DISCOURSE 2:

 

John 1: 47

 

Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!

 

 WE need not go far back to find out the sense of these words. The occasion of them was this: PHILIP calls NATHANAEL to Come to CHRIST; NATHANAEL being called comes; and coming to CHRIST, our LORD gives his judgment of him. In these words we have, 1. A Note of observation," Behold;" this hints to us two things: (1.) That a NATHANAEL, a true Israelite, is a worthy sight, worth the observing;" Behold an Israelite." (2.) That a Nathanael is a rare sight: We do not use to say," Behold," to that which we see every day.

 

 2. A Description of NATHANAEL, and in him, of a sincere good man.

 

 (1.) He is" An Israelite." ISRAEL was first the name of JACOB, who upon his wrestling, and, as a Prince, prevailing with GOD in prayer, had this new name given him of GOD, and was thenceforth called ISRAEL: from him, afterwards, the whole generation of the Jews was called ISRAEL. In the New Testament, all the people of God were called ISRAEL. Both in the Old Testament and New, Israelites were the people of God, whom GOD had separated for himself out of all the rest of the world; so that an Israelite here designates one who belongs to GOD.

 

 (2.)" An Israelite indeed one that is truly an Israelite," not after the flesh, but after the Spirit;

 

not in show and appearance, not in conceit or in his own or others' opinions, but in reality.

 

 (3.)" An Israelite in whom there is no guile;" who is no dissembler, not one who only bears the face, and acts the part of an Israelite, but an honest, downright, plain hearted Israelite. In all this we have a full description of a sincere good man: he is an Israelite, one separated to GOD; an Israelite, *, but in singleness of heart.

 

 That phrase which I intend for the foundation on which to build my Discourse, is," An Israelite indeed." Thence let the Doctrine be, That a sincere good man is no enthusiast; and that Godliness is no fancy. As there is an Israelite in conceit, so there is an Israelite indeed; as there is Godliness in show, so there is Godliness in truth.

 

 The great design Of SATAN and his instruments is against Godliness, to resists, to disgrace it, and, if possible, to root it out from under heaven: and because whilst Godliness appears in its own luster, glory, and excellency, all such attempts against it are vain and ineffectual, therefore the plot is, to cast a mist before the eyes of this purblind world, and to make them believe that there is no such thing, or that it is not what it is; that it is a mere fancy, and that there is nothing in it; that what men call Godliness is but a conceit, a mere dream of some brain-sick persons, who, thinking themselves wiser and holier than the rest of the world, and being strongly opinionated of their ways, and intoxicated with their own imaginations, whilst they would persuade others that they are in the dark, and under strong delusions, are most of all mistaken and deluded themselves.

 

 Now, because this is such a mischievous engine to hold men back from that true Godliness which is necessary to salvation, I shall, through the grace of GOD, make as evident as the light the truth of the doctrine proposed, that Godliness is no fancy;, and that the sincerest and strictest godly men are, of all persons in the world, most unjustly termed enthusiasts.

 

 By Godliness I mean that sincere and strict profession and practice of religion, which are above the size, and beyond the measure, of that sort of people who commonly call themselves Christians;-that which the Scripture calls" pure Religion, the power of Godliness, walking with God, walking in the Spirit, and living in all good conscience."

 

 By a sincere godly man, accordingly, I understand the same person with a precise or circumspect Christian; one that will not adventure his soul on that cheap, easy, outward, careless way of religion, which the most do, but labors to make sure and thorough work, by setting himself to live up to the height and exactness of those principles of religion which he hath received from the Scriptures.

 

 When I say, that Godliness is no fancy; by a fancy I mean that which hath no being but in the imagination; that which hath no foundation in the Scriptures, but is a mere conceit or airy notion; a figment of men's own brains. This is the reproach which the profane world cast upon strict Godliness, that: it is a mere fiction, or a dream of men's own hearts; that the inward likeness to GOD, the exact walking with GOD, living in fellowship and communion with GOD, the joy of God, the life of faith, the soul's exercising itself upon God and the LORD JESUS, and the like, are mere conceits; that there are no such things, but that they are men's own dreams and delusions.

 

 Now this is that which I shall prove, That this Godliness, in its greatest purity, preciseness, and spirituality, is not such an empty thing, but is fully and really that which it asserts itself to be; and that it hath clear foundations in, and an evident conformity to, that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of GOD, which is revealed in the Scriptures.

 

 The proofs which I shall bring shall be such as have respect to the special parts of it; where I shall make it manifest, 1: That the Doctrines and Principles of Godliness are real Truths, 

 

II. That the Duties and Comforts of Godliness are no fancies, but real Duties and Comforts.

 

 I. The Doctrines and Principles of Godliness are real Truths. Wisdom hath her pillars: Godliness is not a castle in the air, but is a building which hath foundations. I shall instance in some of the chief of these Principles, and show your

 

 1. The Doctrines concerning the Being of GOD, and his Holiness, are real Truths. This is a certain truth, that there is a God, and that he is a holy God, and a friend to holiness. If there be any real and evident truth in the world, this is a truth, That there is a GOD. Either there is a God, or there is nothing: we may as well say, when we see the sun, and the moon, and the stars, and the motions of them; when we see the earth, and the several creatures upon it; when we see ourselves, men and women, walking up and down thereon, that all this is but conceit, that our eyes deceive us, that ourselves, and all the things we see, are but phantasms and apparitions, as we may question whether there be a GOD. "The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead." (Rom. 1:.2O.) And to question whether GOD be a holy GOD, is the same in effect as to question whether there be a God: to conceive that there is a GOD without holiness, is to imagine that there is a GOD who is no God. Sin is such a defect as is utterly inconsistent with such an infinitely perfect being; and to question whether God be a friend to holiness, is to question whether he be a friend to himself.

 

 2. The Doctrines concerning Sin are certain Truths. I shall mention but these four:--(1.) That man is a sinner (2.) That sin is the greatest of evils: (3.) That spiritual sins are the greatest of sins: (4.) That sin is the root of all misery.

 

 (1.) Man is a sinner; a sinner by nature, a sinner by practice; in a sinful state: " The whole world lieth in wickedness." (1 John 5: 19.) Running on in a sinful course: " They are all gone aside;" (Ps. 14: 3;) that is, man is universally sinful; this sour leaven hath leavened the whole lump; every part of man, head, heart, hands; inside, outside, all are a full of wounds, and bruises, and putrefying sores." Man is a great sinner: " The heart of man is desperately wicked;" (Jer.xvii.9;) it is become like those bad figs which JEREIIIAH speaks of; those that were good were very good; and those that were bad were very bad." Their inward part is very wickedness." (Ps. 5: 9.) It is expressed in the abstract, not wicked, but wickedness, and in the plural number, wickednesses: there is a complication of all sorts of wickednesses; and sin is so rooted, and (as it were) incorporated into the hearts of men, as if their natures were even transubstantiated into a mass of corruption. Is all this but conceit" GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thought of his heart was only evil continually." (Gen. 6: 5.)" GOD saw: " GOD's eyes cannot be deceived: men may think that they see what they see not, and may not see what is before their eyes but can God's eyes fail him

 

 (2.) Sin is the greatest of evils. The Apostle, to set forth the formidable appearance which sin had by the law, expresses it thus: "That sin might appear to be sin." (Rom. 8: 13.) He could find out nothing more evil and odious to express it by, than itself. If he had said,-that sin might appear to be a snare, a serpent, a viper, a devil, a hell,-that had been much, but yet not enough to set forth this evil of evils: sin never is seen in its perfect odiousness, but when it shows its own naked face: we can never know how great an evil sin is, till we know how good the LORD is, how precious CHRIST is, how precious the soul of man is; to all which sin is so contrary and destructive. In Rom. viii. 7, it is said to be" Enmity against God." GOD hath no enemy in the world but sin, and those whom sin hath made. Sin has set all the earth against the GOD of glory. From this enmity, with which sin hath filled the hearts of men, arise all their rebellions against his word and government, all their averseness from his ways, their weariness of his service, their forwardness, murmurings, impatiences, and frettings of heart against his dispensations and providence. The unruliness and stubbornness of the wills of men; the distemper and disorders of their passions and affections; the vanity, vileness, and confusion of their thoughts; the defilement and deadness of their consciences; the ebullition of so many hellish lusts, setting men's hearts upon all mischief;-whence is all this, but from sin which dwells in them

 

 Sin has made men very devils, set upon all manner of mischief; devils against GOD, hating, reproaching, blaspheming, cursing, fighting against GOD. There should quickly be no GOD, nor heaven, nor being left, if the wickedness of man's heart had power answerable to his malice. Sin hath made men devils against themselves, set upon the destruction of their own souls: there needed not another Devil to tempt and devour them; if God should but let them alone, they would quickly make their destruction sure of themselves. Sin hath made men devils one against another: there is not one sinner, but if GOD should pull up the sluices, and let his wickedness have its full course, would do his utmost to damn all the world; enemies, friends, husbands, wives, children, all should be destroyed.

 

 And now, can a greater evil be imagined than this Aye, you will say, if all this be true, it is a great evil indeed: but, it may be, for all these great words, there may be no such great matter in- it. Why, do but consider what sin hath done, and then you will see reason to believe all that hath been said. Go to Mount Calvary, and see what hath been done: what was it that-slew the LORD of Glory, that put CHRIST to death Was it not those sins that were laid upon him These were his betrayers and murderers. These were the thorns, the nails, the spear, which wounded him; the gall and vinegar which were given him to drink. Let the sweat, the cries, the groans, the blood, the soul, which were pressed and poured out by sin, let these speak if too much hath been said, Turn aside from Mount Calvary, and go down to the Valley of Hinnom; lay your ear to the mouth of Tophet, and hearken what work sin has done there. What is it which has filled hell so full already, which has sent down CAIN and JUDAS, with those millions of damned souls that are already tormented in those flames 

 

 Did God damn so many souls for nothing, or for a trifle did he inflict so great a torment for a small offence What is it which has cast them in thither Was it their righteousness Was it not their iniquities If you could step down into those chambers of death, and ask those wretched creatures," Friends, how came you hither" What would they answer" Oh, it is our sins that brought us into this place of torment."" Oh, it was my covetousness brought me hither," would one say: " Oh, it was my lying brought me hither," would another say: " Oh, it was my pride, or my passion, or my wantonness, or my slothfulness, that brought me hither," would a third say." O sin, sin! this is it for which we burn, we roar, we rave, we die, we die eternally!" Can there be too much said of the evil of sin, which Math done all this mischief

 

 (3.) Spiritual Sins are the greatest of sins. By how much the more excellent the soul is above the body in its nature, by so much the more vile and mischievous it is, being depraved with sin. The soul of man is the prime subject of the image of GOD in man: there was much of GOD to be seen in the body, or externals of man; but the face of God, the glory of God, was stamped upon his soul; the soul being corrupted, it became the express image of the Devil. 'SATAN is rudely limned, and some darker shadows of him drawn, on the outward man; but he is drawn out to the life in the soul: the very face, the heart of SATAN, his pride, malice, envy, and falsehood, are enraven on the heart. 

 

 A proud heart has more of the Devil than a proud look:, a warm heart is mere vile than a wanton eye; a murderous or adulterous heart is worse than a. murderous or adulterous act. It is true, when sin is committed without, it is worse than when it sleeps in its causes within; and sin in its birth is worse than in its bare conception: and the reason is, because when sin is committed, there are both parts, the outward and the spiritual together: there is the sin of the hand, and the sin of the heart too, to make up the murder; but then, if you should distinctly consider what the heart has done towards the murder, and what the hand has done, the heart's part would appear to be incomparably the worst. The sins of the heart are the root-sins, the spring which sets all the wheels on going, the fountain which sets all the streams on running, the fire which sets all the furnace on smoking. Carnal men make little of outward sins, and nothing of spiritual. If they would not be extortioners, or oppressors, or swearers, yet evil thoughts may lodge in them; lust may bear the rule in them; pride, envy, ignorance, heart-blasphemy, these are scarcely accounted evils." What are thoughts, say they, "a little inward discontent, anger, and the like, that we should trouble ourselves with these" Oh! you do not know what there maybe in a thought, or a secret lust; there may be a thousand evil words and actions in the bowels of a few evil thoughts: lusts are prolific; a world of monstrous births are continually springing forth from them. Beloved, if you should examine all the wickednesses of your lives, drunken. ness, whoredoms, lying, oaths, perjuries, and ask them one by one, Drunkenness, whence art thou Adultery, whence comest thou Oaths, curses, lies, whence are all ye-would they not all answer, with the Apostle," Come we not hence, even from those lusts that war in your members" Blame not Christians because they are so much afraid of their own hearts, or because they take so much pains, and spend so much time, in purging, and washing, and watching these, in keeping their thoughts, governing their passions, and mortifying their lusts: he.that makes nothing of an evil thought, the Devil is like to bring him to something in a little time.

 

 (4.) Sin is the root of all misery; of all the miseries of this life, of all the diseases, pains, torments, tumults, commotions, quarrellings, contentions, murders, oppressions, wars, famine, poverty, pestilence, and all sorts of calamities under which this world groans." Hast thou not procured all these things to thyself" (Jer. 2: 17;) that is, by thine iniquities What a world would this world have been had it not been for sin! All the earth would have been a Paradise, as the garden of the LORD. How great peace would there have been, had it not been for this make-bate! How great joy, had it not been for this tormentor! How great beauty and order, had it not been for this, which is the deformity and confusion of all things! What a world is this become by sin! How full of violence! What lions, tigers, and wolves, are the inhabitants thereof become one to another! What thorns and briars are they, scratching and tearing one another! What lying, and slandering, and defaming, and defrauding, and quarrellings, and fightings, are broken forth! This earth is even almost become a hell!, Whence is all this The Apostle tells us; "From whence come wars and fighting among you Come they-not hence, even from your lusts that war in your members" (James 4: 1.) Sinners lay the blame of all upon righteousness, and holiness, and the knowledge of GOD,: and conscience, and on such persons as exercise themselves in keeping a good conscience, and walking holily, and working righteousness. These are the troublers, these are the disturbers, these are the fire-brands that set all in a combustion! But they little think what it is they say. To affirm, as many do, that it would have been a better world, if it had not been for so much preaching and praying, and keeping such ado about nothing, is as much as to say, It would have been a better world, if God had not been in fault; we may thank GOD and his Law, we may thank CHRIST and his Gospel, for all our troubles. But let such blasphemers know, that it is themselves and their wicked hearts, their atheism and ignorance, their idolatries and adulteries, their pride and their covetousness, 'their lewdness and licentiousness, to which they owe all their troubles and miseries." Jerusalem hath grievously

 

sinned; therefore is she removed: her adversaries are the chief, her enemies prosper: her filthiness is in her skirts." (Lam. 1: 5, S, 9.)

 

 Now from all this it evidently follows; First, That no sin can properly be called little: Secondly, That mourning for sin, praying, watching, fearing and shunning sin, with its occasions, temptations, and very appearances, are not enthusiastical, but reasonable services.

 

 Notwithstanding all this evil which is in sin, this is it which carnal men make matter of no account: they say, "It is every man's case; we are all sinners; and why should we trouble ourselves at that which we cannot help" And what a wonder do they make at those who are so fearful, and so watchful, and so tender, and so much troubled when they fall into sin; counting their fear their folly, and their mourning madness, as if it were a mere scarecrow or a bugbear, about which they thus trouble themselves If the veil were taken off from your eyes, if you did but see sin as it is, you would cease your wondering.

 

 Is sin nothing Is enmity against God, his government, his being, nothing Are the fruits of sin nothing Is poverty nothing Is sword, and famine, and pestilence nothing Are all the bodily diseases which come upon you, and the torment of them; are the gout, and the stone, and the strangury, and the pains of child-bearing, nothing Are death, and hell, and the vengeance of eternal fire, such slight matters Is the fruit so bitter and deadly, and do you think there is so little hurt in the root You may as well count these torments, which sin hath brought upon the world, to be conceits or slight matters, as have such thoughts of sin.

 

 Whosoever makes nothing of sin makes light of CHRIST; whosoever fears not, feels not, flies not, mourns not for sin, as the most dreadful of evils, regards not God nor his soul. He that hath so much wit as to dispute sin into a trifle, hath but little understanding, and less religion. He who imagines that a cold "GOD forgive me," carelessly uttered, will make him whole in his inward diseases, or make amends for his actual wickedness, if he prove not himself an enthusiast in the end, let the most circumspect Christians pass for enthusiasts now!

 

 Sinners, if you will not be convinced; if the Scriptures do not convince you; if your eyes and ears do not teach you to understand sin better; take heed lest GOD teach you hereafter, as GIDEON taught the men of Succoth, "with briars and thorns, with fire and brimstone," and fetch his proof from your bones and from your bowels, and cause the avenging worm, when your pangs shall come upon you, to bring back upon you the memory of your slighted sins.

 

 3. The Doctrine of Redemption is a real Truth. Need I prove this, that CHRIST is true, the true MESSIAH, true GOD, and true man, had a true body, and a true soul; that his sayings were true, he was a true Prophet; that his sufferings were true, he was a true Priest; that as he truly died, so he as truly rose, ascended, and is the LORD both of the dead and of the living, and is a true KING; that he hath truly and fully accomplished his whole undertaking Am I speaking to Jews or Pagans, that I need prove this Am I not speaking to Christians, who must prove themselves liars if they deny these things But wherefore was all this For what end did CHRIST come' into-the world Wherefore was he born Wherefore did he live, die, rise, ascend What was the intent of all this Why, it was to make a total and blessed change in the miserable condition of whomsoever of this sinful world shall embrace him: it was to make this old world new, this crooked world straight, this miserable world blessed: it was," to bring deliverance to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound: " (Isa. lxi. 1:) it was" to make an end of sin, to finish transgression, and to bring in everlasting righteousness: " (Dan. 9: 24:) it was to undo all that mischief which sin and the Devil have wrought, and brought upon this world; "For this cause the SON of GOD was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the Devil: " (1 John 3: 8:) it was to "abolish death," and to "bring life and immortality to light: " it was; 'to redeem from all iniquity, and to purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works: " (Titus 2: 14:) it was, "that being delivered from our enemies, we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness, all the days of our lives." And lastly, it was to redeem us"to an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for us: " (1 Peter 1: 4:)

 

 (1)"To an inheritance. "Christians are not brought out of Egypt, and redeemed from their house of bondage, and then left to shift for themselves, or to perish in the wilderness; they are redeemed to an inheritance; they are a purchased people, and there is for them a purchased possession.

 

 (2.) An "incorruptible" and "undefiled inheritance," an enduring possession, and a holy habitation. Holiness is a great part of the blessedness of the Saints. You that despise holiness, despise one of the richest jewels in the crown of glory.

 

 (3.)" Reserved in heaven." There is the good land, where their inheritance lies; that is the country which CHRIST has purchased for his ransomed ones: the whole land is theirs; "theirs is the kingdom of heaven."

 

 This is that redemption which by the Gospel is preached unto you; and if CHRIST had failed of performing and accomplishing any of this, he had been but an incomplete and imperfect Redeemer. By the way we learn, what great reason there is, that the Gospel should have better entertainment than for the most part it meets with in the world. If CHRIST had come to destroy the world, could he have been less welcome If the Ministers of the Gospel had been messengers, sent up from the bottomless pit, to destroy souls, and to drag them down to everlasting darkness, there could hardly have been a greater hate and outcry than there is against it and them. Surely such a message, and such a messenger, deserve better welcome, and better usage.

 

 But to our purpose. You have heard what that redemption is, which the Gospel brings us: now does CHRIST do his work by halves Does lie deliver out of prison, and leave his ransomed ones in their vile prison-garments Does he redeem them from death, and not redeem them from iniquity Was this the intent of CHRIST in dying for sinners, that they alight play the beast and the rebel more securely Does the law of faith make void the law of righteousness Does it not establish it

 

 Has he died to purge, and purify, and wash, and cleanse his people; and when all comes to all, is this nothing but a cheat As certain as it is that CHRIST did not barely personate a Redeemer, so certain it is that his redeemed do not barely personate Saints. Let all the world be judges what regard those persons have for CHRIST, who have no better opinion of the fruits of his death. Hence it appears, First, That the redemption of a sinner is the destruction of sin; CHRIST died to save men from their sins, not in them; to redeem from all iniquity as well as from wrath: Secondly, That redemption and regeneration are linked together: he that is bought from being a slave, is born a son; he that is not a partaker of the renewing of the HOLY GHOST, is not a partaker of the redemption of CHRIST.

 

 The doctrine of redemption by CHRIST is abused by wilful sinners, and made to serve as their great plea against the necessity of holiness. Convince them of sin, of the necessity of turning, of the danger of continuing and going on in it, yet here they presently take sanctuary, "CHRIST died for sinners;" and here they think themselves sufficiently secured, not only against all the threatenings of wrath, but against all exhortations to holiness. Argue with them from the command of God, "Cast away your transgressions; why will ye die turn and live;" or from the threatenings of God, "If ye live after the flesh ye shall die;" yet this they think will answer all your arguments, "CHRIST died for sinners; I put my trust in CHRIST that I shall be saved." What, trust in CHRIST; and not turn to CHRIST Hope to be saved by CHRIST, and refuse to be sanctified Will CHRIST redeem those from the curse, who will not be redeemed from iniquity Will you walk in wantonness, lasciviousness, lust, and excesses, and then come and take hold of a Redeemer, as if you were delivered to do all this wickedness Is GOD's house become a den of robbers Are the redeemed of the LORD a generation of rebels, liars, proud and covetous persons, or blasphemers Are these the followers of the LAME Christianity without godliness! This is a fancy indeed. "Let everyone that names the name of CHRIST depart from iniquity: " either turn from iniquity, or talk no more of CHRIST!

 

 Take heed, sinners, and let not the Gospel undo you let not mercy damn you; put not your faith to do the sad office of infidelity. Beloved, let it never be said that while the just live, you must die by your faith: this is likely to be your case; you would never have dared so to have slighted holiness, and persisted in sin, had it not been for your trust in CHRIST.

 

 You must have another CHRIST, another Gospel, ere you can be saved in your sinful state." There is no condemnation to them which are in CHRIST JESUS, who walk not after the flesh, but after the SPIRIT." (Rom. viii. 1.) This is the Gospel, wherein you have the Believer's Charter, and the Believer's Character: his Charter, He shall not come into" condemnation;" his Character, He" walks not after the flesh, but after the Spirit," that is, he is a man of a godly life. Whom does the Gospel secure from condemnation Why, those who are" in CHRIST." But who are they Why, only those "who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit: " those who walk otherwise can have no benefit by the Gospel. You all stand as convicted malefactors, guilty of death. You have sinned, and what have you to say, why you should not die, and have the sentence of condemnation passed upon you It maybe that you will say," The Gospel will, I hope, secure me." No, sinner, thou canst not have it thou art one that lives after the flesh, and canst not have the benefit of the Gospel. This is the Law, and the Gospel says not one word to reverse it, "If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die." CHRIST never intended the benefit of his redemption to any of you,. whether you would repent or no, be holy or no: you may as well write this for Gospel, He that believeth shall be damned, as this, He that obeys not the Gospel shall be saved: and you may as well say, that sinning is serving of CHRIST, as that those who live after the flesh obey the Gospel.

 

 The Doctrine of Regeneration is a real Truth. There are three things most evident concerning this:-(1.) That there is such a change, and that it is necessary to salvation (2.) That this is a great and mighty change: (3.) That this is an inward change.

 

 (1.) There is such a grace as regeneration, and it is necessary to salvation: "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of GOD." (John 3: 3.)

 

 (2.) The change which is wrought by regeneration is a great and mighty change. It is as great as the making something of nothing: Regeneration is a new creation. It is as great as the raising up of persons from death to life: Regeneration is a resurrection;" You hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins." (Eph. 2: 1.) There is as great a power, as much of Divinity, manifested in quickening a dead soul, as in raising a dead body.

 

 When God would confirm the faith of the Jews concerning their restoration, after their cutting off, which the Apostle tells us shall be as life from the dead; he evidences that he was able to accomplish it by his making dry bones to live: "Son of man, can these bones live Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD." (Ezek. xxxvii. 3.) It was a strange service, to which the Prophet was put, but yet he prophesies; and behold there was a great shaking, and bone came to his bone, and they were covered with sinews and with flesh; and the breath of life was breathed into them, and they stood upon their feet an exceeding great army: "These bones," says the Lord, "are the whole house of Israel;" that is, as they lay in their state of rejection from God: and if the LORD could not have made these bones to live, lie had failed of his confirmation of their faith, touching the restoration of this dead people.

 

 When the Ministers of the Gospel are sent forth to preach to sinners, it is even as likely a service, [if we look only at the human instruments employed,] as if' they had been sent among the tombs and the graves, to prophesy to the skulls, and the bones, and the dust of the dead! And if there were not a Divine and Almighty Power accompanying their ministry, their success would be the -same, as if they had been preaching the beasts of the field into men, or attempting from stones to raise up children unto ABRAHAM.

 

(3.) It is an inward change. Regeneration is. the uniting of dead souls to CHRIST; "My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until CHRIST be formed in you." (Gal. 4: 19.)

 

 Here note three things:-First, That the result of this union with CHRIST is a new life. "He that hath the Son hath life." (1 John 5: 12.) In this generation, there is a death and a life:-A death;" Ye are dead;" (Cobs. 3: 3;) that is, your sins are dead, your old man is dead;" Our old man is crucified with him; (Roan. 6: 6;) -A life; there is a new sense and motion; there is a living power communicated to souls united to CHRIST whereby they are enabled to move and act in such a holy, spiritual, and heavenly way, as was impossible before. Grace is a living thing, which spirits and animates all the faculties anew; which puts life into all the duties and performances of the Saints; which though for the matter of them they might have done before, yet they were but the dead carcasses of duties, rather than the things themselves.

 

 Secondly, This new life is a new nature. The Saints participate of the nature of CHRIST; by a change of the qualities of the soul: they are a new creatures, who have passed the nets birth. The second *, as well as the first, brings forth his children in his own likeness: the divine birth is the bringing forth of the divine nature. (2 Peter 1: 4.) As they said vainly, "The gods are come down in the likeness of men," it may be here said truly, Men are raised up in the likeness of Got), renewed after his image, and made partakers of his holiness. Those who put any thing less in this change make regeneration to be as very a contradiction as the Popish transubstantiation. Bread is made a god, and yet is bread still: a brute is made a saint, and yet remains a brute still: a god under the accidents of bread, and a Saint under the qualities of a swine!

 

 Thirdly, This new creature is a glorious nature, comprehending in it that divine light, whereby the Saints are enabled to understand and look into the depths of eternity, the invisible things of God, the mysteries of the glorious Gospel;-that divine love, and faith, and hope, and the whole train of glorious graces, together with those principles of righteousness, truth, mercy, and charity, whereby they are made capable of enjoying communion with God, of bearing his name, of showing forth his virtues and praises before the world, and of doing his will: in sum, it is the image of GOD,-the Epistles of CHRIST, written upon the tables of their hearts.

 

 What a strange piece of vanity should we make of the Scriptures, if all these high and various expressions should signify no more than that empty and pitiful thing which carnal men count religion! That ever that ignorant, sottish, formal, brutish generation, which have no more of the knowledge of God than a heathen, no more of the life of God than a stock, no more of religion than to say over a prayer by rote; and are so far from being partakers of the new nature, that they know not whether there be any such thing, or what it is; that ever such a blind, senseless multitude should be imagined to be the persons whom the Scripture means by "new creatures, the children of God, thee children of light, the images of God,"-and much more, that those who live after the flesh, who are proud, covetous, sensual, filthy, and beastly in their conversations, yet, if they have been baptized, and passed under the sacramental regeneration, and do but say now and then, I repent, "GOD forgive me," that these also are the children of God, and have all that new birth which is necessary to their seeing the kingdom of God,-who can with any color of reason imagine Such as can make themselves believe this, have made such a forfeiture of their understandings, that they may be like in time to believe that the Devil is God, and that hell is heaven; and may even take up the Koran for their Bible.

 

 Sinners, consider with yourself, is there any such thing as the New Birth Can there be a new birth, without a new life Does CHRIST bring forth dead children, or do dry bones live Does the Gospel bring forth monstrous births, children without eyes, without a head, without a heart, or with the heart of a beast under the face of a man Does it bring forth serpents, vipers, dogs, or swine, for its children; and must the kingdom of heaven be peopled with such inhabitants as these If these be children of the kingdom, where, or who are the children of this world Are the NATHANAELS, the Israelites indeed, in whom there is no guile Are these the true seed, and the saints spurious Are these the sons, and the saints bastards

 

 Or if you will let these vile ones of the earth go, as none of the seed; take the best, that have the fairest face of religion without the inside, the new nature; are these they Is the shadow the substance, and the substance but a shadow To say that the inward life of godliness, the spirit and soul of Christianity, is but a conceit, and that this outside is all, that this is Christianity, is as good reason as to affirm, that a picture is a man, and that a living man is but a picture.

 

 Hence it follows:-

 

 (l.) That regeneration is not the mere counterfeit of a change: there is some difference hereby put betwixt persons and persons: the regenerate and the unregenerate are not one and the same, no more than the living and the dead.

 

 (2.) It is not a barely relative change; as justification and adoption are held to he: there is a change of nature wrought by it, and not barely of relation.

 

 (3.) It is not a superficial change; or a merely outward change, which goes only skin deep. It is not, as it is said concerning baptism, only the washing away of the filth of the flesh, the cleansing of the outside, leaving sin to reign within. Regeneration is the change of the man, and not barely of the manners.

 

 (4.) In this change we may read all godliness; we may understand much of our work, by observing GOD'S work upon us. As GOD, in making men living souls, does thereby tell us, that he expects other things from them than front dead stocks and stones; and in making them reasonable souls, intimates that he expects they should live other lives than dogs or swine; so in making them Christians, making them partakers of the divine nature, he makes it evident, that he expects they should live another life than other men.

 

 The new life, or life of godliness, may be read in our new birth, or new nature. The regenerate are said to be "created in CHRIST JESUS unto good works, which GOD hath before ordained that we should walk in them." (Ephes. 2: 1O.)" Created unto good works." This notes two things:-Intended to good works; And, Fitted to good works.

 

In their new making, they were intended to good works. This was GOD's mind and meaning: he foreordained that they should walk in them: he did not set up such a light in man, to be put under a bushel: he bestowed not such a talent on man, to be bound up in a napkin.

 

 In their new making, they were fitted to good works" created to good works;" that is, they were endued with such a divine light, such holy principles, powers, afflictions, dispositions, and inclinations, as fitted them for a holy, active life. GOD did not new-make men for nothing; but for something of worth, and real excellency, or else he would not have been at much cost in preparing men for it: if there were no other godly life than that which the world count godliness, there needed no new creation to fit man for it. What is there in the whole frame of the religion of the vulgar, to which a carnal man may riot reach For the devotional part of it, as saying or hearing of a prayer, and observing of days, rites, and customs; what great difficulty is there in that May not even a publican do the same Yea, may not a harlot, a drunkard, an idiot, do the same Such devotions will neither disturb their lusts, nor yet will their lusts distaste or disable such devotions. And for the righteousness of it, to love those that love them, to be good neighbors, to be no extortioners, no adulterers, there is not so very much in that: " Do not even the Pharisees the same" "What do ye more than others" said CHRIST to his Disciples. What singular or excellent thing do you GOD has done singularly well by you; you are fearfully and wonderfully made, (as it is true of the natural, so much more of your new birth,) and curiously wrought, not in the lower parts of the earth, but in the highest heavens; you are born from above; GOD hath done more for you than for others;" What do ye more than others" Some, it may be, would have answered," Why, there is no more to be done; all that is done more than others do is mere fancy." But, beloved, when you look upon that sapless, lifeless, empty way of religion, which others are content with, methinks your reason should demand, What, has GOD new-made me, made me partaker of the divine nature, and of the life of GOD, for no more but this Has GOD given such a glorious glorious SPIRIT, and given commission to such multitudes of heavenly Ambassadors, to preach, persuade, beseech, and exhort, and to travail in birth with me till CHRIST hath been formed in me,-and all this to bring me to no better a life than this Surely there is something farther, for which the LORD has built this structure, and been at all this cost.

 

 Study this new birth, study the new creation more thoroughly; and if you see not the most holy, heavenly, spiritual conversation, that is pleaded for, radically and seminally in the bowels of it, then let Godliness pass for a fancy for ever. Let the regenerate but live according to their new nature; and if that be not the very godly life about which we contend with you, then call us what you will.

 

 5. Faith is no fancy; and the Doctrine of Faith is a real Truth."Faith is" the ground, or "the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen." (Heb. 11: 1.) It has a sure foundation on which it is bottomed; that cc sure word of promise, to which," says the Apostle, ye do well that ye take heed." (2 Pet. 1: 19.) There is a believing on CHRIST for [present] salvation, and a believing that we shall be [eternally] saved by CHRIST. The former is called the direct act of faith, and is the soul's acceptance of CHRIST for its LORD and Savior, and resting upon him for life; this is founded on the rock of ages, on the veracity and faithfulness of that GOD who cannot lie, and who hath said, that "whosoever believeth on his SON" shall not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3: 16.) The latter is called the reflex act of faith, and has its foundation partly on the word of GOD without them, partly on the work of GOD within them; and this faith, or rather this act of faith, if the former hath been first put forth, is such also as will never deceive. As those who trust in God, because they have the word and oath of GOD, shall not be confounded, but have strong consolation; so those that believe they shall be saved, because they find their hearts purified; who believe that their names are written in heaven, because they find the law and image of GOD written on their hearts; who believe that they shall not come into condemnation, because they are in CHRIST, and" walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit'." who believe they shall overcome death, because they have overcome the world; those who on such grounds as these believe they shall be saved, it shall certainly be unto them according to their faith. If it be thus with them indeed, if they "walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit;" if their hearts be purified; the word of the LORD stands good and sure to them, that" they shall not come into condemnation;" and they shall as infallibly be saved, as if their particular names had been written in the promise. The veracity of GOD stands as firmly engaged to make good conditional promises, where the condition is Fulfilled, as if the promise had been absolute.

 

 There is a faith which is a mere fancy: such as the faith of enthusiasts, who believe above and besides what is written; the faith of ignorant persons, whose belief is (according to the worship of the Athenians) on" the Unknown GOD;" the faith of idlers, who believe that they shall rest with CHRIST, though they never labored with him; and the faith of the profane, who believe that they shall be saved, though they be not sanctified. Such faith is mere fancy; opinion or presumption you may call it, rather than faith. You that are ignorant, idle, profane, and unsanctified, and yet believe that you shall be saved, you believe a lie; you believe that which GOD hath never said shall be; nay, you believe that which GOD hath said shall never be: " They are a people of no understanding, therefore he that made them will not save them: " (Isa. 27: 11:)" Such shall never inherit the kingdom of GOD." (1 CO'. 6: 1O.) Hear, sinners, hear; God must be a liar, or your faith a lie.

 

 But the faith which hath been before described, is that precious tried faith, by which whosoever believes shall not be confounded. Christians, youth save obtained such precious faith, a Christ-embracing faith, a heart-purifying, a flesh-mortifying, a world-conquering faith, you may venture safely upon it; if ever this faith deceive you, GOD hath deceived you, the Scriptures have deceived you, Cons ST hath deceived you. Let the enthusiastic world laugh, and mock, and call your consolations delusions, your confidence conceit, or what they will; let them alone,-you must give losers leave to talk and laugh; yet, a Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward."

 

 6. The Doctrine concerning Good Works is a certain Truth. In this I shall show,

 

First, What we are to understand by good works. A good work, in general, is a holy or gracious action; to the making up whereof these four things are necessary:(1.) The principle roust be good front which it proceeds; it must be, from an honest and upright heart, from a pure conscience, from faith unfeigned. (2.) The matter must be good: something which is commanded;" He has showed thee, O man, what is good." (3.) The form or manner of doing must be good: it must be well done. This takes in the consideration of all its circumstances, of time, place, &c. (4.) The end must be good; it must be done "to the glory of GOD."

 

 As to the particular kinds of good works, they are not easily reckoned up. The Papists talk little of any good works, but the exercises of bounty and liberality, in giving alms, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting and relieving the afflicted, building of alms-houses, colleges, and the like; upon which they insist so much, as if there were scarcely any other good works but such as these. But we may not confine them within so narrow a compass. Good works signify the same with a good life; the doing and observing all things which God has commanded us. Our living holily, honestly, circumspectly, fruitfully, imports the carne with our doing good works. The exercising of all the graces of CHRIST, faith, love, hope; the subduing and in mortifying of lust and corruption; the governing of our hearts and tongues; the ordering of our carriage towards GOD and men; all acts of religion, righteousness, mercy, and charity; praying, fasting, hearing, sanctifying the Sabbath, ending, giving, forgiving, peace-making, instructing, exhorting, -reproving, comforting, denying ourselves, taking up our cross, following CHRIST, fighting the good fight of faith, laying up treasures in heaven, and the like;-these are good works. Every thing is a good work, concerning which God will say at last," Well done, good and faithful servant." In all these the LORD requires; (L) That we act to our utmost." What thine hand finds to do," and so what thy head or heart findeth to do," do it with thy might." Be" zealous of good works, not slothful in business, but fervent in spirit, serving the LORD, abounding in the work of the Lo RD." (2.) That we act in these to the end of our days." Fear the LORD thy GOD, and keep all his statutes and commandments all the days of thy life." (Dent. 6: 2.) (3.) That we be doing without intermission. There must not only be well-doing, but a continuance in well-doing. GOD will not have any chasms orvacuities in our lives, but every day must be filled up with the duties of it. Christians must not think of getting to heaven per saltum; they must not leap, but walk; they must not leap over a duty, or leap over a day; *. The law of GOD does not allow a day to sin, nor abate us one day's work. To demand a breathing-time from the service of GOD, is to desire so much time for the service of sin. We are ever serving one master or the other; we are certainly serving sin, when we are not in one way or other serving the LORD.

 

 Secondly, That good works are necessary to salvation; so that though we are not likely to be saved by our works, yet we cannot be saved without them. He that works not shall not eat bread in the kingdom of GOD. The everlasting rest is not for loiterers, but for laborers." Not every one that says unto me, LORD, LORD, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven." Faith cannot save us without works. The Apostle tells us, "Faith without works is dead;" (James 2: 26;) and a dead faith cannot bring us to life. Therefore the Apostle PAUL so vehemently charges; 11 This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might he careful to maintain good works; for these things are good and profitable to men." (Tit. 3: S.)

 

 Here observe the Preface to the charge;" This is a faithful saying;" that is, a true saying, and a great truth, a worthy saying, worthy to be delivered, worthy to be received: " And these things I will that thou affirm constantly," or teach constantly, or strenuously, or resolvedly; be not beaten off from it. Why, what is this great truth This is it, a That they which have believed in God," as ever they would that their faith should stand them in any stead," must be careful to maintain good works: " not only to do good works, but" to maintain," or to excel and abound in "good works."" These things are good and profitable unto men."

 

 Now let me demand of all the world, where lies the enthusiasm of all this Which of these doctrines is it that is but a conceit Is it this, That Christians must not only be believers, but must do good works Is it this, That they must work with all their might, that they must be doing to the end of their days, that they must continue at their work without intermission; that is, that they must bestow none of their time on the Devil, but all on GOD Or is this the conceit, That this well-doing is necessary to our well-being Let this be granted, that there is no fancy in all this, and I have at once dispatched my whole undertaking; and if I had no more to say, I have sufficiently proved to you, that strict godliness is no fancy. For this doctrine of good works, which I have laid before you, this is Godliness; Godliness in the greatest severity and strictness of it: grant a necessity of such a life as this, and you grant all that is desired. And can any of this be denied Must we serve the LORD To be doing good is the same with serving GOD. Must we serve the LORD only and wholly May not sin claim a share, and now and then something be done for the Devil Must we serve the Loan with all our might, or may less serve Consider that Scripture," When ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do." (Luke 17: 1O.) When we have given unto GOD all that we owe him, then let the flesh and the Devil take the rest.

 

 Beloved, consider what I have said, and observe whether all that diligence, faithfulness, zeal, tenderness, and preciseness, which the strictest Christians either practice or profess, be not included in these three things, to serve the LORD with all our might, to the end of our days, and in a constant and continued course of Godliness.

 

Christians, now that you see how little weight or reason hitherto there appears in this charge of the world against us, let us be encouraged to hold fast, and hold on our holy course: let our practices be exact according to our principles, and let our principles alone to plead for themselves; God will plead for them against all the world. Let us not give occasion to evil men to charge us with looseness, and then we may give them leave to charge us with overmuch strictness.

 

 But, Oh, how much reason have we to blame ourselves on the one hand, whilst they injuriously blame us on the other! Too strict, too precise, too painful in the work of the LORD! Oh, how sadly deficient rather are we! How spare are our duties! How little is our care! We need not fear any excess, where we feel so many defects. Oh, how scanty are our services for our GOD! How barren are our fields! How thin do our good fruits spring up Sinners! charge us with our barrenness, and we will join with you in the charge; the LORD pardon us, it is but little that we have brought forth; our good fruits are but like the gleanings of the harvest, here and there an ear, or a poor handful; or like cc the shaking of an olive-tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the Outmost fruitful branches." (Isa. 17: 6.) Blessed be GOD for any thing; but woe to us that there is no more; it is but" here a little and there a little," here a line and there a. blank, that we have to show. O how many chasms and vacuities are there to be found in our course! How many empty hours, and empty days, have we lived, concerning which, if we should have asked, * " Soul, what account canst thou give of this day's work"-instead of giving in our bill, we must give in a blank, and write down nothing but Perdidi, perdidi, I have lost a day more! O brethren, let us take heed of giving in any more such blank accounts, lest from our Perdidi we should at last come to write down Perii: I am lost, I am undone; I have lost so much time, that now I have lost my soul!

 

 Beloved, whilst others bespatter our diligence, let us bewail our negligence; let us bewail it, and amend. If to be strict, and watchful, and fruitful, be to be vile and foolish, let us resolve with that holy King, We" will be more vile than this: " we will be more foolish than this, if this be folly. Whilst men charge us that our religion is fancy, we have no such way to vindicate it, and prove it a reality, as by being more religious, more strictly so, more fruitfully so. Our fruitfulness in good works will be the proof of our sincerity, and will silence the calumnies of our adversaries.

 

 But you will ask, "Is there so much in this doctrine of good works, and all necessary to salvation Who then can be saved May not a good will serve to make up the defect of good works We have heard that GOD accepts the will for the deed; and we hope, that though we have done little, yet this will be accepted, that we have a willing mind."

 

 Though this be a truth in many cases, that" a willing mind is accepted with GOD," where there is little done; yet because it has been by many persons much mistaken and abused, and this mistake has proved fatal to many a soul, being made use of to serve for an excuse of a lazy heart, and barren life; give me leave, before I proceed, to turn aside a little; and to show you in what sense the will may be accepted where the work is not done.

 

 There is a question put amongst the school-men, " Whether a will to sin, where the act follows not, contracts not as great a guilt in the sight of God, as both the will and the act" And * determines it thus;" The reason why the will to sin brings not forth the act may be two-fold; either because the will is not so fully and peremptorily resolved; or else, because though the will be fully resolved upon it, yet there is something which hinders the execution. Now, in the first case," says he," where the reason of not acting the sin is the incompleteness of the will, there the will without the act is not as great a sin as the will and act together; but if the will were so fully resolved, that it would have brought forth the act if it had not been hindered, there the guilt is as great, if the sin be not committed, as if it had been committed."

 

 There may be use made of this to the determining the present question. Where there is a will to perform a duty, and yet it is not done, if the reason of the failing be not from the incompleteness of the will, but from some unavoidable hindrance, there the will is accepted, as if the work had been done. When the will is so strongly set upon a duty, that it would have brought forth the performance, had it not been for some invincible hinderance, it shall not fail of acceptance: the reason is, because where the defect is not in the will, God has the heart; and where so ever God has the heart, there is certain acceptance with GOD. And so in all other the like cases, "If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what a man has, and not according to what he has not." (2 Cor. viii. 12.) He that gives according to what he has, he that does according to what he has, and does it heartily, shall be accepted. It may be that thy case may be such sometimes, that to will may be all thou hast towards a duty: as for instance, when thou hast a will to show mercy, to give an alms, if thou hast nothing to give, thy will is all thou hast. It is true, there may be mistakes, and we are too apt to make such mistakes, and to impute our failures in duty to want of ability, when they are from, want of will. How ordinarily do men thus excuse their grossest neglects, even when they yield themselves over to a universal, careless, and idle life, wherein there is not the least care or pains taken to please or follow GOD! You say," Why, I do what I can; I can do no more than I can; I would live a better life, but I cannot-;"-when yet the will *. more than * can, yet if you had a good will to it, you might do more than you do.

 

 But still the great question will be, How may I know (in case of failures in performance) whether my will be so fully set upon my duty, that there would be performance if it were not hindered, if it were not for want of power or opportunity I answer.

 

 First, There is no pleading want of ability to excuse a total neglect of Godliness. If the pretence be, want of ability to live a godly life in general;-" I am willing to live a godly life, but cannot;"-there it is certain the defect is in the will the SPIRIT of Sanctification is a SPIRIT of Power; and where the will is once renewed by that mighty SPIRIT, there is certainly such a power communicated, as will bring on the soul to follow GOD in a course of Godliness, whatever particular weaknesses and failings there may be.

 

 Beloved, you that say you would fain follow GOD, but cannot; you would fain live a godly life, but do nothing towards it; you would willingly leave off your worldly life, or your fleshly life, or your idle life, you would fain leave off your drinking, and gaming, and wantonness, and betake yourselves to praying, and repenting, and denying yourselves, and minding your souls, but you are not able; the meaning is this, you are not willing; you cannot find in your hearts to take up such a course; you have some wishes, and weak inclinations to Godliness, but no will to it. If there were a willing mind within, doubtless there would be some sign of it in your course without.

 

 Secondly, For particular duties, when we are willing to them, and yet fall short of performance; we may know, that the will would bring forth the acts, were it not for some great impediment, by such marks as the following:

 

 (l.) When the non-performance of duty brings forth sorrow and trouble of heart; when it is a grief of mind to us that we cannot do what we would. As to those who in case of failures are quiet, and well enough contented,-and much more as to those who are -lad of an excuse who when they are put upon difficult or displeasing duties, are glad they have so much to say for themselves, that they are not able, or have not opportunity; it is an argument, that little would have been done, had they had ever so great ability.

 

 (2.) When if we cannot do the duty, we do what we can towards it. A man that is poor, and cannot give an alms to his brethren in distress, yet he can pity them, pray for them, and make their case known to others that can relieve them. If lie do not what he can, if lie do not open his bowels to them, though he cannot open his hand, though lie had ever so much, his poor brother would be likely to be little the better. The poor widow cast her mite into the treasury, which was all she had: it was a sign that she had a large heart, though she gave so small a gift.

 

 If thou art but a babe in CHRIST, hast had but a little time, and hast yet but a little understanding, and a little strength; though thou canst not follow the LORD in such exactness, nor attain to such a fruitful life as grown and experienced Christians, yet, if whilst thou art but a child thou dost follow the LORD as a child, according to the measure of thine understanding and ability, and performest thy duties in a broken manner, but yet thou dost perform them; if thou art weak as a child, but yet art tractable as a child, and willing to be led where thou canst not go; if it be thus with thee, thou needest not be discouraged. He that whilst he is but a child follows GOD as a child, according to his measure,-it is a sign that, if he were a man, he would follow him as a man.

 

 Perhaps you labor under some sinful desire, or violent passion, which, it maybe, flows from your bodily constitution and notwithstanding you know it is your duty to mortify and crucify it, you find that you can hitherto do little to it. But if your will to be rid of it bring forth a continual watching and praying against it; if, though you cannot overcome it, yet you are still fighting against it; if, though it will live in you, yet you will not let it live in peace with you; and especially if your striving against it be not altogether without success, but brings forth actual restraint of it, as to those outward acts by which it would vent itself; (as if, though you cannot overcome passion, yet you can restrain your tongue from uttering it in angry words; or if, though you cannot overcome your inward pride, yet you do forbear those self-exalting words, and vain boastings, by which that lust is fomented;) you may be sure, that if you could have your will,. it should not be suffered to lodge one night more within you.

 

 Or, perhaps, you have a slothful heart, and are naturally, or by occasion of some bodily distemper, dull, and heavy, and inactive, and are still wishing for a more active lively spirit, but cannot hitherto attain it. Yet though your heart be heavy and sleepy, if you will not let it sleep in quiet, but are frequently jogging and awakening it, by the most quickening considerations; if you endeavor to serve the LORD with the best you have; if what you want in quickness and sprightliness you labor to make up in seriousness; if though you make on by a slow pace, yet you do go on; then know, that you have to do with a GOD who knows and considers your frame, and in this case also will accept you according to what you have, and not according to what you have not.

 

 (3.) If there be some duties which you are unable to do, yet are you faithful in others, which you can do If you have not an alms to give to one that is poor, yet do you give counsel to him, and therein show kindness to his soul If you cannot so well compose your thoughts to any fixed meditation, but are unavoidably perplexed with confusedness and distractions, but can pray, or can spend the more time in reading; do you do that

 

 If you cannot so profitably improve Christian society, do you do the more in private, in your immediate converse with GOD If you want courage or boldness to appear for GOD, in exhorting or reproving others, especially such as are above you, but yet have families wherein you can be bold; what do you do there, to your children, or to your servants Do you instruct, warn, and reprove them Though, as before, you cannot extend mercy to others, in their necessities, yet are you just, and righteous, and honest, and peaceable, in your dealings with and carriage towards all If you are just, and would be merciful, if you had wherewithal; if you are profitable in conversing with your families, and would be so to others, if you could get courage and boldness; if you are serious, and spiritual, and affectionate in secret, and have a will to be so in society; that is an argument that your will would bring forth performance there also, if it were not hindered.

 

 (4.) If at those times, when there are not such impediments, we then do what at another time we cannot: for that which cannot be done at some times, as in sickness, or in times of temptation, may be done at another time, when we are not under such disadvantages.

 

 Now, gather up all these together, and then the question will easily be determined. He that hath a will to walk in all the duties of godliness; he that does ordinarily walk in the practice of those holy duties which he hath power to do; he that does what he can towards those duties which he cannot fully reach to; he that mourns, and is grieved in his heart, under his failings;-this man may have ground to conclude that his spirit is sincerely willing, though his flesh be weak, and that this willing mind is accepted with GOD, as if it did really perform. But those that pretend to have a good will to godliness, yet in their general course are carnal and careless; those that do not what they can; that do not endeavor to do what they cannot; that do not mourn under their failings, but are contented and quiet, and satisfy themselves in this, that their will is good, and that GOD accepts their will for the deed;--such as these do but deceive themselves; they are not upright before God, nor accepted with him.

 

 5. The Doctrine of the Last Judgment, and the different Rewards which shall then be rendered, is no fancy, but a real Truth. I am dealing with Pharisees, not with Sadducees, and therefore shall not need to prove either the Resurrection or Judgment. My main business here will lie in the proof of the latter part," That the sincerely godly shall have in the Judgment a far different reward from all other men."

 

 That GOD hath appointed a day, in which he will judge the world in righteousness, I hope you are already satisfied. When all the men of this world shall have run their course; when the courtly gallants, the proud minions, and wanton mimics, shall have acted their glorious parts; when the contemned Christians shall have run their race; when the last scene shall be over, the stage cleared, the curtains drawn; when the beggars' rags, and the great men's robes, when the warriors' swords, and statesmen's gowns, shall be put off, and the oppressed shall stand upon even ground with their mightiest oppressors; when the Kings of the earth shall have laid down their crowns, and the Princes their sceptres; when the Judges of the earth shall have broken up their courts;-then shall the GOD of glory erect his tribunal, before which, all persons, from the least to the greatest, must appear, have all their ways and acting examined, and receive their doom." Then shall men return, and discern betwixt the righteous and the wicked; betwixt him that served the LORD, and him that served him not." 

 

 Then shall men say," Verily there is a reward for the righteous; doubtless He is a God that judges in the earth." Do you ask, What shall this reward of the righteous be, and what shall be the difference betwixt theirs, and the rewards of others Let the Scripture answer: "Who will render to every man according to his deeds: to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory, and honor, and immortality, eternal life: but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that does evil." *, These words refer to the last Judgment, as appears by the former part of them," Who will render." In the following part, we have the dividing the sheep from the goats, and their distinct rewards appointed to them.

 

 First, We have a description of the sheep, and what their reward shall be; and, according to their description, these sheep must be the very same with Precisians, or circumspect Christians. 1. They are such as" seek for glory, honor, and immortality;" that is, they seek for a portion of glory and immortality in the world to come; they leave the kingdoms of this world to be shared among the men of this world, "and seek for that kingdom which cannot be shaken." 2. They are well doers; good men, and holy men, men of a good and holy life. 3. They" continue in well doing;" they are not good for a fit, but it is the way of their life. 4. They patiently continue. Patience is either, (1.) Of labor: they do not complain, nor are weary of their work: Or, (2.) Of sufferings: they can bear as well as do: Or, (3.) Of delay: they are content to stay for their reward until hereafter; let others take their portions and rewards here, they are content to stay for theirs.

 

 This is the description of the sheep: And of all the men in the world, who should these sheep be Can they be any other than those godly men who have been before represented to you Well, but what is the reward which the LORD will render to these It is eternal life, eternal glory and blessedness. This is true, sinners, this is no deceit; it is a certain truth, and such a truth as you yourselves must believe, before ever you can come to GOD: "He that comes to GOD must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Heb. 11: 6.) Mark it, of them that diligently seek him. They are the same men, you see, who are spoken of here, and in the former Scripture. Of these God is the rewarder; that is, with a special and glorious reward.

 

 Sinners, you will not be persuaded now but these people are foolish, a self-deluding people, and that the heaven, the joy, the glory, and the blessedness, with the hope of which they feed themselves, are only in their own fancies. But yet, if ever you come to any thing, if ever you be brought home to God, this is that which you must believe,'-'that He is a rewarder, "and a glorious rewarder," of them that diligently seek him." Thus we have the description of the sheep, and of their reward, and the certainty thereof.

 

 Next, we have the description of the goats, and their reward. Of them there is a general description; they are the men that do evil: and this three-fold:-First, They are contentious. Secondly, They obey not the truth. Thirdly, They obey unrighteousness. These, for method's sake, I shall reduce to two heads, They are described, 1. By their contention. 2. By their conquest. 1. By their contention. There is a two-fold contention 1. Of man with man. 2.. Of man with God.

 

 This latter is expressed in Scripture by"gain-saying;" (Morn. x;) by "resisting;" (Acts 8: 51;)"Ye stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart, ye do always resist the HOLY GHOST; "and by "kicking." (Deut.xxxii. 15.) This kicking implies, (1.) Opposition against GOD: (2.) Opposition joined with scorn and contempt,-putting a slight upon GOD, and all his counsels and ways. Now this latter is the contention meant in the text, contention against Gon; they will not hearken to his voice, nor be obedient to his truth. The Loan commands, and calls them to accept of his grace, and to be obedient to his law; but they reject God, kick against his word,'and refuse to hearken to him.

 

2. By their conquest or victory in this contest. After all the strivings of God with them, they still stand it out, and overcome;" they obey not the truth," but persist to obey unrighteousness." Here, (1.) By "the truth," we are to understand"the whcie word of God," both the word of righteousness, the Law; and the word of faith, the Gospel: by "obeying the truth," we are to understand submitting to the government of the Law, and accepting the grace of the Gospel. (2.) By "unrighteousness," we are to understand all those corrupt principles, according to which the lusts of men govern them.

 

 To reckon all these corrupt principles, would be as great a task as to reckon up all the doctrines of truth, and the righteous commands of GOD; to each of which holy doctrines and commands there are, in this law of sin, principles directly contrary. However, to help sinners to understand themselves, I shall mention some of the chief of them, in number ten; which, if you will, you may call, The Devil's Ten Commandments.

 

 I. Live to thyself Mind thine own things. This is the first and great commandment, on which all the rest hang, and to which they serve, and is the same as, Be thine own god.

 

 II. Let thy will be thy law. Thou art thine own; thy tongue is thine own; thy time is thine own; thy estate is thine own; mayest thou not do what thou wilt with thine own

 

 III. lllake the best of the time present, and of present things. Lose not a certainty for uncertainties; who knows what may be hereafter "Eat and drink, for tomorrow thou diest." Be merry while thou mayest; spend while thou hast it; make hay while the sun shines.

 

 IV. Stand fast in the liberties of thy fesh. Come not into bondage. Be not a slave to a strict life, when thou mayest use thine own liberty.

 

 V. Continue in sin because grace hath abounded. CHRIST died for sinners; GOD is merciful; why shouldest thou then fear to take thy course)

 

 VI. Do as others do. Go along with the multitude; fashion thyself to the times; be not singular; why shouldest thou think thyself wiser than others

 

 VII. Do no more religion than is necessary: be not overmuch. Be not over forward; a-little faith, righteous, a little repentance, will serve thy turfs.

 

 VIII. Do not trouble thyself about small ofences. Thoughts are free; words are but things of course. What man is there that lives and sins not Why shouldest thou make such ado about thy sins Are they not little ones

 

 IX. Be not over hasty. If thou must repent, it is time enough yet; torment not thyself before thy time: when thou art old, thou wilt have little else to do: be not old whilst thou art young.

 

 X. Trust GOD with thy soul, rather than mart with thy hotly. That is, choose iniquity rather than affliction. Venture no farther in matters of religion than thou mayest with safety.

 

 These are some of those corrupt principles to which all others may be reduced; and living under the power of any of these, or any others of the like nature, is obeying unrighteousness. As the Apostle says,"He that breaks one of the commandments of GOD, is guilty of all;" so he that lives under the power of any one of the commandments of the Devil, is as sure a slave to the Devil, as if lie were guilty of all. He whose foot is entangled in one cord of the net, is as fast as he who has the whole net spread over him. If a bird be held but by a leg or a wind, it is as sure as if the whole body were in the net. Here you have the description of the goats; those who are contentious, resisting the Loan and the word of his grace, and who, after all the strivings of the Loan with them, overcome, and, persist in disobeying the truth, and obeying unrighteousness, or living under the dominion of those corrupt principles. Let me here demand of you these three things.

 

 First, Are not these principles, which I have mentioned, every one of them evidently principles of unrighteousness And may they not as well be called the Devil's Commandments, as the Devil be called a Devil

 

 Secondly, Are not all those who live under the power of these principles, the very men meant in the text, by those who obey unrighteousness May they not as well be called the Devil's Servants, as those wicked laws, the Devil's Commandments

 

 Thirdly, Are not all persons who are not precisely godly, evidently held under some of these corrupt principles Is it not this which you in reproach charge upon the Saints, that they will not live under these, or some of these rules; that they will not take their liberty; that they will not do as others, but must be singular, forsooth, as if they were wiser than their neighbors; and that they stand upon every trifle and small matter

 

 Some of these Anti-Precisians, if they be laid to these black lines, touch them in every point throughout; you may well style them, Hell's thorough Conformists, or the Devil's best Subjects.

 

 Sinners, the whole generation of you that are of such a spirit, even every one of you that have a word to speak against the preciseness of godly men, come and look into this glass, which is set before you. Do you know your own faces when you see them Are not these principles the very pictures of you If you say they are not, it is because you do not know your own faces. But if you be, even all of you, these very men, then look a little further, and you may see your reward in the judgment: " To them that obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that does evil."

 

 Perhaps you say, This is but your opinion, and you may be mistaken; we hope to fare as well as you, the best of you, notwithstanding all your great words. But our opinion Is it never your opinion too Do you never doubt Are you never afraid that this may be, that this will be, your portion Did your own consciences never preach to you the same things But whether they did or no, this is as true, that indignation and wrath will be the portion of every soul of you thus living and thus dying, as that God is righteous. The righteousness of GOD is engaged to render to every man according to his works; and so a to them that obey not the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath."

 

 And have you not yet done with talking of our fancies and conceits Is it but a conceit, that there shall be a judgment Or is this a conceit, that it shall then fare better with the sheep than with the goats Or that those are CHRIST'S sheep, who hear his voice, and follow his steps Is this a conceit, that it shall fare better with the friends of CHRIST than with his enemies Or that those are the friends of CHRIST, who are the friends of holiness Is this a conceit, that it shall fare better with the servants of CHRIST than with strangers Or are those the best servants who waste their talents, or bind them up in a napkin Will CHRIST say in that day, "Away, thou faithful servant; away from me, ye workers of righteousness you have loved me too much; you have pleased me too well; you have followed me too closely; you have given yourselves to too much praying, too much praising, too much fasting; you have been too conscientious, too tender, too watchful, too holy; you would not be merry, and idle, and vain; you would not go along with your neighbors to their sporting, to their revellings, to their pleasures, but must needs deny yourselves, and take up your cross and follow me; you could not be content with an earthly happiness, but you must have glory, and honor, and immortality: away from me, ye workers of righteousness; you that have followed me in the regeneration, get ye gone, get you down to everlasting destruction: "-will this be the voice of the Judge at that day Will lie call to sinners," Come, ye wantons; come, ye wine-bibbers; come, ye swearers, liars, scoffers, whore-masters; come, ye blessed crew, inherit the kingdom," All this must be so, if Godliness be but a fancy; and do you not yet see, what men of reason you are, what men of judgment you are, and how much truth or weight there is in your charge against the Saints O Christians, you see, I hope, sufficiently, how little ground you have to take the least notice of, or discouragement from, these confident adversaries, who, in proclaiming you enthusiasts, must proclaim themselves either infidels or idiots Thus I have showed, that the Principles of Godliness are not enthusiastical.

 

 1. The Duties and Comforts of Godliness are no fancies. I shall instance in such duties, and those parts of duties, which are most obnoxious to this censure;-the most spiritual duties, the most spiritual parts of duties, which being most out of sight, and above the reach of the world, are most of all thus censured by them. I shall mention only two, which indeed are comprehensive of all; Worshipping GOD in the SPIRIT, and Walking in the SPIRIT.

 

 First, Worshipping GOD in the SPIRIT. If this be a fancy, the Apostle PAUL, With the Christians his contemporaries, were the great enthusiasts of their time, who says thus of himself and them," We are the circumcision, who worship GOD in the SPIRIT." (Phil. 3: 3.)"We are the circumcision: " that is, we are the people of GOD; we are they who are circumcised with the circumcision which is without hands; the circumcised in heart; which is all one, as if he had said, We are Christians, "who worship GOD in the SPIRIT." Worshipping GOD in the SPIRIT notes, 1. The worship of the soul, or heart-worship. 2. The worshipping GOD through his SPIRIT, or in the HOLY GHOST.

 

 1. The worship of the soul, or inward worship; and that, (1.) As it stands in opposition to mere bodily worship I say not, as it is opposed to bodily worship, but to mere bodily worship: (2.) As it stands in opposition to the antiquated Jewish worship, which was more external, pompous, and ceremonious." 

 

 We worship GOD in the Spirit;" that is, we worship GOD in the heart, and in the simplicity and plainness of Gospel-worship. Heart-worship is the true worship; the worship of the soul is the soul of worship. The body without the soul is dead; and bodily worship without spiritual is dead worship" God is a Spirit; and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth." (John 4: 24.)

 

 The latter word, "truth," is exegetical of the former, "Spirit;" signifying, that worshipping inspirit is worship_ ping in truth; this is true worship, worship indeed. The worship of the body, the uncovering of the head, the bowing the knee, the lifting up of the hands or voice, these are but the outside and carcass of worship, and so far only capable of being accounted worship, as they are helpful to, and expressive of, the devotions of the soul. As bowing of the knee signifies the bowing of the heart, as the uncovering of the head either expresses or helps towards the inward reverence of the soul, so far are they worship, and no farther, and even then but improperly so called but as they stand single and separated from the inward worship, they are no worship, no more than a carcass is a man. There is no such enthusiast as the formalist; who, whilst with those heathens, lie thinks to" be heard for" his "much speaking," (113utt. vi 7,) does but play the hypocrite and liar. Look what the courtier's compliments are, such are the formalist's devotions, smooth words, tongue-courtesies, flattering salutes, fawning cringes;" Your servant, sir; command me what you please; I am ready to serve you." Here is a great show of respect and kindness, but what is there in it What wise man will regard it And what more is there in the formalist's devotions What is it but mere complimenting with the holy God

 

 Very devout, and lowly, as to all appearance; and a great noise it is, which such devotion makes; but what is there in it What awe and soul-reverence of Gon; what heart striving and wrestling with GOD; what lifting up of the soul to GOD is there in all this Is there no such thing as heart-striving, and soul-reverence, required in the worship of GOD; or are these but shadows of worship, and is the soul of it only in the lips or knees Does he whose soul is poured out in prayer, whose spirit strives with the LORD, cloth he but pray in conceit, and worship GOD in conceit And those whose eyes, and tongues, and hands only pray, have they gotten the substance; or are these the true worshippers Beloved, be not deceived, GOD sees not as man sees: He sees what is within man; he sees what is within our duties; shows or sounds cannot blind his eye, or please his ear.

 

 " Be ye filled with the SPIRIT; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the LORD. (Ephes. 5: 18, 19.) Believe it, Christians, heart-music is the best church-music; heart-praying, and heart-singing, make the best melody in the ears of the LORD of Sabbath. My intent is not to decry all external worship, as useless or unacceptable: we must glorify God" in our bodies, as well as in our spirits: " our lips must bear their parts in our prayers and praises: But I would not that you should take the body of worship to be the soul, and the soul to be nothing. Think not that the outward part is the worship, and that the inward is but a cone.-It. Brethren, the living God will have living services; the GOD of our spirits will have the service of our spirits; the worshipping GOD in spirit, this is the true worship. GOD will not be deceived; and take heed that you be not cheated with shows. When all the men of the world, with their wits, parts, and interests, have commended, garnished, and magnified the carcass of religion, and decried and disgraced its soul and life, yet this shall stand as an irrefragable truth, They" are the circumcision, who worship GOD in the Spirit, and rejoice in CHRIsT Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh."

 

 2. Worshipping GOD through the SPIRIT, through the assistance of the SPIRIT of GOD. We may instance in prayer: " Praying in the HOLY GHOST: " (Jude 2O:)"The

 

SPIRIT itself helps our infirmities." (Roan. viii. 26.)

 

 The SPIRIT of GOD affords a threefold help in prayer. (1.) He indites our requests; or suggests matter of prayer to us, who, as the Apostle tells us," know not what to pray for as we ought." Men's lusts do often make their prayers, and then no wonder they ask amiss: when they should be seeking the death of their lusts, they ask meat for their lusts. We often, not knowing what to ask, ask we know not what; we ask a stone, a serpent, a scorpion sometimes, when we think we ask bread. If GOD should always give

 

his people their prayers, their prayers would undo them.

 

 When we are poor, we ask riches; and it may be, if GOD should give us them, our riches might undo us: sometimes we ask ease, or credit, or liberty, and if we had what we ask, it might be our ruin. The SPIRIT of GOD knows what is fit for us, and accordingly guides our prayers. He helps us to understand our sins, and so teaches us what confession to make: carnal men will confess sins, but any sins rather than their own. Ile helps us to understand our wants, and so teaches us what to ask. He helps us to understand our mercies, and so teaches us what to give thanks for. Carnal men often come before the LORD with mock praises, and give thanks for their justification, sanctification, and hope of glory, when, it may be, the power of sin, and the wrath of GOD, abide upon them, and they remain" without CHRIST, without hope, without GOD in the world."

 

 (2.) He excites, and quickens, and enlarges our hearts in prayer. The SPIRIT of GOD comes in, influences the heart, and draws forth the soul; and this is the import of the following words, "The SPIRIT itself makes intercession for us, with groanings which cannot be uttered;" that is, he sets us on groaning and sighing after the LORD. Groaning denotes the strength and ardency of desire, which, through the fervency of it, puts the soul to pain, and a holy impatience, till it be heard; in which sense it is used in Rom. viii. 23,-" For we ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the SPIRIT, groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." It works such "groanings which cannot be uttered;" it sometimes makes the hearts of Christians too big for their mouths, and their desires larger than their expressions; however much warmth, and life, and strength of affection, appear without, there is more within. O, how flat and dead are our hearts oftentimes! How much are we straitened in our prayers! We stand as men struck dumb, when we come before the LORD; or if there be words in our mouths, there is scarce any word in our hearts; sometimes we cannot speak, or if we can speak, we cannot groan: the SPIRIT does either put words in our mouths, or else supply the want of our words, by kindling and enlarging inward desires; helping us to groan out a prayer, when we cannot speak it out; and silent groans will sound in the ears of the LORD, when the loudest cries may not be heard.

 

 (3.) He encourages and emboldens the heart in prayer, enables us to call GOD, Father, to pray to him, to cry to him, and to be confident of audience and acceptance with him, upon this ground; u GOD hath sent forth the SPIRIT of his Sox into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Gal. 4: 6.) And hereby he furnishes us with a mighty argument to plead with GOD;" Father, hear me; Father, forgive me; Father, pity me; Father, help me: Am not 1: thy child, thy son, or thy daughter To whom may a child be bold to go With whom may a child have hope to speed, if not with his father Father, hear me. The fathers of our flesh are full of bowels, full of pity to their children, and know how to give good things to them when they ask them. When they ask bread, will they deny them When they ask clothes, or any thing they want, will they deny them And is not the Father of Spirits more full of bowels, more full of bounty, than the fathers of our flesh Father, hear me."

 

 This is praying in the SPIRIT; and if this be a fancy with you, I must tell you, sinners, that it is such a fancy, as experienced Christians, who have most proved it, would not lose for all your substance. But will you stand to it Is this praying indeed a mere fancy Then bring your Index expurgatorius, and expunge these texts out of the Scriptures; or else, if you let them stand, and look over them again, you will next say," Their Bible is as enthusiastical as themselves."

 

 But let me add one word, to convince you from your own judgment, (if you understand what you do,) that praying in the SPIRIT is no fancy; and this, by putting this one question to you. Dare any of you all, when you go to God in prayer, deliberately refuse to beg the assistance of his SPIRIT Whether you use a form, or pray without a form, that is not so material: the assistance of the SPIRIT is needed as well by those that use a form, as by those who pray without it: Now dare you, I say, when you go to pray deliberately, refuse to beg the assistance of the SPIRIT Dare you say," LORD, I need not, nor desire, any such assistance: I will not ask it of thee, that thy SPIRE' may be given me to help mine infirmities!" If you beg the assistance of the SPIRIT, you hope to have it; and if you have it, there is that praying in the SPIRIT, which you cry down for a fancy: judge now, whether you do not condemn the things which yourselves allow, and in your judgment and practice justify the reality of that duty, which with your mouths you decry as enthusiastical. Will you also be his disciples Will you also be enthusiasts

 

 But, Secondly, Walking in the SPIRIT is no fancy." If we live in the SPIRIT, let us also walk in the SPIRIT." (Gal. 5: 25.) In the prosecution of this I shall show, 1. What is meant here by the Spirit. 2. What by walking in the SPIRIT. S. That this is no fancy.

 

 1. What is meant here by the SPIRIT. That being something that is opposed to the flesh, or corruption, as appears from ver. 16, 17, must of necessity be one of these two things, possibly both, either the HOLY GHOST, and the influence, assistance, and operations of that HOLY SPIRIT; or else that new nature which is begotten in us by the SPIRIT,-the grace of the SPIRIT infused into our hearts, and abiding in us. Which so ever of the two we understand it of, the difference will not be considerable.

 

 2. What is meant by walking in the SPIRIT. Some there are, who, by SPIRIT, understand the doctrine of Christianity; and accordingly would have this walking in the SPIRIT to be nothing else but the embracing of the Christian Religion. But if this be so, then what is to be understood by flesh, which in ver. 17, is said to be contrary to this 1, PI It I T Why, by flesh, they will tell us, we are to understand Judaism. But then let me ask, (l.) What is meant by the lusting of this flesh, which was now dead, against the SPIRIT Is that the meaning of it,-Judaism lusteth against Christianity (2.) How can this dead flesh have such a numerous offspring, as is mentioned in ver. 19," The works of the flesh are manifest, which are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatries, witchcraft, hatred, variance." Must all these brats be laid at the door of the synagogue Are these the brood of that ceremonious law of carnal commandments; or are they not manifestly the fruits of that corrupt law of carnal concupiscence I know not with what shadow of reason we can understand by the flesh any thing else but lust or concupiscence; and then by the SPIRIT we must understand grace, or the SPIRIT of grace, which bid defiance, and are contrary to it.

 

 Let us consider further, what is meant by that expression of being" led by the SPIRIT." (ROM. viii. 14.) Why, possibly the same men will tell us, that there is no more in this than in the former; and, that it imports no more than the SPIRIT'S leading us into all truth, the truth of the Gospel. If this be granted to be all, yet here we have gotten something, viz. That the SPIRIT of God is acknowledged to be our leader. But let us consider one Scripture more" I will put my SPIRIT within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes." (.Ez.'k. xxxvi. 27.) What are those statutes of Goat, but the whole will and word of GOD One or two of them I shall mention: a If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me: Work out your salvation with fear and trembling Quench not the SPIRIT-. Abstain from all appearance of evil: See that ye walk circumspectly." Are not these, and many more such, found in this great Statute-Book What is it to walk in these statutes, other than to live in the sincere obedience of the whole will of GOD Now, says the LORD, I will give them my SPIRIT, and he shall cause them, or help them, to walk in my statutes, or to live a holy life. Let these things be considered.

 

 Oh and see if they will not help us to a better interpretation, of those words," Walk in the SPIRIT." To walk in the SPIRIT, signifies, (1.) To live under the conduct of the SPIRIT. (2.) To live in the power of the SPIRIT. (3.) To live a spiritual life. (1.) To live under the conduct and guidance of the SPIRIT. "As many as are led by the SPIRIT of GOD, they are the sons of GOD." (Row. viii. 14.) There is a double guide, whereby the LORD leads his people; the guide of his Word;" Thou shalt guide me by thy counsel;" (Psal. lxxiii. 24;) and the guide of his SPIRIT; "He shall lead you into all truth." (John 16: 13.) There are two things which the SPIRIT does in leading on his people. First, He enlightens their eyes, and opens their understandings, that they may understand the Scriptures, which point out to us our way: " Then opened he their understandings, that they might understand the Scriptures." (Luke 24: 45.) Secondly, He takes them by the hand, as it were, and leads them: " He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." (Isa. xl. 11.)

 

 (2.) To live in the power of the SPIRIT, or of that inherent and assisting grace which we receive from him; to be carried on in a holy course, and all the duties of it, both from the intrinsical power of the life of GOD begotten in us, and by the concurrent influences and assistance of the HOLY GHOST, whom GOD hath given us, to help our infirmities. As in the duty of prayer, so in all other Christian duties; "Without, me," (says CHRIST,) that is, without the assistance of My SPIRIT, 'lye can do nothing." (John 15: 5.) Therefore the Psalmist resolves," I will go in the strength of the LORD, and by thee I will make mention of thy name." (Ps. lxxi. 16.) What the Apostle speaks of himself as a Minister, is applicable- to Christians: " I labored more abundantly than they all; yet not I, but the grace of GOD, which was with me. (1 Cor. 15: 1O.)

 

 Thus, to walk in the SPIRIT, is to follow those directions and intimations of the will of GOD, which he gives us out of the Word; and those impulses of the SPIRIT upon our hearts, whereby, as by a gale of wind filling our sails, he moves and helps us on. When you find any clear light breaking in from the Word upon your consciences, and thereupon some stirrings upon your hearts, either by way of check, restraining and calling you back from any irregular or disorderly walking, or quickening and encouraging you on in a way of duty, this you may safely take to be from the SPIRIT; and when you entertain this light, obey these checks, and follow these holy impulses, this is your walking in the Spirit.

 

 (3.) To live a spiritual life. Those in whom the SPIRIT has begotten another heart, lie leads on in another life. He that is born of the SPIRIT is a spiritual man, and those that are led by the SPIRIT walk on in a spiritual course; that is, they live a more noble life than the rest of the world. Men who are governed by that evil Spirit who is in the world, live an evil life; worldly-spirited men live a worldly life; sensual men live a sensual life." Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air, the Spirit that now works in the children of disobedience: among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, in the lusts of our flesh, Fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind." (Eph. 2: 2, 3.) Whilst we were in the common state, we took the common road; whilst we were in the flesh, fleshly men, we lived a fleshly life. To serve our bellies, to serve our appetites, to serve our pride, our covetousness, and other lusts, this was our life. And this life was suitable to that spirit which was within them, and to that evil Spirit, the Prince of this world, without them,*, saints having a new heart within, and a new leader without lead a new life: as the flesh and the Devil carry evil men on in a course suitable to their leaders, so the SPIRIT and grace of God carry on the saints in a course suitable to theirs, a holy, spiritual, and heavenly life. So that this is to walk in the SPIRIT, to live holily and spiritually; this is that life which is called, "the life of GOD," (Eph. 4: 19,)" the conversation in heaven." And a spiritual and heavenly life this may be called, upon a three-fold account. -Their dealings are about spiritual and heavenly things Their delights are spiritual and heavenly: And by these spiritual dealings and delights, themselves become daily more spiritual.

 

 Their dealings are about spiritual and heavenly things. God, and heaven, and everlasting glory, and those spiritual exercises, whereby GOD is served, and glory obtained, these are the matters about which this life is spent. They live with God; they hold daily intelligence with heaven; they are much employed in contemplating, and admiring, and adoring the infinite beauty and incomprehensible perfections of God, and his unspeakable love, and grace, and goodness towards them. They are searching into the mysteries of CHRIST, and studying the riches of the glory of the mystery of the Gospel: they live amongst angels; their hearts and their eyes are daily in that "general assembly and church of the first-born." When they sleep, they lay them down under the wings of their LORD; and no sooner are they awake, than they get them up to the top of Pisgah, to take a view of the promised land.

 

 When I awake, I am ever with thee," says the Psalmist. When the covetous man awakes, he is with his god; when the epicure awakes, lie is with his god; when the adulterer awakes, he is with his goddess. Christians are presently above the clouds, above the stars, falling down before the throne of the Almighty: their work's to seek, and serve, and praise, and please the LORD; to carry themselves so, that they may be accepted of God; to be washing their robes, and making them white in the blood of the LAMB; to be minding their souls, consciences, affections, and thoughts, that these may all, in their several capacities, exalt and enjoy the LORD. Their trading is for the pearl, whilst the merchants of the earth are trading for gold, and silver, and spices. Whilst the muckworms of the world are dealing in corn, and sheep, and oxen, and asses; whilst the wantons of the earth are dealing about fashions, and feasts, and sports, trading in toys, feathers, "apes, and peacocks;" Christians are trading in promises and prayer, in faith and repentance, in patience and humility, in mercy and charity, that by these they may make their" calling and election sure, and so an entrance may be administered unto them abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST." These are the businesses of Christian lives; their dealings are about spiritual things.

 

 Their delights, also, are in spiritual things. The LORD is the delight of their hearts." Delight thyself in GOD," says the Psalmist. And what he bids others do, he does himself: "I have set the LORD always before me; therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth." The thoughts of GOD are dear and precious to them; the word and law of God is their delight: " His delight is in the law of his God." The courts of the LORD, his ordinances, worship, and Sabbaths, are their delight: "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O LORD of hosts." His work is their delight: " I delight to do thy will." Their hardest work is fasting, and watching, and wrestling, fighting against sin and temptations, crucifying and mortifying their own flesh, denying themselves, and mourning for sin; yet there is much sweetness in these; yea, in their very travails, and tears, and sorrowings: " As sorrowing," says the Apostle, "yet always rejoicing;'' in the midst of sorrow the heart is joyful; the heart of a saint is never in so sweet a frame as when it is melted into godly sorrow. But especially, CHRIST is their delight: he is the *." I sat down under his shadow with great delight." (Cant. 2: 3.) Carnal men are ready to say to them, as the daughters of Jerusalem to the Spouse, " What is thy beloved more than another beloved" (Cant, 5: 9.) What beauty is there in Him, that thou shouldest thus desire him, or take such pleasure in him They see no beauty in him; he has no form or comeliness in their eye, and therefore they think there is none. O sinners, you do not know CHRIST; you have had no acquaintance with him; you have not tasted of the fruits of this tree, of the clusters of this vine." I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste." Saints have tasted of the sweetness of CHRIST; they have tasted that the LORD is gracious, and therefore can take great delight in him. The delight which they take in CHRIST, is that which puts such a delight into every ordinance, into every duty; therefore praying and reading are so pleasant to them, because there they meet with their Beloved. CHRIST appears to them in his word; CHRIST meets his Saints in their prayings and fastings; and this makes all sweet to their souls. Carnal men think the life of Saints to be a heavy, sad, ant troublesome life: they count, that themselves have the merry and pleasant lives; that their hounds, their cards and dice, their drinking and dancing, their stews and plays, are the only heaven. This is all one as to say, that God hath put more sweetness into creatures, than is in himself; that the basest and vilest use of the creatures does yield more true content than the soul's exercising itself on GOD; as if the thorn should yield more sweetness, and the bramble more fatness, than the fig-tree or olive. Where are the understandings of these men 'I tell you, sinners, when you have gone from flower to flower, from creature to creature, from pleasure to pleasure, and sucked out all the fatness and sweetness which these will yield, a poor Christian will get more real pleasure out of one chapter of his Bible, out of an honest sermon, out of one hour's converse with GOD in prayer, than your whole life will bring you in. The Gospel, with its breasts of consolation, yield him sweeter milk, and those clusters of Canaan, on which lie lives, yield him richer wine, than the whole world will afford to you.

 

 The gleanings of a Christian's joy are better than the vintage of sinners; and you cannot so much slight the glory of their sun, as they despise the glory of your sparks. Again, by these spiritual exercises and delights, they become more and more spiritual themselves. By beholding the face of GOD, they are changed from glory to glory, into his image and likeness: by living so much in heaven, the temper and frame of their hearts become heavenly. Men's ordinary company and exercises have such an influence upon them, that they change their dispositions. Carnal men, by being continually conversant about their earthly affairs, have nothing but earthliness left upon their spirits; their thoughts, their affections, their souls, are become earthly; their duties are earthly, their prayers, their praises, their hearings, all are earthly: when they go to church, and when they go to their closets, they must carry their earth along with them, or leave their hearts behind them. On the other side, Christians, by having their dwellings with God, their delights, their recreations, their daily business with GOD, have the SPIRIT of glory and of GOD resting upon them.

 

 And thus you see what it is to "walk in the SPIRIT." Look how far a Christian lives in the SPIRIT, so far does lie live such a life as this.

 

 3. This is no fancy; and if I fail not here, if I prove this,, I hope,, sinners, you will then see reason enough to take the enthusiast upon yourselves. Christians, (you that hear me this day,) will you help me in this proof; this once help me, and the cause will go clearly on the LORD's side; come, and be living instances of this truth. Will you live according to your principle, -that life of God which is within you Will you live according to your rule that word of life which is before you Will you follow your leader, that HOLY SPIRIT which is given to conduct you Will you apply more closely to the practice of that Godliness which you profess; will you live in the obedience of that SPIRIT which you have received; will you show yourselves *, of its patience, of', righteousness, and holiness Will you be dealing less about these earthly vanities, and be less earthly in your dealings Shall your dealings be wholly about heaven, and heavenly things, and will you make these your dealings, and your delights Will you labor, by being more conversant about spiritual things, and in spiritual exercises, to become more spiritual, more spiritually-minded, mere spiritually-tempered Will you get more clear from the love, and lusts, and fashions, and ways, and joys of this world Will you suffer the eternal SPIRIT to fill you with his love, and fashion you into his likeness Will you * ore resisting, grieving, slighting, or quenching his holy motions; will you hearken to his counsels, and answer his impulses Will you grow on to be more Christians daily, more saints daily, saints in heart, saints in tongue, saints in tile general frame of your course Will you make your graces more visible, your comforts more visible, your spiritual joys and delights more visible Will you let your light so shine before men, that they must either put out their own eyes, or else be forced to acknowledge that GOD is in you of a truth

 

 Brethren, we may much thank ourselves for all the slanders of our adversaries; we have furnished them with accusations; by our walking so much in the flesh, and so little in the Sri air, we have taught them to question whether there be any such thing as.' walking in the SPIRIT." The Loin pardon us, the LORD make us sensible of it, that we have brought upon evil report upon our GOD, upon his S P I R IT, Gospel, and ways; and, for ought we know, have undone many poor wretches, by hardening them in their misconceptions of religion! There hath been so -much dross in our gold, so much ashes upon our fire, so much earth upon our spirits; our light hath been so dim. our graces have been so low, our good works have been so spare and so thin; that we have made them bold to say, that we are not what we are, but are a mere lie and deceit; and we have now no such way to vindicate ourselves and our * and his Gospel, as by blowing up the coals, shaking off our ashes, stirring up the graces of GOD within us, and letting them have their perfect work in us. Will you hearken to me in this Then I shall be bold to bring you forth as witnesses for GOD and his truth. However, though upon your account it would be the more comfortable; yet if you should fail me, I have sufficient proof at hand. For, if this walking in the SPIRIT be a fancy, then these damnable absurdities will unavoidably follow: (1.) That the SPIRIT of the LORD is unfaithful in his office. (2.) That GOD himself is false in his promise. (3.) That the Devil does more to the damning of souls, than the SPIRIT of GOD to the saving of them. (4.) That God hath no people, no peculiar people, in the world.

 

 (1.) If walking in the SPIRIT be a fancy, the SPIRIT is unfaithful in his office. That the SPIRIT of GOD is given to the people of GOD, to every one of them, is so plainly asserted, that he must deny the Scriptures who does not grant it: "Ye are not in the flesh, but in the SPIRIT, if so be that the SPIRIT of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the SPIRIT of CHRIST, lie is none of his." (Rom. viii. 9.) That there are certain operations of the SPIRIT, which he is by office to perform, is also certain; as, 1. To enlighten: therefore lie is called the" SPIRIT of wisdom and revelation." (Ephes. 1: 17, 18.) 2. To sanctify: therefore sanctification is called, "the sanctification of the SPIRIT_" (2 Thess. 2: 13.) 3. To lead: d' He shall lead you into all truth." (John 16: 13.) 4. To assist and help: "The SPIRIT also helpeth our infirmities: " (Rom. viii. 26:)"I will put my SPIRIT within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes." (Ezek. xxxvi. 27.) 5. To comfort: therefore is he called," The Comforter." Now, if the SPIRIT of the * this office, then there are persons who are enlightened, sanctified, led, assisted, comforted by him. If there be none such; if the comfort of Christians be but pretended; if their light, .their help, their quickenings, their encouragements, be all fancies, if they be but led in conceit, quickened in conceit,*,* comforted in conceit, then where is the SPIRIT's faithful. ness See what blasphemies men run themselves upon before they are aware! Sinners, take heed what you do! you are bold to reproach the Saints With the SPIRIT, but take heed meanwhile of reproaching the SPIRIT with unfaithfullness. Blasphemy against the SPIRIT is no small sin: though every blasphemy of the SPIRIT be not that unpardonable sin, yet it is a fair step to it: look to yourselves!

 

 (2.) If "walking in the SPIRIT be a fancy, then GOD himself is false to his promise, "I put my SPIRIT within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes." (Eaek. xxxvi. 27.) If there be no such thing done, then where is the promise of GOD He that makes "walking in the SPIRIT" to be nothing but talk, makes the promise of GOD to be nothing but words.

 

 (3.) If walking in the SPIRIT be but a fancy, then the Devil does more to the destroying of souls, than the SPIRIT of the LORD does to the salvation of souls. Let us, consider again that scripture, "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the Prince of the power of the air, the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." (Ephes. 2: 2.) There are two things there observable to our purpose; 1. Sinners are led by the Devil. 2. They are assisted and excited by the Devil.-1. They are led by the Devil. They walk on ~' according to the Prince of the power of the air," according to his guidance, according to his mind and will; he hath them at his beck. When he says, "go," they go; and when he says," come," they come; and when lie says," do this," they do it. But how comes this to pass, that the Devil can hold such a hand over them, and can lead them thus at pleasure Why, 2. They are assisted and excited by the Devil; that evil Spirit works in them, suggests evil thoughts to them, and thereby excites, and provokes, and sets them to work. The Devil is said to have filled the hearts of AN ANANIAS and SAPPHIRA" to lie to the HOLY GHOST;" (Acts 5: 3;) and when he had once put a lie into their hearts, their hearts presently put a lie into their mouths. When the Devil hath wrought wickedness in the hearts of sinners, then they presently fall to working it out. When wicked men lie, it is the Devil that lies in them; when they curse and rage, and swell with madness, the Devil rages in them; when the lusts of men bring forth adulteries, riot, revellings, the Devil lies within, blowing up the coals. Is this but a conceit, that wicked men "walk in the Spirit," that unclean Spirit; or that the Devil draws them on, and drives them on, and helps them on, and hardens Them on in their wickedness Now if it be no fancy, that wicked men "walk in the Spirit," can you conceive it to be but a fancy, that the Saints "walk in the SPIRIT" If the Devil works lies, and oaths, and curses, in the hearts of sinners, you may well allow, that the SPIRIT of GOD works duties, prayers, and praises, in the hearts of the Saints. Could a poor Christian, who hath so many corruptions within, so many temptations without, so many weaknesses and discouragements, ever follow the LORD against them all, if he had no other spirit than his own to carry him on The Saints surely have as much need of that help which is from above, to carry them on in holiness unto life, as sinners have of that which is from beneath, to carry them on in iniquity to destruction; and methinks you should not question but the SPIRIT of GOD will be as active to save, as the Devil is to destroy.

 

 (4.) If" walking in the SPIRIT" be but a fancy, then GOD hath no people in the world." As many as are led by the SPIRIT of GOD, they are the sons of GOD." (Rom. viii. 14.)"As many," that is, just so many, and no more: GOD hath no more children in the world than there are persons who are led by the SPIRIT: to be "led by the SPIRIT," and to "walk in the SPIRIT," signifies one and the same thing. If then there be no such thing, nor any such persons in the world to be found, where then are GOD'S, children GOD hath no child, if this be so: you must write the GOD of all the earth childless, a father without a child, a king without a people, if these wise men be true men; but true men you can hardly call them, who have robbed the King of Saints of all his subjects, and the Father of Lights of all his children.

 

 You see now to what a plain issue this matter is also brought. If you be in the right, then the SPIRIT of God must be unfaithful in his office; GOD must be false in his promise; the Devil does more to the damning, than the SPIRIT of God does to the saving of souls; and one of these two things will follow hence, either that the Devil is of more might than the Almighty SPIRIT, or that the GOD of love hath not so much love as the Devil hath malice; and lastly, GOD hath no people in the world.

 

 But it may be you will yet reply, Well, we grant there are those that are led by the SPIRIT, and walk in the SPIRIT; but when you talk of so much spirituality, and of such high notions, as livingin the fellowship of the SPIRIT, and living in heaven; when you tell of such glorious light, such raptures of joy, such spiritual delights;-here are the fancies; these are the things which we cannot but account foolish dreams.

 

 And now you think you have hit it at last. But is not this what you say, The SPIRIT enlightens, but gives no light: the enlightened see no more than the blind: the SPIRIT renews men, and yet they are not changed: the SPIRIT leads the Saints, and yet they follow him only just as fast as those that have no legs: the SPIRIT dwells in them, and yet they have no more fellowship or acquaintance with him, than those who never saw him: the SPIRIT assists, and yet gives no help: the SPIRIT comforts, and yet gives no joy; but after all he hath done, leaves there just as other men; and whatsoever they pretend to have more, is a mere cheat and delusion. The sum of all comes to this, The SPIRIT does, and yet does not;-does something, some great thing, and yet that something is just nothing.

 

 But is there no such life of God, wherein the LORD, having gotten the chief interest in the heart, hath also the dominion of the life Is there no such life, the business whereof is the pleasing and honoring God, and the seeking that glory and honor which are from him Must GOD be an underling to the world, and be put off with our spare hours, which the world will allow him We might even as good profess downright that we own no God at all; or if we must have one, a Baal, a Nisrocli, an ox, or a calf, may serve us well enough for a God; a God to be so trampled on, or to be said unto, "Stand aside," whenever the world hath any thing for us to do.

 

 Is there no such spiritual life, the comforts whereof are spiritual comforts, the pleasures and delights spiritual pleasures and delights Are there no delights in God, who is a well of life, and the fountain of all blessedness Have the creatures their several sweetnesses issuing from them, the sun its light, the fire its warmth, the fig-tree its sweetness, the olive-tree its fatness, the fruits of the earth their pleasant tastes and smells, the instruments of music their melodious airs and sounds to please our senses; and is the fountain only a dry and unsavory thing, when the cisterns are so fresh and full Have fleshly exercises their several pleasures Are the labors of the husbandman, and the travels of the merchant, so strangely sweetened by their gain and income Are sports and plays so delightful to men, that they will sell their souls for such pleasures And have the exercises of religion, only, no sweetness in them Is it godliness only which hath no bud, and the stalk whereof yields no meat Or are the delights and comforts hereof such light and airy things, that we cannot tell, when we taste them, whether we be awake or in a dream

 

 Once more consider the Scriptures: "How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the rivers of thy pleasures: for with thee is the fountain of life, and in thy light shall we see light. Delight thyself in the LORD, and he shall give thee thy heart's desire. Thou hast put gladness in rev heart, wore than in the time when their corn and wine increased. With joy shall they draw water out of the wells of salvation. Whom having not seen ye love; in whom though now ye see him not, yet believing ye rejoice, with joy unspeakable and full of glory. The peace of GOD, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts." Let him that reads understand: do all these speak the life of Saints to be such a dry, and dark, and unpleasant life

 

 Let me further ask you these two questions.-1. Are there any delights in heaven Is there any joy before the throne, and in the face of GOD Are there any pleasures at his right hand Does the tree of life, which stands in the midst of the paradise of POD, yield any pleasant fruit Does the crystal river, which runs through the city of GOD, yield any pleasant streams Are the exercises of glory, blessing, praises, and singing Hallelujah; and are there any pleasures in these Speak, sinners, what do you think, are there any delights in heaven-2. Is there not something of that heavenly joy and delight let down to the Saints here Whilst they bear a part in the same exercises, have they not a share in the same pleasures What means then "the earnest of their inheritance," which is given here The Apostle tells us, that the Saints," after" they "had believed, were sealed with that HOLY SPIRIT of promise, which is the earnest of" our "inheritance." (Eph. 1: 13, 14.) An earnest is a part of that, whereof it is an earnest, given in hand: "The earnest of our inheritance," is a part of the inheritance.

 

 Believe it, sinners, GOD's earnest is no jest; GOD will not mock his Saints, though you do. As sinners, to their cost, so Saints to their comfort, feel that GOD's earnest is in earnest.

 

 As the LORD sometimes causes some flashings of his wrath to fly out in the faces, to kindle in the souls, and burn in the bowels of incorrigible sinners, as an earnest of those everlasting flames prepared for them, beginning their hell upon earth; so does he let fall some handfuls of that harvest, some drops of that new wine, the fuller draughts whereof are -reserved to that time when they shall sit down with him in his kingdom;-and this as the earnest of their inheritance; something of the same joys, the same pleasures (for kind) with those that are laid up for them, and thereby assured to them.

 

 And you will still hold on, and persuade us that all this is but fancy Then we must give the same credit to you, which yourselves would give to a man that was born blind, and had never seen either sun or star, and, hearing you discourse of them, should laugh at you, and tell you there were no such things as sun, or stars, or light. You would believe your own eyes before the blind man's conscience;; you would pity rather than credit him; and so must we pity you.

 

 Do ye wonder there should be such things, and you not see them The riches of Christians are hidden riches the manna of Saints is hidden manna: " the white stone, and the new name" are not within the ken of vulgar eyes. Think not that it is our pride, or vanity, thus to speak; does not our LORD say the same things "No man knoweth it, but he that has it: " (Rev. 2: 17:)"A stranger shall not meddle with his joy." The sweetness of religion lies deep; the rich wines are in the cellar; the rich mines are in the bowels of the earth: the best of sin is in sight; the flower and the cream is at the top, and the bran and the lees at the bottom; sin is honey in the mouth, but wormwood in the belly.

 

 Sinners, you have not gone deep enough in religion, to come to the pleasure of it; and will you therefore say, There is none in it You may as well say, There is no gall and wormwood in sin, because you have not met with a bitter drop; that all the anguish, and horror, that all those pangs of misery, those gnawings and torments, which are said to be in sin, are mere fancies, because you have not yet felt them. But stay awhile, you are not yet at the bottom, the dregs are yet some draughts lower. O the under-ground fruits of sin! When these shall come up, then you shall taste what gall and gravel there is in it.

 

 Never think you are secure from sorrow; a draught or two deeper may confute you with a witness. And so, on the other side, there is no ground to suspect that the sweetness of religion is nothing, because some matter about it, who have only trifled upon the surface of it, have not had the least taste of any such thing.

 

 If you would be persuaded to go deeper, to set in more closely and thoroughly with a godly life, your own senses would at length confute your censures; and, whatever you have heard spoken concerning the comforts and delights of holiness, you would say with the Queen of Sheba," The one half was not told me."

 

 We will freely grant, that all is not gold that glistens; there are false fires, false joys, false comforts, which many pretenders to Christianity have boasted of, who yet have had "no part nor lot in this matter;" and to such as these, both saints and sinners have but little beholding the calumnies that light upon the former, and the blindness that abides on the latter, lie much upon the score of such false lights. But because some men dream that they are eating and drinking, or that they are rich, or making merry, will you therefore who are eating, or drinking, or rich, or rejoicing, conclude that you also are but in a dream Because there are comets that shine amongst the stars, are they all comets Are there no stars Because there are glowworms that shine, is the sun but a glow-worm

 

 Shall I add one word more You that yet hold the same tune, and still cry out," Fancy, fancy, all is but fancy;" tell me, that I may know that you are in earnest, and believe your own talk; tell me, Dare any of you come and subscribe this with your hand" This godliness which you have been here commending to me, with all its comforts, joys, and delights, I do utterly renounce for ever; let me never know what any thing of this means, nor have my part hereafter with this people: " Dare you put your hand to this It is some comfort to us, to hope that religion hath an advocate in the consciences of its adversaries,

 

 But if it have not, yet know, sinners, that" Wisdom" shall be "justified of her children." And as for you, beware lest that come upon you, which is spoken by the Prophets: " Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish; for I work a work in your days, which you will in no wise believe, though a man declare it unto you."