The Blessings of a Soul in Health and Prospering, Sermon

The Blessings of a Soul in Health and Prospering · Sermon

The Bleſſings of a SOUL in Health and proſpering to be ſupremely wiſh'd for.

A SERMON Deliver'd (in Part) at a Family-Meeting in private; Boſton, Mar. 3. 1741, 2.

By Thomas Foxcroft.

Pſal. 67.1.2.

God be merciful unto us, and bleſs us; and cauſe his Face to ſhine upon us: That thy Way may be known upon Earth, thy ſaving Health among all Nations

Pſal. 118 25.

Save now, I beſeech Thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beſeech Thee, ſend now Proſperity.

2 Cor. 13 9.

This alſo we wiſh, even your Perfection.

BOSTON: Printed and Sold by S. KNEELAND and T. GREEN, in Queenſtreet over againſt the Priſon 1742.

The Beſt Wiſh, A Soul in Health & proſpering.

III Epiſ. JOHN, 2.

Beloved, I wiſh above all Things that thou mayſt proſper, and be in Health, even as thy Soul proſpereth.

HAVING given the proper Direction at the Head of his Letter to his Friend Gaius, the Apoſtle proceeds to ſalute him in the Lord, and utters a pathetick Wiſh on his Behalf, as in our Text. This affectionate Comprecation is variouſly underſtood by Expoſitors.

Some take it as a Wiſh for his Recovery of bodily Health; making the Proſperity of his Soul (which is here acknowledg'd) the Rule and Standard of that. And in this View of the Words, we might note from them, That ſuch as have proſperous Souls may nevertheleſs have ſickly and afflicted Bodies: And for the weakly and ſick Servants of Chriſt, we ſhould wiſh their Recovery of Health, as the greateſt outward Bleſſing: And finally, it's a rare and admirable Caſe, when any one is viſibly ſo bleſſed in Spirituals, as that we may venture to make the Meaſure of his Soul-Proſperity the Rule of our Wiſhes for his bodily Health. Alaſs, what Multitudes are there of neglected and unproſpering Souls, even among Goſpel-Profeſſors, p. 2whether ſick or well in Body! And as for ſuch, to make the Apoſtle's Wiſh in this Senſe, wou'd be a curſing, rather than bleſſing them, and wou'd imply a wiſhing them undone for both Worlds, miſerable both in Body and Soul.—But I ſhall not conſider the Text in this Light at preſent.

Others take it as a Wiſh for the Health and Proſperity of his Soul. And conſidering it in this View, the following Obſervations may be made from it.

1. There is ſuch a Thing as the Proſperity and Health of the Soul.

2. Soul-Proſperity and Health is the beſt Bleſſing we can wiſh to any.

3. The moſt healthy and proſperous Soul is capable of ſtill further Improvements; and accordingly (whatever we wiſh any one) an Increaſe of ſpiritual Proſperity and Health is above all Things to be wiſhed for him.

4. The Miniſters of Chriſt ſhould and faithful Miniſters will (as they have Opportunity) be obſervant of the Symptoms of Soul-Proſperity and Health in others, readily acknowledge the ſame where it appears, and make it their moſt ardent Wiſh on behalf of their chriſtian Friends, that they may increaſe herein.—But this laſt, being peculiarly a Leſſon to myſelf, I ſhall reſerve for the Subject of my own private Meditations; and employ this Diſcourſe on the three former, which are of more common Concernment.

DOCTRINE I. There is ſuch a Thing as the Proſperity and Health of the Soul.—The Apoſtle aſcribes it to his well-beloved Gaius; Even as thy Soul proſpereth.

Here,

1. I ſhall briefly premiſe ſome Hints upon the Subject of this Proſperity and Health, the Soul of Man.

p. 3We read, Job 32.8. There is a Spirit in Man; and the Inſpiration of the Almighty giveth them Underſtanding. The Scriptures every where ſuppoſe Man a Compound of Matter and Spirit. The Soul is an intelligent and undying Principle within us; a ſpiritual inviſible thinking Subſtance, diſtinct from our material and animal Part; ſurvives the Body, and has an eternal Exiſtence. [See Eccl. 12.7. and Matth. 10.28.] Hence holy Paul deſired to depart, that he might be with Chriſt, that is, in his immortal Spirit. (Phil. 1.23.) When the Man Jeſus felt his Body diſſolving, he committed his Spirit into his Father's Hand, and gave up the Ghoſt. (Luke 23.46.) So dying Stephen went out of the World calling upon the Lord Jeſus, to receive his Spirit. (Acts 7.59.) —What are the Spirits in Priſon (1 Pet. 3.19.) but Souls of wicked Men departed this Life, and doom'd to a State of Miſery in the other World? And what are the Spirits of juſt Men made perfect (Heb. 12.23.) but the Souls of Believers diſcharg'd from the Incumbrance of their Clay-Tabernacles, and paſſed into Glory? — In a Word, what are we that dwell on the Face of the Earth, but Spirits that abide in the Fleſh? (Phil. 1.24.) Hence the LORD is ſtiled the God of the Spirits of all Fleſh. (Num. 27.16.) He is ſo, as he formeth the Spirit of Man within him (Zech. 12.1.) and as his Viſitation preſerveth our Spirit. (Job. 10.12.)

O let us all remember, and carry the Thought about with us continually, that we have Souls, as well as Bodies: Souls unſpeakably preferrible to our Bodies; Souls, the Redemption whereof is precious (Pſal. 49.8.) Souls, the Salvation whereof is the End of our Faith (1 Pet. 1.9.) And Souls, the keeping whereof we muſt daily commit to God, as to a faithful Creator, in well-doing (1 Pet. 4.19.) Not caring for the Things of the World, what we ſhall eat or drink, or wherewith be cloathed, but caring for the Things of the Lord, that we may be holy both in Body and Spirit (1 Cor. 7.34.) That we may glorify God in p. 4our Body, and in our Spirit, which are God's (1 Cor. 6.20.) As Strangers and Pilgrims, abſtaining from fleſhly Luſts, which war againſt the Soul; and living unto Righteouſneſs, as thoſe who were as Sheep going aſtray, but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Biſhop of our Souls. (1 Pet. 2.11, 25.)

O my Brethren, the SOUL is the Man. God the Father of Spirits, he weigheth the Spirits, and judgeth of you by the hidden Man of the Heart. You ought alſo to judge of yourſelves by this; and if you wou'd know what Manner of Perſons you are, you muſt labour to know what Manner of Spirit you are of.—You muſt take Heed to your Spirit, denominate yourſelves from this, and make this your principal Care. O let not the Fleſh and the World have the Aſcendant in your Eſteem, and the Throne in your Hearts. Let not your Soul lie neglected, and bury'd in the Pleaſures of Senſe, or the Cares of this Life. What is a Man profited, if he gain the whole World, and loſe his Soul? Or what ſhall a Man give in Exchange for his Soul? (Matth. 16.26.) Learn, I beſeech you (my Friends) every one of you, to place a juſt Value upon your immortal Part, and to make your Soul your Care in the firſt Place. Think often and think ſolemnly, that you have a Soul made for Immortality, bound to an eternal World, and which in a little Time muſt be conſign'd to an unalterable State of Happineſs or Miſery. And can any of you bear the Thought of going to Hell, or miſſing of Heaven at laſt! O ſee your Danger, and don't deſtroy your own Soul. Realiſe the Neceſſity of caring for your Soul; and look that you do not reward Evil to yourſelves, thro' Preſumption or Deſpair. Tremble to think what Indignation & Wrath, Tribulation & Anguiſh ſhall be upon every Soul of Man that doeth Evil. But remember, that the Soul of the Righteous ſhall inherit Glory, Honour and Peace everlaſting. And altho' you may ſome of you be without any preſent Grounds for Hope of this, as having in you ſtill the Soul of the p. 5Wicked, an evil Heart of Unbelief; yet thro' the Riches of divine Grace there's a Poſſibility of getting your Soul reſtored to Life, yea, to Health and Proſperity by Jeſus Chriſt. Tho' your Soul be in a State of Perdition, yet not ſuch as that of the Spirits in Priſon. No, while the God of all Patience reprieves you from Hell, you ought to look on it as poſſible for you to eſcape the Wrath to come; poſſible for you to be born from above, and ſo to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. You have a Soul, tho' ſpiritually dead, yet capable of being raiſed into immortal Life by the Power of God, and of being made a Veſſel of Mercy, prepared for Glory; yea, capable of a bleſſed Proſperity and Health in the preſent World, a ſpiritual Health and Proſperity, which is the Beginning and Earneſt of everlaſting Glory and Felicity.

This leads us,

2. To conſider that Proſperity and Health, mention'd in our Text, as what the Soul is the Subject of.

Now if we view the Soul of Man in it's philoſophical Notion only, it may be ſaid to proſper and be in Health, when the Intellectuals are not in a diſeas'd infirm Eſtate, but ſound, regular and vigorous as to the common Operations of Reaſon; the Wit ſharp, the Judgment ſolid, the Memory tenacious, Ideas clear, and Arguings ſtrong, Knowledge increaſing, &c.—But this State of the human Underſtanding is common to Saints and Sinners; is but a partial and very defective, low Kind of Soul-Proſperity, and capable of exiſting ſeparate from that intended in our Text. It may be called indeed rather the Health of the Brain, than of the Soul; at leaſt it depends immediately upon the happy Texture of the Brain, a regular Circulation of the nervous Fluids, and Freedom of the animal Spirits, producing a lively Imagination, and aſſiſting the intellectual Functions.

But the Apoſtle in our Text had a more exalted View, and wou'd be underſtood in a theological Senſe. The Proſperity and Health of Soul, which he ſpeaks of, is of a ſublime and ſpiritual Nature, not merely intellectual, but moral; and refers not ſo much to an orderly State of the p. 6Head, conſidering Man merely as rational and ſocial; but to the holy Frame of his Heart, his Conſcience, Will and Affections, as well as Underſtanding, conſidering him in his Relation to GOD, as a Subject of moral Government, a Creature formed for religious Service, and deſign'd for the glorifying and enjoying of God, his ultimate End.

Looking at Man in this Light, his Soul may be ſaid to proſper and be in in Health, when his Powers as a moral Agent are reduc'd under a proper Regulation, and duly exerciſed on their reſpective Objects; ſo as that the Soul truly anſwers the End of its Being, and enjoys that inward moral and ſpiritual Happineſs … was originally deſigned for. There is ſuch a Thing as Proſperity and Health of the Soul in this Senſe, actually exiſtent in the Life which now is, tho' too uncommon.

Indeed conſidered as taking Place in the preſent World, it is not to be underſtood in a ſtrict and abſolute Senſe, as if any Souls dwelling in Fleſh had already attained, or cou'd attain a proper (legal) Perfection of Holineſs and moral Happineſs, excluſive of all Mixtures, and free from all Defects. For even inſpir'd Prophets and Apoſtles renounc'd all Pretenſions to this; as you may read both in the old Teſtament and New. [Eccl. 7.20. Prov. 20.9.—Phil. 3.12, 13.—1 Cor. 13.9, 10.— 1 Joh. 1.8.]

Verily, ſince the Day of Adam's Fall, there never was an Example of complete unblemiſh'd Sanctity, or indefective moral Felicity; ſave only the Man Jeſus, the ſecond Adam, who being conceived in a miraculous Way, by the Power of the Holy Ghoſt, was exempt from the common Contagion of original Sin, and his Life (in Correſpondence to his innocent Nature) holy, harmleſs, and undefiled. But excepting this ſingle Inſtance, never was Man upon Earth whoſe Soul enjoy'd Proſperity and moral Health in a ſtrict Perfection. This is reſerved for the peculiar Priviledge of the coming World. And the Saints in the Earth, the moſt excellent of them, muſt be p. 7ſaid to be in an unproſperous unhealthy State of Soul, compar'd with the perfected Spirits in Paradiſe.

However, there is a Senſe, a lax and leſs proper Senſe, in which ſome Souls ſtill tabernacling in mortal Bodies of Fleſh and Blood, may be ſaid to proſper and be in Health.

I wou'd obſerve here diſtinctly,

1. In a comparative Light, as viewed in Contradiſtinction to unregenerate Sinners, all that are born again may be ſaid to have Souls proſpering and in Health.

The Righteous are repreſented as a peculiar People, a choſen Generation; whoſe ſpiritual State, moral Endowments, Soul-Privileges and Relations are all ſuch as ſpeak them the excellent in the Earth, more excellent than others. (Pſal. 16.3. Prov. 12.26.) The Ungodly are Strangers to thoſe ſpiritual Bleſſings, which righteous Souls enjoy. They may proſper in the World, heap up Riches, and ſwim in ſenſual Pleaſures, poſſeſs uninterrupted Health of Body, yea, and very improv'd Intellectuals too: But ſtill their Souls do not proſper, in the Senſe of our Text; no, their Souls are lean from Day to Day, in a ſtarving pining periſhing Condition.—Whereas now the Godly are ſuch as have been born again, born of God, begotten to a new, a divine and heavenly Life; and have Meat to eat, which the World knows nothing of, whereby the divine Life is ſupported and nouriſh'd in them.

A regenerating Change indeed is the fundamental Thing. True Proſperity and Health of Soul implies an habitual State of moral Rectitude, reſtor'd to the Soul in the new Birth. Health preſuppoſes Life: This is as the Foundation, and that as the Superſtructure. Spiritual Life is the radical Principle; which the Soul muſt have put into it by the creating Hand of God, or it can never be ſaid to proſper and be in Health. The Man in this happy Caſe is one whom the Law of the Spirit of Life, in Chriſt Jeſus, hath made free from the Law of Sin and Death, in ſuch a Meaſure, as that his Soul may be ſaid truly to be alive unto God, to live in the Spirit, and to walk, not after the Fleſh, but after the Spirit. He is no longer p. 8carnally minded, which to be is Death; but ſpiritually minded, which is Life and Peace.

The holy Scriptures, concurrent with the Experience and Obſervation of all Ages, do repreſent Mankind as in a fallen Condition; their Souls miſerably out of Order, infeebled, deprav'd, and corrupted in all their Powers; ſo far from Health and Proſperity, that they are by Nature even dead in Sins. Indeed Man was at firſt form'd after the Image of God, in every Faculty poſſeſſing an excellent Rectitude. (Gen. 1.27. Eccl. 7.29.) But by ſinning againſt God, our firſt Parents fell from the Eſtate, wherein they were created; and all Adam's natural Poſterity, being not only in his Loins, but included in the Covenant made with him, and ſo involv'd in the common Guilt of the firſt Tranſgreſſion, do juſtly inherit the Pollution contracted and the Miſery incur'd by his Apoſtaſy. (Pſal. 58.3. Rom. 5.12, 19.)

But, bleſſed be the God of all Grace, who in his infinite Wiſdom and Mercy has found out an admirable Expedient for our Recovery, and in the Fulneſs of Time ſent his Son, incarnate in human Nature, to ſave his People from their Sins. He was wounded for our Tranſgreſſions, that by his Stripes we might be healed. (Iſai. 53.5.) He gave himſelf for us, that he might purify unto himſelf a peculiar People. (Tit. 2.14.)

And ſuch a People he actually hath in the World; which in Time paſt were not a People, but are now the People of God, who by his Stripes are healed. (1 Pet. 2.10, 24.) Multitudes have experienc'd the purifying Efficacy of his Blood, the healing Virtue of his Croſs, and the quickning Power of his Reſurrection; even ſome of the greateſt Sinners. (1 Cor. 6.10, 11. Tit. 3.3, 5.)

Now the Work of the Holy Ghoſt in applying the Redemption by Chriſt, for the quickning and healing of Men's Spirits, is one Thing imply'd in this Proſperity and Health of the Soul, as eſſentially neceſſary to it: and in regard of that, every believing Soul may be ſaid to be in Health and proſper, if compar'd with what it was by p. 9Nature, or with what the Souls of ſuch be as are yet unconverted.

Be the Faculties of the Soul, in its meer rational Conſideration, ever ſo much enlarg'd and improv'd; be it inriched with all Knowledge; be its Chambers filled with Treaſures of common Science and human Prudence: Yet if there be not a renewing Operation of the HOLY GHOST, producing a total Change in the moral Temper and Frame of the Soul, it is not a Soul proſpering and in Health. No, 'tis a ſickly, feeble, crazy, poor and periſhing Soul, notwithſtanding all its intellectual Furniture; yea, and notwithſtanding any Ornaments of ſeeming Virtue, it may make a Shew of, which is merely Ethical, and reaches little higher than the ſenſitive Appetites.

The inner Man muſt be heal'd of all the ſpiritual Diſtempers and Wounds it got by the Fall, and which have been increas'd and inflam'd by actual Sins from time to time: The Blindneſs of the Mind, the Hardneſs of the Heart, and Numbneſs of the Conſcience, the Stubbornneſs of the Will, the Madneſs of the Paſſions, and every moral Diſeaſe muſt be bro't under an effectual Cure; or elſe the Soul can't be ſaid to be in Health and proſper.

The Soul that may juſtly have this Character apply'd to it, is a Soul awaken'd out of its native State of ſpiritual Death, and reſtor'd to its true and genuine Life: A Soul, that has Chriſt formed in it, that is quicken'd together with him, and made conformable to him: A Soul renewed by the Holy Spirit, in all its Powers; the Underſtanding rightly inform'd, and the Judgment rightly fix'd; the Will rightly bent and reſolv'd; the Conſcience purg'd and rightly engag'd; the Affections placed on right Objects, and the Paſſions reduc'd under a right Government▪ A Soul, that has juſt Ideas impreſs'd upon it, and wiſe Thoughts prevailing in it; a Soul, that has its Views directed to the beſt Ends, and whoſe chief Study is to pleaſe and honour God; a Soul, that is weaned from this preſent World, that is cut off from the Love of Sin, and no longer makes Self it's Idol, is divorced from the Law, and ſubdu'd to the Goſpel: A Soul, that has Repentance towards p. 10God, and Faith towards our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; that lives by Faith, and brings forth Fruits meet for Repentance; that dwells in Love, and has its Converſation in Heaven; delights in the Service of God, and Communion with him: in a Word, a Soul attemper'd by Grace to the Performance of ſpiritual Duties, and to the Fruition of ſpiritual Bleſſings; humbled by a Senſe of its own Unworthineſs, and yet truſting in Chriſt Jeſus, and longing for the Enjoyment of him in Glory everlaſting. This, this is the Soul alive and in Health; and which only can be ſaid to proſper.

This Soul has noble Lineaments of the moral Image of God upon it: This Soul is a Temple of the Holy Ghoſt; and has eternal Life commenced in it. This Soul has Heaven as it were bro't down into it. 'Tis bound for Heaven, & intitled to it, as its proper Inheritance; is in an habitual Preparedneſs for it, and ſhall for certain be finally put in Poſſeſſion of it.—This Soul is furniſh'd with thoſe Gifts and Graces, that are the true Riches. This Soul is become Light in the Lord, and has found the Knowlege of the holy One, that Pearl of great Price. This Soul is a Partaker of his Holineſs; a Partaker of the Divine Nature, in all its reveal'd and communicable moral Perfections, tho' as yet in a very imperfect Degree.—This Soul obtains Peace in believing, and good Hope through Grace; and has everlaſting Conſolation, at leaſt in the Principles and Grounds of it, or in Title and Reverſion, if not in actual Enjoyment.—This Soul is admitted into all thoſe divine and ſpiritual Relations, and relative Privileges, which are connected with true Proſperity, and which the Saints in Heaven eſteem their Bleſſedneſs and great Glory. Such a Soul, being vitally and myſtically united to Chriſt, is made the Righteouſneſs of God in him, and has the Righteouſneſs of God our Saviour imputed to him for his Juſtification; has Chriſt's Satisfaction placed to his Account, and his Debt to vindictive Juſtice cancel'd, no more to be remembred againſt him. His Guilt is totally and for ever blotted out; he's out of Debt; is made accepted in the Beloved, and ſtands unalterably p. 11right in the Court of Heaven. This Soul is ally'd to Angels, eſpouſed to Chriſt, reconciled to God, adopted into his Family, and appointed an Heir of Salvation with eternal Glory.—This Soul is in an habitual Readineſs for all Events; and as no Evil ſhall come nigh to hurt it, ſo in its own Apprehenſion (while conſcious of its bleſſed State,) nothing can happen amiſs to it: For it has learnt to look with a ſacrificing Eye upon all its deareſt Enjoyments, and has the Aſſurance from God, that all Things work together for Good to them that love him.— This is the truly living Soul. Chriſt has given it eternal Life, and declar'd that it ſhall never periſh, nor ſhall any of its Adverſaries be able to pluck it out of his Hands. Being in Chriſt, there is no Condemnation to ſuch an one. He is not of them which draw back unto Perdition, but of them which believe to the ſaving of the Soul: And nothing ſhall be able to ſeparate him from the Love of God in Chriſt.—In a Word, ſuch a Soul, waſhed, juſtify'd and ſanctify'd as it is, hath a Title to and Meetneſs for the heavenly Inheritance. This is purchas'd for him, decreed and promis'd to him, taken Poſſeſſion of by the Forerunner in his Behalf, and an Earneſt given him by the Spirit which dwelleth in him. He has Treaſure in Heaven, and none can rob him of it.

Happy the Soul, in ſuch a Caſe! How excellent its Character, how glorious its Condition! Such a Soul may be ſaid truly to proſper and be in Health; at leaſt in Compare with the Souls of others. Surely the ungodly are not ſo: But are empty of all truly moral and ſpiritual Good, wretched and miſerable and poor and blind and naked; condemn'd as Criminals by the Law, led Captive by the Devil, and pining to Death in their Chains.—Compar'd with them, every renew'd Soul, tho' but a Babe in Chriſt, a Weakling in Grace, and a Child in Underſtanding, compaſſed about with many Infirmities, may nevertheleſs be called a Soul proſpering and in Health.

I ſhall now apply this Point in ſome proper REFLECTIONS, before I paſs to the other Head.

p. 12USE I. What has been ſaid, miniſters Occaſion for a mournful Remembrance of Adam's Apoſtaſy, and calls us to lament the ruinous State of human Nature ſince the Fall.

Had the firſt Man perſever'd in his Obedience, he had for ever poſſeſs'd, and ſo had we, a Soul in Health and proſperous, with regard to intellectual and moral Perfections and Bleſſings.—But alaſs! By one Man's Diſobedience many were made Sinners. By one Man Sin entred into the World, and Death by Sin; and ſo Death paſſed upon all Men, in that (or in whom) all have ſinned. By the Offence of one, Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation. Then were all dead.—'Tis the Scripture-Account of the Origin of that Darkneſs, Defilement, Diſorder, and Death, which now diſgraces human Nature; and which Mankind univerſally had been everlaſting Strangers to, if Adam (our firſt Father and federal Head) had ſtood in his primitive Character and Condition, wherewith a good God ſaw fit to honour and diſtinguiſh him.

O what Bluſhing and Shame, what Trembling and Sorrow become us, when we conſider how awfully Man differs now from what he was originally, as he came out of his Creator's Hand! With what Tears of Confuſion and Aſtoniſhment ſhou'd we lament our common Guilt and Fall in Adam! Verily Tears of Blood are not ſufficient for us to ſhed on ſo fearful and melancholly an Occaſion. The Crown is fallen from our Head: Wo to us that we have ſinned! Alas, we were altogether born in Sin; and in this Senſe, were Tranſgreſſors from the Womb. We brought into the World with us a carnal Mind, an evil Heart; and out of the evil Treaſure in our evil Heart have proceeded all our evil Thoughts, and evil Words and Actions. O how loathſome and forlorn our Caſe in a State of Nature! The whole Head is ſick, and the whole Heart faint; there's no Soundneſs in us; but we are full of Wounds and Bruiſes and putrifying Sores, from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot, in moral and ſpiritual Reſpects. And well then may God's Soul abhor us in our natural p. 13State, even as our Soul loatheth him. Surely we were by Nature the Children of Wrath, even as others, being the Children of Diſobedience. (Eph. 2.2, 3.)

Let us labour for a thorow Conviction of this Doctrine of Original Sin. 'Tis moſt evidently the Doctrine of Scripture: and abundantly confirm'd by the penitential Confeſſions of Believers in every Age. Nor can any of you, if you conſult your own Experience, find juſt Occaſion to diſpute it. Do you not feel a Law of Sin working in you, and the Imagination of your Heart evil from your Youth up? (Gen. 8.21.) Were not the earlieſt Diſcoveries of Reaſon in you attended with Out-breakings of Corruption? How can you account for the firſt evil and luſtful Thought you had, but by aſſigning an evil Heart as the immediate Cauſe? Surely, it did not come from without but ſprang from within, out of the Heart (Mar. 7.21) Then when Luſt hath conceived, it bringeth forth Sin. (Jam. 1.15.) And while we ſee Children ſo early, ſo univerſally manifeſting an Averſion to what is Good, and a Diſpoſition to what is Evil, very often too againſt the Light of the beſt Inſtructions, againſt the Force of the beſt Examples, and notwithſtanding all poſſible Reſtraints of a wiſe and holy Government over them, what other Cauſe can we reſolve the ſad Effect into, but the native Pravity of their own Mind and Conſcience? This is the Root of Bitterneſs, which ſpringing up betimes, doth ſo defile our Childhood and Youth. The Fruit being ſo early and conſtantly bad, argues the Tree to be bad. A good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit; neither can a corrupt Tree produce good Fruit: Wherefore by their Fruits ye ſhall know them. And by this Rule of judging, we know every one to be by Nature a corrupt Tree: not excepting even the rare Inſtances of ſuch as are ſaid to be ſanctify'd from the Womb. For theſe being ſanctify'd but in part, do by the frequent breaking out of remaining Luſts diſcover, that they were originally corrupt Trees, even as others.

This Doctrine lies in the Foundation of the grand Scheme of Man's Redemption. For without the Suppoſition of original Sin, what ſo great Need was there for the p. 14Mediation of the Son of God, or for the Sanctification of the Spirit? Might not merely the Reſtraints of Providence and common Grace have been ſufficient to preſerve Adam's Poſterity innocent, if born free of all Participation with him in his Guilt and Pollution? And if ſo, what Occaſion for all that Coſt and Pains, which the only wiſe God has laid out in the Affair of Man's Salvation! But if that be conſider'd, Things muſt needs appear in a very different Light to every impartial Inquirer.—Let this Thought teach you (my Friends) the Importance of the Doctrine of original Sin; and ſerve to ſettle you in the firm Perſwaſion of its Truth. Be upon your Guard againſt the impotent Cavils and perverſe Diſputings of Men of corrupt Minds. Let no Man deceive you with vain Words.

And being eſtabliſhed in the Belief of the Truth, be often entertaining your Minds with ſerious Meditations upon it; applying it ſolemnly to your own Caſe, and bringing it home to your ſelves in particular. If any of you are among the happy Examples of early Piety, give God the Glory of his diſtinguiſhing Grace towards you, and be you very thankful: Yet never forget the abject Condition you were born in; guilty, polluted, and wretched, like the reſt of the World. Nor have you quite ſhock off the old Man to this Day, but have a Body of Death, to be groaning under as long as you live on Earth; and the Senſe of this muſt needs daily call back your Thoughts to the Day of your Nativity, when you lay in your Blood, caſt out to the loathing of your Perſon.—But are not ſome of you only as whited Sepulchres? Perhaps by the Advantage of a religious Education, and early Strivings of the Spirit, you may have been kept from many groſſer Follies, may have behav'd orderly, with ſomething of moral Decency, yea, with an Appearance of real Piety, more than common, yet all this while remain unacquainted with vital Godlineſs, and your inward Part is very Wickedneſs. If ſtill unconverted, your Heart is like the reſt of the Sons of Men, full of Evil: having in it the Seeds of the worſt Immoralities, which wou'd ſhoot up, and bring forth abominable Fruits, were p. 15it not for divine Reſtraints. Alas, the very beſt of you in a State of Nature, are but as the Lion in a Cage, whoſe native Fierceneſs is not mortify'd, tho' he appear cool and tame. Or you are as the Swine, tho' externally waſhed from its Filthineſs, yet retaining ſtill its natural Diſpoſition to wallow in the Mire. Such as you, have greateſt Need very frequently and ſolemlny to dwell in your Thoughts upon the deep Depravity of human Nature; leſt you ſhou'd be impos'd upon by deceiving Appearances, and loſe your Souls by a falſe Peace, for want of an effectual Sight of inherent Corruption.—And you who are now bearing the Reproach of your Youth, ſtained with open Impiety & Vice, while you mourn your earlieſt Crimes, as well as later Offences, ſee that you run up all to the Spring-head, as repenting David did, and bewail your unhappy Caſe as ſhapen in Iniquity and conceived in Sin. (Pſal. 51.5.)

A mortifying and humbling Reflection this to us all! What can ſuch baſe-born Wretches as we, have to glory in! How abſurd for us, that are by Nature of ſo filthy and vile a Spirit, ſo guilty and miſerable, to pride ourſelves in the Beauty of our Bodies, in the Honour of our Parentage, in the Riches of our Inheritance, or even the Privileges of our Baptiſm and Education! O my Friends, the Conſideration of original Sin ſhou'd hide Pride from Man, and darken the Glory of all our external Proſperity, and our internal Advantages too, whether natural or acquir'd. O let us get and maintain a realiſing affecting Senſe of indwelling Sin, which has ſo impoveriſhed, deform'd, defil'd and degraded our Souls: And let the Thought of this ſubdue our Pride and Vanity, give a powerful Check to every ſelf-exalting Imagination, humble us to the Duſt, keep us low in our own Eyes, and make us even abhor ourſelves before the holy God, with whom we have to do. To this End let us beg at the Throne of Grace, that a divine Light may ſhine into our Hearts, to lay them open to our View, and thorowly convince us of the evil Diſeaſe, which cleaveth to us; elſe we ſhall never be duly humbled, and brought to repair to the Healer of Souls.

p. 16USE II. We have Reaſon to admire the infinite Mercy of God, in raiſing up a ſecond Adam, to reſtore our Souls from the Ruins of the Fall; and ſhou'd adore his amazing Wiſdom and Power and Holineſs in the Recovery of apoſtate Creatures.

O what Manner of Love is this, that when we had been ruin'd by Means of the Sin and Fall of the firſt Man, another Mediator ſhou'd be rais'd up, & ſent to redeem us out of that State of Guilt and Miſery we were plung'd into, and reſtore our Souls once more to Proſperity and Health! Had the bleſſed God ſeen fit, he might have glorify'd his Juſtice in our everlaſting Deſtruction, without a Remedy; as he caſt off the Angels which ſinned. But O aſtoniſhing Diſtinction of ſovereign Grace, in the Proviſion for our Recovery by Jeſus, the Lord from Heaven! Herein is Love; not that we loved God, but that God loved us, and ſent his only begotton Son, that we might live thro' him. (1 Joh. 4.10.)—And O the amazing Condeſcenſion of the Son of God, who though he was rich, yet for our Sakes became poor, that we thro' his Poverty might be rich. (2 Cor. 8.9.) O the Grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that he ſhould come to reſtore that which he took not away; that he ſhould ſuffer for Sins (the Juſt for the Unjuſt) in order to bring us unto God, that our Souls might live and proſper and be bleſſed for ever. Never was there ſuch Love as this, ſeen amongſt Men, or Angels. The Love of Chriſt paſſeth Knowledge. We cannot ſufficiently admire it. — Nor can we eno' admire the Condeſcenſion and Grace of God the Holy Ghoſt, in undertaking the Office of applying the Salvation purchaſed by Chriſt to the elect People of God. O if we have been made Partakers of the Benefit, methinks we can't but ſing the Praiſes of divine Love.

And ſurprizing is the Diſplay of divine Wiſdom in the Work of Redemption, as God has wonderfully ſuited his Salvation to the Nature of Man and the Reaſon of Things, to the Ends of his own Glory and our Felicity. He does not ſave Men in their Sins, but from them; and reſtores p. 17that moral Purity to the Soul, which is fundamental to the Happineſs of reaſonable Creatures, and was indeed our primitive Glory. In this he manifeſts his Holineſs and his Wiſdom together.

And how is the Power of God magnify'd in this ſo great Salvation! The SON of God diſplay'd his Omnipotence in the obtaining eternal Redemption for us. And the SPIRIT of God reveals his almighty Arm in the Application of purchaſed Redemption. When any Soul is begotten to a new and ſpiritual Life, and begins to proſper and be in Health, it is by the Power of the Holy Ghoſt. Self-Converſion is as much an Impoſſibility to the Sinner, by his own ſolitary Strength, as Self-Reſurrection to a breathleſs Corpſe. Neither is this Work in the Power of Means and Inſtruments. No, the whole Efficiency is DIVINE. All created Holineſs is but a Ray from the Sun of Righteouſneſs, who ariſeth on whom he will with Healing in his Wings. Only the ſame almighty Hand, which form'd Man at firſt after the Image of God, is able to reſtore it in the Soul. Upon a Survey of Mankind in their loſt and dead Eſtate, the Language of the Prophet might fitly be ſighed over them, Can theſe dry Bones live! And it muſt be confeſſed, With Man it is unpoſſible: But all Things are poſſible with God. The converting and healing of a Soul, verily 'tis the LORD'S Doing. 'Tis ſpoken of as a creating Work, and compar'd to raiſing the Dead (Eph. 2.5, 10.) Which imports an irreſiſtible Omnipotence exerted in producing the bleſſed Effect.—Look off from Creatures, look above Men and Means, when you behold any Inſtance of Converſion, under the Miniſtry of the Word; and think not as though by our own Power or Holineſs we had made this Man to walk. No, but the Power of the Lord was preſent to heal him.—And let me note to you by the Way, that all thoſe Doctrines are juſtly to be ſuſpected as falſe, which exalt the Power of Man, and deny the Neceſſity of a divine Influence, to work a regenerating Change in Sinners. The Caſe of the Woman (Luk. 8.43.) which had ſpent all her Living upon Phyſicians, neither could be healed of any, is p. 18a lively Emblem of the Caſe of an apoſtate Soul, without Strength to reſtore itſelf, and finding the whole Creation without any healing Medicines. The Aſſerters of Pelagian FREE-WILL, or the Sufficiency of our natural Faculties, by human Helps, without the immediate Operation of ſupernatural Grace, to the Ends of Holineſs and Happineſs, appear in my Apprehenſion very evidently removed from the Grace of Chriſt, unto another Goſpel, which yet is not another. Our Lord has left us that expreſs Aſſurance, WITHOUT ME YE CAN DO NOTHING. And if any Man teach otherwiſe, not conſenting to wholeſome Words, even the Words of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he is proud, knowing nothing.—Let us look on this Doctrine of Chriſt as a Doctrine according to Godlineſs: I truſt you have (ſome of you) found it ſuch by happy Experience, and you ought boldly to confeſs it; however profane Wits may explode and flout at it, in their vain Opinion of an Ability and Liberty in fallen Man, which derogates from the Honour of divine Grace, and perverts the Goſpel of Chriſt.

O let the Sovereignty and Power, Wiſdom, Holineſs and Mercy of God in the Salvation of Souls, be equally our Meditation and Wonder and Praiſe continually. Let us daily ſteep our Thoughts and warm our Hearts in this heavenly Study, which will be the noble Employment of Saints and Angels throughout a bleſſed Eternity.

USE III. What Joy and Satisfaction ſhou'd we take in the Converſion of Sinners; and how ought we to mourn the Caſe of unconverted Souls?

In every Converſion a Soul is ſav'd from Death. (Jam. 5.20.) 'Tis brought into a new and excellent Life, and put in a Way to glorious Proſperity, Health and Happineſs. And ſhall we not rejoyce, when any are bro't to believe unto the ſaving of the Soul! Verily there's Joy in Heaven over one Sinner that repenteth. (Luk. 15.7.) Every new Converſion ſpread a freſh Tranſport of Joy all over Heaven; it puts a new Song into the Mouth of Angels; and is highly pleaſing to God. The Holy Ghoſt rejoyces p. 19in a new Triumph of his Power and Grace: The Redeemer rejoyces in a new Teſtimony to the Merits of his Croſs and Efficacy of his Mediation: The Father rejoyces in a freſh Witneſs to his electing Love, the Birth of another Heir, and a new Addition to his Family. This is emblematically repreſented in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, in whoſe return his Father rejoyced, and killed the fatted Calf, becauſe he had received him ſafe and ſound. (Luk. 15.27.)—How do we rejoice in the Return of a Child or a Friend, thought to have been loſt; and in his Recovery, after having been ſick nigh unto Death! With what Pleaſure do we receive ſuch an one, as virtually rais'd from the Dead! And ſhall we not much more rejoyce and exult in the Return of a loſt Sinner, in the Recovery of a periſhing Soul. Do's not Love to our Fellow-Creatures, and a Regard to the Honour of God and Intereſt of Chriſt demand this of us? Ought we not to imitate the Example of holy Angels? Are we not willing to participate in the Joy of Heaven on ſuch an Occaſion!

At the ſame Time we ſhou'd lament, that the truly living Soul is ſo rare a Spectacle: And ſhould bemoan the unhappy Caſe of Sinners in their Unregeneracy. Alas, their Miſery is great upon them. Be they Kings and great Men of the Earth, dwelling amidſt the higheſt Honours, Riches and Pleaſures of this World, yet ſo long as alienated from the Life of God, what is the Life they live! mean and low, little better than brutal. The moſt proſperous and dignify'd Sinner is but a vile Perſon (Pſal 15.4.) a brutiſh Perſon; he is like the Beaſts that periſh. (Pſal. 49.10, 12.) Verily a rueful putrifying Corpſe is not more horrible to the bodily Sight, than ſuch a Perſon (dead in Sins) is to thoſe who have Eyes to diſcern between Good and Bad. O what an odious horrid Spectacle is the Sinner, with a rotten Heart and unclean Hands, with the Image of Death and the Smell of Hell-Fire upon him! — But how lovely, how glorious a Sight the humble Convert, with the Beauty of Holineſs, the Reſemblance of Heaven, and the Preſages of eternal Life p. 20upon him! While the other are our Grief, let theſe be our Delight. Let every new Converſion we ſee or hear of, open a freſh Spring of Joy in our Hearts, and fill our Mouths with Praiſe. As the Number of Converts in Zion, in this remarkable Day of divine Power and Grace, is on the increaſing Hand, and much People are daily added to the Lord in one Place and another, how ſhou'd all that wou'd approve themſelves Lovers of Chriſt and Souls rejoyce and give Thanks! Praiſe ye the Lord: Praiſe the Lord, O my Soul.—Whatever Darkneſs and Difficulty may hang about the Minds of any, let them take Example from Act. 11.18. When they heard theſe Things, they held their Peace, and glorified GOD.—O how ſhou'd we magnify the Lord with Thankſgiving, who is ſo marvellouſly at this Day viſiting our Land, to take out of it a People for his Name, and in ſo extenſive a Manner reviving his Work amongſt us! May it ſpread ſtill more and more, till the whole Land, yea the whole Earth, is filled with the Glory of the Lord!**This remarkable Work has ſurprizingly by various Means and Inſtruments been increas'd and extended, ſince the Rev. Mr. ADAMS, Paſtor of the firſt Church in New-London, and a faithful Brother unto them (as I ſuppoſe) publiſh'd his Thoughts upon it (Anno 1735) in a Preface to the Rev. Mr. E. Williams's Ser. on Prov. 9.4 5.—I beg Leave on this Occaſion to repeat from him the following Lines. We have heard of the Grace of God in ſome Parts of the Country; how his good SPIRIT hath been at work in divers Towns, to awaken a Concern in many about what they ſhall do to be ſaved; that this Concern continues, that it ſpreads, and that Perſons are flocking into the Churches, as Doves to their Windows: It muſt be look'd upon as a Token for Good, and ſhould produce Praiſes to the LORD, who is graciouſly viſiting his People. Only let them who are thus awakened, take Care that they do not reſt in a deceitful Work; and look well to their future Converſation (eſpecially ſince ſo many Eyes are upon them) that it be altogether as becomes the Goſpel of Chriſt— It is not to be doubted, but that the great Enemy of Souls will endeavour to diſgrace and throw an Odium upon this good Work. It is no new Thing for him to ſow Tares in the LORD'S Feild among the good Wheat, eſpecially if the Servants ſleep. But ſo long as this Concern is awakened by the reading and hearing of the Word; while it reforms the Life, and cleanſeth the Way; takes People off from their vain Confidences, and brings them kindly over to Jeſus Chriſt; makes them ſerious, watchful, prayerful and heavenly-minded; helps them to govern better their Thoughts, Words and Actions, Appetites and Inclinations, Paſſions and Affections; diſpoſeth them to be juſt and righteous, kind and charitable to all that are about them; and finally, fills them with Love to God, his Truths, his Ways, his Worſhip and his People; Now it hath ſuch Marks of a divine Work, that the more general it is, ſo much the better: and as it advanceth and ſpreads thro' the Country, we ſhould all cry, Grace, Grace unto it. Some People at a Diſtance hearing of this Concern and Stirring, are quite at a Loſs how to account for it; they wonder what ſhould be the Occaſion, and nothing leſs than ſome Prophet or Angel ſent from above, or ſome Expectation of the World's ſudden coming to an End, ſeems to them ſufficient to make it either ſo great or ſo extenſive. Others mock and deride. But what is there after all ſo very unaccountable in this Matter? Or what is there ſo very peculiar in their Circumſtances, who are now, thro' the Mercy of God, ſo very much concerned? Ought not all unconverted Sinners ſadly to think of their loſt and undone Condition without an Intereſt in Chriſt, if they would act reaſonably? and will they not alſo be bro't to it in the Day when the Lord ſhall open their Eyes? Truly it is wonderful, to think how they reſt Day and Night, while they have Reaſon to judge that they are yet in the Gall of Bitterneſs and Bond of Iniquity. Then ſhall theſe wondering People know the meaning of this Diſpenſation, when the Spirit of Grace and Supplication ſhall drive them into their inner Chambers, to unboſom themſelves before the Lord: And it would be one of the beſt Days of all their Lives, were they bro't into the like Condition.Prov 9:4

p. 21USE IV. What has been ſaid, ſhou'd put us all upon ſolemn Inquiry into the State of our Souls, whether it be a State of Converſion, or not.

p. 22In order to know whether your Souls proſper and are in Health, my Friends, it's neceſſary that you firſt examine whether you have ever experienc'd that New-Birth, which is fundamental to all true ſpiritual Health and Proſperity. Let me ſpeak freely to you: In Caſe you have not been made alive to God through Jeſus Chriſt, you are vain Pretenders, and do but boaſt of a falſe Gift, in claiming the Character of proſperous and healed Souls. Alas, there are Multitudes in the profeſſing World, to whom that pungent Rebuke is applicable, Matth. 9.12. They that be whole, need not a Phyſician. It ſeems ſpoken of the conceitedly whole, who imagine they want no Healing. Like thoſe whom Solomon ſpeaks of, Prov. 20.12. There is a Generation, that are pure in their own Eyes, and yet are not waſhed from their Filthineſs.

Some there be, that are groſs Sinners, but labouring of a ſtupify'd Conſcience, they go on quietly in known habitual Wickedneſs; tho' under the greateſt Danger by fatal Wounds, yet inſenſible and utterly unconcern'd to get ſpiritual healing. Theſe, if they were not Strangers to all ſerious Self-Reflection, muſt needs know themſelves to be under the Power of unmortify'd Luſts, and in the Way to eternal Deſtruction. But the God of this World hath blinded their Mind, and ſeared their Conſcience as with a hot Iron, that they feel no Impreſſions from God's Word or Providence, feel no Remorſe or Shame for Sin, no Fear of Death or of Wrath to come. They are dead aſleep, by the Force of Unbelief, by the Force of ſtupifying Errors, or prevalent Luſts, which make their Ears heavy, that they cannot hear, and their Eyes dark, that they cannot ſee; at leaſt, in ſeeing they do not underſtand, and in hearing they do not perceive. As it is ſaid of Ephraim, Hoſ. 7.9. Gray Hairs are here and there upon him, yet he knoweth it not. Thus many a Sinner, tho' the evident Tokens of Perdition are upon him, yet he knoweth it not; he is willingly ignorant: And when he heareth the Words of the Curſe, ſtill he bleſſes himſelf in his Heart, ſaying, I ſhall have Peace, though I walk in the Imagination of mine Heart, to add Drunkenneſs unto p. 23Thirſt. Deut. 29.19. Sinners, that have their Conſcience thus benumb'd and ſenſeleſs, often are found truſting in their religious Parentage, external Profeſſion and Covenant-Relation to God, as the unbelieving Jews, who glory'd in having Abraham to their Father, yet did not the Works of Abraham; and who made their Boaſt of GOD, yet were Children of the Devil. (Joh. 8.41, 44.) Theſe are poſting on to the Damnation of Hell, yet are ſo ſtupify'd as not to conſider their Hazard, nor ever really apprehend their Neceſſity of a Saviour.

But others there be, of a more refin'd Character, yet equally in Danger of periſhing by Means of a deluded Fancy, and falſe Hopes, from other Cauſes. I have in my Eye now ſuch as are under the Power of a deceived and flattering Conſcience; ſuch as have taken up a groundleſs Opinion of themſelves, as if they were ſomething in Religion, while indeed they are nothing. Some unhappily form a wrong Judgment of their State, by applying falſe Rules, and others by miſapplying the true; and having enroll'd themſelves among the Children of God, their confident Preſumption breeds a Calm in their Breaſts, lulls Conſcience aſleep; and ſometimes an Imagination that the Bitterneſs of Death is paſt, produces a ſingular Satisfaction and Chearfulneſs of Mind. By Reaſon of ſome ſenſible Changes they've experienc'd in themſelves, under the common and lower Operations of the Spirit, they fondly dream, that they are whole and need not a Phyſician. For Inſtance, they have been bro't under legal Awaknings (it may be, very ſtrong Convictions, great Terrors, and long continu'd) and afterwards have emerg'd out of their Darkneſs and Diſtreſs, perhaps into a Light and Joy ſurprizing to them; have felt Enlargements in Duty at Times, Meltings of Paſſion, and ſeemingly good Affections; have reform'd their external Practice to a great Degree; are grown warm Advocates in the Cauſe of Reformation, &c. Now here they reſt, and build their Hope, at a Diſtance from Chriſt and Grace. On ſuch Accounts as theſe, they flatter themſelves in their own Eyes, ſuppoſe themſelves converted and p. 24healed, and think their Souls in a proſperous Way; while yet in Truth they remain under the Power of Death, ſome ineffectual Check only is given to their Diſeaſe, and their Wounds are but ſooth'd for the preſent, by a meer palliative and ſuperficial Cure. Indeed they never were truly broken-hearted, never thorowly wounded in Spirit, nor ever apply'd the true Goſpel-Remedy. Conſcience is over-rul'd and ſilenc'd; but not truly heal'd and pacify'd. What Convictions they had, are only worn off; they've quench'd the Spirit; and the Calm they poſſeſs, is but a temporary and falſe Peace; their Joy but a flaſhy and imaginary Pleaſure. That awful Word is applicable to them, Iſai. 44.20. He feedeth of Aſhes; a deceived Heart hath turned him aſide, that he cannot deliver his Soul, nor ſay, Is there not a Lie in my right Hand! Alas, they ſtill need the Phyſician, as much as ever; tho' their Heart thinketh not ſo.

Some who have paſſed under no remarkable Change, but appear'd hopefully pious from their Childhood, are little better than that young Jew in the Goſpel (Matth. 19.) to whom our Lord Jeſus ſaid, One Thing thou lackeſt: And who, after ſolemn Proteſtations of his unblemiſh'd Morals, yet when put to the Trial choſe to part with a Saviour and renounce Heaven, rather than ſacrifice the World and deny his Luſts. Had this young Pretender a healed Soul, a clean Heart, and a right Spirit within him, think you! Nay, but a ſick Soul, a foul Heart, and a falſe Spirit, under the diſguiſe of a fair Profeſſion and plauſible Appearance. Is it not to be fear'd, that among Chriſtian Profeſſors many are but as that young Man, deceiving their Neighbours, cheating themſelves, and mocking God by a fair Shew in the Fleſh?

Others who have actually had a viſible and perhaps very remarkable Change wro't upon them, may yet be no better Chriſtians than that Simon, who from a noted Sorcerer became a Goſpel-Profeſſor, and doubtleſs for a time was look'd on by others (perhaps too by himſelf) as a notable Inſtance of converting Grace; but at Length his Hypocriſy being detected, he met with that awful Rebuke p. 25from an inſpir'd Apoſtle, (Act. 8.) Thou haſt neither Part nor Lot in this Matter: For thy Heart is not right in the Sight of God.—For I perceive, that thou art in the Gall of Bitterneſs, and in the Bond of Iniquity. So as to many a Profeſſor, it may be fear'd, notwithſtanding their glorious Pretenſions as to inward Feelings, and a conſpicuous Alteration in Externals, that after all their Heart is not right with God, is not ſound in his Statutes, but ſtill goeth after their Covetouſneſs, or other fooliſh and hurtful Luſts. Their Corruptions are only under a preſent Reſtriction; but really retain a ſecret Power and Dominion. It is but an imperfect Work they've known, whether of Law or Goſpel. Their boaſted Experiences are eſſentially defective; their Graces but glittering Counterfeits; and all their Virtue but unregenerate Morality: they are alienated from the Life of God; and have but the dead Carcaſe of Religion.—Indeed it becomes ſhort-ſighted fallible Man to be very cautious in applying ſo dreadful a Cenſure to particular Caſes. I apprehend, the Word of God, which ought to be our governing Rule, forbids our explicitly condemning particular Perſons in regard of their inferior State, and pronouncing poſitively againſt them the Charge of Hypocriſy, but upon notorious Evidence of bad Externals, inconſiſtent with a credible Profeſſion. However, in general we have Reaſon ſadly to fear, that many a forward and ſhowy Profeſſor is really but an empty Pretender; and at beſt no better than an Almoſt-Chriſtian, in the Sight of HIM whoſe Eyes are as a Flame of Fire, which pierce thro' the thickeſt Vizors, and often ſee a wretchedly diſtemper'd Spirit under a beautiful Outſide, and viſible Form of Godlineſs.

O let us then (how candid ſoever we are in judging of others) be inclin'd rather to Severity in Self-Examination and Self-judging. Let it be our Concern to get Conſcience ſufficiently inform'd by the Word and Spirit of God; and let an enlighten'd Conſcience do its Office, in impartially trying and cenſuring us, that we may not by a deceitful Peace and a preſumptuous Hope betray our immortal Souls into remedileſs Ruin. O conſider, my p. 26Friends, you may have many commendable Attainments, in real Gifts and ſeeming Graces; you may have verily experienc'd admirable Changes in your Temper and Conduct, that carry the Face of ſaving Converſion: and yet after all your Convictions, your Illuminations and your Humiliations, your Terrors and Comforts, your Tears, Confeſſions, and Amendments, you may ſtill be but gliſtering Hyprocrites, and fail of the waſhing of Regeneration, that purifying and healing Work of the SPIRIT on the hidden Man of the Heart. O beware of all thoſe treacherous and falſe Reſts, which Sinners in Zion are apt to lean upon, and which in the End will certainly prove broken Reeds, that ſhall pierce them through with many Sorrows; leaving them, after the ſhort Pleaſure of a deluded Hope, to ſink down to Hell, under the Anguiſh of an amazing Diſappointment, an irretrievable and eternal Diſappointment! I beſeech every one of you to take Warning, and ſee that you don't content yourſelves with any but the ſureſt Evidences of a real Work of ſaving Grace, in the reſtoring your Soul.

I ſhall now propound to you ſeveral Heads of Self-Examination, or Marks for Trial of your State: attend, and examine yourſelves, each of you, as I go along.

1. Have you ever been made to know and feel the diſtemper'd wounded and periſhing State of your Soul by Nature?

It may be, you have felt Terrors of Conſcience and Fears of Hell, with ſome Senſe of Shame and Remorſe for actual Sins, eſpecially for ſcandalous Iniquities: But if you have experienc'd true evangelical Convictions, you have been made to ſee and mourn the Sin which dwelleth in you, to ſee and mourn the dead Condition you are in by Nature, and to know the Plague of your own Heart; as the Expreſſion is, 1 Kin. 8.38. Well, reflect ſolemnly, and recollect what has been your Experience in this leading Point.

Have you ever had the extream Neceſſity and Exigence of your Caſe in a natural State, preſented to your View in a powerful convincing and affecting Light? Have p. 27you ſeen your Nature overſpread with the Leproſy of Sin, in Body and Soul; the Mind clouded, the Judgment diſtorted, the Will vitiated, the Paſſions corrupted, the Conſcience depraved, the whole Man defiled? Have you ſeen your Life ſtain'd with actual Pollutions, from your Youth up, in numberleſs Inſtances, and all dreadfully aggravated! Have you ſeen all your Duties attended with abominable Mixtures of Corruption and ſinful Imperfection? Has the Badneſs of your Hearts appear'd to you, with ſingular Evidence, from the Filthineſs of your very beſt Duties, when view'd in the Glaſs of the Commandment, which is ſpiritual, and holy and juſt and good?

Have you ſeen the Miſery and Danger of your natural Condition, as under the Bondage of Corruption and Chains of Guilt; odious to the Holineſs of God, and obnoxious to his Juſtice; expos'd to die eternally, by the moral Efficacy of your Diſeaſe, and by the righteous Sentence of the Law? Has Deſtruction from God been a Terror to you, and the Arrows of his Quiver enter'd into your Reins? Has Conſcience been duly awaken'd to a Senſe of the Wounds given by Sin? Have you been brought to look on Sin (particularly thro' the Glaſs of Chriſt's Sufferings) as the moſt malignant and hateful Evil, worſe than the very worſt of bodily Plagues? Have you not only felt the Pain of your diſtemper'd and wounded Condition; but under your ſpiritual Pollutions appear'd a loathſome Spectacle in your own Eye? Has the Corruption of your Nature, as well as the Defilements of your Life, been Matter of Grief and Shame and Terror to you? Has the Enmity of a carnal Mind againſt God, an evil Heart of Unbelief, the Source of Diſobedience, been deplored by you with many Confeſſion, Prayers, and Tears and Fears? Made to know the Plague of your Heart, and deeply affected with a Senſe of the abſolute Need of your Spirit's being healed, have you been put upon earneſtly inquiring after ſome proper and ſufficient Remedy? Have your been bro't to deſire the ſaving and healing of your Soul with more Solicitude than ever you wiſh'd for Recovery from bodily Sickneſs? Infinitely p. 28to prefer this ſpiritual Healing, before carnal Eaſe and falſe Reſt, and to reſolve you will ſeek the Bleſſing, and accept of it upon any Terms!

Have you been beaten off from Self-Confidence, and every Creature-Dependance; ſeeing your Wounds and Bruiſes and Diſtempers incurable by any Skill and Power of yours, or by all the Art and Application of Men and Means? Have you been reduc'd to an utter Deſpair of Relief from your own Sorrows, Reformations, Performances in Religion, by any Virtue in themſelves; and from all human Helps whatſoever? Have you ſeen alſo your Unworthineſs of divine Relief; and been convinc'd, that a holy God might juſtly abandon you as a Hell-deſerving Wretch?— And has this Proſpect of your diſtreſſed Caſe pull'd down the Pride of your Heart, ſubdu'd your haughty Spirit, and brought you to God's Foot; humbly acknowledging his Righteouſneſs, if he ſhou'd ſpurn you away from his Preſence, and yet reſolvedly caſting yourſelf on his free and ſovereign Mercy in Chriſt? — Which brings me to another Inquiry.

2. Have you been effectually perſuaded and enabled to apply to CHRIST, as the one only appointed and ſufficient Healer and Saviour of Souls?

Senſible that you are dangerouſly ſick, and need a Phyſician; convinc'd, that all Creatures are Phyſicians of no Value; finding, that in vain you have uſed many Medicines, that you have laboured in the Fire, and wearied yourſelf for very Vanity; and feeling yourſelf under the moſt preſſing Neceſſity of a divine Phyſician, and a divine Remedy, have you been bro't with Agony of Heart to enquire after GOD the Saviour, and been made willing in the Day of his Power? Willing to ſubmit to God, and be healed by his medicinal Grace, as diſpenſed in and thro' Chriſt? Willing to be waſhed, to be ſanctify'd, to be juſtify'd in the Name of the Lord Jeſus, and by his Spirit? Willing to be ſaved by Grace through Faith? — Have you been divinely enlighten'd and aſſiſted to believe the Record, which GOD hath given of his SON; and upon the Credit of his Teſtimony to p. 29receive CHRIST, as the Phyſician of Souls, the only authoriz'd, the only qualified, the only efficient Healer? Has Sin been ſuch a Burden upon your Conſcience, as to render CHRIST precious to you, and make you welcome this bleſſed Phyſician? Conquer'd and melted by the Conſideration of his redeeming Love, have you yielded up yourſelf, as a poor ſtrengthleſs worthleſs periſhing Creature, to be made a Monument of his pardoning and renewing Grace? Have you had any ſuch impreſſive View of his perfect Sufficiency and gracious Readineſs to heal and ſave thoſe that come to him, as hath by a powerful, yet pleaſing Conſtraint, drawn you to put your Confidence in him, to fly for Refuge, and lay hold upon the Hope ſet before you? Have you carry'd your Complaints to him, open'd your Caſe without Reſerve, thrown yourſelf upon his Compaſſion, and ſolicited his Help; moſt importunately begging, that he wou'd deliver and heal your Sin-ſick periſhing Soul; and this with a full Dependence on his Skill, Fidelity, and Ability, to ſave you to the uttermoſt, if he undertake for you? At the ſame time humbling yourſelf before him under a Senſe of your deep Demerits, and confeſſing his Juſtice, if he ſhou'd reject you from his Care: But ſtill from a believing Conſideration of the Goſpel-Report, adventuring upon his infinite Grace, committing you Soul into his ſaving Hands, as the Phyſician you need, and placing your whole Truſt in him; yet however with adoring Thoughts of his abſolute Sovereignty, reſigning intirely to his Conduct, as to the Manner, Time and Circumſtances of his own Operations upon you? — In a Word, approving the only Method of Cure, which infinite Wiſdom has devis'd and revealed, namely FAITH IN THE BLOOD OF CHRIST, have you indeed been looking unto JESUS for the cleanſing and healing Virtue of his BLOOD, receiving the Atonement, ſubmitting yourſelf to the Righteouſneſs which is of God by Faith; and with a full Conſent to the Application of his remedial Grace, waiting upon him in the Ways of his Appointment? — Let it now be inquir'd,

p. 303. What Symptoms are there of a Cure begun upon you? What Signs of Life and Health of Soul? What Evidences of ſpiritual Healing, from the Effects?

If the Blood of Sprinkling has been apply'd by the Hand of the SPIRIT, in the Goſpel-Way of Faith towards our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, there is without Controverſy a healing Work wrought on your Soul, in all its Powers: And if you are really conſcious of a Faith unfeigned dwelling in you, this may be a ſatisfying Evidence, that your Soul is in Health and proſpers. Faith in the Blood of Chriſt is eminently the Medium, employ'd by the Spirit of Grace, in beginning and carrying on this bleſſed Work of ſpiritual Healing. As ſure therefore as you are that you have Faith, ſo ſure you may be that your Soul is actually under this bleſſed Work: Here's at leaſt a ſtrong preſumptive Argument of it. But then in Order to judging whether you have the Faith of God's Elect, and whether you have indeed experienc'd the healing Virtue of the Blood of Chriſt apply'd by Faith, it is requiſite that you examine what Fruit of the Spirit, what Work of Faith, what Signs of ſpiritual Life and Health you have upon you. Inquire then into the Influences and Effects diſcoverable upon you, both privative and poſitive, both inward and outward.

Can you ſay in Truth, I am crucified with Chriſt? Is your old Man crucify'd with him; the Fleſh, with its Luſts, mortify'd; the World crucify'd unto you, and you unto the World? Have you an habitual Brokenneſs of Heart, and Tenderneſs of Conſcience? Have you frequent Humblings and Breakings of Spirit for Sin, original and actual, former and later? Do you hate Sin, as Sin, and therefore every Sin? Are you afraid of ſinning in any the leaſt Inſtance, in the moſt ſecret Places, and even in Thought as well as Speech and Behaviour? Do you watch and pray, that you enter not into Temptation? Do you ſolicitouſly abſtain from the Appearance of Evil, reſiſt the very firſt Beginnings, and guard againſt all known Occaſions of Sin? Is the Deſire of your Soul after Sin-killing (as well as Sin-reſtraining) Grace? Do you p. 31labour the Mortification of that which is naturally your moſt beloved Luſt, and find yourſelf by Grace habitually kept from your own Iniquity? Do you mourn the Remains of Corruption in you; thankful for any Degree of ſpiritual Healing; and earneſtly panting for a thorow Cure; longing to have the very Principle and Root of your Diſeaſes, in a corrupted Nature, quite deſtroyed, and your Soul tranſlated to the World of Perfection, above the Influence of all thoſe unhappy Objects, which here feed and nouriſh your ſpiritual Diſtempers? Are you thus dead to Sin, the Fleſh, and the World?

And are you at the ſame Time dead to the Law? I mean not, as a Rule of Practice, but as a Covenant of Life. Is your Hope of Righteouſneſs and Life by the Law, ſlain? Has that ſelf-ſufficient and ſelf-righteous Principle, ſo deeply radicated in the Heart of proud Man, received a deadly Wound? And is it dying daily in you? Are you, while careful to do the Commandment, yet watchful againſt that legal Spirit, which will be as a dead Flie in the precious Oyntment? Not going about to eſtabliſh your own Righteouſneſs, nor leaning to your own Powers, do you daily depend upon a crucify'd JESUS, as the Lord your Righteouſneſs and Strength? The Life you now live, is it by the Faith of the Son of God?—If you are become dead to the Law, by the Body of Chriſt, it is that you ſhou'd be marry'd to another, even to him who is raiſed from the Dead, that you ſhou'd bring forth Fruit unto God. Well, inquire whether from the Principle of a new Nature you have your Fruit unto Holineſs, and are indeed ſerving God in Newneſs of Spirit.

Are you verily ſuch as do live godly in Chriſt Jeſus? Do you in Truth live, not to yourſelf, but to him that loved you and died for you and roſe again? Have you thoſe ſpiritual Senſes, thoſe ſpiritual Appetites and ſpiritual Faculties, which are eſſential to the new Man, evidential of the new Birth, and neceſſary to walking in Newneſs of Life? And do you feel a determinative divine Influence, exciting the Powers of your new Nature, drawing them p. 32into Exerciſe, and enabling you to maintain a Courſe of holy and ſpiritual Action?

What's your inward Life? Is it a Life of Repentance, and of Faith with Love in daily Exerciſe? Is it a Life of Dependance upon Chriſt, Deſire towards him, Devotedneſs to him, Communion with him, and Satisfaction in him? Is it a Life fill'd up with holy Thoughts, and holy Affections, holy Deſigns, holy Reſolutions, and holy Endeavours; cleaving to the Lord with Purpoſe of Heart, purifying your Soul in obeying the Truth through the Spirit, and herein exerciſing yourſelf always to keep a Conſcience void of Offence, both towards God and towards Man?

What's your outward Life? Do you ſhew your Faith by your Works, and ſtudy to adorn the Doctrine of God your Saviour in all Things; doing common Actions after a godly ſort, and diligently following every good Work? Do you live, not only a Life of Sobriety and Self-Denial, but of Devotion to God, and of Benignity to Men? What's the Life you live in Secret, in the Family, in your publick Appearance, Commerce, Converſation, and Buſineſs in the World? What's your Manner of Life on the Sabbath-Day? And what on common Days? What in Proſperity? What in Adverſity? What in the ſeveral Relations and Capacities you ſuſtain? Is it a Life becoming ſuch as profeſs Godlineſs? Is it as becometh the Goſpel? Adjuſted to Goſpel-Rules, conducted by Goſpel-Principles, and directed to Goſpel-Ends?

Is CHRIST the main Scope of your whole Life? Do you live upon him, live by him, live for him? Does Chriſt live in you, and his Image appear upon you? Is the Current of your Thoughts, Aims, Purpoſes and Endeavours from him and to him? Is it your earneſt Expectation and Deſire, that Chriſt may be magnify'd in you? Do you go forth in his Strength daily to the Labours of the Chriſtian Life; by Prayers of Faith deriving vital Influences from him your Head, and fetching in that ſupply of the Spirit, which you continually need? p. 33Do you come to the Light, that your Deeds may be made manifeſt that they are wrought in God?

In fine, after all, and in the midſt of all your Services for God, do you account yourſelf an unprofitable Servant, diſclaim and deteſt all Pretenſion of recommending your ſelf to the Favour of God by any Works of Righteouſneſs, which you have done, and have your Eye ſingly to the Righteouſneſs of Chriſt upon you by a gracious Imputation, for Acceptance here and Recompence hereafter; determined to look for the Mercy of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt unto eternal Life, and to account all Things but Loſs, that you may win Chriſt, and be found in him?

Thus, my Friends, I have interrogated you in a Variety of Particulars. Aſk yourſelves theſe important Queſtions again and again, in ſolemn Manner: and let Conſcience give an upright Anſwer. Let Conſcience report what has been your real Experience, what the prevailing Temper of your Hearts, and the general Tenor of your Lives; compare them with the Rule of the Word, and paſs an impartial Judgment. O make a Buſineſs of this Self-Inquiry, and be afraid of Self-Deluſion, in an Affair of ſuch Conſequence. Ought you not, as reaſonable Creatures, to be concern'd to know the true State of your Souls, and to be afraid of loſing your Souls by undoing Miſtakes and ſelf-flattering Dreams! Believe it, Multitudes think themſelves ſomething, while they are nothing; and fatally deceive themſelves. Affect your Hearts with the Conſideration, that you are as liable to be deceiv'd, as others; that it will be no Relief to you, to have the Company of others, whoſoever or how many ſoever, periſhing with you under the ſame Deception; and that if you have been deceiving yourſelves hitherto, it will be good for you to be undeceiv'd now in Time, while there is yet Room for the Hope and Uſe of an effectual Remedy.— But conſider on the other Hand, if on due Self-Diſcuſſion you find ſufficient Grounds to conclude, that your Souls are indeed renewed, and recover'd to a State of ſpiritual Life and Health, the Reflection on this will tend to fill you with Admiration of the diſtinguiſhing Grace of God p. 34towards you, to make you ſtudious of honouring him by the beſt Returns of Gratitude, to ſweeten the Comforts and alleviate the Troubles of Life, to fortify you againſt the Fears of Death and Judgment, and give you a chearful Expectation of Eternity; as knowing that the New-Birth is the Beginning of an endleſs Life, and ſpiritual Health in this World the earneſt of everlaſting Happineſs in the next. Wherefore my Brethren, give Diligence to make your Calling and Election ſure. 'Tis a Duty of vaſt Concern, and expreſly enjoyn'd upon you by the Word of God, 2 Pet. 1.10.— Attend this momentous Duty, as you wou'd ſhew yourſelves Men. And beg of God to ſearch you.

I proceed now to another Head of Improvement.

USE V. Let it be a Word of Exhortation, ſuited to your various Characters and Caſes, whether converted or unconverted, whether convinced or unconvinced.

To be diſtinct here, I wou'd ſpeak,

1. To ſecure Sinners. And is there not Reaſon to fear, that ſome here preſent before the Lord, may have this black Imputation lying upon them? Are there none of you (elder or younger) at Eaſe and dwelling careleſsly; altogether indolent and ſottiſhly unconcern'd about the State of your Souls, whether they proſper or not; or elſe pleaſing yourſelves with the Thought of your Souls being in a proſperous and healthful Condition? who yet never knew by Experience what it is to be born of God, and to live according to God in the Spirit! Never knew what Faith and Repentance mean, in the Power and Practice of them! Never knew what it is to mortify the Deeds of the Body, to deny yourſelves, and take up your Croſs, and follow Chriſt! Never knew experimentally what a good Converſation in Chriſt means! And (in ſhort) never knew ſo much as what Sin means, in the Sting of it, but are Strangers to a thorow Diſtreſs of Conſcience for Sin; and never had your Hearts pricked, ſo as to have a Death-Wound given to every Luſt, Self dethroned, the World caſt out, and Chriſt alone exalted in your Souls! Verily if this be a juſt Deſcription of the Caſe of any p. 35among you, I muſt tell ſuch in the Name of God, You are in a deplorable, a dangerous and periſhing Condition. You may have an undiſturb'd and quiet Life of it for the preſent: but (alaſs) a wretched and forlorn, a languiſhing and dying Life it is at beſt. The Way of Peace you have not known: Deſtruction and Miſery are in your Ways: And your End will be Deſtruction, inevitable and eternal Deſtruction, if you perſevere and die in your preſent Condition. Hath not the God of Truth denounced WO to them that are at Eaſe in Zion! And forewarn'd you, That if you die in your Sins, it had been better you had never been born!

I call upon you in the Name of God our Saviour, the compaſſionate and only Phyſician of Souls, to conſider before it is too late, and rouze out of your deluſive, but beloved Dreams. Ah, will you chuſe Death and refuſe Life! Will you invade Hell, and ruſh on Damnation! Will you court your own Ruin! O how long ſhall vain Thoughts lodge within you! Hear, ye Sinners, whether old or young. Give over your ſelf-flattering Conceits, your deceiving Hopes, and mad Delays. Behold, NOW is the accepted Time: NOW is the Day of Salvation. And O that in this Day of Viſitation you may be made to know the Things of your Peace; leſt ere long they be hid, everlaſtingly hid from your Eyes! Boaſt not of to morrow; for you know not what a Day or an Hour may bring forth. He that being often reproved, hardneth his Neck, ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed, and that without Remedy.—Proud Sinners are apt to be angry at this plain Dealing, and fly in the Face of their friendly Monitors: like Perſons ſometimes that are ſick, who ſee not their Danger, and are fond of Life, they can't bear to be told of their Hazard, they can't endure to hear of a Phyſician, they loath the Mention of any Medicine for their healing. Very threatning Symptoms are theſe in the Caſe of bodily Sickneſs: and the like in Soul-Sickneſs are equally dangerous.—You that upon any ſerious and impartial Self-Reflection can't but be conſcious of your having never paſſed from Death unto Life, let me perſuade you p. 36to admit a Conviction (O may the Holy SPIRIT bear it in powerfully on your Mind!) of your being in a periſhing Condition; ſick, and needing a Phyſician. Think immediately, think cloſely and ſolemnly on your Guilt and Pollution, your Miſery and Danger in a natural State. Realize your unhappy Caſe: and make that your ſolicitous Inquiry, with the trembling Jaylor, What muſt I do to be ſaved!

Believe it, if ever you convert and be healed, it's like to coſt you many bitter Cries and Tears. The ſooner therefore you mind this grand Concern, the better.—O think of the Time of Waking: it certainly will come, either in this World, or the next. But if not in this, it will be too late: And if in this (I ſay again) the ſooner, the better; the better upon all Accounts. Leſs of Pain, leſs Anguiſh and Difficulty will in all Probability attend the ſearching and healing your Wounds now than hereafter: and the ſooner your Soul is reſtored, the greater Advantage and the longer Opportunity you will have, through Grace, to eſtabliſh and advance your Soul's Proſperity, Health and Vigour; to work for God on Earth, and to lay up Treaſure in Heaven. Therefore as the Holy Ghoſt ſaith, To Day, if you will hear his Voice, harden not your Heart. (Heb. 3.7, 8.) O Sinner, indulge no longer a falſe Peace & carnal Eaſe: give not Way to Excuſes and Delays. What meaneſt thou, O Sleeper! Ariſe, and call upon God, if ſo be that God will think upon you, that you periſh not.

I can't readily think of any more proper Advices to you in your preſent Caſe, than theſe. Immediately, as far as poſſible by the help of common Grace, break off your evil Cuſtoms, and ſtrive to avoid every Conſcience-waſting preſumptuous Sin. — Immediately quit your immoderate Purſuit of the World, and ſet Bounds to your Buſineſs, Cares and Pleaſures in it, that theſe may not prove fatal Impediments to your obtaining Conviction.—Immediately ſhake off your vain Companions, and betake yourſelf to the Acquaintance of ſerious Chriſtians, whoſe Converſation may be inſtructive and quickning to you.— Immediately take up the Practice of Cloſet-Duties; or if p. 37ſtatedly obſerv'd, be more afraid of trifling in ſecret Religion.— Reſolutely meditate on awakning and melting Subjects.—Daily read the Holy Bible. — Be ſwift to hear the Word preached, attend a faithful ſearching Miniſtry, and take heed how you hear.— And when under any Ordinance or Providence, you find Conſcience begin to be touched, now watch and pray, that you may not loſe the Impreſſion, but that it may be thorowly ſet home upon you. Know it, after all the Means you can poſſibly uſe, it is the Work of the divine SPIRIT to convince Sinners: Yet he ordinarily does this in the Way of Means. O neglect not any appointed Means then: And yet have your Eye to the SPIRIT of Grace as the alone efficient Cauſe. Obſerve his Motions. Pray for his powerful Influences. Call for a Sight of Sin, and Sorrow for Sin: Call for Conviction, for Humiliation, for a broken Heart, as you regard the Life of your Soul: Call inſtantly for theſe, call aloud, pray and ſtrive hard for theſe. Let mournful Reflections on your ſick Condition, and awful Proſpects of your amazing Hazard, be cheriſh'd and not repelled: yea, let them lie down and riſe up with you, follow you into the World, and accompany you Day and Night, that you may ſeek Salvation in earneſt, and never return to a fatal Reſt in your Sins.—And when this comes to be the Caſe with you, happily you may be made ready for the Lord, prepared for the glad Tidings of the Goſpel, be diſpoſed to welcome the Phyſician, and by coming to him, have your Soul recovered to ſpiritual Life and Health.

But in the mean Time, whatever Comfort of Hope, you may enjoy, believe me, 'tis but the Hope of the Hypocrite, which ſhall periſh as the Spider's Web, & leave you aſhamed, in the Hour of Death and in the Day of Judgment, if you go out of the World with an unrenewed unhealed Soul.—Ah, how inexcuſable will you be, if you periſh from under the Light and Warnings of the Goſpel! Your Blood will be upon your own Head, if you deſpiſe and reject the Phyſician of Souls. —You are ſick nigh unto Death, the Graves are ready for you, Hell gapes to receive p. 38your guilty Spirit: And how can you eſcape, if you neglect ſo great Salvation! —The Phyſician you need, is knocking at your Door now, and waits that he may be gracious: But tho' he hath long Patience, he will not wait always. He may leave you, ere you are aware: and then how impoſſible your Recovery! No created Arm can relieve your Soul: Sink it muſt into eternal Perdition, and none can help it. O Inhabitant of Lebanon, that makeſt thy Neſt in the Cedars, how comely ſhalt thou be when Pangs come upon thee, the Pain as of a Woman in Travail! For ſo it is written, When they ſhall ſay, Peace and Safety, then ſudden Deſtruction cometh upon them, as Travail upon a Woman with Child; and they ſhall not eſcape. (1 Theſ. 5.3.)—If Conſcience never be rouſed againſt you in this World, it will awake with a Vengeance in the next; it will roar like a Lion, and tear you in Pieces. In Proportion to your Guilt ſhall be your Torment: And there will be none to deliver. The only Saviour will be turned againſt you; and He will make you as a fiery Oven in the Day of his Anger.—WO unto you that laugh now: for you ſhall mourn and weep. (The Mouth of the Lord hath ſpoken it, Luk. 16.25.) And if you wou'd prevent your mourning at the laſt, when ſummon'd before the great God unto Judgment and when it will be too late to obtain Mercy, then haſten now, even to Day, while it is called to Day, haſten to get among the Mourners in Zion. O that I cou'd by any Means ſo repreſent the Evil of Sin, & the Terrors of Death, Judgment and Wrath to come, as that theſe Things might appear in their Reality before your Eyes! O bethink yourſelves, and conſider what a Caſe you wou'd be in, if now you were taking your final Leave of the World, if now you were called before the awful Judgment-Seat, if Chriſt were this Moment revealed from Heaven in flaming Fire to condemn and puniſh impenitent Sinners! Let Conſcience be ſtartled at the tremendous Proſpect. Inſtantly ſhake off vain Merriment; laugh no more in your pleaſing Dreams, and mad Security: But let your Heart meditate Terror, and be bowed down heavily, at the Sight of your ſinful Sickneſs, Miſery and Hazard.

p. 39And now, ſuppoſing this to be the Caſe with ſome of you, I ſhall apply myſelf,

2. To convinced Sinners.

If there be any here preſent, whoſe Souls are not in Proſperity and Health, but who are now awaken'd to ſome Senſibility of your ſick and periſhing State, perhaps are deeply wounded in Spirit, and are crying out for a Phyſician; to ſuch I wou'd direct a few Words by way of Counſel, Caution and Encouragement.

Let me ſay here,

(1.) Look to it, that you don't miſcarry in the firſt Step toward Converſion, by miſtaking the Nature of true Conviction, and imagining yourſelves in the full Experience of this, while yet perhaps eſſentially defective in it.— The SPIRIT, when he cometh, convinces of SIN, and of RIGHTEOUSNESS, and of JUDGMENT. (Joh. 16.8.) As Agent under and for CHRIST, in the Application of Redemption, he works Conviction in a Way becoming his own Character as the Spirit of Grace and Truth, in a Way ſubſervient to the Ends of his bleſſed Office, and purſuant to the Deſign of the Saviour's Undertaking; and in a Way accommodated to the intellectual Nature of Man, in its State of Apoſtaſy; informing his Judgment, as well as influencing his Paſſions; working on his Hopes, as well as his Fears; encouraging him from the rich Proviſions of Grace, as well as terrifying him by the flaming Sword of Juſtice; humbling and melting his Heart, as well as pricking his Conſcience; directing him to a Phyſician, as well as affecting him with his Malady; and making Uſe of the Goſpel, as well as of the Law, to theſe Purpoſes.

Examine now into your Experience; and take heed, that you don't deceive yourſelves, by taking up contented with a partial and imperfect Work of Conviction. Know it, ſuch a Work, for the Kind and for the Meaſure of it, as will make you thorowly feel your Soul-Sickneſs, and Need of a Phyſician; as will make you ſolemnly attentive to the Goſpel-Report, reconcil'd to the Method of Salvation by Grace through Faith in the Blood of Chriſt, reſtleſs under the Burden of Sin, and diſpoſed to welcome the Saviour, p. 40in his whole remedial Undertaking, and for all its Purpoſes, upon the moſt ſelf-denying Terms, without Exception or Reſerve; ſuch a Work, I ſay, and ſo much of it, there muſt be in your real Experience, if you wou'd not fail in Point of common Grace, uſually previous and preparative to Converſion. O look to it, that with Regard to this introductory Work you do indeed begin in the Spirit, and that you do not end in the Fleſh.

(2.) Then, beware of Apoſtacy from hopeful Beginnings of Conviction, & relapſing into Security.—True Conviction, in any Degree of it, is an Inſtance of divine preventing Mercy. It is the Fruit of the SPIRIT ſtriving with you. O forſake not your own Mercies. Quench not the Spirit. (1 Theſ. 5.19.) Don't ſlight Conviction, nor oppoſe it: but follow it on, fall in with it, and labour to promote its genuine Effects. As you love your Souls, be always in Care, that you do not turn the Grace of God into Wantonneſs; that you do not grieve and vex the Holy Ghoſt, by wilful Reſiſtance or affected Stupidity under his Hand. A juſt God may by this be provoked to cut you down ſuddenly by Death; or he may ſwear in his Wrath, that his SPIRIT ſhall forever ceaſe ſtriving with you: and if either of theſe awful Events ſhou'd happen, you are undone, without Remedy.— O let this Reflection be as a Thunderbolt ſhot into your Conſcience, to keep it awake: and let the dreadful Sound in your Ears put you upon fleeing for Refuge, to lay hold on the Hope ſet before you.

(3.) Beware of reſting in Conviction. Alas, Conviction may proceed to a high Degree and to a great Length, and yet after all may leave you ſhort of that Faith in the Blood of Chriſt, without which you will never experience its healing and ſaving Efficacy.—If you think to be your own Phyſicians, and expect Healing meerly by Virtue of your own Repentances, Reformations, and Practice of Duties; or if you go about to make a Righteouſneſs of your Humiliation and religious Concern, expecting hereby to oblige the Divine Phyſician to pity and relieve you; in either Caſe you may procure to yourſelves a Shew of Healing, but verily Chriſt ſhall profit you nothing. Without p. 41the Blood of Sprinkling apply'd to cleanſe and heal your Souls, you muſt in the End be ſhut out of Heaven among the defiled and abominable, muſt deſcend with bleeding Wounds to the Place of unutterable Horror, and take your Lot with unpardon'd Devils and damned Ghoſts, where the Fire is not quenched. Nay, the Memory of your paſt Experiences will dreadfully enrage your Wounds hereafter; and your practical Contempts of the Blood of Chriſt will make it ſerve only as Oyl further to inflame the Vengeance of eternal Fire. O take heed then, that you don't any of you ſtop at meer Conviction, nor reſt in its beſt Effects, ſhort of Goſpel-Faith. Verily, no Change of Opinion, no Change of Paſſion, no Change of moral Diſpoſition and Conduct will avail to the Ends of healing and ſaving your Souls, without a regenerating Change and Heart-purifying Faith. O dread a Deluſion here, in the grand turning Point. Be not cheated by a fallacious Appearance. Don't deceive yourſelves; and let no Man deceive you by vain Words. Conſult not with Fleſh and Blood in the Caſe. Turn away your Ear from the dangerous Flatteries, nor liſten to the corrupt Advices of falſe Friends about you, but ceaſe from the Inſtruction which cauſeth to err. Nature (I know) impatient of Trouble, and eager to ſhake it off, is apt to ſeek Eaſe by the neareſt, tho' not the ſafeſt Methods. Let Conſcience, directed by the unerring Word, ſet Bounds here: and reſolve to ſeek and receive Healing only in the Goſpel-Way, by Faith in the Blood of Chriſt.

(4.) To ſeek Chriſt and Healing in this Way of Faith, haſten as much as poſſible, and beware of indulging voluntary Delays.—Every wilful Delay is a virtual refuſing for the preſent, is utterly inexcuſable, and very dangerous. The longer you cheriſh a dilatory Diſpoſition, you will but ſet yourſelves at a wider Diſtance from Chriſt and Healing; your Unbelief will contract a greater Stubbornneſs, and the Wounds of Conſcience grow more difficult of Cure. Do you now ſtand off from Chriſt, and neglect ſo great Salvation, in Hopes of a more convenient Seaſon? O fooliſh Preſumption! Take Heed leſt it betray you into fatal p. 42Security, by a final withdraw of the convincing SPIRIT from you; or elſe into horrible Deſpair, by the Tempter's telling you hereafter, that it's too late, as he do's now, that it is too ſoon. — But, you are acted perhaps by ſome other Views, in thus ſtanding aloof from the Phyſician. Is it becauſe you think your ſelves unworthy to come to Chriſt? Here's the Shew of Humility: but it's a ſpurious Grace, the Iſſue of a haughty Mind. Do you ſtay away from Chriſt on the Proſpect of coming to him ere long better recommended, by good Qualities in you, or good Works done by you, that may purchaſe his Favour, and intitle to the Benefits of his Redemption? If ſo, here's the Pride of your Hearts, & the Snare of the Devil. Obedience is the Daughter of Faith, and Good Works are a good Nurſe to Faith: but if you make Works the Mother of Faith, that Faith is not right, it's but a Baſtard-Faith. —Be it that you think (as many poor Souls do at ſuch a Time) that you muſt not dare to believe, until your Agonies of Sorrow and Terror have riſen up to the Height of others Experience, in ſome very remarkable Caſes, ſingled out by you for a Standard; I muſt needs let you know, This is your Infirmity. Such as you, who (in the Meaſure of more common Experience) have taſted the Bitterneſs of Sin, and feel your periſhing Condition without a Saviour, and are lamenting after him, but ſtill defer the great Tranſaction of cloſing with or coming to him, for Fear of preſuming; I muſt tell you, if you want further Conviction of any Thing, it is of the Sin & Miſchief of your Unbelief, which holds you off from the Phyſician, hold you down upon the Rack of a tormenting Conſcience, and keeps your Wounds open and bleeding. O labour for a deeply impreſſed Apprehenſion of the infinite Malignity and Guilt of UNBELIEF, the preſent and indiſpenſable Obligation of FAITH, and the egregious Folly of DELAYS. And let this View of Things give Speed to the Motion of a trembling diſtreſſed Soul towards the deſired Saviour. That Exhortation to the awak'ned Jaylor, ſhews what is the proper and immediate Duty of convinced Sinners, Act. 16.31. Believe on the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and thou ſhalt be ſaved. O haſten the Flight of Faith towards our Lord Jeſus p. 43Chriſt; as the Manſlayer of old fled with ſwifteſt Expedition to the City of Refuge. Look inſtantly to JESUS, as the ſtung Iſraelites in the Wilderneſs were to look immediately to the brazen Serpent, for healing.

I know indeed, the Arm of the Lord muſt be ſtretched out, and this muſt draw you, or you'l never be able effectually to come to Chriſt: yet, I beſeech you, let not the Scriptures be wreſted by you, in this Caſe, to your own Deſtruction. The Doctrine of Man's Inability will groſly be perverted, if you make it a Pretext for voluntary Delays and careleſs Neglects of incumbent Duty. Alas, Sinner, if you finally miſcarry, a righteous God will charge you as the faulty Cauſe, nor will you have any Cloke for your Sin. Your ſpiritual Impotence will never ſerve you with any colouraable Plea in apologizing for your wilful Unbelief & ſpiritual Sloth. If any is hugging himſelf in the Dream of imaginary Safety, from ſuch an Excuſe, let him know, His Damnation ſlumbereth not.— The Senſe of your own Weakneſs and Inſufficiency ſhould rather put you in Fear, awaken your Care, and deter you from all Negligence. O let it have this Effect upon you. Agreably I proceed to ſay,

(5.) Under the Excitements and Aids of divine common Grace, be earneſtly and diligently purſuing after ſaving ſpecial Grace, in a cloſe Attendance upon the inſtituted Means of obtaining it; and beware of indulging any ſinful Neglect, or ſlothful Management.

Ordinarily the bleſſed God worketh by his own appointed Means. The common Work of the Spirit, whereby Sinners are brought under Conviction and Humiliation, is uſually begun and carried on by the Means of God's Appointment: and convinced Sinners muſt perſevere in an unwearied Attendance upon the Means, if they hope to ſecure the End of that Work they are under, as preparatory to ſaving Converſion. Indeed it would bewray great Ignorance & Preſumption in you, to reſt in meer Means, to depend on them to do the Office of the divine Efficient, or to depend on your own Endeavours in the Uſe of them, as deſerving at his Hands. However, let it be conſider'd alſo, it would bewray great Ingratitude to God, to ſlight the p. 44common Operations of his Spirit; and an unſufferable Affront to him, to receive his Grace in vain, or not to give Diligence, that under its Reſtraints and Aſſiſtances you may go the utmoſt Lengths, you are capable of in your preſent Condition, both from Sin and towards Duty.

Common Grace, tho' ſpecifically different from ſaving Grace, yet is alſo the Fruit of the SPIRIT, an improvable Talent, good in its Place, and to its proper Ends and Uſes. The SPIRIT is good; and all his Gifts and Influences do participate of his Goodneſs. His common Grace is good in its Kind; and all its genuine Applications and Actings do partake of the Goodneſs of their Principle. Hence a Sinner, under the Government and in the Exerciſe of common Grace, tho' he cannot pleaſe God (in the Senſe of that Scripture-Expreſſion) yet he leſs diſpleaſes him, than the openly profane, or the careleſs Hypocrite. He is leſs abominable, when behaving as he ſhould under Conviction and Humiliation, than in the Fulneſs of his Pride and Security. While, by the Help of the SPIRIT in his lower Operations, the Sinner is diligently and earneſtly attending the inſtituted Courſe of Means, he certainly leſs provokes God, than if he totally neglected or but formally and coldly & occaſionally attended them. Such an awak'ned inquiring Sinner may be ſaid to be not far from the Kingdom of God; he keeps in the Way of the Bleſſing; and is doing what hath an inſtrumental Aptitude to promote the Soul's Preparation or Prediſpoſition to Faith in Chriſt, by which Faith he may pleaſe the Lord.

While then you are juſtly cautious and afraid of reſting in any Attainments intellectual or moral, that are the Reſult of meer common Grace, which neither are Converſion, nor can merit it; yet you muſt be cautious too of undervaluing and neglecting the SPIRIT in his common Influences. So likewiſe, while you are careful to look beyond your ſelves, and above all Means and Inſtruments, unto the FIRST CAUSE, from whom comes down every good and perfect Gift; you are, notwithſtanding, to value the Means in their Place and Order, and be diligent in improving them, by the Help of common Grace, to their proper p. 45Purpoſes; never ſatisfied until you have got into the happy Number of Zion's Converts, and obtained like precious Faith with them.— Be waiting at the Pool, thou Cripple, in a mournful Senſe of thine Impotence: ſo altho' unworthy, the compaſſionate JESUS may (ere thou art aware) appear for thy Help, and work a Miracle of Mercy upon thee.— Ply the Throne of Grace with your ardent and inceſſant Cries for Mercy and Grace to help you; in ſome ſuch Language as that, Pſal. 41.4. I ſaid, Lord, be merciful unto me; heal my Soul, for I have ſinned againſt thee. Be following hard after God, in an Attendance upon all the Means (of his Inſtitution) publick and private, in Seaſon and out of Seaſon. Uſe them with an Aim at Converſion, and with an Eye to the Spirit of Chriſt, the ſovereign Author. Come to the Means "with Diligence, Preparation, and Prayer". O ſhake off ſpiritual Sloth: and let not that be your Condemnation (as it is written, Hoſ. 5.4.) THEY WILL NOT FRAME THEIR DOINGS TO TURN UNTO THEIR GOD.

In a Word, as active Converſion is a Duty of immediate Obligation upon you, tho' an impoſſible Duty without a Strength above your own; therefore while GOD is ſaying, Turn ye, Turn ye, do you in the Fervour of your Affections, but ſtill with a Dependance on divine Power to enable you, make your humble Attempts to anſwer the Divine Call. At your Lord's bidding, try to ſtretch out the withered Hand. Make Experiment what a gracious God will do for you. Peradventure, while employ'd in theſe your feeble Eſſays, the Spirit of Life may enter into you, and accompliſh in you the Work of Faith with Power. Be therefore ſtriving in Prayer and in the Uſe of Means; looking diligently leſt you fail of the Grace of God.

6. Tho' a righteous God may put you to wait long for Help and Healing, yet beware that your Heart do not fret againſt the Lord, nor deſpond under your continuing Troubles.

Confeſs the Juſtice of God, and murmur not at his Severity. Adore his Wiſdom, and wait his Time. Believe it but a neceſſary Diſcipline you are under; lie at the Foot of Divine Sovereignty; and while you dread the falſe Comforts p. 46of Preſumption, yet refuſe not all Comfort of Hope from Mercy, infinitely rich and free. Whatever you do, keep Hope alive, by often reviewing & praying over thoſe general Goſpel-Encouragements, applicable to your diſtreſſed Caſe. Let no dark Reflections or gloomy Proſpects prevail to ſilence Prayer, to diſpirit unto Duty, or obſtruct your Progreſs in the careful painful Uſe of all appointed Means. As, on the one Hand, you muſt be vigilant leſt the Adverſary of Souls ſhould precipitate a ſuperficial Healing of your bruiſed Spirit, in the Methods of Phariſaiſm or Self-Righteouſneſs, and thus deſtroy your Soul by a falſe Peace and preſumptuous Hope: So, on the other Hand, you muſt take Heed, leſt he drive you to a wicked and damning Deſpair; by exaſperating your Wounds, blinding your Eyes to the Goſpel-Remedy, or repreſenting it to you in a diſparaging Light, and overwhelming you with the Terrors of Law and Juſtice.

For I muſt obſerve to you, altho' the Fears of awaken'd Sinners, ſo far as they have true Grounds and a proper Operation, are certainly Products of the Holy SPIRIT, as the Spirit of Bondage; yet that Fear of Amazement, which hath a ſlaviſh helliſh Torment, and that Deſperation, which drives Men to put from them the Word of God, or makes them lie down in ſullen Negligence, are Things that do not belong to the Work of the convincing SPIRIT, nor are the genuine Effects of any immediate Impreſſions of His upon their Souls: No, but they ſpring out of a corrupt Heart and guilty Conſcience, and the Impreſſions of Satan, acting in the Form of a cruel Accuſer and malicious Terrifier. O be not ignorant of Satan's Devices, leſt he get an Advantage againſt you. He has his Affrightments, as well as Allurements: be upon your Guard againſt both. When provoked, under Impreſſions of Guilt & Wrath, to deſpond, and give over the Care of your Salvation as hopeleſs, look upon it as (what it is in Truth) a Temptation; and reſiſt the Devil, who is a Liar and a Murderer from the beginning. O conſider, you do but credit and pleaſe that wicked One, by all your unbelieving Fears, your reſolute Deafneſs to Goſpel-Encouragements, your ſinful Demurs, p. 47Diſtruſts, Prejudices and Objections, whereby you thruſt away all Hope, and deaden your Heart to Duty. This Temper and Conduct is derogatory to Goſpel-Grace, a Reproach to the Father of Mercies, a Diſparagement to the meek and compaſſionate Redeemer, a Grief to the Holy Spirit, the maddeſt Cruelty to your own Soul, and a Gratification of your Adverſary the Devil, who goeth about as a roaring Lion, ſeeking whom he may devour; "whoſe Trade is to tear poor Souls in Pieces, and torture them all he can". Realiſe it, there is a Terror that is dangerous, unprofitable, unneceſſary; ariſing from Unbelief, and deſponding Tho'ts and Paſſions, under a Satanick Influence. Beware here. Tho' the Devil would fain perſwade you, that the Day of Viſitation is over with you, that your Caſe is unremediable, and hopeleſs like his own, yet believe him not. What tho' your Diſeaſes and Wounds be truly immedicable, by all the Skill and Power of Creatures, and ſo your Caſe is hazardous & deplorable? Yet ſtill it is not deſperate. I this Day bring you the glad Tidings, that there is Balm in Gilead, and a Phyſician there.

Do you feel your ſelves ſick and periſhing? Do your Wounds ſmart and pain you? Do your putrifying Sores make you even ſtink in your own Noſtrils? And are you afraid of dying by the Force of your malignant Maladies? O be thankful to God, who has open'd your Eyes to ſee your Danger, and awaken'd you to this Senſibility of your threatning Sickneſs and horrible Bruiſes. But, whatever the Devil and a deceitful Heart may ſay to affright you, don't give Way to deſpairing Apprehenſions. Believe it, there is a Phyſician, and in him is Help to be found. He has a ſovereign Remedy for every Malady, effectual Relief for every Grievance. Your Sin and Miſery do not exceed the Sufficiency of your Phyſician, or the Virtue of his Remedies. He is able even to raiſe the Dead: He quick'neth whom he will: and his Compaſſion is equal to his Power. He is taking you in Hand; and if you don't repulſe him in the Methods of his Wiſdom and Grace, by Unbelief, Impatience & Diſpondence, nor affront him by returning to Security and Preſumption, there are promiſing p. 48Signs at preſent of a merciful Cure intended for you. Verily, there's Hope in Iſrael for you as concerning this Thing.

Tho' your Diſtreſs & Anguiſh of Conſcience may be great and long continued, yet look upon the Dealings of your Divine Phyſician with you as but wholſome Severities; ſubmit to his wiſe & faithful Meaſures; attend his ſalutary Means; and hope, O trembling ſelf-humbling Sinner, hope for a bleſſed Iſſue. The Day ſeems to be dawning upon your Soul; or if at preſent you are in the Horror of Darkneſs, nevertheleſs the Day-Light may be near approaching. The Sun of Righteouſneſs may ſuddenly riſe, and dart his healing Beams upon you. Yet a little while, and the Phyſician may come to bind up your broken Heart. Have you not ſeen many Inſtances of his healing Power & Mercy; and that in Caſes as helpleſs & hopeleſs as yours? Let theſe Examples be your Encouragement: or they will render you the more inexcuſable, and ſerve to aggravate your Self-Deſtruction, if you periſh at laſt.

Let theſe Tho'ts make you reſolv'd & unwearied in diligently ſeeking the Lord, while he may be found.—You have at leaſt the Motive of a Who can tell? O caſt your ſelf on his ſovereign Grace; and go on, go on ſeeking, if peradventure He may be found of you. Seek JESUS that was crucify'd, whoſe Blood is an adequate Remedy, be your Caſe ever ſo bad. Here, here is your Remedy, diſtreſſed Soul! Methinks, if you have any true feeling of your Sickneſs and Wounds, it muſt ſomething ſolace your aking Heart, to hear of this glorious effectual Remedy. O let it not lie neglected: keep it in your Eye and Thought: try, and never ceaſe trying, to apply it by Faith. Have you not found all other Methods in vain Are you willing to go out of the World with bleeding Wounds and broken Bones! Are not your Opportunities awfully uncertain, and very ſhort! O haſten, haſten then to get your Soul healed by the Blood of Sprinkling. How know you but that a Day or an Hour's longer Delay may thruſt you beyond Hope, and betray you into an Eternity of Horror and Deſpair! Or on the other Hand, if you will inſtantly ſet your Heart to this Thing, and with a diſtreſſed, but p. 49ſtill encouraged Soul, cry to the Throne of Grace for the Blood of Chriſt to be applied to you thro' Faith, how know you but that while you are in this Care & Prayer, the SPIRIT of the Lord may come mightily upon you, and in a Moment give you to taſte the Pleaſure of your Deſire accompliſhed! While the Words are in your Mouth, the SPIRIT of Grace may ſeize your Heart, infuſe a Principle of Life, work Faith in you, and ſprinkle you from an evil Conſcience, by the Blood of CHRIST, which cleanſeth from all Sin! After the Noiſe & Terror of ſtormy Wind, Earthquake, and flaming Fire, you may at laſt ſuddenly hear the ſtill ſmall Voice, ſweetly, yet powerfully, commanding Salvation to you. And thus in an Inſtant the Foundation may be laid for a Hope, that ſhall never make you aſhamed. —God of his infinite Mercy, for Jeſus ſake, grant that this may be your happy Caſe!

3. Now in the laſt Place, I ſhould have directed the Exhortation — to ſuch as are already got into a State of Converſion.

You that have obtained the incomparable Bleſſing of a healed Soul, be thankful to your Divine Phyſician. Let not Men and Means, but God your Saviour, have the Praiſe. Admire his Skill, Power, & Compaſſion: and give him the Glory due to his great Name.— Be humble, under a Senſe of remaining Corruptions & Infirmities.— Mourn every contracted Guilt & Defilement.— Have continual Recourſe to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt for freſh Applications of his Blood thro' Faith; and for new Anointings of the Spirit daily.— Aſpire after a progreſſive Health & Proſperity of Soul, and all the Symptoms and Effects of it.—Be ambitious of the Honour & Comfort of a full Aſſurance, that your Soul is indeed deliver'd & healed.— Long for Heaven's Perfection.—Pity ſuch as are yet ſick and periſhing; and in the Arms of your Faith and Prayer, bring them to the Phyſician of Souls. Warn the ſecure; aſſiſt the Awaken'd, by all the Means in your Power and within your proper Line of private Duty.

But theſe Hints muſt ſuffice here.— And thus I have largely conſider'd (what I had my Eye principally to) the firſt Propoſition.

p. 50I ſhould have now gone on to the other.

PROP. 2. Regenerate Souls, as view'd in a Compariſon of one with another (or of the ſame Souls, with themſelves, at different Times) may in certain ſpecial Caſes eminently be ſaid to proſper and be in Health.

Here I might ſay,

(1.) One Caſe is, when there is a remarkable Proficiency in chriſtian experimental Knowledge; ſingular Improvement in ſpiritual Wiſdom and Underſtanding.

(2) Another Caſe is, when there's a diſtinguiſhing Growth in Grace, and Progreſs in the Divine Life; the new Man increaſing in the Vigour and Activity of it's holy Principles & Powers of Operation.

(3.) When there's an inward pleaſurable Senſation of this ſpiritual Life, and ſweet Satisfaction reſulting from its Exerciſe and Evidence, and from the Proſpects of its future Perfection

In all theſe Reſpects there's a gradual Difference among vital Chriſtians: and where any do excel, in all or either of theſe Points of ſuperior Attainment, ſuch may be ſaid, by way of Eminence, to have Souls▪ proſpering and in Health.

I muſt not ſtay to illuſtrate theſe ſeveral Heads: but ſhall now hint at ſome Reflections, by way of APPLICATION.

USE. 1. How lovely and venerable are all ſuch Souls as proſper in this exalted Senſe! —They are the wiſeſt, and beſt, and moſt felicitous Souls on Earth. And how happy, how amiable the Place, that is full of theſe proſperous Souls!

USE 2. Let it be for a Lamentation, that the Number of ſuch Souls in the profeſſing World, and even among our ſelves, is ſo exceeding ſmall. How few ſtrong and lively, even among living Chriſtians!

USE 3. Let us all examine into our Character, by the Rules here preſented us— Do we make happy Advances in Chriſtian Knowledge and Experience, in Faith and Holineſs, in Hope and Conſolation? Then may our Souls be denominated truly, yea, eminently healthful and proſperous.

But I come to another general Note from the Text.

DOCT. II. Soul-Proſperity and Health is the beſt and moſt valuable Bleſſing we can wiſh any one.—I wiſh above all Things, &c.—

If we ſhould conſider the Nature and Dignity of the Soul of Man, or the Neceſſity and Advantages of this Proſperity and Health of Soul; if we ſhou'd conſider the infinite Price and divine Power, by Virtue of which we obtain it; if we ſhou'd conſider the united Suffrages of Believers, or even the Sentiments of Sinners themſelves, in their dying Moments, or under Awaknings, &c. the Point wou'd eaſily receive a clear and full Confirmation.—But I muſt not dwell here.

USE. 1. Hence the vaſt Obligations of Thankfulneſs to God our Saviour, lying upon all true Believers; in that he hath given them this Bleſſing of Bleſſings, the Spirit of Love & of Power and of a ſound Mind.

USE 2. Hence, when our Souls proſper and are in Health, what a juſt Allay muſt the Reflection on this be to all the Sorrows of bodily Sickneſs or other external Adverſity? And what a powerful Corrective to thoſe envious Thoughts and Paſſions, ſometimes too prevalent even in good Men, upon ſeeing others (eſpecially the Wicked) proſpering in the World?

p. 51USE 3. Hence the amazing Stupidity and Folly of ſuch as ſeldom or never wiſh to themſelves or others this Proſperity of Soul: But they are ever making Proviſion for the Fleſh, and panting after the Duſt of the Earth. O the Madneſs of ſuch! They are like Children or Fools, who prefer glittering Baubles to ſubſtantial Treaſure, Shadows to Realities.

USE 4 Hence, they are deſervedly to be look'd on as our worſt Enemies, who wound and wrong our Souls, or hinder their Proſperity and Health. The Kiſſes of every ſuch Enemy are deceitful, and ſhou'd be odious to us.

USE 5. On the other Hand, they are juſtly to be reputed our beſt Friends, who ſtudy to promote our Soul-Proſperity and Health; tho' it be ſometimes by the harſh Method of Reproof. Faithful are the Rebukes of a Friend, tho' frequently very cutting. Let the Righteous ſmite me, it ſhall be a Kindneſs, an excellent Oil.—

USE 6. Above all, we ſhou'd eſteem CHRIST our greateſt Friend, who is the ſovereign Helper and Healer of the broken-hearted, and tho' ſometimes in his Applications to wounded Spirits, he may uſe Corroſives, as well as Lenitives, yet ſuch a compaſſionate Benefactor to Souls is our Lord, that we need not be afraid. Nay, tho' he take his ſharpeſt Lance in Hand, we need not fear, ſince it is in the Hand of infinite Love and Tenderneſs.

USE 7. Be we all perſwaded to a juſt Solicitude for our Souls, that we may ſecure the moſt excellent Proſperity and Health.— Ye unconcerned Sinners, O admit a Conviction of the tranſcendent Worth of your immortal Souls, the incomparable Value of ſpiritual Bleſſings, and the vaſt Importance of improving the preſent Opportunity, leſt you ſhould for ever loſe them. — Ye awaken'd Sinners, take Heed that you don't deceive your ſelves, by miſtaking the Nature of true Proſperity, and loſe your Souls, through Preſumption upon uncertain Signs, or by Deſpair under preſſing Difficulties and Oppoſitions in your Way. — Let Converts beware of ſtaying at any preſent Attainments; but be ſolicitous to make the ſwifteſt and higheſt Advances in Soul Proſperity and Health. Tho' now but Babes in Chriſt, ſee you be thriving Children. If any of you flatter your ſelves that you have ſuddenly got to Maturity, it's an ill Sign upon you.

USE 8 When we are wiſhing the Welfare of others, let us in the firſt Place wiſh them this beſt of Bleſſings, that their Souls may live and proſper and be in Health —This is my Heart's Deſire and Prayer to God, for you, my dear Friends: and no better Wiſh can I deſire you to put up on my Behalf—Ye Parents, what can you deſire better for your ſelves, or your Children, than this Soul-Proſperity? O inculcate upon them the Care of their Souls; uſe all private Means with them for their ſpiritual Good; bring them betimes under the publick Means, and by your Example teach them to Honour theſe. When you have been as a Sermon, perhaps you will ſometimes deſpiſe what you have heard: but beware here. It wou'd be juſt in God, if he ſhould leave your Children to deſpiſe your Admonition and private Means, after you have thus taught them to contemn p. 52the publick Means. Above all be much in Prayer with and for your Children, that all Means may be bleſſed to their Soul-Proſperity.—And you that are Children, what better Bleſſing, than this, can you wiſh to yourſelves, or your Parents! O be much at the Throne of Grace on this Errand. —And let other Relatives, Neighbours, and Acquaintance (rich or poor in this World) make the Wiſh in our Text for themſelves and one another.— Let all that wiſh well to the Churches, pray that the Souls belonging to them, may be Souls bound up in the Bundle of Life, truly proſpering and in Health, and that ſuch may daily be added. This will bring on good and happy Times.—Adored be ſovereign Grace, that we ſee at this Day many Souls coming in, under hopeful Symptoms.— Let us pray for this whole Town and Land, that our Health may ſpring forth ſpeedily: Yea, for the whole World, that God would, ſend forth his Word, and heal the Nations every where.

But I haſten to the laſt Obſervation.

DOCT. III. The moſt proſperous and healthful Souls on Earth are capable of ſtill further ſpiritual Improvements; which accordingly we ſhould wiſh for them.

Alas, the brighteſt and ſtrongeſt Saints are not above the Need of this charitable and pious Wiſh for them: and indeed the more any Souls are really in Health, the more humble they will be, and ſo the more deſirous of a kind Remembrance in the Prayers of Others.

Let us value and ſeek an Intereſt in the Affections and Prayers of the Saints; that by them (as well as by our ſelves) we may have this important Requeſt daily put up to God for us, even that out Souls may proſper and be in Health.— And let us not be behind-hand with any, in our charitable Interceſſions, or in thoſe Offices of Chriſtian Friendſhip proper to accompany them.

Let us never ceaſe very earneſtly making this devout and good Wiſh for one another, for our Families, for all our Relatives and Neighbours, for our Friends & Chriſtian Brethren, that they which have ſpiritual Life and Health, may have it more abundantly; that their Souls, however proſperous already, may have yet more of Chriſt and Heaven in them; and that Grace may at length be compleated in Glory.

To conclude, Let us extend our good Wiſhes, to the whole Church of Chriſt every where: and look and long for the Time, even the ſet Time, to favour Zion; when the glorious Things foretold concerning the latter Days, ſhall have their full and moſt viſible Accompliſhment. Let us all take up the Prophet's holy Reſolution, Iſai. 62.1. For Zion's ſake will I not hold my Peace, and for Jeruſalem's ſake I will not reſt, until the Righteouſneſs thereof go forth as Brightneſs, and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth.

FINIS.

Page 7. lin. 7. read PROP. 1.- pag. 25. lin. 22. for Inferior, 1. Interior.

End of the text · Thomas Foxcroft, The Blessings of a Soul in Health and Prospering (1742)