A Rebuke to Backsliders and a Spur for Loiterers, Sermon (2 of 5)

A Rebuke to Backsliders and a Spur for Loiterers · Sermon (2 of 5)

p. 572. Committing to Chriſt, notes our leaning upon Chriſt, and dependance on Him in a quiet and confident expectation of his helping us, and holding us on our way, according to his promiſe. The grounds whereof are our being ſatisfied concerning His promiſe, His ſufficiency and fidelity, Cant. 8.9. Who is this that cometh up out of the Wilderneſs, leaning on her Beloved? The weak or weary Traveller, if he hath whereon to lean, if it be but a Staff or a Stile, or a Tree, on which he may lean himſelf, he finds eaſe and reſt. Chriſtians lean and depend on Chriſt, and this gives them courage for their work, and eaſe and reſt in their ſpirits; their truſt in Chriſt, notes ſuch a repoſe of their ſouls, ſuch a dependance on his ſufficiency, on his fidelity, p. 58as quiets, and ſuſtains and ſtays their hearts in hope of his help, and in peace and comfort; and ſo 'tis expreſt, Iſa. 50.10. Let him truſt in the Name of the Lord, and ſtay himſelf upon his God. Chriſtians have their doubts and their fears, and their darkneſs, and their tempeſts; even (their) hearts alſo are ſometimes like a troubled Sea; and how ſadly are they toſſed with the Tempeſts: But how do they ſtand under all this? How is it that they are not ſunk and over-whelmed, and utterly loſt in all this? Their truſt is their ſtrength, they ſtay themſelves upon the Lord. I am in a poor caſe Lord, hard beſet, hard beſtead, I know not what to do, nor what to make of my ſelf, nor how to help my ſelf; only mine Eyes are towards thee, thou art my Rock and my Refuge. I have given this ſoul of mine to thee, 'tis thine own, and thereupon I have committed it to thy cuſtody. Look thou to it Lord, thou haſt undertataken for me, and that ſhall ſatisfie me, there I will lean, I will ſtay, I will repoſe my fearing wearied ſoul.

2. This truſt in Chriſt makes much for our improvement and eſtabliſhment in Chriſtianity: For,

1. It is our taking hold on Chriſt. As the Anchor takes hold on the Rock, as the Root takes hold on the Tree, ſo Faith takes hold on Chriſt; and the higher our Believing is grown up into affiance or truſting, the ſtronger is its hold.

2. It will anſwer to all our doubts and fears, and to all the doubting queſtions that the anxious ſoul will be pulling in for reſolution and ſatisfaction, which whilſt they remain unreſolved, he is never like to go comfortably or proſperouſly on his way.

There are amongſt Multitudes of others, theſe three great caſes it ſees before it, which it muſt have reſolution in.

p. 591. Saith the ſoul, I have a Wilderneſs to paſs through; this world is a Wilderneſs, and the time of my Life is my Travelling through this Wilderneſs, wherein I ſhall find much work and hard uſage: who ſhall help me through this Wilderneſs?

2. I have a Jordain to paſs over, I muſt paſs through the Vale of the ſhaddow of Death; I muſt dye, who ſhall bring me over Jordain.

3. I have an Inheritance that lyes beyond the River, on the other ſide Death; who ſhall give me poſſeſſion of mine Inheritance? Truſt anſwers to all, to all the doubts that ariſe in theſe three caſes.

The firſt caſe is moſt immediately proper to our buſineſs in hand, but I ſhall crave leave to ſpeak a few words alſo to the two latter, which will be, at leaſt of this uſe, to knock in what I ſhall ſpeak upon the former.

1. Caſe. I have a Wilderneſs to paſs through, the time of my life is a paſſing through the Wilderneſs; who ſhall help me through it? And here the ſoul will put two particular queſtions.

1. Who ſhall lead me my way through the VVilderneſs? Here are many ways, many falſe ways, many croſs ways, and but one that is the right way: How ſhall I hit my may to Heaven, the right way that leads thither-wards? Who will ſhew me, and lead me in this way? Here Truſt anſwers, Chriſt will do it, I lean upon him to be my Moſes to lead me in the way that I ſhould go. Thou wilt guide me with thy Councel, Pſal. 73.24. Chriſt hath gone the way before his Saints, and he will ſhew them his ſteps to direct them: Therefore the Apoſtle exhorts, Heb. 12.2. Run the Race—looking to Jeſus; as for encouragement, ſo for direction; follow not the foot-ſteps of the Sheep only, but follow the foot-ſteps of the Shepheard, and walk on as he walked before thee. p. 60But how ſhall I find the way, or the ſteps wherein Chriſt walked? Jer. 10.23. It is not in Man that walketh, to direct his ſteps. How can a Man underſtand his own ways, Prov. 20.24. There are many hard and intricate caſes, where I may be at a ſtand, and not know which way to take: Their anſwer is, as Pſal. 143.8. In thee do I truſt, cauſe me to know the way wherein I ſhould walk, for I lift up my ſoul to thee; and v. 10. Thy Spirit is good, lead me into the Land of Ʋprightneſs; I truſt thou wilt, thou wilt guide me by thy Counſel, and bring me to glory.

2. Queſtion, Who ſhall ſupply and ſuſtain me in the Wilderneſs? This World is a dry and barren Land; I muſt have Bread to ſtrengthen me, I muſt have water to refreſh me, whence ſhall I be ſupplyed? Why I truſt in Chriſt for ſupplyes, He will give me Manna, will rain down Bread from Heaven for me; He will be a ſpringing Rock to me, of whoſe ſtreams I ſhall be refreſhed: Such a Rock there was in the Wilderneſs of old; and the Apoſtle tells me, 1 Cor. 10.4. This Rock was Chriſt. Chriſtians are ſenſible that their ſtock of Proviſions which they carry with them, will not laſt; that little Grace they have, thoſe little Comforts they have, will be quickly ſpent and waſted if there be not continually freſh ſupplyes: Whence ſhall I be ſupplyed? Truſt anſwers as the Apoſtle in another caſe, Phil. 4.19. My God will ſupply all my wants, according to the Riches of his Grace by Chriſt Jeſus. I truſt he will. I am often as a dry Tree, my ſoul within me is as a barren Wilderneſs; I have every day my work coming upon me, work for mine own Soul, work for my Family, work for my Friends and Enemies. I have every day my wants coming upon me, I want Faith, I want Love, I want Life, and Zeal, and Strength; O how poor and low is it with me! my Soul hungreth and p. 61thirſteth, and fainteth within me, and now what ſhall I do? I will get me to the Rock, and there will I truſt. I will truſt in Chriſt, his Grace ſhall be ſufficient for me, 2 Cor. 12.9. of his fulneſs I hope to receive, even Grace for Grace.

Chriſtians, is this at any time the caſe of your ſouls? Are you diſcouraged by your Poverty and Barrenneſs? Do you complain how weak and inſufficient you are for your work, how low and ſcant 'tis with you in reſpect of Grace and Strength? Do you doubt how you ſhall hold up, and hold on? Do you thirſt and faint after the influences of Heaven? Do you fear you ſhall waſt and wither, and conſume away in your ſouls Penury? O to the Rock, to the Rock, go to Chriſt, and truſt him for ſupplies. There are theſe three things that he looks you ſhould depend upon him for. 1. For the continued influence of his Grace, whereby to hold and maintain your ſouls in life. 2. For aſſiſtance in Duty, for his Spirit to help your Infirmities, and to work your works in you. 3. For all needful and neceſſary Comforts.

You are yet but Children, and as Children you have not your ſtock in your own hands, you have but from hand to mouth, every day you will need new proviſions: You are Children, and as Children, can't go alone; without me (ſaies Chriſt) you can do nothing, Joh. 15.5. You are apt to be comfortleſs Children, and 'tis He that hath ſaid, Iſa. 51.12. I even I am He that comforteth you: Learn to know your own ſtate, and carry it accordingly. Haſt thou Grace? Improve it, preſerve it, and make the beſt of it; but never count you have enough to laſt you till you come home; you muſt to the Breaſts every day, you muſt to Chriſt for your daily Bread, or you will quickly ſtarve. Haſt thou a little ſtrength; p. 62ſtrength for Duty? Improve it to the utmoſt, be diligent and buſie in the work of the Lord, in every good work, in Hearing and Praying, and Watching, and ſtriving againſt ſin, in mortifying the Fleſh, in helping and ſtrengthning one another; do what-ever you can, be as active and ſtirring, and induſtrious as poſſible, but go not in your own ſtrength, truſt not to the ſtrength you have, but let this be your hold which was the Apoſtles, Phil. 4.13. I ſhall be able to do all things through Chriſt, which ſtrengtheneth me. Truſt ye in the Lord Jehovah, truſt ye in the Lord Jeſus, for in him is everlaſting ſtrength, Iſa. 26.4. Have ye comfort in your hearts? Say not as the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 30.5. I ſhall never be moved, thou Lord of thy goodneſs haſt made my Mountain ſo ſtrong, but know that you will need to fetch in freſh comforts as you have of daily ſupplies of ſtrength.

Well, thus this Truſt will anſwer to theſe and all other the doubting queſtions that a Chriſtian will have to put in his life-time, whilſt he lives in this Wilderneſs; who will ſhew me my way, who will ſuſtain me in my way, till I come to my Journeys end, &c. Chriſt will do it, I truſt He will.

2. Caſe. I have a Jordain to paſs over, I muſt dye, who will bring me over Jordain, who will ſtand by me in that hour? He is an eſtabliſhed Chriſtian who is able to dye; who can ſay with the Apoſtle, To me to live is Chriſt, to dye is gain, none of theſe things move me. I am ready to be offered up, I deſire to depart and to be with Chriſt. Then is the Life of Jeſus moſt ſignally manifeſted in our mortal Fleſh, when we can by Faith tryumph over mortality.

But as for me, I am afraid to dye; I am one of their weakly ſouls, who for fear of death, are all their life-time ſubject to Bondage. I walk unevenly and uncomelily, becauſe upon this account I walk ſo p. 63uncomfortably. How may I out-grow my fears, and come to a ſettlement? How ſhall I do to dye? If I could dye, I could live to better purpoſe than now I do, or can: What ſhall I have to comfort me? Whom ſhall I have to ſtand by me in that hour? Truſt anſwers, why Chriſt will ſtand by me. He that hath taught me to live, will I truſt, help me to dye. He hath conquer'd Death, he hath diſarm'd, and pluck'd out the ſting of Death, He hath broken the head of that Leviathan: 'Twas He that ſaid, Hoſ. 13.14. O Death, I will be thy death, O Grave, I will be thy deſtruction. He hath ſaid it, and He hath done it; He himſelf hath paſſed over that Jordain, and hath thereby made a way for his Ranſomed to paſs over. He will ſend his Angels to conduct me through that ſhady and diſmal paſſage; He knows what it is to dye, how hard the conflict is with the laſt Enemy, and what ſpecial need I ſhall have of his help in that hour; and therefore hath ſaid, I will never fail thee nor forſake thee, Heb. 13.5. If I can but hold me by him while I live, I will hang upon him when I dye, and with Confidence ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 23.4. Though I walk through the Valley of t…e ſhaddow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me: He hath ſaid, Joh. 11.25. Whoever liveth, and believeth in me, though he were dead, yet ſhall he live: He hath ſaid, Rev. 20.6. Bleſſed is he that hath part in the firſt Reſurrection, on him the ſecond death ſhall have no power. Come on therefore O my ſoul, fear not to lanch forth into the deep; truſt in Chriſt, He that hath delivered, and doth deliver, will alſo deliver in that day, [from] death he will not deliver, it's appointed to all once to dye, there's no repealing that Statute, but He will deliver [in] death, He will by death deliver me from all my fears and ſorrows. Who of all His, ever miſcarryed in p. 64death? Look to this, that thou be one of His, hold thee by Him, cleave to Him, follow Him while thou liveſt, be faithful to Him to the death, and truſt to Him, He will be faithful to thee in death.

3. Caſe. I have an Inheritance which I hope for in the Land of Promiſe: And here the queſtion will be, Who ſhall give me entrance, who ſhall give me poſſeſſion of mine Inheritance? There is a great Gulf fixed betwixt me and Glory; there is a Judgment that I muſt paſs through in my entrance into the Reſt of God; and in that Judgment I muſt paſs under a ſtrict and ſevere examination, and give an account of my ſelf, and of all my ways unto God. O how ſhall I ſtand in the Judgments, or who ſhall ſtand by me? I am a Sinner, a guilty ſoul before the Lord, and mine Iniquities are all marked before Him. Once I was an Enemy to Chriſt, and how much hath he againſt me for that time? Since I became his Servant, and Solemnly Covenanted and Vowed my ſelf to Him, Vowed Repentance, Vowed Obedience, Vowed Holineſs to him, O what a Servant have I been? What an idle and ſloathful Servant? What a barren and unprofitable Servant? He hath made me his Child, but O what a wanton, unruly, froward Child have I been? How often have I turn'd aſide from him, and ſerv'd my Fleſh and this preſent World? O my Pride and Hypocriſie, O my trifling and my haltings after the Lord, O the reproaches that have fallen upon his Name by my unworthy, uneven, and uncomely walking before him? How ſhall I anſwer for this in the Judgment, or who ſhall anſwer for me? Who ſhall ſtop the Mouth of my Accuſer in that day? Chriſt I truſt will do it; I put my whole Cauſe into his Hand, He ſhall be my Advocate againſt my Accuſer, whom I will truſt to plead for me; He hath his Stripes and his Wounds, He hath p. 65his Blood and his Death to anſwer for me. It is Chriſt that dyed, who ſhall condemn, Rom. 8.34.

But what ſhall I have to confirm my truſt in Chriſt? and to ſecure me, that he will anſwer for me? There be many that lay claim to Chriſt amongſt the Unbelievers & the workers of Iniquity; they will put their truſt in Chriſt, and will call to him, Lord, Lord, open to me, Mat. 7.22, 23. Lord, Lord, anſwer for me; to whom he will ſay, Away from me, I know you not. I will not ſpeak a word for you, ye workers of Iniquity. O what ſhall I have to ſecure me from ſuch a repulſe, and to aſſure me that he will be an Advocate for me? If I can but get Chriſt to be mine Advocate, there's no doubt then but my matters will be good, and the cauſe will go for me; here's the difficulty: What ſhall I have to prove my title to Chriſt and his Advocation? and to ſecure me that he will undertake for me? Why, my very truſt (if it be ſincere) will prove my Title. He that truſteth in him ſhall not be confounded. And for the evidencing the ſincerity of this truſt, a confirmed Chriſtian will have this to ſay, Through the grace of God, I have the teſtimony of a good Conſcience and an holy Converſation; my works of Faith, and my labours of Love, my mortified Sins, this crucified and conquered World, through the Spirit of Chriſt within me, for whom I have forſaken all and followed Him, theſe will atteſt the truth of my truſt; though none of theſe things, none of my Graces, none of my Dutyes can anſwer for me, or acquit me in the Judgment, or open the door of Glory to me, yet they will be good evidences to prove my claim to Chriſt that can and will do it. When Chriſt ſhall plead, I have dyed for Sinners, and thereupon ſhall challenge Abſolution and entrance for thoſe that have believed in Him, and obeyed his Goſpel; the Accuſer will reply, p. 66But this Man hath not believed, hath not obeyed the Goſpel; but now if I can get that to be evidenced by the teſtimony of a good Conſcience and my holy Converſation, then the mouth of the Accuſer will be ſtopped for ever againſt me; and ſo an entrance ſhall be adminiſtred to me abundantly into the everlaſting Kingdom. And here now is the truſt of the Saints, and its tryumph over all matters of doubt and difficulties that lye between them and everlaſting Glory. From hence may they take up thoſe words of the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 15. Death, where is thy Sting? Grave, yea Sin, Hell, Devil, where is your Victory? Thanks be to God, who hath given me the Victory through our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

From what hath been ſaid, learn by the way, 1. That the life of a Chriſtian in this World, is to be a life of truſt. 2. That a life of truſt is an excellent and deſirable life, and worth your reaching after. But theſe I ſhall ſpeak to, together.

Chriſt is to be truſted not only for the world to come, to give us entrance into Heaven, but for this world alſo to lead and help us on, to be with us in all our way from firſt to laſt. Our great difficulty, and our great danger of miſcarrying, is not ſo much in our end, as in our way to it: As hard as 'tis to dye well, 'tis harder to live well: Though the laſt Enemy, Death, looks with a more frightful face, yet our Enemies that we meet with all along our lives, Sin, and Luſt, and Temptation, do us the moſt deadly miſchief. He that hath conquered Sin, need not fear to encounter Death; do but live an Holy Life, and then be nothing careful how ye ſhall dye. Thoſe Saints, Heb. 11. Abel, Abraham, Sarah, with the reſt of them, 'tis Recorded that they liv'd by Faith; it's ſaid of them, v. 13. They all dyed by Faith, not one amongſt them miſcarryed in Death, who by p. 67Faith kept cloſe to God in their lives.

Now our great difficulty and danger being in our lives, there is the moſt need of truſting in Chriſt for his conduct through this World, and this being that which I am now eſpecially directing you to be reaching to, that I may more effectually lead you on to ſuch a life of truſt, I ſhall yet more particularly ſhew you that Chriſt muſt be truſted for,

1. Our entrance into Religion.

2. Our progreſs in Religion.

3. Our perſeverance in Religion.

1. It is Chriſt that muſt do the firſt work for us, muſt bring us in at the ſtraight Gate, and give us entrance into Religion. Who brought Iſrael out of Egypt? Cut out a paſſage for them through the Red Sea, and ſet them into the way of the Promiſed Land? 'Twas the ſame Moſes that conducted them through the Wilderneſs. Chriſtians, you that have paſſed the New Birth, and have broken out of the Womb; you that are eſcaped out of Egypt, that ſtate of Bondage you once were in, with the reſt of this miſerable World, and are now gotten ſafe into the way of life; Who is it that hath helped you hitherto? Are you not beholden to Chriſt for this? As it was ſaid of the ſecond Reſurrection, 1 Cor. 15.22. ſo 'tis true of the firſt Reſurrection, As in Adam all dye, even ſo in Chriſt ſhall all be made alive. Are there any living ſouls amongſt you? 'Tis Chriſt who is your Life. And who is it that muſt help after, and bring in thoſe that are behind, and quicken thoſe that are yet dead? Is it not the ſame Jeſus that muſt do it? Sinners, you that have been left dead in your ſins, ſome of you have not trod one ſtep towards the New Birth, others of you have been brought to the Birth, but ſtill ſtick in the Womb: What hope have you, that you ſhall ever be new Born? If you be not new Born, there's p. 68no hope of you, but you muſt dye for ever; better you had never been Born into this World, then not to be Born a new to Chriſt: You muſt dye, there's no help for you, there's no hope of you, you muſt dye eternally, the ſecond Death will ſeize upon you, and ſwallow you up for ever if you be not Born the ſecond time. You are yet without the Gate, and if you dye there, dye in your ſins, dye in your ignorance, in your impenitence and unbelief; if ye dye without the ſtreight Gate, you go down quick into the Pit.

Now what hope is there of your being brought in? Multitudes of your Predeceſſors in ſin, have never come in, have liv'd and dyed, and gone to their Graves, and gone down to Hell in their impenitence, and down you are going apace: What hope is there now, that you may ſtop before you come there, that you may be brought about, out of that common rode, that broad way that you are going, and brought into the narrow gate, that gate of Life? May be you will ſay, Chriſt I truſt will do it; and the truth is, that's all you have to ſay, that's all the hope you have; there's the ſame Jeſus before you, who hath brought in ſo many others, who ſays to you all, as Iſa. 45.22. Look unto me, and ye ſhall be ſaved. None cometh to the Father, but by me; and Joh. 6.37. Him that cometh to me, that will truſt upon me, to bring him to God, I will in no wiſe caſt him out. Go to Jeſus Sinners, tell him, Lord, thou haſt told me that none can come to the Father, can turn from his ſins and come in unto God, but by thee; this thou haſt told me, and I have found it true; I cannot come in of my ſelf, mine own heart hangs back, hangs after my ſins, and this world, and hangs back from God. Miniſters cannot bring me in, they have been almoſt all my life long dealing with me; threatning me in, perſwading p. 69and beſeeching me in, but cannot prevail: Poor wretched Creature that I am, after all the means that have been uſed to bring me in to God, behold I am an hardned impenitent ſoul to this day, and ſo I am like to dye for all that they can do to help me: I have nothing left for it, but only thy help, Oh Lord, and thy word for it, that thou wilt help me, and wilt not put me back if I come to thee: This being all mine hope, I come unto thee, I caſt my ſelf upon that bleſſed Word, Help O King of Saints, help O Saviour of Sinners; Chriſt help, Chriſt help this poor ſoul of mine; help me to God, that I may live; having nothing elſe for it, upon this I muſt venture, upon thee I muſt lean; I come to thy door, there I will lye, begging and crying, and hoping that thou wilt put forth thine hand and help me in. Lord open to me, I truſt yet thou wilt, and in this truſt I will continue crying and begging till thou have Mercy on me, and bring me within this ſtraight gate, the gate of Life.

2. 'Tis Chriſt that muſt do all our following works for us. By him we have our entrance, and through him we muſt make our progreſs; He muſt bring us in at the ſtraight gate, muſt convert our ſouls, and 'tis He that muſt help us on in the narrow way, and conduct our ſouls through all the duties and difficulties of our whole life. The Mother muſt Nurſe the Child as well as bring it forth into the World; the Child muſt be carryed in Armes, muſt be Suckled and ſupported, and muſt afterward be taught to ſpeak, and taught to go; and though our Children may, yet God's Children will never be taught to go alone while they live. They muſt keep by their Fathers ſide, they muſt be led by their Fathers hand as long as they live. Chriſt muſt do all this for his Children, and He will do it, Iſa. 40.11. He will gather his Lambs with his Armes, p. 70He will carry them in his Boſom, and gently lead them.

When we are entred into the ſtrait gate, when we are paſſed the New Birth, the great difficulty is over; Sinners, there are many difficult paſſages between you and the Kingdom of Heaven, through all which you muſt paſs or periſh. There are theſe three hard paſſages, the ſtraits of the Womb, or the difficulties of the New Birth; the ſtrait courſe, or the difficulties of Life; the hard paſſage at the end, the difficulties at Death. But the great difficulty is the firſt, when you are once paſſed the Birth, the great difficulty will be over. If you go on and dye in your ſins, then there is not only a difficulty, but an impoſſibility; there is a great Gulf fixed between Heaven and Hell, Luk. 16. So that they that would, cannot paſs from Hell to Heaven. O keep you out of Hell, when once you come there, you cannot eſcape; thank God, that yet, though it be hard, yet 'tis poſſible for you to get to Heaven; and you that are Saints, may rejoyce, that with you the great difficulty is over.

But yet the narrow way, in which you muſt continue, is an hard way. The narrow way, by which you muſt paſs to glory, is that courſe of Holineſs wherein you muſt hold on to the end: There's no getting to Heaven but by this narrow way, and there's no getting through this narrow way but by help from Chriſt; and therefore your whole life muſt be a life of truſt, of truſt in Chriſt, Chriſt muſt be truſted,

1. For the helping us forward in all his Holy ways.

2. For the helping us through the ſufferings we ſhall meet with in his ways.

p. 711. For the helping us forward in all his Holy ways. 'Tis from Him we muſt expect to proſper in our way, 'tis He that muſt lead us on towards, and raiſe and work us up to that holy Conformity of heart and life to him, wherein our ſouls proſperity ſtands. Here I ſhall ſhortly ſhew you,

1. That our progreſs in Religion is to be meaſured by the degree of our conformity to Christ.

2. That eminent Conformity to Chriſt, is that which Christians have, or ſhould have in their eye.

3. That Chriſtians falling ſo much ſhort of this Conformity to Chriſt, fall under many doubts and fears, whether ever they ſhall attain to it.

4. Their truſt in Chriſt, is their help againſt all their doubts and fears.

1. Our progreſs in Religion is to be meaſured by the degree of our conformity to Chriſt. There's a double conformity to Chriſt,

To his Image.

To his Will.

Our being renewed according to his Image, in our inner Man, and our being governed by his Word, both in our inward and outward Man. Now by how much the nearer we are made like unto Chriſt, by how much the more of the Image of his Holineſs, there is engraven upon our hearts, and by how much the more compliance there is of our ways with the will and holy word of Chriſt, ſo much the more progreſs have we made in Religion.

2. This holy conformity to Chriſt is that which Chriſtians have, or ſhould have in their eye and deſire. Chriſt is a Chriſtians Prize, and a Chriſtians pattern. He is the Prize which a Chriſtian runs for; what would you have as the fruit of all your labours and ſufferings? O Chriſt, Chriſt, that Chriſt may be mine; and he is their Pattern, the pattern that God hath ſet p. 72before them, and that they alſo have ſet before themſelves that their eye and their heart is ſet upon. What is your aim? What is it that you are reaching towards, and working up your ſelves unto? What manner of perſons would you be? How would you live? If you may have your wiſh, or your deſire, what is it? What would you be? How would you live? O let me be made conformable to Chriſt. We may find both theſe in the Apoſtles eye, in compariſon of which, he counted all things but loſs and dung, Phil. 3.8, 9, 10. that he may win Chriſt, and that he may be conformable to Chriſt. For whom I have ſuffered the loſs of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Chriſt, and be found in him; and v. 10. that I may know him, and the power of his Reſurrection, and the fellowſhip of his Sufferings, and be made conformable to his Death. Every Chriſtian is of the ſame mind, all is dung in compariſon of him; and 'tis not only to be found in Chriſt, that he ſo earneſtly deſires, but alſo to be made conformable to him. They would live as he lived, and as he would have them live; they would not only, that they may be bleſſed in Chriſt, but that Chriſt may be pleaſed in them. They never have their wills, but when Chriſt hath his will of them. It does not ſuffice me ſaith a Chriſtian, that I have hopes of getting to Heaven by Chriſt at laſt, I muſt be more holy here; I would live ſo, that my ways may pleaſe Chriſt: How can I bear it to be ſo unlike to him, to be ſo often breaking out, and breaking looſe from him? O that I might hold me cloſe by Him, that I might in my whole courſe pleaſe the Lord. I would fain be a more exact and perfect Chriſtian. All this the Apoſtle follows ſo hard after, Phil. 3.12. Not as though I had already obtained, or were already perfect, but I follow after, if I may apprehend.

p. 73Brethren, this is as far forth as you are Chriſtians, and this ſhould be the ſum of your deſires and aims, to get as near as poſſible to an exact conformity to Chriſt, both to his Image, that as he was, ſo you may be in this World, and to his will, that you may ſtand compleat in all the wills of Chriſt.

3. Chriſtians falling ſo much ſhort of that holy conformity to Chriſt, they deſire, do fall under many doubts and fears how they ſhall attain. O how ſhort do I fall of ſuch an holy frame, of ſuch an holy and undefiled courſe! When I look upon what I would be, and what I am, what a diſtance is there, how far am I yet behind, how hardly can I reconcile my looſe and lazy heart, to ſuch a ſtrict and holy courſe? My untoward heart, O how it ſlugs and hangs back, and will not come on! O how it boggles & breaks looſe, how many a ſtep doth it make out of this narrow, into the broad way! O how it luſts after the eaſe and liberties of the fleſh, and how often doth it turn aſide from Chriſt to the vain ways and lying vanities of this preſent World? When I would be totally conformed to the Law of Chriſt, I find another Law in my members, carrying me out to a compliance with the Law of Sin. I am warping every day, I am wandring in every duty, I am apt to loſe my ſelf in every Company I come into, in every buſineſs I ſet my ſelf to: I cant but look upon it as a comfortable thing, and as a bleſſed thing, if mine heart might be ever with the Lord; if I could keep me cloſe by his ſide, and conſtantly under his eye: What a mercy, what a joy would it be? but Woe is me, I cannot obtain; I have wiſhed, and hoped, and prayed; I have tryed, and tryed, and ſtill I fall ſhort; O how little hope is there left, that yet I ſhall obtain?

p. 744. Their truſt in Chriſt is their help againſt all their diſcouragements and fears. Doſt thou ſay, there's no hope, I ſhall not obtain? To perfect conformity to Chriſt thou canſt not; but is there no hope of thy becoming a more eminent Chriſtian than now thou art? Rebuke that unbelieving thought with this word, yet I truſt in Chriſt I ſhall. He is able to ſave to the uttermoſt, all that come unto God by Him, Heb. 7.25. Not only to ſave them from wrath, but to ſave them from ſin; to ſave them to the uttermoſt, and to ſanctifie them to the uttermoſt. Do not ſay, I cannot think how this weak, ſlippery, looſe, untoward heart, I cannot think how it ſhould ever come to be ſetled and fixed in ſuch a ſevere and holy courſe; do not ſay ſuch a word, Can'ſt thou not think how? Yet he is able to do for thee abundantly above all that thou canſt ask or think, Eph. 3.20. His thoughts are not as thy thoughts, his ways are not as thy ways; the Lord Chriſt can over-do the thoughts of his People, can do that for them which they never thought could be done; yea, and if thou wilt truſt him, he will do it. Conſider and ſtudy that Scripture, Pſal. 37.5. Commit thy way to the Lord, truſt in Him and He will bring it to paſs. Thou haſt many good things upon thine heart, thou canſt not take up with this poor and pittiful, and in and out way of life that thou liveſt; thou wouldſt fain come to a more ſpiritual, Heavenly, active, uſeful, courſe of life: This thou propoſeſt to thy ſelf, this thou haſt made ſome offers and attempts upon, but thou canſt not bring it to paſs, but ſtill thou falleſt ſhort; what ſhouldſt thou now do? why commit thy way to the Lord, truſt in Him, and he ſhall bring it to paſs; and as v. 4. He ſhall give thee the deſire of thine heart.

Chriſtians, I hope your hearts are ſet upon this holy conformity to Chriſt, I hope you will not ſit down p. 75by what you have already attained; God forbid, that that eaſie trifling way of Religion, that is all that ſome of you have attained; God forbid that this ſhould ſatisfie you, and I hope it does not; I hope you are both wiſhing for, and reaching towards a more ſtrict and painful courſe. Are you ſo? hold on. If you have prayed for it, pray again, pray without ceaſing, 1 Theſ. 5.17. Never give over till you have it. Have you tryed what you can do, to mend your courſe, and mend your pace? Try again and again, never ſit down as diſcouraged, but hold you on, keep to the way of the Lord as you can; keep you going, keep ſtriving and labouring with your hearts, with your might, and in ſo doing, commit your way to the Lord, truſt in him, and he ſhall bring it to paſs; do what you can, through the grace already received, and what you cannot, truſt in Chriſt, and he will do it for you. 'Tis not an idle truſt as I ſaid before, that I exhort you to, ſuch a truſt as to ſave you the labour: Never ſay I truſt in Chriſt that he will work my work in me, and for me, and ſo caſt off all care your ſelves; 'tis not an idle truſt, but a ſtirring truſt, an encourageing truſt, heartening you to the work: Keep doing, keep going, keep ſtriving towards a more holy ſerviceable life, and then truſt in Chriſt, and he ſhall bring it to paſs, and give you your hearts deſire.

Chriſtians, my hearts deſire, and prayer for you is, that you may be ſaved; I would fain help you to Heaven; and that you might be preſented by Chriſt to the Father, without ſpot or wrinkle; and in order hereto, I would fain ſee more of the ſpirit of Chriſtianity, and the holy Image of Chriſt, breathing forth, and ſhewing it ſelf more conſpicuouſly in all your ways. I ſtudy what I can to Preach ſo to you, that my words may be effectual to bring you up to p. 76an higher pitch of Holineſs; and this is my encouragement, my truſt in the living God; that my labours with you ſhall not be in vain. I Pray and truſt, I Preach and truſt, I labour among you and truſt; and what is my truſt? Why this is it, that the Lord will ſo ſecond my labours with you, that you may hear and truſt, that you may ſtrive and truſt, that whilſt I ſtrive with you, you may be brought to it, to ſtrive every one of you with your own hearts, putting your truſt in the Lord. So ſhall you find in your experiences that this life of truſt will be a life of tryumph over all your weakneſſes, doubts, and fears.

How Chriſt helps us to perſevere, (which ſhould next come to be ſpoken of,) will appear in the next particular, and therefore I paſs it by here.

2. For the helping us through the ſufferings that we ſhall meet with in his ways. Chriſt muſt be truſted here for theſe two things.

1. To help us in what we are to do, with reſpect to a ſuffering ſtate.

2. To perform what he hath undertaken to do for his ſuffering People.

1. To help us in what we are to do, with reſpect to a ſuffering ſtate. There are 4. things that you your ſelves are to do, to prepare you for a ſuffering ſtate.

1. You muſt give up your ſelves, and all that you have, to be diſpoſed of by him at his pleaſure. Say of your ſelves, I am his own; ſay of all that you have, all is Chriſts. As Chriſt hath ſaid of himſelf, and all that he hath, 1 Cor. 3.22. All is yours; ſo ſay you of your ſelves, and all that you have, all is thine Lord; this Houſe, and theſe Lands, and this Money, all is thine, I give thee the full right to it all. Say you ſo, and be willing that he ſhould ſay, as in the Parable, Mat. 20.15. May I not do with mine own what I pleaſe? If I p. 77leave it to thee to enjoy, or if I give it to Strangers for a ſpoil and a booty, 'tis mine own, and I may beſtow it where ever I pleaſe. Say not only as the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 119.94. I am thine, ſave me; but I am thine, afflict me; bring me low, take from me whatever thou wilt; all that I have is thine, 'tis at thy command, 'tis at thy ſervice; call for it, and uſe it at thy pleaſure; if thou order it for the Spoilers, to the Spoilers let it go; let them ſtrip me naked, and ſhare it amongſt themſelves if the Lord will have it ſo.

2. You muſt keep you faſt by Chriſt, and ſit looſe from all things elſe. Give your ſelves to Chriſt, and cleave unto Chriſt; do not ſay I am thine, and then go a gadding and wandring after Strangers: Stick faſt to Chriſt, be able to ſay, Pſ. 119.31. I have ſtuck to thy Teſtimonies. I have ſtuck to the Lord, and I will ſtick to thee; I am thine, and nothing ſhall ſeparate between me and thee; ſtick to Chriſt, and ſit looſe from all things elſe; let not any thing thou haſt given him, ſtick to thy fingers, nor let thine heart hanker after it.

You have Eſtates ſome of you; you live in the favour and friendſhip of Men, you have an eſteem and repute among them; but let not theſe be overmuch prized and valued by you. You that have Eſtates, be as if you had them not. You that have Friends, and their love and good will, be as if you had none, as the Apoſtle adviſeth, 1 Cor. 7.29. Never ſpeak ſuch a word, I [muſt] keep mine Eſtate, I cannot part with it; I muſt keep my Friends, I cannot diſoblige them; get your hearts ſo looſe from all, that if Chriſt ſhould call you to ſuch a bold owning of him, as would ſweep away all you have, and leave you never a Penny, nor never a Friend in all the World, you could chearfully ſubmit. The ſitting thus looſe p. 78from all we have afore-hand, would make it leſs grievous and leſs difficult, when ſufferings come, to loſe them all. He, whoſe heart cleaves to any thing, ſo that he ſays, This I cannot part with, this will either part Chriſt and him, or create him the more torment to part with it, when he ſees it muſt go. Remember Lots Wife, when called out of Sodom, where ſhe muſt leave all behind her; her heart being left there, and thereupon looking back, as loth to depart, ſhe was ſmitten into a Pillar of Salt.

3. Reckon upon nothing certain or ſure to you under the Sun. Do not think, becauſe you have kept all about you hitherto, that you ſhall never loſe it; count upon it, there may a neceſſity be laid upon you that all muſt be parted with. Do not give your ſelves to Chriſt, and all that you have, in confidence that he will not take it, or call for it away: Poſſibly this may be the caſe of ſome, they can eaſily ſay, I give my ſelf, and all I have to Chriſt; and for Him, I am content to ſuffer the loſs of all; but 'tis upon this confidence, that they ſhall never be put to it: They hope they may be Chriſtians, and yet never be call'd out to be ſuffering Chriſtians: they can eaſily paſs away their right, in hope that Chriſt will continue them in conſtant poſſeſſion. Think no ſuch vain thought, but what you give to Chriſt, count upon it, that Chriſt may ſend ſome or other to turn you out of Poſſeſſion; reckon upon it, that you may be quickly in ſuch a caſe, wherein you may be put to it, either to forſake Chriſt, or actually to be ſpoiled of all that you have.

4. Make ſure of ſomething: of ſomething that the greateſt ſufferings cannot prejudice you in, or take away from you. This is the goodneſs of God to his, that whereas there is but one thing needful; this one thing is certain, Luk. 10.41. One thing is needful, p. 79Mary hath choſen the good part which ſhall never be taken from her. There is but one thing needful, and that one thing is certain; That good part could never be taken from her.

To be totally undone and ruined, is intolerable. God never called any of his Servants to it, nor ever will. He never calls for ſo much, but he ſtill leaves them ſomething which he would not have them part with. They are only the Damned in Hell, whoſe caſe this is, they have loſt all, and have nothing left them. There is ſomething for you to get and keep, which will be ſure to you: O get the Lord God to be your Portion, get Chriſt to be your Inheritance; get you ſanctified Grace, get an upright heart, and a good Conſcience, and make them ſure. Chriſtians, you cannot poſſibly be able to bear the loſs of all things, unleſs you may have this ſomething left. Make Chriſt ſure, make your title to everlaſting glory ſure; get Integrity and Uprightneſs, a good Conſcience, an holy Converſation, to be ſure evidences of your title; charily preſerve and maintain theſe evidences, and then the worſt Enemies you have either in Earth or Hell, can never undoe you, no, nor leave you in a worſe caſe than you are: If you ſhould loſe your Eſtates, all your Friends, yea, and your life to boot, you are no loſers, whilſt you can but keep Faith and a good Conſcience.

Well now, theſe 4. things you are your ſelves to do, to prepare you for ſuffering. Give your ſelves, and all you have, to Chriſt's diſpoſe, &c. and then you are ready for the Croſs; then let the Devil and all his Armies fall on, you are ready to receive their charge without giving an inch of ground.

But who can do all this, or how ſhall I ever be able to come to it? The firſt of theſe I hope you have done already: If ye be Chriſtians, you have given your p. 80ſelves and all you have to Chriſt; but how ſhall I do to keep me cloſe to Chriſt, to ſit ſo looſe from all things, to make ſure of Chriſt, to maintain the teſtimony of a good Conſcience and an holy Converſation? Woe is me, I am breaking looſe from Chriſt at every turn, I have a fickle and unſtable ſoul that's apt to wander every day; and for things below, though I have given them to Chriſt, yet I feel mine heart ſtill cleaving to them, and hankering and hanging after them: I can't think of being made Poor, I can't think of being made a Reproach, or a Scorn, or a Prey; I can't think of it with any patience; what ſhall I do in this caſe? Why here's that which will do it, truſt upon Chriſt to help you; pray for ſuch a diſengaged ſpirit, pray for ſuch a power, pray for ſuch a frame; reaſon, and do what you can to perſwade your ſelves into it; preſs your ſelves on to ſuch a cloſe conſcientious, holy Converſation; ſtrive and labour, and be reaching on towards it, and then truſt upon Chriſt to bring you to it. Commit thy way to him, and he ſhall bring it to paſs; he ſhall put thee into ſuch a condition wherein thou ſhalt be Croſs-proof, whatever thy Croſſes be. This is one of Chriſt's ways, by which he helps his Saints to bear the Croſs; he prepares them for it, and he muſt and will do it if he be ſincerely truſted for it: It thenceforth lyes upon him, his faithfulneſs ſtands engaged to work all your works in you where your faith hath put it into his hands.

2. Truſt him to perform what he hath undertaken to do for you, What hath he undertaken to do for his ſuffering People? 1. To ſupport them in their ſufferings, Pſal. 55.22. Caſt thy burden upon the Lord, and he ſhall ſustain or uphold thee; the burthen of thy ſorrows, the burthen of thy ſufferings, the burthen of thy fears; thou haſt Enemies that will bind heavy burthens, and lay them upon thee; burthens of Reproaches, burthens p. 81of wants, burthens of thornes, pricking and piercing burthens; and it may be thou wilt ſay, how can I bear all theſe burthens? I ſink, I ſink, my ſpirit fails within me, heavy things there are come upon me; O what ſhall I do to bear them? Why caſt thy burthen upon the Lord, truſt upon him, and he will ſuſtain thee, Phil. 4.5, 6. Let your moderation be known unto all Men: Be not over ſolicitous what you ſhall do, or how you ſhall ſtand; Be careful for nothing, the Lord is at hand. 2. To preſerve them from falling; from falling away from Chriſt, from falling off from their holy profeſſion, Jude 24. He is able to keep you from falling, and to preſent you faultleſs before the preſence of his glory; and as he is able, ſo he is faithful, 1 Theſ. 5.24. Faithful is he that hath called you, and will do it: What will he do? why v. 23. he will preſerve you blameleſs unto his coming. Chriſtians, be careful about your preſent duty, and then never torment your ſelves with thoughtfulneſs and fears, how you ſhall ſtand your ground under the greateſt of ſufferings, but as the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 4.19. Let them that ſuffer, commit the keeping of their ſouls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. And thus I have ſhewed you the ſecond particular, wherein that ſolidity or eſtabliſhment in Religion (which I am preſſing you to reach after) ſtands, viz. a firm truſt in Chriſt.

3. Adherence to Chriſt, or cleaving to the Lord. The two main Roots, whereby a Chriſtian is grounded in Chriſt, are the two fore-mentioned, Reſolution and Truſt; and the immediate fruits of this rooting, is cleaving or ſticking faſt unto him; and the cloſer we cleave unto him, the more we are confirmed and eſtabliſhed. The root of a Tree is that by which it cleaves unto the ground; and by how much the deeper it ſpreads it ſelf, and works its ſelf into the Earth, by ſo much the faſter hold it takes. And there is a mutual p. 82hold taken; the root takes hold of the ground, and thereby the ground holds faſt the root. A rooted Chriſtian hath gotten hold of Chriſt, and Chriſt hath taken hold of him, we have both theſe together, Phil. 8.12. If I may apprehend that for which I am apprehended of Chriſt Jeſus.

Chriſt's hold of a Chriſtian is ſure, but not always perceived, Joh. 10.28, 29. My Sheep hear my voyce, and follow me, and I give to them eternal life; they ſhall never periſh, neither ſhall any pluck them out of my hand. There are many attempts upon the Saints; the World pulls at them, Sin pulls, the Devil pulls, and would pluck them off from Chriſt, and pluck them up by the roots; but ſaies Chriſt, for all that, they are ſafe enough, pluck who will, they ſhall not be pluck'd away.

But as ſure as Chriſt holds them, they may ſometimes think he hath let go his hold, and caſt them off; and may ſay as the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 43.2. Why haſt thou caſt me off Lord? Where am I now? I once had hopes that the Lord was my ſtrength; but woe is me, now I am even cut off, and mine hope is periſhed from the Lord; I fear, that after all my hopes, I ſhall prove a loſt ſoul at laſt.

And as Chriſt's hold of a Chriſtian, ſo a Chriſtians hold of Chriſt is always ſure, though he himſelf always perceive it not. That Prayer of Chriſt for Peter, is for every particular Chriſtian, that his Faith may never fail; that hand of Faith may grow weak, but ſhall never wither. It may ſhake, yet ſtill as the hand of a drowning Man, it keeps its hold. Yet as to his own ſenſe, he may be at a loſs, and ſometimes come to this concluſion; if ever I had Faith, yet now I am ſure I have none.

Well, but however, though a Chriſtian may ſometimes think I have caſt off, and let go mine hold of Chriſt; and thereupon he hath caſt off, and let go his p. 83hold of me; yet even then, when 'tis ſaddeſt and loweſt with him, he ſtill cleaves to Chriſt.

There are theſe two things which ſhall never totally fail. 1. There is a ſecret ſtay upon Chriſt; this he may do, and does, even then when he thinks he does not, nor cannot. There is an hope hidden in his heart, even then when he ſays, There is no hope: That it may be ſo, appears from Iſa. 50.10. Who is there that walks in darkneſs, and hath no light, let him truſt in the name of the Lord, and ſtay himſelf upon his God. That is, even then, when he is in darkneſs and hath no light; at ſuch a time there may be ſuch a ſtay, God would not command him to impoſſibilities. What is it to be in darkneſs, and to have no light? Why no leſ, then to give up all for loſt; to be in the darkneſs of an uncomfortable and hopeleſs ſtate, and not to have ſo much light as to diſcern his holy habits or actings that ſhould comfort him. Why yet, even then there may be a ſtay, or elſe God would never have bid him, even in ſuch a caſe, to ſtay himſelf upon his God. There may be a ſtay, and there is ſo; for, do but ask ſuch a poor dark diſconſolate Chriſtian, when as to his ſenſe he is moſt hopeleſs, and ſays I have no hope; do but ask him then, why what will you take to give up and forgoe all your hope in Chriſt? Will you be hired for ever to quit your hope in Chriſt? O no, not for all the world; look ye there now, though he ſays he hath no hope, yet all the world ſhall not hire him to let go that hope he hath.

2. A reſolved cleaving to Chriſt. He doth ſtill when 'tis loweſt with him, with purpoſe of heart cleave unto Him. He thinks here alſo, that he hath no mind, nor liſt to follow Chriſt or Holineſs any longer, judging it will be all in vain. I, but ask ſuch a poor Chriſtian, Will you return then to take up your lot with Sinners, and give off from ſerving or following Chriſt p. 84any longer? Will you return to your old Luſts, to your old carnal and fleſhly Life? Will you return from Chriſt to embrace this preſent World? Since you have no hope to the other World, will you return to make your beſt of this World? Will you to Ryoting and Drunkenneſs, will you to your old Covetouſneſs and Greedineſs, will you hence-forth go back and live in a total neglect of Chriſt, and his holy ways; will you give off hearing, and give off praying, and give off the trouble and care of an holy watchful Life, and let looſe the reins to your corrupt Nature, and let it take its own courſe? Will you do ſo? Can you do ſo? O the Lord forbid, ſure I will never go back how-ever; if I never come to Heaven, yet I will not return to wickedneſs. God will ſpeak Peace to his People; but though he never ſpeak Peace to me, yet I will not return to folly. Though I cannot ſay with Job, cap. 13.15. Though he Slay me, yet will I truſt in him: Yet this will I ſay, though he Slay me, yea, though he Damn me, yet will I ſerve him: If I muſt to Hell, yet I am reſolved that Holineſs ſhall be my way. I will not allow my ſelf to ſlight Chriſt, or to ſin againſt Chriſt, though I ſhould never have any benefit by Chriſt. Whatever he will do with me, as to my future ſtate, yet I am reſolved to be his Servant while I live. If I may not be a Saint in Heaven, yet I will be, as much as I can, a Saint on Earth. Holineſs is good, if I have never ſo ſmall a ſpark of it; 'tis a Beam of God, 'tis the Image of Chriſt: If I may not ſee God, nor dwell with Chriſt, yet I will get a little of him here; a little is better than none, though it ſhould laſt me but a little time. If I may not (behold his Face) in Righteouſneſs, yet I will do what I can to ſit at his Feet in Righteouſneſs, whatever he do with me. Ask any poor Chriſtian that is in his darkeſt p. 85ſtate, whether this be not the ſtanding reſolution and purpoſe of his heart.

And is it not evident now, that whatever he thinks of himſelf, he ſtill cleaves unto Chriſt? The truth is, ſuch abiding workings of the heart towards Holineſs, are the ſouls cleaving to Chriſt; and it appears though he cannot ſee it himſelf, yet to Standers-by, that the root of the matter is ſtill in him; yea, and ſuch holy reſolutions in a dark ſtate, are ſtranger evidences of ſincerity, than the ſame reſolutions where they are encouraged by the higheſt ſenſible enjoyments. Certainly, there is more of evidence in it, to be able to ſay, though he damn me, yet I will ſerve him, then there is in this, I will ſerve him becauſe he hath ſaved me. For mine own part, I ſhould have an higher confidence of a poor diſponding and even deſpairing Chriſtian that's bent upon Holineſs, than of many, whoſe Religion is animated and encouraged by raptures of Joy.

For the cloſe of this, e're I proceed farther, give me leave to put in a word of Exhortation; let me exhort you in the words of Barnabas, Act. 11.23. That with purpoſe of heart you will cleave unto the Lord. Cleaving Notes,

Firmneſs,

Cloſeneſs,

1. Be firm; ſtick cloſe to Chriſt. Let it be with you as with the Apoſtle, Rom. 8.38, 39. Let nothing ſeparate you from the love of God, which is in Chriſt Jeſus our Lord. Be ſure of this, that he will be with you whilſt you are with him, Jam. 4.8. Draw nigh unto God, and he will draw nigh to you. So may I ſay, ſtick faſt unto Chriſt, and he will ſtick faſt unto you: Chriſt is a ſure Friend, and he will ſtick by all his Friends that are faithful to him.

p. 86Conſider the three fore-mentioned caſes as Arguments to preſs this Exhortation. 1. You are in a Wilderneſs, and muſt expect troubles to come upon you. Your Faithfulneſs to Chriſt may coſt you dear; you may be forſaken of your Friends, you may fall into the hands of your Enemies; yet if ye will be Faithful to him, though all men forſake you, though evil men run upon you, yet Chriſt will ſtick to you. So he did to Paul, 2 Tim. 1.16, 17. No man ſtood with me, but all men forſook me, notwithſtanding the Lord ſtood by me and ſtrengthened, and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon; where we have 1. The hard caſe he was, nd Chriſtians muſt look to be in. 1. He was in the hands of Enemies, of great Men, who were examining him▪ and before whom he was to anſwer for his Life. Chriſtians may be brought b fore Rulers, and there Tryed for their Lives, and judged for Malefactors. 2. He was forſaken by his Friends, he had many Friends before; but when it came to the pinch, they all gave him the ſlip, and ſhrunk back, and ſtood aloof, and left him alone. Count upon this hard lot, and count it not ſtrange if it come to be your lot. 'Tis not ſo much to ſuffer in Company; as when any particular perſon is ſingled out, as a Deer from the Herd, and chaſed alone; the Hunters are upon him, and the Herd will not ſhelter him, but ſhift away from him. That's it you may look for, to be perſecuted by Enemies, and not to be owned by your Friends.

2. His comfort in this his hard lot. Though all Men forſook him, yet Chriſt ſtuck by him; the Lord ſtood with me, and ſtrengthened me. Chriſtians, this may be your caſe, and let this be your comfort, though none in the World ſhould own you, yet ſtick by Chriſt, and he will ſtick by you in all your Tribulations.

p. 872. Again, you muſt dye; Sickneſs may Arreſt you, and caſt you upon the Bed of Languiſhing, and Death may ſtand at your Beds-feet, and ſtare you in the face, and the Grave will open its mouth for you, to ſwallow you up: Stick faſt to Chriſt, and look to find him ſtanding by your Beds-ſide to comfort you. O how will it be with you in that hour! O I feel my Diſeaſes and Languiſhing; my Fleſh waſteth, my Bones ake, my ſtrength is loſt, my heart faints, mine eyes fail, my breath is departing, and all tell me that Death is at the door, ready to turn me into rottenneſs: But O! where is my God? Now for a ſight of Chriſt! Thoſe that are gone back from Chriſt, they may look, and look, and cry, where is the Lord? where is the Saviour? But poor Wretches, there's no Chriſt to be ſeen. Death comes, and the Devil comes, and Sin comes, and puts a Sting into Death's tail, and the poor Sinner is left to grapple with Death alone; its gripes, its pangs, its terrors are upon him, but no Redeemer to be had. Whatever come upon thee, this ſhall not, thou that holdeſt thee by him, ſhalt ſee Jeſus ſtanding by thee; or if thou ſhould'ſt not ſee him, yet there he will not fail to be, though it may be, behind the Curtain, yet ready to help thee in thy Conflict with this thy laſt Enemy.

3. Yet again, after Death thou muſt be brought to Judgment, where thou wilt meet with a Righteous Judge, a Malicious Accuſer, who will have many things to lay to thy charge. All the ugly and frightful ſins that ever thou haſt done in thy life, thou maiſt look to hear of from that Malicious mouth. And how wilt thou ſtand before that dreadful Bar? O there thou ſhalt be ſure, Even with theſe Eyes, to behold thy Redeemer; there he will certainly be, for he is the Judge, and there he will ſtick by thee, for p. 88he is thine Advocate; he hath ſaid to thee, Rev. 2.10. Be thou faithful to the death, and I will give thee a Crown of life. Fear not how thy matters ſhall go in the Judgment, I will be there, I will ſecure thee from coming into Condemnation. I will give thee the Crown of Life. This will be the Portion of thoſe that ſtick faſt to Chriſt, He will certainly ſtick to them; ſtick to them in all the troubles of their lives, ſtick to them in death; and ſtand by them in the eternal Judgment. O Chriſtans, ſtick faſt, hold faſt what you have, that no man take your Crown, Rev. 2.11: Hold faſt your holy Profeſſion, hold on your Confidence and your holy Converſation, and thence-forth expect that Jeſus will give you a Crown of Life.

2. Stick cloſ… to Chriſt, or elſe you will never be likely to ſtick faſt. By how much the cloſer our adherence to Chriſt is, by ſo much the firmer is our ſtanding▪ and the leſs danger of falling off. The root of a Tree, if it be looſned from the Earth, is more eaſily plucked up; it may be, ſome ſmall ſtrings there may be that keep their hold, which maintain it in life; but if the main root be looſned, it's the more in danger of being blown down. The cleaving of the ſoul to Chriſt, is ſet forth by the cleaving together of Husband and Wife; Eph. 5.31. For this cauſe, ſhall a Man leave Father and Mother, and ſhall be joyned to his Wife. The word in the Original ſignifies, ſhall be glued to his Wife. What is glu'd together, if it ſhrinks or gapes, loſes its hold. Take heed of warping and ſhrinking from Chriſt, the glue will give off if you do, and when you have once loſt your hold, you know not whither you may be blown. O take heed of growing to a diſtance, of wandring from Chriſt, keep you near him if you would ſtand firm.

p. 894. A confirmed habit of Religion. An holy diſpoſition and conſtitution of ſoul; this is the very heart of the new Creature; the Divine Nature, whereof Chriſtians are ſaid to be made partakers, 2 Pet. 1.4. 'Tis an holy Spring or Fountain within us, which will flow forth in Religious actions; and by how much the more maturity it's ripened up into, by ſo much the more freely will it flow forth. An heart that is holily diſpoſed, and hath ſtrong and fixed inclinations Heaven-ward, will find Religion ſweet and eaſie to it, there will be the leſs need of force and conſtraint: That fear which is ſo neceſſary to drive on a ſervile ſpirit, will be of leſs uſe, according to the meaſures that we have attained of this free ſpirit, and ready mind: Such Chriſtians have that within them that will ſave them much of their labour and pains which would be otherwiſe needful. Our work will be eaſie, and we ſhall go on more proſperouſly in our way; we ſhall both more abound in the work of the Lord, and we ſhall go on more evenly and ſteadily in our courſe.

Religious acts, where there are no Religious habits, or where the habit is but weak▪ will be both more ſeldom and more difficult; and when they are done, whatever they be for the matter of them, yet it will be ſtill queſtioned whether they be ſincerely or ſavingly Religious. Thoſe that are carnally-minded, their very Natures do prompt them, and carry them on in their fleſhly ways; there's the leſs need of temptation to ſin, the Devil may ſave much of his labour, their ſinful diſpoſitions will carry them on faſt enough.

O Chriſtians, let this be in your eye, let this be it you aim at, and labour for, to habituate your ſelves to Holineſs; to get up to ſuch a ſettled holy diſpoſition, to ſuch a promptitude and readineſs p. 90of mind, that your hearts may flow forth towards God and Godlineſs, that your inward ſtream may run Heaven-ward, that you may feel a freedom and enlargement of heart towards Godlineſs of Life.

Carnal Profeſſors, both thoſe that are wholly ſuch, and have nothing of the new Nature in them; and thoſe, who though they have ſomething of the Spirit, yet have much of the Fleſh remaining in them, O how heavily and ſlowly do they drive on in the matters of Religion! How backward are they to duty, how hardly brought to it, how quickly weary; they had rather be any where then with God, about any work, than about the work of the Lord; not only eating and drinking, and playing, and taking the pleaſures of the Fleſh, but their hardeſt fleſhly labours, Ploughing and Threſhing will eaſilier down with them, than Praying, or Holy Meditation, or otherwiſe Converſing with God: This is a wretched temper, but is it not an ordinary temper? Conſider, is it not thus with ſome of you that are Profeſſors of Religion? Conſult your own experiences; how freely, and how chearfully can you follow your Trades and worldly buſineſs; you can Work and Travail, and Buy and Sell, and follow it night and day; can riſe early, and go to Bed late, and eat the Bread of Carefulneſs, enduring heat and cold, and never complain; but when you come to Praying and communing with your own hearts, or taking a walk by Holy Meditation into the other VVorld; when you come to have to do in any of the matters of God, and ſerious Religion, O how like Drones and Sleepers do you go on? A little of this is enough, and more than you can well bear; your VVheels drug, your p. 91Spirits tire, and thereupon you haſtily over with this work, and are glad when you have done. How ſeldom is it that you go into your Cloſets as willingly as you come out? How well were it if you did as freely fall upon your knees, as you uſe to riſe from them when you have done?

How comes this to paſs? O you are yet carnal, carnally diſpoſed, carnally inclined; your fleſhly habits do diſpoſe you to your fleſhly ways, and fetter you, and hang on your heels when you ſhould be doing for God and your Souls. O to work Chriſtians, to work; work off theſe carnal diſpoſitions, and work up your hearts to Spirituality and Heavenlineſs. Get you to be better temper'd and better diſpoſed; and the way to habituate your ſelves to Religion, is to hold you cloſer to the exerciſe of Religion; if you would but uſe a little more force upon your ſelves for a time, and hold you to diligence in your Holy ways; this would by degrees, by the co-operation of the ſpirit of Grace with you, which you might boldly look for, to come into your help, this your forceing your ſelves upon a diligent holy life for a while, would bring you to go on after you had been inured to it, with more freedom and alacrity, Heb. 15.14. Thoſe that were ſtrong Chriſtians, ſteady and eſtabliſhed Chriſtians, how came they to be ſo? O 'tis ſaid, That by reaſon of uſe, by having their ſenſes exerciſed, by this means they grew up to it. Friends, be perſwaded to make tryal; exerciſe your ſelves more to Godlineſs, uſe your ſelves to a ſtrict conſcientious Life: If you find it hard at firſt, yet force your ſelves upon it, hold your ſelves hard to it, and by that you have accuſtomed your ſelves to this courſe a while; look for it, you will find it p. 92ſweet and eaſie; and when you have thus gotten the habit of Religion, when by reaſon of uſe, and having your ſenſes exerciſed to Godlineſs, you become Holily diſpoſed and inclined, then what Chriſtians, think you, are you like to be; what thriving Chriſtians, what flouriſhing Chriſtians, what fruitful Chriſtians, are you then like to become! then your hearts will be ſtreaming hearts, and flaming hearts, and will mount up and aſcend in thoſe flames of holy Love and Zeal, above this Earth and Fleſh, and a Unity to live in the Light, and Love, and Joy of the Lord. O Friends, would you ſet your hearts to be reaching out towards this holy frame, would the Lord be pleaſed by the more abundant influences of his Spirit upon us, to work us up to, and ſettle us in this habit of Holineſs, this Spiritual, and willing, and ready mind, then we ſhould become a beautiful Congregation; then we ſhould become a bleſſed People, and ſhould grow up as Trees of Righteouſneſs, which the Lord hath Planted, and which the Lord hath Bleſſed.

What Friends, doth not all this ſtir you? Is there ſuch a Bleſſed ſtate and frame to be had, and is it not worthy your ſtriving after? Come my Beloved, let's beſtir our ſelves, let us follow after, let us be reaching on with our might to this holy Prize. Be not diſcouraged at difficulty, be doing, and the Lord will help you. VVe are workers together with God for you, be you workers together with us for your ſelves, ſet your hearts to it, and the Lord will work in you, both to will and to obtain of his good pleaſure.

And thus I have ſhew'd you what that ſolidity in Religion which I am ſtirring you up to be p. 93reaching after, is, to be well-grounded and ſettled in the ſubſtantials of Chriſtianity. He that worſhippeth God in the Spirit, rejoyceth in Chriſt Jeſus, and heedfully ſhunning all Ungodlineſs and worldly Luſts, hath given himſelf to a Righteous, Sober, and Godly life; he that being deeply reſolved for Chriſt, and firmly truſting in Chriſt, doth with full purpoſe of heart, cleave unto him, ſticking faſt to the Lord, and keeping him cloſe by him, till he hath by reaſon of uſe, gotten Holineſs to be habitual to him: This is a Pattern that I would you would have much before your eyes.

4. To fruitfulneſs in Religion. There is a readineſs to good works, mentioned Tit. 3.1. ſtanding in the preparation, or propenſion, or bent of the ſoul upon holy action, (whereof before) and there is a fruitfulneſs in good works, or the ſouls putting it forth in holy action.

All Religion ſtands in action, either the inward action of the Soul, or the outward action of the Life. 'Tis the doing Chriſtian that is the excellent Chriſtian, the fruitful field which hath a Bleſſing in it. There is amongſt our Corn ſome that looks freſh and ſtrong, and grows up ranker and taller than the reſt, but at beſt proves to have but little in the Ear, 'tis grown up all in Stalk, and hath little fruit; we can't ſay of it as Hoſ. 7.8 It hath no Stalk; 'tis all Salk, and hath no Ear; 'tis the full Ears of the Field that are its fruitfulneſs.

That is fruitfulneſs where there is good fruit brought forth, and much fruit: That ground which either bringeth forth no good fruit, or but very little, we count barren ground. Will you call that a fruitful field which brings forth but here and there an Ear? a few handful of Ears to whole p. 94Sheaves of Tares and VVeeds? VVill you call that a fruitful Tree which hath but two or three Berries in the top of the uppermoſt bough, four or five in the outmoſt fruitful branches? It is precious fruit, and plenty of it that will give us the account of fruitful Chriſtians.

Fruitfulneſs in Religion, is the Honour of Religion; Herein is my Father Glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit, Joh. 15 8. And what Glorifies God, God will make glorious before the VVorld. Barrenneſs is a Reproach; 'tis matter of ſorrow and ſhame: Such Chriſtians which ſtand as dry Trees, ſhould not ſtand with dry Eyes. VVe read that Barren Wombs have been the matter of great Affliction: How did Sarah and Rachel take on that they had no Children? And Hannah, when ſhe Prayed for a Child; having yet none, ſaid 1 Sam. 15. I am a Woman of a ſorrowful ſpirit, out of the abundance of my complaint and grief have I ſpoken. But however it be upon the account of Barren Wombs, ſure a barren Soul ſhould be a mourning ſoul. Indeed 'tis too commonly ſo, that barren ſouls are uſually as barren of ſighs and tears, as they are of good fruit. You that are empty Vines, fruitleſs Fig-Trees, how ſeldom is it that you are upon your knees, bewailing your Barrenneſs?

The ſin of Barrenneſs is a provoking ſin. There are 3. ſuch words ſpoken againſt Barrenneſs in Religion, as (ſetting aſide the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt) there are not more terrible words ſpoken againſt any ſin. One word you have in the Parable againſt the barren Fig-tree, Luk. 13.3. Cut it down, why cumbreth it the ground. Another word againſt another barren Fig-tree, Matth 21.19. Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth, for ever. A third word is againſt the barren ground, Heb. 6.7, 8. The Earth that drinketh in the p. 95Rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth Herbs, meet for them by whom it is dreſſed, receiveth Bleſſing from God; but that which beareth Briers and Thorns, is rejected, and nigh unto Curſing, whoſe end is to be burned.

Methinks theſe words ſhould make ſome of your ſouls to tremble: Profeſſor, what art thou? a barren ſoul? a fruitleſs Fig-tree? O how canſt thou contain thy ſelf from fear? Is not thine heart terrified within thee, at the hearing the words of this Curſe? What if this word ſhould have been ſpoken to thee? Cut this Man down, cut this Woman down, why cumber they the ground? Or what if it ſhould be ſaid to thee, Never fruit grow on thee for ever; never a word of Grace proſper more with thee, live and dye a barren ſoul; would it not make thine heart ſhake? And are not theſe words ſpoken to thee? I hope not as an irreverſible Curſe; I hope that word is not gone forth againſt any of you, cut this Man down, never fruit grow on him for ever, let him wither, and periſh, and dye, and Burn for his Barrenneſs; yet if it be not ſo ſpoken, as an irreverſible Curſe, yet to thee it is ſpoken as a terrible Warning: Thus much of it doth belong particularly to thee, thou art nigh unto Curſing; and if thou look not the better to it, thine end will be to be burned.

Barrenneſs is a Reproach, Barrenneſs is an high Provocation; and fruitfulneſs is an Honour, and receiveth Bleſſing from God. Fruitfulneſs doth both ſpeak Chriſtians grown up to good maturity, and will advance them yet higher and higher. He that lays out moſt in his life, is ſtill laying up more in his heart; we gather by ſpending; the more we do, the more we have; no ſuch thriving and flouriſhing Chriſtians as the diligent doing Chriſtians. There's nothing gotten by holding in the Grace we have, and there's nothing loſt by laying it out. A good Man brings forth out of p. 96his Treaſure, and the more is brought forth, the more it increaſeth within. If ever you would make an increaſe in inward grace, let it put forth in vigorous exerciſe; no ſuch way to grow rich in Faith, as by being rich in good works; Faith without works dyes.

This now is a farther perfection of Religion, that I would preſs you to be reaching after, fruitfulneſs in Religion, or Holy action. Be not Hearers or Talkers, but doers of the Word, Jam. 1.25. Who ſo looketh into the perfect Law of Liberty, and continueth therein, not being a forgetful Hearer, but a doer of the work, this Man ſhall be bleſſed in his deed. Be doers of the work, and abound in the work of the Lord. That charge which the Apoſtle gives, 1 Tim. 6.18. with a particular reſpect to works of Charity, receive it with reſpect to every good work; Do good, be rich in good works, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate, laying up in ſtore for your ſelves a good foundation againſt the time to come.

O my Brethren, ſet your hearts upon it, to do all the Honour you can to the Name and Goſpel of God, before the world. Wipe off that reproach of Barenneſs, by ſhewing your ſelves examples of fruitfulneſs. The world ſay in your reproach, and in the reproach of your God alſo, What is this Chriſtianity that is ſo much boaſted of, but a meer ſhaddow? What are theſe Profeſſors? what ever they talk, what do they more then others? Shew them what you do, which they will never do.

If you ask me what you ſhould do, 'tis too long to tell you the particulars of all your duty; take the Apoſtles anſwer, Phil. 4.8. Whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are honeſt, whatſoever things are juſt, whatſoever things are pure, whatſoever things are lovely, whatſoever things are of good report,—theſe things do, and the God of peace ſhall be with you.

p. 97One Particular I ſhall inſtance in, (and but in a word here, intending to ſpeak more largely of it afterwards) do all you can that more immediately tends to the propagating of Religion in thoſe that have none. Be buſie in your Families to propagate religion there: I am willing to take all occaſions to inculcate this Duty, in regard that to the grief of my Soul I find, that after my ſo often preſſing of it there is ſtill ſo great a neglect even among ſome high Profeſſors of Chriſtianity. O Friends, if ye will do any thing for God, be doing amongſt your own; inſtruct them, teach them the way of the Lord, Perſwade and provoke them to Chriſt: Let Religion be the top care and top buſineſs of your houſes. Do what you can to make Chriſtians of your Children and Servants; and this not ſo ſeldom, or ſparely, or heartleſly, as ſome do, now a little, and a long time after never a word; but be conſtant, be inſtant with all yours to bring them to God, that there may be a face of ſerious Religion appearing upon your whole Families, that a Spirit of Religion may be the very temper and conſtitution of your houſes. Some Profeſſors, what ever they be when amongſt other Profeſſors, how much ſoever of Religion there appears then, yet come into their houſes, and there's no more to be ſeen or heard of God than in the Family of thoſe that make no profeſſion; there's ignorance, and carnality, and vanity, and barrenneſs, and unſavoryneſs, and emptineſs of all that's good. You that come hither to the Ordinances to kindle religion in your own hearts, to fetch holy fire from the Altar, what you get here carry it home to your houſes, inſtill it into the hearts of your Children and Servants: Here your holy activity muſt begin; he that is not buſily doing for God with his own, is never like to do much good to others.

p. 98Next, endeavour to propagate Religion among your Neighbours and Acquaintance; eſpecially be doing good one to another, Chriſtians to Chriſtians; ſpeak often one to another, as they did, Mal. 3.16. ſpeak to the hearts, and lay hold on the hands one of another, and ſtir up and lead one another in the ways of the Lord.

Friends, I would fain revive and ſet on foot that Chriſtian Practice of Fruitfulneſs in Holy Communication or diſcourſe among you: Good words are none of the leaſt of our good works. This one thing would much conduce both to the recovering that of religion which is loſt, and to the filling up that which is wanting in our ſelves or others. This hath been in uſe amongſt ſome of you, but is it not much fallen and forgotten? Do not many of you that are Profeſſors converſe together as carnally and as unprofitably as men that have no religion in them? This is a great ſhame and of ſad conſequence; and Religion, which is now ſo much fallen in the World, is never like much to riſe till this holy practice be revived.

You are all ready enough to complain what decays there are in Religion, but are you willing to help towards its recovery? We have helped one another down ſadly, we have conſumed one another by our own coldneſs; will you help to recover one another, to warm and to quicken one another, as you have helped to cool and to deaden?

By this means you will mutually have the benefit of each others graces and experiences; your graces will hereby in a ſort become their graces, and their graces become yours: Your candle may light your Brethrens candles, at leaſt you may give light to thoſe that are round about you; but of this more afterwards.

p. 99I cannot enlarge further upon the ſeveral ways wherein your religious activity ſhould be exerciſed, you muſt take theſe hints: in general Labour to be doing Chriſtians, diligent buſie Chriſtians, ready to every good work, and fruitful in every good work: Have an eye upon, and be reaching to, this active life; hide not your Talent in a Napkin, put not your Candle under a Buſhel, keep not your Religion to your ſelves, your Knowledge, your Graces, your Experiences to your ſelves: Hath the Lord lighted up a Candle in your Hearts? let your light ſhine before men that may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven.

5. To evenneſs and equality both of temper and courſe:

Evenneſs of temper is an argument of health and ſtrength; they are the weakly bodies that are apt to change with every change of Air or Weather, and they are but weakly Souls whom every change of their circumſtances puts out of frame.

This even frame muſt and will ſhew it ſelf in an evenneſs of the courſe. 'Tis an holy life that Chriſtians muſt live, and not ſatisfie themſelves with ſometimes an holy duty or day: There muſt not be only ſome drops of Religion ſprinkled here and there upon their paths, but their life muſt be an holy ſtream, and the ſtream muſt be conſtantly running towards God and Heaven. They muſt run a Race thitherward, Heb. 12.2. He that runs a race keeps on his way ſtep by ſtep in a continued motion: We muſt neither turn aſide, nor go uncertainly on, ſometimes running, and ſometimes but creeping or ſtanding ſtill; we muſt keep our way and keep our pace; we muſt not go jumping heavenward, doing ſomething of our duty, and jumping over others, we muſt take all along in order as we go.

p. 100Chriſtians, it may be by the grace already obtained there's ſomething done in Religion at times, but how many duties do ye jump over and let them alone? Sometimes you will pray, and ſometimes you will jump over your praying ſeaſons: Sometimes you will perform works of piety, but you will jump over works of righteouſneſs and mercy. Sometimes you will be ſerious and ſavoury, and then you will leap out into lightneſs and vanity. Sometimes you will take a leap to Heaven in your retirements to converſe with God, and then you will leap down again into the mud and mire. Sometimes you will have ſome holy fits, and then your proud fits or froward fits. Sometimes ye run, and then ſtand ſtill; diligent for a ſtart, and then grow reſty and idle who knows how long after.

It is uncomfortable to conſider, how much this is the Religion of the moſt of Profeſſors; their Religion like a Feaver comes by fits only, as if it were rather their diſtemper than their temper; 'tis but here and there a little ſprinkling, ſome few drops fall that have any holy ſavour and tendency. Our ſtream, our ſtream! O how, and which way does it run! Sure you had gotten much higher if you had been more conſtantly riſing upwards. But whilſt there are ſuch riſings and falls, ſuch goings on and ſtandings ſtill, or turnings aſide; whilſt you are ſuch working and loytering Souls, no wonder it is ſo low with you as it is.

Know every one of you, that this in and out courſe is an argument that yet you have but little, and will never come to much, if it do not come to juſt nothing at laſt. Now and then a ſtrait ſtep with ſo many ſteps awry; is this ever like to bring you to Heaven? You are travelling up the Hill, but when will ye get you higher, if as one foot ſteps forward the other ſlides p. 101back. This uncertain unequal going on only as the fit comes, 'tis an eaſie kind of Religion, if it were but ſound: But how can you think your ſelves ſound where you are ſo divided betwixt ſomething and nothing? An intermitting Pulſe is dangerous if not deadly.

Friends, would you prove your ſelves to be Chriſtians indeed? would you not that both you and your Religion ſhould prove to be as the chaff before the wind? And when the Lord ſhall come to purge his floor, would you not that both your ſouls and your hopes ſhould be blown away as the Chaff, and burn with the chaff in unquenchable fire? would you make it evident that your Religion is not Irreligion, and your Chriſtianity Hypocriſie? Then get you up to a more fixed ſpiritual temper, and hold you on in a more even and continued courſe; this will prove you to be Chriſtians both in truth and of growth; and hereby you will be making an advance higher and higher, till you ſhall have perfected holineſs in the fear of God: That's the mark that ſtands at the top of the Mount, which I would, after all that I have ſaid, you ſhould have chiefly in your eye, (perfection of Holineſs) and be with your might reaching towards.

For the cloſe of this, you now ſee what that pitch of Religion is that I am preſſing you to, even the higheſt pitch that is poſſibly attainable. You ſee your way before you is an uphill way: You that are yet but at the foot of the Mount, ſtay not where you are, but get you up by the riſing ground till you come to the top: Do not now ſtand deſponding at the height of the Hill, and the ſteepneſs of its paſſage; do not ſtand complaining of the difficulty of attaining; ſay not within your ſelves, I cannot get on, I cannot get me up to this holy, ſpiritual, fruitful, ſteady p. 102frame and life; with all my ſoul I would, but O I cannot, I ſtick ſtill here below, I am among the pooreſt, and weakeſt, and hindermoſt of the Flock; and after all my waiting and hoping to get to this holineſs and fruitfulneſs, behold here am I in this lower ground to this day: A Chriſtian I hope I am, but ſure a very mean Chriſtian, a lame and very weakly Chriſtian: God help me, there's but little ſign that I have been a Profeſſor ſo long, a Believer ſo long; I ſee I have hitherto gotten but very little ground, and O how little hope is there I ſhould ever get thorow! Do not ſtand complaining thus, I often give you warning to take heed of this folly, becauſe I doubt it to be ordinarily a caſe with very many, who finding their complaints to give them a little eaſe for the time, do thence count them to be the cure of their diſeaſes. Complain if ye will, and as much as you ſee cauſe, but let it be in order to the quickning you to diligence, and not either to eaſe you in your ſloth, or to diſcourage you from your duty.

And thus I have at length diſpatch'd the firſt General, What 'tis to ſtir up our ſelves in Religion; having ſhew'd both by what acts, and to what pitch of religion we ſhould ſtir up ourſelves.

2. What need there is of ſtirring up our ſelves to and in Religion. And here I ſhall not ſpeak to the particular caſes of the unconverted, of the weak, and backſliding Chriſtians, diſtinctly and apart, but ſhall ſpeak promiſcuouſly to them as they fall in my way.

Do you ask then what need there is of ſtirring up our ſelves?

I anſwer: It will appear there is need enough if we conſider theſe two things.

1. Thoſe that fall ſhort of Religion, or carefully maintain not that Religion they have, will be loſt at laſt.

p. 1032. Thoſe that ſtir not up themſelves are never like to attain Religion, or to maintain that little they have.

1. Thoſe that fall ſhort of Religion, of true and ſound Religion, or that carefully maintain not that Relirion they have, will be loſt at laſt. Without religion we cannot be ſaved, without regeneration, which is the beginning of religion; or without ſanctification, which is our progreſs in Religion; without perſeverance in religion we cannot be ſaved, Joh. 3.3. Heb. 12.14. Rev. 2.10. particularly.

1. Sinners that live and dye in their ſins, there's no queſtion concerning them, whither they go, they muſt all go to the Devil. Thoſe that have no religion, that have not taken up ſo much as the profeſſion of ſerious Chriſtianity, and ſo live and dye; there's as much hope of the ſalvation of the Devil as of them. You that ſerve the Devil, and continue to live under the power of the Devil, you ſhall never come to Heaven unleſs the Devil himſelf be admitted to meet you there: As you have lived with the Devil here, ſo he and you muſt be together at the ſame place for ever; and whatever your hopes and talks are of being ſaved by Chriſt, it cannot be. I muſt tell you, you that come not to Chriſt, and will be none of his Diſciples, you ſhall have no more benefit by the bloud of Chriſt than the Devils ſhall have, and that's none at all. Without ſound Chriſtianity you have no part in Chriſt, and without a part in Chriſt you can have no Salvation.

2. Yea and thoſe that are come ſo far on to Chriſt as to take on them the Profeſſion of Chriſtianity, if they dye Hypocrites, will be alſo certainly loſt. Thoſe that are come off from the drunkards, and adulterers, and ſcoffers, and total ſlighters of Chriſt, and have viſibly joyned themſelves to the Diſciples of Chriſt, joyn'd p. 104in prayer, and hearing, and ſacraments with them; how much ſoever they ſeem to have of the external fruit and appearance of Religion, how commendable and hopeful ſoever their profeſſion hath been, if Chriſt and Chriſtianity be not rooted in their hearts, even theſe alſo, after all their hopes and profeſſion, will be loſt at laſt: Hypocrites will have the ſame lot at laſt with Infidels and final Impenitents.

3. Yea and thoſe that have ſincere religion, if they look not diligently to it, will loſe all the religion they have. Whatever ſecurity there be for the Saints perſeverance in religion to the end, there's no ſecurity at all, but they will certainly fall off and periſh, if they neglect the means of their perſeverance. And thoſe that are but Children in religion, or are fallen to decay, are backſliders in religion, can never prove to themſelves that they are not Hypocrites, and ſo can never be ſecure or have any aſſurance, but they alſo will be loſt in the end.

2. Thoſe that ſtir not up themſelves, are never like to attain to religion or to proſper in it, yea to maintain that little which any of them have.

All this will be made evident.

1. From the diſtance we are at, the moſt of us, from ſound and proſperous religion,

2. From the difficulty of recovering thoſe that are fallen.

3. From the difficulty of holding on for thoſe that ſtand.

1. From the great diſtance we are at ſome of us from ſound and proſperous religion. There is as great a diſtance betwixt unconverted Sinners and Saints, as betwixt Heaven and Earth, betwixt Life and Death, 1 Joh. 3.14. We know that we are paſſed from death to life; that is, from being Sinners to Saints: There is p. 105as much difference betwixt the ſtate of theſe, as betwixt the living and the dead.

And there is, though not ſo great, yet a very great diſtance, betwixt the loweſt and unthriving ſort of Chriſtians, and flouriſhing Chriſtians; betwixt thoſe that were ever but low and them, there is as much diſtance as betwixt a Child and a Man, betwixt a very poor man and a wealthy man: And betwixt backſliders and the proſperous is as much diſtance, as betwixt a languiſhing and dying man and a healthful. The diſtance betwixt backſliders and the proſperous is greater and more hardly reconciled, than of thoſe that are but Children: As you know a man that hath had a good trade and a good ſtock, but is broken and fallen to decay; there is leſs hope of his recovering and getting up again, than there is of the raiſing of a young beginner how ſmall ſoever his ſtock be.

That you may more fully underſtand how great the diſtance is betwixt what you are and what you ſhould be or might have been, I ſhall adviſe you to make this threefold compariſon.

1. Compare your ſelves with ſome of thoſe that are of your own time and ſtanding, yea with ſome that came in to Chriſt many years ſince ſome of you. O how far are you left behind ſome of your company! Yea how much have ſome younger Chriſtians gotten the ſtart of you! What fruitful Chriſtians, what lively Chriſtians, what experienced Chriſtians are there, which never had half the time that ſome of you have had! Whilſt they are ſhut up and become tall as the Cedars in Lebanon, do not you continue as the underwood poor ſtarveling Shrubs that proſper not? What a diſtance is there betwixt a Shrub and a grown Tree! When do ye think ye ſhall reach to their growth, if ye do not ſtir up your ſelves to come on at another p. 106rate then hitherto you have done? O let it not ſuffice you that ye have hope that ye are Chriſtians, but get you on to be with the foremoſt of your company; the top branches are the beſt.

2. Compare your ſelves with your ſelves, what you are now, with what you were in your former time: Are you as good as ever you were? as holy as ever you were? or is there not a fall and a great fall from what you once had attained to? Is not the Sun gone many degrees back with you? Is not much of your light, and your life, and your heat loſt? Where be your eyes, Friends, if you do not ſee what loſers you are? where be your ſenſes, if you do not feel your own decays? Sure 'tis a ſad ſign that you have even loſt all your Chriſtianity, if you have not ſo much of Chriſtianity left as to make you ſenſible how much you have loſt. You that are backſliding Souls, my preaching to you is like to be in vain; I have little hope that this word ſhould do any thing towards your recovery, if it doth not make you ſenſible how much you have loſt, and how far you are grown behind hand. This would be hopeful, if we could ſee you ſmiting on your thighs as once Ephraim did, Iſ. 31.19. Or ſmiting on your Breaſt as the poor Publican did, Lord be merciful to me a ſinner; Lord be merciful to me a backſlider, Lord pardon me, Lord receive me, Lord recover me and help me up, that I utterly loſe not that which I have wrought. Know, friends, that if ye be fallen to ſuch a diſtance from what you once were, you are at a greater diſtance from what you ſhould be. For,

3. Compare your ſelves with that Copy which I have ſet before you, to be preſſing towards; with that higher pitch of Religion which I have pointed out unto you in the 5 particulars formerly mentioned. Compare your ſelves with theſe, and then how great p. 107will the diſtance appear to be betwixt what you are and what you ſhould be? Are you ſuch hungry and thirſty Souls after the higheſt degree of Religion? Have you panting hearts, longing hearts, can you ſay, my Soul is a thirſt for God, mine heart cryeth out for the living God, O for more of God, for more of the holy Image of God, more of the Life of God, for more of the power of his Grace? Are your Souls ſuch hungring and thirſting Souls, or have you not even loſt your appetites, doth not even deſire fail with you? And then what ſavour or reliſh have you of religion in your hearts? Is wiſdom entred into your hearts, is the knowledge and grace of God become [pleaſant] to your Souls? Do you taſte the ſweetneſs of religion? Can you ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Pſ. 84.1. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord? Or as Pſ. 19.10. Sweeter than the honey or the honeycomb to my Soul; thy Teſtimonies are my delight, how precious are thy thoughts to me! A day in thy Courts, an hour in my Cloſet, my Retirements to the Lord, and my Soul ſolaces in the ſecret of his preſence; theſe are the great pleaſures of my life, and the very joy of mine heart: Can you ſay ſo? do you find it ſo? Lord, how ſhort, how far ſhort do the moſt of Profeſſors fall here! Ah wretched hearts! We have taſted ſo much of the ſweetneſs of this Earth, that we have loſt our taſte of God; the world is become too ſweet; our gains, and our pleaſures, and our very labours are too ſweet; theſe carnal things put our mouths out of reliſh of things ſpiritual and heavenly.

And thus I might lead you through all the Particulars, Solidity, &c. by comparing your ſelves wherewith, you might eaſily perceive how very great the diſtance is from that holy, heavenly, tender, fruitful frame which we ſhould be in. And ſure, p. 108Friends, ſuch a great diſtance from it makes it evident how much need we have to ſtir up our ſelves, to be reaching and making towards it, Phil. 3.12. Not as if I had already attained or were already perfect, but I follow after. The Apoſtles ſenſe, that he was ſhort of perfection, this was it to ſtir him up to follow after: And O how hard does he follow? v. 13. Forgetting what's behind, and reaching forth unto thoſe things that are before, I preſs to the mark. O if it were thus with this great Apoſtle one that had out-ſtripp'd even the reſt of the Apoſtles, and was gotten ſo much nearer to the mark than they all: If this thought, but I am yet ſhort, I have not yet attained, did ſo preſs him to follow after, then ſure our ſenſe how greatly we fall ſhort of him, who yet acknowledged himſelf ſhort of the mark, does evidence how great need we have to beſtir our ſelves.

Do not now think that a little amendment will ſerve your turns, that a little more care and pains will ſuffice to help you up and recover you; know that you have a great way to go ere you can attain to this proſperous ſtate, and if ever you do recover to it, it muſt coſt you much; many an importunate Prayer, great watchfulneſs, much labour, yea many ſorrows of heart for your neglects that have been; many a ſigh, and may be many a tear: And therefore much need is there that you ſtir up and awaken your ſleepy hearts to it. Fall upon your knees, fall upon your knees, bemoan your ſelves, be aſhamed of your ſelves that you have ſloth'd your ſelves to this ſad paſs, and then ſtir up your ſelves to make after a recovery.

2. From the difficulty of recovering them that are fallen. It is with the conſumption of the heart as with the conſumption of the body; there are 3 degrees of a conſumption.

p. 109In the firſt degree it's hard to be diſcern'd and eaſily cured. If this Diſeaſe be but taken in the beginning, a little matter might do the cure; but in our firſt declinings it is not eaſie to diſcern them: Conſumptions come not as Feavers with any violence, but we waſte and waſte by degrees; it doth not make men ſick at firſt ſeizing them, but they conſume away inſenſibly: May be ſome amongſt us have but begun to fall. A degree of declining there may be, but they are not ſick of it, but take themſelves to be healthful and ſtrong Chriſtians; a little while hence they may both ſee and feel, what they will not ſuſpect nor fear. If you would but underſtand in time, and ſeek remedy in time, how much miſchief and miſery might be prevented!

2. The 2d. degree is eaſie to be diſcern'd, but hard to be cured. The farther it grows upon us the more plain our caſe is, but the more difficult is our recovery. Friends, there is a Conſumption of the Vitals of Religion upon too many among us, and ſome are very far gone: There need not be much pains taken to give you the Symptoms or Signs by which you may know it; their backſlidings are ſo viſible, that they are manifeſt even to every eye. The paleneſs of ſome of our faces, the ſhortneſs of our breath, the waſting of our ſtrength, the unwildineſs and inability to labour, and the liſtleſneſs thereto diſcovers how 'tis with us. O what weak and liſtleſs ſouls are ſome of us! our fleſh and our bodies ſtrong and healthful, but how weak are our hearts, how ſhort breath'd, quickly tired with every little of duty? and how pale and wan doth our outward man appear, our very Vitals are periſhed and gone. Friend, thou hopeſt thou keepeſt thy ſtand, but is it indeed with thee as it was wont to be? Doſt thou pray, and hear, and live, and love, and labour in the matters of God, and of thy p. 110Soul as in thy former days? Open thine eyes, and look a little upon thy ſelf, compare thy ſelf now with what thou waſt in thy beſt eſtate; and then thou wilt ſay of thy ſelf as God of Ephraim, Hoſ. 7.9. Gray hairs are upon me though I knew it not. 'Tis conſpicuous, man, to every one that obſerves thee; thy Religion, thy conſcience, and all that Grace that is in thee, 'tis all grown gray: Gray hairs are upon thee, though thou mindeſt it not. What ſay you, Chriſtians, are you all freſh and flouriſhing? Are you ſtrong Chriſtians, lively Chriſtians? Do your Souls proſper, doth your Religion proſper? or muſt you not ſay, I remember the days of Old, when it was better with me than now? ſuch who are ſo far gone, whoſe decay is ſo viſible, though their recovery be poſſible, yet they are hard to be recovered.

3. A third degree is, not to be hid and paſt cure, plain to be diſcovered, never to be cured: and then the Conſumption of ſouls is ordinarily paſt cure, when men are paſt feeling. It is one thing to be without feeling in thoſe that never had any ſenſe of God upon them, and another to be paſt feeling in thoſe that once had ſome tenderneſs of heart: Thoſe that have been chilling, and cooling, and hardning ſo long, till God gives them over to that reprobate ſenſe mentioned, Rom. 1.28. the caſe of ſuch men is become deſperate.

Now you that are fallen into this conſuming Diſeaſe, conſider theſe things, how difficult your caſe is, unleſs it be but in the very beginning, and how it will be growing on to be harder and harder, if yet you prevent it not with ſpeed till it becomes deſperate. Conſider this, and then ſay, if it be not time to look about you, and to make haſtily out to the Phyſician for cure. Friends take heed, will you yet linger on as you have done! will you be quiet, take your eaſe, and take no effectual care to recover the p. 111health you have loſt, the ſtrength you have loſt? Tremble to think how ſuddenly you may be given up to a total and final Apoſtaſie.

But why is the cure ſo difficult? I anſwer:

1. Becauſe (as it hath been ſaid) in the beginning it's ſo hard to be diſcerned. Who will look after a cure that thinks he ails nothing? This Conſumption invades and creeps on by ſuch inſenſible degrees, that it is not perceived or minded till it grows up to ſuch an height as will ſcarce admit of a cure. This Conſumption fretteth out the Heart as a Moth fretteth a Garment. When the Moth firſt breeds, there it lies undiſcovered, till by inſenſible degrees it eats up the ſtrength of the Garment. If the Moth ſeized upon any Garment as fire doth, you would ſhake it off ſuddenly; but becauſe it conſumes but inſenſibly and by ſlower degrees, therefore it's let alone till it hath done its work. Friends, is there not a Conſumption upon you? is not the Moth gotten in? I hope not into my Soul. Why there's the miſery of it, you will not know you conſume till ye be utterly conſumed.