the camp; hating and forsaking all for him; walking in the narrow way; having our conversations and affections in heaven; mortifying our lusts; loving our enemies; wrestling against principalities and powers; praying always; abstaining from all appearance of evil; exercising ourselves in a good conscience toward God and men; living without rebuke in the midst of a crooked generation; walking circumspectly; setting the Lord alway before us; choosing the reproaches of Christ rather than the pleasures of sin, or honours of the world. When sensual and earthly-minded men are held close by such doctrines as these, they conclude with the men of Capernaum, "This is a hard saying; who can hear it?" (John vi. 60)

Now the greatness of this sin appears by the other dangerous sins, that are folded in it: For it plainly implieth ;

1. Unthankfulness for Christ, and undervaluing of him: For did we apprehend him (as in truth he is) exceeding precious, no such slender prejudices would cause us to take of fence at him. There is nothing in him which is not lovely to believers; those very things at which wicked men stumble, are to them amiable. As that odour, which is deadly to a vulture, is comfortable to a dove ;" as the same water of jealousy, in case of an innocent woman, did cause to conceive, which, in case of guilt, did cause the belly to swell, and the thigh to rot. (Num. v. 27, 28)

2. It noteth love of sin, and senselessness under it. For were men truly affected with the danger of that, they would not be offended at the bitterness of the medicine that removes it. Had the young man's affections been looser from his possessions, they would have cleaved closer unto Christ. An adulterous heart doth many times take more pleasure in an unhandsome harlot, than in a beautiful wife. Unbelief in Christ ever proceeds from the predominancy of some other love. (John xii. 42, 43)

3. It noteth slight apprehensions of the wrath to come. The more the heart is possessed with the terror of wrath, the more it will value the sanctuary which protecteth from it. No condemned man is offended at his pardon, by what hand soever it be brought unto him.

u Nyss. in Cant. Homil. 3. χροῖς εἶδον 'κπεπληγμένους. Euripid.

* Καὶ γὰρ ἐκ καλλιόνων Λέκτροις ἐν αἰσε

4. It noteth hardness and contumacy in sin. Nothing shuts out the voice of Christ, but pride of heart, which will not submit to the law of faith. (Heb. iii. 7. Rom. x. 3)

5. It notes an unsavouriness of soul, which cannot relish the things of God. As a bitter palate tastes every thing bitter, so an impure heart knows not how to judge of things that are spiritually discerned; (1 Cor. ii. 14. Heb. v. 13) makes even an impure Scripture, an impure Christ, an impure religion. And this is indeed a right dangerous condition for where Christ is not for the rising, he is for the fall of men; where his sweet savour is not reviving, it is deadly. That sickness, of all other, is most incurable, which rejecteti cordials. No state so desperate as that which thrusteth away salvation from it. (Acts xiii. 46)

We should therefore be exhorted unto this so comfortable a duty, to stir up in our hearts that joy in Christ, which the inestimable benefit of our high calling requireth of us. It is a "comely thing for the righteous to rejoice,” Psal. xxxiii. 1. Shall wicked men glory in that which is their shame, and shall not the righteous rejoice in him who is their salvation? Shall he rejoice over us to do us good, (Jer. xxxii. 41) and rest in his love to us; (Zeph. iii. 17) and shall not we rejoice in him who is the chiefest of ten thousand? Are not all the objects of joy, which are scattered amongst the creatures, heaped up, and everlastingly treasured in him alone? Do we delight in wealth? (as many will say, who will shew us any good ") behold here unsearchable riches;' (Ephes. iii. 8) durable riches;' (Prov. viii. 18) without bounds, without bottom, without end. Do we delight in pleasure? Behold here rivers of pleasure' that never dry; pleasures for evermore' that never vanish. (Psal. xxxvi. 8, and xvi. 11) Do we delight in beauty? He is fairer' than the children of men. (Psal. xlv. 2) In sweet odours? All his "garments smell of myrrh, aloes, and cassia ;" he is "perfumed with all the spices of the merchant." (Psal. xlv. 8. Cant. iii. 6) In music, or elegant orations? His "mouth is most sweet, altogether lovely; grace is poured into his lips," (Cant. v. 16) In plentiful provision? Behold here "a feast of fatted things;" (Isa. xxv. 6) "living water;" (John iv. 10) "bread of life, meat indeed;" (John vi. 51, 55) A banqueting-house," with flagons, apples, fruits. (Cant. ii.

3, 5, 7, 17) In stately buildings? Here is an "ivory palace, whose beams are cedar, whose galleries are cypress." (Psal. xlv. 8. Cant. i. 16) In profound learning? Here is "knowledge that passeth knowledge,” ὑπερέχον τῆς γνώσεως (Phil. iii. 8) "the excellency of knowledge,” knowledge that is life. (John xvii. 3) In honour and dignity? Here is the Lord of Glory, honourable in himself; (Phil. iii. 9) an honour to his people; (1 Pet. ii. 7) making them all kings and priests to God. (Rev. i. 6) In safety and security?" This man is our peace, when the Assyrian is in the land :" (Mic. v. 5) "he will cast out our enemies, he will undo those that afflict us." (Zeph. iii. 15, 19) In him the fulness of all delectable things; and that which makes all the more delightful, it is Bonum parabile,' though so superlatively precious, yet not to be purchased at a dear rate, set before us, offered unto us, "without money, without price;" (Isa. Iv. 2) a gift, a free gift, a gift of grace, a gift of righteousness. (Rom. v. 15, 18) Well might the psalmist bid us rejoice, and exceedingly rejoice :" (Psal. lxviii. 3) well might the prophet bid us "sing, and shout, and rejoice, and be glad with all the heart:" (Zeph. iii. 14) well might the apostle call it, "a joy unspeakable, and full of glory;" (1 Pet. i. 8) since the Lord Jesus is not only the joy of saints, (Luke xix. 37, 38) but of blessed angels, (Luke ii. 13) yea, of God himself, he is called "the Lord's delight." (Prov. viii. 30) Surely, then God's people cannot but be fully agreed upon it, to" rejoice in him."

And how in him?

66

1. In his person and immediate excellencies,' those glorious treasures of wisdom and grace, wherewith he is replenished, a spectacle of angelical adoration. (1 Pet. i. 12. Heb. i. 6)

2. In his mediation; the great things he hath done, the great benefits he hath procured for us. "God forbid" (saith the apostle)" that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Gal. vi. 14)

3. In our knowledge of him, and communion with him in all those benefits; a knowledge, in comparison of which, the apostle esteemed all other things "as loss and dung." (Phil. iii. 8)

4. In all the means which he hath appointed to bring men

to this knowledge of him, and communion with him. In his ordinances, which are his voice speaking from heaven unto us; according to the estimation whereof he accounteth himself regarded by us. (Luke x. 16) In his ministers, to whom he hath committed the word of reconciliation, whom his people have received as angels of God: (Gal. iv. 14, 15) unto whom what respect, or disrespect is shewed, Christ looketh on as done unto himself. (Mat. x. 40, 41) And here I cannot but follow the example of our apostle to these Philippians, (Chap. iv. ver. 10-14-19) and with joy and thankfulness, make mention of the zeal and Christian care of this honourable city, both to provide a learned and faithful ministry; and, having such, to speak comfortable unto them," as Hezekiah did, and to encourage them in the service of the Lord. And this your work of faith and labour of love is the more acceptable, in that it hath flourished in these loose times, wherein many unstable and seduced souls have been misled, by the profane impulsions of such as bear evil will to the prosperity of our Sion, to load the ministers of Christ, as the Jews did their Lord before them, with execrations and reproaches. This your zeal hath been famous in all places at home, and, I persuade myself, in all churches of Christ abroad and I doubt not but it will be a rejoicing and a crown unto you at the appearing of the Lord. And truly your honour standeth not so much in your spacious city, in your goodly structures, in your great river, in your numerous ships, in your wise senate, in your full treasures, in your vast trade, in your ancient name (for you have been a most famous emporium upon record, for above fifteen hundred years) all these are but thin and empty elogies unto that one, (Ezek. xlviii. 35) "the name of the city shall be Jehovah Shammah, the Lord is there." That is, this will be your honour, if you be "a city of truth, the mountain of the Lord of hosts, the holy mountain." (Zech. viii. 3) The gospel is the riches of a nation; (Rom. xi. 12) obedience and wisdom the renown of a people. (Deut. iv. 6) Go on, therefore, thus to rejoice in Christ, by honouring his ordinances, by strengthening the hands, and comforting the hearts of his

:

y Londinum, copiâ negotiatorum et commeatu maximè celebre: Tacit. Annal. lib. 14.

ministers in his service, and the Lord will be with you; and men shall say of you, "The Lord bless thee, O habitation of justice, and mountain of holiness." (Jer. xxxi. 23)

5. Rejoice we in that work whereunto by these he calls us. As it was his joy to do his father's work, so it is the joy of believers to do his work; (2 Cor. i. 12) they live not, they die not, unto themselves, but unto him. (Rom. xiv. 7, 8)

6. In the graces he supplies us withal, for the performance of that work: thus we read of the "joy of faith," (Phil. i. 25) not only in regard of the good things it assureth unto us, but of the efficacy which it hath in us, enabling us to work by love.

7. In the light of his countenance shining on us, which is much better than life itself." (Psalm lxiii. 3) We may all say unto him, as he said unto his Father, (Acts ii. 28) "Thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance."

8. In the hope of his glory. The spirit of adoption is even now a glorious thing, (John i. 2) "but it doth not yet appear what we shall be:" only this he hath assured us of, that we shall be like unto him,' shall see him as he is,' shall ' appear with him in glory,' shall sit upon his throne,' and be ever with him.' (1 John iii. 1, 2. Col. iii. 4) And this blessed hope, secured by the witness of the Spirit (who is the seal and earnest of our eternal inheritance) filleth the hearts of believers with "joy unspeakable and full of glory;" while they look not on the things that are seen, but on the things that are not seen.

9. In the fellowship of his sufferings; which though to sense they may be matter of sorrow,-yet, unto faith, are they matter of joy. When God's servants consider, that unto these sufferings they were appointed;' (1 Thess. iii. 3) that Christ owns them as his ;' (Col. i. 4) that they work for them a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;" (2 Cor. iv. 17) that thereby the spirit of glory resteth on them,' and that God himself is glorified in them; (1 Pet. iv. 14) in these respects they not only rejoice, but triumph, as more than conquerors in all their afflictions. (Acts v. 41. Rom. viii. 37. Jum. i. 2)

Thus are believers to rejoice in Christ: and that, 1. Greatly, again and again. Other delights may please the senses,