EXTRACTS

 

FROM

 

THE WORKS

 

OF

 

MR. SAMUEL SHAW

 

Some time Minister of Long-Whatton, in Leicestershire:

 

TO WHICH IS PREFIXED,

 

A SHORT ACCOUNT OF HIS LIFE.

 

A

 

SHORT ACCOUNT

 

OF THE

 

LIFE

 

OF

 

MR. SAMUEL SHAW.

 

 MR. SAMUEL SHAW, the author of the following papers, was born of religious parents, at Repton, in Derbyshire, in the year 1635; and educated at the free school there, then the best in that part of England. At fourteen years of age he left Repton, and went to St. John's College in Cambridge. When he had completed his studies at the University, he removed to Tamworth, in Warwickshire, and was Master of the free school there, in 1656.

 

 From Tamworth he removed to Mosely, a small place on the borders of Worcestershire, at the desire of Colonel GREAVES of that place, who had a great esteem and affection for him. At his coming thither, he was ordained; and, in 1658, he obtained a presentation to the rectory of Long-Whatton, worth 15O1. per annum.

 

 In June of the same year, he had full and peaceable possession of this place, and continued so to have, till the restoration of King CHARLES, in 166O: then, fearing some disturbance, he obtained a fresh presentation under the great seal of England. This was granted without much difficulty, as the former incumbent, Ma. H1iNRV ROJ3INSoN, and two more who enjoyed it after him, were all dead. But though his title was thus corroborated, yet Sir JOHN PETTYMAN found means to remove MR. SHAW in 1661; and they introduced one MR. BUTLER, who had never been incumbent, nor had any manner of title to the place.

 

After this he never had any public living, for he could not satisfy himself to conform.

 

 When he left Long-Whatton, he removed to Cotes, a small village near Loughborough in the same county. During his stay here, his family was afflicted with the plague, being infected by some relations from London, who came from thence to avoid it. It was about harvest, 1665. At that time he preached in his family, and after-wards published that excellent book, called, "The Welcome to the Plague." He buried two children, two friends, and one servant, of that distemper: but he and his wife, who both had it, escaped; and, not being ill both at once, looked after one another, and the rest of the family; which was a great mercy: for none durst come to his assistance; but he was, in a manner, shut up for about three months together. He was forced to attend his sick, and bury his dead himself in his own garden.

 

 Towards the latter end of the year 1666, he removed to Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in the same county; and was chosen Master of the free school there, in 1668. The revenue was then but small, the school buildings quite out of repair, and the number of scholars few: but, by his diligence, he soon got the salary augmented, not only for himself, but all succeeding schoolmasters; and, by his interest among gentlemen, all attached to him on account of his merit, be collected money for the building of a good, school, and a school-house, as also a gallery for the convenience of the scholars in the church.

 

 He had another difficulty, however, to contest with in this matter; which was, how to get a license, without subscription to those things of which conscience would not allow. But he got over that also: for, by means of LORD CONWAY, he obtained from the Archbishop of Can-terbury a license to teach a school [thy where in his whole province; and this without so much as once seeing or waiting upon the Archbishop. And needing also a license from the Bishop of the diocese, he got a friend to make his application to DR. FULLER, then Bishop of Lincoln, who put his late book, occasioned by the plague in his family, into the Bishop's hands. The Bishop was so pleased with the piety, peaceableness, humility, and learning, there displayed, that he gave him a license upon such a subscription as his own sense dictated and inserted; and added, " that he was glad to have so worthy a man in his diocese, upon any terms."

 

 His piety, learning, and temper, soon increased the reputation of his school, as well as the number of his scholars; so that he always kept one, and for a great while two ushers, to assist him; having often a hundred and sixty boys, or more, under his charge. His house, and the town, were continually full of boarders from London, and other distant parts of the kingdom.

 

 Here he did excellent service in educating youth. Several divines of the Church of England, and many gentlemen, eminent in their several professions, were his scholars. He endeavored to make the youth, that were under his care, in love with piety; instilling sound principles into their minds in early life, both by his own advice, and by the inducement set before them in his good example. His temper was affable, and his method of teaching winning and easy; and he had a singular talent in finding out, and suiting himself to, the tempers and inclinations of boys.

 

Afterwards, when the dissenting Ministers were al-lowed a toleration, and liberty to preach confirmed by Act of Parliament, he licensed his school for a place of religious worship; and the first time he used it, preached from Acts xix. 9, "Disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus." Here he continued till his death, which happened on the 22d of January, 1696, in the fifty-ninth year of his age.

 

 He was of a middle stature, and his countenance not very penetrating; but his eyes were sparkling, and he had a most easy and engaging way of expressing himself. His discourse was witty, affable, and pertinent; and his disposition and temper pleasant. He had quick repartees; and his conversation was enlivened with a thorough insight into the several branches of polite learning, especially poetry and history. But his greatest excellence was in religious discourse, and in the rational and pious sentiments, both of his sermons and his prayers.

 

 In the place where he lived, he was universally esteemed, being frequently employed in reconciling differences. He was universal in his charity; had a public and generous spirit, ready to encourage any good design; was much given to hospitality; of a peaceable disposition; and moderate in his principles.

 

In short, a mixture of so much learning and modesty, wit and judgment, piety and pleasantness, is rarely found together, as met in him. And he lived beloved, and died lamented, by all that had the happiness of his acquaintance.

 

IMMANUEL

 

OR,

 

A DISCOURSE OF TRUE RELIGION,

 

AS IT IMPORTS

 

A LIVING PRINCIPLE IN THE MINDS OF MEN. Written about the Year 1666.

 

BY SAMUEL SHAW,

 

Some time Minister of Long-Whatton, in Leicestershire.

 

IMMANUEL;

 

OR,

 

A DISCOURSE OF TRUE RELIGION.

 

CHAP. 1:

 

 The occasion of the words of the text. The principal contents of it. The origin of true religion. All souls the offspring of GOD, and a more especial portraiture of Him; but Godly souls yet more especially. GOD the author of religion from without, in several respects; GOD the author of it from within, enlightening the faculties. Religion something of GOD in the soul. A discovery of religious men by the affinity that they have to GOD. GOD alone to be acknowledged in all holy accomplishments: the origin of sin from hence discovered. JOHN 4: 14.

 

 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

 

 THIS chapter contains an excellent discourse of the blessed SAVIOR of the world, into whose lips grace was poured, and he ceased not to pour it out again. That which is said of the wise, (Prov. 15: 7,) is fully verified of wisdom itself; his lips dispersed knowledge. A poor woman of Samaria comes to draw water, and our Savior takes occasion, from the water, to instruct her in the great doctrines of the Kingdom of Heaven. O the admirable zeal for GOD, and compassion for souls, which dwelt in that divine breast! And O the wonderful, unsearchable counsels of an all-wise GOD! He ordains SAUL's seeking of asses to be the means of his finding a kingdom upon earth; and this poor woman's seeking of water to be an occasion of her finding the way to the kingdom of heaven. She comes to the well of JACOB, and, behold, she meets with the GOD of JACOB there. The occasion, passages, and issue of this discourse, would each afford many profitable observations; but I think none more than this particular verse; in which the mystery of gospel-grace is unfolded, and true religion excellently described. For I understand our Savior, not as speaking of faith, or knowledge, or any other particular grace, but of grace in general; of the HOLY SPIRIT of GOD, that is, his gifts and graces; of true GODliness; or, if you will, of the Christian Religion; for that word I shall choose to retain throughout my discourse, as being most intelligible and comprehensive.

 

 In these words we find the true Christian Religion unfolded in the Origin, Nature, Properties, Consequence, and End of it. The Origin of it is found in those words, "I shall give him;" the Nature of it is described by a "well of water;" the Properties of it will be found in the phrase of "springing up;" the Consequence of it is, that the man that is endued with it shall " never thirst;" the End or Perfection of it is " everlasting life." Of all these, by GOD's assistance, I shall treat in this order.

 

First, I begin at the Origin of it, as it seems meet I should; for indeed it is found in the words, "The water that I shall give him."

 

 Religion is of divine origin. All souls are indeed the offspring of GOD. Those noble faculties of understanding, and a will free from constraint, do more resemble the nature of GOD than all the world besides. There is more of the glory, beauty, and brightness of GOD in a soul, than there is in the sun itself. The apostle allows it as a proper speech spoken in common of all men: (Acts 17: 28:) " For we are also his offspring." GOD has fixed more lively prints of himself, and his divine essence, upon a rational soul, than he has upon the whole creation; so that the soul of man, even as to its constitution, does dis‑

 

.cover more of the nature of GOD, than all the other things that he has made. He that rightly converses with his own soul, will get more acquaintance with GOD, than they that gaze continually upon the material heavens, or traverse the utmost corners of the earth, or " go down into the sea in ships." The serious consideration of the little world will teach more of Him than the great one could do: so that I hesitate not to take the Apostle's words concerning the word of GOD, and apply them to the nature of GOD: (Rom. 10: 6, 7:) " Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven," to bring a discovery of GOD from thence Or, "Who shall descend into the deep," to fetch it up from thence The nature and essence of GOD are " nigh thee," even in thy soul; excellently displayed in the constitution, frame, powers, and faculties thereof. GOD has not made any creature so capable of receiving and reflecting his image and glory, as angels and men: which has made me often to say, "That the vilest soul of man is much more beautiful and honorable than the most excellent body, than the very body of the sun at noon-day." And, by the way, this may render sin odious and loathsome; because it has defiled the fairest piece of GOD's workmanship in the world, and has blurred the clearest copy which he has drawn of himself in the whole creation.

 

 But though all rational souls be the children of GOD, yet all of them do not imitate their Father: though their constitution express much of the essence of GOD, yet their disposition doth, too often, express the image of the devil. But Godly souls, who are " followers of GOD," are indeed his "dear children." (Eph. 5: 1.) Holy souls, who are endued with a GOD-like disposition, and work the works of GOD, these are truly and properly his offspring. (Matt. 5: 44, 45.) And in this respect GOD's children are his " workmanship, created unto good works." (Eph.ii.1O.)

 

 Religion is of divine origin: GOD is the author and father of it, both from without and from within.

 

 1. GOD is the author of it from without. When man had fallen from GOD by sin, and was become both unwilling and unable to return, GOD was pleased to set up that glorious light, his own Son, " the Sun of Righteousness," in the world, that he might guide their feet into the way of peace; who is therefore called, "A light to lighten the Gentiles." GOD, of his infinite grace and overflowing goodness, provided a Mediator, by whom the apostate souls might be reconciled, and re-united to him-self; and "to as many as receive him, to them he giveth power to become the sons of GOD."

 

 Yet further, it pleased GOD, in his infinite wisdom and mercy, to chalk out the way of life and peace in the Holy Scriptures, and therein to unlock the secrets of salvation to succeeding generations. Herein he has plainly laid down the terms of the covenant of peace, which was made in the Mediator, and given precepts and promises for the direction and encouragement of as many as will inquire into the same. These are the sacred Oracles, which give clear and certain answers to all that consult them about their future state. CHRIST JESUS opened the way into the holiest of all, and the Scriptures come after, and point it out unto us; he purchased life and immortality, and these bring it to light. (2 Tim. 1: 1O.)

 

 And yet further, that these might not be mistaken, or perverted to men's destruction, GOD has been pleased to commit these records into the hands of his Church, and therein to his Ministers, whom he has appointed, called, qualified, and instructed, for the explanation and application of them: so that they are called "scribes instructed unto the kingdom of GOD," "stewards of the mysteries," and " stewards over the household of GOD, to give unto every one his portion." These Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors, Teachers, GOD has given for the perfecting of the Saints, for the edifying of the body of CHRIST.

 

These things has GOD done for us, from without us; he has set up a light, marked out our way, and appointed us guides. To these I might add the many enticements, which we call mercies or comforts of this life; and the many affrightments of judgments and afflictions; which GOD has added to the promises and threatenings of his word, to bring us into the way of life. But all these are too little, too weak of themselves, to bring back a straggling soul, or to produce a living principle of true religion in it. Therefore,

 

 2. GOD is the author of religion from within. He not only reveals himself and his SON to the soul, but in it; he not only makes discoveries to it, but lively impressions upon it; he not only points out the way of life, but breathes into it the breath of life. He has not only provided a Savior, a Redeemer, but he also draws the soul unto him. He has not only appointed Pastors and Teachers, but he himself impregnates their word, and clothes their doctrine, with his own power, using their ministry as an instrument whereby to teach; so that the children of GOD are said to be " all taught of GOD." Ministers can only discover, and, as it were, enlighten the object; but GOD enlightens the faculty. He gives the seeing eye, and does actually enable it to discern. Therefore the work of converting a soul is still ascribed to GOD in Scripture; he begets us again: (1 Pet. 1: 3:) he draws the soul, before it can run after him. (Cant. 1: 4.) CHRIST apprehends the soul, and lays powerful hold of it. (Phil. 3: 12.) GOD gives a heart of flesh, a new heart; he causes men to walk in his statutes; (Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27;) he puts his laws into their inward parts, and writes it in their hearts. (Jer. xxxi. 33.)

 

 But yet, methinks, we are not come to a perfect discovery of religion's being the offspring of GOD in the minds of men. For it is GOD who enlightens the faculties of men as to the learning of all other things also; He teaches grammar and rhetoric, as well as divinity; He instructs even the husbandman to discretion in his affairs of husbandry, and teaches him to plough, and sow, and thresh, &c. (Isa. 28: 26.) Not only the gift of divine knowledge, but D," every good] and perfect 1 gift, cometh from the Father of lights." GOD does, from within, give that capacity and illumination of our faculties, whereby we comprehend the mysteries of nature, as well as of grace. Therefore we may conceive of the origin of religion in a more inward and spiritual manner still. It is not so much given of GOD, as it is itself something of GOD in the soul; as the soul is not so properly said to give, as to be, the life of man. As the conjunction of the soul with the body is the life of the body; so verily the life of the soul stands in its conjunction with GOD by a spiritual union of will and affections. GOD does not en-lightens men's minds as the sun enlightens the world, by shining unto them, and round about them; but by shining into them, by enlightening their faculties, as I said before, and, which seems to be somewhat more, by "shining in their hearts," as the Apostle phrases it. (2 Cor. 4: 6.) He sets up a candle, which is his own light within the soul; so that the soul sees GOD in his own light, and loves him with the love that he has shed abroad in it: and religion is no other than a reflection of that divine image, life, and light, and love, which, from GOD, are imprinted upon the souls of true Christians. GOD is said to en-lighten the soul, but it is not as the sun enlightens; so he draws the soul too, but not as one man draws another with.a cord; but he draws the soul as the sun draws up earthly vapours, by infusing its virtue and power into them; or, as the loadstone draws the iron, by the powerful influences of his grace. GOD does not so much communicate himself to the soul by way of discovery, as by way of impression; and indeed not so much by impression, as by a mystical and wonderful way of implantation.

 

 Religion is not so much something from GOD, as some-thing of GOD in the minds of believers: it is therefore called his image; (Col. 3: 1O;) and believers are said to live according to GOD in the SPrarr." (1 Pet. 4: 6.) But, as if that were not high enough, it is not only called his image, but even a participation of his divine nature; (2 Pet. 1: 4;) something of CHRIST in the soul, an Infant CHRIST, as one calls it, alluding to the Apostle's words, (Gal. 4: I9,) where the saving knowledge of CHRIST is called CHRIST himself,—" until CHRIST be formed in you.

 

 True religion is, as it were, GOD dwelling in the soul, and CHRIST dwelling in the soul. GOD himself is pleased thus to express his relation to the Godly soul: (Isa. lvii. 15:) " I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit:" and again, (2 Cor. 6: 16:) " As GOD has said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them." Pure religion is a beam of the FATHER of LIGHTS: it is a drop of that eternal fountain of goodness and holiness, the breath of the power of GOD, a pure influence flowing from the power of the Almighty, the brightness of the everlasting Light, the unspotted mirror of the power of GOD, and the image of his goodness, more beautiful than the sun, and above all the orders of stars: being compared with the light, it is found before it. What is spoken of the eternal Son of GOD, (Heb. 1: 3,) may, in a sense, be affirmed of religion, that it is the effulgency or beaming forth of divine glory; for there is more of the divine glory and beauty shining forth in one Godly soul, than in all things in the world beside. The glorious light of the sun is but a dark shadow of the divine light, not to be compared with the beauty of holiness. An immortal soul does more resemble the divine nature than any other created being; but religion in the soul is a thousand times more divine than the soul itself. The material world is a darker representation of divine wisdom, power, and goodness; it is, as it were, the footsteps of GOD. The immaterial world of angels and spirits represents him more clearly, and is, as it were, the face of GOD: but holiness in the soul most nearly resembles him of all created things; one may call it the beauty and glory of his face. Every creature par-takes of GOD: He had no copy but himself and his own essence to frame the world by; so that all these must needs carry some resemblance of their Maker. But no creature is capable of such communications of GOD, as a rational immortal spirit; and the highest that angel, or spirit, or any created nature, can be made capable of, is to "be holy as GOD is holy." So then if the poet may call the soul,--and ST. PAUL allows hurl in it,—Divince particula aura; surely one may rather speak in those term's of religion, which is the highest perfection that the soul can attain to, either in the world that now is, or that which is to come. One soul, any one soul of man, is worth all the world beside for glory and dignity; but the lowest degree of true holiness, pure religion, conformity to the divine nature and will, is more worth than a world of souls, and to be preferred before the essence of angels. I have often admired three great mysteries and mercies, GOD revealed in the flesh, GOD revealed in the word, and GOD revealed in the soul: this last is the mystery of GODliness which I am speaking of, but cannot fathom: it is this which, as the Apostle says, transcends the sight of our eyes, the capacity of our ears, and all the faculties of our souls too. (I Cor. 2: 9.) CHRIST JESUS formed in the soul of man, incarnate in a heart of flesh, is as great a miracle, and a greater mercy, than CHRIST formed in the womb of a virgin, and incarnate in a human body. There was once much glorying concerning CHRIST in the world, the hope of Israel; but let us call out to the powers of eternity, and the ages of the world to come, to help us to celebrate and magnify CHRIST in us " the hope of glory."

 

1. This will help us in our discoveries of that precious pearl, religion. There is nothing in the world that men generally more seek, or less find: every nation in the world has courted it in one way or other,• but, alas, how few have obtained it! At this day there are many claims laid to it: the men of Judah cry, She is of kin to us; the' men of Israel say, We have ten parts in this queen, and we have more right in religion than ye; according as they contended of old about King DAVID. (2 Sam. xix.) They say of CHRIST, as it was foretold, though perhaps not in the same sense as was foretold, " Lo, here he is, and lo, there he is," which has made many say, " He is not at all: " or, if I may go on in the same allusion, they live by the rule which there follows, they will not go forth to seek him any where. Mighty strivings, yea, and wars there have been about the Prince of Peace, whose He should be: and at this day no question is more debated, nor less decided, than which is the most religious party in the laud. O would to GOD that men would dispute this controversy with works, and not with words, much less with blows!

 

 Religion is of an eminent pedigree, of a noble descent; you may find her name in the register of heaven; and look where Gob is, there is she. She carries her name in her forehead. The divine disposition which she manifests, the divine works which she performs, which no one else can perform, the same bear witness which is she. I am ready to say, with the man that had been blind, " Herein is a marvelous thing," that ye know not religion, who she is, and yet she is the mighty power of GOD opening the eyes, changing the hearts, and as it were deifying the souls of men. Why do we not also go about inquiring which of those many stars is the moon in the firmament If ye ask of the religious party, I will point you to the blessed and eternal GOD, and say, "As he is, so are they, in their capacity, each one resembling the children of a King;" or I will point out the religious Christian by the same token, as CHRIST himself was marked out to JOHN the Baptist: (John 1: 33:) " Upon whom you shall see the SPIRIT descending, and remaining on him, the same is he." If ye inquire about the children of GOD, the Apostle shall describe them for you: (Eph. 5: 1:) the "followers of Gon" are his "dear children." That which is most nearly allied to the nature and life of GOD, that call religion, under whatsoever disguises or reproaches it may go in the world. Examine the world by no lower a mark than that character that is given of DAVID; (1 Sam. 13: 14;) and the man that does appear to be " after GOD'S own heart," viz. conformable to his image, compliant with his will, and studious of his glory, fix upon him; for that is the man, under what name soever he goes, of what party soever he is. Examine what alliance your soul has to GOD, and " whose is the image and superscription."

 

 Religion is a divine accomplishment, an efflux from GOD, and may, by its affinity to heaven, be discerned from the offspring of hell and darkness. Therefore, Christians, if you will make a judgment of your state, lay your hearts and lives to the rule, the eternal goodness, the uncreated purity, and see whether you resemble that copy: for conformity to the image and will of GOD, is religion; and GOD will own it for his, when all the counterfeits and shadows of it will fly away, and disappear for ever. I fear it may be imputed as a great piece of vanity to many speculative Christians, that they are very inquisitive, prying into the hidden rolls of GOD's decree, and the secrets of predestination, to find out the causes and method of their vocation and salvation: in the mean time, they are not solicitous for, nor studious of, the relation and re-semblance that every religious soul bears unto GOD him-self, the heaven that is opened within the Godly soul itself, and the whole plot and mystery of salvation transacted upon the heart of a true Christian.

 

 There is a vanity which I have observed in many pre-tenders to nobility and learning; and that is, when men seek to demonstrate the one by their coat of arms, and their family, and the other by a gown, or a title, or their names standing in the register of the university, rather than by the accomplishments and behavior of gentle-men or scholars. A like vanity, I doubt, may be observed in many pretenders to religion: some are searching GOD's decretals, to find their names written in the book of life, when they should be studying to find GOD's name written upon their hearts, " holiness to the LORD" en-graven upon their souls: some are busily examining them-selves by marks without them, when they should labor to find the marks and prints of GOD and his nature upon them: some have their religion in their books and authors, which should be the law of GOD written on the tables of the heart: some glory in the number of their duties, and in the multitude of their pompous performances, crying with JEHU, " Come, and see my zeal for the LORD;" whereas it were much more excellent, if one could see their likeness to the LORD, and the characters of divine beauty and holiness drawn upon their hearts and lives. But we, if we judge rightly of our religious state, must view ourselves in GOD, who is the fountain of all goodness and holiness, and the rule of all perfection.

 

 Value yourselves by your souls, and not by your bodies, estates, friends, or any outward accomplishments. To study the blessed and glorious GOD in his word, and to converse with him in his works, is indeed all excellent employment; but O what a blessed study is it to view him in the communications of himself, and the impressions of his grace upon our own souls! All the thin and subtle speculations of the most eminent philosophers concerning the essence and nature of GOD, are poor, and low, and beggarly employments and attainments, in comparison of those blessed visions of GOD which a Godly soul has in itself, when it finds itself partaker of a divine nature, and living a divine life. O labor to view GOD and his perfections in your own souls, in those transcripts of them which his HOLY SPIRIT draws upon the hearts of all Godly men.

 

 This is the most excellent discovery of GOD of which any soul is capable; it is better and more desirable than that famous discovery which was made to MOSES in the clift of the rock. Nay, I should much rather desire to see the real impression of a GOD-like nature upon my own soul, to see the crucifixion of my own pride and self-will, the mortification of the mere sensual life, and a divine life springing up in my soul instead of it,—I would much rather desire to see my soul glorified in the image and beauty of GOD put upon it, which is indeed a pledge, yea, and a part of eternal glory, than to have a vision from the Almighty, or hear a voice witnessing from heaven, and saying, "You art my beloved Son, in whom my soul is well-pleased." This which I am speaking of is a true foundation of heaven in the soul, a real beginning of happiness: for happiness, yea, heaven itself, is nothing else but a perfect conformity, a cheerful and eternal compliance of all the powers of the soul with the will of Goo: so that as far as a soul is thus conformed to GOD, and filled with his fullness, so far is he glorified upon earth.

 

 2. Let wisdom then be justified of her children; let the children of GOD, those that are his genuine offspring, rise up and call him blessed, in imitation of their LORD and SAVIOR, that eldest SON of GOD, that " First-born among many brethren," who rejoiced in spirit, and said, " I thank thee, FATHER, Lord of Heaven and Earth, that you have revealed these things;" (Luke 10: 21;) or, according to the style of the Apostle PETER, (1 Pet. 1: 3,) "Blessed be the GOD and FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, which according to his abundant mercy has begotten us again." There is no greater contradiction in the world, than a man pretending to religion, and yet ascribing it to himself; for pure religion is entirely of a divine original. Besides, religion does principally consist in the subduing of self-will, in compliance with the divine will, in serving the interest of GOD’s glory in the world. Then, and not till then, may a soul be truly called religious, when GOD becomes greatest of all to it and in it, and the interest of GOD is so powerfully planted in it, that no self-interest, no creature-love, no particular or private end, can grow by it, no more than the Magicians could stand before MOSES, when he came in the power of GOD to work wonders.

 

 We, if we indeed partake of the divine nature, shall not dare to take any of the divine glory; if we conform to GOD’s image, we shall not set up our own. Self-glorying is utterly inconsistent with true religion, as fire is with 'water: for religion is nothing else but the shining forth of GOD into the soul, the reflection of a beauty and glory which GOD has put upon it. Give all therefore unto GOD; for whatsoever is kept back, is sacrilegiously purloined from him: let us glory in the fullness of GOD alone, and in self-penury and nothingness. The whole of religion is of Goo. Do we see and discern the great things of God It is by that light which GOD has set tip in us; according to the declaration of the Apostle, (1 Cor. 2: 11,) " The things of GOD knows no man, but the SPIRIT of God." That love whereby we love him, he first shed abroad in our hearts.. If our souls be beautiful, it is with his brightness, the beauty and glory of essential holiness, according to the expression of the Apostle, (Heb. 12: 1O,) "Partakers of his holiness." If we be really full, we receive it of his fullness, according to ST. PAUL'S saying, (Eph. 3: 19,) "Filled with all the fullness of God." In a word, if we be in any GOD-like dispositions, like unto him, it is by his spreading of his image in us, and over us. By all which, it appears to be a thing not only wicked and unwarrantable, but utterly impossible for a Godly soul to exalt itself against GOD, or for grace to advance itself against divine glory: for grace is nothing else but a communication of divine glory; and GOD is then glorified, when the soul in holy and gracious dispositions becomes like unto him. How is it possible that grace should be a shadow to obscure divine glory, when itself is nothing else but a beam of glory, and, as it is found in the creature, may properly be called a reflection of it

 

 To conclude then,—be persuaded, that a man has so much of' GOD, as he has of humility and self-denial; and no more: he is so far of GOD, as he loves him', honors him, imitates him, and lives to him; and no further.

 

 3. By this discovery of the origin of religion, we come to understand the origin of sin and wickedness. The origin of Sin, from without, is from the Devil, who first ushered it into the world, and ceases not to tempt men to it continually; as also from men, who are his instruments; and it does, in a sense, spring from without. But these things are improperly said to be the causes of sin. The inward cause is the corrupt heart of man, that devilish nature, which is indeed the worst devil in the world to man. It is an old saying, " One man is a devil to another:" which, though it be, in some sense, true; yet it is more proper to say, Man is a devil to himself, taking the spirit and principle of apostasy, that rebellious nature, for a devil, which indeed best deserves that name. But yet, if we inquire more strictly into the origin of this monster, we shall best know what to say of it, by what we have heard of religion. Sin then, to speak properly, is nothing else but a degeneration from a holy state, an apostasy from a holy GOD. Religion is a participation of GOD, and sin is a straggling off from Him. Therefore, sin is wont to be defined, a departure from GOD, a forsaking of Him, a living in the world without Him. The soul's falling off from GOD describes the general nature of sin; but then, as it sinks into itself, or settles upon the world, and fastens upon the creature, so it becomes specified, and is called pride, covetousness, ambition, and many other names. All souls are the offspring of GOD, being origin-ally formed in his image and likeness; and when they express the holiness of the divine nature, in being perfect as GOD is perfect, then are they called the children of GOD: but those impure spirits, that fall from GOD, may be said, to implant themselves into another stock by their own low and earthly lives, and are no longer owned for the children of GOD, but are of their Father the Devil. By this you may also take notice of the miserable condition of unholy souls. We need not call for fire and brimstone to paint the wretched state of sinful souls. Sin itself is hell, and death, and misery to the soul, as being a departure from goodness and holiness itself; I mean from GOD, in union with whom, the happiness, blessedness, and heaven of a soul does consist. Avoid sin, therefore, if you would avoid being miserable.

 

CHAP. 2

 

 True Religion described, as to the nature of it, by Dater a metaphor usual in the scriptures; 1. On account of its power to cleanse; 2. On account of its power to allay thirst. The nature of religion described by a Well of water. That it is a principle in the souls of men, proved. An examination of religion by this test; by which examination are excluded all things that are merely external. A Godly man has neither the whole of his business, nor his motives, lying without him. Many things internal found not to be religion: it is no sudden passion of the mind; nor any thing begotten and maintained by the mere power of imagination.

 

 I come now to speak of the nature of true religion, which our blessed Lon') here describes by " a well of water." 1: By Water. 2: By a Well of Water.

 

I. Pure religion is described by Water. This is a comparison very familiar in the Holy Scriptures, both of the Old Testament and the New. By this similitude, gospel-grace was typified in the ceremonial law, wherein both persons and things, ceremonially unclean, were commanded to be washed in water. Under this notion, the same grace is prayed for by the Psalmist, when he had defiled himself in the bed of a stranger; (Psal.li. 7;) " Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow." He had drunk water out of a strange cistern, and now he calls out for water from the fountain of grace, to cleanse him: he cries out for water from the fountain of grace, the blessed MESSIAH, that sprung up into the world at Bethlehem, and that with more earnestness than formerly. We read that he wished for the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate. (2 Sam. 23: 15.) In the same phrase, the same grace is promised by the ministry of the Prophets, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto us. Thus we read of the flourishing state of the church; (Isa. lviii. 11;) " You shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not;" and of the fruitful state of the gospel-proselytes; (Joel 3: 18;) " All the rivers of JUDAH shall flow with waters, and a fountain shall come forth of the house of the LORD, and shall water the valley of Shittim." These promises, as the Prophet EzEKIEL plainly shows, are to be understood of the grace of sanctification; (Ezek. xxxvi. 25;) " 1 will sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you:" for ordinary water cannot cleanse men from idols. The Prophet ISAIAH also puts it out of doubt, whose prophecy, together with the interpretation of it, we find in one verse; (Isa. xliv. 3;) " I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour out Iny SPIRIT upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring."

 

 By the same ceremony, the gospel-dispensation shadows out the same mystery in the sacrament of baptism: and, by the same phrase, our SAVIOR offers the same grace; (John 7: 37;) " If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink:" and his Apostles after him, in allusion to water, call this grace the " washing of regeneration." (Tit. 3: 5.)

 

 Now, as the grace of GOD is compared unto fire, because it is of a refining nature, and consumes the dross of the soul; so also it is compared unto water, especially for these two properties, viz., of cleansing and quenching: for, observe this, by the way, that it is a very injurious thing to the HOLY GHOST, to press the metaphors which He uses in Scripture, further than they naturally and freely serve. Neither are we to rest in the letter of the metaphor, but to attend unto the scope of it.

 

 If we tenaciously adhere to the phrase, wanton wits will be ready to quarrel with absurdities, and so unawares run into strange blasphemies. They will cry out presently, —How can fire wash—when they read those words of the Prophet: (Lsa. 4: 4.:) "The LoRD will wash away the filth of the daughter of Zion, by the SPIRIT of burning." But who art You, O man! that wilt teach him to speak, who formed the tongue The SPIRIT of GOD intends the virtue or property of things when he names them, and to that we must mainly attend.

 

 1. Therefore, by the phrase dilater, is the cleansing nature of religion commended to us: it is the cleansing of the soul, which sin and wickedness have polluted. Sin is often described in Scripture as filthiness, loathsomeness, abomination, uncleanness, a spot, a blemish, a stain, apollution; which terms indeed convey a most proper description of it. The spots of leprosy, and the eruption of the foulest scurvy, are beautiful in comparison of it. JOB upon the dunghill was not half so loathsome as goodly ABSALOM; in whose body " there was no blemish, from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head," but whose soul was stained with the spots of malice and revenge, and festered with the loathsome tumour of ambition. LAZARUS, lying at the gates full of raw and running sores, was a far more lovely object in the pure eyes of GOD, than JEZEBEL, looking out at the window, adorned with spots and paint. If the best which a Godly man has of his own, be as a filthy rag, where shall we borrow a phrase foul enough to describe the wickedness of an unGodly man I need say no more of it, I can say no worse, than to tell you that it is something contrary to GOD, who is the eternal Father of light, who is beauty, and brightness, and glory itself; or, to give it you in the Apostle's phrase, (Rout. 3: 23,) it is "a coming short of the glory of GOD." This has made meat many times almost ready to cry out with the Prophet, " Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this;" when I have seen poor, ignorant, profane wretches, passing by a person, or a family, visited with some loathsome disease, in a mixture of fear and disdain, stopping their noses and hastening away; when their own souls have been more vile than the dung upon the earth, spotted with ignorance and atheism, swollen with the risings of pride, and self-will, and contempt of GOD and his holy image. This may well be a matter of wonder to any man, till he consider with himself, that one part of these men's uncleanness, is that very blindness which keeps them from discerning it. I speak principally of the defilement of the soul; though the same pollute the whole conversation: for every action which springs forth from such an unclean heart, thereby becomes filthy; even as MOSES'S hand, put into his bosom, became leprous, or rather, as (under the ceremonial law) one that was rendered unclean by a dead body, defiled all that he touched.

 

 Now, religion is the cleansing of this unclean spirit and conversation; so that, though the soul were formerly filthy and odious, when once those living waters flow into it, and through it, from the pure fountain of grace and holiness, the SPIRIT of our GOD, one may say of it, as the Apostle says of the Corinthians, (1 Cor. 6: 11,) " Such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified." The soul that was before white as leprosy, is now white as wool. O what beauty and glory are upon that soul, which shines with the image and brightness of GOD upon it! SOLOMON in all his glory was not beautiful like such a soul: nay, the splendor of the sun, in its greatest strength, is a miserable glimmering, if it be compared with the day-star of religion, which even in this life arises in the heart; or, if you will, in the Prophet's style, the Sun of Righteousness, which arises with healing in his wings, upon them that fear the name of GOD. The Godly soul having entertained the pure effluxes of divine light and love, breathes after nothing more than to see more familiarly, and love more ardently: its inclinations are pure and holy; its motions spiritual and powerful; its delights high and heavenly; it may be said to rest in its love; and yet it may be said, that love will not suffer it to rest, but is still carrying it out to a more intimate union with its beloved object. What is said of the ointment of CHRIST'S name, (Cant. 1:3,) is true of the water of his SPIRIT; " it is poured forth,therefore do the virgins love him." Religion begets a pure and holy love in the soul towards the blessed GOD, its author; it hases itself in the fountain from which it sprang; and basks itself perpetually in the warm beams which first produced it. Religion issues from GOD him-self, and is ever issuing out towards GOD alone, passionately breathing with DAVID, " Whom have I in heaven but thee in earth there is none that I desire beside thee!" The soul that formerly may be said to have "lain among the pots," by reason of its filthiness, is now " as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her wings with yellow gold." This pure principle being put into the soul, sets it upon holy studies, excites holy meditations, directs it to high and noble ends, and makes all its affections to be pure and chaste, laboring to enjoy GOD himself, which before were adulterous and idolatrous, ready for sin and the world to lodge in. In a word, this offspring of heaven, this " King's daughter," the Godly soul, is "all glorious within;" yea, and outwardly too, she is "clothed with wrought gold;" her faith within is more precious than gold, and her conversation curiously made up, an embroidery of good works, some of piety, some of charity, some of sobriety, but all of purity, shining with more noble and excellent splendor than the high-priest's garments and breast-plate, spangled with such variety of precious stones. " Not my feet only, but my hands and my head, Lord," said PETER, not well knowing what he said; but the soul that is truly sensible of the excellent purity which is caused by divine washings, longs to have the whole man, the whole life, also made partaker of it, and cries, " LORD, not my head only, not my heart only, but my hands and my feet also; make me wholly pure, as GOD is pure." In a word, true religion is the cleansing of the soul, and all the powers of it; so that, whereas murderers sometimes lodged in it, now righteousness: the den of thieves, thievish lusts, and loves, and interests, and ends, which formerly stole away the soul from GOD, is now become a temple fit for the great KING to dwell, live, and reign in: and the whole conversation is turned from its wonted vanity, worldliness, and iniquity, and is continually employed about things that are true, honest, dust, pure, lovely, and of good report.

 

 2. By the phrase Water, the quenching nature of religion is commended to us. GOD has endued the immortal soul with a restless appetite, and raging thirst, after some chief good, which the heart of every man is continually groping after, though indeed few find it, because they seek it where it is not to be found. If we speak properly, it is not gold, or silver, or popular applause, at which the covetous or ambitious mind does ultimately aim, but some chief good, happiness, sufficiency, and satisfaction in these things; wherein they are more guilty of blasphemy than atheism. For it is clear they do not deny a supreme good; because that at which men chiefly and ultimately aim is their GOD, be it what it will; but they blaspheme-the true GOD, when they place their happiness where it is not to be found, and attribute that fullness and sufficiency to something else besides the living GOD. Sin has not destroyed the nature and capacity of the rational soul, but has diverted the mind from its adequate object, and has sunk it into the creature, where it wanders hither and thither, like a banished man, from one den or cave to another, but is secure nowhere. A wicked man, who is loosed from his centre by sin, and has departed from the fountain of life, sinks low in his affections, and flutters perpetually about the earth and earthly objects, but can find no more rest for the foot of his soul, than NOAH's dove could find for the sole of her foot. Now, religion is the hand that pulls this wandering bird into her own ark, from whence she was departed; it settles the soul upon its proper centre, and quenches its burning thirst after happiness. And for this reason it is called water in Scripture, as appears from Isa. lviii. 11; " The LORD shall satisfy thy soul in drought: and Isa. xliv. 3; " I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground;" compared with John 7: 37; " JESUS stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." Religion is ataste of infinite goodness, which quenches the soul's thirst after created and finite good; in the same manner as that taste which NATHANAEL had of CHRIST'S divinity, took him off' from the expectation of any Messiah to come, and made him cry out, " Rabbi, you art the SON of GOD; you art the King of Israel." (John 1: 49.) And every religious soul has such a taste of GOD, even in this life, as, though it does not perfectly fill him, yet does perfectly assure him where allfulness dwells.

 

 II: I proceed to the second phrase, whereby our SAVIOR describes the nature of true religion; it is a Well, a fountain in the soul: " Shall be in him a Well of water." From which phrase I shall only observe,—That religion is a principle in the souls of men. The water which CHRIST pours into the soul is not like the water poured upon our streets, which washes them, and runs away; but it becomes a cleansing principle within the soul itself; every drop from GOD becomes a fountain in man: not as if man were the first spring of his own motions towards GOD: I find not any will in the natural man so divinely free. GOD has indeed given this to his only-begotten Son, to have "life in himself," but not to any of his adopted ones. If you ask me concerning man in his natural capacity, I am so far from thinking that he possessed a self-quickening power, a principle„of life in himself, that I must needs assert the contrary, with the Apostle, that he is " dead in trespasses and sins." Repenting and believing are properly man's acts, and yet they are performed by GOD's power; first, CHRIST must give this water, before it can be a well of water in the soul. Religion is a living principle in the souls of good men. I cannot better describe the nature of religion, than to say it is a nature; for so the Apostle speaks, or at least allows us to speak, when he calls it " a participation of the divine nature." Nothing but a nature can partake of a nature; a man's friend may partake of his goods and kindness, but his child only partakes of his nature. The Sun enlightens the world outwardly, but it does not give a sun-like nature to the things so enlightened; and the rain moistens the earth, and refreshes it inwardly, but it does not beget the nature of water in the earth: " but this water that I give," says our SAVIOR, " becomes a well of water in the soul." Religion is not any thing without a man, hanging upon him, or annexed to him; neither is it every something that is in a man; but it is a divine principle informing and actuating the souls of good men, a living and lively principle, a free and flowing principle, a strong and lasting principle, an inward and spiritual principle. It is called a seed, " the seed of GOD," in I John 3: 9, where this seed of GOD is called an abiding or remaining principle. In the first creation, GOD made the trees of the earth, having seed in themselves; and in the new creation, these trees of righteousness, of GOD’s planting, are also made with seed in themselves, though not of themselves: it is said to be the seed of GOD indeed, but remaining in the Godly soul. Again, it is called a treasure, in opposition to an alms or annuity, which lasts only for a year; and a treasure of the heart, in opposition to all outward and earthly treasures. It is a treasure affording continual expenses, not exhausted but increased by expenses; wherein it exceeds all treasures in the world. By the same propriety of speech, sin is called a treasure too; but it is an evil treasure, as our SAVIOR speaks in that same place. Do you not see what a stock of wickedness sinful men have within themselves, which, although they have been spending it ever since they were born, is not impaired, nay, is much augmented thereby And shall not the Second ADAM bestow something as permanent upon his offspring, as the First ADAM conveyed to his posterity Though men have something without, to guide them in the way of life, yet it is some living principle within them, that constitutes them living men.

 

 The Law was an external rule or dispensation, which could not give life, though it showed the way to it; but the Gospel, in the most proper notion of it, seems to be an internal impression from GOD, a living principle, whereby the soul is enabled to express a real conformity to (Ion himself. If we consider the Gospel, merely in an historical and literary point of view, it is as weak and impotent as 1:f:e Law was; and men may be as formal in the profession cf this, as they were of that, which we may see by daily sad experience. But if we consider the Gospel as an efflux of life and power from GOD himself upon the soul, producing life wherever it comes, then we have a clear distinction between the Law and the Gospel; to which the Apostle seems to refer when he calls the Corinthians "the epistle of CHRIST, written not with ink, but with the SPIRIT of the living GOD; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart." (2 Col. 3: 3.) According to this notion of the Law and Gospel, I think we may, with a learned man of our own, come to a good under-standing of that tormented text, (Jer. xxxi. 33,) quoted by the Apostle, (Heb. 10: 16,) " This is the covenant that I will make, I will put my laws into their hearts." The Gospel does not so much consist in words as in virtue; a divine principle of religion in the soul, is the best gospel. Thus ABRAHAM and Moses, under the Law, were truly evangelical; and, on the other hand, all carnal Christians, who converse with the Gospel only as an outward thing, are as truly legal, and as far short of the righteousness of GOD, as ever any of the Jews were.

 

Thus we see that religion is a principle in the souls of good men: it " shall be in him a well of water."

 

 We shall here take notice of the difference between the true and all counterfeit religions. Religion is that pearl of great price which few men are possessed of, though all men pretend to it; saying, like the LAODICRANS, they are rich, and need nothing, when indeed they are poor, and have nothing. This, then, shall be the test, by which, at present, we will try the counterfeit pearls. True religion is an inward nature, an inward and abiding principle in the minds of good men, " a well of water."

 

 1. Then we must exclude all things that are merely external; these are not Religion itself; for that is not something annexed to the soul, but a new nature put into it. And here we shall glance at two things.

 

 (1.) A Godly man does not find the whole of his business lying without him. Religion does not consist in external reformations, though ever so many and specious. A false religion may serve to tie men's hands, and reduce their outward actions to a fair seemliness in the eyes of men; but the main dominion and power of true religion are over the soul, and its business lies mostly in reforming and purging the heart, with all its affections and motions. It is not a battering-ram coming from without, and serving to beat down the outworks of open and visible enormities; but enters with a secret and sweet power into the soul itself, reduces it from its rebellious temper, and persuades it willingly to surrender itself, and all that is in it. Sin may be driven away from the out-ward conversation, and yet retire and hide itself in the secret places of the soul, and there bear rule as perfectly by wicked loves and lusts, as ever it did by profane and notorious practices. A man's hands may be tied, by some external cords put upon them, from visible revenge; and yet murders may lodge in the temple of his heart, as murderers lodged in the temple of old. Men's tongues may be restrained from the sin of speaking fair words concerning themselves, and shame may chastise them out of proud boastings; when, in the mean time, they swell in self-conceit, and are not afraid to bear an unchaste and sinful love towards their own perfections, and adore an image of self, set up in their hearts. Neither does religion consist in external performances, though ever so many, and seemingly spiritual. Many professors of Christianity, I doubt, sink all their religion into a constant course of duties, being mere strangers to the life, and strength, and sweetness of true religion. Those things are needful, and useful, and helpful, yea, and honorable, because they have a relation to Goo; but they arc apt to become snares and idols to superstitious minds, who imaginethat GOD is in some way gratified by these; and thus they take up their rest in them. That religion, which only varnishes and beautifies the outside, which leads the tongue to prayer and conversation, which instructs and extends the hands to diligence and almsdecds, which awes the conduct into some external righteousness or devotion, is here excluded, as also by the Apostle. (I Cor. 13:) Much less can that pass for religion, that spends itself about forms, and opinions, and parties. The religion that runs upon modes, and turns upon interest, is a poor narrow thing, and may easily view itself at once, altogether from first to last. Men may be as far from the kingdom of heaven in their more spiritual forms, and orthodox opinions, as they were in those more carnal and erroneous, if they take up their rest in them: neither is it the pursuit of any interest, but the grand interest of their soul, that will constitute them religious.

 

 (2.) A Godly man, in his more inward and spiritual acts, has not his motive without him: for a man may be somewhat more inward in his motions, and yet as out-ward in his motives as the former. Religious acts are not originally caused by weights hung upon the soul, either by Go]) or men, neither by the worldly blessings which GOD gives, nor by the heavy afflictions which he sends. The wings by which the Godly soul flies out towards GOD, are not fastened to him by wax, as the poets feign ICARUS'S to have been; but they grow out of himself, as the wings of an eagle which flies towards heaven. On the other hand, a soul may be pressed down under the weight of GOD’s judgments, which has no mind to stoop, no self-denying or self-debasing disposition in it. Thus you may see JEHU flying upon the wings of ambition and revenge, borne up by successes in his government; and his predecessor AHAB bowing down mournfully under a heavy sentence. The laws, and penalties, and encouragements, and observations of men, sometimes put a weight upon the soul too; but they beget a mere sluggish, uneven, and unkindly motion in it. You may expect that under this head I should say something of heaven and hell; and so I may, for they belong to this place. If you take heaven properly, for a full and glorious union with GOD, and hell for an eternal separation from the Divinity; and suppose that the soul have well imbibed the love of an), and the fear of living without him, then indeed these are pure and religious principles; but if we view them as things merely external, they are no higher motives than the carnal JEWS had. A soul is not carried to heaven, as a body is carried to the grave, upon men's shoulders; it is not carried to GOD in a chariot, as a man is carried to see his friend. The holy fire of ardent love, wherein the soul of ELIJAH had been long carried up towards GOD, was more excellent than the fiery chariot by which his body and soul were transformed together. Religion is a spring of motion which GOD has put into the soul itself. And as all things that are external, whether actions or motives, are excluded in this examination; so neither,

 

 2. Must we allow of every thing that is internal, to be religion. And therefore,

 

 (1.) It is not a fit, a start, a sudden passion of the mind, caused by the power and strength of some present conviction in the soul, which, in a hot mood, will rush out after GOD in all haste. This may fitly be compared to the rash motion of the host of ISRAEL, who, being chidden for their slothfulness over night, rose up early in the morning, and gat them up into the top of the mountain, saying, " Lo, we be here, and will go up into the place which the LORD has promised, for we have sinned." And indeed it fares with these men often, as it did with those, both as to the undertaking, and as to the success; their motion is as sinful as their station; and their success is answer-able, they are driven back and discomfited. Nay, though this passion might arise so high as ecstasy or rapture, yet it deserves not the name of religion: " for religion is," to some one elegantly says,’' like the natural heat that is radicated in the hearts of living creatures, which has the dominion of the whole body, and sends forth warm blood, and spirits, and vital nourishment, into every part and member; it regulates and orders the motions of it in a due and even manner." But these ecstatical souls, though they may blaze like a cornet, and swell like a land-flood, and shoot forth fresh and high for a season, are soon extinguished, emptied, and dried up, because they have no principle, no stock to spend, no root in themselves. These men's motions and actions are no more like religion, than a morning-dew, which soon passes away, is like a well or fountain of water.

 

 (2.) If religion be a principle, a new nature in the soul, then it is not a mere mechanism, a piece of art. Art imitates nature; and there is nothing more common, I fear, than for religion itself to go into an art. All the external acts and shootings forth of religion, may be imitated by art, and acted over by a inimical Pharisee, who finds nothing at all of its gentle and mighty heat, its divine and noble life, in his own soul. Nay, it is possible, and I wish it may not be common, for men that are somewhat convinced, enlightened, and affected, to imitate the very power and spirit of religion, and to deceive themselves too, as if they possessed some true living principle; and herein they exceed the most exquisite painters. Men, hearing such glorious things spoken of heaven, may wish themselves there, being mightily taken with a conceit of the place. But how shall they come at it Why, they have seen in books, and heard in discourses, of certain signs of grace, and evidences of salvation; and now they set their fancies at work, to find or make some such things in themselves: and these look like a handsome platform of religion, which they presently view, and fall in love with, and think they even taste of the powers of the world to come, when indeed it is nothing but self-sufficiency on which they feed.

 

 Now, you may know this artificial religion by this; these men can vary it, alter it, enlarge it, straiten it, and new-mould it at pleasure, according to what they see in others, or according to what themselves like best; one while acting over the joy and confidence of some Christians, anon the humiliation and brokenness of others. But this fanciful religion is of a flitting and vanishing xrature: whereas true Christians are gently, yet powerfully, moved by the natural force of true goodness, and the beauty of GOD, and move on steadily in their way to him. The spirit of regeneration in believers, spreads itself upon the understanding, and sweetly derives itself through the will and affections, which makes true religion to be a consistent and thriving principle in the soul, as not being acted upon the stage of imagination, but upon the highest powers of the soul.

 

 By this same nature of true religion you may examine all those counterfeit religions, which spring from a natural belief of a Deity, from mere convictions, from low and earthly apprehensions of heaven, from learning, and the precepts of men, which are seated in the fancy, and swim in the brain; whose effect is but to gild the outward man, or, at best, but to move the soul by an external force, in an inconstant and transient manner. In a word, all these pretenders to religion may seem to have Water, but they have no Well; as there are others, deep men, principled indeed with learning, policy, and ingenuity, but not with true goodness, whom the Apostle calls " wells," but " without water." (2 Pet, 2: 17.) But the truly Godly, and GOD-like soul has in itself a principle of pure religion: " The water that I shall give him, shall be a well of water, springing up into eternal life."

 

CHAP. 3

 

 Containing the first Property mentioned of true religion,—the freenesss and unconstrainedness of it: this discovered in several outward acts of the soul. This freedom considered as to its Author; in which is discussed how far the command of GOD may be said to actuate a Godly soul. Secondly, As to its Objects. Two concessions: 1. That some things without the soul may be said to be motives: 2. That there is a constraint lying upon the Godly soul; which yet takes not away its freedom. An inquiry into forced devotion; and first into the causes; secondly, into the properties of it.

 

 I PROCEED now, from the Nature of religion, to speak of those Properties of it, which are couched under this phrase, " springing up into everlasting life."

 

The first property of it, couched under this phrase, is, that it is free and unconstrained. Religion is a principle, and it flows and acts freely in the soul, after the manner of a fountain; it makes the people a willing people, and the soul, in whom it is seated, to become a free-will offering unto GOD. ALEXANDER the Great subdued the world with force of arms, and made men rather his servants, than his lovers and friends: but the great GOD obtains an amicable conquest over the hearts of men, and overpowers them in such a manner, that they love to be his servants, and willingly and readily obey him, without dissimulation or constraint, without mercenariness or morosity; in which they are unlike the subjects of the kingdoms of this world, who are kept in their duties by fear and force, not from kindness and benevolence.

 

 Now, this willingness or freeness of Godly souls may be explained and confirmed by the consideration both of their outward and inward acts. 1. As to outward acts of service which the true Christian performs, he is freely carried out towards them, without any constraint. If he keel) himself from the evils of the place, and age, and company, wherein he lives, it is not by a restraint which is upon him merely from without him, but by a principle of holy temperance planted in his soul: it is the seed of GOD abiding in him which preserves him from the commission of sin. He is not kept back from sin as a horse by a bridle, but by an inward change made in his nature.

 

 On the other hand, if he employ himself in any external acts of moral or instituted duty, he does it freely, not as of necessity, or by constraint.—[f you speak of acts of charity, the Godly man gives from a principle of love to GOD, and kindness to his brother; cheerfully, not grudgingly, or of necessity. Charity may be wrung out of a miser, but it proceeds from the liberal soul as a stream from its fountain.—If you speak of righteousness or temperance, he is not over-ruled by power, or compelled by laws, but actuated by the power of that law which is en-graven upon his mind.—If you speak of acts of worship, whether moral or instituted, in all these he is also free, as to any constraint. Prayer is not his task, or a piece of penance, but it is the natural cry of the new-born soul; neither does he take it up as a piece of policy, to bribe GOD's justice, or engage men's charity, to purchase favor with GOD, or man, or his own clamorous conscience; but he prays because he wants, and loves, and believes: he wants the fuller presence of that GOD whom he loves; he loves the presence which he wants; he believes that he that loves him will not suffer him to want any good thing that he prays for. And therefore he does not limit himself penuriously to a morning and evening sacrifice and solemnity, as unto certain rent-seasons, wherein to pay an homage of dry devotion; but his loving and longing soul, disdaining to be confined within canonical hours, is frequently soaring in heavenly raptures, and sallying forth in holy ejaculations. He is not content with some weak essays towards heaven, in set and formal prayer, once or t vice a day, but labors to be all the daylong receiving, by the mouth of faith, those divine influences, and streams of grace, which he begged in the morning by the tongue of prayer; which has made inc sometimes think it a proper speech to say, " the faith of prayer," as well as " the prayer of faith; " for believing, or hanging upon olivine grace, does really drink in what prayer asks for, and is, in effect, a powerful. kind of praying in silence: by believing we pray, as well as in praying we believe.—A truly Godly man has not his hands tied up merely by the force of a national law; no, nor yet by the authority of the Fourth Commandment, to keep one in seven a day of rest. As he is not content with mere resting upon the sabbath, knowing that neither working, nor ceasing from work, does of itself commend a soul to GOD, but presses after intimacy with GOD in the duties of his worship; so neither can he be content with one Sabbath in a week, nor think himself absolved from holy and heavenly meditations on any day in the week, but labors to make every day a sabbath, as to the keeping of his heart in a holy frame, and to find every day to be a sabbath, as to the communications of GOD to his soul. Though the necessities of his body will not allow him, it may be, (though indeed GOD has granted this to some men,) to keep every day as a Sabbath of rest; yet the necessities of his soul call upon him to make every day, as far as may be, a Sabbath of communion with the blessed GOD,—If you speak of fasting, he keeps not fasts merely by virtue of a civil, no, nor a divine institution; but from a principle of Godly sorrow afflicts his soul for sin, and endeavors more and more to be emptied of himself.—If you speak of thanksgiving, he does not give thanks by laws and ordinances; but having in himself a law of thankfulness, and an ordinance of love, engraven upon, and deeply radicated in his soul, delights to live to GOD, and to make his heart and life a living descant upon the goodness and love of Gov; which is the most divine way of thank-offering; it is the hallelujah which the Angels sing continually.

 

 In a word, wherever GOD has a tongue to command, true GODliness will find a hand to perform; whatever yoke CHRIST JESUS shall put upon the soul, religion will enable it to bear, yea, and to count it easy too; the mouth of CHRIST has pronounced it easy, and the SPIRIT of CHRIST makes it easy. Let the commandment be what it will, it will not be grievous. The same SPIRIT does, in some measure, dwell in every Christian, which, without measure, dwelt in CHRIST, who counted it his meat and drink to do the will of his FATHER.

 

 2. More especially, the true Christian is free from any constraint as to the inward acts which he performs. Holy love to GOD is one principal act of the gracious soul, whereby it is carried out freely, and with an ardent love, towards the object that is infinitely lovely, and towards the enjoyment of it. I know that this springs from indigency, and is commanded by the sovereignty of the supreme good, the object which the soul contemplates; but it is properly free from any constraint. Love is an affection that cannot be extorted, as fear is; nor forced by any external or internal power. The revenues of Persia, or the treasures of Egypt, cannot exact it. Though the out-ward and bodily acts of religion are often compelled, yet this pure and chaste affection cannot be forced; it seems to be a kind of Peculiar in the soul, though under the jurisdiction of the understanding. By this property of it, it is elegantly described by the SPIRIT of GOD: (Cant. 8: 7:) " If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned." It cannot be bought with money, nor purchased with gifts or arts: and if any should offer to bribe it, it would give him a sharp check, in the language of PETER to SIMON, " Thy money perish with thee." Love is no hireling, no base-born or mercenary affection, but noble, free, and generous. Neither is it Iow-spirited and slavish, as fear is: therefore, when it comes to full age, it will not suffer this son of the bond-woman to divide with it the inheritance, the dominions of the soul; when it conies to be" perfect," it " casteth out fear," says the Apostle. (1 Jolot 4: 15,.) Neither indeed is it produced directly under the mere authority of any law, whether human or divine: it is not begotten by the influence even of a divine law, merely as a law, but as holy, just, and good. " The spirit of love and of power," in opposition to " the spirit of fear," does more influence the Godly man in his pursuit of GOD than any law without him: this is as a wing to the soul; whereas outward commandments arc but as guides in his way; or, at most, but as spurs in his sides.

 

The same I may say of holy delight in Go"), which is indeed the flower of love, or love grown up to its full age and stature, which has no torment in it, and consequently no force upon it. Like unto this arc holy confidence, faith, and hope,—ingenuous and natural acts of the religious soul, whereby it hastens into the divine embraces, " as the eagle hasteneth to the prey," and not by force and constraint, " as a fool to the correction of the stocks." These are all the genuine offspring of holy religion in the soul, and they are utterly incapable of force: violence is contrary to the nature of them; for to use the Apostle's language, with the change of one word, " Hope that is forced, is not hope."

 

 Now a little farther to explain this excellent property of true religion, we may consider the Author, and the Object of it. The Author of this free principle is Con himself, who has made it a partaker of his own nature, who is a free agent; Himself is the fountain of his own acts. The uncreated Life and Liberty has given this privilege to the religious soul, in some sense, to have life and liberty in itself, and a dominion over its own acts. I do not know that any created being has more divinity in it than the soul of man; nor that any thing in the soul more resembles the divine essence, than the freedom which the soul has in itself. This is something of GOD in the soul, and therefore may justly claim the "free SPIRIT " for its Author; (Psel. li. 12; 2 Cor. 3: 17;) or the SON of GOD for its origin, according to those words, (John 8: 36,) " If the SON shall make you free, then shall ye be free indeed."

 

 But here it may be demanded, whether the command of GOD does not actuate the Godly soul, and set it upon its holy motions I confess indeed that the command of GOD is much considered by a Godly man, and is of great weight with him, and does in some sense lay a constraint upon him; but yet I think not so much the authority of the law, as the reasonableness and goodness of it, does prevail principally with himie The religious soul does not so much view the law under the notion of a command, as under the notion of holy, just, and good, as the Apostle speaks, and so embraces it, chooses it, and longs to be perfectly comformable to it.

 

 I do not think it so proper to say, that a good man loves GOD, and all righteousness and holiness, and religious duties, by virtue of a command to do so, as by virtue of a new nature that GOD has put into him, and which instructs and prompts him so to do. A religious man being reconciled to the nature of GOD, embraces all his laws by virtue of the equitableness and perfection that he sees in them; not because they are commanded, but because they are in themselves to be desired, as DAVID speaks, in Psal. xis. 1O. In that psalm the holy man gives us a full account why he did so love and esteem the laws and commandments of GOD, viz. because they are perfect, right, pure, clean, true, sweet, and lovely, as you will find.

 

 Many of the observations in this Chapter require to be considered with caution. There may by possibility be some commands of GOD, the "reasonableness and goodness" of which do not very clearly appear to our limited understanding. In such cases, is our obedience less excellent than in cases of an opposite description And indeed, in any ease, what principle can be more characteristic of the new nature, for which the author so forcibly contends, than that of implicit and cheerful submission to the will of GOD, because it is his will In this there is nothing inconsistent with the highest moral excellence. EDITOR.

 

 To love the LORD our GOD With all our heart, and strength, and mind, is not only a duty, by virtue of that first and great commandment which requires it; but indeed the highest privilege, honor, and happiness of the soul. To this purpose may that profession of the Psalmist be applied, (Psal. cxix. 173,) " I have chosen the way of thy precepts; " and, (verse 3O,) " I have chosen the way of truth." Choosing is an act of judgment and understanding, and respects the quality of the thing, more than the authority of the command. DAVID did not stumble into the way of truth accidentally, by virtue of his education, or acquaintance, or the like circumstance; nor was he driven into it by the mere severity of an external law; but he chose the way of truth, as that which was indeed most eligible, pleasant, and desirable.

 

 As for the Object of this free and generous spirit of religion, it is no other than GOD himself, ultimately, and other things, only as they are subservient to the enjoyment of Him. GOD, as the supreme good, able to fill, and, perfectly to satisfy, all the wants of the soul, and thus to make it wholly and eternally happy, is the proper object of the soul's most free and cheerful motions. The soul views GOD as the perfect and absolute good, and GOD in CHRIST as an attainable good; and finds enough in this object to encourage it to pursue after him, and throw itself upon him. Religion fixes upon GOD, as upon its own centre, as upon its proper and adequate object; it views GOD as the infinite and absolute good, and thus is drawn to. him without any external force. The Godly soul is overpowered indeed, but it is only with the in-finite goodness of GOD, which exercises its sovereignty over all the faculties of the soul; which overpowering is so far from straitening or confining it, that it makes it truly free and generous in its motions. Religion wings the soul, and makes it take flight freely and swiftly towards GOD and eternal life: it is of GOD; and, by a sympathy which it has with Him, it carries the soul out after Him, and into conjunction with Him. In a word, the Godly soul being loosed from self-love, driven out of all self-satisfaction, and delivered from all self-confining lusts, wills, interests, and ends, and being overcome with a sense of a higher and more excellent good, goes after that freely, centres upon it firmly, grasps after it continually, and had rather be that than what itself is, as seeing that the nature of that supreme good is infinitely more excellent and desirable than its own.

 

 Thus have I briefly explained the freeness of this principle: I would now make some improvement of it, but that it seems needful I should here interweave a cautionary concession or two.

 

 1. It must be granted, that some things without the soul may be motives and encouragements to the soul to quicken and strengthen it in its religious acts. Though grace be an internal principle, and most free from any constraint, yet it may be stirred up by such means as GOD has appointed, as prayer, meditation, and reading. This being premised, if you ask what I think of afflictions; I confess GOD does ordinarily use them as means to make good men better, and it may be, sometimes, to make bad men good: these may be as weights to hasten the soul's motions towards GOD, but they do not principally beget such motions. If you ask me of temporal prosperity, commonly called mercies and blessings, or of promises and rewards offered; I confess they may be as oil to the wheels, and ought to quicken and encourage to the study of true and powerful Godliness: but they are not the spring of the soul's motions: they ought to be unto us as dew upon the grass, to refresh the soul; but it is the root which properly gives life and growth.

 

 2. It may be granted, that there is a kind of constraint lying upon the soul, in its most excellent motions; ac-cording to that declaration of the Apostle, (2 Cor. 5: 14,) "The love of CHRIST constraineth us:" and again, (1 Car. 9: 16,) " Necessity is laid upon me to preach the Gospel." But yet it holds good, that grace is a most free principle, and that "where the SPIRIT of the LORD is, there is liberty." For the constraint of which the Apostle speaks is not opposed to freedom, but to not acting; and, although the soul, so principled, cannot but act, yet it acts freely. Those things that are according to nature, though they be done necessarily, yet are they done with the greatest freedom imaginable. The water flows, and the fire burns, necessarily, yet freely. Religion is a new nature in the soul; and the religious soul, being touched with the sense, and impressed with the influences of divine goodness, fullness, and perfection, is carried indeed (in one sense) necessarily towards God, as its proper centre, and yet its motions are pure, free, generous. The necessity that lay upon PAUL to preach the Gospel is not to be understood of any external violence, much less of bodily necessity, by reason of which many men serve their own interests in that great function, more than the LORD JESUS; for though he preached the Gospel necessarily, yet did he preach freely and willingly, as he often professed. The Godly soul cannot but love GOD as his chief good; yet he delights in this necessity, and is exceeding glad that he finds his heart framed and enlarged to love him: I say enlarged, because GOD is such an object as does not contract and straiten the soul, as all created objects do, but ennobles and enlarges it. The sinful soul, the more it lets out, and lays out, and spends itself upon the creature, the more it is straitened and contracted; and the native freedom of it is enslaved, debased, and destroyed: but grace establishes and ennobles the freedom of the soul, and restores it to its primitive perfection; so that a Godly soul is never more at large, more at rest, more at liberty, than when it finds itself delivered from all self-confining creature-loves, and under the powerful constraint of infinite love and goodness.

 

 By this we may learn what to think of the forced devotion of many pressed soldiers of CHRIST in his church militant. Though indeed the freedom of the will cannot be destroyed, yet many men's devotion may be said to be wrung out of them, and their obedience constrained. 1 shall explain this briefly in two or three particulars.

 

 Men often force themselves to some things in religion that are contrary to their nature and genius: such, for instance, as conformity to the letter of the law, and some external duties, which they force themselves to perform, as to hear, pray, give alms, or the like; in all which, the violent obedience of a pharisee may be more specious than the true and genuine obedience of a free-born disciple of JESUS CHRIST.

 

 There seem to be three things that especially force a kind of devotion, and show of religion, viz. consciousness of guilt, self-love, and false apprehensions of GOD. There is in all men a consciousness of guilt, arising from that imperfect and glimmering light which they have of GOD, and of their duty towards him; which, though it be in some men more quick and stinging, in others more remiss and languid, yet, I think, is not utterly extinguished, even in the worst men, but sometimes begets sadness in the midst of their merriments, and disturbs their most secure rest. This foundation of hell is laid in the bowels of sin itself, as a preface to eternal horror. Now, although' some more profligate wretches furiously break through these briars, yet others are so caught in them, that they cannot escape these pains and fears, except they make a composition, and cuter into terms, to live more honestly, or, at least, less scandalously. In this undertaking they are carried on, in the next place, by a natural desire of self-preservation: for the worst of mere has so much reason left, that he could wish that himself were happy. Conscience having discovered the certain reward of sin, self-love will easily prompt men to do something or other to escape it. But what shall they do Why, religion is the only expedient that can be found out. But how come they to run into so great a mistake about religion Why, their false and gross apprehensions of GOD drive them from him, in the way of superstition and hypocrisy, instead of leading them in the way of sincere love and self-resignation to him. Thus we see how a man, void of the life and spirit of religion, forces himself to do GOD a kind of worship, and pay him a kind of homage.

 

 Sometimes men may be said, in a certain sense, to be forced by other men to put on a dress of religion. And this constraint men may lay upon men by their tongues, bands, and eyes:—by their tongues, in the business of education, by an ardent inculcation of things divine and heavenly; and thus an unjust man, like the unjust judge in the gospel, though he fear not GOD, yet may be over-come by the importunity of his father, friend, minister, tutor, to do some righteous acts:—by their hands; that is, either by enacting or executing penal laws upon them, or by the example which they set before them:—by their eyes; that is, by continually observing their behavior; for when many eyes are upon men, they must do something to satisfy expectation, and purchase reputation. It may be said, that GOD sometimes lays an external force upon men; as particularly by his severe judgments, or threatenings of judgments, awakening them, humbling them, and constraining them to some kind of religion: for GOD himself, acting upon men only from without them, is far from producing a living principle of free religion in the soul.

 

Now, the better to discern this forced and violent religion, I will briefly describe it by its properties.

 

 1. This forced religion is, for the most part, dry and spiritless. I know, indeed, that fancy may be screwed up to a high pitch, so as to raise the mind into a kind of rapture. A mere artificial and counterfeit Christian may be so strongly actuated by imagination, that he may seem to himself to be fuller of GOD than the sober and constant soul. But, in general, this forced devotion is empty and dry, void of zeal and warmth, and drives on heavily in pursuit of the GOD of Israel, as PHARAOH did in pursuit of the Israel of GOD, when his chariot-wheels were taken off. GOD's drawing the soul from within, as a principle, does indeed cause that soul to run after him; (Cant. 1: 4;) but the motion of those things that are drawn by external force is commonly heavy, slow, and languid.

 

 2. This forced religion is penurious and needy. Some-thing the slavish-spirited Christian must do, to appease an angry GOD, or to allay a storming conscience; but it shall be as little as may be. He is ready to grudge GOD so much of his time and strength, and to find fault that sabbaths come so frequently, and last so long, and that duties are to be performed so often. So he is described by the Prophet: (Amos 8: 51:) " When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat " But yet I will not deny, but that this kind of religion may be liberal and expensive too, in the branches of external duties, as is the manner of many trees that bear no fruit. Therefore these are not the things by which you must take measure, and make estimate of your religion. But in the great things of the Law, in the grand duties of mortification, self-denial, and resignation; here this forced religion is always very stingy and penurious. In the duties that nearly touch their beloved lusts, they will be as strict with GOD as may be, and will break with him for a small matter: Gop must have no more than his due, as they blasphemously phrase it in their hearts; saying, with the slothful servant in the Gospel, "Lo, there you have that is thine." They will not

 

part with all for CHRIST; they will not give up themselves entirely unto GOD. " The LORD pardon me in this one thing," cries NAAMAN; so they, in this or that, beg of GOD to have them excused.

 

 The slavish-spirited Christian is never more shrunk up within himself, than when he is to converse with GOD: but the Godly soul is never more free, enlarged, and glad, than when it does most intimately and familiarly converse with GOD. The man who is free as to liberty, is free also as to liberality and expenses; and that not only in external, but internal and spiritual obedience, and compliance with the will of GOD: he gives himself wholly up to GOD, knows no interest of his own, keeps no reserve for himself, or. for the creature.

 

 3. This forced religion is uneven, as depending upon inconstant causes. As land-floods, that have no spring within themselves, vary their motions, are swift and slow, high and low, according as they are supplied with rain; even so these men's motions in religion, depending upon fancy for the most part, than which nothing is more fickle and flitting, have no constancy nor consistency in them.

 

CHAP. 4

 

 The active and vigorous nature of true religion proved by many scriptural phrases: and more particularly explained in three things; 1: In the soul's continual care and study to be good; 2. In its care to do good; 3. In its powerful and incessant longings after the fullest enjoyment of GOD.

 

I coME now to the second property of true religion, which is to be found in this phrase, "springing up;" wherein the Activity and vigor of it is described. Religion, though it be compared to water, yet is no standing pool, but "a well of water springing up." It is no lazy and languid thing, but full of life and power: so I find it every where described in Scripture, by things that are most active, lively, vigorous, spreading, powerful; and sometimes even by motion itself. As sin is, in Scripture, described by death and darkness, which arc a cessation and privation of life, and light, and motion; so religion is described by life, which is active and vigorous; by an angelical life, which is spiritual and powerful; yea, by a divine life, (Eph. 4: 18,) which is, as I may say, most lively and vivacious. "CHRIST Iiveth in me," and the production of this new nature in the soul is called a “quickening," (Eph. 2: 1,) and the reception of it a passing from death unto life." (John 5: 24.) Again, as sin and wickedness are described by flesh, which is sluggish and inactive, so this holy principle in the soul is called spirit, yea, " the Spirit of Power," (2 Tim. 1: 7,) and " the Spirit of Life;" (Rona. 8: 2;) " The law of the Spirit of Life in CHRIST JESUS has made me free from the law of sin and death." How can the power and activity of any principle be more commended, than by saying it is life, and "the Spirit of Life," and "the law of the Spirit of Life" in the soul This has made me sometimes apply those words of the Prophet, as a description of every Godly soul, (Mic. 3: S,) " I am full of power and might by the SPIRIT of the Lord."

 

Yea, further, the Apostle seems to describe this principle in the soul by activity or motion itself, (Phil. 3: 12—L4,) where he gives this excellent character of him-self, and this lively description of his disposition, as if it were nothing else but activity and fervour; " I follow after, if that I may apprehend; I forget those things that are behind, and reach forth unto those things that are before; I press towards the mark," &c.

 

 It were too much to comment upon those phrases of like importance, laboring, seeking, striving, fighting, running, wrestling, panting, longing, hungering, thirsting, watching, and many others, which the HOLY GHOST makes use of, in various parts of the Scriptures, to ex-press the active, industrious, vigorous, and powerful nature of this divine principle. The streams of divine grace, which flow from the throne of GOD into the souls of men, do not cleanse them, and so pass away like some violent land-flood, that washes the fields and meadows, and then leaves them to contract as much filth as ever; but the same become " a well of water," continually springing up, boiling and bubbling, and working in the soul, and sending out " rivers of living water."

 

 But, more particularly to unfold the active nature of this divine principle, we shall consider it in these three particulars, viz. as it is still conforming to GOD, acting for him, and longing after him. 1. The active nature of true religion planted by GOD in the soul, appears and shows itself in a continued care and study to be good;—to conform more and more to the nature of the blessed GOD, the glorious pattern of all perfection. The nature of GOD being absolutely perfect, is the only rule of perfection to the creature. If we speak of Goodness, our Savior tells us, that GOD alone is good; of’Wisdom, the apostle tells is, that GOD is only wise; of Power, He is omnipotent; of Mercy and Kindness, He is Love itself. Men are only good by way of participation from GOD, and in a way of assimilation to him; so that, though good men may be imitated and followed, yet it must be with this limitation, as far as they are "followers of GOD:" the great Apostle durst not press his example any further, (1 Cor. 11: 1,) " Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of CHRIST." But the nature of GOD, being absolutely perfect, is to be eyed and imitated singly, entirely, universally, in all things wherein the creature is capable of following him, and becoming like unto him. So Christians are required to look up unto the Father of Lights, the fountain of all perfections, and to take from him the pattern of their dispositions and conversations, to eye him continually, and to derive an image of him, not into their eye, as we do by sensible objects, but into their souls, to polish and frame them into the most clear and lively resemblances of him; that is, in the language of the Scripture, to be " perfect, as their heavenly Father is perfect," to be " holy as GOD is holy." And thus the genuine children of GOD are described by the HoLY GHOST; (Eph. 5: 1;) they are "followers of GOD." This is the shortest, but the surest and clearest mark that can be given of a good man, "a follower of GOD." They are not owned for the children of GOD, who are merely created by him, nor they who have only a notional knowledge of him, or exhibit some external worship to him, but they that imitate him. The true children of ABRAHAM were not those that were descended from him, but they that did the works of ABRAHAM. Even so are they only the off-spring of heaven, the true children of the living Con, who are followers of him; " Be ye followers of Gm, as, dear children." A Godly soul, having its eyes opened to behold the infinite beauty, purity, and perfection, of that good Gm:), whose nature is the very fountain, and must needs then be the rule of all goodness, presently comes to undervalue all created excellencies, both in itself, and all the world besides, as to any satisfaction that is to be had in them, or any perfection that can be acquired by them, and cannot endure to take up with any lower good, or to live by any lower rule, than Go]) himself. A Godly man, having the unclean and rebellious spirit cast out, and being once reconciled to the nature of GOD, is daily laboring to be more intimately united thereunto, and to be all that which GOD is, as far as he is capable.

 

 Religion is a participation of life from him, who is life itself, and so must needs be an active principle spreading itself in the soul, and causing the soul to spread itself in GOD; and therefore the kingdom of heaven, which, in many places of the Gospel, I take to be nothing else but this divine principle in the soul, which is both the truest heaven and most properly a kingdom, (for thereby GOD does most powerfully reign and exercise his sovereignty, and most excellently display his glory in the world,) is compared to " seed sown in good ground," which springs up into a blade, and brings forth fruit; to mustard-seed, which spreads itself, and grows great, so that the birds of the air may lodge in the branches thereof; to leaven, spreading itself through the whole quantity of meal, and leavening the whole and all the parts of it.

 

 By a like similitude, the path of the just is compared to a shining light, whose luster increases continually, "shining more and more unto the perfect day;" which. continual growing up of the holy soul into GOD, is excellently described by the Apostle, in an elegant metaphor, (2 Cor. 3: 18,) " We all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the LORD, are changed into the same image from glory to glory;" that is, from one resemblance of divine glory to another. The gracious soul, not being content with its present attainments, and having in its eye a perfect and absolute good, forgets that which is behind, and labors, prays, strives, and studies, to get the perfections of GOD more clearly copied out upon itself, and itself, as much as may be, swallowed up in the divinity: it covets earnestly these best things, to be perfected in grace and holiness, to have divine characters more fair and legible, divine impressions more deep and lively, divine life more strong and powerful, and the communicable image of the blessed GOD spread quite over it, and through it. A Godly man is not content to receive of CHRIST'S fullness, but labors to be filled with all the fullness of Go]); he rejoices that he has received of CHRIST grace for grace, as a child has limb for limb with his father; but this his joy is not fulfilled, except he find himself adding daily some cubits to his infant stature; nor indeed is he then satisfied, until he come to the measure of the stature of his LORD, and be grown up into him in all things, who is the Head. He delights and glories in GOD, beholding his graces growing in his soul; but that does not satisfy him, except he may see them flowing out also. He is neither barren nor unfruitful, as the Apostle PETER speaks; but this is not enough; he desires to be fat and fruitful also, as a watered garden, even as the garden of GOD. The spirit lusts against the flesh, and struggles with it in the soul, as JACOB did with Esau, until he had cast him out: the seed of GOD wars continually against the seed of the Serpent, raging and restless like JEHU, shooting, and stabbing, and strangling all he meets with, till none at all remain of the family of that AHAB, who had formerly been his master. Oh! how does the devout soul long to have CHRIST'S victory carried on in itself, to have CHRIST going on in him, conquering and to conquer, till at length the very last enemy be subdued, that the Prince of Peace may ride triumphantly through all the regions of his heart and life, and not so much as a dog move his tongue against him! This holy principle which is of GOD in the soul, is actually industrious too; it does not fold the arms together, and hide its hand in its bosom, faintly wishing to obtain a final conquest over its enemies, but advances itself with a noble boldness against lusts and passions, even as the sun glories against the darkness of the night, until it have chased it all away.

 

 The Godly soul puts itself under the banner of CHRIST, fights under the conduct of the Angel of GOD's presence, and so marches up undauntedly against the children of ANAK, those earthly loves, and sensual affections, which are indeed taller and stronger than all other enemies that encounter it in this wilderness-state: and the gracious GOD is not wanting to such endeavors; he, " remembering his promise, helpeth his servants," even that promise, (Isa. xl. 31,) that " they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength." A true Israelite, impregnated with this noble principle, is not like those slothful Israelites, who were content with what they had got of the holy land, and either could not, or cared not to enlarge their border; but he makes war upon the remainder of the Canaanites, and is never at rest till he have, with SARAH, cast. out the bond-woman and her son too. You may see an emblem of such a soul in Moses holding up his hands all the day long, till AMALEK was quite discomfited. As often as the floods of temptation, springing from the Devil, the world, or the flesh, offer to come in upon him, he opposes them in the strength of CHRIST: "the SPIRIT of the LORD lifteth up a standard against them;" so that he is not carried down by them, or, at least, not overwhelmed with them. The Godly soul continually studies conformity to GOD, because He is the perfect and absolute good; and the soul reckons that its happiness consists only in being like unto Him, in partaking of a divine nature. Here I might also take occasion to speak of three things, which I will but briefly name.

 

 (1.) A Godly man reckons with himself, that conformityto the image and nature of GOD is the most proper way of conversing with GOD in this world. The great, and indeed only employment of an immortal soul,_ is to con--verse with its CREATOR; for this end it was made. Now, to partake of a divine nature, to be endowed with a GOD-like disposition, is most properly to converse with GOD; this is a real, powerful, practical, and feeling converse with him, infinitely to be preferred before all notions, professions, performances, or speculations.

 

 (2.) A Godly man reckons that the image of GOD is the glory and ornament of the soul; it is the lustre, and brightness, and beauty of the soul, as the soul is of the body. Holiness is not only the duty, but the highest honor and dignity of which any created nature is capable; and therefore the soul, which has its senses exercised to discern good and evil, pursues after it, as after its full and proper perfection.

 

 (3.) A Godly man reckons, that conformity to the divine image, or participation of the divine nature, is the surest evidence of divine love, which is a matter of so great inquiry in the world. By growing up daily in CHRIST JESUS, we are infallibly assured of our implantation into him. The SPIRIT of GOD descending upon the soul in the impressions of meekness, kindness, uprightness, a dove-like disposition, is a better and more desirable evidence of our sonship, and GOD's favor towards us, than if we had the SPIRIT descending upon our heads in a dove-like shape, as it did upon our blessed SAVIOR. For these reasons, the Christian, above all things, labors to become GOD-like, to be formed more and more into a resemblance of the supreme good, and to imbibe divine perfections into the very inmost of his soul.

 

 2. The active nature of true religion manifests itself in a good man's continual care and study to do good, to serve the interest of the holy and blessed GOD in the world. A good man being constrained by a view of the infinite goodness of GOD, and the great end of his life, cannot think it worth while to spend himself for any inferior good, or bestow his time and strength for any lower end; and therefore, as it is the main happiness of his life to enjoy GOD, so he makes it the main business of his life to serve Him, to be acting for Him, to lay out himself for Him, and to display and propagate His glory in the world. And, as he is transported with the apprehensions of the supreme goodness, which infinitely deserves all that he can do for Him, so does he really partake of the active and communicative nature of that blessed Being, and himself becomes active and communicative too. A Godly soul sluggish and inactive, is as if one should say, a Godly soul altogether unlike to God;—a pure contradiction. A good man, whether he pray, or preach, or read, or celebrate sabbaths, or administer private reproof or instruction,—or indeed plough or sow, eat or drink,—all this while lives not to himself, but serves a higher interest than that of the flesh, and a higher good than any created being. A truly Christian activity not only appears in those things which we call religious performances; but in the whole frame of the heart contriving, and the conversation expressing and unfolding, the glory of GOD. A holy, serious, heavenly, humble, sober, righteous, and self-denying course of life, does most excellently express the divine glory, by imitating the nature of GOD, and most effectually calls all men to the imitation of it: so our SAVIOR has plainly stated the case, (John 15: S,) " Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit:" by which fruits are not to be under-stood only preaching, praying, and religious conference, which are indeed high and excellent duties; but also righteousness, temperance, and self-denial, which are pure reflections of the divine image, and a real glorifying of GOD’s name and perfections. A Christian cannot be content to be happy alone, and to be still drawing down heaven into his own soul; but he endeavors also, both by prayer, counsel, and holy example, to draw up the souls of other men heavenward. This GOD witnesses of ABRAHAM, ( Gen. 18: 19;) " I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD:" and this MOSES excellently witnesses of himself in that holy rapture of his, (Num. 11: 29,) " Would GOD that all the LORD'S people were Prophets, and that the LORD would put his SPIIIIT upon them!" By such examples as these a good man desires to live; yea, by higher precedents than those of either ABRAHAM or MOSES, even by the example of the FATHER and of the SoN. He admires and strives to imitate that character which is given of GOD himself, (Psal. cxix. 68,) " You art good, and doest good;" and that which is given of CHRIST JESUS, the LORD of life, (Acts 10: 38,) who " went about doing good," and who also witnessed else-where concerning himself, that he came not into the world to do his own will, but the will of Him that sent him. O how happy would the Godly soul count itself, if it could but live and converse in the world at the same rate, and with the same devout, fervent, exalted spirit, as CHRIST JESUS did, whose meat and drink it was, still to be doing the will, and advancing the glory, of his FATHER! But, alas! the poor soul finds it cannot rise so nimbly, run so swiftly, nor serve the infinite and glorious GOD so cheerfully and liberally, as it would, and therefore sighs within itself, and wishes that it might escape; but finding a time appointed, which it must be content to live out, it looks up, and is ready to envy the Angels of GOD, who are always upon GOD’s errands, and almost regrets that itself is not a ministering spirit, serving the pure and perfect will of the Supreme Good without ceasing.

 

 The Godly soul, under these powerful apprehensions of the nature of GOD, the example of CHRIST, and the honor-able office of the holy Angels, is ready to cry out, "O that I were that to my GOD, which my body, my eyes, hands, and feet, are to me! for I say to one of these, Go, and he go; and to another, Do this, and he does it." In a word, a good man being acquainted feelingly with the highest good, and considering diligently the great end of his coming into the world, and his short time of being in it, serves the eternal and blessed GOD, lives upon eternal designs, and by consecrating all his actions unto GOD, gives a kind.of an immortality to them, which are in themselves flitting and transient. He counts it a reproach to any man, to do any thing insignificantly, much more to live impertinently; and he reckons all things that have not a tendency to the highest good, and a subserviency to the great end, to be impertinencies, yea and absurdities, in an immortal soul, which should continually be " springing up into everlasting life."

 

 3. The active and vigorous nature of true religion manifests itself in those powerful and incessant longings after GOD, with which it fills that soul in which it is planted. The good man, though he be formed into some likeness to GOD, yet desires to be more like him; though he be somewhat serviceable to him, yet he desires to be more instrumental to his will; and though he be good, yet he desires to be better. These holy hungerings after GOD are one of the best signs of spiritual health, and of a true Christian: for, in this low state, we are better acquainted with lovings and languishings, than with fruition; and the best enjoyment we have of GOD is but scanty and short. Love is certainly a high and noble affection; but, alas! our love, whilst we are here in the body, is in its nonage, in its weak and sickly state, if compared to what it will be, when it shall be grown up in glory. But this languishing affection is a certain symptom of a healthful constitution; or, as the Apostle calls it, of " the Spirit of a sound mind." Godly souls are thirsty souls, always gasping after the living springs of divine grace, even as the parched desert thirsteth for the dew of heaven. ELIJAH passing by ELISHA as he was at plough, and catching him with his mantle, is but a scanty resemblance of the blessed GOD passing by a carnal mind, and wrapping it in the mantle of his love, and thereby causing it to run, yea, to fly swiftly after him. If divine grace do but once touch the soul, the soul presently sticks to it, as the needle to the loadstone. They who beard CHRIST JESUS chiding the winds and the waves, cried out, " What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him:" but if one had been present when he called JAMES and JOHN from their nets, MATTHEW from the custom-house, and ZACCHIUS from the tree, and by calling made them willing to come, he would have cried out, surely, What manner of GOD is this! that, by his bare word, makes poor men leave their trades and livelihood, and rich men their gainful exactions, usuries, and oppressions, to follow him. What a mighty virtue is there in the ointment of CHRIST'S name, that as soon as it is poured out, the virgins love him (Cant. 1: 3.) When MICAH was in pursuit of his GODs, he cried out, so that they asked him what ailed him; and will ye wonder that a holy soul, in pursuit of the holy GOD,, should be in earnest; that he should run, and cry as he runs GOD, breathing into the soul, makes the soul breathe after him, and thrust away all distracting companions, occupations, and concerns, saying to her idols, with EPHRAIM, "Get ye hence." The soul thus inspired is impatient of every thing that would either stop or slacken its motions after GOD. The Godly man desires still to be doing something for GOD; but if he cannot spend his life for GOD as he desires, yet he will be spending his soul upon him: though he cannot perpetually abide upon the knee of prayer, yet he would be continually upon the wing of faith and love: when his tongue cleaves to the roof of his mouth, that he cannot speak for GOD, yet his soul shall cleave unto him, and complain because it can speak no longer. For faith and love are uniting graces, and long to make the soul as much one with their object, as it is possible for the creature to be with its Creator. Religion puts a restless appetite into the soul after a higher good, and makes it throw itself into his arms, and wind itself into his embraces, longing to be in more intimate union with him, or rather entirely wrapt up in him: it is an insatiable principle, like the daughter of the horse-leech, crying continually, " Give, give:" What the Prophet speaks rhetorically of hell, (Isa. 5: 14,) is also true concerning the offspring of heaven; " it enlargeth itself, and opens its mouth without measure." The spirit of true GODliness seems to be altogether such, that it cannot rest in any measure of grace; but ardently longs to receive more plentiful communications of love, more deep and legible impressions of grace, more clear and ampler experiences of divine assistance, more sensible evidences of divine favor, more powerful and ravishing illapses of divine consolation. Such is the spirit of true GODliness, that the weakest that is endued with it, longs to be as DAVID, and the DAVIDS to be as GOD, as the Angel of the LoRD, according to that promise, Zech. 12: S. The Godly soul that is in his right senses, under the powerful apprehensions of the loveliness of GOD, and the beauty of holiness, cannot be content to live by any lower instance than that of DAVID, whose soul even broke for the longing it had unto the LORD; (Psal. cxix. 2OO or that of the spouse who was even " sick of love." (Cant. 2: 5.) You have read of the mother of SISERA, looking out at the window, waiting for his coming, and crying through the lattice, " Why is his chariot so long in coming; why tarry the wheels of his chariot" But this is not to be compared to the earnest expectation of the creature, waiting for the manifestation of Goo.

 

You have read of the ISRAELITES marching up towards the promised land, and murmuring that they were held so long in the wilderness: but the true ISRAELITISH soul makes more haste, with less discontent, marches as under the conduct of the Angel of GOD’s presence, and longs to arrive at its rest. But, alas! it is held in the wilderness too; and therefore cannot be fully quiet, but sends forth spies to view the land, the scouts of faith and hope, like CALEB and JOSHUA, those men of another spirit; and these go and walk through the holy land, and return home to the soul, and come back, not as NoAH's dove with an olive-leaf in her mouth, but with some clusters in their hands; they bring the soul a taste of the good things of the kingdom, of the glories of her eternal state: yea, the soul itself marches up to possess the land, and goes out to meet the LORD,-tO seek him whom her soul loves. Religion is a sacred fire, kept burning in the temple of the soul continually, which being once kindled from heaven, burns up heaven-wards, as the nature of fire is. In this chariot of fire it is that the soul is continually carried out towards Goo; and when it finds itself firmly seated and swiftly carried herein, it no longer envies the translation of ELIJAH. The SPIRIT of sanctification is in the soul as a burning fire shut up in the bones, which makes the soul weary with forbearing, and so powerful in longings, that it cannot stay; it is more true of the SPIRIT of GOD than of the spirit of ELIHU, that (Job xxxii. 18) the spirit within constraineth the soul, so that it is ready to swoon and faint away for very vehemence of longing.

 

 O beautiful and blessed sight!—a soul working towards GOD, gasping, and longing, and laboring after its proper happiness! Well, the sinking soul is relieved; CHRIST JESUS embraces her in the arms of his mercy; and now she recovers; her hanging hands lift up themselves, and the beauties of her fading complexion are restored; now she sits down " under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit is sweet unto her taste." See here the fairest sight on this side heaven; a soul resting, and glorying, and spreading itself in the arms of GOD, growing up in him, growing great in him, growing full in his fullness, and perfectly trans--ported with his pure love! O my soul, be not content to live by any lower model. " Did not our hearts burn.. within us," said the two disciples one to the other, "whilst he talked with us " But the soul, in which the sacred fire of love is powerfully kindled, not only burns towards GOD, whilst he is more familiarly present with it, and, as it were, blows upon it, but if he seem to withdraw from it, it burns after him still; "My beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone: I sought him; I called him." (Cant. 5: 6.) And if the fire begin to languish, and seem as if it would go out, the holy soul is startled presently, labors avai wau4eiv, as the Apostle speaks, to revive it, and blow it up again, and calls upon itself to awake, to arise and pursue, to mend its pace, and to speed its heavy and sluggish motions. This active principle in the soul maintains a continual striving, a holy struggling, a stretching forth of the soul towards GOD, a bold and ardent contention after the supreme good: religion has the strength of divinity in it; its motions towards its object are quick and potent. That elegant description which the Prophet makes of the wicked heart, with some change, may express this excellent temper of the Godly soul; it is like the working sea which cannot rest; and although its waters do not cast up mire and dirt, yet, in a holy impatience, they rise and swell, and mount towards heaven. In a word, no man is so ambitious as the humble, none so covetous as the heavenly-minded, none so voluptuous as the self-denying: religion gives a largeness and wideness to the soul, which sin, and self, and the world, had straitened and confined: but his ambition is only to be great in GOD, his covetousness is only to be filled with all the fullness of GOD, and his voluptuousness is only to drink of the rivers of his pure pleasures: he desires to taste the GOD whom he sees, and to be satisfied with the GOD whom he tastes. How are all the faculties of the soul awakened to attendance upon the LORD of life! It hearkens for the sound of his feet coming, and for the noise of his hands knocking at the door: it stands upon its watch-tower waiting for his appearing, waiting more earnestly than they that watch for the morning, and rejoices to meet him at his coming; and having met him, runs into his arms, holds him, and will not let him go, but brings him into the house, and entertains him in the guest-chamber. The soul complains that itself is not large enough, and there is not room enough to entertain so glorious a guest, no, not though it have given him all the room that it has; it entertains him with the widest arms, and the sweetest smiles; and if he withdraw. fetches him again with the deepest groans, saying, " Return, return, O Prince of Peace, and make me an everlasting habitation of righteousness unto thyself."

 

 These earnest breathings after GOD, spring from the feeling apprehensions of our own indigency and insufficiency, and the powerful sense of divine goodness and fullness; they are produced by the divine bounty and self-sufficiency, manifesting themselves to the spirits of men who are filled with a deep sense of their own poverty. The clearer the soul's apprehensions arc of its object, and the deeper its sense is of its own unlikeness to him, and distance from him, the more strong and impatient are its breathings; insomuch that not only fear, as the Apostle speaks, but even love itself sometimes seems to itself to have a kind of torment; which made the Spouse, in the Canticles, cry she was sick of love, that is, sick of every thing that kept her from her Love, sick of that distance at which she stood from her beloved LORD. The Godly soul, being transported with the infinite sweetness and goodness of GOD, longs to be that rather than what itself is, and beholding how it is estranged from him, bewails its distance, and cries out within itself, " O when shall f come and appear before GOD! " O when will GOD colic and appear gloriously to me and in me! O that mortality were swallowed up of life! Heal the Godly man of all his afflictions, grievances, and adversities, so that he may have nothing to trouble him; yet he is not quiet, he is in pain because of the distance whereat he stands from GOD: give him the whole world, and all the glory of it, yet he has not enough; he still cries, and craves, " Give, give," because he is not entirely swallowed up in GOD: he openech his mouth wide, as the Psalmist speaks, and all the silver and gold, peace, health, liberty, and preferment, that you cast into it, cannot fill it; because they are not GOD, he cannot look upon them as his chief good. In a word, a Godly man does not so much say, in the sense either of sin or affliction, " O that one would give me the wings of a dove, that I might fly away, and be at rest! "—as in the sense of his dissimilitude to, and distance from GOD, " O that one would give me the wings of an eagle, that I might fly towards heaven! "