehovah. There are two lions; the oee —a fallen angel, 1 Pet v. 8. the other—God bkift-ed for ever, the lion of the tribe of Jadafa.

It is an act of infinite power to fetch a sool at grt out of the devil's clutches—by converting grace. Luke xi. 24.

It is an act of infinite power to preserve us ever after, from being rained by him.

(3.) With the corrupt nature in us. This is £ hard to be dealt with, to be subdued and conqoered. as the devil himself. Suppose an impregnable castle defended by a mighty giant, a Goliah ; that h the case. There are two wards in this castle, as et Chester, the higher ward, and the lower ward.

Tke understanding, that is the higher ward; tm-tified with invincible ignorance, inveterate prejii-dices. These he pulls down, 2 Cor. x. 4. He enlightens the mind, Eph. v. 8. It is strange whli what power.

The will, that is the lower ward; stobbom, obstinate ; will by no means be persuaded, till the mirr grace of Christ comes, Ps. ex. 3.

(4.) With the malice and power of wicked nez the professed enemies of God's people. Cao tif blessed Jesus deal with them ? Is his bom stroei enough for their horns ?—Certainly it is, and will he sure to overcome them.

(5.) With death and the grave, 1 Cor. xv. 56, S.

2. There is plenty of this powerfal salradoi. enough, and enough again ; not a vial, bat a horD,ot salvation. It is the appointment of the Father tb&: it should be so, " It pleased the Father that in hia should all fulness dwell," Col. i. 19. He is all/V-ness dwelling —not for himself, but for os, John i. 16. As the fulness of milk in the mother's breasts, c light in the sun, or the fulness of water in the sprioc or fountain, which is a flowing fulness, Zech. xiii. I. '* a fountain." Not a vessel or laver, alladiD tt that wherein the priests were to wash—larger is Solomon's time than it was in Moses's time, tfaook still only a laver; but here is b. fountain. There is a great deal of diflference between a laver andt fountain. Our wants are many and great, and if our supplies be not accordingly, what will becosof of us?

(I.) We want righteousness wherein to appear before God every day—for the pardon of our siB>, —and for the acceptation of our services. Oorovs will not do. He hath it for us; be hath eaongh. i horn of righteousness; Dan. ix. 24. averlashwf righteousness. A spring that cannot be exhausted, Jer. xxiii. 6. He is Jehovah our righteonsness.

(2.) Wo want wisdom to lead and guide as in all ^the practical affairs of our souls. How oft are «

WHAT CHRIST IS MADE TO BELIEVERS. a loss for want of it! Lo, here is a horn of wisdom r thee, diyine, heavenly wisdom. Col. ii. 3. Not r himself, bat for as; not to be laid up, but to be id oat, 1 Cor. i. 30. James i. 5.—^he gives liberaUy. (3.)'We want strength; strength to do in doing ne; to suffer in suffering time. Our streng is sakness ; oor sufficiency, insufficiency, 2 Cor. iii. Lo, here is a born of strength for thee. Not only strong horn, in itself strong, but a horn of strength r ««, to make us strong. See discourse on Phil. iv. t.* IVe can do nothing without Christ, John xv. bat all things through Christ (4.) IVe want grace. Some want it altogether— ey have none of it Others, that have it, want ore of it, more faith, and more humility, and more eekness, patience, contentation, submission. Lo, :re is a horn of grace for thee, a fulness. Wouldst loa have more faith ? pray as the apostles, Luke irii. 5. '* Lord, increase our faith." (5.) We want peace, that is, comfort in our souls, ora the sense of God's love and favour towards us. [any a one would give all the world, if they had , for one smile of his face. Lo, here is a horn of eace and comfort for thee in Christ Jesus, John iv. 27. 2 Pet. i. 2. He is our peace—not only our eace-maker, but our peace-matter. Away to him len by believing.

(6.) We want eternal life; want it indeed, for we ave forfeited it, and are never likely to recover it y any thing we can do. This is salvation—^the >p-stone. Now there is with Christ a horn of this Iso, John X. 10.

(7.) We have temporal wants also; some of one ind, some of another. I put these last because iiey are the least; of least consequence in com-arison, though we are apt to complain most of them. )De wants health ; another wherewithal to pay his iebis, and maintain his family, and pay his taxes; nether is struck at by enemies, and wants a friend 9 stand by him. Lo, here is a horn of supply for hee in all thy wants; one that hath wherewithal; or the earth is his, and the fulness thereof, as well .s heaven, and the fulness thereof,—" My God shall apply all your need," Phil. iv. 19.—it includes emporal needs. When he sent forth his apostles vithout purse or scrip, at their return he asked hero. Lacked ye any thing; and they said, Nothing, Liord. III. The application.

1. Let this advance your esteem of the blessed Fesus. Think of him according to what is meet, as 1 strong, mighty, rich, able Saviour. The pre-emi-lence is his; let him have it, Col. i. 18.

2. Let us bless the Lord God of Israel, who hath raised up the horn of salvation for us, laid help upon one that is mighty, Ps. Ixxxix. 19. We have

Dtscofine XXV. cause to be thankful for oar temporal salvations by him, but especially for spiritual and eternal salvation. '< Lift up the horn," 1 Chron. xxv. 6. that is, Christ They sung the gospel psalms, such as Psalms ii. Ixviii. ex. &c.

3. Let us make sure our interest in this horn by heartily closing with him upon gospel terms, that we may each of us call him my horn, Ps. xviii. 2.

4. Live upon him with all holy joy and cheerfulness, Eccl. ix. 8. There is no room for despair or distrust

6. Live to him in all holy obedience—care to please, fear to offend—^in order to living with him.

SERMON XXVIIL

CHRIST IS OUR HONOUR.

1 Petrr ii. 7. Unto yott, therefore which believe, he it preciaw.

The doctrine from these words is this. That Jesus Christ is an honour to all true believers.

To be precious to them, and to be an honour to them, yon say, are two things.

I reply, They are in effect the same. However, to be an honour to them is, I am sure, more agreeable to the original, for what else is the Greek word here, but an honour ? See the margin.

Two things I mean by it:

1. He is the Author of honour to them

2. He is, and ought to be, the object of honour from them. He honours them, and they do, and should, honour him. The latter follows upon the former. The former is to be spoken to as to the doctrine, the latter as the application by way of inference from it.

Show, I. Wherein, and upon what accounts, Jesus Christ is the Author of honour to all true believers.

II. What kind of honour it is.

III. What we learn from it.

I. How is the Lord Jesus the Author of honour to all true believers?

We use to say concerning the king, that he is the fountain of honour, that is, all his subjects that are men of honour, derive their honour from him. Others give them honour, but it is he that makes them honourable. Now King Jesus is he, and he alone, that is the fountain of honour to all true believers; they derive their honour from him.

I. He hath himself an honourable esteem of them. They are persons of honour, even the meanest of them, in his account, Isa. xliii. 4. He finds them, as all the rest of the children of Adam, without honour, APPENDIX. even as tbe beasts that perish by natare, Ps. xlix. 12, 20:—^this is the barthen of that Psalm, bat he doth not leave them so. They find favour in his eyes through his own mere mercy and free grace, and then he honours them: he loves them and then honours them. Just as it is with kings oftentimes; they do not honour men for desert sake but for good pleasure sake; they will because they will; and thence many unworthy men are men of honour. So the King of kings. We must say, '' After that the kindness and love of God our Saviour to Ward man appeared : not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour," Tit. iii. 4-«-6. We must all say in like manner, Not hy works of righteomneu* It was the dear love he had to them, and the honourable esteem he had of them, that made him do and suffer as he did for their ransom and recovery. Rev. i. 6.—loved and washed ; as John xiii. 1.—loved, and therefore washed their feet with water. He took upon him the form of a servant, Phil. ii. 7. And like a servant, he served that he might honour us. His degrading purchased our honour, Luke xxii. 27. O how should this affect us !

2. His will is, that every one else should be in this like himself, in having an honourable esteem of them. As when the king bestows a degree of honour upon a person, makes him a knight, or a lord, or an earl, he expects others so to regard him ; so it is here. See Esth. vi. 9,6,7. They that do not honour the true saints and servants of the God of heaven, do not do as Jesus Christ would have them do, Ps. y. 4. It is made the character of a citieen of Zion, that he honours them that fear the Lord; hortourt them, hath a high and honourable esteem of them; how low and mean soever they may be in the world, as to their worldly state and condition. How much soever they may be despised, and scoffed, and scorned at by others, they are the excellent of the earth, in his eye, because they are so in Christ's eye, Ps. xvi. 2.

3. He hath done that for them, which in the account and esteem of men may, and doth, deserve that honour. I do not say, they deserve that he should honour them, I said the contrary before, but that men should honour them, Rom. xiii. 7.—honour to whom honour.

What is it that he hath done for them that may be the ground of men's honouring them ?

(1.) One ground of honouring men is upon the account of their personal excellences and endowments ; some are honourable for their learning, and knowledge in arts and sciences ; some for their wisdom and prudence in the management of secular affairs; in the field, as soldiers; in the senate, as counsellors. Now if so, the people fearing God deserve honour indeed, for they have better knowledfe than others. They from the least even to the greatest know God. And whence have they that knowledge, but from Christ, who gives them an understanding? 1 John V. 20. They have wisdom also ; another sort of wisdom ; wisdom from above in soul affairs: thej are wise to discern the times—and whence have tbej that wisdom, but from Jesus Christ, who is made uoto them of God wisdom ? 1 Cor. i. 30. They search tke Scriptures, and those make them wise; and therefore noble, Actsxvii. II.

(2.) Upon the account of their great.nsefolness io their particular places and stations; in court cr camp, for peace or war. Doth this deserve honour! Then saints deserve it; for who are more osefal tbu they?

By their prayers: fetching down mercies, keeping off judgments, as Moses.

By their presence: they are chariots and horsemen, the militia of the country: allude to 2 Kin iii. 14.

By their pattern: they are the lights of the world shining amongst men; giving good examples; fthow-ing which is the way to heaven, by walking in it. And whence is all this, but from the Spirit of Jesas Christ, which is in them and with them ? It is grace that enables them, and therefore he is their honour.

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