chapter vii

. 4. “Ye also are become dead to the law (as a covenant of works) by the body of CHRIST, that ye should be married to another, even to him, who is raised from the dead.” As he also speaketh in another place, “I have espoused you, as a chaste virgin to JESUS CHRIST.” This was the apostle’s own case. Whilst he depended on his being a _Hebrew_ of the _Hebrews_, and thought himself secure, because, as to the outward observation of the law, he was blameless; he was an entire stranger to the divine life: but when he began to experience the power of JESUS CHRIST’s resurrection, we find him, in his epistle to the _Philippians_, absolutely renouncing all his external privileges, and all his pharisaical righteousness; “Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss, nay but dung, that I may win CHRIST, and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of JESUS CHRIST, the righteousness which is of GOD by faith.” And thus it must be with us, ere we can say, “our Maker is our husband.” Though we may not be wrought upon in that extraordinary way in which the apostle was, yet we must be dead to the law, we must be espoused as chaste virgins to JESUS CHRIST, and count all external privileges, and our most splendid performances (as was before observed) only “as dung and dross, for the excellency of the knowledge of JESUS CHRIST our LORD.”

But further; before a marriage among us can stand good in law, both parties must not only be freed from all pre-engagements, but there must be a mutual consent on both sides. We are not used to marry people against their wills. This is what the _Jews_ called betrothing, or espousing, a thing previous to the solemnity of marriage. Thus we find, the Virgin _Mary_ is said to be espoused to _Joseph_, before they actually came together, _Matthew_ i. 18. And thus it is among us. Both parties are previously agreed, and, as it were, espoused to each other, before we publish, what we call the banns of marriage concerning them. And so it will be in the spiritual marriage, between JESUS CHRIST and our souls. Before we are actually married or united to him by faith; or, to keep to the terms of the text, before we assuredly can say, that “our Maker is our husband,” we must be made willing people in the day of GOD’s power, we must be sweetly and effectually persuaded by the Holy Spirit of GOD, that the glorious _Emmanuel_ is willing to accept of us, just as we are, and also that we are willing to accept of him upon his own terms, yea, upon any terms. And when once it comes to this, the spiritual marriage goes on apace, and there is but one thing lacking to make it compleat. And what is that? An actual union.

This is absolutely necessary in every lawful marriage among men. There must be a joining of hands before witnesses, ere they can be deemed lawfully joined together. Some men indeed of corrupt minds, are apt to look upon this as a needless ceremony, and think it sufficient to be married, as they term it, in the sight of GOD. But whence men get such divinity, I know not. I am positive, not from the Bible; for we there read that even at the first marriage in paradise, there was something of outward solemnity; GOD himself (if I may so speak) being there the priest. For we are told, _Genesis_ ii. 22. that, after GOD had made the woman, “he brought her unto the man.” And indeed, to lay aside all manner of outward ceremony in marriage, would be to turn the world into a den of brute beasts. Men would then take, or forsake as many wives as they pleased, and we should soon sink into as bad and brutal a state, as those nations are, amongst whom such practices are allowed of, and who are utterly destitute of the knowledge of our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. Whoever has experienced the power of his resurrection, I am persuaded will never plead for such a licentious practice. For the terms made use of in Scripture, to represent the mystical union between CHRIST and his church, such as, our being “joined to the LORD,” and “married to JESUS CHRIST,” are all metaphorical expressions, taken from some analogous practices amongst men. And as persons when married, though before twain, are now one flesh; so those that are joined to the LORD, and can truly say, “our Maker is our husband,” are in the apostle’s language, one spirit. This was typified in the original marriage of our first parents. When GOD brought _Eve_ to _Adam_, he received her with joy at his hands, and said, “this is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.” They had there, primarily, but one name. For thus speaks the sacred Historian, _Genesis_ v. 1, 2. “In the day that GOD created man, he blessed them, and called their name _Adam_.” And why? because they were one flesh, and were to have but one heart. The self-same terms are made use of in Scripture, to express the believer’s union with JESUS CHRIST. We are called Christians, after CHRIST’s name, because made partakers of CHRIST’s nature. Out of his fulness, believers receive grace for grace. And therefore, the marriage state, especially by the apostle _Paul_, is frequently made use of, to figure out to us the real, vital union, between JESUS CHRIST and regenerate souls. This is termed by the apostle, _Ephesians_ v. 32. “A great mystery.” But great as it is, we must all experience it, before we can say assuredly, that “our Maker is our husband.” For what says our LORD, in that prayer he put up to his Father before his bitter passion? “Father, I will that those whom thou hast given me, shall be where I am, that they may be one with thee; even as thou, O Father, and I are one, I in them, and they in me, that we all may be made perfect in one.” O infinite condescension! O ineffable union! Hence it is, that believers are said to be members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. Hence it is, that the apostle speaking of himself, says, “I live, yet not I, but CHRIST liveth in me.” What an expression is that? How much does it comprehend? And, that we might not think this was something peculiar to himself, he puts this close question to the _Corinthians_; “Know ye not, that CHRIST is in you, unless you be reprobates?” Agreeable to what he says in his epistle to the _Colossians_, “CHRIST in you, the hope of glory.” And hence it is, that our church, in the communion-office, directs the minister to acquaint all those who receive the sacrament worthily, that they are one with CHRIST, and CHRIST with them; that they dwell in CHRIST, and CHRIST in them. Words that deserve to be written in letters of gold, and which evidently shew, what our reformers believed all persons must experience, before they could truly and assuredly say, that “their Maker is their husband.”

From what has been delivered, may not the poorest and most illiterate person here present easily know whether or not he is really married to JESUS CHRIST. Some indeed, I am afraid, are so presumptuous as to affirm, at least to insinuate, that there is no such thing as knowing, or being fully assured, whilst here below, whether we are in CHRIST or not. Or at least, if there be such a thing, it is very rare, or was only the privilege of the primitive believers. Part of this is true, and part of this absolutely false. That this glorious privilege of a full assurance is very rare, is too, too true. And so it is equally too true, that real christians, comparatively speaking, are very rare also. But that there is no such thing, or that this was only the privilege of the first followers of our blessed LORD, is directly opposite to the word of GOD. “We know (says St. _John_, speaking of believers in general) that we are his, by the spirit which he hath given us;” and, “He that believeth hath the witness in himself;” “because you are sons (saith St. _Paul_) GOD hath sent forth his Spirit into your hearts, even the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” Not that I dare affirm, that there is no real christian, but what has this full assurance of faith, and clearly knows, that his Maker is his husband. In speaking thus, I should undoubtedly condemn some of the generation of GOD’s dear children, who through the prevalence of unbelief, indwelling sin, spiritual sloth, or it may be, for want of being informed of the privileges of believers, may walk in darkness, and see no light; therefore, though I dare not affirm, that a full assurance of faith is absolutely necessary for the very being, yet I dare assert, that it is absolutely necessary, for the well being of a christian. And for my own part, I cannot conceive, how any persons, that pretend to christianity, can rest satisfied or contented without it. This is stopping short, on this side _Jordan_, with a witness. And gives others too much reason to suspect, that such persons, however high their profession may be, have, as yet, no true saving grace at all.

Men, whose hearts are set on this world’s goods, or, to use our LORD’s language, “the children of this world,” act not so. I suppose there is scarce a single merchant in this great congregation, especially in these troublous times, that will venture out either his ship or cargo, without first insuring, both against the violence of an enemy, or a storm. And I suppose there is scarce a single house, of any considerable value, in any populous town or city, but the owner has taken out a policy from the fire-office, to insure it, in case of fire. And can I be so irrational as to think, that there is such a thing as securing my goods, and my house, and that there is no such thing as insuring, what is infinitely more valuable, my precious and immortal soul? Or if there be such a thing, as undoubtedly there is, what foolishness of folly must it needs be in men, that pretend to be men of parts, of good sense, and solid reasoning, to be so anxious to secure their ships against a storm, and their houses against a fire, and at the same time, not to be unspeakably more solicitous, to take a policy out of the assurance-office of heaven; even the seal and witness of the blessed Spirit of GOD, to insure their souls against that storm of divine wrath, and that vengeance of eternal fire, which will at the last decisive day come upon all those, who know not GOD, and have not obeyed his gracious gospel? To affirm therefore, that there is no such thing as knowing, that “our Maker is our husband;” or that it was a privilege peculiar to the first christians, to speak in the mildest terms, is both irrational and unscriptural. Not that all who can say, their Maker is their husband, can give the same clear and distinct account of the time, manner and means of their being spiritually united and married by faith, to the blessed bridegroom of the church. Some there may be now, as well as formerly, sanctified from the womb. And others in their infancy and non-age, as it were silently converted. Such perhaps may say, with a little _Scotch_ maiden, now with GOD, when I asked her, whether JESUS CHRIST had taken away her old heart, and given her a new one? “Sir, it may be, (said she,) I cannot directly tell you the time and place, but this I know, it is done.” And indeed it is not so very material, though no doubt it is very satisfactory, if we cannot relate all the minute and particular circumstances, that attended our conversion; if so be we are truly converted now, and can say, the work is done, and that, “our Maker is our husband.” And I question, whether there is one single adult believer, now on earth, who lived before conversion, either in a course of secret or open sin, but can, in a good degree, give an account of the beginning and progress of the work of grace in his heart.

What think ye? Need I tell any married persons in this congregation, that they must go to the university, and learn the languages, before they can tell whether they are married or not? Or, if their marriage was to be doubted, could they not, think you, bring their certificates, to certify the time and place of their marriage; and the minister that joined them together in that holy state? And if you are adult, and are indeed married to JESUS CHRIST, though you may be unlearned, and what the world terms illiterate men, cannot you tell me the rise and progress, and consummation of the spiritual marriage, between JESUS CHRIST and your souls? Know you not the time, when you were first under the drawings of the Father, and JESUS began to woo you for himself? Tell me, O man, tell me, O woman, knowest thou not the time, or at least, knowest thou not, that there was a time, when the blessed Spirit of GOD stripped thee of the fig-leaves of thy own righteousness, hunted thee out of the trees of the garden of thy performances, forced thee from the embraces of thy old husband the law, and made thee to abhor thy own righteousness, as so many filthy rags? Canst thou not remember, when, after a long struggle with unbelief, JESUS appeared to thee, as altogether lovely, mighty and willing to save? And canst thou not reflect upon a season, when thy own stubborn heart was made to bend; and thou wast made willing to embrace him, as freely offered to thee in the everlasting gospel? And canst thou not, with pleasure unspeakable, reflect on some happy period, some certain point of time, in which a sacred something (perhaps thou couldst not then well tell what) did captivate, and fill thy heart, so that thou could say, in a rapture of holy surprize, and extacy of divine love, “My LORD and my GOD! my beloved is mine, and I am his; I know that my Redeemer liveth;” or, to keep to the words of our text, “My Maker is my husband.” Surely, amidst this great and solemn assembly, there are many that can answer these questions in the affirmative. For these are transactions, not easily to be forgotten; and the day of our espousals is, generally, a very remarkable day; a day to be had in everlasting remembrance.

And can any of you indeed, upon good grounds say, that your Maker is your husband? May I not then (as it is customary to wish persons joy who are just entered into the marriage state) congratulate you upon your happy change, and wish you joy, with all my heart? Sure am I that there was joy in heaven on the day of your espousals: and why should not the blessed news occasion joy on earth? May I not address you in the language of our LORD to the women that came to visit his sepulchre, “All hail!” for ye are highly favoured. Blessed are ye among men, blessed are ye among women! All generations shall call you blessed. What! “is your Maker your husband? the holy one of _Israel_ your Redeemer?” Sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth! What an amazing stoop is this! What a new thing has GOD created on the earth! Do not your hearts, O believers, burn within you, when meditating on this unspeakable condescension of the high and lofty one that inhabiteth eternity? Whilst you are musing, does not the sacred fire of divine love kindle in your souls? And, out of the abundance of your hearts, do you not often speak with your tongues, and call upon all that is within you, to laud and magnify your Redeemer’s holy name? Is not that GOD-exalting, self-abasing expression frequently in your mouths, “Why me, LORD, why me?” And are you not often constrained to break out into that devout exclamation of _Solomon_, when the glory of the LORD filled the temple, “And will GOD indeed dwell with man?” ungrateful, rebellious, ill, and hell-deserving man! O, my brethren, my heart is enlarged towards you! Tears, while I am speaking, are ready to gush out. But they are tears of love and joy. How shall I give it vent? How shall I set forth thy happiness, O believer, thou bride of GOD! And is thy Maker thy husband? Is his name “The LORD of hosts?” Whom then shouldst thou fear? And is thy Redeemer the holy one of _Israel_? the GOD of the whole earth should he be called! of whom then shouldst thou be afraid? He that toucheth thee, toucheth the very apple of GOD’s eye. “The very hairs of thy head are all numbered;” and “it is better that a man should have a milstone tied round his neck, and be drowned in the sea, than that he should justly offend thee.”

All hail, (I must again repeat it) thou Lamb’s bride! for thou art all glorious within, and comely, through the comeliness thy heavenly bridegroom hath put upon thee. Thy garment is indeed of wrought gold; and, ere long, the King shall bring thee forth with a raiment of needle-work, and present thee blameless before his Father, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. In the mean while, well shall it be with you, and happy shall you be, who are married to JESUS CHRIST: for all that CHRIST has, is yours. “He is made of GOD to you, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and eternal redemption.” “Whether _Paul_, or _Cephas_, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours.” All his attributes are engaged for your preservation, and all things shall work together for your good, who love GOD, and, by being thus married to the LORD JESUS, give an evident proof that you are called according to his purpose. What say you? When you meditate on these things, are you not frequently ready to cry out, What shall we render unto the LORD for all these mercies, which, of his free unmerited grace, he hath been pleased to bestow upon us? For, though you are dead to the law, as a covenant of works, yet you are alive to the law as a rule of life, and are in, or under the law (for either expression seems to denote the same thing) to your glorious husband, JESUS CHRIST.

Pass we on therefore to the

_Second_ general head, under which I was to shew, what duties of love they owe to JESUS CHRIST, who are so happy as to be able to say, “My Maker is my husband.”

I say, duties of love. For being now married to JESUS CHRIST, you work not for life, but from life. The love of GOD constrains you, so that, if there was no written law, or supposing JESUS would set you at liberty from his yoke, so far as grace prevails in your hearts, you would say, we love our blessed bridegroom, and will not go from him.

And what does the LORD require of you? That we may speak on this head as plainly as may be, we shall pursue the method we begun with; and, by carrying on the allegory, and examining what is required of truly christian wives, under the gospel, infer what our LORD may justly demand of those who are united to him by faith, and can therefore say, “our Maker is our husband.”

And here let us go to the law and to the testimony. What says the scripture? “Let the wife see that she _reverence_ her husband.” It is, no doubt, the duty of married women to think highly of their husbands. From whom may husbands justly command respect, if not from their wives? The apostle’s expression is emphatical. “Let the wife see that she reverence her husband;” thereby implying, that women, some of them at least, are too prone to disrespect their husbands; as _Michal_, _Saul_’s daughter, despised _David_ in her heart, when she tauntingly said, 2 _Samuel_ vi. 20. “How glorious was the king of _Israel_ to-day, who uncovered himself to-day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamlessly uncovereth himself.”

This is a source and fountain, from whence many domestic evils frequently flow. Women should remember the character that husbands sustain in scripture. They are to them, what CHRIST is to the church. And it is mentioned to the honour of _Sarah_, that she called _Abraham_ “Lord.” “Shall I have a child who am old, _my Lord_ being old also?” It is remarkable, there are but two good words in that whole sentence, “my Lord,” (for all the others are the language of unbelief) and yet those two words the Holy Ghost mentions to her eternal honour, and buries, as it were, the rest in oblivion. “Even as _Sarah_ (says St. _Peter_) obeyed _Abraham_, calling him Lord.” An evident proof how pleasing it is in the sight of GOD, for women in the married state to reverence and respect their husbands. Not that husbands therefore should lord it over their wives, or require too much respect at their hands. This would be unchristian, as well as ungenerous, indeed. They ought rather, as GOD has taken such care to keep up their authority, commanding their wives to reverence and respect them; they ought, I say, to be doubly careful, that they live so holy and unblameable, as to lay their wives under no temptation to despise them. But to return from this digression. Does the apostle say, “Let the wife see that she reverence her husband?” May I not pertinently apply this caution to you who are married to JESUS CHRIST? See to it that you reverence and respect your husband. I say, _see to it_. For the devil will be often suggesting to you hard and mean thoughts against your husband. It was thus he beset our mother _Eve_, even in a state of innocence. He would fain persuade her to entertain hard thoughts of her glorious benefactor. “What, has GOD said, ye shall not eat of the trees of the garden?” Has he been so cruel to put you here in a beautiful garden only to vex and teize you? This he made use of as an inlet to all his succeeding insinuations. And this trade he is still pursuing, and will be pursuing to the very end of time. Besides, in the eyes of the world, JESUS CHRIST has no form or comeliness that they should desire him; and therefore, unless you “watch and pray,” you will be led into temptation, and not keep up such high thoughts of your blessed JESUS as he justly deserves. In this you can never exceed. Women, perhaps, may sometimes think too highly of, and, through excess of love, idolize their earthly comforts. But it is impossible for you to think too highly of your heavenly husband, JESUS CHRIST.

Farther, what says the apostle in his epistle to the _Ephesians_? Speaking of the marriage state, he says, “The wife is the _glory_ of her husband;” as though he had said, a christian wife should so behave, and so walk, as to be a credit to her husband. As _Abigail_ was an honour to _Nabal_, and by her sweet deportment made up, in some degree, for her husband’s churlishness. This is to be a help-meet indeed. Such a woman will be praised in the gate; and her husband get glory, and meet with respect on her account. And ought a woman to be the glory of her husband? How much more ought you, that are the Lamb’s bride, so to live, and so to walk, as to bring glory, and gain respect, to the cause and interest of your husband JESUS? This is what the apostle every where supposes, when he would draw a parallel between a temporal and spiritual marriage. “The woman, is the glory of her husband, even as the church is the glory of CHRIST.” Agreeable to this, he tells the _Corinthians_, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of GOD;” and as he also speaks to the _Thessalonians_, 1 _Thessalonians_ ii. 11, 12. “As you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you (as a father doth his children) that you would walk worthy of GOD who hath called you to his kingdom, and his glory.” What an expression is here! “That you would walk worthy of GOD.” O! how ought this, and such like texts, to stir up your pure minds, O believers, so to have your conversation in this world, that you may be what the apostle says some particular persons were, even “the glory of CHRIST.” You are his glory; he rejoices over you with singing; and you should so walk, that all who know and hear of you, may glorify CHRIST in you.

_Subjection_, is another duty, that is enjoined married women, in the word of GOD. They are to “be subject to their own husbands in every thing,” every lawful thing: “For, the husband is the head of the wife, even as CHRIST is the head of the church.” And knowing how unapt some base minds would be to submit to the husband’s authority, he takes care to enforce this duty of subjection by many cogent and powerful arguments. “For _Adam_ was first made, and not _Eve_. Neither was the man made for the woman, but the woman for the man.” And again, “The man was not first in the transgression, but the woman.” Upon which accounts, subjection was imposed on her as part of her punishment. “Thy desire (says GOD) shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule (though not tyrannize) over thee.” So that, to use the words of pious Mr. _Henry_, those who attempt to usurp authority over their husbands, not only contradict a divine command, but thwart a divine curse. And if women are to be subject to their own husbands in every thing, how much more ought believers, whether men or women, to be subject to JESUS CHRIST: for he is the head of the church. He has bought her by his blood. Believers therefore are not their own, but are under the highest obligations to glorify and obey JESUS CHRIST, in their bodies and their souls, which are his. Add to this, that his service, as it is admirably expressed in one of our collects, is perfect freedom. His commandments holy, just, and good. And therefore it is your highest privilege, O believers, to submit to, and obey them. Earthly husbands may be so mean as to impose some things upon their wives, merely to shew their authority; but it is not so with JESUS CHRIST. He can and does impose nothing, but what immediately conduces to our present, as well as future good. In doing, nay, in suffering for JESUS CHRIST, there is a present unspeakable reward. And therefore I may say to believers, as the blessed Virgin said to the servants at the marriage in _Cana_, “Whatsoever he says unto you, do it.” “For his yoke is easy, and his burden is light.” And I believe it might easily be proved in a few minutes, that all the disorders which are now in the world, whether in church or state, are owing to a want of being universally, unanimously, chearfully, and perseveringly conformed to the laws and example of our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST.

Again, _Faithfulness_ in the marriage state, is strictly enjoined in the scriptures of truth. “Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled. But whoremongers and adulterers GOD will judge.” Nay, adultery is an iniquity to be punished by the earthly judges; it dissolves the marriage relation. “For the man has not power over his own body, but the woman; neither has the woman power over her own body, but the man.” The heathens themselves have been taught this by the light of nature; and adultery, among some of them, is punished with immediate death. And ought married persons to be thus careful to keep the marriage-bed undefiled, how carefully then ought believers to keep their souls chaste, pure, and undefiled, now they are espoused to JESUS CHRIST? For there is such a thing as spiritual adultery; “O ye adulterers and adulteresses,” saith St. _James_. And GOD frequently complains of his people’s playing the harlot. Hence it is, that St. _John_, in the most endearing manner, exhorts believers to “keep themselves from idols.” For the lust of the eye, the lust of the flesh, and pride of life, are always ready to steal away our hearts from JESUS CHRIST. And every time we place our affections upon any thing more than CHRIST, we do undoubtedly commit spiritual adultery. For we admit a creature to rival the Creator, who is GOD over all, blessed for evermore. “Little children, therefore, keep yourselves from idols.”

But it is time for me to draw towards the close of this head. _Fruitfulness_ was a blessing promised by GOD to the first happy pair; “Increase and multiply, and replenish the earth.” “Lo, children, and the fruit of the womb, (says the Psalmist) are a gift and heritage, which cometh of the LORD.” And so, if we are married to JESUS CHRIST, we must be fruitful. In what? In every good word and work: for thus speaks the Apostle, in his epistle to the _Romans_: “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law, by the body of CHRIST, that ye should be married to another, even to him who is raised from the dead.” What follows? “That we should bring forth fruit unto GOD.” Glorious words, and proper to be considered in a peculiar manner, by such who would explode the doctrine of free justification, as an _Antinomian_ doctrine, and as though it destroyed good works. No; it establishes, and lays a solid foundation, whereon to build the superstructure of good works. _Titus_ is therefore commanded to “exhort believers to be careful to maintain good works.” And “herein (says our LORD) is my Father glorified, that ye bring forth much fruit. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven:” with a multitude of passages to the same purpose.

Moreover, it is required of wives, that they not only love and reverence their husbands, but that they also love and respect their _husband’s friends_. And if we are married to JESUS CHRIST, we shall not only reverence the bridegroom, but we shall also love and honour the bridegroom’s friends. “By this, shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye love one another.” “By this we know, (says the beloved disciple) that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren.” Observe, _the brethren_, indefinitely, of whatever denomination. And this love must be “without dissimulation, and with a pure heart fervently.” This was the case of the primitive christians. They were all of one heart, and of one mind. It was said of them (O that it could be said of us!) “See how these christians love one another!” They were of the same spirit as a good woman of _Scotland_ was, who, when she saw a great multitude, as is customary in that country, coming from various parts to receive the blessed sacrament, saluted them with a “Come in, ye blessed of the LORD, I have an house that will hold an hundred of you, and a heart that will hold ten thousand.” Let us go and do likewise.

Once more. Persons that are married, take one another _for better_ or _for worse_, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish each other in sickness and in health. And if we are married to JESUS CHRIST, we shall be willing to bear his _cross_, as well as to wear his _crown_. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.” Neither will they be compelled to do this, as _Simon_ of _Cyrene_ was, but they will be volunteers in his service; they will cry out, Crown him, crown him, when others are crying out, “Crucify him, crucify him.” They will never leave or forsake him, but willingly follow the Captain of their salvation, though it be through a sea of blood.

I might run the parallel still further, and also enlarge upon the hints already given; but I fear I have said enough already to reproach most believers; I am sure I have said more than enough to abash and upbraid myself. For alas! how vilely, treacherously, and ungratefully have we behaved towards our spiritual husband, the dear LORD JESUS, ever since the day of our espousals? Had our friends, or even the wives of our own bosoms, behaved to us as we have behaved to our great and best friend, our glorious husband, we should have broken off our friendship, and sued for a bill of divorcement long ago. Under our first love, what promises did we make to him? But how frowardly have we behaved ourselves in this covenant? How little have we reverenced him? How often has our Beloved been no more to us than another beloved? How little have we lived to his glory? Have we not been a shame and reproach to his gospel? Have we not crucified him afresh, and has he not been sorely wounded in the house of his friends? Nay, has not his holy name been blasphemed through our means? For alas! how little have we obeyed him? How careless and indifferent have we been, whether we pleased him or not? We have often said, indeed, when commanded by him to go work in his vineyard, We go, LORD; but alas! we went not. Or if we did go, with what reluctance has it been? How unwilling to watch with our dear Lord and Master, only one hour? And of his sabbaths, how often have we said, What a weariness is this? As for our adulteries, and spiritual fornications, how frequent, how aggravated have they been? Have not idols of all sorts, been suffered to fill up the room of the ever-blessed JESUS in our hearts? You that love him in sincerity, will not be offended if I tell you, that the xvith chapter of _Ezekiel_ gives, in my opinion, a lively description of our behaviour towards our LORD. We were, like base-born children, cast out in the field to the loathing of our persons: no eye pitied or had compassion on us. JESUS passed by, saw us polluted in our own blood, and said unto us, “Live,” _i. e._ preserved us, even in our natural state, from death. And when his time of love was come, he spread the skirt of his imputed righteousness over us, and covered the nakedness of our souls, entered into covenant with us, and we became his. He washed us also with water, even in the laver of regeneration, and thoroughly washed us by his precious blood, from the guilt of all our sins. He cloathed us also with broidered work, and decked us with ornaments, even with righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. We did eat fine flour and honey at his ordinances, and we fed on JESUS CHRIST in our hearts by faith, with thanksgiving. In short, we were made exceeding beautiful, and the kingdom of GOD was erected in our hearts. We were renowned among our neighbours for our love to GOD, and all that knew us took knowledge of us, that we had been with JESUS. But alas! how have we fallen, who were once sons of the morning! How have we trusted in our own beauty, have grown spiritually proud, and provoked our patient and unspeakably long-suffering LORD to anger? Where is that ardent love we spake of, when we told him, that, though we should die for him, we would not deny him in any wise? How desperately wicked, and deceitful above all things, have we proved our hearts to be, since we have done all these things, even the work of an imperious woman? These are great and numerous charges; but great and numerous as they are, there is not a single believer here present, but, if he knows his own heart, may plead guilty to some, or all of them. But this is a tender point: I see you concerned: your tears, O believers, are a proof of the anguish of your souls. And can any of us give any reason, why JESUS CHRIST should not give us a bill of divorcement, and put us away? May he not justly speak to us as he did to his adultress _Israel_, in the forementioned xvith of _Ezekiel_, “Wherefore, O harlot, hear the word of the LORD; I will judge thee as women that break wedlock, and shed blood, are judged. I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy, because thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, but hast fretted me in all these things. Behold, therefore, I also will recompence thy way upon thy head. I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, who hast despised the oath, in breaking the covenant, the marriage contract that was between us.” This, I am persuaded, you will confess to be the treatment which we all most justly deserve. But be not overwhelmed with over-much sorrow: for though the LORD our GOD is a jealous GOD, and will certainly ♦visit our offences with a rod, and our backslidings with a spiritual scourge, yet his loving-kindness will he not utterly take from us, nor suffer his truth to fail. Though we have changed, yet he changeth not: He abideth faithful: his loving-kindness abideth for evermore. Hark! how sweetly he speaks to his backsliding people of old; “O _Israel_, thou hast destroyed thyself, but in me is thy help. I will heal their backsliding, and love them freely.” And in the verses immediately following the words of the text, how comfortably does he address his espoused people! “In a little wrath, I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the LORD thy Redeemer. For this is as the waters of _Noah_ unto me: for as I have sworn, that the waters of _Noah_ should no more go over the earth; so have I sworn, that I would not be wroth with thee, nor rebuke thee. For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the LORD that hath mercy on thee.” O that this goodness may lead us to repentance! O that this unparalleled, infinite, unchangeable love, may constrain us to an universal, uniform, chearful, unanimous, persevering obedience to all the commands of GOD!

♦ “vsit” replaced with “visit”

Brethren, my heart is enlarged towards you, and I could dwell a long while upon the many great and precious invitations that are made to backsliders, to return to their first love, and do their first works: but it is high time for me, if, as was proposed,

III. I give to every one their proper portion; to speak to those poor souls, who know nothing of this blessed Bridegroom of the church, and consequently cannot yet say, “My Maker is my husband.”

Ah! I pity you from my inmost soul; I could weep over, and for you, though perhaps you will not weep for yourselves. But surely you would weep, and howl too, did you know the miserable condition those are in, who are not married to JESUS CHRIST. Will you give me leave (I think I speak it in much love) to inform you, that if you are not married to JESUS CHRIST, you are married to the law, the world, the flesh, and the devil, neither of which can make you happy; but all, on the contrary, concur to make you miserable. Hear ye not, ye that are married to the law, and seek to be justified in the sight of GOD, partly, at least, if not wholly, by your own works, what the law saith to those that are under it, as a covenant of works? “Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.” Every word breathes threatening and slaughter to poor fallen creatures. Cursed, both here and hereafter, be this man, and every one, naturally engendered of the offspring of _Adam_, without exception, that continueth not, even to the very end of life, in all things; not only in some, or many, but in all things, that are written in the book of the law, to do them, in the utmost perfection: for “he that offendeth in one point, is guilty of all.” So that, according to the tenor of the covenant of works, whosoever is guilty of one wicked thought, word, or action, is under the curse of an angry sin-avenging GOD. “For as many as are under the law, are under the curse.” And do you know what it is to be under the curse of GOD, and to have the Wrath of GOD abide upon you? If you did, I believe you would not be so unwilling to be divorced from the law, and be espoused, as chaste virgins, to JESUS CHRIST.

And why are ye so wedded to the world? Did it ever prove faithful or satisfactory to any of its votaries? Has not _Solomon_ reckoned up the sum total of worldly happiness? And what does it amount to? “Vanity, vanity, saith the preacher, all is vanity,” nay he adds, “and vexation of spirit.” And has not a greater than _Solomon_ informed us, that a man’s life, the happiness of a man’s life, doth not consist in the things which he possesseth? Besides, “know ye not that the friendship of this world is enmity with GOD; so that whosoever will be a friend to the world, (to the corrupt customs and vices of it) is an enemy to GOD?” And what better reasons can you give for being wedded to your lusts? Might not the poor slaves in the gallies, as reasonably be wedded to their chains? For do not your lusts fetter down your souls from GOD? Do they not lord it, and have they not dominion over you? Do not they say, Come, and ye come; Go, and ye go; Do this, and ye do it? And is not he or she that liveth in pleasure, dead, whilst he liveth? And above all, how can ye bear the thoughts of being wedded to the devil, as every natural man is: for thus speaks the scripture, “He now ruleth in the children of disobedience.” And how can ye bear to be ruled by one, who is such a professed open enemy to the most high and holy GOD? Who will make a drudge of you, whilst you live, and be your companion in endless and extreme torment, after you are dead? For thus will our LORD say to those on the left hand, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” But,

IV. Will you permit me, O sinners, that I may draw towards a close of this discourse, to propose a better match to your souls. This is a part of the discourse which I long to come to, it being my heart’s desire, and earnest prayer to GOD, that your souls may be saved. “And now, O LORD GOD Almighty, thou Father of mercies, and GOD of all consolations, thou GOD and Father of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, who hast promised to give thy Son the heathen for his inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, send me good speed this day, O LORD, send me now prosperity. Behold, I stand here without the camp, bearing a little of thy dear Son’s sacred reproach! Hear me, O LORD, hear me, and according to thy word, let thy dear, thine only begotten Son, see of the travel of his soul, and be satisfied! O help me so to speak, that many may believe on, and cleave unto thy blessed, thine holy child JESUS!”

But who am I, that I should undertake to recommend the blessed JESUS to others, who am myself altogether unworthy to take his sacred name into my polluted lips? Indeed, my brethren, I do not count myself worthy of such an honour; but since it has pleased him, in whom all fulness dwells, to count me worthy, and put me into the ministry, the very stones would cry out against me, did I not attempt, at least, to lisp out his praise; and earnestly recommend the ever-blessed JESUS to the choice of all.

Thus _Abraham_’s faithful servant behaved, when sent out to fetch a wife for his master _Isaac_. He spake of the riches and honours, which GOD had conferred on him; but what infinitely greater honours and riches, has the GOD and Father of our LORD JESUS, conferred on his only Son, to whom I now invite every christless sinner! To you, therefore, I call, O ye sons of men, assuring you, there is every thing in JESUS that your hearts can desire, or hunger and thirst after. Do people in disposing of themselves or their children in marriage, generally covet to be matched with persons of _great names_? Let this consideration serve as a motive to stir you up to match with JESUS. For GOD the Father has given him a name above every name; he has upon his vesture, and upon his thigh, a name written, “The King of kings, and the Lord of lords;” and here in the text we are told, “The Lord of Hosts is his name.” Nor has he an empty title, but power equivalent; for he is a prince, as well as a saviour. “All power is given unto him, both in heaven and on earth:” “The GOD of the whole earth, (says our text) he shall be called.” The government of men, of the church, and of devils, is put upon his shoulders: “Thrones, principalities and powers, are made subject unto him; by him kings reign, and princes decree justice; he setteth up one, and putteth down another: and of his kingdom there shall be no end.” Will _riches_ be an inducement unto you to come and match with JESUS? Why then, I can tell you, the riches of JESUS are infinite: for unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach to poor sinners, the unsearchable riches of JESUS CHRIST. I appeal to you that are his saints, whether you have not found this true, by happy experience; and though some of you, may have been acquainted with him thirty, forty, fifty years ago, do you not find his riches are yet unsearchable, and as much past finding out, as they were the very first moment in which you gave him your hearts!

Would you match with a _wise husband_? Haste then, sinners, come away to JESUS: He is the fountain of wisdom, and makes all that come unto him, wise unto salvation; “He is the wisdom of the Father: the LORD possessed him in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. When he prepared the heavens, he was there; when he appointed the foundations of the earth, then was he with him, as one brought up with him; he was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him.” As he is wise, so is he _holy_; and therefore, in the words of our text, he is stiled, “The Redeemer, the Holy One of _Israel_:” and by the angel _Gabriel_, “That holy Thing.” The apostles, addressing GOD the Father, stile him his “holy child JESUS:” and the spirits of just men made perfect, and the angels in heaven, cease not day or night, saying, “Holy, holy, holy.” Nor is his _beauty_ inferior to his wisdom or holiness; the seraphs veil their faces, when they appear before him: “He is the chiefest among ten thousand, nay, he is altogether lovely.” And, as he is altogether lovely, so is he altogether _loving_: his name and his nature is Love. GOD, GOD in CHRIST is love: love in the abstract. And in this has he manifested his love, in that, whilst we were yet sinners, nay open enemies, JESUS, in his own due time, died for the ungodly. He loved us so as to give himself for us. O what manner of love is this! What was _Jacob_’s love to _Rachel_, in comparison of the love which JESUS bore to a perishing world! He became a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is every man that hangeth upon a tree.” What _Zipporah_ said to her husband improperly, JESUS may say properly to his spouse the church, “A bloody wife hast thou been to me, because of the crucifixion.” For he has purchased her with his own blood. And having once loved his people, he loves them unto the end. His love, like himself, is from everlasting to everlasting. He hates putting away: though we change, yet he changeth not: he abideth faithful. When we are married here, there comes in that shocking clause, to use the words of holy Mr. _Boston_, “Till death us doth part;” but death itself shall not separate a true believer from the love of GOD, which is in CHRIST JESUS his Lord: for he will never cease loving his Bride, till he has loved her to heaven, and presented her before his Father, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. Nay, his love will, as it were, but be beginning, through the endless ages of eternity.

And now, Sirs, what say you? Shall I put that question to you, which _Rebecca_’s relations, upon a proposal of marriage, put to her? “Will ye go with the man?” With the God-man, this infinitely great, this infinitely powerful, this all-wise, all-holy, altogether lovely, ever-loving JESUS? What objection have you to make against such a gracious offer? One would imagine, you had not a single one; but it is to be feared, through the prevalency of unbelief, and the corruption of your desperately wicked deceitful hearts, you are ready to urge several. Methinks I hear some of you say within yourselves, “We like the proposal, but alas! we are poor.” Are you so? If that be all, you may, notwithstanding, be welcome to JESUS: “For has not GOD chosen the poor of this world, to make them rich in faith, and heirs of his everlasting kingdom?” And what says that Saviour, to whom I am now inviting you? “Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” And what says his Apostle concerning him? “Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be made rich.” But say you, “We are not only poor, but we are in debt; we owe GOD ten thousand talents, and have nothing to pay;” but that need not keep you back: for GOD the Father, from the LORD JESUS, his dearly beloved Son, has received double for all believers sins: the blood of JESUS cleanseth from them all. But you are blind, and miserable, and naked; to whom then should you fly for succour, but to JESUS, who came to open the eyes of the blind, to seek and save the miserable and lost, and cloath the naked with his perfect and spotless righteousness. And now, what can hinder your espousals with the dear and ever-blessed Lamb of GOD? I know but of one thing, that dreadful sin of unbelief. But this is my comfort, JESUS died for unbelief, as well as for other sins, and has promised to send down the Holy Spirit to convince the world of this sin in particular: “If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go away, I will send the Comforter, and he will convince the world of sin.” What sin? of unbelief; “because they believe not on me.” O that this promise may be so fulfilled in your hearts, and JESUS may so become the author of divine faith in your souls, that you may be able to send me the same message as a good woman in _Scotland_, on her dying bed, sent me by a friend: “Tell him, (says she) for his comfort, that at such a time he married me to the LORD JESUS.” This would be comfort indeed. Not that we can marry you to CHRIST: No; the Holy Ghost must tie the marriage knot. But such honour have all GOD’s ministers; under him they espouse poor sinners to JESUS CHRIST. “I have espoused you (says St. _Paul_) as a chaste virgin to JESUS CHRIST.” O that you may say, We will go with the man; then will I bow my head, as _Abraham_’s servant did, and go with joy and tell my Master, that he has not left his poor servant destitute this day: then shall I rejoice in your felicity. For I know, my Master will take you into the banqueting-house of his ordinances, and his banner over you shall be love. That this may be the happy case of you all, may the glorious GOD grant, for the sake of JESUS his dearly beloved Son, the glorious bridegroom of his church; to whom, with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be all honour and glory, now and for evermore. _Amen_, and _Amen_.

SERMON XIII.

The Potter and the Clay.

JEREMIAH xviii. 1‒6.

_The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hands of the potter, so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel._

AT sundry times, and in divers manners, GOD was pleased to speak to our fathers by the prophets, before he spoke to us in these last days by his Son. To _Elijah_, he revealed himself by a small still voice. To _Jacob_, by a dream. To _Moses_, he spake face to face. Sometimes he was pleased to send a favourite prophet on some especial errand; and whilst he was thus employed, vouchsafed to give him a particular message, which he was ordered to deliver without reserve to all the inhabitants of the land. A very instructive instance of this kind we have recorded in the passage now read to you. The first verse informs us that it was a word, or message, which came immediately from the LORD to the prophet _Jeremiah_. At what time, or how the prophet was employed when it came, we are not told. Perhaps, whilst he was praying for those who would not pray for themselves: Perhaps, near the morning, when he was slumbering or musing on his bed. For the word came to him, saying, “Arise.” And what must he do when risen? He must “go down to the potter’s house” (the prophet knew where to find it) “and there (says the great Jehovah) I will cause thee to hear my words.” _Jeremiah_ does not confer with flesh and blood, he does not object that it was dark or cold, or desire that he might have his message given him there, but without the least hesitation is immediately obedient to the heavenly vision. “Then (says he) I went down to the potter’s house, and behold he wrought a work upon the wheels.” Just as he was entering into the house or workshop, the potter, it seems, had a vessel upon his wheel. And was there any thing so extraordinary in this, that it should be ushered in with the word BEHOLD? What a dreaming visionary, or superstitious enthusiast, would this _Jeremiah_ be accounted, even by many who read his prophecies with seeming respect, was he alive now? But this was not the first time _Jeremiah_ had heard from heaven in this manner. He therefore willingly obeyed; and had you or I accompanied him to the potter’s house, I believe we should have seen him silently, but intensely waiting upon his great and all-wise Commander, to know wherefore he sent him thither. Methinks I see him all attention. He takes notice, that “the vessel was of clay;” but as he held it in his hand, and turned round the wheel, in order to work it into some particular form, “it was marred in the hands of the potter,” and consequently unfit for the use he before intended to put it to. And what becomes of this marred vessel? Being thus marred, I suppose, the potter, without the least imputation of injustice, might have thrown it aside, and taken up another piece of clay in its room. But he did not. “He made it again another vessel.” And does the potter call a council of his domestics, to enquire of them what kind of vessel they would advise him to make of it? No, in no wise. “He made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.”

“Then,” adds _Jeremiah_, whilst he was in the way of duty――then――whilst he was mentally crying, LORD what wouldst thou have me to do? “Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, O house of _Israel_, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the hands of the potter (marred, and unfit for the first designed purpose) so are ye in mine hand, O house of _Israel_.” At length, then, _Jeremiah_ hath his sermon given to him: short, but popular. It was to be delivered to the whole house of _Israel_, princes, priests, and people: short, but pungent, even sharper than a two-edged sword. What! says the sovereign LORD of heaven and earth, must I be denied the privilege of a common potter? May I not do what I will with my own? “Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hands, so are ye in mine hands, O house of _Israel_. I made and formed you into a people, and blessed you above any other nation under heaven: but, O _Israel_, thou by thy backslidings hast destroyed thyself. As the potter therefore might justly have thrown aside his marred clay, so may I justly unchurch and unpeople you. But what if I should come over the mountains of your guilt, heal your backslidings, revive my work in the midst of the years, and cause your latter end greatly to increase? Behold, as the clay is in the hands of the potter, lying at his disposal, either to be destroyed or formed into another vessel, so are ye in my hands, O house of _Israel_: I may either reject, and thereby ruin you, or I may revisit and revive you according to my own sovereign good will and pleasure, and who shall say unto me, what dost thou?”

This seems to be the genuine interpretation, and primary intention of this beautiful part of holy writ. But waving all further enquiries about its primary design or meaning, I shall now proceed to shew, that what the glorious Jehovah here says of the house of _Israel_ in general, is applicable to every individual of mankind in particular. And as I presume this may be done, without either wire-drawing scripture on the one hand, or wresting it from its original meaning on the other, not to detain you any longer, I shall, from the passage thus explained and paraphrased, deduce, and endeavour to enlarge on these two general heads.

_First_, I shall undertake to prove, that every man naturally engendered of the offspring of _Adam_, is in the sight of the all-seeing, heart-searching GOD, only as a “piece of marred clay.”

_Secondly_, That being thus marred, he must necessarily be renewed: and under this head, we shall likewise point out by whose agency this mighty change is to be brought about.

These particulars being discussed, way will naturally be made for a short word of application.

_First_, To prove that every man naturally engendered of the offspring of _Adam_, is in the sight of an all-seeing, heart-searching GOD, only as a piece of marred clay.

Be pleased to observe, that we say every man _naturally_ engendered of the offspring of _Adam_, or every man since the fall: for if we consider man as he first came out of the hands of his Maker, he was far from being in such melancholy circumstances. No: he was originally made upright; or as _Moses_, that sacred penman, declares, “GOD made him after his own image.” Surely never was so much expressed in so few words; which hath often made me wonder how that great critic _Longinus_, who so justly admires the dignity and grandeur of _Moses_’s account of the creation, and “GOD said, Let there be light, and there was light;” I say I have often wondered why he did not read a little further, and bestow as just an encomium upon this short, but withal inexpressibly august and comprehensive description of the formation of man, “so GOD created man in his own image.” Struck with a deep sense of such amazing goodness, and that he might impress yet a deeper sense of it upon our minds too, he immediately adds, “in the image of GOD made he him.” A council of the most adorable Trinity was called on this important occasion: GOD did not say, Let there be a man, and there was a man, but GOD said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” This is the account which the lively oracles of GOD do give us of man in his first estate: but it is very remarkable, that the transition from the account of his creation to that of his misery, is very quick, and why? For a very good reason, because he soon fell from his primeval dignity; and by that fall, the divine image is so defaced, that he is now to be valued only as antiquarians value an ancient medal, merely for the sake of the image and superscription once stamped upon it; or of a second divine impress, which, through grace, it may yet receive.

Let us take a more particular survey of him, and see whether these things are so or not: and first, as to his _understanding_. As man was created originally “after GOD in knowledge,” as well as righteousness and true holiness, we may rationally infer, that his understanding, in respect to things natural, as well as divine, was of a prodigious extent: for he was made but a little lower than the angels, and consequently being like them, excellent in his understanding, he knew much of GOD, of himself, and all about him; and in this as well as every other respect, was, as Mr. _Collier_ expresses it in one of his essays, a perfect major: but this is far from being our case now. For in respect to _natural things_, our understandings are evidently darkened. It is but little that we can know, and even that little knowledge which we can acquire, is with much weariness of the flesh, and we are doomed to gain it as we do our daily bread, I mean by the sweat of our brows.

Men of low and narrow minds soon commence wise in their own conceits: and having acquired a little smattering of the learned languages, and made some small proficiency in the dry sciences, are easily tempted to look upon themselves as a head taller than their fellow mortals, and accordingly too, too often put forth great swelling words of vanity. But persons of a more exalted, and extensive reach of thought, dare not boast. No: they know that the greatest scholars are in the dark, in respect to many even of the minutest things in life: and after all their painful researches into the _Arcanæ Naturæ_, they find such an immense void, such an unmeasurable expanse yet to be travelled over, that they are obliged at last to conclude, almost with respect to every thing, “that they know nothing yet as they ought to know.” This consideration, no doubt, led _Socrates_, when he was asked by one of his scholars, why the oracle pronounced him the wisest man on earth, to give him this judicious answer, “Perhaps it is, because I am most sensible of my own ignorance.” Would to GOD, that all who call themselves christians, had learnt so much as this heathen! We should then no longer hear so many _learned men_, falsely so called, betray their ignorance by boasting of the extent of their shallow understanding, nor by professing themselves so wise, prove themselves such arrant pedantic fools.

If we view our understandings in respect to _spiritual things_, we shall find that they are not only darkened, but become darkness itself, even “darkness that may be felt” by all who are not past feeling. And how should it be otherwise, since the infallible word of GOD assures us, that they are alienated from the light and life of GOD, and thereby naturally as incapable to judge of divine and spiritual things, comparatively speaking, as a man born blind is incapacitated to distinguish the various colours of the rainbow. “The natural man, (says an inspired apostle) discerneth not the things of the Spirit of GOD;” so far from it, “they are foolishness unto him;” and why? Because they are only to be “spiritually discerned.” Hence it was, that _Nicodemus_, who was blessed with an outward and divine revelation, who was a ruler of the _Jews_, nay a master of _Israel_, when our LORD told him, “he must be born again;” appealed to be quite grappled. “How (says he) can a man be born when he is old? can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born? how can these things be?” Were three more absurd questions ever proposed by the most ignorant man alive? or can there be a clearer proof of the blindness of man’s understanding, in respect to divine, as well as natural things? Is not man then a piece of marred clay?

This will appear yet more evident, if we consider the _perverse bent of his will_. Being made in the very image of GOD; undoubtedly before the fall, man had no other will but his Maker’s. GOD’s will, and _Adam_’s, were then like unisons in music. There was not the least disunion, or discord between them. But now he hath a will, as directly contrary to the will of GOD, as light is contrary to darkness, or heaven to hell. We all bring into the world with us a carnal mind, which is not only an enemy to GOD, but “enmity itself, and which is therefore not subject unto the law of GOD, neither indeed can it be.” A great many shew much zeal in talking against the man of sin, and loudly (and indeed very justly) exclaim against the _Pope_ for sitting in the temple, I mean the church of CHRIST, and “exalting himself above all that is called GOD.” But say not within thyself, who shall go to _Rome_, to pull down this spiritual antichrist? as though there was no antichrist but what is without us. For know, O man, whoever thou art, an infinitely more dangerous antichrist, because less discerned, even _self-will_, sits daily in the temple of thy heart, exalting itself above all that is called GOD, and obliging all its votaries to say of CHRIST himself, that Prince of peace, “we will not have this man to reign over us.” GOD’s people, whose spiritual senses are exercised about spiritual things, and whose eyes are opened to see the abominations that are in their hearts, frequently feel this to their sorrow. Whether they will or not, this enmity from time to time bubbles up, and in spight of all their watchfulness and care, when they are under the pressure of some sharp affliction, a long desertion, or tedious night of temptation, they often find something within rising in rebellion against the all-wise disposals of divine Providence, and saying unto GOD their heavenly father, “what dost thou?” This makes them to cry (and no wonder, since it constrained one of the greatest saints and apostles first to introduce the expression) “O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” The spiritual and renewed soul groans thus, being burdened; but as for the natural and unawakened man, it is not so with him; self-will, as well as every other evil, either in a more latent or discernable manner, reigns in his unrenewed soul, and proves him, even to a demonstration to others, whether he knows, or will confess it himself or not, that in respect to the disorders of his will, as well as his understanding, man is only a piece of marred clay.

A transient view of fallen man’s _affections_ will yet more firmly corroborate this melancholy truth. These, at his being first placed in the paradise of GOD, were always kept within proper bounds, fixed upon their proper objects, and, like so many gentle rivers, sweetly, spontaneously and habitually glided into their ocean, GOD. But now the scene is changed. For we are now naturally full of vile affections, which like a mighty and impetuous torrent carry all before them. We love what we should hate, and hate what we should love; we fear what we should hope for, and hope for what we should fear; nay, to such an ungovernable height do our affections sometimes rise, that though our judgments are convinced to the contrary, yet we will gratify our passions though it be at the expence of our present and eternal welfare. We feel a war of our affections, warring against the law of our minds, and bringing us into captivity to the law of sin and death. So that _video meliora proboque, deteriora sequor_, I approve of better things but follow worse, is too, too often the practice of us all.

I am sensible, that many are offended, when mankind are compared to beasts and devils. And they might have some shadow of reason for being so, if we asserted in a physical sense, that they were really beasts and really devils. For then, as I once heard a very learned prelate, who was objecting against this comparison, observe, “a man being a beast would be incapable, and being a devil, would be under an impossibility of being saved.” But when we make use of such _shocking comparisons_, as he was pleased to term them, we would be understood only in a moral sense; and in so doing, we assert no more than some of the most holy men of GOD have said of themselves, and others, in the lively oracles many ages ago. Holy _David_, the man after GOD’s own heart, speaking of himself, says, “so foolish was I, and as a beast before thee.” And holy _Job_, speaking of man in general, says, that “he is born as a wild ass’s colt,” or take away the expletive, which as some think ought to be done, and then he positively asserts, that man is a wild ass’s colt. And what says our LORD, “Ye are of your father the devil;” and “the whole world is said to lie in him, the wicked one, who now rules in the children of disobedience,” that is, in all unrenewed souls. Our stupidity, proneness to fix our affections on the things of the earth, and our eagerness to make provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof, evidence us to be earthly and brutal; and our mental passions, anger, hatred, malice, envy, and such like, prove with equal strength, that we are also devilish. Both together conspire to evince, that in respect to his affections, as well as his understanding and will, man deservedly may be termed a piece of marred clay.

The present _blindness of natural conscience_ makes this appear in a yet more glaring light; in the soul of the first man _Adam_, conscience was no doubt the candle of the LORD, and enabled him rightly and instantaneously to discern between good and evil, right and wrong. And, blessed be GOD! some remains of this are yet left; but alas, how dimly does it burn, and how easily and quickly is it covered, or put out and extinguished. I need not send you to the heathen world, to learn the truth of this; you all know it by experience. Was there no other evidence, your own consciences are instead of a thousand witnesses, that man, as to his natural conscience, as well as understanding, will and affections, is much marred clay.

Nor does that great and boasted _Diana_, I mean unassisted _unenlightened reason_, less demonstrate the justness of such an assertion. Far be it from me to decry or exclaim against human reason. CHRIST himself is called the “LOGOS, the Reason;” and I believe it would not require much learning, or take up much time to prove, that so far and no farther than as we act agreeably to the laws of CHRIST JESUS, are we any way conformable to the laws of right reason. His service is therefore called “a reasonable service.” And however his servants and followers may now be looked upon as fools and madmen; yet there will come a time, when those who despise and set themselves to oppose divine revelation, will find, that what they now call reason, is only _reason depraved_, and as utterly incapable, of itself, to guide us into the way of peace, or shew the way of salvation, as the men of _Sodom_ were to find _Lot_’s door after they were struck with blindness by the angels, who came to lead him out of the city. The horrid and dreadful mistakes, which the most refined reasoners in the heathen world ran into, both as to the object, as well as manner of divine worship, have sufficiently demonstrated the weakness and depravity of human reason: nor do our modern boasters afford us any better proofs of the greatness of its strength, since the best improvement they generally make of it, is only to reason themselves into downright wilful infidelity, and thereby reason themselves out of eternal salvation. Need we now any further witness, that man, fallen man, is altogether a piece of marred clay?

But this is not all, we have yet more evidence to call; for do the blindness of our understandings, the perverseness of our will, the rebellion of our affections, the corruption of our consciences, the depravity of our reason prove this charge; and does not the present _disordered frame_ and _constitution of our bodies_ confirm the same also? Doubtless in this respect, man, in the most literal sense of the word, is a piece of marred clay. For GOD originally made him of the “dust of the earth.” So that notwithstanding our boasting of our high pedigrees, and different descent, we were all originally upon a level, and a little red earth was the common substratum out of which we were all formed. Clay indeed it was, but clay wonderfully modified, even by the immediate hands of the Creator of heaven and earth. One therefore hath observed, that it is said “GOD built the man;” he did not form him rashly or hastily, but built and finished him according to the plan before laid down in his own eternal mind. And though, as the great GOD is without body, parts, or passions, we cannot suppose when it is said “GOD made man after his own image,” that it has any reference to his body, yet I cannot help thinking (with Doctor _South_) that as the eternal Logos was hereafter to appear, GOD manifest in the flesh, infinite wisdom was undoubtedly exerted in forming a casket into which so invaluable a pearl was in the fulness of time to be deposited. Some of the ancients are said to have asserted, that man at the first, had what we call a glory shining round him; but without attempting to be wise above what is written, we may venture to affirm, that he had a glorious body, which knowing no sin, knew neither sickness nor pain. But now on this, as well as other accounts, he may justly be called _Ichabod_; for its primitive strength and glory are sadly departed from it, and like the ruins of some ancient and stately fabric, only so much left as to give us some faint idea of what it was when it first appeared in its original and perfect beauty. The apostle _Paul_, therefore, who knew how to call things by their proper names, as well as any man living, does not scruple to term the human body, though in its original constitution fearfully and wonderfully made, a “vile body;” vile indeed! since it is subject to such vile diseases, put to such vile, yea very vile uses, and at length is to come to so vile an end. “For dust we are, and to dust we must return.” This among other considerations, we may well suppose, caused the blessed JESUS to weep at the grave of _Lazarus_. He wept, not only because his friend _Lazarus_ was dead, but he wept to see human nature, through man’s own default, thus laid in ruins, by being subject unto such a dissolution, made like unto the beasts that perish.

Let us here pause a while, and with our sympathizing LORD, see if we cannot shed a few silent tears at least, upon the same sorrowful occasion. Who, who is there amongst us, that upon such a melancholy review of man’s present, real, and most deplorable depravity both in body and soul, can refrain from weeping over such a piece of marred clay? Who, who can help adopting holy _David_’s lamentation over _Saul_ and _Jonathan_? “How are the mighty fallen! How are they slain in their high places!” Originally it was not so. No, “GOD made man after his own image: in the image of GOD made he man.” Never was there so much expressed in so few words. He was created after GOD in righteousness and true holiness.

This is the account, which the sacred volume gives us of this interesting point. This, this is that blessed book, that book of books, from whence, together with an appeal to the experience of our own hearts, and the testimonies of all past ages, we have thought proper to fetch our proofs. For, after all, we must be obliged to divine revelation, to know what we were, what we are, and what we are to be. In these, as in a true glass, we may see our real and proper likeness. And from these only can we trace the source and fountain of all those innumerable evils, which like a deluge have overflowed the natural and moral world. If any should object against the authenticity of this revelation, and consequently against the doctrine this day drawn from thence, they do in my opinion thereby very much confirm it. For unless a man was very much disordered indeed, as to his understanding, will, affections, natural conscience, and his power of reasoning, he could never possibly deny such a revelation, which is founded on a multiplicity of infallible external evidences, hath so many internal evidences of a divine stamp in every page, is so suited to the common exigencies of all mankind, so agreeable to the experience of all men, and which hath been so wonderfully handed and preserved to us, hath been so instrumental to the convicting, converting, and comforting so many millions of souls, and hath stood the test of the most severe scrutinies, and exact criticisms of the most subtle and refined, as well as of the most malicious and persecuting enemies, that ever lived, even from the beginning of time to this very day. Persons of such a turn of mind, I think, are rather to be prayed for, than disputed with, if so be this perverse wickedness of their hearts may be forgiven them: They are in the very gall of bitterness, and must have “their consciences seared as it were with a red-hot iron,” and must have their eyes “blinded by the GOD of this world,” otherwise they could not but see, and feel, and assent to the truth of this doctrine, of man’s being universally depraved; which not only in one or two, but in one or two thousands, in every page, I could almost say, is written, in such legible characters, that he that runs may read. Indeed, revelation itself is founded upon the doctrine of the fall. Had we kept our original integrity, the law of GOD would have yet been written in our hearts, and thereby the want of a divine revelation, at least such as ours, would have been superseded; but being fallen, instead of rising in rebellion against GOD, we ought to be filled with unspeakable thankfulness to our all bountiful Creator, who by a few lines in his own books hath discovered more to us, than all the philosophers and most learned men in the world could, or would, have discovered, though they had studied to all eternity.

I am well aware, that some who pretend to own the validity of divine revelation, are notwithstanding enemies to the doctrine that hath this day been delivered; and would fain elude the force of the proofs generally urged in defence of it, by saying, they only bespeak the corruption of particular persons, or have reference only to the heathen world: but such persons err, not knowing their own hearts, or the power of JESUS CHRIST: for by nature there is no difference between _Jew_ or _Gentile_, _Greek_ or _Barbarian_, bond or free. We are altogether equally become abominable in GOD’s sight, all equally fallen short of the glory of GOD, and consequently all alike so many pieces of marred clay.

How GOD came to suffer man to fall? how long man stood before he fell? and how the corruption contracted by the fall, is propagated to every individual of his species? are questions of such an abstruse and critical nature, that should I undertake to answer them, would be only gratifying a sinful curiosity, and tempting you, as Satan tempted our first parents, to eat forbidden fruit. It will much better answer the design of this present discourse, which is practical, to pass on

II. To the next thing proposed, and point out to you the absolute necessity there is of this fallen nature’s being renewed.

This I have had all along in my eye, and on account of this, have purposely been so explicit on the first general head: for ♦as _Archimedes_ once said, “Give me a place where I may fix my foot, and I will move the world;” so without the least imputation of arrogance, with which, perhaps, he was justly chargeable, we may venture to say, grant the foregoing doctrine to be true, and then deny the necessity of man’s being renewed who can.

♦ “has” replaced with “as”

I suppose, I may take it for granted, that all of you amongst whom I am now preaching the kingdom of GOD, hope after death to go to a place which we call Heaven. And my heart’s desire and prayer to GOD for you is, that you all may have mansions prepared for you there. But give me leave to tell you, was you now to see these heavens opened, and the angel (to use the words of the seraphic _Hervey_) cloathed with all his heavenly drapery, with one foot upon the earth, and another upon the sea; nay, were you to see and hear the angel of the everlasting covenant, JESUS CHRIST himself, proclaiming “time shall be no more,” and giving you all an invitation immediately to come to heaven; heaven would be no heaven to you, nay it would be a hell to your souls, unless you were first prepared for a proper enjoyment of it here on earth. “For what communion hath light with darkness?” Or what fellowship could unrenewed sons of _Belial_ possibly keep up with the pure and immaculate JESUS?

The generality of people form strange ideas of heaven. And because the scriptures, in condescension to the weakness of our capacities, describe it by images taken from earthly delights and human grandeur, therefore they are apt to carry their thoughts no higher, and at the best only form to themselves a kind of _Mahometan_ paradise. But permit me to tell you, and GOD grant it may sink deep into your hearts! Heaven is rather a state than a place; and consequently, unless you are previously disposed by a suitable state of mind, you could not be happy even in heaven itself. For what is grace but glory militant? What is glory but grace triumphant? This consideration made a pious author say, that “holiness, happiness, and heaven, were only three different words for one and the self-same thing.” And this made the great _Preston_, when he was about to die, turn to his friends, saying, “I am changing my place, but not my company.” He had conversed with GOD and good men on earth; he was going to keep up the same, and infinitely more refined communion with GOD, his holy angels, and the spirits of just men made perfect, in heaven.

To make us meet to be blissful partakers of such heavenly company, this “marred clay,” I mean, these depraved natures of ours, must necessarily undergo an universal moral change: our understandings must be enlightened; our wills, reason, and consciences, must be renewed; our affections must be drawn toward, and fixed upon things above; and because flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven, this corruptible must put on incorruption, this mortal must put on immortality. And thus old things must literally pass away, and behold all things, even the body as well as the faculties of the soul, must become new.

This moral change is what some call, repentance, some, conversion, some, regeneration; choose what name you please, I only pray GOD, that we all may have the thing. The scriptures call it holiness, sanctification, the new creature, and our LORD calls it a “New birth, or being born again, or born from above.” These are not barely figurative expressions, or the flights of eastern language, nor do they barely denote a relative change of state conferred on all those who are admitted into CHRIST’s church by baptism; but they denote a real, moral change of heart and life, a real participation of the divine life in the soul of man. Some indeed content themselves with a figurative interpretation; but unless they are made to experience the power and efficacy thereof, by a solid living experience in their own souls, all their learning, all their laboured criticisms, will not exempt them from a real damnation. CHRIST hath said it, and CHRIST will stand, “Unless a man,” learned or unlearned, high or low, though he be a master of _Israel_ as _Nicodemus_ was, unless he “be born again, he cannot see, he cannot enter into the kingdom of GOD.”

If it be enquired, who is to be the potter? and by whose agency this marred clay is to be formed into another vessel? Or in other words, if it be asked, how this great and mighty change is to be effected? I answer, not by the mere dint and force of moral suasion. This is good in its place. And I am so far from thinking, that christian preachers should not make use of rational arguments and motives in their sermons, that I cannot think they are fit to preach at all, who either cannot, or will not use them. We have the example of the great GOD himself for such a practice; “Come (says he) and let us reason together.” And St. _Paul_, that prince of preachers, “reasoned of temperance, and righteousness, and a judgment to come.” And it is remarkable, “that whilst he was reasoning of these things, _Felix_ trembled.” Nor are the most persuasive strains of holy rhetoric less needful for a scribe ready instructed to the kingdom of GOD. The scriptures both of the Old and New Testament, every where abound with them. And when can they be more properly employed, and brought forth, than when we are acting as ambassadors of heaven, and beseeching poor sinners, as in CHRIST’s stead, to be reconciled unto GOD. All this we readily grant. But at the same time, I would as soon go to yonder church-yard, and attempt to raise the dead carcases, with a “come forth,” as to preach to dead souls, did I not hope for some superior power to make the word effectual to the designed end. I should only be like a sounding brass for any saving purposes, or as a tinkling cymbal. Neither is this change to be wrought by the power of our own free-will. This is an idol every where set up, but we dare not fall down and worship it. “No man (says CHRIST) can come to me, unless the Father draw him.” Our own free-will, if improved, may restrain us from the commission of many evils, and put us in the way of conversion; but, after exerting our utmost efforts (and we are bound in duty to exert them) we shall find the words of our own church article to be true, that “man since the fall hath no power to turn to GOD.” No, we might as soon attempt to stop the ebbing and flowing of the tide, and calm the most tempestuous sea, as to imagine that we can subdue, or bring under proper regulations, our own unruly wills and affections by any strength inherent in ourselves.

And therefore, that I may keep you no longer in suspence, I inform you, that this heavenly potter, this blessed agent, is the Almighty Spirit of GOD, the Holy Ghost, the third person in the most adorable Trinity, coessential with the Father and the Son. This is that Spirit, which at the beginning of time moved on the face of the waters, when nature lay in one universal chaos. This was the Spirit that over-shadowed the Holy Virgin, before that holy thing was born of her: and this same Spirit must come, and move upon the chaos of our souls, before we can properly be called the sons of GOD. This is what _John_ the baptist calls “being baptized with the Holy Ghost,” without which, his and all other baptisms, whether infant or adult, avail nothing. This is that fire, which our LORD came to send into our earthly hearts, and which I pray the LORD of all lords to kindle in every unrenewed one this day.

As for the extraordinary operations of the Holy Ghost, such as working of miracles, or speaking with divers kinds of tongues, they are long since ceased. But as for this miracle of miracles, turning the soul to GOD by the more ordinary operations of the Holy Ghost, this abides yet, and will abide till time itself shall be no more. For it is he that sanctifieth us, and all the elect people of GOD. On this account, true believers are said to be “born from above, to be born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of GOD.” Their second, as well as their first creation, is truly and purely divine. It is, therefore, called “a creation;” but put ye on (says the apostle) the new man which is created――And how? Even as the first man was, “after GOD in righteousness and true holiness.”

These, these are the precious truths, which a scoffing world would fain rally or ridicule us out of. To produce this glorious change, this new creation, the glorious JESUS left his Father’s bosom. For this he led a persecuted life; for this he died an ignominious and accursed death; for this he rose again; and for this he now sitteth at the right hand of his Father. All the precepts of his gospel, all his ordinances, all his providences, whether of an afflictive or prosperous nature, all divine revelation from the beginning to the end, all center in these two points, to shew us how we are fallen, and to begin, carry on, and compleat a glorious and blessed change in our souls. This is an end worthy of the coming of so divine a personage. To deliver a multitude of souls of every nation, language and tongue, from so many moral evils, and to reinstate them in an incomparably more excellent condition than that from whence they are fallen, is an end worthy the shedding of such precious blood. What system of religion is there now, or was there ever exhibited to the world, any way to be compared to this? Can the deistical scheme pretend in any degree to come up to it? Is it not noble, rational, and truly divine? And why then will not all that hitherto are strangers to this blessed restoration of their fallen natures, (for my heart is too full to abstain any longer from an application) why will you any longer dispute or stand out against it? Why will you not rather bring your clay to this heavenly Potter, and say from your inmost souls, “Turn us, O good LORD, and so shall we be turned?” This, you may and can do: and if you go thus far, who knows but that this very day, yea this very hour, the heavenly Potter may take you in hand, and make you vessels of honour fit for the Redeemer’s use? Others that were once as far from the kingdom of GOD as you are, have been partakers of this blessedness. What a wretched creature was _Mary Magdalene_? And yet out of her JESUS CHRIST cast seven devils. Nay, he appeared to her first, after he rose from the dead, and she became as it were an apostle to the very apostles. What a covetous creature was _Zaccheus_? He was a griping cheating publican; and yet, perhaps, in one quarter of an hour’s time, his heart is enlarged, and he made quite willing to give half of his goods to feed the poor. And to mention no more, what a cruel person was _Paul_. He was a persecutor, a blasphemer, injurious; one that breathed out threatnings against the disciples of the LORD, and made havoc of the church of CHRIST. And yet what a wonderful turn did he meet with, as he was journeying to _Damascus_? from a persecutor, he became a preacher; was afterwards made a spiritual father to thousands, and now probably sits nearest the LORD JESUS CHRIST in glory. And why all this? That he might be made an example to them that should hereafter believe. O then believe, repent; I beseech you, believe the gospel. Indeed, it is glad tidings, even tidings of great joy. You will then no longer have any thing to say against the doctrine of _Original Sin_; or charge the Almighty foolishly, for suffering our first parents to be prevailed on to eat such sour grapes, and permitting thereby their children’s teeth to be set on edge. You will then no longer cry out against the doctrine of the _New Birth_, as enthusiasm, or brand the assertors of such blessed truths with the opprobrious names of fools and madmen. Having felt, you will then believe; having believed, you will therefore speak; and instead of being vessels of wrath, and growing harder and harder in hell fire, like vessels in a potter’s oven, you will be made vessels of honour, and be presented at the great day by JESUS, to his heavenly Father, and be translated to live with him as monuments of rich, free, distinguishing and sovereign grace, for ever and ever.

You, that have in some degree experienced the quickening influence (for I must not conclude without dropping a word or two to GOD’s children) you know how to pity, and therefore, I beseech you also to pray for those, to whose circumstances this discourse is peculiarly adapted. But will you be content in praying for them? Will you not see reason to pray for yourselves also? Yes, doubtless, for yourselves also. For you, and you only know, how much there is yet lacking in your faith, and how far you are from being partakers in that degree, which you desire to be, of the whole mind that was in CHRIST JESUS. You know what a body of sin and death you carry about with you, and that you must necessarily expect many turns of GOD’s providence and grace, before you will be wholly delivered from it. But thanks be to GOD, we are in safe hands. He that has been the author, will also be the finisher of our faith. Yet a little while, and we like him shall say “It is finished;” we shall bow down our heads and give up the ghost. Till then, (for to thee, O LORD, will we now direct our prayer) help us, O Almighty Father, in patience to possess our souls. Behold, we are the clay, and thou art the Potter. Let not the thing formed say to him that formed it, whatever the dispensations of thy future Will concerning us may be, Why dost thou deal with us thus? Behold, we put ourselves as blanks in thine hands, deal with us as seemeth good in thy sight, only let every cross, every affliction, every temptation, be overruled to the stamping thy blessed image in more lively characters on our hearts; that so passing from glory to glory, by the powerful operations of thy blessed Spirit, we may be made thereby more and more meet for, and at last be translated to a full, perfect, endless, and uninterrupted enjoyment of glory hereafter, with thee O Father, thee O Son, and thee O blessed Spirit; to whom, three persons but one GOD, be ascribed, as is most due, all honour, power, might, majesty and dominion, now and to all eternity. Amen and Amen.

SERMON XIV.

The LORD our Righteousness.

JEREMIAH xxiii. 6.

_The LORD our Righteousness_.

WHOEVER is acquainted with the nature of mankind in general, or the propensity of his own heart in particular, must acknowledge, that _self-righteousness_ is the last idol that is rooted out of the heart: being once born under a covenant of works, it is natural for us all to have recourse to a covenant of works, for our everlasting salvation. And we have contracted such a devilish pride, by our fall from GOD, that we would, if not wholly, yet in part at least, glory in being the cause of our own salvation. We cry out against popery, and that very justly; but we are all Papists, at least, I am sure, we are all Arminians by nature; and therefore no wonder so many natural men embrace that scheme. It is true, we disclaim the doctrine of merit, are ashamed directly to say we deserve any good at the hands of GOD; therefore, as the Apostle excellently well observes, “we go about,” we fetch a circuit, “to establish a righteousness of our own, and,” like the Pharisees of old, “will not wholly submit to that righteousness which is of GOD through JESUS CHRIST our LORD.”

This is the sorest, though, alas! the most common evil that was ever yet seen under the sun. An evil, that in any age, especially in these dregs of time wherein we live, cannot sufficiently be inveighed against. For as it is with the people, so it is with the priests; and it is to be feared, even in those places, where once the truth as it is in JESUS was eminently preached, many ministers are so sadly degenerated from their pious ancestors, that the doctrines of grace, especially the personal, _all-sufficient righteousness of_ JESUS, is but too seldom, too slightly mentioned. Hence the love of many waxeth cold; and I have often thought, was it possible, that this single consideration would be sufficient to raise our venerable forefathers again from their graves; who would thunder in their ears their fatal error.

The righteousness of JESUS CHRIST is one of those great mysteries, which the angels desire to look into, and seems to be one of the first lessons that GOD taught men after the fall. For, what were the coats that GOD made to put on our first parents, but types of the application of the merits or righteousness of JESUS CHRIST to believers hearts? We are told, that those coats were made of skins of beasts; and, as beasts were not then food for men, we may fairly infer, that those beasts were slain in sacrifice, in commemoration of the great sacrifice, JESUS CHRIST, thereafter to be offered. And the skins of the beasts thus slain, being put on _Adam_ and _Eve_, they were hereby taught how their nakedness was to be covered with the righteousness of the Lamb of GOD.

This is it which is meant, when we are told, “_Abraham_ believed on the LORD, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” In short, this is it of which both the law and the prophets have spoken, especially _Jeremiah_ in the words of the text, “The LORD our righteousness.”

I propose, through divine grace,

I. To consider who we are to understand by the word LORD.

II. How the LORD is man’s righteousness.

III. I will consider some of the chief objections that are generally urged against this doctrine.

IV. I shall shew some very ill consequences that flow naturally from denying this doctrine.

V. Shall conclude with an exhortation to all to come to CHRIST by faith, that they may be enabled to say with the Prophet in the text, “The LORD our righteousness.”

I. I am to consider who we are to understand by the word LORD. The LORD our righteousness.

If any Arians or Socinians are drawn by curiosity to hear what the babler has to say, let them be ashamed of denying the divinity of that LORD, who has bought poor sinners with his precious blood. For the person mentioned in the text, under the character of the LORD, is JESUS CHRIST. Verse 5. “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto _David_ a righteous branch, a king shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days (verse 6.) _Judah_ shall be saved, and _Israel_ shall dwell safely; and this is his name whereby he shall be called, The LORD our righteousness.” By the _righteous branch_, all agree, that we are to understand JESUS CHRIST. He it is that is called the LORD in our text. If so, if there were no other text in the Bible to prove the divinity of CHRIST, this is sufficient: for if the word _Lord_ may properly belong to JESUS CHRIST, he must be GOD. And, as you have it in the margin of your Bibles, the word _Lord_ is in the original _Jehovah_, which is the essential title of GOD himself. Come then, ye Arians, kiss the Son of GOD, bow down before him, and honour him, even as ye honour the Father. Learn of the angels, those morning-stars, and worship him as truly GOD: for otherwise you are as much idolators, as those that worship the Virgin _Mary_. And as for you Socinians, who say CHRIST was a mere man, and yet profess that he was your Saviour, according to your own principles you are accursed: for, if CHRIST be a mere man, then he is only an arm of flesh: and it is written, “Cursed is he that trusteth on an arm of flesh.” But I would hope, there are no such monsters here; at least, that, after these considerations, they would be ashamed of broaching such monstrous absurdities any more. For it is plain, that, by the word _Lord_, we are to understand the LORD JESUS CHRIST, who here takes to himself the title of _Jehovah_, and therefore must be very GOD of very GOD; or, as the Apostle devoutly expresses it, “GOD blessed for evermore.”

II. How the LORD is to be man’s righteousness, comes next to be considered.

And that is, in one word, by _imputation_. for it pleased GOD, after he had made all things by the word of his power to create man after his own image. And so infinite was the condescension of the high and lofty One, who inhabiteth eternity, that, although he might have insisted on the everlasting obedience of him and his posterity; yet he was pleased to oblige himself, by a covenant or agreement made with his own creatures, upon condition of an unsinning obedience, to give them immortality and eternal life. For when it is said, “The day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die;” we may fairly infer, so long as he continued obedient, and did not eat thereof, he should surely live. The 3d of _Genesis_ gives us a full, but mournful account, how our first parents broke this covenant, and thereby stood in need of a better righteousness than their own, in order to procure their future acceptance with GOD. For what must they do? They were as much under a covenant of works as ever. And though, after their disobedience, they were without strength; yet they were obliged not only to do, but continue to do all things, and that too in the most perfect manner, which the LORD had required of them: and not only so, but to make satisfaction to GOD’s infinitely offended justice, for the breach they had already been guilty of. Here then opens the amazing scene of _divine philanthropy_, I mean, GOD’s love to man: For behold, what man could not do, JESUS CHRIST, the son of his Father’s love, undertakes to do for him. And that GOD might be just in justifying the ungodly, though “he was in the form of GOD, and therefore thought it no robbery to be equal with GOD; yet he took upon him the form of a servant,” even human nature. In that nature he obeyed, and thereby fulfilled the whole moral law in our stead; and also died a painful death upon the cross, and thereby became a curse for, or instead of, those whom the Father had given to him. As GOD, he satisfied, at the same time that he obeyed and suffered as man; and, being GOD and man in one ♦person, he wrought out a full, perfect, and sufficient righteousness for all to whom it was to be imputed.

♦ “persan” replaced with “person”

Here then we see the meaning of the word _righteousness_. It implies the active as well as passive obedience of the LORD JESUS CHRIST. We generally, when talking of the merits of CHRIST, only mention the latter,――his death; whereas, the former,――his life and active obedience, is equally necessary. CHRIST is not such a saviour as becomes us, unless we join both together. CHRIST not only died, but lived; not only suffered, but obeyed for, or instead of, poor sinners. And both these jointly make up that compleat righteousness, which is to be imputed to us, as the disobedience of our first parents was made ours by imputation. In this sense, and no other, are we to understand that parallel which the apostle _Paul_ draws, in the vth of the _Romans_, between the first and second _Adam_. This is what he elsewhere terms, “our being made the righteousness of GOD in him.” This is the sense wherein the Prophet would have us to understand the words of the text; therefore, _Jeremiah_ xxxiii. 16. “She (_i. e._ the church itself) shall be called, (having this righteousness imputed to her) The LORD our righteousness.” A passage, I think, worthy of the profoundest meditation of all the sons and daughters of _Abraham_.

Many are the objections which the proud hearts of fallen men are continually urging against this wholesome, this divine, this soul-saving doctrine. I come now,

III. To answer some few of those which I think the most considerable.

And, _First_, they say, because they would appear friends to morality, “That the doctrine of an imputed righteousness is destructive of good works, and leads to licentiousness.”

And who, pray, are the persons that generally urge this objection? Are they men full of faith, and men really concerned for good works? No; whatever few exceptions there may be, if there be any at all, it is notorious, they are generally men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. The best title I can give them is, that of _profane moralists_, or moralists falsely so called. For I appeal to the experience of the present as well as past ages, if iniquity did and does not most abound, where the doctrine of CHRIST’s whole personal righteousness is most cried down, and most seldom mentioned: Arminian being antichristian principles, always did, and always will lead to antichristian practices. And never was there a reformation brought about in the church, but by the preaching the doctrine of an imputed righteousness. This, as that man of GOD, _Luther_, calls it, is “_Articulus stantis aut cadentis Ecclesiæ_,” the article by which the Church stands or falls. And though the preachers of this doctrine are generally branded by those on the other side, with the opprobrious names of Antinomians, deceivers, and what not; yet, I believe, if the truth of the doctrine on both sides was to be judged of by the lives of the preachers and professors of it, on our side the question would have the advantage every way.

It is true, this, as well as every other doctrine of grace, may be abused. And perhaps the unchristian walk of some, who have talked of CHRIST’s imputed righteousness, justification by faith, and the like, and yet never felt it imputed to their own souls, has given the enemies of the LORD thus cause to blaspheme. But this is a very unsafe, as well as a very unfair way of arguing. The only question should be, Whether or not this doctrine of an imputed righteousness, does in itself cut off the occasion of good works, or lead to ♦licentiousness? To this we may boldly answer, In no wise. It excludes works, indeed, from being any cause of our justification in the sight of GOD; but it requires good works as a proof of our having this righteousness imputed to us, and as a declarative evidence of our justification in the sight of men. And then, how can the doctrine of an imputed righteousness be a doctrine leading to licentiousness?

♦ “licentousness” replaced with “licentiousness”

It is all calumny. The apostle _Paul_ introduceth an infidel making this objection, in his epistle to the _Romans_; and none but infidels, that never felt the power of CHRIST’s resurrection upon their souls, will urge it over again. And therefore, notwithstanding this objection, with the Prophet in the text, we may boldly say, “The LORD is our righteousness.”

But Satan (and no wonder that his servants imitate him) often transforms himself into an angel of light: and therefore, (such perverse things will infidelity and Arminianism make men speak) in order to dress their objections in the best colours, some urge, “That our Saviour preached no such doctrine; that in his sermon on the mount, he mentions only morality:” and consequently the doctrine of an imputed righteousness falls wholly to the ground.

But surely the men, who urge this objection, either never read, or never understood, our LORD’s blessed discourse, wherein the doctrine of an imputed righteousness is so plainly taught, that he who runs, if he has eyes that see, may read.

Indeed our LORD does recommend morality and good works, (as all faithful ministers will do) and clears the moral law from many corrupt glosses put upon it by the letter-learned Pharisees. But then, before he comes to this, ’tis remarkable, he talks of inward piety, such as poverty of spirit, meekness, holy mourning, purity of heart, especially hungring and thirsting after righteousness; and then recommends good works, as an evidence of our having his righteousness imputed to us, and these graces and divine tempers wrought in our hearts. “Let your light (that is, the divine light I before have been mentioning) shine before men, in a holy life; that they, seeing your good works, may glorify your father which is in heaven.” And then he immediately adds, “think not that I am come to destroy the moral law: I came not to destroy, (to take away the force of it as a rule of life) but to fulfil, (to obey it in its whole latitude, and give the compleat sense of it.)” And then he goes on to shew how exceeding broad the moral law is. So that our LORD, instead of setting aside an imputed righteousness in his sermon upon the mount, not only confirms it, but also answers the foregoing objection urged against it, by making good works a proof and evidence of its being imputed to our souls. He, therefore, that hath ears to hear, let him hear what the Prophet says in the words of the text, “The LORD our righteousness.”

But as Satan not only quoted scripture, but backed one temptation after another with it, when he attacked CHRIST in the wilderness; so his children generally take the same method in treating his doctrine. And, therefore, they urge another objection against the doctrine of an imputed righteousness, from the example of the young man in the gospel.

We may state it thus: “The Evangelist _Mark_, say they,