chapter xii

. verse 2. we are told, that “some shall awake to everlasting life, and others to everlasting contempt.” In the book of _Isaiah_, it is said, that “the worm of those that have transgressed GOD’s law, and die impenitently, shall not die, nor their fire be quenched.” And in another place, the holy Prophet, struck, no doubt, with astonishment and horror at the prospect of the continuance of the torments of the damned, breaks out into this moving expostulation, “Who can dwell with everlasting burnings?”

The New Testament is still fuller as to this point, it being a revelation which brought this and such-like particulars to a clear light. The Apostle _Jude_ tells us of the profane despisers of dignities in his days, that “for them was reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.” And in the book of the _Revelations_, it is written, that “the smoke of the torments of the wicked ascendeth for ever and ever.” And if we believe the witness of men inspired, the witness of the Son of GOD, who had the Spirit given him, as Mediator, without measure, is still far greater: and in St. _Mark_’s gospel, He repeats this solemn declaration three several times, “It is better for thee to enter into life maimed;” that is, it is better to forego the gratification of thy lust, or incur the displeasure of a friend, which may be as dear to thee as a hand, or as useful as a foot, “than having two hands and feet, (that is, for indulging the one, or disobeying GOD to oblige the other) to be cast into hell, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”

And here again, in the words of the text, “These (the wicked) shall go away into everlasting punishment.”

I know it has been objected by some who have denied the eternity of hell-torments, That the words _everlasting_ and _ever and ever_, are often used in the Holy Scriptures, (especially in the Old Testament) when they signify not an endless duration, but a limited term of time.

And this we readily grant: but then we reply, That when the words are used with this limitation, they either manifestly appear to be used so from the context; or are put in opposition to occasional types which GOD gave his people on some special occasions, as when it is said, “It shall be a perpetual or everlasting statute,” or, “a statute for ever;” that is, a standing type, and not merely transient or occasional, as was the pillar of cloud, the manna, and such-like. Or, lastly, they have a relation to that covenant, GOD made with his spiritually _Israel_; which, if understood in a spiritual sense, will be everlasting, though the ceremonial dispensation be abolished.

Besides, it ought to be observed, that some of the passages just now referred to, have neither of these words so much as mentioned in them, and cannot possibly be interpreted, so as to denote only a limited term of years.

But let that be as it will, it is evident even to a demonstration, that the words of the text will not admit of such a restrained signification, as appears from their being directly opposed to the words immediately following, “That the righteous shall go into life eternal.” From which words, all are ready to grant, that the life promised to the righteous will be eternal. And why the punishment threatened to the wicked should not be understood to be eternal likewise, when the very same word in the original, is used to express the duration of each, no shadow of a reason can be given.

But, _Secondly_, There cannot be one argument urged, why GOD should reward his saints with everlasting happiness, which will not equally prove that he ought to punish sinners with eternal misery.

For, since we know nothing (at least for a certainty) how he will deal with either, but by a Divine Revelation; and since, as was proved by the foregoing argument, he hath as positively threatened eternally to punish the wicked, as to reward the good; it follows, that his truth will be as much impeached and called in question, did he not inflict his punishments, as it would be, if he did not confer his rewards.

To this also it has been objected, That though GOD is obliged by promise to give his rewards, yet his veracity could not be called in question, supposing he should not execute his threatenings, as he actually did not in the case of _Nineveh_; which GOD expressly declared by his Prophet _Jonah_, “should be destroyed in forty days:” notwithstanding the sequel of the story informs us, that _Nineveh_ was spared.

But in answer to this objection we affirm, that GOD’s threatenings, as well as promises, are without repentance; and for this reason, because they are both founded on the eternal laws of right reason. Accordingly we always find, that where the conditions were not performed, on the non-performance of which the threatenings were denounced, GOD always executed the punishment threatened. The driving _Adam_ out of _Eden_, the destruction of the old world by a deluge of water, and the overthrow of _Sodom_ and _Gomorrah_, are, and will be always so many standing monuments of GOD’s executing his threatenings when denounced, though to our weak apprehensions, the punishment may seem far to exceed the crime.

It is true, GOD did spare _Nineveh_, and that because the inhabitants did actually repent, and therefore performed the conditions upon which it was supposed, by the Prophet’s being sent to warn them, the threatened punishment should be withheld.

And so in respect to gospel threatenings. If men will so far consult their own welfare, as to comply with the gospel, GOD certainly will not punish them, but on the contrary, confer upon them his rewards. But to affirm that he will not punish, and that eternally to, impenitent, obstinate sinners, according as he hath threatened; what is it, in effect, but to make GOD like a man, that he should lie, or the son of man, that he should repent?

But the absurdity of such an opinion will appear still more evident from

The _Third_ argument I shall offer to prove, that the torments reserved for the wicked hereafter are eternal, From the nature of the christian covenant.

And here I must again observe, that it was taken for granted at the beginning of this discourse, that you believe the Son of GOD came down to save sinners; and that there is but one Mediator between GOD and man, even the man CHRIST JESUS.

And here I take it for granted farther, (unless you believe the absurd and unwarrantable doctrine of purgatory) that you are fully persuaded, this life is the only time allotted by Almighty GOD for working out our salvation, and that after a few years are passed over, there will remain no more sacrifice for sin.

And if this be granted (and who dares deny it?) it follows, that if a wicked man dieth in his wickedness, and under the wrath of GOD, he must continue in that state to all eternity. For, since there is no possibility of their being delivered out of such a condition, but by and through CHRIST; and since, at the hour of death, the time of CHRIST’s mediation and intercession for him is irrecoverably gone; the same reason that may be given, why GOD should punish a sinner that dieth under the guilt of his sins for a single day, will equally hold good, why he should continue to punish him for a year, an age, nay to all eternity.

But I hasten to the _Fourth_ and last argument, to prove, That the torments reserved for the wicked hereafter are eternal, Because the devil’s punishment is to be so.

That there is such a being whom we call the devil; that he was once an angel of light, but for his pride and rebellion against GOD, was cast down from heaven, and is now permitted, with the rest of the spiritual wickednesses, to walk to and fro, seeking whom they may devour; that there is a place of torment reserved for them, or, to use the Apostle’s words, “That they are reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day;” are truths all here present were supposed to be convinced of, at the beginning of this discourse, you believing the Holy Scriptures to be written by the inspiration of GOD, wherein these truths are delivered.

But then if we allow all this, and think it no injustice in GOD to punish those once glorious spirits for their rebellion; how can we think it unjust in him, to punish wicked men for their impenitency to all eternity?

You will say, perhaps, that they have sinned against greater light, and therefore deserve a greater punishment. And so we grant that the punishment of the fallen angels may be greater as to degree; than that of wicked men; but then we affirm; it will be equal as to the eternal duration of it: for in that day, as the lively oracles of GOD inform us, shall the Son of Man say to them on his left hand, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Where we find that impenitent sinners are to be cast into the same everlasting fire, with the devil and his angels; and that too very justly. For though they may have sinned against greater light, yet christians sin against greater mercy. Since CHRIST took not hold of, did not die for, the fallen angels, but for men and for our salvation. So that if GOD spared not those excellent beings, assure thyself, O obstinate sinner, whoever thou art, he will by no means spare thee.

From what then has been said it plainly appears, that verily the torments reserved for the wicked hereafter, are eternal. And if so, brethren, how ought we to fly to JESUS CHRIST for refuge; how holy ought we to be in all manner of conversation and godliness, that we may be accounted worthy to escape this wrath to come!

But before I proceed to a practical exhortation, permit me to draw an inference or two from what has been said.

And _First_, If the torments reserved for the wicked hereafter are eternal, what shall we say to those, who make an open profession in their creed to believe a life everlasting, a life of misery as well as happiness, and yet dare to live in the actual commission of those sins which will unavoidably, without repentance, bring them into that place of torment? Thou believest that the punishments of the impenitently wicked in another life, are eternal: “Thou dost well, the devils also believe and tremble.” But know, O vain man, unless this belief doth influence thy practice, and makes thee bid adieu to thy sins, every time thou repeatest thy creed, thou doest in effect say, I believe I shall be undone for ever.

But, _Secondly_, If the torments reserved for the wicked hereafter are eternal, then let this serve as a caution to such persons, (and it is to be feared there are some such) who go about to dissuade others from the belief of such an important truth: There being no surer way, in all probability, to encourage and promote infidelity and prophaneness, than the broaching or maintaining so unwarrantable a doctrine. For if the positive threats of GOD concerning the eternity of hell-torments, are already found insufficient to deter men from sin, what a higher pitch of wickedness may we imagine they will quickly arrive at, when they are taught to entertain any hopes of a future recovery out of them; or, what is still worse, that their souls are hereafter to be annihilated, and become like the beasts that perish? But wo unto such blind leaders of the blind. No wonder if they both fall into the ditch. And let such corrupters of GOD’s word know, that I testify unto every man that heareth me this day, “That if any one shall add unto, or take away from the words that are written in the book of GOD, GOD shall take his part out of the book of life, and shall add unto him all the plagues that are in that book.”

_Thirdly_ and _Lastly_, If the torments reserved for the wicked hereafter are eternal, then this may serve as a reproof for those who quarrel with GOD, and say it is inconsistent with his justice, to punish a person to all eternity, only for enjoying the pleasures of sin for a season. But such persons must be told, that it is not their thinking or calling GOD unjust, will make him so, no more than a condemned prisoner’s saying the law or judge is unjust, will render either duly chargeable with such an imputation. But knowest thou, O worm, what blasphemy thou art guilty of, in charging GOD with injustice? “Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, why hast thou made me thus?” Wilt thou presume to arraign the Almighty at the bar of thy shallow reasoning? and call him unjust, for punishing thee eternally, only because thou wishest it may not be so? But hath GOD said it, and shall he not do it? He hath said it: and let GOD be true, though every man be a liar. “Shall not the judge of all the earth do right?” Assuredly he will. And if sinners will not own his justice in his threatenings here, they will be compelled ere long to own and feel them, when tormented by him hereafter.

But to come to a more practical application of what has been delivered.

You have heard, brethren, the eternity of hell-torments plainly proved, from the express declarations of holy scriptures, and consequences naturally drawn from them. And now there seems to need no great art of rhetoric to persuade any understanding person to avoid and abhor those sins, which without repentance will certainly plunge him into this eternal gulph. The disproportion between the pleasure and the pain (if there be any pleasure in sin) is so infinitely great, that supposing it was only possible, though not certain, that the wicked would be everlastingly punished, no one that has the reason of a man, for the enjoying a little momentary pleasure, would, one might imagine, run the hazard of enduring eternal pain. But since the torments of the damned are not only possible, but certain, (since GOD himself, who cannot lie, has told us so) for men, notwithstanding, to persist in their disobedience, and then flatter themselves, that GOD will not make good his threatenings, is a most egregious instance of folly and presumption.

_Dives_ himself supposed, that if one rose from the dead, his brethren would amend their lives; but Christians, it seems, will not repent, though the Son of GOD died and rose again, and told them what they must expect, if they continue obstinate in evil-doing.

Would we now and then draw off our thoughts from sensible objects, and by faith meditate a while on the miseries of the damned, I doubt not but we should, as it were, hear many an unhappy soul venting his fruitless sorrows, in some such piteous moans as these.

“O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from this body of death!” O foolish mortal that I was, thus to bring myself into these never-ceasing tortures, for the transitory enjoyment of a few short-lived pleasures, which scarcely afforded me any satisfaction, even when I most indulged myself in them. Alas! are these the wages, these the effects of sin? Are all the grand deceiver’s inviting promises come to this? O damned apostate! First to delude me with pretended promises of happiness, and after several years drudgery in his service, thus to involve me in eternal woe. O that I had never hearkened to his beguiling insinuations! O that I had rejected his very first suggestions with the utmost detestation and abhorrence! O that I had taken up my cross and followed CHRIST! O that I had never ridiculed serious godliness; and out of a false politeness, condemned the truly pious as too severe, enthusiastic, or superstitious! For I then had been happy indeed, happy beyond expression, happy to all eternity, yonder in those blessed regions where they sit, cloathed with unspeakable glory, and chanting forth their seraphic hallelujahs to the Lamb that sitteth upon the throne for ever. But, alas! these reflections come now too late: these wishes now are vain and fruitless. I have not suffered, and therefore must not reign with them. I have in effect denied the LORD that bought me, and therefore justly am I now denied by him. But must I live for ever tormented in these flames? Must this body of mine, which not long since lay in state, was cloathed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day, must it be here eternally confined, and made the mockery of insulting devils? O eternity! that thought fills me with despair: I must be miserable for ever.

Come then, all ye self-deluding, self-deluded sinners, and imagine yourselves for once in the place of that truly wretched man I have been here describing. Think, I beseech you by the mercies of GOD in CHRIST JESUS, think with yourselves, how racking, how unsupportable the never-dying worm of a self-condemning conscience will hereafter be to you. Think how impossible it will be for you to dwell with everlasting burnings.

Come, all ye christians of a lukewarm, _Laodicean_ spirit, ye _Gallio_’s in religion, who care a little, but not enough for the things of GOD; O think, think with yourselves, how deplorable it will be to lose the enjoyment of heaven, and run into endless torments, merely because you will be content to be almost, and will not strive to be altogether christians. Consider, I beseech you consider, how you will rave and curse that fatal stupidity which made you believe any thing less than true faith in JESUS, productive of a life of strict piety, self-denial, and mortification, can keep you from those torments, the eternity of which I have been endeavouring to prove.

But I can no more. These thoughts are too melancholy for me to dwell on, as well as for you to hear; and GOD knows, as punishing is his strange work, so denouncing his threatenings is mine. But if the bare mentioning the torments of the damned is so shocking, how terrible must the enduring of them be!

And now, are not some of you ready to cry out, “These are hard sayings, who can bear them?”

But let not sincere christians be in the least terrified at what has been delivered: No, for you is reserved a crown, a kingdom, an eternal and exceeding weight of glory. CHRIST never said that the righteous, the believing, the upright, the sincere, but the wicked, merciless, negatively good professors before described, shall go into everlasting punishment. For you, who love him in sincerity, a new and living way is laid open into the Holy of Holies by the blood of JESUS CHRIST: and an abundant entrance will be administered unto you, at the great day of account, into eternal life. Take heed, therefore, and beware that there be not in any of you a root of bitterness springing up of unbelief: but on the contrary, stedfastly and heartily rely on the many precious promises reached out to you in the gospel, knowing that he who hath promised is faithful, and therefore will perform.

But let no obstinately wicked professors dare to apply any of the divine promises to themselves: “For it is not meet to take the childrens meat and give it unto dogs:” No, to such the terrors of the LORD only belong. And as certainly as CHRIST will say to his true followers, “Come, ye blessed children of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world;” so he will unalterably pronounce this dreadful sentence against all that die in their sins, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.”

From which unhappy state, may GOD of his infinite mercy deliver us all through JESUS CHRIST; to whom, with thee O Father, and thee O Holy Ghost, three Persons and one eternal GOD, be ascribed, as is most due, all honour, power, might, majesty, and dominion, now and for evermore.

SERMON XXVII.

Blind _Bartimeus_.

MARK x. 52.

_And JESUS said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed JESUS in the way_.

WHEN the apostle _Peter_ was recommending JESUS of _Nazareth_, in one of his sermons to the _Jews_, he gave him a short, but withal a glorious and exalted character, “That he went about doing good.” He went about, he sought occasions of doing good; it was his meat and drink to do the works of him that sent him, whilst the day of his public administration lasted. Justly was he stiled by the prophet, the sun of righteousness. For, as the sun in the natural firmament diffuses his quickening and reviving beams through the universe, so, wherever this sun of righteousness, the blessed JESUS arose, he arose with healing under his wings. He was indeed a prophet like unto _Moses_, and proved that he was the Messiah which was to come into the world, by the miracles which he wrought; though with this material difference, the miracles of _Moses_, agreeable to the Old Testament dispensation, were miracles of judgment; the miracles of JESUS, who came to bear our sicknesses and heal our infirmities, were miracles of mercy, and were wrought, not only for the cure of people’s bodies, but also for the conversion of their precious and immortal souls. Sometimes, one and the same person was the subject of both these mercies. A glorious proof of this, we have in the miraculous cure wrought upon a poor blind beggar, named _Bartimeus_, who is to be the subject of the following discourse, and to whom the words of the text refer. “JESUS said unto him, Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed JESUS in the way.”

My design is, _First_, to make some observations on the matter of fact, as recorded by the evangelists. And then,

_Secondly_, To point out the improvement that may be made thereof. May JESUS so bless this following discourse, that every spiritually blind hearer may receive his sight, and, after the example of _Bartimeus_, “follow JESUS in the way!”

If we would take a view of the whole story, we must go back to the 46th verse of this chapter. “And they (our LORD and his disciples, who, we find by the context, had been conversing together) came to _Jericho_,” a place devoted by _Joshua_ to the curse of GOD; and yet, even this place yields converts to JESUS; _Zaccheus_ had been called there formerly; and _Bartimeus_, as we shall hear by-and-by, in all probability, was called now. For some good may come even out of _Nazareth_. CHRIST himself was born there, and his sovereign grace can reach and overcome the worst of people, in the very worst of places. JESUS came to _Jericho_. Let not his ministers, if providence points out their way, shun going to seemingly the most unlikely places to do good, some chosen vessels may be therein. JESUS and his disciples came to _Jericho_. They were _itinerants_; and, as I have frequently observed, seldom stayed long in a place; not that this is any argument against the stated settlement of particular pastors over particular parishes. But however, our LORD’s practice, in this respect, gives a kind of a sanction to itinerant preaching, when persons are properly called to, and qualified for, such an employ. And I believe we may venture to affirm (though we would by no means prescribe or dictate to the Holy One of _Israel_) that, whenever there shall be a general revival of religion in any country, itinerant preaching will be more in vogue. And it is to be feared, that those who condemn it now, merely on account of the meanness of its appearances, would have joined with the self-righteous Scribes and Pharisees, in condemning even the Son of GOD himself, for such a practice.

“And as he went out of _Jericho_ with his disciples, and a great number of people;” ♦ὄχλου ἱκανοῦ a great number of mob, or rabble, as the High-priests of that generation termed them: for these were the constant followers of JESUS of _Nazareth_; it was the poor that received his gospel, the common people heard him gladly, and followed him from place to place. Not that all who followed him, were his true disciples. No, some followed him only for his loaves, others out of curiosity; though some undoubtedly followed to hear, and be edified by the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. JESUS knew this, and was also sensible how displeasing this crowding after him was to some of the rulers of the _Jewish_ church, who, upon every occasion, were ready to say, “Have any of the Scribes and Pharisees believed on him?” But, notwithstanding, I do not hear of our blessed LORD’s sending them home but once; and that was, after they had been with him three days, and had nothing left to eat, he saw they were as sheep having no shepherd, and therefore had compassion on them, and taught them. A sufficient warrant this for gospel-ministers to preach to poor souls that follow to hear the word, whatever principle their coming may proceed from. At the same time, they should caution people against thinking themselves christians, because they follow CHRIST’s ministers. This our LORD frequently did. For there are many that followed JESUS, and now follow his ministers, and hear them gladly; nay, perhaps do many things, as _Herod_ did, who, it is to be feared, will never follow them into the kingdom of heaven. Much people followed JESUS out of _Jericho_, but how many of them were offended in him; and afterwards, it may be, cried out, “Crucify him, crucify him.” Who would depend on popularity? It is like the morning cloud, or early dew, that passeth away. But what a press, and seemingly continued hurry of business did the blessed JESUS live in! he could not be hid; go where he would, much people followed him. He had scarce time to eat bread. Happy is it for such who are called to act in a public station in the church, and to be more abundant in labours, that their JESUS has trodden in this dangerous path before them. Popularity is a fiery furnace, and no one, but he who kept the three children amidst _Nebuchadnezzar_’s flames, can preserve popular ministers from being hurt by it. But we can do all things through CHRIST strengthening us. And I have often thought, that there is one consideration sufficient to extinguish, or moderate at least, any excess of joy and self-complacence, which the most popular preacher may feel, when followed even by the greatest multitudes; and that is this, “How many of these hearers will go away, without receiving any saving benefit by my preaching; nay, how many, it may be, will only have their damnation increased by it!” As we find many will say at the great day, “hast thou not taught in our streets;” to whom JESUS shall answer, “Verily, I know you not.”

♦ “ὓγλουικανοῦ” replaced with “ὄχλου ἱκανοῦ”

But to proceed, “As our LORD went out of _Jericho_ with his disciples, and a great number of people, blind _Bartimeus_, (the son of _Timeus_) sat by the highway-side begging.” It should seem that he was a noted, though by no means what we commonly call, a sturdy beggar; having no other way, as he had lost his sight, to get his bread; his case was still the more pitiable, if he was, as some think the name imports, the blind son of a blind father. It may be, he begged for his father and himself too; and if so, then this may give us light into that passage of _Matthew_ xx. 22. where we are told, that “two men spake to JESUS.” It might be father and son, though only one is mentioned here, because he only followed JESUS in the way. Thus that holy, judicious, and practical expositor of holy writ, Mr. _Henry_. But however this be, he is not blamed for begging, neither should we discommend others for so doing, when providence calls to it. It was the unjust steward that said, “To beg I am ashamed.” It is our pride that often makes us unwilling to be beholden; JESUS was not thus minded, he lived, as it were, upon alms; the women that followed him, ministred to him of their substance. _Bartimeus_, not being able to dig, begs for his living; and, in order to make a better trade of it, sat by the highway-side, in all probability, without, or near the gate of the city, where people must necessarily pass in and out. But though he had lost his sight, he had his hearing perfect; and it should comfort us, if we have lost one sense, that we have the use of another, and that we are not deprived of the benefit of all. Happy was it for _Bartimeus_ that he could hear, though not see. For in all probability, upon hearing the noise and clamour of the much people that followed after our LORD, his curiosity set him upon enquiring into the cause of it, and some one or another told him, “that JESUS of _Nazareth_ was passing by;” JESUS of _Nazareth_, called so, because he was bred there, or out of contempt; _Nazareth_ being either a very mean, or very wicked place, or both, which made guileless _Nathaniel_ say, “Can any good come out of _Nazareth_?” And what does _Bartimeus_ do when he hears of JESUS? We are told, verse 47; “And when he heard that it was JESUS of _Nazareth_, he began to cry out.” This plainly denotes, that though the eyes of his body were shut, yet the eyes of his mind were, in some degree, opened, so that he saw, perhaps, more than most of the multitude that followed after JESUS; for, as soon as he heard of him, he began to cry out; which he would not have done, had he not heard of him before, and believed also, that he was both able and willing to restore sight to the blind. “He began to cry out.” This implies, that he had a deep sense of his own misery, and the need which he had of a cure; his prayers did not freeze as they went out of his lips; he began to cry out, that JESUS might hear him, notwithstanding the noise of the throng; and he began to cry out, as soon as he heard he was passing by, not knowing whether he might ever enjoy such an opportunity any more. “He began to cry out, JESUS, thou Son of _David_, have mercy upon me.” The people called him JESUS of _Nazareth_. _Bartimeus_ stiles him, “JESUS, thou Son of _David_.” Thereby evidencing, that he believed him to be the Messiah who was to come into the world, unto whom the LORD GOD was to give the throne of his father _David_, and of whose kingdom there was to be no end. “JESUS, thou Son of _David_;” or, as it is in the parallel place of St. _Matthew_ xx. 30. “O LORD, thou son of _David_;” of whom it had been long foretold, _Isaiah_ xxxv. that when he should come, “the eyes of the blind should be opened.” “Have mercy upon me,” the natural language of a soul brought to lie down at the feet of a sovereign GOD. Here is no laying claim to a cure by way of merit; no proud, self-righteous, GOD I thank thee that I am not as other men are: no bringing in a reckoning of performances, nor any doubting of JESUS’s power or willingness to heal him, but out of the abundance of the heart, his mouth speaketh, and, in the language of the poor, broken-hearted publican, he cries out, “JESUS, thou Son of _David_, have mercy on me.” JESUS, thou friend of sinners, thou Saviour, who, though thou be the true GOD, wast pleased to become the Son of _David_, and to be made man, that thou mightest seek and save those that were lost, have mercy upon me; let thy bowels yearn towards a poor, miserable, blind beggar!

One would have thought that such a moving petition as this would have melted the whole multitude, that heard his piteous cry, into compassion, and induced some at least to turn suitors in his behalf, or help to carry him to the blessed JESUS. But instead of that, we are told, verse 48, that “many charged him.” The word in the original seems to imply a charge, attended with threatning, and spoken in an angry manner. They charged him “to hold his peace;” and it may be, threatned to beat him if he did not. They looked upon him beneath the notice of JESUS of _Nazareth_, and were ready enough to ask, whether he thought JESUS CHRIST had nothing else to do but to wait upon him. This was, no doubt, very discouraging to blind _Bartimeus_. For opposition comes closest when it proceeds from those who are esteemed followers of the Lamb. The spouse complains as of something peculiarly afflicting, that her own mother’s children were angry with her. But opposition only serves to whet the edge of true devotion, and therefore _Bartimeus_, instead of being silenced by their charges and threatnings, “cried out the more a great deal, thou Son of _David_, have mercy on me.” Still he breaks out into the same humble language, and, if JESUS, the Son of _David_, will have mercy on him, he cares not much what some of his peevish followers said of, or did unto him. This was not a vain repetition, but a devout reiteration of his request. We may sometimes repeat the same words, and yet not be guilty of that Βαττολογια, or vain speaking, which our LORD condemns. For our LORD himself prayed in his agony, and said twice the same words; “Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” Thus _Bartimeus_, “JESUS, thou Son of _David_, have mercy upon me.” And how does the Son of _David_ treat him? does he join issue with the multitude, and charge him to hold his peace? or does he go on, thinking him beneath his notice? no; for, says St. _Mark_, verse 49. “And JESUS stood still,” though he was on a journey, and it may be in haste (for it is not losing time to stop now and then on a journey to do a good office by the way) “and commanded him to be called:” why so? to teach us to be condescending and kind even to poor, if real beggars, and tacitly to reprove the blind, misguided zeal of those who had charged him to hold his peace. By this also our LORD prepares the multitude the better to take the more notice of the blind man’s faith, and of his own mercy and power exerted in the healing of him. For there are times and seasons when we are called to perform acts of charity in the most public manner, and that too very consistently with the injunction of our Saviour, “not to let our right hand know what our left hand doth.” For there is a great deal of difference between giving alms, and exercising acts of charity, that are seen of men, and doing them, that they may be seen; the one is always sinful, the other often becomes our duty. JESUS commanded _Bartimeus_ to be called, “and they called him.” Who called him? it may be, those who a little before charged him to hold his peace. For it often happens, that our opposers and discouragers, afterwards become our friends. “When a man’s ways please the LORD, he makes his enemies be at peace with him.” And it is to be wished, that all who have charged poor souls, that are crying after JESUS, to hold their peace, and to spare themselves, and not be righteous over-much, would imitate the people here, and encourage those they once persecuted and maligned. “They call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise, he calleth thee.” The words, and manner of speaking them, implies haste, and a kind of solicitude for the blind man’s relief. O! that we might hereby learn to be patient, and long-suffering, towards opposers. For it may be, that many may oppose awakened souls, not out of enmity, but through prejudice and misinformation, through ignorance and unbelief, and a real, though perhaps false, persuasion, that their relations are going in a wrong way. By and by they may be convinced, that CHRIST is indeed calling them, and then they may become real and open friends to the cause and work of GOD; if not, it is our duty to behave with meekness towards all, and not to render railing for railing, but contrarywise blessing, knowing that we are thereunto called, that we may inherit a blessing; JESUS did not break out into harsh language against these opposers, neither did _Bartimeus_. “Our LORD stood still, and commanded him to be called; and they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise, he calleth thee; and he, casting away his garment, rose and came to JESUS.” Had _Bartimeus_ not been in earnest when he cried, “JESUS, thou Son of _David_, have mercy upon me,” he might have said, why do you mock me? why bid ye me arise; rise indeed I can, but after I am risen, how can I, being blind, find my way unto him? If he will come to me, it is well; if not, all your calling availeth nothing, it being impossible for me to find my way. Thus thousands now-a-days object to evangelical preachers, saying, Why do you bid us come to, and believe on JESUS CHRIST, when you tell us it is impossible of ourselves to turn to GOD, or to do good works; and that no one can come unto him, unless the Father draw him. Is not this like the people’s calling upon _Bartimeus_, to arise and come to JESUS, when he could not possibly see his way before him? true, it is so; and would to GOD that all who make this objection, would imitate _Bartimeus_, and put forth the strength they have! What if we do call you to come, and to believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST, that you may be saved? does this imply, that you have a power in yourselves to do so? no, in no wise, no more than JESUS saying unto _Lazarus_’s dead and stinking carcase, “Come forth,” implied, that _Lazarus_ had a power to raise himself from the grave. We call to you, being commanded to preach the gospel to every creature, hoping and praying, that CHRIST’s power may accompany the word, and make it effectual to the quickening and raising of your dead souls. We also call to you to believe, upon the same account as JESUS said unto the lawyer, “do this, and thou shalt live;” that you seeing your utter inability to come, might thereby be convinced of your unbelief, and be led to ask for faith of him, whose gift it is, and who is therefore in scripture emphatically stiled the _Author_, as well as _Finisher_, of our faith. Add to this, that it is your duty to wait at the pool, or to make use of the strength you have, in the earnest and steady performance of all commanded duty. For though you cannot do what is spiritually good, because you want spiritual principles of action, yet ye may do what is morally and materially good, inasmuch as ye are reasonable creatures; and though doing your duty as you can, no ways deserves mercy, or entitles you to it, yet it is the way in which you are required to walk, and the way in which GOD is usually found. While you are attempting to stretch out your withered arm, peradventure it may be restored; and who knows but JESUS may work faith in you, by his almighty power?

_Bartimeus_ has set before such objectors an example; O that they would once submit to be taught by a poor blind beggar! For he, casting away his garment, rose, and blind as he was, came to JESUS; “casting away his garment.” This seems to be a large coat or cloak, that he wore to screen himself from the rain and cold; undoubtedly, it was the most necessary and valuable vestment he had, and one would have thought, that he should have taken this along with him; but he knew very well, that if he did so, it might hang about his heels, and thereby his reaching JESUS be retarded at least, if not prevented entirely. Valuable therefore as it was to him, he cast it away. The word implies, that he threw it from off his shoulders, with great precipitancy and resolution, knowing that if he got a cure, which he now hoped for, by CHRIST’s calling him, he should never want his garment again. And thus will all do that are in earnest about coming to JESUS here, or seeing and enjoying him in his kingdom eternally hereafter. They will cut off a right-hand, they will pluck out a right-eye, they will leave father and mother, husband and wife, yea, and their own lives also, rather than not be his disciples. The apostle _Paul_, therefore, exhorts christians, to “lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth most easily beset them,” or hang about their heels, as the word in the original imports; alluding to the custom of the _Romans_, who wore long garments. Such a one was this, which _Bartimeus_ had wrapped round him. But he, to shew that he sincerely desired to recover his sight, casting it away, arose and came to JESUS. And what treatment did JESUS give him? did he say, come not nigh me, thou impudent noisy beggar? No, “he answered and said unto him, What wilt thou, that I should do unto thee?” an odd question this, seemingly. For did not our LORD know what he wanted? yes, he did; but the LORD JESUS dealt with him, as he deals with us. He will make us acknowledge our wants ourselves, that we thereby may confess our dependance upon him, and be made more sensible of the need we stand in, of his divine assistance. The blind man immediately replies, “LORD, (thereby intimating his belief of CHRIST’s divinity) that I might receive my sight.” Methinks, I see the poor creature listening to the voice of our Saviour, and with looks and gestures bespeaking the inward earnestness of his soul, he cries out, “LORD, that I may receive my sight.” As though he had said, I believe thou art that Messiah who was to come into the world. I have heard of thy fame, O JESUS! and hearing the long-wished-for glad-tidings of thy coming this way, I cry unto thee, asking not for silver and gold, but what thou, thou alone canst give me, LORD, that I might receive my sight. No sooner does he ask, but he receives. For, verse 52, “JESUS said unto him, Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole; and immediately he received his sight.” With the word there went a power; and he that spake light out of darkness, saying, “Let there be light, and there was light,” commanded light into this poor blind beggar’s eyes, and behold there was light. The miracle was instantaneous; _immediately_ he received his sight. And next to a miracle it was, that by breaking into open light all at once, he was not struck blind again: but he that gave the sight, preserved it when given. O! happy _Bartimeus_! thy eyes are now opened, and the very first object thou dost behold, is the ever-loving, altogether-lovely JESUS. Methinks I see thee transported with wonder and admiration, and all the disciples, and the multitude, gazing around thee! And now, having received thy sight, why dost thou not obey the LORD’s command, and go thy way? why dost thou not haste to fetch thy garment, that thou just now in a hurry didst cast away? No, no! with his bodily eyes, I believe he received also a fresh addition of spiritual sight, and though others saw no form or comeliness in the blessed JESUS, that they should desire him; yet he by an eye of faith discovered such transcendent excellencies in his royal person, and felt at the same time such a divine attraction towards his all-bountiful benefactor, that instead of going his way to fetch his garment, “he followed JESUS in the way;” and by his actions, says with faithful, honest-hearted _Ruth_, “entreat me not to leave thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people; and thy God, my GOD.” He followed JESUS in the way; the narrow way, the way of the cross; and I doubt not but long since he has followed him to his crown, and is at this time sitting with him at the right hand of his Father.

And now, my dear hearers, how find you your hearts affected at the relation of this notable miracle which JESUS wrought? are you not ready to break out into the language of the song of _Moses_, and to say, “Who is like unto thee, O LORD, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, continually doing wonders!” Marvellous are thy works, O JESUS, and that our souls know right well! But we must not stop here, in admiring what the LORD did for _Bartimeus_; this, no doubt, as well as other parts of Scripture, was written for our learning, upon whom the ends of the world are come; consequently, as was proposed in the

_Second_ place, we should see what spiritual improvement can be made of this history, upon which we have already been making some remarks.

A natural man, indeed, goes no further than the outward court of the Scripture, and reads this, and the other miracles of our blessed Saviour, just in the same manner as he reads _Homer_’s battles, or the exploits of _Alexander_. But GOD forbid, that we should rest in only hearing this matter of fact. For I tell thee, O man, I tell thee, O woman, whoever thou art, that sittest this day under a preached gospel, that if thou art in a natural state, thou art as blind in thy soul, as _Bartimeus_ was in his body; a blind child of a blind father, even of thy father _Adam_, who lost his sight when he lost his innocence, and entailed his blindness, justly inflicted, upon thee, and me, and his whole posterity. Some think indeed, that they see; but alas! such talk only like men in their sleep, like persons beside themselves; the scriptures every where represent fallen man, not only as spiritually blind, but dead also; and we no more know, by nature, savingly the way of salvation by JESUS CHRIST, than _Bartimeus_, when he was blind, knew the colours of the rainbow. This, I trust, some of you begin to feel, I see you concerned, I see you weeping, and, was I to ask some of you, what you want to have done unto you? I know your answer would be, that we may receive our sight. And GOD forbid, that I should charge you to hold your peace, as though JESUS would not regard you! no, your being made sensible of your natural blindness, and crying thus earnestly after JESUS, is a sign at least, that you are awakened by his holy Spirit (though it is possible, that you may cry with an exceeding bitter cry, as _Esau_ did, and be lost at last); however, christian charity induces me to believe and hope the best; I will therefore, in the language of those who afterwards encouraged _Bartimeus_, say unto you, Arise, take comfort; for, I trust, JESUS is calling you; follow therefore the example of _Bartimeus_, cast away your garment; lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth most easily beset you, arise, and come to JESUS. He commands me, by his written word, to call to you, and say, “Come unto him, all ye that are weary, and heavy laden, and he will refresh you, he will give you rest.” Be not afraid, ye seek JESUS of _Nazareth_, behold, he comes forth to meet you; ye are now on the highway side, and JESUS, I trust, is passing by; I feel his presence, I hope many of you feel it too; O then, cry mightily to him, who is mighty and willing to save you; lay yourselves at the feet of sovereign grace, say unto him, “JESUS, thou Son of _David_, have mercy on me,” in the same frame as _Bartimeus_ did, and JESUS will answer you, he will not cast out your prayer; according to your faith, so shall it be done unto you. Blind as you are, you shall, notwithstanding, receive your sight; Satan, indeed, and unbelief, will suggest many objections to you, your carnal relations will also join issue with them, and charge you to hold your peace; one will tell you, that your blindness is too inveterate to be cured; another, that it is too late; a third, that though JESUS can, yet he will not have mercy upon such poor, blind, despicable beggars, as ye are; but, the more they charge you to hold your peace, do you cry out so much the more a great deal, “JESUS, thou Son of _David_, have mercy on us.” JESUS, thou Saviour, thou friend of sinners, thou Son of _David_, and therefore a Son of man! gracious words! endearing appellations! be encouraged by them, to draw nigh unto him. Though _David_’s Lord, yet he is become _David_’s Son, after the flesh, that ye through him may be made the sons of GOD: no matter what thou art, O woman, what thou art, O man; though thou art literally a poor beggar, think not thy condition too mean for JESUS to take notice of; he came into the highways and hedges, to call such poor beggars in; or, if you are rich, think not yourselves too high to stoop to JESUS; for he is the King of kings; and you never will be truly rich, until you are made rich in JESUS; fear not being despised, or losing a little worldly honour: one sight of JESUS will make amends for all: you will find something so inviting, so attracting, so satisfying, in the altogether-lovely Lamb of GOD, that every sublunary enjoyment will sicken, and die, and vanish before you; and you will no more desire your former vain and trifling amusements, than _Bartimeus_, after he had received his sight, desired to go back again and fetch his garment. O that there may be many such blind beggars among you this day!

Here is a great multitude of people following me, a poor worm, this day. I rejoice to see the fields thus white, ready unto harvest, and to spread the gospel-net amidst so many; but alas! I shall return home with a heavy heart, unless some of you will arise and come to my JESUS; I desire to preach HIM, and not myself; rest not in hearing and following me. Behold, believe on, and follow the Lamb of GOD, who came to take away the sins of the world. Indeed, I do not despair of any of you, neither am I discouraged, on account of my preaching in the highways and hedges; JESUS called _Zaccheus_; JESUS called _Bartimeus_, as he passed through _Jericho_; that cursed, that devoted place; and why may he not call some of you, out of these despised fields? is his arm shortened, that he cannot save? is he not as mighty now, and as willing to save, even to the uttermost, all that come to the Father through him, as he was seventeen hundred years ago? assuredly he is; he hath said, and he also will do it, “Whosoever cometh to me, I will in no wise cast out.” In no wise, or by no means. O encouraging words! sinners, believe ye this? arise then, be of good comfort, for JESUS is indeed calling you. Some of you, I trust, have obeyed this invitation, and have had a sight of him long ago; I know then, you will bless and love him; and if he should say unto you, as he did unto _Bartimeus_, go you your way; your answer would be, we love our master, and will not go from him. But suffer ye the word of exhortation:

Suffer me to stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance, shew that you have indeed seen him, and that you do indeed love him, by following him in the way; I mean, in the way of the cross, the way of his ordinances, and in the way of his holy commandments; for alas! the love of many waxeth cold, and few there are that follow JESUS rightly in the way; few there are that cast away their garments so heartily as they should; some idol or another hangs about us, and hinders us in running the race that is set before us. Awake therefore, ye sleepy, though, it may be, wise virgins. Awake, awake, put on strength; shake yourselves from the dust; arise and follow JESUS more closely in the way, than ever you did yet. Lift up the hands that hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees. Provide right paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, but rather be ye healed. For though the way be narrow, yet it is not long; “though the gate be straight, (to use the words of pious bishop _Beveridge_) yet it opens into everlasting life.” O that ye may get a fresh sight of him again this day! That would be like oil to the wheels of your graces, and make your souls like the chariots of _Aminadab_. It is only owing to your losing sight of him, that you go so heavily from day to day. A sight of JESUS, like the sun rising in the morning, dispels the darkness and gloominess that lies upon the soul. Take therefore a fresh view of him, O believers, and never rest until you are translated to see him as he is, and to live with him for evermore, in the kingdom of heaven. Even so, LORD JESUS, _Amen_ and _Amen_!

SERMON XXVIII.

Directions how to hear Sermons.

LUKE viii. 18.

_Take heed, therefore, how ye hear._

THE occasion of our LORD’s giving this caution, was this: Perceiving that much people were gathered together to hear him out of every city, and knowing (for he is GOD, and knoweth all things) that many, if not most of them, would be hearers only, and not doers of the word; he spake to them by a parable, wherein, under the similitude of a sower that went out to sow his seed, he plainly intimated, how few there were amongst them, who would receive any saving benefit from his doctrine, or bring forth fruit unto perfection.

The application one would imagine should have been plain and obvious; but the disciples, as yet unenlightened in any great degree by the Holy Spirit, and therefore unable to see into the hidden mysteries of the kingdom of GOD, dealt with our Saviour, as people ought to deal with their ministers; they discoursed with him privately about the meaning of what he had taught them in public; and with a sincere desire of doing their duty, asked for an interpretation of the parable.

Our blessed LORD, as he always was willing to instruct those that were teachable, (herein setting his ministers an example to be courteous and easy of access) freely told them the signification. And withal, to make them more cautious and more attentive to his doctrine for the future, he tells them, that they were in an especial manner to be the light of the world, and were to proclaim on the house-top whatsoever he told them in secret; and as their improving the knowledge already imparted, was the only condition upon which more was to be given them, it therefore highly concerned them to “take heed how they heard.”

From the context then it appears, that the words were primarily spoken to the Apostles themselves. But as it is to be feared, out of those many thousands that flock to hear sermons, but few, comparatively speaking, are effectually influenced by them, I cannot but think it very necessary to remind you of the caution given by our LORD to his disciples, and to exhort you with the utmost earnestness, to “take heed how you hear.”

In prosecution of which design I shall,

_First_, Prove that every one ought to take all opportunities of hearing sermons. And,

_Secondly_, I shall lay down some cautions and directions, in order to your hearing with profit and advantage.

_First_, I am to prove, that every one ought to take all opportunities of hearing sermons.

That there have always been particular persons set apart by GOD, to instruct and exhort his people to practise what he should require of them, is evident from many passages of scripture. St. _Jude_ tells us, that “_Enoch_, the seventh from _Adam_, prophesied (or preached) concerning the LORD’s coming with ten thousand of his saints to judgment.” And _Noah_, who lived not long after, is stiled by St. _Peter_, “a preacher of righteousness.” And though in all the intermediate space between the flood and giving of the law, we hear but of few preachers, yet we may reasonably conclude, that GOD never left himself without witness, but at sundry times, and after divers manners, spoke to our fathers by the patriarchs and prophets.

But however it was before, we are assured that after the delivery of the law, GOD constantly separated to himself a certain order of men to preach to, as well as pray for his people; and commanded them to enquire their duty at the priests mouths. And though the _Jews_ were frequently led into captivity, and for their sins scattered abroad on the face of the earth, yet he never utterly forsook his church, but still kept up a remnant of prophets and preachers, as _Ezekiel_, _Jeremiah_, _Daniel_, and others, to reprove, instruct, and call them to repentance.

Thus was it under the law. Nor has the church been worse, but infinitely better provided for under the gospel. For when JESUS CHRIST, that great High-priest, had through the eternal Spirit offered himself, as a full, perfect, sufficient sacrifice and satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, and after his resurrection had all power committed to him, both in heaven and earth, he gave commission to his Apostles, and in them to all succeeding ministers, to “go and preach his gospel to every creature;” promising to “to be with them, to guide, assist, strengthen, and comfort them always, even to the end of the world.”

But if it be the duty of ministers to preach, (and woe be to them if they do not preach the gospel, for a necessity is laid upon them) no doubt, the people are obliged to attend to them; for otherwise, wherefore are ministers sent?

And how can we here avoid admiring the love and tender care which our dear Redeemer has expressed for his spouse the church? Who, because he could not be always with us in person, on account it was expedient he should go away, and as our forerunner take possession of that glory he had purchased by his precious blood, yet would not leave us comfortless, but first settled a sufficient number of pastors and teachers; and afterwards, according to his promise, actually did and will continue to send down the Holy Ghost, to furnish them and their successors with proper gifts and graces “for the work of the ministry, for the perfecting of the saints, for the edifying of his body in love, till we all come in the unity of the spirit, to the fulness of the measure of the stature of CHRIST.”

O how insensible are those persons of this unspeakable gift, who do despite to the Spirit of grace, who crucify the Son of GOD afresh, and put him to an open shame, by wilfully refusing to attend on so great a means of their salvation? How dreadful will the end of such men be? How aggravating, that light should come into the world, that the glad tidings of salvation should be so very frequently proclaimed in this populous city, and that so many should loath this spiritual manna, this angels food, and call it light bread? How much more tolerable will it be for _Tyre_ and _Sidon_, for _Sodom_ and _Gomorrah_, than for such sinners? Better, that men had never heard of a Saviour being born, than after they have heard, not to give heed to the ministry of those, who are employed as his ambassadors, to transact affairs between GOD and their souls.

We may, though at a distance, without a spirit of prophesy, foretel the deplorable condition of such men; behold them cast into hell, lifting up their eyes, being in torment, and crying out, How often would our ministers have gathered us, as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings? But we would not. O that we had known in that our day, the things that belonged to our everlasting peace! But now they are for ever hid from our eyes.

Thus wretched, thus inconceiveably miserable, will such be as slight and make a mock at the public preaching of the gospel. But taking it for granted, there are but few, if any, of this unhappy stamp, who think it worth their while to tread the courts of the LORD’s house, I pass on now to the

_Second_ general thing proposed, to lay down some cautions and directions, in order to your hearing sermons with profit and advantage.

And here, if we reflect on what has been already delivered, and consider that preaching is an ordinance of GOD, a means appointed by JESUS CHRIST himself for promoting his kingdom amongst men, you cannot reasonably be offended, if, in order that you may hear sermons with profit and advantage, I

1. Direct or entreat you to come to hear them, not out of curiosity, but from a sincere desire to know and do your duty.

Formality and hypocrisy in any religious exercise, is an abomination unto the LORD. And to enter his house merely to have our ears entertained, and not our hearts reformed, must certainly be highly displeasing to the Most High GOD, as well as unprofitable to ourselves.

Hence it is, that so many remain unconverted, yea, unaffected with the most evangelical preaching; so that like St. _Paul_’s companions, before his conversion, they only hear the preacher’s voice with their outward ears, but do not experience the power of it inwardly in their hearts: Or, like the ground near _Gideon_’s fleece, they remain untouched; whilst others, who came to be fed with the sincere milk of the word, like the fleece itself, are watered by the dew of GOD’s heavenly blessing, and grow thereby.

Flee therefore, my brethren, flee curiosity, and prepare your hearts by a humble disposition, to receive with meekness the engrafted word, and then it will be a means, under GOD, to quicken, build up, purify, and save your souls.

2. A second direction I shall lay down for the same purpose, is, not only to prepare your hearts before you hear, but also to give diligent heed to the things that are spoken from the word of GOD.

If an earthly king was to issue out a royal proclamation, on performing or not performing the conditions therein contained, the life or death of his subjects entirely depended, how solicitous would they be to hear what those conditions were? And shall not we pay the same respect to the King of kings, and LORD of lords, and lend an attentive ear to his ministers, when they are declaring, in his name, how our pardon, peace, and happiness may be secured?

When GOD descended on mount _Sinai_ in terrible majesty, to give unto his people the law, how attentive were they to his servant _Moses_? And if they were so earnest to hear the thunderings or threatenings of the law, shall not we be as solicitous to hear from the ministers of CHRIST, the glad tidings of the gospel?

Whilst CHRIST was himself on earth, it is said, that the people hung upon him to hear the gracious words that proceeded out of his mouth. And if we looked on ministers as we ought, as the sent of JESUS CHRIST, we should hang upon them to hear their words also.

Besides, the sacred truths that gospel ministers deliver, are not dry insipid lectures on moral philosophy, intended only to amuse us for a while; but the great mysteries of godliness, which, therefore, we are bound studiously to listen to, lest through our negligence we should either not understand them, or by any other means let them slip.

But how regardless are those of this direction, who, instead of hanging on the preacher to hear him, doze or sleep whilst he is speaking to them from GOD? Unhappy men! Can they not watch with our blessed LORD one hour? What! have they never read how _Eutychus_ fell down as he was sleeping, when St. _Paul_ continued his discourse till midnight, and was taken up dead?

But to return. Though you may prepare your hearts, as you may think, by a teachable disposition, and be attentive whilst discourses are delivering, yet this will profit you little, unless you observe♦

♦ duplicate word “a” removed

3. A third direction, Not to entertain any the least prejudice against the minister.

For could a preacher speak with the tongue of men and angels, if his audience was prejudiced against him, he would be but as sounding brass, or tinkling cymbal.

That was the reason why JESUS CHRIST himself, the Eternal Word, could not do many mighty works, nor preach to any great effect among those of his own country; for they were offended at him: And was this same Jesus, this GOD incarnate, again to bow the heavens, and to come down speaking as never man spake, yet, if we were prejudiced against him, as the _Jews_ were, we should harden our hearts as the _Jews_ did theirs.

Take heed therefore, my brethren, and beware of entertaining any dislike against those whom the Holy Ghost has made overseers over you. Consider that the clergy are men of like passions with yourselves: and though we should even hear a person teaching others to do, what he has not learned himself; yet, that is no sufficient reason for rejecting his doctrine: for ministers speak not in their own, but CHRIST’s name. And we know who commanded the people to do whatsoever the Scribes and Pharisees should say unto them, though they said but did not. But

4. _Fourthly_, As you ought not to be prejudiced against, so you should be careful not to depend too much on a preacher, or think more highly of him than you ought to think. For though this be an extream that people seldom run into, yet preferring one teacher in opposition to another, has often been of ill consequence to the church of GOD. It was a fault which the great Apostle of the _Gentiles_ condemned in the _Corinthians_: For whereas one said, “I am of _Paul_; another, I am of _Apollos_: are ye not carnal,” says he? “For who is _Paul_, and who is _Apollos_, but instruments in GOD’s hands by whom you believed?” And are not all ministers sent forth to be ministring ambassadors to those who shall be heirs of salvation? And are they not all therefore greatly to be esteemed for their work’s sake.

The Apostle, it is true, commands us to pay double honour to those who labour in the word and doctrine: but then to prefer one minister at the expence of another, (perhaps, to such a degree, as when you have actually entered a church, to come out again because he does not preach) is earthly, sensual, devilish.

Not to mention that popularity and applause cannot but be exceedingly dangerous, even to a rightly informed mind; and must necessarily fill any thinking man with a holy jealousy, lest he should take that honour to himself, which is due only to GOD, who alone qualifies him for his ministerial labours, and from whom alone every good and perfect gift cometh.

5. A _Fifth_ direction I would recommend is, to make a particular application of every thing that is delivered to your own hearts.

When our Saviour was discoursing at the last supper with his beloved disciples, and foretold that one of them should betray him, each of them immediately applied it to his own heart, and said, “LORD, is it I?” And would persons, in like manner, when preachers are dissuading from any sin, or persuading to any duty, instead of crying, this was designed against such and such a one, turn their thoughts inwardly, and say, LORD, is it I? how far more beneficial should we find discourses to be, than now they generally are?

But we are apt to wander too much abroad; always looking at the mote which is in our neighbour’s eye, rather than at the beam which is in our own. Haste we now to the

6. _Sixth_ and last direction: If you would receive a blessing from the LORD, when you hear his word preached, pray to him, both before, in, and after every sermon, to endue the minister with power to speak, and to grant you a will and ability to put in practice, what he shall shew from the book of GOD to be your duty.

This would be an excellent means to render the word preached effectual to the enlightening and enflaming your hearts; and without this, all the other means before prescribed will be in vain.

No doubt it was this consideration that made St. _Paul_ so earnestly entreat his beloved _Ephesians_ to intercede with GOD for him: “Praying always, with all manner of prayer and supplication in the spirit, and for me also, that I may open my mouth with boldness, to make known the mysteries of the gospel.” And if so great an Apostle as St. _Paul_, needed the prayers of his people, much more do those ministers, who have only the ordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Besides, this would be a good proof that you sincerely desired to do, as well as to know the will of GOD. And it must highly profit both ministers and people; because GOD, through your prayers, will give them a double portion of his Holy Spirit, whereby they will be enabled to instruct you more fully in the things which pertain to the kingdom of GOD.

And O that all who hear me this day, would seriously apply their hearts to practise what has now been told them! How would ministers see Satan, like lightning, fall from heaven, and people find the word preached sharper than a two-edged sword, and mighty, through GOD, to the pulling down of the devil’s strong holds!

The Holy Ghost would then fall on all them that hear the word, as when St. _Peter_ preached; the gospel of CHRIST would have free course, run very swiftly, and thousands again be converted by a sermon.

For “JESUS CHRIST is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.” He has promised to be with his ministers always, even unto the end of the world. And the reason why we do not receive larger effusions of the blessed Spirit of GOD, is not because our all-powerful Redeemer’s hand is shortened, but because we do not expect them, and confine them to the primitive times.

It does indeed sometimes happen, that GOD, to magnify his free grace in CHRIST JESUS, is found of them that sought him not; a notorious sinner is forcibly worked upon by a public sermon, and plucked as a firebrand out of the fire. But this is not GOD’s ordinary way of acting: No, for the generality, he only visits those with the power of his word, who humbly wait to know what he would have them to do; and sends unqualified hearers not only empty, but hardened away.

Take heed, therefore, ye careless, curious professors, if any such be here present, how you hear. Remember, that whether we think of it or not, “we must all appear before the judgment-seat of CHRIST;” where ministers must give a strict account of the doctrine they have delivered, and you as strict a one, how you have improved under it. And, good GOD! how will you be able to stand at the bar of an angry, sin-avenging judge, and see so many discourses you have despised, so many ministers, who once longed and laboured for the salvation of your precious and immortal souls, brought out as so many swift witnesses against you? Will it be sufficient then, think you, to alledge, that you went to hear them only out of curiosity, to pass away an idle hour, to admire the oratory, or ridicule the simplicity of the preacher? No; GOD will then let you know, that you ought to have come out of better principles; that every sermon has been put down to your account, and that you must then be justly punished for not improving by them.

But fear not, you little flock, who with meekness receive the ingrafted word, and bring forth the peaceable fruits of righteousness; for it shall not be so with you. No, you will be your minister’s joy, and their crown of rejoicing in the day of our LORD JESUS: And they will present you in a holy triumph, faultless and unblameable, to our common Redeemer, saying, “Behold us, O LORD, and the children which thou hast given us.”

But still take heed how you hear: for upon your improving the grace you have, more shall be given, and you shall have abundance. “He is faithful that has promised, who also will do it.” Nay, GOD from out of _Sion_, shall so bless you, that every sermon you hear shall communicate to you a fresh supply of spiritual knowledge. The word of GOD shall dwell in you richly; you shall go on from strength to strength, from one degree of grace unto another, till being grown up to be perfect men in CHRIST JESUS, and filled with all the fulness of GOD, you shall be translated by death to see him as he is, and to sing praises before his throne with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, and the general assembly of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven, for ever and ever.

Which GOD, &c.

SERMON XXIX.

The Extent and Reasonableness of Self-Denial.

LUKE ix. 23.

_And he said unto them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself._

WHOEVER reads the gospel with a single eye, and sincere intention, will find, that our blessed LORD took all opportunities of reminding his disciples that his kingdom was not of this world; that his doctrine was a doctrine of the cross; and that their professing themselves to be his followers, would call them to a constant state of voluntary suffering and self-denial.

The words of the text afford us one instance, among many, of our Saviour’s behaviour in this matter: for having in the preceding verses revealed himself to _Peter_, and the other apostles, to be “The CHRIST of GOD;” lest they should be too much elated with such a peculiar discovery of his deity, or think that their relation to so great a personage would be attended with nothing but pomp and grandeur, he tells them, in the 22d verse, that “the son of man was to suffer many things,” in this world, though he was to be crowned with eternal glory and honour in the next: and that if any of them or their posterity would share in the same honour, they must bear a part with him in his self-denial and sufferings. For “He said unto them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself.”

From which words I shall consider these three things:

I. _First_, The nature of the self-denial recommended in the text; and in how many respects we must deny ourselves, in order to come after JESUS CHRIST.

II. _Secondly_, I shall endeavour to prove the universality and reasonableness of this duty of self-denial.

III. _Thirdly_, I shall offer some considerations, which may serve as so many motives to reconcile us to, and quicken us in, the practice of this self-denial.

I. _First_, I am to shew you the nature of the self-denial recommended in the text; or in how many respects we must deny ourselves in order to follow JESUS CHRIST.

Now as the faculties of the soul are distinguished by the understanding, will and affections; so in all these must each of us deny himself. We must not lean to our own understanding, being wise in our own eyes, and prudent in our own sight; but we must submit our short-sighted reason to the light of divine revelation. There are mysteries in religion, which are above, though not contrary to our natural reason: and therefore we shall never become christians unless we cast down imaginations, “and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of GOD, and bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of CHRIST.” It is in this respect, as well as others, that we must become fools for CHRIST’s sake, and acknowledge we know nothing without revelation, as we ought to know. We must, with all humility and reverence, embrace the truths revealed to us in the holy scriptures; for thus only can we become truly wise, even “Wise unto salvation.” It was matter of our blessed LORD’s thanksgiving to his heavenly father, that he had “hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and had revealed them unto babes.” And in this respect also we must “be converted and become as little children,” teachable, and willing to follow the Lamb into whatsoever mysteries he shall be pleased to lead us; and believe and practise all divine truths, not because we can demonstrate them, but because GOD, “who cannot lye,” has revealed them to us.

Hence then we may trace infidelity to its fountain head: for it is nothing else, but a pride of the understanding, an unwillingness to submit to the truths of GOD, that makes so many, professing themselves wise, to become such fools as to deny the LORD, who has so dearly bought them; and dispute the divinity of that eternal Word, “in whom they live, and move, and have their being:” Whereby it is justly to be feared, they will bring upon themselves sure, if not swift destruction.

But, as we must deny ourselves in our understandings, so must we deny, or, as it might be more properly rendered, renounce our wills: that is, we must make our own wills no principle of action, but “whether we eat or drink, or whatsoever we do, we must do all, (not merely to please ourselves, but) to the glory of GOD.” Not that we are therefore to imagine we are to have no pleasure in any thing we do: “Wisdom’s ways are ways of pleasantness;” but pleasing ourselves must not be the principal, but only the subordinate end of our actions.

And I cannot but particularly press this doctrine upon you, because it is the grand secret of our holy religion. It is this, my brethren, that distinguishes the true christian from the mere moralist and formal professor; and without which none of our actions are acceptable in GOD’s sight: For “if thine eye be single,” says our blessed LORD, _Matthew_ vi. 22. that is, if thou aimest simply to please GOD, without any regard to thy own will, “thy whole body, (or all thy actions) will be full of light;” agreeable to the gospel, which is called light: “But if thine eye be evil, (if thine intention be diverted any other way) thy whole body, (all thy actions) will be full of darkness,” sinful and unprofitable, we must not only do the will of GOD, but do it because it is his will; since we pray that “GOD’s will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.” And no doubt, the blessed angels not only do every thing that GOD willeth, but do it chearfully, out of this principle, because GOD willeth it: And if we would live as we pray, we must go and do likewise.

But farther; as we must renounce our wills in doing, so likewise must we renounce them in suffering the will of GOD. Whatsoever befals us, we must say with good old _Eli_, “It is the LORD, let him do what seemeth him good;” or with one that was infinitely greater than _Eli_, “Father, not my will, but thine be done.” O JESUS, thine was an innocent will, and yet thou renouncedst it: Teach us, even us also, O our Saviour! to submit our wills to thine, in all the evils which shall be brought upon us; and in every thing enable us to give thanks, since it is thy blessed will concerning us!

_Thirdly_, we must deny ourselves, as in our understandings and wills, so likewise in our affections. More particularly, we must deny ourselves the pleasurable indulgence and self-enjoyment of riches: “If any man will come after me, he must forsake all and follow me.” And again (to shew the utter inconsistency of the love of the things of this world with the love of the Father) he tells us, “unless a man forsake all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.”

Far be it from me to think that these texts are to be taken in a literal sense; as though they obliged rich persons to go sell all that they have and give to the poor, (for that would put it out of their power to be serviceable to the poor for the future) but however, they certainly imply thus much, that we are to sit loose to, sell and forsake all in affection, and be willing to part with every thing, when GOD shall require it at our hands: that is, as the apostle observes, we must “use the world as though we used it not;” and though we are in the world, we must not be of it. We must look upon ourselves as stewards, and not proprietors, of the manifold gifts of GOD; provide first what is necessary for ourselves and for our housholds, and expend the rest, not in indulgencies and superfluous ornaments, forbidden by the apostle, but in cloathing, feeding, and relieving the naked, hungry, distressed disciples of JESUS CHRIST. This is what our blessed LORD would have us understand by forsaking all, and in this sense must each of us deny himself.

I am sensible that this will seem an hard saying to many, who will be offended because they are covetous, and “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of GOD:” but if I yet pleased such men, I should not be the servant of CHRIST. No, we must not, like _Ahab_’s false prophets, have a lying spirit in our mouths, but declare faithfully the whole will of GOD; and like honest _Micajah_, out of pity and compassion, tell men the truth, though they may falsely think we prophecy not good but evil concerning them.

But to proceed: As we must renounce our affection for riches, so likewise our affections for relations, when they stand in opposition to our love of, and duty to GOD: For thus saith the Saviour of the world: “If any man will come after me, and hateth not his father and mother, his children, and brethren, and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” Strange doctrine this! What, hate our own flesh! What, hate the father that begat us, the mother that bare us! How can these things be? Can GOD contradict himself? Has he not bid us to honour our father and mother? and yet we are here commanded to hate them. How can these truths be reconciled? By interpreting the word hate, not in a rigorous and absolute sense, but comparatively: not as implying a total alienation, but a less degree of affection. For thus our blessed Saviour himself (the best and surest expositor of his own meaning) explains it in a parallel text, _Matthew_ x. 37. “He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me: He that loveth son or daughter more than me, is not worthy of me.” So that when the persuasions of our friends (as for our trial they may be permitted to be) are contrary to the will of GOD, we must say with _Levi_, “we have not known them;” or, agreeably to our blessed LORD’s rebuke to _Peter_, “Get you behind me, my adversaries; for you savour not the things that be of GOD, but the things that be of man.”

Farther, we must deny ourselves in things indifferent: for it might easily be shewn, that as many, if not more, perish by an immoderate use of things in themselves indifferent, as by any gross sin whatever. A prudent christian therefore, will consider not only what is lawful, but what is expedient also: not so much what degrees of self-denial best suit his inclinations here, as what will most effectually break his will, and fit him for greater degrees of glory hereafter.

_Lastly_, To conclude this head, we must renounce our own righteousness: For, though we should give all our goods to feed the poor, and our bodies to be burned, yet, if we in the least depend on that, and do not wholly rely on the perfect all-sufficient righteousness of JESUS CHRIST, it will profit us nothing. “CHRIST is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” We are compleat in him, and him only. Our own righteousnesses are but as filthy rags. We must count all things but dung and dross, so that we may be found in him, not having our own righteousness, but the righteousness which is of GOD, through JESUS CHRIST our LORD.

And is this the doctrine of christianity? is not the christian world then asleep? If not, whence so much self-righteousness, whence the self-indulgence, whence the reigning love of riches which we every where meet with? Above all, whence that predominant greediness after sensual pleasure, that has so over-run this sinful nation, that was a pious stranger to come amongst us, he would be tempted to think some heathen Venus was worshipped here, and that temples were dedicated to her service. But we have the authority of an inspired apostle to affirm, that they who live in a round of pleasure, “are dead while they live.” Wherefore, as the Holy Ghost saith, “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and CHRIST shall give thee light.” But the power of raising the spiritually dead belongeth only unto GOD. Do thou therefore, O Holy JESUS, who by thy almighty word commandest _Lazarus_ to come forth, though he had lain in the grave some days, speak also as effectually to these spiritually dead souls, whom Satan for many years hath so fast bound by sensual pleasures, that they are not so much as able to lift up their eyes or hearts to heaven.

II. But I pass on to the second general thing proposed, to consider the universal obligation and reasonableness of this doctrine of self-denial.

When our blessed master had been discoursing publicly concerning the watchfulness of the faithful and wise steward, his disciples asked him, “Speakest thou this parable to all, or only to us?” The same question I am aware has been, and will be put concerning the foregoing doctrine: for too many, unwilling to take CHRIST’s easy yoke upon them, in order to evade the force of the gospel precepts, would pretend that all those commands concerning self-denial, and renouncing ourselves and the world, belonged to our LORD’s first and immediate followers, and not to us or to our children. But such persons greatly err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of godliness in their hearts. For the doctrine of JESUS CHRIST, like his blessed self, is “the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.” What he said unto one, he said unto all, even unto the ends of the world; “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself:” and in the text it is particularly mentioned that he said it unto them ALL. And lest we should still absurdly imagine that this word ALL was to be confined to his apostles, with whom he was then discoursing, it is said in another place, that JESUS turned unto the multitude and said, “If any man will come after me, and hateth not his father and mother, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” When our blessed LORD had spoken a certain parable, it is said, “the scribes and Pharisees were offended, for they knew the parable was spoken against them:” And if christians can now read these plain and positive texts of scripture, and at the same time not think they are spoken of them, they are more hardened than _Jews_, and more insincere than Pharisees¹.

¹ Law’s _Christian Perfection_.

In the former part of this discourse I observed, that the precepts concerning forsaking and selling all, did not oblige us in a literal sense, because the state of the church does not demand it of us, as it did of the primitive christians; but still the same deadness to the world, the same abstemious use of, and readiness to part with our goods for CHRIST’s sake, is as absolutely necessary for, and as obligatory on us, as it was on them. For though the church may differ as to the outward state of it, in different ages, yet as to the purity of its inward state, it was, is, and always will be invariably the same. And all the commands which we meet with in the epistles, about “mortifying our members which are upon the earth, of setting our affections on things above, and of not being conformed to this world;” are but so many incontestible proofs that the same holiness, heavenly-mindedness, and deadness to the world, is as necessary for us, as for our LORD’s immediate followers.

But farther, as such an objection argues an ignorance of the scriptures, so it is a manifest proof, that such as make it are strangers to the power of godliness in their hearts. For since the sum and substance of religion consists in recovery from our fallen estate in _Adam_, by a new-birth in CHRIST JESUS, there is an absolute necessity for us to embrace and practice the self-denial before spoken of. If we are alive unto GOD, we shall be dead to ourselves and the world. If all things belonging to the spirit live and grow in us, all things belonging to the old man must die in us. We must mourn before we are comforted, and receive the spirit of bondage before we are blessed with the unspeakable privilege of the spirit of adoption, and with a full assurance of faith can say, “Abba, Father.”

Were we indeed in a state of innocence, and had we, like _Adam_ before his fall, the divine image fully stamped upon our souls, we then should have no need of self-denial; but since we are fallen, sickly, disordered, self-righteous creatures, we must necessarily deny ourselves (and count it our privilege to do so) ere we can follow JESUS CHRIST to glory. To reject such a salutary practice on account of the difficulty attending it at first, is but too like the obstinacy of a perverse sick child, who nauseates and refuses the potion reached out to it by a skilful physician or a tender parent, because it is a little ungrateful to the taste.

Had any of us seen _Lazarus_ when he lay full of sores at the rich man’s gate; or _Job_ when he was smitten with ulcers, from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot: And had we at the same time prescribed to them some healing medicines, which, because they might put them to pain, they would not apply to their wounds, should we not most justly think, that they were either fond of a distempered body, or were not sensible of their distempers? But our souls, by nature, are in an infinitely more deplorable condition than the bodies of _Job_ or _Lazarus_, when full of ulcers and boils: for, alas! “our whole head is sick, and our whole heart faint, from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, we are full of wounds and bruises and putrifying sores, and there is no health in us.” And if we are unwilling to deny ourselves, and come after JESUS CHRIST in order to be cured, it is a sign we are not sensible of the wretchedness of our state, and that we are not truly made whole.

Even _Naaman_’s servants could say, when he refused (pursuant to _Elisha_’s orders) to wash in the river _Jordan_, that he might cure his leprosy, “Father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldst thou not have done it? How much rather then, when he saith to thee, wash and be clean?” And may not I very properly address myself to you in the same manner, my brethren? If JESUS CHRIST, our great prophet, had bid you to do some far more difficult thing, would you not have done it? Much more then should you do it, when he only bids you deny yourselves what would certainly hurt you if indulged in, and he will give you a crown of life.

But to illustrate this by another comparison: In the 12th chapter of the _Acts_, we read, that “St. _Peter_ was kept in prison, and was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains: And behold an angel of the LORD came upon him, and smote _Peter_ on the side, saying, arise up quickly: And his chains fell off from his hands.” But had this great apostle, instead of rising up quickly, and doing as the blessed angel commanded him, hugged his chains and begged that they might not be let fall from his hands, would not any one think that he was in love with slavery, and deserved to be executed next morning? And does not the person who refuses to deny himself, act as inconsistently, as this apostle would have done if he had neglected the means of his deliverance? For our souls, by nature, are in a spiritual dungeon, sleeping and fast bound between the world, the flesh, and the devil, not with two but ten thousand chains of lusts and corruptions. Now JESUS CHRIST, like St. _Peter_’s good angel, by the power of his gospel comes and opens the prison door, and bids us “deny ourselves and follow him.” But if we do not arise, gird up the loins of our mind and follow him, are we not in love with bondage, and do we not deserve never to be delivered from it?

Indeed, I will not affirm that this doctrine of self-denial appears in this just light to every one. No, I am sensible that to the natural man it is foolishness, and to the young convert an hard saying. But what says our Saviour? “If any man will do my will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of GOD, or whether I speak of myself.” This, my dear friends, is the best, the only way of conviction: Let us up and be doing; let us arise quickly, and deny ourselves, and the LORD JESUS will remove those scales from the eyes of our minds, which now, like so many veils, hinder us from seeing clearly the reasonableness, necessity, and inexpressible advantage of the doctrine that has been delivered. Let us but once thus shew ourselves men, and then the spirit of GOD will move on the face of our souls, as he did once upon the face of the great deep; and cause them to emerge out of that confused chaos, in which they are most certainly now involved, if we are strangers and enemies to self-denial and the cross of CHRIST.

III. Proceed we therefore now to the third and last general thing proposed, to offer some considerations, which may serve as so many motives to reconcile us to, and quicken us in, the practise of this duty of self-denial.

1. And the first means I shall recommend to you, in order to reconcile you to this doctrine, is, to meditate frequently on the life of our blessed Lord and Master JESUS CHRIST. Follow him from his cradle to the cross, and see what a self-denying life he led! And shall not we drink of the cup that he drank of, and be baptized with the baptism that he was baptized with? Or think we, that JESUS CHRIST did and suffered every thing in order to have us excused and exempted from sufferings? No, far be it from any sincere christian to judge after this manner: for St. _Peter_ tells us, “He suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps.” Had CHRIST, indeed, like those that sat in _Moses_’ chair, laid heavy burthens of self-denial upon us, (supposing they were heavy, which they are not) and refused to touch them himself with one of his fingers; we might have had some pretence to complain: But since he has enjoined us nothing, but what he first put in practise himself, thou art inexcusable, O disciple, whoever thou art, who wouldst be above thy persecuted self-denying master: And thou art no good and faithful servant, who art unwilling to suffer and sympathize with thy mortified, heavenly-minded LORD.

2. Next to the pattern of our blessed master, think often on the lives of the glorious company of the apostles, the goodly fellowship of the prophets, and the noble army of martyrs; who by a constant looking to the author and finisher of our faith, have fought the good fight, and are gone before us to inherit the promises. View again and again, how holily, how self-denyingly, how unblameably they lived: And if self-denial was necessary for them, why not for us also? Are we not men of like passions with them? Do we not live in the same wicked world as they did? Have we not the same good spirit to assist, support, and purify us, as they had? and is not the same eternal inheritance reached out to us, as was to them? And if we have the same nature to change, the same wicked world to withstand, the same good spirit to help, and the same eternal crown at the end; why should not we lead the same lives as they did? Do we think they did works of supererogation? if not, why do not we do as they did? or why does your own church set apart festivals to commemorate the deaths and sufferings of the saints, but in order to excite you to follow them as they did CHRIST.

3. _Thirdly_, Think often on the pains of hell; consider, whether it is not better to cut off a right-hand or foot, and pull out a right-eye, if they offend us (or cause us to sin) “rather than to be cast into hell, where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.” Think how many thousands there are now reserved with damned spirits in chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day. And think withal, that this, this must be our case shortly, unless we are wise in time, deny ourselves, and follow JESUS CHRIST. Think you, they now imagine JESUS CHRIST to be an hard master; or rather think you not, they would give ten thousand times ten thousand worlds, could they but return to life again, and take CHRIST’s easy yoke upon them? And can we dwell with everlasting burnings more than they? No, if we cannot bear this precept, deny yourselves, take up your crosses; how shall we bear the irrevocable sentence, “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels?” But I hope those, amongst whom I am now preaching the kingdom of GOD, are not so disingenuous as to need to be driven to their duty by the terrors of the LORD, but rather desire to be drawn by the cords of love.

_Lastly_, Therefore, often meditate on the joys of heaven: think, think with what unspeakable glory those happy souls are now incircled, who when on earth were called to deny themselves as well as we, and were not disobedient to that call: Lift up your hearts frequently towards the mansions of eternal bliss, and with an eye of faith, like _Stephen_, see the heavens opened, and the Son of man with his glorious retinue of departed saints, sitting and solacing themselves in eternal joys. Hark! methinks I hear them chanting forth their everlasting _Hallelujahs_, and echoing triumphant songs of joy. And do you not long, my brethren, to join this heavenly choir? do not your hearts burn within you? As the hart panteth after the water brooks, do not your souls so long after the blessed company of these sons of GOD? Behold then a heavenly ladder reached down to you, by which you may climb to this holy hill. Let us believe on the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and deny ourselves! By this alone, every saint that ever lived ascended into the joy of their LORD: And then, we, even we also shall ere long be lifted up into the same most blissful regions, there to enjoy an eternal rest with the people of GOD, and join with them in singing doxologies and songs of praise, to the everlasting, blessed, all-glorious, most adorable Trinity, for ever and ever.

Which GOD of his infinite mercy grant, _&c._

SERMON XXX.

CHRIST’s Transfiguration.

LUKE ix. 28‒36.

_And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took |Peter| and |John| and |James|, and went up into a mountain to pray. And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his rayment was white and glistering. And behold, there talked with him two men, which were |Moses| and |Elias|: who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease, which he should accomplish at |Jerusalem|. But |Peter| and they that were with him, were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. And it came to pass, as they departed from him, |Peter| said unto JESUS, Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for |Moses|, and one for |Elias|: not knowing what he said. While he thus spake, there came a cloud and overshadowed them, and they feared as they entered into the cloud. And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son, hear him. And when the voice was past, JESUS was found alone; and they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen._

WHEN the angel was sent to the Redeemer’s beloved disciple _John_, we are told that the angel said unto him, “Come up hither:” He was to be exalted, to be brought nearer heaven, that his mind might be better prepared for those great manifestations, which an infinitely great and condescending GOD intended to vouchsafe him. And on reading the verses that you have just now heard, when I also see such a great and serious assembly convened in the presence of GOD, I think I must address you, as the angel addressed _John_, and say unto you, “Come up hither;” leave your worldly thoughts, for a time forget the earth. And as it is the Lord’s-day, a time in which we ought more particularly to think of heaven, I must desire you to pray to GOD, that ye may get up on _Pisgah_’s mount, and take a view of the promised land. It is true, indeed, eye hath not seen, ear hath not heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of any man to conceive the great and good things, which GOD hath prepared for his people here; much less, those infinitely greater and more glorious things, that he hath laid up for them that fear him, in the eternal world: but, blessed be GOD! though we are not yet in heaven, unless to be in CHRIST may properly be termed heaven, and then all real christians are there already; yet, the blessed JESUS has been pleased to leave upon record some account of himself, of what happened to him in the days of his flesh, and of some manifestations he was pleased to grant to a few of his disciples; that from what happened to them here below, we may form some faint, though but a faint idea of that happiness that awaits his people in his kingdom above. If any of you enquire, in what part of our LORD’s life those instances are recorded, I have an answer ready: One of these instances, and that a very remarkable one, is recorded in the verses that I have now chosen for the subject of your meditation.

The verses give us an account of what is generally called our LORD’s _Transfiguration_; his being wonderfully changed, and his being wonderfully owned by his Father upon the mount. Some think that this was done upon a sabbath-day; and the particular occasion of our blessed LORD’s condescending to let his servants have such a sight as this, we may gather from the 27th verse. It seems our blessed LORD had been promising a great reward to those who should not be ashamed of him: “Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of Man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and of his Father, and of the holy angels.” In this threatening is implied, a reward to those who should not be ashamed of him: “But, (adds he) I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, who shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of GOD:” As much as to say, There will be a day, when I will come in the glory of my Father and of his holy angels; but I tell you there are some of my favourites; I tell you of a truth, though you may think it too good news, there are some of you that shall not taste of death, till ye shall see the kingdom of GOD. Some divines think, that this promise has reference to our LORD’s erecting a gospel church; and if we take it in this sense, it means that the Apostles, who were then present, some of them at least, should not die, till they saw Satan’s kingdom in a great measure pulled down, and the Redeemer’s gospel-kingdom erected. Some think it has a peculiar reference to _John_, who it seems survived all the other Apostles, and lived till CHRIST came; that is, till he came to destroy _Jerusalem_. But it is the opinion of Mr. _Henry_, of Bishop _Hall_, of _Burkit_, and others, who have written upon this passage, that our blessed LORD has a peculiar reference to the transfiguration upon the mount: “There be some of you here, that shall not taste of death, till ye see my transfiguration upon the mount; till ye see some glorified saint come down from heaven and pay me a visit, and consequently see a little of that kingdom of GOD, which ye shall have a full sight of, when ye come to glory.” This seems to be the right interpretation. If you will look to the margin of your Bibles, you will see the parallel place in _Matthew_, where the account of our LORD’s transfiguration is given, and there you will find it immediately follows upon this promise of our LORD.

Well, as CHRIST had told them, that they should not taste of death, till they had seen the kingdom of GOD, why the Evangelist, at the 28th verse, tells us, “It came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took _Peter_, and _John_, and _James_, and went up into a mountain to pray.” About an eight days; that is, as Bishop _Hall_ thinks, upon the sabbath-day; or, according to some, the first day of the week, which was hereafter to be the christian sabbath; our blessed LORD takes _Peter_, _John_, and _James_: Why did not the LORD JESUS CHRIST take more of his disciples? Why three, and these three? And why three only? Our blessed LORD was pleased to take three and no more, to show us that he is a sovereign agent; to show us, that though he loved all his disciples, yet there are some to whom he is pleased to allow peculiar visits. He loved _Peter_, and all the other disciples; yet _John_ was the disciple that he peculiarly loved. And he took three rather than one, because three were sufficient to testify the truth of his being transfigured: “Out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established.” And he took no more than three, because these three were enough. And he took these three, _Peter_, _John_, and _James_, in particular, because these very persons that were now to see CHRIST transfigured, were hereafter to see him agonizing in the garden, sweating great drops of blood falling unto the ground. And had not these three disciples seen CHRIST upon the mount, the seeing him afterwards in the garden, might have staggered them exceedingly: they might have doubted whether it was possible for the Son of GOD to be in such doleful circumstances. Well, our LORD takes these three “up into a mountain.” Why so? Because CHRIST JESUS was to be like _Moses_, who was taken up into a mountain, when GOD intended to deliver unto him the moral law: And our blessed LORD went up into a mountain, because a mountain befriended devotion. When he had a mind to retire to pray to his Father, he went to such places where he could be most secret, and give the greatest vent to his heart. Thus we are told, that once when _Peter_ prayed, it was upon the house-top. And if we have a mind to be near GOD, we should choose such places as are freest from ostentation, and that most befriend our communion with GOD. ♦And what doth CHRIST, when he got up into a mountain? We are told, he went up into a mountain “to pray.” CHRIST had no corruption to confess, and he had but few wants of his own to be relieved; yet we hear of CHRIST being much in prayer; we hear of his going up to a mountain to pray; of his rising up a great while before it was day to pray; and of his spending a whole night in prayer to GOD.

♦ “Aud” replaced with “And”

In the 29th verse, you have an account of the effect of our LORD’s praying; “As he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.” I would have you take notice, that our LORD was not changed in respect of his body, while he was going up to the mount, but when he got upon the mount, and while engaged in prayer. It is sufficient that way for our souls to be transformed: the time we are more particularly to expect the influences of GOD’s Spirit, is, when we are engaged in prayer. There seems to be a very great propriety in our LORD’s being transfigured or changed upon the mount. I hope I need inform none of you, that when _Moses_ went up to the mount of GOD, GOD was pleased to speak to him face to face; and when he came down from the mount, the people of _Israel_ observed that _Moses_’s face shone so, that he was obliged to have a veil put upon his face. Now the shining of _Moses_’s face, was a proof to the people, that _Moses_ had been conversing with GOD. And _Moses_ told the people, “That the LORD would raise up unto them a prophet like unto him, whom the people were to hear.” GOD the Father, in order to give his Son (considering him as man) a testimony that he was a prophet, was pleased not only to let his face glitter or shine; but to show that he was a prophet far superior to _Moses_, he was pleased to let his garment be white and glistering, and “his countenance (as we are told by another Evangelist) did shine as the sun.” What a change was here! What a sight! Methinks I see _Peter_, _James_, and _John_ surprized: and, indeed, well might the Evangelist, considering what happened, usher in the following part of the story with the word _Behold_; “Behold, there talked with him two men, _Moses_ and _Elias_:” And in the 31st verse, you have an account of their dress, “They appeared in glory;” and of their discourse, “They spake of his decease which he should accomplish at _Jerusalem_.”

“Behold, two men, which were _Moses_ and _Elias_;” these were two very proper persons to come upon this embassy to the Son of GOD. _Moses_ was the great lawgiver, _Elias_ was the great restorer of the law: The body of _Moses_ was hidden and never found, _Elias_’s body was translated immediately, and carried up in a fiery chariot to heaven: And it may be that this was done particularly, because these two were hereafter to have the honour of waiting upon the Son of GOD. “They appeared in glory;” that is, their bodies were now in that glorious habit, in which the bodies of believers are to be at the morning of the resurrection. CHRIST was, as it were, now sitting in his royal robes; and as it is usual for ambassadors, when they are to be admitted into the king’s presence, on bringing a message from one king to another, to appear in all their grandeur, to make the message more solemn; so here, these heavenly messengers being to wait upon the LORD JESUS CHRIST, are invested as with royal dignity, they appeared in glory, and “they spake of his decease which he should accomplish at _Jerusalem_,” they came to tell the Redeemer of his sufferings, and of the place of his sufferings, and to acquaint him, that his sufferings, however great, however bitter, were to be _accomplished_; that there was to be an end put to them, as our LORD himself speaks, “The things concerning me are to have an end.” What other particulars they spoke to our LORD, we are not told. But what effect this had upon the disciples, you may learn from the 32d verse, “_Peter_, and they that were with him, were heavy with sleep.”

We are not to suppose, that _Peter_, _James_ and _John_, were now asleep in a literal sense; no, if we compare this, with another passage of holy writ, I mean the account given us of _Daniel_’s being impressed and overcome, when he saw the angel of the LORD, you will find that this sleep implies what we call a swoon. They were overcome with the sight of the glory of CHRIST’s garments, the glistering of his body, and the glory in _Moses_ and _Elias_ appeared: these quite overcame them, sunk them down, and, like the Queen of _Sheba_, when she saw _Solomon_’s glory, they had no life in them. But they recovered themselves: “when they were awake,” that is, when they had recovered their strength, when GOD had put strength into them, as the angel put strength into _Daniel_, “they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.” And how do you think they gazed upon CHRIST? how may we suppose they fixed their eyes upon _Moses_ and _Elias_? _Peter_, who was always the first speaker, out of the abundance of his heart, spoke upon this occasion. Verse 33. “And it came to pass as they departed from him, _Peter_ said unto JESUS, Master, it is good for us to be here; and let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for _Moses_, and one for _Elias_, not knowing what he said.” _Peter_, when he had drank a little of CHRIST’s new wine, speaks like a person intoxicated; he was overpowered with the brightness of the manifestation. “Let us make three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for _Moses_, and one for _Elias_.” It is well added, “not knowing what he said.” That ♦he should cry out, “Master, it is good for us to be here,” in such good company, and in so glorious a condition, is no wonder; which of us all would not have been apt to have done the same? But to talk of building tabernacles, and one for CHRIST, and one for _Moses_, and one for _Elias_, was saying something for which _Peter_ himself must stand reproved. Surely, _Peter_, thou wast not quite awake! thou talkest like one in a dream: If thy LORD had taken thee at thy word, what a poor tabernacle wouldst thou have had, in comparison of that house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens, in which thou hast long since dwelt, now the earthly house of the tabernacle of thy body is dissolved? What! build tabernacles below, and have the crown, before thou hast borne the cross? O _Peter, Peter_! “Master, spare thyself,” sticks too too closely to thee: And why so selfish, _Peter_? Carest thou not for thy fellow disciples that are below, who came not up with thee to the mount? carest thou not for the precious souls, that are as sheep having no shepherd, and must perish for ever, unless thy Master descends from the mount to teach, and to die for them? wouldst thou thus eat thy spiritual morsels alone? Besides, if thou art for building tabernacles, why must there be three of them, one for CHRIST, and one for _Moses_, and one for _Elias_? are CHRIST and the prophets divided? do they not sweetly harmonize and agree in one? did they not prophesy concerning the sufferings of thy LORD, as well as of the glory that should follow? Alas, how unlike is their conversation to thine? _Moses_ and _Elias_ came down to talk of suffering, and thou art dreaming of building I know not what tabernacles. Surely, _Peter_, thou art so high upon the mount, that thy head runs giddy.

♦ “she” replaced with “he”

However, in the midst of these infirmities, there was something that bespoke the honesty and integrity of his heart. Though he knew not very well what he said, yet he was not so stupid as his pretended successor at _Rome_. He does not fall down and worship these two departed saints, neither do I hear him say to either, _Ora pro nobis_; he had not so learnt CHRIST; no, he applies himself directly to the head, “he said unto JESUS, Master, it is good for us to be here.” And though he was for building, yet he would not build without his Master’s leave. “Master, let us build,” or, as St. _Mark_ words it, “wilt thou that we build three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for _Moses_, and one for _Elias_?” I do not hear him add, and one for _James_, and one for _John_, and one for _Peter_. No, he would willingly stay out with them upon the mount, though it was in the cold and dark night, so that CHRIST and his heavenly attendants were taken care of. The sweetness of such a heavenly vision, would more than compensate for any bodily suffering that might be the consequence of their longer abode there: nay farther, he does not desire that either CHRIST, or _Moses_, or _Elias_, should have any trouble in building; neither does he say, let my curates, _James_ and _John_, build, whilst I sit idle and lord it over my brethren; but he says, “let us build;” he will work as hard, if not harder than either of them, and desire to be distinguished only by his activity, enduring hardness, and his zeal to promote the welfare of their common LORD and Master.

Doubtless, _Peter_ had read how the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle, and the temple of old; and now JESUS is transfigured, and _Moses_ and _Elias_ appear in glory, he thinks it right that new tabernacles shall be erected for them. Such a mixture of nature and grace, of short-sightedness and infirmity, is there in the most ardent and well-meant zeal of the very best of men, when nearest the throne of grace, or even upon the mount with GOD. Perfection in any grace must be looked for, or expected, only among the spirits of just men made perfect in heaven. Those who talk of any such thing on earth, like _Peter_, they know not what they say.

But how came _Peter_ so readily to distinguish which was _Moses_, and which was _Elias_? He seems to speak without the least hesitation, “Let us build three tabernacles, one for thee, and one for _Moses_, and one for _Elias_,” as though he was very well acquainted with them, whereas they had both been dead, long, long before _Peter_ was born. Was there, do you imagine, any thing distinguishing in their apparel? or any thing in their conversation that discovered them? or rather, did he not know them here on the mount, as we may from hence infer, that departed saints do, and will know each other in heaven, even by intuition and immediate revelation? But alas! how transient are our views of heaven, during our sojourning here on earth: Verse 34. “Whilst he thus spake,” whilst _Peter_ was talking of building tabernacles, whilst he was saying, “it is good for us to be here,” whilst he was dreaming that his mountain was so strong that it never could be moved, “there came a cloud and overshadowed them.” St. _Matthew_ observes, it was a bright cloud, not dark like that on mount _Sinai_, but bright, because the gospel opens to us a far more bright dispensation than that of the law. This overshadowed, and thereby not only filled them with an holy awe, but also screened them, in some measure, from the brightness of that glory with which they were now surrounded, and which otherwise would have been insupportable. This cloud was like the veil thrown on the face of _Moses_, and prepared them for the voice which they were soon to hear coming out of it. I am not much surprized at being informed by St. _Matthew_, that “they feared as they entered into the cloud,” or by St. _Mark_, that “they were sore afraid.” For since the fall, there is such a consciousness in us all of deserved wrath, that we cannot help fearing when we enter into a cloud, even though JESUS CHRIST himself be in the midst of it. Ah _Peter_, where is thy talk of building tabernacles now? is thy strong mountain so quickly removed? what, come down so soon? why do we not now hear thee saying, “It is good for us to be here?” Alas! he and his fellow disciples are quite struck dumb; see how they tremble, and, like _Moses_ upon another occasion, exceedingly quake and fear. But how quickly are those fears dispelled, how soon is the tumult of their minds hushed and calmed, with that soul-reviving voice that came from the excellent glory, verse 35, “This is my beloved Son, hear him.”

St. _Mark_ and St. _Matthew_ add “in whom I am well pleased.” The same testimony that GOD the Father gave to the blessed JESUS at his baptism, before he entered upon his temptation, is now repeated, in order to strengthen and prepare him for his impending agony in the garden. Probably, it was a small still though articulate voice, attended neither with thunder nor lightning, nor the sound of a trumpet, but, agreeable to the blessed news which it contained, ushered in with tokens of unspeakable complacency and love. GOD the Father, hereby gives _Moses_ and _Elias_ a solemn discharge, as though they were sent from heaven on purpose to give up their commission to their rightful LORD, and like the morning star, disappear when the Sun of Righteousness himself arises to bring in a gospel day. “This is my beloved Son, hear Him.” But the emphasis upon the word _this_; this Son of Man, this JESUS, whom you are shortly to see in a bloody sweat, blindfolded, spit upon, buffeted, scourged, and at length hanging upon a tree, I am not ashamed to own to be my Son, my only begotten Son, who was with me before the heavens were made, or the foundations of the earth were laid; my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased, in whom my soul delighteth, and whom I do by these presents, publicly constitute and appoint to be the king, priest, and prophet of the church. “Hear ye Him.” No longer look to _Moses_ or _Elias_, no longer expect to be saved by the works of the law; but by the preaching and application of the ever-blessed gospel. Hear ye him, so as to believe on, love, serve, obey, and, if needs be, to die and lay down your very lives for him. “Hear him;” hear what he hath to say, for he comes with a commission from above. Hear his doctrine; hear him, so as to obey him; hear him, so as to put in practice his precepts, and copy after his good example.

In the 36th verse, we have the close of this heavenly feast; “When the voice was past, JESUS was found alone; and they kept it close, and told no man in those days, any of those things which they had seen.” If we compare this, with the account which the other Evangelists give of our blessed LORD’s transfiguration, you will find this was done by CHRIST’s order: _Peter_, _James_, and _John_, would otherwise have gone down and told the whole world, that they had seen the LORD CHRIST upon the mount of transfiguration; but our LORD ordered them to keep it silent. Why so? If they had gone down from the mount, and told it to the other disciples, it might have raised ill blood in the others; they might have said, Why did our Master single out _Peter_, _James_, and _John_? Why might not we have had the privilege of going up to the mount as well as they? Had they said, that their LORD was transfigured, people would not have believed them; they would have thought, that _Peter_, _James_, and _John_ were only enthusiasts; but if they kept it till after his resurrection, and he had broken the gates of death, for them then to say, that they saw him upon the mount transfigured, would corroborate the evidence.

I have thus paraphrased the words for your better understanding the account the Evangelist gives of our blessed LORD’s transfiguration; but I have not yet done; I have been speaking to your heads; the practical part is yet to come. O that GOD may reach your hearts! And though, according to order, I ought to begin with the practical inferences that might be drawn from the first part; yet, I think it best to show you, who are the people of GOD, especially you young converts, that have honesty, but not much prudence, what instructions our LORD would here have you to learn.

“When the voice was past, JESUS was found alone, and they kept it close, and told no man in those days any of those things which they had seen.” There is nothing more common, when GOD vouchsafes communications to a poor soul, than for the person that enjoys them, to go and tell all that he has seen and felt, and often at improper seasons and to improper persons. I remember that Mr. _Henry_ observes, “_Joseph_ had more honesty than he had policy, or else he would never have told his brethren of his dreams.” Young christians are too apt to blunder thus: I am sure it is a fault of which I have been exceedingly guilty, speaking of things which, perhaps, had better been concealed; which is a fault GOD’s people are too apt to fall into. Though it is good for those that have seen CHRIST, and that have felt his love, to tell others what GOD hath done for their souls; yet, however you may think of it now, when you come down from the mount, and know yourselves a little, ye will find reason often to hold your tongue. Young christians are like children, to whom if you give a little money in their pocket, they cannot be quiet till they have spent it upon something or other: young christians, when they get a little of GOD, are ready to talk too much of it. They should therefore beware, and know when to speak, and when to be silent.

But, my dear friends, did our LORD JESUS CHRIST take _Peter_, _James_, and _John_ into a mountain to pray? Are any of you fathers, mothers, masters and mistresses of families? Learn then from hence to take your children, your servants, and those that belong to you, from the world, at certain times, and not only pray for them, but pray with them. If CHRIST did thus, who had few wants of his own to be supplied, and nothing to confess and lament over; if CHRIST was such a lover of prayer, surely, you and I, who have so many wants to be supplied, so many corruptions to mourn over; you and I should spend much time in prayer. I do not say that you are to lock yourselves up in your closets, and not mind your shops or farms, or worldly business; I only say, that you should take care to husband all your time: and if you are GOD’s children, you will frequently retire from the world, and seek a visit from your GOD.

Was the LORD JESUS transformed or transfigured, while he was praying? Learn hence, to be much in spiritual prayer. The way to have the soul transformed, changed into, and made like unto GOD, is frequently to converse with GOD. We say, a man is as his company. Persons by conversing together, frequently catch each others tempers: and if you have a mind to imbibe the divine temper, pray much. And as CHRIST’s garments became white and glistering, so shall your souls get a little of GOD’s light to shine upon them.

Did _Moses_ and _Elias_ appear in glory? Are there any old saints here? I doubt not but there are a considerable number. And are any of you afraid of death? Do any of you carry about with you a body that weighs down your immortal soul? I am sure a poor creature is preaching to you, that every day drags a crazy load along. But come, believers, come, ye children of GOD, come, ye aged decrepid saints, come and trample upon that monster death. As thou goest over yonder church-yard, do as I know an old excellent christian in _Maryland_ did; go, sit upon the grave, and meditate on thine own dissolution. Thou mayest, perhaps, have a natural fear of dying: the body and the soul do not care to part without a little sympathy and a groan; but O look yonder, look up to heaven, see there thy JESUS, thy Redeemer, and learn, that thy body is to be fashioned hereafter like unto CHRIST’s most glorious body; that poor body which is now subject to gout and gravel, and that thou canst scarce drag along; that poor body, which hinders thee so much in the spiritual life, will ere long hinder thee no more: it shall be put into the grave; but though it be sown in corruption, it shall be raised in incorruption; though it is sown in dishonour, it shall be raised again in glory. This consideration made blessed _Paul_ to cry out, “O death, where is thy sting! O grave, where is thy victory!” Thy soul and body shall be united together again, and thou shalt be “for ever with the LORD.” Those knees of thine, which perhaps are hard by kneeling in prayer; that tongue of thine, which hath sung hymns to CHRIST; those hands of thine, which have wrought for GOD; those feet, which have ran to CHRIST’s ordinances; shall all, in the twinkling of an eye, be changed; and thou shalt be able to stand under an exceeding and an eternal weight of glory. Come then, ye believers in CHRIST, look beyond the grave; come, ye dear children of GOD, and however weak and sickly ye are now, say, Blessed be GOD, I shall soon have a body strong, full of vigour and of glory.

But as this speaks comfort to saints, it speaks terror to sinners, to all persons that live and die out of CHRIST. It is the opinion of Archbishop _Usher_, that as the bodies of the saints shall be glorified, so the bodies of the damned shall be deformed. And if this be true, alas! what a poor figure will the fine ladies cut, who die without a CHRIST! What a poor figure will the fine gentleman cut in the morning of the resurrection, that now dresses up his body, and at the same time neglects to secure an interest in CHRIST and eternal happiness! It is the opinion, likewise, of Archbishop _Usher_, that damned souls will lose all the good tempers they had here; so that though GOD gave unregenerate people a constitutional meekness, good nature, and courage, for the benefit of the commonwealth; yet, the use of these things being over, and they having died without CHRIST, and it being impossible there will be an appearance of good in hell, their good tempers will be for ever lost. If this be so, it is an awful consideration; and I think persons who love their bodies, should also hence take care to secure the welfare of their souls.

Did _Peter_ know which was _Moses_ and which _Elias_? Then I think, and GOD be praised for it, it is plain from this and other passages of scripture, that we shall know one another when we come to heaven. _Dives_ knew _Lazarus_: “Father _Abraham_, send _Lazarus_:” And we are told, “he saw _Lazarus_ sitting in _Abraham_’s bosom.” _Adam_ knew his wife _Eve_; though cast into a deep sleep when GOD made her out of his rib, yet, by a kind of intuition, he says, “This is bone of my bone, and flesh of my flesh.” And it is on this account, that the Apostle, speaking to the _Philippians_, says, “Ye are my joy and crown of rejoicing, in the day of the LORD.” What comfort will this be to a spiritual father! Says one, Here is the man, O LORD JESUS, that brought my soul to taste of thy love; says another, This is the man, that at such a time, and with such words, struck my heart: thou, O LORD, knowest it. Then the spiritual father will rejoice over his children. You that have met and have prayed together, sighed and sympathized together, and told your temptations to one another, shall be for ever with the LORD and with each other. There we shall see _Abraham_, _Isaac_, and _Jacob_ sitting, with all the redeemed company; and we shall know the names of every one mentioned in the book of GOD. O blessed prospect! O blessed time! Who that thinks of this, of seeing the Lamb sitting upon the throne, with all GOD’s people about him, but must desire to go to heaven, and be for ever, for ever with the LORD. And if there is such comfort for believers to know one another in heaven, with what comfort may any of you, that have lost fathers, mothers, or friends, think of them: we are parted for a little while, but we shall see them again. My father died in CHRIST, my mother died in the LORD, my husband, my wife, was a follower of JESUS; I shall see them, though not now; I shall go to them, but they shall not return to me! This may keep you from sorrowing as persons without hope; and keep you from being so cruel, as to wish them to come down to this evil world.

But O what a dreadful consideration is this for damned souls! I believe, that as glorified spirits will know one another, so will damned souls know one another too. And as the company of the blessed increases the happiness of heaven, so the company of the damned will increase their torments. What made _Dives_ to put up that petition? “I have five brethren; send somebody to my father’s house to testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.” One would imagine at first reading, that hell had made _Dives_ charitable, and that though he was ill natured on earth, yet he had acquired some good nature in hell. No, no, there is not a spark of good nature in the place of torment. But _Dives_ knew, if his five brethren came there, they might say, We may thank you, next to an evil heart, for coming hither; you made us drink healths, till we were drunk; you taught us to game, to curse, to swear, &c. He knew very well, that his five brethren being brought to hell by his example, hell would be heated five times hotter to torment his soul. One will cry out, Cursed be the day that ever I was companion with such an one in sin; cursed be the day that ever we hearkened to one another’s advice, and were allured by each others example to sin against GOD.

But did a cloud overshadow _Peter_, _James_, and _John_? were heavenly and divine visits here but short? Then wonder not, ye people of GOD, if ye are upon the mount one hour, and down in the valley of the shadow of death the next. There is nothing in the world more common, after you have been in a good frame, than for a cloud to overshadow you. We generally say, “It is good to be here,” and often make a CHRIST of our graces; and therefore the LORD sends a cloud to overshadow us. But never fear; GOD shall speak to you out of the cloud; GOD will reveal himself to you; this cloud shall soon be gone; ere long we shall be in heaven, and in that glory where no cloud can possibly reach us.

I can now only mention one thing more, and that is, Did the Father say, “This is my beloved Son, hear him?” then let every one of our hearts echo to this testimony given of CHRIST, “This is my beloved Saviour.” Did GOD so love the world, as to send his only begotten Son, his well beloved Son to preach to us? then, my dear friends, HEAR HIM. What GOD said seventeen hundred years ago, immediately by a voice from heaven, concerning his Son upon the mount, that same thing GOD says to you immediately by his word, “Hear him.” If ye never heard him before, hear him now. Hear him so as to take him to be your prophet, priest, and your king; hear him, so as to take him to be your GOD and your all. Hear him to-day, ye youth, while it is called to-day; hear him now, lest GOD should cut you off before you have another invitation to hear him; hear him while he cries, “Come unto me;” hear him while he opens his hand and his heart; hear him while he knocks at the door of your souls, lest you should hear him saying, “Depart, depart, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” Hear him, ye old and grey-headed, hear him, ye that have one foot in the grave; hear him, I say; and if ye are dull of hearing, beg of GOD to open the ears of your hearts, and your blind eyes; beg of GOD that you may have an enlarged and a believing heart, and that ye may know what the LORD GOD saith concerning you. GOD will resent it, he will avenge himself on his adversaries, if you do not hear a blessed Saviour. He is GOD’s son, he is GOD’s beloved son; he came upon a great errand, even to shed his precious blood for sinners; he came to cleanse you from all sin, and to save you with an everlasting salvation. Ye who have heard him, hear him again; still go on, believe in and obey him, and by-and-by you shall hear him saying, “Come, ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” May GOD grant it to you all, for the LORD JESUS CHRIST’s sake. _Amen_, and _Amen_.

SERMON XXXI.

The Care of the Soul urged as the one thing needful.

LUKE x. 42.

_But one thing is needful._

IT was the amiable character of our blessed Redeemer, that “he went about doing good,” this great motive, which animated all his actions, brought him to the house of his friend _Lazarus_, at _Bethany_, and directed his behaviour there. Though it was a season of recess from public labour, our LORD brought the sentiments and the pious cares of a preacher of righteousness into the parlour of a friend; and there his doctrine dropped as the rain, and distilled as the dew, on the little happy circle that were then surrounding him. _Mary_, the sister of _Lazarus_, with great delight made one amongst them; she seated herself at the feet of JESUS, in the posture of an humble disciple; and we have a great deal of reason to believe, that _Martha_, his other sister, would gladly have been with her there; but domestic cares pressed hard upon her, and “she was cumbered with much serving,” being, perhaps, too solicitous to prepare a sumptuous entertainment for her heavenly master and the train that attended him. Happy are they, who in a crowd of business do not lose something of the spirituality of their minds, and of the composure and sweetness of their tempers. This good woman comes to our LORD with too impatient a complaint; insinuating some little reflection, not only on _Mary_, but on himself too. “LORD, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? Bid her, therefore, that she help me.” Our LORD, willing to take all opportunities of suggesting useful thoughts, answers her in these words, of which the text is a part, “_Martha, Martha_, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful; and _Mary_ has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Alas, _Martha_! the concerns of the soul are of so much greater importance than those of the body, that I cannot blame your sister on this occasion: I rather recommend her to your imitation, and caution you, and all my other friends, to be much on your guard, that in the midst of your worldly cares, you do not lose sight of what much better deserves your attention.

I shall consider these words, “One thing is needful,” as a kind of aphorism, or wise and weighty sentence, which dropped from the mouth of our blessed Redeemer, and is evidently worthy of our most serious regard. I shall,

I. Consider what we are to understand by “The one thing” here spoken of.

II. Shew you what is intended, when it is said to be the one thing _needful_.

III. I will shew how justly it may be so represented, or prove that it is, indeed, the one thing needful. And then conclude with some reflections.

My friends, the words which are now before us, are to this day, as true, as they were seventeen hundred years ago. Set your hearts to attend to them. O that you may, by divine grace, be awakened to hear them with a due regard, and be so impressed with the plain and serious things which are now to be spoken, as you probably would, if I were speaking by your dying beds, and you had the near and lively view of eternity!

_First_, I am to consider, what we are to understand by the “one thing needful.”

Now in a few words, it is the “_Care of the soul_,” opposed, as you see in the text, to the care, the excessive care of the body; to which _Martha_ was gently admonished by our LORD. This is a general answer, and it comprehends a variety of important particulars, which is the business of our ministry often to open to you at large: The care of the soul, implies a readiness to hear the words of CHRIST, to seat ourselves with _Mary_ at his feet, and to receive both the law and the gospel from his mouth. It supposes, that we learn from this divine teacher the worth of our souls, their danger, and their remedy; and that we become above all things solicitous about their eternal salvation. That, heartily repenting of all our sins, and cordially believing the everlasting gospel, we receive the LORD JESUS CHRIST for righteousness and life, resting our souls on the value of his atonement, and the efficacy of his grace. It imports, the sincere dedication of ourselves to the service of GOD, and a faithful adherence to it, notwithstanding all oppositions arising from inward corruptions, or outward temptations; and a resolute perseverance in the way of gospel dependance, ’till we receive the end of our faith in our compleat salvation. This is the “one thing needful,” represented indeed in various scriptures by various names. Sometimes it is called “Regeneration,” or “the new creature,” because it is the blessed work of GOD’s efficacious grace. Sometimes the “Fear of GOD,” and sometimes “his love, and the keeping his commandments;” and very frequently in the new testament it is called “faith,” or “receiving CHRIST, and believing on him,” which therefore is represented as the “great work of GOD,” _John_ vi. 29. the great thing which GOD in his glorious gospel requires, as well as by his spirit produces in us: each of these, if rightly understood and explained, comprehends all that I have said on this head. On the whole, we may say, that, as the body is one, though it has many members, and the soul is one, though it has many faculties, so in the present case, this real vital religion is “one thing,” one sacred principle of divine life, bringing us to attend to the care of our souls, as of our greatest treasure. It is one thing, notwithstanding all the variety of views in which it may be considered, and of characters under which it may be described. I proceed,

_Secondly_, To consider what may be intended in the representation which is here made of it, as the “one thing _needful_.”

Now I think it naturally includes these three particulars: it is a matter of universal concern; of the highest importance; and of so comprehensive a nature, that every thing which is truly worthy of our regard, may be considered as included in, or subservient to it. Let me a little illustrate each of these particulars.

1. The care of the soul may be called the “one thing needful,” as it is matter of universal concern.

Our LORD, you see, speaks of it as needful in the general. He says not, for this or that particular person; or for those of such an age, station, or circumstance in life, but needful for all. And indeed, when discoursing on such a subject, one might properly introduce it with those solemn words of the psalmist, “Give ear, all ye people, hear, all ye inhabitants of the earth, both high and low, rich and poor, together,” _Psalm_ xlix. 1, 2. For it is the concern of all, from the king that sits upon the throne, to the servant that grindeth at the mill, or the beggar that lieth upon the dunghill. It is needful for us that are _ministers_, for our own salvation is concerned: and woe, insupportable woe will be to our souls, if we think it enough to recommend it to others, and to talk of it in a warm, or an awful manner, in public assemblies, or in our private converse, while it does not penetrate our hearts, as our own greatest care. Our case will then be like that of the _Israelitish_ lord in _Samaria_, _2 Kings_ vii. 2. who was employed to distribute the corn when the siege was raised; though we see it with our eyes, and dispense it with our hands, we shall ourselves die miserably, without tasting the blessings we impart. It is needful to all you that are our _hearers_, without the exception of one single person. It is needful to you that are _rich_, though it may on some accounts be peculiarly difficult for you; even as difficult, comparatively speaking, as for a “Camel to go through the eye of a needle,” _Matthew_ xix. 24. yet if it be neglected, you are poor in the midst of all your wealth, and miserable in all your abundance; a wretch starving for hunger, in a magnificent palace and a rich dress, would be less the object of compassion than you. It is needful for you that are _poor_; though you are distressed with so many anxious cares, “what you shall eat, and what you shall drink, and wherewithal you shall be cloathed,” _Matthew_ vi. 31. The nature that makes you capable of such anxieties as these, argues your much greater concern in the “bread which endures to eternal life,” _John_ vi. 27. than in that by which this mortal body must be supported. It is needful for you that are _advanced in years_; though your strength be impaired so that the “grashopper is a burthen,” _Ecclesiastes_ xii. 5. and though you have by your long continuance in sin rendered this great work so hard, that were it less important, one would in pity let you alone without reminding you of it: yet, late as it is, it must be done, or your hoary heads will be brought down to the grave with wrath, and sink under a curse aggravated by every year and by every day of your lives. It is needful to you that are _young_, though solicited by so many gay vanities, to neglect it, though it may be represented as an unseasonable care at present, yet I repeat it, it is needful to you; immediately needful, unless you who walk so frequently over the dust of your brethren and companions, that died in the bloom and vigour of their days, have made some secret covenant with the grave for yourselves, and found out some wonderful method, hitherto unknown, of securing this precarious life, and of answering for days and months to come, while others cannot answer for one single moment.

2. The care of the soul is “a matter of the highest importance;” beyond any thing which can be brought into comparison with it.

As _Solomon_ says of wisdom, that “it is more precious than rubies, and that all things which can be desired are not to be compared with her,” _Proverbs_ iii. 15. So I may properly say of this great and most important branch of wisdom; whatever can be laid in the balance with it, will be found altogether lighter than vanity. This is strongly implied when it is said in the text, “one thing is needful;” one thing, and _one thing alone_ is so. Just as the blessed GOD is said to be “only wise,” _1 Timothy_ i. 17. and “only holy,” _Revelation_ xv. 4. because the wisdom and holiness of angels and men is as nothing, when compared with his. What seems most great and most important in life, what kings and senates, what the wisest and greatest of this world are employing their time, their councils, their pens, their labours upon, are trifles, when compared with this one thing. A man may subsist, he may in some considerable measure be happy, without learning, without riches, without titles, without health, without liberty, without friends, nay, though “the life be more than meat, and the body than raiment,” _Matthew_ vi. 25. yet may he be happy, unspeakably happy, without the body itself. But he cannot be so, in the neglect of the one thing needful. I must therefore bespeak your regard to it in the words of _Moses_, “it is not a light thing, but it is your life,” _Deuteronomy_ xxxii. 47.

3. The care of the soul is of so comprehensive a nature, that “every thing truly worthy of our regard may be considered as included in it, or subservient to it.”

As _David_ observes, that “the commandment of GOD is exceeding broad,” _Psalm_ cxix. 96. so we may say of this one thing needful; or as _Solomon_ very justly and emphatically expresses it, “to fear GOD and to keep his commandments is the whole duty of man,” _Ecclesiastes_ xii. 13. his whole duty, and his whole interest; and every thing which is wise and rational does in its proper place and connection make a part of it. We should judge very ill concerning the nature of this care, if we imagined, that it consisted merely in acts of devotion, or religious contemplation; it comprehends all the lovely and harmonious band of social and humane virtues. It requires a care of society, a care of our bodies, and of our temporal concerns; but then all is to be regulated, directed, and animated by proper regards to GOD, CHRIST, and immortality. Our food and our rest, our trades and our labours, are to be attended to, and all the offices of humanity performed in obedience to the will of GOD, for the glory of CHRIST, and in a view to improving the mind in a growing meetness for a state of compleat perfection. Name any thing which has no reference at all to this, and you name a worthless trifle, however it may be gilded to allure the eye, or however it may be sweetened to gratify the taste. Name a thing, which, instead of thus improving the soul, has a tendency to debase and pollute, to enslave and endanger it, and you name what is most unprofitable and mischievous, be the wages of iniquity ever so great; most foul and deformed, be it in the eyes of men ever so honourable, or in their customs ever so fashionable. Thus I have endeavoured to shew you what we may suppose implied in this expression of “one thing being needful.” I am now,

_Thirdly_, To shew you with how much propriety the care of the soul may be represented under this character, as the one thing needful, or as a matter of universal and most serious concern, to which every thing else is to be considered as subservient, if at all worthy of our care and pursuit.

There let me appeal to the sentiments of those who must be allowed most capable of judging, and to the evident reason of the case itself, as it must appear to every unprejudiced mind.

1. Let me argue “from the opinions of those who must be allowed most capable of judging in such an affair,” and we shall quickly see that the care of the soul appears to them, the one thing needful.

Is the judgment of the blessed GOD “according to truth,” how evidently and how solemnly is that judgment declared? I will not say merely in this or the other particular passage of his word, but in the whole series of his revelations to the children of men, and the whole tenor of his addresses to them. Is not this the language of all, from the early days of _Job_ and _Moses_ to the conclusion of the canon of scripture. _Job_ xxviii. 21, 23, 28. “If wisdom be hid from the eyes of all the living, surely GOD understandeth the way thereof, he knoweth the place thereof;” and if he does, it is plainly pointed out, for “unto man he still saith, behold, the fear of the LORD, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil, that is understanding.” By _Moses_ he declared to the _Israelites_, that “to do the commandments of the LORD would be their wisdom and their understanding in the sight of the nations, who should hear his statutes, and say, surely this is a wise and an understanding people,” _Deuteronomy_ iv. 6. When he had raised up one man on the throne of _Israel_, with the character of the wisest that ever lived upon the face of the earth, he chose to make him eminently a teacher of this great truth. And though now all that he spoke on the curious and less concerning subjects of natural philosophy is lost, “though he spoke of trees from the cedar to the hyssop, and of beasts, and of fowls, and of creeping things, and of fishes,” _1 Kings_ iv. 33. that saying is preserved in which he testifies, that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,” _Proverbs_ i. 7, 9, 10. and those _Proverbs_, in almost every line of which, they who neglect GOD and their own souls, are spoken of as fools, as if that were the most proper signification of the word, while the religious alone are honoured with the title of wise. But in this respect, as attesting this truth in the name of GOD and in his own, “a greater than _Solomon_ is here.”

For if we inquire what it was that our LORD JESUS CHRIST judged to be the one thing needful, the words of the text contain as full an answer as can be imagined; and the sense of them is repeated in a very lively and emphatical manner, in that remarkable passage wherein our LORD not only declares his own judgment, but seems to appeal to the consciences of all, as obliged by their own secret convictions to subscribe to the truth of it. “What is a man profited, if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul; or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” _Matthew_ xvi. 26. If it were once lost, what would he not be willing to give to redeem it? But it depends not on the words of CHRIST alone. Let his actions, his sufferings, his blood, his death, speak what a value he set on the souls of men. Is it to be imagined, that he would have relinquished heaven, have dwelt upon earth, have laboured by night and by day, and at last have expired on the cross, for a matter of light importance? Or can we think that he, in whom “dwell all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and all the fulness of the Godhead bodily,” _Colossians_ ii. 3, 9. was mistaken in judgment so deliberately formed, and so solemnly declared?

If after this, there were room to mention human judgment and testimonies, how easy would it be to produce a cloud of witnesses in such a cause, and to shew that the wisest and best of men in all ages of the world have agreed in this point, that amidst all the diversities of opinion and profession, which succeeding generations have produced, this has been the unanimous judgment, this the common and most solicitous care of those whose characters are most truly valuable, to secure the salvation of their own souls, and to promote the salvation of others.

And let me beseech you seriously to reflect, what are the characters of those who have taken the liberty, most boldly and freely to declare their judgment on the contrary side? The number of such is comparatively few; and when you compare what you have observed of their temper and conduct, I will not say with what you read of holy men of old, but with what you have yourselves seen in the faithful, active, and zealous servants of CHRIST, in these latter ages, with whom you have conversed; do you on the whole find, that the rejecters and deriders of the gospel, are in other respects so much more prudent and judicious, so much wiser for themselves, and for others, that are influenced by them, as that you can be in reason obliged to pay any great deference to the authority of a few such names as these, in opposition to those to whom they are here opposed?

But you will say, and you will say it too truly, Though but a few may venture in words to declare for the neglect of the soul and its eternal interest, that the greater part of ♦mankind do it in their actions. But are the greater part of mankind so wise, and so good, as implicitly to be followed in matters of the highest importance? And do not multitudes of these, declare themselves on the other side, in their most serious moments? When the intoxications of worldly business and pleasures are over, and some languishing sickness forces men to solitude and retirement; what have you generally observed to be the effect of such a circumstance? Have they not then declared themselves convinced of the truth we are now labouring to establish? Nay, do we not sometimes see, that a distemper which seizes the mind with violence, yet does not utterly destroy its reasoning faculties, fixes this conviction on the soul in a few hours, nay, sometimes in a few moments? Have you never seen a gay, thoughtless creature, surprized in the giddy round of pleasures and amusements, and presently brought not only to seriousness, but terror and trembling, by the near views of death? Have you never seen the man of business and care interrupted, like the rich fool in the parable, in the midst of his schemes for the present world? And have you not heard one and the other of them owning the vanity of those pleasures and cares, which but a few days ago were every thing to them? Confessing that religion was the one thing needful, and recommending it to others with an earnestness, as if they hoped thereby to atone for their own former neglect? We that are ministers, frequently are witnesses to such things as these, and I believe few of our hearers are intire strangers to them.

♦ “mainkind” replaced with “mankind”

Once more, what if to the testimony of the dying, we could add that of the dead? What if GOD were to turn aside the vail between us and the invisible world, and permit the most careless sinner in the assembly to converse for a few moments with the inhabitants of it? If you were to apply yourself to a happy Spirit, that trod the most thorny road to paradise, or passed through the most fiery trial, and to ask him, “was it worth your while to labour so much, and to endure so much for what you now possess?” Surely if the blessed in heaven were capable of indignation, it would move them to hear that it should be made a question. And, on the other hand, if you could inquire of one tormented in that flame below, though he might once be “clothed in purple and fine linen, and fare sumptuously every day,” _Luke_ xvi. 19. if you could ask him, “whether his former enjoyments were an equivalent for his present sufferings and despair?” What answer do you suppose he would return? Perhaps an answer of so much horror and rage, as you would not be able so much as to indure. Or if the malignity of his nature should prevent him from returning any answer at all, surely there would be a language even in that silence, a language in the darkness, and flames, and groans of that infernal prison, which would speak to your very soul what the word of GOD is with equal certainty, though less forcible conviction, speaking to your ear, that “one thing is needful.” You see it is so in the judgment of GOD the Father, and the LORD JESUS CHRIST, of the wisest and best of men, of many, who seemed to judge most differently of it, when they come to more deliberate and serious thought, and not only of the dying, but of the dead too, of those who have experimentally known both worlds, and most surely know what is to be preferred. But I will not rest the whole argument here; therefore,

2. I appeal to the evident reason of the case itself, as it must appear to every unprejudiced mind, that the care of the soul is indeed the one thing needful.

I still consider myself as speaking not to atheists, or to deists, but to those who not only believe the existence and providence of GOD, and a future state of happiness and misery, but likewise who credit the truth of the christian revelation, as many undoubtedly do, who live in a fatal neglect of GOD, and their own souls. Now on these principles, a little reflection may be sufficient to convince you, that it is needful to the present repose of your own mind; needful, if ever you would secure eternal happiness, and avoid eternal misery, which will be aggravated, rather than alleviated by all your present enjoyments.

1. The care of the soul is the one thing needful, because, “without it you cannot secure the peace of your own mind, nor avoid the upbraidings of your conscience.”

That noble faculty is indeed the vicegerent of GOD in the soul. It is sensible of the dignity and worth of an immortal spirit, and will sometimes cry out of the violence that is offered to it, and cry so loud, as to compel the sinner to hear, whether he will or not. Do you not sometimes find it yourselves? when you labour most to forget the concerns of your soul, do they not sometimes force themselves on your remembrance? You are afraid of the reflections of your own mind, but with all your artifice and all your resolution can you intirely avoid them? Does not conscience follow you to your beds, even if denied the opportunity of meeting you in your closets, and, though with an unwelcome voice, there warn you, “that your soul is neglected, and will quickly be lost:” Does it not follow you to your shops and your fields, when you are busiest there? Nay, I will add, does it not sometimes follow you to the feast, to the club, to the dance, and perhaps, amidst all resistance, to the theatre too? Does it not sometimes mingle your sweetest draughts with wormwood, and your gayest scenes with horror? So that you are like a tradesman, who, suspecting his affairs to be in a bad posture, lays by his books and his papers, yet sometimes they will come accidentally in his way. He hardly dares to look abroad for fear of meeting a creditor or an arrest: and if he labours to forget his cares and his dangers, in a course of luxury at home, the remembrance is sometimes awakened, and the alarm increased, by those very extravagancies in which he is attempting to lose it. Such probably is the case of your minds, and it is a very painful state; and while things are thus within, external circumstances can no more make you happy, than a fine dress could relieve you under a violent fit of the stone. Whereas, if this great affair were secured, you might delight in reflection, as much as you now dread it; and conscience, of your bitterest enemy, would become a delightful friend, and the testimony of it your greatest rejoicing.

2. The care of the soul is the one thing needful, “because without this your eternal happiness will be lost.”

A crown of everlasting glory is not surely such a trifle as to be thrown away on a careless creature, that will not in good earnest pursue it. GOD doth not ordinarily deal thus, even with the bounties of his common providence, which are comparatively of little value. As to these, the hand of the diligent generally makes rich, and he would be thought distracted, rather than prudent, who should expect to get an estate merely by wishing for it, or without some resolute and continued application to a proper course of action for that purpose. Now, that we may not foolishly dream of obtaining heaven, in the midst of a course of indolence and sloth, we are expresly told in the word of GOD, that “the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force,” _Matthew_ xi. 12. and are therefore exhorted to “strive,” with the greatest intenseness, and eagerness of mind, as the word properly signifies, “to enter in at the strait gate,” for this great and important reason, “because many shall another day seek to enter in, and shall not be able,” _Luke_ xiii. 24. Nay, when our LORD makes the most gracious promises to the humble petitioner, he does it in such a manner as to exclude the hopes of those who are careless and indifferent. “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you,” _Matthew_ vii. 7. If, therefore, you do not ask, seek, and knock, the door of mercy will not be opened, and eternal happiness will be lost. Not that heaven is to be obtained by our own good works: no, no; for having done all, we must account ourselves unprofitable servants.

And surely if I could say no more as to the fatal consequences of your neglect, than this, that eternal happiness will be lost, I should say enough to impress every mind, that considers what ETERNITY means. To fall into a state of everlasting forgetfulness, might indeed appear a refuge to a mind filled with the apprehension of future misery. But O how dreadful a refuge is it! Surely it is such a refuge, as a vast precipice, (from which a man falling would be dashed to pieces in a moment) might appear to a person, pursued by the officers of justice, that he might be brought out to a painful and lingering execution. If an extravagant youth would have reason to look round with anguish, on some fair and ample paternal inheritance, which he had sold or forfeited merely for the riot of a few days: how much more melancholy would it be for a rational mind to think that its eternal happiness is lost for any earthly consideration whatever? Tormenting thought! “Had I attended to that one thing which I have neglected, I might have been, through the grace of GOD in CHRIST JESUS, great and happy beyond expression, beyond conception: not merely for the little span of ten thousand thousand ages, but for ever. A line reaching even to the remotest star would not have been able to contain the number of ages, nor would millions of years have been sufficient to figure them down; this is eternity, but I have lost it, and am now on the verge of being. This lamp, which might have outlasted those of the firmament, will presently be extinguished; and I blotted out from amongst the works of GOD, and cut off from all the bounties of his hand.” Would not this be a very miserable case, if this were all? And would it not be sufficient to prove this to be the better part, which, as our LORD observes, can “never be taken away?” But GOD forbid that we should be so unfaithful to him, and to the souls of men, as to rest in such a representation alone. I therefore add once more,

3. The care of the soul is the one thing needful, because “without it, you cannot avoid a state of eternal misery, which will be aggravated, rather than alleviated by all your present enjoyments.”

Nothing can be more evident from the word of the GOD of truth. It there plainly appears to be a determined case, which leaves no room for a more favourable conjecture or hope. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, even all the nations that forget GOD,” _Psalm_ ix. 17. “They shall go away into everlasting punishment,” _Matthew_ xxv. 46. into a state where they shall in vain seek death, and death shall flee from them. Oh! brethren, it is a certain, but an awful truth, that your souls will be thinking and immortal beings, even in spite of themselves. They may indeed torment, but they cannot destroy themselves. They can no more suspend their power of thought and perception, than a mirror its property of reflecting rays that fall on its surface. Do you suspect the contrary? Make the trial immediately. Command your minds to cease from thinking but for one quarter of an hour, or for half that time, and exclude every idea and every reflection. Can you succeed in that attempt? Or rather, does not thought press in with a more sensible violence on that resistance; as an anxious desire to sleep, makes us so much the more wakeful. Thus will thought follow you beyond the grave, thus will it, as an unwelcome guest, force itself upon you, when it can serve only to perplex and distress the mind. It will for ever upbraid you, that notwithstanding all the kind expostulations of GOD and man, notwithstanding all the keen remonstrances of conscience, and the pleadings of the blood of CHRIST, you have gone on in your folly, till heaven is lost, and damnation incurred; and all, for what? for a shadow and a dream.

Oh think not, sinners, that the remembrance of your past pleasures, and of your success in your other cares, whilst that of the one thing needful was forgotten, think not that this will ease your minds. It will rather torment them the more. “Son, remember that thou in thy life-time receivedst thy good things.” Bitter remembrance! Well might the heathen poets represent the unhappy spirits in the shades below, as eagerly catching at the water of forgetfulness, yet unable to reach it. Your present comforts will only serve to give you a livelier sense of your misery, as having tasted such degrees of enjoyment; and to inflame the reckoning, as you have misimproved those talents lodged in your hands for better purposes. Surely, if these things were believed, and seriously considered, the sinner would have no more heart to rejoice in his present prosperity, than a man would have to amuse himself with the curiosities of a fine garden, through which he was led to be broken upon the rack.

But I will enlarge no farther on these things. Would to GOD that the unaccountable stupidity of mens minds, and their fatal attachment to the pleasures and cares of the present life, did not make it necessary to insist on them so frequently and so copiously!

I now proceed to the reflections which naturally arise from hence, and shall only mention two.

1. How much reason have we to lament the folly of mankind in neglecting the one thing needful.

If religion be indeed the truest wisdom, then surely we have the justest reason to say with _Solomon_, “that folly and madness is in mens hearts,” _Ecclesiastes_ ix. 3. Is it the one thing needful? Look on the conduct of the generality of mankind, and you would imagine they thought it the one thing needless: the vainest dream, and the idlest amusement of the mind. GOD is admonishing them by ordinances, and providences, sometimes by such as are most awful, to lay it to heart; he speaks once, yea twice, (yea a multitude of times) but man regards not, _Job_ xxxiii. 14. They profess perhaps to believe all that I have been saying, but act as if the contrary were self-evident; they will risk their souls and eternity for a thing of nought, for that, for the sake of which they would not risk so much as a hand, or a finger, or a joint, no, nor perhaps a toy that adorns it. Surely this is the wonder of angels, and perhaps of devils too, unless the observation of so many ages may have rendered it familiar to both. And can we, my christian brethren, behold such a scene with indifference? If some epidemical madness had seized our country, or the places where we live, so that as we went from one place to another, we every where met with lunaticks, and saw amongst the rest, some perhaps of the finest genius, in the most eminent stations in life, amusing themselves with straws and bubbles, or wounding themselves and others; surely were we ever so secure from the danger of infection or assault, the sight would cut us to the heart. A good-natured man would hardly be able to go abroad, or even be desirous to live, if it must be amongst so many sad spectacles. Yet these poor creatures might, notwithstanding this, be the children of GOD, and the higher their frenzy rose, the nearer might their complete happiness be. But alas! the greater part of mankind are seized with a worse kind of madness, in which they are ruining their souls: and can we behold it with indifference? The LORD awaken our compassion, our prayers, and our endeavours, in dependence on divine grace, that we may be instrumental in bringing them to their mind, and making them wise indeed, that is, wise to salvation!

2. How necessary is it that we should seriously enquire, how this one thing needful is regarded by us!

Let me entreat you to remember your own concern in it, and enquire――Have I thought seriously of it? Have I seen the importance of it? Has it lain with a due and abiding weight on my mind? Has it brought me to CHRIST, that I might lay the stress of these great eternal interests on him? And am I acting in the main of my life, as one that has these convictions? Am I willing, in fact, to give up other things, my interests, my pleasures, my passions to this? Am I conversing with GOD and with man, as one that believes these things; as one that has deliberately chosen the better part, and is determined to abide by that choice?

Observe the answer which conscience returns to these enquiries, and you will know your own part in that more particular application, with which I shall conclude.

1. Let me address those that are entirely unconcerned about the one thing needful.

Brethren, I have been stating the case at large, and now I appeal to your consciences, are these things so, or are they not? GOD and your own hearts best know for what the care of your soul is neglected; but be it what it will, the difference between one grain of sand and another, is not great, when it comes to be weighed against a talent of gold. Whatever it is, you had need to examine it carefully. You had need to view that commodity on all sides, of which you do in effect say, For this will I sell my soul; for this will I give up heaven, and venture hell, be heaven and hell whatever they may. In the name of GOD, brethren, is this the part of a man, of a rational creature? To go on with your eyes open towards a pit of eternal ruin, because there are a few gay flowers in the way: or what if you shut your eyes, will that prevent your fall? It signifies little to say, I will not think of these things, I will not consider them: GOD has said, “In the last days they shall consider it perfectly,” _Jeremiah_ xxiii. 20. The revels of a drunken malefactor will not prevent nor respite his execution. Pardon my plainness; if it were a fable or a tale, I would endeavour to amuse you with words, but I cannot do it where your souls are at stake.

2. I would apply to those who are, in some sense, convinced of the importance of their souls, and yet are inclined to defer that care of them a little longer, which, in the general, they see to be necessary.

I know you that are young, are under peculiar temptations to do this; though it is strange that the death of so many of your companions, should not be an answer to some of the most specious and dangerous of those temptations. Methinks, if there were the least degree of uncertainty, the importance is too weighty to put matters to the venture. But here the uncertainty is great and apparent. You must surely know, that there are critical seasons of life for managing the concerns of it, which are of such a nature, that if once lost, they may never return: here is a critical season: “Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation,” _2 Corinthians_ vi. 2. “To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts,” _Hebrews_ iii. 7, 8. This language may not be spoken to-morrow. Talk not of a more convenient season; none can be more convenient; and that to which you would probably refer it, is least of all so, a dying time. You would not chuse then to have any important business in hand; and will you of choice refer the greatest business of all to that languishing, hurrying, amazing hour? If a friend were then to come to you with the balance of an intricate account, or a view of a title to an estate, you would shake your fainting head, and lift up your pale trembling hand, and say, perhaps, with a feeble voice, “Alas, is this a time for these things?” And is it a time for so much greater things than these? I wish you knew, and would consider, into what a strait, we that are ministers are sometimes brought, when we are called to the dying beds of those who have spent their lives in the neglect of the one thing needful. On the one hand, we fear, lest if we palliate matters, and speak smooth things, we shall betray and ruin their souls: and on the other, that if we use a becoming plainness and seriousness, in warning them of their danger, we shall quite overwhelm them, and hasten the dying moment, which is advancing by such swift steps. O let me entreat you for our sakes, and much more for your own, that you do not drive us to such sad extremities; but if you are convinced, as I hope some of you may now be, that the care of the soul is that needful thing we have represented, let the conviction work, let it drive you immediately to the throne of grace; from thence you may derive that wisdom and strength, which will direct you in all the intricacies which entangle you, and animate you in the midst of difficulty and discouragement.

3. I would in the last place address myself to those happy souls, who have in good earnest attended to the one thing needful.

I hope, that when you see how commonly it is neglected, neglected indeed, by many, whose natural capacities, improvements, and circumstances in life, appear to you superior to your own; you will humbly acknowledge, that it was distinguishing grace which brought you into this happy state, and formed you to this most necessary care. Bless the LORD, therefore, who hath given you that counsel, in virtue of which you can say, “He is your portion.” Rejoice in the thought, that the great concern is secured: as it is natural for us to do, when some important affair is dispatched, which has long lain before us, and which we have been inclined to put off from one day to another, but have at length strenuously and successfully attended. Remember still to endeavour to continue acting on these great principles, which at first determined your choice; and seriously consider, that those who desire their life may at last be given them for a prey, must continue on their guard, in all stages of their journey through a wilderness, where daily dangers are still surrounding them. Being enabled to secure the great concern, make yourselves easy as to others of smaller importance: You have chosen the kingdom of GOD, and his righteousness; other things, therefore, shall be added unto you: and if any which you desire should not be added, comfort yourselves with this thought, that you have the good part, which can never be taken away. And, not to enlarge on these obvious hints, which must so often occur, be very solicitous that others may be brought to a care about the one thing needful. If it be needful for you, it is so for your children, your friends, your servants. Let them, therefore, see your concern in this respect for them, as well as for yourselves. Let parents especially attend to this exhortation, whose care for their offspring often exceeds in other respects, and fails in this. Remember that your children may never live to enjoy the effects of your labour and concern to get them estates and portions: the charges of their funerals may, perhaps, be all their share of what you are so anxiously careful to lay up for them. And O think what a sword would pierce through your very heart, if you should stand by the corpse of a beloved child with this reflection: “This poor creature has done with life, before it learnt its great business in it; and is gone to eternity, which I have seldom been warning it to prepare for, and which, perhaps, it learned of me to forget.”

On the whole, may this grand care be awakened in those by whom it has been hitherto neglected: may it be revived in each of our minds. And that you may be encouraged to pursue it with greater chearfulness, let me conclude with this comfortable thought, that in proportion to the necessity of the case, through the merits of CHRIST JESUS, is the provision which divine grace has made for our assistance. If you are disposed to sit down at CHRIST’s feet, he will teach you by his word and Spirit. If you commit this precious jewel, which is your eternal all, into his hand, he will preserve it unto that day, and will then produce it richly adorned, and gloriously improved to his own honour, and to your everlasting joy.

Which GOD of his infinite mercy grant, &c.

END of the FIFTH VOLUME.