i- ^m

:M:^

^•^-•" •

SERMONS.

BY

DR. DODDRIDGE.

SERMONS,

ON

VARIOUS SUBJECTS.

BY

PHILIP DODDRIDGE, D. D.

IN FOUR VOLUMES. VOL. III.

^i^ ^^^

LONDON:

PUBLISHED BY J. HATCHARD AND SON, PICCADILLY.

1826.

€. a«D €. CLTljItthtfi'OaiK, (Iljisiloid?.

CONTENTS.

VOL. III.

SERMON I.

THE spirit's witness TO OUR ADOPTION DESIR- ABLE AND ATTAINABLE.

Page

Romans, viii. 16. — Fo?' the Spirit witnesseth with our spirit that we are the children of God 1

SERMON II.

OF KNOWING THE HOPE OF OUR CALLING.

Epheslans, i. 18. — The eyes of our understanding be- ing enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints 26

SERMON III.

OF KNOWING THE HOPE OF OUR CALLING.

Ephesians, i. 18. — The eyes of your understanding be- ing enlightened, that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints 56

vi CONTENTS.

SERMON IV.

THE REFUGE OF GOD's CHILDREN.

Page

Proverbs, xiv. 0,6. — In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence^ and his children have a place of refuge 84

SERMON V.

OF THE FOLLY OF LAYING UP EARTHLY TREA- SURE IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD.

Luke, xii. 21. — So is he who layeth up treasure for himself J and is not rich towards God t... 110

SERMON VI.

OF THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN FAITH AND UN- BELIEF IN THE GRACIOUS SOUL.

Mark, ix. 24. — Lordj I believe ; help thou mine un- belief 134

SERMON VII.

CIIRIST's COMING IN THE CLOUDS.

Revelations, i. 7. — Behold, he comes with clouds, and evert/ eye shall see him, and they also that pierced him ; and all the kindreds of the earth shall mourn because of him. Even so, Amen 154

SERMON VIII.

OF HABITUAL AND OF ACTUAL PREPARATION FOR THE lord's supper, AND MORE PARTICULARLY OF SELF-EXAMINATION.

1 Corinthians, xi. 28. — But let a man examine hitn- self and so let him eat of this bread, and drink of this cup 17C)

CONTENTS. Vll

SERMON IX.

JUDAH REJOICING IN ITS COVENANT ENGAGE- MENTS TO GOD.

Page

2 Chronicles, xv. 15. — And all Judah rejoiced at the

oath : for they had sworn with all their heart, and

sought him with their whole desire; and he was

found of them: and the Lord gave them rest round

about 202

SERMON X.

god's just RESENTMENTS OF THE SLIGHTS TUT UPON HIM BY A PROFESSING PEOPLE.

Zeehariah, xi. 12, 13. — And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver: and the Lord said unto me. Cast it unto the potter : a goodly price that I was prized at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the Lord 226

SERMON XI.

PAUL GIVEN BACK TO THE CHURCH THROUGH THE PRAYERS OF HIS CHRISTIAN FRIENDS.

Philemon, verse 22. — / trtist that through your prayers I shall be given unto you 253

SERMON XII.

THE DUST RETURNING TO THE EARTH, AND THE SPIRIT TO GOD.

Ecclesiastes, xii. 7' — Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was ; and the spirit shall return to God who gave it 278

VIII CONTENTS.

SERMON XIII.

THE BELIEVER COMMITTING HIS DEPARTING

SPIRIT TO JESUS.

Pac;c

Acts, vii. 59- — Lord Jesus, receive my spirit 302

SERMON XIV.

THE DIVINE PRESENCE IN DEATH THE SUPPORT OF THE GOOD MAN.

Psalm xxiii. 4. — Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I rciUfear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me 336

SERMON I.

THE spirit's witness TO OUR ADOPTION DESIRABLE AND ATTAINABLE.

Rom. viii. 16.

For the Spirit witnesseth ivith our spirit that we are the children of God.

If a bare external attendance upon ordinances serm. would make men wise and good by a me- ^ chanical necessity, your profiting would soon appear unto all men. But it is a certain truth, that we may as reasonably expect to be cured by the sight of a medicine, as to be edified merely by the sound of the gospel. It is serious reflection and heart application that render ordinances useful. God and your own consciences only know how far this has been bestowed on what was lately offered to you from these words ; in which I have, in the general, shown you what we are to understand by the witness of the Spirit, and how it may be distinguished from vain and

VOL. III. B

2 THE SPIRIT S WITNESS TO

si:rm. delusive hopes. One would think that you v^^C^ should seriously have examined yourselves : one would imagine that such important truths might have deserved and commanded a repeated review. But if any of you have not bestowed such a review upon them, permit me to say that ye do greatly err, as, I hope, you will see when, with me, you have considered,

III. The happiness of those who have the Spirit thus witnessing with their spirit, that the}} are the children of God. Which will evidently appear, if we consider the ten- dency which such an evidence has to make duty easy, and temptation contemptible; affliction light, and death itself desirable. We will a little more particularly consider each of these.

1. What a tendency this witnessing of the Spirit has to make duty easy. Every thing has so which tends to quicken and enlarge the soul, by the exercise of hope and love, when wisely directed and fixed. I will run, says David, in the ways of thy ' Ps cix. commands when thou shalt enlarge my heart ^. And what can have a greater tendency to .promote this blessed effect than the Spirit's

OUR ADOPTION ATTAINABLE. 3

testimony that we are the children of God? serm. since that testimony naturallv leads us to regard the whole rule of our duty as the command of a Father; and to expect cheer- fully his assistance, acceptance, and reward, notwithstanding all our imperfections. It tends to endear our duty to us while we consider it as performing our Father's com- mands. What can be more reasonable, and, to a well disposed child, what can be more delightful ? " God is my father,'' does a Christian say, " and then I can assure myself that as all his commands are wise,^they are kind too. He abridges me of nothing which would on the whole be proper for me. He lays upon me no unnecessary burthen. What he commands is for my sake and not for his own. My soul, be satisfied in that it is thy Father's will : the will of a Father who loves thee, and whom thou hast all imaginable rea- sons to love. My soul, canst thou imagine an 7 stronger engagement? Behold what manner of love he has bestowed upon me ! to spare me wdiilst an enemy ! and not only so, but to make me a son ! to give to me all these privileges and these hopes ! to visit me daily with the tokens of his friendly care ! to lead

b2

I.

4 THE spirit's witness TO

SERM. and guide me by his counsel ! and at length . to take me, as he quickly will, to dwell with him. Why, these are favours that would be but poorly acknowledged, if every re- maining moment of my being were to be employed in praising and in serving him. Blessed God ! why can I do no more for thee? Oh that I had the faculties of an angel to engage in this blessed cause ! Oh that here I could lay aside these mortal infirmities, that I might never be weary though I should never rest. ^To think that I am servino' thee^ is its own reward. It brings along with it a reward which nothing else can give." And I may add, that as many of the duties of life consist in those that relate immediately to converse with God, the tendency of this witness of the Spirit to endear them is most apparent. For who would not love to converse with such a Father? and as for acts of humanity and benevolence, besides that the very thought of having received such vast treasures, may incline us freely to give, according to our ability, the remembrance of our common relation to each other as members of the same body, children of the same family, and

I.

OUR ADOPTION ATTAINABLE. C

heirs of the same hope, will be a farther serm. spring of a sublimer charity, than human considerations alone could produce. Again: This testimony will render duty easy, as it will assure us of our Father's assistance. " If I am a child of God, how much has he already done to make and to keep me so ? Consider it, O my soul, as an encourage- ment to hope for the rest. Go to him with a holy freedom. Seek to the throne of his prrace for the more abundant effusion of his quickening sanctifying spirit. It is already thine, it already works in some degree as a Spirit of adoption. The remaining work shall be done in its time. God will carry it on till the day of the Lord:" and I may add, that it encourages our hope of being graciously accepted and rewarded. " Num- berless imperfections do, indeed, visit me on every side: but a father is pleased with the feeblest efforts which his children make to serve him, if done in the integrity of their hearts. With respect to them, it is evident where there is a willing mind it is accepted according to what they have, and not according to what they have not. So will God be gra- cious, and excuse all my many infirmities; /or

O THE SPIRIT S WITNESS TO

SERM. he knows our frame, and as a father pities his ^. — / children, so he pities them who fear him. He will accept my poor attempts, and he will reward them, though they deserve nothing at his hands. Though I am an unprofitable servant, he will treat me as a dear son, and condescend so far as by promise to make himself my debtor, and say he will not be unrighteous to forget my work of faith, and labour of love. Be thou steadfast and im- moveable, O my soul ! ahcaijs abounding in the work of the Lord. There is a glorious inheritance for thee, in comparison of which all thy labours, and all thy sorrows, are as a feather weighed against talents of gold." Thus does the witness of the Spirit make duty easy.

2. It renders temptations much less forci- ble than they would otherwise be. And this in various respects, as it forms the soul for communion with God, and fills it with high hopes of a sublime and exalted happmess. Whatever Satan can oifer as the price of our innocence will appear mean and contemp- tible. The soul will be formed to a higher relish, and therefore the bait will not take. What! shall I, a child of God, an heir of

OUR ADOPTION ATTAINABLE. 7

ghrij, debase myself, and dishonour my serm.

family by stooping so low ? What ! did God , J.^

call me to these honours and privileges that I might pollute them in the dust? Let me with a generous disdain abhor the thought. Shall I act so ungrateful a part ? Is this my love ? Is this my duty to my heavenly Father? O my soul, dost thou thus thank him? How justly may he repay it by with- drawing his spirit, by hiding his face, by treating me as an enemy ! and how sad will that be ! how will the distress of those doleful hours be aggravated by all the light, and pleasure, and happiness, which I now enjoy ! by those delightful sealings of his gracious spirit ! get thee behind me, Satan, if thou wouldest draw me into this, thou enemy of my honour, my peace, and my safety ! Rather, O my soul ! much rather, may every enjoyment be given up, and every hardship endured with this delightful view and assurance, than any thing done upon any consideration whatsoever, to hazard and endanger them.

3. This witness of the Spirit will have a tendency to make our afflictions light ; for it will show us that all our afflictions are chosen

I.

8 THE spirit's witness TO

SERM. by our Heavenly Father's wisdom, softened y by his presence, sanctified by his grace, and shall finally subserve the purposes of his love in the improvement of our final happiness. It will show us that our afflictions are chosen by our Father's wisdom and love. " These seem, indeed," will the Christian say, "to be evil ; but God sees them in another light, or he would not surely send them upon me his child. He has forgiven my sins, he has re- ceived my soul ; and surely he does not now smite me in anger. It is, if need be, that I am in heaviness. My stroke is painful, but it is what he makes it. The thing which I feared is come upon me ; but my Father brought it on, knowing it fit to work a nobler and better effect than could have been pro- duced in any other way. Let me be satisfied in this, if I know not the reason why this is sent, my Father knows it, and that is enough." Again, this will show us that our afflictions are attempered and moderated by his pre- sence. " He sits by as the refiner, and sees how the furnace performs its operations, and moderates it as he sees fit. He stays his i^ough wind in the day of his east wind. And hs every now and then breathes a fresher

OUR ADOPTION ATTAINABLE. 9

gale upon my soul, and speaks to me in the serm. language of peace and love ; so that whilst my v^^ J,^ afflictions abound, my consolations in Christ abound much more. And welcome the afflic- tion, when so attended ! It further shows that he w ill sanctify them by his grace ; and this makes them lighter. " If I am a child of God, I am chastened for my profit, that I may be partaker of his holiness. He is doing my soul good by bringing me nearer to him- self, fitting me for further communications of his favour here and hereafter : and in this view, far, far be it from me to complain ! Especially since this testimony of the Spirit shows that all afflictions will end in the im- provement of our eternal happiness. And this is a thought of great consolation. These light afflictions work out a far more exceeding and etej-nal weight of glory. True, they are painful now, but hereby the seed is sown which will spring up in a harvest of joy. I go forth weeping, bearing precious seed, hut shall doubtless come again rejoicing. When my Father has brought me up, as he quickly will, and has shown me all the various pro- gress of the way, I shall find that all was completely right ; and shall see those things

10 THE SPIRIT S WITNESS TO

SERM. to be matter of praise, of which I am now under temptation to complain. My tears will quickly be wiped away ; and, therefore, in the mean time, I will weep, as though I wept not." And, indeed, the soul will be so taken up with admiration, and love, and praise, that it will have little leisure and little inclination to complain and grieve ; whatever afflictions it may meet with in this house of its pilgrimage.

4. This sealing of the Spirit will have a great tendency to make death comfortable; for it will assure the Christian of the Divine presence in his dying moments, and of eter- nal glory to succeed a short trial. " Shall I be afraid to die," will the Christian say, " when my Father will be with me ? Earthly friends must, indeed, be separated. I must pass through the dark valley of the shadow of death alone : but why should I be terrified at that, whilst God speaks to me in these w ords : Fear not, for I am zcith thee, &c: and surely if he be with me, I need not fear. Let the M icked fear to die, who die as by the sword of Divine vengeance : but surely I can say. Death, thou mayest kill me, but thou canst not hurt mc.'' Will not death, may the Chris-

OUR ADOPTION AITAINABLE. 11

tian say, convey me to a world of glory? serm. Thou a child of God, and afraid of thine in- ,^; heritance ? Why, it is the thing which thou hast chosen : it is what thou hast been wait- ing for so many years : it is that, the expec- tation of which has borne thee through so many troubles, or thou hadst sunk/' And when the soul knows that it is going to that blessed world, doubts and fears in a dying hour are terrible indeed. But when the light of God's countenance is lifted up, it is better, far better than the day and hour of birth ; and so will it appear to us if God will not then fail us with his aid, and will continue to us the witness of his Spirit. I hope that all this will engage you earnestly to desire the witness of the Spirit that you are the children of God. All that remains in the prosecution of the subject is,

IV. To direct you as to the attainment of it ; and the directions which I shall give are these.

1. Have high thoughts of the Spirit and his operations. Methinks, Christians should not need to be exhorted to this, when so great a stress is laid upon it in the word of

12 THE SPIRIT S WITNESS TO

SERM. God : and yet, how often is he shghted !

„^^^^ and, because some madmen have made wild and extravagant pretences to him, how fre- quently are all his operations represented as if all pretences to him were enthusiasm. I am sorry to say, that it is a prevailing evil of the present day, and I believe it to be a great source of many more. We have sinned against God, and vexed his Holy Spirit; and therefore he gives us up to many sins. La- bour, therefore, to see the need which you have of God's Spirit : and, for that purpose, consult scripture without prejudice ; and consult your own hearts. Think what you were without him : think what you are still, when deserted by him : think what blessed lives they spend who are under his constant influences ; and you will find that those who thus lionour Mm, he will honour. Besides, that this esteem for him will animate you to all the other methods of obtaining him.

2. Seek him as the Spirit of Christ. You well know that it is his business to glorify Christ ; and you must be disposed to glorify him before you can expect such a signal favour. In Christ you have received the adoption ; through him you must receive the

OUR ADOPTION ATl'AINABLE. 13

tokens of it. Consider Christ, therefore, as serm. purchasing these blessings, and labour to see .^^C-^/ his love in the value of them, and the manner in which they were procured. Consider him likewise as distributing then), and seek them as through his hands. Oh ! may Christ be exalted in your soul, and then will your con- solations probably abound. Whilst a scheme of religion, which leaves him out, is so desti- tute of these comforts that it is generally forced to seek its refuge in despising them as little things, most contrary to reason, most contrary to the whole tenor of scripture.

3. Avoid whatever would grieve the Spirit. Let me urge that exhortation : and grieve not the Spirit of God, whereby you are sealed to the day of redemption'^ . It is true that he 'i^ph. iv. acts as a sovereign agent ; so does God in many works of nature and providence. But mock him not so far as to presume upon it that he will therefore make no difference be- tween the humble and watchful soul, and the careless and profane. Consider it: Know you not that your bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost? Take care that you do not in any way defile them. jBe ye holy, as your Father in

14 THE SPIRIT S WITNESS TO

r

SERM. heaven is holy. Be ye kind and good as he is.

v^,^ Delight in all the exercises of mutual love, and forbearance, and forgiveness. Endeavour to abstract your hearts from this vain world, and to set them more and more upon a better. These, my friends ! these are the fruits of the Spirit. To cultivate these is the way to ob- tain him. I only add one thing more on this head : i. e. Take care, when you feel good inclinations working in your mind, that you do not overbear them. Sometimes indulge to extraordinary retirement and devotion in consequence of these : and whatever your hands find to do, at such a season especially, do it with all your might. It is the way to make great dispatch in religion, and to ad- vance apace in a fitness for heaven.

4. Grudge not repeated applications to the throne of grace in order to obtain it. It is not to be expected that so great a blessing will be given in answer to a few faint praj^ers. ^.sA,", and it shall he given you ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall he opened unto you : for every one that asketh, receiveth ; and he that seeketh,findeth ; and to him that knock-

3 Luke xi. eth, it shall he opened'^'. Christ spake a parable

9, 10.

OUR ADOPTION AITAINABLE. 15

on purpose to teach men this, that they ought serm. always to pray, and not tofaint"^. Plead hard, v^C^^ therefore, at the throne of grace. Lav hold ^ ^.V^f

' O J XVlll. 1.

on God bj faith, and say, " Lord, I will not let thee go till thou bless me : I will not let thee go till thou take off the burthen from my mind ; till thou take me in the arms of thy love, and say, Son, daughter, he of good com- fort/' Should you lie low before God day after day, and month after month, on this occasion, and at length obtain it, the success would be a rich equivalent.

5. Cheerfully depend on every present hope, though it may be attempered with a I mixture of fear. It is a good thing to have good hope through grace, even when we have not full assurance. And, indeed, I believe it is in every respect the best way to obtain further favour, to be thankful for what we have already received. And, to excite you to it, do not only compare yourselves with those whose comforts are greater; but also with those whose attainments are lower than yours. Pray remember how many poor Christians are now going in the bitterness of their hearts, mourning, and bowed down

16 THE spirit's AVITNESS TO

SERM. greatly, and weeping all the day long, just ^^ J.^^ on the borders of despair, and fearing every moment that they shall drop into it : afraid even of God himself, afraid of prayer, and thinking, every time they go to the throne of grace, that they go for the last time, and never shall have the heart or power to go again. Think how many are left to aposta- tize from God, and to wound their consciences, and, by vain, foolish, worldly pursuits, to pierce themselves through with mami sorrows. Praise God for his preserving and for his supporting presence ; that you have his com- forting Spirit to so great a degree : and then consider what you have. Does he not some- times dravv' out your souls in secret devotion, and in public worship? Does he not sometimes give you great encouragement on sabbath days, and on sacrament occasions ? Be com- forted with this, and look upon it as some token for good, that at length he will com- ^plete his own work. In the mean time, bless him that he has begun it.

6. Seriously consider what are the chief occasions of your remaining doubts. For this purpose be often searching and trying your-

OUR ADOPTION ATTAINABLE. 17

selves^ and noting down, if you have leisure serm.

and opportunity, the result of your inquiry. ^J

At such and such a time I had greater com- fort, and at another greater fear and suspi- cion. And whence did that arise? I will endeavour to suggest some more particular thoughts here, in the form of queries, which I beg that you would put seriously to your- selves,

1. Do not doubts arise from the want of regularity and fervour in your devotions % Perhaps there are some of you who live in the frequent neglect of secret prayer : and if you do, how can you expect that the spirit should be given which is to be obtained by prayer, and is most likely to be obtained by that sort of prayer in which your wants and your complaints can be most particularly opened before God ? Perhaps the word of God is seldom seriously read by you : and do you expect that you should know your- selves, if you do not try yourselves by that standard ? Perhaps you find wandering thoughts prevailing in duty, and you do not guard against them. You do not, perhaps, take a moment's retirement just before you are coming to God's house to lift up your

VOL. III. c

18 THE spirit's witness TO

SERM. heart to God. You come, perhaps, so late that you are all in a hurry ; or if you are in the little, very little number of those who are here before the minister; perhaps you are talking with each other, and seem to make it your choice to come into the house of God after his worship is begun, thereby to be sure losing some advantage for composing your mind into a proper temper. You do not, perhaps, take time to reflect upon what has past, to try yourselves by what you have heard, to consider how you have behaved ; and, if so, can you wonder that you improve but little in comfort, the natural consequence of improving but little in grace.

2. It may be, carnal indulgences, and the love of pleasure may keep your comfort low, and hinder the witness of the Spirit in your heart. Those who are Christ's have crucified the Jlesh, nith its affections and lusts. They can deny themselves, on all proper occasions, for Christ. And if you have not learned this, how can you expect to know that you are his ? It may be that you are, on the con- trary, mf/AiV^o-pT-ot/v'stoyi/br^/ie^es/?, and never think yourselves happy but when you are in one form or another indulging it. Perhaps

16.

OUR ADOPTION ATTAINABLE. 1.9

you have a relish for all the vain pleasures, serm. and vain converse of the world : and some- times approach to the utmost of what is law- ful in meats, and drink, and dress, and mirth ; and sometimes, perhaps, you go beyond it. And is this the way to invite the spirit of holi- ness and piety? IValk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the ftesh^. Was ' Gai. v. it any thing peculiar to Paul, that he alone should keep down the flesh and bring it into subjection, lest he should be cast away? I am sorry that any should dream of difterent ways to heaven. There is but one strait gate, there is but one narrow way, and they, who cannot be content to walk in it, are so far from having any reason to wonder that they do not know themselves to be the children of God, that, on the contrary, they may rather know that they are not.

3. Irregular passions, whether of resent- ment or desire, will greatly obstruct the wit- ness of the Spirit. To have our hearts vio- lently agitated with any thing relating merely to this world is a temper not becoming the Christian, not agreeable to the tendency of that heavenly spirit. To love the world, and the things that are iji the world, to be too solicitous

c 2

20 THE spirit's witness to

to possess or to retain them is a temper which we should guard against. But especially should it be remembered, that the spirit of wrath and resentment is most unbecomino; those who expect the influences of the Spirit of love. When the little clashings of tempo- ral interest interfere with the love that there ought to be among Christians, and they can allow themselves to treat each other like strangers, and like enemies, it is no wonder if the effects be very uncomfortp.ble ; or, if you examine yourselves at such a time, that you should see little to comfort you.

4. Do not your doubts arise from exces- sive care? You plunge yourselves, perhaps, in greater business than you can well attend to. Your whole life is one continued hurry, from Monday morning to Saturday night, which perhaps sometimes enters on Sabbath- days, and leaves you so weary that you can- not attend to the business of that holy day. And why all this fatigue to provide for your families ? Nay, but do not you know in your consciences that you might provide for them without this excessive application ? Not so plentifully, perhaps you will say ; and I must add, it is not necessary that they should be

I.

OUR ADOPTION ATTAINABLE. 21

SO plentifully provided for. It is better that serm. they should want somethings in the elegance of their table, and their dress, than that these things, which perhaps may be a snare rather than advantage to them, should be pur- chased at the expense of your improvement in religion. Remember that the mind of man is of a very limited nature. Remember that yon cannot serve God and Mammon : and remember further (for it is a thought of importance, though a digression from the present subject) that as it is in vain for you to rise up early, and sit up late, without the Divine blessing, so that it is most probably to be secured by honouring him, and labour- ing above all things to secure your salvation and the evidences of it.

5. Do not your doubts arise from a cen- sorious tamper? It is impossible that the Spirit of God should delight to dwell where love does not dwell. And is it consistent with love to be always thinking the worst that we can imagine, and speaking the worst that we can think. Perhaps you are ready, not indeed to invent, but to take up a re- proach against your neighbour. One of the first to hear, one of the first to report a

'22 THE Sl'IiilTS WITNESS TO

SERM. spiteful unkind story. It is a great reproach

^ .'^^ to your character and profession, for it

must soil and discompose your spirits, as well as divert your thoughts from far more important things. If some Christians would spend half that time in judging themselves which they spend in arraigning the faith, the worship, the practice of others, they would be as much the glory of religion as they are now its reproach. This humour must be corrected, if you expect the witness of the Spirit.

6. Do not your apprehensions arise from an indolent neglect of the proper duties of life ? Religion requires an entire dedication of ourselves to the service of God, and a constant intention of serving and glorifying him. Idleness quencheth the Spirit. When the sluggard tiuiis upon his bed, as a door upon the hinges; when time is profusely thrown away for a variety of trifles without any steady care to attend to the business of life, and perhaps too (which is often con- nected with the former) to very little pur- pose of pleasure or entertainment ; religious comfort must be much impaired, and a secret fear of the doom of the unprofitable servant

OUR ADOPTION AITAINABLE. 23

will take possession of the mind. The Spirit serm. of Christ is a spirit of zeal ; and where there is no zeal for his service, there is a great deal of reason to question whether there be any spiritual life. On the whole, let these parti- culars be reviewed ; and if you have reason to apprehend that any of these have been the occasion of your former doubts, be upon your guard against them for the time to come.

V. I shall conclude with a very few words by way of application :

1. To those who are unconcerned about this testimony of the Spirit. Perhaps there are such among you ; perhaps some who secretly despise what I have now said as vanity and enthusiasm. If there are, indeed, any such among you, may God extend his infinite compassions to you ; for you are on the borders of ruin. This I think may be laid down as a certain rule : they who are not concerned about the testimony of the Spirit have little sense of the importance of the in- heritance ; and they who have little value for that cannot be the children of God : and if you are not the children of God, whose

24 THE spikit's witness to

SERM. children are jou? Oh! that you would seri- ously consider it. You are the children of Satan, the heirs of everlasting destruction. I profess to you, as in the presence of God, that I know not a more dreadful sight on this side hell than a sinner who hears of these gospel privileges from day to day, and per- petually despises them.

2. To those who desire this testimony : I have addressed myself to you with many directions already. I can only add that I would not have you imagine that by merely wishing for it you will obtain it. The desire of the slothful only kills and torments him, because his hand refuses to labour : and if you do, indeed, desire so great a blessing, you must be up, and doing, and labouring in good earnest for it. You must seek it by prayer. Oh ! seek it cs silver, and search for it as for hidden treasure. If you do not think it worth a serious pursuit, it is to be feared that you have but little true value for it.

3. I conclude with one word to the happy souls who have already received it. My friends ! I congratulate you on this singular happiness. Acknowledge the goodness of God to you. He might have left you with

OUR ADOPTION ATTAINABLE. 25

the doubting Christian ; he might have left serm. you with the damned sinner ! Let jour hearts be enlarged in gratitude and love. Walk worthy of the Lord to all zeell pleasing. Value this inestimable privilege, and take heed that you do not lose it : on the contrary, study to improve in it more and more : labour to im- prove in it more and more. Labour to pro- mote the spiritual joy of others : and whilst in that respect you zmter therti, you will be watered yourselves also. May that God, who is able to make all grace to abound, refresh your souls with the continued influences of this good Spirit ! May he bear witness with your spirits that you are his children; and may you, like the sons of God, be blameless and without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, shining amongst them as lights in the world, and holding forth the word of light, that they, seeing your good works, may, with you, glorify your Heavenly Father. Amen.

26 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERMON II.

or KNOWING THE HOPE OF OUR CALLING.

Ephesians, i. 10.

The eyes of oxir iinderstanding being enlightened, that ye may knoio what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

SERM. When our Lord is cautioning his disciples v^^A^ against an immoderate solicitude about the things of this world, he urges this considera- tion among others, Aftei^ all these things do ' Matt. vi. the GentUes seek^ : and it is no wonder that

37.

they should seek after them, who had no hopes of a better state, and were without God in the world. But it is matter of very melancholy reflection that Christians should, in so many instances, forget their high birth, and their heavenly hope, and grovel on this polluted earth, as if they were not only natives of it, but had their portion only in this life. To raise you, if possible, to sublimer sentiments, and to

II.

OF OUR CALLING. 27

a more worthy and generous temper, was the serm. design of my discourse last Lord's Day, when I laid before you the perfection of the heavenly state, as opposed to the imperfections with which we are here continually surrounded. And yet. Christians, must we not acknow- ledge, to our shame and condemnation, that we have been too ready to pursue the vain trifles of life to the forgetfulness of that completely perfect state. Where have our thoughts, our affections, our expectations been ? Alas ! too much, undoubtedly, here below, though I hope, through grace, not entirely here. Let me then take up the words of the apostle, and turn them into a prayer for myself and you, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christy the Father of glojy, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation ; and may so enlighten the eyes of your understandings that ye may know what is the hope of his callings and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance iri the saints'^. St. Paul is here telling his friends at ''Ephes. i. Ephesus what those blessings were which he, with the greatest importunity, asked of God for them in prayer, and when you come to survey them with attention, you will find that they were not blessings out of the corn floor or

17, 18.

28 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. the wine press, but those that related to their estabhshment in the Christian faith, and their growing meetness for eternal glory. He prayed ^/za^ the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, might give unto them the Spirit of nisdom and revelation, in the know- ledge of him. I might, with great ease and propriety, raise many very useful observations or remarks from these words, as that heaven is a rich and glorious Divine inheritance of the saints, and that this is the great hope of the Christian ; that many who are partakers thereof do not sufficiently know this hope ; that, in order to know it, it is necessary that the eyes of our understanding shoidd he en- lightened by Divine influences ; and that eyes enlightened are so great a blessing that we should pray for them, both with respect to ourselves and to our Christian friends. These observations I might particularly insist upon ; but what is most natural in them will come in under the following plan.

I. We may consider the view of heaven which is here given ; the hope of our calling, and the riches of the glory of God's inheritance in the saints.

II. We may inquire whence it comes to

OF OUR CALLING. 29

pass that it is so much unknown, even by seiim. those who are favoured with the Christian .^^^^ revelation, and have upon the whole cor- dially embraced it.

III. I will show you how desirable it is, that the eyes of our under standing may he so opened^ as that we may understand more of it.

IV. I will consider in what method we may comfortably expect that this should be effected.

V. Conclude with a brief application.

I. Let us a little more particularly con- sider the view of future happiness which is here given to us by the apostle. There is a noble and most instructive variety in the representation made of it in the word of God, and in this which is here presented. I think I may truly say, without any strained or affected criticism, that there is an admir- able force in every word which the apostle uses. He either intimates or declares that it is to be considered under the notion of an inheritance; of a Divine inheritance, rich and glorious ; an inheritance of, or among saints ; and the great hope of the Christian

30 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. calling. May God assist our devout medi- v^.^.^ tations upon it in each of these views.

1. It is an inheritance. So the scripture very frequently speaks of it ; and so it is called twice in the preceding part of this epistle, in whom we have obtained an inherit- 3Eph. 1. ajice^ : and thus the spirit, as the earnest of heaven, is called the earnest of our in- heritance. In allusion to this is that promise which so often occurs of inheriting eternal life. And even in the last sentence on the righteous, our Lord represents himself as mentioning heaven in this view: Come, ye *Matt. blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom'^. Now when a thing is called an inheritance, it may intimate, that it is for a while waited for, and that when received it is to be pos- sessed for perpetuity ; and, in both these respects, the representation here is very suit- able. Here is an inheritance which we are for a while to wait for. You know that it is thus with respect to estates which people are to inherit on earth, while they are in a state of minority. They do not immediately enter upon them. They are, perhaps, under tutors and governors, kept on short allowance, and servants have more under their command than

OF OUR CALLING. 31

they. Thus may it be with Christians now. serm. Thus, upon the whole, it is even with all of ^^'-,^y them; yet they are, as the apostle expresses it, heirs according to the promise; and tlie thought may reconcile us even to the straitest and most inconvenient circumstances, which our heavenly Father may at present allot. We shall, ere long, come to age, and then the inheritance will be received. In the meantime, perhaps, if we had more at our command, we should but waste it, and our Father might be dishonoured, and we our- selves might be injured by it. On this ac- count, to allude to the words of the apostle relating to affliction, if we had fathers of our flesh that abridged us, and we gave them reverence^ let us much more he subject to the Father of our spirits^. And then it is an^neb. xii. inheritance, as it is to be possessed for a perpetuity. An inheritance, you know, is generally an estate, which is settled and en- tailed upon a man, not for a term of years, but for life ; and, if he has not such a title to it, the phrase is seldom used. And, indeed, whenever it is used concerning any thing which we possess in this world, it is used in a very low sense, because, being with respect

32 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. to our bodies but tenants at will to the v^v^ great Lord of all, we are liable, whenever he pleases, to be turned out of every thing we have, and leave house and land to others : for we brought nothing into the world with tis, mid it is as certain that we can carry nothing away. But apply the word to the heavenly state, and it has a glorious propriety. That is an inheritance, indeed, which, if we once gain, we shall possess for ever, having no enemy to invade us, and there being liable to no mortality to deprive us of it. There- fore it is (as you already have heard) called an inheritance of eternal life ; and the pro- mise of it is called the promise of a?i eter- nal inheritance, of which the apostle Peter expresses a most affectionate sense when he is so thankful that God has begotten its again to a lively hope, of an inheritance in- corruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not *' 1 Pet. i. away^. Oh! that you all would be so wise as to pursue it, and that I might congratulate you as those who were rich and great for ever ; and, when you had nothing left of your worldly all, but your coffin and ^^our shrowd, your rejoicing spirit would look down upon ^ the poor, stript, mouldering clay, and would

OF OUR CALLING. 35

regard all which it had lost as nothing in serm. comparison of what it had gained and should _^ A^ possess for ever. Well, this is one part of the view, heaven is an inheritance.

2. It is a Divine inJieritance . So it is called his inheritance in the saints. And it may well be called so, because it is prepared and bestowed by God, and will consist in the resemblance and enjoyment of him. It is prepared and bestowed by God. His infinite wisdom formed the plan of our hap- piness, in a manner suitable to our nature and to his own ; and it is a most enhansing and endearing thought suggested in Matt. XXV. 34, (where Christ says to the righteous, Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundatio)i of the world), that God should have been emplojang himself in propagating the scheme, in laying the plan of this glo- rious abode even before we had a being; or, as it is said concerning wisdom, that even before man was formed, she delighted herself in the habitable parts of the earth, and her delights were with the children ofmen^. That 'Prov.viii. is, it was delightful to think of them as ^^' ^^* creatures who should enjoy so many delights.

VOL. III. ' D

34 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. TliLis does God, as it were, enjoy the pleasures

v^^^^ of his own prescience, in this view, with pecuhar rehsh. I know the thoughts that I

\TeT.\\h. think to you^ : and at length it will be re- ceived from the hands of God, through Christ, as the gift of his love and free grace. It is, indeed, called the reward of the inherit-

' Col. iii. ance ^; but it is a reward 7iot of debt, but of grace; therefore the apostle so expressly declared that whereas the wages of sin is

• Rom. vi death, eternal life is the gift of God^. And

23 • ...

indeed, when we seriously consider it, we shall see ourselves most unworthy of it, and could hardly be able to believe it were ever intended for us, were we not also told that we are predestinated to the adoption of * Eph. i. children, through Jesus Christ, to himself^. And then it may be further called his in- heritance, because it will consist in the re- semblance and enjoyment of him. It is most evident that the glory, and beauty, and happiness of the rational nature must consist in the resemblance of that God who is the great standard of perfection : and accordingly it is thus that the good regards it, as the great object of his hope.

11.

OF OUR CALLING. 35

unknown as it is in some of its particulars. SERM. We shall be like him. for zee shall see him as v^^J^^ he is. As for me, I shall behold his face in righteousness, S^c^: and this must be at-MJohniii. tended with the enjoyment of God. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness, his coun- tenance must behold the upright"^. With what ^Psai.xvii. mild beams of complacency and delight will he then behold us, when all our iniquities are purged away, and we stand forth in his complete resemblance, like a fair unsullied mirror, reflecting according to the degree which our weak nature can bear to it, the image of our heavenly Father. How rich shall we feel ourselves in the sense of an everlasting covenant with him. Therefore we are said to be heirs of God^ himself. 'Rom. Yiii. For then we may say, m a nobler sense than any saint upon earth could ever do, " The Lord is the portion of my inheritance, therefore, indeed, the lines are fallen to me in pleasant places^. This God is our God,'?s.Wu he will be our guide here, unto the death. No, he has been so, he has guided us beyond it, and death is no more. Lleart and flesh have failed; but they shall fail no more, for God is the strength of my heart,

D 2

36 OF KNOWING THE FIOPE

SERM. and known and felt as my portion for ever.

^J^J.^^ My God ! give me these durable riches, and scatter gold and jewels, and divide lands and tenements on earth to whom thou wilt. In thee I have enough, I have all." This leads me to add,

3. It is a rich and glorious inheritance. This is strongly expressed by that phrase. That ye may know what is the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, or what is his rich and glorious inheritance. This is a very common hebraism, and it is used often in this epistle. Thus it is said, he has predestinated ns to the praise of the glory of

Eph. i. his grace^ ; i. e. of his glorious grace; and ''^' in the next verse we have the forgiveness of sin according to the riches of his grace, i. e. his rich grace. And ver. 19, the working of his mighty power is in the original, the energy of the might of his power. It is rich, because there is content and magnificence. It is glorious, because there is a united lustre both of the bod}' and of the mind.

1. It is rich, because there is content and magnificence. Riches admit of a variety of degrees; but, I think that the first notion of them is, that a man is really rich who has

OF OUR CALLING. 37

as much as he wants: and upon this account serm. the contented man is always rich, even in ^^^-^^-^^ this world: and on this account Saint Paul, who could say, he had learned that blessed lesson, in whatever state he was therewith to be content^, does sometimes speak of himself" Piiii.iv. as if he were one of the richest creatures upon earth : we are, says he, as poor, yet making many rich, as having nothing, and yet as possessing all things^. .And had we more » 2 Cor. vi. of this blessed temper, it would turn cottages into palaces, or something better. But in heaven we shall have it completely. There, all those disorderly passions which are now ready to work in the mind, there the spirit too ready to lust, to envy, and to indulge in vain desires will be entirely subdued. The happy soul will look down on the gilded trifles of earth, and say, "what a world of things are there which I do not want.'' There will indeed be a variety in the degree of glory, but every one will be so perfectly persuaded of the wisdom and goodness by which these degrees are ad- justed, and will feel such an entire friendship for every superior spirit, will receive indeed so many favours from him, and will feel such a gradual rise even towards that happi-

38 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. ness which he possesseth, that there will be entire content and satisfaction, which there was not even in Adam's paradise itself: nor is that all, for there will be great magnifi- cence as well as content. Such as eye has not seen, 7ior ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man to conceive. On which account you well know that it is represented by the saints being made A:mgs to God^hy their appearing in bright robes, and with crowns of gold. And the poor afflicted church, zchile tossed ziith tempests, and not comforted, is taught to expect that blessed day, when its foundations shall be laid with sapphires, and all its borders with polished stones, and its windows shall be agate, and its gates carbun-

is. liv. cles^, such glorious things are spoken of thee, O thou city of God ! We add, therefore,

2. It is glorious, because there is the united lustre both of body and mind. Glory, pro- perly speaking, signifies something resplen- dent, something that shines forth brightly. Therefore that shining phenomenon, which was the token of the Divine presence in the cloud, is called the glory of the Lord, and often spoken of as distinct from the cloud in which it appeared: and, in allusion to the

11, 12

OF OUR CALLING. 39

reflections of those rays from the face of serm. Moses, it is said to the church, in reference k^^-J^^ to the gospel privileges, and especially its heavenly hope, Ai^ise and shijie, for thy light is come, for the glory of the Lord is arisen iiponthee^. And with how much propriety ' is. !xi. l this may be applied to the heavenly state, you will yourselves easily imagine, though in an imperfect degree. The body will have its lustre, undoubtedly it will, when it is said of it that the righteous shall shine forth as the sun, in the kins:dom of their Father^. ^Mdt.xiu.

. . . 43.

Nay, more than that is said even of the glorified body in heaven. For it is affirmed that he shall change their vile bodies, that they 7nay he made like unto his own glorious body. Now, when he was here upon earth, in the mountain of transfiguration ^, and when ^ Mat. xvii.

2.

he appeared to John, his countenance was as the sun shining in his strength^. Yet surely 'Rev. i.i 6. those happy apostles who were favoured with this vision could not have borne to behold it. in that splendour which it wears in the presence of his Father above; but as was said of Moses, when he spoke with the people, there was still something of a veil on his face. And we should think, in a manner

II.

40 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. most unworthy the Divine wisdom and love, if we imagine that all this lustre and glory of the body was appointed, like the ornaments of some heathen temple, to enshrine any mean polluted inhabitant. No ; undoubtedly the glories of the mind will be as superior to those of the body, as the nature of spirit is superior to matter in its brightest form and most exalted state. But in what I might have said here, I am in part pre- vented by what I have already said, of the holy soul bearing the resemblance of God, and of the blessed Redeemer. What is glorious in the human mind ? is it the love of God ever overflowing the soul, like a pure and sweet river, to water every plant of virtue and grace ? is it an entire acquies- cence in all his will ? an unwearied zeal for his glory and service ? is it unmingled dis- interested benevolence to all his fellow-crea- tures, and readiness in every imaginable instance to subserve and rejoice in their felicity ? is it a perpetual superiority of the power of the rational and intellectual nature over those of the sensitive soul, and a most exact subordination of appetites and passions to the great guiding and governing faculty ?

OF OUR CALLING. 41

There will be all this devotion and zeal, all serm, this benevolence and purity, all this order ^^^^^^^ and harmony of soul for ever: these, and a thousand times more virtues and graces, perhaps the very name and nature of which are yet unknown. For as the blessed God may have many perfections of which we have no idea, so may the blessed spirits ever resemble him in those perfections, and in- herit joys and glories, of which we have no more notion than a blind man could have of all the glories, all those mingled beauties of nature and art which in the finest landscape and the brightest day, pour in upon the clear and strong eye.

4. The text furdier teaches us to conceive of heaven, as the inheritance of the saints; in the saints, or among the saints. This is an expression that very frequently occurs in scripture. Give thanks, says the apostle, to the Father, who has made us meet to he pa?-- takers of an inheritance of the saints in light^.^Qo\.\.\'i. So when our Lord calls Paul, and gives him that memorable commission, it is, that they who were converted by his labours might receive the forgiveness of their sins, and an

42 OF KNOWING THE HOl'E

SERM. mheritance among them who are sanctifiecF. v^^^.^^. And when the apostle toot his leave of the 'Actsxxvi. Ephesian Elders, he recommended them to s Acts XX. thewordofhisgrace^^SLc. We may reasonably conclude that an expression which so often occurs has a very important meaning, and that it naturally suggests these two grand thoughts. That the heavenly state will be peculiar to saints, that it will be common to all such, and a state in which they shall, in a most delightful manner, enjoy the society of each other. We will a little more par- ticularly touch on each of these.

1. Heaven is an inheritance which will be peculiar to the saints. This is so important a thought, that the word of God is very frequently insisting upon it. We might in- deed argue from the nature of this happiness, consisting so much in sanctity of soul, that nothing which defiles should enter into the new Jerusalem. We might argue, that with- out holiness no one could with comfort see the Lord, nor inherit his kingdom unless he were horn again. But lest we should fail in making the inference, or lest the subtilty of human wit should evade the conclusion (as

OF OUR CALLING. 43

I think there is hardly any that it cannot serm. one way or another evade), God has declared v^^^J^^^ it in express terms. Be not deceived, says the apostle, God is not ^nocked: neither whore- mongers, nor adulterers, &c. shcdl inherit tlie kingdom of God^. On the contrary, the nCor.xi Wicked shall as surely go away into everlasting piinishment, as the righteous into life eternal^. 'Mat.xxv. The expectation of the wiched is death. And it is not only the foreboding of his own guilty mind, but built on the word of God itself, which declares (hear it and tremble, O ye heirs of hell, whatever your profession, or employment, or hopes be) indig7iation ajid wrath, tribulation and angidsh, shall he the portion of every man who does evil^. Nor ' Rom. ii. can any thing remain for such obstinate sinners, but a certain as well o^sfeatful look- ing for of wrath, when the Lord Jesus Christ shall he revealed in flaming fire, taking ven- geance on them who know not God, and obey 7iot the gospel of Jesus^, &c. And therefore let ' 2 Thes. i. this be written upon the tables of each of our hearts, that the happiness of which you have been hearing this day is intended only for saints. However the world may deride the name, God will honour it on another day, and

44 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. those, and only those, who have here worn

II. . ...

\^J^^ the image of his Hohness. So you must see

to the truth of that blessed principle in your souls, as ever you hope to have a part and lot in that matter ; and if you do not, I testify to you, this day, that you will surely perish, and I call God to record upon my soul that I am clear of the blood of all: and sooner shall heaven itself pass aw ay than its golden gates be opened to admit any but a holy soul.

2. It further intimates that it will be common to all such : that every saint of God shall have his final portion and inherit- ance there. It is a great and important truth, that there are degrees of glory, cor- respondent to different improvements in re- ligion; but it is a necessary consequence of this, that every one, who has indeed the root of the matter in him, will be entitled, through Divine grace, to his share. The young child in the familj^ is a child still, and he shall" have the portion of a child. Every one who receives of the w ater which Christ gives him, shall find it, as we are told, a well of water, John iv.springhig up to eternal Ufe'^ ; and therefore it is said by the apostle that the crown was

OF OUR CALLING. 45

reserved not only for khn, hut oil who love the serm. appearance of Christ^. How different soever v^^'^y the ways may have been which they have'^^'"^-'^* taken, so far as diversities are consistent with their being the ways of hohness, they will all meet in one blessed end. And therefore it is with the most literal propriety called an inheritance among them who are sanctified^. ^Actsxx.

3. The expression may further intimate that it is a state in which they shall enjoy the delightful society of each other. This is a great and important truth; and the apostle lays a very great stress upon it when he speaks of it as the happiness of Christians that they are come to the general assembly'^ ,"> n^h. xii. &c. and he also declares it to be the design of God to gather together in one all things in Christ^. The same is intimated in the words "Eph.i.io. of the text ; and how glorious a scheme ! that our lot should be cast with such good neighbours, and fall among the saints ; among the saints dwelling in light and glory. It is a very agreeable circumstance to be so situated here as to have an opportunity of frequently enjoying good company, especially the com- pany of wise and good men, which is, after

46 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. all, the best company. The saints of the v^^-s^^ earth, says David, those excellent ones of the 9Ps.xvi.2. earth, are those in whom is all my delight'^. And it is most desirable that our nearest and dearest companions in life may especially be such ; which, by the way, should engage young people to be very careful in their set- tlement ; to regard that which is so generally disregarded, to the wonder of many, and, I fear, to the ruin of some. But, be our settle- ment ever so agreeable here, there will be some thorn in our side, and, it may be, in our eyes too ; but there will be no rending briars nor wounding thorns with everlasting delightful friendship. How dear is the memory of the saints of God to us ! We should, I doubt not, have found something of a parti- cular pleasure, had the providence of God cast our lot near any of those places where the ancient patriarchs and holy apostles lived. To have traced their steps, and to have thought on those mountains where they built an altar to the Lord ; and here stood the house of such a one ; and here rest the bones of the other How much more de- lightful then to dwell with the persons them- selves ! to dwell with them in such an im-

OF Ol]R CALLING. 47

proved and elevated state, so far superior to serm.

• • II

what earth knew them ; with all the saints, .^^..^^

known and unknown ; those with whom we have worshiped God together on earth ; those who had done with earth long before we were born, and perhaps some too whom we hardly expected to have met there. And let us not fear being lost in such a crowd. It is true that here friends seem sometimes to stand in the way of each other ; and when we have many of them together, except in some direct acts of worship, we can do little more than see them. But there, undoubtedly, our methods of converse will be increased in proportion to the degree in which our acquaintance is growing ; and so entire will be our mutual love that even, when we are not directly con- versing with each other, the very sight of such an assembly of lovers and friends will cause our hearts to overflow with sacred pleasure. O thou new Jerusalem ! for my brethren and companions' sake, will I now say. Peace be within thee^ : and I rejoice in that ' Ps. cxxii, eternal peace that resides, and reigns, and triumphs there.

5. Heaven is represented as the great hope of the Christians calling : May know the hope

8.

48 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. of your calling. So elsewhere it is called the

^^^,'^^ p^^ize of the high calling of God^ our Saviour,

'Phi!, ui. '^ ^ |.|^g great and glorious prize for which,

in the gospel, we are called to contend. So

elsewhere, ye are called in one hope of your

3Ep}i. iv, calli?ig^ ; which implies that nothing but the

gospel could give this hope, and that it is the

great design of the gospel to fix men's hearts

and pursuits upon it.

1. It implies that nothing but the gospel

could give this hope. There are many other

passages to the same purpose, where it is

••Eph. ii. said of the heathens, they are without hcpe'^ :

12. ...

and it is their repeated character ; Sorrow not 5 1 Thess. as those who have no hope^ : and on the other « iTim. i. hand it is said that Christ is our hope^ ; that

^Col'i 27 ^^^^'^^^ ^^* ^'^ ^^ ^^^^ ^M^^ 9f glory'^; that we are begotten again to this lively hope of an inheri- tance by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from

*iPet. i. the dead^ : and texts might be multiplied to this purpose. Now this representation is rea-, sonable : for, without the gospel, we could have had no assurance of any future happi- ness at all, and not the least degree of reason to expect so great and so lasting a happiness. It is an important truth that without the gospel we could have had no assurance of

OF OUR CALLING. 49

any future happiness at all : for, in order to serm.

such an assurance merely by the light of na- ^ ^^

ture, we must certainly have known that God would have pardoned sin. But I confess that I see not how we could have had any assur- ance of this, or any thing more than a preca- rious, trembling, and very suspicious hope. Many have thought otherwise, and pleaded that wherever there was true repentance, sin must be pardoned, because there the end of punishment was answered in the amendment of the offender. But not to say how little probability there would be of men being brought to true repentance without the gos- pel, nor to insist upon the unaccountable want of every expression of it in the writings even of the best of the heathens, it is sufficient to reply that this goes entirely upon a mistake, that the amendment of any particular person is the only end of punishment : the vindica- tion of the injured honour of God's justice and laws, and the admonition of others, who, from the pardon of a penitent offender, might have encouraged themselves to sin with hopes of impunity ; and greater and far superior ends, which, for any thing that any of us could certainly have known, might have required

VOL. III. E

II.

50 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. our lasting punishment, were we ever so peni- tent ; especially in cases of long continued and repeated guilt, aggravated by relapses after former professions of repentance. It is certain that human lawgivers see it necessary to inflict the penalty in some cases where there is reason to believe the man^s hearty repentance of what he has done ; and the wisest man upon earth could not have said that the Divine Sovereign might not have seen matters in the same view: and, indeed, when I consider the scheme of pardon esta- blished in the gospel by the incarnation and death of the Son of God, as the consideration on which even the sincerest penitent and be- liever are received by God, I cannot but think that these apprehensions would have been just. But I further add that, without the gospel, there could not have been the lowest degree of reason to expect so great and so lasting a happiness. That God will render unto all men according to their zcorks is, indeed, a most necessary consequence even of our natural apprehensions of the Di- vine justice ; but whether that should imply any thing more than diiferent degrees of punishment, according to the degrees of guilt

OF OUR CALLING. 51

which even the best of us have contracted serm. (as I have ah^eady observed), we could not certainly tell. Yet, were we to allow it pro- bable that there was prepared for the children of men a state of future happiness, yet, with- out the gospel, our notions of that state would have been very imperfect. I confess that I see no reason why we should imagine that we should have reasoned better without a revelation than the Greeks and Romans did, or than the Brachmans of India, or the Mandarins of China now do: and it is cer- tain that their notions of a future state are very obscure, and most of their hopes have always been very low. The eternal hap- piness of soul and body, in the image and enjoyment of God, is what I never read of in any of the writings of the ancients, nor heard of as the expectation of any of the modern Pagans; and I wonder not at it. That they should imagine there were plea- sant gardens, and refreshing fountains and shades, prepared for those who had been wise and good, where they continue in friendship with each other, and were amused with various recreations and converse, I do not so much wonder at. But that there should be

E 2

52 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. an everlasting period of all sorrow, and that

K^^S^^ the whole man should be completely happy in the presence and enjoyment of God, I see not how they could have had any reason to expect; and therefore it is no surprise to me, that they appear not to expect it. A temporary paradise, and a transmigration of souls, seem the highest hope of unassisted reason. It is Christ who has brought life and immortality to light, and the light in which he has placed it is such, that I freely declare that it would seem hardly credible, were it not proposed as the purchase of his own righ- teousness and blood, and the gift of God's free grace by him.

2. We further add, that it is the great design of the gospel to fix men's views and pursuits on this happiness. This is by way of eminence, the hope of his calling, the great hope which the gospel gives, as the apostle expresses it, in hope of eternal life, which God,

'Titi. 2. who cannot lie, has promised^. Accordingly we read this as the great declaration of the

• John X, Lord, I give to my sheep eternal life^. Sec. And this is said to be a reason for w hich almighty power is given to him, that he may give eternal

'Johnwiilife^. And he sent his apostles that men

2.

OF OUR CALLING. 53

might he turned from darkness to light, &c. serm. that they might receive this inheritance. And k^,^^.^^ we are said to obtain the glorij of our Lord Jesus Christ^. And this is so essential a part^2Thes.ii.

14

of the scheme, that the whole dispensation takes its name with respect to it, and is called the kingdom of heaven, because it is intended to lead thither. It is true that there are great and excellent privileges to which we are entitled in the present state, imme- diately upon our believing : for as St. John expresses it, to those who believe, to them gave he the privilege of becoming sons of God^.*Jo\m\.u. Yet still they terminate in this, and the value of our present privileges is chiefly to be estimated by their reference to their future hopes. Now that this is the great point in view, we may argue from Christ himself having removed to the heavenly world. God showed him the path of lije^, &c. * Ps. xiv. that he might attract our hearts thither, as '^ ' it is most congruous that where he is, there should also his servants be. And therefore the apostle argues, if ye are lisen with Christ, seek those things that are above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God^. And to "Col. Hi. this the providence of God bears testimony

54 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. together with his word; for were not this the great end of the Christian caUing, there would be a more sensible distinction between sincere Christians and others, than there at present is. Now, as this is an obvious truth so I cannot but observe, that it is the pecu- culiar glory of the Christian dispensation, and a most excellent proof of its Divine original ; since it tends so powerfully to raise the mind above these things which are seen, and set it 07i those which are unseen and eternal; and thereby lays a solid basis for the exercise of virtue and grace, in circum- stances of the greatest extremity, and in such trials as must overbear every thing but the hope thus directed and animated. And since it is thus, suffer, my brethren, the word of exhortation, and permit me to call upon you all to gird up the loins of t/our minds, to be sober, and hope even to the end for this glory, to make it the great object of your pursuit, as ever you would approve yourselves to be Christians indeed, and that you have not received the grace of God in vain. Turn away your eyes from beholding vani- ties; moderate your affections towards them; deaden and mortify your members that are

OF OUR CALLING. 55

vpon the earth. I conclude with my hearty seiim. prayer to God for you, that you may be v^^^A^ content, with St. Paul, to look about on all the charms of life on the one hand, and all its terrors on the other; and resolutely to say, ISlone of these things move me, neither count I my life dear to me, that I may finish my course with joy ^. And that this temper? Acts xx. may be ever kept alive on your hearts, ?nay the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you the spirit of wisdom, and enlighten the eyes of your under- standing, &c. But what need there is of such a prayer, with what zeal it is to be offered, and with what method to be accom- plished, I shall, if God permit, hereafter show to you, but here I must conclude the present discourse. Nor shall we have lost our time in the house of God on this day, if we carry away with us such views of his house above, as this copious scripture has so na- turally suggested to us.

55

OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERMON III.

OF KNOWING THE HOPE OF OUR CALLING.

PART II.

Ephesians, I. 18.

The eyes of your nnderstanding being enlightened, that ye may know ichat is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

SERM. When the queen of Sheba heard the wisdom

v^-v-^ of Solomon, she made this very judicious

reflection upon the discovery of it, because

the Lord thy God loved Isj-ael, therefore he

■ 1 Kings has made thee king over it^. And I cannot

2 chron. forbcar thinking that a reflection of this

kind may sometimes become us, when we

read the writings of this holy author before

us. It was because God loved his church

that he made Paul an apostle in it. Paul,

whose heart was so possessed with the lo^ e

of Jesus, and who was begotten again to so

lively a hope of the inheritance uncorruptible

and undefiled, and that fadeth not away.

Who can peruse his sacred writings without

IX. 6.

OF OUR CALLING. 57

feeling something of the flame that animates serm. his breast ? I hope we have in part already felt it. I hope we shall feel it more and more while we pursue our meditations on this important passage, which contains his prayer for his friends at Ephesus, a prayer which well became such eminent wisdom, such lively piety and friendship : that God would give them eyes so enlightened, that they might know the hope of their calling, &c. In handling which words, you know,

I. I proposed to consider the view given us of the heavenly world.

II. Whence it comes to pass that it is so much unknown even to good men.

III. To consider what illumination may be expected by the Divine operation on our minds.

IV. How desirable such illuminations are.

V. What methods we are to take that we may gain such an increasing knowledge: and,

VI. Then to conclude with the application.

I. I have already considered the instruc- tive and edifying view that is here given to us of the heavenly world. It is an inheritance, a Divine inheritance, rich and glorious; an

III.

58 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. inheritance among the saints; and it is the hope of the gospel ; nothing but the gospel could give it; and it was the great design of the gospel to raise our souls to a becoming regard to it, and to engage us to make it the great object of our pursuit. I am in the next place to consider,

II. Whence it comes to pass that it is so much unknown even to those who have cordially embraced the gospel. I say to them, for it is evident that of them the scrip- ture speaks in the words here before us. They were the joy of the apostle, and he had coiifidence in them as his ci'own; he had heard of their faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and of their love to all the saitits; and for this cause he ceased not to give thanks for them. And yet he prays that God would enlighten their eyes, and grant them the spirit of wisdom and revelation. And he asks it for himself as well as for them. For now, says he, Zi)e all know hut in part, and therefore ca7i prophecy hut in part. The blessedness is too great for our conceptions ; too distant to regard it in proportion to its real worth; too spiritual to be completely relished by creatures of

OF OUR CALLING. 59

SO imperfect characters; and we are sur- serm. rounded with so many things which divert ^^^^...^^ our attention from it, that we are much less acquainted with it than we might otherwise have been.

I. The exceeding greatness of this inherit- ance must necessarily hinder it from being completely known. Like the love of Christ, on which it is founded, it passes knowledge'^. ^TL\>h.\\\. The heavenly conqueror, when he enters upon it, has a new name given him, which none can know but He who receives it^: for ^Rev. ii.

• 17

eye has not seen, nor ear heard, neither has it entered into the heart of man to conceive, what God has prepared for them who love him'^. ^ i Cor. ii. On this account, even so great and so holy a person as St. John says, it does not yet appear what we shall be^. A person, who ^ John iii. bad always been educated in a cottage, could have no just idea of the splendours of a magnificent court; and much less can we, from any thing which we view, or any thing which we enjoy on earth, have an adequate conception of th^tfulness of joy which is in the presence of God, and those rivers of pleasure which flow from his right hand. It seems to be with a reference to this, that, when

60 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. Paul had been caup;ht up into the third III.

K^^-^^ heaven, he says, that he there heard un- speakable words, which it is not lawful, or

' 2 Cor. xii. possible, /or a man to utter^: new ideas for which we have no names, and therefore which no language of ours can possibly express. But we further add,

2. That its distance hinders us from forming a just idea of it. You know how it is with the eye of the body, when an object is removed, it lessens proportionably; as we particularly see in the luminaries of heaven, some of which are so vastly large, according to the best calculations, that the earth itself is but a small spot in com- parison with them: and yet they appear to our eyes but of a small magnitude; and even our own hands, or any of the fruits of the earth when held near the eye, fill all the prospect, and cover even sun, and moon, and stars from our sight: and this is too just an image of what befalls us with regard to the future world. It is true that the distance is often imaginary rather than real. But we are exceedingly apt to put the day of death far from us, whereby we sometimes make it an evil day; and, for-

OF OUR CALLING. 6l

getting that what is now future will at serm. length be present, and what is now present -.^^J-^ will be past, we suffer ourselves to be sadly imposed upon, and are too soon brought into a forgetfulness even of that far 7)iore exceeding and eternal weight of glort/, with which nothing seen and temporal is by any means worthy to be compared.

3. Its spirituality renders it less fit to be known by such minds in which there is such a mixture of carnality, and which are so much under the power of remaining corruption. The apostle tells us that fesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, neither can corruption inherit incorrupt ion^.^i Car. w. The pleasures of the heavenly state are pure and refined. They consist in behold- ing the face of God in righteousness, and in being satisfied with his complete likeness. The consequence of this is, that the gene- rality of mankind are not at all struck by them, any more than a brute would be by the offer of some philosophical en- tertainment. The 7iatural man, says the apostle, relishes not the things of the spirit, 7ior can it know them because they are spi- ritually discerned^. Now, it is a great andMCor. u.

-14.

62 OF KNOAVING THE HOPE

SERM. certain truth, that these things are in some .,^^^,1,^ measure recommended to every behever by the Spirit of God, and his regenerating influences on the heart, forming and fashion- ing it to a meetness for them. But alas ! we are sanctified but in part, and there is still a law in the members, warring against the law of the mind. These sink our souls into flesh and sense, and spoil our relish for those sublime pleasures which are in the presence of God: and, on this account, the good man himself may find that, in proportion to the degi'ee in which corruption prevails in his heart, the eye of the soul is darkened, and a veil seems as it were to be drawn over it, so that it hardly knows how to shoot a glance towards that happi- ness which it has, in its deliberate judgment, chosen for its final portion.

4. The objects, with which we are here continually surrounded, draw off our atten- tion, from what we might otherwise, not- withstanding" all our disadvantages, know concerning the future. You know the mind of man is of a very limited nature. Now, the consequence of this is, that objects, which daily demand our attention and care^

OF OUR CALLING.

63

must proportionably divert our regard from serm. those which are in themselves of a more ^,^,^-^^^ excellent kind. TVe are now cumbered about many . things, and that, alas ! leads us to forget the one thing needfiiP. The cares of ' Luke x. this world, the deceitfidness of riches, and the lust of other things, prevent us from forming such an acquaintance, as vi^e otherwise might, with that which is within the veil. May I not. Christians, appeal to you upon this head. You have, perhaps, on a sabbath day, been engaged in Divine contemplation, and before you have been aware, have found your souls like the chariots of Aminadab; but then when you have returned to your worldly business, and cares, and pleasures again, you have found your minds swallow^ed up with them, and the mist has risen, and, mean as its materials might seem to be, and small as are its particles in themselves, yet has it grown so thick as to intercept the prospect of the firmament itself, and all the glory that adorns it. And, indeed, this is so frequently the case, that, I fear, were not sabbaths and sacraments often to return, and were we not upon this head to have line upon line, and precept upoii precept.

HI.

64 OP KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. we should be lost in the crowd, and delivered over from one vanity to another, till vanity were o\xy final recompense, as a just punish- ment for our having been deceived by it, and for our trusting in it. These causes concur to prevent the good man himself from having that knowledge of the heavenly world which he might otherwise have ob- tained. We have viewed the disease, let us now consider the remedy, and inquire,

III. What it is to have the eyes of our tinderstanding enlightened by the spirit of knowledge and revelation^ which is the bless- ing the apostle prays for in behalf of his friends at Ephesus: and here I must,

1. Observe that it does not signify the revelation of any truth before entirely un- known. This is true, even with respect to the operation of the Spirit in regeneration. It does not discover to us any doctrine which we had not learned before, as it does not give any new faculties, or open any other source of ideas than such as we had before been acquainted with. A man, by a careful study of the scriptures, and frequent attendance on the means of grace,

OF OUR CALLING. 65

may learn to conceive rationally of future serm. happiness, as well as to prove it, by most \^^^^^^^ cogent arguments, both from reason and scripture : and much more reasonably may we conclude, that a soul already regene- rated has a notional acquaintance with all those truths relating to its future happiness, which it must expect to know whilst it dwells here in the flesh; but

2. The Spirit of God enlightens the under- standing by representing the truths, already known, in a more beautiful view. You know that there is a great deal of diflerence between viewing a curious piece of painting in different degrees of light. You may, per- haps, see all the traces in a dark and cloudy day; but yet, when the sun appears in its full lustre, the colours glow in a far more lively manner, and the figure appears as it were new dressed. Thus does the Spirit of God sometimes give such vivid and pene- trating perceptions and sensations of future blessedness, that it seems as if it were a new object, and the- good man is almost ready to say that he had before heard of it, only by the hearing of the ear, hut now his eve sees it^. * 'Job. xiu.

^ * ■ 5.

VOL. III. F

66

OF KNOWINCx THE HOPE

SERM. 3. The blessed Spirit sometimes represents

III. ^^^.^y these things in a more appropriating view.

Much depends upon the conformity of the object known to our own inward state and rehshes ; and, in contemplating happiness, to apprehend it as oin' own vastly increases the delight of it. Humanly speaking, we may conclude, that if there had been two Israelites brought to the mountain passage, and one of them had been to have died at the foot of the mountain, and the other to have gone over to possess Canaan, the lat- ter would have viewed that goodly moun- tain and Lebanon with far greater delight than the other could have done. So, when the Spirit witnesseth with our spirit^ that we are the children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, it is no wonder if the soul finds a peculiar delight in viewing its own in- heritance, and in surveying that crown of glory which itself expects ere long to wear. Tropej^ty puts a peculiar sweetness into it, especially when those graces are cherished in the heart by the influences of the blessed Spirit, which are indeed an earnest and foretaste of this expected blessedness. When

OF OUR CALLING. C/

these things are attentively considered, they serm. may assist us in judging of this illumination ^.^ of the eyes of our understanding. Let me now represent,

IV. How desirable a thing it is that we may share in such illuminations as these, and may have some practical and heart- affecting knowledge of the hope of our calling. And here we may observe,

1. That it will cherish the love of God in our souls, which is indeed the great fountain of every other grace. A sense of the general benevolence of ihe Divine being will occasion some affectionate thoughts of him. But it is chiefly a sense of personal obligations that impresses the heart; and what personal obligation so great as this, that he has chosen us to this through sane- tification of the spirit, and belief of the truth : that he has prepared such an inheritance for us who are conscious to ourselves how unworthy we are of sharing even in the bounties of his common providence. What is, or can be more natural than to reflect, " I hope and expect to live for ever with my Father and my God, to behold his

F 2

iir.

68 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. face in all the glories of the heavenly world. He is intending to do me good even as long as he himself exists; to bestow favours as long as the treasures of his omnipotence and beneficence can furnish them out. He has called me to this blessed hope, whilst thousands are left ignorant of it; and, being ignorant, are permitted to despise it. O, what shall I render to the Lord for all that he hath done unto me ! Aid me, ye saints who already possess this glory, to express my grateful sentiments to that heavenly Father who is intending me for it, and conducting me to it. Well might the apostle, when he had been saying, we rejoice in hope of the glory of God, proceed to say, and the love of ^ Rom. V. God is shed abroad npon our hearts'^.

2. It tends also greatly to promote our humility. Humility is so important a part of -the Christian character, that our Lord particularly calls us to learn it of him. And what tends to promote it more than the riches of the Divine favour to us, in comparison with our own worthiness? " JFho am J, O Lord" does the Christian say, " that I am brought lather ? brought to thine house? brought to thy table? But, Lord, dost thou intend to ])ring me so nmch

4,5.

OF OUR CALLING.

69

further? To set me at thy table not only serm. on earth but in heaven ? As if all which thou v^^^ hast already bestowed were too little, dost thou speak of thy servant for a great while yet to come ? Who am I that thou shouldest look on such a dead dog as I? I am not worthy to wash the feet of the servants of my lord: and shall I dwell with them? Shall I not only have sweet communion with saints upon earth, but have my lot among them, and that for ever? Even I Zi)ho am less than the least of all saints, and , am not zmvthy to he called one ?"

To know the hope of our calling will greatly strengthen our religious resolutions, under all difficulties and opposition. We shall need a very heroic resolution in the cause of our heavenly master, and must quit ourselves like men, or we shall fall under all that opposition which on every side awaits us. And what can inspire us with this courage more than such obligations and such hopes ? Am I called to " this blessed prize, and shall I desert my calling ? Shall I behave in such a cowardly and unseemly man- ner, that my great leader shall be ashamed of me? Is he holding out such a crown^

70 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. and shall I not secure it? Is it not worth K^^^J^y my while, as he intimates, to be faitliful even unto deatlt, that I may receive that crozcn of life ? What are all the gilded vanities of the present life? When they are compared with these blessings, they are less than nothing. J find by computation, says the apostle, (and that gave him that steadiness) that the sufferings of the present life are 7iot worthy to be compared with the ^RovnMn. glory that shall then be revealed^.

4. It tends to inspire us with a noble ambition of excelling in religion, in propor- tion to this hope. " Does God intend all this for me ? What can I then do in return for it? What can I do to bear any pro- portion to it? O, my soul, thou art the heir of a kingdom, of a kingdom of eternal glory; there ought therefore to be not only integrity and purity of spirit, but a serenity, dignity, and greatness of mind answerable to these prospects. Thy employment in life, thy conversation ought to be agreeable to it.''' So Tmiothy is stirred up even to martyrdom by this thought, that he has called us with M'litn.i. rt holy calling'^: and the apostle urges them to hold fast the confidence and rejoicing of

OF OUR CALLING. 71

their hope jinn to the end, as being partakers serm. of the heavenly calling^. Having these pro- mises, perfect holiness, &c.

5. To know the hope of our calling will cheer our hearts under those burthens that would otherwise overwhelm us. When we do not only in general believe a future state, but feel our souls impressed with the views of its excellency, this hope will be, as the apostle beautifully expresses it, an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast, entering into that zohich is within the veil^. It will keep « Heb. vi. our minds steady when the wind blows, and the waves beat. It will be like a reviving cordial to keep our heart from sinking under its fears. You see how it wrought with the apostle when he speaks with such joy of all his afflictions, as knowing that these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and

eternal weight of glory'^. "O my soul,'" ^ 2 Cor. iv.

17 may the Christian justly say, "thy present

losses affect not thine inheritance ! thou mayst be the richer for thy poverty here. Thy present pains affect not the ease and pleasure of thy celestial abode, any other- wise than as they may increase the relish

72 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. of it, and make thine everlasting rest so

ylj^. much the more peaceful and refreshino;. I lose a friend for a few years, but it is to receive him again for ever. He is gone to his inheritance, and I am going to mine. There is new light risen upon him, and I shall stand in that light. I shall receive it for an everlasting possession.^'

6. To hiow the hope of our calling will enable us to conquer both the fear and the pain of dying. Why are the generality of men so unwilling to leave earth ? I am per- suaded that it is because their views of heaven are not more lively. I hope that I am speaking to some who know what it is to cry out, as good old Simeon did, when they have Christ in the arms of their faith. Lord, now sufferest thou thy servant to depart in peace, for Jiiine

"Lukeii. eyes have seen thy salvation^. Paul had a violent death in view, and yet he could say, I am ready to he ojfered, <Scc. as I know there is laid up for jne a crown of righteous-

^Q.r\m.i\'. ness^. And elsewhere, I have a desire to

o

depart, and to he dissolved, and he with Christ; Phil. i. which is far hetter'^. "I am going home," may the Christian say, " to my Father's liouse. I have lived but meanly in this

9.".-

OF OUR CAI-LING. 73

state of minority. I have been subject sehm.

. . ... ^ in.

sometimes to very painful discipline : but ^^A.

now for a journey to my inheritance. Why are the chariot wheels so slow ? with plea- sure do I hear their sound. Welcome these decays of nature, which are the forebodings of the dissolution of it. I shall he absent from the bochj^ and present with the Lord. Now the blessed object of my hope is near, the hope of my calling. Now is God about to do that which above all things I have desired : that for which I entered into covenant with him : that which I had in my eye and in my heart, when I became a Christian indeed. Lord, I adore thy faith- fulness and thy love. Come Lord., come quickly."

Now, sirs, I appeal to you, whether each of these be not powerful arguments to engage you to desire that you also may know the hope of your calling. Would you feel this love of God, this humility, this vigorous resolution, this heaven-born ambition, this serenity of soul under the afflictions of life, this fortitude and joy in the views of death. " O Lord ! nothing on this side glory is so desirable as these sentiments of soul,

74 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. awakened and invigorated by the expecta-

^^^-J^^y tion of it. Ratlier had I feel the hope of

this inheritance than possess the most noble

and glorious inheritance ever known amongst

the children of men/'

V. Let me briefly suggest some hints of advice as to the methods by which we may attain a temper so fruitful in comforts, in graces, and in blessings. You desire to know the hope of your calling. Let me advise

1. That you study the scriptures with all possible care and diligence. There you see the evidence, the description of that hope ; and you see how other good men have been aftected under the views of it. The evidence of it is there proposed in the most convincing manner. It rests upon the tes- timony of God, and you there learn how that testimony was confirmed by Christ himself, and his immediate followers, God hearing witness to it with signs and wonders, iiei). ii. and the gifts of the Holy Ghost^, There

A,

you see it described ; and there you are taught to form the most bright and noble ideas of it, as you perceive by the former

OF OUR CALLING. 75

discourse. There you read how the saints serm. of God of old were impressed with it, how v_^Aw> they longed for their heavenly country, and confessed that they were pilgrims and strangers upon earth^. In a word, there is hardly aMiei>. xi. chapter, especially of the New Testament, but, if read with attentive regard, will teach you something of heaven, and leave you fitter for it. Send forth only thy light and truth, O Lord ! to illustrate and confirm our faith in scripture, and it shall lead and guide us to thy heavenly kingdom.

2. Be much in meditation on the hope of your calling, if you desire more distinctly to know it. It is not enough that you hear and read of it. It is not enough that your heads form ideas of it, be they ever so bright, the main thing is to bring it to your hearts ; and in order to this you must bring your hearts to it. You must sometimes abstract yourselves from other things, on purpose to seek and intermeddle with Divine wisdom. Particularly on the evening of the Lord's Day, cause yourselves to think of your eternal sabbath. When you meet with sor- rows and disappointments in the world, then

76 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. think of your inheritance above. When you

K^,^^J^^ lose your friends, your children here, think

of your Father's house, and your hope of

recovering them there. And for the further

illustration of it,

3. Be frequently discoursing with each other upon it. It is, methinks, a most plea- sant subject of discourse, and a most natural one. We are fellow-pilgrims, should we not therefore think of the end of our journey ? Should we not therefore confirm the faith, excite the jo}^, and encourage the hope of each other? It is affecting to observe how the Jews in Babylon remembered Sion, and sat down together to weep in the thoughts of it, and could say, If I forget thee, O Jerusale?n, let imj right hand forget her cun-

-f Psalm ning^. And shall we forget that Jerusalem ' *'' which is above, where no enemy invades ; that temple which ever stands in its own magni- ficence, and where we hope to be fixed as pillars for ever. Let us e.rhort each other ; and quicken each other, I hope that I may add, as many of you also do,

4. By frequent application to the throne of grace. Convinced of the natural ten-

OF OUR CALLING. 77

dencj of our minds towards the objects of serm. time and sense, let us humble ourselves k^^^J^^ before God, and acknowledge that our souls do naturally cleave unto the dust, earnestly entreating that according to his word he would quicken them, and gi\'e to us that celestial touch which would rouse and refine them. When the apostle speaks of him- self and his brethren, as breathing after the glories of the heavenly state, he adds. He who has wrought us to the selfsame tiling is God^. Let us earnesdy pray that God '2 Cor. v. would work us up to it : that he would pour light on our understandings, tender- ness on our hearts ; and would form us to a growing meetness to be made partakers of this inheritance among the saints in light and glory,

5. By the cultivation of those graces which are suitable to this state, and the blessings of it. On this head, suffer the word of ex- hortation. Keep yourselves in the love of God. Endeavour to converse with him daily by prayer. Be not easy unless you have found him in your closets, in your families, in the house of God. Labour to

78 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. live in continual converse with him, and you will have the livelier notion of what heaven is. Study the knowledge of Christ, for through him you may know heaven. Lift up your believing eyes to him, renew your covenant of grace with him, and the actings of faith upon him, as your Lord and your Saviour, every day. Study to improve in all the branches of a holy fear; and to improve in love to all the saints. You will then be fit for a portion among them ; and your converse with them will assist you in conceiving of the pleasures of that perfect converse that there awaits you. In a word, grace in the heart is in its degree heaven upon earth, and the more the one is culti- vated the more is the other enjoyed.

VL I have left myself but little time for the application of these things, which will divide itself into two branches.

1. I am to apply myself to those who are still in darkness, and without hope. But am I speaking to any such ? You have all your light, and you have all your hope : but, alas ! with regard to some, the light arises

OF OUR CALLING. 79

from sparks which yourselves have kindled, serm. It is the hope of the hypocrite that will fail \^^^ when God takes away his soul. I appeal to your consciences this day. Are there not such among you who are almost entirely unconcerned about another world, about this rich and glorious inheritance, who hardly feel a desire after it, or if any, only such a one as condemns you : for you are condemned by this desire, since it does not stir you up to a suitable pursuit. It is the inheritance of the saints. And are you saints ? Have you a temper and conduct that would bear any thing like that denomination? You God's holy ones? You know the contrary. You know the power of sin and Satan over your hearts. You know, therefore, that 7/ou have no part and lot in this matter. No part in the kingdom of Christ and of God, as the apostle himself declares ^. Let me ask you « i Cor. vi. seriously but these two questions : Is it not a *^' ' ' sad state which you are now in ? and will you not shortly be in one which is much worse ? Is not your present darkness deplorable? You would think it a sad thing if the sight of your eyes were lost : and it would be so.

80 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. And if Others saw a beautiful prospect, or a v^^^^ magnificent building, and seemed delighted with the view, whilst you, though with them, were in a midnight gloom, it would grieve you no doubt, and it justly might. But you are in the midst of the people of God M'ho see the beauty of Christ, who see by faith the glory of heaven, and yet you feel nothing of this. Miserable creatures ! though you had those gay vanities, which now sur- round you, to gaze upon for ever. But will that be the case ? Are you not in the way to eternal darkness ? The saints of God are to enter upon an inheritance. But what must you expect? You who have lived witli- out God in the worlds you who have wasted your Lord's goods? Take that unprofitable servant, and cast him into outer darkness ; there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnash- ^Matt.xiii. i?zg of teeth^ . Yet there the eyes of your understanding, though in a dreadful sense, will be enlightened. Then you will see something of the hope of the Christian call- ing ; that hope to which you were once externally called. But, good God ! with what horror and despair you will see the

OF OUR CALLING. 81

rich glories of the inheritance of the saints, serm.

• III

to make you more sensible of your own k^^^^^^

wretchedness for ever. This, therefore, is

spoken of as the occasion of the grief

and horror of the damned. Ye shall see

Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom

of heaven, and yourselves shut out^. Remem-^Lukexiii.

ber it, ye children of religious parents, who

despise this heavenly inheritance. You shall

be shut out. I testify to you this day, I

speak it with horror, that I believe this will be

the lot of several among you. You have sat

so long unconverted, unimpressed under the

means of grace, that I cannot but fear that

you will perish for ever. I have very little

hopes from any thing which I can say to

you. I pray that God may open your blind

eyes, and that he may not only show you

hell to awaken you, but heaven to enliven

you, and Christ to lead you thither, and to

form you for it.

2. I would address myself to those who

have received this Divine illumination. Be

thankful for the light which you have already

received, and humbly wait and long for

more. I would exhort you to be thankful

VOL. III. G

82 OF KNOWING THE HOPE

SERM. for that light which you have already received.

Ill • *

Consider, I beseech you, how many there are

who remain in utter uncertainty as to a future state; or, who build their notions and their expectations on false teachers, and wild en- thusiastic dreams, as, you know, to be par- ticularly the case of the Mahometans, and many of the Indians. And how many even in Christian countries have very little thought and concern about an interest in this hap- piness. You may then bless the Lord who has given you lights and has caused it to shine upon your hearts. Let your souls, on this account, magnify the Lord. Once you were yourselves darkness, be very thankful you are now light in him; and earnestly pray that the light may be more strong. Con- sider what I have been saying on this day, as an engagement to you to make it now your frequent errand to the throne of grace. But especially long for the fuller discoveries of the future state. Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart; and the blessed harvest will at length come. Let us rejoice in the hope ; and, whilst we are waiting for God's salvation,

OF OUR CALLING. 83

make it your humble care to do his com- serm. mands. Whilst that salvation is delayed, let us be looking for that blessed hope ; and let us employ all opportunities of improving our acquaintance with it, and of preparing ourselves for it. Such an opportunity is now offering. Let us then approach the Lord^s table at this time, as those who apprehend themselves to be the children of God through faith in Christ, and who come to receive their Father's bread now, in token that they hope, at length, to be admitted to the full inherit- ance of his children.

G 2

84 THE KEFUGE OF

SERMON IV.

>

THE REFUGE OF GOD S CHILDREN.

Proverbs, xiv. 26.

In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence, and his children have a place of refuge.

SERM. Sublime indeed is that triumph of the

IV

Psalmist, God is our refuge and strength, Ps. xivi. &c. ^, but not more subhme than rational. Elevated as the transport is, the words are those of truth and soberness: and they ex- press so noble and so happy a temper, that I would fain, by the Divine blessing, be the means of establishing it in your souls. In this precarious world, while we sail on this stormy ocean, I would fain establish your hearts in an humble and well-grounded confi- dence in that God whom the xmnds and waves obey. I have, therefore, chosen these words of Solomon, in which, if I understand them rightly, he speaks of good men as the chil-

god's c;hildren. 85

dren of God, and of their happiness under serm. that relation. I saj he speaks of good men k^,^^^^ as the children of God. I know some have interpreted the words, as if the meaning were, the children of those that fear God, have a place of 7'efuge, as if intended to express that the Divine goodness extended itself even to the children of godly parents. It does so in some measure, but not always, and without exception. David knew the contrary, and solemnly forewarned Solomon of it, in words which one would hope that he could never forget. If thou seek hhn, he will be found of thee : but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever^. If, indeed, the'ichron. words were to be interpreted so, they would establish my main purpose : for if the chil- dren of pious parents have a place of refuge in God, much more evidently have the pious parents themselves. But I think it most reasonable to believe that the words of the text refer to good men as the children of God. His children, i. e. those that fear him: for such is the infinite condescension of God to those under this relation. Very clearly indeed is it spoken of in the New Testa-

86 THE REFUGE OF

SERM. ment, especially in those ever memorable

K^^~^^ words, I will be a Fatlier unto you, and ye shall he my sons and daughters, saith the Lord

^ 2 Cot. vi Almighty^. And this is the most grammati- cal sense of the words, his children, i. e. the children of the Lord. And let it not be wondered that Solomon expresses himself in such language, since it was typically said of him, though with an ultimate reference to him who is the new born among his bre- thren, I will be his Father, and he shall be

"2 Sam. jny son^. This then is the plain doctrine which the words exhibit, and not merely a consequence, how properly soever drawn from them. It is the delightful inscription which they wear upon their front, and, oh ! that we might wear it upon our hearts, the children of God shall have a place of refuge. And should this need to be proved ? Can any thing in the world be more evident, even at the first hearing, than that if there are any so happy as to be the children of God, they are in a very secure and blessed state ? Is it not evident enough, that if God be for us, none can be against us? What can there possibly be to fear if the eternal God

god's children. 87

he our refuge, and underneath us be the ever- serm. lasting arms, which the relation of a Father plainly encourages us to hope ? But how little need soever there is of proving it to the understanding, still there may be need of proving it to the heart; and that is what I shall now attempt to do. The children of God have not always that confidence and that joy in him which they ought to have. Their faith often fails them. They think and act beneath their character. I would, therefore, for their consolation, and for the instruction of others too, who may not be sufficiently sensible of it, a little illustrate this point. And I pray God to enable me to do it with a becoming spirit, and to give you to receive these great truths with suit- able regard, that you may all belong to the blessed number of God's children, and may all be excited to seek him, through whom we receive the adoption. I will then endea- vour,

I. To show you how certain it is that they, who are so happy as to be the children of God, shall have a place of refuge in him.

II. To apply the thought to several parti- cular exigencies and distresses to which they

88 THE REFUGE OF

SERM. may be obnoxious, and in which it will be K^S^^ particularly comfortable and suitable for them

to recollect it.

III. To draw some inferences, which will

naturally arise from this survey, and may,

by the Divine blessing, be subservient to

your edification.

I. To show you that they who are so happy

as to be the children of God, shall have a

place of refuge in him ; and this universally,

in all the difficulties that can possibly be

' supposed to arise. I might prove it from a

multitude of scriptures, which speak of it in

the strongest terms. The name of the Lord

is a strong tower, the righteous run into it

* Prov. (i. e. upon every emergency) and are safe ^.

He that dwells in the secret place of the Most

High, shall be safe under the shadow of the

«Ps. xci. Almiglity^. They shall he as Mount Zion that cannot he i^emoved, hut ahideth for ever,

' Ps. cxxv. &c ^. But if you consider what and who the blessed God is, you may draw a certain consequence from a survey of his infinite perfections, which will demonstrate the jus- tice of this assertion; and might thus lead us into the same reflections, even if we had

god's children. 89

never met with them in our bibles : thouph serm.

IV.

it would have been strange indeed, if we had not met with them there. Let me then apply to your own consciences, for to those I labour to bring the proof, whether his eye cannot discern them ; his hand help them ; and his mercy pity them ?

1. Is there a circumstance of difticulty and distress in which the eye of God cannot discern his children ? There are circum- stances, indeed, in which the eye of the most watchful earthly parent cannot reach his child. Absence often divides them ; land and seas sometimes separate them ; so that the affectionate parent, instead of knowing every danger that threatens his child, knows not certainly whether he has a child or not. And even when your children are nearest to you ; when in their helpless infancy, you lodge them in the very same apartment with yourselves, yet there are moments in which you must give your eyelids to sleep, moments in which a mother must forget her sucking child, how tender soever be her compassion to the son of her womb. But as he that keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps, can his eye be sealed up ? Can he forget, I will

90 THE REFUGE OF

SERM.. not say any of his children^ but any of his v^^-^1^^ creatU7'es ? We cannot think so meanly of his universal providence. We cannot sup- pose one of them is forgotten : no, the eyes "Ps.xxxiv. 0/ the Lord are upon the righteous^ ; ever

1 ^

fixed upon them, never turned away for a single moment. But I M'^ould add,

3. Is there an exigency in which his hand cannot help them ? Alas ! the eye of an earthly parent is no preservative at all to his children. They may perish in his sight ; yea, were he a prince the sad circumstance might happen, in which he might be a helpless spectator of the destruction of his beloved offspring. You read it of Zedekiah, and methinks it pierces one^s heart to read it. They took the king and brought him to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon to Riblah : And they gave judgment upon him, ajid they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, and they put out the eyes of Zedekiah, and bound him with fetters of brass, and car- 9 2 Kings lied him to Babylon^, O miserable cala- ' ' mity ! O savage cruelty ! that the last object the eyes of a father should behold, should be the slaughter of his children ; and then to seal the idea, as it were, upon the mind

god's children. 91

for ever, that the si2:ht of no new object serm.

IV.

might divert it, his eyes should be put out, k^~J^^ and the needless inhuman load of fetters added to him whom blindness had made a prisoner, and bound with inextricable chains. But can the children of an Almighty God be slain before his eyes, and he want power to rescue and deliver them ? Observe, I be- seech you, with what a sublime conscious- ness of that omnipotence the blessed God speaks to that haughty prince Pharaoh ! Thus saith the Lord, Israel is my son, even my first- born. Let my son go, or I will slay thy son, even thy first-born ^. He speaks, and it is ' Exod. iv. done. He can command, if such were his pleasure, more thati twelve legions of angels. Yea, his own right hand, and Almighty arm shall get him the victory. Is any thing too hard for the Lord ? No ; but the question may seem to lie another way: Shall Omni- potence be exerted for a worm ? for a sinful worm ? Instead of being secured, it deserves to be crushed. But here let me ask once more,

3. If they are his children, shall not his mercy pity them and secure them ? Does not the name of Father speak compassion ?

92 THR REFUGE OF

SERM. It is in reference to this compassion that the

^^,^^^ name is taken ; and the bowels of human parents are referred to, to express that graci- ous wilhngness to help which there is in him.

' p3. ciii. As a father pities his children ^. To all that ^^' infirmity of compassion which we feel, that pains us, that sometimes confounds us, that sometimes indeed strengthens, and some- times disarms the power of nature, he is a stranger : but there is in him as real a disposition to help, as if all that, and more than that were literally felt. Therefore it is

Msa. ixiii. said, in all their afflictions he was afflictecP ; and he thai touches you, touches the apple of

< Zech. ii. iniue eye ^. Oh, sirs ! can it indeed be ima- gined that this was not intended in this condescension which taught him to assume such a name ? Yea, so it is that, with a stoop of mercy never to be sufficiently ad- mired, God is pleased to represent his affec- tion to his people by the tenderness of birds to their helpless brood. As an eagle hovers over her young, and bears it on her wings, * Dinit. &c ^. And once more. He shall cover thee 11^12. ^^^h his feathers, and under his wings shalt

*Ps. xci. tJiou trust^. We will then labour this point no further. It is enough ; it is more than

IV.

god's children. 93

enouo-h. It is proved to our understand in p; ; serm. it is proved to our heart : there is no exi- v gency and extremity in which the eye of God cannot discern his children ; in which his hand cannot help them ; in which his heart will not pity them.

II. Let us apply the thought to several particular exigencies and distresses, to which the children of God may be obnoxious, and in which it will be peculiarly comfortable and suitable for them to recollect this truth. His children shall have a place of refuge, when friends forsake them, when enemies insult them, when necessity presses them, when bodily disorders attack them, and when death seems most entirely to triumph over them.

1. His children have a place of refuge when friends forsake them. The possession of our friends too often makes us forget God ; and happy is it when the loss of them, how- ever we may lose them, leads us to the re- membrance of him. I would not myself enter- tain, nor would I suggest to others ungener- ous suspicions with respect to those friends who have hitherto approved their fidelity;

IV.

94 THE REFUGE OF

SERM. nor even with regard to those who have not disapproved it, how weak soever the proofs may thus far have been : nor would I have vou in your own minds fix upon particular persons : but a very supposable thing it is, in general, that friends may prove incon- stant. Some of them perhaps, though they may not know it, are but loving themselves while they profess to love us, and find those conveniencies in a commerce with us, which if they did not, the commerce would soon be broken. And some, though a brother be born for adversity, will quit us as soon as any extraordinary affliction comes upon us : like those brethren of Job, that dealt so deceitfully with him, like a hi'ook, and passed away as the streams of the brook ; which zohen it waxes warm vanish, and when it is hot, are

1 Job vi. consumed out of their place"^. The broken reed not only fails, but goes into the hand, and pierces it, in pi'oportion to the stress that was laid upon it. But if we are so happy as to find those who shall be, what so many in- considerately perhaps, if not treacherously profess a purpose of being, faithful until the death, there the bond must be broken. And how desirous soever they might be to live, or

15, &c.

GOD S CHILDREN. 9->

to make our lives more comfortable, and not serm. only to enjoy but to serve us, death will v^ ^J!^^ dissolve the union, and that quickly. My dearest friends, you are mortal comforts, and if I live a few years longer I must stand before many of your dying beds, I must convey you to the tomb ; and all the benefit I received from your love, from your coun- sel, from your prayers will be gone. The thought cuts to the heart ; but God's chil- dren have a place of refuge. To him they may look when friends are unkind and un- faithful. My friends, says Job, scojii me, but mine eye pours out tears to God ^. And ^ Job xvi. sometimes m such a circumstance they are tears of joy. You shall, says our Lord, be scattered and leave me alone; but I am not alo7ie, mil Father is with me^. When father ''John x\\. and mother, says David, forsake me, then the Lord will take me up^ : will manifest his 'Ps. xxvii. kindness to me. O my God, thy paternal love is the balm of my heart, which will heal all those painful wounds ! Separated from the dearest of thy creatures, I will, by thy grace, attach myself more closely to thee. I will think of thee more ; I will pour out my soul before thee with greater freedom

, 96 THE REFUGE OF

SERM. and enlargement; and instead of saying, ^3^ Where shall I find other reeds to support me? I will rest on the Rock of ages. Thy coun- sels shall guide me ; thy love shall entertain me ; the light of thy countenance shall cheer me. Thou art an immortal, thou art an in- separable friend. My dear friends, I feel your loss, but none of you all could be in the place of my Father ; and he lives, and will be my rock ; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.

2. God's children shall hate a place of re- fuge when their enemies insult them. There is not a case to which the thought is more frequently applied in scripture. For the Israel of God in all ages, even every one of his faithful servants, have had their enemies. But what says David as a specimen of the rest. The Lord is my light and my salvation, whom shall I fear ? The Lord is the strength 'Ts.\^yn.of my soul, of wlioni shall I he afraid^? Be they ever so many, ever so mighty, what can they do ? Can they revile me ? It is God that justifies : Who is he that condemns me? No unworthy aspersions, no base in- sinuations can hurt me with him. In due time he shall bring forth my righteousness as

1.

god's children. 97

the light: in the meantime thou shah hide serm. thi/ children in the secret of thy presence from x^i3^ the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly^ as in a pavilion, from the strife of tongues ^. 3 pg, jj^xi. Do they assail by fury ? Be it ever so ex- ^^' treme, the wrath of 7?ia7i, O Lord ! shall praise thee, and the remainder of wrath thou shalt restrain ^. Be the wrath more than human ; 4 Ps. ixxvi. let the spirits of darkness arise as they will, °' and make their attack upon God*s children, he will deliver his darlings from the power of the dog, of the roaring lion, of the hissing serpent. The God of peace shall bruise Satan under their feet. The malice and sub- tilty of the fallen angels shall not be able to destroy that feeble man whom God is pleased to number among his children, let their legions be ever so numerous: more is that one God that is with ns, than all those that are against 21s.

3. His children have a place of refuge when poverty and necessity press them. It may very probably happen: for so it is that God has chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith ; and when they are richest in faith, their poverty in this world continues. Through all ages Christ is hungry, and

VOL. III. H

IV.

98 THE REFUGE OF

SERM. thirsty, and naked, and a stranger, and sick, and in prison. Some of them are originally poor, and never know any thing but a laborious and necessitous life : others of them are made poor by Providence, that strips them of their plentiful subsistence in more advanced life, when they have other burthens enough, and more than enough. Yet here is their place of refuge. Though sometimes (and that is a very shameful thing) their brethren may neglect them, and while they drink their wine in bowls, and stretch themjselves on couches of ease and of luxury, may forget the affliction of Joseph, the God of Israel, their heavenly Father, will not forget them; and he can never be at a loss for methods of supply. They may go to him, and boldly and cheer- fully ask from him their daily bread. All the beasts of the forest are his ; the earth and the fulness thereof. And they may go and say. Lord, hast not thou said, that though the young lions lack and suffer hunger, they that fear thee shall not want any good thing? I ask not great and delicate things; but I ask the necessary supports of life, for myself and those whom thou hast given

GOD^S CHILDREN. QQ

to me, from thee wlio feedest the young ravens serm. when they cry ; from the«f to whom the young v^-^-i,,^ lions roar and seek their meat. Exert thine arm, O Lord, and having brought me to the wilderness, do thou here furnish out a table for me. Let faith say it, and Providence will do it, and do it in a manner that shall appear marvellous^ and, in proportion to the degree in which it is so, delightful: a suitableness of supply, arising the Christian knows hardly from whence, but perhaps from a quarter from whence he had least expectation; the earth opening, as it Avere, not to swallow up but to help him. Believe the Lord, and you shall be established ; believe his prophet, and you shall prosper. It is one word (let faith receive and apply it). Trust in the Lord and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt befed^. If ye, being evil, know how to give 'Ps.xwvii good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give good things to them that ask him^? niatt.vii.

4. God's childreri have a place of 7^efuge when pain and disease seize them. Methinks that there is a sense in which a man^s enemies are, in the most terrible sense, those of

H 2

100 THE REFUGE OF

SERM. his own house. When he is attacked with K^,^^^^ distempers, which not only make a short incursion upon him, but come, as it were, and fix their garrison within; distempers of such a nature that, humanly speaking, they admit no cure but death, and phy- sicians are, in respect to them, of no value. Even here the consolation shall take place if they seek to the Lord. He can cure if he pleases. Speak thou the word, and thy sej-vant shall be healed. He can abate the violence of the evil : he can, even while it continues, support under it. How powerful and how sweet are those words ! and I hope you will remember that they contain a promise made to charitable and compas- sionate persons. The Lord shall strengthen 'Ps. xii.3. ^im on a bed of languishing^ : thou shaltmake all his bed in his sickness. Child of God ! have you not found that place of refuge ? Have you not felt your soul calm about you in the midst of all your agonies, when you have thought, " Well, but this is the hand of my Father, and his correction is wise and gracious correction; for whom the Lord loves he chastens, and scourges every * Hei). ^■i. 50?/ whow hc rcceives^. And have you not

6.

god's children. 101

known by experience the blessedness of that serm. man whom, while he chastens, he teaches v^.-.^^ out of his law, and feeds, as it were, with his promise? Have you never known the time when you might not be allowed to speak to a friend for fear of increasing your disorder? and the windows have been shut, and the curtains have been drawn around you, to keep out, as it were, every beam of light? And to you therx has arisen light in that ckirkness, and God has made you to hear his voice, to hear joy and glad- ness. -Heavenly Father! we bless thee in the remembrance of thy goodness : we have found shelter in it, and if we prefer health to a sickness thus supported, it is chiefly on account of the opportunities it may give us of paying our vows to thee, and exerting the vigour of nature in thy pleasant services.

5. God's children have a place of refuge when death seems most entirely to triumph over them. When I am zi)eak, says the apostle, then am I sti^ong^. When weakests-^Corxii. is the believer strongest of all. Whatever supports God's children may have under the disorders of nature, they seem at least to sink amidst them all. Death hunts, as

IV

102 THE REFUGE OF

SERM. it were, for the precious life: it pursues it from one retreat to another, till at length it drives it out from the last. The labouring heart ceases its struggling motion, and the soul flies out in a dying groan. But will you say that this child of God who lies expiring, who lies breathless before you, has no place of refuge ? How grievously would you then offend against the generation of God's people^ and against their great Father? Have you then never heard of any of them that said. My flesh and my heart fails, &c. though I walk through the dark valley. O death, where is thy sting ? Sec. And when did they say this? Did they say it only when they were in full health and ease, and death seemed so far that he appeared like a puny enemy, hardly to be discerned ? Have you never heard of those who said it in the last hours of life and on their dying bed ? If you have not heard of it, I have seen it, and to many of you I have declared it with joy. When the victory of death and the grave have seemed to have been complete over our clear brethren and sisters that sleep in Jesus, they found a refuge when they were dying, and rejoiced

GOD^S CHILDREN. 103

in it with a magnanimity which would have serm. made us envy them their death, if we could have envied them any thing. And does this refuge fail them now they are dead ? What say you, sirs, what think you of the God of Abraham^ the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob ? is he the God of the dead ? a God that has suffered them for ever to perish, and blanked with final and. ever- lasting disappointment the heart that in its last labouring moments was full of con- fidence in him, and launched boldly and joyfully into an unknown eternity, as trusting in his omnipotent arm ? Has that arm deserted him? Is this grave, in which their bodies are mouldering down to undistin- guished dust, their only place of refuge ? Is that a question for a Christian ? Witness the contrary, ye angels of God! that have waited, as it were, with a kind impatience the last languor of slow dissolving nature, that you might bear them upward on your friendly pinions. Witness, thou heavenly Jerusalem ! thou city of our God above ! thou palace of our heavenly Father! in which there are so many mansions replen- ished with millions. Testify thou that his

104 THE REFUGE OF

SERM. children, his deceased children have found v^-^I^^ a place of refuge. May not the phrase, expressive as it is, seem injurious ? a place of joy, a place of triumph. Where the Lord God appointed salvation itself /b?' walls and for hidwarks ; that quiet habitation where the glorious Lord himself is with his ' ha. KxWi people^ ; a place of broad rivers and streams;

21

not only to guard against every invasion, but to deluge their souls with everlasting delight: and where from the day of their entrance, through all the endless ages of eternity, they will be witness only to one scene of terror; and, amidst all that is in itself dreadful in it, shall lift up their heads with joy on the completion of their redemp- tion: even that day when he will lead forth all his children in one triumph, that is well clothed with new robes, to grace the final triumph of him zi'ho is the first-born among many brethren, and through whom he gives them the victory over the last of enemies that shall then be destroyed.

III. In the improvement of these things let us, 4

1. Learn with all grateful humility to

GOD S CHILDREN. 105

adore the grace of him who condescends serm. to set us among his children. For, blessed ^^.J^^ be his name, such privileges are ours if we are truly believers, as it is expressly said we are all the children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Let us never forget that it is by him we have received the adoption; that by him we are admitted to this place of refuge. As the apostle, who thought so justly on this head cries out, we joy in God through Jesus Christ^; by whom also'' Rom. w. we have received the reconciliation. Never otherwise had we been reconciled to God, and oh! if we had not been reconciled, where had been our place of refuge ? God indeed can shelter us from every enemy and danger : but what on earth or in heaven could have screened us from an unreconciled God?

2. Let me solemnly call on you all this day to seek this place of refuge. Have you all sought it ? Do your consciences bear witness for you that you have, and that you are indeed entered into it ? It is well if it be so ; but if not, O ! consider what need you will have qf it. Ye feeble children of men!

106 THE REFUGE OF

SERM. hearken to the invitation of coming to put your trust under the shadow of God's wings. Seek, I beseech you, his paternal love. O think of the terrible storm which is rising. Whither, whither will you fly ? To have your hearts sink under the loss of friends, under the severity of enemies, under worldly trou- bles and disappointments, under broken con- stitutions, under pained limbs ; all these things are comparatively little, and I now call them to your mind only to say that they are so. But the dying hour, that pressing assault of the last of enemies, what will you do if you have then no place of refuge ? Methinks I see your wild astonishment and affright. And what shall I say ? I fear lest then that you should have no comforter Alas ! I fear even your comforters themselves. I fear lest the desire of giving you some immediate relief should lead surviving friends to an ill judged compassion, to speak a peace which God does not speak. I fear lest you should then take it for granted, though in express contradiction to his word, that it is impossible you should call and he should not answer, that you should seek Mm and not

GOD^S CHILDREN. 10?

find him. I fear lest you should die with an serm. ill grounded hope, and wake in an everlasting v^^-^^ despair. But, oh! remember that they called^ and there icas none to save, even to the Lord, and he answered them not. In that day when God will spare his people as a man spares his son that serves him, there will he wrath that shall hum like an oven: and all the proud, and all that do wichedly, shall he as stubble: the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord, and shall leave them neither root nor branch^. n\iai.iv.i.

3. Let me entreat the children of God that they would trust in this refuge, and not shame it by dishonourable fears and suspicions. The Lord, says Isaiah, 25 my salvation; I will trust,

and will not be afraid"^. Enlarge your faith : ^ isa. xii. guard against those unbelieving fears which the enemy may suggest; and, oh! weigh those remarkable words, I, the Lord thy God, will hold thy right hand^, &c. Oh ! may you ^ isa. xii. so know God's name as to put your trust in him, for he has not forsaken, and he will not forsake them that seek him.

4. Let this engage religious parents to take the greatest care to secure the Divine protec- tion to their children as well as to themselves.

108 THE REFUGE OF

SERM. Nature teaches us to be solicitous for them, and I have known some parents who have been hardly able to support their solicitude, under the ignorance of what their children would do when they were dead. It has sometimes been felt, when God has ap- pointed that the children should go first, and so proved the vanity of their care. But in one connexion it is to be commended. Now common prudence will teach us to wish to secure the friendship of persons who, when we are dead, may show kindness to those whom we leave behind us. How much more is it our wisdom to endeavour to secure to our children this place of refuge, in the know- ledge of the Lord God of their fathers ! Hear, therefore, ye parents ! hear and consider. Amidst all your cares to feed and clothe your children, and to lay up something for their future subsistence, oh ! bring them to God : instruct them in the knowledge of him ; en- deavour to convince them of their concern in him : urge them to seek his favour ; and pre- sent them daily before him for his blessing. Communicate freely to them your own ex- perience : tell them where you have found rest for your souls amidst all the tossing of

god's children. 109

tliis frail vessel in which you are embarked, serm. Testify to them the goodness of God to you ; v^^. *-,^^ express your cheerful confidence in him ; and let them see that the tenderest wish of your love for them is that they may be the objects of his. To conclude, be often addressing them, as I now desire to address all the young ones who hear me this day, in the words of David : Come, ye children, hearken imto me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is thei^e of you that desires life. Sec. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are ope7i to their cry ; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the rememhrance of them froin the earth^: and,*Ps.xxxiv. therefore, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom ; a7id a good imderstanding have they, and only they, who keep his command- ments^, and through Christ seek his salvation. 7 psa. cxj. Amen.

110 OF LAYING UP EARTHLY TREASURE

SERMON V.

OF THE FOLLY' OF LAYING UP EARTHLY' TREASURE IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD.

LrKE, xii. 21.

So is he xcho layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich

towards God.

SERM. The Lord Jesus Christ came from heaven to K^^^^ earth, to raise us from earth to heaven ; and it is the first part of that salvation to raise our souls thither, while our bodies dwell here below : to engage us to set our affections on thinn;s above, and not on those which are here •Coi.iii.2. on earth^; and to that purpose our Lord gives a great many very admirable lessons, several of which I shall have occasion to quote in the progress of my discourse. The period of which my text is a part contains a remarkable instance to this purpose. The blessed Jesus was called upon to decide a controversy which arose betwixt two brothers, on the division of their paternal estate (for it was then, as it too

IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD. Ill

frequently now is, that the dearest relations sehm. were ready to quarrel with each other when ^^^ their secular interests seemed opposite); the Lord prudently avoids interposing in the affair : but he would not omit so fair an opportunity of cautioning them against that excessive love to the present world, which was the occa- sion of those quarrels betwixt brethren. He said unto them, Take heed, and beware of cove- tousness : and he gives this very solid reason for it, Because a mans life (i. e. the comfort and happiness of it) does not consist in the abundance of the things that he possesseth. He further enforces the caution by a remark- able parable of a rich man, whose ground broufrht forth after the most abundant man- ner, so that he was in great care how to be- stow his substance, and firmly concluded that he had a stock enough for his support all the remainder of life, and had nothing to do but to consult his own ease and pleasure, and give himself up to sensual indulgence : but God surprised him in an awful manner, by callinof him out of the world a few moments after, and in effect said. Thou fool, this flight thy soul shall be inquired of thee. Now such (i. e. such a fool as I have been now describing) is every man that lays up to himself treasure on

112 OF LAYING UP EARTHLY TREASURE

SERM. earthy and is not rich towards God. For the full explication and improvement of the words, I will endeavour to show,

I. What it is to be rich towards God.

II. What is the opposite character of lay- ing up treasures for ourselves when we are not rich towards him ; and,

III. I will endeavour to display the shame- ful folly of such a conduct, and to show how well it deserves so severe a censure. After which,

IV. I will conclude with some serious ap- plication.

And as I hope I can truly say, that God is my witness, I choose this subject with the most real compassion for those who forget God in the midst of their worldly cares, and with a hearty desire to do my utmost to re- cover them out of the snare of the devil, so I would humbly look up to God for his assist- ance and blessing, that I may find my way to your hearts, and that what I am now to say may be as a nail fixed in a suix place.

I. I am to show you very briefly what it is to be rich towards God. Now I apprehend that it takes in these four particulars.

1. To be rich towards God may signify

IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD. 113

being rich in his account or esteem, i. e. when serm. he looks upon us as indeed so. We are sure ^^^^^ that his judgment is according to truth : but it is often extremely different from that of men; and indeed for that very reason it is so, because the minds of men are often trans- ported with vain appearances, while the all- penetrating eye of God always sees things as they really are. In this respect, what things are highli) esteemed amongst men are an aho- 7nination to the eyes of the Lord'^ , for fjian'Uikewi looks at the outward appearance, hut the Lord knows the heart^. On this account, as he m Samuel judges many foolish, whom the world think extremely wise, he judges some poor, who seem to themselves and others to be rich. So says the Incarnate Wisdom of God to the church of Laodicea, Thou sayest I am rich, and knowest not thou art poor and miserable'^,* Rev. iii. &c. : and, on the other hand, to the angel of the church of Smyrna he says, / know thy poverty (i. e. thy humility, thy sufferings, thy abasement), ?/e^ thou art rich^ (i. e. spiritually 'Rev. ii. 9. and therefore truly so), rich in my eye, and esteem, how poor soever thou may est seem to thyself, and to others about thee. Now he may properly be said to be rich towards

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SERM. God, whom God esteems and looks upon as

v^.^^ a rich and a happy creature ; and of such a one we may add,

2. To be rich towards God may signify beinp^ rich in an interest in the Divine favour. Critics observe that the particle ng sometimes signifies the same with fv, so to be rich towards God may be the same as to be rich i?i him ; and this, undoubtedly, must be the highest and noblest riches : those whom he blesses are blessed indeed. Nor can we imagine any thing greater and nobler than to be, as it were, possessed of Him who is the Most High

'Gen.xiv. God, and the Creator of heaven and earth^. And, indeed, every soul that is made thus happy is, by Divine grace, brought to a sense of this, that the Divine favour is infinitely desirable. It is the very language of his soul which the Psalmist uses : Thejx be 7nanij who say. Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou lip the light of thy countenance upon

^PsAv.G.us'^. Whom have I in heaven hut thee? and there is none upo?i earth whom I desire besides

^Ps.ixxiii. thee^. He seeks the face and favour of God with the greatest earnestness : he attends with the most dutiful regards to those instructions by which he may be brought to an acquaint-

IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD. 115

ance with him ; and he can truly say, with serm. David, The law of thy mouth is better to me k^^-J.^^ than thousands of gold and silver''^ : and it is'Psa.cxix. of the highest importance to observe that he seeks God^s favour after his own appointed way. When the gospel tells him that Christ is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no man comes to the father hut by hi?n^, he con- 'Johnxiv. siders him in this view : he looks upon Christ as the pearl of great price ; and, like a wise merchant, would be willing to sell all that he has to buy it. He comes to God by him ; comes as a poor, w eak, indigent, guilty crea- ture, not to purchase, but to beg the most valuable favours : and when he is brought, by Divine grace, to such a temper, there is an everlasting covenant betwixt God and his soul ; and the tenour of it is, / will be unto thee a God, and thou shalt be unto me for one of my people. Such a person may be said to be rich towards God, or rich in him.

3. To be rich towards God must include to be rich in faith, and in all the fruits of holiness. You know that each of these are scripture phrases : God has chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith^ : and those in more 'James ii. plentiful circumstances are advised and

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SERM. charged that they he rich in good works^ ;

v^— A^ for faith and good works are indeed an in-

^^^'"^•'^^' valuable treasure. Nor can any man be rich in the sight of God, and rich in his favour, when he continues destitute of them : for, as the apostle expressly assures us, without faith (i. e. a faith which works by love) it is impos-

t Heb. xi. sihle to plecise God'^. On this account faith is spoken of as more precious than gold, as better than rubies. The man who in this respect is rich towards God has, as the scrip- ture elsewhere expresses it, a good treasure within. A good tnan, out of the good treasure

5 Matt. xii. of Az6' heart, brings forth good things^, not

35

only good words, but good actions ; and this he does with a kind of actual freedom and delight. He would be steadfast and immove- able, always abounding in the work of the

^ 1 Cor. x\. Lor d^. I cannot forbear observing on this occasion, that a readiness to acts of mercy and charity is no inconsiderable part of the temper before us. God is said to be lich in mercy ; and the good man, according to his capacity, desires to imitate him ; to be 7nerci-

' Luke viful, as his Father in heaven is mercifuV ; to forgive those who have injured him ; to sup- plv those who are in want ; to comfort and

IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD. 117

animate those who are in sorrow. These are serm. sacrifices with which God is n'cll pleased ; and v^.,!^_y of the soul that is sohcitous with a holy freedom and Hberality to abide in these, it may be added,

4. That he is rich in the glories of the heavenly world, which are prepared for him; and on this account he may be said to be rich towards God. It is most certain that there is no merit and excellency in works which we do for the sake of them : in them- selves considered, they are not worthy of a reward : whatever is bestowed is 7iot oj debt, but of grace. Nevertheless, we need not be backward to use that manner of speaking which we often find in scripture on this head, where the sacred writer represents the hea- venly world as a state and place in which treasures are laid up for the children and people of God, in proportion to their diligence and zeal in his pursuit of God's service on earth ; so that Timothy is urged to charge the rich to lay up for themselves in store a good foundation for the time to come^ ; and^ixim.vi. others, by Christ, to lay up treasures in hea- ven^; to provide for themselves bags that wax ^ MdiVi. \\.

20.

not old; or, as it is elsewhere expressed by

118 OF LAYING UP EARTHLY TREASURE

SERM. being a treasure in heaven that fades not K^^^S^^ «t^fl?/^. Now a person entitled to this may •Lukexu. j-jg g^j(j ^Q ]^g j,^f.j^ towards God. i. e. to have

32. , . _ _ ' ^

riches laid up with God in Christ ; as we read, Ye are dead, and your life is hid with 'Co].nu 3. Christ in God^. And the Christian has this in view : he prefers these riches to all others ; refers all actions in life to them : he consi- ders himself as an immortal creature ; he is concerned to secure immortal happiness ; nay, he is concerned to increase it day by day, and to be continually doing something which may, through grace, augment this stock. Thus it is to be rich towards God. Will you seriously examine your own souls, to judge whether this be the case with you or not. By the explication which I have given of this, you will easily see what it is,

II. To lay up riches for ourselves, in the neglect of these. And here I must premise that the two clauses of the text are to be taken in conjunction ; and that the thing here forbidden carries in it a neglect of the former ; otherwise laying up for our own use, and laying up for the subsistence of a family, is far from being a sin. If it be done in a

IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD. llp

prudent, just, and moderate manner, it is serm. rather a necessary duty. We owe it to our- v^-^^ selves ; we owe it to others ; we owe it to society; we owe it to God: and we tempt Providence if there be no concern about it. The parents, says the apostle, ought to lay up for their children^: and he elsewhere observes, ^Cor.x.

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that if any man provide not for his own, especi- ally those of his own house, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel^ : he brings^ 2 Cor.xii. a greater dishonour upon Christianity, and so he does more injury to it, than he could have done, had he continued by profession a hea- then. Keeping this thought in view, it will be obvious to see what we are to understand by laying up treasmx for ourselves. It may signify our referring our possessions entirely to ourselves, and making worldly enjoyments our great and governing care. These two do always concur ; though they are such that each of them deserves our notice.

1. They lay up treasures to themselves, who refer their worldly possessions entirely to themselves ; persons of a narrow and selfish spirit, who have no higher end than their own advantage, and their own satisfaction, in what they do in the several relations and

120 OF LAYING UP EARTHLY TREASURE

SERM. offices of life. I have observed how difFu- -^i^y sively good the Christian is ; how ready to \T\m.\. distribute, how wiUing to communicate^: and

o

it is a sign of a very degenerate, and indeed a wicked mind, to be only concerned about self ; and very provoking to God when we look on those things as so ours, as if they ought to be used without any regard to others. Most justly is this reproved by the prophet Hosea : Israel is an empty vine ; he 'Hos.x. J. brings forth fruits to himself^ : and therefore, whatever their fruits are, they are hereby tainted and spoiled. It is much the same if there be nothing but a regard to their families, their children being a part of themselves. If there be such a care to make them rich and great as renders us insensible of the calamities and afflictions of our neighbours, and unwill- ing to relieve them : if it swallows up our regard to God (whose glory we ought ulti- mately to seek even in all those views and schemes which immediately relate to our- selves), undoubtedly such fall under the censure of the text, in its most plain and direct form.

2. They lay up treasures to themselves, who make it their main care to secure worldly

IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD. 121

enjoyments. The Christian is indeed careful serm. about these things; but, so far as he acts ac- v^-v^^ cording to his own principles, he keeps them in their place. He seeks first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness'^ , as of the greatest ^ Matt. vi.

33.

importance ; and is solicitous to look to the things unseen and eternal, rather than to those which are seen ; so that, upon the whole, his treasure is in heaven, and his heart is there also. But the worldly man is one of those whose portion is in this life, and who, in the language of the apostle, minds eartldy things^. He relishes and pursues these above* Phil. iii. any thing else ; and this character is drawn in the preceding words, where the rich man had been described as rejoicing in his worldly possessions, and emplo^dng all his thoughts about them, and using them in sensual gratifications. So that you see, upon the whole, that many fall under the censure of the text who are not by any means per- sons of infamous character in life. It is not only the rich, who zmll go beyond and defraud his brother, or the merchant, who has the balance of deceit in his hands ; it is not only the tradesman who will commend his com- modities by known and deliberate lies, in

V.

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SERM. order to rob his chapman within the protec- tion of the law ; it is not only the man who grinds and oppresses the poor, and borrows what he knows he cannot repay, or will not, when he has it in the power of his hands ; but the fair tradesman, the good neighbour, that man who lives in the neglect of God and the Lord Jesus Christ; who sets his affections merely on present enjoyments, who is uncon- cerned about usefulness in this life, and hap- piness in the next : he is the man who lays up treasure to himself, and who is not rich towards God. I now proceed,

III. To consider the great folly of persons of such a character : and here I consider it in comparison with the character of those who are rich towards God, even though we should put them in the poorest circumstances of life; and it will evidently appear that they are much wiser, and much happier than the most artful and sagacious of the children of this world. The folly of the man who lays up treasures to himself alone, in the manner which I have now described, will appear, if we consider that he cannot have entire satisfaction in them while he possesses

IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD. 123

them. He is surrounded with accidents, serm. which may take them away ; he will surely v^^-J,^^ and speedily be removed from them ; and he will have nothing in the other world but treasures of wrath. Would to God that you w^ould seriously consider these things while I dwell upon each for a few moments in my discourse.

1. If you lay up treasures only to your- selves, you can have no entire satisfaction in them while you possess them. Solomon as- serts it in the most express words : He who loves silver shall not be satisfied zmth silvery and he who loves abimdance, with increase^. And 'Eccies.v. let me apply to your own experience, whe- ther that does not confirm it. If you are satisfied, why are you so eager and solicitous to increase your store ? The rich man in the text, indeed, seems to expect a great deal : Sold, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merrij. Why, it is true that he might do all this. But will eating, and drinking, and mirth, and laughter satisfy a rational and immortal spirit ? Are you, any of you, so sunk in flesh and blood as to think of nothing higher than these things ? and if you do think of any thing that is higher, can you think that riches

10.

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SERM. will obtain it? Justly does Job say of the ^^^^^, wicked man, In the fulness of his sufficiency 'Job XX. he shall he in straits^: and it is indeed so. There is such an unsuitableness betwixt the nature of a rational and immortal soul, and the enjoyments of the present life, that a man might as well satisfy his appetite with the picture of food or the sound of music, as fill his soul with such enjoymehts as these. But a Christian, who is rich towards God, finds a delightful acquiescence of soul in him, and says, in that beautiful manner which David does, Return unto thy rest, O my soul! for ^Fs.cxxi the Lord has dealt bountifully with thee^. Having an interest in God, he knows that he may open his mouth wide, and God will f II it; that he may enlarge the desires of his soul to ^FsAxwi.the utmost^, and find more than enough in God to satisfy them all. His rock is not as vour rock, we may venture to say, even now, yourselves being to judge. But we will give up this ; we will suppose your taste so much degenerated, the nobler appetites and facul- ties of the soul so laid asleep, that you could take up with these things. Consider,

2. If you only lay uj) treasures for your- selves, you are surrounded with ten thousand

IN THE NEGLECT OF OOD. 125

accidents that may take them away. You serm.

know this better in many of its circumstances k^^^S- ^

than I can particularly inform you. All of you who are arrived to years of understanding have lived long enough to see the justice of Solomon's remark, that riches jnake them- selves zmngs and fly away, as an eagle towards heaven^. And do you not then see the justice *Prov. of his expostulation? Why do you set your eyes upon that which is not; upon that which has so precarious an existence that it hardly deserves to be called a being ? Our Lord observes, that moth and rust corrupt these treasures, and that thieves break through and steal them^. You know that a robber, a few 'Matt. vi. bad debts, a storm at sea, unseasonable wea- ther, and especially a raging fire, may in a very few days reduce the rich man so low as to leave him hardly the necessary supports of life. Most justly, therefore, are they by the apostle called uncertain riches^, and by our *i Tim, vi. Lord the deceitful mammon^ : but the Christian 7Lukexvi. is possessed of true riches ; as his peace, so ^* his wealth no man takes away. He is as liable as others are to be stripped of all his external possessions ; but God his chief trea- sure dwells in his soul, and he must be sepa-

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SERM. rated from himself before he can be separated \^^^^ from his God. Were he to be reduced to the circumstances of those glorious confes- sors who endured the spoiling of their goods, he might be full of joy in this thought, that he had in heaven a better and a ?nore enduring «iieb. X. substance^. Were he with them to wander in

34.

sheepskins and goatskins, in dens and caves of the earth, though he had nothing, he Avould he possessing all things; w^hile he could add, as the apostle there does, what shall separate me from the love of God in Christ Jesus? But once more, suppose any new method should ever be found out of ensuring estates and possessions, so that they should entirely be out of danger, can life be ensured too? Which leads me to observe,

3. That if these things should still be con- tinued to you, you must surely and speedily be removed from them by death. What man is there who liveth and shall not see it? And the Psalmist particularly observes, that those who place the greatest confidence in these 'Ps.xiix. riches cannot deliver their brethren^, and consequently they cannot deliver themselves from the grave: the ransom of the life is pre- cious and for ever ceases. Those who gain

IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD. 12?

riches by unrighteous courses have pecuHar serm. reason to expect and fear that God should v^^.^^y cut them off by a speedy stroke, even in the midst of their days ; as the prophet intimates, He who gets riches^ and not by right, shall leasee them in the ?nidst of his days^ ; and then, ' jcr. xvii. to be sure, at his end he will appear a fool. But if a man has gained them ever so ho- nestly, as the rich man in the gospel did, it is certain that he cannot hold them with any security. If life in general be precarious, if it be a vapour that appears for a little n^hile and then vanishes away, surely there cannot be any security in those things which are peculiar to it. Now it is most evident that these worldly possessions must be left behind us. JVe brought nothing into the world with us, andw'e can carry nothing away^. And when 'i Tim. vi, our soul is required, then, as the Jewish writer expresses it, the life which was only lent shall be demanded^. What are these things then?'wisci.xv.

o

What can they do for their possessor in his dying hour, but render his separation from life so much the more painful? When with life all these things are to be taken away, when his po?)ip is to be brought to the grave, and the sound of his viol, <^c. To erect a splendid tomb

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SERM. is only to perpetuate the memory of the vanity ^v^*-v^- of riches, and to tell the people, as long as brick and marble can bear the impression, that they left their helpless owner rotting near such a place; and that, notwithstanding- all his distinguished circumstances, he was •♦Job brought down to desolation as in a moment^. Now, is there no conviction in this? It is not so w ith him who is rich towards God, as his treasures lie in the soul, and are deposited in the invisible world. It is not in the power of that stroke which robs him of the body, and strips him of his external enjoyments, to deprive him of this interior and intrinsic wealth. But this will further be illustrated, by adding,

4. If you Jay up treasures only on earth, nothing is to be expected in the other w^orld but treasures of wrath. You will be stripped, as I observed under the former head, of your worldly enjoyments, and so will the Christian : but when these fail, he will be received into everlasting habitations. If this tabernacle be dissolved, he has a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. But what have you? alas! you will then be left naked and desolate: and justly may I

IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD. 129

say, what will you do in the day of visita- serm. tion, &c.? How melancholy for a soul to have ^.^'.^^ outlived all its happiness! But how much more melancholy to be thrown into a state of perpetual misery! For this is what you must expect. God will make you know another day, though you might lay up trea- sures for yourselves, that they were not your own. He will call you to account for your stewardship; and oh! m hat account will you , give? Then it will be found that all, with which you are entrusted, you haAC abused; and that for all that you have abused God will visit your souls ; and when you are condemned by him for your sins, you will find your future suf- ferings aggravated by past plenty. Oh! that thought will cut you to the soul. Sinner! remember that thou in thij lifetime receivedst good things^; and in that respect the rust of ^J.ukexvi, your silver and your gold will eat your flesh with fire; and it shall be found that you have nourished yourselves only to a day of slaughter^. « james v. Will you not then call with envy and rao-e ^" on the poorest and meanest Christian who shall enter on his everlasting inheritance, and be found possessed of an eternal kingdom ; a treasure in the heavens that fadeth not away,

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SERM. but will last as long as an immortal soul ? Give me leave to conclude with a few words by way of reflection.

IV. For the application of these things.

1. How wretched is the condition of many who think themselves the happiest in the world. You see that the incarnate wisdom of the world calls them fools. Judge of the reason, judge not according to outward appear- ance, but judge righteous judgment. If they are set in such slippery places, see, if there be reason to envy them; see, if there be reason to murmur and repine, because we want their abundance. How would the Christian start back from the thoughts of an exchange with them.

2. How earnestly should sinners plead with God for an interest in these better blessings. May not some of you, upon a short recollec- tion, see that you are in the number of these unhappy creatures. Let me apply myself to you. Oh that j'^ou would attend upon what I say ! You have seen the fate of the wretched creature in my text. Let me ask, what if it should be your own? What if God should this night take away your soul? Who would transact your business, who would share your

IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD. 131

possessions to-morrow? That's a little ques- serm. tion — where would your souls be ? When the v^^.^^ spirit returns to God who gave it, when God comes to call back that noble treasure which he lodged in your breasts, and which you so basely abused ! Go to thy gods, says Jehovah to Israel, and let them save you. Go to your riches, to your darling possessions, may God say then, and let them save you. How could you reach them? How could they help you? Oh, sinner, rather go to God ! consider your need of his favour : seek it through Christ. You have other business: but let me tell you, this is of all the most needful. That may be neglected without ruin, this cannot. May God give you grace to attend to it. Go and plead with him as Jabez, Oh that thou nmddest bless tne indeed^ ! \ i chr.

3. How thankful should the Christian be for those better riches. You see in some measure how valuable they are. And to what do you owe it? To your own superior wisdom ? Surely you may see some destitute of them, who for this world are, at least, as wise as yourselves. If we cannot get wealth even in temporal things, as Moses expressly asserts, how much less here? What reason

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SERM. then is there to bless God who has given you K^^^^ counsel ! You who are poor how thankful should you be if you are rich in faith, seeing that you are heirs of the kingdom, that God has promised a little while and the scene will change. Want and hardship will be turned into everlasting pleasure and joy, and this poor cottage into a shining throne. Are you rich? What an instance of distinguishing- grace is it that 3'ou should be so for both worlds ! Our Lord has said, that it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God; but he adds, it is not impossible with «Matt. God^. Blessed be his name that you are, in Mark X. this instance, miracles of his grace. Take , ,^^" ... heed and beware of sufFerinp; those worldly

Lukexvai. ^ '^

25. possessions to engross too much of your thoughts and care, so as that you should forget your celestial, your eternal birth.

4. How solicitous should we all be to in- crease this better treasure, to lay up more and more in heaven? Have we not all reason for lamenting here? If we are the children of light, must we not own that many of the children of this world are in their generation 5 Luke xvi. wiser than we^? Let us humble ourselves

8.

IN THE NEGLECT OF GOD. 133

before God ; let us endeavour to quicken serm. our pace. Permit me particularly to address v^^^J!^ the exhortation to you whom God has fa- voured with abundance: make to youi'selves friends of the Mammon of unrighteousness: use your worldly possessions so as that they may in some measure promote your ever- lasting inheritance. Timothy is in a pecu- liar manner required to charge this on the consciences of such persons; and permit me to do it in his words, Charge them that are rich in this world, that they he not hightni?ided, nor trust in uncertain riches, hut in the living God, zi'ho giveth us richly all things to enjoy ^. • i Tim.

• • vi 17

May God, by the influences of his grace and "Spirit, make us all wise to salvation. May God teach us to live above the world while we are in it, and then, when we are to leave it, it will be no unwelcome remove; but if this night our souls should be required at our hands, we may joyfully say. Welcome, death, welcome, glory ! Amen.

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VI

SERMON VI.

OF THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN FAITH AND UNBELIEF IN THE GRACIOUS SOUL.

Mark, ix. 24. Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.

SERM. The words are part of a very moving story, which I doubt not that you well know. A poor affectionate father brought to the disciples of Christ a child possessed with a devil exceed- ingly fierce. The disciples had been used to work cures of this kind : but to humble them, to exercise the faith of the parent, and to display the superior power of Christ, God permitted this evil spirit to oppose them, and to maintain its ground against them ; a dread- ful stroke, no doubt, to the poor father to see, that when others were cured, his dear child was still under the power of the enemy, who, perhaps, raged more fiercely for this in- effectual opposition ; till, at length, Christ ap-

FAITH AND UNBELIEF. 13D

pears, and finds the child in actual convulsions, serm.

. . • VI

tearing and foaming, the father weeping and

trembling. He represented the sad case of his son, who had even from his very infancy been thus tormented ; and then he adds. If thou canst do any thing, have compassion upon us and help us ; if this be not a case beyond thy power, oh! employ thy power he;'e. He probably conceived of Christ only as a great prophet, and did not know but that there mioht be some case which exceeded even this extraordinary power which God had commu- nicated to him. Our Lord answers. If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth: if thy son be not cured, the reason will not be any incapacity in me, but some remainder of unbelief in thee. This struck the parent to the heart to think it was possible that his own fault might pre- vent the cure of his child: notwithstanding this, the text tells us that the father of the child cried out with tears in his eyes and great earnestness in his countenance. Lord, my soul is in a strange hurry and confusion while I think who thou art, and what thou hast done in former instances, and what thou

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SERM. now tellest me, I do believe; and yet I can hardly tell thee so, before a cloud comes over my mind: again I look upon this poor spec- tacle of horror and misery, and I begin to doubt again. " Help thou, therefore, 7Jiy un- belief, either by controlling the evil spirit, or by thy secret and powerful operation on my heart to strengthen this little spark of faith, which may else be put out by these floods of sorrow, and suspicion, and tempta- tion/'

Christians ! I cannot but think that this is a natural representation of what is sometimes our case when we would be acting faith upon the promises of the gospel, and casting our brethren upon the Lord. I will, therefore, in discoursing upon this subject,

I. Endeavour to enumerate some cases when the Christian may particularly find reason to cry out for help against unbelief.

II. I will show you what encouragement he has to apply to Christ for this purpose:

III. Show you in what ways we may humbly hope to have our prayers answered and our unbelief helped : may this be one of those ways, our diligent attendance to what

FAITH AND UNBELIEF. 13?

shall now be spoken, that we may every one serm. of us find our faith confirmed, and the re- v^.^ maiiider of our unbelief subdued.

I. I am to enumerate some cases in which the Christian may particularly find reason to cry out for the remainder of his unbelief. I need not now explain faith in the sense in which we use it at present. It is a firm per- suasion of the truth of the divine promises: it is a resting upon them and embracing them. It is such a conviction that the pro- mises are the word of God, and shall be per- formed, as puts a reality into them, and encourages and strengthens the soul in the midst of danger, and fears, and sorrows. But it is too plain that there may be an ap- prehension of the divine authority in the promises, and a general sense of the divine veracity too, and yet no lively acts of faith. There is a strange inconsistency in the human mind; it is one thing to believe with the understanding, and another to believe with the heart. Faith is sometimes in the soul, as Christ in the ship, asleep; and then the storm rages, and the soul expects to be swallowed up ; and sometimes it rises, as it

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SERM. were, with an air of divine majesty, and

VI

rebukes the wind and the sea, and then there is a great calm. I am to mention only a few instances in which the Christian often finds his faith ready to fail him. I shall take them from experience and observation on others, and on my own heart. To the most they may be such as these. When the Christian views the number, and guilt, and aggravation of his sins, he may find it diffi- cult to believe the promises of pardon ; when he sees the prospect of approaching calamity, he may find it difficult to believe the promises of support and deliverance ; when he feels the pressure of outward or inward distress, or perhaps of both, he may find it difficult to believe such dispensa- tions consistent with God's covenant love, or capable of being improved for his greater advantage ; and when he surveys the glories of the heavenly world, as described in the word of God, he may find it very difficult to believe that such a promise will ever be fulfilled to him.

1. When the Christian views the number, guilt, and aggravation of his sins, he may find it difficult to belie\e the promises of

FAITH AND UNBELIEF. 139

pardon. This is the great promise of his serm. covenant, that he will be merciful to our mi- k^,^^S^^ righteousness, mid our si?is and our iniquities he will remember no more^. He has, therefore, ' Heb. viii. spoken it in the strongest terms, and declared that though our sins be as scarlet, he will make them as white as snow, and though they be as red as crimson, he will make them like as wooV^, *isa.i. 13. And sometimes, perhaps, the soul is ready to say, " Lord, I can believe that thou wilt for- give any sins but mine, but surely I am the chief of sinners. I have relapsed into sin so often, I have sinned against so many mercies, against so many vows, that surely the honour of thy law will require thee to punish me. Surely did I belong to thy people, had I received thy pardon and thy sanctifying grace, there would not remain so much pol- lution in my nature, so many irregularities in my life. Lord, I do believe that there is mercy enough in thy nature, and merit enough in the blood of Christ, to pardon even these; but my fears return, and I must cry out in this respect. Lord, help mine un- belief."

2. In the prospect of approaching calamity the Christian finds it difficult to believe the

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SERM. promises of support and deliverance. They v^ A^ ai'e great. He shall cover thee with his fea- thers^ and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and thy buckler, and thou shalt not he afraid of the arrow that 3Fiid\cuJiieth in darkness, S^c^. When thou walkest

4 5.

^uL xiiii. through the fire I will be with thee"^. Trust in ^ the luord and do good, so shalt thou dwell in

Msaiah thc kind, ujid vcrily thon shalt be fed ^. Thy place shall be the munition of rocks; bread also shall be given thee, and thy water shall be

*Deut. sure^ ; and, on the Avhole, whatever thy ex- ercises are, as thy day is, so shall thy strength be. These are precious declarations, one would think that they would make the fearful soul as bold as a lion : but when the cloud gathers, and the storm rises, how many are the fears and distresses of the Christian's mind! " I shall not have patience to bear this affliction: I shall not have resignation and submission of mind to give up these dear enjoyments: when God takes away this dear amiable friend, I shall mourn and droop ; and shall hardly know how to enjoy God, or myself, or to pursue the duties of life with any vigour and cheerfulness: if God calls me to such a fiery trial, I shall )nake

FAITFI AND UNBELIEF. 141

shipwreck of faith and of a good conscience; serm. and if he calls me out to such a laborious ^.^ ^^ duty, I shall not have the courage to under- take it, or the resolution to got hrough it." Thus does the Christian often disquiet him- self, and feel more distress in the distant prospect of a trial than he does when actually called out to encounter it.

3. The Christian, under the pressure of temporal and spiritual distress, finds it diffi- cult to believe that it shall work for' his good. It is a known promise of the covenant of grace, than which none is more frequently mentioned, that all things shall work together for good. Sec. : and, " Lord," does the Chris- tian say, " I can believe it in the general. I can in the general believe that chastisements, which are not for the present joj/ons but griev- ous, shall yield the peaceable fruits of righ- teousness to them who are ejcercised therewith; and that light ajflictions, which are but for a moment, shall work out a far tnore exceeding and an eternal weight of glory. But, Lord, \\hen I come to particular instances. Lord, help thou my own unhelief. Can it be a token of thy love to me, and can it be good for me, that I should be disappointed in such an

142 OF THE STRUGGLE BET\VEE>f

SERM. affair ; on which, perhaps, the substance of , my family so much depends ? that I should be emptied from one vessel to another, and tossed from one place and from one employ- ment to another? Can it be for my good that I should meet with unkindness, it may be, from those relatives who ought to be my refuge from all the unkindness of others ; or lose those pious friends that were my daily joy, that quickened me in thy way, with whom I have taken the sweetest counsel together, and walked to the house of God m company? Can it be for my good that my gourd should wither, even when the sun is beating hottest upon my aching head, or that my staff should be wrested out of my hands before half my journey is dispatched ? Can it be good for me that I should be cut off from the privi- leo^es of thine house, and from the services of my own, and, it may be, confined for weeks or months together to my chamber or to a bed, a useless encumbrance on a family where I have, perhaps, been a blessing?" And, " oh," wdll the Christian say, " oh that this were all ! Yes, Lord, with the light of thy countenance, with the sense of thy love, I could bear this, and more. But can it be

FAITH AND UNBELIEF. 143

good for my soul that thou sliouldest hide serm. thy face from we, and hold me for thine v^^^^ enemy ? that I should go backward and for- ward from one ordinance and opportunity to another, seeking thee in vain ? that I should go to secret duty, and there be dumb and straitened in my spirit before thee, and that I rise from my knees more discomposed and more troubled than when I attempted to pray ? Can it be good for me that I should come up to the congregation of thy saints, as it seems to me, only to profane thine ordinances, that I should hear and read thy word only to fur- nish out matter for accusation, and complaint, and terror ; and should sit down to thy table sometimes with a secret apprehension that I am a Judas at thy board, and am making myself guilty of the body and blood of the Lord ; whilst eating of his bread, I lift up my heels against him. Can these gloomy appre- hensions be for my advantage ? Canst thou be the God of Israel, and Saviour to me, when thou art thus hiding thyself from me, or writing bitter things against me? Are these the corrections of a father? Are they not rather the strokes of an enemy ? Lord, help mine unbelief T

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144 OF THE STRUGGLE BETWEEN

SERM. 4. The Christian may find it difficult to K^^,^^ beUeve the promises of future glory as his own, when he considers the excellency of it, and his own utter unworthiness. Christ speaks very graciously to his people, as if it were on purpose to obviate this suspicion. Fear not, says he, little flock, weak as you are, unworthy as you take yourselves to be, it is your Father s good pleasure to give you ^ Luke ml the kingdom'^. "True,'' will the Christian say, " it was thy good pleasure to giv^e it to thine apostles and thy servants in those days ; and thou hast thousands in our own whom I can call, and say, Yes, these are intended for a kingdom, they look like the heirs of it; but. Lord, dost thou intend it for me ? Were it merely a promise of being laid in the grave during God's indignation, I could perhaps believe tliat, were it merely the en- joyment of such a world as this, or the tem- porary enjoyment of heaven itself, it might seem less incredible : but to be completely and eternally happy, to have the crown publicly set on my head, and this not to be worn for one triumphant day, but to be worn for ever. Surely this is not for me ; with what face can I expect it, that such a sinful worm as I

FAITH AND UNBELIEF. 145

am should be taken to be a companion with serm. angels in the joy and glory of thy heavenly v^^^^^ presence, and to sit down with Christ on his throne ? Nay, thou man of God," am I some- times ready to say to ministers and saints, when they tell me of these things, " do not lie unto thy servant^ : do not raise a vain and * 2 Kings flattering hope to sink me so much the deeper in disappointment and sorrow. Xo/y/, ziphat shall I say^? It is thou who hast raised these MSam.iv,

1 f

hopes; and dost thou delude me? Far be that impious suspicion from my soul. When I look on thy word, when I look on the merits and righteousness of thy Son, I think that there is room for the expectation : but, Lord, when I look on myself, it seems almost in- credible. The promise appears too great and too good to be true : on the whole, I cry out with tears. Lord, I believe ; help thou mine unbelief I"

II. Let me now show what encourasfements the Christian has to address to Christ in this manner to help his unbelief. Now I shall mention only these two ; that the Lord Jesus Christ is able to do it, and that he is under strong engagements to do it.

VOL. III. L

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SERM. 1. The Lord Jesus Christ is able to do it ;

VI

^^v^ as able to cure the infirmities of the mind as he was to heal the disorders of the body. It is he who first works faith in us by his free Spirit, and the residue of the Spirit is with him, and of his fulness do we all recewe eveji grace for grace. We may, therefore, go to him, and say, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst do this. If thou wilt, mountains of oppositions and discouragements and difficulties shall spread themselves, as it were, into a plain l^efore the meanest of thy servants.

2. Christ is under strong engagements to do it. He is engaged by the tenderness of his own nature. He can have compassion on the ignorant and on the weak: having him- self suffered, being tempted, he knows our frame ; he knows the force of sensible objects to impress, and sometimes to discourage the spirits. You know how he cared for Peter, and prayed for him : I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not. He is likewise engaged by his oflBce as the Shepherd of his people; as the Saviour of his body; and he is in some measure engaged by his honour too, as he has begun this good work of faith in the soul, not to forsake the work of his own hands : and

FAITH AND UNBELIEF. 14? '

the more our faith is strengthened and in- serm. creased, the more he will be glorified by us. v^^^ These are all considerations which might bear a much larger discourse ; but I hasten to the conclusion.

III. Let me briefly show you how we may humbly hope to have these prayers heard, and our unbelief helped and removed. And here I would offer to you such advices as these. Converse much with the promises of Christ, and his invariable grace and fidelity. Reflect on the accomplishment of them as illustrated by your own experience, and that of others : pray earnestly for the strengthen- ing and quickening Spirit, and attend those ordinances which he has appointed for this purpose.

1. If you desire that your unbelief may be helped, converse much with the promises. The New Testament abounds with them ; and, through the Divine goodness to the ancient church, many a bright and sparkling ray breaks through the shades of the Old. Adore God for these promises, and study them with care. Labour to understand them : consider

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SERM. which are essential and absolute ; which are ^^^..J^y only conditional, and, as it were,circumstantial. That you may not be expecting too much, and, being disappointed, bring a doubt upon your souls with regard to others which are not liable to such uncertainty, remember that the degree of temporal enjoyments and of present comforts is not expressly determined. Remember that a very great degree of dark- ness and of present distress is very consistent with all that God engaged in his word ; but that the promises of pardon and peace, of strength and salvation, of a glorious resur- rection, and a blessed immortality, are the glad tidings of the gospel ; and remember that there is proper provision made for a va- riety of cases and emergencies in life. Read the promises, therefore, with an attentive eye ; collect them ; meditate upon them ; endeavour to see what strength and spirit there is in them ; plead them with your own unbelieving heart, and plead them with God in prayer. Whj/ art thou cast dozen, O my

^?s..y\\\5^§oul^ ? What exceeding rich and precious promises are here ! Has God spoken, and shall he not do it ? Couldst thou trust a frail,

FAITH AND UNBELIEF. 149

deceitful, mortal worm, and wilt thou not serm. trust God ? Wilt thou not trust the Lord K^^J-^y Jesus Christ ? Canst thou think so meanly of him as to imagine that he will delude thee, and intended to raise thy hopes in vain ? O my soul ! it is not, it cannot be so. His grace moved him to make these promises, and his fidelity will engage him to make them good. Heaven and earth shall pass away^ hut his words shall never pass awai/^. Which * Matt. v. leads me to add,

2. Think much of the invariable grace and fidelity of Christ. Remember that they are made and established in him : In him all the jyrofJiises of God are yea, and in him they are Atnen^. And is not He the same yesterday, ^aCor.i. to-day, and for ever ? Could I have trusted Christ upon earth, if he had given me a pro- mise ? Lord ! I could, no doubt, have trusted thee ; I could have ventured over lands and seas upon thy word, and have gone helpless and friendless to the ends of the earth, on the security of thy promise that I should be safe and prosperous : and shall I not trust thee now ? Art thou less able, less faithful ? Is the Lord whom I serve so forgetful as sometimes

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SERM. to overlook his promise, or so busy as not to v^^-v^ be able to attend to the particular exigences of his people, so that one might say of him, as Elijah did of Baal, Perh<i[)S he is on a jour- ney, or he talketh with others, or, perhaps, he sleeps, and must he awakened. Dishonourable, impious thoughts ! Wouldst thou, O my un- believing heart, suggest them ? and if not, what wouldst thou suggest? When Christ has called himself the good Shepherd, and declared that he will give to his sheep eternal life, and that nothing shall separate them from his love, dost thou suspect that he will not make his word good ?

3. If you desire that Christ may confirm your faith, then be frequently thinking of your own experiences and of those of your fellow Christians. My friends ! the dealings of God's providence and his grace are a beautiful comment upon the promises of his word. Think what you have been, and what you have felt. Remember the years of ^ Psalm the right hand of the Most High'^. Remem-

Ixxvii. 10. n 1 • i r i i

ber all his wonders or old : must you not own that you had fainted unless you had believed? Has not God pardoned many of

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FAITH AND UNBELIEF. 151

your former sins, and given you a delightful serm. sense of pardon ? Has he not supplied you in your wants, and comforted you in your sor- rows, and supported you in difficulties under which you would have imagined that you must necessarily have fallen ? Indeed, Chris- tians ! it becomes you to consider the pro- mises sealed by this experience : and it must argue great ingratitude if you forget your tried and constant friend. And pray, think likewise on the experience of others : think how God has sometimes appeared, even for the most despised of his people, in so eminent and remarkable a manner, that those who knew all the circumstances must say, this is the finger of God. When you consider how he has delivered, and does deliver, you will trust in him that he will still deliver.

4. If you expect that Christ should help your unbelief, you must pray earnestly for the Spirit. It is the work and office of the Spirit to produce faith in the soul, and to purchase it; and the Christian vanquishes his spiritual enemies on his knees. How often do we find David's faith apparently strengthened while he has been penning a

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SERM. psalm, SO that he begins with the bitterest v^^-^^J!,^ complaints, and ends with praise ! and how often have we found the comforting Saviour in this duty ourselves ! Cry, therefore, to him with great earnestness and importunity, and cry out with tears, Lord, help m'me unbelief.

5. You have reason to hope that Christ will help your unbelief in attending ordi- nances. The preaching of the word brings the promises together, and I do not doubt but you have, many of you, found that in ' Rom. X. this respect faith comes by hearing^. In the Lord's Supper the covenant comprehends all these promises as sealed, and there very fre- quently God lets in a word of comfort and a ray of light upon the humble expecting soul. Attend then, therefore, my brethren, with a cheerful expectation that God will meet you, and bless you in them ; and if there be a struggle raised within or without, to pre- vent your attendance on such ordinances, turn the difficulties and objections into an argument, and assure yourselves that your spiritual enemies oppose them, because they fear that the consequences of them should be too happy to your souls.

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I conclude all with my hearty prayer to serm. God for you, that this good work of his grace upon your soul may be carried on in a more successful manner daily: that you may find the house of David growing stronger and stronger, and that of Saul weaker and weaker in your heart ; that faith may get ground on unbelievers, as the rising morning does on the darkness of the night, till at length every intermingled shade is dispersed, and the whole face of heaven and of earth is beauti- fied and cheered by the victorious sun shilling in his strength.

154 Christ's coming

SERMON VII.

Christ's coming in the clouds.

Revelations, i. 7.

Behold, he comes with clouds, and every eye shall see him, and they also that pierced him ; atid all the kindreds of the earth shall mourn because of him. Even so, Amen.

SERM. Before I enter on the particular discussion of v^...^^ these words, I must observe that they are in- troduced in a remarkable manner indeed, as a kind of note to this prophetic, mysterious, but most instructive book ; concerning which, dark as many parts of it are, there was reason to say, Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy^ provided they observe and keep those things that are ' Rev. i. 3. written therein^.

The apostle salutes the seven churches of Asia, to each of whom he had a distinct mes- sage ; and, therefore, inscribes the book to them all ; and he salutes them in a very ex- traordinary manner : Grace he to you, and

IN THE CLOUDS. 155

peace from Jiim which is, and which was, and serm. which is to come, i. e. from the eternal and k^,^-^^ ever blessed God, the immutable and all glorious Jehovah : and, he adds, fr'om the seven spirits that are before the throne, which some interpret as a wish of grace and peace from the Holy Spirit. Supposing that the variety of its gifts and graces were repre- sented by seven lamps of fire ^, which seemed ^Rev. iv. in this prophetic vision to shine before the throne of God, as the seven lamps of the sacred candlestick did in the tabernacle, to which there is here a continual allusion^: 3 Rev. v. e. though others understand them of seven angels of distinguished dignity, whom they suppose elsewhere to be represented by the seven horns and eyes of the lamb, who are said to be the seven spirits of God, sent out into all the earth, i. e. the instruments which he makes use of in his providential govern- ment, who from time to time bring their report to him; and receive his commission to exert the power, which he gave them, to such purposes as his wisdom shall see best. In further allusion to those words in which we read of the seven eyes of the Lord, which run

to and fro throus'hout the earth"^, as a little ^ Zcch. iv.

•^ ^ 10.

156 Christ's coming

SERM. after we read of four spirits of the heavens, : v^-^-^ which go forth from standing before the Lord »Zech. vi. of all the earth^. But I must beg leave here

e •11

to observe, by the way, that if we do suppose the spirits of God here in this context to sig- nify the same with the spirits of the heavens |j in Zechariah, (i. e. great and celestial) it will not follow that there are just seven of them, since we see, in another place, that they are four. The number seven in the one seems only to signify that they are many, as four, answering to the four quarters of the earth, that they are everywhere employed ; north and south, east and west, being representa- tions of a hieroglyphical and figurative, rather than of a literal and historical kind. I shall only add here, that if the seven spirits before the throne do indeed signify angels (concern- ing which I can assert nothing absolutely) all that we can infer from it is, that John wished that these celestial spirits might be made the instruments of God's gracious providence in the protection and happiness of these seven churches. He then wishes that grace and peace from a person, on this interpretation, infinitely greater than those mentioned be- fore (of whom, having so much to say, he

IN THE CLOUDS. 157

mentions him in the last place), and fi^om serm.

. VII.

Jesus, who is the faithful witness, and the first k^^J^^ begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth ; who, therefore, can over- rule all the affairs of all kingdoms and nations as he pleases, and give such prosperity to his gospel, and deal such destruction to the ene- mies of it as he, in his infinite wisdom, shall see fit. Waked, as it were, into a rapture with this sacred and beloved name, he breaks out into a sublime doxology, in which he anticipates those songs of heaven, which, be- fore he wrote this, he had learned from the multitude that surround the throne. And, oh ! let us join in it with all the powers of our souls : Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood; and to him who has made us kings and priests to God, even his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.