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THE
WORKS OF THOMAS I ANTON, D.D.
VOL. XXI.
COUNCIL OF PUBLICATION.
W. LINDSAY ALEXANDER, D.D., Professor of Theology, Congregational
Union, Edinburgh.
JAMES BEGG, D.D., Minister of Newington Free Church, Edinburgh.
THOMAS J. CRAWFORD, D.D., S.T.P., Professor of Divinity, University,
Edinburgh.
D. T. K. DRUMMOND, M.A., Minister of St Thomas's Episcopal Church r
Edinburgh.
WILLIAM H. GOOLD, D.D., Professor of Biblical Literature and Church
History, Reformed Presbyterian Church, Edinburgh.
ANDREW THOMSON, D.D., Minister of Broughton Place United Presby
terian Church, Edinburgh.
«£bitor.
REV. THOMAS SMITH, D.D., EDINBURGH,
THE COMPLETE WORKS
OF
THOMAS MANTON, D.D
VOLUME XXI.
CONTAINING
SERMONS ON SEVERAL TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE.
LONDON:
JAMES NISBET & CO, 21 BERNEKS STREET.
1874.
CONTENTS.
SERMONS ON SEVERAL TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE —
SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN iii. — continued —
Sermon VIII. " And ye know that he was manifested to take
away sin, and in him was no sin,"
IX. " And ye know that he was manifested," &c., 12
X. " Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not :
whosoever sinneth hath not seen him,
neither known him,"
XI. " Little children, let no man deceive you : he
that doeth righteousness is righteous, even
as he is righteous,"
XII. " He that committeth sin is of the devil j for
the devil sinneth from the beginning. For
this purpose the Son of God was mani
fested, that he might destroy the works
of the devil," ... 42
XIII. " For this purpose the Son of God was mani
fested, that he might destroy the works
of the devil," . , 49
XIV. " Whosoever is born of God cloth not commit
sin, for this seed remaineth in him ; and
he cannot sin, because he is born of God," 59
XV. " Whosoever is born of God," &c., . 66
XVI. " In this the children of God are manifest,
and the children of the devil : whosoever
doeth not righteousness is not of God,
neither he that loveth not his brother," . 75
XVII. " For this is the message that ye heard from
the beginning, that ye should love one
another," . . 8&
XVIII. " Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one,
and slew his brother. And wherefore
slew he him? Because his own works
were evil, and his brother's righteous," . • 97
VI CONTEXTS.
SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN iii. — continued. PAOE
Sermon XIX. " Marvel not, my brethren, if the world
hate you," . . . .102
XX. " We know that we have passed from death
unto life, because we love the brethren :
he that loveth not his brother abideth
in death," . . . .113
XXL " Whosoever hateth his brother is a mur
derer ; and ye know that no murderer
hath eternal life abiding in him," . 123
XXII. " Hereby perceive we the love of God,
because he laid down his life for us :
and we ought to lay down our lives
for the brethren," . . . 133
XXIII. " But whoso hath this world's goods, and
seeth his brother have need, and
shutteth up his bowels of compassion
from him, how dwelleth the love of
God in him? My little children, let
us not love in word, neither in tongue ;
but in deed and in truth," . . 144
XXIV. " And hereby we know that we are of the
truth, and shall assure our hearts
before him," . . . .154
XXV. " For if our heart condemn us, God is
greater than our heart, and knoweth
all things," . . . .165
XXVI. " And knoweth all things," . . 174
XXVII. " Beloved, if our heart condemn us not,
then have we confidence towards God," 184
XXVIII. "And whatsoever we ask, we receive of
him, because we keep his command
ments, and do those things that are
pleasing in his sight," . . . 192
XXIX. " Because we keep his commandments, and
do those things that are pleasing in his
sight," . . . .201
XXX. " And this is his commandment, that we
should believe in the name of his Son,
and love one another as he gave us
commandment," . . . 210
XXXI. " And he that keepeth his commandments
(hvelleth in him, and he in him : and
hereby know we that he abideth in us,
by his Spirit which he hath given to us/' 219
CONTEXTS. vii
SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN iii. — continued. PA()E
Sermon XXXII. " And we know that he abideth in us, by
his Spirit which he hath given us," . 227
SERMONS UPON ACTS ii. 37, 38—
Sermon I. " Now when they heard this, were pricked
in their hearts, and said unto Peter and
the rest of the apostles, Men and bre
thren, what shall we do 1 " . . 237
II. " Now when they heard this," &c., . . 247
III. " And they said unto Peter and the rest of
the apostles, Men and brethren, what
shall we do 1 " . . . . 254
IV. " Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and
be baptized every one of you in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins, and ye shall receive the gifts
of the Holy Ghost," . . .262
V. " Repent, and be baptized in the name of
Jesus Christ," . . . .271
VI. " Be baptized every one of you in the name
of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins," . . . 279
VII. " And ye shall receive the gifts of the Holy
Ghost," . . . .288
SERMONS UPON 1 PETER i. 23 —
Sermon I. " Being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible, by the word of
God, which liveth and abideth for
ever," ..... 299
II. " Being born again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible," . . . 308
III. " Being b'orn again, not of corruptible seed,
but of incorruptible," . . . 315
IV. " By the word of God, which liveth and
abideth for ever," . . . 326
SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13 —
Sermon I. " Keep back thy servant also from pre
sumptuous sins ; let them not have
dominion over me : then shall I be
upright, and I shall be innocent from,
the great transgressions," . . 337
II. " Keep back thy servant from presumptuous
sins," . . . . .346
III. " Keep back thy servant from presumptuous
sins," 356
CONTENTS.
.SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13 — continued.
Sermon IV. " Let them not have dominion over me," . 367
V. " Then shall I be upright," . . .378
VI. " And innocent from the great transgressions," . 390
SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi —
Sermon I. " Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes
lofty ; neither do I exercise myself in great
matters, nor in things too high for me," . 406
II. " Lord, my heart is not haughty," . . 414
III. " Neither do I exercise myself in great matters,
nor in things too high for me," . . 425
IV. " Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as
a child that is weaned of his mother; my
soul is even as a weaned child," . . 437
V. " Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth
and for ever," .... 449
'SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL XVlii. 23 —
Sermon I. " Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked
should die ? saith the Lord God ; and not
that he should return from his ways, and
live?" ..... 463
II. " Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked
should die ? " . . . .471
SERMON UPON JEREMIAH xlv. 5, . , . . , 480
SERMONS
SEVERAL TEXTS OF SCRIPTURE.
VOL. XXI.
SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III.
(CONTINUED.)
SERMON VIII. •
And ye know that he was manifested to take away sin, and in him
ivas no sin. — 1 JOHN iii. 5.
TaE apostle still pursueth his scope and purpose, which is to persuade
Christians to take heed of sin, and living in sin. He argtieth —
1. From our adoption, and how much that inferreth a likeness to
God whose children we are.
2. With respect to the law, or the orders of God's family, not to
forfeit the offered privilege.
3. With respect to Christ, he urgeth two things— (1.) The holiness
of his design ; (2.) The innocency of his person. Both which dissuade
us from living in sin. That which Christ came to destroy, and that
which maketh us so unlike Christ, should not be allowed by Christians :
' And ye know that he was manifested to take away sin.'
1. In the first argument redemption by Christ is propounded —
[1.] As an evident truth. The sin and misery of the whole world
was such, that it groaned for a saviour. Sin was the mortal disease
that we were all sick of ; then came the spiritual physician to take it
away. The common necessity of mankind showed the misery, and
the common light of Christianity showed the remedy.
[2.] It is propounded as his great end and scope why he was mani
fested. Christ is manifested two ways — in the gospel and in the flesh.
In the gospel : Titus ii. 11, ' The grace of God that bringeth salvation
hath appeared to all men ; ' 1 Peter i. 20, ' But was manifest in these
last times for you.' Now the gospel showeth he came to take away
sin : 1 Tim. i. 15, ' This is a true and faithful saying, that Jesus Christ
came to take away sin.' But here manifested in the flesh : 1 Tim. iii.
16, ' Great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifested in the flesh ; '
and 1 John i. 2, ' The life was manifested, and we have seen it.' Christ,
who heretofore lay hid in the bosom of God, now appeared, and was
discovered to the world as his only-begotten Son.
2. In the second argument the innocency of Christ is propounded :
' In him was no sin.' This clause may be added —
[1.] To show the value of his sacrifice, having no sin of his own to
4 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SliR. VIII.
expiate : ' For such a high priest became us, who is holy, harmless,
undefiled, and separate from sinners ; ' who needeth not daily, as those
high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for their own sins, and then for
the people's.
[2.] To show the greatness of his love : ' He made him who knew
no sin to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him.'
[3.] To show that while we live in sin we can have no commerce
and communion with him, his nature being so opposite to sin; for
what communion is there between light and darkness, Christ and
Belial ?
[4.] To set him forth for an example and pattern to us, which is
chiefly to be regarded. To imitate Christ we must abstain from sin,
be holy as he is holy, and pure as he is pure.
Doct. That those who are partakers of Christ should by no means
allow themselves in a life or course of sin.
I shall prove it by the two arguments of the text : that we must
not continue in sin, because Christ came to take away sin, and had no
sin in himself. Christ is here propounded, first, as our ransom ; secondly,
as our pattern. In each I shall open the expressions used, and then
consider the force of the argument.
I. As a ransom, ' Ye know that he was manifested to take away sin.'
There are three things must be opened — (1.) In what sense Christ is
said to take away sin ; (2.) By what means he doth accomplish it ; (3.)
How is this a binding argument.
First, In what sense Christ is said to take away sin. Sin is consi
derable either as to the guilt of it, or the power, life, and reign of it.
1. The guilt is taken away when the obligation to punishment is
dissolved, and we are freed from wrath to come ; which is one great
benefit we have by our Lord Jesus : 1 Thes. i. 10, ' Which delivered
us from the wrath to come.' This is done by a pardon, which relateth
to sin : Eph. i. 7, ' In whom we have redemption through his blood,
the forgiveness of sin.' And by justification, which relateth to the
person : Horn. v. 1, 2, ' Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace
with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom also we have access
by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the
glory of God/ By sanctification, when the power and reign of it is
broken : 1 Cor. vi. 11, ' But ye are justified, but ye are sanctified, in
the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.' So that as
Christ came to take away the guilt of sin, so also the stain of it. He
was manifested to subdue our love and delight in sin, and to turn our
hearts towards God. We need a saviour to help us to repentance as
well as to pardon. The loss of God's image was a part of our punish
ment ; and the renovation of our natures is a sure, yea, a principal part
of our deliverance by Christ. Now if you ask me, Which of these
benefits goeth first ? I answer — He regenerateth us that he may
pardon us ; for justified we are not till we believe, and pardoned we
are not till we repent, which are acts of the new nature. And the
scripture in many places setteth forth this order ; I shall only allege
one now : Titus iii. 5-7, ' Not by works of righteousness, which we
have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of
VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 5
regeneration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he hath shed
on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour ; that being justi
fied by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of
eternal life.'
Secondly, By what means he doth accomplish it. This must be
considered both as to impetration and application. As to purchase and
impetration, so it relateth to his own merit. As to application to us,
and our reception of this double benefit, so it is done by convenient
means.
1. As to the impetration, and meritorious purchase, that is done :
Christ takes away sin by bearing it in his own person. The word in
the text, and those which are commonly used in this matter, signify
both to take away and carry away sin : John i. 29, ' Behold the Lamb
of God, which taketh away/ or beareth away, ' the sins of the world ; '
and Isa. liii. 6, ' The Lord laid on him the iniquities of us all.' I know
there is some difficulty in explaining how sin was laid upon Christ, or
what of sin it was that he took upon himself, that he might take it off
from us. There are in sin four things — culpa, macula, realus, and poena.
Not the fault, or criminal action, for that is committed by us, and can
not be transferred upon another. Not the stain ; for Christ was holy
and undefiled, and that implieth sin inherent. Not the guilt ; for that
is such an obligation to punishment as doth arise from the merit of
some criminal action done by the party himself. It is true there was
an obligation on Christ to suffer, and make satisfaction to his Father's
justice ; but this was by a voluntary susception, or an act of gracious
condescension, not imposed upon him by constraint, without his consent,
or against his will ; none of this was due to him upon his own account.
Punishment is a debt which lieth upon us, and is imposed upon us
against our will ; but Christ voluntarily submitted to bear the sins of
many, Isa. liii. 12 ; and therefore he is said ' to be made sin for us,' 2
Cor. v. 21. Sin there signifieth a punishment of sin, and also a sacri
fice for sin, a sin-offering. Sometimes it signifieth a punishment : ' My
sin is greater than can be borne ; ' that is, the punishment of my sin,
Gen. iv. 13 ; and ver. 7, 'Sin lieth at the door ; ' that is, punishment
is at hand, or a sin-offering, or a sacrifice for sin. So the priests are
said to eat the sins of the people, Hosea iv. 8 ; they took care of nothing
but to glut themselves with the portion of the sacrifices. So Rom.
viii. 3, ' By sin he condemned sin in the flesh ; ' and he is said to have
' borne our griefs and carried our sorrows ; ' that is, to bear the punish
ment. And he is said 'to bear our sins in his own body upon the
tree,' 1 Peter ii. 24, that is, to die and suffer for them. This is the
way and means by which Christ taketh away sin ; and this is done so
effectually once for all, that there needeth no repeating of it : Heb. x.
14, ' By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sancti
fied.' As to the merit, there is nothing wanting ; no other merit and
sacrifice needeth to be offered to God.
2. As to the application, it is usually said that lie taketh awny the
guilt of sin by his blood, and the filth of sin by his Spirit. But this is
not so truly and accurately said ; for his blood cleanseth us both from
the guilt and stain of sin : 1 John i. 7, ' And the blood of Christ
cleanseth us from all sin ; and Rev. i. 5, ' Who hath loved us, and
6 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SEE. VIII.
washed us in his blood ; ' which relateth to the double washing
mentioned, 1 Cor. vi. 11. Both are the fruit of his death, by which
lie merited both remission and sanctification for us ; and in the
phrase of the text, ' he beareth it away.' This double benefit is made
the fruit of both. Justification is a fruit of his bearing sin: Isa. liii. 11,
' By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many, for he
shall bear their iniquities.' To bear the sin is to bear the punishment,
the curse or wrath due to it. Now Christ beareth it so that it is
taken from us. So sanctification is a fruit also of his bearing our
iniquities : 1 Peter i. 24, ' He bore our sins in his own body on the
tree, that we being dead unto sin, may be alive unto righteousness.'
Christ came to heal our souls, to kill this love unto sin and delight in
it. Therefore sanctification is the fruit of his cross as well as justifica
tion, and we must not so sever these benefits as that one should be
given us by Christ, and the other by the Spirit. No ; both are given
us by Christ, but differently applied ; first the pardon of sins by his
word and new covenant, which is an act of oblivion, charter, or grant,
whereby, upon certain terms, he rnaketh over this benefit to those who
accept of it, ' even to as many as repent and believe in his name.'
They are constituted just by the new covenant, which Christ will
ratify and confirm by his own sentence at the day of judgment: Acts
iii. 19, ' Kepent and be baptized, that your sins may be blotted out,
when the days of refreshment shall come from the presence of the
Lord.' When our pardon shall be pronounced by the judge's own
mouth, then is the solemn condemning and justifying time. But for
the present, by the gospel charter, sin is taken away as to the guilt as
soon as we repent and believe : Acts x. 43, ' Through his name, who
soever belie vet h in him shall receive remission of sins;' and Acts xix.
39, ' By him all that believe are justified from all things, from which
they could not be justified by the law of Moses.' Secondly, sanctification
is wrought in us by the Spirit of Christ more and more, taking away
sin, and weakening the love of it in our hearts ; for the inner man is
renewed day by day, and the cleansing and sanctifying work is
perfected by degrees: 2 Cor. vii. 1, ' Having therefore these precious
promises, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness both of flesh and
spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God ; ' even until sin be wholly
gone ; and this the Spirit effecteth by the duties and ordinances
appointed to this very end. But the deadly blow is already given :
Rom. vi. 6, ' Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him,
that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not
serve sin.'
Thirdly, Now I must come to the force of the argument. If Christ
came to take away sin, then we should take care we do not live in sin.
1. This is expressly to contradict and frustrate the designed end of
our Redeemer, and so to put him to shame, and to make his coming
into the world in vain ; for you seek to cherish that which he came
to destroy. He would dissolve, untie, and loose those cords, and you
knit them the faster, and so make void his undertaking. That this
was the great end and scope of Christ's coming into the world, or
being manifested in the flesh, is evident everywhere in scripture :
John i. 29, ' Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sins
YER. 5.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 7
of the world.' All the lambs which were offered to God in sacrifice
were to take away sin ; and this is the Lamb of God, that is, the true
and real substance of all these figures. Now whether the allusion is
to the lamb of the daily sacrifice, or the passover lamb, it is all one ;
the use for which he serveth is to expiate sin and abolish sin, and to
bind men to God in a firmer tie of obedience. So Mat. i. 21, ' His
name shall be called Jesus, for he shall save his people from their
sins.' Not to ease them of their troubles only, but chiefly to destroy
sin, with the mischievous effects of it. Not to save them in their sins,
but to save them from their sins : Titus ii. 14, ' He hath redeemed us
from all iniquity.' Not only from the curse of the law, but from
iniquity : Acts iii. 26, 'God hath raised up his Son Jesus, and sent
him to bless you, in turning every one of you from your iniquities/
Not from the Koman yoke, but from sin, which was a worse thraldom
and captivity : Rom. xi. 26, ' There shall come out of Zion the Deli
verer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob.' Well, then, this
being Christ's end, to sanctify us and free us from sin, we should not go
about to disappoint him, for this is to set ourselves directly against
him.
2. This is to slight the price of our redemption ; for since with so
much cost this work of taking away sin is carried on, for you to be
indifferent whether sin be taken away or no is to disvalue and put a
slight on the wisdom of God, and the wonderful condescension of his
love in Christ, as if so much ado were made about a matter of nothing.
This argument is urged by the apostle : 1 Peter i. 18, 19, ' Foras
much as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things,
as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition
from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb
without spot and blemish.' To enhance the benefit, the greatness of
the price is mentioned. Spiritual privileges, such as freedom from
sin, should be more regarded by us, because they are so dearly bought.
We many times neglect them for trifles, forfeit them for trifles, lose
that for gold and silver which cannot be bought for gold and silver.
They that slight anything bought by Christ's blood are accounted in
scripture to slight the blood of Christ itself; as the apostate who
revolteth from Christ for the honours, pleasures, and profits of the
world is said to 'trample his blood under foot, and to account it a
common thing ; ' as suppose of a malefactor, or any common sufferer.
Our respect to Christ's blood is judged according to the respect we
have to the benefits purchased thereby. As, to instance in these two
great benefits, the favour of God and the image of God. He that
despiseth the favour of God, and doth not make it his business to get
it and keep it, but preferreth corruptible things before it, hath no
esteem of Christ's merit, and the great cost God hath been at in
sending his own Son to take away sin, and recover a lost world into
his grace and favour. So whosoever doth not esteem the image of
God, which standeth in righteousness and true holiness, doth not
esteem the blood of Christ, but hath lessening thoughts of the mystery
of his incarnation and passion, as if his blood were shed for trifles.
3. It is in effect to renounce all benefit by Christ ; for this way he
saveth us, by taking away sin. The scripture everywhere insist^ upon
8 SEHMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SEE. VIII.
redemption from sin as the only way to redemption from the curse.
Sin brought in the curse, therefore Christ would go to the bottom and
fountain-head, and cure us of sin, that he might take off the curse, and
cure us : he doth it not only by the remission of sin, but by sanctifying
and healing our natures. You seek but a half cure if you seek pardon
'only. You neglect and despise the chiefest part of his work ; yea, you
( cannot have pardon unless you be sanctified; and so in effect you have
no benefit by Christ at all. For this let me give you these reasons —
[1.] Sin is the great makebate between God and his creatures. The
first breach was by sin, and still it continueth the distance : Isa. lix. 2,
' Your iniquities have separated between me and you.' Therefore, till
that be taken out of the way, there can be no perfect reconciliation,
no communion between God and the creatures ; though the sinner may
be pardoned on God's terms, yet the purity of God is irreconcilable to
sins ; and therefore, if you live in sin and continue in sin, there can be
no commerce between God and you.
[2.] Sin is the great disease of mankind, which disableth us for the
service of our Creator. Therefore the Kedeemer came to take away sin,
for he considered God's interest as well as ours : Heb. ix. 14, ' How
much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit
offered himself without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead
works, to serve the living God ? ' Christ's end was to fit us for God's
use, and therefore to sanctify and free us from sin, that we might be
in a capacity to love and please God again. This is the great work of
the physician of souls.
[3.] The taking away of sin is a greater benefit than impunity, or
the taking away of punishment, as sin in some sense is worse than
damnation. Those means which have a more immediate connection
with the last end are more noble than those which are more remote.
The last end in respect to us is the vision and fruition of God, or to see
him and be like him. Now the taking away of sin hath a nearer con
nection than pardon and impunity ; they both concur. The sentence
of death must be taken off, which maketh us incapable ; but holiness
is a part and an introduction into the blessed estate ; it doth disposi-
tively prepare us for it. On God's part the pleasing and glorifying of
God is the last end. Now he is more pleased with us as holy than as
pardoned, for his complacency and delight is in the reflection of his
image on us ; and he is more glorified in our passive reception of his
grace, but objectively more glorified in us in our being sanctified and
purified, and made like him. Now this is to be minded, partly
because men seek to get rid of trouble and temporal affliction, but not
of sin. Pharaoh could say, ' Take away this plague ; ' but the church
saith, ' Take away all iniquity,' Hosea xiv. 2. Those who are sensible
of the true evil do mainly desire the taking away of sin ; that is their
chief care and solicitude how to get rid of it ; that is it they complain of
in the first place as their chief burden. This is necessary to be showed,
partly because some, if they mind spiritual things, they mind only pardon
of sin and ease of conscience, not to be freed from the power of sin ; as
if a man that had broken his leg should only desire to be eased of his
smart, but not to have it set again. No ; the true penitent is troubled
the stain as well as the guilt. Therefore the promise is suited :
VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 9
1 John i. 9, 'If we confess onr sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us
our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' This is a
thorough cure.
[4.] There is no taking away guilt and punishment till we be sancti
fied, till sin itself be taken away. The one part of the cure maketh
way for the other. First he doth regenerate that he may pardon. As
we were first sinners and then obnoxious to punishment, so first holy
and then pardoned, first brought into the kingdom of Christ and made
subjects, then enjoy the privileges as subjects: Col. i. 13, 14, 'Who
hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us
into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through
his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.' We are first turned to God :
Acts xxvi. 20, 'That they should repent, and turn to God.' We
cannot have the one without the other. So you stick at the order,
though you know no cause ; so that you despise all benefit by Christ
if you do not look after the taking away of sin.
[5.] It is a manifest contradiction to our faith to live in sin and to
believe that Christ came to take away sin. I gather that from the
words ' ye know.' Christians are supposed to know and believe the
end of their redemption. If we know it, why do not we deal with him
about it ? Speculative knowledge and practical are frequently con
tradictory in the same man. We speak from our convictions, but we
live from the innate dispositions and inclinations of our own hearts.
Religion doth far more easily tip men's tongues, and run into their
heads, than change their hearts. But though their knowledge and
practice be contrary, yet thus far we have gained an argument, that
their faith condemns their practice ; and however we make a shift to
match them, the faith of Christians and the life of sin are in themselves
incompatible. And they that know Christ came to take away sin, and
yet live in sin, though they do not show the falsehood of their religion,
yet they show their own insincerity in it ; though they speak honour
ably of their Redeemer in words, yet in deeds they dislike him, and
deny him, which is not to be charged upon the religion, but them
selves, as an art is not disparaged because one that professeth it is a
bungler.
[6.] The manner of Christ's taking away sin doth represent the
heinousness of it, and is a sufficient warning to the world not to con
tinue in it : ' For if these things were done to the green tree, what
shall be done to the dry ? ' When we look upon sin through Satan's
spectacles, and the cloud of our own passions and carnal affections,
we make nothing of it ; but in the agonies of Christ, and the sorrows
and sufferings of his cross, we see the odiousness of it, that it may
become more hateful to us. No less remedy would serve the turn
than the agonies, bloodshed, and accursed death of the Son of God, to
procure the pardon and destruction of sin. By this sin-offering and
ransom for souls we may see what sin is. I showed you before the
odiousness of sin, as it is a transgression of the law ; that should render
it odious to you ; but now I bring you to another argument. In
Golgotha is the truest spectacle of sin, and how much God hateth it
and loveth purity, that it may be seen in its proper colours. We
make light of sin, but Christ found it not so light a matter to expiate
10 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. VIII.
it. Do but consider his fears and tears and strong cries when he
stood in the place of sinners before God's tribunal, when God ' laid
upon him the iniquities of us all.'
[7.] The acceptableness of his sacrifice still further helpeth us
against sin : ' He came to take away sin/ and was accepted in what he
did. Why ? Christ's suffering death for the sin of man was the
noblest piece of service, and the highest degree of obedience that ever
could be performed to God by man or angels, there being in it so
much love to God, pity to man, so much self-denial, so much humility
and patience, and such a resignation of himself to God, who appointed
him to be the Kedeemer of the world. That which was eminent and
upmost in it was obedience : Eom. v. 19, ' For as by one man's dis
obedience many were made sinners ; so by the obedience of one, shall
many be made righteous ; ' Phil. ii. 7, 8, ' He made himself of no re
putation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in
the likeness of men ; and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled
himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.'
God doth not delight in the shedding of blood ; you must not draw
an ill picture of God in your minds. That which God looked after,
and accepted was the eminent obedience of Christ in our nature ; so his
holy and righteous life, his painful and cursed death, make but one
entire piece of obedience. The value of his merit was from the God
head, but the formal reason of his merit was that Christ came to fulfil
the will of God, ' by which will we are sanctified,' Heb. x. 9, 10. Now
what a notable check is this to sin, and living impenitently in a course
of disobedience unto God !
II. As Christ is propounded by way of pattern and example, ' In
him was no sin.' I shall first speak a little of the innocency of Christ ;
secondly, show how he is set forth as a pattern and example of holiness
unto us.
1. The scripture sets forth the Lord Jesus as an eminently holy
and innocent person, that he had no sin, and did no sin. He had
no sin, being by his miraculous conception exempted from the contagion
of original sin : Luke i. 35, ' The Holy Ghost shall overshadow thee,
and that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son
of God.' Thus was our Redeemer fitted to be completely lovely in the
eyes of God, and to be a pattern of holiness to all his followers. Not
only free from actual sin, but as having a perfect holy nature in him ;
to show that we should not only prevent the outward act, but be free
from the lust ; and not only lop the branches of sin, but destroy the
root by a thorough change of heart. Evil practices in us do not flow
from a present temptation, but an evil nature ; therefore we should get
the divine nature. It is true it cannot be said of us that we have no sin,
but yet the carnal nature should not be predominant in us ; we should
have another spirit. Secondly, He did no sin : 2 Peter ii. 22, ' He did no
sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.' Christ did not in the least
offend either God or man ; as guilty of no transgression, so of no defect
in his obedience or conformity to the law of God. It is true he was
accused of sin, but who could convince him of sin ? John viii. 46,
'Which of you convinceth me of sin ? ' Though his name was
buried under many calumnies and reproaches, yet none of his malicious
. 5.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 11
adversaries could ever make it good that he was guilty of one sin.
It is true he was tempted to sin, and the most venomous of Satan's
fiery darts were shot at him, as you may see, Mat. iv. ; but though he
was tempted in all other points like us, yet sin is excepted, Heb. iv.
15. He was spotless and free from sin, there was nothing in him to
befriend a temptation, John xiv. 30. This, Christians, is our glorious
Lord and chief ; he had no sin, nor did no sin. When shall it be said
so of us ? We wait the time, but it will be so at length ; ere Christ
hath done with us it must be so.
2. That he is set forth as a pattern and example of holiness in our
nature. Christ, that did open heaven by his merit, would also teach
us the way thither, and teach us as a good teacher should, not only by
his doctrine, but by his example. In moral things his example is to
be imitated by us ; these reasons enforce it —
[1.] The scriptures do everywhere call for this imitation and suitable
walking : Phil. ii. 5, ' Let the same mind be in you that was in Jesus ; '
Mat. xi. 29, ' Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly.' So 1 Peter ii.
21, ' He hath left us an example, that we should follow his steps ; ' 1
John ii. 6, ' He that saith he abideth in him, ought also himself to
walk even as he walked.' I have brought these places to show how
binding the example of Christ is.
[2.] That the Spirit is sent and given us to change us into his like
ness : 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' But we all with open face, beholding as in a glass
the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to
glory, even by the same Spirit of the Lord/ We can no more follow
his example than obey his doctrine without the same spirit. Here one
part helpeth another ; in living as he did, we come to be like him.
[3.] What advantage we have by this example. First, all example
hath an alluring power and great force in moving; but this is an example
of examples, not of equals or ordinary superiors, but of our glorious head
and chief. Now this example should be more cogent. First, Because
it is a perfect and unerring pattern. Christ's life is religion exempli
fied, a visible commentary on God's will and word : 2 Cor. xi. 1, ' Be
ye followers of me, as I am also of Christ.' Here you cannot err if
you follow Christ's submission in his imitable examples and actions.
Secondly, It is an engaging pattern. Submission to any duty should
make it lovely unto us : ' The disciple is not above his lord, nor the ser
vant above his master ; ' John xiii. 14, ' If I then, your Lord and master,
have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet.' Shall
we decline to follow such a leader ? Thirdly, It is an effectual pattern.
Christ's steps drop sweetness ; he hath left a blessing behind in all the
way that he hath trodden before us, and sanctified it to us that we may
follow it with comfort. Fourthly, It is a very encouraging pattern, for
he sympathised with us in all our difficulties, having entendered his
own heart by experience : Heb. ii. 18, ' For in that he himself hath
suffered, being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted ; '
Heb. iv. 15, ' For we have not a high priest which cannot be touched
with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like
as we are, yet without sin.' He knoweth the weaknesses and reluct
ances of nature in our hardest duties, and will surely pity and pardon
our infirmities, and cover them with his own perfect righteousness.
12 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. IX".
[4.] Christ's example, and unsinning obedience to God, is a notable
check to sin, and all the temptations, occasions, and inducements which
lead to it. Nothing should be of such value with a Christian as to hire
him to commit wilful sin. Christ obeyed at the dearest rates and terms,
and repented not of his engagement: John xiii. 1, ' Having loved his own
which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.' A Christian should
have the same mind, and then it will be armour of proof against all
temptations : 1 Peter iv. 1, ' Arm yourselves with the same mind, for
he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin.' In one place
it is said, ' Let the same mind be in you ; ' in another, ' Arm yourselves
with the same mind.' Temptations will have little force upon you
when you resolve to obey God whatever it cost you. The frowns of
the world, yea, life itself, will be as nothing. Secondly, Is it the
pomp and pleasure and honour of the world wherewith the flesh is
gratified ? Christ hath put a disgrace upon these things by his own
choice. He was mean, poor, a man of sorrows ; and shall we look to
be maintained in pomp and pleasure ? We cannot be poorer than
Christ, and taste less of the world than he did. Thirdly, A love to
our private interests hinders us from seeking the glory of God : Rom.
xv. 3, Tor even Christ pleased not himself;' John xii. 27, 28, 'For
this cause came I to this hour : Father, glorify thy name.' Every
Christian should be thus affected ; let Christ dispose of him and his
interests as it seemeth good to him.
SERMON IX.
And ye know that he was manifested to take away sin, and in him
ivas no sin. — 1 JOHN iii. 5.
FROM these words I have observed this doctrine, that those who are
partakers of Christ should^by no means allow themselves in a life or
course of sin.
The uses now follow.
First, It bindeth our duty upon us.
Secondly, It assureth and sealeth our comfort when we are afflicted
either with the guilt of sin or the power of sin.
First, It bindeth our duty upon us. They that do not break off a
life of sin make Christ's coming in vain. But because men's interest
will quicken them, therefore consider, Christ must take away sin, or
else you must at last bear your own sin. But alas ! that is a burden
too heavy for us to bear ; and miserable are they that have it lying
upon their backs. It will not be light when we reckon with God.
Sin to a waking conscience is one of the heaviest burdens that ever was
felt: Ps. xxxviii. 4, 'Mine iniquities are gone over my head, they are
a burden too heavy for me.' You will find the little finger of sin
heavier than the loins of any other sorrow. What a weight and pres
sure will it be to the soul ! If you do but taste of this cup, it filleth
VKR. 5.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 13
you with trembling. If a spark of God's wrath light on the conscience,
how terribly doth it scorch ? You may know it in part by what Christ
suffered. His soul was heavy unto death. If his soul were heavy to
death, if he felt such strange agonies, sweat drops of blood, lost the
actual sensible comforts of his Godhead, when he bore the burden of
sin, oh, what shall every one of us do if we were to bear our own.
burden ? You may also know it by the complaints of the saints, when
the finger of God hath but touched them : Ps. xl. 12, ' Mine iniquities
take hold on me, therefore mine heart fainteth.' So Job complaineth, chap,
vi. 4, ' For the arrows of the Almighty are within me ; the poison thereof
drinketh up my spirit ; ' the arrows of the Almighty, though shot out of
Satan's bow ; he permitted those venomous arrows to be shot at him.
Yea, if ye will know what it is to bear sin, ask not only a tender con
science, but a troubled conscience. What disquiets of soul do wicked
men feel when God sets sin home upon the conscience, and they
are awakened ! How uneasy have their hearts sat within them !
Cain crieth out, ' My sin is greater than can be borne,' Gen. iv. 13 ;
' And a wounded spirit who can bear ? ' Prov. xxviii. 13. What
large offers do men make to get rid of their burden ! ' Thousands of
rams, rivers of oil, their first-born for the sin of their souls,' Micah vi.
7, 8. Lastly, what it is to live and die in sin, the other world will
show us. Christ useth no other expression to set forth the misery of
the unbelieving Jews but this, that ' ye shall die in your sins/ John
viii. 21, 24. The threatenings of the word show their case is miserable
enough. They fall into the hands of the living God, Heb. x. 31 ;
and the worm that feedeth on them shall never die, and the fire
wherein they are scorched is never quenched, Mark ix. 44. Miserable,
questionless, is the state of them who bear their own burden and
transgression. Now is it not better we should yield up ourselves to
Christ, that -he should take it away, and do the work of a Kedeemer ;
and that we should not by our carelessness, negligence, and other sins,
provoke the Lord to withhold his healing grace? Oh, let us be
sensible of our burden. Will Christ ease a man of his burden which
he feeleth not ? A senseless sleepy soul hath no work for him to do.
He inviteth the weary and heavy-laden, Mat. xi. 28. Being sensible
of our burden, let us implore his favour ; he is more willing to give
the Holy Spirit to them that ask him than a father is to give a hungry
child bread, Luke xi. 13. Let us wait for his approaches in the
diligent use of the means. Our duty is to lie at the pool for cure till
the waters be stirred, John v. His Spirit bloweth when and where he
listeth, John iii. 8 ; let us attend and obey his sanctifying motions,
for we make ourselves incapable of this help by grieving the Spirit,
Eph. iv. 30. When we become so easy to the requests of sin and so
deaf to his motions, he ceaseth to give us warning.
Again, let us consider his example. Will you be so unlike Christ ?
' In him was no sin,' and you are all overspread with sin. He learned
obedience by the things he suffered, Heb. v. 8, 9. He came to be the
leader to everlasting happiness of an obeying people ; his stamp and
character should be upon all his followers. He is Christ, you are
Christians ; and you should not be polluted members of his body.
How will you look him in the face at the last day if you are so unlike
14 SIMONS UPON I JOHN III. [SfiR. IX.
him ? 1 John iv. 17, ' Herein is our love made perfect, that we may
have boldness in the day of judgment ; because as he is so are we in
the world ; ' if we be holy as he, spotless as he. Of polluted sinners
he will say, Are these my people ? How will you then be ashamed ?
But it will give us a bold confidence when we have written after his
copy. We shall never be like him in glory unless we be first like
him in holiness. Christ will own his image. Boldness is opposite to
fear and shame ; we shall neither be afraid nor ashamed at the day of
judgment, if we bear his image upon us.
Secondly, It assureth and sealeth our comfort when we are afflicted
either with the guilt or power of sin. To this end I shall discuss this
argument more at large, and show you —
1. How sin is taken away — (1.) By justification ; (2.) By sanctifi-
cation.
2. What grounds we have to expect that Christ will do this for us.
3. What we must do that this effect may be accomplished in us.
First, How sin is taken away ; but first we must determine what sin
is. It is usually said there are in sin four things — culpa, reatus, poena,
macula, the blot or stain. The three first belong to sin as it respects
the law ; the last, as it respects the rectitude of human nature in
innocency. The three first do more concern justification, the last
sanctification.
[1.] Sin may be considered with respect to the law ; for so the
nature of it will best be found out ; for we are told in the verse before
the text, that ' sin is a transgression of the law/ In the law there is
the precept and the sanction. The precept showeth what obedience
is due from us to God ; the sanction or threatening what punishment is
due to us in a state of disobedience. Accordingly, in sin, with respect
to the precept, there is culpa, the fault, or criminal action ; with
respect to the sanction or threatening, there are two things considerable
— sentence and execution. As the commination importeth a sentence
and respecteth a sentence, so there is guilt : ' Because sentence is not
speedily executed,' Eccles. viii. 11. The sentence is passed in the
threatenings of the law, but execution is deferred. But with respect to
execution it is called posna, punishment.
[2.] Sin may be considered with respect to that rectitude of our
heart and mind which God gave us at first to enable and incline us to
keep his law ; and so cometh in macula, the stain or blot, as it defaced
God's image in our hearts : Bom iii. 23, ' We have all sinned, and
are come short of the glory of God ; ' meaning thereby his glorious
image, which was lost and forfeited by the fall of Adam ; and actually,
because in the day of God's patience, as he continueth other forfeited
mercies to us, so. some relics of his image in that knowledge and con
science that is left. Therefore when we rebel against the light, and
live in a course of heinous sin, we lose more and more of that goodness
of human nature that is yet left, and bear the character of such as are
given up to vile affections, Eom. i. 26 ; and Eph. iv. 19, 'And being
past feeling, have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work
uncleanness with greediness.' God leaveth them to their own lusts
without restraint, withholdeth the good Spirit that was wont to counsel
and warn them. Macula, then, the blot or stain, is the inclination to
VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 15
sin again ; as a brand that hath been once in the fire, is more apt to
take fire again. This is the fruit of sin, and we pray God to free us
from it yet more and more, by giving us more of his Spirit. It is the
heaviest judgment that can befall us, to be given over to our own
heart's counsels, Ps. li. 11 ; and David prayeth, after heinous sin, that
God would not take his Holy Spirit from him.
But let us now consider how sin is taken away : therein what is to
be done by Christ, and what is to be done by us, that this effect may
be accomplished in us.
And first, as to what is to be done by Christ, and there how sin is
taken away, both as to justification and sanctification.
1. With respect to justification ; so that culpa, reatus, poena, the
fault or criminal action, cannot be said to be taken away, but only it
is passed by as it is the foundation of our guilt, as it is a natural
action ; such a fact we did, or such a duty we omitted to do. As it is
a faulty action, contrary to the law of God, Christ taketh it not away,
for that were to disannul the law, or the obliging force and authority
of it, as it is a rule of perpetual equity. The sins we have committed
are sins still ; therefore Christ came not to make the law less holy, or
a fault to be no fault.
Let us come to the second thing, reatus, the guilt of sin. There is
reatus culpce, the guilt of sin ; and reatus pcence, the guilt of punish
ment. Reatus culpce, is the applying the law to the fact, and both to
the person that hath committed it. Suppose that such a fact is a sin,
because such a law forbiddeth it, and that I am guilty of such a
transgression against the law of God ; sure it is that this is not taken
away ; my faulty act is an offence, and I am an offender. We cannot
be reputed never culpable, to have omitted any duty, or committed
any sin ; for the new covenant is not set up to make us innocent, but
pardonable upon certain terms ; and we come to God as to our offended
governor, pleading not as innocent, but as sinners, desiring that, in the
behalf of Christ, our sins may be forgiven to us. Then there is reatus
pcence, which resulteth from the sanction of the law, binding us over to
suffer such penalties as the law hath determined. Now this may be
understood, quoad meritum, vel quoad euentum ; according to the merit
of the action, what the action in itself deserveth, which is condemnation
to punishment. This Christ hath not taken away, and never intended
to take away ; for every sinful action is in se et merito operis damnabilis
in itself, and by the desert of the work damnable ; it doth deserve dam
nation ; but quoad eventum, as to the event and effect : ' There is no
condemnation to them that are in Christ,' Rom. viii. 1. By the law of
grace there is a discharge from the sentence of the law, and so
from an obligation to punishment. This will be made clear and
plain to you by considering what is required of us in suing out our
pardon. We must confess the sin: 1 John i. 9, ' If we confess and
forsake our sins, he is just and righteous to forgive us our sins.' We
must confess the guilt and desert of sin by God's righteous law : 1 Cor.
xi. 31, 'For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.'
There must be a self-accusing and self-judging. In self -accusing we
confess reatum culpce; in self L judging we confess reatum pcence;
without either of which there would not be that humiliation and
16 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiB. IX.
brokenness of heart which the scripture calleth for, and is necessary
for us in our entrance into the gospel covenant, and in our whole deal
ing with God about pardon. Or else these acts must be performed
very perfunctorily, and not in reality and truth, if there be not a
ground in the nature of the thing ; for if the guilt of the fault were
utterly dissolved, how can I heartily accuse myself of such and such
sins before the Lord? or if the guilt of punishment were so far
dissolved that my actions did not in their own nature, and by the
righteous law of the Lord, deserve such condemnation and punishment,
how could I broken-heartedly confess myself as deserving the greatest
evil which his law hath threatened ? Well, then, pardon is not a
vacating the action, or making a thing not done which is done, or a
denial of the fault as if it were no fault, nor an annulling of the desert
of punishment, but a remission of the punishment itself due to us by
the law of nature. This is that, then, which the law of grace or new
covenant doth ; every penitent believer is actually and really pardoned
and discharged from the penalty, which the law of nature maketh his
due debt: Mat. vi. 12, 'Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our
debtors.' Our debt is the obligation actually to suffer the full punish
ment of the law.
Now we will consider the third thing in sin, that is pcena, the
punishment, and that is either temporal or eternal.
[1.] To begin with the last, eternal punishment. We are discharged
from that as soon as we have an interest in Christ ; for then our
state is altered, and God doth pardon all our past sins, and make us heirs
of eternal life : Gal. iii. 13, ' Christ hath delivered us from the curse of
the law, being made a curse for us.' The curse of the law may be
taken actively or passively. Actively, it is nothing else but the sentence
of the law, or of God the judge, condemning the transgressors of the
law, and pronouncing them accursed : ' For cursed is every one that
continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to
do them,' Gal. iii. 10 ; which curse must not fall to the ground, but
be taken off by some valuable compensation, that the honour of God's
government may be secured, and that is done by Christ in being made
a curse for us. Passively, it signifieth all those punishments which
are, or have been, or shall be, or may be inflicted on the transgressors
of the law ; but chiefly the final curse, which is called ' Wrath to
come,' from which Christ hath delivered us, 2 Thes. i. 10 ; which
consists in two things, pcena damni andposna sensus ; the loss of God's
eternal and blessed presence, and of the vision and fruition of him in
glory : Mat. xxv. 41, ' Depart from me, ye cursed.' They are banished
from the presence of the Lord, and cast into utter torment. The pain,
when we fall immediately into the hands of an angry offended God :
Heb. x. 31, ' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living
God.' Now sin is remitted to all them that take sanctuary at the
Lord's grace. We deserve it, but he hath actually discharged us from
it by his new covenant ; such is his mercy and grace to us in Christ.
[2.] For the temporal punishment : while we have sin in us, and
are making out our claim, and our sanctification is imperfect, God
hath reserved a liberty for his corrective discipline, and to punish and
chastise his children as it shall seem meet to his wisdom and justice :
VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 17
Ps. Ixxxix. 32, 33, ' Then will I visit their transgression with a rod,
and their iniquities with stripes. Nevertheless my loving-kindness will
I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail.' Now
the temporal punishments are of two sorts —
(1.) Such afflictive evils as belong to his external government. It is
hard to reckon up all of them to you, but the consummate evil is
death, and the intermediate evils are of different kinds. It is said in
one place, Deut. xxv. 20, 'All the curses which are written in
this book shall light upon him ;' but in another, Deut. xxviii. 61, 'Every
curse which is not written in this book will the Lord bring upon thee,'
whether written or not written, committed to record in the word, ov
dispensed in his providence. God hath reserved this liberty to him
self, to correct his sinning children in what way he pleaseth. To
reduce it in short ; all good is from God, and all evil is from sin ; and
in pursuance of his eternal love, and to keep them from damnation, he
will sometimes chastise them sorely : 1 Cor. xi. 32, ' For when we are
judged we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned
with the world ; ' and Jer. v. 25, ' Your iniquities have turned away
these things, and your sins have withheld good things from you ; '
Micah i. 5, ' For the transgression of Jacob is all this, and for the sins
of the house of Israel.' So Amos iii. 2, ' You only have I known of all
the families of the earth : therefore I will punish you for all your
iniquities.' A rod dipped in guilt may smart sorely upon the backs of
God's people. God's displeasure is felt in their chastisements and
judgments. Surely their author is God, their cause is sin, their end is
repentance. We are in danger to despise the calamities which befall
us and our families if we do not own this truth. It is true it turneth
to good, but still it is a natural eviL If we were without sin, he would
give us the good without the evil ; you greatly mistake if you think
there is no displeasure of God in all this.
(2.) There are certain afflictions which belong to his internal govern
ment, as when God manifesteth his displeasure to the party sinning
by withdrawing his Spirit, the evil which David was so much afraid
of: Ps. li. 10-12, 'Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew
a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and
take not thy Holy Spirit from me. Kestore unto me the joy of thy
salvation, and uphold me with thy free Spirit.' He desireth that God
would not withdraw his grace, and the influence and comfort of his
Holy Spirit, which he had so justly forfeited by his heinous sin. This
is the sorest judgment on this side hell, to be deprived of inward com
munion with God. It is not a total separation from his favour and
presence, but yet it is a degree of it ; when God is strange to us, and
suspendeth all the acts of his complacential love, leaving us dull
and senseless, having no heart or life to anything that is spiritually
good. And if we repent not, God may go further, and deliver us up
to brutish lusts. The evils are greater or less, according to the rate of
our sins or neglects of grace. These penal withdrawings of the Spirit
should therefore be observed ; for God showeth much of his pleasure
or displeasure by giving or withholding the Spirit His blessing and
favour is showed this way : Prov. i. 23, ' Turn at my reproof, and I
will pour out my Spirit to you.' But when God is refused, or neglected,
VOL. XXI. B
18 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. IX.
or highly provoked, he then departs : Ps. Ixxxi. 11, 12, ' Israel would
none of me ; so I gave them up to their own hearts' lusts.' This is more
than all the calamities in the world.
2. In a way of sanctification. So Christ taketh away sin by giving
us his Spirit, whereby the stains of our nature are cleansed. We are
renewed in righteousness and holiness, according to his image : Eph.
iv. 24, ' And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created
in righteousness and true holiness ; ' 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' We beholding the
glory of the Lord, are changed into his image and likeness.'
Now concerning this way of taking away sin, let me observe four
things —
[1.] That the Spirit is given us as the fruit of Christ's merit and
sacrifice : Titus iii. 5,6, 'Not by works of righteousness which we have
done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regen
eration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us
abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour ; ' Gal. iii. 14, ' That the
blessing of Abraham might come on the gentiles, through Jesus Christ,
that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.' He
was the rock that was smitten by the rod of Moses : 1 Cor. x. 4, ' And
they did all drink of the same spiritual drink ; for they drank of that
spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.' If
Christ were the rock, the water that flowed from the rock was the
Spirit : John iv. 14, ' Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall
give, shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him shall be
in him a well of water, springing up into everlasting life ; ' John vii.
38, 39, ' He that believe th on me, out of his belly shall flow rivers of
living water. But this he spake of the Spirit, which they that believe
on him should receive/ Well, then, upon tire account of Christ's merit
and sacrifice, God doth by the Spirit create a clean heart within us,
and a right spirit, that we may live in obedience to his holy will.
[2.] That the gift of the Spirit is a kind of executive pardon, or a
receiving the atonement ; for this grace was forfeited by sin, as man
brought death spiritual upon himself, as well as temporal and eternal,
and we made the stain of sin to consist in the loss of the Spirit, or
an inclination to sin again ; therefore by sanctification, or the gift of
the Spirit, is our pardon executed upon us or applied to us. As the
withdrawing or withholding the Spirit is a great part of our punish
ment, so the gift of the Spirit is the great and first act of God's
pardoning mercy, and a means to qualify us for the other parts of
God's pardon ; for before men are converted, they are unpardoned :
' Turn you from all your transgressions, and iniquity shall riot be your
ruin,' Ezek. xviii. 30 ; and Isa. Iv. 7, 'Let the wicked forsake his way,
and the unrighteous man his thoughts ; and let him return to the
Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will
abundantly pardon.' Therefore till there be a turning from the life
of sin to God by faith in Christ, there is no actual justification nor
forgiveness.
[3.] That when repentance towards God and faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ is begun in us by the Spirit, there is promised a further degree
of the Spirit to be given to us to dwell in us : Acts ii. 38, ' Repent, and
be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the re-
VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 19
mission of sins ; and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost ; '
Prov. i. 23, ' Turn ye at my reproof : behold, I will pour out my Spirit
unto you : ' Eph. i. 13, 'After that ye believed, ye were sealed with the
Holy Spirit of promise ; ' and that for a durable use, to be in us a
Spirit of sanctification and adoption. First, To be a Spirit of sanctifi-
cation : 2 Thes. ii. 13, 'God hath chosen you to salvation through
sanctification and belief of the truth.' As he converted us to God, so
he is a ' Spirit of regeneration ; ' but as he doth further sanctify and
cleanse us, and fit us for God, and make us amiable in his sight, so he
is called a ' Spirit of sanctification/ properly so taken. It is by the Spirit
dwelling in us that we mortify and subdue sin,Kom. viii. 13. It is by
the Spirit we exert and put forth all acts of holiness : Gal. v. 25, ' If
we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit ; ' and perform all
duties to God in the Spirit. In short, the grace of the Spirit is given
us to subdue the power of sin, and strengthen us against temptations,
and that we may perfect holiness in the fear of God. Secondly, A Spirit
of adoption : Gal. iv. 6, c Because ye are sons, he hath sent the Spirit
of his Son into our hearts.' The same Spirit that maketh us holy
possesseth us with a filial love of God, and a dependence on him ; so
that childlike love, with a pleasing obedience and dependence, are the
great effects and tokens of his dwelling in us as a Spirit of adoption.
[4.] This Spirit doth by degrees fit us for our everlasting estate : 2
Cor. v. 5, ' He that formeth us for the self-same thing is God, who
also hath given us the earnest of the Spirit ; ' and therefore he must
not be obstructed in his work, while he is preparing the heirs of promise
aforehand unto glory, lest we lose not only the comfort of our future
hopes, but be set back in the spiritual life, and so grieve the Holy Spirit
of promise, who is both our sanctifier and comforter. Thus we have
seen what Christ doth to take away sin ; he freeth us from the ever
lasting miseries of the damned in hell, and will surely free us from
the miseries of this life, if we be obedient, and hearken to his counsel.
But in the midst of weaknesses our title to impunity and life eternal
remaineth unreversed, though it be often obscured by our sin and
folly.
Secondly, What must we do that sin may be thus taken away ? For
I observe, first, that those things which God worketh in us, and bestoweth
upon us by his grace, he also requireth of us by his command : Ezek.
xxxvi. 26, ' A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit I will put into
you.' Yet Ezek. xviii. 31, 'Cast away from you all your transgressions
whereby ye have transgressed, and make you a new heart, and a new
spirit ; ' and in many other places. Sometimes he promiseth to turn
us, sometimes he commandeth us to turn to him ; sometimes he biddeth
us to put away sin, sometimes he promiseth to take it away from us ;
in the one showing what is our duty, in the other where is our help ;
the one inferreth regeneration, which is the work of the Spirit, the
other, repentance, which is our duty. Again, the death of Christ must
be considered either as it respecteth God or us. As it respecteth God,
it is a price paid to provoked justice to purchase grace for us : Isa. liii.
5, ' He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our
iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his
stripes we are healed.' As it respects us, it layeth an obligation upon
20 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [&ER. IX.
us to do what is proper to us : 1 Peter i. 22, ' Seeing you have purified
your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.'
What then are we to do ? — (1.) As to our entrance into Christianity ;
(2.) As to our recovery out of our falls.
1. As to our entrance into the grace of the gospel, there is required
repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, Acts
xx. 21.
[1.] Repentance towards God, which consists in a serious purpose
and willingness to let sin go, and a fixed resolution to love, serve,
and please God, bewailing and bemoaning ourselves to God with
grief and shame : Jer. xxxi. 18, ' I have heard Ephraim bemoaning
himself.'
[2.] Faith, or an acceptance of Christ as the only physician of our
souls, who alone can cure and change our hearts ; therefore, depending
upon the universal offer of his grace, we are resolved to use the means
which he hath appointed, that this cure may be wrought in us, Rom.
vii. 24, 25.
2. For our recovery out of particular falls, something is to be done
with respect to those four things which are in sin.
[1.] As to the fault ; be sure the fault be not continued, which is
when the criminal acts are repeated. Relapses are very dangerous. A
bone often broken in the same place is with the more difficulty set
again. God's children are in danger of this before the breach be well
made up, or the orifice of the wound well closed ; as Lot doubleth his
incest, and Sampson goeth again and again to Delilah, Judges xvi. 2,
4. But wicked men sin frequently, as that king who would venture
fifty after fifty ; nothing will stop them in the way of their sins.
[2.] The guilt continueth till serious and solemn repentance, and
suing out our pardon in the name of Christ : 1 John i. 9, ' If we con
fess and forsake our sins, he is just and faithful to forgive us our sins,
and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.' Though a man should
forbear the act, and never commit it more, yet unless retracted by seri
ous remorse, and humbling ourselves before God, it avails not. This
self-accusing is necessary, that we may know how much we are indebted
to grace. Look into thy bill, what owest thou ? Luke vii. 47, ' She wept
much, because she loved much; and she loved much, because much
was forgiven her.' She had a greater measure of love to God and
Christ. This self-judging is that which makes us the more earnest
for pardon, Luke xviii. 13, and grief and shame in both, to strengthen
us against relapses, that we may forsake the sins we confess : Prov.
xxviii. 13, ' He that confesseth and forsaketh his sins, shall have mercy.'
Slight acknowledgments do not mortify sin.
[3.] The blot or evil inclination to sin again. The evil influence of
sin continueth till we mortify the root of it ; it is not enough to mortify
the sin, but we must pull out the core of the distemper before all will
be well. Jonah repented of forsaking his call ; yet, not mortifying the
root, it brake forth again. He stood upon his credit, Jonah iv. 1, 2.
Christ trieth Peter : John xxi. 15, ' Lovest thou me more than these ? '
He had boasted before, ' Though all men forsake thee, I will never
forsake thee,' Mat. xxvi. 33. Though Peter had wept bitterly for the
iiict, yet Christ would try if the cause were removed. Peter is grown
VER. 5.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 21
more modest now than to make any comparisons. We must use means
to get the sinning disposition checked.
[4.] As to pcena, we must deprecate the eternal punishment as de
served by us, through the merit of our actions, still ' looking to Jesus,
who hath delivered us from wrath to come.' But as to temporal
evils which God may inflict upon us partly for the increase of our repent
ance, when we smart under the fruits of sin ; for the evil of punish
ment doth much help us to judge of the evil of sin: Jer. ii. 19,
'Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backsliding shall
reprove thee : know, therefore, and see that it is an evil thing
and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, that his fear is
not in thee.' Partly to make us a warning to others, that they do not
displease God as we have done : 2 Sam. xii. 14, ' Howbeit, because by
this deed thou hast given occasion to the enemies of God to blas
pheme ; the child also that is born unto thee, shall surely die.' For
these reasons, I say, God may punish us in our persons, or in our
families and relations ; wherefore we should humbly deprecate the judg
ment : Ps. vi. 12, ' Lord, correct me not in thine anger, nor chasten
me in thy hot displeasure.' That we may stop the judgment, and get
it mitigated ; or, if it come, we may patiently bear it with humble
submission to the will of God : Micah vii. 9, ' I will bear the indigna
tion of the Lord, because I have sinned against him.' Not mourning
as without hope, yet humbling ourselves, and putting our mouths in
the dust.
Secondly, Now what grounds have we that Christ will do this for
us?
1. Christ's office and undertaking, which he cannot possibly neg
lect ; for this end was he manifested, and sent by the Father, to take
away sin: Acts v. 31, 'God hath exalted him to be a prince and a
saviour, to give repentance and remission of sin.' Will he come in
vain, and miss of his ends, or fail a serious soul that expecteth and
waiteth for the benefit of his office ? The generality of the Christian
world prize his memory but neglect his offices ; but now, those that
depend on his name, and seek the fruits of his office, will he frustrate
their expectations ?
2. Consider how able he is to make good his offices, the merit of
his humiliation, and the power of his exaltation. First, The merit
of his humiliation : 1 Peter i. 18, 19, 'Forasmuch as ye know that ye
were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from
your vain conversations received by tradition from your fathers, but
with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and with
out spot.' What a price hath he given for sanctifying and healing grace !
which should not only heighten our esteem of the privilege, but increase
our confidence. So Isa. liii. 5, ' But he was wounded for our transgres
sions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was
upon him, and with his stripes we are healed.' Such is the perfection
and merit of his sacrifice, that we may depend upon it; he will not lose
the fruit of his obedience and suffering. Secondly, The power of his
exaltation : Acts iii. 26, ' God having raised up his Son Jesus, sent
him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniqui
ties.' Christ having paid our ransom, is gone to heaven, and hath full
22 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. X.
power to free us from sin, even all those that heartily consent to his
terms.
3. He is willing to do this for you. Why else did he purchase it at
BO dear a rate? Why doth he offer it so freely in the promises of the
gospel, and in that covenant which was made, stated, and sworn unto ?
Heb. vi. 17, 18. Why else has he been so kind to all that are now in
glory ? There is none in heaven by the first covenant ; all that are
there come thither as justified and sanctified by Jesus Christ, and in
the way of his pardoning grace. Surely he will not be strange to them
that bemoan themselves. Consider his merciful nature, his appearing
in our flesh, that we might have this confidence : Heb. ii. 17, ' Where
fore in all things it behoved him to be made like his brethren, that he
might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to
God, to make reconciliation for the sinsof the people.' Well, then, Christ
is willing if we are willing ; there you will find it sticketh. He came
to take away sin, but we will not give way to his Spirit ; we are neither
sensible of our burden, nor earnest for a cure, at least a sound cure. We
seek ease and comfort more than the removing of the distemper.
SERMON X.
Whosoever abideth in him sinneih not : whosoever sinneth hath
not seen him, neither known him. — 1 JOHN iii. 6.
HERE is a double argument against an evil and sinful life, which is
drawn from our union and communion with Christ by faith, or our
knowledge of him. It is delivered in a copulate axiom, where there is
a comparison of contraries. These two contrary parties are set forth
in two propositions, the one asserting the property and disposition of
the true believer, the other refuting the claim of the pretender. In
the one an argument from union with Christ, the other from the know
ledge of him.
1st Proposition, ' Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not ; ' where we
have the subject and the predicate.
1. The subject, 'Abideth in him;' that is, he who is united to
Christ by a true and lively faith, and perseveres in this union, abideth
in him. In effect, whosoever is a true Christian, for they are often
expressed by this character : 1 John ii. 6, ' He that abideth in him
ought himself also to walk even as he walked.' This is the great
duty pressed upon us : 1 John ii. 27, 28, ' But the anointing which ye
have received of him, abideth in you ; and ye need not that any man
teach you : but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and
is truth, and is no lie ; and even as he hath taught you, ye shall abide
in him. And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall
appear, we may have confidence, and may not be ashamed before
him at his coming ;' and John xv. 4-7, 'Abide in me, arid I in you :
as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself) except it abide in the vine,
VER. 6.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 23
no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, and ye are
the branches : he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth
forth much fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide
not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered ; and men
gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye
abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will,
and it shall be done unto you.' The phrase implieth intimacy and
constancy.
[1.] Intimacy, or the near and close conjunction between Christ
and a believer by faith.
[2.] Constancy, or an adherence to him, and dependence upon him
on our part ; for the union is not like to break on Christ's side ; it is
we that are pressed to abide in him, and that first because some are in
Christ only by visible profession, and Christ will not cast them off if
they do not fall off. Secondly, Because the elect must consider the
danger of apostasy : ' Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall.'
2. The predicate, ' Sinneth not ; ' that is, according to the sense of
our apostle, liveth not in a course of known sin, for otherwise there is
no man that sinneth not, 1 Kings viii. 46 ; and again, Eccles. vii. 20,
' There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.'
Therefore the meaning of the apostle is, that for the main he
endeavoureth after purity and holiness, and alloweth himself in no sin.
2d Proposition. There the order is inverted ; for the predicate
in the former proposition is the subject here : ' Whosoever sinneth,'
that is, in the sense aforesaid, whosoever doth so give himself over to
sin as not to endeavour purity and holiness, either deliberately and
designedly doeth evil, or doth negligently oppose evil, leaveth the boat
to the stream.
Then the predicate, ' Hath not seen him, nor known him ; ' that is,
was never acquainted with Christ.
But yet, because the expressions are emphatical, I shall sift them a
little more narrowly.
1. These expressions are used because all that are Christ's are
bound to know him, and to be acquainted with him: John x. 11, 'I
know my sheep, and am known of mine.' The knowledge is mutual ;
as he knoweth us, and taketh care of us, so we know him, and take
care of his precepts.
2. That where sight and knowledge are effectual, it is a mighty
check to sin : 3 John 11, ' He that doeth good is of God ; but he
that doeth evil hath not seen God.' Seeing and knowing are put for
a lively faith : John xvii. 3, 'And this is life eternal, to know thee the
only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent ; ' John vi. 40,
' He that seeth the Son and believeth on him hath eternal life.' So
that the meaning is, he hath not a true and lively faith.
3. The expressions are fitly used to disprove the Gnostics, a sort of
knowing people, who falsely did pretend a higher knowledge of Christ
without newness of life ; yea, though they wallowed in all manner of
filthiness ; therefore called Borborites ; and one of their dogmas
or opinions was, that a jewel in the dirt is a jewel still. Therefore
their knowledge or science, falsely so called, is often disproved in the
writings of this apostle : 1 John ii. 4, ' He that saith, I know him, and
24 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SEP,. X.
keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in
him.'
4. The case in hand or under debate was about seeing Christ and
being like him ; but none shall see him hereafter but those that now in
some sort see him and know him ; for faith is the introduction to the
beatifical vision. If we do not see him now, and know him now, we
shall neither see him nor know him hereafter ; but he that liveth an
evil and sinful life hath not seen him, neither known him ; and there
fore such cannot expect to see him as he is, and be like him.
5. There is plainly in the words a negative gradation, where the
greatest is denied first, as is frequent in scripture ; as Ps. cxxi. 4,
' Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep ; ' and
Heb. xiii. 5, ' I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.' A man may
leave the'company of another whom he doth not forsake. So here, he
hath neither seen Christ nor known him. Sight implieth clearness and
certainty ; and so the meaning is, that he is so far from seeing Christ,
that he hath not known him. The points observable are two —
First, That whosoever is ingrafted into Christ by a true and lively
faith, and hath union and communion with him, ought not nor cannot
allow himself in any known sin.
Secondly, That no sight and knowledge of Christ is saving and
effectual but what checketh sin and prevents living in a course of sin.
For the first point, that whosoever is ingrafted into Christ by a true
and lively faith, and hath union and communion with him, ought not
nor cannot allow himself in any known sin.
Here I shall examine — (1.) What is union and communion with
Christ; (2.) This is to be considered as begun and as continued ; (3.)
Why this union with Christ is inconsistent with a sinful life.
I. For the first, certainly there is a near and close union between
Christ and Christians. To be in a thing is more than to be with it, by
it, or about it, or to belong to it. Now we do not only belong to Christ,
but are in him, John xvii. 26, and 2 Cor. v. 17, ' Whosoever is in
Christ is a new creature.' What this union is, is a mystery, and hard
to explain. When the apostle had told us that ' we are members of
his body,' he addeth, Eph. v. 32, ' But this is a great mystery : but I
speak concerning Christ and his church.' The near conjunction between
Christ and his people is one of the secrets in religion not slightly to
be passed over, nor yet very curiously to be pryed into. The conjunc
tion is real, but the way of it is spiritual and heavenly. Many things
in religion are known by their effects rather than their nature. The
thing is plain, but the manner hidden ; and it is our business to seek
after the blessed effects of it rather than accurately to study the nature
of it. Yet it is profitable to see how it is brought about. Take it thus,
confederation maketh way for union, union for fruition, and fruition for
communion, and communion for familiarity between Christ and us or
God and us by Christ.
1. Confederation is the foundation of all on our part ; for entering into
covenant with God is the ground of our union with him, or by Christ
with him ; for then God is our God, and we are his people, Jer. xxiv.
7. Abraham is called the friend of God with respect to the covenant,
James ii. 23 ; and we have the right of sons by receiving Christ : John
VER. 6.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 25
i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave he power to become
the sons of God ; ' or accepting him as their Lord and Saviour. When
the self-condemning sinner doth consent to the terms of the gospel,
and heartily accept Christ to be to him what God hath appointed him
to be and do for poor sinners, he hath full allowance to call God Father,
and is possessed of all the privileges which belong to his children.
2. Upon this followeth union with Christ, which, what it is, cometh
now to be discussed. This certainly is not a mere relation to Christ.
Union indeed giveth us a title to Christ and Christ a title to us : Cant. ii.
16, ' I am my beloved's, and he is mine.' But yet there is somewhat
more than a relation ; for Christ is not only ours and we his, but he is
in us and we in him. God is ours, and we are his, and God is in us,
and we in God. It is represented not only by relative unions, but
such as are real. Kelative, as marriage ; where man and wife by the
marriage covenant are one flesh, Eph. v. 31, 32. But by the head
and members, who make one body, not with respect to a political, but
natural body : 1 Cor. xii. 12, ' For as the body is one, and hath many
members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one
body ; so also is Christ.' By vine and branches, who make but one
tree : John xv. 5, 'I am the vine, ye are the branches.' Again, it is
compared to the food and substance that is nourished by it : John vi.
56, ' He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me,
and I in him.' As the meat is turned into the eater's substance, so
they and Christ become one ; and on feeding on Christ by faith, there
followeth a mutual inhabitation. We dwell in him by constant de
pendence, and he abideth in us by constant influence and the quick
ening virtue of his Spirit. Nay, once more, it is compared with the
mystery of the Trinity, and the union that is between the divine persons:
John xvii. 21-23, ' That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in
me, and I in thee ; that they also may be one in us, that the world
may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest
me, I have given them, that they may be one, as we are one : I in them,
and thou in me ; that they may be perfect in one, and that the world
may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast
loved me.' Which, though it cannot be understood to the full, yet at
least it is more than a bare relation. The mystical union implieth
somewhat more than a bare title. Yea, it is not only a notion of scrip
ture, but a thing effected and wrought in us by the Spirit : ' By one
Spirit we are baptized into one body/ 1 Cor. xii. 13. Now the Spirit's
works are real. What he doth, doth not infer a bare title and relation
only ; there is a presence of Christ in our hearts, and a vivifical influ
ence caused by it.
3. Union maketh way for fruition and communion ; for we being
in Christ, receive all manner of blessings through him and from him :
1 Cor. i. 30, ' But of him ye are in Christ Jesus, who of God is made
unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption;'
that is, we receive all manner of benefits by virtue of our union with
him. Certainly this union is not a dry notion ; the comfort flowing
thence is very real. More especially these benefits may be reduced to
two — the favour of God, and the life of God. First, The favour of
God ; being reconciled to him by Christ, all our sins are pardoned :
26 SEUMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. X.
Eph. i. 14, ' In whom we have redemption through his blood, the
remission of sins.' So far that we are exempted from condemnation :
Rom. viii. 1, ' There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ
Jesus.' And our persons are accepted : Eph. i. 6, ' He hath accepted
us in the Beloved.' And we are put under the hopes of eternal life :
Col. i. 27, ' Christ in you the hope of glory.' Oh, what a mercy is this,
that we that could not think of God without horror, nor hear him
named without trembling, nor pray to him with any comfort and con
fidence, have now by Christ pardon and absolution, and free access
with assurance of welcome and audience, whenever we stand in need
of him ; and not only so, but may hopefully expect a child's portion
in heaven, ' To be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.'
Secondly, The life of God, which is begun in regeneration, and continued
by the influence of his Spirit dwelling and working in our hearts, till
it be perfected in the life of glory : 1 John v. 12, ' He that hath the
Son hath life.' Another kind of life than he had before ; a living in
God and to God, which is the noblest kind of living and being under
the sun : Gal. ii. 20, ' I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me ; and
the life that I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God ; '
and Christ is called our life, Col. iii. 4. Christ is the root and foun
tain of it, the living head in whom all the members live, and from
whom they receive strength and influence : John xiv. 19, ' Because I
live, ye shall live also.' We live by virtue of his life.
4. Communion and fruition maketh way for familiarity, for real inter
courses of love between Christ and the soul. He dwelleth and walketh
with us, and we with him ; he directeth, counselleth, and quickeneth
us, and we live in a holy subjection and obedience to the motions and
inspirations of his grace : Ps. xxvii. 8, ' Thou saidst, Seek ye my face :
my heart said, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.' He speaketh to believers
by the excitations of his grace, and the infusion of spiritual comforts ;
and they to him in holy thoughts, prayers, and addresses unto his
majesty. There is a constant interchange of donatives and duties,
graces and services, prayers and blessings. More especially this
familiarity and converse is either in solemn ordinances and duties of
religion, or in a constant course of holiness. First, In solemn duties
of religion. Prayer is called an access to God, Eph. iii. 12 ; a spiritual
acquaintance with him, Job xxii. 21. By constant commerce men
settle into an acquaintance with one another. Secondly, In a constant
course of holiness : 1 John i. 7, ' If we walk in the light as he is in
the light, then have we fellowship one with another.' Conformity is
the ground of communion. When we love what God loveth, and
hate what he hateth, then he is with us, maintaining, directing, sup
porting us in all our ways ; and we are with him, fearing, loving,
pleasing, and serving him, and glorifying his name.
II. This union and communion is not only as it is begun, but con
tinued. All union must have some bonds and ties by which it is
effected ; so this mystical spiritual union. The primary bands are
those which begin the union, the secondary bands are those which
continue it. The primary bands are the Spirit and faith, the secondary
are the constant inhabitation and influence of the same Spirit with
faith and other graces.
VER. 6.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 27
1. Primary. God maketh his first entry into us by his Spirit, for
it is the Spirit which planteth us into the mystical body of Christ : 1
Cor. xii. 13, ' For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body.' For
by the quickening virtue of this Spirit is faith wrought in us, and then
the soul ernbraceth and receiveth Christ, and the nuptial knot is tied.
Christ, as the most worthy, and as having the quickening and life-
making power, beginneth with and taketh hold of us, that we may
take hold of him : Phil. iii. 12, ' That I may apprehend that for which
I am apprehended of Christ.' The Spirit is the bond on Christ's part,
and faith the principal bond on ours. And if you ask me what act it
is ? I answer — A broken-hearted and thankful acceptance of Christ,
as God offereth him to us ; that is the closing act on our part ; then
Christ and we join hands, when we resolve to cleave to him, and receive
him as our Lord and Saviour, John i. 12.
2. For the continuance of this union, or our abiding in him, the
Spirit is still necessary: 1 John iv. 13, 'Hereby we know that God
dwelleth in us, and we dwell in God, by the Spirit that he hath given
us.' So is faith : Eph. iii. 17, ' That he may dwell in your hearts by
faith.' Faith is the means whereby Christ dwelleth in us by the Spirit,
and it is also the means of our dwelling in him, and our adherence to
him, and dependence upon him. We do not use Christ at a pinch, or
as a pen to write with, and lay it down when we have done, but as the
branches use the vine, and the members the head which they live lay,
and from which when they are separated, they dry and wither. The
heart must be habituated to a constant dependence on Christ. Well,
then, the communion between Christ and his members is mutual, they
being in him by faith and a steady dependence, and he in them by his
Spirit as the root of their spiritual being ; but then all other graces
concur, and have their use and influence, as chiefly love, which causeth
a delightful adhesion to him : Deut. x. 20, ' Thou shalt serve the
Lord thy God, and to him shalt thou cleave.' We cleave to him
by love, as we live in him by faith. As Jonathan's soul clave to David,
or was knit to the soul of David, 1 Sam. xviii. 3, or Jacob's life was
said to be bound up with the lad's life, because of his tender love to
him, Gen. xliv. 30, so a believer's soul cleaveth to Christ ; love cannot
endure a separation : Rom. viii. 35, ' What shall separate us from the
love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine,
or nakedness, or peril, or sword ? ' When we will not suffer ourselves,
either by the allurements or terrors of the world, or solicitations of the
flesh, or temptations of the devil, to be withdrawn from the profession
of his name, or zeal for his truth, or the observance of his precepts,
then are we said to abide in him. Well, then, love is necessary, only
there is a difference between faith and love. Faith is the primary
bond, and love the secondary ; for the union is begun by faith, but
continued by love. The first thing that tieth the nuptial knot is faith,
or choosing and receiving Christ, and that which continueth it is con
jugal loyalty and fidelity, or cleaving to Christ by love. Once more,
the moral union of hearts is by love, the mystical by faith. Christ
must dwell in us as the head and fountain of our life, but by love we
embrace him as our friend whom we most dearly love and esteem.
Lastly, by faith he dwelleth in us effectively, by his influence maintaining
28 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [&ER. X.
our life, and supplying us with all things necessary to godliness. By
love he dwelleth in us objectively, by such a union as is between the
object and the faculty. A star is in the eye that seeth it though it be
ten thousands of miles distant ; and what you think of is in your minds,
and what you desire is in your hearts. A scholar's mind is in his books
when he is absent from them, and a wicked man's mind is in his sin
when he is not practising it, Col. i. 21 ; and we usually say, the mind
is not where it liveth, but where it loveth. When you fear God, your
mind is with him ; when you love God, your heart is with him. This
is an objective union, but by faith there is a union of concretion and
coalition. Christ is the stock, we the graft ; we are said to be planted
into him, Horn. vi. 5, he being to us the fountain and principle of a
spiritual life, or the root of vivifical influence.
III. Why they ought not nor cannot allow themselves in known
sins.
1. They ought not, because a great obligation lieth upon them
above others. The apostle telleth us: 1 John ii. 6, 'He that saith
he abideth in him, ought to walk as he walked.' Zanchy observeth
it is not only utile, profitable to walk as he walked, but debitum, a
necessary and express duty ; they ought to walk. Why is it their
duty more than others ? First, Lest they displease Christ, and forfeit
the sense of his love, who hath done so much for them as to reconcile
them unto God, and hath taken them into his mystical body that he
may give them his Holy Spirit. And after all this, shall we break his
laws and grieve his Spirit ? This is to abide in Christ against Christ,
with Judas to kiss him and betray him. He is best pleased when we
obey his laws rather than fondly esteem his name and memory: 1 John
v. 3, ' For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments ; '
John xiv. 21, 'He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he
it is that loveth me ; ' John xv. 10, ' If you keep my commandments
j r e shall abide in my love.' His is a love of bounty, ours a love of
duty. This is the course that is best pleasing to him, and the ready
way to continue the sense of his love to you. Secondly, Lest they dis
honour Christ. What! when you are taken into the cabinet of Christ's
mystical body, will you yet sin when you are one with God and Christ?
'Let them be one with us,' John xvii. 21. You sin in God; and though
you are planted into the good vine, yet bring forth the clusters of
Sodom and grapes of Gomorrah. What ! sin in Christ ? He was
holy and you profane, he was humble and you proud, he was meek
and you contentious, charitable and you malicious ; he did ever please
God, and you do nothing but displease him. Christ came to make you
saints, and you live like beasts for sensuality, yea, like devils for envy
and hatred. Is this the fruit of your being in Christ and living in
Christ ? You entitle him to your disorders, and pollute his name
thereby.
2. They cannot; union with Christ is inconsistent with a life of
sin. The apostle saith, ' he sinneth not,' making it not only the duty,
but the property of those that abide in Christ. It must needs be so,
because otherwise the communion is but pretended. And it is on our
parts interrupted and broken off.
[1.] It is but pretended: 'He that saith he abideth in him, ought to
VKR. 6.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 20
walk as he walked.' Otherwise you do but say it, it is not a reality.
I prove it thus: Because where there is union and communion with
Christ, there his Spirit is given to us, and they that have the Spirit of
Christ will he like him ; the Spirit worketh uniformly in head and
memhers. Therefore if the same Spirit and life be in us that was in
Christ, there must needs be a suitableness. If the spirit of the living
creature be in the wheels, the wheels must move as the living creature
moveth. Surely if we have not the Spirit of Christ, we are not united
to him, Horn. viii. 9. If we have, we shall be such in the world as he
was, have the same mind that he had, and walk as he walked. It was
an old cheat of the heathens to pretend to secrecy with their gods when
they would promote any design they had in hand. Many talk much
of communion with God and Christ, but where are the fruits? So
that unless we will delude ourselves with a bare notion and empty
pretence, we must endeavour to find that it is in sincerity.
[2.] It is on our part interrupted and broken off ; we do what in us
lieth to provoke Christ to withdraw, for the condition of this com
munion is holiness : 1 John i. 6, 7, ' If we say we have fellowship with
him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth. But if we
walk in the light, as he is in the light, then we have fellowship one
with another ; ' John xiv. 23, ' If any man love me, he will keep my
words, and my Father will love him ; and we will come unto him, and
make our abode with him.' Conformity maketh way for communion,
and likeness is the ground of love. Therefore, if we sin, if we walk
contrary to God, we do not abide in him ; for there is a contradiction,
that we should abide in him, and yet break off from him as we do by
wilful sin.
Use 1. Information; to teach us how to check sin by the remembrance
of union and communion with Christ : 1 Cor. vi. 15, ' Shall I take the
members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid.'
The apostle is reasoning against fornication, and one main argument is
taken from our union with Christ. The bodies of the faithful are a
part of his mystical body, and therefore must be used with reverence,
and possessed in sanctification and hgnour ; not given to a harlot, but
reserved for Christ. He proveth the argument on both parts, that he
that is joined to a harlot maketh himself one with a harlot, and he
that is joined to Christ becometh one with Christ. ' He that is joined
to a harlot is one body ; ' i.e.. that conjunction is carnal and bodily :
' But he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit ;' i.e., this conjunction
is holy and spiritual. And does not the argument hold good in other
cases ? Thus in gluttony and intemperance, they join us to something
that is different from Christ, and debase the body which Christ hath
made the temple of his Spirit. Nay, though the sin be not so gross,
the argument is good still. Do we dwell in Christ, and make Christ's
mystical body a shelter and sanctuary for sinners, and this great
mystery of union with Christ only/ a cover for a carnal heart and life ?
Surely every one that is in Christ hath greater obligations than others,
being taken into such a nearness to God ; and has greater helps, having
received of his fulness, John i. 16. They have grace from him, as the
branches have sap from the root.
Use 2. Are we true members of Christ's mystical body ? ' Whoso-
30 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. X.
ever abideth in him sinneth not.' Let us pause on this a little. Do
not we sin daily ? But unavoidable failings do not forfeit or break off
our union and communion with him. What then?
1. There are many sins which are utterly inconsistent with true
godliness ; and if a child of God should fall into them in some rare,
unusual case, he cannot know himself a child of God. Surely to live
in them doth clearly decide the matter. As, for instance, consider
these scriptures : 1 Cor. vi. 9, ' Know ye not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God ? be not deceived : neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of
themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards,
nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God ; ' Gal.
v. 19-21, ' Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these ;
adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft,
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings,
murders, drunkenness, revellings, and suchlike: of these things I tell
you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do
such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God ; ' Eph. v. 6,
' Because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children
of disobedience.' These acts are so contrary to grace, that no debate
needeth be about them ; either they are not consistent with sincerity,
or the knowledge of it.
2. They live not in any sin against knowledge and conscience ; for
indulgently and deliberately to run into any sin cloudeth the knowledge
of our sincerity, for that argueth the reign of sin, and that is dangerous,
Rom. vi. 14 ; and therefore we need watchfulness, Eph. v. 15, and much
prayer, Ps. cxix. 133.
3. When a child of God falleth through infirmity, he presently
rallieth, and recovereth himself again : Jer. viii. 4, ' Shall they fall, and
not arise ? ' Surely to lie in the dirt argueth obstinacy.
4. They do not make a trade or course of sinning and repenting ;
for relapses against conscience are so grievous to a sincere heart, and
repentance, if it be serious, doth so wound sin, that it cannot easily
recover life and strength : Ps. li. 6, ' In the hidden part shalt thou
make me to know wisdom.'
5. It neither concerneth the duty nor peace of the children of God
to omit the due care of their hearts and lives when they come near a
state of death, and thereby render their condition questionable, lest
they seem to come short, Heb. iv. 1 ; and Heb. xii. 13, 'Make straight
steps to your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way.'
Anything that would turn us out of the course of our obedience to God
should be striven against and watched against till we prevail. It will
be a doubt, if not a wound and maim, to our sincerity : therefore, if we
be not known by avoiding sin, let us be known by striving against it,
and prevailing in some measure.
Use 3. Is direction. If he that abideth in Christ sinneth not, then
let us abide in Christ, seek after union and communion with him, be
cause there is our security. First, If we abide with Christ, he will
abide with us. There is no danger of breaking on his part, therefore
we are so often called upon to abide in him, John xvii. Secondly,
Apart from him we can do nothing, John xv. 5. Thirdly, In him
VER. 6.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 31
you may bring forth fruit, John xv. 8. Fourthly, In abiding in
him we have much joy and comfort: John xv. 10, 11, 'If ye keep
my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, as I have kept my
Father's commandments, and abode in his love. These things have I
spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and your joy might
be full/ The Lord's supper was appointed to represent and seal this
union : 1 Cor. x. 16, it is called, ' The cup of blessing,' &c. There we
come to eat his flesh and drink his blood, and to be joined to the Lord
so as to become one spirit. Since Christ calleth the bread his body and
the wine his blood, these outward things are signs to put you in remem
brance, and seals to put you in possession of Christ, whose flesh you eat
and blood you drink, that you may live by him ; not with your mouth,
that were to think carnally of heavenly mysteries ; as Nicodemus, when
told of being born again, thought that a man must enter the second
time into his mother's womb ; or as the Capernaites said, John vi. 59,
' How can this man give us his flesh to eat ? ' No ; the eating and
drinking must be answerable to the hungering and thirsting ; now that
is not carnal, but spiritual. We must solemnly receive Christ into our
heart, that he may dwell there. Oh, then, own Christ as your Lord,
devote yourselves to him : 2 Chron. xxx. 8, ' Yield yourselves to the
Lord.' Heartily, sincerely resolve to be Christ's, and he will be yours.
2c£ Point. That no sight and knowledge of Christ is saving and
effectual but what checketh sin and hindereth the life of it.
There is a twofold knowledge — speculative and practical.
1. Knowledge speculative, which is nothing else but a naked map
and model of divine truths. The Jew had his form of knowledge in
the law, Rom. ii. 20. So the speculative Christian has a form of god
liness, 2 Tim. iii. 5, a scheme and delineation of gospel truths. There
are different degrees of this.
[1.] A memorative knowledge, such as children have when the field
of memory is planted with the seed of Christian doctrine. Children
are taught to speak of divine mysteries by rote, such as God, Christ,
heaven, hell, sin, righteousness ; as the philosopher observed of young
men, that they learned the mathematics with all their hearts and minds,
but moral things they only said them over, rather rehearsed and said
after another, than believed them. Children answer you the words of
the catechism, but they heed not what they say, nor understand
not whereof they affirm ; but it is good that children should learn
divine things, and after be further instructed in the nature and cer
tainty of them, Luke i. 5.
[2.] Another degree above this is opinionative knowledge, when they
do not only charge their memories, but exercise a kind of conscience
and judgment about these things, so as to be orthodox and right in
opinion, and to bustle and contend about that way of religion wherein
they have been educated, or that which suiteth best with their fancies
and interests ; yet wisdom entereth not upon the heart, Prov. ii. 10.
.This maketh men hot disputers, but cold practisers of godliness; they
have a religion to talk of, but not to live by ; they may know much
of religion in the notion, and it may be more accurately than the
serious Christian. As a vintner's cellar may be better stored with wines
than a nobleman's, but he hath them for sale and not for use, so these
32 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiB. X.
may form their notions into better order than the serious godly man.
These are useful in the church, as a dead post may support a living
tree, or as negroes and slaves dig in the mines to bring up gold to
others. But alas ! with all their learning they may be thrust into
hell : ' They received not the love of the truth, whereby they might be
saved.'
[3.] There is a higher degree of speculative knowledge beyond this,
and that is, when men have some kind of touch upon their hearts, but
it is too slender and insufficient to break their lusts or to stand out
against temptations.
Use. Well, then, let us seek after this saving knowledge, to see and
know Christ as we ought to know and see him, with a renewing, trans
forming knowledge : Eph. iii. 10, ' And that ye put on the new man,
which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created
him.' It is but hearsay knowledge. Think every notion lost that
doth not invite your minds to the saving knowledge of Christ, and
secure your practice against error and temptations ; therefore beg the
Spirit ; he teacheth us to know things so as to have them impressed
upon our hearts : Eph. iv. 21, 22, ' If so be ye have heard him, and
have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus : that ye put off,
concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt
according to the deceitful lusts.'
SERMON XL
Little children, let no man deceive you : he that doelh righteousness is
righteous, even as he -is righteous. — 1 JOHN iii. 7.
THE apostle had hitherto reasoned against the committing of sin ; he
now persuadeth them to the contrary, the practice of holiness. As
there is a positive part in religion as well as a privative, so a bare
abstinence from sin is not enough, but we must also exercise ourselves
unto godliness, or walk in newness of life : ' Little children, let no
man deceive you,' &c.
In the whole verse observe these things —
1. A caution against error.
2. A description of a righteous man. First, He is described by his
own practice ; secondly, By his conformity to Christ : ' Even as he is
righteous.'
Let me open these branches.
1. The caution against error, ' Little children, let no man deceive
you ; ' this is premised, because such mistakes are suited to the corrupt
heart of man : we may be deceived ourselves, or suffer ourselves to be
deceived by others.
[1.] That we may not deceive ourselves ; frequent warnings are
given against this deceit: 1 Cor. vi. 9, 'Be not deceived; neither
fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor
VER. 7.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 33
drunkards, shall inherit the kingdom of God;' 1 Cor. xv. 33, 'Be
not deceived ; evil communication corrupts good manners : awake to
righteousness and sin not.' So Gal. vi. 7, ' Be not deceived, God is
not mocked ; for what a man soweth, that shall he reap.' Once more,
Eph. v. 6, ' Let no man deceive you with vain words ; for because
of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of dis
obedience.'
[2.J Not deceived by others. There were false teachers in the
apostle's days, that said a man might be righteous and yet live in sin.
Simon Magus taught that bare profession of faith, without a strict
life, was enough to salvation, which poison was also sucked up by
others, the Basilides and the Gnostics.
2. The description of a righteous man; he is described — (1.) By
his ordinary practice ; (2.) By his conformity to Christ.
First, By his ordinary practice : ' He that doeth righteousness is
righteous.' In which proposition there is —
1. The subject, ' He that doeth righteousness.' This needeth to be
explained, because many boasted that they were righteous who yet did
not live righteously.
Here I shall inquire — (1.) What is righteousness; (2.) What it is
to do righteousness.
[1.] What is righteousness ? Righteousness is sometimes taken
strictly for that grace which inclineth us to perform our duty to- man,
with all the acts and duties thereunto belonging. So Eph. iv. 24,
' The new man is created after God in righteousness and true holi
ness ; ' where righteousness referreth to- man, holiness to God : Luke
i. 75, ' In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our
life ;' where there is the same reference. So 1 Tim. vi. 11, 'Follow
after righteousness, godliness.' Which words comprise the duties of
the first and second table. Sometimes more largely for all newness of
life, or all those holy actions which are required of a Christian. So
Mat. iii. 15, ' It behoveth me to fulfil all righteousness ; ' that is,,
whatsoever is required by the law or commanded by God. In this
large sense it is taken here.
[2.] What it is to do righteousness. It is to love righteousness, or
to carry on a constant tenor of all holy and righteous actions ; for to
do righteousness is opposed to committing sin ; therefore it supposeth
us to lead a godly and righteous life, or that we exercise ourselves
unto and be fruitful in all good works.
2. For the predicate, l ls righteous.' Here we must inquire in
what notion the term ' righteousness ' is used ; for a man may be said
to be righteous in a twofold respect — either with respect to sanctifica-
tion or justification. In the first sense it is taken morally for an
upright disposition of heart and mind ; in the second sense, legally
and judicially, for a state of acceptation, or the ground of a plea
before the tribunal of God.
[1.] The righteousness of sanctification, ' He is righteous ; ' that is,
a holy and upright man : 1 Peter iii. 12, ' The eyes of the Lord are
towards the righteous ; ' 1 Peter iv. 18, ' If the righteous be scarcely
saved ; ' 2 Peter ii. 7, 8, ' He delivered righteous Lot ; ' and again,
' that righteous man vexed his righteous soul/
VOL. xxr. c
34 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XI.
[2.] Righteousness is taken for a forensical or court righteousness,
as it belongeth to justification : Rom. v. 19, ' As by one man's dis
obedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many
shall be made righteous;' that is, deemed as such, counted as such,
rewarded as such. Now the question is, which of these senses is to be
chosen here. For the first, the case is clear, that a holy and upright
man is known by his holy and righteous ways and actions, or he
showeth the truth of his regeneration by his godly life, 1 John ii. 29.
In the close of the former chapter, which is the beginning of this
whole discourse, the apostle said, ' If ye know that he is righteous ;
every man that doeth righteousness is born of him.' But for the
second sense, as the term 'righteous' respecteth justification, I cannot
see why it should be excluded; for the sanctified are also justified;
and what a respect and subordination there is of the moral righteous
ness to the judicial, we shall see by and by. Certainly these are
deemed by God, accepted by God, rewarded by God as righteous.
Mark but these two scriptures, Luke i. 6, where it is said of Zachary
and Elizabeth, that ' they were both righteous before God, walking in
all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord blameless/ Mark,
that they having their conversations without blame, they were right
eous, and righteous before God. So Acts x. 35, ' He that feareth God
and worketh righteousness is accepted with him/ There the right
eousness is one ground of acceptation with God.
Secondly, By his conformity to Christ, ' As he was righteous/ He
was righteous in his nature and practice, for he obeyed God perfectly,
and ever did the things that pleased God : Heb. i. 9, ' Thou hast loved
righteousness, and hated iniquity ; and therefore God, -even thy God,
hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows/ Christ's
doing righteousness is said to be righteous. Now when Christians do
so, they resemble Christ, and are like him, though not equal with
him ; so are the children of God, who are adopted into his family,
which is the thing the context laboureth to prove.
Doct. That he, and he only, who doeth righteousness, is the Chris
tian righteous man, and as such is accepted by God.
I shall prove it by the two former acceptations of righteousness.
I. In the way of sanctification, he, and he only, is the upright
gospel Christian that doeth righteousness.
1. Because this is the great end wherefore God changeth his heart,
and infuseth grace into him ; not barely that he may have it, but use
it, and live by it ; it is a talent, the choicest talent wherewith the
sons of men are intrusted : Gal. v. 25, ' If ye live in the Spirit, walk
in the Spirit/ Surely where there is life there must be actions suit
able ; and if there be a spiritual life, there must be a spiritual walking:
this gift is not given in vain. When Christ speaketh of giving the
Spirit, John iv. 14, he saith, that ' the water that I shall give him
shall be a well of water springing up into everlasting life ; ' and
John vii. 38, ' Out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water/ The
Spirit is given in order to action. A Christian is not to keep his
graces to himself, to fold up his talent in a napkin ; this water is a
living spring, always springing up ; this conduit is so filled that it
must burst or flow forth ; and the grace that is in his heart is always
VEU. 7.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 35
to be in act and exercise. The apostle telleth us, Rom. vi. 4, that
we are raised up with Christ by the mighty power of God, that we
should walk in newness of life ; not to lie idle and still, but to walk,
and to walk as becometh those who have a new and holy nature.
2. Grace is of such an operative and vigorous nature, that where it
is really planted and rooted, it cannot be idle in the soul, but will be
breaking out into action ; as sin is not a sluggish idle quality, but
always working and warring : ' Sin wrought in me all manner of con
cupiscence,' saith the apostle ; ' And I see a law in my members,
warring against a law in my mind,' Eom. vii. 23. The habit of sin,
though it be not peccatum actuale, yet it is actuosum. So grace puts
forth suitable operations : 2 Peter i. 8, ' If these things be in you, and
abound, they make you that ye shall not be barren nor unfruitful in
the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.' Where graces are in any
good degree of life and strength, there a Christian cannot be lazy, but
his conversation will be fruitful. Grace will not let a man alone ; he
shall have no rest and quiet within himself unless he both busy and
employ himself for God. Faith will show itself in an open and free
profession of Christ, both in word and deed : 2 Cor. iv. 12, ' We having
the same spirit of faith, believe, and therefore speak.' A spirit of faith
cannot be suppressed, neither can the work of faith, 1 Thes. i. 3.
Hope is a lively hope, 1 Peter i. 3 ; and love hath a constraining force
and efficacy, 2 Cor. v. 14. Men cannot hide their love, no more than
fire can be hidden. Graces suffer a kind of imperfection till they pro
duce their consummate act : 1 John ii. 5, ' But whoso keepeth his word,
in him verily is the love of God perfected.' Well, then, a Christian is
not to be valued by dead and useless habits, but operative graces. Ih
vain do men persuade themselves that they have righteousness buried
and sown in their hearts, when unrighteousness wholly possesseth their
hands, minds, eyes, and floweth forth into their actions.
3. We have no way to distinguish ourselves from hypocrites but by
performing actions which become real converts. When John sus
pected the scribes and pharisees, on their submitting to his baptism, he
presseth them to evidence their sincerity by a suitable conversation :
Mat. iii. 8, ' Bring forth fruits meet for repentance ; ' and the apostle
persuadeth the gentiles to repent and turn to God, and do works meet
for repentance, Acts xxvi. 20. Call them works, or call them fruits,
they must be such acts as become the change wrought in us. The new
heart is known by newness of conversation, and a change of heart by a
change of life. Repentance is an inward thing, but the fruits appear
outwardly in our actions ; the sap is not seen, but the apples appear.
Our dedication is known by our use, our choice by our course, and our
resolution by our practice. Acts discover the habits, and what we do
constantly, frequently, easily, showeth the temper of the heart. It is
true God chiefly requireth truth in the inward parts, without which
all external holiness is but a mere show, and loathsome to him ; yet
none should flatter themselves with that holiness which they imagine
to have within, unless the fruits of it appear without, and they labour
to manifest it in their daily carriage and course of life. If a candle in
a lanthorn be lighted, it will not be confined there, but shine forth ;
so if there be grace in the heart, it must show itself by all holy con-
36 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SEE. XI.
versation and godliness. We judge of others by their external works,
for the tree is known by its fruits, and we judge of ourselves by internal
and external works together. If there be a principle of grace within,
there will be a love of God, and a hatred of evil, and a delight in holi
ness, and a deep sense of the world to come ; and all this be discovered
in a holy and heavenly conversation without. Then this completeth
the evidence, and breedeth in us the testimony of a good conscience :
2 Cor. i. 12, ' For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience,
that, in simplicity and godly sincerity, we have had our conversation
in the world; ' Heb. xiii. 18, ' For we trust we have a good conscience,
in all things willing to live honestly.' If a man would make a judg
ment of his own estate, he must take a view of his obedience and daily
carriage towards God. If there be a course of close walking, and the
main endeavour be to please him, we may take comfort in it, and it
will make up an evidence in the court of conscience.
4. It is for the honour of God that those which live by him should
live to him, and, when he hath formed a holy and righteous people for
himself, they should glorify him by doing righteousness. We are as
new creatures, to bring forth fruit unto God : John xv. 8, ' Herein is
my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit ; ' Ps. xi. 7, ' For the
righteous Lord loveth righteousness, his countenance doth behold the
upright ; ' 2 Thes. i. 11, 12, ' Wherefore also we pray always for you,
that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the
good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power ; that
the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you.' By
internal grace we approve ourselves unto God, by external holiness we
glorify him in the world. With respect to God's approbation we must
be righteous ; with respect to God's honour we must do righteousness,
that so we may bring him into request in the world. He is concerned
much in our answerable or unanswerable walking.
II. He that doeth righteousness is righteous with the righteousness
of justification. This seemeth the harder and more difficult task, but
to a considering and unbiassed mind all is easy, and to him that will
be determined in his opinions by the word of God or the gospel of our
Lord. Therefore, for more distinctness' sake, I shall show you — (1.)
What is the righteousness of justification ; (2.) What respect the holy
life hath to it.
First, What is the righteousness of justification ? It may be inter
preted either with respect to the precept or sanction of the law.
1. With respect to the precept of the law, and so the legal righteous
ness is opposite to reatus culpce, to the fault ; and so, if it were possible,
we may say that he that fulfilleth the law is righteous ; that is, he is
not faulty ; but alas 1 we are all sinners. But, however, suppose it for
method's sake, as the apostle doth ; so it is said, Rom. ii. 13, ' Not the
hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall
be justified.' That is a truth if it is rightly understood ; but then the
law may be fulfilled either in the sense of the covenant of works or in
the sense of the covenant of grace.
[1.] In the sense of the covenant of works. A man that exactly
fulfilleth the law in every point and tittle, without the least alteration
and swerving, is righteous ; but this is impossible to the fallen crea-
VER. 7.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in, 37
ture: ' Therefore by the deeds of the law shall no flesh be justified in
his sight,' Rom. iii. 20; and Gal. iii. 21, 22, 'If there had been a law
given which could have given life, verily righteousness had been by the
law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise
by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.' But —
[2.] With respect to the law of grace. May not the precept be said
to be obeyed, not perfectly, but sincerely ? And if so, what hindereth
but he that doeth righteousness is righteous? that is, evangelically
justified and accepted by God, as one that hath kept the law of grace.
I know no incongruity in this ; yea, I see an absolute scriptural cer
tainty in this doctrine, if the world would receive it, and determine
their opinions by the simplicity of the gospel, rather than by the dic
tates of any faction which the late janglings of too many in Christendom
have produced. Indeed, I know no other way how to reconcile the
two apostles Paul and James. Paul saith, ' We are justified by faith,
without the works of the law;' and James, that ' we are justified by
works, and not by faith only.' Justification hath respect to some
accusation. Now, as there is a twofold law, there is a twofold accusa
tion, and so by consequence a twofold justification — by the law of works
and the law of grace. As we are accused as breakers of the law of
works, that is, as sinners, obnoxious to the wrath of God, they plead
Christ's satisfaction as our righteousness apprehended and applied by
faith, not by works of our own ; but as we are accused as breakers of
the law of grace, that is, as rejecters or neglecters at least of Christ
and his renewing and reconciling grace, we are approved, accepted as
righteous, by producing our faith and new obedience, for thereby we
prove it to be a false charge ; and though we cannot plead as innocent,
yet we may plead as sincere ; and so it is said, Mat. xii. 37, ' By thy
words shalt thou be justified, and by thy words shalt thou be con
demned ; ' and James ii. 12, ' So speak ye, and so do., as they that
shall be judged by the law of liberty.' But I have interposed my
judgment too soon, before I have further cleared up matters: all that
i desire now is this, that this notion may be marked. Righteousness
consists in keeping the law, for the law of grace maybe kept, and some
plea must be made thence, or we are undone for ever.
2. Righteousness may be interpreted with respect to the sanction,
which is twofold — the threatening and the promise.
[1,] With respect to the threatening, and so righteousness is opposite
to the reatus pcence, the guilt or obligation to punishment; and so a
man is said to be righteous when he is freed from the external punish
ment threatened by God, and. due to him as a breaker of the law.
To this end observe that place, Rom. i. 16-18, ' I am not ashamed of
the gospel of Christ ; for therein is the righteousness of God revealed
from faith to faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men.' Mark, there are
two revelations which are opposed to each other; there is the law
covenant, in which the wrath of God is revealed, and the gospel cove
nant, in which the righteousness of God is revealed, or the way to
escape that wrath. In the law, the wrath of God is revealed and
denounced against those that have broken it ; and broken it we have
in every table by our ungodliness and unrighteousness, yea, in every
38 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XL
point and tittle ; yet the law of grace or of faith hath appointed us a
remedy in Christ how we may be righteous, and freed from this wrath
and vengeance by him, by the righteousness of God, or of Christ
revealed by faith. And more particularly in the commination and
threatening two things are considerable — the sentence and execution.
(1.) As the commination importeth a sentence or respects a sentence,
so we are justified or made righteous when we are not liable to con
demnation : Horn. v. 18, ' As by the offence of one judgment came
upon all to condemnation, so by the righteousness of one the free gift
came upon all to the justification of life.' Now who are made partakers
of this privilege ? Surely the penitent believer ; that is his first quali
fication : John v. 24, ' He that believeth in Christ shall not come into
condemnation.' And new obedience is also considered : Rom. viii. 1,
'There is no condemnation to them' who live a holy and godly life/ who
walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit/ So that it may be said,
he that doeth righteousness is righteous, hath an interest in Christ, is
not subject to condemnation.
(2.) As the commination respects execution, so to be justified or
made righteous is not to be liable to punishment, or not to be punished ;
so the apostle saith, Rom. v. 9, ' Being justified by his blood, we shall
be saved from wrath through him.' The penalty is remitted and taken
off. Thus is the godly upright man justified also, for in the last
judgment it is said, Mat. xxv. 46, ' These shall go away into everlasting
punishment, but the righteous into life eternal.' And the righteous
there are such as do righteousness, or are fruitful in good works ; these
are not punished, but rewarded.
[2.] We come now to the other part of the sanction or the promise ;
and so our judicial and legal righteousness, with respect to it, is nothing
but our right to the reward, gift, or benefit, founded not in any merit
• of our own, but only in the free gift of Christ ; partly in the merit of
another, the free gift of God, and the merit of Jesus Christ. So they
are said to be justified and made righteous who have a title to eternal
life : Rom. v. 18, ' By the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon
all to the justification of life;' Titus iii. 7, ' Being justified by his grace,
we are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.' Now who
have a right but they that do righteousness, and therefore are righteous
in the justifying sense ? Rev. xxii. 14, ' Blessed are they that do his
•commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life.' The
same right that believers have to their adoption, John i. 12. Well,
then, the privilege of them that do righteousness is not inconsiderable,
or a matter of small moment; our whole welfare and happiness
dependeth on it, our freedom from the curse and title to glory. It is
such a righteousness as exempts them from the present condemnation ;
and at length, when others are doomed to everlasting destruction, they
shall be accepted to eternal life.
Secondly, What respect hath holiness to this being righteous ?
1. All will grant it to be a predication of the adjunct concerning the
subject, or a sign concerning the signation of the thing signed. It is
if any man work righteousness, it is a sign and evidence that he is
righteous, that he is one of those who are justified and accepted of
God ; and so they think the justified man is described by his insepar-
VER. 7.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 39
able property, the practice of holiness, or doing righteousness. I refuse
not this, for this includeth all the justified, and excludeth all the
workers of iniquity ; and this well followed will engage us more to the
fear of God and working of righteousness than we usually mind and
regard ; for would you know that you are exempted from condemnation,
and appointed unto life by Christ ? You can never be clear in it till
your faith be warranted by your holiness. It is said in one place,
that ' God hath no pleasure in the workers of iniquity,' Ps. Iv. 5, and
in another, Ps. xi. 7, ' The righteous Lord loveth the righteous.' These
are those he appro veth, accepteth, delighteth in, and, finally, whom he
Avill take home to himself.
2. But there is more than a sign ; it is a condition of our right and
interest in Christ's righteousness, and the consequent benefits thereof.
Our qualification is a part of our plea that we are sound believers. To
understand this, let me tell you that the righteousness of the new
covenant is either supreme and chief, and that is the righteousness of
Christ, or secondary and subordinate, the righteousness of faith and
obedience. As to the first, a right faith ; as to the second, a continued
obedience is required.
[1.] The supreme principal righteousness, by virtue of which we are
reconciled to God, is Christ's obedience unto death : Horn. v. 19, ' By
the obedience of one many shall be made righteous.' This is our great
righteousness, by which the wrath of God is appeased, his justice
satisfied, by the merit of which all the blessings of the new covenant
are secured to us.
[2.] The subordinate righteousness, or the condition by which we
get an interest in and right to this supreme righteousness, is faith and
new obedience ; but for a distinct use, as to our first entrance into the
covenant of God, faith is required : Horn. iv. 3, ' Abraham believed
God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.' As to our continu
ance in this blessed privilege, new obedience is required ; for it is said,
' He that doeth righteousness is righteous.' Thereby his interest in
Christ is confirmed and continued. Our first and supreme righteousness
consisteth in the pardon of all our sins for Christ's sake : Kom. iii. 23,
'Justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ;'
and we are ' accepted in the Beloved,' Eph. i. 6, and by him have a
right to impunity and glory, 1 Thes. 5. 9, 10. Our second and subor
dinate righteousness is in having the true conditions of pardon and life.
In the first sense, Christ's righteousness is the only ground of our
acceptance with God. Faith, repentance, and new obedience is not
the least part of it. But in the second, believing, repenting, obeying,
is our righteousness in their several respective ways, namely, that the
righteousness of Christ may be ours, and continue ours.
Use 1. Is the caution of the text, ' Let no man deceive you ; ' nor
do you deceive yourselves in point of sin or righteousness.
First, Sin. As we are pronely bent to commit sin, so we are apt to
seduce our hearts by many pretences to continue in sin. The usual
deceits are these three : that sin is no sin ; that they shall escape well
enough though they sin ; or that their sins are but petty slips or human
infirmities.
1. Though they live vainly and loosely, yet they think they do not
40 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XL
sin. To convince these, we must bring them to consider their rule,
their end, their pattern. Their rule is the law or word of God, What !
live in a state of vanity under this strict rule ? and have you no sins to
repent of and reform ? Surely men are strangers to the law of God,
otherwise they would have more knowledge of sin. David having
admired first the beauty of the sun, the light of the visible world, then
the purity and perfection of the law, which is the light of the intellectual
world, concludeth all with this prayer or meditation, Ps. xix. 12, ' Who
can understand his errors ? cleanse thou me from secret sins.' But
slight and careless people, that the ell may be no longer than the cloth,
make a short exposition of the law, that they may have a large opinion
of their own righteousness, and so live a carnal life, without check or
restraint. So to consider their great end, as a Christian should do
nothing inconsistent with it, so not impertinent to it ; for so far we are
out of the way. Consider your words and actions, what do they?
Alas ! we fill up our lives with actions that are a mere diversion from
our great end ; this will make them serious, for a man's end should be
known all the way. Then for his pattern, ' He that doeth righteousness
is righteous, as he is righteous.' Is this life you lead like the life of
Christ? If we do not consider our pattern, no wonder we are vain
and light. The efficacy cometh from beholding, 2 Cor. iii. 18, or
' looking unto Jesus,' Heb. xii. 2.
2. That they shall escape the judgment though they live in sin.
Though it be as plain as the sunshine at noon-day, that they that live
in gross sins are in a state of damnation, yet men are apt to delude
their own souls, thinking they may be saved, notwithstanding their
profane life, with a little general profession of Christ, and a formal in
vocation of his name, though their lives tend to hell. Oh, no ! ' Let
every one that narneth the name of Christ depart from iniquity,' 2 Tim.
ii. 19. The causes of this presumption are non-attendance to or non-
application of scripture threatenings : ' No man saith, What have I
done?' Jer. viii. 6. Their abuse of God's patience, and transforming
him into an idol of their own fancy : Ps. 1. 21, ' Thou thoughtest that
I was altogether such a one as thyself.' No ; he is a holy and jealous
God. Do not say he will not be so strict and severe. It is an abuse
of God's mercy to say his patience suffereth all things, and his
mercy will be no let to his judgment: Ps. Ixviii. 19-21, 'But our
God is a God of salvation, yea, our God is a God of salva
tion. But he will wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp
of all them that go on in their iniquities.' Christ came to save sinners
from their sins, but not in their sins, Mat. i. 21. So they abuse the
doctrine of justification. Oh, Christ is their justification. Ay ! but
you must mind the subordinate righteousness by which the supreme
righteousness is imputed to you ; and where Christ is made unto us
righteousness, he is also made to you sanctification, 1 Cor. i. 30. They
believe in him, but true faith is not consistent with an evil and sinful
life, for it purifieth the heart, Acts xv. 9. These are some of the
spiders' webs whereby they trust, those sorry fig-leaves wherewith they
hope to cover themselves, that their nakedness do not appear, those
sandy foundations which they build upon, the untempered mortar
which they daub with.
VER. 7.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 41
3. That their sins are but petty slips, and small sins, mere human in
firmities ; that no man can be perfect ; that the purest saints have fallen
into as great faults. But those are not infirmities which you indulge
and allow, and study not to prevent and mortify, or retract not with
grief and shame ; besides, infirmities continued in prove iniquities,
which by their frequent lapses are rather strengthened than weakened
in you.
Secondly, Let no man deceive you in point of righteousness, 'He
that doeth righteousness is righteous.'
1. Not he that heareth and talketh of it only doth show himself
righteous ; not strict opinions with licentious practices , not a bare
approbation, not approving without doing : Luke xi. 27, 28, ' Yea,
rather blessed are they that hear the word of God and do it.'
2. It is not only an intention of mind and purpose. No ; we must
actually perform the will of God : ' He that doeth righteousness is
righteous ; ' Acts xxvi. 20, ' That they should repent and turn to God,
and bring forth fruits meet for repentance/ Repentance is a change
of mind, but there must be works meet.
3. Not barely good desires. Many please themselves with this, that
a desire of living holily sufficeth. No ; the soul of the sluggard desir-
eth, and hath nothing. It is not he that desireth to be righteous, but
doeth righteousness ; sluggish desires are easily controlled. Where is
the effect, the pressing towards the mark ? Phil. iii. 14. If it were
strongly, seriously desired, we would address ourselves to this work,
and in some good measure prevail. The building went on when the
people had a mind to the work, Neh. iv. 6.
4. It is not doing a good action now and then, but throughout our whole
course ; we must fear God, and work righteousness : Ps. cvi. 3, ' Blessed
are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all
times ; ' and if he falleth, he returneth by a speedy repentance.
Use 2. Is to persuade us to look after this righteousness, which is
the drift of the text. To this end consider —
1. We shall shortly appear before the tribunal of God, where every
man's qualification shall be judged, whether he be righteous or un
righteous. How soon it may come about we cannot tell ; this day sur-
priseth the most part of the world, and taketh them unprovided. The
word found is often used with respect to this day : 2 Cor. v. 3, ' If so
be we shall not be found naked.' 2 Peter iii. 14, ' And found of him
in peace ; ' Phil. iii. 9, ' And be found in him, not having mine own
righteousness.'
2. For God's judgment; nothing but God's righteousness will serve
the turn. The law which condemneth us is the law of God ; the wrath
and punishment which we fear is the wrath of God ; the glory which
we expect is the glory of God ; the presence into which we come is
the presence of God ; and therefore the righteousness upon which
our confidence standeth must be the righteousness of God . Rom. iii.
22, ' Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith in Jesus Christ,
unto all and upon all that believe/ That which God hath appointed,
and God will accept.
3. The righteousness of God is principally the death, merit, and satis
faction of our Lord Jesus Christ ; for it is said, 2 Cor. v. 21, ' He was
42 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [&ER. XII.
made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the right
eousness of God in him.'
4. None have the benefit of this righteousness of Christ but those
that believe in him ; for the righteousness of God is revealed from
faith to faith, Bom. i. 17. Now this faith is nothing else but a broken
hearted and thankful acceptance of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Lord
and Saviour.
5. None have this faith but those that depend upon him as a Saviour,
and give up themselves with a hearty consent of subjection to be guided,
ruled, and ordered by him as their Lord. For dependence: Eph. i. 13,
' In whom ye trusted, after ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation.' Subjection : Col. ii. 6, ' As ye have received Christ
Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him.'
6. None give up themselves to him as their Lord but those who
make it their scope and work to please, glorify and enjoy him : 2 Cor.
v. 9, ' Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be
accepted of him.' None but those that purify themselves as he is pure,
and are righteous as he is righteous.
SERMON XII.
He that committeth sin is of the devil ; for the devil sinnetli from the
beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested,
that he might destroy the works of the devil. — 1 JOHN iii. 8.
HERE is a new argument against living in sin, backed and confirmed
with two reasons. The argument is, that they who live in sin are of
the devil ; it is confirmed with two reasons, the one taken from the
disposition of Satan, the other from the design of Christ. The one
proveth the thing asserted, the other showeth the detestableness of it.
The thing is proved, that he that liveth in sin belongeth to the devil,
' For the devil sinneth from the beginning.' The other showeth how
unbecoming it is for them that profess themselves Christians to have
the gospel in their mouths and the devil in their hearts. In short, the
one reason showeth our danger, the other our remedy and help ; our
danger, ' The devil sinneth from the beginning.' It is his work to
promote sin ; he doth not only sin himself, but instigateth others to sin.
Our remedy for this purpose, ' The Son of God was manifested,' &c.
There is a double argument couched in it. You make yourselves
an opposite party to Christ, and so build again what he came to destroy ;
or at least you do not improve the help and remedy offered. Let me
open these things more particularly.
1. The argument itself, ' He that committeth sin is of the devil.'
The argument is, that they who live in sin are so far from being the
children of God, that they are the children of the devil ; for so must
that ' of the devil ' be interpreted ; for it is presently added in the 10th
verse, ' In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of
VER. 8.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 43
the devil ; ' and John viii. 44, ' Ye are of your father the devil.' Like
ness inferreth relation ; as he that first inventeth, teacheth, or per-
fecteth any art, is called the father of it or them that use it. So
Gen. iv. 20, 21, ' Jabal was the father of them that dwell in tents, and
Jubal the father of such as handle the harp and the organ.' So Satan was
the inventor of sin, and the beginner of sin and rebellion against God,
and therefore the father of sinners.
2. It is confirmed with reasons.
[1.] That sin entitleth us to Satan, and showeth our cognation and
kindred to him, and confederacy with him : ' For the devil sinneth
from the beginning.' The devil is the eldest and greatest sinner, who
presently sinned upon the creation, and ever since is the grand architect of
wickedness, the author and promoter of sin among men. ' He sinneth'
noteth a continued act; he never ceaseth to sin. He was created good,
but kept not his first estate, fell betimes ; and having given himself
over to sinning, abideth and proceedeth therein: John viii. 44, 'He
was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth ; '
Jude 6, ' The angels kept not their first estate, but left their own
habitation.'
[2.] That to belong to the devil misbecometh Christians, and should
be a detestable thing among Christians : ' For this purpose the Son of
God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.'
Where observe —
(1.) The way the Son of God took to obviate this mischief, ' For
this cause the Son of God was manifested.'
(2.) His end and design therein, ' That he might destroy the works
of the devil.'
(1.) The way the Son of God took ; he was manifested in our flesh :
1 Tim. iii. 16, ' And without controversy, great is the mystery of god
liness : God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of
angels, preached to the gentiles, believed on in the world, received up
into glory ; ' which compriseth all the acts of his mediation performed
in our nature. God had foretold in the first gospel that ever was
preached that 'the seed of the woman should break the serpent's
head,' Gen. iii. 15 ; that in our nature, which was so soon foiled by
Satan, one should come who would conquer and vanquish him, and
introduce a love and care of holiness. The manifestation of the Son of
God in the work of redemption doth apparently cross and counterwork
Satan's design, which was first to dishonour God by a false representa
tion, as if he were envious of man's happiness. Now in the mystery
of our redemption God is wonderfully magnified, and represented as
amiable to man : ' For herein God commendeth his love to us,' Rom.
v. 8 ; that the Son of man appeared for our relief, and died for our
sins ; partly to advance the nature of man, which in innocency stood
so near God. Now that the human nature, so depressed and abased
by the malicious suggestions of the devil, should be elevated and
advanced, and set so far above the angelical nature, and admitted to
dwell with God in a personal union above all principalities and powers,
Eph. i. 20, 21, surely this should be such an everlasting obligation upon
us to adhere to God and renounce Satan, that his counsels and sugges
tions should no more have place with us. This is the way he took.
44 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XII.
(2.) The end and design, for this purpose, ' That he might destroy
the works of the devil/ Where we have an act and an object.
(1st.) The act, to destroy. The word signifieth also to dissolve and
loosen. To dissolve ; many things are destroyed when they are not
dissolved ; as suppose a building, when the parts are taken asunder or
severed one from another. So he came to dissolve that frame of wicked
ness and rebellion against God which Satan had introduced into the
world. So it is said, ' Christ came to finish transgression, and to make
an end of sin,' Dan. ix. 24 ; and in time will do it. Or else to loosen
or untie ; to loosen a chain or untie a knot ; and so it implieth that
sins are so many chains, and cords, and snares, wherein we are bound
and entangled : Lam. i. 14, ' The yoke of my transgression is bound
by his hand ; they are wreathed and come up upon my neck ; ' and
the wicked are said to be held with the cords of their own sins, Prov.
v. 22. Christ came to loosen this yoke, to untie these cords.
(2d.) The object, ' The works of the devil ; ' whereby is meant sins
which are called his lusts. The devil is the author of sin, the pro
moter of sin, and hath a great power over us by reason of sin. Sin is
his work ; he doth not only sin himself, but instigates others to sin ;
and this Christ came to destroy by the merit of his purchase and the
virtue of his Spirit. The points which I shall handle are two —
Doct. 1. That while men live in a sinful course, they are children of
Satan, and not of God.
Doct. 2. The design of Christ's coming into the world was to destroy
sin, which Satan had brought into the world.
The first point, that while men live in sin, or in a sinful course, they
are children of Satan, and not of God. For this first point t!ake these
considerations —
1. That God and the devil are so opposite, that a man cannot be the
child of God and of the devil too. Since the first breach made with
God, by Adam's defection and apostasy, there are two parties and two
seeds — the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, Gen. iii. 15.
God and Satan divide the world. There is no neutral and middle
estate ; a man must be one of these, but he cannot be both at the same
time. Those that continue in the apostasy from God are of Satan's
party ; and till their estate be altered and changed, they ought so to be
reckoned. The great work of Christ, by the powerful means of grace
he hath instituted and blessed, is ' to turn men from Satan to God,' Acts
xxvi. 18 ; to take them out of one kingdom to another, ' from the
kingdom of Satan to the kingdom of God;' Col. i. 13, 'Who hath
rescued us out of the power of darkness, and put us into the kingdom
of his dear Son.' We must quit the one before we can be received
into the other; we cannot be of both at the same time. Now by
nature the whole world of mankind lieth in wickedness, and the devils
are said to be rulers of the darkness of this world, Eph. vi. 12 ; that is,
those that live in the darkness of sin, ignorance, and superstition, the
devil exerciseth a tyranny over them, and so they continue till their
estate and hearts be changed.
2. Our being children to either is not to be determined by profes
sion only, but practice ; for many who are by profession among God's
people may yet be limbs of Satan and children of the devil ; as Christ
VER. 8.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 45
telleth the Jews, who were the only visible people God had for that
time in the world, John viii. 44, ' Ye are of your father the devil, and
his lusts will ye do ; ' and again, speaking of the tares that grew among
the wheat, Mat. xv. 38, ' The field is the world ; the good seed are the
children of the kingdom, but the tares are the children of the wicked
one.' Mark, the field is the world, that is, the state of the church in
this world ; the good seed signifies the good Christians, but the tares
the wicked that are remaining intermingled among them, and are
only left to be distinguished by the reapers, who are the angels, at the
last day ; so that all that live in a state of sin, and are unrenewed by the
Holy Ghost, and not converted to God, are the children of the devil,
though they grow among the corn. Now what a detestable thing is.
it that any of us should be Christ's in profession and the devil's in
practice and conversation ? For us to have any commerce with the
devil, and belong to the devil, after we are visibly brought into the
kingdom of God, should be abhorred by all good Christians. We
detest witches that come into an express and explicit covenant with
Satan ; but we are in an implicit covenant with him, of his league and
confederacy, if we cherish his lusts, follow his counsels and sugges
tions. Others renounce their baptism, but you forget your baptism,
which implieth a solemn vow against the devil, the world, and the flesh.
And therefore carnal Christians are said to ' forget that they were
purged from their old sins,' 2 Peter i. 9 ; that is, washed in God's
laver, wherein they were dedicated to God, and renounced the devil
and his works and lusts.
3. They that do evil, or live in a course of evil doing, are Satan's
children for two reasons —
[1.] Because they resemble and imitate him ; for he is our father
whom we imitate. Now they imitate Satan in his rebellion against
God. A man is said to be of the devil, non natura sed imitatione.
His substance is not by traduction from Satan, but he is said to be of
the devil by his corruption. By nature he is of God, but by sin he is
of Satan ; not as a man, but as a wicked man, he imitateth the devil,
and beareth his image, and is like Satan in malignity. So Elymas the
sorcerer : Acts xiii. 10, ' thou child of the devil, thou full of all craft
and subtilty, thou enemy of all righteousness ! wilt thou not cease to
pervert the ways of the Lord ? ' Some are apparently so as he was, while
they resemble him in a cruel destructive nature, and a special enmity
to Christ, and his interest, and truth, and kingdom in the world, and
seek to maintain the interest of sin and wickedness. This is one
special sort of sin which is proper to Satan ; but all that cherish sin in
themselves and others are Satan's children, though they do not go to
the height of enmity against Christ ; because they take after the
devil as children do after their parents. Look, as we are denominated
children of God by imitation and resemblance of him, Eph. v. 1, ' Be
ye followers of God as dear children,' so pari ratione, by like reason,
the devil's children, if we follow him in our obstinate rebellion against
God.
[2.] Because all unregenerate men are governed by him, so that
there is subjection as well as imitation ; they are acted and guided by
his suggestions ; he hath a great hand and power over them ; and
4G SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XII.
therefore carnal men are said to walk after the prince of the power of
the air, who worketh in the children of disobedience. He governeth
and influenceth them, not every one in the same way, yet somewhat in
a like manner. As the Holy Spirit governeth the faithful, their hearts
are his shop and workhouse, so the hearts of the wicked are the devil's
workhouse, where he frameth instruments of rebellion against God.
The devil, who hath lost his seat, hath built himself a throne in the
hearts of wicked men, and lords it over them as his slaves. He
blindeth them, and they suffer themselves to be blinded : 2 Cor. iv. 4,
' Whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded.' He enticeth them,
and they consent, and therefore they are said to be taken captive by
him at his will and pleasure, 2 Tim. ii. 26. Surely then Satan hath
great power over the unconverted, for, making use of the corruption
which is in them by nature, he leadeth them up and down by his
motions and suggestions, and they obey him without resistance ; and
if the Lord be not merciful to them, they live, and lie, and die in their
sins, arid are cast forth with the devil and his angels into everlasting
torments, Mat. xxv. 41, that they may abide with him for ever.
Use 1. Exhortation to those that yet wallow in their sins. Oh, come
out of this woful estate, if you would be accounted children of God,
and not of the devil ! But this exhortation is like to be lost, because
none will own their misery, and acknowledge that they do as yet
remain in Satan's snares. Therefore let us convince men a little, and
persuade them at the same time. I shall convince them by these
questions, intermingled with the exhortation.
Quest. 1. Do not you please yourselves too much in an unholy course
of life, and a sinful state ? The sinful state is the state opposite to
Christ; the devil's work is to cherish sin, and Christ's work is to
destroy sin. Now judge under whose influence and government do you
live ? Under Satan's or Christ's ? Are you cherishing or destroying
sin ? If you live under Christ's blessed government, you will use all
his healing methods for the cure of your distempered souls, till you
find a manifest abatement of corruption, or inclination to present things ;
for Satan is the god of this world, and you are never satisfied till the
heavenly mind prevail in you. But if you be under Satan's govern
ment, you are wholly bent to the world and the things of the world,
and are entangled in one of those usual snares of sensuality, worldli-
ness, or pride : 1 John ii. 16, ' For all that is in the world is the lust
of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, which is not of
the Father, but is of the world.'
1. Sensuality. The carnal mind and life is flat enmity to God, and
showeth that we are influenced by the evil spirit, as the heavenly mind
and life is the property of those that are guided by the Spirit of God ;
therefore all those that live in ' gluttony, and excess of wine, revellings,
banquetings,' 1 Peter iv. 3, and spend their time in vanity, wantonness,
and filthiness, and needless sports, are guided by the unclean spirit,
not the Holy Spirit ; they are ' sensual, not having the Spirit.' By
these vanities the mind is debased and polluted, and made unfit for
God and the work of holiness : 2 Tim. ii. 22, ' Flee youthful lusts ;
follow after righteousness.' The devil is busy with young men,
pressing them to inordinate sense-pleasing; then he knoweth that
VER. 8.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 47
holiness will 'be of little account with them : a gross carnal spirit
gratifieth the devil's turn. Tertullian telleth us a story, how that the
devil had possessed a Christian, and being asked why, he pleads that
he found him at a play, took him upon his own ground, and so pos
sessed him.
2. Worldliness, or love of riches : 1 Tim. vi. 9, ' They that will be
rich fall into temptation and the snare of the devil.' The devil would
draw us downward, as God upward. God propoundeth the rich
hopes of the other world to deaden us to the riches and glory of this
world ; but Satan is the god of this world ; here is his empire, and
here are his baits and allurements. Now a drossy, unsanctified,
miserable soul, that loveth the world, savoureth the world, wholly
iriclineth itself to the world, is held fast by Satan in the snare.
3. Pride. This is Satan's proper image : 1 Tim. vi. 3, ' Lest, being
lifted up with pride, he fall into the condemnation of the devil.' This
pride lifts up the mind against God and above men ; when men
delight and place their happiness in greatness and worldly glory, have
an envy to those above them, disdain those below them, contend with
equals out of a lofty conceit of themselves, affect honour and reputa
tion, rather than carry themselves humbly.
Quest. 2. How do you carry yourselves as to the change of masters ?
That we were all once under the power of Satan is evident by what
is said before. But how did we get out of it, or how do we stand
affected towards our recovery ?
1. As to the offers of grace ; if the god of this world do so blind
our minds or harden our hearts that we despise the offered remedy :
2 Cor. iv. 4, ' Lest the light should shine unto them.' Impenitency
and contempt of the grace of the gospel is Satan's great chain ; he is
loath to let a soul go ; and therefore, Mat. xiii. 19, ' The wicked one
cometh and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart.' When
they begin to be serious, he possesseth them with prejudices and false
conceits against religion, and inveigleth and enticeth them by the
pleasing baits of worldly glory and the delights of the flesh, and puts
all anxious thoughts out of their minds about their everlasting con
dition, and discourageth them by the proposal of troubles, dislikes, and
disgraces ; and when he is foiled by one weapon, he betaketh himself
to another, that he may hold the poor captive soul in fetters and
bonds, and they may never think of leaving their sins, but these
thoughts may die away in their hearts ; and thus every soul that is
recovered to Christ is fetched out of the very paw and mouth of the
lion. The heart of a sinner is his garrison and castle, which is so
blinded with prejudice and passion, and carnal interests and worldly
allurements, that till Christ come and besiege it, partly with terrors
and fears, and partly with the offers of mercy and ready help, yea, the
powerful efficacy of his grace, the poor sinner will not yield. Now
how is the strong man outed? Luke xi. 21. Have you been sensible
of your captivity, and have you yielded to the means of your recovery ?
Are you willing the cords of sin and vanity shall be loosened ? and do
you give up yourselves to be ruled by your Kedeemer, and take upon
you his blessed yoke ? Mat. xi. 29.
2. As to more close and pressing convictions, which is a nearer
48 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XII.
approach than the former. When Christ presseth hard upon men's
hearts, and would have entrance, many find a plain conflict within
themselves. Christ haleth the soul one way, and the devil another,
so that a man is as it were torn to pieces. They would repent and
reform, but then they are off again ; the enemy of souls will not let
them go ; pleasures, profits, pleasant company, and carnal acquaint
ance, are all brought out to persuade him that he should sit down and
be quiet in his sins. But Christ calleth again, Why wilt thou die,
sinner ? Now it is good to observe our carriage in these convictions.
While you keep thus, you are ' double-minded, and unstable in all
your ways,' James i. 8. Oh, let not Christ be kept out of his right
any longer ; shall Satan be more powerful in drawing your hearts to
vain delights than Christ is in working them to God and heaven?
Can he maintain you, and make good your quarrel against the
Almighty, and bear you out in rebellion against God ? He is already
fallen under his displeasure : will you believe a murderer and a liar
from the beginning, rather than all the threatenings and promises of
Christ ? What is Satan's end but to destroy and devour, 1 Peter v. 8,
and Christ's but to save ? Luke xix. 10, ' For the Son of man is come
to seek and to save that which was lost.' Are eternal life and death
such trifles that they should move you no more ? You are now but
as the lamb caught by the wolf and lion ; you are not yet killed by
him. How much are you beholden to God for restraining the mali
cious so far ; especially for the offer of help by Christ, and will you
refuse it ? I will add but this one motive, and that is the deference x
which Satan hath over the unconverted in common and the obdurate.
All natural men that are under the reign of sin are under the power
of the devil. But those that are judicially hardened, he hath a
peculiar power over them ; for these God hath forsaken, and delivered
them up into Satan's hands; these are given over to believe a lie,
2 Thes. ii. 9-12. Who are they but the contemners of the gospel,
and wilful refusers of his grace ?
Quest. 3. Do we behave ourselves as those that had a sense of their
covenant vow and engagement when they entered into the service of
Christ and have put on the armour of light ? Are we in a continual
war and fight with Satan ? Certainly where there is a conscience of
our baptismal vow, there sin cannot quietly reign. Now they that
make conscience of their baptismal vow are such as do watch, and
pray, and strive that they enter not into temptation : Mat. xxvi. 41,
' Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation : the spirit is
willing, but the flesh is weak/ The godly are in a great part flesh,
although renewed, and so easily ensnared. When the devil came to
tempt Christ, he had nothing to work upon : John xiv. 30, ' The
prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.' But the best
of God's children have too much of corruption in them, therefore they
must watch, and pray, and strive, and use all Christ's means for their
safety. You must not basely yield to temptations, nor lazily sit down,
or foolishly imagine the field is won, or the fight is ended, as long as
you are in the body. How far soever you have gone, how much
soever you have done and suffered, yet there remaineth more danger ;
the devil is yet alive, and hath a spite at you, and would sift you as
1 Qu. ' difference of the power ' ? — ED.
VER. 8.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 49
wheat, Luke xxii. 33. He knoweth that creatures are mutable, and
those that miscarry not in one condition yet may in another : 'Ephraim
is a cake not turned,' Hosea vii. 8, and he himself is subtle and full
of wiles and methods. Now shall we carelessly wink, or put our foot
in the snare ? Christ warneth us frequently to take heed. There is
no sleeping in the midst of so great danger. There is a remnant of
his seed within you, which will betray you to him if you be not wary.
Many that have begun in the spirit have ended in the flesh. Per
severance only must put on the crown. Therefore beware of the
wounds of wilful sins ; these give Satan a great advantage against us :
Ps. xix. 13, 'Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins.' By
committing any deliberate act of known sin, you are in that so far an.
imitator of Satan. Well, then, since the renewed are yet but in the
way, and not at the end of the journey, they are not wholly exempted
from the power and malice of the tempter : ' Therefore be sober and
watchful, for your adversary the devil, like a roaring lion, goeth about,
seeking whom he may devour,' 1 Peter v. 8. He speaketh to the
converted. Though Satan prevaileth not over a renewed man so far
as to rule in him, yet he leaveth not to assault him, if it were but to
vex him. The capital enemy of man's salvation watcheth all advan
tages against them ; though the door of a believer's heart be shut, yet
lie is searching and trying if he can spy but the narrowest passage, or
the least opportunity whereby he may again re-enter his old posses
sion, or exercise his former tyranny, or recover his interest in the
heart ; therefore we are warned, Eph. iv. 27, ' not to give place to the
devil.' We do so by our pride, passion, vanity, or worldliness ; but by
hearkening to him we do but give up our throat to the murderer, who
would fain draw us to some acts of gross sin, whereby to dishonour
God : 2 Sam. xii. 14, ' Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given
occasion to the enemies of God to blaspheme.' And destroy our
peace : Ps. xxxii. 3, 4, ' When I kept silence, my bones waxed old,
through my roaring all the day long ; for day and night thy hand
was heavy upon me : my moisture is turned into the drought of
summer.' And fearful havoc is made in the soul : Ps. li. 10-12,
' Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a right spirit within
me. Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thy Holy
Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of thy salvation, and uphold
me with thy free Spirit.'
SERMON XIII.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy
the works of the devil. — 1 JOHN iii. 8.
I HAVE often spoken of what Christ doth for the appeasing of God ;
I shall now speak of what he doth for the vanquishing of Satan.
In the words consider — (1.) The way the Son of God took to do us
good ; (2.) His end and design therein.
VOL. XXI. D
50 SERMONS UPON ] JOHN III. [SER. XIII.
1. The way the Son of God took to do us good, ' He was mani
fested;' thereby is meant his coming in the flesh, 1 Tim. iii. 16,
together with all the acts of his mediation performed in our nature.
God had foretold that the seed of the woman should bruise the
serpent's head, Gen. iii. 15 ; in our nature would Christ foil and con
quer Satan.
2. The end and the design ; for this cause, ' That he might destroy
the works of the devil.' Wherein observe —
[1.] An act; to destroy. The word signifieth also to dissolve or
untie, to loosen a chain or untie a knot, and so implieth that sins are
so many chains, cords, and snares, wherein we are bound. We are en
snared and entangled in a course of sin till Christ untied the knot :
Hosea iv. 17, ' Ephraim is joined to idols/ So joined that he cannot
be divided from them ; concorporate with his idols. And we are
bound over to punishment : Lain. i. 14, ' The yoke of transgressions
is bound by his hands, they are wreathed and come upon my neck ; '
and the wicked are said to be holden with the cords of his sins,
Prov. v. 22.
[2.] The object, ' The works of the devil,' whereby is meant sin. The
former part of the verse cleareth that, ' He that committeth sin is
of the devil ; ' and sins are called his lusts, John viii. 44. The devil
is the author of sin, and suggests sin, and hath a power over us by
reason of sin. Sin is his work; he doth not only sin himself, but in
stigate others to sin.
Doct. The design of Christ's coming into the world was to unravel
the devil's work, or to destroy the kingdom of sin and Satan.
I observe here —
1. Two opposite powers and agents — the devil and the Son of
God. The devil sought the misery and destruction of mankind, but
Christ sought our salvation. Satan is the great disturber of the
creation, and Christ is the repairer of it. This malicious cruel spirit
ruined mankind at first, and therefore he is called a liar and a
murderer from the beginning, John viii. 44 ; and Christ, as early
promised and prefigured, is said to be ' the Lamb slain from the founda
tion of the world,' Rev. xiii. 8. We were at first ruined by hearkening
to his counsels and suggestions, as we are now saved by faith in Christ.
By his lies he deceived our first parents, and induced them to sin, and
so we are made liable to death ; and so by Christ's truth we are led
into the way of salvation. All persons were corrupted and out of
frame by the fall of man, through the suggestion of Satan, and are set
in joint again by Jesus Christ. The devil is still ' a roaring lion, going
about seeking whom he may devour,' 1 Peter v. 8 ; and Christ is the
lion of the tribe of Judah, in whom is our safety and preservation,
Rev. v. 5. The devil is wholly employed to oppose the work of man's
salvation and to bring us into sin and misery, and Christ is employed
to preserve the elect, and keep them in his own hand. The devil is an
accuser of the brethren, Rev. xii. 10, and Christ is an advocate:
1 John ii. 1, ' We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous.' In short, we must set the one against the other, the
captain of our salvation against the author of our destruction.
2. Let us consider the advantage that we have by the one above the
YER. 8.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 51
other, and you will find that Christ is much more able to save than
Satan to destroy.
[1.] The devil is a creature, but Christ the sovereign Lord, who
hath power over him and all creatures. The devil's tempting is by
leave. He was fain to beg leave to tempt Job, chap. i. 12 ; to winnow
Peter, Luke xxii. 31, 'Satan hath desired to winnow and sift you as
wheat.' Nay, he could not enter into the herd of swine without a new
patent or pass from Christ, Mat. viii. 31. This cruel spirit is held in
the chains of an irresistible providence. When we are in Satan's hands,
it is a great satisfaction to remember that Satan is in God's hands.
[2.] The devil is a rebel and a usurper for the most part, but Christ
is our appointed remedy : John iii. 16, ' He gave his only-begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have ever-
las.ting life ; ' Bom. iii. 25, ' Whom God hath set forth to be a pro
pitiation, through faith in his blood.'
[3.] The devil hath no power upon the heart, cannot work any
change upon the will, or create new principles and habits which before
were not, as God doth, Jer. xxxi. 33. God can put his law into our
inward parts, and write it on our hearts. He can only propound
alluring baits and objects to the outward senses or inward fancy, but
God worketh immediately upon the heart ; therefore by the power of
Christ the godly may overcome the wicked one. The Lord puts an
enmity in our hearts against Satan and his ways and counsels : Gen.
iii. 15, ' And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and be
tween thy seed and her seed.' It is put by way of efficacy on the one
side, and allowed on the other by Way of permissive intention. God
maketh use of our will and affections in this opposition. Enmity is
the voluntary and strong motion of the mind of man against that which
he hateth.
[4.] The devil only maketh use of the root of sin which is in us by
nature, and prevaileth by his assiduous diligence, multiplying tempta
tions without intermission. But yet we have more for us than against
us, if we consider that Christ hath power enough to deal with Satan ;
he is overmatched and overmastered by Christ, the stronger than he,
Luke xi. 22. Merit enough to counterbalance the evil of nature.
There is much more in the grace of the Eedeemer : Kom. v. 17, ' For
if by one man's offence death reigned by one, much more they which
receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign
in life by one, Christ Jesus.' Then for his assiduity, Christ hath love
enough to attend and mind the affairs of his people. It is true Satan
is always blowing the bellows, inflaming our corruptions, suggesting
wicked temptations ; but doth not Christ still make intercession for us ?
Is not his Spirit as watchful in our hearts to maintain his interest
there? So that if we believe that Christ hath power enough, merit
enough, love enough, surely the case is clear ; the Son of God will have
the better in all in whom he is pleased to work.
3. That all mankind by nature lieth in wickedness, and sin and
Satan worketh in them at his pleasure, and therefore Satan is called
the prince and god of this world : Eph. vi. 12, ' Kulers of the darkness
of this world.' He is the prince and ruler of those that live in sin,
darkness, ignorance of God, and superstition, and exerciseth a tyranny
52 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER XIII.
over them. So lie is called the god of this world, 2 Cor. iv. 4, because
of his great prevalency here : ' The prince of the power of the air, that
worketh in the children of disobedience,' Eph. ii. 2. All men in their
nnrenewed estate are very slaves to Satan, to his motions and sugges
tions, whom they resemble in their sin and wickedness, he taking them
captive at his will and pleasure, 2 Tim. ii. 26. They are at war with
God, from the covenant of whose friendship they are fallen, but at
peace with Satan.
4. Satan hath a twofold power over the fallen creature — legal and
usurped.
[I.] He hath a power over them by a kind of legal right, a power
flowing from the sentence of condemnation pronounced by the law
against sinners ; therefore it is said he had the power of death : Heb.
ii. 14, ' That he might destroy him who had the power of death, that
is, the devil.' The devil by his temptations having drawn men to sin,
and so made them liable to death, they fall into his hands and come
into his power, so that he hath a dominion over them, reigneth in them,
blindeth them, perverteth them, stingeth them to death, and so by sin
more and more they are made obnoxious to the curse and vengeance of
God's broken law. As the jailor and executioner hath the power of the
gallows, so hath the devil the power of death. The devil hath no
right, as a lord, to judge and condemn us, but as an executioner of
God's curse ; so God may put the poor captive sinner into his hand,
which is one reason why we should the more earnestly beg the pardon
of sins, and be thankful for the mercy of a Kedeemer. Now this
power being by the appointment of God, it must some way or other be
evacuated and disannulled : Isa. xlix. 24, 'Shall the prey be taken from
the mighty, and the lawful captive delivered ? ' Sinners are Satan's
lawful prize, but Christ came and turned the devil out of office :
' By death he hath destroyed him that had the power of death.' He
made Satan's office idle and useless ; when God was reconciled, his
power was at an end. Therefore upon his blotting out the handwriting
of ordinances, which was against us, we presently hear of the disan
nulling of Satan's power, Col. i. 14, 15. When the judge and the law
are satisfied, the jailor and executioner hath no more to do.
[2.] He hath a power by tyrannical usurpation, in regard of which
he is called the prince of this world : John xii. 31, 'Now is the prince
of this world condemned.' God made him an executioner, and we made
him a prince and a god, obeying his sinful motions and counsels, and
being led by him up and down, and driven on furiously in a way of sin.
So Christ, as true king and head, both of men and angels, putteth
down Satan as a usurper, and breaketh the yoke of his oppression,
rescueth the elect by strong hand : Col. i. 13, ' Who hath delivered us
from the power of Satan, and translated us into the kingdom of his
dear Son.' Satan had housed and possessed souls as his lawful goods :
Luke xi. 21, ' When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods
are in peace ; ' Mat. xii. 29, ' How can one enter into a strong man's
house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man, and
then he will spoil his house ? ' Not part with the possession of one
•soul till he be mastered ; therefore the usurper and disturber of man
kind is destroyed.
VER. 8.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 53
5. Tliere is a twofold work of the devil — one without us, and the
other within us.
[1.] The work of the devil without us is a false religion, or those
idolatrous and superstitious rites by which the world hath been deceived,
and by which Satan's kingdom hath been upheld. Now Satan's king
dom is cast down by the doctrine of the gospel, accompanied by Christ's
powerful Spirit : Luke x. 18, ' I beheld Satan fall from heaven like
lightning.' When the gospel was first preached, the devil was de
throned, and fell from his great unlimited power in the world ; as
lightning flasheth and vanisheth, and cometh to nothing, and never re
collects itself again : John xii. 31, ' Now shall the prince of this world
be cast out.' The apostles went abroad to bait the devil, and hunt
him out of his territories, and they did it with great effect. And there
fore it is made one argument by which the Spirit doth convince us of the
truth of the gospel: John xvi. 11, 'He shall convince the world of
judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.' The casting
out of Satan from the bodies of those who were possessed by him, the
silencing his oracles, the suppressing his superstitions, and destroy
ing the kingdom of wickedness and darkness, was an apparent evidence
of the truth of the gospel, as was striking blind Ely mas, a famous sor
cerer, Acts xiii. So the punishment of his servants and votaries, dis
solving the force of his enchantments : ' They that used curious arts
burnt their books/ Acts xix. 15. The devil's kingdom went to wreck
in all the parts of it ; the old religion everywhere was overturned, no
more the same rites, the same temples, the same gods that they and
their predecessors had so long worshipped ; and God, as worship
ped in Christ, cometh up in the room. Though the world were
captivated, under Satan, rooted in former superstitions, yet Christ pre
vailed, and got ground by the rod of his strength, even the word of his
kingdom. Before that, Satan everywhere had his temples wherein he
was worshipped, his oracles resorted to with great reverence, till the
Hebrew child silenced him. He ate of the fat of their sacrifices, and
drank the wine of their drink-offerings, yea, often the blood of their sons
and daughters, whom they sacrificed to him. Yet all his strongholds
were now demolished, the idols broken whom they and their fathers
had worshipped and prayed unto in their distresses and adversities,
and blessed in their prosperities. Now all of a sudden are these tem
ples thrown down, these images broken, these altars polluted and set
at nought, and the people turned from these vanities unto the living
God ; and still he is undeceiving the world ; he came to dissolve the
works of the devil, and in every age something is done in that kind.
The unwary and corrupt world doth put Christ upon acting mainly
the demolishing and destructive part hitherto. When gentile worship
was put down, then antichristianity got up in a mystery, and fortifieth.
itself by the numerous combined interests of the carnal : ' But the wea
pons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty, through God, to pull
down strongholds/ 2 Cor. x. 4. But in time, by the power of the word
and the course of God's providence, and the patience of his servants
and the efficacy of his Spirit, this whole mystery of iniquity will be
finished and come to nothing.
[2.] There is the work of the devil within us ; this is destroyed also.,
54 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SEU. XIII.
But here again we must distinguish between the purchase and the ap
plication.
(1.) The purchase was made when Christ died ; for, Heb. ii. 14, ' By
death he destroyed him that had the power of death ; ' and Col. ii. 15,
' He spoiled principalities and powers, and triumphed over them on his
cross.' Christ's death is Satan's overthrow ; then was the deadly blow
given to his power and kingdom. When the Jews and Roman soldiers
were spoiling him and parting his garments, then was he spoiling princi
palities and powers ; in that very hour, which was the power of dark
ness, was Christ making a show of Satan openly, and leading captivity
captive. When they were insulting over the Son of God, then was he
triumphing over all the devils in hell, and overcame them by suffering
himself visibly to be overcome by them. Well, then, here is the ground
of our faith, the death of Christ, which we remember in the sacrament ;
this was the price given for our ransom, and the means of disannulling
all the power which Satan had in us before.
(2.) The application is begun in our conversion, and afterwards
carried on by degrees. All those who are converted and receive the
gospel are said to be turned from Satan to God, Acts xxvi. 18. Then
are they, from the children of the devil, made the children of God,
and adopted into his family, and delivered from the dominion of sin
into the glorious liberties that belong to God's children. And therefore
those to whom God giveth repentance are said, 2 Tim. ii. 26, to be
recovered out of the snare of the devil, by whom they were taken captive
formerly at his will and pleasure. Before they were his slaves and
drudges, drove on furiously, were at the beck of every lust ; but then
they recover themselves, as made free by Christ.
6. There is in sin, which is the work of the devil, three things — (1.)
The guilt of it ; (2.) The power of it ; (3.) The being of it. All
these Christ came to dissolve, but by several means and at several
times.
[1.] The guilt of it ; that is done away by justification. Guilt is
an obligation to punishment. Now this is one effect of Satan's malice, to
involve us in the same ruin and condemnation into which he hath
plunged himself ; he is held in chains of darkness, 2 Peter ii. 4 ; by
which is meant, not only the powerful restraints of providence, but the
horror of his own despairing fears. If the restraints of providence had
only been intended, it had been enough to have said they are held in
chains ; but these are chains of darkness, and therefore it implieth not
only God's irresistible power restraining them, but bis terrible justice
tormenting them ; so that, go where they will, they cany their own hell
about with them, in the constant feeling of the wrath of the Almighty,
and the dreadful expectation of more wrath. This is the case of the
devils ; and do not they seek to bring us into the same condition ? Yes,
certainly they do; what mean else Satan's 'fiery darts?' Eph. vi. 16, by
which is meant, not only raging lusts, but tormenting fears. And
certainly, as the devil hath the power of death, so he keepeth men under
the fear of it and the consequents of it all their days, Heb. ii. 14, 15.
He bringeth his slaves and poor deluded souls into sin, that he may
bring them into terror, and oppress them by their own guilty fear^.
He maketh use of conscience to stir them up, but he joineth with them
SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 55
horrors of conscience, and increaseth their violence. The devil is first
a tempter, that he may be afterwards an accuser and a tormentor.
He is called our ' adversary/ 1 Peter v. 8. The word signifieth an
adversary or enemy at law. He pleadeth law and equity of his side,
and by law would carry the cause against all that come of Adam, for
they are all law-breakers ; and if Christ had not freed us from the
curse of the law, what would you answer ? Again, when he is termed
an accuser, Rev. xii., it doth not signify a whisperer or slanderer out of
malice, but a pleader as an attorney or accuser by law. There is none
upon earth but yieldeth matter enough to fill up his accusations ; he
needeth not come with slanders. Now wicked men, who are his slaves,
are either stupified or terrified by him, or both. If they be stupified,
they are more terrified afterwards ; at best they are always at the beck
and mercy of a cruel master, who can soon revive their hidden fears ;
and if they be not under actual horrors, they dare not be serious, nor
call themselves to an account, nor entertain any sober thoughts of death,
and judgment, and wrath to come. Yea, Satan hath a great hand in
the troubles of conscience which befall God's children ; they have many
a sad hour of darkness when God lets loose the tempter upon them, and
many heavy damps of spirit doth the accuser bring upon them now.
Well, then, this is a part of the works of the devil, those fears of death
and damnation which dog sin at the heels. These Christ came to
dissolve, and by death to deliver us from the fear of death : ' He was
made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in
him/ 2 Cor. v. 21. A believer may triumph over his accuser, and draw
water out of the wells of salvation with joy : Rom. viii. 33, 34, ' Who
shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? it is God that justifieth ;
who is he that condemneth ? it is Christ that died, yea rather, that is
risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, and maketh interces
sion for us/ By his death he hath satisfied God's justice, and at hia
resurrection he had his discharge. By his intercession he pleadeth it
in court. Who shall condemn ? Our advocate is more powerful in
court than our accuser ; he doth not only sue out our pardon by entreaty,
but by merit : Dan. ix. 24, ' He shall make an end of sins, and make
reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in an everlasting righteousness/
This is to destroy the works of the devil indeed. He shall stay the im
putation of sin, working the reconciliation of sinful man to God, estab
lishing an unchangeable rule of our justification by the Lord our right
eousness. Surely all accusation is fruitless when we have such an
advocate as he is. We are sinners ; but if he will spread the skirt of
his righteousness over us, ' and appear before God for us ' Heb. ix. 24,
why should we fear ?
[2.] The dominion and power of sin. The devil keepeth peaceable
possession in the soul as long as sin reigneth : Eph. ii. 2, ' He worketh
in the children of disobedience/ Their hearts are his shop and work
house, where he formeth weapons and instruments of rebellion against
God, The devil, who hath lost his seat in heaven, hath built himself
a throne in the heart of every wicked man, and lords it over them as
over his slaves ; and if they had eyes to see, this is a heavier bondage
than if they were laden with irons, and cast into the deepest dungeon
that ever was digged. Convinced men are sensible of it, but they know
56 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SEK. XIII.
not how to help themselves. Converted men are in part freed ; the
dominion of sin is broken in them, though its life be prolonged for a
season. But because it is a nice case how to distinguish between the
remaining of sin and the reigning of it, and the life from the dominion,
and every degree of this hated enemy is a burden, therefore they pray
earnestly, Ps. cxix. 133, ' Order my steps in thy word, and let no ini
quity have dominion over me.' Watch and strive : Rom. vi. 12, ' Let
not sin reign therefore in your mortal bodies, that ye should obey the
lusts thereof.' Comfort themselves with their justification, in the im
perfection of their sanctification : Rom. vi. 14, ' For sin shall not have
dominion over us ; for ye are not under the law, but under grace.' But
the great encouragement of all is Christ's undertaking ; ' He came to
destroy the works of the devil.' And surely his end will not be frus
trated : Rom. vi. 11, ' Likewise reckon ye yourselves to be dead indeed
unto sin, but alive unto God.' Therefore you may see it a-dying, and
Christ destroyeth the power of sin by degrees, putting an enmity in
your hearts against it : Gen. iii. 15, ' I will put enmity between thee
and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed.' Sin dieth as our
love dieth to it ; they grow every day more free from it, as heretofore
from righteousness. The devil seeks to increase sin, but Christ to
destroy it. Wjien he hath once rescued the prey out of Satan's hands,
he will maintain his interest against all the powers of darkness : Eph.
vi. 10, 11, ' Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might ; for
we fight not against flesh and blood.' The war is not only against
visible enemies, nor against internal passions and lusts, but against
spiritual wickednesses. Yet the divine grace is sufficient; we have God's
Spirit against the evil spirit : 1 John iv. 4, ' Greater is he that is in
you than he that is in the world.'
[3.] The being of sin shall at length be destroyed; for the final
victory is sure and near, for Christ will perfect the conquest which he
hath begun : Rom. xvi. 20, ' The God of peace shall tread Satan under
our feet shortly.' At death sin is totally disannulled, and then sin
shall gasp its last, and the physician of souls will then perfect the cure.
The Papists say, as Bellarmine, that either we must be perfect before
death, or in purgatory after death. I answer — As we are sinners in
the first moment of our birth, so after death no more sinners ; no, not
in the last moment of expiration. Christ taketh time to finish his
work. No sinner doth enter into the state of bliss. Death doth remove
us from this sinful flesh, and admits the soul into the sight of God,
which is in that instant perfected ; as remove the veil, and light break-
eth in all of a sudden.
Object. 1. How doth Christ destroy the works of the devil, since
the kingdom of sin and Satan yet remaineth in so great a part of the
world ?
Object. 2. How doth Christ destroy the works of the devil, since many
of Christ's own people are sorely assaulted, shaken, and many times
foiled by the devil ?
(1.) For the general case. In time Christ doth destroy them, all
the opposite reigns or kingdoms, the kingdom of sin, Satan, and death.
Christians have no enemy to their happiness but such as shall be con
quered by Christ ; sooner or later he will overcome them all. Yet, for
YER. 8.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN TIL 57
the present, this destruction is not so universal but that sin and Satan,
do still continue. There is not a total destruction of these things, but
an absolute subjection to the mediatorial kingdom; they are so far
destroyed as they cannot hinder the salvation of the elect ; they are
destroyed so far that they shall not hinder the demonstration of his
mercy to them ; but as they are subservient to the demonstration of
his justice, error is so far continued. In reprobate and damned souls,
the spot of sin remaineth in its perfect dye, the dominion of sin con-
tinueth in its absolute power. Guilt is an obligation to eternal pain ;
but all this in a subjection to his throne. Some continue slaves to
Satan, and evermore remain so, and we are not altogether gotten free
from Satan's power. God hath a ministry for the devil in the world.
Absolute subjection to Christ is at the day of judgment ; the infernal
spirits shall then bow the knee to Christ, as things in heaven and on
earth, and things under the earth : Phil. ii. 10, compared with Rom.
xiv. 10, 11, and Isa. xlv. 23, ' Unto me every knee shall bow, and every
tongue shall swear.' The saints shall then judge angels, 2 Cor. vi. 2.
God hath a ministry for Satan to punish careless souls, to hinder the
word, inject ill thoughts, lay snares, raise persecution, sow tares, accuse
and trouble the faithful, vex their bodies as he did Job ; so Paul had
a messenger of Satan, some racking pain in his body, the stone or gout,
or the like.
(2.) As to the second case, I answer — To try and exercise the godty,
Job i. 12. The godly are sometimes foiled, and yield to his tempta
tions, yet not taken captive by him at his will and pleasure. He may
prevail in some cases on them, as he did on David : 1 Chron. xxi. 1,
' And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number
the people.' All watchfulness should be used : 1 Cor. vii. 5, ' That
Satan tempt you not for your incontinency ; ' 2 Cor. xi. 2, 3, ' For I
am jealous over you with a godly jealousy ; for I have espoused you
to one husband, that I may present you a chaste virgin to Christ. But
1 fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his sub-
tilty.' They may be drawn, in some rare case, to some particular sin :
2 Sam. xi. 4, ' And David sent messengers, and took her, and came in
unto her, and lay with her;' whereby God may be dishonoured : 2 Sam.
xii. 14, ' By this deed thou hast given occasion to the enemies of God
to blaspheme;' or to mar their own peace: Ps. xxxii. 3, 4, ' When I
kept silence, my bones waxed old, through my roaring all the day long ;
for day and night thy hand was heavy upon me : my moisture is turned
into the drought of summer.' He may assault them for their exercise,
yet riot touch them with a deadly wound : 1 John v. 18, ' He that is
begotten of God keepeth himself, and the wicked one toucheth him
not;' so as to overcome and destroy their salvation: 1 Cor. x. 13,
'Who will not sufFeji* you to be tempted above that you are able, but
will with the temptation make a way to escape, that ye may be able
to bear it.' This opposition is an evidence when we feel it, or groan
under it, otherwise they would be at peace : Luke xi. 21, ' When the
strong man keeps the house, his goods are in peace ; ' as when wind
and tide go together, there is calm. When they feel it : Rom. vii. 9,
'When the commandment came, sin revived, and I died ; ' and groan
under it : ver. 24, '0 wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me
58 SEIIMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SEE. XIII.
from the body of this death ? ' Rev. xii. 12, ' For the devil is come down
unto you, having great wrath, because he knows he hath but a short
time.' Dying beasts bite shrewdly.
Use 1. Let us not cherish sin. It doth not become Christians to
cherish what Christ came to disannul, to build again what he came
to destroy, to tie those cords and knots the faster which he came to
unloose. As much as in you lieth, you seek to dissolve the work of
Christ, and put your Redeemer to shame.
2. Our condemnation is just and clear if we do not cast out sin, having
so much help. Will you by your voluntary consent give Satan an
advantage ?
3. It is our comfort to feel the effects of Christ's dominion, in sub
duing the work of Satan within us, when the Lord Jesus taketh the
throne in our hearts, and doth deliver us from the slavery of corrup
tion : John viii. 32, ' And the truth shall make you free.'
Use 2. If you find anything of the works of the devil in you, run to
Christ, though your souls are entangled.
1. Make your moan to him : Rom. vii. 24, ' wretched man that I
am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' Wherefore
is Christ a Saviour but for sinners ; wherefore a Redeemer but for
captives ? Will Christ be a Saviour, and save none ; a Redeemer, and
redeem none ?
2. Let us depend upon the fulness of his merit. The reason why
the converted find so little effect of Christ's purchase is because they
make so little use of their interest in him. Let us conquer during the
conflict by faith. We have burdensome corruptions that exercise us,
grieve the Spirit, wrong Christ, but they shall be overcome at last.
We have heard, and read, and prayed, yet still they remain ; but Christ's
undertaking cannot be frustrated: our pride and passion shall not
always last.
3. Let us give up ourselves to be ruled by him, willing to be the
Lord's servants : Mat. xi. 29, ' Take my yoke upon you, and learn of
me, for I am meek and lowly in heart ; and you shall find rest to your
souls.'
.4. Let the beginning of the work assure you of the perfection of it ;
he that hath begun to pardon our sins will at length pronounce our
full absolution.
5. Let us apply all this to the sacrament ; here we renew our vow,
not to cherish sin, lest we cross our Redeemer's undertaking ; here we
express our confidence of the fruits of his death, according to the word.
We thankfully commemorate his grace., by which Satan is and will be
more and more vanquished : we see him falling. We admire Christ's
condescension, that he will give us to eat of his own meat, and drink
of his own cup, 2 Sam. xii. 3. We look upon this table as spread for
us in the sight of our enemies : Ps. xxiii. 5, ' Thou preparest a table
for me in the presence of mine enemies ; ' maugre their malice. We
are well provided for in Christ, though they grieve to see the riches of
his bounty to us and care for us. A royal feast and banquet it is,
which our enemies may snarl at, but cannot impeach and hinder ; and
we take it as a pledge of our everlasting triumph, which we are shortly
entering upon.
VER. 9.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 59
SERMON XIV.
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remainelh
in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. — 1 JOHN
iii. 9.
THIS verse is a perfect antithesis, or standeth in direct opposition to
the former. There he reasoneth against a sinful life, because the com
mitting of sin argueth conformity to the devil, who is the great architect
of all wickedness, and sinners are of his confederacy and party. Now
he reasoneth, on the contrary part, that non-committing of sin argueth
conformity with God : ' He that committeth sin is of the devil, for the
devil sinneth from the beginning ; ' that was his argument there ; but
here he argueth from the principle of all grace and goodness, ' Whoso
ever is born of God doth not commit sin,' &c.
In the words there is an assertion, with its reasons annexed —
1. The assertion attributeth two things to the regenerate person —
(1.) That he doth not sin ; (2.) That he cannot sin.
2. The reasons are annexed to both — (1.) Because, his seed remaineth
in him ; (2.) Because he is born of God.
The words need a clear discussion, that they may not be abused by
erroneous persons on the one side, to establish the impeccability and
perfection of the saints ; on the other side, by persons of a weak and
tender conscience, who are apt to conclude against their own regenera
tion because of their daily failings ; nor by a third party, who, because
of these infirmities, and on the presumption of grace received, are apt
to intermit their care and diligence, as if the new nature would preserve
them, and bear them out against all possibility of declining from God
and the ways of holiness.
Therefore I shall — (1.) Acquaint you with, or lay down, some pre
liminary considerations ; (2.) Acquaint you with the different thoughts
of sundry interpreters ; (3.) Assert the true sense of the words ; (4.)
Vindicate them from abuses.
First, The preliminary propositions.
1. That there is not a man upon earth that sinneth not, believers
and persons regenerate as well as others : Eccles. vii. 20, ' There is not
a just man upon earth, that doetli good, and sinneth not ; ' and James
iii. 2, ' In many things we offend all/ Of us, even the holiest and
most regenerate commit many acts of sin.
2. That notwithstanding this, there is a difference between the carnal
and the regenerate : ver. 10, ' In this the children of God are manifest,
and the children of the devil.' Otherwise the godly and ungodly
would be confounded, and there would be no difference between the
wicked and the sincere. Certain there is a people that do not sin as
others, and, in a good and commodious sense, cannot sin : Deut. xxxii.
9, ' Their spot is not the spot of his children.'
Secondly, I shall show the different thoughts of men about this place.
Ambrose interpreteth it of the state of glory, where there is no more
sin ; but it agreeth not witli this place ; for the apostle speaketh of the
state of the regenerate in this life, and would lay down a sign by which
the children of God may be distinguished from the children of the
GO SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XIV.
devil, ver. 10. It is true our perfect state in heaven is spoken of, ver.
2 ; but the apostle is off from that argument, and inferreth thence our
holiness : ver. 3, ' He that hath this hope in him purifieth himself as
Christ is pure.' Others, as Austin in his book of nature and grace,
chap, xiv., supposeth the apostle speaketh dejure, what should be of
right, and not de facto; notwhat % is, but what should be, viz., that he
that is born of God should not sin. But this will not suit with the
apostle's scope, which is to lay down a mark of difference, and the
unregenerate are under an obligation not to sin. Neither will it consist
with the reason here alleged, ' His seed remaiueth in him.' If the jus
were considered, this argument would do better, because sin is forbidden
by the law, from whence right and wrong is determined ; but the
apostle argueth from the remaining principle of grace, which is proper
to the regenerate. Some understand it, as Bernard, of God's non-impu
tation of sin ; he sinneth, but it is not reckoned for sin. But though
this would agree with the former part, ' committeth not sin,' yet it
would not with the latter, ' cannot sin ; ' for God may impute sin,
though he will not. And it establisheth evil doctrine ; for the evil
acts of the regenerate are sins in God's account, and damnable in them
selves, merito operis, and so should be reckoned by us. Others say
that it is very absurd, very unbecoming ; so ' cannot ' is taken for a moral
cannot, not a natural cannot, which noteth a monstrous incongruity,
not an utter impossibility : Gen. xxxix. 9, ' How can I do this great
wickedness, and sin against God ? ' So Acts i. 20, ' We cannot but
speak the things which we have heard and seen.' The heart, as thus
constituted, cannot be brought to it : 1 Cor. x. 21, 'We cannot drink
of the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils ; we cannot be partakers
of the Lord's table and the table of devils.' That it is very absurd
and unbecoming : Gen. xxix. 8, ' We cannot roll away the stone till all
the flocks be gathered together.' It is not the law and custom and
fashion among us.
Thirdly, To state the true sense of these words — (1.) I must open
the assertion ; (2.) Give the reasons; (3.) Show the cogency of them.
1. The assertion.
[1.] ' He doth not commit sin.' It is not to be understood, com
mitteth no act of sin at all, but he walketh not ordinarily and custom
arily in any course of known sin ; he doth not sin as wicked men or as
the unregenerate are wont to sin. So Job appealeth to God, chap. x.
7, ' Thou knowest that I am not wicked.' He durst not avouch it to
God that he was not a sinner, but that he was not a wicked sinner :
Ps. xviii. 21, ' I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly
departed from my God,' saith David ; and we read of ungodly deeds un-
godlily committed, Jude 15. Where lieth the difference ? The habitual
inclination is to please God, yea, that is the drift, scope, and business
of their lives ; and therefore they do not cherish any evil habit and
disposition of soul, nor easily fall into acts of wilful sin.
(1.) Certainly he doth not fall into any course of inordinate living
in the world. There is a way of sinning which the scripture speaketh
of, when men walk after the flesh, or after their own lusts : Rom. viii.
1, ' Who walk not after the flesh ; ' 2 Peter iii. 3, ' Walking after their
own lusts ; ' and ' living after the flesh/ Rom. viii. 13.
VER. 9.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. Gl
(2). As to particular sinful acts there is a difference ; there are three
sorts of sins —
(l-s£) Some that are bare simple infirmities, which a man cannot
avoid, though he would; as the first motions and risings of corruption,
imperfections of duty, want of some degrees of love, reverence, and
delight in God when we are employed in his immediate service, vain
thoughts. These are sins ; though not to be avoided by the ordinary
aids of grace vouchsafed to God's people, yet they are forbidden in the
law of God. God's law is not imperfect, though our natures be so.
These came in by the fall. Adam in innocency knew no such things ;
therefore they are to be bewailed by us ; but these are pardoned on a
general repentance, as we address ourselves to God every day, and re
new the exercise of faith and repentance : John xiii. 10, ' He that is
washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit ; and
ye are clean, but not all.' They do not change our state, nor vacate
our right to the promises.
(2dly.) There are comparative sins of infirmity, which are infirmities
of a middle sort ; not bare weaknesses and frailties incident to our
imperfect state, but such as we might forbear if we kept a strict watch
over our own hearts, and improved the grace and strength offered and
received ; as vain, idle, passionate speeches, censurings, whisperings,
discontent, rash anger, and the like. Now a child of God, through
suddenness and unadvisedness, may break out into some lesser escapes
in this kind, but to allow ourselves in them would not stand with
sincerity. It is treason to coin a penny as well as a pound-piece ; there
fore these comparative infirmities should be prevented by our utmost
diligence, though they do not amount to gross enormities (such as
drunkenness, gluttony, adultery, hatred of the brethren, false-witness-
ings). Though a Christian cannot wholly subdue them, yet we must
not suffer these to be unresisted and unrepented of, and in some measure
we must overcome them. Anger will stir when we are provoked, but
by the ordinary assistance of God's grace we should keep it from run
ning out into furious words and actions, or cursing and swearing or
reviling. An envious thought may arise against our brother because
he is preferred before us ; but we should hate it, and labour to keep it
under, chide ourselves for it; do not let our envy break out into malig
nant detraction from their worth, blemishing their gifts and graces.
A child of God will feel the ticklings of pride, but he will not suffer
it to break out into boasting language. So for distrust and discontent ;
it is some conquest to dash Babylon's brats against the stones. We read
of Achan, Joshua vii. 21, ' That he saw among the spoils a goodly Baby
lonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold
of fifty shekels; then he coveted them, and then he took them.' A child of
God doth ordinarily stop at the first and second pass. There may be an
inordinate desire of what we see ; our senses may betray our souls ;
but though they covet, they do not steal ; they are not drawn to lying,
or deceit, or unjust dealing to get it. Some motions of revenge they may
have, but they do not break out into mischievous and vindictive acts.
So for sensuality ; there may be inordinate motions, and fleshly desires,
or urging inclinations ; but they are checked, and stopped from break
ing out into drunkenness, gluttony, uncleannesf, lasciviousness, in
62 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XIV.
speeches or actions, or making provision for the flesh to fulfil the
lusts thereof. In short, there may be sluggishness; we maybe affected
with the ease of the flesh, but we will not suffer it to withdraw us from
God, or grossly to neglect the duties of our general and particular
calling.
(3<$y.) There are great enormities, or gross and scandalous sins ; now
in this a Christian doth not ordinarily sin. In some rare case, by the
suddenness or violence of some great temptation, they may be over
taken or overborne, but they therein act quite contrary to their habitual
resolutions and ordinary practice; and when they commit them, they
do not lie dead in sin, though shrewdly bruised, diseased, and dis
tempered: these do not commit them with an habitual hatred and
contempt of God, though they proceed from a less love. They have
an habitual love and fear of God ; as Peter, that denied Christ out of
fear, yet telleth him, ' Lord, thou knowest I love thee,' John xxi. 18.
But this love is obstructed for the time, and by this violent shock
grace is so hindered that it cannot obtain its effect ; they do not con
sider what unkindness it is to commit such sins. So their faith, though
it faileth not, as it did in Peter, is obstructed, so that they cannot for the
present counterbalance the pleasures of sin with the danger of it ; or
if they do consider these things, it is but coldly and carelessly. In
short, they may fail in the degree of affection to God, but they do not
change God for sin ; there are dislikes and checks which arise from
the new nature, yet they are not strong enough for the present to defeat
the temptation, and though they be for a time foiled, yet they cannot
rest or persist in sin : Jer. viii. 4, ' Shall they fall, and not arise ? ' A
fountain muddied soon worketh itself clean again ; the needle in the
compass may be jogged and discomposed, but it turneth to the pole
again. There is a sudden recovery ; as a candle sucketh light as soon
as it is blown out more easily than a dead wick. Their hearts may
smite them, as David's did for numbering the people, 2 Sam. xxiv. 10.
They bewail their sins: Mat. xxvi. 75, 'Peter went out. and wept
bitterly.' They run to their advocate : 1 John ii. 1, ' If any man sin,
we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous/ Sue
out their pardon : 2 Sam. xxiv. 10, ' I have sinned greatly in that I have
done ; now I beseech thee take away the iniquity of thy servant.' They
relapse not, unless it be before the wound be well closed and healed.
Thus they do not sin.
[2.] They cannot sin. In a regenerate man there is an aversion of
heart and mind from it. He doth not simply abstain from sinning, but
he cannot commit sin ; he hath a strong, potent inclination and disposi
tion, which carrieth him another way ; his soul is averse from it. A child
of God is never in a right posture till he doth look upon sin not only
as contrary to his duty, but his nature ; it is an unnatural production,
as if a sheep, instead of a lamb, should bring forth a serpent : 'A thorn
cannot bring forth grapes, nor will a thistle produce figs.' And on the
contrary, hips and haws do not grow upon vines, but every tree bring-
eth forth fruit suitable to its own nature ; so one that hath a new
nature showeth itself by eschewing of sin and by pursuing the death
of sin. It is as natural to the new nature to hate sin, as to love God :
Ps. xcvii. 10, ' Ye that love the Lord hate evil.' There is in it an
VER. 9.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 63
irreconcilable hatred and enmity n gainst sin. There is a twofold hatred —
odium abcminationis et odium inimicitice, the hatred of offence, whereby
we turn away from what Ave apprehend to be repugnant and prejudi
cial to us ; so is sin repugnant and contrary to the renewed will. It
is agreeable and suitable to the unregenerate as draff to the appetite
of a swine, and grass and hay to a bullock and horse ; but to a renewed
man, as meat that we loathe and have 'an antipathy against. Now there
is in all these that are born of God this kind of hatred and antipathy
against sin ; it is an offence to them. Then there is odium inimicitice,
a hatred of enmity and hostility, which is a seeking the destruction of
what we hate ; we pursue it to the death. Thus the regenerate hate
sin ; they mortify and subdue it, and have no satisfaction in themselves
till it be destroyed : non cessat in Icesione peccati, sed in exterminio :
Rom. vii. 24, ' wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from
the body of this death ? ' Now the heart of a renewed man being thus
constituted, they cannot sin as others do ; they are settled in such a love
to God and hatred of sin, they cannot be at the beck and command of
every lust, as they were before. Velleius Paterculus saith of Cato
Minor, that he had gotten such a just frame and constitution of soul,
that he could not but do justly. So the renewed are so set and framed,
there is such a new life and a holy nature planted in them by God,
that they cannot sin, that is, live and lie in sin, whatever out of infir
mity they may fall into.
2. For the reasons, they are two, ' Because they are born of God ; '
and ' The seed of God remaineth in them.'
[1.] The general reason, from their change of state.
(1.) What is it to be born of God ? It is to have a new life and
nature wrought in us. To be made by God is one thing, to be born
of God is another. All things are made by God, but all things are
not said to be born of him ; that is a term proper to the new creature.
In every perfect generation, that which is born receiveth from him
that begets it life and likeness. Likeness is not enough to constitute
a birth. An exquisite limner may draw an exact picture of himself,
yet the picture is not said to be begotten or born of him, for there is
no life. And life alone is not enough ; for putrid creatures, as frogs,
toads, worms, animated and quickened by the heat of the sun, are not
said td be born of it, because there is no likeness. When a man
begets a man in his own image and likeness, then he is said to be
born. To apply it to the case in hand : When we who were dead
in trespasses and sins are framed anew to the life and likeness of God,
we are said to be born of him. Life there is : Eph. ii. 1, ' And you
who were dead in trespasses and sins hath he quickened.' Likeness,
or a nature in some sort resembling God : 2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are
given unto us exceeding great and precious promises, that by these
you might be partakers of the divine nature ; ' Eph. iv. 24, ' And that
ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness,
and true holiness.' Now surely such a nature inclirieth us to obey
God and love him.
(2.) How this hindereth that we do not and cannot sin.
(1st.) Because this change wrought in us by the wonderful opern-
tion of God's Spirit puts a new bent and bias upon us : John iii. G,
64 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XIV.
' That which is born of flesh is flesh ; and that which is born of Spirit
is spirit.' We are changed from evil to good, from obeying the flesh
to obeying the Spirit, and inclined to live and walk after the Spirit.
Therefore, this being the scope of the new nature, to live in a strict
obedience to God, the reign of sin is broken, and the acts of it will be
much prevented. Surely the dominion is taken away by the grace of
regeneration, and the acts of it cannot be as frequent as before.
(2d.) He is interested in the care and protection of God. Who
soever is born of God is in covenant with him : Bom. vi. 14, ' For sin
shall not have dominion over you ; for you are not under the law, but
under grace ; ' and adopted into his family, under his fatherly care,
and God is concerned in his preservation : 1 Peter i. 5, ' Who are kept
by the power of God, through faith, unto salvation ; ' and John x. 28,
' And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither
shall any pluck them out of my hand.' Christ therefore will not
desert them so far as that they should be brought back again into the
power and bondage of the wicked one, or that they should so fall into
sin as to persist in it. Therefore consider a regenerate person in him
self, and he may sin himself out of the favour of God, and all the
hopes he hath by Christ ; but as he is in the hands of God, and under
his care, his heart is so governed and inclined by him, that he cannot
totally and finally fall from the grace and life of the Spirit, nor easily
fall into heinous acts of sin, though some infirmities remain still.
[2.] The second reason, ' Because the seed of God remaineth in
him.'
(1.) What is meant by this seed of God? Some say the word:
1 Peter i. 23, ' Born again, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible ; '
Mat. xiii. 19, 'The good seed is the word of God.' Not improper^,
because the word sown in our hearts and rooted by faith is the great
let and check to sin: Ps. cxix. 9, 'Wherewith shall a young man
cleanse his way ? by taking heed thereto according to thy word ; ' and
ver. 11, ' Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin
against thee ; ' ver. 104, ' Through thy precepts I get understanding :
therefore I hate every false way ; ' 1 John ii. 24, ' Let that therefore
abide in you, which you have heard from the beginning : if that which
ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, you shall con
tinue in the Son and in the Father.' Others say this seed is the
Spirit : John iii. 5, 6, ' Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh, is flesh, and that
which is born of Spirit, is spirit.' Certainly the word of God, if it be
this seed, is to be considered not in the letter, but in the Spirit ; for
the word separated from the Spirit can do nothing to the regene
rating of a sinner. The Spirit is the principal efficient, the word is
the instrument. But I think by this seed of God is understood the
effect of both, the principle of grace infused, or that vital grace
which is communicated to us in regeneration, called living in the
Spirit, Gal. v. 25.
(2.) How doth it keep us from sinning, so that he who is born of
God doth not sin, and cannot sin ?
I answer — This seed of God may be considered either as to its
VER. 9.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN IIL 65
tendency and efficacy, or permanency and predominancy ; all which
infer the thing in hand.
(1st.) Its tendency. This impression left upon the heart doth
cause it to bend and tend towards God, that we may serve, please,
glorify, and enjoy him. As it came from God, so it doth incline us
to God ; for the tendency is according to the principle, therefore called
a living to God, Gal. ii. 19. It doth continually draw back from sin,
and urgeth and inclineth to holiness ; and therefore, when a man is
about to sin, he cannot carry it on so freely, because of the rebukes
and dislikes of the new nature, there being a fixed, settled frame and
bent of heart towards God ; therefore the heart by consequence must
needs be set against sin, which is irreconcilable with the motions and
tendency of the new nature.
(2c%.) Its efficacy. The seed of God is an actuous, vigorous thing.
The word seed imports it; for the spirit of the plant is in it. If it be
not a dead seed, we see how it will work through the hard and dry
clods to produce its plant and flower ; so is this vital principle opera
tive ; it will not easily suffer us to do an act contrary to it ; and it
being a divine seed called Spirit, it is a principle of great strength
and power. The apostle calleth it the lusting of the Spirit against
the flesh, Gal. v. 17. Now if grace have any energy and life in it, it
is directly contrary and incompatible with the committing of any sin.
There is a seed and principle in him, which enlighten and enliven,
and quicken him to serve and please God, and therefore he is held
back from sin.
(3c??y.) As to its permanency, a seed that remaineth ; which may be
understood both of its own defixion and radication in the heart of
man. It is not a light touch, but a thorough change, such an impres
sion of God as becometh a habit and holy nature in us, and is the
constant principle of holy, spiritual operations ; and also in regard of
God's continuance of it, for it is one of the gifts of which the Lord
repenteth not, Horn. xi. 29. It is so planted in the heart by God that
it is not lightly inclined, but thoroughly set to holiness ; the good
and honest heart, which, having received the word, keepeth it, Luke
viii. 15 ; a heart sound in God's statutes, Ps. cxix. 80. Now where
the heart is thoroughly changed, soundly set, they do generally live
according to the operation of this seed and principle of grace, and is
so governed and inclined by it, that he doth constantly do the will of
God, and war, and watch, and strive against sin.
(4thly.) This seed is considered according to its prevalency and pre
dominancy. To its prevalency, it hath the mastery in the soul ; for
though there be a double principle in a Christian, you must not forget
the back bias of corruption, which still remaineth with us, and is
importunate to be pleased ; but yet you must carry it so that you may
plainly show it is not superior in the soul, and keep watching and
striving, that as little of it may be discerned as may be, that your con
versations be not cast into a carnal mould, and fashioned according to
the former lusts of } r our ignorance, 1 Peter i. 14, that sin may be
mortified and beaten down more and more. The apostle supposeth
the best is most powerful, so that a Christian showeth himself spirit
rather than flesh. The apostle describeth him here according to the
VOL. XXI. B
66 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SEE. XV.
operation of the better part. The old man in them is crucified, not
wholly dead indeed, but dying, and greatly weakened.
Fourthly, I shall vindicate the words from abuse.
Men think, if they be regenerate, the seed of grace will preserve
them without any care of their own. Herein they are mistaken, and
that for two reasons —
1. Because there is an active warring principle still left in us ; our
lusts are but in part subdued, and our love to them is so soon kindled,
that if we intermit our watching and striving, the gates of the senses
are always open to let in such objects as take part with the flesh ;
therefore we must be beating down sin : 1 Cor. ix. 26, 27, ' I therefore
so run, not as uncertainly ; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air :
but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection.' What is
said of the new nature is not to make us idle.
2. Because grace doth not work necessarily, as fire burneth, but
voluntarily ; it must be excited and stirred up, both by the Spirit of
God, who giveth us to will and to do, Phil. ii. 13, and by ourselves :
2 Tim. i. 6, ' Wherefore I put thee in remembrance, that thou stir up
the gift of God which is in thee.' We must be still blowing up this
holy fire, and keep it burning, as the priests did the fire of the altar.
The bent of the new nature must be kept up with much watching,
striving, praying, and the use of all holy means, and the vigour of it
maintained.
SERMON XV.
Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin ; for his seed re-
maineth in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is bom of God. —
1 JOHN iii. 9.
USE 1. Is exhortation, to press you that you are bora of God, or pro
fess yourselves to be so, to avoid sin.
1. You should look upon sin not only as contrary to 3 r our duty, but
your nature ; for the argument here is not taken from the law of God,
but from the temper and disposition of a renewed man. The argu
ment from the law is strong and binding, for no child of God should
wittingly and willingly break his law. It is urged: 1 John iii. 4,
' Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law ; for sin is a
transgression of the law.' Every deliberate wilful sin is an act of dis
loyalty and rebellion against God, like Absalom's treason against his
father. You should not sin because of the law ; but here the argument
is more pressing and close. ' You cannot sin,' if you be what you pro
fess to be, because God hath given you another nature. Now for you
not only to offer violence to the law, but to offer violence to your
nature, to go against the very constitution and frame of your own hearts,
as it is renewed by God, will aggravate the guilt of the action.
2. The argument is not taken from objective, but subjective grace.
VEE. 9.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 67
The law forbiddeth sin, and grace offereth help and remedy against it.
What the law condemneth, grace teacheth us to avoid. Now grace is
twofold — objective in the gospel, subjective in the heart of a believer.
As, for instance, when some are said to turn the grace of God into
lasciviousness, Jude 4, is God's grace capable to be turned into lust or
sin ? It is objective, not subjective grace, which is there meant, the
doctrine of grace, not the internal grace of the Holy Spirit, which
resideth in the heart of a believer. Now objective grace yieldeth a
notable argument against sin : Titus ii. 11, 12, ' For the grace of God,
that bringeth salvation, hath appeared to all men, teaching us that,
denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this present world.' How teacheth ? Not as
a man that would teach one that is ignorant ; but as a man would per
suade and quicken one that is backward. It is more by way of per
suasion than instruction, as the doctrine of grace containeth many power
ful arguments against sin ; and it is a shame that we do not improve
them to better purpose. But here the apostle reasoneth not from objec
tive, but subjective grace ; not from the doctrine propounded to us, but
the seed which remaineth in us. Now this doth not only persuade but
incline us to avoid sin, and yieldeth us help and strength against it.
3. This subjective grace is a vital principle, not a lighter disposition,
but a settled and fixed frame of heart towards God and heavenly things,
and therefore called life, and a new nature, and a divine nature. Now
if there be such a principle, such a genius, such a new nature put into
us, certainly upon the account thereof we cannot sin, as those do who
have not such a principle ; for principiata respondent suis principiis ;
the constant effects declare what is the principle, or principles are
known by their proper actions, as fire by burning, and the rational
soul by discourse and speech. So ' if we live in the Spirit, we must
walk in the Spirit,' Gal. v. 25, and if we have a new heart, we must
show it by newness of life, Rom. vi. 4. You cannot force men from
their principles ; you may put them out of the way a little, but they
return to it again. You see it plainly verified as to the principle of
corruption. Reason with men, persuade them, show them their
danger, you may rouse them up a little, yet, till God change their
hearts, they still return to their former courses : Jer. xiii. 23, ' Can
the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots ? then may ye
also do good that are accustomed to do evil.' When men are habi
tuated to evil, no means will work it out of them, or work them to any
good. Nature will return, though you seem never so much to check it,
and beat it back. Proportionably, if grace be as a new nature, you will
find it work after this sort. Therefore it is utterly inconsistent with
making sin our trade, custom, and delight. We have felt the tyranny
of sin, but when we are renewed and changed, we should also feel the
sacred power and influence of grace.
4. This vital principle containeth in it an everlasting enmity and
repugnancy to sin, as sin also doth to it : Gal. v. 17, ' The Spirit
lusteth against the flesh, and the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, for
these two are contrary ; ' so contrary as never to be reconciled, no more
than fire and water, light and darkness. Now a man that hath such
a contrary principle to sin in his own bosom cannot give way to it
68 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XV.
without great reluctancies and dislikes, and checks from the new
nature. I observe this for two reasons —
[1.] Partly to show that that doth somewhat abate the operations
of the opposite principle ; the flesh cannot carry it so freely, you cannot
do what you would in the satisfaction of your lusts, because of this
repugnancy and dislike, Gal. v. 17. Therefore, if you sin freely, you
have not the new nature in you, for where it is it will make resistance.
It is not wholly dead nor asleep ; if not strong enough wholly to defeat
the temptation, yet certainly to break the force of it, that it doth not
fall upon us with all its weight : Horn. vii. 15-17, ' For that which I
do I allow not ; for what I would, that do I not ; but what I hate,
that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent to the law
that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that
dwelleth in me.' There is a contrary principle indeed, which re-
taineth some life and vigour ; yet surely in the regenerate it is mucli
abated ; there is not such a reconcilableness to sin as there was before.
Grace serveth us for some use, giveth some strength, or else why is this
gracious gift bestowed upon us?
[2.] And partly to show that these checks and dislikes do aggravate
the sins which we commit. We make it an excuse ; I strive against
them, but do not overcome them, and so the striving is an aggravation
of the sin. Carnal men have their reluctancies, which aggravate their
sins ; as Pilate against the crucifying of Christ, but yielded to it at
length against his own conscience, for his interest's sake, to preserve
the good-will of the people and his credit in his government; he would
fain have washed his hands of it after he yielded to it. Balaam resisted
a while, but yielded at length to the ways of unrighteousness. The
conscience of most men will bear back and hold off for a time, because
it apprehendeth sin to be offensive to God and destructive to the soul,
but the pleasure and profit of sin prevaileth at length. Now if these
reluctancies of bare natural conscience may aggravate the rebellion, and
make it the greater crime for a man to venture upon that which is evil,
against the checks of his own conscience, so much more doth this reason
concern the people of God. He that will break through, not only when
there is a role or law in the way, but his natural disposition or the bent
of a gracious heart in the way, in the general, he doth not only the
sinful act, but overcometh that which hindereth the doing of it ; he
hath somewhat in his bosom to the contrary. Look, as it argued Christ's
love to lay down his life notwithstanding the innocent reluctancies of
his human nature, Mat. xxvi. 39, these words, ' Father, let this cup
pass,' did not argue his unwillingness, but willingness ; ' Nevertheless,
Father, not as I will, but as thou wilt ; ' we should not have understood
the greatness of his love nor the dreadfulness of his sufferings if the
human nature had not showed its just abhorrency against them; so it
argueth the great heinousness of sin to break through notwithstanding
these reluctancies, not only of enlightened conscience, but the renewed
heart. If unrenewed men's sins are aggravated by the dislikes of
conscience, which pleads God's right and our duty, so much more will
renewed men's sins be aggravated by the rebukes of the new nature,
which not only show our duty, or excite us to our duty, but give
us help and strength to perform it, and are so notable a check to sin.
. 9.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 69
5. There is not only an express contrariety to sin, but a predomi
nancy above it. He that is born of God hath indeed two principles of
operations in him, but the one hath the mastery over the other, and is
superior in the soul, else he could not be said to be born of God : John
iii. 6, ' That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.' The best principle
is the most powerful ; so that a Christian showeth himself to be spirit
rather than flesh, and that Jesus hath a greater interest in him than
Adam. The apostle here describeth him according to the operations
of the better part; he doth not sin, he cannot sin; the old man in him
is crucified, not dead indeed, but dying and greatly weakened ; the
new man is superior, and governeth our hearts and actions. The heart
of a regenerate man is like a kingdom divided, but grace is in the throne,
and the flesh is the rebel, which much disturbeth and weakeneth its
sovereignty and empire, and by striving seeketh to draw the will to
itself, that it may be sovereign and chief; but in those who are born of
God, they cannot be, else there would be no distinction between nature
and grace ; for a man is denominated from what is predominant in him,
and hath chief power over his heart. If it be the flesh, he is carnal ;
if it be the Spirit, he is a new creature, or born of God. Many con
victions, and good meanings and wishes, may proceed from common
grace, and be found in those that shall never be saved, because they do
not prevail over the contrary motions and inclinations. But God's
children have not only a spirit contrary to the flesh and the world, but
prevailing over the flesh and the world : 1 Cor. ii. 12, ' Now we have
not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit of God.' Men are
denominated from that which beareth rule in them. If sin reigneth,
or grace reigneth, that is his master to which a man yieldeth himself,
Rom. vi. 10, by which he is ordinarily led and governed, and which
disposeth of his time, and strength, and mind, and heart, and life, and
love ; so that though corruption remaineth in the faithful, yet it is a
rebel, and the government is in the hands of grace. All the acts of. sin
are disowned acts, and we may say with Paul, 'It is not I, but sin that
dwelleth in me.' They proceed from us against the bent and habit of
our wills, and settled course of life ; and therefore you see how it con-
cerneth us to carry it so that as little of the flesh may be discovered as
may be, that our conversations be not cast into a carnal mould, or
fashioned ' according to the former lusts of your ignorance,' 1 Peter
i. 14. That sin be more mortified, and not gratified. The flesh is
importunate to be pleased, but our pretences to God and regeneration
cannot be justified if we should please it, and turn head against the
better part.
6. This vital, contrary, predominant principle against sin is the fruit
of a new birth ; and if it be so, there appeareth a shoal of arguments
to draw us off from sin, and to press us to avoid sin. I will content
myself with two —
[1.] The way by which regeneration is brought about, which is- by a
deep sight and sense of sin, and the dreadful consequences of it. And
surely those that have been acquainted with the pangs of the new birtU
will not easily venture upon sin again, as the burnt child dreadeth the
fire, or those that have been bitten by playing with a snappish cur will
not easily expose their fingers to such danger. You remember what
70 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XV.
sin cost you formerly when you were first reconciled to God, what terror
of heart, what tremblings of soul, and how long it was ere you could
settle in a" holy peace and serenity of mind. Surely we should sin no
more, lest a worse thing come unto us. Will you drink again of those
bitter waters, and renew the cause of your anguish and sorrow, or taste
again of the cold cup of trembling, which filled you with such astonish
ment and fear ? A convinced sinner is filled with his own ways, Prov.
i. 31. He hath enough of sin when God sets it home upon his heart.
Then he seeth what an evil and bitter thing it is to make bold with
God, Jer. ii. 19, at what a dear rate he bought the pleasures and con
tentments of the flesh : and wilt thou again run this hazard ? The
Israelites were jealous of setting up a new altar : Josh. xxii. 17, 18,
'Is the iniquity of Peor too little for us, from which we are not
cleansed until this day (although there were a plague in the congrega
tion of the Lord), but we must turn away again from following the
Lord ? ' Alas ! we cannot forget the old scorchings of conscience, and
shall we venture once more ?
[2.] The effect of it, which is a settled constitution of heart, acted
and discovered either in a way of faith, or hope, and love, and so the
seed of God goeth under divers names : 1 Cor. xiii. 13, ' And now
abideth faith, hope, charity ; ' 1 Thes. i. 3, ' Remembering without
ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope ; '
Jude 20, 21, ' But ye beloved, building up yourselves in } r our most holy
faith, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ.' Now all those graces which constitute and make
up the new creature give us powerful arguments and inducements
against sin. Therefore, if we are born of God, we are highly concerned
not to sin against him.
(1.) Faith maketh use of the whole Christian doctrine to purify the
heart, Acts xv. 9, or cleanse it from sin ; especially that of redemption
by Christ : 1 John iii. 5, 8, ' And he was manifested to take away sin.
For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy
the works of the devil.' And the eternal recompenses : when sin sets
the bait before you, faith sets heaven and hell before you; heaven to
sweeten the ways of God, and make them more easy to us, that we may
be constant in them : Rom. viii. 13, ' If ye live after the flesh, ye shall
die, but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye
shall live.' Hell to deter and frighten you from sin. When the flesh
showeth you the bait, faith showeth you the hook ; and so take all
together, the beginning and the end, you will have little stomach to sin.
When you consider how many are suffering for those sins which you
are now tempted to commit, dare you venture ? What ! upon the ever
lasting burnings, into which every one is cast, whosoever maketh a
lie, or giveth way to his lusts, and filthy excess ?
(2.) Love, which is the weight that inclineth and poiseth us to
God, and so by consequence to hate sin : Ps. xcvii. 10, ' Ye that love
the Lord hate evil.' Which is the great overruling principle which
levelleth our actions to his glory, and directeth them according to his
will : 2 Cor. v. 14, 15, ' For the love of Christ constraineth us, because
we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead. And that
VER. 9.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 71
he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto
themselves, but unto him who died for them, and rose again.' Sin is
not only impertinent, but inconsistent with our great end.
(3.) Hope, which looketh and waiteth that we may see God, and
be like him : 1 John iii. 3, ' He that hath this hope in him purifieth
himself, as Christ is pure.' What! look for these things, and live
so contrary to them ? If this be the effect of the new birth, surely it
concerneth us to mortify and avoid sin.
7. This birth draweth to it God's assistance ; for whosoever is born
of God is taken into God's family and under God's protection : ' For
all things are of him, and through him, and to him ; ' as in a way of
nature, so in a way of grace, Horn. xi. 35. They have their preserva
tion from him from whom they received their being ; the new creature
is through him as well as from him ; and no dam can be so tender
of the young brood in the nest as God is of the new creature, which is
of his own production. He cherisheth that grace which he hath in
fused ; Phil. i. 6, ' Being confident of this, that he which hath begun a
good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ.' The same
power doth carry on the work of grace which did begin it in us. Paul
was confident of this very thing, of their perseverance in grace on this
account. Now herein lieth the stability of the saints, not in the
strength of their own resolutions ; for our steps are apt to slip after the
firmest engagements to God : Ps. Ixxiii. 2, ' But as for me, my feet were
almost gone, my steps had well-nigh slipped ; ' for fixedness of gracious
habits is not from themselves, for we are to ' strengthen the things that
remain, and are ready to die,' Kev. iii. 2 ; but from the power of God,
which by promise is engaged for their preservation against all opposition.
Now this doth secure God's children so far, that those who are born of
God cannot degenerate so as to fall into total impenitency ; and it does
also condemn our laziness if we do not make use of the grace offered
to keep ourselves from, sin, and do not make use of the means pro
vided, that we may be fortified against it. There is a waxing and
waning grace, and ebbings and Sowings in corruption ; but God's
covenant and paternal love admits of no abatement ; our antipathy to
sin may abate, but not Christ's compassion to the saints. He hath in
stituted, not only outward means to confirm us, but still supplieth
internal grace to nourish our faith, hope, and love, that they may be
lively and strong against sin.
8. If we sin wilfully, the seed of God that remaineth in us, though
it be not utterly extinct, yet it is sore battered and bruised, and there is
such havoc made in the soul, that it is hard to know whether we have
any grace in us, yea or no. We are as if we had none ; if there be
any, it is best seen first in our sudden recovery ; for the time we are
as if we had none. Therefore David speaketh as if the work were to
begin anew, and his recovery were a kind of second conversion : Ps. li.
10, 'Create in me a clean heart, God, and renew a right spirit within
me.' The grace of the Holy Spirit is so obstructed, and the flood-gate
of natural pollution so opened, that it is a kind of creation, or second
conversion, to restore the principle of grace to its vigour and power,
as if all were to begin again. Indeed it was not so, for he presently
added, ' Cast me not away from thy holy presence, and take not thy
72 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XV.
Spirit from me.' He had some interest in God still, somewhat of the
Spirit left which he did not lose ; though he had sadly fallen from his
wonted purity and sincerity, yet he owneth some presence of the Spirit
still, and desireth that God would not take it from him, as having never
more need of it than at this time. Secondly, If we cannot lie in sin,
but by our falls we do much more resolve and strengthen ourselves
against sin for the time to come, running to our advocate, and seriously
making our peace with God, 1 John ii. 1, and resolve to be more
watchful and cautious for the time to come : Ps. li. 6, 'In the inward
parts thou shalt make me to know wisdom ; ' and Ps. Ixxxv. 8, ' Let
them not return to folly ; ' that is, commit such foolish and incon
siderate acts again ; if it be thus with us, it argueth that the root re-
maineth, and hath life in it, though the branches be shrewdly rifled and
withered ; if they work themselves clean again, as a living spring that
purifies itself ; but where sin is made light of, and not truly repented
of when committed, there it is not so.
9. That this avoiding of sin is here brought as the most sensible,
visible note and character, to distinguish the children of God from the
children of the devil : ' He that sinneth is of the devil, for the devil
sinneth from the beginning : and he that is born of God sinneth not.
In this the children of God, and the children of the devil are manifest.'
To walk in a sinful course is plainly to entitle ourselves to the devil,
who is the eldest sinner, as being the first of the kind ; the most
constant sinner, for he sinneth from the beginning, never ceaseth, is
never weary of sin ; and the most industrious and painful sinner, for he
compasses the earth to and fro to draw men into a rebellion against
God ; and therefore he is the father of all those that live in a trade and
course of sin. But, on the contrary, he that sinneth not is born of God.
God is holy, and the great work of his Spirit is to renew us in holiness
and cleanse us from sin ; therefore by committing or avoiding sin we
may soon see, yea, the world may see, to whom we belong. And surely
it doth not become the children of God to border too near upon the
wicked. There should be a broad difference between them and the
children of the devil, or else they dishonour their Father, because they
come too near the carnal life ; therefore when the two seeds are thus
intermingled or blended together, it is a nice and difficult case to dis
tinguish them ; so that either it must be determined against you, that
you are not a child of God, or at least you perplex the case, and make
it doubtful ; you are too like the ungodly, and Satan hath too much
interest in you. Holiness is God's image ; doth it not grieve you that
you are so little like him ? By his graces he keepeth possession of you ;
if these have not their effect upon you, you dishonour him by professing
such a nearness to him, and can so little distinguish yourselves from
his enemies. Surely the more nearly you are related to Christ, the
more tender you should be of offending and dishonouring him. If
Christ hath done his part to difference you from all the rest of the
world, and you will not declare the difference, and make it manifest,
you harden the world, and they will think that to distinguish between
the seeds is factious singularity, not regular zeal ; they hold up their
ways with greater pretence, as justified by you, when you are covetous,
envious, wrathful, giving to tippling or vain company.
VER 9.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 73
10. The evidence of this character, and as it concerneth the satis
faction of our consciences, is made to consist in two things — (1.) That
he that is born of God doth not sin ; (2.) Cannot sin ; and both expres
sions contain great arguments in them.
[1.] That he doth not sin. It is not to be understood that he doth
not sin at all, for the contrary is verified by sad and lamentable expe
rience ; nor yet it doth not limit and set out the bounds so exactly and
plainly as that it may be stated in the word. If the scripture had set
down how much sin is consistentwith grace, we should then have gone as
far as we could, and would not so strictly stand upon our guard as now
we are obliged to do after such a warning and intimation. That the
new creature doth not, cannot sin ; the very intent of these expressions
is to make us afraid universally of all sin ; for the infirmities of the
saints may be distinguished from the presumptions of the wicked,
otherwise we could have no certainty of our sincerity, and the scripture
would not distinguish between the spots of God's children and the
spots of the perverse, Deut. xxxii. 5. Surely as the priests of the law
had direction to distinguish between the leprosy that had malignity in
it, and made the people utterly unclean, and the leprosy that did not
fret the flesh, and made them only unclean for the present, so the
ministers of the gospel have direction to distinguish between weaknesses
and wilful failings. Yet there is great difficulty in the case ; partly
because some sins, which in their nature are infirmities, may prove
iniquities in the committer ; as suppose vain thoughts, idle words,
distractions in payer, if a man abandoneth himself to them, the case
is altered ; and partly because the same sin may be an infirmity in one
man which is not in another, who hath more knowledge and helps of
grace ; and partly because that may be an infirmity at one time which
is not at another, as it cometh backed with temptations, which make
such a sudden and forcible impression upon the will that there is no
time of deliberation, but its consent is precipitated, whereas at other
times the sin may be withstood and resisted ; and partly because that
which was an infirmity at first may afterwards commence into ini
quity, as when a man hath sinned away his spiritual strength, broken
the power of his will, lulled his conscience asleep by some foregoing sin ;
partly because it is hard to determine how long sensual passions may
keep the soul from sober consideration. Therefore our best way is to
keep up a constant care and solicitous desire to please God in all things,
at least to keep the soul from settling in a trade and course of vanity
and sin.
[2.] The other part of the note, c That he cannot sin ; ' that is, the
constitution of his soul, or the settled purpose and habitual bent of his
heart, is more against sin than for it ; and then it will follow that his
constant course or the scope and tenor of his life is accordingly; for where
sin is more hated than loved, and men are sincerely willing to avoid it,
they will be watchful against it, groan under the burden of it, seek to
prevent and weaken it by all holy means, as I shall show in the next
verse. But here a notable argument ariseth. If we should plead,
You can avoid sin, at least more sin than you do, if you were sincerely
willing, we should plead strongly, and leave you wholly under blame
for your transgressions. It is a certain truth that a man hath power
74 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [&EU. XV.
to do more good than he doth, and avoid more evil than he doth avoid.
But the Spirit of God puts the argument into other words, of a higher
import and signification, 'You cannot sin ; ' as if the business were
not whether you could avoid sin, but whether you can commit it, being
thus constituted, and having these advantages of grace which you have.
You complain, I cannot renounce this bewitching lust, whereas the
debate lieth here, how you can live in it, and lie under the power of it ;
which should rouse up Christians out of their laziness and cowardly
fears.
Use 2. Directions in this case.
1. The general mortification must go before the particular. The
general mortification is when the first thorough change is wrought in
us, and 'We put off the body of the sins of the flesh/ Col. ii. 11 ; for
then the heart is fixed against sin. But the particular mortification
is when some particular lust or sin is more struck at. Now the one
must go before the other, because else all that we do is but like stop
ping a hole in a ruinous fabric, that is ready to drop upon our heads,
or to make much ado about a cut finger when we have a mortal disease
upon us. Besides, particular mortification dependeth on the general,
as our avoiding sin doth on our being born of God : Col. iii. 9, ' Put
off all these, anger, wrath, blasphemy, filthy communication out of
your mouths, seeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds.' See
ing you have put off all corruption, allow yourselves in no one sin.
Alas ! to set against a particular sin before you set against the whole
body of sin, it is but to put a new patch upon a torn garment, and
so to make the rent the worse ; or to lop off a branch or two while the
root and trunk remaineth in full life and vigour, and so it sprouteth
the more for cutting. Therefore look first after the general work, that
you are born again ; when sin is stabbed at the heart, the particular
branches and limbs die by degrees.
2. Consider where the new nature is in most danger, there is vitium
sceculi, vitium gentis, and vitium personce.
[l k ] The fault of the age and nation, where sin being the more
common, it is the less odious. Sins are in reputation where usually
practised, and the inundation and torrent of examples carry men away
strangely: Gal. ii. 13, 'Barnabas was carried away with their dissimula
tion.' Though a good man could easily condemn the practice of the
rude multitude, and be as Noah, upright in a corrupt age and time,
Gen. vi. 9. But when those that we honour and esteem for godliness,
have adopted such an error or such a sin into their practice, the
error and sin is authorised, and we run into it one after another, as sheep
do out of the pasture by the gap or breach in the hedge made by others
that have gone before them. Oh, take heed of this ; be followers of
none no further than they are of Christ.
[2.] The fault of the person. We must labour most to mortify our
particular sin : Ps. xviii. 23, ' I was upright before thee, and kept my
self from mine iniquity.' Some that we may call ours, by temper, evil
custom, course of employment. Now these should be the more morti
fied for their own sake, and for the sake of others , for the master-lusts,
like great diseases, seldom go alone. Sometimes it is worldliness, or
an inordinate love of riches, which gaineth such interest in the hearts
VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 75
of many, that they set light by Christ and his precious benefits, and
thoughts of God and heaven grow unwelcome and unpleasing to them,
rather desire wealth than God's favour, do not lay up treasures in
heaven, but value an estate by the possession rather than the use.
Some men's distemper is a sensual disposition ; their hearts are carried
after all the alluring vanities of the world, and are basely surprised by
the baits of the flesh, cannot deny themselves, or govern their fancies
and appetites. Others' distemper is pride, when they mind high things,
know little of that poverty of spirit recommended in the gospel, and
is reconcilable with a mean condition ; they can hardly live with any
but those that will honour and please them. Now the darling sin may
be known by the frequency of its assaults, its power over other sins,
thoughts that haunt us in duty ; and every wise man knoweth where
his temptations lie most.
3. Remember the lesser acts of sin make way for greater, as the
lesser sticks set the great ones on fire. As in anger ; give way to the
distempers of it, and from folly it groweth to downright madness,
Eccles. x. 13. So for envy, if it break out into detraction, it will make us
malignant, and undermine those whom we envy, and mischievous
malice is the final product. So for pride and self-esteem, let it break
out into boasting, and it will breed contention, Prov. xiii. 10. Let the love
of the world make us immoderate in the pursuit of it, then God is neg
lected, charity omitted, and it will in time draw us to unjust gain. ' So
for sensuality ; pamper the flesh with all the delights it craveth, and
in time men will be scandalous in their apparel, meat, or drink. Let
lust break out into wantonness, and wantonness will produce downright
uncleanness ; lusts will beget acts, and these acts multiply into deeds
of a more foul and heinous nature. Therefore stop betimes ; when
you run down-hill there is little hope of staying yourselves.
4. Eenew the inclination of the new nature by the means appointed
thereunto, especially the Lord's supper, which is the food of the new
nature, wherein we remember Christ crucified, and we remember him,
that the end of his death may be accomplished, which is, that, ' we
may die unto sin, and live unto righteousness,' 1 Peter ii. 24. He
purchased the grace whereby this might be accomplished, and
wherein we renew our covenant with God, for the strengthening our
baptismal vow. Baptism is an avowed death to sin, and here we renew
it again.
SERMON XVI.
In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil :
whosoever doeth not righteousness, is not of God, neither he that
loveth not his brother. — 1 JOHN iii. 10.
IN these words you have the conclusion of the whole discourse, together
with a transition to another. The former discourse was about abstain-
76 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XVI.
ing from sin, the subsequent and following discourse about love of the
brethren. Both exceedingly become the children of God ; the one show-
eth their respect to their Father, the other to those in the same relation
with themselves.
In this verse observe —
1. The preface, which asserts that this is the true note and character
by which the two seeds are distinguished, ' In this the children of God
are manifest,' &c.
2. This note of difference is referred to two heads — purity and charity.
3. They are propounded negatively, ' Doeth not righteousness, neither
he that loveth not his brother/ But the affirmative is understood, that
whosoever doeth righteousness and loveth his brother is of God, namely,
he that liveth to God, and doth what God requireth and approveth.
Doct. 1. That there is, and should be, a broad and manifest difference
between the children of God and the children of the devil.
Doct. 2. That charity and purity are true notes of God's children.
The first doctrine may bear two senses — that this difference is mani
fest to others, or to themselves.
1. To others. I exclude not what the apostle mentioneth, Gal. v.
19, ' Now the works of the flesh are manifest.' Look, as the lewd lives
of some do plainly speak out their corrupt estate to the conscience of
any discerning man; as Ps. xxxvi. 1, 'The transgression of the wicked
saith within my heart, There is no fear of God before his eyes.' Either
they do not believe there is a God, or they do not really and in good
earnest care for him. Now if the wickedness of the wicked doth dis
cover itself to an attentive beholder, so, on the contrary, grace should
not be concealed, but break out into the conversation: 2 Thes. i. 11,
12, ' Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count
you worthy of his calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his good
ness, and the work of faith with power : that the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in him.' God is more
glorified, the world more edified, and we ourselves more comforted, the
more explicitly we show ourselves to be Christians. The wicked man
is known by his fruits: Mat. vii. 20, 'Wherefore by their fruits ye
shall know them.' And the good man by his fruits: Ps. i. 3, ' He shall
be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his
fruit in his season ; his leaf doth not wither, and whatsoever he doth
shall prosper*.' But on the one side, all graceless and unconverted men
do so plainly manifest themselves ; and on the other, too many good
Christians do not so easily interpret themselves in their actions, or
' declare plainly ' (in the apostle's phrase) ' that they seek a country,'
Heb. xi. 14, that is, heaven.
2. This being manifest is meant of being manifest to ourselves, in
the sense of our consciences ; for conscience is a nearer discerner of our
actions than the observation of other men can be. It is hard to think
that the soul should be a stranger to its own operations : 1 Cor. ii. 11,
' There is a spirit in man which knoweth the things of a man.' There
is a privy spy in our own bosoms, which is conscious to all that we do,
and can reflect upon it, and judge of it whether it be good or evil ; it
knoweth when we understand, or will, or purpose, and resolve, or do
VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 77
anything ; much more is it conscious, if not to single acts, yet to our
conversation and constant course, and that for a fourfold reason —
[1.] Because acts of grace are the most serious and important actions
of our lives. Many ordinary acts may escape us, they being not of such
moment, for want of advertency ; but surely he that acteth for eternity
will mind what he doeth. This is the great business that we attend
upon, and with the greatest solicitude and diligence : Phil. ii. 12, ' Work
out your salvation with fear and trembling.'
[2.] All acts of grace are put forth with difficulty, and with some
strife and wrestling ; for there is a continual opposition of the flesh :
Gal. v. 17, ' The flesh lusteth against the Spirit.' Now things difficult,
and carried on with much opposition, must needs leave a notice and
impression of themselves upon the soul.
[3.] There is a special delight that accompanieth acts of grace, be
cause of the excellency of the objects they are conversant about, and
the excellency of the power they are assisted withal, and the excellency
and nobleness of the faculties they are acted by, and the excellent ends
and uses they are designed unto. There is a pleasantness in the paths
of wisdom : Prov. iii. 17, ' Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all
her paths are peace/ Now the experience of this pleasure, and grief,
and trouble for the contrary doth make the acts of grace more notorious
to the soul.
[4.] A serious, constant, uniform course of obedience will evidence
itself ; for though conscience be unobservant of particular actions, yet
the course and drift and tenor of our lives cannot be hidden from it.
A man in a journey doth not count his steps, but he doth observe his
way ; so here methinks a Christian should not be ignorant of his mark,
drift and scope, course, and constant business. Am I going to heaven
or to hell ? Phil. ii. 12. Am I pleasing God or men ? 2 Cor. i. 12 ;
2 Cor. v. 9, 'Whether present or absent, I desire to be accepted of the
Lord.' What is my labour, my ambition, my daily work and business ?
Two reasons.
(1.) Because they are governed and influenced by different powers,
God and the devil. The children of God are guided by his Holy
Spirit : Rom. viii. 14, 'As many as are the children of God are led by
the Spirit of God.' The children of the devil by the evil spirit : Eph.
ii. 2, ' They walk after the prince of the power of the air, that worketh
in the children of disobedience/ Now are God and the devil so agreed
as that the votaries and followers of each cannot be distinguished ?
The children of God are led by the Spirit of God ; that is, they obey
his sanctifying motions, either by way of restraint, or invitation and
excitement. Byway of restraint: Rom. iii. 13, 'If ye live after the
flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye, through the Spirit, do mortify the deeds
of the body, ye shall live/ Or invitation and excitement : Gal. v. 25,
' If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit/ On the con
trary, the unregenerate follow the motions and suggestions of the devil,
whom they resemble in their sin and wickedness. He doth by their
outward senses tempt them to sin, and the tempted sinner soon yield-
eth ; and he by pleasure, profit, and credit withdraweth them from
God, and hardeneth them ; and they are so addicted to sin and vanity,
that they cannot refrain it. Satan hath too great a power on the godly,
78 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XVI.
but he doth not so efficaciously work in them as on the carnal. There-
lore between these two sorts of people there should be a manifest and
broad difference.
(2.) They have a different principle, the seed of God and corrupt
nature : John iii. 6, ' That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that
which is born of Spirit is spirit.' Now both correspond with their
principles. It is true the principles are mixed in the regenerate, but
the better part is predominant ; and therefore the acts, for the most
part, suit with it, and so there is a broad difference between them and
those who are only influenced by the flesh.
3. They have a different rule ; the one walk according to the law of
God, wherein he hath declared his will, the other according to the course
of this world. According to the law of God : Gal. vi. 16, ' As many
as walk according to this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy, and
upon the whole Israel of God.' The other according to the course of
this world : Eph. ii. 2, ' Walking after the prince of the power of the
air, which worketh in the children of disobedience.' According to the
fashion and example of unrenewed men, or the general and corrupt
custom and example of those with whom we live ; and they conform
themselves to it more than to the will of God. Now the fashions of
the vain world and the strict law of the holy God are so different, that
he that walketh according to the one must needs distinguish himself
from the other ; there being a distinct rule, there must needs be a
different course; the one doeth righteousness, the other committeth
sin.
4. There is a different end and scope ; the one studieth to please
God, the other to please themselves. The one studieth to please God :
Col. i. 10, ' That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,
being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of
God ; ' 1 Thes. iv. 1, ' I exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have
received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so you would
abound more and more ; ' 2 Cor. v. 9, ' For we labour, that, whether
present or absent, we may be accepted of him.' The other to gratify
their carnal desires : Horn. xiii. 14, ' And make no provision for the
flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.' The one seek their own things, Phil,
ii. 21. They spend their time in the flesh, ' to the lusts of men, not the
will of God/ 1 Peter iv. 2. Now there being such a different scope,
the practice must be different also.
5. There is a different event and issue ; all the world emptieth itself
into heaven or hell. Now heaven and hell are much unlike, and vastly
distant, and so are those that are travelling to either place : Phil. iii.
19, 20, ' For many walk, of whom I have told you, and now tell you
weeping, that they are enemies to the cross of Christ : whose end is
destruction, whose god is their belly, whose glory is in their shame,
who mind earthly things. But our conversation is in heaven, from
whence we look for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.' If the end be
different, the way must be so also.
Use 1. Is to reprove them that profess themselves to be the people
of God, but do not distinguish themselves from the children of the
devil ; they are so like one another that there is no manifest difference
to be seen. A Christian never liveth up to the majesty of his profession
VEB. 10.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 7D
tilt he be the world's wonder and the world's reproof : 1 Peter iv. 4,
' They think it strange that you run not with them into the same excess of
riot.' It is no strange matter to please the flesh, but it is strange to row
against the stream of flesh and blood. It is no wonder to see men
carnal, proud, covetous, sensual ; the wonder is to see men dead to all
these things, to be humble, meek, sober, modest. It is no wonder to
see men walk as men, but it is a wonder to see men walk as born of
God. It is no wonder to see men court the world, but to live in a
contempt of the world, and to see men ready to part with what they
see and love for a God and glory which they never saw, this is the
wonder. Yet such a mystery and wonder should a Christian be that
liveth up to his principles. Secondly, The world's reproof ; as Noah :
Heb. xi. 7, ' By preparing an ark to save himself and his household,
condemned the world ; ' that is, judged them for their laziness and
disrespect of God's warning and impenitency, for that they repented
not when God gave them time to repent. God hath told the world of
the danger of sin, and showed them the way of salvation. By our
diligence and seriousness in his ways, and in the use of the means
prescribed to save our souls, we must condemn the world for their sloth
and negligence ; otherwise, if we do not condemn the world, we justify
the world, as Israel justified Sodom, Ezek. xvi. 51 ; namely, that they
are not so culpable in slighting God and the offers of salvation by
Christ.
Use 2. Is information. It informeth us of two important truths ;
the one concerneth the ministry, the other all Christians.
1. If there be such a manifest difference between the children of God
and the children of the devil, then ministers must carefully make the
distinction, and convince the one sort and comfort the other : Jer. xv.
19, ' If thou shalt take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be
as my mouth ; ' that is, thou by thy teaching put a difference between
the godly and the wicked, by confirming and comforting the one, and
soundly convincing and reproving the other ; as if I myself had spoken
it. The contrary is charged on a corrupt ministry: Ezek. xiii. 22,
' With lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have
not made sad ; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he
should not return from his wicked ways, by promising him life.' This
is to turn the ordinances of Christ to the service of the devil, and to
gratify his children ; as usually those that are indulgent to the wicked
are severe against the godly, and traduce them with wrong imputations ;
as the naughty steward 'did eat and drink with the drunken, and smite his
fellow-servants,' Mat. xxiv. 49 ; uphold the wicked in their carnal life ;
but the serious are sure to meet with a buffet from them, and smart
for it.
2. The other concerneth all Christians, and that is, to show us the
lawfulness, yea, the necessity, of trying our estate, and taking comfort
in our estate, from marks and signs of grace, taken from our works or
conversations. Many think this is to lead them off from Christ to
themselves, but vainly ; for this is the method the Holy Ghost directeth
us unto.
[1.] What comfort can we take in the promises if we must not look
at those evidences in ourselves which may prove our interest in them ?
80 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XVI.
All privileges have their conditions annexed, and oar right is suspended
till the condition be performed, and our comfort till we know that it
belongs to us. For instance, God hath said, John i. 12, ' To whom
soever have received him, even to as many as believed in his name,
God hath given this power, that they should become the sons of God.'
Now how will you know that you have this power but by knowing that
you are a true believer ? and how will you know that but by marks
and signs of faith ? If you say, No man can know that he is a true
believer, you make the promise vain ; for what good will it do any man
that adoption is promised to believers, if we cannot know whether we
be believers, yea or no ? If it may be known, we must look after the
qualification, which must evidence it to be our privilege. Will you
apply the promise to all, or some, or none ? If to none, then it is in
vain ; if to all, then you deceive the most ; for though some be of God,
the whole world lieth in wickedness, and the most are the children of
the devil. If to some, what is the reason of the restraint ? How will
you know who they are, but by being believers, or doing righteousness,
and loving our brother ?
[2.] It informeth us that if conscience be a judge and witness within
us, in order to our joy and comfort, then we must judge by what we
are, or what we have done, or how we have lived ; for conscience can
take notice of no other things. Now it is certain that conscience hath
a great hand and stroke in our comfort, assurance, and peace- : Acts
xxiv. 16, ' And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience
void of offence towards God and towards men ; ' 2 Cor. i. 12, ' For our
rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that, in simplicity and
godly sincerity, we have had our conversation in the world ; ' 1 John
iii. 20, 21, ' If our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts,
and knoweth all things. If our hearts condemn us not, then have we
confidence towards God.' Much dependeth on its verdict and testimony.
[3.] We shall be judged according to these things by God, and there
fore we should judge ourselves by them; for we cannot judge by a
righter way than God will judge, whether our estate be good or bad.
Now this is the way of God's procedure : Kev. xx. 12, ' All of us shall
be judged according to our works/
[4.] If the Lord hath propounded this way as a likely course to
produce solid consolation, surely man should not murmur against it,
and gratify the cavils of the loose professor. But even so it is : Gal.
vi. 4, 'Let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have
rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.' Many rejoice in this,
that others are worse than they ; but they should try their own work
and carriage by the rule, for otherwise they do but rejoice in the sins
of others. No ; prove so as you may approve your own work, that is,
your own state and actions.
Use 3. It is an awakening to God's people, who after long profession
are no more clear in their own qualification. You should so unques
tionably carry it for God, that others should know you ; at least you
should know your own selves : ' Examine yourselves, prove yourselves ;
know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye
be reprobates ? ' It is a shame to live so long, and not to know what
is in us. But you will say, If the case be so evident, why then do so
VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 81
many good people want assurance, and live in doubtfulness of their
sincerity ? I answer —
1. There need two witnesses: Horn. viii. 16, 'The Spirit itself bear-
eth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God ; ' Horn, ix.
1, 'I say the truth in Christ, and lie not, my conscience bearing me
witness in the Holy Ghost.' Why ? Because the heart of man is so
deceitful, Jer. xvii. 9, and the operations of it so various, dark, and
confused, that we dare not trust our private judgment : 1 Cor. iv. 4,
' For I know nothing by myself, yet am I not thereby justified.'
2. That so few know their spiritual condition is through their own
default, for otherwise the Spirit is ready to witness, if we are ready to
receive his testimony. There is a fourfold fault —
[1.] They do not exercise grace to the life in the mortifying of sin
or perfecting of holiness, and therefore the remainders of sin are active
and troublesome, and grace is weak and small, and doth little discover
itself in any costly and self-denying acts, and so are not accompanied
with that delight and sweetness by which they should be noted and
observed. Surely great things are more liable to sense and feeling than
little ; a staff is sooner found than a needle, and they that cross the in
clinations of corrupt nature can sooner discern a divine spirit and power
working in them than others that only cull out the safe, cheap, and
easy part of religion ; as valour is more seen in an open field than by
lurking in a garrison.
[2.] It may be they do not examine their state or heed soul-affairs,
that they may get their uprightness interpreted : 1 Cor. xi. 28, ' But
let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of
the cup ; ' 2 Cor. xiii. 4, ' Examine yourselves, prove yourselves ; know
ye not your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye are repro
bates ? ' Now if men do not reflect upon themselves, no wonder they
be ignorant of their own estate.
[3.] Sometimes, out of a faulty modesty and humility, they deny
what is wrought in them and by them. A child of God should own
his graces as well as corruptions. Hezekiah said, 2 Kings xx. 3, ' O
Lord, remember now how I have walked before thee in truth, and with
a perfect heart, and done that which is good in thy sight.' We should not
so far look to what we should be as not to observe what we are and
have already been ; for the day of small things must not be despised,
Zech. iv. 10. The spouse owneth grace in the midst of infirmities :
Cant. v. 2, ' I sleep, but my heart waketh ; ' and he in the Gospel, Mark
ix. 24, ' Lord, I believe ; help thou my unbelief.' We are sensible of
a disease more than health. We come short of what we should have,
but is there nothing of God in our souls ? We should not only observe
our sins and infirmities, but also take notice of the good things that
are found in us. Christ taxeth this over-humility in Peter : John xiii.
8, ' Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus an
swered, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.'
[4.] The general cause is laziness : 2 Peter i. 10, ' Give all diligence
to make your calling and election sure ; ' Heb. vi. 11, ' And we desire
that every one of you do show the same diligence, to the full assurance
of hope unto the end ; ' 2 Peter iii. 14, ' Seeing that ye look for such
things, be diligent, that you may be found of him in peace.' So far as
VOL. XXI. F
82 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SEE. XVI.
we neglect our duty, the sense of our interest may abate. Foolish pre
sumption costs a man nothing, but solid assurance cometh with dili
gence ; and the more grace is exercised in acts of communion with
God, the more it is known by us : Job xxii. 21, ' Acquaint thyself with
God, and be at peace.' In difficulties and afflictions : Heb. xii. 11,
' No chastening for the present seemeth joyous, but grievous ; but after
wards it yieldeth the peaceable fruits of righteousness.' In all the
duties of holiness : John xiv. 21, 23, ' He that hath my commandments,
and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me ; and he that loveth me shall
be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him.
If a man love me, he will keep my words, and my Father will love him ;
and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.' In duties
towards God : Heb. xi. 4, ' By faith Abel offered unto God a more ex
cellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was
righteous.' In duties towards men : 1 John iii. 19, ' And hereby we
know we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.'
Doct. 2. That purity and charity are true notes of God's children.
These are characters laid down here, as manifest evidences whereby
our estate may be determined.
First, Purity. See how it is described in the text, ' He that doeth
not righteousness is not of God.' Where observe —
1. That not only sins of commission, but omission, may render our
estate questionable. He had said before, ' He that committeth sin is
of the devil ; ' now he altereth his manner of speaking, ' He that doeth
not righteousness is not of God/ and so by consequence of the devil,
though he should not offend by doing harm or doing unrighteousness.
To do righteousness is to do that which righteousness calleth for and
requireth at our hands, when time and occasion is offered ; and he that
doth not so is not of God ; and therefore not only commission of sin,
but neglect of a Christian life, involveth us in this blemish of being
children of the devil : Mat. iii. 10, ' Every tree that bringeth not forth
good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.' Not only the poisonous,
but the barren tree. And it is made the character of the wicked : Ps.
xxxvi. 3, ' He hath left off to be wise, and to do good.' To cast off or
neglect the ways of wisdom and holiness is an argument of wickedness,
though no other apparent evil should be charged upon us. The unprofit
able servant is cast into everlasting fire, Mat. xxv. 30; not he that embez
zled his talent, but folded it in a napkin. Many think, if they do nobody
any harm, God will accept them ; but what good do you do ? That child
is counted undutiful not only that doth not wrong and beat his father,
but he that doth not give him due reverence. Therefore it should
humble us that we do no more good, that we so much neglect God,
that we do no more edify our neighbour, or take care for the saving
of our souls. We think omissions no sins, or light sins, but God doth
not think so. Surely omissions are sins ; .there is in them the nature
of the first sin, as considered in Adam or us ; there was an aversion
from God, and a conversion to the creature. In us there is carentia
originalis justitice, first a want of that grace that should incline us to
God, and then followeth all the corruption and pollution of nature ;
the daughter is like the mother. In actual sin there is a cessation
of acts of love to God, then inordinate acts of self-love : Titus ii. 12,
VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 83
' Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts.' Secondly,
From the nature of the law. A sin of omission is contrary to the pre
cept, as well as a sin of commission. To the prohibition : ' Cease to
do evil, learn to do well,' Isa. i. 16. There we must use the bridle,
here the spur. Thirdly, Our mercies are not only privative, but posi
tive ; deliverance from hell, and eternal life, John iii. 16. God is both
a sun and a shield, Ps. Ixxxiv. 11 ; Gen. xv. 1, ' I am thy shield, and
thy exceeding great reward.' As our mercies, so our obedience. Sin
ning is a direct way to hell, as doing righteousness is to heaven.
Fourthly, Christ came that we might live unto righteousness, as well
as die unto sin, 1 Peter ii. 24 ; to promote vivification as well as morti
fication ; that we might know the power of his resurrection as well as
be planted into the likeness of his death ; that the good principle might
be cherished and induced into act, as well as the bad principle curbed and
restrained. Fifthly, Because we cannot else improve our talents, but
God's best gifts would lie idle upon our hands if we did not exercise our
selves unto godliness. Every relation puts new duties upon us ; so doth
every new gift and talent. To be sure our relation to God calleth for
more duty at our hands than we are wont to perform ; and the general
wickedness that is charged upon mankind is, that they do not seek
after God, Ps. xiv. 2 ; and Ps. x. 3, 4, ' The wicked through the pride of
his heart will not seek after God ; God is not in all his thoughts.' But be
sides this, consider our relations to one another, as magistrates, subjects,
ministers, Christians, parents and children, masters and servants ; con
sider this, and you will find that the greatest part of the sins of the world
lieth in sins of omission. When we look into our bill, to see what we
owe to God, according to the advice of the unjust steward, instead of a
hundred, to put down fifty, we leave out all our omissions. We do not
worship an idol, but we forget the true God days without number, Jer.
ii. 32. We do not take away that which is another's, but do not give
our own ; they do not swear, but do they honour and glorify the name of
God in their conversations ?
2. But let us explain the nature of this doing righteousness. It is
to fear God, and walk in all his ways : Acts x. 35, ' He that feareth
God and worketh righteousness.' Or he is said to do righteousness
who, being justified and sanctified by the Spirit, doth give up himself
to God to do his will, and maketh it the business of his life to grow
more complete therein. Kenewing is in it : Eph. ii. 10, ' Ye are his
workmanship, created in Jesus Christ unto good works.' Dedication
is in it: Kom. vi. 13, 'But yield yourselves unto God, as those that
are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of
righteousness unto God.' The will of God is your rule : Kom. xii. 2,
' That ye may prove what is that good and acceptable will of God.'
After dedication, our work and business should be to ' live soberly,
righteously, and godly in this present world,' Titus ii. 12. This is
the righteousness which should so be carried on from an everlasting
principle by a divine rule to eternal ends. Well, then, they do but
arrogate a place and a name among God's people that do not live
holily.
Secondly, The next mark is charity ; this is not mentioned at ran
dom, nor merely to bring on another discourse, but with good advice.
84 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XVI.
1. The general note of God's children is holiness, and the particular
note is love of the brethren. It is a great branch of righteousness,
take it largely for holiness, or more strictly for our duty to our neighbour.
So alms is often called righteousness in scripture ; for doing good is
one special act of our duty, and so a branch of righteousness : Ps. cxii.
9, ' He hath given to the poor, and his righteousness endureth for
ever ; ' Isa. Iviii. 7, 8, ' If thou give thy bread to the hungry, then
shall thy righteousness go before thee.'
2. It explaineth the former note ; for righteousness and love to the
brethren are joined together, and so it showeth that he doth righteous
ness whose works are good, and come from a good spirit, from love to
God, which is the soul of all duties ; for he that loveth his brother for
God's sake loveth God: Gal. v. 14, 'All the law is fulfilled in this one
word, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' How all the law ?
Namely, as second-table duties arise out of the first, and are done for
God's sake.
3. He is speaking of being born of God, and the seed of God. We
resemble God in nothing so much as love: 1 John iv. 8, 16, ' He that
loveth not knoweth not God, for God is love. God is love, and he
that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.' And we
resemble the devil mostly by malice. It is the devil's work to do all
the hurt he can to the bodies and souls of men, ' for the devil is a
murderer from the beginning,' John viii. 44. Devouring malice is the
true image of Satan, the devilish nature in us. When Jesus Christ
came to discover the amiableness of the divine nature to us, it is said,
Acts x. 38, ' He went about doing good, and healing all that were
oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.' Christ did nothing by
way of malice and revenge ; he used not the power that he had to
make men blind or lame, or to kill any ; no, not his worst enemies,
when lie could easily have done it, and justly might have done it. No ;
he went up and down giving sight to the blind, and limbs to the lame,
health to the sick, and life to the dead. Therefore those that are God's
children, and are born of God, and have the seed of God abiding in
them, should be as zealous in doing good to all as Satan's servants are
in hurting.
4. Much of Christianity consists in love and doing good. Love is
made to be the fulfilling of the law, Eom. xiii. 8, the end of the gos
pel institution : 1 Tim. i. 15, ' Now the end of the commandment is
charity.' The great lesson which God teacheth us : ' Ye yourselves are
taught of God to love one another,' 1 Thes. iv. 9. The grand character
istic of Christ's disciples, by which they are notified to themselves and
others : John xiii. 35, ' By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye have love one to another.' With what eyes do men read
the gospel that can overlook all these things, and live in malice, envy,
and hatred ?
5. The parties to be loved are called brethren, and elsewhere neigh
bours, Mat. xxii. 39. By common nature every neighbour is a brother ;
but saints have the pre-eminence in this love, but not the confinement :
1 Do good to all, especially to the household of faith,' Gal. vi. 8 ; 2 Peter
i. 7, ' And add to brotherly-kindness, love.' Enemies are not excepted :
Hat. v. 44, 45, ' Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good
VER. 10.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 85
to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you, and
persecute you.' God must be loved in all his creatures ; his natural
image in all men, his spiritual image in his saints. Well, then, if you
would be accounted children of your Father which is in heaven, love to
all in their several capacities must be your very nature, and the doing
them all the good that you can must be the very business of your
lives.
Use. Look after these evidences, and see they be more and more found
in you.
1. Nothing quiets the mind but a persuasion that God loveth us as
his children, and that he will give us eternal life. Get this persuasion
once, that God is your Father and you are his children, and then all the
controversy between God and us is at an end. The reason is clear :
He that taketh God for a judge only can never be fully satisfied in his
condition, nor live in peace ; there is no safety but in God's family,
and no holy security but in being his children. The great business of
the Spirit of God is to clear this to us : Rom. viii. 15, 'But you have
received the Spirit of adoption, crying, Abba, Father.' So Gal. iv. 6,
' Because ye are sons, he hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your
hearts, crying, Abba, Father ; ' Eph i. 13, 14, ' Whom also after ye
believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the
earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased posses
sion, unto the praise of his glory.' The great business of our Redeemer
was to purchase this blessing for us : Gal. iv. 5, ' To redeem them that
were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons ; ' John
viii. 36, ' If the Son make you free, then are you free indeed.' The
great privilege which we have by baptism as a sign : Gal. iii. 26, 27,
' For ye are all children of God, by faith in Jesus Christ. For as many
of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ.' By faith
as to the reality : John i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave
he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his
name.' The church of the new testament, as to her outward estate, is
an estate of sonship and adoption ; and the truly godly have the real
effect of it ; they have the dignity, the privileges or the rights which
belong to the children of God.
2. Purity of life and charity, which are here asserted to be the two
sure signs of a child of God, are to be understood evangelically. If so,
then they that lead impious and uncharitable lives are no children of
God, however they flatter themselves in the goodness of their estate.
The exclusive mark is more easy than the inclusive, because of the many
failings of God's children, who have a deep reverence for God's holiness
and the exactness of his law, therefore they are not so clear. What
shall be said to them ? They must labour to make their qualification
more explicit, and remember it is to be interpreted evangelically, that
is, if they be sincere. The first covenant required unsinning obedience,
the second alloweth of uprightness and sincerity ; the old covenant
bringeth all things to the balance, the new to the touchstone. If the best
of us were put into the balance of the sanctuary, we should be found
wanting, and then who can be saved? Ps. Ixxxiv. 11, 'He is a sun
and a shield, and will give grace and glory, and no good thing will he
withhold from them that walk uprightly.' The upright are the Lord's
86 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XVII.
delight, Prov. xi. 20. These may take comfort in God, as God
delighteth in them, both in affliction and prosperity : Ps. cxii 9, ' To
the upright there ariseth light in darkness/ not only after, but in life :
2 Cor. i. 12, ' This is my rejoicing, the testimony of my consci
ence, that, in simplicity and godly sincerity, we have had our conversa
tion in the world.' In death : 2 Kings xx. 3, ' Remember, Lord,
that I have walked before thee with a perfect heart, and done that which
is good in thy sight.'
3. No sincerity is to be discerned but by our constant walk and course :
' He is a sun and a shield to them that walk uprightly ; ' and ' I have
walked before thee with a perfect heart.' Here the upright are
described by their conversations ; newness of life is the perpetual testi
mony of our adoption. A man may force himself for an act or two ;
Saul in a raptural fit may be among the prophets ; therefore we are
to judge by our scope and walk. A child of God may be under a
strange appearance in some simple acts ; so the wicked have their good
moods ; an aguish man hath his well days : Ps. cvi. 3, ' But blessed
are they that keep judgment, and do righteousness at all times.'
SERMON XVII.
For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we
should love one another. — 1 JOHN iii. 11.
IN these words we have a reason of the last clause in the former verse,
why he that loveth not his brother is not of God. This is his argu
ment : He that keepeth not God's commandments is not of God ; he
that loveth not his brother keepeth not God's commandments. The
major is evident in itself, the minor is proved in the text, ' For this is
the message that ye have heard from the beginning/ &c.
In the words we have —
1. A duty, ' That we should love one another.'
2. The authority by which it is recommended to us, ' This is the
message that ye have heard from the beginning.' Where —
[1.] It is a message or command, ' This is the message.'
[2.] An ancient doctrine or command, * Which ye have heard from
the beginning.'
1. The duty recommended to us, which is mutual love, ' That we
should love one another ; ' that is, that we should love all men, but
chiefly that Christians should love Christians.
2. The authority by which this command is enforced.
[1.] It is the declaration and message, or the commandment. Every
thing we read in the word of God, or hear from the word of God, is
a special message sent from God : Acts xiii. 20, ' To you is the word
of this salvation sent ; ' not brought, but sent. I allude to that of
Judges iii. 20, ' I have a message from God to thee, and he arose off his
seat.' Every message from God bespeaketh its own respect and re
verence.
VER. 11.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 87
[2.] ' From the beginning : ' The same phrase is used 1 John ii. 7, ' I
write no new commandment unto you, but the old commandment
which ye have heard from the beginning.' This is to be understood
either —
(1.) From the beginning of their conversion, since ye were called to
the knowledge of God. Love is one of the first lessons of Christianity ;
for, Gal. v. 6, ' Faith worketh by love ; ' and Eph. i. 15, ' After I heard
of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love to all the saints ; ' expressing
thereby their Christianity. Ever since they became Christians they
were possessed with the necessity of this duty.
(2.) From the beginning of the gospel state, or ever since the faith of
Christ was published and preached in the world. This is the doctrine
so often and so earnestly inculcated by Christ when he was here upon
earth : John xiii. 34, 35, ' A new commandment I give unto you, that
ye love one another ; that as I have loved you, so ye love one another.
By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one
to another ; ' and John xv. 12, ' This is my commandment, that ye love
one another, as I have loved you.' And this is often inculcated by
our apostle, as one that lay in Christ's bosom, and had a true sense of
his Master's doctrine, and did partake largely of his spirit.
(3.) From the beginning of the Mosaical administration, even under
the law, this was a duty pressed : Lev. xix. 18, 'Thou shalt love thy
neighbour as thyself ; I am the Lord.' And the neighbour was not
only the Jewish neighbour, or one that lived within the pale and line
of the Jewish communion, as appeareth by the language of the com
mandment : Mat. xx. 16, 17, 'Thou shalt not bear false witness against
thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house ; ' which
prohibitions imply the gentile as well as the Jewish neighbour. All
men, considered as men in respect of nature and creation, are our
brethren ; so an Edomite is reckoned a brother, Deut. xxiii. 7. So in
respect of commerce and occasion of intercourse they are our neigh
bours ; to them must we perform all acts of love and mercy, as their
necessities do require.
(4.) From the beginning of the world, ever since Adam ; for it was
not only enforced by Christ's and Moses' law, but implanted and en
grafted on man's heart or the law of nature. It is a matter of
natural equity to love our neighbour, to do or not to do to others as we
would have done or not done to ourselves, Mat. vii. 12. The gentiles
were bound to this by the law of nature. Well, then, you see love to one
another was always in great esteem with God ; therefore every one that
is born of God should make great conscience of it. If the gentiles, by
the law of nature, were bound to love others as themselves, and the
Jews by the law of Moses, much more are Christians under an obli
gation by the express command of Christ to love one another.
Doct. One great duty which God hath recommended to our obedi
ence is to love one another.
Here I shall show you —
1. What is this love to one another.
2. How God hath recommended it to our obedience.
I. What is this love to one another ? There are two branches of it :
2 Peter i. 7, ' And to brotherly kindness, charity.'
88 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XVII.
First, There is contained in it brotherly kindness, a grace wrought
in us by the Holy Spirit, inclining us to love all those without excep
tion as brethren who are made partakers of like precious faith with us.
In which description note —
1. The author of this grace, and that is the Holy Spirit renewing
the heart : 1 Peter i. 22, ' Seeing ye have purified your hearts through
the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren ; see that ye love one
another with a pure heart fervently.' Naturally there is in us pride,
self-love, wrath, strife, which dispose us only to please ourselves and love
ourselves, without any regard to others ; and besides, till our souls be
purified and sanctified, we shall never love purity and holiness in
others, but the upright will be an abomination to us : Prov. xxix. 27,
' He that is upright in the way is an abomination to the wicked.' They
are unsuitable to them, and they are objects reviving guilt. Whatever
good nature men have yet in their natural condition, they are enemies
to the godly. Naturally we hate God because he is a holy God, and
we hate his law because it is a holy law, and we hate his children
because they are a holy people ; but when the soul is purified, its love
and inclinations and aversions are altered, both as to persons and things.
We love God for his holiness, Ps. ciii. 1 ; we love his law because it is
pure, Ps cxix. 140 ; and we love his people because they are holy :
Ps. xv. 4, ' In whose eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth
them that fear the Lord.' The new creature loveth what God loveth,
and hateth what God hateth.
2. There is a propension or inclination in the new nature to this
love, with all the acts and fruits of it, though no outward respects
invite us thereunto : 1 Thes. iv. 9, ' Concerning brotherly love, ye need
not that any should write unto you, for ye are taught of God to love
one another.' Instruction and persuasion doth not put us upon it so
much as inclination, and the tendency of the new nature : 1 John iv. 7,
' Every one that loveth is born of God ; ' and 1 John v. 1, ' He that
loveth him that begat, loveth also those that are begotten by him.'
Those that have the new nature in any degree of strength and preval-
ency are inclined and disposed by it to love others, who are partakers
of the same nature ; so that it is a duty kindly and natural to the
regenerate, flowing from an inward propension and inclination, and
needeth not much outward excitement. All the saints have a new
heart of one and the same making and nature, and propound unto
themselves one and the same end and scope, and so their hearts are
suited to one another, and take pleasure in one another.
3. The acts and fruits of this love are these —
[1.] An esteem of them, and complacency in them, as having more
of God in them than other men. They are said to be partakers of the
divine nature, 2 Peter i. 4. We love God's natural image in all men ;
we love his spiritual image in the saints ; and therefore the bond is
stronger than the bond of common love : Ps. xvi. 3, ' My goodness
extendeth not to thee, but to the saints that are in the earth, and to
the excellent, in whom is all my delight ; ' Prov. xii. 26, ' The righteous
is more excellent than his neighbour,' therefore a greater object of love ;
as Austin said of himself and his friend Alypius, that their friendship
grew more entire when they both became acquainted with Christ, and
VER. 11.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 89
were cemented together with the blood of Christ. Eodem sanguine
Christi glutinati.
[2.] By an affectionate desire of their good and spiritual happiness.
The philosopher telleth us to love any is to wish well to them, to desire
them all the good we can ; and we cannot desire a greater good to
others than spiritual good, than the best good ; not to wish them health
and strength of body, and greatness and worldly accommodations, but
grace, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, and light, life, and eternal
happiness : Col. i. 9, ' We cease not to pray for you, and to desire that
you may be filled with all wisdom and spiritual understanding ; ' Phil,
i. 8, ' God is my record, how greatly I long after you all, in the bowels
of Jesus Christ.' God knoweth the secret motions and inclinations of
our inward affections. Now, when we can appeal to God for the fervency,
sincerity, and spirituality of our love, and have in some measure as
hearty a good-will to them as Christ had to souls when he died for
them, then we have this Christ-like love which is called brotherly
kindness.
[3.] As occasion serveth, we must really promote their good to the
uttermost of our power ; for it is a cold love that will not be at any
pains and charges, or hazard any interests, for the sake of those whom
we love ; that conteuteth itself with wishes, yea, though they be formed
into prayers. No ; we must not say only, Be warmed, be clothed, but
really do them good, and seek their welfare as we would our own. In
short, we must sympathise with them in every condition : Bom. xii.
15, ' Kejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep ; '
1 Cor. xii. 20, we should have the same care one for another. Want
of feeling is a self-excommunication, a casting ourselves out of the
body. Nay, there must be not only sympathy and compassion, but
real succour : Gal. vi. 10, ' Do good to all, but especially to the house
hold of faith ; ' Rom. xii. 13, ' Distributing to the necessity of the saints,
given to hospitality ; ' Heb. vi. 10, ' God is not unrighteous, to forget
your work and labour of love, in that ye have ministered to the saints,
and do minister.' We must do them all possible service, as the
exigencies of their circumstances and occasions do require, assisting
them with our favour, countenance, labour, estates ; yea, and, as we
shall see afterwards, by hazarding and laying down life itself.
[4.] By conversing with them, and delighting in their fellowship, for
our mutual comfort and edification. Love is a uniting thing ; it
draweth to communion ; as the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul
of David, 1 Sam. xviii. 15 ; and the apostle biddeth Christians to be
knit together in love, Col. ii. 2. Brotherly love is such an affection as
knits the hearts of the professors of the same faith to one another, as if
they had but one heart and one soul in common amongst them : Acts
iv. 32, ' And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and
one soul.' And therefore it is called the bond of perfection, Col. iii.
14. The saints are bound together in a holy society, and preserved by
it ; and without it, as a besom unbound, they fall all to pieces.
[5.] In passing by failings and infirmities : 1 Peter iv. 8, ' And
above all things, have fervent charity among yourselves, for charity
shall cover a multitude of sins.' Love will prevent and pass by many
mutual wrongs, which otherwise would disturb the comfortable society
00 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XVII.
of the Lord's people ; therefore brotherly love is not come to its due
height, growth, and fervency when it is easily interrupted by every
offence. We cannot expect to converse with any in this life but some
failings and wrongs it is like will be often reiterated, both against God
and one another ; therefore, unless we have learned to pardon failings,
we have not learned the true art of loving one another ; we must
pardon the person for the wrong done to us, and we must intercede
with God for the pardon of the wrong done to him. Love must cover
these, not upbraiding the party with them, and concealing it from the
wicked as much as may be, lest religion be disgraced.
[6.] The impartiality of this love ; we must love those without
exception who are godly, whether rich or poor, prosperous or
afflicted.
(1.) Whether rich or poor; for we must not have the faith of our
Lord Jesus Christ in respect of persons, James ii. 1. No ; if it be
sincere, it must be love to all the saints, Eph. i. 15, to the meanest as
well as the greatest, otherwise we despise the church of God, 1 Cor.
xi. 20. Meanness doth not take away Christian relations. There are
many differences in worldly respects between one of God's children
and another, and in spiritual gifts some are weak and some are strong ;
yet we must love all, for all are brethren ; all are children of one Father,
all owned by Christ ; co-heirs not only with the richest and strongest
Christians, but with Christ himself; therefore we should love them
without respect of persons, yea, love them when no respect of our own
doth invite us thereunto ; for love is not to be measured by our profit,
but by a desire to profit others.
(2.) We should love them in adversity as well as in prosperity.
Some seem to love good people when the times favour them, and they
suffer no loss by owning them. No ; you must own them in their
troubles also and persecutions : Heb. x. 33, ' Partly whilst ye were made
a gazing-stock, both by reproaches and afflictions, and partly whilst ye
became companions of them who were so used.' Some suffered as the
parties persecuted, others as their companions, who were not at first in
the original process. So Moses left all the pleasures of the court, and
his friendships there, to join with God's despised people : Heb. xi. 25,
' Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to
enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.' Alas ! there are many painted
butterflies and summer-friends to the gospel, who are gone when the
sunshine of prosperity is gone. Brethren then do almost forget that
they are brethren, if not altogether, and stand aloof, and are loath to
own the afflicted.
(3.) We should love them all, whether we be obliged or disobliged ;
for in brotherly kindness we are not to mind our own things, but the
image of God and the glory of God, and the good and benefit of others :
Phil. ii. 4, ' Look not every one upon his own things, but every man
also upon the things of others.' Whether we are invited to this love
by benefits or courtesies done to us, or discouraged by neglects, we are
to consider our duty to people as they stand related to God, otherwise
we know one another after the flesh, when we value men by personal
respects to us rather than by what of God we find in them : ' If you
love them that love you, do not even the publicans the same ? ' Mat.
VER. 11.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 91
v. 46. What singular thing do we ? We are monsters of ingratitude
if we should do otherwise.
(4.) The objects of this love are those that are partakers of like
precious faith with us. or, in one word, the brethren, or our fellow-
christians. Our brethren in a natural sense are all mankind, as it is
said, Acts xvii. 16, ' He hath made all nations of one blood.' There is
a communion of the same nature. But in a Christian sense, all the
faithful are brethren in Christ, because of the communion of the same
faith. Of these, some are only professors of the faith, who, in opposition
to infidels, are called brethren : 1 Cor. v. 11, 12, ' If any called a brother
be a fornicator, or a drunkard, or a railer, or covetous, or an idolater,
with such an one eat not.' Others are really regenerate, or give hopeful
evidences thereof ; these are born of the same seed, adopted by the
same Father, brought up in the same family, partakers of the same
Spirit, estated in the same inheritance, of the same brotherhood the
apostle maketh mention, 1 Peter ii. 17. Now though they should not
be such as we take them to be by their profession, yet our love is accept
able to God, because we love them upon this supposition, that they are
brethren.
(5.) The reduplication or qualification of this object. These brethren
must be loved as brethren with such a love, and upon that account, as
Christ distinguished between giving to a disciple and giving to him in
the name of a disciple, Mat. x. 42 ; as one that belongeth to Christ,
stamped with the image of God, and sealed with his Spirit. If it be
for some external respect, though the love be real in its kind, yet we
have our own ends in it ; as many may show respect to the people of
God to get advantage by them. Self-love is great in every one of us,
and therefore in sincerity to love the brethren is a very difficult thing ;
most have their ends in it, and make a market of their religion. Then
it is brotherly kindness when we love them out of a respect to their
holiness, or because of the image of God in them. A saint is to be
loved as a saint, and a disciple as a disciple, eo nomine, not because
learned, potent, opulent, but as a child of God ; if so, a quatenus ad
omne, then we will love all in whom we see anything of Christ. Love
will cover something that is unlovely in them, because partakers of the
same grace, and look for salvation by the same Christ. Surely we will
love them whether they be of our party or no ; but (sicut se habet sim-
pliciter ad simpliciter, ita magis ad magis) the more godly, the more
we will love them. Many love godliness in a low degree, while mingled
with imperfections, — the impurity is a part of the reason of the love, —
whilst a very strict man is hated. Well, then, this is brotherly love.
By this brief view of it we see it is very rare to be found amongst chris-
tians. Self-love and the love of the world have almost destroyed it ;
and where it is, it is not so fervent and effectual as it should be. In
most persons, though professed Christians, we either find no love, or if
any be, a very cold one, such as will run no hazards for and with those
whom we love.
I come now to speak of the other branch, charity, or love to all men,
for it must not confine itself to fellow-christians only, but be diffused
to all men, though they be not heirs of the same grace of life. In
short —
92 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XVII.
1. This love is either amor justitice, which consists in justice and
righteousness. We are not to wrong them or defraud them of
their due, but so deal with them as we would be dealt with ourselves ;
for this is one sort and kind of love : to love my neighbour as myself,
and do as I would be done by, are equivalent expressions : Rom. xiii.
7, 8, ' Bender to every one their due ; owe no man anything, but to love
one another.' Again, there is amor compassionis, we must not hide
ourselves from our own flesh, Isa. Iviii. 7 ; we must be affected with
their misery, both by reason of sin and affliction, relieve their wants,
seek their conversion, and promote it by ourselves and others by all
ways and means possible. This we owe to barbarians and wicked ones,
of what nation soever ; though we hate their ways, we must pity their
persons.
2. From this love enemies and persecutors are not excepted : Mat.
v. 44, ' Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them
that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and perse
cute you.' For this is to be like God, who is kind to the unthankful
and the evil : Luke vL 35, ' But love your enemies, and do good, and
lend, hoping for nothing again ; and your reward shall be great, and
ye shall be the children of the highest ; for he is kind unto the un
thankful, and to the evil/
3. The fruits of this love are not only seen in bestowing temporal
benefits, but to the uttermost of our power (because they are capable of
eternal blessedness) making it our unfeigned desire and prayer to God,
that they may be saved : Rom. x. 1, ' Brethren, my heart's desire and
prayer to God for Israel is, that they may be saved.' And our earnest
endeavours should be to procure their spiritual good : James v. 19, 20,
' Brethren, if any one of you do err from the truth, and one convert
him, let him know that he which converteth a sinner from the error
of his way shall save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins.'
Secondly, The reasons.
1. Why we should love all men. The reasons that may induce us
are —
[1.] Equality, the actual equality of all men by nature, who were all
made by the same God, and all made of one blood. Diversity of rank
doth not take away identity of nature : Mai. ii. 10, ' Have we not all
one Father ? hath not one God created us ? why do we deal treacher
ously every man against his brother? ' So Job xxxi. 13-15, 'If I did
despise the cause of my man-servant, or of my maid-servant, when they
contended with me : what then shall I do when God riseth up ? and
when he visiteth, what shall I answer him ? Did not he that made
me in the womb, make him ? and did not one fashion us in the womb ? '
So Neh. v. 5, ' Our flesh is as the flesh of our brethren, and their chil
dren as our children.' Why is more due to you than them ? And the
possible equality of all men, as to their condition and state of life : Heb.
xiii. 3, ' Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them, and
them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves in the body.' Before
we go out of the body there may be strange changes in the world, and
God may make us as low as others.
[2.] We are to imitate God, as children do their father, Mat. v. 45.
Now God loveth all his creatures, and hateth none ; the more we imi-
VER. 11.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 93
tate God, the more we know we are children of our Father which is in
heaven.
[3.] God hath so cast the world, that sometimes we need the help ot
others, as they need ours, that, by mutual necessities and a combination
of interests, the world may be upheld. As in the body natural, no
member can say to any, I have no need of thee ; so also hath God dis
posed it in the great frame of mankind, that we may have a mutual
care of one another, 1 Cor. xii. 25. As he requireth from every man a
respect to the world of mankind, so he hath turned all the respects of
the world of mankind upon one man. We would be glad to be loved
of all the men in the world, if we could bring it to pass ; and surely
we may the better expect it if we have this love to all the world.
2. Why we are to love strangers : Heb. xiii. 2, ' Be not forgetful to
entertain strangers, for hereby some have entertained angels unawares.'
By ' strangers ' he meaneth those that are far from home, in another
place and country, where they have few friends, and are not well known,
especially when exiled for the gospel. We find this in Abraham's and
Lot's instances, who were kind to the angels, and had their recompense.
Abraham's barren wife had a promise of bearing a son to him. Lot
had benefit also, being saved from the flames that destroyed Sodom.
Surely such a work of mercy shall not go unrewarded.
3. Why enemies ? Partly because there is more reason to love them
than hate them, because there are some relics of God's image in them ;
and God hath forgiven us greater wrongs : Eph. iv. 32, ' And be ye
kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God for
Christ's sake hath forgiven you.' We commit a sin against God, or
else, upon the apprehension of the injury done us by man, we are
deeper in danger than our enemy ; we daily trespass against God more
than they can trespass against us. God fbrgiveth talents, we cannot
forgive pence ; God forgiveth a hundred thousand, we cannot one hun
dred, Mat. xviii. We look that God should forgive us, and we will
not forgive others. In short, though it be more comfortable to love a
friend, it is more honourable to love an enemy : Prov. xix. 11, ' It is the
glory of a man to pass by a transgression.'
II. How God hath recommended it to our obedience.
1. It is a precept and a commanded duty, and not bare counsel and
advice only. There is a great deal of difference between allowing and
commanding; where a thing is allowed, licet, it may be done; but
where a thing is commanded, oportet, it must be done, a necessity is
laid upon us ; and therefore none must look upon love as an indifferent
thing, which we may practise or forbear at our own pleasure. No ; it
is a debt or duty by virtue of Christ's express command, a duty to
Christ, a debt that we owe to God more than to our neighbour ; we
owe love to them as our fellow-creatures, but chiefly upon the injunction
of our Creator,
2. It is a special command which Christ hath adopted into his new
law. Christ calleth it his new commandment: John xiii. 34, 'A new
commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another.' How new,
since it was as old as the moral law or the law of nature ? Because it
was so solemnly renewed by him, and commended to their care. Laws,
when new, are more regarded and obeyed. Christ would ratify it afresh,
94 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XVII.
that the law of love might never be out of date, but be looked upon as
a statute in force and newly enacted, and fresh in the remembrance of
his people. Or a new commandment, because pressed upon a new
ground and pattern : before it was ' Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself ; ' now it is, ' As I have loved you.' The great love of Christ
discovered in the gospel must leave a suitable impression on us. He
came from heaven not only to represent the holy and amiable nature
of God, but to propound us a pattern of love and chanty. Once more,
the scripture is impatient of being denied when it calleth for love to
the brethren ; therefore it applieth itself to our dispositions either way.
Some prize old things, others new ; therefore it telleth us, 1 John ii. 7,
8, ' I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment,
which ye had from the beginning.' Again, ' A new commandment write
I unto you ; ' 2 John 5, ' Not as though I wrote a new commandment
unto thee, but that which ye had from the beginning, that ye love one
another.' It is old and not old, new and not new ; thus it plieth us on
all hands, that we may look upon ourselves as deeply concerned.
Some novelty is suspected, therefore he telleth them of an old command
ment ; it is the same which was commanded in the law, yet solemnly
reinforced in the gospel. There are some commands which are new
and not old, such are the sacraments of the new testament ; some are
old and not new, as the ceremonies of the law now antiquated; some both
old and new, as the precepts of the moral law, and in particular this
command of love, which, though it were enjoined before, yet it is revived
by Christ, and renewed and recommended by him to his disciples as a
chief and singular duty.
3. It is his dying charge : John xv. 12, ' This is my commandment,
that ye love one another.' He appropriateth it, and challengeth it as
his commandment, which, though given by God before, yet he would
make his own by an express charge : If my authority be of any force
with you, do not entertain it with a careless indifferency, as a thing
which you may neglect without any great inconvenience. The season
is to be observed when those things were spoken by Christ, when he
was departing from his disciples, and preparing them for his departure.
Speeches of dying men are received with much reverence, especially the
charge of dying friends. The brethren of Joseph, fearing he should
remember old injuries, came to him with this plea, Gen. 1. 16, 'Thy
father did command us before he died, saying/ Let us fulfil the will
of the dead. Our Lord commanded us when he died, saying, ' Love
one another.' Christ foresaw how his disciples would quarrel in their
Master's absence, how his work would thereby be interrupted, and
their own peace ; how his religion would be exposed to reproach and
obloquy by the contention of his followers ; therefore he left this
charge, ' See that ye love one another.'
4. It is a comprehensive command ; for to love one another implieth
all those things which concern our duty to our neighbour • John xv.
17, ' These things I command you, that ye love one another.' These
things, and yet but one thing pressed, and that is to love each other.
But love containeth many duties in the bosom of it : Gal. v. 14, ' All
the law is fulfilled in one word, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as
thyself.' How is that to be understood ? There are other precepts
VER. 11.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 95
besides this ; there are respects of love due to God, and there is justice
due to our neighbour, as well as love. But love God, and we love our
neighbour for God's sake; and the acts of justice which we perform to
them are the fruits and products of love, and must flow from love ;
yea, the acts of charity, how pompous and plausible soever they be,
yet if love be not at the bottom, they are not right : 1 Cor. xiii. 1-3,
' Though I speak with the tongue of men and angels, and have not
charity, I am become as a sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understood all mysteries
and all knowledge ; and though I have all faith, so that I could
remove mountains, and have no charity, I am nothing. And though
I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to
be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.' So that all
the law is fulfilled in this one word. Therefore love is called the ful
filling of the law, Horn. xiii. 8.
5. It is a duty that fitteth us to partake of the blessing which God
hath commanded for his people when united : Ps. cxxxiii. 1-3, 'Behold
how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.
It is like the precious ointment upon Aaron's head, that ran down upon
the beard, that went down to the skirt of his garment ; as the dew of
Hermon, and the dew that descendeth upon the mountains of Zion ;
for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.'
This holy concord is a blessing both pleasant and profitable. God
delighteth to pour out his graces on such a society : Mat xviii. 19, ' I
say unto you, If two of you shall agree on earth touching anything they
shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.'
God will not hear one sort of his children against another ; it is like
'the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard,
even Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirt of his garment.'
There the pleasantness is described by the fragrancy of the holy oint
ment wherewith Aaron and his sons were anointed ; it is often called
the oil of gladness, because it cheered the spirits of the chief priests,
and all that were present in the temple. The profit of it, ver. 3, 'As
the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the moun
tains of Zion ; for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life
for evermore.' It is as the dew which moistens the earth, which was
a great blessing in those hot countries, and caused the fields to laugh
with fatness ; he mentioned Mount Hermon and Mount Zion.
Hermon was a fat and fruitful place ; it is usually put among the fair
and pleasant pastures. There is the blessing ; they have most com
munion with God who have most communion with one another, and
all this is in order to eternal life.
6. This is a duty that doth most discover the temper of our religion,
which is wholly made up of love. It is a God of love that we serve, and
they have no acquaintance with him that love not their brethren :
1 John iv. 7, 8, ' Let us love one another, for love is of God ; and
every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that
loveth not, knoweth not God ; for God is love.' Again, 1 John iv. 16,
' God is love, and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, arid God
in him.' Redemption by Christ, which is the great mystery of the
Christian religion, the most conspicuous end was the demonstration of
96 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [&ER. XVII.
God's love: John iii. 16, 'God so loved the world, that he gave his
only-begotten Son.' So 1 John iii. 16, ' Hereby perceive we the love
of God, that he laid down his life for us.' What is this mystery of re
demption but a wonder of love ? It was love stepped in, and recovered
us out of that destruction and ruin wherein we had involved ourselves.
What was the Son of God but love incarnate, love coming down from
heaven to earth, to die for a sinful world ? Now why was all this
made known unto us ? Only to talk of, or comfort ourselves withal ?
No ; that we might imitate it, that the true stamp and impression of
our religion may be upon our hearts : Eph. v. 2, ' Walk in love, as
Christ also hath loved us ; ' 1 John iv. 11, ' If God so loved us, we
ought also to love one another.' He that seeth the true face of redemp
tion, and understandeth the gospel and the grace of Christ, will easily
be induced to see the reasonableness of such a duty. And what is the
work of the Holy Ghost but to shed abroad this love in our hearts ?
Rom. v. 5 ; the intent of the ordinances, but to represent this love and
seal up this love ? So that we do express the true genius of our
religion by love.
Use. The use is to show us the excellency, and amiableness, and
beautifulness of the Christian religion in both these regards, as it
requireth brotherly kindness and charity. Brotherly kindness or com
munion of saints : some things are pleasant and not profitable, as vain
delights ; some things are profitable and not pleasant, as afflictions and
the sorrows of repentance ; some things neither profitable nor pleasant,
as hatred, variance, strife ; some things pleasant and profitable, as the
concord of God's people. Man is a sociable creature, and religion doth
mightily befriend human societies ; for besides that brotherly kindness,
that it requireth to be exercised among Christians themselves, it re
quireth also love to all men, not only forbidding injustice to the names
and persons of others, but uncharitableness, and those oppressions and
injuries wherewith the world aboundeth. These things would be
banished if men would be but true to this religion, and love their
neighbour as themselves. It commands universal love and kindness
among men, a readiness to forgive our greatest enemies. How easily
would men be induced to pardon wrongs ! how patiently would they
bear a modest dissent, where in this state of frailty all men cannot
force their judgments to be of another mould and size ! How far would
men be from doing hurt to one another, hurt no man, speak evil of no
man ! Yea, how beneficial and helpful would men be to o^e another,
seeking others' good as their own, affected with one another's welfare as
their own, and rejoicing in it ! Oh, that the world would consider how
much of Christianity consists in love and doing good ! Without that
there is nothing so fierce, so bad, so cruel, which you may not be
drawn to think, say, or do against your brother. The world is pre
judiced against religion as an ill-natured thing, but there is no ground
for such a prejudice, when we consider the Christian religion requireth
nothing but what is most fit for God to command, and most reasonable
for man to obey.
VER. 12.] SEKMONS UPON i JOHN in. 97
SERMON XVIII.
Not as Cain, ivJw loas of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And
wherefore slew he him f Because his oion ivories were evil, and
his brother's righteous. — 1 JOHN iii. 12.
THE apostle having urged the precept of brotherly love, now speaketh
of the contrary, which is hatred to the power of godliness, and of this
by way of instance and example. This instance is fitly chosen —
1. As being a most eminent example, or an early discovery of the
malignity of corrupt nature. Therefore Tertullian calleth Cain the
patriarch of unbelievers. Enmity to religion began betimes, and the
world keepeth its old wont, then, and now, and ever. Those that will
live godly in Christ Jesus must expect troubles, 2 Tim. iii. 12.
2. As best to represent the tragical effects of envy and hatred.
When once brotherly love faileth, there is nothing so bad and cruel
which you may not be drawn to do against your brethren ; for corrupt
nature is cruelly bent against all that stand in the way of our esteem
and desires. When once a brother is represented as an enemy, if it
be in the power of our hands, what will we think unlawful to be acted
against him ? If malice be curbed and restrained, we seek to draw
those in with us who have power to serve our private quarrels and
revenges ; and hatred given way to will not be slaked without blood
and ruin.
3. It showeth that devouring malice is the true devilish nature:
'Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one.' It was one of CEcolampa-
dius' observations in a sermon to the children of Basil, that the
ordinary pictures of God and Satan were in good books for the instruc
tion of children either in the nature of God or Satan. The truest re
presentation that can be made of God to children should be to teach
them what truth is, what mercy is, what love is, what goodness is, for
this is God ; and the best picture that can be taken of Satan would
be the true characters of malice, falsehood, envy, and hatred. God is
love, God is mercy, God is goodness ; but falsehood, envy, and hatred,
and cruelty are natural to the old serpent : ' Not as Cain, who was of
that wicked one, and slew his brother.'
In the words observe — (1.) Cain's fact ; (2.) The reason of it.
1. His fact, ' He slew his brother.'
2. The reason. In this latter, one reason is expressed, viz., contra
riety of practice ; acerbissima sunt odia ex diversitate morum. The
other implied envy at God's favour to him, for envy soon runneth into
malice.
First reason. Abel is seldom spoken of in scripture, but he is hon
oured with the title of righteous : Mat. xxiii. 33, ' From the blood of
righteous Abel.' So Heb. xi. 4, ' By which he obtained witness that
he was righteous.'
Second reason. Envy at God's favour : Gen. iv. 4, ' God had re
spect to Abel and his offering.' It must be known by some visible
token, for thereupon Cain's countenance fell, and in his wrath and envy
he slew his brother. Some say, as Claudius Marius, that the smoke of
VOL. XXI. G
98 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XVIII.
Cain's sacrifice went downward to the earth, and Abel's upward to
heaven ; others say other things, but without any clear warrant. Pro
bably the sign was fire coming down from heaven, and consuming Abel's
sacrifice to ashes. The apostle tellethus, ' God testified of his gifts/ Heb.
xi. 4. Theodosius saith, Surely this was the sign of God's favourable
acceptation afterwards : Ps. xx. 3, ' The Lord accept thy burnt-offer
ings ; ' in the margin it is, ' turn to ashes.' So Lev. ix. 24, ' At Aaron's
sacrifice there came a fire out from the Lord, and consumed the burnt-
offering, and the fat' So in Elijah's contest with Baal's priests : 1
Kings xviii. 38, ' Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the
burnt-sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked
up the water that was in the trench.' So in Gideon's sacrifice : Judges
vi. 21, ' And there rose up a fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh.'
So Manoah's sacrifice : Judges xiii. 20, ' The flame went up towards
heaven, and the angel ascended in the flame.' So 1 Chron. xxi. 26,
' The Lord answered David by fire from heaven on the burnt-offering.'
Doct, That there is snch a sin as antipathy against the power of
godliness, or a hatred of others because of their strictness in the service
of God, and diligence in heavenly things.
1. I shall give you instances of this in the word of God.
2. Some discoveries of this malignity.
3. The reasons of it.
I. Instances of it from scripture. The world's hatred is disguised
under other pretences. Now what doth the word of God say ? The
word of God doth tell us doctrinally that it is so, and giveth instances
and examples of it.
1. Doctrinally that it is so : let us take notice of that place which
describeth the first rise of it : Gen. iii. 15, ' I will put enmity between
thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed.' There is a
natural enmity between the two seeds, as there is between a wolf and
a lamb.
2. By way of instance and example, to see how this spirit of enmity
hath been working, and how the men of God have had bitter experi
ence of it. Thus Abel was slain by Cain ; Isaac was scoffed at by
Ishmael ; and Jacob was driven out of his father's house by his brother
Esau.
II. Discoveries that this hatred that is commenced against the people
of God ariseth from an antipathy to godliness, though wicked men will
not own it to be such. But to remove cavils, let us see how it ap-
peareth that this hatred is the effect of their abhorrence of that which
is good and holy.
1. This is some discovery of it, because the servants of God have
been hated most, and troubled by the worst of men.
2. Because the best men, who have the least allay of corruption, and
are most eminent for strict and exemplary conversations, are most hated
and maligned.
3. Because when religion is accompanied with other things, that a
man would think should assuage malice and allay the heat and rage of
men against them, yet it escapeth not. Thus godly meek men, that
are guilty of nothing but worshipping God in sincerity, and desiring to
go to heaven with all their hearts, are most persecuted in this world.
VER. 12.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 99
4. It appeareth by their inventing of lies and ridiculous crimes to
palliate their hatred ; as against the primitive Christians, their wor
shipping an ass's head, their drinking the blood of a child in their
meetings.
5. Because if a man be strict, mortified, sober of life and behaviour,
the world is apt to judge him one of such a hated party ; as if any
named the name of God with reverence, they suspected them for here
tics if they said, ' If the Lord will.'
6. The consciences of wicked men are a thousand witnesses.
7. It appeareth by the joy that wicked men take when they have
anything offered to justify their opposition, as the scandal of any that
profess the ways of God.
III. Having given the instances of the world's hatred, I come to the
reasons.
1. The difference and estrangement in course of life is a provoking
thing ; therefore men that live in any sinful course are loath that any
should part company with them. .
2. This is not all ; it is not only a difference, but a difference about
religion ; and usually hatreds that arise from difference in religion are
very deadly.
3. It is not only difference about religion, but between the true
religion and the false.
But why is there such a spite and enmity at the sincere and serious
profession of the true religion ? I answer —
[1.] The devil's instigation is one cause ; he hath great rage against
the saints
[2.] On man's part there seemeth to be a double reason — pride and
envy.
(1.) Pride, which is impatient of reproof.
(2.) Envy at God's favour bestowed on them. 1
Use 1. Is to press us to avoid this sin and snare of death, especially
in these times of dissension. Whatever party and sort of Christians
you stick unto, be not drawn to hatred against the power of godliness.
We are told that in the latter times men shall be despisers of those
who are good, 2 Tim. iii. 3, not-lovers, or haters, as the word signifieth.
It is a more common sin than we are aware of. Indeed this spirit of
enmity and malignity walketh under a disguise, seeketh other pretences
wherewith to mask itself. But the children of God should beware of
it, lest the sheep act the wolves' part, and cry up a confederacy with
the wicked world in their spite against others of God's children. Now
that we may avoid this snare, I will represent — (1.) The commonness
of the sin ; (2.) The heinousness of it ; (3.) Some remedies against it.
First, The commonness of the sin.
It appeareth by this, that the scripture everywhere divides all the
world into two ranks — the godly and the ungodly, the converted and
unconverted, the unsanctified and sanctified, the carnal and spiritual,
the earthly-minded and the heavenly-minded, the children of God and
the children of the devil ; and Christ will at last divide all the world
into sheep and goats. Thus standeth the case, not only between the
1 See this subject largely handled in the author's sermons on the 17th of John, in
Volume X. of this edition. — ED.
100 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XVIII.
church and the world, but within the church, between the serious and
profane, the real and nominal Christians ; though they have the same
bible, creed, and baptism, yet they hate one another, malign one another.
It must needs be so, for otherwise these things are said in vain, for the
scriptures are not written to infidels. Therefore it concerneth us to
look to ourselves, our own soundness and sincerity with Christ. If we
engage in the differences and espouse quarrels before we are gained to
Christ, take heed the quarrel be not rather against the life and practice
of religion than a pure zeal for the truth ; and that we do not reproach
those for heretics and schismatics that are more diligent and serious
in God's service than ourselves ; for the zeal of the carnal is always to
be suspected. First plant the fear of God, and then men will best own
the cause of God. Certainly it is usual for the formal to hate the
serious, and the Christian in the letter to despise him who is so in the
spirit. An outward, superficial, apocryphal, bastard holiness filleth us
with this hatred. Cain had his sacrifice as well as Abel, but Abel
goeth thoroughly to work, and was accepted, which Cain doth not, and
therefore hateth and killeth him : Isa. Ixvi. 5, ' Your brethren that
hate you, and cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let God be glori
fied.' Men that are brethren, that profess the same religion, yet being
loose and false in it, may hate others that are strict and true ; as it is
•said in the Revelations, they pushed with the horns of the lamb.
Therefore it concerneth us to consider —
1. What is our state, what is the ground of our quarrel, what are
the ends and motives in all contests that we have with others.
2. If the cause of the quarrel be never so good and just, yet it may
be carried on with too great heat and animosity against godly brethren ;
bitter zeal argueth some breach made upon brotherly love : James iii.
14, ' If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and
lie not against the truth.' Those that have this bitter contention, or
feverish kind of zeal, have seldom a true zeal for God, but a partiality
to their own interests, if not a hatred against their brethren. It is a
spirit of carnal envy against the credit and reputation of others, a
kitchen, not a celestial fire ; and though it be not downright mis
chievous hatred, yet it is a great unkindness, as Job was too deeply
censured by his godly friends.
3. There may be a secret rising of heart and envy against the purity
and strictness of others, even by some of those who are right for the
main themselves. It should promote holy emulation and imitation ;
so the apostle saith, ' Your zeal hath provoked many,' 1 Cor. ix. 2, and
Heb. x. 24, ' Let us provoke one another to love and good works.'
But many times it draweth envy, and then natural malignity beginneth
to work. You had need to suppress it betimes, for lusts stirred will
grow more tumultuous. One eminently godly man may reprove the
conscience of another by his life ; they cannot look upon it without
some shame and check : it should stir in us only a holy emulation, not
a carnal envy.
4. In opposing those that are godly, you had need be tender, that
you go upon sure grounds, and that your opposition proceedeth not to
mischievous violence : Mat. xviii. 6, ' He that offendelh one of these
little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone
VEE. 12.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 101
were hanged about his neck, and that lie were drowned in the depth of
the sea.' As was said concerning Paul, ' Take heed what you do, for
this man is a Roman.' Men that know the danger will not easily kick
against the pricks, at least do not join with the opposite: 'Eat and
drink with the drunken, and beat your fellow-servants,' Mat. xxiv. 49 ;
and cry up a confederacy with wicked men to promote your private
differences with more advantage ; there may be much of the hatred of
godliness in it. The devil will be a defender of the truth and church
with a bloody and killing zeal, so the soundest and holiest members
be destroyed ; those go in the way of Cain, Jude 11, if slaughters and
massacres will do, and so think they serve God by murdering his
servants, John xvi. 2.
5. If you be glad when you find any blemish to eclipse the lustre
and glory of their innocency, this argueth a secret hatred to them as
godly : ' Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth,'
1 Cor. xiii. 6 ; and Phil. iii. 18, ' For many walk, of whom I have told
you often, and now tell you even weeping, they are enemies to the cross
of Christ.' They were not real Christians, but enemies to the cross of
• Christ. You are glad at the miscarriages of some, and those few are
cast upon all.
Secondly, The heinousness and greatness of the sin.
1. A malicious opposing of those that are good, and do belong to
God, under that consideration, bordereth near to the great transgression,
which is a malicious desertion or opposition of the truth after sufficient
conviction ; it is not it, but it cometh near to it in the height of it.
2. Religion is a commendation of kindness on the one side, so it is
an aggravation of malice on the other : Mat. x. 40, ' Whosoever shall
give to drink to one of these little ones, a cup of cold water only, in
the name of a disciple, he shall not lose his reward.' Therefore to
hate men for their godliness is a provoking sin.
3. It is a mark of a child of the devil, the express image of Satan.
Thereby our Saviour convinced the Jews to be of their father the devil,
because they hated him that came from God, John viii. 40. You
express Satan's image to the life when this is the ground of hatred.
4. When you have no other quarrel against them but their goodness,
that which should be the cause of the greatest love is the cause of the
greatest hatred ; and so God himself is despised when his image is
despised and the devil's had in reverence and honour.
5. This sin is the greater because of the many blessings we enjoy by
them ; they are the honour and blessing of a country. Elijah, that
was counted the troubler of Israel, yet is by the prophet called the
chariots and horsemen of Israel, 2 Kings ii. 12, that is, the defence of
the country. When such are gone, it is the worse for any people :
Gen. xix. 22, ' I cannot do anything till thou art gone thither ; ' Acts
xxvii. 24, ' And I have given thee the lives of all that sail with thee in
the ship.'
Thirdly, The means to avoid it.
1. Keep up the love of all men. He is not godlv that loveth not all
men with the love common to Christianity, and Yuose that fear God
with a special love ; the one is the preservative from dashing against
the other. Free the mind from malice, and you will free it from
'
102 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XIX.
hatred to the power of godliness, for malice blindeth men that they
cannot see the good in those they hate. You are at the greatest dis
tance from this sin when you take heed of the hatred of any man.
We should love all with the love of good-will, though our delight
should be in the excellent ones of the earth. Live in enmity and
malice with none, though you take just offence at their sins. Lot's
righteous soul was vexed from day to day, 2 Peter ii. 8, yet he lived
peaceably in Sodom. They are an abomination for caution to ourselves,
but not with a mischievous hatred.
2. Take heed of an uncharitable impropriating of Christ ; this is the
readiest way to confine your love, and hate all the world besides ; but
love the gifts and graces of God in any party and sort of men, for
God's interest lieth not in one party; do not therefore impale the
common salvation, 'theirs and ours,' 1 Cor. i. 2. If God hath received
him, though weak, we should own him. The devil hath a great hand
over those that enclose all religion within the lines of their communion,
either because their party is the best, or greatest, or uppermost, or
chief in the house, city, or kingdom ; they are all the church. Alas !
often it is so, but God will not reckon his children by the opinion of
an angry brother.
3. Do not think evil of any without constraining evidence, for ' charity
thinketh no evil/ 1 Cor. xiii. 5, 6. Charity doth not force and wrest
things by a strained interpretation. For our caution, if they be as bad
as malice can imagine, and you certainly know any fault by them,
take warning to avoid it ; and consider what need there is of watch
fulness, when they that set their faces heavenward do so fall and
stumble in their way thither ; and see what need you and others have
to be better. This is to improve the failings of others, not to censure
them.
4. Cherish those that invite you to love, as messengers from the God
of love: ' For this is the message we have from the beginning.' But
those censurers, backbiters, and slanderers, that make the worst of other
men's actions, look upon as Satan's messengers inviting you to hate
your brother, as if they said, I pray hate such a one; for he that
speaketh evil of another without a just cause and call doth but entice
you to hatred and mischief, at least to abate your love ; for to per
suade you another is bad is to persuade you to hate him.
SERMON XIX.
Marvel not, my brethren, if the icorld hate you. — 1 JOHN iii. 13.
IN these words you have an application of the instance of Cain — (1.)
For the support of, present believers ; (2.) As a new motive to brotherly
love.
1. For the support of present believers. The world is of the same
spirit that Cain was ; he envied his brother and slew him, to presignify
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 103
to the world what the corrupt nature of man would prove, and how
opposite the carnal and wicked would be to the sanctified ; what the
holy seed, who are accepted of God, must look for in the world, and
patiently endure for the hope of an everlasting blessedness with God.
The world was of the same spirit that Cain was ; and if we be up
right, the same causes of hatred do continue still.
2. As a new motive to brotherly love. The children of God should
love one another the more fervently, because they are all exposed to
the hatred of the world. The same connection you may observe, John
xv. 17, 18> ' These things I command you, that you love one another.
If the world hate you, you know it hated me before it hated you.' The
world's hatred to believers is a strong argument to persuade them to
love one another. You are sure to meet with hatred from them, and
therefore you must be more careful to maintain mutual love between
one another. Usually when love decayeth, God doth enkindle and
blow it up by the storms of persecution. Eusebius said that before the
tenth persecution the church was rent and torn by intestine broils,
pastors against pastors, and people against people. Ease and pride
beget wantonness, and that maketh way for contention. We warp
like green timber in the sunshine, and rend from one another ; the dog
is let loose that the sheep may run together. Nazianzen was wont to
call the enemies of the church the common reconcilers : it is well when
it proveth so. To this end is this spoken.
Doct. That there is no cause of perplexing wonder at the world's
hatred.
For distinctness we will put it in two propositions.
1. That the world hateth God's children,
2. That when we feel the effects of it, we should not marvel at this
hatred.
For the first point, we 'shall handle four things, and show you —
(1.) What the world is ; (2.) What God's children are ; (3.) The
hatred of the one to the other ; (4.) The reasons of it.
First, What the world is. By the world is meant all carnal and
unregenerate men, they may be delivered to us under a fourfold
character : It is a foolish world, a sensual world, a lazy world, and a
furious world.
1. A foolish world : Titus iii. 3, 'We were sometimes foolish, dis
obedient, deceived.' They are all blinded with the delusions of the
flesh, and very hard to be convinced of their mistakes and errors :
2 Peter i. 9, ' He that lacketh grace is blind, and cannot see afar off.'
They are ignorant, and wander in darkness, and yet will not be
convinced of their ignorance. Herein spiritual blindness differeth
from bodily. If a man be blind as to the eyes of his body, he would
be glad of a meet guide : Acts xv. 4, Elymas, when struck blind,
would have somebody to lead him by the hand. But it is not so with
them that are spiritually blind ; they count it a torment if any would
direct them and guide them into the right way ; they are angry with
those that would stop them in the way to hell : Prov. xiv. 1, ' A
fool rageth, and is confident.' They are never more ragingly confident
than when most deceived and most blind. Therefore in the world
felly carrieth it, and wise men are discouraged, and tempted often to
104 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XIX.
leave the foolish world to itself, as likely to do no good upon them, but
only to bring hatred upon themselves.
2. It is a sensual world, where the beast rideth the man, and reason
and conscience are enslaved to sense and appetite : Titus iii. 3, ' Serving
divers lusts and pleasures.' Wantonness and pride, and sports and
vanity, and living in excess in meat, drink, and apparel, is the business
of their lives, and their whole time is spent in making ' provision for
the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof,' Rom. xiii. 14. If you tell them
of a soul to save and lose, you are an enemy to their designed course
of life, and they think you infringe their liberty, and have a plot upon
them, to make them mopish and melancholy. To invite this sensual
world by counsel or example to a holy, self-denying life, is as if you
were about to snatch away the prey from a ravening wolf, or the
carrion from a hungry dog, and they are ready to turn again and rend
you ; and therefore a godly man maketh himself to such either a scorn
or a prey ; you cross their lusts, and check their very natures and
inclinations ; they think strange you are not affected as they are, and
whilst you invite them to godliness, you do but tempt their reproach :
1 Peter iv. 4, 5, ' They think it strange that you run not with them
into the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you : who shall give an
account to him who is ready to judge the quick and the dead.'
3. It is a lazy world, that will not be put out of their pace in
religion, which is so slow and easy that it will not displease the flesh.
Man in his degeneracy yet retaineth a conscience, and therefore though
he serveth his lusts, yet must have some religion to please his conscience
and palliate his lusts, but as little as may be serveth the turn. Con
science is like the stomach, which must be filled ; therefore if it be not
able to digest solid nourishment, it sucketh nothing but wind, and
filleth itself with wind. The conscience must have a religion, but a
dull, cold, and dead-hearted form serveth the turn ; the life and power
which the faithful subjects of God seek after, and recommend to the
world, is too searching, and not for their turn. Mat. ix. 17, Christ
compareth these duties to new wine, full of spirit and life ; and
Pharisaical fastings and hypocritical devotions to taplash, alluding
to their skin-bottles. There is a spirit in holy serious duties, which
old bottles cannot bear without breaking ; and therefore if you cross
and put them out of their dead way, they cannot bear it.
4. It is a malignant or a furious world : Titus iii. 3, ' Living in
malice and envy, Tiateful and hating one another;' who have an
implacable hatred to godliness ; because of their malice they will hate,
and because of their multitude and power they often can trouble us :
' The whole world lieth in wickedness,' 1 John v. 19. Some are more
venomous, and have an inbred radicated envy to all that goodness
which themselves want ; but all dislike goodness and serious thoughts.
Some are more gross in the outbreaking of their malice and sensuality,
but all have a spice of this malignity, because of the perfect difference
and contrary course of life between them and the people of God. In
short, they mind earthly things, while the other mind heavenly, Phil.
iii. 19, and so are enemies to Christ, and his interest and people :
' They are of the world, and speak of the world, and the world heareth
them/ 1 John iv. 5. They serve the god of this world, 2 Cor. iv. 4 ;
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 105
and surely he hath rage enough against the sanctified ; and they have
their portion in this world, Ps. xvii. 14, all that which they prize and
value. These are one of the parties which are here described, the
world.
Secondly, What God's children are and should be ? A wise, holy,
and self-denying company, whose work and scope it is to please, and
glorify, and enjoy God.
1. They are such as place all their hopes and happiness in a life to
come ; there is their treasure, Mat. vi. 20, and there are their hearts
and affections, Col. iii. 1, 2. They dare not choose perishing things
for their portion, but look mainly to things unseen and eternal, 2 Cor.
iv. 18.
2. They make it their business to get thither : Phil. ii. 12, ' Work
out your salvation with fear and trembling ;' and Phil. iii. 20, ' But our
conversation is in heaven, from whence we look for a Saviour.' Their
life and love, time and strength, minds and hearts, are wholly taken
up about these things.
3. They use this world only in order to the next : Heb. xi. 13, ' And
were persuaded of them,' viz., the promises, 'and embraced them,
confessing they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.' And con
temn all the wealth and glory of the world in comparison of God and
their own salvation, and meddle sparingly with the delights of the
flesh, lest their hearts be perverted or diverted from better things : 1
Peter ii. 11, 'As strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts,
which war against the soul.'
4. They are willing to take others along with them to heaven, partly
out of pity, as having been once of the world themselves, as opposite to
God and godliness and godly people, and unmindful of heavenly things,
as others are, till the Lord Jesus delivered them out of that cursed
estate: Gal. i. 4, 'Who gave himself for our sins, that he might
deliver us from this present evil world.' Therefore moved with the
more pity and compassion towards others, who are left in these chains of
darkness and sensuality : Titus iii. 2, 3, ' Showing meekness to all men ;
for we ourselves were sometimes disobedient, deceived, serving divers
lusts.' And partly because grace is diffusive, and will seek to propa
gate itself, as fire turneth all about it into fire : 1 John i. 3, ' That
which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may
have fellowship with us ; and truly our fellowship is with the Father,
and with his Son Jesus.' Mules and creatures of a bastard production
do not propagate after their kind. A good man would be saving all
he can ; he that believeth heaven and hell cannot think with patience
of the perishing of souls for which Christ died, but endeavours to save
them. Now these are the children of God, or such as these they should
be ; and it will be hard for a holy man to pass through his whole life
without his portion of the world's hatred. Certainly few that are
truly wise, good, and heavenly can escape it. Two things in this kind
of conversation are distasted —
[1.] It is convincing, and has the force of a reproof on those that
will not submit to this way of living: Heb. xi. 7, 'Noah condemned
the world.' When you convince and condemn the foolish, furious
world, it will show itself an opposite world.
106 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XIX.
' [2.] It is provoking : 2 Cor. ix. 2, ' Your zeal had provoked very
many.' The holy, heavenly, charitable life hath an excellency in it ;
it provoketh to imitation, or it provoketh to envy, or heart-rising
indignation and opposition ; and therefore because the good have no
mind to imitate the bad, the bad will emulate or hate the good.
They convince the carnal, provoke the lazy ; therefore they hate them,
and do not imitate and follow them ; but where God blesseth the
example of heavenly, mortified, and self-denying Christians, to the
conversion of others, it hath a provoking efficacy in it. Holy conversa
tion worketh as the word worketh ; some are pricked at the heart,
some are cut at heart : Acts ii. 37, with Acts vii. 54, they that were
pricked at heart were converted and healed ; they that were cut at
heart gnashed upon Stephen with their teeth.
Thirdly, The implacable hatred of the carnal to the sanctified
showeth itself many ways, but they may be referred to these two—
violence and calumny or reproach. So our Saviour hath sorted them :
Mat. v. 10, 11, ' Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteous
ness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when
men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil
against you falsely, for my name's sake.' There is a twofold effect of
hatred — persecution and slander ; the greater or lesser sort of persecu
tion, when they pursue their persons with violence, casting them out
of the church, yea, out of the world : John xvi. 2, ' They shall put you
out of the synagogues ; yea, the time cometh, that he that killeth you
thinketh that he doeth God good service.' But sometimes men's
hands are restrained from blood, but their hearts boil with malice ;
therefore they seek to make religion odious, and cast out the names of
the people of God as evil, by scorning and reviling them, and taking
all occasions to slander them and misrepresent them, and that either
with princes, by insinuating to them that they who are seriously godly
are enemies to their interests, and such an odious sort of men as are
unfit to live in their dominions. As Haman said of the Jews, ' There
is a certain people whose laws are divers from all people, neither
keep they the king's laws, and therefore it is not for the king's profit
to suffer them to live.' Alas ! were we conscious to all the insinuations
which are whispered and buzzed into the ears of the kings and princes of
the earth, we should wonder more at God's providence and our protection.
Sometimes they take all occasions to slander them to the populacy ;
as those envious Jews, Acts xvii. 6, ' These have turned the world up
side down, and are come hither also.' It may be they may be trouble
some to a corrupt world, as a physician is with his medicines to a
body filled with ill humours. If they trouble the world, it is for their
health, for their peace, for the saving of their souls. Again, they
revile and scorn them upon ordinary private occasions ; as David was
the song of the abjects and hypocritical mockers in feasts, Ps. xxxv.
15, 16. They expose them to the contempt of base people, and their
names are torn and rent in pieces in every jovial and festival meeting ;
and when they are warming themselves with wine and good cheer, one
dish brought to the table is John Baptist's head in a charger, some
godly, Christian, and grave minister ; and usually scoffs and jests at godli
ness are the most relishing sauces of all their banquets. The dinner
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 107
never goeth well off unless they scoff and rail at some that fear
God.
Fourthly, The reasons ; and they are —
1. Ignorance ; which is twofold — simple and plain ignorance, or the
ignorance of prejudicate malice.
[1.] Simple and plain ignorance : 1 John iii. 1, 2, ' The world krioweth
us not, because it knew him not.' They know not our birth and
breeding, our hopes and expectations, and are not acquainted with the
nature and worth of spiritual things, and so it is but the scorn of a fool
that valtieth a carnal life above a spiritual.
[2.] Prejudicate malice. When men will not search into the prin
ciples, practices, and reasons of the godly life, they are willingly ignor
ant ; they will not hear any arguments and reasons, because they have
a mind to condemn and hate ; and so will not understand the thing
they judge of: Jude 10, 'Speak evil of the things they know not.'
Justin Martyr's complaint was, that the Christians were condemned un
heard, without any just inquiry into their principles and practices. A
nearer view would undeceive them, as Peter Martyr's similitude, re
lated by Celius Secundus Curio in the life of Galiacius, expresseth it,
that if they were not blinded by malice, they might see a beauty in the
ways of God, and the reasons and motives by which his children are
governed. One John Francis Caserta, a nobleman, was earnest with
his cousin to hear Peter Martyr preach. One day with much entreaty
he was drawn to hear him, not so much with a desire to learn and pro
fit, as out of curiosity. Peter Martyr was then opening the first epistle
to the Corinthians, and showing how much the judgment of the natu
ral understanding is mistaken in things spiritual. Among other' things,
he used this similitude : If a man riding in an open country should
afar off see men and women dancing together, and should not hear
their music according to which they dance and tread out their mea
sures, he would think them to be a company of fairies and madmen, ap
pearing in such various motions and antic postures ; but if he came
nearer, and heard the musical notes, according to which they exactly
dance, he would find that to be art which before he thought madness.
The same happeneth to them who at first see a change of life, com
pany, fashions in their former conversations ; he thinketh they are
brain-sick and foolish ; but when he cometh more intimately to weigh the
thing, and what an exact harmony there is between such a life and con
versation and the motions of God's Holy Spirit and the directions of
his word, he findeth that to be the highest reason which before he
judged madness and folly. This similitude struck this gallant to the
heart.
2. Envy, because of the different course of life, and the privileges at
tending it, comfort, blessing, success. So Pilate knew that the priests
delivered Jesus for envy, Mat. xxvii. 18. Avarice sold him, but envy
delivered him. What envy it was is expressed in another evangelist :
' You see how we prevail nothing ; if we let him alone, all the world
will go after him,' John xi. 47, 48. They saw God's presence and
power was with him, and that stirred up their envy. Their worldly
interest was their great idol, and they looked upon the success
of Christ's kingdom as contrary to it. So Acts xvii. 5, 'The
108 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XIX.
malignant Jews, moved with envy/ stirred up all that trouble against
Paul.
3. Christ is the head of one party, and Satan of the other. Christ
hath introduced truth and holiness, and the devil is the principle and
architect of all wickedness and cruelty and hatred ; therefore since he
worketh in the children of disobedience, and they are taken captive by
him at his will and pleasure, is not the hand of Satan in all this ?
Object. But how can it stand with the goodness and righteousness
of God's providence that such a numerous and potent party as the
multitude of ungodly should live in enmity with his people, and that
his faithful servants should be continually exercised with their hatred
and molestation, and sometimes to the utter loss and ruin of all their
worldly interests ? I answer —
[1.] It is for the glory of his providence that he ruleth in the midst
of his enemies, Ps. ex. 2, and upholdeth his church not only against
opposition, but by opposition. His church is really the bush that is
burned but not consumed ; he can keep them from the evil of the
world, though he doth not take them out of the world, John xvii. 15.
[2.] That self-denying obedience is most acceptable to God. A
religion that costs nothing is worth nothing. Though we be deep suf
ferers in this world, and our demand in arrear unpaid till another world,
yet it is fit we should be tried : James i. 12, ' Blessed is the man that
endureth temptation, for when he is tried he shall receive a crown
of life/ It suiteth with God's conduct now, when he is trying, not
rewarding the children of men.
[3.] He that soundly believeth the promises of God will not stick
much at suffering by the hatred of the world ; he doth but lose a
feather to win a crown : Mat. v. 11, 'Eejoice and be exceeding glad,
for great is your reward in heaven.'
[4.] This kind of government is necessary to prevent that scurf and
dross which is apt to overgrow the church arid particular believers, the
scurf of hypocrites creeping into the visible societies of the faithful.
When profession is cheap, many will take it up though their hearts be
not with God, Mat. xiii. 21 ; and the scurf and dross of vanity and cor
ruption growing into the lives of the saints, as filth on standing waters.
Tribulation is God's fan and physic : Mat. iii. 11, ' Whose fan is in his
hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor ; ' Isa. xxix. 9, ' By this
shall the iniquity of Jacob be purged out.'
Doct. 2. We have no reason to wonder at it, if it prove our lot to
meet with the world's hatred.
This is dissuaded in two places, and there is a different word used
in both, as here in the text, and 1 Peter iv. 12, ' Think it not strange
concerning the fiery trial.' We wonder at what is great and grievous,
terrible and strange, at what is rare, new, and unusual, not thought of
before.
First, I will inquire how we are apt to wonder, or to count it grie
vous and strange — (1.) Out of security ; (2.) Impatience of the cross.
1. Out of our security. The children of God are loath to forecast
trials, and therefore, if we have any rest from troubles, we think it will
be perpetual : Ps. xxx. 6, ' I said in my prosperity, I shall never be
moved.' As if this breathing-time and short truce were a sure peace,
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 100
that will never be interrupted. If we can put a carnal pillow under
our heads, we lie down and sleep, and dream of much worldly ease, as
if all bitterness were past, and so are very apt and subject to security,
usually when trials are nearest. Christ finds his disciples asleep just as
the high priest's officers were coming to attack him, Mat. xxvi. 40,
and Jonah was asleep in the ship when about to be thrown into the
sea, Jonah i. 5.
2. Impatiency of the cross. We consult with present sense ; ease is
pleasing to flesh and blood. We say rest is good, and are loath to have
our ears grated with the remembrance of the cross, though Christ
biddeth us take it up daily, Luke ix. 36, in the preparation of our
minds, and reconciling and making it familiar to our thoughts before it
cometh ; therefore we remove those things out of our thoughts, and so
marvel and are amazed when they come upon us.
Secondly, Why is marvelling forbidden ? what great harm is there in
that ? (1.) That we may not be surprised ; (2.) Perplexed or offended
when the trial befalleth us.
1. We must not marvel or be amazed, as men are when they meet
with some new and strange thing, but be affected as with a matter we
looked for before, and accordingly have prepared for it. Sorrows fore
seen leave not so sad and forcible an impression upon the spirit : Job
iii. 15, ' The evil which I feared is come upon me.' When we expect
evils, they hurt the less ; but when it cometh unlocked for, it is the
more burdensome. That child saith his lesson best that hath often
conned it over.
2. Perplexed or offended ; for this marvelling is forbidden in order
to offence ; when we see nothing befalleth us but what we have heard
of beforehand, and were warned of long beforehand, we are not so apt
to stagger at the cross, and shrink under it : John xvi. 1, ' These
things I have spoken to you, that you should not be offended.' We
pretend to believe the scriptures when we read them, yet complain
when they are fulfilled. Never any one afflicted as I am, scorned and
hated as I am ; and all because we promised to ourselves a more quiet
estate than the world's hatred or the tenor of God's dispensations will
permit.
Thirdly, What reasons there are to take off our marvel.
1. Our troubles, by which the world's hatred is manifested, are
decreed by God ; the fulfilling of God's eternal counsel and decrees
should be no marvel to us : Horn. viii. 29, ' He hath predestinated us
to be conformed to the image of his Son ; ' first in affliction, then in
glory : 1 Thes. iii. 3, ' That no man should be moved by these afflictions,
for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto/ There is nothing
strange in it, but what God hath determined to come upon us.
2. We should not marvel at that which we are frequently forewarned
of: these things are foretold in scripture: 'You shall be hated of all
men for my name's sake,' Mark xiii. 13 ; John xv. 19, ' Because I have
chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you ; ' John
xvi. 33, ' In the world you shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer,
I have overcome the world ; ' Acts xiv. 22, ' That we through much
tribulation should enter into the kingdom of heaven ; ' 2 Tim. iii. 12,
' All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution/
110 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XIX.
3. Because it was fulfilled in our head : John xv. 18, ' The world
hated me before it hated you.' If the world hated Christ, no wonder
if it hate us ; if Jesus Christ, who never committed sin, who came into
the world with a design of love, to do mankind the greatest good, was
hated so far as to be put to a shameful death. Jesus Christ was the
greatest enemy to sin that ever was born ; he hath endured the contra
diction of sinners before us. Therefore if we are heirs to his sufferings,
and that enmity which began with him, and it light upon us for his
sake, should we marvel and strain at it? Nothing should seem grie
vous to a believer which he hath once tasted. If Christ drank of the
bitter cup himself, he will have the more sympathy towards us when
we pledge him in it. In short, it is a valuable preferment, the fellow
ship of his sufferings, and conformity to his death.
4. That which ever from the beginning of the world hath been the
lot of good and holy men should not be marvelled at : Mat. v. 12, ' So
persecuted they the prophets which were before you.' The best have
undergone these troubles, and surely we are not better than our fathers,
1 Kings xix. 4.
5. That which is necessary to mortify the old man, and break the
force of our pride and carnal affections, to try our patience, to reclaim
us from our wanderings, to awaken in us a more earnest pursuit of
things to come, to keep us from surfeiting of ease and prosperity, and
to cut off the fuel and provisions of our lusts, should not be marvelled
at ; but this discipline is necessary for all those things : 1 Peter i. 6,
' If need be ye are in heaviness for a season, through manifold tempta
tions.' The scriptures abundantly show this everywhere. Therefore
let us not marvel if we meet with trouble and opposition from men for
Christ's sake ; it hath ever been so, and will be so, and shall we be
surprised and perplexed at it ? If men use to be startled or surprised,
it is at something that is strange. The wonder is rather of the other
side, if there be any remission of this enmity, considering the disposition
of the world.
Use 1. Is to persuade us to venture upon the profession of Chris
tianity with this resolution, to bear patiently the frowns and hatred of
the world. Christ telleth us the worst at first, Mat. xvi. 24, and is
therein contrary to Satan, who showeth us the bait but hideth the hook ;
but Christ telleth us that, when God seeth fit, we must be willing to
encounter temptations and the displeasures of the world ; whether
they come or no, we must arm ourselves with a mind to endure them.
God never intended Isaac should be sacrificed, yet he will have
Abraham lay the knife to his throat. To think of going to heaven,
and yet dream of a life of ease and peace, free from all manner of
troubles and afflictions for conscience' sake, it is all one as if a soldier
going to the war should promise himself continual peace with the
enemy, or a mariner going a long voyage should imagine a perpetual
calm. Therefore you must reckon upon the scorns of the world, the
distaste of carnal friends, the oppositions of the froward part of man
kind, and be ' shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace/ Eph. vi.
15. Have a resolved mind to go through thick and thin, and to follow
Christ in all conditions.
Use 2. Fortify your minds against the world's hatred by such con-
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. Ill
siderations as may best support you. Though you be hated of the
world, it is enough that you are beloved of God and accepted by God ;
that is a Christian's greatest ambition, 2 Cor. v. 9, greatest joy, Ps. iv.
6, 7. When God smileth, it is no matter who frowneth.
2. God will take your case in hand, and then whatever you lose by
the hatred and wrath of man shall be compensated to you and made
up to you by the love of God : 2 Thes. i. 6, 7, ' Seeing it is a righteous
thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you ;
and to you that are troubled, rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall
be revealed from heaven, with his mighty angels.'
3. That faith and love to God tried is better, and will yield more
comfort, than bare faith and love without trial : 1 Peter i. 7, ' Knowing
that the trial of your faith is much more precious than gold that
perisheth, that your faith may be found to praise, glory, and honour,
at Christ's appearing.' It is the self-denying obedience that yieldeth
most comfort ; when graces are proved so as to be approved, then they
have the clearest evidence in our conscience.
4. The way to live happily is to obey the will of God rather than to
obey the lusts of men ; for by pleasing of God, though you seem to
endanger your interests, you do best establish them : Prov. xvi. 7,
' When a man's ways please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies to
be at peace with him.'
Use 3. If this hatred be restrained, be the more thankful to God
and men.
1. To God. Certainly a good day should be well improved ; Acts
ix. 31, when the church had rest, they walked in the fear of God and
comforts of the Holy Ghost. When we are not called to passive
obedience and sufferings, our active obedience should be the more
cheerfully performed. The primitive Christians suffered more willingly
for Christ than we speak for him ; they dreaded the fire less than we
do a frown or scorn. Surely when we are exempted from outward
troubles and sufferings, our peace and comfort will cost us more in
getting; and therefore we should be more in service, and zeal, and
diligence. If we cannot deny the ease of the flesh for the labours of
the gospel, how shall we deny the interests of the flesh for the sufferings
of the gospel, and lay all at Christ's feet ?
2. To men. Let us make all thankful returns to the magistrates
we live under, by prayers for them, and exemplary obedience. The
apostle telleth us that the magistrate is ' the minister of God to thee
for good,' Rom. xiii. 4. God by them reacheth out this good to thee,
of peace and quiet in the profession and practice of godliness ; there
fore all manner of prayer is due for them : 1 Tim. ii. 1, 2, ' I exhort,
therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
giving of thanks be made for all men ; for kings, and for all that are
in authority ; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all
godliness and honesty.' Were it not for the ordinance of magis
tracy, what a shambles and slaughter-house would the world be !
Now when God inclineth their hearts to give peace and rest to his
people, the favour is to be acknowledged by such ways as become
Christianity, by hearty prayers to God for them, and eminent obed
ience to them.
112 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XIX.
Use 4. Is information. Some practical corollaries I will thence
deduce.
1. What little need we have to be troubled, if we meet with the
hatred of the world in doing our duty. Surely it is better to suffer
injuries than to do them, better be an Abel than a Cain ; there is glory
and comfort in sufferings, but shame in sin. It is a discouragement
to us ministers that a man cannot promote any public good, but he is
like to be a sacrifice to public hatred, but he must displease men ; nay,
not only the carnal part of the world, but even the weaker sort of the
people of God, who, because of remaining darkness, many times put
good for evil, and evil for good: 'If I yet pleased men, were I the
servant of Christ ? ' Gal. i. 10. Displease them you must to their
profit, though it be to your own hurt.
2. What need the children of God have to walk circumspectly. We
live in the midst of those that hate us, and malice and hatred is quick-
sighted, and will soon spy out our failings: Ps. xxvii. 11, ' Lead me in
a plain path, because of mine enemies;' in the margin it is, ' those
which observe me.' Enemies are observers : Jer. xx. 10, ' They watch
for my halting ; ' if they could find him tripping in anything, to defame
him. Among friends we are more careless, but before enemies we look
to every step. If you falter in your duty a little, their mouths will be
opened against you : Neh. v. 9, ' Ought we not to walk in the fear of
our God, because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies ? ' Col.
iv. 5, ' Walk in wisdom towards them that are without/
3. If it be no wonder that the world hateth the brethren, and you
were sometimes of this world, you must show forth the reality of the
change which God hath wrought in you by love. The characteristic
of the world is hatred, but the people of God, love ; this is the very
constitution of their souls, and this love is first to the saints, and then
to all men : John xiii. 35, ' By this shall all men know that ye are my
disciples, if ye love one another.' In regeneration there is not only an
impression of the purity and holiness of the divine nature, but the
goodness and amiableness of it in real inclinations of doing good, and
seeking the welfare of others to our power.
4. If the world hate God's children, see that this hatred be not
deserved by any fault of yours, as pride, indiscreet zeal, unnecessary
intermeddling, or any injurious dealing : 1 Peter iv. 15, 16, ' Let none
of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer, or a busybody
in other men's matters. But if any suffer as a Christian, let him not
be ashamed ; but glorify God in this behalf.' See that it be for truth
and holiness. It is a sad thing to be a martyr to passion, pride, vain
glory, self-interest, private conceits and opinions ; this hardeneth the
world, and will be cause of shame to yourselves. The world will justify
themselves, and say it is not for their religion, but their pride and
peevish singularity ; and besides, you will lose that true comfort which
otherwise you might have in your sufferings for Christ.
VER. 14.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 113
SERMON XX.
We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love
the brethren : he that loveth not his brother abideth in death. —
1 JOHN iii. 14.
FOR the connection of this verse with the former, this may be given as
a reason why we should not be troubled with the world's hatred, because,
as that opposite world to Christ and his kingdom are known by their
hatred, and, however divided in interests, yet are united by their enmity
to God's people, so are we known and distinguished by our love. Our
love to those whom they hate may expose us to great sufferings, and
therefore they judge us miserable; but if by our love, though it be to
the loss of life itself for owning them, and the cause for which they
suffer, we may come to clear up our right to eternal happiness, we have
no reason to be discouraged. In short, if the world will be known by
their hatred to the brethren, let us resolve to be known by our love to
them, whatever indignities and scorns we suffer for their sakes : ' We
know we have passed from death to life/ &c.
In the text there is a comparison of opposites — (1.) The happiness
of those that love the brethren ; (2.) The misery of those that love
them not.
1. In the former clause there is — (1.) The privilege ; (2.) The quali
fication ; (3.) The conclusion thence inferred.
[1.] The privilege is a translation ' from death to life ; ' that is, from
a state of spiritual and eternal death into a state of grace, peace, and
happiness ; for it is explained, ver. 15, so as to have eternal life abiding
in us. By our unfeigned love to the brethren we know that we are re
generate Christians, and have all the privileges which belong to such ;
for we have passed from the death of sin to a life of grace, from wrath
and condemnation to a life of glory. The terminus a quo, from which
we turn, is death ; the terminus ad quern, to which we turn, is life.
The motion between both, ' we have passed,' or we are already in a
state of life.
[2.] The qualification, sign, and token of it, ' love to the brethren ; '
it is not mentioned as the cause of the thing, but as the mark whereby
we know it.
[3.] The certainty of the connection or conclusion drawn from
thence, ' we know.' He doth not say we think, or hope well, but we
know ; it is not a conjectural, but a certain knowledge.
2. The misery of those that have not this qualification. Where —
[1.] The expression of their defect is to be noted, ' He that loveth
not ; ' not he that hateth, though he be not apparently one of the
opposite world : ' Marvel not if the world hateth you ; ' but ' He that
loveth not.' It is not enough if a man be not found among the per
secuting world, and keeps himself from hatred and malice, if he doth
not own the people of God when persecuted by others, when scorned
and persecuted by others.
[2.] His danger, ' He abideth in death ; ' that is, remaineth in a car
nal state, and so obnoxious to eternal death and damnation ; he is not
VOL. XXL n
114 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III, [SfiR. XX.
regenerate, and shall die in his sins. As it is said in the case of
believing, so it is true in the case of loving : John viii. 24, ' He that
believeth not that I am he, shall die in his sins.' To go to the grave
before we get rid of sin, to die impenitent and unreconciled to God, is
the greatest misery that can befall us.
Doct. That a sure note of our passing from death to life is our love
to the brethren.
I shall — (1.) Open what it is to pass from death to life ; (2.) What
love of the brethren is here understood ; (3.) Consider it as a sure note
and evidence.
First, What it is to pass from death to life. This I shall show in
several propositions.
1. Man before the fall did enjoy a spiritual life and communion with
God, being his creature, and fitted for commerce with him ; but upon
his defection lost it. The common notion that we have of death is a
privation of life : we once had life by virtue of our conjunction with
God, but we lost it by our defection from him. The natural life con
sists in a conjunction of the soul with the body, and the natural death
is a separation of the soul from the body ; the spiritual life consists in
the union of the soul with God, and the spiritual death is a separation
and estrangement from him : Eph. iv. 18, ' Alienated from the life of
God.' So that man by nature is wholly destitute of the life of God.
We did once partake of the life of God, but have now lost it. It was
threatened, Gen. ii. 17, ' In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt
surely die ; ' and executed, Kom. v. 12, ' Whereas by one man sin en
tered into the world, and death by sin, so that death passed upon all
men, for that all have sinned.' Spiritual death is one thing there
included.
2. In this state of separation from God, man is impotent to every
good work, and liable to eternal death and condemnation.
[1.] Impotent to every good and saving work : Eph. ii. 1, ' We were
sometimes dead in trepasses and sins.' We are all deprived of original
righteousness, or any principle of grace which might incline us to God.
The life of God consisted in his image impressed on man or bestowed
on man, that by Adam's fall was lost to us all from our very concep
tion and birth : Eccles. vii. 29, ' God made man upright, but they have
sought out many inventions.' It must needs be so, for redemption,
reconciliation, and salvation do all imply it. Kedemption implieth a
man in thraldom ; and reconciliation an enemy, a man fallen and lapsed
into the displeasure of God ; and salvation the saving of that which is
lost: so that we were all sinners by nature, or else we needed no
redeemer, nor reconciler, nor saviour. If our salvation be now by a
redeemer, it implieth a recovery and restoration ; and sinful, miserable
mankind is the object of it. Infants from their very conception and
birth cannot be excused nor exempted, for all that are saved by a
redeemer were once lost, and need a recovery ; we all need to be
reconciled and sanctified. The necessity of a redeemer proveth the
guilt, and of a sanctifier the corruption of mankind. Actual sin will
easily be granted, but the earliness and commonness of evil inclinations
do as sensibly prove original sin, even before actual sin had time to
breed evil habits in us. It is true, that the longer men live in their
VER. 14.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 115
unregenerate state, the more they are estranged from God, and contract
a further impotency by their ignorance and hardness of heart ; but at
first, ' That which is born of flesh is flesh,' John iii. 6 ; and their
operations can rise no higher than a fleshly inclination moveth them,
and therefore carnal men are dead while they live : Luke xv. 24, ' This
my son was dead, but is alive ; was lost, but is found.'
[2.] Man is obnoxious to eternal death and condemnation by reason
of sin, and if he continue so, will certainly for ever perish : Eph. ii. 3,
' And were by nature children of wrath, even as others ; ' and John iii.
36, 'Whosoever believeth not, the wrath of God abideth on him;'
and therefore he can expect nothing but everlasting death and destruc
tion. This is the condition of man by nature. Now every man would
desire to be freed from death, and to be made a partaker of eternal life.
3. The Lord Jesus, out of his wonderful mercy, came to restore life
to mankind thus dead and lost ; he died that we might live, therefore
called the prince or giver of life, Acts iii. 15, because this was the great
benefit which he procured for us. And this life which we have by
Christ answereth to the death which we incurred by Adam. Instead
of death spiritual, he hath procured for us the life of grace, and also the
life of glory, to take off death eternal merited by sin, that the sentence
of death might be reversed by justification, and the penitent and believ
ing sinner put into a living condition by sanctification, and finally
admitted to glory. All this is purchased by Christ : 1 John iv. 9, ' God
sent his Son into the world, that we might live through him ; ' live spiri
tually, live eternally. All this is inferred in the covenant of Christ, to
those that will submit to his healing dispensations : John v. 24, ' Verily,
verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him
that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemna
tion, but hath passed from death to life.' All this is applied by Christ
to those that really submit to his covenant ; but in a different manner
they all pass from death to life. First, Partly as their hearts are
changed, which is sometimes called a quickening of the dead, a new
begetting, a new creating. Sometimes it is called a quickening, a
making men that were dead alive : Eph. ii. 5, 'Yet now hath he quickened
us together with Christ.' Therefore when they are converted or regen
erated, they are said to be alive from the dead, Kom. vi. 13. It is also
called a new begetting, or a new birth, without which none can enter
into heaven : John iii. 5, ' Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man
be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of
God.' Making us new creatures : Eph. iv. 24, ' And that ye put on the
new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness;'
2 Cor. v. 17, ' He that is in Christ is a new creature : old things are
passed away, and all things are become new.' From all which itfolloweth,
that conversion is a bringing us into a new state of life. Life is a
power to move itself in its own place. This new power and new life
is therefore a 'great privilege. Secondly, Partly as their states are
changed, and so sometimes the privative part is expressed, ' shall not
come into condemnation,' John v. 24, and Eom. viii. 1. The sentence
of eternal death is taken off. But that is not all, but they have a cove
nant right unto eternal life : Rom. v. 18, ' The free gift came upon all
men, to the justification of life.' But this is done in a different manner,
116 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XX.
the one by his Spirit, the other by his new covenant gift. The one by
his Spirit : 2 Peter i. 3, ' By his divine power hath given us all things
necessary to life and godliness.' Therefore Christ is said to be our life,
Gal. ii. 20. The other by his free donation, or grant, or deed of gift.
In the covenant he granteth us to be heirs of eternal life, pardoning
our sins, and removing out of the way what may hinder the enjoyment
of it. Sanctification is wrought in us ; justification is God's act
towards the sanctified : 1 Cor. vi. 11, ' But ye are justified in the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God.'
Justified in the name of Christ according to his terms, and what way
Christ is made known in the new covenant.
4. From the whole, it may be well said of those who are interested,
that they are passed from death to life ; for the life of grace is begun
in them, as they have new principles and powers infused, or gracious
qualities planted in the soul : Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27, ' A new heart also
•will I give you, and a new spirit I will put within you ; and I will
take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and give you a heart of
flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in
my statutes ; and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.' And
these continually acted and excited by the influence of the Holy Spirit,
who watcheth over the new creature. And as they have a right to glory :
Titus iii. 5-7, ' Not by works of righteousness which we have done,
but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regenera
tion, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he hath shed on us
abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour, that, being justified by
his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.'
And as they are accompanied with peace of conscience, and joy unspeak
able and glorious, surely these are in a happy condition ; and we should
give all diligence to see that it be our condition, that they who were dead
in trespasses and sins, born heirs of God's curse, should have a new life
communicated to them, and heavenly qualities planted in them, where
by the soul in some measure is made like God and Christ ; and whereas
before they were without any true and well-grounded hope of a better
life, whatever foolish and groundless presumptions they might enter
tain, they should now have this threefold happiness. First, They should
be dispositively fitted for eternal life : 2 Cor. v. 5, ' For lie that hath
wrought us to this self-same thing is God;' and Horn. ix. 23, 'Pre
pared unto glory ; ' Col. i. 12, ' Hath made us meet to be partakers of
the inheritance of the saints in light.' Secondly, Have an unquestion
able and indefeasible right, by the grant and promise of God : John v.
24, ' He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath
everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed
from death unto life.' Thirdly, Have the earnest, first-fruits, or begun
possession of eternal glory : 2 Cor. i. 22, ' Who hath sealed us, and
given us the earnest of the Spirit.' Partly in the graces and partly in
the comforts of the Holy Spirit. The graces in the new birth : Titus
iii. 5, ' According to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regen
eration, and the renewing of the Holy Ghost.' The immortal seed, 1
Peter i. 23. Saving knowledge, John xvii. 3. There is an eternal
principle in them, which carrieth them to eternal ends. The life is begun
which shall be perfected in heaven, and is still working towards its final
VER. 14.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 117
perfection. As to comforts, in peace of conscience, and joy in the Holv
Ghost, by which we have a foretaste : Kom. xv. 13, ' The God of hope fill
you with all joy and peace in believing ; ' 1 Peter i. 8, ' In whom be
lieving, we rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious.' Surely of all
privileges this is the principal and the choicest, which can be given us on
this side heaven, and should be most rejoiced in and endeavoured after.
Secondly, What love of the brethren is here to be understood ; fotr
I have observed that many will retreat to this evidence, as if this
single and alone would witness their gracious estate, when they are
grossly defective in other things. In my dealings with the consciences
of men, I have observed several of the fallacies and cheats which men
have put upon themselves; sometimes in the object of this love,
' brethren.' If they have a love to their own sect and party, though
they hate all the world besides, and are unconscionable in their deal
ings, and loose and uncircumspect in their walkings, yet still they have
satisfied their consciences with this, that they love the brethren ; and
this must bolster them up, and support their confidence, notwithstand
ing all their other enormities. Sometimes I have observed it to be in
the affection itself ; they call that love to the brethren which is not. We
may do many things which materially are acts of love to the brethren,
but flow from false principles, as good nature, vainglory, gallantry.
Some are of a soft and quiet temper, not difficult to any, but of a fair,
loving carriage and behaviour ; and shall their natural easiness be
taken for this high and special grace of love to the brethren ? Some will
seem to do great and worthy things, but it is out of greatness of spirit
and vainglory, without true charity and love to the brethren, without
that love which the apostle mentions, 1 Cor. xiii. 3, ' If I give all my
goods to the poor, and give my body to be burned, and have not
charity, it profits me nothing.' This love is something more than
giving, something more than venturing our interests ; for charity, or
Christian love, containeth in it a sincere respect to God's glory, and a
hearty desire of promoting the kingdom of Christ, and a holy com
placency in those who are our companions in the kingdom and
patience of Jesus Christ, and shall be our everlasting companions in
heavenly glory, together with a public good-will and compassion to the
souls of men. Some I have found will go lower, and maintain their
comfort at a meaner rate ; they are not those that hate the brethren,
and procure their molestation and trouble, but it may be frequent their
meetings, applaud their persons, can now and then plead for them, and
censure and speak against those that hate them : and here is their
evidence ; how defective soever they are in other parts of Christianity,
they think they love the brethren. But not to insist further, I am
verily persuaded that if this one evidence were well thought of and
understood, it were of as hard interpretation as any of the rest. There
fore let us see what this love of the brethren is, that will be such a sure
note unto us.
1. It must be a real love, not pretended only, or showed in bare
words; for so it is explained, ver. 18, 'My little children, let us not love
in word, or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.' Verbal compliments
may make up a love and friendship in the world, but Christian love is
a knitting of souls, or a communication of interests, as our mutual
118 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XX.
necessities do require : Rom. xii. 10, ' Be kindly affectioned one to
another, in brotherly love.' If there be not a hearty real Christian
affection, what will words do? Alas! will you build your eternal
state on such a weak foundation, or all your comfort and hope on so
slight an evidence ? A cold complimental love is soon worn off.
2. It must be a self-denying love, for it is hated brethren who are
here spoken of as the objects : ' Marvel not if the world hate you ; '
and then, ' We know we have passed from death unto life, because we
love the brethren.' If we can love them then when the world hateth
them ; yea, if we can love them so as to lay down our lives for them
when the glory of God and the public good calleth for it : ver. 16,
' Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he hath laid down his
life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.' In
what cases I shall show you afterwards. Now such a regular and
fervent love will make an evidence. It is self-denying graces that have
a voice in the conscience ; when we so love the brethren that we are at
some cost about them, taking pains to instruct the ignorant, comforting
the afflicted, exhorting the obstinate, confirming the weak, relieving
the necessitous, owning the persecuted, this showeth God's love hath
made some impression upon us. The acts about which we shall be
questioned at the day of judgment are self-denying acts. Have you
visited, have you clothed, do you own the servants of God when the
times frown upon them ? Lip-labour and tongue-service is a cheap
thing, and a religion that costs nothing is worth nothing. When we
apparently deny ourselves, and value God's interest and his people's
interest above our own, then our sincerity is most manifest. A cheap
course of serving God or loving the brethren will bring you none or little
comfort ; and therefore, when you tell me you love the brethren, and
do nothing for them, you may as well tell me that you have satisfied
your creditors by shaking your purse, as if the noise of money would
pay your debts.
3. A sincere love flowing from communion of nature, and because of
the new nature, and because of the image of God in them whom ye
love. Love is a fruit of the new nature, and none can sincerely love
his brother with a supernatural sincerity but he that is renewed by the
Spirit : 1 Peter i. 22, ' Seeing ye have purified your hearts in obeying
the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love of the brethren ;
see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.' To love one
because he is holy, and because he is sanctified, because he hath the
same spirit, that is to love one another with a pure heart. We may
love godly men for other respects than godliness, but we must love
them as having a nature suited to this love.
4. It must not be understood as separated from other qualifications
which prepare us for everlasting life ; we cannot make out our sincerity
by one evidence alone, no, not faith itself : James ii. 14, ' Can faith
save him?' that being alone, ver. 17. Still it will stick in our
consciences : James ii. 10, ' He that keepeth the whole law, and yet
offends in one point, is guilty of all.' It is a law maxim if interpreted
of absolute perfection or unsinning obedience, but it is a gospel maxim
if understood of allowed failings. Therefore, when you read such
scriptures as ' Hereby we know that we are passed from death to life,
because we love the brethren/ and ' He that calleth upon the name
VER. 14.] SERMONS UPON UOHN in. 119
of the Lord shall be saved/ they must be understood positis omnibus
ad hoc requisitis, if other things hold good. Certainly for this place you
shall see 1 John v. 2, ' By this we know that we love the children of
God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.' He proveth
the love of God by the love of the brethren, and the love of the brethren
by the love of God. There is a mighty conjunction between these
two things, loving the brethren and loving God ; and therefore,
if we would know if we love our brother sincerely, yea or no, we can
not better judge of it than by examining and knowing whether we love
God; and truly our love to God is not a fellow-like familiarity, but
a dutiful subjection : ' If we love God we will keep his commandments.'
So that, in the trial of our estate, we must take in all that is necessary
for the decision of the case. I observe this, because, next to the grace
of the gospel, men are apt to abuse this evidence. Some look to none
at all, others pitch all upon this one. But you see plainly it must be
interpreted so as that you love God first, and then the brethren for
God's sake ; and the intent of these evidences is to show we must not
in any point be lacking.
Thirdly, Let me consider it as laid down as a sure note and evidence
of our passing from death to life; and there we shall consider — (1.)
Why so much is ascribed to love of the brethren; (2.) What sort of
evidence this is.
1. Why is so much ascribed to the love of the brethren, that the
decision of our spiritual estate is often put upon this issue, whether we
love the brethren, yea or no ?
Ans. For several reasons.
[1.] Because it is the immediate effect of the new nature : 1 John
iv. 7, ' Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God ; and every
one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God ; ' and 1 John v. 1,
' Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God ; and
every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten
of him.' Love to God and his people is the proper effect of the
spiritual life ; that same new nature which indineth us to love God
inclineth us to love the brethren.
[2.] This suiteth most with the great love which God discovereth
in the gospel. The gospel is wholly employed in setting forth the
love of God ; we see his power more eminently in the creation of the
world : Rom. i. 20, ' For the invisible things of him from the creation
of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are
made.' His wisdom in the law : Deut. iv. 6, 'Keep them, for this is
your wisdom and understanding in the sight of the nations.' And
his love in the gospel : Eom. v. 8, ' Herein God commended his love.'
He doth indeed discover all in all, but eminently one in each. Now
the new creature, being of a gospel production, hath the print and
stamp thereof left upon it, for the thing sealed must be according to
the seal : love is his very nature.
[3.] Because God would not leave the trial of our condition upon
an imaginary case, and remote from daily experience. We pretend
to love God, and to have a zeal for God, and would venture all our
interests for God, because in the bountiful part God hath no need of
us, and we are not likely to be put upon the expressing of love to him
120 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XX.
in that kind. In the dutiful part of obedience we are daily put upon
a trial. Now in the bountiful part God hath made our brethren his
proxies, and devolveth that love and gratitude due to himself upon
his servants. Hence is that reasoning, 1 John iv. 20, ' He that loveth
not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he
hath not seen ? ' Men's pretences of love to God are more in imagina
tion than in real proof and performance ; here we have occasion often
given us to express and testify our love by real effects ; we see our
brethren daily, we know their necessities, have opportunities of sensible
demonstrations of our love. Now these kind acts of love to our
brethren, as they do most verify and justify our love, so they are most
apparent and visible to our own feeling and experience.
[4.] Because naturally a man delights in that company which is
most like himself, otherwise he is more straitened and restrained,
cannot so freely let out his soul ; therefore if the constitution of a
man's heart be altered, he will show it in his complacency and dis-
placency. As in things so in persons ; there is a kind of grief and
trouble at the non-conversion of the wicked : Ps. xv. 4, ' In whose
eyes a vile person is contemned, but he honoureth those that fear the
Lord.' He hath a dislike of wickedness, let it be in whomsoever it
will, but payeth a hearty honour, affection, and respect to every good
and godly man ; his joy and delight is to the saints, and to the
excellent of the earth, Ps. xvi. 3. ' Lot's righteous soul was vexed by
seeing and hearing the unlawful deeds of the Sodomites/ 2 Peter ii. 8.
A good man is never so well as in the company of those that fear God ;
and so ill at ease as when conversing with the wicked ; therefore it is
a sensible evidence.
[5.] In obedience to God, as this is his great and new command
ment : 1 John iii. 23, ' Love one another, as he gave us commandment.'
God's love is a love of bounty, ours a love of duty.
[6.] Christ delights to draw his people into a society, therefore he
requireth love, and maketh love the great evidence : Col. iii. 14, ' And
above all things put on charity, which is the bond of perfection ; ' an
affection whereby we desire communion one with another, and com
munication of good one to another : Acts ii. 42, ' And they continued
steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship ; ' and ver. 45, ' They
parted with their possessions to every man as he had need.' There
fore this is the evidence of Christ's disciples.
[7.] Christ's heart is much set upon the good of this society, which
is preserved by love, but destroyed by hatred and division. Our Lord
Christ foresaw what grievous wolves would enter into the flock, to
scatter them, and to destroy them, and how much they would be
weakened by their own divisions ; therefore he would not only make
it his command, but his mark ; it is his charge, it is the means ap
pointed to receive the blessing, Ps. cxxxiii. 3, and it is the sign, as if
Christ would not take them for friends, but enemies, that divide his
people, that do not by all means and ways seek to unite them, and
cause them to love one another.
[8.] It is a great part of our recovery to be delivered from the
private, envious, selfish spirit by which we mind our own things and
seek our own things : James iv. 5, ' The spirit that dw.elleth in us
VER. 14.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 121
lusteth to envy ; ' Titus iii. 3, ' We were hateful and hating one
another.' Now since it is so, surely we have passed from death to life,
because we love the brethren.
2. What sort of evidence this is. It is both inclusive and exclusive.
There are some marks which are exclusive but not inclusive ; that is,
if we have them not, we are not the children of God ; but if we have
them, we cannot say we are. As, for instance, 'He that is of God heareth
God's words ; ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.'
It excludeth the profane; yet all that barely hear the word cannot thence
conclude that they are of God, for many hear and practise not.
Therefore James saith, chap. i. 22, ' Be doers of the word, and
not hearers only, deceiving your own souls.' Again some are
inclusive, but not exclusive ; as that, Rom. ix. 1, 3, ' I say the truth
in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy
Ghost, that I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ
for my brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh.' Or any degree
of heroical grace ; you are included within the number of God's children
if you find these things in you, but not excluded if you find them not.
These are marks to be aimed at, but not to try by ; otherwise that
would be matter of doubting which is only matter of humiliation.
But some are both inclusive and exclusive ; witness the text. The
first proposition showeth it is inclusive, ' We know we have passed from
death unto life.' A Christian's estate may be known, not by a conjec
tural, but a certain knowledge, not we guess, but know ; and the way
of knowing it is by the evidences of grace, or finding something in us
which accompanieth salvation. Our sanctification is more evident to
us than justification, as being felt ; and among the fruits and effects
of sanctification, love to the brethren is one sensible evidence from
whence we may conclude safely and certainly, ' That we have passed
from death unto life.' But, on the other side, it is exclusive also :
' If any man love not his brother, he abideth in death ; ' is yet in a
state of sin and misery ; for this is such a property of the new nature
that it cannot be severed from it.
Use. Keep this evidence clear, then, that you may take comfort in
your condition. It is for our greater comfort, not only to be safe, but
to know that we are safe. Some have salvation belonging to them, but
they know it not ; as Jacob said of Bethel, ' God was in this place, and
I knew it not,' Gen. xxviii. 16 ; so God is in them, life is in them,
and they know it not Would it not be comfortable to you if you
could certainly know that indeed you have passed from death to life ?
I know not what your minds are busied about ; but this should be
your great care, to get out of the cursed condition you were in by
nature, and to know you are gotten out, and shall not come into con
demnation. Here is one evidence will most help to clear it to you : If
you love the brethren, you have passed from death to life ; if you love
not, you abide in death. Therefore let not this mark be obscure to
you, lest your spiritual condition be dark and obscure to you ; and
therefore you must excel in brotherly love, and exercise it in a self-
denying way. (1.) Love the brethren notwithstanding their infirmities ;
(2.) Love the brethren notwithstanding personal injuries ; (3.) Love
the brethren notwithstanding particular differences of judgment between
122 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XX.
us and them ; (4.) Love them notwithstanding the disgraces and troubles
that befall them.
1. Love the brethren notwithstanding their infirmities ; the best
of God's servants have their blots and failings, but love must cover
them : 1 Peter iv. 8, ' Above all, have fervent charity among yourselves ;
for charity covereth a multitude of sins/ You must not expect such
a society of God's people to converse with, in whom you shall not dis
cern any failings, either against God or one another ; therefore unless
you pass by a multitude of those, it is in vain to think of loving the
brethren. Our love to the brethren must answer to God's love to us :
' We must forgive one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven us,' Eph. iv. 32 ; ' Now the free gift is of many offences unto
justification,' Bom. v. 16. Therefore if we cast off a brother for some
few infirmities, it is a sign that the love of God, manifested in the
gospel, hath not made a due impression upon us. Shall God pardon
so many sins to us and all his people, and shall we be so severe upon,
every espied failing as to question their spiritual estate, and cast them
out of our hearts ?
2. Love them notwithstanding some personal injuries done to our
selves. When God forgiveth us talents, shall not we forgive pence to
our brother ? Mat. xviii. 24, ' And when he had begun to reckon, one
was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents ; ' ver.
28, ' But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants
which owed him an hundred pence, and he laid hands on him, and
took him by the throat, saying, Pay me what thou owest.' A talent
was a hundred and eighty-seven pounds, and sevenpence halfpenny the
Roman penny ; ten thousand pounds for a hundred. They cannot
deal so disingenuously with us as we do with God. If God will forgive
us a thousand injuries, shall not we forgive one ? We are poor dust and
ashes ; shall we stand upon our anger, as if it might be justified against
our brother, rather than God's anger against us ?
3. Love them notwithstanding particular differences of judgment
between us and them ; though they are not of our society, if they will
not carry themselves brotherly, we should love them as brethren as long
as they have anything of Christ in them. The perverse and harsh deal
ings of others do not dissolve our obligation to them, as to superiors,
parents, and masters ; we are to be obedient, not only to the gentle,
but to the froward. So to equals, though they disclaim all fellowship
with us, yet we should carry it towards them as Christians ; a difference
of opinion should not breed an alienation of mind. The apostle's rule
is, Phil. iii. 16, 17, ' Nevertheless, whereto we have attained, let us
walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing ; ' Rom. xiv. 5-7,
' One man esteemeth oneday above another ; another man esteemeth every
day alike : let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that re-
gardeth a day, regardeth it unto the Lord ; and he that regardeth not the
day, to the Lord he doth not regard it : he that eateth, eateth unto the
Lord, for he giveth God thanks ; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he
eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and
no man dieth to himself.' We should never differ from any without con
straining evidence.
4. Love them notwithstanding: the disgraces and troubles that befall
VER. 15.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 123
them ; the primitive Christians owned one another going to the fires,
though thereby they incurred present danger to themselves, and were
made companions of them that were so used, Heb. x. 33.
SERMON XXI.
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer ; and ye know that no
murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. — ] JOHN iii. 15.
THE apostle had said, ' He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.'
Now he goeth on to another degree, ' He that hateth his. brother is a
murderer.' It is less not to love than to hate ; he that loveth not
wishetli neither good nor evil to his brother ; he that hateth intendeth
mischief. Selfishness and want of love will in time produce great
mischiefs, as it tendeth to ambition and covetousness, and thence to
cruelty against all that stand in the way of their desires ; but hatred
doth soon commence mischief. Therefore surely if he that loveth not
his brother ' abideth in death-' then he that hateth his brother ' hath
not eternal life abiding in him ; ' the subject more, the predicate less.
Again, this clause is added lest any should say, I do not slay my brother,
as Cain did, yet he may be a murderer before God ; he hath killed his
brother in his heart, though not with his hand ; he desireth his death,
or doth not take it very grievously if he die : ' Whosoever hateth his
brother,' &c.
In the words there are three things — (1.) A sin, ' Hating our
brother ;' (2.) The heinousness of that sin, ' Is a murderer ; ' (3.) The
perniciousness and danger of it, ' Hath not eternal life abiding in
him/
Doct. 1. That hatred of our brother is in God s account murder.
I shall show you —
1. What is hatred of our brother.
2. How it is murder, and so how he that hateth his brother is a
murderer.
I. What is the hatred of our brother ? This needeth to be stated.
That we may find out the sin so branded, let us except what is to be
excepted.
1. There is an absolute hatred and a comparative. The absolute
hatred is when I wish evil to another ; the comparative hatred is when
I neglect or show less love to another for some greater good. So
Jacob is said to hate Leah, Gen. xxix. 30, 31. Hatred there imports
a lesser degree of iove. So in the law of the hated wife : Dent. xxi.
15, 16, ' If a man hath two wives, one beloved, and another hated.' It
is not meant of one that was not loved at all, but of one that was not
loved so much as the other. So in the case in hand : Luke xiv. 26,
' If any man hate not father and mother, brothers and sisters, he can
not be my disciple ;' that is, doth not prefer Christ before them. Surely
this hatred of our brother is not here meant, for this is piety, and not
121 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXI.
cruelty. The best objects are worthy of our best love, and our respect
to the inferior relations must not be a snare to us.
2. There is a hatred of the sins and evil courses wherein our brother
walketh,and notof his person; aswe must not love the sin forthe person's
sake, so we must not hate the person for the sin's sake. We may cross his
sin, but we must wish well to the person. It is hatred to the person
to let him alone in his sin : Lev. xix. 17, ' Thou shalt not hate thy
brother in thy heart ; thou shalt in any wise rebuke him, and not suffer
sin upon him/ We cannot but hate what we see evil in him ; this is
not a mischievous, but a holy and perfect hatred. When we reprove
the person, seek to oppose and disappoint him in his way of living in
sin, this may be the greatest love we can express to him ; and when
ever his conscience is awakened, he will thank us for it.
3. There is odium abominationis and odium inimicitice, the hatred
of abomination and the hatred of enmity ; the one is opposite to the
love of good-will, the other to the love of complacency : Prov. xxix. 27,
' The righteous is an abomination to the wicked, and the wicked is an
abomination to the righteous.' The righteous man hateth not the
wicked with the hatred of enmity, so as to seek his destruction, but
with the hatred of abomination or offence, so as not to delight in him
while wicked. In opposition to the love of complacency, we may hate
our sinful neighbour, as we must hate and abhor ourselves much more ;
but, in opposition to the love of benevolence, we must neither hate our
enemy, nor our neighbour, nor ourselves ; so we are to love ourselves
without desiring mischief to them. So David : Ps. xxi. 5, ' I hate the
congregation of evil-doers, and will not sit with the wicked/ Surely
we cannot delight in them as suitable to us, nor frequent their company,
unless it be in order to their cure. God, that distinguished the seeds,
Gen. iii. 15, never intended to make men of contrary dispositions to
holiness to be our bosom friends and the objects of our delight.
Therefore this hatred is not intended neither. Only we must take
heed lest our abomination of them for their evil practices do not
degenerate into a destructive enmity to them. We have a nature con
trary to theirs, but we must not have a heart set to do them evil.
Object. But what will you say of Paul's wish, Gal. v. 12, ' I would
they were even cut off that trouble you ? ' I answer —
[1.] He speaketh of prime seducers, and wisheth they were cut off from
the church by the sentence of excommunication; and incorrigible and
obstinate offenders are cut off from the body and society of the faithful
' for the destruction of the flesh, that their spirit may be saved in the
day of the Lord,' 1 Cor. v. 5, 6, and the church be not infected by the
contagion of their sin. So the words signify in the ancient use of it.
[2.] That malicious and obstinate perverters of the faithful come
under another consideration, of which I shall now speak. We must
distinguish of those who are enemies, not only to us, but to God him
self, and that not out of ignorance, but malice, implacable enemies ;
we may desire their destruction, but with great caution, and using
much lenity and forbearance ere we make use of this liberty : so David :
Ps. cxxxix. 21, 22, ' Do not I hate them that hate thee ? and am I not
grieved with them that rise up against thee ? I hate them with a per
fect hatred, and count them mine enemies/ This is but zeal in God's
YER. 15.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 125
cause, to pray for their destruction in any undertaking against God.
But then we must be sure we are not inspired with a false zeal, and
that this fire be enkindled from a coal taken from the altar, not from
any private hearth and kitchen ; and that it be against the irrecon
cilable enemies of Christ's interest in the world, and that it be not
animated with private revenge. Surely all this must be excepted out
of this heavy charge.
II. Let us state the sin here mentioned. (1.) Consider the object,
' Our brother ; ' (2.) The affection or passion forbidden, ' Hatred.'
First, For the object, 'Our brother,' which may be taken —
1. In a general sense, for any of mankind, for by right of nature
they are our brethren. They are called our own flesh, Isa. Iviii. 7, and
we all come of one blood and stock : Acts xvii. 26, ' He hath made of
one blood all nations of men to dwell on the face of the earth.' And
we are all made by one God : Mai. ii. 10, ' Hath not one God created us ?
and have we not all one Father ? ' Now we are not to hate any in our
hearts, but by all ways and means to seek their good and welfare. We
must love in them that which is of God, though we hate in them that
which is of the devil.
2. In a special and limited sense, our brother is our fellow-citizen,
whether in reality or profession only. With respect to them, love is
called brotherly kindness, in opposition to that common love which is
due to all men, 2 Peter i. 7 ; and the nearer the bonds are, the greater
is the sin if we hate them ; as when united with us in the same common
profession of purer Christianity, or give greater hopes of their sincerity
therein, or of the same profession, society, and local communion, as to
the worship of God, or related to us in bonds of nature as well as
religion, as Esau hated Jacob, Gen. xxvii. 41. The rule is, 1 Peter ii.
17, ' Honour all men, love the brotherhood.' There is some respect
due to all men, much more should Christian society recommend them
to our affection. All men partake of some excellency from God, and
carry some resemblance of his image, and the best know more to loathe
in themselves than they can do in the worst ; yet there is a respect due
to the persons 'of other Christians above that which we give to men
as men.
Once more, the persons hated come under a fourfold considera
tion —
[1.] If you consider them as those that have done us an ill turn ;
thus we read, 2 Sam. xiii. 22, that ' Absalom hated Amnon, because
he had forced his sister Tamar;' and therefore plotted to kill him.
Now this doth not excuse us, because we are not to avenge ourselves,
and become evil to others because they have been so to us ; this were
to imitate them in their wickedness, and it is contrary to that lenity
and meekness which should be in Christians, who are to love those that
hate them, Mat. v. 44 ; and if love did prevail, much mischief would
be prevented : Prov. x. 12, 'Hatred stirreth up strifes, but love cover-
eth all sins.' Where hatred is allowed, every offence will be grievous ;
there is nothing but an interchange of mutual injuries, till one or the
other be ruined or destroyed. But if men would mind the duties of
Christian love, lenity, and forbearance ; many and great offences would
be either excused or pardoned. This is not pusillanimity, but true
126 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER, XXI.
greatness of spirit, the real glory of a man ; and indeed it can be no
disgrace to obey God.
[2.] When we hate one that loveth us, and hath been kind to us.
To hate an enemy is unchristian, but to hate a friend is inhuman ; and
yet such monsters doth corrupt nature afford, who reward evil for good,
and hate others without a cause, yea, when much cause to the contrary :
Ps. xxxv. 12, ' They rewarded me evil for good, to the spoiling of my
soul.' Usually those who are over-obliged make this unkind return,
inj uries for benefits, and seek the life of those who, under God, have
been the means of supporting and preserving theirs. Now this is a
grievous unnatural evil, and their malice admitteth no terms of truce,
much less of hearty reconcilement : Ps. cxx. 6, 7, ' My soul hath too
long dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for peace ; but when I
speak, they are for war.' Still prosecute their revengeful courses, and
will not be appeased by any tenders of reconciliation.
[3.] When men are haters of those that are good, and love the evil,
hate the holy and the harmless, and esteem only the profane and disso
lute : 2 Tim. iii. 3, ' Despisers of those that are good ; ' and Ps. xxxviii.
20, ' They are mine adversaries, because I follow the thing that good
is ; ' Mat. xxiv. 9, ' Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.'
They have no quarrel against them but their doing that which is good.
Alas ! what have the righteous done ? for which good work do they lay
such a load on them ? But the better any man is, the less they can
abide him ; and this is a heinous evil, to hate a Christian the more, the
more of Christianity there is in him. It is enmity to the image of God
shining forth in his people, and they cannot endure this serious good
conversation of theirs, because it is an upbraiding of their own slight-
ness and licentiousness.
[4.] When we hate them not only that are good, but with all pity
and compassion seek to do us good : Gal. iv. 16, 'Am I become your
enemy because I tell you the truth ? ' John vii. 7, ' The world hateth
me, because I testify of it that the works thereof are evil ; ' 1 Kings
xxii. 8, ' I hate him, because he doth not prophesy good concerning
me, but evil.' Yet he told him still the mind of God, and that for his
profit. Now this is the hatred that usually befalls not private Christians
only, but those that are employed in a more eminent ministry and
service ; often instruments of public good are made objects of public
hatred, and have no other recompense from an unthankful world but
scorn and violence.
Secondly, The passion forbidden is hatred, ' Whosoever hateth his
brother.'
1. Not to love him is a great crime ; that is the notion in the former
verse ; and indeed it is hard to keep without hatred, if we do not love.
The softest sort of carnal men do not love God's children ; but the
venomous part of the world hate them, and seek their destruction. Not
to will good to them is damnable in itself, much more when we will
evil to them : 2 Tim. iii. 3, ' Despisers of those that are good,' not
lovers ; these are in a fair way to hate when their lusts are crossed.
2. There is another degree, and that is, rash and unadvised anger :
' Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause,' Mat. v. 22 ;
and that is within the prohibition, ' Thou shalt not kill,' as more anon.
VER. 15.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 127
Now if anger be murder, hatred is worse than anger, for this is anger
inordinate or inveterate. They were wont to distinguish of a threefold
anger : sharp anger, soon raised and soon calmed ; a more bitter anger,
hardly, and not without some respite, appeased ; and anger not allayed
without some requital and retaliation of wrongs ; this is a great step
towards hatred.
3. There is another affection and disposition of heart which is very
natural to us, and yet is beneath malice and hatred, and that is envy,
often joined with murder: Horn. i. 29, 'Full of envy, murders;' Gal.
v. 29, ' Envyings, murders/ This is discontented ness at another man's
good and prosperous estate, or the gifts wherein they equal or excel us,
and showeth itself in rejoicing at their evils. There is a selfish desire
in man to have all good things enclosed unto ourselves : James iv. 5,
' The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy.' We would shine alone,
seek to jostle others out of the way ; this is bad, and hath a near
affinity with murder, and therefore should be mortified by every good
Christian.
4. The passion here spoken of is hatred, which is a desire of hurt or
evil to others, such a desire as wisheth evil to them, especially their
destruction and ruin, that the object should not be : Ps. xxxv. 12,
' They rewarded me evil for good, to the spoiling of my soul.' Nothing
less will content them that hate us; as 'Esau, that ' hated Jacob, and
said, I will slay him when the days of mourning for my father are
come,' Gen. xxvii. 41, so that hatred or auger kept too long will be
concocted and soured into revenge.
Thirdly, How is it murder ?
1. From the strictness of God's law. Man's law can only take notice
of the overt act, but God's law of the thoughts, imaginations, pur
poses, and intents of the heart. It is said, Horn. vii. 14, ' The law is
spiritual ; ' and Ps. xix. 7, ' The law of God is perfect, converting the soul.'
It reacheth to the acts of the inward man, and forbids every evil motion
of the heart. God is able to judge of their hearts ; and every degree
of this sin is forbidden and condemned by his law : 1 Sam. xvi. 7,
' Man looketh upon the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on
the heart.' And therefore it is not the hurting of our neighbour, but
the hating of our neighbour, which his law condemneth. It doth not
only concern the hands, and the outward actions, but the will and the
thoughts.
2. From the intention of the party. The purpose or desire of doing
a thing is counted in the law as done, either good or bad. As to good,
Abraham's offering Isaac: Heb. xi. 11, 'By faith Abraham offered up
Isaac.' He did it only in purpose and vow. Bad : Mat. v. 28, ' He
that looketh upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery
with her in his heart.' So here, the intention of the heart to harm
others, though the hands be tied and kept from execution, yet as much
as in him lieth he hath murdered his neighbour. If he abstain from
killing, he will rejoice that the death of that man happeneth some other
way. Well, then, the hating is, by interpretation, the killing of them,
because such is the intention of the heart, did not some outward re
straint curb it, if their destruction be a pleasing thought to us.
3. God judgeth not only by the intention of the party, but the intent
128 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiB. XXI.
of the sin. There is finis operis, and finis operantis, the intendmenfc
of the sinner, and the intent of the sin, what it may bring us unto if it
be allowed. It may be a man that hateth his brother doth not intend
for the present his utter destruction ; but if he shall cherish this evil
disposition of soul, where shall he stop ? Now, that God judgeth by
the intent of the sin, as well as the actual intention of the sinner, I shall
make evident unto you by these instances. By Baruch's reproof : Jer.
xlv. 5, ' Seekest thou great things for thyself ? Seek them not/ Baruch's
sin was tergiversation, he had appeared confidently at first in delivering
the roll to the king, which was written by God's command ; but when
the king burnt it, and gave order to apprehend Jeremiah and Baruch,but
God hid them, afterwards God bids them write another roll, and Baruch
begins to be discouraged, it was too hot service for him to meddle with ;
upon which God telleth him, ' Seekest thou great things for thyself ? '
When God was about to pluck up all things, alas ! what did the good
man seek for himself, but only that he might have his life for a prey ?
Baruch only sought his safety and the preservation of his life, which
was in danger by reason of his zeal and activity for God; and God calleth
this a seeking great things for himself. The meaning is, that disposition
of heart which prompted him to seek ease and security for himself in
troublesome times would prompt him also to seek great things in the
world ; for it argued a spirit wedded to its own worldly felicity, and
that preferred the favour of kings before the favour of God. Every man
thus affected seeketh his own things ; at first he aimeth only at things
which are within his grasp and reach, but then still he enlargeth him
self, and would have more, and when that is obtained, he would have
more, and fain be built a storey higher in the honour and greatness of
the world. Thus doth God interpret the disposition of his heart, in
seeking to save his life, by not displeasing the king. Another instance
is Elisha's reproof to Gehazi : 2 Kings v. 26, ' Is it a time to receive
money, and to receive garments, and oliveyards and vineyards, and
sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and maid-servants ? ' Why this
rebuke ? what is the sense of it ? He asked no such matter of Naaman,
he asked but a talent of silver and two changes of raiment, 2 Kings v.
23. But the same covetousness and self-seeking would carry him
further. The prophet dealeth upon the full end of the sin. He was
weary of being the prophet's man, and must set up for himself; he
must then enlarge himself into a family, and purchase heritages, and
be a great man in Israel. The beginnings of sin are modest, and the
issues not known or thought of by the sinner himself. Now apply this
to the matter in hand ; a man that beginneth to have an aversion of
heart to another, he doth not love him ; in time he cometh to hate him,
and there thinketh to rest ; but offences grow, and then he seeketh his
destruction. Now God considereth the tendency of the sin, whatever
be the actual intention of the sinner.
4. I need but one consideration more to make the demonstration full,
and what is that ? It is that the usual effects of hatred are blood and
mischief ; thence come the factions, and quarrels, and persecutions, and
contentions in the world. Once entertain hatred, and there is nothing
so bad, and mischievous, and cruel, which you may not be drawn to
think, and say, and do against your brethren. To think : jealousy is
VER. 15.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 129
the fruit of hatred, everything is suspected where the party is not loved,
yea, odious crimes are supposed and imagined of them, and they think
they do God good service if they kill them, John xvi. 2. They do
only destroy you as so many vermin, which are the trouble of the
country. So for saying : Luke vi. 22, ' Blessed are ye when men shall
hate you, and shall reproach yon, and cast out your name as evil, for
my name's sake.' Do, by persecution : John v. 19, 20, ' Because I have
chosen you out of the world, the world shall hate you, and persecute you,
as they persecuted me.' And treachery : Mat. xxiv. 10, ' And many
shall be offended in me, and betray one another, and hate one
another.' These are the mischievous effects of hatred. Well, then,
may it be accounted murder, and he that hateth is a manslayer or
murderer.
Use 1. Is information —
1. It showeth us the reason why divines refer all sins and virtues
to the commandments, wherein the grossest sin of the kind is forbidden
in the name of all the rest. You think we strain when we make
anger to be murder or the like ; but we have countenance from scrip
ture, and we have the example of our Lord Jesus. I will only instance
in a pertinent case : Mat. v. 20, 21, ' Ye have heard it hath been said
of them of old, Thou shalt not kill ; and whosoever shall kill shall be
in danger of the judgment ; but I say unto you, That whosoever is
angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judg
ment ; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger
of the council ; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger
of hell fire.' A place somewhat difficult, but I shall make no long busi
ness to explain it. Christ doth not enlarge the commandment of God
given by Moses, but interpret it, and vindicate from the glosses of the
pharisees ; for they were their masters in the schools who lived before
Christ. They thought the law was not broken but by actual man
slaughter or murder ; for Christ doth not reason against the letter
of the law, ' Thou shalt not kill/ but against their gloss, ' Whosoever
shall kill/ And the following words express three degrees of sin and
three degrees of punishment, alluding to their ways of punishing. The
three degrees of sin are rash anger, anger vented by contumelious
speeches : ' Raca/ a vain man ; ' Thou fool/ a wicked man. Their
punishments were either of the three-and-twenty men who judged of
manslaughters, or of the Sanhedrim, who judged of more heinous
crimes; or of burning alive, which was their highest punishment ; and
in the expression he alludeth to the valley of Hinnom, where children
were scorched to death. Now the wrathful man is subject to punish
ment in another world, as the manslayer is here by the judgment, which
is beheading with the sword. Anger breaking out into opprobrious
speeches by the Sanhedrim, where ordinary punishment was by stoning ;
4 Thou fool/ more violent railings and revilings, with burning as of
the children in the valley Hinnom. So that all these things, which
tend to murder, are murder in the sight of God, and must expect his
punishment. A great caution to us, in these contentious times, to take
heed how we involve ourselves in the wrath of God.
2. That it is good to refer sin to the most odious of its kind, and
to interpret the law of God in its most comprehensive sense. Carnal
VOL. XXI. I
130 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXL
men are but slight interpreters of God's law; that the ell may
be no longer than the cloth, they make a short exposition of the
law, that they may cherish a large opinion of their own righteousness ;
but in the word of God we are directed otherwise. Covetousness is
idolatry, as it diverts our trust in God, Col. iii. 5. Sensuality is set
ting up another god, as it diverteth our love from him : Phil. iii. 19,
' Whose god is their belly.' Neglect of communion with God is
atheism, Ps. x. 3 ; and worldliness is adultery, James iv. 4 ; and here
hatred of the brethren is murder. And there is a double profit by it
— it servetli for an evangelical use and a moral use.
[1.] It servetli for an evangelical use, to quicken us to seek after
justification by way of faith and repentance ; for though we have not
been guilty of gross immoralities, we are not murderers, adulterers, yet
we cannot trust in our own righteousness. We are in danger of the
judgment or the council for rash anger, hatred, malice, revenge, seek
ing or wishing mischief to others. There is no relief to be looked for
in God's strict justice from the smallness of our sins ; our hope standeth
only in the fulness of Christ's ransom, and the largeness of his grace
in the new covenant, which alloweth room for repentance. Thus the
severe exaction of the law doth drive us to Christ.
[2.] The second use is moral, to make us hate sin. Oh, how care
fully should we abstain from all indulgence to the beginnings of it !
In mortifying sin, let us not weigh things in man's balance, but in
God's, and not consider what is hateful to the world, but how things
will appear before God's tribunal. There are sins majoris in/amice
and majoris reatus. Some sins procure their own shame in the world,
but others argue a greater aversion of heart, and enmity to God and
his people. Many of sin's martyrs, that are publicly executed for the
warning of others, are less hateful to God than others whom he
hangeth up in chains of darkness as the instances of the slavery of sin,
being wholly addicted to pleasures, profits, and honours.
3. It teacheth us that sin originally cometh from the heart and inner
man ; for hatred is murder, that is, the seed of it ; and what would it
produce were it not for the restraints of providence ? Mat. xviii. 19.
How watchful should we be over our hearts ! Prov. iv. 23, ' Keep thy
heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life ; ' and over
the first risings of sin there, that we may not give place to the devil,
Eph. iv. 27. Judas had never betrayed his Lord if he had crushed
covetousness in the egg ; many had never dipped their hands in blood,
if they had smothered their envy and hatred as soon as it began to arise
in them. It is wiser to keep from the first degrees, for by yielding to
them we run into further degrees of sin. How humble should we be !
Oh, what monsters lurk in the heart of man ! Jer. xvii. 4, ' Wash thy
heart from wickedness.' We would not think so if the word or
experience did not discover it. What a foul stomach have they that
vomit up nothing but knives, and daggers, and instruments of destruc
tion !
Use 2. Is to press us to beware of this sin, the hatred of our
brother.
1. It is such a sin as is brought for one instance of the corruption and
degeneration of human nature, Titus iii. 3. We are all hateful to God,
VER. 15.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 131
and yet we hate one another, that one man is as a wolf to another,
seeking to devour or undermine one another.
2. It is not such a sin as shall have its pardon of course, with our
ordinary failings and frailties. No ; it is represented as one of the
heinous transgressions of the law, 'murder ; ' such sins as are quite con
trary to the evangelical state: they have 'not eternal life abiding in.
them ; ' that is, life spiritual, which is eternal life begun : Gal. v. 21,
' They which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God ; '
and Eph. v. 6, ' Let no man deceive you with vain words ; for because
of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedi
ence/ Those that impenitently live in them shall be eternally damned ;
where they are harboured, they leave an incapacity upon us of entering
into the kingdom of God till solemnly and expressly repented of.
3. It is a sin that is contrary to the evangelical temper, as well as
to the evangelical state ; it is contrary to that meekness, patience, and
forgiving one another, peaceableness, love, which is so frequently and
expressly required of Christians ; for Christianity is an art of loving God
and his people : 1 Cor. xvi. 14, ' Let all your things be done with
charity;' 1 Peter iv. 8, 'Above all things, have fervent charity among
yourselves.' Love is the chief duty we owe both to God and our
neighbour. Next to our love to our Lord Jesus Christ, love to his
people ought to be studied above other things ; therefore certainly
they should keep free of malice and hatred one of another.
4. When you live in hatred one to another, you cannot offer any
acceptable sacrifice to God. When Christ had discoursed concerning
rash anger and opprobrious speeches to our brother, he saith, Mat. v.
23, 24, 'If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that
thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the
altar, and go thy way, and first be reconciled to thy brother, and then
come and offer thy gift ; ' and in his prayer, Mat. vi. 12, ' Forgive us
our debts, as we forgive our debtors.' Otherwise we cannot pray to
the God of love with any confidence : 1 Tim. ii. 8, ' I will that men
pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.'
It spoileth our access to God, 1 Peter iii. 7.
5. Till you get rid of this distemper a man is strangely blinded and
perverted in the course of his walking, all Christian practice obstructed :
1 John ii. 11, ' But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and
walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that
darkness hath blinded his eyes ; ' that is, he is more easily involved
in sin and error, and mistaketh his way, or hath not a heart to walk in
it. He wanted his true measures, love to God and his people, both
which make him wise in spiritual things.
Second point. Now I come to the perniciousness and danger of
this sin, ' No murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.' I shall clear
it by these considerations —
1. That it is a blessed thing to have eternal life abiding in us before
we enter into the possession of it. This will appear sufficiently by
explaining the terms, what it is to have eternal life, and then what it
is to have it abiding in us.
[1.] What is it to have eternal life ? It is to have a right to it by
a new covenant grant : 1 John v. 12, ' He that hath the Son hath life,
132 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXI.
and he that hath not the Son hath not life.' He hath a stated right,
and well secured, as firm as God's covenant can make it ; a right
pleadable before the tribunal of God : 1 John v. 24, ' He that believeth
on the Son hath eternal life, and shall not come into condemnation.'
[2.] To have it, is firmly to believe it, and hope and look for it :
Heb, xi. 1, ' Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the
evidence of things not seen.' Faith giveth to its object presence and
evidence. As it is substance, so it is equal to present subsistence ;
as it is an evidence, so it is equal to visibility ; it is present to our view
and sight in point of truth, to our affections in point of worth.
[3.] To have it abiding in us is to have it begun in the spiritual life.
The spiritual life is an introduction to this life of glory. There is an
eternal principle in our hearts ; therefore grace is called an immortal
or incorruptible seed, 1 Peter i. 23. There is an eternal principle put
into them, to carry them to eternal ends. The life is begun, and is
still working towards its final perfection. Nothing is perfected in
heaven but what is begun here upon earth. It is an earnest to show
how sure, 2 Cor. i. 22, the first-fruits, to show how good, Rom. viii. 23.
The comforts of the Spirit are some foretastes of the sweetness which
is in heaven. It is also a disposition ; it doth qualify and prepare us
for glory: Col. i. 12, ' Who hath made us meet to be partakers of the
inheritance of the saints in light ; ' and Rom. ix. 23, ' Prepared unto
glory.' As their natures are more and more renewed and purified, and
more dispositively fitted.
2. This is the privilege of the true believer, and none else ; for it is
expressly said, John iii. 36, ' He that believeth on the Son hath ever
lasting life ; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but
the wrath of God abideth on him.'
3. None is a true believer but he that loveth God above all, and his
people for God's sake ; for true faith worketh by love, Gal. v. 6, and
the great commands of the gospel are faith in Christ, and love to one
another: 1 John iii. 23, 'And this is his commandment, that we
should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one
another, as he gave commandment.'
4. Therefore those that live in the allowed hatred of their brethren
are cut off from all those privileges ; they have not a right to God's
covenant, for they are not sound believers ; they have no true faith and
hope concerning the world to come, for then they would prepare more for
it; for our certain and desirous expectation of the promised glory is seen
in our seriousness, diligence, and watchfulness against sin. They have
not the beginnings of heaven in their souls, because they have not the
divine nature, which is love ; yea, they cherish that which destroy eth
1he power and forfeits the comforts of the spiritual life, hatred, which
is the satanical nature, and utterly contrary and inconsistent with the
divine and heavenly life.
VER. 16.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in, 133
SERMON XXII.
Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life
for us : and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. —
1 JOHN iii. 16.
THE apostle having instanced in the lowest act of love, not hating our
brother, and destroying the life of another, as Cain did; now he
cometh to instance in the highest act of love, laying down our own
lives for the brethren. Lest by the former discourse he should seem
to beat down the price of love too low in the world, he seeketh here to
advance it again. A Christian should be so far from destroying the
life of another, that he should venture his own, ' Hereby perceive we
the love of God,' &c.
In the words observe two things — (1.) An instance of God's love ;
(2.) The inference of duty drawn from thence.
First, The instance of God's love, ' Hereby perceive we the love of
God, because he laid down his life for us.'
1. The phrase of laying down of life imports his death was not
forced, but he yielded to it by a voluntary submission ; so it is explained,
John x. 17, 18, ' I lay down my life, that I may take it again. No
man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself : I have power to
lay it down, and have power to take it again.'
2. For us ; not only for our good, but in our place and room :
John x. 15, ' I lay down my life for my sheep.'
3. Hereby perceive we the love of God. Here is love testified by
some notable effect and fruit. Love lieth hidden in the breast of those
that love, but it is visibly known and seen by the effects. We perceive
it was a true, real, effectual love ; not a well-wishing only, or a kind
affection arising in the heart, and there resting, but a love breaking
out into action, and evidencing itself by some act becoming such a,
love.
Doct. That Christ laying down his life for us was a pregnant proof
and great demonstration of his love to us.
To evidence this I shall prove these things —
First, That love was the bosom-cause, spring, and rise of all that
Christ did for us, and that which did set on work the whole business of
our recovery to God. This is often noted in the scripture, whether
you consider the act of God or Christ: John iii. 16, ' God so loved the
world that he gave his only-begotten Son.' So Christ: Gal. ii. 20, 'Who
loved me/and gave himself for me;' Eph. v. 25, 'He loved the church,
and gave himself for it ; ' Rev. i. 5, ' He hath loved us, and washed us
in his blood from our sins.' Love is the inward moving cause, and
our misery is the outward occasion which moved him to do so. The
nature of love is velle amati bonum, to desire the good of the party
loved. That this was the first rise is evident, because we can give
reasons of other things, but we can give no reason of his love. Why
did he employ so much wisdom and goodness and power, and make such
a deal of do to save a company of poor forlorn creatures ? He loved us.
But why did he love us ? Because he loved us. It was not necessity
134 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXII.
of nature, as fire burneth because it can do no otherwise. It was the
error of a great philosopher to say, that the first cause did work out of
mere necessity, and that what he doth he must needs do. No ; God
is a free agent ; he might have left us remediless, and in everlasting
misery ; but out of his self-inclination, and according to his own heart,
he hath done us good, though he might have chosen whether he would
or no. It was opus liberi consilii, but God would restore us, and that
in the best way.
Secondly, It was God's end to carry on the way of our salvation in
such a manner as might commend his love to sinners : Bom. v. 8,
' But God commended his love towards us, in that, while we were yet
sinners, Christ died for us.' There was power discovered in the
creation, when God made us like himself out of the dust of the
ground ; but love in our redemption, when he made himself like us.
He revealeth his glorious majesty in the highest heavens ; in hell his
fearful justice ; his wise and powerful providence throughout the whole
world ; his gracious love and mercy to his church and people. All
things in God are infinite, but the effects of his love are more wonder
ful than any of his attributes ; there he hath gone to the uttermost.
He hath no better thing to give us than himself, his Christ and his
Spirit. He never showed so much of his wisdom but he can show
more ; but how can he show more of his love to us than he hath
shown ? He hath not another Christ to die for us, nor a better-
saviour to bestow upon us, nor a better salvation to offer to us.
Thirdly, That the course which God took doth fully suit with his
end, which was a full and clear demonstration of his love, as will
appear by these circumstances —
1. The person who was to work out our deliverance was the eternal
Son of God. We need no other proof than this very text we have in
hand, 'Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his
life for us.' He that is God did this for us; Jesus Christ, ' who is
God over all,' Rom. ix. 5. Now that God, who is the absolute Lord
of all things, and can do with us what he pleaseth ; God, that oweth
nothing to any man, that was so much offended with man ; God, that
stood in no need of us, as having infinite happiness and contentment
within himself, that he should show so much love as to come and die
for us, ' Hereby perceive we the love of God.' When we consider
what Christ is, we shall most admire what he hath done for us. For
creatures to be kind to one another is not so great a matter, for every
one hath need of another. The world is upheld by a combination of
interests, as the stones in an arch ; the head cannot say to the foot, I
have no need of thee ; the prince standeth in need of the peasant, as
well as the peasant of the prince. But God standeth in no need of us :
' He is not worshipped with men's hands, as if he needed anything,'
Acts xvii. 25. We need his blessing, but he doth not need our service
to support his being and dignity or increase his happiness. When
Christ was in the state of humiliation, he was subject to wants as we
are ; as when they loosed the foal whereon he was to ride up to Jeru
salem, they were to answer, Mat. xxi. 3, ' The Lord hath need of him.'
But it was otherwise with Christ as God, which we now speak of. As
God, he needed not the being of man or angel ; or else why did he not
VER 16.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 135
make the world and things therein sooner, that he might be sooner
happy ? Again, as man, he was to be in subjection : ' For being
made of a woman, he was made under the law/ Gal. iv. 4 ; and
as mediator he had a commandment : John x. 18, ' This cornmand-
mant I received of my Father/ But as the second person in the
trinity, he is one God with the Father, as undivided in nature and
essence ; so of the same liberty, authority, and power : Phil. ii. 6, ' He
thought it no robbery to be equal with God.' The angels were cast
out of heaven for robbery, for usurping divine honour ; but Christ was
not thrust down for robbery and usurpation, but came down out of
love and voluntary condescension to die for us. Sometimes Christ's
death is made an act of obedience, sometimes an act of love : Rom. v.
] 9, 'By the obedience of one many shall be made righteous.' So Phil,
ii. 8, ' He became obedient to death, even the death of the cross/
With respect to his Father's command, it was an high act of obedience,
the like of which cannot be done by man or angel, carried on with such
humility, patience, self-denial, resignation of himself to God, charity
and pity toward us. But considering the dignity of his person, all was
purely an act of love ; and the more love because,coming in our nature,
he put himself under a necessity of obedience, and doing what con
duced to our salvation ; so he loved me and gave himself for me.
2. Our necessity and condition, when he came to show this love to
us. We were the cursed offspring of sinful Adam, in a lost and
lapsed estate, and so altogether hopeless, unless some means were used
for our recovery. Kindness to them that are ready to perish doth
most affect us. Surely we should love Christ as men fetched up from
the gates of hell, for we had lost the image of God, Rom. iii. 23 ;
sold ourselves to Satan, Isa. Iii. 3 ; sentenced to death and eternal
condemnation by God's righteous law, John iii. 18 ; ready for execu
tion, Eph. ii. 3, John iii. 36 ; nothing but the slender thread of a frail
life between us and it. Then did Christ step in by a wonderful act of
love to rescue and recover us, not staying till we relented and cried
for mercy. We were neither sensible of our misery nor mindful of
our remedy, but lay dead in trespasses and sins, Eph. ii. 1. Thus
when we had cast away the mercies of our creation, and were wallow
ing in our blood and filthiness, Ezek. xvi., then the Son of God came
to die for us, Rom. v. 7, 8. Surely it was love, mere love, when we
stood guilty before the tribunal of God's justice, that he should take the
chastisement of our peace upon him : Isa. liii. 5, ' And with his stripes
we are healed/
3. The astonishing way in which our deliverance was brought
about ; by the incarnation, shame, agonies, blood, and death of the
Son of God ; this was the highest act of self-denial on Christ's part,
considering him only as to the nature he had assumed : John xv. 13,
' Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for
his friend/ If his people need his death, he will give proof to them
by his death of his love to them, and will act to the highest laws of
friendship ; we learn more of God's love by this instance than any
thing else.
4. The notions by which the death of Christ is set forth to us.
There are two solemn ones — a ransom and a sacrifice.
136 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SEE. XXII.
[1.] A ransom : Mat. xx. 28, ' And to give his life as a ransom for
many ; ' 1 Tim. ii. 6, ' Who gave himself a ransom for all/ This was
an ancient notion : Job xxxiii. 24, ' Deliver him from going down into
the pit, for I have found a ransom ; ' that is, a price and recompense
given in our stead. A ransom is a price given to one that hath power
of life and death, to save the life of one capitally guilty, or by law
bound to suffer death, or some other evil and punishment, This was
our case. God was the supreme judge, before whose tribunal man
standeth guilty, and liable to death ; but Christ interposed that we
might be spared, and the Father is content with his death as a suffi
cient ransom.
[2.] The other notion is that of a mediatorial sacrifice : Isa. liii. 10,
' When he shall make his soul an offering for sin ; ' Eph. v. 2, ' As
Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us, an offering
and a sacrifice to God, for a sweet-smelling savour/ He undertook
the expiation of our sins and the propitiating of God. God's provoked
justice would not end the controversy it had against us till it was
appeased by a proper sacrifice of propitiation. Now herein was love :
1 John iv. 10, ' Not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent
his Son to be a propitiation for our sins/ The sins and guilty fears of
mankind show the need of such a remedy. We are naturally sensible
that the punishment of death is deserved and due to us by the law of
God : Rom. i. 32, ' Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which
commit such things are worthy of death/ And also the necessity of
a sin-offering. This Christ hath made, ' that our consciences, being
purged from dead works, might serve the living God,' Heb. ix. 14.
Fourthly, The consequent benefits.
1, Relative privileges, pardon, justification and adoption. Pardon :
Eph. i. 7, ' In whom we have redemption through his blood, the for
giveness of sins/ To have sin pardoned, which is the great make-
bate, which is the worm that eateth out the heart of all our comforts,
the venom that embittereth all our crosses ; surely this is the great
effect of God's love to us. Justification : Rom. v. 1, ' There is no
condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus/ To be at present upon
good terms with God, freed from fears of hell and the wrath of God,
which is so deservedly terrible to all serious persons : Rom. v. 9,
' Being justified by his blood, we shall, be saved from wrath through
him/ Oh, how should we love the Lord Jesus, who hath procured
such privileges for us. So for adoption, to be taken into God's
family : Gal. iv. 5, ' When the fulness of time was come, God sent
forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them
that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons/
Assured of welcome and audience in all our needs, as children are
when they come to their father, to wait for present provision, and
hereafter for a child's portion.
2. Positive inherent graces, to have our natures sanctified, healed,
and freed from the stains of sin ; all which is done by virtue of the
death of Christ : Eph. v. 26, ' He gave himself for it, that he might
sanctify and cleanse it;' Titus ii. 14, 'Who gave himself for us, that
he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar
• people, zealous of good works ; ' and so fitted for the service of God :
VER. 16.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 137
Kev. i. 5, 6, 'Who hath loved us, and washed us in his blood, and
made us kings and priests unto God.' Surely to have a nature divine
and heavenly, to be made like God, serviceable to God, is a mercy not
easily valued according to its worth. Nay, further, to be fortified
against the enemies of our salvation. The devil: Col. ii. 15, 'And
having spoiled principalities arid powers, he hath made a show of
them openly, triumphing over them.' The world : Gal. i. 4, ' He
gave himself that he might redeem us from this present evil world.'
The flesh : Gal. v. 24, ' They that are Christ's have crucified the
flesh, with the affections and lusts thereof;' Rom. vi. 6, 'Knowing
that our old man is crucified Avith him, that the body of sin may be
destroyed ; ' 1 Peter ii. 24, ' Who his own self bare our sins in his
own body upon the tree, that we, being dead unto sin, might live unto
righteousness.' They are distempered and diseased souls that are not
affected with these kind of mercies, and value worldly greatness before
them ; as swine take pleasure in the mire, and ravenous beasts feed
on dung and carrion. Surely these greater mercies, which tend to the
perfecting and ennobling our natures, should endear Christ to us.
3. Eternal blessedness and glory ; this is also the fruit of his laying
down his life for us; for it is said, 1 Thes. v. 10, ' He died for us,that
whether we sleep or wake, we should live together with him ; ' and
again, Heb. ix. 15, ' He is the mediator of the new testament, that
by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressors that were
under the first testament, they which are called might receive the
promise of eternal inheritance.' That is the consummate benefit, when
we shall be brought nigh to the throne of God, and shall be companions
of the holy angels, and for ever behold our glorified Eedeemer, and
our nature united to the Godhead ; and for our persons, we shall have
the nearest intuition and fruition of God that we are capable of, and
live in the fullest love to him and delight in him, and the soul shall
for ever dwell in a glorified body, which shall not be a prison, but a
temple to it ; and be no more troubled with infirmities, necessities,
and diseases, but for ever be at rest with the Lord, and glorify his
name to all eternity. Thus we see what love God hath showed us in
Christ, or Christ hath showed to us in dying for us.
Fifthly, That love doth shine forth more in our redemption by
Christ than in any other way whereby God hath discovered himself to
the creature. That we have a good God is otherwise manifested, and
there is nothing comes from him but shows forth something of his
goodness : Ps. cxix. 68, ' Thou art good, and doest good ; teach me
thy statutes.' He discovered love in our creation, when he gave us a
reasonable nature, and made us a little lower than the angels ; but he
showeth more love in our restoration, when he giveth us a divine nature,
and advanceth our nature in the person of Christ far above principali
ties and powers. He might have made us toads and serpents ; he
might have left us devils. He showeth love to us in his preservation
and daily providence, that he maintaineth us at his own expense, though
we do him so little service, yea, do so often offend him ; but he shows
more in pardoning our sins, and adopting us into his family, and giving
us eternal life. A word made us, and his providential word keepeth
us : ' For he upholdeth all things by the word of his power,' and ' Man
138 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [&ER. XXII.
liveth not by bread alone ;' but we could not be redeemed without the
death of the Son of God : 1 John iv. 10, ' Herein is love, not that wo
loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be a propitiation
for our sins.' Therefore here is the true glass wherein to see God.
Surely we had never known so much of the love of God had it not
been for this great instance: 1 John iv. 9, 'In this was the love of
God manifested towards us, because he sent his onty-begotten Son into
the world, that we might live through him/ What was Jesus Christ
but love incarnate, love born of a virgin, love hanging on a cross, love
laid in the grave, love made sin, love made a curse for us ? It was
love that accomplished all the wonders of our redemption.
Use 1. This glorious demonstration of God's love should fill us with
admiring thoughts and praise. We owe all to love. Christ : John
iii. 16, 'God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son.'
The covenant: Jer. xxxii. 40, 41, 'And I will make an everlasting
covenant with them, and will not turn away from them, to do them
good : yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant
them in this land assuredly with my whole heart, and with my whole
soul/ The blessings of the covenant ; conversion : Eph. ii. 4, 5, ' But
God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he hath loved
us, even when we were dead in sins and trespasses, he quickened us/
Pardon: Hosea xiv. 4, 'I will heal their backslidings, and will love
them freely/ Hopes of glory : 2 Thes. ii. 16, ' He hath loved us, and
given us everlasting consolation, and good hope through grace/ Our
final glorification: 1 John iii. 1, 'Behold what manner of love is this!'
Pardon, grace, glory, all cometh of love. Nothing should be more
frequent in our hearts and mouths than the love of God. It is the
study of the saints to admire this : Eph. iii. 18, ' That we may com
prehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth,
und height, and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge/
To get more large and lively thoughts of it. This will most be when
we have some interest in these things : 1 John iii. 1, ' Behold what
manner of love is this, that we should be called the sons of God! ' And
you find the fruits of it in your own souls: Bom. v. 5, 'But hope
maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts/ Feel the virtue of his death in heart and conscience, then
glory in.it: Gal. vi. 14, 'God forbid that I should glory, save in the
cross of our Lord Jesus Christ ; ' 1 John v. 10, ' He that believeth on
the Son hath the witness in himself/ When it appeaseth your guilty
fears, and freeth you from the tyranny of worldly lusts, the saving
effects of this love, a deep and intimate feeling giveth us the true sense
of those things, more than a pertinent and exact discourse.
2. This glorious demonstration of God's love to us should beget love
in us to God again : 1 John iv. 19, ' We love him because he hath
loved us first/ Shall Jesus Christ love me, and make a plaster of his
blood for my poor wounded soul, and shall I not love him again?
The cold wall will reverberate and beat back again the heat of the
sun : 2 Cor. v. 14, 15, ' For the love of Christ constraineth us, because
we thus judge, if one died for all, then are all dead ; and that he died
for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves,
but unto him which died for them, and rose again/ Our hearts should
VER. 16.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 139
be drawn in to him, and love and thankfulness should be the life of all
obedience ; for all Christian religion in effect is but love. Love is the
spring and rise of all that Christ did for us ; so it should be the rise
and spring of all that we do for Christ, that we may act and suffer for
him as willingly and readily as he did for us. We can hardly take
comfort in any dispensation of God unless there be love in it ; neither
will God accept any duty of ours unless there be love in it. Oh, let
love beget love !
3. Let us be content with this manifestation of the love of God ; we
have the fruits of his death, though God straiten us in outward things.
We cannot say God doth or doth not love us, though he giveth or
withholdeth a worldly portion : Eccles. ix. 1, ' None can know love or
hatred by these things.' Sometimes God's enemies have a large supply,
when his people are kept short and bare : Ps. xvii. 14, ' From men
which are thy hand, Lord, from men of the world, which have their
portion in this life, and whose bellies thoti fillest with thy hid treasure:
they are full of children, and leave the rest of their substance to their
babes.' But if he giveth us the saving effects of Christ's death, it is
a certain demonstration of his love, though he doth not gratify us
with worldly increase. Let us look after the distinguishing effects of
his love, and the favour he beareth to his people.
Secondly, I come to the duty hence inferred, ' We ought to lay down
our lives for the brethren.'
Doct. Christians ought to be ready to lay down their lives for the
brethren.
This is the use we are directed to make of God's laying down his life
for us, not only that we may love him again, and be reconciled to him,
but to teach us how to love one another.
Note three things from hence —
First, That our love of the brethren is inferred out of Christ's love
to us. Christ's love to us hath a double respect to it — (1.) It hath
the force of a cause ; (2.) The use of a pattern and example.
1. The force of a cause. Out of gratitude to Christ we should love
those that are Christ's, those that are his people, and bear his name and
image ; because he hath loved us, we should love one another : 1 John
iv. 11, ' If God so loved us, we should love one another,' for this
reason.
2. It hath the use of a pattern and example ; we must not only love
others because he hath loved us, but we must love others as he hath
loved us : John xv. 12, ' This is my commandment, that ye love one
another, as I have loved you ; ' and John xiii. 34, ' This is my new
commandment which I give unto you, that ye love one another ; as I
have loved you, that ye also love one another.' This is the pattern
propounded to our imitation.
Secondly, That in our love to the brethren, as we must imitate Christ
in other things, so in laying down our lives for their good. Our love
should be free as his was, sincere as his was, fruitful as his, constant
as his love, superlative as his: Eph. v. 2, 'Walk in love as Christ
also hath loved us.' But chiefly in his dying, to reduce men to God.
Christ was willing to endure all extremity to expiate our sins and
bring about our salvation. Christ's love fainted not: John xiii. 1,
140 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXII
' Christ having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them
to the end.' Therefore we should venture our lives in such a noble
design to bring men to the Christian faith. Christ's precious blood was
more valuable than all the world, therefore we should not stick at any
thing.
Thirdly, It is not left arbitrary and free to us to do or not to do, but
we must or ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. So it is in
the text, ' We ought also.' Christ must be obeyed whatever our inclin
ations be. It is such a necessary duty, that we are nothing without it :
1 Cor. xiii. 1-3, ' Though I speak with the tongue of men and angels,
and have not charity, I am become as a sounding brass or a tinkling
cymbal. And though I have the gifts of prophecy, and understand all
mysteries, and all knowledge ; and though I had all faith, and I could
remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though
I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to
be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.' We have
not the true spirit of Christianity till this be accomplished in us.
But in what cases is a man to die for another ?
I answer — This case of conscience must be decided by distinguishing
— (1.) The persons ; (2.) The cause ; (3.) The manner ; (4.) The
call.
First, As to the persons for whom we must lay down our lives.
1. They may be considered as aliens or infidels, or as fellow-christians.
Principally the latter are intended, for they are more properly our
brethren, and this duty belongeth to brotherly love, as it is distinguished
from charity. But yet the others are not wholly to be excluded, because we
die or venture our lives for infidels that they may become brethren ; as
Christ died for us when we were enemies that we might be made friends.
And therefore, though base and brutish, and opposite to us for the
present, yet there should be an earnest desire of their spiritual good ;
and it is most like the example of Christ to run all hazards for the
conversion of the world, as well as the confirmation of the faithful :
Phil. ii. 17, ' Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of
your faith, I joy and rejoice with you all.' His blood poured out as a
drink-offering, with allusion to the sacrifices of the law.
2. They may be considered as a single person or as a multitude.
Now for a community, there is no question but I should venture my
single life to save them. It is a constant rule that all private things
must give way to public, for God's glory is more promoted and con
cerned in a public good than in a private ; therefore a public good is
better and more considerable in itself than any man's particular
temporal happiness. God's glory must be preferred before the creature's
profit. Heathens have chosen to die for the public good, or for their
country's, though it may be suspected fame had a great influence on
it. Thus Curtius went into a gulf to save his country. Yea, the
creatures act against their particular nature to preserve the universe.
Lawrence ran the hazard of a gridiron rather than betray the faithful.
But now the question is, whether is one single person bound to die for
another ? Yes, if more eminently useful, as you shall see by and by ;
and that is not hard, because he is as much bound to die for me as I
for him ; the strong to confirm the faith of the weak, and the weak to
YER. 16.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 141
preserve the strong, that they may do more good. So where a great
obligation is ; as to our natural parents : we have received our lives
from them. A private Christian suffering for Christ should be owned,
since a man cannot without it perform necessary duties in owning
Christ's members : Mat. xxv. 43, ' I was in prison, and ye visited me
not ; ' 2 Tim. iv. 16, ' All men forsook me ; I pray God it be not laid
to their charge.' Though it may involve them in great trouble to own
God's servants and supply their necessities, as in Queen Mary's days.
3. Others may be considered as to their capacities of promoting the
glory of God, as the magistrate, or the father of the country : 2 Sam.
xviii. 3, ' Thou art better than ten thousand of us ; ' 2 Sam. xxi. 16,
17, ' quench not the light of Israel,' when David was in danger ; or
eminent ministers, such as may save many souls. P<ml telleth us,
Rom. xvi. 4, ' Who have for my life laid down their own necks, unto
whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the gentiles;'
Phil. ii. 30, 'For the work of Christ he was nigh unto death, not
regarding life, to supply your lack of service towards me/ Persons
public must be preferred before private ; and among private those that
excel and may be more useful, whose lives may more conduce to the
glory of God. We must love a better and a more serviceable man,
who hath more of God's Spirit in him, above ourselves, and an equal
person equal with ourselves. Well, then, a subject is bound to preserve
the life of the magistrate, as the hand will lift up itself to save the
head. Nay, in some cases, though it be a private friend ; for though
my life and his be of an equal value, yet my duty to him and his life
overswayeth, especially if the case be but hazardous, as to rescue him
from an assassin.
Secondly, The cause for which we exercise this great charity to
others ; it is for their good. Now good is either temporal or eternal ;
for their eternal good chiefly we are to do this. Paul, if he might pro
mote the glory of God, 'could wish himself accursed from Christ for
his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh,' Rom. ix. 3 ; if to
free others from eternal death ; so did Christ die for us. Suppose
temporal good, to free them from temporal evil, to clear the community ;
or for useful persons, or persons for whom I stand bound.
1. Certainly we ought to help one another's spiritual good by the
loss of our temporal, and venture life, liberty, and estate for the propa
gation of the gospel. An instance we have in Paul's glorious excess of
charity. Moses : Exod. xxxii. ' Blot me out of thy book, if thou wilt
forgive their sins.' But the Lord Jesus Christ above all : 2 Cor. viii.
!), ' For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was
rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty
might be rich.' A public spiritual good is more valuable than
any temporal good, a necessary act of our love to God.
2. Temporal good, to save the life of public, useful, eminent persons,
if their lives be more serviceable than ours.
Thirdly, The manner of exposing life to apparent hazard or to cer
tain death ; partly because in some cases we may venture our lives,
though not actually lay them down, as we may expose ourselves to
uncertain danger to hinder others' certain danger, as when a man is
assaulted by thieves and ruffians, to prevent murder. I must contribute
142 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXII.
my help to the wronged party, though I endanger my own life : Esther
iv. 16, ' If I perish, I perish.' There are two grounds of that resolu
tion — a public good preferred before a private. The case was only
hazardous, though likely ; for she would go with a courageous mind.
And partly because he that ventureth puts his life in his hand, is
accepted with God, though he doth not actually lay down his life ; for
it is so interpreted, because he runneth a course of danger.
Fourthly, The call. We must not precipitate and cast ourselves
needlessly on such trials. God willeth no man to be foolishly and rashly
prodigal of his own life and health, yet when clearly called, none of
this must be stood upon. In two cases we seem to be called. First,
When we cannot without sin escape such a trial. It overtaketh us in
our station wherein God hath set us, otherwise we must preserve our
lives for the glory of God and the good of others. Secondly, When
God findeth us out in our sin, and others are like to suffer for our sake.
2 Sam. xxiv. 12, when David had displeased God in numbering the
people, God, by the prophet Gad, offereth him three things : ' Choose
one of them, that I may do it unto thee ; ' and Jonah i. 12, ' And he
said, Take me up and cast me into the sea, for I know that for my sake
this great tempest is upon you.'
Object. It is true, I must love my neighbour as myself ; but by this
it seemeth I must love him above myself.
Ans. 1. I love myself when I only hazard temporal life to obtain
eternal. It is not a hard law for them to keep that have an eternal
life assured to them for the loss of a temporal one : John xi. 25, ' He
that believeth on me shall live though he die.'
Ans. 2. Natural love is to be subservient to our spiritual love.
Natural love, which is put into a man for self-preservation, no question
will be stronger to itself than another ; and indeed we are to prefer,
and first preserve and provide for, ourselves ; our neighbour is only re
garded as a second self. But this is to be directed and mastered by our
spiritual love. As reason taught the heathens to prefer their countries
before their life, so grace teacheth Christians to prefer God's honour,
Christ's kingdom, gospel church, neighbour's spiritual good, before our
own life and liberty ; and we ought to lay down our lives for others,
when the glory of God, edification of the church, and spiritual necessity
of others requireth it. Our lives must not be dearer to us than Christ's
was to him.
Use 1. If we are to lay down our lives for the brethren, then we
should sincerely perform all lesser offices of love to them. See the next
verse, ' But whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother hath
need.' If you cannot part with superfluities, can you part with life for
their sake ? 2 Sam. xxiv. 17. If you will not hazard a frown or a
check for them, how can you suffer death for them ? If not put your
selves to the trouble of a visit, how will you travel all the world, and
put yourselves to all manner of hazards to convert souls ?
2. How much self-lovers and self-seekers are to be condemned. If
I must not only love my neighbour as myself, but love him as Christ
loved me, surely they have a temper most unsuitable to Christianity
that only mind their own things, and please their own wills and
desires, without seeking the welfare of others. Whether they be in a
VER. 16.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 143
public or private capacity, they care not how it goes with the church
and people of God, so their particular interests may flourish. This is
against nature and grace. By nature man is a sociable creature, that
cannot live by himself, therefore should not live to himself; and grace
hath cast us into the mystical body, there is a great aggregated self,
and that is the society to which we do belong ; and that is the reason
why we are so often said to be members of one another, Rom. xii. 5.
It is but self still, the same mystical body ; and we should care one
for another as for ourselves, especially the public state of Christ's church.
If it be ill with them and the church too, church-sorrow swalloweth up
their private grief: 1 Sam. iv. 22, ' The glory is departed, for the ark
of God is taken.' She doth not bewail the death of her husband, the
death of a father and brother, so much as the ark's being taken, and
the glory departed from Israel. If it go well with them and the church
too, it doubleth the contentment : Ps. cxxviii. 5, ' Thou shalt see thy
children's children, and peace upon Israel.' But if things go cross and ill
with the church when it goeth well with them, the state of the church is
a wound to their hearts : Ps. cxxxvii. 5, 6, ' They prefer Zion above
their chief joy.' If it go well with the church when ill with them, it
is a comfort ; as Paul in prison rejoiced in the progress of the gospel,
Phil. i. 15-18.
3. That Christian love is a more necessary and excellent grace than
usually we take it to be. First, More necessary, for Christ died to set
a pattern to our love ; as to teach us to love God, so with what fervour
and affection to love one another. Of all duties and graces that re
spect our neighbour, this is most necessary ; it is indeed all the sum of
the law : Eom. xiii. 8, ' He that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.'
The fountain of all : 1 Cor. xvi. 24, ' My love be with you all in Christ
Jesus.' Without it, though we have the greatest gifts, do the mostpomp-
ous acts, it is nothing, 1 Cor. xiii. 1—3. Yea, it is the great means of
making believers useful to one another. Secondly, The excellency ; here
is the highest pattern, viz., Christ. We cannot come up to his heightand
measure, yet some resemblance there must be between his love to souls
and our love to the brethren. Thirdly, The highest act of his self-denial
is instanced in his laying down his life, which Christ telleth us is the
greatest act of friendship among men, scarce ever found, John xv. 13.
Now we take love for a slight thing as practised among us ; but as it
is taught in scripture, the law of charity is very strict, that we should
forget our own highest interests for the profit of others ; and few chris-
tians there are that have the due impressions of Christ's death upon
them.
4. How much all that profess Christianity should be above the fears
of death, and in readiness to lay down their lives when God in his pro
vidence calleth them to it. Love to God calleth for it, Luke xiv. 26.
Yea, love to man calleth for it : Acts xxi. 13, ' I am ready not to be
bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem.' This is no hard law, if we
consider our obligation from the death of Christ, and our encourage
ment from the hope of eternal reward. Heathens died for their country
out of natural gallantry and greatness of mind ; they knew they could
not have lived long, therefore chose this way. But Christianity only
teaches the true grounds of contemning life and all temporal interests.
144 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXIII.
SERMON XXIII.
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and
shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how divelleth the
love of God in him?. My little children, let us not love in word,
neither in tongue ; but in deed and in truth. — 1 JOHN iii. 17, 18.
IN the former verse he hath urged the example of Christ, which is
both a reason and a pattern of our love to our brethren, ' We must
love others because he loved us, and we must love others as he loved
us.' The pattern is urged not only for the duty itself, but the degree
of it. We must imitate Christ in that eminent act of self-denial, his
laying down his life for us. Surely that love is best which is most
like Christ's. Now Christ spared not his life, nor anything to do us
good ; so should our love express itself in the highest instances of love.
Well, then, if we are bound to the greater, we are much more bound
to the lesser ; if to lay down our lives for those that are in danger,
much more to give our goods to them. Surely those are not to be
accounted lovers of the brethren that will not part with a little of their
substance on these occasions, and are guilty of gross hypocrisy if they
should pretend either to the love of God or our neighbour, ' But whoso
hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need,' &c.
In the words there is —
1. An argument implied, a majori ad minus ; and there is expressly
contained in it — (1.) A supposition of a duty neglected; (2.) A censure
or charge of a heinous crime imputed to such ; the ' love of God doth
not dwell ' in them.
2. An exhortation to sincerity.
First, In the argument we have three things —
[1.] The ability of the party to exercise charity, ' Whoso hath this
world's good.'
[2.] The necessity of the party upon whom it is exercised, 'And
seeth his brother have need.'
[3.] The neglect itself, ' Shutteth up his bowels of compassion from
him.'
(1.) The ability of the party, 'Whoso hath this world's good ;' the
meaning is, wherewith to support this worldly life ; as the woman is
said to cast in all her living, Mark xii. 44; and in other places bios is put
for the support of life. Those that have but from hand to mouth are
bound to distribute to them that need, Eph. iv. 28 ; but much more
the rich, that have not only to sustain and support this life, but to
spare for others. What we have we are to give ; out of a little, a little ;
out of more, more : Luke xii. 33, ' Sell what you have.' So Luke xi.
41, Give alms of such things as you have, and all things shall be clean
to you.' So Luke viii. 3, ' They ministered to him of their substance.'
So much of this world's goods as every man hath, so far his bounty
must extend.
(2.) The next thing supposed is others' necessity. By our own estate
God giveth us matter to exercise charity; by others' necessity he
giveth us occasion : his providence f urnisheth us, and straiteueth them ;
VER. 17, 18.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 145
if they need bread to sustain life, or raiment to clothe the body ; and
those that need be brethren, the Lord calleth upon us for some
supply.
(3.) The act omitted, ' Shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him.'
Here the next inward cause is mentioned, and that is, 'bowels of compas
sion from him ; ' but the effect also is intended. If he doth not assist him
in his needs, his heart must be first opened ; there must be a willing and
ready mind, and then his hand opened ; there must be a liberal and
bountiful relief. ' Bowels,' no duty in this kind is accepted with God but
what is joined with bowels of compassion and sympathy. What we
translate, Luke i. 78, ' Through the tender mercy of our God,' is in the
margin, 'Bowels of mercy.' So 2 Cor. vii. 15, 'His inward affection
is more abundant towards you.' It is bowels. So Col. iii. 12, ' Put
on bowels of mercy.' It noteth an inward sense and sympathy with
the misery of others; such an intense motion of the heart, that
the very bowels are moved by it ; so that it is, if he shut up his
bowels, if he show himself hard-hearted and merciless, is not moved
with any pity of another's wants. The meaning is fully expressed by
Moses, Deut. xv. 7, ' Thou shalt not harden thy heart, nor shut thy
hand from thy poor brother.'
2dly. The censure and charge pronounced on us, ' Whosoever they
be ; ' where mark —
(1.) The form of proposal ; it is by way of question or appeal to
common reason. Can any man be so absurd as to imagine that this man
can have the love of God in him?
(2.) The heinousness of the crime or matter charged, ' The love of
God dwelleth not in him ; ' that is, is not rooted in his heart, and so he
must go for a hypocrite ; though not grossly dissembling Christianity,
yet guilty of partial obedience. Mark, it is not said, How dwelleth the
love of the brethren in him ? but 'How dwelleth the love of God in him ? '
Though they pretend to love God, yet indeed they neither love the
brethren nor God.
Secondly, The exhortation to sincerity, ' My little children, let us not
love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth/ In this
exhortation there is —
1. The compellation, ' My little children,' pressing love ; he showeth
love and tenderness towards them.
2. The matter of the exhortation, to sincerity of love, expressed —
First, Negatively, ' Not in word and in tongue.' To show love in
word and tongue is not simply forbidden, but respectively \ not simply,
for good words are useful in two cases —
[1.] To comfort the miserable, they have their use.
[2.] To maintain their innocency. Some cannot afford their brother
a good word, either of him or to him. Others, their hands are withered,
have not a heart to help him. But comparatively or respectively the
meaning is, when it is in word and tongue only ; and real and actual
doing good is neglected or excluded when we rest in good words.
Secondly, Positively, ' But in deed and in truth ; ' that is, so as the
uprightness of our hearts may be manifested by real deeds, or doing
good, when the needs of others require it. To love in ' deed and in
truth,' is to love sincerely : 1 Peter i. 22. ' Seeing ye have purified
VOL. xxi. K
146 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXIII.
your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit, unto unfeigned love
of the brethren.' Which must be understood of ends and effects.
1. Ends, spoken of Mat. vi. 1,2,' Take heed that you do not your
alms before men, to be seen of them ; otherwise ye have no reward of
your Father which is in heaven. Therefore, when thou doest thine alms,
do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the
synagogues and in the streets, to be seen of men.' All they did was
hypocrisy, ' to be seen of men.'
2. Effects, when words are dissembled : Prov. xxiii. 7, ' Eat and
drink, saith he, but his heart is not with thee.' When not seconded
and verified with suitable acts, ' Be warmed and clothed ; ' as here many
foolishly and causelessly boasted they loved the brethren, but they would
do nothing for them. They boasted of love with their mouths, but
would not show it by the effects.
Doct. That want of bowels of compassion, or denying relief to the
needy and indigent, is the note of a man that loveth not God.
I shall make good the point by these considerations —
1. That it is the will of God that there should be a difference among
men, that some should be rich, others poor, some high, some low : Deut.
xv. 11, ' For the poor shall never cease out of the land : Therefore I
command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother,
to the poor and needy in the land.' Though God is able abundantly
to supply all men's wants, yet he hath by his providence so appointed
and ordered men's outward condition in the world, that all should not
be rich and wealthy, but some poor and of mean estate ; as here in the
text, one brother is supposed to have this world's goods, and the other
to have want and need. So also Mark xiv. 7, ' Ye have the poor with
you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do good to them.' God's
wisdom doth appear most in the different degrees and estates of men.
As it is with respect to the world, for the beauty and service of the
universe, that there should be in the world hills and valleys, so in the
world of mankind there are superiors and inferiors, masters and servants,
rich and poor, nobles and craftsmen. First, It is for the good of human
society, the more firmly to tie men together. The poor need support,
succour, and relief from the rich, and the rich need the labours and
industry of the poor. Different degrees fit men for different callings,
for service and command ; some things would be wanting to the good
of mankind, if all were poor or all rich. Therefore God's way is not
parity and levelling, but diversity of ranks and degrees. Secondly,
Besides the necessities of man, God doth it with respect to his own
government, in order to the world to come ; for the trial of men's obedi
ence is better made thereby.
[1.] The trial of the rick
(1.) Their thankfulness to God. God might have laid them low as
well as others. If they abuse their high estate to pride and oppression,
they tax the wisdom of the great governor of the world, and are un
thankful to him : Prov. xxii. 2, ' The rich and the poor meet together,
the Lord is the maker of them both ; ' that is, God is the moderator
and disposer of each man's estate. One by God is largely furnished
with temporal good things, whether they come to him by right of in
heritance, or free gift, or honest labour, it is all from God ; the other
VER. 17, 18.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 147
is kept bare, and under pressing necessities, either by the calamities of
the times, or defect of means, or miscarriage of instruments, or by some
sudden blast and disappointment of God's providence. Now these meet
together in the same world, in the same kingdom, and the same town
or city, and they have often business to do one with another, and have
need one of another. If the rich carry it imperiously to the poor, or
the poor enviously to the rich, they pervert God's government, do not
observe the duties which God expecteth from them in their several
conditions of life. Well, then, it is but in poor perishing riches that
we differ one from another, and we must all stand before our judge to
give an account how we have behaved ourselves in either state : Prov.
xvii. 5, ' Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his maker.' He that
despiseth the poor carrieth himself haughtily, contemptuously, he
forgetteth who maketh him to differ, and who it is that casteth the
world into this order, lifting you up and keeping down others; he
might have laid you low as well as others, you might have been born
of mean parents as well as rich.
(2.) To try their sympathy and humanity. Poverty and other
miseries will not be wanting among the children of men, that the rich
may have occasion to exercise their charity, and love, and compassion
to their poor brethren ; as the great veins are filled with blood to
supply the lesser. And indeed human nature hath nothing better nor
greater than a heart and power to help the miserable : Acts xx. 35,
as our Lord said, ' It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive.'
Where did our Lord say so ? Christ in all his sayings hath often com
mended giving, but never receiving. But it is blessed because it
comes nearer to the nature of God, who giveth to all, but receiveth
of none ; it cometh nearer to the goodness of God to have a heart to
give, and the happiness of God to have a power to give. Now thus
will God try the duty of the rich and opulent.
[2.] For the poor, they are upon their trial too, for the trial of their
patience, humility, self-denial, dependence upon God. In the meanest
station we may do service to Christ. In a concert of voices it is no
matter what part a man sings, provided he sings well, treble, mean,
or bass. God appointeth to every man his condition ; if he carry it
Avell, he is accepted with God. Grace puts both upon the same level :
James i. 9, 10, ' Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted ;
but the rich in that he is made low.' The poor man is not to be sad and
dejected if God hath put him into a low condition ; but to be well
pleased with it, as it giveth him advantages of submission to and trust
in God more explicit ; and living by faith, which in a more plentiful
condition is obscure and hard to be found. Thus God hath called him
to a glorious estate of grace, though mean and low in the world ; and
he who hath riches and honour, and all commodities in this life, is to
rejoice that he hath a humble heart, doth not lift up himself above others,
being mindful of the changeableness of the tilings of this world; so that
grace cureth the inordinacies of either condition : ' Poor in spirit,' Mat.
v. 3 ; reconcilable to a low estate.
2. That when others' necessities are presented to us, it is a call from
God to exercise our love and charity towards them. If he seeth h.is
brother hath need. Affirmativa non licjant ad semper; positive duties
1-18 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXIII
have their proper season, and in their season they bind : ' As we have
opportunity, let us do good to all men,' Gal. vi. 10. Now one season is
when God layeth the object before us, and their case is brought to us
by sight or hearing : Isa. Iviii. 7, ' When thou seest the naked that thou
cover him, and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh.' We
are to search out the hungry and needy ; but more especially when
God presenteth them to us, we must not turn away the face, as refusing
to see or own or to take notice of him : Job xxxi. 19, ' If I have seen
any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering ; ' ready
to starve for want of meat, or perish for want of clothing. When God
layeth them in our view, or bringeth the notice of them to our hearing,
surely then their necessity calleth for our charity, and it is hardness of
heart and mercilessness not to be affected with it. The contrary is
represented in the rich man, when the poor man lay at his gate, Luke
xvi. 20 ; though he fared deliciously every day, yet the crumbs of the
table were not given him. Therefore consider we live in a time of
wants, and distresses are multiplied, war, fire, decay of trade ; many
feel the sad effects of it. If you be not ready to relieve and help them
to your power, how will you answer it to God in the day of your ac
counts ? It is made a heavy charge, Job xxii. 7, ' Thou hast not given
water to the weary to drink, thou hast withholden bread from the
hungry.' Eliphaz falsely accused Job of unmercifulness and sinful
parsimony ; but when God doth justly accuse of these things, what shall
we answer ? God doth try us by daily objects of charity and compas
sion. If we do not help them, we omit a duty in its season ; when we
meet with convenient objects, this grace must be exercised.
3. This ought the more to move us, if the necessitous be our Chris
tian brethren, for it is in the text, ' seeth his brother hath need.' We
ought to do good to all sorts who are real objects of our charity. The
necessitous in general should be more welcome to us than the rich who
may requite us ; for then we make a market of our kindness and
courtesy, if kind only to the opulent and the wealthy. No ; our
sweetest influences should fall on the lower grounds. The fashion of
the world is to be obsequious to a degree of servitude, to the mighty,
the noble, the rich ; as all waters run into the sea, where there is enough
already. We must do good to all that need, but chiefly to the brethren
our fellow-christians : Kom. xii. 13, ' Distributing to the necessities of
the saints/ There are pauperes diaboli, the devil's poor, those that
have wasted their estates by luxury and prodigality ; and pauperes
mundi, the world's poor, those that are reduced to poverty by the acci
dents of the present life ; and pauperes Christi, such as fear God, who
are in a straitened condition. The rule is, Gal. vi. 10, ' Do good to all,
especially to the household of faith.' To all the wicked, our enemies
not excepted, in their necessities. But then the members of God's
family and household are in an especial manner obliged to love one
another, and to be beneficial to one another under their necessities and
straits, into which God doth often suffer those of his family to fall for
their good, if they profess the same faith with us, and do evidence the
reality of the same faith by a holy life and conversation ; for this is a
closer relation than to be fellow-citizens of the world, fellow-servants,
or brethren in the family.
VER. 17, 18.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 149
4. That we should show bowels of compassion and tenderness to
wards others in their distress, for in the text it is, ' If he shut up his
bowels of compassion from him.' There must be an inward affection
and disposition accompanying and going along with the outward act
of beneficence, and whatsoever is done must be done cordially and com
passionately, that the heart may ever accompany the gift : Ps. xxxvii.
21, ' The righteous showeth mercy and giveth.' To be spectators of
the miseries of others, and not to be affected with them, argueth a
marble heart and iron sinews : Isa. Iviii. 10, ' If thou draw out thy
heart to the hungry.' It must be done freely, liberally, and compas
sionately: Eph. iv. 32, 'Be kind to one another, tender-hearted.'
Tender-heartedness, that is, commiseration, must go along with our
kindness, as really pitying their misery as if it were our own.
5. Though charity begin in the heart, it must not cease there. God
requireth the heart, but not for the heart, that it may terminate there.
But with respect to these acts of mercy wherewith God is delighted,
three things are required — (1.) Love and pity on their wants ; that
must be in the hear.t ; (2.) Kind expressions on the tongue ; (3.) Then
bountiful acts for their relief. So that there are these three things,
the motion of the heart, the expression by the words, and effectual
performance. Without the last all else is but counterfeit. The root
of charity is a proneness or good-will to help others, but that lietli
underground and out of sight. Unless it appear in visible fruits, we
cannot tell whether we have it, yea or no. Suppose it appear in good
words, they are but as leaves, and we count that a barren tree that
bringeth forth nothing but leaves. Not in word and tongue only,
but the fruit abounding to our account is the work itself. Therefore
though God expecteth bowels, yet bowels must put us upon some
further act, but that act is not words. God will not be paid with words
instead of things ; but God expecteth that we should freely impart
what we have and can do for our neighbours' good, as well as wish
well and speak well to them. Love must show itself forth, and that
not in speech only but in deed ; otherwise we only seek to cover a false
heart.
6. To withhold and deny this relief argueth a defect and want, not
only of love to our neighbour, but to God, ' How dwelleth the love of
God in him ? '
[1.] Because the love of God and his children are inseparable, they
are necessary branches of the same law : Mat. xxii. 38, 39, ' This is
the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself ; ' 1 John v. 1, ' Whosoever
believeth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God ; and every one that
loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him.'
Therefore we cannot love God if we do not love our brother. The
same law that requireth the one requireth the other ; the same grace
that inclineth to the one inclineth to the other ; the same reason that
enforceth the one enforces the other. God for his own sake, and his
children for God's sake, because somewhat of the divine nature and
excellency of God is in them ; they are 'the excellent of the earth,'
Ps. xvi. 3. A deep sense of God's love to us begets love in us to God
again ; therefore we love God, and everything that belongeth to God.
150 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXIII.
[2.] It must needs be so, for love to God doth formally contain or
naturally produce this love to our brethren.
(1.) It doth formally contain it ; for our love to God is not a fond
affection or fellow-like familiarity, but is seen in our profession of real
respect ; which is manifested in imitation, obedience and esteem.
(ls£) Imitation ; for love doth imply such a value and esteem of
God, that we count it our happiness to be like him, and the truest
respect and affection which we can have to him is to write after his
copy, and to study to resemble our Father. Surely they cannot be
said to love God who do not imitate him, are not merciful as their
heavenly Father is merciful, Luke vi. 36. Now God openeth his hand,
and satisfieth the wants and desires of the needy and indigent. Do
we love God, and count this a perfection in God ? Surely then the
impression of it should be on our hearts. I would not have you pass
over this lightly, that the truest love of God lieth in imitation of him.
If the great demonstration of God's love to us be to make us like him
self, surely then the more like him the more we love him, 1 John iii.
2 ; for our love answereth his love to us, as the impression doth the
stamp or seal. Or if the greatest aim of the creature and the highest
expression of our love to God be conformity to him now, so it is when
love is most perfect ; it doth most delight itself in likeness to God :
Ps. xvii. 15, ' As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness : I
shall be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness.'
(2d.) Obedience to him, for his love is a love of bounty, ours is a
love of duty : 1 John v. 3, ' This is love, that we keep his command
ments ; ' John xiv. 21, ' He that hath my commandments and keepeth
them, he it is that loveth me.' Surely he doth not. lovs God that
doth not obey him, and acteth so contrary to his commands, which
call everywhere for charity and mercy to the bodies and souls of
men, which is so pleasing to God: Heb. xiii. 16, 'But to do good,
and to communicate, forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well
pleased.'
(3d.) Love is seen in an esteem or transcendental respect of God, a
respect to God above all other things. Now he that shutteth up his
bowels from his brother in necessity doth not love God above all, for
there is something he valueth above him, and is loath to part with for
his sake, and that is this world's goods : 1 John ii. 19, 'Love not the
world, neither the things that are in the world ; if any man love the
world, the love of the Father is not in him.' Now it is gross love of
.the world not to part with this world's goods when God calleth for
them. Whosoever loves God valueth God's favour above all other
things, and counts himself happy enough in the enjoyment of God,
whatever he loseth for it or parts with for it : Ps. iv. 6, 7, ' Who will
show us any good ? Lord, lift up the light of thy countenance. Thou
hast put gladness into my heart, more than in the time when their corn
and wine increased ; ' Ps. Ixxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in heaven but
thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee.' He
that will not, at God's instance and command, part with these things,
the poor inconsiderable trifles of this world, he preferreth the world
before the enjoyment of God and the favour of God.
(2.) It doth naturally produce it, partly by looking to what is past,
VER. 17, 18.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 151
and partly to what is to come. The one is gratitude, the other is
trust.
(ls£) Thankfulness for what is past ; he hath done so much for us,
that we should be willing to part with anything for his sake. There
fore when the apostle would have them prove the sincerity of their love,
2 Cor. viii. 9, he argueth, ' Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that when he was rich, for your sakes he became poor, that
through his poverty you may be rich.' If we have a grateful sense of
his wonderful mercy, we will be ready to make some return of affection
to God. But you will say, How is charity to the poor any return of
love to God ? Am. What you do at his instance and command, you
do to God and for God's sake. Now God commandeth this, and he
hath devolved our respects to him on the poor and indigent. God
taketh it as done to himself if done to them : Mat. xxv. 40, 45, ' Verily
I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of
these my brethren, you have done it unto me/ And the apostle teach-
etli us that we show love to his name when we minister to the saints,
Heb. vi. 10. He taketh it as an expression of kindness and thankfulness
to himself, which is given to his servants.
(2d) Trust. Love looketh to what is to come. Surely he that
loveth God trusts him, for the graces are connected. Now none trust
God that count their estates safer in their own hands than God's, that
will venture nothing on his promises : Prov. xix. 17, ' He that hath
pity on the poor lendeth to the Lord, and that which he hath given
will he pay him back again.' God will be our paymaster : Eccles. xi.
1, ' Cast thy bread upon the waters, and after many days thou shalt
receive it ; ' Ps. xxxvii. 26, ' He is merciful and lendeth, and his seed
is blessed.' God will return it to us or ours, in this life or the next.
We have a friendly confidence and good opinion of God ; we dare
take his word, being persuaded that he is able and willing to requite
us ; but they that shut up their bowels show they have little value for
God's word, and do suspect his goodness and truth, which is not con
sistent with love. You will adventure nothing in his hands, and then
can you say you love him ?
Use 1. Information.
1. That if we would get readiness of mind to help and relieve others
in their necessities, we should increase our love to God ; for the shutting
up of our bowels is made not so much a defect or want of love to our
neighbour, as want of love to God. If you did love God more, you
would love the poorest of God's children, and the meanest of your
brethren for his sake ; and love will easily persuade you to do them
good. If there were less of the love of the world, and more of the
love of God, then it were no great matter to part with this world's
goods for another's benefit and relief. We have lessening thoughts of
God, and too high thoughts of the world, when we shut up our bowels
from the necessities of our poor brethren.
2. That we should not reckon our love to God by deceitful evidences,
not by bare outward profession of the true religion : James i. 27, ' Pure
religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is to visit the father
less and widow in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from
the world/ All other religion hath an evil that is in it, a spot of the
152 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXIII
world on it ; but Christ's religion is purity and charity, not by gifts
and utterance : 2 Cor. viii. 7, ' Therefore as ye abound in everything, in
faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love
to us, see that ye abound in this grace also.' Again, you must not only
mind acts of piety, but charity : Mat. ix. 13, ' Go learn what that mean-
eth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice.' To sacrifice is to serve God,
but to show mercy is to be like God. Now conformity to God is more
than any particular act of external obedience to him ; as mercy is pre
ferred before sacrifice, so before the external observation of the sab
bath. Yea, mercy not only to the souls, but bodies of men ; yea, not
to men only, but to beasts, as to help a beast out of the pit : Mat. xii. 11,
12, ' What man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep,
and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath-day, will he not lay hold on it, and
lift it out ? How much then is a man better than a sheep ? wherefore
it is lawful to do well on the sabbath-day.' It is more than gospel ex
ternals of worship, as hearing the word and prayer, comparing external
acts with external acts : Luke xiii. 26, ' We have eaten and drank in
thy presence, and have been taught in our streets ; but he shall say
unto you, I know you not.' More excellent than gifts of the gospel ;
the gifts of tongues and healing were glorious things : 1 Cor. xii.
28-31, ' After that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments,
diversities of tongues. Are all prophets ? are all workers? have all the
gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues ? do all interpret? But
covet earnestly the best gifts ; but I show you a more excellent way.'
I cannot say it is above the graces of the gospel, faith, and hope,
and love to God, yet these are but pretended without it : 1 John iv. 20,
4 If any man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar ; for
he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God
whom he hath not seen ? ' 1 Tim. v. 8, ' If any man provide not for
his own, especially those of his own house, he hath denied the faith.'
3. It showeth us the compassionate nature of God, since he so strictly
enforceth compassion in others. We know God's nature by his laws
as well as his works. Now when he that placed so much weight on
this, that he will not own any love in them to himself without it, surely
our God will not shut up his bowels in our destitute and low condition.
It is one of his names, 2 Cor. vii. 6, ' God that comforteth those that are
cast down.'
Use 2. Is to exhort us —
1. To show compassion to those in necessity.
2. To show it not in word or tongue only, but in real kindness.
1. To persuade you to mercifulness and charity. A cheap profession
of the name of Christ will do you no good ; that which costs nothing is
worth nothing. To quicken you —
[1.] Without it you cannot show your thankfulness to God. Alms
is your thank-offering : Heb. xiii. 16, ' But to do good and to communi
cate, forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.' God
showeth his love to us in the great sin-offering, we to God in this thank-
offering.
[2.] Consider the many promises made to it : Mat. v. 7, ' Blessed
are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.' Compassion to others
giveth us hope and confidence of the Lord's mercy to us, which is a
VER. 17, 18.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 153
great encouragement; for we stand in need of the daily mercy of
God : Prov. xxi. 18, ' Whoso stoppeth his ear at the cry of the poor, he
also shall cry himself, and shall not be heard ; ' if not by men, not by
God.
[3.] Consider what mercy Christ hath showed to you. Christ's
kindness should enkindle the bowels of compassion in us ; he showed
compassion to you at the dearest rates, and loved us unto death ; and
will you not be at some expense in your love to the brethren ?
[4.] How comfortable it is for the present: Prov. xi. 17, ' The mer
ciful man doeth good to his own soul ; he also refresheth the souls of
others.' See the verse next the text, ' And hereby we know that we
are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.' This will
yield you a great deal of comfort, as any other fruit of faith or act of
piety.
[5.] This will make your reckoning more comfortable hereafter :
Luke xi. 41, ' Give alms of such things as you have, and behold all
things shall be clean ; ' Mat. xxv. 35-40, ' For I was an hungry, and
ye gave me meat : I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink : I was a
stranger, and ye took me in : naked, and ye clothed me : I was sick, and
ye visited me : I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the
righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungry, and
fed thee ? or thirsty, and gave thee drink ? when saw we thee a stranger,
and took thee in ? or naked, and clothed thee ? or when saw we thee
sick, or in prison, and came unto thee ? And the king shall answer
and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye did it to one
of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.' These
will be the inquiries at the day of judgment ; acts of self-denying
obedience must justify and evidence our qualification when it cometh
to be judged.
2. To press you to real kindness. To quicken you consider —
[1.] God's love towards Christians is a hearty real love ; he not only
loved us, but gave us the proof in the fruits and effects of it : Rom. v.
8, ' Herein God commended his love, in that, when we were sinners,
Christ died for us.'
[2.] At the last day we shall be judged, not for our words only, but
by our works : Rev. xx. 12, ' And I saw the dead, small and great, stand
before God ; and the books were opened, and another book was opened,
which is the book of life ; and the dead were judged out of those things
which were written in the books, according to their works.' These
will be the questions at the last day, Have you visited ? have you fed ?
have you clothed?
[3.] Lip-love will neither do thee good, nor thy brother good. Not
thee good ; in no other grace and duty are words taken for performance,
so not in this. Not in the general : many say they have a love to the
brethren, but when it cometh to the trial wherein it is evidenced, there
is no such thing. There is a great deal of tongue-kindness abroad ;
men seem to be all made up of love ; they boast they love the brethren,
but never demonstrate it by any real effect ; like the carbuncle,
which at a distance seemeth to be all afire, but come to touch it, and
it is key-cold. In this particular expression of love, mouth-mercy, or
giving good words to him that needeth, The Lord help you, without
1/51 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXIV.
actual relief, is nothing worth ; so doth not thy brother any good : James
ii. 15, 16, ' If a brother or a sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed, and be
you filled ; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are
needful to the body, what doth it profit ? '
[4.] To dissemble in anything maketh our sincerity in the main ques
tionable ; the man that contents himself with words in charity will con
tent himself with a cold dead assent in point of faith, and a cold pro
fession instead of thorough obedience ; with the talk of virtue and
godliness when he hath it not. A fruitless love and a cold assent that
produce no obedience are near akin, and both are little worth. Many
would not dissemble with God, but do they love men, not in word or
tongue only, but in deed and in truth ?
SERMON XXIV.
And hereby we knoiv that we are of the truth, and shall assure our
hearts before him. — 1 JOHN iii. 19.
THE words contain a motive to quicken us to love the brethren, not in
word or tongue only, but in deed and in truth. The motive is taken
from the fruit and benefit, which is — (1.) Propounded ; (2.) Amplified.
First, Propounded, ' Hereby we know that we are of the truth.' To
be of the truth hath a double notion in scripture.
1. To profess the true religion : John xviii. 37, 'Every one that is
of the truth heareth my voice ; ' that is, owneth the true religion ; he
rightly understands and believes the truth of the gospel.
2. To be sincere and true in that religion, and to live accordingly.
There are some Christians that are only so in show and semblance, or
count themselves Christians, but are not ; but these are truly born of
God, and such as they profess themselves to be, ' disciples indeed/
John viii. 31 ; sincere, and not hypocrites.
Secondly, Amplified, 'And shall assure our hearts before him.'
Where —
1. The effect and fruit of knowing that we are of the truth ; we
'shall assure our hearts.'
2. The strength of this confidence, ' Before him.'
1. For the effect itself, ' persuade our hearts ; ' so the margin and
other translations. By confidence in God we shall quiet and still our
consciences ; so that the notion here is, we shall have our hearts secure
and confident. A soul conscious of sin raiseth doubts and fears, that
when our qualification is evident, we are perfect as to the conscience,
Heb. ix. 9. The word is so taken elsewhere : Mat. xxviii. 14, ' We
will persuade him, and secure you ; ' that is, pacify the governor, and
keep you from punishment. So here it signifieth to render our hearts
peaceable and quiet.
2. The strength of this confidence, ' Before him.' We are said to
be before him three ways —
VER. 19.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 155
[1.] In our ordinary conversation: Gen. xvii. 1, 'Walk before me,
and be thou upright.' In this sense it signifieth our walking before
him in a holy peace and security, by being good and doing good ; for
this is the evidence whereby we assure ourselves that we are the true
children of God : Mat. v. 45, ' That ye may be children of your Father
which is in heaven."
[2.] When we come before him in prayer and other holy duties :
ver. 21, 22, 'We have confidence towards God, and whatsoever we ask
in his name shall be given us/ Which signifieth a confidence in our
prayer to him.
[3.] We come before him at the day of judgment ; when we stand
before his tribunal, our hope will not leave us ashamed. We are not
afraid of being convinced of any h} r pocrisy, or not observing or break
ing the conditions of the new covenant : 1 John ii. 28, ' That we may
have confidence, and not be ashamed before him ; ' 1 John iv. 17,
' That we may have boldness in the day of judgment.' So that hereby
appeareth the strength of that confidence which we have by the
exercise of a holy charity, or love to God and his people ; and though
the thoughts of the just and holy God stirreth up all our fears, yet we
may walk comfortably with him, and draw nigh to him in holy duties
with more cheerfulness, and finally appear before him with boldness
in the day of our accounts.
Doct. That graces really and soundly exercised breed in us assurance
of our good condition before God.
The point will be made good by these considerations.
1. That none are in a good condition but those who are adopted
and taken into God's family, and made heirs of eternal life and happi
ness. Our minds cannot be quieted by anything but a persuasion
that God loveth us as his children ; this is the whole business of the
context : ver. 1, 2, and 9, 10, ' Behold what manner of love the Father
hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God !
Beloved, now are we the sons of God ; and it doth not yet appear what
we shall be : but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like
him, for we shall see him as he is. Whosoever is born of God sinneth
not, for his seed remaineth in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is
born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the
children of the devil : whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God,
neither he that hateth his brother.' Get that persuasion, and all the
controversy between God and us is at an end. And the reason is clear ;
he that taketh God for a judge can never be soundly satisfied and live
in peace ; but he that taketh God for a Father needeth not fear to
come into his presence. There is no safety but in God's family, and
no security there but by being God's children. The great business of
the Spirit with our consciences is to clear up this to us : Rom. viii. 15,
26, ' For we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but
we have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities ; for we know not
what we should pray for as we ought ; but the Spirit itself rnaketh
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered ; ' Gal. iv.
6, ' And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son
into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father ; ' Eph. i. 13, 14, ' In whom ye
156 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXIV.
also trusted, after ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your sal
vation : in whom also, after that ye believed, ye were sealed with the
Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance, until
the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his
glory.' The great business of our Redeemer was to purchase this
privilege for us : Gal. iv. 5, ' To redeem them that were under the
law, that we might receive the adoption of sons ; ' John viii. 36, ' If
the Son therefore shall make you free, then are you free indeed.' The
great privilege we have by baptism as a sign, by faith as giving us
the reality : Gal. iii. 26, 27, ' For ye are the children of God by faith,
in Jesus Christ. For as many of you as have been baptized into
Christ have put on Christ.' The church of the new testament, as to
her outward estate, is an estate of sonship or adoption, and the truly
godly have the real effect of it ; they have the dignity, privilege and
right which does belong to the children of God : John i. 12, ' To as
many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of
God.'
2. We must cherish no confidence of our adoption but what will
hold good before God ; for it is said, we must assure our hearts before
him. The law which we have broken, and which condemneth us, is
the law of God ; the wrath and punishment which we fear and have
deserved is the wrath of God ; that which is the true proper matter
of our joy, peace, and comfort is the favour of God ; and the family into
which we are admitted is the family of God, and the presence into
which we come is the presence of God, and the glory which we expect
is the glory of God ; the punishment which we must undergo, and
must determine our final estate, is the judgment of God. He is the
supreme judge, at whose sentence we must stand or fall; therefore to
him we must approve ourselves, and before him must be able to defend
our claim, and maintain our confidence. It is easy to make good our
plea before men, but not so before God. Take all the senses before
explicated. We are before him in our ordinary conversation. Sincere
though imperfect sanctification is a righteousness that will hold out
before God, and will be graciously accepted by him : Luke i. 74, 75,
' That we might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness
before him all the days of our life.' A Christian should cheerfully
serve God in a faithful discharge of all duties towards God and towards
men, as remembering that he is always in his sight, as the witness,
judge, and observer of all his actions ; therefore we must still ' labour
that, whether present or absent, we approve ourselves to him, and be
accepted of him,' 2 Cor. v. 9. This will be matter of comfort to us :
2 Cor. i. 12, ' But our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience,
that, in simplicity and godly sincerity, we have had our conversations
in the world.' And partly in your prayers. Our legal fears are re
vived by the presence of God. Cain had his guilty fears ; so shall we
unless we be sincere ; so the righteous are as bold as a lion : 1 John
iii. 21, ' If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards
God.' When our hearts do not condemn us of any insincere walking,
then we have confidence ; otherwise we are shy of the presence of God,
as David when he had sinned hung off from the throne of grace :
Ps. xxxii. 3, 'When I kept silence, my bones waxed old.' And Adam
VER. 19.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 157
when he had sinned ran to the bushes. They that walk crookedly
crack and break their own confidence, and cannot look God in the face
with any comfort ; whereas others can come to him as children to
their father. And partly as it importeth our appearance before him
in the day of our accounts. The sincere have a confidence that will
hold out then, as appeareth by their constant and steady cheerfulness,
when they most mind his judgment : ' The sinners in Zion are afraid,
Tearfulness hath surprised the hypocrite/ Isa. xxxiii. 14. Pinching
weather maketh the unsound feel their aches and bruises, so a time of
eminent judgments is grievous to them ; but. it is otherwise with the
upright, who are emboldened by a good conscience, and a sense of
their own integrity : Ps. cxii. 4, ' Unto the upright there ariseth light
in darkness.' Not only after, but in darkness ; they have great comfort
in their greatest perplexities ; yea, when God summoneth them into
his immediate presence : 2 Kings xx. 3, ' Lord, thou knowest that I
have walked before thee with a true and perfect heart.' Hezekiah was
then arrested with the sentence of death. A Christian can look death
in the face with cheerfulness, and comfortably review his past life,
when hypocrites vomit up their own shame. Yet the sincere, though
conscious to themselves of many infirmities, have made it their busi
ness to honour and please God.
3. Before God no confidence will hold good but what is founded in
the double righteousness of justification and sanctification ; they are
inseparable, and go together in the dispensation of the new covenant :
1 Cor. vi. 11, ' And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye
are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and
by the Spirit of our God ; ' 1 Cor. i. 30, ' But of him are ye in Christ
Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanc
tification and redemption.' Both are necessary, and have an influence
upon our comfort and peace, and confidence towards God. The necessity
of them appeareth with respect to both covenants. The first covenant,
the confidence which we would cherish is checked and choked by this
objection, Thou art a sinner, and God will not respect sinners. We
answer it from the righteousness of justification ; Christ died to reconcile
sinners to God. Or thus, Thou art not a sincere disciple of Christ ;
to this we oppose the testimony of our conscience, ' The Holy Ghost
bearing witness therewith concerning our sincerity.' The first is the
primary righteousness, and necessary for the appeasing of God's wrath ;
the other is secondary and subordinate, for the clearing up of our right
and claim. The righteousness of Christ or of justification procureth
the blessings of the new covenant for us ; the other assureth
them to us. The first is the ground of our favourable acceptance
with God, the second is the secondary condition and evidence of
it. The ground and foundation of our favourable acceptance with
God is Christ's merit, mediation, and righteousness, apprehended
by faith ; but the evidence is our sincere walking, otherwise no
certainty. In short, there having been a breach between us and God,
our atonement must be made. So 'God was in Christ reconciling
the world to himself/ 2 Cor. v. 19. There was the foundation laid
for our acceptance with God; as in ver. 21, 'He was made sin for
us who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of
158 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXIV.
God in him.' Now it is not enough that the atonement be made,
but the atonement must be received ; that breedeth solid peace, Rom.
v. 11 ; and it is conveyed and applied by the Spirit on God's part, by
faith on ours, Rom. v. 1 ; then the atonement is received. There need
also sure signs to persuade the conscience of the reality of the applica
tion, and to make our right more full and certain, and that we are in
favour with God, which cannot be otherwise than by the sincerity of
our love to God and men, Gal. v. 6. Clear that once, and you may
persuade and assure your hearts before him. To conclude, both the
righteousness of justification and sane tification is a righteousness before
him. Of justification there is no doubt but it is a righteousness before
him, there is no appearing before God without it: Phil. iii. 9, 'And be
found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law,
but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which
is of God by faith ; ' Ps. cxliii. 2, ' Enter not into judgment with thy
servant, for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.' It is true
also in its use and office, of the righteousness of sanctification. If it
be sincere, though imperfect, it is a righteousness that will hold out
before God, and will be graciously accepted by him : Luke i. 6, ' They
were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments
blameless/ Though our guilty fears are mainly allayed by the applica
tion of the blood of Jesus Christ, as the ground and meritorious cause
of our acceptance with God, and the only plea that we have against
the charge produced from the first covenant, yet the righteousness of
sanctification is at least an evidence, and confirmeth our justification
by faith, and strengtheneth our plea according to the second covenant.
4. The righteousness of sanctification, which will stand before God,
consisteth in our sincerity : ' If we be of the truth, we may assure our
hearts before him ; ' so it is in the text, ' We are of the truth, and
assure our hearts before him.' What is it to be of the truth ? The
truth is the gospel, called ' the word of truth,' Eph. i. 13, John xvii.
17. He is of the truth that understandeth and believeth this doctrine,
called knowing the truth and acknowledging the truth, often spoken
of in the scripture, 2 John 1,2, 2 Tim. ii. 25 ; and feeleth the force
and efficacy of it in his own heart : James i. 18, ' Of his own will begat
he us, of the word of truth;' John viii. 32, 'And ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free.' And then expresseth the
fruits of it in the course of his life, called ' walking in the truth,' 2 John
4, and 3 John 3, 4, ' I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and
testified of the truth which is in thee, even as thou walkest in the
truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in
the truth;' namely, as they follow the right way, and are true disciples
of Christ. Well, then, sincerity of obedience is our grand evidence
and qualification. The first covenant required innocency or unsinning
obedience, the second uprightness or sincere obedience : Gen. xvii. 1,
' Walk before me, and be thou perfect ; ' Ps. xxxii. 1, 2, ' Blessed is
he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is
the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose
spirit there is no guile.' The covenant which granteth and alloweth
pardon of sins alloweth also sincerity as our qualification. The old
covenant bringeth all things to the balance, the new to the touchstone;
VER. 19.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 159
there our graces were weighed, here tried. Now if the best of us were
put into the balance of the sanctuary, we should be found wanting as
to matter or manner and principle or aim, and then who could be saved?
But now all the blessings of God's family are entitled to the upright :
Ps. Ixxxiv. 11, ' God is a sun and a shield, and grace and glory will
he give ; and no good thing will he withhold from them that walk
uprightly.' This scripture containeth an epitome or abridgment of the
covenant of grace ; the good things there are expressed metaphorically
and literally. Metaphorically he is a sun and a shield ; blessings
privative and positive ; a sun, the fountain of all good ; a shield to keep
off all evil or danger ; provision and protection. The one term is more
verified in this life, the other in the world to come. Literally all spiri
tual good things come under the name of grace, eternal good things
under the name of glory ; no temporal good thing will he withhold :
Ps. xxxiv. 9, ' There is no want to them that fear him.' But here who
are the qualified parties ? The sincere, who are the Lord's delight ;
the sincere in faith, the sincere in love, the sincere in obedience ; those
who are what they seem to be, and profess to be ; these are the capable
subjects of grace and glory, to whom God will be a sun and a shield,
and to whom God will deny no good thing.
5. It is no easy matter to make out our sincerity, or to establish a
solid peace and comfort in the soul. This I gather from the word
' assure,' or 'shall persuade.' There needeth much arguing and debat
ing the matter in the court of conscience, and we need sure signs to
persuade us ; the conscience of sin is not easily laid aside. Shyness and
stupidness may quiet us for a while, but a solid and durable joy needeth
a good evidence and warrant. When we have no sense of sin and
danger on our hearts, it is easy to leap into a false peace, but an awak
ened and sensible sinner is not so easily nor so soon established ; for
the upright are prone to self-accusings, for their rule is exact, and
grace and love would fain do more for God ; and grace in the best is
but weak and small, and the remainders of sin so great, active, and
troublesome, and the operations of man's soul so various, confused, and
dark, and they see so many mistakes, and the children of the devil so
often entitle themselves to God, John viii. 44. And frequent afflictions
do also very often awaken in them a sense of sin, and all the reasonings
of their minds will not still and quiet their consciences, so that the Lord
is forced to come in by powerful and authoritative acts of grace, and in an
imperial and Godlike manner to silence those doubts, and secure and
settle a sense of his love upon our hearts : Ps. xlii. 7, 8, ' Deep calleth
unto deep at the noise of thy water-spouts ; all thy waves and thy
billows are gone over me. Yet the Lord will command his loving-
kindness in the day-time, and in the night his song shall be with me,
and my prayer unto the God of my life.' Ordinarily we have a good
measure of grace before we can discern the truth of it. A working
faith, a laborious and fervent love, and a lively hope cannot lie idle.
6. Though it be difficult to make out our sincerity, yet graces really,
constantly, and self-clenyingly exercised, will or may evidence it to us,
or that the heart is sound in God's statutes, Ps. cxix. 80. Surely
where grace is deeply rooted, and hath a predominant influence over
our actions, so as it can countermand contrary desires and inclinations,
160 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXIV.
there the heart is sound and upright with God. Now where this is found,
which the context speaketh of, it makes us to assure our hearts before
him.
[1.] A real exercise of grace. Compare this with the verse before
the text, ' Let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and
in truth.' A man may talk well from his convictions, nay, from a
mere disciplinary knowledge ; but to do well needs a living principle
of grace. The scripture still setteth forth graces by their lively opera
tion, for a dead and sleepy habit is worth nothing ; it speaketh of the
working faith as carrying away the prize of justification, Gal. v. 6. As
honouring Christ : 2 Thes. i. 11, 12, ' Wherefore we pray also for you,
that God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good
pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power; that
the name of the Lord Jesus may be glorified.' The laborious love is
that which God will regard and reward : Heb. vi. 10, ' God is not un
righteous, to forget your work of faith and labour of love.' So the lively
hope is the fruit of regeneration : 1 Peter i. 3, ' Blessed be the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant
mercy, hath begotten us to a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus
Christ from the dead.' That which sets us a-doing : Acts. xxiv. 16,
' And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of
offence towards God and towards men;' and Acts xxvi. 7, 8, ' Unto
which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God day and night,
hope to come.' Grace otherwise cannot appear in the view of con
science : causes are known by their effects ; apples appear when the sap
is not seen. It is the operative and active graces that will discover
themselves. A man may think well or speak well, but that grace which
governeth the conversation showeth itself to have a deep rooting in
the heart.
[2.] It must be constantly exercised. A man may force himself
into an act or two ; Saul in a fit may be among the prophets. A man
is judged of by his course and walk. A child of God may be under
a strange appearance for one act or two ; you can no more judge of
them by those acts than you can of a bunch of grapes by two or three
rotten ones, or of the glory of a street by the sink or kennels. So, on
the other side, men may take on religion at set times, as men in an
ague have their well days ; the fit of lust and sin is not always upon them.
A man is judged perpetuafactorum serie, but God's works are best seen
together, Gen. i. 31. Surely that breedeth peace of conscience and assur
ance of salvation : Ps. cvi. 3, ' Blessed are they that keep judgment,
and he that doeth righteousness at all times.' When a man's conver
sation is all of a piece, his course is to please God at all times, not by
fits and starts, and in good moods only. This is the mark of the con
text, ' Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin ; but his seed
remaineth in him ; and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.' An
act of sin is as monstrous in him as for a hen to produce the egg of a
crow. In an unsound heart there are very uneven and transient
motions ; their lives speak contradictions. Saul at one time puts all
the witches to death, at another time he himself hath recourse to one,
namely, the witch of Endor. Jehu was zealous against Ahab's idolatry,
against Baal, but not against Jereboam's idolatry, the calves in Dan
and Bethel.
VEK. 19.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 161
[3.] Self-denyingly acted. Good words are not dear, 'Be warmed,
be clothed.' The apostle speaketh of laying down our life for the
brethren, of opening our hands and bowels for refreshing the hungry
and clothing the naked. So proportionably when we take pains to
instruct the ignorant, exhort the obstinate, confirm the weak, comfort
the afflicted. Love of the brethren is the mark in hand, and produced
here as the fruit of a sincere faith ; for this showeth a hearty receiving
of God's love, when it hath made some impression upon us, when we
love the brethren sincerely and heartily, and can deny ourselves for
God. Do you think that religion lieth only in hearing a few sermons,
in a few drowsy prayers, in singing psalms, or reading a chapter, or
some cursory devotions ? These are the means, but where is the fruit ?
No; it lieth in self-denying obedience. These are the acts about
which we shall be questioned at the day of judgment, Mat. xxv. Have
you visited ? have you clothed ? do you own the servants of God when
the times frown upon them ? do you relieve them and comfort them
in their distresses? 'Hereby we know we are of the truth.' Lip-
labour and tongue-service is a cheap thing ; and that religion is worth
nothing which costs nothing : 2 Sam. xxiv. 24, ' And the king said
unto Araunah, Nay, but I will surely buy it of thee at a price ; neither
will I offer burnt-offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth
cost me nothing.' When we deny ourselves, and apparently value
God's interest above our own, then our sincerity is most evidenced.
And every one of us is to consider what interest God calleth him to
deny upon the hopes of glory, and whatever it costeth us to be faithful
to God. A cheap course of serving God bringeth you none or little
comfort. And certainly a man cannot be thorough in religion, but
he will be put upon many occasions of denying his ease, profit, honour,
and acting contrary to his natural inclination or worldly interests.
Those that only regard the safe, cheap, and easy part, do not set up
Christ's religion, but their own: Mat. xvi. 24, 'Then said Jesus unto his
disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and
take up his cross and follow me.' Without this it is but a Christianity
of our own making.
1. That graces thus really, constantly, and self-denyingly exercised
leave their notice and impression upon the conscience. The context
speaketh of the value of the testimony of conscience. Certainly a man
should or may know the acts of grace which he putteth forth. It is
hard to think that a soul should be a stranger to its own operations: 1
Cor. ii. 11, 'There is a spirit in man that knoweth the things of a man;'
a privy spy in our bosoms, which is conscious to all that we do, and
can reflect upon it, and judge whether it be good or evil ; it knoweth
what we understand, or will, or purpose, or resolve, or do, much more
when we do thus uniformly and self-denyingly act for God ; and that
upon a fourfold reason —
[1.] Because the acts of grace are the more serious and important
actions of our lives. Many acts may escape us for want of advertency,
they not being of such moment ; but when a man is to settle his eter
nal interest upon a sure bottom and foundation, and to establish his soul
in the comfort and hope of the gospel, he would go advisedly to work,
and considerupon what grounds and in what manner this work is carried
VOL. XXT. L
162 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXIV.
on. He is serious in his faith : 2 Tim. i. 12, 'For I know whom I
have believed, and am persuaded that he is ahle to keep that which I
have committed to him against that day.' Diligence in his attendance
upon this business : Phil. ii. 12, ' Work out your salvation with fear
and trembling.' A man that acteth for eternity should mind what he
dotb.
[2.] All acts of grace are put forth with difficulty, and with some
strife and wrestling. In the work of faith a humble sinner hath much
ado to bring his soul to a resolution, and to venture all in Christ's hand,
and to settle itself in the belief of God's power, and mercy, and word,
and promises made to us in Christ ; to live upon the hopes of an un
known and unseen world. For if it were an easy thing, such a power
were not needful, as is spoken of, Eph. i. 19, ' And what is the exceeding
greatness of his power.' We should not find such a necessity of com
plaining of unbelief, Mark ix. 24, of calling upon God to increase our
faith. It would not so often fail as it doth upon every temptation, Luke
xxii. 32. And what is said of faith is true proportionably of all other
graces. Self-love and carnal prepossessions hinder the love of God.
Like a choice flower among weeds, so is love to the brethren, 'Master,
spare thyself.' Now things difficult, and planted with much opposition,
must needs leave a notice and an impression of themselves upon the
soul.
[3.] There is a special delight that accompanieth acts of grace,
because of the excellency of the objects they are conversant about ;
and the excellency of the power they are assisted withal ; and the
excellency and nobleness of the faculties they are acted by. Can a
man be seriously dealing with God about pardon of sin, and eternal
life, and not find sweetness in his work ? Heb. vi. 4, 5, ' Who were
once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were par
takers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted of the good word of God,
and the powers of the world to come.' Take a view of the promised
hope, and not be affected with it ? Heb. iii. 6 ' Whose house we are,
if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of our hope firm to
the end/ There is a peace and joy in believing, Kom. xv. 13, excited
in us by some impression of the comforting Spirit. Three words are
used to express that delightful sense which the soul hath in the exer
cise or review of good actions — comfort, peace, joy. Comfort, the
nature of which is, that it doth not altogether remove the evil, but so
alleviates it and assuages it that we are able to bear it. The trouble
that ariseth from the sense of sin and the fear of God's justice is not
altogether removed and taken away; yet so mitigated and allayed, that
we are enabled to wait upon God: 2 Cor. i. 4, 'Who comforteth us in
all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are
in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted
of God ; ' and to go about our duties with some alacrity. Peace
implieth comfort, but withal a more full degree of it ; for peace doth
so calm and settle the consciences of God's children, that they are
assaulted either with none, or very little fears. We call that peace in
a nation when they are not troubled with foreign war, or intestine
tumults, or confusions, for some long space of time : Phil. iv. 7, ' The
peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts
VER. 19.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 163
and minds, through Jesus Christ.' The next notion is joy : as peace
exceeds consolation, so doth joy exceed peace, and begets a more not
able sense of itself in the soul. In peace all things are quiet, but joy
addeth a notable pleasure and delight of mind. In peace the soul is
in such a condition as the body when nothing paineth it ; but in joy
the senses are recreated by something pleasing to them : so the soul is
feasted with spiritual suavities : 1 Peter i. 8, ' 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.' Now all these make the work
of grace more notorious to the soul.
[4.] This serious, constant, uniform, self-denying course of obedience
will evidence itself; for though conscience be unobservant of particular
actions, yet the course, drift, and tenor of our lives cannot be hidden
from it : he that in a journey doth not count his steps, yet observeth
his way ; when a man mindeth the business of going to heaven, Phil,
iii. 20; of approving himself to God: 2 Cor. i. 12, 'This is our
rejoicing, the testimony of our conscience ; ' 2 Cor. v. 9 ' Wherefore we
labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.'
Object. Why then do so many good people want assurance ?
Ans 1. There need two witnesses, because the heart of man is so
deceitful, and the operations thereof are so various, dark, and confused :
Jer. xvii. 9, ' The heart of man is deceitful above all things, and des
perately wicked, and who can know it ? ' There needeth a double testi
mony, as in the mouth of two or three witnesses everything is estab
lished. NOW K these two witnesses are our consciences and God's Holy
Spirit : Horn. viii. 16, ' The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirits
that we are the children of God ; ' Kom. ix. 1, ' I say the truth in
Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy
Ghost.' The testimony of the Spirit with our own heart, soul, and con
science, they both concur to establish the same conclusion in the same
act of witnessing ; for it is jointly ascribed to the Spirit of God and
the spirit of man. The Spirit of God doth not bear any such witness
apart from the spirit of man ; or when this doth not witness also, it
doth fortify and strengthen the witness of a man's own spirit. The
heart, soul, and conscience of a man doth testify to him that he desireth
and endeavoureth every day to serve, please, honour, and glorify God.
Hereby the Spirit assureth him that he is a child of God. Conscience
will not give this witness, unless we do indeed labour to be complete
in all the will of God. And the Spirit witnesseth with conscience, to
give vigour and certainty to this testimony, ' My conscience also bearing
me witness in the Holy Ghost.' As when the waters of a land-flood
mingle themselves with a river, they make one and the same stream,
but then it is more rapid and violent ; so this conjunction of testi
monies maketh in effect one testimony, but such as more powerfully
beareth down our fears, and doubts, and jealousies. A Christian is
thoroughly settled as to his gracious estate, and his confidence is made
more firm and strong.
2. So few know their spiritual condition through their own default ;
for otherwise the Spirit is ready to witness, if we be ready to receive
his testimony. What is the fault of Christians ? A fourfold fault —
[1.] Either they do not exercise grace to the life, in the mortifying
1G4 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [Sim. XXIV.
of sin, or the perfecting of holiness ; and therefore the remainders of
sin are active and troublesome, and grace is weak and small, and doth
little discover itself in any costly and self-denying acts, that they want
the sweetness whereby they should be noted and observed. Surely
great things are more liable to sense and feeling than little : a staff is
sooner found than a needle. And they that row against the stream of
flesh and blood, and cross the inclinations of nature, can sooner discern
a divine spirit and a power working in them than others, who have
not so perfect a conquest over the carnal nature ; as the valour of a
soldier that boldly encountereth his enemy in the face of dangers and
oppositions, than one that fighteth not indeed, but lieth hid in the
throng.
[2.] Or they do not examine their state, and heed their soul affairs
as they ought. ' Know thyself ' is a lesson worthy to be often practised.
The scripture biddeth us examine ourselves, 1 Cor. xi. 28, and 2 Cor.
xiii. 5, ' Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.' But few
return upon their hearts, and look inward. The soul hath its experi
ence, or a thing that may be called sense, as well as the body, but most
regard it not. There is light, peace, joy, or trouble and doubtfulness,
which we might easily find out if men would reflect upon themselves.
[3.] Or if they examine their state, they do it in a wrong way ; as
sometimes they make those to be marks to try by, which are only marks
to aim at; and so by consequence that is often made matter of doubt
ing, which should only be matter of humiliation ; or else they look so
much to what they should be, as not to observe what they have already,
or may forget what is behind to quicken their diligence, Phil. iii. 13.
But we must not forget, in judging our condition, to own the grace we
have, for we must not ' despise the day of small things,' Zech. iv. 10.
The spouse owneth grace in the midst of infirmities : Cant. v. 2, ' I
sleep, but my heart waketh.' We come short of what we should have,
but have we anything of God in our souls ? We observe our diseases
more than our healths; so doth a gracious heart his sins and infirmities,
but not the good things found in him.
[4.] In the general, laziness is the cause : 2 Peter i. 10, ' Give all
diligence to make } T our calling and election sure ; ' Heb. vi. 11, ' And
we desire that every one of you do show the same diligence to the full
assurance of hope to the end ; ' 2 Peter iii. 14, ' Be diligent, that you
may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.' The com
forts of the Spirit never drop into the lazy soul. When you have it,
so far as you neglect your duty, so far the sense may abate. God in
wisdom withdraweth his comforts to awaken and quicken his children
to their duty.
Use 1. To inform us, that the grounds of a well-tempered assurance
are clear and positive: 'Hereby we know that we are of the truth, and
shall assure our hearts before him.' Foolish presumption costs nothing :
like mushrooms, it groweth up in a night, or as Jonah's gourd; we did
not labour for it ; it cometh upon them they know not how or why.
The less such men exercise themselves to godliness, the more confident;
but exercise would discover their unsoundness ; a peace that groweth
upon us we know not how, and is better kept by negligence than dili
gence, is not right : ' Hereby we know, and this is my rejoicing, the
VER. 20.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 165
testimony of my conscience.' Premature persuasions are very rife ;
how comest thou by it so soon, my sou ?
2. That to languish after comforts, and neglect duty, is a foolish
course ; many bestow their time in foolish complaints, better be hard
at work ; complaining will not bring it to you so soon as active
diligence. Oh, that we were sure of heaven and happiness ! Oh, that
we knew what shall become of us to all eternity ! Lazy wishes will do
no good, up and be doing ; it will not come by a cold velleity, a slight
prayer, a customary sigh, or a faint and lazy pursuit, but by an inde-
iatigable diligence, and unwearied watchfulness.
3. It inforrneth us that not only trying of grace, but exercising of
grace, is necessary to our comfort and peace. Many are taken up in
trying and inquiring whether they have saving grace or no, whilst they
neglect the exercise of grace in a self-denying way. I would not dis
courage self-reflection. Oh, that we could gain the world more to this !
but this I must say, that doing good to the household of faith, and to
all as we find occasion, is a more evident and explicit way ; and that
in general it is a more excellent spirit to consider what we must be, to
lie under the conscience of that, than to consider what we are and
what we have been. Working will discover it sooner than bare trying,
duty rather than comfort.
4. That the popish doctrine is false, that asserts that it is impossible
to have the certainty of salvation : ' Hereby we know we are of the
truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.'
Use 2. To exhort us, if we would live in a holy security and peace,
let us not only be good, but do good ; let us not only love God, but his
people, not only ' in word and tongue, but in deed and in truth,' &c.
SERMON XXV.
For if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than our hearts, and
knoweth all things. — 1 JOHN iii. 20.
THE apostle had spoken in the former verse of assuring our hearts
before him ; now we cannot assure our hearts before God, against all
fears of his wrath, or persuade ourselves that we are his children, if we
be conscious to ourselves of any insincerity, or unworthy dealing in
point of love to God or men ; much dependeth upon the testimony and
verdict of conscience, either as to our condemnation or absolution and
acquitmerit. He beginneth with the condemning conscience in the
text, and then showeth the privilege of an absolving conscience, ver.
21. The voice of conscience is the voice of God ; if our hearts con
demn or acquit, so will God for the most part. We are now upon the
condemning act of conscience ; if our hearts condemn us, God will
much more. By the heart is meant conscience ; as 1 Sam. xxiv. 5,
' David's heart smote him,' that is, his conscience ; so Job when he
would not quit his claim of being an upright man, chap xxvii. 6, saith,
166 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SEE. XXV.
' My heart shall not reproach me as long as I live.' The heart hath a
reproaching, a condemning power, and judgeth against a man when he
is not right with God. In short, heart-smitings and heart-reproach-
ings are nothing else but checks of conscience. ' If our hearts condemn
us,' &c.
In the words take notice of a comparison between the judgment
of God and the judgment of conscience; they agree and disagree in
many things.
1. They agree in that both are privy to all our actions : there is a
secret spy within us, that observeth all that we speak, or think, or do :
' The spirit of a man within him knoweth the things of a man,' 1 Cor.
ii. 11. So doth God know all things : Heb. iv. 12, ' For the word of
God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,
piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the
joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of
the heart.' And where the matter requireth it, they both condemn ;
conscience condemneth the sinner, or the partial obedience of hypocrites ;
so doth God, he ratifieth the sentence.
2. They disagree or differ in two things — (1.) Greatness; (2.)
Knowledge.
[1.] Greatness. ' God is greater than our hearts/ The same expres
sion is used, Job xxxiii. 12, ' God is greater than man ; ' it is a reason
of submission to God's providence. God judgeth more exactly of things
than we do ; his authority is greater. God is the supreme judge, con
science is but his deputy. God's sentence is decisive, whence there is
no appeal : 1 Cor. iv. 4, ' For I know nothing by myself, yet I am not
hereby justified ; but he that judgeth me is the Lord.' The cause
must be reviewed and judged in a higher court. Greater in point of
purity and holiness; we have but a drop of indignation against
sin, God an ocean. His displacency against sin is greater : Hab. i. 13,
' He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity ; ' Isa. iii. 8, ' Their doings
are against the Lord, to provoke the eyes of his glory.' Greater in
point of power ; conscience leaveth an impression suitable to the evi
dence it giveth : Prov. xviii. 13, ' The spirit of a man will sustain his
infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear ? ' But it is a dreadful
thing to be condemned of God, who hath such power to execute his
sentence : Heb. x. 31, ' It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of
the living God.'
[2.] In point of knowledge. Conscience in many things is blind,
partial, inattentive, insensible, but none of these things can be imagined
in God, he knoweth all things. Therefore since the business is to be
transacted before him, and not before man, we had need look to it, that
we may assure our hearts before him.
(1.) He seeth more clearly ; he not only knoweth all things that we
can know of ourselves, but knoweth more things against us than our
hearts know, and so God cannot be deceived : Ps. xix. 12, ' Who can
understand his errors ? Lord cleanse thou me from secret sins.' No
man knoweth a man so well as his conscience, but the conscience doth
not so well know him as God knoweth him ; his knowledge is infinite,
and pierceth to our very thoughts and the secret motions of the heart.
(2.) He heareth more exactly. There is a partiality in our knowledge,
YER. 20.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 167
we overlook the evil, being blinded by self-love, but the Lord weigheth
the spirits, Prov. xvi. 2, puts them into the balance of the sanctuary,
and considereth all the circumstances.
(3.) He judgeth more impartially ; we mistake sins for graces, and
so bring in a false verdict: Luke xvi. 15, 'Ye are they which justify
yourselves before men ; but God knoweth your hearts ; for that which
is highly esteemed amongst men is an abomination in the sight of God.'
We are deceived with a false show ; we take a brier for a rose, yea, many
times a toad for a lark ; but God cannot be thus deceived, but judgeth
according to the nature of things.
Doct. That a man's unsound estate is much discovered to himself,
or determined by the judgment of his own conscience.
If our heart condemn us ; that is, our conscience ; and every man by
his own heart and conscience is generally acquitted or condemned.
Here I shall demonstrate to you —
1. That there is such a faculty as conscience, whose office it is to
judge of our estate,
2. The value of this judgment, that it ought to be well weighed,
when our hearts condemn us of insincere dealings in point of duty
towards God or man.
I. The nature and office of conscience; certainly there is such a
faculty as conscience. Science is one thing, and conscience is another :
science is a knowledge of other things, conscience is the knowledge of
ourselves. Conscience is the knowledge of a man's state and ways ; to
know what we are to do, and what we have done, that is conscience.
It is the judgment of a man concerning himself with respect to reward
and punishment. God, that is our Lord, is also our proper judge ;
but it pleaseth him to erect a tribunal within a man in his own bosom,
and to make him his own judge : conscience is a judge, yet but a
deputy-judge accountable to God. This much conduceth — (1.) To
the glory of God ; (2.) To the safety of man.
1. To the glory of God, and that in two regards, as an evidence
of his being, and a vindication of the righteousness of his judicial
proceedings.
[1.] As an evidence of his being, for his law is the ground of all
conscience, and it is before his tribunal that it doth accuse and acquit
us, and his sentence that we wait for or dread, and stand in fear of.
Why should we scruple this or that, if there be not a God, by whose
will good and evil are distinguished ? To whom doth it accuse us
but to God ? Why is conscience sometimes afraid, sometimes com
forted, if there were no God to mind things here below ? We find
conscience appalleth the stoutest sinners, after the commitment of
some offences, though they be secret, and beyond the cognisance and
vengeance of man : Ps. liii. 5 ' They feared where no fear was ; ' that
is, no outward cause of fear, where none sought to hurt them ; accus
ing themselves where none else could accuse them ; as Joseph's
brethren, Gen. xlii. 21 ; or where none had power to reach them ; as
many worldly potentates feel the stings of conscience as well as others.
Felix trembled who was the judge, when Paul the prisoner preached
to him, Acts xxiv. 25. What is the reason of this, but that they know
there is a supreme judge and avenger?
168 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXV.
[2.] To vindicate the righteousness of his judicial proceedings.
Self-accusers and self-condemners have no reason to quarrel with God,
and impeach his justice. Man hath principles and sentiments graven
upon his heart, which justify all God's dealings Avith him : Luke xix.
22, ' Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked and
slothful servant;' Ps. li. 4, 'That thou rnayest be justified when
thou speakest, and clear when thou judgest.' Surely self-condemners,
Titus iii. 11, are without excuse, Kom. i. 20, and have no reason to
murmur at God's proceedings with them. Hence there are frequent
appeals to conscience in scripture : Isa, v. 3, 4, ' Judge between me
and my vineyard, what could have been done more to my vineyard
which I have not done?' So that by conscience man is better
induced to give a testimony to God concerning his judicial proceed
ings, and the righteousness of all his dealings with men.
2. The safety and benefit of man, that he may have an oracle in his
own bosom to direct him to his duty, and to warn him of his danger.
In scripture we shall find two offices of conscience, to direct and
censure, to judge by order of law and right; dejure, what we ought
to do, and de facto, what you have done, or what you are : and if it
fail in the one part, it is a blind and erring conscience ; and if it fail
in the other, it is a dead and sleepy conscience. You shall see con
science is spoken of in scripture both ways. As instructing us in our
duty : Ps. xvi. 7, ' My reins instruct me in the night season ; ' that is,
showed him his duty, and how he was concerned in the law of God, or
the rule which he had given to his creatures. And as it showeth us
what to do, so it reflecteth upon what we have done : if evil, it smiteth
us for it, as David's heart smote him for numbering the people,
2 Sam. xxiv. 10. If good, it cheereth us with it : 2 Cor. i. 12, ' For
our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience/ It smiteth us as it
exciteth fear of punishment ; it cheereth us as it stirreth up hope of
reward : and hereby we do very much understand how [God standeth
affected towards us. In short, conscience, as to the censuring part,
judge th either of act or state ; particular acts whether good or evil ; so
it doth accuse or excuse by turns, Kom. ii. 15. As to our state, if it be
good : Heb. xiii. 18, ' We trust we have a good conscience, willing in
all things to live honestly.' The drift and course was for God, and
the performance of their duty to him. Bad or evil : Kom. i. 32, ' They
that do such things, count themselves worthy of death ; ' that is, not
only as deserving it, but as liable to it. Now it is for our benefit,
that we should have such a faculty to direct, and mind us of our duty,
which we are too apt to forget. So also to censure our acts, that we
may be humbled for them if they be evil, or continue them if they be
good. Our estate, that we may enjoy the comfort of it, before we
enjoy the full reward of it, if it be good ; or may remedy it, and break
off our sinful course if it be evil, while we are capable of a remedy.
II. The value of this judgment, and how much it should be re
garded by us.
1. In respect of ourselves, because it is so intimate to us. Conscience
is God's spy in our bosoms, and man's overseer ; it being so well ac
quainted with us, it can give a better judgment of us than anything
else can. The judgment of the world, either by way of applause or
VER. 20.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 169
censure, is not so much to be regarded by us. The apostle calleth it
the spirit of a man within him, 1 Cor. ii. 11. Though our life be
never so fair that no man can condemn us, and our words and deeds
do not betray us, yet if our hearts condemn us of secret hypocrisy, and
want of love to God, God will much more, who knoweth more of us
than we do of ourselves. Besides, this judge cannot be suspected of
rigour, partiality, and ill-will ; for what is dearer to ourselves than
ourselves ? and therefore, if our own hearts condemn us, what shall be
said for us ?
2. Its relation to God ; it is God's deputy-judge, and in the place of
God to us ; called 'the candle of the Lord,' Prov. xx. 27. And there
fore if it convince us, and accuse us, and condemn us, especially when
we profess and pretend to sincerity ; have we not cause to suspect
ourselves ? for it is God's vicegerent, and sitteth in the throne of God ;
and we may know much of his mind by the voice and report of con
science. Next to the judgment and sentence of God, a man should
reverence the judgment and sentence of his own heart. Doth conscience
acquit or condemn ? so usually doth God : conscience doth all with
respect to God, and in the name of God. The inferior court is not
to be slighted, the sentence there is given out in God's name, and by
virtue of God's authority. To slight the officer or subordinate magi
strate in the duty of his place is to slight the supreme power : Judges
iii. 20, 'And Ehud said unto him, I have a message from God unto
thee ; and he arose off his seat.'
3. The rule it goeth by, which is the revealed will of God, either by
the light of nature or the light of scripture ; his will revealed in his
law, or in the gospel : according to the dispensation men are under, so
have they a conscience, this makes us a light to ourselves : Prov. vi.
22, ' When thou goest it shall lead thee, when thou sleepest it shall
keep thee, when thou wakest it shall talk with thee ; ' that is, the law
of God will direct thee upon all occasions. Conscience worketh by
virtue of that light which God hath put into us. Now to slight con
science, is to rebel against the light of nature, Rom, ii. 14, 15, arid the
light of scripture, Heb. viii. 10. Conscience will tell you what you are
loath to hear, yet hear it ; it will be heard once, better hear it now,
while you may correct your errors ; it doth but repeat over the law of
God to you.
But now some objections may arise.
Object. 1. May we not be deceived in our judgment concerning
ourselves ?
Ans. 1. Not ordinarily ; in condemnation man is over-prone to love
himself, and therefore unless compelled by the manifest force and
evidence of the truth, he would not condemn himself, especially when
affecting the show and reputation of sincerity. Surely, if there were
ground for it, he would not let go his integrity (it is true, some
melancholy mournful souls may write bitter things against themselves,
and mistake in spiritual things), as Prov. xvi. 2, ' All the ways of a man
are right in his own eyes ; ' Rev. iii. 17, 18, ' Because thou sayest, I am
rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing ; and knowest
not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and
naked : I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou
170 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXV.
mayest be rich, and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and
that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear ; and anoint thine eyes
with eye-salve, that thou mayest see.' There is a false presumption of
our good estate. Now then, when our hearts reproach us, and con
demn us for want of love to and neglect of God, and unmindfulness of
heavenly things, it concerneth us to weigh the matter. We can
better trust it condemning than acquitting : 1 Cor. iv. 4, ' If I know
nothing by myself, I am not thereby justified, but every one's judg
ment is of the Lord.'
2. The apostle speaketh of what is rightly done, and according to
rule. Look, as in acquitting we must distinguish between a dead
sleepy conscience, and a tender waking conscience, so in condemning,
between the judgment when under a heat, and passion, and distemper,
and the judgment of conscience in our calm and sedate moods. Surely
if it then condemn us, or give us no good assurance before God, we
have need to look to ourselves. A stupid conscience, and on the other
side a stormy conscience, are not capable of passing a right judgment.
3. It is all one as to our peace, if our hearts judge us wrongfully,
either as to acts or state. Acts : Horn. xiv. 22, 23,'' Happy is he that
condemneth not himself in the thing which he alloweth. And he that
doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith ; and what
soever is not of faith is sin.' A man may do an action lawful, and yet
his heart may accuse or condemn him in it, as if it were unlawful. It
is a damning sin to act against conscience though it err. So as to
state ; he cannot think God acquitteth him whose heart condemneth
him, for he cannot believe against his conscience. There is indeed a
self-condemning as to merit, which entitleth to mercy ; but a self-
condemning as to our actual state must needs breed trouble and grief
of heart, though it be upon false grounds.
Object. 2. But what relief is there for one whose heart condemneth
him ? Must he sit down, and despair, and die ? I answer —
1. In some cases there is an appeal from court to court. In
what court doth conscience condemn you? In the court of the law?
You ought to subscribe to the condemnation as just, and to own the
desert of sin ; and if God should bring it upon you, he is righteous :
Neh. iii. 33, * Thou art just in all that is brought upon us ; for thou
hast done right, but we have done wickedly.' But there is a liberty
of appeal from court to court. You may take sanctuary at the Lord's
grace, and humbly claim the benefit of the new covenant : Ps. cxxx. 3,
4, ' If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, Lord, who shall stand ?
But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.' De
precate the first court, and beg the favour of the second.
2. In other cases there is an appeal from judge to judge. Suppose
conscience condemn you in the gospel court, that you are not sound
believers, the case must not be lightly passed over, but you must exa
mine whether there be a sincere bent of heart in you, yea or no, appeal
to the higher judge ; as when others question your sincerity : ' My wit
ness is in heaven,' saith Job, chap. xvi. 19. So when your own hearts
question it, doth conscience write bitter things against you ? See if the
judgment of conscience be the judgment of God. It is a judge, but
not a supreme judge ; it may err in acquitting, as when from a judge it
VER. 20.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 171
becometh an advocate, excusing the partialities of our obedience ; so
in condemning, when from a judge it becometh an accuser, and exag-
gerateth incident failings beyond measure. Go to the higher judge,
whose act is authoritative and powerful : Job xxxii. 23, ' If there be
a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to show
unto man his uprightness/ Who can interpret your righteousness to
you but his Spirit, when you cannot see it yourselves, and may some
times speak peace in the sentence of the word, when not in the feeling
of conscience, and the lively impressions of his comforting Spirit ?
3. Suppose the worst ; there is a passing from state to state : John
v. 24, 'He shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death
to life.' You are in a state of condemnation now, but get out of it as
fast as you can : Mat. iii. 7, ' Flee from wrath to come ; ' and carry
yourselves accordingly, till your condition be altered ; the door of
grace is always open: Heb. vi. 18, 'Who have fled for refuge to lay
hold upon the hope set before us/
4. If the heart do neither condemn nor acquit, make your qualifi
cation more explicit, and take the same course a condemned man
would do, sue out your pardon more earnestly : Rom. viii. 33, ' Who
shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? It is God that justi-
fieth.' Many times an old litigious title may cost as much in clearing
as the purchase of a new; therefore mind the way of fleeing from wrath
to come, and be more serious in it.
Use 1. Is information. To show the bad condition of wicked men,
who have within themselves an accusing conscience, and above them
selves a condemning judge ; so that a man that doeth evil can never
have a sound peace and quiet within himself, nor have any quietness.
Their disease is the benumbing lethargy of a stupid conscience, they
do not always feel the stings of conscience, but are always subject to it.
Death reviveth them, it may surprise them in an instant. All their
pleasures are but ' stolen waters, and bread eaten in secret,' Prov. ix.
17, poor delights taken by stealth when they get conscience asleep, as
servants that feast themselves in a corner when they can get out of
their master's sight. They are not open and avowed delights. Why ?
Because their hearts condemn them, and God is ready to ratify and
execute the sentence ; everything puts them in a fright : Job xv. 21,
' A dreadful sound is in his ears ; in prosperity the destroyer shall come
upon him.' Surely wicked and impenitent men have no sound peace ;
they dare not look inward or upward with any comfort.
2. How far they are from the temper of religion that live even a
moment without all conscience or against conscience. A good man
looketh to his heart, whether it condemneth or acquitteth ;- but some
live without all conscience, do all things rashly and inconsiderately,
never considering whether they be pleasing or displeasing to God, whether
they tend to the honour or dishonour of G od ; live at haphazard ; if they
do good, it is by accident ; perform the duties of Christianity so far as
the interest of the flesh will give them leave, yea, so far as the flesh
itself will command them to do well, or forbid sin, that it may not
disgrace them in the world, or bring some inconveniency upon them.
These consult not with conscience in their actions, but are guided by
their lusts and sudden passions : others live against conscience, omitting
172 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [Sfill. 'XXV.
duties when conscience loudly calleth for it : James iv. 17, ' Therefore
to him that knoweth to do good, and doetli it not, to him it is sin.'
They will find it with a witness one day ; committing evil against the
apparent checks of conscience, these kick against the pricks; these do not
only break the law of God, but offer violence to their own consciences,
and in effect resist the Holy Ghost, who exciteth them to good, Acts vii.
51, and so are under a great crime.
Use 2. Carry it so that conscience may not condemn you ; the
sentence may be, and usually is, ratified by God. To enforce it, con
sider these thiogs —
1. Conscience is the best friend and the worst enemy ; partly for its
comfort ; it is ' a continual feast/ Prov. xv. 15 ; ' our rejoicing/ 2 Cor.
i. 12. No bird sings so sweetly as the bird in the bosom. Partly for
its nearness ; it is always with us in health and sickness, in life and
death. Husbands and wives, who are most together, yet, because they
live by a distinct life, they are often apart, and at length death cometh
and looseth the band and knot ; but a good conscience is a sweet com
panion, that always remaineth with us. So it is the worst enemy, partly
for its nearness, for a man to be at odds with himself, to fall out with
his own heart. It is a domestic tribunal which we cannot suppress or
get rid of. Let any be your enemy rather than your own conscience.
Job could bear the reproaches of others, but his own ' heart should not
reproach him all his days/ Job xxvii. 6. Partly because of the
grievousness of the wound : Prov. xviii. 14, ' The spirit of a man will
sustain his infirmity ; but a wounded spirit who can bear ? ' It is no
less than the fear of the wrath of the eternal God. Judas found no
relief from his new friends when his conscience wakened upon him,
Mat. xxvii. 3-5. In short, a man cannot run away from his con
science, no more than he can run away from himself. Therefore what
folly is it to please others and offend his own conscience, or to please
his lusts and wrong his conscience, and for the satisfaction of a vain
appetite to incur such horror and trouble ! The satisfying of a lust
is a poor vanishing pleasure, but the keeping a good conscience
breedeth a solid joy, whtoh will stick by thee to the last. When thou
comest to die, it will be a support to thee : Isa. xxxviii. 3, ' Lord,
thou knowest that I have walked before thee with a perfect heart/
When thou must leave riches, and honours, and pleasures, which
are the baits of thy lust, this will stick by thee : 1 John ii. 17, 'The
world passeth away, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for
ever/
2. It is either the beginning of heaven or hell ; a good conscience is
the beginning of heaven, and peace and joy in believing is a foretaste
of that fulness of joy and pleasure which you shall have when you
come into God's immediate presence. The glorified spirits carry a good
conscience with them to heaven : ' Their works follow them/ Kev. xiv.
13 ; and an awakened conscience is a hell upon earth. The damned
carry these stings and convictions into hell along with them : Mark ix.
44, 'Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched/ Oh,
think of this, the joys of the Spirit are the antepast of glory, called often
an ' earnest : ' 2 Cor. i. 22, ' Who hath sealed us, and given us the
earnest of the Spirit.' Horrors of conscience are the suburbs of hell.
VER. 20.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 173
Therefore be sure to keep all quiet within, and do not give conscience
occasion to condemn you.
3. It is easily offended, but not easily appeased. As the eye is
offended with the least dust and mote, which soon gets in, but is hardly
to be gotten out again, so you may violate conscience, but to appease it
costs a great deal of trouble ; therefore there needs much tenderness
and watchfulness, that you make it your daily work, Acts xxiv. 16, 'To
have always aconscience void of offence both towards God and towards
men.' By the commission of deliberate and wilful sins you may raise
a tempest that will not be soon laid again. David felt broken bones
after his foul fall, Ps. li. Joseph's brethren could not put it out of
their minds but that he would avenge the old quarrel, Gen. 1. When
the mists of passion are over, guilt maketh your heart sit uneasy
within you. Therefore do not go like an ox to the slaughter.
4. If conscience speaketh not, it writeth ; for it is not only a witness,
but a register, and a book of record : Jer. xvii. 1, ' The sin of Judah is
written with a pen of iron, and the point of a diamond.' We know
not what conscience writeth, being occupied and taken up with carnal
vanities, but we shall know hereafter when the books are open, Kev.
xx. 12. Conscience keepeth a diary, and sets down everything. This
book, though it be in the sinner's keeping, cannot be razed and blotted
out. Well, then, a sleepy conscience will not always sleep ; if we
suffer it not to awaken here, it will awaken in hell ; for the present it
sleepeth in many, in regard of motion, check, or smiting, but not in
regard of notice and observation.
5. If conscience speak not to you, we must speak to it. Call your
selves to an account for the expense of your time and employment.
The course of your life is a sure evidence of your everlasting estate :
Ps. Ixxvii. 6, ' I communed with my heart, and made a diligent search.'
How do matters stand between God and you ? take some time to
parley with yourselves. Quotidie apud me causam dico, could a
heathen say — I still implead myself before myself ; and if a heathen
did so, should not Christians much more ?
6. If the stings of an evil conscience are not always felt, yet they are
soon revived and forced upon us by serious thoughts of death and judg
ment to come. This fire that smothereth in our bosoms is soon blown
up into a flame. By the word sometimes: Acts xxiv. 25, 'Felix
trembled.' Belshazzar's edge was taken off in the midst of his carous-
ings, Dan. v. 5, 6. By some great troubles ; in a tempest, that which
is at bottom cometh at top : Isa. lix. 12, ' For our transgressions are
multiplied before thee, and our sins testify against us ; for our trans
gressions are with us ; and as for our iniquities, we know them/ Or by
death : 1 Cor. xv. 56, ' The sting of death is sin.' In the confines of
eternity men are wiser, and near things do most affect us, and the baits
of the flesh have lost their allurement. Things overlooked before are
then seriously considered, and the deluded sinner forced to see what lie
would not take notice of before.
7. Sound peace will never be had by smothering checks of conscience,
but making a holy use of them. To smother them breedeth hardness
of heart, but to improve them is the way to a holy peace. What is
the way to improve them ? I shall instance in two ways —
174 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XX VI.
[1.] When the particular conscience condemneth, we must look to it
that the general conscience may acquit us. The particular conscience
referreth to acts, the general to conversation. As to particular acts, he
whose heart doth not condemn him of sin. But how is it as to the
drift and course of our lives ? 2 Cor. i. 12, ' But our rejoicing is this,
the testimony of our conscience, that, in simplicity and godly sincerity,
not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our con
versations in the world.'
[2.] When the legal conscience condemneth us, we must seek our
peace in the evangelical conscience. Now the evangelical conscience
reflecteth on what Christ hath done for us, and wrought in us. Christ
hath shed his blood for sinners : Heb. ix. 14, ' How much more shall
the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself
without spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works, to serve
the living God ? ' and Heb. xii. 24, ' And to Jesus, the mediator of
the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, which speaketh
better things than the blood of Abel.' But that is not all, there is
something also wrought in us, and is ' the answer of a good conscience
towards God/ 1 Peter iii. 21.
SERMON XXVI.
And Jcnoiveth all things. — 1 JOHN iii. 20.
DOCT. That God exactly and perfectly knoweth all things that are in
the world, and is more especially privy to the hearts and ways of men.
Of this the context speaketh. God hath a greater and more certain
knowledge of what we do than our own consciences.
Let me inquire here into — (1.) The properties of God's knowledge ;
(2.) The reasons ; (3.) How this doctrine is entertained by men ; (4.)
What use we should make of it ourselves.
First, What God's knowledge is. Exactly to state it is above the
reach of man ; this knowledge is too wonderful for us, Ps. cxxxix. 6,
far above our capacity to understand the nature of it. But for our
profit, somewhat of it is revealed to us in the scripture ; therefore I
shall give you the properties of it.
1. For the object to which it is extended, it is universal ; the text
saith ' all things ' are known by him. But especially it relateth to
man, all things in man.
Let us a little consider the modifications of this object.
[1.] Things good and evil : Prov. xv. 3, 'The eyes of the Lord are
in every place, beholding the evil and the good.' For good things there
is no doubt, for he is the author of them ; for evil things, God is not
the author of them, but the jndge and punisher, and therefore knoweth
them also. Take another distinction of the object ; things great and
small. It was the corrupt theology of the gentiles, Dii magnet curant,
parva negligunt. One of the wisest heathens compareth him to the
VER. 20.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 175
Persian monarchs, who minded the great affairs of the provinces, but
left other things to the satraps or vicegerents. But we are taught
better divinity in the scriptures, that small things are put under the
providence of God as well as great ; that a sparrow (though two of them
are sold for a farthing) falleth not to the ground without our heavenly
Father, Mat. x. 30. It was no dishonour to God to make them, nor is it
so to preserve them and look after them. Again, God knoweth not only
things necessary, but contingent ; things necessary, or such as depend
upon the stated courses of nature, as the succession of winter and summer,
day and night, the revolutions of the heavens ; he hath appointed to them
a law and a decree beyond which they cannot pass, Ps. cxlviii. 7. But
also things contingent, as depend upon the will of man, or the casual
fortuitous motion of the creature. Christ could foretell they should
meet a man in the city, and bids them to follow him, and keep the
passover in his house, Luke xxii. 10. And he told Nathanael what
he said, and where, John i. 48. And often told the Jews and his
disciples what they thought : Mat. ix. 4, ' Jesus, knowing their thoughts,
said, Why think ye evil in your hearts?' He knew what Paul did in
such a city, such a street, such a house, at such a time, Acts ix. 11.
In short, nothing more casual than a lot : Prov. xvi. 33, ' The lot is cast
into the lap, but the whole disposing of it is of the Lord ;' he knows
how the lot will fall. Once more, he knows things past, present, and
to come. Past ; no oblivion can fall upon God ; a thousand years are to
him as one day, Ps. xc. 4. We forget many of our actions, but God
forgets them not. All things present are known to him, for he sus-
taineth and guideth them in their motions, and they subsist no longer
than he pleaseth : 2 Chron. xvi. 9, ' The eyes of the Lord run to and
fro throughout the earth.' The sun is an emblem and representation
of his knowledge : Ps. xix. 6, ' There is nothing hid from the heat
thereof.' If the sun were an eye, it would see all things it shineth
upon ; only the sun cannot pierce through dark and thick bodies. But
God is over all, and through all, and in all, the great eye of the world.
Man's knowledge is limited and confined to a few things, that fall
within the cognisance of the time and place wherein he liveth ; but
God seeth and knoweth all things. Things to come, which are wholly
out of the reach of man's discovery : Jer. i. 5, ' Before thou wert
framed in the womb, I knew thee." God's foresight is more clear than
our sight, and the substance of things does not give us a better know
ledge of them than God's prescience doth to him : Isa. xli. 23, ' Show the
things to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods.' He
challengeth all the world to be able to foretell future contingencies.
Once more, God knoweth all things that shall be, and might have
been. All things that shall be : Acts xv. 18, ' All his works are
known to God from the beginning of the world.' Past, present,
and to come, make no difference in the understanding of God ;
for from the mount of eternity he hath a prospect of all things,
as if they were now in being. That place is brought to prove that
God did not begin then to take to himself a people from among the
gentiles, but had from all eternity determined to do so. God, that
doth all things in time, knew all these things before all time, otherwise
his knowledge were neither eternal nor infinite. Things are because
176 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXVI.
lie willeth them, and lie willeth them from all eternity. God also
knoweth all things that might have been. He knew that Abimelech
would have defiled himself and Sarah, if he had not withheld him,
Gen. xx. 6 ; that the men of Keilah would have betrayed David into
the hands of Saul, if he had stayed among them, 1 Sam. xxiii. 12.
There is many a man kept bare and low, God knoweth what he would
do if he had power in his hands. Many die young ; God knoweth, if
they had lived forty or fifty years, it would have been worse for them,
they might have dishonoured God more, grieved their relations more,
or been exposed to temptations, which he saw not fit to let loose upon
them. Thus for the universality of God's knowledge, he knoweth all
all things.
[2.] The particularity of God's knowledge. His knowledge is not
only universal, but particular; he knoweth every individual thing and
person. Our persons are known to him by head and poll : 2 Tim. ii.
18, 'The Lord knoweth those that are his ;' and ' the good shepherd
calleth his own sheep by name,' John x. 3. There is not a single
man liveth in the world, but God taketh notice of him ; he doth cer
tainly know that there is such a creature as thou art, such a man or
woman in the world. His decree passed on thee ; he knew thee in the
mass and lump of mankind, and took notice of thee by name when his
creating power passed on thee ; for he knoweth all that he hath made ;
and he is to judge thee, and will set thy life in order before thee, Ps. 1.
21. And therefore certainly knoweth thee, or else he were not an
omniscient judge. There could be no process against thee if the Lord
•were ignorant of thy person ; and his actual providence about thee
implieth it. Thou canst not uphold thyself one moment without him,
and therefore he is as verily with thee as thou art with thyself.
Suppose that God had never a creature to look to in all the world but
thee, wouldst thou not believe then that he doth know thee and
regard thee ? Why not now ? Is there any weakness in God ? is his
mind distracted with variety of objects, that he would not regard thy
person, heart, word, and ways ? is he not sufficient for thee, and as
really present with thee as if he had no other creature else ?
(2.) As our persons, so our ways : Ps. i. 6, ' The Lord knoweth the
way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.' Doth
not God distinguish between his obedient and rebellious subjects, and
know who they are, and how many are of the one sort and the other ?
To deny this were to strike at the root of all piety and obedience. If
he hath not a particular inspection of human affairs, and did not know
the good and evil, what need we take care whether we be good or
evil ?
(3.) As of our way and scope in general, so of every step; he knoweth
all the particularities of our lives: Job xxxi. 4, 'Doth not he see all
my ways, and count all my steps ? ' By our way is meant our general
conversation, and by our steps our particular actions. God seeth us in
all postures, when we laugh, and when we weep, when we are proud,
and when we are angry, toying and praying, when in company or alone,
\vlten buying or selling, and when worshipping and hearing: Ps.
cxxxix. 2, ' Thou knowest my up-rising and down-lying ; ' how ye go
to bed at night, and rise in the morning. And he knoweth not only
VER. 20.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 177
thy actions, but thy heart. It is a mighty awe upon us that he know-
eth our words and actions : Ps. cxxxix. 4, ' Lo, there is not a word in
my mouth, but thou, Lord, knowest it altogether.' God knoweth
it, whether it be savoury and gracious or vain and idle. But this is
not all ; he knoweth our hearts and our very thoughts : Prov. xv. 11,
' Hell and destruction are before the Lord ; how much more the hearts
of the children of men ? ' He setteth forth the knowledge of God by
those things which are most unknown to us, the state of the dead and
the hearts of men. He knoweth all those that are in the state of the
dead, though unknown or forgotten by the most of men ; what is
become of the bodies and souls of men ; the damned spirits in hell, he
keepeth an exact account of all the prisoners ; the bodies in the grave,
he knoweth what is become of their dust, and how to restore to every
one his own flesh and his own body ; and what are the thoughts and
hearts of men now alive. The thoughts of the heart are most hidden
from man till they be revealed by word^or action. Who can know
our thoughts ? what more swift and sudden, what more various and
more hidden than a thought ? and this he knoweth not by guess and
interpretation, by running up our actions into their proper thought and
principle wherein they are founded, but by immediate inspection, and
knoweth them before they are manifested by the event, or any overt act
of word or deed ; what consultations and deliberations we are about
before we conclude anything ; with what hopes, and aims, and con
sciences we are carried on; in whose name we act, and with what
principles and ends : which is of double use to us, partly to breed a
holy fear, and partly a hope in us. An awe, how should we compose
our minds and passions, and the very thoughts of our hearts ! God
seeth all, how should we use our words and order our behaviour ! We
do all in his sight, and speak all in his hearing : he finds out 1 the
thought, word, and deed that is not done in his presence or conceived
in his presence, and then allow yourselves to be vain and frivolous if
you can. And partly to breed a hope in us. God knoweth what is
hatched in hell, or Home, or elsewhere against us ; and therefore let
us do our duty, and rest in the wisdom of God for protection.
3. God's knowledge is most exact and accurate ; it is good to see
how it is expressed to us in scripture : Heb. iv. 13, ' All things are
naked and open before him;' cut down by the chine-bone. When
a beast is dissected and opened, every part is seen, the soundness or
unsoundness of it presently appears. Heathen soothsayers were wont
to look to the inwards of the beasts, and to observe the colour, shape,
and all the defects or perfections of the sacrifice : the prophet alludeth
to it when he saith, Ezek xxi. 21, 'He looked into the liver.' Thus
are all things said to be laid open before God. Sometimes by search
ing: 1 Chron. xxix. 11, 'He searcheth the heart, and trieth the
imaginations of the sons of men.' Sometimes it is search as with
candles, Zeph. i. 12, as one for what is hid or lost. Luke xv. 8, when
the woman had lost her groat, ' She lighteth the candle, sweepeth the
house, seeketh diligently till she findeth it.' We think our sins will
never be heard of more, but he findeth them out, and they find us out :
Num. xxxii. 23, 'Your iniquities shall find you out.' Sometimes by
keeping reckoning: Job xxxi. 4, 'Doth not he count all my steps?'
VOL. xxi. l Q«- ' Fiud out >? - ED M
178 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXVI.
God hath a hook where all is put to account : Mai. iii. 18, ' A hook of
remembrance was written before him ; and Ps. xvi. 3, ' Thou tellest
all my wanderings ; put thou my tears in thy bottle, are they not in thy
book ? ' Words, thoughts, actions, all upon record. What neglects
of grace, omission of duties, violating principles of conscience, God
counteth them all: Jer. xiv. 16, 'Thou numberest my steps, and
watchest over my sin.' Sometimes by weighing and pondering : Prov.
xvi. 2, 'But the Lord weigheth the spirits;' Prov. xv. 21, 'All my
ways are before him, and he pondereth my goings.' Whether full
weight or too light, he knoweth the number, the proportion, the
weight of every one of thy sins ; the person who, the place where, the
time when committed ; what means, warnings, methods of grace, helps
to the contrary, these are brought into the reckoning. Thus by many
metaphors does the scripture set out the exact and certain knowledge
that God hath of persons, and circumstances, and all their actions ;
nothing can escape God, anjl he cannot be deceived, because he goeth
on sound evidence.
4. It is an infinite, perfect, distinct manner of knowing things : Ps.
cxlvii. 5, ' His understanding is infinite : Of his understanding there is
no search ;' Isa. xl. 28 ; it is beyond the reach of man's shallow capacity
to conceive of it. I add this, because it is hard for us to understand how
God should at once know all things that are done by so many several men,
in so many several parts of the world, and hearken to all their prayers.
Lucian scoffed at the heathen gods, as if they were forced to run hither
and thither, to hear the prayers made in the eastern and western parts
of the world, and the disorders that fell out in Greece while the gods
were banqueting in Ethiopia. An infinite understanding can see all
things at once, for he understandeth all things in a way different from
man ; not successively, and by discourse one after another. A man
cannot read a book in a moment, but must go from line to line, and
page to page ; but God knoweth all things in an instant, and that
by one act of understanding, as if a man could read a book through by
once looking on it. His knowledge is not confounded with multiplicity
of objects ; as God had a prospect of the whole creation at once, Gen.
i. 31, ' He saw all that he had made.' It is all one to him to know all
things, and know but one thing. When two or three speak together,
we are not able to take in their sense and meaning, our senses and
understandings are finite. Now when many speak to God at the same
time, it is but as if one spake ; an infinite eye seeth all, and an infinite
ear heareth all, and that clearly and distinctly, without confusion.
II. The reasons which the scripture giveth for the belief of this
knowledge.
1. The immensity and greatness of God ; God is in all, and above
all, and beyond all, nowhere included, and nowhere excluded. And so
his omnipresence doth establish the belief of his omniscience : Jer. xxiii.
23, 24, ' Am I a God at hand, and not afar off ? Do not I fill heaven
and earth ? can any hide himself in secret places, that I should not see
him ? ' God is everywhere, not only with respect to his powerful and
efficacious providence, but with respect to his essential presence. God
is there wherever you are. Now if he be with us, surely he knoweth
us. He is present with all the world, and therefore he doth regard and
VER. 20.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 179
observe all the world : you may take liberty to sin when God is gone
or absent from you, and you can get behind his back ; but that can
never be, and therefore we must do all things as in his presence.
2. From creation. God hath made our hearts, given us the power
to affect, think, purpose, and do, and therefore knoweth what is in us :
Ps. xciv. 9, 10, ' He that planted the ear, shall- not he hear? he that
formed the eye, shall not he see ? ' God knoweth how the creature
will act, for he gave it power to act. Surely he that made man know
eth what is in man ; his knowledge is answerable to his power. He
that made the heart of man observeth what they do, what counsels
they have in hand. This argument is again used, Ps. cxxxix. 13,
' Thou hast possessed my reins; for thou hast covered me in my mother's
womb.' He that made our heart, knoweth our words, works, thoughts,
and all. Once more : Ps. xxxiii. 13-15, ' The Lord looketh from
heaven ; he beholdeth all the sons of men. From the place of his
habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth. He
fashioneth their hearts alike, he considereth all their works.' He that
formed their souls as well as their bodies is able to judge particularly
the operations of their hearts. Every wise agent knoweth what he doeth,
and to what end he maketh anything, and how it may be used or
employed. The same argument is urged by the prophet Isaiah, chap,
xxix. 16, ' Shall the thing formed say of him that formed it, He hath
no understanding ? ' This is brought to confute them that say, Who
seeth us, who knoweth us ? or thought they could hide their counsels,
so as God should not see them. Alas ! all lieth open to God's eye, as
the fashion of the pot of clay doth to the potter : God cannot be igno
rant of anything that is in his own work. You cannot imagine he
knoweth not what you think and do ; when he made you, if he had so
much wisdom to give you the power, he knoweth the act.
3. From God's government. There is a twofold government of God,
and both infer the truth in hand —
[1.] Powerful, and by his effectual providence, as he governeth all
creatures.
[2.] Moral, by his laws, as he governeth the reasonable creature.
[1.] The government of his effectual providence, which is necessary
to all our actions : ' For in him we live, and move, and have our being.'
Acts xvii. 28. All things move as he moveth them in their natural
agency. The creature can do nothing without him, and actually doth
nothing but by him : his wisdom guideth, his will intendeth and com-
inandeth, his power moveth and disposeth all. He is more intimately
present with us than we are with ourselves, governing and sustaining
all things : ' His hand leadeth us, and his right hand doth still uphold
us,' Ps. cxxxix. 10. We cannot do anything, go anywhere, without his
gracious supportation. Now doth God support a creature whom he
knoweth not, and in any action which he understandeth not ? Christ
knew that virtue passed from him when the multitude thronged him,
Luke viii. 45, 46. In the great throng of creatures God knoweth who
is sustained by him, and to whom the influence of his providence
reacheth. Now then, since he is as verily with thee in every place as
thou art there thyself, is he present with thee, and regardless of thee,
of thy thoughts and words and ways ? It cannot be.
180 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXVI.
[2.] His moral government. All persons and causes of men are to
be judged by bim, and therefore are most eminently and fully discovered
to him. Surely he that is to be judged of God must be clearly known
to him, both as to his actions and thoughts ; how else can he judge
righteously either now or hereafter ? Job xxxiv. 21, 23, ' His eyes are
upon the ways of marl, and he seeth all his goings. Therefore he will
not lay upon man more than is right, that he should enter into judg
ment with God ; ' that is, will not excessively and unjustly afflict man :
Ps. xciv. 10, ' He that chastiseth the heathen, shall not he correct ? he
that teacheth man knowledge, shall not he know ? '
III. How this truth is entertained by men.
1. Some atheistically deny it: Job xxii. 13, 14, 'And thou sayest,
How doth God know ? can he judge through the thick cloud ? Thick
clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not, and he walketh in the
circuit of heaven.' Atheists have carnal and gross thoughts of God,
as if he were confined within the heavens, and had no sense and care
of what was done below, or had other business to mind than to look
after the sons of men : Ps. Ixxiii. 11, ' How doth God know ? and is
there knowledge in the Most High ? ' Many that dare not simply deny
a deity, yet deny a providence : they measure God by themselves, their
own shallow conceptions ; whereas God is infinitely exalted above
what we can comprehend.
2. Some question it, if they do not deny it : Isa. xxix. 15, ' Woe
unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and
their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us ? and who
knoweth us ? ' Ezek. viii. 12, ' They say, Who seeth us ? the Lord hath
forsaken the earth.'
3. Some forget it : he is not far from us, but we are often far from
him ; they acknowledge this truth in the general, but they forget it in
particular, in the course of their conversations : Ps. xxxvi. 4, ' The
transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear
of God before their eyes.' What could he do worse, if no God to take
notice of him ? Profaneness is practical atheism ; they do not deny,
but forget; or they deny not in words, but in works. We should
often revive this thought, God knoweth, and taketh notice of what we
do : Ps. cxix. 168, ' I have kept thy precepts and thy testimonies ;
for all my ways are before thee. '
4. Some slight it through impudence and obduration in sin : Zeph.
i. 12, ' The Lord will do neither good nor evil.' They acknowledge
there is a God, and that he is omniscient, holy, and just, yet dare sin
against him : Ps. x. 17, ' He hath said in his heart, The Lord will not
require it.'
5. Most carry themselves as too unmindful of it, as appeareth by
these evidences.
[1.] In the general ; men would be other manner of persons, in all
holy conversation and godliness, if they did always set God before them.
The all-seeing eye of a holy God would make them more circumspect and
watchful. But because men live without God in the world, therefore
are their conversations so full of vanity and sin : Gen. xvii. 1, ' I am
God Almighty, walk before me, and be thou perfect.'
[2.] More particularly ; men would make more conscience of their
VER. 20.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in.. 181
thoughts, if they did remember that God knoweth their thoughts
afar off, Ps. cxxxix. 2. Would they indulge themselves in such a
liberty of lustful, covetous, envious, malicious, and unbelieving thoughts,
and feed their minds with these things, if they did well consider that
God knoweth all things ?
[3.J The disproportion of our respects to God's eye and man's : they
can fancy a matter in the dark, and not be troubled about it. We are
usually more awed with the presence of a man than with the presence
of God. You will do that which God knoweth, which you would not
do when man knoweth it. He knoweth your fraud, your uncleanness,
your licentiousness : Jer. ii. 26, ' The thief is ashamed when he is found/
Job xxiv. 17, ' If a man know them, they are in the terrors of the sha
dow of death.' If a man know anything amiss by them, they are full
of anguish and shame. Why should not conscience be awakened more
by thoughts of God's knowledge ? It would trouble us to have a win
dow into our hearts ; is not all open and naked to God's eye ? In short,
how watchful are we not to incur the penalty of man's law ! but of
fences against God are lightly passed over.
[4.] The best have not such a sound and serious belief of this truth,
nor do not improve it as they ought to do, as appears partly because
we are more troubled with this or that branch of corruption which
breaks out to our disgrace, than about the body of death, or indwelling
sin, which is the cause of all ; the root should be more grievous to us
than the branches. Partly by this ; in company, what lofty expres
sions and flowing eloquence will men enlarge themselves in prayer !
but how slight and overly in closet duties, if not too commonly neglect
ful of them ! What is this but in effect to say that our Father doth
not see in secret ? Partly, also, what will you say if we are troubled
more with brokenness of expression than unbrokenness of heart ? the
one layeth us open to sharne and disgrace with men, the other is more
offensive and displeasing to God.
IV. What use shall we make of it ?
1. Terror to the wicked. God seeth them here and hereafter, and
will call them to an account ; there is no escaping his sight here, nor
shifting his tribunal hereafter. Adam, by running to the bushes, did
not hide himself from the Lord, neither did he hide the Lord from
himself. God seeth, and God seeth as a judge : Jer. xxxii. 19, ' Thine
eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men, to give every one
according to his ways, and according to his doings.' God is not a bare
spectator of what is done in the world, but a judge, an avenger of
what is evil: and his solemn judgment at the last day will most dis
cover his omnisciency, ' When the hidden things of darkness are made
manifest, and the counsels of the heart are brought to light,' 1 Cor.
iv. 5. In that, as you cannot evade his knowledge, you cannot escape
his power.
2. Comfort to the godly.
[1.] God knoweth their persons : Exod. xxxiii. 12, ' I know thee by
name : ' he taketh special notice of them. All things are under a
providence, but they are under a special providence ; a father cannot
forget how many children he hath, though in a large and numerous
family he cannot presently reckon up all his servants.
182 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXVI.
[2.] God knoweth their conditions, wants, and necessities: Mat. vi.
32, ' Your heavenly Father knoweth that you need these things ; ' Exod.
iii. 7, ' I have seen the afflictions of my people, and known their sorrows.'
God is so well acquainted with our wants, that he cannot forget us nor
neglect us.
[3.] Our prayers are heard, not lost in the darkness of secrecy : Mat.
vi. 6, 'Thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.' He
that knoweth thy heart, will give thee the desire of thy heart.
[4.] Thy duties are rewarded, and rightly understood. First, Certainly
rewarded : 2 Chron. xvi. 9, ' For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro
throughout the earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them
whose hearts are perfect with him ; ' Heb. vi. 10, ' God is not unright
eous to forget your labour of love.' Secondly, Kightly understood.
Men may be ignorant of what we do, but God is not ; as Potiphar
was ignorant of Joseph's faithfulness ; he put him in prison for his
integrity, Gen. xxxiv. 19, 20; the butler forgot him, Gen. xl. 43.
Some will not own it, but God knoweth : 1 Cor. iv. 3, ' But with me it
is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judg
ment.'
Use. Is to awaken all to a greater mindfulness of this truth.
First, Let it be believed, and the faith of it more settled in your
hearts. Besides creation and providence, and God's immensity or omni
presence and government, the arguments mentioned before, there are
evidences of it —
1. In the human nature of Christ ; he discovered himself God
while he was in the flesh, and this perfection of his Godhead did shine
forth through the human nature, that he knew men's hearts, and their
inward thoughts. He turneth out the very inside of their minds in
the story of his life often : John ii. 25, ' He knew what was in man.'
2. By the light of the prophetical spirit : 2 Kings v. 26, ' Went not
mine heart with thee, when the man turned again from his chariot to
meet thee ? ' As if he had said, I saw him light out of his chariot, and
what he gave thee, and where thou laidst it. God had bestowed
upon him an extraordinary spirit, whereby he could discern things done
in his absence. So another prophet, Ahijah, when Jeroboam's wife
thought to have put a cheat upon him, his eyes being dim by reason
of age: 1 Kings xiv. 6, ' Come in, thou wife of Jeroboam, why feign-
est thou thyself to be another ? '
3. The gift of discerning spirits bestowed on the apostles, 1 Cor.
xii. 10, whether church-gifts, or sincerity of men's hearts, in order to
discipline : Acts v. 9, ' How is it that ye have agreed together to
tempt the Spirit of the Lord ? ' that is, the prophetical spirit.
4. Another instance is God's finding us out in our secret sins by his
word, searching the heart : Heb. iv. 12, ' The word of God is quick
and powerful, and sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing even to
the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow,
and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart ; ' 1 Cor.
xiv. 25, ' And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest.' By
his Spirit enforcing the sense of our secret sins upon us : Job xiii. 26,
' Thou writest bitter things against me, and makest me to possess the
iniquities of my youth.' Old sins, long since forgotten, come into fresh
VER. 20.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 183
remembrance, and we know not how to get rid of the horrors of them.
By his providence: Num. xxxii. 23, ' Behold, ye have sinned against
the Lord ; and be sure your sin will find you out ; ' Gen. xlii. 21, ' We
are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the anguish
of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear him : there
fore is this distress corne upon us.' The man was rough and untract-
able to them, as they had been to their brother : afflictions open the
eyes, they are God's rack.
Secondly, Kemember it often in your whole conversation ; you are
always before God, therefore serve him 'in holiness and righteousness
all the days of thy life/ Luke i. 75 ; Prov. xv. 21, ' The ways of a
man are before the Lord, and he pondereth all his goings.' He weigheth
every circumstance of thy life. If this were better thought of, there
would be less disorder in the world. Heathens gave this advice, that
in the presence of a Cato, or severe reprover, there needs no fiction or
supposition in the case ; and a greater than Cato is here. God is
really present everywhere, but we do not think of it. He seeth, and
' is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity.' We should inure ourselves
to these thoughts.
Thirdly, We must actually revive this thought in solemn duties,
when we come to act the part of angels, and to behold the face of our
heavenly Father. In every duty God knoweth the frame of our hearts
and affections; and wilt thou be cold and careless in the sight of God?
There God immediately is the party with whom we have to do, in
hearing and praying : Heb. iv. 13, ' Neither is there any creature that
is not manifest in his sight ; but all things are open and naked unto
the eyes of him with whom we have to do;' Acts x. 33, 'Now therefore
we are all here present before God, to hear all things that are com
manded thee of God.' He knoweth what thoughts and affections are
stirring in your hearts ; God is everywhere with us, but we are not
always and everywhere with God.
Fourthly, In a time of temptation. When sin assaults with the
advantage of secrecy, and other inviting circumstances to commit it,
Gen. xxxix. 9, say, ' How shall I do this wickedness, and sin against
God?' We must check it by this consideration, God seeth, God
knoweth : Esther vii. 8, ' Will he force the queen before me in the
house ? ' Shall we break God's laws before his face ?
Fifthly, To make you faithful in your stations. God invests us with
them, that we may improve them for his glory. Magistrates : 2 Chron.
xix. 1, 'The Lord is with you in the judgment;' Ps. xcii. 1, ' God
standeth in the congregation of the mighty.' Diodorus Siculus telleth
us of some heathens who had some empty chairs of state advanced
above their tribunals as for their gods, to show they were present, and
had an inspection over all acts of judicature : Ezek. v. 8, ' If thou
seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment
and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter ; for he that is
higher than the highest regardeth, and there be higher than they.'
Ministers : 2 Cor. ii. 17, ' But as of God, in the sight of God speak
we in Christ ; ' 1 Thes. ii. 4, ' Even so we speak, not as pleasing men,
but God,' who trieth our hearts. Masters of families are to walk in
their houses with a perfect heart : Ps. ci. 2, ' I will behave myself
184 SER5IONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXVII.
wisely in a perfect way ; I will walk within my house with a perfect
heart.' Though shut up in their families from the observation of others,
yet God seeth them ; therefore hehave yourselves wisely and prudently
there. Servants : Col. iii. 22, 23, ' Servants, obey in all things your
masters according to the flesh ; not with eye-service, as men-pleasers,
but in singleness of heart, fearing God ; and whatever ye do, do it
heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.'
SERMON XXVII.
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence
toivards God. — 1 JOHN iii. 21.
HERE is the effect of a good conscience. In the words we have — (1.)
A condition supposed, ' If our hearts condemn us not ; ' (2.) A privi
lege asserted, ' Then have we confidence towards God.'
First, The condition supposed. There are three functions and offices
of conscience : there is, first, a knowledge, remembrance, or keeping
up of principles, according to which our state and actions must be
interpreted ; secondly, a sense of our actions, or what is done, or left
undone, in conformity or contrariety to those principles; thirdly, a
judging or applying to ourselves those rules which concern our fact or
state. As to the first act and office, conscience hath the force of a
law and rule, informing us of good or evil. With respect to the second
act, it is a witness, testifying what we have been or done. With respect
to the last act, it is a judge, to condemn or acquit as the matter shall
require. As, for instance, in that copulate axiom which you have,
Bom. viii. 13, 'If ye live after the flesh, ye shall die ; but if ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.' Take the
first part ; he that 'liveth after the flesh shall die,' meaning the second
death ; there conscience interposeth as a law or rule. But I ' live after
the flesh ; ' there conscience interposeth as a witness : therefore I shall
die the second death ; there it condemneth as a judge. Take the second
clause, and you will have an instance of conscience not condemning or
acquitting : ' They that by the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body
shall live ; ' but I mortify the deeds of the body, therefore I shall live.
Now if conscience goeth upon a right principle, and beareth true evi
dence, the sentence and judgment remaineth firm, or in full force, be it
by way of condemnation or absolution. As in the first reasoning, the
conclusion must needs breed sorrow, trouble, and dejection of heart,
which must not be put off till God put it away ; that is, till we break
off our fleshly course of living, and obtain our pardon and peace by
Jesus Christ. In the second reasoning the sentence of absolution is u
ground of comfort, and giveth boldness in our approaches to God.
Once more, conscience may condemn us two ways — in part or in
whole ; according to the strictness of the first covenant, requiring
unsinning obedience ; on the equitable terms of the second, accepting
VER. 21.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 185
our sincere obedience. Our hearts may accuse us of imperfection, but
not of insincerity and hypocrisy, or partial dealing with God. lu this
latter sense is the text taken.
Secondly, The privilege, ' Then have we confidence towards God.'
1. What is this confidence ?
[1.] It is sometimes put for boldness, or not fearing any danger or
evil from one : 1 John ii. 28, ' That when he shall appear we may have
boldness, and not be ashamed at his coming.' And so the sense will
be, You need not fear any danger from him ; for God will not be
wanting to them that walk sincerely before him. So it is said the
' righteous are bold as a lion,' Prov. xxviii. 1. So Phil. i. 20, ' Accord
ing to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be
ashamed, but that, with all boldness, as always, so now, Christ shall be
magnified in my body, whether it be by life or death.' That he should
boldly avow the truth, as fearless of any danger ; living and dying, he
should glorify Christ. A Christian feareth nothing that is established
upon sound terms : Ps. xxiii. 4, ' Though I walk through the valley
of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.' They are not discouraged
and disquieted, as others, with the apprehensions of danger ; as not
from men, so not from God, to whom they look chiefly. Fear and
dread of God's displeasure followeth the consciousness of sin, but
expectation and hope of reward and good countenance from God is the
natural result of righteousness and holiness. This is the first notion
of the word ' confidence/ and not to be excluded here.
[2.] It signifieth liberty in prayer, a telling God all our mind, and
so it signifieth praying freely to God, and asking of him whatever we
stand in need of ; a freedom to speak our hearts and open our minds
to God in all necessities : Eph. iii. 12, ' In whom we have boldness,
and access with confidence, through the faith of him ; ' and Heb. iv.
16, 'Let us come boldly to the throne of grace.' We may present our
selves and our requests before him with confidence. Only let me note,
that this confidence noteth liberty of heart rather than liberty of speech ;
not a flowing of words so much as a holy confidence of audience and
acceptance whenever we draw nigh unto him.
2. In what sense we may be said to have it. It may be understood
de facto or dejure. It is not meant of the first only, for two reasons —
(1.) Because otherwise it were not an argument of the value of the
testimony of conscience if we have confidence towards God, and he doth
not allow it or approve it ; for though he doth not say, If our hearts
condemn us not, God will not condemn us, as in the former verse, ' God
is greater than our hearts, and knoweth all things ; ' yet it must be
understood, or else the apostle's reasoning were impertinent. (2.)
Because de facto all that are sincere have not this confidence ; they
have a right to it, though they enjoy it not ; for there needeth another
witness : Eom. viii. 16, ' The Spirit itself beareth witness with our
spirit that we are the children of God.'
Doct. That a good conscience is one means to open an effectual door
to us for free and full communion with God.
I shall prove two things to you —
1. That it is a great privilege to have free and full communion with
God in his worship.
18() SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXVII.
2. That a good conscience hath a great influence on this.
I. For the first, that free and full communion with God in his wor
ship, expressed here by boldness, or 'confidence towards God/ is a
great privilege. This will appear if you consider —
1. Man's forfeiture by sin ; God's image, favour, and fellowship lost
all at once. All sweet commerce between us and God was cut off,
as is evident by the story of the fall, where you will find man first a
fugitive, and then an exile. First he ran away from God, and then
God banished him out of his presence, Gen. iii. 8. When God came
walking in the garden in the cool of the day, Adam and his wife hid
themselves, as being afraid of the presence of the Lord ; they shuffled
out of the way, and ran among the trees of the garden ; and afterwards
we read again, ver. 23, 24, that God sent him forth, and drove him out
of his presence, and set a guard of cherubims, and a flaming sword
turning every way upon paradise, which was a figure of his wrath.
As it was thus with Adam, so it was with all his posterity ; sin is the
wall of partition between us and God: Isa. lix. 2, 'Your iniquities
have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his
face from you, that he will not hear/
2. The estrangement of the heart that grows upon this forfeiture,
as appeareth by that legal bondage and those guilty fears which are
natural to us. Sinners fear God, and fly from him : ' I was afraid,
and hid myself/ saith Adam, Gen. iii. 10; and all his posterity have
the same disposition : Isa. xxxiii. 14, ' Who among us can dwell with
devouring burnings ? ' Yea, it appeareth by the bashfulness and in-
confidence that befalleth the children of God by reason of sin. The
fears of a guilty child make him shun his father's presence, as David
kept silence when he had sinned, Ps. xxxii. 3. Strangeness and dis
tance groweth between God and us while sin lieth on the conscience.
3. The majesty of God, and the state which he kept during the old
testament dispensation. In the whole frame of that worship, God
would show them how unworthy sinners were to approach and draw
nigh to him and his holy things. When they were married to him
in the covenant on Mount Sinai, there was a rail between him and the
people, and they were not to go up into the holy mount, or touch the
border of it, under penalty of being put to death, Exod. xix. 12, 13.
In their passage to Canaan, the common Israelite was not to come
near the ark lest he died, Num. i. 53, but the Levites were to inter
pose between God and them. The Levites also were not to be too bold ;
some of them were chosen out to touch the staves of the altar, and
perform other ministries, but not to see the holy things when covered,
lest they died, Num. xix. 20. Sinful man must not come too near the
great God. The priests were to minister at the altar of burnt-offerings,
but not without solemn washings, Exod. xxx. 20. The high priest
(Lev. xvi. 2, ' And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy
brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the
veil before the mercy-seat, which is upon the ark, that he die not ') was
not to be too familiar with God; and if any of these orders were broken,
judgments were executed, and they were struck dead in the place.
The people were sensible of these restraints : Num. xvii. 17, 18, ' And
the children of Israel said unto Moses, Behold, we die, we perish, we
VER. 21.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 187
all perish. Whosoever cometh anything near unto the tabernacle of
the Lord shall die : shall we be consumed with dying ? ' Some were
killed with the sword, the earth swallowed up others, some died with
pestilence, and all for making too bold with God in his holy things.
4. The many failings which the best are conscious of. When we
consider the exact inspection of God, and the many infirmities of the
best Christians, it is a wonder they can have any confidence towards
God, when our own conscience condemneth us of many things ; but
the Lord layeth not them to our charge where the heart is sincere for
the main ; and he could observe many more things against us than our
consciences do, yet such is his mercy and fatherly love, that he will
pardon and reverse all these failings, and will delight in our converse
with him : Prov.- xv. 8, ' The prayer of the upright is his delight.'
God looketh more to their good than their ill ; though he knoweth
more by them than all the world, or they themselves do, yet if our
hearts do not reprove us of partial dealings, we may plead, 2 Kings
xx. 3, ' I beseech thee, Lord, remember now how I have walked
before thee in truth and with a perfect heart, and have done that which
is good in thy sight.'
5. The thing itself is very valuable. This confidence towards God,
what is there in it ?
[1.] A readiness to converse with God and come into his presence ;
whereas otherwise the heart is shy of him, and hangeth off from him ;
as Israel, when they had sinned in the matter of the calf, they durst not
come near the sanctuary, but worshipped every man afar off at his
tent-door, Exod. xxxiii. 8, as looking what success Moses' mediation
would have with the Lord about reconciling him to his people, when
he was angry and ready to depart. Now when we can cheerfully come
into God's presence, and converse with him, we have boldness to enter
into the holiest, Heb. x. 9 ; we have leave to come, and a heart to
come : to have both is a very great privilege. Liberty of access, with
assurance of welcome and audience, surely is a great favour and privi
lege ; the soul cannot keep away from God.
[2.] A free familiarity. When we come, we unbosom ourselves to
him as a man would unto his friend, and tell God all our mind, acquaint
him with all our griefs, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, temptations, con
flicts ; tell him plainly how it is with our souls. This is that free
spirit David begs for, and had lost some degree of it by his sin, Ps. li.
12, and is set forth by Ps. cxix. 26, ' I declared my ways, and thou
heardest me.' We keep back nothing from him : Ps. Ixii. 8, ' Trust
in him at all times, pour out your hearts before him.' We lay down
our burden at his feet; we deal openly and plainly with him.
[3.] A childlike trust, that he will pity and help us, that our persons
and duties are accepted with him ; for much of the disposition of
children lieth in owning him as a Father. The spirit of adoption was
given us to this end and purpose : Rom. viii. 15, ' But we have received
the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father ; ' and Gal. iv.
16, ' He hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, whereby
we cry, Abba, Father/ Oh, what a mercy is this, to come to him, not
as our judge, but as our Father, not with a spirit of fear, but love !
It is not a tribunal of justice we stand before, but a throne of grace.
188 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXVII.
Surely to have a merciful reconciled Father to go to, and make our
moan for relief in all our distresses and wants, is a very comfortable
privilege, that we cannot sufficiently value. Whosoever scorneth and
slights him, a Christian knoweth where he may be welcome : ' My
friends scorn me, but mine eye poureth out tears to God,' Job xvi. 20.
Though slighted elsewhere, he will not be refused there. Surely God
will deal kindly with his children ; his fatherly love will not suffer him
neglect them, or any of their concernments.
[4.] The rich treasure that we have an interest in and free access
unto. God's all-sufficiency is our storehouse ; he hath grace enough
to pardon our sins, to pity and relieve our miseries, to heal our natures,
supply our necessities, to help us in our straits, and finally to save us
with an everlasting salvation. This confidence implieth a dependence
on God's all-sufficiency, Gen. xvii. 1. Cast all your care upon him,
1 Peter v. 7. Earthly parents, their affections and power are limited.
Now to come to such a God every day, and to know that as often as
we come we are welcome to him, in and through Christ, our persons
and prayers are pleasing to him, and that he will give us all the
things we ask of him according to his will, what a mercy is this !
II. What influence hath a good conscience upon it ?
1. The door of access to God is opened by Christ. It was first
opened by the merit of his passion, and is still kept open by his inter
cession ; therefore it is said, Heb. iv. 15, 16, ' For we have not a high
priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but
was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us there
fore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy,
and find grace to help in a time of need ; ' Heb. x. 19, ' Having therefore,
brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus.'
Our peace and atonement was made with God by Christ's passion,
represented and pleaded by his intercession.
2. It supposeth our justification by faith, for otherwise we are not
entered into the evangelical state: Rom v. 1, 2, 'Being justified by
faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ ; by
whom also we have access by faith.' Till we are accepted in the
Beloved, we have a charge lying against us : Acts xiii. 38, 39, ' Be it
known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; and by him all that
believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be
justified by the law of Moses.' This is a ground of rejoicing : Rom.
viii. 33, 34, ' Who then shall lay anything to the charge of God's
elect ? '
3. Our justification is evident to us when conscience witnesseth on
good grounds that we do not allow ourselves in the omission of any
known duty, nor in the commission of any known sin : Heb. x. 22, ' Let
us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with
pure water.' When we are justified and sanctified, and our con
sciences, which were unquiet by reason of sin, are purged and purified,
then we may cheerfully come to God for all things. Particularly —
(1.) To remove terror ; (2.) To establish boldness and confidence.
VER. 21.] SERMONS UPON UOHN in. 189
[1.] To remove terror. There are two things obstruct our soul's
access to God — our own guiltiness and God's terror.
(1.) Our own guiltiness, that straitens the heart, and stoppeth the
mouth, and breedeth bondage in us. All the world naturally is
become guilty before God, Rom. iii. 19 ; but they who are renewed
and pardoned, they come out of this guilty and wretched estate, and
by little and little are settled and established as to their consciences,
as their pardon and sanctification is made more evident to them by a
holy conversation : Rom. vi. 14, ' For sin shall have no dominion over
you.' Where sin reigneth not, they come to understand their estate by
grace, and so vanquish their legal fears. Where worldly and fleshly
lusts bear sway, a man is under the law, not under grace. The law is
alive or dead according to the state a man is in, either of sin or holi
ness. He that liveth in a state of sin still carrieth his sting and wound
about him, and is always under doubts and fears, or hath the matter
and ground of them. Certainly they have not the true courage and
boldness of the saints. Not only their flesh and spirit is at war in
their hearts, but law and grace. As the Spirit prevaileth against the
flesh, so doth grace prevail against our law-fears : ' For they that are
led by the Spirit, are not under the law,' Gal. v. 18 ; that is, not under
its condemning power. So Bom. viii. 14, ' Ye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear, but the Spirit of adoption, whereby we
cry, Abba, Father.' If we live in obedience to the motions of the
sanctifying Spirit, he doth as a Spirit of adoption overcome our legal
fears.
(2.) God's terror. God is our friend and Father in Christ ; not a
terrible judge, but a reconciled Father; and his throne is not a judg
ment-seat, but a mercy-seat. He is terrible to those that lie in their
sins; they look upon him as a malefactor doth upon his judge, a rigid
lawgiver or severe avenger ; as a condemning God, not as a pardoning
God. But not so to those that are adopted and taken into his family ;
he maketh the renewed and sanctified his children, and is pleased to
own them as a Father : ' That we should be holy, and without blame
before him in love ; having predestinated us to the adoption of children,'
Eph. i. 4-6. Surely when God is our Father, the chief cause of all our
fear and trouble is gone. We have no cause to fear the flames of hell,
or sting of death, and the terror of the judgment, any further than to
make ready for the day of judgment. Surely then we can not only
draw nigh to God, and behold his face with comfort and confidence
now, and rejoice in his presence with us in the ordinances, but also
look and long for his appearance, when he shall come in his glory :
2 Tim. iv. 8, ' Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteous
ness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day ;
and not to me only, but unto all them that love his appearing ; ' Rev.
xxii. 20, ' He who testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly,
Amen. Even so come Lord Jesus.'
[2.] To establish boldness and confidence; for —
(1.) There is an everlasting merit to depend upon, and that is the
blood of Christ, quieting the conscience : Heb. ix. 14, ' How much
more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
himself without spot to God, purge our consciences from dead works
190 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN Ilf. [SER. XXVII.
to serve the living God ? ' Heb. xii. 24, ' And to Jesus, the mediator
of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh
better things than the blood of Abel.' We are admitted for Christ's
sake, and have only his righteousness to plead against the first cove
nant.
(2.) Here is a blessed covenant, wherein God hath showed his will
ingness to accept us, and hath given us his warrant for the discharge
of the sincere and upright : Rom. viii. 1, 'There is now no condemnation
to them that are in Christ, who walk not after the flesh, but after the
Spirit.' Therefore, if our consciences do not charge us with a doubling
with God, what should disquiet our minds ?
(3.) There is a sure claim, and that is sincerity, when our hearts
condemn us not, nor reproach us for any voluntary wilful neglect of or
disobedience to the laws of Christ, or living in any wilful and allowed
sin ; yea, rather acquit us, assure us of such sincerity to God and Christ,
that we can appeal to his all-seeing eye : John xxi. 17, ' And he said
unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee.'
Now surely all this will breed boldness, and be matter of joy and con
fidence to us : 2 Cor i. 12, ' For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of
our conscience, that, in simplicity and godly sincerity, we have had our
conversation in the world.'
Object. Will not this strengthen the security of the wicked, to leave
all upon the judgment of conscience? Jer. xvii. 9, 'The heart is
deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked ; who can know it ? '
Many men's consciences do not condemn them ; they absolve themselves
with great confidence, which is not to be imputed to the strength of
their faith, but the hardness of their hearts.
Ans. 1. Wicked men are never perfect as appertaining to the consci
ence ; they have not a true sound peace ; it is but a truce, as appeareth
because it is so soon disturbed by the seriousness of their own thoughts,
their troubles, the agonies of death. A dead stupid conscience they have,
but not the rejoicing of faith and liberty towards God. It is not the
lively sense of God's love ; their hearts reproach them, though they
regard it not.
Ans. 2. It doth suppose that conscience doth its office rightly, and that
all things concur which are necessary to a good conscience. As —
[1.] Some competent knowledge of the gospel, the privileges and
duties thereof. Carnal men are bold through ignorance. Now,
' without knowledge the heart is not good,' Prov. xix. 2 ; as in out
ward courts, through ignorance of law or false evidence, wrong sentence
may be given. Therefore the apostle supposeth them to be persons
whose hearts and consciences are in some measure enlightened in the
things of God, and are still inquiring what is his holy, good, and ac
ceptable will.
[2.] One that hath heartily consented to the new covenant so under
stood : 1 Peter iii. 21, ' Baptism doth also now save us, not the putting
away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience
towards God.' When they answer to the Lord's offers and demands
in the gospel, thankfully accepting the offered benefits, faithfully re
solving, by the strength of the Lord's grace, to perform the required
duties, this is the covenant made with God in baptism.
VER. 21.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 191
[3.] Those that set their hearts to fulfil their covenant-vow : ver. 22,
' Whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his command
ments, and do the things which are pleasing in his sight.' Now those, if
their hearts do not condemn them of doubling, and dealing insincerely
with God, they have liberty and confidence : Gal. vi. 16, ' As many as
walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, as upon
the whole Israel of God.' On the contrary : Ps. Ixvi. 18, ' If I regard
iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.' In short, then, those
that allow no sin, complain of it, fight against it, and study to please
God in all things, and abound therein more and more ; those are
declared to be sincere that seek to be without offence, Phil. i. 10. If
men walk crookedly, they break their confidence, and cannot look God
in the face with any comfort.
[4.] That the case be well studied and weighed before conscience
pronounceth and passeth the doom, for the heart is very deceitful :
1 Cor. xi. 29, ' Let a man examine himself ; ' 2 Cor. xiii. 5, ' Examine
yourselves whether ye be in the faith ; prove yourselves ; ' when a
man well knowing his duty doth often search and examine himself,
his conformity and inconformity thereunto, to see if any of these be
wanting. Blind men cannot judge of colours. If no hearty consent
to the covenant of grace, founded in the blood of Christ, he hath not
taken the course to pacify conscience. If it be not his hearty and daily
endeavour to please God, it is impudence, not confidence ; if there be
slightness before the matter be debated, and doth undergo a full trial
and hearing, it is rashness and presumption, hypocrisy and senseless
overweening.
Use 1. That liberty in prayer is so great a mercy, that we should
not easily sin it away, and make our sincerity questionable ; the
heavenly trade is then interrupted, and comfortable commerce between
God and us broken off. Before we come into God's glorious presence,
he first traineth us up by inviting us into his gracious presence, and
the throne of grace is the porch of heaven. God taketh this course,
not only to settle our affections, that we may begin that acquaintance
here which there shall be perfected and consummated, but to try our
confidence. If we cannot come to God in prayer, how shall we come
to God in heaven, and in a dying hour cheerfully set sail for eternity,
and launch into the other world ? Now whilst we are insincere, serious
prayer is irksome ; we can have no delight in God's company, or com
fortable thoughts of him ; while we indulge any secret sin, every duty
is a penance to us. Therefore do not lose your liberty and openness
of heart to God, but preserve the friendship settled in the covenant of
grace inviolable and entire.
2. That God's presence, which is the comfort of the faithful, is the
burden of the carnal and the guilty. The presence of God is terrible
to sinners ; they think they are never better than when farthest off
from God and most forget God. The devil and the wicked sympa
thise : Mat. viii. 29, ' What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son
of God ? art thou come hither to torment us before the time ? ' Job
xxi. 14, ' They say unto God, Depart from us, we desire not the know
ledge of thy ways.' God's presence and company is a burden to them.
Now into what a miserable condition hath sin brought men ! It hath
192 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXVIII.
changed their joy and content into the greatest terror. Wicked men
can neither fly from God's presence, nor yet well endure it.
Use 2. To press Christians to keep a good conscience. If you would
maintain your liberty and confidence towards God, carry yourselves so
that conscience may not condemn you. There are so many blessed
fruits accompany it, that we should value it the more. If you have it
not, you want liberty in prayer, here mentioned ; no hope of glory, no
sweetness in the word, no readiness in duty, nor strength to resist sin,
nor comfort in distresses and afflictions. But if you have it, you can
not conceive the joy that accompanies it : Kev. ii. 17, ' To him that
overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna ; and will give him
a white stone, and in the stone a name written, which no man
knows but he that receives it.' It makes the thoughts of God sweeter,
for he is your Father ; his mercy, for it is your portion. His justice is
not your terror, but support. His wrath you have escaped ; as the
Israelites looked back on the Red Sea, and saw their enemies drowned
and they escaped. His world of creatures are for your use and service ;
heaven is your Father's palace ; Christ is your Redeemer and Saviour :
the word is your charter ; ordinances and prayer the porch of heaven ;
the Lord's supper the table God keepeth for his children.
SERMON XXVIII.
And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep Ms com
mandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. —
1 JOHN iii. 22.
IN the context the apostle is speaking of the benefit of a good con
science. It is double —
1. Confidence towards God.
2. Acceptance with God ; or, if you will, access to God, and success
in prayer. Of confidence to make the prayer we spake in the former
verse ; acceptance of it, when it is once made, of this in the text, ' And
whatsoever we ask, we receive of him/ &c.
In the words there are two things —
1. The privilege of a good conscience, 'Whatsoever we ask, we
receive of him.'
2. The character and property of a good conscience, ' Because we
keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in his
sight.'
1. For the privilege ; and here note —
[1.] The universality and extent of it, ' Whatsoever we ask.'
[2.J The certainty, ' We receive ; ' not, we shall receive ; we are as
certain to receive it as if we had it already.
2. The character, evidence, and property of a good conscience,
' Because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are
pleasing in his sight.' This is fit to be added, because he had only
YER. 22.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 193
described conscience by its act of absolving or not condemning. Now
lie slioweth this must be understood of conscience rightly proceeding.
It is usually and truly observed that there is a fourfold conscience —
[1.] Quiet and not good: Luke xi. 21, 'When the strong man
keepeth the house, all that he possesseth is in peace.' There must
needs be a calm when wind and tide goeth together.
[2.] Good and not quiet ; as when David thought he was utterly cut
off, and cast out of God's sight : Ps. xxii. 31, ' I said in my heart, I
am cut off from before thine eyes ; nevertheless thou heardest the voice
of my supplications.'
[3.] Such as is neither good nor quiet ; such was Judas' conscience :
Mat. xxvii. 3, 4, ' Judas repented, saying, I have sinned in betraying
innocent blood.'
[4.] A conscience both good and quiet. It is good, for ' we keep his
commandments, and do the things which are pleasing in his sight.'
As it is good, so it is also quiet ; for in the former verse he saith, ' It
condemneth not.' This good and quiet conscience is set forth by two
expressions, one relating to the matter, the other to the aim of our
obedience.
(1.) The matter, ' Because we keep his commandments;' meaning
both moral and evangelical ; faith in Christ, and love to God and man,
as he explaineth himself, ver. 23 ; and this done evangelically, by the
Spirit of Christ and love of God : 1 John ii. 5, ' Whoso keepeth his
word, in him is the love of God perfected/
(2.) For the aim, ' And do those things which are pleasing in his
sight.' Those things only please God which he hath commanded ; as
you please a man when you do what is according to his will. Now
this is the aim of the sincere heart, to please God in all things ; and if
we set ourselves to do so, God will not be a stranger to us : John viii.
29, ' He that sent me is with me ; for I do always the things that
please him.'
There is nothing of difficulty remaineth, but only the connection
between the two clauses, which seemeth to be causal, ' Because we keep
his commandments, and do the things which are pleasing in his sight.'
Ans. It is a condition, not of merit, but order. By obeying him
we are qualified to have our prayers heard by him ; but yet not for our
merit, but his merciful promise to hear us : Dan. ix. 18, ' Not for our
righteousness, Lord, but for thy great mercies.'
Doct. Such as make conscience of obedience may obtain of God
whatsoever, in reason and righteousness, they ask of him.
I shall handle the point in this method.
1. I shall show you in what large terms God hath invited and en
couraged us to prayer.
2. I shall state the case, how we may ask so as to be sure to speed.
3. I shall speak of God's answer, and the success of our prayers.
I. In what large terms God hath invited and encouraged prayer.
Here in the text, ' Whatsoever we ask of him we receive.'
1. In some places there are indefinite promises of audience ; as Ps.
1. 15, ' Call upon me, and I will hear thee.' So Job xxii. 27, ' Thou
shalt make thy prayer unto God, and he shall hear thee;' Ps. xxxvii.
14, ' Delight thyself in the Lord, and he shall grant thee the desire of
VOL. xx r. N
104 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN TIL [SER. XXVIII.
thy heart ; ' and Isa. xlv. 19, ' I said not unto the house of Israel, Seek
ye me in vain ;' Mat. vii. 7, 8, ' Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek,
and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you : for every
one that asketh receiveth ; and he that seeketh findeth ; and to him that
knocketh it shall be opened.' Now though these places do not tell us how
much God will grant, or how far he will hear the prayers of his people,
yet they show us that it is not labour in vain to seek God ; and we have
all the encouragements in the world to come and acquaint him with all
our desires, griefs, fears, wants, and requests ; for what cannot God do ?
and what will not prayer do with a good God, who is able to do what
he pleaseth, and hath promised to do what we desire ?
2. There are promises that have universal particles annexed ; as
John xiv. 13, 14, 'Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name,
that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask
anything in my name, I will do it.' So John xv. 7, ' If ye abide in me,
and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be
done unto you/ So John xv. 16, ' Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father
in my name, he shall give it you.' The same is repeated, John xvi.
23, ' Verily, verily I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father
in my name, he will give it you.' And many more such expressions
there are in the word of God. Not that men have a lawless liberty
allowed them, to give vent to all their desires, how unjust and unrea
sonable soever they be, and that God's power shall lackey upon their
vain fancies and appetites. No ; these large and universal offers admit of
limitations propounded in scripture, which must be regarded, that we
may not make promises to ourselves, and set God a task by our self-con-
ceitedness and vain fancies, and think him engaged beyond what he is
pleased to bind himself unto. And the use of these universal particles
is to encourage us against the straits and diffidence of our own hearts :
though we ask things so great for their worth, difficult to compass, and
which we are so unworthy to receive, yet none of these things should
discourage us, and straiten our expectations, that when we come to God,
if our requests be just and equal, he will grant them for Christ's sake.
II. To state the case ; how must we ask, that we may be sure to
speed ?
1. The first thing to be observed is the qualification of the person ; for
unless you put yourselves into a receiving posture, according to the
terms of the promise, you cannot expect to speed. Now none are in
a receiving posture but such as are in grace and favour with God, such
as are justified and sanctified, and live in obedience to him : Prov. xv.
8, ' The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord ; but the
prayer of the upright is his delight ; ' John ix. 31, ' God heareth not
sinners ; but if any be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he
heareth ; ' James v. 16, ' The fervent effectual prayer of a righteous
man availeth much ; ' Ps. Ixvi. 18, ' If I regard iniquity in my heart,
God will not hear me.' These and many other places show that if we
would have our prayers heard and accepted with God, we must be
righteous, not live in the open practice of any known sin, nor secretly
foster it in our hearts. And therefore though prayer should be rnaed
with the greatest earnestness and confidence, yet if the consciences of
men reprove them of any looseness and lightness of spirit, that they
VER 22.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 195
have served God by halves, and are off and on with him in their prac
tice, if they be not heard in the evil day, they cannot challenge God for
breach of promise, but themselves of neglect of duty ; for if they will
not hear God, why should God hear them ? This reason is given, Prov.
xx. 9, ' He that turueth away his ear from hearing the law, even his
prayer is an abomination.' Not only his vile practices, but his prayers.
Therefore, if you would have God's ear, obey him and hearken to his
voice ; and then for the asking you may obtain anything which a good
conscience will permit you to ask of him ; and upon other terms you
must not deal with God. Keep close to God's will, and he will give
you your will. Surely it is a profitable thing to obey God. Do you
do that which God requireth of you, and God will do that which you
ask of him.
2. The next thing to be regarded is the matter of our prayers and
requests, and there we have the limitation : 1 John v. 14, 15, ' And
this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask anything
according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he hear us,
whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired
of him.' All the business is, what is the meaning of that, ' According
to his will ? '
With conformity to his revealed will.
With due submission and reservation of his secret will.
Surely with conformity to his revealed and commanding will,
that we ask nothing that is sinful or unjust ; as if we would seek to
entice God to our lure, and to avenge our quarrels ; as Balaam built
altars and offered sacrifices to draw God to curse his people ; or when
we would have God to bless us in some unlawful undertaking or pur
pose, or are biassed by envy, revenge, or any corrupt and carnal affection,
and to ask things contrary to charity, or that meek spirit that should
be in Christians. Unlawful desires put into prayer are a double evil,
as contrary to God's law, and as presented in prayer. The wills of
God's children are limited by his word and will. The Spirit in them
maketh intercession according to the will of God, Rom. viii. 27.
When we mingle our lusts with our prayers, we make this pure
stream muddy, and would put dross into Christ's golden censer,
as if he should mediate that our lusts should be fulfilled, and sins
accomplished.
[2.] With a due reservation of and submission to his secret and
decreeing will. Many things are lawful, yea, commanded, yet we must
ask them with submission to the will of God ; that is, we must use the
means, and refer the success to God. As, for instance, when parents
ask the conversion of their children, and children the lives of their
parents ; but God disposeth of the event as it pleaseth him. Again,
many things may be good in themselves, but are not good for us ; as
Moses desired to enter into the land of Canaan, which God saw not
good for him. So thou art sick, and wouldst fain have thy life pro
longed, and therefore in the bitterness of thy heart makest thy moan
to God, as Hezekiah did ; it may be the Lord will take thee from the
evil to come, and translate thee to glory, which is much better for thee ;
as David fasted and prayed for the life of the child : 2 Sarn. xii. 22,
' Who can tell whether the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child
196 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXVIII.
may live ? ' In this reservation of God's will we have two exceptions —
if it be for God's glory and our good.
(1.) God's glory : John xiv. 13, ' Whatever ye ask the Father in my
name, I will do it, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.'
Whatever belongeth to our duty we must do ; but for the event, how
he will be glorified, we must submit it to God.
(2.) For our good. Grace layeth this restraint upon the will of a
renewed man, but of this good, God will be judge, and not we. It may
be good for us to be afflicted, Ps. cxix. 71. Temporal things being but
accessary to our happiness, and belonging to our comfortable condition
in the world, but not of absolute necessity to our salvation, should not
be peremptorily asked, but in submission and limitation of God's will :
Mat. xxvi. 39, 'Yet not my will, but thine be done ;' so far as God
seeth them good for us. The short is, that in things necessary to sal
vation, we shall not be refused ; in other things, we should not ask of
God anything that agreeth not with his will, or is against his glory, or
may be hurtful to ourselves. Till we learn to acquiesce in the will
of God, and seek the most necessary things of God, we do not pray
aright.
3. The next limitation is as to the manner.
[1.] Fervently, and with that life and seriousness which such requests
call for : Mat. vii. 7, ' Ask, seek, knock.' Prayer is not answered if the
spirit of prayer be wanting, or those lively affections which are necessary
to constitute a prayer : James v. 16, ' The effectual fervent prayer of
a righteous man availeth much/ Afterwards he instanceth in Elias,
ver. 17. If a cold prayer meets with a denial, we have no cause to
complain. The ardency of holy desires is wanting; we are not in
earnest, which is the soul of prayer, though the form and fashion of it
be kept up: Dan. ix. 3, 'I set myself to seek the Lord;' Jer. xxix.
12, 13, 'And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for
me with all your hearts.' When God hath a mind to work, he sets
the spirit of prayer a-work.
[2.] Christ hath put faith among the conditions required to prayer :
Mat. xxi. 22, 'All things that ye ask in prayer, believing, ye shall
receive ; ' or, as it is in Mark xi. 24, ' What things soever ye desire,
when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.'
There must be a confidence of that power that we would set a-work,
and of God's will and goodness to pity and relieve us. As things are
tendered to us in the promise, so are we bound to believe and pray for
them, and no otherwise ; for the word of promise is the measure, ground,
and foundation of prayer. And as to the promise of temporal things,
it is either personal or common. Personal ; so God absolutely promised
to some of his servants to give them temporal blessings, so absolutely
to be believed and prayed for. So he promised to Abraham to multiply
his seed as the sand on the seashore, Gen. xxii. 17; and this promise
Abraham was to believe with an absolute faith, whatever difficulties
there were to the contrary, Rom. iv. 18-21. God promised David the
kingdom, and anointed him by Samuel, but for a long time he was kept
in a private and perplexed condition, yet bound to be confident. So
God promised Paul the life of all that were with him in the ship, Acts
xxvii. 25, therefore in the greatest difficulties he encouraged his com-
YER. 22.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 197
panions: 'Wherefore, sirs, he of good cheer; for I believe God, that
it shall be even as it was told me.' But the common promise of the
blessings of this life is not absolute, but shall be dispensed to us as it
shall be for God's glory and our good, and therefore are not to be
absolutely asked nor absolutely expected from God. So the saints
express themselves about these things: Joel ii. 14, 'Who knoweth if
lie will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him, even a
meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord ? ' God will hold us
in suspense about these things, and try our godliness and submission.
But yet though there be uncertainty about particular blessings, we
must always pray in faith. It is one thing to believe for certain that
God will grant our petition with this condition, if the grant be for his
glory and our good, and another thing to believe absolutely that he
will not deny the particular thing we ask of him, without such excep
tion and reservation. Of the former, we must be persuaded in all our
petitions ; of the latter, we cannot be confident ; there we can only say,
Who knoweth but that God may do it for us ? for it is not for us to
determine what is most conducing to the glory of God, or profitable
for us; all must be left to our heavenly Father, upon whose good
pleasure all our happiness dependeth. We must be persuaded of his
all-sufficiency, refer it to his goodness, as not to be troubled about it.
[3.] To the manner the end also belongeth, that the prayer be
directed to his glory : James iv. 3, ' Ye ask and receive not, because ye
ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts/
III. I shall speak of God's answer, and the success of our prayers ;
and there are several distinctions and considerations.
1. Sometimes God giveth an answer presently, at other times after
some competent space of time ; as Cornelius at the time of prayer,
Acts x. 3, and while the duty is a-doing, an angel was sent to him at
the ninth hour to assure him his prayers were heard. The ninth hour
was the usual time of prayer: Acts iii. 1, ' Now Peter and John went
up to pray at the ninth hour.' So Daniel, chap. ix. 20, 21, 'And while
I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin, yea, whilst I was
speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision
at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time
of the evening oblation/ The Lord is ready to answer the prayers of
his servants in the very instant of praying. So Acts iv. 31 , ' While
they prayed they were filled with the Holy Ghost/ The cases were
singular and extraordinary as to the token and manner of assurance ;
but as to the substance of the blessing, it is the common practice of
God's free grace: Isa. Iviii. 10, ' When they call, I will answer ; when
they pray, I will say, Here am I ; ' Isa. Ixv. 24, ' While they are speak
ing, 1 will hear/ The company that was met to pray while Peter was
in prison were heard at the time, Acts xii. 12, 13 ; God sent Peter to
them.
2. Sometimes a good while after. The prayers are upon record in
God's book : Mai. iii. 16, 'A book of remembrance was written before
him/ This God doth to exercise our faith, to believe what we see not.
Nay, God will hear them, though they know not the way how nor time
when : Micah vii. 7, ' Therefore I will look unto the Lord, I will wait
for the God of my salvation, my God will hear me/ And to try our
198 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXVIII.
patience ; for he saith, ' I will wait for the God of my salvation.'
Though he doth not grant as soon as the prayer is made, yet we must
believe what we see not, and wait for what we have not. Paul prayed
thrice, 2 Cor. xii. 8. God taketh his own time for despatch. Abraham
prayed for a child, but many years he goeth childless.
Sdty. Consider the several ways how God giveth answer to his people's
prayers.
1. Extraordinarily ; so in ancient time, as an angel was sent to Cor
nelius, to Daniel, to Abel by fire, Heb. xi. 4, to Abraham by vision, to
Saul by oracle.
2. Ordinarily, and so several ways.
[1.] By granting the mercy prayed for ; as to Hannah : 1 Sam. i. 27,
' For this child I prayed, and the Lord hath given me the petition that
1 asked of him.' So to David : Ps. xxi. 2, ' Thou hast given him his
heart's desire, and hast not withheld the requests of his lips.' So often
to his people, when they have humbly sought to him, he giveth them
the very blessing they ask.
[2.] By giving in spiritual manifestations of his grace to the soul,
though he doth not give the particular mercy prayed for ; as when
upon prayer he reviveth the soul of him that prayeth : Job xxxiii. 26,
' He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him, and he
shall see his face with joy ; ' Ps. cxxxviii. 3, ' In the day when I cried
unto thee, thou answeredst me, and didst strengthen me with strength
in my soul.' Comfort is an answer; support is an answer: such an
answer had Paul, when God told him his ' grace was sufficient for him/
2 Cor. xii. 9 ; when the heart is quieted, though we do not know what
God will do with our requests. Hannah, when she had prayed, her
heart was no more sad, 1 Sam. i. 18.
[3.] Sometimes by way of commutation and exchange. So God doth
answer the prayer though he doth not give the mercy prayed for, when
he giveth another thing that is as good or better for the party that
prayeth ; though not in kind, yet the same in weight and value. This
commutation may be three ways —
(1.) In regard of the persons. David fasteth and prayeth, and
humbleth his soul for his persecutors, Ps. xxxv. 13, but it returned
into his own bosom, that is, it was converted to his own benefit. His
fasting had no effect upon them, but his charity did not lose its reward.
David prayeth for his first child by Bathsheba, but God giveth him
Solomon instead thereof, 2 Sam. xii. 15. In that supposition, 'Noah,
Daniel, and Job shall save their own souls,' Ezek. xiv. 18. They that
wished peace to a house, ' if the house was not worthy, their peace re
turned to them,' Luke x. 5, 6. They should have the comfort of dis
charging their duty.
(2.) In regard of the matter. Carnal things are begged, spiritual
given ; not a pompous kingdom to Israel, but the promise of the Spirit,
Acts i. 6, 7. Moses would fain enter into Canaan, but God saith,
Deut. iii. 27, ' Let it suffice thee ; speak to me no more of this
matter ; ' would fain 1 have a Pisgah sight, and be eased of the trouble
of the wars. We would have a speedy riddance of troubles, but God
thinketh it not fit; they go off by degrees. Showers that come by
drops soak into the earth better than those that come by a tempest or
1 Qu. omit ' would fain ' ? — ED.
VER. 22.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN TIL 199
hurricane. We ask for deliverance from troubles, and God will give
courage in troubles : Lam. iii. 55-57, ' I called upon thy name,
Lord, out of the low dungeon. Thou hast heard my voice ; hide not
thine ear at my breathing, at my cry. Thou drewest near in the day
I called upon thee : thou saidst, Fear not.' His gracious and powerful
presence in trouble was enough. Christ himself ' was heard in that he
feared,' Heb. v. 7 ; not saved from that hour, but supported and
strengthened in it. Job prayed, sacrificed for his children when they
were feasting, Job i. 5. God gave him patience, that he charged not
God foolishly when they were destroyed, ver. 20.
(3.) In regard of means. We pray such means may not miscarry ;
God will use other ; as Abraham would fain have Ishmael the child of
promise, but the Lord intended Isaac : ' Oh, that Ishmael might live
before thee ! ' Gen. xvii. 18. God may give us our will in anger, when
the thing begged turneth to our hurt. Therefore the way or kind of
God's answer must be referred to his own will in all things, for which
we are not to pray absolutely. And when we have discharged our
duty, and endeavoured to approve our hearts to God, take what answer
he will give.
Use 1. To show us with what confidence we must pray. You must
be persuaded that God will hear you according to your will or need,
when you ask things agreeable to his will, and fit for you to receive in
your station, and with a due subordination to his glory and the
interest of his kingdom ; upon other terms you should not ask any
thing of God. To support you, that you shall have what you ask,
there are three things — (1.) God's nature ; (2.) Christ's merits ; (3.)
The promises of the gospel.
1. God's nature. We conceive of God as wise, and powerful, and
good : all encourage prayer. God's wisdom and providence : Mat. vi.
8, ' Your Father knoweth what things you have need of before you ask
him.' His almighty power : Eph. iii. 20, ' He is able to do beyond
what we can ask or think ; ' Mark xiv. 36, ' Abba, Father, all things
are possible unto thee.' With these thoughts should we come into God's
presence. And lastly, his goodness and love ; that must not be left
out : John xvi. 27, ' The Father himself loveth you, because ye have
loved me, and believed that I came out from God.' Christ's intercession
made way for us, but the Father's love prevented that. We have wrong
thoughts of God if we do not think of his self-inclination to do good.
His readiness to hear and forgive doth encourage poor creatures to come
to him. All these things make him a God hearing prayer. And to
encourage poor suppliants —
2. There is the merits and mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ :
Heb. xii. 2, ' Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,
who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despised
the shame, and is sat down at the right hand of God ; ' Rom. viii. 3,
' God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin,
condemned sin in the flesh ; ' Heb. ix. 24, ' For Christ is not entered
into the holy place made with hands, which are the figures of the true,
but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.'
We have a friend in court, who will join with us in the requests we
make to God, whose intercession answereth to the motions of his Spirit
in our hearts.
200 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXVIII.
3. There are the gracious promises of the gospel, by which all
necessary things are secured to us. And though the dispensation of
particular blessings are reserved to God's good pleasure, yet there are
certain general promises which concern us for the present, of which \vc
may be confident; as that God will never utterly fail his people : Heb.
xiii. 5, ' He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee ; ' that
he will dispose of all things for the best to them that love God, Horn,
viii. 28 ; that he will not leave us to insupportable difficulties, 1 Cor.
x. 13. This should satisfy us.
Use 2. It teacheth us that we should look after the answers of
prayer. Certainly a man that is serious and sincere in prayer will be
earnest for an answer : Ps. Ixxxv. 8, ' I will hear what the Lord will
speak.' A gracious heart dareth not take God's name in vain, nor make
prayer a vain babbling or empty prattle, but will be listening and
hearkening after news from heaven : Ps. v. 3, ' I will pray and look up.'
Watch to see what cometh. Foolish boys, that knock at a door in
•wantonness, will not stay till somebody cometh to open to them ; but
a man that hath business will knock, and knock again, till he gets his
answer. To people that consider not what they do, whose prayers are
the sacrifices of fools, they throw away their prayers, and never look after
them, what cometh of it ? but they that are in earnest, and are per
suaded God heareth them, will wait for an answer. We should the
rather do this —
1. Because answers of prayer are notable confirmations of faith
concerning the truth of God's being and promises: Ps. Ixv. 2, ' Oh, thou
that nearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come ; ' Ps. xviii. 30, ' The
word of the Lord is a tried word; he is a buckler to all that trust in
him;' Ps. cxxxviii. 2, ' Thou hast magnified thy word above all thy
name.' They see this is the God to be prayed unto, these promises to
be trusted in ; that this God will not fail those that seek him, and
depend upon him. Now we should seek confirmation from experience,
as a rebuke and check to that atheism that still remaineth in us.
2. Excitements to love and obedience. Nothing increaseth our
love to God as to see he is mindful of us upon all occasions, especially
in our deep necessities: Ps. cxvi. 1, ' I will love the Lord, for he hath
heard the voice of my supplications.' Every answer of prayer is a
special instance of God's love to us, and so it begets love to God again ;
it is as new fuel to increase the fire.
3. Encouragements to pray again : Ps. cxvi. 2, ' Because he hath
inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I
live.' The throne of grace will not be neglected by them that have
found good success there ; they see there is mercy and help to be found.
As one adventure in point of traffic succeeding well encourageth
another, so is the success of duty : Ps. xxxii. 6, ' For this shall every
one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found.'
From David's ready audience and despatch.
4. God will lose much honour, praise, and thanksgiving, if we do
not regard his answers : Ps. 1. 15, ' Call upon me in the day of trouble,
and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me ; ' Col. iv. 2, ' Con
tinue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.' We are to
gather matter of praise to God ; as the intercourse between heaven and
2.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 201
earth is maintained by vapours and showers, so is commerce between
God and us carried on by donatives and duties, by holy prayers arid
God's gracious answers.
SERMON XXIX.
Because we keep his commandments, and do those things which are
pleasing in his sight. — 1 JOHN iii. 22.
I COME now to the second thing, the character and property of a good
conscience. Here are two expressions, one relating to the matter of
our obedience, the other to the end.
1. The matter, ' Because we keep his commandments.'
2. The end and aim, 'And do those things which are pleasing in his
sight.'
Doct. That those have a gospel good conscience who keep God's
commandments, and do the things which are pleasing in his sight.
Here I shall inquire —
1. What it is to keep God's commandments, and do the things that
are pleasing in his sight.
2. How this is a gospel conscience; what could the law require
more ?
3. How this doth constitute a good and quiet conscience, free us
from fears of being rejected, and give us hopes of being accepted with
God.
I. What it is. The first expression is to keep the commandments
of God. Here we must open two things —
(1.) Commandments ; (2.) Keep ; the object, and the act.
First, The commandments that must be kept; and they are of several
sorts.
1. Moral and evangelical ; so it is explained in the next verse, ' And
this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his
Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.'
Love is our primitive holiness, faith belongeth to our recovery. Not
only the moral law is the rule of our duty, but the gospel also ; faith
is commanded : John vi. 29, ' This is the work of God, that ye believe
on him whom he hath sent.' Sin is not our work at all ; the affairs of
the world are our by work. Particular duties are subordinate to the
great duty of the gospel, not our main work, nor must be gone about.
So repentance is commanded: Acts xvii. 30, ' He hath commanded all
men everywhere to repent.' At your peril will it be if you refuse this
grace. Gospel obedience falleth under a command ; it is not an indif
ferent thing, whether we will accept the remedy, yea or no. Moral
duties are evident by natural light. Remedial and gospel duties de
pend upon a positive institution, though highly reconcilable to natural
light.
2. First-table and second-table duties; as faith in Jesus Christ, and
202 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III.
love to one another. We must make conscience of all duties we owe
to God and men : Acts xxiv. 16, ' Herein do I exercise myself, to have
a conscience void of offence towards God and towards men.' There is
a first table and a second ; some are very punctual in dealing with men,
but neglectful of God. But both tables are owned from heaven, Kom.
i. 18. Some will not wrong men of a farthing, but stick not to rob
God of all that fear, love, trust, delight, which is due to him. They
will not defile their bodies with open uncleanness, but commit it in
their hearts ; they condemn the rebellion of Absalom, yet disobey their
heavenly Father. No murderers, but strike at the being of God ; are
tender of men's good name and reputations, but dishonour and take the
name of God in vain. Others are much in worship, but unconscionable
in their dealings with men; will not swear an oath, but are very
uncharitable, censuring their brethren without pity and remorse. This
is the fashion of the world, to be in with one duty and out with
another. The commandments are introduced by this preface, ' God
spake all these words/ Exod. xx. 1. He that hath enjoined the one
hath enjoined the other ; but as the echo rendereth but part of the
speech, so do we in our returns of obedience. God spake all, and we
return but a part.
3. Smaller as well as greater duties: Mat. v. 19, 'Whosoever shall
break the least of these commandments, and teach men so to do, shall
be least in the kingdom of heaven.' God counteth his authority de
spised, and the commandments and obligatory power of his law to be
made void by him that shall either in doctrine or practice count any
transgression of his law so light and venial as not to be stood upon, or
ns if it were a trifle to be so nice and exact as not to make conscience
of petty things, such as vain thoughts, light words, or passionate
.speeches. Deceit of heart is found on both sides. Some are apt to say,
' It is but a little one, and my soul shall live/ as Lot of Zoar. No sin is
little that is committed against the great God ; and it argueth the more
wickedness to break with God upon every trifling occasion. A little
force will make a heavy body move downward, because it is its natural
motion. Others are apt to stand much upon lesser things. John xviii.
28, the Jews would not enter into the judgment-hall lest they should
be defiled, yet at that very time they sought the life of the Lord of
glory. Hypocrites make a great business about small matters, wherein
the flesh and self have some special interest, when the weighty common
duties are little valued, relished, or insisted on ; by-matters, and the
more uncertain points which self hath espoused, are contended for with
all zeal and earnestness : Mat. xxiii. 23. They reject the weighty things
of the law, such as faith and love ; judgment and mercy are omitted,
while they tithe mint, anise, and cummin ; like one that cometh into
a shop to buy a pennyworth, and stealeth a pound's worth, or pays a
small debt, that he may run deeper into the creditor's books, and so
deceive him of a greater sum.
4. Commandments that require public and private duties; to fail in
either consists not with sincerity. In times of trouble many content
themselves if their hearts be right: 2 Cor. vii. 1, 'Cleanse yourselves
from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit/ The libertines in Corinth
did so. It is no matter whether they own God publicly, or, if they
VER. 22.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 203
will, yet, to gratify their neighbours, go to an idol-feast; as if a wife
should prostitute her body, and pretend that she keepeth her heart
loyal to her husband. Others make a fair show to the world, but in
their family converse are loose and careless. David saith, Ps. ci. 2, ' I
will walk in my house with a perfect heart.' If a man be truly holy,
he will show it at home as well as abroad, in his family where his con
stant converse is ; yea, in his closet and secret retirements. A Chris
tian is alike everywhere, because God is alike everywhere. We strain
ourselves to make our best appearance in public, God will be served
with our uttermost in private also.
5. There are commands concerning the government both of the in
ward and outward man. We must make conscience of both, or else
our conscience is not a good conscience : Isa. Iv. 7, ' Let the sinner
forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts.' Not only
make conscience of our way or our outward actions, but also of our
thoughts, and the secret operations of our hearts : James iv. 8, ' Cleanse
your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded.' As
we should riot do evil before men, so not think evil before the holy
God ; for those things fall under a law as well as the overt acts.
6. There are some commandments we have no great temptation to
break, others that lie more cross to our humours and interests ; there
fore not some or many must be kept, but all. A sanctified judgment
must approve all, a sanctified will choose all, as justly good, necessary,
and profitable for us ; and in our endeavours we must obey all : Rom.
vii. 12, ' The law is holy, and the commandment holy, just, and good.'
The law in general, and that commandment which had wrought such
tragical effects in his heart, it is all good, how contrary soever to our
natural or perverse inclinations. If we set up a toleration in our
hearts, we are not sincere : Ps. Ixvi. 18, 'If I regard iniquity in my
heart, God will not hear me ; ' that is, if he did cherish it, and secretly
foster it. There is something wherein you would be excused by God,
and expect favour from him. A man that would keep out the cold in
winter shutteth all his doors and windows, yet the wind will creep in,
though he doth not leave any open hole for it. We must reserve no
sin ; some will remain after the best care and caution. Therefore we
must not obey God in some things, and break with him in others, ' Nor
trust to our own righteousness and commit iniquity,' Ezek. xxxiii. 13.
If the bosom sin be not weakened, your whole righteousness is called
in question : Ps. xviii. 23, ' I was upright before him, and kept myself
from mine iniquity.' There are some sins most incident to us by
temper of body, course of life, or carnal interests. Now we should
mainly cross that sin which is most pleasing, and dry up that unclean
issue that runneth upon us. Thus for the object.
Secondly, The act, ' Keep ; ' that noteth two things — (1.) The in
ward respect which we have to God's laws ; (2.) The outward action
or course of life which results from this.
1. The inward respect which we have to God's laws in our memories,
consciences, and affections : Prov. iii. 1, ' Let thine heart keep my com
mandments.' The heart keepeth them when we keep them in mind so
as to understand them ; in memory, so as not to neglect them, but
have them ready at every turn ; in heart and affection, so as to stand
204 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXIX.
in awe of them : Prov. xiii. 13, 'Whosoever feareth the command
ment, shall he rewarded ; ' Ps. cxix. 161, ' My heart standeth in awe
of thy word.' I dare not do anything against it, yea, do delight in it :
Ps. cxix. 14, 'I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies more than
in all riches ; ' Ps. xl. 8, ' I delight to do thy will, God ; thy law is
in my heart.' The great new covenant blessing is to write the law in
the heart and mind : Heb. viii. 10, ' I will put my laws into their
mind, and write them upon their hearts/ Not only a simple approba
tion, but a delight, or a ready inclination to do them. Now if we shall
rise up in rebellion against our convictions, and offer violence to incli
nation and conscience, we grossly break God's law, as in all heinous
sins we do : 2 Sam. xii. 9, ' Wherefore hast thou despised the com
mandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight ? ' An inward contempt
or disrespect of the commandment maketh the sin more heinous.
2. The outward observance of them : Ps. cxix. 5, ' Oh, that my ways
were directed to keep thy statutes ! ' It is the business of our lives to
live according to this direction : John xiv. 21, ' He that hath my com
mandments and keepeth them ; ' where keeping is distinguished from
having. The commands of God were not given us to talk of or think
on, but to do them : Deut. xii. 32, ' Whatsoever I command you, ob
serve to do it.' Do not gaze on it, think it an excellent thing to do so,
but set about the practice.
Secondly, The next notion whereby the good conscience is expressed
is this. ' And do those things which are pleasing in his sight/ This
implieth many things.
1. That it be our design and scope to approve ourselves to God : 2
Cor. v. 9, 'Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we
may be accepted of him/ This is the end that we propound to our
selves, what is your mind principally set upon ? The end which you
design and endeavour, the pleasing and glorifying of God, and the
everlasting fruition of him, or the pleasing of your fleshly minds in the
fruition of any inferior things? That is your end which you love
most, which pleases you best, and would do most for, and can least
want. The people of God are described to be those that ' choose the
things which please him, and take hold of his covenant,' Isa. Ivi. 4.
They do not live at random without an aim, nor do good by chance, but
by choice. He that is false at first setting out can never hold out
with God.
2. This is not only their choice, butthe tenor and course of their lives.
Enoch, that walked with God, is said to have this testimony, that he
pleased God, Heb. xi. 5, with Gen. v. 24. The Septuagint read it, they
are sincere and uniform in their obedience to him. Every day you
must reckon with yourselves, Have you complied with your great end ?
What have I done, or what have I been doing ? have 1 pleased or dis
pleased God ?
3. It is not in a few things, but in all : Col. i. 10, ' Walk worthy of
the Lord to all pleasing ; ' not in with one duty and out with another, for
that is to please ourselves, not to please God ; or to please men, not to
obey our rule.
4. We must every day be more exact in our walking and care to
please God, and that no offence or breach may arise between him
VEIL 22.] SEUMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 205
and us : 1 Thes. iv. 1, ' As you have received of us how to walk and
to please God, so you would abound therein more and more.' You
never please God so much but you may please him better, and he ex-
pecteth more from you the more you are acquainted with him. One
that is newly put to service is raw at first, but afterwards he groweth
more handy and fit for his work; so you must first outgrow your
weaknesses if you think to please God, and grow more exact in the
spiritual life.
5. If there be anything more pleasing to God than another, your
main care must be about those things ; as, for instance, it is mighty
] (leasing to God that you should seek grace rather than greatness, and
direction in your duty rather than worldly honour : 1 Kings iii. 10,
the speech ' pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.'
Surely it is more pleasing to God that we should pray from the spirit
than from the flesh, not seeking great things for ourselves, but that we
may have grace to discharge our duties to God. So that in our duty
we should mind the substantials of religion rather than rituals : Rom.
xiv. 17, 18, ' For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but right
eousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost ; for he that in these
things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men.'
That in the substantials of religion we should not leave out the duties
of the second table, as faithfulness in our relations. The scripture
instanceth in the duties of parents and children ; of children's duty to
parents : Col. iii. 20, ' For this is well-pleasing unto God.' Duties of
liberality and mercy to all men : Heb. xiii. 16, ' For to do good and to
communicate forget not, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.'
Not only careful of justice, but also of mercy. Now it is a shame that,
when Christians hear these things are so pleasing to God, they should
not set about them. Esau took his bow to seek savoury meat for his
lather when he desired it.
II. But how is this a gospel conscience ? What could the law re
quire more ?
Ans. 1. We consider this with respect to fallen man, who entereth
upon this course of new obedience as one delivered and recovered by
Christ, and put into a capacity again to obey and please God : Luke i.
74, 75, ' That being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we should
serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the
days of our life ; ' and Eph. iv. 24, ' The new man is created after God
in righteousness and true holiness.' We suppose him as redeemed by
Christ, and renewed by his Holy Spirit. Take either expression ; the
first, ' because we keep his commandments.' We receive these com
mandments out of the hand of a mediator, whose power and right to
command is not destructive of our former duty, but accumulative ; the
debt of duty ceased not by man's sin, but will remain while there is a
relation between the Creator and the creature ; but this is a power
superadded to the former, and is more comfortable and beneficial to us,
that Christ would set us in joint again, and put us into a capacity of
obeying God. It is a blessed thing to take a law of duty out of the
hand of a mediator ; for he hath not only obliged us by his great love
in dying for us, but provided both for our assistance and acceptance,
whilst by the Spirit of Christ we have Christ to help us, and work all
200 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [Sutt. XXIX.
our works for us and in us, and give ' Grace to serve God acceptably
with reverence and godly fear,' Heb. xii. 28. And the more we use
this grace, the more it is increased upon us ; but we have also his right
eousness, by virtue of which we are accepted with God : Eph. i. (5,
' Who hath accepted us in the Beloved.' God will help us in our duty,
and will accept of it as we can perform it. For the second expression,
' And do the things that please him.' God is first placandus then pla-
cendus, first appeased towards us and then pleased with us ; appeased
by the satisfaction of Christ, which is imputed to none but those that
are converted and justified by faith : Rom. v. 8, ' They that are in the
flesh cannot please God.' Till we have an interest in the great sin-
offering which was offered for the whole congregation of the elect, God
will not accept of a thank-offering at our hands, nor be pleased with
anything we do in particular duties, while we neglect the general duty of
returning to God by Christ : Heb. xi. 6, ' Without faith it is impossible
to please God.' None can please God, then, but those that are regene
rated by the Spirit, and reconciled to him by Christ.
2. These duties are done in a gospel-like manner, out of love to God,
or a sense of that wonderful grace which is showed us in Christ : 2
Cor. v. 14, 'The love of Christ constraineth us.' They are done as out
of thankfulness and that great love which we owe to God ; the cord
which binds our duty upon us is not terror but love. It is said, 1 John
ii. 5, ' Whoso keepeth his commandments, in him verily is the love of
God perfected;' that is, hath produced its proper effect. Faith is the
means, love is the end* and obedience is the proper fruit and effect of
love. Faith is physic, love is health, and the more perfect it is the
sounder Christians we are. Now the perfection and strength of love
is seen in new obedience ; so that here is a gospel spirit, and a gospel
good conscience, when we study and endeavour to please God.
3. This keeping the commandments and pleasing of God is accepted
where there is a cordial and hearty endeavour to do so, though our
success in every point be not answerable. It is not unsinning obedi
ence only which the new covenant accepteth, but sincere obedience ;
by sin we are disabled from an exact keeping of the commandments,
but by grace we are accepted, if there be an upright heart unfeignedly
bent and heartily endeavouring to please God in all things. Grace
doth not perfectly produce its acts, yet it doth produce them, and that
in such a degree as hypocrites cannot attain to. It is their constant
care to avoid all known sin, and allow themselves in the neglect of no
duty ; now such are pardoned and accepted with God : Ps. xxxii. 1,
2, ' Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.
Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and
in whose spirit there is no guile.' And have all manner of blessings
bestowed upon them : Prov. xi. 20, ' Such as are upright in their way
are his delight ; ' Ps. xviii. 25, ' With an upright man thou wilt show
thyself upright'
III. The reasons why this doth constitute a good and quiet con
science.
1. Because then our hearts will not disprove our confidence grounded
on the new covenant, which accepteth the upright. Certainly the
upright are within the compass of the blessing of the covenant. That
VER 22.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN m. 207
is so obvious a truth, that it needeth not much confirmation. When
God came to covenant with Abraham, Gen. xvii. 1, he saith to him,
' I am God all-sufficient ; walk thou before me and be thou perfect ; '
that is, upright and sincere, as the word also signifieth, and is noted
in the margin. That was the condition required of him. An absolute
perfection human frailty doth not admit, and an impossible condition
maketh the covenant void in the making, and so the transaction would
be to no purpose. So elsewhere all the blessings of the covenant are
entailed upon the upright : Ps. Ixxxiv. 11, 'For the Lord God is a sun
and a shield ; the Lord will give grace and glory, and no good thing will
he withhold from them that walk uprightly.' Once more, eternal hap
piness shall be their portion : Ps. cxl. 13, 'The upright shall dwell in
thy presence.' Besides all the testimonies of God's love granted to the
believer, he shall have everlasting fellowship with God in the world
to come. David asketh the question, Ps. xv. 1, 2, 'Who shall abide in
thy tabernacle ? who shall dwell in thy holy hill ? He that walketh
uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his
heart ; ' that is, if I should take the boldness to interrogate thee, who
art the Lord of heaven and earth, who shall be rewarded with eternal
bliss hereafter ? the answer certainly will be this, He that walketh
uprightly, he, and none but he, that goeth on in a course of uniform
and steady obedience, that doeth all things sincerely and in the sight
of God ; he it is that shall be accepted and admitted, not out of any
worthiness in himself, but from God's love and promise to dwell ever
lastingly with him.
2. This walking uprightly comprehendeth true faith, and cheerful
obedience to God's commandments ; that is to be righteous and up
right: 'To walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord
blameless,' Luke i. 6 ; for a care to avoid all known sin, and make
conscience of all known duty, is certainly uprightness. It doth not
imply a total exemption from sin, but an allowance of none ; they
mourn for it, strive against it, and prevail so far that the contrary
principle groweth, and doth mostly and generally command and influ
ence their conversations. Grace getteth the upper hand, not for a fit,
but habitually ; therefore such may with comfort come to God, and
have no reason to question their acceptance with him, for they are
conscious to themselves of their faithfulness to God, and sincere desire
to walk in his ways ; their own hearts do not reproach them, and God
will not refuse them : Ps. cxix. 6, ' Then shall I not be ashamed when
1 have respect unto all thy commandments.' No cause to be afraid
or ashamed to come to him ; there is enough to humble, but not to
discourage them, for their hearts do acquit them of any allowance of
.sin or breach of God's law.
3. It is the true trial and proof of our sincere love to Christ, and
therefore we may have confidence towards God, and this confidence,
c That what we ask we shall receive of him," under the cautions and
restrictions forementionecl. I shall prove this argument by these con
siderations.
[1.] That true faith in Christ breedeth sincere love to God : Gal.
iv. 6, ' Faith worketh by love.' The true office of faith is to persuade
the soul of the astonishing wonders of God's love shown in the redemp-
208 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [§ER. XXIX.
tion by Christ: 'We have known and believed the love that God hath
to us,' 1 John iv. 16. And why ? Not only that we may gaze on it
with amazement, but ' that we may love him again who loved us first/
ver. 19. That this love may make a clue impression upon us, and
melt us into all love and respect to God, who pitied us in our lost
estate, and provided so full and costly a remedy for us. The gospel
is an art or science to teach us to love God.
[2.] That the true proof of our love to God is our keeping his com
mandments, and doing the things which are pleasing in his sight. For
God's love is a love of bounty, ours a love of duty, a studying to please
God according to his will : 1 John v. 3, ' This is love, to keep his com
mandments, and his commandments are not grievous ;' John xiv. 21,
' He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that
loveth me.' That is the love of Christ. It is a lazy love that only
talketh of the great things he hath done for us, but doeth nothing for
God again, or languisheth in complaints after sensible consolations.
No ; do your duty ; love must be laborious, not idle, and one cannot be
better employed than in doing those things which he hath given us in
charge.
[3.] Obedience, as it is an evidence of our love to Christ, so it is a
means of keeping up the sense and assurance of his love to us : John
xv. 10, ' If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love, as
I kept the Father's commandments, and abode in his love.' It is holy
walking is a means that will not delude us, but give us a large share in
his heart and love. God delighteth to vouchsafe the testimonies of his
love and well-pleasedness with us : John xiv. 15, ' Ye are my friends
if ye do whatsoever I command you.' There is a double-tried friend,
actively, passively. Actively, you show yourselves friends to Christ
when to the uttermost of your power you set yourselves to do what he
hath commanded. Passively, he will show himself a friend to you ;
ye shall be dealt with as friends ; I will reckon you as friends ; all the
world shall see I love you ; I will bountifully reward and gratify
you : John xiv. 21, ' He that hath my commandments, and keepeth
them, he it is that loveth me ; and he that loveth me shall be beloved
of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him;' ver.
23, ' If a mail love me, he will keep my words ; and my Father will
love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.'
God delights to manifest himself to such, to own them, to bestow
peculiar marks of favour upon them.
[4.] Among other rewards of love and faithful obedience, this is one,
the audience and acceptance of their prayer. In his providential gov
ernment, internal or external, God doth many ways own them, by his
gracious presence, counselling, directing, quickening them : John viii.
29, * And he that sent me is with me ; the Father hath not left me
.alone, for I do always those things that please him.' By mollifying
the hearts of enemies : Prov. viii. 17, ' When a man's ways please the
Lord, he maketh his enemies to be at peace with him.' By the com
forts of his Spirit, and shedding abroad his love in their hearts that
love Christ : Prov. xvi. 7, ' I love them that love me.' By peace of
conscience ; for the fruit of righteousness is peace. By entertainment
of them in all their approaches to God : Isa. Ixiv. 5, ' Thou meetest
VER. 22.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 200
\
him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember
thee in thy ways.' God showeth abundance of kindness to them in the
course of his providential government, but chiefly in assisting and ac
cepting their prayers ; so that ' whatever we ask we receive,, because
we keep his commandments, and do the things that are pleasing in. his
sight.' All the rest tend to this, and this is often promised in the
word, and the contrary threatened to those who pretend love to God ,
but do not keep his commandments : Ps. xxxvii. 4, ' Delight thyself
also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart ; ' Prov.
x. 24, ' The desire of the righteous shall be granted.'
Use 1. Is information, to show us the necessity of obedience, if we
would keep a good conscience and be accepted with God. All the
prayers of men that continue in their sins are but like bribes ; the gifts
of enemies are giftless : Prov. xxi. 27, ' The sacrifice of the wicked is
an abomination ; how much more when he bringeth. it with an evil
mind ? ' However he bringeth it, there is some perverse aim in his
worship, that God should prosper him in his sins.
2. That in the Christian religion there is true genuine holiness,
because it is derived from the highest fountain, the Spirit of Christ ;
and it is carried on in conformity to the highest rule and pattern, the
will of God ; and designed to the noblest end, the pleasing, glorifying,
and enjoying of God ; all this must needs breed peace. So is the
gospel good conscience described in the text. First, The highest
fountain ; for we obey as redeemed and renewed : Titus iii. 5, 6,
' Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to
his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing
of the Holy Ghost, which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus
Christ our Saviour.' As changed in our natures, and made like God :
John iii. 6, ' That which is born of the Spirit is spirit ; ' 2 Peter i. 4,
' Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises,
that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature.' Secondly,
The highest rule, the will of God or his commandments. He doth
not only do what he commandeth, but because he commandeth, intuitu
voluntatis : 1 Thes. iv. 3, ' For this is the will of God, even your
sanctin'cation ;' 1 Peter ii. 15, ' For so is the will of God ;' 1 Thes.
v. 18, ' For this is the will of God concerning you.' We have the
best warrant for peace and assurance, the command and will of the
most high God. And, thirdly, the highest end, the pleasing God,
glorifying and enjoying God : I Cor. x. 31, ' Whether you eat or drink,
or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.'
Use 2. To persuade you to holiness in keeping the commandments
and pleasing of God ; we have many arguments.
1. From the authority of God : Ps. cxix. 4, 'Thou hast commanded
ns to keep thy precepts diligently.' It is a course imposed upon us by
the sovereign Lawgiver, upon whom you depend every moment ; and
he will not be baffled and affronted.
2. The equity of the precepts : Horn. vii. 12, ' The commandments
are holy, just, and good.' They carry a great evidence and suitableness
to the reasonable nature; so that if man were well in his wits, he would
choose obedience to these laws rather than liberty.
3. The possibility of keeping these commandments, and of pleasing
VOL. xxi. o
210 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiB. XXX.
God, by the grace purchased by Christ: Heb. xiii. 21, 'Make you
perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which
is pleasing in his sight.' The rule is the will of God. This will is
observed when we do every good work ; this done is pleasing unto God.
4. Consider the profitableness of obedience, and how much it con-
duceth to our good : Deut. xiii. 10, ' To keep the commandments of
God and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good.'
Our labour is not lost or misspent. A godly course is refreshed by
many sweet experiences for the present, and will bring in a full reward
for the future : Ps. cxix. 56, ' This I had because I kept thy precepts.'
SERMON XXX.
And this is his commandment, that toe should believe in the name of
his Son, and love one another, as he gave us commandment. —
1 JOHN iii. 23.
THE apostle instanceth what commandments we should observe if we
would keep a good conscience. Two are mentioned — faith in Christ,
and an unfeigned love to the brethren ; both are introduced by a
preface suitable to the occasion. Therefore I shall first explain the
preface ; secondly, the particular duties mentioned.
First, In the preface take notice —
1. Of the unity, agreement, and fair accord between these duties ;
though two duties are mentioned, yet but one commandment.
2. The excellency of them, ' His commandment.'
1. The unity and agreement between gospel duties. He had said
' commandments ' in the former verse ; and here are two duties speci
fied, yet these are not ' his commandments,' but ' his commandment,'
a change of numbers often used by the sacred writers. The whole
gospel is but one commandment: 1 Tim. i. 5, 'The end of the com
mandment is charity ; ' that is, of the gospel institution.
2. The excellency ; this is the commandment which is signalised by
Christ's authority, and expressly charged on us, and to which other
duties are reduced. It is such an expression as you have, John vi. 29,
' This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.'
The context there standeth thus ; thousands being fed by a miracle,
many followed him for the loaves, therefore Christ telleth them of
spiritual bread. He came down from heaven, not to supply hungry
stomachs, but to comfort hungry consciences : ' Labour not for the
meat that perisheth, but for the meat that endureth for ever, which
the Son of man shall give you ; for him hath the Father sent.' That
direction occasioned a question, What shall we do that we may labour
or work the works of God ? Christ answereth them, ' This is the work
of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.' There is a meiosis
in the expression ; you talk of works, this is the work. As if a man
should come to a charitable physician, Sir, I am grievously tormented
VEH. 23.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 211
with such a disease, what shall I give you for the cure ? and his answer
should be, This is that you shall give me,, to be confident of my skill
and fidelity to help you, and use the means which I prescribe for your
recovery : ' This is the work of God.' So here ; this is the command
ment.
Secondly, The particular duties mentioned are faith in Christ and
love to the brethren.
1. Faith in Jesus Christ, that we should believe on the name of his
Son Jesus Christ. The name of Christ is Christ himself, or Christ
considered as revealed in the gospel ; then we believe in the name of
Jesus Christ when we believe all that is revealed in the gospel con
cerning Jesus Christ, i.e., assent with an affiance to the doctrine con
cerning his person, offices, benefits, and the way how we come to attain
them according to the covenant of grace. This is to believe in his
name, to assent to what is said concerning his person and offices, and
to consent to deal with him upon these terms, depending upon him to
obtain these benefits in the appointed way. The same expression is
used, John iii. 18, 'Because he believeth not in the name of the Son of
God.' So Acts x. 43, ' Through his name whosoever believeth on him
shall receive the remission of sins.' So John xx. 31, ' These things are
written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Son of God, and that,
believing, ye may have life through his name ; ' that is, obtain salvation
according to the way appointed in the scriptures or the new covenant.
2. For love : ' And love one another, as he gave commandment.'
By ' one another,' he meaneth principally that Christians should love
one another. Christians are bound to love all men, even their enemies,
Mat. v. 44. Yet seeing God is to be loved chiefly, and others in subor
dination to him, as Mat. xxii. 38, 39, it followeth that those ought to
have most of our love who love God most, and are most beloved of
him, and are made partakers of the divine nature, and resemble God
most. But not only the duty, but the manner is here enforced : ' As
he hath given us commandment ; ' and that is, that when the case
requireth it, we must lay down our lives for the brethren : John xiii.
34, ' A new commandment give I unto you, that ye love one another.'
There is the substance of the duty, and then it followeth, ' As I have
loved you, that ye also love one another.' There is the manner again :
John xv. 12. 13, ' This is my commandment, that ye love one another,
as I have loved you : greater love hath no man than this, that a man
lay down his life for his friends ; ' meaning thereby, not only to com
mend his own love to us, to heighten our gratitude, but also to commend
his example tons, and to heighten our charity and love to the brethren.
Doct. That faith in Christ and brotherly love are things intimately
conjoined, and must always go together.
1. I shall speak of the nature of these two graces or duties apart.
2. Show how intimately they are and must be conjoined; and there
speak — (1.) Of the inseparable connection between faith and love ; (2.)
The order, how the one groweth out of the other, as the effect out of
the cause ; first faith, then love.
I. I shall speak distinctly of the graces and duties ; and there —
First, Of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. A subject necessary to bo
treated of, because the scripture is so full in assuring pardon and life
212 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXX.
to believers, and because Christians do so often ask us what that saving
faith is by which they may assure their title and interest ; and because
a mistake in this point is of a dangerous nature. Therefore to open to
you the faith by which the just do live cannot be unpleasing to you.
I shall do it in these considerations or propositions.
1. That faith in Christ and in his word is reckoned distinct from
believing in God: John xiv. 1, 'Ye believe in God, believe also in me.'
We believe in God as an all-sufficient fountain of grace, and in Christ
as an all-sufficient mediator, whom he hath sent to recover the lost
world : John xvii. 3, ' And this is life eternal, that they might know
thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.' To
know God as the only supreme being to be worshipped, obeyed and
enjoyed, and the Lord Jesus as our Kedeemer, and the Holy Spirit as
our guide, to bring us home to God, and to procure for us the benefits
of pardon and life, which life is to be begun here and perfected in
heaven.
2. That Christ executeth the office of mediator as king, priest, and
prophet ; for he is not only said to be sent, but anointed : Acts x. 38,
' God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power.'
As priests, prophets, and kings were used to be anointed, so was Jesus
Christ anointed, thence called both .Christ and Messiah, which signifieth
anointed : John xx. 31, ' That Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God ; '
and Acts ii. 36, ' God hath made that Jesus whom ye crucified both
Lord and Christ.' Now one of these offices concerneth his mediation
with God, the other his mediation with men. His priesthood implieth
all that good which he procureth for us by his mediation with the Father.
His prophetical and kingly office concerns his mediation with us, to
bring us to be partakers, and interested in these things ; both must be
considered by faith : Heb. iii. 1, ' Consider the apostle and high priest
of our profession, Jesus Christ.' Though his prophetical office be there
only mentioned, yet his regal must not be excluded; for all truths
are not laid down in one place. Both are mentioned, Isa. Iv. 4,
' Behold I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and
commander to the people,' i.e., prophet and king. Now we must not
so reflect upon his mediation with God as to overlook his mediation
with men ; for a mediator is not of one, but must deal with both parties ;
and therefore Jesus is a saviour, not only as our ransomer and surety,
but also as our teacher and king. Therefore they deceive you, and under
stand not the nature of faith, that make it conversant about one office
only, as those do that confine it to the death and righteousness of Christ,
and pardon of sin, and promise of pardon ; as if faith only served to com
fort them with the assurance of God's love, and were but a claim and
application of privileges: this is to mangle Christ and the gospel, to
reflect upon his mediation with God only, and not with man. Or if
there be any consideration of his mediation with man, they rend his
prophetical office from his kingly, while they look only to the privileges
of the covenant, do not receive Christ Jesus as the Lord, that they
may be ruled by his authority, and live by his laws. Nay, in his
prophetical, they abstract privileges from duties, and promises from,
precepts, and so do not follow the order prescribed in his word and
teaching, but take up a Christ according to their own fancy, and mis-
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 213
take a dream for faith. No ; the Christ represented to us as an object
of faith is a priest who died for us, and representeth his death and
merit by his constant intercession, and, as the great prophet of the
church, hath taught us the way of life, and as a king hath required
obedience at our hands, under the promise of eternal life and the
punishment of eternal death, binding us to do all that he hath
required, that we may obtain the effect of his promises.
3. That the great business of the Mediator in the discharge of these
offices is to recover us to God, which is done both by redemption and
salvation. By redemption : 1 Peter iii. 18, ' For Christ also hath once
suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.'
Salvation: John xiv. 6, 'Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the
truth, and the life ; no man cometh to the Father but by me.' Now
this is either begun or perfected ; begun by regeneration and reconcilia
tion. By regeneration : Titus iii. 5, ' Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost.' By
reconciliation : 2 Cor. v. 19, ' To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling
the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them.' And
perfected in heaven, which is our complete salvation, or salvation to the
uttermost: 1 Tim. i. 15, 16, 'This is a true and faithful saying, that
Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners. Howbeit for this
cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show forth
all long-suffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe
on him to everlasting life.' Then a full and mutual complacence : we
delight in God, and God in us ; we love him, and God loves us ; we
love him perfectly, and we have the perfect reception of his love to us,
and the benefits flowing thence.
4. That this grace of recovery and restoration is revealed and
declared to us in the word ; for the gospel word is both the means and
the matter of our faith. It is the means : ' For how shall they believe
in him of whom they have not heard ? ' Eom. x. 17. And Christ
prayeth, John xvii. 20, ' Neither pray I for these alone, but for them,
also which shall believe in me through their word.' And it is the
matter and object of our faith ; for in the text it is said, we believe in
the name of the Son of God ; that is, all which is revealed concerning
him in the scriptures, and the way of salvation and recovery offered by
him. Christ is the object of faith, and the covenant of grace is the
object of faith, called therefore, ' The word of faith,' Eom. x. 8. Now
we make a gospel to ourselves if we pitch upon benefits only or pro
mises only ; for the word of faith consists of precepts as well as
promises, and requires duties as well as it offers benefits. Therefore,
as we expect pardon and life from God, we must perform the duties
due from us to God and man.
5. That the acts of faith are three about this word of truth, or
Christ revealed therein — assent, consent, trust or dependence.
[1.] Assent to the truth of the Christian doctrine, that Jesus is such
as the word representeth him to be, the Christ and the Saviour of the
world, who came to recover us to God : John vi. 69, ' We believe
and are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.'
This is the fundamental principle which supporteth all religion, and
214 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXX.
enliveneth all the lesser truths, that they have the greater influence
upon our hearts. This begets firm adherence to Christ, whatever
temptations we have to the contrary : 1 John v. 5, ' Who is he that
overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of
God ? ' Many have a human credulity that find no such effects, but
not a cordial and hearty assent wrought in them by the Holy Ghost.
They take up this opinion upon custom, education, and common induce
ments, but not as a divine testimony brought to us in the word, and
sealed and confirmed to us by the Holy Spirit.
[2.] Consent to God's offer of Christ, that he may be our Lord and
Saviour : John i. 12, ' To as many as received him, to them gave he
power to become the sons of God, even to as many as believe in his
name ; ' Col. ii. 6, ' And as ye have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so
walk in him.' Or to the covenant of grace, called ' A receiving the word,'
Acts ii. 41. Accepting the benefits offered us, as our only happiness,
resolving on the duties required as our constant work.
[3.] Trust or dependence on Christ, or as putting ourselves into his
hands, that we may be recovered and saved from sin and punishment,
and brought home to God in perfect happiness and glory : Eph. i 11,
12, ' In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated
according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel
of his own will : that we should be to the praise of his glory, who first
trusted in Christ ; ' 2 Tim. i. 12, ' For I know whom I believed, and I
am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed
unto him against that day.'
6. The modification of these acts is this, that this assent, joined with
consent, is cordial and hearty : Acts viii. 37, ' If thou believest with
all thine heart ; ' and both accompanied with a fiducial trust. Now
this trust is practical, so as, forsaking all other things, we give up our
selves to the conduct of his word and Spirit.
[1.] It produceth mortification and self-denial. This is included in
the nature of faith ; for faith implieth a carrying off the heart from
things visible and temporal to things spiritual, invisible, and eternal ;
in a recess from the world and worldly things, and an access to God
and heaven : 2 Cor. iv. 18, ' For we look not to the things which are
seen, but to the things which are not seen ; for the things which are
seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal ; ' 1
John v. 4, ' Whosoever is born of God overcometh the world ; and this
is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.' We must
forsake all other happiness and hopes in confidence of God's promise
through Jesus Christ ; in vow and resolution, as soon as we believe ;
actually, when anything in the world is inconsistent with our duty to
Christ and fidelity to him : Mat. xiii. 45, 46, ' The kingdom of heaven
is like unto a merchantman seeking goodly pearls ; who when he had
found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and
bought it ; ' Luke xiv. 33, ' Whosoever he be of you that f orsaketh not
all he hath, he cannot be my disciple.' You cannot continue constant
in the profession of Christ, nor uniformly perform the duties he re-
quireth of you, unless your hearts be weaned from the world. Christ
propoundeth the true happiness, to draw us off from the false happi
ness. Our accepting the one is a kind of quitting the other, or a lessen-
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 215
ing of it at least in our esteem, as a thing unworthy to come in com
petition with Christ or the benefits offered by him, or to obstruct the
duty we owe to him.
[2.] A devoting and giving up ourselves to the conduct of his word
and Spirit. Certainly all those that believe in the Son of God put
themselves into his hands, taking his will for the rule of their lives and
actions, and look to be kept by his power unto salvation : 2 Cor. viii.
5, ' And this they did, not as we hoped, but first gave their, own selves
to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God.' His word is their rule :
Gal. vi. 16, 'As many as walk according to this rule.' His Spirit
their guide : Eom. viii. 14, ' For as many as are led by the Spirit of
God, are the sons of God.' His precepts show their duty, and by the
strength of his Spirit they perform it ; so that faith in the Son of God
is such a trusting ourselves in his hands as begets fidelity to him.
Faith and faithfulness are nearer akin than so, and we must trust
Christ if we mean to be true to him. We have sincerity enough in
the promise, and fidelity enough in the thing promised.
Secondly, Love to the brethren is the next thing to be opened: 'That
ye love one another, as he gave commandment.'
1. There must be an internal affection. He doth not only press us
to do good to one another, but to love one another. A real love there
must be, otherwise the most glorious actions are insignificant as to our
acceptance with God : 1 Cor. xiii. 1-3. A sincere love there must be
to them for God's sake, for the goodness he hath endued them with, and
for the service they may do him, or the relation they have to him as
creatures or children ; not for our own sakes, to barter courtesies with
them. A selfish man can faithfully love none but himself, for he
loveth all others for himself.
2. The persons ; we must ' love one another.' We are to love all
things with respect to God, his natural image in all his creatures, and
his moral and spiritual image in his children. There is a love to every
one without exception to whom there is an opportunity offered of doing
them good. When the wounded man was passed by by the priest and
Levite, the Samaritan performed the office of a neighbour ; and Christ
biddeth us go and do likewise, Luke x. 36, 37. But because love to
our neighbour supposeth love to God, and floweth from it as a stream
from a fountain, therefore chiefly to the children of God : 1 John v. 1,
' Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten
of him. By this we know we love the children of God, when we love
God and keep his commandments ; ' 1 John iv. 21, ' This command
ment we have from him, that he that loveth God, loveth his brother
also.' We ought not to live to ourselves only, but for the benefit of
one another, especially of our fellow-christians.
3. For the manner of exercising this love, it must be in a self-deny
ing way ; it is a Christ-like love, not only as we should love ourselves,
but as Christ hath loved us ; that is, to seek their benefit with our own
loss. In two things Christ showed his self-denial — in washing his
disciples' feet, and dying for sinners. By the first he taught us that,
if we may be serviceable to one another, we should stoop to the
meanest offices, John xiii. 3, 4. Surely this is more binding upon us
who are all mutual servants to one another, as being fellow-members
216 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXX.
of one body, 1 Cor. xii. 25, 26 ; therefore we ought to employ our
selves in all the duties of love to our neighbour, though never so mean
and never so laborious. The apostle speaketh of the labour of love,
Heb. vi. 10. Though it be laborious and irksome to the flesh, yet the
will and love of God must sweeten it. The apostle saith, Gal. v. 13,
14, ' By love serve one another, for all the law is fulfilled in one word,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.' Love will make us stoop
to the meanest duties, to the meanest persons. The other example is
in dying for sinners ; so ought we to love the brethren at the dearest
rates: 1 John iii. 16, 'Hereby perceive we the love of God, because
he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren.' To prefer their good before our conveniencies and natural
desires, especially where their spiritual good and the glory of God is
concerned ; but alas ! few know how to prefer God's glory and their
neighbour's good before the fulfilling their own fleshly lusts.
4. The fruits of this love are usually seen in giving and forgiving ;
giving or parting with our estates for their relief: this I largely pleaded,
verse the 17th ; and it is elsewhere pleaded from Christ's example : 2
Cor. viii. 9, ' Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though
he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that through his poverty
you might be made rich.' And he telleth them that this he said to
prove the sincerity of their love ; if love be hearty, it will discover
itself this way. So in forgiving, Eph. iv. 32, ' Forgiving one another,
as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.' God hath forgiven greater
miscarriages and disingenuities, Mat. xviii.; therefore we must forgive
with a readiness to do all duties of love and kindness to those that have
done the wrong ; yea, none of us are so free from infirmities but that
we need forgiveness ourselves, not only from God but men.
II. How these are conjoined, faith in Christ, and love to the brethren.
And here, first, Of the connection, secondly, Of the order.
First, The connection. There is another sum and abridgment of
the commandments given by Christ : Mat. xxii. 36, 37, ' Master, which
is the great commandment in the law ? Jesus said unto him, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul,
and with all thy mind.' Other things are mentioned by another
apostle : Acts xx. 21, ' Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the
Greeks, repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.'
All have their use, for they speak accommodately to their purpose ;
Christ of the sum of the law given by Moses, Paul of the sum of evan
gelical doctrine or covenant, John with respect to the purpose of his
exhortation : he might have reduced the sum of the gospel to one head,
faith in Christ ; yet for more distinct explication's sake includeth love
also ; and this not without good reason, for these things are often
coupled in scripture : Col. i. 4, ' Since we heard of your faith in Jesus
Christ, and the love which you have to all the saints/ So Eph. i. 15,
' After I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love to all the saints ; '
2 Thes. i. 3, ' Your faith groweth exceedingly, and your love towards
each other aboundeth.' But above all, 2 Tim. i. 3, ' Hold fast the
form of sound words which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love,
which is in Christ Jesus.' Now this connection must be always
observed.
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 217
1. With respect to our own personal safety and the good of the
church. Faith relateth more to our personal benefit : justification,
Rom. v. 1, ' Being justified by faith;' sanctification, Acts xv. 9,
' Purifying their hearts by faith ;' salvation, 1 Peter i. 9, ' Eeceiving
the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.' Love to the
good of others, that we may have a tender care of the duty, honour,
and prosperity of Christ's church. We are to build up ourselves in
our most holy faith ; and we are also to love and edify the body, which
is by love, and that which every joint supplieth, Eph. iv. 16. Surely
their welfare should be regarded as your own. Love is called by the
apostle, Col. iii. 14, ' The bond of perfection.' Love is the tie and bond
which knitteth all the members of the church together, that their
several gifts and graces may be employed for the public, whereas other
wise they serve for mutual prejudice. Without love we should, as a
besom unbound, fall to pieces ; there would be no peace and safety,
but only malice and reviling, and that too often mingled with our
worship.
2. This connection is necessary, that grace may be found saving
and sincere ; for faith without love is dead, James ii. 17 ; and love
without faith is no saving grace, but a natural inclination, but a little
good nature : so that faith and love are in a manner the rivals 1 of a
Christian, without which he cannot walk ; and if any one be wanting,
the other is dead and withered.
Second, For the order, first faith, then love ; for faith produceth love,
and the cause is before the effect. Faith apprehending the love of God
in Christ, inflameth the heart in love to God again ; and then we keep
his commandments, and love other things for God's sake, Gal. v. 6.
When faith hath kindled in our souls love to God, then we love God
above all, we shall love God in all, and that most which hath most of
God. Surely if you love God as God, it will teach you to love the
brethren ; the example of God's love in Christ will make some im
pression upon you, and you will love all that belongeth to God in the
world.
Use 1. To reprove those that do little regard the planting, growth, or
exercise of faith and love ; you are not truly subject to God if you
decline any of his commandments, much more if you neglect the great
commandments of faith and love.
1. By many faith is little minded, believing in Christ is a mystical
truth. Moral obedience is evident by natural light ; for the law was
written on the hearts of men, Horn. ii. 14, as well as in the book of
God. Things seen by a double medium are greater. We are not
sensible of the evil of unbelief, as we are of immoralities ; but now
the gospel is confirmed by the Spirit, it is a great sin : John xvi. 9,
' Of sin, because they believe not on me ; ' and a dangerous sin : Mark
xvi. 16, ' He that believeth not shall be damned ; ' John iii. 18, 19,
' He that believeth on him is not condemned, but he that believeth
not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name
of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that
light is come into the world, and men love darkness rather than light,
because their deeds are evil.' A double condemnation ; we are under
condemnation already ; the sentence of the law is not reversed till we
i Qu. ' limbs ' ?— Ea
218 SERMONS WON 1 JOHN III. [Stilt. XXX.
believe in Christ, it is ratified in the gospel court if we refuse the
remedy. Now Christ is come into the world, sufficiently revealed to
be Lord and Saviour by the gospel, confirmed by miracles ; there
fore, this is a business of greater necessity than is usually minded or
thought of.
2. And so love to the brethren is very rare : many are quite
strangers to it, the best are very imperfect in it ; witness the cruelties
and frauds that are practised in the world, and the unmercifulness
that Christians use one to another upon all occasions. Alas ! we that
should be plentiful in doing good to one another, can hardly live quietly
one by another ; we that should pardon injuries, offer them, and instead
of turning the other cheek to the smiter, we smite ourselves, as if we
did bid defiance to all Christ's laws and counsels. We live as if he
commanded .us to be treacherous, envious, hurtful, designing others'
ruin and destruction, and forbidding us to be tender-hearted, com
passionate, ready to help and to do good to one another ; as if love
were too much recommended to us, and were known better by slan
dering, reviling, and backbiting, rather than by tenderness of each
other's welfare and reputation ; as if Christ had said, By this shall all
men know that ye are my disciples, not because you love, but because
ye hate one another.
Use 2. To exhort us to be tender of this double commandment.
1. Believing in the name of the Son of God ; charge it on yourselves
as your work when you are sinning, This is none of my business or
work. The work of God is to believe in him whom he hath sent ;
that we should recover out of sin by Christ, and abandon it more and
more, not live in the practice of it. When you are hunting after the
world, or indulging carnal pleasures, this is not your work. God and
heaven are the great objects faith is conversant about, and Christ is the
means to bring me thither ; nay, other duties are not the commandment,
for without faith all is nothing ; for in vain do men busy themselves about
particular duties when they neglect the main, Heb. xi. 6. This, if sincere,
draweth other things along with it ; faith is the first stone in the spiri
tual building, 2 Peter i. 5, 6 ; faith is at the bottom of all : he that is
to entertain a king will make reckoning of his train. All the privileges
depend on this, pardoned, sanctified, Acts xxvi. 18 ; glorified, John iii.
16 ; communion with Christ, Eph. iii. 17. All blessings, Mat. xv. 28.
God is at liberty to do for us what we desire ; otherwise tied up by
his own methods and instituted order : Mark vi. 5, ' And he could do
no mighty work there because of their unbelief.'
Let it be your constant work, 1 John v. 13. No men believe so
much but they may believe more ; and the more you grow in faith
the more you please God and honour him : Horn. iv. 20, ' Being strong
in faith, giving glory to God.' And have more comfort in ourselves :
Horn. xv. 13, ' The God of hope fill you with all peace and joy in
believing.' The more you believe, the more you know you do believe,
and the more will God own your faith : John i. 50, ' Believest thou ?
thou shalt see greater things than these/ Weakness of faith is pun
ished as well as total unbelief: Num. xx. 12, 'Because ye believed
not to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 219
shall not bring the congregation into the land which I have given
them.'
2. For love. We should grow in love as well as faith ; he that
maketh conscience of the one will make conscience of the other also ;
both are recommended by the same authority ; the one is a necessary
effect of the other. Can a man have a due sense of God's love, and
not love what belonseth to God ?
SERMON XXXI.
And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in
him : and hereby know ice that he abideth in us, by his Spirit
which he hath given to us. — 1 JOHN iii. 24.
HERE is the further happiness of those that make conscience of an
entire and uniform obedience to God's holy will — (1.) Access to God
in prayer ; (2.) Success, ver. 22 ; (3.) Constant communion with God.
In the words, first, we have an excellent privilege, ' And he that
keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him.'
Secondly, The proof, fruit, and evidence of it, ' And hereby knosv
we that he abideth in us, by his Spirit which he hath given to us.'
1. The privilege, ' Dwelleth in him, and he in him.' Dwelling
noteth the continued presence and influence of Christ.
2. The proof hereby : God is where his Spirit is. Mark, he dotli
not prove the former, our dwelling in God, for that is our duty as well
as our privilege, but his dwelling in us, that needeth most to be con
firmed : and in proving that he proveth both ; for Christ dwelleth in
none but those that dwell in him. The first is all we can handle at
present.
Doct. A near, intimate, and constant conjunction with Christ is the
privilege of those who make conscience of keeping the commandments.
First, What is this near, intimate and constant conjunction with
Christ ? It is expressed here by a mutual inhabitation.
1. Dwelling noteth nearness and intimacy ; it is not dwelling by one
another, but dwelling in one another : ' You in me, and I in you,'
John xiv. 20 ; which noteth presence and influence. So John vi. 56,
' He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and
I in him.' As meat is turned into the eater's substance, so they and
Christ become one. Christ is present with and in the believer, that
is, graciously present ; not in substance at all, as man ; for ' the
heaven of heavens must contain him till the days of refreshing come
from the presence of the Lord,' Acts iii. 21. Nor in substance only
as God, for so he is everywhere : Jer. xxiii. 24, ' Do not I fill heaven
and earth? saith the Lord.' But by his gracious operation and
special influence upon them, whereby he conveyeth life, strength, and
glory to them. Life: Gal. ii. 20, ' I live, yet not I, but Christ livetli
in me ; and the life that I live in the flesh I live by the faith of the
220 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXXI.
Son of God ; ' 1 John iv. 4, ' Greater is he that is in you than he that
is in the world.' Glory : Col. i. 27, ' Christ is in you, the hope of
glor\ r .' The first gift \ve have from God is Christ; we partake of
him before we partake of his benefits : 1 John v. 12, ' He that hath
the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son hath not life.' There
fore we are most strictly united to him as members to the head,
whence they receive strength and motion ; so do we receive gracious
influence as from our head.
2. It is a constant habitual presence ; for dwelling noteth continu
ance and perseverance. Christ cometh not for a visit and away, but it
noteth his abode and constant residence : he doth not sojourn only for
a season, but take up his abode in us : John xiv. 23, ' We will take
up our abode with him.' Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, those blessed
guests will dwell there. The Spirit may come upon the carnal by a
transient motion, move them at times as they have their good moods
and fits ; but he doth not act the faithful per modum actus transients,
but per modum habitus permanentis, by a constant habitual influence
or principle of life. God hath put our life into Christ's hands :
' Because he liveth we shall live also/ John xiv. 19. So that we do
not use him as an instrument for a turn, which is then laid by till we
need it again ; or as a pen to write, or a knife to cut ; but we con
stantly live in him, as the principle and root of our life, as branches
use the root, and members the head, which they live by, and from
which when they are severed they die and wither, 'When Christ,
who is our life, shall appear, we shall appear with him,' Col. iii. 4.
He will convey life to us, begun in grace here and perfected in glory.
This life is maintained on his part by a constant influence, on our
part by a constant dependence : therefore by dwelling in him and he
in us is intended not only intimacy — that is implied in the phrase ' in
him' — but constancy, in the word ' abide or dwell. Being united to
Christ, we still cleave to him, and Christ withdraweth not the Spirit
from us.
3. It is a mutual presence; we dwell in Christ, and he in us.
This must be heeded and regarded for two reasons —
[1.] Because our abiding in him is the way to have him abide in
us, and so the communion is mutual : John xv. 4, ' Abide in me and
I in you.' One clause is the exhortation, the other the promise. No
man hath any dwelling in Christ, but Christ hath first his dwelling in
him ; he first cometh into our hearts, and then giveth us place in his
heart also : we must take the course, use the means, whereby he may
abide in us.
[2.] Because there is no danger the union will break on Christ's
part : if we abide in him, he will not fail to abide in us. His gracious
presence is secured by his love and promise ; all the danger is of
breaking on our part ; and therefore we must be quickened and
exhorted to abide in him : and as by other motives, so by the danger
of apostasy, not only that we may evidence the reality of our union
with him, but that we may keep the bonds entire and unbroken. So
doth our Lord testify, John xv. 6, ' If any man abide not in me, he is
cast forth as a branch, and is withered, and men cast them into the five
and they are burned.' Now should we be wiser than Christ, who
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 221
minded his own disciples of the danger of apostasy, and the dreadful
wrath following upon it, to make them afraid of defection ? For this
is one means which God useth to contain and keep the elect within
the bounds of their duty ; and therefore they must not be smoothed
up with persuasions of their immutable standing, but be warned of
the inseparable connection between apostasy from the known truth
and way of godliness, and the dreadful wrath and displeasure of God
on supposition they do so. Suppositions nihil ponunt in esse. Such
suppositions do not shake the foundation of God, but confirm our con
stant adherence to him.
4. It is an exiinious and excellent privilege ; for here it is not pro
pounded by way of exhortation, but motive ; not enforced as a duty,
but asserted as the reward of a duty, that if we be tender of breaking
God's laws, he abideth in us and we in him : and so it is in other
places : John xiv. 23, ' If any one keep my commandments, my Father
will love him, and we will come to him, and make our abode with
him.' It is our great work to love God, and our great happiness to be
beloved of him ; therefore the greatest expression of his love is to
dwell in us, and fix his residence in our hearts. This Christ pro-
miseth to his disciples, as knowing they will prize it, how contemptibly
soever the world thinketh of it ; and we should also prize and value
this above other favours. Take either part for our dwelling in God,
to have a lodging in the heart of God, and then God in us ; he will
dwell in us in these houses of clay before we come to dwell with him
in his palace of glory. It is surely the greatest happiness that can
befall man in this world, and accordingly it should be valued.
5. This strict union and conjunction is begun by the Spirit, but con
tinued by faith, love, and obedience. It is begun in us by his Spirit ;
for Christ maketh his first entry into believers wholly by the Spirit :
1 Cor. vi. 17, ' He that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.' As in the
matrimonial bond, they who are joined together are one flesh, so in
this mystical union one spirit ; not only to show its spiritual nature,
but its author. It is done by the Spirit uniting us to Christ, and by
Christ to God : 1 Cor. xii. 13, ' We are by one spirit baptized into one
body, and we are made to drink into one spirit.' Our first insition or
implantation into Christ is represented by baptism, as our nutrition
and growth by the Lord's supper ; and there it is said to be done by
the Spirit; as bees first build their cells, and then dwell in them.
But then it is continued by faith, love, and obedience : Eph. iii. 17,
' That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith.' It is by his dwelling
in us by his Spirit that we receive his influence and assistance ; and
then it is manifest to us by love : 1 John iv. 16, ' We have known and
believed the love which God hath to us. God is love, and he that
dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.' When the heart
is moulded and framed to love God, upon the apprehension of his great
and wonderful love in our redemption, God dwelleth in us and we in
God. And John xv. 9, 10, ' As the Father hath loved me, so I have
loved you ; continue ye in my love : if ye keep my commandments, ye
shall abide in my love, even as I have kept my Father's commandments,
and abide in his love.' If they would maintain the exercise of their
love to Gocl ; and the sense of his love to them, they should obey him.
222 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXXI.
And then, for obedience, it is plainly asserted in the text; and again,
1 John i. 7, ' If ye walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have
fellowship one with another.' Surely the more we fulfil his will, the
more God delighteth in us, and to communicate his grace to us ; our
state of sin was a state of enmity to God, but the state of holiness and
obedience to him is our state of conjunction and agreement with him,
which is perfect when our holiness is perfect.
6. The effect of this strict union, conjunction, and presence is spiri
tual influence, or the assistance of his Spirit, on Christ's part ; on our
part, holiness and fruitful obedience. Hence we have his Spirit to
guide us : Kom. viii. 14, ' As many as are led by the Spirit.' To
quicken us, ' For the Spirit that dwelleth in us is life/ Born. viii. 10.
To strengthen us to perform duties : Eph. iii. 16, ' To be strengthened
with might by his Spirit in the inner man; ' Heb. xiii. 21, ' Working
in us what is pleasing in his sight/ and helping us to fulfil his will.
For bearing of burdens : Phil. iv. 16, ' I can do all things through
Christ that strengtheneth me/ So that they are continually acted,
excited, and strengthened by God. On our part the effect is holiness
and fruitful obedience ; before we made it a means of this conjunction,
now we make it the fruit and effect of it, for it is both. It is enforced
by two arguments : John xv. 4, 5, ' Abide in me and I in you : as the
branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more
can you except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches :
he that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much
fruit ; for without me ye can do nothing.' Where there are two things
asserted — First, That without his dwelling in us, and we in him, we can
be no more fruitful than a branch which is broken off from the vine ;
no communion, no fruitfulness : he cannot do anything acceptable to
God ; not only nihil magnum, no great thing, but nihil prorsum,
nothing at all. As we cannot do the greatest and most difficult things,
so not the least thing, if broken off from Christ. Secondly, That if we
still dwell and abide in him, we shall abound in fruit ; he is able and
willing to supply all our wants, and make us ready for every good
work.
7. Though Christ do familiarly communicate himself to all believers,
so as to dwell in them by his gracious presence, yet not to all alike,
but to some in a larger measure and proportion than to others, as he
worketh more or more effectually on them than he doth on others.
We all receive of his fulness, John i. 16, but all according to our capa
city and degree of receptivity : Eph. iv. 7, ' To every one of us is given
grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.' All have the
same saving graces for substance : 2 Peter i. 1, ' To them that have
obtained like precious faith with us/ But for the degree, every one
hath his peculiar measures, some are babes, some young men, and some
fathers, 1 John ii. 13. Visible professors have common gifts, and there
is variety ; but all real members have saving gifts in such a measure
as Christ judgeth sufficient and most convenient. In the degrees there
is much of his sovereignty seen, yea, and also of his justice sometimes,
when, being provoked by sin and our unkind dealing, he doth withhold
a great measure of that gracious influence which at other times he
vouchsafeth more plentifully. There is an influence necessary to the
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN nr. 223
•
well-being, and to the being of grace. First, Necessary to the well-
being, flourishing, and vigorous acting of grace in the heart. So the
spouse complaineth that her beloved had withdrawn himself,' and was
gone, after she had been lazy and negligent, Cant. v. 6 ; yet some influ
ence of his grace still remained, for she opened to him, and he was gone.
Secondly, There is an influence which is necessary to the being of grace,
and without which grace would utterly die and perish. David telleth
as that his feet were almost gone, and his steps had well-nigh slipped,
Ps. Ixxiii. 2. But what kept him ? He telleth us that,ver. 23, ' Never
theless I am continually with thee ; thou hast holden me by thy right
hand.' He was upon the brink of a precipice, ready to cast off or
question a main article of faith or point of religion ; but God kept him,
and powerfully sustained and supported him from being overcome with
that temptation. He doth not forsake us when many times we are
ready to forsake him, but by his power doth secretly withhold us and
keep us fast to himself. Nay, necessary vital grace may be greatly
wounded and weakened, and heinous sins may make such fearful havoc
in the soul, and God manifest his displeasure by withdrawing the
Spirit in such a degree, that they cannot tell whether they have any
thing of it or no: Ps. li. 11, 'Cast me not away from thy presence,
neither take thy Holy Spirit from me.' They are not utterly cast off
from God, nor bereft of saving grace, yet they have lost the sensible
communion of the Spirit, both in a way of comfort and grace ; they see
this is their desert, and that God is provoked ; and it is terrible to them
to be excluded from the actual sense of God's favour, and therefore
deprecate this as their saddest loss.
8. The general rule is, that the strictly obedient have a greater degree
of his indwelling presence than others have. In scripture sometimes
God is said to dwell with the contrite : Isa. Ivii. 15, ' I dwell in the
high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble
spirit.' He dwelleth in the highest heaven, and he dwelleth in the
humblest heart ; they most need him ; and he hath work there to do,
to comfort them in their serious remorse for sin. Sometimes with the
trusting soul : Ps. xci. 1, ' He that dwelleth in the secret place of the
Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.' He that
dwells in God shall dwell in God ; i.e., he that adhereth to God, and
expecteth his safety from God's protection, shall not miss of what he
seeketh : God will be with him, as he is always with God. But these
are but branches of holiness and obedience ; generally the privilege is
restrained to the pure and holy : ' With the pure thou wilt show thy
self pure.' He that keepeth himself pure from sin, God will not leave
any degree of godliness in him unrewarded ; and this is one of his
rewards, to vouchsafe them his gracious presence and influence ; they
have not only his sanctifying, but his comforting presence. His sanc
tifying presence, for as he doth punish sin with sin, so he doth reward
grace with grace, with a further increase of what they seek after. His
comforting presence: John xv. 11, ' These things have I spoken to you,
that my joy may remain in you, and your joy may be full.' What
things were those ? concerning abiding in him, in faith and love,
and fruitfulness in obedience ; he speaketh of his joy and their
joy ; he causeth it, they felt it, or the comfort they had in his bodily
224 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SfiR. XXXI.
presence, and which should afterward be excited in them by the Holy
Ghost.
Secondly, Why it is a privilege proper to them that keep his com
mandments, for the clause is exclusive of others.
1. Because this is God's instituted order. Now all God's institutions
carry a condecency to his nature. God is holy, and requireth holiness,
and delights in holiness, and therefore vouchsafeth his intimate presence
with them that are holy, as the reward of their fidelity and obedience
to him : Ps. xi. 7, ' The righteous God loveth righteousness, his counte
nance doth behold the upright.' God's heart is toward the holy and
the righteous, they are most amiable in his sight, and he puts most of
the marks of his favour upon them, and such marks as they most value
and esteem, which is his comfortable and holy presence. The same is
true of Christ, for the name and nature of God is in him : 1 John ii.
6, ' He that saith he abideth in him, ought also to walk even as he
walked.' If we would have Christ dwell in us, we must imitate him
in obedience to God.
2. Communion presupposeth union, and union agreement : Amos
iii. 3, ' How can two walk together except they be agreed ? ' If not
walk together, not dwell together, not dwell one in another. What
concord and agreement between Christ and Belial, between a holy
God and Saviour and the workers of iniquity ? There is none, there
can be none : 2 Cor. vi. 16, it is enforced out of this, ' I will walk in
them, and I will dwelt in them ; ' that excludeth all that is unsuitable.
3. The end and fruit of this union, which is that we may live unto
God, and bring forth fruit unto God ; that is the end of the spiritual
marriage, which is one notion by which this near conjunction is set
forth : Horn. vii. 4, ' That ye should be married to another, even
to him that is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit
unto God.' It is the end of the spiritual engrafting ; John xv. 1, 2,
' I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman : every branch
in me that beareth not fruit, he taketh away ;-and every branch that
beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.' This
is another notion used ; the members receive influence from the head
for motion, a free intercourse of blood and spirits, that every part may
do its offices. Now if we would keep the commandments, and live
unto God, and bring forth fruit unto God, this would not be in vain :
Christ hath works to be done by us, as well as comfort to bestow
upon us.
4. One part of this privilege would contradict the other ; it is a
mutual inhabitation spoken of, ' I in him, and he in me.' Now many
would have Christ to dwell in them when they are not in him but
against him. Our being in him imports duty as well as privilege, that
we should be for him, our hearts set upon him and his glory ; he is in
us by his Spirit, and we are in him by faith and love, both which
produce new obedience : Gal. v. 6, ' For in Christ Jesus neither
circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but faith, which
worketh by love.'
5. Wherever Christ is, he will be as Lord and sovereign ; he will rule
where he dwelleth, and dwell alone : Col. ii. 6, ' As ye have received
Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him.' He ruleth in us as Lord, therefore
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 225
lie must be obeyed, his commandments kept. Many times in travel
ling, when we see a great house we ask who dwelleth here, meaning
the master of the family, not the ,servants, the scullions, but the owner
and governor of the house ; so where Christ dwelleth he will be chief.
We intend it in saying, He dwelleth here. When men cool and
decline in their affections to him, when they take in another inmate
and indweller, whose interest shall command the interest of Christ, and
whom they are more ready to serve and obey, this is to discharge
Christ, not to suffer Jesus Christ any longer to dwell in them.
6. This near, intimate, and constant conjunction with Christ doth
necessarily beget a likeness to him : 2 Cor. v. 17, ' If any man be in
Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things
are become new.' And according to our pattern they are created anew ;
Christ is formed in them, Gal. iv. 19. The stamp of Christ is left
upon them. So John i. 16 ; some expound that ' grace for grace,' for
each grace in Christ there is the like and answerable grace in the
heart of a believer. As in the wax there is word for word, letter for
letter, syllable for syllable, answerable to what was in the seal ; or in
the body of a child there is limb for limb, part for part, answerable
to the parents ; so in us and Christ there is patience for patience,
humility for humility, obedience for obedience. Now this doth neces
sarily infer holiness, or keeping the commandments.
Use 1. Is information.
1. That they do in vain boast of communion with God who do not
keep his commandments. It was a cheat usually among the heathens
to pretend secrecy with their gods, and human nature is the same
still : many usurp this high honour of communion with God, but no
fruit of it appeareth. Now Christ abhorreth all pretences of commu
nion with him, which do not appear in the effects : 1 John ii. 4, ' He
that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar.'
' I know him,' is there put for, I enjoy him, or I am in him ; for in the
next verse it is explained, ' Hereby we know that we are in him.'
And the Holy Ghost pronounceth there that ' he is a liar ! ' A lie is
more than a falsehood, it is a falsehood with intention to deceive. The
gross hypocrite, that liveth in secret wickedness, that contents himself
only with a plausible appearance, intendeth to deceive others, as if he
were in Christ when he is not ; but the more refined hypocrite, that
lives in partial obedience, doth deceive himself. If the communion
with Christ were real, it would discover itself, and the fruit of the
Spirit would be ' all goodness, righteousness, and truth,' Eph. v. 9. It
cannot be otherwise while he abideth in you by his Spirit, and you
abide in him by faith and love.
2. That those who have tasted the good of communion with God
need often to be exhorted and encouraged to continue in it. I observe
this, because many are possessed with this thought, that union with
Christ will do its own business ; and they expect the fruits of it, but
do nothing to keep this union being a real union. Nomine non
cogitante ; they think though man had no thought or apprehension of
it, and contributeth nothing in the way of duty to receive the fruits
of it, yet it will preserve him and keep him : but this is an abuse, for
we are to be in him as well as he in us ; and the care of preserving it,
VOL. XXL p
226 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [&ER. XXXI.
though it lieth mainly on Christ, and the grace cometh from Christ, yet
it is our duty, and we need often to be quickened to it, for these reasons —
[1.] Because of dulness, laziness, and backwardness to those duties
which maintain this communion. Christ abideth in us by constant
influence and quickening virtue ; but there are duties required on our
part of faith, love, and new obedience. As there is a constant influence
on his part, so there must be a constant adherence on ours. We are
to ' cleave to him with full purpose of heart,' Acts xi. 23. And by
constant endeavour seek to please him, and frequently draw nigh to
him in holy services, as the scripture everywhere showeth ; but we
are idle and apt to neglect our duty.
[2.] Because of our averseness to self-denial, and dependence by
reason of that security and selfishness which is very natural to us,
especially if we have received anything by way of ability and power
to do that which is good. Man is a proud creature, and would fain
be sufficient to himself, live of himself, and do all things by himself ;
though Christ telleth us, ' Without me ye can do nothing.' The sense
of our impotency and emptiness is troublesome and humbling ; there
fore we need often to quicken you to he nothing in yourselves, and all in
Christ, who still giveth and continueth all that we have or can do for
God. This dependence begetteth observance, Phil. ii. 12, 13 ; 1 Cor.
xv. 10, ' Not I, but the grace of God which was with me.' We
being but inferior agents and instruments under him, though voluntary
arid obedient instruments, by our own strength, and without the grace
of Christ, we are not sufficient to begin or finish any Christian duties ;
it is not we that live, but Christ that liveth in us, and breatheth upon
us by fresh and continual inspirations. Peter was confident of the
sincerity of his own resolutions, but he was not sensible of his weak
ness ; now this must often be revived upon us, that we may entirely
depend upon God.
[3.] We are often hotly assaulted with temptations after our hearts
are set for God and heaven. God may permit us to be exercised with
sharp trials, and buffeted very sorely ; therefore we need quicken you
to abide in him. Do not run away from your defence and strength ;
do not think that Christ will cast you off. Now is the time to show
he is in you, Rom. viii. 39.
[4.] We may run into sins which endanger a forfeiture ; therefore
we need often to be put in remembrance of abiding in Christ, that we
may not wrest ourselves out of the arms of mercy.
3. It informeth us how dangerous it is to injure and wrong them
that fear God and keep his commandments ; they are in Christ, and
Christ is in them ; he taketh the injuries as done to himself : Acts ix.
4, ' Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me ? ' You do wrong to the
Lord Jesus when you hate what of Christ is in them : Isa. xxxvii. 28,
' But I know thy abode, and thy going out and coming in, and thy rage
against me,' saith God to Sennacherib. Benefits done to us are taken
as done to him, Mat. xxv. So injuries, Christ taketh them as done to
himself.
Use 2. Is to persuade us to keep his commandments. I shall press
this — (1.) From the excellency of the privilege ; (2.) The necessity of
obedience.
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 227
1. The excellency of the privilege; this deserveth our choicest en
deavours.
[1.] Consider what an obliging act of condescension it is on God's
part to dwell in us. Could we have used these expressions if God
had not used them before us ? ' But will God in very deed dwell with
men on earth ? ' was the wonder of one of the wisest men on earth, 2
Chron. vi. 18. But more to dwell in us and walk in us, 1 Cor. vi. 16 ;
to dwell in the hearts of such poor vile creatures as we are. What
base and unclean guests lodge within us naturally ; but what a blessed
thing is it to have God dwell in us and we in him !
[2.] Consider how much the people of God value his external pre
sence : Exod. xxxiii. 15, ' If thy presence go not with us, carry us not
up hence.' But now Christ is not only with us, but in us, 2 Cor. v. 3.
It is that which bringeth us nearer to God, and fits us to receive more
from him. Temporal blessings, Horn. viii. 32 ; all spiritual blessings,
1 Cor. i. 30 ; eternal, John xvii. 23, 24.
2. The necessity of obedience ; it is not only profitable for more
ample communion, but necessary, the union else is but pretended ; it
cannot be continued, but is interrupted and broken off. Now when
God hath made a difference between you and others, will you seek to
unmake it again ? He cometh to dwell in you to make you holy.
SERMON XXXII.
And we know that he abideth in us, by his Spirit, which he hath
given us. — 1 JOHN iii. 24.
DOCT. That God's dwelling and abiding in us is known by the Spirit
given to us.
It is not said merely that he abideth in us by his Spirit, but ' Hereby
we know that he abideth in us, by his Spirit, which he hath given to us.'
Christ is where his Spirit is. It is a sure sign to us that he hath not
forsaken us, but still continueth united to us.
Let us inquire — (1.) What is meant by the Spirit given to us ; (2.)
Why this is a sure evidence ; (3.) How this Spirit worketh.
I. What is meant by the Spirit given to us. By the Spirit is meant
the person of the Holy Ghost, or some created gift, called the divine
nature, or new creature. The word signifieth both. Sometimes it is
taken for the Holy Ghost himself : Mat. xxviii. 19, ' Baptizing them
in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.' Sometimes for the
gifts and graces of the Spirit : John iii. 6, ' And that which is born of
the Spirit is spirit.' That divine nature which is begotten or born in
us of and by the Spirit is called spirit also, and both given to us : Rom.
v. 5, ' The love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost,
which is given unto us.' The latter is supposed to be spoken of 1
John iv. 13, 'Hereby we know that we dwell in him, and he in us,
228 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXXII.
because he hath given us of his spirit ; ' bestowed a gracious charitable
temper upon us, for that temper which was in Christ is in us also •
for those words follow this clause ; if we love one another, God dwelleth
in us, and his love is perfected in us. Now it mattereth not much
whether we interpret it of the one or the other, for we have both the
fruit and the tree, the fountain and the stream. The one cannot be
without the other, nor the graces without the Spirit, for they are of his
production ; nor can the Spirit be said to dwell in any without respect
to these graces, for the Spirit dwelleth where he worketh ; and his
dwelling in the souls of believers is his working there in such a peculiar
manner as is not common to all men ; a familiar and continued working,
such as produceth life, and likeness to Christ in righteousness and holi
ness, which is the same with gracious habits or the new nature, which
is the more immediate principle of man's actions ;' and the Spirit of
God produceth and worketh all that good which we do by the media
tion of the new frame of heart which he hath raised in us. Yet I chiefly
understand the text of the Spirit of sanctification, by whom being re
generated we live unto God, for these reasons —
1. Because it is brought as a proof of that part of the privilege, his
abiding in us. The privilege is mutual and reciprocal ; we abide in
him and he in us. Now he doth not prove the former, but the latter ;
the soul dwelleth where it delighteth, but God dwelleth where he work
eth by his Spirit, which is the cause of this intimate and immediate
presence, which is here expressed, not by cohabitation, but by inhabit
ation ; and so the meaning is, the constant operations of the Holy Spirit
dwelling and working in you show that Christ hath not forsaken us,
but taken up his abode in our hearts.
2. Because this is the great fruit of God's love, and reward of our
obedience : John xiv. 23, ' If any man love me, and keep my command
ments, my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and make
our abode with him.' ' We/ that is, all the persons of the blessed
Trinity ; not the Father and the Son only, but the Holy Spirit, who
doth constantly and by his habitual effects abide in the hearts of the
faithful, and thereby evidenceth God's love to them : John xiv. 17,
Christ speaking of the Spirit of truth, saith, ' Ye know him, for he
dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.'
3. This Spirit is more discernible by us by his motions and powerful
influence, and the ways which he hath to manifest himself ; and so
more proper to discover and make known the dwelling of God in us
than the bare habits of grace, especially both together than the latter
singly and alone. Indeed, one way by which he doth discover his
sanctifying presence is by that habitual bent of heart towards God
which we call the new nature, and the fruits and works of it. When
we find the frame of our hearts changed for the better, and if we act
accordingly, we may conclude it ; but that which maketh all evident
is his continual presence and powerful influence, by which we are acted
and quickened ; for as the apostle saith, ' By the Spirit of God we know
the things which are freely given us of God,' 1 Cor. ii. 12, both in the
gospel and in our own hearts.
4. The Holy Ghost is said to dwell in believers as his temple :
1 Cor. iii. 16, ' Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the
V r ER. 24.] SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. 229
Spirit of God dwelleth in you ? ' 1 Cor. vi. 19, ' Know ye not that your
body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you ? ' So that the
Spirit himself abideth in believers ; and not only grace from the Spirit,
but he is present in the soul as Christ's agent to convey light, life, and
love to us ; and not as a distant agent, but as the immediate exciter of
all that grace that is in us. There is his power and presence, as in his
temple and proper place of residence ; he first builds up his temple,
and then dwelleth in it.
II. Why this is a sure, rich, full, and pregnant evidence of God's
dwelling in us.
1. Because the coming down of the Holy Ghost upon Christ was the
evidence of God's love to him, and the visible demonstration of his
filiation and sonship to the world : John iii. 34, ' The Father loved the
Son, and gave him the Spirit without measure.' Now Christ prayed,
John xvii. 26, ' That the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be
in them, and I in them.' Before he had said, ver. 23, ' That the world
may know that thou hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.' None
will think in degree, therefore in kind, that God manifests his love to
us the same way which he did to him, and that is by the gift of the
Holy Spirit, or his filiation. John knew Christ to be the Son of God
by the Spirit descending and abiding on him : John i. 32, ' I, John, bare
record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove,
and it abode upon him.' Yea, God himself declared this to be a visible
demonstration of his sonship, Mat. iii. 17. So do we know ourselves
to be the children of God, by the Spirit's inhabitation and sanctifying
work upon our souls.
2. The pouring out of the Spirit was the visible evidence given to
the church of the valuableness and acceptation of Christ's satisfaction
for us, to set afoot the gospel covenant. When God was reconciled and
pacified, then he shed forth the Spirit : Acts ii. 33, ' Therefore being
by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father
the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this which ye now
see and hear.' So John vii. 38, 39, ' He that believeth on me, as the
scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
But this he spake of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should
receive ; for the Holy Ghost was not yet given, because that Jesus was
not yet glorified.' Now this is true of God's reconciliation to us in
particular : when pacified towards us, he giveth the Spirit ; because
the part followeth the reason of the whole : Rom. v. 11, ' And not only
so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom
we have now received the atonement.' There is the atonement made,
and the atonement received; they are both evidenced the same way, by
this fountain of living waters, which is given to all believers : John
iv. 14, ' But whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him
shall never thirst; but the water which I shall give him shall be in
him a well of water springing up to everlasting life.' And all the good
God worketh in us, he worketh as a God of peace reconciled to us by
Christ.
3. Because it was the first witness of the truth of the gospel, and
therefore the best pledge we can have of the love of God in our hearts;
for believers are confirmed the same way which the gospel is confirmed ;
230 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SEE. XXXII.
that which confirmeth Christianity confirmeth the Christian, the reality
of our interest ; as the extract and original charter have value from the
same attestation or stamp and seal : Acts v. 32, ' And we are witnesses
of these things, and so is the Holy Ghost.' And the wonders wrought
by the Spirit : Heb. ii. 4, ' God also bearing them witness, both with
signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy
Ghost.' This was extraordinary, therefore the Christian needeth not
to have his Christianity confirmed by miracles, but by the sanctifying
Spirit : John xvii. 17, ' Sanctify them through thy truth ; thy word is
truth.' This the believer must have : 1 John v. 10, ' He that believeth
on the Son of God hath the witness in himself ; ' the Spirit comforting
the conscience by the blood of Christ, and sanctifying and cleansing
the heart as with pure water, ver. 8. This is our evidence that we
are true Christians : so the testimony of Christ is confirmed in us.
4. It is proper to the matter in hand, union and communion with
Christ.
[1.] Consider the privilege itself, the nature of this union with
Christ, the object, the author and continual preserver : 2 Cor. xiii. 14,
' The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the
communion of the Holy Ghost.' Communion is imputed to the Holy
Ghost, as love to God, and grace to Christ : 1 Cor. vi. 17, ' He that is
joined to the Lord is one spirit.' As a man and a harlot are one flesh,
so we are one spirit, because it is not a communion of bodies, but spirits.
There is the same spirit in head and members ; therefore the apostle
concludeth, Kom. viii. 9, ' Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ,
he is none of his ; ' is not grafted as a living member into Christ's
mystical body.
[2.] For the bands of this union, faith and love and new obedience,
they are all wrought in us, and stirred up in us by the Spirit.
(1.) Faith, it is the Spirit which giveth faith : Gal. v. 5, ' For we
through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.' It is
he that doth internally enlighten our minds, and incline our hearts to
embrace the . gospel covenant, and Christ revealed in it. All that
faith which we have is the gift of God, Eph. ii. 8 ; and God worketh by
his Spirit, ' who openeth the eyes of our mind, that we may believe
and receive the gospel,' Eph. i. 17, 18.
(2.) For love, it is his production also, for love is of God, 1 John
iv. 7, that is, wrought in us by the efficacy of his Spirit. The great
design of the gospel is to reveal the love of God, and thereby to recover
our love to God, that we may love him again, who hath loved us first,
1 John iv. 19. Now the bare revelation of this love in the word will
not do it, unless it be shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit given to
us, Eom. v. 5. Therefore, as the Spirit of light, he worketh faith ; as a
Spirit of love, he worketh love in us, and recovereth us from the world
and the flesh to God. Naturally we love our own selves, that is, our
own flesh, above God ; for ' that which is born of flesh is flesh,'
And we love the world above God, 2 Peter i. 4. All this is remedied
by the new nature given to us by the Spirit, that we may love God,
and live to him.
(3.) For new obedience, it is wrought in us by the Spirit also:
' Seeing ye have purified your hearts in obeying the truth through the
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 231
Spirit,' 1 Peter i. 23. He qnickeneth all the acts of the new life :
Ezek. xxxvi. 27, ' I will put my Spirit into you, and cause you to walk
in my statutes.' So that the Holy Ghost being given to us as our
sanctifier, he resideth in our hearts as the immediate agent of Christ,
and the worker of all grace ; as a Spirit of light and love maintaining
and carrying on our communion with God in Christ. If we have
such a spirit, we may know that he abideth in us ; but without his
illuminating, quickening, sanctifying work on the heart, we are not
Christians.
[3.] The Spirit given to us is fit only to satisfy us concerning our
interest in this blessed and glorious privilege, for these reasons —
(1.) Because the privilege is so high, that we should dwell in God
and God in us, that we need some great benefit to assure us of it.
Now the Holy Ghost is a benefit becoming God to give and us to receive.
For God to give us his Spirit, it is more than if he had given us all the
world. A believer valueth it above all other evidences, and in its own
nature it deserveth it, as being the highest demonstration of God's
bounty and liberality to us; if he giveth all the world, he giveth some
thing without himself, but when he giveth the Spirit he giveth himself.
The uncreated Spirit is a person of the Godhead, and the Godhead is
undivided, and saving grace is the permanent effect thereof. Other
mercies run in the channel of common providence, but this could only
be conveyed to us by the mediation of Jesus Christ. The Father sends
him in Christ's name : John xiv. 26, ' And the Comforter, which is the
Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name/ And Christ
sendeth him from the Father : John xv. 26, ' But when the Comforter
is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father.' He proceedeth
from the Father and the Son, and is the fruit of both their loves to us.
Christ hath merited this effectual operation, and conveyed the Spirit to
us as our head : John xvi. 14, 15, ' He shall glorify me, for he shall
receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. All things that the
Father hath are mine ; therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and
shall show it unto you.' Other things are given in anger, but not the
Spirit ; we may have them and perish for ever ; but when we have this
great benefit, then we know we live in God, and are fitted to live to God,
and shall live with him for ever.
(2.) Because it is a privilege into which we are admitted after a
breach. Persons that have been at variance will not easily believe one
another, and trust one another, unless their reconciliation be sealed by
some remarkable good turn and visible testimony of love. A great
offender was never reconciled to Augustus unless he did put some
mark of favour upon him ; as David to Amasa, in giving him the
generalship of his army. And further, the breach hath been so great
between God and us, that we shall have no peace and joy in believing,
till we have some gift that may be a perfect demonstration that he is
at peace with us. This is the work of the sanctifying Spirit : 1 Thes.
v. 23, ' And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly ; ' Heb. xiii.
20, 21, ' Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our
Lord Jesus Christ, the great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood
of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do
his will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in his sight ; ' Rom.
232 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SER. XXXII.
xvi. 20, 'And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet
shortly ; ' 2 Cor. v. 18, ' And all things are of God, who hath recon
ciled us to himself by Christ Jesus, and hath given to us the ministry
of reconciliation.' Most men's confidence conieth from their stupid
security and slightness in soul matters. A Christian that is in good
earnest must have a sufficient proof of God's love, that he is recon
ciled, taken into God's family, made ' an heir according to the hope of
eternal life.' Now this is done by the Spirit.
(3.) It is an inward and spiritual privilege, and therefore must have
a spiritual confirmation. Now this is within our own hearts. The
death of Christ was a demonstration of God's love, but that was done
without us, and before we were born. Justification is a blessed privilege,
but that is either God's act in heaven accepting us in Christ, or else the
sentence of his law and new covenant, constituting us just and righteous.
But this is done in our hearts by the Spirit : Gal. iv. 6, ' He hath sent
the Spirit of his Son into our hearts; ' 2 Cor. i. 22, 'Given the earnest of
the Spirit in our hearts.' This witness we have within ourselves.
(4.) Because the Spirit may act transiently, and in a passing way
upon others, and that which is seldom done may be mistaken or sus
pected, therefore the Holy Ghost abideth in us by his constant opera
tions: John xiv. 17, 'Ye shall know him, for he abideth in you.' What
we feel constantly, frequently, we cannot be deceived in it. They feel
his operations comforting, quickening, instructing them, mortifying
their lusts, exciting them to holiness, and so may see how they are
beloved of God, and minded by him upon all occasions. The effects
of the Spirit show it, such as are life, holiness, faith, strength, comfort,
joy, peace, support under our crosses and afflictions, groans after heaven.
This constant experience can be no delusion ; therefore the observing
of this breedeth true and solid comfort.
III. The properties or operations of this Spirit, as he is a proof and
evidence of our communion with God.
1. It is a Spirit of life : Rom. viii. 2, ' The law of the Spirit of life
in Christ Jesus ; ' and Gal. v. 25, ' If we live in the Spirit.' The Spirit
maketh the soul alive that was dead in sin ; therefore when we are dead
to the world, we are really alive to God, as will appear by our actions
and earnest desires after heavenly things. Many have a name to live,
for parts do strangely counterfeit grace ; but if the Spirit becometh a
principle of life within us, then we live indeed. Surely it is a sign of
great weakness, at least, to be alive to other things, and dead-hearted
in all acts of religion.
2. It is a Spirit of love as well as of life. Some make the Holy
Ghost the love that passeth between the Father and the Son. Surely
the operative love of God to us is conveyed by the Spirit. Now accord
ing to his nature so he worketh, inclining us to love God and our
brother, yea, our very enemies : ' For the fruits of the Spirit are love,
joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.' The apostle
saith, 1 Thes. iv. 9, 'We are taught of God to love one another.' God's
teaching is by impression and inclination. Envious and bitter zeal,
malice, and all uncharitableness and revenge, is not of God, but the
devil ; therefore they that are acted by these things know not what
spirit they are of.
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 233
3. It is a Spirit of sanctification, often so called : 2 Thes. ii. 14,
' God hath chosen you to salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit.'
A pure and holy Spirit given to us to renew our natures, and put us
into the way of salvation : Titus iii. 5, 6, ' He saveth us by the wash
ing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he hatli
shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Lord ; ' to purge out
sin, and suppress the motions of all that pride, worldliness, and sen
suality which is so natural to us : Kom. viii. 13, ' If ye through the
Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live ; ' and to quicken
us to grow more complete in the will of God, that we may both do it
and suffer it, and be prepared and fitted to live with God for ever.
4. It is a Spirit of power, enabling us to vanquish temptations that
arise either from the terrors and delights of sense, by propounding the
blessedness of the other and better world : 2 Tim. i. 7, ' For God hath
not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound
mind.'
5. It is a Spirit of adoption : Kom. viii. 15, 16, ' But ye have received
the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself
beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God ; '
and Gal. iv. 6, ' And because we are sons, he hath sent forth the Spirit
of his Son into our hearts.' It is the surest sign of God's fatherly
love, and the pledge of our adoption, and so inclineth us to God as a
Father in Christ, that we may love him, delight in him, and depend
upon him. It breedeth a childlike affection to God, childlike con
fidence, childlike obedience ; these are the true fruits of the Spirit of
Christ. All God's children have not a childlike confidence, but a
childlike inclination ; they cannot keep away from God ; when they
cannot own him as a Father with delightful confidence, yet they dare
not offend him ; there is an awe of God, though they are not assured
of his love. In short, they love him, though they cannot say he loveth
them.
6. It is a Spirit of supplication : Zech. xii. 10, ' I will pour upon
the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit
of grace and supplication/ Wherein we manifest our childlike affec
tion to God ; and in that duty he doth most help our infirmities, Rom.
viii. 26, stirring up in us ardent groans and desires, and in giving us
life in our prayers, and a holy boldness whenever we come to God.
There the renewed soul doth directly apply itself to God, and the work
of the sanctifying Spirit is most sensibly acted and discovered.
Use 1. To inform us how to know whether our communion with God
be interrupted, yea or no, or whether God be pleased or displeased witli
us, by observing the motions or withdrawings of his Spirit. We can
not know it by outward things ; for God may ' rebuke those whom ho
loveth, and chasten every son whom he receiveth/ Heb. xii. 6, and may
give outward comforts in anger; these are not evidences of God's love
and hatred, Eccles. ix. 2. God will not mark out men by their out
ward estate, discover the wicked by their afflictions, nor reward the
godly with this world's good things, nor distinguish them by the bless
ings of his common providence, but hath taken another course to show
his anger or his love, his pleasure or displeasure, by giving and with
holding the Spirit. When he is provoked by his people, there is some
234 SEHMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [&ER. XXXII
abatement, not only of the comforting, but quickening and sanctifying
influences of his Spirit. Therefore David prayeth, Ps. li. 10, ' Take
not thy Holy Spirit from me.' On the contrary, when he is well pleased
with any, they are filled with the Spirit : Acts xi. 24, ' For he was a
good man, and full of the Holy Ghost ; ' Acts ix. 31, ' They walked in
the fear of God, and in the comforts of the Holy Ghost;' Actsxiii.52, 'And
the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.' Therefore
when there is any stop of this kind of influence, we should inquire what is
the matter, where it sticketh, how came our delightful commerce with
God to be interrupted, what unkindness there hath been on our part ?
Use 2. To put us upon self-reflection, what kind of spirit dwelleth
in our hearts. Some are acted by the wrathful unclean spirit : Eph.
ii. 2, ' According to the prince of the power of the air, that worketh in
the children of disobedience.' Others guided and influenced by the
mere corrupt natural spirit : James iv. 5, ' The spirit that dwelleth in
us lusteth to envy.' But all that are adopted into God's family, all
that are members of Christ's mystical body, they are guided and influ
enced by the Spirit of God : Horn. viii. 14, ' For as many as are led by
the Spirit of God are the sons of God/ If we will follow the impure and
revengeful spirit, he will hurry us to destruction, as he did the herd of
swine into whom he entered, Mat. viii. If we be guided by the wisdom
of the flesh and our own carnal affections, we shall easily be led away
from God and our happiness. It is the Holy Ghost only who bringeth
us into a state of communion with God, and is as necessary to make
all right between us and Christ, as Christ is between us and God. Now
who are those that are guided by the Spirit of God ? Our conversa
tion will declare that principiata respondent suis principiis. The
constant effects declare the prevailing principle ; therefore what effects
and fruits can you produce of the Spirit's dwelling in you ?
1. The Spirit leadeth us to an holy life and perfect obedience to God.
His first work is. to renew the soul to the image of God, and change
us into the likeness of Christ, 2 Cor. iii. 18. That is the impression of
this seal, left on the hearts of those where he cometh, and by which
God's children are distinguished from others. He is given on purpose
to heal our natures, destroy our sins, and to excite us to perfect holiness
in the fear of God. Now where this effect is accomplished, they may
certainly say, God hath given his Spirit, namely, where God doth sanc
tify the souls of his people, mortify their lusts, and master their strongest
corruptions, and raise them to those inclinations and affections which
mere nature is a stranger unto. Surely a divine power hath been
working there ; when they are more like God, and fit for the service of
God, they are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, Eph. i. 13. His
first renewing and sanctifying work, and his carrying on that work,
whereby the image of God is more imprinted on us, will be our surest
evidence, especially when holiness of life floweth from it ; for graces
acted and exercised do more discover themselves ; and such a super
natural effect as the sanctifying our natures, and the ruling and govern
ing of our lives. Could the love and fear of God be produced by any
other cause than the Spirit of God ?
2. The Spirit is a perfect opposite to the flesh ; and they that are
under the power and conduct of the Spirit do resist and conquer the
VER. 24.] SERMONS UPON i JOHN in. 235
desires of the flesh ; for it is not a fruitless resistance: Gal. v. 16, 17,
' This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts
of the flesh : for the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit
against the flesh ; and these are contrary the one to the other ; ' Rom.
viii. 5, ' They that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh,
but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit ; ' Gal. vi. 8,
' For he that soweth to the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption ; but
he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.'
They spend their time and strength, life and love, care and thoughts
in seeking after spiritual things ; their business is not to gratify the
flesh, but enrich the soul, to excel in knowledge, love to God, faith in
Christ, and hopes of the other world, though with the loss of carnal
pleasures ; and so they comply with the precepts of Christ, which every
where call upon us to curb the flesh, to dispossess us of the beast that
is gotten into our natures, and to raise us in some measure into the
degree and rank of an angel ; to draw us off from the natural and animal
life to life spiritual and eternal, or, which is all one, to drive out the
spirit of the world, and to introduce a divine and heavenly spirit.
The brutish part of the world is enslaved to lower things, but they
that are recovered out of this defection by the power of the Spirit grow
wise and heavenly. The great disease of mankind was, that our immortal
souls are depressed and tainted by the objects of sense, and did wholly
crook and writhe itself to earthly things ; and instead of likeness to
God, the image of a beast was impressed on man's nature, and the
better part, his soul, was enslaved and embondaged to the worser part,
his flesh. Now the Spirit of God cometh by degrees to restore human
nature to its primitive perfection, that the spirit might command his
flesh, and man might seek his happiness in some higher and more tran
scending good than the beasts are capable of, something that suits with
his immortal spirit, and to elevate us from a state of subjection to the
flesh into a liberty for divine and heavenly things.
3. The Spirit inclineth us to all duties to our neighbours ; for it is
said, Eph. v. 9, ' The fruits of the Spirit in us are in all goodness and
righteousness and truth.' Meaning thereby, he maketh men sincere,
good, just in their carriage to men ; by ' goodness/ taking all occasions of
being useful to others as to their spiritual and bodily estate ; by 'right
eousness,' just dealings in all our transactions with others ; and by
' truth,' a sincere carriage, free from lying hypocrisy and dissimulation.
So Gal. v. 22, 23, ' But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-
suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance : against
such there is no law.' Duties to our neighbour are implied in all these
graces. By 'love,' understand love to our neighbour ; by 'joy,' sweetness of
converse, or delighting in their good ; by ' peace,' that which concerneth
all men as much as possible can be ; by ' long-suffering,' patience, bear
ing and forgiving of injuries ; by ' gentleness,' easiness to be entreated ;
by ' goodness,' a communicativeness to all, especially the household of
faith; by 'faith,' fidelity, truth in our commerce; by 'meekness,' restraint
of our anger ; by ' temperance,' a holy moderation in the use of earthly
things and the delights thereof. Well, then, when these things are
practised by us, the Spirit is given to us.
4. The Spirit leadeth us to a heavenly life, as the flesh did to things
236 SERMONS UPON 1 JOHN III. [SliR. XXXII.
grateful to present sense ; he discovereth those things to us : Eph. i.
17, 18, ' That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory,
may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the know
ledge of him ; the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that
ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of
the glory of his inheritance in the saints.' The reality of future glory
and blessedness, he prepareth and fitteth us for it : 2 Cor. v. 5, ' Now
he that hath wrought us to this self-same thing is God, who hath given
us the earnest of the Spirit ; ' Horn. ix. 27, ' Prepared unto glory.'
The heavenly mind, the purified heart ; he assureth us of it : 2 Cor.
i. 22, ' Who hath sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit.'
Comforteth us with it, and raiseth our longing after it : Rom. viii. 23,
' And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of
the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the
adoption, to wit, the redemption of our bodies.' Quickening us to dili
gence and seriousness in the pursuit of it : Phil. iii. 20, ' But our con
versation is in heaven, from whence we look for a Saviour.' Much of
the Spirit's operation is about fitting us for heaven.
SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38.
SEKMON I.
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts, and said
unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, ivhat
shall we do ? — ACTS ii. 37.
THIS scripture telleth us what was the fruit and effect of the first
sermon that was preached after the pouring out of the Spirit. Peter
preached that sermon, and brought in thousands of souls to Christ :
Acts ii. 41, ' Then they that gladly received the word were baptized ;
and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand
souls.' Never did Peter show himself such a fisher of men as now.
Three thousand souls were gained at that one draught, or one casting
of the net of the gospel ; and those not very pliable ductile men neither,
and easy to be caught, but sturdy sinners, such as had imbrued their
hands in the blood of their Saviour, and were now in a mocking, scoff
ing humour. But thus it is to venture in the confidence of the power
of Christ's Spirit. It was a mighty thing that an angel should slay a
hundred and eighty-five thousand in one night in Sennacherib's host;
but it is easier to kill so many men than to convert and save one soul.
One angel, by his mere natural strength, could kill so many armed
men, but all the angels in heaven, if they should join all their forces
together, could not convert one soul to God. Here was more done.
Well, then, this being the first instance of the power of the word ac
companied with the Spirit, we ought to regard it the more. When we
hear of some physic that hath notably wrought on others, and cured
them of their diseases, every sick man would try that physic, or inquire
after it. Here we see how the word worketh for the cure of sick souls ;
therefore let us consider a little the way of its operation. There is
some account of that in the text, how it began to work, ' Now when
they heard this, they were pricked at their hearts/ &c.
In which words observe three things —
1. The means and instrumental cause by which their trouble and
perplexity was wrought, ' When they heard this.'
2. The commotion or affection wrought in them, compuncti sunt
corde, ' They were pricked at the heart.'
3. The course they took for ease and relief, or the carriage of these
converts after this piercing and brokenness of heart, ' And they said
238 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [&ER. I.
unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall
we do ? '
First, The means, ' When they heard this.' There are these things
that offer themselves to our consideration — (1.) It was the word of
God produced this effect ; (2.) The word judiciously and powerfully
managed ; (3.) Closely applied ; (4.) In this close application they
were charged with a grievous sin ; (5.) This grievous sin was wrong
done to Christ. All these things conduced to the piercing of their
hearts.
First, It was the word of God, which is of great power and force.
Its piercing property discovereth its author : Heb. iv. 12, 13, ' For
the word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-
edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,
and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart : neither is there any creature that is not manifest
in his sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him with
whom we have to do.' He speaketh not of the hypostatical and sub
stantial word ; for he had before spoken of the word heard, and to be
mingled with faith in the hearing. ^0709, for Christ, is peculiar to
John ; only it is observable that the same things may be applied to
Christ, the great prophet of the church, and the word by which he
governeth the church, as if he resolved to discover all his power and
.glory by this instrument. Now of this word it is said that it is £<w
KOI evepyrjs, 'quick and powerful.' It is not a dead letter, neither to them
that believe, nor the wicked ; it quickeneth the one, and maketh the
conscience of the other feel its force. Either it openeth the heart, or
hardeneth it. And again, 'That it is sharper than any two-edged
sword.' No weapon like this to wound the souls of men, ' piercing
even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and
marrow.' It can search every bone, muscle, and vein ; ' and all things
are naked and open,' cut down by the chine-bone before God. So doth
the word rip up the conscience of the sinner, and make him throw
aside all his disguises and pretences ; so that he hath no reasons to
allege, no excuses to make, no arguments to plead, but wholly lieth
under the convictions of it : Isa. Iv. 10, 11, 'As the rain cometh down
from heaven and watereth the earth, and returneth not again, so shall
my word be.' The word is not preached in vain ; it worketh whereto
it is sent, to convert or harden. When we have rain and snow in their
season, we expect a fruitful year; so God's word shall have its effect.
It is very notable here in the text that the virtue of the Holy Ghost
did not show itself in the gift of tongues, as it did in and by the word.
When they spake with divers tongues, as the Spirit gave utterance,
though it were a wonderful effect, yet the Jews were still hardened,
and thought that this unusual jabbering was nothing, but that it came
from the fumes of wine ; that the apostles had taken a cup too much,
rather than the effect of the operation of the Holy Ghost, But ' when
they heard this/ when the word came, and was urged, and applied to
their consciences, then they were pricked at the heart, and relented.
Uses. Now this is —
1. An argument to confirm us in the divine authority of the word,
because it worketh such terrors and agonies in men's hearts. What
VER. 37.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 239
but the word of God can cite men's consciences before his tribunal, who
alone giveth laws to the conscience, and appalleth the stoutest sinners ?
Paul, a prisoner at the bar, maketh the judge tremble. It is true,
natural conscience can accuse and terrify, but it is for sins evident by
natural light : Eom. ii. 15, ' Which show the work of the law written
upon their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their
thoughts the meanwhile accusing or excusing one another ; ' Heb. ii.
15, ' Who through fear of death are all their lifetime subject to bon
dage.' But not for gospel sins, and not believing in Christ ; that is
the property of the word, accompanied by the Spirit : John xvi. 9,
' He shall convince the world of sin, because they believe not in me.'
And to convince them in such a heart-breaking manner as that
nothing will satisfy them but the favour of God in Christ, that is
divine. They that have not felt this power of the word fear it : John
iii. 20, ' For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh
to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.' They see the majesty
of God in his word ransacking the conscience.
2. It encourageth us to preach the word with power and authority,
as knowing whose ministers we are, and whose word it is. Yea, though
we have a refractory people, who are ready to deride and mock at what
we say to them in the name of the Lord, yet we ought not to be daunted,
but set our faces as an adamant stone. The prophet Jeremiah was dis
couraged, and ready to give over, when he heard ' the defaming of
many, and the word of the Lord was made a reproach to him,' Jer. xx.
8-11, ' But the Lord is with me, as a mighty and terrible one.' That
fetched up his spirits, and got up his courage again. We distrust the
power of our Master, and his mighty Spirit, that hath ever gone along
with his word, and made it able to break the stoutest and stiffest hearts.
Two things may encourage us —
[1.] The blood of Christ, which is of virtue sufficient to work off
men from their inveterate customs : 1 Peter i. 18, ' For ye were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain
conversations received by tradition from your fathers.' There is merit
enough on his part to make the word effectual, and the power of his
Spirit, which can bear down all prejudices. As here, where it was first
poured out, when some of the persecutors of Christ were in a scoffing,
mocking frame, they were indicted and arraigned by Peter, and con
demned in their own consciences, yea, were changed and converted by
it. And such a power doth still accompany the word : 1 Cor. xiv. 24,
25, ' But if they all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not,
or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, and judged of all; and thus
are the secrets of his heart made manifest ; and so falling down on his
face, he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.'
An infidel coming in by chance, God taketh him by the heart ; there
fore why should we be dismayed and discouraged in the Lord's work ?
2 Cor. x. 4, ' For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but
mighty through God, to the pulling down of strongholds/
[2.] Encouragement to those that are sensible of hardness to wait on
the word of God. It is a powerful instrument in the hand of God when
used as his ordinance, and his blessing is waited for, to melt and soften
us, and make us pliable to every holy purpose. God appealeth to our
240 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SfiR. I.
experience : Jer. xxiii. 29, ' Is not my word like fire, saiih the Lord,
and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces ? ' A fire to melt,
and a hammer to break ! Ob, what can stand before the power of it ?
Use it in good conscience, as one of the means of grace, and you shall
find it will awaken you ; nay, wound and heal you, and prove the power
of God to your salvation. Some consideration or other will be given
out to set your hearts a-work in heavenly things with greater life and
power. All the miracles which God showed, either before or at the
death of Christ, did not work so as this one sermon of Peter's. Cer
tainly either the word will do it, or nothing will do it.
Secondly, It was the word of God, soundly taught, and handled with
wisdom, and in a convincing way ; for Peter taketh the scriptures, and
solidly proveth to them that Jesus, whom they crucified, was the
Christ. That is his conclusion in the 36th verse, ' Therefore let all
the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same
Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ/ He maketh it
evident in a powerful way of conviction : ' Now when they heard this
they were pricked in their heart.' Note, a powerful searching ministry,
that bringeth men to a sight and sense of their sins, is best to fit men
for conversion to God. There is a playing with scripture in oratorian
flourishes, and a sound inculcation of it. When men strive to make
those that hear them the better for what they say, that is the ministry
that will prick the heart ; the others scarce tear the skin. It was said
of Pericles, that his speech was piercing, in animis auditorum aculeos
reliquit: he left a sting in the minds of his hearers, not by the charms
of rhetoric, but by a serious, pungent discourse. That is the best
preaching which woundeth the heart ; it is most for the glory of God,
and for the good of souls. Speaking pleasing things to tickle the ear
better becometh the stage than the pulpit. It is said, Eccles. xii. 11,
' That the words of the wise are as goads and nails, fastened by the
master of the assemblies ; ' words that have a notable acumen in them ;
some spiritual sharpness to affect the heart and quicken our dull
affections. He meaneth sound and spiritual doctrine, such as doth not
flatter men in their sins, but awaken and rouse them up. Si prcedica-
toris non pungit sermo, sed oblectat, sapiens non est — He is not a wise
preacher who doth not mind his end, whose speech is fuller of flashes
of wit than of savoury wholesome truths, that rather thinketh to please
the ear than to awaken the conscience. He dotli not act like a master
of the assemblies. Illius doctoris vocem libenter audio, non qui sibi
plausum, sed qui mihi plan ctum movet, saith Bernard. They are the
best preachers, and most affectionate to you, that wound your souls ;
though they rub an old sore till it ache, it is the better. The work
of a minister is not to gain applause to himself, but souls to God. That
maketh you go away, and say, not, How well hath he preached ! but,
How ill have I lived ! — that ends with self-loathing rather than com
mendation of his parts. He must not lenocinia qucerere, sed remedia,
saith Salvian : seek out, not jingling words, but choice remedies for
your souls.
Use. All this is spoken that you may not grow weary of a sound and
searching ministry. Many think they trouble the world, and drive
men to despair. Indeed God's witnesses do torment the dwellers upon
VER. 37.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 241
earth, Eev. xi. 10 ; they trouble their carnal rest, and will not let men
sleep in their sins ; but is it not better you should be troubled in your
sleep of sin than awake in flames ? Is it not a good despair that driveth
you to God, and maketh way for a hope that will never leave you
ashamed ? And if we go to heaven by the gates of hell, can you be
angry for leading you aright ? I speak the rather, because the world
cannot endure masculine, sound preaching. Ahab hated Micaiah : 1
Kings xxii. 8, ' He doth not prophesy good of me, but evil.' Men are
displeased with them that deal faithfully with their souls : Isa. xxx.
10, ' They say unto the seers, See not ; and the prophets, Prophesy not
unto us right things ; speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits.'
They would have the prophets sleek their tongues, and come with loose,
garish strains ; a sound practical sermon is loathed. They are cut at
heart when they hear it, Acts vii. 54 ; they were unwilling to be
searched at the bottom. It is one of the great sins of the age. Men
preach in jest, and the people love to have it so ; and speak of heaven
and hell as things made to play withal, rather than propound them to
their serious belief.
Thirdly, It was closely applied. The apostle doth not hover in
generals, shoot at rovers ; he holdeth the point of the sword at their
breasts, and dischargeth in their faces : ' This Jesus, whom ye have
crucified, is both Lord and Christ. When they heard this, they were
pricked in their hearts.' Applicative and close preaching is the best
way to wound the heart, or to bring men to a sight and sense of their
miserable condition. ' Thou art the man,' saith Nathan to David, 2
Sam. xii. 6, 7 ; Acts vii. 51, 52, ' Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised
in heart and ear, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost ; as your fathers
did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted ?
and they have slain them which showed before the coming of the just
One, of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.' A clap
of thunder at a distance doth not startle me so much as when it is in
my zenith : 'The man is. convinced of all, and judged of all, when the
secrets of his own heart are discovered,' 1 Cor. xiv. 25. We make
little account of those things we have not a real interest in ; therefore
this is a warrant to fly in the face of sinners, and charge them home,
You are the men. Souls that are rocked asleep in a sinful course will
else throw off all. An indictment without a name signifieth nothing.
It prevents that captious cavil, The minister meant me, will they say,
when their corruptions are met with ; not by an humble application of
the word to their consciences, but by way of cavil and calumny, judg
ing it some sinister intention or reproachful reflection upon them : Jer.
vi. 10, ' The word of the Lord is to them a reproach, they have no
delight in it.' They make reproof railing. If thy heart misgive thee
that thou art guilty, he did mean thee, and should mean thee. The
minister did no more than he ought, no more than he ought in point
of conscience ; and it is just that every man should bear his own
blame. But that he intended to shame thee before men, that is the
false surmise of a galled conscience, when it beginneth to be stricken
in its comforts. Apply it so as to humble thee, not to hate thy
reprover.
Fourthly, It was a close application of a grievous sin. That was it
VOL. XXI. Q
2i2 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [&ER. I.
touched them so nearly, that they had crucified the Messiah, whom
they had so long expected, and whom by their profession they were
bound to receive : ' Now when they heard this.' Usually in awakening
a sinner there is some remarkable and special sin that God sets home
upon the conscience; as here, that they had crucified him who was
appointed to be Christ and Lord. Christ convinceth the woman of
Samaria of adultery : John iv. 18, ' He whom thou now hast is not
thy husband.' Nothing that Christ had said before could work upon
her conscience till he took this course with her. There is some special
sin we are guilty of, which, when it is touched in the word, maketh
guilt fly in the face of a sinner most insensible ; as a blunt iron, that
toucheth many points at once, maketh a bruise, but a needle, that
toucheth but one point, entereth to the quick. Loose discourses about
sin in general do not affect the heart so much as the sound discovery
of sin ; and when that one sin is discovered, it bringeth others into the
view of conscience. As a man that is asleep is not awakened but by
some great sound, but when once he is awake, he easily heareth lesser
sounds ; so there is some gross or secret sin God sets home upon the
conscience, some special sin that bringeth all the rest to remembrance ;
usually the most shameful sin that ever we committed. Now it is our
duty to lay these convictions to heart, and to consider our estate before
God, when we find the word falling with light and power on any one
sin of ours.
Fifthly, This grievous sin was wrong done to Christ Jesus, ' Whom
ye have crucified/ Now they find the nails pricking in their hearts
as so many sharp daggers ; and having formerly pierced Christ, are
now pierced themselves: 'Now when they heard this, they were
pricked in their hearts.' Note from hence, that sin will then affect
the heart most when the wrong done to Christ thereby is seriously
thought of. It was prophesied of these Jews, Zech. xii. 10, 'They
shall look upon him whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn
for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness
for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first-born ; ' John viii. 28,
' When ye have lift up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I
am he.' Christ had foretold this conviction ; after it was done they
should be convinced of it, and their consciences let loose upon them,
that they might see what a woful sin they had committed. And did
the Jews only wrong Christ ? All of us have wronged him in his laws
and servants ; and it is not only Jews, but Christians may look upon
him whom they have pierced. Some are said, Heb. vi. 6, ' To crucify
to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to open shame/
The blood of Christ may not only be upon them that shed it, but on
those that slight it. We do him the greatest contumely ; the Jews
knew him not. Christ prayeth, ' Father, forgive them, for they know
not what they do/ We know him, or else do ill in professing his
name, and rejecting his benefits.
Secondly, I come to the trouble and anxiety of heart caused by the
word, Kctrevvyiiaav rfj tcapSia, 'They were pricked in their hearts/
Mark, it was not a slight stroke, the razing of the skin, but a com
punction or pricking, a deep remorse and trouble. This was not of
the eye, as Esau sought the blessing with tears when he had lost it,
VER. 37.] SERMONS UPON ACTS ir. 37, 38. 243
Heb. xii. 17, but in the heart. Not a lighter touch or sudden pang,
but a deep wound. The words are passive, not pricked themselves,
but ' were pricked.' Could they have told how to prevent it, it had
never been ; but God breaketh in upon their consciences by his word,
and then they are sore troubled. We read of some that, when they
were charged with the same crime, they were ' cut at heart ; ' Acts
vii. 54, ' Ye have been betrayers and murderers of the just One. And
when they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and gnashed
on him with their teeth.' This is the more kindly work of the two.
The word, when it is used as a means of conversion, then men are
pricked at heart ; but when they misuse it, as a means of embittering
their spirits, then they are cut at heart. This perplexity and trouble
we may consider as the fruit and issue of sin, or as the beginning of
grace.
1. If you consider it as a fruit of sin, that sin will be bitterness and
terror to the soul in the issue, however it seem to content us, and
please the flesh for a while. It carrieth a sting with it in the tail,
that will show itself one time or other : Jer. ii. 19, ' Thine own
wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backsliding shall reprove thee ;
know therefore, and see, that it is an evil thing and bitter that thou
hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith
the Lord God of hosts.' Thou shalt know it by the gripes of thine
own heart. Though conscience be seared and senseless for a time, yet
after a little while it will awake. For the present men do with
difficulty smother checks of conscience, and repel the reproofs of the
word, but after a while your trouble will come upon you like an armed
man, which you cannot resist : ' The pleasures of sin are but for a
season,' Heb. xi. 25. But all this while you are but providing for
your own sorrow : Job xx. 12-14, ' Though wickedness be sweet in
the mouth, though he hide it under his tongue, though he spare it,
and forsake it not, but keep it still within his mouth, yet his meat in
his bowels is turned, it is the gall of asps within him.'
Use 1. Oh, take we heed then how we play with sin, or the occa
sions that lead thereunto. The contentment is soon over, like a
draught of sweet poison, and then men feel the gall of asps within
themselves, either in terrors of conscience in this life : Prov. xviii. 14,
' A wounded conscience who can bear ? ' or in the torments of hell
hereafter : Luke xvi. 24, ' Send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of
his finger in water, and cool my tongue ; for I am tormented in this
flame : ' Horn. ii. 9, ' Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man
that doeth evil.' Nay, though a kindly remorse should intervene :
Mat. xxvi. 75, ' Peter went out and wept bitterly.' It will cost you
heart-grief and sorrow. Therefore be not deceived ; do not sow to the
flesh ; forbidden fruit will cost dear. You think it pleasant to satisfy
your lusts : ' Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is
pleasant ; but he knoweth not that the dead are there, and that her
guests are in the depths of hell,' Prov. ix. 17, 18. The sting of con
science and eternal torments will follow this. You are merry now,
but this temper will not always last. If God put you into the stocks
of conscience, or cast you into the prison of hell, then you will pay
dear for all this frolicking.
244 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SfiR. I.
2. As a preparation and step towards grace.
Doct. That the work of regeneration beginneth in a lively and smart
sense of our sin and misery.
Because this is the main point, I shall show you — (1.) What is this
pricking of heart ; (2.) That this is the way God taketh to bring men
to themselves ; (3.) Why, or for what reasons.
I. What is this pricking at heart ? There is a preparatory trouble
that goeth before a saving change. It is gradus ad rem, a step to this
change, though not gradus in re, a part of this change ; as drying of
the wood is not kindling of the wood. After this pricking at the
heart, Peter biddeth them repent. This trouble lieth most in the
passions and affections ; yet it presupposeth some work upon the
understanding. Among the passions it lieth most in the fear of being
damned for ever ; but it doth not exclude the work of other affections,
as shame and sorrow ; for nature hath a quick and more tender sense
of danger than any other thing ; as a man overgrown with sores is
sensible of the filthiness and nastiness of his condition, but first and
most of the pain. Well, then, let us consider it more distinctly.
1. There is in our understanding an apprehension of our miserable
and undone condition, by reason of our many and great sins. A
sight of sin is necessary, or a sound conviction of our sinful estate :
Jer. xxxi. 19, ' Surely after that I was turned, I repented ; and after
I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh : I was ashamed, yea, even
confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth;' 1 Cor.
xiv. 25, ' He is convinced of all, and judged of all, and falleth on his
face, and worshippeth God.' Not a slight confused knowledge that
we are all sinners in the general, nor empty notions by which sin may
be made loathsome to us in a speculative way, but a setting it home
upon the heart : 1 Kings viii. 47, ' Yet if they shall bethink them
selves in the land whither they are carried captives, and repent, and
make supplications unto thee in the land of them that carried them
captives, saying, We have sinned, and done perversely, we have com
mitted wickedness ;' Luke xv. 17, 18, 'And when he came to himself,
he said, How many hired servants of my father have bread enough,
and to spare, and I perish for hunger ? I will arise, and go to my
father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven,
and before thee ; ' Jer. viii. 6, ' No man repented him of his wicked
ness, saying, What have I done ? ' There must be also a sight and
sense of the wrath of God that hangeth over our heads, and the danger
we are in of being condemned and lost for ever ; as a man asleep on a
bridge, and ready to fall into the water : Rom. vii. 9, ' I was alive
without the law once ; but when the commandment came, sin revived,
and I died.' Men snort securely over the pit's brink till awakened.
2. After this conviction follows compunction, which is made up of
fear, shame, and sorrow. Guilt breeds fears and terrors, and the folly
and filthiness of sin, shame, and our misery, by reason of both, sorrows
and groans, and sad lamentations. Fear is one great part of it, or sense
of the wrath of God due for sins : Ps. xc. 11, ' Who knoweth the power
of thine anger ? According to thy fear, so is thy wrath.' While
others slight the wrath of God, pass their time merrily, not caring what
estate they are in, these are deeply affected with the sense of God's dis-
VER. 37.] SEKMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 245
pleasure. There is also shame, or a sense of being found faulty, or
their folly in doing what they have done. When the soul is filled with
confusion because of its own ways : Bom. vi. 21, ' What fruit had ye
then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of
those things is death.' Then sorrow and deep lamentations because of
their sad condition. That affection is expressed by the prophet, Lam.
v. 16, ' Woe unto us, that we have sinned ; ' Ps. xxxviii. 8, ' I am feeble,
and sore broken ; I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my heart.'
Now in all these things there lieth compunction or brokenness of heart,
which serveth, not as a bridle to keep us from God, but as a spur to
drive us to him.
II. That God taketh this course to bring home sinners to himself.
God terrified Adam (Gen. iii. 10, 'I was afraid') to make him sensible
of his defection, before he comforted him. So the Israelites, when he
would enter into covenant with them, he first terrified them by giving
the law with thunderings. When he would convert Paul, Acts ix. 6,
1 He, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to
do ? ' Acts xvi. 39, 40, the jailor came in trembling before Paul and
Silas, and said, 'What must I do to be saved ? ' In the Old Testament,
Ps. li. 17, ' The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and con
trite heart, God, thou wilt not despise;' and in the New, Kom. viii.
15, ' For we have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear.' The
holiness of God's nature seemeth with a kind of comely necessity
to call for such a dispensation, that the sinner should be sensible of his
displeasure by reason of sin, before he tasteth of grace ; that he should
not per saltum leap into comfort and the assurance of God's love all
of a sudden. And herein God is contrary to the devil, the world, and
sin, which make promise of much pleasure, gain, arid honour at the
first, and men find something that giveth contentment to their sensual
desires and corrupt lusts, but it ends in bitterness and sorrow at last.
But here a little bitterness at first, that maketh way for endless comforts.
Not that all that are pricked in heart and troubled for sin shall be
converted and saved ; the work may die with some in the very pangs,
or their trouble may be slight, and soon worn off ; but all that are
converted are thus troubled, and filled with perplexity about their
eternal estate, though the degrees be different. As there is no birth
without the pain of travail going before, though some have easier
labour than others, as the Hebrew women ; so here.
III. Why?
1. To make us serious. A true sense of sin and misery maketh a
soul active and inquisitive about a remedy ; as a man sensible of his
wounds will not rest till he hath found a plaster. The prodigal when
bitten with hunger came to himself, and then thought of returning to
his father. W T e never make it our chief care to save our souls till we
come to this. A wounded conscience will inquire after balm in
Gilead. As men's trouble is, so do they lay out for help and relief.
If sickness be the trouble, they seek for health ; if poverty, for riches ;
if disgrace and contempt, for favour and reputation ; if outward
affliction, for outward deliverance ; if terrors of conscience, for the re
moval of the guilt of sin ; all their thoughts are about that. Here in the
text, ' What shall we do ? ' They now find they have souls to lose,
246 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SfiR. I.
and souls to save. Till you find yourselves lost in the midst of your
greatest earthly happiness and abundance, you will go on in a secure
course of voluptuousness, worldliness, and profaneness ; but when you
are once in straits of conscience, your greatest care will be to save your
souls. Many live without all care or fear, doubt or distrust, of their
spiritual estate ; they pass their time merrily, and hope well, but have
no certainty, live at all adventures with God. But when God toucheth
the heart of a sinner, then he beginneth to question himself about his
estate and course of life. What is it, and what hath he been a-doing
all his life hitherto ? What provision hath he made for eternity ?
Whether he hath pleased the flesh, or pleased the Lord ? and what
will be the end of this when he cometh to die ? None but the holy
humble soul will seriously ask this question, ' What shall I do to be
saved ? ' Men are not humbled. The wheel of the law never went
over them, to the breaking of their hearts ; and this is the cause of
all idleness and slothfulness in religion. These are the questions
an humbled heart is conversant about.
2. To wean us from sin. Corruption is the soul's darling, born and
bred with us ; and the league between us and it is not easily dissolved.
Till we feel the vileness of sin we shall never be brought to hate it.
While we taste the sweet of it only, we spare it, and hide it under our
tongue : Job xx. 12, ' Though wickedness be sweet in the mouth, and
he hide it under his tongue.' But when once we feel, we are cautious of
thrusting our hands into the fire of sin again : Josh. xxii. 17, ' Is
the iniquity of Peor too little for us ? ' Children will no more play
with snappish dogs when bitten by them. The old compunctions are
never forgotten : Prov. i. 31, 'Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of
their own way, and be filled with their own devices.' We are too bold,
and too apt to play about the cockatrice's hole ; but when these sins
have been as swords in your hearts, and you have felt the torment of
an accusing conscience, this maketh you more cautious.
3. That Christ may be more heartily welcome to us, and that we
may the better entertain his comforts and grace. Christ is sweet
to hungry consciences. Our passover must be eaten with sour herbs ;
so it is the sense of our sin and misery that giveth these comforts a
bitter 1 relish : Isa. Ivii. 15, 'To revive the spirit of the humble, and
to revive the heart of contrite ones ; ' ver. 18, ' And restore comfort
unto him and to his mourners.' Unutterable groans make way for
unspeakable joys. It was not meet that Christ should be received with
contempt or coldness, and made light of, and therefore exercised with
piercing and heart-breaking sorrows. The bondage of Egypt maketh
us long for Canaan.
4. That we may more readily yield to God's terms : Acts ix. 6,
' Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? ' Terrified Paul giveth God a
blank to write his pleasure concerning him. A soul truly sensible of
sin is ready to submit to any terms which God will impose upon him,
and not stand hucking with God, as Pharaoh did. In our ease we
would never hearken to the crucifying of the flesh, or deny ourselves,
taking up our cross. Heaven must fall into our laps, or we will have
none of it. Like Naaman the Syrian, we would pass away a trouble
some condition ; but when our souls are perplexed, we will be glad to
1 Qu. ' better '?— ED.
VER. 37.] SEKMONS UPON ACTS IT. 37, 38. 247
•accept of mercy upon any terms, take things at God's price : Anything,
Lord ; a perfect resignation to the will of God. In pangs of conscience
any course will please that shall be prescribed for our comfort and
relief.
5. That we may be more chary of grace afterwards. Things that
cost dear are the better kept. There need all means to fix the heart.
Now this is a good means, to consider how hardly we came by it. It
cost us many a bitter groan, and shall we part with it easily? How
soon would we forfeit our pardon, and embezzle our stock of grace, and
sin away our comforts, did we not remember how hardly we came by
them ! As a riotous heir, that never knew what it was to get an
estate, spends it freely.
SERMON II.
Now when they heard this, they ivere pricked in their hearts, and said
unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, ichat
shall we do ? — ACTS ii. 37.
USB 1. If it be so that this is the method of God in conversion, let us
not hinder nor smother so good a work ; for so far as this is cherished,
we are in our way home to God. Let us not hinder it by omitting
hearing, meditation, application. First, Hearing. It is a sign men
have a mind to remain in the hardness of their hearts when they will
not come to the means that might soften them : Zech. vii. 11, 12, ' But
they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their
ears, that they should not hear ; yea, they made their hearts as an ada
mant, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of
hosts hath sent in his Spirit by the former prophets. Therefore came
a great wrath from the Lord of hosts.' The way to harden the heart
is to refuse the means. The word would keep alive some notions and
thoughts of God that would not let us sleep in sin. Secondly, Medi
tation and consideration, without which all availeth nothing, unless we
debate points between God and ourselves in secret. All actions require
time and space for their operations. A sudden glance without musing
bringeth nothing to perfection ; as a hen that soon leaveth her nest.
All arguments must be holden in the view of conscience, applied close
to the soul : Ps. cxix. 59, ' I considered my ways, and turned my feet
to thy testimonies.' A man may take fire in his hand, and presently
throw it away without being burnt or hurt. The greatest matters in
the world will not work upon him that will not think of them :
Deut. xxxii. 46, ' Set your hearts to all the words which I testify among
you this day.' Things will never go to the quick till the heart be set
on them : Hosea vii. 2, ' And they consider not in their hearts that I
remember all their wickedness ; now their doings have beset them
about, they are before my face.' There the business stops. Men will
not take it into their thoughts. There is a time when you shall con-
248 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SER. II.
sider, and not be able to look off : Ps. 1. 21, ' These things hast thou
done, and I kept silence ; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a
one as thyself ; but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before
thine eyes.' You will not think of it now, but then you cannot choose
but think of it ; you will have nothing to occupy your thoughts but
your sins, and the sad effects of them. If it be so irksome to think of
hell, what will it be to feel it ? Now we .cannot prevail with you to
bestow a few sober thoughts upon eternity, but then you shall do it
without entreaty. As a man that hath the stone and the gout, he
cannot forget the pain, if he would never so fain ; though now you
cast off all thoughts of your condition, and therefore live peaceably in
your sins, the time will come when you shall remember them. Thirdly,
Application, and urging our own souls with the truths heard: Jer. viii.
6, 'I hearkened and heard, but they spake not aright: no man repented
him of his wickedness, saying, What have I done ? every one turneth
to his course, as the horse rusheth into the battle;' Rom. viii. 31, 'What
shall we say to these things ? ' Job v. 27, ' Hear it, and know it for thy
good ; ' Heb. ii. 3, ' How shall we escape if we neglect so great salva
tion ? ' We will not let the word come close and home to our own
consciences. Bouse up thine own heart, and bring home the stroke of
the word, or else it proveth not effectual. Self-love puts by the blow,
and thrusts it to others, as if they were unconcerned.
2. Let us not hinder this work of compunction by way of commis
sion. There is something that we cherish in ourselves that hinders
this piercing of the heart.
[1.] A misconceit of God's anger against sin; this is one great means
to hinder the power of the word. Men think that God doth make no
great reckoning of their sins, that it will not be so bad with them as
others say; indeed, that we care not for sin, it is no wonder we have
not such a lively indignation against it. Oh, but ' God is of purer eyes
than to behold iniquity/ Hab. i. 13. His nature sets him against it.
Any man that hath but a spark of the divine nature in him, how doth
lie hate sin ! Lot's righteous soul was vexed from day to day ; and
if man, how much more God ! If God make no great reckoning of
sin. why hath he punished it so severely, as in drowning the whole
world, burning of Sodom, bringing such calamities upon his people as
we cannot read them with dry eyes ? Why is ' his wrath revealed from
heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men ' ? Eom. i.
18. If God make so little reckoning of sin, why is it that little infants,
that are free from all actual sins, die ? Eom. v. 14, '' Nevertheless death
reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after
the similitude of Adam's transgression.' And many times with great
gripes and pains, such as would make a man's heart grieve to see it.
If God make so little account and reckoning of sin, why is it that little
sins to appearance are chastised with so great punishments ? Adam for
eating an apple, Uzzah for touching the ark, the Bethshemites for look
ing into the ark, 1 Sam. vi. 19, 20 ; Ananias and Sapphira struck dead in
the place for a lie, Zachary for unbelief struck dumb. Why are his
people, the dearly beloved of his soul, so dreadfully punished ? Prov.
xi. 31, ' Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth, much
more the wicked and the sinner.' If God make so little reckoning of
VER. 37.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 249
sin, why is hell and everlasting woe threatened to his creature, the work
of his own hands ? We cannot without horror think of the howling of a
dog in a fiery furnace for half-an-hour. If God make so little reckon
ing of sin, why was Jesus Christ so troubled and exceedingly amazed
when he stood in the place of sinners ? Mark xiv. 33, ' And he began
to be amazed, and to be very heavy." He wanted not wisdom nor
courage ; he knew the value of things as well as you ; had no want of
fortitude ; he foresaw the sufferings would be short, the event glorious ;
he knew God was his Father, that he loved him while he suffered ; yet
when he took the task of sinners upon him, he was sore amazed. Oh,
therefore be ashamed of so sottish a conceit, as if sin were nothing.
[2.] Sensuality and inordinate love of pleasures. These take away
the heart : Hosea iv. 11, 'Whoredom, and wine, and new wine, take
away the heart,' wasteth all tenderness and feeling. Pleasures bring
a brawn and deadness upon us, thrust the soul into a dead sleep :
1 Tim. v. 6, 'She that liveth, in pleasure is dead while she liveth.' Like
Nabal's heart, which died within him, and he became as a stone, 1
Sam. xxv. 37. These things stupify the conscience and dull the spiri
tual senses, so that men have not an ear for God, or a heart that is
likely to be sensible of anything. Oh, therefore take heed of such a
frame of heart.
[3.] Worldliness. Men throng their hearts with care and business,
and so have no time and leisure to mind the state of their souls:
Luke xxi. 34, ' Take heed unto yourselves, lest at any time your hearts
be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness and the cares of this
life.' As Cain fell a-building to divert his conscience, or as they that
offered their children to Moloch did still and drown their cries with
drums and tabors ; so the din and noise of business will not let con
science speak, they being ' cumbered with much serving.' They that
cumber themselves with many things seldom mind the one thing
necessary. This keepeth away all 1 heart-qualms.
[4.] Great and heinous sins. These cast the soul into a swoon, and
deprive it of all sense. There is some tenderness left with lesser sins,
as a prick of a pin will make a man start, but a heavy blow stunneth
him. David, for cutting off the lap of Saul's garment, his heart
smote him, and so for numbering the people, he was pricked and
wounded in conscience, 2 Sam. xxiv. 10 ; but in the matter of Uriah
and Bathsheba it was not so ; he lay long dead and senseless. We
hear of no kindly meltings and workings of heart from him till Nathan
came to him: Ps. li., the title, 'A psalm of David, when Nathan
the prophet came unto him after he had gone in to Bathsheba ; ' and
that was when the child was born : 2 Sam. xii. 14, ' Howbeit, because
by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord
to blaspheme, the child also that is born to thee shall surely die.' Let
a man run on in a course of gross sin, and he loseth his feeling : Eph.
iv. 19, 'Who being past feeling, have given themselves over unto lasci-
viousness, and to work all uncleanness with greediness.' And that
is a sad crisis and state of soul. Oh, take heed of these presumptuous
sins : Ps. xix. 13, ' Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins, and
let them not have dominion over me ; so shall I be upright before thee,
and innocent from the great transgression.'
[5.] The customary committing of any lesser sins against conscience ;
250 SEUMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SflR. II.
these lead on to hardness of heart, and senselessness, and stupidity.
The heart of young men, especially if well educated, is tender, and
startleth at the least sin and thought of God's judgments ; the least sin
will trouble it, and make it tender ; but when once we give way to small
sins against knowledge, we every day grow more and more bold and
venturous, and then shall swallow greater evils without any great trouble
or fear of wrath. Water, when it beginneth to freeze, will not endure
anything ; the least weight put upon it sinketh it presently ; but after
a while it will bear the weight of a laden cart. Therefore take heed
of giving way to sin. That heart that was easily troubled before, when
once it is inured to sin, loseth all its sensibleness and tenderness, and
what seemed intolerable at first will grow into a delight ; as Alipius,
St Austin's friend, first abhorred the bloody spectacles of the gladiators,
but giving himself leave, by importunity of friends, to be present, but
would wink, and not open his eyes, yet at length, when the people
shouted, he gave himself liberty to see, and then not only beheld them
with delight, but drew others to behold what himself once loathed.
Sin at first seemeth insupportable, then heavy, then light ; then the
sense gone, then delightful, then desired. Oh, therefore watch over
your souls if you would keep any feeling. Ab assuetis non fit passio.
Things to which we are used do not work upon us ; we are not much
moved with them. Custom maketh men sleep quietly by the falls of
great waters where much noise is ; and some parts of the body grow
callous, brawny, dry, and dead, as the labourer's hand and the
traveller's heel, by much use. So doth the conscience; when often
offered violence to, and used to sin, it groweth senseless, and less capable
of this work, which is of such use and profit.
3. Do not smother it when God beginneth it. Oh, it is dangerous to
stifle convictions or lose the benefit of them ; for either afterwards
conscience is more stupified or terrified. First, More stupified. No
iron is so hard as that which hath been oft heated and oft quenched ;
so no heart so hard as that which hath outworn these convictions and
compunctions. As God saith of outward strokes, ' Why should ye be
stricken any more ? ' Certainly he that will not take such warnings as
God sends him is every day than other more unapt to be wrought to
repentance. As water that hath been heated over the fire congealeth
the soonest after it is taken off, so they that have felt the motions of
God's Spirit freeze the soonest in the dregs and lusts of the flesh, and
have their hearts extraordinarily hardened if once they forsake him.
God ceaseth to renew and continue his former motions, and sin gets
more strength ; conscience giveth over its office of checking, accusing,
and awakening them. A wounded conscience neglected will prove a
dead conscience ; as an ungracious child, after many corrections, is
hardened thereby, and at length quite given over and cast off. Oh,
therefore, when God cometh near, then call upon him : Isa. lv. 6, ' Seek
ye the Lord while he may be found, call upon him while he is near.'
It is dangerous to slight these rebukes from God, and, when the waters
are stirred, not to put in for cure : Prov. i. 23, ' Turn at my reproof.'
Secondly, By slighting convictions, conscience is terrified ; it maketh
way for anguish of soul. They will be terrified when they come to
die : Prov. i. 26, ' I will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your
VEK. 37.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 251
fear cometh ; ' Prov. v. 11, 12, And thou mourn at last, when thy flesh
and body are consumed, and say, How have I hated instruction, and
my heart despised reproof ? ' Oh, with what horrors and amazing
thoughts will you be filled when conscience, which lay asleep in sin
before, shall be awakened by the approaches of death and the fears of
judgment to come, and your repentance shall not be repentance to life,
but, like that of Judas, repentance to death, the beginnings of sorrow,
or the pledge of the worm that shall never die. t Oh, take heed then of
smothering the work of God !
But when is this done ?
[1.] When you take up with other comforts on this side Christ.
Your hearts are set a- work, and your thirst is increased, but you quench
it at the next ditch, not at the fountain of living waters. You drown
all this work in mirth, and pleasures, and merry company. As Saul
sought to cure the fit of the evil spirit by music, so these, when they
are haunted with thoughts of sin, and guilt, and the world to come,
think to put it off, and do not turn it to a right use, which is to turn
to the Lord ; or as a man arrested maketh the officer drunk that he
may escape for that time ; and so, when it might have been a beginning
of conversion, it is to them a means of further hardening their hearts.
This is quenching the Spirit, 1 Thes. v. 17, by suppressing his motions.
Guard the heart then against all comforts but those which God speaketh
and alloweth : Ps. xciv. 19, 'In the multitude of my thoughts within
me, thy comforts delight my soul.' This is a work that must end well.
Take heed lest the good seed be choked as soon as it is cast into the
heart.
[2.] When you easily return to former sins, and after this qualm can
lick up your vomit again. You have smarted, and been wounded, and
burdened, and will you take up your load again ? John v. 14, ' Sin no
more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.' This is to run to hell again,
when you have felt the smart of it. Pharaoh had his qualms, but as
soon as the plague was off, he returneth to what he was : Exod. ix. 27,
'And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto
them, I have sinned this time : the Lord is righteous, and I and my
people are wicked.' Who could have thought but Pharaoh would have
been another man ? But when the qualm is over, Pharaoh is Pharaoh
still, and there must be a new judgment to humble him. Ahab
oppresseth Naboth, and God threateneth him, and Ahab humbleth
himself and walketh softly, but afterward imprisoneth Micaiah, and
then God slayeth him. Felix trembled, but still continueth his course.
Many have their tears, and sighs, and sorrows, and after all this they
relapse. Oh, this is dangerous !
Thirdly, We come now to the course they take for ease and relief :
' They said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren,
what shall we do ? ' Observe here —
1. To whom they go, to ' Peter and the rest of the apostles.'
2. What they say, ' Men and brethren, what shall we do ? ' Where —
[1.] Their civil compilation and form of address, ' Men and
brethren.'
[2.] Their solemn question, ' What shall we do ? '
From the whole I shall make these observations —
252 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SER. II.
1. The change that is wrought upon a sinner when God hath
him under this preparative trouble; it doth not amount to a full con
version, yet it inferreth a change ; a strange change in these men, both
as to their thoughts of Christ and his apostles.
[1.] As to Christ, where are those words now, ' Thou art a Samaritan,
and hast a devil ? ' They are now convinced that Jesus is Lord and
Christ. Where is now their fury, crying, ' Crucify, crucify him ' ?
They are now pricked in their hearts, and hang the head : ' If thou
lettest him go, thou art no friend to Cassar.' No such thing heard
now. No ; but, ' What shall we do ? '
[2.] Their thoughts are changed towards the apostles. Now it is
viri, fratres, 'Men and brethren,' whom before they looked upon as
deceivers, and men full of new wine ; those whom they hated as enemies
they now consult with as friends and physicians. They do not in con
tempt call them Galileans and impostors, but 'Men and brethren.'
They have other thoughts of men and things than formerly they had.
I observe this —
(1 .) To show the necessity of a change in conversion. If conviction
and compunction work such a mighty change, what will conversion
do ? Ego non sum ego — I am not myself. A man should not be the
same man he was before. There is as palpable a difference as between
light and darkness, life and death, the old man and the new. Broken-
ness of heart varies the price and value of things and persons strangely.
He that was judged to have a devil is now found to be Lord and Christ ;
and those that were mocked as men full of new wine, and had taken a
cup too much, are now owned to be the precious servants of the Lord.
We are not the same men, have not the same thoughts and notions of
things, when the Lord beginneth to work upon us. Men look upon
men and things in the glass of their own humours, and passions, and
brutish lusts, when they are wild careless creatures ; but when they
come to themselves, and begin to be serious, they look upon things as
they are in themselves. Men look upon men and things at a distance
and by a slight view before ; now they look upon them nearer at hand,
and by a different and more accurate view. Peter Martyr's similitude
wrought upon Galiacius Caraccialus. Those that afar off see men
skipping and dancing would think they were light and vain persons,
but when they draw near unto them, they find their motion orderly,
and keeping time and pace with the music, and as the laws of the
exercise and dance require. There is a great alteration in men's notions
of wisdom and folly, misery and happiness, liberty and bondage. The
work of a sound conviction bewrayeth itself in nothing so much as in
these things. They are wise who mind earthly things, fools and crazy
brains who consult not with their profit, but their conscience ; no
happiness but to flow in ease and plenty ; no misery like that to be
kept short and bare in temporal conveniences and worldly accommo
dations; no such bondage as to be held to duty and in the fetters of con
science ; no such liberty as to live at large. But afterward they find
it to be quite otherwise ; no folly like pleasing the flesh ; no misery like
the loss of God's favour; no bondage like the slavery of sin.
(2.) I observe it to show what difference there is in our thoughts of
sin before and after the commission. With what a hurry and madness
VER. 37.] SERMONS UPON ACTS u. 37, 38. 253
of a furious spirit were this people carried to desire the death of Christ !
' Crucify him, crucify him ! ' And now it is done, their consciences
work, they are pricked in their hearts, and are at an utter loss : ' Men
and brethren, what shall we do ? ' Christ foretold this : John viii. 28,
' Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lift up the Son of man,
then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself, but
as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.' Evil men are
permitted to run their own course, but when their consciences and
God's judgments are let loose upon them, to see what a course they are
engaged in, then they are ' pricked in heart.' Our first parents, when
they had sinned, then their eyes were opened, and they knew they
were naked, Gen. iii. 7, that is, ashamed in their nakedness ; they began
to take notice of the miserable and sad condition into which Satan had
brought them, that they might be humble, and seek to God for pardon.
Many discover not aforehand the evils which their sins lead them into ;
but afterwards they see it, and are left shiftless and helpless. When
Judas had betrayed his master, the foulness of the act terrified him,
and he goeth and hangeth himself. Peter hath no sense of his condi
tion while he is denying Christ ; but afterwards conscience beginneth
to work : ' He goeth out, and wept bitterly,' Mat. xxvi. 75. It is well
when this is discovered to bring us to repentance for failings past, to
make us more watchful for time to come, and to give us a fuller and
quicker taste of God's mercy in our reconciliation by Jesus Christ.
But when it is only discovered in order to our despair, as it was to Cain,
Gen. iv. 14, that is sad. Well, then, they have other thoughts. This
is the general observation.
2. I observe again, that they took some course for their comfort and
relief : ' They said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and
brethren, what shall we do ? ' Felix trembled, but it was but a super
ficial work, and came to nothing, Acts xxiv. 25 ; it was soon over ; he
delayeth and adjourneth the consideration of his danger. Cain and
Judas being terrified, they despair : Gen. iv. 13, 14, ' And Cain said
unto the Lord, My punishment is greater than I can bear ; ' Mat. xxvii.
3, 4, ' He brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests
and elders, saying, I have sinned, in that I have betrayed innocent
blood. And they said, What is that to us? See thou to that.' But
this in the text was a more kindly work. They do not turn the sense
of their misery into a slothful despair and despondency, but ask counsel.
Many have some qualms and risings of conscience, but they soon die
away. Therefore it is good to see what we do with our trouble. It is
opus respectivum ; it reacheth to some further work, which we should
look after, that we smother it not.
3. I observe that they take a good course. They do not go to the
scribes and pharisees, whose malice would have prompted them to have
defaced this work, but to Peter and the rest of the apostles ; not to
merry company and carnal delights, where it might be quenched, but
to those that could best direct them how to improve it for good, to the
ambassadors of Christ. When we are sick, it concerneth us to think
what physician we choose ; some are mere mountebanks, and will pre
scribe poisons instead of remedies. Many, when they are wounded in
spirit, run to their carnal companions, and drink away sorrow, or game
254 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SER. IIL
and play away sorrow, or read away sorrow, and seek to put themselves
out of the humour. Alas ! this is but to put off that which they can
not put away, and to fly from grief, not to cure it : not to settle, but
to sear the conscience ; vain helps, that will in the issue perplex us the
more, and make the cure the more difficult.
4. I observe in the general, that they speedily took a good course.
It is not good to neglect the present time, and lose the importunity of
the present conviction. While it is warm upon our hearts, let us carry
on the work of God as far as it will go. Let us step in as soon as we
see the waters troubled, John v. 4. There is much time in a little
opportunity. As soon as the wound is given and felt ; in bodily diseases
delay is dangerous ; as soon as we feel the first strivings and grudgings
of conscience : Acts xxiv. 25, ' Felix trembled.' He was all in an
agony ; but he put off his conviction, and we hear no more of him.
We read of converts that followed Christ forthwith : Mat. iv. 20,
' Straightway they left their nets, and followed him ; ' and Gal. i. 16,
' Immediately I consulted not with flesh and blood.' These impulses
will be lost, and you will outgrow the feelings of conscience in a little
time. These good motions are spent if not prosecuted, and then you
will be in a worse condition than before. Your comforts will come the
sooner, the sooner you look after a cure. Sorrow will increase to horror
and desperation : 2 Chron. xxiv. 19, 20, 'When the king heard the
words of the law, he presently rent his clothes, and commands them to
go and inquire of the Lord for him.' Green wounds are the soonest
cured. When a bone is out of joint, the longer the setting is forborne,
the greater will the pain of the patient be ; yea, it may be so long
neglected that no skill nor art can set it right again. So it is in the
cure of a wounded spirit and bleeding conscience. The ground is fitter
to receive the seed after it is newly ploughed, and the present impres
sion of grace is a great advantage. Work while you have that advan
tage. Worldly occasions and distractions will choke the sense we have
of our condition ; therefore let us betimes strike in, and seek a remedy.
To put it off is strangely to neglect the soul and eternal peace. When
thy conscience is struck by the word, and thy heart is pierced, withdraw
thyself from all other distractions, and drive the work home ; seek
presently for direction and remedy.
SEKMON III.
And they said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, Men and
brethren, what shall we do ? — ACTS ii. 37.
OBSERVE in the words — (1.) To whom they go ; (2.) What they say.
1. Their civil compellation.
2. Their solemn question.
First, Their civil compellation and respect to the apostles, ' Men and
brethren.' Ministers are in season (and therefore in esteem) when
VER. 37.] SERMONS UPON ACTS u. 37, 38. 255
men lie under distress of conscience. Pharaoh ran not to his magicians
in his trouble, but to Moses and Aaron. Those that humour our lusts
are ministers only for our carnal prosperity ; those that deal consci
entiously are ministers for our distress ; and though they were con
temptible before, and scorned by us, yet then they are in request.
Before, they and their pains might be well spared, their persons are
hated, their doctrine scorned and despised ; but stay a little, till a pang
of spiritual trouble comes upon them, and then their sentiments are
altered. Those that mocked at them before will now be glad of their
advice. The jailor put the apostles into the inner prison, and put
their feet in the stocks; but when a trembling fit cometh upon him,
then it is, ' Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? ' Acts xvi. 30. Those
that slighted holy things before, yet when chastened with pain upon
the body, and their soul draweth near to the grave, and their life to
the destroyers, oh, then for a faithful minister, for a ' messenger of God,
one of a thousand, to show a man his uprightness,' Job xxxiii. 23.
Then they are of great account and esteem. Ob, that we had the
same notions of men and things in trouble and out of trouble, living
and dying ! it would prevent a great deal of mischief.
Reasons — (1.) Because the men are altered ; (2.) Because their
work is altered.
1. The men are altered, both in their judgments and affections.
[1.] In their judgments. The pride of their carnal reason is sub
dued ; or rather, their reason is set free from the captivity of brutish
passions. Now they know what sin is, the nature of it, and the
danger of it, and what necessity lieth upon them to part with it.
Formerly they lived by sense, and were under the power of brutish
lusts, and they thought it more than needs to wind up men to such
a pitch of holiness, or to call upon them to be so watchful, serious,
and diligent ; that this niceness and fond scrupulosity was over-doing.
Now they see it is but necessary strictness ; that these were their best
friends. Smart experience openeth their eyes. They now feel the
evil they never feared before ; and by experience and sensible proof
they see the deceit of them that cried, Peace, peace, that declaimed
against strictness, and hated those that taught them the way of salva
tion : Prov. xxviii. 23, ' He that rebuketh a man, afterward shall find
more favour than he that flattereth with his tongue.' Kubbing an
itch breedeth soreness and rawness.
[2.] Their affections are altered, the stubbornness of their hearts is
subdued: Job xxiii. 16, 'For God maketh my heart soft, and the
Almighty troubleth me.' Before, Shall they pine and whine, and
tremble at the word ? No ; they are no such babies. Till the arrows
of Christ stick fast in the heart, they do not fall down before the truth :
Ps. xlv. 5, ' Thine arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies,
whereby the people fall under thee.'
2. Their work is altered. They mind that which requireth a
minister's work, the salvation of their souls. They slight God and
their souls, and therefore may well slight God's ministers. There is
no work for them to do.
Use 1. To press ministers to evidence themselves to men's consciences
rather than their lusts. Make known the truths of God sincerely to
256 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SfiR. III.
them : 2 Cor. iv. 2, 'Buthave renounced the hidden things of dishonesty,
not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully,
but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every
man's conscience in the sight of God;' 2 Cor. v. 11, 'Knowing the
terror of the Lord, we persuade men ; but we are made manifest unto
God, and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences/ You are
accounted enemies fora while ; but if ever God touch their hearts, they
will love you, when they are freed from the slavery of their lusts. It
is not those that have quaint notions and rhetorical flourishes, that cry,
Peace unto them, that will then serve their turn.
Use 2. Is information, that he that hath a secret grudge and distaste
against God's faithful servants and messengers was never kindly
wrought upon. He might be touched at heart, but was not pricked
at heart. They are sensible of a light that troubleth them, not a
kindly remorse that maketh them to ask advice and counsel. If they
had any true pangs of conscience, it would be otherwise.
Secondly, Their question, ' What shall we do ? ' that is, do to
escape the deserved punishment, do to obtain remission of sins, do to
be saved ? Acts xvi. 30, as may be gathered by parallel places, and
out of the apostle's answer, ' Repent, and be baptized for the remission
of sins ; ' and, ' Save yourselves from this untoward generation.' The
point is —
Doct. That men are at a good and hopeful pass when once they
come anxiously and fervently to ask, ' What shall we do to be
saved ? '
This is the usual question of men wounded in spirit and in straits
of conscience : Acts ix. 6, ' And he, trembling and astonished, said,
Lord, what wilt thou have me to do ? ' Luke iii. 10, ' And the people
asked him, saying, What shall we do then ? ' Acts xvi. 30, ' And
brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved ? ' Job
vii. 20, ' What shall I do unto thee, thou preserver of men ? '
1. It is a weighty question.
2. When it is fitly proposed, it argueth a good and hopeful con
dition and state of soul.
1. It is a weighty question. The case is not for another, but for
themselves. We read of an impertinent question put forth by Peter to
Christ : John xxi. 21, ' Peter seeing him, saith to Jesus, Lord, what
shall this man do ? ' But here it is, ' What shall we do ? ' Many do not
look inward, but are busy about the concerns of others. It is not,
What shall he do ? but, ' What shall we do ? ' It is not about in
tricate doubts, and nice debates, or the decision of scholastical questions,
but a necessary thing. Curious questions argue too much levity and
wantonness in those that propose them. Many that are heart-whole
dispute and wrangle about nice things, but these ask advice. Those
that wholly give up themselves to nice debates neglect the main profit
able matters. A man in straits and pangs of conscience is not in a
condition to trouble himself with niceties ; he is in danger of hell, and
his care is how he shall do to escape it. It is not about the body,
but the soul ; not for necessaries for the outward man. There are
questions of that nature which we are apt to put : Mat. vi. 25, ' What
shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we put on ? ' ' Take
VER. 37.] SERMONS UPON ACTS u. 37, 38. 257
no thought for the body.' A man's main care is to save the soul.
Christ, to divert them, puts them upon that : Mat. vi. 33, ' But seek ye
first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things
shall be added unto you.' These worldly questions perplex men's
hearts ; as their trouble is, so they inquire. If they distrust God's pro
vidence, what more usual than these questions ? Once more, it is not
about speculations, but practicals; not, What shall we say? but, What
shall we do ? Not about events : Luke xiii. 23, ' Lord, are there few
that are saved ? ' but about duty. Chrysostom observeth well, They
say not, How shall we be saved ? but, ' What shall we do to be saved ? '
It is presumptuous folly to hope for the end without the means. There
is somewhat to be done if we mean to be saved. Balaam said, ' Let
me die the death of the righteous,' Num. xxiii. 10. At oportuit sic
vixisse — We should live so. There are means leading to every end.
We must not think to go to heaven with hand in bosom, and land at
the haven of glory when you turn the boat to the stream. Salvation
will not be had without duty. That is worth nothing that is gotten
for nothing. You cannot imagine such a worthy thing will cost you
no pains. There is a proportion still between the means and the end :
1 Thes. ii. 12, ' That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called
you to his kingdom and glory ; something that will answer the great
ness of your hopes. Many will go to heaven as far and as fast as good
hopes and good wishes will carry them. They make a gentleman-like
life of the profession of godliness ; their rents are brought in by their
stewards, whether they sleep or wake, work or play. No ; these con
verts propound it, ' What shall we do ? ' what course shall we take to
save our souls ?
But is not this a legal question, ' What shall we do ? ' as if heaven
were to be had for doing ?
Some think this is spoken with respect to the covenant of works, the
sense of which is upon our hearts naturally. It is true such a question
may be put in a legal way, as the young man that came to Christ, Mat.
xix. 16, 'And behold one came, and said unto him, Good master, what
good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life ? ' He was a rich
man, but he saw his happiness lay not in riches, but in everlasting sal
vation ; he desireth that, but he would earn it, and seek his justifica
tion by works. But to inquire after the necessary means without such
a presumption of merit is not legal. Christ answereth him according to
his legal apprehensions : ver. 17, ' If thou wilt enter into life, keep the
commandments/ That was the best way to humble a proud pharisee,
to bid him make good his pretensions to keep the whole law in all
points without sin; that was to hold him to his own covenant. But
now Peter answereth these according to their meaning ; they inquire
after the way and means of relief : ' Repent, and be baptized for the
remission of sins.' Well, then, we have found it a good and weighty
question.
II. It is fitly propounded. It argueth a good and hopeful state of
soul if anxiously and seriously put. We ask it in jest at other times,
but convinced men are in the greatest earnest. Things now begin to
be real, and seem other than formerly they did ; they think, and speak,
and talk like men in another world. Sin is another thing. They were
VOL. XXI. R
258 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SER. III.
wont to marvel what made men keep such a stir about sin ; what harm
was it to take a little forbidden pleasure ? that it was hard measure
to be held so closely to duty ; but now they have other thoughts, are
at a loss, ' What shall we do? ' This question seriously put argueth —
1. Their present helplessness, or a sense of their lost condition.
They speak like men at a loss, and at their wit's end, finding Jesus to
be the Christ, of whose death they were guilty, and so liable to God's
heavy judgment. They had cried out, ' His blood be upon us and our
children.' They could not undo what they had done, and now know
not what to do. They speak like men wholly void of senses ; as
Eeuben, ' The child is not, and whither shall I go ? ' Gen. xxxvii. 30.
So upon this their perplexity ariseth. Sin will put men to a nonplus,
and bring men to be shiftless and helpless ; as Christ spake when he
stood in our room, John xii. 37, ' Now is my soul troubled, and what
shall I say ? ' Job vii. 20, ' I have sinned ; what shall I do unto thee,
thou preserver of men ? ' What shall a sinner do ? In earth there
is no balm for his wounds. It is as the white of an egg. If he look to
heaven, there is a God to condemn him ; if to hell, there are devils to
torment him. Their minds are distracted with the sense of the present
evil. Now thus it should be before we can be brought home to Christ.
He came to save that which was lost. You should be at such a loss
that nothing should comfort you on this side Christ. Till the prodigal
was brought to penury, and could no longer sustain himself by his
shifts, he never thought of returning to his father ; but then he did.
There are two remarkable parts in conversion — to bring a man and
himself together, to bring Christ and him together. A man cometh to
himself by compunction, or a sense of his misery ; but one great means
to bring him to Christ is helplessness, when he can no longer shift for
himself, and patch up a happiness by his own devices. Till we are at a
loss, we go about like Ephraim : Jer. xxxi. 22, ' How long wilt thou
go about ? ' Man is a proud creature, loath to be beholden, would
be sufficient to his own happiness ; but when all his confidences are
broken, then he casts himself into the arms of Christ, to be by him
brought to God, when we see our utter inability to help ourselves.
2. This question argueth some kind of hope that there may be relief
for them ; for they do not give over the business as desperate, as if
nothing could be done, but inquire, ' What shall we do ? ' Is there no
remedy for such vile wretches as we are ? They presume there is
some course to be taken. There is a kind of twilight in the soul,
neither utter despair nor certain hope ; but only some present support,
that we may not give over the business in despair : Joel ii. 14, ' Who
knoweth if he will return and repent, and leave a blessing behind him,
even a meat-offering and a drink-offering unto the Lord your God ? '
They are in suspense, but incline to look for grace from God: Jonah
iii. 9, ' Who can tell if God will return, and repent, and turn away
from his fierce anger, that we perish not ?' It is a venture, but such as
encourageth them to wait. There is a possibility or probability, but
not a certainty , that hope is the fruit of faith. Sensible sinners have
many sad tossings and conflicts of spirit between the expectation of
God's mercy and the sense of their own deservings, so that they cannot
speak the pure language of faith nor the pure language of unbelief, but
VER. 37.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 259
mixed and made up of both ; as those Jews, Neh. xiii. 24, ' They spake
half the language of the Jews, and half of Ashdod.' Yet such as it is,
it maketh them wait and venture on God ; as Benhahad's servants on
the king of Israel: 1 Kings xx. 31, 'And his servant said unto him,
Behold, now we have heard that the kings of the house of Israel are
merciful kings : let us, I pray thee, put sackcloth upon our loins, and
ropes upon our heads, and go out to the king of Israel ; perad venture
he will save thy life.' So these doubtful thoughts have a mixture of
hope ; yea, some predominancy of it ; so that though they do not cer
tainly determine, yet they will try what will become of it. Now
the soul is in a hopeful way. Faith is coming on, and comfort will not
be far off, when we make these adventures, and inquire, though we do
not know what will come of it : Jer. xviii. 12, ' All his trangressions
that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him ; for his
righteousness which he hath done, he shall live.'
3. It expresseth their solicitude and anxious care, ' What shall we
do ? ' It is a point of the highest consideration, and therefore they ask
counsel. When the Corinthians were made sorry by Paul's letter, 2
Cor. vii. 11, ' This self-same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort,
what carefulness it wrought in you ; yea, what clearing of yourselves,
yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea,
what zeal, yea, what revenge ! In all things ye have approved your
selves to be clear in this matter.' Carefulness and consultation about
the means of grace and salvation is a hopeful beginning, and men are
in a fair way of passing from death to life. The generality of the
world is stupid and listless : Eom. iii. 11, ' There is no man that under-
standeth, there is no man that seeketh after God.' Many never saw a
need to do anything, nor have a heart to do anything ; therefore when
men come to consult, either with themselves or others, there is some
hope. With themselves ; as those lepers, 2 Kings vii. 3, 4, ' And there
were four leprous men at the entering in of the gate, and they said
one to another, Why sit we here until we die ? If we say, We will enter
into the city, then the famine is in the city, and we shall die there ;
and if we sit still here, we die also. Now therefore come, and let us
fall unto the host of the Syrians ; if they save us alive, we shall live ;
and if they kill us, we shall but die ; ' Luke xv. 17, 18, ' And when he
came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father have
bread enough and to spare, and I perish for hunger? I will arise, and
go to my father, and say unto him, Father, I have sinned against
heaven and before thee.' And as the wise steward, Luke xvi. 3, 4,
' Then the steward said within himself, What shall I do ? For my
lord taketh the stewardship from me : I cannot dig, to beg I am
jishamed. I am resolved what to do, that when I am put out of my
stewardship they may receive me into their houses.' Or when they
consult with others, when a man asketh serious questions, how to frame
his heart to the obedience of the gospel, how to establish his heart in
the hopes of pardon and glory ; this will come to somewhat. Men
begin to be awake : Ps. xxii. 27, ' All the ends of the world shall re
member, and turn to the Lord.' For a while they are like men sleep
ing and distracted ; they do not act like men, having no sense, no heart
for heavenly things. But when once they are full of pangs of con-
260 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SfiR. III.
science then there is hopes of them ; then they are serious, and mind
things.
4. It expresseth their resignation. They do not stand booking and
dodging, but with readiness of mind offer themselves to be directed by
the apostles : ' Men and brethren, what shall we do ? ' As if they had
said, We will do anything that you shall enjoin. This is the fashion
and manner of those that are in a hopeful way of conversion. They
are wont to resign and offer themselves to be guided by Christ in his
own way to heaven, without reservation : Acts ix. 6, ' Lord, what wilt
thou have me to do ? ' ready to obey him in all things. They do not
dispense with some things, and say. Thus far can we go, or, The Lord
be merciful to me in this; but absolutely, 'What shall we do to be
saved ? ' There were some that would follow Christ upon conditions :
Luke ix. 59-62, ' And he said, Follow me ; but he said, Lord, suffer
me first to go and bury my father. And Jesus said unto him, Let
the dead bury the dead ; but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
Another said, Lord, I will follow thee ; but let me first go and bid
them farewell which are at home at my house. And Jesus said unto
him, No man having put his hand to the plough, and looketh back, is
fit for the kingdom of God.' Herod did many things ; and the young
man had a forwardness, and a longing desire. Now what is the reason
they are so pliable to God's will, so ready to obey him in all things,
without reserving any sin or lust ? Partly because they see an absolute
necessity of coming out of the condition in which they are. Turn and
live, sin and die : Ezek. xviii. 32, ' For I have no pleasure in him that
dieth, saith the Lord ; wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.' There
fore they are willing to be and do anything to come out of it. God
being peremptory to punish sin, they must be as peremptory in forsak
ing sin, unless they mean to perish for ever. And partly because they
think any condition more tolerable than that under which they are ;
for now they feel the evil they never felt before : Ps. xxxviii. 4, ' For
mine iniquities are gone over my head ; as a heavy burden they are too
heavy for me.' Therefore, if God will prescribe any terms to them,
they will accept them. The evil of sin is so great, that there is no
evil equal to it, no good that can countervail it. There is a pressing
necessity on the soul. These are the considerations that prevail in this
condition, before regeneration, or a real bent of heart towards God, and
sound consent be wrought.
Use 1. Is reproof of our carelessness. We busy ourselves about the
smallest matters : 1 Cor. vi. 2, speaking of the things of this life, he
calls them ' the smallest matters.' We will ask, What shall become
of us ? We are anxious about events, but not careful about duties ;
and this for the outward man, What we shall eat ? not, ' What shall
I do to be saved ? ' this question is very rare. A few poor, humble,
broken-hearted Christians, and some that are fallen under the chasten
ing of the Lord, and are ready to die, they see the need and worth of
salvation ; but go up and down among people everywhere, we have no
such questions as this. Now many live twenty or thirty years, and
never question with themselves, Where am I ? whither am I going ?
what shall become of me to all eternity ? Oh, that we could more
frequently, more seriously, put this question, and were more diligent and
VER. 37.] SERMONS UPON ACTS IT. 37, 38. 261
earnest to get it resolved. There is another question to make way for this :
Jer, viii. 6, ' What have I done ? ' And then there is another question
after this : Hosea xiv. 8, ' What have I any more to do with idols ? '
These are the questions to be put to conscience. Certainly if you
were troubled for sin, this would be your main inquiry ; but in most
people this is not in all their thoughts. Oh, how do we forget our
selves and our main errand in the world ! How little do we mind
that which most concerneth us ! One drudgeth for riches, and another
giveth up himself to pleasures. Hardly have we a thought wherefore
we were born, and what will be the end of things ; and therefore this
is the least part of our care, how we shall do to be saved. Some that
seem a little affected yet are not soundly awakened, have not such a
care as so weighty a business doth require ; like those that are heavy
to sleep, that hear a great noise in the night, of wind, and rain, and
thunder, or fire, are a little disturbed, but lie down and sleep again,
and trouble themselves no more with it.
Use 2. To direct you how to further, and also how to judge of,
your progress in the work of conversion.
1. When you begin to mind necessary things : Mat. vi. 20, 21, ' But
lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through and steal ; for
where your treasure is, there will your hearts be also.' When you put
questions to yourselves about heaven and the way thither, your thoughts
must be more upon it, and your discourses tend that way ; at least, you
will be running to means to hear more of God and heaven.
2. When you have an anxious sense of your lost condition, and God
hath showed you your danger, your hearts are troubled because of
sin, that you find it a heavy burden, you are in the eye of the promise :
Mat. xi. 28, ' Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden,
and ye shall find rest for your souls.'
3. When you find the burden groweth so heavy (as it was with the
young man that came to Christ, Mat. xix.) that you are resolved to
save your souls whatever it cost you : Mat. xiii. 46, ' And when he
had found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all, and bought it/
Many cheapen the comforts of Christianity, but do not go through
with the bargain. You will not stick with God for anything, but set
yourselves to do his will, whatever reluctances from within or dis
grace and oppositions from without you meet with.
4. When your heart is so fixed and confirmed in this purpose, that
when it cometh to trial and exigence, you do judge it better to deny
your lusts, renounce your interests, run all hazards for Christ ; you
can thwart your affections, run through straits, disgraces, nicknames,
scorns, and can lay down your life at Christ's feet, Mat. xviii. 8, 9 ;
part with right hand or right eye. Better go to heaven with the loss
of all, than to hell with the greatest crown.
262 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SER. IV.
SERMON IV.
Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized everyone of you in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. — ACTS ii. 38.
IN the former verse we had their serious question ; here is Peter's
seasonable answer. They that take a right course, and seriously in
quire after the way of salvation, are not likely to be disappointed.
God saith, ' Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall find ;
knock, and it shall be opened unto you/ Mat. vii. 7. Men that are in
good earnest in the use of means shall not be refused in any needful
suit. Therefore ' Stand ye in the ways, and see ; ask for the old paths,
where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for
your souls,' Jer. vi. 16. So do these poor wounded souls do, and so
must we do. Now what was the effect? It is the part of a good
physician not only to discover the disease, but also to prescribe a
remedy ; especially should spiritual physicians be tender of broken
hearted sinners, willing and ready to give them counsel. When Judas
had a wound in his conscience, he cometh to the high priest, and said,
' I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.' But do they tender his
case, or afford him any relief in his great straits ? No ; ' What is that
to us ? see thou to that/ Mat. xxvii. 4 ; they leave him to his own
horrors and despairing thoughts. But Peter dealeth more compas
sionately with these converts : he doth not upbraid them with their
past sin, and leave them in despair, but giveth them wholesome counsel
and advice for the good of their souls : ' Then Peter said unto them/ &c.
In Peter's direction and counsel to them take notice — (1.) What
he persuadeth them to do ; (2.) The argument by which he persuadeth
them ; what they shall do, and what they shall receive.
In the first, two things —
1. 'Bepent/
2. ' Be baptized in the name of Christ.' What ? why ? and to what
end ? ' For the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost/
First, The first thing he persuadeth them to is repentance. But
this advice seemeth needless, yea, burdensome. Was it seasonable to
press men that lay under deep terror and compunction to repent ? Is
not this to break a bruised reed, and add sorrow to sorrow ?
Ans. No such matter. Therefore I shall —
1. Show the difference between the former work, and that to which
they are now pressed.
2. Evidence to you that this is a proper cure.
[1.] The difference. Before it was Karevvyrjaav ; now it is /-tera-
voijcrare. There is a great difference between these things. The
word is more capacious, implying a change of mind and counsel. If
you take repentance for godly sorrow and trouble of heart, yet still
there is a difference between the former work and this. The former
sorrow was legal, wrought by terror, and a fear of being damned ;
VEIL 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS u. 37, ss. 2G3
this is evangelical, wrought by a sense of God's love. A malefactor
ought not only to be sorry for his crime while he is in suspense, and
knoweth not how his prince will deal with him, but after he is par
doned is still to be ashamed and grieved for his offence. Their former
sorrow was an involuntary impression; this an active grief. They
were pricked at heart whether they would or no. Now repent : he
would have that work theirs. That was dolor ntorbi, the pain of the
disease ; this was dolor medicince, the trouble of physic, or the smart
that comes by the cure. That sting was the effect of an accusing con
science, which may be in the wicked ; this the grief of a confessing
penitent, which argueth a tender heart.
[2.] It is a proper cure. They were in sorrow ; therefore repent.
Ars delude sequatur, nalura monstrante viam. Physicians will cure
men of fluxes by giving a purge, and stay vomiting and a disposition
to cast by a vomit, divert bleeding by letting of blood ; so they were
in trouble and anguish, and he presseth them to repent, in a kindly
manner to come and bewail their sin to God : ' Kepent, and be bap
tized in, the name of Christ for the remission of sins.'
Doct. Repentance is one special means which God hath instituted
for the cure of a wounded soul.
Not only faith, as Acts xvi. 31, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
and thou shalt be saved ;' but repentance. Indeed those two are the
two great means : Acts xx. 21, ' Testifying both to the Jews, and also
to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord
Jesus Christ/
I. Let us see what is repentance, or wherein it consists. There are
three words by which it is expressed : fieravoia ; that word you
have in the text, and it signifieth an after- wit, or a change of mind.
Secondly, The next word is f^erafieXeta, an after-sorrow, or a change
of heart; that word you have Mat. xxi. 29, 'But afterwards he repented,
and went,' ^era/ieX^^ei? cnrrjkde ; he was sorry for his refusal.
Thirdly, /zeTacn-pe^t?, an after-turning, or a change of course. That
word you have Acts iii. 19, ' Repent ye, therefore, and be converted ; '
/Aeravoija'aTe KOI p,eraaTpe^rare : Acts ix. 35, 'And turned to the Lord ; '
as he that hath walked in a wrong course bethinketh himself, and
goeth back again, and taketh another way. In all these three consists'
repentance ; not in one alone, not in a change of mind. Many a man
knoweth better, but doeth that which is worse. Video meliora proboque,
deteriora sequor. There must be a change of heart as well as a change
of mind, such a sorrow for sin as ' crucifieth the flesh, with the affec
tions and lusts,' Gal. v. 24, that doth weaken the power and interest of
sin in the heart; and not only a change of heart, but a change of
course. Many men are troubled for sin, but still go on in the practice
of sin. Vera p&nitentia est, saith Augustine, poenitenda non admittere,
et admissa deflere; such a change of heart as draweth with it a change
of life ; to repent for what is past, and amend what is to come : Prov.
xxviii. 13, 'He that confesseth, and forsaketh his sin, shall find mercy.'
Well, then, repentance consisteth not in an acknowledgment of sin,
and saying, God be merciful ; but it is a change of our minds, hearts,
purposes, and evil course of life.
1. Merdvota, a change of mind and understanding : Rom. xii. 2,,
264 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SfiR. IV.
' Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your minds.' A transmentation is necessary, by which a sinner
beginneth to approve the law of God, which before he disliked, and to
prize holy things, which before he lightly esteemed ; to see the excel
lency and sweetness of the spiritual life, and walking in communion
with God, which before he disesteemed as a heavy bondage or a foolish
niceness: 1 Cor. ii. 14, 'For the natural man receiveth not the things
of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither can he
know them, because they are spiritually discerned.' In short, men's
eyes are opened, and they have other thoughts of sin and duty than
ever they had before. They did not think sin so bad as they find it ;
nor that there was so much good and sweetness in a course of obedience.
Now he seeth that all this while he hath gone astray, and been preju
diced against his own happiness : Titus iii. 3, ' For we ourselves were
sometimes foolish and disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and
pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another ;'
1 Cor. iii. 18, ' Let no man deceive himself ; if any man among you
seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be
wise.' That sin which was his delight before, is now his burden. He
was wont to marvel why men kept such a stir about sin, and that their
complaints were but words of course ; now he seeth it is the most hateful
thing in the world, and all that was said is little enough to express the
odiousness of it. He was wont to think a course of holy walking to be
a dark, sad, and gloomy course ; but now his judgment is altered, he
seeth that nothing is so lovely and sweet as obedience, and no liberty
but in God's service ; that none live at large so much as they whose
lusts are restrained, and whose consciences are still held under the awe
of God's precepts. He was wont to call the proud happy and blessed,
and that none lived so comfortable a life as they that had both ability
and opportunity to please the flesh ; now he seeth they are the most
miserable creatures in the world, because their snares and temptations
are multiplied, and that poor afflicted godliness is a far better condition ;
no preachers or scriptures are now too strict for him. This is a change
of mind.
2. MeraytteXeta, an after-care, when the soul cometh to grief, and
shame, and sorrow, and hatred of sin : 2 Cor. vii. 10, 'For godly sorrow
worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of ; but the sorrow
of the world worketh death.' Godly sorrow is of great use in repent
ance, to alienate and turn away the soul from sin. Our evil estate con-
sisteth not so much in this, that we have sin, as that we love sin. Here
lieth the root of all our mischief, that we are (frtXtf&ovot, /j,aX\.ov rj $i\6Qeoi,
' that we are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God/ 2 Tim.
iii. 4. Therefore, to dig at the root of sin, this breaking and rending
the heart with godly sorrow is necessary, that the bitterness of grief may
make it loathsome to us : Job ii. 13, ' His grief was great.' Therefore
we must exercise ourselves with grief, and shame, and sorrow, because
of our doings, and be touched with a deep sense of our folly and unkind-
ness to God, that we have wronged God, and abused his grace.
3. There is ^erao-Tpe-vJa?, a change of life. This ensueth upon the
change of heart. By the change of heart we put off the old man, with
his deceitful lusts ; and then there must needs be a change in our con-
VER. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS u. 37, 38. 26."
versations : Mat. ii. 2, 'Bring forth fruits worthy of repentance;' such
as will evidence a thorough change wrought in us, and give us a cer
tain proof of it : Isa. Iv. 7, ' Let the wicked forsake his way, and the
unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto the Lord, and
he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will abundantly
pardon.' This is always a-doing, wherein there is something privative
and positive : in the privative part, the internal work is the chief, when
a man maketh conscience of his thoughts ; the positive part is when a
man maketh it the great business and trade of his life : Acts xxiv. 16,
' And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of
offence towards God and towards men.'
Reasons to prove that this is one special means which God hath
instituted for the cure of a wounded soul.
1. Because it is God's prescribed course. The Lord himself must
state the terms upon which his grace shall be dispensed ; now he hath
appointed this way: Acts iii. 19, 'Repent ye, therefore, and be converted,
that your sins may be blotted out when the times of refreshment shall
come from the presence of the Lord.' Repentance is a means or con
dition, or moral qualification on our parts ; it is conditio sine qua non,
without which we are not capable of the benefit. The first moving
cause is the mercy and grace of God : Isa. xliii. 25, ' I, even I, am he
that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not
remember thy sins.' The meritorious and procuring cause is the
blood of Christ : Eph. i. 7, ' In whom we have redemption through
his blood, the forgiveness of sin.' That is the satisfaction given to
God for our offences, to repair him in point of honour. But the
causes do not exclude our duty ; there must be something done on our
part by way of application to make our right and title clear, and that
is faith and repentance : these two sister graces, the one respects God,
and the other the Mediator Jesus Christ : ' Repentance towards God,
and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,' Acts xx. 21. The offence is
done to God, and he is the party to whom we return by Christ. These
two graces go hand in hand, and we must not put asunder what God
hath joined together. If you ask which goes first ? that is hard to
say ; there is not such a distinction of time in the work of conversion
that we can tell which is first or which is last ; the work is inter
mingled. The case in the new birth is somewhat like as it was in the
travail of Tamar, Zarah putteth out the hand, but Pharez breaketh
out first. We feel repentance, it is first in our sense ; but faith is the
first-born, the elder sister. When a candle is brought into a room,
the light showeth itself before the candle. Faith is first in order of
nature, for without it no act is pleasing to God, Heb. xi. 6. Well
then, repentance is God's prescribed course to get our sins blotted out ;
that is, either out of the book of his remembrance, or out of the book
of conscience. Out of the book of his remembrance : Col. ii. 14,
' Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances, which was against us,
which was contrary to us, nailing it to his cross ; ' that is, crossed out
by the blood of Christ. But out of the book of conscience it is blotted
by the Spirit of Christ : Heb. x. 22, ' Having our hearts sprinkled
from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water ; '
when he giveth us gospel peace and comfort.
206 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SlSB. IV.
2. Because the saints have found it an effectual course, and mar
vellously successful. God taught David by his own experience that the
exercise of repentance was the right way to seek relief, after his spirits
had been wasted and his flesh almost dried up : 'I acknowledged my
sin unto thee, and mine iniquity I have not hid ; I said, I will confess
my transgression unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of
my sin/ Ps. xxxii. 5. When he resolved sincerely to humble his
heart before God, nay, though the purpose was not yet put into act,
he felt the comfort. Another instance may be that, Jer. xxxi. 18-20,
'I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast
chastised me, and I was chastised as a bullock unaccustomed to the
yoke : turn thou me, and I shall be turned ; for thou art the Lord my
God. Surely after that I was turned, I repented ; and after that I
was instructed, I smote upon the thigh : I was ashamed ; yea, con
founded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim
my dear son ? is he a pleasant child ? for since I spake against him,
I do earnestly remember him still : therefore my bowels are troubled
for him ; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord.' There
is Ephraim's bewailing his sin, and God's returning an answer full of
fatherly affection : at first he was like an unruly bullock, not easily
brought to the yoke, but yet at length, when he was touched with
shame and sorrow, then, ' Is not Ephraim a dear son ? a pleasant
child ? '
3. Because it is the way to remove sin, which is the ground of the
trouble, and that which hath given the soul such a deadly wound.
There are two things that trouble the conscience, the guilt and power
of sin ; and we must be eased of both, or else the plaster will not be as
broad as the sore. A man that hath his leg broken, to be eased only
of his smart will not suffice him, he must have it set right again :
1 John i. 9, ' If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness/ Now repent
ance worketh on both parts of the sin, the removal of the guilt, and
also the filthiness and inherent corruption ; it maketh way for the
pardon of sin and the removal of the guilt of it, as I said before ; and
the whole tenor of the gospel showeth it, as Melancthon rightly defineth
it against Islebus first, and Flaccius and his followers. The gospel is
nothing else but a doctrine of repentance and remission of sin : these
are two great points. Look upon Christ as a lawgiver : Luke xii. 47,
' The servant which knew his Lord's will, and prepared not himself,
neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.'
Or as a saviour and fountain of grace : Acts v. 31, ' Him hath
God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a saviour, to give
repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.' He requireth and giveth
repentance in order to the remission of sins. Secondly, For the other
part, the power of sin ; it mainly serveth for that, and is required for
that. We use salt and bitter potions to kill the worms. The lusts
that haunt our souls are best mortified by the bitterness and sorrows
of repentance, otherwise it is sweet and dear to the soul, and we are
apt to roll it under our tongue. This rending of hearts spoileth the
taste of sin : Gal. v. 24, ' They that are Christ's have crucified the
flesh, with the affections and lusts.' Sorrow assaulteth sin in its
VER. 38.J SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 267
strength, which is love of pleasure, for all sin is founded in flesh-
pleasing delights ; it is lust draweth him away by some pleasurable
lure or bait ; the flesh is all for sensitive pleasure, and the proper cure
for it is godly sorrow.
Use 1. If this be God's instituted course to ease troubled consciences,
then they are physicians of no value for poor wounded souls that
would direct you to another course ; either, first, pleasures, and sports,
and plays, and play-books, and other merry books and company, and
carnal diversions to get off heart-qualms. Some such mountebanks in
religion there be in the world, that seek to divert men's grief rather
than to put it away; this is like a man in debt, that drinketh away
the thoughts of it, but his misery is never the further off. Secondly,
Others seek to cure trouble for sin with further sins ; as men to ease
themselves of the pains of a scald will hold the flesh to the fire again.
This may stupify the conscience, but God hath means enough to
awaken it. There is a worm that shall never die, and you will feel
it one day. Others would have altogether lenitives, and cannot
endure the sour doctrine of repentance, but would have men honied
and oiled with grace ; decry this as not suiting with their loose appre
hensions of the gospel. John said, ' Repent,' Mat. iii. 2 ; Jesus Christ
saith, ' Repent, and believe the gospel ; ' Mark i. 15 ; and Mark vi. 12,
' And the apostles went out and preached that men should repent.'
There is a fleshly laziness and wantonness in men ; they cannot endure
to hear of the severe and grave exercises of religion ; and when we go
Christ's way to do them good, they are displeased. If we did come to
you in our own name, and had a liberty of giving indulgence to one
another, we might huddle up the matter ; nay, if we were left to our
reason and discretion, we need not stand so exactly upon godly sorrow
and serious self-loathing ; but God bath prescribed this course. Now why
should we stick at it ? You should thankfully acknowledge the privilege ;
be glad that repentance is granted, rather than grumble because it is
required that we have leave to repent ; not mutter because of this
command to repent. It was counted a favour heretofore : Acts xi. 18,
' Then hath God also to the gentiles granted repentance unto life.'
The law doth not say, ' I will not the death of a sinner, but that he
repent and live;' but, 'Do this and live, sin and die.' The law doth
not say, ' Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden ; '
but, ' Depart, ye cursed.' It calleth for exact obedience, or threateneth
eternal ruin. It is a grace granted to man above angels. God did
not propound terms of repentance to them, whereby they should
recover their lost estate, when they sinned ; they were left to their
own obstinacy. A truly burdened soul is glad of this order and
method ; the guilt of sin is not only his trouble, but the power of it :
they like no terms like God's terras. Fulgentius saith, It is vile
unthankfulness to prefer softness and carnal ease above the comfort of
godly exercises. If repentance seem a burden, the fruits of sin in the
end will be much greater : if this part of religion seem distasteful, the
comfort of being well settled and established upon sound terms will be
much greater than all the trouble it puts us to.
Use 2. Is to persuade you to this work upon the necessity of this
course. It is not only necessary necessitate prcecepti, but medii. It is
268 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SER. IV.
an irksome duty, but necessary. Till ye are brought to repentance, ye
never had, nor can have, pardon of sins, and so no true peace of consci
ence. Some things have only the necessity of a duty, we sin if we do
it not ; but this hath the necessity of a remedy, we perish if we omit it.
It is not only a duty but a remedy. When a father shall command a
sick child to use such a remedy to save his life, he is not only guilty of
disobedience if he refuse it, but destroyeth his own life by refusing a
remedy necessary to preserve it. This is absolutely necessary. If you
disobey God in other things, yet you should not in the command of
repentance : those that need none, and care for none, Christ will have
nothing to do with them : Mat. ix. 13, ' For I am not come to call the
righteous, but sinners to repentance.' Would you hope for mercy in
another way than God and Christ are agreed on ? But because exhor
tations lose their force unless they be particularly directed, I must
speak to two sorts.
1. Some that never yet repented nor turned to the Lord. Oh, con
sider, without repentance no pardon, and without pardon no salvation ;
he that remaineth in his sins shall die in his sins. You may have ex
perience of God's patience and common goodness, but never of his
special mercy. A dog when he dieth will be in a better case than you :
a dog when he dieth, his misery dieth with him ; but the misery of
an impenitent sinner then beginneth. You are condemned already,
what hindereth execution ? only God tarrieth, ' is long-suffering to
us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to
repentance,' 2 Peter iii. 9. He is willing to take a little more pains
with you, to give you a little further time ; but do you know how long
he will bear ? Have you any certain lease of enjoying the world and
the comforts you now have ? After a few more refusals of his renewed
offers, and slighting of his mercies and patience, who can tell but God
may take the denial, and fret the slender thread of life asunder ? Who
knoweth but the next day he will say, ' Cut it down, why cumbereth
it the ground ? ' Therefore it is time to set about self-loathing and
grieving for your sins, and dedicating yourselves seriously to God's use
and service.
2. To those that have repented already, to renew their repentance.
This is a work that must always be doing, if you would maintain quiet
and peace in your souls. As long as there is sin in your hearts, you
ought to groan under it : Eom. vii. 24, ' Oh, wretched man that I am !
who shall deliver me from the body of this death ! ' And as often
as sin is committed, so often must repentance be renewed: sin and
trouble are inseparable. Conscience would be no conscience if it were
otherwise. Therefore I would press you —
[1.] To use this way constantly of fetching out grace. As your
salvation is carried on from faith to faith, Kom. i. 17, so from repent
ance to repentance. By repeated acts of the first graces our privileges
are continued to us. Faith is never out of season, nor repentance ; it
is as necessary afterwards as it was at first, whenever you sin against
God. Those that have a Father in heaven must still come to him for
forgiveness, Mat, vi. 13. It is a renewed act, for the continuance, sense,
and the increase of the sense and feeling of pardon. If you are pre
judiced against such a course, you have no reason to think your
VER. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 269
sins are pardoned. The Christian religion revealeth no other way of
comfort and sound peace ; and that assurance is justly liable to suspi
cion which can be maintained without repentance.
But you will say, Sinners are pardoned already ; justification is one
indivisible act of grace, pardoning all sins past, present, and to come.
I answer — Though there be a justification of the person, yet there is
a reiterated remission. There is a great deal of difference between
the merit of pardon, justification of the person, and the actual remis
sion of sin : the merit is but once, Christ never needeth to suffer more ;
the justification of the person is obtained upon our actual interest in
Christ ; then there is a release from the eternal punishment and wrath
due to us because of sin. A believer can no more come under the
power of the second death : this sentence is never reversed.
But now, pardon of sin is another thing : Acts xiii. 38, 39, ' Be it
known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is
preached unto you the forgiveness of sins ; and by him all that believe
are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by
the law of Moses.' The sinner is justified, but not the sin ; these are
distinct things. Justification noteth the state of the person, that is once
upon our implantation into Christ ; but upon every peccant act we need
a new pardon, that is repeated as sins are committed. Before it is com
mitted it is not remitted, for it is not sin. It is pardoned in that notion
in which it is sin ; virtually pardoned, but not formally. Justification
is the grant of a privilege, that we have interest in remission of sin.
Well, then, let me press you to — (1.) A daily repentance for daily
sins ; (2.) A solemn repentance on the occasion of special duties.
(1.) To a daily repentance for daily sins. As we pray for daily
bread, so for daily pardon ; we need one as much as the other. We
daily heap up new sins, and we must daily sue out our pardon. This was
the method God took with Adam when he was fallen : God came to
him in the cool of the day, Gen. iii. 8. God would not let them sleep
in their sins, that he might bring them suddenly to recall themselves,
and consider what they had done, that they might'long rest quiet in their
sins. Under the law, if a man were unclean, yet when the evening came
he was to wash his clothes, Lev. xi. 25 ; so we read of the evening
sacrifice : Num. xxviii. 3, 4, ' This is the offering made by fire, which
ye shall offer unto the Lord ; two lambs of the first year without spot
day by day, for a continual burnt-offering: the one lamb shall be
offered in the morning, and the other lamb shalt thou offer at even ; '
Eph. iv. 26, 'Let not the sun go down upon your wrath.' If poison is
taken, a man would get rid of it as soon as he could. While our faults
are in mind, repentance is more kindly ; as fresh wounds are best cured
at first, before they fester and rankle into a sore. Sin gets less ground,
and we shall have rest the sooner ; and it is good to divide our work
by parts, to come to an account, and make all even between God and
us every day, as merchants sum up their accounts at the foot of every
page ; AVC shall have the less to do when we come to die.
(2.) To a solemn repentance on the occasion of special duties. At
the Lord's table we come to renew our sense of the remission of sins ;
for the cup of the new testament is given for that end : Mat. xxvi.
28, ' For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed fur
» Qu. ' juigbt not ' ?— ED.
270 SEHMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SfiU. IV.
many, for the remission of sins.' We use this duty for the obtaining of
this benefit, either to get a confirmation or new extract when our dis
charge hath been darkened by former failings. Now as we would
renew the sense of pardon, so we must renew the exercise of repentance.
There are two duties required of us in order to that work — (1.) Exa
mination ; (2.) Meditation on Christ's death.
First, examination, 'Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat.'
Look into thy bill ; what owest thou ? When we come to counting
and reckoning with ourselves, how many defects and failings may we
discover ! If that work be done seriously, we must needs come num
bly and penitently. Well, then, in this serious work consider —
1. The exact purity of the law ; it condemneth the secret motions of
our souls, thoughts, lusts, imperfect desires : ' The law is spiritual, but
I am carnal,' Kom. vii. 14. ' What shall we do ? ' There are few that
can stand before the letter of the law, but who can stand before the
spiritual meaning of it ? You do not set up other gods ; ay, but your
hearts are estranged by the secret idols of your hearts from the true
God : Ezek. xiv. 3, 5, ' These men have set up their idols in their
hearts, because they are estranged from me through their idols ; ' as
the Jews preferred Barabbas before Christ. Practical atheism is
worse than speculative. You may reason a man out of one, but not
out of the other ; that is cured by grace. You abhor idols and images,
but do your hearts submit to all the ordinances of Christ, to use them
to the ends appointed ? You cannot endure vain or rash swearing, but
doth thy life praise God ? Is there that reverence and seriousness in
all matters of God ? You hate Sabbath profanations, but do you call
it your delight ? You honour parents, but do you carry yourselves
well in all your relations, and live as in the fear of God, and make con
science of the duties which belong to them ? You are no murderers,
but make no conscience of rash anger ; no adulterers, but yet have
wanton glances and unclean motions, Mat. v. 28. No thief, but
have no charity ; do not take away that which is another's, but do not give
your own ; no liar, but a slanderer, whisperer, backbiter ; thy life is a
lie, when thou wouldst seem better than thou art ; suppress the first
motions ; but, ' Who can say his heart is clean, I am pure from my
sin ? ' Prov. xx. 9.
2. The holiness of God, we have not sense enough of that : Job iv.
18, 'His angels he chargeth with folly ; ' 1 Sam. vi. 20, ' Who is able
to stand before this holy Lord God ? ' I would excite Christians to
have a sense of this above all things.
3. Our proneness to sin : Ps. xl. 12, ' For innumerable evils have
compassed me about ; mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that
I am not able to look up ; they are more than the hairs of my head ;
therefore my heart faileth me.'
4. The strictness of the last day's account. A long process : 1 Cor.
iv. 5, ' Who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness,
arid make manifest the counsels of the heart.' Not only the state of
the person, but all our actions. Conscience will be extended to the
recollecting of all our ways ; a general bill will not serve the turn :
else how will the wicked be ashamed, and the righteous applauded ?
Idle words will come into account at that day, Mat. xii. 36.
VER. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 271
Second, Meditation of Christ's death. He that maketh light of sin
is guilty of the contempt of Christ's blood, that either despiseth the
causes or effects of it : Heb. x. 29, ' Of how much sorer punishment,
suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot
the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, where
with he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite to the
Spirit of grace ? ' It was not shed for a light cause, nor to produce
mean effects : it showeth the heinousness of sin as well as the worth
of God's image and favour : Zech. xii. 10, ' They shall look upon him
whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one
mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one
that is in bitterness for his first-born.' Faith is required to promote
repentance.
(3.) After heinous sins we are especially to humble ourselves
before God : this is the ready way to obtain pardon : Ps. xxxii.
5, ' I acknowledged rny sin unto thee, and mine iniquities have I not
hid : I said, I will acknowledge my transgression unto the Lord ;
and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin ; ' 1 Kings xx. 32, ' And
they girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, and
came to the king of Israel, and said, Thy servant Benhadad saith, I
pray thee let me live.' Better come in voluntarily, than be drawn in
by force. Heinous sins are wont to rifle all our confidences, therefore
after such failings we are more seriously to renew our repentance, and
to humble our souls in the sight of God.
SEKMON V..
Repent, and be baptized in the name of Christ. — ACTS ii. 38.
DOCT. That we obtain remission of sins by believing in the name of
Christ.
By ' the name of Christ ' is meant Christ himself, as revealed and
set forth in the gospel ; the doctrine of his person and office : Acts iv.
12, ' Neither is there salvation in any other ; for there is none other
name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved ; '
that is, Christ is the only person by whom we shall be saved ; and
Christ, as revealed in the gospel ; for that is the name by which he
maketh himself known to us. Now this must be received and applied
by faith ; so Peter explaineth it elsewhere : Acts iii. 16, ' And his
name, through faith in his name, hath made this man strong.' The
name of Christ is Christ himself, and he puts forth his power upon
believing.
I shall, for the opening of this point — (1.) Show what Christ doth
or hath done for the pardon of sins ; (2.) That no other but Christ can
procure this benefit for us ; (3.) The necessity of faith, that we may
apply it to ourselves.
I. What Christ doth or hath done in order to the pardon of sins.
272 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 33. [SfiR. V.
This benefit is chiefly the fruit of his priestly office. Now in his
priestly office there are two parts — his oblation and intercession. They
are spoken of in many places, but both together you have in one place :
1 John ii. 1, 2, 'My little children, these things write I unto you, that
ye sin not; and if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,
Jesus Christ the righteous, and he is the propitiation for our sins.'
Our propitiation and our advocate. Let me insist upon these two
notions —
1. He is our propitiation. Christ is not only Ikacnij^, our propi
tiator, but tXaoyio?, our propitiation ; that is, victima, i\a<mKr), the
propitiatory sacrifice that was offered to God to appease his wrath for
our sins. He is both the priest and the sacrifice, the propitiator and
propitiation. This last is what we now pitch upon ; and the apostle
telleth us, Korn. iii. 25, 'Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation
through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission
of sins.' The justice of God, and the truth of his commination in the
former dispensation, permitted not so great a benefit to be bestowed
without a satisfaction ; and this Christ hath made : so that God may
be just, though he forgive sin. There can be no propitiation for sin
without the expiation of it. The expiation of sin is by suffering the
punishment due to it, which Christ hath done for us by his death, and
so made way for our pardon and discharge.
2. He is our advocate, ' We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous.' There are several terms by which Christ's plead
ing his merit for us, and going between us and God, are set forth, and
they have all their proper use. We shall compare them with this term
of an advocate. The general word is 'mediator.' Christ is a mediator
both in respect of his person and office, but an advocate only in respect of
his office. A mediator, as a middle person indifferently disposed between
two parties, that hath a mutual interest in both parties : Job ix. 33,
' Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand
upon us both.' One that miudeth the concernments of both, and could
value the honour of God and the sins and misery of man. A mediator
in respect of all his offices, but an advocate in respect of his priestly
office. A mediator, as he doth deal with God for man, and with man
for God, pacifying God towards man, and bringing man to God ; but
an advocate as interceding with God and pleading our cause in
heaven : ' We have an advocate with the Father.' Another word is
'intercessor/ Intercession doth more of itself look like a friendly
entreaty ; as Jonathan interceded for David : 1 Sam. xix. 4, ' And
Jonathan spake good of David unto Saul his father, and said unto him,
Let not the king sin against his servant, against David, because his
works have been to thee-wards very good.' And Joab for Absalom's re
turn, after he had suborned the woman of Tekoah: 2 Sam. xiv. 22, 'And
Joab said, To-day thy servant knoweth that I have found grace in thy
sight, my lord, king, in that the king hath fulfilled the request of his
servant.' But advocate is verbum forense, a judicial word ; it noteth
Christ's undertaking the cause of a believer in a legal and judicial way ;
not to solicit our pardon, but plead it, and make it out in a judicial way.
Once more, Christ is not patronus, a word used in the civil law, but
advocatiis. A patron or defender is one that under taketh to justify
VER. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS u. 37, 38. 273
the fact, but an intercessor or advocate is one that pleadeth to prevent
the punishment, that doth not defend the fault, but intercedeth for the
remission of the offence.
Now in what manner this intercession is managed, and how Christ
acts the part of an advocate for us, needeth a little to be cleared.
It will not be enough to say that his merit and sufferings do continue
to deserve such things for us, as if his pleading were only the virtue
of his merit, which figuratively may be said to plead good for his
people. So the apostle telleth us, ' The blood of sprinkling doth yet
speak,' Heb. xii. 24. As the blood of Abel against Cain, so his blood
for us. To grant no more than this would quite overturn the great
act of Christ's intercession. And yet, on the other side, it cannot be
thought that he intercedeth with such gestures and verbal expressions
as men use with men, or as he himself did in the days of his flesh, when
he offered up prayers with strong cries and tears, Heb. v. 7, which did
become the state of his humiliation, but not his glorification. These
are the two extremes.
Let us now see what it is.
[1.] This intercession of his may be conceived to consist in his
appearing in heaven in our name, whereby the Son of God, being now
man, presenteth himself as ready to answer for such and such sinners.
His very being there in our nature speaketh his purpose in reference to
this end, and God accepteth of it according to appointment : Heb. ix.
24, ' For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands,
which are figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in
the presence of God for us.' He presenteth himself as one that hath
made satisfaction for our offences, hath performed his sacrifice without
the camp, and bringeth blood before the mercy-seat.
[2.] It may be supposed also to include a declared willingness and
desire in our behalf to have such requests granted, such sinners par
doned. This was a part of his intercession : John xvii. 24, ' Father,
I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am,
that they may behold my glory.' ' Father, I will.' He declareth this
to be his will ; it was his interceding to have it accomplished. The
like may be conceived in heaven. Thus far Aquinas explaineth it :
Interpellat autem pro nobis, primo, humanitatem, quam pro nobis
assumpsit, representando ; item animce suce sanctissimce desiderium,
quod de salute nostra kaouU, exprimendo — he intercedes for us by pre
senting his human nature, which he took for us ; and also by expressing
the desire of his most holy soul for our salvation.
But is there not more ? Certain it is that a proper and form.nl
prayer is not contrary to the human nature of Christ in that glorious
estate in which it now is, neither as hypostatically united to the Godhead,
nor as glorified. Not the first, for that he had in via, in which he
made prayers and strong cries, Heb. v. 7. Not the second ; still it is
a creature, inferior to God, therefore capable of prayer. Indeed, when
lie was in the form of a servant, there was more subjection than now
in heaven ; but still he prayeth. Therefore —
[3.] There is a holy, reverent, though inconceivable adoration of the
sovereign majesty of God, whereby the Mediator, now at the Father's
right hand, doth in all his appearing for us, as being the head of the
VOL. xxr. s
274 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SER. V.
body, adore the sovereignty, goodness, and wisdom of God with
respect to the covenant of redemption, and sue out the benefits due to
him thereby, namely, the pardon of our sins, and our comfort and
peace : ' Ask of me/ Ps. ii. 8. By virtue of his paid ransom he may
call for those blessings that are necessary for those that come to God
by him. His saying to his disciples oftener than once, ' I will pray
the Father for you/ John xiv. 16, ' And I will pray the Father, and he
shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;'
this doth imply some address to God, even in respect to peculiar
persons and particular cases. It is a suing out of his merit in their
behalf. I would add one thing more.
[4.] He presents our prayers and supplications which we make in the
behalf of ourselves to God, after he hath set us a-work by his Spirit :
Rev. viii. 3, ' And there was given unto him much incense, that he should
offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was
before the throne ; ' Heb. viii. 1, 2, ' We have such an high priest, who
is seated on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens,
a minister of the sanctuary.' He presents our prayers to his Father,
perfumed with his merit. By his Spirit we are furnished with sighs
and groans.
II, No other but Christ can procure this benefit for us.
1. Because none else was appointed : Acts iv. 12, ' Neither is there
salvation in any other ; for there is none other name under heaven
given among men whereby we must be saved.' Authorised by the
Father: Acts v. 31, ' Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be
a prince and a saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of
sins.' This is necessary, because the supreme authority resideth with
God, who must and will choose in what way he will be satisfied and
reconciled to sinners. Moses, that interposed of his own accord to
be a mediator, was refused : Exod. xxxii. 32, 33, ' Yet now, if thou
wilt, forgive their sin ; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy
book which thou hast written. And the Lord said unto Moses, Who
soever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.' Christ
is authorised to do you good : John viii. 42, ' Neither came I of myself,
but he sent me.' Christ had a commission from his Father.
2. Because it needed to appear to us upon good evidence that he is
the party whom God sets forth to save sinners. This is opus liberi
consilii, an act of God's free grace; and therefore it cannot be determined
by natural reason, but we must stand to the way revealed by God.
The light of nature may show that man is fallen, but the light of
nature cannot show the way of restoration. Heathens could not dream
of it. The angels only knew it by the church : Eph. iii. 10, ' To the
intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places
might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God.' Those
natural apostles, the sun and moon, are gone up and down the world
to preach a God, an infinite and an eternal power ; their sound is gone
out into all lands ; and conscience joining with this discovery will
easily tell us that this God hath not been glorified as God ; therefore
we are obnoxious to him.
3. This appointment needed to be evidenced to the world by some
notable discovery, that the world may be satisfied that this revelation
VER. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, ss. 275
is from God: John vi. 27, 'For him hath the Father sealed.' Christ
hath a commission and letters patent sealed with the broad seal
of heaven. As every ambassador hath letters of credence under the
hand and seal of that prince from whom he is sent, so Christ working
miracles, and giving other demonstrations of the divinity of his person,
hath manifested his commission, that he is the person authorised to
do us good : Acts x. 38, ' How God hath anointed Jesus of Nazareth
with the Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good, and
healing all that were oppressed of the devil ; for God was with him ; '
ver. 43, ' To him gave all the prophets witness, that, through his name,
whosoever believeth in him should receive remission of sins.' He is
the person. If you saw none of his miracles, the .whole church in all
ages and places will come as a witness and deposit for it, and we
have the scriptures of the old testament, and many evident principles
of natural light, that have a fair correspondence with this mystery.
Well, then, God, the supreme judge, hath taken up the controversy
between him and us, and appointed Jesus Christ to be the person.
His institution is instead of all reasons.
Again, none else is able to satisfy God and pacify conscience.
[1.] Not to satisfy God. Sin being committed against an infinite
majesty, the suffering by which he is expiated must be of an infinite
value ; and therefore it is impossible that any or all the angels, though
holy and just, should propitiate God for our sins. As angels, they were
not capable of punishment ; and though they should have assumed
human nature, yet being but finite creatures, the worth of their
sufferings would not be infinite. Therefore Christ himself, being God
and man, was capable to suffer, and give a value to his sufferings ; and
therefore we are said to be redeemed by the blood of God, Acts xx. 28,
that is, by the blood of that person that was God. God would lose no
glory by the fall ; therefore, whoever was the redeemer, he was to
restore what Adam lost : Ps. Ixix. 4, ' I restored that which I took not
away.' Adam was the robber, but Christ was to make amends. By
the fall God's authority was violated, his honour despised. His
authority was violated in the creature's transgression ; his command
was just, our obedience reasonable. Now it was meet that God
ishould keep up the authority of his law. His majesty despised in the
threatenings ; his holiness, as if he did not hate sin ; his justice and
truth, as if he would not punish it ; his power, it was an act of pre
sumption, and a contest with God. Now in all these respects it was
necessary God should vindicate his glory, and be no loser, which is
fully done by Christ.
[2.] Not pacify conscience. Conscience is not pacified till God be
satisfied. God is infinitely merciful, but infinitely just. We cannot
expect any more pity from his mercy than fear from his justice; yea,
guilty nature is more presagious of evil than of good, as appeareth
when we are sensible and serious. Every conscience must have content
and satisfaction ; therefore till we can have such a righteousness as
will take off the guilt of former sins, and make us bold to stand before
God, which only we can have in Christ, guilty nature can never be
quiet, nor till God be pacified. Conscience is God's deputy ; till he
be satisfied, the creatures are at a loss. The great inquiry of nature
276 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SER. V.
is, 'Wherewith will he be pleased ?' Micah vi. 6, 7, ' Wherewith shall
I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the most high God ?
shall I come before him with burnt-offerings, with calves of a year
old ? will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten
thousands of rivers of oil ? shall I give rny first-born for my trans
gression, and the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul ? ' Barbarous
cruelties and costly offerings. Again, lost nature knoweth something
of a sacrifice, and something of price and value. Now judge you
whether God be satisfied or no. First, A priori. He hath the
sacrifice of his own appointing: Heb. ix. 13, 14, ' For if the blood of
bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean,
sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the
blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without
spot to God, purge your consciences from dead works to serve the
living God?' The sacrifices of the law could do that for which they
were appointed, which was typical expiation and external sanctification ;
they did qualify for worship-work, so far as appointed. And the same
apostle saith, Heb. ix. 9, ' Which was a figure for the time then pre
sent, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not
make him that did the service perfect, as appertaining to the consci
ence.' There was no real worth in themselves. The conscience could
not have found any ground of satisfaction how God's justice could be
satisfied by such mean things as the blood of bulls and goats. There
must be something penal, something of value. But in this sacrifice,
besides God's institution, there is a real intrinsic worth, which is the
dignity of the person and the innocency of the person ; but he could
not offer it for himself, therefore it must be intended for some other.
Secondly, A posteriori. Consider how God hath accepted Christ.
Christ is risen, our surety let out of prison. The Lord sent an angel
to remove the stone, not to supply any lack of power in Christ, but as
a judge, when the law is satisfied, sends an officer to open the prison
doors. As the apostles, Acts xvi. 38, 39, 'And the Serjeants told these
words unto the magistrates ; and they feared, when they heard that
they were Romans; and they came and besought them, and brought
them out, and desired them to depart out of the city.' ' The God of
peace brought again from the dead the Lord Jesus Christ,' Heb. xiii.-
20. Though Christ had power to rise, yet not authority till the angel
rolled away the stone: he did not break prison, but was brought out ;
then he arose. If our surety had perished in prison, we could have
no assurance ; and if he had continued under death, the world could
have no discharge. But he rose again for our justification, Kom. iv.
25. And not only so ; Christ is not only taken out of prison, but
carried up to God in glory and honour : received into heaven, 1 Tim.
iii. 16 ; not avefirj, ascended, but ave\^6ri, received. God hath
rewarded him ; therefore Christ hath perfectly done his work. God
hath not only taken him out of the grave, but taken him up to glory.
Certainly God is well pleased, since lie hath not only given him a dis
charge, but a reward. He did undertake to carry it through ; as Reuben
said. Gen. xliii. 9, 'I will be surety for him ; of my hand shalt thou
require him: if I bring him not unto thee, and set him before thee,
let me bear the blame for ever.'
VJSR. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. 277
[3.] None so willing to relieve a poor afflicted creature as Christ : Heb.
ii. 17, ' Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto
his brethren, that he might be a merciful and a faithful high priest in
things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the
people.' He was once at liberty, but when he had undertaken he was
bound. He was merciful to undertake, and faithful to accomplish it.
He was God, equal in glory with the Father ; yet merciful to us, and
faithful to God: merciful in dying, faithful in interceding, and mind
ful of us at every turn ; and so every way qualified to do our souls
good.
III. The necessity of faith, that it may be applied to us.
1. There must be an application. Many think there is a Jesus Christ,
we need take no further care, he did die for sinners, and therefore we
shall do well enough. No ; there must be some way how we may
come to receive benefit ; besides the meritorious cause, there must be
an effectual application, for we read of blood shed and blood sprinkled,
of making the atonement and receiving the atonement, Rom. v. 11.
It is for Christ's sake, for his merit and worthiness, that we are accepted.
But then there is a way appointed how we shall be accepted ; therefore
let us not presume of a propitiation without application. The cup of
salvation yieldeth no benefit to us except we drink of it. Therefore
since such a great part of the world miscarry, let us see that we do
not defraud ourselves of so great a benefit.
2. That God must state the way of application as well as the way
of redemption. There is the same reason for the one as for the other ;
that God should propose the terms upon which Christ should be made
ours ; for all is a work of his free grace and counsel. Well, then, we
must be careful to find out God's appointment, and the way of salva
tion which he hath declared : Bom. iii. 25, ' Whom God hath set forth
to be a propitiation through faith in his blood.' Not, ' through his
blood ; ' but ' through faith in his blood.'
3. God hath declared this way to be faith : Acts x. 43, 'That through
his name, whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.'
First, The scripture is very express in limiting the promises of pardon
to believers : John iii. 16, ' For God so loved the world, that he gave
his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not
perish, but have everlasting life.' Secondly, In declaring all those to
be under the curse that believe not : John iii. 36, ' He that believeth
on the Sou hath everlasting life ; and he that believeth not the Son
shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him.' Thirdly, In
placing faith, correlatively taken, in the room which works had in the
first covenant. Thence so often have we these sayings, ' It is of faith,
not of works,' which we meet with everywhere ; so that there needeth
no more ado. Faith is then required, not in the popish sense, as if
faith were the beginning of that righteousness for which sins are
forgiven ; neither is faith that which God accepteth instead of right
eousness, but the means to receive it as our legal qualification.
4. This faith must be of a right constitution ; namely, such a
believing in Christ as receiveth him to all the ends and purposes that
God hath appointed him ; that he may be Lord and Christ, Prince and
Saviour : John i. 12, ' But as many as received him, to them gave he
278 SISHMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SEB. V.
power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his
name ; ' James ii. 14, ' What doth it profit, my brethren, though he hath
faith, and have not works? can faith save him?' Christ must be
received so as he may dwell and rule in our hearts, and quicken us in
the way of holiness to everlasting glory. When a sinner doth thus take
Christ to himself, and give up himself to Christ, the work is ended :
Acts xxvi. 18, ' To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to
light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive
forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them which are sanctified
by faith that is in me.' This is the faith that is required on our part,
as on God's part there is required the intervention of Christ's merits ;
this is the faith that every one should strive to get, and see if we have
it, yea or no.
Use 1. To show us what course to take for peace and pardon. When
we lie under a sense of guilt and anguish for sin, plead Christ's satis
faction to God's justice. Lord Jesus Christ, thou didst take these
my sinful debts upon thyself, and undertake to satisfy for them ; and I
know that he hath made a full satisfaction ; I renounce all other hope
of pardon and rest for my soul but upon his precious blood. If he
be not able to save, I am content to perish : ' But he is able to save to
the uttermost all that come unto God by him.' When you do this in a
penitent broken-hearted manner, God will not refuse. As Adonijah
took hold of the horns of the altar, 1 Kings i. 51, and said, ' If I
perish, here will I perish ; ' so are we to plead that satisfaction before
the tribunal of God. We are allowed to ask blessings in his name,
and use his merit in pleading with God : John xvi. 23, ' Whatsoever
ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you.' When you
have a feeling of all your wants, and seriously need the pardon of sins,
you will get a good answer. This is to use Christ as our propitiation :
Heb. x. 14, ' For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that
are sanctified.' There needeth no more to be done by way of expiation.
2. When you are confessing your sins, depend upon him as your
advocate, as one that died for your sins, and is ready to appear before
God, to plead for you, and put all your debts upon his score. Let us
be sure to arraign and accuse ourselves : we must confess our sins, 1
John i. 9, and then Christ will plead for the pardon of them. If we
think to be our own advocates, and do deny, extenuate, or excuse sin,
it will never succeed well with us ; but if Christ be our advocate, how
can we miscarry ? There will not want accusers to lay sin to our
charge : ' But we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the
righteous.'
It is not a servant or a friend, but the dearly beloved of his soul
that pleadeth for us , one that pleadeth not by way of entreaty, but
merit : he is Jesus Christ the righteous. Now ' the prayer of a right
eous man availeth much,' James v. 16, but much more the prayer of
a righteous Saviour ; he that hath fully suffered for thy sins, that can
bring blood to the mercy-seat, he prayeth for no more than he hath
paid for. Oh, who shall condemn ? Bom. viii. 33, 34, ' Who shall
lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth :
who is he that condemneth ? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that
is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh
VER. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 279
intercession for us.' Here is comfort enough, if we were in a condition
to beg it, nay, if we were in a condition to need it ; for this comfort is
for poor burdened souls.
The next clause in this verse is remission of sins ; but this being
handled in the first and second sermons of the twenty that were
printed in quarto, and in the Lord's Prayer, and on 1 John ii. 11 in
this volume, 1 it is omitted here.
SERMON VI.
Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins. — ACTS ii. 38.
IN Peter's answer we have two things — (1.) His advice ; (2.) The
encouragement.
In his advice we have two things — (1.) Repent every one of you ; (2.)
' Be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins.'
The second part of the advice I shall now insist upon : ' Be baptized
every one of you.' And here I shall speak to three questions.
Quest. 1. Why is baptism mentioned rather than faith, and other
things more internal and necessary to salvation ?
Ans. 1. Faith is implied : Mark xvi. 16, ' He that believeth and
is baptized shall be saved.' For baptism is an open and real profession
of faith in Christ crucified ; so that it must be explained thus : Be
baptized, believing on the name of the Lord Jesus, for the remission of
sins. Surely he would not have them dissemble, and seek remission of
sins without faith in Christ, by the bare submission to the outward rite
of baptism.
2. Baptism is mentioned, because it was the visible rite of receiving
proselytes to Christ. Now it imported them who were convinced as
persecutors to turn professors, if they would have ease for their con
sciences ; and not only to believe with the heart, but to make their
profession manifest and open by submitting to this way : Rom. x. 10,
' For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the
mouth confession is made to salvation.'
Quest. 2. Why in the name of Christ only ? The Father and the
Holy Ghost are not mentioned, according to the precept, Mat. xxviii.
19, 'Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.'
Ans. He speaketh not of the form of baptism, but the use and end
thereof. Now the great use of baptism is, that we may have benefit by
the mystery of redemption by Christ ; therefore we are said to be
baptized into Christ, Rom. vi. 3, and Gal. iii. 27, ' For as many of
you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.' He is the
head of the church, and by baptism we are planted into the mystical
body.
1 All contained in prior volume* of this Edition. — ED.
280 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SER. VI.
Quest. 3. Doth not this put too great an honour and necessity upon
baptism to entitle remission of sins to this act, as it' every one that
were baptized had his sins forgiven him ?
Ans. When we submit to the gospel covenant, we believe that God
for Christ's sake will forgive us our sins : in testimony of this faith
we receive baptism, which, supposing that we do not ponere obicem,
lay any block in the way, that we repent and believe the gospel, doth
seal and deliver a pardon to us ; it doth seal, that is, confirm us in the
expectation of it, and deliver it to us. It is our legal investiture ;
it is the rite by which we are first solemnly put in possession of it.
Supposing that we have a promise before, as all that repent and
believe have, it doth seal and deliver. But because most are baptized
in infancy, it doth excite and oblige us to take the way whereby we
may obtain pardon according to the new covenant ; doing what is
necessary, it assures and confirms us that he will be as good as his
word.
Doct. That baptism hath an especial use and respect unto this
benefit of obtaining remission of sins in the name of Christ.
To evidence this unto you, I must take it for granted for the
present that baptism belongeth to the gospel or the new covenant ;
or, if you will have it confirmed, that place doth it fully which was
mentioned before : Mark xvi. 16, ' Go, preach the gospel to every
creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved ; but he
that believeth not shall be damned.' Whence it followeth clearly and
undeniably that baptism belongeth to the gospel or new covenant.
Supposing this, let me take my rise a little higher.
1. That God hath ever delighted to deal with his creatures in the
way of a covenant, that we might know what to expect from him, and
we might look upon ourselves under the firmer bonds of obedience to
his blessed majesty ; for in a covenant, which is the most solemn
transaction between man and man, both parties are engaged ; God to
us, and we to God. It is not meet that one party should be bound
and the other be free ; therefore both are bound to each other, God to
bless, and we to obey. Indeed, in the first covenant the debitum pcence,
the debt of punishment, is only mentioned, because that only took
place : Gen. ii. 17, 'In the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely
die.' But the other part is implied, Do and live, sin and die.
2. Because the first covenant was broken on our pnrt, God was
pleased to enter into a second, wherein he would manifest the glory of
his redeeming grace and pardoning mercy to fallen man. This was
brought about in Christ : 2 Cor. v. 19, ' God was in Christ reconciling
the world to himself.' And therefore this second covenant was called
a covenant of peace, as being made with us after the breach, or with
man obnoxious to the wrath of God : Isa. liv. 10, ' The covenant of
my peace shall not be removed, saith the Lord.' Man needeth such a
covenant, and Christ offereth it to us.
3. In this covenant of peace, both the privileges and duties are
suited to the state in which man was when God invited him into
covenant with himself. Man was fallen from his duty, and obnoxious
to the wrath and displeasure of God, and therefore the new covenant
is a doctrine of repentance and remission of sins. What is ' preach
VER. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 281
the gospel to every creature/ in Mark xvi. 15, is in Luke xxiv. 47,
' That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his
name among all nations.' That is the gospel, or the new remedial
law of our Lord Jesus ; repentance to heal us and set us in joint
again as to our duty, and remission of sins to recover us into God's
favour ; and both these benefits we have by the Redeemer : Acts v. 31 ,
' Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a prince and a
saviour, to give repentance to Israel, and remission of sins.' He giveth
the one simply, and both gives and requires the other ; so that by the
new covenant remission of sins is conveyed to all true penitents.
4. The more distinctly to understand the nature of this covenant,
we must consider both the duties and privileges thereof ; for in every
covenant there is ratio dati et accepti, there is something promised
and given, and something required ; and usually the promise con-
sisteth of somewhat which the party is willing of, and the duty or
condition required is that to which he is more backward, and loath
to submit unto. So in the covenant of grace ; in the promise God
respecteth man's want ; in the duty, his own honour. Every man
would have pardon, and be saved from hell, but God will have sub
jection : every corrupt nature is not against desires of happiness; these
God maketh use of to gain us to holiness. All men naturally greedily
catch at felicity, and would have impunity, peace, comfort, glory, but
are unwilling to deny the flesh, and are unwilling to renounce the
credit, profit, or pleasure of sin, or to grow dead to the world and
worldly things. Now God promiseth what we desire on condition
that we will submit to those things we are against. As we sweeten
bitter pills to children that they may the better swallow them ; they
love the sugar, though they loathe the aloes ; so doth God invite us to
our duty by our interest. Therefore whoever would enter into the
gospel state must resolve to take the blessings and benefits offered for
his happiness, and the duties required for his work. Indeed, accepting
the benefits is a part of the condition, because we treat with an
invisible God about a happiness that lieth in another world ; but it is
but part, for there are terms : Heb. x. 22, ' Let us draw near with a
true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from
an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.'
5. The privileges are two — pardon and life. These are the great
blessings offered in the new covenant ; you have both together, Acts
xxvi. 18, ' To turn them from darkness to light, and from the power
of Satan unto God ; that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and an
inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.'
These two benefits are most necessary, the one to allay the fears of the
guilty creature, the other to gratify desires of happiness, which are
natural to us ; the one to remedy the misery incurred by the sin and
fall of man, the other to establish our true and proper felicity in the
everlasting enjoyment of God ; the one to ease our consciences, and to
support us against troubles of mind, the other to comfort us against
all the outward troubles and afflictions which sin hath introduced into
this world. In short, the one to free us from deserved punishment,
the other to assure us of undeserved blessings ; for one importeth
deliverance from eternal death, the other entrance into everlasting life.
282 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [$ER. VI.
6. The duties thereof do either concern our first entrance into the
Christian state, or our progress therein. Our Lord representeth it
under the notions of the 'gate' and ' way ;' Mat. vii. 14, ' Strait is the
gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life/ Other scriptures
deliver it under the notions of making covenant and keeping covenant
with God. Making covenant : Ps. 1. 5, ' Gather my saints together
unto me, those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.'
Keeping covenant : Ps. xxv. 10, 'All the paths of the Lord are mercy
and truth to such as keep his covenant ; ' Ps. ciii. 18, ' To such as
keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to
do them.' The covenant must not only be made, but kept.
[1.] As to entering into covenant with God, there is required true
repentance and faith : Mark i. 15, 'Repent ye, and believe the gospel.'
Repentance respects God as our end, faith respects Christ as the way
to the Father : Acts xx. 21, ' Repentance towards God, and faith
toward our Lord Jesus Christ.' God is our end: 1 Peter iii. 18,
' Christ also hath once suffered, the just for the unjust, that he might
bring us to God.' And Christ is our way : John xiv. 6, ' I am the
way, the truth, and the life : no man cometh to the Father but by
me.' And Christianity is a coming to God by Christ, Heb. vii. 25.
Now in our first entrance faith and repentance are both mixed, and it
is hard to sever them, and to show what belongeth to the one and
what to the other ; at least it would perplex the discourse. Both
together imply that a man be turned from a life of sin to God by faith
in Christ, or a renouncing the devil, the world, and the flesh, and a
devoting and dedicating ourselves to God as our God.
(1.) A renouncing the devil, the world, and the flesh ; for these are
the three great enemies of God and our salvation. When God is laid
aside, self interposeth as the next heir. That which we count self is
the flesh : Eph. ii. 2, 3, ' 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 ;
among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lusts
of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind.' There
all your enemies appear abreast : the devil as the grand deceiver and
principle of all wickedness ; the world, with its pleasures, honours, and
profits, as the bait by which the devil would deceive us, and steal
away our hearts from God, and pervert and divert us, that we should
not look after the one thing necessary ; the flesh is the corrupt
inclination in us, which entertaineth and closeth with these tempta
tions, to the neglect of God and the wrong of our own souls. The
flesh is importunate to be pleased, and is the proper internal cause
of all our mischief : James i. 14, ' But every man is tempted when he
is drawn away of his own lust and enticed.' These must be renounced
before you can return to God : Josh. xxiv. 23, ' Now therefore put
away, said he, the strange gods which are among you, and incline
your heart to the Lord. God of Israel.' We must be turned from
Satan to God ; we must be delivered from the present evil world ; we
must abstain from fleshly lusts ; for God will have no copartners and
competitors in our hearts.
(2.) A devoting, consecrating, and giving up ourselves to God,
VER. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS ir. 37 38. 283
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, as our God : 2 Cor. viii. 5, ' But first
gave themselves to the Lord ; ' Rom. vi. 13,.' But yield yourselves unto
God.' As our owner by creation : Ps. c. 3, ' The Lord is God ; it is
he that hath made us, and not we ourselves ; we are his people and the
sheep of his pasture.' As his by redemption : 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20, ' And
ye are not your own, for ye are bought with a price ; therefore
glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.' As
your sovereign Lord : Jer. xxiv. 7, ' I will give them an heart to know
me that I am the Lord ; and they shall be my people, and I will be
their God : for they shall return unto me with their whole heart ; '
Isa. xxvi. 13, '0 Lord our God, other lords besides thee have had
dominion over us.' As the fountain of our life and blessedness : Ps.
xxxi. 14, ' But I trusted in thee, God ; I said, Thou art my God ; '
Lam. iii. 24, ' The Lord is my portion, saith my soul ; therefore I will
hope in him ; ' Ps. cxix. 5, ' Thou art my portion, Lord ; I have
said, I will keep thy words.'
[2.] As to our progress, continuance, and perseverance ; for this
is not the work of a day, but of our whole lives. This is our walking
in the narrow way, and evidenceth our sincerity in making covenant,
and our pursuit showeth it is a true consent. As to this progress and
perseverance, three things are required —
(1.) As to the enemies of God and our souls, there must be a for
saking as well as a renouncing. The devil must be forsaken, we must
be no more of his party and confederacy ; we must resist, stand out
against all his batteries and assaults : 1 Peter v. 8, 9, ' Be sober, be
vigilant ; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh
about, seeking whom he may devour : whom resist, steadfast in the
faith.' The world must be overcome : 1 John v. 45, ' For whatsoever
is born of God overcometh the world ; and this is the victory that over-
cometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the
world, but he that believeth Jesus is the Son of God ? * The flesh
must be subdued and crucified : Gal. v. 24, ' They that are Christ's
have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts ; ' that we be no
more governed by the desires of it. If we be sometimes foiled, we
must not go back again, but the drift of our lives must be for God and
heaven.
(2.) As to God, to whom we have devoted ourselves, we must love,
and please, and serve him all our days : Luke i. 75, ' In holiness and
righteousness before him all the days of our life.' We must make it
our work to love him, and our happiness to be beloved of him. and
carefully apply ourselves to seek his favour, and cherish a fresh sense
of it upon our hearts, and continue with all patience in well-doing,
Rom. ii. 7, till you come to the complete sight and love of him : 1
John iii. 2, ' We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.'
(3.) You must always live in the hope of the coming of Christ and
everlasting glory : Titus ii. 13, ' Looking for that blessed hope, and the
glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ ; '
Jude 21, ' Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal
life.' As we die at first, thankfully 1 accept of our recovery by Christ,
and at first consent to renounce the devil, the world, and the flesh, and
resolve to follow God's counsel and direction, we must still persevere in
> Qu. ' did at first thankfully ' ?— ED,
284 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SfiR. VI.
this mind, and use his appointed means in order to our final happiness.
The sum then of our Christianity is this, that we should by true repent
ance and faith forsake the flesh, world, and devil, and give up ourselves
to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, that he may take us as his reconciled
children, and adopt us into his family, and for Christ's sake pardon all
our sins, and by his Spirit give us grace to persevere in these resolutions,
till our glory and final happiness come in hand.
7. This covenant, consisting of such duties and privileges, God hath
confirmed by certain visible ordinances, commonly called sacraments.
These are baptism and the Lord's supper ; both which, but in a differ
ent manner, respect the whole tenor of the covenant ; for as the covenant
bindeth mutually on God's part and ours, so these duties have a mutual
aspect or respect to what God doth and what we must do. On God's
part they are a sign and seal ; on our part they are a badge and a bond.
[1.] On God's part they are sealing signs. As circumcision is called
a ' sign and seal of the righteousness which is by faith/ Rom. iv. 11 ;
that is, of the grace offered to us in Christ ; so is baptism, which came
in the room of circumcision : Col. ii. 11, 12, ' In whom also ye are
circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off
the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ ; buried
with him in baptism.' Surely the gospel ordinances sign as much
grace as the ordinances of the Jews or legal covenant ; as circumcision
was a sign and seal of the righteousness which is by faith, or a pledge
of God's good-will in Christ, so is baptism, and so is the Lord's supper,
to signify they are signs, and to confirm they are seals, to represent
the grace, and confirm the grant of pardon and life by the use of these
duties. As, for instance, baptism signifies pardon and life, so doth
the Lord's supper : Mat. xxvi. 28, 29, ' For this is my blood of the
new testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins. I will
not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine until that day when I
drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.' That for our growth
and nourishment, this for our initiation. Baptism is under our con
sideration at present. That this hath respect to remission of sins, the
text is clear for it ; and so are many other scriptures. It was Ananias'
advice to Paul, Acts xxii. 16, 'Arise and be baptized, and wash
away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.' His sins were
solemnly washed away by baptism : Eph. v. 26, ' That he might
sanctify and cleanse it by the washing of water through the word.'
This washing represents the washing away of the guilt and filth of sin.
And it signifieth also our resurrection to a blessed arid eternal life :
1 Peter iii. 21, 'Even baptism doth now save us; not the putting away
of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards
God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.' Well, then, it is a sealing
sign : 2 Kings xx. 8, ' What shall be the sign that the Lord will heal
me ? ' It is a witness between us and God : Gen. xxxi. 48, ' This
heap is a witness between me and thee this day.' So baptism is a
witness that God will pardon our sins, and upon pardon give us eternal
blessedness.
[2.] On our part they are a badge and a bond to oblige us to the
duties of the covenant ; a badge of the profession, and a bond to engage
us to the duties which that profession calleth for. It is a debt : Gal. v.
SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 33. 285
3, ' For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a
debtor to the whole law.' He bindeth himself to the observances of
Moses' law ; so a Christian to the law of Christ. Therefore the apostle
saith, Rom. viii. 12, ' We are not debtors to the flesh.' And it is an
answer towards God, 1 Peter iii. 21, or an undertaking faithfully to per
form the conditions required of us. It is a vow or obligation taken upon
ourselves : Horn. vi. 11, ' Likewise reckon ye yourselves to be dead
indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.'
It bindeth us chiefly to the duties that belong to our entrance ; as the
Lord's supper doth more directly to the duties which belong to our
progress. It bindeth us- to a true belief of the gospel, or an accept
ance of Christ, and a consent to the covenant of grace ; to renounce
the devil, the world, and the flesh ; and therefore the baptismal cove
nant, by which we are initiated into the Christian religion, is expressed
by being ' baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,'
Mat. xxviii. 19, which implieth a dedication or giving up ourselves to
them in their distinct personal relations. To the Father, that we may
return to him and obey him as our rightful Lord, that we may love
him and depend upon him as our all-sufficient happiness, and be
happy in his love as his dear children, and may prefer his honour
before all sensual pleasures in the world. We are baptized in the
name of Christ, that we believe him and accept him as our Redeemer
and Saviour, expecting to be saved by his merits, righteousness, and
intercession, from the wrath of God, and the guilt of sin and eternal
death. And we are baptized in the name of the Holy Ghost as our
guide, sanctifier, and comforter, that he may free us from sin, and
change us into the image and likeness of Christ, and lead us into all
truth and goodness, and fit and frame us for all holiness and godliness
of conversation, and comfort us with the sense of our present interest
in God's love, and the hopes of future glory.
8. These visible confirming ordinances give us great advantages
above the word and bare proposal of the covenant there, as these seal
ing signs are an expression of God's earnest and sincere respect to our
salvation. God hath opened his mind in the word concerning his
love and good-will to sinners in Christ, and he hath also added his
seal, that the charter of his grace might be more valid and authentic.
[1.] It argueth the goodness and communicativeness of God to give
notice in his word, but his solicitousness and anxious care of our good,
to give us visible assurance, as sacraments do, as being willing over
and above to satisfy the heirs of promise, Heb. vi. 17. When any one
is more than ordinarily cautious to make all sure, it is a sign his heart
is upon the thing. It is a great condescension that God would dispose
his grace into a covenant form ; but it is a further condescension that
he would add seals, which needed not on God's part, yet he added
them to give us the more strong consolation. Nudum pactum, a
naked promise is not so valid and authentic as when articles of agree
ment are put into a formal instrument and deed of law, and that
signed and sealed, and interchangeably delivered ; this breedeth more
confidence and security on both sides. God's word certifieth us of his
good-will ; but when he is pleased to make a formal indenture of it,
and to sign it and seal it, it doth breed more assurance in our. minds
286 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 33. [SER. VI.
that his promises are made with a real intent to perform them ; and
it bindeth us the more firmly to God when, besides our naked promise,
there is a kind of vow and oath on our part solemnly entered into by
baptism.
[2.] There is this advantage in the sacraments above the word, that
they are a closer application. The word speaketh to all promiscuously,
as inviting ; the sacrament to every one in particular, as obliging.
By the word none are excluded from the grace offered to them upon
God's terms: ' Go, preach the gospel to every creature;' but by the
sacraments every one is expressly admonished of his duty. The object
revealed in the word is like the brazen serpent, which without differ
ence was exposed to the eyes of all, that whosoever looked upon it
might be healed ; but the same object offered in the sacraments is like
the blood sprinkled on the door-posts, that every man might be assured
that his family would be in safety. Now the reason of this difference
is because things propounded in the word are like a treaty between
God and us. It is an offer and a debating of matters till the parties
do agree ; but sacraments are not of use till both sides have agreed
upon the conditions of the covenant, in adults at least. The word
conduceth to the making of the covenant, the sacraments suppose it
made ; therefore the word universally propoundeth that which in the
seals is particularly applied. Now those things do not affect us so
much which are spoken indifferently to all as those that are particu
larly applied to ourselves. These stir us up to a more accurate care and
endeavour to fulfil the duty incumbent upon us. The conditions are
propounded in the word, Repent and believe, and I will pardon and give
eternal life ; but the sacraments suppose an actual consent, that thou hast
done or undertaken to do it. And then God cometh and saith, Take
this as an undoubted pledge that thou shalt have what I have promised,
which doth more increase our hopes, and persuade us to our duty.
[3.] By these sealing signs we are solemnly invested into a right to
the things promised, put in possession ; as when we are put in posses
sion of a bargain by formalities of law ; so, ' This is my body.' It is
our solemn investiture. A believer receiveth Christ in the word : John
i. 12, ' To as many as received him.' And is he not received in the
Lord's supper? his right is solemnly owned and confirmed in the way
which God hath appointed. As soon as a man consents to a bargain,
be hath an interest in the thing bargained for ; but that right is made
more explicit when it is delivered to him by some formality of law ;
as an house by a key, or a field by a turf or twig, when put in posses
sion of what he hath bargained for. Every penitent believing sinner
hath a right to Christ and pardon, but his solemn enfeoffment is by the
sacraments : ' Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Christ for the remission of sins ; ' ' Arise and be baptized for the wash
ing away of thy sins,' Acts xxii. 16. God gave Abraham the land of
promise by word of mouth, Gen. xiii. ; but he biddeth him go through
the land, and build an altar, and offer sacrifice there ; then he was
actually invested. God gave Israel a grant of Canaan, but the clusters
of Eshcol were as it were the livery and seisin of it. Though the gift
be sufficiently made over by the promise, yet it is further rectified, and
more solemnly conveyed and delivered, by the sacraments.
VER. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, ss. 287
[4.] This is one advantage more, that the mysteries of godliness are
laid before our eyes in some visible rites, and so have a greater force
to excite the mind to serious consideration. When God will conde
scend to give us helps against our infirmities, it must needs be by the
senses, by which all knowledge coineth into the soul. Now feeling,
smelling, tasting, seemeth not so fit for this, as being more gross, and
conducing to the welfare of the body ; but sight and hearing convey
objects to the understanding, and therefore are called the senses of dis
cipline and learning. Now the covenant is made by words which strike
the ear, but the seals by visible things before our eyes: Gal. iii. 1,
' Before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified
among you.'
Use 1. Is caution to us, that we be not slight in the use of baptism
and the Lord's supper, for they imply a solemn covenanting with God,
that we may obtain remission of sins and eternal life, if we accept the
covenant for ourselves or others. For ourselves in the Lord's supper,
for others in offering our children to baptism. We must come ' with
a true heart, in full assurance of faith,' Heb. x. 22 ; with a true heart,
purposing the duties ; in full assurance of faith, depending upon the
promises of Christ for the privileges thereof.
As to children, we must resolve to instruct them in the duties of the
covenant, repentance, faith, and new obedience : Eph. vi. 4, ' And ye
fathers, provoke not your children to wrath, but bring them np in the
nurture and admonition of the Lord/ This is to make way for the
blessing, and to remove the obstructions : Gen. xviii. 19, ' For I know
him, that he will command his children and his household after him,
and they shall keep the way of the Lord, and do justice and judgment,
that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken
of him.'
As to the privileges, to admire the grace of them : Gen. xvii. 3,
'Abraham fell on his face when God talked with him;' and David,
2 Sam. vii. 19, ' And this was yet a small thing in thy sight, Lord
God ; but thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great
while to come : and is this the manner of man, Lord God ? ' Wait
ing for the accomplishment of them in God's way, as considering how
loath God is to let go his covenant children : Acts iii. 25, 26, ' Ye are
the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made
with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the
kindreds of the earth be blessed : unto you first, God, having raised up
his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you in turning every one of you from
his iniquities.'
Use 2. Is to put us upon self-reflection. We are all baptized in the
name of Christ, but what are we the better ? have we the more confi
dence of pardon of our sins for his sake? Voluterranus reports of Lucian,
that scoffing atheist, that when he revolted from the profession of
Christianity, he scoffed at his baptism, saying, Se nildl ex eo conse-
cutum, quam quod nomen ipsi esset cowuptum, ex Lucio Lucianum
factum — That he got nothing by his baptism but a syllable to his
name. What do the most get but a name ? It should not be so with
you ; you should improve your baptism.
1. For the obtaining of this benefit by a more serious work of
288 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SfiR. VII.
faith and repentance, for the washing away of sin : 1 Cor. vi. 11, ' And
such were some of you ; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye
are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our
God.'
2. For the further sense, continuance, and increase of it, even to the
rejoicing of faith : Heb. vi. 18, ' That we may have strong consola
tion ; ' Acts viii. 39, ' And when they were come up out of the water,
the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him
no more ; and he went on his way rejoicing.' Hath God applied to
me his covenant, taken me into his family, planted me into the mysti
cal body of Christ ; and shall not we be glad, and rejoice in his sal
vation ?
3. For comfort in all our afflictions, perplexities, doubts, and fears.
Luther telleth us that all his answer to the devil tempting him to
despair was, Ecce ego baptizatus sum, et credo in Christum — I am
baptized into the belief of the Christian faith. We must expect to be
tempted. The devil tempted Christ after his baptism to question his
filiation : Mat. iv. 6, ' If thou be the Son of God/ &c. So in outward
troubles, Dionysia comforted Majoricus her son, an African martyr,
with this, Memento fili, te in nomine Patris, &c. — Remember, son, that
thou wast baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
So in temptations to sin : Luther speaketh of a holy virgin, who,
when tempted to sin, replied, Baptizata sum — I am baptized. A
Christian hath but this one answer, I am dedicated to God to obtain
pardon and life.
Use 3. To condemn —
1. The careless, who never look after the remission of sins so solemnly
sealed in baptism, and those saving graces which may evidence their
title thereunto : 1 Peter i. 3, ' Blessed be God, who hath begotten us
to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.'
2. The profane, that live directly contrary to their baptismal engage
ment. To be worse than our words to men is bad enough ; but to
forfeit our words to God, to list ourselves into his service, and then to
turn deserters and fight against him, is grand apostasy. To be made
Christians by baptism, and then to live like heathens, is a sin which
will be attended with a severe doom.
SERMON VII.
And ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. — ACTS ii. 38.
THIS chapter giveth an account of the'pouring out of the Spirit, accord
ing to promise, presently after Christ's ascension. As soon as he was
warm in the mediatorial throne, he was mindful of the church, and shed
abroad his Spirit for the gathering and increasing thereof by the gospel.
As soon as the Spirit was poured out, the apostles were enabled to speak
in various languages, to the astonishment and wonder of the hearers.
VER. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 289
This was for the glory of God, and the confirmation and authoris
ing them as messengers. At the sight of this miracle, some wonder,
others mock, as if this speaking with divers tongues had been a confused
jabbering that proceeded from the fumes of wine rather than the operation
of the Holy Ghost. To satisfy both, Peter declareth the effect and intent
of the miracle, proving Jesus Christ, whom they had slain, to be Lord
and Christ. When they heard this, many of the most obstinate among
them were pricked in their hearts, and relented. A happy sermon it
was that Peter preached ; for it brought in thousands of souls to Christ ;
the first handsel of the power of the Spirit and success of the gospel.
It is good to observe what course they took for ease and relief after
this piercing and brokenness of heart : ' They said to Peter and to the
rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do ? ' This is
the usual question of men under sound and pressing convictions. To
their serious question Peter rnaketh a seasonable answer, of which the
text is a part. It is the part of a good physician not only to discover
the disease, but also to prescribe a remedy ; especially should spiritual
physicians be tender of broken-hearted sinners, willing and ready t6
give them counsel. In Peter's direction and counsel to them observe —
1. What he persuadeth them to do.
2. By what motive and argument. We have seen already what
they must do. Now what they shall receive : ' Arid ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost.' There are twofold gifts of the Spirit —
common or saving. The common were either miraculous or ordinary.
The miraculous and extraordinary were those gifts of tongues, and pro
phecy, and healing, which, in the primitive times, were poured out upon
the church. The common are such gifts as are still vouchsafed.
Now the question is, which of those gifts are intended in the pro
mise, the extraordinary gifts, which were so rife in those times, or the
gifts of the Spirit, which are necessary to salvation.
I answer — I take the promise indefinitely, as it is propounded, and
so exclude neither the one nor the other.
First, The extraordinary gifts are not wholly to be excluded, partly
because these were the things which they now saw and admired in the
apostles. Now saith Peter, Kepent, and believe in Christ, and ye shall
be made partakers of these gifts which ye so admire in us. And partly
because the promise is to be interpreted by the effect. Those gifts
were given to many upon their baptism : Actsiv. 30, 31, ' By stretching
forth thine hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done by
the name of the holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the
place was shaken where they were assembled together, and they were
all filled with the Holy Ghost ; ' Acts x. 44, 45, ' While Peter yet spake
these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the word ; and
they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as
came with Peter, because that on the gentiles also was poured out the
gift of the Holy Ghost.' And partly because these gifts are not to be
slighted, because they conduced much to the propagating and confirm
ing of the gospel : Heb. ii. 4, ' God also bearing them witness, both
with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles and gifts of the Holy
Ghost, according to his own will.' They were wonderfully confirmed
by this means in the assurance of the truth of the gospel.
VOL. XXI. T
290 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SEE. VIT.
Secondly, Besides this gratia gratis data, these free gifts, there is
gratia gratum faciens, saving graces ; these are principally intended ;
for—
1. Miraculous gifts would have been small comfort to them that were
pricked in heart, and did so anxiously inquire after the way of salvation,
to put them off with tongues, and prophecy, and gifts common to
hypocrites : Mat. vii. 22, 23, ' Many will say unto me in that day, Lord,
Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name, and in thy name have cast
out devils, and in thy name have done many wonderful works ? And
then will I profess unto them, I know you not ; depart from me, ye
workers of iniquity ; ' 1 Cor. xiii. 1, ' Though I speak with the tongues
of men and angels, and have not charity, I am become as a sounding
brass or a tinkling cymbal.' The apostle, who knew better how to satisfy
and to heal these wounded souls, promiseth such a gift of the Holy
Ghost as is joined with remission of sins.
2. All parts of Peter's answer, both the precept and the promise,
must be supposed to be suited to the question asked. Now the ques-
fion asked was, ' What shall we do to be saved ? ' or freed from the
misery into which we have plunged ourselves ? His answer was, Re
pent, and seek remission by baptism in the name of Christ. If you do
so, you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, which shall teach you
all things, and make you fit to do all things that are necessary to your
salvation ; you are weak and impotent, but you shall have power from
the Holy Ghost. For it concerned them not only to know what they
should do, but whence they should have strength to do what was
required of them.
3. In the next words the apostle speaketh of a promise, and such a
promise as was to them and their children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call. This promise was the
promise of internal grace ; be it the promise in Joel, or the promise in
John vii. 38, ' He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out
of his belly shall flow rivers of living waters." And the evangelist tell-
eth us in the words that follow, ' But this spake he of the Spirit, which
they that believe on him should receive ; for the Holy Ghost was not
yet given, because that Jesus was not yet glorified.' Those rivers out
of the belly imply something flowing out of the heart ; a spring of
living waters there, that would send forth life and influence to all their
actions. Well, then, this was the promise, and a promise that did not
only concern the first age, when these miraculous and extraordinary
gifts were dispensed, but all the ages of the church ; a promise to us
and our children, and as many as the Lord our God should call. It
relateth to the gracious covenant, that God will be our God, and the
God of our seed ; even that promise spoken of Gal. iii. 14, where the
npostle saith that Christ was made a curse for us, ' that the blessing of
Abraham might come on the gentiles through Jesus Christ, that we
might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.' The blessing
of church privileges was Abraham's blessing, even ordinances accom
panied with the Spirit,
4. The process of the story showeth what the gift of the Holy Ghost
is : ver. 41, ' There were added to the church about three thousand
souls that day,' who received the faith of Christ, joined themselves to the
VfiR. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. 291
apostles, conversed together in a wonderful, charitable manner, owned
Christ boldly and comfortably in the midst of afflictions. The sum is
this, that though all had not miraculous gifts, yet they had better, being
enabled to believe on Christ unto righteousness, and make a bold pro
fession of his name with their mouths, and live with his followers in a
high pitch of charity.
Doct. Those that repent, and believe on Jesus Christ for the remis
sion of sins, shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
I shall handle this point in this method —
1. Show you in what sense we are said to receive the Spirit after
repenting and believing.
2. The use and office of the Spirit so received.
3. The peculiar property and right of those that repent and believe
to this gift.
I. In what sense we are said to receive the Spirit after repenting and
believing ; for this doubt doth presently arise in our minds, Can we
repent and believe before we receive the Spirit ? or can a man convert
himself to God without the Holy Ghost? So much seemeth to be
intimated by the apostle's method, ' Repent, and be baptized in the name
of Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the
Holy Ghost.' I answer —
1. We must distinguish between the spirit of regeneration and the
spirit of adoption and perseverance ; for though the spirit of regenera
tion be tied to no condition, but is dispensed according to the good
pleasure of God, yet the spirit of adoption and perseverance in holi
ness is tied to conditions, and is promised to all those that, with true
faith and repentance, do seek after the grace of God in Jesus Christ.
Therefore this receiving of the Spirit is meant of the increase of his
grace in us ; namely, that the spirit of regeneration is followed with a
great increase of light, comfort, and virtue. First the Holy Ghost is
given to us to unite us to Christ, and afterwards to take up his abode
in us as in his temples, and to dwell in us for our comfort and support.
First as a Spirit of regeneration he buildeth an house for himself, then
as a Spirit of adoption and perseverance he cometh to dwell in the house
so built and furnished ; as bees first make their cells, and then dwell
in them. By repentance and faith there is a fit mansion and resting-
place prepared for him^and then he resteth upon us: 1 Peter iv. 14,
' The Spirit of glory and' of God resteth upon you.' He taketh up his
residence in us : not, comes upon them, but resteth on them. These
two things must be carefully distinguished, the Spirit of regeneration
and the Spirit of adoption, or God's converting and confirming grace.
The first is given us that we may believe, the second upon believing.
The first is spoken of Titus iii. 5, 6, ' Not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Ghost, which
he hath shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.
The Lord out of his good pleasure, not excited by any works of ours,
but merely by his grace, shed abroad the Holy Ghost in our hearts,
to renew and sanctify us, that we may repent and believe, and return
;ind obey him. This his prevailing 1 grace also is spoken of Zech. xii.
10, ' I will pour upon them the spirit of grace and supplication.' This
1 Qu. ' prevening ' ? — ED.
292 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SER. VII.
goeth before faith and repentance, and is the cause of it, as is there
expressed.
2. There is the Spirit of adoption and perseverance, that is, after
believing : Gal. iv. 6, ' And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth
the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, Abba, Father.' First we
are sons, and then we have the spirit of sons. When we are entered
as heirs to the promises, the Spirit of God doth more manifest his
presence in our hearts, and put forth his gracious operations there :
Eph. i. 13, ' After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit
of promise.' Though none can actually believe before the Spirit of
God works in them, yet upon believing, he cometh to dwell in the heart,
and doth manifest that he hath taken up his abode there.
II. The use and office of the Spirit so received. It may be referred
to two things — (1.) Sanctification ; (2.) Consolation.
First, Sanctification. The great work of the Spirit is to be the
fountain and principle of the new life of grace within us, or to maintain
and keep afoot the interest of Christ in our souls : Gal. v. 25, ' If we
live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.' He doth not only
begin life, but continueth it, and still actuateth it, enabling us to all
the duties thereof. There is having and walking ; thence he is com
pared to a spring or well of living water, that is always springing forth :
John iv. 14, ' The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well
of water springing up unto everlasting life.' Not only a draught, but
a well. They that have any measure of true grace have the Spirit as a
fountain to make this grace endure in itself and in its effects. Some
have only a draught, a vanishing taste, others a cistern or a pond, that
may be dried up ; but they that have the Spirit have a well, and a well
that is always fresh and springing up and flowing forth till this stream
become an ocean, and mortality be swallowed up of life. It is a spring
that sendeth forth streams to water the ground about it. As the heart
of man sendeth forth life to every faculty and member, and a general
relief to all his parts, so doth the Spirit influence all our actions. Now
both parts of Sanctification are promoted by the Spirit, mortification
and vivification, subduing of sin and quickening us to holiness. Mor
tification is seen in two things — purging out the lusts, or suppressing the
acts of sin.
1. In purging out the lusts of it. The Spirit is said to cleanse us,
and to purify us to the obedience of the truth : 1 Peter i. 22, ' Seeing
ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit.'
The Spirit showeth what purity of heart is pleasing to God, and work-
eth it in us, casting out pride, and hard-heartedness, and malice, and
hypocrisy, and sensuality, and all those lusts which defile our hearts,
and dispose us to walk contrary to God. It is the contrary principle
that sets us a- warring and striving against the flesh.
2. Preventing and suppressing the acts of sin : Rom. viii. 13, 'If ye
through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.' That
they may not break out to God's dishonour and our discomfort. We
cannot do it without the Spirit, nor the Spirit without us: Gal. v. 16,
' This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of
the flesh.' There is no possibility of getting the power of inbred cor
ruption subdued, or the lusts of sinful flesh curbed to any saving pur-
VER. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS ir. 37, 33. 293
pose, without the Spirit of God ; otherwise lusts will gather strength,
and range abroad without any effectual resistance. He warneth us of
our danger, and checketh sin. If we would hearken to him, and observe
his checks and restraints, sin would not transport us so often, beyond
the bounds of duty ; a man cannot sin so freely as before.
[1.] He doth quicken us to holiness, increasing the internal habits :
Eph. iii. 16, ' That he would grant you, according to the riches of his
glory, to be strengthened with might by the Spirit in the inner man.'
That we may be fitted for the service of God, for which before we were
indisposed to, and prepared to every good work. There is an inward
man, holy and gracious qualities infused into the soul, which are so
called. These are created by the Spirit of God, and supplied and
cherished by him that reneweth strength upon us from day to day, that
we may go from strength to strength, and be more able for God's
service. Though a renewed heart be yet continued, yet, as the two olive-
trees, Zech. iv. 13, dropping into the lamps, and emptying through the
golden pipes the golden oil out of themselves ; so doth the Spirit of
Christ supply an increase of grace to our graces.
[2.] Exciteth to action, and helpeth us and aideth us therein, and
inditeth good thoughts, and stirreth up holy motions and desires, besides
new qualities, that we may be lively and fresh in God's service : Ezek.
xxxvi. 27, ' I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in
my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them : ' Phil. ii.
13, ' For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do.'
Especially in prayer : Horn. viii. 26, ' The Spirit also helpeth our infir
mities ; ' goeth to the other end of the staff. Clothes do not warm the
body till the body warm them, and the body cannot warm them till the
soul, which is the principle of life, warm it ; so there can be no fervency
in prayer without the Spirit, no warmth in the heart. Oh, what a mercy
is it that we have an help at hand ! the Spirit of God dwelling in our
hearts, to relieve us in all our necessities, and quicken us in the ways
of God, which else would soon grow wearisome and uncomfortable
to us.
Secondly, The Spirit serveth for consolation, to uphold our hearts
in the midst of all trials and difficulties, that we may go on cheerfully
in a course of holiness, waiting for the end of our faith, the salvation
of our souls. The Holy Ghost, where he cometh, he cometh as a com
forter, refreshing and relieving the soul, especially when we most need
comfort, after great conflicts, and contrition, and brokenness of spirit.
Cordials are for those that faint : ' To revive the spirit of the humble,
and to revive the hearts of the contrite ones,' Isa. Ivii. 15. To those
that were pricked in their hearts Peter saith, ' Ye shall receive the gift
of the Holy Ghost.' It is welcome news to poor wounded souls that
they shall have the Comforter. So in deep afflictions : 1 Peter iv. 14,
' If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye ; for the
Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you.' The Spirit of God
dwelleth in the hearts of all his own, whether they be sufferers or not ;
but especially in the hearts of those that suffer, in regard of his com
forting and supporting operations. Philip, the Landgrave of Hesse, in
his imprisonment said, Se divinas martyrum consolationes sensisse — that
he felt the divine comforts of the martyrs. Their sense of his presence
294 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SER. VIL
is greater and sweeter, and their allowance of comfort larger than what
others have, or themselves formerly had. How dotli the Spirit com
fort ? Partly with respect to the time present, and partly with respect
to the time to come ; to witness our present standing in a state of grace,
and to assure us of life and glory to come.
1. For the present, to witness to us our adoption and pardon of sins,
and acceptance with God : Rom. v. 5, ' The love of God is shed abroad
in our hearts by the Holy Ghost given unto us.' The love of God is
shed abroad in the scriptures : ' Thy name is poured out as a precious
ointment.' But it is shed abroad in our hearts, that is, by the Holy
Ghost. How doth the Holy Ghost comfort ? Per modum argumenti,
et per modum causce efficients. Per modum argumenti, by way of
argumentation. The Spirit is given as a pledge of God's love ; he is
known by suitable gifts. Those whom God pardoneth he enricheth
with grace. Some things are never given in judgment, as the Spirit.
The comforts and honours of the world may be given us in wrath ; it
is a plain evidence. So per modum causce efficientis, by way of an effi
cient cause. He maketh us to feel the love of God in our consciences,
and to be sensible of the comfort of it : Eom. xv. 13, ' Now the God
of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound
in hope through the power of the Holy Ghost ; ' Eom. viii. 16, ' The
Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of
God.' A witness is one who giveth in a testimony against a man or
for a man. Every matter of worth and weight is to be transacted
before and proved by two sufficient witnesses. Now here are two wit
nesses, our spirit and God's Spirit. Our conscience doth accuse or
excuse, but that is fallible ; but then there is the Spirit itself. A
greater witness cannot be had than the Spirit of God, that knoweth all
things, the deep things of God and our own hearts. When he assureth
us that we have God's favour, and may go boldly to him as to a father,
why should we doubt ?
2. To assure us of life and blessedness to come. The Holy Ghost is
given for this end, that we may look and long for heaven. Our hearts
of themselves are taken up with trifles and childish toys. Therefore,
that we may more vehemently long after and desire the actual posses
sion of this glory, and to sweeten the bitterness of the cross, the Spirit
of God doth somewhat about our future hopes as well as our present
interest. It is an earnest, and as the first-fruits. An earnest : 2 Co) 1 .
i. 22, 'Who also hath sealed us, and given us the earnest of the Spirit;'
Eph. i. 14, ' Which is the earnest of our inheritance.' It is not only
donum, a gift, but pignus, a pledge ; not only pignus, but arrha, an
earnest. A pledge may be taken away, but God hath given us an
earnest, that is, a part to assure us of the whole. Now it is not only
an earnest to show how sure, but the first-fruits to show us how good :
Bom. viii. 23, ' We ourselves also, which have the first-fruits of the
Spirit.' Some foresight and foretastes of glory to come, some prepara
tions. Increasing grace is begun glory : 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' But we all,
with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are
changed into the same image, from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the
Lord.'
III. Quest. How is this peculiar to them that believe, to have the gift
VER. 38.] SEKMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 295
of the Holy Ghost ? Acts v. 32, ' And so is also the Holy Ghost, whom
God hath given to them that obey him ; ' that is, that obey the gospel,
that repent and believe : John xiv. 16, 17, ' And I will pray the
Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide
with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot
receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him ; but ye know
him, for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.' That place
plainly showeth and proveth that he is peculiar to believers ; and that
they are incapable of such a gift in the increase of it that have not any
begun presence of the Spirit in their hearts. (1.) The world doth not
receive him, because they value him not. Carnal men value nothing
but the visible pomps and powers of the world ; they slight other
things. It is so with all men in the state of nature and under the
power of sin : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' But the natural man receiveth not the
things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him ; neither
can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.' They have
no value for spiritual comforts and spiritual privileges. If religion
would make them great in the world, they would embrace it ; but
these things are so little desired, because so little known. (2.) The
world cannot receive them; they are not prepared. There is a capacity
or receptivity necessary ; they neither see him nor know him. They
took no notice of his visible operations, arid did as little understand with
their heart as see with their eyes ; but ye know him, and he dwelleth
in you. His familiar presence shall be in them in a larger measure.
Use. First, Why ? To quicken us to look after this gift. Let us see
why and how.
1. Consider our necessity. Better never had the spirit of a man, if
we have not the Spirit of God. Man is only in fieri, in the way to his
perfection. A brute hath all things now that belong to the perfection
of his nature. Man, that was made for a higher end, must have a
higher guide : Job xxxii. 8, ' But there is a spirit in man, and the
inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.' A brute, when
he hath served out his time, hath done his work, and when he dieth,
his misery and happiness dieth with him ; but man's happiness or misery
then beginneth.
2. If the Holy Spirit of the Lord be not in you, the evil spirit is. God
and Satan divide the world. The heart of man is not a waste ; it is-
either possessed by God or the devil. Natural men, the devil worketh
in them, Eph. ii. 2. The heart of a wicked man is Satan's forge and
workhouse : 1 Sam. xvi. 14, ' The Spirit of the Lord departed from
Saul, and an evil spirit from the Lord troubled him.' As soon as God
is gone, the devil taketh possession.
3. You may know where your mansion, your everlasting residence
will be, by the spirit that dwelleth in you. Every spirit fitteth for
his own place. There are vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, and
vessels of mercy prepared unto glory, Kom. ix. 21. Heaven is not only
prepared for us, but we for heaven ; and who prepareth us ? 2 Cor.
v. 5, ' Now he that hath wrought us for this self-same thing is God,
who hath given us the earnest of the Spirit.' The house and home of
good spirits is heaven, of bad is hell. Each of them labour to conduct
us to the several places whence they come.
296 SERMONS UPON ACTS IT. 37, 38. [$ER. VII.
4. Thou art unable for any duty, and incapable of any comfort :
1 Cor. xii. 3, ' No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy
Ghost ; ' that is, acknowledge Jesus Christ to be the true Saviour of
the world. Thou canst not so much as pray, which is the most
natural duty : Horn. viii. 26, ' For we know not what we should pray
for as we ought.' Instinct teacheth all creatures to look for relief of
their necessities. And thou art incapable of any comfort. All the good
thoughts in us, all the good desires, the good hope we have, is by the
Spirit ; all that we have and shall receive, all the spiritual joys and
satisfactions. The Spirit indeed did not die, suffer, satisfy, reconcile
you to God, purchase grace and glory for you. You are beholden to
Christ for this ; yet all the sweet comforts depending thereupon, and
the application of them to our souls, is from the Spirit. Your joy is
from the Holy Ghost. You can neither live nor pray, nor work, not
walk, nor hope without the Spirit.
Secondly, How?
1. Pray for it. If you feel the want of the Spirit, and do in good
earnest seek for him, you shall find him. A cold suitor shutteth the
door upon himself : ' Ask, seek, knock,' Mat. vii. 7 ; Luke xi. 8, 8ia
rrjv dvaiSeiav, ' Because of his importunity he will rise and give him.'
A father may deny a wanton child bread to play with or throw under
his feet, but not a starving child, that cries, Bread, bread, to preserve
his life. He may and will deny the Spirit to them that ask him in a
careless fashion, or to pride himself in his gifts ; but not the hungry
soul, that is pinched with a want of his grace, that crieth to him, Father,
give me thy Holy Spirit. Nay, the vehemency is some evidence that
thou hast him already : Isa. xliv. 3, ' I will pour water upon him that
is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground : I will pour my Spirit upon
thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.'
2. The hopes to obtain him. It is donum, a gift : ' Ye shall receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost.' It is donum promissum, a promised gift :
' I will pour my Spirit upon all flesh,' Acts ii. 17. It is donum neces-
sarium, a necessary bequest. When you pray for the Spirit, you pray
as children when they ask bread. Bread is not so necessary for this
life, as the Spirit for the life of grace ; it is the spring and fountain of
holiness. We may crave health, and wealth, and outward prosperity,
and receive that answer, ' Ye know not what ye ask.' But when you
go beg the Holy Spirit, you ask that which is good and necessary for
you. It is such a gift as is the foundation of all the rest, and without
which we can have no pledge and assurance of God's love. Compare
Mat. vii. 11, with Luke xi. 13. That which is called 'good things' in
one place, is called the ' Holy Spirit ' in the other. Of whom do you
seek ? Of God, who is your Father. Tarn pater nemo, tampius nemo.
No one is so much a father and so good a father. In whose name do
you seek it ? In Christ's, whose merit hath purchased this gift for
you : Titus iii. 5, 6, ' The renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he hath
shed on us abundantly, through Jesus Christ our Saviour ; ' Eph. iii. 12,
' In whom we have boldness, and access with confidence by the faith of
him.' By him we have a kind of right. He opened the door by his
merit, and keeps it open by his intercession.
3. Wait in the word ; the Spirit is gotten and increased there : Gal.
VER. 38.] SERMONS UPON ACTS n. 37, 38. 297
iii. 2, ' Eeceived ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing
of faith ? ' The ordinary means whereby God worketh this grace is by
the hearing of the word : 2 Cor. iii. 6, ' Who also hath made us able
ministers of the new testament, not of the letter, but of the spirit ; for
the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life ;' Acts x. 44, ' While Peter
yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard
the word.' Therefore wait at wisdom's gate ; lie at the pool till the
waters are stirred, John v. ; wait for the secret illapses of the Lord's
grace ; improve the Lord's supper. Sacraments are blessed means to
convey the Spirit. Christ is said to return from his baptism full of the
Holy Ghost, Luke iv. 1. Especially the Lord's supper: 1 Cor. xii. 13,
' For by the Spirit we are all baptized into one body, and have all been
made to drink into one Spirit.' One Spirit is spoken of as the author,
and the other as the end. It is the Spirit that is figured by water,
which maketh fruitful, and wine, which maketh cheerful : Cant. i. 4,
' We will remember thy love more than wine/ Now what further
degree do you get by every receiving? What further comfort and
strength ? Now quicken your desires after the Spirit. When Elias
was about to depart, he saith to Elisha, ' What shall I do for thee ? '
' Only,' saith he, ' that thy spirit may be doubled on me.' Christ, in
the same night in which he was betrayed, instituted this supper. Lord,
thy Holy Spirit we ask. Will God deny such a request? When
Solomon asked wisdom, the thing pleased the Lord. Will a natural
father give a scorpion instead of fish, or a stone instead of bread ?
Ask the Spirit to guide and sanctify and comfort you with the sense of
his love ; ask and fear not: let your faith be strong. The woman said,
' If I can but touch the hem of his garment, I shall be whole.' We
have more reason to expect a blessing on these instituted signs than
she by touching the hem of his garment. Renew your expectations.
You take the cup to assure you. Christ continueth the same form in
the covenant still. Observe what effect you have. In ordinary repast,
how doth a man know that what he hath eaten doeth him good ?
Why, he findeth himself fresher, abler, stronger, and more cheerful for
his work. Do you go away walking in the fear of God and the com
forts of the Holy Ghost? Only take heed there be no secret sin
harboured in the heart or allowed in the practice : Ps. Ixvi. 18, ' If I
regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me/
Use 2. Let us see whether we have the Spirit or no. We cannot
say it —
1. Because we have some good motions stirred in us. The devil
stirreth up evil motions in the hearts of the godly, and maketh a foul
stir in their bosoms ; yet he doth not dwell there as in those that are
in the carnal state. These are slaves of Satan. But the Holy Spirit is
often moving in the hearts and consciences of carnal creatures, coun
selling, rebuking, exciting them ; but all cometh to nothing : Gen. vi.
3, ' My Spirit shall not always strive with man/
2. It cannot be known by common gifts, illumination, conviction,
restraining grace, assistance to perform external duties even to admir
ation : Mat. vii. 22, 23, ' Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord,
we have prophesied in thy name, and in thy name cast out devils, and
in thy name done many wonderful works , and then will I profess, I
298 SERMONS UPON ACTS II. 37, 38. [SfiR. VII.
never knew you ; depart from me, ye that work iniquity ; ' 1 Cor. xiii.
1, ' Though I speak with the tongue of men and angels, and have not
charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal/ All
this is nothing when he doth not take possession of your hearts as his
dwelling-place and temple, 1 Cor. vi. 19.
3. It will be known by your temper and frame ; if you have a divine
nature and disposition put into you : John iii. 6, ' That which is born
of the Spirit is spirit.' A soul is raised above his natural inclination
as much as a man is above a beast : 2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are given
unto us great and precious promises, that by these you might be par
takers of the divine nature.' A man beginneth to look like God his
Father, and to resemble him for heavenly wisdom, holiness, and right
eousness ; he acts in another manner, as one that hath a divine spirit in
him.
4. By your savour : Horn. viii. 5, ' They that are after the flesh do
mind the things of the flesh, and they that are after the Spirit the things
of the Spirit.' Find therefore what thy gust is, and thou mayest know
whether thy life be natural or spiritual. Dost thou value thyself by
earthly enjoyments or spiritual ?
5. They are led by the Spirit : Eom. viii. 14, ' As many as are led
by the Spirit are the sons of God.' Dost thou take his counsel ? Art
thou ruled and determined by him which way thou shalt go ? What
authority and sway doth it bear with thee ? Art thou not driven, but
led ? There is spontaneity and readiness for holy things.
SERMONS UPON 1 PETER L 23.
SERMON I.
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the
word of God, ivhich Itveth and abidethfor ever. — 1 PETER i. 23.
IN the context the apostle presseth to holiness, and in the immediately
preceding verse to the love of the brethren ; he enforceth both from
regeneration.
First, Holiness. They that have a new birth should have a new
life ; for another principle doth necessarily infer other manner of opera
tion. By the natural life, which consisteth in the union of the soul
with the body, a man is enabled to move, speak, reason, and dis
course, and do such actions as are consistent with that life ; so by the
spiritual life, which consists in the union of the soul with Christ, a
man is enabled to act suitably; therefore if Christians would walk
answerably to their new birth, they should be holy.
Secondly, Love to the brethren or fellow-saints.
1. There is ground and reason to love them, for they are brethren ;
not in respect of the first birth, which is from the flesh, but in respect
of the second birth, which is from the Spirit. ^iXaSeX^'a and
ar/airr) are joined together by the apostle Peter : 2 Peter i. 7, ' And
to godliness, brotherly kindness.' All are brethren or our own flesh,
as coming from the same stock ; but there is another relation, which
is spiritual. Saints are brethren, as children of the same Father in
heaven. If we be born again, it is but reason that we should live in
love with the rest of our Father's children.
2. The new birth doth not only yield us a reason to love them, but
an inclination, heart, and power to love them. It begets this love, as
well as enforceth it : 1 John v. 1, ' Whosoever believeth that Jesus is
the Christ is born of God ; and every one that loveth him that begat,
loveth him also that is begotten of him.' The same new nature that
inclineth us to love our Father doth incline us also to love his children,
which bear his image ; for there are the same inducements for the one
as for the other. Therefore, ' See that ye love one another with a
pure heart fervently ; being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of
incorruptible.'
In these words observe —
[1.] The state of believers; they are 'Born again.'
300 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SER. I.
[2.] The instrumental cause or means used to bring them into this
estate, ' Not of corruptible seed, but by the word of God, which liveth
and abideth for ever. 1 Where the instrumental cause is laid down,
dvTideriKa)*; Kal egeyijTitcG)?, both by way of opposition and by way
of explication.
(1.) By way of opposition to other births: 'Not of corruptible
peed, but incorruptible;' alluding either to the seed of fruits, to which
the word of God is compared, Mat. xiii. 19, or else to that seed by
which we are born after the common course of nature ; that is, cor
ruptible, perishing, and defiled with sin : Job xiv. 2, ' Who can bring
a clean thing out of an unclean ? not one; ' John iii. 6, ' That which
is born of flesh is flesh.' A frail and polluted creature. But the
second birth is from incorruptible seed, spiritual, clean, and holy :
1 John v. 18, ' For we know that whatsoever is born of God sinneth
not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and the wicked
one toucheth him not.' The fruit of that birth is immortal.
(2.) It is set forth by way of explication ; for the apostle explaineth
himself what he meaneth by incorruptible seed, ' The word of God,
which liveth and abideth for ever.' Only mark the difference of
phrase ; it is etc <nropa$, of seed, but Bia \vyov, by the word ; for
the word of God is not the matter of spiritual regeneration, but the
instrumental cause of it. And he commendeth the word of God by a
twofold property — (1.) That it liveth ; and (2.) That it ' abideth for
ever.'
(1st.) Its actuosity and durability ; or from the constructure of the
Greek phrases, the two attributes may be thought to be given to
God, Sia \6yov £<wi/ro9 Oeov Kal pevovTos, ' by the word of the living
God,' and ' abiding for ever.' But by the following verses, which are
a quotation out of the prophet Isaiah, it appeareth plainly that they
are to be applied to the word. Only by the way observe how the same
attributes that may be given to God may be given to his word also ;
as Heb. iv. 12, 13, ' For the word of God is quick and powerful, and
sharper than any two-edged swovd, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of
the thoughts and intents of the heart : neither is there any creature that
is not manifest in his sight, for all things are naked and open unto
the eyes of him with whom we have to do/ God's word is like him
self. These titles are elsewhere given to the word. It is said to be
' living,' because of its efficacy ; it quickeneth us, and begets a life in
us that cannot be quenched. It is t&v KOI evepyfo, Heb. iv. 12, ' living
and powerful ; ' ' Thou hast the words of eternal life,' John vi. 63 ;
and it is called ' the word of life,' Acts v. 20 ; and Phil. ii. 16, ' Holding
forth the word of life,' and elsewhere. The word of God is a living
word, not a dead letter.
(2d.) The word ' abideth for ever.' The word dieth not when we
die : Luke xxi. 33, ' Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word
shall not pass away ; ' Ps. cxix. 89, ' For ever, O Lord, thy word is
settled in the heavens.' It is an eternal truth. The word abideth in
the effects of it upon the regenerate. The sum of the words is this,
that life which we have by natural generation is a mortal, frail life,
but that life which we have by being born again is eternal.
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 301
The first point is, Those that do truly believe in God through Jesus
Christ are born again.
Such are spoken of in the context; and of such the apostle saith,
' Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the
word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.'
I shall inquire — (1.) What is regeneration, or what it is to be born
again ? (2.) The necessity of such a work, if we would be Christ's
disciples, or truly believe in him.
First, What is regeneration ? It is a notion often used in scripture :
John iii. 3, ' Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom
of God/ And baptism is called \ovrpov TraXiryyeveo-ias, ' The laver of
regeneration,' Titus iii. 5 ; and a godly man is said to be born of God,
and that his seed abideth in him, 1 John iii. 9. The occasion of the
expression might be, that the Jews were wont to call their proselytes
recens natos, men new born. But whatever the occasion were, the
expression is solemnly consecrated by the Spirit of God to note our
first implantation into Christ, and doth not barely signify outward
profession, nor yet naked faith, or persuasion of the truths of the gospel,
as appeareth by the dialogue between Christ and Nicodemus, who came
to him and owned him as a teacher sent from God ; yet Christ presseth
it upon him to be born again. Let us see then what is the true import
ance of this notion in the Christian faith. It implieth such a work of
God upon the heart as carrieth proportion with the outward and first
birth, as appeareth by all the places where it is used. And it is that
work of God whereby a new spiritual life and nature is communicated
to us. The analogy may be supposed to stand in these things —
1. A child is not born without some pain more or less, so neither is
this change carried on without its pangs. The first work of the Spirit
is to give us a sight of our own vileness and sinfulness, and to work in
us the fear of deserved wrath; therefore called a 'spirit of bondage;'
Rom. viii. 15, ' We have not received the spirit of bondage, again to
fear.' The Spirit worketh according to the covenant that we are under.
In our sinful estate we are obnoxious to the first covenant, unable to per
form the duty, and liable to its curse ; so the Spirit rnaketh us sensible
of it. Those converts in Acts ii. 37 ' were pricked in heart ; ' they had
their pangs and troubles ; and still this is the ordinary way of coming
to the new birth, by sorrow and brokenness of heart, as the child cometh
into the world by the sorrows of travail.
2. It is not a birth when there is nothing brought forth, though
there be never so much pain ; so convictions, qualms of conscience, and
pangs of legal sorrow, terrors wrought in us by the spirit of bondage,
will never prove a man regenerate unless the new creature be brought
forth. There is in many some deliberation and trouble about the ways
of God, yet no actual choice ; as the young man went away sad when
he heard the terms, Mat. xix. 22 ; he was sorry because he could not
have heaven in his own way. Some anxious thoughts they have, but
go not further. They have some throes, and give over.
3. A new creature is brought forth entire and whole ; so it is when
the birth is regular; but in the new birth it is so always. No new
creature is born maimed, but of perfect shape, because that is the
immediate work of the Spirit, "who cannot miscarry in his operations;
302 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SER. I.
and a defect in parts cannot be supplied by after growth, and it
is fitted for the sight of God. Therefore here is a new creature
brought forth, not a new substance of soul or body, but the faculties
renewed and purified, and fitted for God's use and service, by certain
infused qualities or graces, which is called the ' inward man,' 2 Cor. iv.
16 ; Eph. iii. 16, ' That he would grant unto you, according to the
riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by the Spirit in the
inner man ; ' and the 'hidden man of the heart/ 1 Peter iii. 4. And
it is entire; a new mind, heart, conscience, will, and affections; new
thoughts, new desires, comforts, and contentments. It is all perfect as
to parts, though not degrees. In the natural birth, from little begin
nings there is a going on to perfection ; so in the new birth, from the
stature of a child there is a growing up to a perfect man in Christ Jesus,
as they get more knowledge, more grace, and more experience.
4. The child so born cometh from a place of darkness and confine
ment into a state of light and liberty ; so doth the new creature. The
terminus a quo, term from which, is darkness and bondage, figured by
the state of the child before his birth ; and the terminus ad quern, term
vo which, is a state of liberty,, of light, and the knowledge of God in
Christ : 2 Cor. iv. 6, 'For God, who commanded the light to shine out
of darkness, hath shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.' And they are called
into the liberty of God's children, or freedom from the slavery of sin,
and subjection to wrath : Kom. viii. 2, ' For the law of the Spirit of
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.'
We are freed from those manacles of corruption wherein we were
wrapped before.
5. The new creature brought forth is living, endued with properties,
inclinations, and dispositions agreeable to the nature that begat it ; so
there is in us a principle of a new life that carrieth some measure of
resemblance and conformity with the life of God. The effects of every
perfect generation are life and likeness. Likeness is not enough to
constitute a generation. An exquisite limner may draw a perfect pic
ture of his sou, yet this picture is not said to be begotten or born of him,
but made by him. The products of art have likeness, but not life.
Again, life is not enough ; in equivocal generations there is life, but not
likeness ; as frogs and worms and putrid creatures breed out of the
slime by the heat of the sun ; these are produced, but not born. Both
must be ; as when a man begets a son in his own image and likeness,
there is both: so here, when we are born again, there is life and
likeness.
[1.] Life. There is another manner of life than we lived before.
We live the life of God, from which we were alienated before, Eph. iv.
18, as appeareth by new actions, desires, and delights. So there are
other manner of principles and operations than came from life natural.
It is now a living unto God : Gal. ii. 20, ' The life that I live in the
flesh is by the faith of the Son of God.' As life natural is a living to
itself, to its own ends and interests, so is this. Take end and principle
together, it is a living to God. All the acts of the natural life are
overruled to nobler ends : 1 Peter iv. 6, ' That they might be judged
according to men in the flesh, but 'live according to God in the
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 303
spirit.' They are quickened by the Spirit to live a life of purity and
holiness.
[2.] Likeness : 2 Peter i. 4, ' Whereby are given unto us exceeding
great and precious promises, that by these you might be partakers of
the divine nature.' A restitution of the image of God lost at first. And
because many duties imply inferiority and subjection, and many neces
sities are introduced by the fall, therefore we are not only conformed
to God, but to Christ, or God in our nature : 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' But we all
with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are
changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit
of the Lord.' That is the great work of the Spirit by the gospel ; there
is a nature put into us, that of all things in the world cometh nearest
to. the nature of God himself.
6. Upon the new birth there ariseth a visible relation between the
child born and his parents ; so, besides change of disposition, there is
a change of state, a relative change, and a real change ; from a child of
the devil he becometh the son of God through faith : John i. 12, ' To
as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on his name.' And from a child of
wrath he is made an heir of salvation, accepted for one of God's family,
and hath a right to all the privileges depending thereupon.
Secondly, The necessity of this work of regeneration.
1. With respect to grace and glory.
[1.] As to the work of grace, a man is unmeet for God's use till he
be purified by this work of God upon his heart. There is something
that doth hinder, nothing doth further this work. Something doth
hinder: 2 Tim. ii. 21, ' If a man purge himself from these, he shall be
a vessel unto honour, sanctified and made meet for the Master's use,
and prepared unto every good work.' There is a mass of corruption
which remaineth as a clog upon us, which maketh us averse and indis
posed for the work of God ; all this must be done away. As a man
that would build his house exactly regular and uniform must not
patch up the old building, but raze it to the very bottom, that he may
lay a new foundation, so doth God take away the old rubbish of cor
ruption, wholly demolish Satan's work, purge the soul from those lusts
which inclined it to carnal vanities, before it is meet for his spiritual
service. Nothing to further; and so you cannot serve God till you
are born again: Eph. ii. 10, 'You are his workmanship, created in
Christ Jesus unto good works.' Every creature hath faculties suitable
to those operations which belong to that creature ; so man must be a
new created and formed creature, that he may be prepared, fitted, and
made ready for the Lord. You cannot expect new operations till there
be a new life. Here the business sticketh with man. This should be
looked after and desired first, as a peculiar branch of the spiritual life.
We expect strengthening grace before we have received renewing grace.
This is like little children, that attempt to run before they can go.
This is as if a man complained of an aching tooth when a mortal dis
ease hath seized on his vitals, of a cut finger when at the same time he
is wounded at heart, of wandering thoughts in prayer when at the same
time the heart is habitually averse and estranged from God. They
complain of want of quickening grace when they want converting grace;
304 SERMONS UPON 1 PETEK I. 23. [&ER. I.
as if we would have the Spirit blow to a dead coal. They confess only
the infirmities of soul, when they should bewail the misery of an unre-
generate and carnal estate. They complain of incident weakness, when
we should first see that our habitual aversion from God be cured.
[2.] As to the privileges of grace, you have no interest and title to
them till you are born again. Nothing avails to establish your interest
in Christ but a new creature : Gal. vi. 15, ' For in Christ Jesus neither
circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.'
It is not being of this or that party or opinion, though some more strict
than others ; not doing this or that particular thing, submitting to this
or that ordinance, praying or hearing the word. This is only an evi
dence in our consciences of our justified estate and union with Christ :
2 Cor. v. 17, ' If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature ; old things
are passed away, and all things are become new.' Every one that is
an adopted son of God must have a new birth and a spiritual being :
John i. 12, 13, ' But as many as received him, to them gave he power
to become the sons of God, even to them that believe in his name ;
which are born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will
of man, but of God/ A change of disposition. God adopts otherwise
than men ; they take as they find, they cannot put in new qualities.
To be the people of God without regeneration is as impossible as to be
the children of men without generation ; for we are born God's enemies,
and must be new-born his sons, or else remain enemies still. No hope
of glory : 1 Peter i. 3, ' Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us
again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Christ from the dead.'
Children only can look for a child's portion.
2. As to glory. It is said, John iii. 3, ' Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God.' I know ' seeing' is put for 'enjoy
ing ; ' yet the phrase is emphatical : he shall not have a glimpse, or be
suffered to look within the veil. A stranger cannot lay claim to the
inheritance, but a son ; and sons we are not till we be regenerated.
As I said before, we are incapable of blessedness ; there is no suitable
ness between us and it. The apostle speaketh of being ' made meet,'
Col. i. 12, meet for the enjoyment of God. Man neither knoweth his
true happiness, nor careth for it, but followeth his own lusts. By
nature man is opposite to the kingdom of God, being corrupt and fleshly
in all the faculties of soul and body; hath no spiritual sense, disposition,
motion, and inclination towards heavenly things. In short, our frail
bodies must be changed before they can be brought to heaven : ' We
shall not all die, but we shall be changed.' If the body must be changed,
how much more the soul ? If that which is frail, much more that
which is filthy ; if bare flesh and blood cannot enter into heaven till it
be free from its corruptible qualities, certainly not a guilty soul till it
be freed from its sinful qualities. Think again and again of the necessity
of this.
Use 1. To exhort you all to look after this work, to be new-born.
And let me direct it to all sorts of men, young men and old.
1. You that are young, you have been born in sin: Ps. li. 5, 'Behold,
I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me ; '
Gen. v. 3, 'Adam begat a son in his own likeness, after his own image.'
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 305
Sinful man begets a sinful child. You must be born again. God
provided a laver for us as soon as we were born. Baptism is the laver
of regeneration, Titus iii. 5 ; and little ones were circumcised, Deut.
xxx. 6. There is filthiness in you, and it is lusty and strong. It is
good to begin with God betimes ; they glorify God more, and enjoy him
sooner. They glorify him more : Eph. i. 12, ' That we should be to
the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.' They that get into
Christ before others bring more honour to God than they that are
brought in after : Rom. xvi. 7, ' Who also were in Christ before me.'
Old men may be ashamed when little ones get the start of them. The
sooner you close with Christ, the work is done the more easily, before
you are accustomed to a slavery to Satan, and your lusts are rooted in
you. You enjoy him more. Christ calleth little children : Mark x.
14, ' Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for
of such is the kingdom of God.' He is willing to take them into his
arms. You cannot come before you are welcome. The great God
will deign to dwell in the hearts of little ones.
2. You that are old, oh, it is high time for you to be born again ;
you are as good as dead already : Heb. xi. 12, ' Therefore sprang from
him one, and him as good as dead/ Chimneys long foul, if they be
not swept, will be fired at length. You have long lived or died in the
world : ' A sinner of a hundred years old shall be accursed/ Isa. Ixv.
20. He that liveth unreclaimed and unrenewed, though his life be
never so much prolonged, shall die an accursed wretch. You never
begin to live till you live in Christ ; you have but told over so many
summers and winters. All that time is lost that is spent in your
unregenerate estate ; as a man may be a long time at sea, and yet
make but a short voyage, get but a little ground though long tossed
upon the waves. Oh, bethink yourselves before your hoary heads go
down to the grave in sorrow. Say not, as Nicodemus, ' Shall a man
return into his mother's womb, being old ? ' This is a spiritual work
which must pass upon you. God promiseth to pour out his Spirit
upon old ones, Acts ii. 17. A ruinous heap of stones, that is ready to
drop in pieces, God can raise up to himself a temple for the Holy Ghost
to dwell in. Submit to this work before it be too late.
Secondly. Let me speak to the poor and rich.
1. To the poor and them of low esteem in the world, to be born
again, and this will ennoble your blood ; to be of God's family, heirs
of the kingdom : James i. 9, 10, 'Let the brother of low degree rejoice
in that he is exalted ; and the rich, in that he is brought low;' James
ii. 5, ' Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and
heirs of the kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him ? '
You are indeed honourably descended ; you are begotten of God, not
of corruptible seed : John i. 12, 13, ' But as many as received him, to
them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that
believe on his name : which were born not of blood, nor of the will of
the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God/ And honourably pro
vided for, heirs of a kingdom. Though you cannot reckon up a long
pedigree of famous ancestors, nor entitle yourself to such great families
as others do, yet you are born from above ; there is your genealogy.
You can speak of a descent from heaven. It was one of the works that
VOL. xxi. u
306 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SER I.
Christ produced to declare that he was sent from God: Mat. xi. 5.
' The poor have the gospel preached unto them,' Trrw^ot evayyehi&vrai,
the poor are all to be gospelled.
2. The rich are exhorted to look after this. It is no great glory
to be born of the froth of the blood and the will of man : John i. 13,
' Not born of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man,
but of God.' It is better to be a new creature than to be the son of
nobles, yea, kings and princes. It is not the dignity of men's rule, but
the quality and frame of their hearts, by which they are judged before
God. Omnis sanguis concolov — all blood is of a colour. The great
men of the world shall one day be cast out as the scum and off-scour
ing of all things if they be not born again of the Spirit.
Thirdly, Let me speak to men as profane or as civil. Every man must
be born again, be he to appearance better or worse. The state and frame
of the heart must be changed, be he an epicure or carnal man, a gross
sinner or a painted pharisee.
1. The profane. Surely it concerneth you to be born again. You
that can savour nothing but carnal things, and wallow in all manner
of filthiness, you are to change heart and life ; but first the heart,
otherwise you build without a foundation. Nature beginneth first with
the heart, as the fountain of life. It is the painter that only draweth
an outward shadow, that beginneth with the external lineaments and
outward proportions first. Now you who declare your sin as Sodom,
surely you must be changed. You cannot expect to go from Delilah's
lap to Abraham's bosom. The new heavens and new earth are provided
for new creatures ; there are no dirty swine can enter there. Oh, sub
mit to this change : 1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, ' Know ye not that the unrighteous
shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived, neither for-
nicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of
themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor
revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.' Meditate
on that scripture, ' Know ye not ? ' It is an appeal to conscience.
And ' be not deceived,' for the worst are full of confident presumptions.
You are travelling west ; that is not the way into the eastern parts.
You set your faces against heaven and happiness.
2. The civil and ingenious, 1 that have been well educated and brought
up, need also to be born again : Mat. v. 20, l Except your righteousness
exceed the righteousness of the scribes and pharisees, ye shall in no
wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.' Who more exact than they
as to external conformity ? There is a strait gate that you are to
pass through, and that is of repentance and the new creature, Mat. vii.
14. Oh, how many are deceived with this common error, that sin and
holiness is nothing but moral virtue and vice, spiritual regeneration
nothing else but good education and philosophical institution, godliness
nothing but honest behaviour, Christianity nothing but a well acquired
civility ! These have no change of nature. Alas ! these differ as the
shadow and substance. The earth bringeth forth grass and baser
flowers of itself, but it must be tilled to bring forth corn and finer
flowers. There is a work of the Spirit, with respect to the two cove
nants, carried on. You must be born again, or you cannot see the
kingdom of God. Kegeneration signifieth such a change, that a man,
1 That is, ' ingenuous.' — ED.
VEIL 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 307
not only of vicious becometh virtuous, but of carnal becornetli spiritual.
I gather that from John iii. 6, ' That which is born of flesh is flesh.' A
man by nature is carnal, yea, very flesh itself. He is so when he
inclineth to things pleasing to the flesh, seeketh them only, and
savoureth them only, affecteth them only. This is a natural man, that
hath not the Spirit of God : Jude 19, ' Sensual, not having the Spirit.'
Nor receiveth the things of the Spirit, 1 Cor. ii. 14. Acteth but as a
nobler and better-natured animal. He only liveth an animal life,
common to us with the beasts. All his thoughts and cares run that
way, void of spiritual life, ignorant, mindless of another world or the
way that tendeth thither, desireth it not. Now, though they be not
profane, do not wallow in divers sins and wickedness, whereby others
dishonour human nature, yet because they do not look after a better
life, and have no desire of better things fixed upon their minds, they
are carnal. But now he is regenerated when he that only before sought
after carnal things, breathed after carnal things, contented himself with
this lower happiness, afterwards desireth spiritual and heavenly things,
and really endeavoureth to get them. This nature can never do ; water
riseth no higher than its fountain. That which carrieth us to God
must come from God.
To quicken the exhortation, I shall give you two arguments or
motives —
1. From the danger. Better you had never been born if you are
not born again. Many have cursed the day of their first birth, but
never any cursed the day of their new birth. Better to be a toad or a
dog, because his misery endeth when he dies ; but your misery then
begins. You think, perhaps, that the God that made you will save
you ; as his creatures, he will have pity on you. No : Isa. xxvii.
11, 'It is a people of no understanding ; therefore he that made them
will not have mercy upon them, and he that formed them will show
them no favour.' God hath set up another rule ; his delight is in his
workmanship, in Christ Jesus. The unregenerate will curse the womb
that bare them, and the paps that gave them suck.
2. Better you had never been baptized if you be not new-born. A
carnal Christian is worse than an infidel : 1 Tim. v. 8, ' If any man
provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he
lias denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.' Such know nothing
of sin and righteousness with respect to a covenant, nothing of virtue
and vice as a perfection or blemish of nature. They are baptized
indeed, but have no benefit by it. It is not the laver of regeneration
to such : John xiii. 8, ' If I wash thee not, thou hast no part in me.'
Better scalding oil had been poured upon your heads than the water
of baptism. It is a witness of thy breach of vows, for thou art by
baptism engaged to be a new creature.
308 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SER. II.
SERMON II.
Being born again, not of corruptible, but incorruptible seed. —
1 PETER i. 23.
I HAVE pressed you to seek after this work by divers arguments suited
to all sorts of persons.
But you will say, To what end is this exhortation ? Is there any
help in the hands of man ? Can men work this regeneration in them
selves, and so change a carnal sinful heart into a holy and new heart,
or cause themselves to become new creatures ?
I answer — No ; surely regeneration is the proper work of an omnipo
tent God. But yet the exhortation is not in vain. I shall prove both
the parts — (1). That regeneration is the work of God ; (2.) Yet this
exhortation is not in vain ; and then go on with the exhortation.
First, That regeneration is the proper work of God, and the sole
effect of his Spirit —
1. From the state of the person who is to be regenerated. The
object of regeneration is a sinner lying in a state of defection from
original righteousness, averse from God, yea, an enemy to him ; prone
to all evil ; weak, yea, dead to all spiritual good. And how can such
an one renew and convert himself to God ? It is true man hath reason
left, and may have some confused notions or general apprehensions
of things good or evil, pleasing or displeasing to God ; but to choose
the one and leave the other, that is not in his power. They may have
loose desires of spiritual favours, especially as apprehended under the
quality of a natural good : Num. xxiii. 10, ' Let me die the death of
the righteous, and let my last end be like his.' So that excellency which
they discover in these spiritual things is apprehended in a natural
way : John vi. 34, ' And they said unto him, Lord, evermore give us
this bread.' These desires are neither truly spiritual, nor serious, nor
constant, nor laborious ; so that to apprehend or seek spiritual things
in a spiritual manner is above their reach and sphere. So man is
represented as blind, perverse, rebellious ; blind in his mind, perverse
in his will, rebellious in his affections, so as he cannot know : 1 Cor.
ii. 14, ' But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of
God ; for they are foolishness unto him, neither can he know them.'
Cannot believe : John vi. 44, ' No man can come to me except the
Father, which hath sent me, draw him.' Cannot obey : Rom. viii. 7,
1 The carnal mind is enmity against God ; for it is not subject to the
law of God, neither indeed can be.' You cannot think : 2 Cor. iii. 5,
'Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of
ourselves ; but our sufficiency is of God.' Cannot speak : Mat. xii.
34, ' How can ye, being evil, speak good things ? ' Cannot do : John
xv. 5, ' For without me ye can do nothing/ This is necessary to be
considered ; for conversion beginneth in a sense of our impotency, and
the first step to regeneration is a sense of the naughtiness and corrupt
ness of our hearts. When men only dislike their evil actions, and are
not humbled for their evil nature, they rest only in a moral reforma
tion, and do not look after a spiritual change.
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 309
2. From the nature of that work by which this change is to be
accomplished. It is a new birth. There is no more power in any man to
work this change in himself than there could be imagined to be in him
to beget himself at first. It is ascribed to God: James i. 18, 'Of his
own will begat he us with the word of truth ; ' 1 Peter i. 3, ' Blessed
be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to his
abundant mercy, hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resur
rection of Jesus Christ from the dead ; ' 1 John v. 1, 'Whosoever be-
lieveth that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God.' It is the infusion
of a new life ; and to give life is God's prerogative : John v. 26, ' The
hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the
Son of God, and they that hear shall live.' Therefore called the ' life
of God,' and the ' seed of God ; ' a principle of doing that which is
savingly good according to the will of God. Christ bringeth it as a
proof of his own Godhead, to be a fountain and cause of life ; for it is
the prerogative of God alone. It is also called a ' resurrection/ or a
quickening of the dead : Eph. ii. 1, ' And you hath lie quickened, who
were dead in trespasses and sins.' Man's will is no co-worker with God ;
it is his power, and such a power as raised Christ from the dead : Eph.
i. 19, 20, 'And what is the exceeding greatness of his power tous-ward
who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, which he
wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead.' It is a new
creature : Eph. iv. 24, ' And that ye put on the new man, which after
God is created in righteousness and true holiness ; ' Eph. ii. 10, ' For
Ave are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.' A
new creature : 2 Cor. v. 17, ' If any man be in Christ, he is a new
creature.' Creation is a work of omnipotency. Vicious qualities are
subdued, and contrary virtues and graces planted in their stead. In
the beginning God made something out of nothing, and some things
ex inhabili materia, out of such matter as was wholly unfit and indis
posed for those things to be made of it ; as when God made Adam out
of the dust of the ground, and Eve out of the rib of man, Gen. ii. 7
22. Just such a work is this ; he maketh those that were wholly indis
posed to good, and averse from it, yea, perverse resisters of all motions
towards that which is godly and holy, to be lovers of holiness and
walkers in it. God, that made man at first, must renew him, and re
store him to that image which he lost : Col. iii. 10, 'And have put on the
new man, which is renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that
created him.' Therefore we must hold this, and not so enforce exhor
tation as to weaken prayer ; it is the Lord's work, and he will be ac
knowledged in it.
Secondly, The exhortation is not in vain, for these reasons —
1. Because the object of regeneration is the reasonable creature,
upon whom God worketh, not as upon a stock or a stone, but maketh
use of the faculties which he hath, and dealeth with reasonable crea
tures in a reasonable manner; draweth them with the cords of a man,
not only by invincible grace, but by doctrine and persuasion. He
worketh not on us as on senseless blocks, but as reasonable creatures :
Hosea xi. 4, ' I drew them with cords of a man, with the bands of love.'
First showing man his lost estate by the law, and in the gospel reveal
ing Christ, and the possibility of salvation to all those that will come
310 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SER. It.
to God by him ; and then by the preaching of the gospel sweetly in-
viteth them to receive Christ, that he may pardon their sins, and
sanctify their natures, and lead them in a way of holiness unto eternal
life, upon which followeth the powerful operation of his Spirit, infusing
life into them, and conforming them to Christ.
2. It is not in vain, that man may own his duty and be sensible of
the necessity of the change of his estate, who would otherwise be alto
gether careless and mindless of such a thing. In the name of God we
may require you to believe, repent, turn to God, though God giveth you
all these things. So likewise we may exhort you to be regenerate, to
put off the old man, and to put on the new : Eph. iv. 22-24, ' That ye
put off, concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is cor
rupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of
your mind ; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is
created in righteousness and true holiness.' To warn you of your duty :
Eph. v. 14, ' Awake, thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and
Christ shall give thee light.' To point out to lost sinners what is their
duty, namely, to turn to God, and set about the duties of holiness,
flowing from the principle of a new life ; which is enjoined by God to
sinners, not that it is in their power, but because it is their duty so to
do ; yea, such a duty as must be speedily and earnestly gone about, if
they mean to be saved ; for our utter inability to help ourselves, or to
do anything acceptable to God, contracted by Adam's fall, doth not
weaken or abolish God's sovereign right and dominion over us ; and
though we be not able to do his will, yet he may justly require and
exact it of us. It is a demanding of God's right, and a making of the
creature sensible of what he must look after.
3. Because by such exhortations and commands, as by an outward
means, the Spirit of God doth effectually work that in them which he
requireth of them : ' Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word
of God,' Rom. x. 7. There is no power in us, or principle of life in us,
whereby we can quicken ourselves or bring ourselves from nature to
grace ; yet by the exhortation, as by the means, God infuseth this power
and principle, conveying thereby the effectual working of his power, and
so giveth what he requireth. As it was not in vain said to Lazarus, ' Come
forth ; ' there was a power went along with the words, ' Lazarus, come
forth,' John xi. 43. Christ in using his omnipotency doth not look upon
things as they are in themselves or seem to be to us, but in speaking
and commanding giveth life and strength to do what is commanded.
So he ' calleth things that are not as though they were,' Rom. iv. 17.
He speaketh to him as one living, and ready to come forth on a call ;
because of this very word he puts life into him to hear and to obey.
So when God by us calleth upon lost dead sinners to get life and grace,
who knoweth but that the blessing may go along with the exhortation,
and he may work what he requireth ?
4. The exhortation is not in vain, because there are some things to
be done before regeneration. In order thereunto, the preparative dis
positions that lead unto regeneration must be distinguished from rege
neration itself. They are not gradus in re, parts of regeneration, but
gradus ad rem. When Adam was created, the matter was prepared, and
the body organised and fitted to receive the soul before God breathed
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 311
that spirib of life into him, and in ordinary generation there is a dis
posing of the matter before it be quickened. Now though God be not
always tied to this course, yet he would have man tied to them in the
useof external means, so that by these preparative exercises he may come
nearer than he was before : Mark xii. 34, ' And when Jesus saw that
he answered discreetly, he saith unto him, Thou are not far from the
kingdom of God.' These preparations in regard of conversion are
like the drying of the wood to the kindling of it or setting it on fire.
The dryness of the wood is not the firing of the wood, or any degree of
it, only a preparation of the matter, that it may take fire when it is
put to it ; or like the heating of metals before they are melted, and are
cast into the mould to be fashioned. Such kind of preparations there are
to regeneration ; as when a man by the study of the law hath a dis
covery and anxious sense of his miserable condition out of Christ, and
doth seriously deliberate what to do, and hath a desire and purpose to
make use of all good means for the escaping of God's wrath, as to hear,
read, meditate, confer with others about the things that belong to regene- "
ration. We may require you to use all these godly exercises, and to
be diligent therein, that you may be in some readiness, and lie near at
hand for God's work, which is better than to be afar off. So these pre
parations are as the drying of the wood, though it be not fired ;
the heating of the metal, though it be not melted ; and in these we feel
some common operations of the Spirit at least ; and they that refuse these ••
preparatives are without excuse, and it is a sign they slight reconcilia
tion with God and regeneration by his Spirit. Thus you see why we are
to exhort, and you to look after it, that you may lie fair for God's work.
5. The exhortation is not in vain, that men may not hinder this work,
and obstruct their own mercies. This a man may do two ways — (1.)
Either by neglecting the means which God hath appointed ; or, (2.)
By refusing the helps which God vouchsafeth to prepare and mollify
the heart.
[1.] By neglecting the means. Though God doth renew men by big
Spirit, yet he hath appointed the means by which man is to be subser
vient to such a work ; the which if he will not try, and use the means,
the blame is in himself, not God. If we are unwilling to take pains in
seeking it, it showeth that we have no desire to find it, and shall at the
last day be reproved as the ' wicked and slothful servant,' Mat. xxv. 26.
His pleading he had no power, and that God requireth brick where he
giveth no straw, will be of no use to him. He had no heart, no will
to the thing, and shall be answerable for the contempt of God's word.
But is it not folly to use the means, since it is not in our power to
effect it ? No ; for if there were no hope of success, yet in obedience
to the command we should be doing : Luke v. 5, ' Master, we have
toiled all night, and have taken nothing : howbeit, at thy word I will
let down the net.' And if ever we look for the effect, it must be this
way; we are bound, though God is not bound. It is not in man's
power to beget a rational soul, yet none abstaineth from marriage for
that reason, because the soul must be created by God ; so regeneration is
God's work ; but therefore we must not neglect God's prescribed course,
but be diligent in the use of means, waiting for this effect. What the
means are I shall show you by and by.
312 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SfiR. II.
[2.] By refusing the helps which God vouchsafeth us. So man may
render himself more unapt to be changed ; as, for instance, some pre
parative excitation of conscience ; either by the word, as Felix : Acts
xxiv. 25, ' Felix trembled/ e^^o/So? yevo^evos ; he was in an agony ;
or by some notable affliction, when conscience casts up their sin : Gen,
xlii. 21, 'We are verily guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw
the anguish of his soul when he besought us, and we would not hear ;
therefore is this distress come upon us.' Many such involuntary
impressions there are, and strong motions to good, that come upon us
without any endeavour or forethought of ours, by which the soul is
awakened as out of sleep ; and these are a closer offer on God's part to
help us out of the estate wherein we are. Now so far as we are acted
by God, we are to carry forth this work, and when the waters are
stirred, to put in for cure ; for otherwise we hinder and set back our
selves so much as we slight this common grace, or offer wrong to con
science. As water which hath been heated on the fire congealeth the
soonest after it is taken off and removed from it, so they that have felt
the motions of God's Spirit freeze soonest in the dregs and lusts of the
flesh, and their hearts are most hardened, and they grieve God's Spirit
that he ceaseth the work, or to continue his former motions : Isa. Iv. 6,
' Seek the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is
near.'
6. The exhortation is not in vain, because upon our use of the
means usually God cometh in with success, and it is a hundred to one
if it be otherwise. I cannot say to every one that plougheth, infallibly
that he shall have a good crop ; but this I can say to him, It is God's
use to bless the diligent and provident. I cannot say to every one that
desireth posterity, Marry, and you shall have children ; I cannot say
infallibly to him that goeth forth to battle for his country's good that
he shall have victory and success ; but I can say, as Joab, 1 Chron.
xix. 13, ' Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly for
our people and the cities of our God, and let the Lord do what is good
in his sight.' I cannot say infallibly you shall have grace ; but I can
say to every one, Let him use the means, and leave the success of his
labour and his own salvation to the will and good pleasure of God. I
cannot say this infallibly, for there is no obligation upon God. And
still this work is made the fruit of God's will and mere arbitrary dis
pensation : James i. 18, 'Of his own will begat he us by the word of
truth ; ' Titus iii. 4, 5, ' But after that the kindness and love of God
our Saviour towards man appeared, not by works of righteousness
which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the
washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.' Let us do
what God hath commanded, and let God do what he will. And I
need not say so ; for the whole world in all their actings are and
should be guided by this principle, Let us do our duty, and refer the
success to God, whose ordinary practice is to meet with the creature
that seeketh after him ; yea, he is with us already ; this earnest
importunity in the use of means proceeding from the earnest impres
sion of his grace. And therefore, since he is beforehand with us, and
hath not showed any backwardness to our good, we have no reason to
despair of his goodness and mercy, but rather to hope the best.
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 313
Well, now, let me go on with my exhortation. Since we are to
labour after that which God will give, let me persuade you earnestly
to desire, and carefully to endeavour after, this great benefit. But
what is it that we are to do ? (1.) Something to prepare for this work :
(2.) Something that doth more immediately concern the work itself.
L By way of tendency and preparation thereunto.
[1.] Observe what God doth to awaken your hearts, either by the
touches of his providence or the motions of his Spirit. It is our great
advantage to observe God's approaches : Isa. Iv. 6, ' Seek the Lord
while he may be found, call upon him while he is near.' He is nearer
sometimes than at other times. There is a time of finding, if we have
the skill and heart to take hold of it. Don't lose such an advantage
as you will not lightly have again, when by your frowardness and
negligence you let it pass out of your hands. Take heed, then, of
carnal shifts and delays, and putting off God when he doth so fairly
draw nigh unto thee, lest he be gone and never come more. As he
biddeth his disciples shake off the dust of their feet against such as
would not receive them when they tendered themselves to them :
Mat. x. 13, 14, 'And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon
it ; but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoso
ever shall not receive nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that
house or city, shake off the dust of your feet ;' Acts xiii. 46, ' Paul
and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word
should first be spoken to you; but seeing ye put it from you, and
judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the
gentiles.' So God may take his leave when you will not suffer him
to go on with his work in thine heart. Take heed of curing the evil
spirit with an instrument of music.
[2.] Somewhat you must do yourselves besides this involuntary
impression from without. I shall not instance in reading, hearing, or
the general means, but only such as concern a closer application. The
want of such is the main reason why men, though there be such a
necessity upon them, do not look after the new birth, and they are
consideration and examination.
(1.) Consideration. Reason with yourselves: For what end were
you made ? and what shall become of you to all eternity ? Ps. cxix.
59, 'I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies;'
Ps. xxii. 27, ' All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto
the Lord, and all the kindred of the nations shall worship before thee.
Men go on in a senseless security, never thinking of God, nor of their
own salvation, nor dreaming of any other world but this which they
now enjoy, wherein they place their happiness, without desire or hope
of a better estate. Oh, but if men would rouse up themselves, and
consider that all the world are going to heaven or hell, and that in one
of them there must be their long home or final abode, and that within
a short time, they could riot but be more serious, and see whether they
are qualified to enter into the kingdom of God, yea or no. Oh, then,
bethink yourselves how dangerous and woful will your condition be if
you should be as Adam left you ; if you should not be born again, and
become a new creature ; for new creatures are the only inhabitants of
the new Jerusalem.
31 i SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SfiR. II.
(2.) Examine and reflect upon thine own estate, whether indeed
thou art born again, yea or no. What you have to depend upon ; a
duty which God often presseth us to: 'Let a man examine himself,'
1 Cor. xi. 28 ; and ' Commune with your own hearts upon your beds/
Ps. iv. 4 ; ' Search and try your ways, and turn to the Lord ; ' ' Examine
yourselves whether you be in the faith ; prove your own selves : know
ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye
be reprobates ? ' 2 Cor. xiii. 5. A man that hath a conscience may
reflect upon his own ways, and say, How is it with me ? is the image
of God formed upon me ? But men are loath to examine, for they are
afraid of raising such spirits as they cannot easily lay again ; and
being intoxicated with the sweetness of carnal peace, and being
impatient of labour and trouble, will not deal seriously with their own
hearts. And therefore, here the work sticketh in their hands ; either
they do not examine, or else break up the court before things come to
a full hearing and decision. All is quiet now ; they make no question
of the love of God, and have no scruple about their condition ; and
why should they trouble themselves ? they shall but open the door to
fears, and scruples, and perplexities, and weaken their confidence in
God; for so they call the security of the flesh. They have a mind to
sleep securely in their sins, and have many pleasing dreams of their
own good condition, and the devil lets them alone. Foolish creatures
will not remember that they are in danger of a more severe search
when God shall lay open the secrets of men's hearts.
2. With respect to the work itself.
[1.] You are with brokenness of heart to bewail your corruption
and the wretchedness of your natural estate : Luke xviii. 13, ' Lord, be
merciful to me, a miserable sinner.'
[2.] Beg grace of God : Jer. xxxi. 18, ' I have surely heard Ephraim
bemoaning himself thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised,
as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be
turned ; thou art the Lord my God.' You can pray literally, though
not spiritually. ' Take with you words, and call upon the Lord,' and
put a natural fervency into them (as the new birth concerneth his
happiness), though you have not a spiritual affection to the thing
itself.
[3.] Wait for it.
(1.) With patience : ' Of his own will begat he us,' James i. 18.
God's time is not yet come : John iii. 8, ' The wind bloweth where it
listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it
cometh and whither it goeth : so is every one that is born of the Spirit.'
God acts with liberty, as the wind bloweth when and where it listeth.
The wind bloweth freely, but not at the command and beck of any
creature. Some lay at the pool for many years ; others had cure sooner.
We are not to limit the holy One of Israel, but wait upon him, without
throwing up duties, or saying, ' Why should I wait upon the Lord any
longer ? '
(2.) With hope. There are absolute promises of taking away the
heart of stone : Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27, ' A new heart also will I give you,
and a new spirit will I put within you ; and I will take away the stony
heart out of your flesh, and will give you a heart of flesh, and I will
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 315
put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes ; and
ye shall keep my judgments, and do them ; ' Jer. xxiv. 7, 'And I will
give them a heart to know me that I am the Lord, and they shall be
my people, and I will be their God ; and they shall return unto me
with their whole heart ; ' ' And I will put my laws into their mind, and
write them upon their heart,' Heb. viii. 10. These are not only pro
mises to grace, but of grace. These encourage us in the constant use
of means, especially considering how willing God is to give out grace
when the hearts of his creatures are set upon it ; and you lie as fair for
them as any others.
[4.] Observe the secret illapses of his grace : Acts x. 44, ' While
Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which
heard the word.' It is not impossible for a spiritual man to feel the very
first illapse of the Spirit into the soul. It may sometimes bring that
sense with itself, though it is not so always ; for the giving life and the
giving sense are distinct things ; they go not always together ; yet
observe the stirring of the waters. When he draweth, you should run,
Cant. i. 4 ; when he knocketh, we should open, Rev. iii. 20. Sometimes
you may feel that he knocketh loud ; observe the impulse. When the
wind bloweth, then let loose the sails, John iii. 8 ; when the waters are
stirred, put in for cure, John v. 4. Our great duty is to obey the
Spirit's sanctifying motions, and before they cool or cease, set about
the business.
SERMON III.
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible seed. —
1 PETER i. 23.
USE 2. Is trial ; are we born again, or have we been truly acquainted
with this work of God upon our hearts? To this end let us see — (1.)
What regeneration is ; (2.) How it may be discovered that such a
work hath passed upon us.
First, What it is. I shall proceed here both negatively and affirm
atively.
1. Negatively ; and here —
[1.] It is not our visible inauguration into the company of Christ's
people by baptism ; for many that are baptized may never enter into
the kingdom of God. Baptism indeed is the outward sign and seal of
it, and therefore called the 'laver of regeneration,' Titus iii. 5. But
we must distinguish between the outward sign and the spiritual effect.
There is signum and res terrena, the sign and earthly matter ; and
there is signatum and res ccelestis, the heavenly work signified. The
sign is water ; the thing signified is the Spirit renewing and fashioning
us according to the image of God. Now a man may be born again of
water, and yet not born again of the Spirit. Both are necessary : John
iii. 5, ' Except a man be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter
316 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SEE. III.
into the kingdom of God.' Simon Magus was baptized, Acts viii. 13,
but Simon Magus was not regenerated or born again, being as yet in
the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity. It is not submission
to outward ordinances, but the efficacy of the Holy Spirit that worketh
this work in us. As in Christ's baptism the Holy Ghost descended
upon him. What was then done visibly must be done spiritually in
every baptism, or else it is of little comfort to us ; for without this God
will not own us for sons, as he then owned Christ : ' Thou art my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' Well, then, it concerneth us
to see that we have the effect of baptism, or otherwise we may be miser
able for all that, yea, the more miserable : 1 Cor. x. 2-5, ' And were
all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and did all eat the
same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink ; for
they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was
Christ. But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they
were overthrown in the wilderness.' And these things happened to
them, o>9 TVTTOI, as types and pledges of that everlasting destruction
which abideth for them that rest in their outward admission into the
church of God, and never take care to be of the church of the first-born,
or to fulfil their baptismal engagement ; that glory in external privi
leges without internal grace. Therefore, if this be all you have to say
for yourselves, that you were baptized, or visibly washed in the laver
of regeneration, your very plea maketh for your condemnation ; for you
do but glory in your breach of vows, and do not look after a gracious
change. You forget that ever you were baptized or washed from your
sins : 2 Peter i. 9, 'He hath forgotten that he was purged from his old
sins.' You neglect and undervalue the prime benefit of it. Therefore
it is a vain plea to say, We are Christians ; we are baptized in the name
of Christ, and dedicated to his service. This is but a vain plea —
(1.) Because there is more need that you should be born again, that
you may receive the effect and fruit of your baptism, that it may not
be an idle ceremony. Because they had ' put on Christ,' the apostle
biddeth them ' put on Christ,' Col. iii. 10, 12 ; and again, because
' risen with Christ,' therefore ' set your affections upon things above ; '
and because ' dead,' therefore ' mortify,' Col. iii. 3, 5. We are more
engaged to look after regeneration by our profession and covenant sealed
in baptism. If you have put on Christ sacramentally, then put him on
really. That putting off and putting on, Eph. iv. 22, 24, relateth to
baptism. So Rom. vi. 11, 12, ' Likewise reckon ye yourselves to be
dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies, that you should obey
it in the lusts thereof.' However God may deal with infidels, be sure
it will not fare well with you. If you mock God with an empty for
mality, and put him off with baptismal regeneration without a real
regeneration, if you put on Christ in profession, and do not really put
him on, and know his grace in truth, you can never speed well at last.
There is a common necessity upon all mankind of seeking after the re
conciling and renewing grace of the Eedeemer, but especially those that
live in the church, because of their covenant vow and profession : Rom.
vi. 3-5, ' Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into
Jesus Christ were baptized into his death ? Therefore we are buried
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 317
with him by baptism into death, that, like as Christ was raised from
the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life : for if we have been planted together in the likeness
of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.'
(2.) In baptism you were entered by others: Deut. xxix. 11, 'Your
little ones.' In grown years you must enter yourselves disciples to
Christ. There is required a personal act of all that come to age, that
they may stand to the covenant, and own what their parents promised
for them, and subscribe with their own hand to the God of Jacob : Isa.
xliv. 5, ' One shall say, I am the Lord's ; and another shall call him
self by the name of Jacob ; and another shall subscribe with his hand
unto the Lord, and surname himself by the name of Israel.' As they
grow up they must engage themselves to the Lord. As the parents of
the blind man said, ' He is of age, let him speak for himself,' John
ix. 21 ; so when persons are of age, then the renouncing of Christ's
enemies, profession of faith in Christ, and the resignation of ourselves
to God, should be made with our own mouths when we are able.
Therefore Christianity is called a ' confession/ Heb. iii. 1 ; and every
Christian is a confessor : Kom. x. 10, ' For with the heart man believeth
unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.'
You may openly own Christ. There must be a ' professed subjection to
the gospel of Christ,' 2 Cor. ix. 13.
(3.) This personal consent must not only be outwardly professed, but
the heart must be renewed, and the bent of it set towards God ; for we
have not only to do with men, but with God ; and God will not be
mocked : 1 Peter iii. 21, ' The like figure whereunto even baptism doth
now save us, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer
of a good conscience towards God, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ ; '
Rom. vi. 13, ' But yield yourselves unto God as those that are alive
from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto
God.'
[2.] It is not a moral reformation or a change of life, but regenera
tion or a change of nature. Many change their manners and course of
living, and yet are far enough from the new birth, which signifieth the
infusion of a principle of spiritual life into the soul. To change our
actions whilst our hearts are unchanged will never bring us to heaven ;
for God requireth not only good fruit, but a good tree, and maketh
actions to be the fruit of a new life : Ezek. xi. 19, 20, 'And I will
give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you, and I will
take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them an heart of flesh ;
that they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do
them.' A man may change his course, as he that was lewd before may
become sober, and yet his nature may be the same, a carnal wretch
for all that ; as a sow that is washed is a sow still. Christians ! let
not this seem a paradox to you. The scripture doth everywhere
distinguish between the old man and his deeds and the new man and
his actions, the nature and the fruits ; and therefore do not deceive
yourselves. Holiness of life floweth from a renewed heart, and the
Lord's method is first to infuse the principles of the new life, or
gracious habits or powers into the soul ; next to actuate those powers,
making them actually to do those things that are spiritually good:
318 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [Si£R. III.
Gal. v. 25, ' If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.'
Spiritual motion and action presupposeth a principle of spiritual life,
as a thing previous unto and different from it. Therefore you do but
delude yourselves to think to alter your course and way, or do anything
pleasing to God, without a principle of life. Therefore it is not enough
to look after a change; is it a spiritual change, a 'passing from death
to life, so that you are born again ?
[3.] It is not a slight tincture and superficial gospel change.
Some have good moods, pretend to religion for a while, which may
produce some notable reformation ; as those that ' have escaped the
pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ.' These may cleanse their outside, and yet be worse
than they were before the change ; never renouncing their secret lusts,
though forbearing some acts of sin. These have real inclinations to be
happy, some slight tincture of holiness, but not a new creature. The
carnal nature will return to its old bias again.
[4.] It is not an internal, transient motion. Some are affected at
times, as an assumed body by an angel is moved and carried up and
down for a time. It is not a transient motion by which the soul is a
little moved, as fire is excited by the bellows ; but an infusion of true
life, as a principle of operation. Not an actual motion, but an habi
tual mutation : ' He that is born of God, the seed of God remaineth
in him,' 1 John iii. 9, which cannot be understood of transient actions,
but true and permanent qualities : John iv. 14, ' But the water that I
shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into
everlasting life.' The Spirit doth not only work on them, but dwell
in them by virtue of those permanent and fixed habits which he hath
wrought in the soul. This is not a stream or a pond, but a well,
always springing and bubbling up in holy actions ; and by this a
renewed man differeth from another, that he hath abiding in him
the seed of God, or a gracious principle which liveth and groweth
more and more. There may be a transient operation in carnal men :
Num. xxiii. 5, ' The Lord put a word into Balaam's mouth ; ' Num.
xxiv. 15, ' And Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose
eyes are opened hath said ; ' and Saul : 1 Sam. x. 10, ' The Spirit of
God came upon him, and he prophesied among them ; ' as the air
enlightened by the sun retaineth that light no longer than the sun
shineth into it, because it hath no fountain of light in itself. There
are some acts the Holy Ghost worketh as a passenger, not as an
inhabitant ; but a regenerate man hath the ' anointing abiding in
himself,' 1 John ii. 27. Well, then, it is not to have some fleeting
motions, as Herod had his joy, and Jehu his zeal, and Felix his
trembling, and Balaam and Saul their prophetic fits and starts ; but
the Spirit of God doth dwell with us. It is true he doth not act always
at the same rate ; and therefore a Christian is sometimes enlarged and
'sometimes straitened, according to the measure of actual influence ;
but still there he is, there is still an indwelling principle of life. The
life of God doth not appear with a like activity, but it abideth with us.
2. Let us see what it is, or wherein it consists. It is the infusion
of a new life. You may conceive it thus —
[1.] We are united to Christ by the Spirit of sanctification. There is
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 319
no fountain of life but God alone, and no means to convey it to us but
Jesus Christ : John v. 26, ' For as the Father hath life in himself, so
hath he given to the Son to have life in himself ; ' John xiv. 6, ' Jesus
saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, a.nd the life ; no man cometh
unto the Father but by me ; ' Col. iii. 3, ' Your life is hid with Christ
in God.' From God, as the fountain of all grace, it cometh out through
Christ by the Spirit. There is an inseparable union by the Spirit,
often called ' the beginning of the creation of God,' Kev. iii. 14.
[2.] The Spirit that thus worketh in us dwelleth in us, or giveth us
that habitual power which enableth us to do all things spiritually. An
habitual power I call it, because there is no fitter name to express it by ;
for it abideth constantly in them that receive it, as habits do in those
that have them. Notwithstanding it differeth, because habits are
partly and wholly acquired by use and often practice ; whereas this is
not gotten, but infused. Or you may call it a spiritual principle. But
for the name there is no such great matter as for the power. This
tiew principle is not a new faculty added to those which are in men by
nature. A man that is regenerate hath no more faculties in his soul
than he had before as unregenerate ; only those faculties which he had
before are improved, and receive a further strength to act spiritually,
as before they did naturally. As our bodies in the resurrection from
the dead shall have no more nor other parts than they have at pre
sent, only those which are now natural shall then be made spiritual :
1 Cor. xv. 46, ' Howbeit, that was not first which is spiritual, but that
which is natural, and afterward that which is spiritual.' Or as those
natural and sensitive faculties which we have in common with the
beasts ; what they (having no higher principle than sense) use sensually,
we, having the same faculties under the command of a rational soul,
use rationally ; so that understanding, will, and affections, which were
formerly under the command of reason, and so could produce nothing
but rational operations, now being under the guidance of the Spirit of
Christ, work spiritually. Therefore a regenerate man is said to ' walk
after the Spirit,' Korn viii. 1, in opposition to fleshly interests ; to be led
by the Spirit, Gal. v. 18 ; to ' walk in the Spirit,' ver. 25.
3. This habitual power or spiritual principle, as it worketh forth
towards several objects, and in several kinds and ways of operation,
hath divers names ; as faith, hope, love, meekness ; all which are called
so many graces or fruits of the Spirit, but indeed are but the various
discoveries of the same principle of spiritual life, according to the several
uses for which it serveth. Or if you will distinguish them for clearness,
there is, first, a spiritual principle ; secondly, spiritual habits ; thirdly,
actual operations and motions according to those habits ; the spiritual
principle of saving grace flowing in a regenerate man from Christ, his
head, by the Spirit of God.
This habitual grace with relation to various objects is called charity,
faith, hope, temperance, &c. ; all which are but the diversification of the
actings of that spiritual principle. These are much increased and
strengthened by the use and much exercise of them.
But you will say, How cometh it then to pass that Christians excel
more in one grace than another ?
Ans. Because the spiritual principle is more exercised and drawn out
320 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SfiR. III.
that way, as most suitable to their temper ; Abraham for faith, Timothy
for temperance, Moses for meekness, and Job for patience.
Out of all we may gather, that regeneration is not the improving what
was in us before, nor the strengthening of what was weak, but the
bestowing of something that we had not before ; a vital principle or
habitual power.
Secondly, How we may discover that such a work hath been wrought
in us. There are ways of knowing it — (1.) By the manner of working-
it ; (2.) By the effects of it.
1. Sometimes it may be evident by the manner of working, because
this work hath certain preparations which lead thereunto, and are very
sensible, as terrors and agonies in the heart, by a sense of our miserable
condition. Now if we consider when we felt these terrors and awaken
ings, and how we came out of them, a man may go near to trace the
way of God with him, and to observe his passage from death to life.
Now because regeneration, though for the most part (yet is not always)
evident to sense in the way and progress of the work, yet it may be
evident in the discovery and fruits of it ; and it may fall out with some
as it did with the blind man in the 9th of John, who, when they asked
him what Christ did to him, how he opened his eyes, answered, I can
not tell ; but this one thing I know, that whereas I was born blind, I now
see ; so how or when Christ was formed in me, when the immortal
seed was sown in my heart, I cannot tell, but I am glad to- find him
here. Therefore I shall in the second place see what are the effects of
this work.
2. There are such effects left upon us as are —
[1.] Answerable to baptism, which is the sign and seal of it : Titus
iii. 5, ' He hath saved us by the washing of regeneration and the renew
ing of the Holy Ghost.' Then they did dvadefj,a,Ti£eiv eauroO? rw &ey
as Justin speaks, solemnly dedicate themselves to God. That is our
first solemn implantation into Christ's mystical body. The spiritual
life beginneth in an entering into covenant with God, or a dedication of
ourselves to him ; for the first impression left upon the soul is a ten
dency towards God ; and therefore, as soon as grace entereth, we devote
ourselves to his use and service : 2 Cor. viii. 5, ' But first gave them
selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God ; ' Horn. vi. 13, ' Yield
yourselves unto God as those that are alive from the dead, and your
members as instruments of righteousness unto God.' And that is the
meaning of being baptized into the name of Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost, Mat. xxviii. 19. We take Father, Son, and Holy Ghost to be
our God, and heartily and really profess ourselves to be his people. God
the Father to be our sovereign lord and everlasting portion, God the
Son to be our redeemer and saviour, and God the Holy Ghost to be our
sanctifier, guide, and comforter. We take God to be our sovereign
lord, to obey his will, to please him in all things, and also to be our
everlasting and all-sufScient portion ; reckoning our happiness by his
love and favour, and preferring it above all the delights of sense, and
the pleasures, honours, and profits of the world. If this be the frame
of our hearts, we are regenerated : Ps. Ixxiii. 25, ' Whom have I in
heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides
thee ; ' Ps. Ixiii. 3, ' Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 321
lips shall praise thee.' To his judgment we must finally stand or fall;
if we take Christ for our redeemer and saviour, who only can reconcile
us to God, and repair the ruins of the fall, and maintain God's interest
in our souls : 1 Peter iii. 18, ' For Christ also hath suffered for sin, the
just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God ; being put to death
in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit ; ' John xiv. 6, ' I am the way,
the truth, and the life : no man cometh to the Father but by me.' There
fore, continuing in well-doing, we may venture our souls in his hands,
and by him come to God, depending upon his merit, righteousness,
and intercession, and taking his promises for the ground of our faith
and hope. And we must give up ourselves to the Spirit, to sanctify
and guide us in the ways of life, and to perfect the image of God in us,
and prepare us for glory. The Spirit is as necessary to keep all right
between us and Christ, as Christ between us and God. This being the
great necessary vital act, I would pitch the evidence here : If you have
God for your God, then you are regenerated ; if Christ for your redeemer:
1 John v. 12, ' He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the
Son hath not life ; ' if the Spirit for your guide and sanctifier. Take
either of the notions, for one implieth all, though it be good to be dis
tinct in them.
[2.] To enter into covenant with God doth imply a renouncing of
other lords and masters which are opposite to Christ and the Spirit.
These are the devil, the world, and the flesh ; for these are enemies of
that salvation to which God of his infinite love would bring us, through
the merits of Christ, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit. One trinity
is chosen and another renounced. The devil is an enemy ; for therefore
we are rescued out of the power of darkness, whereby is meant the devil :
Col. i. 13, 'Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and
translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.' The world is an
enemy : Gal. vi. 14, ' God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and
I unto the world.' The flesh is an enemy : Rom. viii. 12, 13, ' We are
debtors, not to the flesh to live after the flesh ; for if ye live after the
flesh, ye shall die.' The devil by his suggestions would tempt you to
atheism and disbelief of the promises, that all the glory of the other
world is but a fancy, and it is best to seek your happiness here by court
ing the world, and gratifying and contenting the flesh, and doing every
thing it craveth at your hands. Now this is grievous and burdensome
to the renewed soul ; therefore it watcheth, striveth, and resisteth Satan :
1 Peter v. 8, 9, ' Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil,
as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour ; whom
resist, steadfast in the faith ; ' James iv. 7, ' Resist the devil, and he will.
fly from you.' The world allureth and enticeth us from our duty, and
by a secret witchery enchanteth our hearts, and so the love of God is
lessened, and the care of salvation jostled out : 1 John ii. 15, ' Love not
the world, neither the things that are in the world : if any man love
the world, the love of the Father is not in him ; ' James iv. 4, ' Ye
adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world
is enmity with God ? whosoever, therefore, will be a friend of the world
is the enemy of God.' A man is not sincere till he taketh his affections
from these things, and placeth them upon God and heavenly things,
VOL. xxi. x
322 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SfiR. Ill,
from the pleasures, profits, and honours of the world, that he may mind,
choose, and seek after better things. The flesh must be renounced,
lest we hearten our enemy : 1 Peter ii. 11, ' Dearly beloved, I beseech
you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war
against the soul.' Whosoever is under the dominion of his lusts and
fleshly desires, and doth gratify rather than mortify them, will soon
mind the things of the flesh above the Spirit, and will soon prefer the
satisfaction of his lusts above the will of God, and so cannot be sincere
and upright with him. In our natural estate we were under the power
of all those, as it is set forth in one place : Eph. ii. 2, 3, ' Wherein in
times past ye walked, according to the course of this world, according
to the prince of the power of the air, that worketh in the children of
disobedience , among whom we had our conversation in times past in
the lust of our flesh and of the mind, and were by nature the children
of wrath, even as others.' The custom and corrupt course of the world,
that was their rule ; the prince of the power of the air, that was their
guide ; and the flesh, or the bent of corrupt nature, that was their
principle. While we are in our corrupt estate, the devil doth powerfully
rule us, and the example and common practice of the world encourage
us, and corrupt nature within doth incline us to sin against the Lord.
Well, then, these enemies must be renounced, that we may have another
rule, another lord, and another principle. Another rule, which is the
law of God ; another lord, Jesus Christ; another principle, his Spirit
dwelling in us.
2. Such as is answerable to the notion of regeneration ; for surely
the Holy Ghost would speak intelligibly, and so as to beget a right
apprehension of this thing in our minds, when he useth this term.
Now of every perfect birth, and so of regeneration, there are two
effects — life and likeness, of which by and by. Now suitably to these
principles thus laid down, I shall frame a few questions to be seriously
put to conscience.
[1.] Do you not think that you were sometimes unsanctified, and in
a state of wrath and condemnation ? If not, then you are not of the
offspring of Adam, nor of human race ; for all mankind have corrupted
their way, and involved themselves in sin and misery : Ps. Ii. 5, ' Behold,
I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me ; ' Rom.
iii. 23, ' We all have sinned, and are come short of the glory of God ; '
Eph. ii. 3, ' 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, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.'
If not, then you need no saviour, no redeemer, are wholly unconcerned
in redemption by Christ, which is a recovery out of our lost estate ; for
' the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost,' Luke
xix. 10. Have we had a sense of our lost estate, wherein we were by
nature? Usually it is with fear, shame, and grief: Acts ii. 37,
'They were pricked in their hearts.' Fear; for nature hath a quicker
sense of danger than anything else. Then shame, because of our folly
and filthiness ; and grief and sorrow, because of the unkindness of sin.
A drunken man that layeth himself asleep on a rotten plank on a bridge
over a deep and rapid water, arid there walloweth in his vomit, is in
great danger, but is not sensible of his danger till he be awakened ;
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 323
then he is first afraid, and then ashamed of his beastliness ; when he
cometh to himself, and the wine is gotten out of his head, then he is
sorrowful that he should so much forget himself. So while we are in
an estate of nature, we are without remorse, and go on with delight in
sin, and think no harm or shame of it. But when a man is awakened
from sleep, Eph. v. 14, ' Awake thou that sleepest,' then he is ashamed
of the foHy of his former course : Ps. Ixxiii. 22, ' So foolish was I, and
ignorant, I was as a beast before thee.' Or if he be given up more to
an inordinacy of the filthmess of it, then he is troubled what to do ; he
groweth unsatisfied with his estate : I must run a new course ; and
crieth out, What shall I do ? Now were you ever acquainted with
such a work so as to groan under the burden of your sins? Mat. xi.
28, ' Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will
give you rest ; ' and with brokenness of heart seek God's favour. That
is one part of the change, to take away the heart of stone. Before sin
is made a light matter ; but when the soul beginneth to feel it to be of
such a weight as will sink us to hell, then it groweth weary of it, and
desireth to come out of this condition. There is many a man that hath
weak and waterish notions about the evil of sin, and will coldly confess
that he is a sinner, but when he comes to feel it indeed, and ifc sets close
to his heart, and he saith, If I die in this condition I shall be damned
eternally : foolish creature ! that I have lived thus long in this
danger, and never thought of it ! oh, what shall become of me ?
wretched man that I am! how shall I escape? Now hath thy
heart been broken, that it may be ploughed and sown? Jer. iv. 3,
' Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.' Hast
thou been broken in heart with the apprehension of sin ? Ps. li. 17,
' The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit ; a broken and contrite heart,
God, thou wilt not despise.' Have there ever been such workings
of spirit (as somewhat to this purpose there will be in all that are
converted), since this was the first occasion of your more intimate
acquaintance with God ? There is a step towards the knowledge of
your estate : What manner of entrance hath it had ? though I do
not pitch it wholly upon that.
[2.] Is there any change wrought in us ? A man that is renewed
is not the same man that he was before, they differ as light and dark
ness : Eph. v. 8, ' Ye were sometimes darkness, but now ye are light in
the Lord.' As much as an old man and a new, Eph. iv. 22—24, as if
he were not the same man ; a dead man and a living ; Eph. ii. 1, ' And
you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins.' As it
is true of Christ, ' He was dead and is alive,' Kev,. i. 8, so it holdeth
^ood of every man in Christ ; he was dead and is alive : Luke xv. 24,
' This my son was dead and is alive.' There is not only a difference
between them and others, but between them and themselves. They
live by another rule, and have another aim and tendency ; not according
to the fashions of the world, but according to the will of God. They
do not say with the pharisee, Ego non su7>i sicut cceteri homines, but
Ego non sum ego: I am not as other men, but I am not as myself; I
:im not what I was ; as if another soul dwelt in the same body. It is
not enough to be differenced from others by a change of life, but from
ourselves by a change of heart. When Onesimus was converted,
324 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SfiR. II.
Philem. 11, 'Before unprofitable, but now profitable to thee and me.'
He was quite another man ; before loose, vain, carnal, doting upon the
vanities of the world ; now strict, serious, spiritual, taken up with the
things of God ; before pleasing the flesh, now pleasing the Lord ; before
the mind was blind, now the eyes are opened by the Spirit of wisdom
and revelation ; he hath another sight of divine things than ever he had
before. Before the conscience was stupified or terrified, now it is tender,
and has some sense of the love of God. Before the will was obstinate
in evil, changeable and fickle in that which is good, now it hath some
freedom towards God, is more settled in a holy course. Before the
affections were unmortified, unbridled in carnal things, dead and cold
to things spiritual and heavenly ; now the strength of them runneth
out in another channel : now they have other desires, delights, fears
and joys ; before idle, now hard at work for God. Before you merely
minded your own things, now unfeignedly study and mind how to glorify
God, and serve him with the best advantage.
[3.] Is it such a change as doth amount to conversion or regenera
tion ? Every change will not serve the turn, but such as doth induce
a new life and likeness unto God.
First, The infusion of a new life or vital principle is the great thing
in regeneration. Is it so indeed that you begin to live in Christ?
Life is known by sense, appetite, and motion.
(1.) Sense. They that have another life have another sense of good
and evil than ever they had before. Another sense of evil. The soul
as soon as born is sensible of the injuries of that life he hath ; so the
new creature is sensible of the hurt of the life of grace. They feel their
corruptions, groan under the burden of them: Kom. vii. 24, '0
wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of
this death ? ' More troubled with the relics of sin and the opposition
of the flesh. They had but notions about these things before, now they
have a feeling of them ; but superficial apprehensions before, but now
sin is as great a trouble to them as pain and sickness to the life
natural.
(2.) Appetite. They have another gust and savour. The new crea
ture longeth after the means appointed to feed it : 1 Peter ii. 2, ' As
new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow
thereby.' Such as the food is, such is the life. A carnal man liveth
a carnal life, when his secret thoughts and inward affections are set
upon carnal delights : Luke xii. 19, ' And I will say unto my soul,
Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, eat, drink, and be
merry/ He cheereth up himself with these things. They have other
supports, other comforts, as Christ, and grace, and eternity, and the
promises of the good word : 1 Peter ii. 3, ' If so be ye have tasted that
the Lord is gracious.' They find these things sweet ; so the new crea
ture hath its tastes and distastes; a promise set home upon the soul,
it is sweeter than honey to the taste, Ps. cxix. 103.
Now you that come to Christ's table for the food of the new creature,
have you no appetite, no gust ? New creatures are welcome. This
banquet was provided for them, and they will come with most gust
and desire. There is a suitableness of Christ without and Christ
within us. Christ within helpeth us to live upon this food. Fleshly
VER, 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 325
minds find no pleasure in the things of God; somewhat else doth
please them better.
(3.) By motion or action. If there be life, it will be stirring. A
man cannot have fire in his bosom, and not feel it. ' I will give you
a new heart, and you shall walk in my ways.' Now the vital principle
is discovered — (1.) By the uniformity of our actions ; (2.) By the
tendency of them.
(1st.) The uniformity. Natural actions are uniform. Fire doth
always ascend and a stone descend. That is casual which is but now
and then. A wicked man sinneth constantly, frequently, easily. It
is preternatural if he doeth good ; it is only by fits and good moods ;
it is casual, not natural ; whereas a godly man maketh religion his
business. It is true, there is a fleshly nature always at work, opposing
and thwarting the Spirit or new principle ; therefore the uniformity of
our motion is known by this, what advantage the Spirit hath over the
flesh, or the flesh over the Spirit ? Gal. v. 16, ' Walk in the Spirit,
and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.' Now, briefly, do you
maintain the motions and directions of the renewed part, or the new
man of grace in the heart, so as to keep under the motions of the flesh
or the corrupt part ? Though inbred corruption be not totally sup
pressed, yet the motions of it shall not be fulfilled.
(2d) The tendency, the inclination and bent of the soul is turned.
He that giveth himself to God must live to God. Our dedication is
known by our use, our scope by our work, our making covenant by
our keeping covenant with God. Our life must show the reality of
our first consent. We are his : ' He hath bought us with a price,'
1 Cor. vi. 19, 20 ; and therefore we must live to him : Horn. vi. 4, ' So
we also should live in newness of life ; ' 1 Peter iv. 1, 2, ' For he that
hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin, that he no longer
should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to
the will of God.' You must make it your main business to be what
God would have you to be, and to do what God would have you to do.
The spiritual principle is carried to God ; a living to God. The new
nature came from God, and worketh towards God or for God. God is
the centre of the soul, and the ancient strength of the soul was made
for God and towards God. So when it is renewed and restored, it is
for God : Bom. vii. 4, ' Ye are dead to the law by the body of Christ ;
that ye should be married to another, even to him that is raised from
the dead ; that we should bring forth fruit unto God.'
Secondly, The next effect is likeness: Gal. iv. 19, 'My little chil
dren, of whom I travail in birth till Christ be formed in you.' His
image portrayed, drawn upon the soul ; so that a Christian representeth
Christ and expresseth his life in all that he doeth; discovereth his
Spirit working in him. The image of Christ is darkened in many as
to purity and holiness : 1 Peter i. 15, 16, ' As he that hath called you
is holy, so be holy in all manner of conversation ; for it is written, Be
ye holy as I am holy.' We should be like Christ in meekness and
self-denial: Mat. xi. 29, 'Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in
heart, and ye shall find rest to your souls.'
326 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [$ER. IV.
SERMON IV.
ED the ivord of God, which liveth and dbidethfor ever. — 1 PETER i. 23.
DOCT. The instrumental cause of regeneration is the word of God :
James i. 18, ' Of his own will begat he us, by the word of truth.'
There is the principal efficient, ' He ; ' the moving cause, ' Of his own
will ; ' the instrumental cause or means, ' By the word of truth ; ' and
the final cause is for his own glory and service. So 1 Cor. iv. 15,
' For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel ; ' where
we have the author, ' Christ ; ' the subordinate instrument, ' I,' Paul ;
the means, ' The gospel.'
1. Let me explain the point.
2. Confirm it by reasons how and why.
First, How the word concurreth to regeneration.
1. There is a twofold operation upon the soul — physical and moral.
The physical operation is the infusion of life ; the moral operation is
in a way of reason and persuasion : both these ways are necessary, not
of any need in God, but mere love to us. God worketh strongly like
himself, and sweetly, that he may attemper his work to our nature,
and suit the key to the wards of the lock. Both these ways are often
spoken of in scripture : John vi. 44, 45, ' No man can come to me,
except the Father, which hath sent me, draw him. And they shall all
be taught of God : every man, therefore, that hath heard and learned
of the Father, cometh unto me.' They are both taught and drawn ;
so taught as also drawn and inclined ; and so drawn as that also
taught ; as it becometh God to deal with men. And therefore some
times God is said to ' create in us a new heart,' Ps. li. 10, and to
'create us to good works,' Eph. ii. 10, to note his almighty power.
Sometimes to persuade and allure : Hosea ii. 15, ' I will allure her
into the wilderness, and speak comfortably to her ; ' Gen. ix. 27, ' The
Lord shall persuade Japhet to dwell in the tents of Shem.' By fair
and kind words draw men to a liking of his ways. The soul of man
is determined to God by an object without and a quality within. The
object is propounded with all its qualifications, that the understanding
may be informed and convinced, and the will and affections persuaded
in a potent and high way of reasoning. But this is not enough to
determine man's heart without an internal quality or grace infused,
which is his physical work upon the soul. There is not only a pro
pounding of reasons and arguments, but a powerful inclination of the
heart, and so by a strong hand we are plucked out of the snare of
death. Well, now, as to the physical or powerful operation, the word
is not the instrumental cause, but God worketh immediately ; for the
word written and preached, voice, letters, syllables, are not subjects
capable of receiving spiritual life to convey it to us. I say, there is
not any such virtue in the sound of syllables and sentences of the
word, but the Spirit doth this work immediately. But as to the moral
operation, in a way of argument and persuasion, so the word is the
instrument. There are other occasional helps, but this is the instituted
means. Word and sacraments are instrumenta quandam tenus moralia,
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 327
in a sort moral instruments ; the word to beget grace, and the sacra
ments to confirm it. We are born again of the word, but our growth
and increase we have from the sacraments.
2. Though the infusion of life be God's immediate work, yet because
it is done in concomitancy and association with the word, therefore the
effect is ascribed to the word as well as to the Spirit. So the law of God
is said ' to convert the soul,' Ps. xix. 7 ; and the gospel is said to
be the 'power of God to salvation,' Rom. i. 16, that is, God doth not
ordinarily work any other way ; and hath tied us to depend upon him
in the use of this means for such an effect. As the stars shed abroad
their influences by air and clouds to make the earth fruitful, and insin
uate their effects by other natural causes ; so doth God convey his power
in a concomitancy with the word, though not by the word ; that is,
there is not any natural force put into it to produce such an effect.
3. In the moral way the word hath a double operation. First, it
prepareth to receive the gracious principle ; secondly, it exciteth the
gracious principle newly infused to actual believing and turning to
God. The one is ordinarily done by the law, the other by the gospel,
Moses may bring to the borders, but Joshua leadeth into the land of
Canaan. It is true, God may make use of any part of Christian doctrine
to strike the first blow, but the work issueth itself into this method, that
first a man is sensible of his misery, and then cometh to God by Christ
for a remedy. A sense of wrath is the effect of the law : Rom. iv. 15,
' Because the law worketh wrath.' And hope of grace is the fruit of
the gospel. Therefore I say, he maketh use of the law to prepare us to
begin the pangs of the new birth ; and of the gospel to excite and allure
the soul into his bosom. Because this is of great consequence, I shall
a little enlarge upon it.
[1.] The word doth prepare the heart to receive the gracious prin
ciple, as it informeth us of our duty, and so taketh from us the pretence
of ignorance ; and showeth our guilt in the neglect of duty, and so
taketh from us the conceit of our own righteousness ; as it convinceth
us of our impotency to satisfy the law, and free ourselves from this
estate whenever we get out of it, and so taketh away the presumption
of our own sufficiency ; so that the sinner is laid at the feet of God as
a lost and undone creature. As ground is ploughed up to receive the
seed, so by this preparative work is the heart of man ploughed up,
Jer. iv. 3, broken, and humbled, and perplexed, and rendered capable
to receive the immortal seed. When the sinner is cast down with the
sight of sin, and a sense of God's wrath due to him, he is broken and
fitted to receive the new birth.
[2.] It exciteth the gracious principle, newly infused, to actual believ
ing and turning to God. This is done by the gospel revealing the way
of reconciliation, peace, and life, as tendered by God himself to self-
condemning and penitent sinners through the mediation of Jesus Christ.
For the understanding of this, know that when we are acted by God,
we act under him : Cant. i. 4, ' Draw me, we will run after thee ; '
Phil. iii. 12, ' We apprehend that for which we are apprehended by
Christ.' When his grace layeth hold upon us in effectual calling, we
having the principles of a new life infused into us, do bestir ourselves
in a way of holiness ; for as there is a passive reception of Christ by
328 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SfiR. IV.
the Spirit, so an active by faith. The acts on our part are made three,
with respect to the trinity of persons in the Godhead — a turning from
the creature to God, from self to Christ, and from sin to holiness, or a
free and cheerful subjection to God, that we may be happy in the enjoy
ment of him. Now to all this the word serveth to quicken and excite
this voluntary act on our part ; for the gospel showing the possibility
of grace by Christ, yea, his readiness to give life and righteousness to
every one that cometh to God by him, yea, by powerful arguments
and sweet invitations calling upon us to look after Christ for these
things, the renewed heart is excited earnestly to seek after Christ, and
doth vehemently desire to be united to him, and doth cheerfully receive
him, and embrace him as offered in the gospel, and wholly give him
self to seek and serve him by the Spirit in the way of new obedience ;
so that in all this part of the work of conversion wherein we are active,
the word is of great use.
4. This word that has such an use is not only the word written, but
the word preached, as the context here will inform us : ' He hath be
gotten us, not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible, which is the word
of God;' ver. 25, 'And this is the word which by the gospel is preached
to you.' It is not enough to look upon the written word as the seed
and principle of our spiritual being, and accordingly to esteem it, but also
we ought to have the same good esteem of the particular messages from
and according to that word by the Lord's servants, or those portions of
truth which the Lord carveth out to them by the messengers that he
sendeth to them ; for the word preached hath a singular efficacy, and
ministerial subserviency, over and besides the word written, to explain,
apply, and excite the hearts of men to their duty. And therefore we
are called avvepyoi,, ' Labourers together with God/ 1 Cor. iii. 9 ; and
2 Cor. vi. 1, ' We then, as workers together with him, do beseech you
also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain.' We are workers
together with God, not by an immediate producing of spiritual effects,
but by the external application and inculcation of the counsels and
doctrines of the word, which being solidly explained, forcibly pressed,
and closely applied, have a notable subserviency to God's work of grace
upon the hearts of his people ; and therefore our ministry is called the
ministration of the Spirit unto life, 2 Cor. iii. 6, 8.
Butyou will say, This is true indeed of the apostles, who were infallibly
assisted, and had the power of miracles to evidence their mission and
call. I answer — The ordinary ministerial teaching is Christ's institution
as well as that of the apostles : Eph. iv. 11, ' He gave some apostles,
and some prophets, and some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.'
This is done plenojure: Mat. xxviii. 19, 20, 'All power is given unto
me in heaven and in earth ; ' by virtue of that authority given him by
God. They are in the same commission grounded on his plenary
authority, and have a promise of the same presence and Spirit as to the
substance of the work, and they do the same things. Though they be
not immediately called, and miraculously gifted, and infallibly assisted
and sent out to all the world, yet as to the substance of the work it is
the same. Apollos as well as Paul and Cephas are but ministers of God
by whom ye believe, 2 Cor. iii. 5.
5. Though the blessing of this preaching cometh wholly from God,
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 320
yet he usually joineth the strongest influences with the most lively
means : Acts xiv. 1, ' They so spake that a great multitude of Jews and
Greeks believed.' ' They so spake.'
Quest. Doth the faith of the hearers lie in the power of the speaker ?
I answer — No ; but usually God accommodateth his operation to the
means which he uses. That doctrine that is most pure, most clear,
most pressing and persuasive, is most like to succeed ; for God worketh
congruously. He that hath a gift of rightly dividing the word of truth,
and applying it prudently with force and strength, is more apt to edify
than another of slower gifts or a weaker understanding in spiritual
things ; as darts that are cast forth by art out of engines, and fitted
with feathers, are more apt to fly faster and pierce deeper than those
that are thrown casually, or than those that fall by their own weight ;
and so, though the word of God be the word of God, from whose mouth
soever it cometh, or however discovered, yet when it is well and properly
enforced with distinctness of language, vehemency, and vigour of spirit,
and prudent application, it is more conducible to the end ; and there
fore doth God bestow such gifts that he may more plentifully dispense
his grace. ' They so spake,' with such clearness, evidence, and per
suasiveness.
6. This influence of grace is given out at the time of hearing, or
afterwards : Acts x. 44, ' While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy
Ghost fell on all them that heard the word ; ' in the very speaking :
Luke xxiv. 32, ' Did not our hearts burn within us when he talked with
us by the way, and opened to us the scriptures ? ' Sometimes at the
rebound, when we go aside and meditate. As the spouse thought of
Christ's words when he was gone : Cant. v. 6, ' My soul failed when he
spake ; ' which she slighted while they were speaking : ver. 2, 3, ' Open
to me, my sister. I have put off my coat, how shall I put it on ? ' and
so the effect is accomplished.
7. God in working by the word doth not work necessarily, but vol
untarily : James i. 18, ' Of his own will begat he us.' The effectual
working of his Spirit doth accompany it when and where God pleaseth ;
for the wind bloweth as it listeth, John iii. 8. The wind is not at the
command of any creature ; so the Spirit is a free agent, working where
and on whom, when, and in what measure, he pleaseth, and will be
hindered by none. The word works not necessarily, as fire heateth, or
water floweth, but at the will of God, when he will join his assistance.
Thus Lydia's heart was opened by God when others were shut, Acts
xvi. 14 ; and many scoffed at Peter's sermon, which notwithstanding
converted three thousand souls, Acts ii. 41 ; and Acts xvii. 34, ' How-
beit, certain men clave to him and believed,' when others mocked ; so
that the connection between the word and the power of God is not
natural, necessary, and perpetual. The works of nature do naturally
produce their effect, but that is natural to them ; whereas this is super
natural. God doth not tie himself absolutely to the means, yet we are
tied in the use of them. We are bound, but God will be free.
Secondly, Why — (1.) The word is used as a means and instrument;
(2.) Why the word preached.
1. Why the word? The main reason is God's pleasure : ' It pleased
God by the foolishness of preaching to save some,' 1 Cor. i. 21. The
330 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SfiR. IV.
same reason is given for salvation by Christ, Col. i. 19. As vain a
course as we think it to be, yet the Lord hath chosen to work this way.
But because all God's works have a reason in them, and are designed
with excellent wisdom, let us see what may be observed in this institu
tion. God is pleased to make use of the word as the instrument of
regeneration —
[1.] Because there is nowhere else such a discovery of God. The
main end of regeneration is conformity to God's image, or to make us
' partakers of a divine nature,' 2 Peter i. 4, to work such a change in us
as may make us like unto God in wisdom, righteousness, and humility,
and pity to poor creatures. Now what fitter instrument to be used in
such a work than the word, which is the fairest draught and copy of
God that ever was, and so a fit pattern whereby the new creature may
be framed ? It is for God's honour that he should be expressed as fully
and exactly as may be. Now where can this be but in God's word ?
Not in the doctrines of men ; they know little of him, and they cannot
set him out as he doth deserve. And men are more apt to transform
God into an idol of their own fancy, and turn his glory into a lie, Rom.
i. 25, than to give us any true mirror and glass wherein he can be repre
sented. God's own works do discover his wisdom, power, goodness, but
not so evidently his holiness. They do but half discover God, and can
not give us such a distinct knowledge of his nature and will till we see
them altogether in the whole contexture, and then but darkly ; we need
the commentary of his word to interpret them. David was fain to go
into the sanctuary before he knew what to make of providence, Ps. Ixxiii.
17. Otherwise he could not understand the holiness and righteousness
of God's actions. It is true, his works praise him. They show him
in his tender mercies, and mighty power, and Godhead, and justice in
rewarding and punishing ; but they never express him so distinctly,
nor in that fulness and latitude as his word doth, and therefore cannot
affect the heart so deeply. But now here we ' behold the glory of the
Lord as in a glass, and are changed into the same image from glory to
glory,' 2 Cor. iii. 18. The image of God is most exactly expressed in
the word, the perfect draught of his face ; and therefore a fit stamp
whereby to leave an impression upon the new creature, as the seal well
engraven doth upon the wax : 2 Cor. iv. 4, •' Lest the light of the
glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine upon
them.' Christ is the image of his Father's glory, and the gospel the
lively image and representation of Jesus Christ. As God the Father
shineth forth in the Son, so the Sou in his glorious gospel. So that here
is a happy way for us to recover again our lost image of God in which
we were created, and which by the fall was defaced in us. In the face
of Jesus Christ is to be seen the glory of God ; and Jesus Christ is to
be seen in the glass of the gospel, according to which the new creature
is formed and fashioned.
[2.] Because nothing is so likely to sway the heart of the creature,
nor to come with such authority and power upon the conscience, as the
word of God. Man's heart would be hardly brought to stoop to any
power but God's alone, whose voice prevaileth upon the conscience and
imaginations of the heart, which the voice of no man can do, and
therefore is able to shake our hearts. God appointed some to go in his
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 331
name, and with evidence commending themselves to the consciences of
every one, to challenge man of his duty. ' Where the word of a king
is,' saith Solomon, ' there is power,' Eccles. viii. 4. We reckon not of
the words of a private person, but of a king we do ; so ought we much
more of God.
[3.] No means are so accommodate for this purpose as the word, so
suitable to man's nature. It is such a doctrine as the conscience doth
require. No doctrine is so fitted to humble, to comfort, to persuade us
to holiness.
(1.) To humble us, by working in us a sight and sense of our misery
and natural filthiness. It is a glass wherein we see God's face and our
own : James i. 23, ' If a man be a hearer of the word, and hot a doer,
he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass.' A light
by which we see every sin in our own bosoms. The new nature is
never sought after but by them that are dissatisfied with their old
estate. And now when a man hath a sight of his natural face, what a
deformed, loathsome creature he is, he beginneth to abhor himself, and
to look after another state and frame of heart.
(2.) No doctrine so fit to comfort and revive the broken heart with
hopes of, mercy as the gospel, that revealeth the way of life upon gra
cious terms. It is the charter and grant of Christ and all his benefits
from God to every one that will receive him : Ps. xix. 8, ' The statutes
of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart.' This doth the heart good
to think of it.
(3.) To persuade to holiness in a high and potent way of reasoning,
by pure precepts and strict injunctions, by high patterns and examples
of being perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, holy as he is holy;
by fit inducements from the rewards and punishments, strict precepts
requiring not only external practice, but a right disposition of heart
towards God ; notable encouragements from the love of God, the pur
chase of Christ Jesus : 2 Cor. v. 14, ' The love of Christ constraineth
us.' Powerful inducements from the punishments ; the wrath of God,
that shall seize on the soul as well as the body in this life, and the
flames of hell. Men that require an ordinary conversation outwardly
threaten only, and promise some outward and temporal good or evil ;
but he requires regeneration upon eternal good or evil.
[4.] The word is suited as a proper cure for the diseases of men's
souls. The diseases of men's souls are ignorance, slightness, and im-
potency.
(1.) The first disease is ignorance, set forth by the notions of dark
ness and blindness : Eph. v. 8, ' Ye were sometimes darkness ; ' 2
Peter i. 9, ' He that wanteth these things is blind, and cannot see afar
off.' Though they have a natural power of understanding, yet no
spiritual discerning, 1 Cor. ii. 14, no saving knowledge of the things
which pertain to the kingdom of God. This is the great disease of
human nature, worse than bodily blindness, because men are not sen
sible of it : Rev. iii. 18, ' And knowest not that thou art wretched, and
miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.' Because they look not for
guides to lead them: Acts xiii. 11, 'And immediately there fell on
him a mist and darkness, and he went about seeking some to lead him
bv the hand.'
332 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SfiR. IV.
(2.) Slightness ; they will not mind these things, nor exercise their
thoughts about them : Mat. xxii. 5, ' They made light of it ; ' Heb. ii.
3, ' How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ? ' It is a long
time ere we can bring them to ask, ' What shall I do to be saved ? '
(3.) Impotency and weakness, which lieth in the wilfulness and
hardness of their hearts. Our non posse is non velle. Our inability
lies in our unwillingness: Ps. Iviii. 4, 5, ' They are like to the deaf
adder, that stoppeth her ear, which will not hearken to the charmer,
charming never so wisely ; ' Mat. xxiii. 37, ' How often would I have
gathered thy children together as a hen gathereth her chickens under
her wings, and ye would not ? ' Luke xix. 14, ' His citizens hated him,
and sent a message after him, saying, We will not have this man to
reign over us.' Now what more proper cure for all these evils than
the word of God ? Teaching is the proper means to cure ignorance,
for men have a natural understanding. Warning of danger and mind-
fulness of duty is the proper means to cure slightness. And to remove
their impotency (which lieth in their obstinacy and wilfulness), there
is no such means as to beseech them with constant persuasions. The
impotence is rather moral than natural. We do not use to reason
men out of bare natural impotency, to bid a lame man walk, or a blind
man see, or bid a dead man live ; but to make men willing of the good
which they rejected or neglected; in short, to inform the judgment,
awaken the conscience, persuade the will : yet it is true the bare means
will not do it without God's concurrence, the evidence and demon
stration of the Spirit ; but it is an encouragement to use these means,
because they are fitted to the end, and God would not appoint us means
which should be altogether in vain.
2. Why the word preached by those whom God hath sent for that
work ? This hath a further subserviency, that God hath authorised
some to interpret scripture as well as explain, to draw the arrow to
the head, by earnest and copious exhortations to inculcate what is
more briefly delivered in the word. Scripture possibly may be laid by
as a neglected thing ; therefore some that should be Christ's spokesmen
must be sure to call upon us, and put us in mind of our eternal con
dition, must bring the word nigh to us, Horn. x. 5. This institution
speaketh much of the wisdom and goodness of God.
[1.] His wisdom. Death entered by the ear, so doth life and peace.
Seeing is in heaven, but hearing in the church. God will try the
world by his ordinary messengers. We would have visions, oracles,
and miracles, Luke xvi. 30 ; some to come from the dead ; but God
hath sent some to deal with us more rationally, by external applications
in the way of a man, and not rule us by strong hand and mere force.
[2.] His goodness and condescension. He sends men of the same
mould : 2 Cor. v. 19, 'And committed unto us the word of recon
ciliation.' Men subject to the same affections. As the fowler catcheth
many birds by one decoy, a bird of the same feather. He dealeth with
us as by men of the same nature, subject to the law of the same duties ;
men with whom we may have ordinary and visible commerce ; not by
angels that might affright us, but our fellow-creatures, who are con
cerned in the message as much as we are ; men that know the heart
of a man by experience, our prejudices and temptations. If they
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 333
deceive us they deceive themselves, whose fidelity in other things we
have experience of, that are to confirm their message by their practice,
yea, with their suffering and their blood if need be.
Use 1. Is to inform and instruct us in the nature of the word's
concurrence, that we may keep even between the Pelagians on the one
hand, who give all to the word, so that they shut out the Spirit, and
the Swenfeldians or familists on the other, that cry up the internal
word or Spirit, to shut out the external use of means, and look for
rapt motions from the Spirit without the word. Though the word
can do nothing without the Spirit ; the word, say they, is a dead letter ;
yet it may be called the ' power of God to salvation,' and ' the
ministration of the Spirit,' 2 Cor. iii. 8 ; ' Who then is Paul, and who
is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believe ? ' 1 Cor. iii. 5. Though
the pen can do nothing without the hand of the writer, yet it is the
instrument of writing ; so is the word the instrument of regeneration,
and Christ died that we might be sanctified upon these terms : Eph.
v. 26, ' By the washing of water through the word.' These are the
prescribed appointed means, without which we cannot look for any such
thing as a work of grace upon us. Therefore let us not jostle out
external means with the familists. Then, on the other side, we must
not idolise the means to shut out the work of the Spirit, without which
all ministry is dead and ineffectual. All depends upon that blessing
which God hath annexed to a lawful ministry. It is true that all
human callings and manual arts have their efficacy from God's blessing,
without which our toil and labour is in vain, Ps. cxxvii. 1, 2. It is in
vain to watch, to build, to labour in ordinary callings. Many labour with
out God, and therefore cannot produce natural and human effects, to
which yet they have a certain proportion and natural aptitude. But there
is more of God required to bless the ministry, by which, by man's labour
and natural discourse, you expect spiritual and supernatural effects ; as
the enlightening the eyes, and turning from darkness to light, and
turning from the power of Satan to God. This production, though it
goeth in concomitancy with man's discourse, yet it is solely from God :
1 Cor. iii. 7, ' It is God giveth the increase,' by an immediate course,
though he useth our labour as an external means. The miracles which
the apostles did were performed by certain rights and ceremonies,
as laying on hands; they were not the natural effect of these cere
monies, though done in concomitancy with them ; so doth God by our
ministry.
2. It informeth us what cause we have to bless God for the word,
which God hath blessed throughout all generations to the saving of
many souls. If there be such great effects accomplished by it, it is a
great mercy that he hath given us his word in writing : Hosea viii.
12, ' I have written to them the great things of my law.' It is a great
benefit to mankind to have a public standard to confute the objections
of every idle conceit upon our faith, and one so exact as this. And
then when the word is preached, to have it quickened and actuated
by a lively voice for the greater good of mankind, that they might be
minded of their duty, and have drop instilled by drop. Surely the
ministry of the word should not be looked upon as a burden, but a
great favour. In the day of Christ's royalty he gave his gifts to the
334 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [SER. IV.
church, Eph. iv. 11, 12 ; and will you count it a burden, and throw it
in his face ?
3. It informeth us of the woful estate of all such congregations as
live without the word of God in the life and power of it. They sit
in darkness and in the shadow of death. This is the greater misery,
because many people are little sensible of it ; and others that thirst
after it cannot have it. Now let us think of this ; partly that we may
not be accessory to their guilt, who have cast away and thrown out a
lively, savoury ministry, and so brought a famine of the word upon the
land. This is to do the devil's work ; for the hindering of the gospel
is the work of the devil and his instruments : 2 Cor. iv. 4, ' In whom
the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them that believe not,
lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God,
should shine upon them.' And partly that we may pray for the
redress of this evil : 2 Thes. iii. 1,2,' Pray for us, that the word of
the Lord may have free course and be glorified, even as it is with you,
that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men ; for all
men have not faith.' Pray for God's sake that the word would work
mightily for the gathering of souls into the kingdom of God. Pray
for Christ's sake, who had compassion over souls, and has bid us pray,
' That the Lord of the harvest would send forth labourers into his
harvest,' Mat. ix. 38. There was a visible face of worship kept up
then. How many congregations in the kingdom are without a
shepherd, or furnished with an idle shepherd, when many of God's
faithful servants are thrust into corners ! Pray for souls' sakes that
God would ' give them pastors after his own heart, to feed them with
knowledge and understanding,' Jer. iii. 15. Pray for the land's sake.
Never shall we get rid of those wasting and destroying judgments till'
God's ark be brought home. God only gives an heart to bring back
again his outcasts. Now the physicians of the nation are met together,
help by your prayers that they may not prove physicians of no value.
4. It informs us how much they are out who think there is too
much preaching. Is there too much converting souls to God ? They
think if preaching were not so common it would be the more reverenced.
This is the popish plea, that ignorance is the mother of devotion.
Indeed that is the way to keep up devotion to men's interest. Excel
lent things, the more common and the more discovered, the more
glorious, as the sun the more it shineth forth. There is something con
temptible in them that must keep at a distance, and seldom come in
view, to feed reverence. True worth, the more it appeareth, the more it
excelleth. Things gilded over, their lustre wasteth away with use;
but gold, the more it is used, the more it shineth. When men hear
the word out of curiosity, they are soon glutted ; but this is an adul
terous affection to holy things. If they hear it out of respect to their
soul necessities, they prize it not only when new and fresh, but the
more they are acquainted with it.
Use 2. Is exhortation.
1. To ministers to rouse up themselves.
[1.] Get love to souls. Are we co-workers with God ? Oh, then in
zeal to God's glory, and in compassion to souls for whom Christ died,
put on the bowels of Christ. Surely if we knew the worth and weight
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON i PETER i. 23. 335
of souls, we could not be so cold and careless in such a ministry and
dispensation. Oh, let us never leave inviting, exhorting, pressing, till
Christ be formed in them, Gal. iv. 19, Col. i. 27, 28, as unwilling to
be refused, hungering and thirsting for the salvation of them that
hear us. This will put an edge upon the doctrine we deliver, otherwise
there is no savour in the finest words.
[2.] Preach with life, and diligence, and authority. God's words
should not be delivered in a faint and languid manner and way. Thou
art casting abroad thy immortal seed that is to beget souls to Christ,
and shall we do it in a drowsy fashion ? Let us pick out words that
have some force and strength in them, that the truths of God may be
represented convincingly and with liveliness : Eccles. xii. 10, ' The
preacher sought to find out acceptable words.'
[3.] Let us look to the Lord for the fruit and success, not attribut
ing any efficacy to the warmness of our frame, clearness of our under
standing, or liberty of speech. Oh, let us look higher, praying that the
effectual operation of his Spirit may accompany it : 1 Cor. ii. 4, ' And
my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's
wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power ; ' that it may
come in with power.
2. To people to attend upon the word, waiting for the influence and
ill apse of his Spirit.
[1.] Attend upon the word with diligence. Without grace you can
not be saved, and without the word ordinarily you cannot have grace.
Therefore say, I will wait : Prov. viii. 34, ' Blessed are they that wait
at wisdom's gates.' Wait, then, though you find not presently what
you wait for. God's means in God's time will prove effectual ; as he
that lay at the pool, John v. Cast out the net. Wait though you find
nothing, somewhat of God's work will appear. Many conceit themselves
to be converted already, have no need of such diligence. Oh, no ; see
James i. 18, ' Of his own will begat he us by the word of truth ; '
wherefore ' Be swift to hear.' Take heed of despising prophesying, 1
Thes. v. 19, 20. No such means to quench the Spirit.
Arguments.
(1.) That of the text, it is immortal seed. If wisdom be sown in
your souls, it begets a life there which shall never be quenched. Though
all have immortal souls, yet the natural estate of all shall be shortly
dissolved. The eternal life of wicked men is an eternal estate of cor
ruption and perishing ; Mat. xvi. 26, he shall lose his soul ; not in a
natural, but legal sense : Gal. vi. 8. ' He that soweth to the flesh shall
of the flesh reap corruption ; ' that is, eternal perdition ; for corruption
is here opposed to eternal life. The state of the wicked after death is
a state of corruption. It is not the corruption of our being, but of our
happiness ; where, though the substance of their soul and body shall
not be annihilated, but upheld to all eternity by the mighty power of
God in the midst of unutterable torment : Mark ix. 49, ' Where their
worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched ; ' yet all their carnal
happiness is then consumed, and they themselves do languish and
pine away under the wrath of an highly provoked and irreconcilable
God.
(2.) It is a living word. The word is lively as to its lively influence
336 SERMONS UPON 1 PETER I. 23. [&ER. IV.
and powerful effects upon the soul. It is the word of life, John vi. 63.
It will comfort and revive you in all your afflictions, yea, in death
itself : Ps. cxix. 50, ' This is my comfort in my affliction, thy word hath
quickened me.' Now never leave till thou findest it to be a living word
to thee, till thou findest some kind of life in it, and receive not only
light but life by it. It is not enough to seek truth in it, but seek life
in it.
(3.) It abideth for ever as to the effects — (1.) In the execution of
wrath on the wicked, it is the word of God that keeps them for ever
in hell : Mark xvi. 16, ' He that belie veth and is baptized shall be
saved, but he that believeth not shall be damned." (2.) As to the enjoy
ment of everlasting blessedness : John vi. 40, ' And this is the will of
him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on
him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.'
It is the charter and grant by which we hold heaven to all eternity.
[2.] Look out still for the influence of the Spirit. Doth it come in.
power ? You want a notable argument against atheism and scepticism
in religion till you feel it. Some deny the power, shut it out, will not
let it break in upon their hearts : 2 Tim. iii. 5, ' Having a form of god
liness, but denying the power thereof/ They have a map of truth, but
never look after the power in changing the heart. Others do not look
after the power of the word, and then want a testimony : 1 John v.
8, ' There are three that bear witness on earth, the Spirit, the water,
and the blood.' Oh, therefore say, what power of the word of life have
we felt in our own souls ? There are usually three effects of the word
upon the heart — humbling, changing, and strengthening or comforting
the heart.
(1.) It humbleth. Those that feel least feel this work many times.
Felix trembled when Paul was discoursing of judgment to come, Acts
xxiv. 24. What startlings of heart do you feel ? Lose not that work :
Acts ii. 37, ' They were pricked in their hearts.' There is such a power
in the word ; will you only be a stranger to it ? Jer. xxiii. 29, 'Is not
my word as fire, and as an hammer to break the rock in pieces ? ' To
break, melt, and make it capable of any form.
(2.) To change the heart from sin to holiness. Is the temper and
frame of j r our heart altered ? John xv. 3, ' Ye are clean through the
word that I have spoken to you.' Doth it set you a-purging and work
ing out sin ? Ps. cxix. 9, ' Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his
way ? By taking heed thereto according to thy word.' Doth it work in
you an hearty subjection to God ?
3. Doth it comfort you? Did it ever revive thy distressed and
wounded spirit ? Eom. xv. 4, ' That we, through comfort of the scrip
ture, might have hope ; ' Job xxxiii. 25, ' His flesh shall be fresher
than a child's ; he shall return to the days of his youth.'
SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13.
SEEMON I.
Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins ; let them not have
dominion over me : then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent
from the great transgression. — Ps. xix. 13.
IN this psalm David first admireth the brightness of the sun, and then
the purity of the law. The joining of both these meditations showeth
that man can as ill be without the word of God as without the light
of the sun. What would this inferior world be without the sun, but a
great cave or obscure dungeon, wherein men would live like worms in
a pit. Now the light of the word is as necessary for the blessedness of
our souls as the sun's light is comfortable to our bodies. Again, the
comparing of both these showeth that there are two books wherein we
shall do well to study, and both made by God himself — the book of
nature and the book of scripture ; and both discover God to us, as every
thing that hath passed his hand discovereth the author. You cannot
look well upon the book of the creatures, but in every page and line of
it you will find this truth presented to your eyes, that there is an in
finite eternal power that made all things ; this is enough to leave the
world without excuse. But in the book of the word you may see more
of God, and the way how to enjoy him. This doth more powerfully
convince man of his misery, and show him his remedy. The use which
the psalmist maketh of these two books is notable ; of the first, to ad
mire the glory of God by the beauty of the heavens ; of the second, to
humble man by the purity and strictness of the law ; as all religion
lieth in the knowledge of God and ourselves. The text is a branch of
the latter use, namely, that which arise th from this consideration of the
power and purity of the law, as converting the soul, and reaching
to the very thoughts and inward workings of the heart. The holy
man of God maketh a double use of it — for humiliation and caution.
Humiliation and desire of pardon of what is past : ' Who can under
stand his errors ? Cleanse me from secret faults/ And then grace to
prevent future enormities.
1. Humiliation. The best man, when he cometh to compare him
self with the law of God, will be forced to blush and acknowledge more
faults than ever he took notice of before. Too short an exposition of
the law begets a large opinion of our own righteousness ; that the ell
VOL. XXI. Y
338 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SEE. I.
may be no longer than the cloth. Men have a gross notion of the law
of God, as if it did only require externals ; but when they look upon it
as reaching to the soul, the act as well as the aim, 1 every thought and
every desire and motion of the heart, they have other manner of conceits
of themselves ; then they cry out, as David, ' Who can understand his
errors ? '
2. That this is not all the use that David maketh of the purity of the
law, to beg pardon of what is past, but also grace to prevent future en
ormities, to get sin prevented as well as pardoned ; otherwise we mock
God, and mind our own interest rather than the offence done to him.
There is the same method in the Lord's prayer, ' Forgive us our tres
passes;' and then, 'Lead us not into temptation.' One petition con-
cerneth the guilt of sin, and the other the reign and power of it. The
text falleth in with this latter branch of the use, 'Keep back thy servant
also from presumptuous sins,' &c.
In the words observe — (1.) A prayer ; (2.) Arguments to enforce it.
In the first take notice —
1. The mischief he desireth to be freed from, ' Presumptuous sins.'
2. The quality of the person that maketh the prayer, ' Thy servant.'
3. The prayer itself is twofold ; for one part of the request is simple
and absolute, to be kept from them ; the other upon supposition, and
by way of reserve ; yet in case God should suffer him to fall into these
kind of sins, yet at least that they might not have dominion over him.
[1.] He prayeth absolutely : Arm me by the special assistance of thy
grace, that I may not fall into any of these sins.
[2.] That they may not get a full power over his will, so that, in
stead of a servant of the Lord, he should become a slave to sin.
[3.] The reasons are taken from the fruits or the consequent benefit
and advantage of this preservation. They are two —
(1.) The testimony of his conscience concerning his integrity, ' Then
shall I be upright.'
(2.) His avoiding further guilt, ' And shall be innocent from the
great transgression.'
I shall now pitch upon the first part of the prayer, ' Keep back thy
servant also from presumptuous sins/
Doct. That God's best servants need earnestly to beg grace to be
kept from presumptuous sins.
The point will be best explained by a view of the circumstances of
the text.
1. The mischief he would have prevented, ' Presumptuous sins.'
2. The person praying, David, God's servant.
3. The mercy asked, ' Keep back.'
1. The mischief or evil feared, ' Presumptuous sins.' I shall show
— (1.) Their nature ; (2.) The heinousness ; (3.) The danger of them.
First, The nature, ' from prides/ so the Hebrew word signifies, which
we render sins of presumption. The term must be a little explained.
We are said to presume when we take more upon us than is meet. In
these kind of sins men doubly presume.
1. That they shall be safe, and do well enough, though they continue
in their impenitency and hardness of heart: Deut. xxix. 19, 20, 'And
it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless
1 Qu. ' the aim as well as the act ' ?— ED.
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 339
himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the
imagination of mine heart, and add drunkenness to thirst. The Lord
will not spare him, but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy
shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in
this book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name
from under heaven.' And so^take a liberty to sin upon the presumption
that he shall find mercy after all. But —
2. It is rather a presumption upon God's power than God's mercy.
They carry on their sins against God as if they could make their party
good against him : 1 Cor. x. 22, ' Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy ?
Are we stronger than he ? ' This is the presumption, that they
undertake to contend with and resist God : Num. xv. 30, ' But the soul
that doth aught presumptuously, whether he be born in the land or a
stranger, the same reproacheth the Lord, and that soul shall be cut off
from among the people.' They that live in a professed or clearly
implied opposition to God : Job xv. 25, ' For he stretcheth out his
hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.'
And it is expressed, Lev. xxvi. 21, by walking contrary to God, and
so falleth in with the Hebrew expression of prides. Sins against
knowledge, with full consent of will and pride of heart. To under
stand this more fully, you must consider there are two sorts of sins —
[1.] Sins of mere infirmity and human frailty.
[2.] Sins of presumption. We cannot understand the one without
the other.
[1.] Sins of infirmity ; they are of four kinds — (1.) Sins of ignorance ;
(2.) Sins of sudden surreption or surprise ; (3.) Sins of daily incursion ;
(4.) Sins of violent passion.
(1.) Of ignorance. These are opposed here to sins of presumption :
' Cleanse thou me from secret sins ; ' and then, ' Keep back thy servant
from presumptuous sins.' As small sins, that are for the matter indis
cernible, and sometimes grievous sins, if the ignorance be invincible
and not affected, these find favour for this circumstance wherewith they
are accompanied : John xv. 22, ' If I had not come and spoken to them
they had not had sin ; but now they have no cloak for their sin ; ' that
is, no excuse for their sin : Luke xxiii. 34, ' Father, forgive them, for
they know not what they do.' Their ignorance is pleaded as a motive
to persuade God to pardon their sin : Acts iii. 14-17, ' But ye denied
the holy One and the just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto
you, and killed the Lord of life, whom God hath raised from the dead :
and now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also
your rulers;' 1 Tim. i. 13, 'Who was before a blasphemer and a
persecutor, and injurious; but I obtained mercy, because I did it
ignorantly.' Paul was as bad as bad could be. On the contrary,
knowledge aggravateth sin : Luke xii. 47, ' And that servant which
knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according
to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes -, ' James iv. 17, ' There
fore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is
sin.' To jostle a friend in the dark may be by mistake, but to run
full butt at him argueth malice. So to run full butt upon God, with
eyes wide open, is a sin of presumption ; as to dash upon him blind
fold, provided we have not hoodwinked ourselves, is a sin of weakness
340 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SER. I
and infirmity. When God standeth in the way to stop the sinner by
his precepts and threatenings, and the sinner shall say. Yonder he
standeth that would stop me in my unlawful gain, stop me in my
unlawful pleasure, stop me in my profane course of life ; yet have at
him ; I will go through in this madness and obstinate pride : this is
an aggravation of the offence. But now to press on out of mistake,
as Balaam when he saw not the angel, is an infirmity ; provided this
ignorance be not affected, and vincible by the means afforded, that
they are not willingly ignorant, refuse the light, shut their eyes and
harden themselves by their own prejudices.
(2.) Sins of sudden surreption and surprise, that creep upon us un
awares, or by Satan's assaulting us on a sudden ; we cannot use that recol
lection, or have time to interpose those remedies, that might conduce
to our preservation. Of these the apostle speaketh : Gal. vi. 1, ' If a
brother be overtaken in a fault.' A child of God is usually rather over
taken by the suddenness or overborne by the violence of the temptation ;
surprised before he hath time to deliberate. The suddenness of the
assault giveth no leisure to represent those considerations that might
stay the heart. These are the sins that suddenly steal upon us, like
sly thieves, and soldiers that lie in ambush for their enemies, and show
themselves in us when we think them far enough from us ; as sudden
flashes of evil thoughts, and evil words, and sudden actions ; those
swarms of noisome and unsavoury thoughts which are injected of a
sudden, and do distract us, and hinder us in the best employments ;
carnal and wicked thoughts, that suddenly arise, but are rejected with
indignation ; wandering thoughts in the time of prayer, never distinctly
consented unto, but crowding in upon us; rash words spoken of a
sudden, and some unpremeditated actions, when we have no due time
for deliberation.
(3.) Sins of daily incursion, that are not avoidable by the usual
assistance which God giveth to his people, but cleave to us while we
are here in this world: Eccles. vii. 20, ' There is not a just man upon
earth that doeth good and sinneth not ; ' James iii. 2, ' In many things
we offend all.' We are daily assaulted, and there is no man so exact
but sometimes his watch is intermitted, and then he will be tripping.
That it should be otherwise cannot be looked for in this estate of
frailty wherein now we are ; especially considering the different con
ditions we are to pass through, the several occasions and provocations
we meet with, and the many duties of piety and charity which we are
to perform, many a sin cometh frequently, yea, daily upon us. In our
duties to God much dulness, weariness, and formality will discover
itself ; our domestic crosses will put us into sudden fits of anger and
discontent; our converses upon some failings of lightness and want of
sincerity ; our public employments, something of hypocrisy and inter
mixtures of vainglory ; our prosperity, a touch of high-mindedness and
carnal complacency; our adversity, upon distrust and uncomely
disquiets of spirit : these defects and inseparable blemishes and
wrinkles are found in the faces of all the saints. Our Saviour telleth
us, John xiii. 10, ' That he that is washed needeth not save to wash
his feet, but is clean every whit ; ' that is, though they are in a holy
state, yet by walking up and down in the world, in the several
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. la 341
businesses and employments of the present life, they contract some
filth, which must be washed off every day by a renewed application of
the blood of Christ, that fountain which God hath opened for unclean-
ness. The infirmities of the saints are not like the voluntary wallow
ing of swine in the puddle, 2 Peter ii. 22. But only the defilements
of their feet, of their affections and conversations in going through this
polluted world ; as men's feet are fouled by the ground they tread upon.
Every minute almost we are in danger, and therefore a total exemption
cannot be hoped for in this world.
(4.) Sins committed by the sway of great and headstrong passions,
or by some present prevailing temptation, which may strangely trans
port those that do in the general make conscience of their ways. These
in some cases pass for infirmities ; as when a man offends through
some great fear or anger, joy or sorrow, or some other consternation of
spirit which hindereth. the free debate of the soul, and so may run into
some inconveniences ; as when any natural trembling or any other
passion hindereth men from discerning or weighing the sinftilness of
some light small sins ; but in materia gravi, in weighty cases, it is
hard to say that passions excuse ; as sacrificing to idols out of fear, or
killing another in passion or anger, or running into oaths and
execrations ; because it is to be supposed that a Christian doth not
presently do so ; for the horridness of such facts cannot but stop the
career of a generally well-disposed mind ; but when the fear is above
the proportion and size of those ordinary notions that we have of the
sin, it may pass for an infirmity that time, because through the sway of
the present passion there is not a perfect deliberation, and those sudden
unadvised acts are in part excused ; as, for instance, Deut. xvi. 29, ' A
gift doth blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the right
eous.' A judge, though for his understanding wise, for his disposition
a just man, yet may under a great temptation be so enchanted for a
time as to err in judgment.
[2.] Sins of presumption are sins against light and knowledge,
wittingly and willingly committed, with a full consent of will, carried
on obstinately and proudly against God. They are usually such open
and gross sins as are manifest; as whoring, gluttony, drunkenness,
which are manifest even to natural conscience ; or else are manifest by
the common light of Christianity, as denying the faith ; so that there
is no doubt of the unlawfulness of the act done.
(1.) There is knowledge in it as one ingredient, according to that,
Gal. v. 19, ' The works of the flesh are manifest.'
(2.) Deliberation and studied contrivance. Men have time and
space to consider with themselves ; and the more advisedness in any
sin, the greater it is. It is not a thing done in passion, but in cool
blood. But when men project and plot their sin, it is not an infirmity,
but an iniquity : Prov. vi. 14, ' Frowardness is in his heart ; he
deviseth mischief continually;' Micah ii. 1, 'Woe to them that devise
iniquity, and work evil upon their beds.' The heart dwells long upon
it. as David plotted Uriah's death. All sins that require some space
of time for their execution are deliberate sins ; as all acts of fornica
tion and adultery, acts of drunkenness, unless suddenly intoxicated by
ignorance of the strength of the liquor. So lying, speaking that which
342 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SER. L
is false to the wrong of others. So swearing, when men devise new
oaths, and study to be wittily wicked in this kind : James i. 15,
' When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin ; and sin when it is
finished bringeth forth death.' There is no stay.
(3.) There is a constancy or resolved purpose in these sins, without
fear of God or inen : Jer. xviii. 12, 'And they said, There is no hope,
but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the
imagination of his evil heart;' Jer. xliv. 16, 17, 'For the word that
thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken
unto thee ; but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth out of our
own mouth.' This obstinacy is seen in men's going against express
admonitions, commandments, and reproofs from the word of God :
Deut. i. 43, ' So I spake unto you, and ye would not hear, but rebelled
against the commandment of the Lord, and went presumptuously up
unto the hill.' Against warnings and threatenings in God's name
from those that wish well to your souls : Prov. xxix. 1, ' He that, being
often reproved, hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed with
out remedy.' But men are wedded to their inclination, out-facing all
challenges of duty in God's name : Ps. xii. 4, ' Who have said, With
our tongue will we prevail ; our lips are our own ; who is lord over
us?' 2 Chron. xxxvi. 14-16, 'Moreover the chief of the priests and
the people transgressed very much after all the abominations of the
heathens, and polluted the house of the Lord. And the Lord God of
their fathers sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes and
sending, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling-
place; but they mocked the messengers of God, and despised his
words, and misused his prophets, until the wrath of God arose against
his people till there was no remedy.' Especially against checks of con
science : Acts vii. 51, 'Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and
ear, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost ; as your fathers did, so do
ye.' Conscience telleth them, You ought not to yield to this sin,
whatsoever the profit or pleasure be ; yet men will kick against the
pricks, and do that which their own heart disalloweth in spite of
inward motions. They will go on to follow the sin they have in chase,
especially when against restraints of providence, and God hath hedged
up their way with thorns. Or when they have found much incon-
veniency in that course : 2 Chron. xxviii. 22, ' And in the time of his
distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord. This is that king
Ahaz.' God sets a brand upon him : Josh. xxii. 17, ' Is the iniquity
of Peor too little for us, from which we are not cleansed until this day,
although there was a plague in the congregation of the Lord ? ' Well,
then, here is some rude description of presumptuous sins.
But because this is not strict enough, and does not search the core
to the bottom, I shall only add two things —
First, That presumptuous sins are double — by way of omission and
commission ; when they live in any known sin, or allow themselves in
the omission of any necessary duty.
1. For presumptuous sins of commission, there are many texts:
1 Cor. vi. 9, 10, ' Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit
the kingdom of God ? Be not deceived : neither fornicators, nor
idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers ot themselves
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. is. 3-13
with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers,
nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God ; ' Eph. v. 5, ' For
this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous
man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of
Christ and of God/ They deserve in themselves an exclusion from
the favour of God and the kingdom of heaven, and do actually exclude
them that commit them ; the unregenerate certainly, and the regene
rate from that degree of favour which they enjoyed before ; and if it
could be imagined that they could persevere in them, they would
eternally exclude them from the kingdom of heaven.
2. For presumptuous sins of omission; when a man omitteth
voluntarily, against the light and checks of conscience, any necessary
duty : James iv. 17, ' Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and
doeth it not, to him it is sin.' Not only to commit a sin against con
science, but to omit a duty against conscience; for the authority of
God is equal, and his threatening and sanction is express, and sins
of' omission have the nature of sin in them ; so that to live in any of
these is to live in a known sin.
Secondly, That sins of infirmity may, by carelessness and neglect,
become sins of presumption, and infirmities commence into iniquities.
When we are wanting to ourselves, in neglecting the use of the means
prescribed to avoid those sins, or for some wilful sin of ours God with-
draweth that grace which is necessary for the resisting of these sins,
we are partakers of this wilful sin, and are not humbled for them, do
not beg pardon, but run easily, frequently, constantly upon every
return of the temptation. It might be an infirmity at first, as rash
swearing, or taking the name of God in vain ; Christ's words are
plain : Mat. v. 37, ' But let your communication be, Yea, yea ; Nay, nay ;
for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil;' when a man
hath brought a custom upon himself that he cannot speak otherwise.
There is no sin but, by a deliberate and licentious multiplication of
acts, may become a sin of presumption ; for sins of infirmity are only
sins of infirmity to them that watch against them sincerely, repent of
them, strive and labour against them. The neglect or contempt of
them cannot be without some neglect and contempt of God, and then
rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, 1 Sam. xv. 23.
As a small leak neglected may sink the ship as well as the most
boisterous and greatest wave. Some sins are of a lighter nature than
others, yet may be very presumptuously committed ; as in some colours
the dye may be more than the stuff.
Secondly, The heinousness of these sins of presumption.
1. Every sin of presumption is an implicit blasphemy : Num. xv. 30,
' But the soul that doth aught presumptuously reproacheth the Lord ;
and that soul shall be cut off from among the people ; ' Ezek. xx. 27,
' Thus saith the Lord God, Yet in this your fathers have blasphemed
me, in that they have committed a trespass against me.' There is a
blasphemy included in it, as if God were an ignorant God, and did
not know his wickedness ; or a careless God, that would not take notice
of it ; or an impotent God, that could not punish his rebellion ; or
an unjust God, that would not. This drunkenness is blaspheming
drunkenness, this whoredom blaspheming whoredom ; for thou niakest
34i SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13 [SER, I.
God to be an idol God, that hath no respect to thy actions, or would
not judge according as he hath said in his word.
2. There is the highest pride in it that a creature can be capable of.
It is that pride whereby you despise God and his authority. When
David fell into presumptuous sins, it is said, 2 Sam. xii. 9, 10,
' Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, and
done evil in his sight ? Now therefore the sword shall never depart
from thy house, because thou hast despised me ; ' Amos ii. 4, ' I will
not turn away the punishment thereof, because they have despised the
law of the Lord, and have not kept his commandment' When men
walk as they list, they do but make a jest of the word of God. What
is he that we should regard him, or his commandment that we should
stand upon it? They make a sport of sin, and a mere mock of
scripture ; for they knowingly and willingly do the quite contrary to
what God would have them.
3. It is a daring of God, or a provoking him to do his worst: 1 Cor.
x. 22, 'Do ye provoke the Lord to jealousy? are ye stronger than
he ? ' What care they ? Some are said to be wicked in the sight of
the Lord: Gen. xxxviii. 7, 'Er, Judah's first-born, was wicked in the
sight of the Lord.' They were bold, presumptuous, and impudent,
daring him to do his worst.
4. It is a disposition to the unpardonable sin ; as here in the text,
and by that scripture, Heb. x. 26, ' For if we sin wilfully after we
have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more
sacrifice for sin.' It is an allusion to Num. xv, 30, ' The soul
that doth aught presumptuously shall be cut off.' And to that
place Christ alludeth : Luke xii. 10, ' Whosoever shall speak a word
against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven ; but unto him that blas-
phemeth against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.' Wilful sins
are against clear light, and will in time bring on despite and malice.
Thirdly, The danger from the effects, both to the unregenerate and
regenerate, are common to them both — (1.) The unregenerate ; such
sins are not easily repented of ; (2.) Not easily pardoned ; (3.) When
pardoned, easily return again.
[1.] Not easily repented of. They harden the heart wonderfully,
and make it stout against God : Zech. vii. 11, 12, 'But they refused
to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears that
they should not hear; yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone,
lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts
hath sent in his Spirit by the former prophets.' Every day they sin
away their tenderness. Men grow wilful by frequent sinning, and
their hearts become as hard as the highway by frequent treading upon
it. These kind of sinners, the most grave admonitions, . seasonable
reproofs, powerful exhortations, and convincing reasons, will not move
them. By every presumptuous sin they put a new difficulty in the
way of their conversion, Jer. xiii. 23, ' Can the Ethiopian change his
skin or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good that are
accustomed to do evil.'
[2.] Not easily pardoned. Deep stains are not easily washed out.
It will cost many a sad hour, frequent sorrow and anguish of heart,
ere there be a reconciliation between God and their souls, and their
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. is. 345
peace will not easily be obtained ; as Manasseh's repentance was great :
2 Chron. xxxiii. 12, ' And when he was afflicted he besought the Lord
his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers.'
An ordinary humiliation will not serve the turn.
[3.] They ever and anon return, and the remembrance of them is
very grievous to the soul : Job xiii. 26, ' Thou writest bitter things
against me, and makest me possess the sins of my youth ; ' as fright
ful ghosts raised out of their graves. When God hath cancelled them,
yet this old sore bleedeth afresh ; or as deep wounds ache upon change
of weather : Ps. Ixxix. 8, ' Oh, remember not against us former iniqui
ties ; ' Ps. xxv. 7, ' Kemember not the sins of my youth, nor my
transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy
goodness' sake, Lord.'
2. After regeneration they make a sad breach between God and the
•soul, throwing us into the depths of fear and perplexed thoughts.
They waste our comforts, wound our consciences, sequester us from
the privileges of the covenant ; so that we lese our present aptitude
of entering into the kingdom of heaven. Whereas a pardon of course
is granted for sins of infirmity, as they are retracted by a general daily
repentance; but now a particular repentance and renewing of our grant
is required for these sins. As when David bewailed his blood-guiltiness,
and Peter wept bitterly for his denying of Christ. Sins of infirmity
do not hinder the use and claim of God's grace and pardon. They
are not such for which God will bid thee keep out of sight, as David
did Absalom for his rebellion, but these cause us to lose the actual
fruition of God.
3. The mischiefs in common to both.
[1.] A blot on the name : 1 Kings xv. 5, ' Because David did that
which was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from
anything that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in
the matter of Uriah the Hittite.' See Ps. cxix. 110.
[2.]. Many troubles and calamities, especially on God's children ;
but on others as often as it is meet for the vindication of his justice
and providence. Especially on God's children : Amos iii. 2, ' You
only have I known of all the families of the earth ; therefore I will
punish you for all your iniquities/ They of all others are God's pecu
liar and chosen people, and jf they do not walk answerably they shall
smart for it. More certainly and severely will he punish them ; their
means and mercies are more, and their ingratitude greater. It con-
cerneth God to vindicate his own glory and holiness. We will single
out two instances, David and Eli. David, what troubles ensued his
presumptuous sin in his house and family ! His daughter ravished,
Amnori slain in his drunkenness, Absalom driveth him from his palace-
royal, his subjects desert him, his concubines ravished before his face,
and he forced to go weeping up and down, and to shift for his life ; all
which are effects of his sins ; for so it is foretold, 2 Sam. xii. 10-12.
The next instance is Eli, for tolerating scandalous sins in his family ; his
sons are slain in battle, Israel discomfited, the ark of God taken, Eli
broke his neck, his daughter died in child-bearing, his house rejected,
1 Sam. ii. 30. The anger of the Lord is very hot when we provoke
him by these kind of sins ; the revenging hand of God will lie very
346 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13 [SfiR. II.
heavy on our persons, children, estate, and all other outward comforts.
It is not safe to offend him.
[3.] It bringeth a dishonour on the name of God, and a disgrace on
religion : Horn. ii. 24, ' For the name of God is blasphemed among
the gentiles through you ; ' 2 Sam. xii. 14, ' Howbeit, because by this
deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to
blaspheme.' You make others judge ill of the ways of God, and en
courage them to sin, which certainly will strike deep in the consciences
of good men, and make them bethink themselves.
SEKMON II.
Keep back thy servant from presumptuous sins. — Ps. xix. 13.
HAVING made some progress in the doctrinal part raised from these
words, I shall now make some application thereon.
Use 1. For the just condemnation and reproof of them that never
take care to be kept from these sins. They are of two sorts —
1. Some that live in known sins against the light of conscience.
2. Such as please themselves that their sins are but infirmities, when
indeed they are presumptions ; and therefore are never troubled about
what they do. I must speak to both.
First, Such as live in known sins against the light of conscience.
Every one of you that, under the light of the gospel, do live in the
customary neglect of necessary duties, or the customary committing of
any gross sin, you sin presumptuously, and allow yourselves in it. You
who are so blinded in judgment as that ye know not that the gross ways
ye live in are sin, and so wallow in all manner of sensualities, without
any care and government of your souls and senses, and live in a present
oblivion of the world to come, and the way that tendeth thither, do not
you know that to live in an utter unmindfulness of God, and a neglect
of your everlasting interests, without praying, meditating, reading,
hearing and other means of grace, or a serious addressing yourselves
to come to God by Christ, is a presumptuous violation of God's will,
and is inconsistent with salvation ? Do you not know that you ought
not to lie, or swear, or to be drunk, deal unjustly, and fraudulently in
your callings ? Are not these bogs and quagmires visible, and yet you
will run into them ? Doth not nature and scripture condemn these
things ? Gal. v. 19-21, ' Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which
are these, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry,
witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, sedition, heresy,
envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and the like/ This is
apparent to a common understanding that these are to be called works
of the flesh. Scripture telleth you so, and conscience telleth you so ;
yet you will not give over, because of the habituated rooted wickedness
that is in your hearts. You cannot plead ignorance, temptations,
passions, weaknesses; this is the element you live and breathe in.
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 347
Hell will be heated seven times hotter for such proud and arrogant
sinners as you are. Oh, think of your condition before it be too late !
That you should not sin presumptuously, take these dissuasions —
1. If you have any respect of God : Jer. xliv. 4, ' Oh, do not this
abominable thing which I hate.' You are his servants; of right all
should be so ; and what is the condition of a servant ? ^ tftv to? ftov-
\erat, not to live as he list. We are not nostri juris, have no power to
dispose of ourselves ; but de facto you have actually resigned up your
selves to God, to be guided by his will ; and will you in apparent cases
set your own will in contradiction to his, as if you would try whose
will shall stand, God's or yours ? God saith, * Thou shalt not steal ;
Thou shalt not commit adultery ; Thou shalt not bear false witness ;
nor take my name in vain ; ' and thou in a flat contradiction sayest, I
will swear, lie, and wallow in all manner of filthiness. Is this to be
God's servants? Oh, how far are you different from the temper of
those that are indeed so ! That which is their terror is your choice ;
that which they desire to be freed from, you with all earnestness run
into, with great proneness of heart. We may say, Deut. xxxii. 5,
' Their spot is not the spot of God's children.'
2. If you have any respect to yourselves. Presumptuous sins will
cost you dear at length, both in this world and the next. Men make
a scourge for their own backs while they run wilfully into sin, and
shoot arrows against heaven, that return upon their own heads. If
God hath been so terrible against sins of infirmity, sudden passion,
and temptations, what may you fear that provoke God, and dare him
to his face, and, in contempt of him and his commandments, deliber
ately run into known sins ? It is a wonder God giveth such any longer
time upon earth, that he doth not suddenly strike them. Surely he
will not always bear. Lot's wife for looking back was turned into a
pillar of salt. Uzzah for touching the ark, though out of a good
meaning, struck dead, 2 Sam. vi. 6. Moses, for a few unadvised words,
shut out of Canaan : Ps. cvi. 32, 33, ' It went ill with Moses for their
sakes, because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvised with
his lips.' When meek Moses was drawn into the snare of a rash speech,
God shutteth him out of Canaan. Therefore certainly gross sins obsti
nately persisted in cannot but provoke God to anger.
3. One argument more. If the offences of his children, that are
dear and precious to him, are recompensed in the earth, much more
the wicked and the sinner, Prov. xi. 31. If Sion sip of the cup, Babylon
shall drink up the dregs of it. If the hand of a father be so heavy,
what shall the wrath of a judge be? If offending children smart for
their folly, how will his anger break out against daring impudent
sinners ?
4. Consider that your presumptions will not secure you, but ruin you
the more. In all these proud acts of rebellion against God there is
some pretence men presume upon, or else they would not go on thus
directly against the will of God ; therefore they are called sins of pre
sumption. There is some pretence or other wherewith they harden
their hearts ; but alas ! they are but presumptions, the silly suppositions
of their own deceived hearts. He that is surety to himself is but little
secured by his own thoughts and words.
SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13, [SfiR. II
That I may drive the nail to the head, it will not be amiss a little to
touch upon the things men presume upon, and they are five ; either —
(1.) That God will not call them to an account ; (2.) That God will
be merciful, though they go on in them ; • (3.) That they shall repent
at last ; (4.) That they will make amends for one sort of sins by
abounding in their other duties ; (5.) That their estate will bear them
out.
First, That God will not call them to an account, or punish them
for their sins. There is atheism at the bottom of sins of presumption.
They think they shall do well enough though they add drunkenness to
their thirst. Why ? Because they either believe there is no God, or
that he is a weak and careless God. They either deny the being of
God, or else make an idol of him, while they fear not his power and
justice. Now consider, surely there is a God, or else how can these
things fall into this order and proportion wherein we see them?
Scripture and nature, creatures and conscience, will tell thee there is
a God. Look within thee, without thee, upward or downward, round
about thee, everything thou seest, hearest, or feelest proclaimeth a God
to thee, by whose will good and evil is stated. Certainly there is a
God, and there is such a thing as good and evil, vice and virtue, sin
and righteousness ; that the one is worthy of blame and the other
of praise. If it be not so, whence cometh it that we all affect to
be counted honest and good? to seem so at least, if not to be so?
The most wicked are offended when they are taken for such as
they are, and endeavour to cover their vices with the appearance of
virtue and goodness, as fearing blame. If all things were indifferent
in their own nature, it were no more crime for a man to kill his father
than his neighbour's dog ; to rob in the woods than to hunt a hare or
deer there ; to lie with his mother or sister than to use lawful marriage;
and no less honest to lie and forswear than to be sincere in our dealings.
Certainly there is a God, and there is good and evil, sin and righteous
ness, vice and virtue ; and if it be so, will not God punish the evil and
reward the good? If you think he will not, it is either because he hath
no right to do so, or no power, or no will or care to do it. No right to
punish, because mankind is exempted from his jurisdiction : can you
imagine that ? Certainly God hath a right to govern his creatures.
As he is a creator, he is an owner ; and as he is an owner, he is a ruler
and a judge. He that made all is the judge of all, the king of the earth.
If man be God's creature, he must be his subject, and judiciary power
is part of his government, to dispense the rewards of virtue, and the
penalties of vice. If God hath a right, hath he not power ? 1 Cor. x.
22, 'Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he ? '
How will you make your party good against him? Will you arm your
lusts against his angels ? What can an earthen pitcher expect by
dashing against a brazen wall but to be broken all in pieces ? Let the
potsherds of the earth contend with the potsherds of the earth ; they are
no match for God. Or is it because he will not ? that he neglects the
looking after mankind, and doth not mind what is done here below ?
It was the conceit of Epicurus and his followers that it would not stand
with the happiness of God to trouble himself with the affairs of the
world, as if it would disturb and discompose his bliss. Nee pro merilis
VEB. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 349
capitur, nee tangitur ira ; that he is neither pleased with our good
deeds, nor angry with our offences. And because many that live in the
bosom of the church are poisoned and leavened with this blasphemy, as
appeareth, Zeph. i. 12, ' I will search Jerusalem as with candles, and
punish the men that are settled on their lees, that say in their heart,
The Lord will not do good, neither will he do evil.' It is their latent
and hidden thought, though not their declared opinion ; I shall a little
speak to it. It is against all reason and sense. It is against all reason,
against the wisdom, power, justice, the purity and perfection of God's
holy nature, that he should be indifferent to good and evil, and mind
less of his creature whom he hath made ; that he should not use his
authority and power in executing vengeance on them that do evil, but
connive at all the disorders here below, without any taking notice of
things. It would destroy all worship and respect to God. The two
first motives that ordinarily induce men to religion are fear and hope ;
fear that God will avenge their misdoings, and hope of support when
men lie under straits and necessities. But now, when men have nothing
to hope and fear from his providence, why should they regard God ?
The epicureans indeed owned that God was to be worshipped for the
eminency of his doings, and for the happiness and excellency and great
ness of his nature; but alas ! that would breed a faint respect; for who
regardeth those in whom they are not concerned ? Here in the world
kings and potentates are not only reverenced with regard to the emi
nence of their dignity, but as they govern and protect us ; and the
common peace and safety depends upon the homage and obedience which
we pay to them. Who are there that have reverential thoughts for
princes and potentates who are separated from us by an arm of the sea,
or some small distance of place ? Who hath thoughts of allegiance
and awfulness towards the Mogul or kings of Persia and China, because
of their magnificence and the splendour of their courts, their vast armies
and retinue, and the largeness of their dominions? So would our respects
to God be cold and languid if we were not interested in him and he in
us. And besides hearsay, have we not continual proof of his justice and
goodness ? and doth he not daily make himself known by punishments
and benefits ? Doth not every man value the authority of the meanest
gentleman where he liveth, because he seeth it and feeleth it ? In case
of offence he may be punished by it ; in case of doing well, supported by
it. The reports of the greatest potentates affect us not unless we are
interested in their rewards and punishments. So it is against sense.
Internal sense, the frights and terrors of conscience, that hidden fear
and bondage which sinners are subject unto all their lives : Heb. ii. 15,
' And deliver them who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime
subject to bondage ; ' 1 Cor. xv. 56, ' The sting of death is sin, and the
strength of sin is the law.' It is as a thousand witnesses in our bosoms
that God will take vengeance of evil doings. Certainly the impressions
are involuntary; they are not things we delight in, for fear hath torment
in it. Men would fain get rid of it if they could, but they cannot wholly
root it out of their breasts what time soever they take to do it. It is
evident to external sense: Kom. i. 18, ' For the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
hold the truth in unrighteousness;' Heb. ii. 1, 2, 'Therefore we ought
350 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SEtt. IL
to give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest at any
time we should let them slip ; for if the word spoken, by angels was
steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recom
pense of reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation?"
God's justice executed should strike us with dread, when we see the
effects of it in pestilences or any other noisome diseases, wars, famines,
tempests, inundations, lightnings, thunders, particular instances upon
ourselves, upon any notorious disorders ; so that we are forced to say,
' Verily there is a God that judgeth the earth.' I have been the longer
on this, because atheism is at the bottom of presumptuous sins, and men
seek to extinguish out of their minds all thoughts of God's justice and
severity against sin. I know the grand objection, the promiscuous dis
pensations of God to good and bad. But that ariseth from our haste
and rashness, like ignorant and impatient spectators, that will not tarry
till the last act of the tragedy.
Secondly, Another thing that men presume upon is, that God will
be merciful though they go on in their sins. This is a presumption
wherein they harden their hearts, that God will not be so severe as is
told them, but more gentle and merciful to his creatures. But this is
to turn the mercy of God to a wrong use : Jude 4, ' Turning the
grace of God into lasciviousness ; ' to abound in sin that mercy may
abound. True penitents, nolunt misericordice divince oneri esse, would
not be burdensome to God's mercy. Mercy may become our enemy
when it is abused. Licentious persons cannot expect it ; for it is dis
pensed according to rule. Mercy to convert us as a free lord, but mercy
to reward us as a governor; and God hath told us he will not be merci
ful to such: Deut. xxix. 19, 20, 'And it come to pass, when he heareth
the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I
shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to
add drunkenness to thirst. The Lord will not spare him ; but then the
anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man.'
Therefore do not presume thou shalt find mercy at length. Mercy is
for the support of the penitent : Isa. Iv. 7, ' Let the wicked forsake his
way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return unto
the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he will
abundantly pardon.' Their cordial is thy poison : Ps. Ixviii. 19-21,
' Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with his benefits, even
the God of our salvation. He that is our God is the God of salvation ;
and unto God the Lord belong the issues from death. But God shall
wound the head of his enemies, and the hairy scalp of such a one as
goeth on still in his trespasses.'
Thirdly, Thou presumest that thou shalt repent at last. It is uncer
tain. God may take thee away in the act of sin, as he did Zimri and
Cosbi, Korah and his accomplices, or deny thee space to call for mercy.
Death doth not always give warning ; and those that forget God in
health may forget themselves when they come to die ; by some apo
plexy, lethargy, or some stupifying disease, may be deprived of all use
of reason. If a man were sure to repent, yet it is folly to play the
mountebank with our own souls. Who would break his head or wound
his body to make all whole again to try the strength of a plaster or
sovereign unguent ? or surfeit his body in expectation to remove the
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 351
distemper by a vomit ? Better be always sure. But usually God
giveth them up to hardness of heart, so as they never repent. There
is such a thing as judicial hardness of heart. When God giveth up
a sinner to his own counsels, and this is inflicted on those that resist
powerful means long vouchsafed : Gen. vi. 3, 'My Spirit shall not always
strive with man;' Prov. i. 24, 25, 'Because I have called, and ye refused;
I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded ; but ye have set
at nought my counsel, and would none of my reproof.' Therefore for
any in the time of youth and health to depend upon the presumption
of his repentance hereafter, and therefore defer the forsaking of wilful
sins and the known vanities of his life, he doth for the present grieve
and resist the Holy Spirit, while he importuneth to be heard and obeyed.
God will at length be wearied out, and not so ready to give grace as
before; therefore they run a desperate hazard of growing more wretched,
profane, and atheistical every day.
Fourthly, That they shall make amends for a course of sin in one
kind by abounding in other duties ; as some that live in uncleanness
will be charitable, to excuse or to expiate for the offences of a filthy life ;
and so make alms a sin-offering, which should be a thank-offering. So
some will be just and do no wrong, but shut up their bowels from those
that need ; some that mind first-table duties, but are faulty in the
second: Ezek. xxxiii. 13, 'If he trust to his own righteousness, and
commit iniquity, all his righteousness shall not be remembered, but for
his iniquity that he hath committed, he shall die for it.' Upon that
account or presumption the apostle taxeth this want of entire and
uniform zeal : Horn. ii. 22, ' Thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou com
mit sacrilege ? ' His method would lead to say, Thou that abhorrest
idols, dost thou worship idols ? But the Jews' form was a detestation
of idols, and yet they were entangled in a crime as enormous. Most
men's goodness is but to hide their secret indulgence to some lewd prac
tice or sinful course ; to hide it not only from the world, but from their
own hearts, that they may sin with greater leave from conscience ; as
if our delinquency in some things we affect might be excused by a
supererogation in other duties which are not so contrary to us ; as the
Jews did hope to repair their want of mercy by a multitude of sacrifices ;
as the stomach, when it hath no solid food, fills itself with wind. But
God will be obeyed in all things : Exod. xx. 1, ' God spake all these
words.' Not' these words; 'but ' all these words.' The same authority
runneth through all the commandments.
Fifthly, Some that think themselves regenerate, and in a state of
grace, think their estate will bear them out, so as they need not lay to
heart their presumptuous sins with such bitterness and remorse. They
are sure to find favour with God.
Ans. But consider, grace doth not make sin less evil. The nature
of it is the same both before conversion and after. Sin is the same, as
odious to God, as damnable in itself ; yea, in some sense our estate
doth aggravate the offence : John vi. 67, ' Will ye go away also ? '
They that have tasted more of the sweetness of grace, and so have a
greater obligation to resist sin, have felt more of the power of grace,
and so are more enabled to resist it. But more especially I shall show
you the inconveniency and mischief of it to the regenerate, because men
presume to sin because their sins can and may stand with grace.
352 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SfiR. II.
1. The sinner is excluded from that degree of favour which before
he enjoyed. There is a twofold love of God — amor benevolentice et
complacentice. God hath a great love to his people, first, in intending
us benefits by Christ : Jer. xxxi. 3, ' I have loved thee with an everlast
ing love ; therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee ; ' and then
delighting in what he hath bestowed : Ps. cxlvii. 11, ' The Lord taketh
pleasure in them that fear him ; ' Cant. ii. 14, ' Let me see thy counte
nance, let me hear thy voice ; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance
is comely ; ' Heb. viii. 16, ' For with such sacrifices God is well pleased , '
Zeph. iii. 17, ' The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty, he
will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy, he will rest in his love, he
will joy over thee with singing.' The more grace we have, and the
more we act it, the more like God, and so more delightful and lovely
in his sight. Now as to his love of benevolence and his love of com
placency, in both these respects God's love may be lost as to a great
degree.
[1.] The love of benevolence, or that love whereby he doeth us good,
which may be considered either in the eternal purpose of God, or his
present readiness to execute his purpose, or indeed our readiness to
receive it. Amor intentionis et executionis ; his purpose to do them
good remaineth firm, notwithstanding their sins. He had such a good
will to them before they were born, and before they were new-born, and
in time it worketh for their good : ' He is the Lord, that changeth not,'
Mai. iii. 6. But it is a purpose obstructed ; his present readiness to do
them good is much hindered and obstructed by these presumptuous
sins. Though God be always ready, yet they are not ready, they putting
themselves into an incapacity of receiving these benefits : Isa. lix. 2,
' But your iniquities have separated between you and your God ; and
your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear ; ' Ps. Ixvi.
18, ' If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.' The
good-will of God is, as it were, bound up and hindered from showing
itself in all those gracious effects which otherwise it would put fortli
for our comfort and peace. He doth not actually pardon their sins, and
make them partakers of spiritual benefits in so ample and full a measure
as otherwise he would, such as comfort, peace of conscience, protection
against temptations ; their sins put a bar against them during that
state. You provoke God to withdraw, to hold his hand, and cut you
short in these spiritual blessings which otherwise he would plentifully
dispense unto his people ; though there be some effects, for the seed of
God remaineth in them, 1 John iii. 9.
[2.] As to his love of complacency. God hath not such a delight in
us. We grieve his Spirit, Eph. iv. 30. He hath no pleasure in them
that draw back : Heb. x. 38, ' He hateth the workers of iniquity.'
Therefore God's children, when they do so, are no way acceptable to
God, neither their persons nor their offerings. He will not take an
offering at their hands. We find it by the effects. They have no
internal sense of his love ; no external answer of their prayers.
(1.) No internal sense of his love. They lose their assurance. God
doth not hold delightful communion with them in the Spirit. The joy
of the Holy Ghost is gone. The Spirit of God doth not shed abroad
his love in their hearts as formerly, Bom. v. 5. They have not that
liberty and holy confidence in prayer: 1 John iii. 21, 'If our hearts
VET*. 13.] SEKMONS UPON PSALM, xix. is. 353
condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God.' Those lively
hopes of glory, that sweetness in the word, that readiness and cheerful
ness in obedience ; nor strength to resist sin, nor comfort in reproaches,
nor courage in afflictions. Oh, in what a sad condition is a Christian
that is gone backward in God's love, and wants the comfortable effects
of it, like Sampson when his locks were gone! Nothing maketh a
well-disposed servant so ready to do his master's will as the knowledge
that he is in his favour, that what he doeth will be well taken. So
when there is assurance that our persons and work is accepted of God,
all goeth on cheerfully : Ps. cxix. 32, ' I will run the way of thy
commandments, when thou shalt enlarge my heart.' Dilatation of the
heart is the effect of joy. So for courage in tribulation : Kom. v. 3,
' And not only so, but we glory in tribulations ; ' Heb. x. 34, ' And
took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye
have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.' When anything
troubleth us, we may go to God and ease our griefs, and pour out our
complaints into his bosom. Well, then, internally all delightful
communion with God in the Spirit is suspended and interrupted.
(2.) Externally ; this is manifest by the non-audience of our prayers,
or non-acceptance of our persons: Isa. lix. 2, ' Your sins have separated
between you and your God ; ' Ps. Ixvi. 18, ' If I regard iniquity in my
heart, the Lord will not hear me ; ' Hosea v. 6, ' They shall go with
their flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord, but they shall not
find him ; he hath withdrawn himself from them.' To lose our duties
is a sad loss. To go to the throne of grace and find the oracle dumb ;
to call upon the God of mercy, who is ready to hear, and to have no
answer, is a sad case. As Baal's worshippers were abashed when they
had lanced and gashed themselves and could not get a drop of water
from him, so it is a great cause of sadness when God shutteth up him
self from the prayers of his people, and taketh no notice of their cry.
When a child cannot get the father to speak to him, but rather when
he turneth away in indignation ; as it is said of Miriam, Num. xii. 14,
' If her father had spit in her face, should she not be ashamed seven
days ? ' There is a time when God spits in the faces of his children ;
when God poureth anger, shame, and contempt upon us by refusing to
own us, or accept a prayer at our hands. Is it not sad and grievous
when he that formerly had such liberty of access to God and assurance
of welcome shall pray and no notice taken of it ? Isa. i. 15, ' When
ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you, when ye
make many prayers I will not hear.' Oh, therefore it is dangerous to
sin presumptuously. You lose the sense of the favour of God. David's
plotting Uriah's death was more laid to his charge than any other sins
which he committed : 1 Kings xv. 5. ' Because David did that which
was right in the eyes of the Lord, and turned not aside from anything
that he commanded him all the days of his life, save only in the matter
of Uriah.' How many of David's failings are left upon record ! His
distrust : ' I shall one day perish by the hand of Saul ; ' his dissimula
tion ; his rash vow to destroy Nabal ; his injustice in the matter of Ziba
and . Mephibosheth ; his indulgence to Absalom ; numbering the people,
wherein he showed his carnal confidence; all these are passed over
in silence as infirmities ; only the matter of Uriah stuck close to him.
VOL. xxi. z
354 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13, [SER. II.
2. They do exceedingly weaken the work of grace that is wrought
in their hearts. It is far abated ; it is much weakened, though not
totally abolished. Gradus remittitur, actus intermittitur, licet habitus
non cunittitur. The degree may be remitted: Mat. xxiv. 12, 'Love
may wax cold ; ' though not extinguished, yet abated ; it is more cold
than it was, though there be love still : Rev. ii. 4, ' Nevertheless I
have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.'
Not all love, but ' first love ; ' those high and raised operations
wrought in the soul upon first acquaintance with Christ and Chris
tianity. Qualities are capable of intension or remission. The act is
intermitted. Ephesus lost her first love, left her first works, Rev. ii. 5,
The apostle's advice is to keep from family breaches, that our prayers
be not hindered, 1 Peter iii. 7. Such men are altogether unfit for
action, and perform duties in a very uncomfortable fashion, because of
the guilt of the injuring party, and the grief and passion of the
injured ; but the habit is not lost, for the seed of God remaineth,
1 John iii. 9 ; and that fountain of living water that springeth up to
eternal life is never dried up ; and the unction abideth in you, 1 John
ii. 27 ; and they are kept on foot by the power of God, and the con
tinual intercession of Jesus Christ.
3. That by presumptuous sins we may weaken the habit, therefore
the apostle biddeth us not to quench the Spirit, 1 Thes. v. 19. Fire
may be quenched by withdrawing fuel or pouring on water ; pre
sumptuous sins of omission do the first, and commission the second.
When we live in the neglect of those duties that may increase grace,
or commission of gross sinful acts, they are as pouring on water, they
are as a wound to the body, that lets out our blood and .strength.
Now this should breed caution in us ; for there is a double principle
in us ; as the one increaseth, the other languisheth ; as sin increase th,
grace is ready to die : Rev. iii. 2, ' Be watchful, and strengthen the
things which remain, which are ready to die.' There is this advantage
on the flesh's side, that it is a native, not a foreigner, a home-bred
plant, which the soil breedeth naturally without any tillage, as nettles
will sooner preserve themselves and get ground upon better plants,
because the earth bringeth them forth of her own accord ; as water
heated, the cold is natural to it, and will prevail against the heat,
unless driven out by a constant fire.
4. The hurt is exceeding great to lose any degree of grace. How
shall we answer it to God when we embezzle our stock ? It is not
only donum, a gift to be preserved, but talentum, a talent to be
increased upon our hands, and of which we must give an account to
God. It is a precious gift dearly bought, serving for the highest use,
to fit us for communion with God. He that had five talents answered
for five, and he that had two accounted for two. You are to give an
account of all that you have received. So much as we lose, so much
we lose of our fitness to serve God, and our glory suitable.
5. To be careless of degree makes way for the loss of the whole.
Christians are like a hen when many eggs are taken out of the nest;
as long as one or two remaineth, she taketh no notice of it, forsaketh
not the nest. Therefore consider whether there be not abatement of
some degree of grace, though some may remain still. Content not
VEE. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 355
yourselves that all is not lost, but something remains, except it be in
a great proportion as formerly.
6. Those that are guilty of presumptuous sins will not be intrusted
with so much again. A man may recover his peace, comfort, and
strength, but in a lower degree ; as a prodigal that hath once broken is
not intrusted with a like stock again ; his friends are more cautious.
David did not recover that largeness of spirit and fulness of inward
strength and comfort he had before : 2 Chron. xvii. 3, ' And the Lord
was with Jehoshaphat, because he walked in the first ways of his
father David.' After a great disease we do not regain that pitch of
health we had afore ; then the acts are intermitted. When the soul
is distempered it is unfit for action ; either duties are omitted, or else
done in such an overly manner as doth increase our distemper and
harden us the more. In what sorry fashion did David worship God
till his conscience was awakened by Nathan, which was nine months.
Now this was a great loss to be so long without expressing his love to
God, to have his spiritual trade and commerce with heaven at a stand,
or to serve him in such a careless fashion.
7. They lose their present aptitude of entering into the kingdom of
heaven by falling into these gross presumptuous sins. The scripture
tells us, Rev. xxi. .27, that ' there shall in no wise enter into the
kingdom of heaven anything that defileth, or worketh abomination,
or maketh a lie.' And again, the apostle, speaking of fornication,
adultery, drunkenness, wantonness, saith, Gal. v. 21, ' They that do such
things shall not enter into the kingdom of God.' Now the ministers
of God are to declare it to them, and they that commit such things
are to apply it to themselves. It is true, the regenerate that do fall
into these sins do not actually perish in them, because they repent in
this life, and come to themselves, and recover their estate again ; but
for the present, till they do repent, their pardon is not actually passed,
but the guilt remaineth of them ; for that is the difference between
these sins and sins of infirmity ; that whereas infirmities are pardoned
of course, and by virtue of our general interest in the covenant, these
sins are not pardoned but upon express and particular repentance.
When David humbled himself, 2 Sam. xii. 13, the prophet told him,
' The Lord hath put away thy sin.' But till this be done, though they
have a dormant right by virtue of their general state, yet they are
under a sequestration ; as a leprous man was compelled to want his
own house till he was cleansed from that disease ; he had a right to
the house, but could not use it ; so these lose their fitness for heaven
till they recover themselves ; therefore scandalous sinners are shut out
by the keys of the kingdom of heaven : Mat. xviii. 18, ' Whatsoever ye
shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever ye
shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.' What a misery is it
for a man to be in such an estate, wherein, if he should die, you may
suppose he cannot be saved ! Well, then, you see it is ill depending
upon your estate. Those that are in a good estate lose ground in the
three great privileges of Christianity — justification, sanctification, and
glorification. If they should fall into drunkenness with Noah,
adultery with David, incest with Lot, idolatry with Solomon, perjury
•with Peter, yet they smart for it.
356 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SfiR. III.
SERMON III.
Keep lack tliy servant from presumptuous sins. — Ps. xix. 13.
HAVING showed you the danger of the first sort of men, that live in
known sins against the light of conscience and the things they presume
upon, I now come to a second sort, that live in sin, and please themselves
in this, that all men are sinners, and so are they, and that their sins are
but sins of infirmity.
To this I answer — That which you constantly practise, without
resistance and remorse, how can you call that your infirmity ? Every
man almost thinketh his sins to be infirmities. Come to the drunkard,
swearer, adulterer, oppressor of godliness, the vilest of men, they will
tell you that they are sinners, as all men are, and that their sins are
but slips and frailties incident to mankind. But what are these slips
and frailties you call so ? Swearing frequently, drunkenness, wanton
ness, and the like sins : this they call making themselves merry ; and
in their mirth they are commonly ridiculing and deriding religion.
Though they daily go to the taphouse, playhouse, whorehouse, though
they have not one drachm of grace, or any serious care about eternal
life, yet this is their excuse, that they have their infirmities as well as
others.
To these five things must be offered — (1.) The distinction of per
sons ; (2.) The distinction of sins ; (3.) The nature of sins of infirmity ;
(4.) Some observations thence ; (5.) The vanity of their excuses and
pleas, by which they would prove their sins to be infirmities.
First, There is a distinction of persons to be regarded. Some have
passed from death to life, 1 John iii. 14 ; others do as yet remain in
' the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity,' Acts viii. 23. Some
are in the flesh, and ' they cannot please God,' Rom. viii. 8 ; others
make it their business to find acceptance with him, 2 Cor. v. 9. Some
that live after the flesh, Rom. viii. 13 ; others who are in Christ, and
' there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ/ Rom. viii. 1.
The one sort of men are under the first covenant, and the sins which
they commit are deadly and damnable. To the other sort indeed we
cannot say all their sins are venial and sins of infirmity ; for they may
fall in some rare and extraordinary cases into great and atrocious crimes ;
but this we can say, their infirmities are pardoned of course, which we
cannot say of the other. The state of the person, though it doth not
all, yet it beareth much weight in the case ; for the first sort of men are
without the verge of the covenant of grace, and wholly destitute of the
spiritual life. How can their sins be said to be infirmities or venial
faults ? The state of the covenant will not permit it, nor the state of
their hearts. Not the state of the covenant; for sin, all sin, is in its
nature deadly and destructive. The end of it is death, and the wages
of it death, Rom. vi. 21, 23. How can wicked men, that never accepted
of the covenant of grace, hope for any release ? for the grace and mercy
of God goeth along with that covenant, and reacheth not to them that
are not under it. Therefore their lighter faults are deadly and destruc
tive, both ex merito, in their own nature and merit, and ab eventu, in
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 357
respect of the event They shall have judgment without mercy, when
others are judged hy the law of liberty, James ii. 12, 13. And the state
of their hearts will not permit it, for he hath no spiritual life ; for
infirmity is in one that hath life. He hath life, but it is weak, and so
he faileth out of weakness : ' The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak,'
Mat. xxvi. 41. But infirmities cannot properly be said to be in them
who are said to be ' dead in trespasses and sins ; ' where sin remaineth
in its full strength, and they have no power of grace at all. You do
not say of a dead man that he is weak. It is true, the faults of wicked
and impenitent persons are not all of a like nature ; some are more
wilfully committed than others, but they are all mortal, even their vain
thoughts and idle words, and bring them under the curse, which is not
taken off till they fly for refuge to the covenant of grace, and change
states. A wicked man so living and so dying shall be judged accord
ing to that covenant which saith, Gal. iii. 10, ' Cursed is every one that
continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law
to do them.' But now, for the other sort, we cannot say that all the
sins of the godly are infirmities. It is true, the sins whereinto they
ordinarily fall are not presumptuous sins, but sins of weakness and infir
mity, because the general bent and frame of their hearts is towards God.
But they may, in some extraordinary cases, fall into gross and foul sins.
As outwardty, besides the daily infirmities the body is subject to, as
hunger, weariness, faintness, and pain. There are grievous distempers
a,nd diseases, in which a man cannot tell whether the patient will live
or die ; so a godly man that hath the life of grace may, besides incident
weaknesses which cannot be avoided by the grace that is ordinarily
given, fall into great enormities, which are ordinary and frequent, and
so may lose his sense of the love of God, and his hopes and fitness for
eternal life as before ; but this advantage he hath above the wicked
man, his infirmities and daily failings do not bring him under condem
nation, but are pardoned by virtue of his general interest in the covenant
of grace, while the main of his course is to walk after the Spirit, a"nd not
after the flesh, Eom. viii. 1. He hath the seed of God in him to awaken
his heart, and some former experiences of the love of God that encourage
him to sue out his pardon. In his grievous offences he is not altogether
so hopeless and helpless as a wicked man that never was acquainted
with God. It fareth with him as with Nebuchadnezzar when he was
brutified through his melancholy or God's secret judgment, Dan. iv.
15. The stump of his roots remained in the earth when his branches
were cut off and his leaves shaken and the fruit scattered. There was
the foundation of a reasonable creature under brutish manners. Well,
then, the different state of the persons must be considered. What !
should men dead in trespasses and sins, and wholly strangers from the
covenant of promise, talk of infirmities ?
Secondly, The distinction of sins. All sin, but not all alike. The
scripture intimateth a distinction : ' Their spot is not the spot of God's
children,' Deut. xxxii. 5. They are a perverse and crooked generation ;
their sin which spotteth and blemisheth their souls is not such a sin
which is of infirmity, which his children may, and many times do, com
mit, but not of malignity, and perverseness, and contempt, or such as
proceedeth out of wilfulness or an impenitent heart. God gave the
358 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SER. Ill
priest under the law direction how to put a difference between leprous
persons, to pronounce some clean and some utterly unclean, Lev. xiii.
38, 39, with the 44th. If the leprosy spotted the skin, but did not fret
the flesh, the priest was to pronounce him clean. God is merciful to
the infirmities of his people, not esteeming every spot and deformity in
them as a malignant sin. We read, Jude 15, of 'ungodly deeds
which they have ungodlily committed ; ' and Ezek. xxiv. 13, ' In thy
filthiness is lewdness.' Some things are done out of mere weakness,
others in a more provoking manner ; as when a man is sufficiently
convinced in his understanding that the thing that he would do is
unlawful and displeasing to God, or at least hath means to convince
him if he be not wanting to himself in the use thereof, and hath time and
leisure to advise with himself, and examine the case, and apply the light
of his understanding to direct him, yet resolveth to put his intention into
act, and to fulfil his own will ; this is an ungodly deed ungodlily com
mitted, a presumptuous sin ; and whosoever doth so is become highly
culpable before God. Thou canst not say, It is thy infirmity, no more
than if a man should voluntarily beat another and say it is his infirmity.
A man may strike another by chance, or in his sleep, as night-walkers ;
that is passed by ; or as under the law there was a city of refuge for him
that slew another by chance, and not of malice prepense. As casual
homicide and wilful murder differ, so doth sinning out of infirmity and
sinning out of presumption ; and a middle between both is striking
another in passion, as sins of violent passion are in some cases infirmi
ties, in others presumptions.
Thirdly, The nature of sins of infirmity. The more of voluntariness
or wilfulness, the less they are sins of infirmity ; for to sin wilfully,
resolvedly, without restraint, reluctancy, or tenderness of conscience, is
to sin presumptuously, not out of infirmity. Now what degree of
voluntariness there is in our sinning is here to be determined, and
must be known by observation. The will may concur several ways,
habitually or actually. Habitually ; as John iii. 19, ' They loved dark
ness rather than light ; ' which is more plainly expressed Ps. Iii. 3,
' Thou lovest evil more than good.' What is done wittingly, willingly :
Isa. Ixv. 12, ' And did choose that wherein I delighted not ;' Isa. Ixvi.
3, 4, ' They did evil before mine eyes ; yea, they have chosen their own
ways ; and their soul delighteth in their abominations.' When men
willingly choose and betake themselves to such practices : Rom. vi. 16,
' Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his
servants ye are to whom ye obey ? ' And an actual consent ; this may
be in some cases to some particular sinful action. Their actual will to
sin at that time is greater than their actual will to forbear it. Now this
may be deliberate or precipitated. Deliberate : Heb. x. 29, ' Who liave
trodden underfoot the Son of God, and have counted the blood of the
covenant wherewith they were sanctified an unholy thing, and have
done despite to the Spirit of grace.' That is a presumptuous sin ; a
thorough consent of will to forsake the known truth, or else precipitated
by the violence of the present passion, which is a kind of surprisal ; as
Peter, being surprised of a sudden, denied that he knew Christ. Again
our willingness may be full or half full, plenary or partial. Plenary
is set forth in that expression, Eccles. viii. 11, ' Therefore the heart of
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. is. 359
the sons of men is fully set in them, to do evil ; ' when there is a
voluntary delivering over ourselves to such a practice. Partial or but
half full when there is a consent and a dissent, but the consent is
stronger for the time ; as when they do that which they allow not,
Rom. vil 15. This may be an infirmity, the other an iniquity.
Sometimes the will may concur not by an express consent so much as
by a naked permission or connivance ; not a strong dissent, which,
though it be culpable considering our duty, yet it argueth a weakness.
Again, consent of will is found out by considering our strength, or
advantages of standing out against the temptation, as when there is
more time for deliberation. A deliberate act hath more of the will
than sudden risings or bubbling up of sins. So also in the nature of
the sin. To blaspheme and curse God is a greater sin than an
idle thought, and we have more advantages against it. Idolatry is
a greater sin than stealing a 4*iM m & shedding of blood than an
officious lie. Or when we have more checks of conscience, and warn
ings and stops in providence, or our temptations are not great ; as the
murmuring of the Israelites was not out of want, but wantonness. Or
when men have greater helps, quickness of understanding, and grace
to prevent it. In short, an evil intent hath more of the will in it
than an evil action ; the one is purposed, the other done by way of
surprise.
Fourthly, The observations are these two —
1. That there is some difficulty in the case to state what sins are
sins of presumption, and what of infirmity ; partly because some sins
which in their nature are infirmities may prove iniquities in the com-
mitter, as when he abandoneth himself to vain thoughts, idle words or
actions. And partly because the same sin may be an infirmity in one
man which is not in another, because the other hath more knowledge and
helps of grace. And partly because that may be an infirmity at one
time which is not at another, as it cometh backed with more temptations,
and so make a more forcible impression, and have no time for delibera
tion. And partly because that which was an infirmity at first may
afterwards commence into an iniquity ; as when he has sinned away
his spiritual strength ; his conscience is not awake, because lulled
asleep by some foregoing sin. And partly because it is hard to
determine how long sensual passions may keep the soul from sober
consideration.
2. That the best way will be to stand at a distance universally from
all sin, for thereby we shall be kept out of dangers. If the scripture
had expressly set down how much sin is consistent with grace, we
might have been tempted to have gone as far as we could, and would
not so strictly stand upon our guard as now we are obliged to do ;
for since it is so nice a case, we should be the more cautious. And
here these corollaries arise from the debate —
[1.] If you see how much it concerneth you to keep up a constant
care and felicitous desire to please God in all things : Heb. xiii. 18,
' Pray for us ; for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things
willing to live honestly ; ' and a solid purpose and inclination of heart
against all sin : Ps. xcvii. 10, ' Ye that love the Lord, hate evil.'
[2.] How much it concerneth us to cherish and increase these every
360 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SER. III.
day, that our hatred against sin may be more keen and lively : Ps. cxix.
104, ' Through thy precepts I get understanding, therefore I hate every
false way ; ' and our inclination to God, and holiness, and heaven more
strengthened and increased : 1 Thes. iv. 1, ' That as ye have received
of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more
and more ; ' Ps. Ixxxiv. 10, ' They go from strength to strength ; ' Phil,
iii. 14, ' I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of
God in Jesus Christ/
[3.] This must be not only our purpose, but our constant business,
our constant care, Phil. ii. 12 ; our prayer, Mat. xxvi. 41 ; our tears and
groans, Horn. vii. 24 ; our striving, Eom. vi. 13, 14 ; our serious en
deavour, Acts xxiv. 16. But some may say, What needeth there so
much ado ? I answer — ' Though the spirit is willing, yet the flesh is
weak/ Our understandings and wills are but imperfectly sanctified.
The understanding is an imperfect guide ; the will doth not stand upon
its empire ; there is an obstinacy and rebellion in the lower faculties.
If this care be not taken, they will prove more than infirmities.
[4.] When through frailty we sin more grievously, it concerneth us
early to recover ourselves again : 1 John ii. 1, ' My little children,
these things write I unto you that ye sin not ; and if any man sin,
we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous/
Under the law, if a man were unclean, he was to wash his clothes
before evening. And after we have fallen to be more watchful and
circumspect : Ps. Ii. 6, ' In the hidden part thou shalt make me to
know wisdom ; ' lest we settle into a trade of sin.
Fifthly, The vanity of their excuses and pleas. What have you to
say why your sins should be counted infirmities ?
1. Is it because you run not into those gross and roaring sins and
abominations wherewith others are blemished ? I answer —
[1.] There may be much contempt of God in a small sin, when for
a trifle we will break with him, and go against his express will. This
is a slighting of the divine majesty. What love and reverence hath
he to God that will displease him for a trifle ? Among men, to deny
a small thing to a friend, or to resist authority upon a light occasion,
maketh a man more culpable. It is not an excuse, but an aggravation :
Amos ii. 6, ' They sold the righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair
of shoes/ Adam's eating the forbidden fruit, the smallness of the
thing forbidden aggravated his sin. Saul's sin, for which God rejected
him, was of no great outward bulk ; sparing Agag, and the best of the
sheep, and oxen, and fatlings for sacrifice. It was neither murder that
he committed, nor adultery, nor drunkenness, but it was against the
express command of God ; and so rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
1 Sam. xv. 23 ; that is, disobedience to God in a small matter may be
as heinous as the greatest sins. In some cases there are more aggravat
ing circumstances in small sins than those that seem greater, as the
dye many times is more than the stuff. It is rather an argument that
sin beareth full sway, than any sign of your goodness; as a little
thing will make a stone run down-hill, because it is its natural motion.
As there may be much crookedness in a small line, so there may be
much contempt of God in small sins. He that was found gathering
sticks on the sabbath-day, and Moses knew not what to do with him,
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 3G1
the Lord said unto Moses, ' The man shall surely be put to death : all
the congregation shall stone him without the camp,' Num. xv. 35.
You will say, Was that such a great matter, to gather a few sticks ?
Or, he being the first instance, might have been spared. No ; it was
against God's express law ; it was a presumption, therefore capital.
Among the four sorts of death inflicted by the Israelites, stoning was
the chief. There was stoning, burning, slaying with the sword, and
strangling. Maimonides saith, stoning was counted heavier than burn
ing, and burning than slaying with the sword, and that than strangling.
Now God said, The congregation shall stone him with stones. Go now
and plead that thy sins are but small sins ; with Jonathan, ' I did but
touch a little honey with the top of my rod, and for this I must die,'
1 Sam. xiv. 43. The matter may be small, but the sin great, as it
hath more or less of wil fulness in it. Do but consider God's infinite
majesty, and supreme right to the creature's obedience, and see if this
plea will stand, It is but a small matter, and let me be allowed in this.
God will be punctually and exactly observed, so as there may be no
allowed failings. The matter may be small, and yet not the nature
of the sin small. The least sins are committed against an infinite
majesty, and are breaches of his eternal law.
[2.] Small sins neglected may breed great danger to us. As a small leak
neglected may sink the ship, as well as the greatest wave ; so do small
sins destroy the soul for ever if they be neglected ; if a man allow him
self in them, and deliberately multiply them, they will damn us as well
as great fend heinous sins that make more noise, and are more hateful
in the world. What matter is it to the loss of the ship whether it be
swallowed up by one great wave, or sunk by degrees ? We read of
some that have been slain by the sword, of others that have been killed
by bodkins and penknives ; some that have been devoured by lions,
others eaten out with vermin, destroyed with mice and lice. Pope
Adrian was choked with a gnat : Mat. v. 19, ' Whosoever therefore
shall break one of these least commandments, and teach men so, he
shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven ; ' a man of no place
or room in the kingdom of grace and glory : ver. 20, ' He shall in no
case enter into heaven.'
[3.] When men give themselves liberty in lesser sins, they presently
fall into greater : Ps. i. 1, 'Blessed is the man that walketh not in the
counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth
in the seat of the scornful.' Mark, here is walking, standing, and sit
ting ; ungodly, sinners, and scornful ; counsel, way, and seat ; hearken
to their counsel, walk in their way, sit in their seat. The little sticks
set the great ones on fire, and a little wisp is often used to enkindle a
great block of wood. A man that keepeth his heart so carelessly that
he surTereth breaches to be made upon his soul, he doth thereby fit
himself for greater. Every sin bringeth not only a guilt upon the soul,
but a blot, a stronger inclination to sin again ; as a stick that hath been
in the fire is the more apt to fire the second time. Corruption is
strengthened as well as wrath increased ; as a lesser degree of heat
disposeth to a greater, as water heated to such a degree will soon be
heated to further degrees ; as many acts of sin bring on a customary
necessity and inclination ; it removeth the fear of God. They that make
362 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SfiR. III.
bold with him in little things will venture upon greater. We grow bolder,
and so doth Satan too. When we have lost our reverence of God, he
is encouraged to come on with stronger temptations. God is provoked to
withdraw his grace, that awe, bond, or bridle by which we are withheld
from sin. God suffereth them to fall into greater, because they made
nothing of lesser; yea. small sins engage a man to do more, to excuse,
conceal, or maintain what we have done already. Peter's fear drew
on his denial with oaths and execrations ; and so there is no stopping
when we run down-hill. The wimble pierceth the wood, and maketh
way for the auger; so these make the first breach in the conscience,
which still groweth wider and wider for temptations to enter upon us.
Small sins may harden the heart more than greater, because there is
more neglect of God ; they are committed without regret, and digested
without remorse. Great sins are more apparent and more hateful.
Natural conscience blusheth at them ; but small sins are let alone till
a custom groweth upon us. A violent distemper maketh us run to the
physician, but when a disease groweth upon us by degrees, we carry
death in our bosoms before we are aware. All this is spoken to teach
us to make conscience of lesser sins and failings, and not willingly to
allow them. The lesser commandments are an hedge to the greater ;
as cruelty to the beasts is forbidden that it may be a rail about the life
of man. Jerome saith of Paula, Ita levia peccata deflebat, ut gravissi-
morum scelerum diceres ream— She so bewailed small sins as if she
had been guilty of great ones.
[4.] Consider the multitude of them. Small sins .with their multitude
and number hurt the soul as much as greater sins with their weight.
David, a good man, crieth out, Ps. xl. 12, ' Innumerable evils Jiave
compassed me about ; mine iniquities have taken hold of rne, so that I
am not able to look up : they are more than the hairs of mine head ;
therefore my heart faileth me.' They are a burden too heavy for me.
Though little sins seem light in themselves, what are they altogether ?
Nothing lighter than sand, yet what is more weighty than sand ? Prov.
xxvii. 3. A gnat, a fly, a locust, poor inconsiderable creatures, yet when
they come in multitudes they are God's 'great army,' Joel ii. 25. We may
count our sins by the moments of our lives, the number of our thoughts,
words, and deeds. We must not look on them as single sins, but as
the sins of one that hath greatly sinned before, in the whole track and
course of his life ; as a figure added to a sum already fixed makes it
rise high. What a miserable spectacle is a poor creature that hath a
complication of diseases, and is exercised with many at once, the stone,
gout, strangury, pain of the teeth ! Consider it ; oh, what are we
that have so many kinds of sin ? We look on sins severally, but God
conjunctly. Though he can see every sin apart, yet he seeth them
altogether, in the whole course and track of it.
[5.] Small sins have met with great judgments ; Uzzah for touching
the ark struck dead, 2 Sam. vi. 7 ; Moses shut out of Canaan for a
few hasty unadvised words, Num. xx. 24; Lot's wife turned into a
pillar of salt, Gen. xix. 26 ; the disobedient prophet torn in pieces by
a lion, 1 Kings xiii. 26 ; Nadab and Abihu cut off for offering strange
fire unto the Lord, Num. xxvi. 60.
[6.] It is a greater evil to be guilty of one of those sins than to suffer
VER. 13.] s^. MONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 363
the greatest temporal losses. It is a step towards the loss of the favour
of God, and an offence to God : Heb. xi. 26, ' Moses esteemed the
reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt.'
2. Is it because you are tempted and drawn on by others ?
Ans. Yet there may be presumption and consent on thy part for all
this. Adam was tempted to the eating the forbidden fruit by Eve, and
Eve tempted by Satan, yet the mischief of that action was very great.
He had time of deliberation, and to give check to the temptation. All
that are drawn into sin are tempted ; some by themselves, and some
by others. David gave leave to his eyes to fire his heart, 2 Sam. xi. 2.
Indeed those that tempt themselves sin more ; but yet you may sin,
and that presumptuously, without being tempted by others. David was
tempted to number the people : 1 Chron. xxi. 1, ' And Satan stood up
against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel;' yet David doth
not lessen and excuse the sin by the temptation : ver. 8, ' I have sinned
greatly, because I have done this thing.' Joseph was tempted, but he
stood, because the fear of God preserved his heart. If you had stood upon
your guard, you might not miscarry. It is true God considereth men
according to their temptations ; so should we (Gal. vi. 1, ' If a brother
be overtaken in a fault ') in judging others, but not in judging ourselves.
A self-excusing heart is none of the best. We, that are conscious to
the workings of our hearts, may find wilful circumstances and volun
tary inclinations in ourselves, besides instigation from without. But
how are we enticed ? why drawn away by our own lusts and enticed ?
James i. 14. Si Sathanas loqueretur, et taceret Deus, liaberes unde te
excusares — If Satan only speak, and God hold his peace, it were
another matter. But when we are set between God's admonitions and
Satan's suggestions, why should we yield to one more than to another ?
God adviseth that which is good, as well as Satan enticeth to evil.
Now voluntarily and deliberately to hearken to Satan and neglect God,
judge whether that be not a presumption, yea or no. They that sin,
and are not tempted, reject the commandment of God ; but they that
are tempted reject God and prefer the commandment of a base crea
ture or sinful man before God, and are pliable to men when the heart
is not to be entreated by God, which is a double affront and disgrace.
3. Or is it because you say you strive against it ?
Ans. So did Pilate against the crucifying of Christ, but yielded to
it at last against his own conscience for his interest's sake, to preserve
the good-will of the people and his credit in his government ; though
he would fain have washed his hands of it, yet it sticketh to him to
this day. Balaam resisted for a while, but yieldeth at length for the
wages of unrighteousness. The consciences of most will bear back
and hold off for a time from a thing which they apprehend to be offen
sive to God and destructive to the soul, but the pleasure and profit of
sin prevaileth, and they are carried away. If sin hath not wholly
beclouded and subverted our reason (which happeneth only to such
whom God abandoneth in an extraordinary manner), men do not, can
not commit any considerable crime, without some reluctancy of con
science ; but at length, after some encounter and contest, reason is
captivated by the violence of passion, and men are strangely transported
by the instigations and urgings of the flesh ; but the actions are not the
364 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [&ER. III.
more excusable for these strivings ; no, but the more culpable, since their
own conscience does not acquit them. No question but every one is
the most favourable judge of his owu actions. Now our own hearts
condemn us, and there is a sentence against what we do in our own
breasts. I say, these reluctances and grudgings of conscience make
the rebellion the greater, when you will venture upon what is evil
against the checks of your own consciences. He that will break through
when he hath rubs in his way, his heart is the more bent upon that
action. There is a double evil — to do the sinful act, and overcome that
which hindereth the doing of it.
4. Do you excuse yourselves because you are troubled about it?
Ans. So was Esau troubled after he had sold his birthright. The
apostle telleth us he sought it again with tears, Heb. xii. 15, 16.
Judas, when he had betrayed his master, had his qualms : Mat. xxvii.
4, ' I have sinned in that I have betrayed innocent blood.' He was
troubled even to a deep despair. There is a necessary connection
between sinful acts and stings of conscience. Heathens felt accusing
thoughts after they had done any foul gross evil, Kom. ii. 14, 15.
Adam was ashamed and hid himself. It is not a godly sorrow when
it doth not weaken the sin committed. We are troubled, yet fall into
it again for all this ; these are but involuntary impressions.
5. Some excuse themselves because they have no power to do other
wise ; the swearer would leave his swearing if he could, and the
drunkard his cups if he could.
Ans. The truth is, this one thing is considerable concerning infir
mities and presumptions. That is an infirmity that doth not arise
from wilfulness, but want of strength to resist : Eom. vii. 19, ' The
evil which I would not, that I do.' But sins of presumption are those
which are more easily avoided by the ordinary assistance of grace
which God vouchsafeth, either habitual or actual. They are easily
known, easily observed, and occasions and opportunities easily prevented.
Either prevented by habitual grace, or the actual aids of God's Spirit.
But yet to say you have no power is a vain pretence in most men ; for
many times this want of power doth aggravate the sin. It is a lazy
cannot ; that is, they cannot find in their hearts to take pains, but give
way to spiritual sloth, and if they will not bestir themselves and use
the means that God hath appointed, they cannot be excused. A sluggard
cannot do any such thing, because his hands refuse to labour. It is a
wilful cannot : John v. 44, ' How can ye believe, which receive honour
one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only ? ' Or
else it is the penal, judicial cannot. The want of power to resist may
be more faulty than the act they commit ; as when they have provoked
God to withdraw his grace and leave them under a customary hardness
and necessity of sinning ; as, ' How can ye do good that are accus
tomed to do evil ? ' Jer. xiii. 27. There is an inclination in them to do
evil ; as a drunken man cannot do his business because he hath disabled
himself. They are guilty of a double crime, for their drunkenness
and disability ; as a naughty man cannot go because the magistrate
hath locked him in the stocks. Well, then, when they will not take
pains to mortify their lusts, or to watch against sin, or have forfeited
grace, and brought a necessity upon themselves, their sin is the more.
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 365
Use 2. To press us — (1.) To take heed of presumptuous sins; (2.)
Not to depend upon our own strength, but seek the grace of God.
First, Take heed of presumptuous sins ; of all sin as much as we can,
but especially of these sins ; for these reasons —
1. Because these are more unnatural : 1 John iii. 9, ' Whosoever is
born of God doth not commit sin, for his seed remaineth in him, and
he cannot sin, because he is born of God.' Not in such a manner as
others do. He hath his failings, and now and then some great fall,
but it is contrary to the new nature ; as if an hen should bring forth
the egg of a crow.
2. These are more mischievous. They exclude us from the favour
of God, which sins of infirmity do not. Hinder the acceptance of our
prayers : 2 Chron. xxx. 19, 20, 'The good Lord pardon every one that
prepareth his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though
he be not cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And
the Lord hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.'
3. They bring a scourge on our families : ' The sword shall never
depart from thine house,' 2 Sam. xii. 16. It is a misery to a parent to
see his family scourged for his sin.
4. Pardon is not so easily obtained for these sins. There is a pardon
of course for sins of infirmity, but for these not till they be particularly
repented of. It is good to repent of every sin with a distinct and par
ticular repentance, yet it is not so absolutely necessary. A special
repentance is required for these sins in all the parts of it.
[1.] A greater sorrow and humiliation : ' Peter went out and wept
bitterly,' Mat. xxvi. 75 ; and Luke vii. 38, ' Mary Magdalen washed
Christ's feet in her tears.' The incestuous Corinthian, that was almost
swallowed up in uncleanness, was swallowed up in sorrow, 2 Cor. ii. 7.
David speaketh of broken bones, Ps. li. Great wounds must have
broad plasters. Now a less degree of sorrow will serve for other sins,
even the ordinary and daily exercise of repentance, such as we express
to God in our daily prayers. A great disease needeth more special
physic than an ordinary, or is necessarily used in health.
[2.] A particular confession and acknowledgment of this sin : Ps. li.
14, ' Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, God ; ' with Ps. xix. 12,
' Who can understand his errors ? Cleanse me from my secret sins.'
A general, serious, but dolorous acknowledgment of our corruptions,
with a general prayer for pardon : ' Forgive us our trespasses, as we
forgive them that trespass against us.' No man's knowledge is so
exact, his conscience so watchful, his memory so perfect, but, so far as
we observe, we must acknowledge and bewail them.
[3.] An actual reformation is more necessary. A man cannot ordin
arily avoid all sins of infirmity. A virtual, habitual forsaking of them
is required, as the soul is more confirmed in the love of God, and there
is a general desire to be rid of them : ' wretched man that I am !
who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' Rom. vii. 24.
And striving against them is victory, and an endeavour to resist them
as far as we are able. But as to actual forbearance, that is not so
strictly required, and under such penalties. A man may die when
such sins are breaking from him, and yet go to heaven. But these
sins are not actually pardoned, unless actually relinquished : Prov. xxviii.
36 G SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SfiR. III.
13, ' He that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy ; '
John v. 14, ' Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.' Pro
bably they had smarted for some gross provocation : Ezra x. 19, ' They
gave their hands that they would put away their strange wives ; ' Acts
xix. 19, ' Many of them which used curious arts brought their books
together, and burnt them before all men.' Eeal actual avoiding that
sin is required of themselves and others.
Secondly, Take heed of depending upon your own strength. The
more holy any one is, the more sensible of their sinfulness and readi
ness to fall. Their hatred against sin is more strong ; they are more
acquainted with God and themselves, and so are more jealous of offending
him, more humble. A jealousy of a man's proneness to fall into these
kind of sins is a good preservative: Rom. xi. 20, 'Well, because of
unbelief, they were broken off, and thoti staridest by faith ; be not high-
minded, but fear ; ' 1 Cor. x. 12, ' Wherefore let him that standeth take
heed lest he fall.' The best Christians need the strongest assistance.
Oh, then, take heed of this self-dependence.
The notes of it.
First, It discovereth itself by venturing on temptations without a
call or warrant. When men will lay their heads in the lap of a
temptation, or run into the mouth of danger, they do not only tempt
God, but tempt themselves. Peter would be getting into the devil's
quarters; and what was the issue? He denieth his master there.
Dependence on God is ever accompanied with an holy solicitude and
cautiousness : Phil. ii. 12, ' Work out your salvation with fear and
trembling.' It is a presuming on our own strength, when we will be
.playing about the cockatrice's hole. When you run upon occasions of
sin, you provoke God to leave you. Avoid tempting objects ; we soon
take fire.
Secondly, When we neglect means whereby graces are fed and
supplied, waiting for a dole at wisdom's gate : Prov. viii. 34, ' Blessed
is the man that heareth me, watching daily at ray gates, waiting
daily at the posts of my doors/ We cannot regularly expect anything
from God but in God's way; therefore be much in prayer, hearing,
taking all opportunities of doing and receiving good. Now when once
we begin to think we need not pray so much and hear so much, and
are more arbitrary and negligent in the use of means, we live upon our
own stock, and quit God.
Thirdly, When we go forth to any conflict without actual renewing
our dependence. The 'Ephraimites took it ill that the Gibeonites
did not call them into the field when they went out against the enemy:
Judges viii. 1, 'Why hast thou served us thus, that thou calledst us
not when thou wen test to fight against the Midianites ? ' May not
God much more when you take not him along with you ?
Fourthly, When we boast of our courage before we are called to trial.
They that crack in their quarters do not always do best in the field,
licineiuber Peter's boast, ' Though all men be offended because of thee,
yet will I never be offended,' Mat. xxvi. 33 ; and 'Let not him that
putteth on his harness boast as he that putteth it off. 3
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. la 307
SERMON IV.
Let them not have dominion over me. — Ps xix. 13.
WE have handled the first branch of David's prayer as it is absolutely
considered. I now come to speak of the second, which is conceived upon
supposition and by way of reserve, that if he should fall into those
sins, yet that they might not have full dominion over him. Or, if you
will, in the first branch, sin is considered in the cause and rise of it,
pride and rebellion against God ; here in the fruit and effect of it, ' Let
them not have dominion over me/ The former notion represented sin
as an offence to God, a presuming of the creature upon him or against
him ; this clause, as a mischief to the creature, as that which exer-
ciseth a tyranny upon us, ' Let them not have dominion over me.'
Doct. It concerneth the children of God to take care that sin get not
dominion over them.
Here I shall inquire — (1.) When sin is said to have dominion
over us ; (2.) Why we are to take care that this mischief doth not
befall us.
The first I shall open in these propositions —
First, In every man by nature all sin doth reign ; for where there is
no principle of grace set up, sin remaineth in its full strength. There
fore carnal men are said in scripture to be under the power of darkness :
Acts xxvi. 18, ' To turn them from darkness to light, and from the
power of Satan to God ; ' Col. i. 13, 'Who hath delivered us from the
power of darkness.' As long as man continueth in his natural estate,
he is kept in slavery under the power of sin and Satan. His corrup
tions have a great power over him, and he liveth in a peaceable,
willing, uncontrolled subjection to them : Titus iii. 3, ' Serving divers
lusts and pleasures.' Sundry men have their sundry lusts, but all are
in servitude and bondage, wholly free from the yoke of righteousness :
Bom. vi. 20, 'For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from
righteousness.' They do voluntarily and without opposition live in a
trade of all sin, and under the slavish tyranny thereof. Till Christ
come to trouble them, all is in peace ; wind and tide go together. This
should put us upon looking after a change, and to see if the power of
sin be broken. There are two contrary kingdoms — of sin and Satan.
Christ and righteousness. We are either in the one or the other.
Doth sin yet reign in you ? It did in all by nature ; when and how
was it broken ?
Secondly, Though sin doth reign in every one by nature, yet this
dominion doth appear more evidently in some tlian in others, who are
judicially given up to be visibly under the dominion of sin, as the just
fruit of their voluntary living under that yoke, that they may become
warnings to the rest, and instances of this woful slavery. They are
apparently and in conspectu hominum outrageous sinners, led up and
down the world by the devil ; so that every man that seeth them, and
is acquainted with their course of life, may without breach of charity
say, There goeth one who declareth himself to be a servant of sin ;
either to sia in the general, or to some particular sin.
368 SERMONS UPON PSALMS XIX. 13. [SER. IV.
1. To sin in the general. He that, instead of trembling at God's
word, scoffeth at it, and maketh more account of the course of the world
than of the will of God, of the fashions of men than of the directions
of the word, and thinketh the scorn of a base worm that would deride
him for godliness a greater terror than the curse of God, and the love
of his carnal companions more valuable than communion with God,
and, instead of working out his salvation with fear and trembling,
runneth into all excess of riot, and carelessly neglects his precious soul
while he pampereth his frail bod}', and doth voluntarily and ordinarily
give up himself to serve his corruptions without resistance, or crying
to Christ for help, this man is in the eye of all the world a slave to sin :
Horn. vi. 16, ' Know ye not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants
to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death,
or of obedience unto righteousness ? ' It is an apparent case. A man
thatgiveth up himself to go on in the way of his own heart, restraining
himself in nothing which it affects, he is one of sin's slaves, so our Lord
Christ telleth us, John viii. 34, ' Verily, verily I say unto you, Whoso
ever committeth sin is the servant of sin.' There is no further doubt
nor debate about the matter. He that goeth on in a trade of sin, and
maketh that his work and business in the world, without looking after
other things, he is one in whom sin reigneth.
2. To some particular sin. As we have instances of carnal wretches
in the general, so of some poor captive souls that remain under the full
power and tyranny of this or that lust, and are so remarkable for their
slavery and bondage under it, that the world will point at them, and
say, There goeth a glutton, a drunkard, an adulterer, a worldling, a
proud or an envious person. Some are remarkable for covetousness,
others for gluttony, another for ambitious affection of greatness ; one
whose god is his belly, a slave to appetite ; another famous for his
woiidliness and arts of gaining : 2 Peter ii. 19, 'Of whom a man is
overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.' They grow proverbial
for giving up themselves wholly to such a conquering and prevailing
lust. As in the natural man, some are famous for a strong sight, a
quick ear, a nimble tongue, so are these for notable excesses in some
corruption ; or as the saints are eminent for some graces, Abraham for
faith, Moses for meekness, Job for patience, Joseph for chastity, Timothy
for temperance, so these are notorious for contrary blemishes.
Thirdly, As to the godly, sin remaineth in them, but reigneth not
there. It is cast down in regard of regency, though not cast out in
regard of inherency, like the beasts in Daniel, chap. vii. 12, ' Their
dominion was taken away, yet their lives were prolonged for a season
and time.' There is some degree of life, but their reign is broken.
The Israelites could not wholly expel the Canaan ites, yet they kept
them under. There will be pride, earthiness, unbelief, and sensuality,
dwelling, moving, and working in them ; but it hath not its wonted
power over them. It is not only incongruous that it should be so, con
sidering their advantages by grace, but also in some sense impossible.
De jure, it ought not ; but de facto it shall not. We have the
apostle's exhortation, Rom. vi. 12, ' Let not sin reign in your mortal
bodies, that you should obey it in the lusts thereof.' While ye have
these mortal bodies, sin will dwell in you ; but let it not reign over
Vj:R. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. 369
you. God suffereth it to dwell in you for your exercise, not your ruin.
We have a promise, Rom. vi. 14, ' For sin shall not have dominion
over you ; for ye are not under the law, but under grace ; ' as, let it
not, so it shall not. Christ will not reckon men slaves to sin by their
having sin in them, nor yet by their daily failings and infirmities, or
by their falling now and then into foul faults by the violence of a
temptation, unless they make a constant trade of sin, and be under the
dominion of it without control.
Fourthly, The not reigning of sin in the children of God will be
understood by these distinctions —
1. There is a predominancy of one sin above another sin, and the pre
dominancy of sin over grace. In the first sense, renewed men may be
said to have some reigning corruption or predominant sin ; namely, in
comparison of other sins, as appeareth by the great sway or power they
bear in commanding other evils to be committed or forborne, accord
ing as they may contribute to advance them. By violent and frequent
relapses of the saints into them, or their unwillingness to admit of
admonition and reproof for them, or their falling into them out of an
inward propensity, when outward temptations are none, or weak, or
very few ; some sins that are less mortified than others, or into which
they are hurried by natural inclination, constitution, or education.
Thus David had his iniquity, Ps. xviii. 23, be it hastiness, distrust of
the promise, or an inclination to revenge himself. Some sins that men
favour most, and are most urgent and importunate upon them, and
steal away their hearts most from God ; the ocean into which the other
streams of iniquity do empty themselves ; that sin which outgroweth
all the rest, as the tall trees take away the nourishment from the under
shrubs ; that which is loved and delighted in above other sins. Thus,
in regard of other sins, one may reign in the throne of the heart, and
be beloved more than another ; but not in regard of predominancy over
grace, for that is contrary to the new nature, that sin should have the
upperhand constantly and universally in the soul ; for any one thing
habitually loved more than God will not stand with sincerity : Luke
xiv. 26, ' If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother,
and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life
also, he cannot be my disciple.' If we must not love our natural com
forts above Christ, certainly not our carnal lusts : Mat. vi. 24, ' No man
can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the
other ; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye can
not serve God and mammon.' It is a dispossessing Christ to put any
thing in his stead ; to love anything with him or above him.
2. The next distinction is in reference to sins prevailing over grace.
There is a twofold prevalency — actual or habitual. Actual is only for
a time ; habitual for constancy. Though a regenerate man be not one
that letteth sin reign over him habitually, yet he too often letteth sin
reign over him actually, as to that particular act of sin ; when we do
that which is evil against our consciences, or yield pro liic et nunc, at
the present time, to obey sin in the lust thereof, or upon its command
run into any particular wickedness. By presumptuous acts a man
doth for that time put the sceptre into the hands of sin ; for con
sent to sin maketh it reign. This a child of God may do for a fit,
VOL. xxi. 2 A
370 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SEE. IV.
but as to the general state and frame of their hearts, they are at
liberty.
3. The next distinction is of sins reigning with a full and plenary
consent, or with reluctancy and contradiction ; as Herod reigned over
the Jews for many years by mere force, they opposing and contradict
ing him, but afterward they willingly consented to his government.
So sin reigneth in some who readily and willingly obey the lusts
thereof, and take its bonds and chains upon them. But now sin doth
sometimes prevail on the godly, yet not quietly and without blows :
Bom. vii. 15, ' What I hate, that do I.' They are in combat and con
flict with it. The virgin that cried out was innocent ; it was a
ravishment, not a consent. Peccatum patitur, non facit — He suffers
sin, but does not do it, saith Bernard. The seed of God is disliking
and opposing : 1 John iii. 9, ' Whosoever is born of God doth not com
mit sin ; for his seed remaineth in him : and he cannot sin, because he
is born of God.' They are sometimes foiled, but they keep up their
resistance. Sin gets the mastery, but as a tyrant, not a lawful possessor.
You groan under that oppression, and strive for liberty and freedom.
Chrysostom hath an expression on that of the apostle, Kom. vi. 12,
' Let not sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in
the lust thereof ; ' OVK etvre, pr) rvpavveiTco, a\\a //.?) fiaaikevera). He
does not say, Let it not tyrannise ; but, Let it not rule. Sin will play
the tyrant in the best heart, but you must not let it have a quiet reign
and government. Sin, taking advantage of some present distempers
and difficulties, may encroach upon us, but it hath not our hearts.
Whereas otherwise, if a man be not in arms against it, but liveth in
peace and good contentment under the vigour and life of his lusts, there
is no opposition, unless it be some checks of a natural conscience, or a
few thoughts of fear and shame ; there is no opposition of a renewed
heart ; sin reigneth in them, though there be some risings against it,
as a mischief and inconveniency, not a hatred or resistance of it as it
is an offence to God.
Secondly, The reasons why we are to take care that sin reign not
over us.
First, Because in giving way to the dominion of sin, we renounce
the government of Christ, and transfer the kingdom from him to Satan.
Let me —
1. Prove that we do so, and that to do so is — (1.) A great wrong
and injury to Christ ; (2.) A great folly and disadvantage to ourselves.
[1.] He that giveth way to the reign of sin taketh the sceptre out of
Christ's hands, and puts it into the hands of Satan. What though he
doth not formally intend this, yet virtually he doth it, and so God will
account it. It is finis operis, the end of the work, though not operantis,
of the workman. Look, as the setting up of an usurper is the rejection
of the lawful king, so the setting up of sin is the setting up of Satan :
John viii. 44, ' Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your
father ye will do.' And the setting up of Satan is the laying aside of
Christ. As no man can serve two masters, God and mammon, so every
man serveth one of these two, God or mammon. In being a servant
to sin you become a servant of Satan, and every degree of service done
to Satan doth include in it a like degree or portion of treason and
VER. 13.]
SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13.
371
infidelity towards Christ. All will grant that the heathen, that lived
in abominable idolatries, were slaves and bondmen of Satan ; and may
not Christians be such as work iniquity with greediness? Though
they profess Christ to be their Christ, to be their Lord, yet they may
be as true slaves and bondmen to Satan as the heathen were, which
offered sacrifice to him. A drunken and a wanton Christian gives the
devil as much interest in him as he had in those that sacrificed to
Bacchus and Venus. Satan desired that worship from them but as a
means to gain an interest in their souls. Now, if you give him a power
to dispose and command your affections, you are his by possession or
occupation. The bond of your servitude to Satan is altogether as firm
and strong as theirs was. Barely crying, Lord, Lord, will not excuse :
Mat. vii. 21, ' Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter
into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father
which is in heaven/ And we were all formerly made over to Satan as
well as they: Titus iii. 3, 'We ourselves were sometimes foolish and
disobedient ; ' and the god of this world ruleth in the hearts of the dis
obedient.
[2.] This is a very great wrong to Christ, to put ourselves in sub
jection to Satan, for we have no power to dispose of ourselves, being
Christ's by purchase and covenant. By purchase : 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20,
' What ! know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own ? For
ye are Dought with a price : therefore glorify God in your body, and
in your spirit, which are God's.' The buyer hath power over what he
hath bought. We were lost, but Christ came to seek and to save that
which was lost. We were sold, we sold ourselves against all right and
justice, and Christ was pleased to redeem us, and that with no slight
thing, but with his own blood: 1 Peter i. 18, 19, 'Forasmuch as ye
know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and
gold, from our vain conversation received by tradition from our fathers,
but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish
and without spot.' How can you look your Redeemer in the face at the
last day ? If you have any sense and belief of Christian mysteries, you
should be afraid to rob Christ of his purchase : 1 Cor. vi. 15, ' Know
ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ ? Shall I then take
the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot ?
God forbid.' He hath bought us to this very end, that we may be no
longer under the slavery of sin, but under his blessed government and
the sceptre of his Spirit : Titus ii. 14, ' Who gave himself for us, that
he might redeem us from all iniquity.' This was his end, to set us at
liberty and free us from our sins. Therefore for us to despise the
benefit, and to count our bondage a delight, this is to build up what
he came to destroy. This is as great an affront to Christ as can be.
But we are not only his by purchase, but by covenant : Ezek. xvi. 8,
' I entered into covenant with thee, and thou becarnest mine.' This
was ratified in baptism, when we dedicated ourselves to the Lord's use
and service ; and shall we rescind our baptismal vows, and give the
sovereignty to another, after we have resigned ourselves to Christ, and
the hands of consecration have passed upon us ? When Ananias had
dedicated that which was in his power, and kept back part for private
372 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SEE. IV.
use, God striketh him dead in the place, Acts v. 5. And if we alienate
ourselves, who were Christ's before the consecration, of how much sorer
vengeance shall we be guilty? God's complaint was just: Ezek. xvi.
20, ' Moreover, thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou
hast born unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them.' Children
born to me ; that is, born during the marriage covenant. And if Satan
hath a full interest in you by doing his lusts, as he had in them by that
rite of worship, is not the wrong done to God the same ?
[3.] It is a great folly and disadvantage to ourselves. What a poor
and sorry exchange is this, of grace for sin, and Christ for Satan, a good
master for a bad, which is not only a mischief to us, but an affront to
God ? When we will turn back upon him with so much loss to our
selves ? The work and wages are very different. The apostle com-
pareth them when he dissuadeth them from the reign of sin : Horn. vi.
20-22, ' But when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from right
eousness. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now
ashamed ? for the end of those things is death. But now, being made
free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto
holiness, and the end everlasting life.' You had full experience of the
fruits of Satan's work ; what fruit then before you had tasted better
things, before you had a contrary principle set up in your hearts ? You
are ashamed now to think of that course. Now you know better ; but
what fruit then ? Satan's work is drudgery, and his reward death.
Satan hath one bad property, which no other master, how cruel so ever,
hath, to plague and torment them most which have done him the most
continual and faithful service. None are punished like those that have
most sinned ; for every degree of service hath a proportionable punish
ment. He is an unreasonable tyrant in exacting service, without rest
and intermission. The most cruel oppressors, Turks and infidels, give
some rest to their captives, but sin is insatiable. Men spend all their
means, and all their time, and all their strength in the pursuit of it ;
yet all is little enough ; and what is the reward of all but death and
destruction ? Now judge you to whom should we yield obedience, and
who hath most right to be served ? He certainly who made and re
deemed us, and preserveth us every day. None but he can claim a
better title to us. He to whom we are debtors by so many vows, so
many obligations ; not Satan, our worst enemy, who is posting us on to
-our own destruction.
Secondly, The second reason is, because they have so many helps
:and encouragements to resist sin.
1. The helps. Grace planted in the heart. Seeing Christ hath put
in them grace to mortify sin, it is their part not to suffer it to be idle
and unfruitful: Bom. vi. 11, 12, 'Likewise reckon ye also yourselves
dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies, that you should obey
it in the lusts thereof.' You want no ability to encourage you. You
have the Spirit of God to help you in this work : Horn. viii. 13, ' If ye
through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.' He
will be your second. Neither we without the Spirit, nor the Spirit
without us. The law was a dead letter ; it gave bare instruction,
without helps or power ; but there is a life and power goeth alcng with
YER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 373
every gospel truth. Laziness pretendeth want of power , but what is
too hard for the Spirit ?
2. For encouragements. In every war there are two notable encour
agements — the goodness of the quarrel, and the hope of victory. As
David said, 1 Sam. xvii. 36, 'Thy servant slew both the lion and
the bear ; and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be as one of them,
seeing he hath defied the armies of the living God.' We have these in
our conflict and combat with sin.
[1.] Our quarrel and our cause is good. It is the quarrel of the
Lord of hosts in which thou fightest. Let the goodness of the cause
put courage into thee. The honour of Christianity dependeth upon the
issue of the conflict. Let the world know that the school of Christ
breedeth the excellent men of the earth ; that the divine life is the
most powerful principle in the world. We stand with Christ our
Redeemer in this combat, who came to destroy the works of the devil,
1 John iii. 8. He hath begun the battle ; we do but labour to keep
under that which Christ hath begun to slay and destroy. Sin is not
only an enemy to us, but to him ; it is against his law, and hindereth
his glory in the world, and the subjection of his creatures and servants.
Were it not for sin, what a glorious potentate would Christ be, even
in the judgment of the world !
[2.] The hope of victory. Our strife will end, and it will end well.
If we strive against sin, we are sure to conquer: Rom. vi. 14, ' For sin
shall not have dominion over you.' Let it not, and it shall not. If
there be but a likelihood of victory, we are encouraged to fight. Here
a Christian may triumph before the victory. In other conflicts it is
good advice, 1 Kings xx. 11, 'Let not him that girdeth on his harness
boast himself as he that putteth it off.' There will come a good and
happy issue in the end. For the present, they overcome it in part it
shall not totally and finally overcome us in this world ; and shortly all
strife will be over: Rom. xvi. 20, 'The God of peace shall bruise Satan
under your feet shortly.' It is but a little while, and we shall receive
the crown, and triumph over all our enemies.
Thirdly, The third reason is, because of the danger if we do not
take care against the reign of sin. There is sin in us all ; it is a bosom
enemy, born and bred with us ; and therefore it will soon get the
advantage of grace if it be not watched against and resisted; as
nettles, and thistles, and rushes, and suchlike weeds as are kindly to
the soil, will choke flowers and better herbs that are planted by care,
and grow not of their own accord, when they are neglected, and not
continually rooted out. Yea, they are not only within us, but always
working and striving for the mastery : Rom. vii. 8, ' Sin wrought in
me all manner of concupiscence.' If sin did work in us as a sleepy
habit, and a dull, inactive principle, the danger were not so great ;
but it is always exerting and putting forth itself, and seeking to gain
an interest in our affections, and a command over all our actions ; and
therefore, unless we do our part to keep it under, we shall soon revert
to our old slavery. Sin must be kept under as a slave, or else it will
be above as a tyrant, and domineer. The more it acts, the more
strength it gets ; as all habits are increased by action. For when we
have once yielded, we are ready to yield again in some further -degree.
374 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SER. IV.
Therefore any one sin let alone, yea, that which we least suspected, may
bring us into subjection and captivity to the law of sin : Rom. vii. 23,
' I see another law in my members, warring ngainst the law of my
mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin.' Yea, this
bondage is daily increasing, and more hard to be broken ; for then a
custom groweth upon us, which is another nature; and that which
might have been remedied at first groweth more difficult. As diseases
looked to at first are more easily cured, whereas otherwise they grow
desperate, so sins before they harden the heart, or bring us under the
power of any creature or comfort which we affect (1 Cor. vi. 12, ' I
will not be brought under the power of any ') are more easily subdued.
When it cometh to a complete dominion and slavery, then if a man
would he cannot help it. Well, then, if sin be in us, and thus working
to a conquest and dominion over us, and it ought and may be kept
from reigning, then it behoveth every child of God to do his part, that
sin may not reign ; for where this care is not taken it certainly will
reign ; on the contrary, every limb of the body of sin that is mortified
causeth the rest to languish by consent.
Use 1. To exhort us to take heed of this great mischief, That sin
may not have dominion over us. How shall I enforce this exhorta
tion, or say anything beyond what I have already spoken ?
First, Shall I urge you in point of duty and obligation to Christ, as
you would not frustrate the end of his death ? Let not sin reign over
you. If you would have any benefit by Christ, express any mystical
conformity to him, and to show yourselves to be Christians indeed,
weaken the power of sin yet more and more in your hearts: Gal. v. 24,
'They that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections
and lusts.' If you be Christ's, wherein do you show forth the virtue of
his death ? Are you always suppressing and smothering the effects
and endeavours of indwelling corruption ? ' Christ ' (the apostle telleth
you) 'being raised from the dead, dieth no more; death hath no more
dominion over him,' Rom. vi. 9, 10. Is there any suitableness to this
in you ? There will be in all that are Christ's.
Secondly, Shall I move you in point of your own interest? No
bondage like the servitude of sin. Sin is thy enemy as well as God's.
It is not only against his honour, but the everlasting well-being of thy
soul : 1 Peter ii. 11, 'I beseech you, as strangers and pilgrims, abstain
from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.' Pharaoh's oppressions
of the Israelites made them weary of their lives. Certainly, if you
have any true sense in you, any respect to your precious and immortal
souls, you will groan under the burden of sin-. Rom. vii. 24, '0
wretched man that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this
death ? ' The least relics of sin will be grievous to you, and make you
weary and heavy laden. But alas ! the want of sense and feeling is a
great sign that sin reigneth. If once it began to be a burden and a
wearisome bondage, there were some hope of people. Shall I tell you
of the loss of all that liberty and happiness which is in the service of
God: John viii. 36, 'If the Son therefore shall make you free, then
are ye free indeed.' You think that liberty lieth only in a power to do
what we list. Oh, no ! It is a power to live, that we may be happy,
so as we may enjoy God, and receive the consolations of his Spirit.
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. is. 375
What comfort, peace, joy, would there be in the soul if your hearts
were once enlarged to run the way of God's commandments ! Shall I
tell you of the sad reward sin will give for all your service ? What
will it prove but bitterness in the issue? and thou shalt mourn at
last, when all the comforts and joys wherewith thy soul is now
enchanted shall be spent and quite gone. Oh, then, consider, it is
liberty and blessedness that we invite you to ; and, if you be not
wanting to yourselves, you may have it.
The means are these, to help you against the dominion of sin.
First, Watchfulness. Sin cometh to reign by degrees. A man
getteth his neck under the yoke by little and little. First we cherish
the lusts of the flesh and its secret enticings; the heart regardeth them,
and delighteth in them: Ps. Ixvi. 18, 'If 1 regard iniquity in my heart/
The heart inuseth, setteth a-brood on them: Micah ii. 1, 'Woe to them
that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds, and when the
morning is light practise it.' Then it hatcheth these cockatrice's eggs,
and then resolveth, and then, when the fire is kindled, the sparks begin
to fly abroad. Men execute what the heart contrive th, and then finish
it ; go on without stopping : James i. 14, 15, ' But every man is
tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed. Then
when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin ; and sin, when it is
finished, bringeth forth death.' There is suggestion, conception, and
consummation, and so they go on to the very last, till they drop into
hell. Now watch, that you may break off betimes, before the mischief
increaseth. Give no indulgence to the least sin, for afterwards it may
prove thy master, and ruin thy soul. Watch against thoughts, which
are sin's spokesmen, and make the match between the soul and the
object. Watch against outward occasions ; it is ill sporting witli occa
sions of sin, playing about the cockatrice's hole, and standing in harm's
way. We are often warned of this : Prov. iv. 14, 15, ' Enter not into
the path of the wicked, and go not into the way of evil men : avoid it,
pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away ; ' Prov. v. 8, 'Remove thy
way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house.' The wis
dom of God thought fit to give us these directions. They that think
they have so good a command of themselves that they think they shall
keep within compass well enough, though they venture upon occasions
of sin, converse with vain persons, and the haunts of the wicked, go to
plays, and entertain themselves with dalliances, and all the blandish
ments of sense, surely they are not acquainted with the slipperiness and
infirmity of human nature ; they know not what the new nature meaneth,
nor what a tender thing it is to preserve it in strength and vigour. Is
sin grown less dangerous ? or have men gotten a greater command of
themselves than they were wont to have when the scriptures were first
written ? Surely man is as weak as ever, and sin as dangerous ; why
then should we venture upon evil company, and the places where they
resort, and go so near the pit's brink, and freely please ourselves with
the allectives of sin and apostasy from God, and use such songs and
wanton plays as if there were no infection in them ? They secretly
taint our hearts. Some say they get as much good by these plays as
sermons. In a sense it is true, while you are so unmortified and savour
nothing that is truly good and spiritual : 1 Cor. ii. 14, ' The natural
376 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [Sim. IV.
man receiveth not the things of God.' Watch against evil customs,
that you lose not your tenderness of conscience. Conscience, as the
eye, is offended with the least dust; but afterwards it is like the stomach
of an ostrich, which digesteth iron. Men inure their souls to sin till
their consciences are seared as with a hot iron, 1 Tim. iv. 2. Conscience
is like water when it beginneth to freeze; at first it will not bear a pin,
but when hard frozen, it will bear a laden cart.
Secondly, Take heed of presumptuous sins, of doing anything that
is evil against checks of conscience. Nay, small sins may get the
upper hand of the sinner, and bring him under in time, after it is
habituated by long custom, so as he cannot easily shake off the yoke,
or redeem himself from the tyranny thereof. These steal into the
heart insensibly, and overcome us as they get strength by multiplied
acts; but presumptuous sins, by one single act, bring a mighty
advantage to the flesh, and weaken the Spirit, and advance themselves
suddenly.
Thirdly, Take heed of your daily sins : Ps. xviii. 23, ' I was also
upright before him, and kept myself from mine iniquity ; ' your
master-lust, that is most apt to prevail, and to settle into the tyranny
of an evil custom, because of its frequency and importunity ; unless
we humble ourselves more for these, strive and pray against these, cut
off the right hand, and pluck out the right eye, Mat. v. 29, 30, it will
be your ruin, and the stumbling-block of your iniquity, like Judas'
covetousness, Herod's uncleanness, and the young man's worldliness.
It will be the ground of our apostasy in the time of temptation.
Fourthly, Set the contrary principle of grace a- work : Gal. v. 16,
' Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh.'
Cherish and obey the motions and directions of the renewed part ; this
will keep the carnal part under, so as the motions of it, if they be not
totally suppressed, yet will not be completely fulfilled. If the flesh be
brought into subjection to the Spirit, it will be found by examining
every day what advantage the flesh hath gotten against the Spirit, or
the Spirit against the flesh ; how providence and ordinances are
blessed to that end, to the weakening of sin, when the Spirit of Christ
hath gotten the sovereignty over the flesh, and won the better part of
the natural affections to its service. The flesh is getting ground, or
the Spirit, every day. We are never free from the reign of sin till the
Spirit get above the flesh, and the prevailing bent of the heart be set
and fixed towards God. Dough once soured with leaven will never
totally lose the taste and smatch.
Fifthly, Kemember thy baptismal vows and engagements : Horn,
vi. 2, 3, ' How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein ? '
Every one hath engaged himself by his covenant, sealed in baptism, so
to do.
Sixthly, In the sense of thy weakness have recourse to God for help :
Ps. cxix. 133, ' Let not any iniquity have dominion over me.' God
will hear the groanings of thy poor afflicted soul.
Use 2. Hath sin dominion over us, yea or no ? Doth it reign in us
or not? Some things may increase our fear and caution. It may be
known —
First, When the soul readily closeth with temptations, or when it is
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON TSAXM xix. 13. 377
a force you cannot withstand: Prov. vii. 21, 'With her fair speech she
caused him to yield ; with the flattering of her lips she forced him.'
Easiness of insinuation, efficacy of operation:. James i. 14, 'Every man
is tempted when he is drawn away by his own lust and enticed.' You
are at sin's beck. If it say, Go, you go ; if it say, Come, you come.
As the angels, Ps. ciii. 20, ' that do the Lord's commandments,
hearkening to the voice of his word/ so they hearken to the voice of
their lusts, whatever cometh of it. If envy and malice bid Cain kill
his brother, he will break all bonds of nature to do it. If ambition
bid Absalom rebel against his father, it shall be done, and he is up in
arms presently. If covetousness bid Achan take a wedge of gold, he
will do it. If adultery bid Joseph's mistress tempt her servant, she
doeth it. That is done readily which sin willeth and commandeth to
be done ; we are as ready to yield to temptations as our corrupt heart
to suggest them. We are at the beck of sin ; we cannot withstand
it, whatever checks and reasons we have to the contrary.
Secondly, When this is our ordinary practice as often as the tempta
tion returneth. Meadow ground may be overflown with a great flood,
but marshy ground is drowned with every return of the tide. Some
cannot cease from sin, 2 Peter ii. 14. Sin is become our element, out
of which we cannot rest ; it is our paradise, a very Eden to our souls.
Whatever sin biddeth us love, we love it ; and whatever it bids us do,
we do it ; and by little and little it eateth out all reverence of God
and delight in him.
Thirdly, When men grow impatient of reproof. They have a privy
sore, that cannot endure to be touched. Till John preached against
Herodias there was no trouble to him, Mark vi. 20, but when he urges
non licet, he dieth for it ; as the sensitive plant shrinketh and contracts
itself when touched ; as Ahab hated Micaiah, and the young man went
away sorrowful, Mark x. 22.
Fourthly, When we set up a toleration in our hearts ; as he, 2
Kings v. 18, ' In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant, that when
my master goeth into the house of Eimmon to worship there, and he
leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Eimmon : the
Lord pardon thy servant in this thing.' Is there no sin for which you
would crave pardon and indulgence ? When men will be excused in
this or that, it is an ill sign.
Fifthly, When all your care is to hide or feed a lust. Judas
masketh his covetousness with religion : John xii. 5, 6, ' Why was not
this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor ?
This he said, not that he cared for the poor.' When sin rnaketh us
religious, some interest and advantage of our own sets us a-work for
God.
Sixthly, Wilful obstinacy, to go against the express will of God :
Prov. xiii. 13, 'Whoso despisetli the word shall be destroyed;' as
Balaam, 2 Peter ii. 16, was 'rebuked for his iniquity ; the dumb ass,
speaking with man's voice, rebuked the madness of the prophet.'
When Ulysses feigned himself mad, because he would not go to the
Trojan war, and in his madness drove his plough fantastically, those
that were sent to discover him laid his young son Telemachus in the
furrow, to see if he would drive over him ; at the sight of whom all
378 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SER. V.
his mask of madness fell off. Though sinners run mad in sin, though
they drive on furiously, as Jehu did, yet if we lay before them their
wives and children, dulcia pignora, those sweet pledges, if any sense
remain, they will forget their madness, and not drive over them. Men
are wedded to their inclination, stout-hearted, and will go in their own
way, over the belly of more than ordinary opposition, till they perish.
But the surest and closest note is, if there be not the reign of grace,
there is the reign of sin.
SERMON V.
Then shall I be upright. — Ps. xix. 13.
WE have done with David's prayer. We now come to his arguments,
taken from the effects, ' Then shall I be upright.' ' Then/ that is,
when kept from presumptuous sins and the dominion of sin. ' Then
shall I be upright ; ' that is — (1.) Upright in the account of God ;
(2.) In the judgment of his own conscience.
First, In the account of God. Though God's children are guilty of
many failings through ignorance and infirmity, yet their claim, by the
covenant of grace, ceaseth not, when they do not allow themselves in
the customary practice of any sin against the light of their consciences.
A man is a transgressor before God either according to the covenant
of works or according to the covenant of grace. According to the
covenant of works ; so the least failing layeth us open to the curse :
James ii. 10, ' Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend
in one point, he is guilty of all.' -According to the covenant of grace ;
so wilful and allowed customary transgressions lay us open to the curse
too. Understand that sentence in the rigour of the first covenant which
was made with Adam, and the burden of which lieth upon all Adam's
seed till they be in Christ, and it concludeth all men under the curse ;
so none can be upright, but all are transgressors in the account of God.
But according to the covenant of grace, if a man should keep the whole
law, conform in many things, and yet willingly indulge and allow him
self under the tyranny and customary practice of any one sin, he is guilty
of all ; as one article not observed maketh void the whole agreement.
Out of frailty and weakness, the most holy man may and doth break
every commandment of God, and yet guilty of none, so as it shall be
imputed to him ; but he that habitually, wilfully, and of set purpose
shall dispense with himself in the transgression of one commandment,
or any breach thereof, he is a transgressor, and shall be accounted guilty
before God ; for he has forfeited the grace of the second covenant.
Secondly, In the judgment of his own conscience. The reign of sin
is inconsistent with grace, and though a presumptuous sin maybe com
mitted by a renewed man. yet that destroys peace of conscience, and a
man hath not the comfort of his sincerity; as David, Ps. li. 8, 'Make
me to hear joy and gladness, t'.mt the bones which thou hast broken
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. is. 379
may rejoice.' But on the other side, though there be many failings,
yet, Heb. xiii. 18, ' We trust we have a good conscience, willing in all
things to live honestly.' Well, then, the sum of all is this, that those
may look upon themselves to be upright, and in a capacity to claim by
the second covenant, that are kept from an allowed course of sin, though
they be guilty of many failings ; for David, that saw need to say, 'Cleanse
thou me from secret sins,' yet saith also, ' Then shall I be upright, and
innocent from the great transgression.'
Doct. Uprightness and integrity of obedience may stand with sins of
ignorance and infirmity, but not with sins of presumption, customarily
committed against the light of conscience.
First, Let me open the nature of sincerity, and show you what up -
Tightness and sincerity is.
Secondly, The inconsistency of uprightness with presumptuous sins.
Thirdly, The privilege of being upright.
First, What is uprightness or sincerity ? It is a blessed frame of
heart wrought in us by the Spirit of God, whereby we are inclined
and fixedly bent to please God in all things, and to offend him in
nothing.
1. It is a blessed frame of heart. Not one grace, but that which runneth
through all our graces, like a thread of silk through a chain of pearls.
Faith unfeigned, 2 Tim. i. 5, and an unfeigned love of the brethren, 1
Peter i. 22. It is a qualification of all graces. Truth and sincerity is
the essential commendation of all Christians. Some Christians may be
famous for several graces, but all for sincerity ; Moses for meekness,
Phineas for zeal, Abraham for faith, David for devotion, but every one
that is a new creature for truth and sincerity. This is the common
praise of all the saints. The least grace with uprightness maketh a
new creature. It was Christ's commendation of Nathanael, John i.
47, ' Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile ! ' The mark of a
true Israelite in the spirit is not sinlessness or absolute perfection, but
sincerity. Why doth he call him an ' Israelite indeed,' rather than
any other term ? Why not a saint indeed, or a believer indeed, or a
child of God indeed, or a holy man indeed ? It was because he was
like good old Israel or Jacob, who was called Israel, of whom it was
said, Gen. xxv. 27, ' That he was a plain man, and dwelt in tents.' So
we may say of a plain-hearted Christian, how weak soever he be other
wise, behold a Christian indeed, because like Christ, of whom it was
said, Isa. liii. 9, ' He did no iniquity, neither was there any deceit in
his mouth.'
2. Wrought in us by the Spirit. Naturally we are full of guile and
falsehood, off and on with God ; the deceitful old man prevaileth over
them, and hath them under his power : Eph. iv. 22, ' That ye put off,
concerning the former conversation, the old man, which is corrupt,
according to the deceitful lusts.' A man in that estate dealeth crookedly
and perversely with God till the heart be renewed by grace, and God
cast, it into the mould of regeneration. It is bowed and bended to carnal
things, and therefore as useless ; as things that are battered and bowed
are cast into the furnace that they may receive a new shape, so doth
God new mould us and fashion us : Ps. li. 10, ' Create in me a clean
heart, God ; and renew a right spirit within me.' It is the Spirit of
380 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SfiB. V.
God puts us in this right frame, that we may not deal deceitfully with
God: Eph. iv. 24, 'And that ye put on the new man, which after God
is created in righteousness and true holiness ; ' opposite to those deceit
ful lusts spoken of in the 22d verse, which do by subtlety carry sinners
captive to their slavery. Holiness and truth is a sign of God's image
wrought upon the soul. Good inclinations and actions are false and
deceitful without this.
3. Whereby we are inclined and fixedly bent. There is a difference
between velleities and good wishes and a hearty volition, between sudden
motions and imperfect and wavering resolutions, which may be without
fruit, and that fixed deep bent of heart which beareth up a Christian in
all his actions towards God : 1 Chron. xxii. 19, ' Now set your heart and
your soul to seek the Lord your God ; ' Acts xi. 23, ' And exhorted them
all, that with full purpose of heart they would cleave to the Lord,'
rfJTrpoOecrei r??5 KapSias, by a full decree and bent of soul. Others
have wavering purposes, faint inclinations, superficial or slight motions,
that come to nothing : Deut. v. 29, ' Oh, that there were such an heart
in them.' There is a moral integrity when they do not dissemble, and
a supernatural sincerity when there is a foundation of grace to carry
us out constantly and uniformly to God in a course of obedience ; such
a purpose as produceth considerable endeavours henceforth to serve
God from right principles and to right ends.
4. To please God in all things and offend him in nothing : Col. i.
10, ' That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing.' He that
is upright with God maketh it his business to please God, not to please
himself or his own flesh : Bom. viii. 12, ' We are not debtors to the
flesh, to live after the flesh.' Not to please men : Gal. i. 10, ' For if I
yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ ; ' but to please
God by doing the things which he hath commanded : Ps. xl. 8, ' I
delight to do thy will, God ; yea, thy law is within my heart ; ' and
avoiding the things which he hath forbidden : Ps. cxli. 4, ' Incline not
my heart to any evil tiling, to practise wicked works ; ' and as far as
he knoweth the mind of Gcd, and frailty incident to human nature
will permit him.
So that in uprightness three things are considerable, by which it is
discovered —
[1.] Purity of intention. It is a bent of heart towards God, or a
desire to please him whosoever be displeased, whether our own flesh or
the world. Therefore it is called ' godly sincerity,' 2 Cor. i. 12, because
it chiefly respects God, his eye and approbation, and his glory and
honour : 1 Thes. ii. 4, ' For we speak not as pleasing men, but God.'
We urge our hearts. So Col. iii. 22, ' Not with eye-service, as men
pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing God.' There is a deep
impression of the awe, and fear, and love of God upon our hearts:
1 Cor. x. 31, ' Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do,
do all to the glory of God.' God is at the end of all their actions.
[2.] There is constancy and uniformity of endeavours. There is a
desire to please God at all times and in all places ; at one time as well
as another, not by starts. It is but a humour if we do it in good moods
only. Job saith of the hypocrite, Job xxvii. 10, ' Will he delight him
self in the Almighty ? Will he always call upon God ? ' The worst
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. is. 381
men have their good moods. They use duties as we do strong waters,
in a pang, not for a constant diet ; soon grow weary of their observance ;
hut a godly man is uniform : Ps. cxix. 112, ' I have inclined my heart to
keep thy statutes always unto the end.' In all conditions, prosperity and
adversity, in good report and ill report. It is a double and a crooked
heart that only mindeth God in its need. So in all places, in private
and closet duties, between God and our own souls, as well as public
duties liable to the notice of others. A sincere Christian is alike in all
places and in all companies, because God is alike everywhere ; he prayeth
with as much strength and earnestness when alone with God as in the
company of others. His Father seeth in secret, Mat. vi. 6 ; and there
he hath the advantage of a religious privacy and retirement, and 'can
more freely enlarge himself in the presenting his own wants and
requests to God. He is not one that is devout abroad, but slight and
careless at home : Phil. ii. 12, ' Ye have always obeyed, not as in my
presence only, but now much more in my absence/ It was all one
when Paul was by or when he was away ; as birds in the wood sing as
sweetly as when in houses and dwelling-places of men.
[3.] A universality of respect to all and every part of God's will.
He that is sincere performeth all known duties and avoideth all known
sins.
(1.) He performeth all known duties : Acts x. 33, ' Now therefore
are we all here present before God, to hear all things that are com
manded thee of God.' Singling out one precept and leaving another
is usurping God's sovereignty. We make ourselves our own masters
when we do what we list. Everything that God commands, even
those things which are less esteemed and countenanced in the world,
and more cross to our humour, yea, that are persecuted and hated :
Gen. vi. 9, 'Noah was a just man, and upright in his generation, and
Noah walked with God.' When so many opposed and scorned those
that were good, and corrupted their ways, then Noah was upright.
To be good in bad times, and to swim against the stream, is a note of
uprightness. So in all parts and points of life : Luke i. 6, ' Zacharias
and Elizabeth walked in all the commandments and ordinances of the
Lord blameless.' In their worship blameless, and in all their business
and ordinary conversation blameless : Acts xxiv. 16, ' And herein do I
exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence towards
God and towards men/ Not only in commerce with God, but dealings
with men. In their callings, they do it as God's work, to God's glory ;
in their refreshings and recreations, they act as one that would approve
his heart to God.
(2.) He avoideth all known sins. He is in league with no sin, but
hateth all sin because God hateth it: Prov. viii. 13, 'Pride and arro-
gancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth do I hate/ All is
contrary to the image of God and the new nature in him : 1 John iii.
9, 'Whoever is born of God doth not commit sin;' contrary to grace
infused. Original sin is the seed-plot of all evil. It is contrary to the
revealed will of God, and the law forbiddeth all, and therefore he
alloweth none : Ps. cxix. 133, ' Order my steps in thy word, and let no
iniquity have dominion over me/ It is contrary to communion with
">od : Ps. Ixvi. 18, ' If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not
382 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SfiR. V.
hear me.' The prayers of a false heart that is in league with any sin
are never accepted. He doth not say, If I sin, but, If I regard it in
my heart. When all doors are shut, and though a room be never so
close, yet some air will get in ; but he doth not leave a door open. Sin
remaining and sin allowed and reserved are different things ; and all
sin is contrary to his comfort and peace of conscience. Forbidden fruit,
though it be sweet in the mouth, yet it is terrible in the bowels : Rom.
vi. 21, ' What fruit had you then of those things whereof ye are now
ashamed? for the end of those things is death.' Sin will breed
shame, and anguish, and horror, and many a stinging and troubled
thought. Well, then, out of all we may conclude with Solomon, Prov.
xvi. 17, ' The highway of the upright is to depart from evil. He that
keepeth his way preserveth his soul.' If he would keep his God, and
keep his soul, he must keep God's way without turning aside either to
the right hand or the left.
Secondly, The inconsistency of uprightness with presumptuous and
reigning sins.
1. These two are contrary. Now it is impossible two contraries can
be together, in gradu intenso, in a high and prevailing degree ; in gradu
remisso, in a lower degree they may be, as heat and cold in a lower
degree, for the opposition of the one weakeneth the other. Therefore
grace in truth and sin in its reign cannot stand together : Gal. v. 17,
' For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh,
and these are contrary the one to the other, so that you cannot do the
things that ye would.' Carnal nature must needs be broken, and the
force of it abated, when there is a war in all the faculties and resistance
of the Spirit against the flesh. Indeed, in carnal men, that have only
some illumination in their minds, but no renovation in their hearts,
lusts may bear sway, they may have great convictions, and yet strong
corruptions ; but true sanctification being seated in all the faculties
and parts of the soul, will cause a war and a resistance, so that sin will
not carry it so freely, but it is opposed in the mind, will, and affections,
and in the execution of it.
2. Wherever there is sincerity, the fixed bent of the heart is towards
God ; therefore sin shall not reign ; for then the fixed bent of the heart
is towards the creature, and the vanities of the world, and the content
ments of the flesh ; and we cannot point at two things at once : Mat.
vi. 21, 'Where the heart is there is our treasure also.' We can have
but one treasure and one chief good ; therefore he that doth heartily
resign himself to God, to be guided and directed by him in all things,
cannot let sin reign habitually in his heart
Thirdly, The privileges of being upright ; for it is here propounded
as a motive.
1. Your defects will not hinder your acceptance with God. In the
covenant of grace, God doth not look after measure so much as truth.
Though what we do will not endure the balance, yet it is accepted if
it will endure the touchstone. Every piece of gold that is of the right
stamp and metal may not be full weight : Heb. x. 22, ' Let us draw
near, with a true heart, in full assurance of faith.' We may come to
God with confidence, if we come with a true heart, a sincere heart ;
though not with a sinless heart, yet without guile. If we study to
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 383
approve our hearts to God, God will accept our little, our two mites.
A small pearl is worth a great deal of rubbish. All the pompous
service of wicked men, when they come with their flocks and herds,
they are not accepted of God : Hosea v. 6, ' They shall go with their
flocks and with their herds to seek the Lord, but they shall not find
him.' All their pompous and glorious services are not accepted. It is
a wonder to consider how many infirmities God will oversee when the
heart is right. God valueth us not by perfection, not by glorious shows,
but what we have in truth. He that desireth in all things to look to
God, though he be often put besides his purpose, God will pardon him :
2 Chron. xxx. 19, 20, ' The good Lord pardon every one that prepareth
his heart to seek God, the Lord God of his fathers, though he be not
cleansed according to the purification of the sanctuary. And the Lord
hearkened to Hezekiah, and healed the people.' Asa had many weak
nesses and failings, yet it is said, 'His heart was perfect with the Lord
all his days/ 1 Kings xv. 14. God passed by other things. We read
of Jehoshaphat, that he had many and great failings, he made a league
of amity with Ahab, and went with him to battle against Kamoth-
Gilead, though he had heard what Micaiah the prophet spake against
it, 2 Chron. xviii. ; and though reproved by the prophet, 2 Chron. xix., yet
doth he make a special league with Ahaziah, Ahab's son, a most wicked
man, 2 Chron. xx. 9 ; and he bestowed Jehoram, his son, in marriage
with Ahab's daughter, 2 Chron. xxi. 6 ; yet for all this God accepted
him as a good man : 2 Kings xxii. 13, ' He turned not aside from doing
that which was right in the eyes of the Lord.' And why did God so
esteem of him ? Because his heart was upright with God : 2 Chron.
xix. 3, ' Nevertheless there are good things found in thee, in that thou
hast taken away the groves out of the land, and hast prepared thine
heart to seek the Lord ; ' Jer. v. 3, ' Lord, are not thine eyes upon
the truth ? ' God doth not regard gifts, and parts, and outward ser-
viceableness in the church, but truth of heart. It is not a pompous
prayer or setting forth our parts, but a sincere prayer that God regards :
Prov. xv. 8, ' The prayer of the upright is his delight;' or in any other
duty the upright are his delight. A cup of cold water given in single
ness of heart shall not be forgotten.
2. The more upright we are then, the more we do, and the more we
shall have grace to do what God require th : ' The way of. the Lord is
strength to the upright,' Prov. x. 29. Wherever truth and sincerity
are, there is a growing to perfection : ' To him that hath shall be given.'
The more we labour to please God in all things, the more shall we
have grace to do so. A true Christian is always on the mending-hand,
and bettering and improving himself by God's blessing. Where God
giveth a little in truth, though it be but a grain of mustard-seed, he
shall cherish it till it come to be a tree. God addeth grace to grace ;
but an hypocrite groweth worse and worse, till he be altogether uncased,
and then turned into hell. Frothy gifts are blasted and withered. A
man loseth every day when his flower and vigour are gone ; but the
upright shall wax stronger and stronger, as a living tree gets more
root, and sendeth forth more branches, the longer it standeth. All
things that have life increase by age : one drachm of grace, how will it
increase !
384 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SEE. Y.
3. This will be a comfort and support to you while you live in all
the changes and circum rotations of the world, that you are upright
with God: 2 Cor. i. 12, 'For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our
conscience, that, in simplicity and godly sincerity, we have had our
conversation in the world.' A man can never have any sound peace of
conscience till the bent of his heart be sincerely set towards God.
Others may have the toil of religion, but they have not the comfort of
religion. Their hearts may reproach them for their partial dealing,
and so all is lost they do. Men may applaud us for many things for
which conscience will not acquit us, for they are not acquainted with
our temper and the ordinary strain of our hearts ; but when we have
rejoicing in ourselves that it hath been our course to live in all good
conscience to God and men, then we are glad indeed. Others are but
like those that are honoured abroad, but mated with a shrew and cursed
.wife at home. No note so sweet like that of the bird in the bosom.
A good conscience cheering us with the sense of what we have sincerely
done, and have no great sin to make a breach upon our comfort.
4. You will die comfortably when you have sincerely made conscience
to serve and glorify God here in the world. When Hezekiah was
arrested with the sentence of death, what was his plea ? 2 Kings xx.
3, ' Lord, remember how I have walked before thee in truth, and
with a perfect heart, and have done that which is good in thy sight.'
God's servants can plead their sincerity upon their sick-beds, and look
death in the face with confidence, even then when hypocrites usually
vomit up their own shame. Christians ! we should prepare comforts
against that time when all other comforts vanish. If you think how
rich you have been, what pleasures and delights you have had, this is
so far from comforting, that it will torment you the more. Conscience,
if ever, is then awakened, and the devil will be busy to trouble thee.
"We stop the mouth of conscience now, and charm it with carnal pleasures,
but then it will speak and we cannot keep it quiet. If any sin did
formerly sting thee, thou wilt feel it then. When we are immediately
to appear before God, to be judged to heaven or hell, will it not be
sweet then to say, Lord, though I were once overtaken with many
infirmities, yet my heart was set to serve and glorify thee. Oh, how
will this strengthen thee against all the terrors of death ! Our time is
running on, and we are hastening to the pit ; it is good to be able to
say so in truth, and without any check from our own hearts.
5. Uprightness will give you boldness and comfort at the day of
judgment : Ps. cxix. 6, ' Then shall I not be ashamed when I have
respect to all thy commandments.' Shame is </>o/3o9 &i/cdiov tyoyov,
a fear of a just reproof. No shame so intimate, and troublesome, and
confounding as a rebuke from the judge of the world when he sits
upon the throne. Now those that set themselves to do the whole will
of God shall be able to hold up their heads at that day. When the
secrets of all hearts shall be laid open, their failings will be produced,
but blotted out as a cancelled bond, which the debtors need not fear
though it be shown.
Use 1. Oh, study this grand case of conscience more, whether we
be sincere and upright with God.
I shall state this — (1.) Negatively ; (2.) Positively.
VER. 13.]
SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13.
385
First, Negatively. Perfect none of us can be ; but can we stand
before God upon a gospel account, and endure the touchstone though
not the balance ? If we do not attain to perfection, do we attain to
integrity ? It is a sad thing that so few study their qualification, but
leave the state of their souls to such an adventure. Till thou art able;
with a clear conscience to plead thy uprightness, thou wilt live doubt
fully and die doubtfully, and go into the other world as a man that
leapeth blindfold over a deep and terrible gulf and ditch, and knoweth
not where his feet shall light. Will you come to a trial ? Here is
one in the text.
No man can think himself upright till he hath cast off the domin-'
ion of every sin, especially presumptuous sins. Therefore they that live
in the constant allowed practice of any known sin, whether it be public
or secret, whoredom or wantonness, drunkenness or sensuality, open
ambition or secret pride, rapine or covetousness, or any allowed passion,
they cannot make their claim to the new covenant. Not only such as
by their lewd conversation give an open account of their irreligion, but
such as live in any secret allowed sin. Whatever their repute be for
godliness, if they hold any sin as a sweet morsel under their tongue,
set up a toleration in their hearts, and say, God be merciful to me if
I bow in the house of Kimmon ; if thou continuest in the pleasing or
profitable practice to which thou hast special enticements, some par
ticular warrant or profession, and thou earnest this sin closely and in
a clever way, so as not to lie open to the malice and reproach of
others: Luke xvi. 15, 'Ye are they which justify yourselves before,
men ; but God knoweth your hearts ; for that which is highly esteemed,
amongst men is abomination in the sight of God ; ' God knoweth,
conscience knows it, and so thou canst not have the comfort of integrity;
yea, whatever parts and abilities or expressions thou hast, thou mayest
be carnal for all that ; all thy parts are but like a jewel in a toad's
head. Refined notions with an unrenewed heart are but a form of
knowledge. Yea, whatever exercises and duties of religion thou per^
formest, reading, hearing, praying, there is a worm at the root that
blasteth all, even that unmortified lust which hath dominion over thee :
Ps. 1. 16, 17, ' But unto the wicked, God saith, What hast thou to do
to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldst take my covenant into
thy mouth, seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind
thee ? ' What good will ordinances do when sin is allowed in thy
soul ? The seed of the word falls among briers and thorns ; the word
is choked with cares, and riches, and pleasures of life, Luke viii. 14.
Any lust let alone will in time outgrow the word. Nay, though with
these exercises men had some experiences, humblings, tastes. Convic
tions die away, and tastes vanish, and men in time lose all their savour,
and lose all the cheerfulness of their profession ; for ' that which is
lame is soon turned out of the way,' Heb. vi. 13. Carnal affections
having the first possession of a man's heart, and being preferred by
long use and custom, get a stronger root than godliness can have, and
will draw the greatest strength of thy heart and desires after them.
Therefore godliness, though somewhat prized and esteemed, yet want
ing earth, must needs grow weak and languish.
Secondly, Positively. He that is upright may be known and tried
VOL. xxi. 2 B
386 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SER. V.
by these four things — (1.) His principles ; (2.) His conversation ; (3.)
His ends ; (4.) The fruits and effects of his constant endeavours.
1. His principles, which are —
[1.] The new nature fitting and suiting his heart to the things of
God, so that he loveth them not only out of interest, but inclination :
Ps. cxix. 140, ' Thy word is very pure, therefore thy servant loveth it/
Surely he is upright that is thus naturally carried to the things of
God. In some measure the man is restored to that frame of heart
which mankind had in innocency ; his heart inclined him to God. God
made man upright ; grace giveth somewhat of this : Heb. viii. 10, ' I
will put my laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts.'
[2.] By his love to Christ : 2 Cor. v. 14, ' The love of Christ con-
straineth us.' That cureth his self-love, which maketh us act crookedly
and perversely. Self is his principle, self his business, self his end ;
his own contentment and satisfaction is all that he looketh at. But
the love of Christ maketh him readily go about those things which are-
pleasing to Christ, and hath a mighty force and efficacy upon the soul
to overrule our self-love, that we may not live to ourselves, but unto*
God, and obey his will.
2. By his conversation, wherein he betrayeth a constant care —
[1.] To avoid all known sin ; to weaken the lusts, to suppress the-
acts : 1 Peter ii. 11, ' Abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the
soul.' But especially he is most careful to avoid his own personal sin:
Ps. xviii. 23, ' I was upright before thee, and kept myself from mine-
iniquity ; ' which the affections of his own heart might most transport
him into. He can sacrifice his Isaac, cut off his right hand, pluck out
his right eye, laboureth to subdue his particular corrupt inclinations,
useth no guile to cloak and extenuate them before God : Ps. xxxii. 2,.
c Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, ami
in whose spirit there is no guile.' This is the man who may comfort
himself with God's acceptance, and the comforts and privileges of the-
new covenant.
[2.] As to the other part of his conversation, his way and the constant
tenor of his walk is to please God, and he maketh conscience of obeying
the will of God in all his actions : Phil. i. 10, 11, ' That ye may approve
things that are excellent, and ye may be sincere and without offence
till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which
are by Jesus Christ unto the praise and glory of God.' His aim is at
the constant practice of every thing that is good : ' And having learned
how to walk and to please God, so you would abound therein more
and more,' 1 Thes. iv. 1.
3. By his ends, which are the pleasing and glorifying of God. This
is his main fixed scope : 2 Cor. v. 9, ' Wherefore we labour, that, whether
present or absent, we may be accepted of him ; ' 1 Cor. x. 31, 'Whether
y^ eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God ; ' Col.
i. 10, ' That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being
fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God.'
There is no corrupt design of vainglory, credit, or by-respect, but what
he doth for God it is to God.
4. The effects and fruits, which is not an exemption from sin alto
gether, but a growth of the contrary principle, and the flesh is brought
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 387
every day more and more into a subjection to the Spirit, and Christ's
interest prevaileth in the soul. The Spirit gets above the flesh, and
the prevailing bent of the heart is set and fixed towards God. Either
sin reigneth or grace must reign ; something must be in solio, in the
throne. That which is in the throne showeth the state of the heart,
be it sin or grace, and that which generally and mostly commandeth
and influenceth our conversations, that is in the throne. As the sun in
the midst of heaven sendeth abroad his influences on every side, so doth
that which is seated in the heart, as a sovereign governs all the parts of
our lives. Well, then, here the mark must be fixed. There is no man
so good and spiritual that hath not something in him bad and carnal,
nor so fully addicted to God but the creature or some inferior good hath
an interest in his heart. On the other side, there is no man so addicted
to worldly and sensual lusts, that God hath no manner of interest in
him at all. Carnal men, if they have not renounced all conscience, and
outgrown the heart of a man, have some good thing in them, and a
renewed man hath much of the old tang yet left. When, then, is a
man sincere ? Why, when grace gets the upper hand ; not for a fit,
but habitually. When the soul is more for God than against him ;
more against sin than for it ; more for obeying, loving, serving, and
pleasing God, than for gratifying and pleasing the flesh, and your in
clination and love to the ways of God is greater than your dislike. But
on the other side, they that love any inferior thing above God are not
sincere and upright with him ; as those that love pleasure more than
God : 2 Tim. iii. 4 ; John xii. 43, ' They loved the praise of men more
than the praise of God ; ' and the profits of the world more than
grace: Luke xii. 21, 'So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and
is not rich towards God.' These are the great sins which do more
directly fight against the sovereignty of God. Therefore these we must
look after to see whether they get ground or strength, yea or no, and
encroach upon Christ's interest in our hearts, or the interest of Christ
gets ground upon them.
Use 2. To persuade you to be upright. There are many arguments
which the scripture useth to press us to it.
1. This will be your safety in all times of danger. They that are
upright betake themselves to God, look to God as their paymaster, and
God thinketh himself concerned more for them than others. They are
under his special protection : Ps. xxv. 21, ' Let integrity and upright
ness preserve me ; ' and Ps. xviii. 25, ' With the upright thou wilt
show thyself upright.' God will defend the sincere; he will either
deliver or support them in all their troubles.
2. This will be your safety, not only from temporal danger, but
spiritual. The upright do avoid presumptuous sins, and the dominion
and reign of sin hath no place in them. An hypocrite is one that doth
partially obey God ; he is divided between God and the world,
therefore uncertain and unstable in all his ways, James i. 8. He
that is false-hearted at first setting out can never hold on with God,
nor carry on the business of his salvation to any good purpose;
for when his lusts or interests entice or invite him, he voluntarily dis-
penseth with his duty, and either falleth wholly off, or at least very
foully. The young man came forwardly on with Christ, but he had a
388 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SER. V.
carnal bias in his heart, and therefore when his privy sore was touched
he went away grieved, Mark x. 22.
3. It will be a sweet cordial to you in all exigencies.
[1.] In reproaches from men, when they question and tax your
sincerity : Job xii. 4, ' I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who
calleth upon God, and he answereth him; the just, upright man is
laughed to scorn.' It is a grievous sore trial. The church complains
of it: Ps. cxxiii. 4, 'Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning
of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud.' Now
in such a case it is a mighty help and support to consider that
God will accept us though men scorn us. Though God's children
want not their failings, yet God looketh more to their good than ill,
though he know more of their failings than any ; therefore none that
are truly sincere will be rejected by him, though they be scorned by
men. If we find acceptance with God, why should we be troubled ?
Job often fled to this : chap. xvi. 19, 20, ' But, behold, my witness is in
heaven, and my record is on high. My friends scorn me, but mine eye
poureth out tears to God.' Upright men are comforted in his testi
mony, which is the witness and observer of all men's ways.
[2.] In the midst of many infirmities and imperfections, when our
hearts condemn us, not for any wilful or allowed sin, 1 John iii. 21.
It is a mighty comfort to be sincere, and yieldeth advantages that
cannot be easily told. Believers find it when condemned by others,
when God's dispensations and their own inward temptations make
them ready to question their condition.
4. Eternal happiness will be the portion of the upright : Ps. cxl. 13,
' The upright shall dwell in thy presence.' Besides ail the testimonies
of God's love in this world granted to the believer, he shall have ever
lasting fellowship with God in the world to come. David propoundeth
the question, Ps. xv. 1, 2, ' Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle ?
Who shall dwell in thy holy hill ? ' That is, If I should take the
boldness to interrogate thee, who art the Lord of heaven and earth,
."Who shall be rewarded with eternal bliss hereafter ? the answer will
be certainly thus, ' He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteous
ness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.' He, and none but he, that
goeth on in a course of uniform and steady obedience, and doeth all
things sincerely, and as in his sight. A sincere endeavour of universal
obedience is the only sure mark. He asketh the question of God,
because God can best interpret our sincerity.
Means.
1. Beg it of God to renew a right spirit within you, Ps. li. 10. The
new man, which inferreth true holiness, is created, Eph. iv. 24. Keno-
vation cometh from the same power from which creation came ; for
this is a second creation, a thing to be done by an omnipotent hand,
the work of his grace upon our hearts.
2. Something is to be done by ourselves.
[1.] In the performance of our duty we must take God for party,
not only as our witness and approver, but also our defender and
re warder : Ps. xvi. 8, ' I have set the Lord always before me.' Before
me in point of reverence and in point of dependence ; both are necessary
to sincerity ; to do all things as in his sight, who is our witness, and
YER. 13.]
SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13.
approver, and judge, and who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins.
Kemember you have to do with God. You may carry the matter
fairly before men, but God is not deceived with a false appearance :
Prov. v. 21, ' For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord, and
he pondereth all his goings.' What a shame is it to be convicted of
evil before men ? As a thief is ashamed when he is found ; and is it
not a greater shame to be convicted of evil before God ? This hath
a great influence upon uprightness : ' I was upright before him.' A
serious apprehension of his omnipresence and all-seeing eye, doing all
things as in his sight.
[2.] A belief of his all-sufficiency : Gen xvii. 1, 'I am the almighty
God ; walk* before me, and be thou perfect.' A man that doth not
trust God with his all can never be true to him. All defection and
apostasy lieth hid in distrust : Heb. iii. 12, ' Take heed, brethren, lest
there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the
living God/
2. Earthly affections must be mortified, and we must get a deadness
to all things of a temporal interest. We fall into presumptuous sins out
of an indulgence to some fleshly and worldly lusts ; for though there be
an express knowledge of our duty, and time enough for mature deli
beration, yet, if a man be given to please the flesh or the world, he will
make a breach upon his duty, and temptations will seem to have an
irresistible force : James i. 14, ' But every man is drawn away by his
own lust and enticed.' Drawn away by the sensitive lure ; as the
harlot, Prov. vii. 21 , 22, ' With much fair speech she caused him to yield,
with the flattering of her lips she forced him. He goeth after her
straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the cor
rection of the stocks.' Some pleasure or profit which cometli in
competition with our known duty carrieth us away. Thy conscience
telleth thee thou oughtest not to yield, yet some sensual or worldly lust
prevaileth. Therefore, if you would be upright and not yield, you
must be mortified to the world, which is the bait which enticeth the
rebelling flesh. When men dote on pleasures, honours, profits, they
can never have a sincere spirit, but are crooked, perverse, and distorted.
But when once we come to count honours small, as Paul, 1 Cor. iv. 3,
' With me it is a small thing to be judged of you ; ' and riches small
matters, as 1 Cor. vi. 2, 'Are ye unworthy to judge the smallest
matters ? ' that is a sign of uprightness.
3. A tender, waking conscience. Without this vigilancy we can
never keep right with God. David's heart smote him. The most
upright are obnoxious to these heart-smitings when they go wrong,
whereas others are not moved unless they commit some gross sins.
Light and love keep it tender, and then lesser sins and daily imper
fections will be bewailed ; much more will they watch against raging
passions and boisterous affections.
4. A clean heart, which is as irreconcilable with sin as filthiness, and
is always working it out. Purity of heart is now seen in our hatred of
sin, when that is kept lively: Ps. cxix. 104, ' Through thy precepts I
get understanding ; therefore I hate every false way ; ' and love : Ps.
xcvii. 10, ' Ye that love the Lord, hate evil.' Now this hath a great
influence upon uprightness. Pure and upright are often joined together
390 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SEE. VL
in scripture : Job viii. 6, ' If thou wert pure and upright.' So Ps. li.
10, we read of ' a clean heart ' and ' a right spirit/ The one respects
the frame and disposition of the heart, and the other the conversation.
5. Use often recollection and search : Ps. iv. 4, ' Commune with your
hearts.' If men would discourse with themselves, they would better
know themselves. If we suspect a servant, we call him to an account.
Bankrupts cannot endure a reckoning. Offer yourselves also to God's
trial : Ps. cxxxix. 23, 24, ' Search me, God, and know my heart ;
try me, and know my thoughts ; and see if there be any wicked way
in me.' Appeal to his all-seeing eye. Frauds, colours, disguises will
not long hold out.
6. Look not only what you do, but upon what principles and aims :
Prov. xvi. 2, ' All the ways of a man are right in his own eyes ; but
God weigheth the spirits.' See if there be no carnal bias, and be not
good by chance or by force or by craft ; as many follow a good way
because of company, or because it is their present interest, or because
of crosses lying upon them. Some are good by chance, as the man
that taketh up religion barely on tradition, not from any sound con
viction of the truth : John iv. 20, ' Our fathers worshipped in this
mountain ; ' 1 Peter i. 18, ' Christ redeemed you from your vain
conversation, received by tradition from your fathers.' Some by force
or fear of men, because else they cannot be had in credit and security.
Or else entertain a slavish religion. The evil they love they avoid, and
the gopd they hate they do. Some out of craft and design ; there is
a carnal bias ; they are not sincere in closing with Christ or rejecting
what is wrong.
Lastly, Often renew your covenant with God, because of many
breaches. Bind your resolutions afresh. It is one of the Lord's
appointed means to keep us firm in the covenant. Things done long
ago are soon forgotten, therefore we should revive them upon our
memories.
SEKMON VL
And innocent from the great transgression. — Ps. xix. 13.
WE now come to the second motive or encouragement, which is in the
text. There is a double reading of these words — that in the margin,
and that in the text. In the marginal reading it is, ' Much transgres
sion/ as relating to other heinous sins. In the text, ' The unpardonable
sin/ or, as we express it, ' The great transgression/ From the marginal
reading observe this point —
Doct. He that alloweth himself in one sin cannot promise himself
freedom from the greatest sins.
The point will be made good by these two considerations — (1.) That
some sins are greater than others ; (2.) That the lesser sins make way
for greater.
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 391
I. That some sins are greater than others. Certainly there is a
difference between sins ; some are lesser, some greater. That appear-
eth because the scripture telleth us of gnats and camels, Mat. xxiii.
•24, motes and beams, Mat. vii. 3. All sins are not alike, nor all sinners.
Some sins are more heinous than others: 2 Kings iii. 1, 2, ' Jehoram,
the son of Ahab, wrought evil in the sight of the Lord, but not like his
father and like his mother ; for he put away the image of Baal which
his father had made.' His sins were great, but not so great as theirs :
John xix. 11, ' Therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the
greater sin.' All that had a hand in the persecutions of Christ were
guilty, yet some more heinously than others ; they that betrayed him
out of mere malice than those that judged him secundum allegata et
probata, upon pretence of proof. They that are trained up in the
church have more knowledge than a pagan. It appeareth also by the
judgment, which is always proportioned according to the offence, Mat
xi. 22. Some have Trepiao-QTepov Kplpa, a more intolerable judgment ;
Mat. xxiii. 14, ' I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and
Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.' And some have many
and some few stripes ; Luke xii. 47, 48, ' And that servant which knew
his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his
will, shall be beaten with many stripes ; but he that knew not, and did
commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes.'
Though for duration all are punished alike, and as to pcena damni,
the punishment of loss, all are alike, yet as to pcena sensus, the punish
ment of sense, there are degrees of torment ; some more and some less.
Then certain it is all sins are not equal. But whence doth the inequality
arise ? Not merely from the opinion of the multitude and shame
among men. There is peccatum majoris infamice, a sin of greater
shame, and majoris reatus, of greater guilt. Spiritual sins, as unbelief
and impenitency, may be of greater guilt than those acts of sensuality
which are more odious in the eye of the world, and betray us to greater
shame.
The difference and aggravations of sins do arise — (1.) From the
lawgiver ; (2.) From the law, by which good and evil are determined ;
(3.) From the offender ; (4.) From the nature of temptations ; (5.)
From the consequents and effects.
First, From the lawgiver. The more contempt is done to God, the
greater the offence : 1 Sam. xv. 23, ' Rebellion is as the sin of witch
craft ; and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast
rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being
king.' When men wilfully transgress God's known will, and commit
a sin the rather because they know God hath forbidden it, that is
rebellion ; so that the quantity is not forbidden so much as the quality,
not the materiality so much as the formality of it. Rebellion, it is no
small matter; it is like going to witches and devils, or worshipping
idols. The authority of the lawgiver expressly known is as much con
temned in the one as the other, as in Saul's sparing Agag against God's
•express command : Ps. xcv. 10, ' Forty years long was I grieved with
this generation, and said, It is a people that do err in their hearts.'
There is a sin out of ignorance, and that is an erring with the mind
and there is a sin out of incogitancy and inattentiveness, which is an
392 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SEB. VI.
ignorance for the time, or a not considering our duty ; and there is an
erring with the heart, when we love to wander, and care not to regard
the mind of God. A man erreth in his mind that knoweth not the
ways of God, hut he erreth in his heart when he desireth not to know
his ways. The fault is not in his mind, but his heart. These sins
grieve God and provoke him exceedingly, because his authority is
slighted.
(Secondly, From the law. Sins of the highest degree against the-
first table are greater than the sins of the highest degree against the
second, because Christ telleth us, Mat. xxii. 38, ' This is the first and
great commandment.' He committeth a greater offence that beatetli
his father than he that striketh another man, that immediately resisteth
his prince than he that resisteth his officer. The more directly any
sin is against God, the greater the offence, for God is greater than man,
Job xxxiii. 12. He that sinneth against his neighbour sinneth also
against God, but not so directly : 1 Cor. viii. 12, ' But when ye sin
so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin-
against Christ.' Duties of the first table must needs be greatest, because
they enforce the second. We perform our duty to them as in and to
the Lord ; but yet this must be understood so as the comparison be
rightly made ; the chief of the first table with the chief of the second,
of the middle with the middle, the least with the least ; otherwise not:
Isa, i. 15, ' And when ye spread forth your hearts, I will hide mine
eyes from you ; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear :
your hands are full of blood ; ' Hosea vi. 6, ' For I desired mercy, and
not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt-offerings.'
First, love to God, then love to men ; acts of outward worship to God,
and acts of outward kindness to men; the circumstantial and cere
monial duties of the first table must give place to the necessary and
moral duties of the second. But when the comparison is duly made in
the same rank, those laws which do simply and directly respect God
are to be preferred ; the love of our neighbour must give place to the
love of God ; the love of wife, children, friends, brethren : Luke xiv.
26, ' If any man will come to me, and hate not his father, and mother,
and wife, and children,, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own
life also, he cannot be my disciple.' God is chief and most worthy o£
respect.
Thirdly, From the offender, and his temper and quality and advan
tages ; as —
1. Sins against light and knowledge ; there is more of the nature of
sin in such acts. Sin is a breach or violation of the law ; the more we-
know of the law, the greater is the offence. Therefore sins are greater
or lesser as we have more or less knowledge : James iv. 17, ' Therefore
to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin ; ' 1
Tim. i. 13, 'Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecutor, and
injurious ; but I obtained mercy, because I did it ignoranUy.' I that
offered injury to God and men and saints, yet, rj\erjdi]v, 'I obtained
mercy.' Why? I did it in ignorance and unbelief. Sins against
knowledge are greater than those committed out of simple ignorance.
Ignorance doth not excuse ; it doth not cease to be sin though com
mitted ignorantly, because of the obligation that is upon the creature to-
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. is. 393
know his Creator's will ; yet it is not a sin so grievous and lieinous ;
there is more malice and violence offered to the principles of conscience
in sins against knowledge.
2. The voluntariness and wilfulness of it, when men freely and
obstinately give up themselves to do evil, and not only do the sins, but
have pleasure in them that do them, Horn. i. 32. Their souls delight
to see others as bad as themselves ; this is malice and doing despite to
the Spirit of grace : Heb. x. 29, ' Of how much sorer punishment, sup
pose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden underfoot the
Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he
was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite to the Spirit of
grace ? '
3. When men have received many mercies. Men cannot endure to
have their kindness despised. Joseph thought it ingratitude to wrong
his master, who had committed all things to him, Gen. xxxix. 9 ; and
shall we wrong God ? Every sin is not a sin against knowledge, but
every sin is a sin against mercies. There is a common love which all
receive, food and raiment. It is their charge, Rom. ii. 4, that they
despise not his kindness and the riches of his goodness. But his people
have tasted his love in Christ. Every sin of yours is a stab at the
heart : John vi. 67, ' Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go
away ? ' Is this the fruit of all his tender love sealed to you by the
Spirit ? Ps. Iv. 12, 13, ' It was not an enemy that reproached me, then
I could have borne it. But it was thou, a man, mine equal, my guide,
and mine acquaintance.' David took it ill from Achitophel, and
Christ from Judas. From a professed enemy we could expect no better ;
but from a friend, it is grievous ; you have tasted of his bread, and
been fed with hidden manna.
4. You have more opportunities to be acquainted with the will oi
God : Rom. ii. 9, ' Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man
that doeth evil, to the Jew first, and also to the gentile.' To the Jew
first, because more advantages and opportunities : Mat. xi. 23, ' And
thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought
down to hell; for if the mighty works which have been done in thee
had been done in Sodom, it would have remained unto this day.' Yea,
they have not only external means, but experiences to the contrary :
Num. xiv. 11, 'And the Lord said unto Moses, How long will this
people provoke me ? and how long will it be ere they believe me for
all the signs which I have showed among them ? ' When God trained
them up in a constant course of experiences, but especially inward ex
periences, to break with God after all, how heinous is this ! After they
have tasted his love, Heb. iv. 6 ; after experience of his multiplied
favours : Jer. ii. 5, ' Thus saith the Lord, What iniquity have your fathers
found in me that they are gone far from me, and are walked after vanity,
and are become vain ; ' Micah vi. 3, ' my people ! what have I done
unto thee, and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.'
You have had some experience of the sweetness of God's ways. What 1
return to Egypt after a sight of Canaan ? Men loose their lust, and
fall off from God. You have had experience of the evil of sin. You
havesmarted once or twice, yet will you venture again ? Send the othet
fifty, 2 Kings i. 11 ; James iv. 2, 'Ye lust, and have not ; ye kill, and
394 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SER. VI.
desire to have, and cannot obtain ; ye fight and war, yet ye have not,
because ye ask not' You have many times repeated this. This is a
plain contest with God, a kicking against the pricks. It hath cost you
dear, and still you will be meddling with forbidden fruit: Jer. ii. 19,
' Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall
reprove thee : know, therefore, and see, that it is an evil thing and a
bitter that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is
not in thee, saith the Lord God of hosts.' Like foolish children, who
remember the beating no longer than it smarteth. We are not yet
whole of the old wounds ; we should remember the former anguish and
stings of conscience : Ps. li. 8, ' Make me to hear joy and gladness,
that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.' We have found
how tedious and bitter this course of sinning hath been.
Fourthly, The difference of sins does arise from the nature of
temptations.
1. When a small temptation, a little matter, carrieth us off from
God ; an handful of barley and a piece of bread, a vain pleasure, a
small profit; and we can hazard our peace, neglect our duty, and
pervert our ways for a trifle. Adam for an apple : ' They sell the
righteous for silver, and the poor for a pair of shoes,' Amos ii. 7.
2. When a great temptation draws us to apostasy from Christ ;
idolatry, blasphemy, adultery, murder, or gross enormities ; to hearken
to these is contrary to all that natural sense of honesty and piety, or
those notions which we have of either of these. There are peccata
•clamantia, crying sins, that solicit God for vengeance, and will not let
him be quiet. To fall into these is a great evil : Ps. li. 2, ' Wash me
throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.'
Fifthly, From the consequence and effects. So a sin may be greater
or lesser as it turneth to the prejudice and loss of him that committeth
it, or to the dishonour of God.
1. When it turneth to his loss ; when it terrifieth or stupifieth him.
Terrifieth : James iv. 17, ' To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth
it not, to him it is sin ; ' Gen. iv. 13, ' And Cain said unto the Lord,
My punishment is greater than I can bear.' When a man goeth up
and down under the burden of his despairing thoughts, and is a terror
to himself, to him it is sin indeed ; he findeth and feeleth it to be so.
Or when it stupifieth and settleth into an evil custom and bondage
upon the soul, which we know not how to break, so that men go on
impenitently, and resolve to make the best of their lives, and to live as
sweetly in their sin as they can : Jer. xviii. 12, ' And they said, There
is no hope ; we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one
do the imagination of his evil heart.' When it hath strangely pre
vailed over us, that is a great transgression indeed ; when it cometh
to that, to yield up ourselves to the tyranny of any lust, to carry us
where it will. Yet this is the fruit of relapses, or frequent committing
€f the same sin, as a bone often broken in the same place is hardly
set ; so when men will frequently run into the same sin, they bring a
necessity upon themselves, and then yield their necks to the yoke.
2. As to God, when his name is dishonoured : Horn. ii. 24, ' For the
name of God is blasphemed among the gentiles through you.' When
you encourage others to sin in like manner, or by your inordinate
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. ia 395
walking give them occasion to speak evil of the ways of God : Mat
xviii. 7, ' Woe be to him by whom offences come ! for it must needs
be that offences come, but woe to that man by whom the offence
cometh ! ' Such sins will bring a reproach upon godliness, and ruin
others' souls. These are great sinners indeed. There is scandalum
activum et passivum, either given or taken by weak Christians. A
man should not offend them ; Mat. xviii. 6, ' Whoso shall offend one
of those little ones that believe in me, it were better for him that a
millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in
the depth of the sea ; ' Exod. xxi. 22, ' If a man strive and hurt a
woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no
mischief follow, he shall be surely punished.' Or malicious ones, as
the pharisees were scandalised at Christ. When there is no occasion
given on our part, it is well ; but when you open the mouth of iniquity,
and furnish the triumphs of the uncircumcised, the dishonour of God's
name is put on your score.
II. That the lesser sins make way for the greater, and the greater
for the unpardonable sin. This it doth meritorie and effective.
1. Meritorie. Meritoriously, it provoketh God to give us up to our
own heart's counsel ; for God is wont in his just judgment to punish
sin with sin ; our carelessness, looseness, and security in small sins, by
leaving us to wallow in greater : 2 Thes. ii. 10, 11, ' And with all
deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish ; because they
received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. For this
cause God sent them strong delusions, that they should believe a lie.'
David giveth himself liberty in idleness to wanton eyes : 2 Sam. xi. 2,
' And it came to pass in an evening-tide, that David arose from off his
bed, and walked upon the roof of the king's house ; and he saw a
woman washing herself, and the woman was very beautiful to look
upon.' God left him to the foul sins of blood and uncleanness.
Therefore Job made a covenant with his eyes : ' Why then should I
think upon a maid,' Job xxxi. 1. He would not allow himself in a
wanton glance for fear of further mischief. He kept his ejes under a
law, and a firm resolution and endeavour, that they might not dwell
on any object of lust, lest it should prove a means to infect and poison
his heart.
2. Effective. Though it be but a small sin, yet it weakeneth the
interest of God, and so taketh off that awe-bond that is upon the soul
to keep it from other sins. A man is apt to grow careless and to lose
conscience of sin when he giveth himself liberty in the least sin ; for
he breaketh the bond and cord which should restrain him from any
sin, namely, the commandment of God against it : Ps. ii. 3, ' Let us
break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us.' If
once this bond be of no force with us, then what can be of force to
hold us to the Lord : Eom. vi. 19, ' For as ye have yielded your
members servants to uncleanness, and to iniquity unto iniquity ; even
so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.'
One maketh way for another ; and in running down-hill, there is
no stay. Oh, therefore, how should we tremble at the thought of
tolerating ourselves in one sin, lest it lead you to hell ! for there is no
stop when once ye yield up yourselves.
396 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SER. VI.
Use 1. First, To show the vanity of that plea whereby the heart is
deceived : It is but a little one ; and I will yield but once. Ob, deny
at first ; better never yield at all.
1. In little things we must be faithful. In minima fidelem esse
magnum est. It is a great matter to be faithful in a little. Yea, our
Lord telleth us, Mat. v. 19, ' Whosoever therefore shall break one of
these least commandments, and teach men so, he shall be least in the
kingdom of heaven.' It is a good note not to yield to the least viola
tion of God's law. It is a sign you have the awe of it upon your
hearts.
2. Sin is of an encroaching nature, like a river, that is small at the
•first rising, but it spreadeth and enlargeth itself in its progress. Grant
it but a little, and it will come to a great deal. When once the sluices
be open, there is no stopping of the waters. Sin is better kept out
than gotten out. You cannot say how far you shall go. I will yield
but once, saith the deceived heart, but a little after yields again. The
devil will carry thee further and further, till he hath left no tenderness
in thy conscience. Some will say they will venture but a shilling, till,
by the secret witchery of gaming, they come to play away their lands,
heritages, yea, the clothes off their backs; so all principles of con
science will be lost at length to those that give way to sin.
3. If we should stop at small sins, yet these may harden the heart
so as to neglect the greater : Mat. xxi. 31, ' Publicans and harlots go
into the kingdom of God before you ; ' that is, before the pharisees.
4. If we do not abstain from small sins, we do not abstain from the
grossest out of conscience, but by-respects, not because God forbiddeth
it, and is offended with it. There is the same reason for one as for
all : James ii. 10, 11, ' For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and
offend in one point, he is guilty of all. For he that said, Do not
commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no
adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art a transgressor of the law.' He that
said, Swear not great oaths, hath also said, Swear not at all. He that
said, Thou shalt not hate thy brother, hath said also, Put away anger.
It is not sincerity of heart if we keep from one and not from another.
Secondly, It showeth the vanity of that plea of committing small
sins upon other considerations ; as for preventing of greater danger.
No danger like the great transgression ; and we must choose the great
est affliction rather than the least sin : Heb. xi. 26, ' Esteeming the
reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.' We
must not commit the least sin to procure the greatest good : Rom. iii.
8, ' Let us do evil that good may come.' This is to make the devil
serve God, and God to serve the devil. It is a doubt of God's all-
sufficiency : he needeth not my lie. We may not commit the least
sin for avoiding a greater, fouller sin. None is reduced to that necessity.
Lot cannot be excused, who, to keep the Sodomites from committing
the sin against nature, offered his two daughters to their filthy lusts,
Gen. xix. 8. There is no such necessity laid on God's children, that
they must do a smaller sin to prevent a greater. Refer the issue to
God.
Thirdly, It informeth us that sin is of a spreading nature. One sin
is the cause of another ; as being left by God, and given up to Satan ;
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. is. 397
or by the affinity of sin, by one they are inclined to another ; by prodi
gality to theft or fraudulency. Lusts must be fed ; one sin cannot be
committed without others ; as covetousness : 1 Tim. vi. 10, 4 The love
of money is the root of all evil ; which while some have coveted after,
they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with
many sorrows.' When one is committed to palliate and hide another ;
as David's murder, to hide his lust. The same sin spreads further :
James i. 15, ' When lust hath conceived, it brings forth sin.'
Fourthly, It shows what need we have of constant hatred and mor
tifying of sin, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, Heb.
vi. 12, 13. Therefore labour to be humbled for and to strive against
the least sin ; as Hezekiah was for his pride : 2 Chron. xxxii. 26,
' Hezekiah humbled himself for the pride of his heart/
Fifthly, Take heed of the least sin, either as to judgment or practice.
1. You must not give yourselves liberty to swerve from the least
truth which God has revealed to you, and of which conscience has been
convinced. Though you do not fail in the main and in fundamental
matters, yet you must make conscience of holding fast the truth in the
smallest things : Gal. ii. 5, ' To whom we gave place by subjection, no,
not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with
you.'
2. For practice. We may not do anything which we have cause to
doubt of whether it be such as is forbidden : Rom. xiv. 23, ' He that
doubteth is damned if he eats.' David was afraid of his secret faults.
Let us now take the expression as it lieth in the textual translation or
reading. There are many great transgressions, but there is one above
the rest, which deserves to be called the great transgression, and is
usually spoken of in scripture as such ; and fitly, because it is only
^xcepted out of the covenant of grace, as not to be pardoned by it
And also because it importeth the highest malice and contempt of God
that a creature on this side hell can be guilty of, and cometh near to
the sin of the devils or evil angels. And it deserveth to be spoken of
in this place, because presumptuous sin is a disposition to the unpar
donable sin. That place, ' If we sin wilfully, after that we have re
ceived the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice
for sin,' Heb. x. 26, alludeth to Num. xv. 28-31, where no sacrifice
was allowed for presumptuous sin, or sinning with an high hand. And
it is said, ver. 30, ' That he that sinneth presumptuously reproacheth
the Lord ; ' is guilty of blasphemy against God ; and this great sin
symboliseth with it, for it is called* a ' blasphemy against the Holy
Ghost ; ' Luke xii. 10, ' Whosoever shall speak a word against the Son
of man, it shall be forgiven him ; but unto him that blasphemeth against
the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven.' Wilful sins imply or express
a blasphemy. Therefore, for the consolation of the weak and wounded
in spirit, who are apt to charge themselves with the committing of this
sin, and for our own caution, that we may not run into it nor come near
it, there are certain degrees and steps that lead down unto this sin unto
death, and we shall do well to keep out of harm's way. Those that sin
wilfully against light and checks of conscience are in the highway to
final apostasy and falling off from God. All presumptuous sins give a
fearful wound to the conscience, and Satan gets advantage by them ;
398 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SER. VI.
therefore let us a little state what is this great sin. I shall not make
a set and solemn discourse of it, yet something I shall open of it to
you.
First, Let us consider the names by which it is called : c Blasphemy
against the Holy Ghost;' Mat. xii. 31, ' Wherefore I say unto you, All
manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men ; but the
blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men.'
Here I must give an account why it is called ' blasphemy,' and why
'against the Holy Ghost.' Why blasphemy. Blasphemy is either
explicit or implicit. There is implied blasphemy in every presump
tuous sin ; it is a reproach to God. Thus Pharaoh openly and by
consequence and interpretation, blasphemed God when he said, 'Who
is the Lord, that I should obey him ? ' a questioning of his authority,
or a questioning of his power and truth. Implied blasphemy is a saying
in the heart, as security and presumption in sin denieth God's providence
or just government: Zeph. i. 12, ' That say in their heart, The Lord
will not do good, neither will he do evil.' But this sin is not only
implied, but often explicit (if not always) and express blasphemy, as
appeareth by all the descriptions of it ; as Mat. xii. 24, ' This fellow
doth not cast out devils but by Beelzebub the prince of the devils ;'
which occasioned Christ's speaking of this sin. So Heb. vi. 6, 'They
crucify the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame ; ' that
is, they judged him such an one as the Jews that crucified him,
who judged not Christ to be the Messiah and the Son of God, but a
seducer, impostor, and malefactor ; they desired judgment against him
as such, that he might be crucified and put to shame ; and they ratify
this ex post facto, by their after consent. So again, this sin is aggra
vated by the blasphemy which is contained in it ; when it is said of the
total and final apostate, Heb. x. 29, ' That he hath trodden underfoot
the Son of God, and counted the blood of the covenant an unholy thing,
and done despite to the Spirit of grace ; ' he doth blasphemously vilify,
undervalue, and debase Christ as low as the dust and dirt under his
feet, and judgeth him an impostor, a false prophet, and malefactor, and
justly and worthily crucified. His blood, which was the ground of the
new covenant, he counteth it common blood, such as had no expiating
and purging power, and reckoneth it as impure and unholy, despising
and disdaining the Spirit of grace, accounting the gifts, illuminations,
motions, comforts of the Spirit as delusions and impulses of the devil,
both in himself, if formerly he felt them, and in others ; and all this
out of malice and detestation of the Christian religion, after he hath felt
some of the divine effects of this Spirit in his own soul, both in terrors
and comforts.
Secondly, Let us consider the nature of the sin. It is a malicious
contempt and wilful rejection of the truth of the gospel, when it is pro
pounded to us by the Holy Ghost with sufficient evidence ; or else it
is a total and final defection and apostasy from it, after we have received'
it, and have been convinced of the truth of it by the Spirit. Where —
1. Observe, the object of this sin is the gospel ; it is not a sin against
the law, but against the gospel ; not against some one point of truth,
but against the whole gospel covenant, contrary to the main substance-
of Christianity, and contrary to Christ as the Redeemer, that upon re-
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. is. 399
pentance in his name, we may obtain remission of sins, and by his Spirit
be sanctified and fitted for eternal life. These three blasphemies show
the nature of it. The first of these blasphemies relateth to the person
and office of Christ as the Kedeemer of the world ; the other two to
his benefits, justification and sanctification. The one is founded upon
the merit of his blood, the other depends upon the efficacy of his Spirit.
The whole showeth that it is a total defection and apostasy from the
Christian faith.
Now, why is it called ' blasphemy against the Holy Ghost ? ' It is
called ' blasphemy against the Holy Ghost,' or ' the sin against the
Holy Ghost/ because it is committed against the peculiar operation of
the Holy Ghost, rather than against the Father and the Son. I say,
it is against his personal operation, or that relation which he sustaineth
in the mystery of redemption. The sins committed against the law may
be said to be committed against the Father as the governor and judge
of the world. Now there may be pardon for such sins, because God
hath provided a remedy in Christ. The sins that are committed against
the gospel, such as impenitency and unbelief, they may be said to be
committed against the Son, for these are sins contra remedium, against
the remedy, as the other contra officium, against the office of Christ.
And the gospel is the new remedying law of the Lord-Kedeemer ; these
are sins against the Son. The Father gave the Kedeemer to men, but
he is not the Kedeemer to them till the Spirit doth open the eyes of our
minds, that we may acknowledge and embrace our Kedeemer. But the
Holy Ghost was not made sin for us, nor did he endure the wrath of
God for our sakes; therefore he is not called our redeemer. That
honour is put upon Christ, who is exalted to be prince and saviour, to
give repentance and remission of sins, that we may own him and re
ceive him, which if we do not, we sin grievously, and incur a just con
demnation. But all are not condemned who for a while reject Christ.
Paul did it with some persecution, yet afterward was converted. There
is a third sort of sins that we must seek to find out, and that is the sin
against the Holy Ghost, and that is when we do despite to the Spirit
of grace, who is to convince and convert, and bring men to Christ,
which when we refuse and blaspheme, and slight his evidence,
be it never so full and clear, and sufficient to force belief, and
will not see it, nor hearken to it, but obstinately speak evil of it, this
is to sin against the Holy Ghost. The Spirit is the great witness of
the gospel, and he witnesseth thereunto two ways, objectively and effi
ciently, as by and by more fully shall be shown. Now if we wilfully
shut our eyes against this, and continue blaspheming, this is the sin
against the Holy Ghost, and then there is no hope for us ; for after the
three persons have done their part, every one their proper work, there
is no remedy. Father, Son, and Holy Ghost have divided the work of
salvation among themselves ; God the Father as the lawgiver, the Son
as redeemer, and the Spirit as the applier. He that sinneth against
the law sinneth against the Father ; he that sinneth against the gospel
sinneth against the Son, but he that wilfully, maliciously, and blasphe
mously withstandeth conviction, and the power of the Holy Ghost in
bringing souls to Christ, his convincing, persuading, and converting
work, he sinneth against the Spirit. According to these three dispen-
400 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [&ER. VT.
sations and respects hath God revealed himself to us. Before the
coming of Christ in the flesh, God was more known as a lawgiver ;
God the Son was manifested obscurely, and the Spirit given sparingly.
When God was manifested in our flesh and dwelt among us, the person,
dignity, and office of the Son was set forth ; but upon his reception
into heaven, the Spirit came as God's vicegerent or vicar-general. Now
he hath a special inspection over all affairs of the church : Acts v. 3,
4, ' And Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie
unto the Holy Ghost, and hast kept back part of the land ? While it
remained, was it not thine own ? and after it was sold, was it not in
thine own power ? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart ?
thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God ; ' Acts xx. 28, ' Take heed
therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock over which the Holy
Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he
hath purchased with his own blood.' He liveth, and walketh, and
dwelleth in you : ' His temples we are.' All operations that belong to
faith and repentance come from him. To resist them is to resist the
Holy Ghost, Acts vii. 51. Therefore this sin, which questioneth the
main evidence upon which faith is built, is called, ' The sin against the
Holy Ghost.' Once more ; it is called ' a sin unto death ; ' 1 John v.
16, 17, ' There is a sin unto death, and there is a sin not unto death.'
In some respect, all sins are sins unto death, as they deserve it ; but
this is especially so. A sin may be called a sin unto death quo ad
meritum, in respect of its desert : Horn. vi. 23, ' The wages of sin is
death.' Vel quoad eventum, or in respect of the event ; so is unbelief
and impenitency, or all that sin which men continue in till death :
Prov. iii.,18, ' Her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the
dead,' if continued in ; but if broken off, it is pardonable, or rather
pardoned. But this sin is quoad naturam, in its own nature, a sin
which cannot be pardoned neither in this world nor the next : Mat.
xii. 31, 32, ' Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy
shall be forgiven unto men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost
shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word
against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven ; but whosoever speaketh
against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this
world, neither in the world to come/ Why is this sin irremissible or
unpardonable? Surely it is not in respect of God the Father, as if he
wanted mercy enough to pardon it ; that cannot be, for his goodness
and mercy is infinite. Not in respect of the Lord our propitiation, for
his blood being of an infinite and matchless value and worth, is above
the transgression of the creature. Nor merely subjectively in regard
of the sinner, who by reason of former impieties and frequent convic
tions is given over to an hardened heart, an heart which cannot repent,
and through custom of sin is seared and made as hard as the nether
millstone ; but chiefly from the special nature of this sin, which lieth
in some contradiction to the pardoning terms, or the way which God
taketh to bring home sinners to himself. It is an aggravated sort of
an impenitency in its own nature, which God will not pardon, it being
an obstinate refusal of the means of conviction and conversion.
2. Observe the qualification of the object, the truth of the gospel
represented by some powerful evidence of the Spirit ; for it is a bias-
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. 13. 401
phemy against the Holy Ghost, or an obstinate refusal of the means of
conviction and conversion. A sin of ignorance it cannot be, for the
greatest blasphemy committed ignorantly may be forgiven : 1 Tim. i.
13, ' Who was before a blasphemer, a persecutor, and injurious ; but I
obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.' A sin of in-
cogitancy it cannot be, for of all sins, that hath the most of infirmity
when a man is suddenly surprised. It is not a rash opposition, but
wittingly and willingly committed against some special operation of
the Spirit ; and that operation of the Spirit in applying the gospel must
be such as is a sufficient evidence to work faith concerning the truth
of it. Now two ways doth the Holy Ghost evidence and witness the
truth of the gospel to the souls of men — either objective or efficienter ;
either as an objective testimony or argument : Acts v. 31, 32, ' Him hath
God exalted with his right hand, to be a prince and a saviour, to give
repentance to Israel, and remission of sins. And we are his witnesses
of these things, and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given
to them that obey him.' Or efficiently : Eph. i. 17, 18, ' That the
God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the
spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him ; the eyes of
your understanding being enlightened, that ye may know what is the
hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of the inheritance
of the saints.' By miracles' without, or some divine effects within, such
as is illumination and taste. The outward work is enough, for it is
full evidence. And the pharisees had no internal conviction from the
Spirit, or illumination that we read of, but only maliciously slandered
Christ's miracles, to whom Christ applieth the sin, Mat. xii. 31. They
fathered these works of the Spirit on Satan.- And it is possible some
may have more illumination, as those that reject this evidence by mali
cious and total apostasy. They may be enlightened : Heb. vi. 4, ' For
it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted
of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost.' They
may have a taste, some internal preparative work.
3. It is a wilful, malicious, and blasphemous rejection of this truth,
as sealed by the Spirit. To this blasphemy I spake before.
[1.] It is a wilful sin : Heb. x. 26, ' For if we sin wilfully after we
have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacri
fice for sin ; ' that which is committed with a full will, and a deliberate
and obstinate malice. Sin may be committed either by a full will or
a mixed will. Things may be done with a mixed will when swayed
from the right rule by violent passions ; and with a full will when done
with consent and obstinate will. It is not ignorance, fear, or violent
passion. That which we do out of fear, we seem to do it unwillingly ;
for the will refuseth a while, though afterwards, overcome with fear, it
yieldeth ; as a man throwing goods into the sea, it is done e/cwy
aefcovTt, 76 6vfj.aj, willingly, yet with an unwilling mind. But what
a man doeth wilfully and stubbornly against God is another case.
There is a difference between sins wittingly and wilfully com
mitted.
[2.] It is a malicious rejection, for it is accompanied with an hatred:
John xv. 24, ' If I had not done among them the works which none
other man did, they had not had sin ; but now they have both seen
VOL. xxi. 2 c
402 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SER VI.
and hated both me and my Father.' Generally this sin is made to
be an hatred of the truth as truth ; but that cannot be. It is true that
the person which hath sinned this sin hateth the truth from whence
he is fallen, hateth God, and hateth Christ. Conviction disappointed
maketh a man turn devil. But to hate truth as truth is not agreeable
to reason. Hatred hath evil for its object, not truth. A man cannot
hate truth but as contrary to our carnal inclinations and interests, and
that raiseth the malice that God would convince us of, that which we
have no mind to.
4. This may be done either by infidels or apostates.
[1.] By infidels, and those who never received Christianity, but were
or might have been, by the sufficient evidence of the Spirit's work, con
vinced of the truth thereof, but they did obstinately shut their eyes
against the light thereof, and choose 4,o scorn and blaspheme rather
than to believe, and so become incapable objects of mercy. This was
the case of the pharisees, Mat. xii.
[2.] Apostates. In the sixth of the Hebrews we find they were'once
Christians, made profession ; they had some light and taste, some illu
mination, some consolation ; some sense they had, but it was superficial;
some joy, like fire in straw. The stony ground received the word with
joy, Luke viii. 13 ; there was not a firm adherency, and deep radication
of grace in the soul ; they did but taste. To taste is a real participation,
yet but in a little or low degree, so that it gets not a universal dominion
over sin and corruption ; and therefore they might fall away, and after
wards hate, and persecute, and blaspheme the truth. This is a most
heinous sin, and the highest degree of this sin, because they had received
the knowledge of the truth of the gospel ; they were fully convinced
that God had done much towards their salvation, not only by power
and miracles without, but some effects within.
Because this is the way of sinning against the Holy Ghost. Now I
must tell you that every apostasy is not this sin, but it is more or less
heinous according to the wilfulness and malice of it. They that cast
off the profession of godliness for some great earthly hope, involve
themselves in a more heinous sin than they that shrink from it out of
some great fear ; for those things that we fear, as death, torment, and
all matters of that kind, are destructive of our nature, and therefore it
cannot be said how much nature abhorreth them ; but those things we
hope and desire for the most part are such that nature may easily and
without great inconveniency want them ; as great riches, splendour of
life, noble affinities and marriages ; for these things are not absolutely
necessary, but only conduce to our more abundant felicity ; not only
our being, but our well-being is concerned in them. Our being may
be kept and supported in a far meaner condition. Thence it is that
great dangers, when they are at hand, are difficultly sustained, and the
fear of them doth often sway us from the right rule. If we lose our
great hopes, and be cut short in our ambitions or worldly expectations,
it is no great matter ; wise and gracious men have easily borne it with
a quiet and composed mind. The apostasy of those that are moved
with such hopes is greater, more voluntary, and cometh nearer the
great transgression ; and the repentance of them that lapse is more rare
and seldom, as daily observation may inform you ; for they are only
VER. 13.] SERMONS UPON PSALM xix. is. 403
enticed away by their pleasure and lusts, which Christians are obliged
to deaden and mortify.
But though to fall out of fear be not so heinous a sin, yet a great
and heinous sin it is ; for grace should govern fear as well as hope ;
and though the coercion, and bridling of it be more difficult, yet it
doth not excuse a toto, from all sin, but a tanto, only from part of the
sin ; and it is very hard to set a Christian in joint again. Witness
those terrors that haunt men when they are once gotten into the snare ;
as Peter went out and wept bitterly ; it cost him much sorrow of heart.
Christ is fain to direct a comfortable message to him by name : Mark
xvi. 7, ' But go your way, tell his disciples, and Peter, that he goeth
before you into Galilee ; there shall you see him, as he said unto yon.'
So that it doth not exclude all hopes of repentance and pardon. Some
checks of conscience may revive his love to religion again. But when
it is joined with obstinate malice, persecutions, contempt, and hatred
of the known truth, because it is troublesome to his thoughts to consider
how much he hath forsaken for so little, this is a great aggravation of
the sin.
Use 2. Is caution to take heed of the great transgression, and the
steps that lead thereunto.
1. Take heed of a contempt of the word of God, and the offers of
his grace against the evidence and light that shineth in our consciences.
This sin lieth in a malicious and scornful contempt ; it is so represented
in Esau, the type of the reprobates : Heb. xii. 15-17, ' Looking dili
gently lest any man fail of the grace of God ; lest any root of bitterness
springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled ; lest there be
any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat
sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would
have inherited the blessing, he was rejected ; for he found no place of
repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.' The root of it
lieth in neglecting and slighting Christ for light causes, and preferring
base lusts and pleasures before him. Esau despised his birthright
when he sold it, Gen. xxv. 34 ; he apprehended the birthright would
be of no use to him till after the death of his father, which might be
for a long time, therefore, to satisfy his present pleasure, sold it. So
many are apt to think our happiness is to come, and Christ is unseen ;
therefore our neglect of him is described by a contempt * Heb. x. 28,
29, ' He that despised Moses' law died without mercy, under two or
three witnesses ; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall
he be thought worthy who hath trodden underfoot the Son of God,
and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sancti
fied, an unholy thing, and done despite to the Spirit of grace?' What
is treading under feet but contempt ? Oh, let the despisers of Christ
and his grace lay this to heart, who make light of heavenly things, as
negroes trample upon pearls : Mat. vii. 6, ' Neither cast ye your pearls
before swine, lest they trample them under their feet.'
2. Take heed of apostasy and falling from the truth after conviction.
Some receive and profess Christianity by tradition and implicit faith,
yet never have any distinct knowledge of the truth so believed ; and
some believe and understand more explicitly the doctrine of Christianity,
are convinced of the truth of it, yet never affected with the matter so
404 SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13. [SEU. VI.
as to forsake their sins. Some know and believe, and in some sort are
affected with the matter, so as they begin by the power of the Spirit to
forsake the pleasures of the world, find some spiritual joy and comfort;
this estate is hopeful, yet must not be rested in. Some lust may be
left unmodified, which in time of trial doth break out and discover the
hidden malignity of the heart, not yet fully regenerated : 2 Peter ii.
20, ' For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through
the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again
entangled therein and overcome, the latter end with them is worse
than the beginning.' Now for these to fall away, to deny the truth in
profession and practice, is very dangerous. Take heed of the great
transgression.
3. Take heed of the hatred of God, and Christ, and his ways. There
are haters of God of a lower rank ; every unregenerate man is so by
prepossession : James iv. 4, ' Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye
not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God ? whosoever
therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.' Carnal
liberty : Rom. viii. 7, ' The carnal mind is enmity to God ; for it is not
subject to the law, neither indeed can be.' Legal bondage : Gen. iii. 7,
' And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were
naked ; and they sewed fig-leaves together, and made themselves
aprons.' Men hate what they fear. It crosses us in our way, and cuts
off our desired pleasures, and punishes us for our sins. Somewhat of this
remaineth in the godly. An higher sort there is that hate instruction :
Ps. 1. 17, ' Thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee/
That hate the light : John iii. 20, ' Every one that doeth evil hateth
the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.'
Cannot endure to be minded of duty or warned of danger : 1 Kings
xxii. 8, ' And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat, There is yet
one man (Micaiah, the son of Imlah) by whom we may inquire of
the Lord ; but I hate him, for he doth not prophesy good concerning
me, but evil.' Cain hated his brother, 1 John iii. 12. A higher
degree is persecution. But this is not the sin against the Holy Ghost,
because it is some particular truth they hate, not the main of the
Christian faith , in spleen to the person that holdeth it, or is divided
from them by contrary interests ; not the truth itself is hated : yet this
is dangerous. So hatred of the power of godliness ; when men hate
others that are godly, as godly, it is a great degree of sin. They cannot
endure the lustre of grace shining in them, and therefore load them
with all manner of injuries and contempt.
4. Take heed of scoffing and mocking at the word of God, and the
serious counsel that is given you to reconcile yourselves to Jesus Christ.
The chair of scorners is an eminent preferment in Satan's school : Ps.
i. 1, ' Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly,
nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scorn
ful.' I cannot say these are guilty of the sin against the Holy Ghost,
for scorners are invited to return : Prov. i. 22, 23, ' How long, ye
simple ones, will ye love simplicity, and the scorner delight in scorning,
and fools hate knowledge? Turn you at my reproof; behold, I will
pour out my Spirit unto you ; I will make known my words unto you.'
We know not their measures of conviction, or that thorough evidence
VER. 13.]
SERMONS UPON PSALM XIX. 13.
405
they have ; yet for any in the bosom of the church to do it, where
Christ is professed and owned, is ver} T dangerous. Oh, take heed, as
you love your salvation, that you do not make a jest of religion, nor
scoff at that doctrine which seeks to draw you to Christ, nor reproach
the sanctifying work of the Spirit in any, because they desire to fear
God and walk with him. Take heed of mocking at serious diligence
as preciseness. Shall the image of God be made a scorn ? To scorn
at godliness is to scorn at the Holy Ghost, whose office and work it is
to sanctify. But this is not the unpardonable sin ; yet it comes very
near that which is unpardonable, so that the thought thereof should
humble all that are guilty, and make them fear so horrible a sin.
5. Take heed of presumptuous sins. It is a fearful advantage the
devil gets by the wounds which wilful sins give the conscience. Every
gross sin is not it, but when committed against knowledge and con
science, especially if we have time for deliberation and consideration
of God's prohibition and displeasure.
Secondly, It serves by way of consolation, for such as fear they have
committed this sin. Complaining Christians have no reason to fear it.
The nature of this sin is to harden the heart. They that are guilty of
it despise our Lord Jesus Christ, but are not at all grieved to think that
they have lost him. And therefore, if thou hast a value and esteem
for him, and a desire of him, it is certain that thou hast not committed
this great sin.
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI.
Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty ; neither do I exer
cise .myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. —
Ps. cxxxi. 1.
THE purpose of David in this psalm is both to exhort and direct the
people of God constantly and perpetually to place all their hopes and
confidence in God. He exhorleth them to hope, and directelh them
in the right way of hoping and trusting God. He doth both by pro
pounding his own example ; wherein —
First, He professeth his humility, and so denieth the opposite of this
hope, and that is presumption and self-conceit, ver. 1.
Secondly, By declaring his submission and absolute resignation of
himself to the will of God. Both together teach us this lesson —
Doct. That an holy humble heart, that is content to live at God's
finding, can best trust in God.
It must needs be so—
1. Partly in regard of God ; for those that exalt themselves shall be
humbled. He is a party against the proud : James iv. 6, ' He resisteth
the proud,' avrndaverai. Pride crosseth God's design of abasing all
flesh before him.
2. Partly in regard of trust. Pride and self-conceit are contrary to
trust, to the very nature of it ; for it is an humble dependence upon
God for all : Zeph. iii. 12, ' I will leave an afflicted and poor people,
and they shall trust in the name of the Lord.' Whereas a proud spirit
beareth up itself upon itself, its own merit and sufficiency. So if we
seek great things for ourselves, and not refer ourselves to God, we set
him a task to provide meat for our lusts. Therefore it is said, Heb.
xiii. 5, ' Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content
with such things as ye have; for he hath said, I will never leave thee
nor forsake thee.' Implying that the heart must be purged from
covetousness, ambitious affectation, or aspiring after worldly greatness,
before it is fit to meddle with promises.
Use. Therefore, if we would trust in God, we must be sensible of
sin and impotency to help ourselves, and, however matters be, refer
all to God, with an humble and quiet mind.
I begin, first, with his profession of humility. Therein I shall a
VER. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 407
little discourse — (1.) Of the exactness or integrity of it : (2.) The
sincerity of it ; (3.) The lawfulness and usefulness of it.
First, The integrity and exactness of it. He did carefully beware
of all pride in heart, gesture, and practice. For you may observe three
degrees —
1. Pride is seated in the heart ; therefore he saith, ' My heart is not
haughty.'
2. It bewrayeth itself in the members and gestures of the body ;
therefore he saith, ' Mine eyes are not lofty.'
3. It showeth forth itself in some unwarrantable actions besides our
calling or beyond our power ; therefore he saith, ' I do not exercise
myself in things too high for me.' He that would be a complete humble
man must show it in his heart, gesture, and behaviour.
Secondly, The truth and sincerity of it ; for a doubt may arise how
he could wholly acquit himself of pride, since it is called ' pride of life,'
1 John ii. 16, because it sticketh by us as long as we live ; and the best
of God's children have been troubled with it to the last. Therefore
one compareth it to the shirt, the garment which we last put off. The
apostle Paul, who was an elect vessel, one rapt into the third heaven,
found some seeds of pride in his heart, which would have sprung forth,
but that God repressed them by a sharp correction : 2 Cor. xii. 7,
'Lest I should be lifted up above measure, by the abundance of revela
tion, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan,
to buffet me/ I answer —
1. Not absolute perfection is here asserted, but gospel sincerity. He
endeavoured to keep pride and ambition out of his heart, and did in
a great measure prevail against it. Till we get rid of the flesh we shall
never wholly get rid of pride ; but if we watch and strive against it,
and overcome it in any considerable measure, we are accounted and
accepted as humble.
2. As to David's instance ; we have great evidences of his humility,
though also some few signs of remaining pride.
Instances of his humility are these —
[1.] That he continued in his mean vocation as a shepherd, following
the ewes great with young, till God called him to an higher course of
life. He never affected the royal diadem, neither would it have been
any grief of heart to him if God, passing him by, had made another
king. When for his merit Saul called him to court, and he was to be
the king's son-in-law, he thought himself unworthy of that honour : 1
Sam. xviii. 22, ' Seemeth it a light thing to be a king's son-in-law,
seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed ? ' When Saul
was in his power, who chased him, and pursued him to the death, he
was tender of ravishing the blessing, and therefore said, 1 Sam. xxiv.
7, ' The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord's
anointed ; ' so 1 Sam. xxvi. 8, 9, ' God hath delivered thine enemy into
thy hand this day.' ' Who can stretch forth his hand against the Lord's
anointed and be innocent ? ' These are not words of a man affecting
the crown.
[2.] That he bore insufferable injuries and contempts with so much
patience : 2 Sam. xvi. 10, ' Let him curse, because the Lord hath said,
Curse David.'
408 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [&EK. I.
[3.] That he could love them that reproved him for his sins : Ps.
cxli. 5, ' Let the righteous smite me, and it shall be a kindness ; let
him reprove me, and it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break
mine head.' Far meaner people would not take it so kindly.
[4.] That he was so submissively ready to take what portion God
would carve out for him, when God began to chastise him for his sins :
2 Sam. xv. 25, 26, ' And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the
ark of God into the city : if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord,
he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habitation. But
if he thus say, I have no delight in thee ; behold, here I am, let him
do to me as it seemeth good to him.'
[5.] That in all his heroical acts he did not seek his own honour,
but the glory of God : Ps. cxv. 1, ' Not unto us, Lord, not unto us,
but unto thy name give the glory.'
[6.] That in his whole dealing with God he durst not trust in his
own righteousness, but wholly took sanctuary in the new covenant : Ps.
cxxx. 3, 4, ' If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities, Lord, who
should stand ? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest
be feared;' Ps. cxliii. 2, 'Enter not into judgment with thy servant,
for in thy sight shall no man living be justified.' Now judge you
whether a man that found all this in himself could not say, ' Lord,
my heart is not haughty ' ?
Yet, notwithstanding this, David was not wholly divested of this
evil habit of pride, but something of it remained in his heart ; some
strings of this evil root were found there. Why else doth he beg of the
Lord to be kept back from presumptuous sins ? Ps. xix. 14 ; in the
Hebrew, from prides. He found some inclination, else why should he
pray they had dominion over him ? So when the people all about
were subdued by him, he began to be drunk with worldly prosperity :
Ps. xxx. 6, ' In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved.' Again,
no man can deny but that his heart was lifted up with pride when he
caused the people to be numbered from Dan to Beersheba, that he
might know what a mighty king he was, 2 Sam. xxiv. 2 , which vain
glory of his cost him and the people dear. Yet, notwithstanding all
these remnants of pride, he doth and might say, ' Lord, my heart is not
haughty.'
3. Therefore I add, for the truth of his plea he appealeth to God ; and
from all those that are affected like David, God will accept of the
appeal.
[1.] He could in truth of heart appeal to God : ' Lord, my heart is
not haughty.' He appealeth to him who knoweth all things. Lord,
from whom nothing is hid, thou knowest that this is the very disposi
tion of my soul. If I have anything, it is from thee ; it is thy pro
vidence which brought me from following the ewes great with young
to feed and govern thy people.' Such an holy man would not rashly
invoke God, and take his holy name in vain ; but knowing his integrity,
durst call God to witness. The saints are wont to do so upon like
occasions ; as Peter, John xxi. 17, ' Lord, thou knowest all things ;
thou knowest that I love thee.' They know they have a God that will
not be deceived with any shows, and that he knoweth and approveth
them for such as he tindeth them to be. So Job doth in the sincerity
VER. l.J SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 409
of his heart appeal to God : ' Behold, my witness is in heaven, and my
record is "on high/ Job xvi. 19. So Jeremiah, chap. xvii. 16, ' I have
not desired the evil day, Lord, thou knowest.' Bold men, that mind
not what they say, may falsely and rashly appeal to God ; but it is one
thing what some do in passion and with a troubled mind ; as Sarah,
Gen. xvi. 5, ' The Lord judge between me and thee ; ' and it is another
thing what holy persons, divinely inspired, do upon deliberation, and
having considered what it is to make an appeal to God out of the tran
quillity of a good conscience, and upon new covenant terms.
[2.] From those that are affected like David, God will accept the
appeal ; for in the account of God we are that which we sincerely desire
and endeavour to be, and for the general course and tenor of our lives
are, thoughth ere be some intermixtures of failing. David saith, ' Lord,
my heart is not haughty ; ' and yet he was not altogether free from
pride. His profession respecteth his sincere purpose and constant
endeavour, and that predominant disposition of his soul. God himself
confirmeth such appeals by his own testimony : 1 Kings xv. 5, ' My
servant David did that which was right in the eyes of the Lord, neither
departed from all that which he had commanded him, save only in the
matter of Uriah.' And yet we have many failings of David upon
record. He sinned many other times and ways besides in the matter
of Uriah. His distrust that he should perish one day by the hand of
Saul, 1 Sam. xxvii. 1, when he had God's promise that he should out
live him. His deep dissimulation before Achish, especially when he
tendered his service to him in the wars against Israel, 1 Sain, xxvii.
10. His rash choleric vow to destroy Nabal and all that belonged to
him, 1 Sam. xxv. 22, when indeed he had done him, in rigour of justice,
no wrong. His injustice to Mephibosheth, and that contrary to the
kindness of his old trusty friend Jonathan, upon the bare suggestion
of a servant and false informer, 1 Sam. xvi. 4, and then restoring but
half when he knew the suggestion to be false; he was blinded by
reason of state, &c. His fond affection to Absalom, and taking his
death with such impatience. His numbering the people, and perhaps
some other sinful oversights, are recorded of David, as well as the
murder of Uriah ; yet these are passed over in silence ; only his pre
sumptuous sin is mentioned. Such a testimony also doth God give of
Job, when he saith to Eliphaz the Temanite, Job xlii. 7, ' My wrath is
kindled against thee, and against thy two friends, because ye have
not spoke of me that which is right, as my servant Job.' Yet he himself
confesseth that he had spoken amiss of God, ver. 3 and 6 ; and in the
3d verse, ' I have uttered that I understood not.' Therefore, ver. 6,
he abhorred himself, and repented in dust and ashes. But these
things, so inconsiderately spoken by him, fell from him besides his pur
pose, and out of mere human infirmity, and therefore not laid to his
charge ; he was right in his main cause, though he had his failings.
Hash expressions, in a fit of passion, are passed by, when there is not a
corrupt disposition of heart. By all this it is shown that the plea of
sincerity is allowed by God, though there be some mixture of failings
and weaknesses.
Thirdly, The lawfulness and usefulness of it. Is not this boasting
like the pharisee ? Luke xviii. 9, ' God I thank thee, I am not like
410 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SfiR. L
other men.' If David were thus humble, why doth he speak of it ?
Is he not guilty of pride while he seemeth to speak against pride ? It
is a saying of Austin's, Magis Deo placet humilitas in malis factis,
quamsuperbia in bonis factis — Humility in bad actions is more pleas
ing to God than pride in good actions.
Ans. We must not conceive so of what was spoken through the in
stinct and inspiration of the Holy Ghost by such an holy person. This
is spoken either as — (1.) A necessary vindication; or (2.) A necessary
instruction.
1. As a necessary vindication against the censures and calumnies of
his adversaries. Saul's courtiers accused him as aspiring after the
kingdom ; yea, his own brother taxed him of pride when he came first
abroad : 1 Sam. xvii. 28, ' I know thy pride, and the naughtiness
of thine heart ; for thou art come down to see the battle.' If
his brother would calumniate his actions, much more might others.
Now it is for the honour of God that his children, as they would not
commit a fault, so they should not be under the suspicion of it ; there
fore he appealeth to God.
2. A necessary instruction ; for whatsoever David said or wrote
here, he said or wrote by the instinct of the Holy Ghost, that Israel
may learn how to hope in God. Now herein David is a notable
pattern of duty both to superiors and inferiors.
[I.] To superiors. God had required in his law, that when he had
given them a king, their hearts were not to be lifted up above their
brethren, Deut. xvii. 20. If any might seem to have cause to be lifted
up, David much more ; he was famous for notable exploits and heroical
actions; he had vanquished the lion and the bear, vanquished Goliath,
the great champion of the Philistines, waged great wars, and always
returned a conqueror. If these things had been done by others, how
would they vaunt themselves, and be puffed up with the thoughts of
their own excellency! We see how mean people, upon far lighter
occasions, are wont to boast.
[2.] To meaner people. If so great and powerful a king had neither an
haughty heart, nor lofty eyes, nor high presumptions, surely they should
be ashamed to be proud of lesser enjoyments and poor trifling actions.
As a pattern and instance of the power of grace. The grace of God
is able to keep a man humble and lowly in any degree of excellency.
David, a rich powerful king, a mighty conqueror, can appeal to God,
and say, ' Lord, my heart is not haughty/ Vain man hath much ado
to keep down his heart if conscious to any excellency, real or supposed ;
if wise, learned, honourable, rich. But though with man it is impos
sible, with God all things are possible.
Let me now come to the points. Time will only give leave to insist
on the first clause, ' Lord, my heart is not haughty.' Thence observe
two things —
First, That those that have any dealing with God should be able to
plead that they are not proud and haughty.
Secondly, If we would root out and remove pride from us, we must
begin first with the heart.
First, They should be far from pride that would have any dealing
with God.
. 1.] SERMONS UPON PbALM CXXXI. 411
Reasons.
1. Because God is a great enemy to pride, and his word 'bath suffi
ciently declared how ill he is pleased with it. See Ps. cxxxviii. 6,
' Though the Lord be high, yet he hath respect unto the lowly ; but
the proud he kuoweth afar off.' God is far exalted above all creatures,
and it is an abasement to him to take notice of man or angel ; yet his
superlative grandeur doth not hinder him to take notice of the meanest
lost sinner who humbleth himself before him, or of the poorest suppli
cant ; but with the proud he will have no communion, but proceed
most severely with them. So James iv. 6, ' God resisteth the proud,
and giveth grace to the humble ; ' Prov. vi. 16, 17, ' These six things
are an abomination to the Lord, yea, seven things doth the Lord hate ;
a proud look, a lying tongue,' &c. All these places, and many more,
do show that this is an hateful sin to God. Now what is hateful to
God should not be lovely to us. See Prov. viii. 13, ' The fear of the
Lord is to hate evil.' Eadem velle et nolle, &c. We must will and
nill the same things, if we would live in amity and friendship with
God.
2. In the course of his providence, the Lord opposeth himself to
them that lift up themselves, and giveth his grace and favour to them
that abase themselves ; so that his providence declareth his hatred as
well as his word.
[1.] His judgments on the wicked are for this. What is God
a-doing in heaven but debasing the proud and lifting up the humble ?
Nebuchadnezzar learned this lesson at his own bitter cost : Dan. iv. 37,
'All his works are truth, and his ways judgment ; and those that walk
in pride he is able to abase.' God may suffer them to prosper for a
while, yet he standeth in battle-array against them, and will take his
fittest opportunity to bear down all them that live in the sin of pride :
Isa. ii. 12, 'The day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one
that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and he
shall be brought low.' The humble need not be afraid of his power,
majesty, and wrath, but the proud shall not escape the effects thereof.
In short, God hath an especial quarrel against proud persons, and
hath special knowledge of them, and will find them out, and bring
them low.
[2.J His sharp corrections on his people. One special reason of his
smart discipline is to correct pride or prevent pride : Job xxxiii. 17,
' That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from
man.' When God seeth his servants to be in danger of being lifted
up, he provideth a sharp cure. Paul's thorn in the flesh was that he
might not be exalted above measure. God will keep them low that
will not keep their hearts low ; sometimes by sore sickness, sometimes
by bitter reproaches, sometimes by disgraceful sufferings ; yea, some
times by some scandalous and grievous fall.
[3.] Consider the reasons why the Lord hateth it so, and sets him
self against it.
(1.) It is a sin in most direct opposition to God, and therefore God
standeth in most direct opposition to it. It usurpeth his honour and
glory, and sets self as an idol in his place ; as if we had the power of
our own affairs, and all esteem were due to us. The prince of Tyre is
412 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [$ER. I
charged with setting his heart as the heart of God, Ezek. xxviii. 2.
Though we do not say it openly by so many explicit thoughts and
words, we say it implicitly by secretly arrogating to ourselves glory
and honour, or seeking to ourselves our own esteem and advancement
in all that we do. This is like Reuben, who went in to his father's
bed. God is the first cause and last end ; we have all from God and
for God, not from ourselves nor for ourselves.
(2.) Because it is cross to his design, especially in the gospel,
wherein his grace is offered to the humble and penitent and broken
hearted, that no flesh might glory in his presence, 1 Cor. i. 29-31.
God's design is to abase all flesh before him, that the glory may
redound to him alone.
(3.) It is an imitation of the devil. God's great enemy and ours,
who fell by pride and affectation of divine honour, and is the proudest
creature and most discontented with his condition: 1 Tim. iii. 6,
the apostle would not have a novice ordained, lest he ' fall into the
condemnation of the devil ; ' that is, lest so great dignity suddenly
bestowed upon him may tempt him to pride and vanity, and so bring
the same ruin upon himself that fell upon the devil, who was tempted
in like manner by that glorious condition wherein he was created, and
for his pride was cast out of heaven into the torments of hell.
(4.) It is a contradiction to the Lord Christ, ' who being in the form
of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, and humbled
himself, and made himself of no reputation,' Phil. ii. 6, 7 ; was not
thrust down for robbery and usurpation, but came down, and lived a
poor and mean life, that he might become a pattern and an example
to us : Mat. xi. 29, ' Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.'
He went not before us in a life of pomp and ease and worldly glory,
but meanness and abasement.
(5.) It is an unreasonable sin. How vain are all those things for
which the hearts of men are wont to be puffed up ! Usually pride
feedeth upon empty shadows ; and if any seem to arise out of any true
worth and excellency, it is rather supposed and imaginary than really
existing in us. What ! are men proud of birth ? Were not all our
ancestors conceived and born in sin ? and is not all blood of a colour ?
When the Jews were proud of their stock, the Lord telleth them their
father was an Amorite and their mother an Hittite, Ezek. xvi. 2. Is
it for our greatness and dignity ? which, though it be never so great,
will not warrant our pride ; for our best estate is but vanity, brittle
when it is brightest, Ps. xxxix. 9. We shall not long continue what
we are, but death will level us with others, Ps. xlix. 10-12, and others
will tread upon our graves, as we do upon the graves of our ancestors,
who enjoyed the same honours before us. What is it we are proud
of ? acuteness of wit and singular erudition and learning ? If it be
not sanctified, our understanding will be our ruin : Isa. xxix. 10, ' The
Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath
closed your eyes; the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he
covered.' By understanding we are undone. The devil is more
subtle, Gen. iii. 1, yet a tormented creature. If it be sanctified, we
shall see more cause to be humble than lifted up. Is it our riches we
are proud of ? 1 Tim. vi. 17, ' Charge them that are rich in this world,
VKR. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 413
that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the
living God.' Who would trust in such an uncertain thing, without a
man, no more to us than rich trappings to an horse ? Is it for grace ?
To whom is the glory due, to thee or God ? 1 Cor. iv. 7, ' Who
maketh thee to differ from another, and what hast thou that thou
didst not receive ? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory-
as if thou hadst not received it ? ' Will you rob God to put the crown
upon your own head? What a suspicion do you bring upon your
gifts and graces, if you are proud of them, that they are rather
common than saving, 1 Cor. viii. 1, 2, rather supposed and imaginary
than real ! Gal. vi. 3, ' If any man think himself to be something
when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.' Usually common gifts and
common graces are of a more swelling nature.
(6.) Because of the mischiefs of pride, what was the bane of our first
parents, and the whole world of mankind, but pride? What hath
divided the church and tore it in so many factions but pride ? There
fore the apostle, when he presseth to unity and like-mindedness, he
giveth cautions against pride : Phil. ii. 1-3, 'Let nothing be done through
strife or vainglory,' &c. What divideth friends and neighbours but
pride ? c Only by pride cometh contention,' saith Solomon, Prov. xiii.
9. They that have a proud heart, envy superiors, contend with equals,
disdain inferiors, they would shine alone in the earth. Why did
Miriam and Aaron rise up against Moses, the meekest man upon earth ?
Nothing but their pride, Num. xviii. 2. Yea, was not this the cause
of contention among the apostles themselves? They strove who should
be greatest. Therefore Christ telleth them, Mat. xviii. 1-3, ' Except
ye be converted, and become as little children, ye cannot be my
disciples.'
Use. Oh, then, if we would enjoy communion with God, let us remove
pride far from us ; all sorts of pride.
1. There is a pride which consists in impenitency and disobedience,
which maketh us slight the great business of reconciliation with God
through Christ : Ps. x. 4, ' The wicked, through the pride of his
countenance, will not seek after God.' And also neglect the clearest
and most necessary duties, which the word of God recommendeth to
us : Neh. ix. 16, ' Our fathers dealt proudly, and hardened their necks,
and hearkened not to thy commandments ; ' ver. 29, ' They dealt
proudly, and sinned against thee.' What is pride if this be not, to con
test and enter into the lists with God, and to set up our wills against
the will of our Creator ?
2. There is a pride which showeth itself by swelling against God's
providence, entertaining mercies with disdain, crosses with anger. It
venteth itself by unthankful ness for his mercies : 2 Chron. xxxii. 25,
26, ' Hezekiah rendered not again according to the benefit done unto
him ; for his heart was lifted up ; therefore there was wrath upon him,'
&c. Or slighting mercies : Mai. i. 2, ' I have loved you, saith the
Lord ; yet ye say, Wherein hast thou loved us? ' Also by muttering
and complaining of God's dealings with us. Lev. xxvi. 41. Now,
opposite to this, a Christian should always have a mean esteem of him
self, flowing from a sense of his own sinfulness : 1 Cor. xv. 9, ' I am
the least of the apostles,' &c. The undeserved goodness of God : 2
414 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SER. II.
Sam. vii. 18, 'David sat before the Lord, and said, Who nm I, Lord
God. and what is ray house, that thou hast brought me hitherto ? ' and
kindly take all chastisements from him as less than our deserving.
3. There is a pride which consists in overvaluing ourselves, and
ehoweth itself either in the mind and conceit or desires. In the mind
and conceit, when we set an high price upon ourselves, and represent
ourselves to ourselves in a feigned likeness : Rom. xii. 3, ' Let no man
think of himself above what he ought to think.' Alas ! we that are so
well acquainted with ourselves and our own weakness should be inclined
to prefer others in honour before ourselves, Rom. xii. 10. "We know
more by ourselves than we can by others. Let us not look upon our
selves in the glass of self-love, for there is nothing more fallacious
than that glass : Prov. xvi. 2, ' All the ways of a man are clean in
his own eyes; but the Lord weigheth the spirit ;' if God put us into
the balance.. But when we look upon ourselves in the glass of self-
conceit, everything seemeth double to what it is, and we think ourselves
much wiser and better than we are. On the other part, we should
desire no more esteem from others than God alloweth us to have ; and
not overvalue that neither : 1 Cor. iv. 3, ' With me it is a very small
thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment,' eXd^arov.
We should not make too great a matter of other men's thoughts of
us ; otherwise how soon will it be a snare to us ! John v. 44, ' How
can ye believe, which receive honour one of another ? ' John xii. 42,
' Among the rulers many believed on him ; but because of the phari-
sees they did not confess him, lest they should be put but of the
synagogue.'
Lastly, There is another sort of pride, and that is seeking great
things for ourselves ; we must have such honour, such estates. Surely
they ascribe too much to themselves that would prescribe to God at
what rate they would be maintained. No ; let him choose our portion
for us, who is wiser than we, and knoweth what condition is best for
us : ' Blessed are the poor in spirit,' Mat. v. 3. In the heart it is seated,
and powerfully rooted.
SERMON II.
Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty ; neither do I exer
cise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. —
Ps. cxxxi. 1.
Two doctrines I proposed —
First, That whosoever would have any commerce with God should
put pride far from them.
Secondly, That whosoever would put pride far from them must
begin with the heart.
This latter point I must now insist upon — (1.) What pride is; (2.)
How it bcwrayeth itself; (3.) Why it begins with the heart.
VER. 1.] SERMONS uroisr PSALM cxxxr. 415
First, What pride is. It is an evil so comprehensive and capacious,
that it will hardly endure the limits of a definition. It is a sin, or
corrupt disposition, by which the soul is lifted up by an inordinate
esteem and admiration of our own real or supposed excellency, together
with an affectation of honour and praise from others. There are two
branches of it — (1.) Self-conceit ; (2.) Vainglory.
1. Self-conceit, which is also twofold — (1.) When we ascribe to our
selves what we have not. (2.) When we transfer upon ourselves the
praise of what we have. To boast of what we have not is folly. To
boast of what we have is sacrilege, a robbing God of his glory.
[1.] The first sort of pride is very usual. Men that have nothing
to be proud of are most conceited many times. Bloaty spirits are
soonest puffed up, like bladders filled with wind ; whereas solid worth,
solid knowledge, solid grace, is least ostentatious. Empty vessels and
shallow rivers make the greatest noise. The apostle Jude compareth
seducers to clouds without water, Jude 12; and Solomon giveth us
the true meaning of that expression : Prov. xxi. 14, ' Whoso boasteth
of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain.' They seem to
look black, and promise to refresh the earth to make it fruitful, but
give not one drop, being carried away with the winds ; so these boast
of the Spirit, and greater measure of gospel light, but give no relief to
any poor thirsty soul that would understand holy and wholesome
doctrine.
[2.] The other kind is when we transfer upon ourselves the glory of
what we have ; whereas we had it not from ourselves, nor for ourselves :
1 Cor. iv. 7, ' What hast thou that thou didst not receive ? ' It is all
given, and given of grace ; not for our use and honour, but God's : 1
Cor. xv. 10, ' By the grace of God I am what I am,' &c. ; Luke xix.
16, ' Lord, thy pound hath gained ten pounds.'
Affectation of honour and esteem from others. When men set an
high price upon themselves, if others will not come up to their price,
they are discontented. When a man hath made himself his own idol,
he would have others come and worship him. There is an inordinate
affectation of glory from men. All they do is to be seen and admired
of men ; to set off themselves as the idols of the world, for veneration
and reverence ; as the pharisees, to be seen of men, Mat. vi. 1, 5, 16,
in alms, prayers, fastings. Therefore the apostle saith, ' Let us not be
desirous of vainglory, provoking one another, envying one another,'
Gal. v. 26. An itching desire after estimation and applause is the evil
which we speak of ; we would have others prostrate themselves before
the idol of those pretended or real excellences which we ourselves so
much dote upon and admire.
Secondly, How it doth bewray itself. In thought, word, and deed,
which are the usual operations of the human spirit.
1. In thoughts. As a man's temper is so are his musings ; so will
he talk and speak to himself by his own thoughts. An unclean person
sets up a state of unclean representations in his own heart, and commits
adultery there. A covetous person, his heart is exercised with worldly
thoughts and covetous practices. So a proud person entertaineth his
soul with self-admiring thoughts, and feeds his fancy with the echoes
and suggestions of applause and honour from men, what they think
416 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SfiR. II.
and speak of him. Therefore it is said, Luke i. 51, 'He hath scattered
the proud in the imagination of their hearts.' Proud men are full of
imaginations. And all sins of thought are expressed by pride in that
noted place, Prov. viii. 13 ; and we read of their musings in scripture :
Dan. iv. 30, ' Is not this great Babel, which I have built for the house
of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and the honour of my
majesty ? ' Thus men, in their private thoughts, are dreaming of the
greatness and advancement of their families, the applause of the world,
the vastness of their treasures, largeness of their inheritance, and glory
of their successes and achievements. A man is become, by pride, his
own flatterer and tickler, filleth his mind with self-admiring thoughts,
the conceit of his own worth. This is to dream waking.
2. By words. When men dote upon themselves, they forget all
bounds of modesty, and are trumpeters of their own praise : Prov.
xxvii. 2, ' Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth.'
Yet, in the rage and reign of pride, men will boast of the good things
which they have or have done ; as if all were lost that is not known
and applauded by men. Proud boasters, Bom. i. 30. It is against
reason that a man so partial and self-loving should be witness in his
own cause. Let us do that which is praiseworthy, and let our deeds
commend us rather than our own words.
3. By deeds ; and this comprehendeth our gestures, vestures, and
actions.
[1.] Our gestures. This scripture takes notice of haughty eyes, and
so do many other. Under ' lofty eyes,' he comprehendeth every out
ward discovery of our pride, in gestures, vestures, speech, and behaviour.
As long as we hang out apparently the ensigns of our vanity, we cannot
account ourselves humble. But I begin with gestures, a lofty look or
gait. Where pride is truly rooted out of the heart, there it will not
show itself in the external gestures, in an haughty look and gait. The
argument is firm and conclusive : My heart is not haughty, therefore
mine eyes are not lofty. It will not hold backward, and have such a
necessary truth : Mine eyes are not lofty, therefore my heart is not
haughty, non sequitur, for some have the art to conceal their pride.
But certain it is humility in the heart will take away pride out of the
eyes, because the heart governeth the whole man. But the humble eye
and gait doth not always argue an humble heart, as is evident in hypo
crites. In vain do rnen boast of humility in their hearts who show
forth pride in their gait and eyes. At least the show of pride giveth
scandal and offence, and we must avoid all appearance of evil, 1 Thes.
v. 22. More especially lofty eyes are abominable, David else would
not with so much earnestness express his humility by this sign, that
his eyes were not lofty. This is also plain by other scriptures : ' These
six things are an abomination to the Lord ; lofty eyes,' &c., Prov. vi.
16, 17. This bringeth up a troop of other faults. So Prov. xxi. 4,
'An high look, and a proud heart, and the ploughing of the wicked.
is sin.' So Prov. xxx. 13, ' There is a generation, oh, how lofty are
their eyes, and their eyelids are lifted up ! ' So it is said, Ps. xviii.
27, 'God will bring down high looks.' Now all these places show how
careful we should be that we do not suffer pride to peep out. To
nourish it in our hearts is a sin ; to bewray it is a scandal as well as a
VER. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 417
sin. Ezra saitli, ' I durst not lift mine eyes to thee,' Ezra ix. 6. He
considered his own sin and the sin of his people. So Luke xviii. 13,
' The publican, stood afar off, and would not lift up his eyes to heaven,
but smote his breast.' It is one law concerning Israel's king, Deut.
xvii. 20, 'Not to lift up his heart above his brethren.' They will soon be
stripped of all their glory. Much more should meaner people. David
would not bear in his own house, Ps. ci. 5, ' One that hath an high
look and a proud heart.' If a good man will not bear this, will God
bear it ?
[2.] In vestures. This also is a sign of pride ; and it is the more
odious because it is a mere external thing, like trappings to a horse.
Clothing was the consequent of sin, and having the mark of our shame
about it, it is mightily abused when it is made the ensign of our pride.
And strange apparel is reproved in king's children : Zeph. i. 8, ' I will
punish the princes and the king's children, and all such as are clothed
with strange apparel.' How will those painted butterflies answer it to
God, that abuse that which was appointed for health, warmth, and comeli
ness, into an occasion of pride and ostentation, whilst they affect super
fluity and pomp in it, and that far above their rank ? Vanity of apparel
is a certain effect of vanity in your mind. Wisdom, meekness, and
holiness should be your ornaments, 1 Peter iii. 4 ; and you think of no
other adorning than vain and light apparel. By this you plainly tell
the world what you are, vain and worthless, only lifted up in your own
conceit. Usually a neglected inattentive soul dwelleth in the body
that must be thus decked and adorned. In other cases men are care
ful to hide their sin ; here they plainly bewray it ; for you carry the
badge of your pride abroad with you wherever you come, and proclaim
that you are not ashamed of it, how hateful soever it be to God. It is
as if you disclaimed Christ, the doctor of humility, and preferred the
image of the devil before that of God. When God first made garments
for man, he made them of the skins of the beasts, plain and simple.
But I forbear.
[3.] In our actions.
(1.) By ambition. When we are continually affecting honour and
greatness, and how to exceed others, contemning them in comparison
of ourselves, or taking it ill that others should be more esteemed and
preferred before us. The fault is first in the mind. Men will say, I
am as good a man as such and such ; I deserve as well as they ; 1 see
no reason why I should not be respected as well as others ; and then
seeking to advance and put forth ourselves before them, 3 John 9,
' Diotrephes loved the pre-eminence,' faXoTrpcorevwv ; he would fain be
first. When men affect precedency, and show it, it is an evident sign
of pride. Many men mistake ambition ; they think a desire of great
places is only unlawful when it is sought by unlawful means, but the
bare desire and affectation of greatness is sinful, and contrary to the rules
of the gospel. We should refer our advancement to the fair invitation
of God's providence, and tarry till the master of the feast biddeth us
to sit higher. In our private choice, we should be contented with a
tolerable supply of necessaries. Whosoever exalteth himself shall be
abased, Luke xiv. 1 1 ; not, Whosoever is exalted. In the Olympic
games, the wrestler did never put on his crown and garland, but it was
VOL. xxi. 2 D
418 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SliR II.
put on by the judge of the sports. The apostle telleth us, our Lord
' Glorified not himself as high priest, but he was anointed of God, as
Aaron,' Heb. v. 5. If you do not stay for the call of providence, but
advance yourselves, it is an untimely desire of promotion. Usually
men are set to soar higher and higher, without setting any period to
their towering thoughts.
(2.) Vainglory. When a man earnestly desireth praise and glory
from men, and bewrayeth it in all his actions ; when a man mindeth
his own praise more than the glory of God, and is tickled and pleased
with it, and all that he doth is to get himself a name, Gen. xi. 4.
Now this is seen when you are marvellously pleased with it, as having
obtained your end: Prov. xxxvii. 21, 'As a fining-pot for silver, and
a furnace for gold, so is a man to his praise ; ' that is, tried by it ; for a
man may know his temper according as he is affected when he is praised
or dispraised by others. He that admits of all praises, whether deserved
or undeserved, that greedily hunteth after popular applause, that easily
swellethwhen he is commended, can bear no reproach or reproof patiently,
is a weak vainglorious man ; more especially he that seeketh to bring
himself into request rather than Christ, and is willing and content to
take to himself the glory due to God. Certainly that instrument seeketh
to undermine God who usurpeth to himself the praise due to the supreme
agent. Contrarily, Joseph : Gen. xli. 12, ' God shall give the king an
answer of peace ; ' and the apostle : Acts iii. 16, ' His name, through
faith in his name, hath made this man strong.' In short, they that
debase others to exalt themselves, is a wrong done to God, to set myself
in his room ; a wrong done to my neighbour, to rob one another, and
blast him by rash censures, that I may set off myself alone, build my
credit upon the ruins of his esteem.
Thirdly, Why must pride begin with the heart ?
1. Because the heart is the proper seat and rise of pride. There
would be none in the gesture, none in the vesture, none in the life, if it
were not first in the heart ; there is the root of it, and there it lieth
hidden. Now why should we shake off the leaves and let alone the
branches ? or lop off the branches, and let alone the root ? When
the prophet would cure the brackishness of the waters, he did cast salt
into the spring : 2 Kings ii. 24, ' He went to the spring of the waters,
and cast in salt there.' The heart is the spring of actions : Prov. iv.
23, ' Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of
life.' In the purging out of all sins we must begin with the heart ; so
in the purging out of pride. Our Lord was angry with the pharisees
for washing the outside of the platter : Luke xi. 39^1, ' First cleanse
that within.' If the heart be humble, the eyes will be lowly, the speech
humble, the garments humble, gait humble. If pride had a deadly
wound in the heart, it would die away in the practice.
2. It is a sin of deep radication, and very powerful in the hearts of men.
You will find it a very hard matter to subdue it in the heart, partly be
cause it suiteth with self-love, which is natural to all. Men love them
selves, and therefore esteem themselves and seek themselves. Selfish
ness is the life of pride, which consists in an excessive self-esteem, and a
desire of excessive esteem from others, and to be magnified by them. Now
self is the great idol of the world. A man is not easily dispossessed of an
EIL 1.]
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI.
419
inordinate love to himself. This is a corruption so deep in the heart
of man, that it may be called his natural inclination ; and it must be
changed into a new nature, which principally consisteth in the love of
God, which leadeth and directeth all our actions to his glory. Self-love
is the heart of original sin, as the love of God is the heart of the new
creature. So that, this considered, you may easily know what man is
by nature, an inordinate self-lover and self-esteemer ; and as he is, so
will he act. Partly because there is not such a turpitude in this as in
other sins. There seemeth to be a kind of bravery in it ; therefore no
sin is of such an easy insinuation and such a difficult removal. Surely
a proud person is hardly cured ; there is more hope of a fool than of
him. Drunkenness, adultery, unmanneth us; this seemeth to make
us gods. Indeed it is easy to prove that pride is a base sin, and there
is no such weak heart as a proud imperious heart : Ezek. xvi. 30, ' How
weak is thine heart, saith the Lord, seeing thou doest all these things ? '
It doth embase the spirit while it seemeth to greaten it. No temper so
vile and servile as that of the proud aspiring person. Curvatur obsequio,
ut aliis dominetur ; he basely flatters others that he may rule over them.
Absalom kisseth the people, 2 Sam. xv. 5, that he may win them to
him. Oscula et omnia serviliter pro imperio. They will do base things
to make way for their advancement. Those spirits that are proud and
insulting, none more fawning and base for their own advantage. Besides,
he is so weak, he is little able to bear a scorn or a frown. Partly
because it is natural. We all suck it in with our milk. That it is a
very natural sin appeareth by the experiences. One is, that it taketh
with us upon a small occasion, a fair garment, a lock of hair, a good
horse, or a dog, &c. It is a weed that groweth in any ground ; nothing
so high, nothing so low, but pride can make use of it, though never so
contrary ; proud of humility ; nay, rather than not be proud, some will
be proud of their sin, glory, in their shame, Phil. iii. 19. A thing so
catching is certainly natural. Again, it is a sin that puts us upon most
self-denial. How will men travail and rack their spirits to serve their
ambition or vainglory ! As charity endureth all things and suffereth
all things, so doth pride. How will men pinch to feed their pomp !
Prov. xii. 9, ' He that is despised, and hath a servant, is better than
he that honoureth himself, and lacketh bread ; ' that is, flaunteth and
maketh a fair show in the world, when at the same rate he might live
comfortably in a meaner garb and equipage ; as we see many live above
their rank and condition, and can part with all their solaces and con
veniences of life to supply their pomp and state, and are content with
an hungry belly to clothe a proud back.
Once more : It is a very natural sin, because it is at the bottom of
other sins. Covetousness is pride's purveyor ; though in some sense it
be the root of all evil, yet it hath a deeper root, a desire to make our
selves and ours great. It is said, Hab. ii. 5, ' He is a proud man, and
therefore enlargeth his desire as hell.' We scrape, and spare, and busy
ourselves to advance ourselves and families, and that we may shine
alone in the earth.
3. The third reason why he that would root out pride must begin
with his heart is, because it is a close sin, that seeketh to disguise
itself in the practice. It is a sin that is ashamed of itself, and there-
420 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SfiR. II.
fore it goeth under the mask of humility, or some other pretence. If
pride blow a trumpet, it is to call the poor within hearing, Mat. vi. 2.
Now this cheat will not be discovered unless we look to the heart. If
people be vain and flaunting in their apparel, it is to keep up their
necessary repute in their place. Men dare not hunt after praise but by
stealth, and sail by a side-wind to it, not in a straight line. They know
it is a prohibited commodity, not lawful to be purchased in the open
market ; but it must be gotten underhand and by stealth. Direct pride
is odious to the proud person himself, therefore he useth stratagems and
devices, and seeineth to beat back their praise when it cometh to them
at the first hop, that they may the better take it at the rebound ;
apparently will discommend themselves, but their hearts tell them they
would not be believed, and take it angrily if you do believe them. If
pride hath a mind to censure others, the censure is always prefaced with
a commendation ; as an archer draweth back his hand that he may let
fly the arrow with the more force. They commend with a ' but/ which
is a stab at the heart of another man's credit. If pride hath a mind to
affect some higher place, men will pretend a desire of doing more good,
and of glorifying God in an higher station ; but this is but pretence,
because the serving of God is least in their minds. We desire an higher
condition before we have conquered all the temptations to which a lower
is exposed. We should be faithful in a little first, trusty, watchful,
vigilant in our former station, ere we can look after greater matters
and greater honour in the world. Plants that thrive well in a valley
soon wither and are blasted on the top of a mountain. But such men
are eagerly set to soar higher and higher, setting no period to their
towering thoughts. Besides, the rankest pride will sometimes appear
in an humble garb ; but humility in the gesture and outward behaviour
is but counterfeit while the heart is lofty. Some, whose hearts were
not broken, yet would hang the head like a. bulrush for a day, Isa. iviii.
5, erewhile seemed to be deeply affected with sin and misery; but this
is like ice in giving weather, thawed at top, but hard at bottom. Ahab
went softly, and was in outward show very humble, 1 Kings xxi. 27,
affected for the present, but his heart not subdued to God. Absalom
was in show very humble, courting the meanest of the people, 2 Sam.
xv. 2-5, but it was for his ambitious ends. So many take on a veil of
humility to deceive men and mock God ; but a bladder is not more
blown with wind than they are swollen with pride. There are two
extremes. Some think pride only consists in outward things, as ves
tures, gestures, modesty of eyes and speech. Thus many of the popish
monks and friars place much of their religion in their exterior morti
fication, when their hearts are full of the conceits of self-righteousness.
Among us, the quakers cry out upon the pride of others, and by their
plain garb pretend to avoid it ; yet how conceited of themselves and
obstinate ! Very ignorant, yet scornful of a gospel ministry that should
teach them better ! The other extreme is, men will pretend their hearts
are humble though their eyes are lofty, their apparel vain, and by all
external signs they show their folly, pride, and luxury, in their garb,
their entertainments, their household furniture. These miserably deceive
themselves ; for if the heart were humble, the eyes would not be lofty,
nor would they display the ensigns of their vanity. Well, then, from
VER. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 421
all this you may see what need there is that the heart should be purged
of pride.
Use. To persuade us to purge out this leaven of pride. It cannot be
purged out at once, but it must be mortified and subdued more and
more. Daily labour and diligence is necessary for this end.
The means are these —
First, Frequent examination of ourselves ; for self-acquaintance
breedeth humility. No man extolleth himself but he that knoweth
not himself. Therefore the best way to take down pride is to consider
often what we have been, what we are, and what we deserve.
1. What we have been. Let us often consider the horrible filthiness
of our corrupt nature, stinking worse than any carcass before God.
Take the softest notion of original sin, we wanted a righteousness to
place before God : Ps. li. 5, ' I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did
my mother conceive me.' We wanted strength to serve him : Rom.
viii. 7, 'The carnal mind is enmity against God, for it is not subject to
the law of God, neither indeed can be.' We had nothing to incline us
to God or commend us to him. Yea, not only an impotency, but an
averseness. Partly out of carnal liberty : Rom. viii. 7, ' Because the
carnal mind is enmity to God/ Partly through sensuality, or addict-
edness to present things grateful to the flesh : John iii. 6, ' That which
is born of the flesh is flesh/ Partly through legal bondage : Gen. iii.
7, ' The eyes of them were opened, and they knew that they were
naked ; ' ver. 10, ' I heard thy voice in the garden, and I hid myself,
because I was naked/ Through carnal liberty our hearts were averse
from him as a lawgiver ; through bondage, as a judge : Col. i. 21,
'You that were sometimes alienated, and enemies in your mind by
wicked works.'
2. After grace received, mixed principles, and therefore mixed opera
tions, flesh and spirit, law and gospel, Gal. v. 17. If we consider in
what state our soul is, what our actions are, how polluted with a tang
of the flesh, how little comfortable sense of the love of God, we should
soon see that we still carry about with us the cause of a deep humilia
tion in our bosoms, and to cry out with the publican, Luke xviii. 13,
' Lord, be merciful,' &c. ; or with Paul, Rom. vii. 24, ' wretched man
that I am ! who shall deliver me from the body of this death ? ' Besides
your wants and defects, consider the loathsome corruption of your
souls, which follow you wherever you go. The sins of our best duties
are enough to humble us, to have such low conceptions of God, such
heartless prayers, &c.
3. Consider what we have deserved. The eternal wrath of God, due
to us for sin. It is a wonder that he doth not turn us into hell every
moment, and that fire doth not come forth from his jealousy to consume
us, who are ever and anon tripping in his service.
You will say, Blessed be God, we are escaped by Christ ; we are
passed from death to life.
Ans. I do not tell you what God will do, but what you have deserved ;
and this not to weaken your confidence, but to humble your hearts.
Now it is enough for that, that you had once the sentence passed upon
you, and have had the rope, as it were, about your necks ; that you
have been at the gates of hell, and might have entered in, but for the
422 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SER. II.
grace of your Kedeemer. Besides, you deserve it still ; your daily sins
and best actions deserve the wrath of God. And such a sense of it is
still necessary as quickens to thankfulness, and prays for pardon, and
promoteth to humility ; and you turn grace into wantonness, and abuse
it, if it lessen any of these acts. Well, then, though God forgive us,
we must not forget we were once as bad as the worst, and children of
wrath, even as others, Eph. ii. 3. We must still condemn ourselves
when God justifieth us, and set our sins ever before us though God do
cast them behind his back. Now shall such creatures as we be proud,
so sinful, so liable to the curse, whose righteousnesses are as filthy
rags ? Isa. Ixiv. 6.
Secondly, Frequent communion with God in prayers and praises ;
for so we more and more come into the knowledge of God, and a sight
and sense of his majesty and glory ; and a serious sight of God will
humble us : Isa. vi. 5, ' I am unclean, for I have seen the Lord of hosts;'
Gen. xviii. 27, ' I am but dust and ashes ; ' Job xlii. 5, 6, 'I have
heard of thee by the hearing of the ear ; but now mine eye seeth thee.
Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.' Can they
be proud that have so often to do with an holy and glorious God ?
Surely one glimpse of his majesty will take down thy self-exalting
thoughts. The stars differ from one another in brightness and glory,
but when the sun appeareth they are all obscured, and those differences
unobserved. So when we compare ourselves with men, we seem great,
wise, powerful ; but God, rightly apprehended, lesseneth us in our
opinion, estimation, and affection. He is all, we are nothing but what
he maketh us to be. All the creatures to him are nothing, less than
nothing, Isa. xl. 17 ; nothing in opposition to him ; nothing in com
parison of him ; nothing in exclusion of him. Now the mind should
be often seasoned with these thoughts, as surely they will where men
have much to do with God, and are often with him, if they be serious
in their addresses to him.
Thirdly, Constant watchfulness, especially when we are most in
danger of this sin ; then we should keep a double watch. Pride is
incident to all, but especially to those who are ennobled with any
excellency of birth, honour, or estate, or parts, or office. Few are able
to master their comforts ; they are too strong wine for weak heads.
To learn to abound is the harder lesson, Phil iv. 12. When God
lifteth them up, they lift up themselves ; the wind of strong applause
soon oversets a little vessel. Even gracious persons may be tainted.
Pride once crept into heaven, and then into paradise ; and it is hardly
kept out of the best heart. Christians are not so much in danger of
sensual lusts as of this sin ; it groweth upon us many times by the
decrease of other sins ; as mortified, so proud : are ministers by their
office : 1 Tim. iii. 6, ' Not a novice, lest, lifted up by pride, he fall into
the condemnation of the devil.' But withal, those are most prone
that rise out of the dunghill and from a low estate to great wealth and
honour ; partly because they are not able to digest such a sudden and
unusual happiness ; partly because they look less to God, and more to
their own prudence and industry : Hab. i. 16, ' Sacrifice to their own
net.' Now all these should watch: Dent. viii. 14, 'Take heed lest
thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God ; ' 1 Tim.
VER. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxr. 423
vi. 17, { Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-
minded, nor trust in uncertain riches.' The honourable should watch,
the minister watch, the gifted watch, but especially those whom God
hath more than ordinarily blessed with worldly increase, Ps. cxix.
70, 71.
Fourthly, Use those things with fear which may feed your pride,
and so avoid all occasions of being lifted up. As, for instance, do not
look upon your graces and privileges without looking upon your
infirmities, which may be a counterbalance to you : Mark ix. 24, ' Lord,
I believe ; help thou mine unbelief.' There is much corruption still
remaineth in us, and often gets the advantage of us in thought, word,
and deed. Never reflect upon your praises, but remember your imper
fections, which the world seeth not, the many sins which you are con
scious unto, and how much more you deserve reproofs than praises ;
And if you will thoroughly slight the honour and vainglory of the
world, never count yourselves humble, till you are more willing to be
admonished than praised, reproved than flattered. It is the proud
man that despiseth reproof, but the humble prizeth it. Instances
of the. one: Amaziah to the prophet: 2 Chron. xxv. 16, 'Art thou
made of the king's counsel ? forbear ; why shouldst thou be
smitten ? ' The false prophet Zedekiah to Micaiah : 2 Chron. xviii. 23,
* Which way went the Spirit of the Lord from me to thee ? ' The
pharisees to Christ : ' Are we blind also ? ' John ix. 39, 40. Holy
and humble men are of another temper. Job did not despise the cause
of his servants when they contended with him, Job xxx, 13, 14 ; David:
Ps. cxli. 5, ' Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness.' This
is a notable remedy against pride, to bear a faithful reproof, and take
it in better part than praises and acclamations. Again, when you
reflect upon your enjoyments, consider your account, Luke xii. 48.
What will ye do when ye shall appear before the tribunal to answer
for all this honour and estate ? Surely such a day and such a reckoning
should damp men, and quench all self-exalting thoughts. Never look
upon your afflictions, but consider the mercies yet continued, notwith
standing your ill-deservings, Ezra iii. 19, that we may not murmur,
which is an effect of pride, but submit to God's chastisements ; that is
the way to increase humility ; for afflictions are humbling occasions,
and so must be improved.
Fifthly, The example of Christ. There was not a more excellent
person, nor more worthy, in ah 1 the world. Now what was his life but
a lecture of humility ? Mat. xi. 29, ' Learn of me, for I am meek and
lowly in heart ; ' ' He sought not his own glory, but the glory of him
that sent him,' John v. 41. That is our business as well as Christ's ; not
to seek ourselves, but to please God and glorify God. He chose a mean
life, withdrew himself when they would make him a king, John vi. 15 ;
came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, Mat. xx. 28. Vain men
would be admired of all, are desirous of worldly power and glory ; but
this is contrary to the Spirit of Christ. Surely we should dress our
selves by this glass. The meek, humble, lowly mind is an express
resemblance of Christ, as pride is of the devil. When Christ came to
save us, he would not choose a life of pomp, but poverty. He sub
mitted to be conceived in the womb of a maiden, took the form of a
424' SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SER. II.
servant, was laid in a manger, sacrificed two pigeons. He lived in the
world as a man of sorrows, born of mean parents, working at their
trade. Justin Martyr saith he made ploughs or yokes : ' Is not this
the carpenter ? ' Mark vi. After he entered into the ministry, he was
scorned, opposed by men, preached out of a ship to people on the shore.
Finally, he humbled himself to the death, the death of the cross. Now
the same mind should be in you that was in Jesus, Phil. ii. 5. Unless
you think it a disgrace to imitate him, either you must be humble, or
seek another lord and master.
Sixthly, Thoughts of death, and the great change that we must once
undergo, should still keep us humble. This flesh, which thou deckest
with so much art and ornament, must shortly become a dead carcass,
removed out of sight, that it may not become offensive to those that
most love and prize thee, and rot in the grave, and become food for
worms. Dust we were in our composition, and dust we must be in our
dissolution, Gen. iii. 19. What is viler than dust? Eccles. xii. 7,
' Our dust shall return to the earth as it was.' We do but for a while
act a part upon the stage of the world, and then we must be un
clothed ; as he that acteth the king in the comedy, and then- goeth
off and is a poltroon, as before ; he vaunteth on the stage for a while,
then ad staturam suam redit — Seneca. Though his excellency
rnounteth unto the heavens, yet within a while he perisheth, as his
own dung, Job xx. 5-8. Our ornaments must be left behind us.
Seventhly, A gift sanctified, though never so mean, is more than the
greatest gifts that puff us up. It holdeth good in all things. In
estate, the truest contentment is to be kept humble in the enjoyment of
it, James i. 10. The rich, in that he be made low. So for honour ;
it is not the outward splendour which is our happiness, but the humble
mind. To be minimus in summo, least at the highest, like a spire or
pyramid, is an argument of a great spirit. So for parts, the humble
Christian is the better qualified, 1 Cor. viii. 1. Knowledge puffeth up,
charity edifieth. So grace ; the less conceited, the more grace. Pride
starveth every grace, but humility feedeth it. It is the humble soul
which hath the solid comforts, and hath made most progress in
religion.
Eighthly, Consider the evils of pride, both as to sin and punishment.
1. As to sin. It puts us upon other sins, murmuring against God,
contempt of others : Prov. xxi. 24, ' Haughty scorner is his name, who
dealeth with proud wrath.' Contention with them : ' He that is proud
in heart stirreth up strife,' Prov. xxviii. 25. Envy ; Saul eyed David
ever afterward, 1 Sam. xviii. 9. An evil eye : Mat. xx. 24, ' When the
disciples heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two
brethren.' Censuring : James iii. 1, 'Be not many masters.'
2. Evils of punishment. Others cannot be expected, since the proud
are so odious to God: Prov, xvi. 5, 'Whosoever is proud in heart is
an abomination to the Lord.'
[1.] The judgments of God against the proud are sure: Prov. xxix.
23, ' A man's pride will surely bring him low.' So Prov. xvi. 5, 'Though
hand join in hand.' All the world shall not keep him, as that doth
not keep down his own spirit. God will cross him in his person or
posterity : Prov. xv. 25. ' The house of the proud shall be destroyed.'
VER. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 425
[2.] It is swift. Judgment cometh upon other sins with a slow pace,
but always treadeth on the heels of pride, in that instant wherein they
exalt themselves. Nebuchadnezzar, when his heart was lifted up and
his mind hardened in pride, he was deposed from the kingdom, Dan.
v. 20. The angels fell in that instant. Herod adored as a god, and
immediately eaten up of worms, Acts xii. We lose our children,
estate, parts, by some sudden stroke of providence, when we grow proud
of them.
[3.] It is shameful ; that God may pour the more contempt on
them : Prov. xi. 2, ' When pride cometh, then cometh shame.' Not
only ruin, but shame ; Herod punished by lice, Pharaoh by gnats and
flies, Miriam by leprosy ; Goliath falleth by a stone out of a shepherd's
sling.
[4.] It is impartial. Not only upon Pharaoh, Herod, Haman, but
his own people. Uzziah, 2 Chron. xxv. 26, 27, died without being
lamented. Hezekiah : 2 Chron. xxxii. 45, ' His heart was lifted up ?
therefore there was wrath upon him.'
SERMON III.
Neither do I exercise myself in great matters, nor in things too high
for me. — Ps. cxxxi. 1.
HERE is the third sign of David's humility, that he did not affect or
attempt great things, above his power, or beyond his calling, ' Neither
do I,' &c. The word for ' exercise ' signifieth also to walk ; and the
word for 'too high' signifieth also wonderful.
This part of the profession may be understood either —
First, Of his study, and inquiries of his mind, that he did not seaich
out the hidden things of God. There are certain things which surpass
the light and capacity of human understanding : Ps. cxxxix. 6, ' This
knowledge is too wonderful for me, I cannot attain unto it/ So Job,
when he had censured God's providence, chap. xlii. 3, ' I have uttered
things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.' To presume to dive
into or comprehend the counsels of God is an act of pride, because it
is a presumption beyond man's ability.
Secondly, Or of his practice, that he did not aspire after great
things, nor seek to wrest the kingdom out of the hands of Saul. He
would not step forward, nor backward, but as God directed him;
which certainly was a great effect of humility and modesty in David,
though the promises of God gave him such hope, and the persecutions
of Saul irritated him. And therein becometh a pattern to the people
of God, that they should not aspire to nor look after worldly greatness,
but be contented with the condition and estate of life wherein God
placeth them ; and our utmost ambition should be to be serviceable to
God and his people, without presuming beyond the bounds of our
426 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SER. III.
calling or strength to manage things : Jer. xlv. 5, ' Seekest thou great
things for thyself ? seek them not.'
Which of these senses to prefer is not easy to know. Interpreters
are divided. I will frame the doctrine so as to comprise both.
Doct. That humble souls do not exercise themselves in great
matters, nor in things too high for them.
First, I shall consider how many ways this may be done.
Secondly, I shall show that it is contrary to humility so to do.
First, How many ways this may be done. First, I shall take the
former distinction.
First, In point of understanding, when they search out and presume
to understand things which God hath not revealed. The general
rule is, Deut. xxix. 29, ' The secret things belong unto the Lord our
God, but the revealed things belong unto us, and to our children for
ever, that we may do all the words of this law/ Our business is to
study our duty, which is plain and open ; and for great matters, and
things too high for us, we may, without any great loss or danger, let
them alone.
Now these great matters that are too high for us are of two sorts —
(1.) Some things that exceed the capacity of all men ; (2.) Some
things that are above our particular capacity, or the measure of our
apprehension, or the limits of our vocation and calling.
1. Some things exceed the capacity of all men, and are too high for
us to judge of. Now these things may be ranked in two classes — (1.)
When men reject any revealed truth because they know not the cause;
or (2.) When they neglect any present duty because they know not
the events.
[1.] When we reject any apparent truth or doctrine revealed in the
scriptures because it exceedeth our capacity to understand all the
causes and reasons of them. This is to exercise ourselves in matters
too high for us, and to set up our reason in opposition to God's revela
tion. As many deny the Trinity, and the incarnation of the Son of
God, because they cannot conceive or understand how these things
can be. Others deny the creation of the world, because they cannot
apprehend what God did, or wherein he was employed, during all that
infinite space of time before he 1 proceeded to the creation. In many
other cases they will not believe the truth, because they understand
not the causes thereof ; as God's decrees of predestination and preteri-
tion, because they cannot reconcile this with the justice of God and
their prejudices and preconceptions, though it be clearly revealed in
the word, that while the children were yet unborn, and had done
neither good nor evil, yet ' Esau have I hated, and Jacob have I loved,'
Eom. ix. 10, 11. So many deny the institution of Adam as a common
person, in whose act all his posterity were concerned, though it be a
truth clearly revealed in the scripture. These, and many other things,
are propounded to be believed, not vexed with anxious inquiries. God
dealeth with us here as physicians with their patients. They give
pills, not to be chewed, but swallowed. If chewed, they are cast
up again by proud reason ; if swallowed, they prove an wholesome
remedy to us. We are to acquiesce in the testimony of God, made
evident to us by other reasons, i hough we cannot reconcile them with
VER. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 427
the conceits of our shallow and corrupted reason. So many deny the
providence of God because of some seeming incongruities, by the
prosperity of the wicked, and the afflictions of the righteous, and so
cry up chance instead of God's wise and holy government. Surely we
exercise ourselves in things too high for us when we will still be
inquiring into the causes and reasons of all things. As why God from
eternity decreed this and that, in his providence doeth this or that.
Why he would not send his Son for fallen angels as well as for fallen
man, when one angel, as to the dignity of his nature, is more precious
than a thousand men. Why Christ would save one thief upon the
cross, and not both. Why he will execute his judgments upon his
people by the wicked, and afterward, when he hath used the rod, throw
it into the fire. Why he will visit the sins of the fathers on the
children. Why Achan's family was to be burned with him, Josh. vii. ;
and an hundred such things, which God hath hidden from us. Yea>
some will deny the immortality of the soul, because they know not
how it is caused, by seminal traduction or immediate creation. So the
work of God's differencing grace, because they understand not the way
of it. It is endless to follow all the exceptions of vain man against
the doctrine of God, and how the pride and arrogancy of reason vents
itself against divine revelation.
In practical matters, some will question the Spirit's dwelling in
believers, because they cannot understand the manner. Some saving
grace, communion with God, or praying in the Holy Ghost, as if they
were but fancies. Some truths cannot be understood without experi
ence, and it is only sanctification that giveth that experience; there
fore unsanctified persons take them for fancies.
[2.] This pride showeth itself in the desire of the knowledge of future
events, either concerning the church of God, ourselves, or others ; and
many are so set upon this, that they will have figures cast, unlawful
arts used, seek unto wizards and them that have familiar spirits, Isa.
viii. 19. But whether they use lawful or unlawful means, the scripture
disapproveth this vain curiosity and desire to know future contingencies,
as arguing a distrust of God ; for true godliness requireth we should
trust ourselves blindfold in his hands, and obey him though we do not
know what will come of it ; as Abraham did, Heb. xi. 8. But we are
very anxious about futurities ; we would know what Christ will do with
the church, what with ourselves, what with others. It better becometh
us, in every condition, to know what we should do than what we shall
be. It doth not become us to understand events, but it doth greatly
become us to understand our duty. But our minds run upon this.
Sometimes we are inquiring about the church, 'Wilt thou at this time
restore the kingdom to Israel ? ' But he answers, ' It is not for you
to know the times/ &c., Acts i. 6, 7. So we desire to know our own
destiny, whether we shall have prosperity or adversity, die a violent or
a natural death, at home or abroad. We desire to know the time when
our affliction shall cease : Ps. cxix. 8, ' How many are the days of thy
servant ? when wilt thou execute judgment on them that persecute me ? '
David was surprised with this infirmity. We are weary of sufferings,
and would fain know an end. So for others : John xxi. 21, 22, 'What
shall this man do? If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to
428 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXl. [SEE, II T.
thee ? follow thou me.' Peter would fain know what should become
of John, for which he was checked of Christ, as meddling with that
which concerned him not. He bids him keep to his duty. It is vain
curiosity, when we have so much needful work upon our hands, to desire
to know what shall become of us and ours in this lottery of human affairs.
Do your duty, and venture upon God's providence. Consider what an
horrible diffidence and distrust of God it is that we cannot acquiesce
in his wise and holy government, whose wisdom, power, and goodness is
infinite. We suspect that he will not perform the part of a father and
righteous governor to us, and therefore we dare not trust ourselves with
his providence, but we must know beforehand how the event will be cast.
2. Some things are above our particular capacity, and measure of our
apprehension, and the limits of our vocation. The apostle biddeth us :
Eom. xii. 3, to ' be wise to sobriety, as God hath dealt to every one the
measure of faith/ But men forget their ignorance, shallowness, and
incapacity, and, though never so empty, take upon them to judge of all
controversies in religion, as if they were the most knowing. Therefore
the scripture la)*eth in so much caution against this ; as, ' Lean not to
thine own understanding ;' and again, 'Be not wise in thine own eyes;'
and Tsa. v. 21, ' Woe to them that are wise in their own eyes, and pru
dent in their own sight ;' Prov. xxvi. 12, ' Seest thou a man wise in
his own eyes, there is more hope of a fool than of him ; ' Prov. xxvi. 5,
'Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit.'
And in many other places ; that we might consider what a vanity it is
to be meddling in things above our reach and measure of understand
ing. Many will run before they can go ; mind controversies before
they have well digested the necessary saving and practical truths. The
weak must govern all, and model churches, when the Lord knoweth
they are unskilful in self-government and the vitals of Christianity.
Who were most forward in the divisions of Corinth but the weak chris-
tians, who had need of milk, and not of strong meat, as the apostle
showeth, 1 Cor. iii. 1-3. Certainly there is a certain order of truths,
and that one presupposeth another ; and the knowledge of the lower
truths is required before we can attend to the higher. And till their
understandings be prepared by a sound practical knowledge of the
ordinary truths, they cannot well understand the higher. But it is a wonder
to see the pride and arrogancy of some ignorant men, who will confi
dently pass a censure on things they understand not, as if they were as
thoroughly acquainted with them as the best, and scornfully call 'that
an error which is the precious truth of Christ. These would go to the
top of the stairs without ascending by the lower steps ; or like hasty
children, that will undertake to read before they can spell ; and will
determine great points when they have neglected the necessary truths
which make way for the knowledge of them.
Secondly, I shall prove that this intermeddling with things too high
for us is pride. I shall prove it by these steps —
1. It is certainly a great disease incident to mankind to contemn
things easy, and to busy themselves about things hidden, difficult, and
forbidden. Needless speculations and curiosities are a sort of knowledge
that bringeth more pain than pleasure. This is a disorder and a
disease ; partly because reason will tell us that things necessary should
VER. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 429
be preferred before arbitrary, and therefore tilings necessary to practice
should be preferred before abstruse things and unprofitable. Partly
because the most obvious truths are most necessary and most useful ;
as the Lord, in great goodness, hath made the most useful and necessary
things the most common. Those things without which we cannot live
are obvious, but jewels, pearls, and gold are hard to come by ; we go
for them to far countries, dig deep for them ; but bread and food is at
hand, and brought home to our doors. So in the business of religion ;
those points which are absolutely necessary to salvation are obvious to
every man's understanding, and are in every man's mouth ; intricate
disputes lie more off, and are not everywhere found. The truths we
live by, as the creation, fall and redemption by Christ, the necessity of
holiness, the hopes of eternal life, are plain and clear; but yet these are
least considered, believed, or improved. We learn them by rote, but
seldom consider of their truth, weight, and consequence. These are
too common and familiar to be regarded by us. We desire mi vulgar
notions, abstruse speculations. Partly because the mind is so weak,
and time so short, that we cannot attend to everything. Surely in all
reason we should attend upon the most weighty things; there is no loss
in being ignorant of other things; and therefore, when we have so little
time that it scarce sufficeth for the main things of our salvation, to spend
this either upon impossible or unlawful knowledge is a great fault.
Surely if men were better husbands of their time, what progress might
they make ! Their faith would not be so weak, nor their love of God
so cold, nor such defects in every grace. Well, then, though diligence
in inquiring after the truth be laudable, yet if be it polluted with the sin
of curiosity, it is a fault and a great disorder.
2. It is that disorder which is called pride.
[1.] Its entrance into the world showeth it ; for this is one of the
things our first parents aspired unto. The fruit of the forbidden tree
was good for knowledge, Gen. iii. 6. Man would know good and evil
for himself, and be a god to himself, and would see all things in their
own evidence, rather than upon divine revelation ; he would know, and
not believe. This is a bone that sticketh in many a throat, which he
cannot digest and swallow ; that there should be a sovereign lord, to
dispose of him at his pleasure, and teach him, and provide for
him. Certain it is that searching into things not revealed must of
necessity be joined with some unthankfulness for things that are re
vealed ; as if man by his own wit could find out more curious things,
and more worthy our knowledge, than God was pleased to teach him.
This was our first parents' sin, and this is nothing else but rank pride.
[2.] The formal nature showeth it ; for the two branches of pride
are in it — self-conceit and vainglory.
(1.) Self-conceit. It argueth too great a conceit of ourselves : Eom.
xii. 16, ' Mind not high things : be not wise in your own conceits.'
(2.) For vainglory. We would set off ourselves as knowing more
than others. We all affect the reputation of wisdom : Job xi. 12,
' Vain man would be counted wise, though he be born like the wild
ass's colt.' Man is empty, but conceited of his perfection ; will own a
wickedness in morals rather than a weakness in intellectuals. Though
we have not the reality of wisdom, yet we affect the reputation of wis-
430 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SER. III.
dom. The pharisees took it tenderly to be accounted blind : ' Are we
blind also ? ' John ix. 40.
[3.] It is a mischievous sort of pride.
(1.) It weakeneth our faith and belief of the mysteries of the gospel.
There can be no sound believing till our proud imaginations and
reasonings be captivated to the knowledge of God and obedience of
Christ, 2 Cor. x. 5. The corrupt nature of man is more prone to
question the truth of God's word than to see and confess its own
ignorance and incapacity. I say, men will suspect the scriptures
rather than their own wit, and will still be reasoning, How can this
be ? and, How can that be ?
(2.) It destroyeth our submission to God, and dependence upon his
providence, when we are so foolishly conceited as to take upon us to
judge of his works, and to reflect upon his infinite wisdom, goodness, and
power ; and we must prescribe to God, and model his dispensations,
and censure them when they are not according to our mind. No ;
God will be known to be sovereign ; all the creature's enjoyments are
in his hand, to be disposed of according to his pleasure : Job ix. 10,
'He taketh away, and none can stay his hand, and say unto him,
What doest thou ? ' He is sovereign lord and proprietor. We are
forced passively to submit, because we cannot help it ; but we must
actively submit. We must not quarrel and censure that which we
cannot comprehend. God, having absolute dominion and sovereignty,
is unaccountable to any : Job xxxiii. 13, ' Why dost thou strive with
thy Maker, since he giveth no account of his matters ? ' Before what
tribunal will you cite him to answer ? before the bar of your corrupted
reason ? God will not tie himself to those rules which men prescribe
to him. You take too much upon you, exercise yourselves in matters
too high for you, when you will judge of his providence.
(3.) It divideth the church by vain jangling about unnecessary
things, and turneth all religion into a way of dispute ; for this pride
and presuming above our measure is that which breedeth contention.
When the weak will guide all, and they will sit judges in matters of
religion, and mould churches, even those who are scarce gotten into
any sense of the first principles or knowledge in the way of God ;
when men presume beyond their skill, and confidently determine ;
hence come offences, grieving their guides, censuring their fellow-
brethren, scandalising the world. brethren ! how much doth it
deserve to be written over the doors of every place you meet, ' Be not
wise in your own conceit.' Much of the devil's work is done in the
world by raw heady professors, who, having weak understandings and
strong passions, will take upon them to rule all, till they undo all by
their turbulency. And here is the mischief ; the nature of this ignor
ance is to be ignorant of itself ; as he that never saw the light knoweth
not what it is. There is a good deal of knowledge necessary to make
men know their ignorance ; and therefore there is no way but to check
the presumption as much as we can.
(4.) It hindereth serious godliness by an unprofitable misspence of
time, and a needless distracting our thoughts, and a neglect of search
ing into things more necessary and useful for ourselves and others.
The apostle telleth us, that ' he that doteth about questions is proud,
VER. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 431
and neglecteth the doctrine which is according to godliness,' 1 Tiui.
vi. 3, 4.
Use 1. To press you to take heed of this sort of pride ; not pressing
into God's secrets, or going beyond our bounds, and the limits of our
gifts and calling, or censuring his word and works.
1. Consider that it is the honour of God to hide a thing, that he
may the more humble us. There are some truths in his word we
know not the reasons of them ; we must accept them upon his revela
tion. We will allow parents to conceal the reasons and ends of many
precepts from their children ; and princes have their arcana imperil,
their mysteries of state. And why must you not allow this to God ?
Prov. xxv. 2, ' It is the glory of God to conceal a thing.' Especially
in his providence. There is a veil upon his proceedings : ' What I
do thou knowest not now ; but hereafter thou shalt know/ saith Christ
to Peter, John xiii. 7. God's name is written both upon his word
and works, and therefore they have somewhat in them that is incom
prehensible.
2. Many times the inconspicuousness of the reasons of providence is
not from the object, but a defect in the faculty. Blind men think the
sun is put out, when the web is upon their own eyes. Shall we pre
sumptuously censure the word and works of God who are blind and
hasty ?„ Sometimes blinded by our passions and carnal prejudices ;
our judgment is perverted by an indulgence to sense and carnal
affections ; and while we examine God's providence by sense, we
mistake it. Sometimes there may be order where we think is confusion,
and beauty where we see nothing but rudeness, and love where we
interpret hatred ; when Christ died, when Joseph was sent to prison,
&c. The first lines in a picture or statue have no beauty in them.
Suspend your judgment till the work be brought to an end : ' Judge
nothing before the time,' 1 Cor. iv. 5.
3. What a monstrous arrogancy it is in us to sit as judges of God's
word and works, and presumptuously to pass censures upon them !
This will appear if we consider either our baseness or the majesty of
God.
[1.] Our baseness. We are but a handful of enlivened dust, poor
worms that but lately started out of nothing, and shall soon be
turned into dust again ; and shall we take upon us, and have such an
opinion, that we should know the secrets of the king of kings, and
must have an account of all his dealings ? As if every rustic should
press into the cabinet of princes, and demand an account of all things
they do in the administration of the kingdom. Will the eternal God
bear it, that poor worms should inquire into all his secrets ?
[2.] The majesty of God. It is a despising of his majesty, and a
strange pride, to call our Maker to an account, and know of him the
reason of all his works, or else we will not be satisfied. Can we dis
pute with God, or comprehend the counsels of God ? ' His judgments
are a great deep,' Ps. xxxvi. 16, ' And his ways past finding out,' Rom.
xi. 33. Not according to our laws, but his own infinite wisdom.
A cockleshell may as well contain the ocean as we fathom all the
depths of God.
Use 2. In point of practice. We should not affect great things
432 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SER. III.
in the world, or be unsatisfied with that degree and state of life wherein
God hath placed us, and so aspire after greater. Now this is a token
of humility.
1. It is God's express direction : 1 Tim. vi. 8, ' Having food and
raiment, let us therewith be content ; ' and Heb. xiii. 5, ' Be content
with such things as ye have/ There is a contentment in opposition to
covetousness, and a contentment in opposition to pride. They both
agree in this, that, have we more or have we less, if it be but bare food
and raiment that we may live, and so live as that we have time to
serve God, and seek his kingdom, and the salvation of our souls, we
should be content. That is, in opposition to covetousness, we should
not distract ourselves with distrustful cares and covetous desires, but
with a quiet mind rely upon God's precious promises and merciful
providence for support and necessaries. But then there is a content
ment in opposition to pride, when we do not repine and murmur
against God, but are content to be at his finding ; accounting a little
is enough by the way, and so we get heaven at last. It is no great
matter how much or how little we enjoy by the way. If our con
dition be mean, we disdain it not ; if higher, we desire to improve it
for God. This the apostle practised : Phil. iv. 11, ' I have learned,
in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.' To rest satisfied
with our present condition, without repining against God.
2. That is the best condition wherein God hath placed us, though
it be never so low and mean. Partly because of God's sovereignty.
Men must not arrogate to themselves the disposal of their own estate,
because we are receivers and not prescribers : Job ii. 10, ' Shall we
receive good at the hand of the Lord, and shall we not receive evil ? '
He appointeth to every one his portion. Therefore it is not what will
please us, but what will please him. All the good we have cometh
from God, and he must be left to dispose of it as he will. Partly
because God is infinitely wise and better knoweth what is fittest for
us than we do for ourselves. He knoweth our infirmity better than
we do ourselves, what our shoulders will bear, and what not. Partly
because of his goodness and kindness. He is no less kind and loving,
nay, much more than we are to ourselves, and will not fail to give us
anything that may be truly good for us. It is a mighty point in our
dependence upon God to hate thoughts of God ; and as it is a great
help and relief to the soul, so it is easy to prove from his love in Christ :
Rom. viii. 32, ' He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up
for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? '
From his gracious covenant : Ps. xxxiv. 10, ' They that fear the Lord
shall not want any good thing ;' and Ps. Ixxxiv. 11, ' The Lord will
give grace and glory ; no good thing will he withhold from them that
walk uprightly.' Therefore, upon the whole, let God choose our por
tion for us.
3. Those great matters which the world crieth up for such are but
small things in comparison of those things which Christians should be
most busied about. There are two sorts of great things — either in
reality or in appearance.
[1.] The great things in reality are God, and Christ, and the law of
grace, the promises of the pardon of sin and eternal life : Hosea viii. 12,
VER. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 433
* I have written to him the great things of my law.' There are great
things indeed discovered in the law of God, as a great God, a precious
Saviour, a sanctifying Spirit, the way of salvation, and salvation itself;
these are great things indeed : 2 Peter i. 4, ' To us are given exceeding
great and precious promises,' ra /-leXtcrra eVa^eX/iara. They con
tain spiritual and eternal riches, and dear-bought blessings. Now in
these great matters should we exercise ourselves. It is a low and base
spirit that doth not seek these spiritual and heavenly things. But these
suit not with carnal sense, because they are only valued and esteemed
by faith.
[2.] Great things in appearance. Those are worldly things which
in reality are the smallest matters, 2 Cor. vi. 2 ; but the flesh counteth
them great, because of the suitableness they carry to our fancies and
appetites. Great affections make the things of the world seem great.
They are only great in our own conceit : Prov. xviii. 11, ' The rich
man's wealth is his strong city, and as an high wall in his own conceit.'
We promise ourselves much happiness in the enjoyment of these things,
therefore our hearts run after them; but a Christian hath higher
matters to mind.
4. These things, the more they are sought after, our desires are
greatened with the enjoyment, and still we seek greater and greater
things. Allow this disposition, and it will still carry us further ; for
the soul is never satisfied; Isa. v. 8, they are joining house to house,
field to field ; Eccles. v. 10, ' He that loveth abundance shall not be
satisfied with increase.' The flesh is wise in its own matters ; it aimeth
at first only at those things which are within our grasp and reach ; but
then still it enlargeth itself, and would have more ; and when that is
obtained, we would fain be built a story higher in the world. In
honour and greatness there is no end. Now it is better to stop at first,
because, to be contented with what we have, and improve it to God's
glory, argueth the highest and noblest spirit : 1 Tim. vi. 6, ' Godliness
with contentment is great gain.' A Christian life with a competent
subsistence is the best wealth in the world.
5. The danger of seeking after these great things. There is danger
in the pursuit, danger in the enjoyment In the pursuit : If our hearts
be set upon these things, it is ten to one but that we will step out of
the way to obtain them ; for as he that will be rich falleth into a snare,
so doth he that will be great, 1 Tim. vi. 9. Aspiring minds will get
their preferment at any cost. What poor things do the ambitious
stoop to to attain their ends ! Humour the lusts and uncertain minds
of men, writhe themselves into all postures, yea, too often wriggle them
selves out of all good conscience and neglect of God, and trample upon
what is sacred ; all must go down that they may rise. But when,
with all this ado, they have gotten up, there is danger in the enjoyment.
An higher condition is more slippery and obnoxious to ruin. Moun
tain tops are tempestuous habitations, where men still live in the
storms of envy and jealousy.. Mounting hath cost many dear in this
world ; the higher they are, the fall the greater. But we should not
be too keenly set on that which may endanger our everlasting welfare.
In this state of corruption, it is hard to be high and not lifted up ; and
we have no reason to be in love with our temptations. A strong head
VOL. xxr. 2 E
434 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [&ER. III.
will run round on the pinnacle of a steeple ; it is better and safer to
stand on the ground. When we enjoy great things here in the world,
it is hard to please men, and we find them the greatest hindrances of
pleasing God ; yea, few find that pleasure which they expected to
themselves.
Secondly, That this affecting great things argueth pride.
1. Because affecting greater things argueth discontent with our
present estate. Now that is clearly the daughter of pride and self-love
which maketh us think ourselves worthy of much more than we have.
That we are discontented appeareth partly by our unthankfulness to
God for what we have received, undervaluing those blessings we enjoy
as far beneath us : Mai. i. 2, ' I have loved you, saith the Lord ; yet ye
say, Wherein hast thou loved us ? ' And partly by our unquietness in
our own hearts when our desires are not satisfied ; as Ahab had not
rest in himself when he could not get Naboth's vineyard, 1 Kings xxi.
3, 4. And partly also by our envy and discontent with our neighbours
who possess that which we desire to enjoy, and are consequently looked
upon by us with an evil eye, as standing in the way of that we aim at :
Esther v. 13, ' All this availeth me nothing as long as I see Mordecai in
the king's gate.'
2. The very affectation of great things is that dangerous and baneful
sin of pride; because the scripture commendeth to us a mean con
dition as most safe : Mat. v. 3, ' Blessed are the poor in spirit, for
theirs is the kingdom of God.' The poor in spirit are those who are
contented to be poor, if God will have it so ; and those that have an
heart suited to or reconcilable with a low condition, though they can
not flaunt it in the world as others do. So Prov. xvi. 19, ' Better it i&
to suffer with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud.' Now
our condition is to be valued by the judgment of God in his word
rather than by our own carnal affections ; partly because to keep much
ado about our own greatness, and glory, and advancement, argueth a
base temper of spirit : Prov. xxv. 27, ' For men to search their own
glory is not glory.' Seeking, affecting these things, is a mark of
indignity. Let us attract it by our deserving, not affect it by our
ambition. It is the violet is found out by its own smell, though it be
shrouded and covered by leaves ; so should we be found out by our
own worth. Where the matter is combustible, we need not blow so
hard to keep in the fire. Such carking and caring for it argueth little
worth. Partly because worldly honour or honour from men should be
little valued by a Christian, who is acquainted with a greater honour
and glory that cometh from God : John v. 44, ' How can ye believe,
which receive honour one from another, and seek not the honour
which cometh from God only ? ' A Christian should be contented to be
approved and respected of God, who hath made him his child and ser
vant, and given him his favour and image. That should be our great
ambition : 2 Cor. v. 9, ' We labour that, whether present or absent, we
may be accepted of him,' <£tX(m/iou/ue<r#a. The faith and belief of this
cannot consist with the dominion of ambition or affectation of worldly
glory. To hunt after respect from men, and receive it with lustful
delight, or to rest in it as the chief scope of our actions, showeth that
our faith is not sound. In being servants, or sons, or friends to God,
VER. 1.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 435
is such an honour of estate and privilege that all other honour should
become vile in our eyes. They that attend upon God and depend upon
him have a sweeter life than they that wait upon princes ; all the
honours of the world are but as a dream and child's game to the real
glory. You are courtiers and family servants of the infinite sovereign
of heaven and earth, and your heart is employed in loving him, your
tongue in praising him, your life in serving him, and at length you
shall enjoy him. Now if this be valued according to its worth, you
will be so contented with this that the love of honour from men will
be much weakened and deadened in you, so that you will not much
regard how you are looked on by the world if you may have the appro
bation of God. Partly because if this affecting and seeking of great
things in the world be allowed, affected, and indulged, you can never
keep a good conscience, nor be thoroughly faithful to Christ. Men are
under a temptation to unconscionable dealing, that they may purchase
that by any means without which we think not ourselves supplied
according to our worth ; for ambition is like a whirlwind, that teareth
all things in our way ; and for favour and preferment men will break
through all restraints of honesty and conscience ; and Christ, and the
gospel, and owning the truth, will be trampled upon to make up a step
for their rising ; when called to undergo an ignominious cross, or to
practise those duties which are of no respect in the world ; as John xii.
43, ' They loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.' On
the contrary, where this disposition is checked or mortified, Acts v. 41,
' They rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his
name.'
3. I have one reason more ; because our Lord appeared in an humble
garb to teach us to slight the pomp and glory of the world : Mat. xx.
28, ' He came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.' Divines give
this as a reason why Christ came in a poor condition, because if he had
preached up heavenly-mindedness, self-denial, and mortification, and
had himself lived in pomp and fulness, the people would not have
regarded his words, as contrary to his practice. And doth not the
eame reason hold good of his followers ? We profess heavenly-minded-
ness, mortification, and self-denial ; and if we should affect and seek
great things for ourselves here in the world, is there not a manifest
contradiction between our profession and our practice? Therefore,
out of all, we should be contented with a mean and low estate, and
have a heart suited to it ; which we can never have unless this natural
affection to greatness be mortified ; that is to say, unless we would con
cur that the suspicion of pride, dignity, and honour in the world should
be less desired, more feared, and more cautiously used ; and if any step
before us, we should see very small cause to envy them.
Use. To press us to take heed of this seeking great things. Let
ns approve our present estate as every way best and fittest for us and
God's honour and glory ; limiting our desires, that we wish it not to be
otherwise than it is; yea, bringing our affections to delight in it, as that
which God hath laid out for us. And then, let me tell you, you have
gotten a very great conquest; you have mortified the proud spirit,
which is a notable point of grace.
To help you, take these considerations —
436 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SER. III.
1. Whatever we enjoy is more than we have a title to by nature :
lob i. 21, ' Naked came I into the world, and naked shall I return ; '
and 1 Tim. vi. 7, ' We brought nothing with us into the world, and it
is certain we can carry nothing out.' We came into the world contented
with a cradle, and we must go out contented with a grave. This life
is nothing but a coming into the world and a going out again ; if,
between both, God keep us low and bare, we want nothing that we can
claim by original right. And within a short time we shall be stripped
of all, though we had never so much. Death levels all, and maketh
them equal.
2. We are unworthy of what we enjoy, and have it merely out of
favour and free grace : Gen. xxxii. 10, ' I am not worthy of the least
of all the mercies, and all the truth, which thou hast showed unto thy
servant.' And if we be not worthy of what we have, should we mur
mur because we have no more ? Surely then we think more is due to
us ; for it is a certain truth that whosoever do prescribe to God at what
rate they will be maintained, do ascribe too much to themselves, and
complain because men of their deserts are neglected in the world.
3. What we have we have no ability to manage as we ought, nor
can we give an account of it if God should deal strictly with us. All
talents must be accounted for : Luke xxi. 19, ' After a long time, the
lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them.' And accord
ing to the greatness of our talents our account will be greater : Luke
xii. 48, ' To whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required.
And to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the
more.' You have talents enough to answer for. He that cannot bear
a less burden, how will he bear a greater ?
4. That maxim of our Lord striketh at the root of worldly affection:
Luke xii. 15, ' Man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things
which he possesseth.' Superfluity of wealth is not able to prolong life,
or to make it more happy and comfortable to us. You can enjoy no
more than you need and use, and you enjoy that by God's blessing ;
and therefore, without so much ado, man may live comfortably.
5. The opposite maxim, Ps. xxxvii. 16, 'A little that a righteous
man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.' Usually there is
an emptiness and want of satisfaction in wealth that is ill-gotten. They
have it, but it doeth them no good. They have neither the temporal
nor the spiritual use, for the glory of God and the benefit of others ;
and within a while there is a visible curse and blast that attendeth it.
The meanest pittance, well acquired and holily improved, is more
contentedly enjoyed, and doth more good, than all those riches.
6. Remember the ends of this life, and wherefore it was given us ;
to glorify God and save our souls. Mind this thoroughly, and it will
oheck aspiring projects.
[1.] To glorify God. You were not made for your own glory, but
for his. Now God may be glorified though you be not exalted. It is
more for our glory to shine in a glorious orb and sphere, but oftentimes
not for God's. The mean glorify him as well as the honourable, and
sometimes much more ; the afflicted as well as the prosperous. He
requireth no more of you than to finish the work he hath given you to
do, John xvii. 4 ; and that may be in any state of life.
YER. 1.] SEBMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 437
[2.] This life was given us to seek a better ; and let the seeking
of heavenly glory be your work and scope, and you will have a double
advantage.
(1.) Worldly glory will be darkened and lessened in your eyes ; for
what is greatness here to that glory we expect as coming from God ?
Mat. xvi. 27.
(2.) You are entitled to God's protection and provision. Earth
necessaries are given us to preserve this life. All, besides food and
raiment, is not necessary. Necessaries God will care for : ' He knoweth
that we have need of these things,' Mat. vi. 32. They may comfortably
expect it who first seek his kingdom ; he hath bound himself to give
them these things, Mat. vi. 33.
SEKMON IV.
Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned
of his mother; my soul is even as a weaned child. — Ps. cxxxi. 2.
\
IT is not enough to avoid pride, but we must study to excel in humility.
The rooting out of sin is never thoroughly done till the heart be planted
with the contrary grace. Of many it may be said that they are rather
not vicious than virtuous. We may say of a sensual man that he is not
proud, but we cannot say that he is humble.
In the former verse, he had told us of his avoiding pride ; now he
telleth us of his endeavours after humility. There, ' My heart is not
haughty ; ' Here, ' My soul is even as a weaned child.' He declareth
his humility by his quiet submission to God's providence.
This is here represented —
1. By a vehement asseveration, ' Yerily.'
2. By a sincere endeavour, ' I have behaved and quieted myself.'
3. By an apt comparison, taken from a child that is ' weaned of his
mother.'
And it is doubled and repeated for the greater emphasis, 'My
soul,' &c.
I. Here is a vehement asseveration, ' Surely.' He is the more
earnest in it, to remove the suspicion of ambition, which some were
apt to impute to him, as if he sought to wrest the kingdom from Saul.
Therefore he prefixeth this ' Surely ' to show the truth of what he spoke.
In the original it runneth in the form of an oath ; Septuagint, el prj.
Such a form of speech as you have Ps. xcv. 11, 'To whom I sware
in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.' Heb. marg.,
'If they enter into my rest.' Half the speech is expressed, verba
mali ominis supprimenda sunt, to teach us we should not use our
mouths to imprecations ; therefore that part is not mentioned. There
is a horrible boldness in some men, who are ever and anon wishing
great plagues and curses and damnation unto themselves, and inter
larding their speech with these imprecations, as if it were a glory or a
'438 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SEE. IY.
t^port to them ; whereas holy men upon weighty occasions suppress
Avords of cursing or of a direful sound. Yet sometimes, in weighty
cases, the imprecation may be expressed ; as Ps. vii. 3-5, ' Lord my
God, if I have done this, if there be iniquity in my hands, if I have
rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; let the enemy
persecute my soul and take it ; let him tread down my life upon the
earth, and lay mine honour in the dust.' So here, ' If I have not
behaved and quieted my soul as a child, that is weaned of his mother,'
then. let me be accounted as a liar, or suffer as a proud person; or let
me miss of my hope, dispeream, or the like. But the imprecative part
is concealed, as in many like cases. Well, then, the quiet submission
of God's children to providence is sometimes so great that it seemeth
incredible to the world, and needeth sometimes to be confirmed with
an oath.
II. His sincere endeavour. The submission he attained unto was
not pretended, but seriously endeavoured; 'I have behaved, I have
quieted myself.' He laboured to suppress all ambitious motions, that
he might compose his mind to a modest submission to God.
Here observe four things —
1. That in the best heart there may be some rebellious motions and
inclinations rising up against the sovereign government and providence
of God. The best heart is but a kingdom divided. In the heart of the
renewed there is flesh and Spirit, Gal. v. 17, as two irreconcilable
enemies. There are motions and inclinations of the Spirit agreeable to
the law of God ; and there are motions, inclinations, and lusts of the
flesh rebelling against God and making trouble in the heart. This
strife is not ended but with life. We must always stand upon our
guard and quiet ourselves. The soul may be sometimes under some
undue commotion, either by our lusts or passions ; when we are exer
cised with adversity, or injuries, or sickness, our passions may raise a
storm, but we must bridle our impatience. Nay, sometimes there will
arise in us desires of a higher condition ; you have a will to something
or other which God seeth not fit for you ; you must bridle your ambition.
Sometimes the tempest may be so violent that it is not easily calmed. It
is said of the wicked that they are like a troubled sea, which cannot
rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt, Isa. Ivii. 20. There is a dead
sea, the senseless ; a stormy sea, the discontented wicked ; the calm
sea, the godly, that may be stirred by the force of winds.
2. That we must quiet and compose these stirrings, as David en
deavoured to still his soul, and suppress all those inordinate motions
and desires wherewith ambitious men disquiet themselves. He was
naturally inclined to these as well as others, his heart apt to be dis
tempered with them ; but he would not give way to them, but en
deavoured to bridle them by the government of reason. Thus must
we fit and order our spirits or quiet our souls.
3. Though the power of making the means effectual be not in us,
but in the Lord's hands, yet we must use the means rationally still,
whereby God useth to convey this power. We must check ourselves,
stir up the grace of God in ourselves, call ourselves to an account, put
conscience to answer for the disorder of our affections. Can we give a
reason ? Ps. xlii. 5, 11, ' Why art thou cast down, my soul,' &c.
TER. 2.] SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXL 439
Jonah iv. 4, ' Dost thou well to be angry ? ' Thus we must cite our
selves, plead with ourselves, ' I quieted myself.'
4. The freer from ambitious thoughts and distrustful cares, the
more quiet we are. It is our lusts that breed our disturbances and
troubles. A restless spirit is the fruit of our distrustful fears and
anxious cares, or of our ambitious and worldly desires : Ps. cxxvii. 1,
2, ' It is in vain to rise early, to go to bed late, to eat the bread of
carefulness. For he giveth his beloved sleep.' Take either the general
or limited sense ; our duty is our quiet, and our sin our trouble. The
Lord hath forbidden our distracting cares and fears and doubts, and
hath made it unlawful to be miserable ; and vexation is our siu before
it is our trouble.
III. It is represented by an apt comparison, or by the similitude of
an infant newly weaned, which being the lively emblem of a contented
spirit, is repeated twice, that we may observe it the more. The weaned
infant challengeth nothing, expecteth nothing, but what the mother
will give it. The similitude implieth the greatest obedience, depend
ence, self-denial, and resignation that possibly can be. I am tender of
similitudes, but in this I shall a little expatiate, for these reasons —
1. Because our Lord Christ did not only make use of this similitude,
but actually taketh a child, and setteth him in the midst of his dis
ciples, when they were contending for pre-eminence and superiority,
as a visible emblem and representation whereby to confute their pride :
Mat. xviii. 1-4, ' At the same time came the disciples, saying, Who is
greatest in the kingdom of God ? And Jesus called a little child unto
him, and set him in the midst of them, and said unto them, Verily, I
say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye
shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever shall humble
himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven.' This is warrant enough to take occasion from little children
to preach to you of humility ; for if our Lord Christ would use this
method, who are we that we should oppose ourselves to his wisdom, and
think it lost time a little to insist upon it ?
2. Because we may learn many things from children ; for though
they have the seeds of pride in their natures, yet they are not
acquainted with the acts of it ; they know not the greatness and glory
of the world as a thing above them. But a Christian should slight the
things of the world as things beneath him, and therein put himself
into the posture of a child, though not upon the same reason ; they
are above the child and below the Christian. See also, 1 Cor. xiv. 20,
' Brethren, be not children in understanding, but in malice be ye
children, howbeit, in understanding be ye men.' Children envy not
the princes and lords of the world, but are as contented with their lower
matters as kings and emperors are with their crowns. They do not
contrive to undermine others, and to get above them in their worldly
dignities; nor to malice others, and blast the name of others, to
magnify their own. They know no distinction between lords and
beggars ; can as well play with the children of one as the other.
3. It is a notable emblem to represent the condition of the wisest
and highest of mortal men. The wisest, such as were Christ's disciples,
trained up in his own company ; yet an infant is produced to shame
440 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SER. IV,
them, and show them their weakness, whose minds were busied
about sharing the honours of the mediatorial kingdom. Christ tells
them he that was most like a child was greatest in the kingdom of
God ; he that was most humble in his own eyes had most of the
gospel privileges. So the highest of mortal men are but as a feeble
infant before God, that wholly hangeth on the mother. It is no dis
grace to the greatest potentate to carry it humbly to God. David
here saith his soul was as a weaned child. When he was to fight with
his and God's enemies, who more like a lion than David ? But when
his business lieth with God, he was as a weaned child. All are beggars
before God, king and peasant, base and noble. We have nothing but
what he is pleased to give us and continue to us ; and we need daily
pardon and daily supplies, the meanest as well as the greatest.
4. To obviate our usual replies, when we are reproved for pride or
passion : I am not such a child, to put up with this injury ; and they
shall know they have not to do with a child. But yet we are put our
selves into the posture of a weaned child if obedient to God.
Now let us open the similitude, and show wherein it holdeth good.
David behaved himself, and quieted himself — (1.) As a child ; (2.) As
a weaned child.
1. As a child. A child is not troubled with ambitious thoughts :
Mat. xviii. 3, ' Except ye be converted, and become as little children,'
&c. A little child knoweth not what striving for state meaneth. The
inclinations and desires of carnal ambition are very contrary to the
Christian temper, namely, seeking after dominions, dignities, and
honours. So Christ would confute his disciples' pride ; as if he had said,
You strive for worldly greatness and pre-eminence in my kingdom ; but
my kingdom is a kingdom of babes, and containeth none but the humble,
and such as are little in their own eyes, and are contented to be small
and despised in the eyes of others, and to look not after great matters in
the world. Thus would Christ take them off from the vain ambition
and pursuit of esteem and worldly honour, and the expectations of a
carnal kingdom. And is it not necessary still that we should become
as little children ? A great part of the work of grace is to take down
our pride, and make us little in our own eyes. We should all
prove ourselves to be children of God by the lowliness of our hearts
and sobriety of our carriage, and submission to all God's dispensations,
and desire no higher condition than God would bring us into by the fair
invitation of his providence. We must put ourselves into the posture
of a feeble impotent child, without ambition, without covetousness,
looking wholly to be directed, supported, and enabled by God.
2. Why as a weaned child.
[1.] A weaned child is taken off from the breast and its natural food ;
so when the Lord is pleased to withhold from us what we expected, and
to keep us in a low and afflicted condition, we must patiently submit to
God's will and pleasure, and be contented to be what God will have us
to be. Oh, how well were it for us if we were weaned from the world's
breasts ! Certainly then temptations would be plucked up by the
roots. How easily should we please God, and press on to everlasting
glory, worldly and fleshly lusts mortified ! By some bitterness or other
the weaned child is driven from the breast, and it useth it no more.
VER. 2.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 441
Oh, that a Christian were as soon weaned from the world, and might
grow dead to the honours, riches, and pleasures of it ! and could say
with the apostle, ' I am crucified to the world, and the world is crucified
to me,' Gal. vi. 14. Few are taken off from the dug by the bitterest
wormwood that can be laid upon it ; they are still sucking here, though
they suck but wind ; and, after many disappointments, still return ta
the love of the world, as their natural milk. It is a prodigy for a child
to keep sucking till thirteen or fourteen years ; we are as greedy at
fifty or sixty years as we were before. The world by nature is sweet
to us ; the bitterness of affliction doth not wean us from it ; and after
all the warnings that we cannot love the Father if we love the world,
1 John ii. 15, yet we love the world still. In death it is made bitter
to us, for then the world passeth away, and the lusts thereof ; then
we cry out on the world, how it hath deceived us, and tempted this
rebelling flesh to neglect God and higher duties. But then it is ques
tionable whether we are weaned or driven from the dug. Surely it
becometh us to be weaned sooner.
[2.] The weaned child can do nothing for itself, but is provided for
by the care of another ; so should we look upon ourselves as a most
feeble and impotent child, able to do nothing of ourselves ; but after
we have weaned ourselves from our natural affections and desires,
wholly be sensible of our necessities, emptiness, and weakness to shift
for ourselves, leaving all to God : Ps. xl. 17, ' I am poor and needy, but
the Lord thinketh upon me.' We may be despised of the world and
contemned of the world, but that doth not make us loathsome to God.
Yea, the lower we are brought, the more is his care engaged for us.
The empty, the destitute, who have not the dug to live upon, are?
devolved upon the Lord, that he may take care of them.
[3.] Though the weaned child have not what it would have, or what
it naturally most desireth, the milk of the breast, yet it is contented
with what the mother giveth ; it rests upon her love and provision.
So are we to be content with what providence alloweth us : Heb. xiii.
5, ' Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with
such things as ye have ; ' and Phil. iv. 11, ' I have learned, in whatso
ever state I am, therewith to be content.' Whatever pleaseth our
heavenly Father should please us. The child that is put from the breast
to an harder diet is yet contented at last. The children of princes
know not what the swelling of pride, the honour of the world meaneth.
The child doth not prescribe what it will eat, drink, or put on. They
are in no care for enlarging possessions, heaping up riches, aspiring after
dignities and honours, but meekly take what is provided for them.
[4.] The child, when he has lost the food which nature providetli
for it, is not solicitous, but wholly referreth itself to the mother, hangetli
upon the mother. So for everything whatsoever should we depend
upon God, refer ourselves to God, and expect all things from him :
Ps. Ixii. 5, ' My soul, wait thou upon God ; my expectation is from
him.' With such a simplicity of submission should we rest and
depend upon God. Let us take heed of being overwise and provident
for ourselves, but trust our Father which is in heaven, and refer our
selves to his wise and holy government.
Thus you see here is a perfect emblem —
442 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SfiR. IV.
(1.) Of self-denial; for the child is weaned, taken off from what it
most affects. So we must not look to be satisfied in our childish will
!i nd appetite; we must be weaned, and put from the breast to an
harder diet.
(2.) Of humility, or a sense of our impotency and nothingness ; for
the child cannot shift for itself, so neither can we. We are weak and
witless all of us, as are little children, and know not what is good for us,
nor how to provide it, but are merely cast upon the care of another.
(3.) Contentedness and resignation to the will of God, who is our
provider. The more impotent, the more entitled to God's care.
(4.) Of dependence and quiet recumbency on God in any state or
condition whatsoever ; for we must cast the whole care of affairs upon
him. Oh, happy we if we could thus be children !
But now let us come to the doctrine.
Doct. That an absolute resignation of ourselves to the will of God
doth well become an humble and a trusting soul.
I shall show — (1.) What this resignation is ; (2.) Why it argueth
both humility and trust.
First, What is this resignation of ourselves to the will of God ? I
shall show you — (1.) The nature; (2.) The grounds; (3.) The oppo-
sites of it.
1. The nature. It is a plenary submission of our will to the will
of God for all events that concern us and ours.
This resignation hath too branches —
[1.] An indifferency of mind with respect to future events, leaving
them to be disposed according to the will and wisdom of God, for his
own glory and our good. This you will find often commended to us in
scripture by the practice of the saints and of our Lord Christ : John
xii. 27, 28, 'Now is my soul troubled, what shall I say ? Father, save
me from this hour ; but for this cause came I to this hour. Father
glorify thy name/ We learn of Christ that, when we are in great per
plexity, and know not the event, we should absolutely submit it to his
will, with a respect to his glory; that God will determine and cast the
matter so as may be most for his glory and for our good. For Christ
consulted not with his own ease, but God's glory ; as he respected not
the innocent inclination of his human nature, but the glory of his
Father. So should we be content that God be advanced, though it be
with our loss and bitter cost ; as natural things will act against their
particular inclination for a general good ; fire will descend, water ascend,
to avoid a vacuity, and to preserve a continuity in nature. Another
instance of such a resignation is in David : 2 Sam. xv. 25, 26, ' Carry
back the ark of God into the city : if I shall find favour in the eyes of
the Lord, he will bring me again, and show me both it and his habita
tion. But if he say, I have no delight in thee ; let him do unto me as
seemeth good unto him.' He sweetly and meekly submitteth to God's
pleasure, wholly denying himself and his own will, and resigneth up
his person, crown, and estate, as it shall seem good in his eyes. So in
the three children: Daniel iii. 17, 18, 'Our God is able to deliver us
from the burning fiery furnace. But if not,' &c. So Esther, when she
referred the case to God : ' If I perish, I perish,' chap. iv. 16.
[2.] A contentation in every condition wherein God sets us. Though
YER. 2.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 443
it be not so pleasing to us, yet it is that which God appoints. Be we
rich or be we poor, solitary or full of company, friends, and relations :
Phil. iv. 12, ' I have learned to be abased, and abound ; to be full and
to be hungry,' &c. They never quarrel with God's government, but
take their lot as they find it, and their way to heaven as they find it,
be it fair or foul, smooth or rugged.
2. The grounds of this resignation. They are the three grand attri
butes, the wisdom, power, and goodness of God.
[1.] God is infinitely wise, and knoweth what is best for us : Isa.
xxx. 18, ' The Lord is a God of judgment; blessed are all they which
wait for him.' All his dealings with his children are full of wisdom,
and therefore he is to choose our condition, and not we ourselves. We
would choose riches when God knoweth poverty is best for us, to keep
us holy and humble. We would undo ourselves if we had our own
will, if God did not often deny us that which we have a mind to ; as a
man in a fever would have cold water, which pleaseth in the drinking,
but afterwards proveth his death ; or as a child would soon undo him
self if you did let him have his will.
[2.] God is omnipotent, and able to do what he pleaseth. None can
stay his hand or stop his work ; so that, whether we will or no, all our
affairs are at God's disposal : Job ix. 12, ' Behold, he taketh away, who
can hinder him, and say, What doest thou ? ' The first reason of our
submission is his mere sovereignty, till he giveth some further account
of his dealings. We are as clay in the hands of the potter, and God
maketh us vessels of honour and dishonour at his own pleasure.
[3.] He is incomprehensibly good and gracious to his children, that
love him, and fear him, and will convert all that befalleth them to
their everlasting good : Cant. iv. 16, 'Awake, north wind, and come
thou south ; blow upon my garden, that the spices thereof may flow
out : let my beloved come into his garden, and eat his pleasant fruits.'
Out of what corner soever the wind bloweth, it bloweth good to the
saints.
3. The opposites of this resignation are these three —
[1.] An over-eager desire and vehement prosecution of any good that
we want, or of anything that we would have or be in the world. When
the heart runs out inordinately and impetuously, you do not accept and
reserve the will of God ; as Kachel : ' Give me children or else I die,'
Gen. xxx. 1. Words of impatience, as the motions of lust, are rapid
and vehement : James iv. 3, ' Ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it
upon your lusts. Ye lust, and have not ; ye kill, and desire to have,
and cannot obtain. Ye fight, and war, and have not/ Nay, ye ask,
and have not ; for in their prayers they set God a task to provide
meat for their lusts. Be not too eager to have what you love, for this is
the way either to be denied or to have it with a curse. You are so
passionate because you would not have the flesh want its contentment.
But the rule is not, my will, but thine be done. Whatever thou want-
ost and desirest, leave it to God. A Christian should be positive in
nothing but his duty ; there a fixed resolution becometh us. If God
will deliver, well ; if not, we will not complain.
[2.] Another thing that is contrary to this resignation is an obstinate
cleaving or holding to any state or condition in the world, or any com-
444 SEKMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SER. IV.,
fort of ours, be it never so amiable, sweet, or suitable to our desires.
To bind up our souls with any creature maketh us unwilling to submit
to God, and we are in danger to deny his sovereignty and authority
over us. It is death to many to think of a change, or any divorce from
that state in which they are. A Christian should hold all his com
forts at God's will and pleasure, as ready to resign them when God
calleth for them. As David speaketh of carrying his life in his hands,
so should we all worldly things, as ready to resign them, and reserving
still a submission to God's pleasure. Otherwise we make a snare for
ourselves, and the overvalued natural comfort is a door open to let
in trouble to the soul, as our affection causeth our affliction, sine dolore
amisit, quia sine amore possedit. He lost without grief, because he-
possessed without love, temperance, patience, 2 Peter i. 6 ; 1 Cor. vii.
30, ' They that weep, as though they wept not, and they that rejoice,
as though they rejoiced not.'
[3.] The next opposite is distrustful fears and cares, or carking
solicitude ; as if we would be our own carvers, and would take God's
work out of his hands ; not daring to rely upon God's providence and
promise, and take the event as he shall dispose it for us. No ; you
should refer yourselves to God, and attend how he will dispose of you
and yours ; for a Christian is wholly guided by his will. This carking
is — (1.) Needless ; and (2.) Fruitless.
(1.) It is needless ; for all events are in the hands of God, and are
to be disposed of at his pleasure ; and what need we trouble ourselves
about what God will do for us ? Ps. xxxvii. 5, ' Commit thy ways unto-
the Lord, and he shall bring it to pass ; ' Ps. Iv. 22, ' Cast thy burden
upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee ; ' 1 Peter v. 7, ' Cast all thy
care upon God, for he careth for thee.' We needlessly take a burden:
upon ourselves, of which God is willing to ease us. He hath a pros
pect of all future contingencies at once, which we have not, and is
faithful to dispose of them for his own glory and your good.
(2.) It is fruitless : Mat. vi. 27, ' Which of 'you, by taking thought,
can add one cubit to his stature ? ' We cannot change the colour of
an hair, make it white or black at our pleasure, much less make our
selves taller or shorter. We busy and vex ourselves with anxious
thoughts, and what do we get by it ? We cannot cure a disease in
our bodies, nor prevent a breach upon our relations, nor the decay of
our estate^. When all is done, we must stand to God's allowance ; for
our beings and comforts depend upon him. Therefore it is best at
first to go on cheerfully in our duty, referring all events to him.
[4.] The next opposite is repining or murmuring at God's dispensa
tion, because it is not according to our minds and fancies ; as if we
were to sit judges of God's actions, and to like and dislike the disposals-
of his providence at our will and pleasure. These the apostle calleth
'murmurers, complainers/ Jude 16. We should not murmur, or
repine at, or complain of, any dispensation of his ; for God's will must
govern the world, and not ours. He will not ask our consent what he
shall do.
Now you see what this resignation is.
Secondly, That this argueth — (1.) Humility ; and (2.) Trust.
1. Humility.
VER. 2.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 445
[1.] It is an act of submission to be contented to be at God's
finding, especially in such a proud creature as man, who would be as a
god to himself, providing for himself, both as to the avoiding of evil
and obtaining of good : Gen. iii. 22, that smart irrision, ' Behold, man
is become as one of us.' But the humble man is contented to be dealt
with as the Lord pleaseth, and to submit himself to God's will and
God's dispensation, waiting for the manifestation of his favours when
and how he is pleased to dispense them. These are humbled under
his mighty hand.
[2.] It cometh from an humble temper of spirit, like the disposition
-of a weaned child, who thinketh not great things of itself.
(1.) They are like the infant in this, that they have no high
thoughts of themselves ; for it is self-conceit that establisheth self-will.
We think ourselves wiser and better than we are, that we deserve
more, or can do more for ourselves. Otherwise we would stoop to God,
and let him choose our inheritance for us. And if we refer it to God
we would not prescribe to him ; for that always argueth ascribing to
ourselves. We take too much upon us when we wield our own
fortune, without dependence upon God and submission to him. His
choices are more fit for us than our own.
(2.) They that will stand to God's allowance do not seek great
things for themselves. It may be that God may bestow great things
upon them here in this world, as he did upon David and upon
Abraham ; but this was not their aim. When God's will goeth before
ours for wealth, honour, riches, then we may take it sweetly out of the
hands of his providence, and use it for his glory ; but when we seek
for our lusts, and peremptorily fix our carnal will, and would set God
a task to comply with it, and find out provisions for it, it is the
greatest pride imaginable. In setting yourselves and vaunting your
selves before others, you do but despise men ; but in setting up your
own will to be rich and great, you despise God. If you think to do it
without God, you undertake a task too hard for you, and provoke him
to disappoint you. If you think to do it by God, you make him to
serve with your sins, and to maintain you in your lusts. Therefore it
is best to keep still as a weaned child, to be content at the parent's
Ending ; let God's will first interpose.
2. It argueth trust.
[1.] It is a special act of trust, and the only trust required as to
temporal things, to go on with our duty, and refer the event to God.
Submission before the event is faith ; after the event, is patience. It
argueth high and honourable thoughts of God when we can trust all
in his hands, and refer all to his pleasure. Our Saviour, when he
reproveth anxious cares, he showeth they proceed from unbelief :
Mat. vi. 30, ' Shall he not much more clothe you, ye of little faith ? '
You have not honourable thoughts of God's wisdom, power, and good
ness, when you cannot depend upon his conduct and government.
[2.] Kesignation is built upon dependence, and dependence goeth
upon two principles — his fatherly care over us, and the particularity
of his providence.
(1.) That God is a father. As the weaned child is left to the
mother's care, so are we to the power and care of a father. God, that
446 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SfiR. IV.
hath the wisdom of a father, hath the bowels and tenderness of a
mother : Isa. xlix. 15, ' Can a woman forget her child, her sucking-
child, her only child, the son of her womb? They may forget, but I
will not forget you, saith the Lord.' Fix but this one principle, that
God is a father and loveth his children, and then you may easily
depend upon him, and refer yourselves to him ; for the ground of this
trust is founded in his fatherly relation and the love of God, and the
comfort of it in the sense of our adoption : Mat. vi. 32, ' Your heavenly
Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.' Christians should
acquiesce in his love and care. Children of the family, whether infants
or more grown, never take care for their food and maintenance, but
naturally expect it from their parents. God's fatherly love will not
suffer him to neglect his children, nor any of their concernments ;
therefore the people of God, in all estates, do or may cheerfully refer
themselves to him. They that believe God's fatherly providence may
easily be persuaded that he will provide for them, and order all things
for their good.
(2.) That particularity of God's providence which reacheth to all
things, especially to those who have a care of his glory and seek his
kingdom. Justin Martyr telleth us that it is the opinion of some
philosophers that God hath a care of the universe, but not of the kinds
and species of all things, much less of the individuals, that is, of me or
thee. If this were true, we were left to our own providence. This
would destroy all prayer and praise, love and trust. No ; all things
are subject to his providence. He ' upholdeth all things by the word
of his power,' Heb. i. 3. All things are subject to his providence, and
supported by the same word by which they were first created. He
holdeth all things in his almighty grasp : Job vi. 9, ' That he would
let loose his hand, and cut me off.' God could easily do it; all
creatures are at his finding : Mat. x. 29, ' A sparrow shall not fall to
the ground, without your heavenly Father.' The least of the creatures
doth not die casually ; they cannot kill a sparrow more than God's
providence seeth fit to permit and order. Now we may reason, as the
apostle doth, ' Doth God take care of sparrows and of oxen ? ' 1 Cor. ix. 9.
' Ye are of more value than many sparrows ; ' much more believers in
Christ. The hairs of your head are numbered, Mat. x. 30, 31. God
hath the knowledge, and care, and overruling of all the least things
that belong to you or shall befall you. They are the kernel of man
kind, the first-fruits of his creatures, for whose sake the world is con
tinued, and without whom it would be soon brought to an end. In a
family, children are much more cared for than dogs and swine :
1 Tim. iv. 10, ' Especially of them that believe.' The Lord's portion
is his people. God careth for them in a- peculiar manner ; heareth
their prayers, how despicable soever they are in the world : Ps. xxxiv.
6, ' This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him.' He careth for
all things wherein they are concerned : Job i. 10, ' Hast thou not
made an hedge about him, and about all that he hath on every side ? '
Providence doth so guard them, and everything that is theirs, that
without God's permission Satan cannot touch them. He observeth
their tears and telleth their wanderings : Ps. Ivi. 8, ' Thou tellest all
my wanderings, put thou my tears in thy bottle ; are they not in thy
VER. 2.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 44T
book ? ' Now this is a mighty relief to faith. Can we be backward
to trust him who hath such a particular care over us, our persons,
name, and estate ?
Use. Of exhortation, to persuade us to this resignation of our wills
to the will of God, and to put ourselves into the posture of weaned
infants ; that is, with composedness of mind to wait for the issues of
God's providence.
1. It is difficult to bring the heart to such an equanimity. Corrup
tions will arise ; we shall find distrusts when mercies fail ; and it is
hard to persuade men against present sense that it is good to be poor,
and sick, and imprisoned, and afflicted. A sanctified heart findeth it
at last : Ps. cxix. 71, 'It is good for me that I have been afflicted.'
But sense will not easily subscribe to it, that poverty is good, that we may
not be proud ; diseases good, that we may learn patience ; troubles good,
that we may have oftener recourse to God ; frowns of the world good,
that we may have more familiarity with God ; that breaches made
upon relations are good, that we may more entirely and more in good ear
nest seek our comfort and happiness in God ; that everything is good that
leadeth to the best good ; that if thou hadst not lost an estate thou
mightest have lost thy soul ; if God had not taken away thy health,
thy wealth, these might have taken thee away from God ; that if he
doth not add to thy estate, yet he diminisheth thy lusts. Surely to
those that have chosen God for their portion, and do measure all things
by their chief good and supreme happiness, it should not be so grievous.
You must labour to get your hearts into this frame.
2. But in the issue it will be comfortable. Yea, for the present it
breedeth a quiet frame of spirit to refer all things to God : Prov. xvi.
3, ' Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be
established ; ' Phil. iv. 6, 7, ' Be careful for nothing ; but in every
thing by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests
be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all
understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus/
This is the wisest way to an holy security and sound settlement of soul.
Never is the heart at rest till it can refer itself to God for all events ; as
Noah's dove had not whereon to rest the sole of her foot till she returned
to the ark : Isa. xxvi. 3, ' Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose
mind is stayed on thee, because he trusteth in thee.' It is perfect trust
that breedeth perfect peace ; it easeth you of many tempestuous and
unquiet thoughts. Others are always distracted with anxious and
dubious thoughts about future events ; they do ^e-rewpi^a-de : Luke
xii. 29, ' Neither be of doubtful mind.' Margin, ' Live not in careful
suspense.' It is a blessed frame of spirit to have thoughts established.
Means.
1. See you be weaned. There is no talking of referring all things to
God while worldly affections reign in us. Trust is for the mortified
soul : Heb. xiii. 5, 6, ' Let your conversation be without covetousness,
and be content with such things as ye have ; for he hath said, I will
never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The
Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what men shall do unto me/
There is no room or work for faith till the heart be purged from
ambition and covetousness. If your chief care be for heavenly things,.
448 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SER. IV.
you will be sooner contented with a moderate supply of earthly things,
and will find trust more easy, Mat. vi. 33. That is our Lord's cure,
' Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these
things shall be added unto you.' Carnal affections unbroken are
vehement, and must have satisfaction, and you cannot quiet and still
your souls in the want of it. Surely you cannot expect God's providence
should serve your lusts.
2. When you have abated the desire of worldly things, remember
you have a father. The weanling is not left shiftless though he be
taken from the dug; he hath a mother. So have you a father in
heaven, to whom you may repair in all straits : ' Doubtless thou art
our Father/ Isa. Ixiii. 16 ; andPs. ciii. 13, 'Like as a father pitieth his
-children, so doth the Lord pity those that fear him.' Surely if God
stand in this relation to us he will pity us, #nd do the part of a father
to us ; for none is so fatherly as God ; there is not only an as, but a
much more in the case : Luke xi. 13, ' If ye then, being evil, know how
to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him ? ' What
may we not promise ourselves from a father's bowels ?
3. You must trust all events in his hands, without anxiety and
solicitude, upon two grounds ; for,
[1.] He can do what he pleaseth, and will do what is for the best.
Nothing can be done amiss which is done by God ; for infinite wisdom,
power, and goodness cannot err. As for God, his work is perfect,
Deut. xxxii. 4. Some things may fall out cross to our opinions and
desires, but God maketh not our desires the measure of his dispensations,
nor will he govern the world according to our opinion. Most persons
in the world would have nothing but wealth and health, and love and
respect from men ; but it is wisdom, not our partial conceits, which
must judge what is necessary for us. And therefore many things fall
out which restrain our lusts and pleasure ; but because God doeth it,
it is good, it is best for us. God knoweth what is good for us, better
than we do ourselves ; and his divine choices are to be preferred before
our foolish fancies. If you were once thoroughly persuaded of this, you
would be fitted, not only for a patient, but a cheerful entertainment of
all that is or can come upon you. It is expedient sometimes that God
should displease his people for their advantage. The shepherd must
choose the pastures for the sheep, whether bare or full-grown. The
child is not to be governed by his own fancy, but the father's discretion ;
nor the sick man by his appetite, but the physician's skill : John xvi.
6^ 7, ' It is expedient for you that I go away.' Christ's dealing is very
expedient and useful, when it is very unsatisfactory to us. We are
short-sighted, distempered with passions ; our requests many times are
but raving ; we ask we know not what ; would pray ourselves into a
mischief and a snare. If it were good for us to have large revenues
and means, we should not want them. Therefore out of love and
perfect submission to God you should count that good whatever God
doeth.
[2.] Whatever the event be, certainly he will not be wholly wanting
to us, nor leave us utterly destitute : Heb. xiii. 5, ' For he hath said, I
will never leave you, nor forsake you;' a negative gradation, where the
VER. 3.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxr. 449
least is first denied. He will be so far from forsaking us, that he will
not leave us: 1 Cor. x. 13, ' God is faithful, who will not suffer you to
be tempted above what you are able to bear; but will with the tempta
tion also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear.' Two
things are promised there —
(1.) The gentleness and wisdom of his conduct.
(2.) A comfortable issue. For the present, when our condition is at
worst, if it be not comfortable, it will be tolerable ; for the future, a
way to escape ; you are not cast into the deep ocean, where no banks
nor bottom. As long as a man can look to the end of an evil, he is
not quite discouraged ; as a man in the waters hath hope as long as
he can see banks. So that the afflictions are qualified, both as to the
grievousness and as to the continuance, by the support and by the
issue.
[4.] We must not resign ourselves to God in name and pretence, but
in deed and reality ; and when our resignation is tried, it must be veri
fied for its constancy. The reality is tried by acknowledging God in
all our ways, Prov. iii. 5, 6 ; and you must still fetch the rise and
reason of your desires and resolutions from the will of God. We must
know what is his will before we give way to any will of our own
particularly. Many resign all to God, but it is with a secret hope God
will never put them to trial. If God taketh anything from them, they
are troubled. When Jonah's gourd was blasted, nothing would please
him but death. Desires pettishly solicited and finally disappointed
breed vexation. Any overvalued comfort will soon prove our trouble.
Therefore we must sit loose from the creature: Jonah iv. 9, 'Dost thou
well to be angry ? ' He requested for himself that he might die. A
man that savoureth the things of the flesh will think himself undone
when his pleasure, honour, and plenty is taken away. It is the over-
loving of worldly things which maketh us grieve for the loss and
abatement of them. That love that maketh you eager when you are
in expectation, to delight so immoderately when you are in possession,
the same love maketh you mourn inordinately when you are in want
and loss of these things. The loss will tear those hearts which stuck
so inordinately to them.
SERMON V.
Let Israel hope in the Lord from henceforth and for ever, —
Ps. cxxxi. 3.
THIS verse showeth the use of the whole psalm. David did not pen it
to praise himself, or to extol and set forth his own humility, but to in
struct the people of God, that they might learn the right way of trust
ing or hoping in God.
This way is intimated in the two former verses, wherein he repre-
senteth his humility and resignation to God.'
VOL. xxi. 2 F
450 SEEMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SfiB. V.
First, Humility, in the first verse, ' My heart is not haughty, nor do
I exercise myself in great matters/ Ac. He did not speak great things
of himself, nor seek great things for himself. If we would learn to trust
God, we must learn to have mean thoughts of ourselves, desiring no
thing, attempting nothing, but what God approveth and inviteth us
unto ; for then we can best depend upon God's grace and providence ; for
otherwise we depend upon our own strength, or look for such an assis
tance from heaven as shall gratify and serve our lusts.
Secondly, His resignation and quiet submission of all events to God,
waiting for the issues of his providence without carking, without mur
muring. This is to be observed in David, who was in himself a worthy
man, provoked by Saul, and one that had assurance of the kingdom by
God's own promise ; yet, though the accomplishment were delayed, he
would not step one foot forward further than God directed him. This
humble temper and abrenunciation of self-trust and secular confidence
will stand you in more stead than all your shifts and contrivances ;
for God will never be wanting to such as do so submissively devolve
themselves upon him. Therefore ' let Israel hope in the Lord,' &c.
In the words we have four things — (1.) Who exhorteth, David, by
his own example ; (2.) The persons who are exhorted, Israel ; (3.)
The duty to which they are exhorted, trust or hope in the Lord ; (4.)
The constancy and perseverance required in this duty, ' From hence
forth and for ever.'
From hence three points of doctrine.
Doct. 1. That those who have found peace, rest, and satisfaction in
their own souls by trusting in God may best invite and encourage others
to take the same course.
So doth David here, who had such comfort, quiet, and peace by sub
mitting his affairs to God, that he could not but encourage others to
follow that way with confidence. As if he had said, If you can be but
meek, humble, and trust the Lord, he will take care of you, and give
you those things which belong to your peace and salvation. So else
where : Ps. xxxiv. 8, ' Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good ; blessed
is the man that trusteth in him.' As God is very communicative of
his goodness, so gracious souls do invite others to share with them in
whatsoever grace the Lord doth bestow upon them. They would have
others come and make the experiment, and by obedience to him
and reliance on him they shall soon find that God is a gracious
master.
Reasons.
1. Because they are instances both of the duty and the success.
[1.] Of the duty. Our words are of the more force when our actions
correspond, and do not disprove and contradict them ; as the Lord Jesus,
that taught humility, was the great instance and example of it: 'Learn
of me, for I am meek and lowly ; ' not only in his doctrine, but his
practice : Mat. xi. 29 ; and his servant Paul, ' Be followers of me,
as I also am of Christ,' 2 Cor. xi. 1 ; 2 Thes. iii. 7, ' Yourselves know
how ye ought to follow us ; for we behaved not ourselves disorderly
among you.' Actions have a strange force to produce like practice in
others, far more than words and exhortations. The doctrine showeth
our duty, but the example showeth it is practicable, by men who have
VER. 3.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 451
not divested themselves of the interests of flesh and blood, no more
than we have.
[2.] The success : 2 Cor. i. 4, ' Who comforteth us in all our tribu
lation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble,
by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.' That
is more warmly said which is spoken by experience. A report of a re
port is a cold thing. David did not thrust forth himself into the world,
but waited the will of God, and it succeeded well. For the present it
quieted his soul, and afterward obtained the thing promised. So in
a case of comfort for pardon of sin : Ps. cxxx. 5-7, ' I wait for the
Lord, my soul doth wait, yea, more than they which wait for the morn
ing. Let Israel hope in the Lord ; for with the Lord there is mercy,
and with him is plenteous redemption.'
2. This is one part of the communion of saints, to provoke and en
courage others to trust in God by our example and experience, as we
ourselves also should be excited by their experience and example to be
more obedient to God, and patiently and comfortably to wait for his
salvation : Kom. i. 12, ' That I may be comforted by the mutual faith
both of you and me.' We thus mutually strengthen one another. Good
is diffusive, and seeketh to propagate itself, as fire turneth all about it
into fire. Certainly it is the disposition of God's people, when they
have found any comfort and benefit by Christ themselves, they invite
others to share with them. Thus David penneth his Maschil, Ps.
xxxii., the title. When he found the way of easing his own consci
ence, he is willing to instruct others. So in the first of John, Andrew
calleth Peter when he had found Christ, ver. 41 ; and Philip calleth
Nathaniel, ver. 45. Carnal things are possessed with envy ; they that
are rich and great in the world would shine alone ; and when they are
gotten at the top themselves, are loath to teach others how to climb up
after them. And when any take up religion out of faction and carnal
aims, they would enclose and impropriate the common salvation ; there
fore they envy the credit and hope of it to others, that they may shine
alone, or be the better esteemed. Mules and creatures of a mixed and
bastard production never procreate and beget after their kind. False
and mongrel Christians are envious rather than communicate. But
those that have really tasted of the Lord's goodness are glad of com
pany, and it is a great satisfaction to them when they can promote the
good of others' souls : 1 John i. 3, ' These things declare we unto you,
that ye may have fellowship with us,' &c.
3. Mercy, according to the covenant of grace, giveth the same grounds
of faith and hope to every one within the church ; so that whatever of
favour is shown to one of God's people, it is of a general use and profit
to others : Ps. cxv. 9-13, ' Israel, trust thou in the Lord ; he is their
help and shield. house of Aaron, trust thou in the Lord ; he is their
help and shield. Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord ; he is
their help and shield. The Lord hath been mindful of us ; he will
bless us : he will bless the house of Israel ; he will bless the house of
Aaron : he will bless them that fear the Lord, both small and great.'
The scripture showeth that as the duty of trusting in the Lord is
common to all sorts of persons, so the blessing of trust is common, and
doth belong to all sorts of believers, small and great. God's Israel
consists of several degrees of men. There are magistrates who have
452 SEKMONS UPON PSALM CXXXL [SfiR. V.
their peculiar service ; there are ministers who intercede between God
and man in things belonging to God ; and there are the common sort
of them that fear God, and are admitted to the honour of being his
people. Now these have all the same privileges. If God be the help
and shield of the one, he will be the help and shield of the other ; if
he bless the one, he will bless the other. Every one that feareth God,
and is in the number of true Israelites, may expect his blessing as well
as public persons ; the meanest peasant as well as the greatest prince,
as they have leave to trust in God, so they may expect his blessing.
And the reasons are, partly because they have all interest in the same
God, who is a God of goodness and power, able and willing to relieve all
those that trust in him. He is alike affected to all his children, and
beareth them the same love. His saints are now as dear to him as ever :
' This honour have all his saints/ that he will beautify their faces with
salvation, Ps. cxlix. 9. Partly because they have the same covenant as
a common charter : Acts ii. 39, ' The promise is unto you and unto your
children, and to all that are afar off.' Partly because they have the same
Eedeemer : 1 Cor. i. 2, ' Jesus Christ, theirs and ours.' Rich and poor,
he paid the same ransom for souls : Exod. xxx. 15, ' Half a shekel.'
He is not a more worthy Christ to one than to another : Rom. iii. 22,
' There is no difference.' There may be in the degree of reception.
A jewel may be held by a child and a man. Partly because the faith
of one is as acceptable to God as the faith of the other, as to the kind,
though not to the degree : 2 Peter i. 1, ' To them who have obtained
like precious faith with us/ laoripov Triariv. So that though there be
some difference in God's dealing with his saints as to arbitrary bless
ings, yet the universal promise belongeth to all ; and the particular
promises, which are but branches of that universal, will be made good
to all in the same case. They are branches of the covenant made with
all the faithful, &c.
Use 1. To show the reason of public thanksgiving for private mercies.
1. It is more for the honour of God that we should extend the fruit
of our mercies as far as we can ; not only for the increase of our own
faith, but for the increase of the faith of others.
2. It is for their benefit ; for every believer's mercy is a sensible
confirmation of the goodness of God, not only to themselves, but others.
They may see what is to be expected from such a good God. As it is
profitable to them to mourn with those that mourn, so to rejoice with
those that rejoice.
Doct. 2. That God's Israel must put their trust and hope in God.
Here are three things to be discussed — (1.) Who are God's Israel ;
(2.) What is this hope in God ; (3.) Why they are to hope in God, or
the reasons.
First, Who are the Israel of God that are here invited to trust in
the Lord ? The scripture maketh mention of a double Israel —
1. Of Israel according to the flesh : 1 Cor. x. 18, ' Behold Israel
after the flesh/
2. Israel according to the spirit, who are also called ' the Israel of
God,' Gal. vi. 16. Both together are mentioned in one place : Rom.
ix. 6, ' All are not Israel who are of Israel.' Now the present exhorta
tion concerneth all men so far that they should be converted, and be
come the Israel of God, that they may hope in him. But directly and
VER. 3.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxr. 453
immediately the persons exhorted are the Israel described : Ps. Ixxiii.
1, ' Surely God is good to Israel, to such as are of a clean heart.' In.
their natural estate, men, as they are without God, so they are without
hope, Eph. ii. 20 ; or they have only a dead hope if they have any.
They that are renewed after the image of God, and are made like him
in truth and holiness, are most easily persuaded to believe and trust in
him. God doth neither allow the trust of wicked men, nor can they
ever have any firm and sure hope and confidence towards God.
[1.] God alloweth not the trust of those that continue impenitently
in their sins ; as if the goodness, power, and wisdom of God should be
employed for them to bear them out in their transgressions. He coru-
plaineth of them that were very naughty and wicked : Micah iii. 11,
' Yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord amongst
us ? no evil can come upon us.' No ; God will shake off such as
thus lean upon him, as Paul did the viper that fastened upon his hand.
If security were hope and trust, then the hardest heart would make
the best faith.
[2.] They cannot have a firm confidence towards God ; for shame,
and fear, and doubts do always follow sin, Gen. iii. Can a man trust
him whom he doth continually wrong and provoke ? None have a
firm confidence but those that have a clear conscience : 1 John iii. 21,
' If our hearts condemn us not, then have we confidence towards God/
Fear and shyness of God is the effect of sin, and dogs it at the heels,
and follows it as close as smart doth a cut or wound : ' The hearts of
the wicked are subject to bondage,' Heb. ii.
Secondly, The nature of this hope in God. We must distinguish
before we can describe it to you. The hope of glory, or the hope of
those things which are necessary for us during our pilgrimage ; for
though the state of glory be the principal, yet not the adequate or
only object of Christian hope.
1. Let me speak a little of the first branch, though not chiefly in
tended in this place. The hope of glory is the certain and desirous
expectation of the promised blessedness. Faith respects the promise ;
hope rather the thing promised. Faith considereth the thing promised
as in a sort present, and set before us in the promise : Heb. xi. 1,
* Faith is the evidence of things not seen/ Hope considereth it as
absent and yet to come ; and therefore doth earnestly long, and look,
and wait for it. Faith considereth the certainty of the thing promised ;
hope the goodness and excellency, so as to draw the heart after it, to
quicken us to make preparation for it. Now this hope of eternal glory
should be always cherished in us.
[1.] Because it is a special act of the new creature : 1 Peter i. 3,
' Begotten to a lively hope/ As soon as we are children, we look for
a child's portion. The new nature presently discovereth itself by its
tendency to its end and rest, which is the fruition of God in heaven.
[2.] Because it is the great end wherefore the scriptures were
written, to beget and raise this hope in us : Rom. xv. 4, ' Whatsoever
things were written aforetime were written for our learning ; that we
through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope/ Id
agit tola scriptura, it is the business and design of those holy books.
[3.] The keeping up of this hope with zeal and industry is the dis-
454 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SfiR. V.
tinguishing character between the temporary and the sincere convert.
The one loseth his taste and comfort, and so casteth off the profession
of godliness, or neglects the powerful practice of it ; the other is diligent
and serious, patient and mortified, heavenly and holy, because he
keepeth up that rejoicing of his hope, and his end sweeteneth his work ;
for this grace doth quicken the whole spiritual life : Titus ii. 12, 13,
' Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should
live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world ; looking for
that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ.'
[4.] We have nothing else to fortify us against the difficulties which
intervene and fall out betwixt our first right to eternal life and our
full possession of it. In our journey to heaven there are many suffer
ings and trials which must be undergone, and hope is our strength
and support. He that sets his face heavenward will find difficulties
that attend his service, temptations that assault his constancy, and
troubles and calamities to which his religion exposeth him. It is hope
carrieth us through, and therefore is compared to an anchor : Heb. vi.
19, ' Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul.' To an helmet :
1 Thes. iv. 8 ; Epla. vi. 17, ' Take the helmet of salvation,' &c. As
we would not go to sea without an anchor, nor to war without an
helmet, so we must not think of carrying on the spiritual life without
hope. Nothing else will compose the mind, and keep it stable in the
floods of temptation, or cause us to hold up the head in our conflicts
and encounters ; without this anchor our souls are in danger of spiritual
shipwreck ; without this helmet our heads are exposed to deadly blows
from sin, Satan, and worldly discouragements.
[5.] We shall have need of it, not only while we live, but most need
of it when we come to die. They that are destitute of the hope of
glory then are in a dangerous, woful, and most lamentable case : Job
xxvii. 8, ' For what is the hope of the hypocrite, if he hath gained,
when God taketh away his soul ? ' They may be full of presumption
and blind confidence while they live, but what hope have they when
they come to die ? All their worldly advantages will afford them no
solid comfort. They live in a presumptuous dream that all shall be
well, but then they die stupid and senseless, or else despairing, and
their hopes fail them when they have most need of them.
[6.] Think often of the happiness of the blessed, who are now en
joying what we expect, and are in possession of that supreme good
which we hope for. They are entered into the joy of their Lord, and
have neither miseries to fear nor blessings to desire beyond what they
do enjoy. They possess all that they love. And though the time of
our advancement to these privileges be not yet come, yet we should
look and long for it. We are of the same family : Eph. iii. 15, ' Of
whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.' It is but one
household ; some live in the upper room, some in the lower ; some in
heaven, some on earth. We are of the same society and community :
Heb. xii. 23, 'To the general assembly and church of the first-born,'
&c. We are said to be already come into this fellowship ; only they
have gotten the start of us, and are made perfect before us, that we
should follow after. We are reconciled to the same God by the same
VER. 3.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 455
Christ, Col. i. 20, and expect our portion from the bounty of the same
Father. If he hath been so good to that part of the family which is now
in heaven, will he not be as good to the other part also ? Therefore they
that are working out their salvation with fear and trembling may
encourage themselves, and look upon this felicity as prepared for them,
though not enjoyed by them ; it will one day be their portion as well
as of those others who have passed the pikes, and are now triumphing
with God.
[7.] Observe what God giveth you by way of earnest. Hope is not
built upon promises alone, but also upon assurances and earnests. The
promises are contained in the word of God, but the earnest is given into
our hearts : 2 Cor. i. 22, ' Who hath sealed us and given the earnest of
the Spirit in our hearts ; ' 2 Cor. v. 5, ' Now he that hath wrought us
for the self-same thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest
of the Spirit ; ' Eph. i. 13, 14, ' In whom also, after that ye believed,
ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of
our inheritance.' Though God be truth itself, and promiseth nothing
but what he meaneth to perform, yet he will give earnest of his promises
and a pledge of his affection to us. As an earnest is a part of the
sum which is promised, so is the earnest of the Spirit a part of the
promised felicity. God would not altogether weary us, and burden us
with expectation, but give us somewhat in hand. Surely he that
giveth us earnest will give us the whole sum. The earnest of the
Spirit consisteth in light, life, grace, joy ; one drachm of these is more
precious than all the world ; and yet these are but an earnest. Now
having such a confirmation in the midst of our doubts and fears, let TIB
with more confidence look to receive the whole in due season. This,
with much more that might be said (if it were proper in this place),
should excite us to hope for glory.
2. There is another sort of hope of those supplies which are necessary
for us during our pilgrimage ; for God hath undertaken not only to
give us heaven and happiness in the next world, but to carry us thither
with comfort and peace, that we may serve him without fear all the
days of our lives. His providence concerneth the inward and outward
man ; so do his promises. An whole believer is in covenant with God
body and soul, and he will take care of both. Now this kind of hope
and trust is such a dependence upon God and his promises for what
ever we stand in need of as encourageth us to go on cheerfully in the
ways wherein he hath appointed us to walk. Where note —
[1.] The object of this trust and hope is God : Ps. Ixii. 5, ' My soul,
wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him.' Where
else can we securely settle and fix our souls if not on God ? Ps. cxlvi.
5, ' Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope
is in the Lord his God.' This is the only sure hold, and never failing
foundation of confidence.
[2.] The warrant of hope are the promises of God : Ps. cxxx. 5,
' I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope/
These are the holdfast which we have upon God, the sacred bands
which he hath put upon himself, the rule and warrant of our faith.
We must not make promises to ourselves and become false prophets
to ourselves ; but, so far as God hath promised, so far may we confi-
456 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SER. V.
dently expect relief from him. Our necessities lead us to the promises,
and the promises to Christ, and Christ to God as the fountain of grace ;
and at the throne of grace we put these bonds in suit, and turn pro
mises into prayers ; for we have free leave to challenge God upon his
word : Ps. cxix. 49, ' Remember thy word,' &c. But now what hath
God promised us ? All the good things we want, and are truly for
our good : Ps. Ixxxiv. 11, ' The Lord will give grace and glory ; no
good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.' So Ps.
xxxiv. 10, ' They that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing ; '
Rom. viii. 28, 32, ' All things shall work together for good to them
that love God. He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him
up for us all ; how shall he not with him also freely give us all things ? '
Mat. vi. 33, ' Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness,
and all these things shall be added unto you ; ' and 1 Tim iv. 8,
' Godliness is profitable unto all things, and hath the promise of the
life that now is, and of that which is to come.' These and suchlike
are the promises. We must not imagine that God will do every
thing which cometh into our minds to ask, serve all our carnal turns.
No ; God will be challenged no further than he hath engaged himself.
He hath promised eternal things absolutely ; whatever falleth out, you
may be sure of your final reward if qualified : Luke xii. 32, ' Fear not,
little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.'
Spiritual things, as to degrees, are neither given nor promised to all
Christians alike absolutely. Necessary grace is secured ; but for
degrees, Eph. iv. 7, ' To every one of us is given grace according to
the measure of the gift of Christ ;' 1 Cor. xii. 11, ' All these worketh
that one and the self-same Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he
will.' But now for things temporal, they are only promised con
ditionally, so far forth as may be for God's glory and our good. We
must not absolutely look for temporals, unless we had an absolute
particular promise ; such as David of the kingdom, and Hezekiah of
fifteen years added to his life.
[3.] The nature of this hope is a dependence upon God for whatever
we stand in need of. Where mark —
(1.) The necessity of the creature is the occasion of God's interposing
by his gracious providence, Mat. vi. 32. In the Lord's prayer we are
taught to ask bread, not dainties. If we set God a task to provide
meat for our lusts, we do but dishonour God, as if his providence should
wait upon our humours and vain fancies, and provide the trouble of a
disappointment for ourselves. It is the ordinary practice of God's free
grace and fatherly care to provide things comfortable and necessary for
his children ; yet he never undertakes to maintain us at such a rate, to
give us so much by the year, such portions for our children, and sup
plies for our families ; we do but ensnare and perplex our thoughts,
while we would reconcile the promises with our lusts.
(2.) On the other hand, we ought not to be faithless and distrustful
about necessary supplies : Mat. vi. 25, ' Take no thought for your life,
what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink,' &c. Because if we had no
promises, there is a common bounty and goodness of God which is over
all his works, which watch eth to the preservation of the smallest worm,
decketh the lilies, feedeth the ravens and fowls of the air ; therefore
VER. 3.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 457
certainly more noble creatures, such as man is, may expect their share
in this common bounty. How much more when there is a covenant,
wherein God hath promised to be a father to us ? And temporal bless
ings are adopted and taken into the covenant as well as other blessings,
so far forth as they conduce to God's glory and our good ; and upon
other terms a mortified and weaned heart would not desire them.
Will he not give to children that which he giveth to beasts, to
fowls of the air, to enemies ? You would count him an unnatural
father that feedeth his dogs and hawks, and lets his children die
of hunger.
(3.) The dependence we exercise about these things lieth in referring
ourselves to God's wisdom, power, and goodness, and to determine all
events as it shall seem good in his eyes. He is so able that he can bear
us out in his work ; so good, that we have no reason to trouble ourselves
about his will, but absolutely to submit it to him without hesitancy ;
so wise, that he will do what is best, all things considered. Now if we
could bring our hearts to this, it would ease us of many troublesome
thoughts and burdensome cares and fears: 1 Peter iv. 19, 'Commit
yourselves (i.e., your lives) to him in well-doing; ' Prov. x. 3, 'Commit
thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established ; ' Ps.
xxxvii. 5, ' Commit thy way unto the Lord ; trust him, and he shall
bring it to pass.' Put yourselves into God's hands, and let the Lord
do what is good in his sight. But we would have the world governed
by our fancies, our particular affairs at least, and expect a certain tenor
of temporal happiness ; and so lay ourselves open to Satan, who makes
an advantage of our disappointments, and abuseth our rash confidence
into a snare and temptation to us to distrust God's ordinary providence
and the misbelief of other truths.
[4.] Such a dependence as encourageth us to go on cheerfully with our
duty, whether of our general or particular calling.
(1.) General: 1 Tim. iv. 10, 'Therefore we both labour, and suffer
reproach, because we trust in the living God.' Hope in God is not an
idle expectation or a devout sloth, but such a dependence as giveth
life to our services, that we go on readily, without disquiet in our minds,
notwithstanding all difficulties.
(2.) So in our particular calling ; for when we bope in God, we must
not neglect to use the means. God never undertook to protect us or
provide for us in our sins, in our laziness, carelessness, luxur} r , and
neglect of our affairs, that sin should not be our ruin. Then his pro
vidence would run directly contrary to his word. The diligent hand
maketh rich, and the blessing of the Lord maketh rich : Prov. x. 4,
' He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand, but the blessing of
the Lord maketh rich,' ver. 22.
Thirdly, The reasons why they are to hope in God.
1. Trust is naturally required in the fundamental article of the
covenant, in the choice of God for your God. If you do not trust and
hope in him, you deny him to be God. It is natural worship, jure venit
cultos ad sibi quisque Deos : Jonah i. 5, 'Every one will seek unto his
god.' It immediately resulteth from the owning of a God that we
should trust him with our all.
2. We cannot be true and faithful to God unless we rely upon him.
SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SER. V.
The soul will necessarily warp, and turn aside to crooked ways, unless
we be persuaded that God taketh care of us, and will maintain us by
honest and lawful means. The ground of uprightness is the persuasion
of God's all-sufficiency : Gen. xvii. 1, 'I am God Almighty, walk before
me, and be thou upright.' As, on the other side, the ground of
apostasy is unbelief: Heb. iii. 12, ' Take heed lest there be in you an
evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.' They that
do not trust God cannot long be true to him, but will seek another
paymaster.
3. To keep up a commerce between God and us. Therefore a con
tinual hope and dependence is necessary for a Christian, to engage him
to prayer and thanksgiving. That is only made conscience of by those
who take all out of God's hands : Ps. Ixii. 8, ' Trust in the Lord at all
times; pour out your hearts before him;' 2 Sam. xxii. 3, 4, ' God is
my rock, in whom I trust ; I will call on the Lord, so shall I be saved.'
We act our trust and hope at the throne of grace, encourage ourselves
in God's hearing.
4. To keep the heart fixed and quiet : Ps. cxii. 7, ' He shall not be
afraid of evil tidings ; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.' He
looketh higher than the course of affairs in the world ; not senseless,
but established : Ps. xiii. 5, ' I have trusted in thy mercy, my heart
shall rejoice in thy salvation ; ' Ps. xlii. 5, ' Hope thou in God, for I
shall yet praise him.' Vexation is the fruit of distrust : Ps. cvi. 24,
' They believed not his word, and murmured in their tents.' God is
carrying on all things for our good, and we cannot trust him. Dis
tracting cares are forbidden : Mat. vi. 25, ' Take no thought for your
life, what ye shall eat, and what ye shall drink,' &c. It is a reproach
to our heavenly Father. Go to God, then be at peace : Phil. iv. 6, 7.
' Be careful for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication,
with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God ; and the
peace of God shall keep your hearts and minds,' &c.
5. The great benefit that resulteth thence ; present support and final
deliverance.
[1.] Support : Isa. xl. 31, ' They that wait on the Lord shall renew
their strength.'
[2.] Final deliverance : Ps. xxxvii. 3, ' Trust in the Lord, and do
good, and thou shalt dwell in the land, verily, thou shalt be fed.' Trust
is the ready way to have success. Order thy aftars by God's will and
command, and thou mayest cheerfully wait for the event.
Doct. 3. That our hope and trust in God should be perpetual.
Israel is bidden to hope in God ' from henceforth and for ever/ Ps.
cxxxi. 3. For —
First, It is not enough to hope in God for a while, but we must per
severe in hope as long as life shall endure ; not only to-day, or to
morrow, or for a time, or till our probabilities be spent. No ; we must
believe in hope against hope, Piom. iv. 19 ; probabilities or no proba
bilities .
Secondly, We must persevere to the end and in the end : Heb. vi.
11, ' Show the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the
end ;' 1 Peter i. 13, ' Be sober, and hope to the end ; ' in life and in
death. And Heb. iii. 6, ' Keep the confidence and rejoicing of hope
firm unto the end.' We may repose our hearts on the fidelity of Christ ;
VER. 3.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 459
lie will no ways fail and be unfaithful, but give eternal life, according
to his promise.
Thirdly, In all estates and conditions. In prosperity and adversity :
Ps. Ixii. 8, ' Trust in the Lord at all times.' It is a duty never out of
season. In a time of fear, misery, and distress : Ps. Ivi. 3, ' At what
time I am afraid, I will put my trust in thee.' Then is a special
season to consider the attributes of God and the promises of God. On
the contrary, in a time of prosperity our hearts are secretly corrupted
unless we think of God : Ps. xxx. 6, ' I said in my prosperity, I shall
never be moved.' He saw a want of his trust then. We are to
depend upon God, and make use of him, in all conditions : Ps. xci. 9,
' Thou shalt make the Most High thy refuge, and my God thy habita
tion.' A refuge is a place of retreat and safety in a time of war, and a
habitation is the place of our residence and abode in a time of peace ;
so that, whatsoever our condition be, our dependence must be on God.
If things be never so prosperous, he must be owned as the fountain of
blessings, and all of them taken out of his hand ; acknowledging that
we hold all by his mercy and bountiful providence, because of our
forfeiture by sin, and the uncertainty of these outward comforts, and
the necessity of his providential influence. Trust is as necessary in
prosperity as adversity, lest the heart be enticed into a neglect of God
by carnal confidence. Our hearts are very prone to it. Good Paul
was in danger : 2 Cor. i. 9, ' But we had the sentence of death in our
selves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in him which raiseth
the dead.' But then in adversity, when kept bare and low, then is a
tune to show trust, how hard soever our condition be : Zeph. iii. 12,
' I will leave in the midst of thee an afflicted and a poor people, and
they shall trust in the name of the Lord.' When all things go well
with us, we think trusting in God easy, because we make it but a
notion, for we indeed trust in other things ; we eat our own bread,
drink our own drink, wear our own apparel, only God carrieth the
name of it. But now, when we are cut short, kept hard and low, then
to quiet our minds in God is the trial of trust. The creature is blasted
that we may look for all in God. David, when he was left alone,
refuge failed him : ' No man cared for my soul ; I cried unto thee,
Lord, and said, Thou art my refuge, and my portion in the land of the
living,' Ps. cxlii. 4, 5. When means fail, God never faileth. When
riches take wings and worldly friends forsake us, then is a time for
trust, whether the mercy expected be hastened or delayed. Some can
trust for a while, if the mercy be not kept off too long ; but then their
patience and faith is spent. David's actual possession of the kingdom
was delayed, yet he waited. So when God delayeth help, still must
we wait. How contrary did that king, 2 Kings vi. 33, ' This evil is
from the Lord, why should I wait any longer ? ' Must we always wait
upon God ? in a passion. Yes ; wait and wait still : ' The needy shall
not always be forgotten, nor the expectation of the poor perish for
ever,' Ps. ix. 18. Though God for a while permit his meek and
obedient servants to be oppressed and triumphed over, and in the eye
of the world to be forgotten, forsaken, and perish, yet if they constantly
adhere to him, and contentedly wait his leisure, without relieving
themselves by any unlawful means, he will at last return, and save
460 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXI. [SfiR. V.
them out of their enemies' hands. Upon their daily attendance upon
God, and living upon the hope of what is promised, they will at length
overcome.
Lastly, No other means, or no means to accomplish the expected
end. Supposing it be our duty to continue that course wherein we
are engaged, if means, yet we must have recourse to God, acknow
ledging the event is in his hands : Ps. Ix. 11, with the title, ' Give help
from trouble, for vain is the help of man.' His army was then victori
ous. In such a case it is harder to trust God with means than without
means of a visible supply ; so prone are we to look to what is present.
If no means ; when all was lost, David encouraged himself in the Lord
his God, 1 Sam. xxx. 6 ; Jehoshaphat : 2 Chron. xx. 12, ' We have no
might, but our eyes are unto thee.' Thus trust must be continually
and perpetually exercised.
Reasons.
1. Because we have continual need of hope while we are in the
world. Partly because our whole being dependeth every minute on
the will of God : Job vi. 9, ' If he loosen his hand, and cut us off.'
One beck of his will can turn us into nothing. Partly because of the
frequent return of afflictions, necessities, and temptations : Ps. xxxiv.
19, ' Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth
them out of all.' God, that hath delivered, must deliver again. As
our necessities return, so we must renew our confidence and humble
addresses to God.
2. God is never weary of doing good. He is not exhausted by
giving. I AM is his name. He is where he was at first ; hath the
same power, wisdom, and goodness. We seem to doubt of it if we
discontinue our trust. Our condition may be altered, but God is not
altered ; and therefore, how hard soever the condition be that we fall
into, the grounds of confidence are not lost, but must be still improved.
As, for instance, God continueth a God of infinite power : Isa. xxvi. 4,
' Trust in the Lord for ever, for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting
strength.' His wisdom continueth, for he is never at a loss: 2 Peter
ii. 9, ' The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation.'
We are at a loss, but God is not, when his hand is in. A potter loseth
not his skill, but increaseth it, if he make a thousand vessels — Basil.
His goodness and grace is the same : James i. 5, ' If any lack wisdom,
let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth
not, and it shall be given him ; ' with Prov. xxv. 17. Our drop is
soon spent, we are weary of doing good ; it is hard to bring us to con
tinue our favours. ' Ye have ministered, and do minister,' was a great
commendation to those saints, Heb. vi. 10.
3. The great promise is not yet come in hand; therefore there is
' room for hope till we come to eternity, and then we shall everlastingly
enjoy the thing hoped for. Now we should train up ourselves in a way
of faith ; trust God and try God here by the way, that we may the
better depend upon him at the end of the journey. As men learn to
swim in the shallow brooks before they venture in the deep waters,
so before we come to launch out into the gulf of eternity, and trust
him with our everlasting estate, we should try how we can trust him
for temporals. Trust him with your business, trust him with your
VER. 3.] SERMONS UPON PSALM cxxxi. 461
lives, trust him for daily bread, that you may the better learn to trust
him with your souls. Trust him every day with the affairs of the day ;
trust him every night when you go to bed with your names, estates.
To go to an unknown God, with whose fidelity you were never before
acquainted, will be very hard and difficult.
4. We lose our reward if we cease hoping : Ps. cxxiii. 3, ' Our eyes
wait upon the Lord until he have mercy.' Saul tarried a while for
Samuel : 1 Sam. xiii. 8-13, ' Seven days, the time appointed ; I forced
myself, and offered a burnt-offering ; ' so he lost the kingdom. Our
eternal reward : Heb. xiii. 6, ' So that we may boldly say, The Lord
is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me;'
Heb. x. 35, ' Cast not away your confidence, which hath great recom
pense of reward.'
Use 2. Let me commend to you these things —
1. The adventure of faith : Luke v. 5, ' Howbeit at thy command.'
When you cannot apply the promise, venture for the command's sake.
When we cannot see what God will do for us in ordinances and
providences, see what believing will come to, and looking to God,
when supplies are not in the view of sense.
2. The waiting of faith, when expectation is not answered, and you
find not at first what you wait for. Do not despond or despair, or be
hasty in your distresses, so as to turn aside to other remedies : Isa.
xxviii. 76, ' He that believeth doth not make haste/ It is carnal
affection that must have present satisfaction. Greedy and impatient
longings argue a disease. Revenge must see its desire on its enemies
presently ; covetousness would wax rich in a day ; ambition must
presently mount; lusts are earnest, ravenous; like a diseased stomach,
must have green fruit. But faith waiteth, and resolveth to keep the
promise as a pawn till the blessing cometh. Hope is seen in waiting
as well as looking, and patience is as necessary as believing : 1 Thes.
i. 3, ' Work of faith, labour of love, patience of hope.'
3. The holy obstinacy and resolution of faith. Resolve to die hold
ing the horns of the altar. You would not be put off from God ; as
the blind man, the more he was rebuked, cried much the more, Mark
x. 48 ; or as the woman of Canaan turned discouragements into argu
ments, Mat. xv. 27. Faith is deaf to all discouragements : Job xiii.
15, ' Though he kill me, yet will I trust in him.' No rebukes of pro
vidence shall beat us away from the throne of grace.
4. The submission and resignation of faith in all temporal things.
Especially your great work : Mat. vi. 33, ' Seek first the kingdom of
God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto
you.' Make sure of heaven, and for other things be at a point of
indifferency ; let God order that as he will.
5. The prudence of faith. Settle your mind against present necessities;
and for future contingencies, leave them to God's providence : Mat. vi.
34, ' Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof.' Children, if v they have
to allay present hunger, do not cark how to bring the year about, but
leave that to their parents ; so we should not anticipate future cares,
but compose ourselves to bear our present burden as well as we can.
Leave futurities to our heavenly Father. Manna fell daily ; where it
was kept till the morning, it putrified : ' Give us this day our daily
bread.'
462 SERMONS UPON PSALM CXXXL [SER. V.
6. The obedience of faith. Mind duty, and let God take care of
success. Let God alone with the issues of things : 1 Chron. xix. 13,
' Let us behave ourselves valiantly for our people and for the cities of
our God, and let the Lord do that which is good in his sight.' Other
wise we take his work out of his hands. A Christian should more take
care what he shall do than what shall become of him : ' Be careful for
nothing,' Phil. iv. 6 ; 1 Peter v. 7, ' Casting all your care upon him,
for he careth for you.' God is more solicitous for you than you can
be for yourselves.
SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL XVIIL 23.
SEKMON I.
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die ? saith the Lord
God ; and not that he should return from his ways, and live ? —
'EzEK. xviii. 23.
THERE is nothing so necessary to draw us to repentance as good thoughts
of God. In the first temptation the devil sought to weaken the reputa
tion and credit of God's goodness in the hearts of our first parents, as
if he were harsh, severe, and envious in restraining them from the tree
of knowledge, and the fruit that was so fair to see too, Gen. iii. He
layeth his first battery against the persuasion of God's goodness and
kindness to man ; if he could once bring them to doubt of that, other
things would succeed the more easily. So still he laboureth to raise
jealousies in our hearts against God. David was fain to hold to this
principle when the prosperity of the wicked was a temptation to him ;
yet 'God is good to Israel/ Ps. Ixxiii. 1. That was the truth which
the temptation did oppose, that God is good to his people. With car
nal men he prevaileth the more easily. The blind pagan world had
this for a maxim, TO &UJMPMP QQovepbv, the gods were envious, and took
no pleasure in the felicity of- man, and therefore looked for some notable
cross after some eminent triumph or applause for any worthy under
taking. In the bosom of the church this conceit possesseth many men's
hearts, that God is harsh and severe, and delighteth more in our ruin
than salvation, and therefore they cast off all care of their soul's welfare.
Oh, what a monstrous picture do men draw of God in their thoughts,
as if he were a tyrant, or an inexorable judge, that gave no leave for
repentance, or left any hope of pardon to the guilty ! Thus in the
prophet's days there were some that thought they must die and be
miserable, and none could help it. They had a proverb, that ' The
fathers had eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth were set on edge.'
They must smart for their fathers' sins, whether they repented, yea or
no. Therefore God standeth upon his justification and vindication
from so foul a surmise. Here you have a part of his purgation ; ' Have
I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord God?'
The words are propounded by way of interrogation ; in which form
of speech there is more evidence, efficacy, life, and convincing force ;
qd.,Ye know it is evident that I have no such desire, no such pleasure.
It dareth not enter into your thoughts that I should take pleasure in
464 SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL XVIII. 23. [SfiR. I.
the bare destruction of the creature. This pleasure of God is ex
pressed —
1. Negatively, what he delights not in, ' Have I any pleasure at all
that the wicked should die ? '
2. Positively, what he doth delight in, ' That he should turn from
his ways, and live.' God had rather his conversion. In both are im
plied two great truths ; as, omnis qucestio supponit unum et inquirit
aliud ; namely, the connection between sin and death, repentance and
life, wicked and die, return and live. God doth not obscurely null or
disown his judgment and execution according to that law, or give you
any hopes that his law shall not be executed, but telleth you what he
taketh pleasure in ; rather in the conversion than in the destruction of
the creature. The first question implieth a strong negation, tljat he
doth not delight in the mere slaughter of the wicked. The latter ques
tion is a strong affirmation ; only remember in both parts that these
things are spoken by way of comparison. Kepentance is more accept
able to God, as an holy God, than sin and wickedness ; their conversion
than their disobedience. And as God is a merciful God, and loveth
all the creatures which he hath made, so their life is more pleasing
than their death ; a thing more acceptable in itself to such a being as
God is.
[1.] I might observe the immediate tie that is between sin and death,
as between the cause and the effect, the work and the wages ; how fitly
these things are suited by God's wisdom, which disposeth all things
into their proper places. On the other side, the connection between re
pentance and life, but not of its own merit, but God's grace. But that
argument hath a more proper place elsewhere.
[2.] That the repentance and salvation of the wicked is more pleas
ing to God than their death and damnation. The point is clear in the
text, and may be elsewhere proved, if we take God's word or oath.
His word, or simple affirmation : Ezek. xviii. 32, ' For I have no plea
sure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God : wherefore
turn yourselves, and live ye ; ' that is, he hath no delight that any man
should die and perish in his impenitency. It is not all one to God
whether ye repent or no, whether you behave yourselves well or ill.
Though they are sure to suffer, yet God doth not take delight in kill
ing and destroying : Ezek. xxxiii. 11, ' Say unto them, As I live, saith the
Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the
wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye from your evil
ways ; why will ye die, house of Israel ? ' Ne vivam — Let me not
live. We take a man's oath ; it is Trepan avriXoyias, ' the end of all
strife,' Heb. vi. 16. Our prejudices against God's nature are so deep
and inveterate that he needeth to interpose an oath.
To manage this argument with profit I will show — (1.) How God
delighteth not in the death of a sinner, but in his conversion to life ;
(2.) How contrary it is to the nature of God to be otherwise affected ;
(3.) Give you some proofs of God's having pleasure in our conversion
and salvation, rather than our sin and destruction ; (4.) The uses.
1. How God delights not in the death of a sinner ; for it seemeth
a contradiction to what is written : Prov. i. 26, ' I will laugh at
your calamity. I will mock when your fear cometh ; ' Ezek. vii.
VEU. 23.] SERMONS uroN EZEKIEL xvm. 23. 465
8, 9, 'Now will I pour out my fury upon tliee, and accomplish
mine anger upon thee, and I will judge tliee according to thy
ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations. Mine
eyes shall not spare, neither will I have pity : I will recompense thee
according to thy wages ; ' Ezek. v. 13, ' Thus shall mine anger be ac
complished, and I will cause my fury to rest upon them, and I will be
comforted.' Men are eased when their anger is executed. And it
seemeth also to be contrary to the course of God's providence. If God
hath more pleasure in the conversion of sinners than their destruction,
why are there not more converted than we find to be ? The greatest
part of mankind are perishing in their unbelief and impenitency.
Ans. (1.) I might answer, that this text speaketh not absolutely, but
comparatively. God rejoiceth in the execution of his justice, as well
as in all his other works ; but if you compare things with things,
he rejoiceth rather in acts of mercy than in acts of vengeance. His
disposition inclineth him to mercy rather than to wrath : ' Mercy
pleaseth him,' Micah vii. 18 ; and mercy rejoiceth over judgment in the
conflict. Justice is alienum opus, ' his strange work,' Isa. xxviii. 21 ;
Lam. iii. 33, ' He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of
men ; ' not with his heart. Mercy, like live honey, droppeth of its own
accord. He is forced to the other ; it is wrested from him. Though
the properties are equally infinite in God, yet they do diversely exert
themselves towards men as to the effects. Now the world is upon its
trial. God's primary end is the conversion of a sinner ; his secondary
end the honour of his vindictive justice.
(2.) I might answer, that this place doth not speak of events, but
constitutions ; not what shall fall out, but what is fitly ordered ; not
what is secretly purposed in his decree, but what is by the sentence of
his law declared to the creature, and this contrary to their thoughts.
They thought it was all one whether they sinned or repented ; they
thought God had such a delight in killing and destroying that he would
not save the penitent nor accept of their repentance. Now God in
answer to this showeth how unfeignedly he should receive them to mercy,
in case of repentance, that they may be saved upon God's terms. But
to prevent all objections and misapprehensions in God, we must dis
tinguish of the will of God, and a threefold resolution which is in him.
1. The will and pleasure of God ; it is either taken for his simple
complacency in things according to their worth, value, and degree of
goodness that is in their natures, or for his purpose and effectual resolu
tion to accomplish what he liketh. Liking and approbation in man
is one thing, and choice and resolved pursuit is another. God may be
said to like the salvation of all men, yet not to intend it with an effica
cious will. Of his efficacious will he speaketh : Isa. xlvi. 10, ' My counsel
shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.' So that if God took no
pleasure in the death of the wicked, that is, were resolved to do all that
he can to hinder it, no wicked man would be condemned or die the
second death. It is a thing more pleasing in itself, as conversion is
better than disobedience, and salvation than destruction. The compla
cency of God in things is according to their nature and degree of good
ness. He is unfeignedly pleased with the salvation of men.
2. The next distinction ; there is a threefold relation in God ; he
VOL. xxi. 2 G
466 SKRMONS UPON EZEKIEL XVIII. 23. [SEE. I.
may be considered — (1.) As an absolute lord ; (2.) As a law-giver ;
and, (3.) As a judge.
[1.] As an absolute lord, that batb grace at bis own disposal : Mat.
xx. 15, 'Is it not lawful for me to do wbat I will witb my own ? ' He
may give it as be will, and withhold it as he will. Now the pleasure
of God as a supreme lord is his efficacious resolved will, and respecteth
events what shall be rather than what should be ; and so God willeth
not the salvation of all ; that is to say, doth not all that he can to
procure it.
[2.] As a lawgiver ; and so he declareth his pleasure, that is, his
liking and disliking of things, by the laws he maketh, and the sanctions
annexed thereunto. So he hath showed us what is good and pleasing
in his sight ; innocence in the first covenant, and repentance in the
second, and hath annexed to both the promise of life. This is the pri
mary intention of the law, the obedience and happiness of the creatures ;
but in case of refusal he hath threatened death. Now that which the
lawgiver first and principally aimed at is the obedience of his laws.
He doth not desire that men should incur the penalty ; that is only to
bind the laws that he hath made for the common good. Other things
lie willeth and purposeth, but not principally : Deut. x. 12-15, ' And
now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the
Lord thy God, and to walk in bis ways, and to love him, and serve the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy soul ; to keep the com
mandments of the Lord, and his statutes which I command thee for
thy good ? Behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens is the Lord thy
God's, the earth also with all that therein is ; only the Lord had a
delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them,
even you above all people as it is this day/
[3.] As a judge that is to pass sentence according to the law so made.
The relation of a judge in the exercise of that office hath respect to the
law kept or broken, and accordingly he resolveth on rewards and
punishments ; and in this sense we may say that he taketh pleasure in
the death of the wicked. He rejoiceth and is comforted, in the places
alleged before ; that is, he hath decreed to punish the impenitent, and
they are sure to suffer his vengeance ; yet his end is not properly the
destruction of the creature, but the manifestation of his justice. So
the apostle telleth us God raised up Pharaoh that his glory might be
manifested upon him : Bom. ix. 17, ' For the scripture saith unto
Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I
might show my power, and that my name might be declared through
out all the earth.' I say, he doth not simply rejoice in the destruction
of the creature, but the discovery of his own justice and glory in their
destruction. The sum of all is this, though he doth not all that he can
do, as an absolute lord and disposer of grace, yet he doth all that
belongeth to him to do as a lawgiver ; and that not only in the first
covenant, when he gave us an holy and innocent nature, and made a
righteous law established by promises and threatenings, and adds
penalties and rewards, but much more in the new covenant, when he
did that for us which he was not bound to do, namely, in that he did
provide us a saviour, and open a door of hope for us, and warn us of
our danger, and called us to repent and believe in Christ, even every
creature : Mark xvi. 16, ' He that believeth shall be saved, but he that
VEB. 23.] SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL XVIIL 23. 467
believeth not shall be damned,' with a promise of pardon, life, and
salvation, which he will surely make good out of his abundant mercy.
And on the other side, threateneth death and damnation on those that
unthankfully reject his offer and continue in their sins ; yea, he mani-
festeth the more grace and goodwill to our salvation, and that he is
more ready to pardon than to punish, in that he waiteth so long on the
sinner's choice : Horn. ix. 22, ' What if God, willing to show his wrath,
and to make his power known, endured with much long-suffering the
vessels of wrath filled to destruction ? ' He tarries the sinner's leisure
till the day of patience be quite spent ere he executeth this threatening
of the new covenant ; and offereth men all this while many helps and
advantages, enticing them by his mercies, awing them by his judg
ments, persuading them by his word, drawing them by his Spirit,
knocking at the door of their hearts by the serious impressions of his
grace, and awakening them by the stings and checks of their own con
sciences ; all which are so many signs and evidences that he taketh no
pleasure in the death of sinners, as the prejudiced world thinketh, but
doth all that becometh him to do, as a prudent and gracious lawgiver
(though not all that he could do as an almighty God) and sovereign
disposer of his grace ; and if he should do that, the world would never
be put upon choice and trial, and obedience would be a matter of
necessity and constraint, not of willing acceptation ; and men may as
well quarrel at this as that he hath not made them all angels.
II. How contrary it is to the nature of God to be otherwise affected.
1. It would be contrary to the wisdom of God simply to desire the
destruction and death of the creature ; for what wisdom can there be
in that to mar his chiefest work Would it become the wisdom of God
to have raised such a creature as man is, with such faculties and en
dowments, merely because he would destroy him ? We do not dispute
of his absolute right and authority to do with his creature as he
pleaseth ; nor of his justice, when man abuseth his talents, and is
unthankful to his Creator. We speak now of his wisdom. Will a wise
man raise a curious structure with a great deal of cost and art, merely
that he may pull it down again, as children build houses with cards to
blow them down in an instant with one breath ? Certainly the making
of a second covenant showeth that it would not stand with the wisdom
of God that the world of mankind should be wholly destroyed as soon
as it was made; for then God might have broken off and dissolved all
things ; but it would not suit with his wisdom, and therefore he would
try the creatures he had made with other means.
2. His goodness will not permit him to take pleasure in evil as evil,
such as is the sin and destruction of the creature. They were
accounted monsters of men that glutted their eyes with cruelties ; and
can we imagine that God will make sport with the eternal ruin of his
creatures ? Prov. xii. 10, ' A righteous man regardeth the life of his
beast.' The more good any man is, the less pleased with the torment
of any creature, not of the smallest vermin. It was noted of Domitian
as a piece of cruelty that he took pleasure in tormenting flies ; and can
we imagine it of God, that he delights in the torment, death, and
destruction of what he hath made ?
3. His mercy ; how can it stand with his mercy to desire or take
468 SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL XVIII. 23. [SER. I.
*
pleasure in the misery of his creature ? We read much of his merci
ful nature; where he proclaimed his name: Exod. xxxiv. 6, 7, 'And
the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord
thy God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in good
ness and truth ; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity,
transgression, and sin.' In this description there is more spoken of his
mercy than his justice. First, his mercy is described, and then his
justice. Justice is only added to invite men to take hold of mercy,
and to show that justice is never exercised but in avenging the quarrel
of abused mercy. So in the prophet's exclamation : Micah vii. 18,
' Who is a god like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passes by
the transgression of the remnant of his heritage ? he retaineth not his
anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.' We may compare
God with all other gods for any of his perfections, but chiefly for his
mercy. The devil held the world in subjection by the tyranny of
fears and torments, but God exercises mercy : Exod. xx. 6, ' Showing
mercy to thousands of them that love me, and keep my command
ments.' Therefore we ought to conceive of him that he can have no
pleasure in our death, for mercy is an attribute that inclineth God to
succour them that are in miseries. How then can our destruction be
more acceptable to God than our salvation ?
4. It would destroy all that natural reverence that man hath of God,
and hope of pardon from him, which is the first motive to incline sinful
creatures (such as we are) to come to him, and would choose the
suspicions to prevail above our hopes, and so in despair we should hate
God, and slight his service. In the conduct of the affairs of the
universe there are mixed effects of God's justice and goodness ; the one
begets fear, the other hope. Indeed, fear is more natural to carnal
men, because a bad conscience is very suspicious. Our observance of
God's benefits is not so great as the sense of our own ill-deservings is
quick and lively ; therefore our serious hopes are weaker than our fears
while we are in our natural estate. Now it would feed our prejudices
if we did not strongly assert God's delight in our salvation more than
in our destruction, and convince men of it ; for as their fears increase
above their hope, their hatred of God increaseth. Oderunt qucm
metuunt, and Quern octimus, periisse cupimus. Whom men fear they
hate, and whom they hate they wish he were out of the way. When
we only dread God for his vengeance, we keep off from him, and the
least desire of repentance and amendment of life would never enter
into our souls. A dissolute youth hateth his master that would scourge
him for his debaucheries ; but the hope of pardon, that inviteth men to
return. ' God is good.' He made all good ; he preserveth and main-
taineth all : ' His tender mercy is over all his works,' Ps. cxlv. 9. We
have no cause to suspect him. Notwithstanding our continual offences,
he doth not cease to do good to us : Ps. cxxx. 4, ' There is forgiveness
with thee, that thou mayest be feared.'
III. Wherein God hath showed that he taketh pleasure in our con
versation rather than in our ruin and destruction.
1. In that, when we had forfeited the mercies of our creation, he was
mindful of our sin and misery, and gave us warning of it when we were
drowned in worldly cares and pleasures, and thought of no such matter.
YER. 23.] SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL xvm. 23. 469
Ho that warneth before he striketh, certainly he hath more mind to
save than to strike. God might have left the sleepy, sinful, and secure
world alone, till they had wasted away all their precious time in follow
ing their fleshly pleasures and the course of this deceitful world, till they
had plunged themselves into their everlasting estate, and did awaken
when it was too late, and then had nothing to do but despairingly and
with fruitless cries bewail their past negligence ; but the Lord took pity
on us, and warneth us of the danger ere it come upon us. All his busi
ness is to make us mindful of our latter end : Deut. xxxii. 29, ' Oh
that men were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider
their latter end 1 ' Eom. vi. 21, ' What fruit had you then in those things
whereof ye are now ashamed ? for the end of those things is death ; '
Jer. xvii. 11, ' At his end he shall be a fool.' By his word and by checks
of conscience : Ps. xix. 11, ' Moreover, by them is thy servant warned.'
God seeth how you forget him and your latter end, make light of ever
lasting things, as men that have no sense of their danger ; therefore he
telleth you that the end of those things is death. When he seeth you
bold in sin, fearless and careless of your souls, he mindeth you of the
dreadful end that is at hand, when your sorrows must begin. He that
telleth you so plainly why it is: Luke iii. 7, '0 generation of vipers,
who hath warned you to flee from the wrath that is to come ? ' As
Keuben said, Gen. xlii. 22, ' Spake I not unto you ? '
2. Not only warned you of your danger, but hath given you means
to escape it if you will, a new covenant wherein he hath offered you free
pardon upon the terms of faith and repentance, and set heaven before
you to call you off from your carnal vanities. It is the great business
of the word to call men to faith and repentance. John preached, Mat.
iii. 2, ' Kepent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand ; ' and Christ,
Mark i. 14, 15, ' Now after John was in prison, Jesus came into Galilee,
preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God ; and saying, The time is
fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand : repent ye, and believe
the gospel.' And the apostles, what was the tenor of their commission ?
Luke xxiv. 47, ' And that repentance and remission of sins should be
preached in his name among all nations.' Surely God would not have
given such directions, made such promises, found out such a way for
our recovery, but that he taketh pleasure in our conversion rather than
our destruction.
3. In providing a redeemer to ransom us from the death which we had
deserved, one that should keep up the authority of the law, arid yet a
way made to save the sinner : Isa. liii. 4-6, ' Surely he hath borne our
griefs, and carried our sorrows ; yet we did esteem him stricken,
smitten of God and afflicted : but he was wounded for our transgres
sions, he was bruised for our iniquities ; the chastisement of our peace
was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep
have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way, and the
Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.' Would God have bought
us at so dear a rate, even with the blood of his own Son Jesus Christ ?
' He gave him a ransom for us all,' 1 Tim. ii. 6. If he delighted in
the death of sinners, he would not have been at such cost to save them.
4. With what passionateness and meltingness of expression he wooeth
men to return : Deut. v. 29, ' Oh that there were such an heart in them,
470 SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL XVIII. 23. [SER. I.
that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that
it may be well with them, and with their children for ever ; ' Hosea xi.
8, ' How shall I give thee up, Ephraim ? how shall I deliver thee,
Israel ? how shall I make thee as Admah ? how shall I set thee as
Zeboim? Mine heart is turned within me; my repentings are kindled
together ; ' Isa. Ivii. 16, ' For I will not contend for ever, neither will
I be always wroth ; for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls
which I have made ; ' Ps. Ixxxi. 13, ' Oh that my people had hearkened
unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways ! ' Mat. xxiii. 37, *
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them
that are sent unto thee ! how often would I have gathered thy children
together, as an hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye
would not ? ' Luke xix. 42, ' If thou hadst known, even thou, at least
in thig thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace, but now they
are hid from thine eyes.' When a servant hath provoked his master,
or a son behaved himself ungraciously to his father, will a master sue
to his servant, or a father to his son for reconciliation ? yea, will not
an equal that hath a quarrel with his equal hold it a great disgrace
and disparagement to make any means that the quarrel may be taken
up ? they keep at a distance, and look that the party offending should
seek first ; yet such an affection God beareth to us that he expostulates,
prayeth, entreateth that we would return and be reconciled.
5. By the commission given to his ministers : 2 Cor. v. 20, ' Now then
we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us :
we pray you in Christ's stead be reconciled to God.' He hath appointed
some to call us to faith and repentance, and to quicken us to make ready
for eternal life. He has appointed men in our nature to offer you mercy,
and teach you the way to eternal life ; to warn every man, to instruct
every man ; men of the same nature, the same affections, the same
temptations ; who have advantage of familiar converse with us to help,
comfort, and quicken you upon all occasions.
6. The course of his providence. Mercies to entice you to him : Horn,
ii. 4, ' Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance, not
knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance ? ' We
might long ago have been in hell. God might have taken you away
in the very act of sin ; but he is pleased to use correctives. Affligit, ut
non affligat — He afflicts that he may not afflict. He sent a tempest
after Jonah. He sets our cornfield on fire to bring us to him, as
Absalom did Joab's.
7. In the ready entertainment of returning sinners. Ahab's counter
feit humiliation had a temporal reward, 1 King xxi. from 19, to 29,
but much more where it is real. Though sinners have done infinite
wrong to his holiness, yet upon repentance, and as soon as they begin
to submit, mercy embraceth and huggeth them, as if no breach had
been : Luke xv. 20, ' But when he was yet a great way off, his father
saw him, and had compassion on him, and fell on his neck and kissed
him ; ' Isa. Ixv. 24, ' Before they call, I will answer ; and while they
are yet speaking, I will hear ; ' Ps. xxxii. 5, ' I said, I will confess my
transgression unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin ; '
Jer. xxxi. 18-20, ' I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself
thus, Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised ; as a bullock unac-
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL xvm. 23. 471
customed to the yoke : turn thou me, and I shall be turned. Surely
after that I was turned, I repented, and after I was instructed, I smote
upon the thigh. I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because 1 did
bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son ? is he a
pleasant child ? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember
him still, because my bowels are troubled for him. I will surely have
mercy upon him, saith the Lord.' He comes apace to the sinner ; is
exceeding swift, like a roe on the mountains, Cant. i. 8. He is ready
to support us with early comforts. We return to a father as the pro
digal when he returned.
SEKMON II.
Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die, saith the Lord
God ; and not that he should return from his ivays, and live ? —
EZEK. xviii. 23.
FKOM the words I have observed this doctrine, That the repentance
and salvation of the wicked is more pleasing to God than their death
and damnation.
1. I have showed you how God delighteth not in the death of a
sinner.
2. How contrary it is to the nature of God to be otherwise affected.
3. I have given you proofs of God's having more pleasure in our
conversion and salvation, than our sin and destruction.
4. We now come to the uses.
Use 1. Of information.
First, That God is not the cause of man's destruction, but it is man's
own fault if they be not converted and saved. That men are apt to
charge God foolishly appeareth by that monition, Hosea iii. 9, '0 Israel,
thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thine help/ But more
expressly by Prov. xix. 3, ' The foolishness of man perverteth his way,
and his heart fretteth against the Lord.' But the blame cannot lie in
God ; he doth all that seemeth fit to be done as a lawgiver and
governor of the world. There is nothing wanting on his part : Isa. v.
4, ' What could I have done more to my vineyard that I have not done
to it ? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes,
brought it forth wild grapes.' From first to last we may plead the
cause of God with you. God made man upright, gave him a righteous
law, which, when broken, that all hopes might not be cut off, he sent
his Son : Horn. viii. 3, ' God sending his own Son in the likeness of
sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh,' to be the foundation
of a new covenant ; offered you grace in him, pardon of all your sins
past, to help you in the course of obedience for time to come ; moved
you by powerful arguments, not by low and cheap considerations, but
those of the greatest weight, the joys of heaven, the torments of hell ;
called upon you often by the ministry, knocked at your hearts as well
472 SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL XVIII. 23. [SEE. II.
as your ears by his Spirit ; waited for your amendment for many years,
tried you by mercies if they could melt you, by afflictions if they would
reduce you to a sense of your duty. But all this will not do ; yet you
are still alive, and these means continued. What shall God do more ?
Now why are you not converted ? Others are wrought upon by the
same means and turned to the Lord, and have entered in by the strait
gate, and framed their desire to walk in the narrow way. They have
not offers more rich, or free, or particular. God hath not told them of
a hotter hell or a better heaven, or another or a more taking gospel.
God speaketh to you and them in the same terms, with the same grace
and favour, and maketh the door wide enough to get in. Why are
you not converted ? Did God cut off all hopes from you, and tell you
that your repentance would do you no good ? No ; certainly the fault
is in your own obstinacy and impenitence: Ps. Ixxxi. 11, 'Israel would
none of me ; ' Luke xix. 14, ' We will not have this man to reign over
us ; ' Jer. ii. 17, ' Hast thou not procured this to thyself, in that thou
hast forsaken the Lord thy God when he led thee by the way ? ' It
was not his leaving you, but your leaving him. You would not try
what you could do with these common means. And will you after all
this bring a charge against God and say, If you be damned, you cannot
help it ? It was God delighted in your destruction ? What have you
to allege against him ?
1. Is it because you would continue in your sins and yet be saved ?
But God hath decreed the wicked shall be damned, and hath made a
law that whosoever will not accept of his grace, but continue in their
sins, shall perish for ever : Rev. xxi. 27, ' And there shall in no wise
enter anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination,
or maketh a lie.' This is to tax the wisdom of the lawgiver, and the
whole way of his government in the world. Must God be accounted
cruel because he taketh that course which all governors take to exact
duty, upon penalties and rewards ? Is there not a mercy and an help
in that he will bind you to your duty by so strict a way of engagement?
Are not these the ' cords of a man/ Hosea xi. 4. A way of dealing
suitable to reasonable natures ? Do not men even renounce humanity
in excepting against such a curse, fear and love being the two things
that excite us to anything ? Or is it because these rewards and
penalties are eternal ? Is there not the more help, the more weighty
the considerations are that move us ? And can they be supposed to
have any inclination to virtuous and holy living that will not be drawn
by so great a benefit as eternal happiness, and warned by so great a
danger as eternal misery ? If God did enforce duty, and conceal the
importance of it as to your personal happiness or misery, were not then
the objection against his proceeding more rational? And besides, is it
not fit that God should deal according to the excellency of his being in
his way of government ? That his laws should be more spiritual, since
he is a judge of spirits ? His punishments and rewards must be greater
and eternal, since he liveth for ever. Earthly princes must promise
and threaten as their being and power will permit, lest their authority
be made ridiculous by affixing penalties which they cannot inflict.
As your obedience to God is built upon an higher right, so his enforce
ments should be proportionable. The power of earthly princes is
VEK. 23.] SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL XVIIT. 23. 473
temporal, and reacheth only to the body ; they die, and can reach no
further than the outward man ; but God liveth for ever : therefore,
according to the sublimity of his nature, so must his punishments be
more terrible. Your offence is greater, so is your punishment. Or
what is it that your cavil lieth against ? Not so much the making of
the law with penalties, as the executing of it. Would you think so
basely and blasphemously of God that he should not satisfy his word
lest such as you should suffer ? Will it stand with his wisdom to
make a law and never execute it ? or with his truth to threaten
punishment and break his word, and cause it to become a vain scare
crow ? Must he rule the world by a law, and say that to awe sinners
which he never meaneth to do? with his goodness, that the worst
should fare as well as the best ? that he should suffer a sort of sinful
creatures to despise his mercy, abuse his patience, trample his laws
underfoot, and after all this escape unpunished ? Oh, consider how
unreasonable it is that God should alter the tenor of his covenant to
gratify you in your sins ? Surely it would be a bold demand if any
creature should ask it of God that he should turn day into night, and
night into day at their pleasure, to gratify their sports. It is bolder
by far that he should alter all his wise counsels by which he governeth
the world ; to make the way to hell serve for the way to heaven; that,
they may wanton it in their sins, and please their senses without control J
Therefore your hearts should not fret against the Lord because he hatW
appointed such a punishment. You love the bait, and yet complain <i
the hook.
2. Is it because you would have God force you to be good whetlJr
you will or no, and by an absolute constraining power drive you At
of your flesh-pleasing course ? Consider how unbeseeming it is toJie
wisdom of God that men should be virtuous and holy by necessity Jnd
not by free choice. Virtue then were no virtue ; not a moral, pb a
natural property, as burning is to fire ; and it were no more i»ise-
worthy for us to mind heavenly things than it is for a stone tojpiove
downward or a spark upward. It is true God must make us filing,
but willing we must be. Now there is no such thing on youf parts,
when you wilfully refuse the helps God affordeth : Acts xii/46, ' It
was necessary that the word of God should have been first $oken to
you, but seeing you put it from you, and judge yourselves unrorthy of
eternal life, lo, we turn to the gentiles.' At least you do not *ply your
hearts to meet with God, and to improve means and mercies, Evidences
and helps. You refuse his help, and then God justly for|keth you ;
for he forsaketh none but those that forsake him first: 1 Cfon. xxviii.
9, ' If thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever ; ' 2 (Iron. xv. 2,
' If you seek him, he will be found of you ; but if you foiJke him, he
will forsake you.' Did you improve your helps, and be«pod's grace,
and carry on his common work as far as you can, then itFere another
matter ; but you break off with God.
3. Is it because God hath given you such a mutalJ will, and .an
appetite and desire to those contentments that bescr your senses ?
God that hath given appetite, he hath given reason J guide it, and
scripture to inform reason, and the Spirit to apply fripture. Your
appetite was given you as a servant, not as a mast/ Adam might
474 SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL XVIII. 32. [SfiR. II.
have stood as well as fell. He had a mutable will, but more helps to
stand than occasions to fall. What of corruption came in since the
fall, man must bear the blame of it, not God. If Adam threw away
original righteousness, God took it not away. He could not leave us
original righteousness, no more than a condemned man can leave his
goods to his children.
4. Is God to blame for leaving temptations in the world ? Man's
foolish heart thinketh so : Gen. iii. 12, ' The woman whom thou gavest
to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.' She was given
as an help, not a snare. The poison is in the spider, not in the flower.
It is our naughty lustful hearts and inordinate affections that make
our abode in the world dangerous : 2 Peter i. 4, ' The corruption
that is in the world through lust.' And therefore, ' Let no man say,
when he is tempted, he is tempted of God : but every man is tempted
when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed,' James i. 13, 14.
We are more ready to entertain temptations, than providence is to
offer them to us ; for we seek them out when they are wanting. All
temptations work, not by constraining efficacy, but objectively, and
by enticing persuasion ; and have we not more earnest persuasions to
be good, to serve God, and forsake sin ? Persuasions to love God are
as frequent as temptations to desert him to please the flesh. If you
cannot deny the devil and the flesh, how can you deny God, who pleadeth
with you with better arguments than the devil, the world, and the
flesh can? by endless joys and easeless torments. The temptations
from worldly comforts arise from your naughty hearts. You should
thank God for his mercies, and use them as cords of love, rather than
snares of sin. The creatures in themselves are God's spokesmen : it
is we make them proctors for sin. Is not God and Christ a more
lovely object than all the pleasures, profits, and honours of the world ?
These things do not force our will ; they do but draw our consent ;
and surely more lovely things, and more apt to do that, are those things
which God hath propounded to you in the covenant of grace. If the
devil entice you, it is because you were more willing to hearken to him
than to God who warned you of his wiles, and told you of your danger,
and invited you to a better happiness. Satan can but solicit, not con
strain. He findeth matter to work upon, or else you would not easily
give entertainment to his suggestions.
The dovil findeth the fire kindled, he only bloweth up the flame.
Well, then, you see from all this that God is not to blame. He
willeth no. the destruction of his creatures, but their salvation. But
man is naught, and would fain transfer his guilt upon others. When
Zopyrus had cut his own nose and lips, he gave out that the Baby
lonians had so barbarously used him. We ruin ourselves, and lay the
fault on others, yea, on God himself. It is said in the gospel, ' The
enemies of a man are those of his own house ; ' so we harbour these
snakes in our bosoms that will sting us to death.
Use 2. Of exhortation.
To exhort you to repent and turn to the Lord. The Lord desireth
not the destruction of a sinner. God doth not deny the sentence, or
retract the law, only it is not his delight Some abuse it to hopes of
impunity, or at least to delay.
VER, 23.] SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL xvm. 23. 475
First, To hopes of impunity. Though God doth not with an ante
cedent will desire the death of a sinner, yet with a consequent will he
doth, upon supposition of their sin and obstinate rebellion against him.
Will you then grow the bolder in sinning because of God's mercy ?
This is to suck poison out of the sweetest flower. ' He will by no
means clear the guilty,' Exod. xxxvii. 6 ; ' He will wound the hairy
scalp of all such as go on in their trespasses,' Ps. Ixviii. 21. The pit
is a-digging ; sentence is given, but not executed, Eccles. viii. 11 ;
condemned already, John iii. 18 ; forbearance is not remission : Kom.
ix. 22, ' He endureth with much long-suffering, the vessels of wrath
fitted to destruction.' Here is suffering, long-suffering, and much
long-suffering, yet all this while fitted to destruction. God giveth
them a long day, but reckoneth with them at last. A man may be
reprieved when sentence is gone out against him, and at last executed.
We are not sure of a day's respite. The warrant for execution is
signed, as well as sentence passed. All is forfeited ; will you not be
affected with this wofnl condition ? What, condemned men, and never
moved at it ! there is but a step between you and death. Sentence is
passed ; God forbeareth the execution, and will you rest only upon
that? it is but / lictor, obnubito capus. It is but one word from
God's mouth, and they will cover thy face as they did Haman's
despatch thee presently. That little space that is given is not giver
to frolic away in sins and carnal pleasures, but for repentance,
making sure your salvation : Kev. ii. 21, 'I gave her space to repei
and she repented not.' God is bending his bow, and whetting
sword, if they turn not : God is angry with the wicked every day,
vii. 11 ; their pit is a-digging, Ps. xciv. 12. Admire God's patiej
and make good use of it. Build not thy hopes of heaven upon it.
for his forgiveness. Forbearance may be the portion of his enei
forgiveness is the portion of his children. Punishment may be rented
for a time, and then execution. Oh, therefore, do not make an ill use
of God's unwillingness to strike ; we know not the number ofjo-od's
calls. See what is the right use we should make of it : Ezey xviii.
32, ' I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith im Lord
God, wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye/ Some abuse it toftnother
purpose. When we tell men how ready the Lord is to recejpe them,
this doth but make men delay their repentance, and grow the bolder
in sinning. Oh, therefore, now turn to the Lord. If a Malefactor
arraigned at the bar should perceive by any speech or gesture, sign
or token, any inclination in the judge to show mercy, hoj would he
work upon that advantage ? what suit, what means would he make
for his life ? how would he importune all his friends to entreat for
him ; fall down upon his knees, and beg for his life ? Ood maketh
an overture of his mercy ; discovereth a desire to pardoj you, yea, he
stretcheth out his hands all the day long ; why do we not 'make means
to him ? Time was when the flaming sword was in th* way, and the
curse of God's law would have kept thee back, if thou hadst been never
so willing to turn to God ; all that thou couldst do could never have
procured the pardon of thy sins past, if thou hadst never PO much
lamented and reformed them ; but this impediment is taken out of
the way, and ' God is in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not
476 SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL XVIII. 23. [SER. IT.
imputing their trespasses to them. But that this exhortation may not
be lost, let us consider what this turning is ; whether we have turned,
yea, or no ; whether we do not yet need a further turning.
1. What this turning is. We shall know that by three propositions
which contain the whole sum of the Christian faith.
[1.] That God is man's chiefest good and last end ; and unless he be
so to every one of us, we cannot be saved : Ps. iv. 6, 7, 'There be many
that say, Who will show us any good ? Lord, lift up the light of thy
countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart more than
in the time that their corn and wine increased.'
[2.] That there is no way of coming to God, and enjoying him ever
lastingly, but by Christ : John xiv. 6, ' Jesus saith unto him, I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the Father but
by me.'
[3.] There is no way of enjoying communion with Christ, but in a
constant uniform course of holiness and obedience : 1 John i. 6, 7, ' If
we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie,
and do not the truth. But if we walk in the light as he is in the light,
we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Christ cleanseth
us from all sin ; ' Heb. xii. 14, ' Without holiness no man shall see the
Lord.' Therefore this turning that we may live everlastingly consists
in three things — (1.) In a turning from the creature to God ; (2.)
From self to Christ ; (3.) From sin to holiness, and herein lietli the
great work of grace. Let me a little evince the necessity of these three
things.
(1.) That there must be a turning from the creature to God. Here
is man's original deviation, his lapse and fall from God to the creature,
and by repentance we return to God again, as our chief good and last
end. That appeareth partly by the end of our creation. Man was
made for God, for the glorifying and enjoying of him : the very con
stitution of his soul showeth it. There are three sorts of beings; angels,
that are pure spirits without flesh, made for heaven, and the company
of God, not for earth. Brutes that are made flesh without immortal
souls, made for earth, not for heaven ; and man that is of a middle
nature between both these, that hath a fleshly substance, and an immortal
soul : so that he was made partly for earth, and partly for heaven, as
partaking of both. A body that was made out of the dust of the earth,
and a soul that came down from the superior world, and must return
thither again. Now these two things must be sorted according to the
dignity of the parts of which man consisteth. The soul being the better
part, the good of the soul is the chiefest good, and the good of the
body inferior and subordinate. The one is the way and means, the
other the end. He was made for earth in his passage and way to heaven,
but his house and happiness is in heaven, where he is to enjoy the
blessed God, and to glorify him among his holy angels, and those blessed
creatures that dwell above in the region of spirits. Well, then, this was
the end for which man was created, and while he remained innocent he
had an heart disposed and inclined to God as his chiefest good, to love
and fear him, and depend upon him as the fountain of happiness.
Partly by the first temptation, by which man was foiled. Satan's aim
in the temptation was to set man loose from God ; and to fasten him
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL xvur. 23. 477
upon the creature, that he might have no cause to look back upon God
any more ; to draw him off from God by unbelief and disobedience,
and to fasten him to the creature, by bringing him to delight in some
outward thing forbidden by God. Man at first referred and carried on
all things to God's glory ; afterwards made his own bodily good the
end and scope of his actions : Jer. ii. 13, ' Left the fountain of living
waters, and hewed out to themselves broken cisterns that will hold no
water.' As subtle men, when they intend to break off a treaty of
marriage, set another match afoot : as those that would draw a man's
heart from the love of his own wife entangle him in the love of a
strange woman ; so as Jeroboam when he fell off from Judah for the
securing of the kingdom of the ten tribes to himself and his posterity,
thought of keeping them from going up to Jerusalem according to
God's ordinance, which might in time unite them to the kingdom of
Judah again, and for that end sets up two calves in Dan and Bethel ; so
Satan sets up sensual good, the creature, to detain our affections. Well,
then, the fall was nothing else but change of the last end of man's
actions. He fell off from God as envious, false, and wishing ill to him
which before he loved and feared, and depended upon as his chief good
and last end ; turned to the creature, especially sensible things, that
whether God would or no, he might seek his own happiness there. By]
the change of the end, all moral goodness is lost, for all actions are
subordinated to the last end, and determined by it. In relation to ij
things are good or evil. Here was man's disease, a conversion froj
God to the creature. Partly by his restitution by grace. What is
work of grace, but to bring us to this, that we may make God our gi
end and scope, that we may enjoy God ? As the needle that is touc'
with the loadstone turneth to the north ; so is the soul wrought
by grace turned to God : Ps. Ixxx. 19, ' Turn us again, Lo
hosts ; cause thy face to shine, and we shall be saved ; ' Ps. Ixxiji 25,
' Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earty that
I desire besides thee ; ' Deut. xxx. 6, ' The Lord thy God will circumcise
thine heart, and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God, with
all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.' The soul
is awakened, made sensible of the emptiness of the creature aod carnal
things, in the enjoyment of which we were formerly satisfied. JFSecular
vanities become tasteless. Then seeking and inquiring afterJbrod, and
how they may be happy for ever, is their work. Before they loved
pleasures more than God, 2 Tim. iii. 2; now all their desires and
endeavours are to enjoy him. This man is turned and gone a- whoring
from God to the creature.
(2.) From self to Christ. When we think of turning to God, we
cannot accomplish our purpose without Christ. There is a legal exclusion
against us. We come to God by Christ : Heb. vii. 25, ' Wherefore
he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him-
To God as our chief good, by him as mediator : 1 Peter iii. 18,
' For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust,
that he might bring us to God ; ' in a joyful and delightful communion
with him. Before that could be done, we were to be ransomed from
the curse of God, and rescued from the power of the devil, which none
but Christ could do for us. Well, then, till we give up ourselves to
478 SE1LMONS UPON EZEKIEL XVIII. 23. [SfiR. II.
him to be saved in his own way, we can never be happy. A man that
fiudeth himself liable to the wrath of God must have a mediator, and
he that would love and serve God must have a powerful helper. This
is conversion, thankfully to entertain an offered saviour. Every con
verted man doth so that feeleth himself undone by sin, and liable to
the wrath of God : he f rameth himself to believe in Christ with all his
heart, that he may become to him wisdom, righteousness, sanctification
and redemption. In his whole converse with God he maketh use of
Christ, seeing his own lost and undone condition : not for a fit or pang,
but Christ liveth in him and dwelleth in him.
(3.) From sin to holiness. We must turn from his ways and live ;
otherwise what communion between light and darkness, Christ and
sinners ? all that would make God their portion, and Christ their
saviour, must be changed in the tenor of their lives. You can have
no part in Christ, nor be saved, unless the current be turned, and the
course of your endeavours run in another channel, 1 Peter i. 14, 15.
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former
lusts in your ignorance, but as he that hath called you is holy, so be ye
holy in all manner of conversation. He is a man of another strain, and
maketh it his business to become holy, and to please God in all things.
He hath no sin but what he hateth, and striveth against.
2. Have you ever turned ? It must be so, or you will never live ; all
by nature need a turning : John iii. 6, ' That which is born of flesh is
flesh.' Since the corruption of nature in Adam, men have an inclination
and poise of heart that inclineth them to fleshly and sensible things.
Man lost that original righteousness that should dispose him and
incline him to God as his chiefest good and last end ; so that the bent
of liis heart in his degenerate estate is wholly set by natural inclination,
much more by inveterate custom, to temporal and sensible things, to
please the flesh, not to please the Lord. The soul being destitute of
grace, or the image of God, or original righteousness, it can only close
with things present and known, as the pleasures of the body, which
being wholly minded divert us from the love of God, and the study of
heavenly things. You were born after the flesh, and do only mind
lower and earthly things ; and if your hearts be not turned, and the bent
of it altered, you are undone for ever. Though the soul still cometh
down from the superior world, yet it soon forgets its divine original,
and being put into the body conformeth itself to the body, and accom-
modateth all its faculties and operations to the interests thereof, and
hath an inclination to please itself in earthly things ; as water put into
a square vessel or a round vessel receiveth a square or round form from
the vessel : Horn. viii. 5, ' They that are after the flesh do mind the
things of the flesh;' are strange to God and strange to heavenly
things.
3. Do we yet need turning ? Two sorts of persons do yet need turning
— (1.) The wicked, that wholly need a turning to God; (2.) The
regenerate, that in this world are but turning in part.
[l.J The wicked. Certainly they have need to look to themselves.
Now all the question is, who are wicked ? The world hath a gross
notion of this term, and apply it only to the drunkard, or swearer, or
fornicator, or murderer. These indeed need to be turned and converted;
VER. 23.] SERMONS UPON EZEKIEL xvm. 23. 479
but the scripture giveth us another notion of wickedness ; whosoever
liveth after the flesh : Rom. viii. 13, ' If ye live after the flesh, ye shall
die.' Though he be not such an open sinner as others are. Whoso
ever hath placed his contentment in earthly things, and seeketh them
more than heavenly felicity, that savoureth not the things of the Spirit,
as heaven and glory, or the saving graces of God's Spirit, that cometh
down from above, and tend thither : Heb. xii. 16, ' Not a profane
person, as was Esau, who sold his birthright for a morsel of meat.'
Such as count more of their sensual lusts than of their spiritual pre
rogatives, they are profane persons, they are /Qe/ifyXot. It is not a
glutton or drunkard only that is a wicked man, or an whoremonger,
but any that loveth earthly things rather than heavenly ; that doth not
set himself to come to God as his chiefest good, and make that the
business of his life. Profaneness is a light esteem of things of the
greatest price.
[2.] Those that have begun already to turn to God. None are yet
so turned but they need to be turned more. We still seek too much
happiness in the creature, and do too little set our hearts on God : Col.
iii. 1, 'If ye be risen with Christ, seek the things that are above.''
Though we be turned in part, yet still we must turn from the creature
to God, from earthly things to heavenly, from self to Christ. To
renounce your own righteousness: Phil. iii. 8, ' I do count them buj
dung, that I may win Christ.' From sin to holiness. We have n<j
yet attained, Phil. iii. 13. The work is not the work of a day.
Use 3. Of comfort. To comfort the sincere and broken-hearted,
are troubled with the sense of God's wrath. God delights not in y^ir
destruction. There is joy in heaven at the conversion of a sinner,
xv. 7 ; Ps. xxxiv. 18, ' The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken
heart, and he saveth such as are of a contrite spirit ; ' Isa. Ivii. 16, i
I will not contend for ever, neither will I be always wroth ; f^ the
spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made.'
SEKMON UPON JEREMIAH XLV. 5.
And seelcest tliou great things for thyself? seek them not. — JER. xlv. 5.
JEREMIAH'S former prophecies were concerning whole nations or public
persons, but this passage concerneth a private ruan — Baruch, the
prophet's scribe. What was the matter ? Jeremiah had used Baruch's
help for writing in a book, or gathering together in one roll or volume,
what God had prophesied concerning the destruction of Jerusalem, as
you may see, Jer. xxxvi. After he had written it, he was to pronounce
it in the hearing of the people in the house of God on the fast-day ;
which he doth boldly. Some of the nobles being affected, carry the
roll to the king Jechoniah, who was enraged at it, and burned the roll,
and gave order to apprehend Jeremiah and Baruch ; but the Lord hid
them. Now because contumacia accumulat pcenam, God biddeth
Jeremiah and Baruch write another roll, wherein were written the same
things, and many more like words. But now he began to be discouraged,
by considering what things were likely to befall him by the writing and
publishing of this second roll. Seeing the storm arise, his heart faileth ;
and though before he acted valiantly, and seemed to stand out like an
oak, yet now his heart shaketh like a leaf ; his complaint was bitter :
' The Lord hath added grief to my sorrow.' So his lamentation is ex
pressed, ver. 3. Upon this, the Lord telleth him he was about to pluck
up all, to make desolate the Jewish state and people — as he himself
knew, for he had written the roll — and should he be troubled for his
own peace and safety, and desire to live at quiet and ease when all was
going to wreck and ruin ? never dream of any such matter ; suffice it
thee well that thou escapest with thy life. God would promise to spare
his life ; nothing else, ' and seekest thou great things/ &c.
In the words we have —
1. A reproof of Baruch, ' And seekest thou great things for thy
self?'
2. A dissuasive or dehortation, ' Seek them not.'
What were these great things which he might be supposed to seek
for himself ? Rabbi David Kinichi and other Jewish writers think it
was the gift of prophecy, or the prophetical office ; that he might not
only write out the prophecies of another, but be a prophet himself.
Vatablus followeth them. But this is but a foolish conceit. The true
reason is, when he saw the prophet but newly escaped one trouble, he
was ready to fall into another ; and the Jews so wedded to their sins
SERMON UPON JEREMIAH XLV. 5. 481
that they would rather tear in pieces their reprovers than be admonished
by them ; and expected daily new troubles and torments if apprehended
and imprisoned. It was a hot business to be assistant to a prophet so
distasted : ' The Lord hath added grief to my sorrow.' So that these
great things were a prosperous and peaceable estate for his own par
ticular, or quiet, ease, and safety in the midst of so great calamity.
Are thy concerns more precious than the temple or salvation of my
people ? Leave off this dream of a pleasant life in this world. Men are
mightily addicted to self-love, and when God calleth them to endure
great things, they seek great things for themselves ; and when they
should prepare for sufferings, dream of honour, and credit, and a quiet
state in the world.
Doct. That seeking great things for ourselves is a sin very unbe
coming the people of God, especially in a time of common calamity.
Shouldst thou, an holy man — it is spoken with indignation — thou
that hast written the prophecy, and believest, be so troublously careful
for thine own safety ?
I shall first state the sin in these considerations.
First, When man fell from God, he set up himself in the place of
God. Self is the great idol of the world. Lay aside God, and self
interposeth as the next heir to the crown. As Reuben went up unto
his father's bed ; so when man had done what he could to cast God out
of the throne, self usurped divine honours. It is the end of all ouj
desires, inclinations, and endeavours, and the dominating principle ij
the soul ; the principle, rule, and end of all their actions. They li]
from self, 'in self, and to self, Phil. ii. 21. All men seek their
things, and none the things of Christ. Adam would be as God, _
vide for himself, shift for himself : ' The man is become as one of ,
His own personal contentment is his highest aim. Therefore Chjjfst,
when he came to restore the world as a prophet, establisheth self-
denial as the first lesson : Mat. xvi. 24, ' If any man will comeMfter
me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me.' /Man
would be his own god, sufficient to himself, live according to h/s own
will and for his own ends ; and there is no rectifying the nature of
man till this self-love and self-will and self-seeking be unravelled. As
a redeemer, he would discover such wonders of love in our recovery
that self-love may be checked and quitted by the obligation of an
higher love : 2 Cor. v. 14, 15, ' If he died for all, then were all dead.
And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth
live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them.'
Secondly, As self is misplaced and set in the throne of God, so self
is mistaken. The soul is not counted self, but the flesh or the body ;
and they value the interests of the bodily life before God and the true?
proper interests of the soul. The body of man is the worst half,
vilissima pars hominis, the shell, the sheath, as it is called in Daniel-
That which is man is within. To get the soul beautified by grace is
the chief thing. We never read of any man that hated his own flesh,
but there are many that wrong their souls: Prov. viii. 36, 'He that
ginneth against me wrongeth his own soul/ To please their body they
neglect their souls ; yea, to please the body with sensual and worldly
VOL. XXL 2 H
482 SERMON UPON JEREMIAH XLV. 5.
things they forfeit their souls : Mat. xvi. 26, ' What is a man profited
if he gain the whole world, and lose his soul ? ' It is in Luke, ' He
loseth himself: ' Luke ix. 25, ' And lose himself and be cast away.'
And so a man properly loseth himself while he loveth himself sinfully.
And while they seek themselves and their carnal pleasure when they
live, they lose themselves when they die. The soul is not extinguished,
but forfeited ; not in a natural, but legal sense. While they seek the
good of the body to the hurt of the soul, they do not seek their happi
ness, but the destruction both of body and soul. The merchant that
overloadeth his ship, to the drowning both of the ship and himself,
doth not seek his good, but hurt. So the man that is all for self, that
is, his body, that he may live in ease, and honour, and pomp, doth not
seek himself, but ruin himself ; and whilst he spendeth all his time
nnd care that he may live delectably and comfortably in this world, he
maketh himself miserable for ever in the other world; his soul is
snatched away of a sudden, and in time it will draw the body after it :
Luke xii. 21, ' Such a fool is he that heapeth up treasure for himself,
nnd is not rich towards God.' He only seeketh the good of his body ;
he accounteth that himself, and he seeks it to the prejudice of his soul;
bestoweth all his time, care, endeavours in providing for his perishing
carcass, and neglects to provide for his immortal soul, and so ruineth
both body and soul. In short, all sin and disorder cometh from this
self-love, mistaken and misplaced : 2 Tim. iii. 2, ' In the latter days
men shall be lovers of themselves, proud, covetous, boasters,' &c. A
long train of sin followeth. If men be lovers of themselves, they will
be covetous, proud, neglecters and blasphemers of God, haters of those
that are good ; for this lordly idol of carnal self can neither endure
superior nor equal man nor God.
Thirdly, The body being taken for self, the interests of the body and
bodily life are the main things sought after. Then they must have
great things for themselves here in this life, and so the world cometh
in as the food and supply of the flesh, and that is set up above God as
another idol. And therefore men are said to love pleasure more than
God, 2 Tim. iii. 4, and the praise of men more than the praise of God,
John xii. 42, and the profits of the world more than God, 1 John ii. 15 ;
the creature more than the Creator. Present things, that are grateful
to sense, are the only great things. ' Seekest thou great things for
thyself?'
Great things are of two sorts; either — (1.) In reality; or, (2.) Iii
appearance.
I. Great things in reality are God and Christ, the law of grace, the
promises of pardon of sin, and eternal life: Hosea v. 12, 'I have
written to them the great things of my law.' There are great things
indeed discovered in the word, as a great God, a precious Saviour, the
way of salvation : these are great things indeed. So 2 Peter i. 4, ' To
us are given exceeding great and precious promises,' TO, /ueytora
evra/ffiyeXfjuarra ; they contain spiritual and eternal riches. These
are worthy and dear-bought blessings. It argueth a low, base spirit
not to seek these spiritual and heavenly things. But these suit not
with carnal self, because they are only valued and esteemed by faith.
SERMON UPON JEREMIAH XLV. 5.
483
2. Great things in appearance. Those are worldly things which in
reality are the smallest matters, 2 Cor. vi. 2 ; but the flesh counts
them great because of the suitableness they carry to our fancies and
appetites. Great affections make the things of the world seem great ;
these are only great in our own conceit : Prov. xviii. 11, ' The rich
man's wealth is a strong tower, and an high wall in his own conceit.'
We promise ourselves much happiness from the enjoyment of these
outward things, and therefore our hearts run after them. Well, then,
these are the great things here spoken of.
Fourthly, When men seek earthly things, they seek them in an
over- great proportion, as much of the world as they can possibly get
into their hands. But you will say, How can this be applied to
Baruch, when he only sought his safety and the preservation of his
life, which was in danger by reason of his zeal and activity for God ?
I answer —
1. In troublesome times, he that would be at ease and security
seeketh great things, and to be unwilling to undergo difficulties and
dangers for God's sake is to seek great things for ourselves, for it
argueth a spirit wedded to its own worldly felicity.
2. The same disposition, allowed without check, would carry us
further. Every man, as far as he can reach, seeketh his own things.
The flesh is wise in its own matters ; at first it aimeth only to things t
which are within our grasp and reach ; but then still it enlargetl
itself, and would have more, and when that is obtained, we woulc
fain be built a story higher in the world in honour and greatness
Now God can interpret the disposition of our hearts. He judgeth
the sin not according to the actual intendment of the sinner, but t\
intent of the sin. There is finis operis, andyzms operantis. He se
how far this disposition would carry us. Every one aspireth as high
as he can, and then he would be higher. Consider Elisha's speech to
Gehazi : 2 Kings v. 26, ' Is it a time to receive money, and to receive
garments, and oliveyards, and vineyards, and sheep and oxen,, and
men-servants and maid-servants ? ' Why, he asked no such matter of
Naaman ; he asked but a talent of silver and two changes of raiment,
1 Kings v. 22. But the same covetousness and self-seeking would
carry him further. The prophet dilateth on the full end of the sin :
he that was weary of being the prophet's man, and must set up for
himself, he must then enlarge himself into a family, and then purchase
vintages, and be a great man in Israel. So Baruch seeks great things
when troubled at the danger he was in for God's sake.
Fifthly, When these great things are affected, then they are sought
after primarily and earnestly ; their most serious and continual en
deavours are after earthly things, the pleasure, honour, and profits of
the world. There is an innocent regular self-love, even to the body,
which sets the world a-work : Eccles. vi. 7, ' All a man's labour is fo 1 '
the mouth;' the support of the body and the bodily state first; a
metonymy of the subject, the mouth, for the nourishment put into it ;
then a synecdoche, a part for the whole ; food and raiment, the sum of
all that he needeth. Now this is put for whole. So Prov. ±vi. 20,
' He that laboureth, laboureth for himself ; for his mouth craveth it of
484 SERMON UPON JEREMIAH XLV. 5.
him.' The husbandman laboureth in the earth, the mariner at sea,
the shepherd in the field, the carpenter in the wood, the tradesman
in the shop, the scholar at his books ; they all labour for the mouth.
There is apparel, lodging necessary ; yet this is the most urgent necessity :
a man will sell lodging, clothing, house, land, and all that lie hath tor
his mouth: Gen. xlvii. 15-19, 'Give us bread, for why should we
die ? ' And Joseph said, ' Give your cattle,' &c.
But then there presently cometh the faulty self-love, which showeth
itself in three things — (1.1 Immoderate desires ; (2.) Immoderate en
deavours; (3.) An ill ranking of means and ends.
1. An inordinate desire. In that place quoted, Eccles. vi. 7, 'All a
man's labour is for the mouth; yet the appetite is not filled.' The
covetous desire of the worldling remaineth still insatiable ; though he
hath abundant provision for his necessary wants, yet he toileth still as
if he had nothing. The mouth is a narrow portal, the stomach not very
large, the whole man not above five foot long ; yet his mind not satisfied,
no satisfaction nor contentment in his present state: Phil. iv. 11, 'I
have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. But
godliness with contentment is great gain ; ' ver. 8, ' Having food and
raiment, let us be therewith content ; ' Heb. xiii. 5, ' Let your conver
sation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye
have,' &c. If it were so, we would comply with providence without
distraction, or complaining that God hath added grief to our sorrow.
But when our wandering desires still covet and crave more, we cannot
so well trust ourselves with God, and refer all issues and events to his
good providence ; and would not grudge and repine against God, and
give way to heartless dejection. But when we set our thoughts on great
things, we would be maintained at such a rate, and have us and ours
thus provided for, then Baruch's complaint will be ours. And there
fore Baruch's reproof must be ours also. We cannot go about our duty
with cheerfulness, but are full of fears and troubles ; for it is lusts that
breed our disquiet.
2. Immoderate endeavours. Carnal self-love will so wholly engross
our endeavours, that better cares will be jostled out, and God and heaven
will be neglected, the stream of our most industrious thoughts and cares
run in another channel. We are bidden to labour for the meat that
perisheth not ; and 1 Cor. xv. 58, ' Be steadfast, unmovable, always
abounding in the work of the Lord.' We cannot do too much there.
But alas ! the lean kine devour the fat ; the only great things are little
sought after, but the fancied great things do continually set us a- work ,
;md there appeareth not half that care, not the hundredth-part of care
lor heaven and the grace of Christ as there is for the pleasures, honours,
and profits of the world.
3. A disorderly ranking of means and ends. There should be a
subordination of all our labours to higher ends. Baruch was not to
consider of life and livelihood, but to discharge his duty ; but he look-
eth to life and safety, and subordinated the command of God to that
end : Mat. vi. 33, ' Seek first the kingdom of God.' All Christians should
first seek to honour God, and please God, and enjoy God. But we
prefer our own ease, quiet, profit, before the glory of God, and our pre-
SERMON UPON JEREMIAH XLV. 5. 485
sent good before our future ; and, to get the world, lose ourselves, sell
the soul, break our peace, part with better things for these things' sake,
sell our birthright for a iness of pottage, dig for iron with mattocks
of gold and silver, and so grossly seek after great things for our
selves.
Sixthly, That God's people have not wholly divested themselves of
this evil frame of heart. Self-love is not extinguished in them, but
-only mortified. They do not so grossly, heinously, and principally
gratify carnal self ; yet ease is good ; they would have the world
friendly ; and when they cannot reconcile God's dispensations and their
selfish and fleshly inclinations, their hearts are disquieted.
Reasons — (1.) Self is dear ; (2.) The world is near ; (3.) Faith is
weak ; (4.) Love to God is not so fervent as it should be.
1. Self is dear. A man is not wholly dispossessed of carnal self till
he come to heaven. Flesh dwelleth in them, as well as the Spirit :
Gal. v. 17, ' The flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against
the flesh.' As long as flesh dwelleth in them, they would have things
grateful to sense ; and sometimes in such an inordinacy that they can- >
not so sweetly trust God when dangers assault them, or submit to God /
when his providence is past ; but they bewray, before the event, some-
diffidence ; after the event, some impatience.
2. The world is near. While the soul dwelleth in flesh, and looketJf
out by the senses, present things will work upon us : ' Demas hath fcf-
saken us, having loved this present world,' 2 Tim. iv. 10. Partial de
fection, forsaking Paul's company, loath to undergo the hazards of me
gospel ; so Baruch here.
3. Faith is weak, which should carry us to the world to com0 : 2
Cor. iv. 18, ' While we look not at the things which are seen, bit at
the things which are not seen : for the things which are seen are'tem-
poral, but the things which are not seen are eternal.' It is not easy to
shut the eye of sense or open that of faith.
4. Love to God is not so fervent but that it suffereth some abatement
by carnal self-love : 2 Tim. i. 7, 8, ' I put thee in remembrance, that
thou stir up the gift of God which is in thee. For God hath not given
us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,' &c.
Timothy needed to be put in remembrance. It is hard to deny all for
an unseen God.
Seventhly, The children of God may have too great desires of their
own peace, safety, and welfare before some imminent calamity; as
Zebedee's children: Mat. xx. 19-21, 'Then came the mother of
Zebedee's children, with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring !l
certain thing cf him. And he said unto her, What wilt thou ? $ ie
saith unto him, Grant that these my two sons may sit, the one on thy
right hand, and the other on the left in thy kingdom.' Christ had but
newly foretold his passion. Oh, how hard a thing is it to get rid of the
love of the world, and pleasant dreams about it ! The apostles and
their friends dream of an earthly kingdom, and worldly honour to
•Christ's servants, notwithstanding he did so often tell them the con
trary, and did study to prepare them for the cross. Oh, how necessary
486 SERMON UPON JEREMIAH XLV. 5.
is it that all should watch their hearts, that the love of the world may-
riot creep upon them ! Once more, the disciples quarrelled at Christ's
last supper who should be greatest, Luke xxii. 24, which should be
looked upon as the worthiest, and so be preferred before the rest. So-
Baruch here, who had written the roll, and believed it, and so must
know that God was about to pluck up and cast down ; yet he seeketh
his own personal welfare, loath to hazard his interests for God. The
best men are too much apt to be taken up with a care of their own
safety, and so neglect their duty.
Reasons.
1. That it is a sin misbecoming the people of God.
[1.] They have chosen God for their portion, and so seek all their
happiness and comfort in him, and not delight in anything apart from
God. If they lose all, they have enough in God : 1 Sam. xxx. 6, ' The
people spake of stoning him, but David encouraged himself in the Lord
his God ; ' Hab. iii. 18, ' Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, &c. r
yet I will rejoice in theljord; I will joy in the God of my salvation.'
On the contrary, Saul comforted himself in the creature when he had
lost God's favour : 1 Sam. xv. 29, 30, ' Then he said, I have sinned :
yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and
before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord
thy God.' The Lord hath rejected thee ; yet honour me before the
people. He should have mourned to get God's favour again. To
rejoice in anything besides God, that is, apart from God, and not in
order to him, is adultery. Covetousness, which is but another word
for seeking great things for ourselves, is sometimes called idolatry, Eph.
v. 3, because it is a setting up another chief good, and so another God.
And sometimes adultery: James iv. 4, 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses,
know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God ?
Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is the enemy of God.'
If God hath given thee the creatures as servants, they must not come
into the master's bed.
[2.] They have resigned themselves to God, are not their own, and
have nothing their own, but in order to God : 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20, ' Know
ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is it*
you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own ? For ye are
bought with a price : therefore glorify God in your body, and in your
spirit, which are God's ; ' Eom. xiv. 18, ' He that in these things serveth
Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of men.'
[3.] You cannot seek great things for yourselves, but you must make
light of Christ ; when a man seeks things, but doth not seek the things
of Christ also : Phil. ii. 2, ' All seek their own, and not the things which
ure Jesus Christ's.' They are propounded as davcrraTa, that is, his-
own things chiefly and principally. If he be thus addicted to his own,
things, he will seek them before and more than the things of Christ ;
his own profit and preferment, his own praise and glory, more than the
profit, praise, and honour of Christ and his gospel. The Gadarene*
preferred hogs before Christ, the merchants their merchandise, the
farmers their farms, Mat. xxii. 3. At least it will be a blot upon your
service ; you cannot act with such a pure spirit when you seek your
SERMON UPON JEREMIAH XLV. 5. 487
o'.vn ease, safety, profit, not caring what becometh of Christ and his
interest in the world.
[4.] Self-seeking is very dishonourable to religion. The world is
very sensible of it : Job i. 9, ' Doth Job serve God for nought ? ' The
world, which is upheld by a combination of interests, judge of others
by themselves, think religion is but a cleaner way of self-seeking.
Therefore if we seek great things for ourselves, we lie open to their
reproach.
[5.] Our Kedeemer pleased not himself, Rom. xv. 3 ; therefore he
taught us not his religion that we might make an advantage of it to
scramble for worldly things.
[6.] It is not only an evil thing, but an evil sign, to be carried out
to temporal things for self-ends. Some sins are evil, but not evil signs;
as sudden passions, fainting in great troubles, vain thoughts. But this
is an evil sign : James iv. 4, ' Know ye not that the friendship of the
world is enmity with God ? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the
world, is the enemy of God ; ' and 1 John ii. 15, ' Love not the world,
neither the things that are in the world ; if any man love the world,
the love of the Father is not in him.'
2. Especially in the calamities of the church and people of God. The
time maketh sins more odious : ' Is this a time to receive money,' &c.,
2 Kings v. 26. It is to lay a stumbling-block in the way of new con
verts. Christ was angry with the pharisees for not discerning the
signs of the times. It is noted as a great shame in the enemies that
they gave themselves to jollity when the people of God were devoted
to destruction : Esther iii. 15, ' And the king and Haman sat down to
<lrink, but the city Shushan was perplexed.' That jollity is noted when
the ruin of God's people was determined, and that they used carnal
jollity when it was a time of mourning. It is too soft and delicate a
thing for one's self to desire security and safety when the whole is in
danger. It is as if we were building our own nests when the tree is cut
ting down, or mending our cabin when the ship is likely to be torn in pieces
or sinking. Is it a time to drive a trade for ourselves when we should
drive it for heaven ? We will not be diverted from the creature when God
seemeth ready to snatch it out of our hands. The holy men of God
would take their share and lot with God's people. Joseph was high,
yet made no provision for his children in Egypt ; they went with their
brethren into Canaan. Moses chose rather affliction with the people of
God, &c., Heb. xi. 25. God maketh him his minister to disinherit the
seed of Moloch, and people of God come out of Moses' loins : ' Blot me
out of thy book.' Joshua thought of no inheritance for himself, till
by lot he had given inheritance to all the tribes.
Use. To dissuade us from seeking great things for ourselves. To
this end —
1. Take down self. What greatness is in this self that thou
shouldst be of such account with God, or that thou dost so project
for it ? What a low conceit of themselves have the best saints had ?
'I am a worm, and no man,' saith Christ. The least of saints, the
greatest of sinners, saith Paul. The best of God's children have abhorred
themselves, like the spire of a steeple, minimus in summo, the least at
the highest. David a king, yet like a weaned child.
488 SERMON UPON JEREMJAH XLV. 5.
2. What are these great things which carnal sense craveth ? The
world, ol/crj/jia, 1 Cor. vii. 31, an empty pageantry, a fair outside, not
skin-deep. Broken cisterns hold but a little ; if God shall fill them up,
they cannot hold, but leak out our comfort if not filled again. God hathr
written a book on purpose to take off men's hearts from the creatures,
and employed Solomon about it, who took not only a sensual but a
critical delight in them, and he found them all vanity and vexation of
spirit.
END OF VOL. XXI.
PRINTED BY BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY
EDINBURGH AND LONDON
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