But, not to dwell longer on these bye-paths; there is one blessed way, besides all these, though it be a narrow one, which conducts directly out of a natural state, through the pangs of the new birth, into the paradise of grace. This neither plunges a man into the pit of despair, nor misguides him into the fool's paradise, nor pacifies unseasonably with counterfeit peace; nor leaves in the deceiving forms of an unsound conversion; but conveys him by an universal, sincere, thorough change into the holy path: and that by such degrees as these:

            1. The first is, conviction of conscience, troubling the heart with a sight, sense, and horror of sin. The first work of the Spirit, John 16: 8, is to convince of sin; which presupposeth illumination, and produceth terror. The spirit of bondage must be first set on work, to show us our spiritual misery.

            2. In the second place, the person so convinced, comes unto the ministers of GOD, in the same mind that Peter's hearers did, Acts 2: 37, having his heart pricked and rent in pieces with legal terror, crying, " Men and bre­thren, what shall we do?" And here the ministers of God have a strong and seasonable call to set forth the heighth, the excellency, the amiableness, and sufficiency of JESUS CHRIST; to magnify the invaluableness and sweet­ness of his person, passion, and promises. No sin of so deep a die, be it scarlet or crimson, but his precious blood can wash it out. No heart so dark or heavy, but one beam from his face can fill it full of spiritual glory. No man so miserable, but, if he will go out of himself and the devil's slavery, CHRIST will advance him without money and without price, from depth of horror to heighth of happiness.           

            3. Being truly informed in the mystery and mercy of the gospel, the poor wounded and weary soul begins to be deeply enamored with JESUS CHRIST, as the only jewel and joy of his heart; without whom he has been hereto-fore a dead man, and should hereafter be a damned mis. creant; to prefer and prize him far above the pleasures, riches, and glory of the whole earth; to set his eye and longing so upon him, as to hold himself lost for ever without his love. Nay, in the case he now stands, he is willing to pass through hell, if need were, to such a hea­venly physician; in whose blessed person alone, all the riches of mercy, compassion, and comfort are to be found. So that now the current of his best affections, and all the powers of his humbled soul are wholly directed toward him; to whom the nearer he draws, the more heartily it grieves him, that ever he pierced so dear a Savior, with such a loathsome life, and so many abomi­nable, and now most abhorred provocations.

            4. Upon his discovery of this pearl of great price, he now casts about by all means, how to obtain it. Oh! what would he now give for it! The command of ten thousand worlds would be in his conceit, but as dust in the balance, laid in the scale against JESUS CHRIST. But these things are not required at his hands. At last, he happily hits upon that, which God would have him to do. He even resolves to sell all that he has; to part with all sin, though it should be as dear as a right eye, or right hand.

            5. Fifthly, to the person thus afflicted, all the promises in God's blessed Book offer themselves, as so many rocks of eternity, for his wearied soul, tossed with tempest, sweetly to rest upon. God the Father runs, if I may so say, as the father in the gospel, to fall upon his neck, and to kiss him with the kisses of his sweetest mercy. JESUS CHRIST opens himself, as it were, upon the cross, to receive him graciously into his bleeding wounds; all which, he beholding with a spiritually enlightened eye, cannot choose but set his seal unto them, that they are true. And so by the help of the Holy Ghost, he casts himself with all the strength he can, into his blessed bosom, saying secretly to himself, " Come life, come death, come heaven, come hell, here will I stick for ever. And if ever I perish, they shall pluck me out of the hands, and rend me from between the arms of this mighty and glorious Redeemer."

            6. And having now taken CHRIST, as a Savior to free him from the miseries of sin, he is willing also to take him as a Lord, husband, and king; to serve, love, and obey him. For every one that is truly CHRIST's, does as well thirst heartily, and sincerely endeavor after morti­fication, purity, new obedience, ability to do, or suffer any thing for CHRIST, as for pardon of sin, and salvation from hell. And therefore he willingly takes upon him his yoke; which though so called, yet is easy and light; enters in earnest into the narrow way: gives up all his abilities, loves, joys, endeavors, performances in any kind, to the Highest Majesty; and consecrates all the powers of his body and soul, to do him the best service he can unto his dying day, and still grieves and walks more humbly, because he can do no better. For, when he casts his eyes upon God the Father's free love, and CHRIST's dearest passion, he thinks, that if he were able to do him as much service, as all the saints do, both in this and the church above, with the addition of all ange­lical obedience, it were all infinitely less than nothing towards the discharge of his debt, and incomprehensible, everlasting obligation.

            7. And being thus incorporated into CHRIST, he presently associates himself to the brotherhood, to the " sect that is every where spoken against." He now begins to delight himself in them, whom he heartily hated before; I mean the people of GOD, professors of the truth and power of religion, resolving to live and die with these neglected happy ones, in all fair and faithful correspondence, sweetest offices of Christianity, and constant cleaving to the Lord JESUS, and his glorious cause. In the mean time, he makes conscience of sympathizing with them, both in their felicities and miseries. His heart is enlarged with lightsomeness, or eclipsed with grief, as he hears of the prosperity or oppression of God's people. I the rather here mention this mark of the true convert, because it is so much required; nay, infinitely exacted at our hands, in these heavy times of the church; and therefore may be to every one of us, as an evident touchstone, to try whether our profession be vital or formal.

            8. By this time he is become the drunkard's song; table-talk to those that sit in the gate; music is to great men at their feasts; a by-word to the children of fools. And what then? Even thus they dealt with David, Job, and Jeremiah. Nay, they told the Son of God himself, that he was a Samaritan, and had a devil. What man then, that looks to be saved, will look for exemption? Especially since all those contumelies, contempts, and nick-names, with which lewd tongues load the saints of GOD, are so many honorable badges of their standing on the Lord's side.

Thus much of the theory, as it were. I some now to the practical part; to a particular application of some sovereign antidotes to the most grievous, ordinary ma-ladies incident to the souls of real Christians. But first 1 would advise thee to consider the name of the Lord, which he proclaims Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7, wherein he first expresseth his essence in one word: The LORD, The LoRD; which repetition is effectual to stir up Moses's attention. Secondly, three attributes: 1st, his power, in one word, strong: 2dly, his justice, in two forms of speech: " not making the wicked innocent; visiting the iniquities of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and fourth generation:" 3dly, his special goodness towards repentant and be­lieving sinners, in seven particulars; " 1. merciful; and, 2. gracious; 3. long-suffering; 4. and abundant inn good­ness; and, 5. truth; 6. keeping mercy for thousands; 7. forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin." In which there are implied unanswerable replies to all the scruples, doubts, exceptions, and objections which may arise in a troubled soul.

            1. You sayest, perhaps, that you art plunged into the depth of spiritual misery, both in respect of sinfulness and Divine wrath; the present sense whereof, perhaps, is ready to drive thee into despair. Be it so. Then cast thine eye upon the first and fairest flower in this glorious garden of Divine goodness, and you shall find a far greater depth of mercy ready to swallow up thy depth of misery. The mercy of God and man's misery in this kind are relatives. No misery, no mercy; much misery, much mercy; transcendent misery, transcendent mercy. The only difference is, the mercy of God is infinite, thy misery finite. And therefore, how much spiritual misery soever you bringest in a broken heart to the throne of grace, God's bountiful hand will weigh out to thee a proportionable measure of mercy; nay, a measure without measure, superabundant, running over. For where mi­sery in a truly humbled soul aboundeth, there mercy does "much more abound."

            2. Or, suppose that, at thy first, turning unto GOD, though truly humbled, yet you art tempted not to take CHRIST, because you art but now come out of hell, and horrible courses, and'oast no good thing in thee at all:-Or, after some progress in Christianity, reflecting in time of temptation upon thy whole carriage, since conversion, and finding it to have been so fruitless and full of failings, you concludest thyself to be extremely vile, that no professor upon earth walks so unworthily; and if ministers knew thy heart, and weak performance of holy duties, they would not be so forward to press comfort upon thee,;-I say, in these cases, it is a great happiness that the mighty Lord of heaven and earth has proclaimed himself to be gracious; which imports thus much, to pour out abundance of extraordinary bounty upon a most undeserving creature: to place dearest affection and desire of doing good there, where there is no desert at all. Therefore, bring unto the throne of grace but a true sense of thy misery, a sincere thirst for mercy, an humble acknowledgment of thine unworthiness, and GOD, for CHRIST's sake, will think thee worthy the riches of his grace, the righteousness of his Son; all the promises in his book, all the comforts of his Spirit, a crown of im­mortality and bliss: for he is gracious; and an universal, glorious confluence of blessedness, in all kinds, is pro­mised to poverty of spirit.

            3. But alas! I, says another, have most wretchedly mis-spent the flower of mine age in vanity: the best of my time has been wasted in SATAN's service, and in the sensual serving myself. And therefore, though I be now weary of my former ways, and look back upon them with a grieved spirit, yet I am afraid God has ceased looking after me; that his patience towards me is ex­pired; and that he will not vouchsafe to cast his eye of compassion upon one so over-grown with corruption, and grown old in sin; especially having so long neglected so great salvation, forsaken mine own mercy, and so un­thankfully despised the riches of his goodness and forbear­ance, leading me to repentance. I confess, it is rare to see men grown old in sin returning and giving way to any saving work of grace; yet, notwithstanding, be you assured, if now at length you be truly touched, and wilt come in earnest, the Father of mercies will receive thee freely to mercy, and embrace thy bleeding soul in the arms of his everlasting love. For it is a title of highest honor unto him to be long-suffering. He, all this while, " waited that he might be gracious unto thee;" and now undoubtedly, upon thy first resolution to return in truth, he will meet thee with infinitely more affection than the father in the gospel met his prodigal; " who, when he was a great way off, saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him."

            4. Yea, but says another, Though I have been a pro­fessor long, yet many times my heart is heavy, and more loath to believe, when I seriously call to mind the hein­ousness of my unregenerate time; and see in myself besides, since I was enlightened, so many defects and im­perfections every day; and such weak, distracted per­formance of commanded duties, both to God and man. Take then counsel and comfort in this case, by casting thine eye upon God's kindness. He is abundant in kind­ness; who has these four precious properties: 1st, To be easily entreated: 2dly, To be entreated for the greatest: 3dly, To pass by involuntary infirmities: 4thly, To accept graciously weak services. Even a frail man, if of a more noble, generous, and kind disposition, will be easily appeased for unintended offences and over-sights; and well pleased with the good-will, sincere endeavors, and utmost, especially of those whom he knows to be true-hearted unto him; and who desire heartily, if they were able, to do all he desires, even to the heighth of exactness and expectation. How much more then will our heavenly Father deal with his children, who is in himself essentially and infinitely kind?

            5. Yea, but sayest You, " Many times, when I reach out the hand of my faith, to draw some special promise into my soul for refreshing and comfort,-and weighing them well, and comparing my own worthlessness and vileness with the riches of mercy, grace, and glory shining in it, and marking the disproportion,-I am overwhelmed with admiration and astonishment: and to tell you truly, say sometimes to myself, " Is it possible that this should be so? That so glorious things should belong to such a wretch as I am?" But turning thine eye from a distrustful dwelling upon thine own desert, to what CHRIST has done for thee, and to the almightiness and all-mercifulness of him that promises; consider withal that God is also abundant in truth. Every promise in his book is as sure as himself, sealed with his Son's blood, and confirmed with his own oath. He must sooner cease to be GOD, and deny himself, than fail in the least cir­cumstance or syllable of his immeasurable love and promises of life to any one that is true of heart. And therefore, when thy thirsty soul makes towards the well of life, by virtue of that promise, Rev. 21: 6, " I will give to him that is athirst of the water of life freely;" and upon survey of the overflowing rivers of pleasures, which spring thence, begins to retire from it as too good news to be true; I say, then steel thy faith, and comfort thyself gloriously, by a consideration of that abundant truth, with which he has crowned every word of his, stronger than a rock of brass, far surer than the pillars of the earth, or poles of heaven: nay, I speak an admirable thing, and of unutterable consolation, which cannot be violated without destruction of the Deity, most blessed and glorious for evermore. And let this ever banish and beat back all scruples, doubts and fears, which at any time offer themselves, and oppose thy unspeakble "joy and peace in believing."

            6. Well, says another, " I easily acknowledge the in-comprehensible goodness in this name of GOD, and hold them most blessed who have their part and portion therein; but, for nay part, I am afraid I come too late. I am afraid the mercy of GOD, to do me spiritual good, is already expired." Nay, but yet say not so, though it be with thee as you have said; for our gracious God "keepeth mercy for thousands." Here you must know, that a finite number is put for an infinite, and an infinite indeed. And therefore, if you be willing to come in, and those thy brethren in sin, and hundreds, thousands, millions more,-or any whosoever, to the world's end,-God has mercy in store for you all:-and being all weary of all your sins, unfeignedly thirsting for the well of life, resolving for the time to come upon new courses, you shall be welcome to JESUS CHRIST. Even the last man upon earth, bringing a truly broken heart to the throne of grace, shall be crowned as richly, and with as large a portion of God's infinite mercy, and CHRIST's in-valuable merit, as Adam and Eve, or whosoever laid first hold on that first promise, "The Seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head," Gen. 3: 15.

            7. "Yea, but, alas! I have been no ordinary sinner. My corruptions have carried me beyond the villanies of the vilest you can name. Not only the variety, but the notoriousness also and enormity of my wicked ways have set a brand upon me, even in the sight of the world; besides those secret pollutions and sinful practices which no eye but God's beheld. Had I not been stained with abominations of the deepest dye, and gone on thus with a high hand, I might have had hope; but now I know not what to say!" Take notice, then, to the end that nothing may possibly hinder or discourage any poor soul (which sincerely seeks for mercy, and desires to turn to God's side,) from assurance of a gracious acceptance; that it is natural also to his name "to forgive iniquity, transgression; and sin." That is, sins of all sorts, kinds, and degrees whatsoever. There is none so hateful and heinous, whether natural corruption, or outward trans­gression, or highest presumption, but, upon repentance, God is most able, ready, and willing to forgive.

            Consider, in the second place, some of those streams of comfort which spring abundantly out of that fruitful fountain of compassion and love, Psal. ciii. 13, " Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him." Hence may we draw refreshment to our thirsty souls, in many heavy thoughts, and grievous complaints.

            1. In the distempers and damps of prayer, thus:-Suppose the dearest son of the lovingest father to he grievously sick, and out of the extremity of anguish to cry out, and complain unto him that he is so full of pain, in every part, he knows not which way to turn himself, or what to do; and thereupon entreats him to touch him tenderly, to lay him softly, and give him ease; how ready, think you, would such a father be, with all tenderness and care, to put to his helping hand? But yet, if he should grow more sick and weak, so that he could not speak at all; but only look his father in the face with watery eyes, and moan himself unto him with sighs and groans, and other dumb expressions of his increased pain; would not this strike deeper into the father's tender heart, pierce and melt it with more feeling pangs of compassion, and make his bowels yearn within him, with an addition of extraordinary compassion and care to do him good? Even just so will thy heavenly Father be affected with thee, in hearing, helping, and showing mercy, when all thy strength of prayer is gone, except only groans and sighs: nay, with incomparably more affectionateness. For look how far God is higher than man in majesty and greatness, which is by an infinite distance and disproportion; so far does he pass him in tender-heartedness and love. See Isaiah lv. 8, 9.

            Or be it so, that you art able to speak unto GOD, and in some measure to utter thy mind; but yet that it is so weakly, coldly, and confusedly, that you thinkest it can answer no end, be of no use:-take notice here, that God's child is able sometimes to pour out his soul unto his God with life and power; sometimes to say something, but with much coldness, deadness of heart, and distrac­tion, without his wonted feeling and freedom of spirit: and at other times he can say just nothing, but groan, and sigh, and only desire he could pray. For this last, look upon the last passage. For the second, to wit, when the Christian is troubled, that he can say some-thing, and speak words unto GOD, yet it is without order and power; I say, in this case, consider, that as a father is more delighted with the stammering and imper­fect talk of his own little child, when it first begins to speak, than with the exactest eloquence of the most famous orator upon earth; so, assuredly, our heavenly Father is infinitely better pleased with the broken, in­terrupted passages of prayer in an heart grieved, that it can do no better, nor offer up a more lively sacrifice, than with the excellently-composed petitions of the most learned Pharisee. Nay, his soul extremely loaths the one, and graciously accepts the other in JESUS CHRIST.

            As concerning the complaint of coldness,-be assured, that though thy prayers proceed out of thy mouth faint and feeble, cold and uncomfortable, yet, springing from an heart humbled under God's mighty hand, seconded with groans and grief, with an holy anger and self-indig­nation, that are not more fervent and piercing, they are most certainly enlivened with the intercessory Spirit of JESUS CHRIST, sweetly perfumed with the precious odors of his fresh-bleeding merits, and blessed mediation; so that they strike the ears of the Almighty with far greater strength than is ordinarily imagined, and are as sweet-smelling sacrifices in his nostrils; the very sight of whose crucified Son at his right hand, presenting the suit, can convert his displeasures and wrath into compassions and peace.

            Now, blessed be GOD, that the weak prayers and broken sighs of tempted and troubled spirits have this happy promise and prerogative; that before they press, as it were, into the presence of God the Father, they are mingled with the incense in the golden censer; whence they ascend into the sight of our gracious Father, incor­porated and interwoven into that precious and pleasing fume. And that it pleases the blessed Spirit, in the heedful time of spiritual extremities, to enliven the peti­tions of our sometimes speechless, heavy, and distracted hearts; JESUS CHRIST, the great Angel of the Covenant, to perfect, perfume, and present them; and Him that, by an excellency and title of highest honor, is styled the Hearer of prayers, to receive them into his merciful hand, and bosom of compassionate acceptation! Go on then, poor soul' you that sorely droopest under the sensible weight of thy manifold weaknesses and unwor­thiness, and thereupon sometimes sinfully drawest back, with some thoughts of ceasing quite; (which is that which the devil desires, and would utterly undo thee for ever;) press forward, in the name of CHRIST, unto the throne of grace with a lighter heart than you art wont. Shall the Lord JESUS call and cry for a pardon for those who put him to death; who were so far from seeking unto him, that, like so many evening wolves, they sought and sucked his blood? And will he shut his ears, thinkest You, to thy complaints and groans, who valuest one drop of his blood to quench thy spiritual thirst, at an higher price than the worth of many worlds? Comfort thyself; it cannot be.

            2. In the faintness of faith: you beholdest sometimes a father holding a little child in his arms. Now whether dost you think, is the child safe by its own or by the father's hold? It clasps about the father with its little weak hands, as well as it can, but the strength of its safety is in the father's arm. Nay, and the father holds the faster, when at any time he perceives the child to have left his hold. You art tied, as it were, unto CHRIST by a double bond: first of the Spirit, and secondly, of faith. You layest hold on CHRIST by faith, and he holds thee by his Spirit. Now thy infant faith, or faith after some good standing in Christianity, weakened and sorely wounded, has lost its hold; and therefore you thinkest all is gone; and walk dejectedly and uncomfortably, as though not any promise in God's book, or drop of CHRIST's blood, were thine. But assure thyself, being sound at the heart, thy heavenly Father holds thee so fast by his Spirit, that no man or devil, not all the powers of darkness or gates of hell, can possibly pluck thee out of his hand. Nay, the excellency of his power is made more illustrious in thy greatest extremities and spiritual weak­ness. And he accounts it his highest honor to hold thee the fastest, when thy hold is gone. He is ever most loving and tender-hearted in times of temptation, to all that are true of heart. To believe when the face of God does shine upon thee with sensible refreshing, is no great matter; but then to believe, when the light of his countenance seems obscured, then is the highest praise. The very dull, senseless earth, upon which we tread, may teach us to rest upon God in such a case. It is a mighty and massy body, planted in the midst of the thin air, and hangs upon nothing, but only upon God's Word: by that alone it is established unmovably, keeps its place most steadily, never stirs from it. It has no props or pillars to uphold it; no bars or beams to fasten it; nothing to stay or support it, but the bare Word of God alone; and yet not all the creatures in the world can shake it. Be it so, then, that thy faith has lost its hold; that for the present you findest no " joy and peace in believing," yet, for all this, cast thyself upon the " sure Word" of that mighty. GOD, who has "established all the ends of the earth,",and reared such a great and goodly building, where there was no foundation; and questionless you shall be safe, and settled like " Mount Zion, which can-not be removed, but abideth for ever."

            3. In failings of new obedience: You puttest thy son into employment, settest him about thy businesses; he uses the utmost of his skill, and endeavors to do thee the best service he can, but yet comes short of what you desirest, and fails in many particulars; and therefore he weeps and takes on, and is much troubled that he can do no better. Now tell me, you whose heart is warmed with the tenderness of a father's affection, whether you wouldst not be most ready and willing to pass by all failings in this kind? Nay, I know you wouldst rejoice, and bless God that he had, given thee a child so obedient, willing, and affectionate. Proportionably, thy heavenly Father sets thee on work to believe, repent, pray, read the Scriptures, hear the Word, confer, meditate, love the brethren, sanctify his sabbaths, humble thyself in days of fasting and prayer, pour out thy soul, day and night, (as the times require,) in compassion, fellow-feeling, and strong cries, for the afflictions of Joseph, the destruction of the churches, and those brethren of thine who have so long lain in blood and tears; to be industrious and serious in all works of justice, mercy, and truth; and you goest about these blessed businesses with an upright heart, and in obedience unto God; but the performances come far short of what his Word requires, and thy heart desires; and thereupon you mournest and grievest, and afflictest thy soul in secret. In this case now, of these involuntary failings, be most assured, thy all-sufficient Father " will spare thee as a man spareth his own son that serveth him." Nay, and with so much more kindness and love, " as the heavens are higher than the earth," and God is greater than man.

            4. In case of spiritual desertion: Thy heavenly Father sometimes hides his face from thee, and withdraws his refreshing presence for a time; not for want of love, for he loves thee with the very same love with which he loves JESUS CHRIST; and that dear Son of his loves thee with the same love his Father loves him; but to put more heat and life into thine affections towards him and heavenly things; to cause thee to relish communion with JESUS CHRIST, when you enjoyest it, more sweetly; to preserve it more carefully; to joy in it more thankfully; and to shun more watchfully whatsoever might rob thee of it: to stir up all the powers of thy soul, and all the graces of God in thee, to seek his face again with more universal seriousness and industry. For we find with pleasure, possess with sin­gular contentment, and keep with special care, what we sought with pain.

            5. In times of trial: You seest sometimes a father setting his little one upon its feet, to try its strength, and whether it be able to stand, or not; but withal he holds his arms on both sides to uphold it, and preserve it from hurt. Assure thyself thy heavenly Father takes care of thee with infinitely more tenderness, in all thy trials, either by outward afflictions or inward temptations.

            " Though you should fall, yet shall you not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth thee with his hand," Psal. xxxvii. 24. Never did goldsmith attend so curiously upon those precious metals he casts into the fire, to be sure, that they tarry no longer in the furnace, than the dross be wasted, as our gracious God waits to take thee out of trouble and temptation; when the rust is removed from any spiritual armour; thy graces shine out, and you art heartily humbled, and fitted to do him more glorious service; I mean, when he has attained the end, which he mercifully intended for thy good.

            Again, however weak you art, that God does not despise thy desires to love and serve him, we may gather, first, from the nobleness of God's nature, and the incom­parable sweetness of his Divine disposition; which by infinite distance, beyond all degrees of comparison, does transcend the ingenuousness of the noblest spirit upon earth. Now, men of generous dispositions cannot despise the good-wills and affections of those who attend or depend upon them. Outward performances are often beyond our strength; many times mingled with hypocrisies or flatteries, with by-respects and private ends; but inward reverence and love, kind and affectionate feelings of the heart, are ever, by an uncontrolable freedom, exempted from dissembling and formality. Now if it be so, that even ingenuous men accept with special respect the hearty well-willing of their followers, though they want means to express it actually in visible effects, answerable to their affection; how much more are spiritual longings, holy affections, thirsty desires, graciously accepted of that GOD, in respect of whose compassions, the bowels of the most merciful man upon earth are cruelty; in respect of whose immeasurably amiable, melting disposition, the ingenuousness of the noblest spirit is disdain.

Men's offices of love turn many times to our good and benefit; but our well-doing extends not unto God. That infinite, essential glory, with which the highest Lord was, is, and shall be everlastingly crowned, can neither be impaired by the most desperate rebellions, or enlarged by the most glorious good deeds. " Can a man," says Eliphaz, "be profitable unto GOD, as he that is wise, may be profitable unto himself? Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you art righteous? Or is it gain to him, that you makest thy ways perfect?" And chap. xxxv. 6, 7, 8, " If you sinnest, what doest you against him? Or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest you unto him? If you be righteous, what givest you to him? Or what receiveth he of thine hand? Thy wickedness may hurt a man, as you art; and thy righteousness may profit the Son of Man." Were all the wicked men upon the earth turned into beasts, nay, incarnate devils; and the whole world full of such outrageous giants, as those which existed in the old world; and all with combined force and fury, should band themselves against heaven, yet they could not hurt God. " He sitteth between the cherubims, be the earth never so unquiet." Or, were all the sons of men, Abrahams or angels, and as many in number as the stars in heaven; and as shining both with inward graces and outward good deeds, as they are in visible glory; yet could they make no addition unto that incomprehensible Majesty. They could not confer so much as one drop to that boundless and bottomless sea of goodness, or the least glimpse unto that almighty Sun of Glory. "All nations before him are as nothing, and they are counted to him as nothing and vanity." Our sins hurt him not; our holiness helps him not: it is only for our good that God would have us good. No good, no gain accrues unto him by our goodness. If it be so then, that good turns do good unto men; and yet out of their ingenu­ousness, they most esteem kind affections, and can well find in their hearts to pass by failings where there is a heart and good will; to pardon easily want of exactness in performance, where there are unfeigned purposes; how much more will our gracious GOD, who gains nothing by all the good works in the world, out of the depth of his dearest compassions, kindly interpret, and accept in good part, the holy longings, and hungry desires of a panting and bleeding soul? How willingly will he take the will for the deed; the groanings of the heart, before the greatest sacrifice?

            2. A second reason may be taken from God's propor­tionable proceeding in his courses of justice and mercy. In his executions of justice he interprets and censures desires as deeds, affections as actions, thoughts as things done. " Whosoever," says CHRIST, " looketh on a woman to lust after her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart." And so a malicious man, at the bar of GOD, goes for a murderer. If this then be God's pro­ceeding in justice, we may confidently expect the same proportionable measure in his mercy. Shall an angry thought, hurtful only to the heart which harbours it, be charged with actual bloodshed. And shall not the pant­ing thirst of a broken and bleeding soul after CHRIST, be hased and refreshed in his precious blood? Yes, certainly; for God delighteth in mercy. He is exalted most gloriously, when he is pardoning sins, purging souls, pouring grace into sad and uncomfortable hearts. But on the other side, he is hardly drawn, not without much reluctance, delays, forbearance, and, as it were, some kind of violence offered, by excess of multiplied, rebellious provocations, to exercise his justice, and to punish for sin. When the cry of our sins comes first to heaven, he does not presently pour upon our heads fire and brimstone; but, as loath to enter into judgment with us, he forbears, still waiting, when upon our repentance, " He may be gracious unto us;" until it come to that ripeness by the fullness and intolerable weight of our sins, that he can possibly bear no longer. And then also, when he is about to be delivered of his justly conceived, and long-forborn vengeance, mark how he goes about it. " Ah!" says he, " I will ease me of mine adversaries, and revenge me of mine enemies," Isai. 1: 24. This aspiration argues a compassionate pang of grief, (speaking after the manner of men) to proceed against his own people, though they had provoked him as enemies. "How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? How shall I deliver thee, Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? How shall I set thee as Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together," Hos. 11: 8, 9. When he came against Sodom and Gomorrah, the most prodigiously wicked people that ever the earth bore; what a miracle was it, that he should be brought so low, as to say, " I will not destroy it for ten's sake," Gen. 18: 32. So it is then, that mercy flows naturally from GOD, and he is most forward and free-hearted in granting pardons, and receiving into grace and favor: but jrystice is ever, as it were, violently pulled from him with "cart ropes of iniquity." He is pressed with our sins, " as a cart is pressed that is full of sheaves," before we wring from him the vials of just wrath, and wrest out of his hands the arrows of deserved indignation.

            That you err not in this point, conceive, that, both God's mercy and justice are originally and fundamentally, as God himself, infinite; both of the same length, heighth, breadth, and depth; that is equally endless, boundless, bottomless, unsearchable. Yet, if we con­sider the exercise of them abroad in the world; mercy, that sweetest attribute, and most precious balm to all bruised hearts, does far surpass and outshine the other, though infinite excellencies of his Divine nature. His beams of mercy are fairly and plentifully shed into the bosom of every creature, and shine gloriously over all the earth, even from one end of heaven to the other, The whole world is thick set, and richly embroidered, as it were, with wonderful impressions of his goodness and bounty. In this great volume of nature round about us, we may run and read the deep prints and large charac­ters of kindness and love, which his merciful hand has left in every leaf, and page, and line of it. If mercy then be so magnified over all his works, we may more strongly build upon it; that if the hand of justice seize upon anhateful thought, as a murderer, and stained with blood; his arms of mercy will certainly embrace, and accept of a sincere desire for the deed done; of hearty affections for the actions; and of a grieved spirit for the grace it groans for. Cast not away thy confidence then, poor heart! No, not in the lowest languishings of thy afflicted soul; if you be able to say with David, Ps. cxliii. 6, " My soul thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land." If you feel in thy actions an hearty hunger after righteousness, to be both imputed to thee, and implanted in thee; as well after power against, as pardon of sin; be assured the well of life stands wide open unto thee, and in due time you shall drink thy fill. Thy soul shall be fully satisfied with the excellencies of JESUS CHRIST, evangelical joys, as with marrow and fatness; and you shall be abundantly refreshed out of the river of his pleasures.

            But concerning that desire which is acceptable to GOD, observe that it is, 1. Supernatural. For it follows an effectual conviction of sin, which is utterly above nature. The soul that is truly convinced, looking upon the glorious mystery of the Gospel, the excellency and offer of JESUS CHRIST, does conceive by the help of the Holy Ghost, this desire, and vehement longing. Which you may then know to be saving, when it is joined with an hearty willingness, and unfeigned resolution to sell all; to part with all sin; to bid adieu for ever to every darling delight. It is not then an effect only of self-love; not. an ordinary wish of natural appetite; of those who desire to be happy, but are unwilling to be holy; who would gladly be saved, but are does to be sanctified. 2. It ever springs from an humble, meek, and bruised spirit; very sensible both of the horror of sin, and happiness of pardon; both of its own emptiness, and of the fullness of CHRIST, never to be found in a self-ignorant, self-confident, unhumbled pharisee. 3. It must be constant, importu­nately greedy after sanctification. Not out of a pang, or passion only; or begot by the tempest of some present extremity, like a flash of lightning, and then vanishing away. 4. It is ever, united and enlivened with a continued tite of the means; and draws from them spiritual strength and vigor: much vital efficacy and increase; not idle, ignorant, unexercised. It were vain for a man to talk of his desire to live; who would neither eat nor drink, nor sleep, nor take medicines, nor use those means which are ordinary and necessary for the mainte­nance of life. It is as foolish for any one to pretend a desire to be saved, and yet will not prize and attend the faithful ministry, the word preached and read, prayer, medi­tation, vows, days of humiliation, the use of good company and good books, and all Divine ordinances, and means appointed and sanctified by GOD, for the procuring and preserving a good spiritual state. 5. It is not a lazy, cold, heartless, indifferent desire; but an earnest, eager, vehe­ment thirsting, as the parched earth for refreshing showers; or the hunted hart for the water-brooks. Never was Ahab more sick for a vineyard, Rachel more ready to die for children, than a truly humbled soul is desirous of JESUS CHRIST, of being washed in his blood, and hiding itself in his blessed righteousness. This desire deadens the heart to all desires after earthly things, gold, plea­sures, fashions, even the delights of the bosom-sin. All other things are but dross and dung, in respect of that object it has now discovered. This spiritual desire devours all other desires and affections after worldly contentments as clouds, wells without water, comforters of no value. We that deal with afflicted consciences, hear many expressions of this impatient, violent desire. " I have borne nine children," said one, "with as great pain, I think, as other women: I would with all my heart, bear them all over again, and pass again through the same pangs every day, as long as I live, to be assured of my part in JESUS CHRIST." 6. It proceeds from appetite to endeavor, from endeavor to action, from action to habit, from habit to perfection in CHRIST. If it stand at a stay, it is to be reputed rootless, heartless, graceless. He that rests upon a desire only of good things, never desired them savingly. But here, lest any tender conscience be troubled, I must confess, it is not growing so sensibly at certain times, as while the pangs of the new birth are upon us, and in times of temptation; though even then it grows in an holy impatience, restlessness and longing, which is well-pleasing unto the Father of Mercies in the mean time; and which he accepts graciously, until he give more strength.

            The point, thus cleared, is very sweet and sovereign; but so, that no carnal man must come near it. Nay, the Christian himself, in the time of his soul's health, and flourishing of his faith, must hold off his hand. Only let him keep it fresh in his memory, as a rich pearl against the day of spiritual distress. As precious and cordial waters are to. be given only in swoonings and faintings, so this is especially to be niade use of in the straits and extremity of the soul; at such times, and in such case§ as these following: First, The strugglings of the new birth. When, therefore, you art once come so far, as that after a thorough conviction of sin, thine heart is filled with vehement longings after the Lord of Life; if you feel in thyself any hearty hunger and thirst after the favor of GOD, that Fountain opened for sin and for uncleanness, and fellowship with CHRIST, assuredly then the well of life is already opened unto thee, by the hand of thy faithful Redeemer: and amidst the sorrows..of thy trembling heart, you may even challenge it at his hands. When heavy-heartedness for sin has' so dried up thy bones, and the angry countenance of God so parched thine heart, that thy poor soul begins to gasp for grace as the thirsty land for rain, you may, though dust and ashes, with an holy humility, thus speak unto thy gracious GOD, "O merciful Lord GOD, you art Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. You sayest,.` It is done,' of things that are yet to come; so faithful and true are thy promises.' And you have promised, that `unto him that is athirst, you wilt give of the water of

life freely.' O Lord, I thirst, I faint, I languish, 1 long for one drop of mercy. As the heart panteth for the water-brooks, so pan teth my soul after thee, O God.' Had I ten thousand lives, joyfully would I lay them all down, to have this poor, trembling soul of mine received into the bleeding arms of my blessed Redeemer. O Lord, my spirit within me is melted into tears of blood; my heart is shivered into pieces. Out of the place of dragons, and shadow of death, do I lift up my thoughts, heavy and sad, before thee. My bowels are hot within me; my desire after JESUS CHRIST, pardon and grace, is greedy as the grave,' the coals thereof are coals of fire, which has a most vehement flame.' And, Lord, in thy blessed book you tallest,' Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters.' In that great day of the feast, you stoodest and criedst with thine own mouth, saying,' If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink.' And these are thine own words,' Those who hunger and thirst after righteousness, shall be filled.' I challenge thee, Lord, in this my thirst after thine own blessed self, and spiritual life in thee, by that word, and by that promise, which you have made, that you perform, and make it good unto me, who he groveling in the dust, and trembling at thy feet. Oh! open now that promised well of life: for I must drink or else I die."

            Secondly, we may have recourse for comfort to this precious point, in some special temptations of fear about our spiritual state. For instance: You art afflicted, because you feelest the spirit of prayer not to stir and work in thee with that life and vigor as it was wont; but to languish for lack of that vital heat in the inter-course between God and thy soul; which heretofore has many times warmed thine heart with many sweet refreshings, springing from a comfortable correspondence between thy holy ejaculations and his heavenly inspira­tions; between thine humble complaints at the throne of grace and his gracious answers. Nay, it may be,' you throwest down thyself before his seat of mercy, inmuch bitterness of spirit, and for the time can sad' little or nothing; the present dullness and indisposition of thine heart stopping all passage to thy wonted prayers, and damning up, as it were, the ordinary course of thy blessed conference with thy God in secret. But, tell me, poor soul! though at such a time, and in such spiritual dead­ness, you feelest not thine heart enlarged for the present, to pour out itself with accustomed fervency and freedom; yet does it not long to offer up unto his throne of grace thy suits and sacrifices of prayers and praises, with that heartiness and feeling, with all those broken and bleeding affections, which a grieved sense of sin, and an holy gree­diness after pardon, grace, and nearer communion with GOD, are wont to beget in truly humbled souls? If so, assure thyself, this very desire is a prayer of extraordinary dearness with thy God.

            Thirdly, You may be diversly distressed upon thy bed of death. 1. Casting thine eye back upon thy whole life, all thy sins from Adam to that hour, they appear to the eye of thy conscience far more in number, and more ugly, than ever before. Whereupon, comparing the poor, weak nothingness of thy godly sorrow, and oppo­sition against them, with their heinousness, hatefulness, and horrible number, you beginnest to be dejected, and knows not well what to think of thyself. 2. Revising now, thy whole Christian conversation; spending of sabbaths, pouring out of prayers, reading the Scrip­tures, hearing the word, love of the brethren, days of humiliation, works of mercy, receiving the sacrament, living by faith in all states; you may see them in this last, impartial examination, to have been pestered with so many imperfections, distractions, distempers, that you beginnest to fear. 3. You may be troubled at that time; because, being perhaps, as yet, but of little stand­ing in profession, you have done God so little service; and in that short time, have not stood on God's side with that courage and life, nor walked in his holy ways with that watchfulness and zeal, as you might. Assure now thyself, in these three eases, the desire of thy soul will be graciously accepted of our merciful GOD, in the name of JESUS CHRIST; as though thy repentance had been to the full; thy obedience to the heighth; and thy present resolutions performed to the utmost. For when all is done, JESUS CHRIST is all in all. He alone is the Sanctuary and Tower of everlasting safety, for every truly humbled soul to flee unto, both in life and death. He is made unto ns "wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption."

            I come now to some special cures for divers spiritual maladies. 1. 1 will suppose you art wrought upon by the Spirit of GOD, and feelest thyself to be a most sinful and cursed wretch by nature; lost and forlorn, con­demned and utterly undone in thyself: and upon the opening of the glorious mystery of the Gospel, you art ravished with extraordinary admiration and affection, after that hidden treasure and pearl of great price. Most willing, therefore, art you " to sell all that you bast;" prizing it infinitely before the riches, glory, and pleasures of the whole earth. But yet, alleging, that you art the unworthiest upon earth; the vilest of men; no heart so hard as thine; thy sins far, above ordinary; of an abominable stain; of a scarlet and crimson dye. You professest against thine own soul, that as yet you can not, you darest not, you wilt not be persuaded, that JESUS CHRIST belongs unto thee. What! such a vile, unworthy, abominable wretch as thou! to expect such glorious things! to come near so pure a God! to lay violent hands upon the Lord of Life, and look for everlasting bliss! Alas! say what you will, sayest You, as yet I cannot, I dare not, I will not. Whereupon you liest still upon the rack of spiritual terror; and art, all the while, far more liable to SATAN's most horrible injections, and cruelest temptations to self-destruction, despair, or at least to plunging again into former pleasures.

            It grieves me to consider, how fearfully you deceivest thine own heart, to thy much spiritual hurt. Why, therefore you art welcome to JESUS CHRIST, because you art so sensible of thy spiritual misery. That which you makest thy great discouragement to come unto CHRIST, should be the greatest encouragement to cast thyself into the bosom of his love. Though you comest freshly out of an hell of heinous sins; and, hitherto, have neither thought, or spoke, or done any thing, but abominably; yet, if now, with true remorse, you groanest under them all, as a heavy burden, and longest for the Lord JESUS, and newness of life, you art bound presently to take CHRIST himself, and all the promises of life as thine own. All delays, exceptions, objections, scruples, distrusts, and contradictions, are dishonorable to God's mercy, a dis­paragement to the promises, derogatory to the truth and tender-heartedness of JESUS CHRIST; an unnecessary de­tainment of the soul in terror; and only a gratification of that roaring lion, whose trade is to tear souls in pieces., Now then come and take abundantly mighty arguments, (which neither man nor devil can ever gain-say,) not to he any longer upon the rack of terror; but to lay hold upon the rock of eternity: I mean, to rest thy trembling heart upon the Lord JESUS, with everlasting peace and safety; and after walk watchfully and fruit-fully in the holy way, until thine ending hour.

            1. Take notice, That JESUS CHRIST, " God blessed for ever," keeps an open house for all such hungry and thirsty souls. " Let him that is athirst, come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely," Rev. 22: 1%. Whosoever will, in whose heart soever the Holy Ghost has wrought an earnest, hearty will; that desire which prizeth the well of life before the whole world, and is ever accompanied with unfeigned resolution to sell all for the " pearl of great price;" such an one may come, and welcome, and that without bidding, and drink his. fill of the rivers of all spiritual pleasures. If there were no more, but this, this is more than enough to bring thee to JESUS CHRIST. If a proclamation should

be made, that such, or such a great man kept open house for all corners, there need be no more to bring in all the poor, hungry people in the country, without any further waiting or inviting. But here, above all degrees of com­parison, the hunger is more importunate; the Feast-maker more faithful and sure of his word; the fare more delicious; and why dost you refuse? You have a warrant above all exception. The Lord of Life keeps open house for all that will come. And you knows in thine own conscience, and can not deny, but that he has already honored thee with that singular favor, as to plant in thy soul a will. For what wouldst you not part with, to have assurance of thy part in JESUS CHRIST? What wouldst you not give, if it might be bought, to hear him speak unto thy soul, and say, " I am thy salva­tion?" And, therefore, if you come not in presently, and take the comfort of this precious place and pro­mise; " setting to thy seal that God is true;" consider, whether thy terrors and temptations be not justly upon thee.

            2. If this will not serve, (which God forbid,) then in the second place, you art invited solemnly, by the Feast-maker himself, by his own mouth, " Come unto me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden." Here is no exception of sins, times, or persons. And if you should reply, " Yea, but alas! I am the unworthiest man in the world, to draw near unto so holy a God; to press into so pure a presence; to expect upon the sudden such glorious and heavenly advancement. Most impure, abominable, and beastly wretch, that I am! I am fitter to sink into the bottom of hell, by the weight of my manifold, heinous sins." I say then, the text tells thee plainly, that you mightily mistakest; for therefore only art you fit, because you feelest thy unfitness, vileness, wretchedness. The sorer and heavier thy burden is, the rather should you come. In a word, it appears, by thine own words, expressing such an apprehension of'thy spiritual poverty, that you art the man, and such as' you alone, whom CHRIST here especially invites and.accepts.

            3. He knowing our frame, our sluggish, heavy dispo­sition; our spiritual laziness, and loathness to believe; adds in another place, to ordinary visitation, a stirring, compassionate, and quickening exclamation: " Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters." And, lest any think he should bring any thing in his hand, he calls upon " him that has no money;" and thus doubles his cry, " Come ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk, without money, and without price." O most blessed lines! so full of love and longing, to draw us to the well of life; that besides that holy pang of com­passion, Ho! he cries thrice, Come! Come! Come! Yea, but may you say, "Alas! I am so far from bringing any thing in my hand, that I bring a world of wickedness upon my heart; and that above ordinary, both in noto­riousness and number; and therefore'I am afraid the heinousness of my sins will hinder my acceptation." Be it so; yet the Spirit of GOD, in the same chapter, does purposely meet with, and remove that very scruple: "Let the wicked," says he, " forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:" (and this is thy case; you art unfeignedly set against all sin both inward and outward,) " and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our GOD, for he will abundantly pardon," Isaiah lv. He will not only have mercy upon thee, but he will also abundantly -pardon, he will multiply his pardons, according to thy provocations, and that with super-abundance.

            4. If all this will not yet do; he descends out of the infinite riches of his grace to a miracle of further mercy. For the mighty Lord of heaven and earth sends ambas­sadors unto us, dust and ashes, worms and no men, to beseech us to be reconciled unto him. " Now then we are ambassadors for CHRIST, as though God did beseech you by us, we pray you, in CHRIST's stead, be ye reconciled unto GOD," 2 Cor. 5: 2O. What man can possibly ponder this place, but must be transported with admira­tion; nay, adoration of the bottomless depth, and infinite heighth of God's love? We, most abhorred, vile wretches, are the offenders, traitors, rebels, and enemies; and ought to seek and sue unto him first, upon the knees of our souls, trembling in the dust; and, if it were possible, with tears of blood; and yet he begins with us, intreating us by his own Son, and his servants the ministers, to come in, accept his favor and grace, enter into the wise and good way, which is precious, profitable, honorable, and pleasant; that he may hereafter set upon our heads everlasting crowns of glory. An earthly prince would disdain to send unto his inferior for reconcilement; especially one who had behaved himself basely, and un­worthily towards him. It is thus indeed with worms of the earth, in whom there is no help, and whose breath is in their nostrils; but it is otherwise with the King of kings. He is content to put up at our hands, this in-dignity and affront, if I may so speak. He is glad to sue unto us first, and send his ambassadors day after day, beseeching us to be reconciled unto him. O incompre­hensible depth of unspeakable mercy and encouragement to come in, and trust in his mercy, in case of spiritual misery, able to trample under foot triumphantly, all oppositions of the most raging hell, or distrustful heart!

            5. Nay, he commands us, " and this is his command­ment, that we should believe on the name of his Son JESUS CHRIST," 1 John 3: 23. This command alone of the all-powerful GOD, should infinitely out-weigh all countermands of heaven or earth; flesh and blood, SATAN, nature, reason, sense; the whole creation, and all the world: it should swallow up all scruples, doubts, fears, despairs. Coming to JESUS CHRIST with broken hearts, according to this commandment, will bear us out against all oppositions, accusations, weaknesses of faith in evil times, in the hour of temptation, upon our beds of death, at that last day. It will be a plea at such times, utterlyabove all exception, against all allegations, terrors, and temptations to the contrary, to say, " I was humbled under the burden of sin, and a sense of my spiritual misery. God in mercy offered me his Son JESUS CHRIST freely, by the ministry of the word: I thereupon thirsted for his person, and an interest in his precious blood, that I might obtain pardon and power against my sins. He called upon me, and commanded me to drink my fill of the water of life freely.' I accepted his gracious offer, and, according to his commandment, cast myself upon the Lord CHRIST, and since that time he has given me power to serve him in sincerity of heart. This is my warrant, even the commandment of my blessed GOD, thus to drink when I was thirsty." In thy case then, who thirstest, yet refusest to drink, consider how un­worthily you dishonorest GOD, and wrongest thine own soul, by suffering the devil's cavils, and the exceptions of thine own distrustful heart, to prevail with thee against the direct command of Almighty God; which you oughtest to obey against all reason, sense, fears, doubts, despairs, and hellish suggestions. Abraham did readily submit to God's commandment, even to sacrifice his own son with his own hand; and wilt you stand off, and refuse, when he com­mands thee to take his own dearest Son; especially, since you takest with him, all blessings both of heaven and earth? Prodigious madness! cruelty to thine own soul! at which heaven and earth, men and angels, and all creatures, may stand amazed, that you should so wickedly and wilfully, forsake thine own mercy, and " neglect so great salvation."

            6. Lastly, lest he should let pass any means to drive us unto CHRIST, and settle our souls upon him with sure confidence, he also threateneth: " And to whom sware he, that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not?" Heb. 3: 18. Wherein he expresseth extremest anger. He "swears in his wrath," that no unbeliever shall enter into his rest. In the threats of the moral law, there is such an oath, but a secret reserve of mercy, upon the satisfaction of the Divine justice some other way. But herein the Lord is peremptory, and a third way shall never be found, or afforded to the sons of men. Neglect of such a gracious offer must needs pro­voke so great a God; for, with prodigious ingratitude and folly, it flings, as it were, God's free grace in his face again. The " Prince of peace," upon whose thigh is written, " King of kings, and Lord of lords," passing by more excellent and noble creatures, sends unto thee, whose " father is corruption, and the worm thy mother and sister;" and who, in respect of thy spiritual state, Best polluted in thine own blood, and offers " to betroth thee unto himself in righteousness, and in loving kind­ness, and in mercies;" to crown thee with all the riches, both of his kingdom of grace and glory. Now, if you should stand off, which God forbid; as thereupon out of perfection of madness, you forsakest thine own salva­tion; so you most justly enforcest that blessed Lord to swear in his wrath, that you shall never be saved. What an unworthy thing is this; that all the precious promises in the book of GOD, confirmed with his own oath, and sealed with his Son's blood, Should suffer dis­honor, as it were, by thy distrust: as though so many mighty rocks of mercy and truth were not able to sustain a poor bruised reed?

            If God would not give us CHRIST, without some matter and motives in us; without something done by ourselves first; it were something to stand out in such a case. But he gives him most freely, without any respect at all of any precedent work or worth on our part. Indeed there is required a predisposition in the party to take CHRIST; as he must be truly wounded, sensible of SATAN's yoke, feel his own misery, and thirst for CHRIST more than the whole world. Albeit such dispositions as these serve only to drive us unto CHRIST, and to let us see and feel the necessity of him; but they are infinitely, with more than an utter impossibility, unable by any worthiness, to draw on CHRIST. He is a gift, Rom. 5: 16. And whatis. freer than a gift? Nothing is required at our hands for receiving him, but empty-handedness, and sensible­ness of our own nothingness. Our heavenly Father never did, nor ever will sell his Son unto any justitiary; or any, that will needs be something in himself. He ever did, and ever will give him to every poor soul that is vile in his own eyes, nothing in himself; "labors, and is heavy laden," and willing to take him as a Savior, and a Lord. A full hand can hold nothing; either it must be empty, or we cannot receive CHRIST. First, thirst, and then " buy, without money, and without price," Isaiah lv. 1. If God then be so infinitely good, as to offer his Son so freely; and you art fitted to receive him by a sense of thy spiritual misery, thirsting for his blood, resolving upon his service for the time to come; how unadvisedly cruel art you to thine own con-science, and unmannerly proud, that you wilt needs stand off still from taking the Lord JESUS; and suffer still thy poor trembling soul to he unnecessarily upon the rack of terror? Since you gettest nothing thereby, but God's dishonor, thine own wilful torture, and the grati­fication of SATAN's malicious cruelty.

            "But were it not fitter for me," may you say, "first to amend my life; to do some good works; before I be so bold as to lay hold on CHRIST?" I answer: you must first be alive, before you can work. You must have spiritual ability inspired, before you can walk in the good way. You must be justified before you be sanctified. Now spiritual life is only then, and never before, or by any other means infused, but when we reach out an empty hand, and take JESUS CHRIST into our humbled souls. When a poor soul, weary of all sin, according to his call, commandment, and counsel, rolls itself, as it were, upon the Lord JESUS, then is spiritual life first breathed into it. The vital operations of grace in all holy duties, good deeds, holy walking, universal obedience, must appear afterward. Casting ourselves upon that Lord of life, as qur only joy, with whom we are resolved to live and die, draws from- him into our souls that heavenly virtue, whereby we are afterward enabled to exercise all the functions of spiritual life, and to die to the world, and all worldly pleasures for ever. Herein is thy fault. You conceivest not aright of God's free grace; but thinkest you shall not be welcome, except you comest with thy cost. Whereas God ever gives his Son freely; and bids thee come and a buy, without money, and without price."

            But, you sayest again, " Will it not be presumption in me, having no good thing in me at all, but coming now fresh from a most wicked, abominable life, to take CHRIST as mine own, and all those precious promises sealed with his blood?" Enough has been already said, to meet with this objection. It is not presumption to come when you art called. How can he be said to presume, who is both invited and intreated, commanded and threatened to come in. It were execrable pre­sumption, for any man, who purposeth to go on in any one known sin, to believe that CHRIST is his righteousness and sanctification. But where all sin is a burden, every promise as a world of gold, and the heart sincere for a new way, there a man may be bold. For thee to have pretended to have a part in CHRIST, while wallowing yet in thy sins, had been horrible presumption indeed; and for me to have applied the promises, and preached peace unto thy remorseless conscience, before the pangs of the new birth had seized thee, had been damnable daubing. But in the case I now suppose thee to be, it is both seasonable, and surely grounded, for me to assure thee of pardon; and for thee to receive JESUS CHRIST without any more ado, into the arms of thy humbled soul. And indeed thy soul being thus humbled, if you now stand out, and refusest to accept of JESUS CHRIST, as he is offered to thee in the gospel; you doest great dis­honor not only to the free love of GOD, which giveth us his Son, without money and without price, as has been taught before; but also to his sweet name, which pre-'cents all the reasons you can bring for standing out, as you have seen before; and likewise to his glorious attributes of truth, mercy, and power.

            And 1. By refusing to accept of CHRIST, you greatly dishonorest the truth of God. " He that believeth, has set to his seal that God is true," John 3: 33. He that labors, and is heavy laden with the burden of sin, comes to CHRIST for ease, when he is called; takes him for his Savior and his Lord; puts to his seal that CHRIST is true; that his precious promise, "Come unto me all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest," Matt. 11: 28, is inviolable: whereby CHRIST JESUS, blessed for ever, is mightily honored, and his truth glorified. But he that in this case holds off, makes him, who is truth itself, a liar: " He that believeth not God has made him a liar," 1 John 5: 1O. Which dishonor to the mighty Lord of heaven and earth, is the greater, and is much aggravated by the infinite infallibility of the promises. For besides his word, which were more than immeasurably sufficient, he has added a most solemn oath for our sakes, that we might have greater assurance, and stronger consolation.

            2. His mercy. Mercy in God is his nature and essence; and as is his majesty, so is his mercy. We then greatly dishonor him in refusing mercy, in such a case, for all the heinousness, or number of sins; seeing, that no sins, either for number, or notoriousness, in a truly broken heart, can make so much resistance to. God's infinite mercies, as the least spark of fire to the whole sea.

            3. His, power. Perhaps you wilt reason within thyself, and cavil cruelly against thine own soul thus: " Alas! what talk you of taking CHRIST, the promises of life, and heavenly lightsomeness; my poor heart is as dark as the very middle of hell; much harder than a rock of ada­mant; as cold and dead as the senseless centre of the earth; as uncomfortable and restless almost, as despera­tion itself. It is impossible, that such a dark, hard, dead, comfortless thing should ever be enlightened,

AFFLICTED CONSCIENCES.          1O5

dignity of his Son's passion, the precious freeness of all the promises, his free love, sweet name, truth, mercy, power, and justice; you shall also defeat the devil's present fiery darts, and projects of further cruelty; dis­entangle and unwind thyself out of the irksome maze of restless terrors, and trouble of mind; crown thy own soul in the mean time " with peace that passes all understanding."

            " Yea," but may another say, " I have cast myself upon JESUS CHRIST, and there, by the mercy of GOD, am I resolved to stick; and yet no comfort comes: what shall I think of myself in this case?" I think, in such a case, such an one has cause seriously and impartially to search and try his spiritual state. For which purpose ponder seriously such considerations as these: some of which may discover unsoundness; others unadvisedness. 1. It may be, the person is not yet come in truth, to sound humiliation, contrition, spiritual thirsting, and a resolu­tion to sell all, but only has passed over these things superficially, not sincerely; and then no marvel, though no true and real comfort come. 2. Or it may be, how­soever he protests otherwise, and for all his trouble of mind, his deceitful heart may still secretly harbour some sweet sin, as pride, revenge, lust; from which it does not heartily resolve and endeavor to make an utter divorce. And assuredly, that false heart, which regards and allows any wickedness in itself, howsoever it may be deluded with some flashes; yet shall never be truly refreshed with "joy in the Holy Ghost." 3. It may be, though there was some plausible show that the party was cast down with the heavy weight of sin, yet that the true cause of his heaviness and bitterest complaint, was some secret earthly discontent. And, in such cases, remove this, and you remove his pain; comfort him about his cross, and you set him where he was. And therefore, as in all this he continues a mere stranger to the sweet­ness, amiableness, and excellency of JESUS CHRIST; so it softened, quickened, and established with joy." But mark herein, how you unadvisedly undervaluest, and unworthily settest bounds to the unlimited power of God. Whereas you should imitate Abraham, the father of them that believe, "who staggered not at the pro­mise of God through unbelief: but was strong in faith, giving glory to God: being fully persuaded, that what he had promised he was able to perform," Rom. 4: 2O, 21.

            4. You dishonorest likewise even his justice. CHRIST's blood is already paid, as a price for the pardon of the sins of thine humbled soul; and you wilt needs pay it over again, or else you wilt not enter upon the purchase: as though God did expect and exact the discharge of the same debt twice; which to imagine, were a monstrous, intolerable indignity to the most just God. If a man, who having a debt fully discharged by the surety, should press upon the principal for the payment of the same again, we should think him to be a very unjust, cruel, and merciless man. What a fearful dishonor then is it to the merciful and righteous Judge of all the world, to conceive, that, having received an exact and full satis­faction for all our sins, by the blood of his own dear Son, he should require it again at our hands. We may assuredly build upon it, as upon a rock of eternal truth; that when we come unto CHRIST, weary of all our sins, thirsting sincerely for him, and throwing ourselves upon him, as salvation itself; resolved to take upon us his sweet and easy yoke for the time to come; he does presently, as he has promised, take off the burden, and free us entirely from the foul guilt and tyrannical power of sin.

            Now, if you wilt cast thyself upon JESUS CHRIST, being so humbled, spiritually thirsty, and resolved, as you have said, and I supposed at the first: (for we, wha are God's messengers, comfort and assure of pardon in . such cases only;) you shall then do as God would have thee; and mightily honor the invaluable and infinite is impossible that he should be acquainted with any sound spiritual comfort.

            But I will suppose all to be sincere, and as it should be: let me advise thee then to take notice of thine un­advisedness. 1. You art, perhaps, so drowned in the distractions of a sad heart, that you utterly forgettest to give thanks, and magnify God's mercy, for convincing and terrifying thy conscience; offering his Son; raising in thine heart a thirst after him; and giving thee spiritual ability to rest thy weary soul upon him. And who knows not, that unthankfulness keeps many good things from, us; and is a bar to intercept the comfortable current of God's favors. 2. Or it may be, when a minister, upon thy complaint that no comfort comes, cdoes seriously labor to settle thine heart in peace; telling thee, that as thine humbled soul, leaning upon CHRIST, draws much sanctifying grace from him; so it may, and ought also to draw abundance of spiritual joy from that ever-springing fountain of life; yet notwith­standing all this, thou' sufferest the contrary suggestions of the devil to frustrate all these glorious messages. And therefore it is just with GOD, that you fare the worse at his hands, and fall short of thine expectation; because you givest more credit to the father of lies, than the Lord of truth. Many, in such cases, while God's messenger stands by, opening and applying the rich treasures of God's free mercy, and with present replies, repelling SATAN's cavils, are cheered and revived; but when he is gone, they give way again to that foul, lying fiend, to cast a mist over the tender eye of their weak faith.

            3. But suppose a man be truly humbled, thankful, reso­lute against all sin, and labor to believe, and yet no comfort come? I say then, there is another duty ex­pected at thy hands, right precious and pleasing unto God: and that is waiting. By which God would, 1. Work more hungering and thirsting, greater longing and panting after the ravishing sweetness of his comfort-able presence; with which melting, earnest, crying, dis­positions, he is very much delighted. 2. Cause us with peace and patience to submit unto, and depend upon his merciful wisdom, in disposing and appointing times and seasons for our deliverances. For he well knows that very point and period of time, when his mercy shall be most magnified, his children's hearts most seasonably comforted, to pour out themselves in praise; and his, and our spiritual enemies most gloriously confounded. 3. Quicken and set on work with extraordinary fervency, the spirit of prayer; fright us further from sin for the time to come; fit us for a more fruitful improvement of all offers and opportunities to do our souls good; to make more of " joy and peace in believing," when we enjoy it; and to declare to others in like extremity, God's dealing with us, for their support.

            We must learn then, to expect, and be content with God's season; and hold up our hearts in the mean time with such considerations as these: First, we perform a very acceptable service, and a Christian duty, right pleasing unto, and much prevailing with GOD, by wait­ing: Secondly, by our patient dependence upon GOD, we may mightily increase, and multiply our comfort, when his time is come. For he is wont to recompense abun­dantly, at last, his longer tarrying, with excess of joy, and overflowing expressions of his love. Thirdly, we must'ever remember that all the while he exerciseth us with waiting, that season is not yet come, which in his mer­ciful wisdom he holds the meetest to magnify the glory of his mercy, and to advance our spiritual good. But I desire to come yet nearer to thy conscience. You sagest, that you art weary of all thy sins, hungerest and thirstest after the righteousness of CHRIST; prizest him before all the world; have cast thyself upon his truth and tender-heartedness, for everlasting safety; and yet you feelest no special sensible joy in thine heart thereupon. Be it so; yet, upon this occasion, take my counsel, and have recourse afresh unto the promises: settle thy soul upon them seriously, with fixed meditation, and fervent prayer: set thyself purposely with earnestness and in­dustry, to suck from them their heavenly sweetness. And then, how is it possible, that thine heart should make resistance to those torrents of spiritual refreshings, which, by a natural and necessary consequence, spring abundantly from the comfortable conclusions, grounded upon the sure Word of GOD, and thine own inward sense, and most certain undeniable experience?

But there are many who complain of the great dis­proportion between the notorious wickedness of their former life, and their bewailing of it; between the number of their sins, and fewness of their tears; the heinousness of their rebellions, and little measure of their humiliation. And thereupon, because they did not feel those terrors in turning unto God; those violent pangs in the new birth, which they have seen, heard, or read of, in others, perhaps, less sinners than themselves; they are much troubled with doubts about the truth of their conversion. Whereby they receive a great deal of hurt and hindrance in their spiritual state. For SATAN gains very much by a suggestion, thereby laboring, and too often prevailing, First, To hinder the Christian in his spiritual building; for with what heart can he hold on, who doubts of the soundness of the foundation? Secondly, To abate his courage in standing on God's side, his patience under the cross, and spiritual joy; to keep him in dullness of heart, deadness of affections, distractions at holy exercises, and under almost continual sadness. Thirdly, To fasten a great deal of dishonor upon God; when he can make the Christian disavow, as it were, so great a work of mercy, stamped upon his soul by an almighty hand: a work, for wonder and power, answerable, (if not transcendent,) to the creation of the world. To the production whereof, the infinite mercies of the Father; the warmest blood of his only Son; the mightiest moving of the blessed Spirit were required.

            Now what an indignity is offered unto so glorious a Workman, and so blessed a work, to assent unto SATAN, a known liar, that there is no such thing?  But to keep myself to the point. Those, who com­plain, that the pangs of their new birth were not answer-able to the heinousness of their former courses, and who, therefore, suspect the truth of their conversion, may have their doubts increased, by such propositions as these; which divines, both ancient and modern, let fall some-times in their penitential discourses. " Ordinarily men are wounded in their consciences at their conversion, answerably to the wickedness of their former convcr­sation.-Contrition, in true converts, is,- for the most part, proportionable to the heinousness of their former courses.-Sorrow must be proportionable to our sins.-The greater our sin, the fuller must be our sorrow.-He that has exceeded in sin, let him exceed also in sorrow. Grievous sins require most grievous lamentations.-'The measure of your mourning must be agreeable and pro­portionable to the sin." And yet, 1 say, First, That between sin and sorrow, we cannot expect a precise pro-portion. Great sins should be greatly lamented; yet no sin can be sufficiently sorrowed for; though it may be savingly. When we say, the pangs of the new birth must be answerable to the former sin, we mean, not that we can mourn for sin according to its merit; that is impossible: but great sins require a great deal of sorrow. We must not think, that we have sorrowed enough for any sin; for we can never sorrow sufficiently. Secondly, If you ask me, when trouble for sin is saving: I answer, when it is true. If you further demand, when it is true? I say, when it drives a man to sell all, in the sense I have said before; and brings him with a settled resolu­tion, to JESUS CHRIST, to live and die with him, as a Savior and a Lord, and is accompanied with an universal change in "body, soul, and spirit." Thirdly, Observe, that GOD, being a most free agent, does not tie himself constantly and invariably to the same measures and times of working upon his children. For he is wise without limit, and above measure; and therefore has many secret and glorious ends, which, according to his good pleasure, much diversify the means subordinate thereunto. From whence may spring these conclusions:

            1. He may, for the most part, create in the heart of the true convert, terrors and troubles of conscience; amazements and mourning, answerable, in some good measure, to his former wicked ways.

            2. He may sometimes suffer a notorious sinner to pass more easily through the pangs of the new birth. But then such an one is wont to walk more humbly before God all his life after; for that he was not humbled with more remarkableness of penitent remorse, and spiritual anguish in his conversion. Or else upon some occasion afterward in his Christian course, he may be exercised afresh, with more terror and trouble of conscience, than in his first change. In such cases as these, 1. If he should, by some violent enticement, be entangled again, with any former sensual pleasure, or by neglect of watch-fulness over his ways, be suddenly surprised with some new scandalous sin. 2. Upon the assault of some extra-ordinary frighting temptation. 3. When some heavy cross, or sickness, after many prosperous days, shall seize upon him, which may he sore and long. 4. Upon his bed of death; especially, if he fall upon it immediately after some relapse, backsliding, or new wound of conscience. There is a kind of natural power, besides God's special hand, in sickness, sorrow, darkness, melancholy, the night, extraordinary crosses, the bed of death, to repre­sent the true number and heinousness of sins with greater horror, and more unto the life: whereas, prosperity, health, and days of peace, do rather delude the eyes of the conscience; and like false and flattering glasses, make those foul fiends seem fairer than they are indeed.

            Besides the cases above-mentioned, this terror and trouble of conscience may befal them, 5. For their own trial. This was the end, as it may seem, why Job wasset up as a mark, for whole armies of terrors to fight against. He approved himself to be steel to the back, as they say, by that victorious ejaculation, chap. 13: 15, " Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him." Whereby God was mightily honored, ratan utterly confounded, that controversy, " Whether Job feared God for nought, or not," gloriously ended on God's side. 6. That, tast­ing again the bitterness of Divine wrath for sin, they may flee further from it. 7. That thereby the incompre­hensible love of CHRIST toward them, may sink deeper into their hearts; who for their sakes and salvation, drank deep and large; and the very dregs of that cup; the least drop whereof is to them so bitter. 8. That by sometimes feeling the contrary, their joy in the light of God's countenance may be more joyful; their spiritual peace more pleasant, the pleasure of grace more precious, the comforts of godliness more comfortable. 9. For admonition to others: to draw duller and drowsy Christians to more strictness, watchfulness, and zeal; by observing the spiritual troubles of those, who are far more holy than themselves: to intimate unto formal professors, that all is certainly naught with them, who ordinarily are mere strangers to all afflictions of soul, and sorrow for sin. 1O. For terror to many, who, going on securely in their sensual courses, are wont to cry down all they can, the power of preaching, by crying to their companions thus, or in the like manner: " Well, for all this, we hope, hell is not so hot, nor sin so heavy, nor the devil so black, nor God so unmerciful, as these precise preachers would make them." How may such as these be terrified upon this occasion, when pondering upon that terrible place, 1 Pet. 4: 17, 18, " If judgment begin at the house of GOD, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved," (if God's children have their con-sciences scorched, as it were, with the flames of hell,) " where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear," but in the bottom of that fiery lake, and amidst the unquench­able rage of those endless flames.

            3. God may sometimes, for some hidden, and holy'ends, seeming good to his heavenly wisdom, bring a less heinous sinner, through extraordinary horror, out of his natural state, into the good way. And terrors and troubles may be multiplied in our enlargement, from the state of darkness, and chains of the devil, by,

            First, some preparatives, which God sometimes in his unsearchable wisdom, does immediately suffer to fall out: as, 1. Some heavy cross, and grievous affliction; to make the power of the law fall more heavily upon our stony hearts. This we see in Manasses, who, by the heaviness and horror of his chains, " was humbled greatly before the God of his fathers." 2. Strange terrors, some-times arising from external accidents; yea, hidden na­tural causes, visions, bodily distempters, horrible injec­tions, and hideous thoughts, whereby they are mightily affrighted before-hand, and prepared to pass through the pangs of the new birth more terribly. 3. Some heinous and crying sin, which he suffers some to fall into, and immediately upon it, awakens the conscience. That Almighty Physician, who is able to bring health out of poison; death out of life; light out of darkness; may by accident, as they say, prepare one to conversion, by giving him over to some abhorred abominations. 4. Lying long in ignorance, sensuality, and dissolute sort of life, without profitable and powerful means. In this case, upon the first awakening, and affrighting the conscience for sin, it may be exposed to many terrible perplexities. And we find by experience, what an hard task it is, to undertake to heal a poor, ignorant soul, troubled in mind. The cure is many times very difficult, dangerous, and long. The darkness of their ignorance, (they being now dis­tressed in conscience,) is very fit matter for SATAN to work in hideously. His main plot against such ordinarily is, to drive them to self-destruction, before they get understanding in the ways of God; or we can get any competent light into their consciences.

            Secondly, some concurrent circumstances: as, 1. A melancholy constitution. That humor does naturally give edge to terrors and sorrows. 2. The crabbedness and crookedness of his natural disposition, which must be tamed with violence. An hard and knotty block must have an, hard wedge. God is here wont sweetly, and wisely to apply himself to the several natures and dispo­sitions of his children. 3. Heighth of place, and happi­ness of this life: whereby it comes to pass, men so deeply drowned in sensuality and earthly-mindedness, for a thorough change, have need to be taken down throughly with a deep sense of legal terrors. 4. Excellency of natural or acquired parts and endowments; as wit, learning, courage, wisdom, wretchedly abused, and long misemployed, upon wrong and wicked objects. Many times, a great measure of humiliation will hardly fright such vain over-valuers of themselves, from their follies. And here also SATAN interposeth most furiously, and hinders this happy work all he can: for he well knows, that if such parts should be turned the right way, his kingdom would fare the worse. And therefore he opposes it with all his power; raising as many tempests of terror, as he is able; that he may either drive them back, or swallow them up into the abhorred gulf of despair. 5. A more searching and piercing ministry; which is ordinarily wont to awaken the conscience with more terror; to fill it with more universal, and clearer light, to quicken it with more apprehension; and so propor­tionably, to afflict it with a more feeling and fearful sense of God's most just and holy wrath against sin. 6. Not opening the wound of conscience betimes to some skilful soul-physician, may be an unhappy means, much to en-large, both the continuance and extremity of a man's spiritual trouble. Shame, bashfulness, pretence of want of opportunity, hope to get through by himself, are ordi­nary keys to lock up his tongue at such a time. But sure I am,. SATAN has a chief hand in such concealment for alas! he wins by it woefully. Let such an one thee' be ever sure most resolutely to break through the devil's snare; and to pour out his soul betimes into some faithful, holy bosom.

            Let us observe, thirdly, the ends for which God pre-pares some by their sore travail in the new birth. He may purpose sometimes in such cases: 1. To employ them, as CHRIST's resolute and undaunted champions in more worthy services. In managing whereof, remem­brance of their having been once, as it were, in the mouth of hell, serves as a continual spur to act nobly, and to supply them, from time to time, with mightiness of courage, and eminency of zeal. 2. To make them afterwards of excellent use, out of their former expe­rience, to speak unto the hearts of their brethren, ready to sink into the same gulf of horror, out of which the good hand of God's gracious Providence has, by such and such means, so mercifully pulled them. 3. To render them to the church mirrors of self-denial, heavenly-mindedness, and holy walking with. God. Mindfulness of their former wrestling with the wrath of GOD, despair, and the horrors of hell, make them ever after mindless of earthly things, weaned from the world, startling at every appearance of evil, greedy of godliness, con­versing in. heaven., For conclusion: let all those, who have passed through the pangs of the new birth, not so terribly, (especially, having been formerly notorious,) be advised to humble themselves in the sight of the Lord, yet more and more unto their dying day. The humblest Christians are ever highest in favor, and nearest in fami­liarity with Almighty God.

            4. In the fourth place, I' come to spiritual desertion;. which puts the Christian, for the present, into a dark and, discomforable condition. I mean,, when the most wise GOD, for some holy ends seeming good unto himself, with-holds from the heart of his child, the light of his countenance, the beams of his favor, and sense of his love. He then feels in himself a fearful deprivation, and discontinuance of the fruition of God; of joy in the Holy Ghost; cheerfulness in well. doing, and godly duties; confidence in prayer; assurance of being in a state of salvation. This secret and wonderful work, does God exercise on his children, in many cases, and for many cause