Wherein the Reſurrection of Chriſt, with its Influences

Wherein the Reſurrection of Chriſt, with its Influences

The Fountain of Life.

SERM . XXXIX.

SERMONΧΧΧΙΧ.

Wherein the Refurrection of CHRIST, with its Influences upon the Saints Reſurrection, is clearly opened, and comfortably applied, being the firſt Step of his

Exaltation.

Маттн . xxviii . 6. He is not here ; forhe is risen, ashesaid: come, fee theplace where the Lord lay.

WEhavefiniſhedthedoctrineofChriſt's humiliation,whereing the Sun of righteouſneſs appeared to you, as a ſetting fun, gone out of ſight ; but as the fun when it is gonedown tous, begins a newday in another part of the world; fo Chriſt, having finiſhed his courſe and work in this world, riſes again, andthat, in order to the acting anotherglorious part of his work inthe world above.

In hisdeath, he was upon the matter totally eclipsed ; but in his refurrection, he begins to recover his light and glory again. God never intended,that the darling of his foul ſhouldbe loſt in an obſcure ſepulchre. An angel deſcends from heaven, to roll away the stone, and, with it,the reproachofhisdeath. And to be the heavenlyherald, to proclaim his refurrection to thetwo Mary's, whoſe love toChriſt had, at this time, drawn them to visit the ſepulchre, wherethey lately left him.

At this time (the Lordbeing newly riſen) the keepers were trembling, and become as dead men. So great was the terrible majeſty, and awful folemnity, attending Chriſt's refurrection : but, to encourage theſe good fouls, the angel prevents them with theſe good tidings; " He is not here ; for he is riſen, as " he said: come, ſee the place where the Lord lay :" q. d. Be not troubled, though you have not the end you came for, one fightmoreofyour dear, though dead, Jesus ; yet you have not loft your labour; for, to your eternal comfort, I tell you, " he

" is riſen, as he said." And to put it outofdoubt, come hither and fatisfyyourſelves," See the placewhere the Lord lay."

In which words, we have both adeclaration, and confirmationof the refurrection ofChriſt from the dead.

First, A declaration of itby the angel,both negatively and affirmatively.

Negatively, He is not here.

Here indeed you laid him, hereyou left him, and here you thought to find him as you left him ; but you are happily mistaken,He is not here.

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The Fountain of Life.

However, this givingthem nofatisfaction, fo he might continue dead ſtill, though removed to another place, as indeed they fufpected he was, John xx. 13.

Therefore his refurrection is declared poſitively and affirmatively ; He is riſen ; ηγερθε, the * word imports, the active power or ſelf-quickening principle, by which Chriſt raiſed himself from the state of the dead.

Which Luke takes notice ofalſo, Acts i. 3. where he faith, HeShewed, or preſented , himself alive after his paſſion. It was the divine nature, orGodhead ofChriſt,which revived and raiſed the manhood.

Secondly, Here is alſo a plain confirmation of Chriſt's refurrection, and that, first, From Chriſt's own prediction, He is rifen, as hesaid.

He foretold that, which I declare to be now fulfilled.

Let it not therefore ſeem incredible to you.

Secondly, by their own fight, " Come, ſee the place where the " Lord lay. "

The grave hath lost its guest; it is now empty ; death hath loft its prey.

It received, but couldnot retainhim.

" Come, fee the place wherethe Lord lay."

Thus the reſurrectionof Chriſt is declared, and confirmed.

Hence our obfervation is, Doct. That our Lord Jesus Christ, by the almighty power of his own Godhead, revived, and rosefrom the dead ; to the terror and consternation ofhis enemies, and the unspeakable confolation ofbelievers.

That our Lord Jesus Chriſt, though laid, was not loft in thegrave; but the thirdday revived and roſe again, is a truth confirmed to us by many infallible proofs, as Luke witneſſeth,

Acts i. 3. We have teſtimonies of it, both from heaven and earth, and both infallible.

From heaven, wehave the teſtimonyofangels, andtothe teftimonyof an angel all credit is due; for angels are holy creatures, andcannotdeceive us . The angel tells the two Marys, inthe text, " He is riſen." We have teſtimonies of itfrom men, holy men, who where eye-witneſſes ofthis truth, to whom he ſhewed himself alive by the ſpace of forty days after his refurrection, by no less than † nine folemn apparitions to them. Sometimes five hundred brethren ſaw him

*The argument whereby we provethat Chriſt raiſed himselfby hisownpower, isdrawn from the very activity of his refurrection :

Chriftus ηγερθε, i. e. Chrift arofe, Matth. xxviii. 6. παρεσησεν έαυτον ζωντα, Acts 1. 3.

Maccov.loc. Com. p. 874.

+ John xx. 14.

Mark xvi. 12.

John xx.19 .

1 Cor. xv. 6, 7.

1Cor. xv. 8.

John vii. 26. Jolm xxi. 1, 2. Luke xxiv. 36.

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atonce, 1 Cor. xv. 6.

Theſe were holy perfons, who durſt not deceive, and who confirmed their teſtimony with their blood.

So that no point of religion is of more confeffed truth, and infallible certainty than this before us.

AndbleſſedbeGod it is fo.

For if it were not, then were " the goſpel in vain,"

I Cor. xv. 14. ſeeing it hangs the whole weight of our faith, hope, and falvation, upon Chrift as rifen from the dead t.

If this were not ſo, then would the holy, and divinely inſpired apoſtles be foundfalfe-witneſſes, 1 Cor.

XV. 15.

For they all, with one mouth, conftantly, and to the death affirmed it.

IfChriſt be not rifen, " then are believers " yet in their fins,"

I Cor. xv. 17.

For our juftification is truly aſcribed to the refurrection of Chriſt, Rom. iv. 25.

Whilft Chriſt was dying, and continued in the ſtate ofthedead, the price of our redemption was all that while but in paying, the payment was compleated, when he revived and roſe again.

Therefore for Chriſt to have continued always in the ſtate of thedead, had been never to have compleatly fatisfied; hence thewhole force and weight of our justification depends upon his refurrection. Nay, had not Chriſt riſen, " the dead had

" periſhed,"

I Cor. xv. 17.

Even the dead who died in the faith of Chrift, and of whoſe ſalvation there now remains no ground todoubt.

Moreover, Had he not revived, and riſen from the dead, how could all the types that prefigured it have been fatisfied ? Surely they must have ſtood as infignificant things in the ſcriptures, and ſo muſt all the predictions of his refurrection, by which it was ſo plainly foretold.

See Matth. xii. 40. Luke xxiv. 46.

Pfal. xvi. 10. 1 Cor. xv. 4.

To conclude.

Hadhe not riſen from the dead, how could he have been inſtalled in thatglory whereofhe is now poffefſed in heaven, and which was promiſed him before the worldwas, upontheaccount of his death and ſufferings ? " For to this

" end Chrift both died, and roſe and revived, that he might " be Lord both of the dead and living," Rom. xiv. 9.

And that, in this ſtate of dominion and glorious advancement, he might powerfully apply the virtues and benefits of his blood to us, which elſe had been as a precious cordial ſpilt upon the ground.

‡ Our deliverance, was in his death, put in motion ; or, as they ſay, in fieri, i. e. begun ; but was finiſhed in bris refurrection, whence it is, that ourjuftification or abſolution from debt is juftly by the apostle afcribed not to his death but refurrection, &c.

Maccov. loc. Com. p. 869.

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Sothen, there remains no doubt at all of the certainty of Chriſt's refurrection ; it was ſo, andupon all accounts it must needs be fo ; for you ſee how great a weight the ſcriptures hang upon this nail.

And bleſſed be God it is a nail faſtened in a fureplace.

I need ſpend no morewords toconfirm it ; but rather chooſe to explain and open the nature, and manner ofhis refurrection, which I shalldo by ſhewing you four or five properties of it.

And the firſt is this, First, Chriſt roſe from the dead with awful majeſty.

So you find it in Mat. xxviii. 2, 3, 4. " And behold, there was a great earthquake; for the angel of the Lord defcended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door,

" and fat upon it.

His countenance was like lightning, and " his raimentwhite as ſnow. And for fear ofhim the keepers

" did ſhake, andbecame as dead men."

Human infirmity was notable to bear ſuch heavenly majeſty as attended the buſineſs of that morning.

Nature ſank under it.

This earthquake was, as one calls it, triumphalefignum : a ſign of triumph, or token of victory, given by Chriſt, not only to the keepers, and the neighbouring city, but to the whole world, thathe had overcome death in its own dominions, and, like aconqueror, lifted uphis head above all his enemies.

So when the Lord fought from heaven for his people, and gave them a glorious, though but temporaldeliverance; ſeehow the propheteſs drives on the triumph inthat rhetorical fong, Judg. v. 4, 5.

Alluding tothe moſt awful appearance of God, at the giving of the law.

Lord, when thou wenteſt out of Seir, when thou marchedſt out of the field ofEdom, the earth trembled, and "

" the heavens dropped, the clouds alſodropped water. The mountains melted from before the Lord, even that Sinai

" from before the LordGod of Ifrael."

Our Lord Jesus went out of the grave, in like manner, and marched out of that " bloody field, with apomp and majeſty ‡ becoming ſo great a conqueror.

Secondly, And to increaſethe ſplendorofthatday, anddrive onthe triumph, his refurrection was attendedwith the reſurection ofmany of the faints; whohad lept in their graves till then, andthen were awakenedand raiſed to attend the Lord at his riſing. So you read, Mat. xxvii : 52. 53. "And the graves

" were opened, and many bodies of the ſaints, which ſlept † Eft incedere cumpompa et majestate. i. e. It isto marchwith romp and majefty.

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" aroſe, and came out of the graves, after his refurrection ; " and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many."

This wonderwas defigned, both to adorn the refurrection of Chrift, and to give a ſpecimen or pledge of our refurrection ; which alſo is to be inthe virtue of his.

This indeed was the refurrection of faints, andnone but faints, the refurrection of many faints, yet it was but a ſpecial, refurrection, intended only to ſhew what God will one day do for all his ſaints. And, for the preſent, to give teftimony ofChrift's refurrection, from the dead.

They were ſeen, andknown of many in the city, whodoubtleſs never thought tohave ſeenthem anymore inthis world.

To enquire curioufly, as fome do, who they were, whatdifcourſe theyhad with thoſe towhom they appeared, and what became of them afterwards, is a vain thing. God hath caſt a veil of filence, and fecrecy upon theſe things, that we might content ourselves with the written word, and he that " will not believe Mofes and the prophets, neither will he be- " lieve though oneriſe from the dead," as theſe ſaints did.

Thirdly, As Chrift roſe from the dead with thoſe ſatellites, or attendants, who accompanied him athis refurrection ; ſo it was by the power of his own Godhead that he quickened and raiſedhimſelf; and bythe virtue ofhis refurrection were they raiſed alſo, who accompanied him.

It was not the Angel who rolledbackthe ftone that revivedhim inthe fepulchre, but he reſumed his own life, fo he tells us, John x. 18. " I lay

" downmy lifethat Imay take it again."

Hence 1Pet, iii. 18.

He is faid to be put todeath inthe flesh, but quickned by the Spirit, (i. e.) by the power of his Godhead, or divine nature, which is oppoſed there to fleſh, or his human nature.

By the eternal Spirit he offered himself up to God, when he died, Heb. ix. 14. (i. e.) by his own Godhead, not the third perſon in the Trinity, for thenit could not have been aſcribed to him ashis own act, that he offered up himself. Andby the fame

Spirit he was quickned again.

And, therefore, the apostle well obſerves,Rom. i. 4. "That " he was declared to be the Son of God with power, by his

" refurrection from the dead. Now if he had been raiſedby the power of the Father, or Spirit only, and not byhis own, howcouldhe be declared by his refurrection tobe the Son of God? What morehad appeared in him than in others ? For others are raiſedby the power of God, if that were all.

So thatin this reſpect alſo itwas amarvellous refurrection.

Never anydid, or ſhall riſe as Chriſt roſe, by a ſelf-quickning principle.

For tho many dead ſaints roſe atthat time alſo, yet it

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wasby the virtue of Chriſt's refurrection that their graves were opened, and their bodies quickned. Inwhich reſpect, he faith,

John xi . 25. when he raiſed dead Lazarus, I am the reſur- " rection and the life," (i e.) the principle of life andquick-

ning, by which the dead faints arė raiſed.

Fourthly,And therefore itmaybe trulyaffirmed, that though fome dead faints are raiſed to life before the refurrection of Chriſt, yet that Chrift is " the firſt-bornfrom the dead," as he is called, Col. i. 18.

For though Lazarus and others were raiſed, yet not by themselves, but by Chrift.

It was by his virtue and power, not their own.

And though they were raiſedtolife, yet they died again. Death recoveredthem again, but Chriſt dieth no more. " Death hath no dominion over him."

He was the firſt that opened the womb of the earth, the firſt-bornfrom the dead, that inallthings he might have thepre-eminence.

Fifthly, But laftly, Chriſt roſe as apublic or common perfon. "As the firſt fruits of them that flept," 1 Cor. xv. 20.

Idefire this maybe well understood; for upon this account it isthat our refurrection is ſecured to us by the refurrection of Chriſt; and not a refurrection only, but a bleſſed and happy one, for the firſt-fruits, both affured and ſanctified the whole cropor harvest.

Now that Chriſt did riſe, as a public perſon, repreſenting and comprehending all the elect, who are called the children of the refurrection, is plain from Eph. ii. 6. Wherewe are ſaid to be rifen with, or in him.

So that, we are faid todie inAdam, (who alfo was a common perſon) as the * branches die in the death of the root; ſo we are faid to be raised from death in Chriſt, who is thehead, root, and repreſentative, of all his elect feed.

And why ishe called the first-born, andfirst-begottenfrom thedead, but with respect to the whole number ofthe elect, that are to be born from the dead in their time and order alſo, and as fure as the whole harvest follows the firſt fruits, fo thall the general refurrection of the faints to life eternal, follow thisbirth, of the firſt-born from the dead.

It ſhall furely follow it, I ſay, and that not only as a confequent follows an antecedent, but as an effect follows its proper cause. Now there is a three-fold cafuality, or influence that Chriſt's refurrectionhath upon the ſaints refurrection, ofwhich it is both the meritorious, efficient, and exemplary caufe.

D 2 * Mankind putrifiedin their firſtparent, as the branches inthe root. Greg.

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First, The refurrection of Chriſt, is the meritorious cauſeof the ſaints refurrection, as itcompleated his fatisfaction, and finiſhed his payment, and ſoour juſtification is properly aſſigned to it, as before was noted from Rom. iv. 25.

This his reſurrectionwas the receiving of the acquittance, the cancelling of the bond.

And had not this beendone,we had ſtillbeen in our ſins, as he fpeaks, 1 Cor. xv. 7. and ſo our guilthadbeen ſtill a bar to our happy refurrection.

But now, the price being paid in his death, which payment was finiſhed when he revived; and thediſcharge then received for us, now there is nothing lies in bar againſt our refurrection to eternal life.

Secondly, As it is the meritorious cauſe ofour refurrection, ſo it is the efficient cause of it alſo.

For when the time ſhall come, that the faints ſhall riſe out of the dust, they ſhall be raiſed by Chriſt, as their head, inwhom the effective principle of their life is. " Your life is hid with Chrift inGod," as it is Col. iii . 3. As when a man awakes out of his fleep †, " the " animal ſpirits ſeated in the brain, being ſet at liberty by the ⚫⚫digestion ofthoſevapours that bound them up, doplay freely

" through every part and member of thebody;" ſo Chriſt, the believer's myſtical-head, being quickned ; the ſpiritof life,which is inhim, ſhall be diffuſed through all his members to quicken themalſo in the morning ofthe reſurrection. Hence thewarm animatingdew of Chriſt's refurrection is ſaid tobe toour bodies, as thedewofthe morning is to the withered, languiſhing plants, which revive by it, Ifa xxvi. 19. " Thy dew is as the dew of " herbs;" and then it follows, " the earth ſhall caſt forth her

" dead."

So thatby the fame faith we put Chriſt's refurrection into the promises, we may put the believer's refurrection intothe conclufion. And therefore, the apostle makes them convertibles, reaſoning forward, from Chriſt's to ours ; and back again fromours to his, I Cor. xv. 12, 13.

Which is alſo the ſenſe ofthat ſcripture, Rom. viii. IC, II . " And if Chriſt be in " you, the body indeed is deadbecauſe of fin; but the ſpirit is

" life becauſe of righteouſneſs." (i. e.) Though you are really united to Chriſt by the Spirit, yet yourbodies muſt die as well

+ Proximum inftrumentumfivefedesfomni eft cerebrum, utpote in quofpiritus animalesfrigefiuntet condenſantur, aut etiam refolvunturet diſſipantur, proxime, tanquam in propriafpirituum animalium officina, et in quo etiam radices nervorum obftruuntur, per vapores, nespiritus animales fenfui communi fervireaut in partes reliquas inferiores corporis propagari libere poffint.

Keckerm. Syft. Phyf. p. (mihi) 441.

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as other mens ; but your fouls ſhall be, preſently, upon your diſſolution, ſwallowed upin life. And then itfollows, verſe 11 .

" But if the Spiritof him that raiſed upJeſus from the dead, " dwell inyou ; he that raifed up Chriſt from the dead, ſhall

" alſoquickenyour mortalbodies, by his Spirit thatdwelleth in " you," (i. e.) though your bodies muſt die, yet they ſhall live again in the refurrection ; and that by virtue of the Spirit of Chriſt which dwelleth inyou ; andis the bond ofyour myſtical union with him your head.

You shall not be raised as others are, by a mere word ofpower, butby the fpirit of life dwelling in Chriſt yourhead, which is a choice prerogative indeed.

Thirdly, Chriſt's refurrection is not only the meritorious and efficient caufe, but it is alſo the exemplary cauſe, or patternof our refurrection .

" ‡ He being the firſt and beſt, is therefore " thepattern and meaſure of all the reſt."

So you read, Phil. iii. 21. " Who ſhall change our vile body that it may be fa- " ſhioned like unto his glorious body." Now the conformity ofour refurrection to Chriſt's, ſtands in the following particulars.

Chriſt's body was raiſed ſubſtantially the fame, fo will ours.

His body was raiſed firſt ; ſo will ours be raiſed before the reſt of the dead.

His body was wonderfully improvedby the refurrection; ſo will ours. Hisbody was raiſed tobe glorified; and ſo will ours .

First, Chriſt's bodywas raiſed ſubſtantially the ſame that it wasbefore ; and ſo will ours .

Not another, but the famebody.

Upon this very reaſon the apostle uſes that identical expreſſion, J Cor. xv. 53. "This corruptible must put on incorruption,

" and this mortal, immortality."

Pointing, as it were, to his own body when he ſpake it; the ſamebody, I fay, and that not onlyspecifically the fame, (for indeedno other ſpecies of fleſh is ſo privileged) but the same numerically, that very body, not a new or another body, in its ſtead.

So that it ſhall be both the what it was, and the who itwas. And indeed to deny this, is todenythe refurrection itſelf. For ſhouldGod prepare another body tobe raised instead ofthis ; it would notbe a refurrection, but acreation; for non refurrectio dici poterit, ubi non refurgit quod cecidit.

Thatcannotbe called a refurrection, where onethingfalis, andanotherriſes, asGregorylong ſincepertinentlyobſerved.

Secondly, His body was raiſed, notbyaword ofpower from the Father, but by his own Spirit.

So will ours.

Indeedthe power ofGod ſhall go forth to unburrough finners, and fetch †Optimum inunoquoquegenere eftregula etmenfura caterorum.

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them forcibly out oftheir graves; but the refurrection ofthe faints is tobe effected another way; as I opened but now to you.

Evenby his Spirit,which nowdwelleth in them.

That very Spirit of Chriſt, which effected their ſpiritual refurrection from fin, ſhall effect their corporal refurrection alſo from the grave.

Thirdly, Hisbodywas raiſed firſt, he hadinthis, as wellas in other things, thepre-eminence; ſo ſhall the ſaints, in reſpect of thewicked, have the pre-eminence inthe refurrection, 1 Thef. iv. 16. "Thedead in Chriſt ſhallriſe firſt."

They are to attend the Lordat his coming, and willbe brought forth fooner than the rest of the world, toattend onthat ſervice.

As the Sheriff, with his men, goes forth to meet the judge, before thejaylor brings forth his prifoners.

Fourthly, Chriſt's body was marvellouſly improvedby the refurrection, and ſo will ours.

It fellin weakness, but was raiſed in power; nomore capable of forrows, pains and dishonours.

In like manner our bodies are " ſown inweakness, but raiſed " in ſtrength, fown indishonour, raiſed in glory.

Sown natu- " ralbodies, raiſed ſpiritualbodies," as the apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Cor. xv. 43, 44. Spiritual bodies, not properly, but analogically. No diſtempershang about glorified bodies, nor are theyhenceforth ſubject to any of thoſenatural neceſſities, to which they are now tied.

There are no flaws, defects , ordeformities, in the children of the refurrection.

What members are now defective or deformed, will then be restored to their perfect being and beauty; " for, if the univerſal death of all parts be reſcinded

66 by the refurrection, howmuch more the partialdeath ofany ſingle member?" || As Tertullian ſpeaks,andfrom thenceforth theyarefreefrom the lawof mortality," they candienomore,"

Luke xx. 35, 36.

Thus ſhalltheybe improvedby their refurrection.

Fifthly, To conclude, Chriſt's bodywas raiſed from thedead to be glorified, and crowned with honour.

Oh it was ajoyful day tohim, and fo will the refurrection ofthe faints be to them, theday ofthegladneſs oftheir hearts.

It will be faid tothem inthat morning,"Awake, and fing, ye that dwell in the dust," as Ha, xxvi. 19. O how comfortable willbe the meetingbetwixt the glorified foul, and its new raiſed body.

Much more comfortable than thatofJacob's and Joſeph's, after twenty years || Membri detruncatio vel obtufio nonne mors membri eft ? Si univerfalis mors refurrectione refcinditur, quanto magis portiona lis!

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abſence,Gen. xlvi. 29. Or thatofDavid's withJonathan,when he came out ofthe cave to him, I Sam. xx . 41.

Or that ofthe father of the prodigalwith his fon,who "was dead and is a- " live, was loft, and is found."

As he ſpeaks, Luke xv. there are three things will make it fo.

And First, The gratifications of the foul, by the fatisfaction of its natural appetite ofunion with its own body.

For even glorified fouls in heaven have ſuch an appetition and defire ofre-union.

Indeed, the angels, who are pure ſpirits, as they never had unionwith, ſo theyhave no inclination to matter; but fouls are otherwiſe tempered anddiſpoſed. We are all ſenſible ofits affectiontothe body now, inits compounded ſtate, we feel the tendercare ithath for the body, the ſympathy with it, and lothness to be ſeparated from it.

Itis faid, 1 Cor. v. 6. " To be at " home inthe body." Andhad notGod implanted ſuch an inclinationto this its tabernacle, in it, it would nothave paid that due reſpect it owes the bodywhile it inhabited in it, nor have regarded what became of it when it left it.

This inclination remains ſtill with it inheaven, it reckons not itſelfcompleatly happy til itsolddear companion and partner be with it, and in that ſenſe ſome understand thoſe words, Job. xiv. 14. "Allthe

" days of myappointedtime," i. e.ofthe time appointed formy body to remain in the grave, will Iwait till my change (viz. thatwhich will be madeby the reſurrection) come ; for it is manifeſt enough he ſpeaks there of the refurrection. Now, when thisits inclination toits own body, its longings and hankerings after it, are gratified with a fight and enjoymeet of it again, oh what a comfortable meeting will this make it ! eſpecially ifwe confider, Secondly, The excellent temper and ſtate in which they ſhall meet each other.

For, as the body ſhall be raiſed with all the improvements and endowments imaginable, which may render it amiable, and every way defirable, ſo the foul comes down immediately from God out ofheaven, ſhining in its holiness and glory.

It comes perfumed out of thoſe ivory palaces, with a ſtrong ſcent ofheavenuponit. And thus it re-enters itsbody, and animates it again.

But, Thirdly, And principally, that wherein the chiefjoy ofthis meeting confifts, is the end for which the glorified foul comes down to quicken and repoſſeſs it, namely, tomeet the Lord, and ever to be with the Lord.

To receive a full reward for all the labours and ſervices itperformed toGod in this world.

This muſt needs make that day, aday of triumph and exultation.

Itcomes outofthe grave, as Joſephout ofhisprifon, tobead-

The Fountain of Life .

SERM . XXXIX.

vanced to thehighest honour. O do but imagine what an extafy ofjoy, and raviſhing pleaſure itwillbe, for afoul thus to refume its own body, and ſay as it were, unto it, come away, my dear, my ancient friend, who ſervedſt and fufferedſt with me in the world ; come along with me to meet the Lord, in whoſe prefence I havebeen ever fince I parted with thee.

Nowthy bountiful Lord hath remembred thee alſo, and theday of thy glorificationis come.

Surely it will be a joyful awaking.

For, do but imagine, what ajoy it is for dear friends to meet after long ſeparation, howdo they uſe to give demonſtrations oftheir love and delight in each other, by embraces, kifſes, tears, &c.

Or frame but to yourſelves a notion of perfect health, when a ſprightly vivacity runs through every part, and the ſpirits do, as it were, dance before us, when we go about anybuſineſs ; efpecially to fuch a buſineſs as the buſineſs ofthat day willbe, to receive a crown, and a kingdom. Do but imagine, then, what a fun-ſhine morning this willbe, and how the pains and agonies, cold ſweats, andbitter groans at parting willbe recompenſedby

thejoy offuch a meeting ?

And thus I have ſhewed you the certainty of Chriſt's reſurrection, the nature and properties of it, the threefold influence it hath on the faints refurrection, and the conformity of ours untohis, in theſe five reſpects. Hisbody roſe ſubſtantially the ſame, ſo ſhall ours ; his body was raiſed by the Spirit, ſo ſhall ours. Not by the Godhead of Chriſt, as his was, but by the Spirit, who is the bondofourunion with Chriſt.

He was raifed as the firſt-begotten fromthe dead, ſothe dead in Chriſt ſhall rife firſt.

His body was improved by the refurrection, ſo ſhall ours .

From the confideration of allwhich, Inference 1. We infer, that if Christ was thus raisedfrom the dead, then death is fairly overcome, andswallowed up in victory * ; were it not ſo, it had never let Chriſt eſcape out of the grave.

The prey of the terrible had never been thus rescued outofits paws.

Death is adreadfulenemy, it defies all the fons anddaughters ofAdam. Nonedurft cope with thiskingofter- * How far ſhortdo we come of the primitive Chriſtians, whoſe faith in the refurrection, and contempt of death, Cyprian thus expreſſes : With a ſound mind, firm faith, and undaunted courage, we are ready to ſubmit to the whole willofGod, all fear ofdeath being excluded; we think on the immortality which follows ; and when the fet time ofGod's ſending for us approaches, we come to himat his call willingly and without delay.

Cypr. fect. 5.deLaps.

Butwhen wecome todie, we paſs intoimmortalityby death : This is not acoming to ourend but a tranſlating ofus.

Cypr. ubifupra,

SERM. XXXIX.

The Fountain of Life. rors but Chriſt, andhe, bydying, went intothe veryden of thisdragon, fought with it, and foiled it in the grave, its own territoriesanddominions, andcame offa conqueror.

For, as theapoſtle ſpeaks,Acts ii. 24. " Itwas impoſſibleitſhould hold " or detain him."

Never did death meet with its over-match before it met with Chriſt, and he conquering it for us, andin our names, rifing as our repreſentative, now every ſingle ſaint triumphs over it as a vanquished enemy, I Cor. xv. 55. " O

" death, where is thy ſting ? O grave where is thy victory ?

" Thanks be to God, who hath given us the victory through " our Lord Jesus Chriſt."

Thus, like Joſhua, they ſet the foot of faith upontheneckofthatking, and, with anholy ſcorn, derideits power. " O death, where is thy ſting?" Ifit be objected thatit is faid, I Cor. xv. 26. " The laſt enemythat is to " bedeſtroyed isdeath."

And if ſo, then it ſhould seem the victory is not yet atchieved, and ſo wedo butboaſt before the victory ; it is athand toreply, thatthe victory over death, obtained by Chriſt's refurrection, is twofold, eitherperfonal and incompleat, or general and compleat.

He actually overcame it at his refurrection, inhisownperſon, perfectlyand virtually for us, as our head ; but atthe general refurrection ofthe faints(which his refurrection, as the firſt-fruits, aſſures them of) then it will beutterlyvanquished and destroyed.

Till then, it will exerciſe fome little power over the bodiesof the faints, in which reſpect itiscalledthe last enemy.

For fin, the chief enemy that let it in, that was conquered utterlyand eradicated when they died ; butdeath holds their bodies inthe grave tillthe comingofChriſt, and then it is utterly tobevanquished.

Forafter that theycan die no more, Luke xx. 35. " And then ſhall be brought to paſs

" that faying that is written, Death is ſwallowed up in victo- " ryt."

Then and not tillthen, willthat conqueſt be fully compleatedinour perſons, though it be already ſo in Chriſt's ; now incompleatly in ours, and thencompleatly and fully for ever. For the famewordwhich ſignifies victorydoth alſo ſignify perpetuity, and in this place, a final or perpetual conqueſt.

And, indeed, now it ſmites onlywith its dart, not with its ſting, andthatbut the believer'sbody alſo, and the body but for a time remains under it neither. So that there is no reaſonwhy abeliever ſhould ſtand in a flaviſh fear of it.

Inference 2. Is Chrift, andhath his refurrection ſuch apo-

+ Absorpta est mors εις νικοςinperpetuam, ex Hebreo quod etvictoriamfignificat etperpetuitatem, Glaff. Rhet. fac. p. 408.

VOL. II.

The Fountain of Life.

SERM . XXΧΙΧ.

tentandcomfortable influence into the refurrection of the faints ?

Then it is the duty, and willbe the wisdom of the people ofGod, fo togovern, dispose, and employ their bodies, as become men and women, that understand whatglory is preparedfor them at the refurrection of thejust.

Particularly, First, Benot fondly tenderof them,but employ and uſe them for God here.

How many goodduties are loft and ſpoiledby finful indulgence to ourbodies? Alas ! we are generally more folicitous to live long, than to live uſefully. Howmany faints have active, vigorous bodies, yetGod hath little fervice from them.

Ifyour bodies were animated by tome other fouls that love God more than you do, and burn with holy zeal to his ſetvice, more work would be done for God by your bodies in a day, than is now done in a month.

To have an able, healthy body, andnot use it forGod, forfear ofhurting it, is as ifone ſhould give you a strong and ſtately horſe, upon condition you must not work or ride him.

Wherein is the mercy ofhaving a body, except it be employed forGod ? Willnot its reward at the refurrection be fufficientfor all the pains you now put it to in his ſervice ?

Secondly, See thatyou prefervetheduehonourofyourbodies.

" Poſſeſs them in ſanctification and honour," I Theſ. iv. 4.

O let not theſe eyes be now defiledwith fin,by whichyou ſhall feeGod.

Thoſe ears be inlets to vanity, which ſhall hear the Allelujahs of the bleſſed. God hathdefigned honour for your bodies, O make them not either the inſtruments or objects of fin.

There are ſins against the body, I Cor. vi. 18.

Preſerve your bodies from thoſe defilements, for they are the temples of God: " Ifany man defilethe temple ofGod,him willGodde- " ſtroy," 1 Cor. iii . 17 .

Thirdly, Let notthe contentment andaccommodation ofyour bodies draw your fouls into ſnares , and bring them under the power oftemptations to fin.

This is a verycommon cafe. howmany thousands of precious fouls periſh eternally, forthe fatisfaction of a vile body for a moment ? Their fouls muft, becauſe their bodies cannot, ſuffer.

It is recorded tothe immortal honour ofthoſeworthies in Heb. xi. 35. " That they ac- " cepted not deliverance, that theymight obtaina better refur- " rection ‡."

They might have had a temporal refurrection fromdeath to life, from reproach to honour, from poverty to ‡ No man can rejoice both in this life and that which is to come, buthemuft neceffarily letgo the one, who would enjoy the other.

Aug.

SERM . XXXIX.

The Fountain of Life. riches, from pains topleaſure ; butuponſuch terms theyjudged itnot worth acceptance.

They would not expoſe their fouls to fecure their bodies.

They had the ſamenatural affections that other men have.

They were made of as tender fleſh as we are, but fuch was the care they had of their fouls, and the hope of abetter refurrection, that theyliftned not tothe complaints and whinings of their bodies. O that we were all in the fame refolutions with them.

Fourthly, With-holdnot, upon the pretence ofthe wants your own bodies may be in, that whichGod and confcience bidyou to communicate for the refreshment of the faints, whose present neceffities requireyour afſiſtance, O be not too indulgent to your own fleſh, and cruel to others.

Certainly, the confiderationofthat reward which ſhallbe given you atthe refurrection, for every act of Chriſtian charity, is the greateſt ſpur and incentive inthe world to it. And to thatend it is urged as a motive to charity, Luke xiv. 13, 14. " When thou makeſt a " feaſt, callthe poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and thou

" ſhalt bebleſſed; for they cannot recompenſe thee, for thou " ſhaltbe recompenſed at the refurrection of thejuſt."

It was theopinion ofan eminent modern divine , that no man living, fully underſtands and believes that ſcripture, Mat. xxv. 40.

" In as much as you have done it to one of the leaſt of theſe 66 my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

How few faints wouldbe expoſed to dailywantsand neceſſities, if that ſcripture werebut fully understood and believed ?

Inference 3. Is Chriſt riſenfrom thedead, andthat as a publicperſon and repreſentative of believers ? How are we all concerned, then, tofecure to ourselves an interest in Christ, and, confequently, in this bleſſed refurrection ?

What confolation wouldbe left inthis world, if the hope ofthe refurrection were taken away ? It is this bleſſed hope, that muſt ſupport you under all the troubles of life, and in the agonies ofdeath. The fecuring of a blefſed reſurrection toyourſelves, is, therefore the moſtdeep concernment you have in this world. And it may be ſecured to yourſelves, ifupon ſerious heart-examination, you candiſcoverthefollowing evidences.

Evidence 1. First, Ifyou are regenerated creatures, brought forth in a newnature toGod, for we are " begotten again to " alively hope, by the refurrection of Jesus Chriſt from the " dead."

Chriſt's refurrection is theground-work ofourhope.

Andthe newbirth is our title orevidence of our intereſt in it, E2 Mr. Marſhal.

The Fountain of Life.

SERM . XXΧΙΧ.

Sothatuntilour fouls are partakers of the ſpiritual refurrection from thedeath of fin, we can have no aſſurance our bodies ſhall be partakers of that bleſſed refurrection to life.

" Bleſſedand holy, (faith the Spirit,) is he that hath part in " the firſt refurrection, onſuch the ſeconddeath hath no pow- " er," Rev. xx. 6.

Never let unregenerated fouls expect a comfortable meeting with their bodies again.

Riſe they ſhall byGod's terrible citation, at the found of the laſt trump, but not to the fame end that the ſaints ariſe, norby the fame principle.

They to whom the ſpirit is now a principle offanctification, to them he willbe the principle ofajoyful refurrection.

See then that you get gracious fouls now, or never expect glorious bodies then.

"Evidence 2. " Ifyou be dead with Chriſt, you shall live againbythe life ofChriſt.

If wehave beenplanted together " in the likeness ofhis death, we shall be alſo in the likeness of " his refurrection," Rom. vi. 5. συμφυτοι, planted together.

Some refer it to believers themselves; Jews and Gentiles are planted together inChriſt.

So * Eraſmus, " Believers grow " together like branches upon the fame root." which ſhould powerfully enforce the greatgoſpel-dutyofunity among themſelves.

But I would rather underſtand it, with reference to Chrift and believers, with whom believers are, in other ſcriptures, faid to ſuffer together, and be glorified together ; todie together, and live together; to be crucified together, and buried together ; all noting the communion they have with Chriſt, both in his death, and in his life. Now, if the power of Chrift's death (i. e.) the mortifying influence ofit, have been upon our hearts, killing their lufts, deading their affections, and flatting their appetites to the creature, then the power of his life, or refurrection, ſhall come (like the animating dew) upon ourdead witheredbodies, to revive and raiſe them up to livewithhim inglory.

Evidence 2. If your heartsand affections be now with Chrift inheaven, your bodies indue time shall be there alſo, and conformedto his glorious body. So you find it, Phil. iii. 20, 21 ,

" For our converſation is in heaven, from whence we look for " the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Chriſt, who ſhall change our vilę

"body, that it maybe faſhioned likeuntohis own gloriousbo- " dyt." " The body is here called vile, or the body of our

" vileneſs." Not as God made it, but as fin hath marred it.

* In unum concrefcere vel coalefceres † Το σωμα, της ταπεινώσεως.

SERM. XXΧΙΧ .

The Fountain of Life.

Not abfolutely, and in itſelf, but relatively, and in comparifon of what itwill be, inits ſecond edition, at the refurrection.

Then thoſe ſcatteredbones anddiſperſedduſt, like pieces of old brokenbattered filver, will be new caſt, and wrought in thebeſt and newest faſhion,even liketoChriſt's glorious body.

Whereofwe have this evidence, that our converſation is already heavenly.

The temper,frame, anddiſpoſitionofour fouls is already fo; thereforethe frame and temper ofourbodies indue time ſhallbefo.

| Evidence 4. Ifyou strive now by any means toattain the refurrection ofthe dead, no doubt butyoushallthen attain whatyou nowstrivefor.

This was Paul's great ambition, " thatby any " means he might attain the refurrection ofthe dead," Phil. iii.

11. Hemeans not ſimply a refurrection from thedead, for that allmen ſhall attain, whether they ſtrive for itor no. Butbya metonymy ofthesubjectfor theadjunct,he intends that complete holineſs andperfection, which ſhallattend the ſtate oftherefurrection, ſo it is expounded, ver. 12. So then, ifGodhave raifed inyour hearts avehement defire, and aſſiduous endeavour after a perfect freedom from fin, and full conformity toGod, in thebeauties ofholiness; that very love of holiness,your preſent pantings, and tendencies after perfection, ſpeak you to be the perſonsdeſigned for it.

Evidence 5. Ifyou are fuch as dogood inyourgeneration. If you be fruitful and useful men and women in the world, you ſhallhave part inthis bleſſed refurrection,John v. 28, 29."All

" thatarein the graves ſhallhearhis voice and (hall come forth ; they that have donegoodunto the refurrection of life." Now it is not every act materially good, that entitlesaman to this privilege; but the ſame requifites that the ‡ ſchoolmen aſſign to make agood prayer, arealſoneceſſary to everygood work.

The perſon, matter, manner, and end, must begood. Nor is it any finglegood act, butaferies and course ofholy actions, that is heremeant.

What a ſpur ſhould this be to us all, as (indeed, theapoftle makes it, cloſing upthedoctrine ofthe refurrection, withthis folemn exhortation, 1 Cor. xv. 58. with which I alſo cloſe mine) " Therefore, mybeloved brethren, be ye ſtedfaſt,

" unmoveable, always abounding in thework of the Lord, " for as much as ye know that your labour is not invainin

" the Lord."

Thanks he to Godfor his unspeakable gift.

‡ Si bonus bona facit benead bonum. i. e. If one isgood, he doeswhat is good, inagood manner, and foragood end.

SERM . XL.

The Fountain of Life.

SERMON XL.

Wherein the ASCENSION OF CHRIST is opened, and varioufly improved,being the ſecond Step of his Ex-

ALTATION.

John xx. 17. Jeſus faith unto her, Touch me not : for I amnot yet afcended to my Father: but go to my brethren, andfay unto them, I afcend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.

N all the former ſermons we havebeen following Chriſt thro his humiliation, from the time thathe left thebleſſedboſom ofthe Father : And now having finiſhed the whole courſe ofhis obedience on earth, and riſen again from the dead; we must, in thisdiſcourſe, followhim back again into heaven, and lodge him inthatboſom of ineffabledelight and love, which for our fakes, he fo freely left.

For it was not his end in riſing from thedead, to live ſuch a low animal life as this is, but to live a moſt glorious life, as an enthronedKing in heaven; upon which ſtate he was now ready to enter, as he tells Mary in the text, andbids her tell it to the diſciples, " Go, tell my brethren,

" thatI afcend to my Father," &c.

In the former verſes you find Marywaiting at Chriſt's ſepulchre, in a very penſive frame; exceedingly troubled, becauſe ſhe knew not what was become of Chrift, ver. 15.

In the next verſe, Chriſt calls herby her name, Mary ; ſheknowing the voice, turned herself, and anſwered, Rabboni.

And as afoul tranſported with joy *, ruſhes into his arms, as defirous to clafp and embrace him.

ButJeſus ſaid, " Touch me not," c.

In which words we have Chriſt's inhibition, " Touch me " not:" Strange that Chriſt, who rendred himselfſo kind and tender toall, that not only admitted, but commandedThomas to put his finger intohis wounds, ſhould forbidMary to touch him; but this was not for want of love toMary ; for he gives another reaſon for it preſently, " I am not yet afcended;" i. e. ſay ſome, the time for embracing willbewhenwe are in heaven.

Then and there ſhallbe the place and time, we shall embrace oneanother for evermore. So Auguſtin.

Or, thou doteſt too ** Marywould embraceChriſt, out ofher great love to him, and joythatthe had seenhimagain in the flesh.

Bucer. on the place.

SERM . XL.

The Fountain of Life. much upon mypreſent ſtate, as if I had now attainedthe very ακμη, culininating point of my exaltation. When as yet I am not afcended; fo Cameron and Calvin expound it.

Or laſtly, Chriſtwould fignify hereby, that itwas not his will and pleafure in fo great ajuncture of things as this, toſpend time now in expreſſing (this way) her affections to him ; but rather to ſhew itby haſting about his ſervice.

Which is The second thing obſervable, viz. his injunction upon Mary, to carry the tidings of his refurrection to the diſciples.

In which injunction we have, First, The perſons towhom this meſſage was ſent, my brethren, fohe calls the diſciples. A sweet compellation, and full of love. Much like that ofJoſeph to his brethren, Gen. xlv.

4. ſave only that there is much more tenderneſs in this than that; for he twits them in the fame breath with what they had done against him ; " I am Joſeph your brother, whom ye fold ;" but in this it is, "Go, tell my brethren," without the leafſt mention oftheir cowardice or unkindness.

And, " Secondly, The meſſage itſelf.

" Tell my brethren, I afcend to my Father, and your Father; to myGod, and your God ;" αναβαινω, 1 afcend.

It is put in the preſenttenſe, as if he had beenaſcending; though he did not afcend in ſome weeks after this; but he ſo expreſſes it, to ſhewwhat was the next partof his work, which he was to act in heaven for them; and how much his heart was ſet upon it, and longed to be about it, " I " aſcend to myFather, and your Father ; tomyGod, and your

" God."

Not our Father, orGod incommon; but mine and yours in a different manner.

Your's by right ofdonation, mine in adifferent manner.

Your's by right of dominion, mine (in reference to myhuman nature) not only by right ofcreation, though ſo too ; but alſo by ſpecial covenant and confederation.

* By predeſtinationofmymanhood, to thegrace of perfonal uion, by deſignation ofme, to the glorious office of Mediator.

My Father, as I amGod, by eternal generation.

As man, by collation of the grace ofunion. And your Fatherby ſpiritual adoptionand regeneration. Thus he ismyGod, and yourGod; my Father, andyour Father. This is the ſubſtanceofthat comfortable meſſage, fent byMary to the penſive diſciples. Hence theobſervation is, Doct. That our Lord Jesus Chriſt, did not only risefrom the * Mr. Henry Jeanes's Secondpart ofthe mixture ofſcholaftical andpractical divinity, p. 273 .

SERM. XL.

The Fountain of Life. dead, but also afcended into heaven ; there to dispatch all that remained to be donefor the compleating thefalvation ofhis people.

So much the apoſtle plainly witneſſeth, Eph. iv. 1o. "He " that defcended, is the fame alſo that aſcended up far above

" all heavens," (i. e.) all the aſpectable heavens. A full and faithful account whereof the feveral evangeliſts have given us,

Mark xvi. 19. Lukexxiv. 51.

This is ſometimes calledhisgoingaway, as John xvi 7.

Sometimes his being exalted, Acts ii. 33.

Sometimes his being made higher than the heavens, Heb. vii. 26. And fometimes his entering within the veil, Heb. vi.

19, 20. All which arebut ſo manyfynonymous phrafes, expreffinghis afcenfion, in a very pleaſant variety.

1. Who afcendNow for the opening this act of Chrift, we willbind up the whole in the fatisfaction oftheſe fix queſtions ed?

2. Whence did he ascend ?

3. Whither ?

4. When ?

5. How ?

6. and lastly, Whydid he ascend ? And theſe will take in what is needful for you to be acquaintedwith in this point.

First, Who afcended ? This the apofile anſwers, Eph . iv. 10.

" the fame that deſcended," viz. Chriſt.

And himself tells us in the text, " I afcend."

+ " And though the aſcenſion " were of Chriſt's whole perfon, yet it was but a figurative

" and improper expreſſion, with respect to his divine nature, " but it agrees moſt properly tothe humanity of Chriſt, which " really changed places and conditions by it." And hence it is that it is faid, John xvi. 28. " I came forth from the Father,

" andam come into the world; again, I leave the world, and " go to my Father." He goes away, andwe see him no more.

AsGod he is fpiritually with us ſtill; evento the end ofthe world.

But as man, " the heavens muſt contain him till the " reſtitution ofall things," Acts iii. 21 .

Secondly, Whence Chriſt aſcended ?

Ianſwer,moregenerally,he isfaid to afcend from this world, to leave the world.

That is the terminus a quo, John xvi. 28.

Hut more particularly, it was from Mount Olivet, near unto Jerufalem.

The very place where he began his laſt forrowful tragedy.

There, where his heart began tobe ſadded, there is itnow madeglad. O what a difference was there betwixt the * Afcenfio totiusfuit perſone, naturæ tamen divinæ non convenit nisi figurate.

Sed humanæ naturæ maxime proprie conve nit, &c. Amef. Med. p. 114.

SERM . XL.

The Fountain of Life. frameChriſt was in, in that mountbefore his paſſion, and this heisnow in, athis aſcenſion ! But, Thirdly, Whitherdid he aſcend ?

It is manifeſt it was into the third heavens : the throne of God,andplaceofthe bleſſed : where allthe faints ſhallbe with him for ever.

It is ſaid to be far above all heavens; that is theheavens which we fee, forthey are butthepavement of that ſtately palace of the great King. He is gone (faith the apostle) within the veil, (i. e.) into the moſt holy place. And into his

Father's houſe, John xiv.2. Andhe is alſoſaid togo to the " place where he was before," Johnvi. 62. backagain to that ſweetand glorious boſom ofdelight and love, from whence at his incarnationhe came.

Fourthly, WhendidChriſt afcend ? Was it preſentlyas foon ashe roſe from the dead ?

No, not fo, for " after his refurrection (faith Luke) he was " ſeenof them forty days, ſpeaking of the things pertaining

" tothekindom ofGod."

Andtrulythe careand love ofChriſt tohispeople was very manifeſt in thishis ſtaywith them

. He had ineffable glory prepared for him inheaven, and awaiting hiscoming, but he will notgo to poſſeſs it, tillhe had fettled allthings for thegood of his churchhere.

For in this time he confirmedthe truth of his refurrection, gave charge to the apoſtlesconcerning the diſcipline and order of his houſe or kingdom: which wasbut needful, ſincehe intended that their Acts ſhouldbe rules to future churches. So long itwas neceſſaryhe ſhould ſtay.

Andwhenhe had ſet allthings in order,hewould ſtay no longer, " left he ſhould feem to affect a terrene life

And beſides, he had work of great concernment to do for us intheother world. Hedeſired to beno longer here, than he hadwork todo forGod, and fouls. Agoodpattern for the faints.

Fifthly, Howdid Chriſt aſcend intoheaven?

Here it is worthy our obſervation, that Chriſt aſcended as a publicperfonorforerunner, inournames,anduponouraccounts *.

‡ The weakness ofhisdiſciples requiredthedelayofhis ſeparation from them.

Ames.

|| Ne terrenam vitam videretur meditare.

Amef.

* He by his entrance into heavengives us the ſtrongest confolation, for as he came down from heaven, not on his own but our account, ſo he hath takenpoffeffionofheaven to prepare a place and habitation there for us. Pareus on the place.

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So it is faidexpreſsly, Heb. vi. 20. ſpeaking ofthe moſt holy placewithin the veil : whither (faithhe) theforerunner isforus entred.

His entring intoheaven as our forerunner implies both his public capacity, and precedency.

First, His public capacity, as one thatwentupon ourbuſineſs toGod.

So he himself ſpeaks, John xiv. 2. " I go before " toprepare a placefor you."

To take poffeffionofheaven in our names.

The forerunner, hath refpect to others that were to come to heaven after him, in their ſeveral generations ; for whom hehathtakenup manſions, which are kept for them against their coming.

Secondly, It notes precedency, he is ourforerunner, but he himself had no forerunner. Never any entred intoheavenbeforehim, but fuch as entred in thename, and through the virtueof his merits. He was the firſt, that ever entredheavendirectly, immediately, inhis ownname,and upon his own account.

But all the fathers who died before him, entredin hisname.

To the holiest of them all, God would have faid as Eliſha to Jehoram, 2 Kings iii. 14. Were it not that I had reſpect to the perſon of myfon, inwhoſe name and right you come, I would not look upon you.

You must go back again, heaven were no place for you. No not for you, Abraham, nor for you, Mofes.

Secondly, He afcended triumphantly into heaven. To this, good expoſitors * refer that which in the type is ſpoken of David, when he lodged the ark in its own place, with muſical inſtruments and shoutings; but to Chriſt, in the antitype, when he was received up triumphantly into glory, Pfal. xlvii. 5.

" God is gone up with aſhout, the Lord with the found of a " trumpet ; fing praiſes toGod, ſing praifes; fing praiſes un- " to our king, fing praiſes."

Acloud is prepared, as a royal chariot, tocarryup theKing of glory tohis princely pavilion †. "A cloud received him

" out of their fight," Lukexxiv. 51. Andthen a royal guard ofmighty angels furround the chariot, if not for ſupport, yer for greater ſtate and folemnity oftheir Lord's afcenfion. And oh whatjubilations of the bleſſed angels were heard in heaven !

How was the whole city of God moved at his coming ! For look as when " he brought his firſt-begotten into the world,

" he said, let all the angels of God worship him," Heb. i. 6.

So athis return thitheragain, when he had finiſhed redempti- *Molerus in loc. Geirus. Aynſworth.

† Mr. Cafe inhis Piſgah.

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on-work, there were no leſs demonftrations givenby thoſe bleffedcreatures of their delight and joy in it.

The very heavens echoedand refounded on that account. Yea, the triumph is not ended at this day, nor never ſhall.

It is faid, Dan. vii. 13, 14. " I faw, (faith the prophet), in " the night viſions, and behold one like the Son ofman came

"with the clouds ofheaven, and came to theAncient ofdays, " and they brought him near tohim. And there was given

" him dominion, and glory, andakingdom; that all people, " nations and languages ſhould ſerve him."

This viſion of Daniel's was accomplished in Chriſt's aſcenſion, when they, i. e. the angels, brought him to the Ancient ofdays, i. e. toGod the Father, who, to expreſs his welcome to Chriſt, gave him glory, and akingdom.

And ſo it is and oughttobe expounded *. TheFather received him with open arms, rejoicing exceedingly to feehim again inheaven; therefore God is faid to " receive himup intoglory," 1 Tim. iii. 16.

For that which, with reſpect to Chriſt is called afcenfion, is, with reſpect to the Father, called affumption. Hewent up, and the Father received him.

Yea, received ſo as none ever was received before him, or shall be received after him.

Thirdly, Chriſt aſcended munificently, shedding forth, abundantly, inestimable gifts upon his church at his afcenfion. As in the Roman triumphs they did fpargere miſfilia +, beſtow their largest promiſes upon the people: ſodid our Lordwhen he afcended; "wherefore he faith, when heafcended up on high, he led captivity captive; and gave gifts unto men."

The place towhich the apoſtle refers, is Pfal. lxviii. 17, 18 . whereyou have both the triumph and munificence, with which Chriſt went up, excellently fet forth together.

" The chariots of God, (faith the Pfalmiſt), are twenty " thousand, even thousands of angels ; the Lord is among " them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. Thou hast afcended

" on high, thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious alſo, thatGod might

" dwell among them."

Which words in their literal fenfe, are a celebration of that famous victory and triumph of David over the enemies of God, recorded 2 Sam. viii. Theſe con.

F2 * See Deodat, and Engliſh Annot. &c.

† Princes, when triumphing after victory, uſe to diſperſe great preſents, andſumsofmoney among the people, congratulating their triumph withjoyous ſhouts.

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quered enemies bring him ſeveral forts of preſents, all which he dedicated to the Lord.

The ſpiritual ſenſe is, that juſt fo our Lord Jesus Chriſt, when he had overcome by his death onthe croſs, and now triumphed in his aſcenſion, he takes the parts and gifts of his enemies, and gives them, by their converſion to the church, for its uſe and ſervice: thus he received gifts, even for the rebellious *, i. e. fanctifies the natural gifts and faculties of ſuch as hated his people before, dedicating them to the Lord, in his peoples ſervice.

Thus, (as one obſerves), Tertullian, Origen, Austin, and Jerome, came into Canaan, laden with Egyptian gold. Meaning they came into the church richly laden with natural learning and abilities.

Auſtin was a Manichee, Cyprian a magician, learned Bradwardine a ſcornful proud naturaliſt, who once said, when he read Paul's epiſtles, Dedignabar eſſeparvulus ; he ſcorned ſuch childiſh things, but afterwards became a very useful man inthe church ofGod. And even Paul himselfwas as fierce an enemy to the church as breathed on earth, till Chriſt gave him into its boſom by converſion, and thenno mere man ever did the Lord and his people greater ſervice thanhe.

Men of all forts, greater and ſmaller lights, have been given to the church.

Officers of all forts, were given it by Chriſt.

Extraordinary and temporary, as prophets, apoſtles, evangeliſts ; ordinary and ſtanding, as paftors and teachers, which remain tothis day, Eph. iv. 8, 9.

And thoſe ſtars are fixed in the church-heavenby a moſt firm eſtabliſhment, I Cor. xii. 28.

Thousands now in heaven, and thouſands on earth alſo, arebleſſing Chriſt at this day for theſe his aſcenfion-gifts.

Fourthly, Our Lord Jesus Chriſt aſcended moſt comfortably, for whilſt hewas bleſſing his people, he was parted from them,

Luke xxiv. 50, 51.

Therein making good to them whatis faid to him, John xiii. 1. " Having loved his own, he lovedthem to " theend."

There was a greatdeal oflove manifeſted byChrift in this verylaſt act ofhis in this world. The laſt ſighttheyhad of him in this world was a moſt ſweet and encouraging one.

Theyheard nothing from his lips but love, they ſaw nothing in his face but love, tillhe mounted his triumphant chariot, and was taken outof their ſight.

Surely theſe bleſſings at parting were ſweet and rich ones.

For the matter of them, theywere the mercies which hisblood * Thou doſt raiſe up teachers ofthy church, among thosewho hateandperfecute thy people; and, fromtime to time, bringmany ofthyenemies to this thy kingdom.

Mol. on theplace..

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had ſo latelypurchased for them. And for their extent, they werenot only intended for them, who had the happineſs to be uponthe place with him from whence he aſcended; but they reach us as well as them; and willreach the laſt ſaint that ſhall beupon the earth, till he come again.

For they were but repreſentatives ofthe future churches, Matth. xxviii. 20.; and in bleſſing them, he bleſſed us alſo. Andby this we may be ſatisfied that Chriſt carried an heart full oflove to his peopleawaywith him to heaven; ſince his love ſo abounded in the laſt act that everhe did in this world: and left ſuch a demonſtration of his tenderneſs with them at parting.

Fifthly, He aſcended, as well as roſe again,byhis ownpower.

Hewas not merely paſſive in that his aſcenſion, but it was his ( ownact.

Hewent to heaven.

Therefore it is ſaid, Acts i. 10.

Hewent up, viz. by his own divine power t.

And this plainly evinceth him tobe God, for no merecreature ever mounted itſelffrom earth, farabove allheavens, as Chriſt did.

Sixthly, and lastly, Why did Chriſt aſcend ?

Ianſwer : his afcenfionwas neceſſary upon many and great accounts.

For, First, If Chrift had not aſcended, hecould not have interceded, as now he doth inheaven, for us. Anddo but take away Chriſt's interceffion, and you ſtarve the hope ofthe faints.

For what have we to fuccour ourſelves with, under the daily ſurpriſes of fin, butthis, " That ifany man fin, we have an " advocate [with the Father] : " mark that, with the Father : a friend upon the place: one that abides there, on purpoſe to tranſact all our affairs, and as afuretyfor thepeace betwixtGod andus, Secondly, If Chriſt had not aſcended, you could not have entered into heaven when you die.

For he went to prepare a " place for you," John xiv. 2. He was, as I faid before, the firſt that entred into heavendirectly, and in hisown name ; and hadhenotdone ſo, we could nothave entered, whenwedie, in his name. The Forerunner made wayfor all that are coming on, in their ſeveral generations, after him. Nor couldyour bodies have afcendedafter their refurrection, butin the virtue of Chriſt's aſcenſion.

For he aſcended, as was faid before, in the capacity of our headandrepreſentative; to hisFather, and our Father :

For us and himself too.

† Hisdivine power was the cauſe ofhis aſcenſion.--but that which likewise contributedto it, was the condition ofhis glorified body,whichcanmove upwards, aswell as downwards. Ames.

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Thirdly, IfChriſt had not afcended, he could nothave been inaugurated, and inſtalled in the glory he now enjoys in heaven. Thisworld isnotthe placewhereperfect felicityand glory dwell. And then, how had the promise of the Father been made good to him ? Or our glory, (which confifts inbeing with, andconformed tohim),where had it been ? " Ought not " Chrift to fuffer,and to enterinto his glory ?" Luke xxiv. 25.

Fourthly, If Chrift had notaſcended, how couldwe have been fatisfied, that his paymenton the croſs made full fatisfaction to God, and that nowGod hath no more bills to bring in against us ? How is it that the Spirit convinceth the world of righteouſneſs, John xvi. 9. 10., but from Chriſt's going tothe Father, and returning hither no more ? which gives evidence of God's fullcontentand fatisfaction, both with his perſon and work.

Fifthly, How ſhouldwe have enjoyed the greatbleſſings of the Spirit and ordinances, if Chriſt had not afcended ? And furely we could not have been without either.

If Chriſt had not gone away, " the comforter had not come," John xvi. 7. hebeginswhereChriſt finiſhed. For he takesof his, and ſhews it to us, John xvi. 14.

And therefore it is ſaid, John xvii. 39.

" The holy Ghoſt was not given, becauſe Jeſus was notyet " glorified."

He was then given as a fanctifying ſpirit, but notgiven in that meaſure, as afterwards he was, to furnish and qualifymen with gifts, for ſervice. And indeed,by Chriſt's afcenfion, both his ſanctifying, and his miniſtring gifts were ſhed forth, more commonly and more abundantly, upon men.

Theſe fell from him when he afcended, as Elijah's mantle did from him, ſo that whatsoever good of converfion, edification, fupport, or comfort you receive from ſpiritual ordinances, he hath ſhedforth that, which you now fee and feel.

It is the fruit of Chrift's afcenfion.

Sixthly, and lastly, IfChrift had not afcended, how had all the types and prophecies, that prefigured and foretold it, been fulfilled? " And the fcriptures cannot be broken," John x. 35.

Sothat, upon all theſe accounts, it was expedient that he ſhould goaway.

It was for hisglory, and for our advantage.

Though we loft thecomfort of his bodily prefence by it, yet if "we " loved him, we would rejoice he went to the Father," Joha xiv. 28. Weought tohave rejoicedinhisadvancement, though ithad been to our loss ; but when it is so much for our benefit, as wellas his glory, it is matter ofjoy on both fides, thathe is afcended to his Father, and our Father ; to his God, and to our

God.

From the ſeveral bleſſings flowing to us out of Chrift's

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The Fountain of Life. afcenfion, it was that he charged his people not to be troubled athis leavingofthem,John xiv. Andhence learn,

Inference 1. Did Christ afcend into heaven ? is ourJesus, our treasure, indeed there ? Where then should the hearts of believers be, but in heaven, where their Lord, their life, is ? Surely, faints, it is not good that your love, and your Lord ſhouldbe in two ſeveral countries, faid one that is now with him.

Up, and haſten, after your lover, that he and you may be together.

Chriſtians, you afcended with him, virtually, when he afcended; you ſhallafcend tohim, perſonally,hereafter; Oh thatyou would aſcend to him, fpiritually, in acts offaith, love, and defires daily.

Surfum corda, up with your hearts, was the form uſed by theancient church at the facrament. Howgood were it, ifwe could fay with the apostle, Phil. iii. 20. "Our converſation is

" inheaven, from whence we look for the Saviour. "

An heart afcendant, is the beſt evidence ofyour intereft inChrift's afcenfion.

Inference 2. Did Chrift go to heaven, as a forerunner ? What hafteshould we make tofollow him ? He ran to heaven; he ran thitherbefore us. Didhe run toglory, andſhallwe linger ?did heflee as an eagle towards heaven, and we creep like ſnails ?

ComeChriſtians, " Lay aſide everyweight, and the fin thatdoth " ſo easily beſet you, and run with patience the race ſet before " you,looking unto Jeſus," Heb. xii. 1, 2. Thecaptain ofour falvation is entered within the gates of the newJerufalem, and calls to usoutofheaventohaften tohim; propoſing the greateft encouragements to them that are following after him, faying,

He that overcomes ſhall fitwith me in my throne, as I alſo o- " vercame, and am fet down with my Father in his throne,"

Rev. iii. 22. Howtedious fhould it seemto us, tolive ſolong atadiſtance from our Lord Jeſus !

Inference 3.DidChriſt aſcend ſotriumphantly; leadingcaptivitycaptive ? How little reason thenhave believers tofear their conquered enemies ? Sin, Satan, and every enemy, were, inthat day, led away in triumph, dragged at Chriſt's chariot wheels, brought afterhim as itwere inchains. It is a lovelyfight to fee the necks of thoſe tyrants under the foot of our Joshua. He made, at that day, " an open ſhewof them," Col. ii. 15. Their ſtrength is broken for ever. In this he ſhewed himself more thanaconqueror; forhe conquered and triumphedtoo.

Satan was then trod underhis feet, andhe hath promiſed to tread him under our feet alſo, andthat ſhortly,Rom. xvi. 20. ſome power ourenemiesyetretain, theferpentmaybruiſe ourheel,but Chrift hathcrushedhishead.

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Inference4. Did Chriſt aſcend ſo munificently, ſhedding forth ſomany mercies uponhis people ? mercies of inestimable value, reſerved on purpoſe to adorn thatday ? O thenfee that you abuſe not thoseprecious afcenfion-gifts ofChrist, but value and improve them, as the choicest mercies. Now, the aſcenſion-gifts, as I told you, are either the ordinances and officers ofthe church, (forhe then gavethem paftors and teachers), or the Spirit that furniſhed the church with all its gifts.

Beware you abuſe not either of theſe.

First, Abuſe not the ordinances and officers ofChriſt.

This isa ſin that no nation is plungeddeeper into the guilt of, than thisnation, andno age morethan this.

SurelyGod hath written to us thegreat things of his law, andwe haveaccounted them

Small things .

We have been looſe,wanton, ſceptical profeffors , for the moſt part, that have had nice and coy ſtomachs, that could not reliſh plain, wholeſome truths, except ſo and ſo modified to our humours.

For this the Lord hath a controverfy with the nation, and, by a forejudgment, he hath begunto rebuke this fin already. And I doubt not, before he make an end, plain truths will down with us, andwe shall bleſs God for them.

Secondly, But in the next place, fee that you abuſe not the Spirit, whomGod fent from heaven, at his afcenfion, to fupply his bodily abſence among us, and is the great pledge of his care for, and tender love to his people. Now take heed that you do not vex him by your diſobedience ; nor grieve him by your unkindneſſes ; nor quench him by your ſinful neglects of duty, or abufe oflight. O deal kindly with the Spirit, and ebeyhis voice : comply with his deſigns, andyield up yourſelves to his guidance and conduct.

Methinks, to be intreated bythe love of the Spirit, Rom. xv. 30., ſhould be as great an argument as to be intreated for Chriſt's fake. Now, to perfuade all the faints to be tender of grieving the Spirit by fin, let me urge a few confiderations proper tothe point under hand.

Conſid. 1. First, Hewas the first and principal mercy that Chrift received for you at hisfirſt entrance into heaven.

It was the first thing he asked ofGod when he came to heaven.

So he ſpeaks, John xiv. 16, 17. " I will pray the Father, and he " ſhall give you another comforter, that he may abide with " you."

No foonerhad he fet foot upon the place, but the firſt thing, the great thing, that was upon his heart to ask the Father for us was, that the Spirit might forthwith be diſpatched, and fentdown tohis people. So that the Spirit is thefirst-

SERM . XL.

The Fountain of Life. born of mercies ; and deſerves the firſt place in our hearts and eſteems .

Confid. 2. Secondly, The Spirit comes not in his own name to us,(though, if ſo, he deſerves adearwelcome forhis own fake, and for the benefits we receiveby him, which are ineftimable), but he comes tous in thename, andin the love, both ofthe Father, andthe Son.

As one authorized and delegated by them ; bringinghis credentials under both their hands and feals, Johnxv.

26. " Butwhen the Comforter is come, whom I will fend toyou " from the Father ;" Mark, I will fend him from the Father ; and in John xiv, 26. the Father is ſaid to " ſend him in Chrift's

" name."

So that he is the meſſenger that comes from both theſegreat andholy perſons. And ifyou have any love for the God that madeyou, any kindness for the Chriſt that died for you, ſhew it by your obedience to theSpirit that comes from them both, and in both their names to us, and who will be bothoffendedandgrieved, ifyou grieve him. O thereforegive him an entertainment worthy of one that comes toyou in the name of the Lord.

In the Father's name, and inthe Son's name .

Confid. 3. Thirdly, But that is not the only confideration that ſhould cauſeyou to beware ofgrieving theSpirit, becauſehe is ſent inthe name ofſuch great anddear perſons, to you, buthe deserves better entertainment than any ofthefaints give him,for his ownfake, andupon his own account, and that upona double ſcore, viz. of his nature and office.

First, On the account ofhis nature; forhe isGod co-equal with the Father and Son in nature and dignity, 2 Sam. xxiii. 23.

The Spirit ofthe Lord ſpakeby me, andhis word was inmy tongue ; the God of Ifrael faid; the rock of Ifrael ſpake to " me."

So thatyou feehe isGod. The Rock of Ifael. God omnipotent, for he created all things, Gen. i. 2. God omniprefent, filling all things, Pfal. cxxxix. 7. God amniscient, who "

" knows your hearts, Rom. ix. 1.

Beware of him therefore, and grievehimnot, for in ſodoingyou grieveGod.

Secondly, Upon the accountof his office, andthe benefitswe receivebyhim.

We are obliged, evenontheſcore ofgratitude and ingenuity, toobeyhim; forhe is fent in thequality of an advocate tohelp us to pray ; to indite our requeſts for us; to teachuswhatandhow toaſk ofGod, Rom. viii. 26.

He comes tous as a Comforter, John xiv. 16.

And none like him.

His work is to take of Chriſt's andshew it to us *, i. e, totake of

* John xvi . 14.

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hisdeath, refurrection, aſcenſion, yea, ofhis very preſent interceffion in heaven, and ſhew it to us. He can be with us ina moment, he can, (as * one well obſerves), tell you what were the verylaſt thoughts Chrift was thinking in heaven aboutyou.

Itwas he that formed the body of Chrift in the womb, and fo preparedhim tobe a facrifice for us . He filled that humanity with his unexampled fulness†.

So fitting and anointing him for thediſcharge ofhis office.

It is he that puts efficacy into the ordinances, and without him they would be but adead letter.

It was he that bleſſed them to your conviction and converfion 1.

For if angels had beenthe preachers, no converfionhad followedwithoutthe Spirit.

It ishethat is the vinculum unionis, bond ofunion betwixt Chrift and your fouls, without which you could never havehad intereft in Chrift, orcommunion with Chriſt.

It was he that ſooften hath helpedyour infirmities, when youknew notwhat to ſay; comforted your hearts when they were overwhelmed within you, and you knew not whatto do; preſerved you ma- : ny thousand times from fin and ruin, when youhave beenupon the flippery brink ofit in temptations.

It is he, (in his fanctifying-work), thatis the beſt evidenceyour foulshave for heaven.

Itwere endless toenumerate the merciesyou havebyhim. And now, reader, doſt thou not blush to think how unworthy thou haft treated fuch a friend ? For which ofall theſe his offices or benefits doft thou grieve and quench him ? O grieve not the Holy Spirit whom Chriſt ſent as foon aseverhe came toheaven, inhis Father's name, and in his own name, to perform all theſe offices for you.

Infer. 5. Is Chriſt aſcended to theFather as our forerunner ?

Then the door offalvation stands open to all believers, and by virtue of Christ's afcenfion, they alſo ſhall afcend after him, far above all viſible heavens || .

O my friends, what place hath Chriſt prepared and taken up for you ! what a ſplendid habitationhath he provided for you ! " God is not ashamed to be

" called yourGod; forhe hath prepared foryou a city," Heb. xi.16.

Inthat city Chrift hathprovided manſions, and reftingplaces for your everlasting abode, John xiv. 2., and keepsthem

* Mr. Tho. Goodwin.

† Luke i. 35. Ifa. Ixi. 1. Col. i. 19.

† 2 Cor. ix. 6.

John xvi . 9.

1 Pet. i. 12.

I Johniii. 24.

Rom. viii. 9, 26.

John xiv. 26.

Ezek. xxxvi . 17 .

The hope offuture inheritance is moſt fully ſecured to us in our Head, and we are ſetdown together with him in heaven, Eph. ii.

Synopsis purioris Theol. Difp. 28. p. 342.

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foryou tillyour coming. O how auguſtand glorious àdwelling isthat, where fun, moon, and ſtars, ſhall ſhine as much below your feet, as theyare now above your heads ? Yea, ſuch is the loveChrift hath to the believer, that, as one faith, ifthou only hadſt been the choſen ofGod, Chriſt would have built that houſe for himselfand thee. Now it is for himself, for thee, and formany more, who ſhall inherit with thee. God fend us a joyfulmeeting within the veilwith ourForerunner, and ſweeten our paſſage into it, with many a forefight and foretaſte thereof.

And, in the mean time, let the love of a Saviour enflame our hearts,ſothatwheneverwe caſt alook towards thatplace, where our Forerunner is forus entered,our fouls may ſay, withmelting affections, Thanks be to Godfor Jesus Christ ; and again, Bleffed beGodforbis unspeakable gift . ttocananattinni SERMON XLI.

Wherein CHRIST's fitting at Gon's right-hand is explained and applied, being the third Step of his glorious EXALTATION.

HEB. 1. 3.

When he hadby himselfpurged ourfins, fatdown on the right-hand ofthemajesty on high.

CHRIST being returnedagaintohis Father, having finiſhed his whole work on earth, is there bid by the Father to fit down in the featof honourand reſt. A feat prepared for him atGod's right-hand, that makes it honourable ; and all his enemies as a footſtool under his feet that makes it eaſy. How much isthe ſtate and conditionofJesus Chriſt changed in a few days ! Here he groaned, wept, laboured, ſuffered, ſweat, yea, fwearblood, and foundno restinthis world, butwhen he comes toheaven, there he enters into reſt.

Sits down for ever in the highest andeaſreſtthrone, preparedby the Father for him, when hehaddonehis work. " When he hadby himself purged our

" ſins, he fat down," &c .

The ſcope ofthis epiſtle istodemonftrate Chriſt tobe the fulneſs ofall legal typesandceremonies, and that whatever light glimmered to the world through them, yet it was but as the light of theday-ſtar, tothe light of this fun.

Inthischapter, Chrift the fubject ofthe epiſtle, is deſcribed, G2

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and particularly, in this thirdverſe, he is deſcribed three ways.

First, By his effſential and primeval glory and dignity, he is απαύγασμα, the brightness of his Father's glory, the very ſplendor of glory, the very refulgency of that ſon of glory.

" * The primary reaſon of that appellation is with respect to " his eternal and ineffable generation, light of light, as the " Nicenecreedexpreſſes it. As abeam of light proceeding from " the fun.

And the ſecondary reaſon ofit, is with reſpect to 66 men," for look as the fun communicates its light and influence tous, by its beams, which it projects ; ſo dothGod communicatehis goodness, and manifeſt himself to us, by Chriſt. "Yea,

" he is the express image, or character of his perſon.

Not as " the impreſſed image of the feal upon the wax, but as the en- " graving in the ſeal itſelft."

Thus he is deſcribed by his efſential glory.

Secondly, He is described by the work he wrought here on earth, in his humbled ſtate, and it was aglorious work, and that wrought out by his own ſingle hand, " when he hadby

" himself purged our fins." A work that all the angels in heaven could not do, but Chriſt did it.

Thirdly, and lastly, He is deſcribed by his glory, the which (as a reward of that work) he now enjoys in heaven. "When

" he had by himſelfpurged our ſins, he fatdownon the right- " hand of the majeſty on high," i. e. the Lord cloathedhim with the greatest power, and highest honour, that heaven itſelf could afford; for ſo much this phrase of" fitting down on the "right-handofthe majeſty" imports, as will appear inthe explication ofthis point, which isthe reſultofthis clauſe, viz.

Doct. That when our LordJesus Christ had finiſhed his work on earth, hewas placed in the feat ofthe highest honour, andauthority ; at the right-hand ofGod in heaven.

This truth is transformingly glorious.

Stephen hadbut a glimpse ofChriſt at his Father's right-hand, andit cauſed " his

" face to ſhine, as it hadbeenthe face ofan angel," Acts vii.

56.

This, his high advancement, was foretold and promiſed *Ratio appellationes primaria eft respectu Patris cæleftisàquo abaterno, per ineffabilem generationem inftar luminis, de lumine refplenduit, fecundaria respectu hominum, &c. Glaff. Rhet. p.

174.

†Χαρατειν infculpere dicitur, non tam imaginem exfigillo cera impreſſam, quam ipfumfigillum denotare, Glaff.Rhet, ſac. p. 159.

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before the work of redemptionwas taken inhand, Pfal. cx. r.

" The Lord taid unto myLord, fit thou at my right-hand, " until I make thine enemies thy footſtool." And this promife was punctually performed toChriſt, after his refurrection and afcenfion, inhistupreme exaltation,far above allcreatedbeings, in heaven and earth, Eph. i. 20, 21, 22. We shall here open twothings inthe doctrinal part, viz. Whatis meant byGod's right-hand, and what is implied in Chriſt's fitting there, with hisenemies for a footſtool.

First, What are we to underſtand here byGod's right-hand?

† It is obvious enough, that the expreſſion is not proper, but figurative and borrowed. God hath nohand, right or left; butitisacondeſcending expreſſion, whereinGod ſtoops to the creature's underſtanding, and by ithe wouldhave us to underſtand honour, power, andnearneſs.

First, The right-hand is the hand of honour, the upper hand, where we place thoſe whom we highly eſteem and honour.

So Solomon placed his mother ina feat, at his righthand, I Kings ii.

19.

So, in token of honour, God ſets Chriſt at his right-hand ; which, on that account, in the text is called the right-hand of Majesty. God hath therein exprefſed more favour, delight, and honour, toJeſus Chriſt, than everhedid toany creature.

To which of the angels ſaid he atany time, fit thou on myright-hand?" Heb. i. 13 .

Secondly, The right-hand is the hand of power: we call it theweapon hand, and the working hand. And the ſetting of

Chriſt there, imports his exaltation to the higheſt, authority, andmoſt ſupreme dominion. Not that God the Father hath put himself out of his authority, and advanced Chriſt above himſelf; no, " for inthat he faith he hath put all things un- " der him, it is manifeſt that he is excepted which did put all

" things under him," 1 Cor. xv. 27. But to fit as an enthronedking atGod's right-hand, imports power, yea, the moſt ſovereignandfupreme power ; and ſo Chriſt himself calls the right-hand at which he fits, Mat. xxvi. 64. " Hereafter ye

" ſhall ſee the Son of man fitting onthe right-hand of pow- " er."

Thirdly, Andas it ſignifies honour and power, ſonearneſs in †The right hand ofGod denotes divine honour and glory, on which the Son ofGod, who existed before all ages, as God, in the higheſt, co-eſſential with the Father, and incarnate in the latter times, fatdownwithhis glorifiedbody.

Damafc. lib. 4. c. 2. de orth. fide.

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place, aswe use to ſayat one's elbow, and ſo it is applied to Chrift, in Pfal. cx. 5.

The Lord at thy right-hand, ſhall " ſtrike through kings inthe day of his wrath;" that is, the Lord, who is very near thee, preſent with thee, he ſhall fubdue thine enemies.

This then iswhatwe are to underſtand byGod'sright-hand, honour, power, and nearneſs.

Secondly, In the next place let us fee what is implied in Chrift's fitting at God's right-hand, with his enemies for his foot-ftool.

And, ifwe attentively confider, we ſhall find thatit implies and imports divers great and weighty things in it. As,

First, It implies the compleating and perfecting of Chriſt's work, that he came into the world about.

After his work was onded, then he fatdown and reſted from those labours, Heb. x.

11, 12. "Every prieſt ſtandeth daily miniſtring, and offering " oftentimes the ſame ſacrifices ; which can never take away

" fins: butthis man when he had once offered one facrifice for " fins, for ever fat down on the right-hand ofGod."

Here he affigns a double difference betwixt Chriſt, and the Levitical priests; they ſtand, which is the poſture of fervants ; he ſits, which is the poſture of a Lord. They ſtand daily, becauſe their facrifices cannot take away fin; he did his work fully, by one offering; and after that fits, or reſts for ever in heaven. And this (as the accurate and judicious Dr. Reynolds * obſerves) was excellently figured tous inthe ark, which was a lively type of Jesus Chrift, and particularly in this, ithad rings by which itwas carried up and down, till at laſt it reſted in Solomon's temple, withglorious and triumphal folemnity, Pfal. cxxxii. 8,

9. 2Chron. v. 13. So Chriſt, while he was here on earth, being anointed with theHolyGhoſt and wisdom, went about doing good, Acts x. 38. and having ceaſed from his works, did atlaſt enter into his reſt, Heb.v. 10. which is theheavenly temple, Rev. xi . 19.

Secondly, His & fittingdown atGod's right-hand, notes the high content and fatisfaction ofGod the Fatherin him, and in hiswork.

"The Lord faid to my Lord, fit thou on myright- " hand;" the words are brought in as the words of the Father, welcoming Chriſt toheaven; and(as itwere) congratulating the * Dr. Edward Reynolds, on Pfalm cx. p. 35, 36.

+They are faid to fit down, who reſt from their labour, and therebyrefreſhthemselves,Gen. xviii. 1. inwhich ſenſe fome underſtandwhat is faid of Chrift.

To fit at God's right-hand, i. e. in the heavens, to reſt in that eternal bleſſedneſs with God, from theſe

Jabours and miſeries towhich he voluntarily ſubjected himself for us.

Ravan. on the word to fit.

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happy accomplishment ofhis moſt difficult work. Andit is as ifhe hadfaid, "Omy Son, what ſhallbedone forthee thisday?

" Thou hast finiſhed agreatwork, andinall the parts of itac- " quitted thyself as an able and faithful fervant to me'; what

"honours thall I now beſtow upon thee nee? The highestglory in "heaven is not toohigh for thee; come fit atmy right-hand."

Ohowwell is he pleaſed with Chriſt, and what he hathdone !

Hedelighted greatly tobehold him here in his work on earth, andby a voice from the excellentglory he told him fo, when he ſpake from heaven tohim, ſaying, " Thou art my beloved Son,

" inwhom I am well pleaſed," 2 Pet. i. 17.

And himselftells us, Johnx. 17. "Thereforedoth my Father love me, becauſe " Ilaydown my life," &c. for it was a work that the heart of Godhadbeenupon from eternity. Hetook infinitedelightinit.

Thirdly, Chriſt's fittingdown at God's right-hand in heaven, notes the advancement of Chriſt's human nature tothe highest honour; even to be the object ofadoration to angels and men.

For it is properlyhis human nature that is the fubject ofall this honour and advancement ; and being advanced to the righthand of Majefty, it is become an object of worship and adoration. Not ſimply, as it is flesh and blood, but as it is perfonally unitedto the secondperſon, andenthronedinthe fupremeglory ofheaven.

Ohere is the mystery, that flesh andbloodſhouldeverbe advanced tothehighest throneofmajefty, and being there inſtalled in thatglory, we maynowdirectourworship tohim asGod-man; and to this end was his humanity ſo advanced, that it mightbe adored and worſhipped by all. "The Father hath committed

" all judgment to theSon, thatallmen ſhouldhonour the Son, " even as they honour theFather."

Andthe Fatherwill accept ofno honour divided from his honour.

Therefore it isadded inthe nextclauſe," He that honoureth not the Sou, honoureth

" not the Father whichhath ſent him," John v. 22, 23. Hence the apostles, in the falutations of their epiſtles, beg for grace, mercy, and peace, fromGod the Father, andour Lord Jefus

Chrift ; and in their valedictions, theydefire the grace of our LordJesus Chriſt to the churches.

Fourthly, It imports the ſovereignty and fupremacy ofChrift over all.

The inveſtiture of Christ, with authority over the empire ofboth worlds : For this belongs to him that fits down upon his throne.

When the Father faid to him *, Sit at my *Therefore this fittingdownofChriſt attheFather's right-hand, does

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right-hand, he did therein deliver to him the dispensation and oeconomy of the kingdom.

Put the awful fceptre ofgovernment intohis hand, andſo the apoſtle interprets and underſtands it, 1 Cor. xv. 25. " Hemust reign,tillhe have put all his ene- " mies under his feet." And to this purpoſe, the fame apoftle accommodates, (if not expounds) the words of the Pfalmiſt,

" Thou madeſt him a little lower than the angels," (i. e.) in reſpect ofhis humbled ſtate on earth," thou crownedſthimwith

" gloryand honour, and didſt ſethim over the works of thy " hands, thou hast put allthings in ſubjection under his feet,"

Heb. ii.7, 8.

He is over the ſpiritualkingdom, the Church, abfolute Lord there, Matth. xxviii. 18, 19, 20. He alſo is Lord overthe providentialkingdom, the whole world, Pfal. cx. 2. and thisprovidentialkingdom, beingſubordinate tohis ſpiritual kingdom; he orders and rules this, for the advantage and benefit thereof, Eph. i. 22.

Fifthly, To fit atGod's right-hand with his enemies for a footſtool, implies Christ tobe a conqueror over allhis enemies.

To have his enemies under his feet, notes perfect conquest and compleat victory. As when Joshua ſet his foot upon the necks ofthe kings : So Tamerlane made proud Bajazet his footſtool*.

They trampled his name, and his faints, under their feet, and Chrift will tread them under his feet.

It is true indeed this victory isyet incompleat, and inconfummate ; for now " we fee

" not yet all things put under him, (faith the apostle) but we fee Jefus crowned with glory and honour," and that is enough.

Enough to ſhew the power ofhis enemies, is now broken ; and though they make ſome oppoſition ſtill, yet it is to no purpoſe at all; for he is ſo infinitely above them, that they must fall before him; it is not with Chriſt as it was with Abijah, againft whom Jeroboam prevailed, becauſehe was young and tenderhearted, and could not withstand them.

His incapacity and weakness , gave the watchful enemy, an advantage over him.

I fay, it is not ſo with Chriſt, he is atGod's right-hand. And all

doesnot fignify properly that glory andeſſentialkingdom which was common to theSon ofGodwith the Father from eternity, for in this reſpect even the Holy Spirit fits at the righthand ofGod; but the oeconomical and voluntary kingdom, over which he is appointed as Θεανθρωπος, i. e. God-man andMediator by the Father, for the gathering in anddefending ofhis church.

Synopf. pur. Theol. Difp.

28. P. 343 .

*The manwho ſo often terrifiedthe cityConftantinople, was a dog and a footſtool under Tamerlane.

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The Fountain of Life. thepower ofGod ſtands readybent to ſtrike throughhis enemies, asit is Pfal. cx. 5.

Sixthly, Chrift's fitting in heavennotes to us thegreat and wonderful change, thatis madeupon the ſtate, and condition ofChriſt, ſince his aſcention into heaven.

Ah, it is far otherwifewith himnow, than itwas inthe days of his humiliation hereon earth.

Quantum mutatus ab illo ! Oh what a wonderfullchange hath heavenmadeupon him ! It were good (as a †Worthyofoursſpeaks) tocompare in our thoughts the abaſement ofChriſt, and his exaltation together; as it were in co. lumns, one over against the other. He was born in a ſtable, butnow he reigns inhis royal palace.

Then hehad a manger for his cradle, butnow he fits on a chair of ſtate.

Then oxen andaffes were his companions, now thousands of faints, and ten thouſand of angels minifter roun about his throne. Then, in contempt, theycalledhim the Carpenter's Son, now he obtains a more excellentname than angels.

Then he was led away into the wilderness tobe tempted of the devil, now it is proclaimedbeforehim; " let all the angels ofGod worſhip him."

Thenhehadnota place tolay his head on,now he is exalted tobeheir of all things. In his ſtate of humiliation, "he en- " dured the contradiction of finners;" in his ſtate ofexaltation,

" he is adored and admired by faints and angels."

Then " he " had no form or comlineſs; andwhen we saw him, there was " no beauty, why we shoulddefire him:" Now the beauty of his countenance ſhall ſendforth ſuch glorious beams, as ſhall dazzle the eyes of all the celestial inhabitants round about him, &c.

Owhat a change is this! Here he ſweated,but there he fits.

Herehegroaned, but therehe triumphs. Here helay uponthe ground, therehe fits inthe throne ofglory. When he came to heaven, his Father did, as it were, thus beſpeak him .

My dear Son, what an hard travail hist thou had of it ?

What a world of woe hast thou paſſed through, in thestrength of thy love to me, and mine elect ? Thou hast been hungry, thirsty, weary ; Scourged, crucified, and reproached : Ah what badusagehast thou had in the ungrateful world ! Not aday's reft for comfort fince thou wentest out from me ; but now thy fuffering daysare accomplished ; now thy rest is come, reftfor

evermore.

Henceforthfit at my right-hand.

Henceforth thou Sbaltgroan, weep, or bleedno more.

Sit thou at my right-hand.

* Mr. T. Cafe, Piſgah, part 3. p. 21.

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Seventhly, Chriſt's fitting atGod's right-hand, implies the advancement ofbelievers to the highest honour : For this ſeſſion of Chriſt's, reſpects them, and there he ſits as our repreſentative, in which regard we are made to fit with him inheavenlyplaces, as the apostle ſpeaks, Eph. ii.6. How ſecuremay webe (faith

Tertullian) who do now already poſſeſs the kingdom ? meaning inour head, Chriſt. This (faith another) is allmy hope, and all my confidence, namely, thatwe have a proportion in that fleſh and blood of Chriſt, which is ſo exalted, and therefore where he reigns, we ſhall reign; where our fleſh is glorified, we ſhall be glorified.

Surely, it is matter of exceedingjoy, tobelieve that Chrift our head, our fleſh, and blood, isin all thisglory at hisFather's right-hand.

Thus wehave opened the ſenſe and importance of Christ'sfittingat his Father's right-hand.

Hencewe infer, Inference 1. Is thisſogreatanhonour toChriſt, to fit enthroned atGod's right-hand ? What honour then is referved in heaven for thosethat arefaithful to Christ, now on the earth? Chriſt prayed,and his prayer was heard, John xvii. 24- " That we maybe

" with him tobehold the glory thatGod hath given him ;" and what heartcan conceive the felicity offuch a fight ? It made Stephen'sfaceſhineas the faceofan angel, whenhehadbut aglimpſe ofChriſt at his Father's right-hand.

" Thine eyes ſhall fee the king in his beauty," Ifa. xxxiii. 17. which reſpected Hezekiah inthe type, Christ in the truth.

Butthisisnot all, though this be much, tobe ſpectators of Chrift inhis throne ofglory ; we shall not only ſee him in his throne, but alſo ſit with him enthroned in glory.

To behold him is much, but to fit with him ismore.

I remember it was the ſaying ofa heavenly chriſtian, now with Chriſt, I wouldfar rather look but through the hole of Christ's door, tosee but one half of his fairest and most comely face, [for he looks like heaven]fuppose Ishould never win to fee his excellency and glory to the full ; than to enjoy the flower, the bloom and chiefeft excellency of theglory and riches of ten worlds.

Andyouknow howtheQueenofthe South fainted at the fight of Solomon in his glory. But this fight you ſhall have of Chrift, will change you into his likneſs. " We shall

" be like him (faith the apostle) for we shall fee him as he is,"

1 John iii. 2. He will place us as it were in his own throne with him.

So runs the promiſe, Rev. iii. 21. "To him that " overcometh , Iwill grant to fit with me inmythrone; even as I " alſo overcame, andam ſetdown with myFather in his throne ; " and fo 2 Tim. ii. 12. " If we fuffer with him, we shall alſo

" reignwith him."

The Father ſet Chriſt on his right-hand,

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The Fountain of Life. and Chriſt will fet the faints on his right-hand.

So you know the theep areplacedby the angels, at the great day, Matth. xxv. and ſo the church, under the figure ofthe daughter ofEgypt, whom Solomon married, isplaced " on the king's right-hand,

" ingold ofOphir," Pfal. xlv.

This honourhave all the faints.

O amazing love ! What, we ſeton thrones, while as good as we bynaturehowl in flames ! O what manner of loveis this ! Theſe expreſſions indeed do not intend, that the faints ſhall be fet in higher glory than Chriſt ; or that they fhall have a parity of glorywith Chriſt, for in all things he must have the pre-eminence: Butthey note the greathonour that Chriſt willputupon the faints ; as alſo, that hisglory ſhall be theirgloryinheaven.

" As the glory of the husband redounds to the wife; " ‡ and again, theirglory willbe his glory, 2 Thef. i. 10. and ſo it will be a ſocial glory. O it is admirable tothink, whither free grace hath already mounted up poor dust and aſhes !

To think how nearly we are related now to this royal, princely Jeſus ! But how much higher are the deſigns ofgrace, that are not yet come to their parturient fulness, they look beyondall this that wenow know ! "Now are we the fonsofGod,

" but it doth not yet appear what we shall be,"

I John iii. 2.

Ahwhat reaſon have you to honour Chriſt on earth, who is preparing fuch honours foryou in heaven.

Infer. 2. 1s Christ Jesus thus enthroned in heaven, then howimpoſſible is it, that ever his intereſt ſhould miſcarry orfink on earth?

The church hath many fubtle and potent enemies.

True, but as Haman could not prevail against the Jews, whilſt Efther their friend ſpake for them to the king, no more can they, whilft ourJeſus fits at his, and ourFather's right-hand.

Willhe fuffer his enemies that are under his feet, to riſe up and pull outhis eyes, thinkyou ? Surely theythat touch his people,

"touch the very apple ofhis eye," Zech. ii. 8. " He must reign " till all his enemies areputunder his feet," ICor. xv. 25. The enemy under his feet, ſhall notdestroy the children in his arms.

He fits inheavenon purpoſe to manage all to the advantage of hischurch, Eph. i. 22.

Are our enemies powerful; lo ourking fits on the right-hand of power.

Are they fubtle and deep in their contrivance; he that fitson the throne, overlooks all they do. Heaven overlooks hell. "He that fits inheaven beholds," and derides their attempts, Pfal. ii. 4. He may permit his enemies to ſtraiten them in one place, but it ſhallbe for their en- † Uxorsplendefcit in radiis mariti.

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largement inanother.

For it is with the church, as it iswith the fea; what it loſes in oneplace, it gets inanother; and fo really loſes nothing. He may ſuffer them alſoto diſtreſs us in outwards, butthat ſhall be recompenſedwith inward and better mercies; andſo we shall lofe nothing by that. A footſtool you know is useful to him that treads on it, andſerves to lift him up higher; ſo ſhall Chriſt's enemies be to him, and his; albeit they think not ſo. What ſfingular benefits the oppoſitions of his enemies, occaſion to his people; I have|| elfewere diſcovered, to which I refer my reader; and paſs to Infer. 3.Is Chriſtſetdownon the right-handofthe Majefty in heaven ? O with what awful reverence should we approach himin the duties ofhis worship ! Away with light, and low thoughts of Chriſt. Away with formal, irreverent, and careleſs frames inpraying, hearing, receiving, yea, in conferring and ſpeaking of Chriſt. Awaywith alldeadneſs, anddrowſineſs in duties; for he is a great King with whom you have todo.

AKing, towhom the kings ofthe earth, are but as littlebits of clay. Lothe angels cover their faces in hisprefence. He is an adorable Majeſty.

When John hada viſion ofthis enthroned king, about fixty years after his aſcenſion; ſuch was theover-powering glory of Chriſt, as thefun when itſhineth in itsstrength ; thatwhenhe ſawhim, he fell at his feet as dead, anddied it is like he had, if Chriſthad not laid his hand onhim, and ſaid, " Fear not, I am

" the firſt and the laſt ; I am he that liveth, and was dead, " andbehold I am alive for evermore," Rev. i. 17, 18.

When he appeared to Saul in the way to Damascus, it was inglory above the glory ofthe fun, which over-powered him alſo, and laidhim asonedead upon the ground.

O thatyou didbut know, what aglorious Lord you worſhip, and ſerve. Who makes the very place ofhis feet glorious, whereverhe comes.

Surely He is greatly to be feared in the affembly ofhis faints, and tobe had in reverence ofall that are round about him.

There is indeed a παρρησια boldneſs or free liberty of ſpeech allowed to the ſaints, Eph. iii. 12. But no rudeneſs or irreverance. We mayindeedcome, as the children ofakingcometothe father,who is both their awful fovereign, and tender father; which double relation cauſes adue mixture oflove, and reverence in their hearts, when they comebefore him.

Youmaybefree, butnotrude, inhis prefence.

Though he be your Father, brother, friend; yet the distance betwixt him andyou is infinite.

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Inference 4. IfChrist be so gloriomfly advanced in the highest throne *, thennone need to reckon themselves diſbonoured, byfuffering the vilest things for hisfake †.

The very chains and fufferings of Chriſt have a glory in them. Hence Mofes " e- "ſteemedthe very reproaches ofChrift greater riches thanthe

" treafures ofEgypt," Heb. xi. 26. Hesaw an excellencyin theveryworst things ofChriſt, his reproaches, and ſufferings, asmadehim leap outofhis honours, and riches into them. He didnot (as one faith) only endure the reproaches of Christ, but counted them treasures. To be reckoned among his honours and things ofvalue.

So Thuanus reports of Ludovicus Marſacus, a noble knight of France, when he was led with other martyrs, that were boundwith cords, to execution; and he forhis dignitywas notbound, he cried, give memy chain too, let me be a knight of the fame order ‡.

Diſgrace itſelfishonourable, when it isendured for the Lord ofGlory. And furelythere is (as one phraſeth it) a little paradiſe, ayoungheaven, in fufferings for Chriſt.

If therewere nothing elſe in it, but thattheyare enduredon his account, it would richly rewardall wecanendure for him ; but ifwe conſider howexceedingkind

Chriſt is tothem, that count it their glory tobe abafed for him; that though he be always kind tohis people, (yet if we may ſo ſpeak) he overcometh himſelf in kindness, when they ſuffer for him; it would makemen in love with his reproaches.

Infer. 5. If Christ fat not down to reft in heaven, tillbe had finishedhis work on earth ; then it is in vain for us to think of reft, tillwehavefiniſbed our work, as Christ alfo did his.

How willing arewe to find reſt here! To dream of that, which Chriſt never found in this world, nor any everfound beforeus. Othinknotof reſting, tillyouhavedoneworking and done finning.

Your life and your labours muſt end together.

" Write (faith the ſpirit)bleſſed arethedead thatdie in theLord, " for they reſt from their labours," Rev. xiv. 13.

Here you muſt have the sweat, and there thesweet.

It is too much to have twoheavens. Here you mustbe content to dwell in the tents ofKedar, hereafter you ſhall be within the curtains ofSolomon. Heaven isthe place ofwhich it may be truly ſaid, that there the weary be at rest. O think not of fittingdown onthis

* Itisnodiſgrace forus to fuffer what Chriſt ſuffered, nor is it any gloryfor you todo what Judas did.

Hieronym.

†Dr. Manton onJam. p. 228.

†Gur et non me quoque torque donas? Et infignis hujus ordinis militem creas ? Thuan, Hift.

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fideheaven.

There are four things willkeep the faints from fittingdown on earth, to reſt, viz. grace, corruption, devils and wicked men.

First, Grace will notfuffer you to reſthere.

Its tendencies are beyond this world.

It will be looking and longing for the bleſſed hope. A gracious perſon takes himself for a pilgrim, ſeeking a better country, and is always fufpicious of danger in every place and ſtate.

It is ſtillbeating up the fluggish heart with ſuch language as that, Mic. ii. 10. " Ariſe, depart, this

" is not thy reſt, for it is polluted."

Its further tendencies and continualjealoufies, willkeepyou from fittinglong ſtill inthis world.

Secondly, Your corruptions will keep you from reſt here.

They will continually exerciſe your ſpirits, and keep you upon your watch, Saints have their hands filled with work by their own hearts every day.

Sometimes to prevent fin; and ſometimesto lament it. And always to watch and fear to mortify and kill it.

Sin will not long fuffer you to be quiet, Rom. vii.

21, 22, 23, 24.

And ifabad heartwill notbreakyour reſt here, then Thirdly, There is abusy devil willdo it. Hewill find you work enough with his temptations, and ſuggeſtions, and except. you can fleep quietly in his arms, as the wicked do, there is no reft tobe expected.

" Your adverſary, the devil, goeth about as

" a roaring lion, ſeekingwhom he maydevour ; whom reſiſt,"

Pet. v. 8 .

Fourthly, Nor willhisſervants andinſtruments let you bequiet onthis fide heaven.

Their very name ſpeaks their turbulent diſpoſition. "My foul (faith the holy man) is among lions, and " I lie even among them that are fet on fire, even the fons of 66 men, whoſe teeth are ſpears and arrows," Pfal. lvii. 4.

Well then, be content to enter intoyour reft, as Chriſt did into his.

Hefweat, then ſat,and fo muſt you.

עשר Inquietum eſſe.

Turbulentus..

SERM. XLII.

The Fountain of Life.

SERMON XLII.

Wherein CHRIST coming to Judgment, being thefourth and laſt Degree ofhis Exaltation, is opened and improved.

Acts x. 42. And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained ofGod to be the Judge of quick and dead.

C HRIST enthronedin the highestglory inheaven, is there to abide for the effectual and ſucceſsful government, both of the world, and of the church, until the number given him by the Father, before the world was, and purchafed by the blood of the croſs, be gathered in; and then cometh the judgment of the great day, which will perfectly ſeparate the precious from the vile; put the redeemed in full poſſeſſion of the purchase ofhis blood in heaven, and " then ſhall he deliver

" up the kingdom to his Father, thatGod may be all in all."

This last act of Chriſt, namely, his judging the world, is a ſpecial part of his exaltation and honour, bestowed upon him,

" becauſe he is the Son of man," John v. 27.

Inthat day ſhall hisglory, as king, and abſolute Lord, ſhine forth as the fun whenit ſhineth in its ſtrength. O what anhonour will it be to themanChrift Jeſus, who ſtood arraigned and condemned atPilate's bar, to fit upon the great white throne, furrounded with thousands, and ten thousands ofangels ! men and devils waitingupon him to receive their final ſentence from his mouth.

Inthis will the glory of Chriſt's ſovereignty and power, be eminently and illuftrioufly diſplayed, before angels and men*,

Andthis is thatgreattruth, whichhecommanded tobepreachedand teſtified to the people; namely, that it is " he which is

" ordained ofGod, to be the Judge of quick and dead."

Whereinwe have four things tobe diftinctly confidered, viz.

The ſubject, object, fountainand truth of the fupremejudiciary authority.

First, The ſubject of it, Chriſt, it is he that is ordained to bejudge.

Judgment is the act of the whole undivided trinity.

The Father and Spirit judge, as well as Chrift, in reſpect of *To the royal dignity, doth belong that power, or authority, bywhich Chriſt is made the judge of allmen and angels. Amef.

Med. p. 117.

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authority and confent, but it is the act ofChriſt, in reſpect of viſiblemanagementand execution,and ſo it is his per proprietatem, by propriety, the Father having conferred it upon him, as the Son ofman; but nothis per appropriationem,ſo as to exclude either the Father or Spirit from their authority, for they judgebyhim.

Secondly, The object of Chriſt's judiciary authority.

The quick and dead, (i. e.) all that athis comingdo live, or everhad lived.

This is the Object personal.

All the men and women that ever ſprang from Adam; all the apoſtate ſpirits that fell from heaven, and are reſerved in chains to thejudgment of this greatday. Andin this perſonal object, is included the real object, viz. all the actions, both ſecret and open, that ever they did, 2 Cor. v. 5. Rom. ii. 16.

Thirdly, the Fountain of this delegated authority, which is God the Father ; for he hath ordained Chriſt tobe the Judge,

" He is appointed †," as the Son of man, to this honourable of. fice andwork.

The word notes, afirm eſtabliſhment ofChrift in that office by his Father. He is now, by right of redemptir on, Lord and King. He enacts laws for government, then he comes tojudge of mens obedience and diſobedience tohis laws.

Fourthly, And lastly, here is the infallible truth, or unqueſtionable certainty of all this. "Hegave us commandment to preac hand teftify it tothe people."

We had it in charge from his own mouth ; anddare not hide it. Hencethe pointof doctrine is plainly this.

Doct. That our Lord Jesus Christ is ordained by God the Fa ther, to be the Judgeofquick and dead.

This truth ſtands upon the firm basis ofſcripture authority, Youhave it from his own hand, John v. 22. " TheFatherjudg

" eth no man, but hath committed alljudgment to the Son," viz, intheſenſebeforegiven. And so the apostle, Acts xvii. 31.

" Hehath appointed aday, in thewhichhe willjudge theworld " inrighteousness, bythe manwhomhe hath ordained ; where- " ofhe hath given aſſurance," &c. And again Rom. ii. 16. " In "theday when God ſhall judge the fecrets of men by Jens

" Chrift."

Three things will be openedhere.

First, The certainty of ajudgment to come.

Secondly, The quality and nature of it. Thirdly, That it is a ſpecial part ofChrift's exaltation tobe appointedJudge inthis day.

Definitusfeu conftitutus.

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The Fountain of Life.

First, The certainty ofajudgment. This is a truth of firm-, ereſtabliſhmentthanheaven and earth.

Itis nodevifedfable,no cunning artifice tokeep The certainty of theworld in awe! buta thing as confeſſedly ajudgment. true as it is awfully folemn.

For, First, As the fcriptures aforementioned (with theſe, 2 Cor.

V. 10. Ecclef. xii. 14. Mat. xii. 36. and many other, the true and faithful ſayings ofGod) do very plainly reveal it ; ſo the juftice andrighteousness ofGod require it ſhouldbe fo.

For thejudge ofall the earth willdo right, Gen. xviii. 25. Now righteouſneſs itſelf requires that a difference be made betwixt

the righteous and the wicked:

Sayye to the righteous, it " ſhall be well withhim ; woe to the wicked, itſhall be illwith

" him," Ifa. iii. 10. Butno ſuch distinction is generally, and fullymade betwixt one another in this world.

Yea, rather the wicked profper, andthe righteous periſh," There is ajuſt man " thatperiſheth in his righteouſneſs, and there is awicked man

" that prolongeth his life in his wickedness," Ecclef. vii. 15.

Yea, not onlyin, butforhis righteouſneſs, as it maybe fairly rendered.

Here the " wicked devoureth the manthat is more righteous " than himself," Hab. i. 13.

As the fiſhesof the ſea, where the greatand ſtrong ſwallowup the ſmall and weak. And even in courts of judicature, where the innocent might expect relief; theretheyoftenmeetwith theworstoppreffions. How fairly and juſtlythereforedoth awiſe maninfer ajudgmenttocome from thisconfideration, Eccle. iii. 16, 17. " I faw under the fun the "placeofjudgment, that wickedneſswas there, and the place

" ofrighteouſnefs, that iniquitywas there; I faid in myheart, "God ſhalljudge the righteous and the wicked ; for there is a "time there for every purpoſe, and for every work," q. d. the judgment to come, is the only reliefand ſupport, left to poor innocents, toquiet andcomfort themselves withal*. To the famepurpoſealſo is that, Jam. v. 6, 7. " Ye have condemned

" and killed the just; and he doth not reſiſt you ; be patient " therefore, brethren, unto the coming ofthe Lord."

It is confeſſed, that ſometimesGodvindicates his providence againft

* Inconfidering ſogreat injustice, Ihave betaken myself tothe judgment of God, who will declarewho are guilty.

Drufius. I have applied this remedyto this evil. Merc.

Ihave comforted myſelfagainst this injustice, withthethought thatGod judgeth all,

Geirus.

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SERM. XLIK.

theAtheism oftheworld, by particular ſtrokes upon the wicked; but this is but rare. Andas the Father well obferves,

" † ifno ſin were puniſhed here, no providence wouldbe be- " lieved; again, if every ſin were openlypuniſhed here, no "judgment hereafter could be expected."

Beſides, Secondly, Man is a reasonable being, and every reaſonable being, is anaccountable being. He isa fubject capable ofmoral government. His actions have a relation toa law. He is fwayed by rewards and punishments. He acts by counſel, and therefore ofhisactions, he must expect to give an account, as it is Rom. xiv. 12. " So then every one ofus, ſhallgive anac- " count of himself toGod." Eſpecially ifwe add, that all the gitts ofbody, mind, eſtate, time, &c. are ſomany talents, concredited and betruſted to him byGod, and every one of us hathone talent at least; therefore atime torender an account for all theſe talents will come, Mat. xxv. 14, 15. We are but ſtewards, and ſtewards must give an account, in order whereto, there must be a great audit day.

Thirdly, And what need we feek evidence ofthis truth, further than our own conſcience ? Lo, it is a truth engraven legibly upon every man's own breaſt.

Everyone hath a kind of little tribunal, or privy feſſions in his own confcience, which both accuſes, and excuſes for good and evil, which it could never do, were there not a future judgment, of which it is now confcious to itſelf.

In this court, records are now kept of all we do, even of our ſecret actions and thoughts, which never yet took air ; but ifno judgment, what need of records ? Nor Jet anyimagine, that this may be but the fruit ofeducation and diſcourſe.

We have heard of ſuch things, and ſo are ſcared by them.

For if fo, how comes it toobtain ſo univerſally ?

Who couldbe the author ofſuch acommon deception ?

Reader, bethink thyself a little; if thou hadſt amind (as ‡ one faith) to impofe a lie upon all the world, what courſe wouldest thou take ? How wouldest thou lay the deſign ? Or whydoſt thou in this caſe imaginewhatthou knoweft not how to imagine ? It is evident that the very confciences of the Heathens, have theſe officesofaccufing and excufing, Rom. ii. 15.

Anditishardtoimagine, (as aningenious author|| ſpeaks) that + Si nullum peccatum manifesta plecteretur pæna; nullam effe divinam providentiam crederetur.

Rurfum fi omne peccatum apertepuniretur, nullumforejudicium crederetur.

Aug.

† Mr. Howe's Bleſſedneſs ofthe Righteous,p. 343 .

Sir Charles Woolfely's Unreasonableness ofAtheism, p. 76.

SERM. XLII.

The Fountain of Life.

ageneral cheat ſhouldbowdown the backs ofallmankind, and induce fo manydoubts and fears, and troubles, amongst them; and give an interruption to the whole courſe of their corrupt living, and that there ſhouldbe no accountof it? And therefore it is undoubted that ſuch aday will come. But I ſhall rather chuſe, in the Second Place, toopen the nature, andmanner of this judgment, than to ſpend more time in proving a truth, that cannot be deThequality ofthe jugdment. nied without violence offered to a man's own light.

Ifthenthe queſtionbe, what manner ofjudgment will this be ? I anſwer, First, It willbe a great and awful day.

It is called the "judgment of the great day," Jude 6.

Three things will make it ſo, the manner of Chriſt's coming.

The work he comes about.

And the iſſues, or events of that work.

The manner of Chriſt's coming, willbe awfully ſolemn, " For the " Lord himself ſhalldeſcendfromheaven with a ſhout, with the " voice of the archangel, with the trumpofGod; and thedead

" in Chriſt ſmall riſe firſt. Then we which are alive and remain, " ſhall be caught up together with them in theclouds, to meet

" theLordintheair,"&c. I Theff. iv. 16, 17. Here Chriſt breaks out ofheaven, with the ſhouts ofangels εν κελευσμαλι, it fignifies fucha ſhout (* faith one) as is to beheardamong fea men,when after a longanddangerousvoyage, they firſt deſcry land, crying aloud, with united voices, a foore, ashore.

As the poet deſcribes the Italians when they saw their native country, " lift- " ing up their voices, and making the heavens ring againwith

† Italy, Italy ; or as armies ſhout when the ſignal of battle " is given."

Above all which (as ſome expound it) ſhall the voice oftheArchangel be diſtinctlyheard. And after this ſhout, the trump ofGod ſhallfound. By this tremendous blaſt, ſinners will be affrighted out of their graves,butto the faints, it will carrynomore terror, than the roaringofcannons, when armies offriends approach a beſieged city, for the relief of them that are within it. The deadbeing raiſed, they ſhall be gathered before the great throne on which Chriſt ſhall fit in his glory : and therebedividedexactly to the right and left-handofChriſt, bythe angels.

Here will be the greateſt aſſembly that ever met. WhereAdammayſeehis numerous offspring, even as the

* Cafe's Piſgah .

Italiam, Italiam, lacto clamorefalutant.

Virgil. Æneid.

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ſand upon the fea ſhore, which no man can number. And never was there ſuch a perfect diviſion made, (how many diviſions foever have been inthe world) none was ever like it.

Thefaints in this great Oecumenical affize (as the author ſtiles it) ſhall meet the Lord in the air, and there the Judge ſhall fit uponthe throne, and all the faints ſhallbe placed uponbright clouds, as on feats or ſcaffolds round abouthim ; the wick mainingbelowupon the earth, there toreceive their finaldoom and fentence. reTheſe preparatives will make it awful; and much more will thework itſelf, that Chriſt comes about, make it ſo.

For it is to judge the ſecrets of men," Rom. ii. 16.

To ſever the tares from the wheat ; to make every man's whites and blacks appear; and accordingas they are found in that trial, tobe ſentenced to their everlaſting and immutable ſtate. O what a folemn thing is this!

Andno leſs will the execution ofthe ſentenceon both parts make it a greatand ſolemn day. Theheart of mancannotconceivewhat impreſſions thevoiceof Chriſt, from thethrone, will make, both uponbelievers, and unbelievers.

ImagineChriſt uponhisglorious throne, ſurrounded withmyriads and legions ofangels,his royal guard; a poor unbeliever tremblingat the bar ; an exact ſcrutiny made into his heart and life; the dreadful ſentence given; and then a cry; and then hisdeliveringhimovertothe executioners of eternal vengeance, never, never, tofee a glimpse ofhope, or mercy any more.

Imagine Chriſt, like the generalofanarmy, mentioningwith honour, onthe head of allthehosts ofheaven and earth, all the ſervices that the faints have done for him in this world : then ſententially juſtifying thembyopen proclamation; then mountingwithhim tothe third heavens, and entering thegates ofthat cityofGod, inthat noble train of ſaints and angels intermixed; and fo for ever tobe with the Lord. O what a great day muſt this be !

Secondly, As it will be an awful and ſolemnjudgment, ſo it willbe a critical and exact judgment, everyman willbe weighed το his ounces anddrams. Thename of theJudge is Καρδιογνωσης, the ſearcher ofhearts. The Judge hath eyes as flames of fire, which pierce tothedividing ofthe heart and reins.

It isfaid, Matth. xii. 36. That men ſhall then "giveanaccountofevery " idlewordthat they ſhall ſpeak."

Itis adaythat willperfectly fan the world.

No hypocrite caneſcape ; Juſtice holds thebalJances inaneven hand : Chriſt will go to work ſo exactly, that ſome divines of good note think, theday ofjudgment will laſt

SRRM . XLII.

σε The Fountain of Life. aslong as this day ofthegofpel's adminiſtration hath laſted, or ſhall laft.

Thirdly, Itwillbe anuniverſaljudgment, 2Cor. v. 10. "We "muſt all appear before the judgment-feat ofChrift."

And Rom, xiv. 12. " Every one of us ſhall give an account ofhim- " ſelf to God."

Thoſe that were under the law, " and thoſe " thathaving no law, were a law to themſelves," Rom. ii. 12.

Thoſe that had many talents, and he that had but one talent, muſt appear at this bar; thoſe that were carried from the cradle tothegrave, with him that ſtooped for age: the rich, andpoor ; thefather, andthe child; the maſter, and ſervant; the believer, and the unbeliever, muſt ſtand forth in that day. "I fawthe

"dead, both ſmall and great, ſtand beforeGod, and the books " were opened," Rev. xx. 12.

Fourthly, Itwillbe a judgment full ofconvictive clearneſs.

Allthings willbe ſo ſifted tobran, (as we fay,) that the fentence ofChriſt, both on ſaints and ſinners, ſhallbe applauded. " Righ- " teous art thou, O Lord, becauſe thou hast judged thus."

His judgments will be as the light that goeth forth.

So that thoſe poor ſinners whom he willcondemn, ſhall be firſt αυτοκατακριτοι ſelf-condemned.

Their own confciences ſhall be forced to confefs, that there isnotonedrop ofinjustice inall that ſea of wrath, into which they are tobecaft.

Fifthly, and lastly, Itwill be a ſupreme and finaljudgment, from which lies no appeal.

For it is theſentenceofthe highest, and only Lord. " For as the ultimate reſolutionoffaith is in- " to the word, and truth ofGod, ſo the ultimate reſolution of "juſtice is into thejudgment ofGod*."

Thisjudgment is fupreme and imperial.

For Chriſt is the only Potentate, 1 Tim. vi. 5., and therefore the ſentence once paſſed, its execution is infallible. And ſoyou find itin that judicial proceſs, Matth. xxv. ult.; juſt after the fentence is pronounced by Chriſt, it is immediatly added, "theſe ſhallgo away into everlasting puniſh- " ment, but the righteous into life eternal."

This is thejudgment ofthe great day. you, thatGod, in Thirdly, In the laſt place, Imuſt inform ordaining Chriſt tobe theJudge, has very highlyexaltedhim. This will beverymuch That thisjudgment forhis honour : for in this, Chriſt's royal dignitywill be illuſtrated, beyond whatever makes for Chrift's honour.

* Ad Dei verbumfit ultima refolutio fidei, ad Dei tribunal ultima refolutiojudicii.

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itwas ſincehe took our nature, till that day; now he will appearin his glory.

For, First, This act ofjudging pertaining properlyto the kingly office, Chriſt will be glorified as much in his kingly office, ashe hathbeenin either ofthe other.

We findbut somefew glimpses ofthe kingly office, breaking forth in this world; as, his riding with Hoſannahs into Jerufalem; his whipping thebuyers and fellers out of the temple; his title upon the croſs, &c.

But theſe were but faint beams : Now that office will shine in its glory, as the fun in the midst of the heavens.

For what were theHoſannahs of little children, in the ſtreets of Jerusalem, to theſhouts andacclamations ofthousandsofangels, and ten thou-

fands ofſaints ? what was his whipping the prophane out ofthe temple, tohis turning the wicked into hell, and ſending his angels to gather out of his kingdom every thing that offendeth ? what was a title written by his judge, and fixedon the ignominious tree, to the name that ſhall now be ſeenonhis veſture, and onhis thigh, King of kings, and Lord oflords.

Secondly, This willbeadiſplayof his glory in the higheſt, before the whole world.

For there will be preſent at once, and together, all the inhabitants ofheaven, and earth, andhell ; angels must be there to attend and miniſter; thoſe glittering courtiers ofheaven muſt attend his perſon, ſo that heaven will, for a time, be left empty of all its inhabitants : men and devils muſt be there tobejudged: andbefore this greataſſemblywill Chrift appear in royal Majesty. He will, (to allude tothat text, Ifa. xxiv. 23.), reignbefore his ancients gloriouſly. " For he will

" come to beglorified inhis faints, andtobe admiredin allthem " that believe," 2 Theſſ. i. 10.

The inhabitants ofthe three regions, heaven, earth, and hell, ſhallthen rejoice, or tremble before him, and acknowledge him to be fupreme Lord and King.

Thirdly, This will roll away for ever the reproach of his death: for Pilateandthe high-Prieſt, thatjudged him at their bars, ſhall now ſtand quiveringat his bar ; with Herod that fet himat nought, the foldiers and officers that traduced and abufedhim: there they thatreviledhimon thecroſs, wagging their heads, will ſtand,with tremblingknees, before histhrone.

For every eye ſhall fee him,and they alſothat pierced him," Rev. i. 7. O what a contemptible perſon wasChriſt in their eyes once ? As a worm, and noman.

Every vile wretch could freely treadandtrample on him ; but now ſuch will be the brightneſs ofhisglory, fuch the awful beams ofmajeſty, that the wicked ſhallnot ſtand inhis prefence, or" be able to riſe up," (as that

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†word imports, Pfal. i. 5.), " before him." Sothatthis willbe afull and univerſal vindication of the death of Chriſt, from all that contempt and ignominy that had attended it.

We next improve it.

Inference 1. Is Jeſus Chriſt ordained ofGod tobe theJudge ofquick anddead ? Great thenis thesecurity believershave, that theyshallnot be condemned in that day. Who ſhall condemn, when Chrift isJudge ? If believers be condemned injudgment,

Chriſt must give ſentence against them : yea, and they must condemn themſelves too.

I say, Chriſt must give ſentence, for that is the proper and peculiar office of Chriſt. And, to be fure, noſentence of condemnation ſhall, inthat day, be given

Chriſt against them.

For, First, He died to ſavethem, andhe will never croſs and overthrow the deſigns and ends ofhis own death. Thatcannot be imagined. Nay, Secondly, They havebeencleared, and abſolved already. And beingonce abſolved bydivine ſentence, they can never be condemned afterward.

For one divine ſentence cannot croſs and reſcind another.

He juſtified them here in this worldby faith :

Declared in his word, (which ſhallthen be the rule ofjudgment, Rom. ii.16.), that " there is no condemnation tothem that are

" in Chrift," Rom. viii. 1.

And furely he will not retract his own word, and give a ſentence quite croſs tohis own ſtatutebook, outof which hehath toldus that they ſhallbe judged.

Moreover, Thirdly, The far greatest part ofthem will have paſſed their particular judgment, long before that day, and being therein acquitted byGod, the Judge of all; and admitted intoheaven upon the ſcoreand account of their juſtification; it cannotbe imagined that Chriſt ſhould nowcondemn themwith theworld.

Nay, Fourthly, He thatjudged them is their head,husband, friend, and brother : who loved them, and gave himself for them : O then, withwhatconfidence may theygo, evenuntohis throne ? and ſay, withJob, " Though he try usas fire,weknowwe ſhall

" come forth as gold." We know that we shall bejustified.

Eſpecially, ifwe add, that they themselves ſhall be the affeffors with Chriſt inthat day. And, (as ajudicious author pertinently obſerves), nota fentence ſhall paſs without their votes. " So as thatthey mayby faith notonlylookupon themſelves as alreadyinheaven, ſitting with Chriſt, as acommonperſon, in ומקי אל+ .

‡ Goodwin's Triumph, p. 146.

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" theirright; but they may look upon themſelves as judges al- " ready.

So that if any ſin ſhould arife to accuſe, or condemn, " yet it must be with their votes. And what greater ſecurity

" canthey have than this, that they must condemn themſelves, " if theybe condemned." No, no, it is not the thebuſineſs of thatday tocondemn, but to abfolve, and pronounce them pardonedandjustified, according tothe ſentenceofActs iii. 19. and Mat. xii. 32.

So that it must needs be a time ofrefreshing, (as all ſcriptures call it), to the people ofGod. You that now believe, ſhall notcome into condemnation,Johnv. 24.

You that nowjudge yourſelves ſhall notbe condemned with the world, 1 Cor . xi . 31 , 32 .

Inference 2. If Chriſt be ordained ofGod tobe the Judge of quickand dead, how miferable a cafe will Chriſtless fouls be in at thatday! They thatareChriſtlefsnow, willbe ſpeechleſs, helpleſs, and hopeleſs then. How will their hands hang down, and their knees knock together ! O what pale faces, quivering lips, fainting hearts, and roaring confciences willbe among themin that day ! Odreadful day ! O aftoniſhing fight ! to ſee theworld in adreadful conflagration, the elements melting, the ſtars faling, theearth trembling, thejudgment fet,the prisoners brought forth ; O who ſhall endure in thisday, but thoſe that by union with Chriſt are ſecured against the danger and dread of it ! Let me demand of poor Chriſtleſs ſouls, whom thisday is like to Overtake unawares .

First, Do you think it poſſible toavoid appearing, after what terrible citation is given to the world by the trump ofGod?

Alas, howcanyou imagine it ? is not the fame power that revivedyour duſt, able to bring you before the bar ? There is a neceffity that you must come forth, 2 Cor.v. 10. " We [muſt]

" all appear."

Itis notatthe ſinner's choice, toobey the ſummons or not .

Secondly, Ifyoumuſt appear, are there no accuſers, nor witneſſes, that will appear against you, and confrontyou in the court ? What think you, was Satan ſo often atempter to you here, andwill he not be an accufer there ? Yes, nothing furer ; forthat was the maindeſignofallhis temptations.

Whatthink you ofyour own confciences ? aretheynot privy to your fecret wickedness ; do not they now whiſper ſometimes inyour ears, what you care not to hear of? Ifthey whiſper now, they will thunder then, Rom. ii. 15, 16.

Willnot the Spirit accuſe you, for refiftinghis motions, and ſtifling thousands of his convictions ? Will notyourcompanions in fin accuſeyou ? who drew, or were drawn by you to fin ? Will not your teachers be your

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accufers ? How manytimeshaveyou made them complain, Lord, they are iron and brass, they have made theirfaces barder than a rock; they refuse to return.

Will not your very relations beyour accufers, towhom you have failed in allyour relational duties ? Yea, and every onewhomyou have tempted to fin, abufed, defrauded, over-reached ; alltheſe will be your accufers.

Sothat it is withoutdiſpute, you will have accufers enough to appear against you.

Thirdly,BeingaccuſedbeforeJeſus Chriſt, what will you plead for yourſelves : willyou confefs, or willyou deny the charge ?

Ifyou confeſs, what need more ?

Out of thine own mouth " will I judge thee," faith Chriſt, Luke xix. 22.

Ifyoudeny, andplead not guilty; thy Judge is the ſearcher of hearts, and knows all things.

So that it will not at all help thee to make a lie thy laſt refuge.

This will add to the guilt, but not cover it.

Fourthly, Ifno defence or pleabe left thee, thenwhat canſt thou imagine ſhouldretardthe ſentence ? Why ſhould not Chrift goon to thatdreadful work ? " Muſt not the Judge ofall the " earth do right?" Gen. xviii. 25. Muſt not he render to eve ry man according to his deeds ? 2 Cor. V. 10.

Yes, noqueſtionbut he will proceed to that ſentence, how terrible foever itbe to you to think on itnow, or hear it then.

Fifthly, To conclude, ifſentence be once given by Chriſt against thyfoul, what in all the world canſt thou imagine ſhould hinder the execution ? Will he alter the thing that is gone out ofhis mouth ? No, Pfal. lxxxix. 34. Doſt thou hope he is more merciful and pitiful than ſo? Thou miſtakeſt, ifthou expecteſt mercy out of that way in which he diſpenſes it.

There will be thouſands, and ten thouſands that willrejoice in, and magnify his mercy then; but they are fuch as obeyhis call, repented, believed, and obtained union with his perſon here ; but for unbelievers, it is against the ſettled lawof Chriſt, and conftitution of the gofpel, to ſhew mercy to the deſpiſers of it.

But it may be, you think your tears, your cries, your pleadings with him, may move him; theſe, indeed, might have done ſomewhatintime, but theycome out of ſeaſon now. Alas, too late.

What the fucceſs of fuch pleas and cries willbe, you may fee, ifyou willbut confult two fcriptures, Job xxvii 8, 9. " What

" is the hope of the hypocrite, tho' he hath gained, when "God taketh away his foul ? WillGod hear his crywhen

"trouble cometh upon him ?" No, no: And Mat. vii. 22.

"Manywillsay unto me in thatday, Lord, Lord,have we not VOL. II.

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" prophefied in thy name, and inthy name have caft outde- " vils, and in thy name done many wonderful works ? And " then will I profeſs unto them, I never knew you ; depart

" from me ye that work iniquity."

Andmuſt it come to this diſmal iſſue with you indeed ? God forbid it ſhould.

Oh then, Inference 3. If Chrift be appointedofGod to be the Judge ofall, how are all concerned tofeeure their interest in him, and therein an eternity ofhappiness to their ownfouls, by the work of regeneration ? Of all the buſineſs that men and women have in thisworld, there is none ſo folemn, ſo neceſſary, and important, as this. O my brethren, this is a work, able to drink up your ſpirits, while you do but think ofthe conſequence of it.

•Summon in then thy ſelf-reflecting, and confidering powers : get alone, reader, and, forgetting all other things, ponder with thyſelfthis deep, dear, eternal concernment ofthine.

Examine the ſtate of thy own soul.

Look into the ſcriptures, then into thineown heart, and then toheaven, ſaying, Lord, let me not be deceived infogreat a concernment to me as this. O let not the trifles of time wipe off the impreffions of death, judgment, and eternity, from thy heart. O that long word [Eternity,] that itmight be night and day with thee. That theawe of it may be ſtill upon thy ſpirit. A gentlewoman ofthis nation, having ſpent the whole afternoon, and a great part of the evening at cards, in mirth and jollity, came home late at night, and finding her waiting gentlewoman reading, ſhe looked over hor ſhoulder upon the book, and faid, Poor melancholy foul, why doſtthou fithereporing ſolongupon thybook ? That night the could not fleep, but lay fighing and weeping; her fervant aſked heronceandagain what ailedher; at laſt ſhe burstout into tears, and faid, O ! it wasone wordthat I caſt my eye upon in thy book , that troubles me; there I faw that word Eternity. How happy were I, if I were provided for eternity ! Sure it concerns us, feeing we look for fuch things, to be diligent that we may be foundofhim in peace. O let not thatday come by furprizal uponyou.

Remember that asdeath leaves, ſojudgment willfind you.

Infer. 4. Is Jeſus Chriſt appointed Judge ofquick and dead, then look to it, allyou that hope to be found ofhim inpeace, that you avoid thosefins, and live in the daily practice ofthoſe duties, which the confideration of that day powerfully perfuades you to avoid or practise.

For it not only preſſes to holiness in actu primo, in thebeingof it; butin actufecundo, in the daily exerciſe

SERM. XLII.

The Fountain of Life. and practice of it. then, Do you indeed expect ſuch a day ? Oh, First, See you be neek and patientunder all injuries and abuſes for Chrift's fake. Avenge not yourſelves, but leave it to the Lord,who willdo it. Do not anticipate the work of God.

" Be patient my brethren, to the coming of the Lord, " James

V.7,8, 9.

Secondly, Be communicative, public-hearted Chriſtians, ſtudying and deviſingliberal things, for Chriſt's diſtreſſed members.

Andyou ſhallhave both an honourable remembrance of it, and a full reward of it in thatday, Mat. xxv. 34, 35 .

Thirdly, Be watchful, and fober, keep the golden bridle of moderation upon all your affections; and ſee that you be not over-chargedwith the cares and love ofthis preſent life, Luke xxi. 34, 35.

Willyou thatyour Lord come, and findyou in fuchapoſture? " O let your moderation be known unto all,

" the Lord is at hand," Phil. iv. 5.

Fourthly, Improve allyour Maſter's talents, diligently and carefully.

Take heedofthenapkin, Mat. xxv. 14, 18.

Then muſt you make up your account for them all.

Fifthly, But above all, be fincere in your profeſſion.

Let your hearts be found inGod's ſtatutes, thatyou may neverbe aſhamed ; for this day will be the day of manifeſtation of all hiddenthings. And nothing is ſoſecret, but that day will reveal it, Luke xii. 1 , 2, 3. " Beware of hypocrity, for there is

" nothing covered, which ſhall not be revealed ; neither hid, " that ſhall not be made known. "--Thus I have finiſhed, through divine aids, the whole doctrine ofthe impetration of redemptionbyJeſus Chrift; we shall windup the whole in a ge neral exhortation, and Ihavedone.

The General USE .

ANDnow, tocloſe upall, letmeperſuade all thoſe forwhom the dear Son ofGodcame from thebleſſedboſom of the Father ; aſſumed fleſh, brake, by the ſtrength ofhis own love, throughall discouragements and impediments, laid downhis own life a ranſom for their fouls ; for whom he lived, died, rofe, afcended, and lives for ever inheaven tointercede ;

Thegeneral useofthe whole, preffing toholiness, which is the mainscope ofthe doc trineofredemption to live wholly to Chriſt, as Chriſt lived, and died wholly for them.

Obrethren, never was the Heathen world acquainted with K 2

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SERM . XLIF

ſuch arguments todeter them from ſin; never acquainted with fuch motives to urge them to holiness, as I ſhall this dayacquaintyou with. My requeſt is, to give upboth your hearts and lives toglorify the Father, Son, and Spirit, whoſe you are, by the holiness and heavenlineſs of them.

Other things are expected from you, than from other men.

See that you turn not all thisgracethathathfoundedinyour ears, intowantonneſs.

Thinknot becauſe Chritt hath done to much for you, you may fit ſtill; much less indulge yourſelvesin fin, becauſe Chriſt hath offered up ſuch an excellent ſacrifice for the expiation of it.

No, no, though Chrift came to be a curſe, he did not come to be a cloak for your fins. " Ifone died for all, then were all

" dead; that they that live, ſhould not henceforth live to them- " ſelves; but to him thatdied for them," 2 Cor. v. 15. Ο keep your lives pure and clean. Do not make freſh work for the blood of Chriſt everyday. " Ifyou live in the Spirit, fee

" that you walk in the Spirit," Gal. v. 25.

That is, (faith * Cornelius a Lapide very folidly) " Let us ſhape and order " our lives and actions according to the dictates, inſtinct, and " impulſes of the Spirit, and ofthat grace of the Spirit put

" within us, and planted in our hearts, which tendeth toprac- " tical holiness ." O let the gracewhich is in yourhearts, iſſue out into allyour religious, civil, and natural actions.

Let the faith that is inyour hearts appear inyour prayers; theobedience ofyour hearts in hearing; the meekness ofyour hearts in ſuffering; the mercifulness ofyour hearts in diſtributing ; the truth and righteouſneſs of your hearts in trading; the fobriety and temperance of your hearts in eating and drinking.

Theſe be the fruits of Chriſt's fufferings indeed, they are ſweet fruits.

Letgrace refine, ennoble, andelevate all your actions ; that you may say, " Truly our converſation is inheaven."

Let grace have theorderingofyourtongues, and ofyourhands ; themoulding of your whole converſation. Let not humility appear in ſome actions, and pride in others.

Holy ſeriouſneſs in ſome companies, and vain frothineſs in others.

Suffer not the fountain ofcorruption tomingle with, or pollute the ſtreams of grace.

Write as exactly as you can after your copy, Chriſt, Olet there not be (as + one well expreſſes it) here a line and there ablank ; here a word, and there ablot.

One word of God, and two of the world. Now a ſpiritual rapture, andthen * Secundum dictamen, instinctum, impulfum Spiritus eogratia immiſſe, et indita nobis a Spiritu Sancto.

† R. A. Vindicia Pietatis.

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a fleſhly frolic.

Thisday an advance towards heaven, and tomorrow a flide back again towards hell. But beyou in the fear of the Lordallthe day long.

Let there be adue proportion betwixt all the parts of your converſation. Approve yourſelves theſervants ofChriſt inall things . " Bypureneſs, by know- " ledge, long-fuffering, by the HolyGhost, by love unfeigned,

" by the word of truth, by the power ofGod, by the armour of " righteouſneſs, onthe right-hand, and onthe left," 2 Cor. vi.

See then how accurately you walk.--Cut offoccafion from them thatdefire occafion ; and inwell-doing commityourſelves toGod, and commend religion to the world.

That this isyour great concernment and duty, I ſhall evidence toyour confciences,bytheſe following confiderations.

That of all perſons in the world theredeemed ofthe Lord, are moſt obliged to beholy ; moſt aſſiſted for a life of holiness; and that God intends to make great uſe oftheir lives, both for the conviction, and converfion of others .

Confider, First, God hath more obliged them to live pure and ſtrict lives.

Iknow the command obliges all men to it, even thoſe that caft away the cords of the commands, and break

Chriſt's bonds aſunder, are yet bound by them ; and cannot plead a diſpenſation to live as theydo. Yea, and it is not unuſualforthem tofeel the obligations ofthecommand upon their confciences, even when their impetuous luſts hurry them on to theviolation ofthem; but there are ſpecial tiesuponyour fouls, that oblige you toholineſs more than others. Many ſpecial and peculiar engagements you are under.

First, from God.

Secondly, from yourſelves. Thirdly, fromyour brethren. Fourthly, fromyour enemies .

First, God hath peculiarly obliged you to purity and ſtrictneſs of life.

Yea, every Perſon inthe bleſſed Trinity hath caſt his cord overyour fouls, tobind upyour hearts and lives tothe moſt ſtrict and preciſe obedience of his commands. The Father hath obliged you, and that not only bythe common tie of the Father. creation, which isyet of great efficacy in Obligations from itſelf; for, is it reaſonable, that God ſhould create and form fo excellent a piece, and that it ſhould be employed against him ?

Thathe should plant the tree, and another eat the fruit ofit ?

But, befides this common engagement, he hath obliged you to holiness of life.

First, Byhiswife and mercifuldeſigns and counſels for your recovery and ſalvation by Jeſus Chriſt.

Itwas he that laid the corner-ſtone of your ſalvation with his own hands. The firſt

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motion ſprang out ofhis breast.

IfGodhad notdeſigned the Redeemer for you, the world hadnever feenhim ; he hadnever left that ſweet Boſom for you.

It was the act ofthe Father to give you to the Son to be redeemed, and then to give the Son to be a Redeemer to you.

Both ofthem ftupendous and aftoniſhing acts of grace. AndinbothGod acted as a moſt freeA. gent. When he gave you to Chriſt before the beginning of time, there was nothing out of himself that could in the leaft move him to it.

When the Father, Son, and Spirit fat(as I may fay) at the counſel table, contriving and laying the deſign for the falvation of a few out of many of Adam's degenerate offspring, there was none came before him to ſpeak one word for thee ; butfuch was the divine Pleaſure to infertthy name in that catalogue of the faved. Oh how much oweft thou tothe

Lord for this ! And what an engagement doth it leaveupon thy foul to obey, pleaſe, and glorify him ?

Secondly, By his bountiful remunerations of your obedience, which have been wonderful.

What ſervice didſt thou ever perform for him, forwhich hehath not paid thee a thousand times more than it is worth ? Didit thou ever ſeek him diligently, and not findhim abountiful rewarder; none ſeek him in vain, unleſs ſuch only as ſeek him vainly, Heb. xi. 6. Didſt thou ever give a cup ofcold water in the name of a diſciple, and not receive a diſciple's reward ?

Mat. x. 42.

Haft thou not found inward peace and comfort flowing intothy foul, upon every pieceof fincere obedience ! Oh what a good maſter do faints ferve ? You that are remiſs and unconſtant in your obedience, you that are heartless and cold induties; hear how your

God expoftulates with you, Jer. ii. 31. " Have I been a wilder- " neſs to Ifrael, or aland of darkness?" q. d. Have I been a hard Maſter to you ? Have you anyreason to complain of me ?

To whomsoever Ihave been ſtreight-handed, ſurely I have not been ſo to you.

Are fruits of fin like the fruits of obedience ?

Doyou know where to find a better,Maſter ? Why then are you ſo ſhuffling and unconftant, ſo ſluggish and remiſs in my work ? SurelyGod is not behind-handwith any ofyou.

May younot ſaywith David, Pfal. cxix. 56.

This I had, becauſe " I kept thy precepts."

There are fruits in holiness, evenprefent fruit.

It is ahigh favour to be employed forGod.

Reward enough that he will accept any thing thou doſt. Butto " return every duty thou preſenteſt to him with fuch comforts, fuch quickenings, ſuch inward and outward bleſſings into thy boſom, fo that thou mayeft open the treasury ofthine own experiences, view the variety of encouragements, and tokens of

SERM. XLII.

The Fountain of Life. his love, at feveral times received induties; and ſay, this I had, and that I had, by waiting onGod, andſerving him.

Oh what an engagement is this upon thee, to be ever abounding in the work of the Lord ! Though thou must not work for wages ; yetGodwill not let thy work go unrewarded.

For he is not unrighteous toforgetyour work and labour of love.

Thirdly, Your Father hath further obliged you to his holineſs andpurityof life, byfignifying toyou (as hehath frequentlydone) the great delight and pleasure he hath therein. He hath toldyou, " that fuch as are upright in the way are hisde- " light," Prov. xi. 20. Thathe would not have you " forget to do good, and tocommunicate, for with fuch facrifices he

" is well pleaſed," Heb. xiii. 16.

You know you cannot walk worthy of the Lord to all pleaſing, (except) ye be " fruitful in every good word and work," Col. i. 10. And oh what a bond is this upon you to live holy lives ! Can you pleaſe yourſelves in difpleaſing your Father ? If you have the hearts of children in you, fure you cannot. O you cannot grieve his ſpiritby looſe and careless walking, butyou must grieve your own ſpirits too. How many times hathGod pleaſed

" you, gratified and contented you, and willyou not pleale and content him ? This mercyyou have asked ofhim, and hegave it, that mercy andyou were not denied ; inmany things the Lord hath wonderfully condeſcended to pleaſe you, and now there is butone thing that he defires of you, and that moſt reaſonable, yea, beneficial for you, as well as pleaſing to him, Phil. i. 27.

" Only let your converſation be asbecometh the goſpel of Jeſus " Chriſt."

This is theone thing, the great and main thing, he expects from you in this world, and will not you do it ?

Can you expect he ſhould gratifyyour defires, when you make no more of grieving and diſpleaſing him ? Well, ifyou know what willpleaſe God, andyet reſolve not todo it, but will rather pleaſe your flesh, andgratify the devil, than him ; pray pull off your vizards, fall into your own rank among hypocrites ; and appear as indeed you are.

Fourthly, The Father bathfurther obliged you toftrictness and purity of conversation, by his gracious promises made to fuch as fo walk.

He hath promised todo great things for you, if you will butdo this one thing for him.

Ifyou will " order your converfation aright," Pial. 1. ult. He will be your fun and Soield, if youwalk before him and be upright,Gen. xv. 1. "He

" will give graceand glory, and nogood thing willhe with-hold "from himthatwalketh uprightly," Plal. Ixxxiv. 11. Andhe promiſes no more to you thanhe hath made good to others,

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that have thus walked, and ſtands ready to perform to you alſo.

If you look to enjoy the good of the promise, you are obligedby all your expectations andhopes, toorder your lives purely and uprightly.

This hope will fetyou on work to purge your lives, as well as your hearts, from all pollutions, 2 Cor. vii. 1.

" Having theſe promiſes, let us cleanſe ourſelves from all fil- " thineſs of flesh and ſpirit, perfecting holiness inthe fear of " God."

Fifthly, Yea, Hehatbyet more obligedyou tostrict and holy lives, by his confidence in you, that you will thus walk and please him. He expreſſeth himself in ſcripture, as one that dares truft you with his glory, knowing that you will be tender ofit, and dare do no otherwise.

If but a man repoſe confidence in you, and trust you with his concerns, it greatly obliges you to be faithful.

What an engagement was that upon Abraham towalk uprightly, whenGod ſaid ofhim,Gen. xviii.

19. " I know him, thathewill command his children, and his " houfhold after him, and they ſhallkeep theway ofthe Lord," q. d. as for this wicked generation, whom I will ſpeedily confume in my wrath, I know they regard notmy laws, they will trample my commands under their feet, they care not how they provoke me, but I expect other things from Abraham, and I am confident he will not fail me .

I know him, he is a man of another ſpirit, and what I promise myself from him, he will make good. And to the like purpoſe, is that in Iſa.

Ixiii. 7. " I will mention the loving-kindness ofthe Lord, and " the praiſes ofthe Lord; according to all that the Lord hath,

" beſtowed onus, and the great goodness towards the houſe of " Ifrael, which he hathbestowed on them; according to his

" mercies, and according to the multitude ofhis loving-kind.

" neſſes.

For he said, ſurely they are my people, children that " will not lie, (or fail me) ſo he was their Saviour."

Here you have an ample account ofthe endearing mercies ofGod to that people, ver. 7. and the Lord's confident expectations ofſuitable returns from them, ver. 8. I said, (i. e.) (ſpeaking after the manner ofmen in like cafes) I made a full account, that after all theſe endearments, and favours, beſtowed upon them, they wouldnotoffer tobe diſloyal andfalſe to me.

I have madethem fureenough to myſelf, by fomanybondsoflove.

Like towhich is that expreffion, Zeph. iii. 7. " I said, furely thou wilt fear " me, thou wilt receive inſtruction." Oh! how great are the expectations ofGod from such as you ! I know Abraham, there isnodoubt ofhim. And again, they are childrenthatwill not lie, (i. e.) they willnotfallerefidemdatam,break theircovenant

SRRM . XLII.

The Fountain of Life. withme.

Orthey are my people that will not ſhrink, as Mr.

Coverdalewell tranſlates,filii non negantes, ſuch as will be true tome, and answer their covenant-engagements. And again, furely thou wilt fear me, thou wilt receive instruction.

And ſhall not all this engageyou toGod ? What! Neither the ancientandbountiful love ofGod, in contriving your redemption frometernity, nor thebountyofGod, inrewardingall, and every piece offervice you have done for him. Nor yet the pleaſure he takes in your obedience and upright walking : Nor the encouraging promiſes he hath made thereto, nor yet his confident expectations of ſuch a life from you, whom he hath ſo many ways obliged, and endeared to himself ? Will you forget your ancient friend, contemnhis rewards, take no delight or care to pleaſe him ? Slight his promiſes, and deceive and fail his expectations ? " Be aftoniſhed, O ye heavens, at this ! and be hor- " ribly afraid. "

Conſider howGod the Father hath faſtned this five-fold cord upon your fouls, and thew yourſelves chriſtians ; yea, touſe the prophet's words, Iſa. xlvi. 8. " Remember this,

" and ſhew yourſelves men ."

Secondly, Youare yet further engaged to this preciſeand holy life, by what the Son hath

Obligationsfrom the Son. done for you ; is not this pure and holy life thevery aim, and nextendofhis death ? Did he not ſhed hisblood to " redeem you from your vain converſa- " tions ?" I Pet. i. 18. Was not this the deſign ofall his fufferings ? " That being delivered out ofthe hands ofyourenemies,

66 you might ſerve him in righteoufſneſs and holiness all thedays " ofyour life," Luke i. 74, 75.

And is not the apoſtle's inference, 2 Cor. v. 14, 15. highly reasonable ? " If on died for all,

" then were alldead, and that he died for all, that they which " live, ſhould not henceforth live to themſelves, but to him that " died for them. "

Did Chriſt onlybuyyour perſons, and not your ſervices alſo ? No, no, whoever hath thy time, thy ſtrength, or any part of either ; I can aſſure thee, chriſtian, that Chrift hathpaid for it, and thou giveſt away what is noneofthine own to give.

Every moment of thy time, is his.

Every talent, whether ofgrace or nature, is his. Anddoſt thoudefraudhim ofhis own ? O how liberal are you ofyour precious words and hours, as ifChriſt hadnever made a purchaseof them! O think ofthis, when thy life runs muddy and foul, When the fountain ofcorruption flows out at thy tongue, in idle frothy diſcourfes; or at thy hand, in finful unwarrantable actions ? Doth this become the redeemed of the Lord ? Did Chriſt come from the VOL. II.

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bofom ofhis Father for this ? Did he groan, ſweat, bleed, endure thecroſs, andlaydown his life for this ? Was he ſo well pleaſed with all his forrows and fufferings, his pangs and agonies, upon the account of that fatisfaction he ſhouldhave in ſeeing the travailofhis foul ? Ifa. liii. 11. as if he had faid, "Welcome death,

" welcome agonies, welcome the bitter cup, andheavy burthen; " I chearfully ſubmit toall this.

Theſe are travailing pangs, " indeed, but I shall fee the beautiful birth atlast. Theſe throws

" andagonies ſhallbring forth many lovely children to God ; I " thallhavejoy in them, and glory from them, to all eternity.

" This blood ofmine, theſe ſufferings ofmine, ſhall purchaſeto me, the perfons,duties, ſervices, andobedience of many thou- " ſands that will love me, and honour me, ſerve me, and obey

" me, with their fouls and bodies which are mine."

Anddoth not this engage you to look to your lives, and keep them pure !

Is not every one ofChrift's wounds, amouth open toplead for more holineſs , more fervice, and more fruit from you ? Oh ! what willengage you if this will not ? But,

Thirdly, This is not all ; as a man whenhe Engagementsfrom weigheth a thing, caſteth inweight after the Spirit. weight, till the ſcales are counterpoiſed ; So dothGod caft inengagement, after engagement, andargument upon argument, till thy heart, chriftian, be weighed up, andwon to this heavenly life.

And therefore, as Elihu ſaid to Job, chap. xxxvi. 22. " Suffer me a little, and I " will ſhew thee what I have yet to ſpeak onGod's behalf."

Some arguments have already been urged on the behalf of the Father and Son, for purity andcleanneſsof life ; and next I have fomething to plead on the behalf ofthe Spirit.

I pleadnow on his behalf, who hath ſo manytimes helped you toplead for yourſelves with God. He that hath ſo often refreshed, quickened, and comfortedyou,hewillbe quenched, grieved, anddiſpleaſed, byanimpure, looſe, and careless converſation ; andwhat will you dothen ? Who ſhall comfort you, when the comforter isdeparted from you ? Whenhe that ſhould relieveyour fouls, is far off?

Ogrieve not the holy Spirit ofGod, by which you are fealed, to theday of redemption, Eph.iv. 30. There is nothing grieves him morethan impure practices; for he is a holy Spirit. And look, as water damps andquenches the fire, fo-doth fin quench the ſpirit, I Thef. v. 19. Willyou quench the warm affections andburningdefires which he hath kindled inyour boſoms ? If you do, it is a queſtion, whether ever you may recover themagain toyour dying day. The ſpirit hath a delicate fenfe.

Itis themoſt tenderthing inthe whole world. He feels the leaft

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touch of fin, and is grieved, when thy corruptions within, are ſtirredby temptations, and break out to the defiling of thy life ; then is the holy Spirit ofGod, as it were, made fad, and heavy withinthee. As that word μη λυπειθε, Eph. iv. 30. may be rendered.

For thereby thou reſiſteſt his motions, whereby in the wayofa loving constraint, he would lead and guide thee in the way of thyduty ; yea, thou not only reſiſteſt his motions, but croſſeſt his granddeſign, which is to purge and fanctify thee wholly, and buildthee up more and more to the perfection of holineſs.

And when thou thus forſakeſt his conduct, and crof. ſeſt his deſign in thy foul, then doth he usually withdraw as a man thatis grievedby the unkindness of his friend. He draws inthebeams of his evidencing and quickening grace.

Withholds all his divine cordials,and faith, as itwere, to the unkind anddiſingenuous foul, " Haſt thou thus requited me, for all "the favours and kindneſſes thou hast " receivedfrom me ? Have I quickened The Spirit's expoſtulation with careless

Christians. greffions ? DidIdeſcendupon thee in " the preaching of the goſpel, and communicate life, even the thee, when thou waſt dead intranf-

" life ofGod, tothee; leaving others in the ſtate of the dead ?

" Have I ſhed forth ſuch rich influences ofgrace and comfort " upon thee ? Comforting thee in all thy troubles, helping

" thee in all thy duties ; fatisfying thee in all thy doubts and perplexities of foul; ſaving thee, and pulling thee back from " ſo many deſtructive temptations and dangers ? What had

" been thy condition, ifI had not come unto thee ? Couldthe "word have converted thee without me ? Could miniſters,

"couldangels, have done that for theewhich Idid ? Andwhen " I hadquickened thee, andmade thee aliving foul, what couldſt

"thou have done, without my exciting and aſſiſting grace?

" Couldest thou go on in the way of duty, If I hadnot led " thee ? How wouldeſt thou have waded through the deeps of " ſpiritual troubles, if I had not borne thee up ? Whither had

" the temptations ofſatanand thine own corruptions, carried " thee before thisday, If I had not ſtood thy friend, and come

" in for thy reſcue in the time of need? Did I ever fail thee " in thy extremities ? Did I ever leave thee in thy dangers ?

"Have I not been tenderover thee, and faithful to thee ? And " now, for which of all theſe kindneſſes, doſt thou thus wrong

" and abuſe me ? Why haſt thou wounded me thusby thy un- " kindness ? Ah ! thouhast ill requited mylove !And nowthou

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" ſhalteatthe fruit ofthy doings. Let thy light now be dark- " neſs ; thy songs turned into howlings ; thejoy ofthine heart,

" the light of thine eyes, the health of thy countenance, even " the faceofthyGod, and thejoy ofſalvationbe hidfrom thee."

This is the fruit of careleſs and looſewalking. To this ſad iſſue it will bring thee at laſt, and when it is come to this, thou ſhalt go to ordinances, and duties, and findnogood in them ; no life-quickening comfort there. When thy heart which was wonttobe enlarged, and flowing, ſhallbe clung up anddry ; when thou ſaalt kneel down before the Lord, and cry, as Eliſha, whenwith the mantleofElijah, he ſmote the water,

66 Where " is the LordGod ofElijah ?" So thou, where is the God of prayer ? where is the God of duties ? But there is no anſwer :

Whenlike Samfon, thou shalt go forth and ſhake thyſelf, as at other times ; butthy ſtrength isgone; then tellme, what thou haftdone in reſiſting, quenching, and grieving the holy Spirit ofGod by impure and offenfive practices ? And thus you fee what engagements lie uponyou from the Spirit alſo to walk uprightly, andkeep the iſſues oflife pure. Icouldwillingly have enlarged myself upon this last branch, but that * ajudicious handhath lately improved this argument, to which I ſhall refer the reader.

Thus God hath obliged you to circumſpect and holy lives.

Secondly, You are under great engagements to keep your lives pure, even from yourselves, as well as from your God. As Godhath bound you to purity of conversation, ſo you have bound yourſelves. And there are ſeveral things in you, and done by you, which wonderfully increaſe, and ſtrengthen your obligations to practical holineſs.

First, Your clearer illumination is a strongbond upon your fouls, Eph . v. 8. " Ye were ſometimes darkness but now ye

66 are light in the Lord; walk as childrenofthe light."

You cannot pretend, or plead ignorance of your duty.

You ſtand convinced in yourownconfciences beforeGod, that this is your unquestionable duty. Chriſtians, willyou not all yield to this ?

Iknowyou readily yield it. We live, indeed, ina contentious, diſputing age.

In other things, our opinions are different.

One Chriſtian is of this judgment, another of that ; butdoth hedeferve the name ofa Chriſtian that dare once queſtion this truth ? In this we all meet and cloſe in oneness of mind and judgment, that it is our indisputable duty, to live pure, ſtrict, and clean lives.

" The grace ofGod, which hath appeared to * Mr. Polewheil's treatise ofquenching the Spirit.

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66 you, hath taught you this truth clearly, and convincingly,"

Tit. ii. 11, 12.

" You have received how you ought to walk, " and to pleaſe God," I Thef. iv. 1.

Well then, this being yielded, the inference is plainand undeniable ; that you cannot walk as others, in thevanity of their mind; butyou must offer violence to your own light.

You cannot fuffer the corruptions ofyour hearts to break forth into practice, but you must flight, and put by the notices and rebukes of your own confciences,

Jam. iv. 17. " He that knoweth to do good, and doth it not, to " him it is ſin."

Yea, ſin with a witneſs. Aggravated fin.

Sin of a deeper tincture than that ofHeathens.

Sin that ſadly waſtes and violates confcience.

Certainly whoever hath, you have no cloak for your fin.

Light and luſt ſtruggling together, great light, and ſtrong lufts: theſe make the foul a troubled fea that cannot reſt. O but when maſterleſs luſts over-bear conſcience, this impreſſes horror upon the foul.

This brake David'sheart, Pfal. li. 6. " Thou hast putknowledge inmy inner " parts," q. d. Ah, Lord ! I went against the rebukes ofconſcience, to the commiffion of this fin.

Ihad a watchful light ſet up withinme.

I knew it was fin. My light endeavoured lovingly to reftrain me, and I thrust it aside.

Besides, what pleaſure in ſincan you have ? Indeed, ſuch as, for want of light know not what theydo, or ſuch, whoſe conſciences are feared, and paſt feeling; they may seek a little pleaſure (fuch as it is) outoffin: butwhat contentor pleaſure can you have, ſo long as your light is ever breaking inupon you, and ſmiting you for whatyou do? This greatly increaſes your obligation to a preciſe,holylife.

Again, Secondly, You are profeffors of holiness.

You have given in yournames to Chriſt, to be his diſciples ; and by this your engagements to a life of holiness, are yet further ſtrengthened,

2 Tim. ii. 19. " Let every one that nameth thename of Chriſt, " depart from iniquity."

The name of Chriſt is called upon you, and it is, a worthy name, Jam. ii. 7.

It is called upon you, as the name ofthehusband is calledupon his wife, Ifa. iv.

1. " Let thy name be called upon us."

Or, as the name ofa Father is called upon his child,Gen. xlviii. 16. " Let my name

" be called on them, and the name ofmyfathers."

Well then, you bear the name of Chriſt as his ſpouſe or children ; and will you not live ſuitably to your name ? Every place and relation, everytitle ofhonour and dignity hath its decorum, and becomingneſs. Ohow will that worthy name ofChriſt be blafphemed through you, if you adorn it not with becomingdeportments? Better you hadnever profeſſedany thing, than to fet

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yourſelves byyour profeſſion inthe eye and obſervation ofthe world; andthen to pour contempt on Jeſus Chriſt, by your ſcandalous converſations, before the eyes of the world ; who will laugh at it.

I remember it was a memento given to one of hisname byAlexander, recordare nominis Alexandri.

Remem ber(faidhe) thy name Alexander, and do nothing unworthy ofthatname. Othat is aheavycharge, Rom.ii. 24. " Through " you isthe name ofGod blafphemed among the Heathens."

Unhappy man that ever thou ſhouldeſt be a reproach to Chriſt !

The herd of wickedmen, they are ignota capita ; men of no note, or obſervation.

They may fin, and fin again ; drink, ſwear, and tumble in all uncleanneſs; and it paſſes away filently; the world takes little notice of it.

Their wicked actions makebut little noiſe in the world; but the miſcarriages of profeffors, are like a blazing comet, or an eclipſed ſun, whichall mengaze at, and make their obſervations upon; oh then, what mannerof perſons oughtyou tobe, whobear the worthy name ofChrift upon you !

Thirdly, But more than this, You have obliged yourselves to this life ofholiness by your ownprayers. Howmanytimes have you lifted up your hands to heaven, and cried with David,

Pfal. cxix. 5. "O that my ways were directed to keep thy ſta- " tutes.

Order my ſteps in thy word, and let no iniquity have "dominion over me," ver. 133.

Were you in earnest with God, whenyou thus prayed ? Did you mean as you faid ? Or didyou onlycomplimentwithGod? Ifyour hearts and tongues agreed in this requeſt, doubtleſs it is as much your duty to endeavour, as todefire thoſe mercies ; and, ifnot, yetdoall thoſe prayers ſtand onrecordbefore the Lord, and willbe produced against you as witneſſes tocondemn you, foryour hypocrify and vanity. Howoften alſo haveyou in your prayers lamented, and bewailed your careless and uneven walkings ? You have faid with Ezra, Chap. ix. 6. " O my God, I am ashamed and even

" bluſh to look up unto thee."

And do not your confeffions obligeyou togreater circumſpection,and carefortime tocome?

Willyou confeſs, and fin? And fin, and confefs ? Go to God andbewail your evils, and when you have bewailed them, return againtothe commiffion ofthem ? God forbid, you should thusdiſſemble withGod, play with fin, anddye your iniquities with adeeper tincture.

Fourthly, and lastly, to add no more, You have often reproved or cenfured othersfor their miscarriages andfalls, which adds to your own obligation, to walk accurately, and evenly.

Haveyou notoften reproved your erring brethren ? or at least privately

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cenſured them, if not duly reproved them, (for to theſe lefthandedblows of fecret cenſurings, we are more apt, than tothe fair and open ſtrokes ofjuſt and due reproofs) and willyou practiſe the fame things, you criminate and cenſure others for ?.

"Thou that teacheſt another, (faith the apostle) teacheſt thou " not thyſelf ?" Rom. ii. 21.

So ſay I, thou that cenſureſt or rebukeſt another, condemneſt thou not thyself? Willyour rebukes ever do good to others, whilst you allow inyourſelves whatyou condemn inthem ? And as theſe reproofs, and cenfures cando them no good, ſotheydo you much evil, by reafonofthem you are αυτοκατακριτοι, ſelf-condemned perfons ; and out of your own mouthsGod will judgeyou.

For you need no other witneſs, than yourſelves in this cafe. Your own tongues will fall upon you.

Your cenfures and reproofs of others, will leave you without plea, or apology, if you look not toyour lives with greater care. Andyet will you be careleſs ſtill? Fearyou notthe difpleaſure ofGod ? Nor the wounding anddiſquietingyour own confciences ? Surely, theſe thingsare ofno light valuewithyou, ifyou be Chriſtians indeed.

Thirdly, You are yet further engaged topractical holineſs upon the account of your brethren, who are not a little concerned, and intereſted therein.

For if, through the neglect ofyour hearts, your lives be defiled and polluted, this willbe thrown in their faces, and many innocent and upright ones, both reproached, and grieved upon your account.

This mifchievous effect holyDavid earnestlydeprecated, Pfal. lxix. 5, 6.

" OGod, thou knoweſt myfoolishness, andmy fins are nothid "from thee; let not them that wait on thee, O LordGod of " hoſts, be ashamed for myfake.

Let not them that feekthee, " be confounded for my fake, OGod of Ifrael," q. d. Lord, thou knoweſt what a weak and foolish creature I am. And howapt tomiſcarry, if left to myſelf, and ſhould I, through my foolishness, act unbecoming a ſaint; how would this ſhame the faces, and fad the hearts ofthy people! They will be as men confounded at the report ofmy fall.

The fallofone Chriſtian, is matter of trouble and ſhame to all the reſt ; and, when they ſhall hear the ſadand unwelcome news ofyour fcandalous mifcarriages, (which will certainly be the effect ofaneglectedheart andlife) they will say as David concerning Sauland Jonathan,

" tell it not inGath, publiſh it not in the ſtreets ofAfkelon," c.

Or as Tamar concerningAmnon, " andwe, whither ſhall " we cauſe our ſhame to go ?" And for them, they ſhall be as fools in Iſrael. Thy looſe and careleſs life will cauſe them to eſtrange themſelvesfrom thee, andlookſhy uponthee, as being

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aſhamed to own thee, and canst thou bear that ? will it not grieve and pierce your very hearts to fee a cloud of ſtrangeneſs and trouble over the countenances of your brethren ? To ſee yourſelves diſownedand lightly eſteemed by them ? This very confideration ſtruck a great favourite in the Perſian court to the veryheart.

* It wasUſtazanes,whohadbeen governor toSapores inhis minority. And this man for feardenied the Chriſtian faith; and complied with the idolatrous worſhip of the king.

Andoneday(faith the hiſtorian) fitting atthe court-gate, hefaw Simon, theaged archbishop of Seleucia, drawing along to prifon, for his conſtancy in the Chriſtian faith, and thoughhe durſt not openly own the Chriſtian faith he had bafely denied, and confeſs himselfa Chriſtian, yet hecould not chuſe but riſe, and expreſshis reverence to thisholy man, inareſpective and honourable ſalutation : but the zealous good man frowned upon him, and turned awayhisfacefrom him; as thinkingfuch an apoftate unworthy of the leaſt reſpect from him; this preſently ſtruck

Uſtazanes to the heart, and drew from hin many tears and groans ; and thus hereasonedwith himſelf: Simon will not own me, and can I think but that Godwilldiſclaim me, when I appear before his tribunal ? Simon willnot speak unto me, will not fo much as look upon me,and can I lookfor ſo much as agood word or look from Jeſus Chriſt, whom I have ſo ſhamefully betrayed, and denied? Hereupon he threw off his rich courtly robes, and put on mourning apparel, and profeſſed himself a Chriſtian anddied a martyr. O it is a piercing thing to an honeſt heart, to be caſt out of the favour of God's people.

If you walk looſely, neitherGod nor his people will look kindly upon you.

Fourthly, and laſtly, Your very enemies engageyou tothis pure andholy life upon a double ground.

You are obliged by them twoways, viz. as they are your boldcenfurers, andyour watchful obfervers.

They cenfure you as hypocrites, and will you givethemgroundand matter for fuch a charge ? They ſay, only your tongues are more holythan other mens, and ſhall they prove it from your practice? They alſo obſerve you diligently ; lieatcatch, and are highly gratified byyour miscarriages. your lives be looseand defiled,you willnot only be a shame to your friends, but the fong ofyour enemies. You will make

If mirth in hell ; andgratifyall theenemies ofGod.

This is that they watch for.

They are curious obſervers of your goings.

Andthat which makes them triumph at your falls andmifcar- * Sozomen. lib. 2. cap.8.

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riages, isnotonlythatdeeprootedenmitybetwixtthe two feeds, but becauſeallyour miscarriages andevils are ſomany abſolutions to their confciences, andjuftifications (as they think) of theirways and practices. For look, as your ſtrictneſs and holineſsdoth, as itwere, caft and condemn them, as Noah, Heb. xi.

7. by his practice, condemned the world, their confciences Ay intheir faces, when theyfee yourholy andpure conversations.

Itlays a damp upon them.

It works upon their confciences, andcauſesmany smart reflections.

So whenyou fall, you, as it were, abfolvetheirconfciences, looſe thebondsofconvictionyou hadmade faſt uponthem, andnowthere is matter ofjoyputbeforethem.

Oh, ſay they, whatever theſe men talk; we fee they are no betterthan we. They cando aswe do. They cancozen and cheat for advantage.

They can comply with any thing for their own ends; it isnot confcience,as we once thought, but mere ſtomach and humour, thatmade them ſo precife. And oh, what afadthing isthis! herebyyouſhed foul-blood.

You faſten the bonds ofdeath upontheir fouls. Youkill thoſe convictions, which, for any thing you know, might have made wayto theirconverſion. Whenyou fall, you mayrife again ; but they may fall atyour example, and never rife more. Neverhave agood opinion of the ways ofGod, or of his people anymore. Upon this confideration, David begs ofGod, Pfal. v. 8. " Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness, because ofmy

" enemies ;" (or, as the Hebrew) my obfervers, make thy way ftraight before my face. And thus you fee how your very enemies oblige you to thisholyand pure converſation alſo.

Now put all this together, and ſee towhat theſe particulars willamount.

Youhave heardhowGod theFatherhath engaged you to this purityof converſation, byhis deſignment of your ſalvation; rewarded your obedience; his pleaſure in it; his promiſestoit; andhisgreatconfidenceinyou,thatyou will thus walk before him.

The LordJeſushath alſo engagedyou thereuntoby hisdeath andfufferings, whereby you were redeemed from your vain conversations.

The Spirit hath engaged you, bytelling you plainlyhowmuch you will grieveandwronghim, refift and quench him, if you do not keep yourſelves pure.

Yea, you are obliged further, by yourselves ; your clear illumination ; your high profeffion ; your many prayers and confeſſions; yourmanycenfures and reprehenfions ofothers; do all ſtrengthen your obligation to holiness. Yea, you areobliged further to this holy life, by the ſhame, grief, andtrouble,

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your looſe walking will bring uponyour friends; andthe mirth it will make for, and miſchief it willdo to your enemies ; who, thereby, maybe made utterly to fall, where, it may be, you only have ſtumbled: who are justified and abſolved, (as before you heard),by your miscarriages. Andnow, what thinkyou of all this ? Are you obliged or not, tothis purity of life ? Areall theſe bonds ſo tied, that you can get looſe, and free yourſelves at pleaſure from them ? Ifall theſe things are ofno forcewith you, ifnoneof theſe bonds can hold you, may it not be queſtioned, (notwithstandingyour profeſſion),whether any ſpiritual principle, any fear ofGod, or love to Chriſt, be in your fouls or no ? O you could not play faſt and looſe with God; if ſo, you could not, as Samſon, ſnap theſe bonds aſunder at your pleaſure.

Confid. 2. Secondly, As you aremore obligedto keep the iffues of life pure than others are, ſoGodhath given you greater afſiſtances and advantages for it,than others have. God hath not beenwanting to any in helps and means. Even the Heathen, who are without the goſpel, will be yet ſpeechleſs and inexcufable before God : But how much more willyou be fo ? Who, beſides the light ofnature, and the general lightof the gospel, have, First, ſuch a principle put within you.

Secondly, fuch patterns ſet beforeyou.

Thirdly, ſuch an aſſiſtant ready tohelp you.

Fourthly, so manyrods to quicken you and prevent your wandering : ifnotwithstanding all theſe helps, your life be ſtill unholy.

First, Shall men offuch principles walk as others do ? Shall we lament for you, as David oncedid for Saul, ſaying, " There the ſhield of the mighty was vilely caſt away, the fhield of " Saul; as though hehadnotbeen anointed with oil."

There thehonour of a Chriſtian was vilely caſt away, as though hehad not been anointed with the Spirit ? " You have received an une- " tionfrom the holyOne, which teacheth you allthings," I John ii. 20. another Spirit, far above that which is in other men,

1Cor. ii. 12. And as this ſpirit which is in you, is fitted forthis lifeofholiness, " (for ye are his workmanship, created inChrift

"Jeſus to good works," Ephef. ii. 10.); ſo this holy ſpirit or principle, infuſed into your fouls, hath ſuch a natural tendency to this holy life, that ifyou live not purely and ſtrictly, you must offer violence to your own principles, and new nature. A twofoldhelp this principle affords youfor a life ofho- - lineſs .

1. First, it pulls you back from fin, as inJoſeph ; "How can " Ido this great wickedneſs, and fin againstGod?" And it alfo

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inclinesyou powerfully to obedience.

It is a curb to fin, and aſpur toholiness.

It is impoſſible for all others to liveſpirituallyandheavenly, becauſe they have no new nature toinclinethem hereunto. And, methinks, it ſhouldbe hardfor you tolive carnally, andfenfually; and therein croſs thevery bent and tendencyofthe new creature, which is formed in you. How can you neglect prayer, as others do, whilft the Spirit, bydivine pulfations, isawakingand rouſingup yourſluggiſh hearts withfuch inwardmotions, and whiſpers, as that, Plal. xxvii. 8. " Seek my

" face." Yea, whilſt you feel, (during your omiffions of duty), ſomething within that bemoans itſelf, and, as it were, cries for food, pains and gripes you, like an empty stomach, and will not letyoubequiet, till it be relieved. How can you let outyour hearts totheworld, as other mendo ; whenall that while your ſpirit is reſtleſs, and akes like a bone out ofjoint ? Andyou can neverbeateaſe, till you comeback toGod, and ſay, as Pfal. cxvi.

" Return to thy reſt,O my foul."

Isit not hard, yea, natural . ly impoſſible to fix a ſtone, and make itabide in the fluid air ?

Dothnot every creature, in a reſtleſs motion, tend to its proper centre, anddefire its own perfection ? Sodoth this new creature alſo.

You see how the rivers in their courſe will not be checked, but bear down all the obstacles in their way, etfeavior ab obice ibit ; a ſtop doth butmake them rage the more, and run the ſwifter afterwards.

There isa central force in theſe natural motions, which cannot be ſtopped. And the like mayyou obſerve, in the motions of a renewed foul, John iv. 14. " It ſhall be in him as a well of "water ſpringing up." And is it not hard for you to keep it down, or turn its courſe ? Howharddid Jeremy and David find that work ? Ifyou do not live holy lives, you must croſs your ownnew nature, and violate the law that is written in your own hearts, and engraven upon your own bowels.

To this purpoſe a late * writer ſpeaks ; Till you were converted, (faith he),the fleſh was predominant, and therefore it was impoſſible for you tolive any other than a fleſhly life; for every thing will act according to its predominant principle.

Should you not therefore live a ſpiritual life ? Should not the law of God written in your hearts, be legible inyour lives ? O ſhould not your lives be according to the tendency of your hearts ? Thus he :

Doubtless this is no ſmalladvantage to practical holiness.

But, Secondly, Besides this principlewithin, you have no ſmall afM 2 *Mr. T. Mall's Exhortation to holy living,

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ſiſtance for the purityoflife,by theſe excellent patterns before you. The path ofholiness, is nountrodden pathtoyou . Chrift and his ſervants have beaten itbefore you.

The life ofChrift isyour copy, and it is a fair copy indeed, without ablot, Oh ! what an advantage is this, todraw allthe lines ofyour actions, according to his example ! This glorious grand example, isoften preſſed uponyou for imitation, Heb.xii. 2. Looking toJesus, hehath left you an example, that yeſbould tread in his steps,

1 Pet. ii. 21.

His life is a living rule to hispeople ; andbefides Chriſt's example, (for you may ſay,who can live asChrift did? his example is quite above us) youhave a cloud ofwitneffes. Acloud for its directive uſe,andtheſe men oflike paf ſions, temptations, and conſtitutions with you ; who have gone beforeyou in exemplary holineſs. TheHolyGhoſt (intending thereinyour ſpecialhelpandadvantage)hath ſetmany induſtrious pens to work, towrite the lives ofthe faints, and preferve for your uſe, their holy ſayings, andheavenlyactions. Hebidsyou

" take them for an example," James v. 10. Oh! whatexcel lent men are paſſed onbefore you ! what renownedWorthies have led the way ! Men, whoſe conversations were in heaven, whilst they tabernacledon earth.

Whilst this lower worldhad their bodies, the worldabove had their hearts, and their affections.

Their actions, and their deſigns were all for heaven, Men that improved troubles and comfort; loffes and gains ; ſmiles and frowns, and all for heaven. Men that did extract heaven out of ſpirituals, out of temporals, out of all things ; theirhearts were full ofheavenly meditations, their mouths of heavenly communications,and their practices of heavenly inclipations : Owhat ſingular help is this ! Where they followed

Chrift, andkept theway, they are propounded for your imitation; and where anyof them turned af.de, you have amark fet upon that action, for yourcaution andprevention. Doth any ſtrange or unusual trial befal you, in which you are ready to ſay with the church, Lam. i. 12. "Was there ever any for- " row like unto my forrow ?" Here you may fee "the fame

" affliction accomplished inyour brethren," 1 Pet. v. 9.

Here is ſtore of good company to encourage you.

Do the world andthedevil endeavour to turn you fromyour duty, by loading itwith ſhameful fcoffs, orfufferings? Inthis cafe you may look to Jeſus, who deſpiſed the ſhame; and to your brethren,

"who countedittheirhonour to be dishonoured for the name " of Chriſt *," as the original ofthe text, Acts v. 41. maybe

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tranflated.

Is it adiſhonour to thee, to be ranked with Abraham, Mofes, David, and fuch as were the glory ofthe ages they livedin ? Art thou at any time under a faint fit ofdifcouragement; and ready todeſpondunder anyburden ? Oh howmayeſt thou be animated by fuch examples, when fuch a qualm comes over thy heart ? Some ſparks of their holy courage cannot chuſe but ftealintothy breast, whilst thou confidereft them.

Inthem, Godhath ſetbefore thee the poſſibility ofovercoming all difficulties, thou ſeeſt men of the fame mould,who had the fame trials, diſcouragements and fears, that now thou haft, and yet overcame all. How is thy unbelief checked, when thou tayeſt, Oh ! Ishall never reach the end, I ſhallonedayutterly periſh ! Whydoſt thou ſay fo? Why may not fuch apoor creatureasthou art, be carried through as well as they ? Had not theythe fame temptations and corruptions with you ? Were theynot all troubled with anaughtyheart, an enfnaringworld, andabufy devil, as well as you ? Alas ! when they put on the divine, they did not put off the human nature ; but complained, and feared, as you do, and yet were carried through all.

O what an advantage have you this way ! They that first truſted in Chriſt,had not fuch helps as you.

You ſtandupon their ſhoulders.

You have the benefit of their experiences.

You that are fallenintothe last times, have certainly the beſt helps to holiness ; and yet, will not you live trictly and purely? Will you put onthe name and profeſſion ofChriſtians, and yetbelofty inyour ſpirits; earthly inyourdeſigns; neglectiveof duty; frothy inyour communications ? Pray, from which ofall the faints did you learn tobe proud ? Did you learn that from Chrift, or any ofhis ? From which ofhis faints did you learn to beearthly and covetous,paſſionate or cenforious,over-reaching and crafty? Ifyou have read of any ſuch evils committed by them,haveyou not alſo readoftheir shame and forrow, their repentanceandreformations ? Ifyou have found any fuchblots in their lives, itwas left there defignedly, to prevent the like in yours. O what an help to holiness is this !

Thirdly, And this is not all.

You have not onlya principle withinyou, anda patternbefore you, but you have alſo an om nipotentaſſiſtant tohelp, and encourageyou throughout your way. Are you feeble and infirm ? and is every temptation, eventhe weakeſt, ſtrongenough to turn you out of theway of yourduty ? Lo, Godhath ſent his Spirit to help your infirmities, Rom. viii. 26. no matter then how weak you are, how manyand mighty your difficulties andtemptations are, as long

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as youhave ſuch anaſſiſtant tohelpyou.

Great is your advantage for a holy life this way alſo.

For, (1.) First, When atemptation to ſin preſſes ſore upon you, hepleads with your confciences within, whilſt Satan is tempting without.

How often hath he brought ſuch ſcriptures to your remembrance, at the very opportunity, as have ſaved you out ofthe temptation ? Ifyou attend his voice,youmay hear ſuch a voicewithin you, as that, Jer. xliv. 4. " O do not this abomi- " nablethingwhich I hate ! " What mighty ſtrivings were there in the heart ofSpira, as himself relates ? He heard, as it were, avoice within him, ſaying, Do not write, Spira, do not write.

To this purpoſe isthat promiſe, Ifa. xxx. 20, 21. " Thine eyes " ſhall behold thy teachers, and thine ears ſhall hear a word

"behind thee, ſaying, This is the way,walk ye in it ; whenye " turn to the right-hand, and whenye turn to the left."

Here you have a two-fold help to holineſs, the outward teaching of the word, ver. 20. and the inward teachings of the Spirit, ver.

21. He ſhall ſay this is the way, whenye are turning aſide to the right-hand, or to the left. Alluding to a ſhepherd, faith one, whodriving his ſheep before him; whiſtles them in, when hefees them ready to ſtray.

(2.) Secondly, When ye walk holily and cloſelywithGod in your duties, and the Spirit encourages you to go on, by thoſe inward comforts, ſealings, and joys, you have from him at ſuch times; how often does he entertain your fouls in public ordinances, in private duties, with his hidden Manna, with marrow and fatneſs, with incomparable and unspeakable, comforts, and all this to ſtrengthen you in your way, and encourage you to hold on ?

(3. ) Thirdly, When you are indiſpoſed for duties, and find your hearts empty and dry, he is ready to fill them, quicken and raiſethem; ſo that oftentimes the beginnings and endof your prayers, hearing, or meditations, are as vaſtly different, as ifoneman hadbegun, andanother endedthe duty. O then, what aſſiſtances for a holy life have you ! Others indeed are bound to reſiſt temptations, as well as you; but, alas, having no fpecial aſſiſtance from the Spirit, what can they do ? Itmay be, they reaſon with temptation a little while, and in their own ſtrength refolve againſt it; buthow eaſy a conqueſt doth Satan make, where nogreater oppoſition is madetohim, than this ?

Others are bound tohear, meditate, and pray as well as you ; elſe theneglect of thoſe duties would not be their ſin : But, alas, what pitiful work do they make of it ! being left to the hardneſs andvanity of theirown hearts ; when you ſpreadyour

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fails, you have a gale, but they lie wind-bound, heart-bound, and candonothing ſpiritually in a way ofduty.

Fourthly, and laſtly, to mentionno more, You have a further advantage to this holy life, by all the rods ofGod, that are at anytime upon you .

I might ſhew you in many particulars, theadvantages this way alſo, but I ſhall only preſent theſe three to your obſervation at this time.

First, By theſe you are clogged, to prevent your ſtraying and wandering.

Others maywander even as far as hell, andGodwill not ſpenda ſanctified rod upon them, to reduceor ſtop them; but faith, " Let them alone," Hof. iv. 17.

But ifyou wanderoutof theway of holiness,he will clogyou with one trouble or other, tokeep you within bounds, 2 Cor. xii. 7. " Leſt I ſhould be

" lifted up, a thorn in the fleſh; a meſſenger of Satan, was " ſent to buffetme."

So David, Pfal. cxix. 67. " Before I was " afflicted, I went aſtray ; but now I have kept thy word."

Afflictions are uſedbyGod, as thornsby husband-men, to ſtop the gaps and keep you from breaking out of God's way, Hof. ii. 6. " I will hedge up her way with thorns, and build a wall,

" that ſhe ſhall not findherpaths." Adouble alluſion; 1. To cattle that are aptto ſtray, Iwillhedgeup thyway with thorns.

2. To theſea, which is apt to overflow the country, I will build awall to prevent inundations. HolyBaſilwas a long timeforelyafflicted with an inveterate head-ach, he often prayed for the removal of it ; at laſt, God removed it, but, inthe roomofit, hewas forely exerciſed with the motions and temptations of luft ; which, whenhe perceived, he heartily defired his headach again, to prevent aworſe evil.

You little know the ends and ules of many ofyour afflictions. Are you exerciſed with bodily weakness ? it is a mercy you are ſo ; and if theſe pains and infirmities were removed, theſe clogs taken off, you may with Bafil, wiſh for them again, to prevent worſe evils. Are you poor ? why, with that poverty God hath clogged your pride. Are you reproached ? with theſe reproaches God hath clogged your ambition.

Corruptions are prevented by your afflictions. And, is not this a marvellous help to holiness of life?

Secondly, Byyour afflictions, your corruptions are not only clogged, but purged. By theſe God dries up and confumes that ſpring of fin, that defiles your lives, Iſa. xxvii. 9. " By this

therefore ſhall the iniquity of Jacob be purged; and this is " all the fruit totake away fin." God orders your wants to kill yourwantonneſs; and makes your poverty poiſon to your pride.

They are God's phyſic, to purge illhumours out of

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yourfouls.

* " When they fallbythe ſword, and byfamine, " and by captivity, and by fpoil, it is totry them, and to purge

" them, andto make themwhite ? " They are both purges and lavatories to your fouls.

Others have the fame afflictions that you have, but they do not work on them as onyou ; theyare toyou as fire for purging, and water for cleanfing ; andyet, ſhall not your lives be clean ? It is true, (as one well obſerves upon thatplace ofDaniel), Chriſt is the only lavatory, and his bloodthe only fountain towash away fin: but, inthe virtue and efficacy ofthatblood, ſanctified afflictions are cleanfers and purgers too.

Acroſs without a Chriſt never made anyman better, but, with Chrift, faints are much thebetter for the croſs.

HathGod been(as itwere) ſo manydays and nights a whitening you, and yet is not thehue of your converſation altered ? Hath he put you ſo manytimes into the furnace, andyet is not your drofs feparated? The more afflictious you have beenunder, the more aſſiſtance you have had for this life ofholineſs.

Thirdly, By all your troubles, God hath been weaning you from the world, the lufts, loves, and pleaſures ofit ; anddrawing out your fouls to a more excellent life and ſtate than this.

He makes your forrows, in this life, give a luftre to the glory ofthe next.

Whoever hath, be sure you ſhall have no reft here; and all, that you may long more ardently for that to come. He often makes you groan, " being burdened, tobe

" cloathed with your houſe from heaven," 1Cor. v. 4.

And yet will you not be weaned from the lufts, cuſtoms, and evils of it? O what manner of perſons ſhould yoube for heavenly and holyconverſations ? You ſtand upon the higher ground.

You have, as it were, the wind and tide with you. None are affifted for this life as you are.

Put all this together, and fee what this fecond argument contributes towards your further conviction, and perfuafion to holiness of life.

Have you received a fupernatural principle, fittingyou for, and inclining you to, holy actions, refifting and holding you back from fin ?

HathGodalſo ſet before you ſuch eminentpatterns toencourage, and quicken you, in your way ? Doth the Spirit himself ſtand ready,fo many ways, to afſiſt and help you in alldifficulties, and hath God hedged up the way of fin, with the thorns ofaffiction, to preventyour wandering, andyet will you turn afide? Will you offer violence to your own principles, and new nature ? Refuſe to followfuch leaders as have beatentheway

* Dan. xi . 33, 34, 35-

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The Fountain of Life. beforeyou ? Reſiſt, or neglect thegracious aſſiſtancesofthebleſſed

Spirit, which he offers you in every need, and venture upon fin, thoughGod hathhedged up yourway with afflictions ?Ohowcan you do fuch great wickedneſs, and fin againſt ſuch grace as this !

Methinks, I need ſay no more to convince you how much you are concerned to keep the iſſues oflife pure,none being fo much obliged to it, or aſſiſted for it, as you are. ButwhenI remember thatJoaſh loft the compleat victory over the Syrians, becauſehe ſmote not his arrows often enough upon the ground,

2 Kings xiii . 8. I ſhall level one arrow more at this mark :

For, indeed, that cannever be enough preſſed, which can never be enough practised. And therefore, Confid. 3. Thirdly, It will yet farther appear tobe your high concernment, to exalt holiness inyour converſations, becauſe of the manifold andgreat uſeswhich Godhath tomake of the viſibleholiness and purity ofyour lives,both in this world and that to come.

The uſes God puts the converſation-holineſs of his people in this world, are theſe, among others.

Firſt, To win overfouls to Christ, and bring them in lovewith religion.

Practical holiness is a very lovely, attractive, and obliging thing.

IftheHeathen could callmoral virtue verticordia, turn-heart, from that obliging andwinning power it exerciſes upon the hearts of men: iftheycould ſay ofit, that were itviſible tohuman eyes, all men would adore it, and fall in love with it ; how much rather may we ſay ſo of true holiness, made viſible in the lives of faints ! This is the turn-heart indeed. makes the fouls of men tocling and cleave tothe perſons in whom it is ; as it is prophefied, Zech. viii. 23. of the Jews, whenthey ſhall be called (which ſhall be a time of great holiIt nefs) " in that day, ten menout of all languages ofthe nations

" ſhall take hold of the ſkirt ofhim that is a Jew, faying, we " willgo with you, for we haveheard thatGod is with you."

Somuch ofGod as appears in men, ſo much drawing excellencythere is inthem.

And this is the apoftle's argument, 1 John i. 3. " That ye may have fellowship with us."

Why, what is there in your fellowship to invite men to you? " Truly our " fellowship is with the Father, and withhis Son Chriſt Jeſus."

Whocan choose but covet their company, that keep company everyday withGod ? Great is the efficacy ofviſible holineſs to work upon the hearts of men; either as a concauſe, working in fellowship with the word, or as a ſingle inſtrument, working folitarilywithout theword.

WhereGod is pleased to afford thewordunto men, there the

VOL. II .

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The Fountain of Life. practical holiness offaints is offingular use, to aſſiſt andhelp it in its operation upon the hearts of men. When the lives of Christians fentibly exhibit that to the eyes ofmen, which the gofpel doth to their cars ; when ſo we preach, and fo ye believe and live ; when we draw by our doctrines, andyou draw with us by our examples,whenwe hold forth the word of lifedoctrinally, and you hold it forth practically; as Phil. ii. 16.

Where is the heart that can fſtand before us ? O ! whenthe plain and powerful gospel pierces the ears of men, and, at the fame time, the viſible holiness of profeſſors ſhines ſofullin their faces, that they must ratherput out their own eyes, or elle be forced to acknowledge, that God is in you of a truth; then it will work topurpoſe uponfouls. ThenwillChriftfee ofthe travail ofhis foul daily .

Yea, ifGoddeny the word to men, yet this practical holineſs I am fpeaking of, may be to them an ordinance for converfion.

This way, fouls may be won to Christ without the word, as the apoſtle ſpeaks, 1 Pet. iii. 1.

Though pulpits ſhouldbe filent, and viſion fail; yet, ifyou would thiswayturn preachers, if your lives may but preach the reality, excellency, and ſweetneſs ofJefus Chriſt, and his ways ; and, ifyou would this way preach down the love ofthe world, and let men fee what poor vanities theſe are; andpreach up the neceffity andbeautyofholineſs ; furely you, evenyou, might be honoured tobringmany fouls to Chrift , to turn many to righteousness, and cauſemany tobleſs God, onyour behalf, in the day ofviſitation.

This is the uſeGod hath for the holiness and purityof your lives, and doth not this engage you ſtrongly to it ? What, notwhen it may prove themeans of eternal life to others ? Surely, if you have any bowels ofmercy in you, you cannot hide from others that whereby they may be ſaved. How canyou instead ofholding forth the word oflife, (which isyour manifeft duty) viſibly hold forth the works ofdeath before men ? Haveyou been beholding to others, and ſhallnone be beholding to you for help towards heaven ? Dare you fay, let others ſhift as well as they can, findtheway toheavenby themselves iftheycan, they thall have no benefit by your light ? Ifyou be Chriſtians, you are

Chriſtians of a different ſtamp and ſpirit from all thoſe we find defcribedin fcripture.

Should not you rather ſay as the Lepers did, 2 Kings vii. 6. " Do we well to hold our peace," whilft

Others are periſhing?.Shall the lips ofministers, audthe lives of Chriflians,beboth filencedtogether ? Shall poor finners neither hear anythingfrom us, norfee anything from you, that may help them to Chrift ? The Lord have mercy then upon the

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The Fountain of Life. poor world, and pity it, for its cafe is defperate. O put on, as the elect ofGod, bowels ofmercy.

Destroy not, by the loofe neſs ofyour converſations, ſo many fouls ; for your ſcandalous miſcarriages are like a bag ofpoiſon put into the ſpring, which ſupplies the whole city with water .

Secondly, Another use Godhathfor it, is to recover andfalve the credit ofreligion, which by the apostacies of hypocrites, and Scandalous falls of careless Chriftians, is wounded, and exposed tocontempt.

Much reproach by this means isbrought upon religion, andhow ſhall that reproach be rolled away, butby your ſtrictneſs and purity ? By this the world mustbe convinced that all are not fo.

Though some be ablot to the name of Chrift, yet others are his glory. The more others flur and difgrace religion, the moreGod expects you tohonourand adorn it.

I'remember Chryfoftome brings inthe perfecutors ſpeaking to two renowned martyrs, after this manner, Nonne videtis alios veftri ordinis hoc feciffe ? (i. e.) Why are you ſo nice andſcrupulous ?

Seeyou not that others ofyour rank and profeffionhave done theſe things ? To which they returned this brave anſwer, Nos hacpotiffimum ratione viriliterftabimus, (i. e.) have they done it? For thatvery reaſon we will ſtandit out like men, and will neveryield to it.

There is an holy Antiperiſtaſis in the zeal of a Chriſtian, which makes it, like fire, burn moſt vehemently in the coldeſt weather.

If men make voidGod's law, therefore willDavid love his commandments above gold, Pfal. cxix. 127.

If there be many Pendletons among profeffors who willbetray Chrift andhis truth to fave their flesh ; God will have ſome Sanders to repair thatbreach,by their conftancyandcourage in appearing forthem.

Thirdly, God makes use ofit for the encouragement ofhis minifters, who tabour amongyou.

And indeed it is ofno ſmall uſe to refreſh their hearts, and ſtrengthentheirhands, in their painfulwork: " Now we live (faith the apostle) ifye ſtand faſt in " the Lord," I Theff. iii. 8.

He speaks, as iftheir very life lay at the mercy ofthe people, becauſe ſo much of the joy and comfortof it iswraptupin their repularity and ſtedfaftneſs. God knows what an hard providence his poor miniſters have, and howmanydifcouragements attend them intheir work ; hearhow

*oneofthemexpreſſes it,"Minifters would not be gray-headed " ſo ſoon, nor die ſo faſt, notwithstanding theirgreat labours, if " theywere but ſucceſsful ; but this cuts to theheart, and makes

" usbleed in ſecret, that though we do much, yet it comes to nothing.

Our work dies, therefore we die.

Not so much N2 * Lockyer upon the Colofſians, p. 528 , 529.

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" thatwe labour, as that we labour in vain: When our mini- " ſtry petrifies, turns hearts into ſtones, and theſe taken up

" and thrown at us, this kills us ; the recoiling of our pains " kills us. When our peace returns tous, whenwe ſpend

" our ſtrength to make men more nought than they were; " this wounds our hearts : Which ſhouldbe confidered by finners, tokill one's ſelf, and one's miniſter too, which would

" ſave them; what a bloody condition is this ? † Every drop " that hath fallen from our heart and hand, from our eye- " lids, and eye-brows, ſhallbe all gathered up, and put as mar- " ginalnotes by all our labours, and all put inonevolume toge- " ther, and this volumeput in your hands at the greatday, and " openedleaf after leaf, and read distinctlyand exactly toyou."

Chriſtians, you hear our cafe, you see our work, now a little to chear our ſpirits in the midst of our hard and killing labours,

God ſends us to you for a little refreshment, that, by beholding your holy and heavenly converſation, your chearful obedience, and ſweet agreement in the ways ofGod; we may be comforted over all theſe troubles, 2 Thef. i. 3, 4.

And will you wound and kill our hearts too ? O what a cut will this be !

Fourthly, God hathfurther usefor holiness ofyour lives ; this ferves todaunt the hearts, and overawe the confciences ofhis, and your enemies. And fometimes ithath hada ſtrange influence, and effect upon them.

There is a great dealof awful Majesty in holiness, and when it ſhines upon the confcience ofawicked man, itmakes him ſtoop, and do obeyſance to it.

Which turns toa teſtimony for Chriſt and his ways before the world.

Thus Herod was over-awedby the ftrict andholy lifeofJohn, he fearedhim, knowing that he was ajuſt and holy man,and obferved

(or preſerved and ſaved) him.

That bloody tyrant was convinced in his confcience ofthe worth and excellency ofthat fervant ofGod, andwas forced to reverence him for his holiness.

So Darius, Dan. vi. 14, 18, 19, 20. What conflicts hadhe himself about Daniel, whom he had condemned ; his confcience condemned him, for condemning ſo holy, and righteous a perſon. " Then theking went

" tohis palace, and paſt the night in faſtings ; neitherwere in- " ſtruments of muſic brought before him, and his fleep went

66 fromhim. Hegoes early in the morning to theden, and cries " with a lamentable voice, O Daniel, ſervant ofthe livingGod."

How much is this for the honour of holiness, that it conquers the very perfecutors of it ; and makes them ſtoop tothe meanest

* Lockyer, upon the Coloffians, p. 551.

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The Fountain of Life.

ſervant ofGod ! It is faid ofHenry II. of France, that he was ſodaunted by the heavenly majeſty of a poor taylor that was burnt before him, that he went home ſad, and vowed, that he would never be preſent at the death of fuch men any more.

When Valencethe emperorcame in perſon to apprehend Bafil, he fawſuch majeſty in his very countenance, that he reeled at the very fight ofhim; and had fallen backward to the ground, had nothis fervant ſtept in to ſupporthim. O holiness, holiness, thou art aconqueror.

So much, O Chriſtians, as you ſhew of it inyour lives, ſomuchyou preſerveyour intereſt intheconfciences ofyour enemies : caſt offthis, andtheydeſpiſeyou preſently.

Fifthly, and lastly, Godwill use the purity of your converſations, to judgeand convince the worldin the great day ‡.

It is true, theworld ſhall bejudgedby the gospel, but your lives ſhall alſo be produced as a commentary upon it; andGodwill not only thew themby the wordhow they ought to have lived, but bring forth your lives and ways to ſtop their mouths, by ſhewing how others did live.

Andthis I ſuppoſe is intended in that text, I Cor. vi . 2. " The faints ſhalljudgethe world, yea,

" we ſhalljudgeAngels ;" that is, our examples are to condemn their lives and practices, as Noah, Heb. xi. 7. is faid tocondemntheworld by building the ark, i. e. his faith in the threatning, and obedience to the command, condemned their ſupineneſs, infidelity and diſobedience.

They saw him every day about that work, diligently preparing for a deluge, and yet were not moved with the like fear that he was; this left them inexcuſable : fo whenGod ſhall ſay in thatday to the careleſs world, didyou not fee the care, and diligence, theholy zeal, watchfulneſs, and ſelf-denial, ofmy people,who lived among you ? How many times have theybeen watching, and praying, when you have been drinking, or fleeping! Was it not eaſy to reflect whenyou saw their pains, and diligence; have not I a foul to look after as well as they ; a heaven to win or loſe, as well as they ? O how ſpeechleſs and inexcuſable will this render wicked men, yea, it ſhallnot onlybeused tojudge them,but angels alfo.

Howmanyſhocks oftemptationshave poor faints ſtood ;whereas † When therefore the faithful are faid to fit injudgment with Chriſt, it must be understood, not of any authorityand power of judging of themselves, but, (1.) Of that which is giventhem in Chrift their lead.

(2.) Of their approbation of the ſentence pronouncedby Chriſt.

Apoc. xix. 1.

(3.) Of their bearing witneſs by their miniſtry or converſation (against the wicked) andthe compariſon oftheir own lives with theirs, by which the juſtice of the Judge ſhallbemanifeſt,

The Fountain of Life.

SERM. XLII.

they fell without a tempter ? They stood notin their integrity, though created in ſuch excellent natures ; how much then are you concernedon this veryaccount alſo, to walk exactly ! if not instead ofjudging them, you ſhall be condemned with them.

And thus you feewhat use your lives and actions ſhall be put to; and are theſe inconfiderable uſes? Is the winning overfouls toGod a ſmall matter? Is the ſalving the honour, and reputa tion ofgodliness, a ſmall matter ? Isthe encouraging the hearts, and ftrengthening the hands of God's poor miniſters, amidſt their ſpending, killing labours, a ſmall matter ? Is the awing of theconſciencesof your enemies, and judging them in the laſt day, a light thing ? Which oftheſe canyou call fo ?

Othen, finceyou are thus obliged toholiness oflife, thus fingularly affifted for it ; and ſince there are ſuch great dependencies upon it, and uſes for it, both now, and in the world to come; fee that ye be holy in all manner of converfation,

See that, " as yehave received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſoye walk in " him;" always remembring, that, for this very end, Chrift hath redeemed, or " delivered you out ofthe hands ofyour enemies, that you might ſerve him without fear, inrighteouf.

" neſs and holiness all the days ofyour lives," Luke i. 74, 75.

And tohow little purpoſe will be all that I have preached, and you have heard, ofChriſt, ifit be not converted into practical godliness ? This is the ſcope and defign of it all.

And now, Reader, thou artcome to the laſt leafof this trea tiſe ofChriſt, itwill be buta little while, and thou shaltcome to the laft page or day ofthy life ; andthy laſt moment in thatday.

Wo, to thee, wo and alas for ever, ifan intereſt in this bleſſed Redeemer be then toget.

The world affords not a fadder fight, than a poor Chriſtleſs foul hivering uponthe brink of eternity.

To fee the poor foul that now begins to awake out of its long dream, at its entrance intothe world ofrealities, to ſhrink back intothebody, and cry, O Icannot, Idare not die. And then the tears run down.

Lord, what will become ofme ? O what shall bemy eternal lot ? This, I ſay, is as fad a fight as the worldaffords.

That this may not be thy caſe, reflect upon what thou haſt read in theſe fermons; judge thyſelfin the light of them.

Obey the calls ofthe Spirit in them.

Let not thy flight and formal ſpirit, float uponthe furfaceoftheſe truths, like a feather upon pon the water; butgetthem deeply fixed upon thy ſpirit, by the Spirit ofthe Lord; turning them into life andpower upon thee; andſo animating thewhole courſe and tenor ofthy con. verſation by them, that it may proclaim to all that know thee, thatthou art one who eſteemeſt all to be but droſs, that thou mayſt win Chriſt .

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